Shadowbrook Restaurant

What can I say Food was extremely delicious savory juicy. We had the stake and a vegetable medley. The atmosphere is so 1900s and romantic. You feel like you’re in the Titanic back in time. And the cute tram! I highly recommend to reserve for better service

Incredible, unique restaurant with charming design. Service was amazing with attentive, detail-oriented staff and servers. The food was delicious. We had the house salad, calamari, Pacific Rim salmon, and the salmon pasta special — all were impressive and excellently prepared. All topped off with a ride up the picturesque funicular. Such a memorable experience. Simply cannot wait to return.

This restaurant is an absolute gem and the perfect spot for a romantic date night. From the moment you arrive, the experience feels special. One of the most unique features is the trolley lift that takes you up to the main dining area—it’s a charming and memorable way to start your evening. The ambiance is exceptional—elegant, cozy, and thoughtfully designed to create a warm, intimate setting. It strikes the right balance between upscale and welcoming, making it ideal for special occasions or just a lovely night out. We ordered the Chicken Piccata ,a vegetarian pasta, and fried calamari, all three dishes were absolutely delicious. The flavors were rich and well-balanced, and the presentation was beautiful. Each bite felt thoughtfully prepared, and it’s clear that the chefs take great pride in their craft. I would highly recommend both dishes to anyone visiting. A delightful surprise was the complimentary bread served before the meal—fresh, warm, and a perfect way to start. What truly elevated the evening, though, was the attention to detail from the staff. We mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary, and to our surprise, they brought us a complimentary chocolate fudge dessert to mark the occasion. It was a sweet and thoughtful gesture that made our night even more special. Overall, this place offers not just incredible food, but a full dining experience. Whether you’re celebrating something or simply looking for a cozy, delicious night out, this restaurant delivers on all fronts. We left with full hearts and happy taste buds, and we can’t wait to return.

A truly unique experience, the setting and service are amazing. Staff really made the effort to make every table felt special…also such a pro with the photos. We sat at the bottom next to the water, beautiful old school brick patio. Perhaps too old school, the food can feel dated, everything a tad salty and overcooked. Prime ribs ordered medium rare: came firm with no pink. My partner also got super sick all night after the meal.

This is one of those special places reserved for special occasions. The place is huge with a mini gondola taking you to the entrance. Reservations are recommended, so plan ahead. Food is delicious and service is prompt. The location is scenic. The place gets crowded quickly for a reason. The entire experience has some old world charm to it.

First and foremost... ASK FOR JACKIE TO BE YOUR SERVER!!! I took my fiancee to Shadowbrook tonight to celebrate our anniversary and Jackie took our night from great, to UNFORGETTABLE! Truly blessed to have had her as our server and we will be specifically asking for her on our next visit. THE BEST SERVER WE'VE HAD IN YEARS! Shadowbrook is AMAZING!! Online pictures and even YouTube videos do not do the place justice. It just has a certain warmth and depth once you arrive that is hard to ignore. I can't imagine what it's like here during the Christmas/ Winter holiday season. Taking the tram/trolly down to the restaurant adds some suspense to the overall experience and it's just a RAD experience. The atmosphere.... 10! Food... 10! Service.... 10! Personally, a flawless experience and I can't wait to come back. You need to experience this place at least once in your life!!!!!!

An amazing monastic American restaurant, great food selection and a stunning view, along with many different spots to sit. The environment is definitely what makes it so special, along with its old trolley that takes you down to the restaurant.

Amazing experience and delicious food! The view is not just great; it’s unique and truly enjoyable. This is an experience you shouldn’t miss. It’s the perfect place to celebrate special occasions.

The atmosphere was peaceful and beautiful. We got to sit in the green room which is on the lowest level. Garden right outside. There are a lot of stairs. Food and workers were great.

The food was amazing and the service was great I loved the ambience and atmosphere, what an awesome place to celebrate my birthday

Shadowbrook is an amazing restaurant! Food is above average and service is great. You are not rushed. Place is superb for celebrating special occasions and for romance. Very pricey but the splurge is worth it. Our second time there.

Shadowbrooke has become a new tradition for us for Valentine's Day dinner. It was a restaurant that was on my bucket list that I wanted to try and I was not disappointed. Ambience is casual, however, it can be intimate and romantic, depending on where you're seated. The first time we came, we were seated at the bottom level, which gives you a good view of the river running alongside it. This time we seated on the middle level. The top level of the restaurant has a dining area with a bar area, and there is also a private room dining area that seats about 14 with its own bar. They also have an outdoor dining area on the patio on the top floor. Employees here are always welcoming, friendly and execute their job roles very well. Servers are very knowledgeable of menu items and when suggesting menu choices they give you thorough descriptions of how the food is prepared and ingredients in them. DRINKS MARINE LAYER $14.00 Rumhaven Coconut Rum, House Made Coconut-Lavender Lemonade, with a Float of Myers Dark Rum. Very tasty and not too strong. MONDO MARGARITA $17.00 Milagro Tequila, Fresh Orange, Lime Juices and Tres Agaves Nectar, with a Float of Grand Marnier. This drink was a little bit stronger on the alcohol but good. APPETIZERS BAKED BRIE $16.95 Delicate pastry, mild Jalapeño Jelly, and herbed Crostini A MUST TRY the baked brie is one of my favorite appetizers here BACON-WRAPPED PRAWNS $12.50 Char-grilled with sweet soy glaze; sesame-mustard and pickled ginger-coconut cream sauces * FOUR - 12.50 * SEVEN - 18.50 SALAD Seasonal Salad $17.95 Gem lettuce, grapefruit, baby turnips, fennel, Hidden Rose apples, pickled beets, honey balsamic dressing. The salad was so good. It had a good combination of fruit and vegetables and really enjoyed the beats. ENTRÉES LOBSTER TAIL $69.95 Butter-poached 8oz tail, garlic-whipped potato, broccolini, Champagne-Beurre Blanc * SINGLE TAIL 49.95 GF * SINGLE TAIL & 6Oz SIRLOIN 69.95 The lobster tail was a good size serving, and the sirloin steak was prepared perfectly. BUTCHER'S FILET $47.95 Char-grilled medallions of tender Angus Beef; Pomme Pureé, Beurre Rouge, sauteed seasonal vegetables. The fillet was prepared perfectly with good seasoning and the palm purée complimented it very well. "CHATEAU CUT" PRIME TOP-SIRLOIN Char-grilled Angus steak, potato gratin, Shiitake mushroom, sautéed spinach, diced "Baker's Bacon", chef's butter * 6oz 31.95 / * 10oz 42.95 Again, the steak was prepared perfectly and well seasoned. Really enjoyed the shiitake mushrooms and they complimented the steak very nicely. DESSERT CHOCOLATE MELTDOWN $11.95 Molten cake with Marianne's Vanilla Bean ice cream. Ordered the chocolate meltdown. Come on, who doesn't like chocolate cake. It was very rich, however, the vanilla bean ice cream helped tone it down a bit, so it was a good pairing of chocolate and vanilla. Our dinner here was very filling and satisfying. Definitely returning next year for our traditional family Valentine's Day dinner. We always enjoy the nice view on the little trolly boxed elevator ride on the way down to the restaurant. Or you could take the stairs and walk around the garden.

I was so disappointed with my first experience at Shadowbrook. We went as a last minute decision to celebrate my birthday. When we arrived since we didn't have a reservation, the hostess said it was open seating and to seat ourselves wherever which we were totally fine with. But she didn't give very clear directions after that, and I also was very confused to why they wouldn't show us to an open spot, seeing how they weren't that busy and there were multiple hostesses. We walked behind the hostess area and saw a couple tables that were not cleaned off yet so we wondered around the corner (completely lost) and sat ourselves at a table. A kind waitress let us know we weren't allowed to sit there and walked with us back upstairs to clearly point out where we could sit, and also said the hostess could possibly just put us down for reservation for that time since there was open tables. So we walked back to the 3 hostesses, giving us annoyed looks, and asked for the reservation to which they rudely responded they didn't have anything available and we had to sit behind them or on the patio. We did mention that there were only tables that weren't cleared off yet back where she pointed. She responded with "Well if you stand there for long enough, someone will come by and clear it" ... shocked that instead of offering to get someone to clear it for us that she would say we should just wait there...?!? We walked over to the patio for one last effort to find a place to sit before we were going to give up and leave. We found a table out there, but we waited an additional 15 minutes for someone to come serve us. The whole time we waited, we weren't sure if we would be asked to move again. They didn't serve us any bread, or water we had to ask for it and after all of that the food was good but nothing to rave about. It's been on my bucket list to go this restaurant, but with the service being so bad I don't think I'll be going back.

I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding an experience at Shadowbrook on March 1st, 2025, when I took my daughter there to celebrate her birthday. What was intended to be a special and memorable evening ended up being one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. While the ambiance and service were commendable, my meal took a tragic turn after I consumed the clam chowder. I had an immediate suspicion that it didn't taste quite right, but I could never have anticipated the severe food poisoning that would follow. The effects were violent and debilitating, lasting throughout the entire night and into the following day. This unfortunate incident has not only left me physically unwell, but also deeply concerned about the standards of food safety being upheld at your establishment. I hope you take this feedback seriously and take necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.

Came here for our anniversary and made a reservation a month in advance. Ended up still having to wait another 30-40 mins. As this restaurant has the iconic elevator lift, it's definitely an experience and a sight to see all around. Each room in the restaurant seems like another place and there's so many tables it keeps on going. Ordered the Prime Rib and the Shrimp Scampi with top sirloin on top. Absolutely delicious! Service was also amazing, they gave us bread and butter and always came around to refill drinks and made sure we were still doing great. A romantic and amazing restaurant to check out. Lights everywhere and many places to take photos. Definitely recommend checking out if you've never been.

The ambiance and service were top tier. The view of the canal and the various floors made the restaurant ambiance very unique. The food was good to great overall. I enjoyed the dishes such as the osso buco, seasonal soup, and gnocchi. However, I wasn't a fan of the jalapeño jello for the Brie cheese, also since the Brie was wrapped in puff pastry, it didn't melt as expected. The seared ahi tuna was good, however it was clear that it was pre seared and chilled. I rate the food 4.5/5 and the ambiance 10/5, service was amazing as well :)

Absolutely Incredible Ambiance! My husband and I visited for the first time for Valentine's Day and I was taken away with how gorgeous the restaurant is. Items Ordered: Blacked Prime Rib: THIS WAS THE STAR! I absolutely loved the flavor profile of the prime rib and the cut was so tender. It did not need any of the accompanying sauces because it was a beautiful stand alone. I would go back and order this again. Baked Brie: The Jalapeño jelly was a nice addition to the Brie. Very mild and smooth. Pan Seared Sea Scallops: the scallops tender and I loved the mushroom sauce. I do think the scallops could have used a finisher seasoning at add depth, but overall the dish was good and felt light and delicate. Shrimp Scampi: The pasta was tender and shrimp cooked to perfection. Beautifully done. Service: The host staff was friendly and gave us a brief history of the restaurant as she escorted us to our seat. Wait staff was extremely professional, courteous, and made great recommendations for us. Ambiance: You cannot beat the ambiance! We were sat in the main dining room with a view of the water. It is warmly lit, charmingly decorated, and is the most romantic restaurant I have ever been to. It breaks the scale for ambiance. Overall: This restaurant is a stunner. Perfect for a romantic evening dinner.

Great spot for a date. I came with a reservation at 6:30 PM and the restaurant was packed. It took a little longer to get seated and I was starving by the time we got to our table. Waiters were super nice, they helped us find a spot to put away some flowers and helped me surprise my girlfriend with a gift! We ordered the prime rib, osso bucco, baked brie, and clam chowder. Everything was really delicious, I really liked the baked brie. Super unique and delicious. Wish I had saved some bread for the clam chowder or if they provided some but it was very good as well with nice chunks of clam and potatoes. Highly recommend for a date night!

We came here to celebrate my birthday and was able to reserve ahead easily. The last time we were here was in 2007 and have been meaning to come back with our kids. So happy we thought of this place to go back to. The boys enjoyed the walk and ride up and down to the restaurant. We came a little early before our reservation time so the kids were able to go up and down the steps outside to play. We were given the buzzer so got notified when our table was ready while we enjoyed the beautiful area outside of the restaurant. From our first interaction with the check in counter staffs and with our waitress, everyone was friendly and provided excellent service. My boys enjoyed the kids menu and kids activities and all the food we ordered we enjoyed very much. There was a mistake with what one of my son ordered being Alfredo pasta but marina pasta was brought out which they replaced for the correct entree in no time. We ordered the calamari and shrimp wrapped with bacon for appetizers to share and it was tasty. My pasta was delicious and my filet mignon was good. My husbands steak was cooked to his liking. My kids enjoyed their entree. We were so full so didn't have room for desserts this time. Will definitely come back here for more special occasions and noticed they have private rooms for possible bigger parties and private party events which I would definitely look into for future celebration events.

Our first time was exceptional, romantic and enjoyed being in the moment. We were looking forward to coming back. Today - Our second visit today was frustrating. We decided to go here because we got a gift certificate for Christmas. I placed a reservation through Yelp for 2pm but didn't get seated until 2:30pm. That wasn't an issue because we had a drink at the bar. Got a decent seat in the row away from the window and able to see the river. I prefer a window but didn't request it. Our server took our order and the appetizer came out quickly (baked Brie). Then it took a while to get our main order. We let it go thinking the staff was busy, but our frustration set in when other diners got seated and received their food while we watched them eat. The couple next to us got seated 30 minutes after us and were eating before us!! It wasn't until my husband asked our server for an update. We knew she forgot to put our order in. You can't make up an excuse when other diners who arrived after us were eating or paying their bill! I was not interested in dessert but we agreed to an Irish coffee and a Kelly coffee (Baileys). The server gave us "complimentary " truffles as a consolation prize but the damage was done. Food: Gnocchi was creamy/garlicky - good but too rich for me. My husband's swordfish special was good but he says it was on the dry side. Baked Brie was too rich for our palette. Drink: Marine Layer - winner! I wanted to go on the low end for tipping but my husband was a waiter in college so I allowed a percent more but less than our usual because of the food order fiasco.

Shadowbrook is a very unique restaurant. Starting in the late 1940's, this restaurant still holds an old timey ambiance and is enticing with its many different dining rooms. The adorable trolley elevator is a nice touch to enter into the main check-in we're at the bar and lounge. We were seated in the cellar room which is small, romantic, and nestled in a room full of character. Now there are a few areas that have lifts or accessible spaces, there are also tons of stairs and I believe some areas that might be more difficult for people to get to with mobility needs. Definitely call ahead of time to ask for accommodations for your reservation. The food was good but lacked a bit in seasoning. Everything felt like quality ingredients but could use a bit more depth in their seasoning. Their cocktails however, were very well balanced and very tasty. I definitely recommend trying this unique restaurant for the charm it brings.

This is such a great place to come for any occasions! You can take the tram up or down to the restaurant (6 people max) or you can simply take the stairs to enjoy the view. We made the reservation on Yelp. Parking is easy with its own parking lot. It even offers complimentary pickup within 3 miles!! Food is great! My favorite is the salmon with wasabi cream sauce. The French coffee at the end with dessert is also a nice treat. They offer good price on bottles of wine! We came at night time this time and definitely want to come back during day time to look around. The restaurant is multi levels with lots of stairs. There is handicapped lift for people who can't walk stairs which is convenient!

I am torn with this review. For the setting and the restaurant itself (and the restaurant experience), I will give it 5 stars. Every time. For the service, again, I will give it 5 stars. For the food? ~Meh~ Here is my feeling: The menu is too big and the cooks cannot possibly cook everything on the menu to an exceptional quality, which should be expected at a restaurant of this stature (and prices). Went on January 2nd with two other couples. I had the Shrimp Scampi. The noodles were under-cooked and the shrimp was over-cooked, almost rubbery. AND it was pretty tasteless. We shared the Shadowbrook Salad, which was pretty good. My fiancée had the special of Beef Stroganoff, which she really enjoyed. We also enjoyed desert molten chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream. We also came here on Valentine's Day in 2023, and were underwhelmed by the meal (perhaps because they were so slammed?) I recommend this place for the experience, not the food. BUT....we will come again!

聖誕老人的雪橇，裝的是全世界的童話，願大家都幸福快樂， 不只是在聖誕的季節，而是生活裡的每一天，也別忘了要愛與被愛，告別過去，相擁未來！ 今年聖誕節跟家人來Santa Cruz過，前幾天晚上出來覓食， 從四點開始， 換了第四家餐廳，才找到有開的地方，結果居然是間已經開了77年的老店，不只風景很漂亮，餐廳有味道，而且還要坐纜車往下，才能到達，超級浪漫的地方，算是小小彌補了我餓了兩個小時的痛苦，我點的 prime rib ,幾霸昏，沒話說，10 分鐘內（也可能是5 分鐘）我就吃吃光光了， 他們的 filet, 超級軟嫩，干貝也是他們的名菜之一，讚，做的超棒， 只有Halibut的魚片， 太薄了些，是四道主菜裡表現稍差一點， 服務態度也好， 地方也漂亮，我想附近的人應該都知道這家， 推薦給大家， 以後大家來玩， 不知道要吃啥， 就來這裡試試吧

I loved this experience! To go down to the restaurant you can either take the stairs or take an old school cable cart. We came here for dinner around 6:30pm and there was a line for the cable cart. Since it only takes 6 at a time it was taking a while to wait in the line so we decided to go down the stairs. There were quite a few stairs but the walk was enjoyable with the beautiful greenery and overview of the restaurant and water. Once we got to the restaurant it felt like we were in a magical tree house. There were several dining rooms on different floors. The ambience felt romantic almost, with dim lighting and table lamps. I love how much nature surrounds you there. There are beautiful tropical plants hanging, on walls, and almost everywhere you look. This is part of the magical experience I felt here. Now to the food and service! Our servers and staff were friendly and attentive. Also thought it was cute to have a server bring us warm dinner rolls he served us out of a picnic basket. My husband and I ordered the butchers fillet which came with pureed potatoes and charred greens. The steak was one of the best ones we've ever had! We are steak lovers and are often disappointed when ordering steak at other places but this one did not disappoint. The pureed potatoes were nice and smooth, the greens were not of our liking since they had a very strong flavor, maybe of the sauce/seasoning used? But it didn't matter because we loved our meal otherwise. For our little one we ordered mac n cheese which was kid friendly flavors wise. I also tried a Strawberry shake that was good. We took two desserts to go. The bread pudding was good but we enjoyed the cheesecake much more. I ordered a side of the jack Daniels chocolate sauce to go along with the cheesecake and loved it. After dinner we walked down the the stairs to the waterfront to hang out a bit and it was beautiful. Overall we loved the whole experience and would definitely go back! Don't forget to make a reservation online before you go.

I recently dined at Shadowbrook for the first time with a group of friends, and I have to say, it was an unforgettable experience! I ordered the slow-roasted blackened prime rib, and it was absolutely delicious. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and provided excellent recommendations, which really enhanced our dining experience. One of the highlights was the unique gondola ride down to the restaurant - it added a fun and memorable touch to our visit! We also shared a few appetizers, and I can't recommend the calamari rings enough; they were to die for, especially with the perfect sauces to choose from. The baked pretzel bites were a hit as well, and we all loved the roasted Brussels sprouts that we ordered as a group. The ambiance at Shadowbrook is lovely, making it a great spot for a special occasion or just a nice night out. I will definitely be returning! Highly recommend!

The sheer amazement I have for this restaurant is crazy! First of all, it's gorgeous, second the little trolley that takes you to and from the restaurant OR the beautiful path that takes you through the garden is WOW! The food was so good too. If I had to critique, one thing, it was be the rolls. The presentation, amazing but the rolls itself were not good and the butter. I think that could be changed but this is a high recommendation if you're in the area!

My husband took me here for an early dinner, and it's a stunning restaurant! I loved all of the floors, and the view was great! To start, I had the artichoke soup. While this was tasty, the artichoke was not the star of the dish - the leeks were. For my entree, I went with a special - ribeye. It was cooked perfectly medium rare, but I thought it lacked seasoning. I also thought the potatoes were too dense considering they were whipped. For dessert, I had the molten chocolate cake. I love that they feature Marianne's ice creams in their desserts! And the vanilla ice cream went perfectly with my chocolate cake. My server was really nice, but he did forget to bring our bread out. I totally forgot about it until my husband mentioned it during dessert. That bread would have been nice with my soup. I would suggest coming to this restaurant to try it, but once was enough for me.

Everything was excellent from start to finish, from the warm and attentive service provided by the hostesses to the professionalism of the entire staff. The highlights of the evening included: The artichoke dip: It was delightfully creamy and packed with flavor. The goat cheese gnocchi: Perfectly cooked, with a rich, creamy texture that allowed the goat cheese to shine without overpowering the other flavors. The decor is absolutely stunning, with each room offering unique table settings and a slightly different ambiance, adding to the charm of the experience. Oh, and their elevator? Adorably charming!

I can see why this restaurant received high rating. Hubby and I came here to have our anniversary dinner and it was to perfection. We made reservations (12/28/2024 3pm) and were seated immediately. We ordered our food and within minutes, we got our appetizers (seared ahi) and the main course (blackened lamb and blackened prime rib). Everything was perfect. You get the great ambiance, quality service (thinks to Andrew our server) and the food was excellent. Hubby and I decided to come back here next time. Quality of food: A+++ Quality of service: A+++ Price: $$-$$$ Recommendation: Make reservations and dress to impress. Don't be that tourist. Put on your Sunday best, church clothes, office casual......

The staff was amazing from the Hostesses to the waiter , Cook and the whole staff overall super professional with wonderful personalities. Our waiter recommended the 10 oz. center cut Rib Eye steak which was a fabulous choice Beautiful ambiance throughout the restruant. Will definitely be back for another occasion or weekend getaway dinner.

What a beautiful restaurant!!! We came for dinner and took the trolley down. It was dark and crowded so it was hard to see anything. But the vibes were there. The ambiance in the restaurant was beautiful! There were so many different sections of the restaurant, we were in the wine cellar room which was nice. We were recommended the baked Brie and it was delicious! That sweet jalapeño sauce with the warm Brie was so good! Our favorite dish was the Osso bucco! It was cooked and flavored to perfection. I'm still thinking about this dish. I wish Shadowbrook did more things for celebration, we got a free photo but complimentary champagne or dessert would've been appreciated. It just felt like a normal dinner without a special touch from the restaurant. We can't wait to be back to try other dishes!

We have heard such great things about this place we just needed to try it! The trolly down is such a unique experience, that is what really captivated us while dinning. Service was great! I id you not, the first time I have ever ordered a drink and the waiter didn't bug me by saying "would you like another". I felt like wow, they really aren't pushy here! It was something that has never happened before because every time I have ordered a drink the waiter asks for another and sometimes it feels more pushy than genuine. Know what I mean? Anyways this place was far from pushy! We enjoyed a couple appetizers and then ordered dishes. The atmosphere is romantic and high class with all other patrons. Parking is very convenient, they have a couple spots dedicated to the restaurant right at the front and then a little parking lot also dedicated to the patrons. Service - 10/10 Food - 8.5/10 We would come back but for a special occasion. It's a little over priced to not be wowed out of my pants from eating there.

I feel bad giving this place a three - honestly it should be a four but good food is too important to me! I was pretty disappointed with the braised short ribs I got. The flavor was amazing but my piece was 50% fat making most of my meat inedible. Like huge chunks of fat. My husband got the same thing and his was an actual piece of meat. For an upscale restaurant charging $35 for a plate, I was surprised they'd serve that. I went home still hungry. I also didn't love that our waiter made an assumption about me right off the bat. Otherwise it's a lovely place. Nicely decorated for the holidays.

FLAVOR (4/5): Their burgers is juicyyyy! Their mushroom pizza is also not bad, good char on the crust and fragrant mushroom flavors. INSTAGRAM WORTHY (5/5): You are probably coming here for the small tram but the rest of the restaurant is a bit more dated traditional American dining style. They have a formal dining area and a casual dining area. Be aware that they have a dress code! They're not too strict with it though. SERVICE (3/5): We didn't have reservations so we did open seating in their casual dining corner. We got seated and someone gave us menus but they were busy. It was really had to flag someone down! But the people that served us had a great attitude. TAKEAWAYS: Make reservations if you want the fine dining area. The tram is slower and smaller than you think! They also have a cute time capsule that you can see near the front of the restaurant.

Just an amazing experience! From the fernicular to the food and the drinks! Fantastic grounds and a great set of views.

We didn't have a reservation but went early and was able to sit in the bar. Jackie was our waitress- she was awesome! Attentive yet not in my face. Made great suggestions! We had spent the same amount the night before in Monterey and hadn't enjoyed our meal like we did tonight! Delicious! Fun! Jackie was fantastic. Our bill came with a 4% surcharge but it doesn't go to the staff - it goes to the restaurant. ??!?? Why not make the prices of the menu items reflect that giving the choice to the patron. It made us feel yukky We were happy , no, delighted with our evening! Food was delicious, staff fantastic... this surcharge left us with a feeling they took advantage of us.

Shadowbrook is an absolute gem with excellent service, attentive without being intrusive. Chris and his partner did an outstanding job making us feel welcomed and well taken care of throughout the evening. We started with the artichoke hearts and a cup of soup, were a perfect way to kick off the meal. For the mains, I had the pork chop, and my dinner partner enjoyed the prime rib. The food was seasoned well, though I found it a touch salty - but that's likely due to my low-salt preference. I paired my meal with a glass of Santa Cruz Pinot Noir, which complemented the flavors beautifully. The ambience was both elegant and festive, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Shadowbrook delivered a memorable dining experience. A big thank you to Chris and the team for making the night so enjoyable!

This was an amazing delicious restaurant with a wonderful ambiance. To enter the restaurant, you take a mini cable car down. The line was pretty slow and long, but it's worth doing. It's a pretty tight fit with 6 ppl at a time fyi. You can also walk down, but it was raining that day, so few were opting for that option. We ordered the smoked brie, steak, and scallops. I'm usually not a cheese fan, but the Brie was the highlight with the jalapeño jelly. The restaurant has five levels, so it's definitely worth reserving a preferred level in advance. I got the hot pear cider, which was perfect for a rainy day.

Perfect for a date night or celebrating a special occasion. Shadowbrook is a must visit if you're in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area. The food is spectacular and the staff are very accommodating and can even make many dishes vegan. My favorite part was the semi gondola/tram that takes you down to the restaurant, it's an unforgettable experience

Very happy I found Shadowbrook through their Instagram and was able to make some reservations through their website. Submitting a reservation was a breeze, and we were able to arrive to the restaurant with some time to spare. This place is famous for their cable car so once we arrived there was a 15 minute line to ride it. The cable car seats 6 so it does go by quickly. There is also a nice walkway down the stairs to the restaurant if the cable car is too busy. The inside of Shadowbrook is huge and has many dining rooms! We were placed in the green room surrounding by plants and lights which was really nice. I ordered the Top Sirloin and Lobster tail and it was cooked and presented really well. We also ended the night with some delicious strawberry/oreo ice cream. The food arrived fairly quickly and our waiter continuously checked in on us frequently. Although this place is over 2 hours away from me, it was well worth the drive!

This was one of the most beautiful spots to eat. They have cute old school taxis that will pick you up within 3 miles of the restaurant. Once you're there, they have this cute trolley/lift that takes you down to the restaurant that sits next to the creek. It's awarded as one of the most romantic places in the states! The servers were exceptional and catered to us. The pricing was decent for the establishment. The food and drinks exceeded expectations. Can't wait to celebrate here again!

Our family visited Shadowbrook on a Saturday night to share a wonderful meal. If you're short on time, here is a tldr of the entre I had plus 2 others I was lucky enough to try: TL;DR: Osso Buco: A standout dish with tender, flavorful pork, silky braising juices, crispy polenta, and fresh sautéed spinach and mushrooms. Perfectly balanced and generously portioned--a must-try. Lamb: Delicious with mild flavor and expertly cooked (medium rare). Savory mushroom bread pudding complements it well, though portion size and flavor weren't as impressive as the Osso Buco. Pork Chop: Comforting and hearty with a familiar flavor profile, likely influenced by the spätzle. Comparable in portion size to the Osso Buco, making it satisfying but was less exciting. --- When we arrived to the restaurant you have the option to ride down the "Cable Car" to the dining area from the parking lot. It's a fun novelty- just don't press the button and send the car back down before they can get out... Don't ask how we know. Great laugh. The servers were all very friendly and extremely professional. From the moment you enter the restaurant to the moment you leave, you're well taken care of- the service can be a little slower but the restaurant was absolutely slammed so it was understandable. The servers get you all situated and then you're given some complementary bread and butter service. A nice touch given not many places give free bread anymore. Nevemind bread that is baked fresh and tasty. For my meal I got the Osso Buco. It was a tough choice between this and the Blackened Lamb, but thankfully my wife got that so I was able to sneak some. The Osso Buco: the description reads "Braised Ultra-premium pork, sautéed spinach with Shiitake mushrooms & bacon, crispy polenta cake, oven braising juices, garnished with a pine nut gremolata". Sounds pretty good, right? It lived up to the description. I'm a sucker for osso buco and any other shank dishes. When prepared well, the meat is beautifully tender, the cartilage renders down to add delicious silky mouthfeel to every bite and the braising juices hold so much flavor. This dish was no exception. Every bite of the pork was fantastic. The crispy polenta was exactly what I'd want. It was crisp and pillowy with a creamy interior that helped soak up all the braising juices and the the sautéed spinach and mushrooms swoop in to add a bit of freshness to cut the rich bites. Everything worked together so well in that dish, I would highly recommend it. As for portion size, if you're hungry with a large appetite I would absolutely say this should do the job. In comparison, the lamb dish was (also delicious) but a bit smaller. If portion on the Osso Buco was 10/10, lamb was probably 7/10. I would say the Honey glazed Pork chop was a comparable portion to the Osso Buco. The lamb was very tasty, it didn't wow me as much as the Osso Buco but the flavor was great. The lamb has a more mild taste than I like with lamb. Personally I prefer a gamey lamb, but I'm probably the minority there. It was prepared beautifully (medium rare exactly as ordered) and the savory mushroom bread pudding paired very well with it. The Pork chop dish that my father in law got was very tasty. It was more along the lines of a comfort food flavor palette to me. Nothing extremely exciting but just really, really good. I probably get this impression because of the spätzle. For dessert, we got the eggnog bread pudding. This was very tasty, but it wasn't amazing. It was a nice cap to the meal though. I thought it had some good creativity and the flavor was great. It was just a bit dense for my preference on bread pudding, pushing more to a loaf cake texture. I like a little more irregularly and crispy caramalized top to my bread pudding with a custardy center for the contrast. Still good, and I would still recommend. If you have a chance, definitely explore the restaurant a little. Every room and section of it is different and it's quirky. It's like the decor is set in the 80's it's old-timey feeling in a way, a little cottagey, but still maintains a bit of elegance to feel like you're fine-dining the whole time matching the service from the staff. Another treat was we were celebrating 2 birthdays, mine and my wifes. Our server took photos of us and they printed 2 Shadowbrook branded copies of the photo right there at the restaurant and gave them to use during our dinner. That was completely unexpected and such a nice gesture. While this wasn't the "most amazing meal of my life" the overall experience was certainly up there and I absolutely think everyone should come here and try them out. You won't be disappointed.

We came here on a Sunday evening without reservation. The top floor in the indoor and patio area is free seating so it's perfect for those who do not have a reservation. Though I find the free seating a bit confusing as to the exact parts of the restaurant that are actually free seating. We double checked with the host and she's kindly explained. The ambiance of this restaurant is top notch-- such a wonderful dining place with several floors almost resembling a maze! We found a table for 4 in the interior room. The Christmas decor, the big glass window that looks directly to the outdoor plants give the restaurants a cozy, natural yet festive vibe. It's perfect for a nice dinner with family, friends or even solo travelers who wanting to get a drink by the bar. Our server Jacob was professional, knowledgeable and friendly with incredible memorization. We liked our regular prime rib, prime rib with blackened sauce and the sirloin cut. The horseradish that came as a side to me was too overpowering to be eaten with the steak, but it's ok to be eaten in between bites to cleanse my palate. The vanilla icecream and bread pudding were the cherry on top. A few observations I had were the low dining table. If your party is generally pretty tall, I would suggest contacting the reservation to get a higher table if possible. The bathroom ceiling is also pretty low. They also play sports games on their tv. The cable car that connects the parking lot to the restaurant was too cute. I recommend taking the the cable car down and walking up after the scrumptious meal. If you are in a hurry then walking is technically quicker as the line to get in the cable car can be long.

Absolutely the spot to go for a date night! It is so cute here and you get to take a cable car down to the restaurant which i think was my favorite part. They have lots of cute places to take pictures photos and just to enjoy the night walking around. Had a reservation at 6 and we got seated in the garden room that was so cute and i loved all the plants. Service is great here and they are very attentive. Got the shrimp scampi and it was oh so so yummy and the pasta noodles were perfection. The bread they serve too is so yummy.

My family and I had dinner at Shadowbrook a month ago. The ambiance of the restaurant incredible. It's like you are entering into another world. You enter from the street which is at the top of the hill and the restaurant is at the bottom. You can either take a long flight of stairs down their garden or use their funicular to get to the entrance of the restaurant. We decided to try the funicular. The views were spectacular as you descend the hillside in this little funicular. It can only fit 6 at a time so you'll need to wait if there are a lot of people arriving at the same time. Once you arrive at the bottom, you enter the restaurant where the hostess will help you. The restaurant is like a large mansions with many levels and dining rooms. The room at the top where the hostess greets you had a warm cozy vibe like a wooded cabin feeling. There is room that faces the canal which the gorgeous and also an interior 2 story high vaulted space that is gorgeous too. Unfortunately we were seated in a side room in a corner with no views. I guess we could see the funicular coming up and down and that was fun for our 3 yo. The food itself was decent. We got the prime rib and blackened lamb. The prime rib is definitely their flagship entree. zit was so tender and juicy and moist. The meat was just melted in my mouth and the flavor was amazing. I would highly recommend the prime rib. The blackened lamb was a bit disappointing though. It was heavy and the meat was tough and overcooked. There were hints of bitterness due to the over cooked meat and it wasn't a pleasant dish at all. Probably wouldn't recommend it. Service was good and waitresses were very nice and attentive. Overall great place for a fancy date or a special night out. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because the lamb dish was a bit subpar and disappointing. Also we were seated in a corner with no view which was a bit of a disappointment.

Shadowbrook is a legend in this town. It's an amazing experience. The food is great and we always leave saying we just do not come here often enough! Tonight the service was stellar. Our waitress opened our wine exquisitely, explained all of the specials and timed the appetizers, entrees and desserts perfectly. With precision, our waters were refilled, plates cleared and the next course was presented. It's a novelty to ride in the little gondola. How romantic right?! But the best part, aside from dinner with the best of friends, was the meal. No one at our table was disappointed with the dishes. We started with the artichoke dip. It was so much better than anyone else's - hands down! It has just the right amount of cheese and actually tastes like wonderfully fresh artichokes. We ordered a variety of entrees. The Shrimp Scampi, the Sea Scallops with mushrooms and sautéed spinach, the Sirloin steak, the New York strip (14 ounces of goodness) and the Ahai Tuna Nicoise salad. The pasta in the Shrimp Scampi was fresh and homemade. Homemade!!! The Fall Seasonal Salad with the shaved beets was fantastic! The fresh ingredients screamed local! Impressive! And then the desserts arrived. The fresh apple pie from a local orchard- off the ratings scale! We ordered several desserts and there wasn't a morsel left at the table. What's really impressive for a place that had been around for so many years, is that they continue to keep the bar high. They continue to perform with high standards and meet our expectations as diners with top level dishes and ingredients.

Came with no reservation and was seated outside promptly-- it was a lovely time. The cart ride is a bit of a wait (and slow moving), but was a fun experience. Lovely location and view-- the restaurant itself is so cute and carefully decorated.

Went there for our third time last week to celebrate a birthday We love this place and always had a good time before. Very disappointing for ourmilestone celebration. They never delivered the cheese appetizer that we ordered nobody checked how our food was Just forget about it? Wife's fish tasted so off/old that we sent it back. Manager never came to our table despite the waiter saying he'd find him. We were really uncomfortable with the young man's attitude with food he didn't know the menu Great old place love the property Just food is not what it once was. So sad cause it was mediocre for such a major dinner but lunch was good! want to explore bar menu, pizza oven for fun one last time.

This restaurant definitely stands out among others location wise. You ride a funicula (traditional Italian cable car) down to the restaurant. Or, if you don't want to wait for it, there are stairs that you can take. I recommend taking the funicula down for your meal and then taking the stairs back up to burn some calories!! We were seated in the Rock Room Bar which has a casual dress code. Coming back from a hike in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park there was no way that we would be able to make the business casual attire that is required for dining in their main dining room. The menus are more or less the same but there are differences and the bar menu definitely leans more casual in terms of food as well. Online it shows their main dining room menu so do not be surprised when the dishes that you see in the Bar Menu are not the same! Our server was attentive and quick to help out with any questions. None of the appetizers really impressed so we did three entrees -- the house prime rib 8 oz cooked to medium, the black truffle gnocchi and the local mushroom pizza. The black truffle gnocchi definitely impressed! Best dish of the night for me personally, ample truffle flavor without being overpowering and a good amount of creaminess. They also added some seared local mini king oyster mushroom spears on top which were delicious. Local mushroom pizza also was not bad -- it was the thin crust kind of pizza and did not feel overly heavy on the palate. I was probably let down the most by the prime rib. Chewy and not really cooked that well, plus the sides of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes were also really struggling to make a difference in the overall dish. Skip the prime rib next time. For drinks we had the hot pear cider, the coconut-lavender lemonade and the nada colada. Hot pear cider was delicious and the pear aroma was very much present in every sip. Coconut-lavender lemonade could have used more lavender -- I did not get much of the lavender flavor and think that they could have brought the drink to the next level with more. Nada Colada was delicious albeit very sweet, in particular, the coconut cream in the drink provided a super svelte mouthfeel. Dessert was Jack Daniels' Mud Pie. I loved how the dessert wasn't overly sweet and all of the flavors balanced excellently. Mud Pie is generally my go to dessert for American/New American restaurants. Overall great place for a special occasion like a date or a graduation ceremony! The food won't blow you away but won't disappoint either. And the grounds are beautiful with palm trees and a small lake!

my friend recommended this place for years and it was only today that i finally got to go. we went as a group of seven and had no reservations. the only available slot was 8:30pm and that is wayyyyy to late to eat dinner for us. we walked in at 5:15pm and requested a table for 7. luckily we were seated quickly BUT in the bar area - *rock room* i had no idea that the menu was different from the dining room area. the bar menu was really limited compared to what i saw online. we ordered 8oz prime ribs x3, half ordershrimp scampi with 6oz steak, salmon, chicken sandwich, fettuccine, calamari x2, bottle of wine, glasses of prosecco, jack daniel's mud pie, and chocolate meltdown. prices were fair not super expensive at all but honestly, food was not worth what we paid. all three prime ribs were super bland; no flavor whatsoever. the shrimp scampi was good in flavor (wish i ordered that instead) and 6 oz steak looked good. person who ordered salmon stated it was good. i guess i just ordered the wrong thing. the desserts were delicious! i would recommend keeping room for a sweet treat. i love that they have Marianne's ice cream! i think dessert was the best part of the meal honestly. it's nice to experience shadowbrook at least once but i doubt i'd make the hour plus drive again for this place. i did see some people recommend the restaurant HOME over this place. i guess i'll have to check it out and see for myself.

Very unique and traditional vintage dining experience. The restaurant serves delicious New England scallops with creamy mushrooms and mashed garlic potatoes and roasted prime rib steak. Super friendly service.

We're always skeptical of businesses that take advantage of good locations or are old because they tend to live off something else and not good food. We went anyway as I wanted my wife to enjoy the beautiful location. And Shadowbrook has GOOD food. The menu is small and limited especially before 2PM. We got the boar ribs, salmon and calamari and they were all great. I don't know how they got such a thick cut of salmon to be so well cooked and moist inside without an overcooked exterior. The server was also very polite and nice to us. No complaints here. After the meal, my wife said we should come back again for dinner and try to use the garden room. I'm happy

My first time to this restaurant. The beautiful scenery captured everyone's attention. The cable car aka (hillavator) will take you down to the entrance of the restaurant . I was more mesmerized by the romantic retro decoration inside. Definitely a place to take a date. Excellent service. I love all the foods and desserts ordered. My plate was cleaned. No leftovers to take home.

We came here for a celebration and were excited about the menu. I ordered the prime rib. It was perfectly cooked at medium rare. However the meat and the sides were delivered lukewarm at best. The potatoes were actually cold. I sent it back. It appeared that they threw the meat into a frying pan to warm it up. And did nothing with the sides. I did eat it, because I didn't want to send it back again, but I'm picky about my food being hot/warm not lukewarm. Or cold. A second diner at our table agreed that the sides were cold. Too bad because it was very tasty! You can do better.

This place is highly recommended by many friends as well as yelp rating. First impression was the cable car ride down to the restaurant, very quaint. We sat outside on a beautiful day surrounded by greeneries and with views of the river, Service was on the slow side but we came to relax, not in a hurry. Food was great tasting. We had Pacific Rim Salmon and Osso Bucco. Salmon was simple with an Asian flare. The pork was tender, juicy and robust in flavor. We had a great visit here to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Fitting for the occasion. We also ended with dessert, bread pudding with apples and walnuts. Soft, not too sweet; I liked it.

The food and dessert were very yummy & the ambiance as well! It was romantic & peaceful the staff were also friendly & welcoming.