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Harry's Plaza Cafe
3313 State St, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 687-2800
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Reviews by the General Public
Waiting and wanting it!, 7/28/2010
Reviewer: Thelma
from Gardena, CA
The chicken pot pie is the best I ever tasted. I hope to visit soon so I can order pot pies to take home with me to Los Angeles.
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Dessert after the kitchen closes, 4/15/2010
Reviewer: Alex
from Santa Barbara, CA
I just read the review regarding the closing time of the kitchen. I guess not everybody knows that the kitchen closes an hour before the place closes. I have known that for a long time. What does irk me is the fact that no desserts will be served after that time no matter when you ordered your dinner. I have never heard of such an absurd rule, one clearly not designed to satisfy the customer. I have observed that the kitchen staff works long after they stop cooking. So this rule cannot be designed to save money. Why would any restaurant not want to satisfy its customers? Mr. Scott should rethink this rule!!!
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order dessert with entree if eating late, 3/16/2010
Reviewer: ja
from Santa Barbara, CA
We eat there regularly due to friends who have gone there for years and years and are friends with the staff and other regulars. The friends have gone thru the years mostly for the strong drinks (not cheap however).
Just as a warning--the kitchen closes an hour before closing and diners are not told that they can't order anything except drinks from the bar after that time. If you get your dinner order in before the unannounced kitchen closing time, you will be brought your entree, however, unless you order dessert at the same time as your entree, you won't be able to have dessert--not even a scoop of ice cream. So, be careful, if you want dessert, make sure you finish your entree AND, a big and, get your server's attention, at least one hour plus one minute before restaurant closing time. It would be nice if 1) the kitchen closing time were posted and 2) the server gives a warning when taking the entree order
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SOOO GOOD!!!!, 2/18/2010
Reviewer: Candy
from Santa Barbara, CA
I been here once before and this time I change my boyfriends mind about this place cause he think it wasn't going to be good. Great service and AMAZING food!!! We are going to be regulars now!!! Try the fried chicken sooo yummy!!!!
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Solid Service, good food and great drinks, 2/14/2010
Reviewer: Matt
from Santa Barbara, CA
First, this place does not mess around with drinks. Stiff like well starched shirts, or rigor mortis. The burnt ends sandwich is a must, and I have never left Harry's disappointed.
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FUN, FUN, FUN,, 1/26/2010
Reviewer: Donna
from Orange, CA
If you like the old Hollywood atmosphere, then Harry's Grille is a place to be. As you are setting in it's high back over stuffed red booths, viewing all the pictures of movie stars decorating their walls,it makes you feel like you are setting with the stars of yesteryears. The food was very good and the drinks GREAT. The staff was very friendly and made sure that we were taken care of. I'm going to be a regular at Harry's every time I visit Santa Barbara.
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brilliant!!!, 10/24/2009
Reviewer: Rachel Day
from Aberdeen,Scotland
we come to santa barbara every october for 14 days, and roughly 12 of them we go to harrys for tea. i think the food is delicous. the atmosphere is great. the staff are very friendly. the only thing i dont like about the staff is that they are a bit to fake and cheesy! this is a family place and i would truly recommend it!
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If you're coming just for the food....
Reviewer: Katie
from Santa Barbara, CA
you're coming for the wrong reason. Not to say the food is bad: I really quite enjoy it. Sizable portions, quality ingredients, always hot, and served promptly, etc. Just basic, good stuff, some of which is better than others. And the servers are so crazy, genuinely nice. And the martinis that are 10 bucks are really like 4 martinis in 1, are divine. I disagree with any assertion that the drinks here aren't strong AND good. I love to saddle up with a martini and a new Chaucer's book at the bar. All of those things are great, but the nostalgia value, the paraphernalia, the history, the legacy staff, the wonderful regulars that have been going there for so long they have permanent reservations that they pass down to heirs in their wills, makes it so much sweeter. Maybe its not an atmosphere for everyone, but I'll pay a little more for all of the aforementioned combined. Either you get Harry's, or you don't. This is a true local restaurant. In a town where everything is becoming increasingly upscale, shiny, aloof, and....new, it's nice to have something old, tried, true.
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Desserts are the cherry on top!
Reviewer: chee
from Santa Barbara, CA
I went to HPC for a friend's birthday dinner, and this place is great for large groups. You're seated in this bright red room, vinyl seats, with random pictures on the wall. The food is standard American fare, and it seems like everything on the menu is either $10 or $20, nothing really falling in between those two price brackets. I ended up getting the pork chops, which were really good, and I had half of my entree left over to doggie bag. I don't really get the whole sourdough/sour cream/salsa combination, but it's on the table when you get there--nice! The servers were pretty attentive and checked on us throughout the night. One quip is that the alcoholic drinks were a little inconsistent--one batch being sweeter than the other. Desserts were FABULOUS...I got to try the mud pie and cheesecake, both of which weren't overly sweet and definitely decadent. If I were 20 years younger and had the metabolism of a cheetah (sadly, I'm not and I don't), I'd go for the huge ice cream sundae and go nuts. Anyway, I'd go back to order a side salad and a dessert...none of this "main course" and "entree" business!
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frankie rivas
Reviewer: LYNNE DAVIS
from Santa Barbara, CA
I AM HARRY'S DAUGHTER LYNNE AND HARRY'S LOST A VERY LOYAL AND LOVING EMPLOYEE APRIL 7TH 2009 FRANKIE RIVAS WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS AND HE WAS KNOWN AND LOVED BY LOYAL HARRY'S CUSTOMERS .WE WILL MISS YOU FRANKIE .....HE WORKED FOR MY FATHER AND AFTER MY FATHERS PASSING ,OTHER OWNERS FOR 36 YEARS.RIP FRANKIE..............LYNNE DAVIS
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Planning to go to Harry's in May-4-20-09
Reviewer: Patricia (McAdams) Newman
from San Diego, CA
I'll be coming to Harry's in May and I am looking forward to it. I was the bookkeeper for Harry from 1969 thru 1979 when he owned Joe's Cafe, the El Cielito Restaurant, Harry's and the Towne House restaurant just above Deloreto Plaza. Hoping they still serve Harry's famous sourdough bread and salsa!! And yes, I hope their drinks aren't watered down - Harry was generous at all times with this drinks. I truly enjoyed working there!
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Not impressed and don't need to go back
Reviewer: Helen
from Santa Barbara, CA
I really don't know what the fuss is about. Granted I haven't been a long-time regular of Harry's, so I don't know how it used to be; but I get the feeling they are now just coasting on their outdated reputation. The atmosphere is great: old-time steakhouse with wonderfully nostalgic photos and decor. The service was good: friendly, folksy, mature waitstaff. Unfortunately, the food is overpriced (even for Santa Barbara) and was surprisingly bland. Even the drinks were disappointing (Harry's is known for its strong drinks). Strong? Yes. Good? No. $50 for two sandwiches and two drinks that we really didn't enjoy. Not worth it. There are too many other places I'd rather eat, including at home.
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A fun, funny and good eats location
Reviewer: Phil Hoffert
from Santa Barbara, CA
Been going to Harry's since the mid '70's and the place is a gas. Red vinyl booths, wait staff with a nice come back line ALWAYS, excellent sized dishes, fresh veggies and dynamite soups. Love the pork chop dinner (2 thick-boys) and the funky appitizers.....go there, you'll love it!
That plus the owner gave me a twenty to write this....
KIDDING
The value is there, just the parking lot has to be done soon! Please!
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Good Food, But dirty table cloths??
Reviewer: Cameron
from Santa Barbara, CA
I ate there a week or so ago and the table cloths had all kind of crap on it. We asked to move and the new table had the same amount of crap on it!! Unappetizing and disgusting!!!! But the food was good.
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great place but lost family feel
Reviewer: emily perry
from Santa Barbara, CA
went to harrys friday for lunch still good crowds ,surpised to see harry's grandson there having lunch .just wish it was run in the family way it used to when harry and his daughter were there to greet you with a warm welcome greeting,food still good .miss you harry and lynne...
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Food/service good, go during off hours for better service
Reviewer: Glenn
from Buellton
We got there at 5 and hardly anyone there, by 6 the place was packed and waiters were thinner. Food was good, they did botch some steak cooked to diner's orders but the manager was right there to correct things. More of an old Hollywood Bl diner type place with a lot of character inside. I would recommend going during off hours there, you definitely need a reservation otherwise.
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Harry's for Sale???
Reviewer: Allen
from Santa Barbara, CA
I read that Harry's is for sale and I hope this is not true. We have been going to Harry's for years and have seen different changes over the years and would hope this would not change as the service and food have been the best in a very long time. You can not find a restaurant like this any where else. The servics is the way it should be warm and relaxing and never rushed. The decor makes you feel like your home at your grandparents house where pictures on walls from old friends and the history of Santa Barbara. This is a Santa Barbara Landmark lets hope this will stay this way for many more years. WE LOVE HARRY'S!!
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??? RESTAURANT REVIEWS
Reviewer: SAS
from Santa Barbara, CA
How does one make judgements on restaurant reviews? They vary all over the map. It is probably a good rule not to recommend restaurants or doctors.
I, personally, was very pleased with Harry's.My kind of food. Simple, solid, no pretensions of haute cuisine.
Service was prompt and friendly.
Maybe, you might like it; maybe not.
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Never again
Reviewer: Keith
from Santa Barbara, CA
1. Botched reservation.
2. Let us peruse menu and then tell us they were out of stuff after we ordered.
3. No croutons for salad = iceberg lettuce and ranch.
4. $32 steak was midling.
5. Pulled same 'we're out' trick with desert menu.
6. Tried to pass house liquor as top shelf.
7. Wouldn't honor gift certificate with no expiration ($10 on $100+ bill).
8. Both waiter and manager ceded nothing on any of these issues.
12 year regular and never again.
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