Joe's Cafe Awards

Joe's Cafe Restaurant Review:

Joe's Cafe has been around since 1928, making it the single oldest restaurant in Santa Barbara. The selling point is the huge wood bar, with four arches connecting both sides of the restaurant; booths flank the perimeter and freestanding tables pepper the middle, all set on a black and white checkered floor. People still pile in after work for cocktails, comfort food and to see and be seen. To be sure, the food is anything but innovative; however, you’re safe with simple dishes like hominy grits and the chicken fried steak for breakfast. Lunches and dinners are ripe with the usual suspects, sandwiches, salads and burgers. A couple notable exceptions are the hot turkey sandwich served open-face on sourdough bread and topped with a light gravy with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and the salmon, which is grilled with dill butter. The standard vodka martini, served up with a single olive, is indeed potent, as Joe’s is known for stiff drinks. The wine list is forgettable, so stick with a cocktail.