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Margaritaville

4.1 (1.2k reviews)
ModerateSeafood, Mexican
Open • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Margaritaville Photos

Business Info

MARGARITAVILLE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Margaritaville

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Reviews With Photos

Painkiller 4.8567 stars
Jen C.

My daughter was out with her friends (typical teenager, I suppose), so I thought I'd enjoy a relaxing day to myself. But my partner convinced me to join him and his daughter for a trip to Capitola. At first, I hesitated--it felt like a third-wheel situation--but he assured me it would be fun to have dinner together. Eventually, I thought, why not give it a try? By the time we arrived, all three of us were hungry, so we explored the beachside restaurants. We ultimately chose Margaritaville, which seemed to have the best menu. Although I was tempted by a margarita, I decided on a Butterfly Passion instead and asked the server if it was a pretty drink--thankfully, it was both beautiful and delicious! We began our meal with guacamole and chips. I was a bit concerned the jalapeños would make it too spicy for me, but it turned out just right--a fantastic appetizer. My partner's daughter ordered a Chile Verde Enchilada and enjoyed it, though she couldn't finish her rice and beans, which she kindly shared with me. My partner and I split an order of Dungeness Crab Tostadas, and they were absolutely delicious. Our server was friendly and attentive, got our orders right, and made sure we didn't wait long for our food or drinks. I was surprised to discover that Margaritaville has so many locations, including all-inclusive hotels--who knew it was so popular? After such a great first meal here, I'd definitely visit another location if I get the chance.

View from our table
Julianne G.

This place has an amazing view of the waterfront and the colorful Capitola buildings while you dine on their outside patio. We went on a Monday for lunch, and there was no wait; we were seated immediately. Our waiter, Josiah, took good care of us throughout, and a manager also checked on us while we were eating to make sure everything was good. I had a mai tai that was amazing with fresh pineapple taste. I also ordered the Baja fish tacos. The fish was cooked just right with great toppings, including large pieces of avocado and a Chipotle sauce. My friend ordered chips and salsa and the clam chowder. The chowder was good, and the chips were fresh, but the red salsa was very bland. Not just mild with no spice, but bland, like not even any flavor. The green salsa was slightly better. Even so, we both enjoyed our meals and drinks and thoroughly enjoyed the view. I would definitely come back here for drinks and food! Main reason I didn't give 5 stars was because of the salsa, but everything else 5 stars.

Dungeness crab tostadas
Juanna F.

Dined with my husband and our baby for dinner. The ambience is nice along the water. We had the clam chowder, Dungeness crab tostadas, and blackened shrimp enchiladas. Food was decent. I liked the tostadas the most. I would have preferred more crab. Seasoning was balanced.

Enchiladas
Tammy Y.

Higher prices but the portions arent terribly small at least. The clam chowder was pretty standard (nothing crazy but nothing to complain about). The steak tacos were pricey for the amount you get but the meat was good. The enchiladas were probably the most worth and were tasty though the beans weren't particularly good. The chips may be pricey but they are unlimited which is nice. My friend had the margarita and said it was just ok which is probably a little disappointing if thats what youre coming for. Service was solid though and The outdoor seating facing the beach is really nice and they do have heat lamps since it can get chilly. Parking in downtown Capitola is a little crowded (and most of it is paid parking) so you'll prolly need to do a short walk. All in all, you're paying more for the ambiance and service but the food isn't terrible and it was overall still a nice experience

Christian E.

Beautiful patio seating with great service! The mai tai seemed like it was missing something. It was yellow with no orange in it, but still strong (nothing worse than a watered-down drink). The Pomegranate margarita is very tart. The tacos are always amazing! I liked that the server brought out the happy hour menus when the time came without us asking.

Duck swimming up to our table!
Shayla T.

Super cute spot right off the beach. We also got a view of the colorful houses from our table. We chose outdoor seating where our table was close to a lil pond and ducks were swimming up to us! We also saw someone stand-up-paddleboarding in there as we were eating! Happy hour is M-F 3:30-5:30pm but I heard they may be discontinuing it soon :( We got the Happy Hour Cucumber Margarita + Chicken Taco Combo, Lagunitas IPA Draft Beer + Shrimp Taco, Calamari, and Loaded Nachos. Happy hour plating size is smaller than the full menu size but the amount of food was perfect for my group of 3. They gave a generous amount of chicken+shrimp on the tacos so we put the extra meat on the nachos! The shrimps are grilled with a smoky charred flavor and the chicken is so juicy and flavorful, almost having a curry/tumeric taste. So delish. Staff is super nice and our waiter was super helpful. Vibes are immaculate and I'm sure food would hit even better after a warm summer swim!

Outside seating
Maggie S.

Great spot by the water! We sat outside and, even though the fog had rolled in, we stayed nice and warm by the heaters - it was quite cozy! Our waiter was super nice and the food topped it all off. Can't go wrong with the fish tacos! We'd come back anytime.

Great customer service!
Lizz H.

A stop in Capitola means a mandatory visit to Margaritaville. It is definitely located in the touristy part of town but believe me, it is a local watering hole too. Incredible waterfront and ocean views from both inside and the outside patio make it a popular destination. The Mexican faire and spirits are very good. Seafood is a specialty. Vegan and vegetarian items available. Great chips and salsa. Margaritas that taste delicious and go down easy:). Lovely, friendly and welcoming customer service. Truly a vibrant, casual atmosphere in which to relax and enjoy your day. Bring the family, friends, or that special someone. Parking can be a challenge. But do not let that deter you from experiencing one of Capitola's best oceanside Mexican restaurants. Trust me on that one. Salud!

Dungeness Crab Tostadas and Baja Fish Tacos
Belle P.

Had an overall good experience at Margaritaville. The Dungeness Crab Tostadas and Baja Fish Tacos were both really good--especially since the fish didn't taste overly fishy (big plus for me). Drinks were solid too--the Pomegranate Skinny Margarita and Piña Colada were both refreshing. Appreciated the pet-friendly outdoor seating. Only downside is the high-top tables could use bag hooks since space is limited. Service was good and the online reservation system was easy to use. Parking in this area on a weekend is a bit of a hassle. Recommend parking in the Public Lot behind the police station and walking.

Lava Cake
Judie H.

Had a birthday lunch at Margaritaville surrounded by sunshine, peaceful ocean sounds, & great service. I treated myself to a coastal drive with a few stops for walking and a nice lunch. Kasey was my server & she respected my unusual requests that included alone time to read a great book and dessert first. I started with a healthy bottle of filtered water & lava cake. Ice cubes in the water glass were perfect cubes! Not crushed, not cylindrical, just perfect. I added a diet Coke to my meal... more cubed cubes. Lava cake was moist & chocolately, but I don't really like chocolate. Dessert options were limited, but I recommend the churro. Next, I had marinated skirt steak with chimichurri sauce - medium rare. I requested beans without rice, but was served beans with rice. Beans were yummy. Dunno about the rice because I don't like it. The steak! It was amazing. Perfectly cooked with the juices mixing with sauce that created a delicious blend of flavors. Chimichurri sauce was a nice blend of acid (lemon?), sweetness from the parsley, and olive oil. It was so good that I'm drooling as I type this review. Quiet day in Capitola - low season for tourists, so the restaurant was mostly empty. No rushing the guests, so I read alot & took some nice photos. Chef was very friendly & cute! Clean bathrooms, plenty of nearby paid or free parking, and patio with umbrellas for dining. Only negatives -- I asked for 'no ice' in my water & no rice with my entree. Also, I wanted Crudo instead of cake, but it wasn't available. Kasey recognized the errors and was an exceptional server.

Dora C.

The food, the service and the view was amazing. Thank you for making my moms 84th birthday special. The manager checked in with us and he was pleasant and funny.

House margaritas
Anna O.

My husband and I found this little gem on Yelp after seeing all the great reviews, so we decided to give it a try. We came in on a busy Sunday and were quoted a 30-minute wait, so we decided to grab a drink at the bar. It took quite a while to get our pitcher of margaritas, and by the time our drinks arrived, our table was already ready. We were seated outside per our request and had an amazing view. The weather was perfect, which made the experience even better. My husband ordered the shrimp tacos, which were excellent -- the sauce was perfectly made and the shrimp was very flavorful. I ordered the branzino plate, and it was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. There were bones, so I ate it slowly, but it had plenty of meat. It came with a salad topped with a cilantro dressing that was outstanding. We would definitely come back. They have super clean bathrooms. The margaritas were strong and delicious. The only downside was that the bar service was very slow and our table server wasn't very friendly, though it was extremely busy. Despite that, the food and drinks were excellent.

Fish tacos
Priyanka S.

Margaritaville in Capitola was a cute little Mexican restaurant that my friends and I decided to visit after a long day of hiking and checking out the cute painted houses/beaches nearby. While we did not have a reservation, the wait was not too bad and we only had to wait about 35 minutes. The inside of the restaurant is beautifully decorated with tons of seashells, blue tones and sandy wood colors and there is a large window panel where you can directly see all of the little colorful houses of Capitola as well as the water and beach behind. It is absolutely beautiful especially if you go around sunset time. As for the food, I decided to get the fish tacos, the guacamole with chips and the calamari. The calamari was my absolute favorite and was perfectly crispy and tender with a delicious aioli to accompany it. The guacamole was also incredibly fresh and tangy, and the Margaritas were also refreshing and tasty. That being said, my fish tacos were quite dry and could have used more seasoning or salsa to add flavor. All in all though Margaritaville is definitely a solid beautiful restaurant to visit while in Capitola!

The view from the restaurant

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Page 3 of 31

Ask the Community - Margaritaville

Do they have Happy Hour? If so, which days and what times?

Typically between 4pm - 7pm

If one were to invite 30 or so friends to meet at the bar on a Friday late afternoon, would there be space either outside or inside to do this?

I don't think you could get 30 people at the bar and outdoor seating was limited. You might be able to get 30 people in the restaurant. Margaritaville isn't a huge place.

Do they allow dogs on patio?

We do allow dogs on the patio! We hope to see you soon!

Do the refried beans contain pork lard or are they vegetarian?

Vegetarian

Do they have a kids menu?

Yes! I have been there several times with my kids who are 3 and 4. The staff is always super friendly and we love the kids quesadilla.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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