This place provides one of a kind experience! The restaurant is located at an amazing location just next to a lake. The entrance to this place is so beautiful. They have a garden you can walk through or take their little cute cabin which will take you to the entrance. We chose to use the cabin while going in and walked our way up through the garden while leaving. So beautiful! :) They have certain dress code which you should abide by, nothing crazy so don’t worry! But you feel like dressing up to go to a place like this. I think it’s a great place for special occasions like anniversaries or just if you want to have a romantic dinner with a special one! ;) We had Coconut Lavender Lemonade and a Reisling to start with. We then ordered Artichoke Hearts for appetizers which was so yummy! For the main course we had Grain and Veggie Bowl and a chicken dish(can’t remember the name). Finally the famous Jack Daniels’ Mud Pie for dessert. This was huge but tasty. We loved the overall dining experience. It was spectacular! Definitely go again :)
Leslie N.
Place rating: 3 Santa Cruz, CA
Nice and beautiful setting, but food is not worth the prices, and the staff/service fluctuate between being great and sub-par, I guess depending on the night or who you get. If you come as a couple and they are busy, they will try and stick you in an out-of-the-way next to the kitchen or bathroom hallway instead of the nicer tables. The service sometimes can be quick, other times we can be there for an hour and just have received our appetizers. Won’t recommend this place to our friends who come into town.
Isaia N.
Place rating: 5 Aptos, CA
So I decided to take my fiancé out for a «fancy dinner» an decided since I hadn’t been to shadow Brook since I was maybe 12 or so and was pleased to see the place still looked amazing atmosphere was nice an they even had live music entertainment they were extremely busy so if recommend people to try an make reservations ahead of time but still overall happy with the speed of service an how welcoming the staff were If your looking for a really awesome place to grab a nice dinner this is one of my top 10 places I’d suggest
Dee J.
Place rating: 5 Hollister, CA
Absolutely amazing! The staff was very accommodating, and the meal(braised osso bucco) was out of this world delicious!
Tina J.
Place rating: 5 Sunnyvale, CA
Knew of this place forever and finally tried it for my bff’s birthday. Lovely and romantic. All of the food was wonderful. And a surprise candle-lit ice cream sundae to celebrate with. We will be back again
Ravien L.
Place rating: 5 Redding, CA
This place is delicious. The staff is incredible, the atmosphere is incredible, view, everything, you stepped as if you were in another world. The dining menu is great. And the bar menu is on point. The service is phenomenal– they get the food to you in a timely matter and they are all about pleasing there customers. If you want to impress a date take them to shadowbrook. Hell I would work there for free just to be there more often. This place is good.
Amy Y.
Place rating: 4 Berkeley, CA
I give it a 4 star for the environment and experience. The seared ahi appetizer was my favorite. I came here with my family this past weekend and I saw some great reviews for the environment and decided to try it. We ordered quite some dishes since we had a party of 5. We ordered the portebello fries– it was mediocre, didn’t think it was that great. The ahi for sure was the best appetizer. Next, we got the volcano lamb, which was this huge lamb shank that was slow cooked and falls off the bone. The taste was average. My mom go the filet mignon medium, wasn’t too medium in my opinion. My grandma ordered the chicken filet, wasn’t that great either, and I ordered my grandpa a special– the gnocci with some meat on top. The atmosphere was great, definitely a 10⁄10 for the environment and dinning room. There is a tram that you must take to get down to the restaurant which truly makes the experience magical. They have a large parking lot, and some cabs there, but I’m not sure what the cab is for. Definitely would recommend this place for a romantic date, but wouldn’t suggest coming just for the food.
Mimi S.
Place rating: 5 Sunnyvale, CA
Love this restaurant! I came to Shadowbrook with my boyfriend for my birthday dinner. Booking the reservation was straight forward on Open Table. I called them since we were running 10 mins late the day off and we were still able to be seated right away. The restaurant is located on top of a hill so the view is gorgeous. You take the cute little trolley to and from the restaurant which is part of the whole experience. The ambience inside is on point with the lights, windows, and river view. We tried the bacon wrapped prawns for the appetizer. If you can’t decide(like me), go with the one pound surf and turf which comes with sirloin steak and lobster. It’s the best of both worlds! The bf got the filet mignon and it just melts in your mouth. We were very satisfied with our food, just a tad salty in certain bites. Prices were justifiable. Staff were accommodating and friendly. They even gave me a chocolate mousse ice cream dessert with a candle at the end which was a nice touch. We went in on a Sunday early dinner around 5 so it wasn’t too crowded. It started filling up around 6 – 7 as we were finishing up though. I would definitely come back to Shadowbrook to celebrate a special occasion.
Michael H.
Place rating: 1 Ceres, CA
Service was good. Staff was friendly. The restaurant and the setting was relaxing. The food — horrible. I’ve honestly had better food at Denny’s. We walked in at 5:03, we were done eating at 5:40. Filet Mignon and Beef Wellington had obviously been pre-cooked then warmed up and brought to our table. There’s NOWAY you can get those meals out in that amount of time. Bottom line, if you don’t mind paying way too much money for Denny’s quality food, then go and enjoy the atmosphere.
Jack R.
Place rating: 2 San Francisco, CA
Came here to celebrate Mother’s Day with dear old mom, and this place left her with a bad impression. And you know if mom isn’t happy, well no one’s happy right? I’ve been here before with friends and last time our server Andrew was rude by ignoring our younger table to focus on the older table who he thought would give him more tips or something, not knowing that if he would have given us the same excellent service he gave the other tables our group would have tipped him 50% or more since we’re all generous techies who like to pay it forward when possible. But, he didn’t pay attention to us, so we tipped the standard 15%. This time around for Mother’s Day we had another clueless waiter who was more focused on the tourists than with us. That isn’t why I’m giving this place 2 stars though. Nope, it’s because of this guy’s inability to get my mom’s salad right, and the overall saltiness of the food we ordered. So my mother orders the bacon wrapped shrimp spinach salad with dressing on the side. Simple right? 1) Salad comes out with no shrimp and the dressing mixed in. 2) The waiter redoes it a second time this time with dressing on the side and no shrimp 3) We ask where are the shrimp? And the waiter says mom didn’t order the shrimp. And then comes back with 2 small shrimp on the side. SAYWHAT? It takes this guy 3 times to get one salad right! And I thought to myself how would HE like it if a waiter did this to his mom for her mother’s day meal? I bet he wouldn’t. My filet minion steak was good, but the side mushrooms and onions were super salty. My aunt’s seafood campanile had barely any scallops or shellfish that we didn’t even bother taking a picture of it because you would have thought we had made it and brought it to the restaurant. It was also overly salty. Salt and non-existent service was the theme here. Just getting our waiter to get the check or even ask how we’re doing seemed too much for him, but the bus boys were great so we tipped them on the side. My brother was thinking of coming, but thankfully passed. Another key for the 2 stars was when we were in the lobby and this women almost left in tears with her daughter. She told us she came here for a quiet Mother’s Day with her young daughter and the waiter was making sarcastic remarks about how her daughter was spreading the butter on the bread since this lady was trying to teach her daughter good manners, but her daughter was getting the butter on her fingers instead of the knife. It seemed like the daughter wasn’t bothering anyone, and that the mother was genuinely trying to teach her daughter, so my mom was telling that single mom that it ISN’T a waiter’s job to teach parenting. My mom said it best when she said the restaurant looked nice, but the food and the service catered to tourists or locals who they want to impress, but don’t really care about anyone else. My mom asked for a manager to let him know and the wait staff said that the manager John genuinely doesn’t care about such things, and gave her a business card to write in. Lovely, I thought. 2 stars that maybe should be one star.
Vanessa P.
Place rating: 5 Castroville, CA
If I could give this place a 10 I would. My boyfriend and I decided to make the trip to Capitola for our anniversary dinner just to get away from all the Monterey Area restaurants we always go to and let me tell you that I am so glad we did. We had such an amazing experience from beginning to end. The ambiance is so wonderful and everyone was so nice to us including the other customers that were there. Complimenting and congratulating us for our anniversary. Seriously the sweetest people. Our server Cassidy, who has been working at Shadowbrook around 20 years, was so helpful and made our experience even better. The food was delicious. For our entrees I had the Rock Lobster Tail and my boyfriend had the Angus Prime Rib. Both very delicious and I might add that my steak loving boyfriend did say that it was the best prime rib he has had. Being the sweet tooth person I am, my favorite part was dessert. We had the Crepes and they were the most delicious crepes I’ve ever had. After our lovely dinner we went downstairs and took some pictures outside with the amazing views of the restaurant and all the dazzling lights that lit up the restaurant so beautifully. I seriously have nothing bad to say about this place and I think we just found our new favorite restaurant. We will definitely be back and recommend Shadowbrook to anyone. I can guarantee you will have the same incredible experience we had.
Joanne Y.
Place rating: 4 San Jose, CA
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner on Sunday. I have the say, the child in me fell in love with the little trolley train cart that you can ride to get down to the restaurant. Although it was still pretty wet that day from the rain, the view was beautiful! We had reservations and were promptly seated. Upon being seated, I noticed how quiet the dining area was. I’ve been to nicer restaurants and you would still hear low conversations, but it was almost silent here haha. Kind of awkward turtle, but I can see how some would appreciate the silence. For starters, we ordered the clam chowder and the calamari. The Thai sauce that came with the calamari was delicious — kinda sweet, kinda tangy with a little kick. For main courses, we ordered the boar and the Pacific Rim Salmon which I liked better than the boar. However, the boar was very very hearty and filling. At the end, they gave me an ice cream sundae for my birthday with a candle — so sweet. I would definitely come back and try other items on the menu. The price point was very reasonable as well.
Alex B.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
One of the most unique experiences of my life; Shadowbrook is a masterpiece. Who would have thought that all my expectations would have been exceeded when the expectations were already so high? I’ve heard nothing but praise for this place, so the hype was on overload going into it. My first impression was not off to the best start, as parking was an absolute nightmare. The lot was by no means small, but in hindsight, it definitely should be larger for the amount of people that come here everyday. Plus, street parking is not possible, as you need a permit everywhere. Once you get past the parking, every single moment from there on is absolutely stunning: ambiance, service, food, I can go on and on. To actually get to the restaurant itself from the parking lot, you have to either walk down a semi long path(for a few minutes) or take a trolley(basically this mini train that literally takes you down to the restaurant). Obviously we took the trolley, and seriously, if you don’t, you are missing out big time. This trolley is an experience on it’s own. Once you arrive, you finally enter the restaurant. Instantly, the ambiance made me feel alive. The vibe is very old school, and there is a musician who is playing cover songs on the guitar. Live music? That would have sealed the deal already for me, but it just got better and better. After I was seated, my server arrived and gave me very helpful tips about the selections they offer. He was the reason I made my choice for the Filet Minion, and that must have been a top 3 Filet Minion I’ve ever ate. Just pure bliss. It melted in my mouth. I ordered it medium and they cooked it to perfection. I ordered a few other dishes for the table, but I honestly don’t think I’ll have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe how delicious every single one was. When I finished my steak, I felt like I was on cloud 9. You guys get the point right? Final verdict: Shadowbrook is a long-running restaurant that takes people on a true adventure. there’s 7 floors that you can be seated on, all having a very different theme. The mix of perfect ambiance, live music, delicious food and some of the best service I’ve ever received make this an automatic must visit. If you have a food bucket list, this should be on your top 5.
Christopher C.
Place rating: 5 Aptos, CA
The Shadowbrook is arguably the best fine dining restaurant in Santa Cruz County. Located in Capitola, the Shadowbrook is celebrating their 69th year servicing the Central Coast with exceptional dining. As you arrive there is excellent and abundant parking in two private parking lots. Next a short walk takes you to a landing above the restaurant; here you can either take the small four to five person cable car ride down or choose the scenic and elegantly decorated and landscaped walk along a easy path. I would highly recommend walking down and taking the cable car back up after dinner. The path is very nice and offers many photo opportunities as the restaurant is nestled amongst splendid trees and plants on an embankment overlooking the Soquel Creek. Upon arrival at the hostess station you will be treated to polite, helpful, and kind hostesses. I was immediately stunned by the crafted hard wood architecture of this place. If you are early, there is a large bar area to get a drink first. They use a pager system to alert you when your table is ready. Our waiter Kent and his assistant Javier were both really on their game. They both offered excellent recommendations and were on top of service, drink refills, and providing just enough attention so as not to be hovering. We had the fried artichoke appetizers, followed by two unique salads, followed by our main courses, beef wellington and scallops. Everything tasted great, was prepared exceptionally with locally sourced produce, meats, and fish, and was served in a timely manner with just the right tempo so as not to feel rushed. After we had dessert; I have to recommend the Whiskey Mud Pie = so awesome. It looked so good I forgot to take a picture. After dinner, make sure to ride the cable car up the hill, as the climb might be challenging for some. For me, I was weighted down with such great food, there was no way I wanted to walk the path. And the views going up in the cable car are very nice. Shadowbrook, you are one of the best restaurants I have ever visited and I will be a regular going forward. Thank you and may you have another successful 69 years in your future; easy to rate you 5-stars.
Michael W.
Place rating: 5 Sacramento, CA
Great restaurant for a special occasion! Loved the ambience, food was great, and service was A+. Plenty of parking across the street. You have a choice to walk down some stairs to the restaurant or take a trolley car down to the restaurant or back up as you leave! The stairs is a great opportunity for some nice photos as they are lined with a garden path. Take the trolley either up or down at least once though, fun little experience. Very memorable dinner!
Justin B.
Place rating: 5 San Leandro, CA
Don’t try to look for the location on the street. Park in the lot and then walk across the street. You won’t see the restaurant because of how it sits on the cliff. You can take the trolley down, but I suggest you walk down and enjoy the garden area with waterfalls and take a few pictures. Take the trolley up the hill when you are now stuffed! Food is amazing! I have tried a few dishes and loved them all. Prices are very reasonable to considering the views from any level you sit on at the restaurant. Anniversary, Birthday’s, or any special occasion, this is the place for you. It is worth the drive on HWY17 from the Bay Area!
Eileen H.
Place rating: 5 Santa Cruz, CA
Awesome!!! Beautiful place and amazing food! We ordered the prime rib and it was perfect.
Mariethonnie M.
Place rating: 3 Hayward, CA
I would say its a 3.5 Stars just because of the restaurant itself, the place is gorgeous. You can either go down several flights of stairs or take the mini trolly down to the restaurant. The entire décor and set up is what makes this restaurant. There are several places in which you can enjoy your dinner, my suggestion is if you make reservations makes sure to ask for a window table, you’ll over look this little waterway. The service was great, our server was named Allison and she was so pleasant and soft spoken and very attentive. The food was OK, we started of with the calamari which was accompanied by some sort of pickled red cabbage with 3 dipping sauces, they servings were very minimal, id say there was about 12 pieces of Calamari. The calamari was tasty but I wished there was a little more. For my entrée i decided in the Prime Rib which was good, nothing to drool over, but its definitely better than a cheesecake factory prime rib, the cream of spinach was really good, actually better than any that I have tasted. The whipped potatoes were delicious, I believe it was infused with garlic. Overall with the atmosphere its a good dinner spot, Oh I suggest getting the surf & turf plate and splitting it between two, a couple next to us did that and it seemed like a good idea because youd get a lobster tail, and an 8 ounce of meat for $ 54.
Julie P.
Place rating: 5 San Jose, CA
Chose this place for Valentines for the BF and I(it was his turn last year, and i had A LOT to live up to). This place DIDNOTDISAPPOINT… From the front office, to the wait staff, to the food, the ambiance… ALLPERFECT. Even though«Open Table» messed up our reservations(for the SECONDTIME!!!”), The wonderful people(front desk staff) at Shadowbrook took VERY good care of us. THANKYOU!!! The busboys/server/waitress were ALL lovely. THANKYOU for such a wonderful Valentines Day night dinner. The food… O. M. F. G. Spectacular. Bar None. Oh… my… DELICIOUS!!! Even though we couldn’t finish our meals right there on the spot, believe me… the boyfriend and myself ate EVERY bit of it the second we were hungry. :) I/WE will be back. You were so gracious, and accommodating and the food was SPOTON… you have earned loyal customers. Though… your tram needs a little…“up keep”… it was very um… jarring and unnerving the whole ride back up to «ground level»
Hannibal B.
Place rating: 3 Santa Cruz, CA
We had some friends visiting from out of town and they brought up Shadowbrook! Appetizers in the bar… food was OK, service was average. Tourist love it locals still stay away after a few times. It’s seems like Hit or Miss
Benny H.
Place rating: 5 San Jose, CA
Celebrated Valentine’s Day here a day early and boy were we in for a surprise. This is really a one of a kind type of place. It’s seven floors of restaurant. Yes, you read that correctly. Seven individual floors. There is some sort of mini train contraption that can take you to the restaurant which was quite lovely. Take it! There are so many rooms in this place it’s nuts. They also have gardens and other goodies. We ended up in the«forest» room which had a giant tree in it, and a great view. It was really. As for the food and service? All top notch. The baked brie, drinks, and prime rip were all fantastic. Everything was great. I don’t have experiences like this too often at restaurants anymore, but when I do, I cherish them. Fantastic!
Big T.
Place rating: 4 San Francisco, CA
Had a great dinner with my wife. The service was great and we liked everything we had. We had heard from friends that this was was place you had to check out if you were in the area. Take the scenic route down to see the great area around the restaurant and take the cable car ride back up. Seems like a great place to take big groups.
Carol Y.
Place rating: 5 Soquel, CA
I love the Shadowbrook because The service and the food are fabulous. Shadowbrook offers something for everyone. They have delicious vegetarian, gluten free dishes. As well, as fabulous meat and fish dishes. I especially love the Butter Fish from Hawaii. I also love the Shadowbroook salad with spinach and bacon wrapped prawns. I love that you can sit in the lounge where you can sit in front of the pizza oven or in front of the fire place. Shadowbrook is always my «go to» restaurant.
Spencer H.
Place rating: 5 Aptos, CA
Ambience! The architecture alone is worth the visit but the service, attention to detail and food are all top notch. I’m pretty tough on restaurants and have eaten all over the planet. That being said I have been going to this business for years. They have never failed to be kind, courteous and offer great suggestions for food, beer or drinks. Ride the TRAM! That alone is worth the visit as it starts your journey down to the restaurant!
Jackie H.
Place rating: 2 San Carlos, CA
I can’t possibility give this place 3 stars when the service and food is 2 star quality. Came here because my family was celebrating getting everyone together for an early Chinese New Year feast. It’s been 4 years since we’ve had grandma and the cousins and aunts together, so this gathering was special. So the waiter asked if we’re celebrating something special and we say yes and he says he’ll do something special at the end. That’s about as good as the service got because after we received our food it was all downhill from there. My scallops were drenched in a thick lukewarm sauce and the scallops were over cooked. My grandma’s salmon was overcooked and the vegetables undercooked. My mom’s seafood pasta was just horrible in this electric orange sauce that tasted like plastic and stale seafood with overcooked scallops. The only decent dishes were the miso fish and the prawn pasta. When my mom sent back her seafood pasta, the waiter never came back, and ignored our table, while he chatted up other tables. The service was horrible and in the end he never did come back with anything special for our celebration. And even worse, he just let my mother starve without helping us to choose another course or give my mother some more bread. Then it took ½ hour to get our bill, and he didn’t even bother to give us boxes, we had to ask other staff members. Horrible, horrible service.
Dr. Fantasia P.
Place rating: 5 San Jose, CA
Always a charming and sets a nice warmy feeling here. Staff are courteous and friendly, menu is always tops. Adventure into Santa Cruz and find some romance here.
Karen R.
Place rating: 5 Cleveland, OH
My husband and I were visiting from Ohio. Our daughter made us a reservation and informed us it is her favorite restaurant in Capitola. First, what a pleasant surprise taking a funicular to the restaurant. Once we walked in, it was an absolute joy around every corner. I loved all the charming rooms and the gorgeous views outside. It has the charm of an old school fine dining restaurant because that is what this is. Nostalgic to be sure. The service was efficient, friendly and expert. Food was very good, perhaps not the best I’ve encountered, but certainly better than average. The Brie appetizer is a winner. All of the above components make this a great dining experience and we can’t wait to return when back in this area again.
GEO E.
Place rating: 5 Soquel, CA
I’ve been coming here since I moved back to Calfas. It is not inexpensive, nor is it cutting edge. The food is good, nice wine list, the staff is great and they have a cozy bar with its own menu. There is a large fireplace in the bar. And sometimes live music. I always walk down and up the steps through the wonderful garden and fountains, unless it is raining then I take the funicular. The Shadowbrook is a great romantic spot.
Nina A.
Place rating: 5 San Jose, CA
I have such a fun time here every time I go. I love when they have the live music. It is so special! Obviously it isn’t the type of music that I listen to on my own, but its perfect when you go out for dinner and drinks with good company. This place is beautiful and such a fun adventure. I recommend this to anyone who wants a nice relaxing evening and some yummy food and drink, with wonderful scenery!
Rayleen e.
Place rating: 1 Santa Cruz, CA
Shadowbrook is for tourist, old people, and kids. Honestly, locals do not eat at the Shadowbrook… the food sucks and is over-priced. Go to SF if you want to ride a trolly… way more BANG for the buck!
Larry Gilbert P.
Place rating: 5 Petaluma, CA
A solid five stars without a doubt. Had Thanksgiving dinner here and it was simply amazing. Courteous & attentive service, excellent cuisine, a festive yet low key atmosphere, and creative design all worked together to provide a memorable dining experience. I could go on & on about the hillevator and the landscaping and architecture but over a thousand folks have already done it before on Unilocal so I won’t bother. It was well worth the 2+ hour drive to get there and I will return as soon as I can.
Auden W.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
Came here for a birthday dinner and boy was I amazed at the restaurant set up. I felt like Tarzan scavenging through a jungle. When you get to the restaurant there are two routes in which you can make your journey down to the restaurant. Option A: Scenic forest like path that kind of reminds me of San Francisco’s Lombard street Option B: The Famous Trolley Ride Down; Ancient Trolley that travels at a slow pace(Holds 4 – 6 people and a duration of 2 minute ride at most)(Preferred Route down for most people) The Restaurant itself is definitely a fancy wine and dine environment too. It’s set up so uniquely with medieval time antiques and dimly lit for that romantic feel. It almost feels like dining in a mini castle in those Roman movies. I ordered the Boneless prime rib(medium rare) and I must say… impressive cooking. Really balanced juices and flavoring that was devoured by me within minutes. Also ordered a Lucy Goosey on the side to go with my steak in which tasted like mediocre in flavoring. Not too strong but you could taste the alcohol. The birthday girl also received a Hot Fudge Sundae at the end. Would definitely recommend this spot for special occasion or perhaps taking out that special someone because the experience here, can’t be found elsewhere. 5⁄5 for originality!
Sydney C.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
I’m in love with unique restaurants like this. Was searching long and hard for a place to have dinner at to celebrate my birthday. Scrolled through a couple pictures and once I saw the trolley ride to the restaurant, I was convinced that this was where we were all going! There’s a parking lot by the restaurant. You have the option of going down a more scenic route if you take the stairs since you can move at your own pace as oppose to the trolley elevator which was consistently moving down the track to get you to the restaurant. This is a place you want to go to at night — it’s amazing, especially with all the lights on the trees. Feels extra romantic and fancy. The elevator ride fits at most 6 people, so you have to take turns if there are parties ahead of you. It moves pretty slow so I wanna say it takes like 1 – 2 minutes to get down if I remember correctly. Food was decent. I ordered a salmon(there were two kinds of salmon, but I don’t remember which one I got.) I think it had mashed potatoes. always a plus for me. I ordered my first legal drink(yay me, lol) which was a guavapolitan. Sounded good at the moment, but wasn’t really that great. the Lucy Goosey was more fit to my liking since it tasted like Mike’s Hard strawberry lemonade. Got a free birthday hot fudge sundae at the end of my dinner with a candle to blow out. It tasted like the sundaes from McDonalds which I like a lot, so don’t think I’m like downgrading the actual sundae… Would definitely go here for another special occasion and recommend it to other people if you wanna take someone on a date. It was a super cute place with a great ambiance hidden away in Santa Cruz.
Jenny S.
Place rating: 4 Diamond Bar, CA
a perfect hidden gem to celebrate an event with your significant other! AWESOME service by our waiter and a trolly that takes you down into the restaurant oasis –complimentary ciabatta: good crust but nothing amazing –caesar salad: dressing was on point but wasn’t a fan of the non-chopped butter lettuce –PORKOSSOBUCCO: best decision of the night! fall off the bone goodness with a crispy polenta cake to balance the perfect saltiness –surf & turf: i only tried a bite of the steak but i would choose my osso bucco over this dish any day –crème brûlée: harmonious creaminess! i would advise sharing, it’s pretty large! –mud pie: standard coffee ice cream pie, good but not outstanding. ALSO large so definitely share! outdoor seating is so romantic! our RSVP was for inside but i was glad for indoor seating on this particularly chilly night! the inside is more rustic & homey as opposed to the beautiful outside
Jia H.
Place rating: 5 San Francisco, CA
The food is 4 stars at best but I am nonetheless bumping this place up to 5 stars overall because it is truly an amazing destination dining experience, well worth the drive to Capitola, and especially if you are in the area. The venue is spectacular, and you know it’s a special place when – upon arrival – an old-fashioned red trolley brings you down to the romantic restaurant where you are greeted by live music and friendly faces. The décor is a bit tacky but you just have to play along with it and enjoy! We were a starving party of 8 with a 9:15pm reservation but were not seated until closer to 9:45pm. Luckily, the bar served up some excellent cocktails(I had a great one with gin, basil and cucumber). I would skip the surf and turf«tower» appetizer, which is not much of a tower, but I thoroughly enjoyed my prime rib entrée. The NY strip and the scallops were awesome, too.
Astrid Z.
Place rating: 5 Benicia, CA
One of my favorite restaurants, especially when my boyfriends parents are treating us. Food: I like to play it safe and order my usual, the hawaiian butterfish which is served on a bed of spinach, shiitake and potatoes. They drizzle the fish with a savory sesame vinaigrette that just makes me want to lick the plate clean. The fish is marinated with miso, but the miso marinade is perfect, not too salty at all. It is cooked perfectly and it’s extremely buttery which makes it melt in your mouth. I usually ask them to remove the bacon bits(not a fan), but I’ve tried it with bacon and it adds a crunch texture to the dish. The portion is inconsistent, sometimes I get more fish than others, but the flavor is always consistently delicious. Price: I don’t usually pay when I dine here, but I wouldn’t be opposed to the high prices as the quality of the food is extremely high! You can’t put a price on the food here. Ambiance: Classy, peaceful and scenic. Try to get a seat out by the water, it’s gorgeous on a nice sunny day. I love the idea of the cable car, it adds a vintage touch. The place is spacious with various different rooms, so you can get a variation of scenery depending on where you’re seated. Service: Great service, attentive, helpful and friendly waiters from my experience. Overall: I love this place, from the food to the environment and everything in between, this place is a solid restaurant. Great for all types of celebrations and events! Tip: Dress code usually enforced, don’t come here post-beach adventures.