The great European hotel lobby bar tradition — where the décor is plush, the cocktails executed with flair and precision, and the food worth savoring — has arrived in Santa Barbara.
It’s called The Lion’s Tale, and you can find it in the lobby of the venerable Montecito Inn at 1295 Coast Village Road.
The drinks and décor are the passion of husband-and-wife team Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman, owners of Good Lion Hospitality, which includes several bars in Santa Barbara and Ventura, as well as a hotel in San Luis Obispo.
The French-inspired food is crafted by Sama Sama Kitchen co-owners Tyler Peek and Ryan Simorangkir, who also have several other local projects.
“We’ve known Ryan and Tyler for over 10 years now,” Ristaino said. “Whenever we get together, the conversation inevitably turns to food and drink.”
The Lion’s Tale is already known for its branded Boulevardier cocktail. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
For husband-and-wife co-owners Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman, The Lion’s Tale in the Montecito Inn is the fulfillment of a longtime dream. Credit: Blake Bronstad / The Lion’s Tale photo 
You need not be a secret agent to order a proper James Bond Vesper Martini. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
The Café Frites features shoestring fries with Wagyu steak bites and Café de Paris butter sauce. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
The Roots Farms Little Gems salad with dill parsley chives yuzu vinaigrette. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Fresh pan-seared halibut with potato puree and green beans is a light but hearty meal. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Olives Provençal is marinated in rosemary garlic olive oil and orange peel. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
Adding to the authenticity, The Lion’s Tale makes its own syrups and mixers. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo 
The Lion’s Tale features live jazz on Wednesday nights. Credit: Rob Raede / Noozhawk photo
Team Let’s Go Eat sat down recently with the four of them to discuss cocktail construction and French cuisine.
“We wanted to create a great hotel lobby bar that still feels like a locals’ spot,” Ristaino shared.
“We fell in love with the concept a few years ago while traveling in London,” Orman added.
Simorangkir explained the evolution.
“We were trained in French cuisine,” he said. “It’s nice to return to our culinary roots.”
Peek added, “We had a lot of classic recipes we wanted to try out.”
For Team LGE, Lion’s Tale checks all the boxes: no reservations, so you can pop in last minute, and there’s almost always a seat.
It offers exceptional cocktails, terrific food, attentive service, free valet parking, live jazz on Wednesday nights, and a happy hour during weeknights.
Where did this welcome development come from?
“We met bartending,” Orman said. “I was a go-to hand model in Los Angeles, sometimes bartending when things were slow. My modeling background gave me a great eye for photo shoots, media, lighting and design.
“On set,” she added, “I used to sketch out bars I’d love to own one day. When I met Brandon, I showed them to him, and we said, ‘Let’s do this.’”
Ristaino, with nearly 30 years of experience in the business, is the chief cocktail architect and has a deep interest in the science and chemistry of cocktail creation.
Minus the lab coat.
“It’s all about time and dilution,” he told us. “A drink can turn out completely different depending on whether it’s shaken or stirred too long, not long enough, or just right.
“We have an extensive training program,” he continued. “Right from the start, our bartenders need to know 50 recipes, and an experienced bartender should have 150–200 recipes memorized at all times.”
By the way … the ideal number of times to stir a gin martini?
“45 to 60,” Ristaino told us. Bet you didn’t know that.
Orman and Ristaino chose Santa Barbara to create their empire 12 years ago after a thorough search.
“We could see that Santa Barbara is a coffee town, and there’s a big overlap between coffee lovers and cocktail enthusiasts,” Orman said.
So, they started with The Good Lion, at 1212 State St. next to The Granada.
“Having Sama Sama right next door was a big plus,” Ristaino noted.
The food menu at The Lion’s Tale is limited but, in Team LGE’s opinion, excellent. We can highly recommend the fresh fish, and the Steak Frites is especially popular.
“We have regulars, including some of the hotel owners, who come in every night and order the Steak Frites,” Orman said.
You also might want to try the slightly smaller Café Frites, which feature shoestring fries with Wagyu steak bites and Café de Paris butter sauce. Like, french fries leveled up.
And Lion’s Tale has miles of style.
“Over half of our bars are designed by an actual set designer,” Ristaino said.
Orman added, “I’m very involved. When any designer works for us, they’re working with someone who knows exactly what she wants.”
So, what does the perfect evening at The Lion’s Tale look like, we asked?
“Start with a half-dozen oysters, a martini and then the Café Frites,” Ristaino said.
“And the Potato Pavé with caviar,” Simorangkir added.
Peek said, “The garden salad is one of my favorites. We get the lettuce from Roots Farms, and it’s super crunchy.”
“Definitely end the evening with a Boulevardier cocktail,” Orman recommended. “It’s my favorite drink.”
It might be a good idea to end the evening with a hotel reservation as well, after all of that. But isn’t that the point of a great hotel lobby bar?
Locals Only
Pro tip: Taste your food and drink as soon as they’re served to you. They’ll never be better than at that precise moment. Even though the Café Frites is technically a happy hour item, you can order it anytime, if you know to ask. Now you know.
When You Go
The Lion’s Tale, at 1295 Coast Village Road inside the Montecito Inn, is open 3 to 11 p.m.. Sunday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, with happy hour from 3 to 5:30 p.m. weekdays.
Valet parking is free at the Montecito Inn.
