Ok parking is trouble but well worth the wait. it's pricey $$ but worth the price, staff was super courteous to us, waited 15 minutes to sit with a view of the beach and the ocean, wine was great, fish was awesome and tasty, they didn't rush us the dessert which I didn't get looked very tasty as well... Next time I am down there I would come back again for another plate as well as some wine, very nice!!!
Review Source:Even the gorgeous harbor views couldn't make up for the terrible food and weak service. Â We took some out of town friends to dinner this weekend and were actually embarrassed to have recommended this joint. Â I've had better food on airplanes. Â Seriously.
I ordered the salmon, which was covered with some red spice (paprika?) and just tasteless. Â Even the famed calamari was listless. Â Our party also had the swordfish, which was as bad as the salmon and served in an equally odd presentation. Â Another person ordered a steak, which was so tough she kept apologizing for shaking the table while attempting to saw off a bite. Â Our server seemed demoralized... No wonder.
Yuck. Â Never again. Â What a bummer.
This place has great food at this time, breakfast, lunch and dinner and the great location, between harbor and beach makes it a wonderful spot that is really scenic which I'd highly recommend for tourists. Â Yesterday the sand dabs were super, although I'll probably skip the parmesan coating next time, and my son loved the sturgeon that he had, and his son's crab louie was huge and just great too. Â The Olalie berry pie is to live for, and large enough to share, with whipped cream and a great ice cream that it comes with it. We think warmed is best but you have a choice. Â We had excellent service, though it was full by the time we got there.
For what it is, the price is right. And it also has a great breakfast and salad bar lunch. This is a serious food purveyor, though they all have their ups and downs, and it's been around forever. If you haven't been there, I think you'll love it. I'd ignore the nit pickers and folks who whine about places that they clearly can't afford to frequent and don't really know. In this part of California, and we lived there for years, this place is a winner with their current food offerings, for sure.
Came here after a sunset cruse on the Chardonnay, thinking it would be packed since it was 4th of July we were pleasantly surprised there was no wait and we were able to get a table on the deck with a perfect view of the fireworks. Our waitress Sarah rocked! She was running about 5 tables yet we never felt neglected or forgotten about. Even when other tables were obviously giving her a hard time she remained sweet and helpful. I wish I could always get such great service (note to management:Sarah rules!) The food was mouth watering and much needed after a day of sailing! Deciding to finish watching the fireworks honey and I splurged and ordered dessert and drinks. Honey opted for creme brûlée (gluten free!) and I went for the chocolate decadence. Let me tell you we both were stuffed by the end of our savory treats! We will be coming here for date night more often,
Review Source:Delicious Calamari the most tender I have ever had Great Crab cakes too. This restaurant has been here for a long time and never disappoints the salad bar is fresh and plentiful and the food is well prepared and delicious and you just can't beat the Santa Cruz beach front location I look forward to my next visit
Review Source:Bustling joint, pretty much bursting at the seems when I got there. The place sits on a beautiful water front location and has a fabulous ocean view. I did find the crows nest to be over priced and some of the wait staff were walking with a chip on their shoulder. My date and I had three appetizers and four drinks. Our bill was a little shy of $80. Call me old fashioned but when I sit down to enjoy myself at a restaurant, I don't think you should feel like you are an annoyance to your waiter. I waited 30 min at a table for my cocktail and 50 min for the appetizer....if anything I should have been the one acting annoyed.
Upon leaving I had wanted to buy a t-shirt and asked the rep at the front desk. The only sizes they had on hand were large and extra large. I inquired as to whether they were for purchase online and if I could order the correct size via web. Her response was that I would have to wait for them to restock but I would have to pick it up from the restaurant. They don't do online. That's pretty inconvenient since  I live over 100 miles a way.
Had a belated birthday lunch here today with a friend, and I'm glad we went. They sat us right away on the patio, and it was great to be outside watching the boats and paddleboarders sail by. I had the Nova Scotia Sea Scallops and a mai tai, and was very happy with both (would actually give them 3 1/2 stars for the food). My friend liked his ahi tuna salad, but was ultimately very unhappy with the service. I thought our waiter was nice and friendly, but did wonder if he might be new to serving (then again, maybe they were just having a really busy Monday afternoon).
Just a couple suggestions that might help waitstaff get better tips (and help the Crow's Nest get better reviews): If you're slammed (and the bar is also slammed and can't get the drinks out quickly), have the bussers or ANYBODY bring that bread and water to the customers right away. A diner with ANYTHING to eat or drink will be much happier while they wait, and bread and water only takes a minute! And if the wait for the entrees is going to be awhile (as it was with this visit), do your damnedest to get those cocktails to the table ASAP... a patron with a cocktail will usually be mellower/happier while waiting for the food to come, eh?!! ;)
I was a server once, I know you can't control what goes on in the kitchen, but it's the little things done at the table that can make or break a dining experience, so don't give up trying!!
I went here for a show and the band was great! This place was filled to capacity, but lucky for us the bouncer was taking money to let us in. Unlucky for us the bouncer was taking money to let people in. The place was so crowded and smelt of bud and BO. The bud part was fine, but the BO was disgusting. The bartenders were overwhelmed and took a long time.
I would like to go back to try the food and restaurant environment, but doubt I would go back for a show.
Eat lunch here outside on a sunny day. Enjoy a burger and a beer, and call it good.
But when evening comes, and prices (and expectations) go up, go elsewhere.
I am always leery of places that have an amazing view location -- in my experience it ALWAYS means that at some level they know they only have to trade on that factor to keep business humming. I read a review that resonated with me, a review that directly addressed my concern. "They could phone it in, but they don't!"
It was a rare rainy evening in June, so we sat inside. Cheap casino carpeting, rushed/rushing waitstaff, banquet-hall tables and chairs, and uninspired food were all in evidence. Staff was friendly enough, food wasn't terrible, but when your entree cracks $30, you expect better.
On a sunny day, eat a burger and drink a beer outside here. Skip dinner.
I've been going to this place ever since I was little. It overlooks the water and even has a little parking lot right in front which makes it very convenient. The food is pretty good but I would have to say that it is the location that really makes this place stand out. Also, the salad bar is to die for, no joke. There's also a bar in the upstairs area which is definitely a plus as well. The bloody marys are nothing special though...
Review Source:When a place like the Crows Nest has been around for decades, then you know they are doing a few things right. Yes, location has allot to do with it, they could put out crappy food and seat 500 people like Sam's Chowder house but they do not.
The Crow's Nest is and always will be a neighborhood spot where locals and a few lucky tourists come to chill on the patio & watch the World go by one sailboat at a time.
When I was a bit younger, we mountain biked in the hills, then rode down for a Beer & calamari. Now that I am busy, have a great career, make lots of dough, I don't have as much time as I used to but the Beer & Calamari are still the best on the coast.
The calamari is ALWAYS good, the servers are always pretty, the live music upstairs is always good and the fish is always fresh. I look forward to many more visits.
A nice spot to relax and have dinner with a lovely view of the harbor/ocean. Came here on a Saturday night around 6:30pm and was seated within 15 minutes. Definitely recommend getting an outdoor seat as you get a great view (we saw an otter just cruising in the harbor), and they have high windows with heat lamps so you are protected from the elements.
The menu wasn't as extensive as one would expect (two pages including the daily specials), but calamari appetizer was great, and both tempura prawns and seafood pasta that we ordered as entrees were fairly portioned with good amounts of seafood. Dessert was a bit on the smaller side, but probably shouldn't eat that much cake anyway, haha.
Have to pay for parking, but we forgot to ask if they validated. We got lucky and didn't have to pay as the attendant was gone for the day, but it was a pretty cheap hourly rate.
Came here for dinner on a Tuesday night and stayed for over 2.5 hours without ever feeling rushed! We sat outside and it was not at all busy, but we stayed past 10pm. I definitely suggest sitting outdoors because you can appreciate the view more, and it's much more private when there aren't many people seated outside. There are also heat lamps when it gets colder. They don't have an extensive menu, but do have a page of daily specials.
I ordered the Prawns with Spinach Ravioli, and my friend ordered the New York Steak. My dish was delicious! It came with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a lot of prawns. My friend ordered the steak medium rare, but it is safe to say, it was not medium rare. I had a piece and it was pretty tough. His plate also came with scalloped potatoes and a side of broccoli and carrots. I really enjoyed my dish, though!
Ended the night with a Mango Key Lime Pie that was SO YUM! I couldn't REALLY taste the mango, but I would have ordered it either way. They also have daily specials for dessert, too, which is pretty cool.
The service was excellent. Our waiter was great, came by to check on us a few times, and was very attentive.
They also have an upstairs area called Breakwater Bar and Grill for a more "casual lunch" and drinks but they close early around 9pm. Happy hour is offered M-F 3:30-6, and 3:30 to close on Wednesdays. I will definitely be back to try the upstairs and restaurant again!
Wow I would have game this restaurant a higher rating if I did not feel I was deceived. I came with a friend to have their happy hour and appetizers! We had been out on the beach all day and just wanted a few beers and apps. The advertisement specifically states Mon-Fri 3-6 Happy Hour and Appetizers 1/2 off. Okay! What a deal! We came at 5:45 and we promptly ordered a couple of beers and appetizers! I ordered the Ahi tuna and the clams! They came promptly and were delicious! I have a few more beers and we decided to go! The bill came and I noticed that we were not given the happy hour prices as advertised. When I brought it to the waiter's attention "Oh that's upstairs" deferring to the bar upstairs! Â So rather than cause a commotion we just paid the bill giving the waiter 10 percent as we usually tip more than 20 percent for good service which he provided. We specifically said we were there for happy hour to the hostess which seated us and was told no problem. Just another case of the old "bait and switch" tactic of get them hooked in and then switch gears. The switch being happy hour upstairs instead of the main restaurant where we were.
I live in Florida and needless to say I won't be back! But I will be back in Santa Cruz and when asked for recommendations for a nice happy hour experience the Crows Nest will be the place to avoid!
This is a nice, casual restaurant by the harbor but close to a sandy beach with many views. If you crave New England clam chowder, it's pretty good here! The salad bar is fresh w/many options and also fruit. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. It gets pretty crowded downstairs, so try to make a reservation. There's a bar upstairs w/more seating and weekly specials. First come, first serve. Pay for parking, first 1/2 hour free. Not sure if they validate? I'd come again for the grilled sea bass for dinner!
Review Source:My favorite restaurant in the SC area, clutch food and great spot. Located on the harbor, the Crow's Nest hits all the marks; service, food, and scenery. Inside they have the seating down a few steps so your eye level with the sand and you get a great view of the volleyball players and the sand. They do have a small patio section which is nice when it's a clear day out. I love the shrimp louie and the crab cakes. Great flavor and big portions!
Review Source:My first visit there ever was for their new breakfast menu on the weekends. Â I've only had Chiliquiles at one other place (at Hoffman's in Santa Cruz) and this was BY far 10 times better than Hoffman's. Â But it's really more like breakfast nachos. Â Still completely delicious. Â And price? Holy cow, $9. Â It's hard to get a crap breakfast for that let alone and delicious meal that was HUGE right on the water.
All 5 people at my table very much enjoyed their meal.
The waitress was also SUPER nice.
Good atmosphere. We had a nice window table with view of the ocean at sunset. Salad bar was fresh with good variety of items to choose from. Wine was nice. My husband had house merlot and I had Riesling. Scallops were perfectly cooked. Husband's Halibut was delicious. Bread was fresh and warm. Kids had cheese pizza with left overs to take home. The BEST cheesecake to end the meal. Kids got a special treat from the treasure box. Â Great food, great service. We may become regulars.
Review Source:This place is LOVELY!
When I initially called to place a reservation for 12, they informed me that they don't do reservations from 5-7 pm. Umm ok, most places like the heads up for huge parties.
Anyway, we get there at 6 and are told its a 60 to 90 minute wait. I decide I'm going to do it anyway and 30 minutes later they pleasantly surprise us with a table. Wahoo!!! I was very impressed and thanked them repeatedly as we have 5 small children with us!
They led us to a beautiful table. The views here are incredible and the restaurant itself is rich in beautiful wood and nice lighting. Even the outdoor dining has massive walls of glass and heaters galore. As residents of Santa Cruz, we somehow hadn't been here yet and were we ever glad we treated my grandparents to this view. Our kids were delighted watching sailboats, and even some otters!! We were taken by the view and amazing sunset!
Our waitress tackled 12 people like nothing, we never had empty glasses, never had to ask for much of anything, she was exceptional!
Food: Â
Calamari: this was hands down the most tender lightly breaded delicious calamari I have eaten and I live coast side!
Crab cakes: lightly breaded, thick, full of flavor, and a yummy sauce drizzled over the top.
Salad bar- well stocked with everything I wanted and the kids and I chowder down in fresh fruit.
Spinach salad with mustard bacon and egg was good, but would be outstanding with apple added to it.
Crab Louie salad was all delightfully fresh and huge amounts of meat! You could totally split this thing!
Chicken breast, my son went nuts saying it was the best he has had and he isn't HUGE on chicken. Juicy and full of flavor he reported and a large helping I might add.
My other son got the stir-fry. This dish was massive! Teenagers seem to be bottomless pits and he had a solid 1/3 left when he was full! This was Impressive lol!
Kids fish and chips is 2 large pieces of fried fish and fries or optional salad. I didn't try it but my kids ate it all so complaints here
Kids steak, was quite big (noticing a trend here) and had a large salad on the side that my daughter loved! (fries are an option as well)
Filet- husband got the filet and it was really good and came with a fresh baked potato and veggies. His only complaint is that while he asked for medium, it was more like medium well.
Kids all had basic sundaes and ice cream and all the adults the special strawberry shortcake. The strawberries were really yummy but the shortbread was too chewy for my liking.
Exceptional night out of good food, spectacular views, excellent customer service and kids picked out of a treasure chest at the end which was fun!
We will absolutely be back!
We watched a game and had drinks and apps in the upstairs bar.
We had the calamari and nachos. Â The calamari was incredible. Â Definitely the most tender fried calamari I have ever tasted. Â The nachos were standard but got inhaled quickly by the group. Â
Comfortable bar. Â The burgers looked good.
I'm down in Santa Cruz for a little getaway and we were looking for a nice place for dinner. Yelping I found this restaurant and the reviews seemed decent and it has a view! Sometimes I come across restaurants that get by on a nice view but the food or service are lacking, like many places on Lake Tahoe. But this was not the case here.
We were seated promptly and drink orders taken. Looking over the menu, I saw they offered crab cakes for appetizers. That;s one of my weaknesses, so crab cakes it was! They were quite a nice rendition served with a aioli sauce. Maybe not the all time greatest I've had but up there in the top 10%. Next I had the spinach salad and my BF had the Caesar salad. Both were good and no complaints. For my entree, I had the Sea Scallops and my BF had the New York steak. None of the seafood offerings seemed to interest him, even though we're looking at the ocean. Again, my scallops were pretty decent , but not that OMG factor. The NY steak was cooked as requested and had a nice beefy flavor. I guess if I had to rate just on the food it might be a 3 star A-OK, but add the whole dining experience, it's a 4 star. The prices are not cheap, but not outrageous like some coastal on the water restaurants can be.
We had breakfast here! It was marvelous!
And it was the best breakfast we've had in a loooong time. I had the Strawberry Brioche. Holy bananas! It was mega-yummy. I dreamt of it all day. That vanilla syrup is pure gold. Â Good service, nice waitresses, cool bathroom, beautiful views. We were thoroughly in love with it. My boyfriend had an omelet and potatoes that were out of this world.
Man, Santa Cruz has some delicious restaurants!!! xoxo Much love to all of you at Crow's Nest.
Maybe it was just a bad night.
My waitperson must have been confused about the difference between a basket of bread and a salad. Â When she stopped by our table a few minutes after we order she said "I'll be back with your bread". Â Several minutes later she arrived with our salads. Â I had to flag her down halfway through my salad to remind her of the bread. I expected more than three slightly stale rolls and the equivalent of 1 pad of butter... For 2 people.. At over $10 bucks a salad.
Ok. I was looking forward to my steak. Â When our food was delivered the lobster looked good and when I was handed my steak she explained the special horseradish sauce. Â Hummmm my "steak" looked just like a prime rib. Â I hunted done the waitperson again and ask if this was a prime rib. She said, "Sir, you a ordered steak.". Â I smiled and said "yes, but isn't this a prime rib?". Then the waitperson actually looked at what was delivered.
To the credit of the restaurant the steak was comp'd. Â I will say, the steak was not quite still dripping blood and certainly not cooked med rare. Â I could not bear to wait for a proper meal. It was a special occasion that was wrecked. Paying for the steak did not compensate for the lost conversation we ended up eating separately.
Crow's Nest you should have comp the whole thing.
Don't worry, I won't be back.
You desire good food and want a great view? You need a good walk after you eat? Â This is the place!
We got all the above and we're absolutely delighted with the staff as well. The location was a tip from a local when I was down in the area for brunch with a friend. Oh my! I'm forever grateful!
You can stare at the sea, the sand, the lighthouse and some random wild birds while eating In the comfort of the warm restaurant or sit outside with the heater on for a more one with nature feel :).
I had a very tasty and the prettiest presentation of a Brioche French toast. Easy parking.
The walk after such a good brunch was to me the icing on the cake. It was a good stroll thru the private yachts leading to the lighthouse where you can watch the mighty sea battle a man made break.
Next door is the Seabright State Beach. Take your shoes off and dig your toes in the sand.
Yeah it was that great of a day! Warm and pretty!
I took my boyfriend out here for a fancy dinner with a view.
Had a reservation but still had to wait almost 40 minutes to be seated...
The view is amazing no doubt but the food was okay.
The clam were amazing I give them that, the garlic bread was okay I wasn't a big fan of the bread, but the clams, OMG, they were so bomb!
Their crab cakes were okay too, wouldn't order it again, wasn't amazing.
I ordered a sea bass and it was not good...the sea bass tasted like it was left out too long, it didn't have the buttery flakey taste but rather a mushy, the fish went bad taste and texture.
My boyfriend ordered the coffee rubbed steak or something like that and that was nasty...it was bland and it was super burnt!
The waiter came around a lot to ask us if we were okay but he didn't seem very enthusiastic or friendly. He was just meh basically.
After dinner, we both got tummy aches from the food and we assumed it was the fish because it tasted really off. Â
I am only giving them 2 stars for the view and the clams.
Prob not going to come back here.
How can you beat this view? Â The upper / bar level of Crow's Nest reminds me SO much of San Diego, which is a good thing. Â Although we went after sunset, looking out into the ocean from upstairs was still wonderful and peaceful. Â There's a mini stage / elevated platform upstairs where there will sometimes be stand-up comedy, which I think would be awesome to see here.
We came here to watch the Patriots Ravens game a couple weeks ago. Â There were a lot of televisions around, so we were able to watch the game without craning our necks too much. Â It also doesn't get awfully rowdy, so it's a nice place to be.
The bar menu is intense compared to its normal menu. Â There are SO many options!! Â I looked through all of the photographs on Yelp to get a better idea of what to order. Â I got the ahi skewer, which I LOVED, but it wasn't a very large portion. Â I'm 5' 2", so it filled me up, but I think it'd be more of an appetizer for a grown man.
The cocktails also all sounded really delicious, but they were forgettable. Â I ordered a blended mango margarita, but it may or may not have even had alcohol in it, and it wasn't very big for how much it cost. Â Oh well. Â It ain't San Diego, after all.
I think this would be a good place to come for a graduation brunch or something... just a thought ;)
On Saturday I made my third visit to this establishment. Â I've never dined downstairs and have always sat in the upstairs bar.
The food I've had has been good. Â I haven't been wowed, but I've been satisfied. Â
The views are 5-star worthy! Â This is the place to be, sipping a glass of wine and watching the sunset.
Unfortunately we had a terrible service experience on Saturday. Â We arrived, ordered some drinks and food. Â Once our items arrived, it was ages until the server returned to see if we wanted another drink, to ask about our food, etc. Â After we finished eating and our plates were cleared away, we spoke to our server and asked if we could move to another table (as someone had pulled down the blind in front of us, obscuring the nearing sunset). Â She said it was fine and she took another drink order from us. Â She dropped off the drinks and she never came back.
After about 20 minutes another server came over and removed our empty glasses, my husband mentioned that we wanted to get going and could they send our server over. Â She mumbled something and walked away. Another 20 minutes went by. Â Another server came walking past and my husband asked him if he could get our server for us as we were ready to settle our tab. Â He said sure...but he didn't do anything. Â We watched him walk over to one end of the bar and then back. Â
After ANOTHER 20 minutes went by I caught the attention of yet another server and asked her to help. Â We just wanted to get out of there.....we were both getting a bit grumpy as we'd been waiting a full hour to pay our bill! Â Ugh. Â This last server was able to take care of us and I think she comped some of the bill.
While this entire experience was pretty aggravating, it wasn't enough to prevent me from returning in the future. Â If we hadn't had such an awful time getting service Saturday evening (literally having to deal with 4 servers just to get our bill!), I would have rated 4 stars.
This restaurant has a view of the water. They have a variety of entrees to choose from and specials for the day, which I noted were pretty solid. Â I had the seabass and it was served very tender, with grilled polenta, and some flavorful sauce and mushrooms. Â A person in my party had the seafood fettuccini and it was very , very tasty (I think I should have ordered that instead). They've also got a decent dessert menu with items like creme brulee (delicious), and even more notable than the creme brulee was this coconut dessert thing that was served with ice cream on top. Â Highly recommend the coconut dessert!
Note: $15 dollar corkage fee if you bring in a bottle of wine to drink
Love the Crow's Nest! Great views, great soups and salads, great everything! During the summers I enjoy sitting outside, there weren't more birds than I could handle, so that's a plus!
The salad bar is perfect with a good variety of toppings! I wasn't a huge fan of the calamari, but that was more my bad, because it was a bit too breaded for my taste.
I've just started getting into writing reviews and my latest experience here seemed to be a good one to kick off my yelp reviews. I've come here multiple times with family and friends ad I used to live in Santa Cruz. I always had a great experience-good food, friendly staff who are knowledgeable in terms of the menu and wine. However, the last time I came here was a different story, thanks to the the hostess. I came here over the summer with my boyfriend as we were coming for the concert on the boardwalk and I booked a reservation via opentable. Â When I got there the hostess (I don't recall her name but she was blonde) told me she didn't have my reservation. I told her I have the email confirmation and showed it to her and her response was "we don't take reservations during that time" and then turned to the person behind me.
Um, ok thanks for the attitude, too bad I had the confirmation email right in fro.t of me on my phone. I've worked in the resturant industry as a hostess and server and know how opentable works. If you don't take reservations during a certain time then block it off on the web, that way people don't spend over 45 minutes in traffic and circling the lot looking for a parking spot- you do have to pay for parking and the lot, though not small, can fill up fast. Learn how to do you're job so you don't waste people's time and get an attitude adjustment- you're in the customer service industry! Jeez I'm still annoyed about it, way to almost ruin what had started off as a nice getaway.
I waited until she was finished speaking to the other patron and then proceeded to ask her how long it would be for us to get a table and she flatly responded "45 minutes". At that point I had had enough of dealing with her, re-stated that I had a reservation and told her I'd like to speak to the manager. She glared at me and her co-worker said they can seat us. We were put in a small table in the middle of the main room, but at least we were sat, didn't have to deal with the host anymore, and there was a view.
Now came the better part of my experience at the restaurant. We had a very nice brunette server,I don't recall her name, but she gave an excellent wine reference to pair with my seafood dish. Also, my boyfriend had the lobster and he loved it! We didn't have time for dessert, but if I remember correctly from my past experiences here, the cheesecake is very good.
I took off a star purely because of the hostess and her snotty attitude. Extremely poor customer service on her part. I probably should take off an extra star because I had to cancel my OpenTable reservation upon being sat for fear of getting a "no show" which I just found out makes it impossible for me to write a review on OT. However, I do love this restaurant so 4 stars it will be, as it really isn't fair to lessen it's ratings due to one extremely rude employee. I do hope to come here again and am interested to see how it will go if I make anothereservation, under an alias of course.
I spent a couple of days thinking about my visit to the Crow's Nest last Monday. Â I had not visited this Santa Cruz institution for more than a decade so I needed sometime to compare the place to those visits and to visits to other area restaurants.
After that consideration here is what I think: Â It is unusual to be wowed by a meal at The Crow's Neat. And it is just as unlikely that you will leave feeling like you did not get your money's worth.
The food is generally adequate, although the calamari was not as good as it should have been on the Monterey Bay coast. Â Service was fine, our order was taken quickly and appetizers, soup and entrees were nice spaced. Â
But I am not sure much has changed on the menu since I started going there in the early 1980s. Â Most of the dishes were quite heavy. There is no sandwich menu. There is a big salad bar which look fresh and well-kept. Â I thought it added to the 1970s vibe of the place.
I also think the place is in need of a bit of a remodel. The interior had a dark, heavy look...sort of like some of the chain seafood restaurants that were popular when I lived in western Pennsylvania in the 1970s.
But--and this is a big factor--the views from the Crow's Nest are wonderful. Â I was with friends from the Midwest and they were delighted we got a table next to the windows. Â Even on a cool, blustery November day there was lots of activity on the beach and in the channel leading from the yacht harbor to the bay.
A couple more thoughts: Â There is lots of cheap parking, although I remember the lot being filled on busy days. Â Because the restaurant is on the yacht harbor it is kind of fun to walk around and look at the boat action after a meal. Â There Crow's Nest sells reasonably priced t-shirts/sweatshirts for souvenir hunters.
In summary:  If you are looking for a white tablecloth  place to take business clients or out of town guest the Crow's Nest is worth consideration.  If food is more important to you check some of the Santa Cruz reviews for restaurants where most of the crowd source reviews do not emphasis the view quite so much.
This place came highly recommended to us by locals, it was a must try while visiting. Â Ummm...other than great service, good beer selection and great location, it stops there. Â
The salad I ordered was absolutely disappointing, the dressing was utterly disgusting. Â My friends fish was cooked perfectly, however, lacked seasoning. Â
Honestly, other than a great location and views, I'm really not sure what the hype is. I guess I can see this a great happy hour spot.
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