Had dinner here with my son…read more.. Pros- we were seated pretty fast. There's a parking lot, shared, but still a big lot. They didn't skimp on shrimp for the Phad Thai, 6 decent sized shrimp in the dish. Service was fine. Cons- food was ok. Curry was one color, sauce and ingredients... normally there's carrots in yellow curry, so it's not one dimension, not here. Yellow curry was, yellow! Taste wise, it was the best dish, but I missed the carrots. The grilled beef salad had extremely overcooked beef in it, that was a bummer. Will try other Thai places in Santa Cruz... don't believe we will come back.

***Overall 3.5 Stars***…read more The dishes are flavorful, the prices are fair, the service seems friendly. There is even a lunch special menu, which wasn't mentioned online so I'll need to come back to take advantage of it (see my photo)! The only reason for the 1.5 stars docked off is for the lack of ambiance, tight parking lot, and not great location. For me, Real Thai is a great takeout place.

Four of us, all adults, visited Royal Taj India Cuisine in July, 2024, arriving as the first…read morecustomers at opening for their lunch buffet. Everyone in our group had a connection to Nepal and to a lesser extent India, whether through having been born there or having lived or traveled there extensively. By the time we finished, most of the restaurant was full, including with families. We were pleased to find an Indian buffet in Santa Cruz, and found many of our favorites on the buffet, including chicken tandoori, meat and veggie curries, basmati rice, daal (lentils), naan (bread), pakora (deep-fried fritters), raita (yogurt), salad, chutneys, and more. However, we all agreed that, while there was a good variety of food on the buffet and it was of acceptable taste, some of the curries were bland and watery, lacking the depth and complexity of spices usually found in Indian food. We wondered if the spiciness had been toned down for presumed American tastes? Some other reviewers also mentioned that the buffet included chai (warm sweet spiced milk tea); I'm disappointed to have missed this personal favorite! I forgot how much we paid for the buffet, but it seemed reasonable for the Santa Cruz area. The restaurant was bright, with a mix of tables (with white tablecloths) and booths. We didn't see too much of the staff, but they were helpful when called. The bathroom could use more attention. Parking was sufficient, easy to access, and free. The restaurant offers catering. We would return when next in Santa Cruz.

Me and my wife wanted to try an Indian restaurant but something affordable. Then, we reached out to…read morethe restaurant and they informed us that they have buffet going on till evening. We went there for buffet - all you can eat just for approx. $ 15*/person. It was a littlebit laid back place but we appreciated the hospitality, authentic food, a lot of options - Naan, Rice, Cauliflower with potatoes (Aloo Gobi), 3 varieties of Chicken curry, Pakoda (Fritters), Salad, Roasted Chicken, Lentil soup, desert - Gulab Jamun, Raita. We were amazed by their service. Extremely affordable! In my experience, this restaurant is the most affordable with lots of choices. Highly recommended!!!

We haven't been to Lillians in a couple of years, and the quality has declined. We ordered bread…read morewith tapenade to start. While the tapenade was good, the bread seemed like tough grocery store bread. My husband's chicken was so dry, he had trouble chewing it. I ordered the salmon on risotto special. While the salmon was tasty, the risotto was sitting in a pool of olive oil. We were very disappointed.

The food hit the spot. I had the chicken Parmesan on a bed of rigatoni noodles and marinara. It was…read moredelicious. The service was very friendly. I was seated right away. I thought it was going to be a wait because the place was packed. The table service was very friendly and always timely. She checked backed on me more than just taking the initial order. Since the place was packed it was pretty loud inside. You could still hear the piano music in the background. Next time I am back in town, I will definitely recommend Lillian's for a dinner for the team I work with. I know they will enjoy it as much as I did.

Went in today and were the only people in the restaurant sadly, because these people deserve…read morebusiness!! The sweetest older couple took care of my boyfriend and I and made some of the most delicious food! I got the kimchi soup, and my boyfriend got the kimchi fried rice with chicken and korean fried chicken. The kimchi soup was one of the best i've had but was a little spicy so keep that in mind, i personally didn't mind! It had so many delicious add ins like pork, rice cakes, and glass noodle!! Kimchi fried rice as was rated 9/10 by my boyfriend! He wishes it had a little more chicken, but other than that it was delicious. The kfc was one of the best we've ever had! So crispy and the sauce was sweet with a little bit of heat! The sauce was seriously delish, like we were blown away! If you're in the area, pay them a visit and enjoy their warm attitudes and clean restaurant!

Ohhhhh am I glad I found Sesame Korean Grill! They not only serve Korean BBQ food, but also they…read moreserve Japanese food too! I was happily surprised to see a katsu menu (even a plate of mixed katsu), ramen (even Cheesy Ramen), and sushi rolls. I came with friends because we were craving classic Korean BBQ dishes, like spicy hot tofu soup and Dol Sot Chicken Bibimbap (clay pot with sizzling rice at the bottom - yum!) and soju (Korean wine), but we ended up also getting Japanese dishes, like unagi donburi (fresh water eel). Plus, as a classic Korean BBQ place, Sesame served the little dishes of Korean goodies, like kimchi, and they were so refreshingly tasty and obviously homemade! You know it's a good place when you are thinking about what dishes you want to order the next time you come, whom you want to invite, and where the takeout menu is! Service was okay: we were seated quickly and food arrived at a good pace. We had to ask for a few things, like remind them of our drinks, and wasn't checked on, but our server was easy to find and we had no complaints because we were too busy devouring our food and toasting with our pomegranate soju. Other things to note for first time customers: - Parking can be a little tricky because the lot in front of the restaurant is limited to about 5 cars only! Try across the street! Also beware that street parking meters are strictly enforced. - Drinks are delicious. Get them. - The place is spacious, so it's food for large groups. - Ambiance is more of a family restaurant (nothing fancy). The most important takeaways are: the food was delicious and the prices were reasonable!

From my very first contact with the catering manager, to the moment of delivery, to the quality of…read morefood, it was excellent. I will recommend their catering to everyone who asks. Thank you very much, Mission St. BBQ!

Come get some brisket or tri tip. Thats what we had and it was great…read more Potato salad was good. The corn bread. Not good. But I didn't come for the bread. I came for the meat and that was great. Some tables to eat at inside.

A big fan of Akira sushi out in Aptos so came to the Akira sushi e Santa Cruz…read more Food was equally good as well as service.My friend and I both got the two Items bento box I got the teriyaki salmon and Cali roll with salad,rice and miso soup and a diet Coke Food was excellent

This is my go-to sushi joint when I'm around. Such creative rolls and appetizers! The restaurant…read moreitself is a long and narrow corridor with colorful pop and street art decorating the walls. They don't accept reservations but I'm always willing to take the gamble to drop in because I don't mind sitting at the bar. Host, servers, chefs, all leave positive impressions.

LOOK. I was hungry (*'o'*) And I licked every plate clean (…read moreT - T) Every single dish tasted fresh, paired INTENTIONALLY with fragrant chutneys and curry sauces. THE SPICY MANGORITA had bits of pepper in it -- YKNOW SO ITS ACTUALLY SPICY sorry guys, i love spicy. The salad was so good, i went and bought a can of beetroots. don't ask me any questions. I am going to bring all my friends here. beach side indian dishes, with some great music playing. my heart is full and my belly is fuller.

We have great food in the extended Bay Area and Namaste is in the upper quartile. The lunch combo…read morewas a good mix of items, tasty and filling. Good service.

Ok, I love dining in at Yan Flower!…read more I have had their food in the past from take out and been less impressed, but eating in was a great experience. The ambiance, vibe, and quick service made it a really fun date spot. They have probably the cheapest beers in town with a $3.50 modelo. I got the crab rangoon, and the salt and chili pepper tofu, and loved it! Excited to come back.

I was going to give the place 4 stars because it is exactly what it is, no pretense. The tables are…read morechipped, the place looks like it hasn't been updated since the 1980s. The people are nice and the food is inexpensive. But the quality of the cooking is plebian at best. I had the Hunan chicken lunch. The rice was mushy and the chicken was cooked to the point that it was tough to chew. The veg on the plate was plain steamed broccoli. It reminded me of the kind of place I loved in college, cheap 'Jewish style' Chinese food. I might go back for the funky ambience and nice, hardworking people, but I won't expect much from the food.

Sushi tortatatora is delicious Sushi tortatatora is…read morenutritious It's sushi that pops in your mouth The glisining meat melts in your delicious trout The beams of light that come out the rolls melt your face The taste takes over your taste Your face turns into sushi Everything around you looks really looks like sushi the sushi controls your every move Gobbling that sushi every time you move 5/5 super delicious yah yay

The fish was fresh. Ambiance was nice, I enjoyed the music playing, and the price was affordable. I…read morewill definitely come back!

Have reviewed this before years back and remains a go to. This review is of the front outdoor patio…read moreupstairs. Food: 4 Atmosphere: 4.5 Service: 5 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - Wes: our server was on top of it, friendly, cheerful and so kind to us on a very emotional day. Very much appreciated and such a genuine young soul. - Atmosphere: right on the beach with upstairs and downstairs dining rooms and patios. - Calamari: not your traditional crispy crunchy version but I loved the seasoning in the breading and the tenderness of the calamari rings. 4.5 stars - Fish sandwich: enjoyed the soft focaccia bread and the tender grilled fish filet. 4 stars - Cocktails: long menu for those who like fruity vacation type drinks or just a beer or wine. Midlights: - Different menu on the patio which is limited and more casual the the restaurant downstairs with a full meal. That's fine but good to know. Lowlights: - Can't make reservations on the patio so it's a bit of a craps shoot whether you can get a seat especially on a weekend. - Cover fee of $5 per person for upstairs early on a Saturday night was unexpected though live musicians were cool.

Pros: location, views cocktails, French fries. Some of the other basic menu items, salad bar, poke,…read morenachos. Friendly staff. Happy hour, comedy nights. Cons: Price of appetizers, overall food quality is not great based on the price. Burger was over cooked (if the cook can't do it to medium don't offer levels of doneness). Calamari was like a plate of mush. Go back to a classic plate of Golden fried rings and legs. Fish and choice was over fried and honestly battered fried fish is far superior to breaded make the switch. Cup of chowder 12.95?? Come on.. added surcharges etc. No prices listed on drink menu. Good Beer on tap and in bottle was somewhat limited.