Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Zelda's on the Beach, Capitola, CA

Zelda's on the Beach

4.6 (572)
$30 and under
Californian
203 Esplanade, Capitola, CA 95010

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Great for scenic views
  • Great for brunch
Zelda’s restaurant is in the heart of Capitola Village. We are located on the beach with spectacular views of the Monterey Bay and Capitola Wharf.

Zelda’s Restaurant has been serving local customers as well as others from all over the world for the past thirty years. We offer indoor and outdoor dining with a beachfront deck where you can literally reach and touch the warm sand of Capitola Beach.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Daily 7:30 am–2:00 pm Lunch Daily 2:00 pm–4:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Joshua Whitby
  • Neighborhood
    Capitola
  • Cross street
    San Jose Ave
  • Parking details
    Parking in the Village:Parking spaces in the Village area is limited to three-hour stays at a rate of $1.50 an hour. Vehicles may be cited if they remain in the same space longer than three hours, regardless of payment for more time. Vehicles must be moved to another space every three hours.
  • Entertainment
    Live local bands every Friday and Saturday night 9:30pm-12:30am
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Brunch on the Beach!

    Multiple dates available
    Join us at Zelda's on the Beach for an amazing seaside brunch experience! Stunning views of the bay won't be the only thing that leaves you speechless! Ocean view and beachfront seating available. Outside seating also available. Full bar, fantastic wine list and specialty cocktails all available!

Offers

  • Happy Hour

    Multiple dates available
    Mon - Fri - 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
    Immerse yourself in our delicious selection of appetizers, handcrafted cocktails, and signature drinks. Savor the flavors of our mouthwatering dishes while catching up with friends or unwinding with colleagues. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is her to ensure that your experience is nothing short of exceptional.

What 572 people are saying

Zelda's on the Beach reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Overall

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Ambiance

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Value

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Great for brunch

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Good for groups

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Hot spot

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Zelda's on the Beach offers a vibrant dining experience with "generous portions" and "friendly staff." Diners love the "one of a kind" deck view and "delicious food" like the clam chowder bread bowl. Though service can vary, the "beautiful ambiance" and ocean views make it a must-visit in Capitola.
572 Reviews
  1. Britomar

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience!!! Good service, kid friendly, yummy food, strong heaters for a windy but sunny evening!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Anthony VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area36 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Bar staff terrific, great cocktails, hostesses accommodating, property was clean & pleasant. Waiter was not attentive - even for a casual dining experience.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Erik

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    3.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outside seating is great on a clear day. Food is average

    Is this helpful?

  4. MAE

    California Central Coast29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went 6/10 my husband’s birthday lunch. Everyone is so nice & they gave a complimentary b’day ice cream wt candle. Food is good & priced right. Only thing was so difficult to find parking even on a weekday.:(

    Is this helpful?

  5. Ashley

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing experience and fabulous Memorial Day celebration in Capitola. Enjoyed a beautiful lunch with my family outside on the patio. Gorgeous weather and shaded lunch spot! Had an entertaining moment also when lifeguard helicopter did some practicing and jumped into the ocean! So cool. Delicious food, beautiful ambiance and the favorite by my hubby is the fish and chips, not beer battered, but Delicious and the clam chowder bread bowl was sooo fresh and the bread was bouncy and perfect. Thanks so so much! We will definitely be back :) PS we went in almost an hour earlier than the RSVP and it worked out swimmingly

    Is this helpful?

  6. Liza VIP

    Sacramento / Sacramento Valley24 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a nice beachside table location for dinner that I’m glad we reserved. It was a busy place and nice to relax with an ocean view. Food was good with generous portions. Great service too.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Mike

    San Francisco Bay Area6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 23, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    The food, location and view were very good. The service was a bit sub-par. Upon arrival we mentioned that we had reservations via OpenTable and celebrating a birthday. We waited some time for someone to seat us but none of the staff directed us toward a table. There were several staff present and the restaurant was not busy with many tables empty. We went to a table and inquired if we could sit there (yes). The initial ordering process went quickly and food was delivered promptly. The food was delicious. However, it took a bit of chasing to get water refilled, ask for extra napkins, request a dessert menu and finally request a check.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Katy VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful brunch on a beautiful day! All of our meals were delicious and came out piping hot.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Tami VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area91 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Zelda’s is a staple when visiting Capitola Beach. The deck view is one of a kind as you look out over the beach and ocean. Food at Zelda’s is ok… the appetizers and chowder bread bowl is usually a solid choice. Also recommend trying the Bloody Mary.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Jeni VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area33 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always great. Very fortunate to get prime deck seating in such a gorgeous day. Really nice staff and great f&b.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Zelda's on the Beach offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 475-4900.

Zelda's on the Beach is rated 4.6 stars by 572 OpenTable diners.

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

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Zelda's on the Beach

203 Esplanade, Capitola, CA 95010

Additional information

  • Cross street
    San Jose Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Capitola
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Daily 7:30 am–2:00 pm Lunch Daily 2:00 pm–4:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking in the Village:Parking spaces in the Village area is limited to three-hour stays at a rate of $1.50 an hour. Vehicles may be cited if they remain in the same space longer than three hours, regardless of payment for more time. Vehicles must be moved to another space every three hours.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Joshua Whitby
  • Entertainment
    Live local bands every Friday and Saturday night 9:30pm-12:30am
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo