Est. Jul 2014 a modern vegetarian cuisine restaurant. Menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes including items such as mushroom tacos, grilled polenta with braised garbanzo and baby okra, and pickled radish and summer squash. Makes a rose petal kombucha. Interior has an industrial and natural wood feel. The landscape is tropical. Reported to serve honey January 2024. Reported closed July 2024.
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1919 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, California, USA, 93109
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Last update on 01 Jul 2024 by moretofuplease
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128 Reviews
First Review by steveveg
CharlesDugan
Points +83
Another One Bites the Dust! - Edit
Unfortunately, currently, I agree with the previous poster - disappointing.
Read moreI was really looking forward to their opening when a local weekly paper stated that they would be vegan. However, a friend of mine and I spotted one of the owners of the restaurant when it was under construction. He told us that it would be vegetarian, not vegan, but that they would be very careful to avoid cross contamination. They did have a lot of vegan options that were quite good. Eventually, they supposedly became fully vegan - but they kept selling honey.
For a while they were very good and I would have given them four stars. However, post lockdown, they condensed their menu, stopped updating it, and continuously raised prices on what became a bland and boring menu from which their best dishes were removed.
I kept hoping that they would get back to their former level as a great local restaurant. However, when a friend of mine and I stopped by this past Friday,, we discovered that they are closing for good on Monday July 1. Santa Barbara is returning to its vegan restaurant wasteland days.
A few years back, there was an announcement about a new vegan Pizzeria (Pizza Werks) opening in Santa Barbara - and I thought that we were on the verge of a vegan restaurant renaissance in Santa Barbara. Unfortunately, it never opened. Instead, we got a YAPoF (Yet Another Purveyor of Flesh) pizzeria (Revolution Pizza - I do not see anything revolutionary about a YAPoF pizzeria). This was the beginning of our return to a vegan restaurant wasteland, as Vegan Greengo, and Modern Times soon closed. Now, we just lost Oliver's and Mesa Verde. We need MORE, not less, vegan restaurants!
Updated from previous review on 2024-07-01
Pros: They used to be good.
Cons: Lately - boring and unisnspired expensive menu
Guest
amndtx
Points +29
big disappointment - Edit
I'm very confused about the 5 star reviews I read here - my experience was completely terrible. I went with high expectations and couldn't be more disappointed. The place was empty and staff unmotivated. We order the cesser salad, fries and the Mediterranean bowl. All three dishes were bland and tasteless. It was expensive for the kind of food this place serves and I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
Read moreCons: expensive , bland food , sad environment
moretofuplease
Things change. It was great for many years, but had fallen in quality recently. And now it's gone
Read moreGuest
vegandoug
Points +257
Superb food and atmosphere - Edit
Wow, what a gem. We had 8 os us and every meal was different and delicious! The Brussel sprouts were amazing tasting. Polenta shared dish was pretty good. The street and mushroom tacos were fantastic.
Read moreGuest
abbyg
Points +342
excellent food and atmosphere - Edit
love this place! they have an extensive vegan menu that is delicious and a really cozy vibe to the restaurant. would definitely recommend.
Read moreGuest
Tadegan
Points +64
Very nice - Edit
Welcoming host and good polenta fries. A little pricey. 
Read morePros: Wonderful host, Nice atmosphere
Cons: High price
Guest
SarahS88
Points +2342
Not a vegan place but mostly vegan options - Edit
Note this place is a vegetarian restaurant and most food is vegan, but they tried to push honey on us for my tea which we do not consume because we are vegan.
Read moreThat said, our food was quite good and I feel confident the meal was vegan.
Rrrami777
Is honey the only non-vegan ingredient? They appear to self-identify as “vegan.” And they don’t seem to shy away from that label by calling themselves “plant-based,” which I like…
Read moreGuest
Dvenat
Points +338
Amazing - Edit
Food was excellent. MY first time here and it was amazing: food and service.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-09-14
Pros: Food, Service, Everything
Guest
Dancing Doe
Points +11
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! - Edit
We were visiting in Santa Barbara and had the opportunity to visit Mesa Verde. First of all, the design, art and architecture is very modern and inviting. We loved it! But, more importantly, the food and service were outstanding. We ordered the Caesar Salad which is a wonderful way to turn the classic into a flavorful Vegan salad, AND the grilled cheese. I ordered a fabulous Kombucha Margarita and we took home some baklava for dessert later. Everything was so over the top, we came back for lunch a day later. We had some fabulous jackfruit tostadas and another great salad. We got another 2 orders of baklava to go. The Best ever! Wish we lived in Santa Barbara so we could attend regularly. Oh, and the service was impeccable.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-09-12
Pros: Creative and excellent vegan food, Excellent service, Beautiful art and architecture
Cons: Some of patio seating is noisy
Guest
MarkHawthorne
Points +71
A wonderful dining experience for vegans and non-vegans alike! - Edit
If you’re a fan of delicious flavor and find yourself in Santa Barbara, treat yourself to lunch or dinner at Mesa Verde. We loved the Brussels Mushroom Tacos and Picadillo Empanadas with black beans. The restaurant has a rustic covered patio surrounded by trees and flowers for al fresco dining. Great service, too! Yes, the food is a little pricey (about $25 per entree for lunch), but if you consider it a dining experience, it's worth it.
Read morePros: Delicious food and excellent service, Great selection, Good location
Cons: Pricey
Guest
beetsrock
Points +807
Extensive Vegan Menu - Edit
The staff was very welcoming and the menu had so many delicious-looking options that it was very difficult to choose. My lunch mates had the bowls, which both looked amazing. I had the Caesar salad, which was huge and really tasty. Everything on the menu is vegan EXCEPT the baklava. I got excited about vegan baklava, but it is not vegan. Still giving 5 stars but think they should remove the single non-vegan item.
Read morePros: So many menu choices, Covered outdoor seating , Friendly staff
CharlesDugan
Hello. I posted a notice a while back about Oscar's not being vegan, because they serve honey in some of their drinks. However, I was told that the Baklava was vegan. Did someone tell you that it is not vegan (honey?). If so, I would like to know as I actually ate it after being told that it was vegan.
Read moreThanks.
beetsrock
Yes, our server at Mesa Verde toldme the baklava was made with honey. I always ask if it seems too good to be true.
Read moreGuest
ravKlein
Points +400
Delicious and Unique - Edit
Weird mishaps fixed by server: When Brussels Sprouts didn't come, so they took it off the bill. Drinks weren't on bill but she said 'don't worry about it.' In the end, what we DID eat and drink were fantastic. I got the empanadas, my friend got the Mediterranean bowl, and the Brussels sprouts were given to us to go. Every bit was fantastic. So were the drinks! Highly recommended, this is my second time here.
Read morePros: Unique and delicious items, Very agreeable server, Nice ambiance
Cons: Brussel sprouts didn't come, but they gifted them
Guest
alidawn22
Points +37
Good - Edit
Food is good, but not for the price.
Read moreIt’s more expensive than Crossroads in LA and trust me, it’s not nearly as good.
ravKlein
Yes, but bigger portions than Crossroads. That place is the Cadillac of Los Angeles vegan dining, this place is pretty damn good
Read moreGuest
BharatMansukhani
Points +38
Awesome food and service - Edit
Great service good portions visiting Santa Barbara- Connie service was out of the world - divided the portions into individual servings- will definitely be back
Read moreGuest
Peterapeterpeter
Points +140
Heathy flavors 🥒 - Edit
Couldn’t give this 5 as I went thinking it was vegan, why are they using honey????!
Read moreBefore know this, I found it very tasty, great service. The impossible burrito was lovely. I also enjoyed the Mediterranean salad was great. Cashew cheese grilled sandwich very nice.
Staff are really nice.
Long way to walk from downtown.
Updated from previous review on 2023-05-29
Pros: Tasty
Cons: Using honey 😞
SarahS88
I reported them as non-vegan because of the honey
Read moreGuest
PigeonPigeon
Points +80
Best date night - Edit
This is my favorite spot in sb for a date night. Upscale place with a great atmosphere and great food. Best Brussels sprouts ever
Read moreGuest
irisdawn
Points +11
Mostly vegan menu - Edit
Just the right amount of options
Read moreWholesome, delicious and very kind staff
Guest
chart94
Points +246
Good, but.. - Edit
Quite good food, but for the price we felt that the food was not as adventurous and flavorful as it could have been. Other restaurants we visited in Santa Barbara had much better and creative meals for a substantially lower price.
Read moreGuest
Passittowill
Points +3426
Great Spot - Edit
Absolutely delicious. My friend and I could not stop talking about how incredible and fresh every was. Triple fried Belgium potatoes, Picadillo Empanadas and Squash Blossom Quesadilla are a hit! Oh, and the Urfa bibber cashew aioli is insaaane! We ordered 3 sides of it it was so good. Only downside is the price. Most items are around $30 for one dish which honestly, I find absolutely outrageous, but it’s Santa Barbara so gotta pay that bougie tax 💅 Highly recommend tho for a splurge.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-04-24
Pros: All vegan, House made ingredients , Friendly
Cons: Expensive
Guest
USVegano
Points +106
Mediterranean Vegan - Edit
Great venue for Vegan Foodies. A bit pricey, but that’s the cost for being particular about your diet. They have some great signature dishes. I live in the area and I’m happy to here.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-01-21
Pros: The tacos, burgers and flatbread , Plant Bowl
Cons: Location of the beaten track.
Guest
JimmyP3000
Points +306
Love this place - Edit
I’ve been to a few Vegan places in Santa Barbara and this is one of my favorites. Just a great atmosphere up on the Mesa. Relaxed, good food, friendly service. It’s a hidden gem. Get the squash blossom quesadillas and the polenta fries!
Read morePros: It’s all good here. All of it!
Guest
PL09
Points +24
Hidden Gem - Edit
Great menu, had the mushroom umami burger. Attractive indoor/outdoor seating
Read moreGuest
Dwerber
Points +114
Huge Disappointment! - Edit
Wanted to put 1 star, happy cow won't let me. I was really looking forward to dining here after reading the reviews and seeing that they even have a Michelin star. We sat down at lunch time and the prices were VERY high given the fact that we were looking at pretty basic sandwiches, bowls and tacos. But the hype was real. We ordered the Fried mushrooms sandwich ($27) and polenta fries ($20). The fries were absolutely tasteless and dry! But we were hungry, and they were at least edible. They were served with beans and zucchini on top that just did not make any sense and also tasted spoiled. I’m sorry to say that the mushroom sandwich was horrendous. It had some brown sauce in it that tasted very bitter. It came with a side of plain roasted potatoes. Maybe the chef or someone was having a bad day but I will never be returning. I’m from LA where there’s plenty of upscale/fine dining vegan restaurants with justifiable prices and excellent taste.
Read moreGuest
a.weberknight
Points +18
Best vegan restaurant I’ve ever been - Edit
My husband and I shared the crispy polenta (which was amazing), I had the linguine and he had the street tacos. For dessert I had the chocolate cake and he had the strawberry cheesecake. Both desserts were delicious.
Read moreThe staff is friendly and the ambiance is nice but nothing fancy.
They’re a bit pricey but the food is to die for. Lol totally worth it!!
We’re definitely going back.
Guest
00misha
Points +390
Yummy but not junky - Edit
It’s a nice spot with a creative menu. I’ve gone here a good few times over the years and I generally enjoy the food (except the fried mushroom burger, that was not good) and their menu is varied enough that I feel like I always get to try something unique. Most recently I tried the squash blossom quesadilla, which was really good piled with salsa and guac but otherwise wasn’t super flavorful. The prices are definitely high, I can never convince my non-vegan (college) friends to spend so much on a vegan meal. Overall, I like this place and enjoy supporting the only (?) sit-down vegan restaurant in SB.
Read morePros: Creative, healthful menu, Relaxed atmosphere
Cons: Occasional flop, Expensive
Guest
jpick
Points +116
Pricey but delicious - Edit
The menu was creative with lots of choices for shared plates, salads, bowls, soup, kombucha (canned), beer/wine, teas, smoothies. Covered outside seating available. $25 entrees, $18 soup. Seriously expensive. Beautiful presentation. Strangely cheap flatware. The spoons were so sharp they cut my husband’s and my lips. We will return, though.
Read morePros: Fresh, Delicious , Inventive
Cons: Expensive, Poor quality spoons, cut our lips
Guest
ScottCline
Points +3232
Very good - Edit
I enjoyed the Brussels mushroom tacos but they were a bit messy due to the masa tortillas not being able to hold the abundance of filling. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Nice outdoor patio. I would visit again to try all the other menu items. It was expensive.
Read morePros: 100% vegan, Lots of options, Friendly staff
Cons: Expensive.
Guest
KarinaLynch
Points +534
REALLY REALLY GOOD!! - Edit
This place is now our top 5 vegan restaurant in US and Canada!! Delicious and healthy!! Truly healthy!!
Read morePros: Just delicious
Cons: Expensive
Guest
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