I don't Yelp a lot. You can look at my track record and see there are long breaks between each review. Hence, it really takes a special moment for me to come out of my cave. In fact, I'm not even writing about the food at this fine restaurant, I'm writing about our waitress, Jenna. I don't spend a lot of time in SB, but she might be the best waitress in the city. It was one of those special Santa Barbara days where everything is perfect. We found Blush by accident and proceeded to drink wine on the patio and enjoy several different tasty treats. Jenna didn't miss a beat, and the experience would not have been the same without her.
Review Source:Dillon was our waiter and he rocked! Very attentive to details, he had some great recommendations and maybe most important: when he didn't know about the exact differences between champagne and prosecco, instead of making something up, he went and asked someone else!
The tomato basil soup was very rich and just a tad spicy, yummy! The artichoke was something I've never tried before, but I think I'll have some more next time! The salmon was a large peace of tender fish, the burger, "medium-well done" because my wife is pregnant, was spot on and the Jamaican chicken was fresh and spicy at the same time! The "two-way cookie" dessert topped it all off in a rich sweetness!
We will be back!
Great ambiance. That and reasonable prices are the best thing about this place. Great plush booths and sexy lighting with hot host staff that love to wear spandex leather booty pants.
The small plate apps were a little underwhelming. The pear salad without pears (in all fairness they disclosed they ran out) was blah. The Tomato soup was average. The best thing about this place was the goat cheese spread. That's a must.
I wouldn't come back to eat. Maybe happy hour.
I went here as part of a bachelorette party dinner and I must say it was very good! We started off with the Artichoke 2 ways and it was delish......oh wait, before that we ordered cocktails. I had the pineapple smash  and although I'm not much for sweet drinks the spiciness of the jalapeno made it yummy. My friends had the pomegranate punch, wine and beer.
Now being a vegetarian there is not a whole lot of items to chose from, however I opted for the veggie burger and it was one of the best ones I have EVER tasted! It was bright red so obviously beets were a heavy ingredient, but it also had a spicy smokey chipotle flavor and it was well done which is how a veggie burger should be.
A few of my other friends also had regular burgers and they said they were fantastic as well, I of course had to take their word for it!
The service was great! I don't remember our servers name ( he looked like Adam Levine with a beard....kind of) but he made the night fun! He would refill the bachelorette's iced tea with a penis straw ( taking the straw with him), he was very attentive and even comp'd our dessert!
Overall I would say this is a great place for dinner and drinks!! Cheers!
I visited for lunch today, although I frequent this restaurant monthly. Â I enjoy the service and on a sunny day on the patio...it's one of my favorite locations!
Th food is always good and the service is exceptional!  For a romantic lunch location  to a large group event, Joey Somerville can make it happen! Â
Very impressed today!
I came here for a friend's birthday, and they were very accommodating for our large group. The restaurant is a little dim, so would be great for an intimate conversation or a date.
The food is a little overpriced, but  the lobster mac and cheese - NOM. I want more! Overall, pretty good, especially for downtown State Street.
I wanted to like this place, honestly I did. While the ambiance and decor are upscale and cozy, the service is lousy. After experiencing an incredibly long wait after being seated the last time we came, I was a bit reluctant to come here again, but since my friend loves the tomato basil soup so much, I decided to give it one more try this past Saturday.
We sat in a booth near the bar, right on the main aisle. Server after server passed our table without so much as a glance. Â After 10 minutes passed, a young man finally came over to pour water and tell us that our server would be with us in just a moment. Â No one ever came, but yet again, several people passed our table. After another 15 minutes passed, a young woman named Chelsea just happened to be clearing off a table nearby. She came over and asked if anyone had helped us, to which I gruffly responded NO ONE had helped us with anything. She said she noticed us sitting there, and decided to come over and help us out. Â We hurriedly ordered our wine, appetizers, and entrees all at once for fear no one would come back if we let her get away.
After all that time waiting, the meal ended up being sub-par. Â The Roasted Salmon was way too salty, and drowning in some kind of bland cream sauce. My friend chose the 10 oz New York Strip, but was not satisfied with the crispy marrow served with the vegetables. He said it tasted as if it had been fried in the same grease with bacon. Â
I paid the bill and left a 15% gratuity, although I had some reservations about doing so, considering we did not receive decent service. The only reason I left any tip was out of respect for Chelsea, since she seemed to be the only one interested in serving customers that night.
I've always been familiar with the Tonic group, and have tried to give Blush a fair shot in the past. I've voiced several complaints to the various managers, but it just seems like this will continue to be a problem area. Â There's no reason for me to spend money here ever again.
My husband and I just held our wedding reception at Blush and can't thank them enough for doing such an incredible job. Our family and friends loved the food, amazing service and my mother law fell in love with the cotton candy martini!! Everything went perfectly and thank them, especially Blake, for helping make our day such a special one!!!
Review Source:I really wasn't crazy about Blush.
We sat on one of the high top tables with a fireplace in the center.
It really went down hill with the appetizer. I ordered the poached pear "salad" with blue cheese and beets. The beets were offensively pickled and really strong. There were two tiny pieces of blue cheese. They were so stingy with it that you would have thought it was caviar. The pear had been soaked and lacked any natural sweetness.
For my entree I had the salmon over a bed of quinoa. It was decent enough and they did prepare it medium rare as I had requested. The sauce was too buttery for me. A little bit of citrus would have helped a lot.
Overall pretty mediocre food for a city that is supposed to have great restaurants. I wouldn't rush back.
We stopped in here when looking for a dinner place on a Thursday night. Â It was not busy & the patio looked nice. Â
The outside is nicely decorated & pretty with the lights at night. Â The fire pits & fireplace are a nice touch. Â We had the crab cakes, chicken sandwich & mixed green salad, all were very good. Â The service was good. Â Recommend the pineapple smash cocktail!
I've only been here for Happy Hour (3-7pm in lounge areas)
I came on a Saturday in September and Superbowl Sunday.
In September we sat outside near the fireplace, the outdoor space is nice. For Superbowl Sunday the place was a little empty, which was nice so we could sit right by the TV.
$4 bottled beer, $5 well cocktails, $6 cocktails (sangria, mojitos, margarita)
$6 appetizers
Sangria: Pretty good, not overly sweet, only red sangria offered, and I was disappointed there was no fruit.
Margarita: It was too sweet and tasted more like a fake mix than limes
Mojito: I'd go with these as far as the cocktails go, not too much mint and just sweet enough
Chorizo Stuffed Poppers: came with 3, pretty good, not amazing but not terrible
Ahi Tartare: Yummy, straightforward raw tuna dish
Filet Mignon Bites: YUM, the portion was generous and the bites were moist, soft, and meaty. A must if you like steak.
Grilled Half Artichoke: really delicious but not sure if it was worth $6
I came here with a friend and his family for his birthday dinner. He had raved about this place on and on and I figured, free meal? Why not. Unfortunately, my expectations of the food and the quality we received was not what I was hoping for.
I feel as though the restaurant insisted upon it's classy ambiance and relied too much on presentation than it did on quality. I got the lobster mac and cheese, which was really dried out mac and cheese with very chewy lobster. It was just alright. Of course, I couldn't really complain in front of his parents who were paying and clearly enjoying themselves, so I wasn't sitting their in disgust. Instead, I put on my best Meg Ryan impression and faked the best food orgasm I could. But in reality, it wasn't that great.
We like coming to Blush for happy hour and lunch. It has a beautiful bar towards the middle of the restaurant and a great outdoor patio. Some of my favorite eats on the happy hour menu are the Ahi Tartare, Grilled Bacon & Brie Flatbread, Grilled Caprese Flatbread and the Filet Mignon Bites; all delicious and reasonably priced at $6 each. The Lobster Mac and Cheese is rich and creamy just like you'd expect it to be and their ribs are wonderful; full of soul...there has to be someone from the south behind that recipe. I also love the music they play during the day and happy hour. It is usually some kind of motown, baby making music that can put anyone in a good mood.
P.S. They are also on Axxess!
Hubby and I came here for some cocktails after a wonderful dinner at Seagrass, and my opinion of Blush is that you don't belong here unless you have just reached the legal drinking age. Â We walked into the middle of a rich kid's birthday party. Â There were drunk kids, drunk parents, dj, and a professional photographer snapping photos of the aforementioned drunk individuals with loud obnoxious rap music blaring in the background and head splitting shrieks from the drunk kids. The ring leader, birthday boy stood on his chair and started to spray everyone with champagne as if he had just won the Tour de France. Â I didn't really get wet, just a few drops on my cloth and bag. Â It was a perfect scene from one of those self important attention whoring reality TV show. Â A parent/chaperone who was drunk btw came to the bar area and offered to buy people drinks. Â Well, don't mind if I do. Â I gave my bill to their party, finish my drink, left Blush, and vow to never return to this shenanigans.
Now on the subjects of cocktails, Blush does a very mediocre job on that. Â The passion potion looked neat, had a nice floral note, but was way too sugary. Â Toward the end, it was pretty much pure syrup in the glass. Â Manhattan was stiff, but there was no Luxardo cherry in the concoction. Â Its kind of an important ingredient for Manhattan. Â Its like not getting salt when you order a margarita. Â For expertly crafted cocktails in an adult environment, I recommend Anchor and Marquee. Â I also heard wonderful things about Sly's mixologist.
I really like Blush, it has a bit of a club feel but is more upscale and comfortable for a 30-something like myself.
The food... fantastic and comforting.
I love getting their tomato soup with grilled cheese and a side salad.
And then there's this magical dessert that comes out on a little skillet and makes me dribble all over myself in anticipation.
Also, they offer a late night menu if you are like me and will toss your cookies if you don't eat something with your alcohol. :)
I came here for happy hour with a friend. We spotted it as we were walking on State Street and decided to take a break from the rough life of shopping. :)
Brie flatbread- surprisingly good. It's a nice portion to share, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to finish it alone. Yippeee
Mignon cubes-now that I think back on it, they didn't look too appetizing but tasted delicious. Good seasoning. The cubes are shopped up skirt steak (or some other economy cut) marinated with lots and lots of salt. Great filling appetizer for happy hour!
My friend had the sangria, and she said she enjoyed it. It's more on the sugary side with a strong kick.
Interesting place. Kinda upscale restaurant/ lounge/ nightclub?
It works in a weird way though.
Food was awesome. We were afterpartying here after a wedding rehearsal type thing and I remember cheese platter and lobster macaroni and cheese. OMG so freaking good. And it wasn't because I was drunk, I'm positive. It was because the lobster was fresh and the cheese was pungent but not overpowering. It was so good we all finished it then ordered 2 more.
There were about 12 of us and they were able to keep 3 tabs separate, get all our drinks and food orders timely and on the rite tab.
I like it. I would definitely come back under normal circumstances.
It's kind of amazing to see the variation in experiences here at Blush... I'm here to toss my 2 cents in that it's a really great restaurant!
Setting: Â My wife and I held our Rehearsal Dinner at Blush October 2012 and it was a wonderful experience. Â I'll summarize some points below.
1. Â Food: Â EXCELLENT. Â When we were looking for a venue we ate at more than a few places. Â Blush was a big surprise; we ordered about 5 entrees and they were all surprisingly tasty. Â You'd think on State Street it might be a "tourist trap" but the jerk chicken, New York steak, and salads were great.
2. Â Service: Â The service was very good! Â We had a small team of dedicated servers who went out of their way to fulfill requests (a couple I overheard very tricky). Â Food and drink arrived promptly and they did a good job delivering to our party of 30.
3. Â Decor: Â We thought the patio might be too noisy next to State Street (and near other people eating) but it was perfect. Â Private enough to make speeches to our party of 30 but also alive with the energy of Santa Barbara. Â We had to rent chairs and the Manager helped us upgrade our seating to a premium chair.
4. Â Management: Â This really stood out for me. Â The manager (Blake?) took really good care of us. Â They printed our menu for the dinner and there was a slight error (dessert omitted) but he went back and printed a revised menu so we'd have it to take home. Â Also, dessert was served and it was great. Â When my Mom paid the bill she added an additional gratuity (though it was included), and they ethically verified with her that she was aware of the included service. Â It was a nice touch and the servers were very gracious.
That's about it! Â Sorry to hear some of the "3-star" reviews had a less-than-spectacular experience... we'll be back to Blush soon I hope.
We went here for late night appetizers and drinks. Â The decor of Blush is very impressive, the ambiance is relaxed and the service is casual, professional, and friendly. Â A fabulous date destination, in the epicenter of the happenings of State St. The appetizers ("shared plates") are extremely good. I recommend the grilled flatiron steak with blue cheese crumble and potatoe puree then also the goat cheese brioche with tapenade (my favorite!). Both are superb. Â
Wednesdays- 1/2 off certain wine selections!
There is ample indoor and outdoor seating. Great for groups! Â Oustide they have fire pits and lounge-like seating alont with normal tables.
My husband and I are from San Diego and traveling through Santa Barbara for our honeymoon when we came across this amazing restaurant. Â My husband had the Jerk Chicken and the flavors were explosive! Â My Rack of Lamb was perfectly cooked and the garnish was a wonderful compliment for the entree. Â
The food was incredible and the staff was pleasant and attentive. Â We would definitely go there again!
"A blush is modesty's first impulse and sophistication's afterthought"
I specifically remember six times that I have been to Blush. Each was special in its own way; Â three were birthdays, one was a dinner with a friend of my wife, one was just to listen to Chris play the guitar and this past Sunday it was for Kalyra's first Santa Barbara Grape Stomp! Â
To me Blush is an occasion place! Â A place that you go to celebrate a special person, an anniversary, a birthday... Â The kind of place that brings back those memories and makes you smile! Â I don't see it as the Friday happy hour bar--frankly I don't even know if they have a happy hour. Â To go too often would take away the charm. Â I don't want to take that special place and make it routine or normal. Â I want to keep it in a box and bring it out when the occasion calls for it. Â
My memories of Blush aren't about the food... I seem to recall enjoying it a great deal but that isn't what it is about... Â I know that they have some fancy and wonderful drinks and for some reason I don't even recall what they are. Â What I do remember are smiles, vivid colors of cocktail dresses, as people seem to dress up when they go to there. Â Most of all I remember friends in a very special way. Â It is as if there is a filter in my memory where people are a little more beautiful and their smiles are a little bigger much as you would see them in a dream.
We were looking for a place to grab dinner while visiting our close friends in SB, and we wandered around downtown and checked out our options. Â
Blush looked promising, and we wanted a place to go out that was on the trendy looking side and not break the bank.
Blush is beautiful inside, and we were totally feeling the dinner menu after reviewing it.
The food was really good too!
We had a bunch of appetizers and I highly recommend the crab cakes and the lobster mac n cheese!
I like this place a lot as it is fairly priced for the quality and has nice atmosphere. I would definitely go back when I am in Santa Barbara agaian (and bring my local friends there who also rave about it).
PS- We even brought our kids and they also liked it :)
The priciest  drinks in DT SB. I got a $12 cotton candy vodka drink and it was gimmicky and yummy, but I personally wouldn't want to spend the evening there unless my intention was to have intellectual conversation with well-traveled people and possibly get picked up by a sugar daddy.
If you came to DANCE, you could do that here, but it's not the best place for a 20 or 30-something to get their groove on.
Had a wonderful experience with the outside bar during their happy our this past saturday. First off, what an AWESOME bartender! He was super nice, very friendly, and made excellent food suggestions. I came with some of my favorite people to enjoy a few drinks during their happy hour, but left feeling buzzed and stuffed from delicious, gourmet food.
Likes:
I enjoyed the outdoor bar and outdoor seating
excellent customer service from bartender
the food: one rib with 3 stuffed mashed potato balls (delicious)
brie and bacon with pear and vinaigrette on flatbread
stuffed jalapeño poppers (stuffed with cheese and.....CHORIZO!)
STEAK BITES (HIGHLY RECOMMEND)
Dislikes:
Happy hour ending
lack of people(with a place this cool and deals this good, why is this place not packed)
Overall, great experience,
will BE BACK!!!
Review for Cotton Candy Martini:
Mission: Cotton Candy Martini and it was accomplished
We were able to drink our drink and get out of there before it got super busy.
Definitely a swanky place on a Saturday night, everyone was dressed up clubbing style. The inside is more for dinner, but outside is like a lounge with its own bartender. There were good amount of standing room, but sitting wise you might have to come here early and grab a seat.
Overall defintiely a cool place to hang out and grab a drink.
There are of plenty of locations on State Street to grab a beautiful brunch, but something keeps us coming back to Blush whenever we're in town.
The Bloody Mary's are tasty as all hell, the bread basket is deliciously filled with warm chocolate croissants, and the food is plentiful (or at least for a chic lounge, it is). Looove the jalapeno poppers, traditional benedict, and the bacon/eggs are yummy. Â Can't wait to go back next time we're in the area.
Coming here is like going on vacation.
Superb food, delicious drinks, beautiful decor, music playing, and good company!
Let me first start off by saying that anything you order cannot go wrong.
My personal favorite drinks are the Passion Potion 42 (Has REAL cotton candy in it) and the Pineapple Smash (Pineapple and jalapeno in it..sounds weird but oh so delicious!)
The food is made of fine ingredients and freaking tasty.
The service is top notch. No one is above assisting you or refilling your water, including one of the partners of the establishment (Exceptional leaders take note)
If you're looking for the perfect place to bring a friend who doesn't get out much or just haven't experienced the classic Santa Barbara wine and dine sesh, this is definitely the place to bring them.
Just recently took a small group here to celebrate a friend's birthday- He loved it and so did the rest of the group.
Ambiance is sexy.
If you're on a budget come between the hours of 3-7 for happy hour.
A couple of drinks with truffle fries sounds sooo good right now. SIGH. :)
Go to Blush, You won't be sorry.
A simple, elegant space offering good wine and good food. Â Hard not to like this place!
The wine menu features central california wine, which I liked, as it promotes a local feel to what they're doing. Â I can't point to any one factor that truly set this place apart, but it was lovely nonetheless.
Brunch-alicious!
Went in with my sugar mama and ordered up a storm:
+California benedict: good. Not mind-blowingly good, but decent.
+Lobster soft scramble: with mascarpone and chives; tasty. Really, really tasty.
+Lemon zested pancakes: YUM. Even after eating our respective meals, we had to order these pancakes. Even on a full-stomach they're delicious. Definitely a must-try.
Went in with very little expectations and met with pleased ones.
LOVED the happy hour.!!
I had to stop by because of all the great reviews on happy hour & let me tell you I was not disappointed! I uploaded a picture of the happy hour menu so you can look thro it. I highly recommend the filet mignon bites, Rib sliders, poppers, & pretty much anything else on the $6 menu. I also ordered the lobster mac & cheese for $19 and was not happy at all. All the other food was amazing i guess i had high expectations for the Mac & cheese. In my opinion not worth the $19. The lobster was rubbery & the meal had the taste of microwave frozen food.
The bartender & hostess were super friendly and provided great service as well.
The restaurant was decorated nicely. Also note that "happy hour" is outside on the back patio. So make sure you bring a jacket if the weather is cold.
 I would def. recommend stopping by :)
If there were a place where the 1% and the 99% could get together for a truce, this would be it. Â on the one hand, you have classy decor yet a tad shy of pretentious and on the other hand you have reasonably priced drinks and aps regardless of whether or not it is during happy hour.
Lobster Mac & Cheese, & Grilled Cheese are great if you're just hanging out on the lounge. Â the drinks are a bit pricey, but their well is probably some dive bar's top shelf, so it's fair.
They also have a great brunch. Â I recommend the crab Benedict. Â They have changed their dinner menu since I last had dinner here so I can't really speak on it, but Blush is a great place to be a baller on a budget or a good jump off to your night.
Blush has a cutting edge, yet not-trying to hard feel to it. The food is sooooooo delicious and the staff is very attentive. The menu is on the same level as the atmosphere, with many options including several vegetarian dishes. I highly recommned the happy hour, but if you want to go for a romantic date definitely get the Salmon Entree. Yummmmmmyyyy!
Something that really impressed me-- The head chef (Masun, I believe) came over to our table and asked if everything tasted good. He was very knowledgable and friendly. It made us feel very welcome and taken care of.
One of my go-to spots for sure.
My girl friends and I went here for Sunday brunch. We sat outside on the beautiful patio. I would recommend sitting outside if the sun is out.
All the food we had there was very good. I would recommend the chorizo egg scramble. It was just the perfect amount of spice and awesome flavor.
The tomato soup and grilled cheese was also good, simple but good.
The lobster mac and cheese was great too. A little heavy for me but it was very tasty.
The chicken and waffles were a hit at my table. If you are into that kind of thing. I wasn't your normal fried chicken and waffles. It was a chicken strip and waffles. The chicken did not complement the waffles as well as it could. The dish was tasty but not a home run.
I had the lemon zested pancakes. These were a refreshing twist on simple pancakes.
I wasn't too impressed with the vegetable omelet. There was not enough flavor and too much cheese.
Â
Overall, It was a nice brunch with good food. A little overpriced for what it was but what do you expect on State street.
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