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Ideal Bar & Grill, Santa Cruz, CA

Ideal Bar & Grill

4.4
4.4
269 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian
Fun, family friendly dining with a beautiful view of Santa Cruz Main beach and the Municipal Wharf! We offer out side seating on our sunny deck! Come down and try our award winning clam chowder today! Reservations are for our inside dining room only.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 1 time today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, American
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 10:00 am–9:30 pm Fri 10:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:30 pm Bar Mon–Thu 10:00 am–9:30 pm Fri–Sun 9:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (831) 423-5271
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Jesus Garcia
  • Private party facilities
    Our Beach Room can host up to 40 guests. The room features a private bar, views of the wharf, beach, and ocean. It also offers a small private patio (weather permitting) that extends the inside bar area, making it perfect for any event! We have hosted various events here from rehearsal dinners, business meetings, and wedding brunches to surprise birthday parties and charity events!
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Cruz
  • Cross street
    Front Street
  • Parking details
    Parking is available on the Santa Cruz Wharf for an hourly rate and is just a short scenic walk to our location. There are also small metered lots across the street as well. We are walking distance to many near-by hotels.
  • Public transit
    The public bus stop is just across the street from Ideal Bar & Grill.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Live Maine Lobster Wednesday

    $29.95 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Join us on the Beach for our famous Wednesday Night Lobster Night! Get ready to dig in....served in the shell this 1- 1.4 lb lobster is a fun & delicious experience for all! Served with our island rice, fresh lemon and drawn butter. Walk-in for deck seating or make your reservation now.
    Live Maine Lobster Wednesday Photo

What 269 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.9Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Kid-friendly

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Great for brunch

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Kid-friendly

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Good for groups

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Healthy

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Hot spot

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Lively

269 Reviews
  1. Maile

    Hawaii

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great location! Food and service was excellent. We had a great time.

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  2. suzannea

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent and friendly service, food was delicious…really fun and delicious non alcoholic shark baby drink for our grandson! Will definitely go again!

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  3. DebraD

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall2food1service5ambience3
    Although our server was very good, the food was fair at best. The fish tacos were terribly dry and falling apart. The food was very overpriced for what was provided. We also ordered a children’s plate of chicken and veggies which is my granddaughter’s favorite and she wouldn’t touch it.Best part of the meal was the cocktails. Sad 😔 considering it was my 60th birthday brunch with my kids.

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  4. LG12

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on August 19, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Very fun evening. Ukulele band , very fun. We had oysters , they were ok, small. We had halibut , very good. I had seafood skewers, 2 skewers, very generous portions. Rice delicious, grilled vegetables great. Generous seafood portions. Could have been a little more seasoning but will def be going back. Fun environment, great service

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  5. LarryS

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The Open Table reservation mechanism is challenging for seniors. Next time I will simply make a phone call. I should not have to subscribe to Google and/or provide passwords just for a dinner reservations. Otherwise, food and staff were excellent and Prompt.

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Quintessential beach vibe and great food and service too!

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  7. SallyB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing service, even during peak summer hours. Got seated right away with a large party and everything came out super quick. The food was delicious and they have great portions for big kids.

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  8. pconnie

    Orange County

    27 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on July 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Friendly staff, great food, great cocktails, great views!

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 14, 2023

    overall4food3service5ambience3
    For the price the food is not that special. Drinks seem to be watered down? Or something.

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  10. Tino

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on July 9, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience1
    Prices way too high for the quality and service is way below par for the price

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  11. Kendall

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 3, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Food was tasty. Server was great! On the loud side. The two of us were almost yelling at each other.

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 3, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience3
    Great location and view. I expect high prices, but the nickel and dime for everything from splitting meals to swapping side dishes.

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  13. MonicaM

    Palm Springs

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 25, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Enjoyed a lovely brunch on the patio with some friends over the weekend. Definitely recommend this place for the ambience and the service. The food was solid - not excellent - but I would come here again. They have a big menu so lots to choose from.

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  14. JenniferB

    Raleigh

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 18, 2023

    overall3food2service1ambience4
    I would try someplace else next time. The view is great, but that’s about it.

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  15. umeboshi

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The clam chowder was amazing! The dinner of fish & chips and seabass went over better than the prime rib; however, I cannot help but repeating how much we enjoyed the Clam Chowder! My husband couldn't stop mentioning how impressed he was with the quality of the management and the teamwork of the staff.

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  16. RobinN

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 15, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Our server was great, very attentive and friendly! the food was very good and huge portions

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  17. Beatriz

    Central Coast

    5 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience2
    Calamari was the worst I ever had! This restaurante is 3 star max.

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  18. Renee

    Denver

    33 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    33 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall5food4service4ambience3
    Great casual place to eat on the Santa Cruz boardwalk! Had lunch and dinner there and neither disappointed. The fried calamari was awesome; we asked for a side of marinara sauce, which we prefer over tartar sauce, and that really made a difference. Be sure to ask for a table on the beachside patio. There may be a wait, but it will be worth it. Wonderful people watching!

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  19. Corrina

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 2, 2023

    overall1food4service1ambience3
    Had reservations for my family, requested to sit next window was not placed. After being seated nobody greeted us to offer any drinks waited more than 10 mins for the waiter to finally come and tell us she will be with us. Partys came in after us and had already been served drinks. Order our food only one order was brought out waited another 10 mins had to ask the waiter to check after our food came out wasn’t checked on and one or the orders had hair in it. Overall very bad experience was not worth it very disappointed esp for how much we paid. Definitely felt ripped off.

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our waiter, Kelly, was awesome! Service was great. Food was excellent and they did a sweet birthday celebration for our daughter’s birthday. We will be back!

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  21. Louise

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fast, friendly service, good food and great views of the ocean made lunch really special! We'll definitely go again.

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  22. joeandgrace

    San Francisco

    61 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    61 reviews

    Dined on March 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent service, good food with big portions. Menu has a good variety, drinks are very good.

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  23. RayJ

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 25, 2022

    overall3food2service4ambience2
    To be fair, we went to dinner on Christmas Eve, thanks to the waitstaff who sacrificed their Christmas to smile and wait on us! That being said, my Steak Santa Cruz was really good, they might have run low on flank steak, mine was a NY that had been trimmed to weight, awesome, tender, covered in prawns, artichoke hearts and mushrooms. I took half home, it was great the next day, too! However, the special was Ciopinno, and my two table mates ordered that. While the ingredients were spot-on, this was not Ciopinno, but a confused Bouillabaisse with no sauce, dry in the bowl. We asked the kitchen to bring the soup, they tried, but only brought enough to wet the crab. Oh well, so close, yet so far... The waitstaff was overworked, but super delightful, and earned a few stars all by themselves. Thank you to them, for helping make our meal nice. Ideal Fish Restaurant is half sports bar, half restaurant, it's a bit noisy for a private dinner, but the view is incredible, Santa Cruz at it's best.

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  24. RobertD

    San Francisco

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on December 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great lunch with family, highly recommend Ideal Bar & Grill to anyone looking for a cool location with great food.

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  25. GourmetDiva

    San Francisco

    30 reviews

    2.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2022

    overall2food2service3ambience4
    We've been coming for about 10 years in a row for Thanksgiving. You used to offer Prime Rib Dinner which was wonderful, but you haven't offered in a while. None of our meals were any good. 2 burgers, 1 stuffed Pork and my son ordered your Seafood sandwich. Honestly not one of the items were worth the wait or eating. No holiday cocktails- our waitress never heard of Mimosa, Bellini etc. There aren't that many places in Santa Cruz County open for Thanksgiving, but next year we'll break tradition and go somewhere else. Food gone downhill, and service was not great.

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  26. SherryD

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    A good solid restaurant just off the beach / wharf. Lots of good choices, dine inside or out. It was very quiet when our group of 6 had lunch on patio, quick and attentive service.

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  27. DonaldF

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service and the barbecue ribs and the salmon were excellent. The location is outstanding as well

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything was perfect! From the service to the drinks to the food. The view wasn’t bad either! ;-)

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  29. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 11, 2022

    overall3food1service3ambience3
    Anniversary

    Is this helpful?

  30. Sady

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2022

    overall1food1service5ambience1
    Very bad food, very dirty place, very bad food, nothing appetizing.

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  31. Poppadop

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 25, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    "Famous" clam chowder was as advertised--rich, creamy, and delicious. Seafood-melt sandwich on sourdough was also excellent. The only negative was the side of cole slaw--possibly the most tasteless cole slaw I've ever been served (we had to toss it out). Otherwise, great spot for lunch at the wharf!

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  32. KimE

    San Francisco

    45 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    45 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Gosh, could there be a more beautiful setting than the Ideal? We sat beachside on a sunny evening, enjoyed delicious food with wonderful service! Life just doesn't get better than this!

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  33. JazzNdj

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 12, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Our waiter was really nice, we took forever to choose what we wanted to eat and he never rushed us. Hostess was as really nice as well. Wait for the deck seating!

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  34. AnneO

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 5, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Food is excellent and came fast. Servers are very friendly.

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  35. Summer

    Hawaii

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 4, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Our breakfast was so good. We actually had 8 around the table and it was easy to have conversations. We had a 9 o’clock reservation and arrived 10 minutes early. Just a comment they don’t open the doors until exactly 9. Got our table immediately.

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  36. AngelaB

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 28, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We came for an early dinner. Our waitress was great and our food was yummy! It definitely got a lot busier as we left.

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  37. KeysTourist

    Philadelphia

    16 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place to celebrate birthdays!

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  38. RonA

    San Francisco

    45 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    45 reviews

    Dined on August 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We gathered for my niece’s birthday on Wednesday and all enjoyed the lobster special. The food was excellent. I really liked the coconut rice which accompanied the whole steamed Main lobster. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. The view is fantastic. If we lived closer, I’d be there every Wednesday. Surprisingly, it was not crowded.

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place to eat after a day by the beach!

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  40. OpenTable Diner

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 21, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Our server Samuel was amazing! The food came out super quick and was tasty. The garlic with the garlic and Brie tray could’ve been cooked a little longer but everything else was great. Great location and a laid back setting.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Contactless payment available

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Ideal Bar & Grill using the Order Online button.

Ideal Bar & Grill is rated 4.4 stars by 269 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 1 time today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Ideal Bar & Grill

106 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Front Street
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Cruz
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 10:00 am–9:30 pm Fri 10:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:30 pm Bar Mon–Thu 10:00 am–9:30 pm Fri–Sun 9:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking is available on the Santa Cruz Wharf for an hourly rate and is just a short scenic walk to our location. There are also small metered lots across the street as well. We are walking distance to many near-by hotels.
  • Public transit
    The public bus stop is just across the street from Ideal Bar & Grill.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jesus Garcia
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (831) 423-5271
  • Private party facilities
    Our Beach Room can host up to 40 guests. The room features a private bar, views of the wharf, beach, and ocean. It also offers a small private patio (weather permitting) that extends the inside bar area, making it perfect for any event! We have hosted various events here from rehearsal dinners, business meetings, and wedding brunches to surprise birthday parties and charity events!
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