A delicious choice for every occasion. I've been coming here for over 20 years and love it. The main restaurant, with its deep booths and beautiful high painted ceilings, is a lovely destination for fancy dinners. The bar is a great date spot, and the taco bar (?) in the dar back is perfect for a quick bite or drink with a buddy. Their chips and salsa are next level. I love coming here for lunch when I work in downtown Santa Cruz. read more

3.5 stars. We were looking for a spot to eat after doing a hike at Henry Cowell and found this place tucked away on the main street. After not being able to get in at a few other spots, this place didn't have a wait time. Let me get this out of the way first. Service was *excellent.* The interior of the restaurant almost looked like an old church with its arched ceilings and tiled floors. It lent to a very old Mexican Pueblo Town Vibe inside. The outdoor patio (after seeing it) almost made me wish we sat outside after seeing how bright it was out there. It was very dark inside compared to how it was in the patio area. So why the 3.5 stars? The food. Coming from East Side San Jose where Mexican food is plentiful and done well, I can't say that this place came close. The chicken inside the taquitos were so dry inside that I kept wondering if it was shredded chicken that sat out for a long period of time because the juice was sucked out of it. Now let's move onto the beans. I love me some refried beans and these tasted bland. I was so disappointed. The rice was good however I've had better. As for the Asado Rollos which were described to us as a chimichanga that is sliced up, I was also left wanting for more. Taste wise it was lacking. It had all the fillings in there but after having one slice, I was done. There was one thing that was the star of the show here. It was the complimentary chips and salsa which was refilled several times by the staff. These were addicting and probably could have just had these on their own. read more

El Palomar - Chicken taquitos kids plate - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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The best SOPE you can get anywhere!!! With chicken and add guacamole!!! Great service, very attentive, happy people!! The ambience is historically beautiful!!! Warm and Rich aesthetically. Thank you for the warm hot chips!!! A Locals favorite!!!! read more

I have been going to this restaurant for 40 years. It is dependably the best Mexican food in Santa Cruz. Great margaritas too!

Favorite family restaurant in Santa Cruz County. The food is consistently delicious, nice servers and the salsa is phenomenal. If my kids like Mexican food more we would be there once a week. On top of that, I DoorDashed it the other night and it was the best meal on DD that we have had in years. I am not sure why the low reviews. It's so good. Must be haters read more

I appreciate the reply But I have been eating the same meal for basically 20 years and my last time eating at El Palomar was different , I get enough food to create two tortillas with refried beans, red snapper and skirt steak, and enough leftover to get a to go box with red snapper and skirt steak to make another meal. This time it was enough to create two tortilla's and a little bit more skirt steak. The prawns are excellent too . But the portions were smaller. read more

First time here we met friends that were visiting California for lunch. It's a little deceiving to find because it's in the back of the building. But a very pretty restaurant great architecture. There were nine of us and they did a great job with Service. The food was very good and the margaritas were well done. I had the chicken enchiladas and my boyfriend had the chicken quesadilla both were excellent. Would definitely go back. read more

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Gave four stars instead of five because I waited at the front door while the staff stood in the galley on their phone, ignoring the business and customer (me) waiting at the front door for five minutes. Poor management not to require their staff to stay off their phones during their shift. Having worked at a restaurant I know there is always something to do. If you are on the floor working, stay off your phone!!! Food was 5 stars. Combo plate of chile Relleno, carnitas, rice, black beans. Good rellenos are rare- this one was excellent. Flan, made in house, for dessert. After being seated, service was attentive and friendly. Will be back. read more

El Palomar - Chill Rellenos, Carnitas combo - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

One of our go to spots for Mexican food when we were in college. We usually would grab tacos and burritos from the cantina side. This was my first time sitting in the restaurant. The service was great. The servers checked in on us frequently and refilled our chips a lot. Paloma and margarita: 1/5, it was not good. The margarita tasted only like tequila. The Paloma had no grape fruit flavor. We couldn't finish the drinks because we did not like the taste Guacamole: 3/5, it was good and big portion. I like the salsa that the chips come with more Chile verde: 4/5, this is one of my friend's favorite dishes! Super tasty and the pork is tender Carne asada tacos: 3.5/5, you get two tacos and they are pretty big! I liked the flavor of the meat but it wasn't super tender. The beans and rice were good! Enchiladas verdes: 2.5/5, my boyfriend said it was okay. He wasn't a fan of the sauce. He liked the taco more. read more

We were in town from TX and had a craving for Mexican food. So we decided to visit here. We were seated immediately with good service. We had 8 guests in all, but our food came out quick and good. The complimentary chips and salsa was fresh and delicious also. I would return. read more

El Palomar - I ordered the shrimp burrito it was good with plenty of shrimp. It came with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Everything tasted fresh and full of flavor. You can tell the ingredients are quality and the recipes are authentic. A great spot for real Mexican food--simple, satisfying, and delicious. read more

El Palomar - Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Always excellent Mexican food. I love the ambience. Especially outdoors. It's kind of a gazebo garden type atmosphere which is really pretty. The food was delicious. Always is. No surprises. A Santa Cruz classic. read more

The staff was super friendly and the dining area looks great and super clean. The food came out quickly and was great. Even the salsa they give out was so good and perfectly spicy. Definitely will go again. read more

El Palomar - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This location is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. It is tucked back into the building. There is metered street parking around this location. We got there on the early side of dinner time and were seated right away. By the time we left, they had a wait for a table. The service was good, knowledgeable about the menu and efficient in handling her area and checking in. It is a pretty interior with high ceilings. The food was good. I got the shrimp in diabla sauce and it was spicy but not too bad. I really enjoyed the flavor. The beans were good but I wasn't a huge fan of the rice. I got the hibiscus margarita and it was good. read more

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If I could leave zero stars, I would. Haven't gone in here in years, was never anything special, but a friend told me they had amazing nachos. Made the drive downtown, paid for parking, and went to check it out. Went to the bar area bc I was solo, and all seemed very nice. Bartender got me a soda water to start, I ordered the nachos and kept the drink menu thinking I would order a margarita, drink menu looked good. So nachos show up and they are literally on store bought chips that are over salted and just plain horrible (Think 7-11 nachos). Oh well, I just spent $20 on one of the saddest attempts at nachos I have ever seen, well I'll at least get a margarita or two and make the best of my Sunday. Well, as I'm just a couple bites into my plate, the bartender slaps my check down saying they are having a shift change. Ok, not horrible, but then I see he has charged me $4 for a soda water from the gun?! Come on... and he proceeded to take the drink menu I was looking at so I couldn't even order a drink?! This guy needs training?! Anyhow, the experience was just horrible all the way from begging to end. Go anywhere else in Santa Cruz for real Mexican food, there are plenty of great options that don't require paid parking, low quality food, and bad service. And they advertise "fresh chips and salsa" in their intro!!! Lies! Stale bagged chips here! Lmao... read more

My mom drove 8 hours from Oregon and was starving. It was 8:30 and everything was closing down but Tim the bartender sat us right away and got our order in. We were so grateful and loved the tacos. 10/10 recommend read more

The food was great but the service was so horribly bad I would never go back. Do not go here

We sat at the bar and Luis was our bartender. The margaritas were amazing. The tacos were delicious. We had the best time. Luis was attentive, made one of the best margaritas I've had and in general, provided some of the best service that we've experienced as of lately. I had the Tacos de Carne Asada. Two very large tacos, beans and rice. The portion was huge, cooked and seasoned perfectly. We had a great time and will return often Definitely recommend. read more

Excellent food! I've had the Pozole and Chicken Enchiladas Verdes. Both were very flavorful. The flame grilled taste of the chicken in the Enchiladas Verdes took them to the next level. I also love their corn tortillas, which are made fresh in house. The dining room itself is also very beautiful and I love the large round booths. One thing I would change is the lighting, which is slightly more dim than I would like- but good for a romantic date perhaps. read more

I know a lot of people enjoy El Palomar but for me it's been inconsistent. I'm not in the area anymore but sometimes I try and visit just to see if I can get one of those amazing visits. It's becoming less and less frequent :-( Believe it or not, one time I got my food and it was cold. The plate was hot, but the food was cold. I have no idea how that even happens. El Palomar has been such a institution on the shopping strip that I don't think it's going anywhere. It relies on its previous reputation and that's starting to show. Hopefully they can breathe new life into the menu and bring back the Palomar of old that honestly used to be so good. read more

Food was great and came out quick. What was surprising was how good their chips and salsa was! The atmosphere was great and our server was very kind. Definitely recommend if you're in downtown! read more

The food was authentic Mexican cuisine! You can taste the difference. This was amazing. The service was also excellent without being bothersome. The ambiance was lively. The only negative was the sun room was hot. Next time we will sit inside, but that area was a little noisy. read more

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So we've been going to El Palomar for 20+ years and it's definitely had its fluctuations, but this last visit on 7/12 just wasn't up to their previous standard. Here you go: Food - 3/5: the free chips and salsa were good and consistently refilled; the fajitas were very good - we got a combination of chicken, steak, and shrimp; the big miss was the chicken enchiladas which is why I'm giving 3 stars. They were cold with watery sauce and rubbery tortillas. Hopefully it was just an off night. BEST DRINK: spicy margarita. Service - 4/5: we made a reservation on Yelp the day of, which was great. Promptly greeted and seated. Our server was very good. The only fumble was when she served my cold plate of enchiladas, the sauce was clearly watery and not right. Vibe - 3/5: it's definitely more of an old-school vibe with dark interior and dated decor. I don't think they've changed much over the 20+ years we've been going. It's not necessarily a bad thing but it does feel a bit tired. seated. After seeing our booth inside, we opted to sit in the cantina which has a greenhouse feel - light and airy. Parking can be tricky downtown but we found free parking in the lot on Church and Cedar. Recommend: Spicy Margarita and Fajitas Recommend: read more

one of the best and authentic Mexican food my favorite spot I had been lately trying different dishes . I am very happy with their flavor and taste. I tried but I upgraded my dish choosing grill chicken enchiladas in red sauce was an excellent choice very tasty, flavorful. kudos to all . sorry no pictures i got distracted . read more

Since Covid we typically order out from El Palomar. After years of almost weekly orders of Chile Colorado and Tortilla soup, we finally gave up because we wanted "no onions". They only got it right 50% of the time, then Door Dash quit allowing special instructions, so we quit too. We tried again tonight and only received 1/2 our order. They need SOMEONE in the kitchen to review orders before they go out. They never did, and apparently never will. read more

Had an awesome experience at El Palomar in Santa Cruz! Came in with a friend and everything was great. The food was excellent, but the service really stood out. Our waitress, Camille, was amazing--she told us about the daily special (which I ended up getting and liked) checked in at the right times, and kept our drinks and chips full the whole time. She was super friendly, attentive, and made the whole visit feel easy and welcoming. Definitely one of the best dining experiences I've had in a while. I'll for sure be coming back! read more

Yummy! Bloody Mary's, nachos, best salsa and I think they have new chips. Thinner and lighter.

Food was good and good portions. Good beer and wine selection! Service was attentive and very friendly. The ambience was very nice. We sat in the area with the TVs which attracted crowds due to the basketball game tonight ... it was a very "Santa Cruz" relaxing vibe. Would definitely come back. P.S.: They allowed our service dog in which was very nice! read more

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I went here surprisingly twice in a week which I haven't gotten in a long time. They're salsa and chips are always really good and I get the sofa which I really enjoy and love love love their mango. Margarita their service was great. The servers were very friendly both times the ambience was great too. read more

This must be the last remaining old-line restaurant on Pacific Avenue. I used to come here frequently before the earthquake of 1989, which knocked down half the buildings, after which the street was entirely reconstructed in a different style. Anyway, walking by recently I had to try it again. You enter by walking through the dim lobby of what looks like a fleabag hotel, and behind it is an equally dim dining area with the old-fashioned plush booths. But they'll offer to seat you in the cantina, which is a bright patio behind it (and which wasn't there originally). Much nicer seating. The menu has I think changed since the old days, but it's still basic Americanized Mexican, though with a twist. I ordered chicken mole, which isn't the full fillets in a dark poblano sauce that you usually get, but breast strips in a red mole sauce. Fairly spicy sauce, quite delicious. Comes with standard rice and beans, plus tortillas. I had the corn tortillas, which were lighter than most and quite tasty when they were still hot. After eating my chicken, there was quite enough sauce left to scoop into the tortillas as I rolled them up. read more

This is my boyfriend's favorite place for chili Colorado . The sauce is spicy with a hint of sweetness. Mahi Mahi tacos are very traditional, presented in a traditional style with big flour tortillas. The fish is very tender but not grilled. I kind of expected the pineapple slaw to be fresh. Overall a decent meal. My boyfriend loved the chili Colorado and would give it a 5. For me the Mahi was a 3. So averaged to be a misleading 4. read more

El Palomar - Mahi Mahi tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I went back here a few months ago on a Sunday after a stressful weekend. Unrested, emotionally spent, so of course, I ordered a margarita on the rocks. My partner-in-crime suggested I make it a top shelf libation. He is an excellent accomplice. I ordered the special...I believe it was mahi mahi...cooked in this INCREDIBLE pineapple sauce? I can't even describe it! My taste buds were cruising out of control. Between all the chips and salsa (I see I'm playing more fast and loose with my digestive system than I did 7 years ago), I didn't get to the tortillas. But, I did polish off all the fish (obviously), fragrant rice and beans. And, I do not like beans. What did the put in the beans? I don't know? I try not to eat beans if I am trying to get lucky. But, lucky for me, my digestive system cooperated. read more

Stopped by their taco bar on a Friday night. It was not as busy as I expected it to be. Our food was ready quickly. Their chips and salsa were delicious. The salsa was spicy but so good! I tried their chicken quesadilla which was also delicious! There is street parking and parking garages nearby. There was also mariachi and a duo there which was a pleasant surprise. The restaurant is near shopping and bars!Definitely recommend! read more

El Palomar - Chicken quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Had a great meal here last night! Great chips zingy salsa big drink selection and delicious enchilada verde and asada tacos. Service was super nice and the restaurant space has a cool vibe. We will try to go more often. One downer navigating downtown Santa Cruz at night. Go enjoy read more

El Palomar - Watermelon margarita enchiladas verde asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I love the fajitas. The portion size has decreased a bit over the years hence the 4 stars instead of 5 but they are really good

Amazing food, great service, and great drinks. Highly recommend. Staff is super friendly and fast service. read more

The taco bar side of this location is a gem. Simple menu, amazing quality food, and most of all a friendly hardworking staff. Never change!

Very good margaritas all services and amazing drinks done by Luis and José excellent customer service, very friendly ambiance read more

El Palomar - Hibiscus margarita and silver going with gran marnier top excelente choice - Mexican Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

From the outside of the building you don't expect to eat in such beautiful surroundings. Wether you eat in the restaurant or at the bar the food is delicious. We love to sit at the bar, the bar staff are very engaging. Helped us pick out a tequila that matches our meal. read more

The indoor dining room is very dark and the temperature was very hot. I don't think they have AC and as a result I couldn't eat much. The food itself was good, but nothing to write home about. The server was nice and the food came out pretty quickly. Overall score is average. read more