The Distillery has been in the back of my mind for a long time. Having grown up in Santa Cruz and living in San Francisco I have passed the sign hundreds of times. Every time I drive past to check it out there is almost always a Ferrari, Lambo or some other hot rod in the parking area. When I found out it was open on Christmas day I was excited to be able to make reservations. When we got there we were seated in the bar area and that really ticked me off. I know it's a busy night, the menu is limited for Christmas and they want to be able to accommodate as many people as possible. I understand that, I also understand having a limited menu for the holiday. I asked the hostess as we were being seated about the situation and she told me we should have made the request not be be seated in the bar when we made the reservation. Having never been there before and having made the reservation online this was not exactly something that could have been planned for. Had I known I would have. The bar was loud, bright and very cramped. If I had wanted to eat a meal in a bar on Christmas I would have gone to a bar! Shortly after we were seated a waiter was trying to walk past where I was sitting and I was quietly muttering to himself something like "oh boy this is not going to work well" about the seating arraignment and the crowd. It was at this point that the hostess came around to our table and let us know that a table in the dinning area had become available and we could move. My mother in-law takes care of her mother at home who is for the most part bed ridden. We don't get out much as a group, so the last thing I want is to go out for a nice dinner and get stuck in a bright, loud and crowded bar. Not a great first experience at the distillery so far. If we had not been moved it would definitely have been the last. So good work on the hostesses part to recognize the discomfort that had been caused and rectify the problem right away. When we ordered they had ran out of one of the top menu items, the Short Ribs. It was really busy so I understand. The restaurant business runs on thin margins and the last thing they want is to be stuck with overhead. I totally understand. As a table we ordered the same dishes, the Ladies had the raviolis and the guys had the steak. All of the food was decent. I recognize how spoiled we are with food in the bay area and I know that it's not right to expect more than average from every place I go. For the money I figure this place is on target, not overly expensive and the portions are well sized, none of us finished our meal. The service was great considering how busy they were. Over all I have to say it was a great meal and the service was stellar, I would go back again someday but not for a special occasion. read more

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Driving from San Jose to Half Moon Bay during the summer time is like traveling at the highest altitude in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner cruising through the international timeline zone. One could hardly wait to cross-over from the daylight to a more relaxed and cooler evening atmosphere. Upon today's arrival, the temperature is about 64 degrees Fahrenheit. The hazy and misty oceanic atmosphere perfectly envelopes Moss Beach Distillery while the view, and one must agree, is one of the best along the Pacific Coast- somber, still, panoramic and spectacular! Then one may ask what more do they need in life because this alone can fill one's soul. Ah, the cuisine! Indeed, inside Moss Beach Distillery awaits an orchestra of food, drinks, ambiance and service. I almost forgot that these are the main reasons why we came back tonight. Yes, a party of 4, a birthday celebration, and a very optimistic rediscovery: these very key elements came together in perfect harmony this evening. Our server, Susan, seated us in one of the best spots in the restaurant - a corner with full ocean view; and, all throughout, she was very attentive, friendly and accommodating. APPETIZERS: The Fried Calamari came in at the right flavour and texture served with tartar and cocktail sauces, as well as a sesame flavoured coleslaw - a must-try item. The Cheese Bread which was served warm came in with a marinara sauce. Very good! The Garlic Fries were tasty. Garlicky but not overpowering. ENTREE: The Ahi Tuna dinner plate was generously served in a honey-teriyaki glaze, and topped with a pineapple salsa complimented with seasonal sautéed vegetable. There is a good balance of texture, color and flavour. The Crusted-Shrimp came with freshly cooked French fries. The shrimps are large. DRINKS: The Blue Lady Martini and The Mango Margarita are very well-balanced in taste. DESSERT: The Lava Cake and the Cheesecake with Grand Marnier sauce are to die for! The quality of food, drinks and service at Moss Beach Distillery met our expectation tonight. It was an experience that will be long-remembered. Not to forget the view of a vast and calm ocean coming from one of the restaurant's best dining spots. There we were tonight, just having a great dining experience, as well as enjoying great friends' company. Thank You Moss Beach Distillery, Thank You Susan for Being an Effectivet Brand Ambassador! read more

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Approximately 38 of us were at the MB Distillery for a birthday party. What a delightful evening! The back room was perfect. Susan and Kathleen took such good care of us. There is nothing to compare to the beauty of the sunset and the view! read more

My husband and I just had dinner here tonight. We were surprised by the 3.5 stars ratings, because the service and food was amazing! We were given a number upon arrival and was told to seat ourselves in the patio. It was a little chilly, but the fire pit kept us warm. We enjoyed the fresh oysters, clam chowder (we ordered seconds!), linguine di mare and yellowfin tuna steak. My husband also liked his pomegrantini. We ended dinner with the chocolate fudge cake a la mode. We will definitely be back. Our server, Miguel was really attentive. Make sure you make a reservation first since they don't take walk ins. read more

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This place is in a historic building with wonderful view of the ocean. The food and service were both very good. We went late in the afternoon and so it wasn't crowded and got a table by the window without a reservation. But you need to be on your guard because the place is haunted and you never know when the Blue Lady decides to make an appearance. read more

We got an outdoor table, which was perfect for the weather and the ocean view. Servers helped set up umbrella shade for tables that want them. All the dishes were excellent: soup, garlic bread, calms, delicious and large crab cakes. All seafood were very fresh and of best made quality. There were also a number of gluten free pasta and other options. Will definitely come back at the next opportunity. read more

crab cakes are incredible, and watching the sun set over the ocean from the table was like a movie scene read more

Moss Beach Distillery - crab cakes - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

Bartender and hostess were extremely busy on Sunday but both had a big smile and were very helpful. Tip them big. They work hard for you. Thank you for the bar service and for fitting me in. Thank you for making my day special. I love the view and feel of this place. read more

So I went for dining after really long- thanks to covid and extra precautions because I have a newborn. Positives :- 1. Amazing view 2. Good food. We ordered chicken sandwich & chicken wings and they both were yum. 3. Nice staff. We had a reservation for outside sitting but after reaching there it was too windy. And we had our 3 month old baby so staff was nice enough to offer us an indoor sitting. 4. Everyone was wearing masks and tables were sanitized before we sat so that was good. Negatives :- 1. The tables were not at a 6 feet distance from each other. Which was super important to me as I am taking all precautions bcz I have a newborn. When we were sitting outside some people were shifting tables in order to sit near fireplace which was making distance between tables even lesser and staff was seeing this but not saying anything. 2. Dogs should be on leash. The table next to me had a dog who kept on coming to our table and licked our feet. It was so frustrating and was such a mood killer. 3. They serve cocktails in plastic glass. Firstly that doesn't give a good feel at all. N secondly it was so windy that I was holding my glass throughout bcz I was afraid it might fall and spoil my clothes. And FYI - that did happen to the table which was next to me. 4. They need new Table and chair. We had paper napkins underneath the table to maintain its balance. The tables and chair are of very bad quality. The least they could do was to have a nice table cloth. read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Chicken sandwich Chicken wings - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

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I've been here before but this was the first stop for lunch on our PCH1 trip. It didn't open until 12 and we were early so we went to the beach below. Once open we had beverages and had the burger and fish tacos. I split my meal with my girlfriend and although her fish tacos were light and yummy... my burger was YUMMY! Garlic fries did not disappoint. The view from the outside patio is beautiful. I prefer sitting at the bar where you can get service quickly. The oyster shooters were also very good.... read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

Fairly busy for a Thursday night. Make your choices and then order at the bar. Prices are a bit high. The green salad is NOT worth $12. Go for the artichoke hearts instead! Seafood platter was tasty and fresh with tons of food! Skirt steak was good with a slightly strange presentation (stacked on mashed potatoes) but the sauces were nice. Dessert was apple tart. Yummy with the ice cream. Couldn't decide if the chipped Formica tables were charming or a strange background for our $30+ entrees. Service was friendly and I like to support our local businesses. The outdoor seating is awesome if the weather isn't too cold. Blankets and fire pits are on offer. read more

This restaurant has Good food, pleasant employees and beautiful location . It also has a interesting history and a ghost

Fantastic...great food, extensive menu. Great location for a California sunset! Service was fast and friendly! Will definitely recommend

The patio can be windy but it's a beautiful view, the food is ok for the price. You need to make a reservation but it won't guarantee you a specific spot. The staff is very friendly. read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Patio View - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

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I definitely will never recommend this place for anyone that is younger than 35, because the place prefer older people and the treatment is very noticeable. The only reason that we chose this place was because we were in town visiting family and wanted a relaxing place near the ocean. The wait time was ridiculous 1hour even when they had available sitting .Also, we witnessed the the manager on duty give people preferences without any reservations. Later,we waited for about 20 minutes before we got any water served and not to mention about our coffees and the food. Finally, the food was not bad but the wait time of 3 hours to be served was not worth it. read more

Found this gem while driving on the coast with an out of town visitor. Stopped in for lunch, and the food was amazing. Though the set-up to eat outside is a little challenging, and requires stairs (though there is a ramp around the building once you've placed your order at the bar.). Couldn't love the staff more -- they are friendly and helpful. Oh, the view? The thing is that they don't even have to try too hard with the food or service, with that view! But luckily, they do! And it's a win-win. read more

Servers very friendly. Food marginal at best. Average customer age 60+. Why all employees still wear masks is beyond me. No one in the restaurant wears them. read more

Oh man. Regret trying this place. The service was really lacking. Not even a cup of water was offered or served. The food was horrible, sorry to say this. From the oysters , clam chowder , tuna sandwich.... Ughhh read more

Outdoor seating has great views and very dog friendly. The fire pit is so warm and cosy. We had the clam chowder and fish and chips. Both great choices. I really liked the drinks as well. The only thing I wish was if they took orders at the seating outside. You have to order inside and they bring your food. I'll be surely coming back here for the views and the atmosphere . read more

Moss Beach Distillery - caipirinha martinis - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

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Little hidden gem. We stopped for a quick relaxing drink. The dog friendly patio is hidden and in the back of the restaurant. There are only a few tables with chairs lots of chairs, some wooden benches and a few fire pits. read more

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A perfect restaurant in a beautiful location. Main dishes were good, no surprise, but i want to especially praise their oysters as a starter. Thick and delicious. We came there on a weekday at 1 pm without reservation and got service instantly, but upon leaving we spotted a line at the entrance, so you may want to make a reservation at late lunch time. The only drawback is that there's no cellular reception at their back terrace, and no WiFi by them. Do you care enjoying the surroundings? read more

Place could be nice by the ocean, but food was definitely poorly cooked & plated. Taste of crabcake s were cardboardish and quite blackened. read more

Amazing Food and friendly Staff & Management, especially Mel! I had the Oysters and Ahi at the bar.. so relaxing looking out at the ocean... read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Coolest Person EVER!! Soooo friendly and helpful! - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

Moss Beach Distillery is a nice secluded find nestled between residential homes on the bluff.. The restaurant overlooks the ocean. Outside, on the lower level, there is self service seating around gas fire pits. Customers, and their dogs, eat and drink in a casual setting while observing the scenic view We had several nice dishes: beer battered artichokes; seared ahi with cucumbers, ginger and daikon sprouts; and panko-crusted Petrale Sole. All were good and reasonably priced. All in all a fun place that is somewhat off the beaten path. read more

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I went twice in one week, both visits were consistent, friendly staff, excellent food! Super precautions with covid and beautiful view! Ordered the fish and chips, crab cakes, shrimp salad, fish tacos and seafood quesadilla. All were absolutely amazing! The fish batter is out of this world! They do need some new tables and chairs, things are a bit run down and both times our tables wobbled and had napkins propped underneath the legs to steady the tables. Staff is fantastic about sanitation and cleaning but I fear it's time to get some new tables and chairs. read more

If I would have written a review the first time we went it would have been 1 star. We went a couple weeks ago. We are from out of the area and there was a group of 7 of us. We chose this place due to the view and the great selection on the menu. When I made the reservation we were told since we were a big group that we had to be in the parking lot which wasn't an issue to us, however while we were there a large group was waiting for a table and then were escorted to the back patio area which confused us. Then we asked our server about our appitizers and she said our food was ready, then took 20 minutes to bring us our food. This was a very disappointing experience, especially since we had heard such great things. What really turned all this around was this past Sunday we were in the area again, just a couple of us, and we decided to give them one last try. I had called the manager and explained what happened the previous week and how disappointed we were but wanted to give them another chance. He apologized and said to come in and give them another chance and our experience will be much better and that he would give us a discount. We came and he was right! The experience was 10x better! Mateo was our server and he did an amazing job making sure we got taken care of. The manager on the shift came over and we spoke to them and she took off all the alcohol on our bill. It was a nice little gesture and great customer service! We will definitely be back! read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

I wish we had taken a picture of the food here. 11/10 WOULD RECOMMEND. We got food off the gluten free menu. I also had an order of garlic fries. So delicious. Cute little story about the blue lady that haunts the area. The waitress brought out a paper explaining more. This place is full of character. We left so impressed. Waitress Anita was so caring and accommodating. She was so accommodating. She made our entire experience amazing. So friendly. read more

We absolutely loved this place! The clam chowder is bomb, the menu has a great selection and we were both very happy with our meals. Our server was very sweet, as was the young bus boy. We came here for a quick anniversary get away and advised them in the reservations, they comp'd us chocolate cake and took a souvenir photo with a Polaroid. read more

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Good old fashioned attentive service-- the way it used to be, in a very positive way. Amazing views of the ocean, one of the BEST clam chowders I've ever had, and historic Prohibition charm with a ghost story. read more

Great Father's Day dinner at sunsetPlace was packed when we arrived way ahead of our scheduled 6:30 pm reservation. We dined out on patio - well worth the wait - all servers and staff very friendly - our server Christian was amazing - great drink & food recommendations! Overall great experience and good food! Will return to try out more of the menu! read more

Super cute place with amazing clam cower. Definitely a must see view with a few friends and enjoy a few bites. read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

Super friendly staff and a great menu. Of course, the views from either the dining room or the patio should not be ignored - awesome as the sun sets. Must have the Blue Lady!! read more

It has been about 4 years since the last time I was here. Unfortunately, the food is NOT nearly as good as it used to be. The French Onion soup was really disappointing. It was served hot, but not hot enough. The cheese topping had solidified into a solid sheet, and in the soup itself there was a huge piece of onion peel and a whole bay leaf! A friend had the Oyster Shooter which was just two small oysters in a little brine. The Fish & Chips were good, but the Prawns & Chips were not. The prawns were coated in a batter that was "off white" and looked and tasted very pasty. They had either not been deep fried long enough or the oil was not hot enough. An EXPENSIVE disappointment.... (On the plus side, the service and attitude of the waiters was excellent!) read more

Other than being pricey, this place is great. Oceanview and gas fire pits are the special features. Has history and character but those are not good enough, you come for the ocean and fire pits. Can be freezing outside, so layers are a good idea. Food, is decent to good, but that is not why you come here, but they try and some items are good. read more

Amazing view to compliment some amazing food. Call ahead and reserve a parking spot and enjoy the ocean view. read more

Moss Beach Distillery - View from the parking lot - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

Friendly service, cool history, and striking location. Only reason for not five stars is the price of food is a little high.

This is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the scenary! There is a cozy patio with multiple fire pits, seating areas and blankets. The view is amazing and we watched the seals playing on the rocks below. The service was a little confusing as there was no wait staff outside so you had to go inside and upstairs to order. There were four of us and we decided to order a few things to share - the fish and chips, kale and quinoa salad and veggie quesadilla. You receive a number when ordering and the food is brought out, but no silverware or napkins which we had to hunt down. The fish and chips were good, but nothing we can't find back home in Indiana. The kale and quinoa salad was amazing (and massive)! Fresh kale, quinoa, feta, dried cranberries and toasted macadamia nuts tossed with a lemon dijon vinaigrette. I can't wait to try and replicate at home - light and refreshing! The quesadilla was great as well but a little heavy on the cheese. Prices were a little high, but the ambiance and view make up for it. read more

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We used to take our little kids to this iconic place with such a fun history and had not been for many years. Just went again (husband and I, kids grown), sat on the deck, and it was still fantastic! Food was very good (fried artichokes a must) and service was great. I would totally go back and the interior looked so welcoming-throwback in a good way. Will be back! Don't hesitate! Very happy this place is still around. read more

Dropped in for Sunday brunch. Food, service and location is very good but the piano man playing in the main dining room is just the best. He really makes the entire experience a must visit and even gets the brunch crowd to dance. I'll be back real soon. I had the Cajun lobster boil and a nice beer to wash it down. read more

One star for view only. Food came in plastic containers, ordered chowder, didn't get spoons. Never got iced tea ordered. Food inedible, all drinks came in plastic cups. Waited to order second round of drinks but gave up. Sesame yellow tuna very slimy . read more

Moss Beach Distillery - Smoked Salmon Carpaccio - Seafood Near Me - Moss Beach, California

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