Al Dente

Al Dente, I didn’t love you enough. I was going to make another year’s Valentine’s Day reservation, but you had left us. Valentine’s Day is canceled.
Every one was right, the food was amazing, the atmosphere was exquisite, it even seemed like they remembered us. Damn you Recession, you’ve taken something special from us all.

I AM SO CONFUSED!
bf and i tried to come here monday night since it seems like a nice ideal dinner date local, but ITS NOT THERE ANYMORE!
apparently the «Drunken Monkey» has taken over the address of 415 seabright… which we didnt try because well… the name just doesnt ring quiet date night.
one star because it doesnt exist. =/

Tonight my husband and I celebrated our 4^th anniversary on a dinner date to Al Dente. We’d gone there once before and were impressed with the menu options, service, and cuisine — everything was great. With so many fine dining choices in and around Santa Cruz, we decided that we weren’t in the mood for anything over-​the-​top fancy, or something that would fall in the $$$$ range. We wanted laid back, cheery, bustling, clean, and romantic. We wanted reliably tasty food. And we wanted Italian. Al Dente is all of these things. It’s a cute little neighborhood café that faces Seabright Avenue; in the evenings, you see people walking their pups, couples strolling hand in hand, and bicycling with their surf gear in tow. The ambiance is wonderful, but the food is the highlight. I ordered the Clam Linguine which was chock full of fresh clams and luscious linguine (not too soupy or creamy, just perfect!) along with some refreshing white wine. My husband ordered the daily special called «The Jack» which was a pasta dish topped with grilled Italian sausage. It was all amazing! Oh, and for appetizer, we ordered the butternut squash which was delish. A memorable meal for just under $ 65. Did I mention the friendly service? Turns a solid 4 stars into a 5 star rating overall!

Came here with a friend that knew the owners.
Had the rigatoni bolognese. I liked the free bread they were bringing but they did not have garlic bread.
The plate of food was super huge. I asked them to cover my food with mozzarella cheese and they put little pieces of it instead. It still tasted good but it was not what I asked for.
Overall the food was good but not the best I’ve had. 4 stars.

a classic Santa Cruz evening: take a long walk on Seabright beach and end up at Al Dente’s just up the block, where the people are friendly and lights shimmer off the walls and the food gladdens your heart. The pasta al aglio comes with sundried tomatos and fresh basil – so good, we sent the plate back entirely clean. The roast chicken is excellent – either with red wine honey or the lemon garlic – a half chicken, succulent skin, saucy and oily at the bottom of the dish. The pasta primavera: big-​bite pieces of piping hot super-​fresh zucchini, broccoli, and peppers, perfectly cooked, richly flavored creamy buttery sauce. Big carafes of the house wine come at 10 bucks. Staff are lovely.

I can’t say much against a restaurant that brings me a dish full of food which I can gladly return completely consumed. I had the gnocchi with pesto, my test dish for most italian restaurants, and it was quite flavorful so I have no complaints… well maybe a few
The place was a little tooooooo crowded for my comfort, we got pressed up against the window on one side and with three tables full of people really close on our other sides thus making for a very loud dinner. They should reorganize the seating arrangements or maybe take out a few spots to free up some room. Also the food took quite a while to arrive but as I mentioned before it was really busy so that is probably the reason why.
I don’t know why I haven’t come back here yet but I think I might in the near future.

under new ownership, who is lame. i worked here when lucio was in charge and hated it. don’t go here.

I ate here this Sunday night — other reviewers were right about the food — it’s delicious! I had clam linguine and the boy had capellini pomodoro. Both were great.
I know the owners are different now so there’s no crazy music or anything — it’s great for a date. The atmosphere is relaxed and we weren’t rushed through the meal like some other places I’ve been to. Good food for a good price.
My only issue would be that there is so much emphasis on pasta dishes that someone craving a meat dish or other kinds of Italian food might want to reconsider.
All in all, a solid choice for good pasta.

Great food, amazing atmosphere and very enjoyable atmosphere. I just went a couple of weeks ago, I don’t know how Luccio was, but the current guys are great. One of the chefs came out and talked to us and offered us some roasted garlic with our bread. First of all, it was great to have the guy making my food come out to suggest stuff. Secondly, I love garlic. The roasted garlic he made us was amazing and set the tone for the evening. I’d definitely make reservations because people who didn’t ended up sitting around for a bit. Service was great through and through. Our waitress to-​be came out and offered us drinks while we waited. Even though it was a busy night (all the tables were full), the service was great and our waitress came by as often as I would have liked without being too insistent. Easily the best dining experience I’ve had in a long while.

Some of the BEST Italian dishes I think I have ever had. I grew up in an Italian family, with a skinny old Grandma (I think she was a robot) making «Bön Apetite» style dinners that were 100% authentic. Al Dent offers dishes that are as good as — or better than — those old-​workd Italian meals.
And the disco/​strobe lights/​Luccio/​atmosphere is one of a kind. You just can’t beat it.
Eat there. Tonight, if you can.

i was taken here under the impression that it served fish because i’ve been craving it but i wasn’t really sure after i was told that the restaurant was called «al dente» (i mean, i think of pasta when i hear that) but i went along for the ride. the only fish item on the menu was salmon but i wasn’t craving orange fish so instead i went for the linguine aglio e olio which turned out to be huge. i thought i was gonna eat it all but nope, i only made it halfway. it had at least 2 handfuls of roasted garlic cloves (full chunky cloves), a ton of sundried tomato and whole basil leaves. I love simple dishes and i thought the addition of the basil and tomato made it quite nice… it was good but maybe a little less tomato (it got to be too tangy at one point).

I haven’t been here for a while, but my favorite hazy memory of Al Dente was bringing in 10 bottles of two-​buck Chuck to celebrate a friend’s birthday. It was a Saturday night, and the place was packed. Lucio decided to play the ENTIRE Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle CD at a high volume. I remember singing along with the «Ain’t No Fun» song, as I looked over and saw a family and child eating with a shocked look on their faces.
I’m not sure how it is now, but what Lucio brought to the table was 100% heart. He just cooked, drank, and had fun. You were in his house, and he made the rules. The food was good enough so you would accept that fact. It has to be the most entertaining restaurant in Santa Cruz County.

I also dined here after Lucio moved on to his new location (Lucio’s on Soquel and Ocean). Owners Dan and Joe always make going to Al Dente a pleasant visit. They always greet you with a smile and give the feel of being old friends.
The restaurant very clean and has a warm cozy feel, the food however, steals the show! My favorite is the Linguine and Clams and the Penne Salsicca. Dan also has a special steak dish that is sure not to be missed.
Thank you Lucio for passing down your pasta recipes. We still love you and we still love Al Dente!

I dined here AFTER Lucio moved on to his new location (Lucio’s on Soquel and Ocean). Joe, one of the owners made sure to come to our table and chat us up. He had some recommendations based on our tastes, and we were delighted.
The restaurant is cozy, and even a little bit cramped at times, but the food was superb. I highly and absolutely recommend the Polenta Appetizer. It’s the kind of stuff dreams are made of. Bonus points for being walking distance from home.

First off, great food. We had the lasagne and eggplant parmesean and loved both of them. The atmosphere is fast and happy. The DJ was great, very fun and upbeat, I loved the disco ball. The kitchen is in full view and watching the chef was amazing. The owner/​server was very friendly and happy. There were families, couples, and large parties. We were seated quickly but the wait for food was a little long. It was worth it though and the whole atmosphere really lent itself to conversation. I would definitely recommend it and I would go again.

I wanted to review Al Dente, but Lucio is no longer the owner, all bets off. Perhaps worth a try. But once I find Lucio, I will be certain to follow.

This restaurant was bought sometime late spring/​early summer from the old owner — the loud, crazy, Italian guy you can read about it prior reviews. The new owners — Joe, Dan and Taryn — have kept the fabulous food and great ambiance and added a lot more efficiency.
I’ve seen some of the regulars from the «old» Al Dente feel a little suspicious about the food when they walk in and see that there a couple of Mexican dudes (and sometimes Dan, if it’s busy) in the kitchen. They want to know where the old crazy Italian guy is. But what they don’t know is that before he left, the owner taught the new cooks how to make all the dishes. Once they taste the food they are quickly converted into enthusiasts of the «new» Al Dente — same great food, same disco ball, better service.
Food recommendations: buternut squash ravioli (a regular special), the polenta appetizer and the chicken in red wine.

Located near the Santa Cruz Brewery, its a nice quick drive along the coast. Parking can be a hassle however just park near the bar next to it, they have plenty of parking. Just ignore their customer only parking. I park there all the time and nothing has happened to me. (yet!)
The ambiance is what has made this place known to all Santa Cruzians. Originally located near Capitol its the sadistic owner who drinks and yells as he cooks your meal that got himself kicked out of that place. Residents around him complained that he was just way too loud. They play loud ass hip hop music like snoop dog as old people eat their pasta. I’m glad he moved, because where he is right now, it seems like he can be as loud as he wants to be.
I don’t know if the food back then took a dive from his original location, but here it tastes quite good. The seafood pasta meal is great and on most of the selections ive chosen before it were all plentiful.
I once took a survey at my job. As I was ringing up random people I asked them if they lived in Santa Cruz, and if they knew about Al Dente. The first 10 people I asked all said yes and considered it a Italian Santa Cruz staple.

Bad service has a statistically significant correlation to crankiness in my world. For some reason, Al Dente eschews this trend. This little place will always be thought of as one of my favorite Italian restaurants, despite the fact that the wait for a table is usually at least 45 minutes (no reservations), dishes are brought to the table when the chef makes them, meaning that your dining partner may end up watching you eat most of your meal before theirs arrives, and it’s not uncommon for them to run out of bread. The pasta is flavorful and for some reason tastes way better than anything that comes out of my kitchen. I always order the chicken, sun dried tomato, and basil fettuccine or the spicy penne with sausage and a caesar salad split with my companion to start. A solid buzz is usually acquired pre-​dinner while waiting at Brady’s, a dive bar next door, but I have enjoyed some meals relatively sober and know that the pasta is truly tasty.
Al Dente is loud, rap, disco, euro, or dance music is bumping, a disco ball is spinning, lights occasionally flashing, and there’s a requisite group of tipsy middle-​aged women dancing around after they’ve had too much wine with their leisurely meal. Still, if you expect a long wait and erratic pacing, decent cheap wine, and flavorful pasta, you’ll have a good time. Oh yeah, cash only, there’s an atm down the street in the liquor store.