TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in Santa Cruz - Updated November 2024

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

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

Harbor Cafe

85/100 (1186 ratings)

Homemade Whipped Cream

Country Steak Breakfast

Polenta

Polenta Benedict

Burrito

Mexican Tofu Scramble

Small Pomegranate Mimosa

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

Sake Japanese Steak House & Sushi

Wheelchair Accessible

Walnut Avenue Cafe

Wheelchair Accessible

"We ordered Shrimp and Tomato Eggs Benedict as well as Scrambled eggs with Turkey and avocado. Both were really satisfying in both portion size and..."

Athul Manoharan

"Came here and ordered shrimp and tomato eggs Benedict, French toast breakfast. You can have multiple times of coffee refills and service is so good..."

Qiming Liu

"I love eggs Benedict and their ahi tuna one is very unique. I can’t find this option from other places and it’s so flavorful and delicious. I’d..."

Judy L

"Very friendly and attentive staff. Food portions are very generous. I got the Special #1 which is basically their chilaquiles but instead of tortilla..."

Katerina Estera-Molina

"Lovely place! Staff were all super friendly, interior was charming, and the menu options / portions were great!! So glad that they had a tofu..."

Ādia Montagna

"Food was great, service was good and fast I did not have to wait long for the service. I ordered 4 main plates it was less than $80 dollar I’ll..."

Patricia Familia

"Decades of Consistency. Always crowded on weekend mornings. Delightful on a Tuesday (for instance). No wait, counter seating, great drip..."

Howard Finfer

"Perfect breakfast. Really great service, very fast and nice. The scramble could've been a bit warmer but that's what happens with avocado sometimes,..."

Paige Fitzmorris

Aldo's Harbor Restaurant

83/100 (1043 ratings)

Accepts American Express

Street Parking

Accepts Discover

Free off-street parking

Wheelchair Accessible

"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

Kiantis Pizza & Pasta Bar

Wheelchair Accessible

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

Tampico Kitchen & Lounge Lng

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

Aloha Island Grille

81/100 (1168 ratings)

"If your a Hawaiian food lover! This is the place to get it! Love the Chicken Katsu and the Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with a side of white rice and..."

Daniel Silva

"It is THEE spot to stop and grab an awesome bite before hitting the sand. Gotta try the Kalbi ribs..."

Mike Fernandez

"Friendly and delicious! Loved the chicken teriyaki!..."

Jacqueline Berlinn

"Onolishis. Like back in Hawaii. Best in Santa..."

Linda Kamalani McIntyre

"Primo all the way around. Best burgers in Santa..."

Roger Dunn

"Best Hawaiian food this side of the pacific......we absolutely love..."

Mark Thacker

"Wiki Wiki Burger and sweet potato fries ROCK...!! Lots of great food at the Aloha Island..."

Patrick Robinson

"Awesome food. Ahi poke with..."

Tina D'Ambrosio

"Best food ever no need to go to..."

Phillip Guerrero

"A delight seeing some Aloha and better yet a taste the Aloha! Thank you great shop for some local line grins that Break da..."

Thad Ferguson

"Food was good, Mac salad with a plate order is decent, side orders of Mac salad have an unusual bitter taste. Portions are very big, the only..."

John Mckinney

"Food was yummy except Mac salad was..."

Lindsey Skidmore

"Great food. Incredible taste and nice..."

Luisa L.

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

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

Taqueria Michoacan

"Love this place! I especially love the shrimp burrito but everything on the menu is delicious and..."

Cheri Byrd Hughes

"Taqueria Michoacan is a taqueria on Eastcliff and 15th. Great place to grab some food before heading down to the beach, dining in or takeout. My..."

MJ Stearns - Your Local Real Estate Expert

"Incredible! They've captured what the perfect pescado burrito should be and consistently deliver the absolute tastiest, every time. My favorite..."

Logan Stribling

"I've lived in Santa Cruz for a while now, and no matter where I go, or what I try, I always end up coming back here. Taqueria Michoacan is without a..."

Orion

"The Greek philosopher Plato popularized and defended the Theory of Forms. This philosophical framework contends that the physical world we interact..."

Matthew Klope

"I LOVE this place! The food is fantastic, the best Mexican food in the bay, fight me on it! Parking is in back. Be respectful, love is made into the..."

Sam Cassidy

Shun Feng

79/100 (1355 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"Excellent service. Good food. You can find both authentic Chinese dishes and American Chinese dishes. Will go..."

Wei Jing

"Great food, nice service! I always love it when the waiters/waitresses give me a fork so I don’t have to tell them I’m to white to use..."

MFG _

"Nice establishment! Perfect "service/quality/price" blend in my opinion. My kids like to eat the dim sum and this place hits the spot for them. ..."

Matt Sanford

"Kind hard working people here, I love that some of the staff faces I see in here are the same faces I see out in the community like at the kids after..."

joe n fam

"The best soups especially hot n sour soup and sizzling rice soup! So so so good. And the beautiful individual who work here are amazing!..."

Tsawa Sanchez

"I was at a cave party last night and this jerk, David, gave me some noodles and said it was worms, and it was worms, but when I threw it down, they..."

Pied Piper

"I loved it! This is the first restaurant that I have gone to that has shown pictures on pretty much everything in the menu, so I don't just have to..."

Miranda Amu

"Hands down the best hot sour soup I have ever had. Sweet and sour pork was very tasty but could have done better with more veggies. Friendly service,..."

Oisin McGuigan

El Palomar

79/100 (1374 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"Went to dinner here for my birthday on Friday 11/17 (party of 4). We got there about 8pm, and were seated originally at a table that was gonna he too..."

Constance Lynn

"This place is delicious. Had the red snapper taco; it began with a handmade tortilla, refried beans, sauteed red snapper, finely chopped cabbage and..."

Mariella Romero

"Service was great!!! They were unexpectedly very busy and my server was still very attentive to our table. The food was outstanding My 6 year old..."

Carolyn Cornaggia

"There is no better Mexican food in our area. Everything is perfectly fresh and yummy. The service can't be beat and the staff is so easy on the..."

Rebecca Hanson

"Excellent food, amazing people and an awesome family oriented establishment! Love this place!..."

Emanuel F. Barros

"we drive every 2 years from Montreal canad to santa cruz... and eating at your restaurant is on our To do LIst.... we love the place and the..."

Jessy Ann

"Great food, great service , the atmosphere is great, sat in patio , they have TV's outside, very..."

Javier Magallon Jr

"It was Sunday afternoon. No wait. Large booth for the five of us. The waitress, Sarah, was very friendly and hospitable. The food was excellent!..."

Lorenzo John Mares

"Our go to spot for Mexican food downtown. Everything is good. Great service. Excellent bar..."

Toby Gray

"This review is based almost purely on the delicious chips and salsa! To die for. I was only in for a drink but got the free chips and salsa which I..."

Deborah Claire

"Best carne asada I've had almost anywhere. So tender and juicy. Perfect wrapped in house made corn tortillas. Friggen' yummy..."

William Charles Jeffries III

"It's beautiful and naturally lite and a fun place for lunch the food was..."

Carolyn George

"Had dinner with my wife food was good. I had Joe's dinner plate and it was screaming..."

Alex Sobreyra

"I was waiting for my girlfriend to have dinner with her and I finally got to try that El Camino Real Don Julio Tequila it was good but it's not worth..."

Steven Shaw

"My son, daughter and I had dinner at the El Palomar this evening. I had the Chicken Tortilla Soup which is absolutely delicious. The best I’ve had..."

Deloria ManyGreyHorses

"Amazing Mexican food! Tried their Jose platter! Awesome! Tried their Carne Asada Ranchera! Awesome! And their chimichanga! Awesome! I always come..."

Richard Lee

"I remember when El Palomar was the happenin place, the bee’s knees, the destination for the best Mexican food in town. With that high vaulted..."

Elija Bandersnatch

"All of the staff were very attentive to us. Their food was some of the best I've ever had. The chips, dinner plates (seafood tostada, seafood..."

Marisela Gutierrez

"This place is great! The Horachata and Margaritas (strong...lol) were delicious. The customer service was great! We ordered burrito, sopes (different..."

Carlos Pineda

"I have not had Mexican food this favorable in a while. Service was great everyone was friendly. Had the choice of eating on patio or inside. I had..."

Vickie Pattillo

"Would definitely return for the food for sure. We had the carne asada ranchera plate and it was cooked really well. Well seasoned too. They have..."

Jessica Campos

Santa Cruz Diner

76/100 (2034 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Parking Available

Free off-street parking

"Delicious breakfast. I had the Canadian eggs benedict and a side of sausage gravy that comes with a huge fluffy biscuit. My husband had french toast..."

Beka O'Meara (Beka)

"It was great! We were on a family trip and decided to stop by. Great service, food, atmosphere. Love the retro vibe. Didn't wait too long for our..."

Yesi Amezcua

"Epic flavorful breakfast & super friendly service. The food was not over greased or over seasoned. I got the corned beef hash with fried egg and it..."

Deborah M

"Hands down the absolute best diner in a 100 mile radius! Every single time I bring friends here to eat for the first time they are blown away with..."

Dane Dison

"This was my second time visiting the diner. The last family visit over 5 years ago, and again I am back to attend a family wedding and I wanted to..."

Front Squats and French Bulldogs

"We had a larger group and they accommodated us with smiles! It was clean and the service was great. Our food came quickly and was very good. The kids..."

Am-ma Karen

Woodies Cafe

Clam Chowder Soup and Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips with Tartar Sauce

Pasta

Fried Shrimp Calamari

Clam Chowder Bread Bowl of Soup

Chicken Sandwich

Sandwiches

Grill Cheese with Fries

Wheelchair Accessible

"Woodies Chowder doesn't disappoint. My 5 year old dips his french fries in it. The fried Prawns are my favorite in the seafood combo plate. Large..."

Misty McNeel

"The food is amazing!!!!! Beer is a good price, overall great place! The view is very nice as well! Clam chowder bowl is awesome, as well as the fish..."

Karli Clark

"Great food with great views!! Definitely a must have for us every time we’re in Santa Cruz..."

Maribel Cervantes

"My family and I love eating here. They have great food for a really good price. My family of 5 always eats for less than $60, and it's more than we..."

Tarah Thill

"I had the seafood and fries it was bomb! Garlic fries were very well topped with lots and lots of yummy garlic! Service was excellent everyone was..."

Harley Cushing

"Excellent food. Friendly and helpful staff. The view was awesome! It was my second time there and already can't wait to go..."

Theresa Elizabeth

"We love this place food is great and u definitely gets your money's worth, we ate there twice in the two days we was in Santa Cruz..."

Cherai T Leto

"Overall, Woodies Café was pretty good. They were busy and we waited a long time to get our food and I thought it was strange to pay over $20 for a..."

Sandra Partrea

"Went here on Memorial Day weekend looking for a place to have early dinner and a view of the ocean. Every other restaurant on the pier had a 1 hour..."

Sathiyan Kutty

"Burgers were delicious!! Fries were great! The view.. amazing!!! Requested they clean a table for us and they were right on it so we had an amazing..."

Michelle Bonner

"Woodies is the perfect venue for those who are looking for a easy-going lunch/dinner spot with some beautiful sea view. Disclaimer: They don't cater..."

Madhura Gaonkar

"Woodies Cafe on the Wharf was at its absolute best yesterday. Their Half Bake Crab Sandwich with Clam Chowder was “Out of this World!” My husband..."

Theresa Sprandel

Firefish Grill

75/100 (1452 ratings)

Wheelchair Accessible

"My wife and I both had the Baby Spinach Salad and it was absolutely great! The view was great! The staff and service was great! Would recommend..."

Matthew Quesada

"The snapper was absolutely delicious and the service (Carmen) was fantastic. With a gorgeous view and full bar, this place is a must when visiting..."

Heather Mechling Eckels

"I only go for the abalone � Their specials always sound so great! Because there was only 2 of us, we were seated right away. Last night, my..."

Cassie Hart Arellano

"Excellent, friendly service and amazing food. I had scallops Monterey and the dish was to die for. My husband had he halibut and it looked delicious..."

Cyn Graves

"My husband, father & I went for lunch today, The service and food were both excellent. I had the crab cakes which are the best I have ever had. My..."

Judy Busalacchi Bekker

"My favorite seafood restaurant in Santa Cruz. They have always been great, the food is amazing, and they are nice to my kids. The Rockefeller is my..."

Nicholas Michael Ranger

"Amazing crab cakes and risotto was absolutely delicious!!! From appetizer to cocktails to entree it was all magnificent! I used to live here I now..."

Theresa Wiles

"Great company, Awesome weather, great view. During the week not so crowded and we got right in and had a cute waitress that was pretty attentive ...."

Jarrod Kane

"Best place to have a romantic dinner in Santa Cruz. Food and service were excellent. Having the ocean as your backdrop made it even more appealing...."

Vince Tuzzi

"Best salmon dish (I'm pretty sure) I've ever had. Awesome service, great view of the ocean. Top..."

Mark Crutchfield

"My husband and I were looking for this restaurant for one hour and nobody could help us. So, finally we are here and they did a good quick service...."

Inna Nechypurenko

"Awesome fish dishes of course Sand Dabs! Wonderfully accompanied with a Chardonnay caper sauce! I sit at the bar where the drinks come fast...."

Bruce B

"Overall, we all liked it. We ordered Grilled Seabass topped with lobster sauce & served with mashed potatoes and spinach on bottom . We also ordered..."

Glamagirl

"Excellent food and service. My husband got fish stuff which he loves and I go chicken. Excellent on..."

Bernice

"The dinner specials were awesome. Mom had tender cooked albalone, big sis had a perfectly seared ahi, little sis a moist and flavorful stuffed..."

Kim B

"Enjoyed our meals. My wife and I had lunch here at a recent trip. My wife is from the East coast, and rarely likes the Crab Cakes she gets in the..."

JB

"Best on the Wharf!. Had the steak and rockafeller prawns, very good. Service was great and the place looks nice. The new kitchen was a cool idea. Way..."

Bryan

"Loved it!!!!!!. My family and i enjoyed firefish!! chowder is the best!!! i had mesquite grilled salmon with hollandaise sauce.maybe the best i've..."

Charlie

"We were celebrating our anniversary here again. It's a nice place to be for special occasions. Restaurant is located Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and..."

Amir Virani

"Well made cocktails. The food was fabulous. So beautifully presented and the flavors amazing. I had the 5 coarse special; crusted chicken over..."

Margaret Lund

"Great fish and chips - I especially like the mixed seafood platter with fried prawns,scallops, calamari and fresh fish. Visit and say hi to the sea..."

Lainey Cameron

Beach Street Cafe

Pancakes Short Stack Pancakes

Home Fries

French Toast Herman Style

Grilled Chicken Salad

Bacon Tomato and Tarragon Omelette

Scrambled eggs

Turkey Avocado Jack Cheese Scramble

cold brew

Juice

Shrimp

Supposed to Be Micky Pancakes

Wheelchair Accessible

"I've always had a great experience coming into this Cafe. The food is delicious and is always fresh. Despite being understaffed, I always get a..."

Alexandra

"This is a nice place to grab breakfast if you like to get up early to eat and then take a walk on the beach. This is a small place so early is..."

Mark Bartlett

"Got the guacamole omelet and it was great! They make it there so it tasted really fresh! Service was ok. Just make sure you either have your parking..."

Chris Whipple

"With 5 kids my husband and I stopped in, we were instantly greeting an accommodated quickly. Food was amazing! Best customer service for a busy..."

Caitlin Mayo

"I visited the cafe everyday for my recent trip to SC and after the second time they had my order memorised and ready in an instant. The waitresses..."

Sameer Qureshi

Taqueria Vallarta

Wheelchair Accessible

"Plenty food and quick service. Tacos & the asada dishes seem to be their specialty with hefty meat servings. Flavor is ok, ordered the enchilada. The..."

Anabel Hernandez-Mejia

"One of the things I miss terribly in Colorado is good Mexican food. There are many good taquerias in Santa Cruz, but this is my favorite. ..."

Robert Bixby

"Always great food. Fresh and served quickly. The homemade salsas are..."

fuh kinay

"All around great food options that is truly affordable. This is a stable for the local community and also a great spot for visitors out of town. The..."

miniqooper

"Amazing tacos!! The shrimp, al pastor and the carne asada was soo good. And definitely filling! Gotta eat them quick for take out, or it gets soggy...."

Dhanurja De Silva

"This was the best burrito (I'm a vegetarian) I have ever eaten. And it just got better from there... The salsa at the bar, the chips...just..."

Shai Plonski

"Al Pastor and Fish Tacos are soooooo delicious! Carne Asada and Grilled Pollo are not bad too. Definitely coming back..."

K Min

"The food here is excellent. This is undoubtedly the best taqueria experience in California. You order at the counter and they bring your plate to..."

Michael Moran

Gilberts On The Wharf

Wheelchair Accessible

"My wife and I love this store. KELLI AND DONNA did a wonderful job on Tueday 5/21/2019 when we visited this store. We will always make purchases at..."

Jay Govind

"I love this gift shop, I really shouldn't go in to the shop. I don't walk out without spending a lot of money $$$ there. The selection of items are..."

Cruz Martinez

"This is going to be the cheapest place on the Wharf. They have cheaper items that most stores in the touristy areas in Santa..."

Marco Tiznado

Mel

Amy Trost

El Hermoso Mar

Wheelchair Accessible

"WONDERFUL GUACAMOLE the guacamole made my heart explode with joy. Maybe it was because I was very hungry, maybe it was because there was a myriad of..."

Nathaniel Antonick

"Authentic Mexican food right across from the beach and boardwalk. Prices average to any restaurant. They were very friendly and nice atmosphere...."

Natalie Lugo

"Decent food, lots of vegetarian options. Tastes good, and more genuine than any of the Boardwalk food, so logically gets really crowded on summer..."

Zoe Nicoladis

"Good food. Took forever to order, but food come out quickly. Small out door seating, lots of indoor seating as well. They serve beer as..."

N DB

"Really really great tasting food i tried a little of everything in the 3 days was there burritos especially the fish WOW damm..."

Francesso Olivia

Ideal Bar & Grill

70/100 (3744 ratings)

Grilled Fish Tacos GF Until 4pm Only

Tacos

Molten Lava Cake

Berrilicious Lava Flow

Lobster

New England Clam Chowder

Roasted Garlic & Brie

Clam Chowder Breadbowl

Baby Back Ribs Monday All Day

Wheelchair Accessible

"Great food & customer service from the servers. Not so much from the young lady that seats you. Phenomenal view & beautiful day to eat on the deck...."

Lou ggle

"Great food! Went here with nearly 10 co-workers and we all had a blast! You have to try the clam chowder in a bread bowl, they are known for it! We..."

Kyle Lowman

"The food was amazing, the service was fantastic! We only waited about 5-10 minutes for a table. Once we were sat, our server was quick! She took our..."

Katie Roberts

"I come here sometimes on my days off to have a drink 🍸 and some good food. The staff is friendly and the service here is typically good. There's..."

Davisu Echo

"Food was tasty, service was good as well. Stuffed salmon and the mexican mimosa were absolutely delicious. A little pricey, but its seafood on the..."

Tabitha Paige

"We ordered the grilled garlic and brie charcuterie board as well as the fish tacos. Both were solid choices, especially the tacos. Market price for..."

Marx Moley

"I would give it a 4 Star since all of our food came out cold but the clam chowder made me give it 5 stars. This has some of the best chowder I've..."

Brad Hodges II

"The service was good and the ambiance was nice. We ordered the Brie cheese plate with garlic and was happily surprised by the presentation (pic was..."

Samala Bernier

Las Olitas Cantina & Grill

70/100 (1000 ratings)

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