34 Best American Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“We went there last week and it was a great experience. We came in just in time because it wasn’t busy yet. We got the only table by the window and it made it special for our occasion. The drink I had ordered wasn’t available so they suggested another one which was ginger beer and I liked it! It was a refreshing drink. The charcuterie board was delicious too! Everything was amazing. My girl and I had a great time and the waitress gave us a complimentary drink with our dinner. Thank you. We will surely go back again!“

“very good and Shelby s sunny disposition makes it even better. definitely our new favorite place for breakfast.“

“The staff is amazing! The food is amazingly fresh and flavorful. Hands down this Restaurant was a huge highlight of our vacation. Thank you for an awesome dinner, and making us feel right at home!“

“A great place to eat, shop, and walk around. It’s also home of the Diversity Center, Santa Cruz County’s LGBTQ+ Center.“

“Great place for mid week date night or to see live music. a Santa Cruz must“

“Delicious calamari Great vibes“

“Everything was great! We will be returning. Maybe next time for dinner.“

“Top of the line Food thats forsure“

“Went here for a date night recently. We should up earlier to our reservation and they were able to accommodate us pretty quickly which was great.

The service was top notch. I believe our server was Brenda and she was excellent. Always checking in on us and being prompt. She was also sure of getting any dietary issues handled.

We had some mocktails and found them delicious.

The calamari is one of my favorites so far in Santa Cruz. Very nicely seasoned and cooked just right, I'd like it to be a little more flaky but the taste was superb. Not tough nor feeling a little on the bland side.

I had the ribeye and while the precise cut wasn't my preferred choice it was delicious. It was cooked perfectly, don't know why so many places can't get Medium right, but the Point executed it perfectly. It was juicy, good bits of fat (wish it had a bit more fat though), and seasoned well. I think it had a really subtle glaze that went perfectly with the arugula. The glaze wasn't overpowering or too sweet, it just enhanced the umami flavored and the arugula was also not too overpowering, so you can actually taste the beef.

My wife had the Salmon and thought it was great. It was a nice big cut and cooked very well.

Overall it was a great experience and great food. Our server, Brenda, was superb and that's something you just can't get anywhere anymore.

We saw in the area with the older style red leather seats and this is the only part that I didn't like too much. The decor just clashed and it felt difficult to get a sense of ambience. I saw the other side has the nicer updated look and I'd probably prefer seating there but I think given the fair prices and the location, I don't think it was that bad.

Overall I'd probably give this place a 4.5, for the update the dining area needs but given the terrific service and delicious well priced food I'd say a 5 is justified.“

“The service was good and the food was delivered quickly.“

“Excellent appetizers, amazing healthy food and great service.“

“Visiting SC from Michigan and came across Suda. Glad we did. Looked like it had a good vibe from the outside so we went in and sat at the bar where we had drinks. What fun! The bartender, Max, was slammed but never stopped smiling. We had fun watching him and talking with him. He knows his drinks! So much fun we came back for dinner another night. Max came over to our table to welcome us back! The drinks and food were really good! We’ll definitely be back next visit to SC. Hopefully, Max, will be there too!“

“Great cocktails and appetizers“

“Great food, great staff, great service!“

“Every time we drive over from San Jose we eat there.“

“Delicious and fast service. Coffee wasn't the best but the free refills were great.
The real standout was the Sourdough pancakes. I got them with seasonal fruit and whipped cream (bananas and walnuts this week) and splurged on real maple syrup. Super delicious and reasonably priced.“

“My husband and I had a great breakfast I got a breakfast burrito and a frittata. Both were very good and big great food for a great price and the customer service was amazing.“

“This is a cozy cute place with delicious café de olla, and Mexican dishes, live music and kind owners, convenient location to have food before walking to the beach.“

“Great food, atmosphere all the waiters are nice. Great location.“

“My wife and I started dining at Solaire restaurant located in the Paradox hotel in Santa Cruz, California from its original opening in 2012. I gave a 5 star review back then. At first, we were very pleased with the high-quality of the food and the service. However in later years both deteriorated and we stopped dining there over two years ago. Yesterday, we were looking for a restaurant that we hadn't been for a while and decided to check out this restaurant at the hotel after looking at the new menu. It seemed to be completely revamped and had lots of choices. So, we ate dinner there. The lobby and the restaurant were completely renovated with a whole new look. The restaurant had inside and outside sections. The outside section was mostly indoors with the pool side area completely open to the outside. It had infrared ceiling heaters. Very nice. We chose to eat on the inside, where the tables were on both sides of a new large center bar which also juts in to the outside area. We found the food to be excellent and at somewhat reasonable prices in comparison to the old Solaire restaurant. My wife had the tomato basil bisque, and I had the French onion soup. My wife loved the bisque and I thought the onion soup was very good. It had loads of cheese and the onions and had a delicious flavor - not too salty. For our courses, my wife ordered the fresh catch with risotto. The catch was miso black cod , and the risotto had mushrooms and other veggies. She loved it! I had the flat iron steak with fries and herb butter. It was very tender and delicious. The service was outstanding. Our server, whose name is Shirlyn, was terrific! She was very knowledgeable of the dishes and guided us to the ones that we chose. She was pleasant, efficient and had a very positive attitude. The food was served in a prompt manner. And we were attended with water, drinks, and whatever we ask for quickly.“

“#bookshop #santacruz #hardcovers #softcovers #goodreads #mustreads“

“Love Hindquarter! Been going for many years mostly for dinner/drinks but am now also loving their delicious lunch specials which change daily. You can enjoy lunch specials until dinner menu starts at 4 pm! Deserts are great and the 3 berry cobbler with vanilla icecream is incredible! Highly recommend!“

“Amazing food. Exquisite taste expertly prepared. The wait staff is so attentive and friendly. Loved everything from start to finish!“

“Great place to meet up with friends, for breakfast or anytime! Great beach and lighthouse view, and casual, comfortable atmosphere! I highly recommend!!“

“karaoke night is the best“

“I wrote a detailed review on 831 Best and Worst Facebook page and this was definitely the BEST category ! Cannot go wrong IMO !“

“We enjoyed the dinner specials recently. Arrived here right before New Years, 12-30. I hade the daily catch and my wife had the steak pasta. Delicious. My fish was petrale sole, mixed vegetables, rice pilaf. Wife’s steak pasta was flavorful and creamy. We sat at the bar so service wasn’t the best but still attentive. Will return tomorrow. HAPPY NEW YEAR“

“My family and i arrive to this location and they bring to us Hot meal they have Friendly servers they always smile they are kind with our kids. My omelette was utterly delicious i going to cone back this location in a good spot. in santa cruz. thanks for everything“

“Love coming to Haggin Oaks to visit MacKenzie’s for the food. Steak salad is the healthy option for me. Ribeye steak sandwich is also a great choice. My wife always appreciates the wonderful service that Tresa provides. Yes, menu prices are higher, but blame it on Dimensia Joe and our own failure, Gavin Newscum for making it tough for any business to survive in beautiful California.“

“This is the place to be for delicious food and cocktails! As you sit in the newly renovated restaurant and bar, watching the teams of golfers swinging away in the background.“

“So happy to have Johnnys open for lunch and Taco Tuesday ❣️“

“My favourite dining hall at UCSC! Nothing will beat the gorgeous view at the Cowell/Stevenson Dining Hall. I wish they had more halal options and a greater variety of food, but it does the job! Would highly recommend getting food here pre-sunset, and to bask in the view whilst sitting on the balcony - alone and with friends.“

“Such a neat place! We really enjoyed this spot. Service and drinks! Their house drink menu is very unique and fun! Definitely recommend if you're visiting Santa Cruz! The entrance is around the back of motiv off pearl alley but if it's after 9:30p you'll need to go to motiv first to get stamped anyways.“