Cillantros is a sister restaurant to El Palomar. Though I enjoy the food very much it is overpriced. To have the interior that it did and the prices it did, didn't make sense. Like most people have said on here the service is good, however because of the prices and a few other disappointments I had to drop a few stars. If you go on Friday please note that they have a Mariachi band and it is a full blown brass band and all. There might have been about 15 min where we were sitting and there was no music being played. The dining area is a small or normal size area but when a band is playing loudly it doesn't make for the best conversation atmosphere. Maybe if you were going on an awkward date and hoping for some silence then it is the best atmosphere for that. It may have been nice from a distance but to have it playing the whole night made it a place I don't look forward to going back to. Another reason it is only 3 stars is because their were people smoking in the outdoor eating area and they had the doors open so the smoke was coming into the restaurant. It was a faint smell but come on this is California not the Midwest. Glad I wasn't in the outdoor eating area. read more

I was warned about the tequila being watered down. I had some anyways amd sure enough. Very disappointed.

Great place to eat with a large menu. Home made tortillas, & chips with salsa are so good. I eat there at least once a month. I don't dine out very often, so this is my go to place. Love their Madori blended margaritas; honey dew melon liquor making them sweet & sour @ the same time read more

The best chili rellenos in the Americas! My mom and I love Cliantros for the excellent and consistently delicious food as well as the attentive and dedicated staff. If every major restaurant in Santa Cruz county had a baseball team, Cilantros would reign supreme! read more

I was in town today visit customers and stopped by "Cilantro's" for lunch. Excellent food (I had the "Make Your Own Tacos Steak Plate" and it was cooked very well. The service was excellent and friendly. I will be back next time I am in Watsonville! read more

While this place may be lacking in the ambiance department, the food is great! I had the prawn and octopus ceviche and it was excellent. The octopus in particular was tender and I enjoyed every fresh tasting bite. In the drink department they have both traditional and imaginative spins on the genre and I had one of each: a house margarita (rocks) and one I think was called El Jefe. The former was a little artificial tasting but all in all quite enjoyable and the El Jefe was sweeter than expected but still good, with a jalapeño bite. I will definitely be coming back when I am next in town! read more

I've spent thousands of dollars here in over the last 10 years. Always had a good experience. Tonight was the first time that I've ever ordered takeout. Ordered a shredded beef burrito. Not too good. What really pissed me off was that they wanted $.75 for salsa. When I dine in this restaurant they never charge for chips or salsa. Why nickel and dime good customers? Doesn't make sense to give it for a dime in and not take out. I asked the clerk to let the manager know of my displeasure. It's not the money, it's the principal. I guess I will take my business to Palapas! Also, I have always supported their other restaurants downtown Santa Cruz co-op is, the taco bar, and the bar. It is safe to say I've given them $10,000 in my life time. Again, why be so CHEAP? You lose cilantro's! Over $.75. Not too smart is it? read more

Used to be good. Needs to be cleaner. Food is mediocre. Staff is helpful and hardworking. The margaritas are the biggest disappointment. I had to actually help the new bartender make a $11 margarita after we sent them back. The table next to us sent their margaritas back. I just don't know what to comment or suggest to get this place back to its glory days. Maybe profits should be reinvested into the business instead going to where ever they are going. I'll give this place another try only because it used to be so good. We will see. read more

So glad we stopped by on our way back from Watsonville this evening. Sat on the patio, ordered bar food-- a quesadilla, nachos, and two street tacos and two of us had WAY too much food! It was delicious and exactly what we were looking for. Our service was intermittent but when people stopped they were really friendly and helpful. I couldn't ask for more during Happy Hour in a bar. We didn't have drinks and walked out of there for $20 including tip-- Happy Wednesday and thank you! Oh-- food was tasty. Not blow your mind but I was t really expecting that in the bar. Their guacamole is good and there must have been 2 cups of it between our dishes. The best thing here is the Special Appetizer-- always delicious. read more

We love this place. We have never had bad service and everything we have ever ordered has been great. Their portions are huge. My husband commented their fajitas were at least double the size you'd get at a place like Chili's. I do agree with whoever said their chips have a funny texture, but really that would be the only remotely negative thing I can think of. We come here every time we are in the area. read more

Stopped here after mountian biking in Santa Cruz. Service was great and the food was amazing! I posted a picture of the meal. We enjoyed a Cadillac margarita, which was nice and strong, and a few beers. Every time our drinks were low our server was there keep us hydrated, that's the key to great service! I'll be back. read more

Cilantros - Dinner Special: charbroiled snapper, carna asada, sautéed prawns and ceviche. It was awesome! - Mexican Near Me - Watsonville, California

Wow! The food here is super good and fresh! Came here in the evening on Mother's Day and boy is the place jam packed. But!! There was plenty of seating outside, so me and the gang took a seat on the patio. The wait was longer then expected but we were warned about it. Way worth it! Go for it. read more

Food was bland. Would not recommend if your looking for authentic Mexican food . This food is pretty much like TexMex . I guess it's ok if you don't mind the food and your just here for a drink other than that save your time and go elsewhere. And it's overpriced read more

We were driving through town, and needed lunch. We stopped at Cilantros because it looked clean and had plenty of parking. We assumed it was a chain, and that our lunch would be adequate and forgetful. On the contrary, our food was fresh and delicious, and we learned that this restaurant is self-standing, not part of a chain. Our service was good, and if we are ever again driving through Watsonville, we would stop here in a heartbeat. read more

This restaurant is great for dinner. I love the live mariachi on the weekends, my mom's loves the ambiance. The food is great and they have fresh corn tortillas. If you are planning to eat here, make a reservation via yelp, it will save you time. read more

Food is outstanding! We loved their chips - fresh. You can eat and get filled with this. Then, we had Chimichanga, Shrimp quesadilla, chicken quesadilla, and the beef fajitas. Amazing. I loved the beans, too. We couldn't finish it all, but we took it home. read more

Our neighbors ordered food from Cilantro's for us as a thank you for doing their grocery shopping during the pandemic. I had the Camarones a la Diabla and it was delicious. Spicy, but not overpowering, and so savory. The rice, beans and tortillas on the side were the best I've had since moving to the area, and I will definitely be going back! Looking forward to trying the Huachinango next! read more

We ordered some food togo because of this virus shutdown... We forgot our tortillas and didnt find out until we got home... not a few minutes later we recieved a call saying we forgot our tortillas and they were going to come to my house and drop them off. They did. Much appreciated and it was a great dinner also! read more

Food is not good. Pricey. Owner Jose is rude. Witnessed him screaming at some customer.

Just finished eating at cilantro. We just happen to be driving by looking for somewhere to eat. The decor in the dinner are looks cheap. Almost like a low budget Reno Casino. My wife said it reminder her of the eating in Del Boca Vista in the show "Seinfeld". Now to the food. I had the chicken mole. It was the sweetest mole I ever had in my life. It was pretty much uneatable. The rice and beans where fine, nothing to brag about. So pretty much I paid $15 for bean and rice burritos. My wife had the chile relleno and enchilda. The Relleno taste only of cheese, no flavor whatsoever. The Enchilada was paper thin. It was nice of them to provide free chips, however, they were bagged "mission" tortilla chips. I eat them at my house all the time. The tortillas they serve with dinner are steamed store bought "Guerrero" tortillas. Would be nice to have some in-house. Not trying to sound Racist but this is "white" mexican food. Bland flavors that are not traditional at all. The only bright side was the nice server. She was there when we needed her but didn't bother us. She recommended some tasty Margaritas. They were strong and full of flavor. She deserved the %20 tip, the food did not. read more

Why do we keep going back here??? The people that work here, that's why. The people that work here from the busser to the bartender are just the best people around. Even the clean up people are just excellent. They make you feel like it is money well spent. They make you feel kinda special. It feels good to go here and get a drink or dinner. The bartenders are super nice with no Santa Cruz attitude. Hey dude hang ten? Not here. Just great nice friendly workers who make you feel good. No slackers work in the place. They do their job to help you enjoy a great meal out! The food? Always excellent and if there is a problem they happily clear it up for you with no attitude. Anything with the Mole sauce is great here. Best chips and salsa in the county. Tacos? Crispy if you want or soft. And good quality of meat. The Cinco De Mayo party they have every year is very nice and you feel once again, like they give a damn. Attentive staff who care how you are doing. All the Margaritas are super and I should know as I have tried them all! I only have one complaint: wish they would update the decor and get some different tables and chairs. It needs a little updating. Other than that you cant ask for better food or better people. This restaurant is an asset to the community! Love this place. Just talked myself into dinner there (again) tonight and the Skinny Margarita!!! :-} read more

So So food and drink. Beer selection weak. 18% mandatory gratuity and tax charged on food, drink AND gratuity. Total bill $115 for three people (one dinner plate each and 2 beers each). October 2020 read more

Deliciousness!! I just get the vegetarian burrito w refried beans and rice. It's always delicious and fresh. My husband had the carne asada rancheros and loved it as well. Good, attentive service and nice ambience. read more

We enjoy Cilantros and go often. They have great chips and salsa and are not stingy about refilling the chip bowl. I love the Burrito Michoacano and the Tortilla Soup are some of my favorites. The bar also serves up a variety of drinks. Staff is always friendly. read more

Awesome time on mother's day. Reservations through yelp went without a hitch, and both the food and service were great.

I used to come to this place all the time to watch football on sundays. This was my first time there in over a year and I was disappointed. The service was mediocre despite being a very low maintenance table considering My gf and I were just watching the game and the place was nearly empty most of the time. Arturo struggled to simply keep our water cups full and keep us stocked with chips and salsa. Some of the specials disappeared like the breakfast burrito and bottomless mimosas. The prices seemed to also go through the roof. The fish tacos were mediocre. The fish tasted the same as you get in the frozen section at the grocery store, otherwise the toppings were all good. I unfortunately will not be returning here. read more

My fav. Dish are the asada sopes. They are delish! Originally from Watsonville but when i do come this is my go to. I brought my hubby here he loved the asada sopes here too. read more

This place used to be a favorite but the last few times it's been just ok. I used to get the asada taco combo plate. The meat was seasoned deliciously and even the warm chips and salsa stood out. Service is ok- often times I had to ask for a refill or ask twice for lemons etc. I don't think I'll be returning in the foreseeable future. read more

Today is Mother's Day, and they aren't prepared to be open... only 2 of us and we waited 1/2 hour not too bad, but the server didn't come around for 20minutes later, after putting in a party of 6 order in before ours and we were seated before them. Then we waited & waited for our food a simple breakfast order over a hour later and it was awful! Watered down extra lard refried beans , eggs that were burnt 'hiding' under chile verde for a poor excuse of huevos rancheros the chorizo was so spicy and cooked too hard you couldn't enjoy it, the margarita was in a small water glass with way too much ice hardly anything to drink... when the waitress asked how everything was, and I told her all she could say was "sorry, we are short staffed & very busy" THEN DONT OPEN!!! You can't handle the business, it's supposed to be a special day for some people.... You just ruined!! And no compensation for crap! We have been long standing customers , 20 years but seriously looking for a New Mexican restaurant. Good luck! You won't get repeat business that way. read more

It had been a very long time since I had had a snack and drink here. We came in on Cinco de Mayo, and were seated immediately, since we were only two. Non-oily tortilla chips, spicy fresh salsa along with a couple prompt margaritas got us started. My tortilla soup had all the important garnishes and my date's chile relleno was a winner. Service was friendly and the music was contemporary and a decent volume. read more

The food was okay at best, my family did not like it. Not the most authentic Mexican food. Charges extra for jalapenos and extra tortillas. Overpriced drinks. Soda for +$3, what is that about? please it is syrup and water. Was hopeful for better choices in Watsonville, a let down. read more

Meh. I've experienced better! says it all! they raised the price on their food. the lunch special build your own tacos used to be 10 dollars now 13 dollars and if you add in a 2.95 soda after tax and tip your paying close to 20 dollars for MEXICAN Food! jaliscos has good food and better lunch specials. also service in the cantina is slow we had to get our own chips and napkins and the waitress doesn't fill our water glasses. save money and go to some place else. Maybe Management will have better lunch specials when there is only 4 people in the cantina for lunch that says something!! Maybe no one is listening! read more

Super awesome during the day. The menu is ridiculously extensive. Like they really want to feed you well. And they do, cause the food is great. The mango margaritas are delicious. This is a great place to go with kids during the day, or friends later in the day for appetizers & drinks. Just don't bother during the late hours. My girls and I showed up wanting to spend some money & be happy, ethnically we were a mixed group. That was probably strike #1. The night time crowd is very specific, and since we were a combo of asian, white, black, and straight up super mixed DNA we weren't what the bouncer had on his menu. He literally let a heard of women before us in for free, and even complemented them on their wardrobe, but when we approached the door, suddenly, the fee jumped to $20 a head. We were women, we were cute, but our ancestors didn't hail from the same place as his. Ergo, he rejected us in a not polite way. So we laughed at him, left, and gladly spent a ton of money somewhere else that welcomes mixed groups. So um ya, great family place during the day. Kinda bullshit when the sun sets. read more

Very basic Mexican cuisine...nothing special here. Service was attentive and quick. Chile verde was undercooked and tough, sauce insipid. Won't be back unless dragged! read more

Carne Asada Ranchera sublime. Flan is dense and flavorful. Excellent dinner!! 4 stars for racket and too loud music. Really good food tho... Will return. read more

Service was good and the staff were accommodating to our large group. The food was awful, however. The chile rellenos were soggy, floating in liquid from the Pico de Gallo. The worst dish was the mole, it had so much cinnamon it was inedible. It was like doing the cinnamon challenge. A disappointing meal. read more

After a wonderful morning with the family in court finalizing an adoption, we wanted to have a celebratory lunch so Mom chose to make reservations at Cilantros. Mom called first thing in the morning and with no troubles, made a reservation for 8 of at 1:30. We ended up finishing in court early and called to see if we could move our reservation to noon and they accommodated our large party in the middle of their lunch rush. Awesome! We arrived and were seated no problem. We were promptly brought chips and salsa and drink orders taken. Chips tasted like they were from a bag and not made in house. Bummer! Salsa was good (not hot, but tasty) so that helped. I ordered the Chile Relleno and a shredded beef taco. The relleno was really good, but that poor taco was not great. Corn tortilla was not fully warmed and was limp. I love a good soft shell taco, but this was not that either. This was a corn tortilla that was filled with so-so flavored shredded beef. Needless to say, the taco didn't get eaten. My Hubby ordered the seafood salad and it looked OK. He said it was good and he finished it. Son got the skirt steak Chimichanga, and he said the tortilla was greasy and soggy. This kid never complains (always hungry 13 yr old) so for him to have anything negative to say was incredible. Mom and Dad both got Chile Relleno and enjoyed them. Our attorney/friend got the tortilla soup and it looked really good. She said it was tasty. Bottom line is that although they accommodated our large party and the service was good, I probably won't be back in. The food was only OK and with so many more choices (like Manuels) in the area Cilantros will go to the bottom of our list. read more

Wow. What horrible, unfriendly customer service. Seems like everyone here hates their job, they were absolutely rude and impatient when trying to order. The food was bland and tasted soggy as soon as I got my plate. Very unsatisfying. read more

Can I say, "No!"? There are two types of Mexican restaurants; the Hole-in-the-Wall type that tastes like real Mexican home cooking and then the stuff that looks-like and sounds-like Mexican food. My grandparents are Mexican, my parents are Mexican, and the Mexican food I grew up eating is... Mexican. On Saturday, December 22, 2012, my wife and I ate there for breakfast and the food was AWFUL!!! She ordered chorizo and eggs, hence we thought the ingredients would be chorizo and eggs. Cilantro's recipe included cilantro, tomatoes, and cheese on top. Uh, can I say, "No"? Keep it simple, you don't have to put "cilantro" on everything (Uh, I get it, "Cilantro's Restaurant) but what Mexican restaurant makes it that way in the first place? It tasted awful! Chorizo is already flavorful, so don't over do it! Then I ordered the Menudo. Simple right? Can I say, "WTF"? It came with diced onions, diced jalapeños, and two lime wedges on the side. Can I say, "No."? Menudo is supposed to be served with diced onions, oregano, chile "quebrado" (crushed chile), and lime wedges, then seasoned by the customer to suit their taste. When I asked for crushed peppers, the waitress brought me chile powder. Uh, "No!" common folks get it right. Lastly, it was served with the "hueso" (or bone) in it which I didn't want because it's nothing more than a cheap way to make you think that they are serving you more when in reality they're not. Also, the "hueso" is a little bit disgusting but some people like it. I'm not a big fan of sucking on the bone tendons. Unfortunately, that's just not me. Perhaps that was my fault for not asking or in this case the non-Mexican waitress who should have asked me if I wanted my Menudo with or without "hueso". In all fairness, the homemade corn tortillas were the only things they got right. They were soft and tasted good. Not like other restaurants that serve you the store bought kind that turn cold in seconds. Also, the chips and salsa were o.k. In closing, Just because a restaurant has been around for a long time doesn't mean that they've mastered all of their dishes and if customers don't speak up, they'll continue to make it the same. read more

Had a family dinner for a birthday , the place was not full at all with plenty of seats. They made us wait more than an hour to get seated. When our server came she did not as if we wanted drinks. It took 30 min for her to bring us water. We were left unattended for the time being. We got frustrated and decided to leave. When we asked for the check we revived it with a tip included of 50 dollars , plus the expectation to receive extra tip. Really poor service that evening read more