Good food, great location. The skirt steak is grilled to perfection, tender and juicy (not dry and chewy). Parking is a challenge, but there's a hidden parking lot behind the Capitola Police station that has a lot of available spots. read more

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Fantastic place to end the day with dinner! Great views of the beach on the patio and we had excellent service from our server Nora. She hustled so hard covering so many tables, getting our order, refills, and she was so friendly! We had the chile verde enchiladas and the ultimo burrito with chicken and both were so tasty. Look forward to coming back. Thanks again, Nora! read more

Today was HOT in Santa Cruz, and by hot, I mean it didn't cool down very quickly around 5pm like it normally does. And I was having a rough day. So I took myself out to Margaritaville on a Monday evening, and a) there were lots of spots to sit, including outside overlooking the ocean and the show the birds were putting on, and b) it was MUCH cooler, and c) the food was good as always and the drinks even better (I LOVED the Italian Margarita). It's not quite Copal-level with the heirloom corn/beans and Oaxacan specialties, but it's super fresh and seems like the ingredients are high quality. and d) Danielle, my waitress, was so great. Like, not only was she great, period, but in Santa Cruz, especially at a more touristy restaurant, to have someone be genuinely kind and attentive is SO RARE. If you're a local, you 100% know this. And we learn to live with it, because yes it's expensive to live here, and no, you don't need to pretend to be nice or to care, but tonight Danielle took such good care of this tired, sad mama bear. She kept my drinks coming, and got me my decaf coffee and some ice cream to go with it, and I feel so much better. Her name is pronounced differently than the typical pronunciation, and if you can get seated in her section, do it! I've always been happy with the level of service I get here, but tonight was extra special. read more

Its been years since I've been to margaritaville, i had fish tacos, my friend had shrimp tacos, i had a mai tai, he had a pain killer, our waitress was so sweet, my drink didn't taste right & she brought me a new 1, it was so much better, our tacos were fresh & delicious, service was quite fast, the sun was shining & it was beautiful sitting outside read more

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I have been to Margaritaville a few times and this was on my last trip. I came with a group of friends and one is in a wheelchair. The location has a wheelchair ramp (we did not use the restroom to know the wheelchair accommodations for the restroom) and was accommodating in getting us to a table with a beautiful view. Our food was good, drinks were strong, service was great, the establishment is very clean and our view was beautiful. read more

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Fantastic food, drinks, everything was fantastic! The margaritas are amazing and represent the restaurant name well. Don't leave margaritaville without a margarita! Our server was super sweet and attentive. Clam chowder was pretty good! Quesadilla was basic but still tasty. Arrive EARLY to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful view, it is the best part of the experience by far. read more

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Nope. Only because you are next to beach doesn't mean you serve very average margaritas with not so average price tag. Specially if you call yourself Margaritaville. Only thing that comes to my mind when I think about the food in this place is portion. Portion was big but just like their margarita read more

Everything rolled into one!! Food, service and atmosphere. I would bring family (kids) early.

Amazing food and drinks! The service is always laid back and friendly. The tacos are so good! And the view is always beautiful so I always try to sit outside. The happy hour has some good options! I like the flavored margaritas, but they even offer a skinny margarita. Ive never had a long wait time to be seated, they're always pretty good about timing. read more

Margaritaville - House Margarita Pomegranate Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Walked into Margaritaville and immediately loved the atmosphere, fun, welcoming, and family-friendly. We sat inside where our server Donyl greeted us right away and got drinks and appetizers started. The nachos were absolutely incredible, we added chicken on top and honestly, it was enough to be a full meal on its own. The kids' chicken quesadilla was the perfect portion, and the Chili Verde plate was amazing as well. To top it off, we were able to catch the sunset during dinner, which made the view just perfect. Great food, great service, and such a nice spot to enjoy a family meal! read more

Margaritaville - Nachos with chicken - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Rowdy was an amazing bartender for us, excellent service. Delicious food and great views. Ambiance was great! Highly recommend read more

Margaritaville - Views for days - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

My partner and I were happy hour hopping and decided to stop in for a margarita. Happy hour is from 3-5:30 Monday through Friday. We ordered: - house margarita ($8) Classic margarita with a salted rim. I think I have to say that this may have been the best margarita I've ever had. I have 0 complaints. It was perfect. -pomegranate margarita ($9) I LOVED this margarita. It came with a sugar rim which perfectly complimented the pomegranate flavor. Despite being a foggy day we opted to sit outside. They have plenty of heaters that make it easier if you are not local and used to the fog. The service was great and the restaurant itself is very nice on the inside. It's located right on the water overlooking capitola beach and the infamous VenetianHotel. Overall, I had a great time here and can't wait to come back to try some food and have another Margarita. read more

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Go try happy hour the drink and small plate prices are great! Tried a strawberry margarita nachos and calamari-- everything was tasty and filling read more

Margaritaville - Nachos calamari and strawberry margaritas - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Sat outside on the patio with views of the ocean and the cute colorful homes of Capitola. Some of the tables have umbrellas to block the sun so that's nice. We ordered a cup of chowder, ceviche, and calamari. We enjoyed all our food! Ceviche seemed fresh. Calamari was crispy and well-seasoned. It comes with two types of sauces, both are delicious. There's even pieces of fried jalapenos for a spicy kick. The chowder was nice and thick and I enjoyed the flavor! I will say it is a bit pricey. Servers were friendly and attentive. read more

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Went to Margaritaville on a weekday this summer and I was very surprised to see that it wasn't very busy. Food was just okay but service was great it was very chill and laid back ambiance. read more

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The food was good but my 2 star review is for the service that my boyfriend and I received. Our waitress Mia never came back until it was time for us to pay the bill. We were eating our entree's with no drinks because she didn't come back to ask us if we wanted refills. It wasn't busy at all, we were seated immediately. I paid $150 for two people and for me to pay a premium on food that was mediocre, I expected much better service. I was going to get dessert but I honestly was so tired of waiting for her to ask us if we wanted refills or dessert, when I finally got her attention I just asked for refills and the tab. Normally I tip 40%, so double what I am expected, and that is me asking you to do the bare minimum and at least refill my drinks. But for me for to never see you again until I flag you down because I want to pay my bill and get out of there is crazy. read more

I ordered the calamari as an appetizer and it was delicious! They put their own twist on it, serving it hot with a mix of jalapeños that added a nice kick. I also had the chile verde burrito (not pictured), which was equally good and definitely worth trying. The service was excellent--very friendly staff and the food came out fast and hot! read more

Margaritaville - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

1. Food: Same as any taqueria! Oddly enough the chicken was chopped into tiny squares inside the enchilada, refried smashed beans, red slightly spicy rice. Any taqueria would serve the same dish. 2: Cocktail was "Ultimo" margarita was very good! 3: Atmosphere improved! Dimly lit, candle on table, and lounge music. No more Beach Boys! 4: Hostess was friendly, Waitress was friendly! I will not return. read more

Jimmy Buffett had just passed away so we thought we'd finally try his Margaritaville. Except this wasn't a Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville! Story is that Mr. Buffett actually let them keep their restaurant name, which is cool! It's in a touristy location, right across from the water and those iconic Capitola colored houses. So we were so surprised to find that the margaritas were super solid, the service was great, and the fish tacos were delicious! I'd stay away from the too-salty clam chowder though. Phil's in Castroville has the best clam chowder. We'll definitely come back to enjoy the sun and the gorgeous view from the patio and the margaritas again! read more

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Drinks with a view of the Venetian Court!! We passed by and decided that we NEEDED to try their margaritas on their patio. With lots of variety, we decided to just get a Strawberry Margarita and Cucumber Margarita. We were going to share an appetizer, but everything was $18+ so it wasn't necessarily affordable... As the name implies, the margaritas were really good! The tequila wasn't too strong and the drinks were very sweet. The strawberry and cucumber flavors were great. Didn't taste too artificial and had a very refreshing aspect to them. These were perfect by the beach. KEEP IN MIND: This is not the same as Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville! Expect a completely different menu and interior in comparison. read more

Margaritaville - Cucumber & Strawberry Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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Cost of food ? $$$ ! Why not add chips and dip for a drink on the menu?! Every one wants chips and they aren't that expensive. I paid $28.00 for a Crab tostada, it was salty canned crab !!! Horrible value!!!! Sorry food was horrible! read more

Great service and food! I loved our night here and everyone was super nice to us. Would definitely recommend!

Wow, what a great experience! I'm on vacation and love Margaritaville so decided to stop in for lunch. My husband and I and my two dogs. We had about a 15 minute wait and then got to sit on the deck, which was absolutely gorgeous. The view and ambience were perfect. my dogs were a little bit rowdy and I would say that the staff was extremely accommodating and friendly. The food was really really good and very large portions. I would say the bill was a little bit higher than I expected, but I feel like the ambience made up for it. They don't have a parking lot and you have to either find street parking which can be tough in this area or you would have to park in an hourly lot close by and walk over. Not bad at all. Definitely plan on going back before I head home. read more

Margaritaville - fish taco - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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The Mai Tai was incredible... a little bit on the sweet side if you like that. I ordered a plate of nachos to share, and it was still more than we could handle. Delicious!! The bartender was not as attentive as I would expect someone to be on a slow day, but maybe he's new. When he greeted us, he said he'll be with us in a minute in about five minutes later, still no menu. read more

After the beach was dinner !! Margaritaville did not disappoint! We were immediately seated by the water ! Perfect view of the beach and chilling abc enjoying the great weather! We ordered guacamole and chips, came asada tacos, quesadillas! Everything was fresh and delicious ! Service was perfect ! Mango margarita was popping and the best part was the horchata ice cream at the end !' Highly anticipate my return back!! read more

Margaritaville - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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I went for my girlfriend's 21st birthday. We got everything off the happy hour menu (great deals btw!). We got the nachos with chicken, the quesidilla with chicken and a strawberry margarita to split. Nathan, our server was super helpful and knowledgeable about the food and drinks and gave us great recommendations while also making sure he got everything right (which I super appreciate!) he also took this picture for us which was super nice! Since it's just us two we don't have a lot of pictures that aren't selfies. I come here semi regularly and always enjoy the food, the view, and the staff. Thanks Nathan! read more

Margaritaville - The outside 2 person tables! Perfect for the happy hour! - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Love coming here every time I visit my favorite beach. The food was great like always and the service was also great like always. We chose seating outside and the view was beautiful and the weather was nice. I got the chicken quesadilla and clam chowder bread bowl and they were so delicious! We also ordered chips for the table and I loveee their chips. read more

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Overlooking the row of colorful houses, this restaurant definitely has a prime location in the beautiful Capitola Village. But not only is the aesthetics appealing, the food, presentation, service and the friendly staff were also top-notch. Got an inside table immediately on a Sunday afternoon. If you want a table outside, it will be quite a wait. As a group, we ordered Pineapple Daiquiri, Mango Margarita, Chips and Guacamole, Baja Fish Tacos, Shrimp Tacos, Cheese Quesadilla and Garlic Shrimp. Pineapple Daiquiri, Baja Fish Tacos, Shrimp Tacos were really amazing! And the chips were freshly made: probably the freshest I have had. read more

Margaritaville - Blackened Shrimp Tacos, Baja Fish Tacos, Garlic Shrimp, Cheese Queasedilla, Pineapple Daiquiri - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

The hubby and I walked all around Capitola today while the kiddo was in school. Took pictures, chatted and just enjoyed our day together. However, the icing on the cake was when we decided to go to Margaritaville for lunch today. While looking through Yelp to see where we should go, Margaritaville was a 5 min walk from the Capitola Wharf so we decided to go there. The place is right on the water with breathtaking views (do yourself a favor and sit outside). The hubby decided to get the Skirt Steak with Chimichurri and rice for his lunch. He throughly enjoyed his steak stating that it was beautifully tender. I got the Shrimp Diabla and it was delicious. The shrimp were tender and the diabla sauce was spicy but not over powering. I also throughly enjoyed a Pina Colada. It wasn't too strong with the rum but wasn't too sweet. It was one of the best Pina Coladas that I have had. Gabe (our waiter was very sweet. Always made sure we had everything that we needed. I HIGHLY suggest to come to Margaritaville and enjoy lunch or dinner on the water in beautiful Capitola. You won't regret it. read more

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Classy place right on a prime location at the corner overlooking Paradise Beach. If you get the dog friendly patio, you can sit on the water, watch the ducks and kayakers, and look out at the pier and the beach. The margaritas are amazing , homemade tortilla chips and salsa extremely good! My waiter George was friendly, wonderful service! Even brought water for my dog. All the waiters here look seem professional and do an awesome job. Margaritas are $14 chips and salsa 8 fish tacos will run you 22. read more

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Pretty setting on the patio but otherwise overrated and overpriced. The calamari was ok and my simple Baja Fish Tacos tasted fine but I had trouble finding the fish under all the weeds (cabbage). It was like looking for the small item I ordered in a box of packing shreds. Plus the prices were high for what we got, even for a beach vacation town view restaurant catering to out-of-towners. I appreciated the nice smiles from the manager but she was the high point for the service. Our actual server was well-meaning but lost. They were trying but the experience still fell short. Bummer. read more

Margaritaville - Baja Fish Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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Not a first time customer and can say I'm happy our recent visit. Have been dining here for years and this visit fit the bill as we were looking for something on the lighter side. The Nachos were very good and more than enough for two. The server was excellent, very attentive, professional and polite. Highly recommend for something casual. read more

This place has really lost it's touch. The attention to detail is a fail. We sat in the patio and everything was full of spider webs. The food was so bland, absolutely no flavor. The ceviche was made with bottled lime, you could taste the acidity. The service was fine, but this is the last time we give this place another chance. It was worse than the last time we said we wouldn't return again. The only thing this place has now is the location. read more

Fun spot! I ordered the calamari and fish with chimichurri sauce. The food was good, outdoor seating was beautiful, and the staff was very friendly! What worked: -- super friendly staff -- calamari was flavorful and the sauces served with it were tasty -- fish was served with a lot of greens which made it nice and fresh -- pretty patio seating right on the water. I loved seeing the ducks swim below us What didn't work: -- it was really loud inside, I imagine it's hard to hold a conversation if you're sitting there -- I wasn't a fan of the chimichurri sauce. It was really oily and not as fresh and flavorful as I'd hoped All in all, I'd definitely come here again! read more

Margaritaville - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Had a beach day at Capitola and wanted a dinner by the beach before driving back home. I was craving either fish tacos or clam chowder, and decided to try Margaritaville since it was nearby. We were sat outdoors, but the tables for two were SO SMALL. We literally had to put our plates diagonally because you could not fit two plates vertically across the table. If you sit outside, you simply cannot order more than two dishes because it won't fit! This slightly dampened our experience, but onto the food. We started with the ceviche which came out almost immediately after ordering. The chips were surprisingly fresh and hot. I really did enjoy this and we even had a few chips leftover. I enjoyed this, though I always prefer fish ceviche as opposed to shrimp. I decided on the clam chowder in a bread bowl and it came with two packs of oyster crackers. I got cracked pepper on the side since an abundance of pepper always goes good with any chowder. It definitely warmed me up as the weather was getting cooler in the evening, and was the perfect meal to end a beach day. Our server was really nice, and overall we enjoyed our meal here! read more

Margaritaville - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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We had a lovely outdoor lunch here on a Saturday afternoon! Great cocktails, good food, excellent service, and nice views. I loved my espresso martini and vodka strawberry lemonade, and my husband enjoyed his skinny margarita and pomegranate mimosa. My husband and I shared one plate of shrimp tacos and one plate of Baja fish tacos - both were delicious, but I liked the shrimp ones better! My daughter liked her kid's plate's rice and beans, though she found the meat in her chicken taco a bit overcooked. Our waiter was great - very thoughtful and attentive. We definitely got a second round of drinks because of him. We sat outdoors and enjoyed our view of both the lagoon and ocean. We had a pleasant time here and would love to return! read more

Visited Margaritaville over this past weekend and the service was amazing! Came in 10 minutes before closing and was still welcomed with smiles. The bartender named Rowdy was a awesome young man! So pleasant, patient, attentive and made our experience just that much better. read more

Margaritaville - Classic Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

We came here at sunset as part of our 25th wedding anniversary trip! First, our server, Dylan (Dillon?) was one of the best servers we had across the several restaurants we visited during our 4 day stay in Capitola. He was just absolutely wonderful! Second, the birria tacos and the Ultima margarita was amazing! So was the house margaritas. Thanks to Dylan's suggestion, I had them add fresh watermelon to the house margarita and it was delicious! read more

Margaritaville - Birria tacos - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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We ended up here for just an appetizer and margaritas! If you are in the neighborhood you have to come join Wylee and Mia, they where phenomenal customer service. Mia was so amazing she ever. brought us a blanket, we sat outside! The chips and guac was delish, warm chips and the guac tasted very fresh!!! The margaritas were so on point, we had them on the rocks with salt. Loved sitting outside between two heaters. Something I noticed is that the staff worked together to bring each other's food out! Loved watching that!!! We are visibly from LA, we will definitely come back and see them!!! read more

Margaritaville - Guacamole w/ Chips and salsa! - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

2nd time here. The ambiance was great (as always). The service was solid. We were helped immediately, and the server was very attentive. As of the food and apps, they were great. The chips and salsa were exceptional when paired with the drinks we got. We had 3 different drinks, and each drink was amazing. Overall, a great place to visit for food and/or drinks read more