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“

“Excellent service that made me feel so welcome. A particular thanks to Rhian who made my experience so special. Would highly recommend this to anyone. If I’m ever back in Santa Cruz, I will definitely be heading here! Thank you all so much.“

“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!“

“Lillian's Italian Kitchen is an absolute treasure! The authentic Italian dishes are made with love, and every bite is a burst of flavor. From the homemade pasta to the rich sauces, you can taste the quality of ingredients. The ambiance is warm and inviting, perfect for a cozy dinner or a special celebration. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive, making your dining experience truly memorable. I can't recommend this place enough—definitely a must-visit!“

“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!“

“Great part of Santa Cruz History Great Ride Food and Entertainment“

“We found them by default

We came to go to another restaurant in town but they were closed because of electrical outage

So we drove around and found this GEM

We both shared a combo dish and it’s gone and good

We also ordered pork fried wontons
So yummy

We even had a lil to take home

You will not be disappointed : )

The photo is after we served ourselves“

“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“

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

“Very clean market and mexican taqueria. The food is delicious with all the traditional options of a taqueria, including a help-yoursef salsa & chip bar. The market is small, clean, and caters items for quock neighborhood pickups and for beach goers.“

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

“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“

“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 :)“

“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“

“The staff was friendly and amazing because the guy took the time to really explain the menu to me and really make sure that I got what I was craving to want to eat. I'm autistic and have ADHD so I'm very animated and love flavor in my food and this by far gave me an incredible food experience. I will keep coming back to this place every single opportunity that I have. I'm new to the area and this is definitely something that makes me want to stay after.“

“Great food, great staff, great service!“

“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.“

“The four of us ate lunch there a couple of days ago. Was honestly surprised at the portion sizes (those super burritos 😛)......WOW!!!
Aside of the food being plentiful and delicious, it was upstaged by our wonderfully attentive server, Fernando. That guy DOES customer service! (To the owner: Give this man a raise!)
So.......if it wasn't 2,300 or so miles from our home, we would eat here MUCH more often!“