Back Nine Grill & Bar

My go to local spot, casual, friendly atmosphere with good service and food. It is not fine dining however it is reliable, and has both indoor and outdoor dining. I recommend their version of Buffalo wings offered with several options. Their fish and chips are good, had them at the restaurant and twice to go. One of the to go times was very disappointing, the other was fine and at the restaurant they were excellent.

Only one good restaurant in Santa Cruz with fresh fish options (imagine! Very disappointing town). But this place was a little hidden gem with great food, generous portions, awesome atmosphere and elegant setting, and, we could hear each other talking. There was a sushi place down the road that sounded great but the cafeteria style one room dining was louder than a high school hall before a football game. So when we drifted to this place, it was a wonderful stop after a long day. Oh. And the staff was so pleasant. I highly recommend this place.

Had dinner tonight here for the first time. We were seated promptly and our food came out timely and was delicious. Our waitress Shelby was absolutely wonderful. She was attentive and responsive considering this was our first time, she gave some great recommendations. One of our best experiences with such a friendly waitress. We will certainly come back soon!

I go here often, and the food is more American style, with nice waiters, and I haven't had a problem with my food here. The atmosphere allows for people to be seated either outside near heaters, or inside or even at the bar.

Best burger I had in my life. Anyone who has bad reviews! Should smh I'm not even gonna say it.... But I've seen some bad reviews on this place, and I just don't believe it. I don't care if it's a $500 deposit forbthe hotel part. It's worth it for the burger. Best burger I had in my life. I swear in my life. My girl looked at me crazy and then realize it before she finished her burger.

What a great surprise. In a small hotel and the restaurant is REALLY NICE. Their ribs were amazing, flavorful and moist. The chicken was terrific also. The vegan chili rocks as well as the fried green beans. Choice of inside or outside seating, under cover during summer temps. Great surprise. You'll love this place.

A great place for food or just to chill at the bar. Reasonable prices and great food and service.

Excellent service, quality dinning atmosphere,great tasting food. Prices are a little high, but generous portions and great tasting food balance out the cost. Definitely worth the value. Friendly and Inviting staff. They offer happy hour bar specials including their starter food menu. Plenty of seating options whether you order a well drink or a cup of coffee, the setting is very comfortable.

Yum yum yum! 😋 We drove up and turns out the place was mixed with a hotel inn, so my family and I were a bit concerned since usually those types of restaurants aren't the best (from what I have seen.) This place was much different though. The interior was nicely put together and the services was great! The waitress we had was very nice and lively. The food was great aswell! Lemon pepper and buffalo wings were a hit! So flavorful to the point that I was dipping the wing back into the sauce for more of the delicious taste. Mozzarella sticks were good aswell! The burger was excellent very flavorful! Overall this place was very good and I definitely recommend.

Excellent Happy Hour! I loved the sweet chili sauce that came with the coconut shrimp it had chunks of ginger. I loved how crunchy and thinly sliced they were.

Part of The Inn at Pasatiempo but very much a destination for locals! Great bar, varied menu and caring staff. Our server David, was worth coming back for alone! He was very attentive and accommodating to the fact that we were on our way to an event. Back Nine could not be any more convenient for an off and back on the highway! We just buzzed in for a quick salad and sat outside on a warm night. They did a great job creating this outdoor space with the inn’s porte cochere. The pear & Gorgonzola salad and the beet salad (with added grilled chicken) were great a large portions. Really was jealous of the burgers at the nearby tables!

Amazing food, excellent quality. Ordered 3 appetizers and each one of us got something different and tried each others meals. We were all extremely satisfied, full and loved the kind attentive staff. Definitely plan on returning in the future!

Don't have a picture of the Coco Prawns because I ate them right on sight! Everything else was delicious, burger right on point👌🏻 Enough said. Hostesses we're very friendly and beautiful experience.

The ribs and chilli were delicious. The ribs were lean and fell off the bone, while the chili has a good spice to it but not an overwhelming amount that it's too hot to enjoy.

My first time at this sweet spot for Taco Tuesday. David, our server was fantastic. Fish tacos were great.

Overall this place is great! It's one of the best kept secrets in Santa Cruz. The food is good, service is decent and prices aren't too bad. Happy hour is a great deal if you can make it. I really haven't had anything here I didn't like. The outdoor dining area is great and heated. For dessert, go for the berry cobbler. Absolutely to die for!!

Mmmmm, pork skins, they were so good. We were staying at the Inn, went in for Happy Hour, started with the pork skins, that was it, couldn't eat another bite. One appetizer filled 2 of us up. It's really nice inside, great atmosphere. Later on I went down and got a Blackberry Cobbler to take to the room, mmmmm, it was great! Next time I will order dinner, maybe.

Delicious food. I had the potato skins and omg, the flavor was amazing. My husband had the new york strip and that was awesome too! 10/10 for our first time! The torches outside were a nice and warming touch!

Great service and the food was really good. I had the coconut prawns and the mushroom risotto. The staff was very friendly.

Kensley Gray

Yum yum yum! 😋 We drove up and turns out the place was mixed with a hotel inn, so my family and I were a bit concerned since usually those types of restaurants aren't the best (from what I have seen.) This place was much different though. The interior was nicely put together and the services was great! The waitress we had was very nice and lively. The food was great aswell! Lemon pepper and buffalo wings were a hit! So flavorful to the point that I was dipping the wing back into the sauce for more of the delicious taste. Mozzarella sticks were good aswell! The burger was excellent very flavorful! Overall this place was very good and I definitely recommend.

Chanae P

Excellent Happy Hour! I loved the sweet chili sauce that came with the coconut shrimp it had chunks of ginger. I loved how crunchy and thinly sliced they were.

Monica Ifland

Part of The Inn at Pasatiempo but very much a destination for locals! Great bar, varied menu and caring staff. Our server David, was worth coming back for alone! He was very attentive and accommodating to the fact that we were on our way to an event. Back Nine could not be any more convenient for an off and back on the highway! We just buzzed in for a quick salad and sat outside on a warm night. They did a great job creating this outdoor space with the inn’s porte cochere. The pear & Gorgonzola salad and the beet salad (with added grilled chicken) were great a large portions. Really was jealous of the burgers at the nearby tables!

kendra neese

Amazing food, excellent quality. Ordered 3 appetizers and each one of us got something different and tried each others meals. We were all extremely satisfied, full and loved the kind attentive staff. Definitely plan on returning in the future!

Xavier Escobedo

Don't have a picture of the Coco Prawns because I ate them right on sight! Everything else was delicious, burger right on point👌🏻 Enough said. Hostesses we're very friendly and beautiful experience.

Adam E.

The ribs and chilli were delicious. The ribs were lean and fell off the bone, while the chili has a good spice to it but not an overwhelming amount that it's too hot to enjoy.

Kerry Lobel

My first time at this sweet spot for Taco Tuesday. David, our server was fantastic. Fish tacos were great.

Mike B.

Overall this place is great! It's one of the best kept secrets in Santa Cruz. The food is good, service is decent and prices aren't too bad. Happy hour is a great deal if you can make it. I really haven't had anything here I didn't like. The outdoor dining area is great and heated. For dessert, go for the berry cobbler. Absolutely to die for!!

Scott B

Mmmmm, pork skins, they were so good. We were staying at the Inn, went in for Happy Hour, started with the pork skins, that was it, couldn't eat another bite. One appetizer filled 2 of us up. It's really nice inside, great atmosphere. Later on I went down and got a Blackberry Cobbler to take to the room, mmmmm, it was great! Next time I will order dinner, maybe.

P Largo

Very good beet Salad with blackened halibut. Delicious lemon drop too!

Asia S

Delicious food. I had the potato skins and omg, the flavor was amazing. My husband had the new york strip and that was awesome too! 10/10 for our first time! The torches outside were a nice and warming touch!

It was a spacious place to gather for our wedding rehearsal dinner. They cared for us nicely. The pasta n cheese needed more cheese and sauce

Dineen Anderson

It was a spacious place to gather for our wedding rehearsal dinner. They cared for us nicely. The pasta n cheese needed more cheese and sauce

aidan skye

I go here often, and the food is more American style, with nice waiters, and I haven't had a problem with my food here. The atmosphere allows for people to be seated either outside near heaters, or inside or even at the bar.

Food was good. Service was great. Outdoor seating is loud, but comfortable enough.

Excellent Outlaw burger, BLT. Not a fan of the mahi mahi. Good side dishes. Good beer choices. Slight hard to hear inside.

The food here is always great! The staff could be more attentive.. I did wait for 30 minutes before a server came to take even just our drink order. Lots of seats inside and out. They often have large groups and it can get very loud. They have plenty of heaters outside too. (Only dislike is the dessert, none of us are ever impressed).

Finally ventured to The Back Nine at Pasatiempo. I was motivated to go by their Santa Cruz Burger Week special (I guess paying $18 for a burger seems like a deal any more). The poor guy taking our order didn't even know about burger week or the special. I guess he got permission from the manager to give us the deal. The atmosphere inside might be nicer, but it was such a lovely day we decided to eat on the patio. It's a nice space, unfortunately though the traffic noise is really loud. The burger was good. They make good coleslaw. The fries were pretty ho hum. It looked like a good menu and I'd like to give this place another try sitting inside.

One of our favorite places to go that is close to Scotts Valley. Food is usually very good and the service is good.

Love this place. Their food is exceptional. I wish that their cocktails could be better poured. They are very light & could use some better bartending skills. The hospitality is always good & the atmosphere is relaxing. Other patrons are usually to themselves and not very friendly, but you can't control that. All in all, I'm a repeat customer! 🤘

Food was pretty good. Except the fries. They were like baby left over pieces and old and dry. Coleslaw was really good. Service was good. Prices were ok. Ok been back for meetings now about 6 more times. Food is good, Fries are still tiny left over piece's and over cooked.

Went there for a restaurant week!!! Love the food except the onion rings the onion was too thick.. all in all it was good...

Debbie Pieracci

Food was pretty good. Except the fries. They were like baby left over pieces and old and dry. Coleslaw was really good. Service was good. Prices were ok. Ok been back for meetings now about 6 more times. Food is good, Fries are still tiny left over piece's and over cooked.

Irma B

Went there for a restaurant week!!! Love the food except the onion rings the onion was too thick.. all in all it was good...

The burgers love up to the claim, staff was extremely friendly. A few items requested but we're missed but the staff was busy and did accommodate for the missed things. A very cozy and warm by the fire place experience

Eric Dawson

One of our favorite places to go that is close to Scotts Valley. Food is usually very good and the service is good.

mike mendoza

The burgers love up to the claim, staff was extremely friendly. A few items requested but we're missed but the staff was busy and did accommodate for the missed things. A very cozy and warm by the fire place experience

Service was slow and rude. Food was no better than a 3 - all three dishes. If you see this, keep driving.

We used to go to Back Nine at Pasatiempo all the time when their Happy Hour was 50% off everything. Now they got rid of that and just have some “discounted” appetizers, little to none is actually 50% off like it used to. I understand inflation isn’t the best right now but deleting a great offer like that is the reason myself, a few people I know, and probably many others have stopped coming here. Aside from that, the food is still good, service has always been good for us as we would come during the week on off hours (no rush). And the ambiance is lovely (we’ve only really sat outside, can’t speak for the indoor area.

Shawn Raza

We used to go to Back Nine at Pasatiempo all the time when their Happy Hour was 50% off everything. Now they got rid of that and just have some “discounted” appetizers, little to none is actually 50% off like it used to. I understand inflation isn’t the best right now but deleting a great offer like that is the reason myself, a few people I know, and probably many others have stopped coming here. Aside from that, the food is still good, service has always been good for us as we would come during the week on off hours (no rush). And the ambiance is lovely (we’ve only really sat outside, can’t speak for the indoor area.

The service was great and it's a nice comfortable place. The food was not great. We had a Pepper Steak which tasted like no pepper had been used. It wasn't bad but wasn't good either.

After a day of hiking in the Henry Colwell Park, we were in the mood for some good food and drink. The Back Nine fit the bill with a hardy serving of steaks, potatoes, and vegetables paired with wine and cocktails. However, they hit with a 20% "large group" fee! And this wasn't a mandatory tip... this was an additional fee. We still tipped since our server did a good job and she's doesn't control the restaurant's policies. But taxes, fees, and tips left me with a bitter taste after a pleasant experience. We were a party of six people. I've never been to a restaurant that considers four adults and two kids a large group. If I had known, I would have looked elsewhere.

Isabel the waitress made very difficult to enjoy our expensive dinner experience, she changed the beer we ordered, never brought the cheese for our burgers, charged an extra coke, we ordered our steak well done, it was brought raw, and it took forever to have it back. Yes, all this in more than an hour! Bummer! We recommend the food and not the waitress.

Full disclosure: there was a class reunion happening when we stopped in for lunch. There was 1 wait person, 1 barback and 1 bartender. They were clearly all having a rough day. That said: the wait person was incredibly rude. They made it clear we were inconveniencing them by being there. We waited 20 minutes to have our order taken, and we found the menus ourselves, left on a table by the people who gave up waiting five minutes before that. The food, when it got to the table, was not the standard I would expect for the prices being charged. The asparagus sitting on top of the risotto was wilted and dried out. The onion rings were inedible and obviously came out of a box. The burger was greasy and served dry on a huge bun, and I only received condiments when I had the temerity to ask for them. I realize it's a hotel restaurant. That doesn't mean it can't be good, or that there shouldn't be expectations.

Had to wait an hour and 20 minutes to get something to drink, when the food came, it was called. Had to send some back, when it was returned, it tasted horrible.

Debra Cleaver

Full disclosure: there was a class reunion happening when we stopped in for lunch. There was 1 wait person, 1 barback and 1 bartender. They were clearly all having a rough day. That said: the wait person was incredibly rude. They made it clear we were inconveniencing them by being there. We waited 20 minutes to have our order taken, and we found the menus ourselves, left on a table by the people who gave up waiting five minutes before that. The food, when it got to the table, was not the standard I would expect for the prices being charged. The asparagus sitting on top of the risotto was wilted and dried out. The onion rings were inedible and obviously came out of a box. The burger was greasy and served dry on a huge bun, and I only received condiments when I had the temerity to ask for them. I realize it's a hotel restaurant. That doesn't mean it can't be good, or that there shouldn't be expectations.

I ordered the mushroom risotto and another person ordered the sweet potato fries and coconut shrimp. The risotto was horrible. One massive sticky globby lump. It was like both under and over cooked risotto held together by glue. The sweet potato fries were extremely soft and mushy. How are they in business? Awful

The ribeye steak had no flavor and had so much fat on it. I think maybe because we ordered close to closing time that they rushed to it. It wasn’t very good sadly 😣

Entirely Inflexible to any in resort requests. Great Staff! Horrible service limitations! The Worst Inn Restaurant Ever! They do absolutely nothing to make you feel welcomed! They do not facilitate any special requests! They want the customer to do all the work! They do the bare minimum for a hotel restaurant! They offer no service outside the kitchen! Overpriced and overcooked food! Very small portions! Don't count on them for anything! They are not willing to accommodate anything!

Our first impression was positive--the hostess was delightful and helpful, seating us at a nice table by the window as we rolled our disabled family member into the restaurant. The second hostess was also kind, though unfamiliar with the drink options, but she ensured we received our beverages. Our initial server, who had sleeves, was prompt and knowledgeable about mixed drinks. However, things began to decline once Shelby, our primary server, took over. Shelby asked if we wanted hors d'oeuvres. Initially, we declined, but I quickly corrected us and ordered jumbo shrimp to share. I also requested a straw. Shelby returned much later to take our orders after getting our hors d'oeuvre I requested a straw again after drinking most of my soda. My fiancé ordered for his mother first, requesting fish and chips, followed by my salad, his pulled pork sandwich, and our friend's BBQ chicken. Despite this, Shelby's attitude was cold and dismissive, shocking us with her rolling eyes and snubbing behavior. She rarely checked on us, while attentively serving other tables. Other servers stepped in to assist more than Shelby did. When the hors d'oeuvres finally arrived, my fiancé asked another staff member if the peach sauce was spicy. He was told it wasn't, but after tasting it, both he and his mother experienced intense heat and heartburn. Shortly after, our meals arrived. My salad was beautifully presented, my fiancé's pulled pork sandwich was good, and our friend's BBQ chicken looked appealing. However, Shelby failed to notice she had completely forgotten my mother-in-law's fish and chips. When it eventually arrived, it was clear it had been frozen--the batter was soggy and tasteless, the fries were wretched, and the coleslaw was the only redeemable item. We had to chase Shelby down for condiments like ketchup and vinegar. The restroom situation compounded our frustration. The aisles were too narrow for a wheelchair, making navigation difficult. The unisex bathroom was occupied, and the women's restroom door was too small for the wheelchair. My fiancé had to assist in helping my mother-in-law. Meanwhile, I observed customers repeatedly slamming the unisex bathroom door into an outside bench, creating unnecessary disturbances. After eating, I requested boxes and the check. Shelby brought boxes that were right next to us but failed to bring the check promptly. We waited ten minutes before leaving, except for my fiancé, who waited another ten minutes inside. By the time we were all at the car, the neglectful service made it clear we could've easily left without paying, and no one would've noticed. The experience was appalling. Shelby's dismissive attitude, lack of care, and forgetfulness ruined what should've been an enjoyable meal. While some dishes were satisfactory, the overall experience was disgraceful. We would never return, and I strongly advise others to avoid this restaurant due to Shelby's shameful service.

Nichole Jones

Our first impression was positive--the hostess was delightful and helpful, seating us at a nice table by the window as we rolled our disabled family member into the restaurant. The second hostess was also kind, though unfamiliar with the drink options, but she ensured we received our beverages. Our initial server, who had sleeves, was prompt and knowledgeable about mixed drinks. However, things began to decline once Shelby, our primary server, took over. Shelby asked if we wanted hors d'oeuvres. Initially, we declined, but I quickly corrected us and ordered jumbo shrimp to share. I also requested a straw. Shelby returned much later to take our orders after getting our hors d'oeuvre I requested a straw again after drinking most of my soda. My fiancé ordered for his mother first, requesting fish and chips, followed by my salad, his pulled pork sandwich, and our friend's BBQ chicken. Despite this, Shelby's attitude was cold and dismissive, shocking us with her rolling eyes and snubbing behavior. She rarely checked on us, while attentively serving other tables. Other servers stepped in to assist more than Shelby did. When the hors d'oeuvres finally arrived, my fiancé asked another staff member if the peach sauce was spicy. He was told it wasn't, but after tasting it, both he and his mother experienced intense heat and heartburn. Shortly after, our meals arrived. My salad was beautifully presented, my fiancé's pulled pork sandwich was good, and our friend's BBQ chicken looked appealing. However, Shelby failed to notice she had completely forgotten my mother-in-law's fish and chips. When it eventually arrived, it was clear it had been frozen--the batter was soggy and tasteless, the fries were wretched, and the coleslaw was the only redeemable item. We had to chase Shelby down for condiments like ketchup and vinegar. The restroom situation compounded our frustration. The aisles were too narrow for a wheelchair, making navigation difficult. The unisex bathroom was occupied, and the women's restroom door was too small for the wheelchair. My fiancé had to assist in helping my mother-in-law. Meanwhile, I observed customers repeatedly slamming the unisex bathroom door into an outside bench, creating unnecessary disturbances. After eating, I requested boxes and the check. Shelby brought boxes that were right next to us but failed to bring the check promptly. We waited ten minutes before leaving, except for my fiancé, who waited another ten minutes inside. By the time we were all at the car, the neglectful service made it clear we could've easily left without paying, and no one would've noticed. The experience was appalling. Shelby's dismissive attitude, lack of care, and forgetfulness ruined what should've been an enjoyable meal. While some dishes were satisfactory, the overall experience was disgraceful. We would never return, and I strongly advise others to avoid this restaurant due to Shelby's shameful service.