They serve the mussles cold.I dont reccommend them..Other food was good.Duck was $36.00, wheras most restaurants charge $24.But hey, its Santa Barbara.Food is slow in coming, so make sure you have a lot of wine to drink. more

Atmosphere, relaxing. Wine, nice. Cold mussel ap., some unpleasant pungent flavors. Black Cod, swimming in bland creamy sauce, bit fishy, potato unimaginative, bitter greens, good flavor, had to cut with knife. Duck, tender, very good. Salad, soggy. Dessert, pear tart, crust impossible to cut with fork. Service, inconsistent due to several diff. waiters attending us. Water went unfilled. Asked for... more

Visited one of favorites in Santa Barbara...hadn't been for nearly 15 years and yes it still brings a solid offering. Bring your Platinum Amex card and everything will just be fine. Enjoy more

One of SB's best more

I finally got to go to Downey's a few months ago. When I called for a reservation, John Downey took the call and gently informed me that if I wanted to eat on that particular night, the only menu being served was fixed price, and designed to commemorate the last day of the local lobster and chantrelle seasons. The food... more

Zagat has this place rated top in Santa Barbara and they've got it right. We just happened to pass by while we were waiting for our table at Arigato to open. We made reservations for Saturday night. The service was great. The unpretentious wait staff and the friendly owner were very helpful with wine pairings and local recommendations. The food... more

Quaint location on State St. near theaters/shopping. Welcoming host and friendly/knowledgeable wait staff. Lovely, quiet ambiance accompanied by soft, classical music and candlelight. Menu changes daily with regards to market availability. Appetizers: Smoked Salmon (smoky/salty meat atop creamy avocado with a zesty relish), Sweet Corn Soup (rich, creamy corn chowder embellished with sun-dried tomatoes and basil) and Endive Salad (earthy... more

We told the concierge at the hotel that we wanted to splurge for a really nice dinner, and this is where she sent us. It was a splurge! Very pricy. But also very fine food. We drank good wine, passed around every dish for all four to try, and everyone agreed that every single flavor was simply wonderful. more

Always a wonderful selection of first plates and entrees which reflect ingredients available from local sources. Fresh! ...and wonderfully prepared. Perhaps most impressive: consistency... and we've been taking advantage of it for 25 years. Liz and John Downey have earned their reputation as leaders of the local dining scene. more