Sandbar Cocina y Tequila will reopen June 18 following a 7-month renovation that transformed one of downtown Santa Barbara’s longtime restaurant and nightlife destinations.
Located at 514 State St., the restaurant closed last November for an extensive overhaul led by the Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group, which acquired the property in 2007.
The project marks the first complete reimagining of the space since then, introducing a redesigned interior, expanded menu and renewed vision for the nearly two-decade-old State Street business.
The reopening comes as downtown Santa Barbara continues to evolve, with investment and activity along the State Street corridor remaining a focus for business owners and city leaders.
“Our decision to make a significant investment in Sandbar is really a reflection of our confidence in the future of downtown Santa Barbara,” Greg Newman, president and CEO of the Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group, told the News-Press.
Before becoming Sandbar, the property was home to Calypso, a popular nightclub that helped establish the 500 block of State Street as one of downtown’s entertainment hubs.
“This location has always had a real place in Santa Barbara’s nightlife history,” Newman said. “It already had energy, history and a strong following.”
The renovation was driven by a desire to evolve the concept while building on the foundation that had made Sandbar a longtime gathering place for both locals and visitors, Newman said.
“Our family has been in the Mexican restaurant business for more than 50 years,” Newman said. “Sandbar evolved through many different chapters, and it felt like the right time to bring a new level of creativity, design and hospitality to a concept that had already been successful for many years.”
The company’s recent growth also helped shape that decision. Since the pandemic, the Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group has opened five new restaurants, giving leadership a fresh perspective on how the Sandbar concept could continue to evolve while remaining true to its roots.
Working with hospitality design firm VANROOY Design, the company undertook a top-to-bottom renovation inspired by Mexico’s Riviera Maya and Caribbean coastline.
The redesigned restaurant incorporates expanded indoor-outdoor spaces and a retractable roof, allowing the venue to transition more seamlessly from daytime dining to late-night service.
The changes extend beyond the dining room. While Sandbar continues to highlight many of the Sonoran-style Mexican dishes that helped establish its following, the menu now places a greater emphasis on coastal Mexican seafood.
New offerings include ceviches, seafood enchiladas, halibut fish tacos, shrimp tacos and prawns diablo alongside longtime favorites.
“Ultimately, the goal wasn’t simply to renovate Sandbar,” Newman said. “It was to elevate every part of the experience while staying true to the spirit that made Sandbar a local favorite in the first place.”
Today, the Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group operates more than a dozen restaurants throughout Southern California. Newman said the decision to undertake such an extensive renovation reflects the company’s belief in the long-term strength of downtown Santa Barbara.
“We’ve seen a lot of positive momentum on State Street recently,” he said. “While downtown has certainly faced challenges over the past several years, we’re encouraged by the progress that’s being made and the continued investment in the area.”
Drawing on the company’s experience in coastal communities such as Hermosa Beach and Newport Beach, Newman said hospitality businesses can play an important role in strengthening entertainment districts by attracting a broader mix of customers and encouraging visitors to spend more time in an area.
“We’ve seen how the right restaurant can help broaden the audience for an area that may have been known more for nightlife,” Newman said. “It gives people a reason to come earlier, eat well, stay longer and make a full night out of it.”
He believes the same dynamic can play out in Santa Barbara.
“A lot of Santa Barbara’s restaurant energy is concentrated closer to the Funk Zone and Hotel Californian area,” Newman said. “We want Sandbar to help bring more diners to this side of downtown.”
In addition to its redesigned dining spaces and expanded menu, Sandbar will resume late-night service and weekend brunch, continuing the role it has long played within Santa Barbara’s hospitality landscape.
As the restaurant prepares to welcome guests back on June 18, Newman said he hopes the investment will contribute not only to Sandbar’s next chapter, but also to the continued vitality of downtown.
“If we’re helping bring more people downtown, supporting neighboring businesses, and creating a place where both locals and visitors want to gather, then we’ve done our job,” he said.
