My review is of the bar, not the restaurant. We, locals frequent the bar and patio for Happy Hour. The patio views are beautiful, the drinks are good, no complaints there. The waitress, she's been there a long time, is bad. You have to wave your arms to flag her down for service. Last time we stood up and asked her to wait on us. We go early, the bar isn't crowded, no excuse! We are back across the street at Palapas tonight. read more

I visited Sanderlings this evening. Kayla was my waitress. The food was good. However, the service was even better. Kayla was a wonderful waitress. She was very attentive and dealt with our table as well as with a table of 20 next to us. We look forward to returning and requesting Kayla! read more

Awesome restaurant beautiful views great service and good food. You cannot ask for much more! If you want to sit outside on the beautiful patio be sure to call ahead and make a reservation. read more

3.5 or 4-star food, 2-star service!! If any single incident had happened, it wouldn't be so bad, but it was the fact that they made so many mistakes during a slow afternoon. First, when we arrived we were asked by the hostesses for first & last name "for the table." When we declined to give last name, she pressured us; then she asked for a phone number "in case we forget anything when we leave" which we again declined and were again pressured to give. Completely out of line, I feel. Next, we said "three for lunch outside" and, although it was our mistake not having looked up their hours before going, the hostesses failed to mention that they had just stopped serving lunch, and were only serving a lighter menu of mostly appetizers - you think they would have let us know before sitting us down and handing us ONE menu. After sharing our menu and taking turns to decide our lunch choices, we had not seen our server yet; we asked the busser to let him/her know we were ready to order...we wait...still no server. Finally my uncle went inside and found someone to tell them we were still waiting for our server. Turns out, the hostesses had not informed her of her new table and she had no idea we were there - even though we were in line of sight and only two tables away from another table she was already serving. We placed our orders, I asked if it was possible to sub a cup of clam chowder for the fries that were supposed to come with my sandwich, and she said that was fine. Guess what? sandwich came out with just fries. Busser didn't bring bread until the same time as our food, never refilled waters or noticed they were empty; server never came back after bringing me my cup of forgotten chowder until we were long done, then took forever and a day to bring us our bill we asked for. Now, I understand restaurant work, have done it before, and know many people who still do it and I am forgiving/understanding. But when so many things go wrong in one 75-minute period, you have to think someone is dropping the ball there at Sanderlings! However, the food is good. The clam chowder was the typical thick, new englnd style and was totally awesome, could have had a bowl. The steak sandwich was good as well, the steak I asked for rare and it was cooked perfect and tender on a yummy ciabatta. If you can get past the lackluster service and hassling hostesses, the wonderful view and relaxed atmosphere on the patio and the good food (not to-die-for) are nice! Server & busser were very nice and pleasant, too. read more

8:30 PM, 55 deg, outside seating - took 10 minutes for someone to roll over a heater so we had to freeze a lil bit, which was tolerable because the view is beautiful. candle wasn't lit and bottle of wine wasn't poured til end of appetizer. maybe they could've suggested another bottle similar to what i ordered so that i didn't have to wait so long? service was okay-to-bad but they def need to up the training to make it more fine-dining. my steak was cooked right and so was my hunny's dish. oh and creme brulee was yum. the food was great but as we all know, dining experience weighs a lot on service as well. so overall, it was meh. read more

Love the Seacape Benedict for breakfast! A must try, very unique. Service is slow but kind. Pricey but a great spot for a yummy breakfast.

The food was amazing! We love the view and the outdoor fire pit. The food is little pricey but perfect for a date night. Don't forget to stop by the bar if you are waiting to be seated. Bar is pretty chill with the live band. read more

What happened to this place? Used to be a great restaurant. Visited once recently and not good. Gave it a second try soon after and just as bad. The menu looks fine but when the food arrives there is no quality. No longer our romantic getaway. Nice view of the ocean but that is about it. By the way, perhaps it is time to freshen up the bathrooms? They smell like there is a sewer problem? Not returning. read more

This was such a disappointment... I love staying at seascape, but the food at this restaurant was horrible. We had two meals and both were cold and seemed to be pre-made and scooped on the plate right before serving. I really hope they take the negative reviews and improve because I love staying at seascape. read more

The beauty of the ocean, great service and good food....all subverted by the exhaust fumes from the numerous golf carts that drive along the path in front of the restaurant patio. Folks, it is time for electric golf carts to replace your gasoline run engines! read more

What's good: The restaurant had fantastic views. We done at Sunday and signing near a window allows for stunning vistas everywhere you look. What's not: the service and the food are quite lacking, especially at this pricepoint. Two of us preferred the lamb, and both were quite overcooked. I ordered rare side of medium-rare and got medium-well. Typing it off, the crusting was left off. When I mentioned that it was cooked incorrectly, the server told me I was incorrect. When I cut into it to see the doneness, I had to insist that it be redone. It came back crusted, but very overdone, medium-well to well. I received exceptionally fatty racks also, as if the chef was unhappy his food was questioned and choose especially bad pieces. I would not have served those at my home, not would I have bought them. The other rack was overcooked as well, but my son was starving. Nonetheless, it missed pretty badly on doneness. My wife's surreal was closer to medium-well than medium-rare as ordered. Only my son's chicken strips were reasonably cooked. The wait for our drinks, our dinners and our replacements was unreasonably long, also, 15-25 minutes. Truly am awful experience. We will not return! read more

I have been going here , on and off for 6 years. Sometimes it's wonderful, and sometimes it's not so wonderful. When you walk to the hostess stand, they never go out of their way to make you feel " great". It's , how many are you ? What about hello ,how are you folks etc little charm would be nice, I blame them , and management. Which their always seems to be a lack of. The hostess walked us outside, we love the atmosphere outside. We asked the hostess for an umbrella , and she immediately said that they were out, so I said what about the 3 that are directly behind you, oh she said , and went to tell one of the guys. Well no one ever came, I got up went to the busboy, gave him $10 and said please can I get an umbrella. I should of just left. We had an older lady as a waitress , what a disaster. She was never around, the bus girl kept reaching across my wife's face, and my mother to pour water, after the second time I asked her if she could just please walk around and pour the water, she gave me a dirty look. The food this time was not at all good. I'm not going to get into the food part, because sometimes it's good, never great but good , and we really come here for the view. Anyway we have not been back since. They really need a floor manager who really knows customer service. read more

Ate in the bar area and had lettuce wraps with pork, Caesar salad, and chicken wings. Flavorings were strange and salad dressing seemed watered down; everything was mediocre at best. Even my ice water tasted funny. Service was slow. read more

This is a lovely restaurant with great food, friendly staff, and incredible views (especially at sunset). What more could you ask for in a restaurant??!?! The last time I was at Sanderlings, I ordered the scallops which were absolutely delicious. A couple of friends ordered the filet mignon and they raved about their entrees as well. Honestly, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the menu selections. If you haven't already, give Sanderlings a try! I guarantee you won't be disappointed. read more

We went here for our anniversary last night and had one of the best meals ever. The drinks were a little slow but the food and the view made up for it (plus, we got a free dessert too-thank you!). We sat out on the patio where the view was breathtaking and the weather happened to be pretty near perfect. Started with the grilled artichoke (unbelievably good). Next came the green salad with some sort of champagne dressing (also yum). My husband had the cioppino (half size which was plenty big) and I had the melt in your mouth skirt steak with mashed potaoes and perfectly done veggies. We were so happy we were giddy (literally because we both had two scrumptious martinis as well). We could not have asked for a better meal at a better location. We splurged a little but $100 meal is ok sometimes...especially when it's you're anniversary right?!? :-) read more

I thought we were going to a great restaurant last night, but it was not. Food: bread was stale, dry, much like pin cushions (bad!). I had the special, halibut with fried nocci over a bed of tiny greens and romesco sauce. The only special thing must have been the price, which amounted to around 35 or 40 dollars, in view of the tab (we were not told the special's price).the fish was nice, after all it was halibut, but the sauce and nocci gave of oiliness all over the plate and instead of it being a grilled fish, it ended up being a greasy dish. There was nothing delicious about it. My kid s pasta was supposed to be "butter and parmesan" and became long thick noodles bathing in a pool of oil, very disgusting and disturbing. My in laws ordered a split filet mignon that was served with a enormous UFO-like breaded croquette made of bacon and blue cheese (and probably lots of flour) and some onion rings that looked good, over a bed of hash mashed boiled veggies (carrots and zucchini?). His comment? "Steak was OK" for a 40 dollar dish! Husband got the prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes, and once more "hmf" was the top that could be said about it. I tasted the mashed potatoes and could not feel garlic at all. Three entrees and one kiddie pasta cost us ~100 dollars, 2 cocktails (e/11dollars) one ice tea and one glass of wine brought the total to 165 dollars. It wasn t about the money, it was about the food. And the food was not good. The view: there isn t one,and they are also renovating, so now it s less than pretty. Lousy experience,wishing we d gone elsewhere nearby. Feeling bad for our out of town, generous and kind in laws who picked the tab for such an blah meal! read more

If you are coming for the view its great. But the food was bland, dated, over priced and out-dated. I think they need to hire a new younger cook to re-do the menu. When i was a kid my parents raved about this place but now that I've come as an adult with my husband i realize its very over -rates. Sorry Sanderlings I'd rather go to Palapas and pay less, have better food and almost as good of a view! read more

Great drinks and amazing view very little choice for vegans only choice my husband and I had were a salad we were hoping to enjoy a full meal but our salad was good and the lemon drop was even better! read more

Food is good, but not superb. The highlight of eating here is when the weather is good enough to sit outdoors and lounge the afternoon away, or near the windows at sunset. read more

I would give the view five stars, the service three stars, and the food quality four so I averaged out the total to four stars. Their clam chowder used to be the best I ever tasted - light and bursting with flavor. Now it's like what you'd expect in a cafeteria style, thickened excessively and with zero flavor. I think their salads and fried food (fish and chips and crab cakes) are still good - their bread selection is great. It's been a while since I had dinner there but it was great when I did. The service last time around was very disappointing - there weren't many people but the server showed up so rarely that I had to find another server and eventually paid at the hostess stand. This again was surprising - I have not had that problem before. read more

(This would be a very enthusiatic 5-star review if it wasn't for one very ill-mannered waitress.) Let me preface this review with the situation that I walked into, it was a particularly hot Saturday (June 17th 2017), and as usual there were multiple weddings and events being held at the resort, me and a few friends went to the bar to order a few rounds of drinks and some food without incident before meeting some friends, who were staying at the resort, poolside. The bartenders and barbacks were attentive, albeit slightly rushed. We decided to go sit smoking area near the pool to free up some spots at a fairly busy bar. We then went back to order a couple more rounds, and the bar was packed, so our wait time increased significantly, which is to be expected. We waited, placed our orders for a round of drinks and some more food, we waited for about 30-35 minutes for our food, then ordered another round to take with us back out to the smoking section and waited another 15-20 minutes for those. This review is NOT aimed at the bartenders or bar-backs, they were clearly doing their best to fill drinks with a rush that just seemed to be non-stop. As a former bar-back and food service employee I would say they executed their jobs to the best of their ability in a less than ideal situation and I am very grateful for the personable service we received from them, even if it did take a little bit longer than I would consider ideal. That being said, let me get to the real reason I am writing this review. On our first trip out to the patio, I heard a glass break followed by someone saying "That's why we don't let glass in the pool!!! Where is it!!?" in a very harsh tone. I looked up to see a clearly upset cocktail waitress trying to ascertain where the broken glass was, presumably to clean it up or to lecture the person who dropped a glass. I shrugged off what I would consider a less than appropriate reaction to a common issue and sat down. I then watched this clearly frustrated, borderline angry, waitress be increasingly short with nearly every person at the pool from that point on, while running around hastily clearing tables. She came around to every group asking if they had any orders, or needed anything else, while repeatedly skipping our group of 20 somethings. About an hour after we sat down, she walked up to our table and loudly said "Yours!?" while pointing to my full drink that was on the small table in front of me, I was stunned at the lack of courtesy or basic manners, but quickly responded "Um, yes?" after which she cleared the empty cups, and stormed off, not even thinking to inquire whether I would like another drink, maybe some food, or even proper service. We sat there for about another 15-20 minutes enjoying the rest of our drinks and food, chatting with the other people in the section, who also remarked at this waitresses lack of common courtesy. After realizing that it wasn't just me, I decided to go ask this waitress her name, she responded "Lindsay" and briefly tried to ask if I had any questions, before she realized that I wasn't asking her for any help, I was asking so I could write this review and be sure I got the right person. After this, she clammed up, went to the bar to fill some more orders, then came out and for the first time in about an hour and a half asked if I "needed anything" I politely responded no, then she asked "Are you staying here?", my friends who were guests of the resort replied that they were, and she quickly turned and left without saying a word. Frankly, I would consider the way she was treating her customers as offensive, rude, and disrespectful so much so that I wasn't even being waited on by her and took issue with the way she was conducting herself with me and everyone else around the pool. If I was a guest of the resort having to deal with her lack of customer service skills, I would have packed my bags and canceled the remainder of whatever stay I had. I know I may not look like the other patrons, I'm a little underdressed and shabby around the edges, but really I've recommended numerous traveling friends to stay at Seascape resort and I patronize Sanderlings and the surrounding businesses on a fairly regular basis. However, if I ever see Lindsay working again, I'll turn around and take my business elsewhere immediately, whether that be at Sanderlings, or any other service related business. I value service above everything in regards to the establishments I patronize and frankly she seems completely incapable of even controlling her frustration at a rushed day or providing even passable customer-service. read more

We had to drop off some banquet paperwork so decided to stay for lunch. I have severe seafood allergies so was a bit concerned. No need! They were very attentive and made it work. Great grilled chicken club. My husband had fish and chips and loved them. Great service. We will definitely return. Thanks everyone read more

This is a stunning location. The whole building is nice, the decor is gorgeous, the view is great, the fish tank is as good as you'll see outside of the aquarium. The food is OK. My salad had lots of wilted greens. The warm brownie was a delicious dessert, though. The service was also no better than OK--they got one of our orders wrong and it took forever to get the correct order to us. By that time, the unfortunate diner had snacked on bread and leftovers and was not hungry anymore. They boxed up the food for us--a dish with a very liquid sauce in a shallow container that leaked all over me as I tried to carry it out. I really enjoyed the location, and the evening with my friends, but the food and service were detractions. read more

This restaurant is truly as good as they come. My husband and I have travelled the world and this is probably in the top 5. The service was amazing, the food was to die for and the even the portion sizes are generous for a place to this kind of quality. read more

Pretty good. I think the service was really good, Laurie the hostess was especially friendly and the staff was accomodating. The basic problem is that this restaurant is the only one in the resort and thus be all things to all people. Our party aged from 4 (my son) to 100 (my Grandma) and it was perfect from that wide span. Is it the finest dining ever? No. Did it hit the spot and was everyone trying hard and did the family leave with a smile on their face? Yes! read more

I had very mixed experiences with this restaurant on February 11th and 13th. Dinner on the 11th was very nice. Service was attentive, and the food was very nice. I had sea bass which was perfectly cooked, and everyone else seemed happy with their selections. This was a 4-star experience, maybe better. Breakfast on the 13th was another story. Sunday brunch was advertised, which usually means something special. The menu was in fact a very ordinary list of breakfast items. We were early, but had to stand and wait to be seated at our reserved time while other people without reservations were seated ahead of us in another area. This would not have been a problem if not for the real issue - the restaurant was severely understaffed and their orders probably all got in ahead of ours. Every step of the meal took forever. We couldn't even get orange juice for a while because it was behind the bar and our server wasn't authorized to go there! She was doing her best, but was obviously working quite a few tables spread over a wide area. The restaurant was not at all crowded, just busier than they were staffed for. It took us two hours to get a ham and cheese omelet, a plate of french toast, and other fairly ordinary items. It's really too bad, because the setting was pleasant, the food was very good, and the staff did what they could. read more

Came here for restaurant week. I had their scallops, which were cooked to perfection. Food was amazing and waitstaff was friendly. They didn't charge a corking fee on our bill, which was awesome. Normally it is an $8 corking fee. Beatiful fish tank inside to look at as well. read more

Had breakfast at sanderlings on the outside patio ,what a view and great meal the bussers were really on top of things and our server pam was great ,overall what a gem in Aptos read more

My lady and I went to Sanderlings Restaurant for our anniversary last night and I had to jump on sign up for yelp because of all the different aspects of a restaurant coming together so perfect. The service was impeccable with the atmosphere being formal yet romantically casual with dimmed lighting, 20,000+gal ocean aquarium, among many other factors that made my lady and I never forget our night at Sanderlings Restaurant. The Christmas festivity and decorations were perfect having the honor of a Christmas tree close to our table on our holiday anniversary. I thought the night couldn't get any better until we tasted the best crab cakes with devotion and love for cooking in every bite, "being a prep chef in the past and working in the food and service industry since 15 I could not be any happier with their perfection on all the aspects of Sanderlings as a restaurant"!! Incredible chefs with amazing detail to meat specifications with surf n turf filet Mignon cooked tremendous fine detail in ruby pink color medium rare. From the wine selection of new world Sonoma County cabs, Zins, to old world sparkling wine and champagne. I couldn't have asked or imagined a better night with my lady! Thank you, To all the servers, managers! and people of Sanderlings and Seascape Resort! Thank you! read more

My wife and I have been dining and listening to music at Sanderlings for several years. Taylor has been our server during most of this time and she does a superb job of making us feel comfortable. She is so pleasant and attentive and while she is normally very busy, she makes the extra effort to make sure our needs are met. The music on Friday and Saturday night is superb thanks to the leadership of Steve Robertson and all the talented musicians who play. Steve brings in the very best jazz musicians and vocalists in the area. John and Bonnie read more

The fish tacos off the Restless Palette menu are amazing! A great breakfast dish is the yogurt with house made granola. Wonderful staff, great views. 10/10 :) read more

We spent weekend at Seascape and frequented restaurant twice. They have an all-day menu along with their lunch or dinner menu. Every item we ordered is always well done. Portions are ample and food fresh. Staff attentive. We had an exceptional waitress; Shannon. She is congenial, knows the menu and just a delight. Beautiful views as well while enjoying a perfect meal. read more

My husband and I stayed at the resort where Sanderlings is located. The staff of Sanderlings were very friendly. We were greeted warmly and the food was tastey. We would recommend Sanderlings to all our family and friends. We actually plan to keep going back! read more

If I could rate Sanderlings any higher than 5 stars, I would in a heartbeat. Where do I begin? As a local, I've eaten at Sanderlings at nearly every hour of the day. The restaurant opens early in the morning (6am I believe) and remains open until 10pm, at which point you can still order some simple items from the bar until Midnight. As far as breakfast goes, Sanderlings takes a rather unique yet classical approach. You'll still find the normal eggs, bacon/sausage, hash-browns, and toast options, but there are also signature items such as the Eggs Benedict, which can be enjoyed with seared salmon for just an extra few bucks. Lunch is where you begin to see Sanderlings really shine. If you find yourself at Sanderlings on a day where the sun is out, take advantage and sit out on their patio, which overlooks the ocean. It is a sight you will never forget. While enjoying the view, sample some of the amazing lunch items such as the Turkey Croissant, Flatbread Pizza, or New York Steak Sandwich. All three are truly amazing, and only a fraction of what Sanderling's lunch menu has to offer. Breakfast at Sanderlings, as mentioned, is good; lunch is great, but dinner, dinner is amazing. For the red meat lovers, Sanderlings offers Skirt Steak, Rib Eye, Fillet (add a lobster tail for an amazing entrée), and on the weekends, a Prime Rib. They also have a Roasted Chicken, Scampi, Cioppino, and more. The vegetarians can enjoy the Portobello Mushroom, or some of their popular fish dishes such as Salmon, Halibut, or Swordfish. If you were to ask me to pick a favorite entree, I simply could not. I love them all so much; it would be like choosing favorites between my children. I would be doing Sanderlings no justice if I failed to mention their appetizers and desserts. First off, you're truly missing out on a great experience if you don't order an appetizer for the table. Between the Crab Cake, Flatbread, Risotto Fritters, and Calamari, it's quite a hard choice since they're all amazing. Desserts. Yumm! Vanilla Bean Crème Brule, ice-cream filled Crepes with fresh fruit, Bread Pudding, and a delicious Brownie Sundae, with vanilla bean ice cream. If my stomach would allow it, I would have one of each after every meal. Sanderlings also offers an impressive selection of salads. Any time of day, be it lunch, mid-day, or dinner, you can enjoy the Poached Pear, Roasted Beet, Shrimp Louie, or Resort salad. All of these salads are unique and amazing. Not a fan of "up-scale" dining? Just looking for a simple burger? Sanderlings has you covered there, too. Speaking of children, Sanderlings is child-friendly. Their kids menu has the standard chicken nuggets, fish sticks, pasta, grilled cheese, or PB&J, but they all come served with a bucket and shovel, which the staff will insist you take with you, so that your kids can enjoy playing in the beach. Speaking of the beach, it is visible from Sanderlings' dining floor, bar, and patio, as well as just a 5-minute walk away. This seems surprising for an up-scale restaurant, but Sanderlings stays with a rather Santa-Cruzish style, allowing children, flip flips, hats, and dogs on the Bar patio. However, if you come dressed for an elegant evening, wearing a tie and jacket, you won't feel unwelcomed. Sanderlings caters to everyone. Up-scale food means up-scale prices, right? WRONG! Sanderlings offers amazing mid-week locals specials, and innovative specials on weekends year-round. Most entrees are in the high teens, with a few in the twenties and thirties. For those wishing to splurge, the Fillet and Lobster is a bit over 60$, but worth every penny. A typical couple can enjoy two entrees, with soups or salads, and a desert (which all of are big enough to split) and a cup of coffee for under $70. Lunch prices for two are under $40, and breakfast under $30. What more is there to say about Sanderlings? The view is amazing, the food is amazing, and the price is amazing, all that is left is the staff. You guessed it, they are amazing as well. The staff seems to love their job, and I can't blame them. Working while staring at the ocean or sunset sounds like a pretty great job to me. If you live in Santa Cruz, or are visiting from out of town, you would truly be missing out on an amazing experience by not going to Sanderlings. read more

Wow, what a view. I live in an area where there is a lot of incredible fine dining, but I didn't expect to find such a gem here. If it weren't for the good mention from a business associate, I would have never found this place. The view is second only to dining on the slopes of Big Sur. Our meals were delicious. My swordfish was cooked to perfection, and the seared ahi tuna on hummus was a surprisingly delicious fusion. The restaurant was accommodating to our picky children, and the childrens food included a sand bucket and shovel. Our charming waiter Ryuto talked us into some beet and pear salads, and he paired each part of our meal with what seemed to be the perfect glass of wine. I think my daughter may have developed a crush on him. Thankfully she is only five. The staff in general was very fun, friendly and knowledgeable. But it is a little offsetting when arriving as the host will interrogate you for your personal contact information. The price is a little high, but when you consider the location, food, and service, anything less would be a bargain. I will be dining at Sanderlings Restaurant again. read more

Went for lunch today on a recommendation. Service was horrible seemed our server was more interested in chatting with co-workers. We waited a long time for everything. Good food have no problem there but service was bad don't plan to return. read more

We had to endure a drawn out verbal questionnaire before being seated, which became downright ridiculous after the fifth question and our second request to simply be seated. Otherwise, it was spacious, clean, windows with a spectacular view of the ocean, patio dining, very nice white tablecloth, proper waiters. Fair menu, what you would expect from a resort in the way of pricing, menu and service. I am not sure if his stifled reaction to my ordering a Drambuie was a "Whoa, no one orders that" or a "Huh?" but he managed to cover it well, quickly. I ordered salmon done in a fennel caper sauce. There was one single caper on my plate, and the risotto was rather slimy. I mentioned at the end of the meal that it would have been nice to have seen a few more capers and it was not received well. The small portion of salad was quite good. This is the pretentious level outside real value where prices become frivolous, and we aren't comfortable there. read more

This is a review for the Sunday Brunch Buffet. We took a party of nine, including 3 small children, to celebrate a birthday. The staff could not have been nicer. They were wonderful with the children and the 87-year-old birthday girl. The buffet had something for everyone, highlighted by the eggs benedict, salmon and really delicious salads. The desserts were just the right size and very good. I felt that the price was reasonable, and the regular breakfast menu was surprisingly inexpensive. Of course, the setting looking at the ocean made the whole experience pretty special. read more

Good food and bar. Hawaiian nights on Fridays. Nice view. I like taking my family here. The kids love the fish tank.

I am so sad to see so many people had negative experiences at Sanderlings. I have always had great service! The food is a little pricey but if you know that going in its no big deal. They have great weekday lunch specials! read more