I love Cafe Waterfront - when I stop by, I will get the clam chowder and steamer clams. They are consistently delicious. The restaurant is in an older building on the corner of the street. It has an old wooden bar and looks out over the Bay, it's very pleasant. I have always had great service, kind and fast. read more

Decor for this cafe was cozy. We were seated for lunch right away and wait staff was attentive thru our whole dining experience. My husband had a turkey sandwich, he said it was good, but needed something unique to make it stand out from a sandwich one would make in their own home kitchen. I had the Stuffed Avocado w bay shrimp salad and a side of bread (on the stale side). The salad would have been better with mixed greens and not iceberg which leaves an unappetizing water puddle at the bottom. But it was nicely displayed and had a lot of great topping like beans and pasta salad, the curry dressing was very tasty. So not bad overall. read more

Cute place... being from out of town, I had some difficulty finding a reasonable parking place. I assume it's very possible that I just didn't know where to go, though. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable... fairly broad menu with something for everyone. We were just passing through town and looking for a solid lunch. I had what they called the stuffed avocado... which was really good, but I wouldn't really consider it a stuffed avocado - more of a salad with sliced avocado. My friend had clam strips - also really good (I sampled a few purely for review purposes). I also had some soup... spicy shrimp bisque. It was good! I think I'm going to try the clam chowder next time I get a chance... I originally planned to get clam chowder, but the bisque sounded interesting so I went with that instead. One downer... and I'm not sure if it was a "one off" type thing or what... but a portion of the crust on the bread I got with my soup was 'crunchy'. I'm not sure why? It didn't seem to be stale, but something was off... not sure if it sat in a warmer too long or what, but it didn't seem right. Kudos overall... good experience. read more

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The food is fresh, great quality & flavors. Attentive service without being over wheming. Great views of the waterfront. Ambiance is calm, relaxing and enjoyable. read more

Café Waterfront - Snapper and clam chowder, delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

This was our last meal on our visit and we were sad that it ended with such a let down in regards to food. I got the tomato basil soup which was tasty, but my sandwich tasted like old deli meat. The Au jus had no flavor and lacked salt. I thought I just did wrong because I didn't order seafood, but my mom males didn't care for their halibut cakes and fish and chips. The restaurant is gorgeous, I love the homage to the building. The staff were friendly and attentive, but the food just wasn't it for us unfortunately. read more

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I had been a very frequent customer at Cafe Waterfront for many years until Moriah took over as bartender and treated me as inconsequential because I don't drink alcohol. I always tip well and treat staff with the respect and kindness they deserve so honestly it hurts my feelings to be treated dismissively because my tab isn't as substantial. I had gone when she wasn't there and was treated well so was trying again but today she actually ignored me for several minutes after I sat down and then quickly took the order of another person who had just sat down. I walked out...too bad, I honestly love the music and atmosphere, so I miss it. read more

Fresh & delicious food! Sauces & dressings are scratch made.I ordered the fish from the daily special menu and cleaned my plate it was good.I was able to walk in & grab a seat at the bar but most tables were taken so be prepared for a wait.The food was so good I wanted to go back the next day but they are closed on Wednesday & I was flying back home the next day. Cute location & everything is within walking distance. read more

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Decoration looks great with a nice historic vibe but I'm sorry that's the only thing this place is serving. Food tastes either way too salty or completely bland, even the bread has a weird texture. What a bummer. Only edible things are the rice pilaf and french fries. read more

Nice lunch! Fish and chips was yummy, tartar sauce on point. House salad was good, the beans are a nice touch. Unfortunately the clam chowder was not good. But the curry fish soup was decent. Soup is hard but if youre going to serve it please do better. Service was good. Prompt, efficient and friendly! read more

The food was great Baked Brie And the pork chop was delicious The service was great Definitely recommend read more

Fits the history downtown vibe so well! Super cute building and they kept all the charm of it when adding some murals. Kind of small space so there might be a wait if it's super busy. Food was good, fries and fish and chips were super flavorful, wish the portions for that where a bit bigger. The burgers looked so good as well. read more

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This is a great little spot downtown by the waterfront. It's a small but classic classy. Great spot for fresh seafood, and a classic bar with a good selection of bourbons. It's a bit pricey, but our waitress took great care of us. I would come back. read more

Café Waterfront - Bisque - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

My sister and I had a delicious lunch here yesterday. She had the coconut shrimp with a side salad. I had the grilled snapper with spinach and mushrooms and a side salad. The coconut shrimp looked delicious and my sister said it was really good. The breading was light and mostly coconut, which she loved. The shrimp was fresh. The snapper was delicious in a simple preparation, but the fish was very fresh and the light spinach and mushroom prep presentation was perfect. We will be back and we highly recommend. read more

Great food great beer and great people. Love it . The fish and chips is great, tried couple of places and this one hits it. read more

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I was shocked and amazed on all accounts at this restaurant. The best fish and chips I've ever had. I don't know how they did it, but the fish was absolutely perfectly breaded and crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. It wasn't over season so you could experience the fresh fish and crispy breading. If you wanted a little extra something, dip it into their tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. Dinner salad and cup of clam chowder also excellent. Service could not have been better. It's so unusual to find a restaurant in such a perfect location with such amazing food. Usually the corner waterfront best property in town restaurant has the least exciting food. Not the case at all here. If you want a fantastic seafood dinner, Cafe Waterfront is a great choice. read more

Café Waterfront - Fish and chips - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Service and location were great. The food is what is driving this low review. I ordered one of the specials: Pan seared Halibut. The halibut arrived today with a thick layer of minced sauté garlic all over the top of the halibut. It was so over powering, you couldn't even taste it the halibut or any of the other dish. I scraped off the garlic after two bites but it was too late. The garlic over powered the dish & my palette. It's too expensive fish to over powering it with garlic. Ruined the meal and my first (and likely only) visit. My husband got another special: halibut fish and chips. He loved his and said it was great! His old fashioned pre dinner cocktail was not great (You have to stir up an old fashioned prior to serving). Yes, I told my server. No. Nothing was done about it. All and all, 5 stars for the service. My food experience was not good. read more

Café Waterfront - Specials - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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Very good food and good service and good location as well. Ambiance is not bad too. Easy to park

Consider that I'm a traveler, who by good fortune had a Sunday afternoon free to myself with no obligations but to enjoy the day. I had no prior knowledge to the exact location or what the neighborhood had to offer. I had zero knowledge of the parking prior to my arrival. How'd I End Up Here? After a morning spent walking amongst the Redwoods and relaxing at Samoa Beach, the hunger kicked in and my fingers took to Yelp search for "oysters". The craving was real. LOL What Did I Order? Half Dozen Oysters On The Half Shell 4/5 Clam Chowder 3/5 Sauvignon Blanc (2 glasses) 4/5 Fish & Chips 5/5 So just as I wrapped up my day at Samoa Beach, I decided to call in and check on wait time. The call was answered promptly and the woman was kind, polite as she advised bar seating was certainly available and to come on down. Less than a 10 minute drive. This downtown Eureka neighborhood is great, so even if I had to walk a block, it's worth taking a stroll to get a sense of the vibe of this nice waterfront part of town. Parking? Street side wasn't hard to find, so when I drove up I found a space immediately just across the street. This same street, I saw a horse drawn carriage trotting down. That's a vibe. Entering in: I was greeted right away. I said, "Bar seat please" she's said, "right this way." Water was poured, menus were set down. Let the good times begin. Oysters to me, means "Wine please" and so the Sauvignon Blanc was ordered followed by the oysters. The flavors were all very fresh and the accompaniments were straight forward. If this were any indication of how the chef approaches the culinary art, I knew I had to try the clam chowder and the fish & chips. I put that order in and before I could get half way through my 2nd glass of wine, the hot food arrived. Great timing. Clam Chowder had a nice taste however with cities like SF, Crescent City, Portland and Seattle all in the Northwest, there's still some room for improvement for Clam chowder at Cafe Waterfront. Then again, maybe that's my problem, I happen to travel a lot and fine dine thus my Clam Chowder bar may be a little high. What I do know for certain though, is that the Fish & Chips here were FANTASTIC. Overall: My gut called for Oysters, and Cafe Waterfront delivered! There's nothing fancy about them, just fresh delicious and simple. Straight forward. I highly recommend for anyone looking for an oyster fix while in downtown Eureka. BONUS: While you're at it, try the Fish & Chips you will not be disappointed. When you finish, tip them well, then tap yourself on the back for doing a great job at treating your appetite to a satisfying meal. Go walk the town, smile, your life is good read more

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Happened upon this jewel while in downtown area. Ordered halibut fish and chips with a bowl of clam chowder after waiting quite awhile for our server. Fish was amazing and clam chowder was just OK. read more

Food was great!! Service was good .Nice place .Everyone seemed happy and enjoying themselves. read more

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Great food and atmosphere at this Eureka California waterfront restaurant. We had the New York strip steak, shrimp scampi, and a steak sandwich. For dessert, chocolate mousse. read more

After hearing positive reviews, I was excited to try this place. However the excitement didn't last long. The menu wasn't up to date, especially the bar menu. Everything took sooooooo long. In the end the drink was horrible and the food was just ok. While the staff was nice, it was hard to get anyone to actually help you. It wasn't the worst food, but not worth the price or wait. If I can choose somewhere else, I would. read more

Stopped by for dinner. The ambiance was nice. A historical Victorian style building with an interesting history. Locals told me to try the oysters on the half shell. They were out. So I tried oyster shooters instead. Definitely not as good. Ordered a calamari appetizer, it was okay. Tried a cup of clam chowder, it was okay. Had a local "blonde" beer, it was not very good. The entrees took forever to come out. I had the linguine and clams. It was okay. I went to use the restroom, passed by the tiny kitchen with one chef, and understood why it took so long for the food to come out. Other than the historic building, everything else was just mediocre. read more

Nice enough place. Plenty of staff.... So I don't understand why I had a service problem. 1. Waited sitting at bar 10 mins to have a server acknowledge me. 2. Ordered food, drink. 3. 1/2 of food order arrived. Bartender/server went on to chat with customers etc. I waited 5 more mins., finally put my chin in my hand- he finally looked at me and asked is there a problem? Well, my wine & 1/2 of the food order are not present. "Oh I'll get it" 3. Bread was from yesterday or day before. 4. Ordered salad dressing A, got B. 5. Salad has sat in a fridge along time. 6. was offered the bill when done. I asked if I was able to order a second glass of wine, or was I done? He was like oh sure I can get you another glass. Not sure why so many things were off. He didn't seem like a food waiter, maybe a better bartender. I post this for their benefit to improve- in a time that customers are less, less. read more

Amazing staff, great red snapper meal and very tasty margaritas this restaurant is a must- from El Paso Texas

Owner is pleasant and decent. A local. Allowed me to see his/ their wine selection and part of the wine "cellar". Several years ago, they even had oatmeal on the breakfast menu. Caters to different tastes. Very nice atmosphere. read more

This place seems like it would be friendly and inviting. It's located across from the marina. I was walking around as a tourist working in the city for a few months. Decided to try this place. It looked a little busy so I sat at the bar. I seated my self and I waited about 7 min for someone to acknowledge me. Not one person greeted me or asked me if I wanted a drink and I was skated at the bar. Finally a very unhappy woman with no smile asked me if I wanted a menu and walked away. I asked for a glass of wine and the cheese Oman behind the bar says yes someone will get to you. Probably the worst service I've ever had. I make good money and they obviously think I'm poor because I'm a brunette and look I'm from out town. The food was mediocre. I ordered a simple chicken burger with fries and a cup of the clam chowder. The clam chowder was OK with tons of potatoes and I don't think I got one piece of clam people on the tables were getting baskets of bread, but I didn't get any. I am a travel nurse, and I will never return to this place because of the service.. read more

I have the chicken sandwich. It was very good. The french fries were nice and crispy. Food service was fast and it has a very nice ambience.

Unfortunately very low rating for food quality . Oysters were bland and the baked mixtures on top with cheese or spinach had no flavor at all . Was hoping that my Ceasar salad would be better but it was limp or ole lettuce - the Ceasar dressing was thick . The croutons were like the cheap kinda you get in a bad at Costco . This please use to be so good for seafood Thumbs down Go to Humbolt bay Bistro at seagrill Overall was of money - read more

tasted like the food was from the grocery store freezer section. ambiance and location are nice though read more

Café Waterfront - fish and chips - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

We were enjoying beautiful weather over the weekend so we did a stroll along the bay. Then decided to eat lunch at Cafe Waterfront. We've eaten breakfast here and it was very good. The service is consistently good. The lunch menu has several great offerings. We both wanted soup so I tried the spicy shrimp bisque and my husband got clam chowder. We decided to split a French Dip as well. Unfortunately for hubby the clam chowder wasn't as good as the spicy shrimp bisque. It was a bit thin and the potatoes not throughly cooked. The shrimp bisque on the other hand was really good . The French dip was mediocre but it filled us up. All in all, I think the fish and chips on other folks plates looked amazing. I would try that next time! There will be a next time to enjoy the view and the good service and try new things. read more

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Cafe Waterfront is located in Old Town Eureka in a historic 1892 Weaver Building that once housed a saloon downstairs and a brothel upstairs. For that reason alone, Cafe Waterfront was worth a visit. Sadly, the food here does not justify the pricing. The oysters on the half shell was fresh and local which were the highlight of the meal with their New England Clam Chowder. Both were very good. The baked brie was passable but I didn't expect it to come in brie slices. The shrimp cocktail was served in a whiskey glass with cocktail sauce on the bottom and bay shrimp on top. (Never saw that before!!) Specializing in seafood, I had high hopes in their special Cajun Mix Grill that was advertised as Pacific Snapper, Prawns, and Oyster with fruit salsa. To my surprise at $35.95, the prawns were actually 2 small to medium sized shrimp. I got one oyster and the Pacific Snapper filet. I am not sure how they defined Cajun, but the entire seafood plate was blackened with too much cumin to make it enjoyable. The chef and owner need to rethink their entree choices and execution. My guess Cafe Waterfront was an exceptional restaurant in its heyday and pre-covid. It appears to be struggling possibly due to staffing during and post-covid and still needs a lot more work. read more

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I tried this restaurant recently ago, and was impressed with almost every aspect of the entire experience. Let's start off with the vibes. They are very good vibes and I enjoy being in this restaurant, it makes me feel at home. I was surprised at the quick service and such delicious food! They have a full bar as well, which is great for a girls night out. I will definitely be returning! Our waitress, Ava, was so kind and generous. She even gave me extra ranch without an extra charge! I will be bringing my family here to celebrate our next birthday. read more

The service is great and the food is okay, but their cooks really need to understand that putting salt and pepper onto food before you cook it brings out the flavor. I had a hamburger which was just absolutely bland, and yes I did add salt and pepper, but it's too late to bring out the flavor when it's been cooked. Noting other reviews of blandness, I would say this is the restaurant's problem - lack of seasoning in the cooking. I want this place to succeed, but I believe this is the difference from the prior ownership. read more

Food was great, everything was delicious, service was fast, friendly, good service, ambiance was nice, live music was nice. My family loved it, especially my grandsons. read more

Looking for a place to have some clam chowder and stumbled across this cafe. Asked if their chowder was good and she said it was. Found it was not good but in fact excellent. Actual pieces of clam instead of more potato chowder than clam you get in some places. Great service but it was not rush hour so not unexpected. Got side of bread with meal for $3 and rather than let our party of 2 each get a bread side server recommended just one which worked out perfect. She even offered to bring us extra but it was not necessary. I appreciate honest service. read more

Delicious oysters, warm bread, and they served us before the kitchen was open. Amazing building with incredible decor, beautiful place to take my girlfriend who was visiting. read more

Café Waterfront - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Super cute and the service was great. However, they call themselves an oyster bar but they couldn't complete our order because they didn't have enough oysters in house. When we got our incomplete order, I had to add SALT to the broiled oysters because they had absolutely no flavor. Such a disappointment. But like I said, I loved the atmosphere. I just expected more flavor for the expensive price tag. read more

First night in Eureka we tried this place. Cute restaurant. Staff was nice but oh goodness... the food. The food was terrible. Most of it was entirely inedible. The clams were so chewy you couldn't even get them down. The clam chowder was so terrible, not even sure what it was but when my husband can't stomach clam chowder something is desperately wrong. The salad was warm and soggy and covered in an old bay paprika like powder. The 35$ Scampi was literally like old frozen shrimp microwaved in butter. The bread and beer was about we enjoyed. Could be a great place but it definitely needs Gordon Ramsey... read more

Waterfront used to be a great restaurant but ... not anymore. My sister and I had lunch there, both of us ordering a French dip. how can you go wrong? it was the worst FD I've ever had, the bread was a cross between pillsbury and wonder bread formed into a croissant like roll and the worst part was the low quality beef lunch meat they used for the beef. The dip (ajus) was watered down beef broth. completely un edible. I will never go there again. read more