The Bistro 8301 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93117

"The food was excellent. The only negative part was the service by Rosemary. Perhaps since it was Christmas and their buffet at 7pm. She basically just came to take plates, checked on us twice but NEVER asked if we wanted more drinks or filled our Perrier. We also wanted more wine but she always came when only one of us was at the table and left quickly. It was disappointment since we love their wine selection. The service was by far the worst at a RC I’ve ever had. Definitely disappointing dinner experience. Food, Valet and the driver were excellent. My boyfriend felt bad for the server and said she’s older and probably tired. I disagreed since RC has high standards and they should be followed no matter age, They need to retrain her or move her so she is not to deal with people since she cannot provide the service quality all guest should expect."

"Great lunch location. Great service and quick. The BLT is great. It’s so big it’s needing to be shared. If you opt in for the fries, you get a ton of them. The Bistro is also the breakfast location for the hotel, which we did not utilize. We opted to go to the cafe located right outside the main entrance to the left. They have great coffee, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. It’s basically the same as a Starbucks minus the name and a drink types. It’s a quicker and cheaper way to go if you’re not up to a large breakfast."

"Staff is above and beyond friendly, accommodating. We asked about specific honey that was served. The Manger went to the back and brought us a sample so we could purchase it in the future. Beautiful views. Great food."

"What a wonderful way to complete a spa day! The four cheese pizza had just the right amount of garlic on a perfect crust; the fontana cheese a light golden brown. The Caesar salad was topped with nicely shaved parmesan and included cherry tomatoes and anchovies (on the side, by request). The croutons were a little too large and hard for my taste. Our server couldn't have been nicer. She overheard a birthday toast and brought a nummy tiramisu for dessert!"

"Nice place for a quick lunch! The service is prompt, the waiter was new but cordial. Don’t over do it with the starters like we did it, it’s more plentiful then you’d imagine. We had the wings and Soup, which was delicious albeit sweeter then I imagined. The fish tacos are excellent, I’d highly recommend them. Also, if you’re into fruit beverages I’d recommend the freshly squeezed orange juice and pomegranate lime mojito mocktail."