The Rockroom

+ cozy bar in a conservatory style, + neat jungle-like setting, + good happy hour and promotions, + friendly and attentive staff

The Shadowbrook is a unique restaurant located on a hill above Soquel Creek. It is embedded in a jungle like setting with huge ferns and other tropical plants and spreads over several levels from the street down to the creek shore.

Besides a white table cloth restaurant the Shadowbrook features a very cool bar the "Rock Room". This is also the place where the Happy Hour and Specials are offered like their $12 Burger & Beverage Monday, Tuesday Happy Hour and more.

I highly recommend their burgers, their grilled mussels, and their brick oven pizza.  Overall the service is great. Very attentive and friendly!

When you get here at least do a ride with their tiny cable car that descends from the top to the bar. Moreover walk down the stairs to the creek shore and enjoy the view over the cottages on the opposite.

Average entrée Rock Room: $15.

Food: 3 stars
P/C: 3 stars
Service: 3.5 stars

The Rockroom is the lounge room above the more formal Shadowbrook Restaurant.   Lush landscaping, waterfalls, and accent lighting line the walkway down from the parking area to the lounge.  Or you can opt to take the funicular railcar down, which I thought was pretty cool.  (Google Angel's Flight to get an idea of what a funicular railcar is.)

As for the lounge itself, on the Friday night we went, there was an acoustic guitar lounge act already playing.  A bit loud as it made conversation difficult.  

We ordered pork sliders, pork belly, and flatbread.  Nothing special on any of the food.  Flatbread was the best of the bunch with the pork belly  below average (tender on one half and dry on the other).

It took a very long time for delivery of our dishes as the food is served out of a mini-kitchen within the lounge and not from the main kitchen.  This makes wait times long when the room is crowded.

Service was slightly above average, but not what I would have expected in a restaurant of this caliber, and yes I know we were in the lounge portion, but still.  When I was asked how the meal was, I commented on the issue with the pork belly.  While maybe sympathetic, our server mentioned the issue with using the small kitchen and left it at that.  No offer of a comp or a partial comp.

I'd be willing to try the main Shadowbrook restaurant, but not the Rockroom unless I'm just there to get a drink.

i love the atmosphere of this place. warm and casual, yet fancy enough to make you feel special. the fireplace is great in the winter, and everyone looked like they were having a great time.
Mondays are burger & drink specials - the burgers are great. i will certainly be back.