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Ideal Bar & Grill, Santa Cruz, CA

Ideal Bar & Grill

4.5
4.5
307 Reviews
$30 and under
Californian
106 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 4 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for scenic views
  • Great for brunch
  • Good for business meals
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.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Seafood, American
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–9:30 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:00 pm Bar Mon–Thu 11:00 am–9:30 pm Sat, Sun 9:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • 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!
  • Delivery & takeout
  • 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

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What 307 people are saying

Ideal Bar & Grill 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

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

307 Reviews
  1. Sara

    Salt Lake City6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was incredible! We will be going back to try more things out while in town!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Cathy

    San Francisco2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 6, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Very attentive. They do know how to offer you all the extras on the menu! Be ware! The food was just okay. Lots of butter, or cream or salt. Chowder was too heavy for my taste. Caesar salad had sub par lettuce and very little cheese. Steak was tender and flavorful … it again lots of butter and in veggies.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Gloria VIP

    Central Coast21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was great! We had views of Santa Cruz wharf and at a distance was the boardwalk. The burger and garden scramble with bacon were really good. Great way to start the day by the beach!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Catherine

    San Francisco3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service! This is my go to spot in Santa Cruz. Good kids menu and food too.

    Is this helpful?

  5. michael

    San Francisco5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on January 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great service and location with easy parking.......

    Is this helpful?

  6. Joan

    Central Coast4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on November 29, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We go to the Ideal on holidays and have done for years. Always friendly service, good food and good valiue

    Is this helpful?

  7. Linda

    San Francisco29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The turkey dish was excellent, the steak dish was also very good as well. We were pleased with the presentation and tastes of our dishes. Thank you.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Chris

    St. Louis3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on November 11, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Horrible food, do not recommend. Save your money and go somewhere else.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Dee VIP

    Sacramento11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We made reservations, which made selecting a good table by the window easier. The server promptly took our drinks orders so we could take advantage of the last few minutes of Happy Hour, which was kind. Three of us had the fesh halibut with a pineapple relish served on fragrant rice with a bed of lightly sautéed kale. The fish was well prepared and moist. We found the menu to offer a good selection of food, and the service and ambience were pleasant. I have stayed near the restaurant many times but never eaten here. I will be back!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Marilyn VIP

    Central Coast11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff was incredible! Pulled pork on a bun was amazing.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

Ideal Bar & Grill is rated 4.5 stars by 307 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. Santa Cruz

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 4 times today
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 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–9:30 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:00 pm Bar Mon–Thu 11:00 am–9:30 pm Sat, Sun 9:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • 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
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • 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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