Cafe Brasil - Santa Cruz (CA)

4 /5 Liz Noska: There were two young people at the front greeting guests. There were plenty of seats available for two, but we had to wait while one of them greeted their family, while the other just stood there. Once we were finally seated, the two waiters (POC- possibly the owners?) were very sweet and welcoming. The coffee was delicious. The steak was good but could’ve used more seasoning, and the potatoes were tasty. Overall, a nice spot with great coffee and friendly service once seated.

3 /5 Skeptical Seuss: I came in for breakfast, the morning was bright, But something about it just didn’t feel right. The menus were sticky, the tables had grime, The walls needed wiping, the floors needed time. The food? It was fine — not the worst, not the best, No seasoning sang, it just sat there and guessed. It wasn’t offensive, but nothing to cheer, And way too expensive for toast and eggs here. The parking’s out back, but the lot’s pretty tight, You’ll circle around or just give up the fight. The vibe could be cozy, with just a few tweaks — Like cleaning the corners and wiping the seats. So three stars from me, for a meal that was plain, Not awful, not great — just a bit of a drain. It filled me, sure, but I won’t rush back in… Next time I’ll go find a better begin.

5 /5 Beach Town Traveler: I had the most lovely experience here on a quiet afternoon. I ordered a hot carafe of coffee paired with hot milk. I was very pleased to see that it came with a side of baguette and a cup of fruit. It was the perfect light snack that made me want to come back for more. The menu looks truly amazing, so I will be returning soon. Please give this small business a try instead of going to McDonalds across the street!

2 /5 Duncan: They made us go in a waitlist even though there were plenty of open tables both inside and outdoors. The food was pretty basic, the crab felt dry and not as fresh and finally the smoothies were made with powder fruit. Not recommended.

4 /5 Rong Mao: This is a casual eatery that makes one feel that they have stepped into a cafe in Brazil, with all the bright-colored walls and artworks. Even the exterior walls of the house are painted with the colors of the Brazilian flag. The staff were all very friendly. We got there on a weekday a little bit after noon and had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. We tried the A Madeira top sirloin steak with sautéed mushrooms in a creamy Madeira wine sauce, muquecas with baby shrimp (cooked in a tomato sauce with coconut milk, palm oil, and green pepper), a small bowl of feijoada (black bean stew with sausages), and Aipim Frito (fried yucca). The steak and shrimp dishes came with rice, farofa (fried cassava flour with some onions) and salad. Taking a bite of the rice and farofa together gives the rice a lot of complexity in flavor and texture. Everything was very tasty, especially with their house spicy sauce (not in the bottles on the tables). The freshly squeezed watermelon juice was good but a little overpriced. Overall it was a great experience trying out Brazilian food rather than those served in a typical Brazilian steakhouse.