Stopped in for breakfast this morning having not eaten here for awhile. The service was prompt and friendly, the food was delicious and the ambiance was laid back. I had the chicken fried steak with over easy eggs and a delicious homemade toast. My wife had an omelet which was also cooked to perfection. We certainly will be back for breakfast and most likely for their Wednesday Reuben sandwich special; one of my favorites! read more

I got the fish and chips, and they were delicious! Definitely in my top favorites. Flaky, crunchy, fresh! read more

Whale City - Fish and chips - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Aptos, California

Wow this place is bad. Had a terrible breakfast there once where the service was horrid and the smiley face pancake was a regular pancake since they forgot to put on the whip cream and berries. Then when asked, she simply brought them in a cup for the kid to put on by themselves rather than bring it back and do it herself. Apparently that was too complicated for her to figure out lol. We went back today to try the retooled menu and lunch specials- but it was literally inedible. We took one bite of the fish and chips and spit it out, the fish was so old and chewy and low-quality that we didn't even finish another bite. The fries tasted like old oil too. We even went and asked for a refund on the 2nd one - which we usually never do. Most times it's just oh well lesson learned and don't go back. But since we ate nothing due to quality control being so absent that we now had to drive somewhere else and wait and pay for another meal to actually eat. So yeah, we threw the rest away and went somewhere else. We've tried different foods and different meals on different days - didn't matter. Service was poor and food was even worse. If someone bought me a meal from here for free I probably wouldn't even partake... read more

Food was solid, atmosphere good. The only thing keeping this from 5 stars is the food took longer to expected to come out, likely because the kitchen is tiny. Props to the chefs for pumping so much food out of such a small space! read more

Food was good, coffee was strong, outdoor patio on a sunny day is awesome! I think there are some kinks to work out with service, but they will get there. We are local and will be back. Welcome to the neighborhood Whale City! read more

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This place opened up recently. I had heard negative comments about service but since it's down the street from us we decided to give it a try and i must say it was a great experience. Yes they are still figuring things out but service was fast and they were very attentive and friendly. Food was good. Inside is well decorated and patio has a good view. We will definitely be back as this is a one of the few places in the neighborhood with legit weekend brunch menu. Hope they can extend their hours and stay open for dinner soon. read more

Whale City - Corn beef - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Aptos, California

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Went to Whale City Café last weekend and had such a great experience! The food was amazing and the staff was just as wonderful. Our waitress, Naomi, was so friendly and had such a positive attitude--even while working on a busy Sunday. This was actually our second time visiting, and both times the service stood out. On one occasion we were greeted by Colby, and on another by Shay--both hostesses were quick to acknowledge us, seat us right away, and get our drink orders started. Between the great food and the outstanding service, we'll definitely be coming back soon. Big thanks to Naomi, Colby, and Shay for making our brunch awesome! read more

Good food. Good service. Unfortunately while we were there yesterday they had a cat wondering about inside. Being severely allergic this isn't acceptable. Besides not being sanitary. The employees ignored it as though it was normal behavior. We finally asked an employee to please remove it. Which they did, but as we leaving we watched it go back in and resume eating off the floor. We will never be back. read more

Food was delicious. Deep fried artichokes were perfectly crispy, spiced and the dip was tasty. The artichoke pesto omelet and country potatoes was perfect. The clam chowder had plenty of clam, spiced nicely, potatoes were perfectly cooked but my preference is a little less "cheesy" flavored and more creamy, but it was delicious. Crab cakes were nice mix of crab and veggie-spices, very crisp, tartar sauce seemed home made and delicious. Mushroom burger was good. Big, huge fries were tasty and crispy. Only negative, our Monday salad and burger fixings might have been left over from the weekend, there were too many oxidized brown streaks and a couple slimy edges. Service was outstanding. She recommended great stuff and checked on us often. Great bar, beautiful interior and lots of outdoor space!!! read more

I have been here twice for breakfast on a weekday and both times the food and the service were excellent! The first time I had an avocado tostada, which was a delightful and on the lighter side for breakfast and it had a green salsa that kept me thinking about it for days to come. When I returned for my second visit, I had the Chilaquiles, which was phenomenal. Also, I added avocado and asked for some more of that delicious green salsa. It was delicious and satisfying. I will definitely be returning again soon to try more items on the menu. read more

I think our server was intentionally ignoring us. Not busy at all, never checked on us. Didn't get whipped cream or syrup with our French toast. Had to get up and ask for more coffee and water. Sat for over 10 minutes after we were done, no one ever came back by while multiple workers were standing around. Food was pretty good besides the cold, mushy potatoes. read more

Went for the Fish & Chips Lunch Special. It is the best in Santa Cruz area for sure. Made Fresh to Order! I am going back for the Calamari lunch special TODAY. Super friendly Server! This will be our regular go to. Also the Taco Thursday night special. read more

Awesome breakfast!!!...Crabcake Benedict was fresh and hot!...Biscuits and gravy same!...Superb Service...Stephanie was great...big fan!

I was very impressed with this restaurant. The service was amazing, the waiters were kind, they were quick with service and cooking, and they refilled my soda multiple times. I ordered the lumberjack special and it came very quick. The waiter kept coming around and making sure that we were good. My pancakes were delicious and fluffy, some of the best pancakes that i've had in a while. They gave me a lot of potatoes and cooked my sunny side up eggs perfectly. The bacon was delicious and not over cooked like you see in many of these diner-type restaurants. I was incredibly happy with this meal and my whole party was very pleased, which is why I give this place 5 stars. There were no issues. read more

My husband and I recently stayed in Santa Cruz for a week celebrating his birthday. We had a fantastic time AND we left something at our hotel so a week later we made a trip down to pick up our item and then head to Atascadero for a family gathering. On route we stopped for breakfast at Whale City and were super happy with our experience there. Naomi, our waitress, was top notch and so was the young lady who brought our beverages. Husband ordered the basic breakfast and on Naomi's suggestion I got the crab cake Benedict. So delicious and satisfying, we both walked away very happy diners. Naomi was so friendly and efficient. We sat outside on the lovely patio and even though we were in the "outback" the service was heads and tails above most restaurants. Food came out quickly and it was piping hot! The cooks know what they are doing in the kitchen too. They serve breakfast, lunch AND dinner all day long so it's like an old fashioned diner that way. The Whale is clean and has a cheerful ambiance. It's an interesting building as it's on two levels AND it is wheelchair accessible. Even the bathrooms were clean. They have an extra "perk" for folks who've just been at the beach, a place to rinse your feet off (in the bathroom). Hats off to the whole crew at the Whale, we'll be back next time we are in Santa Cruz. read more

Great place....we are so happy with the food. The service, by Naomi was spot on. We tried a little bit of this and that....I like the idea that the calamari sandwich wasn't the traditional ground up calamari steak that other restaurants serve. The onion rings were gone in a second. We will definitely go back. This will become a favorite place of ours. Kay read more

I was really excited for the whale city because I love the whale city bakery in Davenport however, I went there. I like really early in the morning and there was someone there to help me, but he was more busy on making his coffee or making the coffee for the store rather than getting me out of there and helping me all I wanted is pastries and it seems more like a restaurant. The pastries are exactly expected, but the service was horrible. read more

6/7/25-The service from Naomi was fantastic and the food was amazing . We thought she was the owner with the pride she displayed with the food and drink. We recommend the Brussels sprouts and crab cakes ! We also split a pesto burger which was great. Arguably the best food in Aptos . read more

Jimmy, Stephanie, Mia and all the other hard working staff made our brunch for 73 people most incredible! The food was delicious and the service was beyond expectations for such a large group! Thank you Whale City Bakery Aptos for all your hard work and delicious food for our large group! We will be back when in Aptos in the future! :) read more

Came in today, hungry as a horse after working. Wanted something filling, but not in a burger mood. Chicken Pesto Sandwich with a Caesar side salad. The salad was 5 bites of lettuce if I stretched them out. The dressing wasn't bad, just a meager salad. The bread on the sandwich was pretty good, but that was it. The chicken was thigh, but strangely chewey. Roasted red peppers and the usual burger accompaniments made up the sandwich, but it just wasn't that good and wasn't very filling either. There's a gas station one exit away that does a WAY BETTER sandwich for $10. Not typically the kind of guy who touts gas stations with delis during a restaurant review, but it's really good and deserves some praise. The patio looked pretty nice. Might come back to try it out for breakfast. This place is used to tourists on the 1. Maybe the breakfast is phenomenal. The bread was really good. Gonna have to do better for 4 stars. read more

Incredible!! The food was incredible fresh and flavorful! Wonderful service and ambiance. Highly recommend!!

I am happy that the whale bakery in Davenport has come to Aptos.The menu is the same in both locations.I got the eggs benedict with country potatoes which was YUMMY .The baked goods I was told were temporarily sent from the Davenport location until they get everything squared away . The resteraunt parking lot is small but its across the street from the ranch Delmar shopping center read more

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The morning we went, there was a cat cruising through and hanging out. I heard it was feral and had kittens outside. The food was just okay. We won't be back. read more

My husband and I had dinner at Whale City in Aptos last night. We had so much fun with Angela our server with tasting the wine selection. I had grilled salmon with buerre blanc sauce with capers and my husband had the Stagnaro Alaskan cod fish and chips. Both were excellent. After we decided on a bottle, Angela continued to pour our bottle for us throughout the meal ( a lost art ). Tiger the chef came out to see how the food was-it was excellent! Will go back for dinner again. Hope they start live music like in Davenport. And maybe get the bakery there too! :-) read more

We met with friends to have brunch. The service was mostly attentive, although the staff seemed stretched thin. The atmosphere is ok, clean (except for the cat walking around the tables and seats). The menu is fairly extensive. Our choices varied from a tuna melt sandwich with sweet potato fries to an omelet. Nothing stood out as excellent. Note: There is a 3.5% charge on ALL credit card payments and a minimum 20% gratuity. read more

I know they got off to a rough start, but my friend and I went there yesterday morning, and it seems that things are back on track! We had a delicious breakfast, with excellent service. I love the space. I have never been there, and didn't realize how incredibly beautiful the view of the canyon is. If you tried it before and were disappointed, I would definitely give it another shot! If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go! read more

Whale City - Yummy fresh pastries. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Aptos, California

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The worst service I have ever come across. Nobody at the host stand, so they yelled to come in. The waitress was rude upon seating us, took our order with an extreme attitude, and then came back serving us raw eggs. This is not what we ordered. We asked for the condiment basket every other table had, but the waitress literally did not come back. We had to ask another server to bring the condiments, and cook the eggs. Additionally, our water was empty for an extended period of time with the waitress never coming back. We had to ask yet another server to give us water. This should be a standard of any dining service, water is a necessity, and it should be an expectation to check in at least once to see how the food was (it was bad and RAW). I am normally not one to be critical of service workers, but the attitude and lack of care we experienced today was truly disheartening. read more

Bad experience two days ago with rude waitress telling us we had six minutes before kitchen closed, then become indignant when we got up to walk out and would not stay. Prices are ridiculous and we will never return! read more

Great food for breakfast and wonderful staff and service! 1st time going here and I recommend it.

Had breakfast here today. Service was friendly and efficient. French toast was very good and the Benedict was excellent. Nice selection on the breakfast menu. Decor was brightened up from when this was a burger place. read more

Staff were excellent, friendly and our waiter Joe was amazing!! The food was just like I remember when I go to Davenport location. I had the crab Benedict. All I can say is that the hollandaise sauce was spot on! Yumm. We sat outside on the patio overlooking beautiful views with our pups. Joe made sure we had water for them. (Don't even need to ask!) Thank you Joe for your professional yet super friendly service. You really made us smile today and reminded us that everyday is a good day. read more

Whale City - Our view from our table out on the patio. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Aptos, California

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I went to this restaurant with my family, We all loved our meals we ordered. I loved how you can order breakfast lunch and dinner at any time! Personally i would recommend and one of their omelets! The service here was top notch, We had a very nice waitress who was always one step ahead. It was also a very clean, calm, and nice restaurant. I would recommend this place coming into town! read more

Excellent breakfast- got the Mediterranean omelette and pancakes. Very reasonable prices, a nice new place for a weekend brunch. Not overly crowded or noisy- it was refreshing. read more

love the OG in Davenport sad to report this location has none of the same charm and coziness Service wonderful but ambiance and food leaves a lot to be desired We've lost cafe sparrow and gained a Denny's read more

I want to give this new location 5 stars because I absolutely love the Davenport location but unfortunately they didn't meet the mark. Hospitality wise they were all 5 stars but the food earns them 3 stars. The food was so late to service the server comp a cinnamon roll and our coffees because how late it was. And when the food did arrive all 3 of our poached eggs were hard boiled read more

I was so excited about this place opening. Must be new ownership? Davenport used to have amazing baked goods ... it's a bakery right? These were terrible. Worse than if I bought from Safeway. Old & stale with no flavor. Went with a party of 5 and all of us barely ate our food. It just wasn't good at all & the service was pretty much nonexistent. This location is awesome & has so much potential. I want this place to do well so we can have a good breakfast spot. Maybe hire a chef who's passionate about good food? A baker who's passionate about baking? Seems like that would be step one. I'll give it another try if things sound like they've turned around. read more

We were so excited to see this finally open after driving by the sign for so long! We had low expectations after reading the poor reviews but were pleasantly surprised by great service and delicious food! We could tell why it took so long to open because the inside ambiance was greatly improved from the former dark and dank Burger. The inside was bright & clean while still embracing the character of the space. We started with 2 pastries (chocolate puff pastry and a pesto pastry) which were delicious but would have been better if they had offered to heat them up. We both had omelets, the Mediterranean and the artichoke which were both delicious and came out very fast and very hot. The potatoes were nice and crispy and just needed a little salt. The omelets were fluffy, flavorful, and jam packed with veggies. Excited to go back for lunch! read more

Whale City - Mediterranean omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Aptos, California

Giving 3 stars cause staff was very nice. But the prices for the food is way over priced for 3 overly cooked hard chicken straps that were so tiny and a small handful of fries for $15 is crazy. I should of gone to sno-whit and paid less for way more. I was really hoping it would be good. I mean I get I got chicken strips but sad when u could go to fast food and it come out better. read more

I have seen negative reviews on 2 social media sites concerning this restaurant. My daughter and family tried Whale City in Aptos and said they would not go back. Today I thought I will give it a chance. The waitperson was very attentive and helpful. The coffee tasted harsh maybe not fresh. The chilaquiles were a B rating and at this point all was OK until I bit down on something hard. I pulled a 2 1/4 wire out of my mouth. Thank god i did not break a tooth. I flagged a wait person who apologized and took it to the kitchen. It looked like a wire that probably came from one of those twist ties that you find on produce. I have had a metal taste in my mouth ever since and it's been about three hours. They did bring a muffin over for me to come home but unfortunately it was like a Costco muffin and not even that good. I didn't really expect a refund but I don't think I'll be back. read more

I am updating this review, went back to whale city this morning. I am tentatively impressed. The service was infinitely better than last time. Our waitress was very friendly, very pleasant and very attentive. We received coffee almost immediately upon sitting. By the way, the coffee mugs are huge and apparently coffee is complementary before 9:30am. This is amazing, I'm unaware of any other breakfast spot that does this. Now, the food, I had the country fried steak again, it was factually 100% better than the last time. The country fried steak was light, nicely battered, the gravy was very tasty and the potatoes were very good. The only negative, I ordered my eggs over easy and they came out scrambled. I told the waitress and she was apologetic and offered to have more eggs made, I declined because it was that big of a deal. My wife breakfast was very good, she had an omelet turned into a scramble at her request. The homemade bread for the toast was really quite good. My kiddo actually ate some of the pancake! The ambiance is still very nice. All in all this a well earned 4 star update. I will be back, it is quite possible that Aptos now has a wonderful breakfast spot. I'm cautiously optimistic. I suggest you try it out! read more