Could be cleaner; also portions are very small. We ordered 2 caesar salads and one had no dressing. They were not properly tossed. Pasta with duck had minuscule pieces of duck with very large noodles. The Greek salad had no olives; the feta was disguised to go further (made into a cream mixture) The flavors were ok but the entire restaurant did not live up to expectations. read more

The first thing I need to say is that we were there on a Monday and...we were the only customers!!!???!!! Whoa - that was a little weird. The service was very nice - excellent really. My rating is based on the food. I had a shrimp cocktail for $24 and there were just 6 shrimp, maybe 5. My friend and I ordered the mussels and it came with grilled bread but I like to have them with french fries. I asked if it could be done and they said sure - I would not have asked if it were a full restaurant. So, yeah, we got fries but they were limp and lackluster. I had hoped that chef would have given them a bit more love since he/she had the time. My friends had the branzino and they said it was very good. My drink was very tasty - it was made with plums. When did cocktails become $17-18 in Capitola? sigh....This was my first visit to Pete's and, sadly, it will be my last. I don't mind paying SF prices but I expect SF quality. Try a little harder Pete. read more

Ambience is casual, elegant, and very pleasant Service was excellent Although we did have to ask for more water Prices are when might expect for a restaurant attempting to be upscale The downside is the portions were meager And $100 bill for hors d'oeuvres salad french fries and a half a dozen oysters was ridiculous. I understood why there was only one other patron in the restaurant for lunch. I for one will not be returning read more

Lovely people great location. Always fresh coffee brewed to order and not in a clover. Clean place

if you are in or near capitola. You have to go to Pete's. Best Branzino. !!! And pasta bolognese !! Great Rombauer chard. And Nathan. Was a fantastic bartender. A can,t Miss. read more

The food was outstanding! It's a rare joy to have a meal where every single dish and drink was at this level. (FWIW I had the sea bass, grilled bok choy, a lychee martini, and pistachio gelato.) And the setting and the people were lovely. read more

The food, the ambience, and the service were all great at Pete's. We will definitely be going back!

Pete's is the ultimate oceanside spot for delicious, unique food. They have outdoor seating that overlooks Soquel Creek and the ocean, right across from the colorful, iconic Venetian Court residences. And the outdoor seating is heated! Indoor tables have great views, too. The ambiance is welcoming and fancy enough to impress out-of-town guests. Both times we visited Pete's were for lunch. Their lunch items are affordable, considering the location, and a little more playful than the dinner options. Our server on both occasions made us feel like we were guests at a high-end establishment. Food came out pretty quickly (but not too quickly) and our drinks were kept full throughout our meals. The only nit: The beer selection is a little weak. While they have one of our favorites, Sante Adarius, on tap, most other options are from a can. Would love to have a couple more draft options from local breweries! read more

What a wonderful experience. We were warmly greeted by the host and given the choice on where to sit. The interior design is adorable, very clean and beach boho. The chairs in particular stood out to me (and they were comfy). Our waitress and the entire staff were so friendly and attentive. I appreciated their hospitality very much. The food was fresh and delicious (see photos below) and eating gluten-free was very easy. My one piece of feedback was that after spending nearly $200 dollars, we didn't feel full. We both ate gluten-free, for the record, and I wish there had been "side" options on the menu. While the striped bass was WONDERFUL, it only came with the a few mushrooms. I would've loved some rice, potatoes, or pile of vegetables to make the dish a bit more filling. I can see how certain things on the menu, that contain gluten, were more filling though. The next time I go, I'm going to ask them if they'd accommodate some side dishes with carbohydrates. :) read more

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I just discovered this place and it's already my new fave! The tempura crab with lobster sauce was AMAZING! All the dishes were delicious, and the service was top notch. Like...you go to the bathroom and come back to a folded napkin nice! And then the French cruller with espresso ice cream and whip cream!? How do they do this? It's extremely fine dining with a great beach view for a reasonable price! read more

Shout out to this wonderful new seafood restaurant with super accommodating staff Their patio looks out over the river that flows into the ocean within awesome view of the colorful Capitola Venetian hotel. We ordered the bass and it was phenomenal and their freshly baked bread was an additional bonus. Definitely worth a try! read more

Came at 8:00pm and the main courses were a big surprise. With a great view of the bay, the two of us really enjoyed both the duck ragu pasta dish and the duck breast. The pasta was made in a Parmesan wheel and the cheesy taste with the red wine reduction was just perfect. The duck breast was both crispy on the edges and tender inside. Would definitely visit again and definitely one of the best restaurants in the Santa Cruz area. The server Paris was just simply wonderful, with attentive service! read more

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

Was pleasantly surprised to find fine dining in this cozy beach town. Had a wonderful dinner in the upscale but relaxed environment here. The seafood was not just remarkably fresh, but seasoned subtly enough to have the ingredients shine. Even the salad got full attention and my classic Caesar had a nicely innovative twist in the dressing. Fresh anchovies really made the dish excel. Service, even on this weeknight ,was excellent-attentive but not intrusive. That they don't have a full bar and a somewhat limited wine list overwhelming of whites are slight drawbacks. Side note is that the room gets very noisy despite the fact it obviously is the result of a lot of effort and cost in design. read more

Incredible food, service, and gorgeous interior and view! Waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. Had a couple appetizers, entrees, and dessert, all were made with love. A perfect place for a date night or anniversary. Was the first to try the "Birichino Frose", which was elegant and smooth! read more

It's just amazing! We got really really lucky and it was dead. It was mid-week so it was perfect and we went exactly on my fiance's birthday. When I booked the reservation online about 2 weeks in advance, there was just a little note for you could put it this was for any special occasions so I put his birthday and that's all. Didn't expect them to really acknowledge it or do anything though. When we got there, there was only one other table that had a patron and we got to sit outside on the balcony overlooking the ocean and all of the Pelicans and sardines jumping from out of the water. It was really cool! We got to sunset, it was just beyond breathtaking with all the colorful buildings to the right. The most perfect view you could have been in capitola! The staff was absolutely wonderful and attended from the hostess to the waiters to anyone who came to our table. A different waiter who wasn't servicing our area came over to wish my fiance a happy birthday. They only had one option for me, unfortunately, as I'm vegetarian, but I wasn't there for myself. My fiance up to eat some of his favorite dishes like oysters and mussels, which are almost impossible to come by in the redneck Area California that we live. We live over 4 hours away. We never get dessert but decide to try their balsamic Strawberry Shortcake which we had no idea would be bus lomic infused but it was really unique and good but then they came with a large bowl of homemade strawberry sorbet and vanilla bean ice cream with the birthday candle and it was just so sweet! They didn't have to do that at all. It was the most expensive meal I've ever had in my entire life but this was a rare time in the first birthday I was spending with my fiance. Definitely would go back if we're in the area and I can afford it. read more

Recently opened and an accidental find. My boyfriend and I were driving from San Jose working our way down to Carmel. We happened upon this coastal gem and fell in love with it. Diego our waiter provided us with excellent service. He was such an lovely person. Food was wonderful, great decor and ambiance, even the musical playlist was amazing. Sarah the owner stopped by our table and gave us so many tips for our trip. Great place read more

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My husband and I came to Capitola on a mini staycation and stumbled upon Pete's. My husband gave Pete's a 4/5 which is really high on his scale and though the portions were small, we loved the food. Our server was Riley and he was attentive, really nice, and always seemed to know just when he was needed! We ordered: Crab Tempura - really good, especially the crunchy outside, good balance to inside! Cesar Salad - had whole anchovies, slight tang to the dressing - delicious Cod - cooked just right and the kimchi was a great surprise! All in all, my husband and I love Pete's Capitola! read more

Very nice lunch! Sat out on the patio with a great view. Excellent service and food. Looking forward to returning for dinner.

Had reservations for an outdoor table. It was a special occasion, bringing a friend from out of town. When we got there, we were told we could not sit outside because there were two other parties with outdoor reservations. Yet neither of those parties had arrived! To this day, I will never understand why if three parties have reservations for two tables you wouldn't give the seating to the first party that showed up ! we were made to feel very unimportant and we chose to leave rather than to sit indoors when we had specifically reserved an outdoor table. read more

Good service, food was good and price a little bit high but reasonable, service was good, so you should try it we always are a lot of people we were 12, and all of us like the food so they have a good choices read more

Pete's did a great job with the interior update, it was fresh and clean. We had a table of six, and every dish was delicious. I personally had the striped sea bass and it could not have been better. Our server was very nice, attentive and professional, which you don't always get in our area, unfortunately. Will definitely be back. read more

Met with my Book Club ladies a couple of weeks ago and we so enjoyed everything about our orders! We started off with steamed muscles to share among the four of us. They were superb. Two of the women shared a special sandwich that I believe was some sort of fried fish with a winter salad and apologies for not remembering, but it looked amazing and they echoed the same for taste. I ordered the Caesar salad with a crabcake rendition on top, which was also delicious. I would recommend that when they serve the bucket of muscles to give more than just the four pieces of bread because there was a lot more broth to sop up... I suppose we could have asked for more, but there was enough food. I'm planning to go back this weekend with a reservation already made... going to enjoy this place until the tourist season ramps up. read more

Great mussels dish with a wonderful salad Excellent service Owner has been serving fine food for many years never fails to please

Pete's is so excellent we ate there two nights in a row -- unheard of! The duck ragu papardelle is top notch. The limey bok Choy surprises and is lights out good. The salmon and the duck roullade are also great. Servers Rafael and Riley are both excellent. Views are unbeatable. Miles gives it #1 #gottaloveit read more

I always enjoy the Capitola environment, the beach, shops and the food. My last experience was going to Pete's for the first time. My date knows the history of the owner and how Pete's came about. This added to my appreciation and you can feel the love put into this business. The service, friendliness and ambiance was amazing. The champagne, oysters and fresh Ahi was the best ever. The oysters were the best I've ever had.. This was an experience I will share with my fellow "oyster club members"! read more

It is a bit cold sitting outside, just be aware of that. The food is delicious. They know how to cook seafood. The cod I ordered is not too salty like other places. I loved it. read more

Such an asset to Capitola! Great food, great service, great location! I had shrimp cocktail, beet salad, and Pacific Sea Bass. Everything was delicious! My husband had a Caesar salad, a pepper pasta dish, and the Dungenous crab appetizer. Soooo good. I started with a Bellini and we had a bottle of Storr Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz mountains. I finished with a lovely port. Best birthday dinner! We sat outside in the late afternoon sun. The whole experience-- delightful! read more

Amazing experience. The food was delicious. The Guanciale pasta was great. The fried crab sandwich also amazing. Great view! And service was great as well. Give it a shot every bite was delicious read more

Chef makes some amazing stuff. Chef Dez has been my interaction with the kitchen. He is very friendly and immensely knowledgeable. Every dish I've had has been incredibly delicious. The house made hot sauce is to die for, and is amazing on the oysters. Don't go home without buying a bottle of that sauce. read more

Good location. They just opened so no full bar yet but my main issue with this place is most of the main dishes have dairy.

Excellent service although we were disappointed that we had to pay extra for bread I had the sangria which was delicious. I also had the pasta with clams which was creamy and yummy. A bit pricey, but I guess that's typical for Capitola. Also had the gelato for dessert which was delicious was amazed that such a nice restaurant with those prices had paper napkins. Would definitely recommend the linguine with clams. read more

Small portions, over-priced, good service, great location. The sole tasted fishy and the presentation was disappointing. The sea bass was pretty but was not a good cut of fish. The seafood pasta was lacking seafood. We didn't stay for dessert. read more

What a wonderful addition to Capitola! We began our evening by enjoying a glass of Trefethen Chardonnay on the restaurant's tiny little terrace overlooking the ocean. What a stunning view! We moved inside for dinner: oysters, focaccia, shrimp cocktail, fettuccine with clams and New York Strip Steak. All were yummy and the presentation was lovely. Service was excellent. We will be back! read more

Great food (the mussels are fantastic!), amazing atmosphere, and super friendly and accommodating service. We went for Mother's Day and a number of people in our party were stuck in traffic so late for reservation. Staff were so lovely about it and there was no problem or stress. My 2 year old grandson was an add-on and that was also handled with nothing but friendliness and smiles. THANK YOU SO MUCH for making our Mother's Day awesome :) read more

Had my first dinner at Pete's. The location is awesome sitting outside on the patio with views of the ocean and beach. We each had a different meal, each one was fabulous. The seasoning unique and presentation lovely. We shared a beet salad, delicious, Tempura crab cake, oysters and caviar. Our waiter, Sam, was excellent. Attentive but not intrusive, a perfect experience. Can't wait to go back. read more

Really fantastic seafood! We had the salmon and tuna crudo, oysters and mussels frites. All were delicious and the service was great!

We dined here last night and everything was delightful. The owner Sarah was there to greet guests. The decor was light, beachy, and welcoming. The vibe fun and stylish with the perfect music mix. Everything we had was delicious! Highlights were the oysters ( both types were excellent), bread with seasoned butter, American Wagyu NY strip and the heirloom tomato salad! So, basically everything we ordered! We can't wait to return! read more

We went here on Saturday to celebrate my birthday-there were five of us and our bill was about $750 with the tip. For the price point, I was hoping for a little more. When you walk into the restaurant, there is no foyer, no real place to stand. It is a small space. We were seated right by the front door, I was worried about the door opening and closing, it was a non-issue. The tables were high and the chairs were low. Let's talk about those chairs- I have to wonder if the owners have tried to sit in them. They are a rattan style chair with a soft/thin pad. You feel like you are sitting on the rattan itself. They were very uncomfortable. I would suggest a firmer pad with more height. The table has a cute light feature, almost like a little lighthouse. The space looked very clean and I thought it was nicely decorated. It was dark inside, which I loved, it felt intimate, but my family thought a little light feature in the wall or ceiling would be nicer and lend to a more "magical" feeling. The menus have a light blue, tiny font that is really hard to read, especially in a dark space at night. Totally fixable. It was loud inside and they also had loud music playing. It was not really possible for the table to talk as a group. Our server was very nice, attentive, professional. We liked her a lot. Everyone we encountered was great. The menu is small, but we all found something we wanted. We were seated at 7pm on a Saturday night and were informed that two entree items were sold out, the halibut and the soft shell crab sandwich. Total bummer. When there are only six entree items, that's even more limiting and pretty disappointing, especially when one of the remaining four is almost $70. We started with the focaccia bread, Romano beans, and Hog Island oysters. The beans were amazing, bread was warm and good. The oysters were so fresh and briney. 10/10. I can't stop thinking about them. We had a bunch. Three people had steamed mussels. The reviews were mixed. One person loved them, one like them, one didn't like them. All three people said they were kind of sandy and small. My mom had the pasta and clams and she liked it a lot. I had the caviar service as my entree, crazy, but why not! The caviar I selected was the white sturgeon. It was so fresh and buttery. I loved it. The one thing I didn't love about it was that it comes with potato chips vs blini. The presentation was nice, the chips were good and salty. My only issue is that when you put caviar on a potato chip, all you taste are the chips. I think that it's trendy to serve them this way, but the goal is tasting the caviar, not potato chips. We had beer and wine and all were very good. We had two desserts, tiramisu and the French cruller. Both were good, nothing super special. I walked away feeling happy with my food and I do want to go back for the oysters and try a fish entree. They have some kinks to work out, but hopefully they take feedback as constructive and tweak some things. I wish them success. read more

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

Pete's was great. Very attentive service. Great wines. I had the Ridge Zinfandel. The beet salad has wonderful flavors. The pork skirt steak also had great flavors. It was cooked superbly. The potato soup was nice and hot (hard to get hot soup these days) and very flavorful. Every table has a view. I highly recommend this place and will return. Unfortunately, I was enjoying my food so much I forgot to take a photo. read more

Hoping for a future of great food and drink. Now there is no bar , you can order wine by the glass. Menu is really limited. Hoping now , just because they are new. Did you know this is the same owner next door neighbor MargaritaVille? I expect a lot ! read more