We Want the Funk Serves Sparkling Style Amid Casual Vibes

“We entertain a lot at our house,” explains restaurant veteran Ted Ellis, who opened the lounge-like We Want the Funk toward the end of 2022 with his wife, Greer. “We wanted this to be an extension of our home.” 

With lots of bubbly and beer, myriad oyster options, and a menu full of flatbreads freshly fired in a food truck permanently parked on the patio, this new Funk Zone establishment echoes the soirees that they’re known for throwing in their San Roque neighborhood. But instead of suburban backyard vibes, the decor here is ’70-inspired, “mohair-and-mustache,” with a psychedelic, Peter Max–ish mural created by Santa Barbara artist Michael Matheson (a k a Metal Teepee), Tom Petty lyrics in neon, glitzy gold lampshades, and a disco ball to twinkle the nights away. The setting — designed by Greer, built out by Ted — triggers a sense of fun and joy, the ideal forum for friends, families, and anyone seeking a bit of easygoing escapism.

That, too, was intentional, because the couple’s last venture was more struggle than sunshine. Their nearly three-year-long quest to turn the old El Torito on Cabrillo Boulevard into the modern Cal-Asian restaurant Oku was a particularly savage planning-process horror story. And then, just months after its late 2019 opening, the pandemic pounced. The oceanfront eatery eventually emerged triumphant with the help of investors and their partner Tina Takaya, who also co-owns Opal Restaurant, but Ted and Greer were ready to move on by fall 2021.