La Madeleine French Bakery

De La Hacienda Taqueria

➤ 354 Washington St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, United States

Menu • Fish • Meat • Cheese • Drinks

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"This is an excellent taqueria serving freshly made, delicious Mexican dishes. We tried the vegan burritos filled with beans, cabbage, and avocado, and they were fantastic. The salsa has a great flavor and a bit of heat; I personally prefer the red salsa over the green. The chips are crispy and not greasy, which is a nice change from many taquerias. They also offer a good selection of drinks, including Mexican Coke. I opted for the mineral water, and it was very refreshing. There is a decent amount of seating inside, with a few tables in the back. The service was outstanding, and the owner, Alex, makes sure everything runs smoothly. I definitely plan to return!"

Makai Island Kitchen Groggery

➤ 49A Municipal WharfCA 95060, Santa Ana, United States

Menu • Full • Kitchen • Seafood • Ice Cream

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"I have been missing the food and atmosphere in Waikiki lately, and this place truly brought me back to the relaxing ocean breeze, comfort food, and tropical vibes of Hawaii! I had a lovely time here with my family, and we all loved the food, drinks, and service! Shoutout to Danielle for being such a wonderful server. FOOD Chicken lettuce wraps: These were a bit messy to eat but very good! The lettuce was very fresh and was a great way to start our meal. Papaya salad: We LOVED this dish!! The balance between the greens, papaya, lychee, and macadamia nuts was so delightful and refreshing. Hawaiian Mochiko chicken: The chicken was so tender and well seasoned! The veggies on the side were also great, and my grandma really enjoyed the healthy option. DRINKS Mermaid's Kiss: This drink was refreshing and strong! It wasn't super sweet, which was perfect. Painkiller: This drink was also pretty strong, and I really enjoyed it! Would highly recommend ordering both of these drinks. SERVICE The service here is amazing, and what I was most impressed by is that they knew we would be doing family style rather than having individual entrees. They brought out extra plates for us, no questions asked. It made me feel that the staff here are culturally competent and mindful, and I really appreciated that! Thank you for a fantastic experience, and I'll definitely be back!"

Capitola Grill

➤ Capitola, 231 Esplanade, 95010-3241, United States

Menu • Bars • Seafood • American • Californian

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"We reserved a table for 8 on Friday evening but turned into a table of 10. They were so accommodating, we’re able to add a table for us. Food and service were fabulous shout out to their clam chowder which we find the best in Capitola and the lobster ravioli! So delicious just needed more bread to enjoy the abundant sauce :"

Cafe Cruz

➤ 2621 41st AveCA 95073-2136, Soquel, United States

Menu • Cafe • Fish • Coffee • Seafood

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"I always thought this was a tiny Mexican restaurant and felt like an idiot to discover it's American-style cuisine with a bar and outdoor patio. The food and service are excellent and quite literally the coolest place is the bar area. This local staple has been here 28 years and owned by the same person. The only thing they don't have is breakfast. Jeanette is the treasure here, although all the employees seemed cool, despite many being younger. They have wine and spirits, but my focus was the six taps of local craft brew from Discretion, Coronado, Corralito's and North Coast Pacific. Corralito's is far up in the hills behind Aptos and I never get up there, but fortunately they get kegs every week. The Richter Red Ale is excellent. It's nice you can sit in the bar and have lunch easily and without a reservation or huge rush. The pastrami sandwich was excellent and I'd expect everything here to be good from the other patrons food I saw. They have a happy hour from 3-5PM where drinks are $2 off, but really the only negative is everything is pricey and it can be occasionally difficult to park if it's busy. I think $9 for beer is quixotic but they have excellent food and service, plus it's a relaxing ambience that also can be cordoned off for groups. The closest thing to Mexican food they have is the Taco Salad btw...in case you wondered. I expected to get an enchilada plate or taquitos and had no idea how wrong I'd been for years driving by. This is also a good place to eat if your going to visit Discretion Brewing in the same parking lot. If that's not good enough, you can buy weed, furniture and mattresses next door as well as a Safeway, Best Buy and Home Depot across the street. So, the location is convenient for doing errands after or meeting folks, being right off PCH. They have parking spots in the front for takeaway orders, with the rest of us using the carpark behind the restaurant. In case you wondered, this was a restaurant 28 years ago before Cafe Cruz, but before that, it was originally a private residence, hence the intensive repurposing you observe today. There's one other small house which survives today in the carpark and the defunct breakfast/lunch place behind Cafe Cruz is slated to open as something similar as Cafe Opal was, with breakfast and lunch only. If Cafe Cruz had breakfast, I don't think any restaurants would ever survive behind them. Cafe Cruz reminds me a little of a favorite family-owned chain in Los Angeles called Hof's Huts (now defunct) but had a very similar model, with a bakery and all-day breakfast being the difference. Anyway, if you can, sit in the bar if Jeanette's working. She knows all the restaurants history and is cool."

East End Gastropub

➤ Capitola, 1501 41st Ave, 95062-3269, Santa Cruz, United States

Menu • Beer • Pubs • Pizza • Brunch

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"What a gem. I was visiting for business and happened across East End accidentally. It has an inviting and open atmosphere which lends to a comfortable stay. I enjoyed the many optioms for draft beers, but opted for the cider which was crisp and refreshing, but not sweet. The Brussel sprouts were fantastic. Umami comes to mind for a description. Slightly sweet, but mostly savory they are a must try. For dinner I had the seasonal white fish and it was like butter. The roasted cauliflower added depth and the raisins a slight sweet which elevated the dish. All in all a plus in my book."