South East Asian cuisine served in small plates, family style.
Other Information
Parking: Garage, Street
Attire: Casual
Price Range: Above Average
Best for Downtown Santa Barbara's Best Restaurants Because: Sama Sama Kitchen serves up Indonesian flavors that are unique in the Santa Barbara area.
Best for Group Friendly Because: Long tables on the shady back patio make this the perfect spot for an informal gathering with friends and family.
Best for Outdoor Dining Because: Long communal tables lit from above by strands of twinkling lights make Sama Sama's garden-situated patio a wonderful place for parties.
Sama Sama Kitchen shares some DNA with other State Street staple restaurants: It's a bright space lined with light wood with a massive backyard patio covered in vines and string lights. But this eclectic Indonesian spot isn't just another place to bring your picky aunt who always orders the chicken. It's where you cover your table in dishes like crispy rice salad, sweet and spicy mie goreng, and banana donut fritters. Their wings smothered in a tamarind-soy barbecue sauce are fried to perfection and exactly what you want in a drinking snack. You could just drop by the bar and order a white negroni with a date, but we can't imagine coming here without sharing at least a couple small plates, too.
