It's hard when you go to a new town to find the right restaurant when you are here for such a short time. The Fat Mermaid was open late which was great for me arriving late into town. When I walked in greeted right away and taken to a table. Friendly young man came over to help right away. I ordered the Alaskan Red Salmon sandwich with fries and coleslaw. Came out perfect and enjoyed the sandwich. More Salmon on it than I thought would be on it. I'll be back. Not many option in this little town. But I found a good one. read more

Service was great very friendly. COD sandwich good. Do not order the French dip or probably the prime rib French dip came out with a minuscule ration of the most badly abused beef one could imagine 26.95!!! BS Server said she would remove from check I suggest they remove from menu or get it right Photos of theirs and a proper dip sandwich Hard to find one done well read more

The Fat Mermaid - Theirs - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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I don't know. I wanted to like this place. The menu has lots to choose from. Our server was behind friendly and attentive. I got the rockfish tacos. The fish was good. The tacos - not good. First off, the tortilla was a soft tortilla - but somehow so hard I could barely bite it. The tacos, they looked good until taking the first bite. It was like someone just threw on taco seasoning at the end. Like a full on glob of taco seasoning on all 3 tacos. My husband got the rockfish dinner plate which was pretty good. My dad got the bbq sandwich which I probably wouldn't recommend. It's a great location. Nice outdoor seating. Our bill was over $200 for 4 meals and 3 beers. read more

There were 5 of us and 3 of the 5 were excellent. The other 2 dishes only so so. The place needs a good through cleaning but the beer was cold and the server was very nice. read more

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We were excited to try this place. We added it to our bucket list, didn't know when we would be back. My husband ordered the halibut and Chico's. I ordered the rockfish and chips. He ordered a light ale and I had a water to drink. We also did an order of calamari which was delicious!. We sat outside, chilly and loud. The crowd made their presence known. My rockfish was ok, decent taste. His halibut was overcooked and dry. Very disappointing. Our waitstaff was helpful and nice. read more

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Really liked this place and in fact they had a better piece of salmon than the Princess resort in Copper river. I had a fetachinni alfrado with salmon and it was really good. Get the bloody mary, my tour guide ordered one and I wish had too he gave me a sip and it was fantasic. I was on a 7 day tour and I would put this at the top of the dinners we had. It is rustic in there but really good. read more

This place is good! We come here because it's one of the only places to get fish & chips. I personally think the fish needs a little more seasoning but it's still really good! Husband thinks it's pretty perfect the way it is! People are nice & service is quick! Beautiful outdoor seating during those beautiful summer days. Great for families or individuals wanting a bite to eat. read more

Based on other reviews, I was so excited to try this place. I was a little underwhelmed. While I loved the atmosphere and it has a very cute outdoor seating area (would be amazing on a nice day), I was hoping for more from the food., especially the veggie reuben (and I love reuben'). Thankfully, staff was great. read more

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I really wanted to like this place since they had so many vegetarian and vegan options, so we tried it twice during our visit to Valdez. Unfortunately we left underwhelmed both times. First night I ordered the nutty tacos. I've made walnut "meat" at home but this was pulverized into tiny bits. I was expecting the tacos to be wrapped in lettuce leaves but the walnut meat, avocado, and salsa were piled on top of skimpy leaves and there was no way to eat them like wraps/tacos. The second night I ordered the quinoa Buddha bowl. It really had very little flavor- it was a huge pile of raw veggies atop a brown rice/quinoa mixture (which I'm fairly certain came out of a box). I asked for extra sauce but it didn't help to add any flavor. Hubby had the crab cakes and they were on the dry side. They do have a nice selection of wine, beer, and cocktails and I enjoyed the blueberry ale. This is a popular place, so I kept wondering if I was missing something. They also might be a bit understaffed. Our server the second night (Jeff) not only had a couple of tables, he also had to serve the tour bus crowd, so consequently, it took some time to get our check. He tried his best to handle it all, so this is to acknowledge that. read more

The Fat Mermaid - Nutty tacos. No way to eat them like a wrap/tacos. Only way to tackle was with a knife and fork - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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Located on the main drag in front of the harbor, this is definitely a restaurant aimed at tourists. That said, the food is pretty good, the service friendly, and the ambiance cozy. But you still get tourist prices -- ah well, so it goes. We had fish tacos, which were good but not special, and a Reuben, which was quite good. I suspect that this establishment gets swamped when a cruise ship is in town, but when we visited, things were slow and pleasant. I would go back again. read more

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Must stop local seafood in Valdez. The food was so good, and the bartender even went out of her way to secure a safe ride back to my ship. The place is small and cozy with lots of happy patrons. read more

The Fat Mermaid - The Halibut was excellent! - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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Tried menu of the options and they were all good my the ube cake was dry but was very happy to give it a try! Service was fantastic! -attentive even it being the summer season- all around good vibes! read more

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We loved this place! Friendly service, good food, fair prices. Ambience is casual. Wish they sold their t-shirts!

Fast and friendly service, cute decor, menu has vegan/vegetarian friendly options. I got the halibut dinner entree which tasted high quality and healthy with grilled fish and veggies that were not too salty or greasy. I gave it a 4 because I felt it was a little on the sweet side and the fish could be just a little more tender (was just slightly overcooked). I think that's me being nitpicky but I also did pay $40+ for the fish. Overall solid for a small town - I was craving a hot plate of food, a healthy meal with protein and fiber and that's what I got! read more

The Fat Mermaid - Grilled halibut dinner entree - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

The halibut was overgrilled and dry. The veggies and rice are good though. The service was friendly. We sat outside with a great harbor view. read more

The Fat Mermaid - Halibut Dinner - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

Honestly was not that impressed with the food here. The crab cakes were ok. Nothing to shout home about. We also ordered the halibut and chips which was very good. The pizza was okay. 3/5. Service was not that great. I know it was summer and busy but it took way too long to get refills on beers and our check. This restaurant is small, crowded, and loud. For being one of the few places in Valdez I was expecting a little more from their food. read more

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We were really hoping for alot from this restaurant since we had seen a few great reviews. Unfortunately not to be. We were seated right away and were brought menus and 2 glasses of water. No one ever came to take our order- after 20 minutes my husband went out front to find someone. We ordered onion rings to start- came out right away and they were good. I ordered a glass of wine and also informed the wait staff that I was very dehydrated and would need my water glass filled often. I ordered an Alaskan cod basket and my husband ordered a rock fish basket. They came out fairly quickly, were sat down on our table and the waitress turned and left. We never saw her again until after our dinner was over and we had no silverware. My husband went off again to find someone to get silverware from. By this time, I drank my water and was drinking my husband's water and both glasses were sitting on the edge of our table empty. The food was just so so. Both fish dishes were just bland deep fried fish - nothing like what I had had at another restaurant in Valdez. I cannot recommend this restaurant. The food was bland and the wait staff was not good. read more

Cocktail, mocktail, fish, meat, or vegetarian this spot has everything for anybody. However, the one thing I keep coming back for is the world's best Bloody Mary. Both the spicy and non-spicy Bloody Mary are worth a trip to the Fat Mermaid even if you must travel by plane, train, car, and boat to get there. The beautiful ocean front views and downtown location make it an easy spot to visit. read more

The Fat Mermaid - Bloody Mary - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

Who puts chocolate in a mango salad? The flavor combination for this green salad was way off! The clam chowder did not taste homemade and it lacked flavor. We were really disappointed. However, if you want to sip drinks on the patio and watch the harbor, it's a good spot. I heard they have good fish and chips but we're not going to try them. read more

My wife ordered two appetizers for her meal and both were quite obviously prefabricated. I ordered a burger and when it was delivered it didn't have mayonnaise on it so I asked for some and the server said she would be right back. She didn't come back for over 25 minutes until she was ready to give me the bill and when she did she realized she hadn't brought the mayonnaise. By then my burger was stone cold and I told her to take it back to the kitchen and take it off the bill. While I was waiting a couple from Florida came in and were seated next to us and asked how the food was. They could tell we were both agitated and after they saw the prices for local seafood they got up and walked out read more

Server was very pleasant. Giving 3 stars due to overpriced menu and food. We got the halibut/chips and pepperoni pizza. Both the batter and pizza crust lacked flavor. Wasn't worth the spend. read more

Came for a late breakfast in late July 2025. Great breakfasts with tasty thick bacon, fresh soft biscuit, and organic eggs. Good coffee and slow service because staffers were overwhelmed by sport fishermen and tourists coming to eat before heading out. There's a short bar for morning Barflies before they head out into Prince William Sound. The place is not divey but a typical harbor-side cafe with character. read more

Amazing fish. Highly recommend halibut taco, which is not included in the menu, but our waiter recommended. read more

The Fat Mermaid - Halibut taco, Red Salmon Dinner - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

This was a recommendation from my tour guide and it did not disappoint. I ordered the red salmon dinner and it was healthy and delicious. I also love the bite of the place with live music. There seem to be a lot of locals eating at this restaurant as it was super busy. Don't let the neutral review steer you from eating here. It was the best seafood meal that had had in Alaska so far. read more

Food was wonderful. Great Halibut dinner, pasta, and Pizza. Service was very friendly and food was served in timely manner. Definitely give it an A+. read more

A Pleasant Surprise When our cruise ship descended on the little village of Valdez, there was a mad rush to the Fat Mermaid. At first the single server seemed overwhelmed, and I figured we were in for a long wait. I was wrong. Reinforcements appeared as if by magic, and everyone was served quickly and with a welcoming smile - very impressive. Even more impressive was the Pizza - real, authentic New York style pizza - with that perfect thin, foldable, slightly charred crust - a real winner. The Mermaid also offers several Alaskan craft beers at reasonable prices. If I ever make it back to Valdez, I will head straight to the Fat Mermaid. read more

Really good food, service was good and ambience was fine. I'd recommend this place if you're in Valdez! read more

The Fat Mermaid - Bloody Mermaid cocktail - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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Great menu with lots of choices and the food was very good for a small port town. Lost a star due to price but it's understandable

Went in and ordered an order of fish and chips and an extra order of fries. after waiting a considerable time, i realized that the couple that came in 10 minutes after me had received their dinner, but i had not got mine. When I asked if my order was done, he said let me check. He returned with my order, I asked him how long it had been sitting back there ready and he just shrugged his shoulders and said, it is here now. and then told me to have a great rest of my day. I will never step foot in that place again read more

A bit pricey but the portions are huge. I had the grilled halibut basket and was stuffed. Couldn't even finish it. The calamari and fries are great. The seafood basket comes with cole slaw and tartar sauce. The fish was a bit bland but the tartar sauce helped. read more

The Fat Mermaid - Calamari - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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Stopped by here for lunch while in port on our cruise. I ordered the Halibut Basket. Oh my sweet lord!!! It was mind blowingly delicious. It definitely comes with a price tag but totally 100% worth it. Huge fresh halibut caught right there!!! You have to stop by here!!! The service was great. Super friendly staff. Such a cute mermaid themed restaurant. read more

The Fat Mermaid - So tender and fresh!!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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Good food, good service, a good overall experience. No crab legs available during our visit, but the burger was massive, the pizza was very good, but the rockfish was a standout hit! The coleslaw is great, and the fries are perfectly done (crispy and golden!) read more

The Fat Mermaid - Rock Fish Basket - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

The fish and chips were okay. The fries could have been a little better done and were kind of soggy but overall it was better than another recent experience we had. The Ube cake, however, was AMAZING. I wish I had just ordered us a bunch of cake for dinner. Delicious! read more

The Fat Mermaid - Ube cake - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

Seafood feast and halibut dinner were amazing. Yes, it's not cheap, but it's a tourist town, so goes with the territory. Theo came in and played some great music! Ambiance is fine and was a little great experience read more

This place looks very plain, but the food is excellent. We were pleasantly surprised by the service, the food, and the timeliness. Granted, we went in mid-May, so none of the seafood was fresh, and the waitress quickly let us know. Food was delivered promptly. Great beers to add to the food choices. Everyone in my party was pleased with what they got. read more

Good food in average Service and location not that great . I expected something more but I can understand the restaurant was so crazy busy ... read more

Service was excellent and fairly fast. Showed up for breakfast as it was one of the few places open. Decent price for quality of food. A side of bacon is pretty pricy but was good. Pancakes were good as well. While the biscuits and gravy were good, the biscuits were a little hard and the gravy was a little runny in comparison from what you would normally expect. Overall happy with this place. read more

Nice spot with fresh fish and friendly staff. The views in Valdez are wonderful. This place has tons of windows and it's right by the docks. read more

The Fat Mermaid - Fish basket - Sandwiches Near Me - Valdez, Alaska

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Delicious dinner - tried a little of it all. Fish and chips, salad, grilled halibut dinner, service was great and such a delicious stop on our trip! read more

When you dine out in Alaska you eat fish. We followed the crowd into the Fat Mermaid and were not disappointed. The restaurant is bigger than it looks and we were seated on what was probably once a porch. My cod sandwich was more than I could eat. The crispy (non-greasy) fries ruined my resolve and, frankly, I could not finish all of the massive sandwich. This casual spot was busy and service was a little erratic but it was early in the season. It was a little on the noisy side but everyone was having a good time. So glad we stopped. read more