Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering

ASBC absolutely knocked it out of the park for our wedding! We hosted a brunch reception and requested an all-vegetarian menu. My husband gave a lot of input during the planning stage- he's a big foodie- and our coordinator Stephanie accomodated every request with no problem. Our tasting was phenomenal and we were able to ask for a few small changes during that time, including adding a gluten-free bread option for one dish and making sure the bloody mary mix that would be served at the bar during cocktail hour was vegetarian too. The day-of experience couldn't be beat. Everything felt seamless, the bartender was wonderful, and I've since heard from guests that no one "missed the meat" lol. We're so thrilled Stephanie and her team were a part of our day.

I've waited until a year after my wedding to write this review to make sure I have a clear head. It's the only non-5-star review I'm leaving out of all my wedding vendors. I hate to say anything but the most positive comments about people who are kind and work hard, but I shed a lot of tears over the catering (whoever you work with, it's one of the most expensive parts of a wedding, which makes it inherently stressful). I originally picked Santa Barbara Catering for two reasons. One is that when I first spoke with someone for a consultation, they seemed very knowledgeable. They asked all of the right questions, and also had all of the right answers to my questions - moreso than other caterers I talked to. I felt like I wasn't just hiring a caterer, I was hiring a second wedding planner. The second reason is that I liked their menu, and our tasting was fantastic! Unfortunately, it wasn't all I had hoped it would be. Despite friendly staff with positive attitudes, I found them extremely disorganized to work with AFTER signing the contract. On two occasions, I was told that there were additions to my invoice despite nothing changing on my end. First was because the caterer had accidentally omitted something in the contract (something behind the scenes that I wouldn't have known to look for myself). After I made a fuss, they worked to get the additional cost down, but I think it still cost me around a grand... not to mention the time and energy of working it out, which was probably the worst part. The second issue was an added cost due to the hours of our reception, which I had tried to share with them on several occasions and was told "we'll add those details later." I had the information on standby for a year, and instead found out two months before the wedding (thankfully that was only a few hundred, but still). Another mess-up was the night of, when I had discussed with the caterer in advance that I would bring a few vegan cupcakes myself, and they said they would provide the plate to put them out on. They were store bought, and I found them sitting on the dessert table in the container, front and center. It looked terrible, and I was stunned. IT'S EVEN IN OUR CAKE-CUTTING PICTURES!!! The photographer had to work around it by trying not to get the full table. They apologized and put them on a plate, but without a label saying "vegan." Then everyone else ate them thinking they were just weird cupcakes, and the vegans at my wedding actually didn't end up getting any dessert. It was a bummer all around. I feel bad - and sad - to write this negative review, even a year later. I can tell they're really nice people outside of work, but in my now husband's words, the incompetence is expensive. Hopefully they've gotten things better organized by now, and if extra costs or mistakes night-of don't stress you out as much as they did me, most of the food was delicious. I 10/10 recommend the bruschetta for cocktail hour, I think that ended up being my favorite food of the night. Fried rice and spring rolls were also great, and the raspberry lemon tarts held up well. Although I wish we'd been able to taste some more things in advance, because the "creamy pesto" pasta sauce was disappointing (basically a green alfredo) and the "cream puffs" were filled with more of an icing than a cream.

Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering catered our company holiday party, and they did an outstanding job. They made the planning process easy from start to finish, were organized and responsive, and took a lot of stress off our team. The staff on-site was friendly, professional, and attentive throughout the event. Most importantly, the food was amazing, especially the short ribs. I would highly recommend them for any corporate or private event!

Wow. I was completely blown away by the food and presentation at their Madison School District Performing Arts Center event. If you are planning a party or gathering that requires delicious food, creativity and professionalism, I highly recommend Santa Barbara Catering. The staff couldn't be more friendly.

The best catering company in the valley by far. Delicious food, superb service, and quality. From private parties, corporate events, to weddings they do it all and a mark above the rest. The service team always provides a seamless event that you never have to worry about and can enjoy your time.