Scopazzi's is one of those few restaurants that gives me nightmares largely because it was so far off from what I would have ever expected and certainly not the "finest Italian restaurant in the area". Frankly Foster Freeze's down the road serves better Italian. Summary....food was an epic fail, service was an epic fail (except for desert) and decor was reasonably nice. My wife had prime rib that that was a nice portion but literally a third of it was a slab of fat (rather than the piece being nicely marbled) and her salad was so wilted we had it send it back for another one. I had the veal Parmesan which came as an amorphous pile that had started with a layer of cheese covering a layer of mushrooms covering a thin piece of veal that required a steak knife to cut (and of course was chewy) drenched in a marinara sauce. The only decent food was the spumoni at the end which was not made by the restaurant. The service sucked more than food with an absentee server who was strangely arrogant. We even had to ask for silverware. They never refilled water or soda or asked if we wanted another glass of wine. We even had to ask for the check. I can honestly say they would make a good case study for the worst service possible. Recommendation...go to Foster Freeze's down the road for better food and service or if you want a bit more upscale go to Tyrolean Inn in Ben Lomand (which actually is the finest German restaurant around). read more

Fine dining, great service. Food is good, not great but the atmosphere is special, the destination (if you don't live nearby) is special, and the presentation of their flaming desserts is spectacular! read more

I can't believe this restaurant is getting so many good reviews on Yelp! I have to wonder if these diners just don't get out much. Or perhaps I am just a food snob - ok, yes, I am a food snob - I travel the world based on 5 star restaurants I want to try ... I'm a food traveler .... but that aside, I can't understand how on earth all these Scopazzi reviewers haven't realized there is food out there that can blow your mind and this place doesn't have it! The last time I ate here was a decade ago when I visiting my sister in her new house in Boulder Creek. My date and I laughed at how bad the food was but what should one expect in a mountain town? Now that I live here in "the crik" I thought I'd give this place another chance. All I can say is WOW! I can't believe how bad the food *still *is . Four of us ate dinner here a few weeks ago and each plate we ordered, and we all had something different, was just terrible. I ordered the fish of the day which was covered in some sort of Thai sauce, saturated really, so saturated in fact that I could barely see the fish. What exactly was the sauce hiding I kept wondering? The Beef dish my man ordered was all gristle and fat but it did include a large dish of burning-hot horse radish that was likely meant to disguise the texture and taste of the gristle once the offending beef entered the mouth. What a shame. The folks that own this establishment have the opportunity to offer the locals a kick-ass restaurant and could make a fortune as they are the only game in town. read more

Didi anyone else get food poisoning from New Year's Eve at Scopazzi's??? I've been up since 5am and it doesn't feel good. The prime rib was too raw and the salad was OLD...probably where the problem came from. Lesson learned. Foster's Freeze sure sounds good for next time... read more

Drinks are good at the bar. Never had the food but from what I can tell it's probably mediocre. The service is also not very professional. I'll update my review once I eat there. read more

A restaurant could do really well up here in the boonies if they took the time to refine their menu and cook up great food. Scopazzi's does not want to take advantage of this I guess, but their service is always fantastic. We came here with a giant group after my dad's annual party, and had our tables ready for us off in a side room. It took a long time for them to take our order, and an even longer time for the food to come out. Their calamari is good, but nothing special. I've had their spaghetti bolognese twice now, and both times it has been mediocre. I think I could make spaghetti better than theirs, actually. My sister has had their fettuccine alfredo, and she disliked it, as well as hubby who has ordered it before too. Simply put, their food is nothing special and it's super overpriced. The place has an old-school family-style feel to it, but not in a new way... in an olddddd way. read more

We came here for the Veterans day SLV museum fundraiser. It was sooooo good! I didnt get to eat much because I am gluten free - but it seemed like everyone else loved their options also. I love that not much has changed in the place. My family built it and made it what it is. I would not want to change any of that. When my grandfather owned it, it was in its hay day. Might be that I am more sentimental and prefer anything NOT FAST FOOD DECOR. Who knows. Anyways, if you want to eat Italian food, you can come here. I do wish they had some things my family had on the menu, but thats ok. Its still great. Keep it up! read more

Good ambiance with great food. This is a landmark on Boulder Creek. Never had a bad meal at this handsome restaurant.Serving breakfast now!!

OK, first let me say that I searched high and low for a direct email contact because what I want to say should really be said directly to the owners. This place is local, charming, warm and totally neighborly. Sitting in the bar, chatting with the next table, hearing the banter and recognizing names from BCN is fantastic and why we moved here. Servers are all great - totally efficient, competent and always friendly. That's why we didn't make a scene and send back the food. We WANT to come home and stop at a local spot and enjoy ourselves. The lack of stars is ENTIRELY about the food. Come one you guys - you're not cut off from civilization anymore. The reason houses are selling for the insane prices they are is because all of us "flatlanders" are coming over the hill to enjoy peace, beauty and a slower life. But we've eaten actual fine Italian food and the frozen eggplant isn't it. It had no texture, no flavor and was $23. That's getting into the SF range for a meatless entree and trust me when I tell you - that dish will not fly anywhere else. PLEASE, please, consider looking at your suppliers and raising the bar a bit. The arugula salad is really good ... until there are canned mandarin oranges around the edge. It California! Canned fruit??? tsk tsk. Look, even my bodega around the corner from work in SF finally had to look around and realize they couldn't get away with Bud Light and pork rinds forever. I can actually get a kombucha and almond milk ice cream there now. Your place is a total GEM and should read the same writing on the same wall - people have discriminating palates now....everywhere. We'll keep coming back, but at this rate it will be just for wine, a martini and artichoke hearts before heading home (or to that OTHER Italian joint down 9 a little further) unless the kitchen does a little soul searching. read more

My wife and I ended up at Scopazzi's on Saturday evening to celebrate a early Valentine's day dinner. We were a bit early so we decided to have a beer at the bar. The beer was good. Shortly after we arrived we noticed a live musician starting to set up in the corner which was nice to see. After our beer we were seating in the dinning area. After about 45 mins the place started filling up. We ordered the Calamari to start with which was good. For dinner my wife ordered the Goat Cheese stuffed Prawns and I ordered the Beef Medallions. The beef was cooked perfectly to my request and the prawn dish was to die for. We both shared meals and were both extremely satisfied with our choices. We noticed a lot of locals dining here (everyone seemed to know each other), which is a good indication that the place is good to eat at. The live music (Norah Joan's cover) was playing through out dinner which was also nice. The only complaint that I could possibly muster up is that the lighting fixtures were a bit bright for my eyes. But after about 30 mins they dimmed the lights. So don't let the bright lights keep you from Scopazzi's! We will definitely be back when we visit the area again. read more

Very interesting building and a very good Pepper Steak. The building seems like an old hunting lodge. The wood panel inside is such a dark wood, I feel like it is absorbing all light in some kind of magical way. Definitely an interesting place to go with a lot of character. I don't know what the other chum....ps at my table were thinking when they ordered ravioli, seafood, and the like. When my giant, flambéd Pepper Steak came out, I could tell they were all jealous. And right they were to be so. It was absolutely delish. If only similarly priced steakhouses made steaks this good, the world would be a much better place. read more

Upside: They give you a lot of food. Blue cheese dressing was wonderful. Spumoni ice cream is great (looks like homemade, but waiter told me it was made by a company called Polar Bear Ice Cream). Downside: Service is terrible (didn't offer to refill my husband's soda or ask if I would like another glass of wine); prime rib was extremely fatty; salad lettuce was wilting and some pieces were brown. We will never go there again. For the money you pay for prime rib, I can do eat at Sundance Steakhouse in Palo Alto and have a fabulous piece of meat. read more

Being a local, I would want to say nice and wonderful things about things place. I would want to highlight the wonderful menus, the gastro experience, and the ambiance... A simple gem of a place with historical interest nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains... Yet I am not able too. I am not able too because Scopazzi's Chef does not rate that level of praise. The menu is less then inspiring. It would be one thing if the food was simple but tasty. If the presentation was "interesting" but the food around it was full of flavor and vitality. A hint of the wilderness that surrounds this "should be" oasis of taco stands and waxy ex- biker bars... Yet the food is prepared at a level of a recent culinary flunky who could not pass the first test of knife skills. A fifth grader with a pair of plastic shears could do as well. I What had the possibility of being magical has turned into canned soup with parsley and carrot springs poking out at interesting angles. Phallic would be the word I would use.. Sad... so Sad... If you go at all, go for the drinks.. The bar is a good spot to watch a game, chat with friends or play a game of cards... The price is high for the type of food you get. It would be better spent at local eateries like Cowboy Dinner or Sandabs. read more

These cooks know beef. Twice I've ordered beef here, first prime rib, then tonight's Roquefort ribeye. Both times the cuts were cooked perfectly. Tonight's dish had a lovely Roquefort cream sauce with a demi glacé, mashed duchess, with a small side of fresh mixed veg. Remember Lorene's Packing Shed? Like that. The salad was straightforward but decent, hubby loved (in a manly way) the clam chowder. Nice relish plate (old school) and sourdough served with butter pats amenable to spreading. Steak preparation on par with Green Valley Grill or Cafe Cruz, priced similarly. Try it, you might like it! The service was very good, earning a solid 22%, rare in Santa Cruz County read more

If you're a fan of old-school, no frills, delicious Italian food AND you're also a fan of the mountain ambiance, you must eat here. The wait staff is courteous, unobtrusive but at the same time, friendly and attentive. The food....well, if I was Italian and had a grandmother who loved to cook, this is what I imagine she'd be serving. Tip: You can order the raviolis 50/50 Gorgonzola/Genovese. Best of both worlds. read more

How come there are no reviews for this place?! Oh, that's RIGHT, it's in Boulder Creek. And it looks like the tackiest place on earth from the outside. I have driven by this place many times over the past year because my boyfriend lives just a few minutes from this place. So there we were Saturday night walking into Scopazzi's in Boulder Creek. I wasn't thrilled. UNTIL we got inside. I felt like I'd been transported to another planet. All I had to see were the pink low-lights illuminating the bar to know that this place had an awesome ambiance. Even though the parking lot was packed we were seated immediately. I ordered my usual, ravioli with cream sauce. (I get this at every Italian place, as it is my personal taste test.) My guy got the filet mignon and asked for clam chowder. Unfortunately they only have clam chowder on Fridays and Sundays. What the? After ordering wine our soups arrived and SURPRISE! (as our waiter put it) clam chowder! Awesome service. The caesar salad is not to be missed (mainly because the waiter tossed the salad right in front of us after making the dressing from scratch.) And...the cheesecake was delicious! Both our meals were fantastic and the vibe of the place is so not Boulder Creek vibe, so don't be like I was and turn away when you see this place. This place is definitely pricey at $18-30 per meal (not including drinks) and for most people it's out of the way. It is worth it though because once you get inside, it's a whole different world... read more

For 12 years i lived in Boulder Creek and this is where we went every Friday night. I too am a food snob and worked in the restaurant business for may years as a chef. This restaurant is all about the old world, simplicity, grace, good friends and the best caesar salad you can get in Nor Cal. I have eaten at all the top restaurants and boo to those who think this place is no good. Great! Stay away from Boulder Creek and keep your negativity in the bay area. This town is a piece of heaven and Scopazzi's is just one of its many stars. Coming back after being away for 7 years and can't wait to feel at home again!!! read more

Scopazzi's has been open since 1913 and its old-fashion charm and culinary experience shows. Its in the middle of the small town of Boulder Creek and was the only restaurant open on a Sunday night. Its a huge wooden building that clearly has a lot of a history. The menu was extensive, though nearly everything was the familiar fair of older and stodgier Italian restaurants. Nearly all non-pasta dishes were centered around meats with sauces that must have been all the rage in the seventies. The duck breast with a sweet sauce was really enjoyable and the duck was very succulent. The presentation was nice and the sides were good, though not great. The chicken breast with apples and bananas had a very tasty sauce and the chicken breast was very moist, though not as tasty as the duck. The portions on our plates and everyone's around us were ample. The clam chowder soup was good as far as they go, and the dinner salad was as expected. The desserts were extensive and the white chocolate decadence was great, though not amazing. They only had house wines by the glass, and their merlot and cab were both somewhat disappointing. Half of the entrees are available as full dinners, which includes soup, salad, and gelato for around $22. Other entrees are between $20 and $30 on their own. While I wouldn't recommend making the long drive to Boulder Creek just for the food, if the setting appeals to you, you won't be disappointed. read more

Gross!!!! Over priced mediocrity!!! The bartenders are terrible, young people serving and bussing who could care less about service. If you have $20 stay home and make your own food! read more

I haven't been back to this place after a poor experience a couple years back. Previously my visits had been pleasant. I made the mistake of ordering a steak at a restaurant known for the Italian fare and was sorely disappointed. Not only could the staff not tell me what USDA grade the steak was but I was still charged for the meal I didn't even eat. A rude encounter on the way out with our server and I was over Scopazzi's. The ceasar salad is REALLY good and I did like the fettucine alfredo once. read more

This is a wonderful, old school style restaurant with great food and service. The menu is large as are the servings. Nice bar and they pour a good drink too. They do offer game, steaks, great Italian dishes, excellent clam chowder and minestrone plus huge parking lot, very spacious dining room and a wonderful deck that is dog friendly when the weather warms up. It's indoor dining only now and great fun to have lunch in the bar by the wood stove. Friendly employees too! Beautiful old redwood building too. I love this place! read more

Done with our lunch. We ordered a couple if rounds of Kettle One martinis, a BLT and a lunch size Calamari Frits. They all were so very reasonably priced. The portions were large and both were properly done and so tasty! OMG! Maybe the relativity rule of where we're at does not stick. That said, they are a great deal for lunch!! read more

Very unhappy with this place. Just came in a few minutes ago my dad asked a young male waiter if there was a wait list the guy said he didn't know and just walked away. Rude staff very unfortunate read more

Tried this place again. Learned my lesson. If you get food poisoning from chicken parm. That's a problem. read more

I love Sco's. The pepper steak, meat sauce pastas, the pesto, the Caesar salad are all great. Been coming here for 20 years and they've done a great job maintaining high quality of food. The cook can get a little happy with the salt, but just send it back if it's got too much salt. read more

Food and service was fantastic. Fireplace was a little Smokey but is added to the ambiance of the room. Looking forward to the next time

Elegant and delicious. This was my first try @escargot, I enjoyed it immensely. The prime rib was by far the best I have ever had. Fantastic cheerful staff. Scopazzi's Team blew me away. I dropped my wallet and am so pleased to know they found it and are holding it for me. Thanks Team Scopazzi for a fantastic night! Thank you Netta and John for a wonderful treat. read more

Always great food and great service. Patio seating for warm summer afternoons and a fireplace in the dinning room for chilly winter dinners. And they do catering as well, we used them for our wedding a few years ago and everything was perfect! read more

Scopazzi's is an institution here in the SC Mountains. People travel distances to come for special occasions. I really like the place. It is on my top 5 list of restaurants to take friends and family who are visiting. The food is very good, with few disappointments, with favorites being the Duck, and pasta dishes. The Caesar Salad is great. I have been to Scopazzi's twice for Thanksgiving, which everyone loves. Service can be great, but a certain waitress has made my dining experience less than ideal on 3 occasions (makes mistakes, then blames them on the customer). Cocktails are pretty good, but if you want top shelf, or higher end liquor, make sure you ask for it. My Manhattan was made with Old Crow! Ouch! The dining room is cozy, and in the winter, when there is a fire going, it is wonderful. The outdoor patio is good in the summer. For those of us who are "locals" it is a good place to gather with friends for a cocktail and appetizers, or a good meal. It is a meal destination for travelers, and a real find for new comers. read more

Sandy is the best ! Always taking care of our family and groms are always stoked. Must get the garlic and olive oil with the vinegar. Food is good and we love you guys ! read more

The bar is a nice casual yet classy ambiance with fireplace area - peaceful unless theres a baseball game or something interesting for men to yell at. The food wasn't too amazing yet still costly it seemed. I had the Lasagna a couple times here now and it is the same type of food I could probably get at home. Which is nice - it's home cooked meal feel is nice and I couldn't say scrumptiously delicious necessarily so I wouldn't say that is worth the over the top midsize portion for large dollars. (You pay for the atmopshere and ambiance more than the food, so make sure to either get an appetizer and share it with your love and then go somewhere else? Or get a meal together and share it, thats romatical. The service was attentive and no issue there at all. I only gave two stars because the "Meh I've experienced better' is a pretty spot on statement with this one. read more

This restaurant is very nice, warm, and welcome. I enjoyed the dim lighting and comfortable seating! The French bread served is very tasty, along with olive oil and vinegar with butter. However, the food itself is atrocious. I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana for $28 and I swear it tasted like a frozen food package from a grocery store. It came with a small handful of noodles that, also, tasted frozen and processed. Very disappointing to pay upwards of $100 for a meal for two only to be served $5 frozen meals from the local grocery store. Is that even legal? Who knows, but my recommendation is STAY AWAY from this place unless you really enjoy getting ripped off. Not to mention the servers are extremely weird and made comments about how much food my table was eating. Yeah, well we hadn't eaten all day and were very hungry - that's why were at your restaurant?! Definitely a place you want to avoid unless you enjoy being served frozen, rubbery chicken with a terrible attitude to match. read more

Scopazzi's - New American Near Me - Boulder Creek, California

Scopazzi's is a Boulder Creek icon. We usually have family get togethers here because the service is excellent, and they can accommodate large parties with enough advance notice. The wait staff is usually very knowledgeable; one waiter that we frequently have started out as a bus boy and always treats us right, even though we usually look like hoodlums from the sticks since formal attire is not required. :) The Gorgonzola ravioli with Gorgonzola cream sauce is what I order almost every time. I've branched out a few times and ordered the filet mignon, which is also excellent and prepared correctly, and some other meat dish, but I pretty come here for the Gorgonzola ravioli. The Caesar salad for two is a must. Prepared tableside by your waiter with only the freshest ingredients, it is seriously the best Caesar out there. Some folks don't or can't appreciate the rustic appeal of Scopazzi's. It's very dark inside, even during the day, and has that charm of a place that's been around for almost a century. This is Boulder Creek, folks. This is as fancy as you're gonna get in the mountains, but it is some good eats with good presentation if you're going to spend some time out in the sticks. read more

We love it here! Given that we are up in the woods its so nice to have a somewhat upscale restaurant for those nights you want good service and not drive far. The servers are so professional and kind. Top notch. The food is delicious and love how they are not cheap with the beard and olive oil dippings. I love the dining area. The only thing I would say is I wish they would update the bar area. Get some wood floors new seating and live'n it up a bit. You know for nights where you just want to pick up apps and drinks and relaxe. Other than that thank you for the good memories and fantastic food and service! read more

The staff is incredible friendly and nice. The food is great. Get the artichoke hearts you get tons to share. The salmon is perfect every time we go there. read more

Great food, wine selection and service! Beautiful decor too. I wouldn't change a thing! read more

I live in boulder creek and since it is a tourist crazy place in summer I wouldn't recommend this on summer weekends but let's skip that AMAZING Not horribly expensive for a 3 person meal Clam chowder / Ice cream / Bread + butter / Pizza 6/ Burger + fries 8/ I go here routinely on Sundays and it's a really good place... When it's not crowded when it is it may just be my OCD and sensory issues talking but it gets REALLY loud good place for calm birthdays Not just the servers but the crowd there is really nice when it's someone's birthday they'll clap because they are just that cool I haven't had a good experience with the people at the bar they are really loud and obnoxious sometimes 4/5!! read more

We had a refreshing lunch after a weekend of camping at Big Basin State Park. We splurged and all four of us enjoyed a great Bloody Mary before our lunch. Great and good sized green salad to start for me with some blue cheese dressing. Sandwiches for three of us. My wife ordered a spinach salad and it came with bacon. The waitress exchanged it easily for one with no meat for my vegetarian wife. Great service. Good pricing and best yet they had dog-friendly outdoor seating for my well behaved English Cocker. read more

I should give 4 1/2 stars, 5 for food and 4 for service. I've been coming to Scopazzi's for over 10 years. Not only is it the best restaurant in Boulder Creek, it has the best Italian food in all of Santa Cruz county. They specialize in table-side preparations - their ceasar salad for two, bananas foster, and other dishes make for great presentations. Their veal is great, as is the Saturday night prime rib. Their lobster tails are the biggest I've seen outside New England. Prociutto-wrapped prawns are great if you want something a bit lighter. Their duck breast is to die for. The ambiance is great - when I was still single it was my go-to date restaurant. Now that I'm married my wife loves it as much as I do. Their only challenge seems to be finding servers who have previous experience in fine dining, as there are very few high end places in Santa Cruz, casual dining being the norm. Try and get seated where one of their experienced staff is working, and prepare to be very impressed. read more

We stop in here almost every time we are in the area. It has a nice bar with ice cold beer. They have a large dining room with plenty of food options. Not fancy, but nice spot for the area. read more