The service, hospitality, food, and ambiance were amazing at Humboldt Bay Bistro. Dan was an excellent waiter who really took the time to speak about not only the menu and specials but also fun things to do in the area. We ordered the amazing table side Caesar salad (which was fantastic) and had a great conversation with Dave (who made the salad). We learned about the history of the building, surrounding areas, and other fun things. We had the delicious seafood pasta special, pomme frites with Cajun and garlic seasoning, crab cakes, and the amazing Caesar salad! We also had the banana pudding bundt cake dessert, which was also fantastic. We were also impressed with the drink menu. The Love Potion drink and port were delicious! We are from out of town and Dave and Dan made us feel like regulars. We will definitely be back when we are in the area. This place is a gem! Highly recommended! read more

My daughter picked this restaurant off of Yelp, from all the others in Eureka, and it was a big win! The food was so good, we had the oysters, crab cakes, duck, lamb, halibut, fish tacos and cocktails, and all were amazing! The staff also made our experience even better! Our server was so sweet and everyone else who worked there went out of their way to say, hi, bye, etc. It must be a great place to work because everyone was really friendly. We will definitely be back, and I highly recommend, if you're in the area, to make a reservation! read more

I've been here several times over past few years. Never disappoints. Happy hour every day from 5 to 6 PM with very generous happy hour menu. Good cocktails (try the herbal cocktails). I always get the escargot. Most entree items also smack! read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - Escargot - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

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Great service our waitress gave us great suggestions. House Cabernet was very good. We enjoyed the calamari and the special seafood pasta.

We came here on a whim, we're from out of town and wanted some clam chowder so we came here. First off, they set us outside even though it is 59 degrees and very windy. We both ordered a bowl of clam chowder which was amazing. We ordered some fish and chips to share- the fish was cooked beautifully, the fires- not so much. They were soggy and both the fish and chips needed salt. I ordered my son some chicken Alfredo off the kids menu(which is seriously misleading) it said fettuccini Alfredo then chicken under it -6. The chicken was so incredibly dry that my toddler couldn't eat it. It and the Alfredo had zero seasonings. He wouldn't even eat it which I don't blame him- bland food is gross. We got desert which was okay, fried strawberry ice cream was pretty good, but the chocolate espresso torte was so incredibly bitter from the dark chocolate and the berry could was so tart. Overall, pretty displeased with the entire experience. read more

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I got food to go.It was quite tasty and reasonably priced for the quantity we ordered.

Valentine's day ruined! Booked a few weeks ago hoping to have a relaxing/nice dinner. They sat us by the bar, lots of noise, staff running in and out right next to us. The atmosphere wasn't there, it didn't feel like valentine's day. We asked the host if we could get a better table because we were so closed to another table where a couple was eating, and there was literally no space in between our tables. The host said they were fully booked when there was a table with more space next to us. He didn't try and sure didn't care at all. all of their staff seemed to be in a bad mood because maybe they had to open on a Tuesday? (usually closed on Tuesdays) and on top of that food was mediocre. I will definitely not book for a special occasion. There are way better restaurants in town. read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

I really hate to write negative reviews, for anything. I feel like there are so many assholes out there who have never worked in a restaurant, bar, Brewery, winery, etc. that get behind the keys of their keyboard and act like they're a friggin' New York Times food critic, yet have never been behind the bar, behind the grill, and know nothing about what it takes to run a successful establishment. So I thought a while about if I should post this or not. But ultimately came to the conclusion that if this was my place, I would want to know if my customers were having this bad of an experience so that I could address the issues and fix them. read more

As part of my birthday weekend, we decided to go try some great oysters while in eureka! Humboldt Bay Bistro had some amazing oysters. We also ordered the fried calamari which were very tasty and risotto with trout with bell pepper sauce was really good (as an Italian I have high expectation from risottos). The clam chowder however was nothing special. You should really try their herbal cocktails! It was also my birthday and we ordered a piece of cheesecake. It would have been nice if they would have said that It was on the house but I guess that is not always the case. read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - When in Humboldt Bay, gotta try their oysters - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

My husband and I went for my birthday dinner since we were visiting. I found this restaurant on Yelp and went based on the rankings. I have to say the starters were amazing. The calamari was well spiced and cooked perfectly and we enjoyed the kumamoto oysters. The salad was fresh and light. Our waitress was extremely polite and attentive and the view of the bay from our window seat was beautiful. However, I am only giving the restaurant a ranking of three because both of our main courses were overcooked. My husband ordered the rack of lamb and asked for medium rare. He got it medium. I ordered the seafood penne pasta. The sauce was amazing, but there was barely any seafood and both the clams and mussels were overcooked. If we were to give it another chance my husband and I both agreed we would go back and order the starters only. There were a couple other starters that looked good and since the mains were mediocre and the starters amazing we would want to try more of those. read more

Went for Veterans Day, and after countless trips of what I thought were impressive visits, hands down had the best experience to date. Lamb Shank (special) was fall off the bone and delicious. Will be back this winter. read more

It was busy last night, even though we came early. The best duck ever. Crispy skin with great seasoning. Loved the French onion soup, asparagus soup and salad with house made blue cheese dressing. Veggie sides were very good. A friend enjoyed the fish tacos. The ribeye was a bit of a disappointment. read more

The food is terrible. The clam chowder probably came out of a can and was served in a janky bowl with no crackers or bread. The fish and chips were soggy and didn't come with tartar sauce or malt vinegar. The Kumamoto oysters were room temperature and they asked if I wanted it boiled (who the heck eats boiled oysters?) and it was served on a thin layer of aquarium rocks. Nasty. There were flies everywhere and the place is old and gross and it's in a neighborhood that's rundown. I'm not sure if they really believe this place is upscale or if they just hope to scam tourists who don't know any better. read more

This restaurant was the most perfect,intimate and delicious restaurant I've been to in a very long time! The food, the atmosphere, the service and the view were all amazing!! We can't wait to go back!! read more

We have known the owner for 20 years and he always makes sure that everything is perfect. For Summer who was there last week, HBB is a French restaurant if you want a kids menu go to Denny's or Adels. It is not a restaurant for children. read more

The food, service, and restaurant itself were great! We ordered a dozen oysters, 1/2 bbq and half garlic butter. Both were great, but the bbq stayed a bit plumper. Fish and chips came with fresh homemade fries. Highly recommend the table side Caesar, it was great chatting with the gentleman who made it and fun to hear some local history. Cocktails were amazing and we snuck in a guava cider on tap on our way out. Our server was so sweet, the restaurant was really cute and quaint without being stuffy or old, and the view was beautiful! Thank you HBB for a great night out on my birthday! read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro is "off-the-hook", literally. Five out of five for food, charm, decor service. We walked in during what looked to be a busy night without reservations, but the lovely hostess at the front got us a cute table by the window with bay views. After arriving to our table my wife and I were both craving seafood. We ordered the Seafood Penne special and asked for a modification to the Cajun Fettuccine to include clams, mussels, prawns and the catch of the day. The waitress happily obliged, a good sign. Foreshadow to the BEST fettuccine I've ever had. The Seafood Penne was good but the fettuccine was the definitely the star of the show. You can tell the chefs knows what they are doing because they turn simple ingredients into something magnificently decadent and very, very delicious: The butterflied prawns were succulent and tenderly grilled to perfection with a strong garlicky sear to both sides. The prawns had a light crisp but the center was perfectly tender and sweet. The mussels and clams were equally amazing! I really enjoyed the chefs attention to detail and how they gently steamed these whilst preserving the natural oceanic salinity in the clams and mussels. The giant scallop in the center was scorched and the fragrant butter permeated throughout every bite. But my absolute favorite was the Halibut! A fatty cut of white fish expertly browned, locking in the marvelous fish oils while still retaining a buttery rich and flaky mouthfeel. Now mix all of the above on top of a creamy bed of fettucine al dente. *chefs kiss*‍ Thank you Humboldt Bay Bistro for the fantastic attention to detail and food quality. We will without a doubt be back! read more

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Wanted to love it, but there were some issues. First, we called the restaurant to make a reservation and left a message. We never heard back. We showed up and fortunately had a reservation. The table side Cesar was good. I had clam chowder that was bland. Was told it was a $2 up charge, was billed $3. My wife had some good French onion soup. Was charged $3 for the soup that was not mentioned as an up charge. I ordered the Halibut special with a crab cake on top, served with rice pilaf. The dish was very bland, and ridiculously expensive. Initially I was charged $46, then after another billing snafu was charged $35. My wife had a filet mignon burger special. I tried a bite, and was unable to tell it was filet. She was pleased with the burger. After a few bites our server came out with a dish of candied bacon and said that the kitchen forgot to add the bacon to the burger. Which reminds me that as we walked to the restaurant we saw a member of the kitchen staff exit the building smoking a joint. While we were eating, the couple closest to us were having problems with the lack of service. We heard them get up and tell the staff nobody had been to their table for 20 minutes. They were told they were going to have their drinks comped. It took an unusually long time to get their drinks afterwards. Back to us, we then had some billing issues. I forgot to give the server a coupon after the initial bill. I gave them the coupon before they ran my credit card. When they returned the corrected bill I noticed that they ran my card and had not charged me for the $46 meal I had. I alerted the staff to the omission and they refunded the original amount and added my meal to the new total. Lastly, I ordered a beer that was served with a ridiculous amount of head. For the price of the meal, we had a disappointing experience. read more

We just got into town never having been we had no idea where to go. We found this and arrived with our starving 8 year old after traveling all day and a teenager. Arrived right at 5 upon opening and was asked if we had a reservation. Of course we didn't know that was needed. The man acted like he was going to refuse us. My husband said there's literally one other couple here and tons of empty tables. By the end of our dinner there was a total of 4 additional couples in the room. (Still many tables available) so we shouldn't have been that huge of an inconvenience for them. We were sat thankfully! Ordered our food. Hubs ordered fish and chips. The portion size was great however it was the saltiness thing I've ever tasted. He likes salty foods and even he said it wasn't even tolerable. We tried to take the breading off to share with the kids. Got our check and over heard the waitress tell the regulars, I wouldn't recommend the fish and chips tonight, they're pretty salty. Waitress was hard to come by to even have her replace our meal. My halibut was good in most parts but again, very heavily salted in other bites. We were just made to feel very out of place. Not sure if it was the Reservation problem or the fact we had kids with us. It was an expensive dinner for food that was not very edible. As we were walking about a fellow customer who ordered the fish tacos said he couldn't even eat his and just asked for a box because they too don't like to complain but highly disappointing coming to a 9 of 10 rated restaurant. Maybe it was an off night? read more

We were looking for a nice place to have dinner after a long day or driving and trekking around the California redwoods. Found this place in both yelp and google with pretty good ratings and decided to go for it. We called and got a quick reservation without a hassle. The ambience inside the dining room was very nice and cozy with great views of the bay. Food was great and very nicely prepared. Service was also very prompt and courteous. Overall, we left very satisfied at the end of our meal. Would definitely recommend it and visit here once again. read more

Went here just a day or two after their reopening, COVID restrictions in place and everyone was masked. Ate in the bar area so didn't see a lot of other people. I had a special - scallops over mushroom risotto that was wonderful, the risotto was just a bit underdone (similar to how it would be in Europe) for my taste. Started with oysters and clam chowder. The chowder was some of the best I've ever had- nice an chunky with just the right amount of creaminess - next time i may just order a couple of bowls of the chowder and call it a night. My colleague had the fish and chips which was huge - 5 pieces of a well battered white fish that was done perfectly with flaky flesh and crunchy batter, if i go back that's what I'm having. Give this place a try, no parking but lots of space on the street. Very good wine list with emphasis on local wineries. read more

This place was a great way to end a day. The view of the water and such a cute spot. Absolutely loved the drink menu! All the food was delicious! My first try for the lamb and boy was it decadent! The sauce, they need to bottle it up and sell it! The octopus fries and the steak were all devoured. Highly recommend this place. read more

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Nice place. We arrived with out reservations and the staff was able to seat us after a few moments. Service was nice and efficient. Nice portions too. My wife got the surf and turf. While the meat was a bit more done than her liking, you could tell it was quality beef. The lobster was nice and larger than we expected. We will return in the future. Only 4 out of 5 because while we enjoyed everything there wasn't anything that knocked our socks off. read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - Lamb chops - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

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Pros: -beautiful scenery by the bay -clean -friendly staff Cons: -expensive (Bayfront Tapanyaki expensive) -averages about an hour for food to leave the kitchen Our specific meal: Bread before meal was thin and bland. Need to bake the bread in house/add herbs or something to butter, would make a world of difference! Lobster was over cooked, rubbery. Cute melted butter dish with candle though! Filet was cooked perfectly, just needed more seasoning (salt!) The clam chowder was a bit watery, but had plenty of clams and great flavor. The fries were burnt brown but managed to still be limp and logged with oil and no salt. The chocolate torte was delicious, however $8 for a spoonful of Dreyer's ice cream was a bit much. read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - Surf N' Turf $65 - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

Cute and quaint restaurant in an old Victorian house on the bay. Recommend reservations but they were accommodating, sat us by the window in the bay so we had a view. Food and drinks looked appetizing and were very tasty! I got the fish and chips which was a little greasy, the fish to batter ratio was perfect!! Every bite had a chuck of meat! My husband got the chicken Marsala with a nice presentation and very moist. We would go back again! read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - Fish and chips - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

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Mediocre food and service. Even the cocktails were not very good. However they are open on Mondays, which is a big plus. Also too noisy for our taste:( will not come here again. So many other good restaurants in this area to try read more

We happened upon the Humboldt Bay bistro while taking a slight detour on our way home from Arcata. Spectacular! I don't know how we didn't know about this place before yesterday! Absolutely amazing food, great service, and beautiful view. We had the fish and chips, the arugula salad and the wilted spinach salad. All were delicious. Definitely the best fish and chips in town! There are so many things on the menu that we want to try. We will definitely be back again and again! read more

I'm not even sure how to start this review, but this is HANDS DOWN one of the best meals I've eaten...at a restaurant (my boyfriend is a trained chef)...for a very long time. I'd peg this as a culinary experience. In life, it's the details that matter, and at this restaurant...it was that attention to details that shined through, throughout the night. I've never eaten escargot, but I'm a fan! I've always worried about getting snails that were overcooked, rubbery and might forever scar me from venturing to try it again; but THIS was the place to try it. The calamari fries were cooked to perfection, sliced calamari steaks that were really tender to the bite. I could have eaten a serving of escargot by myself...and probably the basket of calamari fries, too. The crab cakes were impressively filled with CRAB...not a bunch of filler. And I'm fairly certain that each appetizer had scratch condiments served by the side. For my entree I ordered the rack of lamb with the tomato bisque. I'm still salivating as I think of that buttery deliciousness as the lamb melted in my mouth: cooked to PERFECTION! Sinfully, orgasmically delicious. Thankfully, I got a chance to try a house salad with the yummy gorgonzola dressing...and a few other items ordered at our table. This is a place to go with a group, so you can try it ALL! Did I mention, they were serving Redwood Curtain IGA? I'd hoped I might get a chance to visit the tasting room, and after a few stolen sips of the boyfriend's beer...I've decided I've got to make my way back for a full tasting ASAP. So, to round out this meal: everything I ate was amazing. But the view we had of the bay was pretty phenomenal. And they were super kid friendly, and the court yard was filled with some games to occupy our 4 busy kiddos who couldn't quite make it through an entire semi-formal dinner. If you're on the fence, I'd give it a go. And I'd order the calamari fries! It'll be one of the best cooked meals you've eaten (it was for me). read more

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If you're a Seafood lover this place is for you. I only wish they had a little more options for folks that aren't. An can't eat Grass fed protein. But our servers were fantastic, the Chartreuse Board was simply amazing. An the view was fantastic also. Definitely make reservations. So you get to sit where you want. read more

Absolutely amazing oysters: I love how these oysters were local and super super-fresh! Abby was so amazing to us. I made it very clear I was going to pay for drinks and appetizers for both sides of the table but the rest of the meal would be individual. And she did it! Usually, restaurants are not accomodating when it comes to the bill and the drama makes for an unpleasant eventing, but Abby was not gonna let that happen on her watch. We were all impressed with her manners, attentiveness and overall "snappiness!" Abby's wine recommendation was perfect! Now to the food, snapper and halibut were specials and Abby really described them in such a way that it was impossible to ignore and turn down (at least my side of the table!) Yes, this sounds like the "Abby Fan Club" and perhaps that is apt as I just booked some rooms at the nearby Eagle House (Inn at 2nd and C) for a bunch of cycling friends and I can tell you this, we're coming back to the Humboldt Bay Bistro for dinner! Thanks Abby! read more

What could have been a memorable dinner, became memorable for all the wrong reasons. One unfortunate event followed by another. We checked in with the host about 8pm and asked if we had a reservation. We did not and we're told we could only sit on the patio. She seemed annoyed that we were there without a res, and even said the heaters on the patio weren't working. We didn't mind and said ok, and she said to hold on a minute so she could check if there was a table. She came back to seat us, and the patio only had 2 couples eating with about 7 open tables. Ok, no problem we were hungry and had many things in mind to order. Our server greeted us at our table, and immediately something seemed off. He never made eye contact with us once. He took our drink and appetizer order. We got the calamari, crab cakes, French onion soup, and 1/2 dozen oysters. Our apps were delicious, but the oysters never came out. We would have mentioned it, but our server did not check on us until we had finished our apps. He asked how everything was, but didn't seem interested as he STILL wasn't making eye contact. It was getting cold, and the patio had several heaters, which weren't on. I remember the hostess said they weren't working, but I wanted to ask. Our server checked and it worked! He did move us to a table closer which was nice, but it seemed like the host said they weren't working so we would go elsewhere. After we moved he brought our entrees out which was the prawn tacos, and lamb chops (cooked medium). The tacos were fine, but the lamb came rare. I can enjoy a medium rare, but this was far from it. The sear on the outside was delicious, but it was inedible. I wanted to get it cooked to temp, but yet again our server was not checking on us. When he finally came, we had both eaten all the tacos, but not the lamb. He asked how everything was, and we told him about the lamb. He offered to pack it up so we could cook it at home. WHAT!?! Cook it at home? I'm not sure if he was joking or not, but I thought it was strange. We declined. We wanted desert because we saw they had fried ice cream. We asked what his preference and he said strawberry. We ordered it, and it came as vanilla. Not a big deal yet again, but it just seemed like nothing was quite going right. We asked for the bill, and the lamb was still on there. We didn't want to make it a big deal so chose to just let it be, but the oysters were on there too, which we never got. I let him know and he price adjusted it, but all in all it just seemed that nothing was going right. This place had a lot of potential, and actually some highlights (the calamari is really good), but unfortunately the unwelcoming host, and inattentive service made for an overall bad experience. read more

This was our first time in Eureka and this place was a walk from where we were staying. It was a perfect place to have our anniversary dinner. The bread was soft and the butter was delicious. The soup of the day was amazing. I got the ribeye steak and it was perfection as were the potatoes and green. Our waitress was awesome and checked on us often. Would definitely come here again for a nice dinner. read more

My wife and I came up for a weekend in Eureka and made reservations at The Humboldt Bay Bistro for dinner. While the Caesar salad was very good and and the bread was fine, the entrees left a lot to be desired. I ordered the duck in a bing cherry port reduction and it was... fine, I guess. It was clear it had been sitting for a bit because the sauce had started to become less of a reduction and more of a gelatin covering the duck. My wife, a vegetarian, ordered the zucchini noodles and vegetables. However, these "noodles" were less spaghetti or linguine and more lasagna. Not necessarily at, but maybe mention that in the menu so that diners can adjust their expectations. The biggest thing though, was the cooked veggies. And that is that they were not, in fact, sufficiently cooked. They were more or less warm but had not softened (especially the carrots) or even received much in the way of seasoning that we could tell. While this was not too much of a problem for me (my duck came with basmati rice), my vegetarian wife however did not enjoy her meal. read more

After moving here recently I really had the hankering to treat myself to some fine dining and did a little research which lead me here. Unassuming, looking like an attached Victorian home from the outside on the edge of a neighborhood, without the signage I never would have known it was a restaurant. Walking up and in it was everything charming and more. Nooks and alcoves for privacy and a big main room as well. It looks as though there's a patio area when the weather is nice. Instantly we were greeted with a friendly face and the choice of table to sit at since we got there right after opening. Our waitress was prompt and accommodating, even allowing changes to the special of the day for my husband who was unsure of the red-curry-coconut sauce- though I'm sure it would have been amazing. We started with the crab cakes which were absolutely divine, some flavorful bread, butter, and oil/vinegar. I had the French Onion Soup and my Husband had the Clam chowder. We both were audibly pleased with each of them. Yum! Unfortunately I missed a picture of our entrees, but my husband enjoyed the fettuccine with muscles, scallops, and shrimp with an Alfredo sauce. It was the best thing he had eaten in months he said! I opted for the rib eye which was a generous portion and mouth watering. It was paired with bacon greens which was scrumptious, and whole potatoes which were oiled and salted and just wow... the combination was outstanding. We didn't save room for dessert unfortunately but I'm sure it would have been off the charts. Five stars all around. What a great find! I think we found a new regular spot! read more

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Drink, food, and service always chef's kiss. They have the best crab cakes and calamari. I also definitely recommend their raspberry lemon drop martini and crème brûlée. read more

HIDDEN FEES AND COLD FOOD We scheduled our graduation dinner here and it was an absolute mess. They had a modified, up charged menu which we were not aware of when we made the reservation a month before. Upon arrival if we wanted to leave there was going to be a $25/person fee. It then took an hour and a half to receive our food which came out cold. A $10 fee to split a meal with a second plate. Drinks and other services were also forgotten or came very late. Overall extremely unorganized and disappointing. Sad it happened on graduation. read more

On our last night visiting the area, we were lucky to have found this special restaurant (thank you Yelp!). We loved the Caesar Salad that a sweet lady made at our table; that was really fun to watch! The food was cooked perfectly; we had the best anniversary dinner ever!!! Also amazing, our server was great at knowing the perfect wine to go with the meal. She was also very thoughtful checking on us just enough. The restaurant was remodeled from a giant, vintage home that overlooks the bay to a welcoming space still exuding home vibes. It is cozy and not pretentious. It looked like a local favorite restaurant, and I can see why. This was a great experience, and I'm so glad we were able to celebrate here:) read more

Humboldt Bay Bistro - This anniversary dinner was amazing!! - New American Near Me - Eureka, California

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We had high hopes for this place given the reviews. Unfortunately, the food was mediocre all around. Definitely not worth the $$$$ or the drive. The service was great, a real highlight, but it just couldn't make up for the sad, flavorless, unimaginative meal. Sorry folks, you can do a lot better than this. read more

I love this place so much! Our waiter was really nice and the food was delicious! The only thing that wasn't great was the long wait time for the food which was understandable because they had to prepare it but most of the people around us got their food before us and they came after us and some of the parties were bigger as well (we got there at 6:30 and left at 9:30). However, it was definitely worth the wait. Another thing is that the later it got the colder it got and they left the door open to the patio so the inside of the restaurant was freezing. Over all amazing food with tons of options and really friendly staff. One of the people in my party had crutches and they were very nice and escorted us the the wheelchair accessible ramp in the back of the building. read more

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Not a lot of variety but the food was very good! We made reservations and our table was ready for us when we arrived which was a first for me! Waitress was super friendly. read more