Cafe El Palomar - Mexican restaurant in Santa Cruz - 2222 E Cliff Dr STE 100, USA

First time trying their breakfast and I have to give it to them. Loved that they had both Mexican and American food options, from omelettes to chilaquiles. Tried their asada plate, they allowed me to do half potatoes half beans which I topped w/ queso cotija. Everything was delicious. I would definitely come back on a weekday to try the mimosas. The ambience is nice since it's right by the beach and the service was terrific.

This is MY Happy Place Restaurant. A wonderful 80's early 90's vibe and atmosphere. A melting pot filled to the brim of personalities and people. Such an eclectic lively bunch of Mexican food lovers. People don't just come here for the perfect view; the food is actually pretty good, too! My favorite employee is the Cute Blue Fish that greets you so happily by the front door.

I've always got a great meal here at a reasonable price. In the staff are always friendly and efficient.

Great location! The chips and salsa are phenomenal. Food was delicious and not overpriced. Had the burrito & enchilada in green mole sauce. Service was good had us in and out with a quickness

Nice views on the pier and ocean, if you can turn your head away from the scrumptious breakfast plate in front of you.

Upon waking in I was greeted immediately. Extremely helpful and nice staff. I’ve tried a few things. Cheese enchiladas Chicken enchiladas Chili relleno Rice Beans All the food was spot on. Nothing to over the top here. The taste was there and it was great. Flavors were good and food was fresh. Food also come out in a very timely manner as well. Something I’ve noticed as well. I’ve been here a few times now. And they’ve always been pretty damn busy. Lots of locals go here and that’s a great sign! The menu is HUGE. And in my opinion to big and probably costing the business $$$ but you know what? Take advantage of it while it’s there with the insane amount of options. Will I return? Most definitely. I recommend this place for sure. Nice spot on the beach with good Mexican food. And they also have a decent bar. Go check it out!

Yummy! Love the chips and salsa. So tasty! This place has a few locations to try. One in downtown Santa Cruz and another in Watsonville. I love this location mostly for sitting down and dining. It is beachfront and you can enjoy the beautiful ocean views while you enjoy your delicious food. Today I had steak ranchero. Charbroiled skirt steak cut into small strips in this amazing flavorful sauce. It comes with rice, beans and your choice of tortillas. They have a lot of other great things on the menu. The taquitos and fajitas are also favorites.

05/01/2022 It was a Sunday and lots of people at the beach. I didn't want to give up my free parking spot in front of the beach so I decided to order something here. The restaurant was packed and there was a line to order. I ordered the Carne Asada Nachos to go which came to almost $17 with tax and a tip? They were OK. I could eat the whole thing. So it will one starving gluttonous person or feed two not-so-very hungry people. If you order $15 or more of food you get chips and salsa no charge for dine in. There was a restroom available but I didn't use it. There is limited seating inside and some seating outside the restaurant. You can watch volleyball or enjoy people watching and the ocean view. Dog Friendly.