I do not understand the below 4 star rating. Customers will miss out on great food just by looking at star rating alone. The food was amazing, especially the clam chowder and grilled sourdough bread. I also liked the calamari with jalapeño's, fish and chips, and salad that had red peppercorns. The view of the harbor was amazing and peaceful. Will definitely come back. It's like finding a hidden gem. read more

I will give this great place a 5 star rating is because the food is amazing! I stopped in to get some great food. I asked for a burger (they are amazing) and a side of fries. I asked to get a small portion of fries and salad like I usually do (they would split the portion so it's smaller for each) and the chef/manager denied it. I spoke to him mentioning how this has not been an issue over the past year I have been coming here. The guy asked me to sit down at a table with him to explain portion sizes and the guy had slurred speech and an extremely strong smear of liquor radiating from him. I asked if he is on the clock and he said I will be in a few minutes. Doesn't seem like a good idea to be wasted at work. This guy has created some very good tasting foods (hence why I like to return) and the prices are reasonable. The owner is a super sweet gal and you can tell she's pouring her heart and soul into this spot. It has a perfect view of the harbor while you enjoy some good eats. Even though this guy was wasted today, it won't detour me from returning for the 5 star food flavors! He later came to my table as I am indulging in a burger that explodes with flavor and apologized for being brash. I shook his hand and told him there are no hard feelings. I complimented him on his menu, flavors of the foods, and told him we will still be coming in. Do come check this place out as you'll will leave impressed by the food if you know what good food tastes like. read more

We had a staycation in Scotts Valley, found this place and made my trip fantastic! We ordered 6 oysters, Pan-roasted halibut, and Dungeness Crab Bucatini. All are above expectations. Price is affordable and it's the best value with great service and food. Ambiance is great it's playing World Cup and my dog enjoys seeing other dogs, they allow interior seating with dog too! If I have to pick one, I highly recommend Dungeness Crab Bucatini, they are generous with the crab meat. I'll definitely come again when I'm in the area :) read more

We found the fish on the "Fish & Chips" to be unlike most places and quite a bit better. In particular is was light and crispy vs the typical heavily battered usual. The chips were both a little overdone and not very crispy, but that was overshadowed by the fish. The crab bucatini was excellent as well. The views of the boats in the water were pleasant and made it worth making the reservation rather than just walking in. Service was good. It is a bit loud inside with all the hard surfaces reflecting the sounds of people talking. read more

We went to Johnny for a quick bite around 2:00. Not many customers were there and we were seated right away. The 3 of us ordered some beers, chowder and a salad and all of the food was delicious. One person commented that he thought the chowder was the best he'd ever had. Our server / hostess was awesome and the view is amazing. We asked our waitress about Crows Nest for dinner and she warned us the place had gone down hill. Unfortunately for us we didn't listen and was she right! We left Johnnys after 3:00 when Happy Hour started and the place was filling up quickly. All in all a great place the hang out. read more

Came here with some CO workers right at noon on a Friday. Excellent service and amazing views. Felt very authentic. I grabbed a mai tai IPA which was perfectly chilled and crispy. And for my main course was their lobster roll. Good lobster roll but was missing a nice buttery touch (my preference) otherwise assembled nicely. Would recommend this lunch spot any day read more

Johnny's Harborside - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Really.Good.Food.! nice service plus terrific happy hour options whether you're dining by yourself with a friend/mate of a family/group, this place will take good care of you read more

Food was good and view of the harbor was super nice and scenic. The wait to get a table was a bit long considering it wasn't that busy. read more

Johnny's Harborside - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Great spot! Wonderful menu and fast service. Happy Hour is the best in town. Great bar and nice spot to watch a game. read more

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I was able to get parking right at the front which was awesome considering it was a sunny Sunday afternoon and I thought the place would be flooded with people over the hill. I was greeted right away by the nice bartender gal. I got a table pretty close to the window so that was nice eating lunch with the harbor as my view. They were out of a few items which was a bummer, but I was happy with the fish tacos. The grilled pineapple was a nice touch and the sauce was good and the fish was perfectly fried. read more

Johnny's Harborside - Fish Tacos 3 - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

High quality seafood restaurant on the water. We visited twice on one trip. I ordered fish tacos the first time (a bit dissatisfied with amount of fish and toppings) and I wanted to get the Shrimp Louis salad with Black Cod my husband ordered the first time. Wow, the cod was cooked to perfection and skin was crispy with a wood smoke flavor. Shrimp was perfect with a hint of lemon. Might be one of the best salads ever. The fish sandwiches looked pretty amazing - might be a third trip in my future! read more

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Showed up at 3 PM for happy hour and we were told to sit anywhere we like. We picked a corner table with views of the harbor. The server dropped off menus, but only for lunch. Once we asked, she gave us happy hour menus. I'd recommend their happy hour. They have well drinks, wine, and what I thought was a decent selection of local beers. Prices will change with time but we paid $2 per fresh oyster, $5 beer and the rest of the menu was also reasonably priced. The calamari was crispy with nice flavoring and not overcooked. I enjoyed the touch of including pieces of fried jalapeños. We weren't sure about Jeffrey's burger, but it exceeded our expectation. Only thing that was a little meh were the fries; they were limpy but we liked the old bay seasoning. Only miss was showing up exactly when happy hour starts, being seated, but not being asked or offered a happy hour menu despite a huge sign outside that says happy hour from 3 to 6 Monday through Friday....lol. read more

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First time dining at Johnny's Harborside on a Sunday and visited for the cioppino. My friend raves they have some of the best and visits often to dine and place an order to go. Ordered the fried calamari and cioppino to share but told they were out of the calamari...hmmm it's Sunday lunch and seemed odd so went with our 2nd choice of crab cakes. Panko crusted with a crispy exterior (not greasy) flavorful, but a tad salty. What I thought was interesting was each crab cake was presented split in half...hmm, as if checking to see if it was cooked all the way through? Looking at other Yelp pics, it seems that way! We were a party of 2 and never had crab cakes halved. The cioppino was not the best I've had and lacked flavor, tangy and mainly of stewed tomatoes...squid was rubbery and overcooked but all other ingredients of fish, mussel, clams, shrimp were fine. Friend said this was the first time she was disappointed so either a new chef or off day. Overall, a ***3.5 stars *** Staff friendly, welcoming and attentive but the food was just "ok" this visit but open to trying again. read more

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This place the most friendly and helpful servers 5/5 for service! It had a beautiful view of the Santa Cruz harbor with all the boats. The decor was eclectic. The best dish was the scallops with polenta and grilled onions and carrots 5/5 The shrimp scampi had way too much pasta and not enough flavor 2.5/5 The beet salad was also plenty full but the beets were too tart or pickled - I was underwhelmed with the poppyseed vinaigrette 2.5/5 Not many people were eating here, so it was easy to get a spot. read more

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First thing the waitress said when our food finally got to the table was "let me know if it needs a reheat." My Crab pasta had countless pieces of hard shell in it. Took over 2 1/2 hours in this restaurant for over priced/cold food. read more

Johnny's Harborside - Crab Pasta with shells - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Food needs a lot of improvement. Ordered the fish and chips which was served with soggy fries and does not look fresh. Fish was salty. The prices are over priced for the quality. Ambiance looks better on some Yelp pictures but should lower expectations. To be objective I would suggest the Happy Hour menu so the price coincides with the quality of food. read more

New owners have done an excellent job with warm, gracious staff and wonderful seafood offerings. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about each dish and wine offerings. We'll be back! read more

A fantastic spot. Oysters were delicious, calamari had a good taste and texture, and clam chowder was light with small chunks of potatoes and clams. I was delighted by the food and friendly service. Lil pricey, but the view is worth it. The atmosphere this restaurant creates feels very "by the sea" and I adore this establishment. Even my margarita was good! Don't skip out on the warm bread and butter. read more

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Best Oysters! Chef Jeffrey has curated a culinary menu utilizing the freshest ingredients. Whether land or sea, you will experience a great meal. Sky and staff cannot be more welcoming and service oriented. Santa Cruz Harbor MUST STOP! read more

Chef Jeffrey Wall, formerly at Alderwood, is crushing it again at Johnny's! You can tell when you walk into a full restaurant at 4:30 PM for HH & Taco Tuesday!!! Solid Baja style fish taco & Fillet Mignon + Bone Marrow Taco were excellent!! read more

Johnny's Harborside - Filet Mignon Bone Marrow Taco!!! Delish! - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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First time at this restaurant. I made a reservation for four (we had out-of-town guests visiting), but it wasn't necessary. The place wasn't busy when we came for a late lunch. Our server was friendly and eager, though sometimes a little slow to notice when we needed something. The vibes were "elevated fish shack" with awesome views of the harbor and all the boats. The crispy fish tacos were delicious with grilled pineapple in each taco. They didn't come with tortilla chips, though (chips were shown in a lot of Yelp pics). Other people in our group had the Dungeness crab sandwich, which was a hit. The only downside was that the already pricey sandwich didn't come with fries or a salad. That was $6 extra. Seemed steep for fries. Overall, the beer selection is great, the service was friendly, and parking was plentiful at the harbor. read more

Food is really good! Very friendly service and the view of the harbor is amazing. I will be back

Location is lovely, great harbor views. Really kind and attentive staff, enjoyed the fantastic service. New menu. Got the mussels and fish & chips. Delicious. 10/10 would recommend. Park in lot and pay or free parking on street. Full bar. Honestly great. read more

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My wife and I stopped in here for lunch today. Everything was so freaking good! We started with clam chowder, Garlic bread and fried calamari. The chowder was so rich and delicious. Amazing. The bread was fresh and delicious as well. Fried calamari were perfect. Next she had the Fettuccine Alfredo and I had the fish tacos. The fish tacos were the best fish tacos I've ever had. I'll definitely order them again. The fettuccine was fresh and satisfying. So lovely. Our waiter was on it. He never let my glasses sit empty. I wish I asked for his name, but I have a feeling everyone who works there rocks. I highly recommend! read more

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The food was decent. Salads were very good. Service was very nice and quick Location was great right in the middle of the harbor and the actual restaurant building was beautiful read more

Great food, prices and staff! These Oysters are from Oregon and they're amazing! $2 each during HH. Great burger and fries on the HH menu as well. Very welcoming establishment. read more

Johnny's Harborside - Oregon oysters - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I had met some friends for happy hour at Johnny's Harborside. I wasn't very hungry so I ordered the shrimp cocktail which was $12 during happy hour. When the waitress brought it, I was in shock. Three (3) shrimp approx. 2" long, $4 each for a previously frozen shrimp with no flavor. I won't be going back again. read more

Johnny's is a local gem. We're long time Live Oak neighbors and love - adore - treasure the place. Their menu is fun and inventive. The view? Crazy good. They have a great happy hour and killer taco Tuesdays, and when the summer menu is going off - weiner Wednesdays. We love seats by the windows overlooking the harbor. But the bar is pretty dang epic too. Robin is an amazing OG bartender, and a blast. Downstairs is H&H fresh fish co, so they have the freshest fish in town. Go there!​​ read more

We were craving fresh oysters and decided to try our luck at Johnny's. The oysters we ordered were fresh and delicious! We also ordered fried calamari and the batter was rather salty, but we were able to mitigate the saltiness with lemons. Our server was attentive and the food came quickly. It's a pretty spacious restaurant with tables that had window seats to look out to the water, so that was nice. read more

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We ordered the daily special of raw oysters--absolutely delicious! We also tried the fresh halibut, brought in straight from the boat; it was perfectly cooked and tasted amazing. Their appetizers are always creative, and while the execution sometimes varies, they get high marks for originality. We don't frequent places that feel redundant, so this spot keeps us coming back. Service is consistently good, and the view of the harbor is spectacular, making it a fun place to enjoy beautiful summer days. The vibe is casual, with a lively bar full of regulars. For parking, there's a paid meter conveniently near the restaurant, with an additional machine at the far end of the larger lot. If you have some extra time, walk down the harbor on the other side to visit the lighthouse (see photos). read more

Johnny's Harborside - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Shrimp cocktail was as bad as it looked and they don't de vein the shrimp. The clam cowder was the worst ive ever eaten. Sent the waygu back it was like bubble gum chewy. read more

Went there for Burger Week. Arrived around 5.45. The place was not busy, I counted 7 tables occupied. The table we choose at the window was dirty and had to be wiped down. (no big deal). We ordered 2 beers (one of them in a bottle) which took 15 Min to arrive. Cooking and waitressing staff was ample and gathered around the bar area. The Burger (!) came 20 Min later, while my husbands fish tacos took 15 Min. The waitress did not know the price of the burgers featured, not was the price displayed on the flyer on the table. 70 bucks we left laughing, but will never return. read more

OK, so I stumbled on this restaurant while looking for fresh fish while work traveling. It totally reminds me of a restaurant out of a movie. I walked upstairs and you could tell there were locals frequenting, which is awesome just to see as part of the ambience. The bartender came and greeted me as it looked like he was working The tables and the bar since I was only one of two groups at a table. He explained and described the fresh fish, which I had. It was a fresh snapper with a peppercorn cream sauce. It was amazing! The view was awesome. I would totally recommend this for a fun lunch with a group, happy hour, casual dinner. Great job guys I took a picture of my meal and I didn't save it and I'm so bummed because it would've been the best to add to this review. read more

I wanted to like Johnny's Harborside, but the value didn't match the pricing. We ordered a shrimp cocktail ($21 for 5 shrimp), calamari ($21, heavily battered and rubbery), and a shrimp club sandwich ($25) that came with no sides at all. The calamari came with a mustard sauce that didn't pair well, and we were charged an additional $1 for cocktail sauce -- something that's typically standard with this dish. Drinks were $7 for a non alcoholic beer and $9 for a draft. Our total was $119 with tax and tip, and we left still hungry. The service was fine, but the portion sizes and pricing felt out of balance for the quality. Other diners may want to be aware of the value before ordering. read more

Okay Johnnys has totally revamped itself and now has my favorite burger in town. The cheese and onion jam on it sheeeeesh it's so good. According to a little birdie, the old Alderwood chef is now at johnnys and so the burger is basically the same SO GET IT!everything else was really good too. Need to try the chicken sandwich but it was sold out. read more

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Great location at the harbor and amazing views. Three of us had the halibut. The portions were huge and cooked perfectly! The cioppino was also excellent. Our server had great suggestions! I don't remember her name but she had beautiful red hair. We'll be back! read more

Wow‼ I can't believe this was $31! Three small pieces of fish and the equivalent of two large orders of fries. This has to be the worst value in Santa Cruz. read more

Johnny's Harborside - Wow‼ $31 for three small pieces of fish I have never seen such a thing. There were 2 large order of fries. Taste wasn't horrible. - Seafood Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Came here today for lunch, food was great as always. We were served by Cambell and she was wonderful, attentive, and provided great customer service. read more

The perfect Bayside restaurant for a special night out. The food is always excellent as is the service. No complaints whatsoever. Highly recommended. read more

This place has officially earned a top spot on my list. I hadn't stopped by in years, but after hearing about the new chef and refreshed menu, I figured it was time to give it another try -- and I'm so glad I did. I've already been back twice this week because everything has been consistently excellent. The space is bright and spacious, with a great bar area and plenty of seating. Whether you're there to soak in the Santa Cruz harbor views or catch a game, the atmosphere works for any mood. The staff makes the experience even better -- welcoming, attentive, and genuinely warm. We were lucky enough to have the same server both visits, and she was fantastic. The happy hour is a standout and definitely worth planning around. My personal favorite so far has been the crab sandwich -- packed with flavor and perfectly done. My husband can't stop talking about the house burger from the happy hour menu. The fish tacos are also a must-try. Great selection of local beers on draft, relaxed coastal energy, and overall just a fantastic comeback visit. Highly recommend. read more