Toma Restaurant & Bar
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Italy food in Santa Barbara--TOMA RESTAURANT & BAR
OwenOwen
160
We had a delightful dinner reunion with longtime friends in the small but stylish dining room decorated with interesting art that reminded each of the five people at our table of something different. There’s a small, L-shaped bar where we would have dined if it had been just the two of us, but we were lucky to have a round table for our group, which was best for conversation and laughter. This restaurant was a recommendation of two in our group, who had been here before and loved it, one of whom ordered the roast chicken because she loved it so much the first time she was there. Another friend ordered the wedge salad and mussels, which she gave rave reviews. We shared the Crispy Skin Salmon and the Tuna Cones (an appetizer). The former was a melange of flavors and elements, from the perfectly cooked salmon itself and its crispy skin (at home the skin goes to our huskies but I was happy to have it for myself this time) to the pork morsels (yes, it works), lemon aioli, cannellini beans, and smoky tomato remoulade. It was as delicious as it was interesting and different. It also had a little kale, but I’ll forgive them for that because the dish was so good (when I run the world there will be no kale). The tuna cones get top marks for presentation, taste, and discussion. The tasty cones of tuna tartare were coated in tuxedo sesame seeds and slightly sweet, leading everyone to discuss how they were made. No consensus was reached. We also encountered a white wine varietal that our collective wine knowledge had never heard of: arneis, which we loved. We finished with the molten chocolate cake for the table, which capped off a perfect meal with perfect service. Next time we’ll try one of the pasta dishes, which all sounded great.
John HornickJohn Hornick
00
We visited Toma tonight for my mother in law’s 81st birthday. The food is top notch I had the lasagna and Id say it was about the best I’ve had. It was hot but not molten lava hot like most restaurants where you can not even eat for 20 minutes. Also the beet appetizer was amazing. The flavors were unexpected And the prices are decent as well about what you’d expect from a restaurant in its class The service on the other hand did not match the quality of the food or establishment. Our server Jay came around at the beginning and took our orders but did not provide any opinion on the choices when asked. Did not ask for our drink order before our food order. And then never came back until our plates were cleared and we out a credit card to let know we had enough. Jay never asked or offered bread with our meal although I heard him discussing bread with the party next to us. We waited 15 minutes from the time out appetizer plates were cleared and our main course was served and in that time not a single member of the staff came to our table to ask if we would like another glass of wine or water or bread. Our water was empty and wine was gone. We never had bread anyway. The manger walked past our table a dozen times as we were right next to the bar. If I was manger that day I might have stopped by and said sorry that your meals are delayed can I get you another glads of water or wine? Our meals were great when they arrived. But our waiter kept waling past us serving others and never stopped to see if it was all good which it was. Or to ask if we needed anything else. I might have liked coffee or desert or a glass of port. We would stayed for a bit of birthday celebration. Too bad it was a great meal but the whole experience was just brought down a few notches by poor service.
Patrick EganPatrick Egan
00
There are so many restaurants to choose from in Santa Barbara. Last night I enjoyed a meal at TOMA RESTAURANT & BAR. An Italian cuisine. It was a full house so I choose to sit at the bar. Maybe 5 stools total, very cozy & an impressive wine menu with top shelf liquors. Bar tender was prompt & friendly. The bread was soft crust sourdough served warm. You would assume an Italian menu would be pastas & salads. I was pleased to see the variety this menu offered including GF Pasta. Love that the chef utilizes Local Fisherman, Farmers, Foragers & Food Artisans. Appetizers; Squash Blossoms, Tuna Cones & Grilled Octopus. Entrees; New Zealand Rack of Lamb, Grilled Skuna Bay Salmon, Classic Mushroom Risotto. I ordered traditional Lasagne with house made Braised Beef & Pork, Ragu & spinach also an order of Rigatoni with fresh Italian sausage, Pomodoro, cherry tomatoes & a touch of cream. Both dishes were delectable. Cooked to perfection. Pasta was Al Dente & I savored each bite. Last but not least DESSERT!!! Citrus Olive Oil Cake with almonds & Vanilla Bean Cream or Creme Brûlée are just a few. The dessert cocktails were over the top such as TOMA EXPRESS a frangelico, vodka espresso or maybe THE GODMOTHER with vodka & amaretto. Maybe you enjoy a nice warm Cognac. I loved the ambiance, waiters with the classic white cloth napkins & candle lights. You really need to pay a visit & treat your palate to the wonderful flavors Toma’s offers.
Leesia59Leesia59
00
My husband and I dined here for our wedding anniversary and overall had a very nice time! What we loved: the service and atmosphere are wonderful with a few stand out dishes! The pasta is incredible and next time we will definitely be trying more of it! We both agreed that the truffle gnocchi with Argentinian shrimp was the clear winner of the evening. We decided to share that as our “ appetizer “. The fresh truffle was subtle and delicious, not overpowering at all and the gnocci has probably the best I have ever had. I had the crispy salmon and overall really enjoyed the dish. Very well seasoned and the sauces were delicious. We could be improved: they bring you a few deep fried olives to start and it was a poor first impression because you could tell it had been sitting out as the breading was soggy and not crispy and honestly tasted a little bit stale. We ordered the bread and were underwhelmed because it wasn’t warmed or toasted - and for the extra $4 - it really should have been. My husband had the pork, and while it was cooked very well, it was under seasoned and the whole dish just felt like it was missing something. The desert was good. Overall - we had about a 2 hour dining service and felt very well taken care of. They kindly brought out a sorbet for us to celebrate our anniversary, which was a nice touch! Would come back again and get all the pasta!
Arrianna Hamrah MartinArrianna Hamrah Martin
00
Toma Restaurant Review My wife and I recently celebrated our anniversary at Toma, and we couldn't have chosen a better place for this special occasion. From the moment we walked in, the service was exceptional, setting the tone for an unforgettable evening. I was indecisive between the ravioli and the rigatoni, but our waiter came to the rescue with a brilliant suggestion. He recommended the rigatoni but graciously brought out two raviolis for me to sample as well. His recommendation was spot on—the rigatoni was absolutely out of this world. The meat sauce had an incredible depth of flavor that was simply to die for. My wife faced a similar dilemma, torn between the braised ribs and the chicken and mushroom risotto. Once again, our waiter’s advice was invaluable. He suggested the chicken and mushroom risotto, and it turned out to be another five-star dish. My wife shared a bite with me, and I was blown away by the complex, phenomenal flavors. Although we were too full for dessert, our waiter insisted we try the strawberry mousse, complimentary for our anniversary. This delightful treat was refreshing and delicious, capping off our meal perfectly. Toma is a top-notch restaurant that we wholeheartedly recommend. The food is exquisite, the service is unparalleled, and our experience was nothing short of spectacular. Five stars all the way!
Jeremy JonesJeremy Jones
00
Nearby Attractions Of Toma Restaurant & Bar
Pier Santa Barbara
Leadbetter Beach
Santa Barbara Harbor
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
The Eagle Inn
Beachside Inn
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
Hotel Milo Santa Barbara
Harbor View Inn
Villa Rosa Inn

Pier Santa Barbara
4.6
(2.7K)Click for details

Leadbetter Beach
4.6
(873)Click for details

Santa Barbara Harbor
4.7
(863)Click for details

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
4.7
(740)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Toma Restaurant & Bar
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
Brophy Bros.
Santa Barbara FisHouse
Chad’s Cafe
Finney's Crafthouse - Santa Barbara
Sandbar Cocina y Tequila - Santa Barbara
Moby Dick Restaurant
Shoreline Beach Cafe
Santo Mezcal
Loquita Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
4.5
(1.8K)$$
Click for details

Brophy Bros.
4.5
(1.7K)Click for details

Santa Barbara FisHouse
4.4
(1.4K)$$
Click for details

Chad’s Cafe
4.4
(1.2K)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
324 W Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Map
Phone
(805) 962-0777
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Website
tomarestaurant.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(561 reviews)$$
Ratings & Description
Description
Sunny eatery featuring Italian cuisine & a sizable wine list in a compact space with harbor vistas.
attractions: Pier Santa Barbara, Leadbetter Beach, Santa Barbara Harbor, MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, The Eagle Inn, Beachside Inn, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center, Hotel Milo Santa Barbara, Harbor View Inn, Villa Rosa Inn, restaurants: Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, Brophy Bros., Santa Barbara FisHouse, Chad’s Cafe, Finney's Crafthouse - Santa Barbara, Sandbar Cocina y Tequila - Santa Barbara, Moby Dick Restaurant, Shoreline Beach Cafe, Santo Mezcal, Loquita Santa Barbara
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