Gay santa barbara bar

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This relaxed spot is located on a quiet street just outside downtown. But there is a LGBTQ+ community here, and you can hold hands on State Street without getting strange looks or rude comments—it's still southern California, after all.

gay santa barbara bar

Olio e Limone, Olio Crudo Bar & Olio Pizzeria

Santa Barbara County has plenty of great Italian restaurants, but downtown's trendy Olio e Limone (11 W. Victoria St., 805-899-2699) and its neighboring spots Olio Crudo Bar and Olio Pizzeria serve exceptional food and provide top-notch service.

Owned and run by the friendly couple Alberto and Elaine Morello, this restaurant offers delicious modern Italian dishes with a Sicilian twist.

There are lots of choices, so it's great to order a few small dishes, maybe share with friends.

When you place an order, try to get a table in the small dining area and fill up containers with different salsa varieties from the self-serve dispensers. The Pacific Pride Foundation also organizes the annual Pacific Pride Festival, demonstrating the visible gay community in this elegant coastal town.

There's a secret gay beach nearby called Padaro Beach.

Whether you want a romantic date night, a trendy lounge with great food and wine, or amazing thin-crust pizzas with exciting toppings, this place has something for everyone. You order at the counter, and remember, the sandwiches here are really delicious. But on most days, this stylish venue mainly attracts heterosexual customers.

It's always supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, as a sponsor of Santa Barbara Pride.

Elsie's

It's pretty nice and comfortable at Elsie's (117 W. De la Guerra St., 805-963-4503) to be considered a true dive bar. The others are in Goleta, Montecito, Solvang, Santa Ynez, and downtown Santa Barbara. If you can't wait for a table or prefer a more formal atmosphere, you can drive to East Beach on Milpas Street, which is less than a 10-minute drive away.

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However, the area is socially liberal, and staff at bars and restaurants are accustomed to seeing same-sex couples, like famous residents Ellen Degeneres, Portia De Rossi, and others.

Best Bars and Clubs in Santa Barbara for LGBTQ+ Community

The downtown area is the liveliest spot for nightlife in the region.

The dance floor is big, and the lights and music are modern. Wildcat Lounge

The newest gay bar in Santa Barbara shut down a couple of years ago. Nearby Montecito is known for its celebrity residences, housing notable figures such as Prince Harry and Megan, Oprah, Rob Lowe, Drew Barrymore, and Christopher Lloyd.

Due to its focus on tourism from the beginning, Santa Barbara has numerous options for visitors to enjoy.

It is one of the scenic locations of this regional chain, which has six branches in Santa Barbara County. Make sure to try the Umbra pizza with robiola cheese, crimini mushrooms, and Umbrian black truffles - it's a favorite at the pizzeria!

Olio e Limone is a stylish place that serves fancy dishes like eggplant souffle with goat cheese and tomato basil sauce made fresh, busiate carbonara (Sicilian spiral pasta, guanciale egg, parmesan, and black pepper), and veal scaloppine with artichoke hearts and lemon sauce.

If you want a relaxed and spontaneous lounge experience, check out the trendy Olio Crudo Bar.

It's a great place to hang out while waiting for a table at the main restaurant. However, the trendy Wildcat Lounge in downtown (15 W. Ortega St., 805-962-7970) has always been popular among the LGBT community, particularly on Sunday nights. But that doesn't automatically make it the top taqueria in California or even in town. Elsie's is a quick stroll away from Santa Barbara's well-loved hangout spot, the Wildcat Lounge.

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The Crudo Bar offers Italian seafood and charcuterie dishes, including ceviche, yellowfin tuna tartare, grass-fed buffalo tartare, pan-seared foie gras, prosciutto di Parma, and more.

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