Dive Bar with heart and standards. Great drinks, fun live bands and entertainment, and impressive…read moreservice. I believe its because its under new managing ownership with Amy at the helm, leading by example. An industry OG who cares about delivering great drinks, service, and experience while also making sure her staff are well supported. Any bar can make a drink, Mission West makes a fantastic one, but the service and overall experience is what differentiates Mission West.

I've lived in Santa Cruz county for almost 10 years and haven't really visited a lot of bars in…read moretown. My sister came to visit so I looked up a few to check out and she liked their drink menu here so we checked it out. Walking in its divey inside, but I always love a good dive bar. The bartender was super friendly, happy to chat and offered us the drink list to look over. They had a pickle martini on the menu and that's what we opt'd for. I never had one before, but I DUG it. It's savory and a bit sour, love. We sat outside and they had pizza to order back there and line dancing happening. It was fun to watch the environment and people dancing. Good crowd of folks and friendly to conversation.

Have No Beer Beer…read morebar located inside the Abbott Square Market in Downtown Santa Cruz. The Good: * Friendly service * Covered dog-friendly outdoor dining * Great selection of beer and wine on tap that changes seasonally or as availability allows. * Cocktails The Meh: * No food, but that's OK; you're literally surrounded by food at the Abbott Square Market. The Ugly: * Street parking only, which can be hit-or-miss, and be sure to read the signage. Conclusion: Beer good.

This place is rated way too low. 3 out of 3 drinks were amazing and the bartender helped guide me…read moreto the third one and was spot on. And they were friendly. So cool and in a sweet center that was better than the dock I was on the night before. Seats open each time I went. Highly recommend!

We had a fabulous belated anniversary dinner at Venus Westside!…read more We started with the roasted Brussels sprouts, which--as always--were incredible! And trust me, we know our Brussels sprouts... my uncle was a Brussels sprout farmer just a few miles away! The wedge salad was amazing, too. For dinner, I enjoyed the blackened salmon while hubby had the skirt steak. Both made for a wonderful meal! But the HIGHLIGHT of the evening was dessert! Neither of us is a fan of flan, but our server assured us that the crème brûlée was a "win-win." WOW!! It exceeded every expectation and set the bar higher than ever! Absolutely divine! A wonderful evening, fabulous food, and the perfect sweet ending to our belated anniversary celebration.

Went for the food, not alcohol, which was good but not to go back for…read more Salad greens nice and fresh. Pleasant waitstaff. Ambiance was a cavernous box with no acoustic damping. And unnecessary loud music.

This is cool spot right on the pier. I love that they take reservations and the food and service…read morewere decent. They have a really cool rotating platform that goes VERY slowly around the bar. It gives a nice touch so that everyone gets a nice window view and one point or another. The food was good. They had a lot of garlic on the veggies which isn't noted in the description. I'd probably ask for it to be off or not included. It was very potent. My wife had the salmon. It was very underdone. Almost like a seared ahi instead. The middle was very raw. I had the Guava Soy Bistro Steak. It was nicely seasoned and cooked as requested.

The poke didn't taste very fresh and the service was just average. When we weren't sure what to…read moreorder, the staff didn't offer any recommendations. And don't expect to get what you see in the photos the actual food was quite different and disappointing. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this place if you're looking for somewhere to eat at the Boardwalk.

First place we've experienced after a disappointing full day in Santa Cruz, finally found a place…read morethat was dog friendly. The Oak & Ale was worth the stop. The bartender was chill, the beer was delicious, the music was very psychedelic and our dog was welcome. Our vibe totally! And the beer was a reasonable price!!

Our fave bar. Cool vibe, pool table, great bar selection, great tenders…read moreThere's no food, tho, so plan accordingly

There are two floors! Downstairs and upstairs…read more Upstairs lounge is bigger with more tables and sofas for large groups. I like the red lighting throughout the whole place. It's a fun and unique vibe

Was my fav in college and now a must when I'm in Santa Cruz. The red room is pretty chill, although…read moreit does get busier on weekend nights. Friendly bartenders, ideal red everything vibes, and two rooms for seating options.

Impressed with the incredible, panoramic oceanfront views of the sand, waves & pier/wharf. Both…read morethe lounge & dining room were uniquely setup to take advantage of the sweeping scenery. The countertops in the lounge faced the ocean with varied seating heights. Greeted gently, quickly & warmly by the hostess & bartender. The service remained consistently attentive from brunch to dinner, lounge to dining room, Promptly given menus, which on the back of one, included a history of Jack O'Neill, the man who invented the wetsuit. Between my boyfriend & myself, soup to appetizer, salad to steak, lounge to dinner the dining room experiences left very little to be desired. Beverages varied greatly. First in the lounge, the glass of water tasted like tap water, ugh. Next orderd a Pellegrino mineral water came swiftly & was much better. In the dining room, waiter Tyler went above & beyond to find the requested fresh mint which when lowered into the hot water, produced a refreshing aroma. The smoked beet salad was imaginative. Wonder what other veggies would taste good smoked? Maybe more root veggies? What a novelty for a vegetarian/vegan. Onto the vegan entree which was most satisfying. At first glance the fish looked like it was created from seaweed. Upon closer examination, a fork was used to crack the surface. In utter disbelief, discovered a slightly, salty, delicate crunch of kale. What glorious, really surprising, sensational texture was achieved. Reminiscent of when my mom would fry sheets of seaweed for my brothers & I as kids. She would oil the pan, I think with sesame oil? Then drop in a sheet of seaweed, which would immediately shrivel up, crackling to a similar crispy crunch. Sprinkled with a bit of salt then turned over & repeated. It came out hot and toasty. Filled with warm sticky rice (my mom is Korean), it hit the spot! Texture was tops back then & now recreated into the shape of a fish. This is what vegan dreams are made of! The spicy savory carrot fondant sauce complimented the perfectly roasted chewy lion's mane mushrooms & other assorted farmers' market vegetables hidden behind the fish. This a dish I would order on repeat for eternity. Was it worth the 6 hour drive for my 65th birthday? Yes! What made it even better was walking back to my onsite Dream Inn hotel room, bestowed by my generous boyfriend. Opened the sliding glass door & stepped out onto the balcony, inhaled the salty air & soaked in the same, if not better view. With an amplified volume of endless waves this special birthday experience was magnificent & memorable.

We just returned to our hotel room after having dinner here for our 30th anniversary. It was…read morefantastic! Parking- we used the free valet at the attached Dream Inn. Appetizer- started with clam chowder which was amazing Entree- we both got the ribeye that was large, delicious and reasonably priced Dessert- wife liked her coffee and we shared the chef's ice cream option with 2 out of the 3 flavor trio being amazing Drinks- my hazy IPA was perfect and my wife's mixed drink with jamaica was pretty good

Hula's completely saved my birthday dinner! After arriving at the restaurant I had originally…read morechosen and being told they couldn't accommodate my party, Hula's was able to seat our entire group and made it feel like my birthday was always meant to be celebrated there. The customer service was amazing from beginning to end. I wish I could remember the staff members' names, but hopefully they remember our group! Everyone was so kind and attentive. They complimented us throughout the night, took pictures for us, and truly made me feel celebrated. The drinks were great and made just right. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better birthday experience. Thank you, Hula's, for turning the night around and making my celebration so special!

Delicious food! Jerk plate is phenomenal! And so is there…read moredesserts. We got the oreo based pie with the local ice cream as the filling which had macadamia nuts in it; it was so good! And it's enough to share for 2 people. I will definitely be back for the jerk plate and the desserts! Service was good! They checked in on us. Gave us great recommendations. Maria was our server and she did such an amazing job! Made us feel welcomed. There is plenty of seats inside and some outside as well. We chose to sit inside as it gave beautiful dim romantic atmosphere.

Really nice spot to chill with friends. Enjoy live music entertainment and the patio fire pit…read moretables. The drinks were really good! Had a nice time.

We had a really nice date night at After Hours! It's a neat place, part coffee shop/cocktail…read morebar/dumpling house/chicken joint. Their official names are: 11th Hour, After Hours, Full Steam Dumpling, and Chubbs Chicken Sandwiches. I definitely want to come back and try the dumplings (they weren't there that night)--and more cocktails! The cocktails were solid. Better than I've had in awhile. The vibe was chill and Allen, the bar manager, was really friendly, passionate about what he does, and gave us some good, local recs for food and drink. I got two cocktails: - Chanel Vintage: Sencha Vodka, Matcha Venus Aquavit, Lemon, Blackberry, Blueberry, Housemade Mochi (not too sweet at all and the housemade mochi was fun) - Limerence: Citadelle Gin, Kina L'Aero D'or, Passion fruit, Lemon Vanilla Sherbert, Side of Prosecco (I've been wanting to try a Porn Star for awhile and this is their version of it. I'm a fan. I also automatically love anything with a side of prosecco.) Allen also gave us housemade lemon shortbread and chocolate to try. Fun stuff. I am all for this baked goods + cocktails combo. Super inventive. Will definitely be back for more cocktail talent!

My favorite bar in town! Great spot for an after-work drink and socializing with the regulars, and…read morethey also host frequent weekend events that often include live music. Love playing darts here and they have a couple of pool tables and a jukebox as well. The owners often bartend themselves and all their staff are super friendly and attentive. There is a large outdoor patio where drinks and smoking are allowed. I've made lots of friends here!

Love this bar, always fun, great bands on tues and wed and pool playing is always fun , great…read morebartenders