Cafe Brasil

This is a casual eatery that makes one feel that they have stepped into a cafe in Brazil, with all the bright-colored walls and artworks. Even the exterior walls of the house are painted with the colors of the Brazilian flag. The staff were all very friendly. We got there on a weekday a little bit after noon and had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. We tried the A Madeira top sirloin steak with sautéed mushrooms in a creamy Madeira wine sauce, muquecas with baby shrimp (cooked in a tomato sauce with coconut milk, palm oil, and green pepper), a small bowl of feijoada (black bean stew with sausages), and Aipim Frito (fried yucca). The steak and shrimp dishes came with rice, farofa (fried cassava flour with some onions) and salad. Taking a bite of the rice and farofa together gives the rice a lot of complexity in flavor and texture. Everything was very tasty, especially with their house spicy sauce (not in the bottles on the tables). The freshly squeezed watermelon juice was good but a little overpriced. Overall it was a great experience trying out Brazilian food rather than those served in a typical Brazilian steakhouse.

I came in for breakfast, the morning was bright, But something about it just didn’t feel right. The menus were sticky, the tables had grime, The walls needed wiping, the floors needed time. The food? It was fine — not the worst, not the best, No seasoning sang, it just sat there and guessed. It wasn’t offensive, but nothing to cheer, And way too expensive for toast and eggs here. The parking’s out back, but the lot’s pretty tight, You’ll circle around or just give up the fight. The vibe could be cozy, with just a few tweaks — Like cleaning the corners and wiping the seats. So three stars from me, for a meal that was plain, Not awful, not great — just a bit of a drain. It filled me, sure, but I won’t rush back in… Next time I’ll go find a better begin.

They made us go in a waitlist even though there were plenty of open tables both inside and outdoors. The food was pretty basic, the crab felt dry and not as fresh and finally the smoothies were made with powder fruit. Not recommended.

We went here Saturday for lunch and we waited less than ten minutes. We were going to Seymour Marine Center, so when we pass by here the place looked packed, so we decided to give it a try if the wait wasn't long. When we sat down, our drink order was taken right away. I got the matte Chai which was delicious. My son ordered sprite, but they ran out. My husband ordered a beer, but they ran out. The food came in less than twenty minutes after ordering. My son's plate was a huge amount for a kids menu. My husband's beef cavalo tasted good just needed some salt. I ordered the gallo pinto and it tasted good. I would go back and try other things. The parking is limited

Café Brasil is the perfect stop for a taste of authentic Brazilian home cooking and a quick, satisfying breakfast before heading to the scenic beaches of Santa Cruz. Don’t miss out on their house specials—they’re full of flavor and heart.

Ive been working in restaurant as for about 4 years. Cafe Brasil is one of the best brunch/breakfast I’ve ever had! The place is a beautiful Brazil styled Cafe. I started with one of their green smoothies and it was just what I needed after a long night out. Then I ordered one of their chicken plates and it comes with beans,rice and fries or side salad all at a really reasonable price. Everyrthing was delicious and my Brothers and I loved everything. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a good breakfast or smoothie place.

I have being to Cafe Brazil for about 10 years now and I have never being disappointed. Very consistent and just enough ingredients to all dishes. The best fusion of American breakfast with some amazing breakfast creation with Brazilian touch and nevertheless with original Brazilian dishes for lunch.

I’ve been a loyal customer of Café Brazil for the past 12 years, and it still feels like home every time I go. A Brazilian friend first introduced me to this place, telling me she used to come here whenever she missed home because the food reminded her so much of Brazil. As a vegetarian, I can’t speak to the traditional Brazilian dishes, but I absolutely love their brunch options. The menu has a great variety with plenty of vegetarian choices — my go-to is always the Greek scramble. Their juices and açaí are also amazing. The colorful, welcoming atmosphere combined with the consistently kind and attentive staff makes this café a Santa Cruz staple. Whether you’re local or just visiting, Café Brazil is definitely a spot worth knowing and going to!

I'm literally obsessed with the drinks here and I'm glad they have other dairy/milk alternatives because i certainly didn't want whole milk in my smoothie. Speechless ... these smoothies taste so fresh and so good and the fruit is just sweet and juicy. They are pricey when you add a non dairy milk and togo- as they charge extra to take to-go and if you use a different milk which is odd but everything is 5-stars, so much I came back two days in a row for a smoothie. I've met a few locals over time and they've always talked this place up and I'm glad I randomly had to give a presentation five minutes away because I just so happen to be right by it when I had time for a quick lunch in Santa Cruz. Highly recommend any smoothie. 10/10 Now the food, crab and spinach mozzarella omelette~ Wowwwwww! I started eating this in the car and I couldnt stop and the bread was so soft and fresh, I could tell it was freshly baked with a special Brazilian touch. Ask for the hot sauce to accompany your potatoes, I mixed it with ketchup and it added the perfect amount of heat + added another flavor profile to the dish. Also the potatoes were a nice surprise as I had no idea it came with it. I added hot sauce sparingly on the omelette with each bite because the cashier did say it was too spicy for him. It is a pretty big portion and worth the cost as well. I ate half and ate the other half the next day, so it lasted. I def recommend dipping the bread in the hollandaise which was super fresh, you could tell they made it to order and it was really warm and they were not stingy at all with it like some places barely put any on your eggs. The place is super colorful and tropical and all around 5/5 service, everyone smiles, super welcoming and everyone is so nice and helpful. I can't wait to return.

The service on the Patio was fantastic!!! I love the outdoor seating area! Giselle was our server and was super helpful with the menu. We tried several different things including the plantain which were sweet goodness! 5 stars!!!

This food was really great however I'm sad to say that the service left me feeling very invalidated and dismissed to the point where I don't see myself coming back here. My girlfriend and I drove an hour to come here on great recommendations by a good friend of mine. We went to order food and sat down. Once we sat down, a waiter came by and told us that we were not allowed to sit in the restaurant. They said that it was because we ordered it from the front desk as opposed to sitting down and ordering from there. Keep in mind, there wasn't explicit signage saying that this was their policy and the front desk person didn't let us know about this. The staff and manager said that "this is just our policy, if we made an exception, we'd have to do this for everyone." This was after he had conceded that they could have done a better job communicating this. (Keep in mind, all we wanted to do was just to sit inside while eating and there were plenty of open tables) as a business owner myself, there are times when I need to be firm but also times when I need to take responsibility for my mistakes as a business owner. I am not looking for a free meal, I am not looking for any compensation. I would just like the owners to please be better with their communication so that very eager new comers don't leave feeling dismissed and invalidated.

Had a wonderful time at Cafe Brasil with my friends for brunch om the weekend. We went around lunch and there was no wait for a party of 3. I am not familiar the menu but the workers were very patient and kind when explaining and making recommendations regarding their dishes. We ordered the mixed Maquecas and the Feijoada Completa. Both disges were pretty good but I liked the feijoaea more and would recommend it! The only reason why not 5 star is simply bc I wasn't blown awa by the food or anything but that may be more of a personal taste preference. Definitely still wortha try for anybody reading!

For every visit to Santa Cruz, Cafe Brasil is a must visit for me. I have been visiting this place for more than a decade and the food and service is consistently good. I used to come for only the Acai bowls(best one yet), but overtime I have learned to love their meals. They have a wide variety, but my favorite is the la Madeira( beef with a side of mushroom cooked in Madeira wine sauce) the meat is flavorful and the combination of the sauce, rice, beef and farofa is the perfect combo. Healthy, delicious and nicely portioned. The salad is a great addition to my meal and I especially love eating the heart of palms with their italian dressing. Their acai bowl is a must! The private parking is tiny and cramped, I recommend parking in the residential area and walking there. The indoor and outdoor seating is small as well so the wait time is shorter if you come at an odd time.

Cafe brasil is a popular brunch spot among the locals. There is a wait time if you come during prime time, but you can check you and your party in through app before arriving and this will save you so much time! Be sure to check in at the front once you arrive. Servers are friendly and patient. I was not a huge fan of the two dishes I tried, one was a chicken stroganoff that looked like butter chicken. It was creamy but it was too sweet for my liking. I also tried the mixed seafood stew, I wasn't a huge fan but it is a hearty and healthy meal. I also tried their mixed juices and it was decent, I can appreciate that they don't add additional sugar to it. Was refreshing and free of artificial taste

We were nearby and popped in for lunch. Parked in the back lot. We were seated inside. Waitstaff is friendly and food came out quick. Food: Plantains: $10 4/5 good but some could have been cooked longer. Churrasco: 16.75 4/5 tasty sandwich filled with melty cheese, tomato and beef. Cavalo beef: 18.25 4/5 big plate of rice, beans, beef with stir fried veggies. Tasty. Acai bowl: 13.25 5/5 excellent! Not super sweet like other places. Lots of granola. The bowl was overflowing and was hard to eat without dropping the fruit and granola everywhere. Cut little spot.

My husband and I waiting for 40 minutes which is no problem if the food is amazing, but it was not. I got the chicken Madeira and my husband got the steak acavolo. His steak was well done and tasted like liver, my food was grilled chicken with cream of mushroom and rice. We both got smoothies and they were just ok, the customer service was great. Staff was super friendly but food was basic and not good at all. Overall if I was in area agin I would try another place.

Love this local restaurant in Santa Cruz. This long time local restaurant is perfect for brunch. The restaurant has plenty of tables inside and outside. The menu is authentic with many brunch dishes. I had the Veggie Cocota, which is amazing! I highly recommend it. The sauce was excellent and the bread was perfect for the breakfast. I will totally come back again!

Please let me know if the original kielbasa ever comes available again. ! Solid food always but still dreaming of that sausage.

First Impressions - I love the colors here. Everything is so vibrant and welcoming! And the staff here are super friendly. We had a short wait before being seated, and then we ordered our food, which came out in good time. Overall, the food could have used a little bit more spices, or just something to expand the flavor profile. Here's what we got: Fried Plantians Amazing! Soft with a slight crunch and a delicate fresh plantain taste. Definitely our favorite item we ordered. Avocado A Cavalo-Bread needs to be toasted, kinda plain with no seasoning. Exactly what you see on the menu and nothing else. It was very similar to an eggs Benedict or an avocado toast. Good but could be better Veggie Cocota-The poached egg was cooked really well, as were the mushrooms and spinach, but the sauce flavor was slightly off putting. A little goes very well with the eggs, but if you put too much on then all you taste is the sauce. Rancheros- Just beans, tortilla and eggs. Good but again just what you see on the menu with no fun spices to elevate it. Simple, yet tasty. We also got a side of their house made hot sauce. Be warned the spice isn't too intense, but it comes at you quick and hard. Luckily the spice goes as quickly as it comes so it's not all you taste while you eat. Overall, this was a fun restaurant to try something fun and different. I would recommend a stop here if you want to get out of your breakfast rut. The food here is good, (while it could admittedly use some flavor profile boosts) and the atmosphere is amazing. A great place to come with family.

Tried this spot for the first time about a year ago and came back again while visiting Santa Cruz. Love this spot. Amazing food, and the service is exceptional. All the employees are friendly and always recommend the best options. We got their classic acai bowl again from previous experience and it never seems to disappoint! Also ordered the Omelette Aracaju and Beef a Cavelo. Both entrees tasted great and the beef was cooked very well. Would definitely come back here again!

The food here it's very authentic! ( I am Brazilian) . The service it's super nice and ambience it's 100% Brazilian. Very laid back but with quality food. I can't wait to go back!

Santa Cruz hot spot for breakfast. Put yourself on the Yelp waitlist to bypass the line. It is in a house and it is small inside. I don't know how many tables they had inside but it was super loud. All conversations seem to bounce off the wall. Not a quiet place at all. We had the Omelette Mexicano and the Huevos Rancheros. The food was filling, however the dishes were pretty similar flavors. The beans were good and the baguettes were soft. I wish it had more veggies. There is a small lot with 5 parking spaces. Your best bet is to park on the street. Good to try something new but I would say Linda's Seabreeze and Harbor Cafe are my top spots.

We don't often see Brazilian food served as restaurant fare from the South Bay, so this was a welcome dive into the cuisine. The Coxinha de Galinha were super gooey and melty. Personally, I liked that, and the flavor was richly savory; however, the amount of chicken filling was little, and I needed some of my salad to help balance out the richness. As for the codfish muquecas, I'm not sure if I just ordered the wrong thing, as the cod was a little dry and tough. The vegetables themselves were good, but sauce itself left flavor to be desired. Ultimately, I had to say that the best part of my entree was the salad, as that dressing was delightfully light yet sweet and acidic. We waited around 40 minutes to eat here, and the servers were delightful and kind. It could be easy to miss the turn into this restaurant, but there is some parking available.

Came here on a Sunday around 11 AM for brunch as a party of 4. There was a little bit of a wait, but it wasn't too long. They have indoor and outdoor seating options available. I haven't had brazilian food aside from going to steakhouses so I wanted to try one of the items that I thought was pretty popular based off of the pictures and reviews. I had ordered the Mixed Seafood Muquecas. At first it was alright, but it was much better with the house made hot sauce. It kind of reminds me of a seafood curry. ~~Parking: They have a very small parking lot in the back of the cafe. There weren't any spots when we arrived but we were able to find street parking and walk over. ~~Service: Great, the servers were very kind and explained some of the items that we were not familiar with. ~~Tips: Ask for their housemade hot sauce!! It's pretty good! Actually spicy with an after taste of tabasco. ~~Return: Probably.

Got seated right away when arriving 15min on Sunday and didn't notice wait at all while dining. Since lots of review rave about their acai bowl, we ordered a small one just to try but it turned out to be quite tiny for $11.95. Same thing for the banana pancake $11.25 for 1 and comes with just 5 slices of bananas. I wouldn't recommend their feijaoda if you don't like black bean stew. If you just want to try, just order it as side for $5.75. Seafood muquecas is ok but lack punch so we fix it with their secret homemade hot sauce (a little sour, not garlicky but very spicy). I wish the rice and farofa is separated from the stew tho. Since I don't like black beans, I ordered breakfast version of beef a cavalo which comes with fried potatoes + cheese instead of sautéed onion, green peppers. Meat is a little tough but maybe that's just the Brazilian way. Bumping my rating up to 4* because service was great. They even let us pick some persimmon in the parking lot.

Food was amazing and authentic. Very friendly and chill staff. I would come back here. I wish they had the cheese bread on the menu though!

Beef A Cavalo 3 over easy eggs, steak too chewy, bread, tomato, mozzarella, potato Crab Meat Fritada 3 sautéed crab meat, onions, potatoes, mozzarella, hollandaise sauce, can't taste the crab, not flavorful Acerola 3 Amazon cherry, banana, strawberry, orange juice, slightly sour

We love it! We've been coming here for years and their authentic Brazilian food is always delicious and their quality homogeneous. Amazing servers and atmosphere!

Ok folks how about a real local treat for you in Santa Cruz? Breakfast is a big deal here and worth the effort. Effort? Well parking can be challenging. The small lot in the back is semi difficult to maneuver especially if there are a few F150 pickups parked. In front you're actually on HW1 commercial heading up towards the coast - restaurant is only a few miles from the 17/ HWY 1 interchange, very convenient. So I met a friend who was coming down from Half Moon Bay- I was coming from Monterey area. Exactly equidistant. Neither of us had been here. Wow. One of the cleanest spots I've been to. Spotless. If you want to be Brasilian for a meal go here. This isn't a hybrid to make the gringos feel at home . Isn't that why we go to authentic places in the first place. Painted brightly in and out you enter and are greeted by friendly staff. Seated at a nice table and immediately served Braslian coffee. Wow! I love Peet's because it's so strong but this stuff has terrific flavor, coffee negra, of course and will put hair on your chest. Give it a minute or two and you will appreciate its flavor. I even had a refill. The food selection is large. At least 10 different omelets, egg dishes, meat plates, etc. I had an omelette filled with small flavored rice, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, Brasília's ham, cheese etc. potatoes on side were oven roasted. Take a look at the menu before you go. About $15. Very reasonable. Ticket for 2, all in was $48. Very fair. I will go back.

Crab Meat Frittata - Excellent Beef and Cavalo - Excellent Orefue Negro - Excellent Service was very quick! Rec'd our food in two breaths! Ambiance felt like a little Cafe in Brazil! Can't go wrong...just check the website for their wait list...it's that yummy My 3 Star Critique

Loved my meal here! The menu here is intimidatingly large but I highly highly recommend the feijoada completa, especially if you're eating with friends. The dish plus the extra plate add-on for $5 is the perfect option for 2-3 people. The black bean stew was hearty with a generous amount of sausage, and the plates consist of a variety of balanced/healthy sides. My favorite would be the farofa, which I'd never had before but really enjoyed the texture it added to the stew. We also got a side of plantains, they were great but I wished they came with a side of cilantro-garlic sauce that I've seen at other Brazilian restaurants. They seem to be constantly busy so service can be a bit slow. I would recommend putting your name on the Yelp waitlist ahead of time--my friend and I were 5th on the waitlist and it took about 40 minutes to be seated.

Loved this restaurant since I haven't really tried Brazilian food outside of the steakhouses. Ordered the veggie cocota and beef a cavalo. Both plates were delicious with so much food! The food felt very simple but everything was well done, tasted fresh, and my beef had the perfect texture (not chewy). Service was good and quick, since we came on a weekday afternoon for lunch and it wasn't too crowded. This is a cute restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz. There is a small parking lot behind it, but the street to turn into it is really narrow. Luckily I found street parking.

We were looking for something different for breakfast. This was very authentic Brazilian. We had their coffee, good. The men had Beef a cavalo, two eggs over easy on top of steak laid over slice of baguette topped with tomato and melted mozzarella cheese. Served with potatoes. Quality and flavor were good. Potatoes weren't very crispy. I had the Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican favorite "Vegetarian"), Mixed rice w/ yellow onions, parsley, red bell pepper, black beans and original Costa Rican sauce. Served w/ two eggs any style, corn tortillas and fried plantains. Fried plantains yeah! Nice drive with the family to try Brazilian food. Servers were nice. Food was okay but we will probably try something different again next time.

The food is great! I wish the menu had more pictures as it can be hard to tell what I'm ordering. The service is prompt and helpful. The entire space is pretty small, there can be a pretty long wait, so join the waitlist in advance if you can. Cafe Brazil up against a busy street and doesn't have a ton of parking space, so consider parking on a side street and walk over. There's indoor and outdoor seating available.

Excellent açaí bowl, omelet Mexicano, and orfeu negro! Love the ambiance and outdoor seating options!

One of my fav spots to stop by before heading over to the Santa Cruz boardwalk! They have many breakfast options and their service is fast! A casual yet cozy spot for hanging out with your family or friends for brunch :)

Amazing service, great recommendations and we were seated quickly as we made a reservation on Yelp. The server was polite and good came quickly. Love the extensive choice of selections and one of the best brunches in the Bay Area. Would definitely come back again and try the more Brazilian dishes next time.

Very tasty! Fast service and friendly environment. Recommend getting a shake and the portabella breakfast! The baguettes are soft and fresh !

Food was amaizing I choose the frijolada very tasted, service was great and place was amaizing they also have a lot of fruit and smoothies they look great too, place was really nice highly recommend

Food was good. The Cafe is small and very busy but there are lots of good foods to try and Brazilian coffee. Ambiance is loud and casual. The beef with eggs and potatoes were very good and the acai bowl was refreshing and full of fruits.

Colorful charming little nook. Friendly staff. LOVED the fried plantains - sweet and caramelized to perfection. The Coxinha de Galinha and Fish muquecas were good too. We had the abacaxi (pineapple w mint and honey) - refreshing and just perfectly sweet. One more mention the house hot sauce (made from malagueta peppers) was HOT but good!

Packed - get on the waitlist early! I really enjoyed the menu that had things like farofa which are part of Brazilian cuisine but often left out in US restaurants. Super good and worth the visit

One in a million!!! This is real, authentic Brazilian food! We waited may be a good, 20 minutes before we got in, there were two Brazilian men, and one Brazilian young woman at the host stand that were incredibly friendly !!! Family?? Y'all act like it which is nice to see. The food is absolutely to die for, my husband and I could not be more thankful we found this neat little gem on our trip to Santa Cruz!! Keep up the amazing work!! I know we are going to crave everything by tomorrow morning, Santa Cruz is so lucky to have you!!

I'm such a Brunch snob. To be completely honest, I wasn't expecting much because it's hard to compete with spots here in the Bay Area. But to say that this place went above and beyond my expectations is an understatement. Let me set up the day first.. We all came back from a hike at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The weather was absolutely perfect-- sun shining, just below 70 degrees with a cool breeze. Since we had a dog with us, the Yelp app made it easy to filter results based on "Dog friendly" places to eat. This was one of the first places that populated and off we went. We were also able to get on the waitlist via the Yelp app. One we got there, it took about 10 minutes for us to get seated outdoors with our party of 4. The outdoor patio was spacious with an over hang for shade. If you know me, shade is essential and it's a deal breaker for me when sitting outdoors. Gotta protect my skin! The table itself had a succulent planter in the middle which lent to the Santa Cruz vibe. It's the little things right? Our waiter took no time to attend to us taking our drink orders and offering us his own recommendations on what to eat. Here's what I got: *Coffee: $3.50-- Black and strong. Mixed in some cream and a little sugar. *Crab Meat Fritada $16.75-- Three eggs beaten over sautéed pre-prep Crab Meat w/ onions (no changes) & potatoes. Baked w/ mozzarella cheese and topped w/ your choice of Hollandaise sauce or Sour cream. Served with baguette(by request) The Crab Meat Fritada was probably the best I've ever had. Plenty of fresh crab meat in every bite with sautéed chopped potatoes. This was so tasty and filling and I personally could have done without the Hollandaise sauce because it was good on its own. Since the Fritada was so filling, I took the rest to go. Had it for lunch the next day and it was delicious. Definitely coming back here.

Followed the advice on Yelp and got on their waitlist, which is highly recommended unless you want to wait a minimum of 30 minutes. The space is tiny which means it's always packed. We ordered the Prato Freito with fish and the Mucqueca with chicken. Honestly, everything was just ok. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, but there was no explosion of flavors; it all tasted a bit basic. Perhaps the hype is for their breakfast and smoothies, which looked pretty good. We might give that a try next time.

Food is delicious. I've only ever had vegetarian dishes here but I've enjoyed them all. The coffee is STOUT but very tasty and the plantains are great to share at the table. Parking is not so great but find a spot around the corner and walk over, you'll survive. Seating on the patio is really nice and the service is always top notch.

The beef stroganoff was so delicious! Also loved the comfortable homey atmosphere. Friendly service. 10/10

I stumbled upon this charming little eatery while trying to meet up with friends. This adorable tiny restaurant is a must-visit for anyone in Santa Cruz. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table because we were a party of 8, but the owner was very quick to make space for us. The atmosphere is almost like a grandma's kitchen, with lively voices and friendly laughter. The Brazilian coffee went down so smoothly that I think we alone drank two whole pots at our table. The portions are enormous; it's easy to split a meal and still feel full. The banana pancakes were fantastic and so fluffy. We all tried bites of each other's meals, and everything was delicious. Gratuities were included for our party, and they would not split the check for us (not sure if it's a Santa Cruz thing?). We will definitely go back next time we are in town.

Such good food! There's always a line out the door! Ambiance is very casual.. not fancy at all, but food is worth the wait!

I really wanted to love this place. I haven't had Brazilian food in a long time and my date had never experienced it. Service was awesome- everyone we encountered was friendly and attentive. That is the main reason I bumped this review up to 3 stars. Food is definitely a 2-star on flavor but 4 star on presentation/portion. We ordered off the lunch menu and started with the appetizer sampler. Yucca fries along with some other stuff that I enjoyed. I then ordered the chicken stroganoff and this is where it went downhill. Instead of a creamy, flavorful sauce, it was as if I was eating spaghetti-O sauce with a dash of cream. I tasted ketchup and added sugar. It was alarmingly sweet and that's it. I couldn't even finish it. My date ordered a beef dish and while it looked great, it was bland. The black beans didn't have any flavor either. Ugh. I really wanted to enjoy this spot but can't say I would make the trek down to Santa Cruz to only be disappointed again.

Arrived around 10am, limited (4) parking behind the restaurant. Ordered Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican vegetarian favorite) that comes with "mixed rice w/ yellow onions, parsley, red bell pepper, black beans, and original Costa Rica sauce, served w/ two eggs any style, corn tortilla and fried plantains." $16.95. Added chicken for $3.95. Delicious all around. Can't wait to come back!!

Chicken was tender but the flavor wasn't special. My least favorite dish was the Beef Stroganoff - the sauce tasted like creamy ketchup.

This place had a lot of hype, so on our two day trip in Santa Cruz, we made a plan to hit this up for lunch. Parking is bit of a hurdle. There is a super narrow driveway off a hugely busy street, only to be greeted by limited parking which was full. In the end, we parked in a nearby neighborhood. This place was extremely popular and the wait was too long for our short trip. We ordered takeout and ate on the bench out front. I had the A Cavalo. Overall, I wasn't blown away. The meat is cooked all the way through, but not too tough, surprisingly. I like the over easy egg, but what dish isn't enhanced by a runny egg? Potatoes were fine. Staff was super friendly and accommodating. Judging by the popularity, I ere on giving this place the benefit of the doubt and assuming I'd have a better experience if I went again, sat inside, and chose something else. Maybe, maybe not.

Over and over we'd be in the Santa Cruz area after hours and say "we have to come out earlier and remember to try this place". Finally did. Delicious feijoada with generous portions and solid value. Left very satisfied! Legit Brazilian flavors and friendly service. Hope to come back soon!

Look. When I say everything on the menu is hitting, it HITS! The smoothies were good. Had a guava something and a frutas something. I can't say what the actual meal I ordered was because I customized it so much lol. The chicken was smacking! The rice and peas was good. Large portions of food to get you hungover ass right. I ate my meal for brunch and late lunch. The space is cute, decor is fun, there is outdoor seating available. Inside is more spacious that it looks. Staff were friendly and attentive. Wait time was well communicated. I joined the live waitlist on Yelp before arriving. Not gonna lie, I was mad suspicious, even with all these raving reviews, but no lies were told. This place is good for all folks and there is something for EVERYONE on the menu. Don't know when I'll be back in the area but this will be on the list to hit. Oh! And be careful with that in-house made hot sauce. It's delicious but that mutha is FIIIIRE!

Great service, my Santa Cruz omelette was great. Their chicken apple sausage was amazing. My son had the crab skillet I believe it's called and he enjoyed it as well.

A hidden gem on the West Side of Santa Cruz!!! Best açaí smoothies and bowls around hands down. Can be a wait some times but you know what they say, good things come... plus you can go to their website to sign up for waitlists and check wait time. Or order to go... I've been here several times and the people working are nothing but sweet and beautiful. They will go out of their way to see you have a nice experience. Most importantly after trying several of their dishes I can say without a doubt your order will taste amazing. Every dish Ive had the pleasure of enjoying has been just heavenly Do yourself a favor while you're in Santa Cruz and try the flavors of Brazil!