Vegan
Take-out
Mexican
An all-vegan eatery est. July 2021. Note that they no longer accept Venmo. Check Instagram for locations. Reported open March 2023. Open Tue-Fri 11:00am-2:00pm, Tue-Sun 5:00pm-9:30pm, Sat-Sun 10:00am-1:00pm.
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432 E. Haley St, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 09 Dec 2023 by geometric-noise
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Added by Passittowill on 03 Jan 2021
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80 Reviews
First Review by Passittowill
yungveg17
Points +1169
Fantastic food, many options - Edit
Re-opening update (Mar '23)
Read moreRascals is back and delicious as ever! I can't recommend this place enough. Get there early or you may have to wait as it's a relatively small space. They're probably also working out the kinks as they're in a brand new spot, so be patient and enjoy the nice vibe and tasty food 🙏🏻
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Just about everything on the menu here sounds amazing, and my group (mix of vegan, vegetarian and omni) really enjoyed everything we ordered. Service was just a tad slow but it's a small operation. Go support them if you can 👍🏻
Updated from previous review on 2022-08-07
Pros: All vegan, Excellent quality
Guest
AllenM
Points +144
Fantastic Mexican dishes - Edit
I came with my husband and a friend of ours and it was so nice to find quality traditional Mexican food in Santa Barbara done vegan. My husband had the sopes, which were phenomenal. I had the burrito and our friend had the enchiladas. I thought the burrito was ok but I would probably order the sopes next time. I did think that their salsas lacked any real spice (perhaps having to cater to a whiter palate?) even the habanero. I also found it incredibly expensive.
Read morePros: Excellent quality
Cons: Expensive
Guest
soupwilliams
Points +31
Best Vegan food in SB - Edit
Top tier. Make it a point to stop by whenever I’m in SB. Hopefully a place locals will support.
Read morePros: Some of the best vegan Mexican food you can find, Speedy service, Menu rotates every few months
Cons: Pricey
Guest
BiancaVegan23
Points +109
Like my Nana makes it except only cruelty free - Edit
Authentic Mexican food. Enough said.
Read morePros: Ultimate vegan Mexican food!, Menu changes, Super chill staff
Cons: I live too far away, It's not open 24/7, Too many delicious options!
Guest
NicoleParks
Points +2198
i love this place! - Edit
really amazing food, and i love that they do pop up events and menu changes. my (vegan and non-vegan) friends and i got the mac and cheese, crunchwrap, rajas tacos, and cheesecake. i also went to their pop up event at Dune’s coffee and their breakfast sandwich was amazing as well!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-09-05
Guest
vickerbasket
Points +1253
Satisfying - Edit
Got takeout on a Wednesday evening. Super fast food pick up when you order online.
Read moreWe tried their asada nachos, asada sopes, and the pulled pork(jackfruit) torta. All pretty good but we liked the nachos and sopes the most. The pulled pork seemed a bit too acidic.
Would definitely come back here in the future
Pros: All vegan, Fast, Good nachos
Guest
MichaelKaplan
Points +42
Glad it's here! - Edit
It's vegan, it's easy, it's here. Always has an odd vibe. Always slightly underwhelmed by the quality of food and price. (E.g lots of rice in a $16 burrito, it coulda used some fresh lettuce or guac)
Read morePros: Lots of options, Good decor , Effort into hosting special events
Cons: No beer/alcohol (the bar needs something), Odd vibe/service (front is stressed, back is lax), Food quality and cost
yungveg17
Isn't it in a wine bar now?
Read moreGuest
BrendaForsythe
Points +122
Great food! - Edit
Visited for the first time on Friday night. Great food! Looking forward to going back again!
Read morePros: All vegan , Great vegan carne asada!, Nice downtown location
Guest
ZalissaJohnson
Points +26
Good food! - Edit
Eloté and Sopes were great! Super flavorful!!
Read morePros: All Vegan, Event nights , Pop ups around down town
Cons: Arrived at open took 42 mins to get food
Guest
RobertMorrison
Points +61
Everything is Good - Edit
Been here several times, everything is delicious. Check their instagram, they often have brunch/breakfast on the weekend. Hoping their business continues to grow! Get something with mushrooms, they’re enchanted.
Read morePros: Delicious
Cons: Essentials only, no frills (just as easily a Pro)
Guest
EmilyDesJardins
Points +953
Best vegan Mexican food in Santa Barbra with dine-in - Edit
We were first under the impression that it was only take out, but we’re pleased to find that they had inside and outside seating! I got the pastor tacos and my partner got the torta. Their seitan and flour tortillas are definitely homemade! We also got homemade vegan horchata which was supper delicious as well! Atmosphere was cool and they support local artists! Plus there id a beer and wine bar! Will definitely be stopping here again whenever we pass through SB
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-06-02
Pros: All vegan, Homemade tortillas, seitan, and horchata, Cool atmosphere and supports local artists
Guest
paul_g
Points +119
👍🏻 - Edit
The asada sopes were tasty. The space is cool.
Read moreGuest
FavVeganGal
Points +42
One of the best vegan restaurants in SB!! - Edit
It was very good! but i have only had the brunch menu so I don’t know how the other menus taste.
Read morePros: It’s not usually very packed so that’s good., It’s also not that expensive., It was pretty easy to order.
Cons: It’s kind of smaller so it’s a little crammed.
Guest
k8lynsmith
Points +327
chill & all vegan! - Edit
nice options with a nice ambiance inside, creative recipes too!
Read morePros: all vegan
Cons: it was busy when i was there so i waited a bit
Guest
iwlim
Points +25
best vegan food anywhere - Edit
this is my favorite place of all time
Read moreGuest
comradcluck
Points +89
Best vegan food in SB - Edit
This is the best vegan food in Santa Barbara and one of the best restaurants in the area. Dalan's takes on vegan Mexican food are always delicious and inventive. He changes the menu up every couple of months so there's always something new to try - I've literally come here countless times since it opens and I can get something new every time. During the week, the menu includes delights like elote, tacos, and sandwiches. Weekend mornings he serves a rotating brunch menu that usually includes chilaquiles and breakfast sandwiches. On Sunday nights, he does "Burgertown" with burgers, fries, and shakes. It's hard to choose when to come because there's always something good cooking!! Check their instagram @rascals_sb for updates and special menus.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-04-14
Pros: All vegan menu, huge variety, Inexpensive
Guest
aliciaalcasas
Points +49
Amazing, irreplaceable food - Edit
Been enjoying Dalan’s food since 2016 and his creations get better and better! Def worth the visit. I come here way too often if I’m being honest 🤣😭
Read moreGuest
SergioLagunas
Points +15
Best VegMex food! 🌮 - Edit
I have been ordering from Rascals ever since they were featured on the SB Independent. I recently tried the Baja Cauliflower Tacos. The homemade tortillas and sauce made them extra special. Definitely the best food in Santa Barbara, CA. We will continue to order from here and support the artist in the kitchen.
Read morePros: Vegan Mexican food, Optimal location downtown, Parking lot is across the street
Guest
vegan_mouse
Points +1455
Truly Vegan! - Edit
Rascals never disappoints! If I still lived in SB, I'd be there all the time! I highly recommend stopping here if you're looking for authentic Mexican food that is 100% vegan. The owner is also vegan which I find is very important in the quality of a vegan restaurant.
Read moreGuest
mcw14
Points +34
best vegan in Sb - Edit
We have been here a few times now. It’s conveniently located on Cota street by the paid parking lot and the palace. There’s a lovely outdoor patio where we sat but the inside looked nice too (just sat outdoors considering Covid and the nice summer day). The wine bar is delicious but the food was outstanding. We have tried two different menus of rascals and everything has been flavorful and filling. The menus change but we love their nachos, elote and fried “chicken.”
Read morePros: lots of vegan options , friendly service, Rotating menu
Guest
ryanpevans
Points +86
Great new spot with interesting flavors and a great / passionate team - Edit
I was stoked on my experience here… first the pairing of the wine bar with pop-up kitchen in the back was great / super flexible. You can tell that the owner was super passionate about the food and overall experience. I commented to the host how awesome the “off menu” milkshake looked - they surprised me with one of my own! Will definitely be going back.
Read morePros: Great tastes, All vegan, Passionate owner and cool ambiance
Cons: N/A
Guest
CharlesDugan
Points +83
Good New Mexican Vegan Option in Santa Barbara - Edit
Until recently, Santa Barbara was a vegan restaurant desert. Now we are finally getting vegan restaurants in Santa Barbara.
Read moreFirst - Rascals is NO LONGER a pop-up at the (not even vegetarian) Bibi-Ji's on State Street. They have a new location at the back of a bar (Venus in Furs) at 18 East Cota Street, just off State Street. Their current hours are Wednesday through Sunday, from 4-10 PM.
I first ate at the pop-up about a month ago. The service was great, but I was not impressed with what I ordered. I ordered banana leaf flautas and tacos. The flautas were a disappointment due to my lack of knowledge as to what they were (I ordered them based on the description). They were deep fried, and I am not a fan of deep fried food. I suspect that anyone that likes flautas would probably have found them to be very good.
The tacos were 3 for $10 - and they were made with jackfruit (usually a favorite of mine). Unfortunately, I found them to be bland and too salty for my taste. When I mentioned this to one of the staff, she said that they are probably not going to use jackfruit too often as that seemed to be the opinion of others as well. I said that I hoped that they would continue using jacfruit - marinate and spice it rather than simply salting it (Vegan GreenGo, another Santa Barbara restaurant, used to have great jackfruit tacos and burritos).
The second time that I ate at their pop-up I had a Pozole soup, and a sandwich which were both good.
When I tried to go a third time, the pop-up was not there - and another regular customer that saw several people wondering what happened told us that the owner was in Mexico, and that when he comes back he would be reopening at his own location.
This Saturday, I went to their Grand Opening weekend for the new location. I ordered a different version of tacos (Tempura Cauliflower - 2/$10). These were better tasting than the Jackfruit tacos that I ordered the first time. However, unfortunately (for me) the tortillas were fried, which as noted above is not my preference. I also ordered the "Pambazo Torta" ($12). It was good, but a bit bland for my taste, as I prefer spicier food. I would also prefer a whole grain bread option on their sandwiches as I prefer not to eat refined flour.
I am very glad that this restaurant is here - it is close to me, and I am looking forward to trying other items (the menu changes weekly) and finding (non-fried) favorites to order.
***Sunday has a different menu!!!***
Updated from previous review on 2021-06-29
Pros: Vegan - in Santa Barbara!, Service.
Cons: Too "fried" and salty for my taste, Bland jackfruit., Sunday uses GMO animal tested Impossible Foods
CharlesDugan
When I last edited my original post, I ran out of space to clarify what the difference was in the Sunday menu. The Sunday menu was a "Burgertown" menu, which included a variety of burgers that were made with Impossible Food burgers. The Instagram page states that this is a regular Sunday event. So, if you want their Mexican Menu, avoid Sundays.
Read moreThis past Sunday (July 4th) they also had a brunch menu with an egg McMuffin style burger. But, it was listed as a July 4th special, so if you want to try this menu you should check the Instagram page to see if they offer it again.
Also, in the original post I stated that the menu changes weekly. That was the case at the Bibi-Ji pop-up. However, when I spoke to the owner on Sunday he stated that it will be changing monthly at the current location. Again, he will most likely update the Instagram page with the current menu.
CharlesDugan
Bad news. Rascal's is no longer on Cota street. They lost their lease to the location, and Friday, 11/4, was their last night at the Cota location.
Read moreThey intend to do pop-ups and are actively trying to find a new location. They will update their Instagram page to announce pop-ups and if they find a new location.
Guest
sammybjones
Points +109
Amazing & so yum - Edit
We’ve tried a variety off the menu and loved everything!
Read morePros: Flavor!
Guest
WillSzo
Points +84
Ok - Edit
I’ll give them another try. I’m glad to have another vegan option in town. Unfortunately, my guest and I were unimpressed by the taste, presentation, and aloof, unfriendly service. Hopefully, that will improve the next time.
Read morePros: Vegan
Guest
corridorofdreams
Points +57
Best vegan food in Santa Barbara - Edit
The vegan meats are like none other. Super flavorful, unique, and hands down the best vegan food in Santa Barbara. Do yourself a favor and try them if you haven’t already.
Read morePros: 100% vegan , Friendly service , SO GOOD
Guest
Passittowill
Points +3423
Decent - Edit
Ordered some tacos, quesadilla, horchata and desserts. The owner is friendly and passionate about their food. Be aware it is Cash or Venmo only. Currently located at the service window of Bibi Ji. My only food critique is the meats are pretty bland. I would love to get more flavor from them. The pineapple in the pastor was nice, but a little more would have really stood out. The quesadilla was good, but a bit too much cheese that kind of took over the dish. Penguino and horchata were fantastic. It’s wonderful having some nice homemade vegan food in that area, so I’m happy they’re there and I hope they continue to gain momentum. If you’re in the area, check em out!
Read morePros: Vegan, Friendly
Cons: Bland meats, Parking
Guest
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