Embermill - Santa Barbara

My friend and I had an interesting experience here. It was our first time and were greeted by the owner. We asked if we could use the 2022 Axxess card and received a roundabout answer. Once seated we asked again and he said yes and told us our server would be right with us. Ten minutes later our server came with used menus and hibiscus infused water. Neither my friend nor I were fans so we asked for regular water when she came back to us. My friend ordered the Curry Vegetable Stir Fry and I asked our server if she recommended the red snapper or catfish. She responded that they were out of the catfish, so I ordered the Red Snapper fillet. She informed me that that night the red snapper was actually the whole fish, not just the fillet. I said I would try it. Our food arrived and my friend really enjoyed her meal, but I picked at the fish and unfortunately got some bones in my mouth. It didn't taste like much and it came with plain rice.

OK so I'm writing this review almost 2 hours after we entered the restaurant. We were here for Thanksgiving when they had a 5 course vegan meal for $65. So far we got just 2 and they were pretty good to be honest. But here I'm shivering in the cold, because they do no know how to fix the outdoor heater(there are few other people equally frustrated as me) . The service is chaotic, there is only one woman who knew what was going around. To summarize 1) really bad service 2) the food is good but without coherent staff you cannot have a good experience dining here. I'd avoid this place if I read the last few reviews. Too late for me, I hope I get my next course before the Turkish delight store next door closes (at 8) We finally got our food and we were out by 8 pm, thanks to Julie who was our only saving grace.

Ohmigoodess! There should be a LOVE button on this page. Cod fritters, eggplant guacamole, and fried brussels, chased with a Red Stripe. All the flavor... wow!

Pretty decent food, but nothing special. However the price is pretty high, so quality/price ratio is too low in the end, that's why it's 2 stars.How to improve: either improve the quality, or lower the price.

This place knows exactly what good Caribbean food is and how to prepare and serve it. Great flavor and generous portions so excellently plated. They also carry a good selection of wines to go with red meat, white meat or seafood. For a downtown location, they are reasonably priced. Service is so warm and friendly. I sure would recommend this restaurant.