So what's so special about Castaways?... Well. This is the dive bar that you want to come in for a cool, friendly and relaxed time. Alone or with friends, this is a cool bar. Excellent and friendly service, amazing drinks and the chill effect you want in a local bar. This is my place to unwind after a baby day at work. The place to come in for a few drinks and enjoy the ambience and the friendly, and very professional bartenders. There are a few bars around. But this is really the place to come. read more

The Castaways - Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I've always had a great experience at castaways. Your experience makes it or breaks it with the bartender that serves you to be honest, Sam has been the best bartender the entire year and last year serving me but the one time I go on a different day i get called out by Anthony over a miss understanding which was unprofessional and questionable, when closing out my tab when it was his Job in the first place to keep my drinks in order, and my friends in theirs. Why would he say I'm taking advantage of my friend? Couldn't he approach it in a different way and just directly ask me what I'm paying for? I've been here for a long time and it really hurt my feelings. Unfortunately I may continue going back to days where he's not working. read more

The drinks are yummy and so is the hottie bartender Laura. She's just the sweetest. She recommended a fan favorite for a cocktail and I must say, it was delish. read more

Clean, laidback spot with excellent service from the bartender. There's pool tables, darts, and a small couch lounge area as well. Not sure why it's rated so low read more

The Castaways - Bar area - Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Super cool dive bar! Cheap well drinks, friendly locals, and two pool tables. The waitress was very friendly as well!

Why did it take me this years old to realize what amazing tiki drinks Castaways has?!?! I strongly feel this is the most underrated bar in town. $12 gets me a Mai Tai that is hands-down the best (arguably over the ones in Hawaii) and is made with high-quality rums and fresh lime juice - no crappy fillers where I'm hung over the next day. Easy going vibe, rad bartenders, pool tables, music & won't break the bank. Great hidden secret and has been my spot since I had my first drink there 8 months ago. Also recommended: piranha for 2 (or one :)) read more

I haven't had any food but the staff is friendly and the ambience is on point! Also the price is good! Definitely recommend

Great little local bar! The decor is too boring to call it divey but the fish tanks behind the bar give you something living to star at if the east side locals don't do it for you, haha! I love this place because they host "burner happy hour" the 3rd Wednesday night of each month. burn·er /brnr/ One who rages with all the crazies in Black Rock City, NV It's a great gathering of Santa Cruz Burners featuring Local (burner) DJ's playing dubstep and other forms of EDM you would find out on the playa. A mini burn without the dust! (or fire for that matter) The bartenders are pretty responsive but they use the "shot nazi" (jigger) and I have yet to have decent pour but the prices are reasonable. Beer is a safe bet and they have a decent selection on tap. read more

Place is amazing and the guy that owns the place rocks!!! If you're in Santa Cruz and need a good spot for drinks The Castaways is your spot! read more

Just found it. Had to drop my wife at the nail salon next door and was looking how to kill an hour. Lo and behold - nice dive next door, great selection of draft beers, great prices, nice service, nice sunny patio on the back. I can spend a few more hours here ;) read more

Meggan is such a great bartender! I've frequented where she works for a very long time. It's definitely worth the drive from the East Bay!

Dive bar foreshore kinda nice in the day. It was a hot day and a good stop. Yet I think the beer taste good and is on tap. Billy can play one hell of a game of pool. read more

The Castaways - Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Popped in for a drink here late Tues afternoon. Not sure what it's like here late at night, but liked their nice red pool tables and the two fish tanks behind the bar. Pretty cool. Clientele was nicely balanced, both young and old. I asked an older gentleman in there if there was any gang activity in there and he said, "Heck no, we took care of all that long ago!" Bartender was really nice and friendly. Bonus points for the motion activated bathroom light. A la Monk, I hate touching dirty light switches in the bathroom. Nice proximity to two other bars. Will definitely be back. read more

Ummm...very interesting little bar. Gotta love the random strip mall bar in the middle of suburbia. I have friends who live near the mall in Capitola, and this is the walking-distance bar that we've frequented on occasion. Patrons range from east-side-surfers to horny cougars. Pool table and internet juke box make the strong drinks go down fast. Bottom line: not very exciting. read more

Got trashed in here a few weeks back, good times! Could barely stand up straight after several Goldschlägers and beers. Pretty run of the mill bar, pretty divey but I love all that. Don't remember much apart from feeling sorry for the bored looking fish behind the bar and the Australian who was with us for most of the evening and who after hearing my British accent swore blind that she was from England too. Not bloody likely cobber! Very interesting evening leaving me and my wife very confused, most likely cos we were pretty toasted. Extra star for being walking distance from my condo. read more

When I make it over to the East, this is my billabong! What a bunch of mixed nuts hang here. I like a good game of pool and the tables here are decent and there's usually somebody willing to play a game. Eddie Money is usually playing on the Jukebox and I could probably tell you who is there right now. The bartenders here rock! I like the little blond energetic one. She is amazing. Like a hot Tasmanian Devil. The drinks are, well, alcoholic.... It's no longer the seedy meth den that some of you might remember and miss. But, hey we all grow up and put down the pipe at some point and it seems this bar grew up with us. read more

ok Berg W you are odviously not a local or don't go here often. This IS the place to be in the east side of santa cruz other than in capitola. Pool tables, good music strong drinks and if you're a local you will see everyone you know here. I would recommend to anyone staying or visiting the east side of santa cruz. My mom lives right up the street and her and my step dad love this place, they go here more than me! Not usually packed during the week but if you want just a mellow place to go get a drink and play pool on a week day this place is fun. Sometimes they host events, most recent was cold water classics and it went off most people I have ever seen there. Service is always friendly and during the summer this place goes off.. just like most of santa cruz during the summer. read more

mmmm it's a very small place. The speakers were good, good music. I don't play pool or I would have given a higher rating, although I think there were maybe only 3 pool tables. It is a small place with just room to sit at the bar and maybe 4 tables. This is NOT a fancy place, just a place to grab a beer or stiff drink. I have a feeling there's a lot of good looking surfers in here if you go in the early evening as Pleasure Point is just a few blocks away. read more

Came here on a weekday during Happy Hour. Good, cheap drinks, friendly bartender and local crowd. Not pretentious or fancy, but just a simple place to get a drink and relax. The bathroom walls are a chalk board for people to graffiti on with chalk- brilliant idea!!! I'll be back for sure. read more

The fish are cool, the Thursday bartender is cooler. They don't play the jukebox unless people are paying which sucks and doesn't happen in good ol' Cleveland. Highly recommend. read more

Great place to grab a few beers and shoot a round or two of pool. Bartenders are awesome and there's a cool vibe! Cool little neighborhood bar. read more

full bar, with a lot of choices. I really love the decor and cleanliness. There are pool tables, a jukebox, and aquariums.

Not my favorite place to go to in Santa Cruz area a little small one little shabby pool table dirty bathrooms definitely did not like this and I do like dive bars but this was just not the greatest place read more

Leia is an amazing bartender! She is so sweet. Great service and great vibes with her around. Ask for her pineapple kamikaze! Best I've ever had read more

It's a dive bar of a whole different proportion. There always seems to be cops pulling up to the front doors. If you don't know anybody that frequents this establishment, than you probably shouldn't go. There are a couple pool tables and the bar always seems well kept. Prices seem high for what you get. read more

While waiting for our pizza to be made, we walked over to see what this quaint little bar had to offer. We walked in and were greeted by the friendliness of a local bar with pool tables and a nice little corner for small groups. The bartender Trixie was very pleasant with a great personality. She took our drink order and presented us with drinks that looked amazing and tasted even better. Great first time experience and we'll be sure to tell our friends. read more

the hottest bartenders in town!! by far the most fun bar in town! the girls put on a great show and they really know how to rock the party. party bus rules too!!! if you wanna kick it local style come to castys and watch sexy ladies serve you drinks while you watch surfing.... The blond with the huge boobs is the hottest chic in town!!!! read more

Good dive bar. Wish there were more pool tables. But good late night spot with locals

I had so much fun here! It was an entire neighborhood party. I saw everyone I knew from around the east side and the point area and even made more friends and yeah the juke box costs money but people are always willing to pay for music....AND it has SUCH a sick choice of music. Not your typical juke box. Also, the pool tables are nice and really fun to play. They have a couple small seating areas with super comfy chairs and yeah....had a bunch of fun. I live right down the street and hadn't been before. Will go back. read more

bartenders are really nice but the security guards are total dicks and shake down everyone. they close the doors at dark and it gets really hot and stuffy. liked it better a couple of years ago right after the change. read more

Had a great fourth of July with the exception of having met the bar tender at this establishment. Myself and 6 other went after we had enough fun with the fireworks. while seated at the bar an older gentlemen had an issue and fell flat on his face, the second time he fell he hurt my friend by twisting her ankle. The bar tender made a noise and gesture I thought could have meant she was going to intervene with the obviously over intoxicated gentleman, I stepped in and proceeded to tell him he was cut off. that's when the bar tender Leah Regan stopped me and proceeded to curse at me while telling me she was buying him another shot. she was to say the least extremely rude and extremely offensive. after consulting with my friends which are all locals they told me not to worry she is just really drunk. obviously being drunk at work while working and encouraging people to drink way beyond a safe manner is absolutely un expectable. needless to say I will not give this bar my business again. read more