Muse was a great place to take a break and have a snack or light meal while visiting the many exhibits and floors of the Anchorage Museum. It's run by Crush Wine Bistro which is one of the nicer restaurants in town nearby so you're definitely getting a local, nice fare while at the museum. There are a handful of vegetarian options including 2 salads, baked make and cheese, falafel, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a couple of bowls. So a decent amount of things to choose from along with wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks galore. My wife and I shared the goat cheese salad which we thought was really fresh, good, and hearty enough for the two of us...especially when I added the grilled cheese sandwich...a very slightly upscale version of a basic grilled cheese with American cheese...no bells or whistles here, possibly a tiny bit saltier than I would have liked it to be...but not over-buttered...it was almost like it was very lightly grilled or baked even so, despite it being a grilled cheese, it felt a little bit healthier. You order at the counter and they bring you your food into the dining area which had plenty of comfortable places to sit. I don't know that we would head to Muse on it's own, but it was a perfect and satisfying place to go while visiting the museum. read more

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Very clean, and convenient, on a rainy day. Service is excellent! Alaskan Cobb salad is amazing!! I know it gets its tourist price tag at $18, but if you, like me, usually wanders around Hudson Yards, you'd know a $20 salad is kinda the regular... and the salad is much much better than Sweet Green! Both the portion and the mix. read more

Muse - Alaska cobb salad - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

This experience was extremely disappointing. Staff was a little rude, they do not serve water, you are not given napkins, the table we ended up choosing was broken, and none were cleaned off. I understand they were busy, they'd just had a rush according to the host, however we were left awkwardly milling around other diners trying to find a clean table before I ended up asking for a rag to wipe one off. Food was good, very small portions, very expensive. They were of course out of the one item I was hoping for. The chairs outside were all broken and wet from rain we'd had much earlier in the day. Overall, I am very sad with how run down and dirty this cafe has become. I used to really enjoy coming here. read more

I don't have an acceptable excuse for why it took me so long to visit... All I really needed to know about Muse was that the food is now done by Chef Laura Cole. If you don't know her. She used to be the Chef at 229 Parks (up by Denali, difficult to eat there without a reservation, always packed), which is one of my favorite places in the state to eat at. She's also won/been nominated for lots of national food awards. Now she's (also?) at Muse. I've never been to Muse (for food) before she took the food-reins, so I can't comment on how it used to be. I can comment that the food here now is everything I love(d) about 229 parks: - Fresh - Inventive - Local - Pretty (great plating) - Reasonably portioned (this isn't one of those fancy places where you'll have to go get a cheeseburger afterwards) - Reasonably priced (no ~$50 ribeyes here, most entrees are in the 20's, which is great given the quality of the food) Muse will make you realize how criminally overpriced and overrated spots like Rustic Goat are. I recommend pairing a meal here with First Friday at the museum. Be warned: you WILL need a reservation if you plan on doing this! read more

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I finally was able to stop by for a late lunch while my mom was in town visiting. She loved 229 Parks when we dined there last summer so knew she'd be a perfect date for Muse. Lunch did not disappoint. We dined around 4pm so that the meal could more so cover dinner for the day. We shared the roasted artichokes and crab cakes. For entrees I ordered the spicy spot prawn pasta, and my mom got the halibut. The prices for what you receive are very reasonable. Portion sizes are decent, they aren't huge, but will fill you up. Everything we tried was delicious. First the house made bread is always tasty. It was served with a lemon spruce too butter that was delicious. Honestly could've just eaten the butter in its own. The roasted artichokes were extremely surprising. Something so simplistic was packed full of flavor. My pasta with shrimp and lobster broth vodka sauce was delicious. I could've eaten a boat load more of that, but I'm also a bottomless pit. The house made pasta is delicate, and well prepared. The crispy prosciutto adds a great salty element to the dish. The sauce showcases the Alaskan spot prawns well. My mom really enjoyed her halibut. The pistachio crust was very good, and pairing oranges with halibut is delicious. Service was excellent, and attentive. I also learned that once tourist season is over they will be opening for limited evening hours so I look forward to that. Thanks Laura Cole for bringing your amazing cuisine to Anchorage!! If you haven't already, go eat there! read more

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Really good food and fast friendly service. We were there on a Tuesday and it wasn't crowded at all.

Tonight's meal was a mind-blowing experience. I don't eat out much these days, but the wife and I were drawn to Muse's Halloween menu as advertised on their Facebook page. Having thoroughly enjoyed Chef Cole's cuisine in the past, my expectations were high. The first surprise came in the form of their water--yes, their water--which arrived with cubes of dry ice that emitted a spooky aura and set the tone for the rest of the meal. For starters, we ordered the bone marrow special and their rigatoni with fried duck skin. Our entrees were a smoked pollock pasta dish and well, a giant meatball in the shape of a hand, appropriately dubbed the "Addams Family." Simply put, everything had immense, thought-out flavors with perfect seasoning. The obligatory salt and pepper shakers were nowhere to be seen as this kitchen ought to be trusted with their food. Everything we ordered exceeded expectations, and that's not to mention their house-made tomato ice cream. "Did you say tomato ice cream?" were precisely my words to the server as she declared their selections (which include beet and carrot as well). I didn't know what to expect, but the result was one of the most unique flavors I've had the pleasure of tasting. Think ripe, juicy tomato in sorbet form with hints of vanilla. It was both sweet and slightly savory with loads of umami. I will likely order this every time I return. The fact that there were only several tables occupied at once goes to show that the people of Anchorage don't know what they're missing. Granted, Halloween can be a busy night, but Muse was clearly the place to be. Personally, I can't wait to see what Muse plates up next. read more

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I have had a $50 gift card to Muse taking up room in my wallet for over a year. My coworker and I were thinking of new places to eat for lunch, and my light bulb lit up. MUSE! I have read in the papers all about their new celebrity chef, so we just had to go. We get there around 11:30, there isn't a lunch rush yet. Still looks like the old Muse... we get seated, and our server comes over and suggests the fresh lemonade. We order that since no one can say no to fresh lemonade. Woah was that fresh. I had to add a little water to mine to tone it down. The menu had so many exciting dishes to choose from. So many ingredients that you wouldn't usually see in our little city. We ordered the chicken flatbread appetizer to start, and the server brings us over some lovely house bread with a very flavorful spruce tip butter. The server asked us if we needed help understanding anything on the menu, which we did since some of these dishes were very unique. When we asked about the reindeer dish, the server was unable to really describe it other than it was "very filling." Okay... but what is the sauce? Is it a pasta dish? Anyways.... we ended up not getting it. I ordered the Pork Belly, and my friend gets the Spicy Spot Prawn Pasta. The chicken flatbread was a lovely appetizer, had the right amount of sweet (apples) and savory (chicken and cheese). My pork belly was beautifully prepared, but it was lacking something. Maybe it wasn't hot enough? It was good and would order again. There was an interesting cider gastric sauce that had a hint of vinegar flavor that was wonderful. My friend was unable to eat her dish because it was far too spicy for her. I don't know her spice level, but there were a lot of red pepper flakes in there. So if you like some kick in your food, this is the dish for you! Dessert - we did not have time to get it. BUT I would love to try every single item on that list. Carrot, beet, and tomato ice cream? STEAMED CUSTARD?! Sign me up. So, overall. I will come here again. Just a little note on why Muse only gets 4 stars. The food was good, not great like it has the potential to be. The server didn't know the menu, and the menu had a lot of grammar and spelling errors (I get it, we all make mishaps, but with a public-facing document, spell check and proofread before printing!) read more

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New chef and boy did it show! My family and I used to love to eat here but never again! My mom ordered a breakfast item but wanted scrambled eggs rather than a poached egg (people are funny about how their eggs are prepared) we were told sternly that the chef would not ever change an item and that we were to order it as it was on the menu. The waitress said that the chef had given her strict orders and she told us throughout ordering, after we ordered and as we were leaving. We got it! We will not change the menu! (Even though the menu said "roached egg" not poached egg.) But ok. We have a Seinfeld episode here, this reminded me of "no soup for you!" I have allergies so I had to order a la carte. No exceptions! Our food took 35-40 min to arrive. No one else had ordered. The place was empty. One meal came out first. My mom and I waited 5 min for ours. My toast took an additional 10 minutes. Have you ever seen toast like this? I didn't order croutons.. I ordered toast. But, ok. The first 2 pieces were ok since they were hot and the rest of my meal was ice cold. My third piece cut my mouth it was so hard. Probably why baguettes are not used for toast...! We were told by the waitress that the chef only uses all "Alaskan" items, nothing off the truck like the last company and that not only is she a chef, but a pastry chef. We were still hungry because our meal was terrible so we thought... how bad can dessert be? Oh.. it's bad. Not only are the torte crusts not fresh but the fruit was spoiled. The strawberry was literally cut in half but the chef still left it on my plate to eat. If you say everything is made from scratch, please... don't use crusts that are obviously not... The floors were un-swept. Wait staff polished silverware as they placed it, an extension cord was rolled up under the table going nowhere ... we also had waitstaff interrupting our dinner by bad talking the previous contract by name by not one but two employees... I loved the old restaurant and talking badly about the previous contract will not change my mind... my tastebuds do and I can tell you, it was an epic fail!! Edit: I added a picture of an unwrapped wet wipe that was on a dessert plate. The other two desserts did not have this. It's just an odd thing to have on a plate. read more

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...This is the best food of Anchorage... Chef Laura Cole of 229 Parks fame has snuck down to Anchorage and completely revamped the menu at Muse blessing us with the greatest food we could possibly ask for. (And it's reasonably priced!) Come fast before people find out how great the food is and she raises her prices to the bloated Anchorage standard. Right now she is running a lunch only menu which has its last seating at 5pm. (This is strict as we were turned away at exactly 5:01pm on our first try and they won't let you make a reservation for 5pm.) Since this isn't technically a dinner menu, prices are a downright steal for the amazing food being crafted from local seasonal Alaskan ingredients that is just executed so well. Although service is still figuring it out with their timing and general professionalism, we were blown away by almost everything we ordered. (And I have been back two more times in the past week.) The baby back ribs with the beet glaze are the greatest ribs I have ever had in my life. The radicchio salad was surprisingly amazing as radicchio can be a tough veggie to make the star of a dish - but the blue cheese sauce with candied pecans and (I think) balsamic reduction was amazing. If you like artichoke, definitely try this one as they cooked it perfectly and had a great dipping sauce. The kalamata olive flat bread was also amazing. It comes out almost like a mini personal pizza the way the pieces are sliced. Even as a non lover of olives, the whole dish was amazing with the pickled onions, mozzarella, and balsamic. The watermelon salad was neat but wouldn't order it again. The golden masa soup also felt complicated and multilayered to a lay person's palate but just wasn't super scrumptious. The smashed Alaskan potatoes also came out a little too crunchy and past their prime. If you're getting the halibut, pass on this appetizer as it is the same side served with the fish. The spot prawn pasta with vodka cream sauce was amazing. The pasta is possibly the only homemade pasta you can order in Anchorage - and AK Pasta company just doesn't count. These noodles were so soft and the sauce with shrimp were just so tasty. (Not spicy at all even though they have spicy in the name.) And desert was possibly the greatest finish we could ask for. Apparently, Chef Laura Cole is a classically trained French pastry chef... and it shows. The pastries in our rustic tart were just so flakey and buttery - it was easy to finish off desert even after such a large meal. Don't skip desert!! read more

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The Muse recently changed its menu, embracing a made from scratch selection that eliminated dishes like the seafood chowder and burgers. The lunch menu is streamlined with limited but interesting choices. I had a beef tip soup and salad that had a nice citrus bite. Overall the food was really good but I hope they bring back the seafood chowder and Alaskan burger options. The made from scratch aspect is great but you can locally source other AK fare besides salads and crab cakes. The prices are a little higher than expected. I spent almost $28 on soup and a salad, which seems excessive to me. More menu options might entice me to return but there are numerous downtown options that edge out the revamped Muse. read more

Muse - Salad - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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What a treat! Chef Laura Cole is doing an outstanding job of putting together a truly amazing menu. I have seen a lot of restaurants to try to achieve this level of culinary excellence only to ever so slightly missed the mark. Muse is the perfect platform for Chef Cole to flex her tongue muscle! She is putting effort into making sure that everything possible is locally sourced. In the spring, she goes out to collect 20 gallons of spruce tips in hopes that it will be enough to get her through the year. That type of effort is repeated again and again. You can see it on the plate, you can taste it in the food. FORK DROP read more

I have hesitated to put this on Yelp, but since Muse doesn't encourage feedback on their website, here goes. I had avoided Muse (under new management ) after hearing they are inflexible about substitutions. I am vegan- eating out in Anchorage can be very dispiriting. I told the waitress I'm vegan and asked for suggestions. Among other things she recommended the Brussels sprouts and the Mexican soup. Later I realized the smokey flavor of the Brussels sprouts was probably pork fat! What!? Now I assume the soup wasn't vegan either- I can't understand 1. Why don't you have Anything on the menu for me to eat? According to the Economist "Fully a quarter of 25- to 34-year-old Americans say they are vegans or vegetarians." Who do you think your customers are? Many are well-off and well-educated people, many of them from urban areas in the lower 48- and a percentage of whom are going to be vegan. 2. How can you fail to educate your servers better than that!? Check out fine restaurants elsewhere on the west coast- and a few (very few) restaurants in Anchorage - they are catering to people who are willing to forgo animal products for the environment, for animal welfare, for health. I certainly appreciate fine food. Unfortunately I still have to enjoy it only when I visit Seattle or Portland. read more

Surprise how that food tasted really good inside the museum. Polenta truffle fries was very good. King crab Mac n cheese as well. Make room for the baked Alaskan. Good selection. Service is really good. read more

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I have loved this chef from here restaurant 229 on the Parks highway and was extremely excited to come here. The brunch was off the charts, we started w the artichokes and crab cakes, you want to try the aioli for sure, then the Benedict killed it w the hollandaise sauce, it may be one of the best I have ever had. But stop it, the pork belly was wicked amazing. Thank you Laura and staff, I cant wait to try the desserts and come next time I am in Anchorage read more

Muse - Best brunch eva!!!! - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

This cafe is inside the museum. Excellent service at the bar (quite a wait for sitdown but no waitbat all at the bar. Fantastic poke - ahi tuna nachos $14. Draft Denali ipa beer pint $7 Super big wine options. read more

Muse - Menu - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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I went here during the grand opening of the museums new wing. The service was excellent, but the food was lacking in quality. The place seems a little dated and had a bit of a 70s vibe. The menu was limited due to the grand opening; however, they were able to make an off the menu bean burger for my girlfriend. I ordered the muse burger. Both burgers seemed like something we could grab a bunch of at Costco and make at home. The fries seemed like a small serving and were good... I'm not sure what they served with the fries, but it wasn't ketchup... likely catsup. The service was excellent. I enjoyed all 4 employees that made the meal go smoothly and they all seemed to care about the customers (food consumers). They had a guy playing piano for the second half of the dining experience. Overall, it wasn't great. I liked the service very much, but the quality of food was surprisingly low and the tables/chairs were dated, scratched, and stained. This place has potential and could use a remodel. read more

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My family and I make a point of eating at Muse any time we come to the museum. The menu features some traditional cafe items for the non-foodie types, great kid's items (chef's must be parents) and then, for me the foodie, fun outside the box items, so that we are all happy campers at the table. At one visit, they had a apple/thai chicken/peanut sauce/cheddar panini as a special, which I ordered, of course, surprising both the server and several members of my family. And it was delicious. Did I mention the infused vodka's, too. Yep. Another reason to go. In fact, my friends and I have been known to go just for the happy hour drinks and appetizers, sans kids and museum visit. Great place to get a bite to eat or have an adventure. Either way, you'll be happy after. read more

Came here for the polar nights special. It's $20 for a flight of 3 beers and an appetizer. We met up with two friends who were already there and had ordered. The server took 12+ minutes to come speak to us once we arrived. That seemed a little absurd. In addition, we all had empty glasses on our table and she never came around to see if we wanted anything else. The experience was fun with good company. But beware the service is mediocre. Shameful, this could be a really cool hangout chill out place. They did have live music in the corner. Restaurant is located inside Muse. You do not have to pay admission to go to the restaurant, but they do offer discounted museum admission if you attend polar night. read more

Usually I shy away from museum eating establishments because they are, well, in a word, bad. The food usually tastes like it's been sitting around for too long and is quite uninspiring. Muse, on the other hand, was like a breath of fresh air. What hits you first is the atmosphere--a modern feel with bright colors and natural light coming in from the floor to ceiling windows. We sat at the bar in cool comfy bar stools. Service wasn't spectacular...we waited a while to be approached and clearing our places in between courses took a long time. But, as long as the food is good, I usually overlook spotty service. And lucky for our waiter, the food was good! I was curious about their chowder since I'm from New England, and it was nicely done. A bit too creamy, but overall nice flavors. The salmon bruschetta was fresh and vibrant. The Santa Fe chicken sandwich and crabcakes were delicious as well. Great aoili with the chicken sandwich. Muse was a very pleasant surprise to this museum cafe skeptic. It's a great place to get a quality lunch during the work week or to sit down with a drink after a day of touring. read more

Muse - Muse Restaurant - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Went to Muse for Sunday brunch. The menu is interesting (in a very good way). The service is great and the food very well prepared. We had Eggs Benedict ($16) and King Crab Cakes ($18) - both were delicious; the hollandaise was particularly good. Each plate included mixed fresh berries and undressed salad greens (the greens were tasty and high quality, but even a little seasoning and tiny drizzle of olive oil would have been nice). However, and this is a big however, we were both hungry when we finished eating. After our meal we checked out the museum for a little over an hour, and then drove straight to another restaurant and ate again. We are not big eaters, and do not like or desire heaping plates of food, but this just wasn't enough for a meal. There were 2 crab cakes that were 1/4" thick and, at best, 2" wide. If this had been sold as a small plate, we would have ordered another item to make a complete meal. It was sold as a brunch main, however, and it wasn't a main. The Eggs Benedict were 2 thin slices of baguette cut at an angle, slivers of prosciutto (not enough to have prosciutto in every bite), two poached eggs, with an average amount of Hollandaise. This was more food than the crab cakes, but the parsimonious quantities of meat and baguette were barely enough to qualify it as a Benedict. We looked at the lunch menu, and will return to try it as it had a number of interesting items (see picture of menu - which reportedly changes often). As you can see, it is not a typical lunch menu - the offerings are more typical of dinner. There are no sandwiches. At all. And if you are any kind of picky eater, it might be hard to order. I started thinking of which of my friends would like it, and there were a number who would struggle (or fail) to order something they'd enjoy. I'd really like this restaurant to succeed. It's a good addition for Anchorage. I've bothered to write this review because it's a new restaurant and is, hopefully, still fine-tuning itself. If it wants to serve tiny plates for brunch, fine - just tell your customers so they can order accordingly. If lunch plates are equally tiny, tell us that too. And, if you're primarily a daytime restaurant, as this one is, please have SOMETHING that someone who likes plain American food would be willing to order. A fabulous BLT? A burger? Even a grilled cheese sandwich would do, but something for those members of a group who are traditional eaters. I'd give Muse 3.5 stars if I could, but will give it 4 since the food quality and service were good. It could (and should) be 5 stars. I hope it will be soon. read more

Muse - Weekday menu - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Not a bad little cafe. Met some friends who are local for lunch here. I had the Halibut but subbed out the fries for homemade coleslaw. Halibut was tender and delicate with a nice crisp, but not heavy batter. Salads were extremely generous... house salad was tasty. read more

Muse - Halibut - subbed homemade coleslaw for chips - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Great food and service. Had two meals here while visiting in November 2019. I forgot to finish this review at the time so all I can remember is that some dishes needed salt. read more

I think my expectations were a little too high. My dad and I decided to dine here for a late lunch after a visit at the museum. Muse was conveniently located on the bottom floor; although we both agreed it would have been much nicer on the top floor because of the great view. Ambiance was modern and the music was pleasant to listen too, it fit the mood. Service was ok; we were seated, water glasses filled when needed, orders taken quickly and food was delivered. Not much else to add. I ordered their soup special of the day, a creamy tomato and basil soup. It was ok. The tomato and basil flavor was toned down a lot by the cream so it was more like a cream flavored soup not tomato/basil. Also, it should have been served hot, not mildly warm. The nutty bread on the side was great though! But I didn't order the soup for the small slice of bread. My dad ordered the combo of a salad and chicken pot pie (but for like chicken filling). I tried the pot pie and it was nice and creamy. Unlike a pot pie you normally think of, this one had a puff pastry placed on top. I'm not sure if I liked that. At least it was flaky and tasted good. The flavor of the "pie" was alright, it had a strange aftertaste. Again this dish should have been served hot. Dad said the salad was "OK" so whatever that means. We shared an order of the yam fries and we're happy they properly named them. They were delicious and my favorite item we ordered. The aoli was good too, but watch out its super super garlic-y. And guess what, the fries were almost too hot to eat because they were fresh out of the fryer! I was impressed. Overall I'm not sure I'm too impressed with Muse besides their yam fries and comfy red chairs. I may give them another chance but in my opinion, the food was not worth the price. Go ahead and try it, but don't expect a super "hot" meal. Pun intended. read more

Chef Laura Cole turns everything to gold! The 4 of us had brunch recently at Muse and every single thing that came out of the kitchen was a complete delight. Unless you simply don't like fine dining this place will wow you. Not just a standard fine dining menu either- her takes on some classics are artful and fun. read more

Had a work lunch here today based on the convenient location. Wow! I was so happy with everything. The food, service and atmosphere were spot on. Chef Laura Cole is phenomenal. Thank you for a wonderful lunch experience. read more

Few choices but what they do have, they do really well! Stopped in here for lunch today with my boss. It's mostly salads and soups. I picked the Caesar salad while my boss chose the only signature sandwich available - a burger with a gluten free bun. My meatless salad was pricey ($11 for a rather small portion), but delicious - with creamy textured dressing and fresh, thick hunks of parmesan cheese. My boss' burger and fries looked delicious and he finished every bite as did I. The servers were friendly and the chairs comfy too. All and all, a tasty stop for something small to tide you over in the afternoon, but too expensive for an every day indulgence. read more

Had brunch today, Eggs Benedict. Fabulous! Lovely toasted baguette slice that didn't get soggy, crispy prosciutto instead of bacon, perfectly poached eggs with just enough Hollandaise. Garnished with fruit and arugula. Delicious to eat and pretty to look at. Loved it! Well priced. Super service. read more

I took my son here mid week after a doctor appointment. He was really excited to see the Museum and I was excited to try Muse. My son is a well-behaved 8 year old. He thought the place was kind of neat and he loved his chicken strips and fries - all homemade. I got a kick out of the utensils - all wavy and artsy! My Ruben sandwich and the sweet potato fries were outstanding. Why the 2 stars? I thought long and hard before writing this review, then I read Yule's. So I knew I had to...it was 1:15 pm when my son and I walked in. Nobody greeted us. A group of 3 moms and tiny children were just leaving. They left a huge mess at a round table. Me and him were the only patrons in the whole place. Finally, some waitress or hostess, who was harried and irritable flagged us to "sit anywhere". So we did. As I looked around, I noticed the place was filthy. And I don't just mean from the messy mom's table (which remained dirty the whole time we ate). The floor, chairs and tables were all dirty. The floor in particular looked like it had not been scrubbed in a long, LONG time. I was really put off. Then after ten minutes of waiting as a waitress and cook sat at the bar and ate (!!!), the same hostess came out and said, "Have you been helped?" It was like she was seeing us for the first time!! WTF? I asked her, "Are we bothering you? Are you open, should we leave?" She copped an attitude and said "they" had been in the back (not the chef and the other waitress - they were sitting at the bar). We should have left. Had I known I could have gotten a bagel and smoothie around the corner in the museum, we would have. Anyways...we got a waiter finally and *shock* the food was good. I did mention to him "this place is filthy" and he laughed and said, "ya, it's after lunch" (so when do they clean it? just before dinner?). The hostess piped up and volunteered the floor is very hard to keep clean. No kidding. It's a floor. In a Restaurant. I can say I tried it. Unless they advertise they are under new management, I won't be back. The food was good but the service was smarmy, obnoxious and rude. Like what Yule said. read more

Muse - New American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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This is a restaurant inside the Museum. So you can come in and just eat here if you like. You do not have to go through the Museum first or buy tickets. This is my 3rd visit here. I like it , the Museum,itself and gift shop , as well as the restaurant. They serve alcohol which I find a little odd. But, we are in Alaska and things are just a little different. The food is really good here, at least what I have tried. The soup is by far my favorite. Since it was raining on this day ,I found it even better. It is a corn seafood Chowder. It is so filling you can barely eat anything else. It is rich and creamy and packed with fruita de Mar! (Seafood) A lovely cup of hot tea as well. Divine on a 60 degree rain filled day. I see that they have a lot of nice desserts as well. I got a huge cookie that I had to take with me because, I could not eat anything else. But, I ate it later and it tasted freshly baked. Maybe they get them from a local bakery. Or maybe they make them themselves. I forgot to ask about that. I did not think of it till I was eating it and by then I was already gone. Another time here I got a salad with Salmon on it. It was really good,tasted as if it was fresh from the sea that day. Plus, Anchorage has some really great Vegetables. Apparently they play live music here on certain days of the week, or special occasions. Which I imagine would pretty nice because, of the acoustics here. You would not think a Museum restaurant would be a place you would want to visit. But, it is good I have to say. read more

I had such an awful experience there last night that the two stars are mainly for my other, non-awful experience during lunch. Yes, they have a very good roasted beet salad, and it's a pretty space, and over lunch it was pretty relaxed and pleasant. (Other than a group of 5 toddlers screaming nearby with moms ignoring them and talking to each other. Midweek lunch, c'est la vie). Last night sucked in so many ways, I wonder if they have a different manager in the evening or something. The band was incredibly loud -- overpowering for such a small space, it really pounded on your ears. The more my friends and I tried to talk over the music, the louder it got. When I finally asked the waiter if it's at all possible to ask the band to play quieter (using this language), she said (and I quote): "No, I won't change the band for you." ??? Wow. I didn't report it to the group (who didn't hear what she said) because they were already irritated. And they're mild-mannered people. It also seems like the restaurant was understaffed: we mainly saw two waitresses, and they both seemed very stressed out and angry. Upon a request to add a chair to our table, the waitressed said, "I'm already overbooked," turned around, and walked away. It took her 20 minutes to take our order, then 30 more for the cafe to cook it (soup, which I assume is pre-made, and chopped salad). We got our food 5 minutes before the event that was taking place at the museum and had to gulp it down very quickly. The food: chopped Asian salad had two tiny flakes of goat cheese on it and barely any dressing, the chili tasted like something anyone can throw together with some meat and a can of tomato sauce, my friend got 3 scallops for $13.25. :( I know they have good infused vodkas and I may be back for those some day. Once the memory fades... The sad part is, this is just like Anchorage. Whenever a new, urban-ish place opens, everyone is excited and thinks this is going to be "the one." But it turns out to have the same mixed level of food prep and customer service as a lot of places here. At least with Humpy's, you know it will be loud (but you will be able to hear your friends) and tasty and large portions for that 13-15 bucks an entree/sandwich. I'll stick to it / Orso / Glacier Brewhouse for my favorite downtown places. read more

With a James Beard nominee chef, a fantastic location and being the First Friday at the Museum we were excited to dine at Muse. The decor and ambiance are first rate for Alaska but the superlatives come to a screeching halt there. Staff: Our waiter was sub par. For instance while waiting for our friends to arrive we had to tell him several times that we would not be ordering anything until all parties were present, a concept that was very difficult for him to understand. When I asked the waiter to tell me about a particular Stout beer since I am a huge porter/stout fan his response was, "Do you know what a stout is?" Lastly, at upper end restaurants it's customary for all plates to be cleared at once and thus not make the last person eating feel rushed and self conscious. Food: We ordered the flat bread, which was burnt, swimming in vinegar and was uneatable. On the other hand, the Brussel sprouts were delightful and the portion was so generous that it could have been a stand-alone entree. My entree was the vegetable Napoleon which, when it arrived at the table, had fallen over and now appeared to be "deconstructed." Flavor-wise, it was uninteresting and uninspired, with the breaded eggplant being soggy and flaccid, not crispy and crunchy. The dessert ice cream with espresso was exactly that, with no novel twists or special flavors. General: The fact that this place exists in Alaska is wonderful and, hopefully, a harbinger of things to come. However, there is much room for improvement and with optimism we will return to see if changes are implemented and improvements made. read more

Half priced apps from 4-6 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Well, it was Friday and I had a Groupon, so here I come! I was a little curious since the reviews seem to be all over the place like a drunk driver on a slippery unplowed side street. I always like to give a business the benefit of the doubt, and I'm glad I indulged my curiosity. The setting was nice, and the service quick and friendly. I passed four tanks of infused vodka on the bar, and I knew what I was having. Pepper infused vodka! My server looked at me like I was from Mars when I ordered it on the rocks with some club soda. She said that it was super spicy and they normally serve it in a bloody Mary. Nope! "Full power Rudolph!" Spicy it was! Just what a hot head like me was looking for on a dark and snowy night. We ordered four Oysters Rockefeller between the two of us, and at a buck fifty apiece during happy hour, this was a bargain. They were nice and fresh, and the cream helped to put out the fire that my beverage ignited on my tongue. The menu was a little weird. There were high end entrees in the $30s, and the next price range was around 15 bucks. I didn't see the value in the upper end stuff, so we opted for a couple of the lower priced picks. My girl had the baby back ribs, and I got a bacon Swiss burger. Hers came with sweet potato fries, and a cole slaw with a touch of sweet chili sauce. I was very impressed with the ribs. Five big, meaty, and moist pork ribs adorned her plate and the jerk rub came through the light BBQ sauce. It was perfectly cooked! My burger was Kobe beef, and it was just what the doctor ordered. I had the option of regular or sweet potato fries, and opted for regular. They were house cut and cooked just right. Loved it! Ooops! I forgot to mention. The drinks were very affordable. My date had a dirty Grey Goose martini, and it was 9 bucks. A full $3 less than what I'm used to paying at a couple of other bars in town. My fire infused Ketel One? $6.50. Not bad! read more

I have only been here a few times but it is a really great place and one I've added to my personal favorites list. I've attended a few generous beer tastings ($5 for a flight one time, $20 for a big flight plus an app). Their food is pretty gosh darn good, and there seems to be something for any appetite. Prices are pretty reasonable, especially for the quality of the food. I eagerly anticipate any sort of fun event that is going down on Muse and all the times I've gone with friends, they've mentioned how fun and worthwhile it is going to Muse. Sometimes, if you go for dinner or drinks, if the front desk is feeling generous, they'll let you go into the museum for free. I do not recommend having a lot of beer then going into the museum whereupon you'll have an existential crisis while standing in the giant bubble platform in the interactive section of the kids' exploration room. Sure, you can pull the soapy rope and envelope yourself in the safe cocoon of a huge bubble, but the experience is sweet and fleeting and ultimately disappointing. Just like real life. Their waffle fries are the best I've had in town. And don't bother paying for parking in the lot across the street ($6 an hour). Opt for street parking on the side streets, especially since parking isn't enforced after 6pm! read more

Only stopped in here for a quick snack while at the museum. The atmosphere was good, service was excellent and honestly the food was impressive. I had seafood chowder, my husband had some curry and we split the shrimp appetizer. The shrimp was amazing! We would definitely return here to try things again. Definitely a good place to stop for a bite when you're in the area. read more

I had come here once this summer and sat on the patio and had beers with a friend; it was lovely and I remember being sad that we were not hungry enough to order food. I was excited to have an excuse to try the food about aborted trip to the museum. I was into the amount of combos they had on the lunch menu. My companion and I both had soup/salad combos. We both agreed that the seafood chowder was delicious; perfect consistency, visible seafood, and on-point seasonings. I had the house salad which was the most interesting house salad I have had in a while. It had feta, and a smoky-tomato dressing that I was all about. My mom liked her caesar salad (very light, lemony dressing) but was disappointed that it didn't come with the as-promised (and also interesting) pears. OK portions for $12, and the service was a little slow considering that we ordered soup-and-salad, but it is an enjoyable place to wait. read more

Kitchen had a melt down. Food was very good. Took 15 min to get a waiter. Group of 7 of which 1/2 did not get the correct order. This ordeal took 1 1/2 hours last two in the group got their meal after the rest of us were finished. We were on a tour of the museum had seven minutes to visit before the bus came to pick us up. If I lived in Anchorage I would not go back. read more

Well so I had higher expectations, the food was ok. The food was not warm or hot like it should be. The appetizers are so cheap which is great, all in the $5 range. I ordered I think the pesto linguine and the feta artichoke spinach dip. The dip was tasty but should have been piping hot. There was no excuse for this, there was NO ONE else in there. My kids got spaghetti and pizza. The pizza was on a overly thin pita. It was kinda crazy they would even call it a pizza. My husband had a cheeseburger, he said it was very good. I had a glass of white zen, berringer. I mean this place would be great for adults wanting a quick bite but I wouldn't dub it anything more than a quick place to grab a bite. It's very modern in there and red, but I liked that! read more

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I must give credit where credit is due and this place did a much better job than the last time we were here. The place is very clean the wait staff was very courteous and prompt and the food was good. I understand it is under new ownership and that might explain the changes. I would feel comfortable giving these folks another try and I would suggest others do too. Parking was an issue but my understanding is the museum has parking in their basement garage for a dollar an hour. read more

We attended a great catering event for the NACE dine around at the MUSE The service was fantastic! Chef Brad and the GM Dave executed a wonderful event with fabulous appetizers and a fun signature drink! The deck is so fun to sit outside and dine and get some sun! read more