Secret Bao in Santa Barbara

I’ve always found the atmosphere and unique menu at Secret Bao alluring and finally tried.Overall, the food and service were wonderful. I enjoyed the unique flavors, though expected to experience more flavor from certain dishes. The atmosphere was lovely.Favorite items: KFC Bao, Sangria, Date CakeWouldn’t get again: Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower, Squash BlossomsIf I could recommend one item, it would be the Date Cake!

Secret Bao in Santa Barbara offers a unique and exciting dining experience with a fusion of Asian flavors that can satisfy a variety of palates. During our visit, we had the opportunity to sample a diverse selection of dishes, including the Kfc and Pork Belly Baos, dumplings, Wonton Tacos, Garlic Noodles, and Asian-inspired Paella. Heres a review of our experience:Kfc and Pork Belly Baos: The Kfc (Korean Fried Chicken) Bao was a delightful surprise, with perfectly crispy and flavorful chicken complemented by soft and pillowy bao buns. The Pork Belly Bao offered a rich and savory contrast, featuring tender pork belly that melted in your mouth. Both were exceptional and showcased the skillful execution of bao creations.Dumplings: The dumplings were a standout with their delicate wrappers and flavorful fillings. The balance of textures and flavors was spot-on, making them a must-try for dumpling enthusiasts.Hamachi wonton Tacos: These fusion tacos were a unique addition to the menu, offering a creative twist on traditional tacos. The crispy wonton shells paired well with the fillings, creating an interesting fusion of textures and flavors.Garlic Noodles: The garlic noodles were aromatic and had a wonderful balance of garlic flavor without being overwhelming. They served as a great side dish to complement the other items on the menu.Asian-inspired Paella: (secret menu) The Asian-inspired paella was a bold and creative offering, combining traditional paella elements with Asian ingredients and flavors. The dish was visually appealing and showcased the restaurants commitment to innovation.In addition to the food, the ambiance and service at Secret Bao contribute to a pleasant dining experience. The restaurants modern and inviting decor, along with attentive and friendly staff, create a welcoming atmosphere.Overall, Secret Bao in Santa Barbara offers a compelling culinary journey with its fusion of Asian flavors. The innovative menu items, such as the Kfc and Pork Belly Baos and Asian-inspired Paella, showcase the restaurants creativity and dedication to pushing culinary boundaries. Whether youre looking for traditional favorites or adventurous dishes, Secret Bao is worth a visit for an enjoyable dining experience.

Very nice food, tasty and abundant. I recommend trying the 5 Spice Duck Noodles and the Pho Dumplings. I really enjoyed them. The menu between lunch and dinner seems to change a bit and I found that the dinner menu has very few vegetarian options. I would have appreciated a bit more.The dessert was also very good, we got a Ube Creme Brulé and it was delicious.Organization wise I suggest to book in advance, either online or calling them as it can get very busy especially on the weekend.The patio outside is nice, and is heated but the garden chairs are quite uncomfortable.

This is such a tasty restaurant with unique menu options. The flavors are so good and everything looks deliciously appealing! I very much recommend this place!

Wanted to love this place because I am a BAO FANATIC. So maybe I hyped it up for myself. But the baos were average at best. The scallops were fresh (very small portion though so order accordingly).But my least favorite thing was the service/attitude of the hosts. We came around 5 pm and asked for a table for 2, for which they said they only had a table at 8 pm. We put our name down. Continued to see empty tables but said nothing. By the time it was 7:45 pm we came back (no one texted for early availability etc..) and a table magically became available, but it took them 10 minutes to set the table.Nothing puts me off more than bad service at a place that serves average tasting food. So it’s a one and done for me.

TOURIST NOTE: Not a good place unless you are a local. The food is really good but they don’t seem to like people from out of town, and least that was the treatment I saw the hostess “Marina” give people. If you are here for vacation, you might want to try somewhere else.The food is actually really good with some decent rotating specials. Whoever is in the kitchen does a great job.The have both an indoor and outdoor area. Nothing fancy. Outside area was a little dirty but not terrible. I chose to sit inside.

Secret Bao has the best food! I had the opportunity to visit for both their lunch and dinner service. The food was flavourful and the service is always friendly and authentic. The Mapo Tofu Tteokbokki is probably my favourite dish from there (from lunch service)

A go-to Korean fusion spot in Santa Barbara. Fun, creative dishes with a solid variety that have kept us coming back. This time around we tried the Curry Crab Noodles and 5 Spice Duck Noodles. The sauce in both was excellently flavored. Revisited the KFC and Pork Belly Bao and it doesn’t miss. Our server was really friendly, welcoming, and helpful to highlight some new menu additions.

This place is for people who want tasty food the size of a kids meal, but at a full price. We ordered four dishes and two drinks, which came out to over $90. Three of our dishes came out after about 7 minutes. They forget about our fourth dish, garlic noodles, and required us reminding them, which came out after 20 minutes. I ordered the Poke bowl for $17 and ate it in about 12 bites and was left hungry. I am very disappointed in the portion size and the service.

We enjoyed our visit to Secret Bao - the food, drinks and hospitality were all top notch! It was a wonderful spot to close out our trip to Santa Barbara. Our waitress explained the highlights and provided us with great recommendations. Our favorites dishes were the soy chili dumplings, the pork belly bao and the curry crab noodles, but everything we tried had great flavors.We are also incredibly thankful to Jade for going the extra mile to help return an item we accidentally left behind. We didn’t realize until we were on our flight home that it was left and she was so kind in helping to figure out getting it shipped back to us.