Spicy! The clam chowder had good flavor with the chorizo and bacon, but those were the dominant flavors in the *clam chowder*. I found 2 little clams in my 8 oz cup. More on the watery side, it was more like a soup than a thick, creamy chowder. Served with a slice of bread, it did hit the spot when the weather turned a bit chilly. At $11 for an 8 ounce container, this is pricy even for Alaska standards. My 8 oz cup and my niece's 16 oz bowl was almost $29 including tax! read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Clam chowder (8 oz cup, $11) - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

About the best food you will find in Sitka. Wonderful ambience and quaint location, a small refined yet unassuming little hideaway near the docks. Ludvig's brings a touch of class and Mediterranean cuisine to the sleepy Alaskan town. Upon arriving the restaurant was only about half full, a counter style bar and traditional table seating downstairs and a nice enclosed upstairs area as well. My server greeted me and quickly brought me a coffee. She offered me drip or french press, I actually ended up trying both, with a noticeable increase in quality and flavor with the latter! The menu looks great, I was leaning toward the wonderful madame cristo but ended up going with a croissant Benedict after my servers suggestion, which may have been a mistake! The Benedict was reasonably tasty, the hollandaise was well prepared and tasty, but the eggs were definitely over cooked sadly, more soft boiled than poached. The potatoes on the side were very crispy, to the point I feel it was a mistake from sitting out, and lastly I found the croissant, which is traditionally a dainty thing to be massive and kind of too much to be honest. Overall I did like the dish, the thin sliced ham was delicious, but next time I'll definitely be having one cristo or another I should think. In conclusion I do recommend the place! There are precious few good restaurants in Sitka, and more to the point I was pleasantly surprised at the value as well. Come in and try! read more

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Far and away the best place in Sitka! We ate here two nights in a row (on a three day visit, too)! The first night we ordered scallops, caesar salad, chowder, paella, and the spot prawns. The second night we had scallops, king crab tails, elk & truffles pasta, and halibut cheeks (special). Both nights we had the Picasso (coffee caramel custard) for dessert. Every dish was wonderful - Alaska-forward, creative, scrumptious! The scallop appetizer is an absolute must-order. Our server, Christian, was incredible; he immediately became our friend. The vibes are perfect -- we sat in the balcony one night and downstairs bar another. Great view upstairs and they enclose the balcony, with heaters, if the weather calls for it. A wonderful place to enjoy a fantastic meal or simply enjoy a glass of wine and dessert. We cannot wait to return! read more

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We had the pleasure of having dinner for our 40th wedding anniversary here. It was amazing! The staff went out of their way to make sure we had had wonderful evening. The food was amazing! I would recommend a trip to Ludvig's if you get the chance! read more

Spicy and bland. My tenderloins were too spicy which killed the flavor. The crab tails do not have a pleasant taste and reminded us of fake crabmeat without the flavor. Everything is Overpriced! $5 for a Nespresso coffee, the list goes on. read more

Service was less than horrible. Food will never be like Collette's days. I was hopeful. Will never go back unfortunately.

Wow!! What an amazing experience! Jeremy did a great job. I ordered the Cavatelli. The restaurant is small but they were able to accommodate us even though it was a last minute. No complaints at all!! read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Amazing! - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Delicious food and excellent service. Perfect end to our day in Sitka! The appetizers, main course and pistachio cheesecake were amazing!

Our dinner here was one of the highlights of a wonderful trip around the Inside Passage on our own small boat flotilla. The food is creative and delicious and the service cheerful and fun. If you find yourself in sitka, do not miss this treat. read more

Introduction: This is for the Ludvig's lunch chowder restaurant part of the science museum east of downtown on the way to the Sitka National Historic Park. My parents & I were on a cruise in southeastern Alaska in September 2016. I had written a Yelp review on a somewhat isolated place in Virginia, and I was thinking of the most isolated place I could come up with was Sitka, AK as you can't get it by car. Juneau is about 850 miles by car/ferry to a major city, Anchorage. Ketchikan is about 800 miles a combo of ferry & road to Victoria, BC. Sitka is between the two. Cruise Recommendation/Parents vs My Mindset: At one of the events on the cruise ship, the presenter talked about various things to see when we stopped in Sitka. She went on about how she highly recommended that people should definitely try Ludvig's chowder and was the best she's had in her opinion. So, I kept that in mind and mentioned that I wanted to try to my parents. My parents & I had different mindsets for the cruise regarding the food. Their position was the food is included on the ship and that we should only eat what's included on the ship, and while I agree to generally eat on the ship, I figured to splurge and eat maybe experience a couple of the local cuisine off the ship. I had suggested we eat at some restaurant in Juneau, and that's where my parents first said we aren't eating in town. So, we waited to eat on the ship. However, with Ludwig's I would just get myself, and my parents would just chill. Food/Price: It was $12 for a chowder bowl with came with a hunk of bread and got a cup of water. The price is steep for a modest size bowl of soup, but I wanted to try the local cuisine because it was a rare opportunity for me plus the presenter on the cruise raved about the place. I will even say the soup was excellent. WATER: However, my dad NEEDED water and asked the woman for a cup. She rudely said you have be a paying customer. She could clearly see he was with me, and that I forked out the $12 for the soup. Note: Prior to 2017 when my dad had surgery, my dad had a choking/swallowing problem, and he had some food from breakfast on the ship that morning of Thursday, 9/8/16 that was stuck in his throat (which was common for him on any given meal). It would take him a very long time to finish a meal and would need way more water to get through a meal. Frankly, this woman was not friendly to me. I felt she could care less about my experience or anyone, and really seemed like her main motivation was obtaining the tourists (& locals) money. Ultimately, I had to share my cup with my dad. She completely soured the experience, and a cup wouldn't cost anything, and she could've had a 4 or 5 star review. And while I was half paying attention as I was mostly focused on my chowder. My dad talked about it after the fact, and he was right! My dad thought that Ludwig's could be paying Holland America (or any of the cruise lines) to highly recommend and suggest to passengers. It wouldn't surprise me if my dad was right on that, but can't really say for sure. Conclusion: Overall, I do NOT recommend because giving a water cup was not an expensive request and the humane thing to do. The reason it gets 2-stars and not 1 was that it was excellent and I was not the one being denied the water, but the fact is that anyone who operates a business this way is not one I will support. read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Good soup. Too bad my dad was denied water here. Never would go back if ever in Sitka again. - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

This place is amazing. High-quality service food is phenomenal. Best place in Sitka by far. If you're in the area and want a great meal this is the best place to go read more

If you want to get the best meal in Sitka, you need to go to Ludvigs!! I've been trying to get a table here for a while, but because of my schedule when I am in Sitka, it hasn't worked out, BUT today! Today was the day!! I was able to get a seat and enjoy some amazing food along with top-notch customer service. And I can say from the moment I walked in the front door I knew I was going to enjoy everything about this. Thank you to my server, Casey!! She was so wonderful and knowledgeable in helping me select a wine to go with my Spot Prawn Carbonara. Thank you to the chefs who made this delightful dish, too. I was even able to talk with the owner of the restaurant, Edith. Which was just the cherry on top. Recommended fully and will be back. read more

We were really looking forward to a fabulous dinner and were very disappointed. The service was excellent from our waitress which was the best part. We started with a wild mushroom appetizer and it was wonderful. The sauce was rich and earthy which went well with the various mushrooms and the surprise of feta cheese went very well, best thing we ate all night. Next we ordered the chowder and it was ok. I liked the spice of the chorizo with lots of clams and potatoes. It could have been just a bit thinner, very thick. We spit an order of paella and it came in a bowl not a skillet as it should. The rice was thick and gooey like a bad risotto. We tried a few bites and sent it back. It was not paella by any definition. The prawn special was ok. They took the paella back and brought the prawn special. The prawns were good, well cooked a bit of char and spice with well cooked. The rice again was awful. It was the same mushy over cooked rice and no flavor. Very disappointed. They did remove both entrees from our bill. I believe there are new owners and the group we were with have been going for 20 years and were also disappointed with the food and said it was not the same. If you go I would order the pasta it was very flavorful, good sauce and chorizo. read more

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We didn't realize the need to make reservations at Ludvig's far in advance. So we showed up at 5p taking a chance at a cancellation. Initially we thought we were out of luck. Then a waiter chased after us, as someone phoned in a cancel. It was our lucky day. The food presents as a work of art. I had the Wild Alaska Paella Mixta. Scallops, rockfish, calamari, prawns, chicken, chorizo, and Spanish rice. There was a lot of food. And it was excellent. All with a great atmosphere and great view of the channel. We highly recommend. But make your reservations well in advance. read more

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Wow. We lucked out on our last evening in Sitka with a last-minute table at Ludvig's. Normally reservations are needed so plan well in advance. When we found out they were booked, we turned to leave but a young waiter chased us down and said they had a table for us. Great customer service there! I had the Katlian Special - king salmon and grilled scallops over corn polenta. My husband had the Wild Alaskan Paella Mixta with scallops, prawns, king salmon and more over a bed of saffron rice. It was a great meal with great service and a warm, friendly atmosphere. They also had several good Alaskan craft beers and a good selection of wines. We noticed another table brought their own bottle of wine that the restaurant decanted and served. Pretty sure I've never seen that at any Ohio restaurant I've been to. Overall this was a great dining experience and I'm so glad it worked out for us. read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Katlian Special - king salmon & scallops with blueberry polenta - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Loads of yummy celiac safe options here! Our server, Brooks, was amazing and very knowledgeable about the menu ingredients! We ended up sharing the Mushrooms for an app and then shared the calamari, beef skewers and clam chowder. All gluten free!! We even shared the crème brûlée for dessert. Had a lovely glass of montepulciano vino which was perfect with the meal. You have to make a res and pay a deposit of like $70 and they refund you when you show up. Would recommend the food was super tasty and cooked perfectly! read more

You'll need to plan ahead with reservations to get into this restaurant. Sat on the balcony on a lovely sunny day. Enjoyed the halibut and scallops. My colleagues enjoyed their pasta and the salmon. They're known for their chowder which I had tried at the Chowder Cart at The Science Center, and it was excellent. The service at the restaurant was great. A relaxed and friendly place. read more

Very disappointing. Notwithstanding its reputation, which it continues to take seriously as evidenced by its $35.00 reservation fee, it fails drastically to meet expectations. The restaurant reportedly serves excellent paella, a quintessential Spanish dish. Before ordering, we asked our server if the restaurant considered itself Spanish. She said that the previous owner considered it Spanish, but that the current owner bought the restaurant a year ago and was making changes. An understatement. Not as glimmer of a star. We have enjoyed paella in several places in Spain and the US and have made it frequently at home, so we knew what to expect. Instead, we were served a soggy wet, rice-based seafood paste in a bowl. Not a whiff of saffron or any wonderful crusty rice from the bottom of the steel pan. Reminiscent of college food service goo from a steam table. The service was attentive and personable (*****) in a pleasant setting upstairs (****). read more

Had a great night sharing drinks and desserts with friends in the upstairs bistro! I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent there and greatly appreciated our server Caroline's service! read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Boca Negra - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Absolutely smashed the summer menu out of the park. The place smelled like fresh flowers and the staff were super attentive and knowledgeable. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the ambience and food. I am a die-hard fan of the linguine but the Katlian special , recommended by our server Casey, was the surprise star of the night. I'd eat here every day if I could! read more

Fantastic service and great food - celebrated Mel's 23rd birthday. Enjoyed the quietness and ambiance.

A quick visit to Sitka included a last minute reservation at Ludvig's- we got lucky! A small space, they do their best with sound mediation and it got loud when a big party arrived. Wine list offered a good selection and out party was very happy with our entrees of Salmon, Paella, Chorizo Linguini! Appetizer was scallops and dessert choices included crème brûlée and chocolate cake. I feel like we are our way through a significant portion of the menu- fabulous! Great service too, attentive fun and respectful! read more

Ok, so this is universally renound as the best restaurant in Sitka, AK...I can tell u that it isn't even close to a casual place like Beaks (which I reviewed earlier). The atmosphere was nice, and the staff was great!! Even the presentation of the food was pretty damn high quality. All signs pointed towards a great dinner. But eventually, when seated on an outdoor balcony, the gnats become a little much when there isn't any bug deterrent nearby. That being said, the food; the bread was cold and the olive oil mix was flavorless, but overall the bread was fine. The beef skewers were actually really really good. Perfectly cooked tender pieces of beef, with a nice char, great marinade, served along with feta cheese, red bell peppers and tsziki (spell check haha) sauce. Delicious!! But the entrées were the main problem, and for the price point, a pretty big problem. The Salmon, was cooked perfectly, but tasted like it had no flavor at all. Served over an overcooked, yet still separated risotto in a far too thin sauce (which is how over cooked risotto doesn't stick together). The linguine with chorizo, pancetta, and a tomato cream sauce topped with parm and pecorino Romano...cooked au dente!! Can't go wrong, right? Well the sauce seemed like kraft mac no cheese sauce when u add too much milk or don't cook it down enough...not thick. But the main problem was that somehow with chorizo, pancetta, and cheese...there was no hint of flavor or salt in the dish. It is as if they ran out of salt, or had a chef with a goiter they didn't want to offend by using sodium in their dish. I was excited about this dish too!! But it wasn't just the lack of salt, there was no acidity either...had the sauce not been a reddish color I wouldn't have known tomatoes were used in anyway. It was bizarre, like eating plain pasta, covered in a "blank sauce" (which is a term im copyrighting). I wanted to love this place, had to make reservations weeks in advance...but the hype makes the disappointment more palpable. No salt, no seasoning...an odd meal. Harissa beef skewers were the saving grace of this meal. read more

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Excellent King Salmon and Chocolate Torte. Excellent Service Ambiance Good but unfortunately so mixed up all I can say is that it is a restrauant in search of an identity. The name, wall art/decor, menus, Mexican music (are you kidding me) all send different messages as to the image that they are trying to convey. It is very pricey but was worth the cost of an excellent meal. The $140.00 (that's right folks) reservation fee was a bit steep don't you think? We would return hoping to find a little more cohesive ambiance. read more

I hold to the belief that the best place to eat in South East Alaska is somewhere in a home with friends or family with seafood you caught yourself earlier. If you are not so fortunate to have this arrangement, Ludvigs bistro is not a bad option. It's actually quite amazing and is a real gem in Sitka's food scene. I have been here on 2 occasions, both with groups in different years and it has always been fabulous. The menu is constantly changing so nothing is ever the same when I come back. Stuff tried: Cioppino: lovely seafood stew in tomato based sauce, the critters in it were so fresh! Dungeness crab, mussels, clams and rockfish Pasta with wild boar ragu: so incredibly good. Porky but not a swiney. Nice Bolognese using ground boar meat. I would eat this all day Cheese plate: manchego cheese and some other cheese maybe edam?, marcona almonds and olives Mediterranean sampler with lamb chops: house made hummus, dolmades, baba ghanoush, feta and olives. Why not throw some lamb chops on top? Creme brulee: eggy, cracks like glass! The staff is always delightful! The place is pretty small but expands upstairs to a nice outside patio seating when the weather is nice. Come to Ludvigs and check out what's new on the menu! read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Mediterranean plate with lamb chops - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

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Pros: great flavors Good bread Great steaks Fresh sea food from the blue building across street Good wines Negatives Wait times for food Extreme wait time 25mins for desserts. No comps for waiting for ever. read more

NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE!! A $300 dinner for 4, mostly appetizers and only one main dish (paella) that was too salty to eat! I'm usually one to add salt to meals but this was inedible. The scallops were delicious but the sauce, capers and prosciutto were too salty as well. We let our waiter know and there was no offer to make things right. We have been to Ludwig's several times over the last 10 years. Was hoping the quality would be the same or better. Not what it used to be...Disappointing! read more

While on a short excursion in Sitka, I visited the Sitka Sound Science center, the gift shop had a small popup from Ludvig's Bistro. They offered a clam chowder, cookies, sandwiches and drinks. I would suggest trying their chowder, it was delicious. It does have a slight bite from the chorizo but has a wonderful flavor. I love clam chowder and am a stickler on it. When I say it was delicious, it was delicious. It is pricey however, a small bowl and I can of coke totaled like $15. I would buy it again, however to me it is costly. read more

My last night in Alaska, my brother and I came to Ludvig's Bistro for a nice dinner and some wine. For you tourist people, they advertise that they have happy hour but it's not the happy hour that you think! Here in California, we are use to half prize alcohol or appetizers or really cheap items. Here, if you buy a glass of wine or beer, they give you a little appetizer (chef's choice). My brother and decided to have dinner first and happy hour is only held upstairs. We shared the order of the clam chowder and the seafood paella. The clam chowder was delicious and had so much flavor!! Lots of chunky stuff, not what I expected but it was super filling. The complimentary bread was also good! We shared the paella and they asked if we wanted for them to split it for us. That was super nice, although I wish they would tell people that they do a $3 split charge. I would have been content eating out of the same bowl as my brother. I think they do give you a little more if they split it since they need to make it look presentable but I ended up having leftovers anyways. The paella I thought, was good but not amazing. I have had better paella before here in California. After that, my brother and I went upstairs and had a glass of wine. We both got the Basa Rueda, which was sweet and light. We also had the free appetizer that came with our drink too! Super good! read more

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Ludwig's is, by far, the finest dining in Southeast Alaska and maybe all of Alaska. I've lived in Southeast for 20 years and the finest piece of fish I've ever eaten was a perfectly done chunk of White King. The entire menu is solid and I am sad that the last several times I've been to SIT they were closed. It's a very small place, so reservations are a must and as far in advance as possible. read more

I heard a lot about this place, so when my husband made reservations for a "make up" birthday dinner I was excited. First glance...ok, it's small, but I expected that. We were seated promptly but noticed that there was a two-top available in a more private alcove by the window. We asked if we could be moved there once the table was cleaned, and the hostess "went to check." She indicated there was a party of four coming soon, so no, we couldn't have it. As it turned out, the party of four never materialized, nor did they ever SET the two tables there for a four-top, so that was disappointing. Next, the prices...yes, I read they were expensive, but really -- $60 for Paella? What?? We started out with the mushrooms al ajillo for an app. THEY were phenomenal, I will admit. And, reasonably priced. Then, we shared a Caesar salad. It was no better or no worse than your run-of-the-mill Caesar. Then, we had decided to share the Ludvig's Linguini. We were charged $3 to share the plate (although we had asked no to have it split), the portions were huge, but...the pasta was dreadful. It sounded so good -- proscuitto, chorizo, harissa...-- but it turned out to be a brown, flavorless glop. And, for the price, it was a waste of money and calories. We weren't aware that there was the wine/tapas bar upstairs, but we could tell from all the action of chefs/sous chef/waiters heading out the main restaurant that there was SOMETHING going on somewhere else. I guess if I'd read enough reviews, I would have been clued in to the upstairs scene. IF I ever go back, I'll try that because I was quite disappointed overall with what we got here in the main restaurant. Ok, it may be the "best" fine dining in Sitka, but really, it's the ONLY "fine dining" in Sitka and it was NOT that fine. Especially not for the price. read more

Choices are always changing and that makes coming here so much fun! The ambience at this establishment is very welcome and intimate.

Was in Sitka for work and fortunate to have my mom visit, so I knew I had to make a reservation here as I'd heard great things! It did not disappoint. Our server recommended the vinho verde wine which paired great with their delicious seafood paella. Very intimate setting downstairs (be sure to make advanced reservations), but a more casual dining option is available upstairs (which I also took advantage of one night by myself!) read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Seafood paella - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Unquestionably the best restaurant in Sitka, this small restaurant has big city sophistication, a locavore sensibility, and amazing food. Book days in advance if you want to get in during the summer, as the word is out. Pricey, intimate, and comfortable, it's a great place to celebrate a special occasion. They have a good wine list, and several beers, but no hard liquor. Last night I got a tasty Barolo which I enjoyed with their fresh breads and herb infused olive oil. My favorites are their chowder and the paella, but don't get both at once as that's way too much food. The Moroccan beef skewers, halibut over faro in squid ink, and salads are good too. Tapas are popular, but I didn't get to that part of the menu. read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Paella - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

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They literally have not changed the menu since 2016. Waitstaff has to check their "are you cool enough" meter to let you in the door, even tho the place is EMPTY. read more

This spot is not very hospitable. There's no easy way to make a reservation and they treat guests as if their food is so special they can be rude to you. Not hospital to outsiders either. read more

Food outstanding! Had katlian special and caesar salad with scallops. All so good! Finished with gallette that was delicious! read more

Ludvig's Bistro - Apple gallette with vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel. Oh sooo good! - New American Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Very disappointing meal. The chowder was decent but too salty. The salad was good. The main dish was spaghetti and it was horrible. Covered the plate entirely and was not good at all; store spaghetti sauces were better. The next day for lunch we ate at Mangiare. Far better food and service. Don't waste a lot of money at Ludvig's as it's not worth it. Drinks were good as was the wine, but that's about it. Also crowded and stuffy. read more

I didn't get a chance to actually eat here, I tried a couple times but not seats available. Also they are known for their clam chowder which they over by the marina in the Science Center Gift ship. Be aware there is always a line for that! read more

Excellence in every way food service ambiance all excelled they should get a James Beard or a Michelin star .