I love this place. Whenever it's my turn to choose where we eat, I choose here. We happened across it one winter night when I was craving soup, and were delighted to discover not only hot soup, but also good salads, quick service, and jazz to boot. There is never a wait to get in, even on a Saturday night. One of my favorite places to eat!
(5)
Nick l.
great family operated restaurant down town Santa Cruz.... everything tastes freshly cooked ... "June's Meat Loaf" is my fav ... come hungry .. it's a huge portion .. ... after your entree is when the fun really starts .. check out all the desserts ... OMG ... it's chocolate heaven !! lots to choose from as the owner is a baker by trade .. .. another nice touch is the wine list, good prices and well thought out selections .. no cheap grocery store brands ...
(4)
phil p.
I was very dissapointed when I for breakfast. First off the menu is ridiculous for its prices. So I decided to get the two by two which is teo eggs two pieces of bacon and waffle. The first problem was the water which tasted like it came out of a urinal. We asked the m,anager about it and he said it was a combination of different waters. Bad combo geta brita jackass. Then when I get my food my scrambled eggs looked like they cam from a carton. Then I notice my syrup is runny like water. Again we ask the manager and he says its a blend. Yeah a blend of water and syrup. And instead of offering us some better syrup he says we can buy the good syrup for a dollar fifty. Oh I get it gives us your watered down syrup so you can force us to buy your maple syrup. What a scam. So we used this crap syrup and it ruined everything. After paying 8 dollars for this breakfast I felt like I could of got the same thing at dennys and paid 5 dollars and got real syrup. Syrup ussually wouldn't piss me off this much except they obvious ly watered it down and cut too many corners for a 8 dollar breakfast. Not going back I recommend nobody should either they try to make you pay fancy prices for crap food
(1)
Debbie M.
We ate lunch there today. It was a really cold day and we got seated right by the door (yes there was a half wall), after about 20 minutes of waiting and trying to flag down a waiter (multiple times) we had a waiter (not ours) come by to take our order - our food finally arrived about 30 minutes later at room temp ( I guess it was good that it wasn't straight out of the fridge) and then when we were "done", the bus boy did a great job clearing our plates, 15 minutes later I finally flagged down a waiter (not ours) to give us our check. After waiting an additonal 5 minutes, instead of paying by credit card (like I normally would) and actually giving a half way decent tip I ended up giving them cash and rounded up to the next dollar. So the incompetent waiter got a 79 cent tip - more than he deserved. I don't think the kitchen was at fault. If the food had arrived warm I think it would have been as good as it has been in the past, but this time.... If I ever go back, it will be a LONG time before I try it again.
(1)
Ben R.
Hoffman's has great ambiance, which they really should back up with great service and great food. They don't. I ordered the seafood omelet and found it rather underwhelming. The crab was good, but the rest was not. The shrimp lived up to their name - absolutely minuscule, and boiled to a rubbery texture. The eggs were tough and completely flavorless; I think they were of the powdered variety, which is cool if you're eating at a dining hall but decidedly not cool if you're paying twelve bucks for a plate. The homestyle potatoes that accompanied the omelet were mushy and lacked that oh-so-savory crunch that makes potato skin worth waking up early on a Sunday. The scones were ok, but you just can't make up for a crappy meal with a token gesture. There's better breakfast, cheaper breakfast, and, best of all, better AND cheaper breakfast to be found in Santa Cruz. Skip Hoffman's.
(2)
Sabrina A.
So the bakery here is to die for, everything is so fresh, tasty and beautiful. A few times for occasions I've brought home one of their cakes, they are so pretty and tasty, everyone really liked it! Also, their cookies, like pinwheels are good, let alone their regular stuff like croissants. Also, their wine selection is pretty good and beer, but I will have to say the two or three times I've eaten there I could have passed, either lacking flavor or too much, or just not my style. But I've heard great things about their brunch. Also, some nights of the week they have live music and I can attest to their quality, great!
(4)
Mi M.
A nice mosey down Santa Cruz's downtown led us to Hoffman's for lunch...I had the spinach salad (fresh, copious) and Himself had the club sandwich (very good) with the clam chowder (watery, bland). Service was great and the people watching even better. The fresh scones (instead of the ubiquitous basket of bread) were terrific...and the Hot Cross Bun on Easter Sunday a nice touch too.
(4)
Angeline L.
went to Hoffman's tonight to get a Princess torte to go... man... they are sold out! i almost i hadn't talked about it in my recent review... i was looking forward to that the whole week :(
(4)
Kreativess ..
This place is delicious!! We stayed in SC for my birthday and had a great time finding places to eat. Here we sat outside in the sun and had lunch, sandwiches...the turkey club was excellent, nice presentation, full of flavor. The salad was great and so was the Mimosa!! Our waiter was very pleasant and professional unlike the hostess which turned me off at first...I'll be back again though! It was such a beautiful day, the birds were chirping...even came over to us to say hello, and take a shat on our table, LOL! Good times.
(4)
S H.
My family and I decided to go to downtown Santa Cruz. We walked by Hoffman's and saw that they were still serving breakfast (it was 2pm) and decided to go in and grab a bite. It looked alright from the outside but when we sat down, we were already wondering if we should turn around and leave...it felt grubby inside and there weren't too many patrons on a Sunday afternoon. But, we ordered our breakfast entrees and my daughter's hot dog kid's meal. My croissant came 30 mins before my meal and it was cold...I asked our server to heat it up for me and he did but he brought it back within a couple minutes so it was cold again by the time our meals came. My husband and I ordered the "2 Eggs Any Style" item...the eggs were cooked properly but everything else was disgusting! The potatoes were stale, the bacon looked as if it had been cooked hours ago and dropped on the floor (bits of fluff on a couple pieces), and the fries in the kid's meal were of the same quality (or lack thereof). The service wasn't great either. When I went to the back to use the restroom, the smell from the kitchen area almost made me barf...it smelled dirty and made me want to vacate the building...luckily I had already finished eating, though I didn't eat much. I can't believe a restaurant on the main strip of an area can be so bad...how they stay in business I don't know!
(1)
Jonas C.
It was a while ago (a few months) when I came here, sadly, it was a rather poor experience. My girlfriend was visiting and we decided to come down to Santa Cruz before she had to leave, and were wandering around downtown when we decided we'd stop somewhere for lunch. The place looked inviting and I thought I'd stop in. Part of the poor experience was mis-communication on my part, but still, it was pretty bad. I got a black bean burger, which I originally thought was a burger with beans and salsa on it, which I later discovered was actually just a boca burger, and my girlfriend got a caprese sandwich (mozzarella, basil, and tomato). Honestly it wasn't that good. It was passable at best, and I would've given it a three for that, but later my girlfriend was just feeling ill the whole afternoon, found out later that the caprese gave her mild food poisoning. Seriously, a caprese? Did I just go during the wrong time or something? Sigh... maybe we ordered the wrong things, still, that ruined the day.
(2)
Becca R.
The basket of scones that they give you at your table are to die for. So buttery, flaky and perfect goodness, it makes me hungry just thinking about them. Their breakfast is awesome too...eggs benedict on sourdough bread..yum!!
(5)
Barn M.
I found the food and service here terrible. The trout made me nauseous afterward, and the steak was small in portion. The worst part is that it took half an hour to get our food. The garlic bread and live music were pluses, but they are not nearly enough to compensate for the poor service, sickening food, and the grotesquely high prices.
(3)
Hector M.
The food here is spectacular. I had the special --- crab eggs benedict. They throw in a nice pastry for starters. The setting was cozy and service was good. I'll be stopping by this place during my next visit to Santa Cruz.
(5)
Carolyn P.
Really good scones, They don't skimp on the omlettes, although I do like Flames, Stacks, and Country Gourmet's better. The hash browns look strange as they just put a perfectly symetrical potato square on your plate which is not visually appealing. Great hot chocolate. They do charge x-tra for the whipped cream, which I thought was lame but it's still cheaper than most coffee places.
(3)
Gomerio G.
Solid offering. Interesting mix of cuisine, very Austro/ German. They are wine people too. Try the meatloaf or Hungarian Goulash. The only place I can remind myself of Vienna is Hoffman's. Good house made deserts and baked goods.
(4)
Victoria F.
Please dont' go to Starbuck's or Peet's down the street when Hoffman's is nearby. This place is a little ritzy but their espresso drinks are among the best in town. I really love their mochas. A good mocha doesn't taste like coffee-flavored hot chocolate. Hoffman's still tastes like coffee but is enhanced with rich yet subtle bittersweet chocolate. Their pastries are divine. I've never had such a custard-y eclair; it's one to share with a friend or keep to yourself if you're feeling particularly decadent. I've had food from their lunch menu and I wasn't blown away, but it was still quite good.
(4)
k h.
There was no one in the place because it was pretty early [5pm-ish]. Our server was attentive nonetheless. My friend and I both ordered French onion soup and I found the huge crouton thing a bit distracting. I didn't think it was going to be one continuous mass. It was a little difficult to eat, but we both managed. I also ordered the small plate scallops, which were good minus the sauce. It looked too much like raw egg yolk and didn't really add to meal. The asparagus was nicely cooked though. The definite best part of the meal was the cheesy bread appetizer. It had the perfect amount of melted cheese and crunch. Four stars is probably a bit generous for this trip, but the bread in itself was worth an extra star because it was free.
Zoe E.
I love this place. Whenever it's my turn to choose where we eat, I choose here. We happened across it one winter night when I was craving soup, and were delighted to discover not only hot soup, but also good salads, quick service, and jazz to boot. There is never a wait to get in, even on a Saturday night. One of my favorite places to eat!
(5)Nick l.
great family operated restaurant down town Santa Cruz.... everything tastes freshly cooked ... "June's Meat Loaf" is my fav ... come hungry .. it's a huge portion .. ... after your entree is when the fun really starts .. check out all the desserts ... OMG ... it's chocolate heaven !! lots to choose from as the owner is a baker by trade .. .. another nice touch is the wine list, good prices and well thought out selections .. no cheap grocery store brands ...
(4)phil p.
I was very dissapointed when I for breakfast. First off the menu is ridiculous for its prices. So I decided to get the two by two which is teo eggs two pieces of bacon and waffle. The first problem was the water which tasted like it came out of a urinal. We asked the m,anager about it and he said it was a combination of different waters. Bad combo geta brita jackass. Then when I get my food my scrambled eggs looked like they cam from a carton. Then I notice my syrup is runny like water. Again we ask the manager and he says its a blend. Yeah a blend of water and syrup. And instead of offering us some better syrup he says we can buy the good syrup for a dollar fifty. Oh I get it gives us your watered down syrup so you can force us to buy your maple syrup. What a scam. So we used this crap syrup and it ruined everything. After paying 8 dollars for this breakfast I felt like I could of got the same thing at dennys and paid 5 dollars and got real syrup. Syrup ussually wouldn't piss me off this much except they obvious ly watered it down and cut too many corners for a 8 dollar breakfast. Not going back I recommend nobody should either they try to make you pay fancy prices for crap food
(1)Debbie M.
We ate lunch there today. It was a really cold day and we got seated right by the door (yes there was a half wall), after about 20 minutes of waiting and trying to flag down a waiter (multiple times) we had a waiter (not ours) come by to take our order - our food finally arrived about 30 minutes later at room temp ( I guess it was good that it wasn't straight out of the fridge) and then when we were "done", the bus boy did a great job clearing our plates, 15 minutes later I finally flagged down a waiter (not ours) to give us our check. After waiting an additonal 5 minutes, instead of paying by credit card (like I normally would) and actually giving a half way decent tip I ended up giving them cash and rounded up to the next dollar. So the incompetent waiter got a 79 cent tip - more than he deserved. I don't think the kitchen was at fault. If the food had arrived warm I think it would have been as good as it has been in the past, but this time.... If I ever go back, it will be a LONG time before I try it again.
(1)Ben R.
Hoffman's has great ambiance, which they really should back up with great service and great food. They don't. I ordered the seafood omelet and found it rather underwhelming. The crab was good, but the rest was not. The shrimp lived up to their name - absolutely minuscule, and boiled to a rubbery texture. The eggs were tough and completely flavorless; I think they were of the powdered variety, which is cool if you're eating at a dining hall but decidedly not cool if you're paying twelve bucks for a plate. The homestyle potatoes that accompanied the omelet were mushy and lacked that oh-so-savory crunch that makes potato skin worth waking up early on a Sunday. The scones were ok, but you just can't make up for a crappy meal with a token gesture. There's better breakfast, cheaper breakfast, and, best of all, better AND cheaper breakfast to be found in Santa Cruz. Skip Hoffman's.
(2)Sabrina A.
So the bakery here is to die for, everything is so fresh, tasty and beautiful. A few times for occasions I've brought home one of their cakes, they are so pretty and tasty, everyone really liked it! Also, their cookies, like pinwheels are good, let alone their regular stuff like croissants. Also, their wine selection is pretty good and beer, but I will have to say the two or three times I've eaten there I could have passed, either lacking flavor or too much, or just not my style. But I've heard great things about their brunch. Also, some nights of the week they have live music and I can attest to their quality, great!
(4)Mi M.
A nice mosey down Santa Cruz's downtown led us to Hoffman's for lunch...I had the spinach salad (fresh, copious) and Himself had the club sandwich (very good) with the clam chowder (watery, bland). Service was great and the people watching even better. The fresh scones (instead of the ubiquitous basket of bread) were terrific...and the Hot Cross Bun on Easter Sunday a nice touch too.
(4)Angeline L.
went to Hoffman's tonight to get a Princess torte to go... man... they are sold out! i almost i hadn't talked about it in my recent review... i was looking forward to that the whole week :(
(4)Kreativess ..
This place is delicious!! We stayed in SC for my birthday and had a great time finding places to eat. Here we sat outside in the sun and had lunch, sandwiches...the turkey club was excellent, nice presentation, full of flavor. The salad was great and so was the Mimosa!! Our waiter was very pleasant and professional unlike the hostess which turned me off at first...I'll be back again though! It was such a beautiful day, the birds were chirping...even came over to us to say hello, and take a shat on our table, LOL! Good times.
(4)S H.
My family and I decided to go to downtown Santa Cruz. We walked by Hoffman's and saw that they were still serving breakfast (it was 2pm) and decided to go in and grab a bite. It looked alright from the outside but when we sat down, we were already wondering if we should turn around and leave...it felt grubby inside and there weren't too many patrons on a Sunday afternoon. But, we ordered our breakfast entrees and my daughter's hot dog kid's meal. My croissant came 30 mins before my meal and it was cold...I asked our server to heat it up for me and he did but he brought it back within a couple minutes so it was cold again by the time our meals came. My husband and I ordered the "2 Eggs Any Style" item...the eggs were cooked properly but everything else was disgusting! The potatoes were stale, the bacon looked as if it had been cooked hours ago and dropped on the floor (bits of fluff on a couple pieces), and the fries in the kid's meal were of the same quality (or lack thereof). The service wasn't great either. When I went to the back to use the restroom, the smell from the kitchen area almost made me barf...it smelled dirty and made me want to vacate the building...luckily I had already finished eating, though I didn't eat much. I can't believe a restaurant on the main strip of an area can be so bad...how they stay in business I don't know!
(1)Jonas C.
It was a while ago (a few months) when I came here, sadly, it was a rather poor experience. My girlfriend was visiting and we decided to come down to Santa Cruz before she had to leave, and were wandering around downtown when we decided we'd stop somewhere for lunch. The place looked inviting and I thought I'd stop in. Part of the poor experience was mis-communication on my part, but still, it was pretty bad. I got a black bean burger, which I originally thought was a burger with beans and salsa on it, which I later discovered was actually just a boca burger, and my girlfriend got a caprese sandwich (mozzarella, basil, and tomato). Honestly it wasn't that good. It was passable at best, and I would've given it a three for that, but later my girlfriend was just feeling ill the whole afternoon, found out later that the caprese gave her mild food poisoning. Seriously, a caprese? Did I just go during the wrong time or something? Sigh... maybe we ordered the wrong things, still, that ruined the day.
(2)Becca R.
The basket of scones that they give you at your table are to die for. So buttery, flaky and perfect goodness, it makes me hungry just thinking about them. Their breakfast is awesome too...eggs benedict on sourdough bread..yum!!
(5)Barn M.
I found the food and service here terrible. The trout made me nauseous afterward, and the steak was small in portion. The worst part is that it took half an hour to get our food. The garlic bread and live music were pluses, but they are not nearly enough to compensate for the poor service, sickening food, and the grotesquely high prices.
(3)Hector M.
The food here is spectacular. I had the special --- crab eggs benedict. They throw in a nice pastry for starters. The setting was cozy and service was good. I'll be stopping by this place during my next visit to Santa Cruz.
(5)Carolyn P.
Really good scones, They don't skimp on the omlettes, although I do like Flames, Stacks, and Country Gourmet's better. The hash browns look strange as they just put a perfectly symetrical potato square on your plate which is not visually appealing. Great hot chocolate. They do charge x-tra for the whipped cream, which I thought was lame but it's still cheaper than most coffee places.
(3)Gomerio G.
Solid offering. Interesting mix of cuisine, very Austro/ German. They are wine people too. Try the meatloaf or Hungarian Goulash. The only place I can remind myself of Vienna is Hoffman's. Good house made deserts and baked goods.
(4)Victoria F.
Please dont' go to Starbuck's or Peet's down the street when Hoffman's is nearby. This place is a little ritzy but their espresso drinks are among the best in town. I really love their mochas. A good mocha doesn't taste like coffee-flavored hot chocolate. Hoffman's still tastes like coffee but is enhanced with rich yet subtle bittersweet chocolate. Their pastries are divine. I've never had such a custard-y eclair; it's one to share with a friend or keep to yourself if you're feeling particularly decadent. I've had food from their lunch menu and I wasn't blown away, but it was still quite good.
(4)k h.
There was no one in the place because it was pretty early [5pm-ish]. Our server was attentive nonetheless. My friend and I both ordered French onion soup and I found the huge crouton thing a bit distracting. I didn't think it was going to be one continuous mass. It was a little difficult to eat, but we both managed. I also ordered the small plate scallops, which were good minus the sauce. It looked too much like raw egg yolk and didn't really add to meal. The asparagus was nicely cooked though. The definite best part of the meal was the cheesy bread appetizer. It had the perfect amount of melted cheese and crunch. Four stars is probably a bit generous for this trip, but the bread in itself was worth an extra star because it was free.
(4)