Solid example of a pleasant little restaurant serving French offerings. We sampled the brunch menu and grabbed a table in the garden which proved to be a pretty nice experience with the cool breeze and the nice shade. The escargot was good even if small in portion size. The artichoke was a strong effort as well. The couple of different salads we tried were also tasty. I would say the weakest entry out of everything we sampled was the Steak Frites. The cut was uneven which made it impossible to have the same temperature throughout. Overall good food and service for a decent price. This is my second visit, I will come back for the third.

This place has it all! Good food, great views, charm, and great service. I ordered the short ribs and my husband ordered the Steal Fritas. Both decadent and delicious. The French Onion soup was INCREDIBLE. If you’re a French onion soup lover…. You’ll want to try this. Slightly sweet, with a cheesy pepper finish. Perfect ratio of ingredients.

everything was delicious and i’m not even a huge fan of french food (french pastries on the other hand…). the escargot and deviled eggs were the highlight of the meal, so decadent but well balanced in flavor. beautiful ambience, both outdoor and in the atrium. wonderful & prompt service, would highly recommend.

We were there for a busy Saturday brunch, so the service weakness may have been from being understaffed. Otherwise, the food and ambiance were both just sublime. Delicious Croque Monsieur, Quiche, and Crepe Salmon. Amazing deserts. Even the bread was delicious. The restaurant itself is a beautiful old building (looks like it may have been a house/mansion). We were disappointed in the sun on our table. We asked for an umbrella and were told there were none. Then, 15 minutes later they brought out an umbrella for another table. My side dish came wrong. I asked to have it corrected and was told I hadn't ordered that and was then charged for it - seriously? Took about thirty minutes for my drink to finally arrive after I asked for it (and asked for again another three times). Again, they were busy, but they could have done better.

Hidden Gem!! Service a little slow, but absolutely worth the wait. Get the lobster deviled eggs! Filet mignon to die for, carrot puree soup amazing. The muscles were great, the short ribs were fantastic!

Not a fan of French food but this place is definitely a gem. Quality, delicious food on a budget. The environment is pretty chill and casual which I like a lot. I’ll recommend their braised chicken and duck confit.

Very pretty place. Food was quite good but depth was lacking and flavors didn't merry as well. Service very good. atmosphere great. Prices to be expected for fine dining and were in the $30s Cassoulet had plenty of beans and meat. Still lacked a bit of depth, flavor. Duck was decent but could use more crisp. Some of the meat was a bit odd. Decent portion size. Lamb shank- fava beans were nice. good portion but a bit fatty. needed a gravy and lacked that. Risotto was bland.. helped with the goat cheese being swirled around. Again, lacked depth and flavor. Combo of veggies a bit strange. Frog legs- just fine. Tomato relish with it was ! strange flavor. frog legs themselves rather small compared to others i have had. $16 Enjoyed overall, but would probably not return. Came from the cassoulet which is very hard to find.

Dinner was so good I must say that there is no complaint about Anny off the order everything was great the food was delicious and the wine was delightful easy to drink. what a great evening 🌚

Wonderful location in old house with large greenhouse dining area. Located across the street from a bird refuge. Excellent French food and nice service Try it you will not be disappointed.

Lovely restaurant w delish French cuisine. Restaurant had a "homey" look and feeling...charming. The service was very good. Food was really good and hot. Appetizer frog legs were soft and had just the right sauce.

Wonderful evening. A couple of craft cocktails, French onion soup, grilled artichoke, what’s not to like. Fantastic ambiance.

We had a very good experienced Place was nice and clean, Food was excellent and thank you Antonio for the great service We had sparkling water, Kirk Royal (well prepare), as an appetizer French onion soup and pate both was delicious Main course coq ou vin and pouched egg(eggs Benedict) another delicious meal and we share a dessert, chocolate tart (sorry I forgot to take a picture) If you are in Santa Barbara or you pass around the area just stop and try this restaurant . I can’t wait to coming back

Jesus was absolutely spectacular. They seated us and made us feel like we were their only priority. The food, staff and atmosphere were magical. Thank you for taking such good care of us!

I have been coming to Stella Mare’s for years and everything is just superb. My favorite dish is the muscles and fries (Mules frites) as they have a cream with perhaps tarragon in it that is just divine. I recently had the vol au vent with scallops and loved it. Cheesecake is not your typical (Made with mascarpone?) and one of the reasons I say yes to dessert even if in am full! Great wines and service. Our favorite brunch spot. Photos just don’t do service. The fancy photo is of the cheesecake ❤️ Just go and thank me later!

We were first-time visitors after seeing so many stellar reviews and recommendations. Everything was exceptional. We dined for lunch, which was quite reasonable for being the rare fine dining lunch spot. I'm excited to return for dinner and brunch. It was a great French/Cal Riviera fusion overall!

I cannot say enough good things about this place. Food was exceptional. Service even better. Atmosphere was perfect. Location was magical. Come early and go across the street to walk on the path by the pond.

Lovely, home-like feeling, quaint French restaurant in Santa Barbara. Unique indoor areas - various open rooms in a house or their main dining room is like a greenhouse (glass walls/roof, but temperature controlled for humans, not plants). Can also sit at metal tables outside and enjoy the beautiful view. Food was good, but dessert was divine.

Was here on Saturday after thanksgiving 2022 and the lunch crowd was full but not crowded. Service was prompt the ambiance was fantastic and the food awesome. Really liked the greenhouse right next to the Victorian interior. Outdoor was great too as the weather was good when we were there. We had duck confit, mussels, escargots and vol au vent - there were all really good.

Love this place! Absolutely must eat here when in Santa Barabara!! Food is always on point, so much so that I rarely get pictures to post before digging in, here's a few of the desserts and the recent ribeye special that was perfectly cooked. Go to Stella’s you won't be disappointed!