My family and I were staying at the hotel. It was my sister's birthday and we decided to go to Angel Oak. They tried to sit us at a 6-too table for three people, so my father asked if we could be moved to a smaller table with a nicer view. The host was incredibly rude, rolling her eyes saying she doesn't get paid enough for this, and her manager was just as rude as she sat us on a 4-top on the other side of the restaurant. The bill ended up being $500 because this is an extremely expensive restaurant, and our stay at the hotel ended up being a lot more than that. This isn't a Wendy's you can't have your staff complaining to your customers who are paying an INSANE amount of money that they are not getting paid enough. Fix your wages or teach your staff proper customer service. This is genuinely the worst experience I've had at a restaurant and definitely one I will not soon forget.
David Hall
Phenomenal. I went with a friend and we had the lamb shank and the rib-eye, which were amazing. The house steak sauce and the bernaise sauce went so well with the rib-eye. We also had the octopus appetizer and it was beyond delicious. Loved this place. Will definitely be back. Incredible views of the pacific ocean as well from the patio.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ann ..
Food was just okay and service was terrible. They brought our food out separately. My husband's dish came out 15 minutes after mine
S P
Awesome food - try the Spiced Salmon, Mac n Cheese, Seasonal Cheesecake.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lobster Butternut Squash Bisque, King Salmon, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Lobster Mac N' Cheese, House Made Warm Parker Rolls
Everything took too long to come out. Took about 15 minutes just to get our first drinks. When they arrived they were made really bad. It's supposed to be craft cocktails. My old fashioned tasted like the ice was dirty. It was gross. I sent it back. The server even told me that they had to make it at another bar outside of the restaurant and they had to bring it to me. That's really weird and sketchy. Also saw that the server forgot to take it off of the bill at the end so I had to remind him. The old fashioned was $28.... The filet mignon was actually really good! But the sides were ordered were whatever: broccolini, roasted potatoes and Mac and cheese. The bread appetizer was really good though. It comes out in a cast iron skillet. The live jazz pianist was very nice! He played so lovely. The table was next to the window but it was dark so u can't see any view of the ocean. The chairs to the table suck and do not match the decor. My purse kept falling to the ground. There are different chairs everywhere though. Our server was nice but not good enough to be a server at a high class restaurant. I would think that this steakhouse would be 5 stars because it is at the Ritz Carlton but it is completely disappointing. It's more like a 3.5 star restaurant in my opinion and experience. The Ritz Carlton needs to do better. Especially being that our bill was over $300.
Steveb
This was my first time back since the new chef was hired, and the food (oysters, mushrooms, and filet) were all expertly prepared and presented. The highlight of the evening, however, was the service. My, server, Jen, was friendly, relaxed and professional. She checked on me frequently without being obtrusive. And her recommendations were spot on. Zach, the somm, was also great. He is extremely knowledgeable without being "stuffy" at all. He seemed to be able to discern exactly what I was looking for, and his pairing suggestions were perfect!
The food was mid par. I was expecting more for the price I paid. Truffle fries were a little over done. Soggy and stuck together. Tuna Cones were good but the cones were soggy when it got to our table. Octopus was amazing. Love the sauce the way it was grilled. Tagliatelle Truffle Pasta was served with Fettuccine Pasta. Weird for a fine dining restaurant. I would think theyd know their pasta better. Ribeye steak was very tough to eat. Service was awesome tho. Drinks were amazing! Especially Santa Rosa and the Negroni. Also the ambiance was great. Thought the Bonsai trees were real!
Nathalie A.
Friday night after our arrival at the resort we were looking forward to dine at the Angel oak. Lots of mix reviews! we are here we try? Yes and we did!, at this dining level you expect a lot, here don't expect much. what a sad and disappointing story you are about to read. this is our 25th anniversary diner is set for 7:15pm to watch the sunset at around 7:45 pm the restaurant is facing the breath taking ocean view, facing southeast but the sunset is on the northwest so here goes the sunset. Ok no big deal, hostesses are charming, table location is fantastic. Again please remember this is a high end dining experience. It takes takes between 20 to 30 minutes to acknowledged. dining menu is handed looks like a "Covid menu" small not much to rave about. few wine on the dining menu, but we would like a different wine you have to ask for, interesting ! We decided to go for a red wine at around low $$,($70 to$90) the sommelier comeback with another wine, Sorry we are out the wine you choose but we have this very similar one, it is just $$$($200to$220) but you can it for $190. Interesting!
Nancy D.
The Bacara does not allow self parking anymore, it's valet ONLY at $20 a pop. Did not inquire about handicapped placard and Angel Oak is a good walk away. What?! Saw handicapped parking right outside the place steps away in the "employee" parking lot. Manager took care of that issue. I looked at the menu and was so looking forward to lobster! What arrived nearly 2 hrs into our 2.45 hr meal wait was a roll of what looked like cold tuna with mayo. Menu was unclear.Wait time very, very long at our table, food mediocre at best. Desert resembled and tasted like jello. Soup very salty. Service lacking with a very busy, but kind and distracted waiter with lackluster attention to detail. The staff didn't seem to communicate well... comp champagne or not?? Only thing good was the bread. However, the manager Stephanie tried very hard and did wind up comping our meal. $140 each.... I guess I expected an A+ effort for that price. Not going back and was quite disappointed. Sorry Bacara... you used to be a jewel.
CineSage
Simply said, this is how things should be done. Angel Oak provided impeccable service from the host staff, bus staff, waiter, som, and management. And the chef(s) delivered as well, from starters to dessert, the food was simply marvelous. A corkage fee of $50 is a little on the high side but not unexpected. We returned to Angel Oak the next morning for breakfast, ALL the same compliments from the prior evening still applied. They didn't drop a single step in the morning.
A special birthday dinner - everything we hoped for. A beautiful restaurant setting, extremely attentive waitstaff (sufficiently manned to make sure everyone else in the restaurant was similarly attended to immediately), a broad choice of different and appealing items on the menu, everything prepared to perfection, a great wine list, noise level was muted and easy to have a conversation. Our very favorite Santa Barbara get-away for a special and delightful meal in a beautiful setting.
Leeana S.
Angel oak was a beautiful restaurant. I came with a private party and we had a pre fixed menu. I ordered the crab chowder, roasted salmon plate and chocolate gelato The crab chowder was very delicious ! I loved it so much and I would definitely recommend. The salmon wasn't anything special in my opinion.. still good though. Their chocolate gelato was super tasty and I really enjoyed it. Someone in my group got the chocolate cake and I will say it was delicious it was a very generous portion size. I would recommend either of those desserts. Our wait staff were very attentive and friendly. They also let us know of this mocktail option they have where it's like a virgin mojito with some berry in it.. I'm not 100% what it was but I would ask if you are looking for a non alcoholic option! It was very good.
ShawnaS
I would have given ambience and overall experience the highest rating if not for the dreadful music. It was a loud, repetitive pop techno beat that did not fit the ambience and does not belong in an expensive fine dining restaurant. The mushroom pasta was exceptional and so were the potatoes. The crude and pork chop were just average. Great service.
AFoodCritic
Birthday dinner has to be somewhere special right? So we chose Angel Oak, after looking at the photos online (and since we were staying at the Bacara, very convenient!) The food was beautiful, and very good, if a little fussy - the scallops had many adornments that seemed just overkill, and the yellowtail crudo had crunchy little bug-like things in it that were distinctly unappetizing. That said - the filet and the squid were excellent. And the service from Elvis (really, that was his name!) was terrific, though he didn't offer us a goofy little birthday dessert as so many restaurants do. The price was a killer though - we were scraping $400 for the two of us, without alcohol, so come with your Platinum cards ready!
Zan Lee
I was staying at Bacara for MLK holiday weekend, so was very excited to try Angel Oak being that I had heard many great things about it. Living in Los Angeles I don’t hear about it often but when I do, it’s always positive. Being that it’s located in the resort, it truly has beautiful surroundings. Inside is very modern and upscale even though a lot of people seem to underdress being that it’s in California. They don’t have self parking so it will be valet as you’re only option. Service was also fantastic, our waiter Alan did a wonderful job and really added to the experience.Overall, our dinner was fantastic although dessert could’ve been better. I started off with the Beef Tartare, and it was rich and really satisfying. The mustard seed added a great spice element to it. A bit small in portion size but still really good. For my entrée , I chose the California Steelhead and it was absolutely fantastic. The sauce on top was addicting and I enjoyed every bite of it. The fish was also cooked perfectly, which is one of my favorite things to eat in Santa Barbara being that the town is known for their great seafood. We finished up with the Baked Alaska and I wasn’t the biggest fan of it. They poured a lot of liquor on top and it didn’t burn away when they torched it so it basically was sitting in liquid alcohol at the bottom of the dish. Also, the inside was lemon so I found it a bit more sour than I was hoping for, but the marshmallow part was good.I would recommend to anyone staying at Bacara or visiting Santa Barbara because it’ll be a great dinner. I feel the pricing is fair, especially compared to some other restaurants in town, so it really is an easy suggestion especially if you’re staying at the resort.Parking: valet only
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Roasted Bone Marrow, Roasted Mediterranean Sea Bass, Eggs Benedict
My family and I were staying at the hotel. It was my sister's birthday and we decided to go to Angel Oak. They tried to sit us at a 6-too table for three people, so my father asked if we could be moved to a smaller table with a nicer view. The host was incredibly rude, rolling her eyes saying she doesn't get paid enough for this, and her manager was just as rude as she sat us on a 4-top on the other side of the restaurant. The bill ended up being $500 because this is an extremely expensive restaurant, and our stay at the hotel ended up being a lot more than that. This isn't a Wendy's you can't have your staff complaining to your customers who are paying an INSANE amount of money that they are not getting paid enough. Fix your wages or teach your staff proper customer service. This is genuinely the worst experience I've had at a restaurant and definitely one I will not soon forget.
Phenomenal. I went with a friend and we had the lamb shank and the rib-eye, which were amazing. The house steak sauce and the bernaise sauce went so well with the rib-eye. We also had the octopus appetizer and it was beyond delicious. Loved this place. Will definitely be back. Incredible views of the pacific ocean as well from the patio.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was just okay and service was terrible. They brought our food out separately. My husband's dish came out 15 minutes after mine
Awesome food - try the Spiced Salmon, Mac n Cheese, Seasonal Cheesecake.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lobster Butternut Squash Bisque, King Salmon, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Lobster Mac N' Cheese, House Made Warm Parker Rolls
Everything took too long to come out. Took about 15 minutes just to get our first drinks. When they arrived they were made really bad. It's supposed to be craft cocktails. My old fashioned tasted like the ice was dirty. It was gross. I sent it back. The server even told me that they had to make it at another bar outside of the restaurant and they had to bring it to me. That's really weird and sketchy. Also saw that the server forgot to take it off of the bill at the end so I had to remind him. The old fashioned was $28.... The filet mignon was actually really good! But the sides were ordered were whatever: broccolini, roasted potatoes and Mac and cheese. The bread appetizer was really good though. It comes out in a cast iron skillet. The live jazz pianist was very nice! He played so lovely. The table was next to the window but it was dark so u can't see any view of the ocean. The chairs to the table suck and do not match the decor. My purse kept falling to the ground. There are different chairs everywhere though. Our server was nice but not good enough to be a server at a high class restaurant. I would think that this steakhouse would be 5 stars because it is at the Ritz Carlton but it is completely disappointing. It's more like a 3.5 star restaurant in my opinion and experience. The Ritz Carlton needs to do better. Especially being that our bill was over $300.
This was my first time back since the new chef was hired, and the food (oysters, mushrooms, and filet) were all expertly prepared and presented. The highlight of the evening, however, was the service. My, server, Jen, was friendly, relaxed and professional. She checked on me frequently without being obtrusive. And her recommendations were spot on. Zach, the somm, was also great. He is extremely knowledgeable without being "stuffy" at all. He seemed to be able to discern exactly what I was looking for, and his pairing suggestions were perfect!
The food was mid par. I was expecting more for the price I paid. Truffle fries were a little over done. Soggy and stuck together. Tuna Cones were good but the cones were soggy when it got to our table. Octopus was amazing. Love the sauce the way it was grilled. Tagliatelle Truffle Pasta was served with Fettuccine Pasta. Weird for a fine dining restaurant. I would think theyd know their pasta better. Ribeye steak was very tough to eat. Service was awesome tho. Drinks were amazing! Especially Santa Rosa and the Negroni. Also the ambiance was great. Thought the Bonsai trees were real!
Friday night after our arrival at the resort we were looking forward to dine at the Angel oak. Lots of mix reviews! we are here we try? Yes and we did!, at this dining level you expect a lot, here don't expect much. what a sad and disappointing story you are about to read. this is our 25th anniversary diner is set for 7:15pm to watch the sunset at around 7:45 pm the restaurant is facing the breath taking ocean view, facing southeast but the sunset is on the northwest so here goes the sunset. Ok no big deal, hostesses are charming, table location is fantastic. Again please remember this is a high end dining experience. It takes takes between 20 to 30 minutes to acknowledged. dining menu is handed looks like a "Covid menu" small not much to rave about. few wine on the dining menu, but we would like a different wine you have to ask for, interesting ! We decided to go for a red wine at around low $$,($70 to$90) the sommelier comeback with another wine, Sorry we are out the wine you choose but we have this very similar one, it is just $$$($200to$220) but you can it for $190. Interesting!
The Bacara does not allow self parking anymore, it's valet ONLY at $20 a pop. Did not inquire about handicapped placard and Angel Oak is a good walk away. What?! Saw handicapped parking right outside the place steps away in the "employee" parking lot. Manager took care of that issue. I looked at the menu and was so looking forward to lobster! What arrived nearly 2 hrs into our 2.45 hr meal wait was a roll of what looked like cold tuna with mayo. Menu was unclear.Wait time very, very long at our table, food mediocre at best. Desert resembled and tasted like jello. Soup very salty. Service lacking with a very busy, but kind and distracted waiter with lackluster attention to detail. The staff didn't seem to communicate well... comp champagne or not?? Only thing good was the bread. However, the manager Stephanie tried very hard and did wind up comping our meal. $140 each.... I guess I expected an A+ effort for that price. Not going back and was quite disappointed. Sorry Bacara... you used to be a jewel.
Simply said, this is how things should be done. Angel Oak provided impeccable service from the host staff, bus staff, waiter, som, and management. And the chef(s) delivered as well, from starters to dessert, the food was simply marvelous. A corkage fee of $50 is a little on the high side but not unexpected. We returned to Angel Oak the next morning for breakfast, ALL the same compliments from the prior evening still applied. They didn't drop a single step in the morning.
Restaurantji Recommends
A special birthday dinner - everything we hoped for. A beautiful restaurant setting, extremely attentive waitstaff (sufficiently manned to make sure everyone else in the restaurant was similarly attended to immediately), a broad choice of different and appealing items on the menu, everything prepared to perfection, a great wine list, noise level was muted and easy to have a conversation. Our very favorite Santa Barbara get-away for a special and delightful meal in a beautiful setting.
Angel oak was a beautiful restaurant. I came with a private party and we had a pre fixed menu. I ordered the crab chowder, roasted salmon plate and chocolate gelato The crab chowder was very delicious ! I loved it so much and I would definitely recommend. The salmon wasn't anything special in my opinion.. still good though. Their chocolate gelato was super tasty and I really enjoyed it. Someone in my group got the chocolate cake and I will say it was delicious it was a very generous portion size. I would recommend either of those desserts. Our wait staff were very attentive and friendly. They also let us know of this mocktail option they have where it's like a virgin mojito with some berry in it.. I'm not 100% what it was but I would ask if you are looking for a non alcoholic option! It was very good.
I would have given ambience and overall experience the highest rating if not for the dreadful music. It was a loud, repetitive pop techno beat that did not fit the ambience and does not belong in an expensive fine dining restaurant. The mushroom pasta was exceptional and so were the potatoes. The crude and pork chop were just average. Great service.
Birthday dinner has to be somewhere special right? So we chose Angel Oak, after looking at the photos online (and since we were staying at the Bacara, very convenient!) The food was beautiful, and very good, if a little fussy - the scallops had many adornments that seemed just overkill, and the yellowtail crudo had crunchy little bug-like things in it that were distinctly unappetizing. That said - the filet and the squid were excellent. And the service from Elvis (really, that was his name!) was terrific, though he didn't offer us a goofy little birthday dessert as so many restaurants do. The price was a killer though - we were scraping $400 for the two of us, without alcohol, so come with your Platinum cards ready!
I was staying at Bacara for MLK holiday weekend, so was very excited to try Angel Oak being that I had heard many great things about it. Living in Los Angeles I don’t hear about it often but when I do, it’s always positive. Being that it’s located in the resort, it truly has beautiful surroundings. Inside is very modern and upscale even though a lot of people seem to underdress being that it’s in California. They don’t have self parking so it will be valet as you’re only option. Service was also fantastic, our waiter Alan did a wonderful job and really added to the experience.Overall, our dinner was fantastic although dessert could’ve been better. I started off with the Beef Tartare, and it was rich and really satisfying. The mustard seed added a great spice element to it. A bit small in portion size but still really good. For my entrée , I chose the California Steelhead and it was absolutely fantastic. The sauce on top was addicting and I enjoyed every bite of it. The fish was also cooked perfectly, which is one of my favorite things to eat in Santa Barbara being that the town is known for their great seafood. We finished up with the Baked Alaska and I wasn’t the biggest fan of it. They poured a lot of liquor on top and it didn’t burn away when they torched it so it basically was sitting in liquid alcohol at the bottom of the dish. Also, the inside was lemon so I found it a bit more sour than I was hoping for, but the marshmallow part was good.I would recommend to anyone staying at Bacara or visiting Santa Barbara because it’ll be a great dinner. I feel the pricing is fair, especially compared to some other restaurants in town, so it really is an easy suggestion especially if you’re staying at the resort.Parking: valet only
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Roasted Bone Marrow, Roasted Mediterranean Sea Bass, Eggs Benedict