I was happy to come across Capitola's Esplanade, during my stay in Santa Cruz. I wasn't ready to turn in on a Saturday night, and found they actually had a cool little bar scene here, only a 12-minute drive from where we were staying in Santa Cruz. The setting is actually really nice, a bunch of bars and restaurants lined along the waterfront, with lots of lights and outdoor seating. There were only a few open at this time (Saturday in late March during covid era), but I was glad to hear Bay Bar would close at 1am that night... I haven't seen a bar open late near my hometown (San Jose) in a long time, pre-covid. So I was delighted. And street parking was easy, right in front. When we approached this establishment, the door was locked, but the worker let us in, as he was just enforcing a max capacity. Inside, they do not enforce social distancing, and obviously people are not wearing masks because they are drinking. But the tables are spaced out pretty well, so my boyfriend and I found seating away from others. Ordering from the bar was standard. And I had my first lemon drop in a year and a half since the last time I went to a bar. So I was pretty happy, lol. Drinks are standard, not weak, nothing special... no complaints. This is a pretty chill spot with a nice ambiance, a view of the ocean out back, music not overbearingly loud (great for having conversation), they don't serve food late, pool tables are currently covered, and apparently they are a Raiders bar with lots of decor all around (ie. signed jerseys in frames). I'm not a regular here, but for my first time, considering the circumstances, I had a good experience. read more

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Looking for a drink and good munchies? I found just the place in Capitola! I've walked around this area and dined at a few restaurants around here but never noticed this place until last weekend. From the outside it's dark, there's a small entrance, and the place doesn't look too big. But when you enter the fun just opens up! 2 pool tables, a long bar, a jukebox with some great throwbacks, tables at the end with a beautiful view and some very friendly bartenders who do it all! It was about 3 pm so there was nobody else there when we came in. We sat at a tall table by the window and ordered a bunch of food. Onion rings, hot wings, mozzarella sticks, and two orders of fish and chips. The bartender came over and took our order herself, we ordered some drinks and she went to the bar and prepared them, afterward we saw her go to the back and she was preparing the food too! It was a one woman show and she was killing it! I'll admit it was a little worrisome at first once more people started coming in and the whole bar filled up, another table filled up and people started playing pool but we didn't have to wait long for food and everything came out delicious! read more

On April 28, 2019, four of us stopped in for a refreshment and to enjoy the view. The service is friendly, the cocktails are a bargain, and the place is a gem. Plenty of seating, clean bathroom, 2 pool tables, a jukebox, and a windows that you can open if you get to warm (or close if you're chilled). We look forward to our next visit. read more

Super good street tacos, delicious! perfect amount of meat and toppings. 3 tacos per order. Had a side order of fries and OH BOY! were they big...the basket was huge- a lot of fries baby..... I enjoyed my first Gin and Tonic!!!! - they were good drinks. I am not a drinker, therefore I can say their drinks were very weak..good for me ;) but for those of you who like strong drinks...you will need to consume a lot of them to get your buzz-on. I didn't mind the drink being on the weak side thought. read more

Went with a party of 8 today to celebrate a friends bachelorette. We handed our ID to the bartender and the bartender handed it to a customer that was drinking at the bar top to verify and determine if it was real or "fake" Aren't you suppose to know if it's a real or fake if you're a bartender? Horrible customer service. Train your staff please. read more

We came in to celebrate one of our friends bachelorettes, we all had ID's. The bartender gave a guy across the bar (not employee) our ID's to make sure they were real? We are closer to 30 than to 21, I don't know why that was needed. I'm pretty sure giving our information to a complete stranger is illegal. At first we thought it was a joke but when she said she couldn't get "chapped" right now we all decided to leave. I've never had something like this happen to me, not only was it unprofessional it's border line immoral. Like we got turn down for being Mexican. Take your service elsewhere. read more

I would give this place a 0 star. Not even a one star. The bartender gave some some drunk man across the bar my ID to check if it was real. You work there aren't you suppose to know if it's real or fake!? I'm 27 and the bartender took the man who was drinking from the bars word over looking at my ID. Never again going back to that place again. read more

Went into the bar with a group of friends. We where placing an order of drinks and the bartender asks for our ID. We give the bartender the ID and the bartender hands the IDs to a drunk customer asking if they are real. The customer claims that our IDs are fake and tells the bartender. Who quicks us out without the bartender looking into our IDs. This is absurd! I will not be going back! How can the bartender hand off our IDs to a customer!!!! read more

I found it extremely unprofessional how the bartender grabbed my DL and handed it to some random guy who was drinking at the bar to decide wether or not my DL was real. You know, I'm no bartender, but even I am aware of what the difference between a real DL and old CA DL look like. I don't know, maybe the DMV scammed me and handed me a fake one as some rando sitting at the bar decided so. I understand if SHE was refusing service due to her best judgement but no, the rando (previously mentioned) had the final say as he read my personal information, which I feel only the bartender should have had the final say. She didn't want to get "chapped", maybe got busted accepting fake IDs before! Don't waste your time! read more

It's great that they have pool tables. The tap list is limited, but they did have a few craft offerings.

Blown away! The owner Patrick was ridiculously awesome and each staff member that we encountered was spot on. From suggesting their signature drink to bringing pens and paper for the littles to color on, this place felt like home. We traveled from Seattle and had experienced our fair share of meh BUT not here. The food was outstanding and the specials made it way worth bringing our entire family of 5. Value, service and atmosphere this hidden treasure will not disappoint. Habanero wings.....bonus read more

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I never give a place one star but DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY AND TIME. I REPEAT DO NOT WASTE UR MONEY. The guy working there is rude and not even gonna mention the food is just oil and grease. You can't call that food if it's all frozen and not fresh at all. read more

Great bar Pats a great friendly owner and some of the best fish tacos in Santa Cruz!! Can't recommend it enough to people.

Very much a locals hangout, the Bay Bar & Grill has two pool tables that dominate a lot of the space. As it gets later, this place fills up so forget about playing pool or you'll end up queuing much more than an 8 ball. I'm much more cocktail lounge than casual bar, but this place was a-ok. The bathroom (emphasis on the singular) has a huge window that stays open for the most part. Luckily for women the window is placed just strategically high enough. If you're a guy, just don't turn around. I did see a guy out the window standing on the beach smoking a cigarette and watching the toilet goers. Drinks were about $8 and fairly strong. I hadn't done the bar scene in years (even when I was in the market) and it felt strange to be chatted up by guys much younger than me, but then again it was also an ego boost. read more

Music, drinks and good company while watching the 3 point shoot out, with a lil evening food for Valentine's Day, our bartender was great! Now the tall bobcut blond bartender, was rude n made some snide comments about our bartender, so not cool!!! read more

Bar & Grill - Bars Near Me

Wow, this little place rocks! Was hungry and thirsty, walked in, passed a couple of pool tables, got a window seat with a beautiful view. My husband and I shared a plate of tacos. I think they were the best double tortilla fish tacos with sliced avocado on top we've ever had. Thank you to Jose who made them! My husband liked his Jack and Coke and I enjoyed my Arnold Palmer. Indi, our bartender/waitress, was so nice and gracious, she made our experience wonderful. We liked the fish tacos and service so much, we went back the next day! read more

Bar & Grill - Superb fish tacos with a beautiful view! - Bars Near Me

5 stars for the taco!! The best taco I had! I don't care if it's authentic or not, the grilled chicken and beef ones are fantastic with double tortillas! The bar attender was very nice and impressed that I had 6 tacos all by my self! Well, what can I say, when you run into great tacos, don't miss it. The last time I had such good taco was at Mexico, a small street cart, I only had one, until this day, I still regretted my decision. Now I find my to go place for taco!! read more

Casual bar with two pool tables and a couple of good bartenders. Only 3 beers on tap (I remember seeing Fat Tire) but a pretty full bar otherwise. Gets loud and full on a Saturday night but the crowd was laid back and friendly. Again, be warned... heavy police presence on the Esplanade so be very careful driving home. read more

Bartender gave some random guy sitting at the bar drinking mine and my friends ID and he declared our IDs were fake when clearly they were not. The guy sitting at the bar proceed by throwing our IDs back to us and the bartender said that she couldn't serve us any alcohol because she would get in trouble. This was such a disrespect to us and the community if this has happened to anybody else before. I'm 24 years old and this has never ever happened to me before. I hope she gets fired. Handing our IDs to a random stranger is illegal. I give this place 0 stars if I could. Such a shitty place to visit. Very disrespectful experience. read more

Train your staff. Had a terrible experience with the bartender "checking my ID" . The bartender who's name is Bianca handed my ID to some random guy who does not work there, to check if it was real. I guess the DMV is issuing fake IDs because she took the guys word and lost money from 7 other girls after this. Never coming back here again. I don't advise coming here again, there are soo many other bars and other restaurants to go to besides that place. Margraritaville and Zellas are right next door who. GO THERE Instead!!! read more

Review for bar only! I don't make it here as often as I'd like, mostly because I'm primarily based in San Diego. But when I get a chance to visit Santa Cruz (every 6-8 weeks or so), I love to stop by the Bay Bar and Grill for great drinks, exciting company, and interesting conversation (oh I have stories, believe you me ::winks conspiratorially::). Every now and then I get lucky and Annie Abraham is tending bar. Those late afternoons that turn into memorable nights are by and large my favorite times and fondest memories of Santa Cruz. She is able to whip up the perfect drink based solely on whatever I'm in the mood for, and it never disappoints. "Something fruity, but not too sweet, and strong, but I don't want to taste the alcohol." A seemingly impossible request, right? WRONG, Annie conjures up a concoction that fits the bill in every way, shape, and form. And after a couple of those "whatchamacalits," I'm ready to party all night! Thanks, Annie, for making the Bay Bar and Grill the perfect reprieve from an otherwise mundane day and never failing to make my night somehow transform into "THE BEST NIGHT EVER" each time I can make the trip to my old stomping grounds of dear old SC. read more

Bar & Grill - Annie Abraham- best bartender EVER - Bars Near Me

it's my favorite bar the owner Patrick is a great there bartenders are attentive and the bouncers are fair but stern. I worked right next door for 2 years and they never did me wrong I was on there 3 to 4 days a week read more

I stayed for the weekend and stumbled across this awesome little bar. We went to a few while there but this one we felt at home and we didn't want to leave! We got to meet Patrick the owner and the passion for how much he loves his bar shows in how he treats his guests and how much fun he has doing it. I have a small business making jewelry out of bullets and the support and excitement he had for me was absolutely wonderful! The "regulars" there were great too! Welcomed us with a smile and great conversation. I wish I lived closer because that would definitely become my home bar! I can't wait to go back! read more

Bar & Grill - Thank you Patrick!!! - Bars Near Me

Omg this place is so awesome, Patrick is thee best! All the tourists and locals like how truly good he is. He said ants to know everything about where you came from to welcome you! read more

Bar & Grill - They are friends n family! - Bars Near Me

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Compliment to the Bay Bar - I left my backpack and jacket behind - totally forgetting I brought it in. I had important documents and belongings in my pack. about 24 hours later I walked in to inquire on whether my pack was there. The bartender thoroughly questioned me on the backpack and identifying features. I approve of this kind of behavior, as many work supplies were inside of the pack. I trust this place. Since that time I've gone in with my friend regularly to discuss work and good times... and it's a locals place. One evening I watched one unsavory individual walk into the bar and start causing trouble. The Staff confidently and calmly handled this problem child and extracted said person without incident. I will definitely make this my regular local hang out with cool local people and responsible staff. Thanks Bay Bar. read more

I was told about this place by a friend. It's walkable from my house and I had no idea which place it was in the village. We went after Cava. It was definitely more of a 20-30 something crowd like we were looking for... The bartender was super friendly and the door guy ran over to the juke box and started up some Biggie. Pretty stellar start... You may ask 5 stars? But, in my opinion I weigh the ratings against similar spots aka other bars and for the category it ranks tops! I may have a new favorite watering hole. read more

I have to say this is the best bar on Esplanade...no doubt. The bartenders are amazing & are super fun. It's a small bar but has plenty of personality..all apart of the mini-vacation. Cool bartenders+down vibe= 5 stars, obviously read more

I remember one time a bunch of us went over to Il Piratta on a long weekend and the wait was just insane. It took so long and the hostess kept bs'ing us on the time that I just walked out and ate here instead. No wait, no bullshit and the people were super nice. Good bar food, decent drinks and more importantly a bad time flipped to a good one. read more

This is by far my favorite bar in Santa Cruz county to go to. If your looking for a good taste meal and a beer this is definitely the place to check out. The enchiladas are amazing with rice and beans. If your looking to go out on the town the staff here is awesome, they will go above and beyond to make sure you have a great time. read more

My bro and I went down to Capitola for one night with my 2 year old daughter. We partied at the Bay Bar & Grill from about 5 til 10pm. We met a bunch of really friendly locals and had a blast. The bartender Christal was super sweet and helpful. She obviously took a lot of pride in her job and taking care of the bar. Towards the end of our visit, we met the owner of the bar and he is a really nice guy also. In our many visits to Santa Cruz and Capitola, we have spent a lot of time and money at bars and restaurants that completely take their customers for granted. So I had taken the time to get on yelp and read about the bars on the Esplanade to see if there was a good one. The reviews on here didn't lie and I will definitely be back to this place again...hopefully soon! Just fyi, the place is right on the water overlooking Capitolas main beach but does not have an outdoor seating area. The decor is tropical, fun and classy. There are two pool tables, a well stocked bar, a great jukebox that the owner plugged when no one else was... The food is actually really good... definitely better than your typical bar food. Yummy chicken quesadilla and my bro ate the burger with pineapple...I cant remember, maybe it was called the Hula Burger. But some of the locals were picking up slices of pizza at Pizza My Heart and bringing them in to the bar and no one seemed to mind. Really chill, really fun, good vibes. Definitely a gem there in Capitola. Cheers! read more

The boyfriend and I drove in traffic from San Jose to Santa Cruz today in hopes to visit the Mystery Spot. The place was full and wouldn't let us in.. booo.. So it was 1:30pm and I was starving. We decided to travel a bit further down to Capitola, a frequent place we visit. We walked around the area and looked at the menu of Bay Bar and Grill and decided to go in. We were in a hurry and didn't have enough time for a sit down restaurant, so this was perfect. The Bay Bar and Grill has a view of the water and has a bar area, two pool tables, with two tables on the side of the restaurant. They also have a jukebox. Anyhow, when we came in, this place had a good amount of people in it drinking and hanging out. My boyfriend and I had a Heineken and I had the two cheese quesadillas and he had the mushroom burgers. The food portions here are huge and are very good. I would definitely come back and hang out. Nice space area with great bar food. I can imagine drinking up and chowing down on their yummy food to pair along. read more

This was the second stop of our night after Margaritaville and I think we caused quite a stir. First off its pretty small because the pool tables take up a lot of room so 8 drunk girls walking in are sure to make a scene and take up most of the room. People here were really friendly locals who were buying us drinks and asking all sorts of crazy questions and telling us they knew we were from out of town...what gave it away you ask? It was the "fancy shoes", we were not aware of the shorts and flip flops dress code, but are we ever?? Beware of people taking their pool game seriously. My roommate accidentally bumped into this guy's pool stick as he was hitting and the ball went haywire...he was pretty pissed and reluctantly accepted an apology. Also, you cant lean on the pool tables or put your drinks on them which sucks because there is not that much regular table space to do that! Off to Pizza My Heart.... read more

BEST bar in town. Amaaazing bartenders, strong drinks, great locals hangout in Capitola. Food is excelent as well. Beach view, juke box and pool tables. Cute beachy decor and the owner Patrick is wonderful, kind and his employees are happy. Go and have somw fun read more

Yup this is the place to be during summer time.. I practically lived there throughout the summer. If you're a local (East side) hehe go here. I think it's the best bar in Capi. Owners are so nice and usually the ones working the bar. Always great music and drinks are average price. Also a great bar to go to during the day, but like I said summer is when it goes off, during the winter it can be a hit or miss. read more

I love that this place is right by the beach. It was walking distance from our hotel so that was extremely convenient. I lost my ID and had to use my out of state ID and the bouncer was pretty relaxed about it. I didn't pay for one drink while I was there so I dont know what the prices are like:) Yay for me!! But I love that they had pool tables and lots of windows to view the ocean. The atmosphere is pretty awesome. There were a ton of people there and we altogether had a great time. I would totally go back here again. The only downfall was that they seemed to close earlier than I'm used to and the guy that was working there would not shut up about them closing and we had to leave. Can we finish our drinks first? Damn. But other than that, it was cool. read more

Great service good bartenders they watch after girls well (they bounce u if your being a creeper or push it to far) I have sisters so I appreciate that one and super friendly great little bar read more

This little place was along the street in the Capitola Wine Festival.. GREAT location. It's walking distance to the beach on the cute little street with all of the wine booths, they also have pool tables, good music, easy access to the bar... When I went, this place was packed because the wine festival was starting to wine-down (hahaha) and people (the cool ones, at least) wanted to keep drinking. Me and a few friends headed...no, stumbled over to this place... and ended up having a great time. It definitely has a beach-y feel to it and at least makes you forget that it's around 55 degrees outside on a July night. I can't comment too much on the drinks except to expect bar prices. Also, it's not really possible to play pool unless you're there during the day (it was seriously that crowded when I was there). The pool table was our drink and purse holder and bench (oops. sorry if it's now uneven...corner pocket?) All in all, seems like a nice bar, but I'd have to say my review is biased as I was there on a pretty busy day. read more

Use to like this bar. I don't remember what the bartenders name was (Some younger guy) but he barely paid attention to males when it came to bartending. Sat and waited for a drink for 15 minutes, then last call is called out at 20 minutes then I was still ignored as he served all his friends and women only. Told the owner about this and I bet nothing will be done about it. Don't really care about the tough guy locals there either. They take the fun away. Especially the pool tables. I will never go back to this bar unfortunately. read more

If you are rich and like to stand in tiny bars with unfriendly locals and tourists depending on the season, this is the place for you. The view is beautiful and the staff is friendly but the prices and the crowd make this a very unappealing destination. Also, they have pool tables but if there are more than 5 people I there, you can't play. read more

What is with the overly RUDE message for giving a low star review?? I get a message after I posted from the guy who argued what he was looking for and how he held a "BLACK LIGHT along the back of the license." And went on about how he looks forward to not seeing me there again, blah blah blah. The guy took more time going out of his way to be a complete condescending jerk than he did trying to check our IDs. if there was ANY large concern of "protecting the liquor license" at the bar, then I would think we wouldn't have been allowed to stay within the bar and rejoin our friends who already had beers, or be told to try to "peddle them at some other local bar." It's one thing to be AWARE of who you sell drinks to, but it's another thing to go out of your way to be condescending and rude about it and continue the rudeness on yelp messages. Maybe get better people skills and learn how to not be a complete jerk.... or at LEAST be trained better to know how to scan for IDs, or get a computer system if you can not tell the difference and know what the hell to do. read more