Vim Dining and Desserts, Santa Cruz CA

Amazing!
My husband and I made reservations for our anniversary. As soon as we walked in, I loved VIM. It's beautifully decorated and everyone is welcoming. They even printed Happy Anniversary on the menu for us We ordered the butter charcuterie board to start. It was delicious and I could have eaten a pound of the butter. Our cocktails were great and we had seconds. I had the bass and my husband had the pork and we left no crumbs! We also got the chocolate cake and the pumpkin cheesecake to go, and those were fabulous. Everything was fabulous and we will absolutely be back!

We were able to book a reservation for my 72 birthday. Everything was fantastic. Words can’t describe all the variety of flavors in each dish. A sumptuous feast.
Since moving to Santa Cruz from Berkeley I’ve had yet to find a local restaurant which could match any in the gourmet ghetto of North Berkeley or the Rockridge area until tonight.
First bite was heaven. We had the pork tenderloin, lasagna, fish and filet mignon.
First course the mushroom soup Devine first to last spoonful. We each shared a taste of a friends dish. Desert was shared. Chocolate cake light and fluffy. Cheesecake never so good wuth the butter and pecan sauce. My birthday chocolate cupcake was chocolate lava in the center, so rich. Wine selection was well rounded. We will be back after I digest for a few days.
Thanks for a fantastic evening Vim.

Wonderful customer service, delicious food, amazing desserts! Perfect date night with a loved one or friends

Edit- went again last night… best meal of my entire life!

Croquettes, filet mignon and chocolate tart. Devine!

Wow wow wow! I don’t know how it could have taken me this long to discover such an amazing restaurant! The best food and service in Santa Cruz hands down. My husband and randomly came in tonight after passing by a number of times saying we wanted to try. We sat at the bar and Jasmine was our host. She was great, she knew the menu and everything she suggested was delicious! Had the best dinning experience. Great food and even better vibes! Definitely coming back!

The best meal in Santa cruz hands down. The menu changes often and Every dish is fantastic. Always a satisfying dinner.

My husband and I were visiting Santa Cruz and stopped in to a local bar and the bartender told us we absolutely MUST go to Vim. We followed their advice and celebrated our one year wedding anniversary with them (a little early, as we are flying back home on our actual anniversary) and this place was INCREDIBLE. If you’re only in Santa Cruz for a day you absolutely MUST come to vim. From start to finish the meal, service and atmosphere was impeccable. The chef /owner of the restaurant is an absolute magician when it comes to making meals. The food was incredible. To start, we were given a complimentary glass of champagne for our anniversary and a special menu that said “happy anniversary” on top. It was a small and special touch but my husband and I were so taken back by the kind gesture. We then got the seasonal salad, which was also unique and delicious. My husband got the chorizo fettuccine and it was melt in your mouth good. I got the filet mignon and I think I will be dreaming about that meal for years to come. We finished our meals with the pumpkin roulade and it was CHEFS KISS AMAZING. This place is worth every penny. The cocktail/wine pairings for our meals were also top notch. The caravedo’s new groove cocktail was so unique and well done, I wish I could get the recipe and make it at home. 10/10 would recommend you stop in at Vim. They pull out all the stops and make you feel so welcome. ️️️️️

Great service. Very good if not great food but the menu was limited when we were in. I'd give the food a Santa Cruz 5 if the portions were bigger. Staff were excellent.

Excellent experience all around! Served at the bar, SO had the filet mignon and I had mushroom butternut lasgna. It was a spiritual experience. No but seriously, it was. Met Eric who owns the restaurant with his wife, the chef (didnt catch her name). Go here, great people too!

Dear friends invited us out to Vim tonight. It has been highly recommended so we went with high expectations (usually a bad idea!). I have seldom been moved to write such a positive review.

If you read no further, suffice to say that four words describe the Vim experience: extraordinary; exceptional; excellent; exquisite.

It would be an understatement to say that Chef Jesikah’s dishes are works of creative genius; more accurately, they are divinely inspired. Appetizers (and we tried three!) were inventive combinations of delicate and complementary flavors. Your entree plate will be completely clean, guaranteed. Our table echoed with “Wows! ”

Desserts, the Chef’s specialty, are worth breaking any promises you have made to yourself about counting calories (even if you have to restart your 75 Hard). They are rich but light, and completely unique. Definitely do not deny yourself.

The food is the linchpin of an all-around amazing experience. The gorgeous interior includes stunning original artwork by Shauna Stolaroff. Attention to detail is evident in every aspect, from the silverware to the flower arrangements. Last but not least, the service is stellar, enthusiastic and professional.

Come to Vim for a special occasion or just to treat yourself. The menu is always changing to keep up with new inspiration and seasonal offerings. Your biggest disappointment may be that the item you loved last time you came has given up its place on the menu to something even better.

Fantastic food and experience every time I go! Additionally, I have Celiac disease (can’t have gluten unfortunately), and they always do a great job of having items that are actually gluten free, and also let me bring in my own gluten free bread and crackers so I could share and enjoy the Butter Board with the rest of my group. Always outstanding cocktails and food, and a very friendly and attentive staff. My favorite place for a special occasion!

10/10 all around! I’ll be dreaming of that piña colada cake. What a pleasant surprise on the west side

My favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz County by far. All good and drink’s interesting and delicious.

Worth the drive! Creative flavors, artistically presented by the most pleasant staff. Something for everyone. Incredible vegetarian and.vegan options too!

VIM is an absolute hidden gem with inventive, surprising, and utterly delicious food and cocktails. We’ve spent many years living in New York and San Francisco, and the food and cocktails at VIM would easily delight in any of the best restaurants in either city.

We ate at the bar and had a lovely time chatting with the staff and owners. Great vibes, great experience. We’ll definitely be back!

Seriously so delicious! Our serve Eric was so awesome. They made a point to make us feel special for our anniversary. The drinks were so tasty. Our food was amazing. We got the charcuterie board. The liver mousse was so so good! My husband had the steak, it literally melted in your mouth. The stuffed chicken was amazing. They pair it with mushroom bread pudding and it was one of the best things I’ve had! Vim is definitely one of the best places we’ve ate in this Bay Area! We will definitely return!

We just had an exceptional dining experience at VIM. We highly recommend this restaurant. Everything was so delicious and beautifully decorated. I loved all the different China tea cups.

The food is really good. Not just Santa Cruz good but all of America good.

All the flavors have that perfect New American taste. You know? The complex blend of sweet, savory, sour, and hints of char or bitterness where it just hits just right, topped with something crunchy but still blends well, be it the entree or desserts… where you’re confident you can never recreate it at home.

The honey butternut squash burrarta was perfect.
I loved the steelhead. Perfectly medium cooked with such a nice sauce. And the sunchokes on the side were cooked crispy outside soft inside perfectly. And wow, the aioli sauce was amazing as well. Perfectly salted.

I live 500 miles away, but I’ll be back soon.