This place was amazing. I came to Santa Cruz on a vacation. I am a vegan that is gluten-free, corn,…read morefree, and soy free. So you can imagine trying to find food is hard. The lady working was very nice and was able to figure out a good fit for my diet. And wow, did it taste amazing. I ended up getting a bowl and my friend got a wrap! We both agreed they were very tasty and hit the spot. It was such a relief finding somewhere where I can eat their food!! I will definitely be returning on my next visit!!

We went there for Pana Venezuelan Food but ended up trying one of their soup Obe Ata -Ashake…read morepepper soup. Which is brown rice and roasted veggies. We asked them to make it spicy and we also requested for the other 2 soup, which they obliged and gave costco type sample. Obe Epa peanut stew was sweet and tasty. I will call it a dessert soup. Obe Egusi Pumpkin seed stew was also tasted good. But we think we made the right choice ordering the pepper based one, which was tangy, spicy and unique as this dishes are based on west african cusine. Roasted veggies and were all in right mix along with a surpise, it had big chunks of sweet potatoes. Which really heled to savor this dish even more as it cut through the spice and tanginess, beautiful addition. We will try their other items when we get a chance. Good call!

Delicious Sushi! I'm glad I found a new spot. I loved the spicy tuna and caterpillar roll. Pick up…read morewas a breeze.

Wifey and I decided to try a new-to-us place in Santa Cruz for a nice Easter meal…read more We arrived just as they opened, and we were immediately greeted with a friendly smile and welcomed to come in and sit anywhere we liked. The music was on point, and the vibe was super chill. My wife is vegan , and I am pescatarian, and let me say - the menu was abundant with options for both! While we wanted to try everything, we knew we had to pick a few items and save options to try for our next visit. The food was phenomenal! It was clear the chef took his time to craft each roll with texture, flavor, and presentation, all with equal importance. Octavio was our server, and he was attentive, hospitable, and knowledgeable, and even weighed in on helping us make decisions for what to order. Photos include: Moon's Carpaccio Teriyaki Tofu Nigiri Cuerno de Chivo The Rainbow Goblin Secret Weapon We are excited to go back and try more rolls on our next visit! Thank you The Buzz Sushi crew for making our Easter a memorable experience!

Came here to share a bottle of wine with my son who is a student at UCSC. what a pleasant surprise…read morewe got when we ordered food. This was some of the BEST FOOD that I have had. We pride ourselves in eating in some of the best places all over. Bad Animal exceeded our expectation of a 'wine bar' food menu. We had Oysters Miso Black Cod Crostini And I never order dessert it with every bite of food I couldn't pass the opportunity to try what they had to offer. We went with the lemon verbena gelato with fresh blueberries Our server ( we sat at the bar) was very knowledgeable about the wine and food. He took his time explaining every dish which made the experience much more enjoyable. Whenever I get a chance to visit Santa Cruz, I will Make a point to eat here.

Bad Animal was almost the perfect meal…read more.. We started with the gougères, which were light, airy, and absolutely addictive, the kind of bite that sets the tone for a great meal. The king salmon crudo was beautifully composed, fresh and bright, and the peaches were a standout, simple but perfectly executed. The chicken schnitzel was crispy, well-seasoned, and satisfying in all the right ways. The NY Strip was where things got slightly complicated. The seasoning and flavor were genuinely excellent; the spice profile was spot on and the crust had great character. However, about a third of the cut was too fatty to eat, which was disappointing at that price point. It didn't ruin the experience, but it did feel like a quality-control miss on what was otherwise a beautifully cooked piece of meat. Also, put this steak over something else besides elaborate mixed greens. Service was warm and knowledgeable, and the space has a wonderful energy. Bad Animal is doing something right (for the most part). Hopefully I'll make it back but hoping for a better trim on the steak next time.

Stellar experience. My partner and I have been twice, and will probably be making the trip from…read moreOakland to SC at least once a year just for this place. This most recent trip, we were on a mission for a nice pu-erh, their speciality, and a non-caffeinated option, because we're both pretty sensitive to caffeine. We asked the server for a raw pu-erh recommendation (raw = slightly less caffeine than ripe). She recommended the Panchen Lama, at an eye-popping $27 for a pot (plus the $16 table charge for the indoor tea ceremony experience). She told us it tastes like a sunrise, and walking through redwoods after it rains. It sounded cheesy, but our one prior visit made us trust her recommendation. WOW. The tea was absolutely lovely - on the early steeps, the flavor was much milder than most pu-erhs, more similar to an oolong or even a white tea, with almost no noticeable tannins. It tasted uplifting, comforting even. It was like drinking a hug. Sunrise. Subsequent steeps developed an earthy, foresty taste, were noticeably drier, with clearer tannins, more classic pu-erh flavors. The dryness reminded us both of petrichor, the smell of rain on dry earth. Walking through redwoods after it rains. Is $43 a bit expensive for tea for two? Yeah. But it wasn't *just tea* - it was a relaxing, uplifting journey. The indoor space helped the experience all the more - the music was calm but not sleep-inducing, the decor is beautiful, and the low light added to the ceremonial vibes. If you're on a budget, their other tea options were considerably more affordable, and will also be delightful - we had two different pu-erhs the last time we visited. Don't be surprised or put off by the small pots - all of their teas can be brewed many times, and one pot can easily serve 4 people a satisfying amount of tea. This time, we also had the chrysanthemum tea ($6 for the pot), which had a bolder, more medicinal flavor than the $5 giant jar of chrysanthemum flowers we'd bought in Chinatown. We discovered that we like the cheap stuff better, but others' tastes likely differ. Not familiar with brewing high-quality tea yourself? They will happily teach you - all of the staff I've interacted with have been extremely friendly and excited to share their knowledge and introduce more people to the experience of good tea. Be prepared for a bit of woo-woo, but lean into it if you can.

Being our first time, showed up to this lovely establishment expecting tea from one of the many…read moresmall petite tea pots located inside and out. Was unexpected when it came out in a ramen size soup bowl. We asked in perplexity for small cups to drink comfortably and we're told "no". I'm not infuriated, but rather surprised that if someone doesn't want to drink from a bowl, they denied us with a hard no. We must go inside to drink from a small normal cup. Not the end of the world, but certainly won't be back - it was very offputing.

I stopped by just to take a quick look, and somehow found one of my new favorite spots in Santa…read moreCruz. Far West Fungi is small, clean, and genuinely charming. Don't let the size fool you though, because the food is doing a lot. I ordered three things: Nashville portobello sandwich - meaty, bold, and tangy. Every bite delivered. 8.5/10 Grilled cheese - buttery and herbaceous, with a tomato jam that ties the whole thing together perfectly. Honestly flawless. 10/10 Empanada - flaky, rich, and deeply umami. The kind of thing you keep thinking about after. 9/10 And I have been thinking about all of it since I left. Reasonably priced, friendly staff, and food that genuinely surprises you. My only note is that seating is limited, so just be prepared for that, but it's a small gripe for a spot this good. Will absolutely be back.

On Thursdays 2-5 they have happy hour: Cafe items are 25% off. Oddly enough, the best thing was the…read moremushroom ice cream. Here's the run-down: 5/5: Candycap mushroom ice cream: awesome. It's made by Mission Hill Ice Cream. $10 for a half-pint. Tastes like a complex maply syrup flavor. 5/5: Candycap caramel. $1.50 each. Great sweet mushroom flavor. 3/5: Maitake flatbread $14. The flavor is jumbled from all the ingredients. 3/5: Mushroom grilled cheese $16; overhyped. 1/5: Candycap cookies. $3. Almost no flavor. Terrible.

Had a great time trying arepas at Pana while at the sharks game on a Thursday night!…read more It's a popular spot that capture a long line because of its live cooking and delicious food. It took about 7-10 minutes for my food to be done. I ordered the Sifrina which is an arepa with shredded chicken, cheese, mayo, and avocado. It was so delicious, great amount of filling, and the avo spread was so tasty. Would love to come here again!

I can't believe I hadn't written a review for Pana before!…read more I hadn't been around the Santa Cruz area in a while, but I was so happy to be back and finally check out their new spot inside Abbott Square Market, right on Cooper Street. I've been to Pana before and usually go for the Pabellón arepa, which is also delicious, but this time I tried the Reina Pepiada, and wow. It's made with shredded chicken, mayo, and avocado. The arepa was extra crispy, which I loved. Honestly, even as a Colombian, and someone who grew up eating arepas all my life, I have to say, this Venezuelan version is amazing. Super flavorful and well-balanced. Germán, the owner, was super welcoming as always. He told me they're opening a new location in San José, which is way closer to me, and I'm honestly so excited to visit them there too! The vibe that day was perfect. There was live music playing, people dancing, and I was just sitting there enjoying my arepa in the sun with all that great energy around me. If you haven't tried Pana, you're missing out. The food, the people, the vibe, todo was on point.

The service was good, though the counter is a bit awkward because it's so tall and has stuff on it,…read moreit was hard to see the person serving us. The food was prompt and very good, I was happy with my beef/lamb doner wrap and mango lassi (though the lassi is not made in house). The atmosphere was casual, not too loud, and pleasant. Would definitely return!

Arslans Turkish Street Food. Santa Cruz, CA. July, 2026. My husband and I decided to grab a quick…read moredinner at Arslans Turkish Street Food while walking around downtown Santa Cruz. We ordered at a counter, and were instructed to wait to hear our names called for the order. We sat at a table in the small room adjacent to the counter. Food. My husband ordered a whole Beef and Lamb Doner Wrap (whole, $17, half, $11), which consisted of lettuce, tomato, red cabbage, carrots, fries, Turkish seasoned onions, fresh herbs, and a red sauce in lavash. The wrap was HUGE, and very tasty. In fact, he ate only half, and we (together) ate the second half the next day. If we were to make one change, we'd order it without the fries in the wrap. Rating: 4.75/5. I ordered the Combo Doner Box ($15). This was a combo of beef/lamb + chicken doner, served in a box full of fries, with a choice of sides (tzatziki, in my case). Rating: 3/5. This entree was heavy on fries (though they were very tasty and crisp), had an okay amount of the beef/lamb doner, and was light on the chicken doner. Also, I should have read the description better when ordering at the counter. I expected some lettuce and tomatoes that they weren't in the description; some fresh veggies would've increased my liking of the meal. Overall, my husband's wrap was the better value. Dessert. (4.5/5). This restaurant offers amazing desserts, including baklava and Turkish delight. We ordered a variety that we shared back at home with others later. Slight reduction in rating due to high cost point -- but they ARE special treats! Service. (3/5). The girl at the counter was friendly enough, but there's very little "service" per se. You place your order at the counter, where you also pick it up when your name is called. My husband also went back to the counter once to request more sauce. Ambiance. (3/5). This is a popular restaurant -- leading to congestion at the front counter. The side dining area was also tightly packed with tables and chairs, with patrons rearranging the set-up, and bumping into others, to meet the sizes of their dining parties. It was also uncomfortably warm. The kitchen also seemed to be understaffed, so service was slower than expected. In fact, after a significant wait, my husband approached the counter to check on the status of our order just as the order was called. Overall, these were minor glitzes, and we still recommend this restaurant and will return.

My friend was raving about this place for happy hour because all the drinks and pupils are only $8…read moreeach! It's everyday from 4-6 PM so we had just made it at the tail end and sat at the bar. The Kona style wings were my favorite, but the spicy edamame and sweet potato fries really hit the spot. I also got a double martini cocktail ($16) and it tasted so fun and tropical. I would definitely recommend for happy hour if you're in the Santa Cruz area!

Dinner here on June 29th was great. We made it in time for Happy Hour and ordered some apps and…read moredrinks. Both flavors of wings were excellent and their Mai Tai was one of the best I've had in a while. I've been here a handful of times over the years and I almost always order the Spicy Thai Chicken Bowl. This time, it was a bit bland and seemed like it was missing an ingredient in the sauce. The plantains that came with it were amazing though. I'll have to try a different menu item next time. Service was good and everyone was friendly and helpful. Ambience was nice and islandy. We had no problem finding parking on a weekday. There is street parking and a couple of parking garages nearby.