2nd time here. The ambiance was great (as always). The service was solid. We were helped immediately, and the server was very attentive. As of the food and apps, they were great. The chips and salsa were exceptional when paired with the drinks we got. We had 3 different drinks, and each drink was amazing. Overall, a great place to visit for food and/or drinks read more

Took a little trip to Capitola for a relative's birthday. We decided to stop by Margaritaville after coming across it on Yelp. Their outdoor seating has the cutest view of the Painted Houses. Service: Our server was amazing! He was super attentive and friendly. Most of the staff greeted us as we entered and left. The food was also brought out fairly quick & they did something for birthdays! We were given the option of ice cream, a birthday shot or churros. The churros came with both dark chocolate & caramel sauce which were delicious Food: The calamari was pretty good! The exterior was super crunchy & the portion was pretty big. I was torn between ordering the fish tacos & the shrimp tacos but our server had recommended the fish tacos with mango salsa. It was so good and they gave so much mango salsa. I was surprised! I'd definitely order this again. Painkiller: I have a very low tolerance for alcohol and I'm super picky so I thought this was a bit strong. My mom loved it though. Overall, this was such a positive experience with an amazing view. It's such a nice little getaway. There's also some 3 hour metered street parking nearby. read more

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Fish tacos are pretty amazing, still remember them. Great tartar sauce and crunchy, fresh calamari. Sit by the water, great view with shade! read more

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Teetering on giving this place 3 or 4 stars.... bumped up to 4 because the app doesn't allow me to give 3.5 stars, and the overall experience was great! Food is great. Service is excellent. But very pricy - which should be expected, given the location. We had the ceviche - 4 out of 5 stars - could've been a little more spicy. The quesabirria tacos were on par - very delicious, but not the best. The shell could've been fried a little longer to create a crunch and hold the taco more firmly. Fish tacos were excellent. The chicken quesadilla was also very delicious. Clam chowder is some of the best I've had. I certainly recommend this place but be warned - you'll probably spend a pretty penny. Stock down for value. read more

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Lovely experience! We decided to head to Capitola for a nice beach day and of course we had to stop by Margaritaville! This was my first time here and I loved the restaurant, the scenery, and of course the yummy food! First of all, the views? Were stunning! We sat on the lake front with a perfect view of the famous Margaritaville colorful houses and the gorgeous ocean beach views! Definitely gorgeous scenery! However I do wish they would've had some umbrellas available for sure, because holy sunlight! lol. I gave my bf the side with less sun light so he could be more comfortable. Thankfully the weather was perfect, so the direct sunlight wasn't that big of a deal. (: When in Margaritaville we order what...? Margaritas! Of course we had to lol. I ordered the Strawberry margarita and my bf got the Jalapeño margarita. Both were so tasty! I got my Strawberry margarita frozen and it was so refreshing and yummy! :) I wish I could've gotten a more sweet option it was pretty sour! (..but my bf said all margaritas are sour lol.) For food I ordered the Crab & Shrimp Enchiladas which featured Dungeness crab, blackened shrimp, and Queso Oaxaca rolled into corn tortillas smothered in tomatillo salsa with rice and beans. &OH MY GOODNESS, absolutely delicious! The cheese was melted into savory, luscious perfection. I was pleasantly surprised that the salsa was salsa verde (green) which is my absolute favorite! The salsa was so flavorful, satisfying, and had the perfect balance of tastiness with a light spiciness. The dungeoness crab and blackened shrimp were seasoned and cooked to perfection, in combination with the melting savory cheese on top? DELICIOUS! My bf said these are the BEST enchiladas he's ever tasted and he's not even an enchiladas person. lol. The rice and beans was pretty standard Mexican inspiration with great taste and the portion was so large I was super full and didn't finish my whole plate. Highly recommended! My bf ordered the Baja Fish Tacos which features beer battered wild Alaskan halibut with Hass avocado, cabbage, cilantro, and Chipotle aioli. We both LOVED it. These tacos are delightful and taste delicious! I especially love the tacos with the savory chipotle aioli sauce which has to be one of the greatest tacos sauces to compliment fish for sure! They give you 3 large tacos packed with battered crisp fried fish, mm mm! I would give the tacos a solid 9/10. Highly recommend. My bf and I love sharing our food together and we enjoyed both dishes so much! I also love that you can easily set a reservation right here on Yelp for convenience and guaranteed seating! We set our reservation while we were driving over and we were seated right away. Our server was polite, proper, and very helpful. The service time is impeccable! We received our drinks within minutes and the food was ready especially fast as well! The plates came out hot and steamy. Love it! Highly recommend. I took one star off because I definitely think they should have an option for an umbrella or a light shade to protect guests from direct sunlight. We left early because the sunlight was a lil tough on me towards the end. lol. Also the food is GREAT, but not amazing. + I would've loved a sweet margarita option, if that is possible? lol. Anyway still highly recommend! We previously ate at another restaurant on this street and Margaritaville completely blew it out of the water as far as food quality + quantity goes. read more

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Cost of food and drinks was a tad on the pricey side, so I didn't feel the value was quite there. But other than that, we had a wonderful experience. I really liked the taste of everything, not exactly top of the line or that unique. But it was still delicious and made with fresh ingredients, and the menu had a good range of mouthwatering options.  I loved the smoky flavor and seasoning of the grilled crab and shrimp inside the enchiladas I ordered, covered in melted cheese and a slightly spicy green salsa. The Branzino (sea bass) looked like it had shrunk a bit from being fried rather than baked, but still had that white flaky buttery consistency under its cooked skin, and the face and eyeball still perfectly intact (see my pic), cuz of course that matters, lol :P The margaritas were sweet and fruity with lots of flavor, but not that strong in alcohol content.  The ambiance of the restaurant and the service we received were stellar. There was no wait when we arrived, the staff gave us a choice of indoors or outdoor seating (by the way, they have a lot of powerful heat lamps on their waterfront patio with a beautiful view of the ocean lined with colorful beachfront properties). We were checked on multiple times during our visit, and didn't encounter any problems with our dishes. I wasn't thrilled that they close at 9:00pm, I would have liked to stay longer and enjoy more of their margaritas. But there are several cool bars along the esplanade, open later, so not a problem if looking to have a few drinks for the night. By the way, metered parking (till 8pm) wasn't difficult to find nearby on a Sunday evening. read more

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It's my second time at this place and love it. It's about amazing food and also the service. Had not a reservation but they made it for me although on a weekend and busy hour. Seafood and meat are with good quality and well prepared. Capitola is a beautiful city and having a great meal at this place makes it a perfect day for us. read more

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100/10 recommend when visiting capitola! First time visiting & it was breathtaking. The view from the outside patio... you have to sit on the patio! It felt like we were in a different country on vacation. The food was amazing too. There is so much to choose from but you can't go wrong with Baja style fish tacos & margaritas! The service was great too our server really helped narrow down the menu. Surprised there wasn't a wait to be seated at the time we went. read more

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Nice beachfront restaurant in Capitola. Food was pricey, but you're paying for the view also. Chile Verde burritos and steak tacos were delicious. Cocktails were very tasty also. Our server Violet was great and brought out blankets since it was a bit chilly. read more

We went for a Margarita at the bar and the service good but our drinks were not also way too much money Better Luck next time! read more

Visited Margaritaville a few weeks ago, and were completely amazed By the crab tostadas and the Birria tacos. They were over the top DELISH!! We highly recommend them. Great place to have lunch and enjoy the beautiful view. LOVE LOVE this place read more

Margaritaville - Birria, tacos, and crab tostadas - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Super super nice vibes in Margaritaville! I went to this location with 3 friends in Santa Cruz. The location is so good, it's right by the water, so you get really nice views during sunset time. Highly recommend. We got a mango margarita pitcher to share - YUM . We all got El Ultimo Burritos and some grilled chicken tacos, both were super flavorful and great tasting! Would recommend this place for an evening out with girls or even a date - really romantic spot! read more

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I normally wouldn't venture to a place called Margaritaville, but we were walking around the area, got hungry and desperate, and I'm glad we tried it! They have a lovely indoor space, but definitely sit outside on their patio that faces this quiet beach-ey cove. There is a nice view of these colorful condos along the water that almost reminded me of Venice canals. It was surprisingly serene back there. The service was excellent and the food was pretty good too! We had the guac and chips. Even though there were jalapenos mentioned in the ingredients, the guac wasn't spicy at all, the chips had the crisp and thickness of a freshly fried chip. It also came with two salsas that were a bit spicier than the guac if that's your thang. We had the crab and shrimp Enchiladas that came with rice, and pinto beans. The beans are really pureed down, I generally prefer a bit more chunk to it. The enchiladas were great that- plenty of crab, and well-cooked and well-seasoned shrimp. I've never been to this nook of Santa Cruz county before, but it's a cool little area where you can walk along the beach, and plenty of little beach and clothing shops and other treats within a couple blocks. Metered parking can be difficult to find is all. read more

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We had a nice dinner here and would go back. We needed a space that is dog friendly so we picked this place. The hostess was very welcoming and our server was great. I don't get the reviews that are negative for this place. The view was lovely and the prices are what they are. No one is forcing you to eat here. We thought the dishes were nice and fresh and not overly salty. Our drinks were delicious, no complaints. read more

Everything about my experience at Margaritaville was fantastic! The food was delicious, the view was beautiful, and the service was quick and friendly. I came for lunch during the Capitola art and wine festival and was very pleased that we were seated immediately! The place was pretty packed, but our food and drinks came out very fast! I ordered the chili Verde enchiladas and they were some of the best enchiladas I have ever had. So full of flavor, a huge portion of pork inside, and hot and fresh! The plate came with two enchiladas and rice & beans. The portion was massive! Aside from the few bites that I shared, I ended up eating the whole thing and was stuffed until I went to bed. The Baja fish tacos and the blackened shrimp tacos were also ordered by my group. The Baja fish tacos were a little plain, but once the sauce it came with was added to it, they were delicious. The blackened shrimp tacos were also very good and flavorful, and did not skimp on the shrimp. We also ordered some chips and guac. I wish it had come with chips, but the chips are handmade by them, so I was fine paying a little extra for some better quality shrimp. Another highlight was that when we accidentally left our wine festival glasses on the table, they gave us new clean glasses! Can't wait to come back any try more of the menu next time! read more

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Way overpriced! We spent over $40 for margaritas and chips and salsa. Margaritas were no better than any place else. They barely had anyone there during the lunch hour and I'm not surprised. Service was good and nice views but not worth it overall. read more

Here at Magaritaville in Capitola,Ca. on our anniversary. Violet was our server and she has great customer service skills and a pleasant personality. Our food tasted great read more

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Drinks were good. Views are good. Service was good. Food was not good. The salsas (green and red) were bad. One was like tomato sauce. The other tasted like nothing. It had tomatillos but I dont think anything else. And they charge you for it. Guacamole was puréed like the kind you buy at the grocery store. I feel like bad salsa and guacamole in California should be a crime. Chips were good. Shrimp enchiladas and zero flavor and were not good. Barely any cheese. Shrimp werent properly deveined and that flavorless tomatillo mess was on top. I got hot sauce but they brought out Tabasco and a green one and I didn't want it. Just a weird choice to have with cantina style cuisine. Fish tacos looked good. Beans and rice were good. I definitely wouldn't go back unless I just was wanting Margaritas. Which means I might go back lol read more

Margaritaville - Gross Guacamole w/ Chips & Salsa - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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What happened to this place. Hadn't been here in a while. I ordered calamari to go. For $21 I received like at the most 8pcs. Take into mind I zoomed in on the photo. 8 pieces with not taste at all, and most were burned. What a ripp off.. Not returning. read more

Margaritaville - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

I came here for dinner on a Thursday around 1730/05:30p. It was the perfect time before the rush. I was seated right away outside on the patio, and the view was beautiful. The host and waiter were attentive, and checked in often to make sure I had everything I needed. $21 dungeness crab tostadas - oh my gosh, hands down my favorite dish of the night. the crab was super fresh and the flavors all came together so well. I also ordered a couple of shots of tequila, which paired perfectly with this appetizer. $24 shrimp and crab enchiladas - delicious, did not disappoint! it also came with a side of rice and refried beans. $26 chimichurri grilled skirt steak - amazing!! each bite was so flavorful, tender, and juicy! $12/ea margaritas - I ordered the mango (10/10), pomegranate (4/10), and strawberry (7/10) Overall, great service, delicious foods, and I can't wait til my next visit! read more

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I had low expectations for this place as many Mexican restaurants are not authentic but this one is actually GOOD. Highly recommend their birria tacos as they were very flavorful and meat was tender. Nachos are also a must. Their drinks are not that strong but I still enjoyed my piña colada. Service was really good and food came out quick despite our party size being big. I loved the view and would highly recommend checking it out! 8.5/10 Food 8/10 Service read more

This place KNOWS how to make nachos! Topped with the meat of your choice - our favorite is the Chili Verde. Yum.

Every time I come to Capitola I always go to Paradise Grill. Now I'll be coming to Margaritaville! The food was so much better than expected. I honestly thought Margaritaville restaurants were a bit cheesy and didn't expect much. My whole group was amazed by how good it was. We had a few sets of tacos and some guac. The shrimp and steak tacos are both very good. The view is amazing, right on the water. It's great to sit out on their balcony. Their drinks were also far better than any I've had in a long time. Mine was a vodka strawberry lemonade. It was very refreshing and not too overpowering. The rest of my party enjoyed our margaritas and ordered another round. Look forward to returning! read more

Margaritaville - Margarita - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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Margaitaville is an amazing restaurant to try while in Capitola. I went with a bachelorette party, and we had an amazing time. The service was great, and the drinks and food made the night. Hands down, best margarita I have ever had! In addition to this, the fish tacos were also sooooo delicious. Probably the best fish tacos I have encountered. I highly recommend checking Margaritaville out if you're in town! read more

Margaritaville - Fish Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

The outdoor patio is dog friendly! Staff was attentive. We had the shrimp tacos, the salsa verde enchiladas and a steak quesadilla all were very solid. The guacamole was good but needed either more lime or a pepper or garlic or tajin something to jazz it up. The mango margarita also has pineapple in it so I was not sure why it wasn't just labeled as both. We came for lunch and it was not super busy and fairly quiet but my FIL says it gets pretty busy at night. Would definitely come back! read more

Fun tasty place in Capitola! The outdoor dining in the back porch area is gorgeous. Covered from the sun but also heaters if it's chilly, with a view of the water and open sea. Lots of seabirds flying around and a gorgeous place for dinner. Service was friendly and accommodating and they paced it to our needs. + pitcher of mango margaritas: great tropical mango flavor, and tajin rimmed glasses for some spice + virgin Bloody Mary: bacon rosette on top, and two olives. No skimping on olives here. Nice peppery kick + chips/salsa: salsa was very much on the mild side but we added some green Yucateco for a hefty kick. Chips were fresh and warm and goooooood. No stale bland chips here! + dungeness tostadas: 3 in an order with a generous smear of avocado on the crisp shell, and a full topping of fresh sweet crab meat + fried calamari: loved the fried jalapeños in it. Not very spicy but added great flavor Mains: + wedge salad with steak added: just right amount of dressing that managed to make its way into the leaves, which were fresh and perfectly crunchy. Great balance of seasonings and textures, and the flank steak wasn't gristly at all. Generous chunks of avocado on top. + my friends had the branzino (looked beautifully fried) and chile verde (tortilla side looked tender and fresh, and the forkful of beans I stole were delicious) It's a bit on the pricey side BUT the ambiance, service, and food quality were top notch. Will definitely return when I'm in the area! read more

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This place is good! I've been coming here for years now. Calamari is tasty! And chili verde enchiladas are good! Margaritas are also on point! My only complaint is that it felt the last time I went in the food just wasn't the same! Maybe new ownership or new chef . I will still visit any time I'm in town. Just hope it lives up to its name! read more

Quesabirria Tacos!!! Amazing service was great definitely give this place a shot won't be disappointed

First off, I had actually drove from Santa Clara to Capitola to have dinner at Zelda's. They were not busy at all, they sent me down with menus, but no one came by to check on me for 10 minutes, no water, no appetizers not even an acknowledgment. I disappointed and found Margaritaville a few businesses down. I was greeted by a friendly staff that walked me to my table on the patio . I then met Nathan, my waiter for the night, and he was very pleasant, well mannered, and well spoken. Within a few minutes, I was provided with recommendations, which I went with three Baja fish tacos, a cup of clam chowder and an extra spicy bloody Mary. The food was great, the view was phenomenal, and the service by Nathan was second to none superb! I am so glad that I found this place, going forward. This will be my new go to anytime I come to Capitola!! Thanks Nathan and staff for the wonderful experience! read more

Margaritaville - Cup of clam chowder, baja fish tacos and an extra spicey bloody mary! - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Service: Emmy was very kind and patient with us. We took a little longer to order because we were busy taking photos. It's absolutely beautiful! I'd highly recommend eating outside near the bridge area it's more secluded and great for photos of capitola. Food: Burrito was great! Very stuffed. Chicken tacos were tasty and so were the shrimp tacos. Not pictured is our $44 strawberry margarita pitcher. Serves about 7 cups of margarita so I highly recommend getting it if you and a friend plan on getting 2+ drinks. Strawberry wasn't too bad! read more

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Great food and service. Nice and cozy outdoor seating with great view. Drinks were very nice. read more

Margaritaville - Verde enchilada and chicken taco - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Are you in Capitola and looking for a good place for lunch or dinner? You have to stop Margaritaville!! I've had the opportunity to try different things on their menu like nachos, enchiladas, chowder .... But this place has the best birria tacos I have ever had. They're cheesy, juicy and loaded with flavor! The other cool thing about this restaurant... if you're willing to wait for a table outside, you'll have the perfect view of the colorful painted houses right by the beach! read more

Margaritaville - Quesabirria Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Came to Margaritaville for my birthday a couple of weeks ago and everything was great! There's a nice beach view, all of the drinks were good, and the food was delicious! I got the Chimichurri Skirt Steak and it was so juicy and went well with the chimichurri. The Mango Margarita was my favorite of drinks we tried. They offer pitchers of margaritas so it's good to order if you have a group on the larger side. They also gave me a free birthday shot (and one to everyone else at the table) which was so nice of them and shots were so smooth! Everyone in my group enjoyed their food and drinks as well. The food here is definitely good, but the drinks and the views are the highlight of coming here! We were a group of 8 and we came around 12:30pm on a Friday and got seated within 15 minutes. I would recommend using the Yelp waitlist. Also parking takes a long time to find in this area, so I would recommend setting aside 10-15 minutes for that. read more

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The food here is just okay. A little overpriced in my opinion. But I guess that's just all restaurants in this area. However, we really enjoy coming here for their drinks! I've tried many of their margaritas & have loved every singe one of them! The crab tostadas were also very good. BUT they are $21 & you get very little meat. Overall, we enjoy the atmosphere, views, and drinks! read more

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I am so in love with this spot. This is my 2nd time coming to this Margaritaville and today the seating location was perfect outdoors. My husband and I were seated in a corner kinda secluded and over looking the water and the colorful hotels. Was kinda romantic and had the heaters on. Perfect ambiance! I really wanted to come back to have more cucumber margaritas. I had three. When I left and stood up I realized I had a slight buzz. Happy Camper I was. (Hehehe) Anyways, back to my appetizers. We ended up ordering a bunch of appetizers and of course our cocktails. The shrimp and fish ceviche was so yummy! (My favorite) It was fresh and lemony the way I like it. We also ordered the calamari, clam chowder, and a salad witch was very refreshing. The service we received from Lisette was great! She recommended a new margarita (half jalapeño half cucumber) and it was delicious. I'm still hooked on my cucumber one though. Best margarita I've had EVER!! I am already making plans to try and bring my best friend/sissy next weekend so she can try the margaritas and enjoy the views. I highly recommend this location. read more

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The food was amazing!!! The drinks were great, but took forever to get made. The location is unbelievably beautiful and parking is a challenge. Our server, Norah, made it a 5 star experience!!! We hope she's working next time we come in!! read more

Honestly, I was a bit skeptical that this might be a chain. If it is, it's top notch. You walk in to this expensive space of windows absolutely immaculate. Staff is young and friendly. We were able to sit outside with the iconic view of Capitola Village. I ordered the Blackened shrimp taco (3) my guest ordered the fish taco again three. We were both thrilled! If you can grab an outside table, and the weather is right, do it. read more

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HAVE TO COME HERE EVERY TIME I VISIT CAPITOLA !! Like even when I say I'm going to try something new I can't help but to end up coming here. They have an expansive drink menu - never have I ever not loved any of the drinks I've ordered. Although I do tend to stick to the margs because they're my favorite. Especially the jalapeño and the cucumber one. They honestly should combine the two NOW THE FOOD!! Ugh I meannnn it's all been spectacular in my humble opinion. Super fresh and flavorful!! I've ordered the chips + salsa, the guac, the calamari, the mango shrimp tacos and the chicken nachos hahaha AND I HAVE LOVED THEM ALL. Never needed a to go box. As if the food and drinks weren't enough ‍ This restaurant is literally in the most amazing location with the best views. You can sit outside and enjoy the vibe or you can still enjoy the views from inside, at the bar especially. TRUST ME YOU WONT REGRET IT. Next time I plan on the ordering Chile verde and a mango margarita to start read more

Margaritaville - Mango and jalapeño margaritas plus the water and the colorful houses in the background - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

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I'm unsure if this place deserves any stars. The prices were exorbitant, especially considering the tasteless food. I had to add extra salt, pepper, and sauce to my tacos just to make them palatable. Additionally, charging $10.00 for a few pieces of chicken added to a quesadilla feels unreasonable. Not going to lie, the drinks were amazing. That is the only reason I give this place a 3 star. read more

Margaritaville - Seafood Near Me - Capitola, California

Perfect food, drinks and service as always!! Love sitting out on their patio area. The chips & salsa with guacamole was on point! read more

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