The food the food the food! The chef is amazing and each course was as good as the last. The craft cocktails are complex and innovative (albeit inscrutable from the menu) ... try some! We started with the maitake mushrooms and burrata dishes and each was delicious. My wife is vegetarian and chose the pasta which was rich and fabulous. I had the curried chicken which was love on a plate We ordered dessert and took it home as we knew it would be hours before we could do it justice The service was attentive ... although perhaps bordering on brisk. We were in and out in 75 minutes with our take home dessert. So certainly on the quicker side. The ambiance doesn't match the food. The food is amazing and the decor/ambiance is mezze-metz. Did I mention the food? It's amazing! I think this is now the best restaurant in Santa Cruz ... the kitchen has nailed it and front of house is close ... but the food is so good, you will forgive instantly any issues you have with the rest. read more

This was a great dining experience! I thought the menu had some really interesting, vegetarian-forward dishes. I really like the crispy chickpea main, I don't know how they get them so crispy and flavorful, but I was certainly impressed. We enjoyed the cocktail menu as well. For me, the standout was really the dessert! The chocolate cake was to die for, probably one of the top 5 desserts of my life. read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Chocolate cake - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Our review is purely based on the terrible customer service. We arrived 35 minutes before closing and were turned away. We could see at least 4 open tables and a couple of seats at the bar. We are locals and will not return where customers are not valued. read more

Food was exceptional, as was our waiter, Colin. We ate outside under the tent-very comfortable.

The ambience was sophisticated but felt very comfortable in my casual attire, customer service the best and the filet mignon just melted in my mouth. Our waiter was professional, courteous and very informative. I am definitely going back again. read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Melt-in-your-mouth Filet Mignon! Scrumptious! - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Absolutely fantastic meal and service. This place is great and especially for Santa Cruz

Incredible menu and cocktails. Such lovely owners and staff. It was such a treat to get to go.

What went right? The service, the ambiance, and the FOOD. In short, everything went right. As it does every time we dine at Vim. Last night we went for my friend, Veronica's birthday and, as always, Chef Jesikah Stolaroff was a revelation. For the second time in a row, Jesikah created a dish I loved from an ingredient I normally hate: last time zucchini, this time Kimchi. Her dishes are imaginative, well thought out, seasonal, fresh and absolutely superb. EVERY. TIME. Incredible. read more

Not terrible but not great. Super friendly staff but the food just isn't quite there for the price. Very pricey and just slightly above average experience but at the cost of a fine dining restaurant. Also the portions are quite small. The vibe is also nice, but does not feel like fine dining at all. read more

This place is perfect for our Wedding Anniversary celebration! The food, service and ambience are 5-star quality! The Chef is amazing and we enjoyed the experience so much! Our server is outstanding. read more

VIM had been one of my favorite culinary restaurants. Their dishes and desserts are out of this world! We went last fall/winter while it was open and was greeted by the bartender who also made our gimlets. We recognized our friendly waiter was from Alderwood, which closed last fall but I'm happy he found this new place. Also a friendly lad. The other waitress also came out apologizing that if the soup isn't hot enough she'll warm it up again. It was still good. They made it up with their chocolate cake that we ordered to go. We had so much fun together (as a couple) and I love the chic navy and gold interior. Thanks guys! Very appetizing and a nice dining experience! read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Menu! We're getting the early summer salad, honeydew melon, chicken breast with quinoa pilaf, and a berry trifle for the day 3 - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

We had such incredible cocktails crafted by Missy and our server Isa took the most amazing detail in our orders and overall care of us. What a special place. Highly recommend for special or any occasions. read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Old Fashioned - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I came here for dinner with my mom last week who was visiting. I don't really know any restaurants in Santa Cruz so I took a chance based on the glowing reviews. I was so happy I did, the food was fantastic. I remember being a little apprehensive because the menu was small and pricey but my mom reminded me that great restaurants have limited menus. We got the steak and the eggplant pasta. Both were absolutely fantastic dishes. The steak was delicate and actually medium rare. The pasta was fresh and savory. I can taste the rich unique flavor of each dish just thinking about it. The servers were kind to us, answered my questions about the menu, and let us switch tables because the sun was in my eyes. The food came out in about 15 minutes, we were hungry and it didn't feel like long. When the food came out I was momentarily concerned that maybe we didn't order enough food but it was actually very filling. They just use really big plates. The food is so delicious and satisfying. We left feeling full and we didn't even have an appetizer. We didn't feel like we over ate either. Would definitely recommend for a higher-end family dinner or date night. I'd love to return. read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Eggplant pasta - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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We had the most amazing food and dining experience. I felt like we were in a Michelin starred restaurant. The appetizers and main courses were unique and so well executed. Loved to Brussels sprouts and Butter Charcuterie Board. Our table had pork tenderloin, chicken and sea bass. Everyone couldn't believe how good their dish was! read more

Small bistro style menu but everything is delicious Service is attentive without being intrusive Save room for dessert! read more

One of my favorite meals of 2021 by far! This past weekend I had dinner at Vim, and I was so impressed. My friend and I began by splitting the persimmon and spinach salad. I loved seeing seasonal items throughout the menu, like the persimmons, brussels sprouts, and winter spices. I had a hard time selecting my entree because every single one sounded amazing. I ended up selecting the lemon caper chicken breast, which came with the creamiest mashed potatoes. The chicken was super tender and juicy, and the capers and lemon peel in the sauce added so much flavor. My friend and I were sure to save some room to split a dessert, since we'd heard such wonderful things about them. We picked the sticky toffee pudding, which was topped with baked apples and the most delicious gingerbread whipped cream. I will be back soon to have this dessert again! The pairing of the warm sweet pudding with the cool spiced whipped cream was just amazing. We also got a hot chocolate, which came garnished with a mini gingerbread house. It was so adorable! The cocktail menu was filled with unique and seasonal offerings, I had a cocktail with pear and cinnamon in it. They also have a great wine selection. The staff was so friendly, and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. Our server Isa was able to quickly answer any questions and helped us select our dessert. She was so kind! I think this might be my new favorite restaurant! read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Sticky Toffee Pudding with Gingerbread Whipped Cream... to die for!! - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I always love going to Vim on my birthday and on other peoples birthdays too! I'm always impressed by the exquisite taste of the food and the care in which the flavors have been blended and the care in which it has been plated and served. I'm always impressed by the servers and all others that approach your table and make sure you are content with any and everything in front of you Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a meal at VIM also they have a unique and fantastic selection of cocktails and desserts read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Eggplant parmigiana yum - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Great! We've been aware of this place for years, but we were turned off by the awkward location and what we saw as a cheap temporary vinyl sign that was up for years. But friends started recommending it, so we finally tried it. A good lesson in not judging a book by it's cover. Excellent food and service--possibly the best meal we've had in Santa Cruz in 2024. It is still an awkward location--they have not erased the footprint of a cheap diner attached to a motel--but that's easy to overlook given the overall dining experience. read more

What an amazing fête for tastebuds in all culinary genres! My vegan dish Watermelon Zuke was a sweet and savory delight! While my carnivore beau had a filet that kept him salivating... how often can we both have our socks knocked off at the same restaurant!?! We kept ordering more Whiskey Sours... insanely good craft cocktails! And then onto the most orgasmic dessert! Chef Jesikah clearly is blessed with culinary couture! read more

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This is absolutely one of the best restaurants in Santa Cruz County!! Every flavor of every dish is paired so well. There is love that goes into every dish and every dessert. read more

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Thoughtful attentive service and creative unique food in a gorgeous unique setting. Each person we spoke with was helpful and listened well. We each had a wonderful experience. Recommend highly. read more

From start to finish, our experience at VIM was excellent. We celebrated my birthday and the personalized menu was a nice touch! We ordered the following: 1. Chorizo fettuccine: the ragu was surprisingly light. This dish was packed with flavor and tons of vegetables. This dish was delicious 2. Filet: medium rare is the only way to go. Absolutely divine 3. Striped bass: my husband's favorite dish. Seared to perfection with amazing accompaniments. I need to mention the chocolate cupcake I got for my birthday because it had this luscious molten lava inside topped with cream cheese frosting. I'm still thinking about this cupcake it was that good. I highly recommend this restaurant if you want to have a unique culinary experience! read more

Our favorite new restaurant in Santa Cruz! Had dinner here Saturday night almost everything was amazing. We were seated on their comfy patio out front (which unfortunately is not pet-friendly, so our fur kiddo had to be left at home this time). Shortly after being seated, we were treated to some popcorn -- nothing particularly fancy or special, but good to keep us busy while waiting for real food and drinks. Here's what we ordered... * Elote Shrimp -- Nice fresh, plump prawns in a creamy polenta with roasted corn and feta. Very delicious! * Black Garlic Steak -- a sous vide flank steak with a tasty blank garlic cream sauce, fried smashed potatoes (nice and fluffy) perfectly paired with a honey harissa yogurt sauce, and grilled broccolini. The steak was very moist, tender and flavorful -- served medium rare (but it's not bloody because of the sous vide preparation which cooks through). I do wonder if I would have liked it even more if the steak was finished with a quick searing on the grill. * Pork Tenderloin -- OMG. The most tender pork tenderloin I've ever had. (Probably also cooked sous vide.) My spouse normally refuses to eat pork, but he also loved this dish. Served with Grilled grapes, on top of a luscious butter bean mash, and charred red cabbage. So incentive and great balance of flavors. * VIM Chocolate Cake -- Awesome chocolate cake. Rich quality chocolate with layers of fresh strawberry jam, white chocolate ganache, and a yummy brown butter cheese frosting. We would have devoured it, except they then brought out... * Chocolate Brownie Cupcake -- for my BD! It was amazing. A warm, moist, high quality chocolate body with a lovely, slightly chewy crust and cream cheese frosting. This sealed the deal and I was in love with VIM. Service was very friendly and attentive. Nice selection of curated wines from local wineries and from around the world at reasonable price points. We will definitely be back (but probably not as often as if their patio was also pet-friendly). read more

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I went to VIM with a friend recently and had one of the best, if not the best meal I've ever had in Santa Cruz! I had the filet mignon which was cooked to perfection. The accompaniments were unique and delicious. Really a perfect plate. Presentation was outstanding and the service was perfectly timed & attentive but not overly so. I can't wait to go back! I wish I could give six stars! read more

Finally made a reservation to VIM for dinner and dessert, why did it take so long? It was our Anniversary and the evening was special. We sat outside, as it was warm for a Santa Cruz evening, with noticeable traffic noise, but we could easily talk, plus there is a nice fountain. Our pleasant and friendly staff took excellent care of our wants and needs, and explained cocktail, food, and dessert options, our paper menu even said "Happy Anniversary ". We shared a delicious Caprese salad, excellent Pork Tenderloin, tender Filet Mignon, and amazing chocolate raspberry cake, with a complimentary flute of bubbly! So many wonderful ingredients in each dish was a delight for the taste buds. Highly recommend VIM for all of the above- treat yourselves soon read more

I'm relatively new to Santa Cruz area. I love fine wine and food and would prefer a chef that thinks of both when putting a menu together. I'm typical process is when I visit a resturant or winery I like I ask who their competition is. vim kept coming up. It seems it's in everyone's top three choices. So I went in. No reservation by myself sat at the bar. Within 5 mins I met the manager part owner and excellent bartender. (I'm going to leave a lot out of my review so read between the line). Fast forward My next visit same impressive meal experience. The chef is amazing. She pairs all her food with the most unique ingredients. Rookies like me look at the ingredients and imagine them working together. But wow she knocks it out of the park. Don't bother asking what's good at this resturant it's a stupid question. Yada yada yada ... I set up a special dinner with my group of amateur chefs and expensive wine club members. Normally we compete with each other rating hosting and wine pairing and voting for best bite, best wine, best pairing and best presentation. Every once in awhile we get lazy land pick a Michelin star or near Michelin star restaurant to bring our wine with us and pair with their dishes. My third time to VIM was my dinner group. We call it the chess club because we are old school men, we keep our wives and kids happy 29/30 nights and then one night a month we verbal abuse each other. My group travel an hour in traffic after work to meet me at 6pm on a Thursday night. We enjoyed a four course meal that blew everyone away. Even with the corkage it was crazy cheap about $125 per person. It was so good the chef even graced us to hear all our complements first hand. Throw a table cloth on these tables and raise your prices and you are Michelin star. We couldn't help ourselves that night we tipped 100% and doubled our bill. Money talks right. Okay now let's get real. Everything I said is true. But I hope you don't read this review. I hope you think it's fake, I hope you don't try this resturant ever because if you do the prices will go up and I won't be able to get a reservation. read more

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I was very impressed with the food, cocktails, and bartender the first time I went to VIM (we did not have reservations, so we sat at the bar). The second time was even better! This time I made a reservation for a birthday and was so pleased with all the details. They called ahead of time to double check on our party's food sensitivities, had a personalized birthday message on the menu, wonderful service and delicious food! Quality restaurants seem to be harder and harder to find these days, VIM is doing a great job bringing yummy food and good service to Santa Cruz. Keep it up! read more

This place is by far the best restaurant to grace Santa Cruz County in my 40 years of living here. And it is so wonderful to have it on the Westside! VIM is food as art. Everything we had was superb. I cannot say enough about the maitake mushrooms tempura served with a delicious honey aleppo chili butter sauce. It has an elegant teriyaki flavor and when I ate the last bite I did so with utter sadness that the experience had come to an end. But then I had the bass dish! Fantastic. The fish was perfectly cooked--seared and then very slowly cooked at a low temperature so that it melts in your mouth. My wife, a vegetarian, began with the seasonal salad. She raved about it with every bite. Her main course was a mushroom dish that was superb. For desert she had the Triple Chocolate Cake and I had the Passionfruit pot de creme. I have read some reviews here that complained about the service. This was NOT our experience!! The service was excellent. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. There was always someone around to cater to our every need. I commented on the discrepancy between some of the Yelp reviews and the experience I was having. Our server told us that they had done a great deal to train their team and address the problems. Well, I can say that they succeeded. When we left the restaurant nearly the entire staff thanked us on our way out--including Chef Jesikah Stolaroff (aka the mastermind). What a wonderful evening we had! I believe VIM may very well receive the first Michelin star ever to be awarded to a Santa Cruz restaurant. It certainly deserves it. And it is clear that the VIM team is enthusiastic and working hard to achieve perfection. Brava, Jesikah, and bravo to the entire team! Now, I must say that one thing that the restaurant needs to do to get that star is this: Improve the wine list. The current wine list is quite well thought out. It consists of wines that are very good and fairly priced--even affordable. (We had a Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne that was quite tasty.) But the high-end choices are not there. Sure, most people won't buy the bottle of Cristal or the eight year-old Silver Oak. But having some of those and adding some higher-end local wines and French wines would easily solve this. A word about the ambience. The space is quirky, and it is not a candle light dinner atmosphere. It has a high ceiling, which can make it a bit noisy. But they make the best of it and there is plenty of room between the tables--a double-edged sword since you had better make reservations 1-2 weeks in advance. But the place is fun, the people are great, and the FOOD...OMG read more

Exceptional food and service!!! Truly the best in town. Highly recommend the Brussels sprouts and salad for starters and the Chilean sea bass for entree. Cocktails are delicious too! read more

Had a wonderful dinner and dessert here last April and have been thinking about it since! Our server Ashley (if I recall correctly!) was very attentive and entertaining. They had great suggestions for us on apps and drinks to pair with our mains, and we enjoyed chatting with them. The food was AMAZING. So creative and well prepared. Everything house made and delicious. My favorite was our dessert, I haven't stopped thinking about it since! We will definitely return here next time we're in SC, and want to try their brunch as well! read more

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Absolutely phenomenal, that's the best way to sum it up. The staff were amazing, the chef's thoughtfulness in composing dishes was amazing, and the food was amazing. We went for our anniversary and Eric made it forever rememberable. On the reservation we mentioned an allergy and I was blown away that they called to discuss and make sure they could accommodate so our evening would be perfect. read more

We celebrated a birthday dinner here with friends. It was a perfect evening! The restaurant put happy birthday on the menu making it special. My husband has severe nut allergies and was concerned with the menu. From the host, server and kitchen staff, he was watched out for and we were grateful! I had never tried duck before and am sure there is none better than here! Can't wait to return! read more

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Vim has the best food in Santa Cruz. I won't say it's the best restaurant only because what is best varies on who is in your party and what the occasion is. Their food is stellar. Their staff is very professional. Their menu changes very frequently if not daily. There's always something new on the menu. If you're able to catch the semolina fries, do not hesitate. Each bite has the flavors of an entire Italian meal. We could have easily ordered more. So many more. You know that scene in Willy Wonka where Violet Beauregarde chews the gum she's not supposed to chew? And it has the flavor of a three course dinner? That's the first thing that came to my mind when I tried them. I can happily assure you that the flavor experience does not include blueberry pie. I can guarantee you will not turn blue. I cannot guarantee whether or not they will have to roll you out of the restaurant when you are finished. After biting into them you may experience a tiny little voice telling you that it's not outside the realm of possibility. I really like that they have at least one vegan appetizer, entree, and dessert each night. If you or anyone in your party is vegetarian or vegan, this is such a relief. There's no need to second guess. Vegan items are just as exquisite as anything else on the menu. Arrive with an open palate. The entrees and side pairings are very well thought out. If you enjoy meals where you taste your food just as the chef intended it be, Vim will work perfectly for you. The thought of chicken liver (or any liver really) is turn off for me. And yet there I am found taking the chicken liver mousse off the charcuterie board so I can mop it all up with whatever I can find. My only complaint is that they're not open often enough! read more

One word, Wow! I had high expectations coming to VIM tonight for dinner, especially since we were celebrating 2 birthdays and an anniversary in my family. From beginning to end, VIM did not disappoint. The atmosphere, unique food selection, and staff were top tier. The ambience was cozy, yet sheik and modern. The staff were committed to providing a wonderful experience, and the chef was phenomenal! We ordered a wide variety of dishes and drinks, and all 6 of us left very happy and full! Thanks VIM! read more

Vim is a must go to place for dinner . We celebrated our anniversary here and we're amazed by the food and outstanding service . My husband had the out of this world delicious Duck Confit . I had the Roasted Eggplant Cannelloni that I could go and on and on about . The highlight of the meal was dessert , a beautiful peach cheesecake . We will defiantly be going back soon to enjoy this wonderful gem read more

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Creative menu and excellent cooking and presentation. We were visiting the area and stumbled on this gem. Will definitely go back when we are in the area. read more

The food was thoughtfully delicious. It was my husband's 75th birthday, and VIM made our dining experience memorable. The food was excellent, the service outstanding. We left thinking:"Why don't we come here more often, instead of only for special occasions?" read more

Absolutely everything about VIM is top notch - the food, the cocktails, the DESSERTS, the owners, and the staff ... each and every step of the experience is thoughtful and delectable. Their reservation process is very easy on their website, the cocktails served at the table look just like their Instagram shots and they have a well curated wine list with plenty of local wineries included. I don't do beer as much, so I can't say much about their selections. The bread and butter board included so many crafted items on it - the liver mousse was out of this world!! The Ahi tuna was incredibly fresh and well seasoned, the pork was light and refreshing, and the mushroom and cheese spätzle was delicious. To top it all off, the desserts were beautiful and absolutely delicious - Jesikah's Napa pastry training really shows! It was a beautiful experience from start to finish, and it sat so wholesome, even though we drank quite a bit along with the food. Top recommendation in Santa Cruz! read more

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Pork Tenderloin was excellent with the cherries and almonds. The house Old Fashioned is also highly recommended. Instead of sugar or syrup sweetener they use just a hint of apricot syrup, which adds a fun barely noticeable note. Service was fantastic. Arrived as single diner on a busy night and was immediately seated at the bar and made to feel welcome. Very comfy bar chairs for dining. Ambiance at bar was great with friendly, knowledgeable bar tender, the chef personally bringing me the main dish and conversation with a jolly group of fellows who were celebrating their friends Birthday with orders of the pastry chefs famous chocolate cakes and banana cheese cake. They were ver happy campers! Thumbs up! read more

Tried VIM for the 1st time. Everything was spot on! When making reservations, there is a question asking if we are celebrating anything special. I noted it was my daughter's birthday. A special touch was added to the menu for that, which made her feel special. We started with cocktails that were delicious. It was nice to see cocktail and wine pairings noted under each entree. We started with the lettuce wrap appetizer, which was very flavorful with fried tofu and peanut sauce. Scrumptious! My daughter enjoyed her eggplant Parmesan and I had a delicious vegan dish (can't recall the name) that included watermelon, quinoa, cashew cream sauce and veggies. So yummy! It's not easy to find vegan dishes that are raised to this level. They brought out a chocolate caramel cupcake on the house for the birthday girl. We also ordered a pina colada cake to take home. Delicious! Service was also excellent! I'll be back!!! read more

VIM Dining & Desserts - Menu with a nice touch - New American Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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