Gayot.com - Tue 12/06/11

"Nightlife and fine dining collide at this hot-spot in downtown Santa Barbara."

Part restaurant, part upscale lounge, Blush follows a formula similar to that of its longtime predecessor at 630 State Street. The downtown location marks the heart of Santa Barbara’s nightlife district, and the hipster bait is set with a sultry vibe, specialty cocktails and modish dishes like lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Though there is a striking imbalance between fine dining restaurant and noisy downtown bar, each of the components works on its own level. The Latin flavors of sweet corn Spanish chorizo hash and a petite chili relleno go well with the filet mignon they accompany. At lunchtime, healthy wraps like curried chicken salad in a spinach tortilla are nice fare for the outdoor patio. Also popular on the lunch menu are salads ranging from a simple iceberg wedge to an Asian pear salad with prickly pear vinaigrette. While the noise level may put a damper on the dinner experience, late-night fillers like short rib sliders and sweet bites such as a truffle tasting hit the spot.

Lauren Wells - Fri 07/22/11

Took my family to Blush for my mother's birthday. Excellent is an under statement. Both mine and my parents meals were awesome and even my younger sisters enjoyed their items off the children's menu as well. Their outside patio is really nice and the atmosphere was perfect. Highly recommend eating here for any occasion. I'm excited to come back at night for one of their happy hours!

Alexander Halatchev - Fri 07/22/11

My various visits to Blush have provided me with some great experiences. I have met up with friends for happy hour drinks on a number of occasions and the atmosphere on the patio and the inside bar cannot be matched in Santa Barbara. The fire pits and music outside provide a great surrounding for a friendly gathering. The specialty drinks are great as well. Not until recently did we have a sit down dinner. My family was visiting from San Diego so we made our reservations for 8pm over the weekend. The place was busy as usual but since we were seated towards the front of the dining room we were not bothered by the cocktail crowd. The food came out in a timely manner, although some service steps were glossed over, they were forgivable due to the fact that the food was on target. We kept it simple, and I had the Filet steak prepared Medium, which was cooked perfectly and had a great deal of flavor. The Chorizo hash made the meal for me. But enough about the main course, ....if it is your first time dining at Blush you must have the Lobster Mac and Cheese. Period!. At the end of the day there are many great places to eat in Santa Barbara, but if you want to enjoy a nice social evening with friends after a great meal, this is the spot. Cheers

Suz - Wed 07/20/11

Had a really wonderful meal and service. Full bar is a big plus - the food was perfect. I had the Seabass and my husband had the Filet. We will be back for sure.