Samba Rock Acai Cafe
| Address: | 291 Water St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA |
| Phone: | +1 831-458-2224 |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM 8AM–6PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 23
JI
Jim Schneider
The acai bows were OK though too sweet. However, we were treated rudely by the owner / manager. We went to the restroom, and while I used the restroom, my daughter stepped just outside to wait - the bathroom is just next to a door leading to a back patio. The owner / manager (not sure exactly what she is, but she had an aura of "I run this place") rudely admonished us for stepping outside "Guys, that area is for employees only and the sign on the door says so"! I looked at door and it was open. On the *back* of the door (the side that we wouldnt normally see if the door was closed) there was a small "employees only" sign but it is highly unlikely anyone would notice it, and besides, it is on the side of the door that is meant for people coming *into* the place, not going out. I mentioned to the owner / manager person, that the signage is not clear, and she said the door is normally closed and, very sarcastically / snidely "look at it now". I looked back and, sure, there were all kinds of "employees only" and related signs on the door, but HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SEE THAT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN AND THAT SIDE OF THE DOOR IS NOT VISIBLE. There is an easy solution to this problem. You need to have signage that works whether or not the door is open. Just hang a sign over the doorway. Problem solved. Customers see it, no need to admonish customers for not heeding signs that they may not see. Besides this incident there seems to be a pattern here of not "Do right by the customer", but "The customer had better do right, or they are to be admonished and/or privileges are taken away". The other example is the sign in the bathroom saying that theyre not going to supply paper towels anymore because it was causing the toilet to back up too often. Again, not enough customers "doing right", so admonish them and/or take away privileges! At the very least, provide an alternative like a hand blower. This is amazingly poor customer service.
EV
evillalp evillalp
Este lugar é ótimo por seus pratos de açaí maravilhosos. Têm bom sabor e muita fruta misturado com açaí gelado. Infelizmente não é possível provar a fruta açaí mas o que eles servem quase é como provar a fruta se não até melhor!
BR
Brian Loos
If you want something refreshing and sweet, but not a dessert, and it also happens to be before 5pm, then Samba Rock is perfect for you. Their acai bowls are hands down the best in Santa Cruz, with my only gripe being that they are a tad pricey and the portions are larger than they need to be. The smallest bowl usually leaves me fairly full and the regular is just too much. I wouldnt regular here just because I wouldnt be able to afford it, however, the occasional trip is always well worth it.
TH
Thao Nguyen
I love this place! My go-to acai bowl is the Os Mutantes with an acai base blended with pineapple, topped with strawberries, bananas, and coconut flakes. The mini size is just right for me; the regular size is hearty and the large is massive! Fresh bowls. A tasty, healthy treat. Friendly and quick service. Free, indoor bike parking. Street, meter parking for cars. If you know your order ahead of time, phone in.
DA
Dan Killam
Delicious, well made bowls at decent prices. Good variety of options and I like the wood paneled look. Very relaxing environment to read and load up on some delicious tropical fruit purée. Unfortunately the place gets very hot and stuffy on summer days, so I recommend ordering ahead on the phone to avoid standing in a very long line.
MY
Myrr C
This place is great, and has so many amazing options of acai bowls!! I used to rave about Cafe Brazil (and the breakfast entrees there great!) but I think the bowls at Samba are way better!! They have deliciously healthy options and are super traditional - not too sweet, but naturally fruity and amazingly delicious!!!
MI
Mitch Sanders
Chill atmosphere and friendly staff The mini for $7 left me hungry but was tasty The disappointment came from opting to eat in and yet still had my acai bowl prepared in plastic disposable bowl. Even if green utensils it would be much nicer to see reusable silverware and plates/bowls.
MI
Michelle Blondin
YUM. This is one of my favorite places to hit up in Santa Cruz for breakfast or lunch on the weekends (Id probably come every day if I lived in SC). Great quality, portions and super fresh ingredients. The staff is super friendly and laid back here too.
HO
hospice420
This is absolutely the best breakfast. My absolute favorite is the "Os Mutantes" with extra bananas and blueberries and the coconut cream. To many hours between my last and next bowl their bowls are that wonderful not to mention what they do for a body,
JA
jamie danielle
AMAZING ACAI BOWLS!!! Ive had similar bowls at other local places and they dont even come close to comparing. Samba Rock has delicious combinations and wide selection of toppings. The coconut cream on top of the acai is my favorite.
OL
Oliver Zumstein
the food is very good. unfortunately everything is served in plastic. no matter how organic your food is, pretending to care for the planet by creating tons of litter can be quite hypocritical. thats why its only 4/5.
MO
Mohammad Khatib
I LOVE THIS PLACE. I always underestimate how much I enjoyed their Acai bowls, couple days ago we went there and I was shocked how good was the bowl I finished it so fast! Get the Coconut flakes one, delicious!
CH
chase bills
very nice place. came in to kill some time while waiting for someone at the court next door. I got a coffee, sat down and enjoyed the vibe. good customer service and convenient bicycle parking spot.
VI
Virginia Russell
I ordered a regular sized Pelé, it was delicious and very filling. The staff was very friendly, and the whole place had a great atmosphere. I would definitely recommend grabbing a bite here!
JE
Jesse Quevedo
Delicous! My faves are the mutantes bowl and the celebrate life smoothie. Only issue is sometimes the service is very slow, even if you call in ahead, and they can sometimes be unpleasant.
CR
Crystal Sanchez
Wait time is a bit much even when you call in to order go pick up... They said 20 min and we got there after 20 min and nothing was done. Had to wait another 10 ish minutes.
RO
Ronald Wong
Fantastic place for a refreshing acai bowl. Samba Rocks acai bowls have excellent texture (creamy, not icy) and taste. The variety quality of toppings are really great too.
AR
Aron Tripp
Great Acai bowls. Friendly staff. Ok clientele. Very much an earthy, UCSC crowd. Coffee pour over is pretty good here to. Very hipster vibe. Some Brazilian flair.
TH
Thomas Sumner
Great acai bowls, friendly staff and a nice atmosphere. The staff was even nice enough to confirm that one of the options was vegan. Theres plenty of seating inside.
MA
Matheus Arnellas
Im Brazilian and Ive been looking for an authentic açai place in the SF Bay for the longest time. Samba Rocks açai is hands down the best açai in the Bay Area.
JE
Jesse Bustamante
Solid Acaí bowls and great atmosphere, the only thing I have to say is that they didnt have separate bins for recycling and they serve theyre bowls in plastic
TO
Tom McElroy-Wild Survival
Amazing acai bowls (fruit smoothies bowls with granola). So much better than anywhere else in town. Get the airton senna. Service is much faster now too!
SK
Skylar Brady
Delicious , fresh, healthy for you. Amazing passion fruit acai bowl here for breakfast. I feel it is Worth the price for the quality. Will be back for sure
