Ate 3 One

Hula's completely saved my birthday dinner! After arriving at the restaurant I had originally…read morechosen and being told they couldn't accommodate my party, Hula's was able to seat our entire group and made it feel like my birthday was always meant to be celebrated there. The customer service was amazing from beginning to end. I wish I could remember the staff members' names, but hopefully they remember our group! Everyone was so kind and attentive. They complimented us throughout the night, took pictures for us, and truly made me feel celebrated. The drinks were great and made just right. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better birthday experience. Thank you, Hula's, for turning the night around and making my celebration so special!

Delicious food! Jerk plate is phenomenal! And so is there…read moredesserts. We got the oreo based pie with the local ice cream as the filling which had macadamia nuts in it; it was so good! And it's enough to share for 2 people. I will definitely be back for the jerk plate and the desserts! Service was good! They checked in on us. Gave us great recommendations. Maria was our server and she did such an amazing job! Made us feel welcomed. There is plenty of seats inside and some outside as well. We chose to sit inside as it gave beautiful dim romantic atmosphere.

"Tiki Room"

Sweet Potato Fries

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Ahi Tuna Katsu Tacos

Pono Hawaiian Grill

3.8(1.7k reviews)

7.6 km

Located about 15 minutes from UCSC, parking is limited and very hard to find. We got lucky with a…read morelot that had free parking which was only a block or so away. The interior is nicely decorated and spacious making it great for big groups. Loco moco burrito (4/5): delicious. The skin was crispy which I liked. A bit mushy but the macaroni was soft and well done. The beef was tender and flavorful. I still wonder why the tortilla was red though. Tap to pay is accepted. Overall, Pono Hawaiian Grill has some delicious food. The vibe is good too.

I found this place on tiktok & it was my Pacific Islander Sisters birthday. I wanted her to feel…read morelike home so I thought this was the perfect place. I ordered the sushi sandwiches & it was 10/10. It's HUGE asf but the food was good. We had no complaints. The service was great. The staff was helpful & especially helping us get her some cake item. The ambiance was beautiful. The outside area was beautiful as guck I highly recommend

Avo Tomato poke bowl for da win!

Mai Thai

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Come taste the islands!

Taqueria Los Pericos

4.1(1.7k reviews)

7.3 km

Food was fantastic! So authentic! Quick and kind service. While we were here 15 people came in…read morewithin the 20 minutes we were here. (Dinner time). The flavoring and quality of meat was perfect. The salsa on the tacos had just the right amount of kick! We're so bummed we don't live here but will absolutely be back! Free warm chips And a salsa bar Can't say enough great things about this place!

We had been coming here for years, and it was honestly one of our favorite Mexican food spots…read more Unfortunately, that changed after an experience a few months ago. I ordered an al pastor taco that came with a lot of lettuce. I ate it, and the next day I got extremely sick with what felt like the worst food poisoning I've ever experienced. It was bad enough that it honestly traumatized me from eating Mexican food altogether. And just to give you an idea of how bad the experience was--I love Mexican food, and I haven't eaten it at all since then. It took me months to even feel comfortable enough to leave this review. I really liked this place before, so I'm not saying this lightly. If you decide to go, I personally would avoid the al pastor tacos and anything that comes with their lettuce. I haven't gone back since.

Breakfast #1

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Outdoor seating

Riva Fish House

3.6(1.6k reviews)

8.9 km

Locally owned & operated

Outdoor seating

4 stars for food. They just magically has everything I like, the Fish and Calamari both in one a…read moredish (never seen that before), yummy cup of clam chowder for $7, plus replace fries for a lightly coated coleslaw. Calamari here is not ring so minus one star. 5 stars for service: our great and wonderful Nicole server was fast, caring and love her customers. You can just tell by the little details she does 5stars for the epic views and check out their restroom too, a nice surprise haha (RV trailer size) Best on the pier

One of the old school players doing the mandatory seafood on the municipal wharf in Santa Cruz…read more Pretty touristy (as it should) but I also sensed a good amount of locals just out for a good time. Nothing fancy or cutting edge here. But imo these are the kind of old school seaside joints that many inland seafood places try to recreate. This is the actual model places like Red Lobster, the now defunct Fish Market and Market Broiler bases their businesses on. *food for thought* Crab Cakes ($16/4*) Served with pickled onions and remoulade right on top. At first I thought the crab cakes were too bready, like a decent amount of bread crumbs in the crab mix to bind it. The texture was very smooth and more paste-y than crab shreds in texture. So my first initial bites I was ready to start not liking the dish. But after the 3rd/4th bites I realized that it wasn't all that bad and that most crab cakes are made in this fashion more than not. Unless you go to a hella expensive resto where they can use lump meat without hezzy. The crab flavor was indeed there, and the seasoning was spot on. And the mushy texture was really helped by the pickled onions which gave each bite a brightness and crunch. I think ALL crab cakes should be served with pickled onions. Yet I hardly ever see it. Great move on their part. Grilled Halibut ($30/4*) I chose this simple prep cuz I love local fresh seafood done simply so I can appreciate the freshness of the fish. It was grilled ok over coals but did get a bit dry as halibut is so lean, kinda like grilling pork chops. I think they should baste the fish with some oil/butter while it is grilling. It keeps the fish moist during that dry method of grilling. They do offer like 8 sauces to choose from to pair with your fish. I chose a Picatta sauce that was butter, garlic , parsley, lemon and capers. And theirs was light and fresh and when poured over the grilled fish just totally absorbed into that fresh halibut. I even sensed a bit of anchovy umami in that sauce which I found very effective. Had a glass of Chardonnay with the food which was very complementary. Then finished with an Irish Coffee as I was too full to eat anything else. I should have called out for Jamesons whiskey tho, as I think I got their well version. Not as smooth as Jamesons which is usually my go-to. Still an above average seafood outing in a seaside town. Service was proper with really good timing on coursing. I hate when a course arrives when you're still in the middle of a soup or appetizer. Riva I came in not expecting much but I left more impressed than not. I would come back for another round.

New Riva Special! Mussels Barracho

Riva's Famous Beer-Battered Calamari!

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Local artist Jeff Owen's beautiful fish dancing in the sea breezes on the Santa Cruz wharf!

Margaritaville

4.1(1.2k reviews)

7.6 km

Wow - it's been ages since we have dined at Margaritaville - it seems to have improved massively…read moresince our last visit. We enjoyed the guacamole, halibut fish tacos, Dungeness crab tostadas, and (due to a temporary dietary restriction) the cheese quesadilla. All, plus the Cadillac margaritas were absolutely perfect. The chips were fresh made, too! But the true icing on the cake was the attentive, kind service by Nora. We will definitely be back!

My daughter was out with her friends (typical teenager, I suppose), so I thought I'd enjoy a…read morerelaxing day to myself. But my partner convinced me to join him and his daughter for a trip to Capitola. At first, I hesitated--it felt like a third-wheel situation--but he assured me it would be fun to have dinner together. Eventually, I thought, why not give it a try? By the time we arrived, all three of us were hungry, so we explored the beachside restaurants. We ultimately chose Margaritaville, which seemed to have the best menu. Although I was tempted by a margarita, I decided on a Butterfly Passion instead and asked the server if it was a pretty drink--thankfully, it was both beautiful and delicious! We began our meal with guacamole and chips. I was a bit concerned the jalapeños would make it too spicy for me, but it turned out just right--a fantastic appetizer. My partner's daughter ordered a Chile Verde Enchilada and enjoyed it, though she couldn't finish her rice and beans, which she kindly shared with me. My partner and I split an order of Dungeness Crab Tostadas, and they were absolutely delicious. Our server was friendly and attentive, got our orders right, and made sure we didn't wait long for our food or drinks. I was surprised to discover that Margaritaville has so many locations, including all-inclusive hotels--who knew it was so popular? After such a great first meal here, I'd definitely visit another location if I get the chance.

Skirt Steak Plate & Caesar Salad

Midnight Margarita

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Quesabirria, Ceviche, Chile Verde Plate

El Palomar

3.7(1.2k reviews)

7.6 km

Bet place for drinks & food , where friends ,family get together …read more Also best for large parties takeout food , best steak asada, chicken skewers, red chile ( like chile verde) but cooked red chiles first time I tried very flavored, pork meat very tender and chile verde it's awesome tasty flavorful. To me it's one the best authentic Mexican food . Best customer service by waitress ,bar tender (Tim ) Kim , and Johaan E friendly, helpful as always all their staff goes above and beyond extra mile . I just stopped at the last minute to order large take out to have ready for next day to be picked up. Is always good to try different dishes . Thank you to the kitchen staff for cooking and made my day easy.

3.5 stars. Beans and rice lacked salt & flavor. Shredded chicken enchiladas and sopa were alright…read more I did enjoy the combo steak and prawn fajitas, however, very little protein. Their tortillas are fresh and chewy that was a plus. Service was slow on a Tuesday evening. They charge for salsa other than the complementary salsa roja.

Dining Room

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Coctel de Camarones

Manuel's Mexican Restaurant

4.0(1k reviews)

9.5 km

Manuel's Restaurant Make it a beach day + date day! Spend…read morethe day at Seacliff State Beach, then head over to Manuel's for some authentic Mexican food, cocktails, great atmosphere, and excellent service! Family-owned, family-friendly, and definitely worth the stop. The beach was beaching... now the tacos are taco-ing! Lunch, dinner, or takeout--Manuel's is a 5-star stop!

We're visiting from the Bay Area. This was our first time at Manuel's. It will not be our last!…read more The restaurant is cute and reminds me of a Mexican restaurants I grew up going to. Beautiful decor, fresh flowers & friendly staff. The chips & salsa were fresh and delicious. The salsa had a different flavor. I'm not a chef. But it reminded me a little of adobo (maybe)? Whatever it was we all really enjoyed it. The guac was creamy and limey. Most of us got combination plates. I got the 2 items: a cheese enchilada with the carne asada taco (it's a bit of an up charge & it was definitely worth it!) the asada was so delicious! Chewy and flavorful. The enchilada sauce was perfect too. My husband's combo plate, was similar but he got 3 items, including a pork tamale. He said it was great. Other things of note: the beans were good & not runny, according to others as I don't eat beans. Rice - so good, my kid ate an entire side of it. Loved the rice. Chili verde - incredible accounting to my MIL Daily lunch specials were repriced very reasonably & there's several options.

Entry way/ self serve seating

Enchilada and burrito

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Mango margarita

Las Palmas Taco Bar

3.5(763 reviews)

8.6 km

My Favorite Mexican in Santa Cruz! Best salsa ever and best…read moreburrito hands down! Beans and fabulous can't wait to go back

Excellent as always. We got a quesadilla- huge flour tortilla folded over full of cheddar and jack…read morecheese and piping hot; 3 chicken tacos- juicy and good quality and great with the green salsa; and a tres amigos plate. It's the same as it has always been, taqueria ambience.

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Olitas Cantina & Grill

3.2(695 reviews)

8.9 km

After visiting here I truly believe my super power is finding the absolute best tasting food…read morebecause my mouth mind is even more blown now. The food here has the quality of a Michelin star restaurant and the staff is professional, kind and personable. The food here made me giggle like a child while I ate it, each bite taking me back to a time when food was new and exciting and not just sustenance. Even the place itself and the restaurant has so much history and the view is to die for and I can't think of anywhere else on the Santa Cruz pier more deserving of your money. PS noticed after I posted my review that this place ONLY has 3 stars??? That's distrustful and I hope my review can play a part in getting them to the 5 stars they deserve.

Great spot right on the pier. We had the chicken Caesar and the carne asada fajitas--everything…read moretasted really good, and the salad was fresh and on point. The only thing I'd say is the chicken on the Caesar could've been a little hotter. The only downside was the staff having what looked like a "secret" conversation right in front of everyone... not so secret . That said, I'll definitely be back for the food--and maybe another episode of Bar Wars

Straw ritas

Delicious food and spectacular views

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Chile rellenos and a view

The Point Market

4.3(568 reviews)

9.0 km

Come for the breakfast burritos!…read more Walk down to the point watch some surfing and an amazing view. Bring cash. Or grab a couple tables and chairs to chill out and enjoy the yummmmmy burritos.

Fresh, delicious eats by the beach…read more I ordered the Baja fish tacos. Super fresh, not fishy, loaded with crunchy shredded lettuce and pico de gallo and sauce. Great with a squirt of lime. My fiancé ordered the rockfish burrito which was massive too! Love the healthier black beans up in there. Service was pretty fast considering it was a one man show. Enjoyed this local spot!

Sausage Burrito with Jalapeño

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Large Barrel Burrito

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Michael F.

9 years ago

Who the hell makes a 11year old boy cry? Because they got the food wrong he went up to them and the lady told him she doesnt have time for him. His mother comes and the lada says she dont got time and that the mother was embarrassing herself. I actually know the people who hired the truck and they paid her extra to treat the family and pyro crew right. They treated every one like crap and i mean terrible. read more

Katrina B.

5 years ago

I would give no stars if possible. The owner was out of line, cussing at every single male who came up to the order window. Telling them to shut the f*** up and go F*** themselves. She made the girl helping her cry. It was at a wedding event!!! I will never ever recommend them. Horrible. Don't waste your money. read more

Leci K.

7 years ago

The owner was wasted today at the pleasure point fair yelling profanities at people including myself and then got pulled over and was being breathalyzed as we were leaving. This woman is on hard drugs. Just read some of her comments on the bad yelp reviews. Get some help. read more

Noelle N.

6 years ago

Food is gross. Truck is dirty. This "business" account on Instagram started messaging my sister and speaking horrible things about my family. I cannot believe this unprofessionalism that is being displayed through this disgusting food truck. Stay away at all costs. read more

Leticia M.

137

9 years ago

Reading the review response towards Stephen down there I'm avoiding this place at all costs! As a business owner how do your respond so unprofessionally?? You should be ashamed of yourself, and get on medication. read more

T K.

10 years ago

Check out this post from business owner. Know where your money is going. Pic uploaded I won't support racist/sexist business owners. read more

Rodrigo V.

9 years ago

Absolutely disgusting food. Stay away at all costs. Plus the owner is very rude. Can not believe it is still in business.

Ate 3 One - foodtrucks - Updated October 2026

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$40 for rotten food the carnitas burrito the meat was no good. The chicken tacos was no good were…read moresenior citizen so please refund David. And the cashier didn't care.

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YUM!!! Food was great but the ambience was excellent. We sat outside on the covered porch. And…read moreservice was also excellent.

It's been 3yrs since we been there and does not taste the same and not the great service either,…read morenot from the hosts but the woman going around serving water. Not sure what was her deal! She was serving water like she didn't want to be there and no friendly smile or saying you're welcome.. when I told her thank you multiple times. The drinks were mid.. my did not taste like alcohol and no flavor at all. The food was very bland, no flavor, the guacamole was missing lime and salt.. my enchiladas were covered in too much cheese, I couldn't tell what I ordered. I didn't finish my plate, just ate a 1:4 of it.. Sorry for the waitress for not leaving a decent tip, but this place went down hill..

High End Comida

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Delicious food, good customer service.... Ill be back to try more soon. Thank you Santa Cruzread more

We have seen Saucey'z around, but have never tried it, so when we saw that they would be at Sante…read moreAdarius in Capitola, we headed up for dinner. I ordered two vegan tacos, my spouse ordered two aloha tacos with pork, and we got Brussels sprouts (no bacon) to share. The food came out quickly and was piping hot. The chef delivered it himself and was very pleasant. Food was amazing, but two tacos AND half of the Brussels sprouts was a lot of food. These were massive dishes! That being said, we ate most of it and just had to roll ourselves home. The sauce was a bit too spicy for me, but would probably be fine for someone who enjoys spice more than I do. I'll be on the lookout for this truck from now on!

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Food trucks - you take your stomach into your hands every time you consider one. This one was a…read morewinning chance. We were camping at the Santa Cruz County fairgrounds and needed to make a trip into town to do some laundry. With a hungry burning in our stomach, we loaded up the clothes and started looking for something to eat in the immediate area. Tacos El Jerry was parked in the lot right out front, and it looked too good to pass up. It ended up being excellent. My wife and I shared some quesabirria tacos, and it was some of the best birria I've had. Their jamica was excellent, and the salsas were superb. I went back the next day for more. The staff is friendly, the truck is clean, and the food is awesome. Definitely worth the detour if you're in the area.

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I stopped by El Chuy in Santa Cruz after a day at the boardwalk and a swim at the beach and WOWW!…read moreIt was exactly what I needed. I ordered the quesabirria and the birria ramen, and the birria was hands down the best I've ever had. After living in San Diego for four years, I truly thought SD had the best birria, but I was wrong. This completely exceeded my expectations. The quesabirria was perfectly cheesy, ooey gooey goodness and sooo crispy. Every bite had that rich, savory flavor, and the beef was incredibly tender, literally melts in your mouth. The birria ramen was also really yummy and such a fun twist. My only note is that I wish there was a bit more meat, and I ordered it spicy which ended up being hotter than I expected but it was still super flavorful and worth trying. Overall, the food quality is amazing, and you can tell they put a lot of care into it. I would happily drive 1.5 hours to come here every day if I could. Definitely a must-try spot if you're in Santa Cruz!

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