Sama Sama Kitchen

"This eatery in the heart of downtown is not only good fun but also good for the wallet. Here, the Chefs/partners bring their disparate expertise—one is a barbecue aficionado from Nashville, the other is Indonesian, and together they turn out a menu of thoroughly pleasing Southeast Asian food. Attractions include a well-spiced rendition of green papaya salad, mixing aromatic herbs, chilies and peanuts. Bao can be ordered fried or steamed, which yields a pillowy soft bun to be filled with crunchy fried chicken in a tangy sauce.The interior is appealingly simple, but the back patio is a hidden gem, filled with string lights and communal tables that can be booked for parties. Weekday happy hour simply means steep discounts on a variety of food and drinks." - Michelin Inspector

The 25 Best Restaurants In Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"At first glance, Sama Sama Kitchen looks like any other cutey State Street spot to make a quick stop for drinks and a little snack before browsing overpriced candle shops. But that would be a mistake. Make space in your calendar to hang out for a while on their comfy patio as you pick at krupuk and sambals—light, crispy, shrimp chips paired with house-made chile dips that you’ll want to put on everything. Go for the braised pork mie goreng, a delicious tangle of thin, chewy noodles, but make sure you leave room for the wings, ideally ordered half-and-half, so you can try both flavors: smoky tamarind BBQ and sticky-spicy fish sauce glaze." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park

The Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara, According to Eater Editors | Eater LA

"Find Southeast Asian specialist Sama Sama directly across the street from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Sit indoors or on the festive patio and order the Indonesian nasi goreng, Javanese chicken curry bowl, or Peking duck-inspired salad. At lunch time, plate sets might include a combination of dishes to sample — the Morning After has smashed cucumbers, nasi goreng, shrimp chips, and nutty chicken satay. The move, especially during warmer weather, is to double (or triple) up on the salads, which are some of the best dishes on the menu (don’t skip the crispy rice salad, served with a behemoth pork belly round, for anything). If dining with more than two people, get a double order of Sama Sama’s sticky fried chicken wings, available Vietnamese-style with fish sauce, lime, herbs, and pickled Thai chiles, or in its signature tamarind-soy barbecue sauce." - Mona Holmes

Sama Sama Kitchen - Review - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"At first glance, Sama Sama Kitchen looks like any other cutey State Street spot to make a quick stop for drinks and a little snack before browsing overpriced candle shops. But that would be a mistake. Make space in your calendar to hang out for a while on their comfy patio as you pick at krupuk and sambals—light, crispy, shrimp chips paired with house-made chile dips that you’ll want to put on everything. Go for the braised pork mie goreng, a delicious tangle of thin, chewy noodles, but make sure you leave room for the wings, ideally ordered half-and-half, so you can try both flavors: smoky tamarind BBQ and sticky-spicy fish sauce glaze. photo credit: Jakob Layman" - Cathy Park

Where To Eat Outside In Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"This bright, modern restaurant downtown is serving the kind of Indonesian-fusion you might not expect to find in a town that believes burritos are meant to be eaten at all three meals of the day. Sama Sama is a tad pricey, but the food is delicious and unlike anything else in Santa Barbara. Their leafy back patio is the perfect space for a casual dinner with a few friends." - brant cox