I stopped by for a drink on a hot Tuesday afternoon. I was absolutely committed to a seat right by…read morethe water and although Pete's doesn't have the largest volume of patio seating, all of it is right by the water. Since it was an off-time, I also had the whole patio to myself. I ordered the Garden Gimlet (which I finally learned with a hard G, like "gift"). The drink arrived ice-cold (which hit especially well on such a hot day in Capitola) with a balance of punchy fresh lime juice, delicately herbed syrup, and the classic botanical sophistication of gin. The drink also comes with a decorative edible flower. I don't know my flowers too well but of the two different flowers I had in the two gimlets I ordered, both had a very subtle licorice flavor (nothing at all close to jäger) and an herbaceous quality. Pro-tip: dip the flower in the drink for an even more complex experience. The drinks and the ambiance were both excellent but the service took the experience to the next level. I had the pleasure of being served by Erik, who is normally the bartender but was also my server today. He was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, and served a consistent and delicious drink each of my rounds. I certainly benefited from it being slow the afternoon I visited because I got some extra time to chat with Erik about some of the things on my mind that brought me to grabbing a drink overlooking the water in Capitola. Definitely say hi if you see him working sometime; he's a wise soul.

Great happy hour right on the water!…read more Took a day trip to Capitola and stopped by Pete's to enjoy the amazing weather and view. They have a solid happy hour menu with drinks, great for catching up or even just people watching! We shared the lobster roll, shrimp cocktail, and oysters. I enjoyed their dirty martini extra dirty, but I'm not sure what my sister ordered, but she enjoyed it as well. Service was attentive, and it was right before dinner service, so they made sure to share their specials of the evening. Can't wait to be back next summer to spend time on their deck again!

Cute hole in the wall. Harborside had the FRESHEST oysters and YUMMIEST tuna poke…read more 10/10 would recommend

Very small fish market in the harbor where all the boats park, right underneath Johnny's Harborside…read moreSeafood Restaurant. Even though small in size, at least they focus and value the local catch. To that I had to show my interest. I saw they opened a newer store in north Santa Cruz in a new and hip retail complex called The Swift Street Courtyard. That one seems to be more geared toward prepared foods/product as that complex is a food and drink destination, breweries, wine tastings and coffee shops all around. This one is mostly a raw fish market. Mostly filleted and pan-ready items. Not sure if you can request a whole fish here but my guess is you can if you establish a correspondence with the employees. But in a small cooler up front they also have some prepared seafood items ready to grab n go. They have tuna poke, some ceviche, and some smoked salmon deviled eggs. They may have more things but the slowish day I went, that seemed the selection. Rockfish Ceviche ($14/4*) my receipt said halibut ceviche but the container label said rockfish. Not sure what I got but the nice chunks of fish were nice and whitish from the citrus cure, clean and meaty. Which ever I got, it was delicious. There was sliced raw onions, cucs, tomato, jalapeno and cilantro which made for a standard but satisfying ride. Everything was in nice big chunks which I tend to like more than when Mexican places finely chop it to where you can't really identify anything anymore. Only thing I wished I had access to were some squirts of hot sauce and some tortilla chips. But since this wasn't a sit-down resto situation I had to make due. Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs ($8/3.5*) You only get 3 halves so basically an egg n a half. I think they should give at least 4 halves to even things out if being shared. But the smoked salmon is beaten into the yolk mixture so you can't really see or identify it. Upon chewing the deviled egg, you will taste a smidge of smoked salmon. It's not strong or in your face but it will remind you that something else is there. I wished it were more identifiable or obvious, but it was still pretty tasty especially with the hits of tobiko. They had one of my favorite Asian brands of iced green tea which was a nice surprise. And after swimming and lying around on the hot beach down the street, this made for a refreshing snack break. Even though I wished there were better seating and amenities this filled a void on a weekday when the restaurant upstairs was closed. Nice find and I'll try and buy some local fish from their market next time I'm around. And I sure as heck am gonna try their newer and more visible location.

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.

We had a wonderful time. It's a beautiful restaurant, we loved the cable car, and the staff was…read morevery responsive. We had a party of 5 including 2 teens and one kid. We were able to find vegetarian dishes easily and loved the desserts! It was very special!

I love this Restaurant! I celebrated my 60th birthday in March. It was such a special night. The…read morefood was delicious! The service was outstanding, ambiance is beautiful. And of course celebrating a milestone with friends and family was the icing on the cake.. Thank you ShadowBrook

Came across this cute little breakfast spot while we were in Santa Cruz. And we weren't…read moredisappointed. Was a bit busy so we had to wait to be seated but as soon as we were, the staff was on it. The corned beef hash was amazing! I finished the entire plate. The cinnamon roll was warm and delightful. Had some nuts inside which made it even better. I did try some of my friends waffle and it was so good and the perfect amount. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a cute low key brunch/breakfast spot.

A nice small cafe with both indoor and outdoor (picnic tables) seating. Cash or check only, with a…read moregood selection of daily specials. I had the well-portioned corned-beef hash and 2 eggs with a side of bacon. Bacon was nice and crispy, but unfortunately, the corned-beef hash was bland; no flavor until you add salt/pepper or salsa. Service was terrific (fast and friendly). Overall, a good locals spot to hit for breakfast or lunch.

I stopped by Caffe Cruise and had a half roasted chicken with black rice and black beans, along…read morewith a separate dish called Linguine Cruise, which I added "prawns" to. Now, I say "prawns" because apparently there was a little seafood identity crisis happening -- they were actually shrimp! Outside of that little prawn/shrimp confusion, everything was exceptionally good. The roasted chicken was delicious, the black rice was really good, but those black beans were FIIIIRRREEE! They had this amazing smoky flavor that I absolutely loved. Seriously, those beans were ridiculously good. The Linguine Cruise was also excellent, and even though my "prawns" turned out to be shrimp, they were still damn good! The restaurant itself is huge, clean, and has plenty of seating, with a killer bar that I really liked. The atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming, and the staff were super friendly, funny, and genuinely enjoyable to deal with. Overall, I really liked this place. Great food, good portions, cool atmosphere, friendly people, and some seriously fire black beans. I'd absolutely go back!

We visited with family, a group of eight, and had a reservation. Even though the restaurant was…read morepacked and lively, it never felt overly loud, making it easy to enjoy conversation. The exterior doesn't do the restaurant justice. Inside, the dining room and patios are beautifully decorated, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. There's plenty of space for both small and mid-sized groups. The food was fabulous! We started with the calamari, which was honestly some of the best I've ever had, perfectly cooked and full of flavor. We also ordered the seasonal Caprese (tomato stack) salad, which was incredibly fresh with a wonderful combination of flavors. Even the complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar stood out. The balsamic was so good I forgot to ask what brand they use so I could buy some for home! Our server was friendly, attentive, and helpful. When I ordered the fettuccine with steak, she thoughtfully confirmed whether I wanted the Gorgonzola Alfredo or the traditional Alfredo sauce. I chose the traditional Alfredo, and it was absolutely perfect. I shared it with my daughter, so the photo shows about half of the original portion. Everyone at our table loved their meals. The rotisserie chicken received rave reviews as well, although I forgot to take a photo. If the weather is nice, don't miss the outdoor patios. There's a table for six near the fireplace that looked especially inviting. I wanted to take a picture, but I couldn't get the angle without including other diners in the frame. I also tried the watermelon martini, which was refreshing and delicious, and the wine pours were generous. If you're in Aptos, this restaurant is absolutely worth a visit. We'll definitely be back.

Sea food is my favorite and rarely am I impressed by new recipes. The vast variety of ceviche that…read moreis available is amazing. The mango and fish Ceviche was delicious and is my new favorite. Definitely my new favorite spot in Santa Cruz.

Have been here twice and tried their aguachile verde both times. I got their plate which is perfect…read morefor two people. I believe it is made fresh for every order so it can be a bit of a wait, but totally worth it. The aguachile is delicious and you can also choose if you want no spice, mild, or spicy. It comes with a few tostadas, but they charge if you want extra. They make agua fresca as well, but they had ran out this last time. The service is okay, it can definitely be improved. There is indoor and outdoor seating available. There is some street parking available and I believe a parking lot in the back. Definitely worth a try!

such a vibe there! I love how chill everyone else is.The age group (from that night) ranged from 70…read moreyr olds to 33 yr olds. Everyone had a great time listening to live music.. a lot of ppl were dancing. The only thing that I way would say is maybe have a ladies restroom in the near future?

Food that hits the spot. You thought you've had fish and prawn tacos before but then you eat at The…read moreSand Bar. One bite into the tacos and ceviche and enlightenment surrounds you. Inside the main bar and restaurant is dark with some friendly buzzing flies. The restroom is artistically painted with some stickers and graffiti to make it feel homely. The jewel is the outdoor patio with a view of the Venetian Court colorful homes. Server was super friendly and accommodating for a family of young kids. They automatically charged gratuity for my group of six. Would definitely come back again.

Just ate here last night with my whole family including my toddlers and my in-laws and we all had a…read moregood dinner. Pleasantly surprised by how well they were set up to serve kids - solid kids menu options and all the kids meals are served on a frisbee you get to take home. Kids cups with kids and straws for their drinks and coloring pages and crayons provided. Food overall was good. The whole table loved the Beach Blanket Breadalon appetizer - basically cheesy, garlic sourdough. I had the clam chowder and the Apple Gorgonzola salad and both were very good. Everyone else's entrees were reportedly good, not great except the Halibut was reportedly exceptional. Service was good, they definitely wanted to provide us with a good experience. Pacing of the serving wasn't the best but you never know how much of that is the server vs the kitchen and overall I felt they tried and did well. We sat outside and enjoyed the view of the Capitola beach houses. They have heaters which are nice as nights are reliably cool even on hot days here. Overall would recommend

My family and I stopped by Paradise Beach Grille during our trip and, unfortunately, left a bit…read moredisappointed. The best part of the experience was easily the location. We sat outside and had an incredible view of Capitola Beach. The service was slow throughout the meal, and one thing that stood out was that I never received a water refill the entire time we were there. It wasn't terrible service, but it definitely felt inattentive. I ordered the Seafood Fettuccine because I wanted something a little more filling. In hindsight, that's partly on me since seafood fettuccine isn't exactly a dish I usually expect to be exceptional anywhere. The Alfredo sauce was bland and needed a lot of pepper to bring some life to it. Most of the seafood was overcooked and chewy, particularly the fish. The clams were probably the best part of the dish and were cooked reasonably well. Overall, the view was fantastic, but beyond that, the meal didn't do much for me. Between the slow service and underwhelming food, this ended up being one of the worst meals I had on my trip.

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.