We requested an outdoor table for an afternoon cocktail. It was offered tactfully by the hostess to sit at the bar and appetizers were offered free during happy hour. We chose this option. 1. We were not greeted by the bartender. After ordering our drinks there was no mention of the free appetizers. We had to request them and the bartender did not seem knowledgeable or forthcoming with a menu or options. Frankly, he seemed bothered that we asked. I wondered if he was a new employee, later on we realized this was not the case. 2. Our drinks were served with no cocktail napkins (this may seem petty, but keep reading.)Our appetizers were thrown on the table by a server, not offered napkins or silverware (we had to ask) After we had finished our appetizers and drinks the empty glassware/dishes/silverware sat for a good fifteen minutes in front of us. He never came back to check once on our drinks, or appetizers or if we wanted any thing else. 3. We will say he was talkative to a couple on the corner. There was very few people at the bar and several servers hanging about. We waited to be asked if we wanted anything additional, it never came. 4. Ready to leave, we put money on the bar to which he never acknowledged. When we did request a bill he pulled the tab from a shot glass in front of us and said, "It's here." and tossed in front of us and walked away. The restaurant is beautiful, the hostess courteous and kind and the paella smelled and looked delicious. With all that being said, we would be willing to give it another try as we are locals. But we will not come in for happy hour or sit at the bar again.
Review Source:My review seems to be gone. Grrrr. I wanted to update and no time for repeat.
I was thinking, actually, anyone who cares about his or her reviews should probably print because they can disappear....
Anyway, it's a great place. I have been coming for many years, sometimes regularly, sometimes more intermittently. But my boyfriend adores that lamb shank over orzo and greens, which truly is a phenomenal meal.
I love the booths, cozy and spacious. The patio is okay but I prefer indoors. People who live in places the weather sucks on a regular basis get very excited about patio dining. I've never understood this, unless it's a patio like the Ivy or Michael's, or perhaps Suzanne's in Ojai, where they labored over the landscaping.
In general, for fine dining I prefer eating indoors as some they've spent time and money making it look beautiful and I can sit outside whenever I wish.
But I wanted to say: the enchiliadas suiza are not suiza!
I didn't have a bad meal--and the green rice is *amazing*--but that bore no resemblance to enchiladas suiza. None. Zip. Zilch.
I don't know why they even call it that. I will mention it next time I'm in.
I like that at an upscale place, they have an 8 dollar glass of Tempranillo/Syrah.
But it was not a very inspired dish
First time I've taken time to write a review. Â
I've been to Cava before for lunch and thought it was decent. Â The night of July 6th something must have been off. Â The service was horrible and we received a raw shrimp. Â We would have told the waiter but he never came back and we didn't know who to ask for because he didn't tell us his name when he came out the first time. Â
Our appetizer came about 5 minutes before the main course so we never got to finish that. Â
I was very disappointed last night  with the service and food at Cava andafter reading the review on yelp, it appears I'm not the only  one to experience this.
Love it! Â Thank goodness for Yelp and getting recommendations! Â We came here on a Saturday night, and they had a female singer who was amazing! She sounded very much like Diana Krall, the food was amazing and the drinks too! Â Well worth the money for the drinks, 1 was all I needed! Â We are looking forward to coming here again!
Review Source:Went here solely based on the great Yelp reviews. Â Most of the food met expectations, but service definitely didn't. Â Ordered guacamole to start while we reviewed the menu. Â It came out almost immediately, but without chips. Â Next time we saw the server, we asked again for chips; he took our order and said the chips were on the way. Â Next drinks came out...still no chips, just another excuse. Â Chips come out to both tables next to us. Â Server walks by and acknowledges that he needs to get out our chips. Â Guacamole has been sitting there for 20 minutes...and then our meal comes. Â Server stops by five minutes later to ask how we're doing, and after I tell him that the guacamole is a bit of a waste, he says "ok" and just walks away. Â Does nothing to address the problem. Â Never came by again to ask us if we wanted more drinks. Â
Paella Valencia did not taste like paella. Â Everything tasted very dried out. Â Chicken very chewy.
Enchiladas suizas were very good, as were the gambas. Â
Perhaps just an off night.
Great place for fresh Mexican affair in the sb/montecito area. Had the fajitas plate. I love the steak over the chicken. All the veggies are fresh and the tomato salsa is on point with fresh home made chips. Their corn tortillas are house made too. We also enjoyed their sangria and halibut ceviche.
Review Source:Came in early for lunch on a Saturday. Nice decor, very comfortable.
The salmon was great  and I loved the vegetables (beets! collard greens!).  The iced tea was also very tasty.
Downside: the beer battered fish tacos are not worth the price; my friend said they were bland. The service was also lackluster.
LOVED that you could draw on the table, that was very fun.
I would definitely go back.
Linda K. from Long Beach wrote: "It felt like I was walking into someone's home that had been remodeled to create the restaurant - cozy." Well, she's right! It was the home and motel office of Clif and Viva Spens who owned the La Loma Lodge motel on the site. Their home was turned into the restaurant; two motel units next door became the private dining facility, and the units at the rear are now offices and apartments. It's a great restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere.
Review Source:I feel the need to warn people. We are staying at Bacara and Cava was highly recommended by a friend who used to live in area. We eat at great Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles and were excited for a tasty meal on the last night of our trip. Instead, we had a flavorless, unappealing soggy meal that was beyond disappointing.
The chips where thin and tasteless. The salsas and guacamole did not have any spices in them, just big chunks of tomato. The entrees were just terrible. On top of that, it's overpriced and the service was a bad as the food. Why this place was packed is puzzling.
Very cute little place in Montecito.  Minutes outside of Santa Barbara.  Great food, great sangria, and great service.  The front outdoor patio overlooks the main street of town.  Comfortable tables and chair with umbrellas.  It's the perfect place to pull over for a bite to eat and refreshing drink during a road trip up the coast.  We started with the calamari frito.  Plump, juicy, hot, very crispy, and perfectly seasoned fried calamri served with fresh lemon and a red pepper aioli.  Then came the halibut ceviche.  Very fresh!  Large portion with chunks of plump, delicious fish topped with fresh avocado.  We washed these tasty delights down with a couple of sangria's.  I had the blanca and my girl had the roja.  Ice cold, fresh, tangy, refreshing and perfect on a warm spring day on the coast.  Then came the Pièce de résistance.  The tortilla Espanola!!!  A traditional Spanish potato and onion fritatta with chimichurri sauce.  You have to order it in advance because it takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook.  Pan sauteed potatoes, and onions, mixed with eggs and layered between fresh, soft, flour tortillas.  Stacked up and baked in the oven. It comes out steaming hot with crispy edges.  The potatoes are soft but not mushy, the onions give it a natural sweetness and eggs bind the whole thing together.  Topped with their fresh, spicy, tangy, awesome chimichurri sauce and you have the perfect finish to a wonderful lunch.  We ordered another round of sangria's and spent the next hour just hanging out, talking and laughing with the friendly staff and laid back locals.  There is a nice sized dinning room inside as well.  And a full bar with a big screen TV.  A few locals were hanging out enjoying their afternoon libations while watching a South American soccer game.  Make sure you check this place out.  Could be fun with a group, a date, or family night.
Review Source:This place had some delicious food. We had salad and lamb and both dishes were fantastic. The desert we ordered (chocolate cake) was presented well and it tasted even better. Their margaritas were good too, even though I am not a tequila or cocktail fan (I usually go with wine).
Overall, the food was pricey, but it was well worth it.
Awesome food, wonderful service, great atmosphere.
We came on a saturday late afternoon for an early dinner/late lunch. Â We have been to the other locations before but wanted a change from our norm. Â We loved every second and every bite. Â Honestly, we have never had a bad experience or bad dish at any of the restaurants. Â The flavors are consistent and quality.
Ryen was an awesome server and very attentive, especially considering we had so many requests and were there for a really long time! Â We had the tamales (yummy, moist, great ratio of meat to corn), calamari, quesadilla, and taco combo. Â Usually I always get the chicken anaheim chile dish with rice instead of potatoes but this time decided to split a bunch of different items. Â
Their hot spicy cocktails are wonderful too if you like heat- I like a lot of heat so had to ask for more on the second one. Â Delicious. Â Spicy margarita was my favorite.
Thank you for a wonderful anniversary celebration!
Kim Cameron, Valencia, CA
I was taken here on a first date with a special someone. I really enjoyed it, and felt good about his choice to take me there (Its a really nice-looking, classy place!). I got the Cava Combo with two Cheese Enchiladas (you just have to request cheese only), and it's what I get every time!! The enchiladas are stuffed so generously, and topped with so much cheese that they are the size of two large burritos! Also, get a pomegranate margarita. Goes really well with the meal. Oh yah, and they serve this black bean salsa with fresh tortilla chips. It's yummy!!!
No reservation on Sat great that they had a table & seated us right away. However service was very poor,over priced for tapas & the food was terrible. We ordered the grilled stuffed peppers they were raw w/grill marks & the cheese was cold. We were extremely disappointed for a high end place & was also recommended.
So head to SB & check out Blue Agave instead!
For being in a relatively tony neighborhood, Cava is casual enough to be enjoyed by passerby customers like we were. The prices were reasonable, although they are not printed on the menu, nor was there a place I could find with prices for their cocktails. That being said, it was still a good value. Great greet at the door. Good service by waiter and support staff. The food was delicious. The tapas are big enough to be your meal. Try the Assortment of 3 tamales. The elderflower margarita was wonderful - a must have. Apparently we weren't the only ones to think so because they used the last of the St. Germain on us. The salsa for their complementary chips was not so good...other than that and the hard to find prices, this place is wonderful. We will be back.
Review Source:My absolute favorite restaurant in the Santa Barbara area! It's my go to place in SB- I visit the restaurant every time I visit the area. It's a beautiful restaurant located in the heart of Montecito, right on the main road. They have a great patio area with heated lamps (for those chilly nights) and a beautiful indoor area with a fireplace located in the back. I am a creature of habit so I tend to stick with my favorite dish: the salmon burger. It comes with a side portion of Caesar salad which is delicious as well. They have great Mexican food options like burritos, enchiladas, tostada salads and such. They have a great drinks menu with a wide variety of drinks. The service is great and the prices are reasonable. They even have a private room for hosting events for a larger groups.
Review Source:I had been to Cava 3 times before, once in 1998, once in 2004, and once in 2009. Although there are some drawbacks to living with my parents after graduating from college, they do regularly take me out to dinner with them (score!). Saturday night was my choice of restaurants and I decided that Cava was calling my name.
I love using OpenTable for reservations whenever I can so it was great to find out that Cava was part of OpenTable. We had reservations for 8:15pm and were seated immediately in the back of the restaurant, close to the bar, fireplace, and fantastic live musician. She gave off a blues/jazz vibe, my dad and I thought it was a recording she was so good. The environment here is super relaxing and mellow, exactly what we want on our mini-vacation.
The bottomless chips and salsa (one red salsa and one black bean salsa) arrive when you sit down, yum yum yum! All 3 of us had a REALLY difficult time deciding what we wanted because Cava has a fabulous menu, especially for those who love seafood. Our waiter was great, I didn't get his name, but he wasn't shy about recommending his favorites and what other people seem to enjoy. We started off with their most popular appetizer; ceviche. Los Agaves does have a large order of ceviche, but I preferred the one at Cava because it was served with their delicious fresh guacamole and pico de gallo to balance out the spicy lime flavor of the fresh halibut.
I ordered the Rock Shrimp Soft Tacos (Papaya salsa, sour cream & handmade corn tortillas), my dad got the Oven Braised Lamb Shanks with Toasted Orzo (slowly cooked with port wine & garlic), and my mom got the Fajitas with shrimp, scallops, and Mahi-Mahi. All three of us were thrilled with our selections, my tacos were easily the best tacos I've ever had. Their white corn tortillas provide a perfect base to the battered shrimp and the papaya salsa was phenomenal.
Our waiter also recommended the Carne Asadea a la tampiquena, which I may try next time.
Valet is complimentary (SWEET)!
We'll DEFINITELY be back here.
Other than the slutty waitress continuously hitting on my boyfriend I had a great time here. The food was beautiful and the taste did not disappoint.
You can sit outside and people watch, the view of the street is lovely, and you really feel like you're on vacation.
They were getting ready for a private party while we were there and it was breathtaking inside. There were votive candles lit up everywhere, it was enchanting. I felt like I wanted to get married there- flowers in bloom everywhere. The whole restaurant and the meal was just gorgeous.
Go there!!
Happy hour here is awesome! Â You can order a cocktail for $5 bucks and they will provide you with a mini app.
The food was fresh and delicious. Â We multiple servings of nachos, calamari, chips, salsa and guacamole. Â
With the three of us, we had two cocktails each and 6 app. All for about $35. Â Now if that's not a deal I don't know what is.
We will be back fo sho!
My family and I came here for lunch last Sunday. We were in town for a wedding and this place looked like a good place for some pozole. We sat outside and it was perfect because the sun was shining and there was a car show across the street so we had plenty to look at.
My husband and I both had the tacos he had pork me the steak. Very dry meat with hardly any flavor. Nice presentation i wish it would have more salsa and maybe some cilantro and onion.
My 7 year old decided on breakfast. scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage. Very fresh and light (not a lot of oil on the plate or in the eggs), she loved it.
My 13 year old had the pozole with pork. She loved it just needed salt and queso. All the condiments that you add were authentic and the hominy was cooked perfectly.
Great location it's  right on the main street. Service was pleasant and accommodating. Clean bathroom and that usually means a clean kitchen.
Excellent dinner last night and lunch here today Oct 21, 2012. Â The singer on the patio was awesome. Â If you like Astrud Gilberto, K.D. Lange and Amy Winehouse you'll love this little band. Â It's so nice to be served only the best food with top quality ingredients. Â Any time I'm near Cava or the sister restaurants I'll be enjoying a fabulous meal. Â I just wish there was another sister restaurant closer to LA.
Review Source:Yelp categorizes this as Latin American eats.....
But this seemed more like upscale Mexican eats if you asked me. Â Not that it's a bad thing but I guess I was expecting more Latin. Â So you'll see a mix offered on the menu. Â Anyhoooo, place is quaint with a bar, tables and booths. Â Didn't expect the tables to be covered with butcher paper and crayons to the side. Â So at least you'll have some doodle time while waiting. Â There's also an outside patio. Â Our waiter was super nice and attentive. Â On a wednesday night, we were serenaded by some live flamenco guitar. Â
Chips an salsa were good. Â White and red sangria was lovely, good balance of wine and fruits. Â My shrimp tacos were pretty big, only finished one of the two. Â Pretty tasty and the shrimp was lightly battered. Â My friend enjoyed her skirt steak. Â Muy bien!
Another good night at Cava
Guacamole while we wait
Her- burrito. Bigger than you head and more than enough for lunch the next day
Me- paella. Huge portion. The sausage was dry this time but still good and was great the next day for lunch.
Cava Ultimate margaritas hit the spot
The service was slower than usual but it still averages out to good food, service and smiles all around the table. Brunch or dinner, I'll be happy to join you for a meal.
While visiting Montecito, I wanted to sample some of the ethnic food on offer...I had driven past Cava on my exploration and thought I'd try it...Yelpers' reviews convinced me it would be a good shot...and they were right.
Ambiance - Intimate setting which allows for plenty of natural light during the daytime =). Â Tables and partial booths for a relaxed seating atmosphere + a bar area and an outdoor seating area (for warmer nights). I sat indoors although they may have had heat lamps to make outdoor seating comfortable this time of year.
It felt like I was walking into someone's home that had been remodeled to create the Restaurant - cozy
The menus provided plenty of Mexican offerings - including a Tapas menu (more Spanish I thought), Tostadas and Ensaladas, Carne Y Pescado and the House Specials.  I glanced at a couple of Yelper recommendations (Tacos etc.) but narrowed my choices to two - Grilled  Shrimp and Scallop Salad or the Shrimp Tostada (Seafood craving).  After inquiring about portion size to my waitress, I settled on the Salad -(She mentioned the Tostada would be more filling). Â
The Salad did not disappoint!...Hearty sized Grilled shrimp and gorgous rounds of Giant Scallops (at least 2 inches diameter)...It was a delicious feast. I only wish the lime vinaigraitte was a tad more outstanding...Nonetheless, delicious and filling salad on a bed of greens, jicama, mango and grilled peppers.
The drink menu was quite entertaining with a variety of Margaritas, Martinis, Sangria and Wines to select from.
I was tempted by the Red Sangria (strawberris!)...but I wanted a little adventure so I selected the sexy little number -the Passion Chile martini...Talk about a hot drink! Â Spicy, sweet and uniquely tasty! Â Definitely for a bold palate. Â The base for this drink is infused with Chile -in house...and it's Hot. I would suggest a serving of chips and salsa to accompany this beverage for the tamer lot...All the rest...bottoms up!
Thanks for a  pleasant dining experience CAVA...
p.s. If you want a more private dining experience, this is not the place. Tables are close to each other with no barriers, meaning conversations become shared easily...
Price point - More upscale rather than hole-in the wall. Reasonably priced for the quality provided!
I might just go as far as deeming Cava the best Mexican restaurant in all of Santa Barbara. I know...it's a bold statement, but it was more than outstanding! Their service is onpoint and so friendly and personal. It's a great way to eat if you like fine dining, Mexican style :)
My parents and I came here for dinner last night, just a minute drive from our stay at The Four Seasons. We sat outside under the heat lamps and ordered the guacamole to start. It was so good, that we ran out of chips..so they brought us more :)
I ordered the Rock Shrimp Tacos.....not only is it gorgeous to look at, but the plate was just filled with shrimp, lime, papaya salsa, and wonderful colors....it was fantastic! I would order this again in a heart beat. My parents split the Fajita Platter (its huge) with fresh grilled mahi mahi...they're still raving about it.
So....my conclusion is that I'll be coming up to Cava first thing for dinner next time I'm in S.B. Ideally they'll open one in L.A...but I'll make the 90min drive, I really don't mind :)
I was married Saturday in Santa Barbara with 20 guest. Afterwards we went to Cava, same owners as Carlitos off of State Street in Santa Barbara.
The food and service was outstanding. We had planned everything a few days prior, so we had a set menu, drinks, etc. But when we arrived the private room was actually completely separate from the restaurant. So we had the space to ourselves without any interruptions. Beyond that, every single one of our guest loved the food. They also waived many standard fees include cake cutting and in fact they had the chef cut and plate our cake for us!
Alex, our server was incredible! He made sure every guest had what they needed at all times. He was constantly running around but any time we asked for something he made sure it happened! It was some of the best money we've spent. I absolutely recommend this restaurant for parties or casual dining. You will not be disappointed!
We spent a nice quite weekend in SB, walked pass CAVA and decided to give it a try. Â This place is very quaint, charming, cute, etc. Â We sat in the patio with a baby stroller, I guess they didn't want their customer to see there was a baby in the restaurant. Â Regardless, the heater was on and it was a nice evening.
The three salsa with chips were enjoyable; I like the spicy stuff. Â I had ordered the Seared Yellow tail and my wife ordered the Shrimp pasta. Â The Yellow tail was yummy, and very flavorful; but it was a little over done. Â My wife loved the pasta in the beginning, but it got really salty half way through the dish. Â
Overall we had a very pleasant dinning experience. Â We would return next time we are in the neighborhood.
The food at all Carlitos restaurants is always fantastic. It's mind blowing how bad the service has always been however. I don't think I've ever seen them even get an order right in 20+ years. I will continue going however, as I'm just used to it now. Â
Today's experience at Cava in Montecito was no different. I ordered combo fajitas (beef and chicken.) I had a great chat with the waiter about how great they are "well done," when the onions and peppers turn black (carmelized.) I even joked with him that if they don't cook them enough, I like it when they take them back and put them back on the grill. Of course, they came out practically raw. He apologized and blamed the cooks. He took it back, cooked them further, perfect. Then, I showed him that I only got beef, no chicken. He apologized, blamed the cooks again, gave me a break on the price.
This is a typical Carlito's experience. I'm used to it now and don't really mind, but why is it so difficult for this company to get it right. Oh well, perhaps that's part of the charm.
Nice flip flops at Cava are just fine.
This is a good place for fancy latin food. Fresh chips and salsa. Their spicey salsa was soooo good. It was quite spicey but not overwhelming. It also comes with a corn and black bean salsa which was ok. Not spectacular, but different, though I'm not a big bean fan so maybe that makes a difference.
I ordered the zarzuela which was not bad. It's basically a seafood stew with shrimp, clams, scallops, mussels & white fish. The seafood broth was good, and the white fish and clams were done well. I'm not a fan of mussles, but they do give you quite a few on your plate so if you do like it, it's a good thing. The shrimp were big, but they used small bay scallops. I think over all the seafood was a little over cooked except the fish. The quality of the seafood was high and it tasted fresh. They gave a lot of seafood, but it ended up being a bit on the over cooked side. I think this has something to do with burning hot bowl they serve it in. When they say the plate is hot... they really really mean it.
My other friends' dishes were all tasty looking too. The fried calimari were good. K got the carne asada which came with rice, beans, and cheese enchilada and more tortillas. I had a bite of that and I thought it was amazing. The steak was so tender, juicy, and flavorful.
We also ordered a pitcher of sangria and that was pretty good too :) My friend's marguerita was too strong.
Service was good. Ambiance nice. Prices a little higher, but the plates are pretty big so it works out.
After I moved out of SB and moved to LA, my college roommate from Fresno was horrified I never came here. Â Man, I'm horrified too. Â We drove 90 miles to come here one night, and I can't tell you how many times we've been back. Â Even my parents drive up here for their delicious mole, bitchin black bean salsa, live music, and phenomenal rock shrimp tacos. Â The ambiance is great--not too kitschy, not too fancy, but not too casual, very real Santa Barbara. Â
I don't think the prices are ridiculous, maybe 15-20 an entree. Â Great margaritas, great sangria, all of the food is fantastic.
Book a reservation for a date in the back corner by the fireplace and live guitar. Â beautiful.
If you're a super high roller, you can rent out the adjacent cottage for a private party. gangster.
CAVA, WHY ARE YOU SO FAR AWAY FROM ME!
The corn and black bean salsa gets me every time and by the time the meal comes I've already had like 5 re-fills and I'm so full. Â Carlitos is an up scale yucatanish (i think it's a word?) restaurant with a flair. Â
I'm a pretty boring "cava diner" because I always get the same thing, namely, enchilada suisas. Â Why change up a good thing is what I think. Â It has the perfect amount of citrus in the verde sauce and the rice is green with cilantro goodness, both two things that keep me coming back. Â My last meal on earth might just be a plate of cilantro (don't tell anyone but I sometimes "borrow" from baja fresh's salsa bar even when I don't buy anything; aka "salsa drive and snatch").
The staff is very friendly and inviting as is the decor. Â Prices are a bit on the expensive side but are subsidized by my many a re-fills of the corn/black bean salsa.
Really delicious food and quality service. Â I am came here with my family (party of five including my 2 year old brother) and they certainly accommodated us. I initially made the reservation here because the ratings on yelp were positive (thanks yelp!) and it was near the Four Seasons where we were staying. Â It ended up being the only really good place that we could find nearby short of always eating at the Four Seasons. Â
We went here a couple times. Â It is cozy and fun and also good for both couples and families.
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