Caffe Lucio Italian Restaurant
381 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
Caffe Lucio Italian Restaurant Menu
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Address :
381 Soquel Ave
Santa Cruz, CA, 95060 - Phone (831) 427-0164
- Website https://www.caffelucio.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:30 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Very Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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A R.
While Caffe Luccio's makes an honest effort in terms of hospitality and friendliness, they consistently fall far short in the service category. Every time I have dropped in for dinner it seems as if they are understaffed. Delivery of food and drinks is slow even while the waitresses nearly sprint around the dining room. Again, while Caffe Luccio is well intentioned, the menu prices are on the expensive side and the food is just okay. And a note regarding ambience; I'm sure Luccio--ever the crazy party guy even in his 80's--is trying to create a memorable experience in a rather unremarkable location, with strobe lights and disco ball flashing and the music thumping so loud you cannot talk to the person next to you, I for one will pass on Caffe Luccio in the future.
(2)Meredith P.
Usually I prefer to try new restaurants and try new dishes at my regular spots, but when I know what I want, I'm not afraid to do what it takes to get it. I'm the kind of gal who will grab a burger from one place and head across the street to grab my fries from another. I'll drive 20 minutes to Watsonville to get carne asade at a specific restaurant, passing dozens of other places as I go. The other week, I had this terrible craving for a refreshing fizzy cocktail and some raw red meat. Random, I know. Unable to deny my hunger, I head to Lucio's with a girlfriend for an early dinner. I started with a refreshing whiskey beverage, and as always, my cocktail made by Marissa at the bar was fantastic. My friend went for a glass of cabernet that our waitress recommended and it was nice too. Since she's been an acquaintance of Lucio's for years now, he sat down with us for a little while and was hospitable and hilarious as usual. As we sip on our drinks, I see Lucio behind the counter pulling out the giant deli slicer. Preparing for the evening, I wondered? He reappears from the kitchen with a gorgeous slab of meat. Wait a minute...could this be for us?!?! He slices a piece and holds it to the light before he tastes it. He washes his hands, adjusts the settings, holds up the next sample piece, smiles, and continues to slice. As I watch all of this preparation, I got pretty excited. My hopes for this dish were very high and my expectations were exceeded. I've ordered beef carpaccio at four different Italian restaurants in Santa Cruz and so far Lucio's has been the best by far. Other variations in town have been served with a too much lemon juice, olive oil, caper garnish, etc. for my taste. Lucio's carpaccio preparation is very subtle, allowing me to enjoy the richness and the quality of the beef. Lucio's is my official go to place for my carpaccio cravings.
(5)Mike R.
Store bought pasta. Suppose to be an Italian restaurant and then the owner turns on rap music and a disco ball and lowers the lights. No kidding 6 PM and they turn the lights down and there is a disco light.
(3)aryan v.
We had the best time at this restaurant on Wednesday June 25th, 2014. We had a lot of fun at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and we were starving by the time we were done with most of the rides. We did not want to wait till we got back to San Jose so we took a leap of faith and entered Caffe Lucio. The place is not very large and was a little loud but we were seated promptly. The bread was brought which was delicious and the server was a cheerful lady. In our party we ordered Halibut, Margherita Pizza and Gnocci. Everything was good, especially the Halibut was fresh. I had the pasta as a side dish with my Halibut and it was an authentic italian pasta. Loved it. I recommend this place.
(5)Eric S.
Good food, but the owner Lucio is abusive towards his employees. When we there he was screaming and cursing at a waitress that she should "use her f@#%ing head". I could not believe it. That might be acceptable where you come from Lucio, but we do not want that here in America. GO HOME.
(1)Maggie N.
Caffe Lucio - where your food is served amidst disco balls and lasers, and is served with a side of "What Does the Fox Say"! Penne with salmon was delicious and I could not stop smiling! If I ever open a restaurant, it will be like this!
(5)Michael F.
So far the vibe is a little much for an Italian restaurant. Disco lights, house music and a light show lol. Will see how the good comes out. So it turns out that the food was GREAT! Hands down one of the best Italian restaurants I've been too.
(5)E K.
Great Food. Wonderful Service PET FRIENDLY!!! They were more than accomodating with our group of 8 dog trainers who almost all of us brought our dogs in with us. Thanks!
(4)Mike W.
its the first disco italian restaurant i have ever seen. very loud which did not bother me at all. actually it was a nice change from hearing thats amore. if you've ever been to Rome then you know the restaurants are loud. Maybe not disco loud nonetheless loud. i was pleasantly surprised when i seen the menu with many local organic dishes, gluten free pastas, pizza and grass fed beef. The organic salad was fresh, local and not overly seasoned with dressing. The bread for the table was fresh and was on the table immediately along with waters, olive oil and balsamic vinegsr. our waiter was informative, pleasant and not pushy he gave us time a few reccomrndations and left it that. This is definitely the best gluten free pizza I have had from san diego to eureka which includes SF and Sacramento. Thin crust that was tasty cooked all the way through and made in house as is everything else. Bravo to this place and there qurky owner.
(4)Dharma K.
Well it was edible...other then that the food is for sure! over-priced, cheap. I had the chicken marsala with pasta. What I got was a flat, over-cooked chicken breast with oily, salty pasta. My date ordered a pizza, how can you go wrong? Well I'll tell ya....the pizza comes on a crust with olive oil and COLD, yes folks...unmelted mozzarella cheese! So, I'd pass on this place unless you just want some drinks at the bar. The wait-staff was friendly but the food totally sucked! I would never eat here again.
(2)Marco G.
After spending the holiday in the Santa Cruz area, we found a spot worth every penny spent. Lucio's is unique, Where Santa Cruz meets Via Reggio. We have found nothing but duds over the holiday. My wife and I were in search of a authentic pizzeria on a Friday night after 9pm, it can be a challenge, so we found ourselves at the corner of Ocean and Soquel heading westbound when we noticed Lucio's. I said what about that place? As we passed my wife said pull in, I made a quick maneuver got ourselves in and the rest was history . The place had the best heart and soul that made the night for us. From the hostess to our server and of course Lucio. The local celebrity chef Owner. The place was fun, showed in the enthusiastic energy Lucio displayed. This man loves his business. The ravioli aurora and daily calzone special we ordered were fabulous. Homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli with aurora sauce that holds special meaning to us, spot on.the crust on the calzone and the filling of prosciutto and sweet ricotta and spinach made the perfect combination. Lastly this place has high energy music playing, lasers, crystal ball all timed perfectly, this place has a kids area with play kitchen and castle to keep them occupied, this place is great for everyone from families to parents out on a date night. When in Santa Cruz and looking for a great authentic Italian cuisine make time to visit Lucio's!
(5)E M.
I'm submitting a review for two experiences at Lucio's... The atmosphere is very pleasant. The first time we came we met the owner who is very Italian, warm and pleasantly extroverted :). The food was amazing. Carpaccio was excellent! Salmon penne with vodka sauce and pesto gnocchi were delicious. The vodka sauce does not have the creamy Italian sauce you may be used to, but the homemade vodka sauce is fantastic for you red sauce lovers. We finished with the carmel custard which was delicious. Definitely will go back!
(4)Kristen D.
I really wanted to enjoy Italian on this beautiful Saturday night, but I was terribly disappointed. Here are the following reasons: 1. Bread was cold. 2. Water tasted funny. 3. Calamari was too chewy. 4. Short Rib Ravioli was really salty and had mushy meat (like baby food). 5. Extremely overpriced for the quality. 6. Lights and music gave me a headache. 7. Service was slow. I like the concept of being contemporary and different, but the foundation of the restaurant (the food) needs to be stronger/better. I worked at a restaurant before, and having taste tests with the staff before helps avoid over salty, overcooked, chewy, mushy food. Also, the waitresses should designate their areas better so there is no delay in service. Goodluck guys!
(2)Kim B.
The food here is actually quite good. What sucks is the portion size, service and cost for what little food you actually get. Never in my life have I paid so much for so little.
(2)Cindy B.
BEST SALMON OF MY LIFE!!! I came here with my fiancée and we each ordered the grilled salmon. It was seriously the most delicious salmon I ever had. Grilled to perfection and so tender and fresh, with simple seasoning to show the amazing texture and quality of the fish. Not only is it local but Lucio said it was caught that morning!! Doesn't get any better than that. I am never going to order salmon anywhere else. It puts all the other fish in my life that I've eaten to shame!! I am a total foodie and really appreciate Lucio's passion and talent for cooking. He also makes a damn good cappuccino, being a previous manager at Starbucks I can tell good coffee from bad, the foam was so delicate and fine and complimented the aromatic espresso perfectly, a definite must with dessert! If you're looking for quality organic and local food, cooked by an amazingly talented real Italian chef, this is the place. Lucio is a character but you can see that he is a genuine and kind family man with a great passion and talent for cooking. If you are a foodie like me, come check him out!! 5+ stars :-)
(5)Steve M.
Amazing fresh pasta, yummy sauces, great service and a fun, quirky environment. Very family-friendly, too!
(5)Terry M.
Nice atmosphere, loud but a very fun experience. Everything is excellent except a couple of small dissapointments. If you order the ravioli they only give you like 5 of them, so order something else, you won't get filled up. I think the oil and balsamic they have on the table for dipping are inferior, the oil is not a rich dark olive oil, it's commercial bought in bulk from costco type, and balsamic was slightly bitter. For an authentic Italian restaurant I'd expect these two things to be screaming good. The bread they give you at the table is excellent. I'd go again for sure just noting a few minor things.
(4)Matt V.
Great Family restaurant, fun, energetic and DELICIOUS!!!! We were greeted by the owner,Luco.......He was hilarious. He let our three kids make their own pizzas in the back. Everyone at the table loved the food. The lasagna was amazing.
(4)Jasmeen M.
I loved the food and service here! I had the short rib ravioli and it was amazing! The only issue was I felt the portion was too small for what I paid. My husband had the black angus ribeye with pasta on the side. The steak was cooked perfectly and seasoned wonderfully. For dessert, I highly recommend the profiteroles, filled with chocolate mousse. The service was amazing, too. We were seated right away and always had water. Everything came out quickly. The inside decor is like a dance club; plenty of lights and even a disco ball. If you want delicious food and a fun environment, this is the place to go.
(4)Connie B.
I've come here many times but just recently found out they let ur puppies come sit w u on the patio! Lucio and Mrs Lucio are always so nice! There wait staff was amazing! Our waitress that night was I think Janelle (sorry if that's wrong, but it's close) lol she was beyond amazing! We had 5 dogs w us, and they were soooo amazing to bring out this huge plate of chicken for all of them to share! Anyone who's nice and loving to my babies win me over hands down! Plus our food was amazing! I had the ravioli and my mom and grandma had the pasta Santa Cruz! Huge winners in all of our books! Thanks for such an amazing night
(5)Yvette B.
I got dessert to go/take out from here. It was 1 slice of chocolate cake & 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream. THE TOTAL WAS $18!! HOW?? WHY?? The slice of cake was TINY. It was just a normal chocolate cake, nothing fancy. After tip it was $20 and totally not worth it. They are either WAY over priced or I got WAY OVER CHARGED! If I knew I was gonna drop $20 just for dessert I would've gone somewhere fancy with good desserts!
(1)Jacqueline C.
One of the worst restaurants I have ever been to. Not only did they not have two of the dishes I wanted but they had the audacity to charge us $5 more than the price stated on the menu. They tried to nickel and dime us in every way possible by jacking up the prices on our check in hopes that we as "ignorant customers" would not notice. To top it all off we were forced to pay an 18% gratuity for a group of 6. At the end of the day I spent $70 on blan over cooked pasta and an empty stomach. Never will I ever dine at this restaurant again. I would much rather eat a bag of $1 Doritos for dinner; at least that's edible.
(1)Hans L.
This is a great restaurant to sit down and have an awesome time and also to have some amazing food. The grilled salmon and halibut was cooked to perfection. Their lamb shank was cook so well, that the meat came right off the bone. The ambiance is fun and the food is to die for!!!!! Don't miss out on this resturant
(5)Jose B.
Came here on a whim. I was on a drive with a friend that started in San Jose as a way to kill time, and BAM we ended up here. The food was great, the place was super friendly, and the service was awesome.
(4)Tony G.
Fantastic find. Food is great. 4 of us each ordered something different. All choices were great
(5)Lynette M.
Taking my daughter to college at UC Santa Cruz this weekend and had dinner at Lucio's. Food was more than delicious and I am very picky when it comes to Italian (there are a lot of great Italian restaurants here in LA). Loved the atmosphere, great music, really friendly wait staff, and the chef himself really made the whole experience a great one. I will definitely come back to Lucio's the next time I am in the area.
(5)vinaboss N.
YAY: I was craving Italian food so my pregnant sister, her husband, and two little toddlers came across Lucio. Coming into the restaurant, we fell in love with the environment and all the decorations all over the restaurant. To our pleasure, the owner himself, good sir Lucio, was behind the bar cooking food for his guests! There is a very warm and homely feel to this place. Staff is very friendly. NAY: There was only one waitress and she seemed overwhelmed with the amount of work, but still managed to give great and warm service. Waiting to order took longer than it should considering we were only the third party in the restaurant, but I will consider the fact that the party before us was 3 large tables put together. Food also took a long time to come out but I again will take into consideration of the larger party that came in before us and ordered before we did. I consider myself to be more considerate than the angry pregnant sister of mine with 2 hungry toddlers and a hungry husband...enough said about how she felt, right? FOOD: We ordered fried calamari as appetizers; good and well seasoned and breaded. YUM. Eggplant Parmigiana - Small portion with no meat. Taste was 7/10 ____ Ragu-something-dish...- Meaty and fulfilling but tasted like normal spaghetti and meatballs Gnocchi - Flour balls with a creamy red sauce. Sauce was delicious, the flour balls, not so much what I was going for but I will take the blame for not asking what gnocchi really was. Kids Cheese Pizza - Yummy fresh grated cheese on the pizza. However, mostly not very edible due to being way too burnt on the bottom. This is not only displeasing, but dangerous for the health of consumers, especially if it was the KIDS PIZZA. This was a big deal to me, and I was not very happy having my Princess toddlers wait a long time for their food only for it to be burned. Overall great place and people but was pretty disappointed with food.
(2)Mark D.
This is the best Italian food in Santa Cruz. In the past, the music was played way too loud for a restaurant, but they have turned it down. We go here a lot and both the food and the service is really good. The pizza with a draft Peroni is a great dinner. The other entrees are equally good. Linguine Santa Cruz is Lucio's take on fruiti di mare and is quite good.
(4)JANET J.
Excellent food, with fantastic mood . The owner is hilarious, a consummate entertainer, including a disco ball and strobe lights. The entire staff did a dance through the restaurant to "what does the fox say", masks and all . Every patron, especially children, in the restaurant were allowed to dance with the staff. It was such a great and jovial night. Great food and great fun:)
(5)Barbecue K.
One star because the food is decent the caprise salad was good but didnt come with bread and the Alfredo was ok. The salad had three pieces of mozzarella and pieces of tomato and was 14 dollars
(1)Californian C.
Went there for dinner on a saturday night in the summer. We went there cos among the top 5 places that yelp recommended for italian this was the only one without a 1 hr waitlist at 7 pm and for 2 very hungry out-of-towners, it was music to our ears. The service was pretty good. Jannele ( i think) took our order and was great with the service - prompt, cheerful, attentive. The food was great - we ordered gnocci with marinara,and pizza. LOVED the gnocci but the pizza was probably 3/5 - wasnt as thin crust as i thought it wld be. Husband has never been a fan of gnocci, but he fell in love with the gnocci here. I would like to add that vegetarians will find several options at this place. Plus I really liked the use of organic veggies. Must add that the bread was warm and fresh as well .. The food overall is fresh, hot and tasty. The vibe is cheerful and great for a youngish crowd or for those young at heart. It's not a fine dining place or business-dinner place - it's a fun, date-night place with strobe lights, rock/pop music and an all-round cheerful atmosphere. The kitchen team can be pretty loud given the brisk pace of business - but that's one of the things they are proud about. Loud, proud, full-blooded italian and it's nice to see such enthusiasm among the wait and kitchen staff. There's a bar overseeing the kitchen area, so you get a good eyeful of the kitchen action. The owner, Lucio, is hands-on with the cooking process and to be honest, that impressed me cos it must mean the owner knows his stuff ! One thing though, my husband thought he saw the chefs use their fingers rather than, say, tongs or some other kitchen implement, to fork the plain pasta to be mixed with the sauce. This could be a totally minor thing going by the various cooking shows I see.. and it's not uncommon I would imagine in most kitchens..plus the chefs probably have very clean hands given the number of times they rinse their hands while cooking. But still, when you see it in the open-kitchen counter area, even if it's a one-off thing, they may want to be careful cos you never know what the customers may think.. Got a whiff of the orders at the table next to ours and must say the angel hair pasta looked as amazing as its aroma. tldr : Highly recommended for vegetarians, fresh, hot and tasty food with excellent service and a cheerful vibe.
(3)Kathryn C.
Horrid service! A very rude Russian woman who works there was awful to my young children and made my 4 yr old cry. We used to look forward to eating there every year after the SC lights train because it was so family friendly, but now we will never be back and nor will our friends with kids.
(1)Jeff R.
The Antipasti, Gamberi alla Lucio, Sauteed Prosciutto wrapped prawns with lemon-white wine - butter were the best I've ever had. It's is perfect for dipping your bread in. If your watching your calories don't order this. If you want a mouth orgasm this might do it. The quality of the food has gotten a little weaker since my last review. The music is way too loud and the disco and lazer lights are not a comfortable experience.
(2)G K.
Great food. Fun ambience with disco lights. Food is authentic Italian , but expensive food .
(4)Dan M.
Okay I went to Cafe Lucio expecting a nice quite italian meal with and old friend and his family. I walked into this place and it was nothing like I expected. It was loud with music, people and the club style lighting. There is a huge bar on one side of the restaurant and it reminds me of a restaurant of where I live locally toned down by 50 to 75%. It took a few minutes to seat us which is no big deal. We ordered our food and drinks and my buddy was telling the horror stories about this place which are mentioned below in alot of reviews. He was telling me it would take at least 30 minutes to get your food when Lucio was cooking but it was really good and worth the wait. The guy is as mentioned a skinny looking Einstein. The walls are covered in posters most kids would have in their rooms and to top it off they sell T-shirts and panties which are mounted on the wall for display. I have never been to any italian restaurant that sells t-shirts. I ordered something I had never tried before and it was Sacchettoni, which is stuffed pasta. It looks like a large square of pasta and mine had lobster, spinach and ricotta cheese in it. It came in some sort of lobster sauce and these things were good size, my meal came with 3 of them. It was beyond good, I cannot express this enough. The sauce is what made the meal for me. you cut up the pasta and let the sauce soak into everything and it was really to die for. The portions were good size my friends wife had the Linguine Santa Cruz which could have easily fed 2 adults. My buddy had the chicken fettuccine and again it was a good size portion that could have fed more than one person. Next time I come here I will bring the family and let them witness this place. It goes against any italian restaurant atmosphere I have ever been to and the food was great.
(5)rich m.
Love this place...food keeps getting better and better. Staff is always on top of things....Lucio is a hoot....and we always leave happy. No need to prattle on and on about our experiences...it has it all. We go out to dinner to be fed good food....by nice people...and enjoy ourselves. We always do. The people who complain about this place probably think Olive Garden is the bomb.
(5)Nina K.
Took my dad last night for his birthday, the food was amazing, the staff were so sweet and the atmosphere was so fun!! We will definatly make this a regular spot for us!!
(5)Lisa A.
This place is authentic Italian! The owner of the restaurant was there on the evening I visited. He was a hoot! My friends and I had the anti pasta appetizer and the shrimp wrapped in prosciutto appetizer. They were both very good and if we didn't have entrees, we probably would've ordered seconds. My entree was the wild salmon and chef's choice pasta which were both very good. I had so much to eat that I had to take some back to the hotel but once I got back there, I started eating the food, face in plate style, since I didn't have plastic silverware. Yeah - it's that good! Plus any restaurant that plays Michael Jackson while I'm dining is a winner in my book! I can't wait to go back to Santa Cruz to visit Caffe Lucio and Lucio himself! :)
(4)Vito L.
What a wild , crazy fun time... and the food/service is excellent!
(5)Alexandra V.
Where do I even start? How about if you're looking for some sort of pretentious over priced Italian restaurant. Go to restaurante Italiano up the block for some crap American ideal of what you THINK Italian food should be. And feel ashamed with every bite you take. Because you could be experiencing the absolute hands down BEST ITALIAN FOOD EVER at Caffe Lucio. This is mine and my husbands favorite restaurant we've ever been to. We've celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and bring all out of town visitors here. All have been as satisfied and as eager to come back as we are. All of the pasta is handmade and pure excellence. Every sauce is a delicacy. I can't even count how many "oh. My. God."s are spoken during each meal. You have to start with the anti pasto. It's an absolute must! If you want a fun laid back atmosphere, with music, lights and a whole lot of heart. Or a place with blow your face off food and waiters and waitresses beyond compare- this is the place. There are no substitutions. No better place to fulfill your foodie soul. You won't regret coming here, and you WILL want to come back!! WE LOVE YOU CAFFE LUCIO!!
(5)Angelica R.
Corky owner got me what I wanted. Meatballs over my spaghetti! Lucio makes the experience at this restaurant. Food was really good, especially the pizza! It's a little pricey for this type of restaurant but well worth it! 01/11/11
(4)Ashleigh C.
The good news is that they sat us right away. The bad news is that's when they forgot us. Once someone noticed we hadn't gotten drinks, they worked very hard to make it better. They brought us our food fast, there was lots of it and it was delicious, and they checked in often. They gave our one-year-old a balloon and brought me a side of pasta for my dish that was the size of my regular meal. It's loud inside with music but Lucio came out and danced, little kids were dancing, it was a lot of fun. I only give 4 stars instead of 5 because it's honestly lucky that our toddler is well-behaved or sitting for ten/fifteen minutes with nothing but water and bread would have been treacherous. They have room for improvement with customer service (a pregnant woman waiting for a table wasn't offered a chair for about ten minutes, she did decline when they did offer though) but what business doesn't need that improvement? I would go again for sure.
(4)Denizey L.
They say "Olive Garden makes you feel like family". Well they're wrong. "Lucio makes you feel like family". Lucio is awesome, the food is good and the staff is friendly. Yes, there's light and music that makes it seem like a mini night club, and it can be loud there at times. But Lucio is an awesome man, with a crazy sense of humor, who will make you feel at home
(5)Yvette B.
This restaurant was fun, loud and very exciting. So be aware, if your looking for a quiet romantic evening - this is NOT the place to go. The price of the food is mid-range but very flavorful, tasted fresh and came in large portions. I had the salmon with penne in vodka sauce (gluten free pasta) and my husbnd ordered a pizza. They do offer gluten free pizza crust, but I skipped it this time. Our food was really tasty. Even though we were 1 of 2 tables that Monday night, the Chef and cooks put on masks and danced around the kitchen for us. The place is very lively. I would recommend going and giving it a shot. Very kid friendly and the staff are extremelly sweet and attentive.
(4)Corinne F.
We had the best wild mushroom and spinach ravioli! The spinach salad with candied walnuts, cranberries, and gorgonzola was delicious! The pasta with sausage, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes was so tasty! The calzone with spinach, cheese, sauce and meat was delicious and massive in size. The warm bread served as an appetizer was good. Servers were attentive and we enjoyed the comfortable outdoor seating.
(4)Sergio H.
Was in town for an event and Yelp'd places to eat. Decided to check this place out. To put it simply...the food is great, the atmosphere is obnoxious. If you're looking for good food and don't care about the environment...this is the place. If you want to have a sit-down and want to converse with someone...this is not the place.
(3)Lorraine D.
Recently stopped in for dinner at Lucio, and wanted to turn around and walk out due to LOUD Rap music. Isn't this and Italian restaurant. Tried to sit outside but the traffic and exhaust fumes sent us indoors. I ordered mushroom and kale stuffed ravioli but to my surprise the kale was just tossed on top and the ravioli swimming in oil and the hit of salt made this dish inedible. I told the server I could not eat this and she leaned over and said I WILL NOT COMP THIS DISH. We are expected to read the menu and see the disclaimer on salt and tell them we can not have salt. The server very rude the entire meal, of which I did not eat. 8-25-14 Lorraine D. would be a place for Chef Ramsey to visit.
(1)John H.
Good food and decent service. The ambiance was great though.... Disco ball and laser lights, a fog machine, we danced in our seats and on the floor while we waited for our food. It was pricey and seating was limited.
(5)eric j.
Marginal food quality. Caeser salad was dressing was bland, though rosemary croutons were nice. Daughter had a fettuccini that was descent. My crab cannelloni was made with finely ground crab that you couldn't taste. The sauce over it was very salty. Two glasses of house chianti were fine. For $62 I as disappointed and would not recommend.
(2)Rob D.
We were craving some Italian food so we found this on Yelp close to our motel and decided to check it out. When we were seated, we were a little confused by the somewhat loud music and laser lights (nightclub style) but yet people seemed to be having meals. This was also early in the evening, so it was way too early for a bar scene. We were hungry and ordered some food/wine. We were surprised by how tasty and pleasing the meals were. The "accompanying pasta" with our entrees were very good....and different. We each were treated to a different pasta, and both were great! The service was efficient and friendly, and if you can get past the loud music (hard to have a dinner conversation), this place is recommended!
(4)Julie M.
Visiting from out of town and we were very pleased with the friendly atmosphere. We started with the mussels which were incredibly delicious. They were in an olive oil based sauce and a lot of slices of fresh garlic. I had the scallops with linguini pasta and it was really good. My husband had the pasta marinara with chicken which he thought was great. Staff was great and we will be back before our trip is over.
(4)Patricia S.
Not bad - actually better than not bad. The food is actually very good at times - Lucio knows how to cook a pasta, pizza and i love the marinated mussels. (Incidentally, so does my 5 year old, and I often have to order a second plate because I end up loosing so many mussels to the other diners at the table who eat them before I get a chance.) They also have the "Pizza Bianche" which is basically pizza variations without the tomato sauce, just nice fresh take on pizza.The Caesar is really good and the coffee is great. Mu husband usually orders the Alfredo or carbonara whether it is on the menu or not, and it is usually very good. Last time however, the carbonate was bone dry, and the egg yolk curdled like scrambled eggs in the pasta. Oh well, hopefully better luck next time. My two biggest gripes are the owner, Lucio is quite a character - and watch out if he selects your table to sit down at and gripe about politics and government regulation. He isn't shy to have some of your wine, or chat away WAY past the "cute" and "quaint' mark. The other thing I'm not thrilled about are their desserts. They have a decent triple chocolate cake, but pretty much all desserts are "imported" from Italy as they say. I don't doubt that the desserts are from Italy, it is just that by definition they are frozen and thawed. Just expected something better. One real bonus is the "kids play area" which is great for entertaining kids waiting for the food- sometimes it backfires and interferes with the ability for the kids to tear themselves away from it to come and eat. Also, beware, if you go later, it turns into a "club" type atmosphere where the music is way to loud and annoying to enjoy the meal. Go early if you want to eat in peace- go late if you want the "club" scene.
(3)Robert N.
Absolutely wonderful food and atmosphere. Had the fresh Halibut and pizza, every bite was delicious and mouth watering. I would recommend Lucio's to anyone looking for fresh savory dishes. I have eaten here multiple times and never been disappointed. Thanks for everything Lucio your the best. Robert Nelson
(5)Jim S.
I loved Lucio when he was in Capitola Village and when he had Al Dente on Seabright. Even the early days of Caffe Lucio were great. At this point, he has sold out and is catering to the tourist set. We went there early last weekend hoping to get a bit of pasta before a long ride on Sunday. My partner ordered the artichoke ravioli in a light sauce and I ordered the penne with brocolini and mild italian sausage. The artichoke ravioli showed up swimming in a 1/4" of oil and fat and weren't particularly tasteful. The penne wasn't swimming in fat, but the pasta, brocolini, and sausage were beyond bland. We sent the artichoke ravioli back and were offered another dish with marinara sauce. It was better, but still...bland. Located at Soquel and Ocean, advertising steak and seafood, I have no doubt they will continue to bring in business. But, Lucio clearly has checked out from actually providing quality to the menu. For me, it is a big avoid. Hell, it is so bad, I may consider Ristorante Italiano again 15+ years of not going. A good restaurant in the area, for pasta, is Lillian's, but they are *always* busy due to their small size. Lucio, maybe less time on the Ducati, and more time dedicated to bringing back the quality, I might consider returning.
(1)Jimmie K.
Best service, incredible food and loud dance music, who could ask for anything more. We had originally intended to eat at another Italian restaurant just up the street but the wait was over an hour. We asked for a recommendation and were told about Cafe Lucio. Boy were we surprised when we walked through the door and they were more than accommodating for the 5 of us. We were met with smiles and gracious service, warm bread, delicious cocktails and the most flavorful and generous portions ever. The wait staff and cooks were very entertaining donning masks, and various other disguises. If you want a great meal, great service and hilarious entertainment to a dance beat, EAT HERE.
(5)Kindrea G.
BEST I MEAN BEST service and nicest servers. LOVE LOVE LOVE Lucio he always treats us good and always makes sure he says hi. My boyfriend and I love to just sit at the bar after eating and hang out with him. Where else can you get above average food and service and rock out to music and have fog machine going???? If people have a problem with the music and fog machine they should pull their head out of their asses and stop being so lame! And of course there's kids there and if their parents don't have a problem with it EITHER SHOULD you! I drive 2 hours to eat here and would drive further if I had too! See you guys tonight!!!!
(5)Tracie L.
Food was a 3 but service was a 2, so even it out to a 2.5... Came in yesterday (5-12-12) with a party of 7 (5 adults and 2 kids) and was seated promptly. Unfortunately that was the only thing prompt about the entire evening :( It took over 10 minutes to get the busser to bring water. I asked for lemon but there was a language barrier and she didnt understand and sadly my Spanish is horrible but anyways... Another 10 minutes goes by until our server stops to take drink orders and stays long enough for me to put in the kids order (2 bowls of noodles with butter and cheese $5 each), At this time I ask for bread and another 10 minutes goes by before someone finally drops off a basket of french bread. Finally 30+ minutes after we sat down the waitress comes back with the kids food and takes our order. She didnt seem like she knew much about their food as we asked for recommendations and she said "eh everything is ok" The food was at our table faster than the bread (although my entree of eggplant parm was suppose to be a 20 min wait, it was there way under their estimated time limit) I can say the food was GOOD! Our party ordered a caparase salad, spinach salad, egg parm, salmon fettuccini, prawns wrapped in procuitto, and pasta with meat sauce. Eveything was as expected but the meat sauce on the spaghetti was AMAZING!! You could tell it was homemade. The server never came back to check on anything or refill glasses.We brought in our own wine ($15 corkage fee) but it was almost the end of the meal by the time she remembered to bring us glasses. The total for the food and 2 sodas was $140. She added an 18% gratuity. So I'm thinking she didnt feel the need to provide good service since she was going to get a decent tip anyways (HAHA to her since if she had been a good server, I usually tip at least 25%) This place is a little too pricey for what you get as I expected much bigger portions or the price. I would come back for probably a container of that meat sauce to go, but thats probably it. I mean the food was good, but the price makes me think twice about it as I could get even better food for that bill. The owner was there and he was funny. He greeted our table and was loud and smiling. That was nice. Just wish his server was as hospitable as he was.
(2)E. C.
What do you get when you mix a 80s/90's dance club ala Bell Biv Devoe, an old man dancing in a rubber horse mask, the kitchen guys that sound like they're celebrating a soccer goal, and italian food? Caffe Lucio. When you walk in, you are transported to another time/dimension. You're tempted to order a hurricane, midori sour, or long island ice tea to help you process this 90's confusion. This is not the place you take a date. A man in a mask will dance by you. I noticed the kids LOVE the sensory overload. So yes, a good family place with loud music to drown out your kids and people to distract your children so you can eat your good Italian food. Our service was great and the SPUMONI gelato was YUMMY.
(4)Kailey O.
The owner is hahalarious! he is always joking around with a new costume every 10 mins :P happy hour is awesome. $5 pizzas are HUGE! and the drinks are yummy. after happy hour, we ordered a $20 bottle of cab sav. where else do you get bottles that cheap?? so great! minus 1 star for our waiter, who barely checked on us, esp since we would have ordered way more.... there was hardly anyone else in the restaurant at that time. another (slight) negative is the music is loud, but after a few drinks, its great with the disco ball/lights!! fun after work place for sure
(4)Daniel B.
Famiglia!! Passione!! Deliziare!! I open my latest review with this 'triad' of words that best describe our experience at Caffe Lucio.. Family Passion Delight My wife and I went out for a last minute dinner before heading home to our grand daughter. The first place we stopped did not offer anything that appealed to me. It said 'Italian' but I guess that means something different to me. I am simple... I want good food... not nouveau chic plates of 'basil essence' and 'a dream of garlic'... I simply want Italian food... which if done simply and well is the best 'dream' I can think of. As we drove down the street my wife pointed out a sign for Caffe Lucio. "That's new... do you want to try that??" .. with such simple beginnings a new tradition is born. We walked in. Lively casual atmosphere ( not for the 'formal' or 'reserved' ). To me Italy and Italian food is about the wonders and passions of life! And Caffe Lucio is indeed passionate and lively! Lasers...full bar... laughter... loud conversation at the bar... young people... old people... kids... and all are smiling. I am home! The menu is wonderful. The selections interesting and enticing. We ordered the large Antipasto combo and wine ( good selection too ). The Antipasto came with a wonderful selection of cured meats and fresh tomato/moz/basil. Perfect. My only suggestion would be to include some cheese and perhaps pepperoncini. That's just me though... I ordered the Penne Puttanesca (Penne with Kalamata olives, Italian anchovies and capers in tomato sauce). My wife ordered Gamberi alla Lucio (Prosciutto wrapped large prawns, sauteed with white wine and lemon). Oh my... Wow... Very fresh ingredients all perfectly matched. My wife's silence is the testament to her opinion ( can't talk...busy enjoying this...). The place fills up with yet more people. A cry from the kitchen...It's Lucio calling out to an old friend who has stopped in for dinner... He walks out and hugs him hello. Welcome to Lucio's place. It's loud...it's happy...it's passionate... AND it's got wonderful food.... And they have pizza... we will try that next time. And you KNOW there will be a next time!
(4)Ken K.
The food was average at best. The atmosphere was extremely loud and included a disco ball and lights that almost gave it a 1980's club atmosphere. Not what I was expecting, but it did make it a fun atmosphere. The wait staff was friendly and average until they forgot to bring us our bill. We spent 20 minutes trying to get our waitresses attention. So far I would have given it three stars. However, on this night the owner was there. I don't know if he is there all the time or not, but he seemed to know about half the folks the came through the door. Nearly every time he greeted them by quickly (almost running) making his way over to them and yelling "SHIT, (name, or nickname), how are you, or it's been a long time .. followed by hugs.. The first time I thought it was really excited and the foul language was a slip. But no, it was same every time. We were sitting near the bar, which is where the owner was. So we were privy to his dirty jokes and innuendos, including his pretending to masterbate, and simulation of sex acts. I'm not sure how the word "Urinate" came up in conversation but he said it rather loudly. One of his customers with whom he was talking mentioned there were kids and it wasn't appropriate. The owner almost appeared to take it as a challenge and repeated "Urinate, URINATE, URINATE !!" louder and louder while looking right at a couple of families sitting there eating. One of which was mine. A bit later he came out of the back with a large salmon and kissed it, then put it in the face several of customers to do the same. The final act was him simulating sex with the salmon. I wish I was making this stuff up, but it happened right there in front of my family. Not a good experience. This is probably a great place for a frat party, bachelor or bachelorette party. However, I would not recommend this as a place to bring your family. The owner seems to have a great time and appears to have many regular customers. It was just not like anything I have ever experienced in a family restaurant.
(1)William G.
First of all, don't come here if you are uptight. This place screams fun! The food is great and the service isn't exactly attentive(remember my comment about uptight). My wife and I came in for our first experience on xmas eve and were greeted to some very lively atmosphere and blinking lights and steam and stress relieving food and drink. I got the saccotini and thought it was a bit of a small serving for the price. However, it was prepared well and very enjoyable. The jumbo prawns wrapped in proscuitto and laying in a butter/wine sauce were excellent! Yes, it is on the pricey side. But, well worth it. I would recommend it to anyone I know who is lay back by nature and not a tightwad.
(4)Cody F.
This is a fun place to go. Thats it. Don't expect to be treated like you would at some high end place like Shadow Brooke or anything. Lucio, the owner, is always around greeting everyone and being a happy host hoping to show you a good time. Happy hour is where its at. Good pizza for 5 bucks and cheap Italian beer. Some nights they will turn on the disco lights, turn up the music, Lucio himself will wear some crazy mask, the cooks will put on lucha wrestling masks and dance while cooking. Fun.
(4)Seth E.
Okay, I have a doozy of a story to tell about this place. I went to Lucio's this last weekend and boy was it a disaster. My friend and I ask for a table and we're told it'll be 10 minutes. 20 minutes rolls by as we wait at the bar. We can barely hold a conversation, the din is that loud. What I can hear is Luigi, the eccentric Einstein-looking chef, reaming out his staff who are arguing back at him. We finally get seated when my friend starts to wince because the strobe light is flashing directly into her face. We order and it takes a good 30 minutes if not longer for the food to arrive. The food itself is very good and we're ready to forgive things up till now. But then the bartender cranks the volume to club-style levels. It's so loud, my friend covers her eyes. Then, this woman at the bar is offended, for some reason, that my friend is covering her ears and starts to swear at her and flip her off with both hands!! For no reason!! I tell her to take a hike and get the bill and leave, wondering what the hell I just experienced. I think it was Lucio's craziness in all its glory. Suffice to say, I will never come back. If you do want to try this place, bring sun glasses, ear plugs and maybe a tazer.
(1)Stephanie L.
Man, I had such high hopes for this place. I was looking for a decently priced Italian restaurant that wasn't kiantis. I know the reviews aren't very good for caffe lucio-and there's a reason. I ordered a ceaser salad and chicken Alfredo for take out. It came out to $33. Are you kidding me??? I didn't think my dinky salad would be $10. And $23 for a chicken Alfredo? Ughhh, I should've looked at the menu. It's my fault for being too hungry and not bothering to check those things up. I probably would not have minded paying so much if the food was delicious. The ceaser salad was well, a ceaser salad. It was some romaine lettuce, Parmesan and STALE croutons thrown together. Again, $10 bucks. Really? It gets worse. I got to my Alfredo and it tasted FISHY. I wanted to throw up. I had two bites and I was done. I've learned my lesson the hard way. What a waste of $33 dollars. If a certain place has enough bad reviews, you are seriously taking your chances.
(2)Anonymous A.
Can't beat their happy hour specials. Pizza's for one-two for only $5. Not sure if it would be worth the dough without the deal, but regardless, that pizza is really good.
(4)Mitchelle M.
I'm a little torn as I write this review. I was a HUGE fan of Aldente. The food was to die for. I remember looking forward to date night with at the time my boyfriend now husband so very much. When I heard Lucio was leaving to Vegas I was extremely bummed. When I was driving downtown SC I saw a sign that said Cafe Lucio coming soon, I thought "Holly Shit is it the same Luccio that kisses you and yells Bella Bella". When we came to check the place out Lucio was there to great us and make us feel welcome. This new place does not have the same feel as Aldente. The real kick is that the food is not the same either. The pasta was dry and a little cold for some reason..... I was so disappointed! It was very pricey for what we got and overall I did not feel satisfied when I walked out. Love Lucio but did not like the food. Miss the old Aldente.
(2)mary s.
I'M REALLY IRRITATED WITH YELP!! I WROTE THE REVIEW BELOW, AND THEY SAW FIT NOT TO PRINT IT, BUT TO PUT IT IN THE FILTERED REVIEWS!! WHY?? ACCORDING TO THEIR GUIDELINES ... "Its purpose, however, remains the same: to protect consumers and business owners from fake, shill or malicious reviews." THE FOLLOWING REVIEW IS NEITHER FAKE, SHILL, OR MALICIOUS! ON THE CONTRARY, IT'S POLITE, WELL-WRITTEN, AND FACTUAL! BASED ON THIS EXPERIENCE, I WILL NOT BE WASTING MY TIME ON FUTURE YELP REVIEWS! WHY SHOULD I TAKE THE TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A THOUGHTFUL AND HONEST REVIEW, ONLY TO HAVE IT BE DISCOUNTED IN THIS MANNER! __________________________________________________Â_______ Went to Caffe Lucio because we were craving a good authentic Italian dinner. The entire meal was a HUGE disappointment! To start our meal, we ordered the Calamari Fritti appetizer ($12). The breading was nice and crispy, but without ANY seasoning at all. And the calamari was chewy! Properly prepared, good quality calamari should be sweet and tender. This stuff was tough and rubbery. It came with two dipping sauces. The tartar dipping sauce was okay, but what should have been red cocktail sauce was, in fact, bland marinara. Next course: salads. My husband had the small Caesar salad ($8). He said it was just a plate of lettuce with some parmesan and a few croutons. The "Caesar" dressing, was almost non-existent. If there was any at all, it was tasteless. I had the small Insalata Mista ($6). A plate of spring mix with but a hint of tasteless dressing. Entrée: My husband had Crab Canneloni ($19). Definitely more cannelloni than crab and most certainly not worth the price. I had the Rigatoni Bolognese ($19). It wasn't rich and tomato-y as it should have been. It was oddly tangy. It was weird! And it was supposed to be a meat sauce ... ? The meat, of which there was VERY little, was tiny, dry, and crumbly. But the worst thing was that both these dishes were terribly salty! Now I, personally, am a big fan of salty stuff. Probably more so than most. But both these dishes were too salty for even me! If fact, salt was the ONLY seasoning we tasted! And where was the garlic?? There went a quick $80! But, on a positive note (the ONLY positive thing we can say!) is that our server Vickie was adorable and attentive. She had no idea we were so dissatisfied. None of this was her fault. But, unfortunately, she will never see us again!
(1)Laurel H.
Worst dining experience EVER! They seated us 25 min after our reservation at a table in the middle of the bar area. The entire staff were unprofessional and RUDE. After we ordered, "birthday sex" rap song came on, the fog machine and strobe lights came on. There were children and elderly people there.!!!! Not to mention the food was bland and we were told that the owner would yell at us and our server if we had her ask him to add broccoli to our pasta... So they brought us 4 pieces of broccoli on a plate and told us to mix it into our pasta ourselves. The owner who clearly has zero talent in the kitchen or anywhere else has taken it upon himself to frame portraits of himself on every wall. This place might be fun if you and your family are into It was like being at a rave ...no joke! The music was so loud it felt like the ground was shaking! Last but not least the food was worth $5 bucks at the most...way overpriced for such a hideous experience. Needless to say, we will NEVER be returning.
(1)Russ B.
I am a still a fan of Caffe Lucio. I have always had very good meals and fun dining experiences, with the exception of my last visit which was very disappointing. However, I am very impressed that I received within about a week of my post, a telephone call and email from Lucio inquiring about my dissatisfaction with my meal. I am impress that the owner would care about an out of towner who eats there 2-4 times a year. Lucio assured me he uses the same quality ingredients each time, and has not cut any cost corners in food preparation. UPDATE: I just can't let this place go....we gave it another try. I wrote a less than favorable review based on my last visit. Lucio's is back to its excellent food. We took our son to LC, who just moved to SC for school. The crab cannelloni, and eggplant parmesan was excellent. Sit at the counter so you can interact with Lucio and the chefs. It's a crazy good time. I really appreciate they kept giving us food to try which we didn't order at no cost. We tried a salmon and paste which was excellent. We will certainly put Lucio's cafe back on the top of our Santa Cruz places to eat. I am so glad I didn't have to cut this place loose.
(4)Dale S.
The food is great. The best items are: Gamberi Alla Lucio (prosciutto wrapped prawns ), Bruschetta, Lasagna Alla Bolognese, Filetto Mignon and all of the pizza's. The service is not always the best because they are under staffed sometimes. Just plan for a 2 hour dinner and you will love it. My only request is to lower the noise level. Locio's is a great place for dinner.
(5)Sarah M.
I think the ambiance is a matter of taste but the food I thought was very bland and boring. The green salad is merly that, greens with olive oil on it for 7.00. It just does not seem authentic Italian. Now onto the owner, to me I think he is a little out of line, innaproriate (especially if you have children in there) and he may or may not be drunk, I am not sure. To me I do not enjoy bass and dance music while eating and having someone hover over you with props and such but I think some people do and thats why this place lasts.
(1)Nate G.
The food is amazing. We ordered the pizza with meat on it, and it tasted incredible. The fettuccine alfredo and pasta sacks were divine. The drinks were good too. However, its important to note that the atmosphere isn't for everyone. It gets really loud, with a disco ball, smoke machine, and club music. The chefs are crazy and wear masks while cooking, and the owner is hilarious. Not ideal if you're looking for a quiet, secluded place to eat. Great for families and especially for children, this restaurant has a lot to offer. Its worth the wait (sometimes there can be a long line). There is a full bar.
(5)Valerie T.
We really wanted to love this place. Strobe lights, 80's music, the owner cooking in the kitchen, sounds great right? The food was great, really great. The service however, stunk. Really really bad. We had 6:30 reservations but didn't get seated until almost 7:30. The kids were starving and grumpy. Because we were outside we were also cold. We had to ask not once, not twice but THREE times to get the patio heater turned on. We also had to wait at least 10 minutes before our waitress even greeted us. We had to ask for water, we had to ask for bread. Food arrived and it was hot and it was great, but our request for more water and bread was ignored. We would have asked again but our server was no where to be found. Finally my family went to the car. It took another 20 minutes of me asking to get the check. The kids cried because we didn't get gelato, we just couldn't take waiting however long it would've taken. If you're in the mood for good Italian and you've got all night (literally), this place is for you!
(1)Michelle L.
Every time our family is in Santa Cruz we visit Cafe Lucia. Last night was a hot mess. We waited 20 minutes just to get silverware and water. Another 40 minutes and we received drinks that were not carbonated (apparently they were having a problem with their machine). I ordered an entree spinach salad with grilled chicken. What I received was spinach on a plate with six thinly sliced cold pieces of chicken, a teaspoon of crumbled cheese and walnuts. It was very unappetizing. I did not eat it and explained to the waitress why. Without rambling, I will just say, from there it got worse. Our bill totaled over $120. I did ask the waitress to remove the salad from our bill. She then brought over the manager who was confrontational. At that point I was just trying to salvage what we had left of our evening. Needless to say, the $14 salad remained on our bill. It wasn't just that the service was bad, the food was as well. To top it off, instead of wrapping my son's spaghetti to take home the waitress left it sitting outside. She made plenty of excuses and then tried to give it to us. No, thank you to a bug infested spaghetti. There were so many things that could have remedied this situation. Perhaps an apology, or, "We will be happy to take that off your bill," maybe a new spaghetti with meat sauce. It's not rocket science. We will not be returning. When you choose to have a bad-mannered person represent your business you risk losing your long-time customers.
(1)Reverend M.
Ate here tonight for the first time ( 1-25-12 ) and it was terrific. I had eaten at Lucio's old restaurant...and found this one better. Now...lucky for me he did not turn up the music real loud like he did at his old place. I note some people have said he still does that. I wish he would stop that. Not pleasant. I come to eat dinner, not hear a concert. BUT...our waitress was adorable, the service was terrific ( I tipped her 20% ) and the food was very good. My Asparagus was a tad overcooked...but that is easy to forgive. My 9 year old son LOVED his pizza....I tried a slice and it was terrific. My wife and I both enjoyed our meals...and the dessert was sublime. Had a grand adventure...and cannot wait to go back. Well done Lucio.
(5)Alan J.
I have been here twice, and both times came home disappointed. The first time was when they first opened a couple years ago. The food was overpriced and just not up to par with the cost so I had not returned until recently. Which I only did because I had heard good things and wanted to give it another chance. BIG MISTAKE. The evening started out ok, the place was busy and we were quickly seated. Me and my girlfriend surveyed the menu and asked our waitress a couple questions before ordering. She assured me the Lasanette roll I was ordering was delicious. So I went ahead and went with it and my girlfriend got the Mushroom Raviolis. Her Raviolis arrive almost instantaneously which would have been fine if my roll had as well. She waited a few minutes but I insisted my dish would come out any second and that she should start eating before it got cold. about 10 minutes later the waitress came by for the first time since taking our order. She told me that my dish was just about to come out with no apology. Another 5 minutes later and my dish arrived and she said "I hope it was worth the wait"; It was horrific looking. It looked like someone had taken a big lasagna noddle rolled it up butterflied it in half and sunk it in a sea of watery nasty "Cream sauce." I took one bite and did not like the dish, it was bland, and the texture was revolting. There was no amount of fresh grated Parmesan that was going to make this taste better. So I set the dish aside and waited and waited and waited for our server to return and make sure everything was ok. When she finally came back by (another 10 minutes later) I explained that "in fact the disc was unfortunately not worth the wait and I would like to send it back and pay for what we did eat". She scoffed at me, quickly took my plate and walked off to the kitchen. The hostess/manager walked up and in a very rude, loud and accusatory manor asked "What was wrong with your food". I calmly tried to explain that the food was unsatisfactory especially after waiting 15 extra minutes from the time my date's dish had arrived. And that I simply did not like it. She insisted that I explain what I did not like about it. I said "it was disgusting" she became even more hostile and started accusing me of offending her and the restaurant and that I still have to pay for it weather I liked it or not. I told her I was not going to pay for something that was served late and that I never ate! At this point she walked away and brought me a bill including the dish I had taken one bite of and then sent back. At this point I started to get angry, I insisted that I was not going to pay for something I did not receive, and that she was going to bring me a bill without the item on it or I was not going to pay at all. At this point she told me she would call the police and I told her to go right ahead. As she was out front on the phone I got up to talk with the owner who was in the kitchen. I explained to him that the police were being called on me because I refused to pay for a dish I did not eat or receive in a timely manor. He immediately started yelling across the restaurant in Italian for her to stop calling the police and to take the dish off our bill. Finally some sanity. This was absolutely the most ridiculous and outrageous service I have ever encountered anywhere. The woman at the front counter should work at the parking ticket office, she would fit in better there. At least she would get her way and you would always pay....
(1)Jen G.
Went here with the boyfriend the other night. We ordered the mushroom ravioli "special" and the lasagna roll type special. My raviolis came out nice and warm, but the pasta itself wasn't cooked through and there was not enough sauce for them. After waiting for 15-20 minutes for my boyfriend's food to show up, this disgusting looking loaf of lasagna swimming in soup showed up. Um, tomato cream sauce? I think not. We each took a bite and decided it tasted even worse than it looked (the opposite of what was written in the menu and what was described to us by the waitress). When the waitress came back to ask if we liked our food (10 minutes after his dish was finally delivered), it was still sitting on the table with only one bite taken out. My boyfriend told her he didn't like it and he would like to send it back, and she offered no apology and just took the dish away. The manager/hostess was even worse, coming to the table with no apology and only claiming that we could not send back a dish just because it was "disgusting". She threatened to call the cops on us if we didn't pay for the dish we didn't eat (and was removed from our table). My boyfriend was able to talk to the owner, who had the dish removed from our tab. Their customer service sucks, apparently it's OUR problem if they serve some tasteless pasta lump in "sauce". We will never be returning. Also, their laser light show kept getting in my eyes and blinding me. Yuck.
(1)Cheryl H.
First of all, they have a train track, kitchen, and dollhouse in the waiting area to entertain my 2 year old while we waited, and we only waited 20 minutes for a party of 8 on a saturday at dinner time: one star just for that. It was Lucio's birthday and the party atmosphere was cool, but I don't remember the music being quite so loud and gangsta rap last time we were here. The thumping bass got to be a little much after awhile. I had the pumpkin gnocchi and arugula salad, I thought the salad could have used some pears or something, and the gnocchi might have been better with a creamy sauce with sage in it rather than whole leaves on the plate. I loved the roasted garlic, however, and the waitress brought me more without a hassle. The food was tasty, but way expensive for what we got. The waitress/ servers were attentive and we always had water and bread. Overall, not super impressed and probably would only come back to ogle the shenanigans of the illustrious owner.
(3)Sandy s.
We eat here when ever we get a chance! The food is absolutely amazing and authentic Italian. The atmosphere is electric and fun! The owner is the best.
(5)armando r.
Untz untz untz...not sure why they're playing dance music loud at a restaurant but OK. I get it though. I like a place that doesn't give a **** and sticks to what they are. The place is strange and awkward yet inviting and unique. After reading the reviews of the owner and having a brief dialogue with him I can appreciate a place that keeps the character the way its supposed to and simply says "Love me or hate me, this is what I am. You are welcome anyways". The food is good. Not great but I wold come back just for the antics...
(3)Baothuong N.
my husband and i came here with our dog yesterday after a day at the beach. saw painted on their door that they were dog friendly so we were automatically sold on coming here. sat out in the back patio and the server got us a bowl of water for our dog. she was very pleasant. we ordered the calamari which i really liked. they came in short strips instead of the normal rings and tentacles. we also got the mozzarella/prosciutto app. that was four piece of bread surrounding a ball of mozzarella cheese with prosciutto draped on top of it. its exactly what u would think it'd taste like. my husband and i are a big fan of anchovies on our pizza so we ordered the napoli pizza and we added arugula. pizza was okay, reminded me of the pizza u can get in san predo square in san jose. i was really full after this meal because of all the bread. over all it was okay. nothing special. nothing memorable. but it wasn't bad. just another Italian joint. they are dog friendly so that a big plus for us. service is nice.
(3)Mark C.
FOOD good just not always into the sideshow. Again for me I'd be back when I digest some Santa Cruz Magic mushrooms. It's fun and felt Welcome. It's for a certAin time & place and where your head is at. Great for group maybe? Not for that dAte night
(3)Kat P.
Actually I have been here several times. The owner is a riot, a Italian man with a big ego, which is well deserved because the food is great. However he kind of looks like a skinner version of Albert Einstein. The food is good, the Alfredo sauce was well done, a bit to rich for my tasting but good. I always enjoy my meal, and my time there. FYI DO Not Go there for a romantic evening, It's loud with a fog machine and funky disco lights. Last time we were there it was a great time, and we celebrated our booties off. Great place for parties, and celebrations. It's kid friendly which could be a plus or a negative. I'm just saying.
(5)Alan C.
Myself and 3 other friends were a little peckish and were excited at the prospect of enjoying some tasty Italian food. However, this wasn't even remotely close to an acceptable experience. I am not sure what the biggest challenge was. Plucking up enough courage to taste the food or trying to decrypt the restaurants theme. The decor consists of a mixture of Chinese statutes (hanging from strings), bike & car enthusiast pictures and psychedelic Albert Einstein posters. If that wasn't enough, throw in some 80's disco lights to add to the confusion. According to one of the waiters "You have to know the owner to understand the theme". So, if you don't know the owner, you basically sit there scratching your head. Anyway, on to the food. The pizza dough was burned, the toppings fell off, and 70% of the order was returned uneaten. The costs were astronomical compared to the standard of the food, and definitely overpriced. Do yourself a favor - give your money to a restaurant that will feed people eatable food. Talk about fast exit!
(1)Jen J.
So you walk in and it's like... boom boom boom, because the music is blasting some hip hop music. Then you notice there's disco ball laser lights beaming from the ceiling. "oooh, how cute, this place has character.." you think to yourself. So you continue to try to enjoy yourself because you are in such a 'unique' theme-y restaurant. Then you realize the table in front of you has 2 toddlers throwing pasta at each other. Then you make your way to the restroom and almost trip on a baby in the doorway. Then you go to the restroom stall and see the baby changing table with skid marks on it. Yeah, it's one of THOSE places. You know, filled with kids and screams and people yelling because they are trying to scream and talk over the music. Great for families with annoying and loud kids because all the other annoying and loud kids are there! Ok but now for the important stuff: I had the crab raviolis in tomato sauce and they were pretty darn good. Very crabby. So if you are in the mood for a festive loud family gathering type of restaurant... go for it!
(3)Doris L.
This is where I go to meet my friends for cocktails and some fine italian food. Lucio is a great host and pays attention to everyone there. The bar is a fun place to hang out too and have appetizers. My favorite meal is the Rustica pizza and a glass of Italian wine. P.S. I sometimes bring my dog and sit on the patio with him. Don't worry, Lucio has heat lamps out there!
(4)Kathleen K.
Not quite what I expected for an Italian restaurant. There was a disco ball and loud 80's and 90's dance songs blaring through the place. Weird? Yes. We got menus anyway. This man knows how to cook! Fresh fish, AMAZING antipasto plate (meats were Soooo good!) And creative pasta dishes. We ended ip getting food to go. I don't think I could have tolerated that noise for dinner. Regardless, the food was good (for sure pricey.) Portions weren't super huge but I would probably eat here again...just not in the dining room, (unless I felt like shaking my butt while eating pasta.)
(3)Jennifer G.
Wow, seems like some of these reviewers need to loosen up a bit! Yes, they play loud hip-hop and flash disco lights...even on Sunday nights - gasp!! Yes, they break out silly costumes, wigs, etc and dance behind the counters. So don't go there if you want a quiet, mellow dinner. DO go there if you want a fun, different dining experience. I've been twice and both times the food and service were solid. Not stellar, but solidly good. That combined with the above mentioned wackiness is what makes me want to go back again. It's fun. It's different. It's keeping Santa Cruz weird.
(4)McLane M.
This was it. This was the dining experience so awful it compelled me to create a Yelp account so I could review it. To say Caffe Lucio is terrible would be an understatement. Everything about it, from the food, to the atmosphere, to the staff, is literally offensive. The awful music assaulted my eardrums with a volume comparable to that of jet engines during take-off. The laser light show projected from the ceiling was enough to induce seizures. "Maybe at least the food will be good," I silently wished. Then I watched as the kitchen staff donned fright wigs and oversized novelty sunglasses. They yelled along with the music into the dining area. I would have complained if I hadn't been afraid they would spit in my food, but in hindsight, their saliva might have helped water down all of the salt every dish seemed to be dessicated with. This place isn't hip. It isn't fun. It is a disgrace to Italian cooking and an insult to anyone who has ever paid for a meal in a restaurant. I would literally rather take a hard punch to the face than return to this place.
(1)Angelo P.
Good food, great atmosphere! The owner has a great personality - very fun. I had one of the pizzas and was very pleased. Thin crust and not oily.
(4)Miss Mary P.
This is definitely a different place. Long waits for food so beware, but worth it. I've been there a few times and haven't had any of these 'horrible' experiences everyone else seems to have had. And we always take our own wine cuz there's a minimal corkage fee... Yes, the atmosphere is loud and not a typical 'quiet itallian' restaurant, get over it people, not every restaurant has to be cookie cutter!!!
(4)Holly L.
After several visits, I think I can honestly say, Caffe Lucio is my favourite place for dinner and drinks in Santa Cruz. I have become a regular at this restaurant after my first visit a few months ago around Halloween. We thought that perhaps the fun lighting and the loud music was the aftermath of a Halloween party of some sort, but after hearing what others had to say we realized this was a regular thing - cool! The music slowed down as it got late, and towards the end of the evening Lucio put on a lovely set of Italian songs which made us feel right at home. Lucio himself is a seemingly joyful person. I cannot tell you how much fun it is to just go in and watch this guy enjoying his job. He is loud, funny, and full of energy - spouting Italian and checking in with customers like they are all people he's known forever (he even gave us a high five during our last visit). The employees all seem to love working with him, and always provide us with exceptional and friendly service. The answer all of our questions, chat with us when we have comments, etc. This place is also very family friendly. As someone who loves kids (yet do not have my own) it's nice to see a more upscale restaurant that enjoys children. There is even a play area for them by the door - in case families have to wait or children finish early, etc. The food itself has always been delicious, at least for us, and we tend to be pretty picky. I'm not sure what happened with the other Yelpers here, and I am sorry to hear their food did not come out as lovely as ours has. (I'd like to point out, however, that even our own kitchens at home have off-days, it happens) I highly recommend the Capellini al Pomodoro - my favourite. The gnocchi is also quite lovely - it tasted freshly made when I had it and melted in my mouth. Yum yum! The wine list and bar have excellent selections - and all of their house-cocktails are simply delicious. Try the Dulce di Amore in place of your dessert. You can't go wrong. (Can't tell you about the dessert menu because we haven't indulged yet, but most of the things listed sound scrumptious!) Overall I'd say Lucio's is an excellent and unique dining experience. While I don't recommend it for those who want a "classy" or "peaceful" meal out (though I think Lucio's is classy in it's own way), if there are food lovers out there who enjoy different kinds of settings and dining options, then I highly recommend it. Eating at Lucio's is a joyful experience - one I would repeat again and again.
(5)Jolene R.
The food is extremely overpriced for the portion sizes. And the "homemade" lasagna is purchased at Costco. As for Lucio, I have never seen a proprietor treat his employees so badly. He screams at them in Italian and calls them stupid. Not really a guy I want to give my money to.
(1)Christa M.
I have loved Lucio's food since he had Al Dente. The food is amazing. I personally do not like the evenings there because it is too loud, but if you get there right when they open for dinner, it is WONDERFUL. There is nobody there, so the food will always get to the dinner very quickly. The bar and the tenders are friendly and they know what they are doing. Lucio is a character and he is very welcoming. Did I mention that the food is amazing?!
(4)Leigh D.
Will start with the positive. - Great service - Friendly people - Nice play area for kids The not-so-positive: - Prices were VERY high. $20 for "Lasagnetta" special. $15 for a lousy pizza. - Son's pasta was underseasoned and had burned garlic...making it bitter. He wouldn't eat it. - My Pizza was charred, hard to chew and the prosciutto cotta tasted like it was old. I took it off my pizza. My son wouldn't eat it either, and he loves pizza. - The place was LOUD.... like, can't hear yourself think loud. Loud music. Loud, crazy owner and staff... They were having fun, but we just wanted to have a nice family dinner, not see an exhibition. The the pop music they had playing was PUMPED (at 6 pm) and incredibly loud. The staff (owner, cook) were also singing it louder. Add the street noise coming through the open doors and it was way too much. NOT a relaxing meal at all. - Before we left, chef put on a wrestling mask and sombero and danced around wearing a shirt that said "SEXY" ... and they turned on a laser light show with disco ball. In short - not a good place to go if you want an authentic, good Italian meal. I lived in Italy, and I know good Italian. This is not it. My advice? Go to Lillian's instead. But get there early and be prepared to wait!
(2)Lori H.
Great local restaurant! My family wanted pasta and I wanted fish so this is the place we ended up at. Glad we picked Caffe Lucio -- chef/owner Lucio is back behind the counter cooking up the dishes then comes out to the dining area to chat with his customers. He obviously cares about his business and his customers. I had the fresh grilled halibut and it was cooked PERFECT! Great seasoning too. We also ordered the fettuccine alfredo and a pepperoni pizza that was so yummy too. Lucio is obviously a very hands on owner -- he was even up on a bar stool trying to fix a light that wasn't working properly too. He treats his staff well -- one of the waitresses had her young daughter sitting up at the counter and Lucio gave her a gelato filled ice cream cone. The restaurant is loud, with great 80's music blaring but this all adds to the fun atmosphere. I would highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return the next time we're up in Santa Cruz!
(5)D S.
3 of us looked forward eating at Lucio's while visiting Santa Cruz.. We looked up the menu on line at our hotel and it sounded good. The music was so loud when we sat down that we asked to be moved. They turned the music down a little instead. We ordered a bottle of wine. The waitress asked about 3 times if we were readt to order. She did not seem happy. We ordered a ceaser salad to split , and lasagne. The salad came with no dressing. . She brought more but was so rude. The lasagne was made with bechemel sauce, not the bolognese like we read online. The tomato sauce was salty and acidic.We recognisedthe owner from the pictures online and called him over/ He was very outgoing and zany. He defended his food telling us how authentic it was. He was the higlight of our evening. The waitressnever came back until we asked the busboy for our check. Altogether we ordered lamb, one lasagne one salad and a bottle of wine (32) . Ourbill was over 100.00. The people at the next table said their gnocci tasted like mashed potatos only. I left there hungry and unhappy.
(1)sallianne m.
If you're vanilla, try somewhere else. This place remains one of my must-eat joints when in Santa Cruz. Just know that when you step into Caffe Lucio, you're entering someone's home. If you go with the flow, and enjoy a little wine and disco, you will be thrilled and delighted. If good food, disco balls, dance music, friendly staff, Einstein, and laser lights aren't your thing, that's fine, there are a lot of other places to eat in this town. Tonight I had the happy boy spinach salad and artichoke ravioli. Fresh, fast, kid friendly, excellent food and service. Krista, our server, was so attentive. We'll be back, for sure! It's part of why we come to this town.
(5)DesiRee M.
I am in LOVE with Caffe Lucio! Every time I am in Santa Cruz, I make it a point to stop here. The staff is great, the atmosphere is fabulous with Lady Gaga blasting and laser lights abound, and the cutest play area for kids. Lucio was walking around dancing with the kids and handing out balloons, he was also conversing with customers and suggested some great plates to us. I always order the Capellini al Pomodoro ($16) which is angel hair pasta with tomatoes, basil, and olive oil... Although this sounds plain, it is so delicious and refreshing! The hubby LOVES Linguine Santa Cruz ($22) which is linguini in tomato sauce with mussels, calamari, scallops, and clams. Yummy!!
(5)Edward A.
Lucio is the man, he is hyped up, and always talking to his customers...I ordered the king salmon from here and when I asked if it was good he brought out a 16 lb salmon to prove it lol... It's a great place to eat n be entertained and have fun... Life is short live it up... Oh yea he looks like Albert Einstein.
(5)Yelper X.
The reviews here on Yelp are across the board, and as a Santa Cruz transplant of 14 years, I will try to shed some light as to why: Lucio himself is five stars. He is an act. A one man circus spinning spaghetti from his toes while throwing down the old school Dr. Dre. He is something to behold and cherish. He is, in essence, why people come and return to his establishments. Having said that, our dinner out tonight was an abomination of Italian food I pray you will never have to witness yourself. Lucio has never been a cheap night out, be it when he had Al Dente or now at Caffe Lucio. But at least at Al Dente the food was well prepared and good value for money. Sadly, tonight was just plain terrible. Not even bad, terrible. My appetizer of mussels ($12) was a small smattering of over cooked mollusks in olive oil with a little garlic. Each tender jewel of the sea had been cooked to the size of a pea... dry, shriveled, and over salted. They were so bad I didn't even bother to send them back... clearly if the chef felt it appropriate to send them out in the first place, what would he possibly remedy on the second time out? The follow up pasta was no better ($14). Canned marinated artichokes sauteed with another ample dose of salt with penne. Even the pasta wasn't cooked right! With the cheapest wine at $8.75 a glass, there isn't anything here to bring me back. I will forever cherish my days at Al Dente, because the best is clearly behind good old Lucio.
(1)Di E.
Im being generous with the 2 stars. First, we arrived and saw 3 empty tables that can seat 4, we were just 2, she almost didnt want to seat us saying that is not for a party of 2, I said come on there are 3 tables!!! "oh all right I'll just seat you",she answered My young child said the place reminds her of chuck e cheese, need I saw more,I felt stressed here , it was the oddest place ever . I have to say our fettechine alfredo was good and hot ,and I can see this being an allright place to kick it at the bar ,drink beers and watch a football game, not a place to go out on a date to impress, the waitress was great and friendly too i think her name was Jaime
(2)Kari S.
This is for all you haters... If you are easily offended by a little sexual innuendo along with your dinner don't come here. If you have an aversion to spontaneous disco parties (complete with fog and a sparkly disco ball) don't come here. However, if you like having a good time and want to let loose in a casual fun environment grab your friends and head to Lucio's! I've been here a dozen or so times and Lucio's always delivers with the fun. I wish I could give half stars on Yelp because I would give Lucio's 4 1/2 stars instead of 4. I would give them a 5 but I have to minus 1/2 star for the saltyness of the entrees. The pizza's are always perfect though.
(4)Cheryl H.
I LOOOOOOOVE LUCIO! He is the best cook/chef/entertainer an Italian restaurant could have! Lots of delicious menu items including crab cannelloni, lobster raviolis, and the best and tastiest Italian sausage in Santa Cruz! Don't forget to stop by during happy hour. They have great drink prices as well as $5 pizzettas which are just fabulous. A huge pizza pie (easy to share with another mate) is savory hot and lots of different unique toppings. Great for family, great for a romantic date, GREAT for a birthday party...Lucio will have the disco lights and disco ball blasting just for your special day!
(5)Marzy H.
Went on a Thurs. night for the end of happy hour. We had a pizza (good) and the polenta (My sister and I liked it but my daughter and niece never had polenta before and didn't care for it). My sister and I shared the crab cannelloni with the tomato cream sauce. This dish was outstanding, the sauce was perfection. My daughter and niece shared a pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil. The dish was so salty that they put some of the sauce from my dish in it to cut the salt. If I go back I'll order an entree with the tomato cream sauce. Service was friendly and attentive.
(3)Nancy D.
Out of town-ers and the Caffe was recommended by the hotel front desk. Absolutely the best Italian food we have ever had. Worth a trip back just to eat here!
(5)g h.
Ciao Lucio This place is great. I love the atmosphere, you never know what what is going to happen. I do know you will get great service and great food. I try something new every time I go. I haven't been for a little while, but plan on going in a couple of weeks. Wonderful food, beautiful servers, and a high energy owner. I can't wait to get back.
(5)Don M.
My wife and I went and had worst dining experience ever!! First: water glasses were dirty. Next: asked for bread plates and they bring us one. Waitress said they don't put them on tables because customers use too much olive oil - huh? Next: we split a Caesar salad and it was so dry. No dressing. We should have left right then. Next: I had crab cannelloni for $20. Two small items in a sauce that tasted like canned tomato soup with cream. Waitress asked if we wanted more cheese and spooned it then left with the bowl. My wife had salmon raviolis in a cream sauce for $20 that was better fit for biscuits and gravy. Thick and lumpy - disgusting. Tasted like it had too much garlic powder! The owner was this disgusting looking guy that thought he was the show. Bums in the street dressed better and looked cleaner. Please please do whatever you can to save your money and run somewhere else! Charged $15 corkage and their wine list was very scarce. People who think this is a good restaurant must not get out much.
(1)Jack B.
We came in late on a Saturday Night after seeing a movie up in Scotts Valley. This was our first time here and the place was in club mode. The hostess was very accommodating and after first offering us a table under the LED lights, she gave us another table that had a little less 'special effects' but a direct view of Lucio and all his madness in the kitchen. I ordered the Spinach and Ricotta ravioli and my wife ordered the Chicken Marsala. The music was blasting but it was a fun atmosphere. The staff was attentive and kept the bread basket full and the water flowing. THe food was served straight out of the pan, piping hot and fresh. It was kind of funny when I refused parmisan cheese, the server and hostess looked at me like I spat on the pope. They even double checked a few minutes later. The food was excellent though. Lucio then came and made friends with us, telling us of his day and he was full of Italian expression, i.e. stay clear of the flailing arms. "We hada sucha beatuifula Salmon...MAMMA!!! SHOW THEM A PICTURE OF THE SALMON!!!!" at the top of his lungs. Anyway, the place was great, it really grew on me. Lucio also figured out I liked spicy food and brought over a red chili soaked in a hot oil that I added to my ravioli and oh man that was good. Great place to experience Santa Cruz in all its weirdness. We'll be back.
(5)J R.
I hate to review a restaurant without having eaten there, but my gf & I got there during prime dining hour a few nights ago (a Thursday, as I recall), and it was so loud in there (there were only one or two tables of diners, which didn't to me bode well for the food) due to the bar crowd, the obnoxious music, and the staff shouting back & forth that we walked out without even ordering. We're not old fogeys, but we like an atmosphere where we can converse & relax. Party on dudes, but without us!
(2)Erica O.
Went to Lucio hoping to have a nice Italian Restaurant experience, that was not the case! As soon as we opened the door, it was like entereing a night club! We decided to stay due to me and my boyfriend being extremely hungry! We could barely hear ourselves speak! The music was way too loud, and the cook was yelling "Birthday Sex" to the top of his lungs! So innapropiate! Food was ok, portions were big, but sauce tasted like canned tomatoe sauce! Will not be coming back again.
(2)Michael C.
My experience here tonight inspired me to get a yelp account and write a review, so I should thank them for that! I ordered the eggplant parmigiana,, my wife and I shared a salad and she got pasta alfredo. The eggplant was hardly cooked, so I asked them to cook it some more. It came back 5 minutes later, hot, but the eggplant in the same condition; tough, chewy, slightly raw. I sent it back. Mind you, I'm usually not the type of person who would send food back and have done it once or twice in my life (I'm not that picky). They refused to take it off the bill (this is a $20 entree!!) because as I was told by our server that the "owner is crazy" and thinks everything he makes is perfect. They graciously served me pasta with marinara sauce for free and gave us a dessert for free, but I've never heard of refusing to return food if it wasn't prepared well at a restaurant. Apparently here the customer is not right. Despite the free dessert and pasta, I left feeling quite angry and cheated. I came into the restaurant happy and enthralled to be on a rare date with my wife, trying a new restaurant that we'd been talking about trying for 6 months or more. We were having such a fun date, enjoying each other's company with our older kids at home, and after they refused to return my poorly cooked meal, it ruined my mood and put a huge damper on our date.
(1)Jill K.
So I went here for dinner to celebrate my birthday because I was craving pasta. The place is cute and cozy, but the music was extremely loud! My date and I had to practically scream at each other to hear one another, and it wasn't nice italian music, it was club music. Really not fitting for the atmostphere. I ordered the penne alla vodka (my fav) with chicken instead of salmon. The penne was a little undercooked and the sauce was watery. I was not impressed. Loved the little pieces of bread before the meal though! I dipped them in the oil and vinegar. It was the best part of the meal. They had a lot of staff standing around or eating at the bar next to us. The owner was a character, but overall I would probably go back, but not for pasta, maybe pizza or something.
(2)G M.
Nice place. Little loud. Bar inside. Probably a good place for folks that wanna drink, socialize and hear loud music. Food was not too bad. A little salty. My daughter and I shared penne pasta with potatoes. Our friend had eggplant parmasean. Both pretty good, but again a little on the salty side. The three of us split the two meals and it seems a bit pricey at $54.00. Divided between the three of us it was about $18.00/person.
(3)Dean B.
One of the best restaurants on the central coast and the state. This place has a great energy, very attentive staff, delicious high quality food, and a super kind, friendly owner. We love Lucio, his great sense of humor, kindness and amazing talent for making killer Italian food. The pesto is mind blowing, seriously if you like real Italian food go visit Caffe Lucio the food will knock your socks off... I know people from Los Angeles who come to Santa Cruz just to go there. One of the great gems of Santa Cruz county. Lucio is a wonderful guy.
(5)Glenn W.
Caffe Lucio is our favorite restaurant hands down and the eccentric owner, Lucio, is GOLD! If you love great food, great service from a happy staff, a fun, upbeat atmosphere, and an owner who treats you like family, then you will LOVE Caffe Lucio. If you are an uptight, grumpy ol' bitty (like some of the unhappy reviewers seem to be), then loosen up and live a little. Life is too short! This is my favorite place to take family and friends when they come to visit because it really is a unique dining experience like no other. Let's start with the food. I have been here 3 times since the beginning of the year and have tried the Crab Cannelloni, Smoked Salmon Fettucinni (these 1st 2 are my favorites), Eggplant Parmesan, Gamberi ala Lucio (prosciutto wrapped prawns-MMMMM), bruschetta, and a few of their pizzas. I can be pretty picky but every single dish was no less than delicious and the portion sizes are great even for a big guy like me!!! You can tell that there is a lot of pride in each and every dish. I've also heard great things about the Linguine Santa Cruz (seafood pasta) and can't wait to try it on my next visit. As far as the atmosphere, if you like to have a great time, you will love Caffe Lucio! As the night kicks in and the vino moves along, one can expect the music to get louder and to see Lucio activating the Disco Ball while the chefs, wait staff, Lucio and even some of the customers (like me) dance and change in and out of wacky masks and costumes. This is truly a special place to have a Birthday Party or other special event. We recently had my 10yr old Daughter's Birthday Party at Caffe Lucio's and she said it was the best Birthday Party ever! They also have a play area and a dog area on the patio. As Lucio says, in his heavy Italian accent, "this place is not made for adults, it's made for kids, like a me". Our whole family just loves Lucio!!! Every time I have been there, the service has been excellent! Within 5 minutes of sitting down we have always had a friendly waitress taking our drink orders and very quickly ready to take our appetizer and other orders. All of the staff seems very happy to be there and genuinely interested in the customers having a great time and enjoying their meal. The owner, Lucio is kind, funny, entertaining, genuinely interested in his customers enjoying their dining experience and an all around nutty guy! He kind of looks like Einstein . . . . . or does Einstein look like Lucio? Either way, I am proud to call him my new friend. I can't recommend Caffe Lucio enough for anyone looking for a delicious, unique, dining experience like no other. Keep up the good work Lucio!
(5)William F.
Love Lucio's. Pizza like Roma, thin and tasty. Not as cheap as Rome but just as good. Nice people too.
(4)Betty D.
Overpriced and very plain tasting food. The homemade lasagna DID taste like Costco's lasagna. Will not go there again. (The Russian waitress was very sweet thou' and the busboy was very nice too. - I would rate them 4 stars, but I am primarily rating food/price here.)
(1)Brandon T.
I got the gnocchi and pesto. It is pretty much the dish I use to test out every new italian restaurant I go to. At this location is was okay. The food was worthy of consumption but not really anything to write home about. I guess I would eat it again if i got a chance and was in the area but not my first choice in town, that is for sure. It was pretty empty for one which is never a great sign in my book...... The waiting staff seemed short a few hands as it took forever to get anything from bread to water to pepper flakes to even our bill (about 15 minutes for them to take the card and ring it up!). The main food came up quickly actually, it was just the other frilly stuff that was so slow....... I was the owner, Lucio , prancing around with what I can only assume were the more regular customers. They seemed to have a great time and he seemed to be a really funny guy cause everyone seemed to like him a lot but maybe you have to show up a lot before you get treated that well. All in all this is a good place if you want decent but not amazing Italian food for a slightly more than deserving price.
(3)Santa Cruz H.
The owner Lucio checks on us more than our waiter does. It makes a special feeling in my heart when I'm at a nice restaurant and all the kids are playing while patrons are kicking back some delicious dinners. Happy Hour is amazing 5pm to 7pm! At the end Lucio bumps music and disco lights. Kids get a FREE dinner when an adult orders a regular dinner. She loved her noodles with cheese and balloon. A great time, great food, and amazing owner.
(5)Keri K.
Very kid friendly. The pizza was good. My pasta dish kind of sucked. It was a special and was swimming in grease. By that I mean there was literally a pool if olive oil in the bottom of the dish. We finished the meal with port and sambucco and a lovely dessert. And let me say once again, this place is super kid friendly. Our child isn't fond of sitting in her seat and eating. Once she ate the entire basket of bread, she was done. She was able to go play while we ate our meal. It was fabulous! Staff was extremely nice too.
(3)J R.
Whoever doesn't like Lucio's is TRIPPPPPPIN!!!!! My mom kept telling me about this place and about this guy named Lucio so I had to come check it out. I'll admit, at first I was confused how I should take this guy hugging my girlfriend the second he met her and screamin things across the restaurant to my mom. I soon realized it was a whole atmosphere he was creating and it was so unique and fun that I really had a good time! He really interacts with his customers and people are thrown off by his character. I really like the food and drinks too!
(5)matt z.
I think I just had my worst dining experience yet here. I've been coming for a couple years because the food is pretty good. I had a seafood ravioli that's one of their ~20 never-printed specials. Other highlights included a prawn-and-prosciutto concoction. The service, however, left MUCH to be desired. I came here with my parents and their friends, and needless to say the Missourians were not pleased by the owner's Bud Light apron with prosthetic phallus that he was pressing through a broken piece of cardboard. In front of a group of small children. I tried to complain to other members of my party but we couldn't hear each other over jet-engine-loud Jay Z amidst inappropriate lasers and disco lights. There's a small corps of people who were clearly drunk and enjoying themselves by the kitchen bar, but they're clearly regulars and in line with Lucio. The waitress was doing a good job and realized the predicament, but there was little she could do with the timing of our meal: the prawn thing came out probably 15 minutes before the rest of the dishes, and the side pasta that was ordered with it only came as we were about to leave. On top of it all, my bike got stolen from out front while I was inside. So not cool. I don't understand what kind of mid-life crisis the owner is going through, but he's lost this customer and probably countless others.
(1)Andrew H.
this is what i wrote after lucio harassed me and my friends late one night ranting about how much he hated america and how the jews were responsible for 911. i feel sorry for his embarrassed employees who probably have to deal with this kind of abuse on a daily basis. when my friend tried to call him on his bullshit, he answered back that he had a jewish wife and a black son. really? i wish i would have captured his slurred speech so they could be proud of their papa. true colors don't run. man up and face up to your stupidity. my original post: ucio hates america and jews. this guy is the biggest racist pig i've met in the last few years. conspiracy bullshit aside, this guy is not worth your money, time or gastric adventures. avoid at all costs!!!
(1)Sean M.
This place was off the hook. Food and service were excellent. Was in Santa Cruz from out of town and decided we'd go for Italian food for dinner. The food was amazing and loved that the owner was going around checking on the customers.
(4)Ramanda L.
HORRIBLE atmosphere. Never take your family there unless you want your children to be subject to loud music and the owner yelling across the restaurant at all the servers. I was scared. The food is okay, but for the price it's not worth it. Expect to pay over $20 for pasta. Expect servers to be rude and unfriendly to you and each other.
(1)Kenneth A.
Came here on the recommendation of a friend, I should have read Yelp first. We had high hopes for the restaurant until I saw who the proprietor was, my expectations dropped off when I recognized him from his previous restaurant (known for really bad service and a friend threw up in the alley 30 minutes after eating at that place). I was relieved to find the proprietor showing off a fish carcass as evidence that his fish was fresh; I figured someone else was going to be cooking my dinner. In general our experience aligns with the other one and two star reviews. We were there early, so the service was good (only two other parties in the restaurant when we were seated). My wife was nearly done eating salad before my soup came to the table, but our entrees arrived together. She had a ravioli off their regular menu, and I had a different ravioli off their specials memo. To describe my ravioli as "al dente" would be an understatement; it was borderline raw and tough to the chew. All-in-all a mediocre dining experience that, with no drinks and tip-included, was over $60 for two.
(1)Gary H.
Used to have great food, good service, marred only by the often-crazy owner who loves to show off his crazy mannerisms. Putting that aside, we used to love eating here. Tried again a couple weeks ago, and it's apparent that they are now geared toward the bar, and less toward the food. The music was so loud that conversation was impossible. We commented, and they shrugged. There goes another decent Italian restaurant! We won't be back
(1)Matt J.
To go here and enjoy the experience you have to play by the rules and enjoy binge drinking. The owner is an ass, the service is bad but feels entitled in perfect Santa Cruz fashion, the wine arrives warm, the food mediocre (and no apologies if you don't like it!), and the prices pretty steep. The location is lame too, in a little strip mall cornered by two busy streets. The blaring music and boisterous owner will probably drown out the traffic though.
(1)Leslie R.
In these tough economic times, I think the concept of the Happy Hour is gaining a little more appreciation (and I am less frequently teased about my vocal love of HH, yay!). Having lived in Denver, a FABULOUS Happy Hour town, I have pretty high standards, and unfortunately those places in Santa Cruz that offer $1 off a beer until 5:30 fall way short. Here's what Caffe Lucio has going for it: -Happy Hour every day (even weekends!) until 7pm. Beautiful! -Not only is their creative wine and beer selection $1 off during said HH, they also offer a variety of pizzas for $5. They're all relatively simple in terms of toppings, but they are HUGE. We usually take down one apiece, but people without insane appetites could probably share one and call it a meal. -As many others have mentioned, Lucio is a one-man-show. He's cooking, he's drinking, he's singing, he's putting on costumes (um, yeah), he's kissing everyone... it's probably a bit of an acquired taste, but judging by how many regulars we see roll in each time we're there, lots of people love his crazy enthusiasm. If nothing else, we always emerge with some new story to tell. We're content bellying up to the bar, so I can't comment on the quality of the rest of the menu, though the price tag might be a bit high for a place with loud music, a disco ball and a kids play area in the corner.
(4)Allison A.
Oh holy crap, this place was rockin on a Saturday night. It seemed to be Lady Gaga hour when we came in, complete with disco ball and staff in costumes. Lucio himself, a skinny little Italian man, came out in a number of crazy costumes and danced with the patrons, from the little kids in the corner to dirty dancing with a waitress. Well, she was dancing with him from behind and he just kinda looked like he was going with it - though he may also have been clueless. Our chef had great big green glasses on, which sure didn't prevent him from providing a good meal. Oh, the tomatoes. I don't think I've ever had a fresher tomato than what was in my food. We started out with bruschetta, which had those awesome tomatoes on a nice, warm and soft french bread. My companion then had whatever ham roll covered in some sort of cream sauce that was in the picture here, and from the one bite I got, I could tell it was rich and incredibly good. I had plain old angelhair pasta with more tomatoes and olive oil. Plain my ass! This was an excellent bowl of pasta. So excellent that against my better judgment, I ate the entire four serving portion (of course, that was during my drunken phase later in the night). All in all, a total recommendation from me. Try to go during happy hour, which makes Cafe Lucio the happiest place on earth.
(4)Judith A.
Gracious staff, but the schtick of the owner -- crazy hats, trying to be so clever and "zany" + relentlessly thumping background noise passed off as music + the tasteless food add up to = zero for me.
(1)Andy F.
We went there last night with a group of seven. Unfortunately, there was not enough room inside, so they sat us outside under heat lamps. That turned out to be a blessing. The food and the service was wonderful. I had the best Lasagne that I've had in many years (and it was definitely not from Costco, as someone reported....I know because I've eaten many Costco lasagnes). I'm glad we sat outside. By about 7pm the people indoors were being subjected to a spinning disco ball, flashing laser beams, and lots of noise. My friend, a Santa Cruz lifer, told me that the restaurant did have a reputation for crummy food a while back. But last night, everything was wonderful. Based on the other reviews on this page, I guess you might get lucky, or you might not If you go, try to get a table outdoors.
(4)Jerry T.
Lucio is great, part of the experience. The food is all good. I find they do a remarkable job with the fish dishes. The pizza is so so recently. But overall the food is great and the atmosphere is great, if you aren't looking for a dark, quiet, romantic environment.
(4)Steven P.
Caffe Lucio To be honest, I had been hesitant to come here for all the reasons mentioned in prior reviews; I had heard stories from people who had eaten at, and who had worked at, Lucio's previous restaurant, Al Dente. I was all the more reluctant to take our out-of-town guest to this potentially volatile scene, not having experienced myself yet. But our other dinner plans had fallen through, we were quite hungry, and it was nearby. Living in the neighborhood, I had noticed that Lucio's has been quite busy on many nights -- weekends and weekdays alike -- so I was surprised that on this weeknight evening (around 7pm), the dining room was pretty mellow. Not dead, but certainly not crowded. The three of us were seated right away, with menus, water, and bread brought to us posthaste. We ordered the caprese appetizer, which was brought to our table quickly, as was everything else that evening. The caprese was nothing special, but it was good quality (and heirloom tomatoes really aren't in season anymore). Next our server told us about the night's specials, took our drink orders, and then our dinner orders. I ordered shrimp and capellini, with fresh tomatoes and basil. Our friend ordered, I think, the meatless cannelloni special. And my girlfriend ordered the gnocchi with Gorgonzola. Now, this is important. The server pointed out that the gnocchi and Gorgonzola dish was a bit of an acquired taste, and that the last person who ordered it wasn't familiar with Gorgonzola and didn't like it. Well, my girlfriend is quite fond of Gorgonzola and, although she doesn't often have gnocchi, she has had it on previous occasions. So, the plates arrive in a very reasonable amount of time. Mine tastes very good. Our friend is quite happy with hers. After about two bites, my girlfriend gives me a mildly distressed look and asks me to sample her dish. It was weird. I didn't detect anything wrong about either the cheese or the gnocchi, but the combination of the two was off-putting. Our friend, after she, too, sampled the dish, pointed out that the finish was actually quite pleasant and *almost* brought redemption. Except that initial clash of gnocchi and Gorgonzola still lingered and cast a shadow over the rest of the tasting experience. My girlfriend felt really bad. She had been warned, but there was no way she could eat the rest of the dish. I certainly wasn't going to, so we sheepishly asked to order an additional entree -- not a replacement; we intended to pay for another item. The server would hear nothing of it and insisted on bringing out a different plate (simple pasta and tomatoes) at no extra charge. My girlfriend enjoyed her new dish, we enjoyed the rest of our evening finishing our meal and wine, while conversing in a relaxing atmosphere. So there you have it, our four-star night. Three-star quality food pushed over the top by above-and-beyond service. The food was good, but it was the service that is going to get me back in the door again. And now, some important points, any one of which may have altered our experience: * It wasn't very busy. * Lucio was there, but not working the kitchen that night. * The music was at a very reasonable volume; sometimes I didn't even notice it.
(4)Adam B.
Had my birthday dinner here and it was the best yet! Loved the food, everything I tried from my parties plates was so good ! Authentic Italian if be ever had any. Lucio and the waitress were very friendly with great personalities. Felt like I was at my own family restaurant. I would recommend to anyone any night. I went in On a Wednesday. First drink was good too, Italian Job I think it was. Overall though, can't wait to go back to Santa Cruz and eat there again
(5)Brenda G.
I am a very picky eater and one thing I do not enjoy is Pasta. I've had bad experiences in the past and when my Parents decided to come to Caffe Lucio I was a bit hesitant. We went in and the first thing we noticed was an Albert Einstein lookalike dancing to Lady Gaga; It was very entertaining and funny. He introduced himself as Lucio and I was very surprised to see the owner to the restaurant interact with customers the way he did. The food was GREAT. You can tell the pasta was made there which I really enjoyed. We tried a little bit of everything from seafood to steak, to salads and pasta. I couldn't complain! We also had a couple of drinks at the bar. We arrived during Happy Hour and the specials were not that bad! Overall our experience was great. The service was great. The food was EXCELLENT and I would definitely go there again.
(4)Jon G.
Lucio is the best. I tried to learn to cook from Lucio. I took the insults the ridicule and put my best effort into it. And became a better man for it. I will not explain Lucio just be around him for a night and you will know him. His heart is on his sleeve. His food taste as if he really is making it for you because he wants you to be impressed. To enjoy yourself and have a great life. That is Lucio and that is Cafe Lucio food. And if you were fortunate enough to have been at Al Dente, lucky you. That was also a great place. Oh yeah and now my little boy can't stop asking for pink sauce. Or what Lucio calls Aurora. Its great combination of tomato and cream sauces.
(5)Debbie S.
Lucio is one of a kind! The food is always Italian cuisine and flavors at their best. We have followed Lucio since his time spent in Capitola as El Dente. An additional bonus was that our young children were well entertained in the kids section while my husband and I were able to enjoy ourselves and the very fine food and drinks. Always a blast at this restaurant! Great loud music, strobe lights, disco ball bouncing and occasional fog machine mist makes for an amazing experience. The servers are bright and helpful. We will be back anytime family is in town. Thank you Lucio, Ciao Bella!
(5)Santa Cruz M.
Ordered Tortellini with Red Meat Sauce to Go $18.95 ... Got home and there was 11 pieces of pasta with 1 cup of sauce. Pathetic portion and when I called to question the dish ... The owner wouldn't take my call. Will never go back and plan to tell everyone I know not to go there either.
(1)Jim W.
Great food and a great place!
(4)Kris R.
It's quirky - the cooks were wearing funny hair - but the music was a bit jarring. It's pretty pricey. The food was good, but I think I prefer the food and atmosphere from the sister restaurant, Mamma Lucia.
(3)Matt C.
HUGE fan - let me qualify that statement for you: 1) I like the staff. They're nice. And usually fun or at least pleasant to engage with. 2) I like Lucio. He's been awesome for decades. 3) I like that he loves kids. And kids love him. And in turn families feel very welcome here. 4) I like the food. ALL the food. 5) I like the bar. Huge. 6) I like their happy hour deals and the pizzettas are fantastic. 7) I like a little dance music, fog machine, laser lights and disco ball with my dinner. It's different. And fun. It's not romantic. It's not really classy. It's not a scene. It's a great local Italian restaurant. Word to the wise: happy hour is great, but it can get spendy, so don't equate my "great local italian restaurant" comment with cheap.
(4)S M.
Great FRESH food, great service, great ambiance! Lucio & Family makes this place a wonderful experience.
(5)Leslie N.
my boyfriend and I went here last night, we were trying to find a nice authentic italian restaurant for dinner. I had gone here previously with a friend right when they opened for dinner for pizza, and loved their pizza. The rest of their food, however, does not live up to the prices on the menu. I had the rigatoni with meat sauce, which was fair, pasta was overcooked and slightly watery in the meat sauce. flavor was so-so. My boyfriend had the filet mignon, he asked for medium, they brought him a slab of meat that was well-cooked on the outside, but rare if not uncooked on the inside. It was not worth the $28 they were asking for it, it was a tough cut of meat, not what you would expect when ordering a filet. the only saving grace was the pizza, well worth the $11 pricetag. their miss boom boom cocktail is also quite good. thus the two stars as opposed to one. we did experience the disco and strobe lights, which was very odd, in addition to the horrible acoustics in the restaurant, which makes it sound extremely noisy when not much seems to be going on. I would expect the prices to be half what they are asking for for the quality of the food here.
(2)Savannah J.
I LOVE CAFFE LUCIO! What a one-of-a-kind restaurant! Very family friendly, but honestly - it's fun for anyone and everyone! The owner, Lucio, is a fabulous man with a true love of life. He genuinely loves what he does, and his energy and positivity are simply contagious! He will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face! The food was DELICIOUS! Everything we ate tasted authentic, unique, and so fresh. YUM....just thinking about it is making me salivate! Expect a fantastic meal, a fun time, loud music, lots of people, lots of little kiddos running around laughing, and a wonderful experience!
(5)Paul B.
I was leery of this place because of it's kooky fun reputation. I don't mind having fun, but most fun places don't have quality food. Well I was won over by the excellent food we had. Bruscetta appetizer with goat cheese was wonderful. The seafood Linguini was spectacular, packed with clams, salmon and other seafood items. We went on a Sunday, it wasnt very crowded, so Lucio seemed especially happy to see us, treated us like old friends, even though it was our first time there. Not a quiet romantic place, but if you have a kooky girlfriend like mine, it's even better.
(5)Nancy W.
If you're looking for a little of the "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" vibe, Caffe Lucio's is definitely one of those authentically offbeat experiences, and with food to make your tummy glow, too. Lucio has been a local favorite for a long time as far as I know, and in my four years living here, I've enjoyed it often because there is nowhere else like it. If you are looking for a quiet, romantic serene Italian setting, go instead to Gabriella Cafe or Cafe Mare, which will be much more expensive and less outrageous (I would recommend both if you have a pretty penny in pocket). But if you are looking for some fun and some eccentricity along with your Italian dishes, you will not be disappointed by Lucio and his staff. If you're easily offended by people acting silly, toot yourself in other direction because Lucio will not hesitate to greet you with extreme gesturing and yelling in his very Italian accent about who knows what. He is very sweet, and if you get to know him after a few times there, don't be surprised by a kiss on the cheek. Later in the night, it is not uncommon for the waitstaff to don costumes, put on disco lights and dance around. My friend's band played there a couple times, and Lucio brought out the fog machine! Also, it is local and weird, but very clean, new and polished inside, unlike some hole-in-the-wall places. I love good food as much as I love character, so I'm pleased that Lucio's has both. I am hard to please and love to try new restaurants, so the food on top of the company makes Lucio my favorite sit-down Italian restaurant in the area. It's mid-range expensive, but worlds better than Kianti's or Tony and Alba's, and they have one of the Best Happy Hours in town. Weekdays 5-7 pm at the bar, their $5 house pizzas are unbeatable in quality, quantity and price. The ingredients are fresh, and I've gotten many excellent dishes there on a regular night. I tried a steak my friend ordered one time, and it was average, so I would stick to ordering pasta or pizza. Go with the heavier, cheesier, saucier dishes if you can handle it, because I've been in heaven after their cheese ravioli and similar dishes. The light tomato sauce is good, but nothing special. Usually their daily or weekly specials are worth trying, and if you have special requests they are happy to honor them because they're funky cool fresh Italian chefs! The drinks are pricey, but not unexpectedly so, and if you are into sweet drinks, please try their chocolate martini. It is dangerously delicious! They have Blue Moon on tap, which for me is always a good sign. If you come in a group, be aware they do not split checks, but there is an ATM on property. I feel I have to pass on my extensive Lucio knowledge, so others can enjoy and appreciate! It is a local gem, full of unabashedly Santa Cruz-Italian personality, so if you are not too stuck-up I am sure Lucio's will have you amused, captivated and satisfied.
(5)Richard K.
I had the Santa Cruz Linguine and my wife the Crab Cannelloni. Price, portions and fresh ingredient's were great. Upbeat atmosphere and well done. Missed Luccio as we were early.
(5)Amanda T.
If I could I would give this place no stars. I went here for my first time with my boyfriend and his family that was visiting. It was on a Sunday night and the restaurant was empty but the music was still blasting and neon lights on the ceiling like a night club. I ordered the gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce and had one bite and hated it, everyone at my table tried it and disliked it as well. I tried to send my order back, and the owner started to yell at me in front of everyone. It was obvious that he was completely drunk, when earlier he made a little boy put balloons down his shirt as boobs and a mask on. When he asked me what I wanted instead I told him that I was fine with nothing, this made him even more mad. He then continued to yell at me and tell me that I was ignorant, he would not leave me alone. My boyfriends dad told our waitress that if he came back to the table he would punch him. We immediately asked for the check and told the waitress we would not pay for the dish I had not eaten she replied saying the owner would not comp it and that she would have to pay for it herself if we didn't.... If I pay for a plate of only gnocchi for $17, I want it to taste at least decent. WORST DINING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.
(1)Ken B.
Came because I received a gift certificate for my birthday. Location was good, decor reasonable, service was fine. There was good camaraderie amongst the staff, wearing various masks and wigs and horsing around and singing happy birthday to a three year old diner. My problem was with the food. My green spinach salad was fresh, but underdressed. The manicotti was pretty good, but definitely inferior to that from Mama Mia's in Felton and much more expensive. But what frosted me was our treatment over my daughter's chicken filled ravioli's with radicchio cream. My daughter is an excellent cook and makes her own pasta. The pasta in her dinner was hard and undercooked. The waitress took it back to the cooks (wearing weird wigs) who pronounced that sometimes the pasta is hard and that it was fine; what would she like them to do? Well they did heat it up for her. But I didn't feel good about the situation. The bill for five was $180 which included tip and three glasses of wine, a bit expensive for my taste.
(2)Audrey L.
I'm so glad we found Lucio after he closed Al Dente. Great food, lots of fun. Prices have gone up a bit, so a family might find it a stretch, but he had a wonderful kid friendly corner and our Grandson had a blast!
(4)Charmee W.
Never going back. The food wasn't bad, but it was an awful experience. The noise level was intolerable. It was only 6:30 on a Thursday when we finished, but they had music blaring waaaay to loud, disco lights, the owner and kitchen staff were shouting and wearing stupid pizza hats. They kept changing the music, sometimes in the middle of a song. First Chris Isaak, then some silly Happy Birthday song for a kid, then rap, then Marilyn Monroe's Happy Birthday, then some techno. Are they trying to be a nightclub? A family restaurant? Fine Italian dining? It cost $60 for 2 pasta and 1 small salad. At those prices I'd like to be able to speak to my date. Needless to say we didn't stick around for coffee and dessert. Really, the atmosphere was so uncomfortable it spoiled the meal.
(1)Sean T.
I'm usually really forgiving. I try to see the good parts of a restaurant, not the bad. I like most any kind of food, and I'm not horribly picky. But I'm sorry, I had quite possibly THE worst dining experience I've EVER had at this place. The music was BLASTING loud- and it just got louder. If I wanted to go to a club, I'll go to a club. But when I'm going to a restaurant and spending around $100 for two people, I want a good meal, courteous service, and an pleasant atmosphere. Instead, the waitstaff was extremely rushed, and yet it took us three hours to get out of the place. It was so loud I had to yell across the table and at the waitress. The crazy owner was dancing and yelling and being just generally crazy, which some people seem to like; the boyfriend and I thought it was creepy and obtrusive. If the food was AMAZING, I might have given it an extra star; it was actually pretty mediocre. I got the filet mignon, the boyfriend got the lasagna, and while my steak was pretty good, the lasagna was sloppily assembled, swimming in sauce and lacked any depth or flavor. By the time we were ready for our check, the owner turned up the music so that it was pretty much deafening, and went completely nuts with the dancing and shenanigans. We felt extremely uncomfortable and were hoping to get out soon. About half an hour later, we were so tired and claustrophobic that we were thinking of leaving a hundred dollar bill and walking out. Thankfully, we got our check, paid, and ran out the door. Just awful.
(1)Roberto L.
Lucio is a crazy Ragazzo, The fiery, wild-haired, loud, obnoxious man puts on quite a show at his establishment. The loud music, the sudden, loud outbursts make for an interesting night of entertainment as one waits for their food. Not everything is made from scratch...but the food is decent I must say. I like the fact that Lucio himself will take care of business if anything is forgotten. Lucio cares about his customers, this is why I am a repeat customer. If the food is cold, he replaces it, If the food was too salty, he replaces it....not enough garlic? He supplies more. The price was fair, the service was good. Mile Grazie Lucio!!
(3)Stephanie C.
Yelp won't allow me to give this restaurant zero stars so I'm stuck with one. This does not mean that i had even close to a great experience. So I went here last night for my boyfriends graduation dinner with his entire family (grandma included). We sit down and i see that Lucio cat hanging out with some friends at a table being loud, obnoxious and speaking Italian a mile a minute. I look over at the bar to see a picture of Lucio, shirtless and framed. ON THE BAR. So I'm thinking... Okay this is unusual... whatever, right? We order and our waitress seems somewhat off... not fake but that she seems very tense and trying to come off as easy going. Anyway we order... I get a Caesar salad and so does my boyfriend... we also got some pizzas but that's not really the point. We get our salads and as we take our first bites we look at each other and say UHHHHH. The salad was slimy, wilted and just very very old. I am NOT a picky eater and never send my food back, ever. We stop eating it and push it away politely. The waitress comes over alittle later and says "Is everything okay with your salad?" We play it off like "Ohh... umm yeah it's okay we just feel that it's a little wilted..." She says "Well, um... what do you want me to do... uhh". So she starts panicking... clearly knowing something VERY VERY BAD is going to happen soon. My boyfriend suggests if we can just get them taken away and that it is not big deal but that we are done with them. She snaps back and says "I cannot do that, if i take both of your salads back i will have to pay for them." So not only will Lucio chew out the waitress's he makes them pay for whatever the table wants taken back. Moments later she's talking to Lucio in the hallway and he looks pretty pissed. He comes over with a head of lettuce and dressing and says in broken english.... "You no like my salad? Blah Blah Blah and then becomes relentless with the banter and won't stop. I say "Alright man..." and try to laugh it off then he says "This is bullshit, this lettuce is from Tijuana" or something along those lines and continued on that i should know... BECAUSE WHAT I AM MEXICAN??? So in less than 2 minutes he says the word BULLSHIT AND MAKES A RACIAL SLUR TOWARDS ME and continues!! So I decide i am done and i grab my boyfriends keys and leave. I throw up my hands and say "Ya know what man, this is your town, right?" Once i am in the parking lot he still yelling about the salad or at this point why i am Mexican and don't understand". SO... my boyfriend gets up and leaves after arguing with Lucio (all in front of his family and 90 year old grandma) then follows after me. As he is leaving Lucio yells "She's no good for you, don't leave your family... Your going to LEAVE your family for her!!!". Lucio figures i am Mexican so I should know where he gets his food from and that my boyfriend should know better than to be with a wetback. We left and went over to Pizza My Heart where the workers are nice and the food is reasonably priced and fantastic! We get a phone call from his mom saying that the argument continued and that it became somewhat volatile (Lucio being so offensive that my boyfriends dad got involved and got in his face, pretty much laying him out in front of the entire staff). Lucio doesn't know how to run a business and should bounce back to Italy where verbal abuse is more socially accepted. For all you Lucio supporters who think i am being dramatic (I know you are out there) go and ask a waitress... She'll tell you the whole story. If you want to support a restaurant that has shitty food and an owner who is racist go for it! But i am going to (relentlessly) spread the word that this guy should be shut down. Let me add that my boyfriends mom has always been a Lucio supporter and as of now will never go back there, ever again. **Oh and did i mention right before all of this happened we got our food and it looked like shit and tasted like something my Mexican self could have made. Also a little girl was BEHIND the counter where they prepare the pizzas rubbing her hands in flour and playing with the dough (that they make your pizzas with). Is this breaking a health code? Hmmm... THINK SO.
(1)Q T.
Went to Lucio's a week ago, early Saturday evening. The waitress seated us right away. Moments later Lucio came over and said hi to me and the bf like we were old pals. The waitress told us the specials and Lucio did come over and harass/tease her to list off all the fish choices a couple of times, but she just rolled her eyes at him and didn't seem to mind him. The bread we got was soft and delicious and our waitress happily gave us seconds. Our dinners took the normal amount of time, although it wasn't busy, so that might have been why it wasn't long. We shared the manicotti special and the Santa Cruz linguine and seafood plate. They were both very tasty. We chose the meat sauce over the manicotti and it was very good. All in all I thought the food was good, the service was fine and they have a full bar. My only gripe is that it's a bit pricey. The plates were $17 and up. We can get almost two plates of pasta at Lillian's for that and both places are good. I like, but not my favorite.
(3)Air-in S.
If you want to wait 2 1/2 hours for a half chicken breast that is chewy and lackluster for $18...this is your kind of place. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!!!! I know Lucio from back in the day of Al Dente...so I had high hopes. These are what drove me over the edge: * It took 20 minutes to get our Prosecco wine, and when we got it, it was hardly chilled. * The noise was unbearable at points. * The side salad is a about 10 leaves of mixed greens and a 1/4 of a tomato which you need to add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to. *The grand finale of the reeming was waiting 2 1/2 hours, being ravenous, and being served the smallest mudane dinner. The chicken salad had 3 pieces of meat with 20 leaves of mixed greens. And the chicken entre was a half chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and mozzarella on top served on an unproportionally large plate as if to mock the amount of chicken we were being served. The chicken was chewy, dry, and should have had a lot more flavor and tenacity to it. A BIG PHAT KAT NO!!!!! BAD KITTY!
(1)Dawn H.
I love Lucio's. Yes, he's loud, so what? He's funny, and very pleasant to every customer! Yes, he yells at his staff, but have you ever seen them in tears over it? NO! Because he's just a crazy restaurant genius, with overflowing spirit. And he knows what he expects from his staff in his restaurant. They should do it. And when they do, he appears to treat them very well. I've never ever had bad food there. I have enjoyed every single bite of every single dish, particularly the seafood pizzetta i had there once. it was ungodly goodness. Bartendress Jessica makes a mean Italian Job (peach rum + basil = yum) to go with Happy Hour's fantastic $5 pizettas. All in all, I'm so glad Lucio came to break the curse of the Death Corner (Soquel & Ocean has been a notorious stinker of a restaurant location). I will continue to go as often as I can afford it!
(5)Jennifer E.
My greatest memory of Santa Cruz is eating at Caffe Lucio . As the others have clearly said, the owner Lucio is a phenomenal man. He greets everyone like they're long lost family. Now, on to the food, the pasta and pizza are fantastic, authentic italian dishes. The gnocci with pesto sauce is a must try! Other people wrote about long waits, we for one did not have this problem. We went in at 6 o clock on a sunday and got our food within 10 minutes of ordering it. All in all, the food is amazing and wholesome, and the owner Lucio my be one of the most entertaining and kind men I've ever met.
(4)Jillian M.
This place is pretty cool, you can tell just by walking in that it is alternative and not some quiet romantic place to have an Italian dinner. There is loud music, a disco ball and lights circling the room. It is a fun environment. I had the manicotti w/ creamy sauce, it was good but it wasn't hot and the portion was very small for $20. The drinks are also small, the cocktails come in little glasses that are like 4 sips. Not the place for cocktails, even the wine portions are small, usually you get a nice big glass of vino at these type of restaurants. The service wasn't great, but nothing to really complain about. I would probably rate it 3 1/2 stars. Anyhow, fun and good for a birthday party or group outing.
(4)Mark B.
I want to give Caffe Lucio a better rating than 3 stars and if they had half points I'd give them three and a half. I'm really rooting for the restaurant but they need to work on a few things. My friends and I were seated promptly when we first arrived at the restaurant and we quickly ordered a bottle of wine (MORE WINE!). They had many different wines with many different price ranges so for all you people that have much more money than me (which is not that difficult to do) you'll feel right at home drinking your dollars away. I don't know if I'm the only one but I tend to judge a place based on what kind of bread they serve at the beginning of the meal. This one was a light sourdough that definitely was not made there. Already this kind of puts me off but it was fresh and went well wit the oil and balsamic dip. By this point I was already thinking about what I was going to write on my yelp review and things were sounding pretty good. The place smells amazing, everyone was very nice and our water glasses were always kept full (brownie points in my book). However, my rating started to go down once the food got out there, I learned that they only had one chef that night. Our meals came out one by one which was kind of awkward. The food itself however was amazing. I ordered the penne pasta with Italian peppers. It was cooked with sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms and was really amazing. There was a lot of it too. Two of my friends ordered meat entrees and they came out a la carte. It was a weird plate design because they served it on a huge plate and there's only one piece of chicken or fish on it. Still, they both thought their meals were delicious. Dessert wasn't anything to write home about but it took a long time to get that and our check. I had to dock a star from them for their slow service. It might just have been a weird day but we were there for a long long time. Still, I would come back here again to see if there are improvements; the food is worth it.
(3)Becky R.
My friends and I love this place for a girls night out. We went and it was hopping. The service was prompt and friendly . we ordered drinks and they were wonderful. When we ordered food they told us there would be a wait it was very nice for them to say so. They actually made too much for another table and brought over a huge bowl of pasta and a wonderful salad for us to share. To say the least by the time our food came we were on the brink of being full. But who doesnt love left overs. The owner is a very funny quirky man that walks around singing and talking to his employee's in Italian he doesnt call them stupid like the other reviewers said. I didnt hear him talk rudely to anyone that works there. It was very fun and great atmosphere. The food was a MUST have....Some people just dont know good Italian food if it hit them in the face lol
(5)kaite s.
this place definitely is not for everyone. you have to be in the mood for a loud, stimulating (yet fun) environment with dance music and unexpected outbursts of yelling/singing by the staff. the bar is definitely where it's at - i don't think i would eat at a table if the bar was full. we got 2 of the (perhaps 15+) specials: rock fish (not overcooked and very fresh = score!) and the lasagna roll-up with prosciutto (rich but very delicious). side note - they use reusable coasters!
(3)alice y.
sunday, 6pm, and i haven't eaten all day thanks to the longest saturday night ever. time to sit down for a nice comforting italian .. BOOM TSS BOOM TSS ..*RAH RAAAH AH AHHH ROMA ROMA MAAA* .. huh?? cue disco lights. the drunk middle-aged group on one side of me gets rowdy, and the 3yo on the other starts to dance. i love me some lady gaga as much as the next party girl, but i'm not sure this restaurant/kidsplaycenter/club really knows what it wants to be. i did like my chicken fettuccine (creamy sauce no too heavy, chicken that pulled and tender). the others enjoyed their dishes, too. but it was also overpriced. $20+ for a simple pasta dish (with no sides no salad) should not be pretty good, it should leave my taste buds tingling for more. also the waitress tried to 'sell' when we ordered no appetizer. "are you sure you guys don't want to start with a salad or something?" meh, if you're in the right mood, this could be a very fun place to eat, and the owner himself seems like a quirky character. but if all you want is a nice hearty dinner .. maybe not.
(3)Daddy O.
Cafe Lucio is one of the better talian restaurants in Santa Cruz...if you can stand the wait. While we were thoroughly impressed that Lucio single-handedly dished out meals to over 150 people over the course of the evening, it was clear that most people left the restaurant more frustrated than satisfied. We were fortunate enough to be seated at the back bar, right in front of the open kitchen. As we waited between our courses, Lucio shared some extras with us. Tastiness. The eccentric owner also bantered with us while he prepared dish after dish and berated the often too-slow and uncoordinated wait-staff. Needless to say, the service was SLOW. The entire dining experience lasted almost three hours. The food also came out inconsistently. Some people would be served their entree while others at their table would have to wait 20+ minutes for theirs. We waited almost 45 minutes to receive our appetizer, and then another hour plus before our entrees came out. Worth the wait, although we were full from nibbling all the while. Had we not been seated at the counter, or if we had had plans, we might have walked out, like some of the other people who came expecting a typical "american" dining experience. This felt authentic. European...for Santa Cruz, anyway. All in all the experience was great and worth repeating...hopefully they'll work out some of the kinks in their service speed next time. In their defense it was ridiculously crowded tonight, maybe thanks to the spotlight review in Good Times.
(3)Scott B.
The bread was good and they had bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on each table. The waitress brought my date and friends out a bowl of minced garlic to put in with our OO and BV to eat with the bread. My date had the pasta with salmon, very good. I had the penne pasta with italian sausage. Each of our dishes were around $15 a plate, but the portions were big and the quality was good. Worth the money. The service was excellent. We never had an empty glass and you never had to touch your glass for the waitress to fill up your water or other beverages. The only problem that I had with this place was that it was quite loud. They had the music up too loud for my taste, but the atmosphere was fun. If it wasn't for the loud music, it would definitely be a first date restaurant.
(3)Susan R.
Wish I could give it 0 stars as there was not one redeeming quality about this place. Its located in a dumpy strip mall so how could it be so pretenious to charge such high prices for mediocre food. I should have followed my instincts and turned around after I opened the door and then shut it and opened it again because I could not believe how loud it was. We only stayed because it was late and we on foot walking through downtowm but decided to off the beaten track away from the downtown section because we thought we would find a quaint place, poplular with the locals. (Welll the place was packed and I assumed it was locals but dont know what they see in the place. I wish we had stayed downtown.) The music was so loud you could not talk to each other and I could not even hear the waitress. Music was loud club music--not really fitting the Italian theme and there was a stupid spinning mirror disco ball...what does that have to do with an Italian restaurant. There were 2 kids running wild in the restaurant and past our table and pretending to shoot patrons with their toy guns. I kept waiting from them to crash into the wait staff. I am a parent with 2 children and I would never let my kids behave like that in a restaurant. As for the food ...disappointing and way over priced. Two people ordered the Ceasar Salad....the portions were small, cheese was skimpy and they threw a few croutons on top. Cost -$11 each! I ordered a spinach salad that was described as having dried cranberries, walnuts and feta--the price on the menu was $8/$10 (I assumed 2 different sizes and when asked if that was my dinner I said yes so I assumed that I would getter the "bigger" more expensive salad. I asked for chicken to be added which they said would be $3 extra and I agreed to that. I was so disappointed when the salad arrived it was so small and i had to hunt to find the few cranberries and the dusting of white (for the feta cheese) and the walnuts were the smallest crumbs. Cost for the Salad $13! But the biggest rip off was the fettucine alfredo for $23 that my daughter ordered...we did not look at the menu when she ordered but really who would think that noodles with sauce in a strip mall restaurant would be so over priced! Service was slow...because there was not enough wait staff. I must complement the bus people who supplied us with bread and water, they did a good job and they were on their toes. Over all the experience was not worth the $58 for loud music, and lousy over priced food.
(1)Michael N.
CRAP! Small portions. Big prices. Way too loud. Stay away. Go to Lillian's instead.
(1)Caryn M.
Went here relatively early on a Monday night and found it much quieter then a lot of the other reviewers have found it. We had the mussels in broth (which had just come in fresh that day according to the waitress) which I thought were good...but it was the broth that I loved! My husband had the "Penne con Patate" which he thought was very flavorful-and he is extremely picky! We also had the Pizza Margherita-quite good. The only thing that was not so great was the Insalata Mista. The greens were fresh but-there was way too much salt in the dressing...and had the waitress asked me how it was I would have told them. No biggie though. Lucio came and greeted us before we left, no drama, he was just friendly. Guess we lucked out and happened upon the place on a mellow night since our service was good and the food came out without an unreasonable wait.
(3)Sian W.
My hubby and I escaped to Santa Cruz for a weekend getaway and happened to stay directly across the street from this place. While looking for somewhere to have lunch we walked across the street to Caffe Lucio. Although the place wasnt opened yet, we did run into the owner, Lucio, unloading his vehicle of fresh produce and meets. He greeted us and told us to come back for dinner. We arrived at the resturant about 7:30pm on Sat Night. The resturant was very cute, traditional italian but a very fun atmoshpere. I ordered the Chicken Marsala and my husband ordered a Peperroni pizza! I have to say, this was HANDS DOWN one of the best meals we have had. Everything was extremely fresh and so flaverful. While dining, Lucio noticed us and immediately came to our table to greet us. He talked and laughed with us for a short time asking about our meals and telling us a little about the history of his resturants. He is the nicest man and just made our dinner that much more special. Dessert was to die for! We ordered the Exotic Bocca (not sure if I have the name correct) which consisted of 3 fruits sorbets balled up with a coating of a White Chocalate shell around it, drizzled with dark chocalate. It was amazing! Prices are affordable and worth every penny. When we finished our meal, Lucio walked us out and thanked us for coming. Cannot wait to go back with the entire family! This is a definate every time we visit Santa Cruz! BRAVO Lucio!
(5)Shanan S.
TERRIBLE! We went there on Valentine's Day because Lillian's and the other places were completely unattainable. I had been wanting to try this place since it opened and turns out it was THE WORST dinner I've EVER had. The bread was gross, but I was so starving I forced it down. The Caesar Salad tasted bland, I don't think there were any anchovies in the dressing at all. The pasta came and it just had no flavor. I dumped a couple tablespoons of red chili pepper flakes to try to give it something and it STILL sucked :(. It wasn't cheap and normally we don't mind forking out some money, but for good food. This was so not worth the money. I really did not want to write a bad review, but I feel other people should know so they do not make the same mistake I did. One plus was the staff was very nice to us and I suppose that is why I feel bad writing this, BUT I am a foodie and have to voice my opinion. Sorry staff at Lucio's.....
(1)Michelle P.
I was actually on my way to another restaurant, but I noticed that the Maui Maui restaurant had been replaced by a new Italian restaurant so we decided to check it out. Before today, I didn't think Santa Cruz had good Italian food. I've eaten at La Bruschetta and I thought it was OK. But after I ate lunch ate Caffe Lucio, my thoughts on Italian food in Santa Cruz did a 180. This place just opened a week or two ago, so check it out. The owner is Italian, not some Californian trying to cook Italian food. He's also the owner of Al Dente Restaurant. We ordered the Chicken Alfredo and the Roasted Chicken in red wine and honey. Both were very delicious. Although Chicken Alfredo sounds like a boring dish, it was the best I've ever had. The fettucine wasn't drowned in alfredo sauce, it was well salted, and the chicken was juicy (hard to come by for me). The Roasted Chicken was also very delicious. They gave us 1/2 a chicken and it was very moist and flavorful. Both our dishes after tax and tip came out to be $35. Standard pricing for Italian food. I believe it should be the same for dinner. I would definitely come back to this place. Try it out!
(5)Russell D.
Went there for dinner Saturday night. WOW what a great experience. I was there with 4 other adults and two children ages 8 and 10. We were celebrating the 10 yr old b-day. Right when we walked in I could tell this was my kind of place. The kind of place where you can get loud and have a good time. As I walked in happy b-day was being sung for another guest, I of course joined in with my big barrotone voice. Lucio put his arm around me as if I was one of his family. The chef's had on awesome costume masks, that they changed about every 15 minutes. Sometime they were masked men, or even Obama. The only negative about the entire experience was that Lucio does enjoy showing off some of his "Adult" type of creations. Whether it involved a big carrot and a couple of tomatoes, or a costume with some big balloons, these type of items although funny to me, were not appropriate especially for children, and I did notice a couple of customers who did not seem to appreciate the items as much as Lucio did. Otherwise it was great fun, and by the way, the food was fabulous! Crab Canaloni mmmm!
(4)Tony L.
In the falling rain while visiting Santa Cruz for the first time, I stumbled upon this place.... it was within minutes of my motel. Though the rain was steadily falling, the place went from filled to packed within minutes of my being seated. It was loud and noisy which I don't mind, and everyone was very friendly and helpful. The food was served very quickly even though there were many others who had arrived before me, and it was quite tasty. I would return if I ever visited the area again!!! Parking lot available and a small sidewalk eating patio with heaters. Bar waaaay in the back that looked busy too. Not a place for a quiet romantic dinner for two, but if you like a friendly place with good food, then I'll meet you there!!
(4)Tania F.
I went here for the first time a few weeks ago and I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's loud but my first thought was "wow this would be a great place to bring the kids" , the music is just loud enough that you wouldn't feel like to were bothering the other guests . We had a large party, so I was able to sample several dishes. All of them were delicious. I ordered the pasta with capers and tuna: great flavor, fresh tasting, not overly oily. There were several people that ordered the tutto mare and it looked amazing. It was jam packed with several different types of seafood. The calamari was cooked perfectly. I would highly recommend this place for dinner or even as an off the beaten path place to get a drink. They have a nice bar and they made me a great martini.
(5)Paul S.
Pass this place up if you are considering. I ordered a simple pizza margherita and with an authentic Italian owner I was expecting much better results. Let me say I have eaten pizza margherita up and down Italy and this sadly did not come close. My dining partner had the cheeze ravioli and it was decent at best. Im sad to say this but you can get better Italian at Kianti's just down the street. And that says a lot. This place is way over priced for the quality of food.
(2)penny m.
I dare anyone to try this place! The one star is for the food and the very nice, sympathetic waitress. I don't understand the appeal of an Italian restaurant with candles, linen tablecloths and napkins, and all together soothing decor combined with ear shattering, mind deafening disco/rap music AND a disco ball?! My first experience was over a year ago. Next to us, there was a wine tasting party attended by maybe a dozen people. It looked as though they chose the place because the food would complement their wines. The atmosphere lended itself to a relaxing evening. That was then. I continued to return because the food was so good. Each time I've brought out-of-towners and each successive time the atmosphere has changed. Now, if given a choice between Lucio's and a cafeteria, I'll pick the cafeteria. I don't appreciate Lucio's poor attempt at humor, from his clown noses to his inappropriate adult toys. I'm not impressed that he makes such an effort to meet and greet his kitchen counter patrons, yet ignores the tables. I'm not impressed that the kitchen cooks can't seem to time the dishes to go out at the same time unless Lucio is there to supervise. I actually witnessed the cook arguing with our waitress as to why our food wasn't done at the same time, when it's his job to time the dishes properly. And I'm certainly not impressed that he cranks up the music louder and louder starting at oh...6:30. It's not even dinner music and the sun hadn't even set. Maybe an intervention with Lucio should be considered.
(1)Chava Libbe S.
Italian food in this town is hit or miss, mostly miss. People seem either to love or hate Lucio's. I didn't hate it exactly, but I won't be back. Mediocre food, not slow-prepared but slow-delivered, and it's the Lucio show more than it is a restaurant. The man appears to be a narcissist who happens to own a restaurant. If that's your thing, great, enjoy, but when I go out to dinner, with or without a show, I want a good dinner. I live across the street but nothing compels me to return - not the food, not the atmosphere, not the service, definitely not the inflated prices. Authentic red-sauce Italian, at decent prices with good service and no b.s., can be had at Lilian's down the road apiece. I see Lucio himself has been here to razz a detractor or two. With all the abysmal reviews, he'd do well to take them to heart just a bit, unless he cares nothing at all for his customers. Or, apparently, his long-suffering staff.
(2)Liz A.
One word- YUM. Lucio is as animated as ever, and he makes every trip entertaining. I wish they were open for lunch. :( I've been here a few times and every meal I've had is consistently delicious. I think he has kept the same waitstaff as the old restaurant. You can actually hear people talking in this place. (If you have been to the old Al Dente's then you know what I mean).
(5)Barley B.
We splurged and tried Lucio's tonight. We had to move outside because it was so loud and there were strange dots flashing on the walls and ceiling. Outside, a staff person's dog was barking and whining the whole time, but that really wasn't what bothered us. I ordered a $13 salad that ended up being four paper thin pieces of chicken and about half an inch of baby greens. For $18, my partner got a plate of spaghetti that was okay. The waitresses and the hostess were really nice and said that we weren't the first people to feel cheated by the salad. How expensive could half an inch more of salad greens be? I think the best part about our meal was that we DIDN"T have to see lewd dancing and get kissed by the owner. Thanks to the other reviewers for sharing their experiences. We will definitely not have a second date with this restaurant. My favorite FAVORITE Italian restaurant is LILLIAN'S on Soquel Ave. near the Rio Theater. They are kind, have huge portions of really yummy food and it is about half the price for exceptional food.
(1)Allison M.
Good food at reasonable prices although the atmosphere is a little stark and Lucio made his presence widely known (very gregarious, too much so for my liking). That said, the pizza was great, and the special request combo of pasta, sauce and sausage was amazing. Plenty for lunch the next day. A good enough choice.
(3)John G.
I've been coming to see Lucio for about 10 years ever since he had Al Dente. This guy is the best. He truly cares about his food. A few of the things I've had are Polenta with Gorgonzola appetizer, Gamberi alla Lucio ( Sauteed Prosciutto wrapped prawns with lemon-white wine - butter sauce ) Penne Salsiccia ( Penne with Italian sausage, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms in tomato sauce ) Linguine Santa Cruz ( Linguini pasta tossed with mussels, clams, calamari and scallops in tomato sauce ) I've never been disappointed. If you get the chance ask for the counter so you can sit and chat and watch him cook. The place can get loud as the evening wears on so be prepared. every time i go i learn a little more about Lucio ( Last time i found out he is from the same hometown in Italy as my Family is from) Also...If he likes you be prepared to do lemon cello shots with him while he cooks your food!!!!
(5)hoolio n.
The Italian Happy Hour served at the bar until 7 is a great little pizza for $5. The drink special is $1 off well drinks. Specialty cocktails are around $9. The pizzas and big screen at the bar are worth checking out. Pricey menu, dead end location. I'm happy to give the obnoxious owner a few bucks here and there.
(3)Celeste A.
Amazing gnocchi, possibly better than my grandmother's. I'm not crazy about the rest of the food here but the gnocchi earns at least four stars. They have kitchen-side seating which can be amusing if Lucio is cooking, he's a crazy-haired, foul-mouthed Italian who's really a sweetheart, you can't say he doesn't know his way around a kitchen!
(4)diggy d.
This is the worst "Italian" food I've ever had. I ordered chicken parm with pasta to go and it cost just about $20. When I got back just a couple of minutes after picking it up, the pasta was so overcooked that it broke apart when picked it up with a fork. The sauce was so salty that's all you could taste and it included almost no cheese. I couldn't even eat it. So I called back and they said they'd call me back. They called back and said the chef "stands by his food" Well that's great for someone's misguided ego but he can't be a chef at all if he stands by crap like this. I've had better chicken parm with pasta from Marie Calendar's frozen foods. They would not do anything for me which I just found to be shocking. Stay away from this place if you like good (even marginally good) Italian food. Maybe the chef was tired or being sloppy, but the fact that they wouldn't even acknowledge my comments was incredible. He "stands by his food" - really? The staff was not friendly or accommodating at all, and I'm not someone who complains. I couldn't even taste the tomato in the "tomato sauce" and like I said the pasta was mush. Being a bad "chef" is one thing, but when you totally dis your customer for telling the truth, that's pretty damn arrogant. I hope this restaurant goes out of business. My 12 year old nephew could make better Italian food than this. Don't listen to the good reviews - they seem planted to me - trust the bad reviews and stay away, especially with the bad attitude. They didn't even offer to give me my money back - nothing. Even the waitress said if it was her restaurant, she'd do things differently. I gave the food to a homeless guy because I don't believe in throwing food away. There's another real Italian restaurant one block away - go to that one - they have authentic and tasty Italian food and a staff that isn't delusional and are friendly and accommodating. Apparently Cafe Lucio doesn't care about their reputation. Disgusting and frustrating.
(1)Lisa Ann P.
This is a real treat! the food is great! a good wine selection, prices pretty fair for a nice dinner, great service! I had gone here when they were in Capitola and it was great there but this new location offers a little more space for diners, my only complaint would have to be that there were no booths to sit in, and I kind of prefer that, the tables are more all out in the open so it does not make for the most intimate setting. I ordered the prawns prosciutto and it was delicious, and pasta, and a salad, the bread they bring out is pretty awesome too! I most definitely will try this place again as there were many things on the menu I would want to try! now if only I could win the lottery or happen upon a windfall I could just go out to eat as often as I wanted to!
(4)Stephanie T.
We recently had another night out at Caffe Lucio... new to report: ** KID FRIENDLIER ** - they now have a dedicated kids play area, very cool! - my son's pasta with butter and parm. was free! - so was his kid sized gelato, score! ** POLENTA LACKING ** My favorite dish, the polenta appetizer, now seems to lack gorgonzola, how sad. ** LUCIO SIGHTING ** None. It's just not the same when he's not in the kitchen.
(3)Lizi B.
Wow. What is this place?!! the owner is a crazy Italian man who puts on weird costumes and turns on a smoke machine...in an Italian restaurant? I don't really understand when people speak of the friendly atmosphere and blah blah, it was insanely loud with terrible 90s rock music blasting the entire evening with disco light sequences blinding my eyes. Some random woman came into the restaurant and tried to sell us flowers...I'm confused. Food wise, it was okay. I ordered caprese as an appetizer and I wish that the mozzarella had been fresher and the tomatoes better tasting, organic would have been optimal. I had a Caesar salad for dinner - the chicken was cold and obviously cooked way way earlier, the Parmesan was not very good. My boyfriend ordered a chicken dish that took an additional 20 minutes (they do state this on the menu) but sitting for 20 minutes with a smoke machine going while blasting "I like to move it" for 10 minutes straight is possibly worse than waterboarding. Anyway, stay away. Go to Limoncello, they are nice and do not accost you while eating. On a positive note, our waitress was very nice and obviously not swayed by the intense dance club feeling.
(2)Rob R.
I should have read the reviews before going. The food was mediocre (think distant cousin wedding food). The wait staff was not very present and did not get the drink orders in on any kind of timely basis. The bread tipped us off to the type of meal we had ahead. It was grocery store bland. The Eggplant Parmesan was overwhelmed by canned tomatoes (barely cooked and far to fresh from a can). The Caprese salad - here now in the midst of tomato season - used stiff un-ripened tomatoes. We sat outside - which was there on the corner of a strip mall at a busy intersection. Not very interesting outdoor seating. The inside was abuzz with the wild-haired owner doing his antics. Also, not very interesting. I suppose if you are looking for a group evening in a loud restaurant with a colorful character-owner and mediocre food, you should consider this place. Otherwise, eat elsewhere.
(2)steve c.
If your just in for the food, there is no better place for Italian. It is just delicious. I could only rate it a 4 because the food does take a while to get to you. The owner/chef is the only cook in the house so he makes sure your meal is to a certain standard. For around $20 it cant be beat. Oh, and the owner is very spirited and welcoming.
(4)Ashley R.
My boyfriend brought me here because he was nostalgic about the days of its predecessor, "Al Dente." He was most excited about the crazy Italian guy who owns the place, and who makes quite a spectacle on an on-going basis, and we weren't disappointed. We happened to arrive in the middle of a children's birthday party as Lucio was pulling old wigs out of a bag and singing in the middle of the restaurant. When he was done with the kids, he turned his attention on us and flirted with me while make sexual innuendo's to the both of us. This might sound horrifying to many, and if you would be offended by this behavior you probably shouldn't go there, but he at least made the atmosphere interesting. We had some decent wine and shared the half chicken in red wine and rosemary sauce which was surprisingly tender and tasty. I brought my mom there for a follow-up visit, and we ordered the special, which was a good but simple artichoke ravioli. Overall, I wouldn't say this is the best Italian around, but I've liked the food and been entertained by the atmosphere both times I visited.
(4)Susan F.
I loved Luccio at Al Dente and now I love his new home at Cafe Luccio. His food never fails to be none other than delious and the servers are always gracious. I've never had a problem getting a table and I've now dined here quite a few times since the opening in June. The polenta appetizer is amazing and so is everything else. He has a great wine list for wine lovers as well!
(5)maria g.
Just went for date night with my man and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Great atmosphere, tasty food and Lucio kicks ass. Such a good guy. It was definitely worth getting a babysitter for. My husband had a culinary orgasm with his first bite of the tiramisu, not too sweet and great coffee. YuMMM. Our new favorite place.
(5)d l.
We had a very nice dinner at Caffe Lucio on Saturday night; our first time trying this new restaurant. We got there early, about 5:45 p.m., in order to beat the rush since I had heard about the long waits for food. The complimentary sourdough bread was a little lackluster. Our food arrived in a very reasonable amount of time. My husband had the Pollo con Prosciutto di Parma, a breast of chicken topped with Italian ham and fresh mozzarella cheese in white wine and sage sauce($18). He thought the portion was generous and we brought some leftovers home. He chose pasta for his side dish, which turned out to be a lovely fettucine alfredo. I had one of the specials, Eggplant Parmigiana ($17), which had a light, fresh tomato sauce and thin, tender slices of eggplant that were nicely done (not overly oily or breaded). Many of the main dishes are a la carte (such as the one I ordered), so begin with a salad or soup or appetizer if you desire a full course meal. As I understand, this was how dinner is often served in Italy, with antipasto (hors d'oeuvres) first, to help sustain you until the main courses arrive. Maybe some mention of these traditions in the menu would be prudent. We both had wine by the glass. I tried an Italian red that was suggested by our server (Primitivo) and my husband liked it much better than his California red, so he ordered a glass of it after he finished his first wine. We had two desserts: the Coppa Catalana, a creamy custard topped with caramelized sugar, and Tiramisu. Both were really wonderful. My husband thought the Tiramisu was a little soggy, but I hesitate to mention this because I enjoyed the strong espresso flavor and it reminded me of when I had this dessert in Italy. Our two entrees, three glasses of wine, and two desserts came to $75. That's more than we usually spend on dinner, but we could have cut some corners and still had a lovely evening of great food in a pleasant atmosphere. And we had attentive, helpful service (gasp, yes, in Santa Cruz!) And in the "I've never seen this before department," one of the servers had a baby slung to her chest and impressively managed to uncork and serve a bottle of wine (the server, not the baby) to a table behind us. In fact, there were several families with children as the restaurant filled up, and students at the kitchen bar. All very warm and friendly. We got to watch the famous owner/chef as he plated some dishes, carefully arranging and rearranging some mussels on two heaping plates until he was satisfied (I suspect this was the Linguine Santa Cruz, and it looked wonderful). My rating is 3.5 stars.
(3)Maya C.
Mixed review - great food, long wait. We even had a great time during the wait, but still, 2 hours (plus) is too long to wait for food. Bread was served while waiting but that can only last so long. Even our wait person told us that dishes were taking too long and that it seemed that the chef was "in over his head" serving so many tables at once. The food tasted really great, however, although portions were a bit small and of course, too long in arriving. We were a party of 8 so perhaps this made the wait even longer; a couple nearby was served before we were -- but still, 2 hours???
(1)John A.
Have to say our experience was pretty mediocre. Yes, the owner is very colorful, but, unfortunately, he ignored our party as did most of the waitstaff. I had to ask again and again for simple things like refilling the water glasses and drinks and our food arrived cold. The food itself was pretty good, but pricey and certainly nothing I couldn't get elsewhere for a better price (and served hot). Overall the staff was numerous so it's not like they were understaffed. Apparently entertaining the bar patrons was more important than serving customers paying $60 for a party of two. The place is also extremely loud, which would have been fine if the service wasn't so lackluster. I recommend avoiding this place -- it's for locals only.
(2)joyce h.
Ok, maybe Lucio is a "one of a kind" experience; we didn't go to Al Dente because every time we made the trip to Seabright, the restaurant was so loud we didn't want to go in (or it was too cold to eat on the patio)...In this Soquel Ave./Ocean St. location (yes, an odd place for this type of eatery), we went once. The only reason we would ever go back would be to actually prove to someone that this sort of person can be so tolerated in Santa Cruz (or in any restaurant anywhere). In front of a full house at lunch on a perfectly otherwise wonderful summer day, we witnessed the continual banter, the walking-out of waitstaff, throwing their aprons on the floor, with Lucio screaming after them as they got into their cars in the parking lot and left. If this is called "wearing your heart on your sleeve", well, I'd rather have a sleeveless chef. Even if the food were the most extreme best Eye-Talian anywhere, I would not patronize such behaviour. No one, by the way, the day we were there, thought any of this was amusing. No one laughed. If you want entertainment and like gross humor, and want to pay top dollar for it, I guess this is the restaurant for you.
(2)M. Deloris D.
I have to admit, I've loved Lucio Fanni from the moment I met him. This man is the human incarnation of a firecracker. I first tried Lucio's homestyle cooking at Al Dente in the Seabright. It was one of my favorite Italian joints. I couldn't care less about the wait (it was worth it). The food was reasonably priced for the portions and quality and the environment was highly dynamic (this man is known for firing his entire waitstaff in an evening and covering all the tables himself). The closing of Al Dente al Lucio was quite disappointing but I was delighted to find that he had opened up a bigger and better location near the flats. Caffe Luccio lacks the flair of Al Dente, perhaps because it's a larger space, perhaps because Luccio is older, wiser and more conscious about exerting his energy firing people. You'll still get to witness the Gordon Ramsay type reamings of the waitstaff and while Lucio is more subdued, his food still has the oomph that kept me returning to Al Dente. In short, Caffe Lucio does not disappoint.
(4)K A.
I have been to Cafe Lucio 3 times now since they opened. The first 2 times I was with one other person. The 3rd time with a large group. I was a little wary of taking a large group there because of the bad things I had heard on yelp, but I decided that it was worth the risk because I like the food so much. I am happy to say that everyone had a great time, and loved the food. Some of the favorite dishes that night were the Eggplant parmesan, the butternut squash ravioli, and the Linguine Santa Cruz. I personally think they have some of the best food in Santa Cruz. This is a place wear everyone seems to value great food and good fun. Just be prepared to roll with the punches if Lucio's lust for life gets a little carried away. I look forward to going back soon!
(5)June H.
We went to Cafe Luccio tonight, a Wednesday, as we didn't want to encounter the wait others have complained about. We were two of five people in the place. The service was fine, quick. My daughter ordered the polenta appetizer, and the server yelled out "Polenta Appetizer" which was a little disconcerting. The server said they do a lot of yelling there. Luckily that was the only yelling we witnessed. I ordered the soup, a tortellini with chicken , which was delicious. My daughter ordered the aforementioned polenta appetizer. It was a mound of polenta with friend sage and some tomato sauce and Gorgonzola cheese. It was fine, nothing special, but a little pricey at $12. I ordered the Buffala Mozzarella with Prosciutto. It was a mound of not so fresh mozzarella surrounded by prosciutto and toasted bread. Dry, Dry, Dry. An olive or two or some tomato concasse would have made the dish. At $15 I expected a lot more. My daughter's ravioli was good, nothing great. We had four glasses of decent wine, and the tab came to $89. We were shocked. Four glasses of wine, a bowl of soup, two apps and some pasta. Come on!!! For the food I would have give three stars. For the value, one. Therefore, two stars.
(2)kristin e.
went here for the first time time for an early dinner after work and it wasn't busy so we got to seat ourselves...we were actually drawn to the big banner outside the resto that says "italian style happy hour until 7pm everyday"....don't really know what italian style happy hour is but it was enough to make us check it out. turns out happy hour is just $3 well drinks and $1 off beer and wine. i ordered the angel hair with basil and tomatoes (though the specials sounded really good too: artichoke ravioli or asparagus ravioli) along with a glass of pinot grigio and while i'm not too fond of angel hair, i liked the dish. it was fresh tasting and there was so much on my plate that i had to take the rest home. the owner (lucio) was there and he's pretty crazy and tremendously full of energy--so much that when he was excitedly putting tables together for his loved ones, he knocked over the balsamic vinegar bottle and at one point we saw him hugging another guy with his legs around him too!
(3)Rex M.
Always always always a great time. When lucio is here is a blast but if he isn't here the restaurant runs itself. The staff is always nice. Food is amazing and the atmosphere is great. Awesome place
(5)Brodi W.
I'm very pressed to offer a 5 star rating. To get that from me it needs to be a perfect storm. Food...drink... Price... Service... Service. The service here was 6 star. Just plain attentive and friendly ... As busy as they were I never felt any thing but important. Yes u listen all u big shot, Vegas restaurants... Chef Ramsey u don't need to come here unless u want to do a show on how to do it right. But wait there's more... The food.. I dare say I had one of the best pastas ever... And it was a side, not a main ... Chefs choice, great choice BTW!! Atmosphere.... Not sure really... It was busy so that's good by me. BTW.. I walked past 12 restaurants tonite before I choose this one... Right across from my hotel... Funny thing is the best things in life are right in front of you:) EAT HERE.. Nuff said.
(5)G. F.
Went back recently and it was loud and festive as always! Warm welcome from the owner and staff. That means screaming like he hasn't seen us in years by the way! Our waitress was wonderful and very sweet. The squid pasta I ordered wasn't one of my faves but it was an experiment. It was way too salty and I bit into a couple lemon seeds which was not fun. But I'll be back, much to try!
(4)Randall K.
So me and my newlywed first walk into this place, and they are pounding, and blasting rap music so loud that I couldn't hear what the server said at all! It was ok. I'll seat myself over here cause I can't hear you! So I seated myself outside. I order manicotti. The waitress says "I'll see if we still have some" I let her know that's why I went there to have. The price is 20$ for manicotti. Doesn't even come with salad. Then the bread comes out in a basket covered in a napkin. It's cold! So I guess the napkin is to keep it cold? My wife orders the side salad. The Cesar salad! It comes out with a couple of croutons, and maybe 3 small slices of cheese? I then get my manicotti. It is 3 small pasta rolls filled with spinich! No cheese? It tasted like throw up! The sauce wich should have been marinara. Was not. It was a creamy tomato sauce the waitress told me. I have never told any server that my food was horrible until tonight! The server laughed at me? Then she comes back and says good news! "I only charged you for a small salad and not a large" O! Boy! She said sorry later! I said that's ok. Cause you didn't cook it! Please don't go here and support this overpriced! Crappy food!! I love yelp, and respect what people say, and wouldn't want a fellow yelper wasting there palate on crap!!! Doesn't even deserve 1 star!!
(1)Amy S.
Drove up from Monterey tonight to have dinner here with family. What an experience! Fulfilled all of the senses! Our party of five ordered a pizza, mussels, caprese ravioli, crab cannelloni, pollo con prosciutto with spinach salad, and the pasta with sausage. Every meal was delicious, very flavorful and cooked right in front of us at the kitchen bar. Our waitress was very attentive and took good care of us. Lots of entertainment too; the lasers, rap and reggae music, the cooks and owner wearing masks, and open kitchen! Great atmosphere, great food, great service! This is a fun, loud, interactive and entertaining place!
(5)Laura S.
I have been coming to lucios restaurant since his days on seabright. I have never had a bad meal or a bad experience here. The pasta dishes are always great. My fave part is the atmosphere with loud music and vibe. You dont get that anywhere in this hippy surftown. I love that Lucio and his posse have fun and entertain their guests...i appreciate that. I wanna come for happy hour but their selection is limited. Always a fun time here!! Grazie Lucio!
(4)Evan B.
Not for people who like real Italian food. I would compare the food we just ate to the Old Spaghetti Factory. Overhyped big time and way overpriced given the (poor) quality. Go to Tramonti instead.
(2)Bryce P.
I don't know what to say, over priced Italian food $8 side salads and a full bar. Also with dance music. This place is all over the place I had bad service and they told two people in my party they couldn't drink. They were red from being at the beach all day...wouldn't go back. Haha so I'll add this, the manager said they were the person to not let my friends drink, fine. That's cool. But that doesn't explain their over priced food or horrible service for the remaining party after the people who weren't being served left. Avoid this place. Like I said...$8 side salad...$20 plates for anything on the menu...bad service...and it's an Italian restaurant that blares loud dance music with lights shining all over the place. Here's some advice, choose a theme and stick to it.
(1)Allie D.
I would give Caffe Lucio five stars if this review were based only on the food. Excellent Italian food. My husband and I both had an item on the special menu. I forgot its name but it was fresh pasta pouches filled with crab and topped with a tomato cream sauce. Sooooo yummy. We both slurped it down. At first I was a bit disappointed that there were only three pouches and it didn't look like much, but oh my these little things were RICH. Three ended up being plenty along with the bread and the salad I ordered. The bread was excellent and homemade and I had to keep myself from getting full just on that. I saw the waitress bring out an amazing looking Calzone for another dining group and definitely going to order that next time. I'm not sure why some people think the pasta isn't fresh or the sauce tastes bottled. I love cooking fresh Italian food and I make fresh pasta at home. There's a big texture and taste difference between fresh and packaged. Lucio's pasta is definitely fresh, at least what I've had thus far. On the minus side, my husband and I like quiet places where we can chat and relax. Lucio's can get really loud and the atmosphere is very party-like and quirky (although quirky isn't bad, you get used to it in Santa Cruz). It's perfect if you're out with friends who want a rowdy good time. Not so good for a couple looking for a quiet dinner. I also think the food is a tad expensive. I don't mind paying for a good meal, but I don't like to feel I'm *over* paying. $16.00 for a basic pasta dish (Capellini al Pomodoro) seems a bit expensive to me. Still, that being said, I wouldn't come to Lucio's for a standard pasta + tomato marinara dish, there are so many other wonderful options. Anything with their tomato cream sauce will be a hit.
(4)Cathleen F.
Is it a Bar? Yes, loud 80/90's music strobe lights! Is it an Italian Restaurant? Yes, loud 80/90's music and strobe lights! Combine the two and bam! It is a fun atmosphere, and when the music dies down I between songs you notice how everyone's voices tend to echo, so the music is probably a good idea, once you get use to it! It's really a bit too loud, can't believe I just said that! The Food was exceptional I ordered the lasagna and my companion ordered the pasta with meatballs. Lasagna was smothered with an amazing rich tomato/meat sauce. Unlike any lasagna I've had before (loved it) my companion also loved the pasta with 8 small mouth sized meatballs. Service was poor, which was really due to being understaffed! The waitresses never stopped running around working inside and outside tables. I felt like they were doing the best they could! We were given a table as soon as we came in, then we sat and sat! Finally someone brought over water, again we waited at least 10 to 15 minutes before our waitress came over. We had to ask for bread and more water. Food was another 35 to 40 minutes before it came out! All in all don't be in a hurry when you come in for some great Italian food!
(3)Monique M.
Love this place! This place made it easy to sit down and have some good food with kid's. Food was excellent
(5)Caroline B.
Did I even go to the same restaurant as those that rated this 'restaurant' 3 stars and above??? Lucio's is certainly special, though more in the "touched by an uncle" way than in the "deserving of a gold star" way. It could've been the "LICK LICK LICK LICK YOU FROM YOUR HEAD TO YOUR TOES" music blaring from the speakers at such a decibel that I was sure that our water glasses were about to start rattling on the table (the noise level was not helped by everyone having to yell at each other across their respective tables merely to be heard over the music). It could've been the fact that Lucio's was out of everything I tried to order (really? it's not as though the restaurant seemed that busy). Or it could've been the fact that Lucio spent about 15 minutes YELLING at our waitress because I had ordered salad as an entree, and he insisted she serve it to me as an appetizer. It got so bad that another patron intervened, telling Lucio that it was inappropriate to speak to his employees that way. (This yelling was all in italian, but we found out that I was the cause after the waitress came to ask me if it was okay if she served the salad before my boyfriend got his main course .... As an apology (I believe), a waiter came out with a random serving of pasta, saying that they had extra. Had their food been good, this would have been a nice gesture....) Or it could've been the food itself. The bread was cold. The polenta appetizer we ordered turned out to be cubes of polenta (why were they cubed??) covered in gorgonzola and a salty canned pasta sauce that was maybe a step above Ragu brand. Maybe. My caesar salad entree was edible, I guess. The promised "rosemary" croutons seemed like they had been taken straight from the American Airline's salads. My boyfriend's lasagna had, at the most, .00001 oz of beef, and was also covered in the aforementioned Ragu sauce. If by some change we hadn't been able to notice the quality (or lack there of) of food, our waitress stopped by our table at every course asking us how everything was.... if only we could've been honest and answered, "edible, barely." The only reason we got any food down our throats was the fear that Luccio would come out and yell at us! (or who knows, spit in our faces). My middle school cafeteria food was leaps and bounds better than this!!! Luccio may be an italian, but his restaurant just goes to show that not all Italians can cook. Cafe Luccio's was a one of a kind experience....I hope. At least it lends itself well for a good story. sigh. p.s. while waiting for the check, I went to use the bathroom. With one gentle tug on the toilet paper roll, the entire rack came tumbling off. It seemed an apt fitting to the night.
(1)Marilyn B.
We ordered to go pizza as it was very close to our hotel and after a long day we wanted something quick and easy. It was very very good. I would recommend the pizza hands down. We also had a ceaser salad, beware they have homemade dressing and it is "real" ceaser and was a bit too anchoive for my taste but was still good. We would go there again and recommend it as a great place for pizza with that homemade flavor.
(4)Melissa W.
WOW..... This was literally one of the worst dinning experiences I have ever had! Today is my husband and I 16th wedding anniversary and we chose this restaurant due to my love of Italian food and because it was near our hotel. We walk in and wait 5 min before we are seated although everyone was very nice! We waited another 15 min to order.. My husbands $30 meal doesn't come with a salad so he orders a side salad.. That was $6..they brought us a tiny lil plate of huge lettuce leaves.. With Nothing else. The ranch was horrible and clearly out of a bottle! At 9 o'clock promptly they started playing "what does the Fox say" at a crazy high level.. I still thought we were having dinner in a nice restaurant.. Wasn't I in for a very unpleasant surprise.. Next it moved to straight club mode.. Music, lights.. Booty shaking and all.. They literally started a night club atmosphere except we hadn't gotten our food yet! I ordered the lasagna and was delivered a plate of what tasted like chief boyRD ravioli..10 minutes before my husband got his plate.. How unprofessional! There was NO cheese on it anywhere and when I asked for it they brought put a huge bowl of powered parmigian... Awful! When I complained about the terrible taste they acted like it was my fault! Our bill was $70 and we had to go down to Jack in the box to get food because the food they served sucked so bad we were still hungry when we left! I couldn't be more disappointed with our dinner on our 16th wedding anniversary.. I will NEVER recommend this joke of a restaurant and the only reason this place gets one star is because I can't leave zero! Save your money.. You will leave hungry and very disappointed!
(1)Nancy C.
Lucio's is the best! My favorite place to eat and/or unwind... Always fresh, always delicious. Lucio is proud to bring us the best, and always has fun stories to tell... He sure keeps us laughing, and sometimes even singing! I feel like family there! Amber, the bartender, makes us feel welcome and remembers our preferences... Amazing service, amazing food! Thank you, Lucio, for giving us your all. I can't tell you how much I sincerely appreciate it!
(5)Ivy V.
Tonight was my first time coming here, I've always seen this place, but never stopped by. I thought it would be some type of buffet, boy was I mistaken! When we walked in they were it's setting up for dinner, it must have been around 5pm. There was only one other table seated besides ourselves and there were two waitress on staff at the time. By the time we left (5:45) they had picked up another member of the wait staff so I believe they were pretty well staffed for such a small establishment. They offer you water in a chilled bottle which is nice, we didn't have any cocktails but we did have some of their freshly made bread which was delicious. I had ordered the fetticini Alfredo with grilled chicken and my boyfriend had ordered their lasagna. My fetticini was to die for! So delicious! I think there was something in it that made it sweet too? My boyfriend said the lasagna didn't fill him up, but I had plenary left over which he will gladly help himself to later.. When we were leaving they had set up laser lights and looked like strobe lights. I ahd also only been to one other restaurant that played hip hop while you ate. I think that's the vibe they usually go for there though. It's not the type of restaurant that I would take my family to, but for two young people, it was pretty cool. :)
(5)Chris C.
Excellent pastas, Lucio is kind of a kook but his food is delicious. Friendly staff but kind of a quirky atmosphere. Portions are huge and really filling I recommend splitting it with a date.
(4)Sharon A.
Too much food, fun and entertainment! Don't leave without trying the Bomba or an Afigato!!
(5)Madelaine V.
I decided to give 2 stars because out of the two times I have visited Caffe Lucio, both times service has been friendly and seating is prompt. The staff is personable and very nice. The theme and energy of the restaurant is no secret around town, therefore I go in expecting loud "club" music, disco lights and noise. I have never written a review on Yelp before but I thought this warranted one. Tonight I visited Caffe Lucio with my boyfriend and another couple. I ordered the Pollo con Prosciutto di Parmigiano, with a pasta side (Chef's choice). My chicken breast was very slightly undercooked. I ate about 1/3 of it before deciding that it was too undercooked for my liking. It wasn't a big deal, as the pasta side was awesome, and I wouldn't have said anything except when our (awesome and super friendly) waitress offered to box our leftovers for us, she asked why I didn't want my half uneaten chicken breast boxed and I told her it was because it was a little undercooked for my taste. She apologize profusely and took it back to the kitchen (without me asking her to at all), returning a few minutes later to ask if I had mistaken the prosciutto for raw meat (nope). She went to talk to her manager to see what she could do (without me asking her to do that either - she really was great, and being as accommodating as she could), and returned a few minutes later with our boxed food and to apologetically tell me that her manager "didn't want to take it off the bill" and that she had boxed the chicken for me anyway in case I wanted to "cook it a little bit more at home." I didn't bring it with me. While I appreciated our waitress doing what she could to amend a situation I really wasn't upset with to begin with, what wound up upsetting me was A. Having the kitchen imply that I don't know what my own preference is when it comes to cooked meat and B. Having management do absolutely nothing to correct any sort of customer dissatisfaction. Having worked in the restaurant and service industry for 7+ years, I know that I would have done anything possible to right a wrong when it was in my power do to so, ESPECIALLY if the dissatisfied person was friendly, non - accusatory, and hadn't even complained to begin with. I understand that there are people who will intentionally complain to get free things, who will eat half their meal before deciding it was terrible, and who will do any number of things to cheat the system. I am not one of these people, and while I do enjoy the staff at Caffe Lucio, they will not be receiving my, or my boyfriend's, business any longer.
(2)Adam A.
I was actually a little put off by just how engaging Lucio is. He's so cool and lively and lovely! But it was distracting and loud and I just wanted to talk and eat. The food kills though, so I just order "to go"
(4)Julia N.
We came in and had exceptional service from a waiter named Collin. He was friendly and knowledgable. Excellent service from the staff is, in my opinion, what makes a restaurant GREAT (and the food was good too).
(4)Lisa S.
Wasn't as loud as others said. We sat at the bar. Great ambiance. Bartender was really friendly. After a bit they put the A's game on. Ordered caprese as an appetizer. Really fresh basil. They brought over a pasta for us to try - winner! The calamari steak was divine as was the artichoke ravioli. Food was outstanding.
(5)Emma C.
I was really disappointed at the bland atmosphere. I had read all the reviews about what a great unique experience it would be to come here due to the loud music, flashing lights, and entertaining cooks and waiters. Unfortunately, we had none of that although the disco lights were on with some very quiet music. I was there for a bachelorette party and there was also another bachelorette party there as well as a large birthday party. I'm guessing they probably chose to come here for the same reason we did- to have a great time! I was pretty upset that we didn't get to experience the fun that others had raved about. But, if the management decided to turn the place into more of a quiet relaxing romantic atmosphere, it would have been nice if they would have put more energy towards doing that. We were seated in a corner with stacks of pizza boxes. The way the tables are set does not look upscale at all. For the price of the food, I easily could have chosen to go somewhere with a much prettier atmosphere that was more appropriate for a special occasion. The reason I chose to come was for the fun experience, which apparently does not occur anymore. The food was good but the atmosphere was not good enough for me to have chosen to come here for a special night. I would have come here on a normal day when I just felt like having a more expensive meal. The mussels were fresh and delicious. The lasagna was nice and thin, and the ravioli was also good. I do think the waitresses were very nice and I appreciate that they gave balloons to everyone who was having a party there. But honestly, the service was nothing out of the ordinary, and we did have to wait a bit before they came and got our orders. For those of you who wanted to come here for the fun experience, don't do it. You will be disappointed. My advice to the management would be to make it CLEAR on this yelp page that you are no longer having a fun and loud atmosphere like you had in the past. This will help us party planners choose somewhere more appropriate for our event. Please take off the "loud music" description on this page. And even better yet, write it clearly somewhere on your website and on yelp that you've CHANGED the atmosphere and tell us readers not to listen to the reviews. If this fun experience only happens when Lucio is there, please let us know that he won't be there when we make our reservations so we won't be disappointed. I would have been okay if there was loud music and strobe lights and fog machines even without the entertaining servers. Now I just feel like I wasted what could have been a very fun dinner because I had the wrong information.
(3)Alyxandra P.
Very good meal! They had very good drinks, appetizers, and ambiance. My sausage marinara pasta was a little salty, but I added some Parmesan cheese to balance it out. The dessert was pretty good too, a chocolate cake and espresso gelato. The chocolate dessert cocktail and port wine were also delicious.
(5)Rebecca S.
My two boys (3 and 14) and I walked to this restaurant from our hotel and we were pleasantly surprised. It's high end yet a bit retro with the music and lights. I was totally impressed! Delicious pasta and pizza. Definitely won us over! Our waitress gave my youngest son a balloon just because, it wasn't his bday and he didn't ask for it. He was thrilled to bits!
(5)Tricia F.
Our son lives in Santa Cruz and wanted to try this Italian restaurant. I'm not quite sure what to make of it with it's twirling disco ball, flashing lights, and loud music. On the upside, they have outdoor tables with adorable round lights. The food was pretty good: Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce and a pasta dish with short ribs in a white wine sauce. Both of which were on the special menu list. The hubster also ordered a salad that was nothing but spinach, a few nuts and ? Honestly, it wasn't that impressive. The bread was really tasty dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Although the price was a bit high, we decided to top off our dinner with some dessert. We all know Italy is known for some seriously incredible desserts ~ right? These desserts were very rich ~ and not in a good way. The strawberry, vanilla, chocolate gelato ball dipped in dark chocolate tasted like it had freezer burn. I ordered the Affogato. It came in a very small dish Vs. a glass and the espresso was SO strong, I could not finish it. The chocolate cake ~ far to deep bitter chocolate tasting. The most disappointing part of dinner was the piercing loud girls sitting at the table directly behind us. Seriously, when has it become appropriate to be so loud in restaurants that you can not hear each other talk at your own table!! If you want to carry on like you were at a football game, stay home and make your own dinner, but let others enjoy a nice dinner out to relax and enjoy each other's company!!! Will not be returning any time soon.
(3)Jessica M.
This upbeat, chill restaurant has organic and gluten free cuisine that is very tasty! We enjoyed our dinner very much, the food was delicious and generously portioned- and our server, Janelle, made it the perfect experience for our first night in town.
(5)Morgan M.
I'll give them 1star cause I couldn't do anything lower. The server wasn't that good. I always heard great things about the food but I was not impressed at all. The food was so bad I do not recommend this place at all.
(1)Angela S.
Very friendly, fast service, delicious food! They serve a lot of organic and farm fresh items. The portions are large so you can share or bring home lunch for the next day! Definitely have the gnocchi with pesto sauce, it was delicious!! We did sit outside, which was nice for the kids, but the traffic was a little loud at times.
(4)Charlie K.
Wow this place was awesome. I need to personally thank Janel she was great and very sweet. The food was great and the atmosphere was really fun. I guess the women's restroom is a sight to see as my wife and sons girlfriend thought it was hilarious. Anyway if you go to Santa Cruz and want a great meal go here the food was great and the service top notch from the hostess to the numerous bus staff to our wonderful waitress
(5)Joseph S.
It was the absolute worst food I've ever eaten in my life... I would not go there unless you prefer overly salted and tasteless food. The spaghetti I had tasted like it came from a can. The chicken marsala was absolutely horrible the chicken tasted as if it was boiled and the sauce had an awful flavor because of the cheap ingredients they used. I truly wish yelp was designed so you have the option to give negative reviews because this place would definitely be a -3.
(1)Tanner K.
As my family and I walked into this amazing restaurant the smell of fresh bread filled the air! We were greeted with a smile and seated right away! Quickly we were served with warm baked bread and tall ice cold water. As we all considered what we wanted I order the pasta with with Italian sausage and sun dried tomatoes. Let me tell you , it was one of the best Italian pastas I have ever tried !! Well recommended. After the amazing and comforting meal, The whole restaurant sang happy birthday to my dad . And to top it off they played music in the background after they sang!! All in all this place is great for family or just a date night . Price range 15-25 a plate but well worth it!
(5)Matt W.
The eggplant parmesan was terrific. I loved that it was not deep fried or even breaded. So yummy. Seems healthier.
(5)Afton S.
This is such a unique place- and I can honestly say it was one of my favorite experiences in Santa Cruz. We went on a Friday evening before a night out, and I was totally shocked to walk in and find a disco ball and upbeat lively music. Not what you expect for a little Italian restaurant in a strip center. But somehow Lucio makes it work! We had requested to sit at the table that faces the kitchen- if you would like some entertainment while you dine its a really fun place to sit. All the food was really good- everything. We had the shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, caprese salad, halibut, calzone, and the pasta primavera. Everyone was happy! Oh, do yourself a favor and get something with their homemade tomato sauce. I got a little on the side for my halibut, and I think I could have just ate it as is. Its so good! Lucio is seriously such a character, and he really makes this place special. I cant wait to go back!
(4)Vicky T.
2.5 stars It has taken me 6 years since my first review to come back.... The atmosphere is much more family friendly (there was a good mix of families, date night and folks at their bar) The fettuccine alfredo was much better although still no hint of nutmeg (I write that off as each place has its own version) The lamb shank was well liked (off the bone) and the polenta was decent The kobe burger was okay-- asked for medium.. got it well done but the combo of moz and mushroom was good. The homemade bread is great. Out of all of our meals, the lamb shank was the most fairly priced.. everything else I have gone to other places, same or higher quality and its cheaper. The service was meh. If you are a regular you get more attention... but that is typical of most places here in SC. One table behind us got up and left because they waited awhile for service. So overall not my first option for Italian in SC, but I am willing to come back if someone wants to go here.
(2)Shaun R.
My girlfriend and I came here for some to go pizza. We were warmly greeted by the entire staff including the owner, Lucio. He is hilarious and more restaurants should be like this. We got a pizza with sausage and arugula and it was amazing. Oh, and at the end, they dropped everything they were doing to reenact "What Does the Fox Say." I can't wait to check out his San Francisco location in a few days. Thanks Lucio and staff!
(5)Louise T.
The Saccotini dish, when it's on the menu, is the absolute bomb. Luccio, is of course, the most wonderful restaurant host ever. Everyone I take here loves this place. I learned to cook in Italy, and Luccio's really delivers authentic, delicious Italian food. The fresh focaccia they bring in the basket is delicious. Makes me break my no white flour rule every time. The special mixed cocktails are always fun and delicious, and if it's your birthday, you're gonna party like it's your birthday. Love it.
(5)Eliana D.
The environment is pretty crazy with disco balls and funny strobe lights. The food was very well and the bread was baked just right. The place was extremely clean and the waiters/waitresses are very friendly. I would recommend anyone coming here for a semi- casual dinner.
(4)Jay M.
Good food. Friendly service. The disco atmosphere was cool too. However the prices, I felt were not the most competitive.
(4)Albert S T.
Although the food was great (the pasta and calamari were awesome) the environment isn't that good. It's a bit too loud, but I did appreciate the lights on the ceiling. If it just was a bit quieter, I would give this five stars.
(4)Opinionated B.
I love this restaurant! I came with a girlfriend and I am sooo glad I did! I was missing mama Lucia when it closed. One of the waitresses told me that cafe lucio was close and same food and owners. I finally got a chance to give it a try. The food was really good (caprese ravioli, fettuccine Alfredo, steamed veggies, and a sorbet with chocolate for dessert. What made it even better than the food was the vibe. There were disco and laser lights going, music was blasting, and the chefs including Lucio himself were hysterical and dancing with ridiculous masks and hats while cooking and high fiving and hugging everyone. I felt like family, I laughed and laughed all night and ordered coffees to stay longer. How fun! I will absolutely be back!
(4)Rob K.
Wayyyyyy too much sauce on my pasta. It's like a whole jar was used for a handful of Spaghetti . The meatballs were from Costco I think, very tiny. They only things that were fresh was the ice tea and bread.
(2)Kat L.
The saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" really applies here. I'd seen this place hundreds of times driving down Ocean and had no intention of trying it until a friend suggested that I do. The inside is so much cuter than you'd think, with string lights hanging above the bar and a nice all-around atmosphere for a casual dinner. The music may be a bit loud at times, but something tells me that's just how the owner and regulars like it! The kitchen extends into the dining room, separated by a counter, where you can see the owner leaning over, chatting cheerfully with customers. You can always tell when the love is present in a business. Our server and bussers were very courteous and attentive, and food was fired and served very quickly. The food was solid all around. Now I know where to go for good simple calamari.
(5)BadBaby B.
I am giving two stars because it was easy to park and the service was friendly and the place was clean. However, since I was there to eat, ultimately it was the food I was there for. No air conditioning, except for the stale breeze of an open front and side door. So I ate my meatballs with sweat dripping down my back, while being lulled into a frenzy with thumping club music and a disco light show above my head. Huh? Food was similar to my Aunt's, who hails from the Mid West and likes to cook "I- tally-ann" food. I do believe they have hired her in the kitchen now cause the food was bland, from the chewy pizza dough which was suppose to be the "bread" and the chewy course ground meatballs, which made me long for the Ikea version. If the food had been amazing I may have put up with the sweaty dance club. Maybe it gets 5 stars from people who have actually have never eating in a real Italian restaurant, or maybe the pizza is good. I don't know, but my pasta dish was sad and I left angry I spent $64 dollars for two.
(2)Craig C.
We took some new friends last night - great service (we are regulars) and food was great. Our first timers were impressed and plan to return. Thanks To the Lucio crew !
(5)Lindsay H.
My little family, including a 1 and 3 year old, had a great early dinner here! Yummy Moscow mule, delicious steak filet in balsamic reduction and the BEST part for us was the little play area with play kitchen and train set right where we were seated. The staff was so friendly and very accommodating. Oh and the bread was fresh out of the oven...YUM.
(5)Pam W.
This was a gem of a find here in a Santa Cruz! Lucia's has a fun, lively atmosphere, expertly crafted cocktails, and authentic Italian food made with fresh ingredients. The chef seemed to make produce the star of every dish which I loved!
(5)Heidi D.
Nutshell: I'm so glad we found this place! It was exactly the ticket for three people wanting a nice Italian dinner for our last night in Santa Cruz. Was it fancy? No. Was it relaxed and fun? Totally. Was the food good? Absolutely! Son ordered a "kid" pepperoni pizza - it was surprisingly big for $7! He said "the sauce and crust (thin) was perfect!" Hubby ordered a non-menu item and they were happy to accommodate. What followed was some of the best clam and scallop linguine ($18) he'd ever had. Not too overpowered with red pepper flakes but just spicy enough to accent the buttery sauce. I indulged in their lasagna with meat sauce ($19) and I must say, I couldn't believe how good it was. Fresh tomatoes and basil added a fantastic touch to the pasta dish. I ate maybe half before being too full to continue and I'm glad! I'll get to enjoy this meal two times! (Yay for savory breakfasts!) Anyhow...drinks (wine, soda) and three meals plus tip = $63. (Lastly, I agree. The owner is a hoot and the "decor" in the bathrooms was interesting!)
(4)Vanessa G.
The food was really good. The staff was friendly. The crab cannoli was to die for. It was definitely the best choice for a nice Italian dinner.
(5)Selisha T.
This restaurant was in walking distance of our hotel and had pretty good reviews, so we decided to try it out. As we're apt to do, the boyfriend and I sat at the bar for dinner and I'm glad we did. We got to talk to the adorably charming owner(who looks a bit like Albert Einstein). The place was a bit quirky, a bit warm and loud, but in a fun way, not an obnoxious way. I got a Bellini to start (which was standard) followed by a vodka soda (decent pour, nothing to write home about). We shared the calamari appetizer, which was better than I expected it to be. The calamari was cut in thick, generous slices (no wimpy rings) and were fluffy but still substantial. I thought they were a bit under seasoned, but I'm pretty damn partial to salt, so, I won't hold that against them. We sat in front of the area where the owner was making all the cold appetizers and salads and everything looked amazingly fresh and bountiful. Actual prosciutto that was sliced to order, bright spring salad, roasted bread rubbed with fresh garlic. If my grandmother had been Italian I imagine her food would have been pretty damn close to this. Okay, the best part. On a whim, I decided to order the lamb shank, which was met with confirmed approval from our bartender. The boyfriend got pizza, which was tasty, but he immediately abandoned it to dive into my dish. The braised lamb (perfectly seasoned) was falling off the bone an melted in my mouth. By far the best lamb I've ever had, it's even among the best meat dishes I've had period. It was served with grilled polenta and fresh broccoli, but really, nothing compares to that damn lamb. My ONE complaint about the dish was it was served with a fair amount of au jour/braising liquid, which was delicious but it began to get the polenta soggy. Despite being stuffed and picking that lamb bone clean, we ordered dessert, a great affogato, which surprisingly my espresso loving boyfriend had never had. All in all, if we ever make it to Santa Cruz again, this will for sure be a place we would revisit!
(4)