As a local, they've ruined an historic landmark we were proud of. I worked there years ago when it was a pleasant place for all to eat and enjoy the history. Totally ruined it for all. Go back to LA please and leave us alone..
Feel like it was almost worth the price to see a chicken in a Louis Vuitton bag in a restaurant?
Our experience exactly - except our meals at Mattei's were less than pleasurable. The best part was getting coffee in the morning. (Which anyone can do, you don't need to stay there.) The staff seemed not to know what was going on. Kinks to work out for sure. More landscaping to hide EVERYTHING. And there is no privacy. I don't need to stay there again.
-the Foxen/154 crash zone has a horrible accident every weekend, if not more often- the sirens & gawkers will no doubt add to ambience of outdoor space at Tavern
Having lived in SYV for 47 years- the dust is something one gets used to- and once you do, you brag about being able to write The Declaration of Independence on a book shelf! The landscaping is pitiful- the traffic sights & sounds will only get worse and its proximity to the ever popular Foxen/154 crash zone triangle. Sold to highest bidder in under 2 yrs- tell me I’m wrong
Right on! I am a fellow Noletan, and coined the term at least a decade ago.
Hi Erik,
Thank you so much for your restaurant roundup! I love reading it so much. It must take hours and hours of research to get the all the details correct, plus getting the photos etc. It is really amazing and fun to read about the food concepts and building plans put out by everyone. It is also very interesting how restaurants in SB often play musical chairs with locations. But, the point of this comment is to let you know that your report is outstanding and appreciated. What if an instructor gave an assignment, "Go and find out all the new restaurants coming to town. Get the names, background and details of the new businesses including projected opening dates. Include photos. Write it up in a relatable conversational style. Due next week." Great job, Erik. A+
I've been in SB since 1957 so I've seen many, many restaurants come & go, that being said, the only one in this lot that doesn't sound like the same old thing over again is Skyline...just my opinion.
Thank you for the great restaurant round up- complete with photos of the locations!
Very similar experience there. I realized that's the risk of a newly opened establishment, but the restaurant staff kept mentioning the 'wonderful landscaping' and while yes, I see many new plant starts, it will be some time before the grounds are lush or private. You are very aware of HVACs, construction and the highway — and have to be okay with people wandering freely about past your cottage or dining table. This is not the hotel for secret love affairs or a celebrity hiding out. This felt like a place to have a wedding or big party and that was about it. God help you, if you're not a guest when that happens — as there will be no way to avoid it. Overall, I found the whole property a little disconnected. I found the pool very modern, the paths and rooms to feel a little AirBnB like and the restaurant to be the highlight, but also infinitely confusing to walk around and find the host at first. The outdoor dining area is nice, but way too exposed to the rest of the property. It needs hedges or established bushes. And the indoor is charming at night, but a bit... smokey. I dunno, we left confused by the property and our mini-staycation felt like we should have maybe chose somewhere else for the price. We also were never contacted about things to do and honestly felt a bit ignored after check-in as well. We also spied a guest with three Newfoundland dogs in her room. Much like the gentlewoman with a chicken in purse, we had so many questions that remained unanswered about what those three dogs did to the room. Sadly some of the grass paint, might have been due to this guest.
I am now in my 50's and I was one of those kids that was stopped, so probably 45 years ago! We would sell cascarones during Fiesta for our candy or soda money. Even back then they would not allow us to walk around De La Guerra Plaza to sell, as we did not have a permit (we were in elementary school). We were just a local family, having fun, painting our own eggs and selling them for 10 cents!! My siblings and I were actually approached by police officers and told to stop! Other then saving egg shells for us, our parents had nothing to do with this. We were excited to make $20.00. Amazing what happens today.
Get rid of the pyramid? That's the only interesting element to the building.
Love your restaurant roundups!
Architect Jeff Shelton has been hired to redo the buildings in his trademark style.
As a former restaurateur (not here), I find all of these doings to be interesting -- but what does it mean for a place to be "Jeff Sheltonized"? Out of all of these things in the works, that's the one that stands out to my mind --
Sadly we had the same experience at Mattie’s.. I really wanted to like it but we won’t be staying there again… I realize in the early stages of hotels there are “kinks” but it was kink after kink after kink. We could have stayed at SYR at that price and it would have been perfection. Best of luck Mattie’s!!
yet...
My daughter is good friends with the owners of teddys and brass bird coffee and they told my daughter that they had to go back to the city to modify their kitchen ( at the former Mackenzie Market ) after being almost to the finish line because they are planning on doing a combination of both of their very popular concepts in the same location.
I live a block away and I just can’t wait to see the final finished product as I am a regular at both teddys and brass bird coffee and have been patiently waiting for years for a quality establishment to open up at this location.
Dr. Dan
Good luck to the Runyon group out of LA. Both of these locations are off of the beaten path of SB/Montecito, even by a block or two. The RG better have some killer dining concepts.
SAY THAT LOUDER FOR THE FOLKS WHO STILL LOOK CONFUSED
"Carbon copy of the Funk Zone Shalhoob's" in Magnolia Shopping Center means no Beef Ribs. Bummer!
Turnpike road is not in SB City limits. The shopping center at Turnpike and Hollister is in the County of SB.
Turnpike Center is in unincorporated territory. If one needs to give it a name beyond Santa Barbara County, Noleta is actually more appropriate than Goleta or Santa Barbara, as both are factually incorrect.
Noleta? It is Goleta. I don't get it. We don't use Southa Barbara. Turnpike is considered in the city of SB. Please stop, this isn't LA
I salute you.
