Finally had a chance to try Bittersweet Sushi tonight. Awesome!!! Had the Rio Roulette roll. Very entertaining! Had one "really hot" piece. Dessert was excellent. Try the Tempura Ice Cream! Vanilla!! read more

-What an excellent staff ***** -Do yourself a favor and sit at the bar with Cliff (the bar Mgr) and Ryan a very knowledgeable bartender in her own right-when it came down to her white wine pics she was spot on -The Kitchen- I had the calamari appetizer that came with the stock tartar sauce and when I asked for there cocktail sauce that was the only letdown-but the calamari was top notch -and not the typical Monterey theme park rubber. -Dinner- I had a NY medium-rare steak that was a "10" This later made me wonder why I ever go to Shadowbrook or HQ and order a steak in the first place! It had mashed potatoes and a brown gravy that was insane and later the Bar Mgr told me it takes three days to prepare-now that's what I'm talking about! Finished of with a side of clean and fresh hot spinach and crispy onion rings over the whole dish Stop in Aptos for dinner at Bittersweet Bistro, then go party in SC all night read more

We went there to celebrate an early mothers day. It was out registry expensive (well over $350 for 4 people) and it took over 2 hours to get our dinner served to us. It was hot and the food was just ok. They need more staff. read more

Such a disappointment tonight with both my husband's Cesar salad - just really boring- and my pizza special. Pancetta, Brussels sprouts, cheese, and the very last ingredient, chili oil. Way down the line. So I presume it's literal. The last ingredient is the least. This pizza- you can't taste the pancetta, Brussels sprouts, or cheese, all which I love, because of the immense heat. That's all you taste. Heat! My husband likes heat even more that I do. He eats a piece and gags. The rest is left for the garbage. Won't go back! Be truthful in Your menus! read more

I have always liked Bittersweet Bistro but knew it is overpriced for what you get and the service has always been slow. But it is a nice place to take my dog so I have tolerated it. The 4% added charge has made me change my mind on going to Bittersweet - I won't be back. They should have incorporated this charge into their pricing not passed one of their costs onto customers. read more

Very yummy food, desserts and drinks. The missing star is due to the really poor service we had - the waiter was clearly annoyed to be at work, not attentive at all, barely checked on us and couldn't quite answer questions. Maybe it was just an off day but still.... Other than that - great place for dinner. Oh, and the coy pond outside is super fun to watch especially when they toss a big chunk of watermelon (rind and all) in and the fish go crazy! :-) Outside seating is great for couples, groups and families alike. read more

This has been my favorite spot in town for years and years, the ambiance, food, and service can't be beat! The owners are involved from every last detail from the kitchen to the front of the house, and their dedication shows! I came here three times in one week recently and got the special quinoa and kale salad every time. So good. They have a ton of fun special cocktails and amazing desserts as well (the chocolate trio will always have my heart). My fiancé and I decided to have our engagement party here, and I keep telling everyone that it was the best night of my life! I barely gave the owner any direction when setting up the event, and it came out perfectly. We did drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and people are still talking about the food! There were mini mac & cheese bowls, buffalo chicken bites, bbq chicken skewers, sliders, pizzas, and so much more that I'm sure I missed! Everyone was so stuffed but couldn't stop eating because it was so delicious. Our servers were so attentive and patient with us, they made us feel right at home! The renovated back rooms are so much fun for parties, and the outside space is perfect for a summer night! The chandelier room is classy and inviting. Our friends stayed until late into the night, and the staff didn't rush us at any point, which we really appreciated. We are so lucky to have a spot like this right in Aptos! Whether you're looking for a great spot to catch the game and relax with a beer or a fancy anniversary dinner, Bittersweet fits the bill! Thank you Bittersweet staff!! read more

Bittersweet Bistro - The beautiful chandelier room! - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

I really like the food and extensive menu.However I have two complaints.When we booked for my daughter's birthday they asked if we had a celebration and we told them about her birthday.Then they confirmed our reservation since we had a party of 5 and again asked if we were celebrating anything and again we told them about the birthday .Then after two rounds of drinks and a bottle of wine and a bill of $600 we excepted a piece of cake with a candle ,but we were told they don't do it and we had to pay for dessert .I don't know why they asked twice what we were celebrating if they didn't do anything. ( no table decorations either) It wasn't the price but of the "free dessert"but the attitude.In addition they have a nerve to add a 6 percent on the already expensive menu for employee health care. isn't that the employer's responsibility? Too bad about the above since they have a beautiful outdoor area and good food . read more

My boyfriend and I decided to do a quick getaway and stay at Seascape Resort, and the front desk recommended Bittersweet Bistro for dinner. We made a reservation, and even though we showed up early, the hosts quickly accommodated us and were sat immediately. Our server was fantastic, I can't remember her name (she was a petite older woman). She had tons of knowledge about the wine/dinner menu, and gave us some excellent recommendations. The brussel sprouts were to die for as well as the crab cakes. For dinner we both ordered steak, which had great flavor. Only thing i wished could have been better was how my steak was cooked, it was a little tough to cut and cooked longer than i requested. I totally understand though, it was a busy Saturday night. Overall, we really enjoyed our experience here and will definitely be back! read more

4% surcharge ?!?! Really? With these outrageous prices. The surcharge is not posted anyway, is this legal? Save your money and go to Shadowbrook. read more

We have been coming to Aptos for years, and been to this center many times but did not discover this bistro until this week thanks to Yelp. Our first meal was pickup, and it was so good that we had our last meal of our vacation on the patio. We were not disappointed. My husband's scallops were the best he had ever tasted, and the patio was lovely. I will say that the service was just okay, considering the prices, but everything considered, both meals were a great experience. We will be back! read more

Not worth the $$$$ charged for a private event...We chose to have a private event here & hors 'dourves were ordered in advance as it was a mid-afternoon event...I had expected a few trays of each item that would serve each guest 2-3 pieces of each...WHAT we got was ONE (1) very small hors 'dourve PER Guest at 3.75 for each.... The room (private back room) had been set up very nicely!! and the servers were wonderful....i was embarrassed and my guests were disappointed in what they were served.... read more

I tried Bittersweet again after a long wait... The restaurant has re-invented itself, for the better. I enjoyed the wait staff, and the food. It is still somewhat pricy, but I believe that is because of its location - in the midst of a pricy area that can bear the cost. My first experiences at Bittersweet were not fun, snooty staff and moderately low-quality food at extreme prices. I tried... I swear. Last night, the food was great, not 5-star, but really tasty. The Santa Cruz area provides a lot of competition, so it was good to see them trying. The prices have dropped, and the menu is more limited - it used to have too many choices. The chefs can concentrate on their work, and it shows. The wait staff was really trying, and succeeded in making the evening work. I will return... read more

Great place to sit outside and enjoy there beautiful patio Our family is Vegetarian/Vegan and gluten free and there were very few choices but we did enjoy the salads and the pretty garden and koi pond read more

Had a fantastic evening... Our waitress was exactly what a server should be. She was attentive when we needed her and got lost when my date and I were in deep conversation. Our dinner was superb and the dessert was unreal! The most impressive part of the whole night though was the fact the staff allowed my date and I to stay a full hour after they closed. It was a busy night for them and they did not rush us off. I was super impressed and made a special night even better. Definitely going back read more

This will be our new Sunday hang-out location. The service was excellent. The bar staff immediately checked in with us to get our drinks ordered. We arrived in time for the Chef's Supper Sunday food and drink deals. The bar is equipped with 7 televisions which was perfect to watch the Women's World Cup game (USA vs Japan). This not a rowdy bar/restaurant but a classy establishment with great service. read more

Bittersweet Bistro - Watching USA Women's World Cup vs Japan and enjoying drinks. - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

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The food was great. The waiter excellent. The dessert is my favorite the mini lemon parfait. This will keep me coming back. read more

Bittersweet Bistro - Very romantic setting - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

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As locals we really use to enjoy coming here for an end of the day cocktail at the bar. However at our lastest visit, my husband and I were treated like we had the pleg from the moment we walked in. We sat down at the bar to order a drink and the bar tender wouldn't even look at us let alone say hi. We tried to get his attention to order drinks but he clearly didn't want to wait on us. He was too busy having a conversation with the people we sat next to who were by the way already served. We had to wait until another bar tender came out to take our order. This second bartender seemed to have a chip on her shoulder as well. We struggled to push off the rude behavior so we could at least just have a peacefull cocktail.......and then..........we went to leave and the bar tender who did fix our drinks left us with a katty quote..."have a better day" Well, maybe we would have had a fantastic day had we just been met with a kind "Hello" or a simple acknowledgement of being human not to mention a customer! ....... We normally recommend this place to our our of town guest (we do Airbnb by the way) But after being treated like we weren't good enough to be in their bar.....we won't be sending anyone their way any time soon. read more

I have had breakfast here several times and really enjoyed the dishes they served. My favorite is the huevos rancheros, hands down!! Just recently had the bar menu and can't RAVE enough about the taquitos, yes, I said taquitos! The tortilla is think and crisp. The inside is creamy because of a small amount of mash potatoes to bind it. It's so delicious!!!!!! Highly recommend this place!!! read more

Terribly disappointed! Went for dinner. They sat us in a back area, where it was very dark, and no other diners seated in this area. Overflow area? Server ignored us as much as possible, and not even a smile. We gave up on getting drinks or water refills. Had to ask for bread, which didn't come until our dinners were served. And the food was extremely disappointing! Very dry fish with no flavor. I don't understand what happened here. We LOVED Bittersweet back in the day, long ago when they were on Mission St. The desserts were amazing back then. Sadly, it is not the same. Overall a very unpleasant and expensive experience. read more

This is the second time I've had bad service coming to try their breakfast. After the first time I gave them the benefit of the doubt, thinking that maybe they were just off their game. But today was just ridiculous. My wife and I waited about 10 min to be seated, no big deal. After we got seated we noticed that everyone around us had finished eating and left so the "morning rush" was gone. 15 min later no one asked to get us drinks or even take our order. Waitresses just walked by us and didn't even look our way. I decided to get up and politely ask if someone could help us. 5 min later the woman who said she would be right with us was a no show. At this time we got up and walked out. I will NEVER go there again and will not be giving any recommendations to anyone to go there. read more

Ugg. Lunch was more like greasy diner food than from an overpriced establishment. Cost was exorbitant for lunch. Over $13.00 for a burger cooked to shoe leather gray, disgusting deep-fried-plate-of-everything-on-it NOT described accurately on the menu, and meatballs drowned in fatty cheese with tasteless cheese bread for $19.00. Won't be back. Horrible food and terrible value. read more

Unfortunately my experience was not what I was expecting, first of all this place is ver pricey for the quality of food they serve. Service was very slow and not competent . food was not fresh and was tasteless, plus they charge for service. That I won't have any problem is the service was good. read more

Bottom Line: Bittersweet Bistro is the local favorite. Best end-to-end dining experience around. Pros - Menu is diversified with options for discerning pallets - Exceptional food: quality and taste - Consistently treated like a valued guest - Wait staff delivers prompt and professional service - Excellent selection of wines - Inflation Busters: menu options that deliver exceptional value in a down-economy - Atmosphere is classy but you'll feel comfortable in jeans. Offers options for indoor, outdoor and bar seating Cons - I don't think full menu is available for carry-out read more

Extremely disappointing. Salads were ok but seriously overpriced ($14 for an arugula salad with a piece of goat cheese?) Wine list is limited, overpriced, and cheesy (with full-page "ads" for each varietal); expect a bottle to be between 3 and 4 times the store price. "Worldly" reds (a special list) included nothing outside of California and a really sad sampling of that. Pasta and paella dishes were hard to describe as anything other than slop: overcooked, over sauced, brown tomato sauce, with dark-stained strands of pasta or rice bits strewn about. At least half of the clams were closed & the rest of the seafood was overcooked and just seemed like long-forgotten leftovers. This is our second time to this place and it's hard to believe it isn't a Santa Cruz boardwalk restaurant. Just plain and honest bad food, overpriced in a nice outdoor setting. read more

I have been a customer at Bittersweet for many years and have not taken the time to comment here...it's about time I did. Today was simply the BEST lunch I have ever had. I had the Black - Blue salad and it was SPECTACULAR! My friend had the Heirloom Tomato Salad and was over the top happy. I also had the Bittersweet Cocktail, actually two of them and my friend had a couple Bloody Mary's. We ordered the sampler platter for dessert....OMG! It was amazing. The Chocolate mouse in the almond cup is to freaking die for! The chocolate banana ice cream was incredible, the brownie with the banana top thingie was fabulous....home now in a food coma. Thomas and Elizabeth....I am so happy you have kept this little slice of heaven going! By the way...the Cheesy Pig Au Gratin Scramble for breakfast is the freaking BOMB! The service is always wonderful! Can't wait to come for sushi! read more

Bittersweet Bistro - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

Terrible experience. Food is bad and over priced. We had a complaint and the manager came over to discuss. She was surprisingly rude. We also did not feel safe eating on the patio. No hand sanitizers anywhere. We enjoyed our trip to aptos, but we learned a costly lesson by giving this place a try. Never again. read more

If I want a nice dinner out, I head to Bittersweet Bistro. Great bar, great food. I have never been disappointed. Breakfast/brunch is good but much too expensive. read more

It's a lovely setting, and the staff is great, but I had lunch there last week. The $18 spicy chicken sandwich came with luke warm, underseasoned french fries. The sandwich was small and unremarkable. It was certainly no better than a $4 chicken sandwich from any fast food place. And the iced tea, which was quickly re-filled was $4.50. after tax and tip, lunch was $30, for what could have been gotten for half that price at any other sit down restaurant or a quarter the price at a fast food place. The ambience does not justify the prices for mediocre food. read more

we came here on saturday night as a last resort - since all the other places we tried in aptos were busy. overall food was mediocre, prices for a mediocre food was outrageous but the service was ok. read more

I absolutely love this restaurant! The food is delicious, the service is good and the ambiance is right on! Whether you sit in the main dining room for dinner or casually sit in the bar, it's a restaurant that you'll return to. It is a bit pricey. Make reservations for dinner or walk in and sit in the bar area to enjoy a good meal and a sports game on one of the many TVs hanging on the wall. read more

I am so happy that the Bistro is serving dinner on the beautiful patio. I ordered the paella and it was amazing! My wife had the blackened cod and it was just as good. The service was great and I recommend stopping by if you're on the coast! read more

I was here for lunch, and I must say that I was a bit disappointed in the Bittersweet Burger, the slow service and the over pricing. $15.50 for a burger with a patty that was a bit on the smallish side served on an ordinary store bought hamburger bun. No mayo or mustard, just ketchup that had been left on the table. The sweet potato fries that I ordered were an extra $3.50 bringing my 'comparable to fast food' lunch to a total of $19.00 plus an additional $4.50 for a soda. At least the fries were tasty. read more

Bittersweet is close to my home, and I have been coming here for years. I love the place, but the last 3 or 4 times I have come here the service and prices and food have been marginal to horrible. Last night was the last straw for me. There were 8 of us, and after reviewing the menu, 70 dollars for a New york Steak, we decided maybe salads would be the norm. There is also a 6.5 percent add on for what I dont know considering the menu prices have gone through the roof. But hey, we wanted to have a good night, not. The server finally showed up, took an order, and came back with two drinks only, we had ordered 8. The rest of the party ended up going to the bar to get their drinks. Food arrived piece meal, and my crab cakes were cold. The stroganoff was tasteless, and I have to say I have had this here before and it was delicious. What happened??? so, no-one had steaks, 4 had salad only and there were only 4 drinks total and a 400 dollar bill.??? Before tip. There are plenty of wonderful Restaurants in Santa Cruz area, and I will be going there from now on. Bittersweet needs to up there game big time. Cafe Cruz, Shadowbrook, and California Grill to name a few upstanding places. This is my very first review of a Restaurant and I feel bad but I would love for this place to get back in the game. read more

We just dropped in casually without reservation on our first day in the area, 15 minutes before official opening. Were seated, service was excellent and friendly (except for bringing the entrees before we'd quite finished our heirloom tomato salad). I like the option of big and small plates- gives me a chance to have an appetizer AND an entree without over stuffing myself. Local sand dabs were well prepared and not available in my home state. iPad wine selection is fun and wines are well chosen. White tablecloths, white paper and crayons are fun. read more

Only giving 2 stars because the food is actually good. Let me explain: Came in on a Wednesday evening with an 8-top (6 adults, 2 kids). Waiter came over, he seemed pleasant enough, and took our drink orders. We also put three appetizers in. Twenty minutes go by, no drinks, not even water, and here come our apps. The food runner delivers three plates-- one of which was the wrong order. We inform out waiter ten minutes later, when he strolls by with our drinks (which took a total of thirty minutes to arrive). His response: "Oh. Well do you still want what you ordered?"-- along with a monotone voice and a deadpan stare. Yea man, we do. Thanks. Said server forgot my 3-year-old nieces chocolate milk and his response to this: "Oh. Well chocolate milk takes longer to make." Um. You have got to be kidding me. My sister then asks for the kid's appetizer plates, which consists of two pieces of celery, two grapes and I think a piece of cheese. His response: "Oh. The kitchen is just really backed up right now." I wish someone would explain to me how cooked appetizers were able to arrive, even with the kitchen being slammed, yet this simple basic children's appetizer plate did not. Ten minutes later the server takes our entree orders. My sister again asks for the children's appetizer plates. Entrees arrive. No appetizer plates. My sister then asks another waiter. No appetizer plates. Finish our entrees. Order another round of drinks. Server forgets two of the beers. No appetizer plate. Clears our plates, sister again asks for the damn appetizer plate, simply out of principle. Appetizer plates arrive. Check drops. I'm a restaurant manager. I know the struggle. I know what it's like to be in the weeds. I also know how to apologize to my customers for stuff that I messed up. The place was not even busy, so it's hard for me to even justify that he was weeded. The staff didn't seem to work together and had just the most dismissive "I'd rather not be here" attitude. Guess what? No one wants to work. Servers didn't even seem to have assigned sections, causing a certain haphazardness. Either, way put a smile on your face and put some pep in your step and if you're really unable to do that then perhaps look for different line of work. And from the reviews I'm reading on here, other people had similar experiences only to be met with snide condescending responses from the owner. Wtf? Spend your money somewhere else where good service is a priority-- or at least get take-out, since the food is decent. That way you don't have to experience the total lack of customer service. Godspeed. read more

This place was recommended by a friend. Let me tell you we were so happy we stopped. We had great service. All the staff are very friendly. Love that they add dog friendly on the patio. They even have a small little menu for dogs. It was really a cool atmosphere and fantastic tasting food. read more

"Day 1 on the way to the Gilroy Garlic Festival" We were camping nearby at Manresa Uplands State Beach in preparation for our garlic orgy at the Gilroy Garlic Festival the following day. After a long and beautiful day of driving and stopping to smell the roses (and artichokes in Castroville), we were dreaming of an upscale, yet somewhat familiar meal. You know. A nice fillet of salmon, delicately smooched with a well manged dill sauce, fresh organic greens, etc. The eco-yuppie meal. And with Google at my fingertips, and a leap of faith, I had marked the Bittersweet Bistro as a prospective target for the night. And wow was I lucky! Four different dinners, four sets of accolades. Salmon, Beef Stroganoff, Tilapia, and a Veggie Pizetta for the herbivor. Forks were flying, and arms were stretching to neighboring plates. And after the great meal, we drove back to our campsite and ate s'mores until we passed out. For this weekend, the only thing Bittersweet about the Bittersweet Bistro is the name...everything else was picture perfect. (check my list for a great Gilroy Garlic Festival itinerary that includes this place) read more

When we arrive at 4:45 there was about 15 minute wait which wasn't bad we got seated at 5:06pm. Host seated us and brought water to us and some bread right away. Our order was taken at 5:30 including extra drinks and some appetizers. That was brought to us at 5:40 which was a quick turn around time. The restaurant started to get busy and we where just enjoying their nice set up outside. When I realized it was 6:15, I could see that the waitress kept looking and glancing at our table by 6:25 she came to our table and said she was sorry for the delay that there was a mistake with our order. Food came to our table at 6:40 and unfortunately my steak was burnt and dry over done I took two bites and was not able to get passed the charbroiled taste. My daughter had steam clams and her plate was full of half empty shells, the pricy hamburger my partner ordered was tasteless. I was very disappointed, as I had spoke to owner earlier before our food came out about wait time and tried to justify delay with different story from waitress, she could have checked in with cooks, to better customer service. So after all that waitress came to check in and saw that we had not touched our food and asked if everything was okay. I told her that the fact we had to wait that long for food that was not cooked to order, seemed that they just threw it on the plate because they had made a mistake in the kitchen and where trying to catch up, was wrong. I told her if the food would have came out with a better outcome it would have not been such a problem, and that I was not disappointed at her but at the owner that didn't even acknowledge the feedback and concerns given. read more

When I am paying approximately $30 an entree, with $10 for an appetizer and $40 for a bottle of local wine, I have certain expectations regarding service. Maybe I should preface this with the fact that I have worked at a couple fancy(ish) restaurants, so this isn't just me being a high maintenance snob; I have an idea what you're supposed to do to earn those big tips... and bottom line, our server at Bittersweet Bistro REALLY didn't bring it. We were seated for quite a while before she greeted us in any way. After noticing that everyone around us had already received bread, we had to ask for it, then give her a look to remind her of our hunger pangs ten minutes later when it still hadn't materialized. She never bothered to ask how our food was. I had to point out that my water glass had been empty and I might want a splash more to finish my meal. She also never apologized when it was darn obvious that she'd had some missteps along the way. Must I go on? The food was fine (my fish was relatively tasty but unremarkable, the Boy enjoyed his giant chunk-o-meat), but I just can't get over how nothing else in the meal merited the exorbitant prices. Service was the glaring shortfall, but certainly the overly loud smooth jazz that was piped in or the bright lighting didn't help the cause. Darn Santa Cruz and its dismal misunderstanding of fine dining. read more