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Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery, Santa Cruz, CA

Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery

4 (65)
$30 and under
Hawaii Regional Cuisine
49A Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

About this restaurant

  • Great for scenic views
  • Romantic
  • Good for special occasions
The makers of Riva Fish House bring you the foods, flavors, flowers, and fun of Hawaii and beyond. Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery is the newest restaurant and bar to open on the vibrant and storied Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, a local treasure with national prominence that celebrated its 100th birthday in 2014. Formerly known as Carniglia’s, the restaurant space dates back to the 1950’s when the Carniglia brothers opened and operated a fish market. Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery is a locally-owned reflection of the Wharf’s continuing evolution as a place for culture, stewardship, and memorable experiences at the water’s edge, for locals and tourists alike.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Hawaii Regional Cuisine, Pan-Asian, Pacific Rim
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–8:00 pm Fri 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Santa Cruz
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 65 people are saying

Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.0
4.0 based on all time ratings
  • 3.8Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.1Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

65 Reviews
  1. KimE VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area51 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 30, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wow, what an amazing meal! Everything was delicious and on point, the service was so genuine and great, and the views of course are always spectacular!

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  2. JasonS

    Washington, D.C. Area11 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on July 1, 2022

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Host seemed very unhappy to be there. Acted like taking our name for a table was the last thing he wanted to do. Waitress was welcoming and helpful. Food was bland and not cooked well.

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  3. AliciaW

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 9, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    If you are looking for a fun pirate-themed restaurant that has the feelings of Pirates of the Caribbean with mostly Hawaiian food and views of Santa Cruz in addition to a rotating bar area, you should come here. I'm always looking for a different experience and good food. The pulled pork was a little too dry for me, but the drinks are fun and exciting.

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  4. ArnaudP

    San Diego9 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Love this place, the food is great, fantastic views, only issue is that they are consistently under staffed. But the rotating bar is a must

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  5. MaryM

    San Francisco Bay Area5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 19, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The wait staff was incredible and the good was good!

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  6. OpenTable Diner VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area13 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on December 12, 2021

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great drinks and view! Good food too!

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  7. Davidio

    San Francisco Bay Area36 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on December 10, 2021

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our waitress was attentive and helpful with suggestions. Food came promptly and was excellent. And I was surprised of the reasonable prices.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on December 25, 2019

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I loved the ambience and decor of this restaurant and the service was great. However, we were freezing and had to go back to the car for our heavy coats. The food was OK but it was pretty bland and unimaginative for the prices we paid.

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  9. ShawnK

    Seattle / Eastern Washington7 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on December 21, 2019

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    A restaurant on the Santa Cruz wharf. Unique spinning bar. Great service, but the food was sub par. Obviously for the tourists. We went off season. I thought they might have more seafood but no. I won’t be back.

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  10. SaraM

    San Francisco Bay Area9 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on December 6, 2019

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    I enjoyed the crabcake burger special and their Alfredo is on par with my own

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FAQs

Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 466-9766.

Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery is rated 4 stars by 65 OpenTable diners.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
  5. Santa Cruz

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery

49A Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Santa Cruz
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–8:00 pm Fri 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Hawaii Regional Cuisine, Pan-Asian, Pacific Rim
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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