Restaurants in Santa Cruz
The Best Restaurants
Hindquarter Bar & Grille
303 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Fall face-firat into beef. Santa Cruz has some of the best restaurants in the world, but steaks here usually feel like an after-thought to fish and exotic...
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- Superb692 Reviews4.8
El Palomar
1336 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060This place is great! The Horachata and Margaritas (strong...lol) were delicious. The customer service was great! We ordered burrito, sopes (different style but...
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- Superb741 Reviews4.7
Linda's Seabreeze Café
542 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Our go to place for breakfast or brunch! Great service, great food, great sensitivity to Covid-delta with good outdoor spacing (and probably inside, as well). ...
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- Superb541 Reviews4.8
Zachary's Restaurant
819 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060As someone with an egg intolerance, at first I was expecting another breakfast outing with friends where I couldn’t order anything on the menu. I was...
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- Superb529 Reviews4.7
Crow's Nest Restaurant
2218 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062This place is pretty nice! I got outside seating by the window with a nice view of the ocean! The heaters were perfect since it was chilly outside. The hosts...
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- Superb657 Reviews4.4
Cafe Brasil
1410 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Meu Deus! My folks are Brazilian and I've visited there many times, so take it from me: this place is the real deal! Not only was the food delicious and...
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- Superb355 Reviews4.6
Engfer Pizza Works
537 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062A really nice selection of pizzas and a very kind staff. We had the Pesto-licious pizza and it was excellent. I especially liked this pizza because it...
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- Superb248 Reviews4.8
Harbor Café
535 7th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Super friendly and welcoming staff. Makes at 15 to 20 minute wait fly by. If you are inclined, you can walk up to the sidewalk window and order coffee or a...
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- Superb259 Reviews4.6
Back Nine Grill & Bar
555 Highway 17 Inside the Inn at, Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Ok, we sat at bar and Alex the bartender was an excellent host. We try the house bloody marry with onion ring and bacon along with other typical dress up for...
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- Superb335 Reviews4.4
Lillian's Italian Kitchen
1148 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062This was me and my husband's first time here on vacation and frankly we're sorry we hadn't discovered this place years ago! Excellent excellent...
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- Superb272 Reviews4.5
Seabright Deli
415 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Sandwiches were really good, especially the smoked chicken club and the blackened snapper. We were a little bummed that a California deli had zero gluten free...
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- Superb180 Reviews4.7
Hula's Island Grill
221 Cathcart St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060It was our first time at Hula's - we enjoyed the food, the service was good and the pricing was decent. We started with the sweet potato fries and with...
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- Superb305 Reviews4.3
The Walnut Avenue Cafe
106 Walnut Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Lovely place! Staff were all super friendly, interior was charming, and the menu options / portions were great!! So glad that they had a tofu alternative for...
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- Superb269 Reviews4.4
Woodstock's Pizza Santa Cruz
710 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Went here for a date and got stood up. Ended up having to eat an entire order of wild bread to myself. As I was sulking in my loneliness, one of their crew...
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- Good310 Reviews4.2
Veg On The Edge
725 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060This is one of our favorite vegan places to visit when we're in Santa Cruz. The menu is limited -- and gets more limited as the day goes by -- but what...
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- Superb203 Reviews4.5
West End Tap and Kitchen
334 Ingalls St d, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Cool, trendy place to go on the west side. We were seated quickly and service was friendly. I had a juicy mushroom and caramelized onion burger and fries. ...
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- Superb255 Reviews4.3
Vim Dining and Desserts
2238 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060I love this place! I've been there several times since they opened a few years ago. The menu is always a little different each time I go, depending on...
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- Superb149 Reviews4.7
Oswald Restaurant
121 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Oswald is still consistently good after all these years. I'm so glad they made it through the worst of the pandemic. At least I hope that was the worst....
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- Good283 Reviews4.2
Lupulo Craft Beer House
233 Cathcart St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060We weren't planning on stopping here but our bar was closed. So we had a glass of white wine and a grilled cheese. Both were fantastic. The wine shocked...
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- Superb195 Reviews4.5
Lago di Como
21490 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Quality Italian with many classics but also more unusual regional options. I had a special with Fregola and a very tasty sausage. My family had a pizza which...
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- Superb187 Reviews4.5
Silver Spur
2650 Soquel Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95065Still a great place for breakfast/brunch/lunch. Big portions, tasty home fries, good service, how can you go wrong? (Note: my last visit I was recovering from...
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- Superb186 Reviews4.5
Mission St. BBQ
1618 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060I think this is probably the best barbecue place in Santa Cruz. Everything they serve is so tender and juicy. It is always a consistent experience. They often...
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- Good263 Reviews4.2
Taqueria Los Pericos
139 Water St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060They had a lil mis Communication because they have an answering service, i ordered a wet jumbo burrito with no cilantro. The guy reviews what is in the burrito...
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- Superb286 Reviews4.4
Cafe Gratitude
103 Lincoln St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Just awesome! We had the cauliflower wings as our appetizer, and they definitely did not disappoint! Super tasty! Then for our main course, we had the caprese...
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- Superb225 Reviews4.3
The Water Street Grill
503 Water St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060I really wanted to love this little spot. The interior was decorated with a nautical theme since it's close to the beach. I opted to sit inside on a night that...
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- Good303 Reviews4
Tacos Moreno
1053 Water St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062I'm extremely happy for how good the asada Burrito tasted and The 2 chicken Tacos it had the best Flavor I will definitely go back again and get the same...
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- Superb234 Reviews4.5
Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta
2415 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060The simple cheese pizza here is phenomenal. The cheese on it tastes great, the cheese to dough ratio is perfect, and the pizza itself just has this satisfying...
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- Superb212 Reviews4.3
The Buttery
702 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Cake by the slice was not available unfortunately. But cupcakes were moist and not too sweet. (Cupcakes would be the only item that I'd be happy to have...
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- Good261 Reviews4.1
American Restaurants
American in Santa Cruz
The Crêpe Place
1134 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062The Crepe Place is unique. They have spectacular crepes, with great soups and salads. Bar attached, so the alcohol selection is good too. Sitting outside on...
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- Good203 Reviews4.2
FireFish Grill
25 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Stagnaros was closed and this was my second choice- which did not disappoint. Lunch with a view - Heck yes!!!! We were seated at the back right of the...
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- Good303 Reviews3.6
Pizza Restaurants
Pizza in Santa Cruz
Kiantis Pizza & Pasta Bar
1100 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060My husband and I stopped here on our vacation and we LOVED it! One of our favorite places the whole trip! Super friendly staff and delicious food. The service...
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- Good279 Reviews4
Pleasure Pizza
4000 Portola Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062We had a large Pleasure Combo right out on patio and it was excellent. Generous toppings and crisp crust with a soft interior... not too thick or thin... It...
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- Good155 Reviews4.2
Mexican Restaurants
Mexican in Santa Cruz
De La Hacienda Taqueria
354 Washington St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Great Mexican restaurant with friendly staff. Make sure to try the super burrito. I got the verde beef super burrito and it was one of the best burritos I’ve...
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- Superb176 Reviews4.6
Cafe El Palomar
2222 E Cliff Dr STE 100, Santa Cruz, CA 95062This place is great. Friendly servers and bartenders. Volleyball rentals, and right in front of the beach. Sports bar and a nice place to eat your all day...
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- Good183 Reviews3.9
Salsas Taco Bar
1710 Brommer St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Usually it's very good always been a fan of the one burger they serve but this last time I went it wasn't as good as I remember and the fries were a...
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- Superb163 Reviews4.3
Chinese Restaurants
Chinese in Santa Cruz
Chinese Village
3780 Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Lunch specials, everyday, including weekends, under $9 and $8!!! The food was authentic and delicious. We enjoyed the garlic chicken chow mein and the...
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- Good118 Reviews4.1
Golden Palace
415 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Spent the day at the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk for the day stop to eat some Chinese food for my nephew's birthday great experience friendly staff had the...
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- Good195 Reviews3.5
Seafood Restaurants
Seafood in Santa Cruz
Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery
49A Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Servers are extremely nice, and very knowledgeable. The restaurant has a great ambiance, as well as one of the bar areas has a rotating seating area, so no...
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- Good258 Reviews4.1
Riva Fish House
31 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060That place is terrific especially for Muslims who are looking for halal food. The menu is full of great dishes and there are fish for the kids. The staff is...
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- Good270 Reviews3.9
Stagnaro Bros.
59 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Amazing 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 had...
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- Good248 Reviews3.9
Sushi Bars
Sushi Bars in Santa Cruz
Akira Seabright
1222 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062I highly recommend Akira sushi for the quality and delicious contemporary Japanese sushi rolls and bento dinners. They use high quality material and you can...
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- Good192 Reviews4.2
I LOVE SUSHI
516 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060The staff treated our large group quite well. There were several freebies that the owner threw in, which more than made up for the one dish that didn't...
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- Good192 Reviews3.9
M.G. Sushi
1733 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Great sushi, happy employees, could be a bit more timely but can't win every battle! Definitely would recommend calling in to order (not using the online...
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- Good156 Reviews3.9
Thai Restaurants
Thai in Santa Cruz
Sabieng Thai Cuisine
1218 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060We ordered the duck. It was deep fried perfectly. You can get it made without the edition of oyster sauce if you have an allergy. Just ask, they are very...
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- Good174 Reviews4.2
@ Thai Recipe
2106A Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060The place is really nice and clean, the service quick, professional and attentive. People are really kind and the food very good.My husband and I were there...
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- Good159 Reviews4.1
Burger Restaurants
Burgers in Santa Cruz
Betty Burgers
505 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062That was the best Burger, Fries and shake I’ve had in years! The burger beef and bun was perfect and the flavors of the selection blended together perfectly!...
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- Good271 Reviews4
Jack's Hamburgers
202 Lincoln St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Great local burger stand, small dining room but larger patio area. I had the Double Cheeseburger, which was delicious. Thin patties with a nice crispy crust...
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- Superb204 Reviews4.3
Betty Burgers
1000 41st Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062This place is sooo good. Their burgers are amazing. And their fries are impeccable. Ordering is super easy and it doesn't take long to get your meal. Me...
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- Good215 Reviews4
Indian Restaurants
Indian in Santa Cruz
Pearl of the Ocean
736 Water St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Three of us ate at Pearl of the Ocean in September, 2021, and the food was outstanding! Two of us eat Vegan and we were not disappointed. Our friend who was...
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- Good175 Reviews4
Royal Taj India Cuisine
270 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Grate food, the person at the front was really polite and helpful. He guide me with the portions of the food, so I could order the right amount. The taste was...
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- Good77 Reviews4.2
Opulence Indian Food
1520 k2, Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060The neyyappam (#11, rice flour fritter) is amazing: warm, chewy and a little sweet. Never tried it before, will get it every time I'm in the area. Great...
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- Good55 Reviews4.2
Italian Restaurants
Italian in Santa Cruz
Ristorante Italiano
555 Soquel Ave STE 150, Santa Cruz, CA 95062Staff was very friendly and kind. Food was served promptly. We ate outdoors and the flame heaters they had were awesome. Even though it was a bit chilly...
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- Good180 Reviews4.2
Aldo's Harbor Restaurant
790 Mariner Park Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95062The food was so good, the service was great, and what a quaint spot right by the marina and all outside. When I come back to vacation next year, this is a...
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- Good186 Reviews3.9
Sandwich Shops
Sandwich Shops in Santa Cruz
Emily's Good Things To Eat
1129 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Go early for best selection. Everything I have ever had here has been great. I used to survive off the day olds basket, but my all time favorites are the lemon...
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- Superb166 Reviews4.3
Ike's Love & Sandwiches
1318 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Absolutely great tuna fish sandwich on a really good sourdough roll. For vegetarians they have turkey vegan substitutes and chicken vegan substitutes and...
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- Good165 Reviews4
Black Point Market
21400 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062I had no idea that there was such an extensive menu here for a high quality lunch! A must try for anyone who's interested in this store /restaurant:fried...
- Superb79 Reviews4.8
Bar & Grill
Bar & Grill in Santa Cruz
Ideal Bar & Grill
106 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Beach side view. Well flavoured food. We loved:Garlic friesGarlic breadBeyond meat burgerSeafood kababsAnd some pasta.Fries were perfect crunchy.Cordial...
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- Good359 Reviews3.5
Parish Publick House Westside Santa Cruz
841 Almar Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060Wow! A beautiful dinner with amazing food, music, entertainment, and most of all service. Steve was such a kind and giving person who clearly was known around...
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- Superb161 Reviews4.3
Pono Hawaiian Grill
3744 Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95062BEST PORK LAU LAU!! I come here just for this dish! No one else makes it as good as here! Also really like the outdoor seating, perfect for having dogs come...
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- Good209 Reviews4