Ryan Cress

The taco bar catered our wedding so this place holds a special place for us. Been eating here for 20+ years and they’ve stayed pretty consistent. We did miss Lucy this time. ❤️

Will Scott

Fantastic! Located in the historic Palomar Hotel lobby, with original hand painted mural and ceiling, this is a Santa Cruz experience not to be missed. Wonderful food and service makes this a true gem.

Wook Chung

Palomar is so "underrated" in my opinion. The place is not too visible as it is in the inner side of the Palomar Inn. And yes, it has some awkwardly high ceilings and interior, which I don't think it does justice to the restaurant. I know they are going for the authentic Mexican vibe but perhaps it is too outdated even for Mexican standards. Now the food. Absolutely fabulous. Fish tacos were great. Fajitas with chicken were well flavored and tender. And those tortilla/nacho chips you get for free... oh my god. Even the churros were extra crispy and done right. This place is a hidden jewel in Santa Cruz. We will return.

We sat at the bar and Luis was our bartender. The margaritas were amazing. The tacos were delicious. We had the best time. Luis was attentive, made one of the best margaritas I've had and in general,…

We sat at the bar and Luis was our bartender. The margaritas were amazing. The tacos were delicious. We had the best time. Luis was attentive, made one of the best margaritas I've had and in genera…

We were in town from TX and had a craving for mexican food. So we decided to visit here. We were seated immediately with good service. We had 8 guests in all, but our food came out quick and go…

We were in town from TX and had a craving for Mexican food. So we decided to visit here. We were seated immediately with good service. We had 8 guests in all, but our food came out quick and good. …

We were in town from TX and had a craving for mexican food. So we decided to visit here. We were seated immediately with good service. We had 8 guests in all, but our food came out quick and good. …

Yummy! Bloody Mary's, nachos, best salsa and I think they have new chips. Thinner and lighter.

Always excellent mexican food. I love the ambience. Especially outdoors. It's kind of a gazebo garden type atmosphere which is really pretty. The food was delicious. Always is. No surprises. A Sant…

Always excellent Mexican food. I love the ambience. Especially outdoors. It's kind of a gazebo garden type atmosphere which is really pretty. The food was delicious. Always is. No surprises. A Sa…

Amazing food, great service, and great drinks. Highly recommend. \nStaff is super friendly and fast service.

The taco bar side of this location is a gem. Simple menu, amazing quality food, and most of all a friendly hardworking staff. Never change!

The food was authentic Mexican cuisine! You can taste the difference. This was amazing. The service was also excellent without being bothersome. The ambiance was lively. The only negative was the s…

All good. Very good service. Food is solid and reasonable value for money. Large portions. Nothing fancy. Good basic California- Mexican food. Great ambience if you like walls, floors and ceilings …

All good. Very good service. Food is solid and reasonable value for money. Large portions. Nothing fancy. Good basic California- Mexican food. Great ambience if you like walls, floors and ceilings …

Very good Mexican option in downtown Santa Cruz, full-service seating options both indoors or in the bar/covered patio area are nice, service was a bit short-staffed but still efficient and friendly.…

Very good Mexican option in downtown Santa Cruz, full-service seating options both indoors or in the bar/covered patio area are nice, service was a bit short-staffed but still efficient and frien…

The service was exceptional. They had two bowls of chips, two salsas, and waters placed on the table within 1 minute of us being seated. Waiter was prompt, several others checked on us throughout t…

Exceeded expectations. I was a bit put off by the low Yelp score, but I gave them a try anyway. I'm glad I did. The strips of steak were very good. chips tasted extremely fresh and the supply of c…

Our fave Mexican restaurant in town. Homemade tortillas , fresh ingredients, great ambience and fine service. Love their fish tacos, ceviche, margaritas, etc. We’ve been going here for decades. Plu…

Our fave Mexican restaurant in town. Homemade tortillas , fresh ingredients, great ambience and fine service. Love their fish tacos, ceviche, margaritas, etc. We’ve been going here for decades. P…

Our fave mexican restaurant in town. Homemade tortillas , fresh ingredients, great ambience and fine service. Love their fish tacos, ceviche, margaritas, etc. We’ve been going here for decades. Plu…

Awesome mexican food! We were at a benefit concert where they brought in food from this restaurant. We had the chicken fajitas, chile verde with rice, beans, and flour tortillas. Great food, I w…

We always eat at Palomars when visiting family in Santa Cruz. Unique mexican food not found at other establishments. Large portions well prepared. Chimichanga had fajita filling inside. Really enj…

This was our first time and the food and atmosphere were very good. However, the service was slow. It took a while to get a menu, drinks, or appetizers. The food was delicious, especially the guacamole. Next time, we'll sit in the quieter section as it was difficult to hear each other over the din (it was a Friday!) Both sides of the restaurant are well designed, but one is bright and noisy and the other is dark and more quiet.

A.F.

Food was good and service was great! I also loved the indoor and outdoor ambiance.

Lake FX (Frost)

The quality of the food is very consistent did not get a five-star on food because the pricing seems rather High . Service is usually decent nothing detrimental to the experience. Auditory Atmosphere is a bit of a challenge in the main dining room the ceiling is very high and there is a high echo in the bar is the same situation and it also when open the Taqueria is also quite noisy

Anirud Pande

I visited El Palomar on a late Saturday afternoon, and it had a great vibe right from the start. The restaurant has a strong Mexican feel to it—the architecture and interior design really add to the atmosphere. Although the outdoor seating looks nice, I found the indoor area to be much more comfortable and inviting. We ordered the vegetarian quesadillas, vegetarian burrito, enchiladas de camarones (shrimp), and chicken fajitas, along with horchata to drink. The food was tasty and arrived quickly—within 10 to 15 minutes of ordering. Overall, it was a great experience with good food, fast service, and a welcoming setting. I’d definitely come back!

+10

Ray Marquardt

Excellent food, but it takes a while to get to you. Was there on Friday night, so it was very busy. Was still seated and our order was taken quickly, but a very long wait for the food, and then a very long wait for the bill. At least they give you chips to eat while you wait. Vegetarian section of the menu was clearly marked, and they have excellent desserts as well.

Everything tasted fresh and full of flavor. You can tell the ingredients are quality and the recipes are authentic. A great spot for real mexican food--simple, satisfying, and delicious.

Horrible - The $14 House margarita was clearly ordered as No salt, but arrived With salt. We declined it and staff finally returned with no salt on glass rim, but marg had a very very salty taste. …

I have been going here my whole life and always loved the environment, fresh chips, and great flavor. The food is generally pretty consistent and almost always tastes good. The staff is not always …

Sadly the quality of the food is not what it once was. The service was fine. Perhaps they are choosing cheaper quality ingredients. The chips and our dishes were OILY!!! It is unfortunate as El Palom…

Sadly the quality of the food is not what it once was. The service was fine. Perhaps they are choosing cheaper quality ingredients. The chips and our dishes were OILY!!! It is unfortunate as El P…

Sadly the quality of the food is not what it once was. The service was fine. Perhaps they are choosing cheaper quality ingredients. The chips and our dishes were OILY!!! It is unfortunate as El Pal…

Sadly the quality of the food is not what it once was. The service was fine. Perhaps they are choosing cheaper quality ingredients. The chips and our dishes were OILY!!! It is unfortunate as El Pal…

The restaurant is located A little hidden in the shopping area down town. The prices are 20-30 $ for an maincourse. We got good service. The portions Are large. The food tasted very good and We had…

The restaurant is located A little hidden in the shopping area down town. The prices are 20-30 $ for an maincourse. We got good service. The portions Are large. The food tasted very good and We had…

The restaurant is located A little hidden in the shopping area down town. The prices are 20-30 $ for an maincourse. We got good service. The portions Are large. The food tasted very good and We had…

Sean P. Cunningham

Went here while visiting Santa Cruz. Read the reviews and wanted to visit downtown. The food was fine and chips and salsa we not to our likening. Tht guacamole tasted unfortunately like it was from Costco. Had chicken fajitas which had plenty of chicken. My wife had shrimp 🍤 taco and chicken 🍗 taco. The tortilla's we're good... The food unfortunately did not live up to other reviews in my opinion. Food presentation was well done. I felt the price point was on the high side...

+2

3.5 stars. We were looking for a spot to eat after doing a hike at Henry Cowell and found this place tucked away on the main street. After not being able to get in at a few other spots, this place di…

One of our go to spots for Mexican food when we were in college. We usually would grab tacos and burritos from the cantina side. This was my first time sitting in the restaurant. The service was gr…

El Palomar is honestly hit or miss. The chips when served hot and the salsa are so good and probably one of the biggest reasons you go to El Palomar. You don't go to El Palomar for the dated and da…

It's not great. It's used to be better. Now they have raised the price of everything. Nothing comes included - extra charge for everything. Margaritas are watery and way over priced. Honestly u…

The atmosphere and look of the restraunt is really nice. However, the food is not good. The homemade tortillas, no flavor. The rice and beans, bland. The carne asada tacos, blah. The sopes (which I was looking forward to), not good! The flavors just weren't there. $71 for 2 plates that were not worth it. The food isn't disgusting, but it's not worth what they are charging. It took a long time for our food to come as well.

Ju Do

We visited yesterday as a party of two and spent approximately $90. The food was mediocre—certainly not reflective of the price. The steak was overcooked, and overall the dishes were rather greasy. Service was the main disappointment. There were long wait times, and staff appeared unfriendly throughout our visit. The atmosphere became noticeably colder when no tip was left. The ambiance initially seemed appealing, but upon closer inspection, the interior feels dated and the space is quite noisy, making conversation difficult. Overall, this experience did not meet expectations, and we would not return.

S S

It's fine. Just over priced for what you get. Much better mexican food can be found in Santa Cruz for less money and nicer service.

Food is not good here. Don't go! I've decided to give it a try but the food isn't tasty at all. A lot of waiters, makes it seem like this restaurant is just money laundering business

food is not good here. Don't go! I've decided to give it a try but the food isn't tasty at all. A lot of waiters, makes it seem like this restaurant is just money laundering business