Oyunaa’s Mongolian Cuisine

A great find for us out-​of-​towners! Its description as a «Mongolian-​Russian-​Asian fusion restaurant gave us pause, but we are glad we took the plunge. This restaurant certainly changed my preconceived notions about Mongolian food. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying that the more familiar Mongolian BBQ is not delicious, but the food at Oyunaa’s will expand your cultural horizon and school your palate.
The waitress recommended the Khuushurr for first-​timers. It was spot on. Khuushuur is basically a dumpling that’s been flattened, then deep-​fried. Yeah. That’s where they got it right. It is flaky like pastry on the outside and «dumply» on this inside (I make up new words as I go). What elevated it were the different sauces offered in condiment jars set at the table, especially their mushroom sauce. Yum-​mo.
I didn’t think it was an expensive place, as a couple of reviewers mentioned here. I thought the prices were reasonable.

Okay had to knock off a couple stars because this place takes forever to get your order out — every time! It’s always at least a 45 – 1.15 for your food to come out! Who has time for that? Be prepared or get your food to go… and it’s not the waitress’s fault that it takes so long — the poor young lady!

The best meal (easily) I’ve had in Santa Cruz. My son and his girlfriend both graduate from UCSC tomorrow and this was a very memorable occasion, both epicurean and for obvious reasons. The pelmani was perfect, as was the borsch. Ochen spacibo!

Really not worth the hype. Overpriced and portion is small. Food taste is not bad, but I wouldn’t say it’s different from other cheaper Chinese food.

If you’ve never tried real Mongolian food, stop here and try it. This place is slightly pricier than similar places. Service was okay.
1. True authentic MONGOLIAN dish
There are only about 5 true Mongolian restaurants in all of U. S, which by definition makes this place a rarity. I really hope you guys didn’t think Mongolian BBQ and Khan’s Mongolian etc were authentic. Obviously, khuushuur is my favorite (lack of better words: this is my favorite dish where you make giant dumplings and step on it to make it flat and somewhat deep fry it :))
2. Awesome romantic atmosphere
You can see all Mongolian artwork and things that the owners brought back from home. I love it here.
3. Nice and close from the Mystery Spot
Here’s the part I am giving you a secret cool idea!!! Mystery spot is a famous touristy place and very interesting. and this restaurant is very close from there. It would a perfect place to eat and then go see the awesome mystery spot.

Very quaint and nice Mongolian and Russian restaurant. Food’s spot on, atmosphere is great, and very friendly service.

This was an unexpected treat– happened upon this place when in town for a race. We were looking for a hearty meal with plenty of carbs. I had the special which was very tasty. The chicken dumpling app was delish and I probably would’ve ordered another round of those had the waiter not already taken my order. Great staff and decent décor. The Mongolian music playing is a bit difficult to hear after an hour or the monotone drone but… It is a Mongolian restaurant so can’t really count that as a negative. Would gladly visit again.

Ok, there is NO Mongolian food in this place. All the food is Russian, but it’s really good. Looks like Pelmeni are home made and my Gulyash was really tasty.

Nice little place to take someone on a date. Very small but super cozy vibe. Servers are nice and smiley.
Probably the best food in Santa Cruz in my honest opinion. If you’re in Santa Cruz you gotta try this place out. Great Mongolian good.
A little pricey but worth it.
The tastes is phenomenal! Flavorful and fresh! They tell me is made right after you order. I got a glimpse of the kitchen and I can see Oyuuna making the dumplings.
Order the buuz dumplings!!! The sauce is bomb as f*** too. Nice spicey linger. :)))

I first stumbled into (or I should say out of) this place the other day as I was waiting for a show to start at the Rio next door and the Rio doesn’t serve beer. My wife and I were stoked to find that they serve Sante Adairius and S.C. Ale Works Micro Brews on tap, Wohoo! So we saved our seats at the Rio and popped in for a pre-​show drink. The next show we planned a bit more time and came in for a meal and some beers and that may soon become a tradition for us, this place is Awesome!
Mongolia is North China, close to Russia where the very different styles of both countries sort of blend to form a unique culinary style. Kimchi even seemed to make it onto the menu so they are not constrained by borders. Add the local microbrews I mentioned and you have what I call the makings for a perfect meal!
My wife and I started with the kimchi and pelmeni appetizers. The Kimchi is nice and vinegary with an almost carbonated zing from the fermentation. The Pelmeni were my favorite of those two, Russian style chicken dumplings served with a sour cream and fresh dill dip. I’m not a big sour cream fan but «Flip», the owner, makes a great peanut sauce that I opted for and it was a great combination. A good example of Russia meat China…
For Entrees I had the Buuz. I love this name, I called it «buzz» and was corrected by the waitress who called it «booze», either way it’s a great name for a fan of tasty adult beverages… The Buuz is basically a Shanghai dumpling, house steamed dumplings with seasoned beef that lets out a broth when it’s steamed that gets trapped in the dumpling wrapper. When you bite into it you get a juicy, soupy, delicious treat. It’s a bit of a trick to figure out how to get that bite right without spilling all the soup but it’s worth the challenge. The dumplings were served with a carrot salad and a potato salad to complete the dish. These are also available vegetarian.
My wife had the roasted chicken special which looked great and I assume it was as I never got to even taste it! By the time I looked up from my plate hers was gone… ;)
I liked this place a lot and I was stoked that the owner and I share the same nickname «Flip»… If you make your way in there because of this review, say «Flip sent me» (it will probably just confuse him and definitely won’t get you a discount but might be fun?) Flip is a nice guy and it’s nice to see a business owner that cares about his place and works hard between the kitchen and the front of the house to make sure the place succeeds.
Well done Flip! We will be back!

Everything about this place was delicious! Dumplings are cooked to perfection and the meat inside was moist, juicy, and tender.
Tonight we ordered:
–khuushur: fried meat dumpling accompanied with pickled cabbage salad
–buzz: beef dumplings accompanied with a carrot and potato salad
–and pelmeni: chicken dumpling with a sour cream and dill dip. At first I thought what dumplings with sour cream?! But don’t be fooled it’s the best combination ever mixed with their mushroom sauce on the side yum.
Everything to the food and service was on par. Couple hours later I’m still dreaming about those dumplings. I would definitely recommend to friends and family to try.
They also have soups and ribs besides dumplings too.

3 ½ stars
First time trying Mongolian food outside the Mongolian BBQ places in the Bay Area. My wife and I love dumplings so this was an easy sell.
We had the chicken and vegetarian dumplings (Bansh and Vegetarian Buuz). We really liked the chicken AND the very flavorful broth. The vegetarian dish was just okay – the flavors were that, just okay, not good enough for a repeat performance.
I would be interested in coming back and trying other items on the menu.

Delicious. Absolutely delicious.
Meats are tender and juicy; moist and succulent. Dumplings are cooked to perfection.
Kimchi is a bit ‘tart’ compared to more asiatic cuisines, but nonetheless delicious to me.
Healthy portions and healthy food. Definitely would recommend to friends and family.

First review of 2016 is for Oyunaa’s and it’s a hit! So glad we tried them last night. Hubby was rightly skeptical — mainly dumplings, and in Santa Cruz? But wow, these were so good! We had the Pelmeni (chicken dumpling) appetizers, and he ordered the beef Buuz while I had the vegetarian version. We ended up splitting and swapping half of our dumplings with each other, and both the-​guy-​who-​hates-​potatoes and the gal-​who-​would-​rather-​give-​carrots-​to-​rabbits shoveled down the two side salads as if this was our first meal in days! There are a couple other types of items on the menu, including a beef «goulash» and a chicken leg dish, as well as a chicken dumpling soup which I have my eye on for next time. Oyunaa’s Mongolian Cuisine might seem suitable for a food truck venture, but the interior of the restaurant was decorated with interesting Asian art and even an ancient x-​ray machine behind the bar. It is obviously family-​owned and various members of the family were there while we were dining. Note: the hot sauces are labeled I, II and III in order of spiciness — but the first one was more than enough for me (it sneaks up on you, so give it a try before head up the ranks). You can also use the mushroom sauce which is in the orange bottle on the table. The mushroom flavor is very mild and I preferred the hot sauce, but had I continued using it I would have ended up crying in my food by the end of the night. Anyhow we were both still talking about the dumplings today and can’t wait to visit again. Thumbs up for simple yet supremely tasty, high quality food!

The short: perfect place to grab something warm to eat on a cool day.
I have no idea what Mongolian food is, so I was more than curious to find out. This place has a bit of Russian flair with some of its food. It seems like they are known for their special sauce, since they have several samples and it’s possible to order the sauces.
I ordered the bansh: chicken dumplings with slivered carrots in a light dill-​flavored broth. I love how the food here is organic. This was the perfect dish for me since I was so cold and hungry after my hike in the nearby hills.
While I was waiting for my order, I picked up a book under the tv (playing a slideshow) and read a bit about Mongolian history. Now, I’m even more fascinated about the country and would love to visit one day!
When my food arrived, I was thinking it looked so small… but as soon as I bit into a dumpling, I was overwhelmed with its wonderful flavors. I quickly finished the dumplings and all the soup (it was so good!). I do wish they had more dumplings and will be back to try more items on here!
The décor in here is so cute and the servers are very friendly. This place seats about 25 people. I have nothing to compare this to and I am more than excited to recommend this spot to other people!

The most comforting food I have had in a long time — week later I am still dreaming about their chicken dumplings dipped in their house Flips Dumpling sauce. Steaming tasty chicken broth with local fresh carrots cooked to perfection.
All in this theatrical slightly steampunk atmosphere. Perfect for a cold night where you are craving hot belly warming food. In summary — it’s Foodie comfort Food.

Came here from a recommendation of a few people. First time here was Halloween night. We were served by a young lady, who turned out to be the owner’s daughter. The menu selection isn’t big, so we ordered 3 plates with different kinds of dumplings; buuz, khuushur and bansh. All 3 were great! The owner, Flip, came out to talk to us about the plates. He even gave us a taste of a sauce he was making, which was a garlic spicy sauce.
Overall, great food and great people working here. They also serve craft beer. He’ll have local stuff from SARA, Santa Cruz, etc. on tap.

Honestly, I love everything about this place; from the décor to the food. It’s a small little hole in the wall that many might look over, but let me tell you, it’s definitely worth a try. Especially if you love dumplings as much as I do!
There menu is very small, but all of the options look so good, it’s hard to choose! To start, I had the pelmeni, which are the Russian style chicken dumplings with sour cream and dill; absolutely fantastic! For an entrée, I had the vegetarian spinach and shiitake buuz with a carrot and potato salad; also really tasty!
Their hot sauce trio is really good and really spicy! Even the first level had me reaching for my water with every bite, but so worth it. Also, they have this delicious mushroom sauce on the table for the dumplings and oh my god, SO GOOD! Honestly, we were considering asking if we could buy a bottle!
Overall, great experience, I will return whenever I get the chance!

Unilocal needs to create a sixth star just for this restaurant. I don’t even know how to describe the magical meal I just experienced at this place on a random Sunday night with my mom.
Santa Cruz is known for many things, but mind blowing culinary cuisine is not one of them. Coffee? Yup! Pastries? Mmhmm! Mom and pop breakfast joints? You bet! Ethnic cuisine? I mean, it has Café Brasil, but there isn’t really anything to excite your ethnic cuisine juices.
Then I finally decided to step foot inside this magical world.
First, the ambiance is perfect. Feels homey yet eclectic. I don’t even know how to describe it, just go there and see, you’ll love it.
Second, third, fourth, last, and all that matters, the food is downright orgasmic. Like any great restaurant this place knows what it is good at, and spends it’s time perfecting it.
I’ve never seen a Mongolian restaurant before in my life, and I have no idea why this family chose Santa Cruz of all places to setup shop, but I’m so glad they did.

When I first saw the words «Mongolian» and «Russian» listed below my search bar, I couldn’t help but be a little curious. I have to admit that this shining star of a shack was my second choice; my hungry six man band were about to try and squeeze our way through Lillian’s Italian restaurant’s busy crowd. I’m glad we failed to get in because had we not, we would not have had the chance to dine in and at one of the most unique fusion experiences I’ve had to date.
OH AND THE WAITRESSES ARE SO, SO PRETTY.
Before you judge, I can say that without sounding too creepy because I’m gay okurr.
But anyways, so yea. I couldn’t even fathom that Mongolian and Russian cuisine could even overlap in any way possible. But surprisingly, their small menu primarily consisting of dumplings and special house sauces seem to do the trick! Also, everything they use in their dishes are natural and organic, so how wrong can you really go with that?
My friends and I shared two of each of the three dumpling entrees (yes, there’s only three), which included the Bansh, a chicken dumpling, the Khuusuur, a fried flat beef dumpling, and the Buuz, a steamed beef dumpling.
The chicken dumpling was so, so good! Incredibly comforting for a cool windy day in Santa Cruz. It came in a broth, so keep in mind it was basically a soup. The Khuusuur was interesting and not your atypical dumpling as it was flat and deep fried. Meat was churned and almost minced, and it came with a side of a very refreshing cabbage salad. The Buuz would have been the least interesting if it didn’t come with coleslaw and a potato salad (yea, what a combo) as it was a typical steamed beef dumpling.
What makes these dishes extremely special though are the accompanying sauces! They have a house special sauce and three levels of spicy sauces. I recommend grabbing all of the sauces and trying them out! They add notable flavor complexities that will blow each dumpling dish out of yoooo mindddd.
Affordable. Tasty. Healthy-​ish. Eye candy. What more could your heart desire?