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Name: Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe
Address: 13040 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek, CA, 95006
Telephone: (831) 338-7882
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.88

Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe

13040 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek, CA, 95006

(831) 338-7882
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Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe Menu

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g

Big Buford® 230g

Bacon Buford® 255g

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g

Checkerburger® 170g

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g

Cheese Double Cheese 190g

Chili Cheeseburger 135g

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g

Double Decker 215g

Rallyburger® 170g

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g

Smokehouse Buford® 265g

Triple Cheeseburger 250g

Healthy Meal suggestions for

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 570, Saturated Fat (ms) : 6, Calories: 280, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 9, Calories: 370, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 1340, Saturated Fat (ms) : 20, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 6 ]

Big Buford® 230g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1090, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 570, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Buford® 255g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1510, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 680, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 1310, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 660, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 490, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 930, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 580, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 35, Sodium (s): 1230, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 630, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 1030, Saturated Fat (ms) : 25, Calories: 740, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 34, Sodium (s): 1360, Saturated Fat (ms) : 28, Calories: 790, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Checkerburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Cheese Double Cheese 190g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1140, Saturated Fat (ms) : 17, Calories: 510, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Chili Cheeseburger 135g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 620, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 760, Saturated Fat (ms) : 14, Calories: 460, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Decker 215g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 720, Saturated Fat (ms) : 13, Calories: 480, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Rallyburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Triple Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 1450, Saturated Fat (ms) : 23, Calories: 690, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Healthy Meal suggestions for CheckersRally

Burgers

Smokehouse Buford® 265g [ Sodium (s): 1610, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 15 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Andrea D.

I always go here after an intense hike at Big Basin- that being said everything is ten times more delicious after switchbacking and gliding for 11 miles. Still what do I want after a crazy pants workout? Delicious beer, fries and oh man, a juicy free range grass fed, led an amazing happy cow life, burger with all the fixings. I come in dirty and sweaty and leave flying high like I just had an amazing night with a beautiful man... named Captain Burger Fries Beer, Esquire the 3rd. Take me there now. PS Triva pursuit cards.
(5)
Robert B.

I recently moved to Felton and I hadn't been in here for a few years. I ended up meeting someone for dinner and this place is MUCH improved over what I remember. We had dinner on a Friday evening and the place was packed. We got a table and the server was really on it. He was knowledgeable about everything on the menu and he also turned out to be a beer guy, so he and I spoke about some of the behind the scenes stuff. Apparently, the brewer has only been there about 2 years and I can definitely tell the difference from before. Their beer was quite good. I'll be back to try some more of it and the food was tasty as well. Nice job guys....
(4)
Spenser T.

Boulder Creek was a super cute little town and the brewery was exceptional. I had the Pine ale which was very good, but served at almost room temperature which was weird. I had the chicken Cesar wrap with fries, the fires were great. My finance had the pulled pork sliders, holy hell were they good! they came with amazing fried onions on top and a very large order of cole slaw when requested on the side. I'll be back next time we're in town and I'll order the sliders!
(4)
Lyndee S.

We were actually on our way to Monterey but an accident on the hwy forced us to take an early exit to a side road and we stumbled across this little town. The bartender was, for lack of a better word, AWESOME! I tried a pint of their Ghost Rail and my boyfriend had their Dragon's Breath. We loved it!! The fried avocados were to die for! If you find yourself in Boulder Creek, you've got to stop in! At
(5)
Cay A.

Good food and choices. Portions were just right. The place was spacious and comfortable. Good service. Hubby had the burger and it was very good! Kids had their coloring pages to keep them happy.
(4)
Jim S.

Driving through Boulder Creek last week, a friend and I noticed this place. After looking it up on Yelp, we wanted to come back and try this place. Last night we made the lengthy journey from Fremont to Boulder Creek. As it turns out, it was worth every mile, and every curve on the mountain road leading to it, the meal was fantastic. We each started with one of the many home brews available. My friend went with the Westpark Wit and I went with their signature Redwood Ale. Both were great. If I didn't have to make my way through the twisty mountain pass back home, I would have had several more. Really well crafted and full flavored. Quenched but still starving we opted for 2 appetizers, deep fried pickles and to double up on the green and fried theme, we ordered the Fried Avocados. First the pickles. They were very good, and fried to a nice crispness. Served with a spicy chipotle ranch sauce they were a nice start and went well with the beer. But the Fried Avocados were unbelievably good. If you're not a pig like us and only need a single appetizer, go with this one. The hot crispy shell of fried panko and that soft creamy avocado is better than you can imagine. But what really makes this appetizer a home run is the cilantro jalapeno aoili for dipping. Just a little bit of heat, and bursting with flavor, I could drink a mug of this by itself. But together they made one of the best appetizers I've had in years. For the main course, I had been craving a burger all day, but in the end was intoxicated by the Beer Braised Kings Pie. Both beef tender loin and pork are braised in the same type of beer I was already drinking. It was their version of a shepherds pie, and it was really good. All of the comfort you would expect and the beer braising of 2 types of meat really paid off. My friend had one of the burgers and said that it too was excellent. I would easily order what I had again and again, but next time I have to try the burger. Though I was at this point sufficiently full, there was creme brulee on the menu. Maybe my favorite dessert in existence, I am powerless to stop myself from ordering it when available. Lately, I have been very disappointed with the quality of brulees I've tried, but this time I was not. Cruchy top, that is as tasty as it is fun to crack with your spoon, followed by the velvety cream loaded with the taste of vanilla. It was a great end, to a really great meal. Can't say enough good things about our experience here. Great recipes perfectly executed. Service was perfect. Our waiter was friendly, funny and knowledgeable. Support staff was very attentive without hovering. Nice place reasonable prices make this a must try. I will be making the drive as often as possible in the future.
(5)
Tracy H.

Really good sweet potato fries. That's pretty much the only thing I can eat there since going vegan. It would be nice if they had more vegan options being in Santa Cruz county it's a must.
(3)
Sasquatch R.

This place is pretty good. Great food, you got to try the avocados fries n fried pickles. Hamburger buns are fresh n make here. Great bugers. Great Hot Wings. Everything I've had here has been great. You want a Damn good hamburger?? Try this place n you won't be disappointed.
(5)
L B.

I'm having a hard time reviewing this place... Loved their beer!!! We tried 3 different brews, would have tried more but I'll get to that in a bit. We (me 53 yr old guy and 2 women 47 & 24, so good mix of likes and opinions) sat in the bar area, first at a side table then at the bar. It was a Saturday afternoon, we drove up in my 66 convertible. The place seemed to be packed with local's (as a kid we had a cabin in boulder Creek, loved going there so know a local when I see one) except for one motorcycle guy at end of the bar (he had a sport bike not a hog or he'd be a biker dude). Ok context is set. Got our first round and settled in for a few more. All agreed the 3 different beers we tried the dragons breath ale, the redwood ale and a wheat . All were quite tasty and you could tell came from quality ingredients and an experienced brewmeister. Polished our 1st round and proceeded to try and get one of the bar tenders attention. We waited and waited, finally 3 stools opened up at the bar, so we moved there hoping to finally get another taste of gods nectar. I had noticed the motorcycle guy had finished his meal and was sitting there for a long time, I started to talk with him and he said he was waiting to pay his check so he can get back to his ride. He eventually had to go get up and go down the bar and stand directly in front of the bar tender, she still made him wait 5 minutes before she even acknowledge he was there. The bar was not packed and the dinning area was practically empty so they were not overly busy. Well as it went, we waited more than 20 minutes more and never got to order another round. We were planning on having a few rounds and some food, but the lack of service kept us from that and kept the bartender from my generous tipping. I did notice the time we were there, the locals all got great service, so you can draw your own conclusions. For the beer I'd give them 5 stars for the service 1 star, hence the 3 star review
(3)
Raphael D.

Very good beer. Good Santa Cruz Burger with cheese, avocado and mushrooms. L Not so good calamari. Slow and distracted service.
(3)
T T.

What a great family friendly restaurant with a nice ambiance and some quality food! We had a flight of 12 brews, James explained each beer in detail as we tasted them, I suggest the IPA. Our server Nick was very nice, personable, had great menu insight, and great estimates on the food readiness times. The burgers were delicious with over six different sides to choose from. All in all, great experience; we will be back!
(5)
Aja N.

I love this little brewery! Everyone was super friendly and attentive. Andrea was the bartender and she was on-point! I liked the oldies playing on the sound system too! The food was really good. I had a pesto chicken sandwich with wedge fries. Yum! I tried the blackberry pear cider and it was bomb!! I'll be back again and again!!
(5)
Deb K.

Service in dinning room is going downhill lately. I don't know if it's from under staffing or under caring. Food usually fine for what it is not too good lately. Not too many choices in Boulder Creek so hopefully conditions will improve
(3)
Elise L.

This place is awesome, but minus two stars for the lousy service we received from the girl at the bar. To start things off we ordered the Cactus IPA, which was amazing (as were the Blue Dream and Ingalls Family saison). I remember stopping here once before, but the beer didn't quite make the same impression as it did this time. I was definitely impressed. Food was really good as well! Unfortunately, the crappy service put a damper on the mood, with the bartender/server giving off kind of a rude, "I could care less" sort of vibe (older girl with curly hair and a tree tattoo on her leg). We had to wait so long for a second round of beer that I had to go to the bar and interrupt her while she was busy on her phone. Later, I was disturbed to see her in back by the sink coughing into a towel, only to wipe her hands with it a second later and then come back out the serving area. Fortunately this was after she brought us our food! All that aside, I would definitely come back to this spot for the awesome beer. Despite the lousy service, it's still a great brewery.
(3)
Bryan F.

This place is a little gem! The people there are spectacular with good service, even though they had a mid afternoon rush! I had a very tasty IPA and a huge burger and onion ring for under $20. The onion rings could have been a meal by themselves, they were thick and sweat and obviously fresh and hand breaded. probably the best since I moved back to California. The burger, cooked perfectly, had a great char taste while staying juicy. It was interesting since you could taste every component without one being overwhelming of the other. I actually could not finish it, but wish I could of. This is one that I will definitely be back too. And next time I am going to try their Avocado Fries they looked awesome too.
(5)
Ann Y.

Came here on a Brew Cruz. We did flights of all the beers they offered which was a lot. 15 or so. The ginger beer and jalapeno beer was the most unique ones I had. I enjoyed both except I wouldn't be able to have a whole pint of the jalapeno beer. Our brew server was super cool and knowledgeable.
(5)
L. E.

I've lived in Boulder Creek for over 25 years and been dining at the Brewery since it opened. First, let me say the food is consistently good pub fare. They have an interesting and varied menu, and GREAT beers..... unique and inventive brews, to be sure. I highly recommend the brewery for this alone. I'm only giving 1 star because we recently experienced the single most rude and obnoxious waiter to ever have served a table. He lacked any redeeming social skills, and had the most offensive attitude I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. He was curt, defensive and completely hostile. I plan to make an appointment with the manager to discuss this person and ask that the Brewery take greater effort in training their wait staff. We will avoid this establishment until steps are taken provide better customer service. A short drive down the road and there are restaurants that are just as good and have nicer people staffing them....making the overall experience something to look forward to (I'm suggesting Scopazzi's or Casa Nostra in Ben Lomond).
(1)
Donna R.

Extremely bad news. The Brewery burned to the ground Sat night. Total loss. A very sad day for the community. My heart goes out to the owners and staff.
(5)
William G.

This place has changed a lot. Haven't been here in 3 yrs. The food is great and the beer is much improved. The staff is great. The place has a clean look. I do wish the staff knew how to stagger my orders. I really don't want my entrÃ©e showing up when I'm still waiting for my wings to cool down. I even asked the waiter to stagger things please. Nope I got ignored on that one. Also, when the customer is finished eating and there is no more beer to be drank......bring the check or at least have the courtesy to ask if we're ready for it. Nothing worse than been stuffed and now am trapped at my table waiting to pay for my meal. Overall this is a great family eatery. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(4)
E S.

Great people, food, beer and service. Reasonable prices. Loved it here. Very friendly atmosphere. Not a loud place. Can maintain a conversation without yelling. For those giving less stars because what they wanted was not available, three words: Get a life. This is a hard working bunch of folks that are doing a great job.
(5)
Dr. Snarkenstein Y.

Great burgers and beer. I opted for the grass fed beef option and could tell the difference. Tasted clean. Tried a jalapeÃ±o ale and it excellent.
(4)
Bob M.

Fantastic meal from start to finish. Avocado fries were a standout--crispy, savory, with that oh-so-buttery avocado center. Had the Huckleberry Island Burger: grass fed beef, jalapeÃ±o sauce, Swiss cheese and more avocado on a delicious fresh baked bun. The burger was great, and that was definitely one of the best buns I've ever had. Washed it all down with West Park Wit, a pleasant, sweet, refreshing wheat ale. All presented with fast, friendly service. Awesome. I will be returning!
(5)
Keith C.

So very disappointed that the quarter pound burger lunch special was dropped from the menu. Not everyone wants or needs a half pound burger. You're driving business away! Please bring back the quarter pound!
(3)
Serenity K.

We love the Boulder Creek Brewery! Such great food, and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. 5 stars all the way!
(5)
Deana I.

Perfect lunch special - great marinara sauce on the spaghetti. I normally don't like tomatoes, but I cleaned off my plate.
(4)
Eric R.

Yes, I'm over everything. This place is awesome for an occasional family dinner and if you are a beer coniseur, Winslow (I guess is the man behind the scenes) makes some great beer. The variety of beer is amazing. My wife had a wonderful birthday. Thank you, BC Brewery.
(5)
Tiffany W.

Loved it! Visiting and took the family to dinner. Great beer (we had the Red beer), good food, good service. They made a mistake on their specials, which I had ordered and they quickly acknowledged it and comped me a discount for the mistake. Building was rustic like an old western movie :-)
(4)
Leann Y.

Excellent brewery, great food. Service can be a little slow sometimes, but they are always very accomodating and helpful
(5)
Leslie G.

The beers are good. Happy hour is 4-6 and pints are $3. I especially liked the summer wheat. The food was just okay. The onion dip was great, I'd get that again. The veggie burger, however, was dry and didn't have much flavor. The burger I got had fried avocado and onion rings, so maybe it was just overwhelmed by all the fried stuff. The garlic fries were also just blah, and I love garlic fries so that was disappointing. Vegetarians - I'd stick with some apps and a salad over the veggie burger. It was warmer inside than it was outside, and only one of the fans in the dining room was going. I was sitting there sweating, staring longingly at the other unmoving fans. Service was slow and parts of orders were forgotten, but I don't fault them too much for that since (based on other reviews of the area) that seems to be the Santa Cruz way. Chalk it up to being part of the regional experience. I'd try other places in town before coming here again - unless it was just for beers during happy hour.
(3)
Brit F.

Wow! This place is awesome. Fried avocado and the cheese burger was amazing. There weat beer was unlike anything I have ever had and the plum beer was fantastic. If I am ever in the area again this will be the first place I go.
(5)
Jennifer M.

Friendly people, both staff and patrons alike. Great service. Awesome food! I can't wait to go back. I was truly impressed. I've also found that most true breweries had beer that left something to be desired. Not this place! The brewers do an amazing job with a well rounded menu! Everything is also perfectly priced! Happy!
(5)
Tiffany A.

We came here on our way home after camping in Big Basin. They tried to sit everyone in the front of the restaurant but mom wanted to sit in the back in the bar area. As she walked by, she noticed the kitchen door was open and she was immediately disgusted by how filthy it looked. We were a party of 6 and were already starving so we just decided to stick it out and give them the benefit of the doubt. The wait time was ridiculously long waiting for our order to be taken, our food to be brought, and to get our check. When we got our food, I noticed a hair on it and I had thought maybe my own fell in so I just took it out. Halfway into my pulled pork sandwich I noticed another hair and I pulled it out and a good chunk of the pork was pulled it with it. The hair was made into the sandwich and it was blonde. Needless to say I was disgusted. The only reason I didn't give 1 star was because the waitress, even though being slow, tried her best to make it up to us. In the years to come though, we will never be coming back here.
(2)
Jasmine B.

Delicious beer. I love the care and dedication they put into their brews. Food is pretty good. Not too fancy, which works because it's a brewery in Boulder Creek. Sometimes they get a little too busy and you have to wait a while. There are times at the bar where the bartender will take a very long time to serve you. My only wish is that they had glass surrounding where the beer is brewed because it sure makes the place stinky during the day... keeps me away at lunch time. Other than that, a wonderful place to go! Decent food, great beer, and friendly staff.
(4)
E A.

Re-reviewing: I had to read some of the other recent reviews since Chef Judd has left. Was disappointed to hear he left about 1-2 months ago. :-( He really made this place his own. Good food and service was great since he was here for the past 2-3 years. We actually stopped coming here before they remodeled in February and before Chef Judd left. I really wanted to like this local place for casual food and good dinners, but when we were here last, probably January, my bf had got sick to his stomach from some of the food he ate. I was fine. I think he ordered beef or prime rib of some sorts. Not sure what happened there, but it was on 2 different occasions of us coming in there in Dec and Jan when that happened to him. I'm thinking it might of been an off day of Chef Judd? idk. Excited this place came alive the past year and half. They actually had a waitlist, which was unheard of before. Beers are great if you drink beer.(I had to give up the gluten, unless there's one without) I sure hope they get another great chef in there again. Someone to follow suit and keep it happening.
(2)
M W.

Great atmosphere but 3 stars because we've never actually eaten food here. We went in last summer and asked what was gluten free because I read on here that they are quite gluten-free friendly but the server was so very insistent that nothing was gluten free and kept emphasizing there was absolutely nothing on the menu that was safe (or that he would eat if we were him). He said he wouldn't even order a plain burger no bun or a steamed artichoke because cross contamination was guaranteed. We ended up not ordering because of what he said and left really disappointed, and hungry. I've been in a dozen or so times since with friends but we never eat anything because we've never gotten the impression they are gluten-free friendly but they seem to passively have a reputation of being able to accommodate. Maybe there is someone we should be asking to speak with? We'd love to be able to eat here.
(3)
Lars S.

Passed through B.C. at late lunchtime on the way to Big Basin and stepped on brakes when I spotted a brewery. Sons pronounced their burgers "great", including the deep-fried avocado. My portobello sandwich was fine too. Room was rather empty so I guess service was not overloaded; in any case all was fine. Beer good too. Would gladly return.
(4)
B D.

Best beer on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)
Leanna I.

Let me paint this picture for you... You've heard of this small mountain town, Boulder Creek, and that it is most famous for its redwood trees. You decide to take the long, winding drive up to Big Basin to see what the fuss is about. You hike, you see amazing nature and now....you're hungry! Back in "downtown" Boulder Creek you see there aren't too many choices and you definitely don't feel like making the drive ALL the way to Santa Cruz just for something to eat. Little do you know what amazing burgers and brews await! If you really want something to feed your hunger, try the Santa Cruz Burger (sauteed mushrooms, fresh avocado and jack). They also have a ton of locally-inspired beers (The Redwood Ale, Lompico Gold IPA, Big Basin Brown). How better to end a hike? Not to mention the super chill atmosphere, friendly locals and occasional musical performance. Love this, love local!
(4)
J J.

I'm a fan mainly cuz Andrea rocks! She was working the bar all on her own today on Christmas Eve day and she was fabulous. She gets five stars. I liked their variety of beers. I especially liked the Kolsch and their holiday beer. I tried the coconut porter but I really didn't taste nor smell coconut. Next time, I plan to try more beers and their food. I also hope the back bar is open next time. It has a cool, cozy vibe. Thanks, Andrea for a great first visit!
(4)
S M.

Not many places to eat in BC but this looked promising. Good crowd inside and plenty of people at the bar. Has a nice cozy and warm feeling to the place. Servers are friendly and the service was fast. Had a pesto chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. Chicken was done just right and the pesto was more like pesto mayo than the stuff you'd put on pasta. If I'm in the area I'd go back and with the great drive along 9 to boulder creek it was definitely worth it.
(4)
Kathy G.

Stopped here after looking at open houses in the area. Very small town feel, lots of locals with children, great comfort food. Staff was friendly, beer and food was good. What more can you want.
(4)
Jamie S.

Beer was delicious, appetizers tasty (fried pickles were awesome!!) but my burger was way over cooked. Considering that we came specifically for burgers, I was a bit disappointed with that. That being said, we all loved our beers and the appetizers made up for the overcooked burger (which was reasonably priced).
(4)
Skye B.

What a treat! This place has a great menu and their fresh creative salads and famous onion rings are fabulous!
(5)
S S.

This is one of our go to spots and have been there a ton in the last several years. We always love the food and beverages. My husband loves to try the seasonal beers and there seems like at least one new choice each time. I strongly recommend the deep fried avocado wedges, they are my favorite!
(5)
Nicole A.

As a young local couple that goes to the brewery at least once a month and usually has great experiences here, we are very disappointed. The food was not the problem. We ordered basic yummy things (a couple sodas, 4x4 onion dip, a huckleberry burger, and a caesar salad) however when the time came to pay, we paid and left an average tip for average service. Once we were getting ready to walk out the door, our waitress proceeded to come back to the table and tell us that we stiffed her on the tip, we asked for a bunch of extras (a box becomes a bunch of extras?) and we owe her a bigger tip. Um excuse me? Coming from someone that has waitressed for a couple years I can say we definitely did not stiff her. I understand you have to tip out to bussers and hosts, so I make sure we tip accordingly, but the service was basic. We ordered basic menu items with no modifications, and so we tipped based on that. I know that the brewery has some excellent services (Andrea comes to mind) but this girl was not one of them. I feel like it was really out of line for her to come back to the table and tell her we owed her. It's not even the money I'm irritated about, it's the principal of her coming back and basically demanding a 25% tip on a really basic meal. Maybe if we actually had a bunch of requests, or ordered some beers, or even if we were wild and rowdy, sure, but we were quiet, clean, and polite. If we lived in a state where waitstaff was paid 1.50$ and tips were factored into wages it would be one thing, but in California, you make $8.00 and keep 80% of your total tips. I worked at a greasy spoon type diner and I can bet she's making more in tips a night at the brewery than I ever did serving breakfast for dinner. The bottom line is if you go to the brewery, and your waitress has gauges, ask to move sections, or you'll get to deal with her attitude about tips. We refuse to be served by her if we ever even decide to come back.
(2)
Steve P.

I love this place. But the Bluegrass band has to go. They have long outlived their usefulness. They just get louder and take up more space. Another thing. Kids in the bar is a HORRIBLE idea. Today I witnessed a local trying to hold down another tabe while his wife and pre-primary school kids were holding down another. during happy hour. This is unacceptable. I fully intend to tell the man about it.But, he has no business getting huffy. I don't like it. But, he will get an earfull as will Nancy. Kids are gone from the bar or I am!
(3)
Tamera S.

We had not been here in many years, but heard that the place had cleaned up and that the menu was improved, and it is true. They also have very high quality house made beers. When I expressed that I am not much of a beer drinker and occasionally drink Corona, the waitress brought me a sample of Mountain Gold, and it was light and delicious, and my husband enjoyed the Dragon's Breath IPA which he liked very much. We were right in suspecting large portions, so by ordering a Caesar salad and half pound hamburger we found that it was amble for two hungry people. We enjoyed very attentive service and will return again soon.
(5)
david l.

Nice of them to offer to fix it thanks guys. So took my restaurant guys to eat and it was pretty good. Service was great and beer drinkers loved their ale. Fresh salads. Clean .
(4)
steve a.

The craft beers are pretty good but the food is even better. Big tasty burgers and other American food with great flavor, you can tell they use real food and prep most from scratch. TRY THE AVOCADO FRIES! They sound strange but are one if the best finger food appetizers I have ever had. The inside is a little funky and it can take a while for them to notice you so only 4 stars. Otherwise it would be a 5 star'r
(4)
Monica S.

Overall a great experience - I really liked about half of the 9 beers they had on tap when I visited. The others were so-so, but I think that's a pretty decent showing. Food also is great. Happy hour is $3 pints, such a great deal + lots of locals hanging out.
(5)
Rich S.

Great place...just stopped in for a quick one after work. Outstanding dry stout...Dublinrnothing. Staff and customers were friendly, stayed for few more :)
(5)
Traci N.

We found ourselves hungry in Boulder Creek so stopped here for lunch. They're redoing the floors so we had to walk around the table saw to get in, but they'd cleaned it up by the time we left. Both the food and service was fine, nothing to write home about. I had BLAT Sliders, my husband a burger. The fries were above average in taste, but on the cold side. We also sampled a few beers. I'd recommend the chocolate stout (Love Potion Hwy 9 is I think what they call it). It was very chocolatey for a beer without being I overly sweet. The amber was run of the mill and the ginger beer was not something I'd recommend. It was the first time trying ginger beer, so maybe there's is good, those flavors just don't jive with my palette. Overall the beer lacked a depth of flavor but was drinkable. The new floors look great.
(3)
Nate H.

Five stars for the beer - some of the best craft brews in the broader area. Five stars for the service - really great bartender who you could tell genuinely wanted to help you chose a beer you loved. Three stars for the food - just ok. Overall will definitely be back for a pint, may not plan the visit around a meal.
(4)
Peter R.

Best place in town to grab some nice food. Generic pub menu but everything we had was very tasty and seemed very fresh. Close to the Big Basin State park and easily the best place to stop before and after a hike to get some food or a drink. Good service and surprisingly excellent beer menu. Definitely recommended.
(4)
P S.

I was a weekly regular here while living in the area for a few months. It's the best place (OK, one of the only places) to go for good food, drink and free Wi-Fi in Boulder Creek. The beer is very good -- my favorite was the Redwood Amber. The specials menu is really excellent: The chef puts a lot of energy and enthusiasm into creating unique and delicious dinners. (The specials menu is posted on their Facebook page each Friday, I think.) The Judd Anthony burger is mind-blowingly good. The garlic fries, sweet potato fries and fried pickle chips are all great. (However, I wished they'd offer fried pickles as a side for one person, instead of only the full-price basket; you have to have someone to share with). The atmosphere is comfortable and friendly - lots of wood, booths and tables, a nice bar. They remodeled right after I moved away, too. I was frustrated by the spotty Wi-Fi server; I often had to ask them to reset it. But whether you sit in the restaurant or at the bar, the staff is really genuine and nice.
(4)
Vicky M.

My favorite place!! Excellent customer service, delicious beer and the best burgers around here. It's a weekly must-go!
(5)
Ken S.

Had read some bad reviews, so was not expecting much. They had 13 beers on tap. We tried about 6, all very good. The 007 IPA was excellent, as was the Larkspur Porter and Redwood Amber. The waitress, Andrea, was very nice and accommodating, checking up on us several times. So the poor service mentioned in other reviews was definitely NOT what we experienced. They must have taken the past reviews to heart. We also had the onion rings - awesome and huge portion - enough for 5 people. Will definitely come back and try more of the food.
(4)
Dana W.

Still our home-away-from-home place to eat! Food is consistently good, Chef adventures out with some amazing Italian fare. The brewmeister is also consistent with his awesome beers. If you don't know beer, pay attention to the alcohol content. Saw a complaint from someone who apparently didn't read the beer descriptions. If it's a 9% beer, yes...you will probably feel it. They are FINALLY updating their interior...new carpet, booths so far. Hear rumor that new ceiling and paint in the future as well. Staff is friendly, efficient and tend to you without being over-bearing. This place is getting increasingly popular (great food + great beer = crowds) but it's worth the wait!
(5)
Raina S.

The food, beer, and service were okay here -- nothing to get excited about. It's nice that a town the size of Boulder Creek has a brewery, and due to the lack of restaurants here, I might return (at least for a drink). BC is a nice little place with old-timey establishments and hippy/new age grocery stores coexisting nicely together. Our group tried a couple of burgers, which were too charred for my taste. The burgers and sandwiches come with skinny fries, sweet potato fries, or onion rings. A pretty nice selection. The sweet potato fries were tasty. I had a Cubano sandwich that was good but unlike any Cubano I'd ever heard of. This one had BBQ pulled pork, cheese, grilled onions and jalapeno. A friend tried the hot wings, and damned if they weren't HOT! I ate two and my lips and tongue burned for about twenty minutes afterward. I liked them, but there's no way I could have eaten more. We ordered a few beers, including amber, IPA, and a summer ale. I'm not big on hoppy beers, so only the summer ale appealed to me. It was good, and had a bit of a nutty flavor. The others in our group weren't as thrilled with their choices. Service was a bit slow, but not terrible. We had three people working our table, and that made things a bit confusing. The decor in the BC Brewery is pretty hideous. You can tell this used to be another restaurant, and the current residents don't appear to have changed anything. The ugly light fixtures, torn booths, and ugly carpet are screaming for a remodel!
(3)
Erich V.

A classic americana style restaurant: burgers, hot wings and beers.
(4)
Ann A.

Very small town feel, great home-style food and excellent selection of on tap brews. I love to eat here on a Friday or Saturday, great service, cant go wrong with picking this place for your next dinner or lunch night out.
(4)
Manish V.

Dropped by based on yelp rating. Loved the ambience. Service was a bit slow but its was late weekday aft so didnt mind much. The best part was the food! I had a veggie hoagie which was terrific. Definitely a great stop enroute to Santa Cruz from the bay area
(5)
Dave Z.

If you're looking for a greasy burger - you'll find it here. I admit that the bun was fresh but it has to be used to soak up the dripping grease. Atmosphere is cool, but once was enough.
(2)
Lance G.

BWAAAAHHHHAAAAHHHHAAA!!!! I've been 86ed from here for writing a truthful review of this place. I briefly described how this place went from one of California's finest brew pubs to dive bar status. Hell, I didn't even mention how NASTY the kitchen and bathrooms are. So the chintzy owner decided that 86ing me was more beneficial to him than actually fixing the problems that are drowning his business. The Brewery was once a small, bright jewel of the California Brewpub scene and now it's basically a shit hole with marginal food and undrinkable beer.
(1)
Rachel L.

I love this place!!! I'm originally from Felton, but had never eaten here until last year! We just moved to Boulder Creek recently and I have eaten here several times. Their pulled pork sandwich is amazing and it's what I usually get. If you like spicey wings they have the suicide wings that are so delicious too. I went here for my birthday a couple weeks ago with a few friends and had the steak with crispy onions and mushrooms and mashed potatoes and veggies. It was massive- i couldn't finish it! And it was amazing too. Now their beer is a whole other level. Sooo good! I usually get the Dragons Breath, but i just tried the Redwood Ale and it was equally good. I have always thought the service was amazing contrary to what others have written. Maybe it's because I know most of them haha. Overall I would recommend this place to anyone! Great food, great beer, great service and great laid-back atmosphere! :)
(5)
Its M.

Judd is gone and this place is hopping. Not sure why. Beer is as good as it was, food is good but not great, and service is mediocre. They do a good job up front but it is clear that followup is needed. What I mean is once our food was delivered, the waitress was busy elsewhere. All I wanted was another beer and send water for my kid....clearly front end management is needed here. Owner is busy delivering food but not worrying about service. She us very friendly but needs help! We are long time customers and want to see This place succeed but its about more than just beer....
(2)
Susan G.

As a "Burger" lover, I have to say, tremendous! Juicy, flavorful, charbroiled fantasticness...messy and delicious! Brookdale Burger and Skinny Garlic Fries with a Dragons Breath brew...
(4)
Kris C.

This is a hard review to write, as we had fallen in love again with a place that by all rights should have been out of business a couple years ago. Last night we went to dinner, fully expecting the quality and service we normally have received over the past couple years. We were sadly disappointed. We got our drinks and asked after Chef Judd because something seemed off when we walked in. A weekend night, the place was only 3/4 full and the energy just wasn't there. We were told Chef had left a few weeks ago now. That was disappointing, but we were still hopeful that the owners had learned something about quality ingredients. The beer was still good, so that was promising. The calamari, our standby favorite dish was not only not up to par, but downright disappointing. Overcooked and slightly rubbery and poorly seasoned, it also had a strange stringy texture, like maybe it wasn't exactly fresh. On to dinner. I ordered the marinara spaghetti and my husband ordered a burger. Quality has clearly taken second place here. My spaghetti was just okay, but again, not fresh for the day, more like reheated leftovers of last night's better dinner. The burger was still big, which was promising. Picking up the burger was the first sign as grease drained off of it. Obviously we're moving to cheaper burger meat. The order was medium, the burger was well done. While it was a good burger, it certainly didn't qualify for the price point they were still charging. This was one of the major problems BCJ (Before Chef Judd) poor quality and overcharging for it. We didn't bother with dessert, I didn't want to see what tragic cuts they made to the tiramisu or creme brulee... two of my most favorite desserts. The front of the house wasn't being run much better. While we were there I watched a number of employees walk out the door and just "hang out." I watched another one stand outside a little while later and talk on their cellphone for awhile. The service at our table was adequate, but we were half way or more through our meal before the waiter checked to make sure everything was okay. I don't have a lot of hope of the owners maintaining the standard previously upheld by Chef Judd, and if their prior track record is any indication, they'll be back to hanging on by a thread in 6 mos to a year. Sad, it was great to have a great dinner place here in town.
(2)
Greg R.

We spotted this place on the Internet before visiting the area and it looked interesting, so when the desk clerk at our hotel raved about the food, we were hooked. We should have eaten at the Foster's Freeze down the street instead. We started with their stout, which was very good, but after a long day in the car, the alcohol content kicked our b*tts. For an appetizer, we tried the Cheezy Chiabata Bread. The first bite was good, and then it seemed pretty bland after that. For entries we tried the King's Pie and the Boulder Creek Burger. The Boulder Creek Burger had 1/2 pound of beef, bacon, cheese, and mushrooms. Somehow with all those ingredients, they managed to make something that had no flavor whatsoever. After two bites I resorted to salting it in an effort to generate some excitement. Also, I ordered it with "no pink" and it was still a little pink in the center. Oh, well. It came with cole slaw, which while good was hands-down the driest cole slaw I've ever eaten. After a couple bites I got used to it, but it was a bit of a shock at first. The King's Pie was better. The "beer brined" meat they use is very savory, and the potatoes, cheese, and vegetables rounded things out nicely. However, each of us broke out in a sweat while eating it, leading me to think it might have had jalapenos in it (I am not a fan of any kind of spicy food). We asked the waiter, who asked the cook, who laughed at him without providing an answer. Regardless, this is shepherd's pie with a kick -- at least on the night we tried it. We also tried one of their "guest" beverages, a hard cider. It tasted like water that had been given a dash of cheap apple champagne. I'm not knocking Boulder Creek Brewery and Cafe because they don't make this, but we were underwhelmed and I'll bet you will be, too.
(2)
Mike N.

Dragon's Breath Ale: hoppy, only enough malt to take the edge off the hops. Wonderful! Drank two pints with my lunch. Lunch: Grilled chicken breast filet with pesto sauce, avocado, with a side of sweet potato fries. Sat at the bar and engaged the brewmaster in discussion. Learned his ales run close to 8% alcohol; Dragon's Breath is 7.6%! Enjoyed watching the assistant brewmaster "finish" a growler of ale with ground fresh rosemary weighed on a gram scale. Verrry gourmet! Y U M M A Y ! ! !
(5)
Harry L.

Overall this is a good place for burgers and beer. There other meals seem to be hit and miss and change often so no consistency there. Plenty of room with a warm and friendly atmosphere. I've never been able to get onto their WiFi so don't go as often as I would if it was working.
(4)
Krissy F.

Perfect place to stop - great service, avocado fries, amazing burger, delicious beer, wonderful music.... Great prices!!! Can't beat it!
(5)
Brian K.

Great Beers, great food. Worth the stop.
(5)
Sarah B.

The charm of this little brewery and cafe captured my attention as soon as we walked in the door! The rustic setting reminded me of an old-fashioned saloon, and the large brewing tanks lining the wall of the bar area boasted the truth of their name and reputation as the only brewery in Boulder Creek. Their list of home brews led me to choose the Dragons Breath IPA (since I'm a big hops fan), and it did not disappoint. It was light and citrusy, but at the same time lovingly infused with bright hops. The food was good, just not what I expected from a place that nearly looks like a dive bar. (Don'tt ake that as a bad thing.) We went for lunch, but I think dinner would have been a better choice, as I'm anxious to try several things on their dinner menu (like Kahlua Pig and Beer Braised Kings Pie). My Chicken Bruschetta Salad had an incredible balsamic vinaigrette drizzled over it, but I thought the huge chunks of ovaline mozzerella were flavorless, and therefore superfluous. However, the Cheesy Ciabatta Garlic Bread that came with it was so delicious, it could be considered dangerous! Service was slow to show up in the beginning (we were barely the start of the lunch crowd), but once they gave us menus and took drink orders, it was impeccable. The only truly disappointing thing about this place was the cost of food. While the beer was quite reasonable (only $5 each), my salad was almost $14. That seemed pretty imbalanced, and is the reason they didn't get five stars in my book. $72 total (including tip) was a bit hefty for a family of four at lunchtime. Overall, I'd say that if you're in the charming little corner of the world called Boulder Creek, stop in at the brewery for a hearty dinner and stay for more drinks! Hopefully, I'll see you there!
(4)
Joni W.

The Boulder Creek Brewery is a wonderful option for dining in the valley. They are open late and have something for everyone. A favorite for locals and visitors alike, enjoy the Boulder Creek Brewery for lunch, dinner, a cold drink....and trivia on every table.
(3)
Krista F.

My experience here fell a little flat. We arrived at lunch time after packing up our campsite. When we walked into this large place with an old saloon type feel to it, there was one other party eating on a opposite wall, and 2 staff members in a corner of the dining room chatting with each other. We stood there awkwardly as they finished their conversation and waited to be seated. The menu is extensive with a large variety of items. While I thought the beer was priced within reason, it was nothing to write home about. Our fried avocados were delicious but really overpriced. Maybe this place is better for dinner?
(3)
Natalie N.

We came in to try the local beer on tap and left a little disturbed. The ceiling was leaking right next to people eating when we walked in. Um, no thanks. The restaurant portion to the right of the front door was sad and unkept. Didn't try the food - seems as though people like it which is good. We saw at least 2 beetle-looking bugs wandering the table we were sitting at while drinking our beers. Again, attached to a restaurant, you never want to see live bugs wandering freely. Bleh. Service was nice and friendly enough at the bar so 2 stars for that.
(2)
Shane H.

I was born and raised in Boulder Creek and I don't think I will ever leave this wonderful quaint little town. Back about 20 years ago, boulder creek was a scarce town and was highly avoided by the valley locals due to it being represented as a "creepy town" with "creepy mountain-folks." Well, I finally decided to venture into town and see if these rumors still were true or not. After visiting Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe, I realized that it is the same old town, but with more acceptance for different personalities and no scary "mountain folks." The scene there was hippies, a few well-known locals, Santa Cruz grunge and Hipster scene, families, typical folks, fancy folks, gay, straight, African-American, Hispanic, and pretty much all of the above. Besides that fact, the food was flipping AMAZING! And to top it off.... The beer was out of this world. I have been trying to find my favorite beer forever now and I finally found THE ONE!.... Armchair Ale it was called! DELICIOUS! Me and my friend started off with good-ol calamari. I have tried calamari at probably 50 or more places and one of those being a Michelin-Star restaurant and this was by far the best calamari in the entire bay area! Who could imagine that a Brewery in a quaint old town would have the best calamari in the west coast (like the menu states)... WELL IT DOES!!! After an amazing beer and a great appetizer, by the nice cozy fire, we decided to go with yet another beer and order our main-entree. I ordered the Beer-Braised Kings Pie.... HOLY COW!!! Talk about comfort food! That was the most amazing meal I have ever had. WHY DOESNT THIS PLACE GET TALKED ABOUT... Maybe because it's a hidden gem... I remember going to this brewery about 6 or more years ago and it was the talk of the town that it was not the best place to go and by far people rather have eaten at Scopazzis right down the street. Well now it has new owners, and owners that care about great quality food and service! Our waiter was Peter, he was absolutely fantastic! He let us hang out for as long as we wanted and we never felt rushed to order, but he always came over to make sure everything was still ok. Great customer service and super friendly, which always, in my opinion, deserves a great tip! Everyone that worked at the restaurant seemed to be on top of everything. Never did we have an empty plate in front of us or nor did we ever have to go thirsty with their amazing micro-brews. If the inside was gutted out and didn't look like it did 10 years ago, I am positive this place would get people to come from Santa Cruz and even over the hill to enjoy this place. That was the only thing that was lacking, was the fact that this place hasn't changed the way it looks ever. Anyway, in the end, I will be venturing into town more often with an empty stomach and a parched mouth and will make may way into this place way more often! BEST PLACE AROUND, BY FAR!
(5)
Matt S.

The food is DELICIOUS!!! I was volunteering at a week-long summer camp at the YMCA Camp Campbell up the street. Our camp director surprised the support staff with a wonderful dinner from Boulder Creek Brewery. He got a large, customized menu, to go. Steak, chicken, shepherds' pie, whipped potatoes, rice with a light seasoning, steamed vegetables, garden salad, caprese salad, a peanut butter dessert, and brownies. Everything was absolutely delicious. The steak and shepherds pie were perfectly seasoned and cooked, nothing was dry. The whipped potatoes were buttery and heavenly! The peanut butter dessert is making my mouth salivate as I'm writing this review. I'm not sure what it was but it had the consistency of a fudge, but peanut butter instead of chocolate. I'm not sure how this compares to their standard menu, but If this catered dinner is any indication of the food that this place cooks up, then you've GOT to try the food here!
(4)
Jon M.

Came here after a wonderful round of golf, on a Saturday, based on a recommendation from one of my friends. Man... This is a place I will not be coming back to again. We first walked in, to the right is the seating area, to the left was the bar, just stood there waiting for someone to help us, then decided to just go sit in the bar area. We sat at one of the open tables for a solid 10 minutes with not a single person helping us out. We looked around, only saw a bartender kinda just chatting with the patrons at the bar, not worried about us. So after about 10-12 minutes, we decided to try out dining side. (I would have personally left, but the 3 of us were very hungry and just wanted to eat) We sat down, all 3 of us ordered the "Special" (Mind you they have a BIG sign posted right in front of their door, on the sidewalk, saying "Special, Cheeseburger for $6.95". The waitress looked at us like WTF are you talking about, then said she would ask if it was ok since the sign was up. Came back, said "Yeah, no problem!". We ordered that, she came back 5 min later saying the KITCHEN staff would not make a CHEESEBURGER since the "Special" was only during the week. Then she asked if we wanted menu's AGAIN, and reluctantly ordered some other overpriced burger. We got our food, the burger was ok at best, seemed like it had been sitting out for some time. We had ordered a pitcher of Dunkeweizen, which tasted a little flat, our pitcher was empty, the waitress asks if we want another, we said "No, we are good.", she gave us an ugly look, then proceeded to tell us that she was going to take the pitcher since we didn't order more beer (still with the sour face), then stormed off with the pitcher. We then wanted our check, our waitress was nowhere to be found. Then, my friend went to the bathroom while we waited, and saw her just sitting at the bar eating food. She didn't give a crap about our table or her job for that matter. We had to flag someone else down so we could actually leave. In conclusion, I know I will never return here and I would not recommend anyone coming to this overpriced hole in the wall. Save your money and go to McDonalds, at least they have good service.
(1)
JC D.

Sadly, there was a big fire at BCBC last night and the restaurant is a total loss. :-( If you want to support Nancy and Steve (the owners) visit their other restaurant in Santa Cruz: yelp.com/biz/surfrider-câ€¦
(5)
Angelina Marie Y.

After a long hike at Big Basin, my friends and I were looking for a great place to have a victory meal. Regretfully so, we came here. The food was okay. Nothing overly amazing, mediocre to say the least. I'm going to assume it sucks working here because our server Nick told our group that he was quitting in 3 days so he didn't give a crap about anything. It was obvious; his customer service sucked and he had such an attitude. Wrong industry to work in man. To top it off, he charged my card 2 times making 7 cheeseburgers and sides of fries a whopping 600 dollars. He didn't apologize either, if I was quitting a job within 3 days, I wouldn't care either. I asked him for a receipt to show that he credited me back, his response? "Wait a few minutes, I have to dig it up in the trash." My friends and I literally stood by the register watching him dig through the trash... You couldn't reprint the receipt?!? Anyway, still here waiting for my money back. Wish we saved our victory meal for when we got back to SF. This place was NOT worth it and will never revisit again.
(1)
Sylvain B.

Went back with my sister. Tried the burgers and chilly. My sister was amazed and had a bash with the chilly. It was nice indeed. Burger: OK+ I upgrade the note as eventually I feel like going back to try more food. The waitresses attitude greatly improved!!! ;) Read my OLDER review pls.
(4)
Kris C.

Completely bummed out. The Brewery burnt down early this morning. Not only did we loose a great locally owned business, We lost a landmark. Sending wishes for a quick recovery. Stay tuned...
(5)
John H.

Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe is a brewpub and restaurant serving mostly local brews in addition to what's made in-house. It's casual and friendly and you can come as you are, which is what everyone does in this "mountain" community in ancient redwood forest, 30 minutes north of Santa Cruz. Food is standard pub fare - burgers, fried onion rings, pizza, salads that appear as an afterthought. We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon so we may have missed some of the action of busier nights; despite being a locals hangout, however, we felt right at home fiddling with our Trivial Pursuit cards (a few can be found on every bar table). There are a few taps, but being a smaller brewery, we didn't have many choices on the day we were there. If you're within a few miles of Boulder Creek, or just plain brew-curious, stop in. You may make a friend or two at the bar.
(3)
Jeffrey W.

I've been coming here for a long time and every time I'm very happy not only with the service but also the quality of the food. Their mine and beer selection is great. As an example; if you want something more than a regular hamburger, you can get your organic grass fed burger as an option as well. Great to have this option up in the valley. Lou, the chief, does a great job with weekly specials which is what I usually have. Great variety for locals. Being gluten free myself, they have a awesome GF bun that you can get on any sandwich. Not too dry or thick. Regarding their beer selections, they have a great list of local microbrew's which are highly recommended and brewed in house. Ranging from sour beers down to your dark porters and everything in between. I would recommend their IPAs or the redwood ale as a starter Overall I highly recommend Boulder Creek brewery for many reasons. I will continue to come back.
(5)
Cord N.

This is an excellent spot to stop along Highway 9's Redwood-shaded-Windy- Roads. I love pints of high alcohol % IPA or Double IPA Craft Brews .... Which are on Menu. On my recent trip I had two Pints of the Dragon's Breath IPA. It was a pretty smooth brew that went well with my dinner. We started with the Fried Pickels & Cheesy Ciabbata Bread. I then had the Chicken Philly Sandwich with Garlic Fries. The Food was perfect & the menu is vast and worth exploring.
(5)
Billybob R.

Had a really crummy day, so I went out to grab a beer and a burger at BCB. I hadn't been there in over a year, but I kept seeing the posts about the great beer and food, and wanted to check it out again. The wait staff was exceptionally nice and attentive, even though it was a busy Saturday, and made eating alone a lot less awkward lol.. Anyway, just wanted to say 'thanks' again for the great service, you guys are awesome~! Also, love the Kolsch, the holiday beer, well.. it tastes like it sounds on the menu, that isn't just them being clever. PS: Because the other reviews mention the service as being hit-or-miss, I will say my waitress was a fit brunette woman in her mid to late 30s, and she was a great waitress! Although, it sounded like the people at the next table over may have had their order forgotten about by a different server..?
(5)
Casey U.

Interviews with a Casey, Volume One: Other Casey: Hey, Casey! Where should I go after a 10 mile hike with a fully loaded pack from Big Basin to Boulder Creek down the 236? Casey: Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe is an excellent choice. Although it might not look like much, you can take a seat at the bar, and they'll get you the beer and burger you so richly deserve (although they won't give you the shower you so desperately need, unless you're willing to take it from the fire hose out back). OC: How IS the beer? What should I order? C: The beer is generally in the B+ to A- range. After making friendly with the brewmaster I managed to get four samples for free, and a couple of pints (because 11:30 after a long hike when you haven't eaten anything is the PERFECT time for a beer). The Larkspur (a 4.5% English bitter) was a well-balanced example of the style: neither too hoppy nor too malty, and low enough alcohol that I could pretend to by hydrating, not day drinking. Similarly, their wheat (5%, brewed with Abbey Yeast) was a treat, with hints of crisp apple, clove, and a creamy mouthfeel. Other stand-outs were the Amarillo IPA (8.3%), brewed with Citra and Amarillo hops, with agave and nopales infused brew with a beguiling aftertaste, and their Belgian Table-Beer (4.3%), with piquant spicy notes and a slight hint of the barnyard. OC: Alright already, you goddamned snob, tell me about the food. C: Well, as you know Other Casey, I'm of the opinion that there are only two types of burgers in this world: Burgers that focus on the meat, and burgers that focus on the toppings. The Huckleberry Island Burger fell squarely in the latter category. While the chuck was a bit too finely ground for my taste, and not quite rare enough (I prefer my burgers still mooing), although a high fat content and good crust made these flaws easy to overlook. Really though, Other Casey, this burger came into its own the moment I got my teeth around the toppings. Not only did the sautÃ©ed onions, swiss cheese and cilantro jalapeno sauce work together perfectly, but worked harmoniously with the panko-fried avocado topping (something I didn't even realize that I needed in my life) which was perfectly crispy, and wonderfully fatty. During the best of bites, you got a little spice, a little crunch, a little sweet, and a whole lot of meat. A homemade ciabatta bun (by request, and recommendation of the bartender) held everything together beautifully. I can't say it was the best burger I've had this year, but it certainly was one of the most fun. OC: Anything else I should know, Fatty McFunctioningalcoholic? C: Happy hour specials are outstanding (Every day 4-6, Wednesday 2-6, Saturday and Sunday 9-closing), with two dollars off full priced pints. Transit accessible by the Santa Cruz Metro 35 Bus, which departs for Santa Cruz and Scott's Valley a quarter past and a quarter 'til every hour across the street. Friendly service. Potent garlic fries.
(4)
Malinda D.

Came here for the first time with family and was very pleased. My boyfriends sister lives in Ben Loman and there are very few places to eat. This place was only 2 miles out and has a great atmosphere. It was a great pick for lunch. They offer grass fed burgers, which is what I chose from. That was nothing special but acceptional. Great selection of beers & you can smell the fresh brewery! My favorite part of the meal was the Avacado fries they offer as an appetizer. Never tried before but OMG! a must try FOR SURE! Seating was easy, very roomy, and satisfying service. I just can't stop thinking about their avacado fries and and shocked I haven't had before anywhere else. Looking for a good place to eat to enjoy your company this is a GREAT CHOICE.
(4)
Stephanie R.

2 words: Avocado fries! They are seriously delicious, I've been craving them since we ate at BCB. Overall, they're food and menu is great and the place just has a chill vibe. Great place to unwind, enjoy a good meal and a pint of a craft brew! Definitely one of my favorite places out of everywhere we have tried since moving to SLV seven months ago.
(5)
Edwin B.

The brewery, is located in the own of Boulder Creek. If you don't live there, its basically a super scenic drive on the 9, which is an instant win for those who like to get away. The place itself, has a chill vibe to it, where its half bar, half restaurant. Bar - enough room where you don't feel like you're being squeezed with the other guests. Restaurant - good enough for dates, family, and everything in between. Lighting can be a bit dim, but that's part of the atmosphere/ambiance. Beer - has a great selection of beers ranging from Hefes, Ales, IPAs, and Stouts. All with their own distinct tastes and characteristics. They are a brewery, so they know their stuff in regards to beers, and all for great pricing! The food - Have to try the burgers, wedge fries, and calamari.
(4)
Mark F.

I love this place! This is a long drive from just about anywhere but if your ever in the area, they have the best beer and awesome food. If that's not enough, they also have a full bar. The redwood ale has been a staple beer in the area for years and I love it. Being a hop head though, I really appreciate what they offer for IPAs. The dragons breath IPA is their standard but they usually pour a variant as well. This time I'm drinking the big bore imperial IPA and its kicking ass! (And kicking my ass too) I've always been a big fan of the burgers here but this time mine was cooked to death so I took away a star. The onion rings however are the best I've had hands down and a must try..
(4)
Chris O.

Overall everything was pretty good here and I liked the fun relaxed atmosphere. They have decent pizza that's basically a better version of round table, we didn't try much else besides the house salad which was good, but a bit pricey. They have a good beer selection and yes you can get pitchers, my biggest gripe is they served us the beer in some SF Giants orange colored glasses, somehow that just made the beer look not so good and I hope they get some proper non colored glass in soon. The service was very good which was odd since I think it's not really a table service place being you order at the front and then sit down. Everyone was friendly and the thing I guess I really like is this reminds me of the old pizza parlors I used to go to as a kid, maybe juts a few less arcade games (but they do have some :)
(4)
Julianna M.

Although our experience was limited to the bar area, we had a pretty good experience. Maybe it's just me, but initially, I felt a little ignored considering we were sitting right in front of the bar tender. I get that it was busy, but a menu wasn't offered to us for at least 10 minutes. Good thing they had the World Cup game playing for us to pay attention to...But after our order was taken, service was much better. So not sure what the deal is, but don't ignore patrons who sit at the bar. However, the beer is fantastic! They serve a wide variety of beers which is great. Ginger beer on tap? Yes, please! My favorites were the brown and amber ales as well. The only beer we didn't get to try in their rotation was the IPA because they were out. $2 for 4oz tasters - great deal! We also ordered the food special, beer mac n cheese! Awesome! I think if we were in the area, we'd come back for a pint.
(4)
Roberta B.

Was camping @Big Basin and came down into town for supplies, decided to have a late lunch. Food here was great, my husband had the ribs with a side of onion rings and a salad. The ribs were very tender and the sauce was beer based and sweet, very different but great! I had the beer battered fried shrimp, the batter was spicy and made the shrimp very tasty. BTW the beer was the best! Will return again when we are camping!
(4)
Lauren O.

I stopped in here after cutting down my Christmas tree at a farm a few miles away. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has a homey feel. I had a soup and salad combo, with loaded baked potato soup, which was really delicious. My boyfriend tried the burger and said it was decent. The service was good, not a lot of parking nearby. I would come again if in the area!
(4)
Michelle C.

Two words: IPA and gluten-free burger buns home-made. Ok that's a lot more than 2 words, but who gives a shit stop reading this and go there already! The beer is amazeballs and the food is redonkulous!
(5)
Julian M.

Such a shame the fire took the brewery away ,The food and beer was always good .i hope they rebuild soon ,
(5)
Sarah T.

Since moving to the valley 6 months ago this has become our go to spot for a quick lunch or dinner. The service is always casual but on point, we are always are well taken care of. The hamburgers are huge & delicious, the avocado fries are deadly & the beers are always interested & well balanced. The steak & scampi is surprising good for a casual place, as well as the shepards pie. Good food, beer & staff (& sometimes live music)= best casual place in the valley. PS the garlic fries have the fresh garlic, parmesan & parsley making them fantastic & they have sweet potato fries!
(4)
Tom C.

Always looking for a new place when I am out for a ride - too bad I picked this place, but it's live and learn. I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and it was fairly dead - only 2-3 other customers. I sat at the front bar, which was empty. Now, I have read several of the reviews here and most seemed to dog the service. I was in no hurry, so if they were a bit slow it wasn't going to bother me - I was in a very patient mood, just wanted to relax and have a beer/burger after a long ride. The lady working the bar must have obviously just taken a long ride, because she was in no hurry either. I can't say she was rude, but she had no sense of customer service.I finally ordered a beer, and a burger(Santa Cruz). Not long after I ordered, a group of 4 walked in and sat in the bar area - and waited, and waited, and waited to get served. After finally getting their order, the bartender decided she needed a break from all that hard work and disappeared to the back - another waitress was there, but she was busy reading a newspaper and didn't help anyone. My food finally arrived and I was more than 3/4 through my beer, ready to order another beer- no bartender around. After about 10 minutes she reappeared, but trying to avoid myself and the other 4 folks who were grumpy because they couldn't get any service - so they decided to leave, just barking for their ticket. I was amused when after she finally cashed them out, she gave blurted out an expression of disgust at what I am guessing was their lack of a tip. I just shook my head. Long story short, this lady who was manning the bar, has absolutely no business working a job that is customer service - she clearly doesn't enjoy it, and clearly doesn't want to do the work. I usually give a pass on this because everyone can have a bad day, but by the number of reviews who have panned the service, I would deduce she is the problem. If I am the owner of a customer service business, this is the last person I would want in my establishment. There are plenty of other places to try in Boulder Creek - absolutely no reason to come back here. To end on a positive note - the burger wasn't bad. She talked me into the upgraded burger, which I couldn't tell you if it was better or not, haven't tried the others.
(2)
Olga M.

So let me just preface this with the fact that we did the 11-mile loop in Big Basin before we came here and were mostly fueled by water and protein bars meaning most food would have sufficed. (+1) Happy hour from 4-6 every day! WOOHOOO $14 pitchers! The girls had the cider which was decent and the guys had the Galaxy IPA, which was also decent. (+1) Avocado fries - these deserve a point of their own. SOOO yummy - it's deep fried oil? What's there not to like about greasy fried goodness, especially after a strenuous hike? (+1) The service was pretty fast, there were 10 of us and we all got burgers every which way. (+1/-1) Some of the burgers were really well done, mine was just okay - I only ate half of it. I guess it was the bun that got sort of soggy and didn't pair well with the innards. The price point was pretty decent given that it's pretty much in the middle of the forest. Note: I feel like if i were to just randomly assign them a grade I would actually give them around 4-stars but the point system really shows that they had more positives than negatives! :)
(5)
Kritter V.

10/3/2014: UPDATE. Twin sister and I went in right as they opened. Cleaner establishment and the wait staff very attentive. The burger was cooked to perfection. Way to turn my review around, BCB. I'll be back.
(4)
Briana J.

Came here with some friends after a long hike at Big Basin. The food was exceptional - delicious burger, good beer, and AMAZING avocado fries. What a great idea!! The reason I'm giving two stars? The waitress. I will admit, it was a group of us and we did split the bill between credit card and cash and I know that can be frustrating for servers. Unfortunately, she didn't bring us the change from the cash we left (about $11). We thought she maybe assumed that was her tip, but we wanted to tip separately, and to be honest, we wanted to leave a lot more than $11.00. We tried to flag down the waitress for about 10 minutes, but she made a point to completely avoid us. She basically tried to tip herself without asking, and then didn't want to admit that we caught the error. Finally, we got the attention of a DIFFERENT waitress, who was whispering to our server about 20 feet away. After rolling her eyes, she came over to our table and we explained that she didn't give us any change. She had an attitude that made it seem like we were annoying her. We were nothing but pleasant while we were there, and could not understand why the wait staff felt like treating us in such a way. My friends still left a tip, but I did not - being someone who works in the customer service industry, I thought the way she behaved was unacceptable. Terrific food, but I will not be returning to this restaurant.
(2)
Ivis F.

My girlfriend and I arrived to a packed Boulder Creek Brewery on Valentine's Day, luckily we had a reservation. We were seated quickly and given our menus. Soon after the waitress arrived for our drink orders which were beers. After deciding what we wanted, we placed our orders. My girlfriend order the breaded shrimp. I'm allergic to shellfish but my girlfriend enjoys it the few times we venture out of our busy schedules. However, about half an hour later we were notified that the restaurant was out of breaded shrimp. She was told to order whatever she wanted and it would be on the house. She chose a steak with sides. At the end, when we received our check. The only thing that we were charged was for my burger. Let's just say we were happy with the way they handled the situation and left a nice tip.
(4)
Kelsie R.

This place rocks! Perfect place to grab a beer and a burger after hiking at big basin. Try the fried pickles and Huckleberry burger. Our server was Nick & he did a great job! Really friendly.
(4)
Mary D.

Love this place but we drove up from San Jose and found out it was closed due to an early morning fire! Hoping for a quick recovery!
(5)
Sonya Z.

First of all, love the tag team service. It's like a different actor enters the scene each time as a different server approaches you and asks what you'd like to drink or eat. It's honestly hilarious and enjoyable (albeit somewhat confusing). Great service, great beer, great crowd, yummy food. Left me with a good impression of Boulder Creek. They have an awesome tasting policy that allows you to not have to gamble on liking the pint (or 12oz) that you order. Thanks for a great dinner on our way back to SF from Santa Cruz!
(5)
Michelle R.

so bummed out. They were getting better and better and better...and then THIS. Such a great place. I hope they rebuild, and soon...I will be there.
(5)
Denis B.

Don't see how this place gets 4 stars. Really not that great, beer is overrated and the restaurant has a weird layout. Lots of loyal townies go here, but it's not that good
(2)
J P.

Lived in Boulder Creek for a year and this was a Great place for good beer, good food and it's better than Joe's up the street where you typically get more "locals." Stopped by on April 6th, 2015 as my wife and I were visiting Boulder Creek, only to find out that it burned out just a week or so before. I hope that they are able to reopwn. Best of luck!
(4)
Matt B.

The BCB is our go to spot for a good pint of IPA and a plate of garlic fries. Being "local" we have gotten to know the staff and always get good service. But if you hit the bar during happy hour be prepared for standing room only in the tight space, but everyone is cool an respectful when you're trying to get to the bar for a pint. The constant rotation of beers is always an adventure. Keep in mind that if you're looking for an up scale five star brew pub this ain't it. It's a little dark and the decor is "Boulder Creek Chik" as the locals put it. It's a come as you are kinda place and it's ours so it's five stars from us. The food is consistent and we have never had a bad meal. The kitchen and staff have always been cool about catering to our sometimes picky requests. The garlic fries are our go to snack, fresh garlic and lots of it! The rest of the menu is good with adventurous weekend specials. As I said the BCB is our go to spot and will continue to be. Cheers.
(5)
Diane P.

With all this craft beer hype nowadays, I was not expecting Boulder Creek Brewing to blow me away as it did. We did a hike nearby and had some time to kill before dinner. Went to check out Boulder Creek Brewing and wow their beers are pretty incredible. You can really taste the complexity of their brews, whether it's the coffee infusion or the jasmine infusion. The prices were decent. The only thing is they only had one bartender who seemed to be running about. Although it really did add to the hole in the wall feel. The only thing is that we then wished we didn't have dinner plans so that we could try more food. We just snacked on their avocado fries, which were solid! Definitely a place worth making a trip out to and visiting.
(4)
L.B. M.

I love this place! They have really good mini BBQ pork sliders, chili and cornbread, and their garlic Parmesan fries are delicious. But DON'T order the raspberry lemonade. It took 14 packets of sugar to make it taste good, and even then it was pretty sour. I was so sad when it burned down.
(5)
Brian M.

I had the Holiday and the Baltic Porter. Both are dark and very potent! Also tried the 4 oz. sample of the Trapper (Brett) and did not care for it at all. Will be back to try some of the food.
(4)
Michelle N.

Great food the fries and homemade bun was great. Service slow when there is a big crowd
(4)
Amber N.

Always a favorite stop during the family trip to Santa Cruz! The host let us pick a place to sit and made an excellent suggestion to order the Dragon's Breath IPA (#winning). Although our server Dee was the only server AND bartender in the join, she was owning that place like a boss. Our table had two orders of the Boulder burger and one of the Brookdale burger (see photo!). Food was brought out in a timely manner, served smokin' hot and everything was super tasty. A true hidden gem in the Santa Cruz mountains!
(5)
tim c.

if you like your ipa's definately hit this place up and if your hungry you can get some food while your at it. So whats the problem for most people to make it down here? It would be definately location. I drive a lot of mountain rds and this one still takes the cake on how long it takes to get here especially from San Jose. your only choices are to take 17 to bear creek rd or hwy 9 all the way down and if your not keen on driving mountain rds well your gonna but well worth the trip other lil gripe i got is parking man its hard tryin to figure out where to park but hell i keep comin back
(4)
Honey B.

Having eaten at the Brewery quite a few times before I was anticipating my burger along with my friend. We were totally disappointed with our meal. Both of our burgers (ordered medium) were over cooked and burnt so bad the meat tasted bitter. The beer I ordered was awful and when I mentioned it to the wait person, he should have offered to replace it. No, he didn't. Awful meal and the beer was crappy. This is the last time I will eat or drink at this brewery and cafe. Just awful!
(1)
Barbara G.

Arrived here before noon and got right in. Started filling up after we arrived. We really had a great meal here. We split the pulled pork sandwich and my husband had a bowl of their clam chowder, food was great. Nice large place would be good for groups too.
(5)
Ryan V.

Great beer and great food. Service is also good most of the time. Redwood ale and their bourbon barrel beer are excellent.
(5)
Valerie V.

My husband and I had a fabulous experience here. The service was fantastic, pleasant, informative and very efficient. The beer was the best craft brew we have ever enjoyed. I loved the Imperial Stout, perfect blend of beer, coffee and chocolate so much better than it sounds. Our lunch was tasty and fairly priced. We can't wait to return.
(5)
Ben F.

Good beers, good wings if your passing give it a go.
(4)
Mo M.

I'm pretty sure this place is a whole lot better if you're into beer. The food wasn't worth the price the first time we went. A little bit for a lot of money unless you got pasta. Got their lunch special of the burger and fries one day and it was pretty awful. Seriously overcooked and the fries were not good enough to make up for the price we paid. Service was good the first time and iffy the second time. Probably one of those variable things. While other people are saying this is the place to go if you're hungry in Boulder Creek, I'd disagree. There are plenty of better restaurants in town if you want to eat good food.
(3)
Elizabeth S.

Great burger & fries + Redwood Amber
(4)
E T.

Burgers and Beers here are legit. Go for a hike near Henry Cowles National Park and take scenic drive to Boulder Creek. Cute little town.
(4)
Alyssa S.

My boyfriend and I stopped here on a whim after hiking at Big Basin just down the road. After that trip, we were hooked! We got to catch their Valentine's Day special brew, the Lovers' Chocolate Stout, which absolutely blew us away. It was an excellent chocolate beer with great body and an unforgettable flavor. I also ordered the Dragon's Breath IPA, which was spectacular, and their extra pale ale, which would be great for those in our lives that are just getting used to the beauty of craft beers. On our second visit, a rather large convention was taking up most of the restaurant. The servers were extremely apologetic about the delay from such a large group and took care of us extremely well. Their food is as good as their beers, which is saying something. I highly recommend the tomato bisque! This place is a little out of the way from everything, but I think that adds to the charm of such a small brewery. I make it a point to stop by whenever we are in the general vicinity and I am never disappointed. It is worth the drive for excellent beers, delicious food, and awesome service.
(5)
Brian B.

I love stopping at this place on rides through the Santa Cruz Mountains. The food is great, and the beer is even better. Try a couple (or more if you're not driving) and bring a growler home if you miss anything.
(5)
Elizabeth M.

3 stars for the very limited selection of brews they had on tap and no IPA:-( I tried the red but did not finish it...just didn't do the trick I guess. I ordered a pulled pork/french dip type sando. To me it just tasted weird. Neat place though! Friendly staff. I really don't know if I will be back.
(3)
DesirÃ©e S.

The beer and fried pickles are off the chain. Very relaxed vibe. They even have Trivial Pursuit playing cards to play with while waiting for your food. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Debbie T.

Love love love the ghost train pale ale, got a growler to go. Also the IBA marinated chicken sandwich with bacon, presto, and avocado was to die for! The french fries were perfectly seasoned, hot and crispy!
(5)
Toni B.

My husband spots a sign that says Brewery and we're in. He ordered the sampler -let me say that they are generous pours! He liked most of what they offered. We ordered their four onion cheesy dip with ciabatta - delicious...but I will be paying for that one later! This time around (because yes, we are going back!) I had the Santa Cruz Burger and it was cooked perfectly with garlic fries- ever so yummy! My husband had the Mushroom soup and salad.The soup was wonderful and my daughter had the calamari which was just as good as Aldos. Over all it was a great experience. Service was friendly, attentive and FAST. It wasn't busy when we were there but the locals sitting at the bar were all smiles and friendly. Love this Santa Cruz Mountain hamlet!~
(5)
chris w.

This review is 100% about the new Zythos IPA. Honestly, I was pretty bummed when the Dragon's Breath IPA went away but this... *this*!! If you loooOOOOOoooove Seabright Brewery's Sacrilicious Red Ale, then this is right up your alley and if you live in BC, you won't have to trek down to SCruz for it. Extra hoppy, nice malt balance, slightly chewy but definitely not too heavy to be just the thing after One Of Those Days. It's not precisely the Sacrilicious (it's not red enough), but it's damn tasty and if you miss this one, you've really missed out. Prost, Michael! While you're drinking this awesome Zythos IPA, you may as well get your grub on 'coz there's great food to go along with their great beer. I think this beer compliments their rich and meaty King's Pie very well.
(5)
J R.

Boulder Creek Brewery, it is definitely a must if you live in the area or if you are just in the area with great micro-brew beer with selections that will keep you coming. The food is not fancy is just perfect for beer drinking. The garlic fries are to die for and the redwood brew is unbelievable and reasonable prices. The town is fantastic, small town kind of stuck back in the 60's with a lot of character and charm. The friendly staff adds to the overall environmental of a small friendly and safe town.
(4)
Daisy A.

The beer at BC brew never lets me down. The specialty beers are always creative and made with lots of love. The staff is also great with all servers and waiters being prompt and friendly. They have the best sweet potato fries in town!
(5)
Roxanne D.

They get a two because we came to sample the stout which their website said was on tap but wasn't. Local calamari was tender and good. The 1000 Island-like dipping sauce did nothing for us. The avocado fries were fabulous with or without the cilantro jalepeno sauce (which reminded me of ranch dressing with fresh cilantro but no jalepeno.). The service was great and the appetizers (which was all we ordered - hubby had a beer) were great. Wish I could say the beer was great but, with no dark beer on tap was disappointing and what they did have was just average. Will try again when we are back in the area.
(3)
Don G.

Been a huge fan of this place since I moved to Boulder Creek 4 years ago. I have been recommending the place to friends the whole time. The food is pretty good. Most of the beer is really good. We usually get burgers or sandwiches when we go and you can't really go wrong there. Some of the new additions are good, but some others aren't to my taste. Since the new management came in the food has gotten better, but the service has steadily declined. Was in tonight with a large party (10 people) and had my plate with 1/4 of my meal cleared while I was in the bathroom. No one was asked if I was finished and everyone else at the table was still eating. It seems that management has put the directive in to turn tables as quickly as possible. There were a ton of extra tables available and we finished with over 2 and a half hours left in the service. Just a bizarre situation. There are plenty of other restaurants in downtown BC. The brewery needs to remember their longtime customers and not give them the bum's rush.
(2)
Eugene S.

Had a great, relaxed feeling. My wife and I ate here on a sleepy/rainy november day (a Tuesday) while escaping the rain at our campsite in Big Basin. The service was prompt and friendly. I asked: "Will you guys do a flight?" Answer: "Whatever you like". I asked: "Can we be served at the bar?" Answer: "Whatever you like". Nice. The bartender, Sam, seemed like a chill dude. He gave us the rundown of the beers. My favorite was the Pale Ale (and I'm usually an IPA guy). All the beers tasted nice and clean, not heavy or too bitter. The Porter was rich and chocolatey without feeling heavy. We split an small order of onion rings (not so small) and the Santa Cruz Burger with avocado, sautÃ©d mushrooms, and jack cheese with cole slay. Ordered the burger medium and was pleased to see just a bit of pink. The bun is large but not too thick, so it covers the big burger, but it's still easy to bite into the burger. The onion rings were fresh, not frozen looking/tasting, crispy and there were plenty to share. There was a 8 for 8 menu. Eight lunch specials under $8, I was eyeing the chicken sandwich or the wrap, but we decided to split our meal and go a bit bigger. I will definitely return and take a few friends.
(4)
Leah O.

We were camping in the redwoods near by and were hoping for some fine Californian beer, and the park ranger pointed us towards this place. FAN-tastic. We got a growler's worth of the Abbey Road (decent Belgian) and the Black Dragon (very, very impressive stout- absolutely thick, heady, and complex), went back to our campsite, and toasted ourselves into a Lorax-y slumber amidst the redwoods and the clear, starry sky. The next day we picked up a growler of the Black Dragon to take home. We wrapped it in two sleeping bags and put it in a box, but the airport people caught it and told us we couldn't take it home. SADNESS. But any beer that's worth trying to smuggle out of California has something going for it, yes?
(4)
Jessica G.

We really love having the Brewery right here in town. I order the same thing every time I go, Steak and Scampi and it absolutely never disappoints. The kids love the options they have and really love that there is Marianne's ice cream for dessert.
(4)
Sabine H.

Whether you want a simple burger (THE best burger and buns like in the world) or something a little more interesting - this is a great place to go ... its relaxing, low key and just an easy place. You can take your kids, meet friends, and have a variety of house brews... we love going to our local Brewery. Free wifi saved us many times when our power goes out sometimes in the winter due to fallen trees. Nice friendly place. The waiting staff are super friendly and helpful - for ultimate service and fun ask for PJ - he's our favorite.
(5)
Christopher C.

Food is incredible. Beer is Great. Atomic Wing Challenge... well, you`ll have to read more. We ended up at Boulder Creek Brewery for the first time because my wife decided to surprise me. I had been telling her how much I wanted to go do the Hellfire Challenge at Smokeaters in San Jose (yes, that one -- from the episode of Man vs Food? Ya.), and she had heard about the Atomic Wing Challenge here so she decided to bring me. Thing is, the challenge here is done with Ghost Peppers, not Habaneros like in San Jose -- and if you know anything about peppers, Bhut Jolokias are not to be trifled with. Yes I did the challenge, Yes I completed it, No I will never do something like that again. They should retire a number for me on the wall or something. Anyway, if you decide to take on the challenge please think twice about it -- I eat habs and bhuts for fun, and this was painful enough that it's almost beyond words. All that being said I DID return, because we noticed that the food other people were eating (including the salad my wife ordered) looked fantastic! Not something you would expect to see in a brewpub, so we said "Hey lets actually go there for dinner." And it was awesome. I mean it -- I had the "Fennel Orange Salad with star anise citrus vinaigrette and candied almonds", and it was fantastic. Then come the legendary cannolis -- I would describe them in greater detail but I don't want everyone else eating them, so if you could just go there and NOT order the cannolis that would suit me just fine, thanks. Anyhow, my wife and I are just sitting there stoked about how we just found this fantastic local place (and wondering why we hadn't heard about it before?) We looked around and saw our answer up on the wall -- Posters about La Bruschetta -- this restaurant for those of you who don't know was a legendary place in Felton. The place closed very shortly after we had moved up into the area and was a big disappointment for us as we had planned to check it out, and what a surprise to see that the very same chef had changed venues and was now at Boulder Creek Brewery! Ah, it all makes sense now. So there you have it -- like I said, good beer, great service, incredible food. Check them out on Facebook if you don't believe me, the chef posts his creations there on a regular basis. They say a picture is worth a few words right?
(5)
M L.

Food: I ordered the standby cheeseburger & fries. The burger was definitely "meh," slightly overcooked and sitting on a dry, cheap bun. However, the fries were quite good. The whole meal was served on a piece of wax paper sitting on a little wicker basket. Service: Our waitress was nice but definitely seemed overwhelmed. This suprirsed me because the place was less than half full and there were six other servers present. Ambience: old-timey bar. There's an ancient, broken-down player piano by the restrooms and an exposed "Desserts" refrigerator sitting in the corner of the main dining room. (Seeing the meager selection of little plastic-wrapped plates of food sitting in there under florescent light did not make the prospect of dessert too appettizing.) The floors were also pretty thin; I could clearly feel the vibrations of each passerby's footsteps and couldn't help but wonder just how much hollow space was underneath me...
(2)
Jolene P.

I LOVE the avocado fries! I can never get enough of them! the Caesar salad is awesome too. I have tried many Caesar salads and this one is by far my favorite! good service, good drinks!
(5)
Kevin K.

If you're in the mountains, and looking for a good brew and standard burger, pasta and fries fare, this is the spot. The beers are seasonal, so what pleases your palate today might not be available tomorrow, and what you hated today might be replaced by something you love in two weeks, so you can't judge them on just one visit. Usually I'm a stout fan, but these folks do a porter that is just stellar and much more to my preference. If they have a wheat on tap, that's worth a try too. Another thing to look for is the black bean soup. It's on and off the menu depending on season and demand, but you can call ahead for it as well. The burgers are thick, messy and quite tasty, just what you want from a small, local grill. The only thing on the menu I'd avoid is the pasta. I've ordered it a few times and it's just not remarkable - too bland and ordinary. Go with their other choices and you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Brandy A.

We like to go to brewery's for their sampler and dinner. I was impressed with most of the beer they had however they only had 2 sampler trays, then they ran out. I was not impressed with this. They are a brewery. And it was not busy in there. Anyways, the food was okay. The burger wasn't cooked the way I asked. The fans were not working inside and it was hot. And the wait staff was standing around talking while only like 2 people ran around to help everyone. Not really sure I will go back......
(2)
kathleen s.

We had a great lunch here. Our server was as cute as could be in his leprechaun gear, and so sweet. The burgers we shared were delicious as usual. The Santa Cruz burger is my fave, and its enough to share with a friend for the perfect amount of food. Nice, relaxing..easy going...it's a fave!!
(4)
Nadia A.

This place is one of my absolute favorites! I love driving up highway 9 to get to this chill little spot. I always get a pint (or two) of their Dragon's Breath IPA. Just recently I tried their Zythos IPA... Lord have mercy that's Hoppiness @ its finest. We took two growlers home to San Jose because it was so damn tasty. Their red ale is pretty damn tasty as well. Their food is really good too, their BBQ burger really stood out to be. The barbecue sauce has a very unique flavor that sets off the whole thing. Plus they have a pretty killer happy hour!! I always sit @ the bar get great service. One bartender in particular is super nice and friendly and always has something interesting to say. I don't see any real reason to update it to make it more modern. I think its casual and cozy place where you can just sit, relax and enjoy the beautiful misty mountains.
(5)
Michele Z.

We are regulars here the food is good and normally the service is decent. But last night a server took our name for us to sit. We watched several others gets seats before us which is fine. Then we watched a group of three come in (same amount as us) get seated before us. The server looked at us and realized his mistake, well then there were NO seats. We left. For being regulars this was NOT acceptable. Normally the food is good, the beer is tasty. Service needs to get better.
(1)
BAM B.

Yabba Dabba Do! Fred Flintstone would have been proud to be served the Beef Long Rib served over a creamy Polenta with a side of al dente veggies. Tonights (2/17/12) dinner special. Now mind you I have an appetite and still have half my meal as take away for lunch. Now to back track a bit... Let me start with a bit of history on Boulder Creek Brewery Cafe. I have been coming here for years, 10 plus years plus or minus a few months. Especially, since it is close to the house and has not poisoned me ever and I can get a hand crafted ale (at a reasonable price). I have enjoyed and been disappointed over the history of my visits. Looking on the cafe from the outside, you would not expect much in the way of a gourmet meal. Walk through the doors and your expectations would not change and you'd probably have second thoughts as the decor is minimal and definitely mountain pub style. The piece of art is the wood pile next to the wood burning stove. Wait staff... Hmmm an eclectic mix of valley mountain folks and transplants from the "big" city. But, it mixes within the walls of the brewery. Okay, fast forward to tonight. Now mind you this review is long over due, especially since Judd Anthony has taken over as Executive Chef. Tonight's meal; appetizer, Oyster's half shell ($14.95), dinner; Chicken Alfredo ($14.95) and Beef Long Rib slow braised with creamy polenta and fresh veggies ($18.95) and a desert of Tiramisu ($7.95). I'll start with the appetizer (how appropriate). Oyster's who would have thought in Boulder Creek.... Now these were very fresh... There was a slight briny taste of ocean and just a nice all around nice flavor. Oh, but I neglected the cocktail sauce... mind you the Oyster's were nice enough without the sauce.. But, the cocktail sauce has a touch of uniqueness that you just don't find on this coast. Nicely flavored with just the right amount of horse radish and pepper. It is rare that I have found a cocktail sauce that compliments, but does not overpower or take over the dish. The sauce pushed the oysters to another level. Now while enjoying the oysters Chef Judd came by the table with a small sample of Kale chips... Yes, I said it Kale made into chips.. These were amazing.. crispy with a slight salt and spice flavor that enhanced the earthy taste of Kale and complimented the leafy veggie... Now I am sure this was not "vegan", but I would think a "Vegan" would have enjoyed these as much as I did, especially knowing they were not fried in fat... (that's all I'll say) Oh, I neglected to mention that Chef Judd also dropped off a couple slices of candied Meyer Lemons. This is an experiment that he is working on... Wow! Candied lemons and to hear the desert and appetizer ideas he is working. "Nuff said there.. Hopefully we will all be enjoying on an upcoming menu.. I had better get onto the diner. I ordered the Beef Long Ribs. The plate came with a bed of creamy polenta and a very large rib over the top with a heavy ladled of the veggies the ribs were slow roasted in. The rib was large and very meaty... As the menu described, "fork tender", literally fell off the bone and mouth tender. The beef flavor carried through the sauce and made the dish not just enjoyable, but outstanding. There was such a thick cut on the rib, as mentioned Fred Flintstone would be proud..if not satiated. (enjoy the photos) Now if you enjoy Osso Buco this rib has the flavor and texture you will love. The polenta... Hmmm, the creaminess of the polenta with a touch of the beef rib and the sauce... What a combination.. The flavors blended and complimented the textures and tastes to another level. I would say the flavor popped! There was such a large portion that I have at least half my meal for lunch tomorrow. I would like to rave about the Chicken Alfredo.. But, hey I'm still enjoying the thoughts of the braised ribs...(it was very flavorful and enough to lunch the next day as well) Desert, Tiramisu... All homemade by Chef Judd. Granted no lady fingers, but the cake divide is crazy good with the creme filling to die for. I usually only enjoy a couple bites and let the girl friend enjoy the lions share.... Not tonight.. Lightly dusted witha dark chocolate powder dusted over the top and a slice of lemon... A slight squeeze of lemon on the Tiramisu, cuts the creme just enough to give a sweet tart enjoyment that I did not consider previously. Tonight she had to cross spoons with me over the desert. All in all, I have found that Chef Judd is creating dishes he enjoys and is making a place in the valley that is a go to spot for consistent meals that are both reasonable and memorable.
(4)
Laurel H.

After learning that the Boulder Creek Brewery was a sister restaurant to the Surfrider Cafe (which we recently ate at and liked), we were looking forward to eating there again after a 5-year break. Our waitress at the Surfrider gave us a $5 off coupon to use at the Boulder Creek Brewery--which was incented us to try it out again. As far as the food goes--it was mediocre at best. We had cheeseburgers--they seemed incredibly greasy. Even the bottom of the bun was soaked in grease so much that grease ran down my face when I bit into it. The onion rings were also greasy and kind of light in color, like maybe they weren't cooked in hot enough oil? I also ordered a side salad, remembering that the BCB used to give decent sized and tasty side salads, just like the one I had at the Surfrider recently. Nope. I was served about 2/3 cup of salad greens on a saucer and charged $3.50 for a side salad. It tasted good and fresh, but was really small. It should have been a 50 cent side salad. The service left something to be desired too. Our waiter at the BCB seemed to be miffed about something. I noticed him shaking his head when someone was getting seated behind us. (I think he didn't want any more tables). This was something we were aware of all night. He recommended some of the specials to us, but honestly we weren't into them. We just wanted a plain burger. I think he was miffed about this too. When I handed the waiter our coupon (which is why we even went in the first place), he shook his head again. Hmm..gee thanks. Yes, we still tipped him on the full price of the meal BEFORE coupon. My husband had been looking forward to the chocolate peanut butter pie all night, but when the waiter handed us our check without even asking if we wanted dessert, he decided to skip it. I think we'll skip the BCB next time too.
(2)
Ryan B.

This is a very chill little brewpub up in a cool old logging town. I stopped in here while on vacation from NYC to have a few beers. Their beers are delicious (coconut porter FTW), the bar staff was great, and the food looked delish, although I did not try. There is a great vibe in here, like most places in this part of California. I got to talking to this gentleman drinking next to me. I mentioned to him that this place looks like it's been around a while. He said he's lived in town for the past thirty years, and as it turns out he was chock full of historical knowledge about the area! He told me that all the buildings on the main street were originally built in the mid 1800s when this town was first settled as a logging community. Ahhhh......good beer, chill people, little history lesson, and a cool little town in the woods. Exactly what I left left NYC for.
(4)
Matt M.

Stopped in on a Friday afternoon on my motorcycle. Parking is a little dicey for cycles if there isnt a spot on the main street just because the real estate is hilly, but it ended up ok. So went in and had some lunch which ended up being the Cubano sandwich and a pint of the Coconut Porter. The sandwich itself was surprisingly good. Nice to find a new take on pulled pork. The shoe string fries, apparently a new item, where not as memorable. I didnt ask if the Coconut Porter was one of their brews, or from Maui Brewing, but it was good. The dinning room is pretty tired, and there isnt much atmosphere. The restaurant is strangely broken up in to three areas, by walls. The bar, the dinnig room, and a back room that is nicer which wasnt open. Overall Boulder Creek is a ok place to stop for some food while out exploring the Redwoods. If I was in the area again I would stop by.
(3)
Carol L.

Boulder Creek does not have many culinary options, so if I were a restaurateur here, I'd want to give the locals and visitors something worthwhile. This place is dated and their menu is all over the map - unfortunately, nothing is done well. My burger was over done, the bun dry and my fries were clearly 'refried'. The beer however, is good. We've gone four times now and all I give a thumbs up to is the nice wait staff, the trivia cards and the beer. Maybe if they had less real estate, a very trimmed down menu that focused on damn good bar food, this would be a place to hang out and enjoy a good brew. But right now, its one I now avoid.
(2)
Shannon M.

I get down here about once a year for a VIP convention. This is the type of place you go to for no nonsense hamburgers and fries. Mostly steady tables and good or better service. Lots of locals here which makes it feel a bit country to me but I'm a boy from the Bay Area city lifestyle. ;) FOOD: B SERVICE: B ATMOSPHERE: B minus to B OVERALL GRADE: B
(4)
Nicole D.

Great food, great people, great ambiance! I appreciated the wonderful hospitality the team gave us when my boyfriend and I were visiting Boulder Creek. We had lunch and dinner there. For an appetizer, the hot wings are great! Plus, their signature dishes are yummy. I definitely recommend trying this place out if you haven't been here before.
(5)
Jeff W.

OK, when things get better it worth calling it out and the food has certainly gotten better at the BC Brewery. We have actually found ourselves eating there fairly regularly lately since the quality and the variety of the food has gotten quite a bit better. I had mentioned the change to one of our servers and they acknowledged that there was a new chef. Good change. The last 4 or 5 times we have been there I just grab whatever is on special and so far its been consistently good. My previous review's comment about sticking with the simpler fare doesn't seem to hold any more - haven't had a bad dish in quite a while from burgers to more complex dishes so get whatever sounds good. Its still a little 'casual' in terms of service etc, but its definitely a place you can go to and enjoy a meal now. Give it a try - again if you need to.
(3)
Marc M.

Best stout ever, great food, and free wifi! For the beer connoisseurs: try the sampler!!!!
(5)
Kid A.

My girlfriend and I stopped here cause the brook room was closed at the lodge down the road. I am happy it was, We found the food absolutely delicious. We were kind of laughing when we saw deep fried pickles on the menu, .but let me tell you... They are freaking AWESOME!! We will definitely make the drive to eat here again. GET THE PICKLES!
(5)
folk b.

BOULDER CREEK NEWS FLASH, New Chef at the pub. This used to be kind of a weird spot, rundown pub with food and beer to match. Today's meal is causing me to yelp. We ordered the Fried Pickles appetizer (only had this dish once before at the Lagunitas Brewery Circus event) and loved it. Fried Avocados was another appetizer and it was like no avocado I've had before, GREAT. The kids had hamburgers which looked great and I ordered something more fu fu, the chicken beet salad. It gave the impression of being healthy, but I know that something that tastes this good is not. The beer, by the time I got to my second glass of (Dragon Breath IPA) was tasting good also. All I can say about the Boulder Creek Brewery is "Cook it and they will come".
(5)
Lauren C.

This place is amazing! I've been staying in Boulder Creek for the past two weeks and I've stopped in here twice. The service was fairly fast and the food/beer was fantastic. I ordered the fried pickles and chicken pesto sandwich. The sandwich was fresh with amazing avocados. Tried the redwood beer which looked a bit dark for my taste but I loved it. A pitcher is a bit pricey, but definitely worth it.
(5)
Cori W.

Decent brew, especially considering the location. We were pretty happy to find a brewery within 15 mins of our camp site at Big Basin. Since it was non-stop raining we decided to drive into Boulder Creek where it was sunny and quaint. We had the rye pale, IPA, amber and honey wheat. The rye pale was the best in my option, it was a good example of the style and had a very faint hint of rye. The honey wheat and amber were my least favorite, the honey wheat as like iced tea beer. It was too light and didn't have enough body/wheat-yeasty qualities. The amber just felt a bit flat. We did try some of the fried pickles and they were good as well, just slightly too salty but perfectly battered and fried with garlic ranch. I really wish we would have tried the fried avocado slices, I've been pining for fried avocado and would've never guessed that a brewpub in the middle of the forest would have them. Service was friendly, prices were good, atmosphere was small town not fancy. Boulder Creek Brewery is a great place to stop by when you're camping and you want a fresh beer and perhaps a burger that you didn't have to slave over the campfire for.
(3)
Travis S.

I have been coming to BCB since around 1992 when I lived in Santa Cruz and even after leaving California I still make a trip up to BCB when I'm in the area. That said, I have got to say it seems to be in a slow motion free fall. The Good: I still like the beer and sitting at the bar directly in front of the brewer and his equipment is pretty cool. The Bad: The place is tired and dirty and not in a cool dive bar kind of way. It really needs to be updated. The chicken sando I had for lunch recently was pretty bad. No flavor, huge chicken breast slapped on a white bun. Seems like a basic grilled chicken sandwich at lunch should be pretty easy to execute. I will still come back but probably just for drinks next time. I have to many good memories over the years in those mountains to stay away.
(3)
Josh C.

Great beer. Brew masters serving you is a plus. Gotta try the redwood amber..
(5)
Lana K.

Great place! My friends and I were camping down the road and decided to try it out. It looked packed but they sat us in the back right in front of the TV and changed the channel for us so we can watch the Giants Game! So nice! Most of us had burgers and scarfed it down, food was delicious. The waiters were all super nice and our beer was delicious. Definitely try the honey wheat. When I come back, I'll definitely come here again because the other entrees looked good. :)
(4)
dianthe h.

The food is so much better here, a marked improvement! Judd has come in and kicked butt and now offers exceptional lunch specials and dinner specials as well. I especially love the Beet salad as well as they Cubano (pulled pork) and the Poor Boy (tilapia). The burgers are much nicer now too (and fit the bun), with many more options to choose from including Judd's own creation that includes jalapeno peppers that are spicy and delightful! The IPA is great again too, there are two new brewers and they are doing an amazing job of offering many, many types of beer. The IPA (now at 7%, sometimes 7.4%) is still my favorite. Bonus that they have Brown Sugga' on tap. Delicious! Other beer offerings are on the menu but I am an IPA gal so I tend to focus on what I like. Cal me selfish.
(3)
Amber P.

Great beer, even better food. We had the chicken pesto with bacon and avocado sandwich with delish onion rings. Happy hour beers are a great deal. Loved my dinner here however I do hope they get a chance to do some remodeling, it could use a facelift. Overall I wouldn't think twice about coming back here since I had such a good time.
(5)
B P.

best food and beer around. i really love the avocado fries!
(5)
M'liss B.

We have lived in Boulder Creek for almost ten years. We have seen the brewery at its best and worst. It is definitely at its WORST right now. The food was bland and my son's hamburger was burned. UGH. I had heard that they fired the chef, but we wanted to go there and give it a try nonetheless. We were sorely disappointed. I hope that they get it together again and soon!
(1)
Sean M.

I'm an absolute regular. The food is very good, the prices quite reasonable, and the beer... oh the beer. The beer is amazing. The Dragons Breath IPA is my favorite but I can really only handle two of them :) . If they are offering a stout then get it. They offer a sampler that is an absolute tour of beer heaven. They offer up some pretty good burgers and sandwiches, but they really shine with their dinner menu. They have a pork rib special in a sauce made mostly of porter. So far this is my favorite dish!
(5)
Susan M.

Great food in a small local pub!!!! Quite a surprise, really. I see other reviews have been mixed, but our meal was an outstanding success. The hamburger was huge, delicious, the pulled pork sandwich with a broth for dipping is To Die For, best we've ever had. Onion rings are huge, beautifully breaded and fried, and the french fries were wonderfully crispy. Oh, and the beer was very good too!! We were a group of 8, including 2 kids, and all raved about the food. Even though we rarely get to the Santa Cruz mountain areas, we will definitely go back, especially for that unbelievable pulled pork sandwich!!! Oh, and the waitresses were all very friendly, not batting an eyelash when the 8 of us walked in and needed tables put together to seat us.
(5)
E F.

Ehh. Weird inside, dingy like the town. Salad was like $15.00 and tasted not that great. Dry (unwashed?) greens. Just kind of gross. My boyfriend's burger and fries were good. I just feel since the town only has 4 restaurants, they would put out a better product.
(2)
Miranda M.

I love this place! I live in Felton and there are only a few places to have good food and drinks, this is one of them! I go here every week. I don't know that I would drive from Santa Cruz just for the Boulder Creek Brewery, because there are plenty of places closer by, but this place rocks it for mountain restaurants. The beer in general is good, I love the flagship beer, the Redwood Ale. They also tend to have great IPA's and a tasty Porter. The burgers are great and you can get it gluten-free! This is by far my favorite gluten free bun, and for that I would drive from downtown Santa Cruz just to have a meal and a pint of cider. I don't know why people are even talking about wine or complaining about the pours on wine here, its a brewery people, if you want something else you should probably go somewhere else. The salads are also very tasty and a large portion, definitely enough for your whole meal. The only reason why they loose a star, is the decor....if your big on nice ambiance and particular about esthetics you may be disappointed. Go here after a hike in Big Basin, or as a low key night for burgers and brews, not your fancy date night. I also love the live music when they have it.
(4)
Scott W.

Great beer! The Basham House (Brettanomyces) Ale is great! The food was outstanding as well. My wife claims to have had the best burger she's ever had here! Great service, too. It's a little out of the way, but well worth the trip!
(5)
Dean F.

Lived in BC for quite awhile and moved out a few years back. When I saw the Brewery had an average 4 star rating I just had to help balance things out. We went there 3 or 4 times including the last time 5 years after the second to the last. The food was still terrible! I'm giving it 2 stars because of the beer selection. But if you eat there better stick to a burger. Sorry, hate to dis a local place but 4 stars is ridiculous.
(2)
Todd V.

Being from Portland, OR, where people live and die and are sometimes forced to not use public transportation *gasp* by beer, I was curious to see what BC was making. Even though I made it clear I was driving and wouldn't be buying anything, the informative and very nice bartender encouraged me to have a couple tastes. So this review is based on only his service and the tastings of three beers. The service we've covered. Winter warmer: Like a hoppy porter, but even in hoppy Portland this couldn't be sold as a porter or a CDA. Very original, and I really loved it. With a name including 'winter' I was expecting something malty and, you know, seasonal. But this was rich and hoppy at the same time. It would probably be my regular beer if I lived nearby. My wife loves porter but wasn't so into it. But I know what I'm talking about and she doesn't. This was a great beer! IPA: Light on alcohol and overall hoppiness compared to what we have up here, but I loved this one too. It has a very full body and nice floral hoppiness, followed by bitterness at the end. I thought it was perfectly balanced. This would be my regular beer ... wait hang on ... oh I don't know. Amber: Not for us, but maybe the light taste was overpowered by the time we tasted it. But that's fine--a brewery should have something for everyone, and it definitely had something for us. Wish I could get some up here!
(5)
Annette S.

Our climbing group ate here a few weeks ago after a day up at Castle Rock. The food and the service was five stars, but the clientel drinking more than their happy hour limit was unappetizing. There was a "regular" that was so drunk he could barely walk, pissed on himself and almost fell through the front windows in the restaurant. Boo to the bartender for allowing THAT kind of over-drinking... %-p Because we had two teenagers with us, it was not a good place for kids with wasted patrons walking around the restaurant. Bobby our server was funny and totally on it though. Judd the chef came out and talked with us. He makes the best food and the most authentic Sicilian cannoli I have EVER tasted. I almost cried it was so YUM!! Go there for the food and service, but beware the locals who haunt the bar.... i'm just saying!
(4)
Wyatt D.

Stopped by for happy hour while passing through. The beers were cheap, and pretty good (we tried the IPA and amber). Had the vibe of a friendly small town bar. We found the huge garbage can of yeast rising in the sun out front with he vats were out back pretty charming.
(4)
Colette B.

This place is amazing. Had the roast pig and ribs , there are no words it was delicious and the service was great. Our server was Berk and he was just awesome, even though he was very busy he made sure we were well taken care of. Yeah Berk your awesome.
(5)
Ed H.

Took the mom-in-law out for dinner at the BCB. I must admit that things have improved since the last time we visited... More than 5 years ago. If Yelp would allow it I would give them 2 1/2 stars. As usual the brew at was great. They have a fine selection of beers on tap. The service was definitely an improvement--our server AND her co-servers were attentive and friendly. The food, though also improved, was just so-so. I started with an Italian wedding soup that was way too salty. We also ordered the steak-fries-with-fillet-medallions-and-gravy appetizer that was tasty enough, but came after our entrÃ©es. We ordered burgers and my wife ordered a special Raviolo, stuffed with egg yoke, cheese, and steak with bacon cream sauce. Ordering the burger with the topping combinations I wanted was a little of a hassle (this weren't no Burger King), and though the Raviolo sounded intriguing, the flavors just didn't work together. I'd come back, but probably only for the beer.
(2)
Nils M.

Take the negative reviews with a grain of salt and consider the source - city folks and valley people looking for a McMenamin's. Nope. This is a bonafide authentic one-of-a-kind brew pub, and should be judged on its own merits as such. Food at a brew pub is secondary, at least to me. Like Santa Cruz Mountain, the star is the beer, and it is fresh, interesting, unusual, and delicious. The crowd skews to local and mountain people and that's cool too. The staff are friendly, aren't hustling you out, or to buy food, and so it's more like an English pub than many US bars. Great vibe and the locals are friendly and into beer. A great brew pub, with food. Win.
(4)
Andrea M.

Ive lived in Boulder Creek for quite sometime and had never been to this place. My fiancee and I went and we were shocked. It was very good! The food is really tasty! I always thought it was a crappy diner but its not. Prices are a little high $10 for appetizers. But it was very good! Service was also good. Cara was our server. Will be returning.
(4)
Ian M.

Slow service that also forgot my beer (at a brewery). Fish tacos were average, chicken salad was strange, hot and wilted. The kids mac & cheese was the same boxed stuff we make at home. Glad we only went for lunch and didn't "use up" a dinner out on it.
(2)
Julie K.

i am glad to report that the service has drastically improved and the peanut butter pie is even better than before. the belgian tripel and abbey are oh-so-good on such a hot day like today! grab a "lomond" burger, a beer, the avocado fries, a slice of peanut butter pie and sit back and enjoy yourself.
(4)
Wesley H.

I went here with my family for my dad's birthday... I can't say I was overly impressed with anything. I got the stout beer since I prefer darker beers. My dad ended up ordering the same kind. I guess that is why I'm his son. Well, that, and because him and my mom had sex 28+ years ago... damn, now I need another drink. Anyway... The onion rings were delicious as an appetizer. I ordered the Artie Sandwich (Artichoke Hearts, Onions, Mushrooms, and cheese) which also came with a salad (or soup if I wanted). The sandwich was filling but nothing remarkable taste wise. If it wasn't for a birthday celebration like this then I wouldn't really see myself going there that much in the future.
(3)
Tom B.

Stopped by after a day out. Had the onion rings and a pint of Dragon Star Stout. The onion rings were fabulous. They were homemade - thick cut with a great crust. A real rarity these days. The stout had a coffee/chocolate taste, not sweet. My wife had the chicken vegetable soup which she really liked. We hadn't been there in years, but will be going back.
(5)
Alison S.

Large place, lots of random groups (kids, people with laptops, older couples, etc). Food was better than expected. Great onion rings and salad with real greens and vegetables. Good place for lunch if you're driving through the Santa Cruz mountains.
(3)
Erik B.

If you're looking to hang out, have a beer, and enjoy a good, greasy burger: this is the place for you. The menu certainly has more to offer, and I've explored a little beyond the Heaven of Ground Beef that is their burger menu, (especially the belly-busting Skyline Burger) but I always come back to the burgers. Yeah, they're about as healthy for you as eating lard, but if you're counting calories, you probably shouldn't be at a brewery. Their beer selection is always amazing. Not sure what to try? The Redwood Ale - a malty, creamy amber with ESB characteristics - is almost always available and reliable. The consistency in taste and quality isn't always perfect, but I've always been able to find something on draft that hits the spot. Service can be a little lackadaisical, so this is not the place to come if you need to get in and out in a hurry, but then Boulder Creek generally doesn't move at the same hectic pace as the nearby Valley bellow. That all said, I'm happy to return time and again to the brewery, have a great meal and a pint or two at a great price. Have a growler? Take some beer home! And before you go, you've got to have the peanut butter pie! Yum!
(4)
Ammon C.

Really good brews...haven't had much of the food, but the the garlic fries were damn tasty, with enough garlic to keep those Twilight douche bags at bay for weeks. I havent been here at night, but it is a really good daytime hangout.
(4)
Sumskee D.

Well, nothing as gotten better. I had met some friends to watch a game and have a beer. And well, it is still a total dive. The only difference is now when you sit down, you stick the the furniture.
(1)
Kaitlyn H.

What started as a fun place to grab some great brew and enjoy a meal with friends has gone downhill over the years. Don't get me wrong, the brews are great but I would take caution eating here. Last time we came here, our waiter was high as a kite and looked as if he had not slept in weeks. I made the mistake of going out to my car only to discover the waitstaff dueling tongues among other erotic adventures best left to the bedroom with what I am assuming, patrons. We are not prudes, but I did not need to see that as a customer. One of the waitstaff made a point of announcing how she was not going to wash her hands after using the facilities. That about killed any appetite I had. The food has gone progressively downhill over the years. Eat here at your own risk. The bar is still fun to hang out in and enjoy the great local brews.
(2)
Cindy C.

i love the beer here and the food always hits the spot
(4)
Rn d.

We enjoy visiting Brewery weekly. Food quality and preparation are still at a high level. Chef Judd is always thinking outside the box to try new dishes and experiment with fresh seasonal choices. Great to see the Chef continuing visiting each table, when possible, and following up on customer dining experience. Dessert quality is much improved. The cannolis are some of the best we've ever had!! They go fast so order them when you sit down. Service staff have been very consistent in customer service. Nice Job, BC Brewery team!!
(4)
Joana D.

Summer 2015: The Brewery suffered a fire and had to close due to damage. They ARE rebuilding the place, but who knows how long it will take. Sigh! Update December 2014 Brewery has proved to be a consistent provider of good meals, good service, and just an overall good experience. Extensive menu, and great burgers, salads (their house salad is fantastic!) and numerous other meals ranging from sandwiches to steaks and seafood. They have cleaned it up and it shows care and thought. A thumbs-up, for sure. __________________________________________ First review: The only restaurant of its kind around there, this place is so-so, sometimes surprising you with really good food, and other times disappointing you with really unpleasant meals. I usually ask the wait staff and they help out, suggesting what they've seen, tried, or had good comments on. It is a local place, where many people who know one another hook up or coincide. The wait staff is usually nice and attentive. The atmosphere is tavern-like though very dark (sit by the windows in the front!), a divided bar/restaurant, with another big room in the back where there's a pool table and a second bar, sometimes open, sometimes not. It's nice to have the bars away from the dining area. The carpet is filthy! Wish they'd take it out. And that they'd attend to other weird building things that could really, really stand to be improved, fixed up, or demolished. The atmosphere feels like a "fixer-upper." We still go there sometimes. It's truly a 50/50 toss -- you never know if you'll get something wonderful, or something very mediocre.
(4)
Eddie W.

You have to be kidding me?!? I hounestly kept waiting for someone to jump out with a camera and say, "Gotcha". If this was the only brewery I had been to on the central coast, I might give it two stars, but considering the local choices, like the Seabright Brewery (4 star review to come) and the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery (5 stars to come), this place needs to step up it's game. Here's the facts. Food: ordered a turkey and mushroom sandwich. How can you screw that up, you ask? By melting enough low quality non-descript white cheese on it to soak through the bread and the wax paper it came out on. Side order of Garlic Fries? Hell yeah. Unless you serve them as a pile of regular fries with raw chopped garlic and more white cheese grated on top. No joke. Raw garlic and unmelted cheese on top. Beer: Porter and Summer Wheat. The porter tasted like it was mixed with a pot of old coffee and had no carbonation at all. Flat would be an understatement. The summer wheat looked like budweiser, smelled like coors and tasted like a limed up day old corona. I have friends that live near this place and have told them they have to meet me in Santa Cruz from now on. What a huge dissappointment. Why the one star? Our waitress was really nice.
(1)
Jenn S.

First time here...got the fried pickles and a turkey burger. I love fried pickles but sadly they looked nothing like the pictures other customers had posted. They were breaded but not really fried...just kind of mushy. The turkey burger was disgusting. It was definitely processed and not fresh. Plus it was really salty. Onion rings were really bland and didn't taste like anything. Worst of all, I happened to look at the ketchup bottle's cap and it was black with mold (which both myself and my boyfriend had just used). I showed the bartender and she just threw it out - no OMG, that's disgusting...no I'm sorry. Wow.
(1)
Redwood G.

I love this place because it's so close to home and the food is usually really good. However...(You knew this was coming) last night my daughter and I went there because I was just too tired to cook. Usually we have burgers or something off the menu. Last night they had Chicken Cordon Bleu as a "special" which is a favorite of my daughter's. It came to the table with a scoop of really good mashed potatoes & some mixed steamed vegetables. It was pretty darn good she said. I had the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. The pasta dish was okay. The sauce had little flavor, but the pasta was al dente' and the chicken was delicious. Anyway, I digress... We got our bill and we were shocked to see that the charge for my daughter's chicken dish was $23.95!!! I would understand if I were in a high end place, but the Brewery with its sticky tables and crusty locals does not lend itself to a $24 chicken dish!! When the specials were quoted to us, there wasn't a mention of the price. I suppose I should have asked if it were an issue. (And since pasta was $14), but I never imagined it would be that much. We could have gone to Shadowbrook or Scopazzi's for that amount. It was good, but not THAT good! I may have to rethink the whole eating out thing a little more thoroughly next time. The atmosphere is non existent at the Brewery, but like I said, it's a great local place. Just be sure to find out how much the specials are BEFORE ordering them!!
(3)
Jaydog P.

Now, if I tell you that I am a beer man you will agree. I love beer and breweries. The beer up here is tastey. Not the best in town by any means but it did the trick. It really tastes like a small batch local brew which is what I like. I suggest brewing a big beer, something in the 7.5-9% range. I would also ditch the dude behind the bar with the pony tail. He stood there and talked shit about other customers within earshot of me and my dining partner. Sure, it was funny, but what was he saying about us when we left? Bad form. I had an awsome burger with gargonzola. The place reminds me of small brew pubs up in Northern California that are nice to chill out in and talk beer.
(4)
Charles K.

The food at this average-looking cafe is suspiciously good. The chef, I learn, used to have his own restaurant before coming to work here. He is conscientious, talented and gets things right. I ordered spaghetti with meat sauce - the menu claimed the sauce had been slow cooked. I also ordered a side Cesar Salad. I would have been satisfied with average food - what you'd expect in a place like this. But it wasn't average. The salad was crisp, the dressing tasted home-made, the croutons had been created in the kitchen. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly al dente and the sauce did indeed taste slow-simmered. And the service was excellent. As was the perfect creme brulee I had for desert. AND they have free internet access. I don't drink, but I hear the beer is good. This is SO much better than you might expect. Try it.
(4)
R. D.

5 stars for food and 1 star for service. I've been there several times and only 1/10 we get a decent server. The food and chef are amazing though! The last time it took the server 20 minutes to take our order and the place was empty. She never asked us for refills and she never checked in on us. The food was great, it took about 45 minutes to get served the food. By the time we were done we were so tired of waiting we skipped dessert. Most of the time our server was in the back prepping silverware.
(3)
Jen C.

Unfortunantly, the chef who made this place so spectacular left about a year ago :( . The food is still good, the beer seems to be better, but the special's menu is VERY redundant. Sriacha chicken tenders, spicy fried green beans, and steak get boring after a while. And when they LOOK like they're doing something different, it's actually the same thing, just presented differently or with different ingredients (ex. a crisp with summer fruit for dessert in the summer, apple or pear crisp in the fall).
(4)
Tom D.

Food is consistently good...I like their turkey burgers...the beer is excellent. Best happy hour in the county, only 2bucks for a home brew pint. Wow, keep it up. Hope business is good.
(4)
Milton D.

The food was great - we had the fried pickles and sweet potato fries, and the staff was super-friendly.
(4)
Tasia R.

Finally managed to make my way up to Boulder Creek and checked this place out. Their beer is great, they have 6 different ones on tap, the Honey Wheat was very tasty (my friend had the stout and loved it). What I liked most about it was what a laid back place it was. It's some place all the locals go, and the bartender Graham was awesome! Will be going back again soon to share a couple beers and some sweet potato fries. :)
(5)
O K.

I drive all the way from mountian view to come eat burgers at this place. I've seen mixed reviews from people. Maybe i think so highly of this place becaues i come by in the evenings on weekdays when they are not too buisy. I love the burgers, i order the lomond burger which has gorgonzola and caramalized onions. Haven't had a burger quite like it before. The beef is always cooked medum to medum well and of good quality. I don't really drink much beer but what I've had has been good. Granted im no expert. The place isn't the cleanest or most well lit but I won't hold it against them.
(5)
Thomas W.

Great beer. Poor service.
(3)
Berg W.

I saw this brewery (or burrey as I like to pronounce it) as I was driving on a nice Sunday drive on the 9. I wanted to see what it was all about. Felt like getting a burger. As soon as I saw some weird-looking mountain folk enter the bar ahead of us, I realized that this might have been a mistake. Walking into the bar, I knew that food was out of the question, as an air of uncleanliness was palpable. Beer, on the other hand, was something that I wasn't willing to reject. I don't know if things are different in the mountains...well, I know they are...but everything was a bit makeshift there. Weirdly-dressed locals were taking shots of Jager at 3 on Sunday. The Men's bathroom smelled like PEE-PEE majorly, and the lack of hot water and absence of towels made me feel dirty for being there. The saving grace of this place is the outstanding beer. Really good. I had the I.P.A. Absolutely phenomenal. Carmelly, hoppy, well-crafted. Service at the bar was friendly. Definitely on mountain time there, if you will, but for a leisurely Sunday, that was just fine. The weevils, as another yelper yelped about, were crawling all over the outside window. I could see how you could confuse them for cockroaches. But they seemed to be attracted to light, so I'm pretty sure they weren't. I'll stop in again for a pint or a growler if I'm in the neighborhood.
(3)
jose j.

great beer and food. new chef. check them out on facebook.
(5)
Eric G.

Considering this is a small town brewery I say it has a lot going for itself. The atmosphere is fun, like being in Cheers. The people from B.C. make the bar a cool place. The quirkiness of the place is appealing. The food is not 5 star but this it is good. If you are looking for a place down to earth with good beer, Dragon's Breath IPA is my fav, then this is the place. This is not your typical big city brewery, it is a small town brewery with its own unique charm and style. Not everyone is going to like the atmosphere but that is okay. The people are friendly and the food is decent the beer is excellent. So if you stop in and don't like what you want tell them, they are great people to talk to.
(4)
Clarice S.

We had a great dinner here, the only thing I would say is they really need to work on their servers being prompt with service. They are wonderful and nice but the people who sat down after us were served before, and I asked for a dessert menu 10 minutes ago (am writing review in restaurant) and it's nowhere to be seen. Oh and the people who came in after just paid and are out the door.
(4)
Gina T.

Good burgers. They have a large menu, but I usually stick to the burgers, sandwiches and veggie stir fry. The gf likes the spaghetti with meat sauce.
(4)
Marilyn C.

Wow, what a total disappointment. I am a huge fan of good beer, micro brews, brew pubs and the like. So, I was naturally very excited to hear that the sleepy town of Boulder Creek, CA had it's own brew pub. I was even more excited to hear it had some good press from a newspaper in Santa Cruz. I went with my husband, whom I consider to be a connoisseur of beer and brewpub type food. It was my first time, his 4th or 5th time. He warned me "It just not that good, and definitely not worth it" but I really was persistent and we had exhausted our eating options in town. Thus, we went. The interior is cheesy and dated, but I don't mind as long as the food and beer are good. We ordered the hef and the red and both were lackluster. They weren't BAD by any means, but they just had nothing special or unique about them. And at $5+ a pint, I want something good at brew pub. I would definitely drink their beer over a Miller, Coors, Bud, ect....but I can find a LOT better beer at a cheaper price at the grocery store to take home and enjoy. The food was okay, but bordered on bad in my opinion. We ordered a burger with onion rings to share. The burger was a greasy mess dripping in fat and cheese. Let me put the disclaimer that my husband and I are NOT health food nuts. We have been known to clear out a pizza buffet or shovel down a super burrito AND super nachos in one setting, so don't take the gripes on fat as the grumbling of some salad loving vegan rabbit, ect. Fatty food usually equals a delicious eating experience in my opinion...but this burger was WAY too greasy. We could barely finish it (and we were sharing) and we both felt sick and nauseous after eating it. It was that feeling of total regret, like "why did I do that to myself...it wasn't even that good!". The onion rings were SO-SO. The batter was crisp with a good texture, but had NO flavor so you had to really go heavy with dippy sauces or condiments The onion rings were also SOOOO greasy that you could seriously watch the oil drip off and you felt sick after eating. The one plus is they give you a HUGE portion when you order the basket. Normally I love huge portions because I love left overs. But this time, it was almost a double edged sword. I didn't want to throw away the food and be wasteful, but I didn't know if I could subject myself to a second session of the fatty fatty super greasy torture. And when the bill came, and it was the same as at the 5 star restaurant we dined at in Carmel-by-the-Sea which was AMAZING...well lets just say I felt really regretful for even coming into the place. I would have been MUCH better off going across the street and grabbing some bottles of micro brew at the grocery store/beer store and then heading to Fosters Freeze and grabbing a burger and fries and eating/drinking at home. It would have been better food, better beer, better atmosphere and HALF the price. Service was bad bordering on HORRIBLE. The waitress was curt and rude. She scoffed when I asked for a lid to my condiment container to take it home with our leftovers. You have to serve yourself water from a room temperature jug and your ice source is a plastic cooler with no lid and a large slotted spoon to dish the melted ice out. The cups they provide you for waterer were old, crappy, cheap plastic juice tumblers that were barely bigger than a shot glass so you have to get up OVER and OVER and OVER to refill your water. Typically this means waiting in a line since all the other patrons are suffering the same problem. Oh yeah, and the restaurant is hot and stuff in the summer so you are really thirsty from the heat and greasy food. If you are a local I think you can get the waitress to give you a pitcher of water for your table. We had no luck. This seriously would have been a deal breaker for me, even if the food was good. Don't waste your time unless you are totally desperate for a brewpub and don't mind suffering from dehydration from lack of water. Don't eat the food unless you are really itching for a coronary bi-pass. Don't go in unless you enjoy rude service.
(1)
Bryan K.

It was a long day. An early wakeup, a long drive, and a long DYK hike. I needed food badly. This place sounded good from the outside. But when I saw brewery food on the menu, plus "authentic" Mexican food, plus pasta and stir-fry.... hmmmm, that's a sure sign for bad food. After looking at the menu of everything and anything, I decided to play it safe and get the great Angus beef Santa Cruz burger with mushrooms and avocado, sounds great. And the waiter guy confirmed that it is one of their popular burgers. Survey says? XXX No, that's not hot porn. No, that's not kisses. That's three strikes. The burger was disappointing to say the least. But the stout was good. The waiter guy's service was good. Okay his humor was subpar so luckily he has a day job :) So 2 stars for the food, and 1 star for entusiastic service for 16 people with a smile. Luckily we got home safely, driving winding roads in the dark, late at night with crazy people tailing us, and tired to the bones.
(3)
J A.

The service was excellent. Our server served 16 people and all the food came out and everyone was happy. The garlic fries with cheese are steak fries which were perfect. My dinner needed more spice to it, but the meat was tender as it should be. After a long, ten mile hike in the Santa Cruz Wilderness, coming here was quite the oasis. I raise a glass of hot tea for the brewery. You guys rock!
(4)
Cindy M.

** NOTE ** This is a BEER ONLY review. I served Boulder Creek Brew at a party, and it was awesome! Brian was great to work with, and totally accomodating and knowledgeable! Beer was fresh, tasty and he even provided tasting notes!! YUM! thanks!
(5)
Steve K.

Five stars for service, three stars for food, and four stars for beer. Overall, that's right, this is a four-star joint. Hits: 1) Service -- the server seated our table for 16 less-than-pristinely-dressed DYKers. All of the food came out timely, served hot, and with a smile. Thank you, server guy whose name I forgot after three pints. You definitely earned a serious tip. 2) Garlic fries -- deep frying, of course, improves just about anything. Here, the fries are wedge-shaped and served with the skin on for extra potato flavor. The very large portion had no shortage of garlic. 3) Beer -- I only tried the IPA, which was fresh, cold enough, and well hopped. The carbonation was slightly low, but this was only a minor issue. I didn't try the stout, but they get bonus points for serving it on a Nitrogen system. Misses: 1) Average non-deep-fried eats. The menu notes that BCBC serves American and "authentic" Mexican food. I wasn't in a burger mood, so I tried the chile verde pork. It was served hot, but it was kind of bland and a little too mushy for my taste. Authentic is a relative term, apparently. Next time, I'm going to try one of the double burgers, although second-hand, folks thought the burgers were only ok as well. Hmm... beer and garlic fries? That could probably get me through the day.
(4)
Stacy B.

I stopped in after a visit to Big Basin because I saw their huge sign for the burger lunch special. A burger and a beer? Sounds good, I thought. Unfortunately, it was 3:30pm and I was too late for the lunch special. Unfortunately, it was 3:30pm and I was too early for the happy hour specials. Oh well, I was already seated and hungry so I ordered some fish and chips. Whoa, those were some little fishies. And it didn't taste all that great either. I won't be back.
(2)
Lori S.

amazing- fun- afordable- comfortable i have been going to the brewery for years, and recently it has gotten a million time better. the food has never been so good-the staff is so happy and the general vibe makes me want to eat there every night! the daily dinner specials are affordable and really good. the basic menu is perfected and the deserts are addictive. highly recommended, if you haven't been in awhile, try it again- it WILL knock your socks off!!!
(5)
Tess F.

Fair is fair--I am restoring a star because these people are really responsive to Yelpers. I am sitting here tonight at a nice clean table enjoying a nice meal with my kid. The "new" cook has a great specials menu and the service is terrific as usual. Thanks for the effort people!
(3)
Teri G.

The garlic artichoke dip is WONDERFUL and really good Coffee of all things.. strange but true. The Brewery has a nice comfortable family pub atmosphere appropriate for a night out with friends, a date or a family and we always have fun with the boxes of trivial pursuit cards on all the tables. We like the fact that it's walking distance from our house and they serve food fairly late in the evening.... We were pretty impressed on our last visit on Halloween. We've never seen the place so busy and it was over all a great night.
(4)
Erica H.

This place far exceeded my expectations. I don't expect much at all from pub food. So I was delighted to enjoy my fish and chips. The chips (aka, fries) were not too greasy. The fish was tender and flaky on the inside and crispy on the outside; way better than the fish sticks I remember from childhood. The place has a cozy, pub-like feel to it. Wooden booths, an old upright piano, and Tiffany-esque lamp fixtures. And old-school rock music playing in the background from the bartender's private collection. The service was amazing. I think the folks who work there actually like people. Such a welcome attitude at a restaurant. They were really accommodating. Really. They even took out carrots from my veggie side when I told them I couldn't eat carrots. Responsiveness to questions/needs: ***** (five stars, very helpful) Dairy-free: **** (four stars, some options are dairy free) Gluten-free: *** (three stars, it is possible to avoid gluten) Vegetarian: **** (four stars, a number of veggie options and the menu lists them) Vegan: *** (three stars, some vegan options listed in the menu)
(4)
Iam R.

I have tried this place twice now and I don't think I will be returning (for food anyway). I had read other reviews that complained about the service and boy is it true. It stinks. They are slow and rude, and they make you feel they are doing you a massive favor by refilling your water or bringing you your food. Once you get your food, don't expect them to return except to bring you the check. Food is okay at best. Best to stay away unless you just want a beer from the bar, which at times will have some great local bands.
(2)
bill h.

First time eating here since they hired Judd Anthony (formerly of La Bruscetta). Had the Judd Anthony burger which was sooo good. It had fried avocados, firied onions and a secret sauce that was very good. The meat was flame broiled on the outside and pink on the inside. You get quite a few choices with the burger including garden salad, fries, sweet potato fries and mac salad. I had the garden salad which was good and my son had the fries which was quite a pile and delicious. Atmosphere and service are what I expect in a brewery and I can't wait to go back and try other things on the menu.
(5)
Sabrina A.

On the outside this place is easy to miss, a bit dark and run down - but everything about it makes up for that. There is parking on the streets but also a parking lot in the back, small, dirt, but eh it's boulder creek. The inside is dark wood, lots of tables and booths and pretty large all around. It has an outdated and yet old time classic feel it to it. The best thing about this place? The beer! All the beer is great, well priced, lots of variety - get the sampler! Seriously all of it is fantastic and worth the drive if coming from further away. The food is tasty too. I got this greek sampler, hummus, olives, dipping sauces, pita - very tasty. The quesidillas are really falvorful too! I have also had their house salad (huge) and split a steak - very tasty as well. The service has always been fast, nice and informative about their brewery. It has a lovely old time, relaxed feel. Completely worth the time, travel, money and experience.
(4)
Melissa F.

Boulder Creek Brewary is almost a weekly stop for my family and me; good selection of food, long hours for those late night cravings, and friendly staff! I don't drink beer, so I can't comment on the brews, but everything I've had there (from the ribs, to the spaghetti, to the burgers, to the salads..to ..you get the point) has been tasty and well made. If it wasn't a hit, we wouldn't keep going back! The bar is off to the side from the eating/cafe area, but sometimes they get people in there playing instruments and having a good time..good atmosphere. This is one of the few places in the Santa Cruz area where you can get a really good burger made...no vegan/veggie blah blah excuses..just a damn good burger (among other things.)
(4)
Scot B.

(Original review was 4 stars, but changed to 5...see below) This place ROCKS! I stopped in with my family on the way back from camping at Big Basin. We weren't exactly...shall we say...crystal clean. We had no problem with this place and sat right now for lunch. The menu was HUGE! The service was GREAT! The beer was AWESOME! I love places like this more than any other. It looks like a hole-in-the-wall in a small town, yet serves food and atmosphere that people would pay much more for in any local city. We tried a bunch of the beers. While I have had lots (ahem...LOTS) of micro-brews, these ones are right up there with some of my favorites. I had a Wheat to start, but found it too light. Moved on to the Ale and Porter and even tried the Stout. Stuck with the Porter and it was great. Food...while I would say that the menu has something for everyone, each person in our party said that it was a little bland. It surprised me, but I also had to agree, and that's the reason my rating is only 4 stars. Onion rings, their specialty, were great although not as flavorful as one would expect. I had a burger with BBQ sauce that was incredible. Add some kick to it, and this sauce could rival any of the best BBQ wing places I have been to. I'd love to write more about this place. It's absolutely worth a stop if you are in the area. *** After sitting back and reviewing their information on the website ( bouldercreekbrewery.net/â€¦ ), I changed my review to 5 stars. Everything they said here is true, and people should be applauded for this effort. It's not easy...it's not cheap. Any concerns I had about the food quality are outweighed by their dedication towards the "green business". It's just like accepting a few extra blemishes in a truly organic or vine-ripened piece of fruit...the benefits FAR outweigh the negatives.
(5)
Todd W.

Ask for Graham for some Scottish fun. The beers are great, the atmosphere is as good. Right now thwy have and ESB, an IPA, a Redwood Ale, a Stout, and and American Blonde. All are true tou style and superb in taste.
(5)
vinh t.

I had their sweet potato fries, pretty good.
(3)
Krissy S.

This place was good, it was a spur of the moment thing as far as I'm aware we weren't planning on hitting this place... I had a burger with avocado which was good, with fattie fries which I love... I went with three other people... one got some variety of a burger that was a specialty there which was messy but good, another got friend shrimp which were good as well, the last got some seafood combo with fish n chips which he loved. There's a full service bar where you usually have to place your orders and bring them to the table yourself but the slightly crackheaded waitress woman sat down at our table with us and took our order even though she said we had to order at the bar... There weren't many people there since it was a weekday and around lunchtime but that didn't really stop our table from having a couple rounds of long islands =) It's a good place to stop, have a drink or two, and eat but watch out for the random people loitering...
(5)
Jay Jay V.

After a weekend adventure at Castle Rock State Park, we were dirty, tired, hungry, and craving an ice cold beer. As we drove back down the windy road we were happy to stop in Boulder Creek (a cute little mountain town). We walked up and down the street and settled on Boulder Creek Brewery as our choice place to eat, drink, be merry! We sat in the bar which was nice, full of locals, and a subtle reminder that it was superbowl sunday (looks like our camping trip helped us step away from reality!). I ordered the amber and my boyfriend ordered the IPA (he is a slave to a good IPA). Both of our beers were excellent! Mine was smooth, earthy, nice body and great aftertaste, exactly what I look for in a beer. The IPA was really yummy! It was bitey (without ripping your face off) and had a great body as well. We both ordered their 1/4 lb. special for $4.99. (We hardly eat meat but after a long camping trip and tons of hiking, protein just sounded so good). They were really yummy, all you could ask for from a brew pub. I would recommend this joint as a nice lunch spot. Good beer. Good service. Good food. Good price.
(5)
Tracey W.

The best beer in Central Coast California. Period. Brian the Brewer is a god, or at least a demi-god, though he aint no angel. It's worth the trip out of your way, especially if you are a beer lover. The food is great too and if you aren't a pain in the butt, the bartenders will make you feel like family.
(5)
Richard K.

Wandered in off the street and found this unassuming place to have some of the best pub food ever. Pork sliders with french fried onions, melt-in-mouth pork ribs basted with a passel of sweet and savory ingredients and a lot of love. Great home brews too. Highly recommended.
(4)
Addie G.

The food here is good and reliable. A good place to stop for a beer and burger. Staff is always pleasant and quick. They have different menu items every day and always have something new and exciting to try. Great place for take out as well.
(4)
Jen B.

Burgers good, cider yummy....
(3)
Farah S.

My blue cheese burger was okay. I unfortunately have Cafe Rouge to compare it too and haven't had a blue cheese burger that's better. BUT service was excellent considering they had to deal with 16 of us DYKers post-10 mile hike. When they asked "How many to seat"? We replied "16". They replied, "Awesome"! That put me at ease. For dealing with our large group, service was prompt, straight forward and friendly. My burger was okay, but I thought the bun was a little too large and a little too cripsy. I was expecting a bigger patty also. The redwood ale was tasty, even tastier with the burger. I sampled the garlic fries which were nice. Shaved garlic as opposed to chunky garlic was a nice touch. Lots of choices on the menu. Good music in the background. A chill spot for post outdoor activities.
(4)
Mitchell W.

You know... I love the guy who owns this place. Quite literally, since he is my cousin! If you are up in Boulder Creek, getting away from the valley and want a good beer and bite to eat, this is the place to go. He brews his own beer, and they are terrific... The food will fill you up with cafe usuals and favorites... And, you are up in the mountains, close to Big Basin for an afternoon or morning in the big trees.
(5)
Jesse D.

Nice, laid-back atmosphere. Great beer. Great value.
(4)
Aleks G.

foods not so great - service is good though -- beer is tasty.
(3)
shoshana f.

if i had more money, i'd eat here twice a week. we liked it okay before, but the new chef has made this place awesome, especially for such a tiny little town like boulder creek. it's easily the best place to eat in town. i can't remember everything i've eaten here, but i've never been disappointed. they have amazing soup, great burgers, perfectly prepared ribs and pork chops, and their king's pie special is so awesome i hope they add it to the regular menu. i'm no brewery expert, but i really like their amber ale, so much that it's the only one i get when i go there. i'm really glad they dropped that whole, "get your own water from the cooler" thing, that was annoying and you only got a tiny little glass. now you get a full glass of water, with ice, yay! the ambiance isn't much to speak of, but i'm not picky about that sort of thing anyway. the trivial pursuit cards are a fun addition, and make waiting easy (not that the wait is long anyway). the service is generally good, at worst indifferent, but never rude or incompetent.
(5)
Jose C.

This place is cool. You can just sit there and have beer, watch sports, or have a nice meal. The type of food available is like that if a typical american diner. Good food, all sorts of beers, even original beer from this brewery. Take some time off, go to the bar and drink a beer. Good atmosphere/people.
(4)
Ted K.

I'm always pleased with the beer here and the bartenders seem to be pretty cool too. The place lacks TV's screens and sports channels so it's not the best for game day. The restaurant is family friendly and the menu has plenty of options but I advise sticking to the burgers and apps. The mexican dishes are much better next store and the pasta plates have never impressed me. There's room for improvement on the restaurant side but the Brewery/Bar is pretty cool. Good burger special for lunch!
(3)
Kenny H.

There is not a lot of reason to totally go our of your way to come here. If you are IN Boulder Creek or passing through after hiking or visiting friends...then, I say check it out. It has a great "feel" to it. It is like a Northern Exposure vibe mixed with Santa Cruz laid back and progressive at the same time. The wait staff is super friendly. The prices are decent enough, and the beer (while far from the best brew I have had) is not bad at all. The food is decent. The pub style fish and chips were OK. Not the best I have had. The fries would have been much better if they were thick cut and not skinny. This is no Rosie McCans! The fish appeared too little for the $12 a plate IMHO. But it filled me up reasonably well. My friends all ordered a large Caesar Salad that they shared amongst 3. The cheese was plentiful and really complimented the dressing well. Worth it. I have had a "good" veggie burger and the curly fries were well seasoned and had a nice consistency as well. Again....it is the atmosphere and sharing a pitcher of the brown beer that makes this place cool. Come to be with the locals in this cute Mountain Town. Just dont expect the best of the best pub food. Just "adequately good enough".
(3)
Barney T.

The wife and I braved the dangerous Highway 9 this lunchtime, our goal in the mountains being this outstanding spot. We both had the "grain patty", hers slathered with mushrooms and cheese. Straight cheese "burger" for me, and the food was filling and tasty. The beer was excellent, the Peaceful Porter being labeled "Panic Porter" because of its coffee flavor...so nice I ordered it twice. The staff chatted about absent staff members, the recession, neck rubs...the atmosphere was one of general tomfoolery. Laid back, good food, excellent beer served up with gusto and discussion of last night's Daily Show. So what if it looks a little run down? So what if the lunch is on paper plates? What matters is who is there, the food and the beer. And BCB delivers the goods on all three.
(5)
Maggie F.

Pretty decent place. Wings are good.
(3)
Tammy A.

Quit beggin' me to take down my review. If you've changed things, new reviews will show that. My review reflects my experience. Bad enough that Steve earlier fabricated a fairy tale. You cannot game the system.
(1)
Juno A.

Holy crap, the food is pretty good, but their beer is AMAZING. We had both the Dragon Breath's IPA and the Christmas Ale. The Christmas Ale was just UNREAL. And their IPA? One of the best I've ever had. SO good.
(5)
Alisha Y.

This is a latent review, it's been a couple of months but I totally meant to review back then, just got busy...you all know how it is. I never quite enjoyed scenic redwood drives to/from bay area to santa cruz key spots for various reasons. This was a welcome relief. It was easy pickin's this spot on our drive. My boyfriend and I came in during happy hour (on the weekend mind you!). We ordered beer and it was good(it's a brewery) , yet I'm a wine lover so had that too. ... and the sirloin sliders and sweet potato fries yum. Gotta say, the waitress um sucked, yet she was off the clock so I got it, more interested in her beaux than anything- he was smart, he made a purchase at the bar. (note: if you're off the clock take off your smock) This has foodie, local pub/brewery, and family restaurant appeal. The check was soooo reasonable thanks so much for a great value!
(5)
melanie g.

This is a very hard review for me to write. It is with sadness that I have to give this place that I have loved a two star review. We were regulars to this Brewery until recently when the food took a nose dive. We realized recently that the amazing executive chef Judd Anthony is NO longer working and this has made all the difference in the food. Without him at the helm we have experienced wilted salads, less than par consistency of menu items, not to mention all of Judd's menu items have been changed to "new names" - and the locals are all a buzz with the news of his departure. It is really sad because my husband and I ate here at least once a week for two years. The beer is still amazing so it is worth a trip to indulge in some amazing and wonderful brews! I am just so sad that the food is no longer what it was. I hope they figure something out because this was our town's go to dinner spot. I am sure they are going to feel the loss of Judd! I vote bring back Judd or find another competent chef to replace him or this business is headed for hard times.
(2)
Jasper M.

Awesome service, tasty beers, good food (Kalua Pork and Avocado fries), and great desserts (Cannoli, Tiramisu, and Creme Brulee).
(5)
Ryan W.

My wife and I recently stopped in at the brewery with our 3 month old son and were very impressed! Service was friendly, atmosphere was great, locals were very welcoming and provided some nice conversation. The food was incredible! The veggie hoagie was the best sandwich I've had in a while, and my wife's pasta was also delicious. Marianne's Ice Cream sealed the deal. We can't wait to go back!
(5)
Erik w.

In all honesty I wasn't expecting much for the sleepy little town of Boulder Creek, CA. However, I walked into Boulder Creek brewery & cafe and the food was outstanding. The decor is typical (C'mon its a typical bar n' grill), but everytime I go I get great food and great service. The staff is always attentive with a smile, and the food is tasty and satisfying. I must admit, I'm addicted to their burgers, but my wife has had their salads and both we find to our liking. Also, the beer they make there is refreshing. I'm pleased to find that they can craft beer with malted hops but they don't go too IPA at that same time. The Redwood (not sure if its an ale or lager), is a great beer that gets lots of much deserved attention. So if you're in the Santa Cruz Mtns area and looking for a decent bite to eat, stop here 'cause you can't go wrong.
(5)
Daddy O.

Yikes yikes yikes. I'm totally with Amalia K. For some reason I mistakenly thought this was the same as the "Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery". Let me assure you, these two are NOT the same place. The beer was pretty good, but everything else about the brewery just plain sucked. This place reminded me of one of those seedy restaurant/bars in a town of 200 off a dirt track road in the middle of South Dakota. Stepping inside, it was like walking into a time warp. The staff all looked like they had some kind of substance abuse problem. Convenient, no? First of all, there were a whopping 4 patrons inside. It felt like we were in some kind of dingy cave, with tons of empty space, ancient video arcade games that probably didn't work, and a general feeling of blight. The place was vast, with high ceilings stained by roof leaks, and complete with creaking floorboards, ripped up vinyl booths, and a menu that was more depressing than anything else. I ordered a cheap hamburger lunch special and it tasted like a piece of meat-flavored newspaper. NYF ordered a bbq pulled pork sandwich which was equally disappointing, considering that it wasn't really BBQ -or- pulled pork. She didn't order beer either, so I guess she really got the short end of the deal. Needless to say, we won't be coming back.
(2)
Scotty J.

Great stout, tonight. I was a twelve year regular and the beer ha been constantly mediocre. The stout I had today was one of the best Ive had there ever. Still not as good as Seabright's beer, but we love Bolder Creek.
(4)
Justyn P.

Boulder Creek Brewery is not an ultra-classy five star restaurant with award winning chefs and medical grade cleanliness. It's a brew pub, and it is everything you would expect a brew pub to be. It's greasy, poorly lit, they brew their beer right behind the counter, you sit in archaic wood furnishings, slightly salty-looking regulars glare at you from the same corner they've been visiting for decades, and the staff is quite friendly. You can't really ask for anything more in a place like this. I tried the Ancient Oaks Wheat and the Summer Wheat, two very decent brews, although they served them in a regular pint glass with a virtually nonexistent head. I couldn't complain though, as this seemed like a place where people come to get drunk, not to discuss the intricacies of flavor in their beer. The food was not bad either--greasy, filling, made to serve in large quantities--the perfect thing to eat while drinking beer. I'd recommend this place, just don't expect it to be glamorous.
(3)
Amalia K.

It would seem as if the other Yelpers and I are not talking about the same Boulder Creek Brewery.... I am not sure how anyone would give this place 4 stars let alone 5??? We just finished a meal there this afternoon and it was unremarkable, you have to serve your own water, the prices of the beers varied on each menu and on the chalk board (what's that about?) and it was hot and smelly. We spent $36 on two burgers, onion rings and 2 beers. Totally overrated and the food was mediocre. To be honest - it is what I would have expected of the place when we pulled up but it was the Yelp reviews that set the bar too high. The Trivial Pursuit cards at each table are a nice touch....
(2)
Mehmie M.

We eat there pretty regularly despite neither of us drink beer. Instead we have nice cool glasses of Coke that are refilled with conscientiousness by our usual friendly male waiters. And darn they are friendly! I guess they like tips. And this is a place where you can be specifc with your food. If you want it special, do yourself a favor and tell them what you want, and they will do it. You mean locals eat at a local place? Horrors. Here there are lots of mountain people weirdos (which I might be one come to think of it) but why the heck do you travel if you don't expect to have adventures? The early you come, the less weirdos. In fact we find it kind of entertaining to get a corner booth and stare at everyone. I am sure they are staring back. You can't beat the burgers if their made on a good day. Buns are toasty with a nice angus patty and the avocado is perfectly ripe. The Brookdale Burger with carmelized onions and gorgonzola is a real treat when you are feeling peckish. The Chimichanga Grande is the epitome of California Mountain fare; deep fried, drenched in enchilada sauce, and full of tender carne, beans, rice, and served with generous guac and sour creme. On a bad day with over-loaded wait staff, your burger can end up a nasty mess which was obviously forgotten about then tossed back on the grill (can we say hello food poisoning?) We stayed away for a month or two after that one and chose our visits tat a time when it was on the off-hours. Onion rings are good. The batter them themselves and will give you mid-westerners sides of ranch if you ask . Now on to the fries. Garlic and Parmesan Wedge-cut potato fries were EXCELLENT! Except they seem to have stopped serving them! Holy crap! Yesterday we had our usual nummy burgers and there were these crappy shoestring affairs right out of a Costo freezer. Bland and disgusting, thats all I can say. Plus my Blue Cheese dressing tasted as if someone had mixed it water to thin it out. It might be part of their attempt to spruce up the place because the depression is hitting them hard. It still has this marvelous retro-70's feel to it mixed with a touch of the old west. It's been painted a complacent sunny beige now and the redwood door white. Who paints a redwood door in the redwoods white? Overall I think it is a great place to eat! The char-grilled taste of that angus beef keeps us coming back for more.
(4)
Alexandra V.

Wow. Just got back from having dinner here. The food is amazing! I had the Judd burger, it had fried avocado, crispy onions, Swiss cheese and the most amazing cilantro lime dressing. The dressing alone is knock your socks off good! Oh my even the fries were perfection, perfectly crispy and seasoned. The food came out quickly, the waitress was attentive, the beer is super good and i'm not even a beer drinker. Dinner for two was under $30. This was my first time here and I will definitely be back!
(5)
tim b.

I first visited BC Brewery while camping nearby last summer. This summer (2010) I'm in town for a while, and visit the Brewery regularly. I'm particularly a fan of their Happy Hour, with $2.50 pints from 4 PM to 6 PM daily. The locals are friendly here. First timers stopping by for a beer seem very pleased with the selection of microbrews. There's usually about 6 brews to choose from. I am an IPA fanatic, having refined my microbrew pallet while living in the Pacific Northwest for many years. BC Brewery's IPA is among the best I've ever had. The bar itself is kind of what you'd expect in a small town in the middle of the woods. About ten stools at the wooden bar, and a few pub tables that seat four people. Classic rock is usually playing in the background. Loud enough to enjoy, but never so loud as to hinder conversation. A couple wall-mounted flat-panel TV's usually are tuned in to whatever sport is on, with the volume turned all the way down. The best entertainment is often provided by the bartenders, who are an upbeat, funny bunch. The menu is limited, and somewhat uninspired. But there is a new chef on board. Everybody says the food is much better now. The word is that he'll be revamping the menu with some exciting entrees after he settles the kitchen down. In the meantime, they offer daily specials which are getting great reviews. The dining room is a family friendly place. In summary, it sure is great having a friendly brew pub out here off the beaten path.
(4)

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Address : 13040 Hwy 9
Boulder Creek, CA, 95006
Phone (831) 338-7882
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe

13040 Hwy 9, Boulder Creek, CA, 95006

Boulder Creek Brewery & Cafe Menu

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