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.

Really solid spot for poke with a lot of options to choose from. The poke had a really generous…read moreportion of fresh tuna, and the fish-to-rice ratio was excellent. I got the seafood combo plate with mac and cheese, coconut shrimp, fried mahi mahi, and ribs. The coconut shrimp were super crispy and the coconut flavor was surprisingly light and not overwhelming. Overall, really good value for the amount of food you get. One downside was that we noticed one of the sauces at our table was expired, which was definitely a little concerning. Still, I'd come back when I'm craving poke.

I had to try the viral Poke Burger, so I hopped in my car and drove all the way to Santa Cruz and…read moreit was absolutely worth the trip! As soon as I walked in, I immediately felt the Hawaiian vibes. The atmosphere was welcoming, and the cashier was incredibly sweet and helpful. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't pre-order the burger for pickup, but I was told it's made fresh to order and available in limited quantities, which made sense. Along with the Poke Burger, I picked up a bottle of their Garlic Gurl hot sauce. Being from Gilroy, I had to give it a try! It had the perfect amount of garlic flavor with just the right level of heat--not overpowering at all. I also grabbed a Hawaiian drink from the refrigerator by the entrance. Having just returned from Hawaii, it instantly brought me back to the islands. The restaurant itself is spacious, clean, and inviting, with plenty of indoor seating as well as outdoor seating. Parking was easy to find, which is always a plus. When my food arrived, I was surprised by the portion size. The Poke Burger is huge and could easily be shared between two people. While I'm personally not the biggest fan of crispy rice, the poke filling inside was incredibly fresh, flavorful, and delicious. Every bite was packed with flavor. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience and will definitely be back to try more items on their menu. If you've been seeing the viral Poke Burger all over social media and have been wondering if it's worth the hype, I'd say it's definitely worth checking out!

This is a great spot for tacos and a staple for me every time I'm in Santa Cruz. Food is great,…read moreparking is terrible, and prices are okay but during peak hours there's a line out the door. You have to find parking maybe blocks away and walk here but it is a very good place. Also tons of offerings for food. Do not let your eyes order for you because their super taco is massive. I thought the super taco just meant it was a regular street taco with more filling inside but I was severely mistaken. It is an actual burrito size tortilla. If you want to end your day with great food and a nap, this is the place to do it

This is the last time I will be coming here. The main cashier had a very bad attitude yesterday. I…read morewas reading him my order of 2 items. Mind you, there was a long line. I was trying to help him out, as I'm in the hospitality business for high level profiles. He responded and told me he's an old guy, but very rude when I told him the two items and he just cut me off while I was talking . It was a chicken burrito with refried beans, no rice & carne asada fries. He also threw my receipt at me. I get it if you under pressure, but never take it out on a paying customer because you can't work well under pressure. He left a bad taste in my mouth with his bad attitude. I will not be coming back. Be kind to your customers especially i was trying to help you. Lol. The meat was overly cooked. The burrito still had rice in it. Fries were very oily. I still tipped him, even though he didn't deserve any of it. Bad service. Bad attitude.

One of the old school players doing the mandatory seafood on the municipal wharf in Santa Cruz…read more Pretty touristy (as it should) but I also sensed a good amount of locals just out for a good time. Nothing fancy or cutting edge here. But imo these are the kind of old school seaside joints that many inland seafood places try to recreate. This is the actual model places like Red Lobster, the now defunct Fish Market and Market Broiler bases their businesses on. *food for thought* Crab Cakes ($16/4*) Served with pickled onions and remoulade right on top. At first I thought the crab cakes were too bready, like a decent amount of bread crumbs in the crab mix to bind it. The texture was very smooth and more paste-y than crab shreds in texture. So my first initial bites I was ready to start not liking the dish. But after the 3rd/4th bites I realized that it wasn't all that bad and that most crab cakes are made in this fashion more than not. Unless you go to a hella expensive resto where they can use lump meat without hezzy. The crab flavor was indeed there, and the seasoning was spot on. And the mushy texture was really helped by the pickled onions which gave each bite a brightness and crunch. I think ALL crab cakes should be served with pickled onions. Yet I hardly ever see it. Great move on their part. Grilled Halibut ($30/4*) I chose this simple prep cuz I love local fresh seafood done simply so I can appreciate the freshness of the fish. It was grilled ok over coals but did get a bit dry as halibut is so lean, kinda like grilling pork chops. I think they should baste the fish with some oil/butter while it is grilling. It keeps the fish moist during that dry method of grilling. They do offer like 8 sauces to choose from to pair with your fish. I chose a Picatta sauce that was butter, garlic , parsley, lemon and capers. And theirs was light and fresh and when poured over the grilled fish just totally absorbed into that fresh halibut. I even sensed a bit of anchovy umami in that sauce which I found very effective. Had a glass of Chardonnay with the food which was very complementary. Then finished with an Irish Coffee as I was too full to eat anything else. I should have called out for Jamesons whiskey tho, as I think I got their well version. Not as smooth as Jamesons which is usually my go-to. Still an above average seafood outing in a seaside town. Service was proper with really good timing on coursing. I hate when a course arrives when you're still in the middle of a soup or appetizer. Riva I came in not expecting much but I left more impressed than not. I would come back for another round.

The food was as good as I was hoping it would be…read more The Crab Cakes were well seasoned and the sauce was tasty. Zucchini sticks are always good. The cheese didn't have an overpowering salty Parmasianish taste. The batter had flavor. WAIT a few minutes before eating. They WILL be HOT and burn your mouth. Which means they were made fresh.. *Not pictured* The Clam Chowder is good. Not thick but not watery. Very peppery which I like. Had enough seasoning. Had celery in it, which I'm not a fan of but I couldn't taste it so that was nice. I wanted the Mahi Mahi to have more of a charcoal/smoke flavor, but the Mahi Mahi was firm, moist, and didn't need salt. The bacon cheeseburger was a bacon cheeseburger..pretty good from what I was told. I'd eat here again..maybe try the soups or seafood pasta dishes next time? The service was ok, didn't get to order any soda/drinks but was provided glasses of water. The food came out quickly. The bartender could be heard shaking and making mixed drinks and cocktails. I'll order one at the bar next time. We were seated at the end of the restaurant by the Manager's Office near the cashier. It's a nice view.

Super cute spot right off the beach. We also got a view of the colorful houses from our table. We…read morechose outdoor seating where our table was close to a lil pond and ducks were swimming up to us! We also saw someone stand-up-paddleboarding in there as we were eating! Happy hour is M-F 3:30-5:30pm but I heard they may be discontinuing it soon :( We got the Happy Hour Cucumber Margarita + Chicken Taco Combo, Lagunitas IPA Draft Beer + Shrimp Taco, Calamari, and Loaded Nachos. Happy hour plating size is smaller than the full menu size but the amount of food was perfect for my group of 3. They gave a generous amount of chicken+shrimp on the tacos so we put the extra meat on the nachos! The shrimps are grilled with a smoky charred flavor and the chicken is so juicy and flavorful, almost having a curry/tumeric taste. So delish. Staff is super nice and our waiter was super helpful. Vibes are immaculate and I'm sure food would hit even better after a warm summer swim!

This place has an amazing view of the waterfront and the colorful Capitola buildings while you dine…read moreon their outside patio. We went on a Monday for lunch, and there was no wait; we were seated immediately. Our waiter, Josiah, took good care of us throughout, and a manager also checked on us while we were eating to make sure everything was good. I had a mai tai that was amazing with fresh pineapple taste. I also ordered the Baja fish tacos. The fish was cooked just right with great toppings, including large pieces of avocado and a Chipotle sauce. My friend ordered chips and salsa and the clam chowder. The chowder was good, and the chips were fresh, but the red salsa was very bland. Not just mild with no spice, but bland, like not even any flavor. The green salsa was slightly better. Even so, we both enjoyed our meals and drinks and thoroughly enjoyed the view. I would definitely come back here for drinks and food! Main reason I didn't give 5 stars was because of the salsa, but everything else 5 stars.

Bet place for drinks & food , where friends ,family get together …read more Also best for large parties takeout food , best steak asada, chicken skewers, red chile ( like chile verde) but cooked red chiles first time I tried very flavored, pork meat very tender and chile verde it's awesome tasty flavorful. To me it's one the best authentic Mexican food . Best customer service by waitress ,bar tender (Tim ) Kim , and Johaan E friendly, helpful as always all their staff goes above and beyond extra mile . I just stopped at the last minute to order large take out to have ready for next day to be picked up. Is always good to try different dishes . Thank you to the kitchen staff for cooking and made my day easy.

3.5 stars. Beans and rice lacked salt & flavor. Shredded chicken enchiladas and sopa were alright…read more I did enjoy the combo steak and prawn fajitas, however, very little protein. Their tortillas are fresh and chewy that was a plus. Service was slow on a Tuesday evening. They charge for salsa other than the complementary salsa roja.

Manuel's Restaurant Make it a beach day + date day! Spend…read morethe day at Seacliff State Beach, then head over to Manuel's for some authentic Mexican food, cocktails, great atmosphere, and excellent service! Family-owned, family-friendly, and definitely worth the stop. The beach was beaching... now the tacos are taco-ing! Lunch, dinner, or takeout--Manuel's is a 5-star stop!

We're visiting from the Bay Area. This was our first time at Manuel's. It will not be our last!…read more The restaurant is cute and reminds me of a Mexican restaurants I grew up going to. Beautiful decor, fresh flowers & friendly staff. The chips & salsa were fresh and delicious. The salsa had a different flavor. I'm not a chef. But it reminded me a little of adobo (maybe)? Whatever it was we all really enjoyed it. The guac was creamy and limey. Most of us got combination plates. I got the 2 items: a cheese enchilada with the carne asada taco (it's a bit of an up charge & it was definitely worth it!) the asada was so delicious! Chewy and flavorful. The enchilada sauce was perfect too. My husband's combo plate, was similar but he got 3 items, including a pork tamale. He said it was great. Other things of note: the beans were good & not runny, according to others as I don't eat beans. Rice - so good, my kid ate an entire side of it. Loved the rice. Chili verde - incredible accounting to my MIL Daily lunch specials were repriced very reasonably & there's several options.

very good tasting food, and offers huge portions. Very likable staff who have no problem discussing…read morethe menu with you.

it was really good and doesn't deserve that low of a rating and everyone was very niceread more

After visiting here I truly believe my super power is finding the absolute best tasting food…read morebecause my mouth mind is even more blown now. The food here has the quality of a Michelin star restaurant and the staff is professional, kind and personable. The food here made me giggle like a child while I ate it, each bite taking me back to a time when food was new and exciting and not just sustenance. Even the place itself and the restaurant has so much history and the view is to die for and I can't think of anywhere else on the Santa Cruz pier more deserving of your money. PS noticed after I posted my review that this place ONLY has 3 stars??? That's distrustful and I hope my review can play a part in getting them to the 5 stars they deserve.

Great spot right on the pier. We had the chicken Caesar and the carne asada fajitas--everything…read moretasted really good, and the salad was fresh and on point. The only thing I'd say is the chicken on the Caesar could've been a little hotter. The only downside was the staff having what looked like a "secret" conversation right in front of everyone... not so secret . That said, I'll definitely be back for the food--and maybe another episode of Bar Wars

Come for the breakfast burritos!…read more Walk down to the point watch some surfing and an amazing view. Bring cash. Or grab a couple tables and chairs to chill out and enjoy the yummmmmy burritos.

Food here is pretty solid. Service is also pleasant and chill…read more Came by Monday for lunch. Ordered smash burgers, chilaquiles, and a fish taco. Burgers are "mid" according to my kids, but their fries are delicious. The wedges are well seasoned and the potato fries are so good! As some have pointed out, the meat patty here is mediocre, which has more to do with the ingredient quality itself vs the cooking. The chilaquiles were also great, but the black beans were on the edge of possibly going bad? Maybe an off day. And of course, gotta grab some ice cream for dessert! The viral peach ice cream did not disappoint. Reminds you of a Mamba candy or HiChew. Big win! Even the texture was fun. Too dense and firm to be an ice cream but just shy enough from being a gummy, if that makes sense.