23 Best Seafood Restaurants in Santa Cruz

“Great service, great food“

“great service and awesome views. happy hour was great, margaritas. the fish and chips were delicious 😋“

“Calamari and chips. Only thing we order . 30 + years“

“Fun semi-industrial vibe. A little pricey for amount of food per dish. Food was excellent but for example, 3 large scallops over cabbage with a nice cauliflower sauce ran about $60. Drinks are well executed however served in small glasses and/or with a lot of ice. Quality is great but quantity of all items purchased left a bit to be desired. Would recommend. We’d go back more often if quantity matched the price a bit closer.“

“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“

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

“Absolutely the best crab sandwich I’ve ever had!

Seaside Fish and Chowder at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a hidden gem that every seafood lover needs to visit. I stopped by on a whim and ended up having one of the most memorable meals of my trip.

Their crab sandwich is out of this world—sweet, fresh crab meat served on perfectly grilled sourdough from Sumano’s Bakery, crisped in butter until golden. The flavors were perfectly balanced, rich, and comforting without being heavy. You can taste the freshness.

The staff was friendly, the service was quick even with a crowd, and the location can’t be beat—right near the beach, with that classic Boardwalk vibe.

Highly recommend grabbing a crab sandwich (and maybe a bowl of chowder too!) and enjoying it while watching the waves. This place is a must-stop when you're in Santa Cruz!“

“The food was outstanding, we had the one of the daily specials and our server was very friendly.“

“First time in Santa Cruz and at the boardwalk. Wanted to try something a little different so I got the infamous garlic fries which were hella garlicky in a good way, and the shrimp. You get 6 good sized shrimp with lemon wedges. Hit the spot! Freshly made so everything was nice and hot. Not a long wait time.“

“Great clam chowder, decent prices, amazing view.“

“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!“

“I’m from Tennessee- I ate at this restaurant once, 13 years ago when they were an unassuming restaurant in a tiny yet charming, building down the street. You had to walk through the kitchen to use the bathroom! But food was so crazy incredible that I had to look it up and come back again on my next trip to Santa Cruz 13 years later.

They have upgraded their venue, but the charm is still there for sure. The service was stellar and the food was just as good as I remembered.
Possibly the best lasagna that I have ever had. Better than my mothers’. Lol.
All of the apps we had were amazing. The pesto primavera was sooo good- love the broccoli in it. And the chocolate pot de crème was an outstanding finish. Ugh. Wish you guys would open a branch in Nashville. :)
Thanks!“

“We were there for a music event late Jan 2025. HH drink specials were tasty but was disappointed on how cold it was inside the restaurant. Both doors, front & back, were wide open during the entire evening show (48 degrees outside). Even the band mentioned how cold it was before beginning their set. All the customers wore jackets. Also, the harsh lighting was way too bright throughout the restaurant. I wanted my sunglasses on. Please read the room & tone down the lighting & warm the place up, then we’ll be back. Mahalo“

“We came here to eat breakfast and had the seafood omelette. The portions are massive and you can split one meal for 2. The food is good but not the best I’ve ever had. The atmosphere is pretty nostalgic and the workers are super friendly. I don’t think I’ve had better service anywhere else.“

“This is a really good halal restaurant here in Santa Cruz. There isn't much of a halal restaurant here in Santa Cruz, and this has been a go-to for me recently. The owner is extremely nice and generous with the portions. Unlimited Chips, and there are a lot of exotic snacks.“

“幾個年輕有為的年輕人用理想來經營的用餐環境，大大推薦“

“They are the best Chinese restaurant in town. Very friendly staff and amazing cook. We had some rockfish freshly caught and they did an amazing job preparing them to 3 different delicious meals including tofu fish soup, spicy fish filet in chili oil, and steamed fish. The price is very seasonable. The cook even came out to us to communicate the flavor preferences which made us feel welcomed and valued. Overall 10 star experience we recommend any fishermen to take their catch here and be surprised how good they can taste!“

“Thank You Haley you have Outstanding Customer Service!! Thank You Pono the food was delicious and thank you for having your cooks wash their hands throughly!“

“First time checking this place out and I have to say I was really impressed with the pupusas! The chicharron con queso pupusas were delicious! I also really enjoyed the empanadas de platano. Definitely will be coming back soon :)“

“Great food, great staff, great service!“

“Got the super carnitas burrito and it really was super. I could barely finish this thing and I’m a burrito enjoyer and never have that problem. Loaded with delicious carnitas and the guy who served me hooked up extra hot sauce cups to go. Great spot.“

“This is the first time eating at this restaurant is craving noodles my sons been here before I was very happy with I got the noodles the little appetizers everything was perfect Fast at Service clean restaurant I will definitely come back you’re gonna try some different“

“UPDATE..OCT 10TH. SERVICE SUCKED. THE LONG BLONDE HAIR WAS TAKING SHOTS WITH GUEST INSTEAD OF DOING HER JOB. TWICE I SEEN HER LOOK AT OUR TABLE AND IGNORE THE EMPTY DRINKS OR THE FACT THAT I WAS TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION. TERRIBLE SERVICE. WILL NOT GO BACK.“