I found out about the bar from their owners who also own the Capitola Candy store. It's a beautiful…read morebar inside, and on nice nights, the glass doors are all open for a nice view of the town. I went on a Wednesday night, which every other Wednesday is a bingo charity night. You purchase a card(s) and any wine or anything else you might like and play bingo for a couple hours with the funds going to a local charity. And if you and your group are interested in playing board games, they have every imaginable goal board game, dating back to the 60s and before, as well as as a Scrabble table game and a Clue table game, where you can see all the rooms and place your people and weapons in the room of your choice. Definitely a really fun night out with wonderful employees and other guests having a great time. Highly recommend!

Wine bar with a good selection and nice patio. Downsides:…read more- About once an hour, everyone gets hit with chlorine stench when they run the dishwasher. - They have live music Fri/Sat. It's fun, but the band brings their own amp/sound system, and the acoustics are not great. - They have a glass polisher, and it's very loud; it's about as loud as castanets. They run it all the time, including while the live band is playing. WHY? It ruins the sound from the band. I left. I tried a few glasses: - 5/5: The Dezzani sparkling red is great. $13 - 3/5: The Quady Orange Muscat $12. OK, but lacked complexity.

I visited Armida Winery when they were open and had a very pleasant experience. The tasting room…read morehad a cozy local feel, and the atmosphere was calm and welcoming. The wine selection was interesting, and the staff made the tasting feel relaxed instead of rushed. I liked that the place felt personal and not too commercial. It was a nice stop in Capitola, especially for a quiet wine tasting with good service and a comfortable setting.

The gals here were knowledgeable and very nice! Left with two bottles of wine to enjoy on our…read moreAirbnb patio. Met some really friendly people at the bar as well tasting wine.

First things first, the cable car ride down was so cute. Cramped. But cute. The staff were so nice…read moreand accommodating. Definitely make reservations ahead of time! Now let's get to the food. I can only speak for what I ordered. My espresso martini made with tequila instead of vodka was UHMAZING! Best one I've had so far. The baked Brie was mouth watering, the crostinis were so good and crispy. And the top sirloin was perfectly cooked to medium rare. Loved every bit of it! And the cheesecake was good but I wasn't a fan of the peach compote. My friend loved her cosmo and her gnocchi. And she loved the peach compote. So it worked out for us. Will definitely be back next year!

We arrived as a family of four with an infant to celebrate our son's birthday, only to realize we…read morehad accidentally booked our reservation for the following night. The front desk reassured us, gave us a waiting number, and told us to wait in the lounge while they worked on getting us a table. ​After waiting patiently for an entire hour, we checked back, only to be abruptly told they were fully booked and could not seat us after all. ​Our booking mistake is on us, but stringing along a family with a baby for an hour--giving false hope while open tables sat empty--is terrible hospitality. If you cannot accommodate us, simply be honest upfront so we can celebrate elsewhere instead of wasting our entire evening. Very disappointing customer service.

A great spot to sip wine and "people watch". There is a large selection of wines and bubbly spirits…read moreto chose from. They can be bought by the glass, or bottle.

Capitola Wine Bar & Merchants is a gem owned by a friendly husband-and-wife team who exude warmth,…read moremaking you eager to support them. Prime beachside location with indoor/outdoor seating and occasional live bands. Homemade soups are to die for; mac and cheese is well-prepared, tasty, and creamy. Everything feels friendly, homemade, and high-quality--a great spot for wine, live music, and outdoor vibes. We'll definitely return to explore more of the menu and enjoy a full meal. Highly recommend!

Shout out to Dylan for the best cheese pizza. I always get it. Modified with light cheese extra…read moresauce well done.. And I know they're sick of me because I called it in because DoorDash doesn't allow you to modify the order so thanks team great pizza

I've had great food here. A few months ago I came in with a business acquaintance, tipped well, and…read morecomplimented the bartender on her tattoos. We had a good night. Later I learned Hannah had spoken badly about me to that same acquaintance on a night I wasn't there, made it clear I wasn't welcome at "her" bar, and said the owners would back her if I complained. That is bizarre and unprofessional toward someone she does not know. One good night was rewritten as a bad one after the fact. My acquaintance still goes occasionally because she loves the food, but has received continual dismissive looks and snarky comments from the same bartender. Great vibe and delicious food, but the bartender has forgotten she works in hospitality. I won't spend money where the service is unprofessional and hostile. After reading other reviews, I'm not the only one who's seen this.

Inviting atmosphere, good service, and fresh excellent food. A farm to table comfort experience is…read moreon display here. Parking can be found across the street in the church parking lot. Ordered a charcuterie starter, carbonara seasonal, and beef cheek for dinner with the panna cotta and strawberry rubarb. The charcuterie was well done for sure. According to the menu the ham is cured in house. Carbonara-- gave it a shot but really it could and should just be regular carbonara. Pecorino sardo was an alright twist but the uni butter I just set to the side. Also didnt care for the parsley or breadcrumbs. Beef cheek was very very excellent. Also, the desserts are great. I would go just for the pannacotta alone.

Super atmosphere and great service…read more We got the beef cheek, which seems to be aiming to be one of the stars of the menu, and it's close. Braised beef + gnocchi + mushrooms + pine nuts + corn is basically all sweet, earthy, rich, and soft. The corn adds more sweetness that the dish doesn't need, while what's really missing is acidity and something green or herbal to cut through all that richness. The Gorgonzola sauce ends up weighing the whole dish down rather than bringing it together. There's a really good dish in there, it just needs contrast.

such a vibe there! I love how chill everyone else is.The age group (from that night) ranged from 70…read moreyr olds to 33 yr olds. Everyone had a great time listening to live music.. a lot of ppl were dancing. The only thing that I way would say is maybe have a ladies restroom in the near future?

Food that hits the spot. You thought you've had fish and prawn tacos before but then you eat at The…read moreSand Bar. One bite into the tacos and ceviche and enlightenment surrounds you. Inside the main bar and restaurant is dark with some friendly buzzing flies. The restroom is artistically painted with some stickers and graffiti to make it feel homely. The jewel is the outdoor patio with a view of the Venetian Court colorful homes. Server was super friendly and accommodating for a family of young kids. They automatically charged gratuity for my group of six. Would definitely come back again.

The outside patio dining and view of the adorable Painted Hosues is amazing, but the food was great…read moreas well. I had the fish tacos, and our table also got the burger and butternut squash ravioli. Everyone was happy! Service was friendly and fast. Reccomend stopping here for lunch or dinner when you're in downtown Capitola!

My family and I stopped by Paradise Beach Grille during our trip and, unfortunately, left a bit…read moredisappointed. The best part of the experience was easily the location. We sat outside and had an incredible view of Capitola Beach. The service was slow throughout the meal, and one thing that stood out was that I never received a water refill the entire time we were there. It wasn't terrible service, but it definitely felt inattentive. I ordered the Seafood Fettuccine because I wanted something a little more filling. In hindsight, that's partly on me since seafood fettuccine isn't exactly a dish I usually expect to be exceptional anywhere. The Alfredo sauce was bland and needed a lot of pepper to bring some life to it. Most of the seafood was overcooked and chewy, particularly the fish. The clams were probably the best part of the dish and were cooked reasonably well. Overall, the view was fantastic, but beyond that, the meal didn't do much for me. Between the slow service and underwhelming food, this ended up being one of the worst meals I had on my trip.

Most of the wine has a Santa Cruz Mountains flavor profile; I am not so fond of that style. But…read morethree items stand out: - Raspberry mead: sweet and complex. Sparkly backbone. - Sierra foothills port. Very complex. - 2023 old vine Zinfandel from Lodi: very savory.

Really lovely experience at Bargetto Winery. The outdoor area is dog friendly, so we enjoyed our…read morewine on the patio looking over the redwoods with our pup. Great energy, peaceful and serene. Would for sure return!

Buzzos is an absolute staple. If you haven't eaten here…read morePLEASE DO. My husband and I eat here weekly. Appetizers are a must! I say with my whole chest that their Caesar is the best I've ever had. EVER. Cauliflower AMAZING and potato pizza... idk what they put in that but we crave it everyday. Best pizza in Santa Cruz- best restaurant in town!!

4% credit card fee. Parking can be difficult on Fri/Sat…read more 4.8: Crispy cauliflower: great crunch. Leftovers heat up in an air fryer. 4.8: Potato bacon pizza: This topping combo could have used more grease/protein. But the crust is exceptional; soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Leftovers heat up great.