Galanga Thai Restaurant

Today I tried the Lemon Fish at Galanga, and it was absolutely amazing. The flavor was bold and perfectly balanced, served in a hot pot that truly felt like eating authentic Thai food back in Thailand. Another must-try dish was the Grilled Pork with Sticky Rice. The pork was tender and aromatic with spices, paired with soft, warm sticky rice — such a perfect combination. Every bite made me feel less homesick for Thailand. I’d definitely say Galanga is one of the best Thai restaurants in Santa Barbara. Highly recommended! 🇹🇭✨

This is a solid option, the fried rice was not too salty and the appetizers were plenty crispy, if you have trouble deciding where to eat, take this place into consideration. The fried rice somehow felt just a tad bit too wet, perhaps taking away from the essence of true fried rice, but it was delicious still. Bonus is that this place has no wait.

I’ve lived in Thailand for almost 10 years, and I can tell you with certainty that this is simply bad Thai food. The Tom Yum Goong had no depth of flavor, it tasted like something from a premade packet with a few mushrooms thrown in (you can get the same result from a $1 packet in any oriental market). The noodles were extremely sweet, so much so that the sugary taste completely overpowered everything else. We also asked if the restaurant had Pad Kra Pao (basil fried pork), since it wasn’t listed on the menu. The waiter said yes, so we ordered it and even paid an extra dollar for ground pork, assuming it would be authentic. Instead, what arrived was canned bamboo with basil and a bit of pork. Worse, they never told us this was what we’d be served, nor pointed it out on the menu so we could decide. Unsurprisingly, this dish too was overwhelmed by sugar. Overall, the food was very disappointing, overpriced, and far from authentic. RUN FROM IT

A hidden gem along state street. They do a great job of making it spicy if you'd like, but can keep it more neutral if you prefer. Rice can also make or break the meal, and it's really good here. The Thai iced tea isn't too sweet either – just right. We also enjoy eating outside on a nice evening (which fortunately happens often in the area). It's tucked away just enough from the street that you can sit outside and watch the crowds without feeling like people are too close. Highly recommend if you like Thai!

We weren't looking for this restaurant when we started out and it was a nice surprise that we found it on our way to another one. The weather in SB was wonderful when we sat outside. We requested vegan options and every dish we tasted was bursting with flavors and spicy the way we liked. The spicy fried rice and mixed vegetables with garlic sauce were delicious. The service was also very friendly and welcoming. Definitely stop by if you're looking for Thai in this busy street with so many options.

Came here while on an overnight visit to Santa Barbara in search of noodles to eat on a birthday. The owners were so sweet and so attentive, the portion sizes are perfect for the size and the mango sticky rice had a super generous heap of mango! It made me sad that this place wasn't packed! We sat outside and enjoyed a nice breeze people watching and taking in the atmosphere as we ate. Would definitely come back if we're in the area again.

Wanted to have a quick bite. Noted this place on the strip, we had the lunch specials for $15. It was not too busy on the Friday later afternoon and were promptly seated by some nice staff. Food came out quick from the kitchen, I ordered garlic pepper with mixed veggies, I requested it to be spicy … be warned it was fairly hot! Luckily I did not ask for the spiciest. We were all generally happy with the portions, the lunch specials came with a bowl of rice, fried wonton and egg roll, we generally do not eat large amounts so these were totally fine but if you have a large appetite this one portion may not suffice. My family and I did like the food overall. I would say negatives would be the interior could do with a renovation, definitely felt a little run down. +3.5/5.