Joe&#x27;s Bar

Henflings Tavern A Legacy in the Santa Cruz Mountains!…read more Live music four nights a week, game nights, darts, pool, kitchen open late, full bar. A neighborhood gathering place with a long history next to the firehouse in historic downtown Ben Lomond, California. Open daily.

Super friendly folks behind the bar. Loved the food. Great patrons and such a lovely setting. Will…read moredefinitely return.

Plenty of parking but no Beer for now

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Monty's Log Cabin

4.5(90 reviews)

6.1 mi

A stop at historic Monty's Log Cabin in Felton was the perfect place to stop for a refreshment…read more Bartender was fabulous, my Spicy Bloody Mary had the perfect amount of heat. A beautiful spot on Hwy 9 in Felton.

While there's no food, there's no objection to snacks. The bartender is hilarious and has great…read morelittle furry friends to great patrons. It is cash only but everything is reasonably priced. There's an outdoor area to get some fresh air. There's pool tables and a juke box for all the tunes.

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Scopazzi's

3.8(336 reviews)

0.2 mi

•$$$

What a treat! We had dinner here last Saturday evening and…read morewe could not be more pleased with the dinners, servers and quaint decor. We have dined so very many places in Santa Cruz but have never had such attentive service and an exceptional meal. Everything was just perfect from start to finish. We had the charcuterie for appetizers. And then we ordered the Ravioli as well as the Steak and Lobster. Scopazzi's has both excellent food and service.

History lovers delight! Built in 1912, the high redwood-beamed ceilings and warm lighting create…read moresuch a wonderful ambience, I want to come on a rainy night and just hunker down over this wonderful comfort food and a Pinot Noir. Excellent service, huge portions, and the kids LOVE it here. The Kid's menu is great and the complimentary ice cream that comes in a glass always delights them. (The kids love the pesto!)

Delightful ambience

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Ganache cake from Dessert 1st in boulder creek

Humble Sea Tavern

3.9(32 reviews)

5.7 mi

Humble Sea has blown up in the last few years. I remember going to the original one in Santa Cruz…read moreback in 2019 and remember liking their beers. Now they have branched out to about 5 other spots. This one in Felton looks like it took over an old western type saloon. There's a separate business next door that's attached that does the food (The Emerald Mallard). You'll have to order there but the food can be brought to you at the bar area. So any food photos posted to Humble Sea's page should actually be on The Emerald Mallard's page. Just fyi as there are several cross postings. Beers aren't brewed here but rather just down the hill probably less than 7 miles away. Their menu/beer listing isn't the most visible or easy to read. Not a fan of how they present their offerings. But upon finally taking a sip everything came together. Tried 2 lager styles one a dark version and another a euro version that I could have sworn was imported. It is really rare for a Californian brewery to nail the euro styles. They nail it here. Split an appetizer from next door (different review) and the upscale vibe of the food really went well the high quality beers here. They also have full liquor but it isn't upfront or obvious. I think this location is kinda new as I don't remember it 2-3 ago when I last visited this town. But next time I do visit I'll probably make a ritual stop here to inaugurate a weekend stint.

Amazing food. The fried capers in the Caesar alone changed my life--I now fry capers at home like…read moreI'm on a mission. Service is next-level friendly (they're basically homies), and everything comes out quick without cutting corners. I somehow remember everyone's name... except Alex? (Is it Alex? Sorry, man. I'll get it eventually.) The ambiance is like your favorite slightly-chaotic dive bar--mounted animal heads and all--but way cleaner. No shade Monty. The music swings from emo to Shania Twain and somehow always works. There's solid outdoor seating if inside isn't your vibe. I've learned how to play Mario Kart on their little TV, discovered I don't hate Cats, and even squeezed in some laptop time (WiFi's a little iffy, but there are spots nearby if you need it). Honestly, this place is kind of epic--and it's because of the staff and guests are SC beasties and beauties

Wedge salad

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Socks & Sandals DDH Foggy IPA with Citra, Centennial, Simcoe & Chinook 6.6%ABV ($9)

Cowboy Bar & Grill

3.8(544 reviews)

6.4 mi

Eat outside, weather permitting. Dining under huge redwoods? Yes please!…read more Plenty of vegetarian friendly options, although my picky daughter was not a fan of seitan. Every employee was very nice! Drinks were well made and generous. Portions were generous, my daughter and I split a salad. Cornbread was kinda dry and needed more butter. Mashed potatoes excellent Coleslaw isn't sweet and had horseradish, very tasty Most of the other diners seemed like locals and regulars, looks like they change up the menu a lot and get a lot of repeat business, which is a good sign.

Great food, ambience and service. A plus is that dogs are…read morewelcome. I have been there several times, most recently last week. Party of 11 and dog - everyone was full and happy.

Exiting the front door of the Cowboy Bar & Grill

Salad

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Emerald Mallard

4.4(94 reviews)

5.7 mi

I literally wept the first time coming here as we were coming out of the pandemic weirdness. The…read morefood is imply beyond good. I can't rave enough!! The spot is lovely, surrounded by trees and a nice bar attached. Definitely a nice hang out spot. We did come once and they had closed early for the day (might have been the 5th of July or something) which is understandable, but it would be great to have a way to know that before the drive (update the hours on the various apps I guess?) But then the owner apologized and invited us to his holiday party for a bbq as a consolation. We didn't go, but it's pretty damn hard to complain about that level of care:-) Thanks!!!!

Emerald Mallard is the kitchen part next to Humble Sea's Taproom in mountain town Felton. It is a…read moreseparate business. There's a few tables out on their raised wooden porch and none inside. But Humble Sea next door has indoor tables and patio seating. If lounging there and enjoying a drink (which is ideal) food will be brought to you there. But you will still have to order and pay at Emerald Mallard's side. Only tried 1 thing here. I was going to come back the following day to do a burger but didn't make their hours. Their menu is small but impressive. Quite foodie in rhythm with Euro flairs. They'll do American smash burgers, fried chicken sandos and sometimes pastrami. But you can also run into steak tartare, frites, duck confit or caviar adds. Menu changes weekly so adventurous palates are to be rewarded. Tortilla Española ($15/4*) This throws a lot of Americans off. Cuz Americans mostly know of the Mexican definition of tortilla which is a starch flat disk made either of corn or flour. A Spanish tortilla is a thick potato omelette/frittata often found at a tapas bar. The version here did sound impressive. The Spanish omelette consist of potatoes and onions fried in beef tallow until both get soft and sweet. Then scrambled eggs are poured in to bind everything to form a thick potato omelette of sorts. It is sliced and served room temp. But here they bump this further by slathering on a healthy dose of Crème fraiche, chopped chives and an impressive dollop of kaluga caviar. Served on an old timey grandma type of plate, this was an elevated appetizer that seemed too fancy for a rugged beer bar with no table service. Lol. I did find the omelette to be too potato dominant as the good ones I've had, had a nicer balance of egg to make the texture more silky and soft. I also found the amount of cremé fraiche to be too much as well as it drowned out the delicate caviar. But we sipped on a couple of well crafted brews and savored this thoughtful tapa with tiny yet deliberate bites. We were going to have dinner in a few hours so we didn't explore the menu any further. But now that I know what this place is bringing, I'm gonna bring my happy ass down for more exploration in their changing and unique menus. RSVP...count me in.

Inside (10/11)

Pistachio Cannoli ($8)

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Chipotle Cream Sauce ($1)

Bruno's Bar and Grill

Great experience! I met a friend for a beer...okay 3 beers. We were greeted at the door by a very…read morefriendly server/hostess and offered the many seating options. This is a fairly large bar and restaurant with indoor, outdoor, and even event space. It's very deceiving from their modest front door entrance. We chose to sit at a high top table upstairs. Colton was our server. He greeted us at the top of the stairs and welcomed us in. We ordered local IPA beers on tap from a decent selection of beers. We also ordered their Fiesty Tots to share. Crispy tots with pico, grilled jalapeno slices, and bourbon bacon bits. Very tasty! Without prompting, Colton brought us a sample of their potato soup. It tasted amazing. So much so, my buddy and I each ordered a pint to take with us. Super nice touch. This was my first experience at Bruno's. The outstanding friendly greeting and service (to say nothing of my limited experience with the very tasty food) will bring me back to Bruno's. Lastly, I could smell the intoxicating wafts of flame grilled burgers. I will definitely try this during my next visit and ask for Colton to be my server.

Stopped by Bruno's Bar & Grill for my birthday all the way from Burlingame on our way to Monterey…read more We had a great experience. Would have been perfect if the patio was open. It was closed due to a private party upstairs. The food took some time to serve, but it taste really good. Love my full back ribs and Jalapeño Cheddar Cheese rings! Was not able to take pics because we were hungry lol. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome without being overbearing. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable, making it a great spot to catch up with friends or enjoy a casual meal. They made my birthday extra special with their lemon raspberry cake. Yum! I'll definitely be coming back to try more items on the menu!

A beautiful view of our rooftop dining deck "Cloud 9".

A crowd favorite - The Heat Meister Burger!

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Our Garden Gimlet

Trout Farm Inn

3.5(179 reviews)

5.3 mi

Awww these reviews make me sad because this place is awesome! I have been here 3 times…read more The first time I went with by boyfriend and it was so nice we had to come back. Erica the bartender helped us at the bar with food and drinks. The second time I was engaged and I wanted my engagement party there. We set it up by the couches with "Happy Engagement" sign, "she said yes" napkins, Ring straws and Ring balloons. We all talked, took photos, had mimosas and brunch. Everyone was attentive and just had an amazing time. about 20 people showed up. The third time we went to the pool with 3 kids. It was a bit pricy for 5 people with food and drinks. It also did take a little long like 30 minutes for drinks but it was fun and the pool was warm. They brought out a pretzel that was rock hard. When I told them they quickly brought me a new one that was soft.

Got to the pool about 330 the great pool attendant- server got us a drink per happy hour…read more.. She never informed us from the get go - POOL CLOSES AT 5. Last yr I spent many sunset evenings w/o ever being asked to leave .. guess they thought I was a member. I asked her about happy hour food and she said happy hour is in the bar... I told her I wanted to check out the happy hour and went inside -she should have informed the pool closes at 5 at that point. I said hi to the bartender and inquired of the happy hour and that I was enjoying the pool. He then informed me at the bar to get happy hour prices I had to eat in the bar and that I could not take my happy hour food outside to the pool. The young man at that point should have informed me of the pool closing at 5 as well. I ordered. 2 tacos and grilled shrimp and it took 52min to arrive. I asked the guy bartending twice if he ordered my food. I got back to the pool. It was a few minutes after five after jumping into the pool the nice attendant informed me the pool is closed. I got charged $ 35 x2 for two people to not use the pool because I went inside to get happy hour food. A lot of non communication A lot of taking advantage of peeps unaware ! Not cool

Dining room

Huevos rancheros, bloody mary, hollandaise

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Bar/ Sitting Areas

Empire Grill

4.2(273 reviews)

5.7 mi

Casual and very tasty lunch! Friendly service with delicious food in a relaxed diner vibe setting…read more We had burgers, turkey club, and a salad with ahi tuna steak. Everyone was very full and pleased. Portions are generous. Will be thinking about that salad for a while as it was so yummy.

Dawn is the best!! Shes's my favorite bartender in the mountains. The steak salad is also amazing!read more

Things to do in Boulder Creek

Cozy corner

Pastrami sandwich

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Bar

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Mark S.

14 years ago

Oh, Joe's. So many mixed feelings, yet I think I love you. It's a dive, obviously, but where else am I supposed to go this far up in the mountains? They have 2 pool tables and darts here. Super friendly people, someone always buys me booze. If they served french fries I think they'd make a killing with the drunken crowd. read more

Jonathan F.

5 years ago

Bartender was rude and ignorant. she threatened me and my friends because we had a conversation she didn't understand. I will never go back there ever.... read more

Simon P.

14 years ago

good little bar in the mountains...if you are in boulder creek stop by and say whats up to Bobby!

Jay W.

9 years ago

This is a great place to go with friends. They have live music often and everyone is great!

Cindy C.

13 years ago

not a fan this place service is not great and needs an update

Racheal O.

10 years ago

Best Bloody Mary in Santa Cruz County!

Joe's Bar - bars - Updated September 2026

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Over the Hill Gang Saloon

4.3

(37 reviews)

Walking around pleasure point I heard this great band plane and they were playing an upbeat rock…read more'n' roll sound! It sounded like a quartet, but they had a good beat and rhythm so I've literally followed the amusement!! To my surprise, it was this little bar on the corner and it seemed like everybody was friends from their old heyday!! A handful of people were dancing and they all seem to know the musicians playing. I wanted something easy so I just got a beer on tap and the surface was quick and the beer was regular. It was mainly the music in the life band!! I stayed for 30 minutes and listened to their whole set!! I will definitely go back and check out this bar again!! Such a vibe!!

Best gay bar in Santa Cruz hands down!! Second is not even close. Went in here and got hit on by so…read moremany guys i have never been so fulfilled!

Monty's Log Cabin

4.5

(90 reviews)

The Castaways

4.0

(32 reviews)

Best dive bar everrrrrrrr. The next drink master might work here. The cocktails were delicious…read more Bartender whipped up a guava daiquiri for me and then recommended the first kiss after that. Place is awesome with pool, darts, and plants. Great place will be returning

So what's so special about Castaways?... Well. This is the dive bar that you want to come in for a…read morecool, friendly and relaxed time. Alone or with friends, this is a cool bar. Excellent and friendly service, amazing drinks and the chill effect you want in a local bar. This is my place to unwind after a baby day at work. The place to come in for a few drinks and enjoy the ambience and the friendly, and very professional bartenders. There are a few bars around. But this is really the place to come.

One Double Oh Seven Club

4.1

(48 reviews)

Shuffle table is sadly garbage/ so slow. Pool is king, but slop counts and ball in hand? Not…read moreregular bar rules. Cranky. Very methy/ weird vibe. My wife was told " we don't like strangers". I bought drinks for everyone. Durty.

Come here for a good time! This is one of the oldest smoke bars in the country. Vinny and eddy are…read morethe best! Love the service very personable people and such a good crowd!

Brady's Yacht Club

4.4

(98 reviews)

Hands down Brady's yacht club was just fun is the easiest way to say it. We showed up Saturday,…read moreAugust 22, around 11:30 a.m. there were a few other patrons inside the bar and maybe two outside on the patio area and it was just Good vibes all around. The bartender that made our drinks, didn't tonic and bloody mary, was super personable and asta's general questions about where we were from and how we were spending our day today. We let her know that we're from the Sacramento area here for a wedding and she was all excited and said that we had a perfect day to come visit for a little bit before having to head to our wedding event. More than anything this place is meant for a good time. Come in with good vibes, big smile, and cash cuz it's a cash bar only, and you will have an amazing time. So happy that we stumbled upon this as we were right next door getting sandwiches for late lunch. Highly recommend swinging by this bar and having a good time.

I had the worst father's day and GRACE AND KAI made it all better, they took care of me, everything…read morewas clean and amazing and they made it feel like home. I've been here before and haven't met them but I did tonight and this was the best. Visit them, tip them, hell yeah

Jury Room

3.9

(78 reviews)

Jury room- came here because of the history IYKYK.. the serial killer in the 1970's... anyways…read morestopped in with a buncha girls during a bachelorette weekend in Santa Cruz! Your typical dive bar! The cocktail was disgusting, the woman working was pissed 10 beautiful women walked in, not clean bathrooms. Good music. The vibes!

Showed up to this bar on a cold, Friday night. It's the kind of dive bar that you just instantly…read morefall in love with: gregarious bartenders, welcoming regulars, and a space that cultivates a real community for musicians. I overheard just how passionate the bartender was about taking care of the bands who come in to play. And it really showed. I caught a line up with Supernaut, Peace Pipe, and Dead Engine. All of them were amazing live, and the crowd was super supportive, too. So, between the heavy pours, friendly folx, and a great venue for live music...I found a new watering hole in Santa Cruz. It's been around forever, so I'm happy that some live music could put it on my radar. Next time, I'll bring a $1 bill to put on the ceiling.

Oak & Ale

4.1

(18 reviews)

First place we've experienced after a disappointing full day in Santa Cruz, finally found a place…read morethat was dog friendly. The Oak & Ale was worth the stop. The bartender was chill, the beer was delicious, the music was very psychedelic and our dog was welcome. Our vibe totally! And the beer was a reasonable price!!

Our fave bar. Cool vibe, pool table, great bar selection, great tenders…read moreThere's no food, tho, so plan accordingly

Asti Cafe

3.6

(119 reviews)

cheap drinks, great bar tenders, Punk rock kind of ambiance,…read moregreat service :) One of my fave dive bars for sure.

Such a great little surprise. From the outside it looks like your classic no-frills dive, but it…read moreturned out to be a perfect spot to grab a beer and unwind. The vibe is relaxed, unpretentious, and exactly what you want when you just need to chill. Linda behind the bar was fantastic, friendly, attentive, and the kind of bartender who makes you feel like a regular even if it's your first time in. She really made the experience stand out. Definitely a spot I'd come back to for an easygoing night and a cold drink.

Hold Fast Lounge

4.8

(6 reviews)

Cool little local dive bar. Pool tables, darts, and karaoke! Fun little spot and a lot of friendly…read morelocals! Bar tender makes solid drinks and the pricing is great! If you're not into clubs like me, this is a great hangout, chill spot with friends, or to make new ones!

This spot has had a few incarnations since the old Night Owl days and Hold Fast is by far the best…read more Friendly bartenders with mellow afternoon vibes and an awesome mural that runs the length of the bar and gives an under-the-sea feel. Two pool tables, upright piano, atm and a couple arcade games. Dog and human friendly with three pizza options on the same block.

Fast Eddy's Billiards

3.8

(64 reviews)