This restaurant has been here for 50 years, we were celebrating our friend's 77th birthday, we made a reservation for a party of 3 on a Thursday night and I'm glad we did, because the place was packed. The service was great, the top shelf Margaritas only $14 were excellent and the Mexican food was delicious, the staff and customers sang Happy Birthday and gave her free ice cream. I would go back and tell our family and friends to check it out. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Deportes de VIOLICH
If you are in the Santa Cruz area you need to go to Manuel‘s. It is one of the most iconic Santa Cruz restaurants in the area. It’s been operating for 70 years. It has the best best best Mexican food and service in the area. My favorites are the cheese enchilada, steak, tacos, and posole that it served at lunchtime. The staff are the most amazing people you will ever meet and will greet you like family. It’s extremely clean and the food comes out nice and quick. It’s always busy and you’re in for a treat. My favorite servers are Chuy Adus, and the bartender Raphael. I can’t wait till I can go back again soon. I’ve been going here for years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennefer Klick
Delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
HC North
Multiple members of my family had talked up some great past meals they’d had here, but after today none of us will be back, ever. We had the three worst Mexican meals we’ve ever experienced—bland, dry, and burned—and terrible customer service when we asked them to make it right. This was not just a horrible dinner, but an awful experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Maria Brownson
Too dark and cramped!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Monique Lisa
Local favorite! Everything was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
marc stine
Definitely a go to place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ivana Hallman
Highly recommended great food, friendly service and awesome location.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alice
The food was pretty lackluster in my opinion, the chicken really stringy and bland and everything kind of blurred together into an unremarkable mush. Not the best Mexican I've had by any stretch.
Also stay away if you or your child has a peanut allergy - there is peanut butter mixed into the Enchilada sauce (red sauce) and it is not noted on the menu.
Sheri Nottingham
Standard Mexican-American food, nothing special. The service was friendly and over-the-top excellent, though with every customer.
We visit the beaches in Aptos quite a bit and stumbled apon this restaurant while on our way back to Stockton, it was late and there wasn't anything open so we decided to give it a try and oh my I'm so glad we did. The food here is delicious! My 9 year old is extremely picky, there isn't much he will eat especially if it's from somewhere new. We told him the food was really good and he would like it so after some time he tried it, let me tell you my son was dancing while he was chewing lol. He kept saying how good the food was and when he went back to school that Monday he even wrote about it in a writing assignment 🤣 We visited again July 9 but this time we placed an order over the phone for pick up so we could eat dinner on the beach, our order was ready by the time we got to the restaurant and the taste and quality was the same as we remembered. We have actually considered making the 2 hour drive just for dinner because we crave the food
Adam Lee Davenport
Amazing!
Doug Bragdon
Manuel's has classic big plates with melted cheese, if no al pastor. Good service, sometimes the restaurant is a bit musty. The seafood tostada $28 July 2025 is pictured.
Erik Garcia
Absolutely love this sit down Mexican restaurant amazing food great lunch specials good portions and the best service I have experienced in Santa Cruz in a while. Highly recommend the Chicken Chimichanga lunch special.
Camper17573735481
The crab and shrimp tostada served with crispy tortilla shells is one of my favorites. Fresh and delicious. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend this restaurants one of the best Mexican restaurant in Aptos.
This restaurant has been here for 50 years, we were celebrating our friend's 77th birthday, we made a reservation for a party of 3 on a Thursday night and I'm glad we did, because the place was packed. The service was great, the top shelf Margaritas only $14 were excellent and the Mexican food was delicious, the staff and customers sang Happy Birthday and gave her free ice cream. I would go back and tell our family and friends to check it out. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you are in the Santa Cruz area you need to go to Manuel‘s. It is one of the most iconic Santa Cruz restaurants in the area. It’s been operating for 70 years. It has the best best best Mexican food and service in the area. My favorites are the cheese enchilada, steak, tacos, and posole that it served at lunchtime. The staff are the most amazing people you will ever meet and will greet you like family. It’s extremely clean and the food comes out nice and quick. It’s always busy and you’re in for a treat. My favorite servers are Chuy Adus, and the bartender Raphael. I can’t wait till I can go back again soon. I’ve been going here for years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Multiple members of my family had talked up some great past meals they’d had here, but after today none of us will be back, ever. We had the three worst Mexican meals we’ve ever experienced—bland, dry, and burned—and terrible customer service when we asked them to make it right. This was not just a horrible dinner, but an awful experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Too dark and cramped!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Local favorite! Everything was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Definitely a go to place
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Highly recommended great food, friendly service and awesome location.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was pretty lackluster in my opinion, the chicken really stringy and bland and everything kind of blurred together into an unremarkable mush. Not the best Mexican I've had by any stretch.
Also stay away if you or your child has a peanut allergy - there is peanut butter mixed into the Enchilada sauce (red sauce) and it is not noted on the menu.
Standard Mexican-American food, nothing special. The service was friendly and over-the-top excellent, though with every customer.
Restaurantji Recommends
We visit the beaches in Aptos quite a bit and stumbled apon this restaurant while on our way back to Stockton, it was late and there wasn't anything open so we decided to give it a try and oh my I'm so glad we did. The food here is delicious! My 9 year old is extremely picky, there isn't much he will eat especially if it's from somewhere new. We told him the food was really good and he would like it so after some time he tried it, let me tell you my son was dancing while he was chewing lol. He kept saying how good the food was and when he went back to school that Monday he even wrote about it in a writing assignment 🤣 We visited again July 9 but this time we placed an order over the phone for pick up so we could eat dinner on the beach, our order was ready by the time we got to the restaurant and the taste and quality was the same as we remembered. We have actually considered making the 2 hour drive just for dinner because we crave the food
Amazing!
Manuel's has classic big plates with melted cheese, if no al pastor. Good service, sometimes the restaurant is a bit musty. The seafood tostada $28 July 2025 is pictured.
Absolutely love this sit down Mexican restaurant amazing food great lunch specials good portions and the best service I have experienced in Santa Cruz in a while. Highly recommend the Chicken Chimichanga lunch special.
The crab and shrimp tostada served with crispy tortilla shells is one of my favorites. Fresh and delicious. The staff is friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend this restaurants one of the best Mexican restaurant in Aptos.
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