Portola Dining Commons - Goleta

I experienced food poisoning several times from this dining common in 2019. Be cautious with the salad bar, as it seems they don't frequently replace the dressings. When I attempted to address this health safety concern, my warnings were ignored. I even escalated the issue to UCSBdining, but they were extremely dismissive.

Here’s my ranking of the dining commons: 1. Ortega (hello sushi!) 2. DLG (perfect for late-night cravings) 3. Carrillo (best breakfast) 4. Portola (too far away; I’ve only been once).

The dining commons have a beautiful aesthetic and great views. Breakfast typically features the same menu with a few minor variations. Lunch is consistently enjoyable, while dinner can be hit or miss. Overall, the food is of good quality, and the staff is friendly. A special shout-out to Tina, who is a wonderful employee and definitely deserves some tips!

I understand you close at a certain time. But, of someone is concluding their meal and you see them eating...and you've put away food products, I think its rude to rush them to eat. An employee did this today and it was not very nice. I felt rushed andthere were more cleaning tasks to be done that wouldn't take away from me finishing my meal. There were even dishes stillsitting to be clean once I put mine away. Please have your employees consider this in customer interactions. Thanks

As a former Gaucho, I hold the UCSB dining commons in high regard. With options like pizza, burgers, pasta, a sandwich bar, salad bar, a waffle machine, unlimited soda, and an all-you-can-eat setup—all accessible with a simple card swipe (or for $20 if you're not a student)—it's hard not to appreciate the convenience! I find some complaints quite baffling. Do people really expect the same quality as The French Laundry here? Not a chance! The dining commons serve a practical purpose: providing the fuel we need to focus on our studies, and for that, I think they're more than satisfactory. Here’s my ranking of the DCs: 1. Ortega (sushi is a highlight!), 2. DLG (great for late-night cravings), 3. Carrillo (serves the best breakfast), 4. Portola (a bit too far, I only tried it once).