Diners' Choice: Good for groups restaurants in Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

OpenTable

Updated November 05, 2026

Looking for restaurants that are great for groups in Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

la Posta

4.7

4.7 (2576)

$31 to $50

Italian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Located in the Seabright neighborhood of Santa Cruz, La Posta is just moments from downtown Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Select from a seasonal menu featuring locally sourced ingredients, house-made pastas, naturally leavened breads, gelato made in house, and pizzas from our brick oven.

Because we rely on the bounty of the Santa Cruz farming community, our menu changes frequently and features seasonal dishes and nightly specials. Visit lapostarestaurant.com to view our most up-to-date menu.

La Posta’s curated all-Italian wine list celebrates the regional diversity of Italy and includes autochthonous varieties from small producers. Our dining room and patio offer a welcoming setting for memorable dinners, celebrations, and gatherings.

We adhere to the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Program and are a certified City of Santa Cruz Green Business.

Top review

Susan

Dined on Oct 29, 2026

The staff is charming, respectful, and knowledgeable. The food is well thought out for balance of flavors, appearance, and portion size. This is not heavy Italian food that sits like a lump in your stomach. It is delicious and satisfying and every dish has been carefully planned to give a maximum flavor experience.

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Popular dish

Ravioli

Chocolate the Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (226)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Now celebrating 25 years, Chocolate the Restaurant provides an attractive dining environment for couples on dates, friendly meetings, and special occasion meals. Dine outside on the heated garden patio. Celebrate special occasions with up to 25 guests in the private street-side party room. Maybe start with a Chocolate Martini or a Passion Fruit Margarita. Chef David Jackman's fresh baked pasta rosettes, slow-roasted meats, and delicious seasonal organic vegetable dishes are all a prelude to our many chocolaty desserts. Our wine list focuses on local and on Italian wines. Our cocktails are all made from scratch; often using locally distilled spirits, and always using fresh house-made mixers. We are at your service for dinner every night! Afternoon walk-up cafe' service Friday thru Sunday. . We are open for dinner every holiday except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Top review

StaceyGold

Dined on Oct 27, 2026

Amazing pricing for the quality of ingredients. Great food and service. We’ll definitely be back

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Popular dish

Gluten-Free Mini Loaf

Popular dish

Pasta Rosettes

Cafe Cruz Rosticceria & Bar

4.7

4.7 (2310)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Soquel

About the restaurant

Cafe Cruz is a popular and lively local restaurant. We offer casual/fine dining with a full bar, indoor and heated patio dining. Guests enjoy watching the "magic" created in our open copper-backed kitchen each night by our talented team of chefs. Notable features include many locally sourced foods, nightly sustainable seafood specials, and many creative salad and vegetable options. Our innovative pastas and sandwiches are always a hit.
Spit-Roasted meats are featured each night, cooked on a french Rotisol rotisserie. The lush garden room can seat larger parties of up to 35. Guests enjoy our warm friendly service, our many seating options, and exceptionally delicious food.

Top review

Sabrina

Dined 4 days ago

Cafe Cruz is reliably wonderful! Food, service, ambience are all great.

The Water Street Grill

4.6

4.6 (340)

$30 and under

American

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Our local restaurant in Santa Cruz Ca is Family owned, The Water Street Grill is a neighborhood Grill, steak,seafood,burger and wine-Beer Bar offering farm-to-table food, handcrafted drink and a selection of intriguing, affordable Firestone Drafted beers & great selection of wines. We have been more the 20 years in the Restaurant business, we are very committed our restaurant to treat customers with the most respect and let us also handle any event you having, will make it unforgettable moment.

Top review

GustavoGold

Dined 4 days ago

Wonderful dinner and lovely service. Everything was well prepared, with great flavors. Staff service was fantastic too!!

Laili

4.5

4.5 (2921)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Laili is our expression of love through food and service. We offer a unique menu made up of fusion Afghani Mediterranean items that include kabobs, wraps, flatbreads, pastas, and spiced lamb and chicken dishes as well as delicious vegetarian options.

Laili Restaurant "BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT", Good Times 2023, Voted #1

Rich Mediterranean Flavors in the Heart of Downtown Santa Cruz.
Currently taking reservations for lunch and dinner, walk-ins welcome too.

Dine in our elegant, secluded, off street patio. Visit our website for event information.

Top review

LaurenGold

Dined 1 day ago

Outdoor patio at lunch time was lovely! Really delicious food as always and helpful staff.

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4.5

4.5 (496)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

We named our restaurant Mozaic because we wanted to capture the diversity of flavors and culmination of authentic Mediterranean dishes that we offer. We bring together the best of Mediterranean recipes from Greece, Lebanon, Turkey and Sicily, emphasizing Middle Eastern influence.

Our menu is hand-crafted after years of experience in the restaurant business knowing what people like. We make every dish completely authentic, utilizing 100 years old techniques that have been passed down through generations to bring you incredible flavor. COME AND TASTE THE DIFFERENCE We seek only the best, local ingredients. We use high-quality meats, like our Australian lamb tenderloin and select only sustainable seafood. Our lavash comes from an authentic Persian bakery.

Everyone wants family. Mozaic is a warm and inviting atmosphere where everyone can feel at home. Come enjoy our incredible and lush atmosphere.

Top review

PattiannGold

Dined on Oct 17, 2026

The menu had great choices. The staff were very attentive and had wonderful suggestions.

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen | Westside

4.5

4.5 (754)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Savor our handcrafted cocktails and flavorful dishes right beside the distillery where our premium spirits are crafted. Whether you prefer indoor dining, a lively bar atmosphere, or our covered heated patio, we provide a variety of seating options to enhance your experience.

HOURS:
Monday - Thursday // 5pm - 9pm
Friday // 4pm - 9pm
Saturday - Sunday // 11:30am - 9pm

Top review

Elizabeth

Dined on Oct 23, 2026

Absolutely incredible experience! We went for their three-course tasting menu during their special week, and every single dish was phenomenal. The meat was so tender, and the flavors were truly out of this world. Words honestly don’t do it justice! A huge shout-out to Chef Carlos and his entire team for creating such an amazing experience. You can truly taste the passion and talent in every bite. We can’t recommend it enough!

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Experience

Mimosa Service

Experience

Celebrate your birthday with us!

Mane Kitchen & Cocktails

4.5

4.5 (56)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Santa Cruz

About the restaurant

Welcome to Mane Kitchen & Cocktails, bringing a fresh tide of flavor to Pacific Avenue. We offer a sophisticated, contemporary setting perfect for conversation, connection, and a touch of indulgence.

Our menu is rooted in French and Italian techniques and celebrates the rich bounty of the California coast. We are committed to sourcing the highest quality ingredients, including:

Fresh Raw Seafood

Organic & Sustainably Raised Meats

Seasonal Produce from local Santa Cruz County farms.

Pair your meal with our carefully curated cocktail program, designed to perfectly complement our coastal-inspired dishes. Join us for an elevated dining experience where farm-fresh ingredients and classic technique meet modern sophistication.

Top review

Karen

Dined on Oct 25, 2026

Friend's birthday dinner. Everyone said they loved their food, some had lamb, some had burgers, some had pasta, my homemade ravioli with fresh corn was absolutely delicious. Excellent attentive service, and those who had cocktails loved them and commented on them.(Not usual in this group to rave about a cocktail 😉). Thank you Mane team for the great night!

Zelda's on the Beach

4.3

4.3 (612)

$30 and under

Californian

Capitola

About the restaurant

Zelda’s restaurant is in the heart of Capitola Village. We are located on the beach with spectacular views of the Monterey Bay and Capitola Wharf.

Zelda’s Restaurant has been serving local customers as well as others from all over the world for the past thirty years. We offer indoor and outdoor dining with a beachfront deck where you can literally reach and touch the warm sand of Capitola Beach.

Top review

PabloGold

Dined on Oct 14, 2026

Zelda’s is amazing located in front of Capitola beach and colorful houses! Excellent service and delicious food! Artichokes was AWESOME!

Margaritaville, Capitola

4.3

4.3 (35)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Capitola

About the restaurant

Welcome to Margaritaville Capitola! Our restaurant has been welcoming guests to Capitola for over 30 years. In January 2015 the original owners sold the business to Sunset Hospitality Group, a Santa Cruz family owned and operated company. We completed a full remodel of the restaurant, reinvented the food and service and opened May 7, 2015.
The new Margaritaville is dedicated to serving made from scratch Mexican seafood in a first class casual environment. Our dog-friendly heated patio is a great place to enjoy Baja fish tacos and Crispy Calamari. In addition we take pride in serving a variety of handcrafted margaritas made with fresh juice and local produce.
Sunset Hospitality is grateful for the support of Capitola and looks forward to serving the community and visitors for years to come.

Top review

SetarehGold

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent view, service & food My first time; loved it. Will be back for sure The beautiful girls were so nice

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