Not sure what has happened since 2yrs ago when I left a good review.. but yesterday we stopped by at Vinocruz to have a drink and a bite to eat, we ordered two Venetian spritz and what the waitress brought was not it and we didn't want to complain because the waitress was being awkward with us already.. but we never had a bad drink there before and whoever made these two spritz behind the bar need to do some research.. I added a photo of the drink we received without ice and I think without sparkling wine/champagne and added a photo from Google was a Venetian spritz how it should be.. That was our last time there, it was a good place to have a drink and a bite.. not anymore. read more

Vinocruz - A photo of whatever this drink was.. - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

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Stopped by on a Saturday afternoon for some small plates and wine. We were seated immediately. There were plenty of inside and outside options for seating. Service was quick and friendly. We ordered the toasted nut mix, Cesar salad, roasted delicata squash, mushroom flatbread, and the cheeseboard. The roasted squash was a delicious vegetarian dish but I wish the portion was slightly larger. The nut mix was slightly burnt but still tasty. The cheeseboard was delicious and we enjoyed the variety of cheeses. Our favorite was the "Bermuda Triangle" cheese from Cyprus Grove. The food was tasty but on the pricier end. Overall this is a nice place to hang out and enjoy a glass of wine and small bites. We will definitely be back to try their other dishes. read more

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Vinocruz is a wonderful place to explore new wine! I love their extensive menu of wines from all different regions, that they offer by the glass. They also have a lot of local wines, which I have never seen on menus at restaurants around the area. On my most recent visit I tried some items from their food menu and was really impressed. A friend and I split their little gems Caesar salad, the works flatbread, and a dark chocolate pot de crème dessert. The flatbread had chorizo and jalapeños that gave it a nice spice, and it paired really well with the Spanish wine I was drinking. The dessert was so decadent, but not overly sweet. I loved the addition of the snickerdoodle cookie. I'm so excited to return to try more food menu items and unique wines. One star off because service is usually on the slow side. read more

Vinocruz - Dark Chocolate Pot De Creme - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

I'm so confused more than ever now that the Adorable French Bakery is a part of Vinocruz. Mixed visions. I can only speak on Vinocruz food. Don't bother with their "charcuterie" plate. It's not worth the money and is so bland, when this should be the signature item given it is kind of a wine bar? The flat breads are okay. Service is never really on par. They do have some good wines to pick from. This place literally has so much to offer, it just always falls short like a lot of Santa Cruz businesses. The inside is cute, but the outdoor seating area needs some work. Comfier tables and chairs to start coupled with some greenery and better lighting for the evenings. I hope they transform this year in 2025. read more

I had an amazing lunch with my daughter starting with one of the delicious almond pastries, and also enjoyed the delicious burger. The ambiance was very chill yet clean and upscale and the waitstaff was very attentive. On another note, I left my credit card at the table and the manager was kind enough to mail it to me since I do not live close to the restaurant. I'd say that's very admirable. I 100% recommend giving Vinocruz a visit. read more

We've been here a few times. The first few times were very good to great. The last couple of times it was average. The charcuterie this time was average at best. It used to be a signature dish. It used to have artisanal cheeses, wonderful meats, and a variety of European style olives. Last night's featured cheddar cheese, some sort of bland mozzarella and white cheese that tasted like a jack cheese. The salami tasted like a Safeway knock off. Very disappointing. The Caesar salad is still good. The burger was way overcooked and too well done. Great wine list still. Service was good. I'm not sure what changed, but the food is now average at best read more

I've been quite a few times. Good service! Music on some nights, very nice ambiance. I want to love this place. Why? It's convenient and baked goods! I ordered an appetizer it got served less than warm. All the flavors there, and good. Hot would have been better. Next ordered Quiche, also not hot. Also no salad. Paid for comes with arugula salad no salad. Two strikes. I will try it one more time. I'll update then. read more

This place has really great food, great wine, and good ambiance. While our server was new, he was great about asking others the answers to questions he didn't know (I asked way too many questions about the cheese and charcuterie boards lol). I ordered the cheese and charcuterie board, house salad, cumin wild oasis bison meatballs, and two glasses of the NV Folktale Winery California Sparkling Brut. It was all sooooo delicious and I was soooo glad that we decided to leave Santa Cruz for a bit to try this place out. The house salad has arugula, avocado, sugar snap peas, feta, candied nuts, and a shallot vinaigrette dressing - the combo of these flavors are so refreshing and yummy. Really loved how fresh tasting the sugar snap peas tasted with the avocado on my salad. The cheese and charcuterie board was super filling, and I had to take a good bit of it home. Fresh tasting cheeses and yummy goodies to go along with it! The olives are like super huge though, wasn't the biggest fan of them, but everything else was great. The bison meatballs had this sauce and a pickled onions and a pickle slice on them that tasted very yummy together. The sparkling brut I got was also super yummy. I mean, I'm partial to sparkling wine so I like most sparkling wines, but I really enjoyed this one. The ambiance was also very nice. At one point the music was waaaayyy too loud, but someone agreed and turned it down pretty fast. We sat outside, but there was also someone playing the guitar and singing in the inside, which was nice too. The only part about sitting outside is that it's right at the corner of the road, so you do hear blaring cars zooming by a good bit, but you can mostly tune it out. Service was also great. Our server was friendly, attentive, and helpful getting us the answers to our questions on the menu items. He came around to ask if we wanted dessert and another drink too, which we were too stuffed and had enough though to order this time around. So very friendly and didn't try to rush us at all which I always appreciate. I'll def be back again soon for more food and drinks. It's also open a bit earlier in the afternoon too, so I'll def hit it up to sit at the bar during the day and maybe work on my computer! Yummy food, yummy drinks, and great service! read more

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Happy Hour Review... We've been here for dinner before and found it just ok. Service was friendly, nice wine selection (minimum requirement for a wine bar, of course), and decent food. However, for the price (over $40 per head) we expected more. Came back for HH (M-F 2-5 pm} and absolutely loved it! Pretty awesome... * Fish or Chicken Tacos for $5 each -- both were good, but the fish was my fave. Generous filet of fish in light cornmeal crust with fresh slaw on corn tortillas * Bison Meatballs (3) -- Surprisingly moist and tender, great flavor, nice sauce. HH $2 off small plates like this * Salumi Flatbread -- nice and thin and crisp. Perfectly baked salami. HH $9 HH Wines on tap included my delicious Cinnabar Mercury Rising for 25% off. We will be back, and maybe start through dinner for one of their very good burgers too. read more

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We went here a few weeks ago for trivia night. The ambience was great. It was very quiet the person in charge of trivia John was his name. He was amazing and very friendly and laughable. We had a great time. read more

Vinocruz - rows of wine bottles in a wine cellar - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

Great spot to grab a glass of wine. When we came in, they were short-staffed and frazzled, but we understood. Every time I order food, it's been pretty good, not mind-blowing. Service has always been great though. Small place with loud live music, so sometimes not so imtimate. read more

Lovely little restaurant and wine bar with indoor and outdoor dining. I came by myself and sat at the bar. Extensive wine list by the glass and bottle. I had a glass of cava and the lamb meatballs with arugula. Both were delicious. The evening I was here they were short staffed but still the service was good and staff cheerful. I will definitely come back for a bite or to enjoy a bottle with friends. read more

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Mixed feelings for here. I try and wait to review a local spot until I've been a few times and I have now. The first time I went was at night on a weekday, the server was great and food was too. The other few times I've gone have been at 5ish and the staff just is not terribly welcoming. Those times I've gone I've been the youngest at the bar by many decades. I think the clientele is around the 60-70 range for the most part. There flatbreads are good but the tacos lack real flavor. In the fish tacos they put fennel, pineapple and some sort of blackening seasoning, felt like they forgot the kitchen sink. Also they don't always have oysters so have a backup ordering plan. I think the only reason to come here is for a particular kind of wine they carry. read more

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Pet friendly and had a blast! Sat outside with the space heaters and felt very welcome, dining "alone" with my dog

My husband and I live near and come all the time. We absolutely love it and think it is so underrated. The food and wine is great and staff is friendly. It just feels like our cool local spot that isn't overcrowded with hipsters. read more

Yeah no. On a recent evening, we arrived a few minutes earlier than our reservation. We were seated--- and then nothing. For 15 minutes, no water, no menus, no attention at all. We left. No one noticed. How disappointing. Based on an evening a year or so ago, wihich we very much enjoyed, we'd been looking forward to this. We won't be back. read more

Great little wine bar with terrific original bites to eat. We of course got a beautiful sunny day. The staff was knowledgeable and kind and after a little too much wine you can walk around and look at all the antique shops nearby. read more

We order Vinocruz via DoorDash. Obsessed with their flatbreads. The Apple/Brie, and the Cheese/Herb are the best tasting, so delicious. Delicate and crispy. High quality ingredients. The crust tastes way better than Pizza my Heart. I wish the flatbreads were either more affordable, or a bigger portion for the price they charge now. They are not filling. I'd order more often if they fed my family. They should consider making family size pizzas in these recipes. They would sell out! The Gnocci is amazing, we get it every time. We like the Caesar Salad as well. They need to stop adding that handful of arugula in a paper box to every order. I guarantee most people throw it out and it's wasteful. Peace. We will order again often I'm sure. read more

I feel like this place has a lot of support from the locals. When we walked in, it was bustling with a trivia night and so many locals were having fun. I love that. I'm glad this place is here and has a clean beautiful vibe about it. What I want to talk about is the food. I wanted to eat tacos and so looking at the 4.5 star rating, my sister thought she would take me here, not wanting to be tourist trapped in Capitola. But alas, we would be disappointed so so so much with the fish and chicken tacos. I didn't even finish the chicken taco after the first bite. The bison meatballs were also strange- crumbling off like they had more breadcrumb ratio than the meat- I understand bison can be a drier meat but it was a strange texture. We had a beer and a wine- many servers kept asking us if we wanted another drink- very attentive, but we decided we had had enough. Nice enough looking and vibe but I think the food lacked the quality for this place to be rated a 4.5. read more

On Saturday, August 1st my friends and I decided to have a late lunch in the afternoon. We were greeted by a very pleasant lady upon entering the cute little restaurant. Not sure if she was the host or manager, but she was cordial and certainly made us feel welcomed! There was only out door seating due to Covid 19, but the patio decor was artsy with pretty flowers and a variety of unique plants. There was also a surrounding trellis/lattice fence so guests can dine in privacy secluding us from the parking lot and main street. The ambiance and beautiful weather combined was such a delight, it felt like I was dining in a little, trendy beer garden. Service was good, our server made sure we were satisfied, always checking in on us and offering additional condiments, like hot sauce (yes please!) The only thing was one of our friend's salad dish came out later than ours, but that wasn't such a problem as he addressed the problem and said it will be rushed and out soon. As it did! Prompt action and communication is key. If any restaurant manager/owner is reading this review, your employee's hospitality is greatly appreciated as I have many years of experience in the service industry. I totally forgot his name, but he was a young kid maybe in his 20's who delivered positive charisma. Hands down my favorite dish was an appetizer, the hummus. It came with small triangular pita bread and was warmed probably on the grill or toasted. The texture of the hummus was so creamy and the consistency was smooth like mayonnaise! It tasted like it was lightly spiced although the presentation portrayed it to make me believe it was simple. Dead wrong, it was absolutely delicious. There was some kind of what appeared to be peppers swimming in some type of chili/olive oil? I really should have asked about the ingredients and how it was made. Although we def. made it clear to our server that the hummus was the winner, lol. I've had hummus at high end restaurants and store bought at Whole Foods and other top quality standard grocery stores, but never have I tasted anything like this. Totally driving up from my home in San Jose again for this hummus ^.^ I had the fish tacos as my main entree. Not sure what type of fish it was, but on the menu it just said seasonal pick. It was spiced with a dry rub, cabbage slaw & chipotle aioli (YUM)! The tacos were topped with micro greens, watermelon radishes, and blackberries- leaving a beautiful presentation! Tasty and would def. order it again! I will be a returning customer :-D read more

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Pretty disappointed in the food and wine. Service is just ok. Small homey place, like another person said; this place survives only because it's Santa Cruz. read more

I was on my way to Carpo's on New Year's Day and this place was open. The beer was delightful and the food great. However the prices and portions were very expensive and small. For two fish tacos, and a cesar salad, one small glass of white wine with a 10 oz beer and that is it; it was $72.00 after the tip. My wife and I had to go to Pizza My Heart to get our tummies full as this place is out of touch with the current state of the economy. read more

My friend and I went here around 4pm on a weekday and it was a pleasant and nice experience. I don't really drink alcohol, so I ordered a dessert wine, it was the 2016 J Dusi. I liked it so much I got two glasses; it is sweet which I like. My friend got a rose, and she also enjoyed it because she got two glasses. My friend got a sandwich with the potato fries which she said were good. I got a cheese plate, the two cheeses on the left were my favorite. The one on the right was more bitter. I really loved the ambiance of the bar. When we went it was sunny and hot, I think on a rainy day it would be an ideal place to dress up in a nice sweater, and catch up with friends or meet family. The bathrooms were really clean which I appreciated. The service was fast and they were friendly. I would recommend this place. Had i not been given a gift card here, I probably would not have discovered it until much later. Also, it's so nice supporting small businesses especially during this time. read more

Vinocruz - One of the cheese plates - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

Delicious gourmet seasonal menu. Amazing local and non local wine selections. Couldn't recommend any higher. Give it a try. read more

Vinocruz - Vegetable toast my fav dish here - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

My young daughter and I stopped in for dinner one evening after I picked her up from preschool. There was live music and the place was so vibrant! I was stoked that the food menu was gluten-free friendly AND kid-friendly and we enjoyed everything that we had! We had the burger, arugula salad, and toasted nut mix. Yum. I also had the ginger cardamom cider and it was SO refreshing. This place is doing some amazing things and I love that everything offered is local. If you're debating whether to stop in or not - definitely stop in! read more

It was my second time visiting Vinocruz and I must say it was yet another pleasant experience. I especially wanted to make it out because they had a flamenco guitarist playing tonight. It was absolutely beautiful. I was in the mood for a wine flight so I decided on the Big Red reserve paired with the cheese and chocolate plate. My friend ordered the same wine flight with the short rib sliders. I loved the variety of flavors in my cheese and chocolate plate and my friend loved the sliders. The bartenders were super knowledgeable and attentive and gave us some helpful ordering tips. I will def be back from Flamenco night. Good vibes all around! read more

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First time here & fell in love! Food, wine & beer are amazing! There is live music tonight @ 5:30 ... i would stay another 2 hours for it. Love the ambiance! So clean! read more

Vinocruz - White wine on tap (almost gone, sorry) ... - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

I got to attend the soft opening of the new VinoCruz last night and felt it ran pretty smooth despite being all new everything. People, menu, location, owners, all new. I think they are headed in the right direction to be a cool hangout for Santa Cruz wine lovers. That being said, I don't like wine so I was happy that they had a great selection of local beers from Santa Cruz as well. I had beers from Discretion, Corralitos, and Uncommon. They had free food samples from the new menu so we got to try 3 of them per table. I had the blue corn taco with fresh sea bass, this was really good. Nice presentation and great flavour. My wife had the panini with pastrami, I got a small bite and it was tasty as well although the presentation was a bit dull on this one. Her son had the sausage po boy that looked amazing but I didn't get to try it. He vacuumed it up so I assume it was good. And finally, just to cheat a bit, we got to split the antipasto. This was a beautiful plate with olives, salami, both gooey and hard cheeses, and bread sticks wrapped with prosciutto. I liked scooping up the gooey cheese with the bread sticks and the sopresata. The new interior is pretty cool with the highlight being a long solid wood bar and succulents everywhere you look. The rest was kindof boring and too white in my opinion. Oh well. The official grand re-opening is October 24th so check them out for yourself. read more

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We arrived to have a glass of wine before dinner and were promptly seated. The server, she was very pleasant. We ordered three glasses of wine. Two were red and myself and my son tasted them and they were oxidized. My son and I had to leave and the manager told my wife that there was nothing wrong with the wine. I work in the wine industry and have made my own wine, so I'm not a novice. My wife said the manager was rude and wouldn't comp both glasses. I've never heard of such terrible solution to an issue. Maybe they need a new manager. Wont be returning. read more

The food was good. The service was ok. We stopped in for happy hour and felt like what the menus and website said the happy hour pricing was did not line up to what we were told and offered on site. We tried something new, may try again but we have other places in the area that are easier to access. read more

Meh. There's some pluses and minuses here. Location and ambience is great. Very clean, very nice restaurant esthetically. Wine list is great. Food was ok. If not overcooked and a little uninspired to what they are trying to portray. Unfortunately, I think we made a reservation on an off night for service. We waited 15 minutes before anyone came back to take a drink order and when I mentioned it, the person who HAD seated us said she hadn't realized we were there. Would be willing to try again. First impression was not great. read more

Vinocruz - Nice wine selection - Wine Bars Near Me - Soquel, California

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Not much of a wine person myself but, I found myself here with some friends and the atmosphere is great, the wine is great, and so are the prices. I would recommend this place to anyone who is into wine! read more

Four stars is generous. I stopped in before dinner with a friend on a Thursday night. We sat at the bar and were greeted by a young lady. My friend took the bartenders wine recommendation and I ordered a beer. The beer was not what I expected and honestly not very good so I switched it up and ordered a glass of wine. The service was not bad but it felt a bit forced and not particularly warm. Three glasses of wine and one beer plus tax and tip was $60. read more

**This is a COVID-era review** We're newly back in town after living away for 9 years and so much has changed with restaurants that we never know where to go eat. We were driving around Capitola at 5pm on a Saturday as I was searching yelp for a good place to get a drink and apps and Vinocruz looked like the perfect place to try. And boy was this a good choice! I called ahead and the gal I spoke with told me that she had available outdoor seating but that they're not open late (8pm on a Saturday, I believe). They are the cutest building with their own parking lot (only 5 or so spaces, but plenty of parking on the street) and they have a small outdoor patio. The patio is cordoned off with trellises, planters, etc., which makes it feel nice and private and separated from the main road. They had a gas heater (heat lamp?) which was nice as the fog had rolled in, but I believe that there was only 1 or 2 for the whole patio. The tables were nicely spaced (social distancing) and all staff was wearing masks. Note: guests are only allowed inside the building to use the restroom, which was nice and clean. They have a good wine menu (we went with 'by the glass') that was priced ~$8-14/glass, which seems standard. Lots of local options. We were very happy with our vino picks and for food we ended up going with: sous vide pacific octopus- AMAZING!! Highly recommend! Not the least bit chewy, beautiful texture and flavor profile! 100% would order again cumin scented bison meatballs- I remember trying these and I remember telling Geoff that I was impressed with the hint of cumin flavoring, but to be honest I don't remember enough to properly review. Red meat isn't quite my jam anyways.. artisan beet and pepitas salad- Very good! Perfectly dressed, would order again. Our server was absolutely wonderful (I'm kicking myself for not getting her name), the perfect level of attentiveness and we had such a great time! She told me that I looked like Meagan Markle and now I'm extremely flattered and must go back. Like. All. The. Time. But seriously, we had a wonderful date night and will be back (but with jackets this time..) read more

Thoughtful quality selection of wines and well done small plates. The hamburger is also worth trying- subtle condiments that do not overwhelm. A good place to chill out and spend an afternoon. read more

WOW, everytime I come here, just WOW!!!! Service is wonderful, employees top notch, professional, friendly, informative. Wine is a fantastic selection. Food is to good to describe. Haven't had a bad meal yet and I visit twice a month. LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! Please give them a try read more

Excellent food, fair prices, nice employees, and a lovely environment to enjoy your meal in. I will definitely be back.

We love coming to this location-service is wonderful! Something must have changed.?...the host asked if we had a reservation. Although the place didn't look full, we were asked to wait. We noticed that other patrons walked in and they were serviced right away without any hesitation. Sadly to say, makes one wonder what changed. read more

If you haven't been here yet, you're truly missing out on one of Soquels hidden gems. I discovered this wine bar shortly after they opened and I've been going back ever since. Every single experience here(all 13) have been above and beyond all my expectations. From the interior design, to the gourmet local and organic foods, this place has got it down!!! Best wines in town!!! Even the bar stools are incredibly comfortable and anyone who frequents bars knows how rare that can be! I could honestly sit in vino Cruz for hours and always feel extremely welcome by the super friendly staff and I leave satisfied and excited to come back again! Come check this place out, you will not be disappointed!! Thanks everyone who makes Vino Cruz happen! read more

Vino Cruz is a refreshingly casual wine bar. There are so many choices, each with very detailed descriptions, making it easy for the novice to order something that they'll like. And the owner always has great suggestions. Really enjoy the live music, especially the Samurai Gypsies. read more