The Crêpe Place

The Crepe Place has been part of Santa Cruz since 1973, and it has outlasted earthquakes, storms, recessions, and the crepe trend itself to become something more permanent: a genuine community institution where the food, the bar, the garden, and the music all feed each other. The wood-paneled front bar opens into a lush, plant-filled Zen garden patio that longtime bartenders call Santa Cruz's best-kept secret, and the garden stage hosts live music up to seven nights a week in an atmosphere that feels like a party at a very cool friend's house. The music ranges from intimate jazz and bluegrass on weeknights to nationally touring acts through the folkYEAH booking series, with Grateful Dead tribute Sundays, funk nights, punk nights, open mics, and DJ sets filling the rest of the calendar. The crepes and the Bloody Marys are legendary. The shows are frequently remarkable. And unlike most venues its size, the Crepe Place manages to feel like both a great restaurant and a great music club at exactly the same time.