I don't care for seafood but my husband loves it so we went here for his birthday dinner. The atmosphere is really cool, I love that it was underground and the way it's decorated makes you feel like you're walking down into the hull of a ship. It's dimly lit and romantic. There are a lot of options on the menu, including classics, more unique things and a few that aren't seafood. I actually really loved the Ahi Tuna dish that my husband got and the salad dressing I got on my salad was one of the best I've ever had. There was a miscommunication with my main dish when I ordered it and the waitress was very polite about it and quick to fix the issue. They let my husband pick out a dessert for free since it was his birthday. It's pricey of course but it's a nice option for a special occasion and it's cool that it's been in business for so long! read more

Salt Cellar - Grille salmon with jasmine rice and baby carrots - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

I went there on 4/19 and was not impressed. Service was good, it's a different place underground. Small intimate rooms........but the food?? claim chowder was very watered down. No thickness at all. i had baked stuffed lobster and it was either frozen or way over cooked. Lobster was tough.........even the claws. Stuffing was mostly crushed crackers with two small shrimp in it. Being a lobster fan and purchaser, I'm here to tell you that it was not good for $78. Service was good.............but that's about it. I won't be going back again. read more

We had been loyal customers of this restaurant for years, despite the noticeable decline in both the quality of the food and the service. We even overlooked the constant price increases because we genuinely loved this place. It had become a tradition to bring our overseas and out-of-state guests here whenever they visited. On our last visit, we were seated at the bar around 9:30 p.m. on a Sunday. The restaurant closes at 11:00 p.m., and by then all the other guests had already left. Shortly afterward, several employees--including waitresses and a couple of kitchen staff--gathered at the bar to celebrate something. They started drinking cocktails and beer, eating, shouting, laughing like teenagers, and became so loud that my friend and I could barely hear each other. I politely asked the bartender if she could ask the staff to keep the noise down, but we were completely ignored. After enduring 10-15 minutes of this chaos, we paid our bill and left (Yes, we paid tip too). I won't even dwell on the steamed clams, which smelled spoiled and were clearly not fresh. We were genuinely afraid to eat them. The rest of the meal was acceptable, but that doesn't make up for being treated as if we didn't exist while the staff turned the restaurant into their own loud party. This level of disregard for paying customers is completely unacceptable. What was once one of our favorite restaurants has now lost us as customers for good. Never again. read more

This is a happy hour/bar review... raw oysters are $4 each and HUGE. The ceviche is AMAZING with a strange, but good, corn nut garnish? The ceviche is as filling as any meal. Bartender made a killer filthy martini, but she was the only server who really killed it. The others were barely there, didn't even bother to refill my water. They were too busy chattering about their outside lives. Hence, 4 stars instead of 5. But the food was worth every dime. I love the atmosphere here and went out of my way to drive over instead of going to Old Town. read more

Salt Cellar - Oysters on the half shell - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

I loved the experience at Salt Cellar. From the road. It looks like a small venue. You enter through the front door and then you go downstairs into the cellar. So you are in a box. Once you pass the hostess station, you get an opportunity to see live lobsters and choose your lobster. If that's what you want for your main course. The staff was all pleasant. We had a regular waitress as well as one for cocktail. Both were very good. I'll tried the Shrimp Scampi and it did not disappoint. The meal came with a salad, a starch, vegetables, and complementary bread. I must say it was a great experience. It's very romantic! This is very good for anniversaries and date nights. There are stairs that you must go down to her to the facility. read more

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A group stopped here for dinner. This was my first time. From the outside, it looks like an extremely small building, but then you walk down two flights into literally the cellar and it opens up. Cute little bar, it's small, maybe 15 seats but they have a great happy hour menu. We started off with oyster shooters, which had a lovely horseradish kick to it. Once it was time for dinner, it was a hard choice. I ended up going with the scallops which were divine. A couple of people in our group had the lobster which was very tasty. Somebody had the crabcakes which were delicious as well. All crab, no filling., True Maryland crab cakes. The other frequent user hack is to order a side of the San Ramos sauce to dip bread and food in. This butter, garlic, sun dried tomato sauce is to die for. I will definitely be back to try some of their other options. It is on the pricey side, so I'll probably hit happy hour more than anything. read more

Salt Cellar - Sauteed Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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First visit. Arrived for early dinner at open at 4 on a Saturday. Folks were lined up and the door opened. The food was extremely tasty. They open as this iconic restaurant built underground in 1971. Fresh seafood flown in. I had Alaskan blackened halibut which was perfectly grilled and seasoned. (I had expected over spiced but it was perfect.). I shared the turtle soup with a shot of sherry and Manhattan clam chowder with my wife. The last turtle soup I had was in New Orleans and this one did not disappoint. Yum. My wife had the Beef Wellington cooked to perfection and just in season MD soft shell crabs as an appetizer. Enjoyed the snickers torte for dessert. I was tempted to try the key lime cheesecake but I asked if it was green or yellow. Learning it was greenish, I passed as real key limes are yellow. The service was attentive and amazing. I will be back. Note: I learned most in line at 4:00 opening headed first to the bar where they have an extensive happy hour menu (no entrees in bar) to have their discounted apps first and then head to eat in dining room. As happy hours prices did not apply in dining room. It certainly encourages the bar to fill up early. read more

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It isn't easy to get to the ocean when you live in a desert, but Scottsdale can bring the ocean to you. It's an unbelievably delicious experience and a proper seafood restaurant that makes you feel like you live in a coastal town. It has a groovy basement setting and throwback supperclub vibe that's great for dinner with pals, date night, or treating yourself to a seafood smorgasbord when you're sad and lonely and in need of your favorite comfort food (not spoken from personal experience, really, not me). The bar is cozy but comfortable and comforting. Definitely worth going early and having a drink or two before dining. Especially if you're dining alone and want to forget about your nasty divorce and having to move out of the dreamhouse that you bought and cherish (again, obviously not spoken from personal experience...I'm just spitballing why someone might be sitting at the bar alone). The service is great and actually my recent visit here was some of the best service I've had in Scottsdale ever as the whole staff was friendly and helpful. But, while the service and the vibe are great, the food is definitely the star. I had the Halibut Ceviche which I'd highly recommend as an alternative to a shrimp cocktail. I also had the Maryland soft shell crabs, which were exquisite. They're seasonal (something like May through October), so If you're at the Salt Cellar while you can get them, don't skimp on an extra appetizer you skinflint. You can't go wrong with any of the entrees, but I had the enormous three pound baked stuffed lobster. It's a whole lobster that's stuffed with shellfish and a baked with a buttered cracker crust. Imagine if your Thanksgiving Turkey was a lobster! Now, imagine if your mother-in-law never came to visit ever again. Happy, aren't you?!? And trust me, you will be happy if you have dinner at the Salt Cellar. And if you see a lonely guy at the bar, buy him a drink. read more

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MAN! This place has been practically in our backyard and we've never been!? WTH! Went for hubbys birthday and it was outstanding! I think there was something wrong with the a/c that evening though cause it was hot inside. We ordered a lot - Appeys: Oysters for the teen and I. served with a mignonette sauce. Delicious! Teen wanted to try the turtle soup. He was the only one who loved it, but since he was the one that ordered it..thats all that matters! Hubs ordred the clam chowder. He thought it was delicious. We ordered some scallops for the table. they were tender and not chewy. Entrees: Me - SeaBass. Wonderfully fresh. Like salt water sea butter! :) Teen - Pan Fried Lobster. He said it was ok. I think he thought this was going to be different. he ate it, but i knew his heart wasnt in it. Hubs - Beef Wellington. He enjoyed it. Said it was savory, tender, and flavorful. Mother - Baseball Cut Top Sirloin. Said hers was tendor and flavorful. We will definitely be back! read more

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Salt Cellar is iconic! I've been going there for over 25 years! My parents would fly in town to visit me in college and we'd go to dinner there every visit. Walking down the wood stairs to dine underground is so unique. Love the large open lobster tank at the base of the stairs. Such a great restaurant that doesn't change. That's a rare find! It doesn't adapt to trends and maintains its menu. I love the escargot and I love their shrimp san remo as an appetizer. I also enjoy the san remo with the pappardelle pasta as an entree too. The flavor is delicious with the sun dried tomato, garlic, mushroom, onion, and artichoke. You definitely want bread to dip in the sauce. I like their scallops and seabass and this last time we were there had the baked stuffed lobster. Love that they crack the claws table side. Each entree comes with a salad, vegetable, and baked potato, so you will leave full. Love they give you warm towels with lemon after your seafood. I'm pretty sure Salt Cellar was the first in Scottsdale to do the "Reverse" Happy Hour, offering it again later in the evening. It's fun to come and just sit at the wood bar and order off the happy hour menu. read more

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What a fun place to come to with friends! We headed over here for a late night snack after a comedy show. This was a Sunday night so it was nice and quiet and we sat at the bar. I ordered a caramel apple tea, which was absolutely delicious. For a light snack I decided to try a bowl of New England clam chowder. It was so yummy. We also got two orders of the half a dozen clam shells. They have a tangy pomegranate topping, which was quite flavorful on of the oysters. Our bartender was very nice and attentive, and we had good conversation, the service was nice and quick and very friendly. We definitely will be back, especially for the reverse happy hour which starts at 10 PM which we barely missed but for next time , we'll definitely take advantage of it! read more

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Ive been wanting to come here since I was a kid. That's over 40 years, lol... So I met up with some friends at the bar for happy hour one Saturday. The prices were decent, the staff was friendly, and my food tasted good. I didn't realize until I got there that the bar was a limited menu. I'll need to stop in again for dinner. read more

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What a cool, classy place! The whole concept of the cellar is fantastic, and the food is absolutely something to write about. I can't say I have ever had a crab cake that tasted as fresh and on point. For dinner, I enjoyed sea bass which I wholeheartedly believe was recently flown in. Our service was good, the server was accommodating and attentive, but also gave us space to enjoy our evening. I would not say this is a good place for a large group, but this definitely was a cozy, romantic evening, that also allowed us to have some exceptional drinks, and even better food. read more

Salt Cellar - Sea Bass , Baked Potato and Veggies - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

We've been coming here for 30 years Same ownership same amazing food Same attention to detail Came here for post game after ASU Football game They pour an adult pour Amazing wine list and great apps Highly recommend read more

Good service but the food is bland, bland and more bland. Bagged salad, unremarkable rolls, tasteless crab, burned steak, tasteless bass. Tea was great and cheesecake was unremarkable. Rather spent $300 elsewhere. read more

Well I see why this place only has 3 1/2 stars. We got the shrimp cocktail and it wasn't good. Reminds me of the cheap china buffet shrimp that's tasteless and the texture was weird. What a waste for 26 bucks. The wife ordered the bass fish and it was amazing but the side order steak she got with it, had almost no steak flavor and a little like liver ? My 80 dollars ribeye was just as good as any 30 to 40 dollars steak. So just a lot of over priced average food mostly. The bass was amazing. The service was really good. But I wouldn't recommend this place if you are looking for food that's a level above the average. read more

Salt Cellar - Ribeye - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Shout out to our servers, Grace and Robert! You made the experience magical. I had heard about the double chocolate espresso martinis, and as soon as I mentioned it Grace noted that it pairs beautifully with the stuffed lobster. She knew what she was talking about! Both were amazing. Robert had the most perfect timing when it came to serving each course. Robert suggested the Ahi tuna and my husband loved it. We both really enjoyed the calamari appetizer as well. This was a 5 star experience. The ambience was perfect for our romantic birthday / anniversary celebration Pics do not do it justice! read more

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Cool ambiance the chicken was over done the salad was good and the service was excellent

BEWARE! We came for happy hour for cheap drinks and small bites. Their oysters were full of black grit and made us feel queasy. The shrimp cocktail disintegrated in our mouths and tasted old. They charged us for a more expensive bottle of wine and when we pointed this out, they fixed it. Finally, as I was paying, I saw a cockroach skitter across the bar top. So gross!!! Beware expensive prices for such bad quality food! read more

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Came here (again) as we love this place. Freshest (and tastiest) seafood in AZ in IMO. Honestly Salt Cellar is top end quality and service all round. The bar has a huge selection of alcohol choices and their wine list is excellent - not huge but very well selected for its accompaniment for seafood. The King Crab legs always are a go too and the staff do all the hard work for you, which is awesome - they do a far better job than I ever would! Being underground, the surroundings are cosy and quiet, it's not noisy at all, even during happy hours at the bar. I frequently get the San Remo Shrimp, which is a favourite of mine. We (3) had a spectacular meal - Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, San Remo Shrimp, Mesquite Grilled Sea Scallops and the King Salmon. We decided to just split a dessert 3-ways which was a great choice as we were absolutely full after the main meal! If you're after a high end seafood experience, Salt Cellar is one destination that you should not miss. read more

We came in for our 20 year wedding anniversary!! we were able to get seated a bit earlier than our reservation time on a Wednesday night. Drinks and the appetizers of oysters, and the ceviche were so delicious!!! The rolls they give out were super dry and somewhat stale. one bite , and done. not worth filling up on that. our meals were pretty good, and i liked the table side lobster cracking. my pan fried fish with the thai sauce was ok. both that great honestly, and the cucumber sauce salmon is what i really wanted but couldn't for dairy reasons. we were given a complimentary dessert, but again, there was nothing i could eat, so my husband enjoyed the carrot cake. fun vibe, and kool place!! read more

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We've been coming here once a year for our anniversary for 15 years or so but decided to choose this place for my birthday in Nov. our server, Scott, just didn't seem to have the charm or care in the world being there, it seemed. I decided to order the lobster for the first time there and excited to try it and melt in my mouth! Wrong. It was so rubbery and hard to chew as if it were frozen then overcooked. I mentioned it to him and he asked if I wanted another one! No thank you! I was embarrassed to even mention ton anything, I just dealt w it and ate the overpriced baked potato and vegetables. This experience was meh. Disappointing as the meals aren't cheap. Maybe offer another meat replacement not another lobster! So weird! He said he'd give us a free dessert! Big whoop. Not a dessert person as is but, contemplating on ever going back. Sorry Salt Cellar, experience wasn't that great this time. read more

Bomb food. What a great experience we had. Shrimp was fire. Dirties were delish. Service was top notch. Will definitely be back.

This place was recommended when I first moved to Az 5 yrs ago and I just now got around to going on 3/28. The service was amazing but I felt the food was mediocre. I had the stuffed baked lobster, the lobster was tough and chewy, we ordered their famous Beef Wellington and it had no flavor, and the beef was chewy. My wife had the Filet Mignon, and she enjoyed it. The Dbl chocolate espresso martini is delicious. I will say the portions are large so you are getting enough food. Make sure you have a device that has a flashlight because the lighting is not sufficient to read the menu, but it does create a nice ambiance. The menu is extensive, many choices so I am sure you will find something to your liking. Overall it was a nice visit, and a bit pricey for the quality. read more

We celebrated my husband's 65th birthday at the Salt Cellar last night. Everyone loved the Ambiance of the whole place. Our food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS and the service was excellent from our server, Sydney, to the bartender Toni. We enjoyed the Halibut, Fried Lobster, and the Petite Filet. All was Very good! We will definitely go back to the Salt Cellar for another great dining experience read more

Salt Cellar - Sydney, our Wonderful server! - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Our server was so sweet and helpful with menu. Attentive and efficient with drinks, bread and getting our food out when it was busy. Pan fried lobster was hands down my favorite! Get some oyster shooters on the side read more

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I literally had the best birthday ever. We started with the scallops and the escargot, super yum. They were kind enough to make me a virgin pina colada also yum (being pregnant and all!) then we both ordered the baked stuffed lobster. Sooooooo delicious! Melt in your mouth good. Even the baked potato was amazing! Angela was the absolute sweetest and best and made us feel right at ease!! Cracking our lobster like a pro! The ambiance was amazing, the best candle lit dinner I have probably ever had. The place isn't super big so make sure you make a reservation! The manager was very kind when my whole party didn't show up. 20/10! We will definitely be back. Oh! Also my birthday dessert was so good. Snickers cheesecake! Yum. Portions were huge we definitely brought some home. Thank you Salt Cellar for making my birthday memorable! read more

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Sydney and Grace were our servers, gracious and knowledgeable. Our food choices include: New England clam chowder Filet Mignon Stuffed lobster Ribeye Snickers Cheesecake Also the drink selections are: Long Island Iced Tea Kilt Lifter beer Captain Morgan and Coke Ambiance? Extraordinary as usual, although one of our party did get overheated, so the temperature was lowered, of course. All in all, I'll keep coming back until the place says "you're not admitted" lol read more

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I love coming here for date night!! It's so fun going down underground for a dinner experience which is absolutely lovely. There aren't many tables so it's limited amount of people; keeping things exclusive and intimate. It's not loud or overly quiet and has very cozy old fancy restaurant vibes! The food is divine and service is always perfect! I love their drink selection and wine pairings! read more

This is my third time back to Salt Cellar. I love oysters and they do an OUTSTANDING job! read more

Salt Cellar - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

An old favorite of mine. I've been coming here since 2003. When you get here it looks like a small almost shack about 10 x 10 but when you enter the door you immediately go down several stairs...it's an old salt cellar. Once you hit the bottom it's a beautiful bar and restaurant. Had dinner with friends tonight. Our servers name was Robert....the guy was absolutely wonderful.....making recommendations and his knowledge of the entire menu was outstanding. Robert is next level customer service....it was just a great meal. We had Lobster, Scallops, Beef Wellington, Oysters on the half shell, Oysters Rockefeller...each was amazing. The food here is great and always has been...not sure why some reviews are poor.....don't let that stop you from visiting this gem. The bar is seriously cool...we had some drinks before dinner and we just enjoyed our time here. It's truly an iconic place with a terrific staff. Shout out to Robert for making it a memorable experience. If you find yourself in Scottsdale Arizona book it....you will love it! read more

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March 14th my wife and I plus a friend of ours decided to celebrate two of our birthdays at the Salt Cellar since it's been about a year since we last celebrated here. Scott was our server. We had so much fun!! We made it easy and decided on the Mesquite grilled scallops in sherry and cream sauce. For appetizers we went with the sautéed shrimp San remos and the oysters on the half shell. Everything was cooked to perfection!! So delicious!! Then we shared the snickers cheese cake. Yummm!! The only negative I have is that we were charged for the entree level of $55.00 instead of the appetizer level of $26.00 for the sautéed shrimp San Remos. Mistakes do happen and I should have caught the mistake before we paid. My bad! lol!! And since it was two of our birthdays I was actually hoping for maybe a comped dessert? But, no worries as we will definitely be back! Thank you Scott! We had a blast!! __ Ron Glendy read more

I haven't been here in a while, but that's no matter; it's always great. It is the best seafood in the Valley. The service is impeccable, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the food is delicious. Had the scallops and lobster for dinner, oysters for appetizer, and some chocolate cake for dessert. Simple, good food. I will be back, because it's really good. read more

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One of the best go to Reverse Happy Hours around town. Always great service and food!

We had the best dinner here last Sunday evening. I love the feel of this little underground restaurant. They have their own parking lot with lots of parking spots. The restaurant is not fancy but you immediately feel comfortable. Chuck was our server and he was very friendly and informative. We went with his recommendation on most of our orders. We started with Oysters and Sautéed Shrimp San Remo for appetizers- both were beyond our expectations. The sauce on the Shrimp was heavenly- don't let them take the dish away until it is all gone! It's so good. Prices aren't cheap as it is fresh fish, but dinners come with buns, a nice sized salad plus a choice of potatoes or rice and a veggie. For dinner I ordered the Sea Bass. It was buttery and tender and came with rice and a nice portion of carrots. One of my two dinner mates had the crab legs, heftily priced at $130 but delicious and large with a ton of crab meat. This was my other dinner mates first time ordering lobster and this really is the perfect spot to do it. When Chuck brought the Baked Stuffed Lobster to the table he cracked open the lobster and made it ready to eat for her. He also cracked the crab legs! Chuck was so helpful showing her how to get it all out. The stuffed part of the lobster was crazy- we all had to try it- it was just perfect with lots inside including big shrimp. Dinner was delicious and we ended it with a scrumptious piece of carrot cake that Chuck brought us for our little celebration. We will be back! read more

Salt Cellar - Seafood Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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Salt Cellar screams nostalgia. It's a staple in South Scottsdale, where families have been going for decades (and the decor feels it). One of my first dates in college was at the Salt Cellar, and I remember being nervous and expecting an amazing food experience. At that time, I hadn't traveled much to know what good seafood is, but even at the time, it felt questionable. So, I never went back, at least not until now. It was my partner's birthday. We've been going on a ton of food adventures, but he had never been to Salt Cellar and wanted to give it a go. From the outside, it looks like a random door protruding from the desert. Upon entering, the entry is not much cooler than the outside, and my nostrils were assaulted by a fishy smell. We were told to wait by the bar until the main dining area opened and the bar was packed, which made me think that maybe my impression is wrong. Nope. My impression was right. I ordered a Moscow Mule, and it was pure alcohol. My partner had never had escargot, so we decided to order it. The butter sauce tasted like bitter greens, which ruined the escargot. Usually, I love to run my bread through the sauce that covers escargot, but the sauce was so unenjoyable that after one bite, I was done. The shrimp cocktail was just okay. The sauce was mostly horseradish. The Chilean Sea Bass I ordered was plated in 1970's fashion (basically just placed on the plate with no rhyme or reason). It looked like it had a good sear, which can be hard to accomplish, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt. With my first bite, my mouth felt like it was flooding with water. So either the fish had been frozen and the website lied about fresh fish flown in daily, or the fish was injected with water to make it weigh more. Either way, the fish had absolutely no flavor. My partner ordered a seafood pasta, and biting into the seafood did the same thing, and to top it off, the sauce had no flavor. Despite it being his birthday, we grabbed the check without dessert and left our plates almost untouched. If you want seafood in the valley, there are a plethora of other places that have better quality and exciting flavors. read more

My wife loves the crab legs here. We've spent three or four birthday dinners here and the service is always great. Filets mignons are done well. The tables are just too close together. You can unwillingly overhear everyone's disturbing conversations. read more

So, I had to lower the score. I checked other Yelp comments and the restaurant only responds to positive feedback. Wasn't looking to get anything from them but disappointed they didn't even apologize for the poor experience. Super sad. I do however highly recommend Maestro's Ocean Club at Kierland or the one near Fashion Square Mall. Also Nobu or Maple & Ash, all 4 far exceed the service and food quality of the Salt Cellar. Well worth the price and the drive. read more

If you like an intimate setting that feels secret and elegant... find this hidden place but promise not to tell anyone..... it is already impossible to get into and worth the wait every time...... underground in the desert doesn't get more delicious... read more

Friendly service but the food was not good. We paid a ridiculous amount of money for very over cooked salmon and over cooked lobster. Tried to eat the lobster for the price we paid but it was like chewing and eating gum. Very disappointing birthday dinner. read more