Sambo’s Restaurant

So like many other reviewers, I hit up Sambo’s based on the pull of nostalgia. On the plus side, the place was pretty much how I recalled it, which is also a negative, because those racialized images in the 21^st century are fairly jarring devoid of context. Food was same as it ever was, solid diner food. I had the french toast, dining partner the Western omelette. Service was quick and professional, and I particularly love that a carafe of coffee was left on the table. We scored a window view of the beach so added bonus for that. Price was more than fair given location.

Good food. Staff is very friendly. They have a nice breakfast/​lunch variety. They’re a little pricy but hey, this is Santa Barbara… everything is pricy.

Got there at 7:45 this morning, and there were few patrons but several staff. Waited much longer than seemed normal, especially based on how empty it was. Didn’t get everything we asked for, and our breakfast was mostly cold when it arrived. Very unappetizing. But no one came to check on us, and it’s not like we would’ve had time to wait for a fresh order anyway, as our 14-​month-​old was antsy by the time the food arrived. Boo, Sambo’s.

Nice place… mini muffin basket while you waited… was ok but loaded with sugar. Staff was friendly but so busy we had to ask for water refills. All our food was a bit on cold side when served… one of our party didn’t get their order till 5 min. after everyone else. But turned out ok because it was the only meal HOT! We liked the atmosphere. Our check was $ 52.00 for five meals (2 kids meals) everyone thought it was ok but just not rememberable to warrant a second visit. There is free parking for the restaurant in. Their lot.

Worst place ever! Please do yourself a favor and do not waste your money. The muffins that some reviewers talk about are as hard as rocks. Coffee is awful. Bacon was charred, and in general the food was inferior. The worst part was to get a huge bill for food that we sent back. There are many great moms and pops cafes all over Santa Barbara. We were so lazy to walk or drive and ended up in this factory-​like diner!

Best breakfast spot in Santa Barbara!!! They give you an over abundance of food. We had their specialty pancakes which were amazing. Right in the beach with patio seating as an option. Customer service top notch.

Great diner food, friendly staff and clean atmosphere…
But if you sit outside the view is awesome, shady, and related. great view of the wharf and water… and passers-​by. Dog friendly patio too…

As a kid, my family went to our local Sambo’s fairly often. I loved it since my did would always tell me the story of Sambo and the tigers. It was like story time and breakfast all in one! So when I had a chance to go to the original (and only remaining?) Sambo’s I was pretty excited.
It’s a good breakfast spot. Love the mini muffins you get before you even order. Service was good and our breakfasts were tasty. The restaurant has a modern look and always seems to be very busy. I may not have gotten the nostalgic vibe that I had been hoping for — but I was definitely fueled for another day of sightseeing in beautiful Santa Barbara.

I came here with my family while we were visiting Santa Barbara. We needed to stop somewhere for breakfast before we headed back to LA. We decided to come to Sambo’s and I’m glad we did!
The parking isn’t very great. There’s a tiny lot right next to the restaurant where you might be able to snag a spot. Otherwise it’s street parking. We didn’t have to wait at all when we came in. We let them know how many people were in our party and they seated us right away. They have a very nice outdoor patio that has a great view of the beach and pier, but that was full and we didn’t want to wait since we were so hungry. We were seated in a booth next to the window so we still were able to get that view, it just wasn’t outside. Definitely try to snag an outdoor spot if you can! The restaurant is located right on Cabrillo so you are basically right near the water.
I ordered the Crab Cakes Benedict which was super tasty! I love crab and all seafood, so I wanted to try this spin on the classic Benedict. They also serve you blueberry and chocolate chip mini muffins on the house! That was a nice treat and it was really hard to not devour the whole basket!
If you’re looking for good food with a view, definitely check out Sambo’s! If you want to sit outside, it’s probably best to make a reservation beforehand.

I’ve been here a handful of times on my way up the coast and the food is consistently good. I also like sitting on the patio right across from the beach.
However, the last time I was here (Monday morning), I was in the restroom and saw a very tall woman with dark blonde hair come out of a stall, then stick her hands under the faucet for maybe half a second. When I got back to the table, I realized she was one of the servers. Disgusting. I even saw her grab a bowl of fruit by placing her hand over the top after this happened.
Yeah, yeah, I realize this probably happens all the time at restaurants, but to actually SEE it really turned me off to coming here ever again.

How food tastes on vacation often depends on the quality of the emotional experience — if the locale is spectacular and the company is special — even standard fare can take on a mystical quality.
And so it was for us in Santa Barbara.
My son (who I see once or twice a year) lives and works here — and it is one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited in California. We stayed at the Hotel Milo next door to Sambo’s — his recommend for breakfast/​brunch.
Sambo’s serves old school diner food, Cali beach style.
On the surface the food is what we expect from a decent diner in NJ, but there is something unique about the ocean view on one side and mountains on the other that makes breakfast at Sambo’s singular. That, plus the company — and lots of cool history.
My chicken fried steak & gravy, eggs over easy and side of corned beef hash was killer. The omelets were fluffy and well seasoned as was the french toast. GREAT COFFEE — Maybe the best I had my whole trip. Pancakes were perfectly soft and crunchy, salty and sweet.
We ate with all our senses — and it was all damn good, especially the tall Bloody Mary’s.
I can’t promise you that a trip to Sambo’s in Santa Barbara will have the same emotional impact for you that it had for me, but if it does, you will love this place.

This is a really great casual place to grab a hearty breakfast. TONS of choices, great hot sauces (especially the habanero but not for the faint of heart), and yummy food. Also like the bloody marys and mimosas. Pretty view of the beach from the outside tables.

I had breakfast here this morning and it was great. The waitress was extremely friendly and my food was spot on. I remember going to their other locations many years ago in New Port Richey Florida and this brought back great memories. Don’t change anything leave it just the way it is. If some people want to spend $ 40 plus on a fancy joint let them go !

Oh man. This was probably one of our biggest disappointments while staying in Santa Barbara. We asked our hotel for a brunch recommendation. This wasn’t even as good as Denny’s. It was that bad.
Great service though. Close to beach. Right by State Street.

I really liked Sambo’s in the past and it pains me to write this review.
When we were seated I noticed how the table appeared to be falling apart. There was also a mess of garbage on the nearby floor from a previous party that was never cleaned up. Additionally, my knife was dirty and I had to ask for a new one twice.
Later, the side of pancakes I ordered came out cold. Our waitress didn’t come by to check on us until we were almost done. I requested new ones and I eventually told her to forget it after it took over fifteen minutes.
Otherwise the food is good, but there is now a consistent lack of attention to detail. Their price point is high for breakfast food– almost twice what Denny’s charges. It almost looks like they’re making the business decision to trade on the ocean being across the street and letting everything else go. How sad.

Santa Barbara tradition that unfortunately didn’t do as much for me as I was hoping.
Food: 3 Atmosphere: 3 Service: 3
Cost to worth it rating: 2 (Eggs Benedict for ~$ 14 is a bit high)
Return worthiness: probably not
Highlights:
— Kids menu: has a side for brunch and lunch options plus crayons and a coloring placemat
— Few tables outside where you can see the beach
— Chocolate chip muffin basket: provided like bread for a meal
— Mimosas: served in a tall curvy tropical drink glass with choices of traditional orange cranberry, peach, or grapefruit flavors.
Midlights:
— Eggs Benedict: I love this dish usually but the sauce was odd to me. Liked that it wasn’t too thick or creamy but was a bit too light and gooey. I got the special with avocado, spinach, and corned beef hash which seemed like a good combination though the meat was too greasy for me. 2.5 stars
Lowlights:
— Long lines not sure worth the food quality
For the hype and popularity, I was expecting better food, so doesn’t make my top brunch list.

I’m a FIRM believer in using Unilocal’s «Update My Review» button, and this review proves it! I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Santa Barbara 5 times this year, and Sambo’s was the perfect way to start our visit each and every time!
I’ve already talked about their history in my previous review. Very few places on the Central Coast have the same «history cache» as Sambo’s. Their food has been consistently good… if not great. each and every time I’ve eaten here. Love the pancakes! Love the omelettes! Love the sandwiches! Pretty much everything you will have here is going to be very good at the least. Its diner food at some of its best.
The only downsides? Wifey likes the Mimosas but thinks they could use a little bit better quality champagne in them. Also, their parking lot is postage-​stamp sized. But really. you’ll figure it out!
Consistency of quality, consistency of good service and raw staying power earns Sambo’s the fifth Unilocal Star! Now if they would only open up a couple more locations… One can dream! But until then, the dream is found in Santa Barbara by the beach!

Nice medium size spot. Sat inside. They brought out muffins instead of regular bread! Blueberry and chocolate.
Ordered California benedict side if house potatoes. Added side if fruit. Muffins were a little hard for my taste but tasted good.
One of the tastiest benedict I’ve had. Potatoes were cooked very well. Fruit was ok I would skip it next time.
I’d go again!

This place reminds me of Denny’s a little bit, but the food was a step up from that restaurant! It has a retro vibe. I went here on a Saturday morning for brunch with my extended family. We had a long wait, which is to be expected in Santa Barbara on the weekends in a touristy area. My favorite part of the meal were the little muffins that were brought out before our meal. They were free and delicious! We were all starving so we appreciated them very much.
When our food arrived it was hot and yummy!

The view is priceless. Anywhere on the coast of Santa Barbara is definitely worth the visit and the 5 stars+ worthy…
If you want to talk about the food here, well that’s another story. Had surgery earlier that morning and was starving when I was out. Searched on Unilocal for a good brunch spot for me and the fiancé. We knew we wanted a view, chillaquiles, and reasonably priced food. Samba was one of the top 3 that met our minimal criteria, so to Samba we proceeded…
It was a Monday morning and There was a crowd hovering the entrance when we arrived. Again, this could be a good and bad thing. Good thing, the restaurant is good and popular. Bad thing, small/​not enough seats/​slow wait service-​you make the call. We still put our name on the list, from there we waiting about 10 minutes and got a seat on their outside patio with an awesome view. No complaints.
Our server was a little dry, which we weren’t expecting being she works in the beautiful SB, how can you not be happy. Whatevs.
We proceeded to order food which eventually was brought out to us within 20 minutes of being ordered, not too bad on the wait. Here’s where and why my review is only 3 stars… the proportions are really small. I rarely finish my entrees when we go out but I was able to finish this one. Besides the fact I had surgery that morning, the portions were small. Not worth the price at all.
I ordered the famous homemade corn beef hash with eggs and country potatoes with fruit. I maybe took 3 bites of the hash and it was gone. My scrambled eggs was probably just one egg and my potatoes were maybe 7 square pieces. Fruit, about 5 pieces, gone. Not worth $ 11.95.
You clearly are paying for the view and real estate… not the food here.

Personnel très sympathique, mais les plats étaient moyennement bons. La serveuse m’a avoué que les soupes n’étais pas préparées par le restaurant, mais achetées déjà congelées. Un des plats a été oublié il a été servi seulement à la fin du repas.