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

Pete's is in Capitola Village and can be easy to miss because it's right at the curve of Esplanade,…read moreand 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!

We have been conscious of trying to patronize harbor businesses since the bridge debacle…read more Double checked their website to make sure they were open and saw that halibut was on sale- this in itself motivated me to navigate my way there. Upon arrival, the price in the case did not reflect the sale price mentioned on their website. When I mentioned this to the guy helping me, he shrugged. Then another guy came out from the back (he must have heard the conversation) and said that the prices online were from yesterday (!) For the $5 off a pound that these two were unwilling to honor or even apologize about, they lost a customer. Good thing Shoppers Corner has great fish at better prices.

When I tell you that I have had poke and sashimi in Hawaii and Japan and this store's fish was as…read moregood or slighter better?! We got a tin of the tuna poke and the salmon poke and a small box of the tuna sashimi. I'm normally a salmon over tuna girlie but the texture of the tuna? Butter. The taste? Insane. The store also offers a variety of cuts and options of fresh fish and shellfish if you prefer cooked options at home, but treat yourself to some poke to eat at the picnic tables outside before the drive home. Logistics: - outdoor seating only - there is a parking lot in front but I couldn't tell if it was part of the paid harbor parking as we walked over from elsewhere - they don't offer rice with the poke but you can grab a bag of Taco Works chips for some carbs and crunch if need be

Last night my bride Barbara Beerstein and I ate at one of the most, if not the most, exclusive…read morerestaurants in Santa Cruz County. That would be Pino Alto in the Sesnon House at Cabrillo College. The Spanish tapas were spot on. We ate with another couple so there was a big choice to try. The menu changes regularly. EDIT: But why is it so exclusive you ask? The restaurant is only open 2 days a week, and only when school is in session. However, the service was a bit spotty but not bad enough to substract any stars. They are students after all and one must learn. I know i couldn't do a better job. Pino Alto only open 2 days per week, when school is in session with limited seating. Pretty darn exclusive. https://www.pinoaltorestaurant.org/

We called their phone late April and left a voicemail (as instructed in their outgoing message ) w…read moreour name, phone#, date and time we were requesting a reservation. We were both looking forward to a special dinner. A week later we hadn't heard back so left a second voicemail requesting a call back please letting us know either way. They were still open. Still no call back ever. Somehow we later learned maybe seeing the campus billboard on Soquel they'd be closing for the season just two days before the date we'd requested. We'd called at least two weeks ahead yet they couldn't be bothered to let us know so we could adjust our date. We're only here for a short time so won't be back for another year. The previous visit we had to sit for about a half hour while they tried to figure out how to enter the charges correctly onto our Visa card. Food was fine. However the students need to be taught basic phone, customer service & business skills for success. We were pretty annoyed and disappointed they couldn't bother to call us at all even though they were open.

Beautiful environment and excellent food. The trolley to get up and down to the dining area is…read moresuch a fun experience. I always have a magical feeling when I dine there. 5 stars

Salad was out of this world! The food quality here beats anything I've had in Jersey growing up!read more

Generous portions, good coffee, and exceptional service -- exactly what you hope to find on…read morevacation. We were hunting for a solid breakfast spot and honestly weren't sure from the outside. But the moment we walked in to a warm welcome and were seated right away, we knew we'd picked the right place. My grandson -- who can be a bit high‑energy -- was treated like a little gentleman. Seeing him enjoy himself let me actually relax and enjoy my own breakfast: a massive plate of French toast so good I couldn't even finish it. Linda's Sea Breeze Café is the kind of place that wins you over fast. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a great start to their day.

Solid experience here! We came on a Sunday morning, and were worried about the wait. We wrote our…read morenames in the book, and ended up waiting ~20 minutes, which wasn't too bad. The service was great; everyone was very friendly and gave us great recommendations. The food itself was definitely quite solid, particularly the orange juice and the cinnamon roll. The huevos rancheros were delicious as well. I wasn't a huge fan of the eggs benedict, but the dish was by no means bad. Is it the best breakfast I've ever had? No, but it certainly was a solid experience as a whole. Overall would recommend!

We had a very good meal and absolutely outstanding service which earned Cafe Cruz a solid 4-star…read morerating. I had the spicy Devil's Ginger vodka martini with the calamari appetizer and with dinner, the Lava Top Sauvignon Blanc ($13), a perfect complement to the swordfish. My swordfish was perfectly sautéed in a tapenade beurre blanc sauce ($40) with deliciously creamy and decadent polenta and buttery chopped bok choy. The way they served the bok choy was perfect- never change it. It was artsy, buttery and didn't look wilted. My son had the grilled boneless pork chops (two boneless chops) with fries and smoky beans ($28), loved. He devoured the berry fruit crisp à la mode for dessert ($12) and I had two small bites: It was like granola over compote with ice cream. I didn't complain. The best part was the incredibly flawless service. We could have felt rushed dining since it was towards the end of service. Instead, Genevieve paced the meal perfectly so we felt spoiled and unrushed. Next visit I would love to dine in their "secret garden" courtyard; it was beautiful. Their 'secret garden' would be beautiful for a private party like a birthday or wedding anniversary, bridal or baby shower.

Literally hit the road to pick up some old cabinet at an ancient house up on the mountain. Map said…read morethe way home was faster and brought us down through Soquel. Kids are whiney, I'm tired, wife picks this place strictly based off proximity. What a goddam knock out! Food great, service great, price very fair for the combination of we will drive from Hollister to come back here to eat again!! Thank you Jeanette for wonderful suggestions yes the blackened fish taco salad was bomber, yes the rotisserie chicken was delish and goddam was the shredded Brussels sprouts killer!! Thank you to the chefs who made such great food and thank you to the folks who work hard to bring it all together. Worth the try folks you may become believers!

I looked up the highest rated mexican food in Santa Cruz and I'm so glad this place popped up and…read morelived up to the hype. I will definitely be hitting this place up post surf when I'm in the area. We got the ceviche in salsa roja. For $25 it fed the two of us perfectly and I have a big appetite. I ordered an extra side of tostada chips for $2. The ceviche was so tasty with crunchy bits of mango, onion, and cucumber. It was super spicy but we love spice. The people next to us ordered shrimp tacos and we're just saying 'damn so good' with each bite so those are a hit too.

Small hole in the wall spot close to the beach. We got the verde aguachile. It was the perfect…read morebalance of spice and lemon flavor.

I have beet to the sandbar twice and both times have been outrageously good…read more Kylie, our server, steered us to, what I experienced to be, the best breakfast of all time. Excellent sourdough, the perfect crispiness, perfect eggs, cheese and sausage mixed in. And the Denver omelette, perfect. Thank you Kylie! This is my favorite breakfast on Capitola and the table on the beach made for a perfect breakfast view.

We sat quickly. Service was prompt and friendly. We ordered ceviche and the full breakfast. The…read moresausage patty was interesting but tasty. The pancake was so good: buttery with a light crispiness which was tasty. Coffee was drip but still good. About six or seven tables inside and more outside with a nice view.

This place is very dog friendly and such a cute little patio in the back! We saw the sunset here…read moreafter a full day at the beach with our two doggies. There's a lot of parking in the area but I'm a busy day it would be difficult to find a spot. The service was a little slow but nothing extreme, they only had one waiter for the whole patio. We would come back here but would try other spots first!

All expectations met at Paradise Beach Grille!…read more The yays: - Plentiful street parking (on a rainy weekday afternoon) - Chefs kiss location next to the beautiful painted houses along the beach - Very kid friendly. Kids meals comes with a chocolate chip cookie and a frisbee you can take home. Cute bonuses for the kids - Delectable New England clam chowder. The only way to enjoy clam chowder is in a bread bowl and theirs is delicious. - Healthy sized meals for both appetizers and entrees. More him to take home. - Friendly and attentive service - Hella clean bathrooms. Say yes to Paradise Beach Grille. The nays: nada

The best Chinese spot on this side of the hill! If you live…read morein Aptos or anywhere in Santa Cruz County, you need to check out Four Streams Kitchen. I've been looking for a solid go-to Chinese takeout spot for a while, and this place absolutely knocks it out of the park. Do yourself a favor and order the Szechuan Boiled Fish (Sichuan Shui Zhu Yu). It is insanely flavorful, perfectly spicy, and easily one of the most legit, authentic Chinese dishes I've had in the area. If you prefer the classic American-Chinese comfort staples, those hit the spot too. The Kung Pao has the perfect balance, the potstickers taste completely house-made, and my family is obsessed with their chow mein.  The ingredients are always fresh (especially the veggies and seafood, try the fried prawns!), and the staff is incredibly kind and accommodating. Great portions, amazing value (especially the lunch combos).

I would give this 3 1/2 stars. It was the first time ordering last night through DoorDash. First, I…read morewill say that in the Aptos area this is far better than anything in this town, and way better than Panda Inn. I probably should have just picked up the order because $80 for Chinese food for two people is a bit steep and honestly ridiculous. The first negative thing is the fact that we ordered pork fried rice and ended up getting the fried rice but with chicken instead so OK, edible, but there is something about pork fried rice that I really like so that was disappointing. Also ordered their vegetable green bean with garlic sauce dish, and the green beans were cooked nicely although a side order of green beans for $16? Yes, I made the decision to order simply because I wanted a veggie with the rest of the meal. I ordered a chicken breast dish that was coated in some sort of a Panko-ish crunch. That was good although I wasn't expecting it to be fried. When you're hungry, you just eat it anyway... Truth. also had the potstickers which were typical nothing special, although they did serve it with some sort of a hot pepper sauce, which was good although the seeds in it were quite tough. They also pack a little container of what looked like white vinegar weird not at all like what you would normally have. We will probably try again as we explore the menu, but I will definitely pick up next time. Oh and finally with an order that clearly served two people they throw in one fortune cookie. How cheap is that? Jury is still majorly out on this place, but just wanted to share for now.