My boyfriend and I had an amazing experience at Pete's Capitola. The food and ambience was great! My fav was the fresh pasta in lobster cream sauce. This is going to be our new favorite restaurant in the area read more

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Pete's is in Capitola Village and can be easy to miss because it's right at the curve of Esplanade, and you need to look up and step up into the entrance. (I have, no joke, walked by it dozens of times without realizing it!) I found it from seeing it on a list of restaurant participants for Burger Week. Overall, I give Pete's 3.5 stars, and here's why... **Ambiance: 5 stars** With the bright and tastefully-decorated dining room along with the multiple windows overlooking the spectacular beach, you really can't beat this ambiance! Pete's has the fine-dining vibe that's perfect for that first date, anniversary or other special dining occasion when you want some quiet and mood lighting. **Service: 4 stars** We were seated right away, even without reservations. It was a Sunday, and there was no wait or crowd. Service was quick and friendly. Mid-dinner, a server broke some glassware right behind my seat and needed us to move so they could sweep under our table and feet. They ended up moving us to a better table (next to the window) instead of having us stand there to watch them sweep. Accidents happen, and I felt they handled that well. **Food: 3 stars** Every item we ordered was delicious and fresh, and all arrived quickly. However, the menu was fairly compact, and the amount of food is even more compact. I was excited Pete's had lobster rolls (one of my all-time favorite food items EVER; $28) on their menu, so I didn't hesitate to order that along with a lychee martini. My partner ordered the bolognese ($30) and an old fashioned. We ordered the polenta as an appetizer. All of it was tasty, but oh-so-small. The cheddar polenta was like a taste test size (maybe 4 TBs), and the lobster roll was the smallest I had ever seen in my life. I didn't want to be rude, but I wanted to laugh when it arrived at our table! The lobster roll was smaller than my hand. It looked like circus food with all super tiny sizes. **Price/Value: 2 stars** You don't come to Pete's for the value because the portions are.... micro. TIP: If you have a big appetite or skipped a meal that day, I suggest going elsewhere or be ready to turn over a paycheck because you'll need to order a lot to fill up. It is worth it, however, if you fancy a light-filled room with views of the sparkling ocean and sounds of the waves crashing on the golden sands of Capitola! read more

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Pete's is a nice fine dining addition to the main Capitola Esplanade. Great location, great views, good food, nice ambiance, and friendly staff. For our first time here, we tried... * Ahi Tuna Crudo -- fresh and tasty slices of ahi tuna with grapefruit segments, radish, fried capers, and an exquisite jalapeno infused olive oil. * Butternut Squash Bisque -- I didn't get to try this myself, but my spouse really enjoyed it. * Grilled Branzino -- Skin on Mediterranean Sea Bass, grilled nicely with crisp skin, over a bed of cannellini beans, squash, shiitake mushroom, and white wine beurre blanc sauce. Solid dish. * Maine Lobster Roll -- poached lobster meat with melted butter in a toasted soft roll, served with a side of potato crisps. Lobster was very fresh, but overall a single roll is too small a portion for me as a main. If you're hungry, definitely order the double roll for your entree. Overall, I found the food quality and preparation to be very good, but a bit pricey for the portions. I left still feeling a bit hungry. Nice selection of wines, beer and cocktails. read more

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Pros Location Views Great waitstaff Lovely deCor Upscale considering the other options on the strip Appetizers were delicious Con Parking Prepare to far and walk Entrees all liked salt and seasoning Considering the appetizers were so good we were underwhelmed with the entrees read more

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We are locals so we went back to Pete's for dinner. This time we enjoyed the oysters with the caviar topper. The oysters were extremely fresh. Couldn't taste the caviar much. 1 for $11 or 3 for $33. I would just order the oysters next time without the caviar topper. read more

Pete's Capitola - Oysters with caviar- 3 for $33 - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

We came to this location 6 years ago when it was a different restaurant and really liked the view. We came to Pete's for lunch last Saturday. We sat in the patio as the weather was nice. The view was just as beautiful as we remembered. Service was friendly as well. The food, on the other hand, was quite disappointing, despite the high price. We started with the ahi tuna crudo, which had a pretty presentation. The tuna was not a high quality tuna, though. It was quite chewy with a lot of connective tissues and the pieces were small. For mains, I had the clams w/ pasta. The taste wasn't bad, but the dish was drenched in butter. The amount of clams was ok, even though one of the clams didn't open, but there wasn't much pasta and they overcharged us by $2. My husband had the lobster roll, which was tiny. It came with some sad chips, instead of fries. Surprised they had such a high rating on Yelp. Maybe we just caught them on a bad day. read more

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We ate here because we wanted a restaurant with a view, which this did have. You could see an unobstructed view of the ocean sitting outside, as well as the row of very colorful houses near the beach. Parking is tough - we used a $5/hr pay lot. Just the area, no demerit that reflects on Pete's. Parking near the beach is always a beach. The service was also good, as well as friendly, from not only our server, but the other people at the restaurant as well (hostess, etc). The food is where it didn't meet expectations. We ordered the ahi tuna crudo, which was presented well and the portion size was on the small side, but generally okay since seaside restaurants tend to be pricey. But the issue for us was that the tuna either wasn't a great cut of tuna or it wasn't cut the right way. Because it wasn't as soft or easily chewable as you'd want. You got those strings that can make the tuna seem not soft and easily chewable. There was also a vaguely fishy taste - not strong and we didn't feel off at all, but it just didn't meet expectations or seem like a really fresh piece of ahi tuna. My wife's pasta was pretty good, plenty of clams. Very buttery - not subtly so, but really quite a lot. That could have been more judiciously used. But overall, it seemed fine. The lobster roll was really a half sandwich. It was like one smaller piece of brioche bread folded in half. So the result was very small, but it was filled with a reasonable amount of lobster, which was overall cooked well. It could have used more seasoning - not necessarily just salt, but just some seasoning to add some depth of flavor. It was a little bland. The brioche bread was buttered and browned very well, so no complaints there. I think for the price ($28), even with it being lobster, the roll should have been larger and a roll - if nothing else, to fill up the diner a bit more with starch. It was also served with potato chips - again, for the price and for one of the most expensive items on the lunch menu, fries or a small side salad should have been an option. So there were a few issues that were hard to overlook: subpar prep or quality of ingredients on the crudo, and the really small size and as-cheap-as-you-can offer accompaniment of potato chips with the lobster roll. The thing is: the difference in cost between a slice of brioche bread and a brioche roll, and the difference in cost between potato chips and some fries, has to be less than a dollar, probably quite a bit less. Because had I got a real roll and some fries, even if the roll didn't seem as filled if an identical amount of lobster filling was provided . . .and even if it wasn't seasoned any better and still required me adding some salt and pepper - I likely would have viewed the subpar crudo as a one-off and been generally satisfied with my meal. But I don't care for obvious signs of cost cutting that detract from the meal itself. It just kind of mars the experience in a really preventable way. So that's my attempt at constructive feedback. If, in order to serve a reasonable sized portion, you need to raise the price by $2-3, do that and avoid the child sized portions. Everyone will be happier as a result. read more

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Took an impromptu drive to Capitola and it was a beautiful day. Wanted something comforting to eat, so looked up restaurants near by and Pete's had all the stars. I decided, why not try it. I walked up, the hostess was personable and asked if I wanted yo sit inside or outside. I like chilly weather if the sun is out, so I sat outside because who would not want a view while enjoyimg a meal. The hostess mentioned about the Lychee Martini and said it was her favorite drink, so I had to try it - tasted like candy! It was so good that you didn't feel the vodka kick in until the end. It was the right amount if everything! The server was very attentive and had great recommendations. I am a sucker for arugula salads, so I had to order it - so refreshing and light. The walnuts added a nice crunch and the goat cheese on top created the perfect balance. Now the star of the meal (thank you to the server for the reco), the shrimp and white cheddar polenta with salsa macha, I could have drank a cup of that alone! The shrimp were cooked perfectly, along with the broccoli. It all worked so well together. I will definitely be back! read more

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Great food and atmosphere. The owner is actively helping to make sure everyone feels comfortable.

Made a reservation with a group of 7 for a special occasion. Reservation process was easy and customer service was great with that. We could tell upon arriving that the restaurant was pretty busy, but it took about 40 minutes to take our order which we felt was a bit much. One of the specials today was a truffle burger with truffle fries (we were told there was cheese on the fries but didn't see any). The biggest complaint from my party was that the pasta was very over-cooked, a far cry from al dente. The truffle burger was also just okay. In general, we felt the food was mid and service was slow due to a busy night. We enjoyed our server though! read more

This is a beautiful restaurant, especially on the porch or near a window. Great peaceful beach views. If you're looking for a great ambiance, this place has it in spades - worth it for a date or a nice dinner just because of that. And the food is all decent and good. I wouldn't say it's amazing - I might actually go down to a 3 star rating if it wasn't such a nice view/ambiance. We had the oysters (fresh and very tasty), the focaccia (the persimmon butter was really good but the serving size was tiny for $8 - 4 thin slices) and the crudo (tasty and decently portioned) as our starters. We had the duck ragu (tasty but small serving size), the caesar (this was well proportioned and delicious - really good croutons and dressing), the crab tempura (was a single crab cake ball - small), and the duck breast (single breast, tasty and cooked correctly but tiiiiny with a little tiny bit of parsnip purée dusted with a couple of tiny pieces of broccoli) Ended up grabbing a slice of pizza at pizza my heart afterwards. ~$300 for 4 people. I would return for a nice dinner near sunset but I also might have to get a slice of pizza next door later. read more

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Great little spot in Capitola! Service, food and views are all top notch. We were lucky enough to walk in on a Saturday night at 8pm and get a table. We had the Stripes Bass and both pastas which were all so good. The staff is very accommodating and friendly - you feel very welcomed here. Would highly recommend for lunch or dinner if you're in the area. read more

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Pete's Capitola is a restaurant that Capitola Village has desperately needed for many years. It is an upscale seafood based restaurant that also has gorgeous views! With quite a few tourist trap restaurants in the village, I feel like I had to pick between a great meal, or the ocean view, but here you get both. My favorite item I tried was the crap tempura, which was basically a tempura crab cake. The meat was so tender and I loved the flakey tempura and lemon cream sauce. It was not at all dry, which sometimes normal crab cakes can be. For dinner I had salmon, that was served on top of warm cannellini beans, and leeks. I liked that the dish wasn't overly seasoned, and it really allowed the natural flavor of the salmon to shine through. I left feeling full, but not heavy and tired, and I think that definitely has to do with the simplicity of the dishes and the quality ingredients that they use. Service was friendly and efficient. We were checked in on at all of the right times. The menu changes based on the season and what is available. I look forward to coming back and checking out more menu items, and also for happy hour! read more

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Very accommodating. My friend had a GC for here. As the vegan it's always a toss up about what I can eat at a seafood spot. I had previewed the menu ahead of time so there were a few items I had in mind. The server was awesome and I ended up with a kid pasta with olive oil only. The friends got the roll and the shrimp w cheesy polenta. We also got a thing of fries for the table to share. Everything was cooked perfectly. For those who like smaller portions so they can go get ice cream after highly recommend. I appreciated their simple menu- those are hard to execute and everything was delicious. So much so there are no pictures this time around. Highly recommend reservations and also build in time to find parking. They have places on the patio for outside dining or tables inside. Bathrooms were clean. read more

I wish I got pictures of the entrees to share - we came here for Valentine's Day and were able to grab last minute reservations! (So surprised!) I definitely recommend getting the shrimp cocktail, it was my second time ordering it and I will order it time and time again. Shrimp are so big! Oysters were fresh & tasty. I had the duck and was second guessing because we came to a fish house but it was absolutely phenomenal and worth a try! My husband had the seabass I believe. Service was great too, our server was so cute and as a waitress myself I love when they let their personalities shine and add to the experience! read more

Pete's Capitola - Spumoni & coffee - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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We visited Pete's for the first time recently, we got a great spot on the Patio, and had an enjoyable experience with our 2 year old (yes they have a kids menu). Cocktails were good, but nothing to write home about. The Oysters were fantastic, very fresh and briny. My wife had the striped bass, I had the duck ragu. The Ragu was good, but in hindsight probably wasn't the right vibe for a sun soaked evening in Capitola, so probably should have picked something a little less heavy. Service was attentive and on point. We are locals and generally don't venture down to Capitola during the season, because of parking and traffic, but this turned out to be a treat (especially with the patio view). Got my reservation same day on a weekend. We rode bikes so can't dish out any Capitola parking hacks. read more

I had a delightful lunch at Pete's with a friend who was visiting from out of state for her birthday. We sat outside at the counter facing the water, which was a beautiful view. My friend loved her lychee martini which was served with a peach candy. I started with the garden gimlet which was quite tasty. Unfortunately my friend doesn't like oysters, but as luck would have it, Pete's serves the oysters & pearls (oysters topped with caviar) for $9 each so I was able to enjoy one. So good. We both had the Dungeness crab sandwich which was sooo good with tomatoes, lettuce, pickled onions, and dill (my favorite)! To top it off, our server was a total sweetheart and provided excellent, efficient service. One of the most memorable meals I've had in ages! read more

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Had a wonderful dinner here. The whole wait staff was very attentive and friendly, and you can't beat the nice waterfront view on the patio. I had the salmon, which was delicious, and 1/2 dozen oysters for a starter. Topped it off with a latte as I savored the ambiance a little more, a fitting end to a great evening of dining. read more

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TL;DR: I think I'd return here for drinks but not dinner. Ambiance, service, and views all get five stars. Where it went south was the small menu and the food. Branzino dish was salty and buttery but badly lacked an acid/brightness and something green on the plate. I'm not sure if they forgot the buerre blanc or it just wasn't visible. Pasta bolognese was about the same - crying for more acidity. Also the Caesar salad dressing strangely tasted like mostly mustard. French fries weren't remarkable. Wouldn't re-order any of them, but would sit on the patio for a glass of wine. read more

The ambiance is lovely, clean and modern. The view is excellent. We enjoyed lunch with a view and ordered the Oysters and mussels ... excellent!! The grilled bread was a treat! I have to say , the blue cheese olive martini took the cake! Riley was our server and he was knowledgeable and kind. We'll be back and so happy to finally have a good seafood restaurant locally. Hopefully they keep expanding their Menu. read more

Pete's Capitola - Grey Goose blue cheese martini - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Wow! I need to take a moment to rave about this new restaurant in Capitola. We ordered focaccia bread, shrimp cocktail and the caviar to start. The service is impressive. Diego was our server. He was knowledgeable and attentive. His timing and service was spot on the entire evening. The soft shell crab sandwich is definitely something to rave about! We also ordered the Pacific Halibut with the lobster cream. The flavors and ingredients were perfectly orchestrated. Beautiful presentation and rich, savory flavors! We cannot wait to share this find with our friends! read more

Pete's Capitola - Crab Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Waterfront dining in Santa Cruz County u means casual spots like a wharf tourist spot with overpriced basic chowder and fish and chips. That's fine for a casual beach day, but Pete's in Capitola takes it to another level. Pete's is new (opened Aug 22, 2024) but has the same owner as the beloved Margaritaville downstairs. Perched above the Esplanade with sweeping views of the beach, creek, and wharf, Pete's blends coastal charm with elegant, seafood-focused cooking that feels rare in this area (despite having so much beach waterfront). It's a small, stylish space with about 10 indoor tables, comfy seats by big windows, and more tables outside on the balcony. From nearly every seat, the view is part of the experience. I started with a Bellini and fresh oysters served simply with lemon and mignonette. The focaccia with smoky butter was soft, fluffy, and rich, where you ask yourself, "how does bread taste so good?" The crudo was a standout Hawaiian kanpachi dressed with aged soy, trout roe, and citrus. It had bright, clean flavors that didn't feel overworked. The scallops were seared just enough (a pet peeve of mine when scallops are over OR undercooked, and I'm not even a food snob). The scallops were layered over an herb sauce with salty dill relish and a kiss of red chili heat. Everything was beautifully plated but not fussy (check out the Yelp food photos!) One of the most unexpected dishes was the pasta and clams. It sounds ordinary at first but imagine if clam Alfredo and Japanese udon had a baby. Thick, chewy noodles swam in a smoky, creamy sabayon, with clams already out of their shells. It was rich, weird in the best way, and absolutely satisfying. I didn't share. On the lighter side, the heirloom tomato salad with brandywines, fromage blanc, and tons of herbs was a garden on a plate and both tasted and smelled super fresh. The striped bass had crisp skin and buttery flesh, though the veggies were more of a garnish than a side. Other dishes I saw go by, like the soft-shell crab sandwich and mussels, looked equally tempting. Pete's keeps the drinks simple with a small wine list (mostly California, a few French bottles) and beer from locals like Sante Adairius. No full bar yet, but it doesn't feel like anything's missing. From start to finish, Pete's offers a unique small town, waterfront dining experience in a place known for beach food. It's not cheap, but it's worth it. Come for the seafood, stay for the view, and make sure to save room for pistachio gelato. I'll definitely be back. read more

Pete's Capitola - Dinner Menu - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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What a wonderful addition to Capitola Village!! So happy Pete's is here! Of course there's the spectacular view of the beach and the Venetian Hotel, but what makes this place exceptional is the creative menu, tastefully and excellently prepared and presented! read more

Pete's Capitola Pete's is a relatively new restaurant in the premises previously occupied by Stockton Bridge. My wife and I ate there recently and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. It has a warm atmosphere with excellent service. We sat in a corner table near the entrance to the patio. The infrared heaters on the patio kept it warm -we may sit out there on another visit- and thus there was no cold air when the door was opened. The cuisine was superb! We started out with the Caesar salad and the Dungeness Crab Tempura served with preserved lemon and lobster cream. The Caesar salad was enough for two people to share and was delicious. It was loaded with 30 month aged Parmigiano Reggiano. The crab tempura was like a crabcake upgraded to a thin, delicate crust, encasing the tasty crab. For the entree I ordered the sautéed mussels in a white wine and fennel broth and tomato escabeche. The plump muscles were cooked perfectly, and the sauce was scrumptious. It was served with ciabatta toast points, which were perfect for dipping into the sauce. Yum! For wine we had the 2020 Bonterra"The McNab" Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino, California. My wife ordered the sole minière -3 large filets- served in a lemon, brown butter sauce with fine herbs. It was accompanied by velvety green beans. Once again, my wife loved that dish. To finish off the meal, we shared a French Cruller, made with a pate au choux, with espresso gelato, and whipped cream. It was the best "donut" that we ever had! As I mentioned, the service in the Restaurant appeared to be excellent and our server Riley was no exception. Give Pete's a try! read more

Pete's Capitola - Dungeness crab tempura - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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Amazing location I stopped by for a quick burger, service was attentive and Riley was very friendly and professional. I can't wait to be back. read more

Pete's Capitola - The view from the tables outside - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Our party of four really enjoyed our meal. We sat on the patio and had a greta view of the sunset. Cocktails were good and strong. We skipped dessert but would be tempted next time, the menu sounded great. read more

Pete's Capitola - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Wow. This is just about the best restaurant food I've had in the US. I had oysters and caviar followed by crab risotto. Everything was presented perfectly and was divine to eat. Location is amazing, service outstanding, food...wow. read more

Pete's Capitola - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

My wife and I were relaxing and strolling in Capitola and wanted to finish our experience with dinner. Pete's is a winner! The duck ragu pasta, the duck and the duck grease... I guess I like duck. And I love Caesar salads with real anchovies. Delicious. Amazing view of the Capitola Beach and colorful condominiums. Also, we were wearing shorts and flip flops. Yet, the manager was so attentive to all customers including us. We will be back to Pete's Capitola. read more

Pete's Capitola - Duck ragu - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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Good service and vibes. Great options during happy hour. Dining by the window when the sun goes down just feels amazing - like time slows down. read more

We had the most amazing lunch! Seasonal Crudo was out of this world. The Lychee Martinis were another hit! We look forward to coming back soon and recommend you stop in for lunch or dinner. read more

Pete's Capitola - Crudo and Lychee Martini. - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Fantastic outdoor dining off the bar...stainless steel table top does get hot in the sun but we're in the shade. Service was excellent and loved the extra crispy fires with garlic aioli. The garden gimlet with Tito's for me (not a gin fan) was fresh and heavy; the hubs enjoyed the Maker's Old Fashioned. read more

Pete's Capitola - Fries with garlic aioli - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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After three visits to Pete's, I still only have nice things to say. The dining room is pleasant, and the ambiance is excellent, with warm lighting, comfortable seats, and pleasant views of the water. They've even properly padded the room to dampen the acoustic echo that so many restaurants tend to ignore, resulting in loud, cacophonous rooms with diners shouting over each other, which can kill a good meal. Our server, Mike, was attentive and informative about the food and more. As an appetizer, the oysters were fresh and served ice cold. My cream of potato soup was flavorful and interesting in the best way. We also had the duck, some fish, and the pecorino pasta, all of which were delicious and well-presented. Keep it up, 'Pete'. Santa Cruz could benefit from having more places of your quality around. read more

My friend and I came to Pete's looking for a nice and relaxing dinner. When we first arrived, the service was good, and we got our appetizers and drinks pretty soon after we ordered. Although we ordered our mains at the same time as our appetizers, we only got our mains almost an hour and a half after we ordered. read more

Wonderful service, the ambiance of the Capitola village was nothing short of fantastic, patio gives you great views and accompanied with great food leaves for a memorable experience. Highly recommend! read more

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Food was good. Staff, location, and ambience were really great. An enjoyable dining experience.

With a nice view of the colorful houses and the beach dining at Petes is a treat just for the eyes alone. But the food is amazing too. Loved our orders. Add the great service and you have a wonderful memory in your memory bank read more

Pete's Capitola - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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Beautiful view and delicious food! Riley was an amazing waiter and took really great care of us. I made a reservation on OpenTable as we drove to Capitola as I wasn't sure how crowded it would be, but there was only us and 1 other table when we got there. Took a minute to find the entrance as I got to Margaritaville and started walking towards the main restaurant row, but it was around the corner. Everything we ordered was outstanding, I don't know I would ever think to say that I had the best Caesar Salad at a seafood restaurant, but OMG it was delicious. The dressing was perfect, the cloud of cheese on top divine, and the crab tempura was yummy! The oysters were sweet and briny, just like I like them, served with a tasty mignonette and homemade hot sauce. I don't know that I've ever had oysters from Rhode Island. The Crudo dressing was so flavorful and delicious, and the Shrimp cocktail had really nice plump shrimp. Enjoyed it all with a glass of champagne for me and Scrimshaw for the hubby, just what we needed to go with the gorgeous view. Definitely will be back! read more

Pete's Capitola - Caesar salad with Tempura crab cake, shrimp cocktail, dozen oysters with a home made hot sauce - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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I went here last night and had a wonderful dinner. I booked the reservation on open table. Thankfully I did because it was packed and they only had outdoor seating left. We started with the 1/2 dozen oysters. I'm not always an oyster fan and these were perfection. We decided to order a bunch of small plates to share, since everything sounded so good. I could easily say that everything was wonderful. I heard the owner (I think) say they are continuing to evolve the menu and when they started it was just going to be an oyster bar. I'm stoked that we have a new concept in town. I think we have all seen our share of taquerias and Chinese resteraunts. Although they are great, it is nice to have new options! read more

What a jewel on the water and next to the bridge in Capitola. Simple menu with exceptional choices. Their martinis are created as martinis are meant to be. We had oysters on the half shell to start that were well presented with a spiced vinegar/oil and lemon slices. Muy bueno!!! The main choices we picked were sautéd mussels with a butter sauce to die for and the finest bruschetta for dipping. Then we split a cheese burger that was literally "melt in your mouth" tender and tasty. They have both inside and outside seating where every option has a beautiful view. Ambiance is plain and simple with some of the finest service I have experienced in quite a while. Just enough to keep things fresh but not intrusive at all. My lady and I will make a point to return at every opportunity. read more

Nice view of Capitola River and beach with indoor and outdoors seating. Good variety of menu and wine. Friendly wait-staff.