Dom’s Taverna Santa Barbara

  4.6 – 50 reviews   • Restaurant

Social Profile:

✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out Dom’s Taverna Santa Barbara 93101

Hours

Friday12 PM–12 AM
Saturday12 PM–12 AM
Sunday12–8 PM
MondayClosed
Tuesday5 PM–12 AM
Wednesday12 PM–12 AM
Thursday12 PM–12 AM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 30 E Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Phone: (805) 724-4338

Website: https://www.domstaverna.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: opentable.com

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Reviews

Elysia Guillen
Finally had a chance to dine at Dom’s Taverna, one of the newer restaurants that opened last year, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. We made a dinner reservation via OpenTable before heading to an SBIFF event, and everything from timing to service felt seamless.

This is a share-plates dream, so we ordered accordingly. Hongos, mussels and clams with chorizo (that broth alone is worth the order), prawns with butter and garlic that were rich and perfectly cooked, steak bites, half a dozen oysters, and Santa Barbara crab claws. Every dish came out well-paced and clearly meant for the table, which made the experience feel relaxed instead of rushed.

For drinks, I tried both the Don Raj Spritz and the freezer gin martini. One was earthy and refreshing, the other ice-cold and dangerously smooth. Exactly the kind of cocktails you want before a night out.

Service was attentive without hovering, knowledgeable when asked, and genuinely warm. Plates were cleared on time, drinks stayed filled, and no one made us feel like we needed to rush out the door. As for value, the quality of the seafood, portion sizes, and overall experience felt fair for what you’re getting. This is the kind of place where sharing a few dishes gives you a full, satisfying meal without feeling overcharged.

We missed happy hour this time, but for those planning ahead it runs from 3–5:30 pm and again from 9–11 pm, which is honestly a great deal considering the menu.

Dom’s Taverna hits that sweet spot of elevated but approachable, with thoughtful collaborations that show they’re tapped into the community. Great food, solid service, and an easy go-to for both special occasions and spontaneous nights out.
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Natalie Krause
Everything was had was so delicious and fresh! The service was super friendly and it was cool to see the chefs working in the open kitchen. The vermouth over ice was perfect, the oysters and jamón were super tasty, and the Tomat was so good we ordered a second serving! The design inside is lovely and the vibes are great all around. Feels great for both a date night or a larger group out, and certainly to show off California’s superb seafood and produce.
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Alex McCullough
From the outside it appears to be a not-so-out-of-place restaurant in Santa Barbara, but inside you’ll be transported to coastal Spain. It might as well be another planet because the flavors are out of this world. Seafood as it should be. Warm, inviting, a place to bring a date or the friends and family. Grateful to have had the experience here and can’t wait to go back and try everything I missed.
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Vanessa Donati
My friends and I were greeted by the sweetest person, Audrey. She was so friendly and gave us the rundown. I appreciated that she was honest about the wait time and recommended the bar seating (there were two seats available). By sheer luck, a reservation only had half the people show and we got a table. Thank you food gods!

Raul was our server and he was simply the best! He educated us on the menu and made amazing recommendations. He was a joy to have serve us in this foodie experience. Literally no other feedback other than I hope he always serves me when I come visit.

The tomat was an explosion of different flavors that meshed so well. SO WELL! We ordered a side of bread just to dip in the sauce. Fresh, delicious, flavorful…what more can one ask for?

The crudo was devoured quickly. What can I say? It was exactly what it should be.

Surf and turf tartare dish was perfection especially eaten with the chips. Salty, crispy, crunchy ::chefs kiss:: I would literally come back just for this. I don’t think i can order this dish any where else because it will never be this good. Full disclosure, we ordered THREE rounds of this dish and had zero regrets.

Lobster rice was a special (you can typically order the crab rice) and i would highly recommend it. The lobster was cooked perfectly and everything mixed together so well.

The smoked shell flatbread was too much, too overpowering. I could not throughly enjoy what this dish had to offer due to the kick. I was told it had a little more spice than usual so I’ll need to try it again in the future.

Chicken croketas were flaky on the outside, perfectly cooked on the inside and sat in a lovely (and delicious) sauce of dill.

Look, bathrooms (in general) are pretty standard however, i need to give kudos to the fact that they provide feminine hygiene products and a full length mirror. It’s the small touches that really make this place great!

Quick tip: make reservations. This place is a hot spot and while you can gamble with walking in, bar seating is not guaranteed and tables get snatched quickly.
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Nicholas Gillio
Dom’s Taverna was an incredible dining experience from start to finish. Every dish we tried was a standout. The jamón was perfect, the squid and beans were wonderfully balanced, and the mushrooms were packed with flavor. We loved the freshness of the raw oysters and the depth of the baked oyster the miso was just perfect. The crudo and tartar were both beautifully balanced and true highlights of the night. The pulpo was tender and perfectly charred, showing real skill in the kitchen. To finish, the cheesecake was absolutely delicious creamy, light, and the perfect ending to a amazing meal.

All of the cocktails were amazing creative, balanced, and a perfect complement to the food. Service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere made the night even better. Dom’s Taverna is a true gem we’ll definitely be back soon!

This is just what Santa Barbara needs.
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Cherry Au
Cute lighting and atmosphere. Absolutely perfectly executed food with reasonable price at bar bites hours. Bartender that actually knows how to make cocktails. Friendly and timely service. Hats off, extremely hard to come by a restaurant in SB that actually is serious about executing all small details right. But Dom’s got it down. Impressed and will certainly be back. (Still thinking about that cheese burger and last word).
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George Fink
If you’re looking for a dining experience that manages to disappoint on nearly every level, Dom’s Taverna is your place. From the moment you step in, you’re greeted by a pretentious atmosphere that feels more like a forced attempt at sophistication than a warm, inviting taverna. The Wayfair decor tries hard to impress but ultimately falls flat, setting the tone for what’s to come.

The quality is shockingly poor. I had steak frites that is listed as “market price.” Seriously? I received a skirt steak that had a tangy liver taste to it. Guess the kitchen ran out of entrecôte. Maybe the fries would be better? Nah, they were cool and kinda soggy. You’d expect a taverna to offer hearty portions, but here, you’re met with meager servings that leave you wondering if you accidentally ordered appetizers instead of entrees.

The beer selection is IPAs, a cider, and a low end lager. But you don’t get much of an opportunity to hate on your beer because they only give you 6 oz! Half a beer charged at half a liter price! I felt cheated. If you’re going to call yourself a taverna, at least have the decency to provide a decent drink to accompany the sad excuse for a meal.

To top it all off, the staff were inattentive and fake. Instead of welcoming you, they seem bothered by your presence.

Unfortunately, Dom’s Taverna is a perfect storm of poor quality food, uninviting service, and an atmosphere that tries too hard to impress. Save your time and money—there are plenty of other places in Santa Barbara that value their customers and actually know how to serve a decent meal.
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Jen S
We had a 7 person family dinner here on a Friday night, at peak dinner time, during the holidays, and the service, food, drinks, atmosphere, vibe, literally everything was a 100/10. From a warm greeting when we walked in, to Raoul, our server, who was so kind and attentive, we loved sitting near the kitchen and watching the action, and dish after dish knocked our socks off. You can feel in every nook and cranny of the place, as well as the food , how much this chef loves food, and curates such a warm lively delicious stellar dining experience from start to finish. Dom’s is a true Santa Barbara gem and while it is new, it accomplishes such a genuine superb dining experience, it feels like it’s already an institution. We are so thrilled to have Dom and his fantastic restaurant in the heart of downtown SB!
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Brian Junger
The bartender was good but the rest of the experience was rather forgettable. Just came in for drinks and apps.

Sangria was extremely bitter and unbalanced, the menu said “farmer’s market fruit” but there was no fruit that came with it, had to ask for orange slices that I managed to squeeze in. Glass was also tiny and filled to the brim with ice. Cider on tap was good but came in the same glass that water is served in. Would be much more special if it came in any other glass, maybe a tulip glass. Neither drink was worth half the price paid.

Continued to go downhill from there. Got a bowl of mussels and clams that were served in a bland broth. Worst part was the mussels were undercooked and slimy in the middle, and the clams al dente. Bartender was nice enough to take it off the tab but it never should have left the kitchen. Half a dozen of the bivalves were also completely shut which also should have not made it into the bowl. Steak tips were under seasoned.

Open kitchen is nice but the exposed HVAC ducts do not look good at all with massive amounts of foil duct tape visible.

Anecdotal but there’s no value here and no quality control either. For the price paid, there are better options in town. Would recommend Opal instead.
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chris campbell
Came for a taste of Basque cuisine – the steak frites, chicken croquettes and Basque cheesecake were the highlights! Sat at the bar and the place was buzzing on its second night! Give Dom’s a try.
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