47 Best Mexican Restaurants near Montecito

“I go often, great location, inexpensive in a higher priced neighborhood, rarely a easier, lots of live music in summer.Update 2/22: I still like this restaurant. I have been a regular for five or six years and even used their services to cater parties at my house. The fajitas are great and my wife and I split them. It comes with four tortillas. But tonight when I needed one or two more, I was given a side order and charged $4.50. That's ridiculous! That's $1.25 for each small 6 inch flour tortilla. It's bad enough that over the years they have reduced the size of the bowl of chips they give you and now no longer allow you to go to the salsa bar to refill your salsa even when your order takes a while. These are good ways for Los Arroyos to drive me away! Keep it up and you will lose me as a customer!UPDATE 3/2023I still enjoy going though don't go as often. Service is great, food is okay not great but not bad. Was introduced this time to Virgin Margaritas which are delicious and I will have them again! Was a bit noisy on the bar side but the round tables at the back make for easy conversation.“

“Love this place. The environment is great food is always delicious!!!!!“

“good portions in the tacos. very tasty and fast service. the line seems overwhelming at first but moves fast. Will definitely be back, when in the area.“

“I love the food excellent flavor, really good tacos crispy tacos, salsa, salsas are so good“

“An amazing local find that could easily be overlooked if you don’t know it’s there - but man is it worth the visit! The food is great; fresh, delicious, and authentic. Classic bean and cheese burrito and chips & guac were a perfect pairing for me; highly recommended. Our only advice - visit when the weather is nice, as there is no indoor seating.“

“I had a solo dinner at Corazón Comedor while passing through Santa Barbara and could not have more of a charmed experience. My server Ray was incredibly warm, kind, and helpful, and made my experience as good as could be. And the food was absolutely delicious!“

“Everything I’ve tried on the menu is outstanding. Fresh ingredients and creative combinations of flavors, herbs, spices. They make their tacos on site, and all portions are substantial. I love the al pastor tacos with chunks of pineapple on top. The Colima ceviche is sublime perfection, and the plátanos are the perfect sweet compliment. The mango margarita with tajin on the rim was delicious.“

“Amazing food and great service.“

“good Mexican food.. burrito's n tacos off the chain!!!“

“Love this place. The environment is great food is always delicious!!!!!“

“Such a cute spot and the food is incredible! Ordered the Los Alamos Burrito and both a hot and iced churro latte. I could have this combo every day on repeat it was so incredible. The people that took my order were so kind as well. Absolutely recommend!“

“Amazing delicious drinks! Marcos was the best bartender, highly recommend the ceviche and signature cocktails!“

“La Paloma went above and beyond to make our wedding day reception memorable. From the service the decor the food everything was amazing!! The staff, manager, and chef did a great job checking in on us congratulating us and making sure everything was perfect. We couldn't have chosen a better restaurant for our wedding day. Thank you La Paloma Cafe for a very special day!! We look forward to dinning here again in the future.“

“Great service and outstanding food.“

“Muy buena la comida de este lugar.“

“The place is very nice and the tacos are great! It’s at the heart of the beautiful city of Santa Barbara Ca. I took a picture with one of the owners of Casa Comal. He knows hospitality!“

“Food is great their is just a heavy set cashier that seems a littleIndifferent to me. Her tone of voice is a little stand offish and body language and I observed her with other custermers right after me which she was super friendly and animated with so it’s just me she appears to not like.Been coming her 18 years“

“The place is nice and pretty, casual, i really liked it. Food is good in general, desserts are okay. I give it 4 stars because service could improve, also i asked for 1 coffee and it was really cold, other than that, i would recommend the place and I'll definitely return!“

“We ordered the mushroom tacos (vegetarian option), chicken tacos and an horchata. They double up on the tortillas for their tacos so by ordering two I ended up with 4! They were really really good and flavorful, the mushroom tacos are substantial and the cheese layer on top was really good and slightly crispy. The chicken tacos are also loaded and flavorful, they reminded me of chicken enchiladas, my toddler loved them so they're kid approved! (& not spicy). Their horchata was amazingly good, not too sweet and not at all grainy. Definitely coming back on my next SB trip. **tip** their parking lot is pretty small, so I would park across the street and walk, SB is a walkable town after all!“

“Awesome stop for some authentic Mexican food! The Quesabirria will blow your mind, the Nopales Tacos are amazing, and I was not disappointed by anything I ordered! Asada, Pastor, Barbacoa! Yes I want to try everything!Vegetarian options: Had alot of options for vegetarians from vegetable tacos to mushroom and cactus (nopales) substitutes.Parking: No prob!“

“Authentic food, friendly staff, I had the spicy ranchero special, it was excellent, , I’ll be going back to try the pisole next time!“

“Great food at great prices.“

“SB Food Connection is amazing. We work with them on a corporate level and our employees are always excited to have them. Joe and his employees are so courteous and friendly. Their truck is always clean and the ambiance is very welcoming. I ordered a burrito with asada and al pastor the other day and it was absolutely delicious. The homemade tortillas are incredible and the beans and cheese are mouthwatering as well. Thank you!“

“We came across Los Arroyos while walking downtown and it's always hard for us to pass up Mexican food so we stopped. We were greeted by several employees as we entered, handed a menu and we ordered. Great selection on the menu and also at the salsa bar. It's self seating and there are plenty of tables/booths, it was busy when we arrived but were served quickly and the food was great. Nothing better than homemade tortillas with your fajitas! The restaurant and restrooms were very clean and we definitely recommend a meal here if you're in the area. We parked nearby on the street but there are many parking structures in the area and Los Arroyo's is just a few feet off of State Street, very easy to find. Enjoy!“

“Been coming here since the early 80's. Food has been on point for 40+ yrs! Get the chicken / shrimp fajitas or the carne asada. Best we've had of the above anywhere.“

“Great food, great location and not a long wait.“

“Delicious food, great customer service, great prices and hospitality! We will be back on the next family trip. My dad said, "I haven't had such delicious Mexican food in a long time!" I recommend the Quesabirrias; they are delicious! Thank you.“

“Amazing yummy food!!! Breakfast food made to order and it was delicious!! Great view of Linden Street from the outdoor seating... ONLY suggestion since there is no bathrooms PLEASE provide ample amounts of hand sanitizer for the patrons... There was no hand sanitizer anywhere....“

“Super Cucas on the West Side is our go-to burrito/taco spot. We have been to two locations, but highly recommend the one on Micheltorena on the West Side. It may be out of the way for you and parking is often a zoo, but trust me, it's worth it. First, the location. This is a well-established family owned neighborhood carneceria, micro-grocery, and food counter. It's busy at lunch and at dinner when locals are wrapping up the work day, but it's also packed weekends and seemingly randomly. Even then, the line moves quickly and they're usually calling your number at the pickup window quickly too. The eating area is under a roof but somewhat open to the elements. It's basic, but on a beautiful day with a breeze, who cares? The food is outrageous. The menu is expansive and within the last 3-4 years they've rolled out a vegan menu. At odds with the idea of a taco shop with a vegan menu, the prices are the best in town and the portions are honestly overwhelming at times. As a vegetarian, I am mindful of three things in a taco/burrito spot: the beans, the rice, and the salsa. One adjustment for me at Cucas was the lack of refried beans - they serve whole beans from the olla. While in some situations I still prefer refried, here in town I will take the Cucas beans any day. Rice is basic. There's not an elaborate salsa bar, but three hot sauces/salsas available to go - a basic red (tasty, mostly mild), a smoky green (my fav), and habanera if you ask for it. The value here is off the charts for this crazy town. We feed a family of four for usually around $28-29 bucks. This does include one kid getting the kids hard tacos, but otherwise that's three adult-sized other meals, often with at least a few containers for the fridge. Top it off with chips and salsa (cheap), fries (surprisingly good), or horchata and you're ready for the beach, the Dodger game, or whatever you're up to. Go get it!“

“Love it- easy low key and friendly service! I actually love that we got to order our food at the counter- so quick! The gal was really nice, handed us free chips and cups for the salsa bar which included habanero salsa, spicy avocado salsa, and green thick salsa plus limes and lemons, onions and cilantro. We got the huevos- so good, corn tortillas or flour tortillas on the side with one corn tortilla, eggs over easy, runny delicious refried beans and red rice- big portion - have enough for a second meal! The coffee was good too and the patio is dog friendly! They had a grill on the patio too, intriguing“

“This was my third time ordering the birria grilled cheese special - it is one of the best things I've eaten in Santa Barbara! But, sadly, this past time I ordered it, they didn't seem to grill it long enough (see photo). The cheese wasn't all the way melted and it didn't have a full coating of crispy bread on the outside like usual. The other two times I had it were both phenomenal! The esquites was refreshing and delicious.“

“A very good dining experience. Large plates with leftovers to take with you.“

“Girlfriend and I came by because Rudy's doesn't open until 8 and we were famished. Super not upset about it. Girlfriend loved the chicken in her burrito and my chorizo burrito was perfect. Very generous with the meat in each burrito. Bring cash, as it is cash only.“

“Wow, what can we not say about Rudy's. We were just in Santa Barbara for our anniversary and did some wine tasting off the strip. We were in serious need of some carbs, if you know what I mean. We walked a couple blocks to Rudy's and were very happy we did. This place was super quaint and delicious.“

“Legendary spot! Cult classic Mexican food. Very casual and a few different locations all over town.Vegetarian options: The rajas burrito is a great vegetarian option!Parking: There are half a dozen spots in their lot and more on the street, but it can get crowded during the busy times!“

“Have to say I've eaten a lot of Mexican food restaurants in my life this is by far one of the best very aesthetic the burritos actually had meat in it I mean a lot of me too the food has always been top notch for a small little place they don't take anything but cash only downfall“

“The food was okay, it seem overpriced. For what it was. I will try it again soon and will see how it's then.Went back and had the tacos the price is high. The lengua tacos were delicious and the cachete was good. The chorizo was salty over all I was happy. Met the owner an original Mexican from Jalisco.“

“Great food and service that has remained consistent for decades. The atmosphere is casual, who cares, you're eating a fabulous meal, enjoy!Vegetarian options: Depends if you are vegan, I'm not sure how beans are prepared. Call ahead and ask questions if you are vegan.Kid-friendliness: Definitely kid options.“

“Great food, great staff. They serve menudo on weekends and it's the best around.“

“Best authentic Mexican Food in Santa Barbara! Chile Relleno Sopa de Chile Relleno Burritos Chile Verde Burrito de Desayuno All the Sopas / Caldos All the Plates All the specials The salsa de Chile Manzano is so delicious and uncommon at other establishments. The perfect touch of garlic in that salsa sets it over the top, subtle, savory, and a bit spicy. Carp gets cranky every day they are closed.“

“Outstanding! I can’t say enough about this place first time here on our travels Great Food Great Service we even met the owner and he took the time to chat with us & gave us some history on the restaurant & it’s excellent menudo only regret…. Is that it wasn’t closer to us This place is a must when in Santa Barbara, Ca.“

“Excellent tostada, tacos and burrito for our first time trying this place. Very friendly staff even though I arrived within half an hour of closing. Fresh and delicious chicken, carne asada and salsas. Can't wait to go back and try more dishes - it won't be long!“

“YO this place is OFF THE CHAIN in the morning!! Forget Jacks Bagels or a lame gas station.....Grab your donut/breakfast sandwich and morning coffee from these guys.....You will immediately see and smell what I'm talking about when you enter the place. You're welcome.“

“The food here is great! We always come here because my wife enjoys their Mojarra dish. Service is good and so is the overall ambience of the place. Not much to note since it is like your typical Mexican Restaurant, not that it's a bad thing though. The one thing that I will note is that the place is a bit dirty in some places such as the floors could be swept better but other than that this place is great!“

“My sons favorite spot on State St!“

“This is my go-to spot since childhood. I would walk home with friends from school and stop here, my mom would bring home a super plate and add extra tortillas and we would share as a family, and when I was a student in grad school I would binge eat on the burritos. My daughter now is obsessed with the kid quesadilla option! My favorite item is the chile relleno burrito with carne asada. Sit outside or simply grab to-go; you just can't go wrong. The only down side is that parking isn't great. The family that owns and operates Cuca's are so friendly and actively involved in the community. Bonus tip, always ask for extra salsa and enjoy it your leftovers.“

“muy buena comida y lo que sorprende mucho es que demuestran una humildad muy fina hacia los clientes y eso es de tener valores educacion y liderazgo....“