Eastside
Julia Child-approved taqueria and other Mexican food eateries
North Milpas Street, near the western border of Eastside, is the shopping and restaurant mecca of the community. Hughes says people like grocery shopping at Sprouts Farmers Market or Trader Joe’s, but there are also stores like Pennywise Market, selling essentials for Indian cooking and Chapala Market, which has a mix of American and Mexican snacks. A handful of Latin and Spanish-infused eateries are near Eastside; founded in the mid-1980s, the family-run La Super-Rica is a well-known joint with a bright white and aqua-blue exterior. The cash-only establishment serves homemade tortillas with various meats, and it usually has a long line. According to multiple reports, Julia Child, who lived near Montecito later in life, said the restaurant was one of her favorite places to eat. Los Agaves Restaurant is another popular joint with cheesy enchiladas and fresh cocktails.Set in a 1930s-built dairy building and named after the plaster cow on top, Bossie’s Kitchen is known for its home-made chicken pot pies and was featured in a “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” episode in 2023. For shopping, residents have a handful of clothing and accessory boutiques. The open-air Paseo Nuevo shopping mall is 2 miles southwest and has locally owned businesses, retail chains and the Metropolitan Paseo Nuevo 4 Cinemas.
From manufactured homes to Spanish villas
Eastside’s gridded streets here are lined with sprawling oak and pine trees, and many people park their cars on the road. Homes typically have stucco, wrought iron or chain-link fences surrounding them. “I think what draws people in is the affordability,” Ainsley says. Eastside also has some midcentury manufactured homes in communities like Holiday Mobile Home Park and Flamingo Mobile Home Park. Multifamily properties, mostly built between the 1920s and ‘50s, are spread throughout the eastern part of the area, with small entryways and backyards with stone patios. Many are seen as investment opportunities. Prices can range between $120,000 and $225,000 for manufactured houses, and multi-family properties are priced from $1.3 million to $2.6 million, typically depending on square footage.Single-family homes in Eastside include early 20th-century bungalows and cottages with wood siding and stucco exteriors. Tiny, lush gardens sit in front of walk-up porches and rock-landscaped yards. One to two-story Spanish villas and modern traditional homes from the 1920s and ‘50s sit further north in the community. Some feature two-car garages and well-manicured landscapes. Prices typically range between $900,000 and $1.5 million for older homes with less square footage and between $1.7 and $2.9 million for remodeled homes with more square footage.
Bike-friendly avenues in Eastside
Hughes says Eastside is bike-friendly compared to surrounding areas because its streets are flatter. Every corner has well-paved sidewalks, and people are within walking distance of businesses and places of worship like New Beginning Community Church and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Downtown Santa Barbara is about a 2-mile drive southwest via the Alameda Padre Serra, one of the most well-known streets in the city. U.S. Route 101—or “the 101,” as locals call it—connects to the neighborhood’s southern border and travels across the city. Santa Barbara MTD buses make routine stops in and outside the community. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is almost 4 miles west via APS, and Santa Barbara Airport is 11 miles west via the 101.Letting loose at Santa Barbara Bowl and celebrating Latino culture for Old Spanish Days
Residents aren’t far from the Santa Barbara Bowl, a massive 4,500-seat outdoor amphitheater built in 1936 for art events and special tours. Since the 1970s, the venue has been a popular concert-going spot with local and national-recognized musicians like Nine Inch Nails and Leon Bridges. “It’s going to be tricky to find street parking when something’s going on at the bowl, but you can walk there. You can also listen to the music on your front porch,” Hughes says. In July, the city celebrates Old Spanish Days Fiesta to commemorate the Spanish, Mexican and North American pioneers who first arrived in the 18th century. Starting in 1924, this five-day festival includes equestrian parades near Downtown Santa Barbara, live mariachi and folklorico dance performances and various “mercados,” or small markets, with food vendors set up near the Eastside neighborhood.Community garden, neighborhood center and next door to Santa Barbara Zoo
Within the community, locals can visit the 2-acre Eastside Neighborhood Park, which underwent a major renovation in 2023. The space has a covered playground, public fitness equipment on its walking paths and the city’s first public nest swing where parents can swing alongside their children. Folks can rent a plot to grow herbs and flowers in the park’s Yanonali Community Garden, and the nearby Franklin Neighborhood Center is regularly rented for wedding receptions and quinceaneras. The Eastside Branch Library is also nearby and offers reservable laptops and tutoring classes. Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Courts are close to the southeast pocket of the neighborhood, and the iconic Santa Barbara Zoo is also close by, with over 20 animal exhibits. The adjacent 42-acre Andree Clark Bird Refuge has several scenic biking and walking trails.Yearly art trips at Santa Barbara Senior High
The area is zoned for the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Students can start at Franklin Elementary, earning a B-plus from Niche, or Cleveland Elementary, scoring a C-plus. Kids can continue to Santa Barbara Junior High, which earns a B. The A-minus-rated Santa Barbara Senior High is one of the oldest high schools in the state. It's known for its Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) which holds several fundraisers and events like a yearly senior trip to New York to tour art schools and galleries. For post-grad plans, UCSB is located near the western edge of Santa Barbara. It offers over 200 majors and is known for its STEM curriculum.Staying alert for thefts and floods
Eastside has a CAP Index crime score of 6 out of 10 for motor vehicle theft. The California Highway Patrol recommends parking cars in well-lit areas and not hiding a spare ignition key on the vehicle. The community is also prone to flooding, especially from December to February. The county advises homeowners to stay prepared for flash flooding by checking FEMA maps and keeping an emergency kit with first aid materials, insurance documents and a flashlight.

Agents Specializing in this Area
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Tiffany Dore
Village Properties
(805) 324-6641
14 Total Sales
3 in Eastside
$1.1M - $2.2M Price Range
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Kevin Hall
Compass
(805) 321-6585
92 Total Sales
3 in Eastside
$890K - $1.8M Price Range
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Dustin Baker
Responds QuicklySotheby's International Realty
(424) 322-6630
50 Total Sales
2 in Eastside
$1.4M - $1.5M Price Range
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Cristal Clarke
Responds QuicklyBerkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties
(805) 837-1565
228 Total Sales
2 in Eastside
$1,530,000 Price Range
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Susan Liu
Responds QuicklyPinnacle Estate Properties, Inc.
(805) 624-3949
50 Total Sales
1 in Eastside
$2,584,000 Price
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PJ Williams
Responds QuicklyGoodwin & Thyne Properties
(805) 953-7408
22 Total Sales
2 in Eastside
$910K - $1M Price Range
Schools
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Eastside | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 3 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 3 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 4 | 4 |
Robbery | 4 | 4 |
Burglary | 5 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 6 | 4 |
Larceny | 4 | 4 |
Crime Score | 4 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Eastside Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Eastside, Santa Barbara sell after 55 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Eastside, Santa Barbara over the last 12 months is $335,000, down 21% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
Some Transit
Transit Score®
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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