Jack O'Neill Restaurant & Lounge

This review is long overdue. My husband and I we're down in Santa Cruz for the weekend late October and stayed at the Dream Inn. Of course, we had to dine at Jack O'Neill restaurant.The food and service were excellent and the decore was beautiful!

Well, I don't know if I came too late or too close to closing for the afternoon, but my experience was sub par! I walked from my daughter's house to try their clam chowder. I arrived ten minutes before they closed at 2:00pm. I approached the hostess and asked if it was too late to order something to-go. She replied no; so I placed an order for a bowl of clam chowder. I then proceeded to the bar where I ordered a beer while I waited. I figured the chowder would be right out, but it took about ten minutes. After the chowder was delivered to me, I finished my beer, paid the bill, went to the bathroom, and walked home. The chowder was still warm. I opened the lid and it looked like paste. So I placed it into a pan and gently heated it up. It was so thick, it was like spackle. I tried a taste and it was practically flavorless. It was more like a roux. My wife tasted it and was like WTH! $18 w/tip (not inc. the beer) down the drain! Was the chowder whipped up at the last minute due to they were out of it; ecause it took about ten minutes before they brought it out when I figured under normal circumstances all they had to do was scoop a bowl into a container. I had high hopes as I was craving a bowl of good chowder. I'm visiting from Arizona and I figured being on the coast would afford me great seafood dishes. It was literally one of the worst chowders I tried. If it wasn't for the bartender, I would've easily rated this place one or two stars!

The absolute worst. No soup or tablespoons,- They wanted me to eat my clam chowder with a teaspoon!! And BTW, the chowder was barely warm and incredibly thick. Then the waiter starts yelling to me from across the room.This is not a good restaurant and very far from being great.I came in wanting great service so I could leave a nice tip. They didn't deserve the 10% I left. Fumbling bumbling idiots

What a gem of a restaurant! This is the type of place I almost want to keep a secret..., but what kind of Yelper would I be if I didn't spread the love and share this foodie haven?!JackOneal had the trifecta: amazing food, unbeatable ambiance, and kind, accommodating staff. We had a wonderful day trip to Santa Cruz that started at this restaurant. To get to the entrance you have to walk near the front of the Dream Inn hotel at the top of the hill and walk left down the hill. You will find clear signage from there. We parked on the hill with parking meters next to the restaurant since parking is pretty limited in such a prime oceanside spot.Onto the service... We arrived at 12 before a major lunch rush. I highly recommend if you don't want to wait and want a top pick for a table. We were sat quickly and the nice waitress quickly brought us water, coloring for the kids, and took our order. The food took about 20 minutes and was worth every minute of the wait. All of us were beyond happy with all of the flavors. The salad had such fresh produce. I would guess it comes from neighboring city farms. The clam chowder was full of clams and I'm already craving our next trip back for it. I even took a cup to-go to enjoy for dinner. ;)My husband's sandwich was chef's kiss perfect! And the fries my kids ordered were stolen in equal proportion between my husband and I. They were salted just right! We loved watching the waves and kids play below on such a beautiful winter day in Santa Cruz. Thank you JackOneal and staff. Your restaurant is amazing!

5 stars for the view. Absolutely beautiful spot with a view of the ocean and the wharf.I was surprised that we had to wait for a table for 6 at 10am on a Sunday - I didn't think it would be that busy. You can make a reservation. Also, I think had we been 2 or 4 there would not have been a wait. Once we were seated the service was quick.Food was just three stars. Especially for the price. It's not as though it's super expensive, but I would expect more for the price.Kids chocolate chip pancakes didn't really have chocolate chips. Or maybe they were on top and melted? They had some chocolate on top, but it was saucy, and there were not chips inside. Disappointed child.The Eggs Benedict with crab cakes were decent. I will say that the eggs were perfectly poached, which is a thing a lot of places get wrong. The Hollandaise was lacking in flavor though. The Crab Cakes themselves were good. Not too crabby. Breakfast sandwich was just ok. The sausage was not very interesting - just plain breakfast sausage. Again the whole thing was kinda lacking in flavor.The Hash browns are good. Crispy enough.Biscuits and Gravy were tasty but very heavy.Portions were sorta small for the price. Not that I needed more to eat, but I was just kinda unclear what I was paying so much for (the view I guess).Coffee was nothing to write home about.House Bloody Mary was pretty good. I could have gone for a little spicier, but it was decent. They do have a full bar.

Four stars overall for a tourist spot. Pros - nice view, easy parking, quick seating, food was decent.Cons - longer wait (35-40 min?) for food, and the food isn't amazing but it fit the bill for us and tbh was better than I expected given other reviews. There were other places we were looking at that seemed to have better food, but less comfortable seating, no view, and questionable availability. We were seated quickly (reservation unnecessary) with an ocean view table. Three hour parking validated; lot is across the Dream Inn, right next door to Seaside Inn. Chowder was standard, ceviche was catch of the day and well portioned, and burger was better than expected.

If you're looking for good service and great food! This is your door! They have free valet if you're not staying in the Dream Inn hotel. I highly recommend making reservations as this restaurant is packed due to the storm damaging the pier last week! We were seated with a little wait as we didn't have reservations. Our waiter made our night do much more joyful! He had very pleasant attitude and very friendly! We got the clam chowder! It was very delicious and a very big serving when you order the bowl! I loved the Cesar salad, it had roasted garlic and something about it, hit me at the right spot! It's a must order! We then got the scallops which had an Indian taste to it! It was amazing! They also have a good kids menu - the grilled cheese is giant! and they also have a good wine selection! If you're in town this place is a must try!

I would give this restaurant a 3.5, but rounding up to a 4. The location here really is incredible. It's like you're right dining on the beach, can see surfers right out your window. The food was pretty good, not the best I've had but good compared to other places in this area with this location. The crab cake Benedict was by far the best item, if that's up your alley. I didn't love the chicken waffle and the clam chowder really wasn't great. I did enjoy the huevos rancheros. Staff wasn't the best - the girl who served us seemed very confused (at simple things like ordering drinks) and wasn't very friendly. Would come here if you're looking for finer dining on the water. But I wouldn't give it 5 stars.

Whenever a restaurant is in a tourist section of town and on the water, you'd expect it to be a tourist trap with mediocre food. Jack O'Neills is better than that. Yes, it's full of tourists gawking at the great views. And yes, the prices (especially for the drinks) are inflated. But the place isn't not bad. Crab cakes: actually small crab balls. Points since they didn't have too much extra filler. The remoulade sauce had a hint of a kick. Ok but not a repeat. Ahi tuna: surprisingly good portion size and nicely seared. Menu says jasmine rice -- actually plain ole white rice. The onion rings could have used another min in the frier. Just eat the tuna and this dish is fine. Short ribs: slow cooked tender, as it should be. The jus was flavorful but there wasn't enough of it. Solid dish but $50.Rainbow chard (called pacific catch): the fennel and turmeric stew was quite nice. Wish I had some bread to soak it up. The fish was bland -- needed more chimichurri. It's... healthy. You can eat in the bar but there aren't many seats so expect a wait. The staff is friendly enough, even if I suspect they are tired of being pushed around by tourists. You're paying for the view and a side of food. It's worth the visit at least once.

Book 6 hrs photographer package, and was happy with the service. Good communication, quick in response, price is reasonable. Our leadPhotographer Ally show up early, pay attention to detail, and work professionally. Pictures come out great, thank you Sound Original!