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Lucky's
1270 Coast Village Rd, Montecito
Phone: (805) 565-7540

  • Category: Steakhouse
  • Hours: Mon-Fri Dinner 5pm-10pm, Sat-Sun Brunch 9am-3pm & Dinner 5pm-10pm
  • Price: $20+
  • Serving: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
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Reviews by the General Public

from the start, 10/4/2009
Reviewer: David from Newburgh, NY
My father-in-law lived in the Casa Dorinda when Lucky's opened. My wife and I dined with him and other friends whenever we visited Montecito - usually twice a year. We haven't visited Santa Barbara in two years, but will be in town in November. I checked the web site to see if they were open on Mondays. This is the finest restaurant I have ever found in California. I am from New York, not that New Yorkers know everything but I know when I love the food and the service - I am bringing my sisters and neices so I can strut!
Treat everybody like the owner!, 9/30/2009
Reviewer: Dineout from Santa Barbara, CA
To: Sandy below. I am glad you had a great dinner. But then what did you expect.? You were dining with the owner. You were most likely his guest. The staff did backflips. Is their any doubt in your mind that kitchen did not Know where the plates were headed? I have had very decent food and service. But I for one have been annoyed a bit when i see management and staff falling all over the owner and his buddies. A restaurant ought to treat everyone as a special guest. Its really tough to be in business today. Go the extra mile for everybody. Ok?
Agree with Valet Comment, 9/29/2009
Reviewer: JS from Santa Barbara, CA
I had the same thing happen! The valet blocks people from using the spots right in front of Lucky's. This is absurd, since it is public parking. I will continue to go because I love the food and bar atmosphere...but honestly the valet needs to back off.
Local who's Never going again, 9/28/2009
Reviewer: Bruce from Santa Barbara, CA
I tried to go to Lucky's last Monday, but after waiting for a person to back out of a parking spot on Coast Village Rd and having Lucky's Valet actually back up to block my taking it. That's it. I'm tired of my Santa Barbara taxes going to subsidize what is being treated as Lucky's private parking. We instead went to Los Arroyo's across the street and had a ring side seat to watch the Lucky's valet's doing the same to others. I've always be somewhat defensive of the service at Lucky's to all my friends who vowed they would never to go back... but no more.

Warmth & Elegance Coupled With Exceptional Fare & Service!, 9/19/2009
Reviewer: Sandy Jordan from Santa Barbara, CA
I had the recent good fortune to join Gene and some of his good friends from NY for an evening out starting at Lucky's. I had dined there two previous times with friends and had great experiences as well. This evening I really took in the ambience of the quaint steakhouse and realized what a local flair it has. i loved the decor and warmth it exudes. Of course Gene is an exceptional host, but; I did pay attention to the service and and the great food! I would say it absolutely rivals my favorite steak house Maestro's (sorry Mike) in Scottsdale even without the piano bar! :) The steak was perfect and the sides were inventive and more diverse. Our waiter with his pony tail and friendly banter was efficient and thoughtful to our needs. I also noticed so many attractive diners, so this is where the pretty people hang?? :) We followed up with a stop at the Luck Cafe, also very hip and fun, great menu and excellent service, then Joe's, which I was unaware was such a fun night spot, I have always enjoyed a great breakfast there in the past too! I have dined at Holdren's and enjoyed my meal,but; Lucky's has my vote! Best steak I have had for quite some time!! I also write this review based on all three dining experiences, even though Gene is exceptionally charming, I am being completely honest and fair! Thanks for a great evening! I will be back and highly recommend those seeking exceptional rather than predictable to also enjoy this lovely place!

Worse Food/Worse Service, 8/1/2009
Reviewer: Victor Moy from Los Angeles, CA
Lucky's was suppose to be the best steakhouse in the area. What a disappointment if that is the best that Santa Barbara Montecito has to offer. The aged NY steak was bad, spoiled probably from being out of temperature control for too long before cooking; the service was bad and never could be found. The waiter wouldn't even acknowledge that the steak could have been bad. It was the worse restaurant experience ever. I would have enjoyed Lone Star Steakhouse more at fractional of the cost!
WOW, 3/25/2009
Reviewer: Andjie from Santa Barbara, CA
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, obviously they are going to cater to some rich millionaire who is a regular more so than a walk in customer. I have been eating there for years and I love steak, but holdrens is better fo sho!!! ;)Luckys is just handy for us Montecito folk. :)
If you give this place a negative review you DONT DESERVE IT, 1/27/2009
Reviewer: Jackson H. Palmer from Santa Barbara, CA
To those of you who are bothered by places who cater to regulars do not eat here. If you were a smart business person you most likely would be a regular yourself. Honestly what business does not cater to regular customers (other than wal-mart, mcdonalds and other 0 star restaurants). Their food is EXCELLENT and the dining atmosphere is geared towards those who want a fun, relaxed dining experience while maintaining all the class and food quality of a stuffy five star restaurant). The staff makes this happen through their fun and enjoyable nature. AND WHO CARES IF the hostess smokes with customers on her break outside ... THE REGULARS LIKE THIS!!! FURTHERMORE I ASSURE YOU ALL THE STAFF WORKS BEYOND any capacity that you could ever imagine. A+++++++++ Gene Montesano IS MY FAVORITE owner of clothing and dining in SB and always will be. COME HERE FOR GOOD FOOD AND A RELAXED ATMOSPHERE =)

Another fantastic meal, 1/14/2009
Reviewer: R. Williams from Santa Barbara, CA
Once again, another fabulous meal at Lucky's. We sat in the bar, shared a beautiful bone in rib eye cooked to perfection Peter Luger style. The staff is always there just when you need them. The management spoke with us and everything was perfect. I cannot wait to return.
Yummy!
Reviewer: Claire from Santa Barbara, CA
My boyfriend and I ate here last night and had a wonderful meal. We were planning on going to Sakana and for some reason they were closed, and I suggested we go to Lucky's since I have wanted to go there for awhile. WOW! The food was amazing!!! It is so hard to find a good meal and they know what they are doing here for sure. We had abalone, tuna tartare, grass fed filet, ny steak, creamed corn(one of the best things I have ever eaten) and the brussel sprouts! Yes it is super expensive here, but well worth it for amazing food! Yum, Yummy Yum!
great service, the menu/mgmt cause for concern
Reviewer: Lisa Gillentine from montecito, ca
We are local and have greatly appreciated our neighborhood(5-star restaurant)! We are greatful to have such a nice place to call our own! We are loyal to a fault, due in part to the unsurpassed staff whom are irreplacable! We locals have concerns as of late, due to changes in management, menu, and prices. The business will not be in short supply of customers, especially during tourist season. However, as Montecito residents and committed customers, we do have legitimate issues regarding said concerns, and hope that we will be able to continue to enjoy what we have named as our favourite, much recommended "Lucky's", both to friends and family, locally and otherwise. Please don't CHANGE TOO MUCH!! WE ALREADY MISS YOU!
Great service, good food...
Reviewer: Richard from Santa Barbara, CA
I see other people complained about the service, but ours was fantastic when I was there this past week. Started with the abalone: it was good, but a little too much breading took away from the rich abalone flavor. I enjoyed a nice NY strip steak; the steak was very good, but not what I would have expected at the cost. Classic American steakhouse decor and dining experience; recommended for a more raucous group and not a romantic getaway.
They must have hired new staff
Reviewer: Rich from Denver, CO
Despite other comments, the great service is why we loved our visit to Lucky's. Great waiter, attentive bussers. Food was incredible and prepared the way we asked. The waiter was quick with honest suggestions, not just the most expensive items. The valet even noticed we were getting ready to pay and went to get our car. Once I win the lottery again, we will be back.
Easter Sunday Brunch
Reviewer: Tom Anderson from Manhattan Beach, Ca
We wanted to do something special for Easter but waited too long to get reservations at the Biltmore for their fabulous buffet. They were sold out. Someone had mentioned Lucky's to us sometime back so I went on line to see what the reviewers had say. I was some what taken aback by the numerous negative comments but decided what the heck, let's check it out any way. We are a party of 5. My wife and I are former inspectors for a travel guide which included all properties in Santa Barbara county, Beverly Hills/West LA south to Orange County. I like to believe we know what to look for. The food and service were both exceptional with great value for the money spent. Reflecting on all the extremely negative reviews on this site I believe Lucky's had the misfortune to try and please people that wouldn't be happy in heaven or they have a lot of very jealous competitors. We will be coming back real soon!!!
Great food poor service
Reviewer: Bruce from Newport
I was advised by someone in the food industry that this was there favorite steak house. After reading the most recent reviews we decided to go. The steaks were great, the wine was wonderful but the service was awful. They were not attentive, they did not replace silverware, they never refilled the water or the wine. They appeared not to know much about the items on the menu either.You would think that when paying $300+ for a meal you would get good service, but not here.
Great Birthday dinner mid-week
Reviewer: Roxanne from Goleta, CA
The food was fabulous, the service was great. We came here for my husband's 40th birthday and we were treated like stars. Our table wasn't quite ready when we arrived, so they comped a round of drinks for the two of us. The steaks were prepared exactly as we asked, and the quality was amazing. They had 3 servers helping us when the food arrived so that it all could be presented together. I could see how this might be different on a weekend, but we were treated extra special on this Wednesday night.
Great food, good service.
Reviewer: Ron from Pleasant Hill, CA
We were in town on business and read some of these reviews before deciding to go...I must say so many conflicting reviews made me curious, even from staff at our hotel. The food was great, I had a filet and we split sides. The service was not light speed but when I dine in fine restaurant I'm not in a hurry and actually feel rushed in many. The only negatives...there were uncleared tables around us, one right next to us for at least a half an hour...I don't enjoy looking at the remains of someones meal! Twice we literally had to flag a passing busboy to clear some plates and to fill waters. Based on the the conflicting reviews and our experience, I would speculate this restaurant has management issues.

Very Good
Reviewer: Bob Kahn from Las Vegas NV
Before going to Santa Barbara my wife and I wondered why so many "mixed" reviews of Lucky's. After dining there, we would highly recommend it, along with the Stone House. We enjoy and frequent fine dining establishents and are critical. I don't understand the motives of those criticizing the restaurant. Maybe a clue can be found in the following. The day before we dined, my wife and I stood in front of Lucky's looking at the menu. A passerby (out of no where) said "Don't eat there, the food is much better at the hotel (nearby)". Again if you have to choose two dining establishments while in Santa Barbara I would highly recommend both Lucky's and the Stone House.
Un-Lucky Experience
Reviewer: dave from denver, co
Food: Extremely average middle of the road steak house. If this were anywhere else in the world but Montecito or any place you can grab a bite to eat next to Oprah, I would see absolutely no merrit in spending so much for so little. Service: Awful. You can tell who the regulars are-- the loud obnoxious, drunk psudo-socialite that come in 30 minutes after you are waiting and gets a table at the snap of the finger. This Friday night we had the displeasure of dealing with a young hostess with no clue what she was doing and with a way about her that let you know what you are worth to her (aka: how big the tips she thought she would get from us are). Atmosphere: SNOBS (and not just the customers!) NEVER EATING THERE AGAIN
A Very Big Dissappointment
Reviewer: Shelley Hatch from Santa Maria
I have heard about Lucky's for years, and wondered what all the fuss was about? Well my family wanted to take me somewhere special for my Birthday, so I suggested this place. The people who told me about it must be from Mars! The food was terrible, 93$ for a steak no bigger than my fist, the abalone tasted liked scrambled eggs and a well drink was 12$. I am not a cheap person by no means, but for the money we spent I could of fed a small country for a month, and the service was horrible! All the staff did was hang out at the hostess stand & outside smoking. We had to wait for water refills,and let me remind you it was not a busy nite. It was so bad, I did not leave a tip which is highly unusal, as I am in the service industry myself. I will never go back! It was horrible and I was embarrased and apologized to my guests the entire time. Next time before I go someplace I will come to this site and read the reviews, lesson well learned.
Great food & wonderful service.....AGAIN
Reviewer: R Williams from Santa Barbara, CA
Dined at Lucky's the other night. This is one of my top 2 restaurants in Santa Barbara and I have lived here for 13 years and have been going back to Lucky's for almost 7 of those years. The service is always great as well as the food. New chef has made some changes to the menu. Mac and cheese has changed a bit as well as the chili. Both are still fantastic! I don't know why this restaurant has such a bad reputation when it comes to service. I have always left very satisfied and have noticed that the servers go out of their way to make their guests happy.

Lucky's is the place to be
Reviewer: Sandy from Montecito, CA
We go to Lucky's all the time, we're locals. Love the food, the servers are great to us and you can't beat the atmosphere. Lucky's is a sit down and relax type of place, why would someone want to rush through the Lucky's experience. Relax and enjoy the food and company.

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