Lupulo Craft Beer House

Great brewhouse in downtown Santa Cruz. It is is a great location with outside seating. In summer time you can sit under the sun. The square is very expansive and airy. They have may different brews and a menu for some bites. A pint is about $8. You order everything at the bar and they serve you at the table. Tried multiple brews and fingerlings which are small potatoes with an aioli sauce.

We got the cochinita pibil tacos and green goddess salad. Both were delicious and we didn't have to wait long. The staff is very friendly. My husband enjoys their beer selection and I was happy they had non alcoholic beer options. Another bonus is they are dog friendly. Awesome spot! Will be back!

Good vibes; excellent breading on the fish tacos; quality fresh ingredients; chill and comfortable energy. Will certainly be back.

Great tap list and a solid food menu. Stopped in here on a Sunday around noon, the tap list had several great options and I ended up with a Hazy IPA (like I do lol) and my wife got a West Coast IPA. Both were good options. In addition, we got the pickle plate and the Hummus. I loved the pickles, super nice with a great variety of vegetables. My wife loved the Hummus and ate literally all of it. Definitely headed back when downtown.

Amazing beers on tap. The bar tenders were so great about talking through the beers and then recommending one for my taste. The fish tacos were excellent. Lightly battered, nice and crispy, and perfectly tender inside. They were a special. I highly recommend them if they are available. The vibe was relaxed with fun art on the walls. An all around great experience.

Stumbled onto this place while visiting Santa Cruz. Pleasantly surprised, excellent selection of beer, and our food was very good (Vegan tacos and Mexican grilled cheese sandwich). Nice ambience, very kick back and unpretentious, and did I say an excellent selection of beer? What’s more the staff were very cool and super friendly.

A nice, casual place downtown to grab a drink or two with friends and family! They always have an interesting selection of beers, which will entertain any palate, and offer several food options. The staff are friendly, and there is seating both indoors and outdoors! As with most places downtown, parking can be tricky, and the place can fill up on a busy night, especially during the weekend, holidays and summer. This is a great stop before dinner, after a walk or before a show at the Catalyst!

I really loved the atmosphere of this place. The food was so tasty and the people there were very cheerful. I felt comfortable there. I saw someone in a wheelchair, so the restaurant is accessible. Also, a big group of hippie bicyclists biked by and it was really fun

4.5 stars Great vibe, great service, flavorful food. Came here with hubby and dog (cool outdoor seating area), and decided to get a few small plates. Tortilla Espanõla w side salad: very yummy (salad was very very tart tho, but good assortment of greens, did not enjoy the salad) Carrot curry coconut soup: very good Veggie empanada w guacasalsa: also very tasty

Well, it's good to know at leas one thing hasn't changed in 5+ years... The highlight was still the tortilla española - still really good. The Albondigas (meatballs) were not as good as I had previously thought. Well, it's not that they are bad, but they aren't very Spanish - and Albondigas are supposed to be Spanish. They were more like what I think of being classic spaghetti with red sauce meat balls. The Kale salad was decent. Good dressing, but the croutons were lacking in flavor. The Cochinita Pibil Tacos were good, and good sized serving. They still have good beer.

We love coming in here for a drink of California beers on tap. We also love their takeaways. They have a great selection. And they offer two dollars off the listed price if you consume off site. Good place to fill up on your way out of town

Great brewhouse in downtown Santa Cruz. It is is a great location with outside seating. In summer time you can sit under the sun. The square is very expansive and airy. They have may different brews and a menu for some bites. A pint is about $8. You order everything at the bar and they serve you at the table. Tried multiple brews and fingerlings which are small potatoes with an aioli sauce.

Walked into find a a trans flag and pride flag flying high, great. But next to them was an American flag upside down symbolizing hatred of the USA. I'm a Navy vet who served 20 years defending the freedom that celebrates the rights of all people but to see the American flag intentionally displayed upside down is a slap in the face and quite hypocritical. Beer was ehh.

Wonderful ambiance, kind team, and great food. My partner and I stopped in mid-afternoon, it wasn't too busy and our order took less than 10 minutes to arrive. You order food before seating yourself. The fish taco special was superb- the fish seemed to be fried fresh and was so light and flavorful. The cochinita pibil pork tacos were amazing as well, although I do wish they had loaded up on meat a bit more. Was a nice spot to spend part of our afternoon.

I really liked the outdoor seating and beautiful plants they have! I got the sour beer with apricot and passion fruit and it was so unique. Ordered the carnitas tacos and some were a bit dry, but it came out really quick. Overall would go again!

This place was an amazing stop on a beautiful afternoon. Went there to drink by were wowed by the food. Went had both the carnita tacos and fish tacos. The fish tacos were amazing and cooked to perfection. The carnitas were also on par. The guacamole appetizer brought it all together and took it to a whole new level.

Great staff and great atmosphere. Food wasn't the best , empanada had good flavor just a bit dry . The torta was a bit small didn't have a lot of ingredients and was very dry.

Lupulo serves the best mussels I have ever had. They have a nice ambience and good food.

Great beers, cozy atmosphere, very kind bartenders. The food options are all delicious too. It gets crowded, so go early. You order both food and drinks at the bar and they give you a number for your table for someone to bring the food over.

Me and my girl really like this spot. She absolutely loves the queso torta. She says props to the chef in the back. I get the carnitas torta and it's bomb. I enjoy the assorted pickled veggies on the side. The beers and ciders are good as well. We love stopping here when we come to SC. It's always poppin on the weekends too, so service can be a bit hectic. They're very kind though and I appreciate that.

The tacos are super good. Service is friendly but not like annoying friendly. The only problem is my dog gets way too drunk every time he is here.

We came on a recommendation so expected it to be good, but this place exceeded our expectations. The squid ink polenta was out of this world! I can't wait to go back and have it again. Also great beer selection and a lot of other tasty menu items. But that polenta though!

I came here with friends and it was lovely. The outdoor seating is pretty perfect, and parking was ample and paid (but inexpensive). I got the chicken taquitos and they were crispy, well seasoned, and had the perfect amount of toppings. The servers were kind and quick to take orders and bring plates. Overall, I'd happily come back!

I feel like the bartender guy doesn't like me. I've tried interacting with him 3 times. I give him a chance to be nice, but not having any luck with it, so I walk back out. 3 times I've done this. I don't know if it's chemistry attitude or just a complete misunderstanding on my part. Hoping he quits soon so I can enjoy the delicious tacos without feeling like I'm the scum of the earth.

I loved Lúpulo. Their beers were excellent, and the eats exceeded our expectation by a mile. I had decided on tacos but was hesitating between the carnitas and the cochinita pibils. They're each sold in groups of four. Asking the cashier which of the two she preferred earned me a sampler plate with two of each. I thought that the cochinita pibils were slightly better than their companions on the plate, but both kinds were great. The tacos came with two salsas -- one spicy and one made with avocado. The liked those too. Sitting outside in the waning summer light was a wonderful choice. I'd come back any time.

Good beer. Love the seating options, inside, outside, window bar seats. Had one of the grilled cheese and it was good. Side of chips was lacking something special, sort of blah. Service was great, friendly and fast.

As soon as we arrived at Lúpulo, the line was nearly out the door, but it moved quickly. The ambiance immediately drew us in, and while it was hard to tell if there was a company event or if everyone just knew each other, the vibe was fantastic. My husband and I were on a mini beer tour, trying out different spots in Santa Cruz, and this place quickly became our favorite. I savored a cider called Sorcery, while my husband enjoyed Cutting Tiles. The drinks were excellent, and the service was great. The staff was impressively efficient, always clearing glasses as they passed by. By the time we left, it was even more crowded. It was a perfect Friday afternoon, and we'll definitely be back.

The beer and food is delish! We really enjoyed the fish and chips and the shrimp with polenta. Don't forgot the cheese plate!

What's not to love about Lupulo? They've got plenty of seating, dog and kid-friendly, unisex restrooms, and tons of beers on tap and for purchase. Such a great spot for group meets before/after beach trips. Met up with a dear friend for some beers before we hit the beach. Lupulo was so easy to find, and paid street parking was available (yes you have to pay even on the weekends). The best part is their open-air brewery with tons of beers (and even wines/ciders) on tap. They're not a microbrewery since they source from both local and out of state breweries. They don't do tasters or flights, but our beertender was generous with letting us get a lil taste before we committed to our pints. I loved all my selections, and honestly I had such a hard time picking my beer since there were so many I was curious about from saisons to sours and IPAs. I forget what I had exactly, but a delicious saison that tasted like coconut pie and a typical CA IPA. Service was so friendly, and we love a beertender who can explain literally what the beers taste like. Instead of just saying "oh it's a fan favorite." Like what does that mean? The space has a great open concept and such variety of seating, from bar stools to picnic tables outside and dining tables. Wifi is fast and free, and restrooms are clean. They also serve food here, but we chose to eat elsewhere. Great local brewhouse.

Still thinking about that green goddess salad... so good. Add an empanada and a pint, and you have a perfect meal. Nice vibe too.

Good food, good beer and wine. Good vibe. Green goddess salad and cochinita pibil good combo.

My husband and I are in the area for a few days. Since he makes craft beers I thought this would be a good choice for dinner. Turned out to be pretty good. They have outside seating. Inside didn't feel crowded. The music was a tad loud for me...but, let's be honest...I'm in my late 50's and like to be able to talk to my dinner companion. Thus why I say it was a "tad" loud. We weren't yelling at each other. That's a plus for me. We ordered the Boquerones (anchovy filets with crackers), Cochinita Pibil tacos (our favorite) and the Carnitas tacos. The homemade habernero salsa was delicious!! I was the DD, so no alcohol for me. My husband ordered the Jamba de Bois (Belgian Tripel) and Death & Taxes (Black Lager). He enjoyed both. The Belgian was a good stand alone beer. The Lager was better with food. The service was friendly and informative. Lots of smiles all around. If you're in the area, give them a try. For those that want to know what Lupulo means...Hops. You're welcome.

We got the cochinita pibil tacos and green goddess salad. Both were delicious and we didn't have to wait long. The staff is very friendly. My husband enjoys their beer selection and I was happy they had non alcoholic beer options. Another bonus is they are dog friendly. Awesome spot! Will be back!

Great place to bring friends to enjoy each others company while drinking a delicious variety of beer. Heavily recommend following their instagram to see when death and saxes will play there it was a wonderful viewing can't recommend enough!!

The food, the drink, the music, and the people were all great. Together we had the bocalillos (as good as in Spain), the camarones with squid ink polenta, and the artichoke soup. Each one was 10 of 10. The draft cider and draft beers were awesome. The front of house and the wait staff were attentive and very nice. Super casual local hangout. Don't miss this place!

We had a lovely lunch here on Monday while on a day trip to Santa Cruz. Perfect timing to avoid a midday rain shower. A really nice staff member took our orders at the bar and served us. The large space is decorated with nice art on the walls. I found the choice in music a bit loud and not to my taste, but it wasn't off putting. I had the cochinita pibil tacos. My partner had the arugula salad with added chicken. Both were large portions. Both were very tasty. One of the reasons for choosing this spot was their beer menu. I had the Night Will Fall stout from Irban Roots in Sacramento. I liked it a lot. Both of us would definitely make a repeat visit if we were ever back in SC.

This is a very cool place in downtown Santa Cruz. It was our first stop after landing in San Jose. The bartender was friendly and informative. The tap beers could've been a bit colder but they have a great selection. We ordered the torta and grilled cheese. Torta was savory and delicious. Grilled cheese tasted like a typical kids grilled cheese. They should have more than 1 person working behind the counter on a Saturday as the line was out the door. However everyone was patient and the gal did her best with a smile on her face. Would definitely come back if ever in the area again.

This review is just for the food, since we didn't order any drinks! My friend and I stopped by Lupulo for lunch, after finding it on Yelp (on our way to the beach). The space was pretty large with plenty of indoor seating, as well as outdoor seating in the front (only the outside is dog friendly). We went up to order at the counter, where they had both paper menus and a QR code. I chose the Verde Grilled Cheese and my friend ordered the Veggie Empanada and Avocado Torta Sandwich. We then paid, were given an order number to display, and picked out an outdoor table. The food came out pretty quickly and my Verde Grilled Cheese honestly blew me away - the sourdough bread was fantastic and the pesto, queso oaxaca, goat cheese, arugula, and avocado combination was just perfect. Highly recommend ordering this! My friend also loved of both of his items. I do wish their menu had more sides, since many of their small plates aren't easily shareable. Would totally return though and try some drinks next time!

I just stopped here while walking by -- friendly service, great fish tacos, fun atmosphere, and I heard there's live music 3rd Thursdays! (The bartender plays sax!) great place!! I'm gonna be back!!!!!

Had really been looking forward to checking out this tap house, as I had heard high praise from many. Unfortunately I had an underwhelming and slightly disappointing experience. They don't offer flights, which is okay, but what surprised and disappointed me was that they didn't let you sample a beer before committing to it. With a list as large as it is, and having to order a "full" beer (more on that later) it would be nice to be able to sample one to make sure you like it. I'd understand if it were super busy, but it was pretty slow when we were in. Luckily I ended up liking the beer I ordered. The other thing that disappointed me was after I ordered my beer I was given a half pour...a half pour for $10. After asking about it, the bartender pointed to the board which listed the pour size in CL which is centiliters apparently. Was pretty shocked to have paid $10 for a few sips of beer - 20cl to be exact, which equates to 6.76 ounces, so not even half of a pint. Aside from the meh, the space was pretty large with a lot of different seating areas. There was outdoor seating, bar seating, some tables, and a nice large back room. Lots of metered street parking near by and a couple blocks from some of the dtsc parking garages.

Great vibe with ample space to hang out and a solid variety of beer. Their food is pretty specific so won't float everyone's vibe but they have enough to feed the majority.

I had the pork tacos which were awesome. There was this pink hot sauce that came with it that was delicious. All the beers we tried were delicious too. Service was amazing with a smile too. We sat outside at a picnic table that was perfect size for our group of 6. You won't be disappointed. Greta little place to grab a beer and food.

Definitely brewery vibes, but what drew me here was an article I read from Visit Santa Cruz County on their Taco Trail and this was one of their favorites. The tacos were tasty and since we were being conservative it made me realize that I wish we ordered dos mas. I'm just going to rave how the flavors blended together and were so memorable. I would do it again! - Parklet/outside and indoor seating available. - Public parking available across the street - Restrooms available inside

Great location downtown. Friendly service, fun vibe. Had the green goddess salad (vegan and so delicious), the albondigas (meatballs in a red sauce) and the verde grilled cheese. Happy with our experience!

I've been coming to Lupulo for years because of their awesome beer selection. But recently, I discovered their food menu, and now I'm an even bigger fan of this place. I crave the yummy food from here! My favorites are the carnitas tacos and the rizada salad. The carnitas here is delicious and I love the spicy pink habanero salsa. The kale salad with lemon vinaigrette is so refreshing and goes perfectly with a nice cold beer. I've also tried the empanadas and albondigas and really liked both. If you've only gone for the beer, give the food menu a try!

Clearly this establishment cares about their brand and presentation! We visited on a Wednesday late afternoon after the Farmers Market. We started w beers- a DIPA and stout; the stout, although made w marshmallows, wasn't too sweet; it was robust and delicious. We ordered a hummus appetizer; we were pleased w fresh veggies and homemade taste and quality of hummus. We ordered the avocado torta and stuffed baked potato. The torta was beautifully presented, inventive, and delicious. The potato was ordinary. You order at the counter, use a credit card to keep an open tab; food is delivered when ready. Indoor and outdoor seating; some bench seats and hard chairs, some more comfortable chairs. Walking distance pay parking, $1.50 per hour. We were pleased w quality beer, food, and service. We even bought a couple Pliny the Elders to go.

What a great place! Was in town with my dad and we were looking for a place to sit outside to enjoy a few drinks. We stumbled across Lupulo and had a great dinner. They have a great outside space and the inside had a welcoming vibe too. The bartender was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. They had beers on tap and cases full of different beers. It was hard to choose what to drink because there were so many. We ordered the carnitas tacos and meatballs. The tacos were fresh and the sauce that came with was great. The meatballs came with toasted bread and were delicious. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a chill place to sit and hang out for a bit.

Went here with a group of friends and we had a great, chill time! Our server was Kayla and she was very attentive and friendly for us; even brought a small birthday gift for one of our party. The food was decent and tasted good but slightly expensive portion wise. Thank you for having us!!!

The food was amazing. Loved the pesto grilled cheese sandwich and fermented veggies. The bartender knew her cider and recommended a wonderful one for me. Everyone was very kind. I would totally recommend and go again

Rated is based on beer selection alone. Not enough non-hoppy options on draft. Beers to go (in the refrigerator) were WAY overpriced. The waitress was very nice, but we only stayed for 20 minutes since they didn't have a beer (or cider) to my wife's liking.

We got horribly sick from what I can only describe as cat food w sauce. I have never had such horrible tacos in my life.

Ooh what a fun spot for lunch! They have ample seating indoors and outdoors. I was surprised how empty it was for weekend lunch, but glad since I felt safe and comfortable eating indoors. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. We had 2 empanadas, the chicken and cheese, which were both great. The crust was very fresh, and there was plenty of delicious filling They also have grilled cheeses on sourdough- we had the Verde Bocadillo which was amazing! Perfect combination of cheese that included oaxaca cheese, and the pesto and I assume some green salsa really added pizzazz to sandwich. I was curious about the Veggie Taco which was listed as using blackened chickpea. The faux-meat used was well-textured and had a nice flavor to it. The meatballs were great- pretty large portion. Meatballs were very tasty, perfectly cooked, and come with a very dip-able red sauce My husband loved his beer and wishes there were more spots like this !

Love this place! Great beer selection plus the food is very yummy. I had one of the grilled cheese sandwiches and need to try the others now. I will come back for sure!

Perfect place to while away an afternoon over beers and tapas, which is exactly what my husband and I did. There's an outdoor seating area where couples can sit side by side, facing people passing by on the sidewalk. Felt very European. We shared: -Anchovies in olive oil with crackers. -The meatballs. -And a large healthy salad. I think it was called the goddess? Whatever it was, was delicious and filling! And a nice break from all the pizza we'd been having (I learned that the people of Santa crux really like their pizza, so much so that they have recycle bins on the curbs especially for pizza boxes!) There was a lot more on the menu that we were salivating over but could only do so much!

Their seating area is nice and relaxing, the drinks are good as well. When it comes to the service, it's really fast paced so don't expect anything beyond providing you your drink and moving on.

We were looking for a quick bite after a lazy day at the beach and found ourselves at Lupulo. First of all , they have so much seating which is truly appreciated when traveling with an unruly toddler. We had an entire section to ourself while we enjoyed our beers and food. Second, I was surprised at the extensive food options and so many of them vegan/ vegetarian! We got the veggie empanada which was delicious and tasted like an Indian puff. We also got the fingerlings which were delicious with the aioli. We enjoyed our Saison's and the glorious weather day!

More like a 3.5 overall. I thought the tacos (carnitas, pibil) were good and reasonably priced at 4 for $14. We actually wanted to order more but they ran out of pretty much everything and ended up getting an order of the vegan tacos. The verde grilled cheese (pesto, chèvre, avocado, queso Oaxaca) and pico pica grilled cheese were tasty too. Enough to share. I was actually pretty disappointed by the beer! And today they were pretty understaffed so the line was 10-15 people deep waiting to place orders which was a literal buzz kill. Overall a fun spot, friendly staff, decent food, and good variety but the wait times were long and the beer wasn't that good, considering it's a beer spot.