Hook & Line

Definitely a hidden gem in Santa Cruz, food is good (100% not a tourist trap), highly recommend the mussel and all other seafood! Everything is super fresh with a great kitchen crew :)Enjoy $2 oyster in happy hour! (Before 5pm)

Despite not having a reservation on what could undoubtedly be the busiest night of the year (Valentine's Day), the hostess was able to seat us in a corner. Baby doesn't mind being put in a corner if it means that I can get a seafood fix on a busy evening. We had celebrated VDay the evening before since I cannot stand crowds. Oh the irony.Started with the calamari ($17) that was light and crispy - a moderate amount of small tentacles and rings. Not chewy in the slightest! I opted for the seafood chowder ($26) which featured mostly mussels and clams with a few pieces of fish fillets. The broth itself was neither tomato-based nor cream-based but very mild seafood tasting. The bi-valves had a bite to them without being overly chewy. Cubed yukon gold potatoes featured throughout. Topped with a gruyere toast, it hit the spot. The BF got the trout ($34) which came with potatoes as well and a slaw salad. The trout was not a white meat which I thought it would be, but more salmon-colored and fresh. The bar area was in the center of the restaurant and is first-come first-served. I think next time I would have preferred to sit there instead of the corner. Service was good - considering how booked this place was, we didn't feel ignored. Would return again to try out other dishes!

Overall a great place! Service was excellent. Oysters were tasty but the burger was the surprise and really really good. Only thing is the oyster shucker needs to shucking shuck better. Lovely spot with a great bar space. One of the few places in Santa Cruz that are actually worth returning to.

Service was excellent! Our server was attentive and checked on us often. Place is at a great location and the drinks were fantastic. I ordered the risotto which tasted good, I felt the portion was a bit much much for one person, I would have preferred more mushroom and other veggies and less of risotto. We also got the trout and that was great. The bass appetizer was also really great. Overall a great place with nice ambiance.

Definitely good food. I would say all our dishes were quite tasty. Portions were on the small side but that's what I was expecting. Loved the burrata (but when have I ever not loved burrata?)We got a small seafood platter - the ceviche was particularly good.I got the scallops, which were very fresh and tender, and the sauce went well - not overpowering, but as always with scallops - oh so sad that there were only 3.My husband got the whole fried rockfish which was quite a dish! The presentation on this one was really fun. And it was a much hearty meal than the scallops. It was very well fried - nice and crispy. He said the fried rice that came with it was rather spicy. The cocktail menu was overwhelming. So many words I didn't understand. I ended up getting the spritz, which was decent. My husband told our waitress that he's a fan of Mule's and she recommend a different spritz which wasn't on the menu (but is maybe one of their specials?) and it was very good. The waitress did seem very knowledgable about all the words I didn't understand.The service was a bit slow - and maybe this was by design? As in, they first brought the seafood platter first, and then brought the burrata a little while after we finished the seafood platter, and then brought our mains a little after we finished that. Like maybe they were trying to create a relaxed atmosphere? We certainly didn't feel rushed. But it did take 50 minutes for the seafood platter to come from when we arrived - and we ordered pretty quickly after arrival. Having said that our waitress was very attentive and other staff also checked in on us.Nice open space, but it did fill up on a Saturday night and got pretty loud.

I had a nice meal here! I had the apricot cardamom mocktail and vegetarian risotto.What worked:-- service was fast and friendly-- their non alcoholic drinks didn't feel like afterthoughts. They were complex and unique-- the apricot mocktail was really good! It was more than just different fruit juices mixed around--it was bitter and layered-- the risotto was tasty and well-sized. Not the most mind-blowing thing I've ever had but I'd be happy to eat it again!-- there were a good amount of cooked fish options for those who aren't into raw seafood-- you can order just a single oyster which I appreciate!-- the staff was really accommodating when we asked for our food to be cooked with less oil and butter! -- I appreciate the focus on sustainable seafood!-- the space struck a nice balance between casual and elevated. It would be a good place for a little celebratory dinner or a cute Tuesday-night date. What didn't work:-- it's on the pricier end. The pricing of the seafood made sense but not so much for a risotto with no meat or particularly unique ingredients -- I wish the risotto and something heartier in it. The flavors were good and it was a fairly large plate but since it didn't have any protein, I felt like it could've used something more to "beef" it up. Mushrooms, more greens, beans, etcOverall, I'd definitely come back if I had a craving for some thoughtfully cooked seafood or a fancy mocktail.

Hook & Line is a modern restaurant bar lounge that is located in downtown Santa Cruz, a block off the main strip. It is a great venue for a drink after work or if you are on a date. The service was excellent from the host to the server, and the drinks and dishes were great. It doesn't photograph well because it looks brighter in my photos than it felt/seemed in real life. It had a darker ambiance and felt more like a lounge I'd see in Walnut Creek or LA.

Sweet! I enjoyed finding this place for craft cocktails, fresh seafood and top notch service. Kate was great - knowledgeable about the drink and food - definitely an eye and attention to the craft! That made it even more enjoyable. Some basics. Parking was a struggle to get the parking app to work, so just I finally gave up and went to the nearby lot. But that's not H&Ls issue. Just a heads up. Sat at the bar and enjoyed how the place was set up. Drinks. Walnut Ave was a superb old fashioned with one of the best maraschino cherries. 100 Mistakes was using an Italian aromatic that I forget now, but another fine drink. Good food. The oysters were sumptuous. I had Buckley Bay, Hood Canal and the constant Miyagi's on their menu. Ceviche of local halibut, sweet potato (thought it was weird until I tasted it), avocado and lèche de Tigre was phenomenal. I even got a suggestion for another different but awesome spot to try. I'll definitely be back. Enjoy!!

I have been craving Oysters for moths now. i finally found the place and location. So i didn't hesitate to make the reservation to come and try them. We came by during Happy Hour which made them $2!! We had their Miyagi Oysters with their house lemon sauce and fresno chili sauce. We tried them 3 different ways and loved them every time. Also had their Pink Margaritas and their local Rock Fish fish n chips. Service and attentiveness was excellent and they did not hesitate to answer any of my questions especially about why the Oysters were called Miyagi. I will be back if I am ever in the area.

Happened upon Hook and Line for dinner for the first time on a Monday night, and it turns out it's happy hour all night?! Jackpot. First off, unlike some places, the happy hour menu is actually quite happy - solid discounts on good food and drinks. Overall, this is a great place to grab a really tasty cocktail and some fresh seafood. I have high hopes once they iron out the kinks from their recent reopening, and will definitely be back next time I'm in Santa Cruz. *****The only big con: * Not sure if it was an off night because the restaurant just recently reopened, but it took me around an hour to get my main course (sea bass). The staff was very friendly and apologetic though, so no worries I get it. Luckily I was on vacation anyway, so that just meant I could spend more time with my cocktails and appetizers!*****Food: * Halibut ceviche: This must be Hook and Line's calling card? Some of the best halibut ceviche I've ever had. The fish was super fresh, the cuts were all very high quality without any stringiness, and there was a lot of it (considering it was a happy hour portion). The marinade was complex and flavorful without being just a sour-punch-in-the-mouth like some lower tier ceviches. And not to mention the heaps of avocado you get too. * Oysters: Happy hour oysters are $2 and they're the standard Miyagis. All the accompanying sauces are very tasty, especially the chili sauce! * Seared sea bass (I think? This was back in August): The done-ness of the fish itself was a bit of a miss here. Slightly overcooked, maybe because of the delay. Everything else in this dish was great though, from the puree sauce (sweet potato?) to the grilled caramelized leeks, and the chimichurri on top. *****Cocktails: * Had some time to kill, so I had one of each cocktail on the happy hour menu. All super tasty! Very well executed. *****Service: * I sat at the bar, so I mostly interacted with the bartenders, but they were super friendly and attentive! We had great chats about growing up in the Bay Area and how they liked Santa Cruz, and they were just generally a pleasure to hang out with.