Oblò Cocktails & Kitchen — Restaurant in Santa Cruz

2 stars and Ill explain why this shocked me We came in for dinner to try Oblo for the first time. right away the ambiance was very nice! I loved the couches by the bar and the decorations were nice. Service so good they greeted us immediately got us waters and menus the blonde hostess was very sweet. I ordered the cornstar martini to start and Ill be honest wasnt great. It did not come in a martini glass first red flag. It tasted like a mimosa... confusing....at first I thought it was the wrong drink. Anyway moving on not a big deal we ordered our dinner my boyfriend ordered the spag and meatballs I ordered Bison Ragu. Im not even trying to be mean please understand but this was the worst italian food I've ever had. The meatballs were gritty like sand, overcooked and somehow grey color? The ragu was a greesy slop mess like a hamburger helper. There was a literal puddle of oil drowning my noodles so much they were soggy. My boyfriend and I (shocked) told our server (who was great, they checked on us a lot and was very polite) that we didnt like it so they took it away. We explained why and just carried on to dessert. I ordered an espresso martini and asked if it would come in a martini glass and they said yes. Some moments later was brought my espresso martini and it came in the same weird grandma cup as the last. Like a full glass of watered down coffee with no foam on top. So we paid our dessert and drinks I didn't finish or like. $60 later paid and even tipped and left feeling so disappointed and irritated took an uber immediately to Bedda Mia. Absolutely saved the night. I dont think we will be coming back unfortunately which is sad because we are locals and...

A rare high end restaurant in the heart of Santa Cruz! Wasn't sure about the parking lot next to the restaurant, but there's a public parking lot a few steps away reasonably priced at about two dollars an hour.

The ambience here is warm and relaxing, although it does make taking pictures difficult. The live soft music was a nice touch, and there was one waitress (and one helper) for the dining area; but raising your hand or an "excuse me" usually gets their attention.

Menu items can change, and their selection is a right blend of apps, salads, pastas and daily specials. For apps, we opt for the Brussel Sprouts, Burrata salad, Borchetta and Frito Misto. The groups favorite was the Frito Misto (app sampler platter with shrimp, calamari and fried peppers). If you have to give one up, forgo the Brussel sprouts. The Borchetta is a good option but only comes with four pieces.

Due to the lighting, the pictures don't do the food justice, but I can assure you the taste is there and spot on, especially the mushroom risotto that didn't look too appetizing with a dark color bowl. Their special (beef with polenta) was cooked to perfection with a wine sauce that accentuated the polenta. The smothered Chicken Parm was done just right but the potatoes would've been better with less seasoning. Of course, a Affogato is a must but the ice cream was on the...

A great place to come in and have a date night or hangout at the bar with friends. The food was solid. The calamari appetizer was great, the shrimp on there was fantastic, i'll be thinking about the shrimp. Calamari was nicely breaded and flaky and cooked well. The drinks were great and felt expertly crafted. All the food felt well seasoned, balanced, good flavored, and fresh. Ultimately what was Exceptional was the service.

Madilynn our server was a treasure. She made me and my wife feel comfortable and provided us with a great dining experience. It felt as if we were truly being catered and attended to. I always feel this is the biggest drawback about most Santa Cruz Co. restaurants, the lack of quality service and lackluster environment that you want to come back to. We'll go back and hope to see Madilynn in the future. If you want to get out the house and leave the kids at home and receive great service that is warm and receptive, I recommend you...