El Palomar Restaurant

To be straight forward this was my first time being in Santa Cruz! My boyfriend and I walked around downtown multiple times and gladly found this yummy place!
To be honest, we were kind of skeptical of this place because it seemed so formal, but right from the start the people were very welcoming. The manager even let us preview a menu before we decided that we wanted to dine here.
It didn’t take long for us to be seated, and we were welcomed with warm tortilla chips and salsa (the best combination!!) Our waiter was very sweet and the service was amazing. I ordered pazole and let me just tell you it was delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area!

One of the best Mexican restaurants I’ve been in Santa Cruz. Food as well as service was amazing. Definitely going back.

Always good food
& great drinks! Centrally located on beautiful Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz. The atmosphere is lively and authentic!

Though we are not regulars (we live up in Pescadero), we have enjoyed both the meals and the service each time we’ve visited El Palomar.
This review is regarding our last two visits specifically — both of these at the taco bar as we were there too early for the dining room. On, or near, Veteran’s Day in November 2015 we had the pleasure of being served by Sara (not sure of her last name). Sara’s service was excellent — her engagement with her customers goes beyond the norm of taking an order and getting it served in a timely manner.
Some 5 weeks later, in the middle of December, 2015, we were there again — and so was Sara. Not only did she recognize us, she remembered where we’d been sitting and what drinks we’d ordered! Once again, excellent service and a satisfying meal.
It’s my understanding that the owner’s name is Jose — please know that you have a very special employee in Sara, I hope you appreciate her as much as we have!

Two words: TACO BAR!!! Those ladies are amazing the food is delicious, quick and affordable. The restaurant is great too, but if you’re looking for something on the go you cannot go wrong. Highly recommend. Excellent staff.

Great food, great staff (Tania and Maya), great lunch menu and reasonable prices. Very spacious with lots of seating. Formal dining area, courtyard covered patio with lots of natural lighting and a bar. I can’t wait to go back again. Highly recommended! Enjoy and don’t forget to feed the meter. Bön appétit!

Fresh not frozen seafood. Homemade corn tortillas. Authentic Mexican food. I love everything… Especially the sopes. If you want a delicious quick bite, try the taco bar. The drinks are outstanding. Service is always great. I’m never disappointed. By far my favorite.

I reviewed this restaurant earlier but I had two terrible experiences. This time on the other hand the drinks were perfect and the meal was delicious! The the staff was friendly and informative! I went before they opened the main dinner hall! And this was the best experience I have had there, Thank you !!!

Best margaritas in town. hands down!
Too many things to list here. but everything is good here. really. no kidding.
I do not eat cheese (allergic) I know, I know. you are probably saying. «really???»
But yes. I still enjoy Mexican food very well.
I love their tostada salad (lunch)
Chicken tortilla soup, the best of the best. nothing compares to this one (spicy, not for kids).
Enchiladas… mmmm. heaven!
their burritos are the bomb! anyone! you cant go wrong.
I may be a little biased because I know most of the staff. but seriously. you will not regret your experience here. Service is great!
Very nice restrooms.
Super nice Cantina area for you and your buddies or a girls night out. dining room for a little more casual dinner with your family and kids. they also have a banquet room. and they do catering as well!
sweet!
My favorite tequila is Don Julio (añejo) or 1800. not pricey but not cheap either. give it a try!

Taco Tuesday? Go get the street tacos served in the bar area! It’s a great place to go with a group of friends and share a pitcher or two of margaritas.

Best enchiladas I have eaten in California. Tasted great and service was excellent!

If you haven’t tried their Chicken Tortilla soup you are missing out. The best Chicken Tortilla soup ever. Nice and friendly wait staff too.

This review is for the taco bar. It’s a great place to grab some quick tacos and have a beer, and I like the atmosphere. Super casual, and a great place to people watch. The tacos are good, but not incredible. I go by when I want a quick bite and beer.

I didn’t eat at the actually restaurant, but at the little taco bar to the side of the main dining room. The taco bar was super casual and no frills. The tacos were delicious and the tortillas were made freshly in house-​yum. I got three tacos for lunch and was stuffed.

We were between movies, hungry but a little short on time. We were seated promptly and while my husband perused the specials, I opened the menu and there, part way down on the first page it was:
Nachos con Mariscos. With shrimp/​octopus and calamari ceviches. Ceviches! When it arrived it was a very big plate/​platter. We shared it, there was plenty and it was so good. It could be an appetizer for four. Lots of seafood and all the other nacho goodies. We ate it all because every bite was yummy. Service was fast and polite, we made it to the next movie in time.
Next time you see the Palomar, walk through the lobby into the restaurant, you won’t regret it.

Good drink prices. Decent food, nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain much about either. If you want great Mexican food in Santa Cruz, go to Casa Rositas on 26^th and portola, it is was better (though smaller and not as «classy»).

Meh… Food is okay, but I think it’s extremely overpriced for the quality. I appreciate the décor, ambiance and also the full bar, but that’s about it. I think perhaps the attached taco bar is the better option!

Crappy taste-​like-​canned-​tomato salsa, bland chips, saving grace is looking up at the nice ceiling. Sort of cool, because it also keeps you from ruminating on your food too much. Corn tortillas are nice however, the saving grace was the clean guacamole that wasn’t over creamy and weird. I can usually tell if a place is good if I can enjoy my meal without copious amounts of alcohol clouding my judgement.
Ceviche: had the mixed seafood, but certainly couldn’t tell what was what. I’m pretty sure the rectangular white things that were chewy were the calamari. Smelled and tasted bland, ie frozen calamari and octopus. Little skimp on the cocktail prawns, but I was thinking «real» ceviche. (Hula’s grill gets major puntos for getting cooking their ceviche opah right!) Don’t bother eating ceviche here. Needed way more lime juice and spice. We asked for a Tapatio just to give it some more kick.
I had the red snapper with guajillo, corn tortillas and rice&bean sides. Hubby had the special Ahi tuna with mango salsa. Mine was cooked well, flakey and hot, but smothered in the sauce, which was overpowered by a buttery aftertaste. The corn tortillas made it all sort of work. The tuna preparation was overcooked and really dense, cutting it was like sawing, sadly. The rice had no real interest to it and the beans were meh. I can have better tasting for cheaper at Taqueria Santa Cruz. Get fresher, Palomar, but maybe you cater to tourist who have never been to California at all or anyone who is really REALLY hungy?
I live here and thought my 5 year ago memory was great food and fun atmosphere. But I was fairly disappointed with my experience this time around.

Things have changed and I always try to promote and represent when things change for the better! Service is now ¹⁰⁄₁₀! They have raised the bar. Service is fast and friendly. The food has even gotten better! Very impressive. I will now be a regular. The bartenders are great and the wait staf is too.

Nice Mexican restaurant in Santa Cruz that one of my gf’s friends introduced us too. Its was nice that it open late. Food was good n the drinks was awesome. Had the mango margarita which was surprisingly good! Service was friendly. Had a good experience.