The food here was decent. I wouldn't say the best, but for the prices I think you get what you pay for. The seafood does seem a bit bland. When I went I ordered clam chowder and for this cafe being right on the waterfront you'd think it would be fresher. read more

Went there today and I ordered fish and chips and the fish was very tasty.. Beautiful place. Everybody is very nice and extremely helpful and they were open... Support the local business... They do a great job! read more

I was not pleased with this place, I met family and friends there the night before my daughters graduation, and we all had issues with food. First was the calamari steak strips that tasted like they came out of the freezer and not fresh at all, I mean, we are on the waterfront literally . They were six strips, little ass strips for $15 + tax 2 orders for the table and everyone was disappointed with it as well as the halibut cakes that tasted like canned halibut just like canned salmon. They sale a clam soup with hardly any clams and the broth needed seasoning, so this was also sent back as well as the halibut cakes . I ordered the 1/2 pound cheeseburger which for me was a saving grace because the burger was actually very good but for $16 I should expect to get more and better french fries than a small order of fries from mcdonalds I mean damn give me some fries they came out of a bag of frozen french fries from the restaurant depo, not fresh and they were luke warm. I should've known something wasn't right with this place by how they looked from outside it's a Thursday night and people from everywhere are in town for the graduation ceremonies and this place was hardly busy. We will never be back. read more

Great Al Fresco dining. This gave us a beautiful ocean view. The service was quick and friendly. Excellent crab cocktail, clam chowder, shrimp scampi and jumbo scallops! The chowder was loaded with clams, the crab was delicious, the scallops were so big we could hardly finish! Thanks for a wonderful anniversary dinner in an old Historic building. read more

Café Waterfront - Crab cocktail and Clam chowder! - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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Food was bland...vegetables were frozen (literally saw them take the bag out of the walk in). Way over priced. Won't be back.

So far so good amazing mimosas and great atmosphere, visiting from washington and they are super nice, came back for dinner we shall see how it is! Great hosts they are super cool! read more

REALLY LOW QUALITY FOOD AT A ROCKET-HIGH PRICE. Super disappointed. Menu option was limited Foods took forever to come out Oysters came out on half melted ice Quality of food is homemade Chowder was not that bad though Angry at how much we paid for how bad the food/service were. read more

Absolutely the best fresh fresh fresh halibut fish and chips. Chips were a bit stale but it is definitely overlooked by service and halibut which melts in your mouth Thanks ya all great bar too! Ambiance perfect for a relaxing temperate albeit foggy afternoon read more

Great atmosphere. Great service. Great food. The claims chowder, salad, and bread combo was a perfect selection for lunch. Would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

We stumbled on this place because it was Monday and everything else seemed closed, and we deeply regret stepping in. Service was fine, but the food was terrible. Absolutely no flavor in any of the dishes we ate, and after looking at the other reviews it makes sense if they admitted they don't season because of their clientele. It's blatantly obvious because there is no seasoning to be found in any of their dishes. The older grey hair man walks around taking shots and only speaking to you if you're a regular and definitely didn't seem kind or inviting. Please just keep walking this place is terrible. read more

Today. (6/30/19) I'm just a customer, whom comes in and wants to eat. 55 minutes later after waiting to be seated. No food three (3) vodkas and oranges and coffee refills... not one word or even a "hint" of notice how long........ the wait was......... not only embarrassing...... just kinda thoughtless to believe it was.... not noticed..... ( maybe a piece of bread... etc..) nuthin.... finally asked for check.... read more

Woke up this morning thinking about Bloody Marys, so headed in with my husband. I had my favorite--the Hangtown Fry--which was amazing as always, and he had a yummy special omelette. Way better coffee than most breakfast joints, too. read more

Been coming here for decades and with almost 250 reviews to date, it seems like a lot of tourists hit this place. We returned this visit as we needed a lunch with some seafood and this place serves lots of specials with seafood. Look for the specials white board on the wall for the day's choices. Service today was quite good. The seating was quick and since it was after the lunch rush, on a rainy weekday, the place wasn't wall to wall as it sometimes can be. The fellow waiting us was quick and good humored to our requests. The place is in a Victorian building and sort of funky inside, but not sloppy funky. Except at the full bar, all seating is standard height chairs and tables. We each had a cup of their New England clam chowder, an everyday choice here. My wife is an expert on soups and she judged their clam chowder as an excellent rendition, not to thick or too thin. It had lots of clams and potatoes cooked just right. It was not too salty either. I would have had a bowl for my full lunch next time. Served with saltines, it hit the spot and the waiter gladly provided us with more crackers on request. We split an order of clam strips and fries. Pretty good plate and fresh tasting clams. French fries were excellent too. The halibut cakes looked good too. This is a local favorite with the bar crowd too. Great location right in old town near the bay. The fact that we have come here over 4 decades says it one of our favs too. read more

Went for drinks and some steamed clams. The service was excellent even though they are short handed. The clams were delicious. We will be coming back. read more

I LOVE this place!!! Ben made an amazing Godiva Chocolate martini, this place never disappoints us!! Great food and atmosphere!

What a weird experience...went to Cafe Waterfront specifically for fresh oysters. They didn't have any tonight, which is not unusual of restaurants in Eureka as I am finding out. Deciding to adventure elsewhere in my search for the oysters, I thought bvb I would just have an appetizer. They had a Halibut Cake on special, so thought I would give it a try. In the half hour I waited, I was watching TV, reading the closed captioning. At some point the waitress decided to randomly change the TV. As I was the only one at the bar watching I told her I was reading the show. She threw the remote across the bar and said "Fine...change it to whatever you want". What?!?!? When the Halibut Cakes came I was surprised there were 4...a large order for an app, even though they were pretty thin. While they were brown on the outside...no breading, no crust...when I bit into the first one it had the consistency of oatmeal, and just about as much flavor. I tried the second one.. then the third. They didn't get any better. When I asked for my check the server didn't even ask how they were, even though the plate was barely touched. There is no excuse for rude waitstaff, crappy service and such marginal seafood in a town that brags about its fresh fish and oysters. read more

I love going there, the artsy atmosphere , and the friendly staff. They always treat me good, I'm stuck on their wonderful fresh snapper burgers, ( they have a generous portion of fish ) on a brioche bun along with the red cabbage salad, or the steak fries. The Grilled oysters totally work for me. They also make a fantastic grass fed hamburger. I mostly go there for lunch, but occasionally I have a grilled halibut or steelhead dinner. The clam chowder doesn't do it for me, but a lot of folks love it . The fish is always very fresh and well prepared. Their house salads are cold and crisp with nice blue cheese dressing. They really know how to cook a great steak dinner too. The Waterfront is a classic non-trendy Old Town Eureka Institution. They are good people with old school good manners, read more

Pleasantly surprised given the reviews! I had the red snapper (delicious)! Our waitress was super attentive even though it was very busy & they seemed short handed. Clam chowder & oysters were also delicious. Highly recommend the carrot cake read more

Café Waterfront - 1/2 dozen oysters (3 or each) - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

The service was fine, as was the atmosphere, but the food. I ordered the seafood fettuccine, which had the consistency of paste. My partner had the friend calamari, which was bland, with a substandard crust. Her zucchini fritters were poorly done as well. The chef really needs to step up their game. This was an overpriced and substandard meal that left both of us underwhelmed. read more

Cozy little place by the water. It was very noisy. There were musicians playing. Good specials. I had clam chowder and salad. It was good. Friends had a variety of items from breakfast to burgers. Oyster burger. . . huge oyster burger. Just be warned you cannot have separate checks. I would like to go back and try other things. read more

Very clean restrooms, good service. The fruit was delicious and presented perfectly. Tuna melt was good but nothing special, I could have made it at home. Overpriced. My Friend ordered clam chowder and it was potato mush and some sort of thickener, too salty and seemed to be made with water not milk/cream... Definitely wouldn't recommend the chowder. Maybe the actual seafood is better???? read more

Café Waterfront - Front of restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Fantastic and historic Victorian setting. Food and service where acceptable but average. You'll have a nice meal here in a great setting. I'd do it again. We shared the following: Spicy shrimp bisque - too spicy. I love hot food. This was Thai hot! Fresh oysters - excellent Crab cocktail - excellent Stuffed avocado - not what we expected. It's a salad with bay shrimp, avocado and egg. Good. Service was polite and friendly but not very attentive. read more

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We stop by here every time we drive by Eureka. The food is always good, and the service even better. They have sandwiches and specials posted on the board and each of them sounds yummier than the one before. CW is reasonably priced. read more

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Not only was the food AMAZING,but so was the service!!! Best clam chowder I've had in a very long time, seasoned perfectly. The bread was fresh from the oven and the butter had scallions and sundress's tomatoes folded into it. Yum! I also ordered the sampler plate of fried seafood, again perfect seasoning and not over cooked. All the staff was so friendly and it was almost comical how fast they were with their services. read more

Overpriced food that was low quality. This is the place you bring tourists. It's a nice atmosphere and location, and the chef appears to work with what they have. They need more servers, and I doubt they are paid a decent wage compared to the overpriced menu. read more

Well....hmmm. The dishes were tasty but not amazing, and the service was helpful but not prompt. The view was of one side of a harbor and it was nothing beautiful enough to justify a 30% price boost. These folks were charging more than their counterparts in the Bay Area. $20 - $30 for their entrees was really too much money for what we received--I think my fish stew was around $23, and maybe $16 would have been fair. So--we won't be back. Just not worth the money. read more

Delicious food!! Christena the server was amazing! She gave us excellent recommendations on our food. We had the fish and chips and the bouillabaisse soup and clam chowder. So tasty! We sat outside on the patio. Lovely view of the marina with all the sailboats and the historical Carson house (which was across from the marina up on the hill). read more

Stopped by on our road trip. Food was really good, had to eat outside due to covid. Nice small waterfront area. Service was fast and friendly. Hope to come back one day. read more

Service was excellent. The clam chowder was delicious. Not overwhelming with cream. The crab sandwich was plain and expensive. read more

Café Waterfront - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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The dining area is in a cozy lobby in an old victorian building. Decor is very fitting for the building. We were seated fairly quickly, we got water and menus then felt completely ignored by staff for more time that felt appropriate. We were hungry for breakfast and getting slightly angry to the point of borderline full-blown-hAngry. Every time a member of the staff would pass by we'd make eye contact but they would just keep going. Finally the gentleman behind the bar noticed our plight and stepped in to take our order. This place doesn't have toast. Well, they do but it's an extra cost. The breakfasts by default come with a muffin or coffee cake. You ever tried to eat an over easy, or sunny side up egg with a fucking coffee cake? I've been back since the above visit and it's hit and miss. A couple times the service was excellent but the something was off with my food. I ordered french toast which smelled wonderful but when I took a bite it tasted strange. I thought it was just me so I had someone else try it and she said it tasted like "a wet dog". I told the server and she offered to change it for blueberry pancakes. They tasted wrong in a very similar way. As if the batter they used to both had gone bad or something. They agreed to take it off the bill. Another time we were one of 3 tables in the entire place and couldn't get any service. The waitress took our order then would just chat at the bar with the other girl working there. Then our food came and she dropped it off and went back to ignoring the tables. It was terrible. I just cant figure out if I like this place or not. Half of my friends dig it the other half hates it. read more

Excellent location, nice murals,stain glass you can always expect a nice welcome from host but then that's about it. Host with little to No knowledge of menu and great shooters always missing the Tabasco sauce every time waitress are always sloth like never really caring about "waiting" on you BAD food and terrible service every single time. I go back from time to time with no expectations and always leave feeling like I was more of bother and feeling disappointed in the prices and quality of food. read more

I enjoy dining at Cafe Waterfront: the atmosphere is great, the staff is welcoming, and the food is consistently good. I especially like the beer batter shrimp, because it is light, more like a tempura batter than a heavy beer batter. Yesterday, my day had not allowed time for lunch until about 4:30. I remembered that precovid, the kitchen closed at 4 or 4:30 to transition to dinner service. I checked the website to see what time the kitchen closed and there was nothing about the kitchen closing. I arrived about 4:40 and guess what? The kitchen was closed. I explained to the manager if I had arrived with grandkids in tow, it would be really frustrating and we would have to leave. He explained that my server could begin taking my order at 4:55. I replied that the point was that a notice on the website would be ever so helpful. He said that it was not a problem and so on....This is my public service: Cafe Waterfront's kitchen closes some time between 4 pm and 5pm--i am still unsure of the exact times. I don't know if you call if they will tell you this secret. read more

The location on the waterfront in Old Town Eureka is enviable, especially given the charm of the old building itself. I've been here a few times, and have never been blown away by the food, but it is solid. They try to utilize seafood a lot which is logical given their name and location. Check the board by the door for specials. This location is prone to being crowded in the summer months at peak hours. See above for location. Sadly, all that foot traffic doesn't seem to have encouraged the ownership to invest in renovating the interior. It's not really bad, but it could use some sprucing up. I don't know, maybe they're going for a little bit of a worn-down chic? read more

We ate breakfast here twice during our stay, and it was terrific! Our friend also came separately and said he had the best burger he's ever had. The location is great as well! read more

Unbelievably great halibut. Prepared to perfection. Broiled oysters for appetizers and some Pinot Grigio. Heaven! And the warm atmosphere makes everyone feel at home with a view of the bay where we watched folks dancing by the marina. What a fabulous place for great food and great company. read more

The 1/2 hamburger with ham & bacon was a monster burger and delicious. Being a garlic lover, the beaucoup garlic bits on the fries were primo. I would re-order this meal in a heartbeat. The clam chowder was fairly plain maybe a step above canned clam chowder. My wife had a wonderful salad and grilled red snapper. Both of which she enjoyed. The wait staff was friendly, efficient and checked back with us frequently. They were great. We'd gladly come here again. read more

Good service and great art-deco room -if a little dim lit-, but food is totally bland. It doesn't taste bad but neither does it taste good. For the prices you'd expect a little better.. Clam chowder was particularly mediocre. Clam Fritters, same but even more boring.. Chili soup tasted like a Prego tomato can with a little meat beans and peppers inside.. The sourdough bread they serve with food is ok though. read more

Such a beautiful location! The inside of the building is wonderful and you have great views of the bay. The owner puts so much time and effort into this place, I'm pretty sure he's been here working every time I've ever been in! The staff is always so friendly, you can tell a lot of heart goes into this place. The food is Awesome, always fresh and delicious! read more

Café Waterfront - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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After we ordered from the limited menu, my wife noticed some daily specials on a board on the wall. I wish our server had mentioned those to us. Servers' attitudes are indifferent. Once you're served your meal, you're on your own. I understand that the server may have been slammed (though it wasn't very busy) , but that's for management to work out. I think this is one of those places that doesn't provide good service because they don't have to. The good location is all they need. We won't be back. read more

Full house, reasonable serve time, & great tasting food! We always come here when we want the best. ..... Joe is always very professional, personable, & fun. The FOH & BOH staff rocks with great smiles & even better team work. This is why they are very successful & always full at peak hours. It's a good feeling when you look around & see everyone smiling & enjoying themselves while accompanied by live jazz music, good eats, & happy people. Welcome to Eureka & a experience @ Cafe Waterfront. read more

Café Waterfront - Great food, family, & all that jazzzz on a Sunday afternoon..., - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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