Scopazzi's is an interesting place. While the food is good and well cooked, the menu does need to be changed up once in a while. My wife and I have been coming here for over three years and the menu has not changed once. They would do well to make changes to the menu occasionally, making certain dishes seasonal. As an example, venison is on the menu all year round when it should only be served seasonally. While there are daily specials, it is still not enough of a change from the regular menu.
The food is well cooked and the flavors are spot on but there are certain items worth avoiding. We were told by the chef one time that he had a crazy day ahead him the next day because he would be preparing up to a thousand cannelloni which would be frozen to last them for up to 6 months. We nearly cried when we heard that. The first rule in the restaurant world is to always serve your food fresh and to order. We would come more often if the menu changed every once in a while. They would not need to prepare masses of dishes so far in advance.
The place is dark and they could really do with making the place a little brighter inside. There's nothing worse than not being able to read the menu or the bill because it's so dark.
The staff is always friendly and attentive and nothing is too much to ask.
Looking at it from the outside, I did not expect a fancy restaurant. I felt embarrassed asking for a table wearing hiking clothes, but the staff was friendly as ever. I got the peppercorn steak. I thought I loved a lot of pepper, but this had a bit much for me. I ended up scraping some of it off. But it was delicious!
Review Source:I am mostly pleased with the place, as you can see, hence 4 stars. The lack of the fifth star is only because of a couple minor things. I thought the place was a little too dark, so maybe just turn up the lighting a half notch or so would be good. The food was delicious mostly, but perhaps just a slightly bit dry on the salmon, but other than that, the service and all other food was super. I will go back. The chef came out to say hello, and was super nice and funny.
Review Source:Tasty for sure!... But save your money and go over the hill to Los gatos or Saratoga of your looking for delicious "fancy" food... We're in the neck of the woods, so this place is a pretty unique restaurant and bar, but I'd just rather drive a little further and spend the money on a place that I know the food is fresh and farm to table.. Hard to get that in the mountains when the only deliver once a week because we're so far away... Been here for ages though so they are clearly doing something right... Will be back for drinks and an app...
Review Source:Went to dinner at Scopazzi's for the first time last night. Â Everything about this place is wonderful, the ambience, the service, the food. Â Scallops with risotto was delicious. Â Scallops were cooked perfectly which are so easy to be either undercooked or overcooked, but these were perfect. Â I also tasted a bit of the salmon which was so good I can't wait to go back and order that as an entree. Â Wood burning fireplace, cozy bar/lounge, large and comfortable dining room. Â I am now a BIG FAN of Scopazzi's!
Review Source:I grew up eating in old school Italian and  steakhouses.  Scopazzi's brings that all back in the best of all that it can offer.  Finally tried it for dinner and left very happy and had a wonderful time.
Order a Caesar salad and they make it table side with flair.  The same with the banana foster.  The service is wonderful and the food was fantastic, the salmon with risotto was full of flavor.  And the bar is old school, well stocked and a great place to hang after dinner or just having a cocktail  with friends.
Had lunch here on a recent Saturday when out for a fun drive in the mountains. Â We've eaten in the area before but not here. Â We liked that it was old-fashioned and not updated. Â Most of the activity was in the bar/lounge area, which had a nice fire going in the fireplace. Â Once there for a bit, we noticed that a lot of the customers seemed to be regulars, which was encouraging. Â
Our waiter was great. Â He was very attentive (re-filling water without asking, for example) and friendly.
In line with the decor, we ordered some classic cocktails, which came promptly and tasted fine. Â Spouse ordered the special soup du jour (white bean, cheddar & spinach), which was excellent (I got a taste). Â My salad was very good. Â We continued to be encouraged.
Then, our entrees... Â Really nothing wrong, per se, but just lacking in flavor. Â Spouse had cannelloni w/ risotto-- blah. Â I had blackened salmon w/ fettuchini alfredo-- blah. Â Now, blackened anything should not be blah! Â But this just lacked flavor. Â The salmon was cooked nicely-- a bit crusty on the outside and nice and tender (not overcooked) on the inside, but it just lacked flavor.
So, a couple of thumbs up for the service, cocktails, funky old ambience, and tasty soup. Â A couple of thumbs down for the flavorless entrees.
We so wanted it to be great, but found it lacking. Â Will we try again? Â Maybe, but not until we've exhausted a few other choices in the area.
Being a local, I would want to say nice and wonderful things about things place. Â I would want to highlight the wonderful menus, the gastro experience, and the ambiance... A simple gem of a place with historical interest nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
Yet I am not able too.
I am not able too because Scopazzi's Chef does not rate that level of praise. Â The menu is less then inspiring. It would be one thing if the food was simple but tasty. Â If the presentation was "interesting" but the food around it was full of flavor and vitality. Â A hint of the wilderness that surrounds this "should be" oasis of taco stands and waxy ex- biker bars... Yet the food is prepared at a level of a recent culinary flunky who could not pass the first test of knife skills. A fifth grader with a pair of plastic shears could do as well. Â I
What had the possibility of being magical has turned into canned soup with parsley and carrot springs poking out at interesting angles. Â Phallic would be the word I would use..
Sad... so Sad...
If you go at all, go for the drinks.. The bar is a good spot to watch a game, chat with friends or play a game of cards...
The price is high for the type of food you get. Â It would be better spent at local eateries like Cowboy Dinner or Sandabs.
Smells like heavy old wood. Looks like a lot of dark heavy wood. Â And the view is nice enough.
And that seems to be what they're charging for primarily. Â I suppose it's nice enough as a romantic place in the middle of the mountains, but it's not really about the food, or the service. Â If you know that going in, then you probably will be happy with it, even if it is a little higher priced than it might merit.
Felt Scopazzis was very one note. I ordered Ravioli, which my wife ordered Spaghetti. Both dishes were drowned in the same sauce, and tasted almost identical. We both started with the minestrone, which tasted a lot like the sauce on the pasta dishes we ordered. The noodles in the soup were extremely soggy. This place is average at best. I would've given it two stars, because the food was mediocre, and overpriced but they had live jazz music. The music was enjoyable, which was a plus. I will probably not come back to this restaurant.
Review Source:thought a lot about this one. Its the best restaurant around I suspect-- though I really like the German Tyrolian Inn down the street. Italian is more universal than German. Â This is an old style American Italian... rat pack old. So was the menu. And the food, while nice, was nothing to write home about. I had the gnocchi. Tasted processed not homemade. The sauteed artichoke hearts were meh. Some of the other dinners looked too saucy, though no one complained. The price of $200 for 5 with 1 bottle of wine and 1 desert made me question the value. Will I go back? Yea, but because when I am visiting the area (frequently) there are not a lot of choices. The pianist was a nice touch.
Review Source:We went here for Mother's Day Brunch. We had a large party of about 20. The server was fantastic. She was very attentive and everything came out as ordered. I had the artichoke and spinach frittata. This was very yummy. My husband had the crab cakes with avacado salsa, fantastic.
If you are in the mood for a lovely drive through the mountains with a yummy, relaxing meal, this is the place. It has been there quite a long time and they have it down.
I think the locals here are the only ones with the acquired taste to enjoy this restaurant. The fish is like a rubber chicken, the rest of the food I would not serve to my dog, the employees look like something from a small village of idiots, the wine cheap, all around service and experience complete rubbish. I wasted my time here once but never again. I think I will go to the local Round Table.
Review Source:We love it here! Given that we are up in the woods its so nice to have a somewhat upscale restaurant for those nights you want good service and not drive far. The servers are so professional and kind. Top notch. The food is delicious and love how they are not cheap with the beard and olive oil dippings. I love the dining area. The only thing I would say is I wish they would update the bar area. Get some wood floors new seating and live'n it up a bit. You know for nights where you just want to pick up apps and drinks and relaxe.
Other than that thank you for the good memories and fantastic food and service!
Pluses: Â great atmosphere, excellent bar, friendly and polished staff. Â
Enjoying a drink next to the fireplace in the pleasantly dim bar on a cold, rainy winter evening is hard to beat. Â While it's far from snooty, this is the spot in Boulder Creek where the grownups hang out. Â Hoi polloi gravitate elsewhere.
Minus: the food is good, but not quite as special as the atmosphere or the prices might suggest. Â Still, it's worth it.
FYI: Â Contrary to what the name might imply, this isn't an Italian restaurant, per se, Â There's an alcove adjacent to the bar with a piano and a dance floor, but I've never seen either in use. Â Closed Monday and Tuesday.
A restaurant could do really well up here in the boonies if they took the time to refine their menu and cook up great food. Scopazzi's does not want to take advantage of this I guess, but their service is always fantastic.
We came here with a giant group after my dad's annual party, and had our tables ready for us off in a side room. It took a long time for them to take our order, and an even longer time for the food to come out. Their calamari is good, but nothing special. I've had their spaghetti bolognese twice now, and both times it has been mediocre. I think I could make spaghetti better than theirs, actually. My sister has had their fettuccine alfredo, and she disliked it, as well as hubby who has ordered it before too. Simply put, their food is nothing special and it's super overpriced. The place has an old-school family-style feel to it, but not in a new way... in an olddddd way.
My wife and I ended up at Scopazzi's on Saturday evening to celebrate a early Valentine's day dinner. We were a bit early so we decided to have a beer at the bar. The beer was good. Shortly after we arrived we noticed a live musician starting to set up in the corner which was nice to see. After our beer we were seating in the dinning area. After about 45 mins the place started filling up. We ordered the Calamari to start with which was good. For dinner my wife ordered the Goat Cheese stuffed Prawns and I ordered the Beef Medallions. The beef was cooked perfectly to my request and the prawn dish was to die for. We both shared meals and were both extremely satisfied with our choices.
We noticed a lot of locals dining here (everyone seemed to know each other), which is a good indication that the place is good to eat at. The live music (Norah Joan's cover) was playing through out dinner which was also nice. The only complaint that I could possibly muster up is that the lighting fixtures were a bit bright for my eyes. But after about 30 mins they dimmed the lights. So don't let the bright lights keep you from Scopazzi's! We will definitely be back when we visit the area again.
Scopazzi's is one of those few restaurants that gives me nightmares largely because it was so far off from what I would have ever expected and certainly not the "finest Italian restaurant in the area". Frankly Foster Freeze's down the road serves better Italian.
Summary....food was an epic fail, service was an epic fail (except for desert) and decor was reasonably nice. My wife had prime rib that that was a nice portion but literally a third of it was a slab of fat (rather than the piece being nicely marbled) and her salad was so wilted we had it send it back for another one. I had the veal Parmesan which came as an amorphous pile that had started with a layer of cheese covering a layer of mushrooms covering a thin piece of veal that required a steak knife to cut (and of course was chewy) drenched in a marinara sauce. The only decent food was the spumoni at the end which was not made by the restaurant.
The service sucked more than food with an absentee server who was strangely arrogant. We even had to ask for silverware. They never refilled water or soda or asked if we wanted another glass of wine. We even had to ask for the check. Â I can honestly say they would make a good case study for the worst service possible.
Recommendation...go to Foster Freeze's down the road for better food and service or if you want a bit more upscale go to Tyrolean Inn in Ben Lomand (which actually is the finest German restaurant around).
Upside: They give you a lot of food. Blue cheese dressing was wonderful. Spumoni ice cream is great (looks like homemade, but waiter told me it was made by a company called Polar Bear Ice Cream).
Downside: Â Service is terrible (didn't offer to refill my husband's soda or ask if I would like another glass of wine); prime rib was extremely fatty; salad lettuce was wilting and some pieces were brown.
We will never go there again. Â For the money you pay for prime rib, I can do eat at Sundance Steakhouse in Palo Alto and have a fabulous piece of meat.
Alright, I'm being generous with the two stars, but I gotta be good to my hood.
My parents took my wife and I here recently on a whim - I've eaten at private party-type buffet events here in the past, (year and years ago) and all I remembered was a big vat of tortellini and carrot sticks. Well, unfortunately, my experience the other night was pretty close to my blurry memory.
First, I gotta say, their regular old side salad, with blue cheese dressing, was really good! Simple, crisp and fresh. In fact, next time I end up here (You know it's going to happen eventually), I might just get a big one of these.
The "relish" they give you with some vegetables.... What? Really? C'mon! I don't even know what to say about it, but it's kinda like if you took all the 2 year old jars of pickled vegetables in your fridge, and blended them up,and served them with some carrots and jicama. The jicama I liked, the rest, no.
Ok, this menu is strange. Like - american italian I guess? But with some weird stuff. Pasta with cilantro? Either I'm missing the boat, or this place is on crack (I'd be on the latter). I got the Veal Piccata - whoa - anything you have to put that much sauce on, has gotta be sub-par. Why would you waste a perfect piece of meat with a sauce like this? The rice pilaf on the side outshined the meat - that's as wrong as I get.
I tried the other dishes too.... all just so-so - not terrible, but not worth the cost, and I'll drop 10x as much on good food.
Anyhow, I need them to do something here, something that reflects how awesome of an old redwood structure it is - something that moves me, not something that moves diarrhea through my bowels at abnormally fast pace.
I haven't been back to this place after a poor experience a couple years back. Previously my visits had been pleasant.
I made the mistake of ordering a steak at a restaurant known for the Italian fare and was sorely disappointed. Not only could the staff not tell me what USDA grade the steak was but I was still charged for the meal I didn't even eat. A rude encounter on the way out with our server and I was over Scopazzi's.
The ceasar salad is REALLY good and I did like the fettucine alfredo once.
These cooks know beef.
Twice I've ordered beef here, first  prime rib, then tonight's Roquefort ribeye. Both times the cuts were cooked perfectly. Tonight's dish had a lovely Roquefort cream sauce with a demi glacé, mashed duchess, with a small side of fresh mixed veg. Remember Lorene's Packing Shed? Like that. Â
The salad was straightforward but
decent, hubby loved (in a manly way) the clam chowder. Nice
relish plate (old school) Â and sourdough served with butter
pats amenable to spreading. Steak preparation on par with Green Valley Grill or Cafe Cruz, priced similarly.
Try it, you might like it!
The service was very good, earning a solid
22%, rare in Santa Cruz County
I can't believe this restaurant is getting so many good reviews on Yelp!  I have to wonder if these diners just don't get out much.  Or perhaps I am just a food snob - ok, yes, I am a food snob - I travel the world based on 5 star restaurants I want to try ... I'm a food traveler  ....  but that aside, I can't understand how on earth all these Scopazzi reviewers haven't realized there is food out there that can blow your mind and this place doesn't have it!
The last time I ate here was a decade ago when I visiting my sister in her new house in Boulder Creek. Â My date and I laughed at how bad the food was but what should one expect in a mountain town? Â Now that I live here in "the crik" I thought I'd give this place another chance.
All I can say is WOW! I can't believe how bad the food *still *is . Â Four of us ate dinner here a few weeks ago and each plate we ordered, and we all had something different, was just terrible. Â
I ordered the fish of the day which was covered in some sort of Thai sauce, saturated really, so saturated in fact that I could barely see the fish.  What exactly was the sauce hiding I kept wondering?  The Beef dish my man ordered was all gristle and fat but it  did include a large dish of burning-hot horse radish that was likely meant to disguise the texture and taste of the gristle once the offending beef entered the mouth.
What a shame. Â The folks that own this establishment have the opportunity to offer the locals a kick-ass restaurant and could make a fortune as they are the only game in town.
Very interesting building and a very good Pepper Steak.
The building seems like an old hunting lodge. Â The wood panel inside is such a dark wood, I feel like it is absorbing all light in some kind of magical way. Â Definitely an interesting place to go with a lot of character.
I don't know what the other chum....ps at my table were thinking when they ordered ravioli, seafood, and the like.  When my giant, flambéd  Pepper Steak came out, I could tell they were all jealous.  And right they were to be so.  It was absolutely delish.  If only similarly priced steakhouses made steaks this good, the world would be a much better place.
Like others have said, this place is an institution up here in the sticks. I've been going here since the early 70's and it always feels like visiting an old friend, despite the fact the ownership changed hands recently. The locals here practically live in the bar, which is a cozy, old school, dark tavern kind of vibe.
The bar and wait staff are always professional and friendly. The wife and I like to go to the bar and order stiff drinks and appetizers on rainy nights. Love the escargot and oysters rockefeller - some of the best in Nor Cal!!
The restaurant has an old lodge feel complete with a cozy stone fireplace. The dishes evoke something from the 50's or 60's. It's real old style, upscale fare with some classics that have been on the menu for literally decades (and that's a good thing). One beef: their vegetables always seem overcooked, but I can live with that. Scopazzi's is not trendy, but IS the real deal all around. Please don't change a thing!
Scopazzi's is an institution here in the SC Mountains. People travel distances to come for special occasions. I really like the place. It is on my top 5 list of restaurants to take friends and family who are visiting.
The food is very good, with few disappointments, with favorites being the Duck, and pasta dishes. The Caesar Salad is great. I have been to Scopazzi's twice for Thanksgiving, which everyone loves.
Service can be great, but a certain waitress has made my dining experience less than ideal on 3 occasions (makes mistakes, then blames them on the customer).
Cocktails are pretty good, but if you want top shelf, or higher end liquor, make sure you ask for it. My Manhattan was made with Old Crow! Ouch!
The dining room is cozy, and in the winter, when there is a fire going, it is wonderful. The outdoor patio is good in the summer.
For those of us who are "locals" it is a good place to gather with friends for a cocktail and appetizers, or a good meal. It is a meal destination for travelers, and a real find for new comers.
Thank God for Scopazzi's.
Without it, I would no doubt starve in Boulder Creek, and as far as I am concerned, it is the ONLY option from Boulder Creek to Santa Cruz to enjoy a nice meal with family and friends.
The place is totally charming with good food to boot!
The patio is my favorite place to belly up, but inside is nice as well.
The staff are all really nice and experienced.
I love going there on nice weekends to have lunch on the patio, but note: don't be in a hurry. I think their lunch crowd may be hit or miss so they some times get caught off guard and find themselves understaffed. As long as you can overlook this point and relax, you'll have a great time!
My fiance and I stopped here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon when we were driving through Boulder Creek on our way to Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
The minute we walked inside, I could tell that Scopazzi's is an "old" (in a good way) restaurant. Large dining area, oil ramps on each table, and how could I miss the huge moose's head hanging on a wall?? Â It was quiet and somewhat dark inside, but a very comforting atmosphere.
Our food - eggplant sandwich and club sandwich were pretty large in volume and price was reasonable. Seamless and friendly service, and good food....I'd like to come back here for a romantic dinner sometimes.
This place is pretty nice - again, like all the other reviews said, don't let the outside deceive you. The interior and atmosphere of the dining room is very nice and romantic. At the same time, we saw a few big groups here and they seemed to be having a great time as well.
As for for food, they have quite a number of 'Prepared at your table' dishes. We had the Cesar Salad, which was great! For entrees, I had a salmon baked in puff pastry, extremely yummy. My husband got the roast vension, I think it was a bit livery, but he loved it. We finished our meal with a cheesecake and it was great.
So, if you're in the area and want to have a nice tasty dinner, stop by this place!
Scopazzi's is a Boulder Creek icon.
We usually have family get togethers here because the service is excellent, and they can accommodate large parties with enough advance notice. The wait staff is usually very knowledgeable; one waiter that we frequently have started out as a bus boy and always treats us right, even though we usually look like hoodlums from the sticks since formal attire is not required. :)
The Gorgonzola ravioli with Gorgonzola cream sauce is what I order almost every time. I've branched out a few times and ordered the filet mignon, which is also excellent and prepared correctly, and some other meat dish, but I pretty come here for the Gorgonzola ravioli.
The Caesar salad for two is a must. Prepared tableside by your waiter with only the freshest ingredients, it is seriously the best Caesar out there.
Some folks don't or can't appreciate the rustic appeal of Scopazzi's. It's very dark inside, even during the day, and has that charm of a place that's been around for almost a century. This is Boulder Creek, folks. This is as fancy as you're gonna get in the mountains, but it is some good eats with good presentation if you're going to spend some time out in the sticks.
For the last two or three years my father and step-mother have taken me here for my birthday dinner. Â This place is wonderful, it's always packed when we come in June for dinner so I would say that there are plenty of people who agree... Â
They give you an antipasti platter every time you are seated. Â The lobster and filet is wonderful andt he atmosphere is pretty fancy and could be romantic given the proper circumstances...
The deserts are mostly alcohol infused and are prepared on a cart right in front of your table. Â The bananas foster is flamed right there on a burner which is entertaining all by itself. Â
This place might be pricey but it is definately worth the splurge!
Scopazzi's has been open since 1913 and its old-fashion charm and culinary experience shows. Its in the middle of the small town of Boulder Creek and was the only restaurant open on a Sunday night. Its a huge wooden building that clearly has a lot of a history. The menu was extensive, though nearly everything was the familiar fair of older and stodgier Italian restaurants. Nearly all non-pasta dishes were centered around meats with sauces that must have been all the rage in the seventies.
The duck breast with a sweet sauce was really enjoyable and the duck was very succulent. The presentation was nice and the sides were good, though not great. The chicken breast with apples and bananas had a very tasty sauce and the chicken breast was very moist, though not as tasty as the duck. The portions on our plates and everyone's around us were ample. The clam chowder soup was good as far as they go, and the dinner salad was as expected.
The desserts were extensive and the white chocolate decadence was great, though not amazing.
They only had house wines by the glass, and their merlot and cab were both somewhat disappointing.
Half of the entrees are available as full dinners, which includes soup, salad, and gelato for around $22. Other entrees are between $20 and $30 on their own.
While I wouldn't recommend making the long drive to Boulder Creek just for the food, if the setting appeals to you, you won't be disappointed.
How come there are no reviews for this place?!
Oh, that's RIGHT, it's in Boulder Creek. And it looks like the tackiest place on earth from the outside. I have driven by this place many times over the past year because my boyfriend lives just a few minutes from this place.
So there we were Saturday night walking into Scopazzi's in Boulder Creek. I wasn't thrilled. UNTIL we got inside. I felt like I'd been transported to another planet. All I had to see were the pink low-lights illuminating the bar to know that this place had an awesome ambiance. Even though the parking lot was packed we were seated immediately.
I ordered my usual, ravioli with cream sauce. (I get this at every Italian place, as it is my personal taste test.) My guy got the filet mignon and asked for clam chowder. Unfortunately they only have clam chowder on Fridays and Sundays. What the? After ordering wine our soups arrived and SURPRISE! (as our waiter put it) clam chowder! Awesome service. The caesar salad is not to be missed (mainly because the waiter tossed the salad right in front of us after making the dressing from scratch.) And...the cheesecake was delicious! Both our meals were fantastic and the vibe of the place is so not Boulder Creek vibe, so don't be like I was and turn away when you see this place. This place is definitely pricey at $18-30 per meal (not including drinks) and for most people it's out of the way. It is worth it though because once you get inside, it's a whole different world...
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