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University of California - Santa Barbara
- Campus Dining

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University of California - Santa Barbara - Campus Dining - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Campus Dining

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Campus Dining rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Campus Dining Grades:

Quick Stats

Meal Plan Available? Yes
Average Meals/Week 19
Freshman Meal Plan Required? Yes
If living on campus
Student Favorites
  • Gaucho Deli & Café
  • Jamba Juice
  • Nicoletti’s
  • Panda Express
  • Romaine’s

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Students say the dorm food doesn’t make them gag, but that it does become boring fairly quickly. Most enjoy eating in the on-campus restaurants instead, where the variety ranges from fast food to more café-like food and deli standards. Even the drinks are varied, with everything from coffee and frappuccinos to frozen juice drinks at Jamba Juice. Everyone seems to have their favorite place to recommend, like Romaine’s for salads, Gaucho Deli for sandwiches, and The Coral Tree Café for a good breakfast. The Die Bretzel and Chilitos Express stands in the centrally located Arbor are popular stops.

 

The dorm cafeterias do have one advantage—they offer vegan and vegetarian options. Santa Catalina used to be known as having the best dorm food because it was privately owned, had the best hours, and offered an unlimited meal plan. But since UCSB bought Santa Catalina, the food has become more like the on-campus food, yet continues to offer some of the extras it used to. All of the dorm cafeterias have a salad bar, a grill, frozen yogurt, and a hot-food line. Despite the fact that the food gets boring and isn’t always very healthy or gourmet, dorm food is bearable for a year. If your tastes run similar to most of the students around here, you’re going to want to stock up on your Access Card, which you can use at any of the on-campus restaurants.

 

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UC Santa Barbara Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Dining at University of California - Santa Barbara

tablaw

'14

Mathematics

4.2
A-

Delicious, but Gets Boring

In the neighboring town to the school, Isla Vista, there is a vast variety of delicious local food. They are all relatively low priced and are always of great quality; however, once you have it a few times in a week you have had it enough. They get repetitive and over-rated. The dining halls are the same. They at first are satisfying and taste good, but after a while they are the same thing week after week.

Feb 06, 2012

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Campus Dining at University of California - Santa Barbara

berks

'12

Mathematics

3.8
B+

Not Bad, Fair Variety

The dorm food gets old pretty quickly, but there are several other on-campus dining options. There are little food places run by the UCEN all over campus, once you learn to look for them. I find it's often easy to get food between classes. Overall, it could be a lot worse, and after 4 years of living here, I'm pretty happy with it.

On the other hand, the dining commons are pretty expensive, and you will probably want to avoid them after your freshman year (or just entirely - you won't miss much).

Feb 01, 2012

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Campus Dining at University of California - Santa Barbara

cjsrhkcjs

'15

Biology

3.5
B

Pretty Good

Although I've heard some people give it a bad ranking, I personally think it isn't too bad. And since there's always at least one menu that's decent to your taste, it's rather nice.

Jan 10, 2012

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Page 1 of 17

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus dining on the following topics

Facts

24-Hour Dining None
Off-Campus Places to Use Flex Money None
Did You Know?

You can put money on your Access Card and use it everywhere on campus, as well as the UCSB-acquired housing buildings that are located as far as a mile away from campus. Students choose a meal plan of either 10, 14, or 19 meals per week and can eat at any of the dining halls. Take-out meals, cultural food events, nutrition classes, vegan, vegetarian, organic and low-fat options are also offered.

Carrillo Dining Commons offers students indoor and outdoor tables and different food stations, such as a salad bar, grill, Mongolian line (which specializes in stir-fries), and an “oven” section that has freshly made pizzas and desserts.

Possibly the biggest of UCSB’s dining halls, De La Guerra was most recently renovated and offers the usual food stations, its specialty being a taco station. Jack Johnson (UCSB graduate) sings about this dining hall, “the DLG,” in his song “Bubble Toes.”

Bought by the University from private ownership in 2003, Francisco Torres features a salad bar, hot line, grill, deli bar, desserts, beverage bar, and a specialty bar that is usually made-to-order Mexican or stir-fry. Vegetarian, vegan, and even organic options are offered.

Ortega Dining Commons is a smaller dining area that offers salads, a hot food line, deserts, and a “sushi machine” that supposedly makes perfect sushi rolls.

Bin candy is the top seller at the Corner Store on campus and at the market in Isla Vista. Sour Patch Kids is the top choice.
 

Dining Halls & Campus RestaurantsWhat's This?

The Arbor
Location: Across from main library
Food: Convenience store
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–9 p.m.

Chilitos
Location: Hub
Food: Mexican
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Chilitos Express
Location: UCen
Food: Mexican
Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Coral Tree Café
Location: Near Cheadle Hall, about a 10-minute walk from UCen
Food: Breakfast, sandwiches
Hours: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

The Corner Store
Location: Upstairs UCen
Food: Convenience store with a wide variety of snacks
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Die Bretzel
Location: UCen cart
Food: Gourmet hot dogs and pretzels
Hours: Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Gaucho Deli & Café
Location: Upstairs UCen
Food: Greek, Italian
Hours: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Jamba Juice
Location: Upstairs UCen
Food: Smoothies
Hours: Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Nic Too
Location: UCen
Food: Coffee cart
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Nic’s Northwest
Location: UCen
Food: Coffee cart
Hours: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Nicoletti’s Coffeehouse
Location: Upstairs UCen
Food: Baked goods, coffee, espresso, fresh fruit
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–1 a.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday 6 p.m.–1 a.m.

Panda Express
Location: Hub
Food: Chinese
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Pateró
Location: Upstairs UCen
Food: Daily specials, famous homemade cheese bread, pasta with homemade sauces
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

Romaine’s
Location: Upstairs UCen
Food: 26-foot salad bar, breadsticks, fruit, homemade soups, muffins
Hours: Monday–Friday 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

The Store at Buchanan
Location: Right outside of Buchanan Hall
Food: Convenience store and coffee cart
Hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

Wendy’s
Location: Hub
Food: Fast food
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

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Hometown: Danville, CA

Major: Sociology/Sports Management minor

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