I have been going to Harbor Lights for 30 plus years and it has always been one of my go to restaurants. They are known for their crab and shrimp artichoke dip but let me tell you times have changed. I was utterly disappointed and literally had to look for the crab. I don't mind paying for it if it is quality but this wasn't worth my time. Hope this was a fluke and not what is going to be their standard. If so, the internet needs to change them being the best crab dip in town!! read more

Wow! What a delightful surprise!!! Our server, Nancy, was one of the best I've experienced. What a gem. Food... well THAT was good! We had the Dungeness Crab to share! Oh my, fantastic. So fresh. We added 1 halibut & 1 cod. They make it so light & delicious. Creme brûlée's was awesome too! Berry lemondroo delicious too!!! read more

I have been eating at Harbor Lights since the 1970's. Yesterday went there for lunch and was surprised with the changes, none of them good. My go to meal has been the halibut and chips. In the past the fish was hand cut and the portions were generous. Now they are using what appeared to be halibut in a box. The cole slaw is nowhere near as good and instead of a small bowl you now get a small scoop. It's not that the food is poor, it just isn't what it used to be and the prices are excessive. Then there are the bathrooms. Yes they have been updated from years past but it appeared that it had been quite some time since they were really cleaned. They say you can tell a lot from a restaurants wash rooms and the story coming from here isn't positive. Harbor Lights has never been a place I have gone to on a weekly basis but I was amazed at the lack of customers yesterday. Perhaps it was too close to New Years but the dining room was empty. It used to be packed with folks waiting. Things have changed and not for the good. read more

Sunday night special-steak Oscar was awesome $25.00. Corner table with beautiful water view. Our server,Rhonda,could Not have been better. Will Be back soon read more

I'm a 72 year old local. HL has been my family go for special occasions for over at least 60 years. Tony Barcot the original owner was my next door neighbor. I've been there easily over 100 times. Two of my closest friends flew up from SF to celebrate our 50 years of friendship. I had requested a window table. That didn't happen but no big deal. We all ordered fish and Chips the cod. We started the meal and it was obvious my friends weren't eating the fish literally looked like rubber they could not cut through it with a knife. It was sent back and another uneatable cod plate came. By this time I was done with my meal they both had tried enough. By the way our service was excellent. However the fish quality was terrible. I'm sure Papa Tony was rolling over in his grave. H L has gone from my favorite restaurant two off my special spot to off my list. Please review your seafood procedure to back to the place for birthdays anniversaries and all the special events a lifetime of memories were made. read more

My wife and I have been coming to Harbour Lights for years, but our latest visit was disappointing. My wife had salmon, which was slightly over-cooked and I had the northwest cioppino (for the first time here) which had no flavor at all. It tasted like extremely watered down Campbel's tomatoe soup with fish in it. I have had good cioppino before, this wasn't it. On top of which, the service was horrible. Our waitress forgot to bring my salad ($9), when she did it, it had croutons, which I asked not to have. Finally, our drinks were long empty by the time she came to check on us. If it were busy I would understand, but there were only three couples, including us, in the entire restaurant. I hope if we ever go back, we have a better experience. read more

Long standing waterfront restaurant on Tacoma's Ruston Way always delivers solid seafood and spectacular views.

Over priced for the quality. The Bloody Mary is not worth ordering. I ordered a mai tai and it was good. Over all I was very disappointed. We won't be back. We were at the bar, the server was attentive and hostess helpful. read more

Harbor Lights - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

My husband and I were looking forward to an amazing seafood dinner. Instead, we over paid for subpar seafood. I had the captains platter with mashed potatoes. The potatoes were instant. The fish, scallops, oysters, and shrimp seemed to be pulled from a box and thrown into a deep fryer. I did not know that even the salmon would be deep fried. There was also a scoop of dungeoness crab and salad shrimp which seemed to also come from a can. My husband had pan fried oysters, which were not pan fried but deep fried. His baked potato was over cooked and hard. Our waiter (I wish I would have gotten his name) was fantastic. He was very attentive and was quick with our drinks. We had an excellent view of the water. Over all, we were disappointed with our meal and we won't be coming back. read more

Good Anthony's menu, totally changed from the classic atmosphere. Now modern, good views of Commencement Bay. Personally, I miss the classic nautical theme - that was unique. read more

Dinner at Harbor Lights was great 10 or so years ago, but service in now spotty at best and food might be average, unless you have the seared crab. Last Wednesday evening, service and food were exceptional seared crab for two, a chef's salad made to perfection, and possibly a Guinness record-sized baked potato for all four of us. Never seen a baked potato in XXX! Too many of those and I'll be XXX. A wait staff who kept drink orders refilled and an eye out for a chance to check in with us. Advance the calendar nine days and I had to shake my head. Our server had to be flagged down to get anything after dinner arrived, but apparently once was enough because she was there with refills and sauces afterward. Thought to be adventurous this evening and went to the Captain's Platter - great for weight loss because the captain probably had the cook or grease jockey flogged. The crab was cold - oh that's the way it comes - for what they charge let's get it like Burger King says, my way and that is seared. Strike one, then cold clammy baby shrimp with minimal cocktail sauce, yuk; strike two. Oops, nice hit with the few jumbo shrimp that arrived on the platter but what about cocktail sauce? Hence, time flag down the help...preferably before my food gets cold. Ok, this gets a by, but fried salmon ...really?! Thanks for the deep fried shoe leather. In short, Oct. 16 they hit a homerun, but tonight is just affirmation that the weekend is not the A staff. It'll be a while before anyone convinces me to try Harbor Lights again. That's sad because we've enjoyed it two or three times a quarter since 1997. read more

A really beautiful sign and cool location lured 3 generations here for my daughters 30th dinner. The menu had the old stand by's with your bread basket, clam chowder and pasta linguine. The food appears to have not been updated since the 80's. I attempted to get blackened rockfish with mango. The fish was somewhat wet, pale, and somehow bland even with a thin layer spice on top. It came with a medley of mushy light colored chopped squash. My rice had bits of sweet cranberry in it and was quite mushy, resembling over cooked Rice a Roni. At $23 would not be a bad deal if well executed, but it was not. No salad with the dinner entree which would have brightened up and otherwise underwhelming meal. The cream brûlée was good. Not the first time I have been disappointed by Anthony's (who own this spot). Now I know. read more

We eat dinner out ALOT. Always looking for something new and unique. Consequently, we'v never chosen Harbour Lights because we thought of it as "old and probably just out dated". HOWEVER, had the opportunity to eat there with some family last night and not one person in our party of seven could say anything but raves for not only our server Nancy but also the food! We all agreed that we'd never had such fabulous service anywhere. She tended to every request quickly and with a smile. When a couple of us women went to bathroom, She came and re folded our napkins at our spots! Now, she was very busy with alot of tables! The ocean prawns were amazing, The salads were huge, Captains platter was delicious and drinks were amazing (especially loved the key lime martini!) We will definitely be back and will be requesting Nancy. read more

I really don't enjoy giving poor reviews but....Visiting Tacoma suggested eating on the water so a nice view and basic seafood menu but I just cannot understand how they managed to make each dish just a little bad. But at least the service was equally just a little poor to match the food. My grandson's clam chowder looked like grey dishwater and the server seemed to know the chowder problem offered a tiny shrimp cocktail to substitute but it was definitely not as tasty as normal in average fish places. I ate only half o fish and no chips ( not like me at all). I'm sorry this is like this. The serving staff were people's mothers and grandmothers and need better management and culinary support. This place doesn't even measure up yo Red Lobster, if that tells anything. Perhaps having a lovely view makes restaurants complacent. Oh, my grandson did like his steak in the end. read more

There's something to be said about proper service, and presentation. Harbor Lights could learn a thing or two about both, and food. Everything is below sub par, and the presentation could be bested by my cat when she hacks up a hair ball. Get it together, get a decent cook/chef, and wait staff that aren't rude. read more

Good food and excellent service. The New England clam chowder was excellent as was the shrimp Mac n cheese. Our grandson had the Fish Taco and said it exceptional with the mango sauce. read more

Excited to try Harbor Lights after hearing Anthony's Homeport bought it. Went there for lunch on a Wednesday. Husband ordered crab salad for $16.95 that about a tablespoon of crab, lettuce that was brown around the edges & a pool of dressing on the plate. I ordered crab toast for $13.95 that had about a teaspoon worth of crab & was mostly mayo. My lettuce was also brown in my salad. Service was great for the obvious regulars around us ie constant refills on bread & drinks without being asked, I had to ask twice to get my iced tea refilled just once, forget about more bread. Desserts of huckleberry slump & cheesecake were excellent but didn't make up for an awful lunch. Total bill was $76 read more

Harbor Lights - Dungeness Crab Toast $13.95 - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Update: I am updating my review to 4 stars as I was contacted by the manager Linc by phone and by mail. He was sincerely apologetic for our experience and has promised to make it up to us if we return. I appreciate his follow through and customer service, he could have easily chosen to do nothing. We will be returning to Harbor Lights and I am thankful for Linc's kindness. The hostess was extremely rude and yesterday, 5/5/19, was the worst I have ever been treated by someone at a restaurant. We showed up around 12:15pm yesterday and were told it would be 30-45 mins. The hostess was not very friendly (average height, long brown hair), but we brushed it off and walked next door to grab a drink. We came back after 45 mins. The hostess wouldn't even meet our eyes but proceeded to loudly and angrily inform us that we had taken longer than we said we would and it really messed up her day having to take care of our table. As she walked us to the table she loudly and rudely informed us that since we had opted out of the text messaging she had no way to contact us, again all our fault. I was speechless and embarrassed that we were being insulted and ridiculed by a hostess at a nice restaurant that we were about to pay money at. My boyfriend apologized, we would have loved to receive a text message. She continued to rudely tell us it was our fault and we opted out. It was not nice to start a meal by being yelled at. People were staring and it was awkward. I had a friend in town from Philadelphia and had taken her here to show her some great seafood and service making it even more embarrassing someone would treat us so poorly. My friends finally told our waitress, who was nothing but kind and nice. The waitress apologized and comped my $20 salad. I will not be returning to eat here which is unfortunate as I love to go for my birthday and my boyfriend has come with his family since he was a child. There is no way this is the first time she has been that rude to a customer and it won't be the last. She should not be working in the service industry, especially if she is going to discriminate and pick and choose who she is kind to. read more

Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable. The views on the water were great. No weird smells. Busy place so glad we got there early. Food came fairly quickly considering. Prices comparable. I had the clam chowder which wasn't creamy so much as brothy but was still ok. Fried prawns were golden and crunchy. Key lime jar pie was tangy. Complimentary bread filled me up. Would be back if I lived here and not just on vacation. read more

Went to Harbor Lights with my wife and another couple who are friends of ours. We were early, so we sat in the bar to wait for our friends. We were hungry, but unfortunately, they had no bar snacks, pretzels, bread, etc. No biggie, the drinks were decent. Our friends arrived and we were all seated at the corner table in the window. The gent we were with ordered a Harvey Wallbanger. I mentioned that I hadn't heard that drink in ages. He said he'd been coming to Harbor Lights for years and it was one of the only places he could get it because most places don't carry Galliano's liquor. The waitress came back and apologized that they no longer carry Galliano. Oh well. My wife told me that her and her family used to go to Harbor Lights, and that apparently it was purchased by Anthony's and they removed all the decor that she remembered and loved. It was now like a mini-Anthony's; devoid of a pulse and catering to a much older clientele perhaps. The other couple also ordered the fried oysters and they sent them back, as they were way overcooked. The menu pointed out that you could have them cooked to order, but who knows how to order them this way? They said that wasn't a thing before, and that their fried oysters were superb. Good thing the second time around they were prepared as they remembered them. I had a steak which I found to be tasty. The smoked flavor was a nice touch. All in all not terrible, but for a first experience, it was lack luster enough that I will pursue other opportunities. I probably won't come back. read more

Harbor Lights seems quite unassuming from the street - the gray building is a bit dwarfed by its more flashy neighbors to the west. However, when you enter, you will be greeted by a very unique restaurant environment; I was immediately drawn to the hand-painted murals on the wall, depicting various maritime scenes and local sites. We were given a friendly greeting by the host, and shown to a water-side table. The view from here is fantastic; we could see the Olympics to the west, and Mt. Baker to the north. Looking behind us, the Tacoma waterfront stretched out the other direction. We were entertained throughout lunch by a pair of bald eagles fishing right off the riptide going by, and a seal that kept popping up to check on us. The menu is straightforward - mostly higher-end seafood selections. I selected the pan-fried oysters, and my dad ordered the fish and chips. We were pleased with the healthy portions, and the flavor was fantastic! Our server gave us the perfect level of attention - checking on us from time to time, and keeping our iced tea refreshed. In the end, I can't think of a single complaint from this experience; the meal was perfect! I'll definitely be coming here again soon! read more

2 stars because this place has edible food with a spectacular view! But everything reeks of too much garlic and not enough seasoning. I can not recommend the clams unless you truly love garlic and the seafood mac was disappointing. The calamari was kinda good tho... read more

My partner and I had dinner last night here around 7:45. Beautiful evening and we were immediately seated at a corner table overlooking the water. Beautiful. Service was cordial. I had the scampi and he had the sirloin (medium) and scampi on the side. The sirloin was excellent; tender, juicy and well cooked. Portion seemed small. His scampi were much better than mine. I had four butterflied in a ramekin but there was no sauce. They were tasty but I usually expect a butter/wine reduction with garlic and herbs. It seemed a small portion for the price. I admit that I was nostalgic for the Harbor Lights of old. Fresh seafood cooked simply, generous portions, choice of potato (baked, mashed, French fries) or pilaf. Generous portion of salad or coleslaw included or clam chowder or the wonderful clam nectar. Alas... the Anthony's concept is limited menu, skimpy portions, charge for salads or soup, bland decor and high prices. Overall a total miss. I wish they'd remove the old Hatbor Lights motto about generous portions from the menu. read more

This review is more for the bar than the restaurant side. I was taking out a few ladies for a work dinner/drinks on Tuesday and Harbor Lights had been recommended for the view. Two of us originally intended to just stop by there for a happy hour drink or two while enjoying the water view in the bar and head elsewhere for dinner but so enjoyed our experience, we decided to stay there. I had both the lemon drop and the key lime martini off of their happy hour menu and those drinks are dangerously delicious as it would be very easy to enjoy a few not realizing they tend to make their drinks a bit on the stronger side. They are so delectable that they go down way too easily. The key lime martini tasted just like key lime pie with a fun graham cracker crust rim. The lemon drop was smooth and tart, just how I like it and tasted like real lemon instead of fake syrup. My counterpart enjoyed their dirty martini (highly recommended by a fellow bar visitor) and mai tai which was adorably served in a glass tiki cup. She said both were delicious. The server and bartender were both efficient, made great recommendations, and very friendly. We ended up making friends with several locals who said they frequented the bar and spoke highly of the staff, food, and of course, the drinks. After our other party member arrived, we ended up staying for dinner to enjoy the view of the water at night and ordered various glasses of wine to accompany our cuisine. I ordered the New York Steak and they both ordered the seafood mac and cheese. My steak was nothing amazing but was cooked medium rare as requested but both of my guests loved their seafood macaroni and cheese. I would definitely visit again next time I am in town, and HIGHLY recommend stopping by for the view and a delicious cocktail any time you are in the area. read more

Drinks great! The meal was not great for the price, scallops overcooked, cold and they ran out of bread. Service slow and not very personal. read more

Went here last night with friends. Ordered the shrimp fettuccine and it was horrible. The 'shrimp' was tiny, cheap, cocktail shrimp like you get from a can. The noodles were huge and over cooked. The sauce was watered down and almost flavorless. There were chunks of zucchini and mushrooms in the fettuccini (who defiles food like this?). Not happy, my friend was not happy, will NOT be back. read more

This is a Ruston Way landmark! It's been there for decades! I've been here a few times over the years-- the first time being about 10 years ago. After Anthony's took over the restaurant, the menu was simplified a bit, and the food has gotten much better. About 5 years ago, this was a bit of a dive with strong drinks and heavy grease. Sunday at noon is a great time to be here-- they have a good list of Sunday specials. Our family eats here for a nice meal out, and the staff are always kind a patient with my school-aged kids. We will continue to return. read more

*during COVID 19* We have come to Harbor Lights before and had good food, a little pricey but, it's on the Tacoma waterfront. Here's my issue: We came in with six people, they told us that we had to sit at separate tables which we said was fine, then they told us we had to separate into separate rooms of the restaurant! After a bit of arguing, they "allowed" us to sit within the same room, but we "can't speak or interact with each other" (their words). I think this is hilarious since there were groups of people closer to each other than we were to our own family. In fact, we were 4 feet from these people we didn't even know. Despite the "cleanliness separation" we had agreed to, we were sat at a table with visible crumbs and hairs on it. When we asked them to clean it, they acted like we were going overboard (probably because we questioned their family separation policy). My favorite part was seeing the hostess and guy in the white button-up shirt at the bar inches from each other talking while they looked at our table. Was it about us? Likely. The saddest part of this was our son and daughter-in-law are leaving for Massachusetts in a week and our family was visiting from Texas with this being our last meal together for a while. Our waitress was fine, food was fine, but that other stuff left a bad taste in my mouth. We spent almost $200 for this dining "experience". read more

My first time coming to Harbor Lights will always be memorable. I had an amazing piece of salmon that I can say was the best I've ever had. The service was superb, the waiter was patient and knowledgeable. It was an amazing experience. read more

This used to be my favorite restraunt in Tacoma. My wife and I have been going here since we were first dating 41 years ago... the service, last night was great. The food was very mediocre. The view was poor, because the windows reflected the inside of the restraunt, and I couldn't see out. I would say, save your money, and go to an Ivar's fast food takeout. read more

Opening day! We've been coming here for 20 YEARS and had high hopes for the remodel. I am (was) very nostalgic when it comes to this restaurant, never in a million years would I have thought my first Yelp review would be a negative one for my "favorite" restaurant. I'll start on a positive note; it's very bright and open - the new decor is tasteful (but kind of generic and cold) and takes beautiful advantage of the one consistency here - the view (although I admit the former seedy darkness of the place added to the ambiance). In their (weak) defense...it was their opening day so maybe the wait staff didn't quite have their table assignments down. Perhaps that's why our waitress couldn't find our table to get our drink orders. When she finally did locate us, we ordered our drinks and appetizers...I told our waitress we were ready to order - she said, "no, I'll get your drinks first". Huh? No?!? When I was finally given "permission" to order, I ordered my usuals - a baked potato and nectar chowder (with my fish dinner). I was told they no longer had a baked potato on the menu. I asked where the sides were located (on the menu)....they're not. I was then informed that soup or salad (by the way, no more ranch dressing, either) are no longer included in the meal, they're now only available a la carte. Wow. Did I mention the prices haven't changed? The food (and only reason I'm being generous with my 2 stars) - was excellent, actually....I have NO complaints. It was piping hot - and has improved quite a bit (I refused to admit for a loooong time that Harbor Lights was steadily going downhill). All four of us had empty glasses for WAY too long - and of course our waitress got lost (by the way, strawberry lemonade's are not bottomless - make sure the teens with you know that...of course it doesn't matter that they've been going to the restaurant since before they could walk). We had to ask for bread - what used to be great, fluffy but crusty bread has turned into tiny "french bread-type" loaves. Average, at best. We planned on coffee and dessert, but there was no way we were staying any longer than necessary. Yeah, I've clearly taken the unattentive service and lack of basic staples from the former menu, PERSONALLY. Call me crazy but service is JUST as important as the meal. When you're spending your hard-earned dollars (over 200 of them for four people) I expect the waitstaff to be at least average. They're not. Even when the Manager gave us four free appetizers/dessert vouchers to sweeten the pot, I believe my 20 year love-affair with Harbor Lights has come to a close. They just lost three generations of family members...it's a sad day in our family. Cue the violin... read more

Oh, my disappointment. Same flashing "Harbor Lights" sign on the outside. That is where it ends. I can't begin to express how sad I was when I walked into a place that used to have the ambiance of an old-time retro waterfront establishment. Granted, the old decor was a bit dark and the place felt like it needed a bit of a steam-cleaning, but it used to be comfortable and familiar, like your out-of-town grandma's house that you visited a few times a year. Walking into the "remodeled" restaurant was shocking in that other than the unobstructed view of the water, I thought I might be in a fast-food joint. The decor is so generic and void of quality I could hardly believe it. They actually used a cheap laminate material to cover half the walls. The only thing familiar was the general layout, and the three large fish on the wall that survived. I am sure those fish are now devising a plan to escape their bland surroundings. As for the food -- meh. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The cod & chips could have come from a box, just a panko coating that was slightly overcooked giving it a scorched taste. The seafood fettucine serving was a little on the light side for the price. But the appetizers were quite good, with the shrimp cocktail being a generous, fresh heap in the dish. The strawberry shortcake was refreshing, although the cake was rather hard to break into. We were there for an obvious celebration (gifts on the table) and not once did our server ask us about anything other than what we wanted to drink, and if we needed more bread. The service was acceptable, but nothing worth noting. It just felt rushed. I feel like a little part of me died after that dinner. The place I remember going to since childhood with my parents is just not the same. I know things change and modernize, but they don't have to go that extreme. A good remodeler/decorator could have found a way to maintain some of the old-school feel and charm. It's a shame that places like this end up selling out to corporations that don't care about history. I mourn the loss of a familiar place. read more

Grossly overpriced swill! 2-Star restaurant masquerading as a 4-Star. Been going to HL for 35+ years. Am embarrassed for longtime customers, and for The Barcott Family for what Anthony's has done to this once great restaurant. read more

My cousin and I went to this restaurant on Saturday looking for crab legs as advertised on their billboard outside the restaurant we got in the restaurant the crab legs were $55 but they were not in the shell, plus they were salty, the waitress was not very friendly or accommodating nor did she ask us if we wanted dessert after we ate our meal! however I had the Cod fish and chips which was really tasty! but thumbs down on the crab legs which is only crab meat so I'm thinking they probably got the crab out of a can read more

Many years ago, I used to visit Harbor Lights with a pal of mine quite often. We'd come down after work and soak in the delightful 50s retro ambiance and throw back a good strong cocktail or three from HL's cozy bar. Since I was coming down that way to visit the LeMay Car Museum, I thought I'd pop in for lunch to see what had changed. My visit was a real letdown, which just goes to show 'you can't go home again'. THE ROSES: A venerable institution on Tacoma's Ruston Way waterfront, HL was getting a bit run down when it was acquired by the Anthony's Homeport restaurant group. This group runs a lot of very successful seafood restaurants, including one of my all-time faves, Chinooks at Fisherman's Terminal. With this kind of pedigree, you know HL must be great, right? Well, on the positive side, the dining space looks really great. I think they opened up the walls between the dining room and the bar, and have given this relatively small dining space a more open, spacious feel. A lot of the more kitschy decor has been removed, but there's just enough nautical bric-a-brac still about to give you a retro feel without being cheesy. The view, of course, is still great. THE THORNS: Bizarre entree design. At places like this, I like to order the captains/fishermans platter: the name varies, but always a classic combo of fried seafoods with various sides. The platter here is a bizarre disappointment: a few pieces of seafood (cod, salmon, scallops, oysters) are paired with two small lumps of previously frozen crab and baby shrimp, and some cole slaw. The crab and shrimp were kind of weird; what were you supposed to do with them? Put a scoop on your fork and try to dip it in the cocktail sauce and hope they don't fall in? Better to put them in a bowl with some diced celery and cocktail sauce and call it a shrimp+crab cocktail. Worst of all, this dish came with no fries, or any starch at all. It's like ordering fish & chips and getting no chips! Since this was, at $24, one of the most expensive items on the lunch menu, would it kill them to add a handful of fries? It's like whoever designed this menu hated the dish, and was determined to sabotage it. The haughty attitudes of the hostess and server didn't help either. Anthony's Homeport has really stumbled with Harbor Lights; it's like they just aren't sure what they want to do with it, so it's treated as the 'bastard red-headed stepchild' of the family. At nearly $50 for the entree, one martini and one beer, I definitely didn't get good value for money. Anyway, I won't be back, and regrettably, I don't suggest you go, either. read more

Eh I am all for old school charm, but when it isn't even good in a diner kind of way - well that just makes for a bad meal. We're talking lots of wooden ships around the restaurant that look like a grandpa had finished with red vinyl seating. The ambiance didn't bother me, but this place is hobbling along serving out food that has no thought. They are lucky they have a view because that is where all the $ is going. And considering this is a seafood place situated on Ruston Way with lots of other competiting seafood restaurants within shouting distance.... you would think this would be better. It is also affiliated with the Anthony's chain of restaurants known for all those things Pacific NW like chowder, fish & chips, salmon...etc. And I have eaten at an Anthony's restaurant several times, heck - you can even have better food at the Sea-Tac airport Anthony's than this place. Doesn't an old school kind of place make a great bloody mary? It was served in a high ball glass with just an olive and an onion. It was spicy enough, but nothing to make it stand out. It was straight from the mix. Bleh. The special of the day was filet with fresh crab and a hollandaise sauce. Sounds promising right? Very well - like tough done, but the lump crab was very fresh. I'm glad my Dad shared that with me. It was nice to have a bite since my entree (shrimp caesar salad) was never ordered by the server. All I had was a cup of chowder which was unlike the chowder that I was thinking I was having. Doesn't an old school place make a good chowder? Nope. It. Does. Not. It was a broth chowder with a smattering of cut of clams and potato cubes at the bottom of it. How sad. Both of my parents entrees also came with coleslaw. Sounds reasonable, right? Well......... we're talking a plate of cabbage with a mayo dressing plopped ontop. Not good either. I couldn't get over how much all this food looked like it came from a 1930's cookbook that has never been updated. Disappointing to come to lunch when you are expecting something else from a regional chain restaurant! read more

"Oh I went, and made a dent, in my mound of scallops, (money well spent). Harbor lights, will fly your kite, and you'll find yourself wanting, to stay the night. " - Anonymous The décor of Harbor Lights reminds me of a brand spanking new 1982 house boat. They know what they are doing. They know, exactly what they are doing. The place is perfect, and the food is pretty good too. I won't spend my time talking about the napkins and sh!t . It is themed in a way that is not easy to describe, it has an older boat feel and everything in the place contributes to it. As for reviewers who knock on the look and theme to this place, (which is exactly what they are going for), then I must defend the harbor lights before you shatter them. WHAT did you think this place was when you were walking up to it. It OBVIOUSLY is supposed to look like an old run down fisherman's hangout, and the menu reflects this. I got fried scallops with hashed browns...doesn't sound gourmet, but they were the best scallops that I have ever had. When I say that they have an excellent old fisherman's hangout theme, and the best gourmet scallops and hashed browns around, that summarizes the place. That is what it is, take it or leave it. It doesn't care if you don't like the ships. Don't come here if you don't like to look at the old ship models. If those things bother you, stick to Red Robin. Long live the Harbor Lights and may they shine on us in eternal time. read more

We have been going to Harbor Lights for years, for the last 15 years my brother and I have been meeting on Thursday of the second week of February at Harbor Lights. It has usually been crowded and the food consistently good. That evidently has changed. Last night the food was extremely poor the service was so bad we looked at each other in shock.... Wrong food, drinks forgotten, bill wrong multiple times until I finally I said screw it just pay the bill and get out. So the bottom line is after 40 years of the Harbor Lights being my absolute favorite I'm done. It has gotten worse and worse since Anthony's took over which is odd since Anthony's is consistently good. It's like an old friend dying, ill look back on the good times....... read more

In one word: Disappointing. The cocktails were awful. We ordered a moscow mule (served in a glass tumbler, are you kidding me?) and the "seasonal" spiked lemonade that was featuring peaches, cause they're in season in the PNW evidently? My mule was one of the worst I've had, and the spiked lemonade tasted neither of peach nor lemon. The food. This is a seafood restaurant, right? I ordered the "special" of "breaded and fried scallops." They were fried fish balls. Rubbery, and the batter separated from the fish with each bite. I've had better fish sticks out of the freezer section. My lovely date had a slightly marginally better than average salmon salad with more peach and other pieces of fruit. It was the star in a dull flavorless evening, which isn't saying much. Here's the thing with these mixed reviews, people. Look at the reviewer. You see some 50 year old geezer giving this place 5 stars and pontificating about the senior specials, then take that 5 star review for what it's worth, which isn't much. If you're looking for fresh delicious seafood, DO NOT COME HERE. The restaurants on Ruston Way have become lazy and let standards slip because of their location and because all you old people keep enabling shit like this to continue by blindly emptying your wallets for this substandard bullshit. Want a view? Go to Stanley and Seaforts. Want to be on the water? Go to Boathouse 19. Avoid Ruston like the plague. There is some seriously incredible food happening in Tacoma, but it sure isn't happening anywhere near Ruston. read more

Peach time...peach lemonade the bomb. Great view and food. Staff is friendly and fast. Had the shrimp and crab roll. They were able to do it without the roll. Love it when people don't look funny at me when I ask for stuff like that. read more