Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen | Beachside - Aptos, California

Thao H.

Love this place. They have great cocktails and a huge gin selection. The cocktail menu is updated every season with new limited seasonal themed drinks.

I've been there for happy hour as well as restaurant week. The steak was cooked perfectly and all the appetizers were delicious.
Their chocolate torte was densely decadent and not my favorite, had other flavors listed but was just overwhelmingly chocolate.

Alejandro B.

One of our favorite restaurants to visit in the Santa Cruz county area! Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside (there is Beachside, in Aptos, and Westside, west of Santa Cruz), located in Rio del Mar village, is a great place to go for fresh oysters and a gorgeous sunset. Enjoy the cool evening air on their patio, or take a seat at their bar and sip one of their delicious cocktails while you take in the view!
Their friendly staff are very attentive and helpful! The music selection can hit the soul, a wave of nostalgia sets in as you enjoy some of their fluffy focaccia bread with salty butter. The environment is very relaxed and chill, especially as the ocean waves crash just outside, seen through the big windows of this awesome place.
Bring your friends, or even better, make it a romantic night for two. As they always have a great selection of oysters and drinks, from wine to cocktails, it would be a night you and your partner will not forget! Venus will treat you right!

Monica I.

Sat outside on a foggy evening under warm heat lamps. It was lovely sitting outside. Well protected from any breeze. Service was great. Drinks are some of the best tasting in county. We had the curry soup to start. Delicious. Meaty fish and chips that were crispy without being greasy. Calamari sandwich with Old Bay chips! We will definitely be returning.

Riley N.

Tonight was clearly a difficult one for front of house and kitchen staff alike - we waited for around two hours for our food to come out due to unprecedentedly short staffing - but our waitress and the manager were attentive and apologetic, the food was delicious, and while the atmosphere was a little tense due to delays, nothing felt frazzled or out of control. All in all it was clear that everyone was working their asses off, so I want to give the accolades they deserve - bravo. One rough evening won't be nearly enough to keep me from visiting again, keep doing what you're doing

Krista H.

The goat cheese raviolis are amazing! As is the market salad and the Miso Salmon. Best cocktails in town. Our faves are the Golden Ticket, the Laura Palmer, and the Blush Negroni. Staff is super friendly. Everything is run really well, and we always enjoy our time here!

Elizabeth S. H.

We ordered two dozen of oysters last night for dinner and they were not as good and tasty as they should have, also for what they cost us. When you eat oysters they should leave a fresh and ocean flavor in your mouth, but these didn’t and we think it’s because they didn’t have the typical brine, saltiness and freshness that oysters have probably from cleaning them too much and taking away the natural sea salt from the ocean. First we ordered the smaller kind and then the medium size that tasted more creamy. Also, we would have preferred natural lemon slices rather than passed through the grill, and the green cucumber sauce didn’t really go with oysters, it’s too plain and I don’t think it combines well with an oyster taste.

Michael W.

Bar was great. The Martini Martinez was excellent. Reception was pleasant.

Service was great at first but trailed off as the restaurant gained guests. Cleared our starter plates with our utensils but didn't replace them.

The food was very good. A large New York steak, perfectly cooked. Large fish and chips was also really good.

The end was disappointing, having to wait 10 minutes for our desert order. Out of drinks and water, finally they bring out the chocolate tort but we were done. Please box this and bring the check.

Another 5+ minutes goes by. Finally the waitress comes by and we ask for our dessert box and the check.

The patio was full but the dining room was only half full.

I'd go back for the food and cocktails. Maybe the service will improve.

Arzuman A.

We are very disappointed. We went to this place called a café for the first time and for the last time. The food was terrible. The potatoes were old and there was such an impression that they were left over from the previous order and they just warmed them up for us. The salad was inedible because all the spices they had that day were poured into it. The service was terrible. The lady who served us was very rude and expressed her hostility with all her appearance. After eating something we didn’t like, and after such an unpleasant attitude towards ourselves, we decided to pay and leave. As befits us, we left a tip, but what was my surprise and unpleasant amazement when, checking my card payments, I saw that they threw money on top and took out this money from my card!!!!!!!!!!! What impudence and violations of financial regulation. I have already contacted my bank to start an investigation because no one isn't protected from these people who can get into your pocket. My advise: STAY AWAY from this place.