Opened since 1978 (my birth year) A Watsonville OG establishment that has withstood the hands of time. Can't find a dive bar like this anymore. Food is as delicious as ever 😋

The best bar food you will ever have. This. Place. Is. Awesome!!!! This somewhat dive-y, yet excellent place was packed on a rainy Friday night. We put our name in, but luckily found seats at the bar. What made the night awesome were the PEOPLE and the FOOD. So I'm on a couple personal food missions: 1. Try all 100+ ice cream flavors at Marianne's. I even started a spreadsheet. 2. If clam chowder is on the menu in Santa Cruz County, order it. The clam chowder wasn't thick, white, and creamy. It reminded me of the kind of clam chowder my aunt, or true New Englanders, would make, with a clearer broth. It tasted a lot more gourmet than its surroundings. And the bread it came with was phenomenal. For dinner, I splurged on the onion rings (they came out piping hot!) and the Nickel burger. My hubby got the red snapper verde which came with a side of pasta and he licked his plates clean. The Nickel burger is definitely one of the best burgers in the Bay Area. The bread was nice and chewy, the meat was well-seasoned, and it came overflowing with cheese, mushrooms, bacon, avocado, and SPROUTS (which really made the sandwich). It was just perfectly made and built. The burger came with fries, coleslaw, and a yummy, homemade piece of chocolate cake. I was in love! (They also make a killer club sandwich with homemade roasted turkey, spaghetti and amazeballs meatballs on Wednesdays, and the most affordable ribeye in town!) The regulars welcomed us with open arms and were so kind, cool, and nice. We ended up chatting the whole night. My skinny margaritas were well made (they have a STOCKED bar), they have little bottles of champagne (yes!), and the bartender, Chuy, was friendly and funny. Come for the food, stay for the people!

Marcelo Candido

Amazing and delicious Nickel burger. Bartender friendly and polite. I’ll definitely go back with my entire family.

Mario Jovel

THE WOODEN NICKEL was one of my old hangouts when I lived in Watsonville, CA I just came back to have some breakfast. Great food, conversation and memories!

Christopher Reed

Great bar & grill with delicious food and a fun atmosphere. The staff were friendly, the drinks were good, and the grill items were cooked perfectly. A great place to relax and enjoy a night out!

Edward LeVeque

I had the french dip sandwich. Wife had the fish and chips. Both were delicious and the portions were ample. Both plates were around $20. The atmosphere can be a little loud sometimes but they have a room separate from the bar area which is a little quieter.

Heather Allen

I digged our sassy hip waitress. She was on point, all that, and a bag of chips. My other favorite was the rad bartender, Chewy, and his 80's playlist. I had "Sarah" stuck in my head (Jefferson Starship), a full belly, and a fun buzz when I left. I plan on making this place a regular stop.

Jamie Fend

Pleasantly surprised... The menu is full of all the generic American food you can expect just about anywhere but it is a much superior version of that food. Everything came with a piece of cake that wasn't so great, and coleslaw that also wasn't so great. It was so much food I didn't really want to eat them anyway. The staff were very friendly, it was a very comfortable and homey environment.

Jessica De La Rosa

Everything I've ever ordered here was delicious. I'm new to the area and have gone here plenty of times They were recommended to me by the good people at Cowboys Dinner. Both very fine establishments with great people working for them. Way to go!!!!

+8

TheBayArea.831

Had lunch with friends. Delicious burger. Plenty of leftovers. The Service was excellent.

+1