Food is not good! Halibut cakes were mostly breadcrumbs and not cooked through! Kids had a chicken burger that was like rubber. Seafood is mid at best. Service was ok. Not worth $200 for 2 kids and 2 adults. Location was ok , across from bay but no view except for a couple tables. Really surprised people have higher ratings for this place. Much better places in Eureka to eat. read more

My favorite place to eat when visiting family in Eureka. Quaint restaurant in Old Town. Great staff-yummy food. Favorites are the clam strips, chowder, and fish and chips. Don't sleep on the Bloody Marys. You won't be dissapointed. read more

Downtown Eureka is a treasure trove of Victorian buildings, which gives the city tremendous charm! The Café Waterfront is a great local place with many seafood options, befitting a place on the Pacific Ocean. I ordered the fresh crab omelet, that includes mushrooms and cheddar cheese. My husband ordered the oyster omelette. Both were very good and quite filling. Coffee is very good. Service is friendly and efficient. A very nice place to start the day! read more

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Always solid, always great! Thank you Henry, Ben, Mariah, Molly and family for helping me through these pandemic weekends with respect, grace, and great food! Hey John is back now too! Great to see you all! This is a place that brings me back. Back to a place where everybody knows my name, a "cheers" if you will. The food is on point, the service is always great, and its always consistent. I love to sit at the bar and just pass the time with some simple conversation over plates of my favorites, listening to smooth jazz and reflecting on the times with my comrades. Henry has welcomed me here for years, and Ben just the same, but during the pandemic I feel they've gone the extra mile. Not only to stay open and survive, but in a way to commune with all of us and help us survive as well. The way they interact is professional, courteous, friendly, and reflective of any of the great establishments I've been in in many big cities. And all this right here in greasy old eureka. Not to mention their bloody, best in town... their fresh steamers cannot be matched across the entire county! Fresh fish everyday, full bar, and8 specials for dinner. Dont miss brunch on Sundays, Crab Benedicts and that darn Coffee Cake... delish! There is a reason the original menu is intact after 40+ years. Family owned, Humble, and Genuine. All of which is extremely rare here. And I miss Joe. I can only hope to see him again soon! You guys are forever in my family's hearts! Cheers guys! read more

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Our go to spot for Sunday brunch when we are in Arcara/Eureka. Great location with nice view of the water. Pretty good food with ample servings. Friendly service and the best music duo. Such a relaxing way to spend a Sunday morning. read more

Very good. Great service. Ordered off the special menu. It was delicious. Beautiful atmosphere. Very relaxing. I enjoyed my lunch with a friend read more

I took my son here for Breakfast when I was up Parents weekend. Great location near the waterfront. The food was excellent with great service. The coffee cake that came with my omelette was absolutely fantastic. Good coffee too. Highly recommend this breakfast spot. read more

Went here with my boyfriend, and was excited because it was in beautiful Old Town. Service was prompt, and the server was friendly but the seafood was so bland. Everything was beautifully presented, however the steamed clams had no flavor. We asked for a side of the butter that they supposedly marinate them in however even then they were watery. We had a few empty clam shells as well that took up some of our $32 lb. The halibut wasn't much better. The Rueben sandwich I had ordered also wasn't corned beef, I'm not sure what it was maybe pastrami? Or a different type of corned beef I have never had??? Not sure. Seemed to be over priced in the long run. Shamus has MUCH better steamed clams that are absolutely delicious with tons of flavor. Two stars for our server who was very friendly and was quick to get us in and out (which is what we wanted). read more

Café Waterfront - Looks good- looks are quite deceiving however. Bland as can be and watery at the bottom. - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Let me start by saying the restaurant was extremely accommodating. We came in with six hungry dudes who left extremely full and satisfied. I ordered the combination plate and it was amazing! They're fried with a bread crumb mixture and is a very unique taste. The service was great and quick. read more

Café Waterfront - Combination meal - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Other than the location this place was bad. Terrible food and service. There are way better options in the area.

Man! Such a great spot for brunch!! Nice open area for seating, food is amazing and mimosas are heavy handed!!! read more

Café Waterfront - Breakfast club - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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The waitress said they don't season their food because of their clientele.... 95% if the menu is fried, which should've been a heads up right away I guess. (Had to come back and edit to add the clam chowder, I tried that hard to push it out of my mind...) clam chowder was either from a can or some kind of rehydrated pre-mix, no way something fresh made can taste that bad. Zero seasoning or flavor, tasted like flour. Calamari breading was raw, zero seasoning or flavor. Steak was obviously frozen, oozing just water, zero seasoning or flavor. Shrimp pasta special had sliced hot dog in it, zero seasoning or flavor. Shrimp were cooked well, that was the only good thing about the whole experience. Such poor quality food and ingredients for such high pricepoints. Honestly go to Applebee's for better food and a better price. I'm sorry your rent is probably high, but you need to serve better food if you're going to charge those types of prices. Really disappointing. read more

Stopped along the way to see The Redwoods in search for clam chowder. Perfect for a foggy overcast day. Ordered 2 cups of clam chowder and shared the fish and chips plate with daughter. The waitress was knowledgeable as I asked what kind of fish and she said it was a snapper. I am a fish snob thanks to my Dad and he would most likely approve if he was with us today. Went during lunch on Thursday 12/21/23 and it was a full house so host asked for my # to be put on the waitlist and had time to walk over to the local bookstore on the same block. Wait time was probably 15 min. Fish was fresh and standard fries but the tarter tasted homemade. Clam chowder was good just not the go to for a 5 hour drive. Friendly but not overbearing service. Overall experience was a nice lunch spot for tourists with a local vibe. We would definitely be back if in the area. read more

New owners need to hire better chef. Scampi without pasta made from farmed shrimp in a watery sauce was mediocre. Halibut was overcooked. Would not recommend. read more

Instead of correctly battering and frying the fish for Fish & Chips, they bread their fish in little cubes and, I think, pan-sear or bake it. The breadcrumbs were soggy, making the fish slimy. The french fries weren't fresh (limp and chewy). The French Dip, which my partner had, tasted like cheap deli roast beef on a stale roll. The food was seriously disappointing, and we left without being full because we stopped eating it since it was so bad. In addition, they do all receipts by hand, which is fine, except the staff does them on the bar right in front of people trying to eat at the bar, literally taking up space meant for dining patrons. The staff was indifferent and unfriendly. read more

I got their chicken fettuccine Alfredo and it was really plain. It looked presentable but their wasn't any flavors to it. My sister got their Lavender Mojito and to my surprise, im not a fan of lavender, but it was pretty good. My husband got their prawns basket and he didn't like the cole slaw that came with it. Restaurant wasn't super busy and service was mediocre. Not too slow but not fast either. I only like where the Restaurant is located. Nice view out to old Town and the little bay. You will see sea lions or seals here and there swimming about. Also nice little walkable area too. read more

Café Waterfront - Chicken fettuccine alfredo - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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The food was good. I got fish and chips. The waiters were nice and the food took around 15 minutes.

Excellent fresh sea food on today's menu. Red Pacific snapper, Halibut and a linguini surf and turf were the choices made by our party of four. Service was quick, friendly and efficient. I would highly recommend. read more

Café Waterfront - Pacific Red Snapper over rice, spinach and mushrooms - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Came on the recommendation of an old friend, who lived here years ago, but still visits town. Was worried by the lackluster star rating, but the dinner was excellent. Dining room is not too big, with attractive wall decorations and a bar. Wife started with a salad and 1/2 dozen oysters in the half shell. They weee local Kumamoto Oysters, and delicious. Salad was good as well. Entrees we're Scallops and the half pound waterfront burger. Had the cabbage instead of fries to reduce the combo footprint. Burger Wes excellent, and perfectly done, pink and juicy inside. Bun was toasted and complimented the burger well. Purple cabbage was zesty and delicious. Scallops and vegetables were done just right. Local IPA topped off the meal perfectly. Our server John was courteous and knowledgeable, without being intrusive. Excellent dinner, would r definitely ecommend read more

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Great food and service. The food is really fresh and well cooked. Staff friendly and well trained. Everything was very clean. read more

Pros: Brie was good (but hard to eff that up) Spicy Shrimp Bisque was good Cons: Service was AWFUL. Like - really bad. We got there before 5pm and waited for over 20 minutes to get a drink order - and we had to ask for it. Their response, "we're just trying to get to everyone." Except we were like the first everyone's there. They never once checked on us after the food was served. I had to flag him down for the sauce for the steak (see below). The nicest one there was the kid who had only been there 2 days - I give it another week before they turn him. The steak was cooked beautifully - but had ZERO flavor. Was I eating steak? I dunno. Still don't. Did I mention the awful service? Don't waste your money (or your time). I've had QUICKER service at an airport Chick Fil A when all the flights were cancelled and BETTER service at a Taco Bell during lunch hour. Skip it. read more

Arrived in Eureka late in the day and starving. This place was open on a Monday--yay! Sat at the bar and received excellent service. We had a shrimp louie & a steak sandwich. They were both excellent! Definitely worth a visit. read more

There are a few times in your life where you just say "yes" At the airport: "Would you like a double for $2?" Yes At McDonald's: "Would you like fries with that?" Yes When ordering Fish'n'chips: "Would you like malt vinegar?" I'll be the first to admit it. I love vinegar on my fish AND my chips. This time was different. I'd eaten 3/4 of my fish and forgotten the vinegar. It's that good. It's so good it's distracting. It's amazing. I am amazed. It's not the typical beer battered, crunchy, hope they changed the fryer grease fish. It's fresh, hand breaded, and amazing. That's the review. The fish n chips is so good I didn't use the side car I'd used my whole life. It's that frickin' good. read more

This one star review makes me really sad. My family has been eating at Cafe Waterfront for 30 years. Yes there have been ups and downs, but mostly ups and this was a go to restaurant we could always count on for consistent great food. Well.... No longer. It is under new ownership. Over an hour wait for our meals. Fish and chips were cold, clam chowder was out of a can and salad was warm and watery. My sons steak sandwich was tough, cold and soggy. The servers really didn't pay any attention to us. This is not the Cafe Waterfront of years past. I let the server know we were unhappy, she said, thats unfortunate. I even called and asked to leave a message for the owner, she said they are under new owner ship, no apologies. Did not offer to have them phone me. The end of what used to be a wonderful restaurant. So sad. read more

Ate here for mother's day and absolutely loved it. I ordered the crab sandwich special with the spicy shrimp bisque soup. I recommend listening to the server when they talk about the specials. My only thing was the pricing was a bit higher than I would've liked, but the food was great and I will most likely revisit! read more

Red flag alert!!! I rarely write reviews but felt compelled to after tonight's dinner. My family and I were out celebrating a birthday dinner, and our meal was disgusting and disappointing. Everything we ordered was bland, and the quantity of our food was poor, considering the hefty bill. What was most disturbing was their clam chowder. It appeared to have grits or tapioca added to it to make it stretch, which was very strange and served with stale, burnt bread. Additionally, the chef looked sketchy and they were in the back on their cell phone--a huge red flag. We left the restaurant and went straight to Toni's diner. read more

Awesome and friendly service and treats you like a neighbor. The specials were delicious and the dessert was decadent. Definitely recommend the local wine it was par excellence. The owner was born and raised in Eureka, will definitely be coming back every time we visit. read more

Great dinner and lunch place near waterfront. Sat by the window with the wife and had one of the specials. Ordered the Beer Battered Prawns with Clam chowder soup. That clam chowder was excellent. I could have made a meal from that alone. The shrimp was a good size and the sweet/spicy sauce that came with it really made it even better. The crowd inside was a mix of locals and people passing through. The service was good and kept our drinks filled. Fries could have been a little better but still a good place to take in some good food. read more

Café Waterfront - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Quaint and cute cafe located in Eureka, CA. Beautiful decor in a tiny corner cafe that looks like it stepped out of the 30s. Inside there is plenty of seating and wonderful artwork including a full sized mural on one wall and gorgeous etched glass. I had the fried clams and chips and it was fantastic. Perfectly fried clams and tasty fries. Unfortunately the tarter sauce was bland and the cocktail sauce didnt have enough spice. However, their horseradish was absolutely amazing and a little bit extra added to the cocktail sauce and it was perfect. They also had oysters on the half shell that my friend loved them. My fiance also loved their French onion soup. read more

Eureka and fine food??? Yes in deed. This little place has everything we were looking for. A beautiful view, very friendly staff, nice wine and great food. We called ahead for reservations and we're excited to see that we were seated by the window with a view of the bay. They served us quickly and were quick to offer a nice wine that paired well with our meals. We started our meal with some of the best crab cakes I have ever had. They were a bit rustic and had a decent amount of crab. My main dish was salmon. It was a daily special and was cooked to perfection. I loved the veggies that came with the dish and the mashed potatoes were amazing. This place is a must if you want a nice, romantic place to grab a bite to eat. Parking can be a pain though. read more

Café Waterfront - Snapper with a garlic sauce and veggies. - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Sat quickly but waited over 15 minutes before leaving on our own. Was "looked over" 3 separate times and still our order was not taken and it wasn't busy. read more

Random stop and what a great lunch spot! We ate inside (for the first time in a while! Service was so great! Definitely recommend the spicy shrimp bisque- it really packs a punch and was a lot spicier than I expected but I loved the cajun flavor. The red snapper special was also super delicious! Would definitely come back if I lived in the area! read more

Café Waterfront - Spicy shrimp bisque - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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Just what I was looking for. Chill neighborhood spot with local charm. Food was very good. Super nice guy welcomed us, presumably the owner. Full bar which is nice. Strongly recommend. read more

Way too loud with live music Now I remember why I never come on Sundays when there is live music. It's so loud I can't hear myself think, and I definitely can't hear anyone I am sitting with. The sentiment is nice, but it just doesn't work in this space. Recommend scratching the music. Also took a LONG TIME to get our food. read more

Would give zero stars if i could. 200 feet from the water and they can't do clam chowder. No claims no celery no potatoes no flavor. They literally served my wife some warm tapioca garbage. We won't be going back. read more

Mid food. And the service may be the worst ever. The mongoloids they hire to serve and bus here make you wonder if management sniffs glue before interviewing people. read more

Nice, quaint family owned restaurant. Very nice people but food lacked flavor and the burger was undercooked when asked for well done. Cook it more and was still pink on inside. read more

My BF and I were walking around downtown and found the place. It was empty at the time when we got there but got busy quick. It's a historical place which was really cool to know and to look around but I wouldn't come back. I had clam chowder and my BF had their fish and chips. The clam chowder was pretty standard, but wish there was the optional as a bread bowl. The fish and chips was okay at best but is overpriced. The fish was disappointing and the fries were standard fries. Plus, we had the calamari was OKAY due to the fact that the breading was mushy and was just warm. Another thing, we waited awhile to get our food which really disappointing. We got there WAY before a couple of people and they got their food before us. Our table wasn't straight so it was the food and placement as well. Altogether, if you do decide to come here their soups are the best bet but other than that, I wouldn't come again. Sad to say but true. read more

So I go into the restaurant at 4:30. My wife and I are the only people in the place. We were in a great mood. Our server was in a horrible mood. Acted put put by us. Unfriendly, just a downer. Totally ruined our time there. Then, the server forgets to give me back my credit card. So I got to make a trip back to the place. The food was decently made. But the server was impatient. Uninformed about the menu. Just sucked every bit of joy out of the room!! Augh... read more

When in Eureka... Probably one of the best lunches we've had in recent memory! My husband's fried chicken sandwich that was on the daily special board was out of this world! Awesome fried chicken, pepper jack cheese, tangy sauce, and scrumptious bun - along with some fresh ass veggies to top it off! My Dungeness crab salad did not disappoint! I've never experienced a crab salad like this. Fresh crab (yes I mean actually FRESH) and a lot of it. The rest of the salad was part pasta, part bean, almost deviled like hard boiled eggs (so much better than the ones I normally never eat). Our server was very attentive and even made the dressing himself, commenting that if it was too spicy or not spicy enough, that he'd mix another batch. Only downside (not that it mattered to us but might to some;-) was that they don't serve alcohol. Wish we lived closer! read more