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Smuggler's Wharf

2.9 (267 reviews)
ModerateSeafood
Closed • 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 3 months ago

Smuggler's Wharf Photos

Business Info

SMUGGLER'S WHARF ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Smuggler's Wharf

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An afternoon on the Bayfront
Michael P.

After walking past this restaurant for over 10 years, some friends we were entertaining in Erie suggested we stop- so we did and it was a wonderful experience. The ambience is second to none. The grape vines provide a nice break from the sun, but you're still afforded views of the bay and tower. Service was polite and professional, but also very personable. Drinks were tasty, but didn't seem very strong. Food was served without delay and as ordered. I have only had lobster rolls in ocean towns and this one stood it's own against those. A little over seasoned for my taste and I could've done without the celery. Very chicken salad feel. But the lobster was tasty and the roll was great.

Portobello mushrooms, garlicky potatoes and blackened snapper
Michael B.

Pleasant little stop before touring the Bicentennial Tower - great seafood selection here. Got the blackened snapper (I believe that was a daily special) which was seasoned just right and had a nice crispy outer texture (yet was flaky and not dry) . The Portobello mushrooms had wonderful flavor too. The garlic mashed potatoes were ok. Woman serving us was very nice; service was tad slow but looked like she was the only one serving before we got in. Great view and location too. I'd eat here again.

Cuz Ann's  Great Lakes Walleye Yellow Pike-tender and delish

Shirley is always attentive, helpful, & friendly. Smuggler's participates in the Erie Fine Dining Group. The proprietor doesn't "punch your dining card" in gratitude for patronage between Sept and March- a win-win for patrons and the business. Best perch dinner in the area, in our opinions.

Filet rice, mash potatoes
Theresa R.

The steak was dry but moist. Really had no flavor. The tomato basil rice was crunchy. The mash potatoes didn't care for. Service was good

Fried Great Lakes Yellow Perch

We had a delicious dinner here last night. I enjoyed the perch dinner and my husband had a chicken sandwich. Key lime pie finished a perfect meal. Our server was friendly and attentive. Even though the place was busy, our food came out quickly. It is in an excellent location, across from the water.

Outdoor seating
Jackie S.

In my opinion, a staple Erie spot! Their charming nautical themed location on the water has beautiful outdoor seating and is a great place to sit on an Erie summer evening. We started with the mussels, which were tasty! The white wine sauce came mostly on the side for dipping, which was new to me, but still good flavor. I also had the Caribbean breeze salad with chicken, and it was a great summer dish! The chicken was a generous portion and the fruit in the salad was great - it came with a ginger dressing that tied all the flavors together well. For dessert, I ended up splitting a raspberry chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate chocolate cake - both might have been the stars of the meal! The chocolate cake was rich with layers of chocolate, and the cheesecake was light with great raspberry flavor. Loved them both! Service was friendly if a little rushed at times - but we were a big group.

View of lake and Dobbins landing

Fun little place with a beach/island feel. Lobster roll a little pricey at $25 but good. My wife had the burger and it was good not great. Will come back when visiting for the ambience

View from my outside seat

Great food--everyone enjoyed their meals. The server was friendly and helpful, though a little stretched thin so a little slower than we would have liked. Sitting under the greenery near the water was lovely--my daughter is still talking about how pretty it was. Would definitely return.

Great Lakes Pieces Of Eight
Starr B.

The outside ambiance appeared to be a vibe. There was a wait and my party was very hungry so we opted to eat at the bar. The service was horrible. The waitress visibly did not want to wait on my party. She also did not check on us at all after collecting our orders and bringing our food. The food was bland and left much to be desired. Limited seafood options. The catch of the day has the option to be cooked blackened, grilled, or fried, but the other fish options do not offer this substitute.

Outdoor patio setting.

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3 months ago

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10 months ago

Great atmosphere, beautiful scenery on the water, but awful food and warm white wine served in a plastic cup. #overrated

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11 months ago

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9 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Large menu from seafood to burgers. Service was amazing. On the water with great outdoor seating. Classic place with a sailing vibe.

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3 years ago

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11 months ago

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9 months ago

Clean space good food fast service time. great servers outdoor and indoor seating. Right by the water

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11 months ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

3.5. Hotel restaurant kind of place. Fun bar great views. Perch and catfish underwhelming

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2 years ago

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Ask the Community - Smuggler's Wharf

Do they have aHappy hour?

This lovely restaurant overlooking the Bay has a half price promo from 12-2:00, I think. We dined there last evening and randomly saw the sign but didn't read it carefully. Call to find out!

How is lake view?

Ironically you are right on the lake but don't necessarily get a great view of the lake. Depending on where you're sitting you can see the pier and boats but not necessarily an expansive view of the lake. If you sit outside you get a better view but… Read more

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Two45 Waterfront Grille

Two45 Waterfront Grille

4.0(37 reviews)
0.1 mi

We had a great dinner here! Really enjoyed the shareable soft pretzel with mustard and beer cheese…read more Both the salmon and the grouper were delicious and the view sitting by the window provided a great atmosphere.

Two45 Waterfront Grille fails to impress…read more.. Accidental reservation on my part! My parents and sister live in Erie and I visited recently and I had lunch nearby and it was great. I didn't think too much into the reservation but when I showed up it was definitely not the place I recall (now known as Pier 6) but I recall looking at photos that it would be worth checking it out. We were promptly seated and greeted by the waitress. The lunch menu is brief with a few items in each section of Apps, salads, sandwiches and plates. We opted for the calamari as we heard it was a good app to start with. At the same time we ordered drinks which consisted of coffee, Expresso martini and the aperol spritz. The calamari came out and it was a good amount. However, they were very small and it was dry. We got the perch sandwich and it came out with an enormous amount of shoe string fries which imo are the worse type as they are typically over fried and so were these. Frying a good filet of fish is usually a bad idea and this sandwich would be better served to be grilled when your fries are fried and the calamari is fried too. Service was slow for being an empty restaurant. Note: we had a 4 year old with us and the key is to always rush their food asap so they stay content. Since we waited a bunch of time, we had some ancy people at the table after 1 hour 45 minute lunch where the room was essentially empty. Much improvement can be had otherwise spend your dollars at Pier 6 for a much better experience.

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Two45 Waterfront Grille
Two45 Waterfront Grille
Two45 Waterfront Grille

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Chippers Seafood & Southern Fusion

Chippers Seafood & Southern Fusion

4.7(46 reviews)
1.0 mi

Had an impromptu trip to Erie sunday and my husband and I are so glad we checked out Chippers…read more The food was absolutely delicious and the service was kind and quick. We can't wait to come back for a bag boil!

Until yesterday, we had a joke about Erie, PA, not actually existing. (I-90 runs several miles to…read morethe south of it for reasons some interstate planning committee could probably explain, and thus all you see from the freeway is a smattering of chain hotels on the outskirts of town). But on a trip back from Cleveland to Buffalo, we were hungry and looking for well-recommended places in Erie and the absolute hidden gem that is Chippers is what Yelp found for us. (Thanks, Yelp!) Chippers is an excellent assemblage of deliciously crispy fried things featuring seafood and chicken but also a surprisingly robust vegetarian slate. I ordered inside, was given a 20-minute estimate, wandered Erie for a bit, picked up the very-reasonably priced order, and we drove down to the waterfront to eat. I would and probably will stop back in Erie just for this experience. It's the bomb, as the kids used to say 25 years ago. Notes: 1) the collards and batter for fried items (the fried tomatoes are killer, btw) were approved by my partner, a confirmed Southerner--they do good things with seasoning to make food that often seems phoned-in at other places truly delicious; 2) the employees told a homeless guy that he couldn't come in at just that moment and then went out of their way to explain that they had nothing against homeless people or him specifically, but that he had caused problems and so they placed some boundaries on him. (They gave him the cup that he was asking for shortly thereafter.) I found it refreshing and wonderful that they were concerned that a customer might expect them to act with decency and compassion towards the less-fortunate rather than thinking a customer would simply want them to make that situation go away. It's a small sample size, but I think Chippers may hire good people.

Photos
Chippers Seafood & Southern Fusion - That is my $30 boil bag and the $30 shrimp meal that my husband got that had six pieces of shrimp

That is my $30 boil bag and the $30 shrimp meal that my husband got that had six pieces of shrimp

Chippers Seafood & Southern Fusion - Perch & shrimp w collards and slaw

Perch & shrimp w collards and slaw

Chippers Seafood & Southern Fusion

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Calamari's Squid Row - Boom boom shrimp grinder

Calamari's Squid Row

3.9(117 reviews)
1.2 mi
•$$

6/22/25 Ate List:…read moreChicken Cordon Bleu Wrap - 7.4 Grew up in Erie and I feel like this spot is a like "not so hidden" underdog sort of gem. Whenever I've been here, it's never packed. But each time when im leaving we say, "yeah that was the right move." It's a little further from the Bayfront but it's a lot better than some of the options that are closer. The vibe here is great. So glad that this place has withstood so much turnover nearby. Food is consistently great. Lunch, dinner, even brunch is SOLID. This time, I did the Chicken Cordon Bleu Wrap with tots. Could've just been a silly assumption, did not expect the wrap to be toasted. Now this was on a 100 degree day, so wouldve personally preferred it to be cold this day but all good. Tots are dependable and great too. Wish I received a larger potion though. Was kind of surprise it wasn't like filling the plate and was more a scattered handful. Love this spot though. Great experience, great staff, will absolutely stop back in.

We usually enjoy stopping at Calamari's when we're in town, and their Boom Boom Shrimp Grinder is…read moreour go-to order. On this visit, we both ordered the grinder, but my first bite felt off -- something was missing. Sure enough, when I lifted the bun, the most important part was missing: the boom boom sauce. It took a few minutes to get our server's attention, but once we mentioned it, she quickly brought sides of the sauce for us. After adding it ourselves, the sandwich tasted the way it should, though the bread was a bit dry since the sauce wasn't baked in. I'll also note that we typically visit for lunch, but this trip was later in the evening. The vibe was very different -- louder crowd, mostly college kids, and slower service due to how busy it was. We'll probably stick to lunch visits going forward, since that's when we've had the best experience.

Photos
Calamari's Squid Row - Patio

Patio

Calamari's Squid Row
Calamari's Squid Row - Artichoke dip with pita bread

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Artichoke dip with pita bread

Smuggler's Wharf - seafood - Updated May 2026

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