Nuance

4 (49)

$30 and under

Californian

119 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

About this restaurant

Nuance (previously the Blue Tavern) is a restaurant in Santa Barbara. This is a cocktail bar and restaurant that serves modern American cuisine. The vibe is fun and lively, making it a great place to stop by for a fun time after work or on the weekend. Mixologists at the Nuance bar handcraft cocktails and make a unique drink list for patrons to enjoy. Many guests choose to order a variety of small appetizer dishes from Nuance's menu to go along with drinks. There are many delicious choices for small plates, such as the wood-fired focaccia bread, forest mushroom toast and the fried oysters. Some popular entrées include the English pea risotto, Mary's organic roasted chicken and the steak frites.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

There’s more to explore

Discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Scan the QR code to discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Open app

Restaurants you may also like

View all

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Californian, Organic, Gastro Pub
Hours of operation
Sunday - Thursday: 5:00PM - 10:00PM Friday & Saturday: 5:00PM - 11:00PM
Phone number
(805) 845-0989
Website
http://www.nuancesb.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Courtney Ladin

Location
119 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Neighborhood
Santa Barbara
Cross street
Cabrillo Blvd
Parking details
Valet
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Wood Fired Focaccia$6.00
Fennel seed, dried Calabrian chili, extra virgin olive oil
Hamachi$18.00
Cucumber, hass avocado, French breakfast radish, Persian lime vinaigrette
Beef Tartare$15.00
Pickled hom shemiji mushrooms, Fresno chili, mustard frill, hen egg emulsion
Fried Oysters$16.00
Pickled garden vegetables, frisee lettuce, sauce gribiche
Forest Mushroom Toast$16.00
Sacramento Delta asparagus, soft poached hen egg, parmesan cheese with grilled Pain de Champagne
Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras$24.00
Strawberry rhubarb jam, Sicilian pistachios, petite máche with toasted brioche
Heirloom Tomatoes$13.00
Strawberries, pickled red onion, petite basil, black pepper orange scented goat cheese
Little Gem Salad$12.00
Candied pecans, Point Reyes bleu cheese herb dressing, red grapes, pickled green grapes
Grilled Spanish Octopus$16.00
Broccolini, Beluga lentils, braised bacon, blistered tomatoes

Sides

Sacramento Delta Asparagus$9.00
Wood Oven Green Beans$7.00
Sweet Brentwood Corn$8.00
Wood Oven Beets$9.00
Fries$6.00

The Middle

English Pea Risotto$23.00
Peas, forest mushrooms, pea shoots, truffled parmesan foam
Hand Cut Tagliatelle$26.00
Ragu of braised Elysian Field Farms lamb shoulder, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, feta
Mussels$18.00
Ice Blue mussels, Madras curry, sun gold tomatoes, basil, lime
Loup de Mer$35.00
English peas, spring onions, shaved fennel
Mary's Organic Roasted Chicken$27.00
Harissa honey lacquer, sweet corn pudding, fava beans, charred baby leeks, pickled Fresno chilies
Steak Frites$36.00
Snake River Farms hanger steak, fries, sauce béarnaise
Grilled Salmon Creek Farms Pork Chop$36.00
Regier Farms peaches, swiss chard, Anson Mills polenta, whole grain mustard sauce

The End

Strawberry Shortcake$9.00
Harry's berries strawberries, whipped crème fraîche, tarragon
Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta$9.00
Straus Family Dairy, local citrus & Madagascar vanilla
Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja Chocolate Ice Cream$9.00
Dark chocolate sauce, Twenty Four Blackbirds cocoa nibs

Cocktails

Harry's Ramos Fizz$14.00
Harry's berries, rose water, citrus, organic cream, egg white, Plymouth gin, and soda water, garnished with a dehydrated strawberry chip
Painkiller$14.00
Pixie tangerine, fresh pineapple, Pusser's Naval rum, house made coconut crème, grated nutmeg
The Cunning Stunt$12.00
Cachaca, cognac, mango, chili sambal, fresh lemon, absinthe, house peach bitters, crushed ice
Nuance Old Fashioned$14.00
Michter's bourbon, gomme syrup, abbot's bitter, orange twist
A Diving Bell$12.00
Micro-Climate mescal, Plymouth gin, fresh lime, yuzu, caramelized pineapple, falernum cayenne
Japanese Sazerac$13.00
Nikka Japanese whiskey, sugar, peychaud, angostura bitters, absinthe
Chamomillionaire (Crusta)$14.00
Rye whiskey, fresh lemon, maraschino, house made chamomile cordial, angostura bitters
Blackstrap Buck$12.00
Ginger syrup, fresh lime, Blackstrap rum, pineapple, seltzer
San Ysidro Cocktail$14.00
Rye whiskey, apple brandy, yellow chartreuse, Benedictine, angostura bitters
The Obligatory Vodka Drink$12.00
Vodka, fresh lemon, Texas grapefruit, rhubarb, peychaud bitters, seltzer
Blackbird Julep$12.00
24 Blackbirds cacao, spearmint, Buffalo Trace bourbon, crushed ice, chocolate essence

Draft Selection

Pilsner$8.00
Schrimshaw, North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA, 4.7% abv
Wheat Beer$8.00
Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, ME, 5% abv
Stout$8.00
Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonwille, CA. 5.8% abv
Pale Ale$12.00
Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale, Kiuchi Brewery, Ibaraki, Japan, 7% abv
IPA$8.00
Hop Nosh, Uinta Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, UT, 7.3% abv
Belgium IPA$10.00
Raging Bitch, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD, 8.3% abv

Non Alcoholic

Coca - Cola$4.00
Diet Coke$4.00
Sprite$4.00
Juices$5.00
Ice Tea$4.00
Lemonade$6.00
Arnold Palmer$5.00
Mocktail$8.00
Bartender's Choice, non-alcoholic Beverage

Barista

Verve's World Famous Coffee & Espresso

Regular or Decaf$3.00
Espresso$4.00
Americano$4.50
Latte$5.00
Cappuccino$5.00
Hot Tea$4.00

What 49 people are saying

Nuance reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.0

4.0 based on all time ratings

4.2Food
4.1Service
3.8Ambience
1.4Value

Noise • Moderate

49 Reviews

SB
SBGuy VIP
California Central Coast57 reviews
4.0
Dined on January 11, 2016
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We dined there this past Sunday, and it turns out it must have been their last night. Tough location, especially right now with all the construction.
Is this helpful?
WC
WCinHP VIP
Chicago / Illinois17 reviews
5.0
Dined on January 2, 2016
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our dinner was fun (great staff); unique (eclectic dishes); and delicious (flavors and preparation superb). The Wood Fired Focaccia is a must it will spoil your concept of bread for the table. The Corn and Crab Risotto each item robust in flavor and when combined enhanced each ingredient to its next level. Mary’s Organic Roasted Chicken you have to try this; a description will never do the dinner justice…its perfect. The San Ysidro Cocktail the best twist on a Manhattan I have tried. The Old Fashion not on the cocktail menu but recommended by our server. If you are familiar with the idiom "Up to eleven” coined in the movie This Is Spinal Tap – well this is an Old Fashion turned "Up to eleven.” Cheers, bottoms up, down the hatch, here’s mud in your eye homage to the mixologist of Nuance. Courtney and staff – Bravo!
Is this helpful?
MC
MaryC
California Central Coast6 reviews
4.0
Dined on January 1, 2016
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Excellent food but very noisy. Ate outside, cold but OK. Noise level probably especially high due Near Years but really would have been difficult inside. Service fine and have already recommended to others. Food wonderful!
Is this helpful?
R
Robyne
Minneapolis - St. Paul30 reviews
4.0
Dined on December 24, 2015
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Kudos to Chef Charlotte for Nuance! Her easy going style of creating beautiful food was wonderful. Slight touches of spices never overwhelmed her wonderful Loup de Mer - just enhanced it! Party of five for dinner, each with different tastes... But managed to please everyone. Great staff, excellent ambience and decor - especially the large painted image of Pola Negri! A great evening.
Is this helpful?
LE
LetsEat VIP
New York City40 reviews
5.0
Dined on December 20, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Loved every dish! A group of five of us shared lots of appetizers and side dishes and mains and EVERYTHING was great. How often can you say that?! Plus, the service was terrific and the setting is lovely . New favorite place!
Is this helpful?
RE
RobEgenolf VIP
San Diego8 reviews
5.0
Dined on December 8, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
An extraordinary experience. The mixologist never disappoints, the food is always great, the service very enjoyable and efficient and the overall experience wonderful. One of our favorite spots in Santa Barbara
Is this helpful?
SB
SBGuy VIP
California Central Coast57 reviews
5.0
Dined on December 4, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Finally, someone gets it right in this location. There were so many great-sounding items on the menu it was hard to choose. The tomato puree/soup with pesto was outstanding, as was the wood fired focaccia bread. My wife enjoyed her beet salad with burrata. My perfectly-seared red snapper was harmonious with its eggplant caponata. They have complimentary filtered still or sparkling water; always welcome. The only very minor snag was a bus person who tried to grab our focaccia bread off the table without asking whether we were done with it (we weren't). This restaurant quickly made our "best of Santa Barbara" list and we will be back. Often.
Is this helpful?
l
local VIP
California Central Coast43 reviews
5.0
Dined on November 28, 2015
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Honestly, these bar drinks (cocktails and anything you want them to make) couldn't be better. They use small batch artisan alcohol (hard liquor) obscure producers, it is so exciting to try something new with such a high quality alcohol. Creativity is wonderful and this artsy bartender embraced it. Since I tired Nuance few weeks ago , we just kept coming back. Best drinks in town, and food is amazing, but don't skip deserts ...some serious surprises hide in there, too!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles4 reviews
4.0
Dined on November 22, 2015
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Menu here is fantastic and each dish I've had is creatively but deliciously prepared. Reminds me of some of the trendier spots you'd find in LA or SF. Service is solid and it's never hard to get a table, they also have some nice seating along the bar.
Is this helpful?
L
Leslie VIP
California Central Coast50 reviews
3.0
Dined on November 15, 2015
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
The food is great at Nuance. Service is also very good. Be prepared to yell at your table mates to be heard above the noise - or eat early with the quieter (and older) crowd.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Nuance offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 845-0989.

Nuance is rated 4 stars by 49 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

119 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Additional information

Cross street
Cabrillo Blvd
Neighborhood
Santa Barbara
Hours of operation
Sunday - Thursday: 5:00PM - 10:00PM Friday & Saturday: 5:00PM - 11:00PM
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Californian, Organic, Gastro Pub
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Valet
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Courtney Ladin
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.nuancesb.com/
Phone number
(805) 845-0989

Nuance

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

There’s more to explore

The Clubhouse

Elaia Estiatorio

Bridgehampton Inn Restaurant

Old Stove Pub

The Restaurant at Baron's Cove

M.J. Dowling's

K Pasa

Captain Jack's On The Coast

North Sea Tavern

Ketchy Beach

Le Charlot - Southampton

Boundary Sports Bar And Grille - Fairmont Southampton

BOA Thai Asian Fusion

The Waterlot - Fairmont Southampton

Limoncello Restaurant

Additional information

The Beginning

Wood Fired Focaccia$6.00

Hamachi$18.00

Beef Tartare$15.00

Fried Oysters$16.00

Forest Mushroom Toast$16.00

Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras$24.00

Heirloom Tomatoes$13.00

Little Gem Salad$12.00

Grilled Spanish Octopus$16.00

Sides

Sacramento Delta Asparagus$9.00

Wood Oven Green Beans$7.00

Sweet Brentwood Corn$8.00

Wood Oven Beets$9.00

Fries$6.00

The Middle

English Pea Risotto$23.00

Hand Cut Tagliatelle$26.00

Mussels$18.00

Loup de Mer$35.00

Mary's Organic Roasted Chicken$27.00

Steak Frites$36.00

Grilled Salmon Creek Farms Pork Chop$36.00

The End

Strawberry Shortcake$9.00

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta$9.00

Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja Chocolate Ice Cream$9.00

Cocktails

Harry's Ramos Fizz$14.00

Painkiller$14.00

The Cunning Stunt$12.00

Nuance Old Fashioned$14.00

A Diving Bell$12.00

Japanese Sazerac$13.00

Chamomillionaire (Crusta)$14.00

Blackstrap Buck$12.00

San Ysidro Cocktail$14.00

The Obligatory Vodka Drink$12.00

Blackbird Julep$12.00

Draft Selection

Pilsner$8.00

Wheat Beer$8.00

Stout$8.00

Pale Ale$12.00

IPA$8.00

Belgium IPA$10.00

Non Alcoholic

Coca - Cola$4.00

Diet Coke$4.00

Sprite$4.00

Juices$5.00

Ice Tea$4.00

Lemonade$6.00

Arnold Palmer$5.00

Mocktail$8.00

Barista

Regular or Decaf$3.00

Espresso$4.00

Americano$4.50