Wild About Harry’s
Table for one in the back
Pictures of Santa Barbara’s horse-and-buggy days set the scene for a contemporary diner in Western garb.
Written by Joan Tapper | Photograph by Blake Bronstad
The atmosphere is retro chic in the Ranchero Room of Harry’s Plaza Café, where the walls display more than 1,500 photos in an impressionistic vision of Santa Barbara’s past. The restaurant, opened in 1968 in Loreto Plaza by the eponymous Harry Davis, is itself an icon. When John Scott renovated some 20 years ago, he restored the décor just as it had been, down to the patterned wallpaper, the globe chandeliers, the classic red banquettes, and the inimitable photographic images. The menu is classic, too, with hearty entrées like prime rib and tri-tip with baked potatoes, iceberg lettuce salads, omelets, soups, and sandwiches. The bar and booths extend from the entryway, but the Ranchero Room is more private. It has been the site of countless welcome and farewell dinners, association meetings, and other celebratory occasions—all toasted with the other iconic element at Harry’s: a strong cocktail. Cheers!
