Excellent from start to finish. The service was impeccable. The elevated menu was broad yet approachable as was the wine list. The seafood paella was exquisite and the wood fired pizza was delectable.

We enjoyed an outstanding dinner with an equally outstanding waiter (Eric). He nicely managed our group on a very busy night. He was kind and professional.

The bread and its dips were the most consistently delicious thing on the table 😅 maybe I just got unlucky with these particular two dishes: wild mushroom risotto and their signature paella. The risotto was noticeably undercooked and chalky - the creamy consistency was not developed. It was seasoned nicely and the aroma of wild mushrooms and herbs did come through - so it still tasted good, but the texture was way off. The seafood in the paella didn't taste fresh and some of the mussels were just... empty. the plate was almost too watery and the overall flavor was bland, yet, when I got one chorizo piece in my bite it just punched me out of nowhere with its spiciness and saltiness. The chicken bits were super dry; the plate would be better without it. I trust that all the good reviews are true; just maybe don't order these two 😅😅

Opal has a really nice selection of menu items. I love the attention to detail of the outdoor seating on State Street. You'll especially like Opal's mushroom-based dishes, if that's your thing. If you're looking for a relaxed pace, nice dining experience that's not overdressed, this is your spot

Really great place. Great food. Friendly servers. Delicious drinks. And my pup Mr Eko was happy too. Thanks to all.

As always, Richard and his fine staff made our anniversary dinner memorable. Their coconut shrimp are uniquely prepared and delicious. The Perfect 10 martini with gorganzola stuffed olives was a great mix with perfectly prepared steaks. Just the right amount of attention kept our table cleared and waters refilled. Great job!

Fantastic food and great service. Dined in the outdoor section during the rain and stayed warm and dry. Both, the fish and the steak were very well prepared and delicious. Great cocktails too. Our children loved the kids' menu as well. Definitely check this place out if you're in SB.

We went to Opal in search of great paella. Unfortunately, Opals was only good, too much liquid in the rice. The warm seafood salad was excellent. Service and atmosphere top notch.

New Year's Day 2023. Super cold night. I loved all the pretty lights from the tree and the starlights on State Street. Opal is a restaurant I have always wanted to try but had always thought it was out of my price range. Saved a little and was able to partake. My friend ate all "Starters" and drinks. I had a personal pizza, a drink, and dessert. The staff was friendly and went beyond. In a world that seems to have forgotten what Customer Service is, Opal has not. Opal is on State Street by the Arlington Theatre. Give it a try. It's awesome!

I loved this place, I went with some friends, but it would be perfect for a little romantic date night. The service was excellent, the dishes were reasonably priced, the venue is small and quaint. For an appetizer we order the prawns wrapped in phyllo and they were excellent; the sauce that was on them was so delicious and perfectly paired with the cabbage and oranges. I ordered the chicken Marsala, it was tasty but a bit dry. My friend ordered the curried salmon, I wish had ordered that instead.

What a lovely evening. Great company, harvest drink and amazing sea bass. After an appetizer of shrimp and phyllo dough. Oh my so good. Ended the meal with a glorious lemon dessert. European-like decor with a twist. Definitely recommend. Make sure to make reservation.

Ate dinner last Tuesday at Opal and was our first time dining there. Our dining experience was exceptional, food was well presented and cooked perfectly, service was top notch, shoutout to our server Sabina for being very friendly, attentitive to us and checking in on us frequently, also shoutout to the manager and hostess for also being friendly to us. Overall, I highly recommend checking out Opal and definitely be back again. :)

Wonderful food, wonderful staff. Richard was so kind and helpful and patient with myself and my mother when trying to schedule my graduation dinner. Everything went with such ease, everyone had a wonderful time, and everyone enjoyed the food! Their steak was amazing. Sabina, our waitress, was exceptional in every way, between remembering everyone's food and drink orders, to being informative about the menu. Thank you Richard, Sabina and all Opal staff! We will for sure be coming back.

Fantastic!! I can't rave about this place enough. The service was excellent, our server was very knowledgeable, personable and charming. Our food came in a timely manner despite there being a dinner rush and the quality of our dishes was off the charts phenomenal. If we didn't live 6 hours away this would become one of our favorite spots to visit monthly. Be mindful this is a bit of a pricey spot to dine at, but the quality is well worth it. Hats off the the amazing chefs and staff!!

Great service and great place to eat if you are in Santa Barbara. We had the prawns, fried mushrooms, honey duck and pear/beets salad.

Wow! It's been awhile since I've been impressed. The service is good but could be faster. I had prawns with a coconut sauce that is above the rest. Wife and mother in law had the seared ahi and that was amazing. Brother in law had a salad pizza (he went big at a fancy restraunt) that I really could not beleive how good it was. Nephew got the ribeye and that was very good. This is a place that everybody should try. I'll be back later with an edit since my other nephew is still tasting food. Oh by the way sister in law Lisa said tacos were a little mayonnaisey.

Worth the hour and a half drive from the San Fernando Valley to get there. Love the food, particularly the sauces. My wife recommends the warm seafood salad. The last time we went was for her birthday. We recommend seating on the sidewalk if it's available. CALL AND MAKE RESERVATIONS or they may not be able to seat you.

I was here on Monday so it’s not too busy but highly recommend to make reservation for the weekend. Food and service is good. Salads serving size is pretty big. Very nice and classic decoration inside and spacious patio. Recommended Spinach scallops salad and Filet Pasta. For drink: Suntory sour is delicious.

This restaurant offers a charming atmosphere with friendly service, but the flavors of the light and healthy dishes can be hit or miss.

The food was imaginative, but not over the top, California Tasteful!! The service was attentive, never intrusive. After a 2 year covid break, I am so happy to find that Opal has not only survived, but expanded and flourishing. Our pizza, pear & beet salad, and salmon were simply delicious. You can spend more on a bistro dinner in Santa Barbara, But you can't enjoy better food.

We had one night for a great dinner in Santa Barbara and chose Opal at the recommendation of our Cheshire Cat B&B host, who said Opal is popular with locals. Both the mushroom risotto and lamb chops we ordered were fabulous. Our waitperson recommended the lamb as something everyone raves about, and that includes us now. Easy to eat GF. Most of the menu fits the bill. Nice wine selections and my husband thoroughly enjoyed his martini and bacon wrapped tiger shrimp over a bed of baby spinach with some sort of bacon vinaigrette. An easy walk down State St, they have plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating. We would definitely return to Opal next time in Santa Barbara!

The shrimp appetizer with phylo dough was delicious. The beet salad was great. The mushroom risotto was very tasty, although the rice was a tad undercooked. The tiramisu was not good. The ladyfingers portion was too dry, the filling just didn't taste right to me, and there was too much cocoa on top. I like a moist tiramisu that melts in your mouth and this tasted more like cake. The server said "that's how we make it". She had the manager take it off my bill, so that was good for me. Service was excellent.