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Arnoldi's Cafe, Santa Barbara, CA

Arnoldi's Cafe

4.7 (791)
$31 to $50
Italian
600 Olive St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 17 times today

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Oldest Italian restaurant in Santa Barbara! We have two bocce courts on our patio with outdoor dining. Lots of pasta, appetizers, salads, chicken dishes and homemade desserts...Italian wine and local wine on our wine list...indoor or outdoor seating. We are a true local's secret and kid friendly. Open for dinner 7 days a week! We also host rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, and large birthday parties.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Californian, reserved
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Sun 11:00 am–4:30 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    We have a room that fits up to 45 people. People walk through to get outside, but it is often used for private birthday parties, holiday parties and rehearsal dinners.

    We also have a patio that fits up to 100 people and can be reserved privately with a food and beverage minimum

  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Cross street
    Cota Street
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 791 people are saying

Arnoldi's Cafe reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Kid-friendly

  • California Central Coast

    Neighborhood gem

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Overall

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Service

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Ambiance

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Value

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for groups

  • Santa Barbara

    Neighborhood gem

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Barbara

    Romantic

  • Santa Barbara

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Arnoldi's Cafe in Santa Barbara offers a charming, nostalgic Italian dining experience with "great food and ambiance." This family-owned gem is known for its "friendly and accommodating" service, "delicious food," and beautiful outdoor seating. Highlights include authentic Italian dishes and a "welcoming and warm" atmosphere. A must-visit for Italian cuisine lovers!
791 Reviews
  1. taunia

    Los Angeles6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great vibe, delicious food, wonderful service! Can’t wait to go again!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Jill

    Central Coast2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    This is one of our favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara. Mother’s Day dinner was a little lackluster from our previous experiences. The chicken in our Tuscan dish was overcooked and tough, which is not the norm.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Karl

    Los Angeles4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Pretty good mother's day brunch location. Nice mix of meals.

    Is this helpful?

  4. James

    San Francisco7 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    We were excited to eat here as the restaurant has a storied history in Santa Barbara. Unfortunately it did not live up to that. Food was fair, and pricey, service was poor.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Erika

    New Orleans27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious!!! If you don't get the burrata in pomodoro appetizer, why do you even exist? It's amazing. The steak is divine.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Ed

    Central Coast1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
     Guillermo was our waiter last night. His service was superb. The staff assisting him at the table was top notch, We were there to celebrate our daughter’s birthday and the staff was there to celebrate with us thank you’re for hospitality.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Sarah VIP

    Central Coast3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Have heard about Arnoldi's as a local's favorite for years and it's silly that we'd never been. We loved every minute - especially the friendliness and responsiveness of the service, from the valet and host stand through the table service. We'll be back!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Alex

    New York City16 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food. The restaurant accepted my initial reservation then called to ask me to push it to an earlier time. Then we we arrived we had 30 minutes to order everything because the kitchen was closing.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Velma

    Central Coast4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food, service and setting are excellent. It’s been a small, family-owned restaurant for decades. The staff is friendly and accommodating and have worked there for years.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Kate

    Central Coast19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always a pleasure to dine here. Delicious food and great service

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Arnoldi's Cafe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 962-5394.

Arnoldi's Cafe is rated 4.7 stars by 791 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. California Central Coast
  4. Santa Barbara
  5. Santa Barbara

Make a reservation


Booked 17 times today
Google Map for Arnoldi's Cafe

600 Olive St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Cota Street
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Sun 11:00 am–4:30 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Californian, reserved
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    We have a room that fits up to 45 people. People walk through to get outside, but it is often used for private birthday parties, holiday parties and rehearsal dinners.

    We also have a patio that fits up to 100 people and can be reserved privately with a food and beverage minimum

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