Your Place Restaurant — Restaurant in Santa Barbara

After sifting through the Yelp Santa Barbara Thai reviews we went here today, Sunday 6/9/13. This restaurant is in a nice building in plain sight from the street and not in a strip mall. It was almost 100% full capacity when we arrived around 5 pm. It's mostly Thai but it also appeals to the generic Chinese take-out crowd with its chow mein, Mongolian Beef, WonTon Soup, Cashew Chicken, etc. Ordered the Laab/pork as an appetizer @ $9.95, it was very tasty, spicy, lots of mint, but not seeing or tasting any toasted rice powder, not really a dish worth $9.95 as for the size of the portion........daughter got the honey roast duck with a delicious plum sauce (more like a clear plum juice) on the side @ $14.95. This dish is half a duck, deep-fried and it came cut up, maybe to give the illusion of a large meal. But this portion was again not worth the price for its amount. Not much meat at all to justify $14.95 and no detectable honey in this dish. The wing was pure fried skin to a crisp with nothing edible on it Son got the sliced garlic pepper beef @ $10.95. Very crispy and tasty, and it's basically like wok fried Chinese orange beef-but once again not a fair portion size, with just not many pieces of sliced beef and hardly enough for one person. I got the spicy mint noodles with chicken, also very good. This was probably the only meal we saw which was worth its price @$10.95. Additional critiques: All dishes were TOO SALTY. Even my two teens thought they were too salty. We love Thai food and I make it very often at home. But these meals were not Nam Pla salty, they were like table salt, salty, and it ruined the food. Most Thai food is sweet, salty, sour and spicy. But Your Place's chef lacks that balance, as far as the several dishes we tried. The Laab needed the authentic rice powder, and the beef, the Laab, and the noodle dish needed less salt and more palm sugar. We had jasmine rice and we asked for rice wine vinegar, but they do not have that, which is strange for all the Asian food bases they cover here. Instead, the waitress offered us a very welcome surprise with the delicious condiment tray which is 3 separate sauces-1-Thai sweet and hot dressing, 2-pickled jalapenos, and 3- a crushed dried Thai pepper seeds. The crushed is volcanic, which was very satisfying. I use Thai birds and serranos and habeneros at home this was the hottest condiment I have ever been served. My mouth was on fire and I needed several ice water refills! lol The service was very attentive, decor and seating cozy, with assorted Asian and Thai artifacts and art work. It's a cultural thing at some Asian establishments where they aren't being rude or annoyed toward you, I think they are just caught up in their service they forget to smile! It didn't bother me. I might go back but I would them request them to dial down the heavy salt, and ask for Nam Pla on the side, and also ask for more sweetening...

I went to this restaurant in August and had a very otherworldly experience. When I reached at the restaurant, it was supposed to close in an hour and a half(at least). After entering, server greeted and I requested a booth considering I was with my family which has 1 six yeas old and an infant. Looking at my kids, server flatly refused me to give an empty booth even though there were plenty. After I pressed hard, finally I was assigned one. I asked why he was refusing and he told me with a straight face that they generally don't assign booth to family with kids as kids tend to be messy. Then dinner came and we were having our dinner and after some time another lady started asking us if we need anything. I politely told her that we don't need anything right now and will let her know. She came back again in 10 mins and told us kitchen was about to close and I was like Okay, I still don't need anything. Then she came back with the check, which I promptly paid and went back to my dinner. We were also feeding our infant at the same time. Lady came again to see how we are doing which started to irritate me. She told me that the restaurant is about to close in some time. So, we started to hurry up but of course with young kids you can only do so much. Then lady came back again and flatly asked if we were done. I said no and I will just need couple of more minutes. She went back and straight away came back with to go boxes and told us that the restaurant is closed. I quickly checked their hours and they were still 15 mins away from closing. It was so humiliating that we wrapped up everything and left with still some food on the table. I never let my food go to waste but it had to be done. Overall, food was okay but DO NOT visit this place with kids. They are absolutely NOT KID FRIENDLY. I have never had this kind of experience in my life before (and I have travelled continents) and vow to never go back...

Your Thai in Santa Barbara is, without a doubt, the best Thai food in California, if not the entire United States. From the moment you step into the restaurant, you're greeted with a warm, inviting atmosphere that sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

The authenticity and depth of flavor in every dish are simply unparalleled. Each bite transports you straight to the streets of Thailand, with dishes that are perfectly balanced and exquisitely prepared. The garlic sauce is a harmonious blend of sweet, savory, and tangy, while the panang Curry offers a rich, creamy texture with just the right amount of spice. Their spicy fried rice is a symphony of flavors, combining the perfect amount of heat with fresh, vibrant ingredients.

What truly sets Your Thai apart is their commitment to using fresh, high-quality ingredients, which is evident in every bite. The presentation of the dishes is both beautiful and appetizing, adding to the overall exceptional dining experience.

Moreover, the service at Your Thai is outstanding. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the culinary traditions of Thailand with their guests. They go above and beyond to ensure that every visitor feels welcome and leaves satisfied.

If you're a fan of Thai cuisine or simply looking for an extraordinary meal, Your Thai in Santa Barbara is a must-visit. It's a true gem that elevates Thai dining to new heights, making it a standout choice for anyone seeking the...