TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in Santa Cruz - Updated November 2024

"Best sushi in the area. Super fresh. Super delicious. Super generous. If you're looking for a friendly place for fantastic sushi, this is the place..."

Elizabeth Sutfin

A K

"Shrimp tacos were bomb! Went around 10:30-11am and was able to get seating and had no wait yet at the counter. Staff was really friendly with..."

T Sripun

"Amazing seafood and some of the best views of the water. This restaurant has been my family's go-to for years. The indoor seating was closed, but we..."

Jonathan Vargas

Linda's Seabreeze Cafe

Wheelchair Accessible

"Great food!!! Great service!!! If I ever come back to Santa Cruz I will eat here again!!! Thank you Linda's Seabreeze Cafe highly..."

William

"Great place, reminds me of the cafés I grew up in. Bring cash, they done take..."

Marcy Christlieb

"Very good - interesting breakfast specials. Orange poppy seed pancakes -..."

Carl G Becker

"It was good , be careful upon going because there is usually a wait but the interesting thing about that is they offer coffee to those who wait so it..."

Matt

"CINNAMON ROLLS. For breakfast or brunch:If you don't already know about this, let me divulge the secret: ask for a cinnamon roll instead of..."

Emily

"It's time for another breakfast foods review! 🍳 Parking lot is currently transformed to outdoor seating, so be ready to look for street parking...."

Irene Lu

"Excellent breakfast with lots of fresh fruit options on french toast, waffles , and pancakes. Their fresh squeezed orange juice is memorable as was..."

Christopher Avalos

"I was very impressed fresh squeezed orange juice! My waffle was very light with a lot of fruit with cream the sausages the eggs were very lovely. My..."

ZeeTelevision :3

"First, I have to say the “wait staff” were awesome. They were friendly, attentive, and they all worked together as a team (so nice)! The food..."

Lori Gutierrez

"Absolutely fantastic food and amazing service. Highly recommend the fresh squeezed orange juice. Hearty American portions. Great diner coffee. Real..."

Yingzi Sakura Huang

"We are here visiting for a family wedding and we were in search for breakfast. My nephew is a foodie and searched for our breakfast destination. He..."

Front Squats and French Bulldogs

"Excellent restaurant. I ordered the scrambled eggs with minced ham, country potatoes, and an apricot muffin:..."

Mark Evans

"Our go to place for breakfast or brunch! Great service, great food, great sensitivity to Covid-delta with good outdoor spacing (and probably inside,..."

David B. Karpf, MD

The Crow's Nest

86/100 (2673 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"Stopped by for a late lunch and was disappointed that the main dining room was closed until dinner service, however, we were directed to the grill..."

Pamela Henschel Deiab

"We live close so we eat the often. The service is very good they always have enough Servers etc. to take care of the large volume of people that come..."

Colette Browne

"The Crowsnest is a place I always visit when I’m in SC. Came here for dinner Sunday. I had the fish tacos with mango with a nice light herb aioli..."

Lisa Orlando

"Dinner yesterday evening was delicious! We had a large group of ten, and our waiter was awesome!!! Very nice and courteous! I definitely would..."

Jacqueline Roque

"Great casual atmosphere. Was there for the live music, the John Michael Band, at the bar upstairs. Fun great time! Ate appetizers, the fresh made..."

Jane Shaffran

"The food was fantastic, the service terrific, sitting on the patio was relaxing. I'll be eating here..."

Jean Walsh Sabolevsky

"The Crows Nest is an awesome place just to relax on the beach. The clam chowder is excellent It's a must if you visit with a nice glass of..."

Antonino Holmes

"The service was great fast drinks on point food..."

Denise McNeil Hines

"The Crows Nest will always have a place in my heart after many years of working with them and for them I will always patronize their..."

John Motta

"Great view -good service -happy hour is great.. smoked salmon is delicious,& clam chowder is tasty..."

Eva Cantrell

"Great ambience, background music, big screens with variety of sports, the beach view, lighthouse, sunset, tasty food, polite..."

Dan Valcazar

"They have the best salad bar in town! And the view of the harbor.... well you just can’t beat..."

Marci Gomez

Lillian's Italian Kitchen

Wheelchair Accessible

"Very family friendly and lively..."

Destin2talespin

"Fantastic food reasonably priced for upscale Italian. Would dine here regularly if we were locals. A little noisy, but otherwise good ambience...."

Kellye B Owens

"Recently had a trip to Italy and found myself saying 'this is good but it's not as good as Lillian's'. Wonderful restaurant. You must book..."

Ronnie Stanton

"Santa Cruz was an alien town to me and had no idea where to go eat! Heard about this restaurant and never visited another one! The hospitality is..."

Sohrab Singh

"Belly bursting happiness. Lillian's is right down the street where I live, so it proves to be my favorite local restaurant and a usual for my..."

Cheapeats

"After making reservations we headed over there so we would be there right on time. But when we got there, the restauraunt was packed! We had to wait..."

Keri M-H

"Thank you Lillian's. Thank you for coming to Santa Cruz. Love the ambience. Love the food. Love the..."

Flipper

"This place rocks! I called at 430 on saturday to see when we could get in. Her took my mame and number and told me an hour. An jour later we were..."

Agoble

"This place is great. Just left there and had to write a review. Everything was delisous and was very well priced. This place is the besitalian I have..."

Itai Britany

"This was the perfect valentines day spot. The soup is the best I've ever had. The aroma alone will make you fall in..."

Tyler Rossman

"Wow this place is great. One of those small diners with killer food you would see on food networks diners drive in's and dives. The Sunday gravy is..."

Kevin Talbot

"Get there early the place fills up fast. Their meat sauce is..."

Michelle

"Wow this was so good. I got the Gorgonzola fiochetti, a slightly sweet and savory and creamy pasta with prosciutto. So good! My partners pasta w meat..."

Maia Miglio

"After a long day of hiking or day on the boardwalk, drive 10 minutes to this gem of a restaurant! Excellent for families, generous portions and..."

Richard H

"This was my fourth visit here so I felt it was time to give this place the review it deserves. This Italian restaurant is one reason I drive 80 miles..."

Ariane Arnaldo

"Great service. Made a reservation the night before and the host was very friendly and helpful. I asked for a certain table and they said they would..."

Rick Salgado

"We enjoyed a wonderful dining experience all around. During the short time we were waiting to be seated, three servers, as they were passing by,..."

E Graze

"We called ahead on a Friday evening at 6:00PM and of course we were unable to make reservations as it is all booked for the night. When we arrived to..."

Kim C

"Lillian's has been a star since they opened! I moved away and was visiting, so I had an opportunity to visit their new and large, yet comfy and..."

Jeni Brill

"What a delightful surprise finding this restaurant was!! We were staying in Capitola and took a drive to Santa Cruz. As dinner approached, I looked..."

Patti Diamond

La Posta Restaurant

Roast Broccoli Rabe with Toasted Breadcrumbs

Brussels Sprouts

Antipasti

Radicchio with Canelli Beans

Bread and Butter

Affogato

Biscotti and Almond Cookie

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Lamb

Short Rib Ravioli

Pesto

Fresh Pasta with Braised Short Rib Ragout

Wheelchair Accessible

"Great local spot and neighborhood gem. Good food, homemade bread, and excellent wine selection...."

Barb Bernard

"I love the atmosphere, I went right after it opened so it was rather empty. I sat at the bar and enjoyed conversation with the manager I think. I..."

Cris Tulloch

"Wonderful New Year’s Eve dinner! Great food and service. Please fix your noisy fan or heater..."

Carol Skolnick

"My mom, son and I had dinner last week and the server and kitchen were very accommodating to my little "picky eater". We decided that we could come..."

Satya Cohen

"One of my favorite places to eat!! Great food, excellent wine and casual, mellow atmosphere. I would name a favorite but since the menu changes with..."

Sally McGee

"Consistently good food, not overdone. Bread is fresh baked and pasta is house made. Love neighborhood night. Great for a date or dinner with..."

Michelle Wilczynski

"We had our third dinner at La Posta last night and enjoyed it all over again! Each dish was so special - beautifully prepared and presented - the..."

Gretchen Sand

"Love your food. Would you ever share your rosemary walnut bread..."

Dave Mann

"Amazing food, great wine list, wonderful ambience, loves their local cliental, generous to a fault to SCCS public schools. What's not to..."

Deborah Tracy-Proulx

"Wonderful customer service on Mother's Day! Thank you for making the evening special for my..."

Emily Sullivan-Detwiler

"Lovely atmosphere, fresh local and innovative food. Great date night. Nice that they do good work in the community..."

Caitlin Phillips Karimzadeh

"Neighborhood gem. I've been a fan since day one and believe this is definitely the BEST restaurant in Santa..."

Maria Serrano Boutell

"Great chef makes great dishes. Menu is limited and changes every week. Waiters know their stuff and can tell you more about the food than you ever..."

Glenn Nelson

"A great experience for dinner with a variety of very well executed dishes. The bread is not to be missed and the Italian focused wine list is a..."

Lexa Boosey

"La Posta is an absolute gem! I am always so impressed with the level of attention that is put into curating every item on the menu. The salads and..."

Giovanna Kristina Mayorga

"We had another excellent meal at La Posta Saturday evening. The menu, which is seasonal and changes weekly is available their website. We enjoyed..."

Nancy Kiehl

"Fantastic! Fabulous service, fabulous food..real Italian food, flavors and serving size with a great selection of Northern Italian wines. You can..."

Jean McCormack

"This food was sick as f. So much better than I expected from this little establishment. We got the salad, the lasagna thing, ribs, seafood stew and..."

Peter Pan

"Delicious, fresh and delicately prepared Italian fare. The sourdough bread is incredible, as were the hommade pasta and wine list. Even during these..."

Katie Dombrowski

Harbor Cafe

85/100 (1186 ratings)

Small Pomegranate Mimosa

Homemade Whipped Cream

Country Steak Breakfast

Fish Taco

Polenta Benedict

Tacos

Mexican Tofu Scramble

Wheelchair Accessible

"This is my favorite place to have breakfast or lunch. The food never disappoints and the staff is amazing. It’s become a weekly thing to go here. I..."

Ron Andersen

"Great food and drinks just the wait is long I guess all Entertainers are not all v.i.p ..lol. Just celebrated my B-DAY today there ... Heeeey . Lol...."

Gabriel Alamillo Garcia

"The best food and the best staff, especially Christy, Lindsey and Rocco! Love everything about it. It is a must visit when in Santa Cruz. Bonus~they..."

Donna Riege Deaton

"This place is exceptional!! We have visited this spot a few times and it has been amazing each time even if you have to wait an hour on the..."

Sarena Hollenshead

"Our group was staying down the street so we walked down to the Cafe. It looked crowded but the wait was worth it. Ample portions and cooked just as I..."

Connie Gulick Weiman

"One of my favorite places to eat in Santa Cruz. I am not a young one, but have been treated like family there. Love the food and our service has..."

Kathy La Vars

"This place came highly recommended by a couple we met at a local brewery the night before. The sun was out so we enjoyed a killer breakfast made with..."

Stacy Hildreth

"Get the Cali eggs bennidict, it's the. Great breakfast place. A must have anytime in Santa Cruz. Great service, great food, great..."

Cody Patterson

"Small local restaurant with great food and drinks. Being a small restaurant there is a wait most of the time but on weekends the outside..."

Daniel Coy

"Service and food was excellent. FAST service! Obvious from the large crowd that this is a favorite place. The waiter was more than 5..."

Charlotte Jensen

"Great spot for tasty breakfast. Outdoor seating if you want to bring your pup. Awesome veggie burrito and Cali Benedict. Be prepared to wait... but..."

Dorissa Mitchell

"Amazing staff, phenomenal grub, perfect location! Love this place. Best breakfast burritos of Santa Cruz. But don't just take a rockstars word for..."

Adam Pierce

"Honestly the best breakfast I have ever had. New favorite place!!! They have me for..."

Shane Bettes

"We had a big group and the food was all delivered pretty much together. No one had a bad breakfast and the service was satisfactory! Love eating at..."

Dan Sturdivant

"Breakfast is amazing. Great flavor, portion, and..."

Miguel España

"Harbor Cafe is a great brunch / lunch location. It’s a tiny little spot on 7th Ave near the Harbor. They don’t take reservations and are on a..."

MJ Stearns - Your Local Real Estate Expert

"One of the best option for breakfast, brunch and lunch around Santa Cruz. Great food, great serve and nice atmosphere. Plan ahead to go there and be..."

Cris Vasconcelos

"You know it's a great place if there is a wait with free coffee refills. They also text you when the table is ready. The food was very tasty. Had..."

Richard Frock

"This place was so good! My family ages 2 to 62 enjoyed the menu. The service was impeccable and safe eating..."

Darla Worden

"I have been eating at harbor cafe for about 9 years now. There is so much I love about this place. The atmosphere is 5/5, a relaxed breakfast place..."

William Richard

"Definitely coming back had a great time!! Once I get a second home out here I can definitely walk to get a mimosa at the outside bar that they..."

MARIAH CAVAZOS

Laili Restaurant

85/100 (4479 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"Wait was short, table for two outside in the garden/patio. Lovely watermelon salad, Filet mignon with rice, veggies, wine, water, flat bread and port..."

Gini Gyorkos

"Excellent place to eat! Everything we had was delicious. We tried the Mantoo for appetizer, had the beet, arugula and goat cheese salad and then the..."

Rebecca Stewart

"A must if in Santa Cruz anytime ! The patio is such a sweet refreshing ,romantic , beautiful garden area to enjoy a very tasteful meal ,the chefs are..."

Toni Guel

"We just celebrated our daughter's birthday! Lovely patio and delicious food! We were all very pleased. Highly..."

Colleen Siebert Harris

"The atmosphere and the food are incredible. The meat melts in your mouth. Definitely try a shish kabob the first time you go. The outside patio is..."

Jane Walker

"Favorite restaurant ! Excellent vegetarian selections, anything you order here is amazing but I love the eggplant dish and the Rose meringue..."

Carrie Campbell Clayden

"The food was delicious. I enjoyed the lamb burger. They also served us a complimentary pita with a dip. Very good service. I would recommend..."

Sanchita Sheth

"Great ambience and decent service. Reservations through website are recommended. Quality of the food was terrific. Quantity is sufficient, options..."

Aditya Samalla

"Great wine, great service, beautiful patio, delicious food! We had the butternut squash appetizer (yum!) and the salmon pasta and roasted..."

Susan Head

"I came here with a group of about 20 people. There were some bumps in service, but they were very kind and accommodating. The food was top notch and..."

Stacey M

"Delicious cuisine and intimate seating. Friendly and accommodating. Priced above average, but in line with area and offerings. Try the Black Currant..."

Mark Lee

"The food is fantastic, the patio atmosphere is lovely, but I think we had a new server and we didn't get validated parking. We were seated..."

Jessica Laces

"Laili is my favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz and I always get the same thing because it is so incredibly delicious and unique. The pomegranate..."

Hannah Idalia

Oswald

Wheelchair Accessible

"The food is good but can very much be elevated to five star with a bit more effort. The service was lacking a bit. The decorations inside were..."

Tareq Barakzoy

"Chicken soup was great; Caesar was so-so (underdressed and lacking flavor); fish chowder was very good, fish was baked perfectly (crispy on outside,..."

Goolie G

"We had fun! The ambiance is incredible for someone outgoing like us, or we got lucky and ended up talking to everyone on our side of the restaurant..."

Yumary Loretta Salaz

"Haven't been here in ages, and never for lunch. Absolutely deLISH grilled trout over farro and sautéed spinach. It was 90+ degrees in Santa Cruz..."

Debby Robello

"Great simple menu with a huge drink menu! I went for dinner with my family on Friday. It was busy but everything was fantastic. The fresh bread is..."

Emerson Picazo

"Fantastic staff and food. If they ask if you want the aioli, say yes! Great music too, someone older than the staff has planned the music and they..."

Jackie Glazer

"A gem of Santa Cruz. Bizarrely google maps has this on the wrong intersection so be aware it’s closer to the water side of the parking deck than..."

Noah

Lago Di Como

Wheelchair Accessible

"My family is from northern Italy and the lakes region has always been a favorite place to visit so when I saw an Italian restaurant featuring Lake..."

Coho Boy

"Really warm, attentive staff and very authentic italian dishes. Great outdoor seating options as..."

Katrina Wagner

"Simply pleasant place. Tasty food, fast service. What's more important in restaurant business the owner is in place, which makes you feel like you're..."

Vlad Ga

"So delicious!! I got the mushroom ravioli and it was so..."

Kyle Bergerson

"I hadn’t been in a number of years, my recollection was good not great. However I’ve been twice in about the past six weeks and it has been..."

Randall Nacamuli

"Great food, even BETTER service, don't miss Lago di..."

J C

"Good scene for tasty Italian food. I love snacking here. Certainly worth a return visit. It has an awesome feel to it. Food is similar to a cafe in..."

Laurie Moses

"The food was delicious and the staff was amazing. The patio was nice and warm..."

Aden Shannon

"Authentic family friendly Italian restaurant. My boyfriend and I went there for dinner yesterday. We believe their food was authentic and service was..."

Kayoko

West End Tap & Kitchen

Wheelchair Accessible

Wine and Beer

Parking Available

Free off-street parking

"Bar none was one of the singular best and creative places ive ever been the service was great and the menu was to die for ! Five stars is not enough..."

Andrew Burden

"It is a wonderful place. Great food, wonderful staff, great ambiance. I had the braised short ribs for the first time. Yum! My husband and I..."

Janet Nicholas

"Atmosphere is casual, airy, & Santa Cruz laid back vibe/friendly! Our waitress was great explaining all the different local brews and ciders in our..."

Lynne MacFarlane

"This place is great. The beer menu of full of tempting and very tasty brews. The food was great. The staff were great. The ambiance was great. It..."

Lyle Clark

"Always a nice cozy atmosphere. Great service, yummy wine and beer selections. One of the best burgers in town. Love sitting outside or inside...."

Barb Bernard

"The food was great! The service was great! The beer was great! Very family friendly restaurant. We will definitely be back..."

Caroline Hobbs

"I come here mid- day, fireside for the best SOUP in town. Always different and amazing! Excellent, chill but attentive service. Santa Cruz..."

Marina May

"This was a great place , right down the street from our hotel ,We tried a few places, this was a pleasant surprise, great environment,friendly staff..."

Kristopher Pohlman

"The good and service was over the top. I had the Pork loins. My friend had the Gnooshi. We enjoyed a calamari appetizer with deep fried jalapenos,..."

Bill Kingsland

Aldo's Harbor Restaurant

83/100 (1043 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

Accepts American Express

Free off-street parking

"Aldo’s is a wonderful restaurant on the Santa Cruz harbor. Displaced several years ago by seawall reconstruction, they haven’t lost a beat...."

Jim Holtan

"Very good restaurant right near the harbor! We got light appetizers - calamari and coconut shrimp and I had no complaints. It was delicious and if..."

Ethan Mitchell

"Aldos was serving food outdoors before it was the thing to do. A couple friends and I have been meeting here for Sunday breakfast for many years...."

Curtis Postle

"Aldo's is great and a favorite for my family. Just be aware that the main reason to go to Aldo's is the view and ambiance. Nothing happens fast..."

Ben Harmon

"Had the best fish tacos I've ever had. Nice view lots of outdoor seating and great..."

BradleyJay Kolander

"Good site for delicious seafood. normally i would have posted a pic but food looked so good i couldn't stop. definitely worth going back to. the bill..."

R Hudson

"Great old school diner style food located in beautiful yacht marina. Lots of dogs 🐕 playing in the grass. Cool boats ⛵️ to look at. The food..."

Scott Corder

Taqueria Los Pericos

83/100 (1354 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"Two of us came for dinner, it was really busy but food came really fast. Free chips and many different types of toppings. We got four super soft..."

SB

"This place is really good. Jumbo burrito is massive! Very good food. Heard the street tacos were good and pretty spicy. I would definitely eat..."

Gregory Kuhn

"We were in the area for a Spartan Race. Needed to do some food loading the day before. Picked a random Taco spot on the map. Couldn't have picked a..."

Victor V.

"I heard about the hype and thought I’d check it out. It’s great for being in downtown Santa Cruz. Parking was easy. The tacos come packed with..."

Elaine Lee

"There’s a reason this place is packed 100% of the time. Best taco spot I’ve found remotely close to downtown. The salsa bar is bountiful, and the..."

Gnome Chomsky

"California burrito is tasty. Tacos are good chicken and pastor. Chips and salsa were open salsa bar fill up to go. Roxy liked the the Asada and..."

brian “El footeay” foote

"Great Mexican food restaurant. Not much room to dine in, but excellent food. Get in line and wait for it...."

Glen Chandler

Shogun Japanese Restaurant

Wheelchair Accessible

"I think its a great place for adults, but there is no menu for children plus no reasonable cost for..."

Yvette Castillo-Jones

"We were very pleased with all aspects of our dining experience. Our server, Yuong was so pleasant and efficient. I was extremely impressed with the..."

David Michael

"This is my favorite places for Sushi 🍣! The Chili poppers are amazing. Service is great and the staff is very knowledgeable. Always have great..."

Matthew Cocchi

"The best sushi we have had since we were in Japan! It was beautiful..."

Darlene Helton Johnson

"Excellent sushi extremely nice staff the owner has inattentive kind..."

Chris Ramos

"The best Food � I Love�� And friendly..."

Siuvith Flowers

"Spider roll was the best out of the four rolls and the sushi boat looks..."

LEah Faro

"Food was amazing and the seafood was fresh, also they just repainted the bathroom and it looks wonderful. They say if you want to know the..."

Alyse Langton

"So good! Fresh, delicious, with great service! One of my..."

Quoc Phan

"Outstanding service, great prices, most unique California roll..."

Eric Valverde

"Both the quality and attention to detail are so welcome here.. also, the serving size are awesome.. no corners cut. looking forward to my 4th..."

James Stanton

"I love this sushi restaurant! It's my favorite in Santa Cruz. Everyone should eat sushi..."

Ronnie Harris

"Great..."

Robert Ruiz

"Sometimes, the best places are found just by dropping in. The sushi is very good and had some different flavors I haven't had before. The nigiri had..."

Guero James

"My favorite sushi. I used to work in the office above Shogun, and have eaten there scores of times. They consistently serve up some of the largest &..."

Patrick Salsbury

"Fabulous Japanese cuisine and sushi. We had several rolls that were specific to this location and they were all fantastic! The Gilroy roll had a..."

Dan Rawlins

"Miso soup was great, not too salty. Shogun poppers were excellent, jalapeño with salmon, spicy mayo, sriracha, and cream cheese. Donkatsu was also..."

Qiming Liu

"I had the tuna roll and the salmon roll. They stuffed a lot of fish in the roll, more than most places. It was fresh and well priced. Service was..."

Me

"Friendly service and decent rolls. Also have Udon. Big dinning hall, clean bathroom, great..."

Felicis Leo

"It's always iffy to find a good sushi place when you're on vacation. My family eats a lot of Japanese food at home, and we found Shogun to be a..."

Robin Pfefer

"Best Sushi in the world. Very generous..."

Lee Colin

"Shogun is THE BEST sushi I’ve ever had the staff is amazing love their food always consistently 🤤..."

natalie abreo

"The food was good and large portions. We ordered a salmon collar. It was like a whole serving of salmon. I ordered the sashimi mix with hamachi and..."

Patty Kong

Ristorante Avanti

Free off-street parking

Accepts American Express

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

"Traveled last week to Santa Cruz from Texas, this place was truly amazing. The hostess was also our waitress and the staff made our experience..."

FW TXW70

"Came here for an early valentine's day best decision! The food and atmosphere 😍 is wonderful and..."

Davisu Echo

"Excellent local restaurant with nicely done contemporary decor. All the dishes were excellent. Flavorful sauces without excessive salt. Full bar. ..."

Robert Bixby

"Food is wonderful. I had the squash ravioli in butter sauce with crisp fried of what I remember to be sage. The contrast in textures is marvelous. It..."

Sarah

"What a lovely place to dine in. Their cauliflower and burrata appetizers were delicious. And all main dishes were delicious as..."

SKnari

"Such a great and cozy atmosphere. Great service, great bar. The food is good, though too hot when it was served! Took a long time to be able to eat..."

Meera Collier

"Delicious food in West Side Santa Cruz! Jonathan and Tatiana do it right: delicious food, great atmosphere, friendly service...and in 2020...amazing..."

Matt Orbach

Hindquarter Bar & Grille

82/100 (1214 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"I think the Hindquarter bar and grill is the best restaurant with the best food and the most pleasant people that work there I've ever seen . I love..."

Jay Myron Sharmer Jr

"The food is top notch all the way around. Try their Smokey platter or one of their pasta dishes or salads, or try their phenomenal burgers. Very..."

Frankie Rodriguez Jr.

"Great serice and good prime rib. Was nkt that thrilled with fried artichokes as they were "meh." (Just ok.) Our bartenders during happy hour were..."

Kurt E Hoenig

"It’s our favorite place in Santa Cruz 🙌🙌🙌👍👍👍 smoked prime rib and loaded baked potatoes and a full bar can’t go wrong at all..."

Jack Rogers

"Its Been at Least 30 Years Since Ive been Here for Dinner. I found It decades ago to Have Dinner. Ive Heard They are Famous For Pork Chops. Then I..."

Sal Belleci

"We have lived in Santa Cruz 20 years and somehoe we never had been here. We’ve missed out. Service and food was excellent. One of the best dining..."

M'Liss Jarvis Bounds

"This place rocks a hometown atmosphere. Highly..."

Normand Marchand

"Was pleasantly surprised at the size of their servings and the array of items they have on their menu. The combination appetizer was a meal in..."

Cindy Marler

"We went on the busiest night of the year, which also happened to be my birthday. Our service was excellent. The food was perfect. The service was a..."

Nancy Gould Rader

"Wonderful restaurant with terrific food and service! Ambiance is great and patio very..."

Marc Duerr

"Had lunch there food was great. One of my favorite restaurants in Santa..."

Deb Rimmer

"HQ is one of our local go-to's. There's a great selection to choose from, the service is always friendly and helpful, and I love their house made..."

Lisa Silva Mazzei

"Great service We go for every birthday and anniversary. They treat us like family. Always a night worth..."

John Fasolas

"Super good food. Apricot glazed Ribs and the pesto steak were both..."

s lack

"Tuesday night is Pork Chop Night! One of Favorites! Nice Large Portions 😋 The only thing we wished they did, is provide us with Dinner 🥗 Salads..."

Crysta Chambers

"A Beautiful Restaurant. Western pictures, comfortable seating. Nice Cocktails. Steaks are cooked to your own enjoyable Taste. Tender and..."

Julie Duffy

"Right down the street from our hotel. Service was exceptional and the food was..."

Jennifer Atkinson

"The French onion soup alone is worth the visit. This place is so delicious and the staff are very friendly and offer great menu suggestions. ..."

Sandra Martinez

"Outstanding!! Steak was great, we arrived at around 7:50pm, and they close at 8:30, our waitress was Exceptional!!! I plan on stopping by again when..."

Dwight Little

"Atmosphere warm an friendly. Great food customers were very happy to be there. Great experience. Staff excellent. My 2nd time coming here. Will..."

J Lo 916 Norteña

Riva Fish House

81/100 (2717 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"We came quite late in the evening but been served really well. We took fish and chips, crab 🦀 sandwich and calamari with fries. Everything was so..."

Fari Blues

"We live locally; and Rivas is a top favorite. When crab is in season, we are on the wharf A Lot. We go between two places. One for the bread and..."

Donna Owens Lindseth

"Amazing place. I am here on business so I ate at the bar. Great food, great view and great locals. You’ve got to give this place a..."

Holly Padilla

"As usual we ate at the bar. I had my usual calamari while my husband had the prawns. Both were deep fried with fries and a giant sliver of �...."

Sharon Crespo Reneau

"Our new favorite place to eat in the boardwalk!!!!! Had so much food had leftovers. The calimari was great, the cod was great, everything was..."

Shari Collondrez

"Oh my goodness, the service here was just the best! Fantastic people, excellent service and awesome food. I definitely will be coming..."

Tami Bacon

"The first time I was brought here was in 2012 and knew I wanted to return so usually every time I am down near the boardwalk I strive to hit this..."

Shelley Marie Rosenberry

"This is the only place we eat at on the wharf. Best food ever the staff are friendly and the service is quick! � It..."

Beatrice Vasquez

"Lots of tourist traps and this is right on the warf but this was really good. Tilapia Vera Cruz was excellent according to the miss'. I had Philly..."

RW

"Fresh fresh fresh and local. Will definitely..."

Dsb

"Possibly the best clam chowder and calamari I've ever had, and I live near the ocean! Service was fantastic, especially given our group size of 18! I..."

Heidi

"Amazing seafood at unbelievable prices. I had fish & chips for $10 and my husband had cioppino for $15. This will now be our go to restaurant in..."

Alisha Pratt

"Amazing Clam Chowder. Oh my gosh this place is amazing! I always have to stop in here when I come for a visit to the west coast. The sour dough..."

Heatherjill47

"I live in Santa Cruz and I eat here at least once a week!It is the most amazing fish place I know!The Fish and Chips is there best..."

Alice Montro

"Good menu, good service, fair prices....had to wait about 30-35 minutes to be seated....but what do you expect on a Saturday evening. It gave us the..."

D

"Inventive, varied and flavorful menu with good vegetarian options, all at extremely fair prices (unlike most of the other wharf restaurants)...."

Berry

"Excellent chowder! Gotta try the Fish and Calamari. On the water, walking distance to..."

Johnny Gomez

"This is a fantastic restaurant. We stopped in Santa Cruz on the way to Monterey and found this one from a small list of the local seafood..."

Reichen Yoo

"Great location on pier. Nice ambient. I would recommend dining inside if you mind birds (pigeons and seagulls) roaming outside. We had the Shrimp..."

Ananya Chakraborty

"We had dinner here tonight and everything was great, from the service to the food. I had grilled salmon with French fries and a house salad and my..."

Beth Silva

"Stopped in for lunch today and was not disappointed. I had the spicy linguine with clams and veggies, it was delicious. It came with a cup of clam..."

bbrene'

"Really enjoyed the food here. Had the bread bowl clam chowder. You can't beat the views and the prices are reasonable. Our waitress Danielle was..."

Nathan Nicholson

"Nice restaurant! Our waiter was awesome and the food was very good. We dined outside but some areas inside had beautiful views too. It was very busy..."

Adeline CHAUTARD

"Went here for dinner with my beautiful wife and kids for her birthday. I ordered steak and shrimp tacos. My son had salmon sandwich with fries, wife..."

bay area cosplay bac

Pono Hawaiian Kitchen & Tap

81/100 (7652 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"What a hidden gem. Delicious food and plenty of open seating in the back next to the parking lot. It took a bit to get our food but it was definitely..."

Bessie Gessner

"Can I start with Onolicious 😋! Almost everything we had was delicious and just took it to the next level. Literally felt like I had to just..."

Lynn Eglan

"I spent 10+ years living on Maui and I'd say this place is pretty authentic. They are absolutely killing it here! 🤙 Poke was my..."

Logan Stribling

"Food is decent but a little pricy for what you get. Fries were pretty bland and the jalapeños were canned and did not have much flavor. Decent place..."

Jacob Kulikov

"First found this place years ago when I was working on a project. Very first time I had Poke here and my life was forever changed. I brought a few..."

Abdur-Rahman Zreba

"Great menu for both food and beers. Lots old IPAs if you like those. Price was reasonable. They have $11 for a flight of any 4 beers. Amazing time..."

Lee Wolfe

"Nice find! We were looking for a place to pick up lunch and head to Capitola lunch. Thought this would be easy to eat on the beach. We were right,..."

Stephanie Chiu

Dolphin Restaurant

Wheelchair Accessible

"My first visit because they serve Manhattan Clam Chowder, many others don't . Our waiter very polite and attentive. I split a meal with my friend..."

Virginia Yamamoto

"We have eaten two days for dinner at the Dolphin, great food, great terras and our waiter Jeff is a good..."

Sjaak Betjes

"I hadn't been here in years, but had great memories coming here gowing up. I brought my family here on Monday night and had an amazing meal. The..."

Jennifer Thurston

"I hadn't been here in years. When I was younger, I'd come with my family (seemed like 3 times per week) and always got a hamburger. Everyone started..."

Cyd Haulter

"Our experience was wonderful the staff was so friendly the food was delicious and whoever does the windows I and cleans the patio works his butt..."

Teri Butler Varner

"The clam chowder was the most delicious than I never ate. The service was really efficient and friendly. My family and I are planning to come back..."

Martha Rocha

"Great food, service good and such a beautiful..."

Jill Petersen Travis

"The food is awesome and the view at the end of the peer is beautiful! I make sure to stop by every time I'm in..."

Tony Trujillo

"Just had breakfast, very good, great service and awesome..."

Toni Thomas

"Great Clam Chowder and great music!!! An oase of rest when you come from the..."

Ilonka Betjes

"This seemed like a nice place but a bit dirty. The tables weren't wiped down properly and we were bombarded with pigeons(not the staff's fault). I..."

Emilia Florean

"Great food, great price. I ordered the clam chowder bread bowl and the fish and chips. The clam chowder was delicious, perfectly seasoned and quite..."

Kristina P

"Very unassuming from the outside, but the views are beautiful and this was probably the best meal I ate on my trip. I had the crab cake Benedict for..."

Madeline Markus

"It’s great to enjoy a good walk down the wharf then end to have lunch at Dolphin’s. Great chowder, calamari and fish and chips👊🏼. It’s..."

Danny Duarte

"Great food but a bit pricey. Clam chowder bread bowl was delicious. Lots of birds waiting for food to fall on the ground some even sit on the table..."

Alice Blancas

"Chowder bread bowl for the win, cant go wrong. But what was even better than that were the signature fish tacos, wow some of the best i've ever had..."

Sean Reyes

"Excellent food! Peaceful and relaxing atmosphere in the morning. Service was a little slow to get started, but was great afterward. Crab Benedict was..."

Matthew Malnar

"Typical wharf restaurant. Food is good. Service is above average. We did enjoy the fish plates, sole and sand dabs. Saw burgers go by, looked..."

Bradley Nakaji

Suda

80/100 (1510 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"Great quality food and excellent cocktails! I wish the menu had a few more choices, but overall I was very happy with what we got. I had the salmon..."

Amy Dahlberg

"Had the fried artichokes and fish tacos. Both were good, fried artichokes we're great. Patio allows dogs! Service was great and they have extensive..."

James Kennedy

"This was my 1st time at Süda. The food was fabulous. I had the salmon special and it was one of the best salmon meals I've had in a long time! The ..."

Tonya Souza-Large

"Wow. What a find this place is. My group had an amazing dinner there, with everyone having a reason to brag about their order. I got the New York..."

Atheer Khan

"Had a nice dinner on Tuesday. Taco Tuesday! This was the place to be seeing as it was so busy. We sat at the bar and the bartender Danny was amazing!..."

Random lee

"Good flavorful food, generous portions, modern vibe and decor, good service but felt a little rushed. The drinks were delicious...."

Aimee McNally

Pleasure Pizza East Side Eatery

80/100 (3602 ratings)

Thai Crunch Salad with Prawns

Sweet Potato

Fried calamari

Caritas Beneduct with Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

Chili Con Carne

Breakfast Carnitas Fries

Blackened Chicken Salad

Cuban Breakfast Sandwich

Wheelchair Accessible

"Love this place! I come here sometimes once a week. I love the blackened chicken salad, and the chili Mac is excellent. The burgers are always yummy,..."

MJ Stearns - Your Local Real Estate Expert

"I stopped in looking for something after a swim, bike kind of morning and I enjoyed the service and the outside seating option. It was great to be..."

Red Hot

"Quaint little cafe style eatery, situated adjacent to main beach access thoroughfare, serving pizzas, sandwiches, soups and salads and more. Service..."

Derek Morrow

"They’ve won several awards for their chowders. It was my first time having a Manhattan chowder. It was very good & had quiet a kick, but I will go..."

david banar

"Bucci's Nachos with carne asada and added guacamole - yum! I loved the chips, they were crispy, light, and tasty. There was just a hint of spice..."

Shawn

"Great service and great food! I was informed by a cook at the Clam Cowder Festival today to go check out this place for dinner. The appetizers to the..."

Antojitos con Carlitos

"Great spot in Portola to dine outdoors. The award winning chili does not disappoint! The sangria was pretty strong, be..."

Elizabeth Tam

"very delicious food and they don't skimp on amounts I ordered nachos with guacamole and I was given sooo much guacamole. which is a great thing. ..."

Jahnava drew

Staff Of Life

80/100 (1285 ratings)

Specialty Food Market

Wheelchair Accessible

"Large store with a massive Levi / Denim selection, women's clothing was on the average side but you could still find a unique style. I felt it was a..."

D. Francis

"This is my favourite grocery store. They have items no one else has. It may not be the cheapest, but it is one of the few locally owned stores left...."

Ava Zack

"A great place to buy groceries, organic produce, natural and free range meats, sustainable seafood, and essential oils. I especially love getting..."

JoAnn SkyWatcher

"This is the best grocery market in the area. Coming from Australia and having owned my own these guys have thought about product selection and have..."

Andrew Dannaoui

"Best produce in town. Lots of good alternatives as well as the basics. The staff is okay and usually helpful but not always. The layout can make it a..."

Bonnie

"Great products! So many fresh herbs and teas. Also carry a huge selection of vegan, organic foods and goods I cant find elsewhere! Will definitely..."

Carmen Almondia

"First visit, surprised by the variety of products and brands I haven't seen before or for awhile. Found locally made items I took home and enjoyed...."

Derek Ames

"This place is so much better than whole foods., and it's locally owned. Tremendous selection of organic, vegetarian, vegan foods plus plants and all..."

Judy A

Jack O'neill Restaurant & Lounge

80/100 (2710 ratings)

14 Oz Ribeye Steak GF

Chowder

Bloody Mary

Burger

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Huevos Rancheros Tostada

O'Neill's Poke Bowl

Crab

Lemon Ricotta Flapjacks

Wheelchair Accessible

"If you're in Santa Cruz and you're in the mood for a classy environment with an excellent view, professional service, top shelf signature beverages,..."

Prairie Yana Francia

"Owen was so awesome! I would recommend this place for..."

Patty Gruis

"Great place for clam chowder wonderful atmosphere the people were great and friendly..."

Antonino Holmes

"Favorite Monday breakfast place when in town. Service is wonderful! Food is yummy and gluten free. The coffee is so..."

Allison Mowbray Schimke

"Nice restaruant good food. It also has an amazing view of the sunrise in the morning over looking the..."

Damon Sadowski

Cafe Mare

Wheelchair Accessible

Dinner

Lunch

Mid-range

"Oh my goodness! Italian food at it's finest. Our first time at this restaurant - we will definitely be back again soon. Our waiter, I believe his..."

Jim Bonstein

"Came here on a recommendation from a friend who used to be a local. Great recommendation! Everything from the food to the service was exceptional...."

Ramit Mehta

"Great Italian food the restaurant looks great live band and the service was pretty good 👍 If you enjoy more authentic Italian food this is a good..."

Davisu Echo

"We have had so many people tell us we “have to try their Amalfi Martini🍸 (Well Made Vodka, grapefruit juice, House-made Limoncello cream). So I..."

Loren Morse, REALTOR

"Nice local restaurant with large indoor and some outdoor sitting. The food was good and so was the service. Pizza was ok but I preferred the pasta...."

Yuval K

"Great location with easy parking next door. Service was good and friendly but not pushy. Outdoor patio is excellent when weather is good. They carry..."

Tareq Barakzoy

"The food was delicious and the service excellent! They substituted a meat sauce for my daughter instead of meatballs when I asked for something with..."

Michelle Rogoyski

"Absolutely amazing food, drinks, and service! Violet was our waitress and she was such a..."

Theresa Nelson

Hula's Island Grill And Tiki Room

80/100 (3005 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

Johnny's Harborside

Accepts American Express

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

"Visited Johnny's rather last minute with 9 of us. They accommodated us in about 30 minutes even though they were packed. Laura was our waitress. ..."

Shelley Davidson Cummings

"Great service and good food! A gem place on a Friday night especially for locals. A server named Nina has exceptional customer service! She can make..."

Fredrick Wing

"Excellent seafood, perfect, professional service and a lovely unpretentious neighborhood vibe. The best Creme Brulee I have ever had, anywhere. Don't..."

Susan Pemble

"Just wow!! Best meal I’ve had in months!! Crab cakes were amazing, steak was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. And those mini desserts will..."

Sheri Lunamoré

"Super lekker gegeten , voorgerecht was verassend lekker en hoofdgerecht was top . Jammer alleen dat je nadat je je vork neerlegt voordat de wijn op..."

Eric Bartels

"Love this local spot. Friendly staff, fresh food, great views and parking is typically great. Fish tacos or Fish n Chips are always a great option...."

Jen Lorenzini

"Superb food, excellent drinks, an amazing view and happy staff. My favorite seafood restaurant in Santa..."

Payson Mcnett

"First time at Johnny’s, very friendly wait staff, good service, delicious food and a wonderful view over the..."

Debbie Macdonald

"Love this place. Excellent food, cocktails and fun atmosphere. My family visiting from San Diego were very impressed and loved taco..."

George Daniel DeLeon

"Hard to feed a family of five well, until you go to Johnny’s. Calamari, beef sliders, chicken sliders, chicken wings & margaritas all at happy hour..."

Tammy Giulian

"Amazing service, amazing views, amazing calamari and fish bites and great crab cake! Potato skin was good and the margarita was ok (never had one..."

Jub Jub

"Loved the clam chowder, salmon burger and dessert bites! We went for happy hour and ended up staying for dinner, went home stuffed and with plenty of..."

Sheila Grammond

"The food was pretty good. Drinks were good. We decided to come here because Phil's Fish Market was way too busy and crowded. The garlic bread was..."

Steve Sabu

"Clam chowder was super delicious! The food was fresh… but very less options to choose from… The place altogether has great service and comes with..."

RUTUJA GIRMAL

"Really a perfect treat. Fish right off the boat and onto our plates, into our mouths, now swimming in our belly’s and the fish seems to have had a..."

Cyclistlaw Motorcycle and Bike Crash Attorneys

"A lovely seaside setting to enjoy the excellent offerings at Johnny's Harbor. Fresh fish prepared straight from the dock, "undressed" or "decked out"..."

Lisa Greco

"WOW - What amazing service from a server, Michelle plus kitchen manager, Greg. I found Johnny's Harborside menu to be exactly what we needed due to..."

Joanne Day

"Views of Santa Cruz marina. Good Service, good food. Clam chowder soup was surprisingly flavorful and zesty. The tangy salsa with fish tacos elevated..."

Anu Potnis

"Nice view and exceedingly eager service. Wasn't crazy about the food, but that has more to do with my Croatian expectations of seafood than the..."

Ida Martinac

The Water Street Grill

79/100 (1226 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"A great find! We were lucky to find the Water Street grill across the street from our hotel just when we were hungry for an early dinner. The grill..."

William Stieritz

"Awesome service, awesome food, can't wait to go back. "Why go home?" - said my hubby as they brought out the toasted bread with a light pesto garlic..."

Jennifer Worsham

"We had the BEST Server Ever & food was great. Very dog friendly girls even got served..."

Suzan Pezzini

"Very pleasant experience. Water street is a smaller and very personable venue. Dinner was delicious. I enjoyed one of the specials for the evening,..."

Chris B

"The food was great and worth the long wait. I had the fish tacos which were delicious, just the right amount of fish and veggies. The mango salsa..."

Mohammed Ishaq

"Loved the food and the staff. Service was a bit slow, they are also hit by the shortage of food industry workers, but really nice ladies work over..."

Akash Mohanty

"Absolutely lovely place and friendly staff! Kids were happy to have fish and chips and lemonade, also they got complimentary fresh watermelon and..."

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