This is the set of restaurants for which I am the most personally excited about during Santa Barbara burger week. This list factors in variety, convenience, and excitement. I may update this list as I eat. I may even get crazy and visit a place not on my top picks. I will keep you posted.
Kian’s Picks
| Restaurant | Description | Hours | Location | Vibe | Excitement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poké House | Spicy tuna slider: sushi rice “bun” w/ nori, spicy tuna, sriracha aioli, crispy onions | 11am-8pm | SB | 8 | 9.5 |
| Dom’s Taverna | Basque burger: NZ halal lamb, Picon blue cheese, saffron aioli, balsamic onion jam | Wed-Sun noon-3pm | SB | 8 | 9 |
| Mesa Burger | Surf & Turf (beef+shrimp), Birria Smash, or Veggie (portobello+hummus) | ? | SB | 7 | 9 |
| Third Window | FP Ranch Wagyu smoked over white oak 90 min, horseradish crema, grilled onion | ? | SB | 8 | 9 |
| Sama San Roque | Parmesan Papi: parmesan crisp, Tillamook Jack, roasted tomato, Calabrian chili aioli | ? | SB | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| ’Que by Whiskey ’N Rye | Signature Smokehouse: brisket/short rib patty + smoked brisket, onion rings, KC BBQ sauce | ? | SB | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| Arnoldi’s Café | Pesto chicken or veggie caprese on house-baked ciabatta | 5pm daily, 12:30pm Sun | SB | 9 | 8 |
| S.B. Biergarten | Pesto mozzarella smashburger w/ fries included | ? | SB | 9 | 8 |
| The Blue Owl | Thai basil cheeseburger w/ green curry in the meat, fried egg | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Downtown Eats | Guac smash: double smash patties, bacon lattice, avocado, grilled onions, jalapeño | noon-7pm | SB | 7 | 8 |
| Finch & Fork | Broken Yolk smashburger: fried egg purée sauce, bacon-onion jam, house pickles | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Gala Restaurant | Tomato chili jam burger w/ Angus beef, provolone, raita sauce | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Rinkside Café | Danger Zone: smash patty w/ guajillo aioli, mozzarella, bell pepper, Korean fire sauce | ? | Goleta | 8 | 8 |
| Caya Restaurant | Wagyu Sal-apeño: chipotle aioli, jalapeño, onion strings, fried egg | 11am-10pm daily | Goleta | 7 | 7.5 |
| Goat Tree | HC Smashburger: triple cheese (cheddar, American, Havarti), caramelized Vidalia onion | 7am-3pm | SB | 8 | 7.5 |
| S.B. Fish Market Goleta | West Coast Salmon (fennel slaw, Dijon aioli) OR Bacon & Blue (bacon jam, caramelized onions) | ? | Goleta | 8 | 7.5 |
| Shalhoob’s | Funk Zone Burger: ⅓lb chuck, thick-cut hickory bacon, house aioli, double cheese | ? | SB | 7 | 7.5 |
| Home Plate Grill | Chimichurri burger w/ fried mozzarella OR carnitas burger (half-torta hybrid) | ? | Goleta | 5 | 7 |
| Little Bird Kitchen | LBK Burger: classic smash on Martin’s potato bun, LBK sauce, Guss’s pickles | ? | SB | 6 | 7 |
Funky Eats
| Restaurant | Description | Hours | Location | Vibe | Excitement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poké House | Spicy tuna slider: sushi rice “bun” w/ nori, spicy tuna, sriracha aioli, crispy onions | 11am-8pm | SB | 8 | 9.5 |
| Dom’s Taverna | Basque burger: NZ halal lamb, Picon blue cheese, saffron aioli, balsamic onion jam | Wed-Sun noon-3pm | SB | 8 | 9 |
| Mesa Burger | Surf & Turf (beef+shrimp), Birria Smash, or Veggie (portobello+hummus) | ? | SB | 7 | 9 |
| Sama San Roque | Parmesan Papi: parmesan crisp, Tillamook Jack, roasted tomato, Calabrian chili aioli | ? | SB | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Arnoldi’s Café | Pesto chicken or veggie caprese on house-baked ciabatta | 5pm daily, 12:30pm Sun | SB | 9 | 8 |
| The Blue Owl | Thai basil cheeseburger w/ green curry in the meat, fried egg | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Finch & Fork | Broken Yolk smashburger: fried egg purée sauce, bacon-onion jam, house pickles | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Gala Restaurant | Tomato chili jam burger w/ Angus beef, provolone, raita sauce | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| S.B. Fish Market Goleta | West Coast Salmon (fennel slaw, Dijon aioli) OR Bacon & Blue (bacon jam, caramelized onions) | ? | Goleta | 8 | 7.5 |
| Home Plate Grill | Chimichurri burger w/ fried mozzarella OR carnitas burger (half-torta hybrid) | ? | Goleta | 5 | 7 |
| Seoulmate Kitchen | K Bulgogi Burger: bulgogi beef, fried egg, gochujang mayo, mozzarella, kimchi slaw | ? | SB | 7 | 6.5 |
| The Nugget | Bob’s Burger: peanut butter, bacon, crispy onions, grape jam on brioche | ? | Goleta | 4 | 6 |
Downtown
| Restaurant | Description | Hours | Location | Vibe | Excitement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poké House | Spicy tuna slider: sushi rice “bun” w/ nori, spicy tuna, sriracha aioli, crispy onions | 11am-8pm | SB | 8 | 9.5 |
| Dom’s Taverna | Basque burger: NZ halal lamb, Picon blue cheese, saffron aioli, balsamic onion jam | Wed-Sun noon-3pm | SB | 8 | 9 |
| Third Window | FP Ranch Wagyu smoked over white oak 90 min, horseradish crema, grilled onion | ? | SB | 8 | 9 |
| ’Que by Whiskey ’N Rye | Signature Smokehouse: brisket/short rib patty + smoked brisket, onion rings, KC BBQ sauce | ? | SB | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| Sama San Roque | Parmesan Papi: parmesan crisp, Tillamook Jack, roasted tomato, Calabrian chili aioli | ? | SB | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Arnoldi’s Café | Pesto chicken or veggie caprese on house-baked ciabatta | 5pm daily, 12:30pm Sun | SB | 9 | 8 |
| S.B. Biergarten | Pesto mozzarella smashburger w/ fries included | ? | SB | 9 | 8 |
| The Blue Owl | Thai basil cheeseburger w/ green curry in the meat, fried egg | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Downtown Eats | Guac smash: double smash patties, bacon lattice, avocado, grilled onions, jalapeño | noon-7pm | SB | 7 | 8 |
| Finch & Fork | Broken Yolk smashburger: fried egg purée sauce, bacon-onion jam, house pickles | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Gala Restaurant | Tomato chili jam burger w/ Angus beef, provolone, raita sauce | ? | SB | 8 | 8 |
| Goat Tree | HC Smashburger: triple cheese (cheddar, American, Havarti), caramelized Vidalia onion | 7am-3pm | SB | 8 | 7.5 |
| Shalhoob’s | Funk Zone Burger: ⅓lb chuck, thick-cut hickory bacon, house aioli, double cheese | ? | SB | 7 | 7.5 |
| Little Bird Kitchen | LBK Burger: classic smash on Martin’s potato bun, LBK sauce, Guss’s pickles | ? | SB | 6 | 7 |
| The Win~Dow | Double cheeseburger w/ fountain drink included | ? | SB | 6 | 7 |
| Seoulmate Kitchen | K Bulgogi Burger: bulgogi beef, fried egg, gochujang mayo, mozzarella, kimchi slaw | ? | SB | 7 | 6.5 |
| Validation Ale | Annex Burger: seasoned beef, cheddar, caramelized onions, Validation sauce | ? | SB | 6 | 6.5 |
| The Brewhouse | Pub burger w/ habanero beer cheese sauce | HH 4-6pm daily | SB | 6 | 6 |
| Corner Tap | Pretzel burger w/ beer cheese, bacon, arugula, house mustard | ? | SB | 6 | 6 |
| Eureka! | American burger w/ grilled red onion, special sauce, signature fries | ? | SB | 6 | 6 |
| Fresco at the Market | Turkey burger w/ avocado, house sauce | ? | SB | 6 | 6 |
| Pascucci | Half-pound burger w/ choice of cheddar or gorgonzola, teriyaki or BBQ (closing soon!) | ? | SB | 6 | 6 |
| Crushcakes & Café | El Diablo turkey burger w/ jalapeños, avocado, spicy aioli | ? | SB | 7 | 5 |
Other SB
| Restaurant | Description | Hours | Location | Vibe | Excitement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Burger | Surf & Turf (beef+shrimp), Birria Smash, or Veggie (portobello+hummus) | ? | SB | 7 | 9 |
| Dave’s Dogs | Backyard smashburger w/ dill pickle slaw, “dirty” sauce | ? | SB | 6 | 7 |
| Yellow Belly | Fold In the Cheeseburger: ¼lb patty, bacon, homemade pickles, Thousand Island+mustard blend | ? | SB | 8 | 7 |
| Validation Ale | Annex Burger: seasoned beef, cheddar, caramelized onions, Validation sauce | ? | SB | 6 | 6.5 |
| The Patio Café | BBQ turkey burger OR Chilaquiles cheeseburger w/ serrano salsa-soaked chips | Until 2pm daily | SB | 5 | 5 |
| Islands | Big Wave w/ Tillamook cheddar & fresh-cut fries | ? | SB | 5 | 4.5 |
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.