This is just a placeholder until I sit down and write an actual review. If I don't do this I'll…read morenever write the review. This is the best Thai place I've ever been to and the service is amazing.

Had dinner here with my son…read more.. Pros- we were seated pretty fast. There's a parking lot, shared, but still a big lot. They didn't skimp on shrimp for the Phad Thai, 6 decent sized shrimp in the dish. Service was fine. Cons- food was ok. Curry was one color, sauce and ingredients... normally there's carrots in yellow curry, so it's not one dimension, not here. Yellow curry was, yellow! Taste wise, it was the best dish, but I missed the carrots. The grilled beef salad had extremely overcooked beef in it, that was a bummer. Will try other Thai places in Santa Cruz... don't believe we will come back.

Four of us, all adults, visited Royal Taj India Cuisine in July, 2024, arriving as the first…read morecustomers at opening for their lunch buffet. Everyone in our group had a connection to Nepal and to a lesser extent India, whether through having been born there or having lived or traveled there extensively. By the time we finished, most of the restaurant was full, including with families. We were pleased to find an Indian buffet in Santa Cruz, and found many of our favorites on the buffet, including chicken tandoori, meat and veggie curries, basmati rice, daal (lentils), naan (bread), pakora (deep-fried fritters), raita (yogurt), salad, chutneys, and more. However, we all agreed that, while there was a good variety of food on the buffet and it was of acceptable taste, some of the curries were bland and watery, lacking the depth and complexity of spices usually found in Indian food. We wondered if the spiciness had been toned down for presumed American tastes? Some other reviewers also mentioned that the buffet included chai (warm sweet spiced milk tea); I'm disappointed to have missed this personal favorite! I forgot how much we paid for the buffet, but it seemed reasonable for the Santa Cruz area. The restaurant was bright, with a mix of tables (with white tablecloths) and booths. We didn't see too much of the staff, but they were helpful when called. The bathroom could use more attention. Parking was sufficient, easy to access, and free. The restaurant offers catering. We would return when next in Santa Cruz.

Me and my wife wanted to try an Indian restaurant but something affordable. Then, we reached out to…read morethe restaurant and they informed us that they have buffet going on till evening. We went there for buffet - all you can eat just for approx. $ 15*/person. It was a littlebit laid back place but we appreciated the hospitality, authentic food, a lot of options - Naan, Rice, Cauliflower with potatoes (Aloo Gobi), 3 varieties of Chicken curry, Pakoda (Fritters), Salad, Roasted Chicken, Lentil soup, desert - Gulab Jamun, Raita. We were amazed by their service. Extremely affordable! In my experience, this restaurant is the most affordable with lots of choices. Highly recommended!!!

One of the best restaurant experiences I've had. I'm not even talking about the food although it…read morewas amazing! We arrived on a Sunday night maybe an hr before closing. Wait was 20 mins. After we got seated we quickly ordered. We had a mixture of lasagna, ravioli, and a sea bass lemon risotto. Food was incredible. But what I want to emphasize is the service. I mean WOW. From the moment I got there, everyone was super kind and welcoming. I didn't get her name, but the beautiful young lady who was all tatted, she made our experience so memorable. She came over constantly to check on my family and I. She made it so personable. This was our last dinner before heading home on our vacation and we hope to return. Thank you for the hospitality.

Walking into Lillian's, my first impression was its romantic, dimly lit atmosphere. The employees…read morewere attentive, informative about the menu, and made the whole experience feel welcoming. In my opinion, this is one of the better restaurants in Santa Cruz. Black Truffle Stuffed Gnocchi ($25): This dish was creamy and so delicious! The gnocchi was cooked perfectly, and the tomatoes gave it a fresh, nice touch. My only complaint is that the portion size is a bit on the smaller side. Sunday Gravy ($25): This dish included Italian sausage, spare ribs, beef, and pork, served with rigatoni pasta. I loved how meaty it was, yet it didn't feel heavy. Some pastas leave you feeling weighed down after eating, but not this one. It could have used a little more seasoning, but overall, it was a solid dish.

Ohhhhh am I glad I found Sesame Korean Grill! They not only serve Korean BBQ food, but also they…read moreserve Japanese food too! I was happily surprised to see a katsu menu (even a plate of mixed katsu), ramen (even Cheesy Ramen), and sushi rolls. I came with friends because we were craving classic Korean BBQ dishes, like spicy hot tofu soup and Dol Sot Chicken Bibimbap (clay pot with sizzling rice at the bottom - yum!) and soju (Korean wine), but we ended up also getting Japanese dishes, like unagi donburi (fresh water eel). Plus, as a classic Korean BBQ place, Sesame served the little dishes of Korean goodies, like kimchi, and they were so refreshingly tasty and obviously homemade! You know it's a good place when you are thinking about what dishes you want to order the next time you come, whom you want to invite, and where the takeout menu is! Service was okay: we were seated quickly and food arrived at a good pace. We had to ask for a few things, like remind them of our drinks, and wasn't checked on, but our server was easy to find and we had no complaints because we were too busy devouring our food and toasting with our pomegranate soju. Other things to note for first time customers: - Parking can be a little tricky because the lot in front of the restaurant is limited to about 5 cars only! Try across the street! Also beware that street parking meters are strictly enforced. - Drinks are delicious. Get them. - The place is spacious, so it's food for large groups. - Ambiance is more of a family restaurant (nothing fancy). The most important takeaways are: the food was delicious and the prices were reasonable!

I DONT UNDERSTAND (ō_ō)…read more how i haven't heard much about this restaurant because it is literally a 1000/10. The server/host was funny and kind to us. The FOOD was DELICIOUS and high quality!!!! ( *w*)b The imported beers were fun to try! the only thing i'm missing is gloves to eat my meal with because i could not grab the food to shove into my face fast enough ^o.o^

I've eaten barbecue all over the country. Mission St BBQ is one of the best! I got the three meat…read morecombo; brisket, St. Louis style ribs, and pulled pork with extra hog wash and barbecue sauce. Delicious!

Just had this yesterday while we were in town and already craving it. I got the bbq meal plate with…read morebrisket, beans, and coleslaw. Came with a choice of bread and opted for the corn bread but only had a small bite just to try it. It was ok. Back to the brisket - it was soooooo juicy and flavor was on point. The beans were really yummy too. Food came out pretty fast and staff was friendly. On the way out we saw they had a sign that said live blues every night. We said we would come back here again next time in town. Would recommend this spot if you're craving bbq!

Hostess was not very warm to me on my birthday. Acted like I was an inconvenience after putting in…read moremy name in. But after I was seated, amazing service from Louis. And food was phenomenal. Thanks for making my bday awesome Louis :)

A big fan of Akira sushi out in Aptos so came to the Akira sushi e Santa Cruz…read more Food was equally good as well as service.My friend and I both got the two Items bento box I got the teriyaki salmon and Cali roll with salad,rice and miso soup and a diet Coke Food was excellent

LOOK. I was hungry (*'o'*) And I licked every plate clean (…read moreT - T) Every single dish tasted fresh, paired INTENTIONALLY with fragrant chutneys and curry sauces. THE SPICY MANGORITA had bits of pepper in it -- YKNOW SO ITS ACTUALLY SPICY sorry guys, i love spicy. The salad was so good, i went and bought a can of beetroots. don't ask me any questions. I am going to bring all my friends here. beach side indian dishes, with some great music playing. my heart is full and my belly is fuller.

My wife and I (both Indian), went in for dinner, we ordered Chicken Tikka Masala…read more Our server was very rude and didn't ask us if we wanted anything to drink or if we needed anything during our time there. The other server was very attentive to everyone he was serving and helping them as much as he could as well as helping us because our own server barely checked in. We had to call him to order something to drink. What's the point of hiring someone with horrible customer service? Makes you not want to come back. The food wasn't good at all. It had little to no flavor which was very disappointing due to the fact that this place has very good reviews. We should've known this place wasn't good when we didn't see any Indian people eating here. It was a bunch of non Indians as well as in the reviews. We were not able to take pics due to us being really hungry. We were very excited to try this place. It's a shame that we left disappointed.

Ok, I love dining in at Yan Flower!…read more I have had their food in the past from take out and been less impressed, but eating in was a great experience. The ambiance, vibe, and quick service made it a really fun date spot. They have probably the cheapest beers in town with a $3.50 modelo. I got the crab rangoon, and the salt and chili pepper tofu, and loved it! Excited to come back.

Beware of your bill. Our server added a $112 tip to a $179 bill for a table of 11, bringing the…read moretotal to $291 without clear explanation. At the time, the amount seemed high, but we didn't question it immediately. When I went to pay, another staff member initially charged us the correct total of $179. Shortly after, the original server intervened, argued with the other employee, and the charge was changed back to $291. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances--we were grieving the loss of our uncle--we didn't ask for an itemized receipt in the moment. Looking back, it feels like we were taken advantage of during a very vulnerable time. I'm sharing this so others can be more cautious. Based on this experience, the food and service were not worth a $300 bill.

Sushi tortatatora is delicious Sushi tortatatora is…read morenutritious It's sushi that pops in your mouth The glisining meat melts in your delicious trout The beams of light that come out the rolls melt your face The taste takes over your taste Your face turns into sushi Everything around you looks really looks like sushi the sushi controls your every move Gobbling that sushi every time you move 5/5 super delicious yah yay

This spot has changed ownership a few times over the past few years, and it's been inconsistent…read moreacross owners. Despite our concerns, we have continued to try it every few months - while the place has always been adorable and the fish tasted fresh, the preparation and logistics have been inconsistent. We tried it when the current owners first took over (~Fall 2025) - the ordering and pickup process was improved, but the cuts and care to the sushi needed some work. After trying again in January 2026, I think they've ironed out the wrinkles and seem ready to rock. Hoping the current ownership sticks around, because it's nice to have a solid, cute, no-frills spot in the neighborhood!

Visited for brunch with a friend around noon on a Sunday and was able to get a table outside on the…read morepatio. I want to acknowledge that we showed up during a rush period and it was clear that the servers were being sat multiple tables at the same time, so the service was slow. Typically I would be more critical of that experience because everything was delayed but our server was nice and we weren't in a rush. I love eggs Benedict and order it as much as possible and this one was solid. The eggs were fluffy and the hollandaise was well made. My friend really enjoyed the variety of the salad bar as well. All in all a good experience and I would visit again. I would give the experience a 3.5/5, so I'm rounding up.

Went in on the 9th of May and had a good time , excellent location with great beach view and both…read moreinside and out seating. We had a 6:45 reservation and it wasn't until about 7 we got seated but they kept us informed and the place was stacked with customers looked like locals and a lot of tourists Our server Colin , was excellent , super friendly and the reason this is a 5 star rating vs 4. Service really matter and we appreciate how he handled us even with a capacity crowd Salad bar was good , lots of variety and something about the pasta at it I was hooked. Fish and Chips was good portion and as for quality not the best in Santa Cruz but very good and all wrapped up this was a great dinner with perfect service ! Highly recommend Crow's Nest