Generous portions, 8/11/2010
Reviewer: Elena
from Santa Barbara, CA
I haven't been to Renaud's in awhile and ordered the oatmeal. It was a generous portion - so much so that I only finished 1/2 of it. It'd be nice if there could be seasonal berries or bananas as an option. Also if it could have been a little warmer, it would be perfect. It's a great deal for $4.
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Incroyable!, 8/8/2010
Reviewer: Ed Leard
from Santa Barbara, CA
If you are French, c'est pour toi. and if not, this is French done right! In fact, this is better than many of the places in Paris. I am French so I know.
Breakfast omellette was light and fluffy, oatmeal was smooth. Clearly only the finest ingredients are used here.
Pastry is perfect.
Also, check out the macarons (NOTHING like those coconut macaroons) - a french delicacy and again, done as well as Laduree on the Champs Elysees.
Renaud from Burgundy was charming and took time to speak to me as well. May his ways find themselves down to Orange County,where he is badly needed!
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Out of This World Pastries!!, 8/3/2010
Reviewer: Ashley
from Santa Barbara, CA
I love coming into this restaurant/ bakery! The food/ Pastries are out of this world and the staff are great (especially the owners).
Whenever I have friends or family in town, I take them to Renaud's and they love it! Whenever I need a dessert for a special occasion, I go to Renaud's, where I can always count on it being delicious and unique. Try the Chocolate Royal!
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Lighten up....., 6/14/2010
Reviewer: Bethany
from Santa Barbara, CA
to the person who is afraid of the 5 year old.....there are more germs on the bathroom door in all restaurants than on that child. At least the parents are involving her in their lives. Running a restaurant is full time...I am sure the kid has been begging to be there since she could talk....or maybe we should just let her stay home and watch TV or play video games....that's always an option....
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I LOVE the croissants here, but..., 6/7/2010
Reviewer: Barbara
from Santa Barbara, CA
I came here a few days ago and got somewhat grossed out. The owner's daughter (I think she's 5?) was serving the food plates to the waiting patrons. Knowing how children are and how most adults don't even wash their hands, it made me wonder. All that wondering was of course after watching this little girl show off her dress and underwear to all the breakfast eating customers.. Just odd, as I'm curious why they can't afford a sitter for the mornings.. At $3.59 a pop for a croissant, I think they can.
They really need to rethink having their child deliver food to the tables. It's just NOT cute and honestly, a bit on the disgusting side (for all of us germ-a-phobes).
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Good desserts, sandwiches Ok, 4/23/2010
Reviewer: Glenn
from Buellton
Chicken sandwich was good, tri tip average. Chocolate chunks were pretty tasty. Yes not fast food, you are going to wait a bit, no terrible owner that I could see, just a couple of nice girls working the counter. Nice ambience with seating in and out, they probably could stand to use a bigger place and more help. They need to have a number system on the to go orders.
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This NOT FAST FOOD folks!, 2/17/2010
Reviewer: julia
from Santa Barbara, CA
As a pretty frequent sit down & take out customer of this amazing business I've learned not to be in a hurry when I choose Renauds. If the room is full there is no quick snack. But for a nicely paced lunch or afternoon, no place in Santa Barbara is better. Its a simple, little place, run with great economy which is why they have been able to expand in an abysmal market! We love and remember the restaurants that have personality, life (messy life) and delicious food.
True, Nicole can be grumpy - I just pretend I'm in Paris or I remember that she and her husband probably work 20 freakin' hours a day getting that impossibly perfect croissant or salade to my table. What they do may appear simple to unsophisticated customers but in reality it is a complicated, multifaceted, technically complex and wonderfully subtle addition to Santa Barbara. I bet the complainers on this board think cliche, homogenized & over priced Jeannine's is 'amazing!!".
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boring, 2/6/2010
Reviewer: elizabeth
from Santa Barbara, CA
Pretty boring stuff. Display case always looks in disarray. It was much nicer a year ago. Where's the pride?
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Sublime experience. Food is excellent. Service is fine., 2/5/2010
Reviewer: Bobbe and John
from Santa Barbara, CA
The mushroom/onion quiche is perfect; the salad clean,crisp and tickles the palate. The pasta is so light, it floats. Can just barely wait to get back and try something else.
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holiday's pies, 12/14/2009
Reviewer: Sadie
from Santa Barbara, CA
Over priced terrible pumpkin & apple pies - all crust, no pie at all. Threw them out after party - half of ea. pie were left over because nobody would take them home. Please taste your products first before selling to your regular customers.
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i love your chocolate crossants, 11/27/2009
Reviewer: sidney brogan
from Santa Barbara, CA
i love the chocolate crossants they make me float away to heaven. your cakes are also amazing and u have to teach me how to make them. all of your food is delicious and u have a great service. the resturant is very colorful. i dont dine there often but once and a while when my family goes up to santa barbra we will stop and eat.
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Awesome Pastries Okay Service, 11/19/2009
Reviewer: Ixchelle
from Santa Barbara, CA
The pastry here is AMAZING! By far the best in town. They are different than anything I have had, delicate, carefully crafted, and absolutely delicious! The service however was lacking. The girl at the register was nice at first but then they forgot to call me after my to-go order was ready. There were only a few people in the restaurant and she wasn't smart enough to ask if anyone was waiting for an order. So I waited and waited for 40 minutes I waited until I finally asked and the girl handed me my cold pasta.
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Excellent food, service and dining.
Reviewer: Martha Richman
from Santa Barbara, CA
Having stopped by at different times of the day for breakfast, lunch or a coffee, I have found the food to always be fresh, delicious and nicely presented.
The staff is always friendly, efficient, attentive, and focused on giving good customer service.
I enjoy the ambience of eating outside with the nice patio tables, padded chairs, umbrella, and nearby fountain.
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Not very good
Reviewer: Julie
from Santa Barbara, CA
I was really excited to go to this place, and my mood was entirely ruined after going here. The service was well...there was no service. The lady behind the counter didn't smile and was too busy talking to someone else next to her. The desserts were way too sweet even though they looked so good behind the glass. Me and my friend didn't even get to eat anything because they stopped serving food at 2:30. Horrible... I was so disappointed. Never again.
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Amazing!
Reviewer: Andrew
from Santa Barbara, CA
My friend took me here in an effort to expand my horizons. Wow the food was outstanding. Try the chicken sandwich. Service was simple.
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I don't understand people's rating on service
Reviewer: Hajir Sailors
from Santa Barbara, CA
Time after time I have walked into Renaud's sometimes to sit down for a Renaud and a cappuccino, sometimes to grab a couple chocolate croissants and some macaroons, or sometimes to pick up a cake for a special occasion. More than half the time Mrs. Gonthier is standing there at the register with one of her employees with a smile on her face, when I walk in a "Hello Hajir, how have you been, haven't seen you in a while" or an "Oh, this morning's croissant wasn't enough" is always in order. While Renaud's is not a full service restaurant, as many Santa Barbara native's apparently demand, the service is always friendly and reliable. For their service to live up to their pastries they'd need employee's opening the doors and ushering you into seats where chocolate mousse appears on a gold platter in front of you. This is a patisserie, not a full service restaurant in montecito.
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Amazing pastries, service....not even close
Reviewer: Shannon
from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been going to Renaud's since they opened the doors for those delicious almond croissants. Renaud is obviously a true artist however, his wife ruins the entire experience. She should stay away from the front of the house entirely for the business to be successful. Customer service is just as important as quality.
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what's happening to santa barbara
Reviewer: lizzy
from Santa Barbara, CA
I visit my friend here every month and come for coffee and a croissant in the morning.I now try to get to Renaud's before the grumpy owner gets in. What is WITH her? Never a smile and if she does it looks forced and labored. May I suggest a LONG walk on the beach before work? And all these new faces behind the counter. What happened to the old staff? Bring them back and I'll come back.
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Renaud's is great
Reviewer: Brandon
from Santa Barbara, CA
I love this place, just had a salad special with duck liver, baby mache, shallots and a potato pancake that was soooo tasty, with such attention to detail, typical of this great restaurant. We're lucky to have Renaud's in Santa Barbara.
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Delicious Food & Service
Reviewer: Alexandra
from Santa Barbara, CA
My husband and I go here every weekend and get the same breakfast and we love this place. Their coffee is organic and when they say their orange juice is fresh squeezed it really is! I love to get the French toast and my husband gets the fried egg sandwich. The people at the counter are always nice and helpful. Thanks Renauds for being the best Santa Barbara has to offer in terms of bakery items.
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Atrocious service
Reviewer: Alyssa
from Santa Barbara, CA
I called almost a week in advance to place an order for one of the tarts on their website and was told that they do not have the size on their website, they measure by how many people it feeds. I asked to order the tart that feeds 8 people and explained that treats go a long way in our office. The woman I spoke to did not seem to know what she was talking about. She thought it would be $40 but she would call back to confirm-never called. I called the next day and spoke with another rude woman who said the order had been placed for a 12" but said, "if you think you're going to feed everyone with that, you're wrong." I explained that, in the past, we've had cake for weeks because people in our office eat small portions. She condescendingly explained that they use a 12" pan for the tart (duh?). I confirmed that this was the size I wanted and she laughed. If this had not been a birthday order for someone in my office, I would have canceled it based on their poor service. P.S. we had leftovers.
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A special place
Reviewer: stuart o.
from Santa Barbara, CA
Now this place is special! A real Paris Bistro. Delicious Croque Monsieur sandwich. The pastries look heavenly. The coffee was self serve with several choices but a small cup. Unfortunately the place is so small it could be hard to get a table at mealtime. The staff was very friendly which I guess make not entirely a french experience :>).
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Nice Surprise
Reviewer: Elizabeth
from Santa Barbara, CA
We have lived in San Roque 40 years and at last we have a real French Bakery to visit! Merci beaucoup. We have been lamenting the exit of Napoleon's downtown and reluctant to try another in case of being disappointed yesterday we took the plunge , and after browsing at Chaucers we stepped into Renaud's. No more to grieving over Napolean's ! Renaud's is indeed the very essence of French cuisine. We indulged in their wonderful Quiche Lorraine followed by delightful pastries. No complaints other than the slice of the Quiche was much too small :-) We plan to make Renaud's a regular place to visit after our next stroll around Loreto Plaza. We received excellent service. All the staff were kind, helpful and very patient. Many many thanks to you all for making our visit perfect.
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heart and soul
Reviewer: kathleen
from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been coming to Renauds since they opened last January. The menu is interesting and fairly priced but what I really enjoyed about Renauds was the staff, namely Amy and Andrea. They have both left and I find myself missing them. They were the heart and soul of the place. They treated all the customers like family and really cared about making us all feel welcomed and important. The girls they have now are nice enough but I feel like it's just a job for them. I hope the owners recognize that a restaurant is more then the food produced. Its the people that keep the engine oiled.
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Service Improving! But, they need to learn how to cook eggs!
Reviewer: Christina
from Santa Barbara, CA
My boyfriend and I I have been to Renaud's several times. The food has always been excellent, but the service and the set up has been poor. It was especially annoying when we would be ordering our food while the available table we spotted was stolen by people in line behind us! I was happy to see that Renaud's now assists you in finding a seat. What a pleasant change! One disappointment is that I ordered my eggs "over medium". They came out with the yolk completely cooked. They graciously took them back and brought me more that were cooked the exact same way ("over hard")! So, once again they graciously brought me more. This time they were on the side of "over easy", but I didn't want to send them back again. They gave me a free croissant, which of course was excellent, but cooking eggs should be easy! Overall, we will definitely go back, but I will probably stick to the baked goods!
By the way, my boyfriend says that Renaud's has the best paper napkins in SB (they really are nice!!)
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Awesome in Every Way!
Reviewer: RK
from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been to Renauds about a dozen times, and every time the food and service has been great.
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Thank you Renaud's for by far the best pastries in all of SB
Reviewer: J P Hamilton
from Santa Barbara, CA
Everything at Renaud's is instantly addicting, be it the pastries or the menu items. They have the best plain croissants in SB for sure, and possibly tops in all of California. Their almond and chocolate croissants are absolutely soul-satisfying as well. The macaroons are melt in your mouth fantastic (and don't expect coconut anywhere in a French macaroon!). They have homemade nougat that makes me feel good to be alive as soon as it hits my tongue. I could go on and on about the Fleur de Sel, Mille-feuille, Rum Baba, Eclairs and the surprisingly amazing cookies, but you need to try them for yourselves. As for the service, people need to lighten up. What local small business have you been in lately where the owner doesn't have the look of a deer in headlights these days? I saw in a span of three hours on a Saturday at least three hundred different customers come in and was amazed at how only three people behind the counter got them all in and out. I did overhear a few grumbles at having to wait in line or that they wanted table service but you could tell they all drove over from Montecito and are used to being catered to. The funny thing is I have seen the same grumblers several times since, so obviously the proof is in the pudding, or in this case the amazing croissants. Thank you Renaud's for all the time and energy you put into this lost art. There are many of us who truly appreciate all you do!
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Good Food,Understandable Behavior
Reviewer: Carlos
from Santa Barbara Co.
I come here often, with only once incident that marred the ex perience (I paid for three pastries and only received two).
I find the proprietors to be amiable,but running a restaurant in this rather small location can be daunting.They don't suffer dawdlers.
The food is worth it. I also enjoy seeing the small redheaded daughter sometimes venturing into the dining area. It clearly is a family affair and that makes it a interesting, worthwhile experience. The pastries are to die for, the croissants are perfect and all the food is extremely tasty. IMHO, the only real drawback is the small available space.
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Fabulous Croissants, Grumpy Service
Reviewer: Susan
from Santa Barbara, CA
As good as Paris, but missing friendly Santa Barbara service. The main person behind the counter should act as if she were glad you were there, instead of it being an imposition!
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Amazing.
Reviewer: Austin Hunt
from Santa Barbara, CA
I go to Renaud's quite often with my friend Michael who first introduced me to the chocolate eclairs filled with chocolate and I love it. Ever since then it has been one of my favorite patisserie's in town. The prices are a little steep, but it's definetely worth it!
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What an amazing meal!
Reviewer: Wendy
from Los Angeles, CA
This was our first trip to Renaud's;I can't believe we've missed it on our previous trips to SB. My husband ordered the croque monsieur and I the chicken sandwich. As usual when they came to the table, we wanted what the other had ordered. They were BOTH delicious! Naturally we had to have two of the beautiful desserts. I don't recall what his was called but it was fantastic. I had the chocoloate croissant and can't wait until I get another. The service was great! The people were great. It's so cute and delightful. We'll be back-VERY SOON. Thank you!! What a nice end to our weekend.
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mad owner
Reviewer: liz
from Santa Barbara, CA
About a week ago my friend and I came in for lunch but ordered off the breakfast menu. Our food came very late and my friend didn't even get her's.Instead of being sincerely sorry, she was just mad. We understand that mistakes happen but to have such a bad attitude wasn't what we expected.In these times I would think one would do what owners could to keep the customers happy and coming back. How disappointing.
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Construction almost finished at this French gem
Reviewer: jinelle
from Santa Barbara, CA
The plain croissants here have to be better than even in France; they are that good. The construction is almost done and it looks like there will be a patio outside seating going in fairly soon. An absolutely wonderful find for French bakery goodies.
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tea fire
Reviewer: Elizabeth
from Santa Barbara, CA
Early Friday morning on Nov 14 a young lady behind the counter let me in before they opened.I told her I had to evacuate my home due to the Tea fire. She was very sympathetic and reached into her pocketbook and paid for my coffee and almond croissants. She told me it was the least she could do.
It really made my day. What a wonderful testament to our kind citizens that live in this fabulous community. Here's to Renaud's, baked goods made with love and their wonderful staff.
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Food and service great
Reviewer: JO
from Santa Barbara, CA
The food is sublime. This is counter service which is truly not my favorite, but everyone from the owner Nicole to All the other wonderful people are doing their best it is always crowded! so expect a wait. I noticed an earlier review about someone who wanted free samples. If only all restaurants let us take a bit of the stuff in the counter oh- but that would be a buffet right. Omelets are great so light!
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Amazing Croissants
Reviewer: Nicole
from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been a huge fan of Renaud's for about 6 months. I agree the service could use some help but the croissants are just amazing. However I would not recommend going there until they finish the construction. They keep everything closed during that time and there is almost no light inside. Outside is nicer but there's no where to sit. Once they are done remodeling it'll be a great place to be again!
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Extremely rude....
Reviewer: Robyn
from Santa Barbara, CA
For months I have heard the greatest things about Renaud's. I finally went in and was shocked at the rude service I received. The woman who appeared to be in charge was extremely snippy with me. I asked for a sample of a macaroon and was declined. When I seemed disappointed the manager/owner snapped at me for appearing upset at her policy. I understand the need for this kind of policy, I only wish the woman would have handled the situation in a more professional way.
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Renaud-My Impressions
Reviewer: Carlos
from Santa Maria CA
I like this restaurant/patisserie for its incredible pastries. The service is friendly, but I think the proprietors/staff find it hard to work in the too small resaturant. They need a bigger space. But the food is great. I've had breakfast here and have bought tons of pastries, but and have found it to be of the highest quality. IMHO, it seems this establishment and Via Maestra 42 (just around the corner) suffer the same problem.
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The best croissant I've ever had.
Reviewer: Ambershawn Ruse
from Santa Barbara, CA
Yes, better than Paris. I am a lover of croissants, and try them everywhere I go. Renaud's has the flakiest, most buttery croissants I've ever had. Yes, on a whole, they are a tad expensive. (Though just a croissant and a cup of coffee is under $5- its the quiche and fancy pastry that costs) And I agree, on the whole, they are a bit rude, and the service is only so-so. However, I'm willing to overlook it, and it seems so is everyone else - most mornings the place is packed. (They make an awe inspiring chocolate chip cookie as too!) Try to go early in the morning (7-9am) for the best service - they aren't as busy.
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lovely breakfast and treats
Reviewer: chee
from Santa Barbara, CA
my friend and I went to Renaud's on a Sunday morning, and we found that the place was packed solid with patrons. we only had to wait a few minutes before a table opened up, so that was great. our food was quite delicious--hot coffee; fluffy, buttery, and light brioche; fresh fruit; crispy and sweet macaroons; highly seasoned and tender potatoes; flaky and savory croissant sandwich. given the busy-ness of the restaurant, some of the waitstaff seemed a bit brusque, but others were more willing to offer recommendations to my friend and I. our breakfast was a steal with our discount card (2 entrees for $10!). I'll definitely come back again, especially after the plaza has completed its renovation and the outdoor seating is reinstated.
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Renaud's is going downhill....
Reviewer: Kari
from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been going to Renaud's ever since they opened for their amazing almond croissants.... The service has always been extremely rude, but we have put up with it for the croissants. The last 3 times I have gone, they have gotten worse and worse (1 time no almond paste inside, and the last 2 times totally burnt). For what they charge and for the bad service, this is not worth it at all. I am done going there.....
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