Edhat Staff
(Photo: Dutch Garden)
By edhat staff
Local restaurants Dutch Garden and Enterprise Fish Co. are reportedly closing permanently following the shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Santa Barbara’s very own “Restaurant Guy,” John Dickson, reported the news about Dutch Garden on Monday stating the local hotspot opened in 1945.
Located at 4203 State Street, near the intersection of Highway 154 and State, the small building served up schnitzel, German beer, and other European flavors.
Fill up on all the schnitzel and German beer you can since the restaurant will serve its final meals this coming Saturday, June 27.
Enterprise Fish Co. located at 225 State Street, has been closed since March. The restaurant created a GoFundMe account asking the community to help support their employees while being shut down due to the pandemic.
Their website offers a “temporarily shut down” message stating the restaurant is following health recommendations. However, reporter John Palminteri states multiple employees have confirmed the restaurant will not be reopening.
The 43-year-old restaurant has yet to make a formal announcement but their phone lines are currently disconnected.
As many have already heard, Endless Summer Bar & Cafe and Chuck’s Waterfront Grill at the Santa Barbara Harbor have announced their permanent closures on April 30.
“Cheers, to the end of an era. We are sad to announce that we have closed our doors for good. We are so grateful for all of our employees, performers, customers, who have enabled us to remain open for as long as we did,” Endless Summer posted on Facebook.
A new local owner is planning to revamp the space into two separate eateries.
The third restaurant, Chuck’s of Hawaii on Upper State Street, is currently open for dine-in and takeout. There have been no mentions of closing this location.
On Monday, Zizzo’s Coffee and Brewpub at 470 Storke Road in Goleta announced on Facebook they will be closing for good after 12 years.
“We didn’t make much money on this place, matter of fact we lost a lot of money, however we felt we were providing a much-needed community-building service. Building relationships were far more valuable to us. It was never about making a ton of money it was “Good Friends, Great Coffee” which has always been our motto and we sincerely believe we lived by that,” the owners wrote.
The Restaurant Guy also reports the walk-up Mexican eatery at 701 Chapala Street, Romanti-Ezer, permanently closed on June 11.
“This was not an easy decision to make, due to Covid-19 we tried as hard as we could to keep the doors open and unfortunately as many small businesses, we were not able to continue keeping the doors open,” the restaurant wrote.
It opened in 2006 and also has a food truck with the same name, however, it’s unclear if the food truck will also shut down.
Lastly, an edhat reader reports Rose Cafe on Haley Street is not planning to reopen, however, the restaurant has not made an official statement.
Noooooooo! Not the Dutch Gardens! I love that place.
This is absolutely tragic! The only German food in this boring town! What a shame.
This is why we cannot close again.
I will miss Ken’s soups and his wonderful pork knuckles!!!
This is tragic and unjust! It is also just the tip of the iceberg. During the next few months we will start to see the extent of the damage we have inflicted. So many businesses will close forever, and for what? We have not defeated the virus, we cannot defeat the virus, and we will not defeat the virus no matter what we do. We cannot stop the virus from running it’s course, but we can stop the economic destruction. Do not underestimate how important the economy is and the human cost that will result from economic hardship.
This BS pandemic has ruined so much, mostly due to Media Hype and our Covid-19 News Addiction… Yeah, in a country of 325 Million, 150,000 mostly infirm and older Americans died due to this flu virus- Out of 325 MILLION people… I feel badly for the under 35 who will be paying for the ecomonic ripples for decades…
Truly a sad day. I will miss those schnitzels!
Very sad but sounds like most of these spots were close to failure already. Also heard that the Zizzos spot will become a cannabis shop and that permit was in the works for months before CV19 hit.
Why did the President initially push his “experts” agenda on staying home?
Not sure how they stayed in business pre-virus.
At least get your terminology correct. “Flu” is short for “influenza ” which is a virus, but not this virus. Calling it the flu you might just as well call it Adenovirus. Which is also a respiratory virus but also the incorrect name.
For me, personally, this is THE WORST news I have ever read on this website. Dutch Garden has been a staple of my family’s life for the last 20 years. We’ve gotten takeout a few times during COVID. I am absolutely DEVASTATED. I want to cry!!! We’ll be getting takeout tomorrow night! I am soooo upset.
COVIDIOT
My friend is a server at Palace and they are also struggling. If they open and you love them don’t wait to go eat there, do it sooner rather than later or they will be gone too. They would have opened already but the servers were afraid to not be busy enough and since their unemployment pays more than working they asked to wait til the $600 a week extra pay stops.
My prediction is that there are going to be fewer restaurants and the restaurants that survive will have to dramatically raise their prices. Eating out, for ordinary middle-class people, will become a luxury for special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, and so forth. Only the rich will be able to eat out on a regular basis. Whether you supported the lockdown or not, it’s going to DEVASTATE the restaurant business. And if you thought State Street was becoming a miserable place, with homeless place and empty storefront six months, just wait until the Fall.
LOOSECANNON. What rosy-posy daydream world have you been living in for the past decade? “. . . ordinary, middle-class people . . .” haven’t been able to afford to eat out in Santa Barbara or Goleta for ages. We stopped going out when the tab for customers at a mid-price restaurant became $35 per couple (drinking water and not including the 20% tip). Even to-go meals got too pricey. So much less expensive to shop and do your own cooking. Plus no worries about who’s handling your food, finding parking, and so on.
The Palace Grill should bite the dust. They’ve been serving veal and goose-liver pâté for decades. Shame on them.
Time to come up with something original, Chuck.
No tears for these over-priced, over-rated price-gouging restaurants that most SB folks can’t afford anyway; they serve the 1% and the tourists—F*ck ’em!
I’ll miss happy hour at Enterprise.
It’s too hard for them Mattyboy, that would require logical thinking. Much easier to act 2 years old and say the same thing over and over.
Why can’t they just keep doors closed, put insurance on hold, utilities on hold …etc until Covid is over ? Could it be that they are still responsible for RENT every month ? If so, why can’t the landlords take the hit instead of the Biz?…… Just wondering ….
The Dutch Gardens has been here here since 1945. A HUGE staple for the locals AND not for the 1% that you say F..k them. Excellent food and fairly priced and it’s a real shame to see them close up.
Maybe you are one of those who wishes to just see Mom and Pop places close so you can go and place your Uber eat meals and sit at home and watch NetFlix, or whatever it is you watch.
I can understand the Dutch Gardens only because it was ‘far out’, not a highly trafficked location, but Fish Enterprise? It was there where locals and tourists congregate. Something’s fishy.
I read all replies to my comment. My basic idea is that I think the reason the restaurants can’t just “put everything on hold until Covid is over” is because their biggest expense is RENT, and I guess they face eviction or be responsible for back payments. ………I get it that the restaurants rent is the landlords’ income……..but, especially on State street, could it be that the landlord is a huge corporation that has enough $$$ in the bank to make it through 5 years of Covid ? That the property has been paid off for years ? And IF the owner still has a mortgage…maybe they could be helped, and let the banks take the hit ???? In other words the “Mom and Pop” restaurants (known and loved in our community) are suffering and the corporations and banks are winning again.
Endless summer and Chucks lease sale was well in the works before Covid. Stop conflating.
This is an admittedly petty comment, but it was frustrating that Dutch Gardens did not allow dogs in their outdoor seating area. A truly European themed restaurant should have embraced the European tradition of allowing dogs, as permitted by state law in outdoor areas.
We loved the Dutch Gardens and will sorely miss it. They must have been the last place for traditional German food. There used to be several German restaurants in town, but they have all disappeared as tastes change.
This is devastating news and sadly expected for many more businesses. What we’re seeing is fundamental shift in how we eat and are served food. Think about it, if restaurants aren’t serving then we’re grocery shopping. And we all saw the stress in March from what appeared to be hording. But it was more than that. It was redistribution of the food supply. Shopping and economic structure is built around food and entertainment. So what we’re witnessing is the inevitable domino effect pushing over tiles that lead to an entire collapse of the structure we’ve grown familiar with. Add in that businesses are talking permanent remote offices. Retail stores are becoming obsolete. These and more factors will forever change how we live and function as a community. If Covid and Economy are not managed perfectly going forward and if there is not a quick economic recovery to establish a footing, then we are certain to see an economic collapse the likes never experienced for generations. Yes, there will be green shoots to rise out of the ashes. Yes some will find opportunity where others left off. But the cataclysmic event horizon we’re facing is real. There has to be individual but in that a responsibility to community. Function will require all our efforts. Priorities will be necessary that are economically focused to establish the basics of food, water, utilities, shelter, etc. More than anything, if we don’t remove the noise of political discontent and argument and the distractions of things then we’ll miss the largest opportunity we’ve ever had to become a better, stronger community that we can all live in peacefully. Remember, some things are right to discuss, but sometimes not right now. Sometimes there’s a bigger picture that must be addressed.
No……. not Rose Cafe!!!!
Valid analysis of the current situation. Notice that many of the restaurants shutting down are restaurants that had older clientelle who need to be cautious or risk their very lives. Those left of us will have a more constricted old age, but those below 50 will be living for a long time with what they are creating. If this pandemic follows the path of some, it will recurrent ever 10 – 12 years as those without immunities–children–succumb to it.
Excellent comment and a big reason why the worst possible people to lead us out of this mess are NOT the current crop of professional politicians, bureaucrats and academics at City Hall. The entirety of the city’s managers are unimaginative, incapable, bumbling bureaucrats. None of these people has ever built anything new or from scratch or turned around a failing business. As evidenced by years of anemic growth and terrible choices, and a $billion+ in debt for your kids to pay… If measured by nothing but past choices and current status, than its clear that our city is run by idiots and fools who DO NOT have the skills or the vision we need. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Dont you think we’ve had enough of professional bureaucrats and bumbling, placating, pussyfooting, politicians? Their record stands clear and its just plain awful. Our city managers and elected officials have proven irresponsible and inept and simply not capable of the tasks at hand. Vote them out, kick them out and let those who can actually create and build take us forward.
Truly sad for everyone involved – the patrons, but especially the business owners and employees. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. Restaurants across the nation have lost $120 billion in sales in the past 3 months, even if they were able to keep their doors open and pivot to online/takeout orders. COVID-19 has truly decimated the restaurant industry.
Surfergirl, its because a”tenant’s” rent is the “landlord’s” income. If you take away their income, how do they live, how do they pay their bills, how do they pay the mortgage, the taxes, the salaries? ——– I really wish we had better financial education. People need to be taught how business and economics and finance actually function. There is a rather disturbing lack of understanding about how finances and the economy actually work and its creating an unnecessary social divide. Its not “theirs” or “yours”, its never that simple…
Not the Dutch.
I remember when Dutch Garden first opened and, if I remember correctly, they only had the front seating area. They served until food ran out for that day and then closed.
As an aside, I do not understand negative comments for ANY of the restaurant closures. This shut down of small businesses has been devastating to most small businesses. This also includes a large majority of the small (dirty word) landlords. As pointed out by others, banks are not prone to forgiving loan repayments so many small landlords are also in a pinch.
I will sorely miss Dutch Garden (it is not plural, folks). Ken’s duck is the best in town, and his schnitzel is as well. And no more of Laurie’s delicious pies, oh no! And perhaps most distressing of all, where will I get Klokke Roeland on tap now?
And to all you who have nothing better to do than yell at each other online, I roll my eyes in amazement and embarrassment for my fellow man.
Loose, If you cannot afford to drop $100 on a meal, you are not middle class. But the rest of your comment deserves a little clarity. Know that restaurants in SB have been subsidized by a steady flow of cheap labor for years. They pay min-wage to mostly immigrant workers, many of whom are not legally allowed to work. As a result, the wages have been held artificially low and allowed many restaurateurs to thrive when their business should not… In other words: If there werent 1000’s of people willing to work for such low wages, there would not be such low wages. Remove the labor subsidy of unskilled, unfettered immigration and you suddenly have much fewer facilities. But you have a more sustainable and livable wage and environment. You cant have it both ways. You are either for equality and fairness in the labor market or you’re for subsidized labor and profits for a few… I’d imagine that most of you would rather that we had fewer restaurants but higher wages that allowed people to have a decent chance at life… Or maybe you just want cheap food and stuff and dont care about the long term costs to society… Your choice, but at least know the details and the downsides before you choose.
@CHIP. This virus may not be able to be “defeated” but it can be contained simply by doing the things recommended by the experts. Isolate, wear a face mask, socially distance, contact trace.
The government was wrong and persisted in being wrong because it suffers no consequences for being wrong. The government imposed tyrannical stay at home orders and crushed and destroyed livelihoods and businesses and put thousands out of work. Now the economic devastation the government wreaked is reality. More to come. Just don’t forget that when you pass by the shell of a building that was once a thriving business, wear a mask.
To me this is a sad occurrence that indicates the difficulties of staying in business and re-arranging your facilities to meet current demands that require adaptable change. It is NOT a political battle ground as some comments allude to, but the realities of economics of change. I feel for the current owners who have put their lives into providing the unique German food we as locals have enjoyed thru 3 owner families and serving my family and the community for nearly 40 years. I’d like to hear from the current owners why they feel they must throw in the towel. Is it the hopelessness of the situation, simply tired of a life of toil and work, or feeling there is no local support they depend on. For whatever the reason I’d like to thank them for the decades of wonderful food in a authentic beer garden environment without the travel to Munich. Thank you for your service …please reconsider this decision.
I am going to try to speak with them tonight. Is there some way this can be avoided? I would contribute to anything – a GoFundMe, whatever. I LOVE Dutch Garden. What has always made this town so special and dear to me and proud to show it off (it’s my hometown) is our wonderful local food scene. I’m really worried we’re going to lose a lot of my long-time oldschool favorites. This is a huge loss for SB!
Thank you Coastwatch, the numbers don’t lie.
Coastwatch must not have cared about the deaths in the Vietnam war or 9/11 because those events didn’t cause enough deaths to be important. No regard for older Americans. It’s always funny because it’s typically the uneducated that blame issues on media.
Maybe everyone needs to settle
Down and put yourself in the owners position! Not all restaurants are closing due to covid. We don’t need to start go fund me pages for all the restaurants. Maybe this was planned before covid! Maybe after 30+ years of owning one of the most consistent and busiest restaurants in town they wanted to retire? Before everyone “freaks out” and just makes all these assumptions let’s embrace the last 30 years of great food by ken and Laurie and wish them luck in their next chapter of life. I am saddened like you all BUT also thrilled that the owners can live their lives they deserve (that restaurant owner/operators) don’t get!!!
Randy Rouse was a restaurant owner, and couldn’t do anything to avoid this mess. Please provide an example of a city that is addressing these issues in the way you like and let’s take a look.
SBO, your explanation would make sense if there weren’t so many landlords willing to let their spaces be totally empty for long periods on State Street with no income coming in. Unless there is a government program to give them money for this that I don’t know about? Please provide my missing financial education on this.
Dutch Garden and the original Rose Cafe were two of my favorite restaurants, both locally and world-wide. I sometimes fancied that they could almost be worthy enough to be included in our National Historic Register, or be recognized as community landmarks. And great memories of the Enterprise Fish Company; it was the place I used to go to get oysters on the half-shell and sit at the bar with a Bass ale in hand after classes at UCSB . I will sorely miss all three, especially “the Dutch” and “the Rose”. Please support American-owned businesses and buy American-made products!
I totally hear you and I don’t disagree. This is why I said I would *ask* them. If they needed help, then maybe the community would step up. If this was planned for a long time, then we’re still going to be devastated but don’t act like we’re going to bully them into staying open! We’re all well-intentioned here. I hope you can see that.
Honestly, I liked Endless Summer because of the memorabilia and the view but what a tourist trap. Overpriced and food was mediocre at best. So, yeah, okay.
But Dutch Gardens was a TRUE SB local spot and Sara Zen, if you don’t understand that then you need to check your local credentials a little more carefully. Fairly priced, been there for a very long time, quirky as hell, really good food. Very sad to see that place go.
Whatever happens at Endless Summer and Chucks’, I’m sure it will be overpriced, but hoping they at least make a gesture towards edible food.
SARA ZEN speak for yourself. These weren’t over priced. If you watch your dollars and budget you too can afford to eat out once in awhile at quality locally owned places. I guess you’d prefer Applebees or some other national chains to take over instead? You sound like sour grapes.
A very sad day here in SB that the best longtime restaurants with history are closing down, The Dutch Gardens, Rose’s Cafe on the 400 block of East Haley St. And the Fish Enterprise is sadly closing down forever as well. If not the #1 restaurant for seafood, at least #2. Also (if not) the Dutch Gardens is (soon to be was) the only German restaurant in the city of SB. Their burgers were the best of all of SB.
I could not agree more! As someone who has worked in the local service industry all my adult life and the past 35 years in Santa Barbara. I also tried (and failed) to open a small pub here in town and it was the most intense experience of my life. Heartbreaking. Spent my life savings, worked my hands to the bone to renovate a condemned (but very cool) building and we received nothing but resistance, obstacles, grief and B.S. from the city and our greedy landlord. It was HELL. I empathize with all the small business owners in town who make Santa Barbara unique and give us our own personality. HATE the chain cookie cutter operations, but with a city government like we have here, that’s ALL we are going to get if we aren’t vigilant.
The Dutch Garden and The Enterprise are two of the most iconic SB places we have. This is devastating news. I worked at the E-Prise in the early 80’s, it’s where I met all of my lifelong friends. SO sad.
Not to mention the BEST beer on tap in town!
Loose Cannon – the sky is falling! the sky is falling! Oh woe is us!
I’m sure the banks would be more than happy to let the “landlords” skip paying their mortgage for the six to 12 months it will take for a vaccine…..right?!