The Water Street Grill

Our family spent the weekend in Santa Cruz for my son's birthday. On Sunday evening our dinner plans got delayed a bit and we ended up looking for a restaurant at the last minute for a nice family dinner. My sister came across reviews for the Water St Grill which seemed favorable, but it was about an hour before closing, so we were unsure that they could still seat our party of 8. Another big table arrived right before us and despite the small dining area, we were all immediately welcomed in. Most in our party ordered steaks, I ordered a salad which was shareable and delicious, the clam chowder and my son ordered a pasta entree. Everyone was happy with their selections, as mentioned in other reviews, there were some steaks that were cooked a bit more but overall everything was delicious. Some reviewers may have issues with the amount of asparagus served, yet many steak restaurants don't even include sides with their steak entrees so we felt it was a win! What truly won me over however was our server Dina. She kept going back and forth that evening taking care of both groups and making sure we were all doing well. Unfortunately it had been a long day for my daughter who has special needs and, wanting to leave, she began whining and crying loudly. I stood up so I could go to the car and wait with her while they finished dessert. However Dina came right over and said, "Don't worry, you dont have to go. We're fine, the other group is fine you dont have to leave". I honestly cant remember the last time someone at a restaurant told me that. Not only did she provide excellent service but she showed kindness and compassion. So in the grand scheme of life, the small issues don't matter. Our family will definitely be returning because we found something more than just good food... we found a balance of great food and a welcoming place to enjoy it. For us that is priceless!

We had steaks that were prepared the way we each liked it...medium rare and rare. They were cooked right and the sides were tasty. The salad with arugula was so fresh and flavorful. The service was friendly and personal with the right amount of conversation to get to know each other. Definitely added to our sea-side, pre-Christmas memorable experience in Santa Cruz.

Decided I was hungry for a steak dinner with a nice atmosphere. I was welcomed and seated quickly! I was able to order out of a nice selection of items and ordered the ribeye steak! I ordered it medium and sadly it did come well done so keep that in mind when ordering. The food was great though even with that mistake! My waitress’s was very kind and attentive with making sure service was great! I would recommend coming here just maybe ensuring it’s all cooked properly and the food is amazing. Would 100% recommend! Service is great, the waitresses make the place!! However, the cook should probably be a bit more light on the cooking but it was still great! I did get the ribeye with all fries ( usually comes with asparagus and mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes but I decided to do fries and just fyi it’s a $4 upcharge :) ) other than that service was great and food was good. I would recommend sitting by the front window if you want to have an outside view that’s nice and more to the back for private conversations or gatherings!

We were the only customers , first for lunch my burger was cooked perfectly and flavorfully seasoned . Wife had fish and chips she enjoyed it. $50 lunch but way better than fast food lunch, way better. Will try dinner someday estimating $120+- per couple with drinks. No I'm not related or affiliated Google caught me bored.

Small local spot where we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and service. 4.5 stars Food: 4 Service: 5 Atmosphere 4 Cost to worth it rating: 4 Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - Good variety: lots for all to chose from on the menu and family friendly for simpler tastes - Sofia: our waitress was the best and a real hoot - Shrimp alfredo: LOVED. Was the perfect about of rich and not too much, cheesy and creamy. Shrimp were plump and cooked well. 5 stars - Salads: large size 2 were enough for our table of 6 to share. Loved the one with the nuts and blue cheese and fruit. 5 stars - Chicken and shrimp dish: very tasty and served on a skillet. 4.5 stars - Lava cake: solid version with the oozy center. 4.5 stars - Steaks: simple and very reasonably priced and came with a potato and asparugus. 4 stars - Dining room: only a few tables and felt like we were in someone's house which was quaint Midlights: - Pretty empty for a Saturday night so hope it was just a slow time Lowlights: - They were out of most bottles of wine and only had La Crema which is fine but what we typically have on hand at home. It's good we also brought a bottle of champagne they opened for us.

Love love love this establishment. Finally, a chef that knows how to prepare and cook. We had the seafood pasta dish and I ate it all. After experiencing Italy a couple of times, I thought America couldn't, let alone Santa Cruz, compare but was I wrong. Finally, a place you can assure you'll get the best. So happy to know my hard earned earnings will give me the best experience...bravo

Lovely experience dining here! Dina was super genuine, friendly, and accommodating. We really enjoyed chatting with her. Also, this was the only restaurant that was willing to accommodate our request for deep fried fish that weren't "beer battered" the chef did a great job. Thank you all!