Ideal Bar and Grill - Santa Cruz

I would give it a 4 Star since all of our food came out cold but the clam chowder made me give it 5 stars. This has some of the best chowder I've ever had and it came out hot in the bread bowl. Big chunks of clam and it reminded me of something a grandmother would make. Come here for the chowder. The Gilroy garlic fries were good but they came out cold if they would of been hot it would of been spot on. I will definitely come back for the chowder!

Great place to grab a quick burger or have a nice meal w/your person for a special night out w/a view of the warf, boardwalk ocean.

It was their first time hosting a sporting event, much less a superbowl, so I'll give them a break for the total incompetence that caused us all to watch the entire game in silence because there was no sound. ::sarcasm:: Do better guys because it's a wonderful place, with wonderful food and service, in a picturesque location.

The fire tables are nice at night. The service is friendly but the food is mediocre. Definitely on the spendy side even for a tourist area.

We took our daughters and their families, including four young children, to the Ideal for an early dinner before riding the Holiday Lights train in Santa Cruz. The service staff were friendly and accommodating, brought us high chairs for the kids, and prepared our food quickly. The food was delicious, including clam linguini, sea food platters, and salmon steaks. The simple noodle dishes for the kids were perfect. Thanks for making our evening a success.