Tool Man

There’s a reason this place has been in operation 79 years (as of this date- 01/09/2026). Opening in 1947, this place has a storied history, and worldwide notoriety. Everything about this place is magnificent. I walked around it’s multiple levels along the riverbank and never came close to seeing it all. I just hope I can return for more memories from this place. . .

+15

Adam Haas

The moment you walk into this restaurant, you can tell it’s going to be a great experience. They even have drivers who will pick you up if you have a reservation in Dodge cars from the 1950’s for free as part of your reservation… There’s multiple floors and every area throughout the restaurant has a different cool vibe to it. Everything we ordered was amazing and prepared in house. The food was very fresh and well prepared. The service was incredible and you can just tell the culture they have within this restaurant is amazing. It’s rare to find places like this nowadays. Me and my friends had no notes on entire experience and meal.

Tay Costa-Khan

Wow, what a beautiful place! The wine selection was great and so was the steak! Our host was very knowledgeable in wine, and the pairing was the highlight of the meal. The second best thing is the location - omg what a beautiful estate. Each room is unique, intimate, beautiful, romantic. Perfect spot for a sweet date with your boo

Arthur Nguyen

tldr: come here for a nice date night, anniversary, bday, etc. foods a little pricey but worth it due to the beautiful interior, cozy vibe, decent portions, and pretty solid food food: Appetizers: Artichoke soup (5.5): very standard nothing fancy and smaller portion intended for one person (share-ability: not recommended) Baked Brie (9): Really well balanced dish. The green slimy texture might throw some people off but it provides great flavor. it tastes sweeter with a bit of acidity. bread is perfectly buttery and crispy. pastry in the middle is like a brie filled croissant. Mains: Bolognese Tonight’s special Pasta (6.5): It’s a decent serving + good flavor but it won’t blow you away. pretty standard and done well. it also comes with some garlic bread which is almost too crispy/crunchy. Honey Glazed Pork Chop (8.7): Very solid dish. good portions and amazing flavors. I was given crabapples to replace Brussel sprouts and they weren’t my favorite. the seeds in the middle gave an unpleasant hard texture. the mashed potatoes are smooth and have great flavor. they honesty surprised me and were very good. the pork chop had a great sear and tons of flavor. the sauce creates a nice sweet, savory flavor and the pork was cooked perfectly tender. Dessert: Jack Daniel’s Mud Pie (7.2): Coffee, Toffee, Chocolate what’s not to love. the whiskey chocolate sauce is quite strong so be aware. it would be awesome with some tea as the chocolate gets a bit much. Anniversary Truffles (6.5): Very very smooth and pretty dense. tons of flavor in one little ball and it’s pretty hard to eat alone. with a little ice cream it would be chef kiss.

+3

Shi Grissom

This place is like a dream setting. Its almost like a fairy tale restaurant. We went at night and we were able to see all the lights and get a feel for the ambiance. It is pricey but it was a beautiful time. We didn't have a reservation, so we were able to sit in the "first-come, first-served" section and only really waited about 20 minutes for a table by the fireplace. We are definitely going to go back and make a reservation next time.

Gagan G

Cozy vibes with great seating options, both interior (with chandeliers, bar area) and exterior (creekside view). Multistorey restaurant in a wood house as it's built on a hill slope. You can take gondola to up and down. Service was great. Vanilla Caramel Brulee was amazing, perfect aesthetics and presentation, plus the the cream was not too sweet, making it go great with the caramel on top. Also, gnocchi and pasta verano tasted good. Gouda cheese baked potato was good too. Also, the pickup service in vintage car was unique

+2

Joon Park

What a lovely restaurant. We got a complimentary ride from our hotel in their classic vehicle, which was such a fun way to start the evening. The restaurant itself is huge and almost feels like a theme park with its lift and curving staircases. The food was excellent. The ribeye was wonderful with an amazing potato on the side, and the scallops were also outstanding. The desserts and drinks were great, too. Service was very attentive throughout. This is a beautiful place to visit with family or loved ones.

+4

Kimm Dora

This was our first time going here and loved every minute. No one rushed us thru dinner. The waiter was very pleasant and on top of things. We were actually about 45 minutes and were planning on just sitting at the bar, but they were able to seat us right away. Wish it was closer to us so we could a little more often

Awanna Scott

This restaurant was such an amazing experience for my family and me. From the taxi cabs to the tram ride down to the restaurant or the scenic walk down the stairs, it was all magical. We decided to sit on the outside patio instead of the main dining room so we could enjoy food from both menus, and it was the perfect choice. Our server Robert was wonderful, friendly, patient, and really wanted us to have the best experience for our first visit and my husband’s birthday. He made our evening even more special. Everyone we met was kind and helpful, and the food was absolutely delicious. The kids menu was impressive with plenty of great options even for picky eaters. The portions were generous and definitely worth the price. Overall, it was an incredible experience with beautiful views, fantastic food, and excellent service. We’ll definitely be back on our next trip to the Santa Cruise area!

Milena Strong

My husband and I spent our one year wedding anniversary at this restaurant, and it was such a beautiful experience. Taking the tram down to the restaurant was such a unique touch. Every member of the staff was kind and welcoming, and our server Eli went above and beyond to make us feel special. The food was absolutely amazing. My salmon was cooked perfectly. I ordered the Pacific Rim Salmon, and the flavor combination was perfect. My husband is vegan, and his diet was easily accommodated. He absolutely loved his meal. He got the vegetable medley. We will definitely be back and will be requesting Eli as our server again.

Philip Suchikul

A romantic restaurant nestled on a hillside, surrounded by trees and vibrant flowers overlooking Soquel Creek, offers a picturesque dining experience. Just a ten-minute stroll from downtown Capitola, this establishment boasts an exceptional culinary experience. Eli, our attentive server, demonstrated remarkable expertise in his craft, intimately familiar with the entire menu. His recommendations, including Monterey calamari, clam chowder, grilled salmon, and Osso Buco, were delectable and expertly prepared. The beverages, such as the classic Old Fashioned and Manhattan, complemented the dishes flawlessly. The restaurant’s extensive wine list caters to a diverse palate, ensuring an unforgettable wine pairing for each guest. This exceptional dining destination is highly recommended for impressing guests and creating memorable culinary experiences. I anticipate returning on numerous occasions.

+12

Claudia Castillo

Shelly was our server (the kindest woman) for the best birthday dinner I’ve ever had. Shadowbrook is so unique and sometimes with a restaurant with that type of appeal, you worry if the food is going to be good or not. Let me tell you, the food was phenomenal. They make everything in-house. We had the clam chowder- so good. Bacon wrapped prawns were so fresh, I wish they came in a 20 piece option haha. The blackened prime rib and all of the sides were so tasty and cooked to perfection. Their dessert selection is awesome too. It was my first time here as a surprise birthday dinner, but I told my boyfriend I just want to keep coming back here every year for my birthday. If you care about cute, instagrammable fancy drinks— this is not the place. They make classic cocktails in just classic glasses but the drinks are solid. Thank you Shelly for singing me the most wonderful Happy Birthday! She also took a picture of us, printed it out and it comes with a free digital download on their website.

Janelle Stepper

James provided exceptional service to us at Shadowbrook! We stared with cocktails and the calamari. For dinner I had the shrimp scampi and my spouse enjoyed the filet with vegetables. We had some wine with dinner and finished up the night with the chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream. The vibe to the restaurant was amazing and I recommend taking the gondola down to the restaurant. My one suggestion would be for the restaurant to have a wider wine by the glass selection. Be prepared to spend $50+ a person, and to have an incredible evening! Will definitely be back again.

+2

Patricia Wong

A restaurant that lives up to its reputation by giving us just the first impression. It was our first visit with my husband and family from New York who requested to dine here after watched from YouTube. This restaurant is a landmark in Capitola, very popular for romantic dinner and special occasions. I was not expecting anything in the first place, but then the ambiance, the interiors and exteriors of the building, the scenery, the service as we stepped in to the end of the dinner, the quality of the food, and the reasonable prices truly surprisingly affordable, everything was amazing. Everyone loved the food, we even talked about it afterwards. I want to highlight my main course: Honey glazed bone-in pork chop with sweet potato puree, roasted brussels, it was tender and flavorful, with the right amount of sweet and savory, a must have meat entrée. My dessert was Jack Daniel's Mud Pie, Marianne's coffee crunch ice cream with whisky chocolate sauce, to me, it was a perfect ending of a dinner. Next time when we are going to Capitola, Santa Cruz or Monterey, I definitely would book ahead to let ourselves dine in this remarkable restaurant again.

+4

Moe K

Shadowbrook is such a unique and beautiful place, the atmosphere alone makes it worth the visit. Our server, Andrew, was fantastic. He had a great personality, was attentive without being over the top, and really made the whole evening smooth and enjoyable. We tried the Salad Special, Salmon Cakes, Grilled Salmon, and the Butcher’s Filet. Everything was delicious. The salad was super fresh and flavorful, the salmon cakes had a nice crisp with a rich taste, and both main dishes were cooked perfectly. The steak was tender and full of flavor, and the salmon was spot-on with a buttery sauce that tied everything together. Overall, it was a great experience, amazing setting, great food, and excellent service. Definitely a spot I’d go back to.

+4

Zach Carlson

This restaurant was absolutely amazing! The food was super delicious and high quality. The staff was amazing, and our server Jonah was great! I’ve been to many fancy steak restaurants, and they never live up to expectations, this place does. I highly recommend it. And the prices were very reasonable for that type of establishment. We got there around 6pm and were lucky to get a good spot on the patio right away.

+5

Alex S

This place is awesome. An actual hidden gem! We had a wonderful lunch here and cannot wait to go back for dinner. They nailed everything from start to finish. The hostess delivered great service, and that carried over to the bar tender and our server. The cocktails were delicious and the food was excellent. The calamari alone is worth a visit to this restaurant. Best I've ever had. The pizzas are also shockingly tasty. We went for the more unusual topping combinations and both were flavor explosions! This place is a must visit.

We had the lobster tail and beef Wellington. We also had two appetizers. Excellent food. The tram was pretty cool,too. And there was plenty of parking. . Definitely a special occasion restaurant!

We had the lobster tail and beef Wellington. We also had two appetizers. Excellent food. The tram was pretty cool,too. And there was plenty of parking. . Definitely a special occasion restaur…

We had the lobster tail and beef Wellington. We also had two appetizers. Excellent food. The tram was pretty cool,too. And there was plenty of parking. . Definitely a special occasion restaurant!

We can't say enough about the food, service, and the wonderful ambiance! We haven't been there in a while and it's nice to see everything is just as amazing as it had always been. For special occas…

We can't say enough about the food, service, and the wonderful ambiance! We haven't been there in a while and it's nice to see everything is just as amazing as it had always been. For special occas…

We can't say enough about the food, service, and the wonderful ambiance! We haven't been there in a while and it's nice to see everything is just as amazing as it had always been. For special occas…

This has been my favorite restaurant for at least 30 years! The atmosphere is amazing...The food is unsurpassed... but those are not the reasons this place is so awesome. The service is unbelievabl…

Went for a birthday dinner - fantastic experience! The service we received was so wonderful and accommodating, and the food was delicious. The outside waiting area where the trolley lets out coul…

Had an early dinner reservation to this place, recommended by a friend. The restaurant is impressive, taking a trolley down from the free parking, past their exterior garden. Business casual dress …

Great views from this restaurant & food was on point. Recommend reserving in advance since reservations can be hard to get. Love that they have a parking lot & NOT taking the stairs is a must!

I adore this restaurant! I have been coming for decades, just for drinks in recent years. Last week we went for my birthday dinner. The dining rooms are enchanting, the service excellent, and fo…

I adore this restaurant! I have been coming for decades, just for drinks in recent years. Last week we went for my birthday dinner. The dining rooms are enchanting, the service excellent, and food …

I adore this restaurant! I have been coming for decades, just for drinks in recent years. Last week we went for my birthday dinner. The dining rooms are enchanting, the service excellent, and food …

This place is a must for a Capitola visit. So unique! The food and service were top notch! The ride in the funicular was so cool!

This was the perfect spot to celebrate our anniversary. The waiters are helpful and attentive, but not overbearing. The food is excellent. The chef was good to give our waiter feedback to help me a…

We went for a couple of drinks and then stayed for appetizers. The staff was fantastic, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was enchanted, and the price was fair. Went for a drink and had an adv…

We went for a couple of drinks and then stayed for appetizers. The staff was fantastic, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was enchanted, and the price was fair. Went for a drink and had an adv…

We went for a couple of drinks and then stayed for appetizers. The staff was fantastic, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was enchanted, and the price was fair. Went for a drink and had an adv…

Magical place! Take the funicular down through breathtaking gardens to the recent. Not only is the physical structure amazingly beautiful, the food and drinks equally impressive. A must do in Capi…

One of our favorite restaurants! We live out of town but like to make a weekend trip for special occasions and come to Shadowbrook. The view and atmosphere are perfect, and the food is delicious! R…

I only have good things to say about this restaurant! It is beautiful! The environment has this fairytale vibe because the restaurant used to be a log cabin. There are stairs down to the restaurant…

Always enjoy this restaurant. Definitely want to make a reservation to reduce the wait time, but worth it.

First time experiencing Shadowbrook for a friend's birthday. The staff were all super friendly and attentive. The wait even with a reservation is lengthy. The food was ok. The atmosphere and scenery make up for anything that lacked elsewhere. Want to come during the day to really see the views.

Bryce Stejskal

The food was phenomenal. The service, also phenomenal. Reservation process... Well we didn't have a table for us and there was a bit of waiting after our reservation time. So why 4 stars? The food was good, great even, but I have had meals this good and high end for a fair bit less. This place was very expensive. $55 for a six small nuggets/bites of steak, like 10 green beans, and potatoes that amounted to a light sauce not actually a side of potatoes. The clam chowder side was an additional $15 or so. Same with a salad. $70 for one person doesn't break the bank, but lots of places give you just as good food and more of it for less. I would expect the food to be life changing at that price point and served quantity. It was a fun experience but I think it was a one-and-done for me. The order-at-the-counter Mexican place we went to the day before left me more satisfied with the deliciousness of the food vs cost. That was a life changing chimichunga, was less than $20 a person, and I left full. I get charging more for a beautiful experience but, that only goes so far.

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn't live up to the ambiance.\n\nThe prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington was mor…

First off I would like to say I was so excited about going here because of all the videos and the publicity. I made a reservation months in advance. I think even six months in advance something crazy…

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn't live up to the ambiance.\n\nThe prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington was m…

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn't live up to the ambiance.\n\nThe prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington w…

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn't live up to the ambiance.\n\nThe prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington was m…

First off I would like to say I was so excited about going here because of all the videos and the publicity. I made a reservation months in advance. I think even six months in advance something cra…

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn't live up to the ambiance.\n\nThe prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington was m…

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn't live up to the ambiance.\n\nThe prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington was…

Perfect spot for date night, family gathering, corporate event, and many more!\nI celebrated my birthday dinner at Shadowbrook and I loved lamb strak the best. \nShrimp scampi was blend for my tast…

Service was great ! Had the blackened peppercorn prime rib. They also give the celebrant a complimentary photo after singing happy bday. Overall wifey, kids and sister loved the experience.

service was great ! Had the blackened peppercorn prime rib. They also give the celebrant a complimentary photo after singing happy bday. Overall wifey, kids and sister loved the experience.

We arrived at about 5-5:30pm on Saturday with no reservation and were able to find seating for two on their first-come-first-serve outdoor deck. The heaters above every table were so nice and cozy …

I wasn't wowed by this place at all... I came here for the first time and brought my boyfriend to celebrate his birthday. We waited in the bar room while our table was being set up for our reservat…

Was expecting a lot…not sure if it really lived up to the hype. I ordered the pasta with shrimp and my dish was good. The pasta was handmade and fresh and the shrimp was cooked well. My husb…

Was expecting a lot…not sure if it really lived up to the hype. I ordered the pasta with shrimp and my dish was good. The pasta was handmade and fresh and the shrimp was cooked well. My husband …

Was expecting a lot…not sure if it really lived up to the hype. I ordered the pasta with shrimp and my dish was good. The pasta was handmade and fresh and the shrimp was cooked well. My husband and …

The atmosphere and overall look and feel of the place is stunning and cozy. However, the food has a lot of room for improvements. It took forever for us to get our plates, and the food quantities made it feel like a sample (not an entree). All in all, the overall wait was really long. Not because there weren’t tables available, but because the hostess forgot to mention that we could go grab tables at the garden room right away. Instead we waited 2h for a table somewhere else before the hostess realized we could go to the Garden Room 🤦‍♀️

I want start by Monica was the best and the young man that help us at the bar was great, the drinks and the chips was great. I order prime rib 12oz, when I got my prime rib I looked and saw t…

Ambience and food are great. Cocktail experience was poor with lots of bartending 101 errors. It’s a shame when restaurants focus all their attention on the food and yet a poor cocktail experience ca…

Historic but needs a refresh. Food was overcooked had the lobster and salmon. Sides are ordinary. The server was great though. Would not go back

The restaurant and ambiance was great. The food was a little lack luster for the price, but the service was top notch. The view was fantastic.

We have been coming here for over 20 years and were very disappointed on our recent visit for lunch in the Rock Room. Slow - and incorrect - service. Small portions. High prices. At least they have…

Despite having a reservation, we still had to wait. The space has a lovely rustic charm, but the food didn’t live up to the ambiance. The prime rib was undercooked, and the Beef Wellington was more like an empanada-style pastry than the traditional dish. The salmon was the standout—slightly overcooked but flavorful, with a nice subtle heat and a good pairing with the wasabi purée. The piña colada was overly sweet, heavy on the liquor, and poorly balanced. Dessert was underwhelming: grainy crème brûlée with an overly thick sugar crust, and an average cheesecake. Overall, I had higher expectations and left disappointed.

We have been going here for years and never had food like this. They need a new chef. There was a long wait for our food. The salmon was mushy with no seasoning and some gross stuff under the f…

We have been going here for years and never had food like this. They need a new chef. There was a long wait for our food. The salmon was mushy with no seasoning and some gross stuff under the fis…

We have been going here for years and never had food like this. They need a new chef. There was a long wait for our food. The salmon was mushy with no seasoning and some gross stuff under the fish.…

We have been going here for years and never had food like this. They need a new chef. There was a long wait for our food. The salmon was mushy with no seasoning and some gross stuff under the fish. I…