We came here for a quick bite before strolling around. The food was ok, but nothing that knocked our socks off. Typical breakfast food. We had a turkey and avocado scramble, French toast and side of bacon. The service was decent once the server came over. She was friendly and food came out quick. It was nice sitting on the patio by the beach. read more

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Zelda's is right on the beach and is a great place to grab a drink. The cocktails didn't blow me away, so I'd recommend sticking with wine or beer. The clam chowder was good and came out quickly. read more

Zelda's - Drinks - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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Amazing ambience by the beach, they even have outdoor heaters to keep you warm. Creamy pesto Just Pasta wasn't bad, it was a personal portion of pasta topped with parmesan cheese. Classic bruschetta honestly looked really good but the taste was normal. It was crunchier bread at the bottom, and quite light read more

The food was great and the service was fine! I was worried by the reviews but we also went on a Thursday night. We would go back! read more

Zelda's - Cioppino* - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Well, this was a surprise. Hadn't been here in decades. It's been rebuilt several times since I lived here after various floods and storms, and the outdoor seating has expande Had a nice lunch on a shaded table outside with partner and his old friend from way back. Perfect view, perfect service. We were SHOCKED about the food. Had Cobb, and Bay Shrimp salads. $22 each, I think. They were HUGE. Very generous portions of the extra veggies, and meats; in other words, they weren't just all lettuce. Got containers and had second meals. Absolutely delicious. All very fresh and chilled ingredients. We had a round of $12 Margaritas. Meh. Very sugary, didn't taste fresh. They had the flavor of cheap, bottled, margarita mix. But, hey -- perfect weather, wonderful service, magical view. My bitching about the cocktails just means I'm old and cranky. We had a blast here! read more

We sat on the patio and enjoyed fish and chips with surprisingly good cocktails. We enjoyed watching the dozer moving sand around on the beach. Some people were complaining about being in the sun and not being able to move tables but there was plenty of indoor seating and I expect reservations may have limited seating options on the patio. read more

Almost didn't go because of the reviews glad we decided to go.The view was great Best cioppino I've had in my life. The server was attentive and help full . Def recommend. read more

Absolutely horrible. Worst clam chowder we have ever had. It was thick but not creamy. Gritty and cold. The fish and chips was disgusting. Raw in the middle, fell apart and had bread crumbs not batter. The only decent thing was our Paloma read more

The food was great! We had the chowder, poke (homemade chips with balsamic, slaw, and macadamia nuts), calamari (light fry with tangy tartar and cocktail sauces), seafood melt (crab/shrimp grilled bread and melt cheese), nachos, and fish and chips (solid good fry with fries). Nothing disappointed! Service was quick, attentive, and courteous. We sat outdoors, and the patio was very enjoyable. Everything you'd expect right on the beach. It was so good that we came back the next day to try out more of the menu! read more

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Sitting on their patio is always a lovely experience! It's so nice to sit oceanside and enjoy a nice meal. Their staff are always great and super helpful! This last time I went, they had made me an off menu virgin spicy mocktail which was delicious! We always go for their oysters which are great to enjoy by the beach and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys similar bites! read more

Zelda's - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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Went here for lunch this weekend. The atmosphere was great, we were able to sit outside with our dog and enjoy watching the birds and the ocean while we ate. They had a sign up with rules for how your dog should behave which I appreciated as Millie was able to follow all of them. However, it doesn't seem they keep people to the rules as a smaller dog jumped out from under a table barking and snapping at Millie as we walked to our table. The staff did nothing about it and the owner of the dog apologized, but if you are going to have rules to make it safe for all guests and their pets, you should make people follow them. The food was pretty good, we got fish and chips and clam chowder in a bread bowl and finished them off! The prices were a little high but thats expected when you are sitting and eating right on the beach. The waitstaff were nice but not very present. Unfortunately we were only checked on once, and were never brought the extra side of sauce we asked for. We finished our meal and had our dishes taken and then had to wait for 15 minutes as our waiter was no where around and no one would stop by or look at us so we could ask for our check. Unfortunately the long wait and minimal service put a bit of a damper on our experience, but the weather was beautiful and the food was great! read more

Zelda's - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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I'm really bummed to be writing this review as we've been going here for years. We've generally had good experiences but when I looked this up before our latest trip to Capitola I saw the reviews weren't stellar. I decided to go anyway. My wife and I are in Capitola for our 10th wedding anniversary as this place is pretty special to us. I called Zelda's a few weeks ago and asked if I could have anything special done for our anniversary and I'd be happy to pay extra to make that happen. I was told no, that they don't do these requests and they would likely be very busy on a Saturday night. I worked in restaurants for years and understood that you just can't always accommodate. It was a bummer but not a big deal. Upon arriving we chose to sit outside. Now we knew the weather and asked to sit next to a heater. They said sure, and the hostess walked us to a table by a heater. She reached up discovered that it was off and rather than having it turned on she sat us away from a heater. About 10 minutes later the manager came over and started that heater and we asked to switch back. Again not a huge inconvenience but not a great start. We then sat at our table for a bit and when the waiter came we gave him our entire order. For entrees we ordered the "ribeye" and the seafood pasta. The food runner brought the food to our table and walked off. I was then surprised to discover that my ribeye was a New York strip. This could've been a simple mixup, except they don't have a New York on the menu. When my waiter came back I pointed this out to him and showed him pictures of the cuts as he stated he doesn't know the difference. Whatever, it's not a steakhouse I don't expect the waiter to be an expert and he's just trusting their menu, as it should be accurate anyway. He told me he'd talk to the manager after I declined having another item. Now it was our 10th wedding anniversary dinner. I didn't want my wife and I to have to sit there and watch the other eat. They came back and offered me a discount on the steak or a free dessert. I chose the discount, but honestly I'm surprised the manager didn't come over and check in with us as the restaurant was half empty and he admitted the steak wasn't a ribeye. They told me there is some new menu coming, but honestly I think that was just an excuse to sell a cheaper cut for a higher price. They also tried to lie to me and tell me a strip is a more expensive cut. Which at this point just own it and we can all move on. Now as all of this was unfolding I listened to them lie at full volume to 6 other people telling them they were receiving ribeyes. Honestly just a shady practice to sell a cheaper cut to people who don't know better. In addition to all of this one of the clams in my wife's pasta wasn't cooked enough for the shell to open. Finally when the bill comes they added some 4% surcharge to it. You think you'd omit this on the table that caught you lying. Also, this is stupid, just raise your prices 4% and don't gouge me at the end with this. All in all pretty disappointing and I guess I'll have to eat elsewhere from now on. We still had a great anniversary trip, but this dinner wasn't great. I hope they see this and improve and I'll be encouraging my family when we travel here to eat elsewhere. Bummer. read more

Zelda's - New York strip being sold as a ribeye. - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Food: Average. Nothing really stood out. Service: To be fair, our first server was excellent--friendly, attentive, and professional. Unfortunately, the overall experience ended on a disappointing note. Our family of about 12 gathered to celebrate my sister's birthday. Everyone ordered a meal, including my adult son, who has severe autism. We ordered chicken strips for him, but once the food arrived, he refused to eat any of it. My wife quickly went next door to buy food that he is familiar with and would actually eat. We were then informed that outside food was not allowed. We completely understand and respect the restaurant's policy. However, we explained that our son has severe autism, was becoming increasingly anxious, and that we had already purchased a meal for him from the restaurant. We simply asked for a little understanding given his disability and unique needs. Unfortunately, no exception was made. Rather than let the situation escalate and cause our son further distress, we decided to leave before we had even finished our own meals. We respect that businesses have policies, but we had hoped for a little compassion and flexibility in a situation involving a person with a disability. That would have made all the difference. read more

We had a great experience, eddy was our sever, he was very good. The outside searing and inside searing has beautiful views!! The food wasn't too bad, we got fries and clam chowder both were good. Eddy got us extra water and to go containers without us asking, service was great! Grab a beer and food, enjoy the view! read more

The food and service were good. This is a tourist beach spot. It is what it is. It is far, far better than its overall Yelp rating. Every one star review I read is from a whiny narcissistic idiot. read more

We came to Capitola for the day with my family . We were by the beach and saw this cute patio decided to come in and check it out . We got some drinks and drank them on the outside patio over looking the beach . The inside has a nice bar area and cozy feel . They have clean restrooms and a good vibe . After a while we got hungry so we went inside the restaurant to have a formal sit in lunch . Our waiter Sam was amazing super attentive and friendly. He definitely made sure we were taken care of . The food is a little pricy but it was good . We ordered .. Cobb salad $21 + $2.50 for avocado 2 -Caesar salads $15 + $12 for salmon They had a surcharge on our bill too . So food was pricy but good for the location right by the beach . Overall I would definitely eat there again . The views are amazing very convenient to sit on the patio you are pretty much on the beach . Sam was amazing. Good times . read more

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I've been here a few times, I can't say everything is great on the menu. The places is a view restaurant so my exceptions on the food are low. I was just hoping there was something decent enough that I could enjoy with the view. One note on the view, the patio was right on a busy beach so not as peacefully as you might think with kids and parents yelling and playing. I ordered: Fried calamari (4 Stars) It came with two sauces red cocktail sauce with a really good kick of horseradish and the other, one was a white tartar sauce, also really good. Cheeseburger (3.5 Stars) I ordered it blackened, with pepper jack cheese, medium. I also add mustard. The burger met my expectations, I would order again. The bun and veggies were all fresh. The meat quality was decent, if they used a little higher quality beef it could really be 4 stars. The fries (3 Stars) were ok nothing special, although they did add some season salt. Until next time... read more

Power went out at The Crow's Nest so decided to drive over to Zelda's in Capitola. I had the most delicious seared Ahi salad with ginger and wasabi in the history of the world. Lol I'm going to dream about it. My husband had calamari and enjoyed it too. Our server was Emily M and she was lovely. Will be back soon read more

Do NOT waste your money on the fish and chips. Overpriced and not good. Fish "patties" were flat and fries were warm at best, hard as a rock and tasteless. Obviously just sitting there waiting for the next order. Table next to us didn't eat any of their fries either. read more

We both had the fish and chips. $27 ea. got 3 slices of cod which looked like sticks. They were over cooked and dry. Even the tartar sauce was average. Over cooked fish is the worse. No flavor and nothing spectacular here. read more

Zelda's - Fish & Chips - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Overpriced fast food (with bulk) quality. Cocktails are weak, stick with bottled beer.

First of all, to all those negative reviews, they aren't accurate. I grew up in Santa Cruz, have been visiting here every year, lived in LA with the best of restaurants, travelled the world eating at 5 star restaurants everywhere, and the food & service here are great for what it is. I'm a foodie and this is decent brunch food for what it is -- a touristy beach town. We have never had the 5 star bougie food that the swanky places in Silicon Valley or LA have so it is what it is. Food was served quickly, was hot and tasty and the service was perfect. read more

Zelda's - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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I've gone back and forth about writing this review, but when a food allergy isn't taken seriously, that crosses a line. Putting someone's health at risk is absolutely inexcusable. My mom took us to Zelda's for lunch on Friday. Before we even got our meal, hornets were flying around our table, one even landed on my 8-month-old's arm (thank you to the busboy who quickly caught it in a cup). Shortly after, a rat ran up to our table, which was enough for us to move inside to finish our lunch. I informed our server that I have a dairy allergy. Instead of confirming with the chef or checking ingredients, she simply offered to put the tartar sauce on the side. That doesn't help if it's made with dairy, it shouldn't be anywhere near my plate. It felt like my allergy was treated as an inconvenience rather than a serious health concern. When the food arrived, I trusted that my allergy had been taken seriously. Unfortunately, after one bite, I could immediately taste dairy. I asked another server to double-check, and sure enough, the tartar sauce contained sour cream. There was no apology, no attempt to make things right, no comp meal, just indifference. Between the pests and the disregard for food allergies, this was a deeply disappointing and unsafe experience. I will not be returning, which is a shame because I had hoped for better. read more

I don't get the bad reviews. Our server was great. Chinese chicken salad, burger, and calamari were all great. Ambiance was great. Just like I remember going as a child. The only thing negative was the bathroom. Consistently 5 people waiting in line and only 1 of the 2 stalls was working. One was stopped up the whole time. I understand this is an older building but for the size of the restaurant, there should really be more stalls. Especially since they have an extensive alcohol menu. But definitely worth the visit. read more

Great spot to grab a drink and some appetizers. Incredible views and a dog friendly patio. I was surprised to see many low ratings for Zelda's as I really enjoyed my time here. While visiting Capitola I went for both dinner and brunch! The specials they had for Valentine's Day weekend were incredible - specifically the mushroom gnocchi. read more

Zelda's - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Always great food and service at Zelda's. I recommend sitting on the patio- enjoy the sun and the waves crashing nearby. I had the French toast and its chicken tenders. The brioche bread was light and fluffy. I wished it was less buttery and more cinnamon. The chicken tenders have the perfect amount of flavor and breading - not too thick. And the chicken is juicy. I had them make a special drink with pineapple juice and whiskey - yum!! Service is always good- asking if you need anything and refilling the water glass appropriately. read more

Zelda's - French Toast - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Not sure what all the low reviews are about. Amazing location, superfast service, and the Asian chicken salad was exactly how they should be done (Imo) . My fiancé ordered the fish and chips and she said it was some of the best she's had in a long time. read more

Nothing beats the outdoor seating with the beach right in front of you. Their staff were great though the food is just average. read more

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We came here early one morning for a family brunch. We were immediately greeted by kind people and got to pick a table right near the heater (it was cold outside). The service was great, with our orders being taken quickly and our food coming out within a few minutes nice and warm. We ordered the breakfast burrito, eggs benedict, and spinach mushroom scramble. The breakfast burrito was absolutely huge, and super tasty. Definitely need a knife and fork to eat it. The eggs benedict has a super crunchy English muffin and a delicious homemade sauce, plus the poached eggs were cooked perfectly. As the for scramble, I decided to sub in egg whites and they cooked it very well. I wish there was a little more spinach and a hint more mushroom flavor, but other than that the filling was cooked very well and the scramble as a whole was very good. And the side of fruit was super fresh and perfectly sweet. The price was a little expensive at about $17 a person, and they charged +$2 for subbed egg whites and +$3 for subbed side of fruit over home fries. Cute little place, and a great beach view. They also have a coffee bar with a bunch of pastries you can order either at the outdoor to-go window or inside the restaurant. read more

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Came for the outdoor seating right on the beach and wasn't disappointed. We arrived on a Saturday at about noon and were seated right away. Cocktails were delicious (I had a Peach Pounder with an extra shot) and the food was good quality and the portions were generous. I had a chicken sandwich and shared some of my son's ceviche. No problems or complaints, and the view was wonderful. read more

Been going to Zelda's for years. Recently had a very bad experience due to the manager. I was with a party of seven on the fireworks night. We had a great dinner and spent several hundred dollars on great food and drinks. Five minutes before the fireworks the manager wanted us to leave. We had exceeded their 90 minute table limit. There was no one waiting for the table so it was a total power play by the manager. I would understand if people were waiting for the table, but they weren't. Pictures of our unoccupied table ten minutes later and thirty minutes later are attached. Creating a scene and burning years of good feelings about the place. We weren't rowdy, just a party of middle aged diners booted because of a time limit rule! read more

Zelda's - Patio - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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Had a crab and shrimp sandwich. Thomas our server gave solid opinions about is good. Love that in a server. read more

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I visited for breakfast and it was such a beautiful view of the ocean! Luckily I went on a sunny day with some girlfriends. We ordered the chilaquiles with avocado and my other friend ordered the basic breakfast. The waiter was really helpful and attentive. I would say to be careful of the birds as they are flying by, they didn't try to take our food but they were awfully close to us as we ate. It was a bit on the pricier side, but that's to be expected with a beautiful view. Other than that I had a great time here :) read more

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All 8 of us had a yummy meal. I had the seafood melt with a side of cocktail sauce. Would order again

My partner and I are suckers for happy hour. Stopped by for some small bites and drinks. Happy hour is Monday- Friday 3:30-5:30 and on Wednesdays it's from 3:30-close What we ordered: -Margarita ($5) - Mai Tai ($5) - Pulled pork sliders ($10) -Ceviche ($10) add avocado ($2.50) The margarita was meh, it tasted watered down. The Mai Tai was better but still just average. As for the pulled pork sliders, those were soooo good. The ceviche was good but overpriced and $2.50 to add a half of an avocado seems overpriced. Service was quick and friendly. Cleanliness was lacking. Our silverware was visibility dirty and had to be sent back. The location is in downtown capitola overlooking the beach. Overall, this place has good prices and great views but the quality of the drinks could use some work. read more

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Always a great spot to grab some brunch before the sand. Such a local gem. The past few experiences with service have fell short. I'm not speaking about weekends. This is a weekday, fair weather to nice weather mornings with Limited crowds. Servers are still kind, but lack table service. It's not uncommon to wait 10 minutes for water and acknowledgment. Kind though. The hostess....maybe a smile. How about a thank you or any version of the English language. Not a sound. Not for me or anyone else. read more

** Overall 3.5 stars ** Ambiance: 4 stars It's spacious and has a fun vibe. Location: 5 stars It's right on the beach! It doesn't get better than this. Food: 3.5 stars We only got appetizers and drinks. They were decent, but not spectacular or memorable. Well the Cheez-Whiz on the nachos was kinda funny and therefore "memorable", but not in a good way. Price: 3.5 stars They were a little high, but that's to be expected for a restaurant at a prime location. Parking: 3 stars It's downtown Capitola, so it's difficult-to-find street parking with either meters that don't take credit cards or a digital meter box that is worn down so you can't read the instructions. Tip: There are parking lots just outside of downtown that will be cheaper and less of a headache, if you are there on a weekend afternoon or evening. You go to Zelda's not for the food, but for the ambiance, the view, the closeness to the beach, and the vibe. read more

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This is for happy hour only. $5 drink menu for happy hour only--no food. Outside in the deck is beachfront so great ambiance. Drinks meh, food meh. read more

Zelda's - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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bleh. View was great if you just wanna hang and people watch, but the drinks were SO AWFUL. Unfortunately it was just a heavy hand of frat house vibes read more

Zelda's - Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Amazing experience at Zelda's! The food was delicious, the service was attentive, and the bartender made incredible drinks especially the Lava Flows and the Al Moretto Sour. We had the perfect dinner spot by the window, with the fresh ocean breeze and the sound of waves crashing while still being able to catch the game on TV. The atmosphere was the perfect balance of relaxing and fun. Highly recommend! - The salads we ended up making into a Shrimp Louie's, And the kitchen understood the assignment! It was amazing! read more

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