Come on. This place is great. You get an incredible view. Great history. Good food and drinks. You can walk to a great beach. Relaxed vibe. Fire pits to relax in!!! read more

We stopped by the bar to have a drink & some chowder before heading down to the beach. Mel and Iris took care of us in a most professional & expedient way! John Taffer (of Bar Rescue) would be proud. Shaking drinks with one hand, multi-tasking galore, and maintaining a smile the whole time. I would totally come back here and hang at the bar with them anytime. ;-) PS: the chowder & calamari is great. read more

One of my best dates I ever went on was at Moss Beach Distillery. Great food and atmosphere. After dinner you can go downstairs where they provide blankets to keep warm and enjoy your hot chocolate or whatever pleases you! Definitely that added touch for impressing your date! read more

I can kinda see where some.of the negative reviews are coming from, but at the same time, I think people are just being a little whiny. I think this place is pretty good. Yeah the dining room can be really cold and loud, but it's an old building. Wear a sweater and lean forward a bit. The views are really awesome - and apparently the beach below was a hotspot for booze smuggling during Prohibition. The restaurant actually has a really cool history behind it. (On a side note though, be skeptical of the stories about the alleged ghost, the "Blue Lady" -- Ghost Hunters actually filmed an episode here and found the whole place to be rigged with fake "haunting" effects, like pneumatic devices to make the chandeliers look like they're moving on their own, and a fake face behind a bathroom mirror. WTF.) Anyhoo....the food is pretty good. My husband had the "coastal sliders" which contained a variety of seafoods. I had the seared ahi sammich which is basically a full-grown version of one of the sliders. The sammich was difficult to eat cuz it's super messy - the chunks of ahi slip all over the place and the dressing or whatever really makes the bread kinda soggy - but the flavors are awesome and I'm the kind of person who dissects her sammiches anyway, so it worked for me. Prices are a little high but I like that because it means we're less likely to encounter fellow diners with young screaming kids. Service was a little bit slow and kind of unattentive as far as our main server was concerned, but the guys who filled water glasses and cleared dishes were right on top of things. Yeah, despite some of the so-so aspects, I'll still be coming back. read more

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I'm a sucker for oceanside places. This historic little nugget offers up some amazing views, but as many places of it's ilk, offers little else. It's a nice ride from The City if you're over our own special pricey waterfront spots. read more

One star for food. Five stars for view. I had $29 sea food pasta. They don't know how to make good pasta. Couldn't really finish it. It wasn't that tasty. Sweet potato fries were the highlight of the evening. read more

You cannot be serious! A fish sandwich for $26! A hamburger for $18! A half-dozen oysters for $22. When I commented to the guy behind the counter about these rip-off prices, he says: "Yah, we get lots of complaints about our prices." Obviously, the owners of this tourist trap could give a damn. Go ahead. Have a beer and check out the view. But stay away from the massively over-priced food, unless you've just sold your Google stock. read more

I went here for Mother's Day brunch. Everything was clearly store bought: the pastries, the tuna, the god-awful ravioli, the Parmesan shavings that infiltrated almost everything. I wouldn't have a big problem with such a restaurant if the price was low or the location was sketchy, but this restaurant is located on a beautiful seaside cliff and the pricing is $45 dollars per person. Such a high price and such a beautiful location for such crap food is insulting. Overall, this was a waste of a gorgeous afternoon. read more

actually, i'd like to give MBD 2-1/2 stars, but being pressed i had to give it 2 stars. we will not return. enjoy this place for the view, but don't bother with the high-priced menu or lack-luster staff. we had three drinks & one appetizer (artichoke hearts) and our bill was almost $60. and yes, we were just drinking beer! here's something positive: we splurged and bought our dog $2 worth of bacon, and boy, it was an entire bowl-filled. we ended up wrapping it up for future treats! although they had a dog contest, no one was interested in taking our dog's picture. when we arrived, there were only six people in the entire establishment (inside and out). i spoke to the manager and he said he would be down to take our dog's picture. 30mins later we asked a busboy, and he literally rolled his eyes at the request. after our second round of drinks i brought it up to the bartender and his reply "lemme see if i can get someone to help you" was extremely ingenuous and no one ever did come down. i don't want anyone to think i am being petty with my review because of the dumb dog contest (although i must admit we did want to our dog to be included), but the prices are just way too expensive for quality of the food. sure the view is gorgeous, but you can drive out to the parking lot and enjoy it for free! i tried to like you MBD, mostly because of the view / location / outdoor service - but it just didn't work out. good luck. read more

Good appetizers and great atmosphere. Love the scenic view of the beach. Our waitress was very attentive and polite. However, the dishes were really poorly washed. My appetizer plate had crusted food on it and my mug had food pieces in it before I even used it. Our main entrees lacked flavor but it looked nice. For the price, it wasn't terrible but I don't think I'd come back any time soon. read more

This place is a run down overpriced tourist trap. Bad expensive food is accompanied by ferociously overpriced drinks ($6.50 for a small glass of Sierra Nevada and $10.00 for a plastic glass of revolting Chardonnay). We sat on the terrace which has a beautiful view of the ocean, that is ruined by the constant roar of light aircraft taking off from the airport half a mile away. If you eat here you'll feel like an idiot when you get the bill because my final words will be ringing in your ears. I told you so! read more

This place on the cliff tops just north of Half Moon Bay makes me want to cry. The location could not be better. There are fire pits in the back garden, with a stunning view out to the west over the ocean and amazing sunsets. And it has a storied history with an odd and certainly entertaining past, along with that inevitable ghost story business. Which turns out to be marketing fluff in the absence of much of anything with real substance: the fire pits are mostly surrounded by weathered plastic furniture (the few timber benches are usually pretty full), the menu prices are by no means cheap (nor are supremely high) but the fried fish tastes of stale meat and the fries taste of stale fish, and the entire building could use a bit of a makeover, candidly. Not much, just less sticky carpets and less of the chintzy-stickers-on-the-windows feeling. A lot more potential here than it's currently realizing. And yet I go anyway because of the location and the view... read more

I wgrew up in this neighborhood. My mom would still take us here for Easter brunch. The seafood is great. The place is clean. Fabulous manager! I'm an adult now and still living on the coast. I can't get enough of the sunset view! Hands down the best place to watch it!. Glass a wine and a blanket to view the sunset. Fire pits ! It's an amazing atmosphere! read more

I love this place, it's dog friendly, they even have a doggie menu, hooray! Why only 3 stars? Well, my 8 lb Pom was attacked by a very large red hound dog at the adjacent table on Saturday. My dog was bitten. I quickly yanked the leash and saved her from serious injury. Her fur was wet, but luckily I think her thick fur saved her from penetration bites. The pet owners were unapologetic, in denial and even blamed my dog for getting to close. Are you kidding? My dog was on a leash and yes, got close enough to sniff, but the seating is pretty close together and you expect that only FRIENDLY dogs would come to a public place, or that a responsible owner would keep their dog muzzled. This could have gone very differently, my dog could've had an eye-ball hanging out. As it was, she was shaking uncontrollably and had to be held consoled for several minutes before she calmed down. To make matters worse, we had been there maybe 5 minutes before this happened. After the incident. another couple said that the same big red hound dog had attacked another little dog that was passing by just before we arrived. The owners had placed a muzzle on their dog after that incident, but then took it off when the previously attacked people left. That is really upsetting because having a muzzle tells me these people KNOW their dog has a propensity to bite. Why did they take it off after one attack and why did they at least not warn us, my friend has a dog too. Then a new couple sat on the other side of the owners and their vicious dog started barking threateningly at the gentleman. The owners again, tried to calm their dog and made excuses, the dog calmed down after a few minutes. The reason I am dinging MBD for this is because at that point I brought this to the attention of my server. Her response, was flatly, "we allow dogs." I said I understand, but you have a vicious dog here that is attacking other pets and patrons. After a bit of back and forth, I said you clearly don't understand the liability issues here. It's ok to tell someone they can't come back or that they need to muzzle their dog for the safety of others. She said she did understand, but that there was nothing she could do. About that time the young Asian couple and the big red hound dog were leaving so the matter was resolved (providing description so if you see them you can steer clear). I hope management sees this and feels inclined to better educate their staff. They do have the authority to say something to irresponsible dog owners and should do so in the interest of protecting their well-behaved pet patrons. Namaste peeps, stay safe, it's a jungle out there! read more

Not impressed. For the price I expected at least decent food. Really disappointed. The view is great, but our server was semi-rude with fake politeness on top, correcting our order explanation i.e. that non-alcoholic margarita is a virgin margarita. read more

We came on Xmas day, as it was the only place open along the coast, reservations well in advance. Service was adequate and the experience after that is the cause for only two stars. The bread had been sitting in a warmer and had that crusty feel, not the fresh sourdough you'd expect in an expensive coastside eatery, even on xmas, it was institutional crap at best, the perfect companion to hard foil wrapped butter! I ordered the calamari appetizer in place of fish n' chips as those were not on the 'special' xmas day menu. After I'd placed my order I saw fish n' chips headed towards the bar & other tables? At $18 I expected more than the institutional pre-made frozen calamari, the quantity and quality were a rip-off. What truly pushed me over the cliff on the visit was the two portion cups, one of canned cocktail sauce, and the second containing one teaspoon of coleslaw(no sesame seeds as the menu stated) I scooped and measured, one teaspoon, who does that! Dad had a so-so panko sole, wife had he skirt steak; both were just OK. Again, for the price you pay to eat along the coast and expectations we all have of places like Sam's, Miramar & Moss Beach it was disappointing that Moss Beach chooses to come in a poor third place and rely on their patio/fire-pit/bar clientele to carry them along. If that's what they choose to focus on close the restaurant and keep the darn patio! read more

Avoid the crowds in Half Moon Bay and come to little Moss Landing. You are right on the edge of a cliff gazing at the ocean. Do self service at the bar and then go downstairs and grab a seat. On one of those incredibly clear, very warm and sunny days like today, this is the place to be. Sit outside on the lower patio and enjoy a cool drink, with or without your furry friend. read more

This was a horrible experience. . Food was good but a rush of people delayed my service. I was next to a very loud table and wanted to wait near the hostess. I spoke with hEr and her friend and never met such rude ignorant hostesses. Became snitty. I explained to one of the hostesses that I was not leaving a better tip and the hostesses had the female bartender come over. She was as rude as the other two and started to tell me she took it personal because a left a low tip. The bar tender was aggressive. they were like rude high school teenagers. Obviously all on their protecting their poosition. Denying and angry. Omg I will never go there again . I felt threatened and like those are the type of gals that would take you out back and slap you arouund. Unbelievable. That was unreal . Horrible serVice. Rude and could care less about customer service. don't waste your time. I willl never go back . read more

Good solid menus with a fantastic view. A bit of a problem if you haven't been before driving in through what looks like a neighborhood. Food is good basic fish menu with good specials. The view out huge windows is great. This a major cool place locals respect. You can take a nice walk before or after. Also great photo opportunity in the parking lot. read more

Amazing place for happy hour with 50% off drinks and an incredible view of the sun setting over the pacific while sitting outside by the 3 fire pits. Definitely will be back. However, did not order food because nothing on happy hour food menu was too appealing ( mostly fried foods) read more

Surf fans looking for something to do when Mavericks is off for the day have two excellent choices. My wife and I have long loved Sam's Chowder House but we've recently discovered MBD and are delighted. We'll have to plan a long day trip with some friends and dogs to take advantage of both places. We were there in the winter, so could not enjoy the patio, where heaters are powerful and dogs are welcome. We'll be back for that, and to re-enjoy the excellent calimari, great ocean view, and good stiff drinks. read more

Don't write a review if you've never been here! Who writes reviews based on tv shows? I live locally and have eaten at this restaurant twice. It's no secret it's rigged with ghostly effects -- do a google search and you will see. I would bet TAPS of Ghost Hunters feigned ignorance, making themselves look like great debunkers. That said, the effects make for cheesiness while the food is mediocre and overpriced. I would come again only for drinks and appetizers, while enjoying the amazing view and bit of history. read more

First the positives: Very nice view, great to have a patio with fire pits and provided blankets. Been here before for all that, and it was a fun experience the first time there, sipping wine and snuggling while taking in the gorgeous view. Reason for the 1 star: we were there 2 days ago for a celebratory lunch (new job). It was bad food, good service. Service: very nice person, yet inattentive once the meal was winding down; went by us perhaps 6 times without looking over, or without hearing us call to her (and from 2 feet away, that takes some doing). However prior to the end of the meal, KIm was very nice and friendly. Food: very over-priced. Even if it had been good quality, it would have been over-priced; yet as lousy as it was, the prices are you-gotta-be-kidding-me steep. They are clearly out to gouge unsuspecting tourists. Breakdown of what we ate: Started with clam chowder soup which came out just barely luke-warm. Lots of clams, but broth too thick and very bland. Every table around us that ordered it we noticed were adding salt and pepper. It sure needed something. Caesar salad was just ok, but the dressing lacked flavor as well. Very bland. Warm Spinach salad was decent. The best thing we ordered. However it was $14 and should have been more appropriately priced. Onion rings: tasty with a light batter (onions were thicker than the coating) and very unique tasting bbq sauce for dipping in (sweeter than most with currant flavor) however, it was almost paste-like in texture. Would be better if it had been thinner. We brought those home, and our 6 year old declared them to be "yummy". Crab melt sandwich: way way over-priced at $23. Unlike another reviewer said, I did have a lot of crab in mine, however neither I nor my wife could taste any crab! It was more than likely not fresh, and having been frozen or in the fridge right before serving, there was absolutely no flavor to it at all. You get a crab sandwich that simply tastes like everything else in it BUT crab. in other words for $23 you get a cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwich. If you've never been, do go for drinks on the patio, perhaps with appetizers, for a wonderful sunset view, cozying up with a sweetie by a fire pit. That's cool (though I never had any of their drinks and cannot vouch for them). however my advice would be to stay away from the food, which is not even close to good quality restaurant fare, and as a result, the prices they charge for it is truly insulting. Post script: My wife reminds me that she had eaten there several times in the past 10 years, and that it hadn't been that bad in the past. Hopefully they get back on track and get someone in the kitchen again who cares. read more

I believe this place was sold back in 2008 and went down hill from there. It used to be famous for the 16 ounce tall glasses of beer out on the patio and the ciappino you know the fish stew with the crab legs comming out of the bowl they used to give a bib to eat it it was so good. Also crab louis pan seared scallops and prime rib and that famous San Francisco crusty french bread but thats all long gone now. The ocean view remains thats still nice Yes they have french fries and they have onion rings they have fried calamari with no parsley and deep fried shrimp and they have a great dog menu so if you dont like the deep fried stuff you can order from the dog menu you might just go for the hot dog to go with the ball park priced bar prices $9.00 beers and $10.00 shots so check the menu before you go. The mens rest room looked like a crime seen. The service was good and my $38.00 (8) ounce steak with rosted veggies was good. Sure did miss the ciappino! read more

Good food and beautiful views of the sunset. We went Saturday early evening and it was naturally busy. That may be why the service was slow from our waitor. He forgot our bread and took 20 minutes to get a second drink. For the price you pay, we expected a bit better service. We will try again during a week day. read more

I read several of the reviews for this place and I find a common thread that its overpriced. DUH! When you come here, you're paying for the view. I happen to think that it's worth it. read more

Aside from the novelty of the ghost. I could have made a better clam chowder at home. This place needs to be up their food game.

The Moss Beach Distillery is amazing. A very cozy interior, upscale but not pretentious and on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The food was very good, with a large variety, but thats not the good part. The good part is the deck outside, with single chairs and swinging benches, facing the ocean. Outside in Moss Beach? Yeah, they give you all the blankets you could want. So grab a coupla Irish coffees and snug up under a blanket out back after dinner or just for a drink. Who cares if it's fogged in. A GREAT Date spot, period. read more

I can't believe these guys tried to deceive the Ghost Hunters team! The funny thing is, the joke is on them cause they looked like total idiots . . . and on National Television to boot! I was at the Distillery once with a friend about a year ago. We were insulted at their amateur special effects and their attempt to exploit the public with them. They've totally bastardized the real legend of the Blue Lady. Their food sucks and is totally overpriced. I ordered a pasta dish that was so bland I had to dump a pound of salt on it to give it even a trace of flavor. On top of that, I paid over 20 bucks for the entre alone! I wish they would stop trying to be a 5-star restaurant and be the cheap diner that they are. I said it once and I'll say it again, "the only 'ghostly' screams heard coming from the Moss Beach Distillery are from the customers at the prices!" I'm glad Ghost Hunters outed them! read more

Whoa, check your wallet and the weather before going here. We had the bad luck of coming on a foggy night so could not enjoy the view-the only reason for dining here. The prices were way out of line both for the wine list and the mediocre food so unless the weather is great and you're willing to pay for the view go elsewhere. Unfortunately the service was no better. Our server managed to get both the starter and main course wrong for one in our party thus ruining the pacing of the entire meal. Again, for those prices we expected better. read more

I would love to be able to give a review of the food and dining experience, however we never got as far as ordering. After looking up the restaurant online and seeing they were open until 10, my family and I decided to go leave around 7:30 as it was Saturday night and we didn't known if there would be a wait As we pulled up (at 8pm) and began walking up to the restaurant, the sign switched to closed. The manager told us we could still come in and we were seated. Our server came over and told us she would be back in a moment to take our "entire" order. When she came back she asked if I knew what my husband and son wanted, as they had gone to the restroom. I told her i knew what we wanted to get started, and she told me that she had been told to get our whole order as we were the last customers and they were closed. I told her that the web site said they are open until 10pm and she told me I was wrong and must have looked at a different web site. At this point I told her never mind, we would leave. She told me we didn't have to leave and I told her we didn't want to br rushed, so we would go elsewhere. At this point she is starting to offer to comp our drinks,and is quietly asking us to stay. My daughter and I walked up to the front to wait for my husband and son, and the lady who let us in (the manager?) Comes over. I tell her why we are leaving and the whole time the server was trying to backpeddle regarding what she had said. I can't rate the food, but i can rate the customet service and they get 0 stars. Instead we ate at Luna Mezza. The place was packed, great food, and great service. read more

Haven't been here in a really long time for no reason at all, But now it will be one of our go to places. Our meals were delicious, served promptly and courteously and the wait staff were so nice to acknowledge my birthday in such a special way. Great view as well! read more

Good food, fantastic views and nice bar. Wish it hadn't been so windy or I woulda watched the sunset in the rocking chairs on the deck. They kinda overplay the "Blue Lady" (not Grey) ghost story but it's cute and the 'mysterious' things that go on during dinner are entertaining. read more

Yes, expensive. I can't lie. But . . . that was the stiffest bloody mary ever! basically, when you buy a drink, you are buying a double. When you think of it that way, it isn't so bad. Plus, if I have to pay an extra $2 bucks to make sure the place stays in business (on a horribly cloudy cold foggy day, I imagine they don't get much business), i don't mind. The warm blankets, beautiful view and fun rocking chair type bench is my definition of heaven. Having my wonderful hubby with me was just the icing on the cake. What a perfect way to spend a Sunday! read more

This was the last stop of a long relaxing day. After hitting brunch at a soul restaurant, going to Pacifica watching the waves crash by your feet, playing three games of bowling and losing all three. This was a nice place to finish the day for dinner. I had previously made reservations on Open-table. Which if you do they have the layout of the restaurant and can pick the table you would like to sit at. Permitting its empty at the time of your reservation. We arrived at 18:00 and one of the three tables which I had requested from the Torres Room was available. If I would do it again I would of waited and sat at table seven. Unfortunately it was not available but table five was OK. The waiter Frank was pleasant, friendly and very informative. We started off with the Fanny Bay half dozen oysters and the beer-battered artichoke hearts. The batter was light and flavorful but very oily. The sauces where sub par but went good with the tangy artichoke hearts. Would have been better if the so called spicy one was spicy. For my main dish I had the eggplant and pistachio goat cheese. You have a bed of white beans, tomato, and spinach. Next you have a napoleon style of roasted red bell peppers with a grilled skinless eggplant about half an inch thick. Then a layer of warm goat cheese with chopped pistachio nuts. On top you have another half inch grilled eggplant. The eggplant was smokey from the grill and had good flavor. The goat cheese was pungent but went well with all the other components. For dessert we picked the banana egg rolls. You get six mini egg rolls filled with mashed banana and marsh mellow, white chocolate. You also get a side of melted chocolate for dipping. It was an ok dessert, but next time would pick something else. If some fresh sliced strawberries came with this dish it would of been better. Most of the melted chocolate was a waste. I recap in saying this was a perfect finish to a relaxing day. During the 18:00-19:15 we had dinner the sun was setting and made more of a majestic day. The food was good but the view made up for it. I did wittiness the Tiffany style chandelier at the bar move violently back and forth while the rest stood still. I was very excited I saw that but then realized while reading some of these reviews that its only gimmicks. Oh well no matter this was still a nice place to visit and if in the area would come again. read more

I like the food as much as I like the view! The staff is always friendly. Crab cakes rock!

The outdoor patio is pretty cool - and I do mean cool as in cold. They have two big fireplaces which helps a ton and will provide blankies if you need them. The food and drink were self-service: order inside and a pager buzzes you when your food is done. Overall, nothing fancy. The food is average, the drinks are average, the prices are OK for seaside joint. They get huge props for being super dog-friendly! read more

Let's face it, if you're in Moss Beach to begin with, there's only a handful of places you can go. This is the one you come to for lunch/brunch. It has all of your typical fried seafood specials, amazing but gray Pacific Ocean views (I say gray because Moss Beach is permanently overcast -- true story), and cozy wooden feel... Oh, and yes, it's very own ghost legend. Somewhere between cliche and down-to-earth (not literally, of course, since it's perched on a seaside bluff), the Distillery hits some spots... and misses others. The customer service, for example, was a definite hit: our server was sweet and got the job done. The food, on the other hand, was rather... unimaginative. Sure, it did the trick to fulfill my batter craving, but I think I'd want to see some more inspired, fresher options if I were to return. But if you put all of that aside, get yourself a beer, and soak in the views, you can really have yourself a lovely, lazy afternoon by the sea here... and maybe even catch a glimpse of the Blue Lady (if you've had enough beer, I guess). Needs improvement, but it's a Moss Beach staple, and I won't be the one to knock it. read more

I think this is one of the most special finds! You definitely pay for the view, but any place that provides and ocean view with a fire and blankies has my permission to charge the heck out of a crab quesadilla! A darn good crab quesadilla as well. Never a bad experience here, good beer as well. I always hang out down stairs hoping to see the woman in the blue dress (they have a pamphlet explaining the story) yet to see her, however one time when I was walking into the restroom an older woman was walking out and we scared the crap out of each other, it was quite enjoyable. Take someone special here and cuddle read more

The food sucks. Way over priced and not worth mentioning. The service is good and the view is great. If you are in the area during sunset, go straight downstairs. Grab a chair, a blanket a couple of beers and enjoy the view. Thats all the place is really good for. read more