Restaurants near Alamar by the Sea Motel

We had an absolutely lovely evening at the popular O'ku on the waterfront in Santa Barbara. We were seated at a table by the sidewalk, separated by a hedge/fence, which allowed us to people-watch without feeling like we were being scrutinized by the passer-bys. Being a Saturday night, it was crowded and lively, but we didn't feel crowded. Our server arrived promptly to take our drink orders and such. She was sure to come by and provide guidance to get everything ordered. The menu was extensive without being overwhelming - we ordered some appetizers from the "Hot" menu, then some rolls and nigiri from the sushi menu. The apps came right away; the restaurant was sure to time everything so we didn't get a backup of plates on the table. We had the crispy cauliflower (delicious!), brussel sprouts (also delicious), and crab and shrimp gyoza (also delicious - and unusual in that it wasn't minced but rather a whole shrimp wrapped in the gyoza). The three rolls we ordered were delivered pretty quickly after our app plates were removed - all three were nicely presented and wonderfully fresh. I had a side of salmon nigiri, my go-to to tell how good the fish is at at sushi restaurant. It was like butter, which is all I ask. As it was a celebration (kiddos' marriage), we ordered dessert - the citrus cheesecake and coffee-chocolate creme brulee. Both received rave reviews - and I want the recipe for the creme brulee especially. The server kind of disappeared after dropping off our check, but another helped us with the gift certificate and paying the bill, and we were on our way at the two hour mark (which is the limit on the tables). Lovely evening!

When we’re in Santa Barbara we always have lunch at Bluewater Grill. Best place to eat and relax.

What a lovely atmosphere. We enjoyed our cocktails (paper plane and old pumpkin) and our entrees. We had gnocchi with ton of shrimp (dozen+) and grilled trout, we barely ate 1/2 of each. Portions are substantial, wish we could have taken but we don’t live here. The strawberry dessert is to die for. One of the owners chatted with us wish I could remember his name as he was very personable- this is a must try restaurant and worth every penny.

Came here to celebrate our anniversary and I have to say the location is great, the view was amazing, the ambiance is nice, the food was pretty good, however, we were a bit disappointed with the service. It took forever for the wine to come, we had to ask for a few things several times, and one of the items we ordered never came. The waiter was apologetic at the end but it did somewhat spoil our overall experience. I hope the restaurant sees this review and works on improving their customer service because it’s a really nice place.

The wagu steak had an odd taste. The cherry martini was the best I ever had.