We met family at this restaurant for an early dinner while visiting Eureka. The food was a disappointment. I ordered Petrale sole as an entree and found the fish to be overcooked and having the texture of rubber. The garlic mashed potatoes were dry and uninspired. The green garlic beans were ok. The 'blue cheese' salad dressing was bland and tasteless - no blue cheese to be found. My wife ordered the fish and chips. While the portion was large, the breading on the fish was dark brown indicating it had been overcooked. The fish was moist but the breading made for unpleasant eating. I was surprised the Petrale was so poorly executed. In my experience a light touch is needed to make this dish and this was wide of the mark. The service was excellent and the location and ambience are appealing. It's too bad the food didn't meet our expectations and we hope the owners will be more attentive to the execution of the dishes they serve. . read more

Overall great experience. The food quality has been very good both times we have been there. The real star is the service. The wait staff is very attentive and friendly. You can tell a well run restaurant when you are in one...and this is one read more

Coming from the city, this is a place I'll never forget. A friend brought me here as it was my first time visiting the area ever and it did not disappoint! We sat outside and the stars aligned because the weather was perfect. I experienced the most gorgeous day, saw the resident sea lion pup relaxing in the water and really enjoyed the meal. We had fish and chips (snapper), bouillabaisse, oysters, a side salad and two deserts. The portion sizes were generous, the flavor was great and the experience was wonderful. I'm very thankful I had the pleasure of visiting! read more

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As soon as I walked into the door. Staff greeted me. I didn't realized at first that there was both an indoor and outdoor patio! Great views of Humboldt bay! The party of 5 got a chance to experience 5 sea lions out by the boats. The pineapple colada was strong plus I am a light weight. I know this because the person who was sitting next to me was drinking a beer and mentioned that one sip and it was strong. Definitely plan to drink at least two cups of water after the alcohol. The restrooms were surprisingly spacious and comfortable. I have yet to try their food. Our waitress was such a sweet heart. read more

I've been coming here for 30 years, came here from Roseville/Sacramento for brunch and the view can't be beat. Service was wonderful, quick and attentive, the inside has been updated yet still has small town ambiance, food and cocktails were DELISH- but the number one reason to come is the VIEW! The restaurant is on the bay surrounded by working fishing vessels catching fresh dungenous crab, and local fish. The Humboldt State Marine Biology research vessel also calls these docks home. Wear layers and sit outside- you'll be thankful you did. read more

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Great food & great service. Had the crab cocktail & the shrimp cocktail. So delicious. Apparently had the last crab of the year. Craving a BLT & my wife had a salad with shrimp. So good. Cocktail sauce was great with a good taste of spice from the horseradish. read more

We only had drinks so just a review on that. Bloody Mary's and Hot Todd's on a rainy day. Not busy at all and we got a bar seat with a view. Limited bar but what we ordered they did well. Bloody came anointed with snacks, Toddy needed a bit more honey which they gladly provided. Looks like they are going through a renovation. Excited to see some new life in here! Service was great, attentive and friendly. The view is great from the bar, boats, bay, and the downtown waterfront. It's just one of those old places you want to see do well. Wishing you guys the very best and thank you! read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - Bloody Mary! Yum! - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Everything was top notch- view, food and service!!!! We had a best morning time - with a beautiful view on the marina, super kind waitress and excellent breakfast! read more

I really want to like this place.. I keep coming back hoping that maybe this time it's better. But unfortunately the food is consistently disappointing. It is really a shame. No flavor, poorly prepared and using ingredients that come from a can. When I asked the server for a side of avocado they warned me it came from A bag and squeezed out. I just don't understand the business plan here. And the price is outrageous for the quality. It took 1 hour for my chowder to come to the table. They are way understaffed. Also breakfast on Saturday ends at 11am. My silverware was also dirty. The only reason I gave them a second star was because the bartender/ host/waiter was super friendly and kind. Message to the owners. Do better. Take some pride in the food you're serving. Buy better ingredients .. especially if you charge that much. read more

Lovely seafood place with outdoor seating right on the docks. Friendly staff and prompt service. Food was just ok, drinks were great would go again! read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - Clam chowder, fall drink specials - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Let me elaborate a minute on our recent experience at Cafe Marina. I drove 5 hours from Sacramento to take my mom to a nice lunch. However, it was everything but that. Let's start with the hostess. We walk in, party of five and see many open tables. The place was not busy in any way. No, "Hello, how are you guys doing today?", but are told, "it's going to be a 15 minute wait". Sure, no problem, but at least greet your guests as anyone in customer service typically would. I proceed to inform the hostess of my contact information and the only thing she said was that it would be a 15 minute wait. No smile or courtesy whatsoever, which I found very odd compared to the typical dining experience where I'm from. The wait was as expected and the view was wonderful, but here's where it really went wrong, which I feel it to be in the restaurants best interest to correct immediately. Coming from a background in food and beverage service, there are things that you just find unacceptable. First, the server messed up our drink order and food order. There was food called out that the waitress clearly could have, and should have, remembered who ordered, especially since she delivered it herself and wrote everything on her paper notepad herself. I'm not here to complain about the service, just providing constructive criticism to help her to improve her ability to provide good service to paying customers. All is good, we finally get everything we need but then, BUT THEN, the food is terrible. For the price they are charging guests it was highly disappointing. I would have rather had, and been happy with, In-N-Out. The only thing that was actually good was the clam chowder. My daughter's sandwich was soggy, my sister's pasta was undercooked and swamped in this grey, tasteless pasta water. I tried it. It sucked and had zero flavor. The shrimp was rubbery and the bread was soggy from the swamp water. My fish tacos were okay.. flavorless, and the only good thing was the pineapple salsa on them. I ate 1 taco. My mother's seafood plate was tasteless and over cooked, and she didn't touch her under cooked potato. The ranch was very watery. Overall, no one really ate any of their food, especially the pasta my sister had that was truly disgusting to look at. The business really needs a new chef, THAT'S CERTAIN. The manager was very nice and apologetic, but honestly our experience was ruined by the bad food. I know there's not many options in Humboldt to choose from, but we all agreed we should've went elsewhere, even the taco truck we passed on our way there. It bothered me so much paying for food that I could make 10 times better myself, for a fraction of the cost. I still paid $175 bucks for actually enjoying the 2 glasses of wine, which couldn't really be messed up. I just got home from my 5 hour road trip and still felt passionate about sharing my experience that was far from what I would expect. It's sad that Mother's Day couldn't be more special for my mom after all that. It was a waste of money and I won't be back to eat there again, unless all I'm ordering is a glass of wine. Booooo!! read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - The pickled onions are not good, the fish is bland and not seasoned - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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Seriously easy four for breakfast. We stopped by on our way out of town and the plate is huge! Just look at that cell phone. Crazy amount of food and the hash browns were killer! Service was great and the gals stopped by often to make sure we were good. Next time in town we r stopping by for lunch! Great dock views! read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

Great restaurant on the marina (hence the name). Don't expect some upscale restaurant- the name "cafe" is spot on but you get great views of the marina and the food was fantastic. We started w parm garlic fries and were well prepared. We all had clam chowder as starters as well - very briney (in a good way) and flavorful. Our table had the calamari steak, cooked oysters plate and scampi pasta. Our non seafood person had a massive 1/3 lb burger. Med rare burger was medium which was surprising given the thickness of the patty. My scampi pasta was flavorful but I would have expected a little more Alfredo like sauce...it's very much an olive oil and lemon treatment of the pasta - so it could be my bad. The main entrees also come w 2 sides so you are getting your money's worth. Service was very good on a busy night. I'd suggest going in the day to enjoy the view, we are definitely coming back! read more

Stopped in while visiting the area for the first time. First, our waiter was so kind and helpful - no problems there. There was a bit of a mess going on in the kitchen though and all our food came out at different times - the last dish well over 5 minutes later than the first (probably more like 10+ minutes after). Portion size was large and sides were very generous, so that was nice - but overall it was just so-so. read more

Stopped by this dining spot for lunch, and what a nice view. We both had tequilla drinks, which were quite good. Then we ordered lunch. My wife had the snapper tacos, which she did not care for. I had the red snapper entree with a delicious bowl of clam chowder. The entree was good, and my wife ended up enjoying the entree, and I ate her tasteless tacos. The fish in the tacos was not fresh and hence just ok. Our server was ok and seemed bothered by my wife's questions about the fish, but I will chalk it up to a hot and long day. The view is quite nice and the drinks are pretty good, so a nice hangout but not fine dining, hence the name cafe! Still recommend as the choices in Eureka are a bit slim. read more

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I don't know how but they managed to mess up pre-frozen french fries. Blandest food ever. Service also left much to be desired. I would comment on the sandwich but I'm focusing on forgetting what happened. Beautiful views though! read more

Really liked how we where seated immediately also got drinks fairly fast was nice to set out on the patio and see all the boats the food portions, are generous and for as busy as it was food came out fast read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - A mom , hash browns outdoor patio - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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We go here frequently and do like to bring out of town guests. The ambience is pleasant, the view of the bay is peaceful and rejuvenating, the staff is friendly and accommodating, and the food is good enough. Ok, the food-some food items are quite good such as the fish dinners, dinner salad, and fries. I wish they would change up their side veggie (pretty much always green beans). And if only they had eggs Benedict (although the Marina Scramble rocks). I love the place, but yeah...they have room for improvement. Meanwhile, considering everything, I still consider it my favorite place to dine out in Eureka read more

Very nice place! Great breakfast w/friendly service. Very clean. Hidden gem just across the water from Downtown Eureka. read more

The best clam chowder on the north coast of California. Very nice restaurant. Nice views of the harbor.

I had a wonderful lunch with my son here about 3 weeks ago. His side of fries was wonderful and the clam chowder I had was either straight from a can or the chef does not taste anything before sending it out. I'd love to hear the recipe Never again! read more

The view is spectacular, especially if you're sitting outside. Be prepared to wait. A long time. Everyone is working very hard, there's just not enough staff. My friend loved her red snapper entree with veggies and wild rice, as well as her clam chowder, which came after her entree. I did not care for the Caesar salad with prawns. Unlike a traditional Caesar salad, the romaine was not tossed in the dressing. Instead the dressing was minimally drizzled over the top. And the prawns were sautéed in too much butter, and didn't have much of a sear, considering they were supposed to be grilled. I didn't eat them. Again great view, and the fish and chips and burgers at the other tables looked good. read more

We went there looking for clam chowder and were rewarded with very good chowder, not fish chowder sometimes found elsewhere. We also had some unusually good garlic bread. Our server, Sabrina, was a delight. We sat by the window with a nice view of the marina. The bill came to $ 27.26 plus tax and tip. read more

Love this restaurant when we travel from out of town. We eat this café at least four times a year. Drove over to Eureka for a milestone birthday. We decided to call ahead since we always get attitude from the staff every time we try to get a simple 4 person table. We were informed that a table for 15 is by reservation only, which we were doing, and they told us we had to eat off the banquet menu. We told them we couldn't eat off the banquet menu because of dietary restrictions they stated "have a nice day" and hung up on us. Would not recommend would not recommend. read more

Love sitting out on the patio overlook the marina and old town Eureka. The food was okay- my husband and I both had fish and chip- the batter was more like breading so it actually tasted like chicken strips. It was good but not exactly what we were expecting- I would eat there again though. read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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We had lunch here today. My husband and I were both wanting salad and soup since we have traveling and food options are not always the healthiest on.the road. My husband had the shrimp Louie salad and a bowl.of chowder. The portion of shrimp on his salad was huge! The chowder was really yummy. I had the hall soup/salad. My soup was split pea with ham and I had the green salad with beets. Both were enjoyable. I ordered a spicy bloody Mary, which was small but very yummy. I do recommend it. No one there for lunch seed to have any issues with their food and they were pretty busy for a Monday. We would both go back. The portions are on.the larger size. read more

Surroundings are beautiful if you like marinas. They recently remodeled and the restaurant seems more spacious. The food is pretty basic fare but is delicious. The service has always been excellent. Sitting outside in the spring and summer and early fall and watching the boats and birds and harbor seals is a true Humboldt experience that shouldn't be missed. read more

A Truly Outstanding Experience Thanks to Savannah! From the moment we were seated, Savannah made our lunch experience so much fun! She was warm and attentive--always there when we needed her but never intrusive. What really stood out was her genuine kindness and infectious energy. She made us feel so welcomed . All of her customers seemed to be top priority, even though the restaurant was busy. She offered great recommendations with beverages.. I now have a new favorite NumNum (I think) It's rare to find someone who goes above and beyond with such grace and professionalism. Savannah is a gem, and we'll definitely be back because of her. Every restaurant needs a Savannah on their team! also, the cobb salad wasn't too bad. read more

Excellent comfort food with huge portions, and friendly service, at a casual cafe right next to the golf course. The chicken was nicely spiced, and the mac/cheese with bacon was heavenly. read more

Great location and views of the harbor. The hostess greeted us with despair, as if we had come to take her puppy away. The waiter had a slightly supercilious air, and the meal service was just adequate. The food was not great. I had fish and chips, with clam chowder and garlic green beans. The chowder had a nice thinner consistency, no overly rouxed texture, but tasted of lemon rather than clam. The fish was heavily battered and deeply fried into the consistency of nuggets, very hard and crunchy. The fries were not hot or fresh. The green beans had been cooked to death. She had fish tacos, she liked her lunch. The portions are enormous. We easily have enough for another meal, and I'm a big eater. read more

Beautiful view, good service, and tasty, inventive drinks. The food is probably 3 1/2 stars (I feel like the menu could use some updating) but the overall experience here is top notch. read more

Service was absolutely amazing and the restaurant is clean and very ambient but the food was super bland, we odered 5 entrees and three appetizers and none of them met our expectations. read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - Sweet Chili Prawns Toast - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

I was extremely disappointed with this restaurant. The food was mediocre at best. The cocktail barely had any alcohol in it. We sat outside and was cold. The last heater they had didn't work. The service was slow. We asked for plates to share which never came. Our original waitress ended up cooking our meal. That tells you how good the food is when anyone can be pulled to cook. read more

Delicious breakfast! I had Avocado Toast and everyone else loved their eggs, pancakes...even the coffee was good! We used to be regulars but stopped coming when food was sub-par. It's back...with renovated room, welcoming staff, and yummy food. read more

Pros: Waterfront restaurant with a view of the marina. Incredibly peaceful view. The hit of the night was the Garlic Parmesan fries. Large portion and perfect to share with a group. The cheese it toasted to perfection on the top and the crispy fries are on a bed of Parmesan. Truly decadent. The Thai sandwich has a tasty flavor and the peanut sauce is fantastic. Affordable! A dinner for two including appetizer came out to $41. Very affordable considering the nice location and ambiance. Cons: The clam chowder was a bit watery. The Bay Shrimp appetizer was disappointing. The shrimp were tiny and presentation was lackluster. I would like to return! It would be great if they had a special or seasonal menu. read more

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Amazing service! Ask for Abby she's a sweetheart and very attentive! We will definitely be back read more

Cafe Marina And Woodley's Bar - Prawn basket - Seafood Near Me - Eureka, California

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Overall, not bad. Server seemed a little impatient and clam chowder had mixed reviews. One bowl had plenty of clams and the other two basically had cream of potato soup. I had the shrimp salad sandwich and it had very little taste. Dressing needs to be jazzed up a bit. Nice scenery, right at the harbor. read more

Fish tacos were over cooked and halibut was also dry and overcooked...chowder was delish as were strawbeery lemon martinis and peach mules...service was friendly and prompt but not too busy read more

Until a couple of years ago, Cafe Marina was one of our main go-to dining out choices. We chose it for our son's post-wedding dinner, birthdays, and anytime seafood was on our minds. And so it was for more than 30 years. We liked the food, the working marina location and the outdoor deck overlooking the boats and the water, as well as views of Old Town Eureka across the channel. The service was attentive, and in later years we enjoyed hobnobbing with sailboat live aboards and marina folks we met on daily walks. Then we began to notice the quality of our food had become inconsistent. Sometimes fish and chips and other dishes were cooked to perfection, other times they were usually verging on charcoal and were practically inedible. It seemed to be a problem with the cooks. I'd say chefs, but we knew it was a rotating gang of guys who had some familiarity with prepping stuff that was delivered by a Sysco truck rather than actual chefs who had culinary chops. Then a couple of years ago I had to send my overcooked fish back to the cook. The replacements were also overcooked, so we decided to stop going to the Marina Cafe. We blamed it on Covid's impact on dining out. Then last night we decided to give it a try again. The waitress was friendly and attentive to our needs. But my wife's five fish pieces were dark and black in places; so was one of my five pieces. I needed to use a knife instead of the side of my fork to cut the other fish pieces into bite-size chunks. My wife's replacements were better; my replacement piece was nice and golden outside, and moist inside, just as it should be. The manager tried to blame changes in cooks, the lack of a timer on the deep fryer and the Panko breading, but agreed to bring new fish pieces. Our side dishes of cole slaw were swimming in dressing. There were way too many McDonald's-style french fries on our plates. The cups of clam chowder were as tasteless as you might expect watery white flour to be, though there were a few small bits of clam. It took a small packet of oyster crackers dumped into the cup to create some eating appeal. But the chowder was delivered piping hot. The Marina Cafe had a sign outside the door that said it would be closed during part of January 2025 for renovations. We hope the renovations include a timer for the deep fryer and a total rethink on how to prepare and serve the food on its menu. As it is, the Marina Cafe's food is bland, uninspiring and badly in need of improvement in both presentation and preparation. My wife's parting comment was that the cooks should be sent to Jack's seafood restaurant across the water in Old Town to see how to cook and present a tasty meal that a chef has had a hand in creating. Amen to that! read more

We were very pleased with this restaurant located in a quaint little island harbor area. The staff was friendly, our server Danny D was awesome. The fish tacos, the New England style clam chowdah & the drinks were wonderful. We didn't see a lot of food options in Eureka, CA but this place stood out. We'll be back if we pass through again. read more