Wai-Ling, Mike, and their staff are total professionals. Always ready to assist. We really appreciate you and your staff's efforts. Everyone was so helpful and wonderful. Load in and out was super easy for the props and rentals we personally brought, and the vendors agreed. The Sunroom was perfect for a party of our size (Around 150), lots of natural light before sunset and gorgeous sparkling ceiling after dark. The venue was clean and the bathrooms were well maintained. Looking forward to working with you all in the future. read more

We liked The Grove! We used them for our send-off brunch after our wedding, and they provided a great venue in a great location. The room itself was beautiful, and overall quite reasonably priced. The food itself was okay, not amazing but did the job for the send-off brunch (I don't think anyone from the brunch will be raving about how great the food was, nor will they be saying it was bad). They provided a marquee outside, too, which was a really nice touch. My only complaint is that, after our contract was signed, they sprung that the food service would only be for an hour, despite the event being contracted for 3 hours. I think that should have been made more clear from the beginning. Overall positive experience! read more

The Grove - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Wow, this is a cool event space! Spacious ballroom, gorgeous views of the ocean, a very neat sun room, and a disco ball to boot. I wish I could go back (waaay back) in time and have my prom here! Cocoanut grove can hold ALOT of people. There's a bar available for use, and three different rooms that could be utilized depending on the size of the event. I've heard that the sun room ceiling even opens up (but I haven't seen that in action). This would be a great venue for a wedding reception, dance, reunion, or company holiday party. read more

The Grove - Sun room! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Awesome place to have a private party! Staff is friendly beautiful view of the ocean! I would highly recommend this venue for a private event! read more

The Grove - Nice venue to have a private Party! D J Guy highly recommends this venue! Staff is friendly easy to work with! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Such a beautiful day event space . Perfect for spring - fall events. They've tried hard to keep the nostalgia in this building. The only thing I find difficult is parking in this area. It has perfect views all around once upstairs though. read more

I proposed to my wife at Seabright beach which is right next to the santa cruz beach boardwalk. Cocoanut grove was putting on a wedding expo and invited us to come by. We were going to choose another venue that we thought would be much cheaper than the cocoanut grove, so we decided... why not, lets check the place out. Boy were we suprised. The cost to rent and the cost of food per person was almost $15 cheaper per person than the other venues. The place was so amazing and large we thought there would be no way we could afford it, but it turned out to be cheaper and nicer than all the other places. Sally Sessions (the cocoanut grove wedding coordinator) took us on a tour and showed us the ball room. The size was perfect. We were expecting about 300 people. We were able to use the place the Friday before for a rehearsal session at no extra cost. Sally was very accomidating and allowed us to stay a little past the allotted time to make sure everything was perfect. The wedding went off without a hitch. Sally was there personally to make sure everything went smoothly. The food was as excellent as it was in the tastings. We had Kalua Pork, Salmon and Macaroni salad. The food was served Buffet style and serving went smoothly. Everyone was able to get food in about 30 minutes. We were given 2 rows of tables which made 4 lanes and moved people quickly through the lines. There was enough food for everyone to have seconds. They also provided a photo booth for $450.00 which was probably one of the best things we chose. We had scrap books where our guests pasted one of their pictures and left messages for us. We must've laughed for an hour looking at all the crazy pictures. All of our guests told us over and over how much they loved the venue. It's got a great view of the beach right from the ceremony area. The ballroom was right next to the ceremony space, so all the guests had to do was get up and go into the next room. We forgot how large the space was for the guestbook and welcome area. the room was large enough to accomidate comfortably a guest table, a photobooth, and a long line of people who wanted to take photobooth pictures. They also had a "greenroom" space behind the stage that we were able to use to get ready or fix our hair and makeup. I don't wear makeup, but it was a good place for me and my wife to practice our dance. The Cocoanut grove was the best venue we saw and the cheapest as well. I recommend any couple to consider the Cocoanut Grove for their wedding. Oh yeah, they had a Marquis in the front of the venue that we asked to put "Congratulations Jeanny and Phil"... They let you put whatever you like for your special day. The restrooms were full sized with 4 stalls in the mens room and about 6 urinals, I'm not too sure what the women's restroom was like. read more

I attended an engagement ceremony in the Sun Room this past weekend - who knew this place was here?!?! I've been coming to the Boardwalk since I was a kid and never did I know that there was more than just rides, corn dogs, giant doughnuts, and horny teenagers. Let me help you with this piece... It's called the "Sun Room" for a reason. Translation: If you're there for a day time event, bring your sunglasses. It's like being outside without being outside. The ceiling is entirely constructed of glass and sets a beautiful atmosphere. Granted, for the one and only experience I've had here, the weather was perfect! I'm going to assume that this will have a lot to do with the experience. But again, if you're fortunate enough to have nice weather for your event, this is a really cool spot overlooking the Santa Cruz Beach and Pier. I'm at that stage in life where I'm frequently finding myself at these types of events that are being held in facilities such as the Sun Room, but I'm going to have to admit, there is something about this spot that I think is flat out cool! read more

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I ended up coming here this past Saturday for the Sea glass art show which was $5 admission and part of proceeds go to Monterey Marine Mammal sanctuary. The center is easy to find right on the boardwalk and during this slower season, parking was easy to find. The Center was very bright and airy, although the particular event I attended, seemed to have more booths than felt comfortable and a teeming crowd. There were two smaller rooms off the main hall, that I think they could have used more effectively to spread out the artists' booths, hence making this a 4 versus 5 star review. I fee like the center could have worked with the event organizers to lay out their tables a little more effectively, since the aisles seemed awfully narrow. Overall, though, seemed like a cute little place to hold a small art show or similar type event. You certainly can't beat the surrounding area, with a short walk to the Wharf and the boardwalk-close driving distance to other Santa Cruz attractions. read more

Fabulous place, fabulous views, fabulous dancing, and fabulous food. A great venue for a wedding reception, or a corporate function. Plenty of room for plenty of people, and truly an unforgettable adventure. Has a long and fascinating history if only the walls could talk. You will love this place. read more

Our school has had their prom here it went well.. Done did the chocolate festival.... it was amazing I went last Sunday for their Bridal Show.. was totally impressed. Lots of vendors and they had tons of food/drinks for sale as well.... people gotta eat right? Everything these guys do they do well... read more

I have photographed many a wedding here and There is a lot to love at this location, right on the beach, the sun room is amazing when they roll the roof back and see the stars. The food is just average. Huge dance floor, always a plus! read more

My husband and I had our reception here in The Ballroom, mid September 2012. I'm so happy with the whole process and I have no regrets. Annie who helped us with paper work and booking was so helpful and responsive to my emails and meetings. And Rebecca the wedding coordinator, who I had met that night, made it seem like I knew her before then. Little things like putting my top tier of my cake in a protective box was so considerate. Thank you Rebecca. I strongly suggest whether you are booking this venue or not, to go to the bridal fair they hold there. Especially if you are planning your wedding in or around the central coast. Lots of steals and deals vendors offer. Unfortunately, I've learned to discover they will be losing their kitchen come spring 2013. MY FOOD AT MY RECEPTION BUFFET WAS AWESOME! All of my guests had nothing but positive things to say about the food. I'm very lucky to have had their kitchen staff and chef for my wedding. The good news is they will have preferred catering list for you to chose from if you need catering. : ) We booked the The Ballroom b/c of our guest size (200). The room is very spacious and the bar with the bay room included was great. The whole place is decked out in art deco, turn of the century, big band, 1920's 30's casino feel. I loved it! Here is a quick list of the perks included and why we booked here . -On-site wedding coordinator -Good food and and drink packages. Prices are VERY moderate for the S.C. area. -On-site tables,chairs with linens in a variety of colors. -As many parking passes as you need for your guests the day of your event. -LOTS and LOTS of space in the Ballroom. -Beautiful views from Bay Room windows and bar. Oh and you're on the Boardwalk too! Thank you to the Cocoanut Grove staff, kitchen/ chef and Santa Cruz community for keeping this historic and special place alive for everyone to enjoy now and for years to come! It was wonderful and unforgettable. Wish I could do it again. : ) read more

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Came here for a wedding reception last night. Honestly in the years of going to SC and the boardwalk I had no idea this facility even existed. Was really well set up for a wedding reception. The hall is a great size, has a great dance floor, great bar area, etc. Not sure if it was an internal catering company or not. But if it was, The food was surprisingly good! I never expect much at a wedding reception(or really any large catered gathering). They did a great job. The location is really cool. I mean you are right there at the boardwalk. If you had kids you could take em downstairs for a few games at the arcade. Walk the boardwalk in the evening with a special someone, etc. The only downside I saw to the place was that of your party is relatively smaller(the reception was 70 or so people) it seems somewhat empty and impersonal. I'd say this is ideal place for 100-120 people. Another thing some might say is a downside is parking. It's just not that ideal to make people pay to park across the street in the lots. read more

Saw Jack Johnson here years ago before he was really famous. It was interesting in a high school auditorium sort of way; and I see the references to prom in the other reviews. Strange, old school, but nice to see an artist in a fairly intimate atmosphere down by the ocean. read more

This event space is very clean and bright, overlooking the ocean and the boardwalk of Santa Cruz. I came here with my boyfriend for the Sea Glass Festival yesterday, and it was a very pleasant environment. I only wish the space was a bit larger, and that it was advertised outside a little better. At first we were unsure whether this was the location for the festival, as it didn't appear to have any signs outside. read more

I came here for a wedding reception and had no idea this place even existed in all the years I've been coming to Santa Cruz. The place from the outside looks really old but they managed to make the place look amazing for the reception on the inside. One of the things that I really enjoyed were the staff. Friendly, smiling faces, and very helpful. The bartender was really busy. He did his job though. Drinks were good. read more

I've been here before when we had a work function and it was okay. Most recently I was here for a Mother's Day Brunch. They had the sky light open a bit in the center since it was an absolutely beautiful day. I thought the pricing was a little extreme at $33 per person for just an okay breakfast spread. Don't get me wrong. .the food was pretty yummy and we had a window view of the beach, but it lacked some items such as waffles and toast. I know.. too picky.. But, seriously.. I thought it would have been a little more upscale or something. Their menu this year: yummy prime rib, an omelet station, salad, the yummiest deep dish french toast, some type of fresh fish, bagels, and a cool dessert counter. The wait staff was really pleasant and always ready to fill up with orange juice or wine. If you call ahead for reservations, ask for a table near the window as those tend to go fast. Thankfully we chose a late morning time as parking was plentiful in the lot across the street. Added bonus... only $10 read more

Wow. So historic. This place had the likes of Benny Goodman playing, and playboy Howard Hughes enjoying the nightlife of the 1930's. That is enough for a guy like me to love it. It has always been the style of the decor and amazing feeling that comes with being in a place that has so much history going for it. I once attended a swing dance night here, complete with big band and period dress. Amazing night that I wish would have never ended. Hell, I wish I had been 21 at the time so I could have had a martini and really made the night true to style. It isn't retro, its real. The Boardwalk has amazing history, but don't forget this place. Have an event here, enjoy the view, and take in the years of groove in The Grove. read more

Great location. Room was wonderful and with the windows open it was cool even with tons of dancers rockin on the dance floor. Located right on the beach the windows were open and the breeze was amazing. read more

The Grove - 20 year reunio - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Okay, So i went to the chocolate festival today, and i was so amazing. There were so many chocolates for me to taste. It is not even funny. I love all chocolate, especially dark chocolate! I will definitely come back again! That's how amazing it is! read more

I don't have much of an opinion on the Coconut Grove as a whole. Events take place there, so I go. The parking is a nightmare, there is no coat room, it is big and cavernous inside. That said... the boys behind the bar can all make a real cocktail. The didn't pause to think about what goes into a Sidecar. I asked two different bartenders to make me a sidecar over the course of my last evening spent at the Coconut Grove and each time it came back stinking of good brandy, lemony, icy cold with nary a sugar granule around the rim nor a cherry.. So, if you must be at a Realtor-based event at the Coconut Grove, even if wine is included in your admission price, I recommend a stroll over to their old-fashioned wrap around bar to buy yourself a real cocktail. Extra points for the ocean view Lovely! read more

We had our company's sales kick off here in early February and everything was great! Mike and Wai were amazing and went above and beyond to help with our 3-day event. The food was also amazing and everyone was very attentive to our needs. Thank you for helping to make our SKO an unforgettable experience! -Team Qubole read more

Wow......I didn't think I could have found this place on yelp....SWEET! So I had my prom here. It was a blast! Even though our DJ sucked who cares when you have unlimited access to the arcade, laser tag and the entire freaking building! They have like a 4 or more Nascar race arcade in here and it was hella fun! Me and my friends would race each other, usually I won but my friend's bf beat me and I owe him boba...I still do to this day. I had a great time here! There were people dancing but not too much because they were busy w/ the arcade, shooting each other, racing, competing w/ each other to show who's better. DDRing instead of dancing on the floor was pretty funny. The food was alright nothing spectacular, better than cafeteria food but not stellar food like it should be for a prom night. Nonetheless the view to see the full moon is beautiful. Gosh prom was amazing and so was this place. The place was clean and decorated tastefully. A night I won't forget.... a treasured memory indeed. read more

I actually just ran my friend's wedding here, and it was perfect for them. It was lots of fun, and huge snaps to the catering team that made a really good Hawaiian Luau. The catering group went above and beyond the call of duty. Our event was in the Sun Room, which was perfect with the retractable glass ceiling to bleed of the heat of the very warm day. A nice cross breeze came in from the windows on the ocean side, and the built in bar was ideal. One of the bartenders seemed a touch sloshy as the night progressed, but they made great drink recommendations, so I wasn't purturbed. It's a nice find for an informal wedding with lots of friends. read more

I attended a wedding here this weekend and it was a beautiful ceremony and the reception was nice. The food was pretty good and the service was just O.K. Most of our wait staff were high school or early college kids at were still wet behind the ears. The Venue overall was nice but the reason for three stars is because of the PARKING. Yes, it was on a Saturday afternoon, what was I going to expect right? But it took us 35 minutes just to go one block to get into the parking lot. Other than that, Cocoa nut Grove is a cool spot to have an event. read more

Came here for a show on a whim. I walked here from my home, which is a plus. Wow, Cocoanut Grove is huge! I was thinking I would be seeing Girls at a tiny venue, but man. The place is large in size, and offers popcorn at the merch booth. The 21+ area is large too, which is nice because people like to group up in circles like at high school dances and keep their distance from other groups of gossiping adults. There was a lovely view, and the drinks were just fine, nice n strong. That said, the venue is a little rundown and could use some re-painting or something. I don't think I can say it's my favorite venue in Santa Cruz, but I do appreciate how large it is. Also, when you're done here you can go to the Boardwalk OR go bowling! read more

This was the place to be July 4th weekend! The beach is conveniently located by the boardwalk and you have easy access to the arcade, showers, changing rooms and bathrooms. A nice little spot to go with a bunch of friends. read more

The Sun Room at the Coconut Grove is a beautiful place for a wedding. The glass ceiling with its lights is stunning. Sally, the wedding planner, and all the staff at the venue were very professional and very helpful. They made sure my daughter's wedding went flawlessly. This is a great one-stop shop for weddings. read more

I go to a lot of conferences, but I have never been to one that the Flying Froig Brigade was playing at until I went to cocoanut grove. I think it was for a NORML conference or something because the whole place smelled like Otto's jacket. Good times. read more

I worked at the Boardwalk for 6 years and I have been in the Coconut Grove only twice for an event. Specifically my junior prom and now a Marine Corps Ball. The inside seems revamped but still outdated. Ye s it is on the water, and yes it is big, but if you are looking for a fancy location, I wouldn't recommend it. I would say its above average because of its amenities, however I don't think a wedding or a formal dinner would go well. read more

Married here May 11th!! Great experience! My wife and I loved sally she was so helpful. The food was better than expected and the venue was classy and beautiful. Great value as well, and we did shop around. Thanks to all the staff!! We had so much fun we wished we could have stayed all night! read more

My wife and I were just married at the Cocoanut Grove early this August. The entire Cocoanut Grove experience was superb from start to finish! Their event planner extraordinaire, Sally orchestrated all aspects with ease!! She was available often when communication was needed, as well as knowledgeable regarding intricacies of the more difficult issues!!! Cocoanut coordinator Dory was a Godsend as she created seamless transitions throughout our special day! The buffet was fantastic in all ways possible!!! THE BEST BANQUET FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE (I have worked within hospitality for years)!!! If you're looking to come close to recreating the beauty of the Santa Cruz with a venue, YOU NEED THE COCOANUT GROVE!!!!! They will blow you away!!!! read more

The Cocoanut Grove is the way to go for an incredible wedding! The location is hard to beat and the staff goes above and beyond expectation! I had my wedding here and several people described the location as "perfect." The food was great and the ambiance is simply awesome. The stage in the grand ballroom is complete with a live band, so don't miss the opportunity if you've got it! read more

This place is pretty nice. I went here for a chocolate festival. It was pretty interesting.

I got married here two years ago and still get compliments! The historic feels and views are fantastic and really can't be compared to anywhere else. Not only was this a FUN place to get married but it somehow was way cheaper than most of the other places we looked at.I worked with Sally and she did a fantastic job of planning and staying in touch through our ten month process. The day of, Rebbecca made sure we encountered absolutely no problems. They did say that we had to use their chefs - which worked out fine because the food was so good. ( people were going back for seconds) You really have to see this place to get a good feel for it. We originally went to go look at the "Sun Room" because it has a cool glass ceiling that opens up and it looked beautiful in the pictures. Once we got there, we realized it was a little bit too small to accommodate us and there were some features that screamed 80's at us. Luckily, right next door there is a hallway leading to a huge wraparound bar that open up to a big room with glass windows (out dated curtains. I thought I was going to hate them but with our flowers and decorations I never noticed them.) The windows look out on to the beach and the ocean. So pretty! At the rear of that room, there are curtain doors hiding the "Grand Ballroom". I LOVE this room! It is so cool! It has a stage and wonderful details from the early 1900's. This room is huge and a bit low on lighting so our photographer kind of struggled a bit. They also lead me up to a secret balcony where I got to throw my wedding bouquet. I was afraid I was going to fall after drinking all night, but Rebbecca was there to make sure all was well. Another cool feature is the stairs and the lobby. The guest gathered outside (under the marquee that was changed to our names) and they were led up the stairs into the lobby and coat check area that featured a beautiful chandelier. The Boardwalk itself ended up being a great setting for wedding party pictures. We all rode the carousel and posed in the arcade and in front of the ocean. All in all this place has a few down falls but they are super easy to over look because of the great location, friendly staff, and the ambiance. Also ask for parking passes for your guests. Discounts are always good. read more

Do not make a deposit if under ANY circumstances you might have to cancel. You will NOT get your money back. Full disclaimer - it does say this in the contract. So, my wife and I paid the deposit - all in, no hesitations. $1000. Our situation changed. We no longer had the 10 - 12k we thought we had to cover the costs of a wedding for about 150 people in the sun room. Annie was the director at the time, she's no longer there. We told Annie our situation and she said we can't give you your deposit back, because of the contract - which we understand, they are a business after all, but here's the deal. She said, if someone books the room for the same date you did we'll return your deposit. Seemed fair to us, so we said sure. Needless to say, as the date came we started calling, saying, "hey, did anyone ever book that room?" Suddenly, no one returns our phone calls. Really surprising right? Anyways, we tried several times and no one ever returned our calls or emails, not even to tell us they can't honor Annie's arrangement, because she no longer works there or whatever. I've received better customer service Walmart. Now, I'm not here to say this place is horrible. Never go here. I'm not saying that. It's a beautiful location with plenty of room. We were really excited to have our names on the marquee and before our unforeseen circumstances arose, they were very helpful. What I am telling you is that if you want to book the sun room plan to spend 10 to 15k, depending on how many folks are coming. And if you think there is even a remote chance that you may have to cancel, do NOT make that deposit. Once there's no more money coming their way, they're suddenly not so helpful. read more

We live in Sacramento and had our wedding at the Cocoanut Grove. I highly recommend this venue for anyone in town or wanting to plan a wedding by the ocean and Boardwalk. The staff made everything so easy and were very receptive and warm (and responsive to all my many e-mails - especially Sally Sessions!). We had a buffet dinner and the guests all said the food was great! Thank you to everyone who helped make our wedding so special. Donna and Dino Carman read more