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Secret Bao, Santa Barbara, CA

Secret Bao

4.8 (738)
$31 to $50
Asian
1201 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2009

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 38 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Innovative
  • Lively
Contemporary Asian American Restaurant from Chefs Peter Lee & Felicia Medina.

"Consider the bao. Chinese in origin, it’s most easily described as a steamed bun filled with something savory. Yet, like the American concept of a sandwich, the bao exploded into a flexible format of untold bounds — served at any meal, filled with you-name-it, completely closed or wide open, with endless regional variants from across Asia and far beyond." - Matt Kettmann (SB Independent)








1 Block From State Street, Easy Parking, Public Lot Nearby, Free 75 Minute Parking, Walking Distance, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Superior Court, Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Courthouse Gardens, Bell Tower, Bao, Food, Restaurant, Asian, American, New, Modern, Fried, Chicken, Octopus, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Asian, Tapas / Small Plates
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Wed–Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Contactless Payment, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Peter Lee & Felicia Medina
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Cross street
    Anapamu
  • Parking details
    Free 90 Minute Lot Next Door
  • Additional
    Beer, Gender Neutral Restroom, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 738 people are saying

Secret Bao 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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Innovative

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Overall

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Food

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Service

  • Santa Barbara

    Best Value

  • Santa Barbara

    Innovative

  • Santa Barbara

    Hot spot

  • Santa Barbara

    Great for scenic views

  • Santa Barbara

    Lively

  • Santa Barbara

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Secret Bao offers an inventive fusion of Asian and American cuisine, featuring standout dishes like "phenomenal crab curry" and "amazing KFC bao." Diners rave about the "warm, gracious service" and a "unique, creative menu." Despite occasional busy nights, it's a popular spot for flavorful dishes and delightful experiences.
738 Reviews
  1. Tracy

    Central Coast3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic place to eat. 5 Star. The crab curry is phenomenal. Their service is on point. Employees are very kind and helpful. Very flavorful menu.

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  2. Matt

    Central Coast9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I believe our server was Maya. She was great. The food is always amazing. KFC bao, cauliflower, duck rolls, it’s all too good. Took down the fig sticky cake for dessert which you need to get with vanilla ice cream. Amazing!

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  3. Jody

    San Francisco27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food, good service, we would eat here on a regular basis if we lived in the area. We felt fortunate to have been able to experience the food here on a recent trip to the area.

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  4. Gerald

    San Francisco7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This meal was phenomenal!! Each dish was delicious!!

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  5. Jade

    Central Coast1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service and the food were absolutely amazing. Highly recommend.

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  6. Lynn

    Baltimore1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    KRC Bao Bun, shrimp dim sum Mango and sticky rice a delightful surprise.

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  7. Susan

    Central Coast1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We went to Secret Bao a month ago and had a great experience…food was very good and the service was too. Last night however the food was very mediocre…such a disappointment, but the service was fine.

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  8. Nevaeh

    San Diego1 review

    4.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    I absolutely LOVE this place, but if it’s your anniversary don’t even bother. They don’t do anything special if you like that type of stuff

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  9. Denis

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    it was a very good time/money spent. enjoyed tacos and kfc bao

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  10. Jay VIP

    Central Coast11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was perfect! The seats, service and especially the food was great. Thank you for another wonderful dinner and experience!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Secret Bao offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 259-3226.

Secret Bao is rated 4.8 stars by 738 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 38 times today
Google Map for Secret Bao

1201 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2009

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Anapamu
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Barbara
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Wed–Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Asian, Tapas / Small Plates
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Free 90 Minute Lot Next Door
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Contactless Payment, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Peter Lee & Felicia Medina
  • Additional
    Beer, Gender Neutral Restroom, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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