Excellent food in a beautiful tranquil space. The menu has unique and perfectly prepared dishes that are well thought out and cooked with experience. The calamari was tender and crispy, the fish was fresh and perfectly cooked. We asked for a spicy curry and it was so well done with a slow building spice that was strong but complex and enjoyable without overwhelming the veggies or seafood. Chai was equally excellent. Mango salad may be my new favorite appetizer of the year. I took my Mom here for Mother's Day and it was ideal.
The GF really wanted Sri Lankan food so we checked this place out. It’s pretty cool, I had a banana saffron lassi that was really good. The food portions are fair, by 2022 standards, and tasted great.
We absolutely love Malabar! It's rich and exciting in flavor and so surprised to find it not at the top of every food list in Santa Cruz. This is truly a hidden gem! I'd argue a top 5 for flavor and uniqueneas in Santa Cruz area.Service was absolutely fantastic! They throw in free items often and are very attentive!
This is one of our absolute favorite food places in Santa Cruz. My husband and I go there often and we love the owners as well! It's a husband and wife who own the business. They are incredibly kind and always offer us incredible service. Their food is unlike anything I have ever had in the best way possible! It's incredibly unique, and I always feel like a I am getting comfort food with rich flavors! We have all our foodie friends go there and they love it as well. Some mention it may not be traditional Sri Lankan food, but who cares! It's amazing! The owner also mentioned they are purposely experimental and innovative!Not sure where the bad reviews are coming from! :) I'm afraid they must be mistaken lol or quite misunderstood the circumstances!! Seriously I would argue some of the best service in town and kindest people. I truly hope people continue to give Malabar a shot as we want to see our beloved restaurant continue to thrive. ?
We enjoyed our lunch here. The service was very good and the owners were very friendly and helpful. Food was delicious. Heads-up , the prob size of entrees could be quite big
Granted, the fish curry was really good, but the service spoiled our experience. plus The owners creepy behavior with 3 ladies across the room….hovering over their table, devoting all his attention to them, then indifferent to my husband and I. I feel really bad for the other employee or Employees who are trying to make up for the lack of efficiency..This owner acts like a street vendor. I strongly suggest they hire a professional manager to save this business.
Food is exploding with unique flavors and the service is attentive and really sweet! Good vegetarian options as well. Highly recommend the Singapore noodles and their chai!
Terrible food for desi audience. Really bland and pricy food.Service and ambiance was all great but seemed totally poised to please the Santa Cruz crowd with western ethnicities who may not prefer the authentic spice.
Worst service. Horrible taste. They took half hour just for a tea(chai) which was $6 bdw.Horrible taste. (Just boiled water) They were hesitant to give sugar also.
The food was amazing. They had so many vegan options. We got the nassi Gorin and peanut boda. Both were incredible! Such an underrated place.