Oswald

I dined at Oswald twice. Since our dinner was nicely done, we decided to try lunch and we were wonderfully rewarded. Both times the service was excellent and the food even better. For both lunch and dinner, we were able to take our time without feeling rushed. Their menu isn’t incredibly huge, but what they do, they do well. Everyone enjoyed their meal as well as the cocktails. Great location (parking garage right next door), great ambiance and great food.

Absolutely love this place. The food is always amazing, the service is awesome and the drinks are lovely. I come back repeatedly for consistently fantastic experience.

Came here for Valentine’s Day and it wasn’t as great as I expected. First off, the table next to us got seated about 5 – 10 minutes after us, and they got their food/​drink orders taken first. Lame. I got the sautéed mushrooms as an app… good but nothing special. The seafood stew was pretty good, except at the bottom of it I found two soggy pieces of bread, which I was assuming were supposed to be served on top. The 7-​up cake was pretty gross… it tasted like an oddly textured lemon cake. Overall, really didn’t love anything I had. Not sure if I would give it a second chance.

When going downtown the hubs and I always look at this place. Tonight finally got to try it out. Our friend broke up with his SO and didn’t want his Rez to go to waste… we got their 20 minutes early and were able to be seated. SCORE! In all of the tragedy and awkward– there lies an amazing meal. Tonight was a pre-​fix 65.00 per person that included an appetizer, main dish and dessert.
The bar did a blood orange margarita mock tail for us since we don’t drink alcohol (5.00 each). Everything made in house and it was awesome, clean and citrusy.
First Course:
The fried oyster appetizer could have been a whole meal in itself. The oysters were super perfectly cooked. The breading was evenly coated and I had about 5 – 6 oysters on a bed of greens. The husband loved his sautéed mushrooms and sopped up the broth with his bread. First course success.
Second course:
We both opted for the oxtail and braised short rib. Everything was fall of the bone tender, perfectly seasoned and a lot of meat. I only ate the oxtail and got the rest to go. Polenta was perfectly creamy and the glazed carrots were amazing.
Sugar Buzz:
Last course was dessert. The hubs wanted blood orange mousse. Super fluffy and light. It was a work of art. I opted for the bittersweet pots de crème. Perfectly creamy with some whipped cream on top. Both were accompanied by these phenomenal lemon Rosemary (???) shortbread cookies dusted with powdered sugar.
The service was amazing. A main server and two other folks kept everything full– checked on… Several mock-​tails were offered when we noted we don’t drink. Next to us their meal was taking awhile and the server comped their drinks.
Overall want to come back and try lunch! Thanks for making our Valentine’s Day a night to remember.

Food is good, condescending waitress made experience unbearable. Did not want to ask if kitchen could substitute sides. I won’t be back.

The most consistent and satisfying restaurant in town. We don’t have a lot of amazing restaurants around here, but Oswald always leaves me feeling content. I like sitting at the bar the best and getting a cocktail and their burger (hands down the best in town) or the crab and avocado appetizer. Their caesar salad is far superior to most especially with a perfectly cooked (and still warm) roast chicken added.
I come back again and again.

We have had 3 fabulous dinners here in the last couple of months! Best restaurant in the county. The soundproofing has definitely helped, because the bar is very busy. We sat comfortably and enjoyed our dinner. Our waiter was very attentive, and I should have asked his name. Each of the 4 of us had a different entrée and nobody was disappointed.

No kids menu, darn! But great beer and wine selection. Oswald has macaroni and cheese
— S. Honey

Oswald had a very rough night Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, due to server timing and order mix-​ups. We still left a 20% tip and did not say anything at the time, but after thinking about the amount we spent (more than $ 100 per person for three) and the fact that I had given a 4-​star review earlier, an update seems appropriate.
First, the good. I was greeted warmly and promptly seated. The soundproofing added after Oswald reopened in its current location greatly reduced the ambient noise, although the big, industrial space in a parking garage still leads to chatter and clatter.
When my two friends arrived for their first visit, one immediately noted the simple, home-​style table setup. We agreed that no place ever got a Michelin star for folded napkin tricks.
The specialty cocktails were exceptionally creative and tasty. They required precise mixing to bring out the correct balance of flavors, but the bartender was an expert and after the first sip, the $ 10 price seemed like a bargain.
Two of our appetizers, steamed mussels and persimmon and squash soup, were every bit as good as newspaper reviews have said they were. Our entrees, two skirt steaks and one duck breast, also would have been as good, were it not for the timing and order mix-​up issues.
Oswald features «California comfort food,» rich and hearty with large portions, but still with the top-​quality ingredients and distinctive, balanced flavors that made the restaurant famous when it opened in a tiny courtyard complex near the head of what was the Pacific Garden Mall.
I was told that, by chance, we were there on the anniversary of the restaurant’s opening, and Oswald’s owner and original chef was down from the Bay Area to mark the occasion. He was having dinner in a corner, and perhaps the staff’s understandable attention to his service left us with what now proceeds to the bummer part of this review.
My appetizer was a special that night, prawns and risotto. I ordered it on the basis of the waitress’s appealing description, but after tasting it, I could not figure out what the chef had intended. Was it supposed to be cooked prawns served hot on a bed of cold risotto, or everything chilled, or everything hot? It wasn’t any of those things. I can only guess that the dish had been prepared but was left sitting out for some time, with something that had been cooked warming something that had been chilled and vice versa. Whatever was special about the prawns in the waitress’ description did not make it to the table, where a slightly warmed, bland and soggy trio of either shrimp prawns or jumbo shrimp tasted like something right out of the thawed fresh frozen seafood counter at Safeway. Although all of our appetizers arrived simultaneously, in retrospect, it was the first indication of bad timing.
Following the appetizers, I asked for a glass of the ’83 Aruma malbec to go with my skirt steak. (Excellent wine from Mendoza. I’m going to look for it at Shopper’s Corner.) The three of us had a terrific conversation, catching up, a couple more cocktails for my friends, trading stories, getting a little hungry.
Nearly 30 minutes had gone by since our appetizer plates were cleared. We noticed that two parties who arrived after us were halfway through their meals. Our waitress apologized for the delay and said our orders would be right out.
More time passed. Another server (who may have been a bus boy) appeared and asked a question indicating he wasn’t sure which table was to get which order.
He came back with one dish, then returned with the two skirt steaks, one medium and one rare, and asked who got which. He started to place one of the steaks in front of my friend, withdrew, looked confused, then placed the other.
He didn’t trust the Force. After a couple of bites of what I though was my rare steak, my friend began making noises that any Santa Cruzan would recognize as that of a recovering vegetarian presented with a pile of still-​bleeding cow. We traded plates, and he got the one cooked medium. Although both plates were exceptionally hot, the food was only warm. I ended up taking two-​thirds of mine home, where it made a great steak burrito for lunch the next day with some still left over to stir in with dinner.
Both of my friends are exceptionally generous tippers. They thought a 20% tip would send a message of having had a poor experience. Without begrudging our local workforce any of the money they need to survive, I thought the message would not be clear. So here we are.
Did someone call in sick and was not replaced? Was the staff overly-​attentive to the owner on the restaurant’s anniversary, to the detriment of other diners? I’d like to know what happened, and not just for my sake. I’ve been to Oswald a few times over 25 years. My friends are part of a new generation of Santa Cruz residents who go to local restaurants several times a week. Their first experience at Oswald gave them no compelling reason to return.

Family dinner… Duck, Arctic Char, Lamb and Skirt Steak! Cocktails and champagne and AMAZING service. No matter where you are east bay South Bay… SF it’s worth the drive you have to eat at Oswald!

Our favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz and, frankly, there isn’t a close second. We’ve always had great meals at Oswald, the bartender is skilled (and flexible when receiving, er, unusual variation requests!), and both appetizers and desserts are consistently excellent.

I’m on the fence, because the last two visits were really «1 star» experiences. However, their cocktails and desserts are really good.
The first meal I had was pretty good, it was worth the price and it was pleasantly romantic. The next two times were absolutely awful and I couldn’t even finish my expensive dinner, yet when they took away the uneaten mess, no questions or apologies from the server.
Listen, «Oswald», you have a very serious problem: bad chefs or bad kitchen management (likely both). I see you prepping, 4 cooks at one time, while the dining room is pathetically empty. I see all those pre-​made items that shouldn’t be pre-​made for the price you’re charging. This isn’t airplane food and you shouldn’t prep everything like that. Someone is giving you bad advice and by the looks of it, wasting a lot of money and time in the process. Now, when I’ve eaten at your restaurant, I expected a competent cook to be making these high-​end menu items. This was not so, and NO ONE in the restaurant was finishing their meals. Your restaurant is dead during the weekdays and it’s obvious to me why. Here are some important changes you could make:
1. Test your cooks. See if they know how to cook a medium rare steak, a medium burger, sautéed vegetables. Two times I have visited in the past two months and whoever made our food DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO COOK. Painfully obvious. You need to figure out who that is. I mean really now.
2. Quality control. Drop in for 15 min a few times a week and see if people are enjoying their meals. No need to ask them, just look at their face and their plate: are they smiling or frowning? Are they eating the food or just pushing it around?
3. Support your waitstaff! They hide because they know the food is bad, so now you have bad food AND bad service :(
4. Keep the portions small-​ish/​medium and the quality of ingredients high. This is what is expected of the menu you present. Instead I got crappy steak and in large quantities. Nope nope nope.
After listing this, I think it’s pretty obvious that your head chef (or whoever is in charge of kitchen staff and buying food) is running your place into the ground. I can’t tell you how much money you’ve lost from this customer, and likely others. It’s a certain clientele that really really wants what you offer but unfortunately don’t deliver. This is a loss for both of us.

Not terrible, but room for improvement at one of Santa Cruz’ best local gems. Really slow food service, menu selections were tasty but the drinks were underwhelming and overpriced. Check out the specials, and wander downtown Santa Cruz after your meal for some frozen yogurt or a hot, fresh cookie. Location is nice and convenient, not far from the pier or beaches, which makes it a nice choice on a weekend.

We came here on a recommendation from a local foodie. We didn’t have a reservation, but it was a weeknight and it was later, so they were able to get us in, without too much of a problem. I ordered the Syrah and was pleased with it. We shared the steamed clams for appetizer which came in a white wine sauce with bacon, garlic, and tomatillo romesco. The dish was great! We loved the bacon and the sauce. We also got some yummy bread and butter along with our meal.
For my main course I ordered the wild Alaskan halibut, with celery root purée, pickled beets, and pepper sofrito. The most interesting part of this dish was the celery root purée. I love celery and the flavor in this was incredible. I am normally NOT a fish eater, in fact I never order it. This was a real venture for me and I enjoyed it.
My husband got the wild local albacore with corn purée, padron, zucchini, olives, and balsamic. He really enjoyed his dish as well. Service was very good. They came and took our dishes as soon as we were finished which is a big thing with me. I hate sitting over my dirty dishes.
I would recommend this place and I would tell you to park in the parking garage that is located in the building that the restaurant is in. We opted not to do that and it made for an interesting walk back to the car if only for 3 blocks, to say the least.

Food was good and Presented well but the service was cold and hurried and things were pushed on the table. Not that excited to come back because of
The bad service

NOTE: ON UCSC GRADUATION WEEKENDS MEALS ARE FIXED PRICED AT $ 55.
This was not mentioned when we made dinner reservations; found out too late to change.
The good news is that the food was clearly prepared with care by someone with talent. Exceptional lamb, beef and fish alternatives the night I was there. Including appetizers and dessert helped the restaurant charge more but was too much for a few members of the party. But not worth $ 55 even here in expensive SF where I live. Probably more like $ 40. So I feel I was sort of screwed.
Service and staff just outstanding.

My husband and I went to Oswalds for our 13^th Anniversary. We went on a Wednesday which is a price fix menu and bar food.
We felt completely ignored for the majority of the dinner. Our server obviously did not know we had been seated. Once he noticed us, he took our drink orders and disappeared for 30 minutes. When he came back, we ordered off the price fix menu and a bottle of wine. He brought out the appetizers and wine and we basically never saw him again until we had to track him down to ask for our check. The meal was mediocre at best. It felt like the buyer ordering the food for the menu bought the cheapest foods they could buy and incorporated those foods into the menu. To say the least, Oswalds did not lead to making a memorable anniversary dinner.

Came in to visit this new place for us on our visit for UCSC 50^th Anniversary celebration. I met my old friend and college roommate room in UCSC for a nice family dinner…
The rib eye was thin, overcooked and did not look like a rib eye at all! I felt like a piece of flank steak like the meat used for carne asada… complete failure as a rib eye! And too boot the potatoes were overcooked on drench in butter! This «chef» must be an alumni from Paula Dean’s school of cooking and used her one stick of butter flavoring for all his recipes!
The Chilean bass Craig ordered was swimming in oil or butter. looked so nasty… He left half of the fish and the veggies swimming in butter or oil.
OUT of the four dishes we ordered only the green salad had no butter or oil.
Not coming back here for sure only I need a stomach cleansing!!!

We were looking for a trendy place to enjoy a nice meal as a group of 5 and Oswald fit the bill perfectly. The service was wonderful — we appreciated that they replenished our wine, water, and delicious bread with perfect timing! Now, onto the food:
APPETIZERS
We enjoyed the mushroom soup and the Dungeness crab appetizers. The only issue with our whole meal was that the Caesar salad was extremely bitter. The whole table tried it and agreed that my sister should send back her dish but she hates making a fuss at restaurants. Be warned that he Caesar salad is EXTREMELY bitter.
ENTREES
The standouts were the Crispy Duck Breast and the Ribeye Steak. The duck breast was cooked to perfection and the crispy skin was simply amazing. The Ribeye steak was also good — a very hearty plate. The mushroom bread pudding that came with the steak was one of the best savory bread puddings I have ever tried — I think everyone at the table was fighting to get a piece. Two people at our table ordered the ribeye and finished every bite.
The Chilean Seabass was also amazing. We really enjoyed the accompanying salad frisee salad with the fried radishes as toppings. The housemade fettuccine was just okay. It was a good vegetarian dish, very hearty, but too heavy on the vegetable to noodle ratio for us. We were searching through mounds of cabbage just to find some noodles at the end.
DESSERTS
Make sure you leave some room for dessert (our table of 5 demolished three desserts). The chocolate soufflé was incredible and definitely lived up to its hype. My personal favorite was the almond custard torte which was incredible paired with the vanilla ice cream. The crème brûlée was also delicious.
We would definitely come back here to eat again for a nice dinner or to celebrate! It was a great atmosphere to enjoy conversation and each other’s company. I usually hate when restaurants are too loud or too quiet but Oswald had the perfect balance. Unfortunately, they don’t validate parking even though they are right under a large parking structure.

Oswald se encuentra en Santa Cruz, y, francamente, tiene lo suyo en contra de nada, al ofrecer alimentos frescos, producidos localmente y de temporada en un ambiente adulto. Esta zona es bastante hippy-​Dippy, y más a menudo que no, salir a comer fuera está más cerca de una fuente de espaguetis comunales de comedor para adultos.
Esta es la configuración de lo sublime, con Milla de Davis en el fondo, la iluminación y la acústica adecuada y, sin embargo, es informal y agradable. no es rígido y formal, pero está limpio y se presentó correctamente. Con todo, esto es inusual y muy bien recibida en Santa Cruz.
Hay un bar muy concurrido que, si lo desea, sirve comida sencilla pero impresionante como macarrones con queso, o una hamburguesa enorme. Con demasiada frecuencia, esta ‘tierra de en medio’ de la comida se pasa por alto o pasado por alto. Oswald se pone, y como resultado, incluso en lo que se describe como una economía de cráteres, es casi de pie.
No es barato para las entradas, unos 25 dólares EE.UU. por plato, pero tan bueno como usted va a conseguir. En esencia, usted consigue lo que usted paga.

So disappointed. The waitress was great, the cocktails were great and the dessert great.
The food was awful and it prepared as if the cooks were inexperienced and not a 3 $ establishment. Greasy scallops, the lamb was loaded with fat and cold. The accompanying veggies etc were awful and the plates unappetizing.
What the heck happened? I’ve been coming here for years and this was disappointing. Dropped good money for a sub par meal.