Secret Bao is a casual, cozy, and trendy Asian restaurant at 1201 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States. This breezy dining destination brings together Pan-Asian snacks, small plates, sandwiches, and entrees, creating a varied menu suited to everything from a relaxed lunch to a satisfying dinner.
Guests can also enjoy cocktails, beer, coffee, comfort food, healthy options, organic dishes, desserts, and happy-hour drinks, with a bar on site for added convenience.
Whether you are dining alone, meeting friends, or planning a meal with others, Secret Bao offers several ways to enjoy the experience. Customers can choose outdoor seating, dine in with counter or table service, order takeaway, request delivery, or use the on-site services. Catering is also available.
Fast service, great cocktails, and a local specialty add to the restaurant’s appeal, while Wi-Fi and free Wi-Fi, restrooms, and comfortable seating help make visits convenient. Dinner reservations are recommended, reservations are accepted, and guests should be aware that there is usually a wait.
Secret Bao is committed to accessible dining, with a wheelchair-accessible car park, entrance, seating, and toilet. The restaurant accepts credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments. With a rating of 4.70 out of 5 based on 671 reviews, it offers a well-regarded setting for lunch, dinner, solo dining, drinks, or a casual Pan-Asian meal.
To learn more or make plans, call +1 805-259-3226.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at Secret Bao
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
farmers market strawberries, honey citron lemonade
House Made Oolong Tea
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Honey Citron
Flying disc farms dates, miso caramel, brown butter graham crumbs
chinese bbq pork steamed bun, scallions
roasted corn, red miso, cherry tomatoes, chili oil, yellow curry sauce (four pieces)
Steamed pork dumplings, napa cabbage, Korean glass noodles, felicia's chili crunch, cho ganjang, cilantro, crispy shallots, garlic chives (4 pieces)
bluefin tuna, furikake crispy rice, masago, shihimi, umami mayo, jalapeno ponzu, chives (two pieces)
shrimp tempura, sweet chili sauce, kewpie mayo, sesame slaw, scallions
Crispy bay scallop & prawn dumplings, caramelized fennel, scallions, tomato romesco (4 pieces)
Tempura Maitake Mushroom, kewpie mayo, sesame vinaigrette, Persian sunomono cucumbers
steamed pork, napa cabbage, Korean glass noodles, felicia's chili crunch, cho ganjang, garlic chives, cilantro, crispy shallots (4 pieces)
shanghai soup dumplings, rocky's free range chicken, ginger, scallions, shaoxing wine, sesame, cho ganjang (four pieces)
roasted corn dumplings, red miso, Milliken farms green squash, farmers market cherry tomatoes (4 pieces)
Salmon Creek Farms Pork Belly, Hoisin Glaze, Kewpie Mayo, Sunomono Persian Cucumbers, togarashi
Korean fried chicken, Dragon glaze, kewpie mayo, umami slaw, pickled red onions, scallions
grilled miso glazed 6 oz atlantic salmon, sesame bok choy, calrose furikake rice, scallions
japanese hamachi, korean pear, jalapeno ponzu, cho-gochujang, umami mayo, sunomono cucumbers, pickled red onions, avocado, cilantro, furikake calrose rice
momma lee’s grilled korean beef short ribs, baechu kimchi, red leaf lettuce, calrose rice, sesame oil, furikake, scallions
braised creekstone beef, beansprouts, thai basil, dried japanese chili, caramelized onions, scallions, sesame seeds, szechuan chili sauce *SPICY*
scf pork belly, jasmine rice, momo sauce, farm eggs, caramelized onions, kimchi, spinach, crispy garlic, furikake, scallions *contains fish sauce*
persian cucumbers, sweet & spicy soy vinaigrette, thai basil, cilantro, farmers market peaches *contains fish sauce*
Korean Mixed Rice Bowl, Spinach, Beansprouts, Kimchi, sunomono Persian cucumber, Soy Pickled Shiitakes Mushrooms, Gochujang, Sunny side Egg, Scallions, Sesame oil
Sun noodles, caramelized garlic, oyster sauce, Parmesan Reggiano, scallions, crispy garlic, sesame oil
calrose rice, shiitake mushrooms, mapo sauce, soft tofu, cilantro, scallions, onions *spicy* (ground shiitake mushroom sauce)
Roasted Cauliflower, charred red onions, bell peppers, Japanese Dried Chilies, Roasted Cashews, Cilantro, Oyster Sauce *Contains Shellfish*
Sweet potato glass noodles, roasted shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, sweet soy sesame sauce, spinach, bean sprouts, furikake, sesame oil
katsu pork cutlet, sesame slaw,japanese curry, sunomono persian cucumbers, calrose rice
mixed cabbage, toasted sesame vinaigrette, pickled red onions, crispy wontons, candied walnuts, tangerines, shredded carrots, scallions, cilantro
Furikake Calrose rice
grilled marinated chicken thighs, crispy brussel sprouts , furikake calrose rice, umami mayo, scallions, togarashi, red picked ginger
Tillamook cheddar cheese
udon noodles & sweet soy sauce
Peanut butter & strawberry jam
Crispy chicken & calrose rice
farmers market strawberries, honey citron lemonade
House Made Oolong Tea
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Honey Citron
tempura fried shrimp, bell peppers, onions, garlic, scallions, pineapple sweet & sour sauce, candied walnuts
momma lee's Korean grilled beef short ribs **MEAT ONLY**
Momma Lee’s Korean Marinated Beef Short Ribs Ssam/Banchan (Furikake Calrose rice, lettuce, pickles & sauces)
Yellow coconut curry, lemongrass, yakisoba noodles, bok choy, beansprouts, bamboo shoots, cilantro, crispy onions, thai basil
Creekstone farms braised beef, flat rice noodles, bok choy, soy, beansprouts, felicia's chili crunch, garlic chives
udon noodles, molinari pancetta, black pepper, nori, caramelized onions, farm eggs, Parmesan, scallions, furikake
pork belly, jasmine rice, spinach, kimchi, scallion, caramelized onions, momo sauce, fried egg, kizami nori *contains fish sauce*
Brussel Sprouts, Palm sugar vinaigrette, honey chili crunch, whipped tahini, toasted almonds *contains fish sauce*
Pink bay scallops (four pieces), sunomono Persian cucumber, citrus granita, chives, masago, sesame, aji amarillo
Roasted Cauliflower, charred red onions, Japanese Dried Chilies, Roasted Cashews, bell peppers, Cilantro, Kung Pao Sauce *Contains Oyster Sauce*
Hass avocado, Korean apple pear, roasted sesame vinaigrette, furikake, toasted almonds, chives, kizami nori **vegan**
Japanese yellowtail, granny smith apples, cucumber, secret chili sauce, avocado puree, cilantro, chives (4 pieces)
red crab, tempura freckers farm squash blossom, cream cheese, spinach (two pieces)
persian cucumbers, burkdoll farm white peach, cilantro, crunchy wontons, thai basil, sweet & spicy soy vinaigrette *contains fish sauce*
Flying disc farms dates, miso caramel, brown butter graham crumbs
chinese bbq pork steamed bun, scallions
roasted corn, red miso, cherry tomatoes, chili oil, yellow curry sauce (four pieces)
Steamed pork dumplings, napa cabbage, Korean glass noodles, felicia's chili crunch, cho ganjang, cilantro, crispy shallots, garlic chives (4 pieces)
bluefin tuna, furikake crispy rice, masago, shihimi, umami mayo, jalapeno ponzu, chives (two pieces)
shrimp tempura, sweet chili sauce, kewpie mayo, sesame slaw, scallions
Crispy bay scallop & prawn dumplings, caramelized fennel, scallions, tomato romesco (4 pieces)
Tempura Maitake Mushroom, kewpie mayo, sesame vinaigrette, Persian sunomono cucumbers
steamed pork, napa cabbage, Korean glass noodles, felicia's chili crunch, cho ganjang, garlic chives, cilantro, crispy shallots (4 pieces)
shanghai soup dumplings, rocky's free range chicken, ginger, scallions, shaoxing wine, sesame, cho ganjang (four pieces)
roasted corn dumplings, red miso, Milliken farms green squash, farmers market cherry tomatoes (4 pieces)
Salmon Creek Farms Pork Belly, Hoisin Glaze, Kewpie Mayo, Sunomono Persian Cucumbers, togarashi
Korean fried chicken, Dragon glaze, kewpie mayo, umami slaw, pickled red onions, scallions
grilled miso glazed 6 oz atlantic salmon, sesame bok choy, calrose furikake rice, scallions
japanese hamachi, korean pear, jalapeno ponzu, cho-gochujang, umami mayo, sunomono cucumbers, pickled red onions, avocado, cilantro, furikake calrose rice
momma lee’s grilled korean beef short ribs, baechu kimchi, red leaf lettuce, calrose rice, sesame oil, furikake, scallions
braised creekstone beef, beansprouts, thai basil, dried japanese chili, caramelized onions, scallions, sesame seeds, szechuan chili sauce *SPICY*
scf pork belly, jasmine rice, momo sauce, farm eggs, caramelized onions, kimchi, spinach, crispy garlic, furikake, scallions *contains fish sauce*
persian cucumbers, sweet & spicy soy vinaigrette, thai basil, cilantro, farmers market peaches *contains fish sauce*
Korean Mixed Rice Bowl, Spinach, Beansprouts, Kimchi, sunomono Persian cucumber, Soy Pickled Shiitakes Mushrooms, Gochujang, Sunny side Egg, Scallions, Sesame oil
Sun noodles, caramelized garlic, oyster sauce, Parmesan Reggiano, scallions, crispy garlic, sesame oil
calrose rice, shiitake mushrooms, mapo sauce, soft tofu, cilantro, scallions, onions *spicy* (ground shiitake mushroom sauce)
Roasted Cauliflower, charred red onions, bell peppers, Japanese Dried Chilies, Roasted Cashews, Cilantro, Oyster Sauce *Contains Shellfish*
Sweet potato glass noodles, roasted shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, sweet soy sesame sauce, spinach, bean sprouts, furikake, sesame oil
katsu pork cutlet, sesame slaw,japanese curry, sunomono persian cucumbers, calrose rice
mixed cabbage, toasted sesame vinaigrette, pickled red onions, crispy wontons, candied walnuts, tangerines, shredded carrots, scallions, cilantro
Furikake Calrose rice
grilled marinated chicken thighs, crispy brussel sprouts , furikake calrose rice, umami mayo, scallions, togarashi, red picked ginger
Tillamook cheddar cheese
udon noodles & sweet soy sauce
Peanut butter & strawberry jam
Crispy chicken & calrose rice
Hear from our valued guests
Been on my list to try when I pass through SB. Was definitely a good spot to enjoy a lunch. I was bummed cause I wanted to try the hamachi tacos, unfortunately those are only on the dinner menu. Overall I just hit up the appetizer menu with bao buns & a couple other things they recommended. The best bao was the fried chicken bao. The crab hand roll was nice and tasty as well. It was done in two bites. I thought the steamed dumplings were ok, nothing to rave about. The pork bun was tasty. Overall it was pretty tasty spot.
Claire was excellent. She helped us navigate the amazing menu and we landed on several perfect choices. Well done. Worth the trip from Atlanta!! ~The Jeter Family
Everything was spot on! Kathleen is the sweetest and helped us figure out the menu as it was our first time here. The hamachi wonton tacos, kfc bao, the chicken soup dumplings, the lychee martini!!! 100/10. We’ll be back soon!!
Insanely good food and wonderful service! Kathleen was very friendly, professional, and had excellent recommendations. We went with all of their recommendations and it was right on point 🔥 All of the staff was efficient and also had a great attitude. Highly recommend!! 🏆
I had dinner at Secret Bao in a Friday around 8:30 pm. They were able to seat us (party of 2) on the heated outdoor patio with our dog with a very short wait (5 minutes). Matcha Horchata - tastes exactly as you would expect it too. Spiced from the horchata with good matcha. Fun to try, not sure I would need to try this again. Secret Salad - really nice fresh greens that are served in a bundle so you can dip them in a edamame sauce. Recommend trying this! Farmers Market Delicata Tempura & Dip - this was a special and delicious! A big serving of crunchy delicata tempura that was nice and sweet! Recommend trying this if it's in the menu. Crab Crunch Bao - another special for the night. A wonton taco is filled with a citrusy crab filling which is then stuffed in a warm, cheesey bun. Really good. I would order it again Pork Belly Bao - best pork belly bao I have ever had. Recommend getting this! Scallop and Prawn Dumplings - these was good dumplings but I think the other items we had were more special and fun. Mango Sticky Rice Bingsu - this was really good. A light dessert with a lot of mango! Bao Donut - this was my favorite dessert. It's essentially an ice cream sandwich. The bao bun is housemade and served warm. I got mine with vanilla ice cream which paired perfectly with the cinnamon. I have been wanting to try Secret Bao and was not disappointed. The food and service were excellent. I would definitely come back to eat here and recommend it!
The food was great! The cocktails looked really tasty too. There are two off-menu kids options - a peanut butter and jelly bao and a grilled cheese bao. The popcorn chicken is a good option for kids too.
My second time here my boyfriend’s first. We LOVED it. Will definitely come back and try new things. My favorite was the pear salad and my boyfriend’s favorite was the bao. Everything was delicious though and shout out to RJ for the best service. Thank you
Artistry in every bite! Wonderfully prepared, fresh Asian fusion perfection! Everything is so fantastic- the chili dumplings, cucumber salad, kimchi pancake oh and the fresh mango with shave ice and sticky rice! It’s all so beautiful next time I’ll take more photos. And also RJ is a star representative of outstanding stellar wait service. Thank you 😊
The ambiance was wonderful, the service was great too. But the real highlight was the food. I'm extremely honest with my reviews, and most restaurants are painfully average in terms of food. Not at Secret Bao however! Everything we ordered was tremendous. Thoughtful, creative dishes with the flavor and presentation to back it up. I mean, who would think of Udon Carbonara?!? This might be one of the best restaurants I've been to in Santa Barbara.
We've loved Secret Bao ever since they started as a pop up, and they're our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara! When we got married at the Carousel House, we asked them to cater cocktail hour apps, dinner sides (a food truck did mains), and the wedding cake (Basque cheesecake), and they did an amazing job! The food tasted delicious and looked beautiful. Working with Felicia, Peter, and their team was great, and they even created a couple of special items for us. The Carousel House is very bare bones, so the set up was completely outdoors and somewhat rudimentary, but they did a great job. Everything (the preparation, the food, the service) was outstanding! We're so glad we got to work with our favorite restaurant in town and have them be a part of our wedding. Our friends are still raving about the food!
Common questions about Secret Bao
Secret Bao is located at 1201 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States , Anacapa St, 1201 Anacapa St, United States.
You can reach Secret Bao by calling +1 805-259-3226.
Secret Bao has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 based on 671 customer reviews.
Secret Bao features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible toilet.
Secret Bao features the following service options: Outdoor seating, Delivery, On-site services, Takeaway, Dine-in.
Secret Bao features the following highlights: Fast service, Great cocktails, Serves local specialty.
Secret Bao features the following popular for: Lunch, Dinner, Solo dining.
Secret Bao features the following offerings: Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Coffee, Comfort food, Happy-hour drinks, Healthy options, Organic dishes, Quick bite, Small plates, Spirits, Vegan options, Vegetarian options, Wine.
Secret Bao features the following dining options: Lunch, Dinner, Catering, Counter service, Dessert, Seating, Table service.
Secret Bao features the following amenities: Bar on site, Restroom, Wi-Fi, Free Wi-Fi.
Secret Bao features the following atmosphere: Casual, Cozy, Trendy.
Secret Bao features the following crowd: Groups, Tourists.
Secret Bao features the following planning: Dinner reservations recommended, Accepts reservations, Usually a wait.
Secret Bao features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments.
Secret Bao features the following children: Good for kids, High chairs, Kids' menu.
Secret Bao features the following parking: Free street parking, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Plenty of parking.
Business Features
We look forward to welcoming you. Make a reservation or stop by - walk-ins welcome!
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