Hook & Line

5 Stars!! Finally a restaurant in Santa Cruz that is as great as my favorite restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles. I was excited about this opening after reading about it in Edible Monterey Bay magazine, because the Chef apparently also ran the Kitchen inside the Discretion Brewery before the Pandemic... (That used to be the best food in SC!) Calamari and the scallops main were the best calamari and scallops I've ever had in my life. Scallops were totally multidimensional tasting (not just "tender or buttery"). We got a bunch of drinks that were really great too. The Pink Margarita and Walnut Ave were my favorites. Location is great... just far enough from Pacific Ave to feel a little lively but not in the middle of street performers or anything. The easy parking at the garage right across the street is a plus too. I usually care mostly about the food, but the service was really good too. Get reservations; it was busier than I was expecting it to be.

I have been twice now. It just opened. They are working out the kinks. The food is excellent. I had the halibut for my entree for my first visit and the hamburger the second time. The little bites were fun also. It’s only going to get better as the staff gets more familiar with the food and pace.

Tasty but unremarkable and overpriced. The ceviche was missing any acidity. The bouillabaisse was mostly mussels (missing tomatoes, scallops or clams) and just felt like another order of mussels, which we also ordered and had a great broth but were not great otherwise. Cocktails were better.

Fantastic dinner here on Monday. We shared Bites: Cured trout on brioche and the deviled eggs, Snacks: Dungeness crab toast and fried calamari, 2 tamales bay oysters, halibut ceviche, and grilled kampachi risotto. We could have ordered less and left satisfied but we wanted to try allllll the things. Every item was delicious and fresh with beautiful presentation and friendly service. They’re brand newly opened so my one star short is just due to the fact that we got a bunch of plates all at once instead of staggering the delivery to the table. I know they’ll work that out in the weeks to come and we’ll definitely be back soon. This restaurant is the missing piece to Santa Cruz’ food scene.

Fantastic new restaurant. We ordered not one but two orders of the mussels in lemongrass broth w chili fries. This after a yummy plate of calamari , Mari ares mussel toast w mustard sauce, and smoked trout toast. The Pinks Margarita was divine; pineapple acid with saltiness. Best service in Santa Cruz! Great food ! Great job Chef! Do make sure to go !!

I was excited to take my family here for the first time! We came on Monday for happy hour so it was def bustling. Our server was super pleasant and informative about the food. We got some oysters, and the calamari to start. Damn, the calamari is yummy! We got the special tea cocktail which was balanced and refreshing. I always get scallops if they are on a menu, and these did not disappoint. The carrot puree was sooo creamy. We tried both desserts - the cardamom chocolate pot de crème and the strawberry with buttermilk ice cream, both were so delicious. My new fave fancy restaurant in sc!

A+ atmosphere, amazing food, friendly staff with great service. That burger was amazing. Can't wait to come back.

Hook + Line is a high end, excellent addition to our Santa Cruz restaurant family. We were very pleased on our first outing here. The food was amazing, craft cocktails excellent. Kate, our bartender was great mix of humor and knowledge. The Chef deserves huge kudos as does the welcoming front of the house. We will be back soon and often.

Blown away by the incredible great food and drinks. Recommend it 1000% The ambience is fantastic and the service was great.

Had dinner at Hook and Line for the first time last night. It's got a very stylish look to it. The hostess was delightful. The server was at our table quickly and asked about drinks, but we hadn't had a chance to look at the drink menu. I recommend that the server greet us, bring us water and then give us a few minutes to select our drinks. We ordered 1/2 dozen oysters, which were great, to have with our drinks. Downside was they were understaffed at the bar and the oysters were long gone before the drinks go to our table. The person bringing our drinks was very apologetic about the wait, which I appreciated. It took the server quite a while to take our order and the food was slow coming out. My husband ordered the halibut, which he said was great. My experience was quite different. I had the Kauai prawns with grits and an egg. I was quite surprised to see the prawns were still in their shells. They were borderline impossible to extract from their shells and there is no way I was going to eat them. It was actually embarrassing to try to get any edible pieces of prawn. The egg was WAY over salted and grits were meh. I got up to wash my hands that were coated in prawn shell residue and saw others who were having the same dish going through the same struggle. For the love all that is good and decent, REMOVE THE SHELLS FROM THE PRAWNS and lay off the salt on the egg. I was quite disappointed with the entire experience and my husband was upset that my dish was such a hot mess. I know you all can do better.

service is okay.. they don't course stuff properly and drinks came very late even though they were ordered first. they also brought the wrong drink but we didn't say anything. oysters were mediocre mussels were well executed cocktails were good burrata was good both entrees were awful. seabass was overcooked and the shrimp was inedible. didn't eat an entire entree and nothing was comped even after they asked why. won't be coming back!

Cute modern restaurant. The food is good but definitely on the standard side of taste. It's also on the pricy side. Presentation of food was on par but I think my mussels and bouillabaisse dish was missing something since the broth didn't wow me. I would definitely come back again to check out the oysters next time.

I really enjoyed my first visit at Hook & Line. First off, the interior design and aesthetic is really pleasing. They nailed it. Secondly, I appreciated and noticed how friendly and warm each of the staff members were. Beautiful hospitality. And lastly, the food was delicious! My guest and I did not have a main entree as we came in specifically for happy hour oysters ($2/ea) and we ended up ordering four dishes to share. The oysters were perfection, seriously. The deviled eggs were like a little flavor explosion in your mouth. Yum. The ceviche was really fresh and buttery (texture wise) and refreshing. Overall, it was a lovely experience and I would recommend. I'd like to go back one day and try one of their dinner entrees.

I reached out to Hook and Line about a month ago inquiring about hosting a large birthday party. From the moment I connected with Anya (General Manager) to the main event last night - I experienced nothing but amazing customer service. She was responsive, super helpful and accommodating. With a group of 18 we arrived at Hook and Line and were able to decorate their private room. And they provided beautiful custom menus. The service was spot on, the food was bountiful and delicious and everyone raved about our experience. I highly recommend Hook and Line and can't wait to go back! Thank you to Anya, Paige our server, Lejla one of the owners, Santos head chef (formerly of Discretion), great bar tenders and the rest of the crew! You made my kiddos night so special!

Great food and great service. Server, Lauren, super nice and knowledgeable about the menu.

I have been to this new restaurant 3x now and each time my experience has been delectable, classy, and really fun. The fresh fish option on the menu (Im not sure what that other reviewer meant - there is always a daily main fish option) is typically caught that day or the day before. What is fascinating to me is that, with the tapenade and the purées, depending on how you put your bite together on your fork - the same dish can taste completely different. I have never experienced this taste sensation with a dish before! I appreciate that the nonalcoholic drinks are carefully crafted. The beet nonABV tequila drink comes with a gorgeous presentation, delicate glass, stainless steel pick with a sugared cherry on it and I feel like I stepped out of the 1920s with this in my hand. Starters I have tried - -Fried Calamari - perfectly battered and crisped fried calamari (maybe they can make them gluten free one day) -Salad - there have been a few rotations but I keep coming back to the one with shredded crisped potatoes on top! Super fun -Cabbage - this steamed cabbage has a reduction with it that lends a complexity in my mouth that I crave. Who would have thought? -Oysters & Mussel toasts - be transported to Bodega Bay -There are also tinned fish! They come on a wooden board with pickled veggies and Manresa bread. Its like Im sitting on the Adriatic shore. -Tahini with Carrots and Broccolini - simple and flavorful Mains -Fresh fish of the day as described above is the way to go for your first time -Crab risotto - my daughters favorite, large dish -Mussels with spicy lemongrass broth over skinny French fries - superb -Vegan option, eggplant - I heard great things The service is all hands on deck. Sitting at the bar give a lively Birds Eye view into the restaurant, while sitting in the dining area affords you privacy and to be part of the action. The ambiance is classy and sophisticated. Also there seem to be a few areas - like by the bar or in the old tasting room - where you could easily host a gettogether, or meet up before a show - which is a rare find in this town. The waitstaff staff is friendly, you can see the whole kitchen from the dining room and they seem focused with smiles. Please note that this is a brand new restaurant and the menu and pacing is super fresh and being improved every day - this is the same for every restaurant that opens, particularly in this town. Enjoy!

As I write this, I'm highly conscious that this is a new restaurant in SC that we were so excited about, but I also do want to write an honest review that the food...confused us. First of all, I found it odd that this is purportedly a seafood restaurant, but there wasn't a single piece of fresh, focused fish on the menu? Two types of mussels, some tuna tartar on toast, and a fried fish option, but the waiter recommended the duck and the risotto for mains. We had the tartar toast (the highlight), oysters, salad, the mussels, and the calamari. We found the food wanting and overpriced. I had the beet non ABV cocktail and my partner had an IPA (both were quite one note and the cocktail wasn't cold). The salad was a few very very large pieces of lettuce with some radishes and two dollops of cheese. The calamari was fine, but the sauce was watery and the dish was salty. The broth with the mussels had little flavor. The mussels seemed big and fresh though! For me, the highlight was the tartar toast. All that said, the ambiance inside was nice. I wish them the best...just not for us unfortunately. (Also, this is small, but the host stand is located in an entrance that smells quite strongly of urine, which was a rough way to start the evening at such a spendy spot).

We went as a double date to experience this new restaurant and it was a wonderful night. My partner and I are alcohol free and were so happy their mocktail and NA options were well crafted and delicious. The mussels and fries with chili crunch was the best flavor combination, spicy with umami goodness. I tried my friends scallops and it was very fresh and lively. One of the best restaurant experiences I've had in Santa Cruz! I can't wait to go back!

Hook & Line * Lovely hostess and outstanding servers (attentive, kind) * Great wine list (hi Birichino Vermentino) Food not worth mentioning. We were not impressed or super jazzed about: $43 plate of 3 baby scallops + smear of some kind of paste $29 ceviche that was extremely citrus lemon and did not have any other crunch or textures or flavors. Just a smattering of fish cubes covered in lemon juice * Stopped looking at prices because I was very hungry by this point * Risotto was basically a clump of glue with a handful of snap peas on top. It was a confusing dish. We felt that it could have just needed to cook a bit longer and come with a mushroom or a shave of Parmesan or something. Thank Goodness the wine was good!

How exciting! What a beautiful new restaurant we got here in SC. Service was fantastic and friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. Food was fresh and reasonably priced for a nicer restaurant in town as well as portion sizes were good. I wish the oysters had some more flair or topping to add. Fun and new ambiance. We will definitely come back and recommend to friends.

Went on a Saturday night. Busy but not packed. Horrible. Horrible Horrible. We waited an hour for them to bring three dinky deviled eggs. Then 30 more minutes for some soupy gloppy mashed potato meeeeh that they were calling risotto. After 90 minutes we cut our losses and decided to go get burritos down the street. Never again.

Well, where do I begin? If you're into the taste of week-old fish left out in the sun, then this restaurant is for you! Bon appétit to anyone who enjoys a side of nausea with their meal. Go for the drinks (overpriced). Eat elsewhere.

5 Stars!! Finally a restaurant in Santa Cruz that is as great as my favorite restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles. I was excited about this opening after reading about it in Edible Monterey Bay magazine, because the Chef apparently also ran the Kitchen inside the Discretion Brewery before the Pandemic... (That used to be the best food in SC!) Calamari and the scallops main were the best calamari and scallops I've ever had in my life. Scallops were totally multidimensional tasting (not just "tender or buttery"). We got a bunch of drinks that were really great too. The Pink Margarita and Walnut Ave were my favorites. Location is great... just far enough from Pacific Ave to feel a little lively but not in the middle of street performers or anything. The easy parking at the garage right across the street is a plus too. I usually care mostly about the food, but the service was really good too. Get reservations; it was busier than I was expecting it to be.

Excellently prepared, delicious fish dishes and market greens salad. the squid In the bouillabaisse and calamari was perfect: tender. The mocktails were also well made, with great flavor balance. The restaurant's interior is spare and the sound can bounce around. The service had a few minor glitches but servers were communicative about it and attentive to explain and fix. We really enjoyed the meal and will be back.

Loved it! Food, service, ambience! We had the oysters, duck, shrimp and grits, with a bottle of Macon Village Chardonnay. Food was exquisitely prepared. Everything was yummy. Thank you for opening a wonderful new restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz. We will be back!

Rock shrimp toast was small but delicious! Trout conserva was delicious! Halibut ceviche needs more chips but was delicious! The bouillabaisse and the shrimp and grits were delicious too! The biggest letdown was the halibut, seriously lacking seasoning and salt.

This place is the best addition to the Santa Cruz food scene. Chef Majano doesn't disappoint! His food is always packed with subtle flavors. Cocktails and wine list are also on point!

Five stars in EVERY department! So lovely to have such a spectacular seafood restaurant in our beautiful downtown. Bravo Santos!! xx ** A classic prawn cocktail would be a lovely addition to the menu xx

Amazing food and service. Bouillabaisse and fresh fish both excellent. Can't wait to go again.

Went to this amazing spot for the first time tonight! The owner and head chef Santos really knows what he's doing. We were there for happy hour and ordered everything on the menu. We were satisfied with all the dishes. The burger was my favorite, but I thoroughly enjoyed all I tasted. The feel of the space is peaceful and intimate. The decor matches the seafood theme perfectly. I was even impressed by the tableware! I will definitely be frequenting this great establishment.

We were excited when this new fish restaurant opened downtown and it did not disappoint. We went with another couple. The newly reconfigured space with the long bar and high stools placed in the middle of the room is very nice. We shared two market lettuce salads and they were fresh and tasty and definitely large enough to share. Three of us had the local halibut and thought it was delicious. I am an eggplant fan so really loved the confit eggplant that accompanied it. My husband had the rock shrimp and cheddar grits served with a fried egg and he said he really enjoyed the unusual dish. I took away one star because the service was a bit slow and I also think that some of the prices were too high (7 bucks for 4 smallish pieces of bread is ridiculous). But we will definitely return!

Menu was creative and well prepared, the service excellent and it wasn't too loud. We will definitely return. Great new addition to the Santa Cruz restaurant scene.

This is a gem in Santa Cruz! I'll indulge here as much as possible. Treat yourself to dishes and wines obviously crafted to gift you some joy of discovery.

Really beautiful atmosphere with gorgeous food. A full bar with amazing cocktails and lovely service. Would highly recommend making a reservation because they are super popular!