Totally in luv with this little restaurant. They have great service! Make sure you call in ahead and make a reservation. They sure do get crowded on weekends. The staff make sure you have a great time, I was here for my anniversary with my boyfriend. When they knew we were celebrating a special event they got us a candle lit dessert at the end :) I could ramble on about their amazing service but I'm going to summarize with "they really put in that extra effort to make you feel special". Now on to the food. Everything that we ordered right from the seafood chowder to the halibut grill was fantastic. You can taste the freshness of each ingredient! Even the beans were sautéed to perfection. For dessert we ordered the chocolate lava cake. This is literally paradise on a plate. Every bite melts in your mouth and your taste buds just jump with joy! The ambience is great too :)...this place is a must if you are driving by trinidad! read more

We ate here while on vacation to see the redwoods. We made a reservation a month in advance and the table was not ready when we arrived. Turns out that is great news for us because the host places us at the special corner table...two stars. The view, through a few gnats, flies, and dirty windows is spectacular. The furnishings are really run down. Drinks arrive in fits and starts. My husband is amused with the large square ice block in his Old Fashioned until he realizes it has displaced 2/3 the volume of his beverage. We have five different servers throughout the meal and are an afterthought to each one. I have to ask if there are any specials because our server doesn't mention them. The service is oddly paced. I'm not sure at this point if it is the kitchen or waitstaff (or both) that are struggling. My husband requests a glass of iced tea five times. The bread basket arrives after a half hour and has a few skimpy slices of bread in it. It has so little bread in it we wonder out loud if they served us the leftovers from another table. All the "GF" hazard warnings on the menu should have clued me in that evil bread will be rationed. We wait 30 minutes for the scallop appetizer to arrive. As it is being served, the server watches me squish an ant that has wandered across my bread plate. The appetizer is served with two tiny thin crostini. Four scallops, two crostini, weird. We don't receive appetizer plates, so we eat the scallops on our bread plates, which renders the bread plates a gloppy useless mess for the remainder of our meal. The clam chowder and spinach salad arrives. Husband likes his chowder. I laugh out loud at my salad portion: 1/2 cup of bruised spinach, 3 walnuts, a few shards of red onion, and a vague fig flavored dressing with no visible fig pieces. Again, I wonder out loud if this is someone's leftover salad and then I start to wonder if the restaurant is going out of business. 90 minutes after we arrive, the entrees appear. I have salmon, quinoa that tastes like coffee and is partially burned, and undercooked asparagus. The salmon is borderline under-cooked, does not have the menu-described rosemary-grilled flavor, and the portion is skimpy for the $36 price. There is an entire sliced shallot in the quinoa which is really out of balance for the portion size. Husband receives his halibut over saffron risotto special that does not look appetizing (imagine white fish on saffron risotto with no garnish). My husband actually sends his entree back. One end of the halibut is over-cooked and one end is completely cold and raw. The server returns it to the kitchen and says she will have them make another plate. Nope, the same plate returns with the raw end removed (half an entree!) and the risotto ruined from going under the broiler. To add to the unpleasantness of the evening the table next to us is filled with the loudest patrons we have ever experienced who had been over-served by the establishment. We left without ordering dessert. The waitress did remove the halibut from our bill and apologized saying she noticed that they did not make a new plate as she had promised. It was a nice gesture, but too little, too late. read more

Drove 7 hours to get to Trinidad and did not get into town until 8 pm. Restaurant closes at 8:30 but Joanne at the Trinidad Inn called over to Moonstone and when we arrived, the restaurant was packed but Nick, the host, greeted us and found us 2 seats at the bar within minutes. He said it was his first night hosting but he acted so professionally we found that hard to believe. He even stopped by mid-meal to make sure we were doing well. Kim, the very hard-working bartender, took great care of us. She's taking food orders and drink orders and chatting up the customers while training another employee all at the same time without breaking a sweat! And the food was delicious! We had filet mignon and king salmon, both perfectly cooked. The view is fabulous, too. Great evening after a long drive. read more

The food was fantastic and the service was perfect. We had the Scallops Rockefeller as an appetizer. For this one you must love garlic. Not because there is a lot but you can taste it in every bite. The sauce that the scallops were served in was extremely tasty and lite. Also ordered a bowl of New England Clam Chowder. My wife ordered the 18oz Lobster tail and it was cooked perfect. I ordered the 8oz Filet Mignon butterfly style and cooked medium rare. The steak was so tender that you could cut it with a fork, which we did. We made our reservations for 7 pm which is later than most people who eat here want to go. It was dark and we did not get to see the beautiful views of the ocean from our perfect corner seat by the window. This however made for the perfect evening for my wife's birthday since we were the last couple to arrive and just as all others were leaving. We basically had the entire place to ourselves for the next hour and a half. I suggest if you order clam chowder to put a few drops (or in my case a tablespoon) of Tabasco for added flavor. This also ensures that your wife will not eat any of your tasty treat. Brooke was our waitress for the evening and she timed everything just perfect so that we could enjoy our night out. If you are looking for an ocean view book earlier and be prepared for a packed house during your dinner. Not a bad idea just choose why you are going to this great dinner establishment. Our choice was more for a one on one romantic evening where we were the only ones there. Almost forgot about our dessert, we ordered the crem brûlée. It was great. The topping was the perfect thickness of caramelized sweetness along with a very tasty creamy pudding (guess that is what to call the center). read more

the crab cake was delicious, that scored a 10 with me. the spinach salad was not that good at all, something was off with it. the lamb was delicious, the mashed potatoes were delicious but the gravy sauce was a tad bit on the rich side. we enjoyed it very much just the same. creme brulee for dessert was a little burnt and cold on the inside, i've had way better but could be delicious if done right. very nice wait staff. I wish that the portions were bigger for the price. excellent views for a sunset, but make a reservation. read more

We were looking for something in Trinidad, not much open in May so we headed down the coast to Moonstone Grill. The food is pretty good. Extremely limited menu. The prices suggest that the food is going to be world class. It is not. It is good to pretty good. The service is good, maybe a little pretentious. I would not go back there. We spent over $100 for a salad and soup, risotto and soup, 2 beers, 2 wines, and a shared desert. A little pricey for pretty good food. read more

Went for dinner while on a two week stay in the vicinity. Unfortunately, the killer view was fog and rain, but it was March, so we laughed it off. I had the halibut, which was very good, crispy and flavorful with good presentation and worth the $$. Dona had the risotto, which was a bit bland and mushy, but I finished it off the next night. The menu prices are more reasonable when there's a sunset or moonlit night as the view is the draw here. I'd recommend it for a date or special occasion (but just the two of you). read more

Of all the restraunts in Humboldt County, Moonstone Grill is my favorite. The food is fresh, service is top notch, and the atmosphere while elegant is relaxed and casual. I recently took my Mother there for her birthday, and they put down the biggest and most beautiful lobster tail we'd ever seen, cooked to perfection. Simply delicious. Although many of the entres might seem a bit on the higher end, you can actually get a delicious cup of clam chowder for $5. We never go without getting one of their delicious crab cakes, best in the county. People often take advantage of the beautiful bar and watch the sunset over the ocean, surfers, horses, and or whoever else happens to be out enjoying Moonstone Beach. You will only be dissapointed if they don't have a table for you. Reservations are recommended, they are only open Wednesday through Sunday. This is a great place to take someone to impress them with the beauty of Humboldt, and enjoy a delicious dinner. read more

Delicious dinner, gracious servers, incredible view and atmosphere... what else is there to say?

I'm convinced that the best thing about this place is the view and location...stunning. In the 70's and 80's Sam Merryman was running the place. The food was nothing special then and downright lousy at times (overcooked cold baked potatoes..Yikes!). But, hey, that view. The bar was always an annoyance. At least they got rid of the cash macine in the dining area. I finally went back after a 20 year hiatus and the vibe is amazingly similar....a wierd mix of locals and wannna be fine diners.The thing that really struck me was the expense. Wow! Totally over priced. Wine started at $30 a bottle. The bottled beer was $4 a pop. The house salad was mickey mouse and an extra $6. The 5 or 6 menu selections were in the $30 to $40 range. My pork chop was good but nothing special...The same could be said for the other meals of the 14 diners in our group. We had no appetizers, several deserts, and most of us had a drink or two. Our bill was $850. If you do the math that's about $60 a plate. I guess I've been livin in Humboldt to long because that just seems wrong to me. If we would have had the view it would have made everything all right but it's mid December and guess what? :-( read more

One of The best filet mignon in Humboldt, and the only place you can order abalone. This is a special place. Eat dinner and watch the sunset over the ocean with that special someone in your life. Service is top notch and the cooks know what's up. This place is pricey but worth it. read more

The combination of great food and view of the Pacific was simply fantastic. Service was also very good.

This place was highly recommended from our B&B in Trinidad. We enjoyed the happy hour! The Scallops were delicious!

Had a fish called "kelp snapper" and I thought it would be tender, I asked what it was, and was told it was a fish that liked to swim in kelp, I figured it would taste like rockfish, but it was rubbery and tough. I found out later there is no such fish called "kelp snapper" so was very disappointed in the meal. read more

Amazing food, incredible view to watch sunset, friendly staff. I would definitely go back

Food good but way overpriced! House chardonay $11, small filet with mashed potato, greens.......$40. Scallops Rockefeller were great but $18 for 3 scallop appetizer too much. Nice view of ocean. Bring money! Cheapest bottle of wine $54. Website shows lower prices so not up to date. read more

We were staying at the Trinidad b&b (also amazing) and they said "go to moonstones grille"! Hello. Amazing. Recommend the basil drop. Very so cal / oc. So good. Scallops Rockefeller and fish and a few chips are amazing. Definitely worth finding this hidden ocean front gem. If you're thinking of proposing ?? Wow. read more

This place absolutely blew us away! Me and my boyfriend celebrated our 1 year anniversary here and it was by far the best restaurant experience we have ever had. He brought me here as a surprise! We were just driving around looking at the water and then we pulled in here. We sat down, and imidiately loved the service. Our waiter, Anton, was very patient with my pickiness, he wasn't rushing at all and was just in general a calm presence. I really liked that because usually I get very anxious in restaurants for whatever reason and watching hectic servers make it worse. We came specifically for the abalone and OH MY GOD. It was the most amazing thing we had ever tasted. We also had the fillet mignon and that too was amazing! It was the most perfect piece of beef I've ever had. I definitely will refer my friends and family to this place. Highly recommend this place for a special evening like a birthday or anniversary. read more

Best restaurant north of Benbow and south of the Oregon border. New menu is OK, a change was definitely needed. They need some varied dinner specials, especially fresh stuff. Last time we were here they had the best bartender north of San Francisco but unfortunately she's gone now. The bartender makes this place tick. The sushi is kind of iffy, not in line with the rest of the menu. Fabulous sunsets!!!! read more

Big fan of the view- right on the beach. Great selections included abalone and scallops. Service is great and just the right blend of attentive and not overwhelming. read more

Wednesday evening at The Moonstone Grill we had an unforgettable dining experience. Starters: the raw and roasted local oysters were wonderful, plus the best crab cake ever and delicious scallops. Entrees: the fresh halibut was cooked to perfection, as was the wild caught King salmon; spring lamb with polenta fabulous, steaks medium rare, and a large succulent lobster. The wait staff enhanced our meal with their friendliness and attention to every detail. Their recommendations for wine and dessert were outstanding. The magic of the evening was accented by a red sunset. This is definitely a place to return to again and again. read more

We stopped by here for some drinks and appetizers after spending the afternoon at the beach. The view is amazing, the service, drinks, and appetizers were fantastic! read more

Do not go here if you are looking for vegetables! Even the salads are tiny and not good. The Mediterranean veggie dish was gross... but if you want fish (or red meat, I am told) then this is the place for you! The halibut was great... but there was not a veggie in sight! Overall, the meat saves the rating, but at $30/plate, I want to feel like there is something healthy incorporated in the meal. White bread, thick chowder, a few greasy spinach leaves and no veggies on the fish plate are not forgiven just because the fish itself was great. read more

We have not ordered yet but they already get 5 stars. My elderly friend and I had reservations for 5. She got lost...while lost the restaurant filled up. At 6:30 she finally found me still sitting at the table waiting. They did not shoo me off. Let us keep our table. I'll let you know if the meal is as good as the service!!! read more

First time dining experience at Moonstone and was not impressed. The salmon was overcooked and very dry. In the heart of salmon country you would have expected at the prices they were charging that that they would at least get this right. The steak would do you proud if you were in Texas, but once again the asparagus was old and overcooked as well. The waitress was great and even credited back a glass of wine. Great place to see the sunset, but would stick with a desert and a drink. read more

GOOD FOOD BAD ATTITUDE The food was very good and our waiter was also very good. However, the Maitre De had a bad attitude. We called for a reservation two days in advance and we were told that 7:30pm was not available but that 7:00pm was available. That was fine, so we booked a table for two at 7:00pm. We arrived precisely at 7:00pm and were brusquely told a table was not ready and we could have a seat at the bar. Which we did. Right after we were seated at the bar another couple came in and they were immediately seated at a very nice table with a view of the ocean. Right behind us at the bar was an unoccupied table. Clearly not very desirable. I assumed the Maitre De was waiting to offer a better table. That table by the bar remained open the entire 25 minutes we were at the bar. After 25 minutes at the bar the Maitre De sent over a waiter to tell us our table was ready. The waiter said it was the table right behind us at the bar which had been available the whole time. I questioned the waiter about this and asked to speak to the Maitre De. The Maitre De made some inadequate excuses about trying to accommodate requests for window seats. He offered another table which he said was "way in the back." When I asked why we had to wait almost a half hour when tables were available the whole time, if he was only going to offer undesirable choices he suddenly had a window table for us. There was no sharp language on anyones part, but there was also no apology from the Maitre De. The waiter was very apologetic and provided professional service. The next day at breakfast, at the Inn where we were staying, we talked to another couple who indicated they had been treated shabbily by the Maitre De. If you are going to go to this restaurant go on a day that is not busy. My wife and I enjoy fine dining. Having grown up in New York City and dined in many of the major cities in the world we are used to better treatment. The Moonstone Grill may have the best food in Trinidad, California but the Maitre De needs to adjust his attitude. This isn't Paris. read more

Used to be great, now just another overpriced restaurant that thinks the view makes up for a poor selection of poor food. Bartender has the personality of a refrigerator. Too bad, they're really blowing it. read more

Ha! East Coast is not impressed! I can't say much about the food because my husband and I were literally laughed out of their establishment before we could finish our drinks at the bar. We spent the entire day sightseeing on the Avenue of the Giants and made the impressive trek to this gorgeous spot after being told by friends docked in the marina in Trinidad to check out the view. I was road weary and wanted a few minutes to drink a glass of wine and defrag before getting our table. When I asked for a table the bartender and host made a ridiculous show of it and LAUGHED at us!! I couldn't believe it!! I've been many places and never have I ever been treated so poorly. So I paid for the crappy red zin I only drank half of and my husbands overpriced craft beer, got the hint and left. To their credit they were going to seat us but I refused the table once I saw their pathetic show. I'll spend my hard earned and well deserved vacation money elsewhere. read more

I live nearby Moonstone Grill, have so for over 20 yrs, and used to go there for dinner once in a while. I would never go there again because they are the worst neighbors you could imagine. Most if not all of my neighbors feel the same way. I have been chosen as their spokesperson. The list is pretty long, so bear with me. I will first let you know about the humming sounds we hear every day MG is open, and then about the bright lights they use, which are on 24 hr/d, 7 days/week. Later on I will let you know about how they pump septic as early as 5:30 am, and about big rig delivery trucks that delivery before 9 am. Not a good way to wake up in the morning. All of the above I have brought to the attention of the manager of MG and the owner. All are violations of the General Plan, with possible exception to the lights. The first thing is the noise from the kitchen (fans) which you can't really hear if you are at the restaurant. However, if you live nearby, the fan noise travels up the hill, and is a constant low frequency, humming noise. I can hear it on my deck, and when in my house. I have politely complained about this, and the manager didn't follow through. I explained to her that it is against Humboldt County General Plan to have such noises bother the nearby residents. I let her know that the kitchen staff always has the windows and door open to vent the kitchen, which is also against the General Plan. She denied that they were opening windows/door of the kitchen to ventilate the kitchen, which I found preposterous. She said she would have the kitchen staff keep the door and windows closed nearly a year ago, but every time I drive by the windows and door are open! The noise starts at about 11 am and continues until they close the kitchen, sometimes until 11 at night. Have you every noticed their bright outdoor lights? If you live nearby like we do, they are also a big nuisance. One of the lights points at my house, and my deck. In fact, at night there are only a few places on my deck where I can not be blinded by the light. That light also shines into my upstairs room, and even lights up my stairs at night which leads to the downstairs room. I complained about this, and the Grill's manager told me to talk to the owner of MG. Hmm, not my job! Once the light in the driveway fell off of the bracket and was hanging by the electrical cords: a potentially dangerous situation if it fell on someone. I called the owner and she denied that they were hanging by the cords! I couldn't believe it. I told her again they were, and she argued it wasn't, even though she hadn't looked. I am still being bugged by one of the lights, and lately they fixed one (south light), but didn't fix the one I had told them about. Even still, the lights are on every day, all day and all night long. Talk about a waste of energy! And, the lights that illuminate the beach at night keep us from any beach walking at night. If you do, you have to shield your eyes when walking back towards the parking lot the whole way, or look at your shoes while walking. This is just part of the nuisance MG is to the neighbors of Moonstone Beach. And, you would not believe that messages I have sent to MG and the owner that are not replied to, even though they were politely worded. A good neighbor would apologize and try to fix the problem-not MG! You have to hear about the septic pumping next, unbelievable!! I urge others to think about a restaurant as part of the neighborhood, not just about the food. We have to live near this restaurant, which ruins our peaceful way of life. If you want great food, go to the best place in Trinidad, you will not be disappointed. read more

moonstone grill is one of the few places with a great view and great food. i love settling in for dinner with the fog rolling in or out....their wine list is great, and i have enjoyed all the different meals. their desserts are super also. read more