By Day

Nestled in the charming La Arcada complex, Stateside Restaurant and Lounge is located at 1114 State Street, the newly remodeled building offers an array of Asian-inspired gourmet fare by Executive Chef Chris Barnett. As co-owner Chris Butler puts it, “we take food seriously.” Some of the incredible edibles to be found at Stateside are their pepper crusted Ahi tuna sashimi ($12), beef filet tips and arugula salads ($12), grilled curried albacore sandwiches ($12), and chicken avocado bacon wraps ($9).
You may need a frosty pomegranate margarita ($10) or a sparkling sake lemon drop ($10) to wash it all down as you soak up sun rays on the restaurant patio.

Of course if you prefer a more enclosed environment, the upstairs lounge provides an intimate setting for close-quarter conversation. Downstairs, a full bar and large table section invite patrons to spread out and take in the stylish atmosphere.

Planning a party soon? Why not reserve the restaurant’s spacious banquet room? Whatever the occasion, the restaurant’s staff will exceed your expectations. Stateside serves lunch from 11am to 4pm and dinner from 4pm to closing every day of the week. It also features salsa dance lessons from 8:30pm to 9:30pm and open dancing from 9:30pm to closing on Wednesday nights. For reservations, call (805) 564-1000.

By Night

When the sun goes down in Santa Barbara, opportunities arise for the playful at heart. Located at 634 State Street, TONIC nightclub is a local favorite for dancing and socializing. TONIC managing partner Chris Dixon (founder of the wildly popular sbtherapy party events) attracts today’s hottest and most eclectic deejays, specializing in electronica, hip-hop, Latin house-remixes and all-genre mash ups.

From legends like DJ Dan, Charles Feelgood, Derrick Carter, to local celebrities like Calvin Riley and DJ Hogg, talented turntable techs keep the crowd grooving from the very start of the evening till the club closes. In addition to the crowd-pleasing music sets, the club features a front patio area overlooking State Street and a large outdoor patio in the back where revealers can grab a drink or take a quick break from the dance floor.

The experienced wait staff proudly serves up Bacardi mojitos and other delicious liquid treats from three different in-house bars. For more discerning patrons, TONIC also offers VIP bottle service at any of the outdoor cabanas.

TONIC is a Santa Barbara nightlife must for anyone looking to meet up, hook-up or just rock out. To find out more about TONIC nightclub, visit their myspace page at www.myspace.com/tonicsb.