The 18 best lounges in Santa Cruz (2024)

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It was just okay. The prices were very high, which we expected, but the food quality wasn't great. The burger was no better than any other burger in town. They claimed the best fried chicken but I can name at least two other places that are 10x better. The chicken may have been brined in buttermilk but that didn't make it less dry. It was dry white meat and no dark meat except a small leg. The brussel sprouts, however, were amazing. The chips and dip were also amazing. The drinks were great and balanced. I would go back, but would just order appetizers and drinks and get my meal elsewhere. The staff was very nice.

Crispy Brussels were amazing! Drinks were top notch. Ambiance out on the patio for happy hour, perfect. Our server Sean was super knowledgeable and attentive! Definitely recommend.

Cornbread is a 10. Cocktails are wonderful. Even the gin and tonic is special!Only improvement I would give after going back is that our waitress probably came about 4-5 times to ask if we were done with certain dishes to take plates away and kept checking our table. I would say that for an hour or less of sitting that's too many times. Please let your diners enjoy their meal and their own pace uninterrupted.

The cocktails were fine but I wouldn’t go back here. It was not very busy and the service was bad/inattentive. We were just two low maintenance guests who ordered straightforwardly from the cocktail menu, not like we had food or a bunch of modifications or anything, and he acted put out by us. When the drinks are $18 each I expect a little more attention.

Yummy spot. Rating is for brunch. Bagel board was absolutely delicious! Really enjoyed the corn waffle & pancakes were pretty good! Wish there were more food options, by 11:30 they had run out of the everything bagel and the chia pudding. Cocktail menu is still as versatile and it’s delightful.

I sat at the bar and service was great. Cocktails were well made and food was delicious. Will visit again.

The food was amazing! The service was okay, but our group was large with only 1 waitress. The appetizers were incredible. The steak was really good as well. I'll definitely go back soon. The grits were so good.

We had a wonderful time celebrating a dear friend and her bachelorette here. The staff were so kind and helped to make the experience special. There was also an error on our end when we made reservations, and the manager was quick to help us resolve this issue. I personally live out of state, but if I ever hear of anyone visiting Santa Cruz, I'll make sure to recommend Venus for sure! The food was superb, and if there wasn't so many people within watching distance, our group would have licked the plate clean just to get every last flavor crystal of the sauce served with the brussel sprout dish.

Fabulous! From our greeting upon entry to our waitress to our farewell as we departed this fine establishment, everything was spot on. We went with an ice cold Fruition lager to quench our thirst while my daughter went with her favorite, the frozen Paloma. We started with our favorite appetizer, the crispy brussel sprouts along with the fresh made potatoe chips accompanied by a very tasty dip. My daughter chose one of the specials, a 10oz. New York strip served on a bed of kale along with a large portion of crispy French fries. My brother from another mother went with the crispy fried chicken and house made hot sauce along fresh made Cole slaw, pickles and a small piece of corn bread. I went with the mixed greens salad with beets and avocado, a very healthy and tasty choice. Venus will continue to be a regular stop for us when we come to the coast!

The server was very knowledgeable about the menu and recommended some great drinks for us (beach don’t kill my vibe and a Laura Palmer)! She even offered to swap out a a drink for us when we honest about not liking our gin and tonic with gin #2. We ended up being bigger fans of the floral gin #1. Great customer service and drinks! Great flavor combinations.

The cocktails at Venus were divine, especially the Laura Palmer pictured first with Venus Gin N.01, hibiscus tea reduction, rose water, lemon, and seltzer.The Rum Buzz I had for dessert was also fantastic with rum, lime, coconut cream, coffee, coffee liqueur, orgeat, and cinnamon.The share plates were less impressive, or rather, overdone. The molé baby back ribs served with grilled pineapple, just had so much char that fell off in large chunks, and the pineapple seemed under ripe.The brussel sprouts were tastier, especially the date and jalapeno cashew cream sauce that came with them. But I admit that the goat cheese panna cotta did not offer much for an $18 plate and the panna cotta texture reduced the joy of creamy goat cheese.Our friends did enjoy their hamburger and the creamy basil bucatini, which looked fantastic. I would totally go back, but maybe more for the tasting room.

It's called "Aqua Mortis" for a reason. No, it won't kill you. But it will make you stronger. Toughen you up. Solidify your inner fortitude. Exorcise all your overpriced eating out illusions. Drive out the dastardly demons of your former cocktail barflying past. It is an alluring alcoholic elixir stiff enough to raise the dead - not send you to an early and untimely grave. That's the essence of this signature cocktail, and of this uniquely intoxicating place. Come in. Stay a while. Watch the lights flicker and spin. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply. Relax. And be reborn.From charred cinnamon sticks glowing ghostly red on the rim of your glass (Gunsmoke) to absinthe spritzed fresh sage leaves (Aqua Mortis) to smoked salt rims (Like a Boss) to made to order rye Manhattans, there's a lot going on in - and all around - the glass.The kitchen has got game. Not crazy mad moves that would draw undue attention of the Yelping masses (yet) but calm, confident, creative Northern California fusion cuisine down to an art. Textbook tapas small plates are my favorites here, rather than the mains. Easier to stick to a ketogenic eating profile that way. The fantastic smoked salmon plate is perfect with a savory dry cocktail (avoid too much added sugar) and the grilled sausage board is a carnivore's dream come true. Go ahead and splurge on the warm Medjool dates, too. You won't bust your macros with only two of them.Skip the reservations. Sit at the bar. Talk to the men and women who power this place. They are top tier folks who do admittedly have to adhere closely to the fixed cocktail menu but who have some latitude to mix things up, especially if you go off menu.It Venus for everyone? The fully committed small plates cocktail types, I mean. Maybe. Maybe not. That's for Google to decide. Me? I made up my mind on this place from the moment we said cheers.

Great first experience. All the food was really tasty, especially the Chile Relleno. Can’t wait to have the Mac-n-Cheese adult style with the pork and Calabrian chiles. The base Max-n-Cheese is easily the best in town. Only able to sample one cocktail - Like A Boss - but it was very good. Going back soon!Had a chance to sample the Smoking Gun, Aqua Mortis and the Paloma Libre. Also excellent.I can confirm that the Mac-n-Cheese with the pulled pork and Calabrian chiles is excellent.Vegan Caesar salad, well not some thing I would call a Caesar salad based off the flavor of the dressing, tastes amazing and I would absolutely get it again. For reference, I am not vegan and usually avoid things like that like the plagueThe chicken sandwich has a great foundation, the chicken itself is perfect in my book - then, moist, extra crispy. My only observation would be that it needs a little bit more umami, saucy addition, and should be served with some of the hot sauce and the peppers that come with the actual fried chicken dish!

Great atmosphere, fun drinks and tasty food. It was my wife's birthday and the waiter gave us a really good slice of chocolate cake as well!

We had such a lovely Mother’s Day lunch at Venus. The hubby and I have been to the distillery at the old location a few times, but we have not been to the kitchen and new distillery location on High Road. Everything about our visit was awesome.Upon arrival, we were seated right away. It wasn’t super crowded, but shortly after we sat down, the restaurant filled up and I can see why.The food is really good, craft cocktails awesome and the service was over the top. Our server Matthew was nice and friendly, knowledgeable about the menu (helped me pick out my cocktail) and was also very attentive. It was REALLY busy, but he came by to check on us a lot.Fun fact, Matthew looks like Dale Earnhardt Jr, Prince Harry and maybe a little of Ed Sheeran. My mother-in-law was so enamored by him, she actually walked as close to the kitchen as possible to wave goodbye to him. It was cute.Ok, the food…..super yummy quality eats, and the libations are delish. After four cocktails, six entrees and a mocktail, it was about $240 after tip and tax. Not bad!I would definitely come back for dinner.Note: Parking was easy as it has a dedicated parking lot.

200 High Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA•https://www.venusspirits.com/•(831) 600-7376•