On The Alley

Had the shrimp and chips. Shrimps were to die for and their tangerine beer was great too!

I had a good chicken taco and a great root beer float. The staff is very friendly and eating outside in perfect spring Santa Barbara weather is nice.

A perfect place to pick up breakfast all day or lunch, and eat outside at the communal tables (with car and truck traffic, it is on the Harbor Way loop) or walk along the breakwater to find a bench in the sun. The potato chips are substantial and salty, the chicken wrap is shareable, and salmon salad is heavenly. Hint: walk with your lunch to the Waterfront Center (once the Naval Reserve Building) and seat yourself on a bench facing the ever entertaining view of passerbys and the harbor. Any place you sit will be the perfect spot to enjoy your great food and harbor denizen and activity watch!

Good food and not too expensive. Choices for everyone since menu is not only seafood. Pleasantly surprised by pulled pork sandwich. Fried shrimp were very nice, light batter. Perhaps a bit pricey for the amount though

On the Alley is just that, a counter, grill and soda machine located between a couple buildings right on Santa Barbara's beautiful harbor. Seating is all outside on picnic benches. If you don't like lots of birds around you, like a woman sitting next to me at lunch, then you might not like OTA. It's an alley but it's pleasant and clean. The service was stellar for this type of place. I don't know if the guy at the counter was a manager or what, but he was super friendly, asked us several times if we liked our meal, and generally made eating there a welcome experience. The food, regretfully, was the let down. The fish and chip/Fish sandwich were well prepared, attractively presented and served piping hot. I love that. The problem is that the fish sandwich was a bit bland. I had to perk it up with tartar sauce. That said, we plan to return soon and try something else. This place is popular for a reason and we want to find out why.