Strange Beast Deals a Winning Pair

The Good Lion Plus Sama Sama’s New Venture Is a Fun Addition to Downtown Ventura

A sampling of the food and cocktails at Strange Beast. | Credit: Lure Digital

By Mon Sep 04, 2023 | 07:27pm

Since becoming a resident of Santa Barbara’s Upper East Side in 2015, whenever people ask for recommendations in the Theater District, or for S.B. in general, The Good Lion and Sama Sama Kitchen are the first names to leave my lips.

Two rights certainly can’t make a wrong, and this is proven by Good Lion Hospitality’s latest concept in Downtown Ventura, a hybrid of both S.B. mainstays: Strange Beast.

When property in a gorgeous historic 1924-era building opened up, Good Lion husband and wife cofounders, Brandon and Misty Ristaino, jumped at the opportunity to open an izakaya-style bar and team up with their Michelin Bib Gourmand neighbors at Sama Sama to create a menu of Japanese tapas to pair with their drinks.

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