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O.K.... Realize that I'm a FOODIE... and have extensive background in cooking, managing and starting restaurants.... Actually it's a handicap when I go out to eat.... I find it hard to find a place that has good food, good service, reasonable prices and a clean environment....
Well, this past Saturday morning was my first visit ever ... to Davenport Roadhouse for breakfast. A friend had mentioned sometime back that the place was good....... yet, I'm rather sceptical about most people's assessment of what "good" is..
Found the place, although there weren't any flashy signs... A rather unassuming building with a nice landscaping around the perimeter... Walked in.... and was pleasantly surprised by the sunny, clean environment and friendly (and attentive) staff... Got to a nice round table that had a great view out the windows and a nice stream of sunshine coming in... The coffee and water got served just as I had requested (believe me, that is an accomplishment in itself for most restaurants)... The food server came and because I didn't know the menu, I asked for recommendations.... The server was knowledgeable and friendly... I ended up ordering the crab cakes benedict, that came with home fry potatoes... The good coffee kept coming without asking or having to flag down someone to bring more... The food arrived in a reasonable amount of time...and not only did it look terrific.... we dug in and everything was great... I could tell that this wasn't a bunch of frozen food that came in from some mid west restaurant supply company... I could tell that EVERYTHING WAS PREPARED FRESH ... right there in the kitchen at Davenport Roadhouse...
Will say, that if you're expecting a menu that has food items that are served in a "traditional" way..... that you'd better ask questions... Like the Crab Cakes Benedict.... one might think that the crab cakes would be served on an English Muffin... but instead, these home made crab cakes were served on toasted sourdough bread. A nice change from English muffins.... And the home fry potatoes that come with it on the plate, are prepared with fresh onions and red bell pepper strips.... which add color to the plate... but also a nice compliment to the crab cake benedict....
The friend who was with me... and I... kept mentioning how good everything was...... I even mentioned how the bottom of the legs on the chairs.... were actually clean.... and that the table itself, although very old.... was like it had been refinished yesterday... You don't see that kind of care and attention to cleanliness very often in the restaurant business... The whole restaurant was like that.
Personally, I'd say that on a scale of 1 to 5, that I have to give it at least a 7.... and I can't say that I'm that generous very often.... Try it.... You'll like it!
The Davenport Roadhouse is the first big buidling we passed on our way to the coast from Bonny Doon. It's right next to the ocean, but on the east side of highway 1 with no views of the actual ocean. But at least you know it's there.
The food is pretty good. I wouldn't drive from Silicon Valley to this restaurant on a normal basis but I wouldn't mind stopping there again if I happened to be in Davenport. They offer strictly American food- sandwiches, burgers, salads, soups. My dad ordered the fish tacos with a side of beans. I suppose that's not too American. The beans were cold.
I ordered the bistro burger ($12) which had white cheddar, lettuce, tomato, a chipotle sauce, and onion marmalade. The chipotle sauce tasted like mayonnaise to me. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh. The bun was sourdough. The onion marmalade consisted of a cluster of caramelized onions. The culmination of all these toppings made the seemingly average Angus patty taste like it was something better.
The restaurant has many tables, most are right up next to a window. There's a counter up front displaying desserts which didn't draw my attention. The apple danishes looked interesting, but not interesting enough to devote any portion of my daily calorie intake.
I can't wait to come back here. I came with my roommate a few weeks ago and have been looking for an excuse to go back. the roadhouse is situated right off the 1 and directly across the coast. We had a very nice view of the ocean from our table.
The place is large and smells like a rotisserie. I'm a big fan of that woodsy smell; it makes me think of camping and good food. The floors are dark hardwood and the place is decorated with local art.
The service was decent: my water cup was never empty, which is a big thing for me. I'm a gulper. Our server came back a few times to make sure that everything was in order but didn't hover over us. She got us some more bread when we needed it and seemed to be in a good mood. I like to see servers looking like they enjoy their jobs.
The food was just awesome. We got some steamed clams for an appetizer and they were almost gone by the time the plate hit the table. We were hungry and they were freaking good. Plus the extra bread was great for scooping up all the extras in the plate. We each got burgers for our entree but it took quite a few minutes to settle on it. Everything here looks great and if it is as good as the burger was, I'll be frequenting here quite a bit. Local beers are on tap here and music is frequent. We had two guys that looked like they came off the ranch playing blues guitar and harmonica. I was WAY into it.
Prices were decent and I hear the Taco Tuesday night is a deal. I'll be going just as soon as I have some time on Tuesday. This is a great place to relax and enjoy dinner away from the tiny crowded restaurants of Santa Cruz.
Hey just had to to reply to the previous comment - the apple tart is the best we've ever had. We told another customer about it and she said the same thing. To respond to a previous comment - don't knock it until you've tried it.
We're back home and we loved the Roadhouse. Everything turned out really great for our weekend and… Read more »
My husband and I just returned from a weekend staying at the Davenport Roadhouse. We stayed in the Pidgeon Point room and it was cute and had a nice view of the ocean. We were able to see the ocean while sitting on the bed and had a fantastic view from the wrap-around porch. The room was small but the decor was nice and simple. Our main complaints had to do with the bathroom: we ran out of hot water on both days, the fan wasn't working so it got very steamy in there, the shower head was placed on the wall for a 4'10" person, and the coffee maker, cups, etc were all in the bathroom! There was nowhere else in the room to plug in the coffee maker, but who wants to make their coffee in the bathroom? But sitting on the rocking chairs on the porch with a view of the ocean kind of made up for the coffee issue.
We had come car trouble so ended up eating 3 meals at the restaurant during our stay. The service overall was really good. Our first dinner was really nice- I had salmon and my husband had the filet. They were out of the wine we wanted, but the server brought us a taste of a new wine that wasn't on the list and we really enjoyed it. We were back for breakfast the next morning and it was pretty good although not spectacular.
I don't know if we were just Roadhouse-ed out by the third meal, but it was a bit disappointing. I had the shrimp and grits and I would not recommend it. I lived in the south for awhile, and this was not a good shrimp and grits dish. First, I know the difference between polenta and grits, and the polenta had come with my meal the night before. The meal wasn't supposed to be shrimp and polenta! Second, the meal was drowned in a really thick red Italian sauce. Between the sauce and the polenta, this was basically some sort of Italian dish and not my beloved shrimp and grits. The shrimp was also lacking and I suspect it might be the frozen kind out of a bag.
However, overall, it really was a pleasant experience spending the weekend there and enjoying a few meals. Everyone was really nice and you can't beat the views.
Came here with my husband and parents on the way to Monterey. I didn't know anything about it, and was skeptical about the "roadhouse" moniker, but we were hungry.
Lunch was fantastic. My dad and I both had the ham, brie, arugula and cherry compote panini. The flavor of the cherry compote complemented the ham and brie beautifully.
Husbando's portobello panino was outstanding. The portobello seemed to have been grilled over mesquite or some other tasty wood. Blue cheese was tart and tasty. Beautiful.
I only had a small bite, but Mom's chicken and rice soup hit the spot for her. She loved the salad as well.
Staff was very friendly. One thing that doesn't deserve a minus star but was annoying was that everyone kept trying to take away plates when others at the table weren't finished. Cut that out and it'll be perfect.
We'll definitely be back next time we travel through the area.
I may say pretty good breakfast. My GF ordered the one with the potatoe, bell pepper, bacon, bread, and two eggs. She really enjoyed it and I especially enjoyed the potatoes and bell pepper.
I got the pancake breakfast which was scrumcious!!! good serving and good service!
You know how, sometimes, coffee at breakfast is weak and bitter and burned and is just generally disappointing? The coffee here was the opposite of that.
And you know how, sometimes, that crab cakes really betray their name by being little rubbery lumps of mostly shitty bread crumbs? These crab cakes were the opposite of that.
Ad you know how, sometimes, that hollandaise sauce completely lacks the light lemony brightness it should have and tastes like some kinda weird gravy? This hollandaise sauce was the opposite of that.
And you know how, sometimes, avocados are weirdly brown and not so appetizing? This avocado was the opposite of that.
So. . .I came here for breakfast on a Sunday. Service was quick and friendly. The Crab Cakes Benedict special was Tangy perfectly seasoned Cakes of Crab Meat on lovely slices of buttered sourdough baguette, topped with two perfectly done poached eggs and lovely hollandaise, served with a ripe and delicious sliced avocado.
The coffee was rich, strong, and dark, not at all bitter, and highly caffeinated. ZING
Yes Thank You, More please. I'd like to come back to try lunch and dinner.
I love Davenport. You know how lots of restaurants aren't in Davenport? Well, this one is.
The Roadhouse is an idyllic place to do lunch. I ventured out to Davenport (10 miles north of Santa Cruz) for a long lunch with a large party earlier this week. I had a panini, garlic fries and a beet salad. I enjoyed the panini filled with fresh eggplant and mozzarella. I found the beet salad rather light on the beets, a bit of a bummer actually. The garlic fries, however, were stunning - abundant with fresh herbs and tons of minced garlic. (I used some of it to help out my salad.) Everyone raved about the hamburgers and the salmon with mashed potatoes. Next time.
I left feeling satiated and surprisingly rejuvenated. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you're in a hurry. But then again, why would you?
The first time I ate here in July, I was underwhelmed, but this past weekend I was super impressed with the Davenport Roadhouse. The room itself is warm and comfortable-- somewhere between an airy cafe, a general store, and a saloon with a pastry counter up front and fireplace in the back.
Almost everything we ordered was fantastic as was the "bread" for the table that they bring automatically-- it's actually a tiny pizza crust with olive oil and TONS of garlic. The same mound of delicious garlic was featured on the chile-garlic calamari, which was my favorite dish of the evening: a hefty pile of lightly battered calamari rings with said garlic, HOT red peppers, and a drizzle of chile oil.
My girl and I had a blue cheese/apple/garlic/Corralitos sausage pizzetta and a bowl of beef chile, while our double dates shared an 8" square of artichoke-leek lasagna (we'd done an 8-mile hike in Butano SP earlier, so were HUNGRY). Everything was delicious and well-crafted for such hearty food. Our only disappointments were the salads-- a plain garden greens and a roasted beet (we're talking 3-4 pieces of beet) that were skimpy, limp, and surprisingly unexciting considering this place is in the middle of farm country.
One last plus to mention-- their wine list is great. They've got lots of local Santa Cruz Mountain area wines available by the glass, as well as a few from Mendocino and Sonoma. I appreciate it when restaurants in the middle of great wine regions actually serve local wines.
Service was fine, and the prices were OK-- our dinner for 4 with 3 beers and a hot tea came to $100. I definitely recommend the Roadhouse for dinner and am looking forward to trying their breakfast next time we're in the area.
Oh, how I wanted to give a good rating. I want this place to stay afloat. This is a cool location with lots of potential. Sadly, my husband and I came here for a early Valentines dinner. Only two of the advertised specials were available. Kind of a disappointment after viewing the menu for the week, online. Not enough servers. People waited to be seated, wondering if anyone would arrive to help (us included). A cocktail took forever. It arrived with our food. I had wanted it before the meal, to order wine with the meal. Husband told me to relax. So, I did.
Food: my Cioppino was very good. Bread was also very good. Husband had salad and pizza. He was impressed. I would come back for the Cioppino.
Atmosphere: I thought that they would modify the room after their remodel a couple of years ago. Too bright, too loud. They need to dim the pretty overhead lights. The lights from the open kitchen are also very bright. The noise from the hard walls, floors, etc. is really tough to handle.
I really want this place to measure up. I hope things change.
let me be Tom Colicchio in Top Chef for a second ... bad idea and poor execution.Please pack your knifes and go.
I ordered fish tacos... it was very very thin tilapia in tempura style batter with no salt and 3 pounds of red cabbage on top of it.
I've never ever had such horrible fish tacos in my life. I paid $11 for 2 tacos !!
My husband and I held our wedding reception at the Davenport Roadhouse a few weeks ago. It was amazing.
We rented out the place to be all ours for the night, and hired a fun mariachi band to entertain our guests after dinner. Our friends and family are still raving about how great the Roadhouse was!
Let's start with Martin Nehring, the event coordinator. Martin was on-pointe from the beginning and ensured every base was covered. He did a fantastic job keeping everyone on schedule and he made sure the venue was beautiful when we all arrived.
The food... oh, how heavenly it was. We selected a pesto pasta dish for our vegetarian guests, and the rest of our guests chose between the Tri-Tip and Chicken Cordon Bleu entrees. The chef completely exceeded our expectations. The appetizers (shrimp and beef wellingtons) were scrumptious!
The servers were very attentive and courteous, and went out of their way to ensure each guest had what they needed. The bartenders, also did a fantastic job.
We love, love, love the rustic/country nature of the Roadhouse, right down to the beautiful fireplace. We had absolutely the best time!! Many of our friends have indicated it's the best wedding reception they've been to in a long time.
We would highly recommend The Davenport Roadhouse, and especially working with Martin if you have an event coming up. He's a fantastic coordinator!
Well the kids and I took off for a weekend to Santa Cruz with my sister and mother. My mom wanted to stop at the Roadhouse because she had always seen the place passing in her travels and had never stopped in. When we first walked in it seemed nice. It wasn't packed, but it definitely wasn't suffering from lack of business either. My family sat down and we all ordered our food. Meanwhile 35 minutes passes by and still no food had been served to us. By this time my patient, well behaved children(ages 1 & 4) have come to the conclusion that they are tired of waiting and have decided to both throw tantrums if I didn't let them wander around the dining room. I figured "what the hell". Maybe my children wrecking shop would actually speed up the process of our food arriving to our table. Finally our food arrives. My Bonny Doon omelet was very good, but my potatoes sucked. They were soggy, burnt, and greasy. I had previously thought that that if a meal was greasy it would be crispy and if it was burnt it couldn't possibly be soggy. I was wrong.
My mom enjoyed her scramble eggs. My kids enjoyed their pancakes and sausage.
My sister said her egg white omelet was good, but I became suspicious when she only ate half of it. Since Yelp has turned me into a food critic with a voice it was my duty to reveal the truth, so asked her for a bite. I almost puked when I bit into it. It was uncooked and snotty. This place is bootsy. I recommend driving right on by.
Sometimes the service here is slow - that's why the four stars. The food is delicious though. I like the Roadhouse for breakfast the best. I substituted mushrooms for spinach on their salmon benedict yesterday, and it was so good. Interestingly, on the way out, I noticed another person had substituted a grilled tomato. I just LOVE a flexible chef. The coffee is great here! It's also fun to see the motorcyclist morning diners. Wireless internet access too. Gotta love it.
I love this place!
I was done early with work in Santa Cruz and decided to treat myself to a nice cruise up the coast and breakfast at this place because I have seen it so many times on Bay Area Backroads and other SF foodie shows. So it was not busy at all that I was told to pick anywhere to sit - so I got a nice window seat.
Service was super nice and attentive! Not intrusive at all.
The place had a nice cozy feel - everything was made of wood.
The front has a coffee bar with some bakery goods in the cold cases.
They had a great menu that I can't wait to try over and over again.
But for today I needed FOOD - real good food since I ate leftover to go pizza in my hotel room last night. :) (but it was good too) I the eggs benedict with canadian bacon and some of their famous clam chowda!
Big bowl of chowder - YUM! tasted fresh, nice potatos, some bacon and the clams were not too chewy and plentiful! I didn't need to add pepper or salt.
Egg Benedict - My first ever and I was very pleased. It wasn't in typical EB form - the bread crustini was on the sides and the perfectly poached eggs were placed on top of home potatos, green tomatos and the 4 slices of canadian bacon all drizzled nicely with holidanse sauce. Added a little hot sauce and I was in breakfast heaven. My only gripe was I needed more bread to sop up the egg/sauce mix. Too many potatos for my taste so I didn't finish it.
I was very happy to treat myself to this great breakfast, great view and great service. Next time I will share this place with the hubby and order some of their killer omellets that looked good.
Note - I promise to give this lovely restaurant a chance for a do-over, soon. Please know, that I'm a positive and cheerful gal, but somedays just get me down.
I had no intentions of stopping here during a much needed drive to clear my mind of a wicked conversation during lunch earlier that day at El Palomar (a review looming ahead). But, recognizing how hungry I was since I politely boxed my lunch several hours ago, I decided to stop in since I was already slowed down on Hwy 1.
Walking through the front door I hear a small mess of locals/hip tourists by the massive bar to my left. The attention-getter wearing a beanie and smokey glasses was sitting on a high stool among a group of, I dunno, groupies(?) sitting much lower, heads tilted, smiles of wonderment, his wrists flailing then stopping for the big dramatic effect, hands clapping... Um, I'll sit in the dining room. In no mood for showboats this evening. Some other time... the bar looks inviting.
Oh man, where do I start with Dwight? I call him Dwight because of his clumsy vibe wrapped in carefully orchestrated movements trying to fool me that he was a suave, gay man lying low in Davenport. (Dwight from The Office).
Here is how I first met Dwight:
I'm standing, patiently and with a look of curiosity combined with hunger and thirst on my face right next to the hostess stand. Suddenly, I see a warm body about 15 feet away staring at me. It's Dwight. I give him the look of "it's OK to greet me".
Dwight: "Can I help you?" (He's still standing 15 feet away from me. Afraid of pretty girls, dude?)
Me: "Yes, I'd like to sit down for a glass of wine and dinner."
Dwight: "The kitchen does not open until 5pm."
Me: "It's a quarter past 5."
Dwight: *annoying sigh* " Let me go check with the kitchen first."
Wha? Seat me, you fool.
Dwight disappears. For some time, too. Now, my communications with men is teetering high in the red zone today. I most certainly do not like to unleash my furor. I have class. And a laptop. I'll use both wisely.
A pretty, blond lady swings around the corner and she looks a little stressed and forces a smile that quickly wanes into a genuine look of customer care.
PBL: "Can I help you."
Me: "Yeah. I'd love to sit at that table by the window and look over a menu."
PBL: grabs menu and walks with me over to the great table "Can I get you a glass of wine?"
Me: "I'm going to review your list and menu first... but tell me about your soups."
PBL describes the Clam Chowder, Tomato Basil Bisque and Chili...
Me: "It's probably going to be the Chowder. May I have a few moments to look over the menu?"
PBL: "Sure. Take a look at May's Bonny Doon specials. Note that we are all out of the reds."
Me: "Cool. Thanks."
Ah. Interpersonal communications.
I decide I'm going to order the chowder and inquire about two of the whites.
OMG. Dwight shows up.
Dwight: (voice cracking, high pitched. Is he taking hormones?) "Ready?!"
My God. Did he just shout at me?
Me: "Tell me about the two Ca' del Sols."
Dwight: **I honestly don't remember exactly what he said. He huffed. Stumbled over pretty descriptions. The sarcastic drawl and shifty eyes will remain with me forever.**
Me: "To start with, I'd love a cup of chowder and a glass of the Albarino, please.
Dwight: "A bowl of chowder... annnd, which wine?"
I'll just stop here. I decided to ditch dinner after a few more abrupt and awkward moments with Dwight. I was tired, anyway. I got what I initially ordered, plus a wooden block of doughy, garlicky, pesto shy bread. If it could be called bread.
The Chowder was really rich and buttery. Man, I wish my tummy was in better shape - I'd really enjoy this on a good day. The Ca' del Sol Albarino 2007 cut the richness perfectly. It was dry and heavy on the melon taste with a big nose of lightly scented flowers. Mmmm. I see a Bonny Doon wine tasting in my very near future.
High Marks: This place has been restored and maintained very well. Great flow. The menu is fabulous; simple and appetizing. It's very clean, well-lit with tea lights and warm tracklighting against shiny dark wood. The bar looks like a great place to camp for several hours. The views are wonderful and somehow you really can't hear the cars zooming through this spec of a train stop town.
Low Marks: Dwight. Oh, for Jake's Sake - why is there coastal art on the walls when I'm gazing upon the very sight in real time? The walls are beautiful, hand-shaped muted red brick - why cover them up? The postcards and other bric-a-brac at the front door reminds of The Cracker Barrel. The bread was inedible. That's a first for me.
I'll still come back because I love this locale and I'll bet it's amazing on a good night.
I fantasize about chasing Dwight around with a wet towel.
Room ok but rather dark and nothing special for the price. Furnishings are rather tired and there was no ocean view, although some of the rooms get a glimpse of the ocean. At the price, it really should and could be much nicer.
The staff are friendly enough but there was no sense of belonging and no real interaction with those staying.
The real problem here is that the rooms are right on Highway 1 - like 3 yards away. So even with the windows closed, the traffic noise is enormous, especially as there is a grade on that stretch of the road. Not recommended.
There is so much promise here, and the atmosphere is fantastic. BUT the food and the wine are a… Read more »
I still have the Roadhouse's Yelp page on the iPhone open from earlier this week and now that I check it out on the PC I've found that the most recent negative reviews that have been written about this place this year are suddenly gone from Yelp and the Roadhouse's rating is a half star higher than it was three days ago. How did this happen?
Now missing:
A review on 2/12/09 by Cheryl M. that gave the Roadhouse 3 stars.
A review on 1/11/09 by Heather K. that gave it three stars.
A review on 1/17/09 by Jiri N. that gave it one star.
A review on 4/6/09 by Nana R. that gave it one star.
All of these reviews are gone now.
The inside of the roadhouse is nice, and there was a pretty good band playing when I went. I got the short ribs, which were a joke for the $22 they wanted for them. They tasted OK, but it there was such little meat there that it only took me about three minutes to eat them. The waitress swears I got what I was supposed to, so I guess it's just a terrible deal.
I spent the night in the Ano Nuevo room upstairs. It claims an ocean view "from your pillow" which is true if you really contort yourself into the right position. Much to my surprise, there was no television in the room. There was a small hole in my bedsheet, wet carpet near the bathroom from some sort of leak from somewhere, and some pubes in the shower, too. After being woken up by construction at 8am, I threw in the towel and went to check out. No manager was there, but I registered my complaints with the woman who checked me out. She promised I'd receive a call from a manager, but shocker, I never did.
I would not stay or eat here again.
Our family of four went here this weekend and we pretty much loved it. We had eggs benedict and the kids had banana pancakes. We are pretty picky eggs benedict eaters and this was one of the best we have ever had, not traditional but not to out there either. The coffee was very good, the atmosphere was great. From where we sat we could view the ocean.
The only reason it did not get 5 stars was the wait staff could have used some personality. They were all without smiles and or any personality, they were not mean, somewhat snotty I guess. One of them managed to not speak the entire time, which is a skill for a waitress! They didn't even offer us the coloring crayons and paper (I only saw it on the way out). The service was slow and the place only had 1/2 capacity full. All that said I would return, good value for the price.
Brand new restaurant! Interior face lift done. Gorgeous dark wood paneling, and vibrant flowers all over. Nice warm yellow accent walls.
Staff: VERY friendly and efficient. VERY friendly. I already want to go back just to hang out with them.
Food: I had a little 'pizzette' which was just the right size, and topped with goat cheese, carmelized onions, sauteed red peppers, kalamata olives, and something else that I can't recall right now. VERY tasty. My friend ordered the farmer's salad. They grow their own veggies, which you can see in the garden out back. Very cute, and the salad had a freshness and herbiness that's refreshing and wonderful. We shared.
Drinks: they don't have everything out yet that's on their menu. I wanted a strawberry lemonade, but alas, not yet. I settled for a bottled drink, the waitress picked out a lemon hybiscus tea, which was very nice. They serve regular bar drinks here, too, but it was lunch people. Let's get sober, okay?
Dessert: Lemon bar. Oh. My. Goodness. Baked here. Tart and sweet, with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of raspberry puree. So sweet and tangy. Loved it!
For three people, all got drinks and either salad or pizette, and one dessert to share: $36. Excellent bargain. I'll be baaack. (A la Schwarzenegger)
I give this place 5 stars for the food and atmosphere. My husband and I come here quite often after hiking in the nearby mountains for a late lunch and glass of wine. We have probably been here 20 times or more and are satisfied each time.
**Edited to add: I added one star to equal five. The server in question turned out to be pretty darn good. We've been back at least 10 times sinceI last wrote this review and I have no complaints about him anymore**
Pros:
Great food. We've had the following dishes:
Huevos Rancheros: Yummy!! Served w/black beans and a huge flour tortilla.
Eggs Benedict w/ham (not salmon which is the other choice): Very delicious. Their hollandaise is almost like a sour creamy sauce, but very, very good. The potatoes are awesome!
Mixed greens salad: Very good. Has mixed greens and julienne veggies. I always opt for the pepper Cesar dressing instead of the pesto vinaigrette.
Burger: Good. Basic burger, but good.
Pulled pork sandwich: Again... very good, moist, flavorful BBQ sauce.
Corned beef and hash (we had this around St. Patrick's day.. think it was a special)... to die for!!!
Good Atmosphere:
Picnic-type tables but there are windows surrounding w/great views of the ocean.
Cons:
They stopped serving their breakfast after around 1:30/2 p.m. and at 3 p.m. go to a VERY limited menu. Other than that, go before 2 p.m. to get lunch and breakfast (usually I get a lunch item and hubby bfast and we share).
We had a late lunch and beer after visiting Ano Nuevo. Dining room is inviting with big dark wood tables, some local art, and a gas fireplace in the back. The place was 3/4 full when we were there and service was friendly and prompt. I had the Roadhouse burger. It was not huge but delicious with a tangy aioli, mixed greens and tomato on focaccia bread. Its served with a good portion of crispy, garlicky shoestring fries. Yum. She had one of the many interesting pizzas and it too had great flavors and ingredients. Prices were extremely reasonable. A great bet for lunch when heading up the coast. Tuesday through Thursday nights they've got specials and a "locals night" complete with beer specials and live music.
Note: the breakfast menu looked delicious but noticeably expensive.
I have too agree with some users that this place has gotten a little fancy in looks but the quality of food has gone down hill. Their chilly and soups are sill damn good. However, the rest of the food is hit or miss. I have always had good service though.
Let me explain, no there is too much, let me sum up.
$2.00 Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery IPA (Tuesday & Wednesday) = 4 Stars.
There was a crazy wind storm this week. The storm knocked out power. No power = No Stove, so we said what the heck.
We got there somewhat late. It was quiet. Service was a little on the slow side. Very nice, but a little slow. (They comped us BEER! YES!)
Food was tasty. Good food, excellent value.
I have been back a couple of times, and I still have not seen Patrick Swaze. :-(
The service at the restaurant was great. Our waiter was attentive and very polite. We headed here for lunch and weren't disappointed. I think our expectations were a little high though. When we first walked in we thought we might not be in a restaurant after all. After we were seated we were able to order and get our food right away.
We both got pizza, clam chowder, and a caesar salad. That has got to be the spiciest damn salad I have ever had. Not to mention you just get a hunk of lettuce with dressing poured all over it.
Over all the place was cute and nice to stop at on your way down the coast. Next time I'll drink a little more. =)
Terribly disappointing. The service was fine, although for some reason they insisted on seating tables directly next to each other--when my GF and I arrived, there was one other couple in the whole place (also clearly aiming for an intimate meal) and they tried to seat us at another small table next to them. The, when two separate families of 2-4 adults + 2 children each came in, they put them right next to us, dragging high chairs around and shoving tables together around us. So, actually, maybe service sort of sucked because they were more concerned with not having to walk very far to serve than in pleasing their customers.
And as our entrees were greater than $25 each, we clearly had a right to expect some level of quality.
Finally, their food was truly unspectacular. We came in right at the end of lunch, and were their very first dinner patrons. Their mac & cheese special was overcooked and mushy (who knows what it was like by the end of the night), the pork loin was hard as a rock, and the lamb wasn't any better.
When I go out for a high end dinner, I'm not all that picky--I do expect higher grade meats, more sophisticted preparation, a more elegant setting, and more attentive service.
I almost feel as though we got leftovers from the previous night, the food was so tough/overcooked. Pretty much a ripoff. If it wasn't for the fact that our server, Martin, was attentive and friendly, I would give only one star.
Let's be clear--the food wasn't awful. But I've had much better food at 1/4th of the price.
This Roadhouse Cafe is a little oasis on a stark stretch of Highway 1. I come down pretty regularly from Sausalito on my way to Santa Cruz and stop here for their burger. It's so chill and you can read the paper, the cafe is nice too and the wait staff is very friendly. I recommend it!
Had a late lunch there after a berry picking trip to Swanton Berry Farms just up the road.
Didn't have to wait for table for 7 on a Saturday around 2. That was great.
Service was very friendly, engaging and entertaining. Perhaps a little too much, but I can't ding the guy for trying to be nice.
Food was above average, and perhaps the best around for miles in this location starved of competition.
I had a wild mushroom pizza, which was nice and crispy from the wood fired oven. Fish & chips were overcooked, but the fries were nice and salty - just the way I like 'em. Seafood pasta was very generous with the fish, shrimp and shellfish. Our ice tea glasses never reached below the half way mark.
Nice and large parking lot, very cozy feeling in the restaurant - yeah, I'll be back.
We visited last Thursday for 1/2 price appys and drinks. Usually go for breakfast, this time stayed for dinner. Not so good. Had the Calamari and chicken wings appys. Calamari, mostly veggies and seemed like 10 small pieces of calamari. Maybe I didn't read the menu carefully and it said that it was a vegetable tempura with calamari. Chicken, burned black on one side. Did have good flavor once you took it off. I should have sent it back. I had the burger, cooked well, fries were perfect. She had the pepperoni pizza, had to sop up the grease. Not much flavor. All in all, I'll try one more time because I've heard such good things about dinner. Noticed the windows are starting to look a little shabby again.
Tried to think of someplace fun to go on a beautiful Saturday morning. This came to mind. Up the… Read more »
Eaten here many times in the past....always okay food. Not outta this world, not crappy. Service is always great, though, and the place clean. Today a bus load of age 60+ touristas waddled off for a pit stop. All the women made a mad beeline to the ladies room. Then they loaded up on mochas and cappuchinos and got back on the bus. Next pit stop...Santa Cruz.
I haven't been there in a number of years, but...
The sourdough pancakes are calling to me day and night.
I don't care about the gift shop, or the wait on a weekend....sourdough pancakes. yeeeeaaaahhhh....
went in this morning for breakfast with my wife. The first thing that struck us as odd was (as a reviewer has already touched upon) the fact that two wait-staff/front counter kids didn't bother to seat us for the two minutes that we stood there waiting, not so much as a nod. This is the one thing that really turns me off about a place. At the urging of a manager-type, both rushed out from behind the counter to seat us, while we had been within five feet of them the entire time we waited.
In any case, I ordered steak and eggs, while the wife had some banana pancakes, which she liked. My steak was a bit cold when I got it, but the potatoes and eggs were very good. The coffee was fine, as was the orange juice. We did notice that two tables were anxiously waiting for their checks to arrive, while another had their orders mixed up - we somehow lucked out! We didn't wait long for our check, and had our drinks refilled at decent intervals.
I'll go back again, but there's actually an even better place a few miles north of here, part of a gas station. That place is better, more local, and unknown to tourists. I forget the name of it, though.
I live on the coast and thought we'd head down to the Davenport Road House since it's a renovated at more upscale than before.
I order the Chili Garlic Calamari and the Halibut (the special of the day @ $28.00). I ordered a mojito(both their versions; with vodak and then I tried the traditional rum version.
I can honestly say this was the worst meal of my life. I was surprised how bad everything was. I'm guessing that their basics (fish tacos, hamburgers and pizza) are probably okay but DON'T eat any thing they attempt to do that seems fancy. It's just beyond their means.
In fairness I will say my server was excellent. He was was pleasant and even funny. when I sent back the Vodak mojito he didn't blink. When he could see I hadn't eaten anything he apologized which I didn't expect because that is not his fault (although he did recommend each dish I ate with high remarks --- but he's 20 something and may not have been around like this old gal).
Nothing was good. The halibut was over cooked and lacked flavor; to add insult they served it with sliced Yukon potatoes! agh. both mojitos were terrible- now I admit few people can do a good mojito (Empire Tap Room in Palo Alto does a great one). The calamari was heavily breaded and disgusting. $92.00 later I was disappointed to say the least.
My husband had the garlic fries and they were good. He also had the proscuitto pizza which he liked; I did not.
You'd be better off going next door to the Bakery which serves fine basic food or the fish taco place -which is very low key but good.
My wife and I came here from Santa Clara for a night to unwind, after a bunch of deadlines. It was really great. The quiet small town atmosphere really helped us chill out. The room was pretty nice - they gave us a free upgrade to the Captain Suite. The restaurant downstairs is really nice, and it was great to not have to drive for dinner.
All in all, we loved it.
My husband and I used to love coming here when it was still the Cash Bar. Back then it had a casual ambience, friendly and attentive staff, and killer coffee (Heart of Darkness, brewed in Santa Cruz). We hadn't been there for a few years but decided to stop in for breakfast on the way down to Monterey this past weekend.
The first thing we noticed upon entering the building was the significant remodeling job -- and the fact that the old hippie-esque gift shop was no longer there. We also noticed that it was awfully quiet for a Saturday morning after 10 a.m. It used to be that if you didn't get in the door before 8:30 on a Saturday you were in for a long wait.
It took several minutes for us (and the party of 2 ahead of us) to be seated, despite the fact that there were several open tables. We soon realized the reason for this: There was only one waitress (and one busperson) on the floor. She was friendly enough, but nothing special, and much too busy waiting on all the other tables to pay much attention to us.
The next change we noticed was the high prices. Sorry folks, I just don't agree that $8.95 is a reasonable price for 4 pieces of cinnamon French toast --with no extras, mind you. Not to mention the $2.00 coffee -- the busperson brought the already-filled cups to our table. No one ever came around to ask if we wanted refills. My husband finally got up and used the coffee "to-go" canister near the door to refill my coffee.
The food is tasty, and the building interior is attractive, really not a bad experience if you don't mind the prices. For us, however, the place has simply lost its charm.
I'm glad for the owners that many of the other reviewers like this place. As for my husband and I, we have no reason to ever want to go back.
Were my expectations too high?
Yes.
Was I being a hopeless romantic?
Yes again.
But wait, there really WAS a horse-drawn carriage, AND a tiny cute-as-HELL church.
It had all the makings of a great place to have lunch on the beautiful drive back up highway 1 from Monterey.
Sigh.
The restaurant was moderately busy though we were seated immediately. The staff was kind and considerate. But I am fairly certain the green haze that typically hangs just above Santa Cruz (I know, I went to school there) had drifted North and hot-boxed the Roadhouse.
Sigh again.
I was feeling like I was on vacation - I wasn't in ANY hurry, and I am pretty mellow (I did go to Santa Cruz, after all). However, what should have been a quick stop in Davenport for a bite turned into a very confusing hour-and-forty-five as our meal crawled at a snails pace (no, we didn't order any escargot).
I am a HUGE fan of the Slow Food movement...I am in fact a card-carrying member...but this was unreasonable.
The food itself wasn't bad, though I have to admit that my pulled-pork sammie wasn't as moist as I would have liked.
The Roadhouse gets two stars for using fresh local ingredients.
Sorry Roadhouse - I would consider giving you another shot, but please, please, please work on getting a girl her mojito in less than twenty-five minutes!
(side note, when spell-checking, one of the suggestions for "escargot" is "scrota" - heh)
Food here is pretty good, the service is pretty good. The prices are much higher than they should be. The caesar salad was SOOO spicey, i loved it! They grill basically everything here... even the lettuce for the caesar, which was interesting and delicious.
Let me first say that I was an ardent fan of the Cash Store, even through its ups and downs. Cooks would come and go, as would the quality. Things were pretty good near the end of it's old incarnation, a good part of that due to a top notch waitress that ran the front-of-house well. It was also home to some of the loopiest trippy-dippy-hippies ever to wield an order pad. My all-time fav Santa Cruz dining moment occurred there when the clearly high moonchild serving as waitress refused to bring us condiments because "it would ruin her flow" through the kitchen. Heaven forbid!
As the Roadhouse at the Cash Store opened, I had high hopes for the menu and service. My dad & I went one afternoon the first week they opened, and things were a bit chaotic. The food was excellent, though, my "wine burger" with bacon & Pt. Reyes Bleu Cheese being beyond reproach. I told the manager that they had one of the best burgers in town on their hands. The patty was thick and hand formed, not the usual preformed pucks you find everywhere. The 'market salad' was excellent, as were the garlic fries.
Subsequent visits have been completely hit and miss, however. While seemingly well staffed, they have the same problem that plagues so many Santa Cruz area restaurants after opening. First of all, be prepared to stand waiting as 3 or more idle employees tell you 'someone' will be out to seat you. Apparently standing around not helping anyone while staring into space was in their job description. They should get bonuses, as they do this exceptionally well. This isn't as much of a problem when the owner/managers are present. Regardless, there still seems to be some of that "oh, should I be paying attention?" vibe that clouded the old place. Unless the managers order them to do so, good luck getting water you asked for or drinks refilled (they have a tendency to charge for iced tea refills). The last 2 times I stopped in this seemed to be improving, but time will tell. On several occasions my food has come out quite cold, having languished too long before the waitress could bother to grab it. Amazingly, replacements came out in 1/4 of the time as the cold originals (yes, I could tell they weren't just the reheated originals)!
My favorite burger has shrunk more and more with each successive order, though the last time it was back to 'normal,' probably due to the presence of management. I've tried the meat loaf sandwich, which was tasty but of course no longer offered. The egg salad and bacon sandwich is rather bland. Various egg items came out with very few of the other ingredients mentioned on the menu, which is a recurring theme. The shortribs at dinner came out rather dry, having been beached in their pan for too long. I need to tackle more of the dinner menu before passing further judgment.
I enjoy stopping in here at least once a month, so I'll continue to weather the dips in quality for a little while longer. Apparently they changed chefs recently in the grand Cash Store tradition, so we'll see how things pan out! Just be aware your results will most likely vary.
We've stopped here a couple of times for lunch on the weekend. The food is great. Last time we stopped I had the sweet potato salad, which was light and tasty. He orderd off the breakfast menu and had the turkey hash which was also wonderful. You get fancy restaurant quality food in a rustic, casual atmosphere.
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