Great food and service! We were pleasantly surprised. We typically wouldn't try a place like this bc my wife doesn't like most seafood. The fish and chips were a little too salty but crisp and fresh fish. The clam chowder is thick and creamy. I just tried a cup but could have made a meal of it! I usually don't like most restaurant clam chowders bc they put too much flour in it to thicken it. The seafood jambalaya had a great mix of fresh seafood and the spices were perfect! We will definitely be back! Minus one star for dirty restroom on a slow night. read more

Salt - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

This place is beautiful. It's great to see an old industrial building turned into a good restaurant. The cocktails we ordered were on point, the seafood was delicious. It's not cheap to eat here but it's nice to have a quality place in Arcata. Only thing is, the place lacks the polish that should come with the price. Example: our dishes were chipped, the server didn't tell us about the specials, we were not offered a second round of drinks... front of house needs work. I'll be back though. read more

Salt is one of our favorite spots. The food is excellent and the ambiance makes you feel transported to a hip spot in the Bay Area.

We sat outside last night. We came in early at 5 pm. The outside area was about half full with 4 or so empty tables. There were 6 of us and our bill was over $500 At 7 pm a male waiter started hanging around our table and then said we would have to leave as they needed our table. I found it inexplainable (as there were many empty tables) and offensive. I have never given a review before but felt I should say something. read more

The food is fantastic but the portions are small for the price tag. The atmosphere and service are wonderful. The scallops were delicious but 3 scallops on a large empty plate for $34 was overpriced. If you're hungry, expect to order several items and expect a bill that's more like $$$ or $$$$. read more

IjustcantYelpit. It's a gem. #humboldtcounty Death & Taxes #blacklager #savignonblanc Smoked #wahoopate with homemade chips. Grilled #oysters #clamchowdersoup Great atmosphere. Good eats. @saltfishhouse Totally #worthit #cleanedmyplate read more

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Great service and quality food for a late reservation on 4th of July. The oysters were phenomenal and all the food was on point. Friendly bar tinders and I never felt rushed out. Great entertainment for a party of 1 passing through. I'll definitely be back. read more

Our first time on this area from Boston, MA. Amanda was our server and she did a wonderful job! We had the clam chowder (excellent) different from Massachusetts but very good, the trio seafood plate and the crab arancini. They were all very good! The cocktails were also wonderful, we had number 3 with a bullet and the apple fell far. If you are in the area we highly recommend Salt Fish! It has a real mello vibe and the food/drinks are great... read more

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As a local who eats here fairly often, I was surprised by a couple of things last night. It was not busy at all for a Friday & the two raw items my son & I ordered (just two total) took over 50 minutes to arrive! Maybe the waiter forgot to put the order in (?) but she said nothing about how long it was taking even when she came to offer another drink (at the 45 minute mark). Then-more importantl, I've been ill ever since eating it. Didn't sleep all night due to severe stomach pain & I know it was the ceviche tostadas (my son is fine-he had the sashimi-although his did look to be handled a bit too much/rough edges). Also-hostess was waiting just inside the door - not at the podium out front where I've usually been greeted...apparently watching us while we stood there for a few minutes. All very strange & totally on par for "Arcata customer service" which (as we all know) sucks & often is the demise of businesses. Anyway-it's been a good long run of enjoying Salt for years but I'm gonna take a break now. Disappointed. read more

Their seafood is spot on, very busy but we're able to accommodate us with no problem, mmmmmmmm

5 stars for the food 2 stars for the service + 5 stars for the manager We called a bit past 6pm on a Sunday and was told it was super popular and that outdoor seating wouldn't be available for our party of 4 until 9pm. Because of this, we decided to do take out. After much deliberation, we call in our orders. Our couple friend placed their order a couple minutes before we did a bit before 7pm. Our friends were quoted 20 minutes and we somehow was quoted 40 minutes. We drive over and found street parking. We pay and proceeded to wait. 15-20 minutes in our friends received their order and head back to the hotel to eat. We continue to wait. My poor husband standing there while I waited in the car. He assumed our food would be ready soon as our friends received theirs already. 40 minutes in and it doesn't seem like our food would be ready anytime soon. When my husband asked about it - the lady told him our food was being packed up. At that time, I wanted my husband to wait in the car as its more comfortable but since our food was being packed up no point in returning to the car. Another 15-20 minutes, food comes out and its NOT OURS! We waited an hour+ and then our food comes out. After complaining to the manager, we got our food comped which was nice but we felt like they could have been more transparent initially and not tell us our food was being packed up when it clearly wasn't. Also we had to complain. Maybe they should say hey sorry for the long wait - we'll throw in an appetizer or dessert on the house. Anyway, no utensils/napkins were given with our take out and our friends said the same thing. We had a spoon saved from a prior meal and had to share a spoon for dinner.... The food was delicious though. charred octopus (pork belly fried rice + sweet chili sauce + kimchi)-- 18 Comes with two large pieces with a bunch of hearty fried rice. scallop (dashi broth + shitake mushroom + bok choy + chili oil)-- 30 A bit pricey for 3 pieces of scallops. Plenty of mushrooms and the dashi broth warmed my heart. dungeness crab spaghetti (housemade pasta + pancetta + white wine + preserved lemon + parmesan bread crumbs)-- 32 Hearty and very delicious. Good quantity. One of our favorites. Generous with the crab and toppings ale + romaine caesar salad -- 12 add fried anchovies + 2 - If you have been reading my reviews, you know how much I love a good caesar salad. This one was okay but the fried anchovies were a highlight. Definitely need to work on their take out. A lot of people were waiting ridiculously long for their take outs. One gentleman waited over half an hour for just a salad. read more

I hurt myself at this place. We had the brussel sprouts, ahi poke, raosted veggie and grains salad, fish and chips. Friendly staff. Customer service was really good. Ambiance was nice. A bit pricey but highly recommend. read more

Beautiful atmosphere and delicious food! The service was attentive and friendly. We sort of stumbled in, having planned for a more casual dinner for our first night in town but ultimately ending up here, and so we erred on a less indulgent (read: affordable) order: Calamari to start, split salad, and two clam chowders. It was all enjoyed - best calamari I've ever had - and so we went ahead and ordered dessert to go. Needless to say, I would love to go back, intentionally this time, to try some of the entrees. read more

Came here during covid and sat outside! Got seated right away! Very nice ambience and decor outside that they set up each night for dinner. Super Friday and knowledgeable servers and an exceptional bartender. I had the pork chop special as well as the calamari and they were both fantastic. I can't wait to come back and enjoy this place again read more

Was in town visiting my son who attends Cal Poly. Wasn't to sure where to grab a bite to eat. Decided on Salt Fish House. Started out with a Bowl of Chowder and Calamari. Calamari was good. However, clam chowder was a bit watered down for my taste and lacking oysters. Also ordered the Crab Legs and Steak. Crab legs were Good and served on Ice. Steak was delicious served medium rare. Pricing seemed fair. Definitely will check it out again when my wife and i come into town in Oct. for Parents weekend. Hospitality was great our service was on point. read more

I have been meaning to stop by and give Salt a try for a couple months now and the opportunity finally presented itself recently. My wife and I had a very good late leisurely lunch here and plan to return again in the near future, as several items on the menu look great and worth a try. Upon entering, the feel of the space is not only modern and minimal it also has a very comfortable and relaxed beach house vibe. We were greeted and seated almost immediately, our server was a professional and near flawless for our visit. We started out with the charred Octopus on the recommendation of a friend and it was delicious, with nice charring on both tender and succulent tentacles served over a fresh bed of baby greens. Along with the Buratta, which was very creamy and light, topped with sweet caramelized onions with a side of toasted sour dough slices - it was a great compliment to the octopus. Entrées; my wife opted for the lobster roll with a side of fries, myself the cod fish and chips and a side of the lobster mac & cheese. The lobster roll is a large portion, over-stuffed and spilling out of its bread housing. Tender, sweet chunks of lobster in a mixture of celery, sweet onions and spices - delicious and half of it went in a to go for her. The cod fish & chips basket was equally as good, three nice sized golden brown battered cod filets on top of a generous portion of fries with lemon wedges. Some of the best fish and chips I've had in a while actually, a little malt vinegar and bam! Light and flaky fish and a great crunch to the batter coating (not soggy or overly thick) it was a great lunch choice. Then the Mac & cheese with lobster, it could be a meal by itself for a lot of folks. I mean what else needs to be said, it's mac n cheese with Lobster chunks in it. Very good (it did lack a little salt)creamy rich curly noddles and loaded with lobster - half of it went with us at the end, it's a large portion. A full bar, with a great selection of libations as well. Local taps, several traditional bottled beers, wines and an actually mixology bar with infusions and special house drinks. My wife went for one of their vodka infusion cocktails with cucumber and she said it was perfect with her lunch, myself I chose the local Redwood Curtain Stout they happened to have on tap that day, already knowing this fine crafted brew it was an easy choice for me. At the end my wife wanted a little something sweet and she ordered that day's chocolate tort (creamy rich and very much chocolaty) and myself a ten year old tawny port. Together they were ridiculous. All in all, this is a wonderful addition to the local downtown food scene, with a wide variety of price points on the menu to fit pretty much any budget. You can get a quick cheap lunch or dinner here, and as well it can definitely be a leisurely multi course dining experience. Our late afternoon relaxed (hour and a half) multi course meal for two with libations - $145 with a 20% gratuity included. Well worth a visit and a try, we plan on returning. 3.5 stars - rounded up for the outstanding service. 00395 read more

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This place is way more than a simple fish house. Full bar with a fun signature drink list. I've been here 3 times and the service is always just right. Never felt rushed. My water glass was always full, and food served hot. It is fast becoming a local favorite, with pricing that matches what you are served. Cool wall murals. The Buretta is an unassuming "starter" that is really really yummy. The onion jelly will make you want to lick your plate. Fish tacos are better than average. Clam chowder is nothing to write home about. And keylime pie in a ball jar is tart and smooth with a crunchy crust at the bottom. My only suggestion to the owners is that they make all the tables the taller cocktail type tables. There is a bit of a cafeteria feeling with the way the tables are arranged. read more

Salt - Delicious cocktails! Thai me up, green thumb and SALT Moscow Mule. Yum. - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

We were up north visiting Redwood National Park and spent a night in Arcata. Ordered takeout from Salt, and the food was really excellent: - Crab pasta (5/5) - Great texture on the pasta, with a nice saltiness from the bacon and sweetness from the crab (which they didn't skimp on). The bread crumbs added a subtle crunch to the dish which made it even better. Good portion size too! - Scallops (5/5) - Only had a bite off my girlfriend's plate, but the scallop was flavorful and well cooked - especially impressive given it was takeout. The dashi broth had a nice spicy kick and tasted great. - Octopus ceviche (4/5) - Good combo of creamy avacado and spicy aji amarillo. - Thai me up cocktail (4/5) - Very tasty, with a few different layers of flavor. You can barely taste the alcohol. We were big fans, and if we're ever in Arcata again, we'll be sure to be back (hopefully eating at the restaurant instead of taking out). read more

Happy bellies and empty plates. We came. We ate. We loved it! Seafood is fresh and delightful! Don't skip the crab dip! read more

Salt - We ate it ALL!!! This place was charming and had amazing food! Get the rosè and crab dip... you won't regret it! - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

Very friendly staff, they were able to fit us in on a busy night and took excellent care of us the whole time. read more

Salt - Grilled swordfish special - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

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Disappointed. We went to their sister restaurant (Campground) last night and this just doesn't measure up. Slow and inattentive service.. Out of several items. Flies in the dining room. read more

Disclaimer, this review is made during Covid, and I know that a lot of restaurants are struggling right now. That said, I used to love this restaurant and eat here all the time! Since moving to their new location, and dealing with COVID, the food has gone downhill. It started with little things that we brushed off due to Covid and not wanting to be fussy. When we ordered the oysters options, but she also didn't ask us which oysters we wanted and brought us out a dozen Kumamoto, which I love, but didn't offer the other option. When we got the oysters, they did not come with the little fork. When I asked for the fork, she came back with spoons because they were out of forks. I did not think this was a big deal and moved on with the meal. Later we ordered the other type of oyster so we could get the variety we had been looking for originally, when those arrived, we received forks but no spoon to scoop the sauce out of the ramekin. So it was a little disorganized, and off kilter, but still not a huge deal. They used to have more of an upscale vibe, including fresh cucumbers floating in the water....which were not included in our glasses this time. Things continued to go sideways from there..... The Caesar salad was tangy, salty and overdressed. I got anchovy on my salad because, in the past, it was a nicely sautéed fillet of fresh anchovy, this time it was chopped in pieces, deep-fried and thrown on top of the overdressed salad. My friend got the Caesar salad, without anchovies, but it was also overdressed, neither of us finished our salad. The macaroni and cheese came out in a cast-iron pan on top of a plate and was lukewarm at best. Usually if something is served in a cast iron, it comes out sizzling as they warn you not to touch the hot cast iron. The octopus ceviche which was pretty much chopped up octopus, lemon juice, and a giant pile of raw onions. It ended up looking like something I would've picked up in the cold case at the grocery store. My other friend got the Dungeoness crab pancetta pasta. That was amazing and the best thing on the table! At some point the server brought me the wrong drink, when I let her know that I had ordered some thing different, she apologized and took the drink back and replaced it with the correct drink. She should have just left the drink as a complementary "Oopsies" and given me the correct drink as well, especially during Covid, when I had already taken a couple sips out of the wine glass, and it was only going to go down the drain. Why not just leave it there and leave it off the bill? There were long gaps of time that the waitress was gone and not attentive to us, which dragged out our meal even longer. In her defense, we had been indecisive and she had to come back to check on us multiples times, but each time she left, she was gone for a long time. At the end of the meal, she did not offer anything for dessert either, not a big deal, but also Lacking the service that is common at a nicer restaurants. At that point I wasn't interested in purchasing anything else due to the food quality and the wait time for each item we ordered. We didn't want to complain about the meal, but, when the bill for three people ends up being $300 (with tip), and you did not get the $100/person experience that you were looking for, it tends not to sit well. I could've gone somewhere else and paid a fraction of the price for the experience that I had both with the staff as well as the food and drink. We awkwardly expressed our concerns to the server and she took some of the items off of our bill. We were thankful, and didn't want to punish her for issues that were clearly the fault of the kitchen. During our meal, the chef was not even back in the kitchen, but was sitting at a table in the dining room the whole meal (maybe on break?), so I know he wasn't back there paying attention to the quality of food that was coming out of the kitchen. We watched a table next to us get up and leave with full plates on the table, muttering words about "being done with this place". We decided to leave her a nice tip as she had done her best to navigate the situation the whole time. But what made me write this review, was the "mean mugging" that came from the kitchen staff as we left the restaurant after giving a pretty fat tip to the waitress for being so supportive about our feedback. We waved goodbye and saw them all looking displeased at us. I cook staff clearly did not give a shit about their performance and saw us as the troublemakers. The whole experience was mediocre and is not how I remember this place prior to their move and subsequent changes. I hope they are able to recover the style and class that we all enjoyed pre-COVID. All that said, I understand times are challenging right now and we are all doing our best. I really just want the old Salt back read more

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Covid-19 review. Ordered the basic fish n chips and a can of coke Called 30 min b4 closing And I had to call them again when I got to the door as it was locked as they share a common hallway with several others. Not a biggie. Food was tasty. But their fries didn't make it all the way home. Soggy as they're trapped in a cardboard to go box. But the fish was tasty. 2 types of relish. Regular tartar sauce and another spicy version They forgot the plastic utensils and and napkin. But I ate at home so it was OK. Obviously you lose the presentation and the fries would probably be OK if I was sitting in there. read more

Such an incredible meal here. Outdoor under the heat lamps, spaced far away from other tables, the food, service, and drinks were fantastic. I had a cocktail with mezcal and chartreuse (two of my favorite ingredients), we shared 18 oysters, the steelhead, a crab dip that was the best I've ever tasted, and ended up taking the chowder home to finish because we were so full. The design of this place is also fricking great. read more

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Superb! Unbelievably excellent. Wonderful seafood. Just love this place!

We had a great experience at this place for my birthday. I had a halibut special my wife had the steelhead and my son had the cioppino. Amazing food and a very attentive waitress. Arcata is lucky to have this place. read more

This very attractive venue has comfortable outdoor seating with overhead heaters for cool or foggy evenings. We especially enjoyed the stone fruit, tomato, and arugula salad, the delicious ahi poke, the fresh toasted bread with tomato butter, and lastly the scrumptious brownie with caramel dribble and whipped cream. The service is expert and friendly. read more

7/20/19 Food: 4.5 Service: 4.5 Ambience: 4.5 Dropped in here for the first time on a summer Saturday night. It surprisingly was not too busy, so we were seated promptly. Since this was our first time here, we wanted to try more, than less, cost be damned. Overall, this was a very enjoyable dining experience. Beverages and food were better than expected and our server Amanda was friendly, helpful and attentive. We started out with excellent craft cocktails and a dozen raw and grilled oysters. The medium-sized raws were briny and fresh. We ordered the grilled with all three different sauces. The Vietnamese nuoc cham was especially tasty and a nice discovery. Next, came the charred octopus. Outstanding! Perfect char on the outside and juicy-tender on the inside. The accompanying artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, pickled radish, sherry gastrique and parsley gremolata was also excellent. Then, we had the steamed mussels. Very good. They were bathed in an aromatic tomato sofrito -- little drier, heartier tomato sauce that was a nice change from the usual soupy, watery broth you get with most steamed mussels. Main course: We both ordered the night's special grilled wild salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and a beet and parsnip(?) relish. The relish didn't work for me, but tasted OK. The salmon was perfectly grilled and the mash was yummy. We were so enthusiastic to our server about the octopus, she told the chef and he came out to say hi and thanks. He tried to comp us a dessert, but we politely declined since we were so full. Nice to see kitchen staff so proud of their offerings. Salt has a nice low-key vibe inside with modern decor, some nice art and lamps and modern folk rock ambient music. The patrons were a mix of ages. Next time, we'll park closer to the back entrance (behind Chase Bank between H and 7th streets), which he didn't know about until we came in through the plaza level, then down the stairs. When in town, we usually head for the great sushi nearby, but SALT really impressed and delighted us. It seems like, after an uneven start, the restaurant has it its groove and is garnering raves and returnees. So nice to have a very fine seafood restaurant in Arcata. We look forward to many return visits. read more

Salt - Charred octopus with artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes. - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

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It was fine... not great for $50 though. I came here after a friend suggested it was nice and it said they had a few options for non seafood eaters online, but turned out they had a new menu in place with nothing without seafood in it. I settled on a plain Caesar salad and toasted bread, and had two shoreline cocktails. Came out to $54 and the salad I had to cut up myself and toss. Maybe that's part of "fine dining" but it felt tacky I was preparing my own food for that price. Had to get more dressing as the flavor was light... similar to a salad dressing you'd eat if you're trying to lose weight or something. Not sure what was going on there but the man next to me returned his salad as well for the same reason. The waiter was nice, but likely won't be back. Prefer the Jam over this establishment for half the cost. read more

I had high hopes for salt. Here for work so I always try out the food scene any new place. I love the upscale (for Arcata) dining experience they provide. Drinks were great, staff very helpful. However the food was a huge let down. I had take out from them prior and it wasn't bad at all. But tonight our food lacked a lot of flavor or was over cooked. The food didn't do it for me at all. I'm hopeful it will turn around. The desert was very good. They have a pretty nice line up for that. There's potential to improve always. read more

Salt - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

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This place is first of all so beautiful. Their craft cocktails are so good. Their menu is unique and everything we had was amazing. We were in town visiting when we went with friends. I highly recommend everyone ordering a plate and then sharing so you can taste it all. We will for sure be back. read more

I was pretty disappointed. Our reservation was for 8 pm Sunday. By that time, the kitchen had run out of clams, grilled oysters, and scallops. The menu was limited. They offered to add lobster or crab to our linguine instead of clams. We ordered two plates of lobster linguine and one dish of roasted vegetables. And we waited. Our waiter offered us a steelhead fish dip with potato chips while we waited. We guessed then that our order had not made it to the kitchen. When our pasta finally came, the mixed vegetables were nowhere in sight. We couldn't find our waiter to ask about it. Asked a different waiter, and it probably took another 10 minutes before the vegetables arrived. By that time, we had eaten our pasta. The matcha cheesecake was good. The cocktail menu is interesting. The calamari was just okay. The raw oysters were tiny and we were only given 5 instead of the usual 6. read more

overpriced, terrible wine list, food has way too much butter and cheap ingredient. save your $ Oh yes and the crab dip for $17 has No crab in it read more

Was in the area around Christmas time and this was one of the best rated restaurants that was open. It's located in a cute square (although at night, got a bit rowdy with the homeless people), with two entrances (once leading you downstairs and one leading you to a parking lot). The food was actually very good, my parents and I shared the fish tacos, calamari, and fresh oysters. The server was nice and we had a nice dinner with some local beers on tap. Would recommend - I think this is probably the best seafood you'll get in the area. read more

Salt - Fish tacos - Seafood Near Me - Arcata, California

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We had dinner and drinks here while visiting the area to see the Redwoods National Park. The food was very good, I highly recommend the Octopus Fried Rice (tender and delicious). Great cocktails, craft beers, and friendly service with a nice ambiance. Definitely a great value for the quality of food. read more

So good we went twice in a week. Expensive but worth it. Seafood is superb and surprisingly the steak was excellent. Our first waiter was top of the line. Our second visit the waitress was ok but the food was still terrific. read more

Food is marginal to bad, expensive, outdoor seating best feature. Service typical of West coast. On the other hand you are hundreds of miles from a good restaurant. read more

This was one of the single worst experiences that I've ever had at a restaurant! First off, it was freezing cold with music blaring that was offensive. Then the food was bland and the service was even blander! I actually felt robbed after dropping money on food that was tasteless and tiny in portion size! No way any restaurant could get away with this anywhere else in California! Will recommend to everyone I know not to go here ever!!!! read more

This high-end seafood and vegetable restaurant has excellent cocktails, appetizers, risotto, fish.

Stopped here after a full day of hiking the Redwoods yesterday. We had a great experience. Our server was great & very attentive. The ambience is super cute and I loved the building. Only negative was it was super cold and there are no heat lamps outside so I would recommend dressing warm if you don't get an inside table. The food...smoked albacore salad - excellent - probably one of the best salads I've ever had. Grilled octopus - a must. The pork belly fried rice that came with it was so good! Oysters - we tried both the raw and grilled. I personally preferred the raw but I have to say that the grilled garlic butter was really good. I wasn't too much of a fan of the coconut buffalo, but my bubs really liked it. We also had the grilled artichoke which was probably the only bust because there was hardly any "meat" on it, but the aioli was good. We also had a couple bottles of the Cava and the sparking rosé was really tasty as well. I highly recommend this place. Make a reservation because Covid sucks! Only recommendations for SALT: get some heat lamps read more

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