Tried Aldo's Harbor Restaurant and honestly wish the experience matched the view. I ordered the Fisherman's Platter for $25.95 and was surprised when it arrived with about four onion rings, a small handful of calamari, four shrimp, and four pieces of cod. Unfortunately, the cod smelled rotten and even looked pink inside, which made it impossible to eat. The calamari was soft and undercooked as well. Service didn't help the situation. Our waitress ignored us several times, and I eventually had to walk up to the counter just to ask for lemon. I had to add seasoning to my fish tacos. It tasted so bland, there's no flavor to the food. I don't know how people can eat here. All The food was so unseasoned. To top it all off, when we left I found a $60 parking ticket waiting for me. The harbor view was nice--honestly the best part of the whole visit--except whenever I looked down at my plate. Really disappointing experience overall. I feel sick after eating here for 85.99 read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - Fish tacos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

What a great spot! Loved the views of the harbor on a beautiful Saturday morning. Danielle took excellent care of us and made yummy recommendations. We got the crab cocktail and the cioppino. Both were fantastic! read more

See all

The rock cod fish and chips was very good. The fish was very fresh and the bread was very light and crispy. The seafood linguine was really excellent. It had clams, mussels, calamari, rock cod, and shrimp in a delicious marinara sauce. The service was very good. The view of the marina was very nice. Will definitely be coming back again. read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Aldo's Harbor Restaurant is truly amazing! Their seafood is always super fresh, not overcooked, not over-breaded, not over-salted. Their crab meat is delicious. Their cioppino is tremendous. They make a mean Bloody Mary. And don't get me started on their homemade pasta! The spinach and cheese ravioli (especially in their bolognese sauce) is out of this world. The fettuccine Alfredo is incredible. Their meatballs are delectable. And their garlic fugasa bread is something you HAVE TO experience. We've never had anything like it before. Whenever my wife and I go there, we can't help but order our favorite seafood dishes and then, on the way out, we order some takeout pasta for dinner that night. The service is excellent and the ambiance is gorgeous. After your meal, be sure to take a walk to the lighthouse and get some ocean mist in your face from the breaking waves. read more

Great location on the harbor. Good service. Terrible food and terrible coffee. I ordered the artichoke scramble and it has little flavor. The coffee tasted weak. overall, the view is sweet and we could bring our dog. read more

We parked on 14th Ave. It is a short walk to the restaurant down hill. You can park past the barrier as well. We had a half hour wait which went by fast. We took a walk by the boats in the harbor. The ocean air is so medicinal. Seating is outdoor. Our waiter came quickly as did our food. I had the Calamari and Chips ($19.95) They were good, just like you would expect when ordering Calamari. I could only eat about 1/2 an order (fried food is filling) with 1/2 the fries, so I took the rest home for a late night snack. In my opinion this location is what draws me to Aldo's. After your meal, take a walk to the lighthouse then a walk on the beach. You can take the stairs back up to the road which makes a big circle. Aldo's has been in business as long as I can remember, and I am 62. read more

See all

I love how dog friendly this restaurant is. The homemade garlic fugasa and clam chowder are crowd pleasers. If you like prawns, you can order them in a quesadilla or over linguine. Don't forget the Bloody Mary! The service is quick and accommodating for special requests. The wait on weekdays is minimal, but if you have to wait at least you get to enjoy those harbor views. read more

See all

Came here because we were headed to Walton Lighthouse. Their clam chowder is not creamy but nonetheless good. I never thought a non-creamy chowder could be good until this one. Fish and Chips were bland, and you would not want to eat it on its own, but when dipped in tartar sauce, then it's ok. I understand most would dip them anyway, but I like tasting the ingredients as it is so I rarely use sauces. If you wanted to seat in their outdoor seating, make sure you get seated first before ordering. We were hungry and made the mistake of ordering first before we listed our name in their waitlist, then was told that we cannot seat there as our order is being made to go. Which is just fine, there were plenty of benches facing the harbor very close to the reataurant. We came at lunch and there were a lot of people. Their outdoor seating was pretty much full so we waited quite a long few minutes to get our food, but it is fine. Giving 3 stars because I did not like the service when I came back to ask for tartar sauce. I came to the order window, a guy said he'll get back to me... I waited in line as if I am ordering a full meal bcause he did not seem to care, when it was my turn, the guy asked me what I needed, when I said it again, he pointed to a lady and said she'll help you. How hard was it to get a tartar sauce?? Or to actually get back to your customer?? read more

See all

We parked our RV at the Harbor and rode our bikes to the lighthouse and found this little local gem for breakfast! Great service, awesome views and vibes and good food. Had a nice mimosa with the breakfast sandwich and the hash browns were fantastic! Family friendly too! Highly recommend. read more

See all

This is the first time I have eaten at Aldo's since they moved from the pier to the park. Same great food and service! Still the pretty harbor view from all the tables. read more

We were exploring Santa Cruz on a chill weekend and the locals recommended this spot to us. The restaurant is right on the marina and outdoor so we were able to enjoy the aesthetics and ocean breeze. They had a decent selection of beers and ciders in addition to their vast menu. Our waitress recommended the ciopinno and that was the best one I've ever had! read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

Food was salty and it's way different than the old location. Staff was nice but won't be returning.

This place was recommended by a local. So glad we got there in time, they closed shortly after we left due to rain. I cannot believe I have never been here! The service was amazing, the food was amazing, the views are phenomenal!! It was a wonderful gloomy morning, i had fresh squeezed orange juice and the crab Benedict, AMAZING! My bf had the italian sausage breakfast, they serve this italian bread with everything that is so great. Highly recommend, i will be back!! read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - Rainy day in the harbor - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

Loved, loved, loved this gem of a restaurant tucked in next to the marina in Santa Cruz. Breakfast and lunch are served until 3PM (please check current hours just to be sure). Our omelette was delicious as well as was the service and ambience. Although we tried and loved their signature Fusaga focaccia for our toast, all of their breads are home-baked in their bakery. It was full of lots of friendly locals. They are 100% outdoor dining but have umbrellas. Hoping to return soon. read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - Three-egg spinach, mushroom, Jack omelette w/ homemade Italian Fugasa toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

Aldo's is the best of the best good service good food and it's at the harbor with all the boats coming in and out nice

A must visit if you are in the Santa Cruz area! We went for lunch on a Monday, about 11:30am and we're able to be seated right away. For drinks, we ordered a spicy bloody mary, spicy pineapple margarita, and a hot chocolate. My bloody mary was delicious and lived up to the "world famous" claim. For food, two of us ordered the Fisherman's Platter, and one ordered the Bacon, Tomato & Avocado Benedict with hashbrowns. Having a taste of the hashbrowns, and they were the best cooked and tasting hashbrowns I think I've ever had! The seafood was delicious on the platters, but the coconut shrimp were not coconut tasting at all, even though we could clearly see the coconut in the breading. My onion rings were the only thing that could have been better. Three of them were onion skins and inedible. Our waitress was great and a lot of fun. The hostess was also very nice and accommodating. This is a completely outside restaurant, and the bathrooms are a public restroom as you head to the boat slips. Our tables were clean, and all had umbrellas, which was great when the fog rolled out as we were finishing. And very dog friendly! To top off my meal and final day on vacation, I ordered a dungeness crab cocktail to go. The market price on 8/5/2024 was $20.95. The amount of crab that was in the cocktail was way more than I expected, making the market price very reasonable in my mind. Lots of fresh onions, tomatoes, and jalapenos, with some capers made up the cocktail sauce. They threw in a packet of oyster crackers, sliced half an avocado, and a couple of lemon wedges. It was amazing! read more

See all

Ambiance was fine, it's at the harbor so that was pretty. But they blare really bad static radio loudly. The food took FOREVER and when we finally got it, (in shifts as previous people have said) it tasted like nothing. Literally no flavor at all. No amount of seasoning or hot sauce would help. Service was very slow, our server barely checked in on us and seemed scared to when it was apparent that tables all around us were getting their food well before us. Sadly will cross this one off my list. read more

After Whale Watching, we stopped by Aldo's because I wanted to try the Clam Chowder, which was just okay for me. We also had Calamri, it was fresh and cooked perfectly, the zesty white sauce it comes with was really good, also comes with cocktail sauce. The Dungeness Crab Cocktail was really good, crab was so fresh and tasted sweet and delicous. Was pleasantly surprised to see Guy Fieri's photo next to the menu. Because we used to watch his show "Diners, Dives, & Drive-Ins" a lot when we lived in Las Vegas, and whenever we traveled we tried to check out the places in the show. We ate at the park benches close-by, because we had brought our own food for the Whale Watching, and eating near the docks on a nice sunny day in Santa Cruz was such an excellent experience. read more

See all

Even though they were having internet issues they persevered!! Food was yummy, seating was very nice and the weather chose to be just as great. I'd suggest trying the pasta as it was very good along with their homemade bread. read more

A nice outdoor-only restaurant right next to the marina in Santa Cruz (on the north side of the harbor). Seating is on a patio and every table has an umbrella a a great view of the harbor and the parade of boats passing by. We arrived around 12:30 pm on a Saturday. Naturally there was a crowd and a wait for a table (about 40 minutes). Parking is in the Harbor lot for about $1.50/hour (park, buy a ticket from a machine, and put the ticket on your dashboard). We did see someone checking parking tickets and giving issuing fines for overtime parking or parking in the wrong spots (about half the spots are reserved for "slip renters"). In our two hours of prepaid parking we had enough time to wait for a table, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and a short walk looking at the boats. My wife had the Benedict with Dungeness Crab ($25.95, which is $5 more than the crab benedict, but the server said for the extra charge you get Dungeness Crab and lots more of it). My wife said that it was worth it to get the Dungeness Crab version. She really enjoyed this. I had a taste and I found it tasty. She also had a side order of bacon ($5.50) which they prepared perfectly to her specification. I had the Grilled Rock Cod Sandwich, which was a large size and delicious with a nice piece of grilled fish. It normally comes with French Fries, but I upgraded it to replace the fries with a cup of clam chowder soup. (Sandwich with soup $17.95). The soup was good, but not great. The fish sandwich was very good. The outdoor patio is very pet friendly. Dogs are served a water bowl by the staff. A nice relaxing lunch with a great view and good food. read more

See all

Great place right by the marina. They are super laid back in their attire and allow pets which makes them even more inviting. We reached around noon and were able to get seated right away. The weather was pretty nice so sitting outside was pleasant. We got the coconut shrimp and onion rings as appetizers and the clam chowder and crab cakes Benedict as the entrees. Everything was delicious! I also got a hot chocolate and it was quite good. The entrees are decent sized so again, I didn't finish so this shall be my dinner :) Do recommend them if you're planning to come to Santa Cruz.. read more

See all

We had a party of 16 and the service was fabulous as was the breakfast. Danielle was amazing. Loved the Bloody Mary's and pineapple mimosas. If you are in this area - I highly recommend stopping by for a bite and drink. read more

Came to Aldo's for a late lunch on a Sunday afternoon in the spring. It was a weird weather weekend, so Santa Cruz wasn't as crowded as it could be, but Aldo's sure was! Arrived around 1:30 and was told it would be about a 30 minute wait. This was the perfect amount of time for us to walk out to the light house and hang for a little bit before coming back just in time to have our name called! We opted for the fish n chips and the mahi mahi sandwich. Waited a little while for the food to come out, but despite the wind it was a nice sunny day so more time spent on the patio was nothing to complain about. The fish n chips were breaded instead of beer battered - which myself and my stomach really liked to see. The mahi mahi was grilled and even had some char marks to show for it. Overall the food was a lot lighter than I was expecting and I really appreciated that. The bread on the sandwich was their special fugasa bread which tasted similar to focaccia, and was also a nice change up. The mahi mahi didn't have a lot of flavor, but I added the tartar sauce to it which added a great punch of flavor. Definitely going to come back here and order from the breakfast menu next time to try something different. read more

See all

Great outdoor dining and a locals favorite. Llimited seating so you may have to wait. Set up along the harbor gives you great views! Generous portions with a wide variety of menu options to choose from. They offer breakfast, lunch with a children's menu. Enjoyed the Mahi tacos, Fish n Chips, and calamari. Spicy Bloody Mary was delicious. Service was terrific! Dog friendly too. With great weather will definitely return. read more

I honestly have all great things to say about this little gem! The food was outstanding and the service was so friendly and kind. I ordered the calamari and coconut shrimp and both were INSANELY fresh and delicious. My husband got the crab salad and it's amazing as well. All of the seafood was so fresh and with great portions. We definitely are planning to go back next time we're in the area read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - Calamari and clam chowder - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

Cool concept Brunch by the boats Our last day at Santa Cruz, we decided to visit Aldo's with my bf Aldo xD! Wait was long, food was mediocre. We sat down and waited and no one offered us the drink menu, when others that sat after us got it. It was definitely an experience. I wouldn't come back tho.. read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - a plate of food - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I ordered the Blackened Mahi-Mahi sandwich with a side of Onion Rings and Ranch Dressing. The fugasa bread was amazing (5 stars), pillow soft but strong enough to hold up the sandwich stuff. Everything was really fresh. The fish was perfectly cooked, not dry. The tarter sauce was really good . The Onion Rings were beer battered and perfectly deep fried golden brown (5 stars). The Ranch dressing was decent, but could have been thicker. My wife has the Chicken, Pesto, Bacon, Jack Cheeses Sandwich, which was also very good. The chicken could have been season more, but still good (4 stars) The servicer was really nice and attentive. The location next to the Harbor was great, great view of the boats. Great food, I'll be back for more... read more

Oh dear Aldo's... we are disappointed that our food delivery was in shifts. Three guest..not too complicated. We have the practice of waiting for everyone's food to arrive and then eating..20 minutes later and 2 servers saying they would be right back with the French toast was simply not acceptable. The waitress was pleasant and kind but the kitchen was not running smoothly. Not coming back to see if you've gotten it right. We've been patrons since the '70s. read more

On a beautiful spring day, sitting right next to the small craft harbor docks, this is a wonderful place. I had crab cake Benedict and my son had their homemade French toast. The Fugasa bread is like a focaccia, but baked in a fire oven, not in a pan, so less oily. The food is delicious. Guy Fieri liked it too. My Bloody Mary was strong with a few interesting pickles. I don't know how they cook everything in such a small kitchen area, but all was excellent. The service was excellent too. Dog friendly. Parking is only a dollar or two. I'd give them 5 stars, but it's outside seating only. read more

Service is good and the food is incredible. Crab cakes were the best I have ever eaten. It is obvious fresh crab was used and nothing processed. Hash browns were extra crispy which I love and are hard to find. We will be returning to eat here soon read more

Second time this Summer to Aldo's and it was not disappointing. Outside seating is the best I feel, the Harbor view the fresh air. The service is good normal we felt. The food was delicious good portions, its definitely $$ food & drinks. We found for this birthday occasion very worth it. Our server Inga was nice. Good variety menu Breakfast or lunch. Family friendly and pets allowed for sure. read more

FYI there are 2 harbor restaurants so make sure you are looking at the right one! This Italian spot is on Northside of harbor. The cafe is outside seating and dog friendly. We had a nice stroll to get there so started with a refreshing guava mimosa. A friend had the pineapple Mimosa and that was delicious as well. For food choices I think I hit the winner. I ordered the muscle steamers and an addition separate order of bread the bread it is garlic with Parmesan cheese and yummy you need the bread to sopup the delicious broth in the steamers. read more

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant - The view. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

See all

My friends and I love these place! Such great breakfast food with a beautiful view. Good vibes