The rooftop restaurant overlooking Santa Barbara’s harbor, Anchor Rose, is staying open, for now.
The restaurant’s general manager, Carlos Ramirez, reached out to edhat with an update following the November 10th publication of our article stating the restaurant was closing.
Located at 113 Harbor Way, the restaurant was opened in July 2022. Anchor Rose is known for its aesthetic views, relaxed atmosphere around the harbor and craft cocktails. It has also become a popular spot for hosting live music, supporting local musicians and becoming one of the few harbor-side spots for live performances.
The original article was based on an announcement from owner Dennis Longaberger in a Facebook post on November 7, 2025, stating the restaurant would close in late December citing financial challenges and high operating costs.
In his Facebook post, Longaberger said the restaurant’s large space had led to high operational costs, adding that he had “run out of money for Anchor Rose.” He also noted that one of the restaurant’s major partners, based in Santa Monica, opposed live music events, writing, “No live music!”.
Longaberger said that he believes the central spirit of the harbor lies in music and thanked the entire community of performers and customers for sharing their contributions towards the Anchor Rose’s lively ambience over the years.
He ended the post by saying that those looking for him can find him aboard the Sunset Kidd, signing off as “Captain Dennis.”
General Manager Refutes Closing Claims
Carlos Ramirez refuted Longaberger’s claims and stated the restaurant is not planning to close. However, the lease is set to expire in January 2026, but there are currently no plans to shutter the establishment.
According to Ramirez, the majority owner of the restaurant, Bryan Deminie, recently took full control of the business and transferred control of the music schedule away from Longaberger. While music was cancelled for one night, the rest of the live music schedule has continued on.
Deminie has yet to give notice to the City of Santa Barbara on whether there will be a lease extension or not as he is in the process of finding a new business partner. As of now, Anchor Rose is not closing, said Ramirez.
About Anchor Rose
Anchor Rose has a deep-rooted maritime history that has been reflected in its seafood, scratch-made plates and coastal-crafted drinks. The restaurant even embraced a casual “flip-flops welcome” policy.
The restaurant has promoted itself as the “Santa Barbara’s Only Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge,” offering guests 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean, downtown Santa Barbara, and the historic harbor.
The restaurant operates Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Anchor Rose also offers daily happy hours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The 113 Harbor Way location has long been home to several well-known waterfront restaurants, including Chuck’s Waterfront Grill, Endless Summer Bar Café, Chomp on the Rocks, and SALTY at the Beach.
Santa Barbara’s Changing Dining Scene
The Santa Barbara dining scene is changing with the new openings bringing new flavors to the city.
A new restaurant, Little Mountain, recently opened in Montecito’s Upper Village, creating a wood-fired, California-inspired style of cooking.
Another addition is KANOK Thai Cuisine, a new Thai restaurant in downtown Solvang.
Sadly, the food was sub-par and the service well intended but even worse. They gave us zero reasons to go there.