Sanderlings - Seascape Resort

Sanderlings - Seascape Resort reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. Y

   Yvonne

   San Francisco Bay Area3 reviews

   1.0

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   Extremely Disappointing Experience at Sanderlings We had one of the worst dining experiences at Sanderlings, made all the more upsetting because we were celebrating a very special occasion with 14 guests. From the moment we arrived, the service was disorganized and dismissive. We have celebrated many events here. Despite having a reservation for indoor seating, we were told by the hostess—without apology—that she would "have to talk to the manager" about it. Meanwhile, our entire party was left standing and unsure whether we’d be seated inside or forced to remain outdoors. When I followed up, I was curtly informed that we had "missed our chance" to sit inside, even though we were there on time and had clearly specified our preference. Another staff member then proceeded to “educate” me on Aptos weather—as if I didn’t live here and hadn’t made our indoor request intentionally. It didn’t improve from there. The server arrived to take our orders without first offering menus. She mumbled through the process, appeared visibly distressed, and never returned to check on our meals or refill water. After the meal, we had to actively seek out staff to request the check. To top it off, the food, which was just average, was served cold due to the outdoor setting. We asked to use the patio heaters and were told that was not an option. All in all, this experience was a major letdown and not at all what we expected from a restaurant of this caliber—especially when hosting a large party for a meaningful celebration. We left feeling disrespected, frustrated, and unappreciated.
   

   Is this helpful?

2. A

   Annabelle VIP

   San Francisco Bay Area181 reviews

   2.0

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   There was live music and a dance show which brought more people than the bar could handled- at this point the service was horrible- couldn’t get their attention to order cocktails. I brought this to the staff attention but did not improve. Dinner service was better.
   

   Is this helpful?

3. C

   Chris

   Hawaii1 review

   2.0

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   Staying in the area. I made a reservation here in the outdoor seating for our 25yr anniversary. (Even putting it in the notes section letting the restaurant know about our special occasion) When we got there after being seated and given our menus. We quickly realized there was an amateur private luau party we were going to be subjected to listen to during visit. With resort guests in tattered shorts, tank tops, flip flops and children running around screaming, soaking wet straight outta of the pool. The atmosphere instantly felt overwhelming and chaotic. Definitely not the setting for an anniversary. Staff was scrambling everywhere they looked panicked and lost. We waited for quite some time before our waiter finally arrived bringing us room temperature water. He let us know that they were very busy tonight and if we knew what we wanted it would be best for us to place our entire order all at once. After ordering drinks, appetizer and our meals we waited 45 min before getting just our drinks. The calamari and 24oz ribeye was an hour Our service was terrible we had to ask for things several times from several different staff members because others just forgot or were too busy to bring it. The food was just OK. Definitely not worth the price. Frustrated with the atmosphere, service the meal and especially the restaurant and its manger for not even asking or acknowledging our anniversary. With staff not even offering we decided not to order dessert. Disheartened I asked next available staff member to please bring my bill. Paying $200 for the experience and the food we had was a complete let down!!!
   

   Is this helpful?

4. D

   Devra VIP

   San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Nice menu choices. Great wait staff. Love the view!
   

   Is this helpful?

5. M

   Michelle VIP

   Tampa33 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on May 17, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   Server wasn’t around much. Never brought water. Would disappear at times. Ordered two omelets (decent), Eggs Benedict (terrible quite honestly and didn’t offer something else) and chile rios or something like that. Not good at all. Food was meh, service was less. Gorgeous view. Disappointing because this place used to have amazing food and service.
   

   Sanderlings - Seascape ResortResponded on May 19, 2025

   Thank you for your honest feedback, Michelle. We're sorry to hear that both the service and food fell short of your expectations, especially given your past positive experiences with us. Your comments have been shared with our team, as we take them seriously and are committed to making improvements. We hope to have the opportunity to deliver a better experience in the future.
   

   Is this helpful?

6. J

   John VIP

   San Francisco Bay Area1 review

   2.0

   Dined on May 11, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 3

   I booked an outdoor table at Sanderlings in Aptos, California, only to learn upon arrival that their “reservations” for patio seating are neither guaranteed nor managed—an unclear policy that left several parties, including mine, waiting and frustrated. Service was painfully slow. After being seated, I waited 45 minutes before my party’s order was taken and another 30 minutes just to receive a glass of wine and our meals. While the food itself was enjoyable and the ocean view is spectacular, the lack of communication and attentiveness overshadowed the experience. Sanderlings has all the makings of a top-tier seaside restaurant—stunning location, quality cuisine—but must urgently reassess its reservation procedures and staff responsiveness to deliver an experience worthy of its setting.
   

   Sanderlings - Seascape ResortResponded on May 12, 2025

   Thank you for your detailed feedback, John. We sincerely apologize for the confusion around our patio seating policy and the delays you experienced during your visit. While we’re glad you enjoyed the food and ocean view, it’s clear that our service and communication fell short. Your comments are being shared with our management team for immediate review, and we appreciate you taking the time to help us improve.
   

   Is this helpful?

7. c

   chantel

   San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on May 11, 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 1

   I made reservations 2 weeks in advance to have dinner here for my birthday. We were coming from out of town and just staying at the resort one night. Very long story short, 2 hours later and 2 check in with the hostess later we never were sat. We ended up getting food at the bar where live music was playing and it ended up okay but I was really disappointed as part of the reason we booked the resort was the view of the restaurant. The hostesses seemed new and overwhelmed. Bummed we didn’t get to eat here.
   

   Sanderlings - Seascape ResortResponded on May 19, 2025

   Thank you for your feedback, Chantel. We're truly sorry to hear about your experience and the delay in being seated—especially on such a special occasion. Your frustration is completely understandable, and we regret that we didn’t deliver the dining experience you had planned for. We’ve shared your comments with our team to address the issues and improve our guest experience. We hope you’ll consider giving us another chance in the future.
   

   Is this helpful?

8. j

   jeff

   San Francisco Bay Area1 review

   3.0

   Dined on May 10, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   Nice setting. Food was a solid ok. Service was slow, seems like the servers were confused and slammed. Waited for ever for everything.
   

   Sanderlings - Seascape ResortResponded on May 12, 2025

   Thank you for your feedback, Jeff. We're glad you enjoyed the setting, but we're sorry to hear the service and pacing didn’t meet expectations. We’ll share your comments with the team as we work to improve the overall experience. We appreciate you dining with us.
   

   Is this helpful?

9. B

   Betty

   Unspecified1 review

   5.0

   Dined on May 7, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We celebrated our friend’s 90th birthday at Sanderlings. We were offered a special table with an ocean view. The ambiance was great and the staff were the best, especially our server! Our birthday girl received an amazing olive oil flourless chocolate cake from Sanderlings! It was a delicious dessert to top off an amazing meal!
   

   Sanderlings - Seascape ResortResponded on May 8, 2025

   Thank you, Betty! We're honored you chose Sanderlings to celebrate such a special milestone. It’s wonderful to hear that the ocean view, warm ambiance, and attentive service made the occasion memorable—and we're so glad the chocolate cake was a hit! We hope to welcome you all back again soon.
   

   Is this helpful?

10. M

    Maria

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    1.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1

    The lobster and scallops smelled like ammonia. Cod dish came out cold
    

    Sanderlings - Seascape ResortResponded on May 8, 2025

    Thank you for your feedback, Maria. We're sorry to hear about your experience with the seafood dishes, as that’s far from the standard we aim to uphold. Your comments have been shared with our culinary team for immediate review. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
    

    Is this helpful?