Bar Lou - Santa Barbara (CA)

5 /5 Alan: Had some really excellent French food here. Started with the crab cake and the chicken liver pâté (if you like pâté boy was it excellent). For a main course the fish Provençal was excellent (but spicy) and the beef bourguignon was to die for. Wanted the avocado dark chocolate mousse for dessert but just ran out of steam guess I will have to leave that for my next visit. Oh, if you are into Pastis, they have four different brands which is unusual. Well worth a drive out of your way to eat here.

5 /5 John Marsala: We live in Montecito but never tried Bar Lou because friends were not impressed. THIS OPINION WAS WRONG. We loved every aspect of our dining experience. The basic first, I had the Beef Bourgogne. It was very well prepared and very flavorful. I also thought the price was very reasonable for the quality of the dish. The others in our party also enjoyed their entrees. The service was also very good. Everyone was very friendly and very helpful. Finally, the ambiance was very nice and rather quiet. We are sorry we waited so long to try this newer restaurant. And we WILL return!

5 /5 Harvey Hyman: Everything here was top notch. I had a delicious bourbon cocktail and my wife had a delicious red greenish wine while we munched on perfectly crispy squash, blossom, fritters, and an anchovy sauce, followed by the best branzino we’ve ever had with a side of delicious ratatouille. And for dessert, Apple fritters with Calvados whipped cream. We had multiple servers who were all super friendly and helpful. The setting is lovely. We are actually going to go back tonight for the sea urchin pasta.

5 /5 Lisa Stein: Just had another fabulous meal at Bar Lou. The menu has been updated and went from darn good to fabulous. The Local Fish Provencal is my favorite and my husband had a great Steak Frites. Chicory Salad is outstanding...crisp and a great mix of bitter/sweet. Deviled eggs also delicious as are many other dishes. This is our new favorite go-to place. The patio is lovely as well.

5 /5 Michael Lee: We went here on a whim. The entire staff was welcoming and genuinely delightful. Our waiter (Sean) was completely engaged and helpful, helping us choose wine and cocktails. We ended up choosing several appetizers for dinner including the crab cakes and escargot. We highly recommend the crab cakes.