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Cafe Mare Italian RestaurantReservations
Restaurant Reviews List >
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Italian Restaurant Reviews
Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant Reviews List
Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Old world charm in the heart of Santa Cruz, authentic Italian cuisine with an extensive wine list and a full bar. Open for lunch and dinner as well as brunch on weekends. Ample public parking.
See more Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant details
32 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Rating Breakdown 32 reviews
5 stars
(12)
4 stars
(14)
3 stars
(4)
2 stars
(1)
1 star
(1)
Food
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- fit for foodies(13)
- neighborhood gem(12)
- good for groups(11)
- special occasion(9)
- great for lunch(6)
- romantic(6)
Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant Reviews List
Review 1 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Birthday lunch
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We took my mother to lunch for her birthday. After reading reviews on YELP, I chose Cafe Mare. What a pleasant surprise. We are locals and had never dined there. What a shock to learn that it's been there for 10 years. Where have WE been? The food was excellent...the bread, the salad, the entree (wild salmon, roasted potatoes and vegetables), the desserts, the coffee! The service was superb and the prices very reasonable. Thank you for a lovely lunch!"
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 2 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Food service was very very slow - we did not have time for desert and coffee because we needed to make a performance."
Dined on 5/04/2013
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Review 3 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The food was amazing and the
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The food was amazing and the service was outstanding! I live in this town and am exceptionally pleased that the service and food was so good! I had the chicken stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese and wrapped in pancetta...so delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely be going back!"
Dined on 04/06/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list
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Review 4 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
The food was very well prepared
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The food was very well prepared and presented! The highlight of the evening was the friendliness of the staff! We will definitely return for lunch or dinner."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, special occasion, hot spot
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Review 5 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Amazing food and service.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Amazing food and service. I got the seafood stuffed raviolis which were delicious."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2011
Special Features: hot spot
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Review 6 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
One of the better restaurants
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"One of the better restaurants that I have eaten at in Santa Cruz. I am usually somewhat leery about restaurants in strip shopping centers but the ambiance of thiis place was good, the service and food were excellent and we had a great time."
Dined on 03/21/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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Review 7 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Good spot for before concert
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Good spot for before concert dining with attentive service and nice variety on the menu."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, great for lunch
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Review 8 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Nice local Italian restaurant
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Nice local Italian restaurant perfect for a meal before or after a show. Menu included vegetarian options, one pasta, one an eggplant parmigiana which I liked. Wine was nice, bread was nice, the insulata mista very good and my entree rich and wry Italian but not heavy with cheese. I would go back again. ,"
Dined on 03/17/2013
2006
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 9 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
This is the first time we
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"This is the first time we have been to Cafe Mare, the service was excellent and of course having Italiano's working/owning the resto was also a big plus. We would definitely go back."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2006
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 10 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Excellent Resturaunt,Excellent
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Excellent Resturaunt,Excellent service. The owner goes the extra mile to make sure everything is above par and food is Great. I proposed to my wife there and he went out of his way to get me a dozen roses for the occasion. I have been eating there for years.
Highly reccomended."
Highly reccomended."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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Review 11 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Tried it again and came up short!
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We dined at Cafe Mare on Saturday night after being away for a couple of years, and unfortunately we came away less than impressed. The restaurant was extremely busy and did not have staff to accommodate the crowd. Many staff were poorly trained and communication with us as to the status of our order was poor. Our food arrived forty minutes after we ordered it and several entrees were dry as they may have been left under heat lamps. The pasta dishes were less than remarkable. Fish was overcooked and vegetables mushy. I would not dine at Cafe Mare again since it was pricey and there are several other Italian restaurants with better food and service nearby."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2011
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Review 12 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The waiter remembered us,
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The waiter remembered us, and was very cordial. The list of off-menu specials was long, but even though I had already chosen food from the menu, the specials sounded so wonderful that I abandoned my menu choices.
I had a salad of raw beet, parsnip and carrot with balsamic vinaigrette and then a tilapia filet done up with dijon mustard and panko bread crumbs, which came with long-stemmed broccoli and roasted potatoes. My husband had the pureed vegetable soup, and both my husband and my daughter had the gnocchi. Each dish was delicious cooked (or not) perfectly, and the waiters were appropriately attentive during the meal, but not overly so.
I've never once had either a bad meal or bad service here, and would enthusiastically recommend"
Dined on 02/11/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic
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Review 13 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great food, wine and service.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Great food, wine and service. Perfect for a meal prior to a late movie or other downtown activity. The only negative was the lighting, but that could just be my eyes."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2013
Special Features: late-night find, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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Review 14 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Great homemade sauces, I had
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Great homemade sauces, I had a million-layered lasagne that was excellent."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 15 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Our mrrt up group wanted to
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Our mrrt up group wanted to try some place that nobody had been to for a while and the food was very good. Professional friendly staff and know;wgable of all the food served."
Dined on 01/22/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, late-night find, neighborhood gem
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Review 16 for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Excellent restaurant. Great
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Excellent restaurant. Great attention to detail and very friendly staff. Delicious menu!"
Dined on 01/21/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Cafe Mare Italian Restaurant
Based on the average of (16) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
2 out of 3 recommend this product
Food
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate