Delicious food. It's consistent every time we come. The service it's always great and good ambiance. I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking good food! read more

We had a great time here on Saturday night. the ramen and dumplings were extremely good and the drinks we had from the bar were very good. everything was well run and the people working were SO nice and friendly! All around great experience! We're looking forward to going back soon. Also, a bonus- the indoor area has lots of beautiful mature plants around the tables which gives the space a really happy vibe. read more

Food Lounge - The outdoor eating area is so nice! - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Freaky First Friday We came with high hopes for Full Steam Dumpling's ramen night at the Food Lounge. Everything started out well enough even though the music was on the loud side. As we were ordering, they played some Kate Bush (Running Up that Hill) and other such-type music. While we were waiting for our food, there was a long, somewhat awkward silence and at least one song was cut off right when it began) before moving on to some Beatles (Strawberry Fields) and The Doors (Riders on the Storm). Our food came just before 7:00pm and as we were finishing our food, a song I didn't know came on dropping the N-word and F-bomb multiple times (including, e.g., "I'll f------ slap a n-----") very clearly and loudly as I'm sitting with my 7-year-old in front of the Santa Cruz Arts Center in the outdoor dining area on the public sidewalk. I went inside 11th Hour Coffee where the same music was playing, and asked if they were responsible for said music. The barista (or other coffee house employee) said he wasn't in charge but he knew who was. He went over and spoke to the bartender adjacent to the Full Steam Dumpling kitchen. The music playing there was not the same as in 11th Hour Coffee and outside. I heard the dude-bro bartender repeat "They're upset with the music? Well, we're not changing it," with a derisive scoff/smirk. Are you serious? I do not need to be listening to that while I am eating with my family. I was not pleased or impressed. So, this location is not the most family-friendly, and unfortunately the bowl of ramen ($20) was also crap (too oniony, thin & oily broth, tough the mushrooms were, and it got cold very quickly). I have to admit the Razzmatazz from the bar was pretty good, tho. Good for a late night bachelor party, I guess (even if you start in broad daylight). read more

This place was really cool. We bumbled in on a poetry reading night and ordered a unique and extremely tasty zucchini lasagna from an up and coming chef recently graduated from The Culinary Institute. We were not looking for food but saw a plate go by and had to try it. Everything was really affordable and cute, and the proprietor Sally was very sweet. Nice selection of adult beverages as well. Would be a 5 star if it was a bit more elegant but for an artistic place to chill and be, this was great! They are very involved in the local art, music and poetry scene as well. read more

Food Lounge - Nice owner - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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The food lounge is a sort of experimental kitchen incubator thingy just off downtown responsible for some very innovative new things. Parking is street only, but this is just far enough away from the downtown traffic swirl to actually be do-able. If it's one of those ridiculously busy downtown santa cruz events nights and all else fails there is are surface lots off center and union, off cedar, and well everywhere a block or so off pacific avenue. This is kinda sorta not really a restaurant, although when it is open there will be food and drink. What this is a kitchen that allows community members-that meet certain stringent requirements-to run a commercial restaurant style kitchen without actually owning a restaurant. This has resulted in some innovative start ups to fine tune their line up before branching off into a full blown (and successful) operation of their own. Businesses such as mutari chocolate, han loh, my mom's mole, and 11th hour coffee all either got their start or received considerable advice and support from the food lounge. They also are locally famous as an event space. It's fair to say that if there is something scheduled-first friday, night market, brunch (Oaxacan or otherwise) or any other event it's totally worth your time to drop in and check out. You may or may not always totally be on board with the music or foods, but at the very least they are both very local and unique. If you are looking for that sharp event space for your grouping of whatever this is likewise an excellent spot with both inside and outside areas along with a modern impeccably clean fully certified industrial kitchen not to mention the built in stages/acoustics/sound systems. If you like food or drink, music, art, a sense of community, or just consider yourself a foodie this is a must do whenever the chance allows. read more

Please note: I came here on Sunday for Ty's Pop-up restaurant breakfast/brunch, so this review is for Ty's pop-up only. It was wonderful! The menu had several options of healthy and delicious plates and very reasonably priced. It was simple to order at the counter, and the staff was extremely friendly. I was tantalized by a bakery case at the register boasting an assortment of signature pastries, conceived of and baked by the chef just for that morning - we were unable to resist an addition to our breakfast main dishes :) The atmosphere was great - a philosophy of simplicity and modesty abounds, setting the food off perfectly. Each dining table was set with a bouquet of fresh-picked spring wildflowers. The food itself was excellent! I had a veggie-stuffed omelette that had sauteed brocollini and chevre, with irish toast and pan potato hash. Very fresh, healthy, and deliciously prepared. Un-greasy breakfast dishes complex enough, but not overly so. REAL FOOD, as they say, done well! read more

The Food Lounge is a brilliant idea, and perfect for Santa Cruz! Though we've been wanting to go check it out since they opened in the late spring, we finally discovered it this week. This is part restaurant space, part business incubator, part art gallery, part commercial kitchen - and completely wonderful! Now that we understand what it is, we've been there three times this week - each a completely different and exciting experience. The Mortal Dumpling on Monday made each bite more exciting than the last. The baked curried chicken bao was so amazingly delicious - and my husband and I had furiously dueling chopsticks for the dry-braised string beans. The First Friday art opening on Friday was a lovely, mellow event, complete with live music by the painter of the pictures. The reasonably-priced tri-tip sandwich and Greek salad were easy but tasty accompaniments to the art and music. Sunday birthday brunch from Ty's Kitchen at the Lounge was another enormous hit. The Sunday morning patio was lovely - the perfect backdrop for the interesting and creative brunch items. The smoked brisket "hash" was big, beautiful chunks of brisket, potatoes, tomatoes and other assorted delectables, and it is accompanied by your choice of two sides, some standard (like toast fried potatoes or bacon), but also polenta squares, kale and broccolini, or a power muffin. Everything was fresh, made on the spot and completely delicious! The open-every-day Mutari Chocolate at The Food Lounge will be next on our list. Check out their online calendar to see what's happening. The best idea to hit Santa Cruz for a long time! read more

This place was PERFECT for our high school reunion! I booked it on a recommendation, and unseen until the event - but Sally was in constant touch with me about what to expect and how to plan. It did not disappoint! Very comfortable and perfect for ANY group gathering! The service was great, the food was good, and the atmosphere was really nice. Very "Easy." If you have a group event, reunion, fund raiser, office party, etc - and don't want the stress of planning the food and drinks - this is highly recommended. Prices are very affordable and the food costs are very reasonable. Quality of the good is great, but we weren't looking for excellent, so I wouldn't be critical of the food anyways - because that wasn't the focus of the event. Good job Food Lounge, you made my job very easy and everyone enjoyed their time there. read more

Sally was our bartender (and one of the owners). She was fun and genuinely interested in us. Despite claiming amateur status, she made a great cocktail and had lots of knowledge of the local brews. The food was inventive and thoughtful. We had churros filled with blue cheese, Mediterranean meat balls, and deconstructed cheese cake topped with mushrooms. This place is new but it's going places. read more

Food Lounge - The three lovely proprietors and their more than capable chef. - Cafes Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I have been to the food court twice and really don't know what the raves are about. The first time the food offering was ham and cheese sandwiches and chicken soup, the second visit was an Italian chef who had his certificate proudly displayed next to the pizza he was serving. Italian chef servipizza, I really don't get it. My wife and I go there for the musical entertainment they are having. We will be going again tonight, I'm hoping for a better food experience but I won't bet on it. We went back to the Food Lounge tonight because they had a great music show. Andy Furman and Friends, including Rich Dunn, The Tomatoes (Hanna Jones, Wendy Treat and Linda Baker) and their wonderful band. The food tonight was outstanding! Mole's Oaxacan Cuisine, Ana Mendoza chef/owner. read more

This is not about the individual pop-up businesses that cook here (they are different every night) but about the attitude of the ownership. I was FREEZING there tonight. The temp outside was only 51, but when I asked the owner (who rents to the pop ups) if she could possibly turn up the heat, she told me, "just sit in the men's bathroom, it's supposed to be a sauna in there." She was NOT joking. I asked again politely, and she said "go sit in the bathroom." I grew up in Chicago, so there's no reason they can't get proper heat in this temperate town. Was it stinginess? Even so, that's kinda rude to the customer, don't you think? read more

Please note: I came here on Mother's Day for Ty's Pop-up restaurant breakfast/brunch, so this review is for Ty's pop-up only. The food was very nice. I had the carnitas and eggs with potatoes and toast. It was very tasty. However the portion seemed pretty small for the prices charged, and the three risibly small slices of toast were essentially worthless. I feel if you're going to charge $12.95 for breakfast plus $2.95 for coffee you can at least provide actual cups for the drinks. I hate drinking out of paper cups. Also their ability to serve your ordered items together needs serious work. I got my plate before my wife got her bread pudding and long before she got her pancakes. My wife loves this place - is there right now in fact - but I was unimpressed. read more

The Food Lounge is a restaurant, bar and patio that serves as a venue for several pop-up restaurants and one permanent one. There's something different most nights of the week, and I enjoy just about all of it. As of August 2015, on different days and nights of the week Ty's Eatery -- farm-to-table food, delicious and creative meals on Wednesday night and for Sunday Brunch. Menus change all the time with the season. I'd recommend Sunday brunch because I've had several fine dishes there that I've never had before, plus farm-to-table takes on traditional breakfast food that take it to the next level. Wednesday nights in Summers he's mainly been doing outdoor grill, which makes him temporarily the best vegetarian restaurant in town as his vegetarian sides are something to write home about. So are his grilled meats. When the seasons change, so will the menu, so be advised. Mortal Dumpling -- Hand made steam buns, baked buns (bao) and dumplings, plus a variety of side dishes including the best gan bian long beans around. Lionfish Supper Club -- not sure of the timing. It's adventurous, "sexy" food, and I'm not that adventurous. But they seem very popular. And other people have been there recently, gone away, and may come back: Kickin Chickn, for one. It's a place to experiment. The one permanent vendor is Mutari Chocolate, which has its own space and Yelp rating and which I also recommend. The 100 percent Venezuelan Camino Verde, at $8, is literally mind-altering. But that's for extreme occasionals. They also have varietal takes on "regular" hot chocolate, and other choco-centric things. Food Lounge owners Sally, Andrea, and (name I can't remember) are always on hand with the cooking crews to make sure that things go well and that you're happy. And pour a drink or two if you're so inclined. There's patio seating, sometimes music with your meal, and other events. I highly recommend perusing their schedule and coming down to try something new. If you don't like it, come back in a couple of days and try something _else_ new. I'm very glad that the Food Lounge is here, and hope that it remains here for years to come. read more

The Food Lounge is a hub of community connection, activity, and special events. The pop-ups are such a great idea, as we get to sample different chefs and bakers and foodie businesses. First Friday's are always great. The markets are wonderful, as vendors with products that go beyond food, get to showcase their wares. It's a wonderful way to spend time with friends, connect with other foodies, and attend those special fundraising events that are always so much fun. They always provide top-notch, fresh, local and tasty food! And now they have a full bar too. So glad The Food Lounge has found it's home in Santa Cruz. (And just around the corner in the same building is Ashby Confections, providing tasty chocolates and other goodies. If you're looking for a special experience, hit them up on First Friday! read more

We just went for dinner with Mortal Dumpling. It was a great dinner! My trio of selected Bao were delicious. Awesome green beans and really fun pearl balls. Chocolate Mochi was a great finish. read more

The open flow setup of this place and rotating chefs are PERFECT! Ty's Eatery and Mortal Dumpling are regulars and both are outstanding. Ty knows his smoked meats, barbecue and MOLE, and Mortal makes divine dumplings and buns filled with curried or stewed meat. The bar always is highlighting the best local beer and wine. read more

Grim food offerings but we continue to try. Peddling booze, I guess something works well here.

Tys Eatery is my favorite spot to eat period! He is such a talented chef who does not only feed my body but my soul. The food has so much life to it. It's not like a lot of places around town that just combined ingredient and throw them on the plate. He truly thinks about what he is doing and how to highlight the ingredients rather than masking it with creams, fats, sugar etc. Clean eats and community is what I find every time I go to any of his POPUPS or Sunday brunches. A true gem!! read more

Great find! She came by our offices last week and we were really impressed with the food. I gave it another try today - roasted red pepper soup with a cilantro lime sour cream, caramelized onion and spinach deviled eggs and a sweet potato salad. I walked out of there with three really tasty, healthy, filling and warming items for under $10. Excellent value, fast and delicious. Highly recommended! read more

Such a great location! Inside is spacious with great light and a rotating art gallery. Patio is ample and there is a Corn Hole game always ready. The bar has great local brews and spirits! And the food is an ever changing menu that is sure to delight and expand your list of "favorite foods". The women that own it are cheerful and gracious, even under the stress of a Pop Up event. It's a once a week gig for this local gal! read more

This place is not for me! The food was measly and expensive, and the service was not good. The waiters were impatient and when we asked to speak to the manger or owners, they refused. There isn't any good places to sit, and it was really annoying to hold a plate, drink, and silverware all at once. The place wasn't even very crowded, but the staff wouldn't give us a good place to sit. read more