The only thing that wasn't over priced and good was the drinks. The open faced sandwich came with canned shrimp and dry bread and avocado. I needed butter to eat it. They buried a pickle under my salad. Took 45 minutes to get our food. We received our bread with butter packets? Over priced for what you get is an understatement.... I won't be back, I will pay for good food, not canned dry crab. One a side note the server was awesome! She was busting her ass while the owner said.. My job is to stand here. WTG read more

I tend to shy away from inland fish restaurants, but I'd been curious about this place since moving here over a year ago. Incredibly disappointing barely begins to cover it. We arrived at 6:15 on a Monday night. The music was so loud, I could barely hear my dining companion. The second disappointment is that they were out of oysters. When my order of a crab and avocado sandwich and bowl of clam chowder arrived, it consisted of four pieces of stale baguette with a half an avocado and a pile of flavourless CANNED crab upended on top, sprinkled with paprika. It was almost inedible. I buried it as best I could in Louis dressing, but they don't give you much and the waitress utterly disappears after serving, making it impossible to ask for more. Also, there were no clams in my chowder. My companion's plate of pasta with salmon and shrimp arrived swimming in a sea of heavy, glutinous white sauce with almost no discernible taste. It's clear the kitchen doesn't like seasonings, but a pinch of salt goes a long way. This is basically a glorified dive bar. All they care about is beer and horribly bad, exceptionally loud music. Don't bother. read more

Powell's is a nice idea. Live music and seafood is a welcome addition to Placerville, especially since it's the only seafood restaurant in the area. Unfortunately, all three times I've been have been lackluster. The first time, we were informed that the restaurant was completely out of oysters. The rest of the food was okay, but the main reason we wanted to go to an oyster bar was for the oysters. Last Friday, my husband and I tried to get dinner there around 7:20pm. We were told that the kitchen was closed...at 7:20pm... on a Friday. What? Then tonight, we tried again. And again, they're out of oysters. Just kind of a bummer that such a great concept isn't being executed very well. These experiences were over the course of several months, so unfortunately it wasn't just one bad week. read more

The day I went I ordered clam chowder and steamers. The clam chowder was okay too much black pepper and not enough clams. The steamers were apparently sold out. Which was baffling to me since they are a steamer company. Maybe it's the wrong season for clams but the waitress had to come back and tell me they were sold out. I was excited to try this place since it's hard to find steamers. read more

I love their crab and shrimp sandwich. Also their potatoes salad. We enjoyed eating on the back deck, it was fun to watch the fish in the creek! read more

Live music on a Wednesday night :) Jenn was our bartender and she is absolutely amazing. She was so welcoming and very attentive to our group. The hard cider was delicious and atmosphere was on point. I certainly will be coming here again! read more

I don't like to give bad reviews when I've only visited once and the place is hopping because an event but I think I can still be fair. We went after Placerville Oktoberfest and it was busy but it was doable. We grabbed a table immediately but that's the only fast thing that happened. Finding a server and a menu and getting drinks was a loonnnggg ordeal. It was busy but there wasn't a line out the door or anything. We were patient and understanding but I wish I wouldn't have wasted my money. The main entree was overcooked and totally not worth it. We had cioppino and it didn't come with the bread it said it would. The shrimp cocktail was the highlight of the meal. We got a drink menu after we ordered and then she never came back to take a drink order. I understand the situation but it was obvious that wasn't the only reason for the lack of taste. read more

Taco Tuesdays, barbequed oysters first Sunday of every month, Open Mic every Wednesday, Happy Hour, great selection of beers and wine - what's not to like? Although I am not a huge seafood fan, there are still plenty of other menu items to choose from. My favorites are the Chef Salad and the Pastrami Melt. Hubby enjoys the barbequed oysters and the clam chowder. Oh yes, and the crab cakes are yummy too! The staff is so friendly, and their patrons are the same - always easy to have a conversation and meet a new friend - Placerville's own little "Cheers" where almost everybody knows your name. Some folks are not aware of the hidden jewel in the back - the outside patio - which is a lovely little oasis if you choose to dine al fresco. The music each Sunday afternoon, not to mention the amazing karaoke on Friday nights, brings in the crowds with lots of singing and dancing and fun. Go check 'em out! read more

Strike 1 - out of the local beer we ordered. Strike 2 - no liquor. Strike 3 - no Shirley Temples. Strike 4 - advised to warm our own butter for the bread by holding it in our hands for 5 minutes. Strike 5 - clam chowder literally did not have clams in it... She brought a second bowl, with literally no clams in it. Strike 6 - serving one person at the table at least 15+ minutes before everybody else. Strike 7 - appetizer was served last (???); it was a shrimp cocktail and it took 30+ minutes (???) Pros: Adam's food was pretty good; they didn't charge us for the clam chowder; and we got double doubles at the In'n Out down the street. read more

I love the food, drink, and company here however I'm a little disappointed tonight. I walked in and asked the server if they were serving food at 7:50, she said yes I grabbed a menu and headed to the back. I walked back in at 7:56 with my order when she told me the kitchen closed. My order was a cold shrimp and crab sandwich. Which they couldn't whip up a minute after they closed. And I don't know any restaurant that closes at 7:55 and not 8:00! I think if the owner was here whom pays these people to serve food until a certain time I would have been served... read more

I am a local to Placerville that has lived all over CA. This place has the worst clam chowder I have ever tasted and is very understaffed. The bartender had awesome customer service, but clearly needed more help. The clam chowder must have been thickened with flour or starch, since it didn't taste like any cream was added. Maybe I am spoiled by Monterey and San Francisco clan chowder. Also, keep in mind that if you go during karaoke it is too loud to carry on a conversation. Two good things about this place= good beer selection & nice bartender. read more

We stopped in Placerville for a post-wine-tasting beverage and a snack last Sunday. We parked the car near Cosmic Cafe and walked down Main Street. While browsing in the hardware store, we happened to ask the proprietors if there was a good bar and restaurant nearby. They mentioned several places, but once the phrase "24 beers on tap" was uttered I was sold. "24 beers on tap!" I said, pulling the husband out the door. Sure enough, Powell's has 24 beers on tap. And I ordered a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Shut up, I like cheap beer. PBR on tap makes me happy. The bartender had a very dry wit which made sitting at the bar, listening to him banter with various patrons, incredibly enjoyable. I like someone with a bit of attitude who can dish it out and take it, too. He even fed the crazy-fat ravenous fish some shrimp because a little girl was obsessing about the fish being hungry. "They're always hungry, and they're mean fish," he warned, but he dutifully brought out some shrimps so the little girl would be happy. Instead, watching the fish nearly kill each other to get to the little shrimp parts made the little girl cry. If you sit at the bar you get a big bowl full of peanuts that you can shell and eat while sipping, drinking, or downright chugging beers (depending on your mood). I like to eat salty things while drinking beer, especially when they're tasty and free! We actually ordered oysters here but it took so long for them to be shucked that we decided to go elsewhere for dinner. I will be back here, however, to give the food a try and for more PBR on tap, naturally. read more

Tragic. Unless you're coming here strictly for beer, you would be better off eating instant noodles. Ordered oysters and linguine and both literally tasted like air. Expensive food for the lowest quality and for a place that has just seafood on the menu save BBQ ribs, the food was almost impossibly bad. Ate two bites and left it all behind. I tried to eat it, really, but even dousing it with pepper, hot sauce and even trying to flavor it WITH CLAM CHOWDER it could not be made palatable. Holy sh*t. read more

I agree with a previous reviewer suggesting it as a place to go for local ambiance but not the food. The establishment itself is decent, our server was terrific, they have karaoke at night, their beer and wine selection looked good, but the food left much to be desired. The oysters on the half shell were small, crabcakes you could tell were made from canned crab not fresh, and their white alfredo sauce was totally flavorless and drowning our pasta. Tried adding some salt and pepper, parm cheese, and butter to it, but it did not help. At the end of our meal we felt we paid way too much for what was served. Bummer. I think if you're coming here just for the bar and karaoke, it's a good spot for that, but not for the food. read more

I am always cautious of seafood places so far away from the ocean. Really, how "fresh" could it be? I know, they an get fish flown in overnight, but I doubt that is the case here. The menu is limited and there is no kids menu. I ordered the crab and shrimp sandwich on a croissant, and I had a tuna sandwich on croissant made for my two kids. My husband had the steamers. 16 clams for 18 dollars and this was the best item we ordered. No crab in the shrimp and crab sandwich and the tuna was dry. Also had a cup of corn starch, oops I mean clam chowder. Couldn't even eat one bite. The waitress was really cute, friendly and awsome. The ambiance was cute and quaint. I guess if we go again I'll know to order what's in the title of their name, The Steamers. read more

We stumbled upon this place on our way to another eatery. Just so happens our first choice was closed. So there was Powell's. Karaoke night. Menu looked decent. I ordered the open-faced shrimp and crab sandwich with a side of clam chowder. I read the description a few times and there were no surprises. I got just what it said. Bland. That perfectly describes the meal. Clam chowder was on the gelatinous side, no clams. I found a few pieces of celery. Hubby ordered the grilled tilapia. That was super bland. Tilapia is basically the sponge of all fish... It takes on flavor. It absorbed nothing! Hahaha! It's funny now. The rice pilaf was lacking. A box of rice-a-roni is better. Beer. Decent. Go here for beer. It's your neighborhood bar. The folks around the bar were more like old friends than strangers. Good atmosphere. We got some chuckles from listening to karaoke. Never realized bad songs could be butchered... Ah... But they can. Eat somewhere else. For a relaxed, fun time... Go here. Stars are for food. read more

Excellent service and food. Love taco Tuesday! Last time I had a homemade pesto chicken sandwich. It was to die for! Also sampled 12 fresh oysters. Awesome. Today having a BLAT with chowder. Beer selection is great too! read more

Powell's Steamer Co. & Pub - Seafood Near Me - Placerville, California

Disappointed. That best describes my visit to Powells. If you specialize in seafood, then please do it well. My clam chowder was a bowl of cream with flour chunks and too much pepper, I didn't even taste any clams. If clam chowder is too difficult for them, I fear what the rest of the menu is like. It's just a dirty bar that serves bad food. read more

If you wanted to have a few drinks and karaoke, it's a cool place to check out. It can get interesting to say the least. As for the food, it's a cool place if you wanted to have a few drinks, karaoke and order some oysters. Clam chowder was......not clam chowder. I couldn't even finish it. This place has to find the time to make what they call clam chowder, actual clam chowder. We ordered the crab and shrimp and crab and avocado sandwiches, both were lacking any taste of crab, but plenty of celery and pepper. We could barely finish it, but I paid 13 bucks each for it so we toughed it out and ate our sandwiches. Clearly the sandwiches were not worth the $$. But again on the plus side, we enjoyed the oysters, our server was very nice and of course if you like to karaoke and and have a few drinks, it's a place to check out. read more

Not a fan of the food here, but the on tap beer selection is nice and the bar seats a fair amount of people. There always seems to be an fun eclectic crowd and some entertainment - music/karaoke. If you are in downtown Placerville this is a fun place to enjoy a few beers! read more

I took a group of 20+ to Placerville for the weekend. We needed a place to have dinner on Sat. night. I looked around to find somewhere to dine that also had music. I found Powell Steamer in the Placerville dining recommendations on line. I called to see if they could take a grou pour size and if they had live music. They were very helpful and said they could make room for us and that they did have live music that started at 9:00. So with them having seafood, primerib, a bar and live music and being in downtown Placerville I knew this should work out well. The group went to dinner and they had the tables all ready for us to be seated. We did have a bit of an issue with the ordering. For some reason the waitress started at one end to take orders then somehow did not finish at that table and then started taking orders at the other end of the table. Then she came back to the first table so the orders were not taken in any kind of order so food was coming out for different tables at different times. So between the four or five tables we had we were getting food in shifts. It was a bit strange some were waiting to eat for others at their table to get their food but then food would go to a different table. Not sure what happened, I did ask the waitress but she really could not explain, she just said she got distracted. Oh well, she was young and we did have a big group, all in all the food of course all came out eventually and everything was worth the wait. Some of us started with oysters on the half shell, they were good but they were all different sizes not very uniform selection. The Prawns with sauces were good, the portion sizes were large. The Fettucini Alfredo could have fed three, well at least to me since I eat small portions. Maybe only two men, well two men at our table each ordered it and neither could finish it. For men this seems to be a sign of a good restaurant when they can not finish their meal. I find this too funny! The live music started at 9:00 it was blues sorta duo our group was very antsy after having sat and dined and really wanted more rocking/loud music and dancing. So we all headed back to our hotel and caught the free shuttle to the Red Hawk Casino and spent the evening there. The natives (group) were all full, happy and had smiles on their faces! Keep in mind if Powell's only serves beer and wine no hard liquor, I think that may have been another reason our group was restless and wanted to move on. Bring on the SHOTS!!!! read more

This is a review mostly for our waitress: We were a very large motorcycle club, so we sort of took over part of the restaurant - maybe four large tables. Our waitress, JESSIE, was such a trooper-she really had a handful with us and she kept her cool and even made us all separate checks---not an easy feat! She was friendly and professional and not once did she look frazzled - i don't think the kitchen helped her very much, they got the food out really slowly and it wasn't in any sort of understandable order to who got what when. it made her job even harder. Despite our A plus waitress, the linguini clams was pretty awful. The whitle sauce was just warm milk, which was really gross. Others had the prime rib and said it was terrific, so there you go. JESSIE was our girl hero of the evening. :-) read more

We went in tonight & waited well over an hour & they hadn't even started our dinner.....my mom is sick with cancer & we just could not wait any longer. Upon requesting our bill & wondering if our meal was almost ready so we could get it to go, we found out it hadn't even been started... very disappointed that people that appeared to be locals all had their food & we didn't even get our appetizers.... will never go there again. read more

The food and atmosphere were everything, best way to spend a Sunday! Live music, cold beer and delicious food. The bbq oysters and combination linguini were amazing. Wait staff is great, very attentive and helpful!! I'll be back (in my Arnold voice) read more

I've lived in Placerville for over thirty years and had never dined at Powell's until Labor Day 2015. Perhaps intuition? Maybe it's more of a bar with food on the side, but the entire experience left my husband and I swearing we'd NEVER go back. We went in the afternoon and were first notified there were no oysters, clams, or mussels. Okay. We ordered the special: French Dip sandwich with either soup or salad. My husband received a small cup of chowder. My "salad" came with my sandwich. It was bagged salad you get at the grocery store (and mostly iceburg lettuce) plus one thin slice of tomato. I was shocked! The French Dip came on a thin roll which wasn't even as large as a slice of bread! Two or three layers of meat. We left still hungry, and I'm not a big eater! Denny's is better, and I don't much care for Denny's. The server forgot about us a few times saying, "Oh, I always forget the people not sitting at the bar!" Cost less drinks: $30+. What a rip off! Total bill was over $55.00. Try Bones Roadhouse, Diamond Springs Hotel, Casa Ramos. Just NOT Powell's. read more

My girlfriends and I go to Powells to celebrate birthdays. The food is always so good and a relaxed atmosphere with great staff. I absolutely recommend Powells Steamer! read more

We went for dinner, and to watch hockey playoffs. The staff was friendly. The food was good, clam steamers and combo seafood bake. Portions were small for the price charged. There were masks on a stand, and hand sanitizer available. That said, none of the service staff wore a mask, nor did the manager. I asked him what the rule was and he said, "well....... we kind of play it by ear. If the customer wants us to, we will." I asked him if he would have that happen for us. He didn't, and our server pulled up a bandanna once in the next 5 or so stops at our table. The bar was full for some time. No social distancing, no patron masks, no staff masks ( except occasionally slipped on by the bartender) while we were there. Uncomfortable. read more

Thank you Sheila for your continued support of the local school fundraisers! !!!! Powell's has always given gift certificates for the delicious food they serve!!! I have never been told NO & Sheila has helped to raise money for UMHS as well as other local schools & important causes for over a decade!!!!! By far,Powell's has the best clam chowder,tuna sandwiches, & sea food lunches of anywhere in El.Do County! Everything is always fresh & tastes good. I eat here with my friends for lunch during the week & we are always extremely full & satisfied! Sheila is an absolute sweetie & is a hoot to chat with & always has a smile on her face. The entire staff is friendly & it is fun to drop by even if only for a beer or glass of wine!!! If you haven't had a chance to eat here, do it you will be a customer for life!!!! read more

Seafood and Placerville doesn't seem like a match made in culinary heaven, but this place is ok. We have been several times over the years with none of the complaints registered in recent reviews, except for high prices. On our last visit, our order included clam chowder, a salmon dish over rice, steamed clams, seafood pasta, and a shrimp cocktail. It was all good - not great. Lunch for four ran $116, including tip, without liquor. Our only real complaint is about live music at 1 pm on a Sunday afternoon. While the trio was actually quite good, they pumped out a lot of volume in a small restaurant and were more than a little disruptive during what was intended to be a quiet family meal. read more

We don't eat on Main Street very often, but I've been wanting to try this place for awhile. It was okay. For the price the food should have been better. A few little changes could make such a difference. Canned tomatoes are fine, just a few pulses in the food processor before adding them to the dishes. Store bought bread is fine, but ensure it is fresh. Awesome beer selection, but no pitchers. I liked the peel and eat shrimp. read more

I've stopped here for years whenever I was in the Placerville area and gave enjioyed the food. I love their Lazyman's Chopinno, however last night I was highly disappointed. It tasted the same but had mostly shrimp with very little other seafood. There may have been a few small scallops and small pieces of fish. And it used to be served with a nice big piece of garlic bread, but no more. Maybe just a bad night, but waitress didn't seem to know anything about garlic bread being part of the meal and maybe large scallops and fish are just too expensive. Disappointing! read more

We decided to try this place last night since my boyfriend and I love oysters. This was hands down the grossest food I have ever had eating out. My boyfriend mentioned many times that his oysters tasted fishy and off.... he woke up in the middle of night violently throwing up his dinner. We live in the area and will never set foot in this place again. The server was very nice, friendly and helpful. read more

Stopped in here for lunch on our way to Fairplay. Great seafood place. We sat on their back porch since we had our dog. The server was very accommodating and nice to our dog. Would definitely go here again. read more

We just had lunch here then hang town and have the worst lunch I'v..xe ever had and I've lived here for over 20 years read more

Powell's Steamer Co. & Pub - My daughter throwing up also she was looking for the oysters and shrimp that was supposed to be in her $20 lunch - Seafood Near Me - Placerville, California

This is a local landmark and has gone way down hill. The furniture is showing its age badly and the food is mediocre at best. Food drowning in sauce, no oysters (which are supposed to be the signature dish), crab out of a can and music so loud you can't talk to the person next to you. And the waitress was overworked and not very good. Extremely disappointed read more

The service was almost as bad as the food and it is pretty difficult to screw up soup and salad. We got there and nobody acknowledged us. We went for my husbands birthday (his choice). I typically read reviews prior to choosing a new place (we just moved to the area) but it was his birthday, so...he and my son enjoyed their food. My clam chowder was as others explained a warm, gelatinous flour and water soup with no clams. It was awful. My salad was something I could have made better at home. My other son had a pan roasted stew. He said he didn't like it. I have the restaurant the benefit and tried it. It smelled like Clamato (which I like) right off but the taste was so overwhelmingly like Clamato, it was nauseating. My daughter had their kids shells and red sauce. It was linguine with red sauce. Not a huge deal but it said "shells". Even the soda was just ok. The service was terrible and there was only one other table (of 2) to serve. read more

Went last night. So excited for Oysters and the Seafood stew. Just visiting Placerville. No one greeted us when we walked in. We sat at a table hoping someone would come over and give us menus. Didn't happen. We were completely ignored. We left and took our business elsewhere. Now I know why the place was completely empty.!! Every other restaurant was hopping. Had to wait for a table. read more

I was excited for a nice dinner and drinks with my husband and my father. We are making sure to support our local restaurants and businesses so Powell's was on our list. I'll start with the good! The bartender was their saving grace and he is the ONLY reason they get any stars at all! We were able to enjoy a cold beer because the bartender took and provided our drink order while we were on our way out back to our seats. Unfortunately, we did not eat. We were never even offered a menu! Our group of 3 was seated for more than 30 minutes and the waitress never even greeted us! Not only that, but she never offered water, drinks, a menu, much less a "hello" Trying to make the best of a bad start we pulled the menu up online. We decided to make our selections so we could place an order when the opportunity presented itself. We assumed said opportunity wouldn't be too terribly far away because there was only 3 other seated groups (1 out front and 2 out back) so we should be acknowledged relatively quick. NOPE! Boy were we wrong! It was almost 40 minutes before we finally decided it was time to leave! We chose not to give up on our night so we walked across the street to another restaurant. We enjoyed wonderful service, food, and drinks at Cascada! read more

Everything tasted great. BLT with avo was legit and oysters were very fresh. Just don't get the "steamers." Nearly $20 for a few clams you have to shuck yourself amounted to a small appetizer and not an entree like was indicated on the menu. NEED MORE CLAMS!! read more

Let me first say the shrimp was fresh. However, bread cold and butter brick hard. Fish tacos almost inedible, no seasoning, bland. A little salt, pepper and garlic powder could pep it up. Though breading did nothing for the fish. The prawn cocktail was bland I added salt and pepper just to make palatable. We are local and looking for a nice place for weekly date nights. Sorry to say it won't be here. read more