The Bayside Cafe is a fantastic place to dine. Their fish & chips are great and the Spicy Green Chili Soup is the best. Service is always consistent and prices are reasonable. read more

Wife and I graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, so the Hwy One areas were familiar territory. We very much love this area. The Bayside Cafe did not exist until over 20 years after we graduated. A Cal Poly grad opened it in the state park in the mid-1980s and we regularly visit when in the area. An excellent place for lunch or dinner. If you stay in Morro Bay, this is an easy drive for you. Dinner is less crowded than lunch. By the way, clean bathrooms are outside the restaurant in a separate building. Parking is all along the water front...no problem. A very nice and surprisingly varied menu is all yours. Dinner menu has more seafood and upscale dishes than the lunch offerings. Both are great. Wife had the sandwich and their green chili soup 1/2 & 1/2 ($13 + $2.50). Really good and different. They have this chile soup mixed with chowder which is, to me, even more excellent. My lunch was shrimp enchiladas ($23). Service is great. We had Julia and she know everything about the menus, so just ask. A very nice place to visit frequently. Look at my rater profile and you will see that I rarely give 5-star ratings. Bayside Cafe rates it. read more

Good Food And Picturesque Setting Away From The Crowds...... Friends from San Jose were in Paso Robles for a weekend in July so we all decided to cool off by meeting in Morro Bay for the day. We chose the Bayside Cafe for lunch since we had a good experience at lunch back in 2022. Ratings..... - Overall: 4 - Location: 4 - Exterior: 3 - Ambiance: 4 - Menu: 4 - Food Quality: 4 - Food Portion: 5 - Service: 5 - Price and Value: 5 - Parking: 4 - Bathroom: 3 Pros: - Location: Away from the crowds. The Bayside Cafe is in a marina 1-2 miles south of the popular street of shops along the shoreline in Morro Bay. - Menu: Large. Something for almost everyone with a slight emphasis on seafood. Lots of choices for the non-fish foodie. - Exterior: Ramshackle, but in an okay way. There's a good size patio and indoor seating. - Ambiance: Very casual. Jeans...shorts...polo shirts and sneakers. Dogs are welcome on the patio. - Food: A very good version of "diner food". I had the Veggie Sandwich ($17) with avocado, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and sprouts with cheddar and jack cheese, mayo and mustard on sourdough bread. It came with a big bunch of good sized fries. My wife had a Half Sandwich of turkey and avocado ($14) on a french roll with a side salad. She said it was fine. Our friends each had a sandwich - both came with side orders of either fries or a salad - and seemed to be happy. - Service: Excellent. Our server - a young guy Named Hamilton - was a nice combination of friendly and knowledgeable with a good sense of when to drop by the table. - Price and Value: Reasonable portions of tasty food at a fair price. - Parking: No problem. There's a long parking lot along the marina. - Bathroom: Interesting. There's nothing in the Bayside Cafe, but you've got access to 4 bathrooms in 2 small buildings behind the restaurant which are shared with boaters and kayakers. The Bayside Cafe sits in a picturesque setting serving good food without the crowds closer to town. However, it is popular and a 15-30 minute wait is likely during the summer months. read more

Bayside Cafe was our lunch choice after having a nice paddle out to the sand dunes with the kayaks we rented (shoutout to A Kayak Shack) and what a great choice that turned out to be. Service was welcoming and friendly, the clam chowder is a must, our drinks stayed filled, and the ambience complimented the calm, cool, friday morning we had earlier on the water. California clam chowder - As described on their menu, it is a mix of their clam chowder and their spicy green chile soup. We absolutely loved this. I appreciate that it was not too salty, something that tends to be for a lot of places that serves clam chowder. There was plenty of clams, as you would expect but I come to find out later on my trip to a fish house in Monterey that this isn't always the case. We will come back to Bayside Cafe just for this. Fish & Chips - This one could have been a lot better. The fries and fish were fried to perfection but would have liked more seasoning since I did not get much from the fish. Drinks: Iced Tea - Sure, Iced tea not sweetened can be the same anywhere else but I don't know what it is but the brew that day was on point. The best part was that our servers made sure we didn't see the bottom. Overall, if they improved upon the flavor on the fish and chips and increased the portion of fries, I think Bayside Cafe would be a solid 5/5. Regardless, their location, clam chowder, and friendly service, is enough for me to return if we go kayaking again! read more

Bayside Cafe - Fish and Chips - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

My parents are camp hosting at Morro Beach State Park Campground so we wandered over here for dinner. A cute establishment right on the water. We didn't have to wait very long for our table of 6 to be seated. We were promptly offered beverages and ordered an appetizer. Crab cakes to start were excellent! A perfect bite before our main entrees. My mom ordered their seafood steamer. Everything was cooked excellently, and was absolutely delicious. My 6 year old daughter got their black bean burrito. I didn't have any of this, but my 1 year old shared it with her and there were no complaints from either. My step father ordered the baja fih tacos. These were absolutely delicious as well! My boyfriend got their fish and chips, zero complaints. Also incredibly tasty. I ordered the clams and linguine noodles. I have to say... These were one of the most delicious preparations of clams I have EVER had. The most flavorful broth. Garlicky, tomato-y, phenomenal. We inhaled every bite and asked for some bread to soak up the goodness at the end. 10 outta 10, reccomend!! Finished dinner with their house made carrot cake, flourless chocolate torte, and their mud pie. Also reccomend all of these, but their flourless chocolate torte was one of the best I've ever had. I wish I could eat this every single day. Lol. Anyway... Do yourself a favor and come here to eat!!! read more

Bayside Cafe - Clams with Linguine - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

See all

Ordered: - Clam Chowder - Sourdough Bowl (4/5): No frills delicious bowl of chowder. Pairs great with the sourdough, although it does help to have another dish break up the flavor since it can feel one dimensional after a while. - Fish Lunch - Grilled Swordfish topped with Mango Salsa with fries and California Chowder (3.5/5): Having never tried swordfish I knew I had to try this. The cut of fish was smaller than expected and would have been pretty fishy without the mango salsa and lemon to cut through the flavors. Fries were perfectly done and were crispy without being greasy. The chowder was spicier than expected but I really enjoyed it. Overall I'm glad I tried this dish but it's pretty expensive for what you get and I would still have been hungry without some of my gf's chowder. Overall (4/5): We had just finished kayaking and since Bayside Cafe was conveniently at the same location it was a no brainer. We waited about 15-20 minutes on a Saturday afternoon before getting seated by the window which offered an amazing view of the water. Service was quick and friendly. If we're in the area we'll be sure to return! read more

Bayside Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

See all

I thought we'd try a different place to eat lunch from our regular go to restaurant. Well the fish and chips were good, however the batter was a little too greasy for our taste. Even the seafood sampler platter was greasy.Next time we'll stay with what we know is good. read more

See all

Excellent customer service. Excellent food, expensive (because right on the beach) but will the food portions will fill you up. Expect to wait a bit or go when they open the doors. read more

Bayside is a cute little cafe that is tucked away behind the golf course. There is a nice walking trail directly across from the restaurant. It is perfect for walking off your meal! The fish and chips were solid. The batter was crispy and light. The pieces of fish were a little on the smaller side, so I would get the 5 pieces if you're hungry or sharing . The clam chowder was creamy and had a decent amount of clams. The special of the day was pan fried petrole. It was well seasoned and tender. It came with your choice of 2 sides, so it was a pretty hearty meal. Service was good, the workers were very friendly and nice. I would return if I was back in the area. read more

See all

While I was in town visiting relatives we stopped here for lunch. We ordered a club sandwich to share and I also had a cup of clam chowder. I wish I would have ordered the California chowder as the regular clam chowder had very little flavor and was not anything I would re-order. The club sandwich was typical club sandwich it was large and presented nicely. We sat on the patio to eat and it was a relaxing lunch even though the place was obviously very busy. A week or so later we ordered food to pick up in the late evening. Upon arriving there was another man waiting for his to-go order and there were several employees standing off to the side chatting. We stood there for quite a long time without being acknowledged. The man ahead of us finally stopped a different employee that was on their way to the kitchen and asked if we could get some help. Our food was already bagged and had been waiting and after standing there and waiting to be helped for 15 minutes, by the time we got the food home it was barely warm. Very disappointing! We had ordered nachos and fish and chips and the nachos had sat so long that they were soggy and needed to be eaten with a fork. Fish and chips really had no flavor and again it was so long in getting the order from the counter to us that it was not hot or crispy so super disappointing. All in all I don't think I would choose to come here again but I know my family who lives in town likes to eat here so I may try again on another visit but the two times eating here this visit were pretty disappointing. Nothing really stood out as far as taste and the poor service the second time really made a negative impression. read more

See all

What an amazing way to start my husband's birthday trip! Bayside cafe was our first stop and the wait wasn't too long. We were greeted with a smile and were sat by the window overlooking boats. What a gorgeous view! Shortly after, I panicked and spotted a hornet next to me. I informed staff right away and was pretty impressed watching how they handled the situation haha. She got a cup to catch it against the window and used a menu to slowly prop it in with such ease! After that, we settled down and ordered the shrimp and chips as well as the chicken tenders with fries. Our server was so kind and friendly. Food came out in a timely manner and she continued to check up on us throughout our meal. After that, I paid the check and had quietly mentioned happy birthday to my husband. Our server returned and asked if she heard me correctly haha and offered him a birthday mud pie! How sweet and how could we resist? It was so delicious and we had such an amazing time! read more

See all

We were a group of three friends meeting for lunch on a Tuesday. We arrived at 11:30, which on this particular Tuesday was just the right timing to be seated right away (there were still a few tables inside and outside). Every time I come here I feel welcome, and this visit was no exception - no matter how busy they are. We scored a corner table inside with an excellent view of the marina. Super pro and friendly service. I had the large bowl of California Chowder (their excellent clam chowder with a ladle of their green chile soup in the middle), served with oyster crackers, $11.95. I love this dish and almost always order it either as my entree or as a side. Today it wasn't perfectly warm but I was having too nice a time to interrupt my friends' lunch -- I'm sure they would have remedied this quickly, I just didn't ask. One friend got the grilled salmon sandwich ($23), which is a pretty basic presentation but fresh. My other friend had the tri tip salad, which was fresh and had plenty of beef. It's a very lively and lovely spot - a true gem for our Central Coast locals and visitors. read more

See all

Fantastic fish and chips. We shared a 5 piece plate. Great location with indoor and outdoor seating with bay views. We also had the carrot cake later at home. Yum. Great friendly service. read more

See all

Bayside Cafe is such a convenient and solid spot if you're staying at the campground nearby. We ordered the clam chowder and the avocado shrimp Caesar salad, and both were genuinely delicious--fresh, flavorful, and exactly what you want after a day outside. What really made it stand out was how easy the whole experience was. We called in the order ahead of time, walked over from the state park, and everything was ready for pickup without any hassle. Super efficient and perfect for a camping trip setup when you don't want to deal with a long wait or sit-down meal. The hostess was also incredibly friendly, which made the whole interaction feel welcoming from the start. Big bonus that they're dog friendly too--always appreciated when traveling with a pup. After grabbing food, we explored the nearby trails around the bay, which honestly made the whole experience even better. We'll absolutely be back the next time we're in Morro Bay. read more

Our Chicken Enchiladas were dry shredded breast meat ( too chewy ) with no flavor, ( could have added some cheese and sauce) the sauce tasted strange, not from tomatillos or mild green chillies. The beans were obviously out of a can. Food tasted institutional, no flavor. Our server was great! If this restaurant weren't surrounded by such beautiful landscape and sea, I'm sorry to say I doubt it could survive. read more

After kayaking in the breezy cool bay, we were looking to warm up with a bowl of clam chowder and Bayside Cafe offered just that. I was a little concerned because we were seated outdoors but the patio heaters were cranked up and we could sit without jackets. We opted for a bowl of clam chowder and a bowl of spicy green chile soup plus the tostada salad with fish. Traditional clam chowder did not disappoint - creamy, right amount of clam and potatoes. The spicy green chile soup was delicious but a tad bit watery. The tostada salad was fresh with lots of tomatoes. The fish could have been a bit more flavorful but otherwise a good healthy choice. Service started slow but picked up and once our order was taken. Great location after kayaking! read more

See all

OMG! Such a great spot for breakfast or lunch! Garret was our server today and was super on his game. His personable manor and genuine hospitality was so welcoming. I heard him tell several locals how much he enjoyed seeing them again. I love that! Ok, the food is great I have never had anything bad. I really love the sweet and sour slaw as a side. You cannot beat the atmosphere. Beachy, laid back and ocean views all around. There is a large parking area and the museum above is a great way to walk off your meal. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I went camping at the site across the street from this place! Seems like a popular place for ppl at the site LOL We walked over on a Saturday night around 5pm to do a pickup order. There was no wait to be seated when we ordered, but we walked past a few times throughout the weekend and it got pretty packed. It's a quant restaurant and lots of seating next to the dock. The service was great and they were very nice. We ordered fish and chips, calamari, fish tacos, and clam chowder. It only took 10 minutes for our food to be ready! It was A LOT of food for 2 people!! We thought the food itself was alright, nothing to rave over but it was very fresh. I liked the clam chowder and calamari the most. read more

Bayside Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

This is our go-to restaurant in the Morro Bay Area. We love the location, the view and the food. We got there at 11:30, so we would miss the crowds that always happen here. Immediately seated and water brought to the table. Gave our orders to the waitress and then waited and waited. Had to ask if our food would be coming anytime soon. We were told they were pretty backed up. We came early to avoid this! The food and service is always top notch. We will definitely come back. read more

Food was so good. Service friendly. Heated patio and dog friendly is a huge plus. Ambience beautiful view of the bay read more

See all

A local favorite, Bayside Cafe serves the freshest catches of the day. They offer some Mexican specialties with their fish tacos and fried fish platters. My friend and I were eyeing their clam chowder and green chili sourdough bowl and bayside steamers plate! Their bread is made in-house daily and I loved their plating for the steamers, my food arrived piping hot. They looked as good as they tasted. The clam chowder was delicious as well with a nice kick of spice! We ended our night by splitting their famous large cakes and pies, choosing the boysenberry pie! Their service and staff are one of the sweetest ever. I can definitely tell why locals love this place for their hospitality and quality. PLUS, I SAW OTTERS OUTSIDE THEIR CAFE! Loved that! read more

See all

Busy lunch time, but outside seating has heat lamps. Fish & chips and Cobb salad was good. Kids shared chicken pasta but didn't realize there was mushrooms in it and server didn't mention when I asked. Carrot cake made up for it. read more

Bayside Cafe - Carrot cake - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

I came here because I was taking a long drive and the food was GREAT I had the nachos and they were delicious packed with olives , beans, guacamole and some cheese and sour cream and the atmosphere is amazing and the staff was so friendly but bring your appetite because if you order the nachos or fish tacos there HUGE and I love this restaurant and would come back anytime. read more

Had dinner there last night. My salmon sandwich was full of nematodes. I realize that nematodes are common, but it is the chef's responsibility to inspect the fish for parasites. As long as the fish was cooked properly, it is likely that this won't make you sick, but it is still disgusting. I have been eating here for years so this experience was a real turn-off. Yuck! read more

Bayside Cafe - Nematodes - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

A nice, casual place to eat. We did the leisurely, short walk around the bay. There is a short hill to explore with a museum and golf course on the other side. You can rent kayaks across the way. This place gets busy so put your name on the wait list right when you get there. Enjoy! read more

Bayside Cafe - View from our table - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

See all

Ordered the clam chowder and I must say it was delicious Service was great, food was great. Eat here!

Food was good! 4 adults and 1 child and we all had something different. Waitress was GREAT! Put up with all of us....lol. Will definitely be going back soon. read more

We came here today for the ambiance, to have lunch by the water. It was so beautiful and calming. The came at the height of lunchtime and the place was paced, with 1 hour wait. We recommend coming closer to 10 am before the lunch crowd. My son got the shrimp enchiladas with the works (you ave to ask for the extras). It was really good. I read a caption about the 3 piece Fish & Chips where the guy recommended getting more, so I ordered the 5 piece. OMG!!! these are the best Fish & Chips that I've ever had! Each piece was really big, and the batter has herbs & spices that make them outstanding. Super fresh and moist inside. The tartar sauce was really good too. It must be house made. I asked our waitress about her choice of the lunch specials or the Fish & Chips. She highly recommended the Fish & Chips. I definitely recommend this restaurant. At least the hour wait is right on the water. read more

See all

My husband and I came here on a recommendation from a friend. We thought we had driven too far until we found the golf course. We were both very pleased with our orders! read more

Bayside Cafe - Fish n chips 1/2 order and Shrimp Louie - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

See all

Nice ambiance and friendly wait staff. Food is not exceptional but good enough. I would say the burger was the best thing ordered at the table. Yummy homemade desserts like key lime pie and carrot cake. read more

Great service and delicious food! The fish and chips were nothing short of amazing, tasty, and crispy in the most perfect way. Garlic bread was soft and crisp all at once. Really good bang for your buck. read more

Bayside Cafe - Fish and chips - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

We've been coming to Bayside for quite awhile and have always had great food, especially the fish and chips. The tartar sauce is so good, not your typical tartar sauce. The service is always good here, friendly, and efficient. But last night we had exceptional service, Hamilton, amazing server, he made our night even better. Such a friendly, outgoing personality, always checking in to see if we needed anything. I have a pet peeve about customer service and Hamilton went above and beyond. My sister and my husband and I enjoyed our time so much. read more

oh my goodness! This place is a secret that gets found once you have rented a kayak at the Kayak Shack which is located is the same parking lot. This restaurant offers strange hours in that it changes from breakfast to lunch and it's closed for a half an hour between breakfast to lunch. I don't know why. But it does. And then it is open from lunch to dinner and then it closes for a half an hour between lunch and dinner. Again, I don't know why, but it does. But the food is really really good. They have a green chili soup that you can also have mixed with the clam chowder. Absolutely delicious. The fish and chips are probably my favorite of any other place. They're very light and the fish is absolutely fresh. I've enjoyed the salads that are offered. I've had some omelettes in the past that were absolutely scrumptious. All in all, a variety of dishes, await you when you come here. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. Pets are allowed civil as long as they are civilized and well behaved. The bathroom is kind of a tricky situation. It is outside the building and down the parking lot. It's almost like a camping ground restroom. Oh, and the weight staff is very friendly. Don't know how I forgot that. read more

Bayside Cafe - Outside the Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

The bayside cafe has decent food with lots of variety and wonderful service with an amazing view. I've enjoyed their club sandwich as well as their hamburgers and fries. read more

Waterfront Restaurant with great food and prices! We've celebrated Birthday lunches with family on the outdoor patio and also ladies lunches in the indoor dining room. Casual atmosphere and friendly, efficient staff make this a favorite local spot in Morro Bay. Food recommendations: Fish & chips, Tri-Tip sandwich, clam chowder, best Onion Rings around, and Mexican food is all good- love the burrito and tostada salads. There's usually a line especially when the weather is sunny, so put your name on the list and enjoy the warm hospitality! read more

Bayside Cafe - Well- behaved Dog Friendly outdoor patio - Mexican Near Me - Morro Bay, California

See all

Five stars for location in the State Park by the marina. Beautiful views! I'll also give a 5 star rating for excellent service. I'm giving 4 stars for the food. My husband's dinner was a perfect 5. My Coquille St. Jacques was very disappointing. Maybe my expectations were too high for this type of restaurant. It was like something I could buy frozen from Costco and reheat at home rather than freshly made. I think I expected too much from the restaurant. Everyone else visiting the restaurant at the same time raved about the food, so don't miss this place based on one offering! read more

Food was so good I forgot to take a picture. Enjoyed our lunch. Swordfish salad was delicious. Roast beef sandwich was the best my daughter has had to date. Service good also. Friendly. read more

See all

The wait was a little too backed up, and the fries were cold. Although, the chicken and BBQ sauce were delightful. The customer service was fair, but could've been more prompt. Overall, this is acceptable for a busy Sunday afternoon. read more

Everything here is delicious. I especially love their ranch and California chowder. Fresh ingredients and everything is homemade.

I will say that the seafood was fresh, but the food had zero flavor! Thank goodness for table salt and pepper. The service was not slow but it was also not phenomenal. I would say the service was simply there. The ambiance is what makes this place a desirable place to go. Beautiful relaxing setting, but PLEASE take note, the washroom(bathroom) is outside the restaurant at a near place by the dock area. So it is not that easy for someone in a wheelchair, as they would have to leave the restaurant and go outside by the parking lots for the bathroom. Aside from that, portions are good and price is fair when comparing to other restaurants in the area. read more

See all