Went to dinner with a client from Aptos. What a nice treat this was. Great indoor and outdoor ambiance. The drink and food menu is very diverse. They have nightly specials. The staff was super kind and accommodating. I will definitely be going back. read more

My spouse and I have been coming here about 2-3 times a month for the last 6 years. The food is consistent and service is usually good. However, there have been 2 ocassions where service was terrible. The first was several months ago where they forgot about our food and it took 45 minutes to get. We chalked that up to a mishap and moved on. Last night we went for dinner and sat in the bar. The restaurant was relatively empty. A server promptly came and got our drink and food order. We ordered garlic bread as an appetizer and a pizza and dinner salad for dinner. Our drinks and appetizer came out quickly. After we finished the appetizer a party of 8 sat down near us. They ordered and got their drinks and appetizers. 30 minutes after finishing our appetizer our server came by and asked if we wanted dessert. We told him we hadn't had our dinner yet. He apologized and went to the kitchen to check. He came back and said it would be up shortly. About 5 minutes go by and still no food. I asked for the manager and he came over. The manager stated the paper feeder in the kitchen broke and when they got it back up and running our ticket got lost in the stack of orders. He said they were working on the order and it would be out shortly. As he said that, the table of 8 had 3 pizzas brought to their table. I pointed that out to him. He acknowledged it and again apologized giving the same reason. About 2 minutes later our order came. I took my first bite into the pizza and it was luke warm. If the pizza just came out of the oven like the manager said it should have been steaming hot and I shouldn't be able to bite into it. The salad was also half the size it should have been. They took to pizza off the bill but never had a reason for the luke warm pizza. On top of that they have the new surcharge. We are done with this restraunt which is a shame. read more

You know this is one of those places that have been around a long time with decent food however the price point is out of control for the quality of food & service read more

Decent but pricey. Small portions and service is hit or miss. Outdoor seating is relaxing.

HORRIBLE customer service... it is very obvious they do not value their customers nor care about their experience. Shame...nice location, great patio, used to be run well...no longer. Suggest you take a pass. read more

Our party of five, all extended family members, went into a well lit clean establishment. Although a little pricey, the food was generous, hot, and very very tasty. The half portions were really full portions! One of our party had the pizza, rated it in A, and another party couldn't finish the steak sandwich. It was that good. The cod was fair, but the dessert bread pudding was really exceptional. Service was friendly and fast! read more

We had an amazing dinner yesterday; we started with wonderful cocktails. The Improved Whiskey Manhattan and the French Martini. Both perfect! We split an incredible beet salad. Always so fresh and delicious candied walnuts with the lovely beets! We also had the linguine with clams. A favorite of ours. But we tried the Truffle Gnocchi with chicken as well. In spite of it being rich it was simply amazing! Fluffy gnocchi with the most divine sauce! We can't wait to enjoy them again. And we finished with crème brûlée and tiramisu. Both excellent and beautiful. Desserts are always special at Bittersweet Bistro! Danielle is always a fantastic server and the patio is so beautiful and relaxing. That's what eating out is all about when you get an experience such as this! read more

I went to this restaurant with my family on Friday night (Party of six). My 88 year old mother and I arrived first during happy hour and asked if we could have a happy hour menu from the hostess. After being seated in the dining room a few minutes, she never returned with the happy hour menu so we asked our server for one. After about 10 minutes she came back with one. The staff all seemed to be new (at least for our party) We ordered two happy hour drinks. The rest of our party then arrived and were going to order happy hour drinks as well. The server arrived with the two drinks but said they were not on happy hour since we were in the dining room. I asked even if we were ordering from the regular full price menu and she said no. Our bill came to $386.00 for 5 meals (one couple shared) with tip and the extra 6.5% surcharge for "Labor and operations" I don't mind paying that much for exceptional quality food but this was not exceptional food. The raviolis in the Bolognese sauce were too heavy and the pizza was good but it was $23.00 for a medium size margherita pizza. All in all. I would only recommend this restaurant for happy hour and make sure you sit in the appropriate section lest you be charged full price. read more

I just had to post a follow up to my previous (also positive) review to further extoll the virtues of this treasure of a restaurant. I have recently been in Rio Del Mar so have eaten there twice on Wednesdays this past September and October. Each time I ordered the special which consists of two pancakes and bacon (or sausage, but I chose bacon) and eggs prepared to your liking. For my beverage I chose the orange juice, which was tasty and fresh. Superb breakfast !!! Both times, served promptly and efficiently by Adriana in September and Danielle in October. Pancakes were large, thick, and fluffy. Bacon was cooked perfectly, and scrambled eggs were just right. Syrup was thick and flavorful, not watered down and runny like you sometimes get elsewhere. And they got the order correct the first time, without my having to ask twice. I wanted the scrambled eggs to go, and there they were - packaged up just like I asked. Thanks, Adriana and Danielle - you're doing it right !!! See you end of November !!! read more

Ate in the bar last night and our food was actually good, but the service was an absolute nightmare. I won't bore you with the details 'cause you would probably think I'm making it up. Suffice to say, go someplace else. read more

We had a wedding rehearsal dinner here for about 15 people last Friday night. Sat outside on the patio. Although it was a cool evening, the gas heaters made for nice ambiance. I had the roasted fig salad and marinated skirt steak entree-- both were outstanding. Others in our group had salmon, filet, paella, and tuna entrees, and everyone said their food was teriffic. Shared the large plate "dessert fantasy" for each table. Service was also outstanding, and the two young ladies who waited on us paced the meal perfectly with great humor, even while handling inside diners. Although we live in San Jose, my wife and I both agree we will visit Bittersweet Bistro for dinner again in the near future! read more

Bittersweet Bistro - Dessert sampler, great for sharing (or not!) - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

I dont give many bad reviews but here we go. I visited this place a handful of times because it's so close to my house. My first visit was underwhelming, cheap plastic chairs on patio seemed old and unsafe. Staff was not friendly or attentive. With prices matching a nice restaurant the product is sub par. I chalked it up to a bad night and tried few more times with family and friends visiting from out of town. No one I know has ever said anything decent about this place. This place could be so much more, good luck! read more

Every aspect of our dining experience was well done including desert each dish was meticulously prepared and the food was excellent. Server Shannon took good care of us read more

Very delicious food and cocktails. Staff are always great definitely the best ! And the desert are all AMAZING read more

Bittersweet Bistro - Delicious - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

Last night after a hard fought 18 holes we were hungry and thirsty. I ordered a Bittersweet Old Fashioned and Seafood Puttanesca. I don't know who they did it, but I could see through the Old Fashioned. After a little research, I found that distillers are making White Dog whiskey, skipping the oak barrel aging. Delicious and unique at Bittersweet! The spirits were muddled with orange and a maraschino cherry; I"m more of a dark cherry girl myself... The Seafood Puttanesca was as filling as my friend's Belly Buster Burger, filled with tender fish, giant prawns, clams, and just right chewy calamari rings. The sauce was tangy with the rare surprise of capers just when you needed them. The dining room was beautiful with orange roses carefully placed, from a giant bouquet near the entrance to delicate mini-roses on every table. Hannah was attentive and the food arrived just moments after our drinks. A lovely night! read more

the food was mediocre at best and grossly overpriced. the patio area was very loud, unpleasently so. I'm baffled how this place stays in business. read more

Horrible experience here. Food is overpriced for the amount of food they actually give you. I ordered the chicken sandwich which costed 20 dollars and all it came with was lettuce and tomato's with a side of fries. The lettuce was all pretty dark, and did not look fresh whatsoever. The sandwich is very small and Did not even fill me up.Will never eat here again. They rip you off. read more

We came for birthday desserts, and the chocolate mousse, creme brûlée, and brownie sundae were all so good. $17 for an ice cream sundae? It was good but way too pricey in my opinion. The outdoor courtyard is usually so nice for dining but we chose the bar last night since the outdoor lights were way too bright. Overall, the food here never disappoints, and great service. read more

My wife and I were visiting the area and were excited to dine here. We made reservations and when we there were given a table right next to a family with young kids. We asked to have another quieter table in a room where no tables were sat yet and was told that they were all reserved. We had reservations, also, and the young man who was seating us basically said that was it or nothing... except the big table for four near the front door. The table no one would want. We found this young man not to really care, or even try to make things right and so we left. We rarely do that kind of thing, but we rarely run into folks representing a business who really didn't care whether we stayed or left. A very unsettling disappointing experience. A shame. Additionally, I would like to say that even though my wife and I are not local and regulars, we should have been treated as though we still were valued and welcomed and that was so obviously and sadly not the case. No serious effort was made to make us feel genuinely welcomed. read more

We had dinner on the outdoor patio and the food was very good - the food would be a 5/5. However, the service left a LOT to be desired - I'd say about a 1/5. So I'm giving them an overall 3/5. My husband ordered the baked brie appetizer and chicken piccata. The waiter asked my husband whether he wanted the large or small portion. I asked a number of questions about the salmon vs. the sea bass. The server seemed to be in a rush to go to the next table. Once I told him which type of fish, he left our table before I had even finished my order, as I also wanted a salad. He did not ask which potion size of fish I wanted. I had to call him over, after he completed the order from an adjacent table, to tell him I also wanted a salad. My salad arrived and I thought it was rather weird that it was served before we received our brie appetizer. I asked one of the servers to please check on our brie appetizer; she said she would check with our waiter. The waiter came out and said he didn't know we wanted a brie appetizer. Eventually we were served the brie. When our dinners came out, my husband's was the large portion, but mine was the small portion. I told the server that I had wanted the large portion, so back it went! When I mentioned something about the service errors, our waiter gave the excuse that he had a lot of tables to serve! Once we were done with our dinner, he brought us our bill. He then returned a few minutes later, grabbed the original bill and gave us a new bill, saying the first one was incorrect! We dine out a lot and he was one of the most incompetent waiters we have ever had. For $165, we expect better service. He made numerous errors: didn't place an order for the appetizer, didn't ask me what size portion I wanted, rushed off before I could order my salad, and gave us the wrong bill. Again, the food was very good. We would probably have dinner here again - especially if we were sure we could have a different, competent waiter. read more

We had a pleasant dinner here out on the patio. Food and cocktails were very good. We had a very nice waiter that was struggling to keep up. I felt bad for him because it impacted our service to be very slow and timed poorly. It is a local favorite for sure, but the stuff needs to be beefed up a little bit. read more

Bittersweet Bistro is more bitter than sweet. Overall, the place left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. It's basically an overpriced Cheesecake factory type restaurant with no delicious or discernable dishes, and has a major personality disorder. More on that later. La Novia went to Watsonville to visit her friend (and pick up some make up she had left behind). On the way, she stopped here to treat me to dinner. She's a huge fan of this place, so I was excited about what they had to offer. And as it turns out, they have plenty to offer. Unfortunately, none of it is good. We came in through the back entrance and well, it was a warm, cozy, and inviting area. Please get your mind of out the gutter. The back area had pastries and quick meals to go. I thought we were going to order there, but as it turns out, there was more to the joint. It had another portion that was a nice, sit down dining area that had a soft light and a romantic ambiance. But nope, we did not eat there either. We ended up sitting ourselves at a table in the bar, that was designed to look like a fun "bar & grill" type hangout. And of course, the place was a kid friendly with coloring crayons and stuff. Hence, the "personality disorder" I described at the beginning of this review. In the process of doing so, they completely neglected to work on their food choices (awful) and service (terrible). As we walked through to the bar area, I noticed a lack of a host and several servers sitting down. None of them greeted us. One finally got up to give us a menu, but she seemed pretty disinterested. As if we had ruined her break or something. We quickly ordered the sweet potato fry appetizer, which was terrible. They were burned. Yes, they fried them too long. The menu was extensive and expensive, but nothing seemed appetizing. It all seemed bland and boring. And well, that pretty muched summed up my "happy hour" special pasta that needed pepper, salt, and whatever else I could find to give it flavor. I have dined with La Novia approximately 1,278,634 times since we started dating and I must say, I have never applied salt to any of my dishes. But this pasta desperately needed it. And what did she order? Well, she ordered a "blackened chicken sandwich" with fries, which is what she always orders here. And well, apparently, this meal is why she loves this place. Well, the sandwich is dry and tasetless. She doesn't like honey mustard so she asks them not to put any, so it was a two big pieces of bread with two burned chicken breasts and a side of regular french fries. But hey, at least the fries were good. La Novia could tell I was not enjoying my meal (or the piece of her meal I tried). She asked to try my pasta. She announced to me: "Hey, it just needs salt." I responded: "I already put a bunch in." I tried to salvage the night by ordering some creme brule (my favorite dessert) and it too, sucked big time. La Novia was disgusted by it. Annoyed, I wanted to get out of there immediatly. I asked for the bill and just paid myself. I felt slightly violated by the $40 bill. Hey, at least the regular french fries were good. read more

This used to be a good restaurant (pre-2005ish) but it has gone way downhill. The food is average, wine list sub-par and service is really bad (the staff is not well trained and acts like they'd rather be somewhere else). Aside from the bad service, this place would be fine but they present themselves as a high-end establishment and it is just not. It can't hold a candle to similar fine dining establishments in the area or elsewhere. I suggest you spend your money elsewhere. Lots of other choices. UPDATE: Summer 2008 - After staying away for quite some time I rolled the dice and visited this place for dinner in Aug of 2008. I was not impressed. Service was once again slow and unfriendly (I sat at the bar) and the food is average at best. Too bad because I said in my previous posting this place used to be awesome. :-( read more

Being in the service business myself, I'm very forgiving BUT every single time, my order is incorrect, or the food is cold, or they forgot something. It's like playing a game of order roulette. What will they bring me tonight? In the scheme of things, yes, not the worst thing to happen but tonight's to-go order of Lentil Soup turned out to be Vegetable Soup. It was the Lentil in the coffin so to speak. At this point, it's a bittersweet goodbye. I don't like not being able to support a local business, especially with their HH menu but I'm done playing the game. read more

Menu is like a diner. Many, many items. That's scary because usually at such a place, the food is mediocre. Was true for Bittersweet. I agree it had the look and feel of a high priced Cheesecake Factory. Has indoor and outdoor seating. Also, large bar on the right as you enter. We made sure to be asked to be seated on the far opposite side. Someone needs to wake up the employees and give them some customer relations training. The hostess acted like she was doing us a favor by seating us. The server was quick, gruff, and not much in sight after we ordered. Food was definitely mediocre. I had the pork tenderloin. Tasted like they just put it on the grill and cooked it. No rub, no marinade, no nothing. What a tasteless piece of meat. Partner did have the fig salad, which was good. Wine's were $12/glass. Tasted okay at best. Wow. What a disappointment for a dining experience. Way too pricey for diner like food. No repeat here! read more

UPDATE: after hearing back from the staff at the Bittersweet Bistro, they decided that charging $5 extra per pancake for blueberries was just a LITTLE excessive. Rest assured though that it was my party's fault for having two separate people order one individual pancake (which, if the level of sarcasm in my last review was any indication, was entirely not the case, as ONE person ordered ONE order of two pancakes, or a "short stack," which is why they came on one plate). Even IF I was THAT asleep at the wheel and allowed my friends to order two pancakes separately and allow this restaurant to bend us over that hard, an attentive wait staff AND manager would've caught the error and realized that what we order was, in essence, a short stack. All jokes aside, we waited 17 minutes for a glass of water, our meals came before our drinks, and the waitress we had forgot my plate until she was prompted that the order was indeed placed. There were 6 tables around us open for more or less our entire meal with some very hangry, irritated people looking on in disbelief. And to answer the reply from the restaurant, I don't need a refund for blueberries mailed to my house. The fact that this restaurant has the audacity to charge $5 extra for blueberries is absurd. Safeway or any local farmers market will sell you a pound of the things for $5. We got about 5 individual blueberries in each cake. Now I'm not an accountant or anything, but if you carry the 1 and use all ten fingers and toes to run the math, you might realize that works out to about $1 per berry built into a bunch of flour and buttermilk. Tell me that is reasonable... Because I KNOW they don't charge the extra money for their quality of service. Thanks for the offer but keep the change in the berries... You guys earned it read more

I had a GREAT experience at this place years ago when they hadn't remodeled it yet and they still had the deli/togo area in the front. Now that is gone and I am disappointed in more than just that - We went there for this past mother's day and showed up a half hour early for our table that was confirmed TWICE for reservation at 6:30. We had about 14 people and 4/5 of them were older and unable to stand to wait, so we kinda moved our way into the bar area as we waited for 45 minutes for our table, which was ridiculous. AS people had walked in and went to go sit at another table that was ALL GOOD & READY for them... We got neglected in the back room for quite some time and eventually we got our entree's in after we had already received and fully eaten our appetizer's which was annoying since we had to wait for another time period to go by that took as long as our appetizers to be ordered... however, when I received my entree - I had ordered their pulled pork appetizer as an entree and it came on a small bread & butter plate and my little burgers were hanging off the side of the plate and I thought to myself "oh what a presentation" (sarcastically of course). They weren't anything special but they were seasoned right & it wasn't something I had a problem eating, I was more so just bothered by how it was delivered - did they run out of plates back in the kitchen or something? Or were my pulled pork sliders not good enough to have their own bigger plate? I asked my bf how his prime rib was & if it "melted in his mouth" as the waiter had described and he couldn't describe it because his jaw hurt from chewing the meat that was overcooked beyond MEDIUM when EVERYONE at our table who ordered the prime rib had asked for the Rarest Meat possible. SO that was a failure on more than one entree as well - I was with a bunch of carnivores so obviously they all were disturbed with how much they had to chew their meat. We finally got out of there by almost 11 and we were very dissatisfied with basically everything excepts for the drinks that kept us from saying anything too mean. They did the best they could with what they had available to them in every situation regarding our dinner there... Make sure to call a third time to make sure your reservation is going to be met as they will straight leave you HANGIN' around if they aren't ready for you - even if you show up a half hour early & give them time to figure their shit out. read more

We will never go back. In fact, we CAN'T ever go back since the owner saw fit to ban us due to a dispute over their "cakeage" fee. This was the most unpleasant experience I've ever had in a restaurant and it ruined a birthday dinner. Some background information is in order. We dine at Bittersweet several times per year. We even had our daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner there several years ago. The prices are high (they tack on a 6 1/2 surcharge), but the food is decent and the service is fine. Last weekend we went in to celebrate several family birthdays We had a group that included 8 adults, 5 kids and 1 baby. My wife had purchased cupcakes for the group, which we pointed out to our server when we arrived as we thought we might need matches. As my wife was handing the cupcakes out after dinner, a staff member approached us and advised that in the future we would be charged a "cakeage" fee if we brought in our own desert. We were not told that we would be charged if we continued on at that time. Please note that we did not ask for plates, candles or napkins, and it turned out that not even the matches were needed. To our shock, when we were presented with the bill, there was an extra $65 added on as a "cakeage fee." I couldn't believe it. We asked to speak to the manager. After some time, a woman appeared who turned out to be the owner. I explained that we knew nothing about the charge until we were advised by the staff member that it would be added if we brought in a dessert in the future, and therefore I refused to pay the charge. I explained that if I knew about the charge, we would have consumed the cupcakes elsewhere. She would not budge, and insisted that we pay in full. I once again refused, and at that point she threatened to call the police! I guess she figured that the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Dept has nothing better to do these days than enforce cakeage fees! I encouraged her to "by all means call the police." She then backed down from that silly threat and offered to charge us on a prorated basis whereby she would reduce the charge based on the cupcakes we actually consumed, as some were leftover. I kid you not! She wanted to make this some sort of "cakeage" negotiation . I refused again. At that point, she gave up and told me she would remove the charge, but we were never allowed to return to Bittersweet. Please note that the bill (including their rip off surcharge) was over $600 and we did leave a 20% tip. In spite of that, the owner saw fit to try to stick us with another $65 for the privilege of eating cupcakes on her premises. In the current environment, you'd expect that restaurant management would be doing everything possible to keep customers happy, but that is not true at Bittersweet. They couldn't care less. By the way, after the owner took her leave, our very nice server approached us and apologized for the situation. I feel sorry that she has to work for such an unpleasant woman. It must be a horror show for the staff on a daily basis. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Aptos! Excellent food and service. Although the prices can be steep, you pay for what you get: excellent ingredients. Keep it up! read more

I never usually write yelp reviews, but I felt this time, it needed to be done. My experience last night was beyond awful. I left the worst tip I have ever given a server (7%, my wife insisted that it should have been 0% but I just couldn't bring myself to do it). Our night started off pretty typical for walking in to a restaurant at dinner time on a Saturday with no reservations, 45 minute wait, not a big deal. Wife went to the patio to get a table while I went to the bar to get a couple drinks for us. Drinks took a little longer than I'd like as the bar tender was busy, then helped a group who came in after me, annoying but whatever, he was busy and didn't see who came in first, it's fine. So I get the drinks and join my wife on the patio at a table, we were enjoying the fresh air and atmosphere when an employee comes out and says, " Hold on guys these tables are really dirty, my manager just noticed that people were sitting here and sent me to clean the tables." She sprayed them down and then after she wiped them with a towel, the towel was pure black from so much dirt! During a pandemic, absolutely unacceptable to have customers at tables that clearly haven't been cleaned in weeks. We got over it though and continued our night, finally getting seated in an appropriate amount of time. Then it started going downhill from there. The waiter did not come by for at least 20 minutes. We started off with ordering another round of drinks and two appetizers. They brought us three bread plates that were COVERED in dirty old food. The waiter brought us someone else's appetizers, and when we finally got the right ones, they were kinda just blah. My wife thinks that after putting the other tables appetizer in front of us, he just delivered it to the other table, but we cannot confirm that part. Then we ordered food. I ordered a steak, and the wife ordered a burger. It took soooo long to get to the table. When it finally arrived, it was pretty good other than what felt like microwaved onion rings that where placed on top of a $55.00 steak but all in all it tasted delicious. During the two hours we where there, the waiter maybe checked on us 1 time outside of when he was there to take orders. Then when we were finished, the waiter dropped a fork that had sauce all over it in my lap, staining my shirt. To "fix it" he grabbed a crumbled up wet paper towel that looked like you find on the ceiling of a high school bathroom. My final grievance, and I know this one is a little petty, but that there was a hidden 6 1/2% surcharge due to "pandemic operations" (visible on the menu in small font) I know everyone is struggling right now, but to secretly charge customers 6 1/2% for coming to the restaurant when everyone is struggling is wrong in my opinion. In summary: horrible service, disgustingly dirty, ok over priced food, and hidden surcharges read more

We had a mom's night out for my children's school and was so impressed by the setup, staff, service and quality. We weren't an easy bunch with over 20+ attendees ordering separately, moving from table to table but the staff did a awesome job and the food was amazing. You have the best patio to host the event. Thank you for making our event so special, we will for sure be coming back! read more

Pros: I enjoyed the food (stuffed mushrooms, pear Gorgonzola salad, lemon Napolean). Cons: the food is far too overpriced, it took 5 minutes for my mom and I to be seated (even though it was early in the evening and there were plenty of open tables), the beverage menu is an iPad which turned me off from ordering any beverage as it showed me customers aren't worth personal service to order a beverage, the service was very slow and the restaurant was loud. I've read other Yelp reviews for Bittersweet and noticed the owner writes defensive remarks; Bittersweet lacks in customer service (hint: the customer is always right). Luckily the food was good. I used a gift card given to me by my work, though I highly doubt I will ever come back here. read more

One of the "finer" dining establishments in Santa Cruz, BB is a nice place to go for a date or special occasion. The interior can feel a bit like a dungeon at times; especially at night, as the lighting is minimal, especially in the recessed seating areas. The servers are nice and offer good suggestions, but come prepared to deal with the stuffy rio del mar crowd, mostly rich silicon valley success stories, dressed to the teeth in cardigans, and other fancy shmancy clothes. I find this altogether unnecessary, because truly the restaurant isn't rhat upscale. The food itself was pretty good; and despite getting in a fight with my girlfriend about my then-vegetarianism, the experience was enjoyable. I ordered a gourmet pizza, and it was perfect - lots of sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, pesto, and a relatively thin crust. Jax got a pulled pork sammich and she loved it. We'd come back, but it might require a special occasion. It wasn't too pricey, but we didn't order drinks, an appetizer, or dessert. read more

Bittersweet has been our go-to restaurant for "take out" during this "stay at home" time. There food is delicious--especially recommend the deconstructed meatloaf sub; their staff is helpful; and a big bonus is they have a mini-store with great produce, marinara sauce, milk, cheese. So, we do a bit of shopping as we pick up. Let's support our local businesses during this time. We want to see them when we come out of this. Joyce read more

I received an awkward response to my review. Reflective of my last experience there. Why guilt me about family? We should all have the right to give honest reviews without fear of a major guilt trip. I was being nice giving 3 stars befoe, but after the response, it really drives home the disorganization and lack of accountability present at this restaurant. I've also eaten at the cafe. The juevos rancheros was nothing more than a raw tortilla with refried beans, a scrambled egg and salsa on top, Before that cafe experience, I tried to get a table on January 1st for 4 friends and myself. We were told there was a wait, but there were 2+ open tables that required "6 guests". Seems excessive. I also had my dog with me. They have a dog menu, I let the hostess know that I would order food for my dog. Made no difference. We went to Red Apple instead. Elizabeth V. Comment from Elizabeth V. of Bittersweet Bistro Business Owner 5/12/2015 Thank you for bringing your experience to our attention and sorry you had to Yelp about it and we were not given an opportunity to correct the situation at the time for you. Yes, Monday "Nightly Nibbles" were a great deal. Even our teenage son is bummed about it as well. Although we are closed on Mondays he enjoys the family time we have off together. We still offer great deals Tues- Sun if you decide to come back with a group or a friend. Read less read more

Long time Santa Cruz resident but just moved into the RDM area. Bittersweet Bistro was on my list of places to visit for a pint and a game. Walked over there with my wife to watch the Niner game on Sunday night. Good general ambiance but we were clearly out of place dressed in Tee shirts and shorts. Ordered 2 pints during the game, my wife had two house margaritas. We also had the burger sliders and an order of fries. Great attentive service. Friendly staff. But the $75 sticker shock left me tentative for a return visit. read more

Love to go this place for lunch. They have great outdoor seating. If the weather is bad the inside leaves something to be desired, but you can't beat the patio seating in the sun. Limited menu but the food is good. I also love the coy pond! read more

My first time at bittersweet bistro today, and now I need to work overtime all next week to cover the gaping hole in bank account =( The food was good--everyone in our family enjoyed their meals, but how they justify adding a 6.5% surcharge to an already shamefully overpriced menu while also providing pretty much no table service during our meal is beyond me. There were 5 different serving staff tending to the maybe 20-25 people on the patio, but EVERYTHING just took twice as long as it should have--taking our drink orders, taking our meal orders, getting the bill and waiting for the receipt. We had to ask several times to have our water glasses refilled and even then they filled up half of them before they ran out of water and said they would be back to refill the rest, but nobody ever returned to refill our remaining water glasses! For the amount of money you are asking people to pay for your food, you should be providing exceptional, above and beyond service. This is far from what we received today. I want to cut them a break cuz of COVID, but like I said, there were more than enough front of house staff to be handling the amount of diners that were there for lunch on a Friday afternoon. I've seen in past reviews that even before COVID bittersweet bistro had the gall to add a surcharge and justify it as not having to raise prices. How come no other restaurants that I've been to in Santa Cruz have ever felt they need to add this surcharge, even now when business is tough?? You have a nice restaurant in Aptos with a parking lot full of brand new Audis and Mercedes--I'm pretty sure you could do more on your own to keep staff and diners safe during these times without having to pass so much of your operating costs on to your customers. And if you can't be open during COVID and provide even the most basic of table service, maybe you should rethink your decision to provide dine-in and just stick to takeout. ...oh ya, and if the owners happen to read this, I'm not at all interested in your bs canned response for how you justify your bogus surcharge, but I'm sure it helps you sleep better at night while you rob your customers blind. read more

I've eaten at Bittersweet Bistro a handful of times over the years and have always had an OK experience. Nice atmosphere to sit outside and have a drink but, that is all I will likely return for. I was extremely disappointed when I was there to celebrate a birthday that they wanted to charge $6 per slice for the cake I had brought for dessert. I've heard of plating fees but, that is outrageous...it would have been more than the cake itself! The only upside of them not being flexible about this fee were the calories that we all saved by not eating dessert. A bittersweet experience for sure. read more

Bittersweet may describe the food, but Bitter is the word that best describes the management at this restaurant. I went tonight with a group of 16 people after 8pm, and we waited for two hours to be served our entrees. By the time we received the bill, and pointed out this poor service, the manager at the restaurant did not give a second thought to our experience. Upon our request to discuss the poor service, the manager retired to the kitchen, then came back and told us there were no problems reported; we must be mistaken. It was a weeknight. The restaurant was not full, the waitstaff were clearly hustling, but very little attention was paid to our group. The food was fine, but nothing tastes good with a side of insult. Definitely not a good choice for groups over 10. read more