Restaurant
Unclaimed profileThe View Restaurant & Bar (at Chaminade Resort & Spa)
Santa Cruz, CA · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The beverage program at The View Restaurant & Bar is built around a full-service bar and a broad, clearly priced list. Specialty Cocktails run 17, with a separate Low Abv section at 14 and daily Happy Hour taking 20% off drinks and food. Wine spans Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Malbec, red blends, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sparkling, with glasses from 10 to 17 and bottles from 40 to 200. Draft beer arrives by pint or pitcher, and the mocktail list gives non-drinkers named options rather than afterthoughts.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Wet Hot American Summer, a 17 specialty cocktail built on strawberry-infused tequila with grapefruit juice, ginger honey, spicy bitters, and grapefruit soda. For something lower in alcohol, the Hugo Spritz at 14 combines elderflower liqueur, lime, mint, and Prosecco. On the wine side, the Prisoner Wine Co. Unshackled 2023 is poured at 16 by the glass or 64 by the bottle.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Guests who want a full bar with named cocktails, a broad wine list at multiple price points, and non-alcoholic options that go beyond soda. The draft list and pitcher pricing also suit groups ordering rounds together.
- When should I go?
- Daily Happy Hour offers 20% off drinks and food, making it a straightforward window for value. The site invites guests to toast the sunset while sipping wine, which points to an evening visit.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Specialty Cocktails are 17; Low Abv Cocktails are 14; mocktails are 12. Wine by the glass runs 10 to 17, with bottles from 40 to 200 and sparkling bottles from 45 to 120. Draft beer is 10 a pint or 34 a pitcher, and bottles and cans, including non-alcoholic beer, are 8.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The program pairs a named cocktail list with a wine selection that includes a Chile Cabernet at 10 a glass and a 200 bottle of Silver Oak, plus a Vine to View Winemaker's Dinner Series that has paired four-course dinners with local California wines.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A full-service bar with handcrafted cocktails, a Specialty Cocktails section at 17, and a separate Low Abv list at 14. Seven named drinks carry full ingredient detail, and daily Happy Hour takes 20% off drinks and food.
Menu strengths
- — Seven named specialty and low-ABV cocktails with ingredient detail rather than generic category labels
- — Separate Low Abv Cocktails section priced at 14 gives a deliberate lower-strength choice
- — Daily Happy Hour offers 20% off drinks and food
Standout selections
- — Wet Hot American Summer: strawberry-infused tequila, grapefruit juice, ginger honey, spicy bitters, and grapefruit soda, 17
- — They're Coming For You Barbara: bourbon, lemon juice, rhubarb simple syrup, and egg white, 17
Pricing: Specialty Cocktails 17; Low Abv Cocktails 14; daily Happy Hour 20% off drinks and food
Wine
A broad list covering Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Malbec, red blends, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sparkling, with glass and bottle pricing across categories. Glasses run 10 to 17, bottles 40 to 200, and sparkling bottles 45 to 120.
Menu strengths
- — Varietal range spans red, white, and sparkling with both glass and bottle options
- — Price ladder runs from a 10 glass to a 200 bottle, giving real choice at both ends
- — Vine to View Winemaker's Dinner Series pairs four-course dinners with local California wines
Standout selections
- — Prisoner Wine Co. Unshackled 2023, Napa Valley, 16 by the glass or 64 by the bottle
- — Silver Oak 2022, Alexander Valley, 200 by the bottle
Pricing: By the glass 10-17; bottles 40-200; sparkling by the glass 12-14, bottles 45-120
Beer
Draft beer comes by pint or pitcher and covers lagers, pilsner, IPA, cider, and Mexican dark lager. The bottles and cans section lists Corona, Pacifico, Guiness, Coors Light, Modelo Especial, Blue Moon, plus N/A Heineken 0.0 and Athletic N/A Beer, all at 8.
Menu strengths
- — Draft list moves across lager, pilsner, IPA, cider, and Mexican dark lager
- — Pitcher pricing at 34 supports group orders; Bottles and cans include two non-alcoholic beers alongside standard labels
Standout selections
- — Shimmer Pilsner from Discretion Brewing, 5.3%, 10 a pint or 34 a pitcher
- — Uncle Dave's Rye IPA from Discretion Brewing, 6.5%, 10 a pint or 34 a pitcher
Pricing: Draft 10 a pint or 34 a pitcher; bottles and cans 8
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Mocktails section at 12 with named drinks and ingredient detail, plus N/A Heineken 0.0 and Athletic N/A Beer in the bottles and cans section at 8. The two routes give non-drinkers a mixed drink or a packaged beer rather than a single default.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated mocktail list with named drinks and full ingredient detail
- — Two non-alcoholic beer options in the bottles and cans section
- — Mocktails at 12 sit below the 17 specialty cocktail price
Standout selections
- — You're Turning Violet, Violet: lavender, blueberry, lime, and soda water, 12
- — Guava-Sickle: strawberry, guava, lime, and soda water, 12
Pricing: Mocktails 12; non-alcoholic bottles and cans 8
How it sits with the food
The Vine to View Winemaker's Dinner Series pairs four-course dinners with local California wines. Daily Happy Hour takes 20% off both drinks and food.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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