Harbor Café — Restaurant in Live Oak

Harbor Cafe in Santa Cruz is a hidden gem that never fails to impress. This charming and inviting cafe offers a delightful dining experience that deserves high praise.

As soon as you step inside Harbor Cafe, you're greeted with a warm and friendly atmosphere. The attentive staff goes above and beyond to ensure you feel welcomed and well taken care of throughout your visit.

Now, let's talk about the food. The menu at Harbor Cafe is a true culinary delight. Whether you're stopping by for a scrumptious breakfast, a hearty lunch, or a satisfying dinner, each dish is carefully crafted and bursting with incredible flavors.

The breakfast options are a standout, with fluffy pancakes, mouthwatering omelettes, and perfectly cooked eggs that leave you craving more. The lunch and dinner offerings are equally impressive, featuring a variety of fresh salads, flavorful sandwiches, and enticing entrees.

Harbor Cafe prides itself on using high-quality ingredients, and you can truly taste the difference. Every bite is a testament to their commitment to excellence in the culinary arts.

In addition to the exceptional food, Harbor Cafe offers a cozy and welcoming ambiance. Whether you choose to sit inside the cozy interior or enjoy your meal on the charming outdoor patio, you'll find yourself immersed in a delightful dining environment.

The portion sizes at Harbor Cafe are generous, ensuring you leave feeling satisfied and content. And don't forget to save room for dessert! Their homemade treats are the perfect ending to a fantastic meal.

Overall, Harbor Cafe is a culinary treasure in Santa Cruz. With its superb food, attentive service, and inviting atmosphere, it's a must-visit for food enthusiasts and those seeking a memorable dining experience. Whether you're a local or a traveler, make sure to add Harbor Cafe to your list of top-notch dining destinations. You'll be delighted by what this hidden gem...

I'm giving this restaurant 2 reviews:

3-stars if parking is not a concern (e.g. you're local) 1-star if parking is a concern (e.g. you're a visitor)

I'm convinced this neighborhood hates tourists. There are "No parking" signs everywhere. Every street has a "No parking" sign. Every house has a "No parking" sign. I tried speaking with residents to ask where I can find parking. None of them were helpful and were more interested in shooing me away.

One of them grudgingly mentioned there was paid public parking about a mile away from the restaurant. We checked that lot, and there were only ~20 spots. All the spots were taken except for the spots for the nearby school, which were sitting completely empty (it was a Saturday). The old man monitoring the lot told us we couldn't park there, and then shooed us away before we could finish our sentence.

Basically, there was no public parking between the restaurant and the beach 2 miles away. I drove in the other direction and eventually found a spot a mile away on a side street. I concluded that if you're going to visit during busy hours, either find parking north of the restaurant, or bribe a homeowner for a parking spot.

To the restaurant owners: Please make more parking spaces. There's a lot next door. Buy it.

Apologies ahead of time for having dedicated this review to the parking situation, but really, I spent the same amount of time looking for parking as I did eating.

As for the restaurant itself: the food was average and the service was good considering how busy it was. But it's not somewhere I'd care to visit again regardless of the...

There is a looooong wait to get a table here. Make sure you hang around the area since you might get bumped up on the list if a disgruntled party decides to leave for another brunch place. We waited about 45 minutes on a Sunday morning for a table to seat 5.

Harbor Cafe does have a great selection for brunch -- make sure you check out the specials on the board in the patio. They have plenty of outdoor seating, an indoor and outdoor bar, and on top of that they are dog-friendly!

We have three Egg Benedict lovers in our group so we definitely came to the right place. The Cali Bene (2x), Veggie Bene, and Traditional were all delicious. I loved the Cali Bene. Since I am not the hugest fan of english muffins, the combo of croissant, eggs, bacon and avocado was perfect for me! My boyfriend went with the Seafood Omelet which had a generous portion of shrimp. They definitely don't skimp here. After reading all of the reviews, I had to try the polenta fries. I'm not really sure how to describe them... they were large chunks of crispy polenta? They were not my favorite but not bad. Worth a try but I think I'll stick to the more traditional polenta dishes. For drinks, we enjoyed some their famous bloody mary's, mimosas, and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.

There is parking in a small lot and nearby...