There's not much in downtown Fairbanks, so we took a chance. The owner came out and invited us in. It was 75 degrees and a cold Alaskan beer sounded good. The mugs were cold and frosty. After a few minutes we decided to split the king crab sandwich and salad. It was good, not great 2 beers 8 each, sandwich and 2 sides of salad 49.00. Yup a bit high but you are in Alaska. I wouldn't come here again, but if you needed lunch downtown it will definitely work. read more

Famous chowder was a disappointment. Very little clams even after sending it back. Couldn't taste the crab in the crab sandwich. Too much crust. read more

Very, very strange experience, standing on the street in Fairbanks at 1:30 in the afternoon, glancing at the menu---the owner of the establishment came out to greet us and invite us in, he was rather loud and overwhelming. Upon entering, there was only one other table of very loud happy patrons. When we broke loose from the owner, we checked out the menu to find sandwiches and burgers at $25.00+ each!!! Couldn't get out fast enough. He was very vocal to bash the crepes place around the corner--- read more

Selected this place since the menu had more seafood options compared to other nearby restaurants. Enjoyed the King Crab Burger! It was delicious with good flavors. This is a very casual place with a friendly owner. Service was prompt and attentive. read more

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The owner was a true family man and made you feel like part of the family having lunch together! The burgers were good size and matched the bun size perfectly...I took a star off as the middle was a bit more rare than I prefer. I should have specified well done. The fries were crinkle cut and cooked to perfection-light brown and crunchy. I would recommend eating here for a fast and filling lunch read more

Interesting atmosphere and I liked the history that the owner talked about but. We only saw our server once. Waiting 20 minutes to get our check and to pay. And the food was a solid 2. King crab burger $28 and seemed to be a prefab frozen patty. Not what I would expect from a place that's been there for so long. Not. A good way to end our trip. We had amazing food in alaska and some of the best chowder. This chowder was really really not good. Other than all that it was fine. ;) read more

The staff was really friendly. I ordered the Cobb salad and for 19.00 I expected it to be a little more substantial, two slices of tomato, a cup of iceberg lettuce, Tbsp of avocado and bacon and half of a chicken breast. The real reason to come in would be the decor. The place is a little bit of a museum filled with fun memorabilia from the golden heart's heyday. It's cute and quaint. read more

Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant - Cobb salad - Burgers Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Tasty food and ice cold beer. Service was great and ambiance of old Fairbanks made it a great spot for our meal

This place was Awesome ! The owner Nick was a true gentleman and informative with his stories of Alaska and the people who've frequented his restaurant. The service was great and the food was delicious as the Reindeer Sausage was Off The Hook !! This place is a must stop if you're in Fairbanks .......... Frank D Zelienople PA read more

Locally owned and operated with lots of history of the area dating back to tye gold rush. The king crab burger was basic but good!

Great service! Sophie was our server and she was awesome and very attentive. The owner super nice and walk us through his restaurant/museum. We had the halibut and crabcake burger. All were cooked perfectly. Highly recommend going there if you are in Fairbanks, The restaurant itself is like a museum of Alaskan history. read more

Ate here during Midnight Sun Festival. With 2 entrees and ONE glass of wine, spent $70! Alaskan King Crab Burger" was ho-hum. Could have been any kind of crab, very mediocre. "Reindeer Sausage"...menu described it as a split link on a bed of sauerkraut "WITH ALL THE FIXINS!" What we got was a nondescript sausage that did not taste like reindeer (beef maybe?) on a supermarket hot dog bun with a thin strip of cold sauerkraut. Not a single "fixin'"! Not even a condiment! And the side "salads" were just sad tiny little bowls of mixed greens. The balsamic "dressing" was a bottle of Pompeian supermarket vinegar! The waitress was bored and distracted, didn't seem concerned that I was appalled with my sausage. She came back with more sauerkraut and a bottle of mustard! SEVENTY DOLLARS, people!!! STAY AWAY. read more

Terrible place to eat. We were on a tour, and most places were closed. We ended up at Soapys because the line at Crepery was 15-20 deep. We should have waited in line. The service at Soapys was terrible, and the food didn't make up for the lack of attention. After a 15-minute wait to be seated, the waiter took more than 10 minutes before coming to take our order. We ordered water with lemon to drink. Our water was served without lemon, and I had to ask the waiter on 4 separate occasions for lemon. Our lunch took another 30 minutes for our lunch. We ordered Fried Cod, a Cheeseburger, a Reuben, and a Grilled Chicken sandwich. The cod was previously frozen and came out of a box, and the salad was very plain with a few wilted leaves. The grilled chicken sandwich was dry, and the fries were still cold in the center from previously being frozen. The Reuben was lacking protein also with the same cold fries. The cheeseburger was bland and lacked flavor. The waiter never came by to check on us, and I had to get up and look for ketchup. Even after that, the waiter didn't come by. The only time we saw him again was when he bought us our bill. When I went to the counter to pay, I was surprised to see that there was a 3% credit card fee. When I asked about this fee, and told them that it wasn't posted anywhere, I was told the waiter should have told us. This restaurant needs a completely new manager, cooks, and staff. The price point does not match up to the food quality or customer service. read more

I was told I needed to try this place, but it closes before I get off work. Today I got off a little early and seen the open sign was on. I came in and asked if I was too late. The owner gracefully said we are open for you. Very pleasant experience. Owner was a very nice man. I had their Alaskan king crab burger. It was pretty dang good. I am hoping to be able to try everything on his menu now. Thank you Nick for allowing me to enjoy a great experience. read more

This is definitely a "one-time visit" tourist spot. Our tour guide kind of warned us that the service can be slow; but since it was an iconic place, it looked interesting, and we were tourists; we decided to give it a try. The "owner" is the host, and the minute we poked our heads inside, unsure if we even wanted to eat here, he had us walking to a table. He was spouting off all kinds of colorful stories, "mom had 13 kids," "she had the hardest job of all," "granddad the governor," "here's a photo of my dad," and so on. We actually heard those lines each time new customers walked in and we heard another couple say, "I guess this means we're eating here,?" In a humorous tone as the owner seated them briskly too, without them making that decision on their own. There are old photos and memorabilia all around. It was fun to see things like moose antlers, an old musher's sled, (the owner insisted I get on it,) and lots of old signs and photos. A waiter approached quickly because it was fairly empty on a Wednesday. Since we heard the service could be slow, we ordered quickly. I ordered the "Klondike" which was turkey, bacon, and cheddar on sourdough. My husband ordered the crab burger, a specialty, both came with fries. The waiter didn't seem to know what the "Klondike" was so I showed it to him on the menu. He was pleasant, got us our drinks quickly, and brought us waters upon request. The "Klondike" was good, but not as good as it had sounded. The turkey was a tad dry, and I don't think it was actually sourdough bread. Fries were good though. My husband said the crab burger was quite tasty, but looked like it may have come frozen/premade because of its perfect shape. He liked the fries too. As the restaurant started to fill up people were seated pretty close to us on both sides. The waiter was starting to get overwhelmed, and the owner announced to all the diners that they only had 1 waiter, and he was going to step in and take orders; however he spent most of his time repeating the same loud stories to everyone around. (He's quite a character.). He also suggested everyone order from the express menu, but it was too late for me since I'd already ordered. My food came out in a normal amount of time, but it did take a really long time to get our bill. (Others who came in after us were gone before we got our bill.). We left cash on the table with enough for a tip because we figured it would be a really long time if we needed to use a credit card or get change. Soapy Smith's is definitely a very interesting place but definitely somewhere you only need to visit once. (But if you poke your head in for even a second; the owner will have you seated before you know it!) read more

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Good Food and wonderful service . If you want the small town feeling . Swing on by and hear the family story read more

Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant - King Crab Burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Worst clam chowder ever. Had to hunt for the clams. Should be called watery potatoe and celery soup

Nothing special. Had the crab burger and the clam chowder. Bland and not a lot of substance Would not recommend.

Service was Great! I had the Big Crab cake Sandwich. It was very good. When I was there the ambiance was great too.

just had lunch today , thought no one could need up a salad , wrong. Had oil and vinega, oil rancid , bad !!! waiting for 45 minutes to get drinks. wife had soup, took one bite and couldn't eat it. No service to even complain. NOT GOOD!!!!!! read more

Man, it's tough to do this, but I must. Service: 5+ stars Our waiter was funny, sweet, quirky, and charming. Super nice guy, packed with local knowledge and general concern. Ambiance: 4 stars Great, authentic, old-timey Alaska feel. Lots of old stuff on the walls to gawk at. Food: 1.5 stars Very plain, very pedestrian, and very expensive. Both of our meals tasted like they were frozen and then re-heated in a microwave. My ribs and my corn had "cold spots" in them. So did my dining partner's veggies. Very unimpressive (though not offensive) food that felt more TV dinner than dining out. Maybe we got the wrong things, but we were pretty puzzled by the Yelp reviews here. If the food were under 10 bucks it would be excusable, but for 20ish...it's unreal. Maybe folks were blinded by the exceptional service? By being on vacation in Alaska? I don't know. I probably won't be coming back though, unfortunately. read more

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A restaurant and museum all rolled into one! Lots of old photos and posters to look at while visiting and of course no meal in the winter would be complete without chicken noodle soup along with pastrami sandwiches Food was quality and our waiter was a grumpy guy who had been around a long time. He was great fun to talk to a real nice guy and great food server too! read more

Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Good service, food and very personable owner. Food menu good and facility clean. Nice place.

Very good food, great service, and very friendly staff. I did not think the prices were out of line with the rest of our trip through Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Seward. The owner was an Alaskan history nut and why not? His father was Mike Stepovich, the governor credited with Alaskan statehood. It's definitely worth a visit. read more

I had the chowder and omg I am a New Englander and it was fantastic. My girlfriend had the Klondike sandwich and she enjoyed it as well. The wait staff were friendly as was the owner. He w asked the floor inviting us to take pictures the inside is almost a museum very nice place to stop I. For a quick bite. read more

Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Really. We should have gone off the earlier reviews. A waste of $55 plus tip for one beer and two frozen fish and gross vegetable dinners. Should have known when we walked in and we were the ONLY ones in the entire restaurant on a Friday night. My gut said leave but I felt bad and decided to stay. Regrets. read more

Hubby and I almost had the place to ourselves at 7pm Saturday night when the place across the street had a wait list. Ordered overpriced fish and chips, one of the cheapest items on the menu at $19.95 and both the cod and the fries looked like they went from Safeway's freezer to their deep fryer. Tasted okay but very disappointing. Then the waiter tried to charge $24.95 and was very apologetic when I pointed out it should be $19.95. Frankly, I'd go without before going back. read more

Overpriced & Nasty. The crabcake burger tasted like a frozen, reheated patty. The salmon salad was inedible. We gave it 2 stars because the young waiters from Bulgaria were very sweet. read more

The owner and our waiter got into an argument. In the kitchen. And the owner walked out( yes that is right the owner). The food was ok read more

overpriced bad food. Halibut was comparable to frozen fish sticks. Soup was cold and tasted like Campbells soup. Owner was disrespectful to employees. read more

Nick, the owner, is very welcoming. He speaks of his family who pioneered AK. He has photos and newspaper clippings about the history. Ive cold beer, AK halibut and cod, and a king crab crabby patty burger. Dressings are homemade. Warm, welcoming family restaurant. Nick makes the difference. read more

Really liked the decor over there. A lot of old photos and posters - feels historic and culture. Food was okay. We got sandwiches and chowder. read more

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I saw this restaurant from my window at the Spring Hill Suites (it is located directly behind the hotel), and got all excited because I was hungry, the onsite restaurant was not scheduled to open until 4pm and I did not want to walk far for lunch. I found out they were closed on Sundays, which drove me cray-cray! The sign on the door said they had a great crabcake sandwich, so I decided to go back the next day. The crabcake sandwich was good, but not nearly all it was hyped up to be. There are other places in Alaska that serve better King crab cakes. The honey-battered fried chicken was good too; the portion was small, which I didn't mind because I really should be eating small portions of fried food. The small size of the chicken was also a heartening reassurance (or at least I took it to be so) that it had not been treated with steriods or growth hormones! The service is friendly and attentive. Will I be back? Hmmm... well, I have been back a couple of times and probably will be back again, just because of the convenient location in relation to the hotel I normally stay at, and I really had no complaints about the food or service; all good but not outstanding (I don't always need outstanding food every single time I am hungry; simply good food will work just fine every now and again). read more

Avoid this ripoff of a restaurant. Let me describe my meal to you: 5 lettuce leaves and ten shreds of carrot = "salad" Basic ¼ lb chicken patty (pre frozen) on a cheap sesame with a slice of tomato and a 6th lettuce leaf = sandwich Baked potato was a baked potato at least, but the fries are frozen McCains that are bombed out in the fryer until they're barely potatoes. The menu claims "best in Fairbanks". That can only be true if literally everyone else in Fairbanks uses frozen crinkle cuts. All this... for $17. Back home this meal would be about $8. I could believe $12 this far north. $16 for an unsatisfying meal one step above McDonald's. My friend paid $21 for a crab cake sandwich that underwhelmed even his modest expectations. One waiter had the whole restaurant and he was... interesting. It is what it is. Ambiance is nice. Good local beer selection (no tap). There are desserts - was not motivated to risk it. My friend said "this is the worst meal experience I've had in years." My other friend said "this is amusing..." The kicker: The bill did not match the menu for any of the prices. That made this a one star experience. Moral: don't let non-foodies choose your restaurant. read more

Great lunch experience. Just reopened post Covid and owner was a great host. Food was great and awesome service.

This place has a lot of history in it. The owner is a long time resident of Fairbanks and former State legislator. He has a lot of great stories to share. The food was pretty good. The crab burger recommendation really is good. The prime rib cheesesteak was amazing. If you're in the area, give them a try. read more

Great Service, good food and one good experience: Alaskan Crab cake was delicious (a lil oily though) Salmon Sandwich was ok - salmon was a lil dry Fries are really good They have toys for Kids/babies - loved it! read more

Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant - Alaskan Crab cake sandwich - Burgers Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Ate lunch here with my wife as recommended by the visitor center. We were looking for that local unique homemade touch. Best thing about our visit was lovely Bill who served us. I had a burger and must say it was disappointing. The meat tasted like a frozen patty that had a weird mixed beef/pork? taste. My wife had the crab cake burger and said it was ok. read more

Soapy Smith's Pioneer Restaurant - Crab cake burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Contrary to what others said: Excellent service and delicious food! We had a fresh salmon from the Copper river, a crab burger and a rhubarb pie ("a la mode"). Prices were very reasonable and our server Bill was adorable. The decor is really nice, the ambiance too :) At the end of the day this was our best lunch option during our stay in Fairbanks. Tip: try their local beer Coldfoot Pilsner read more

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Old cabin atmosphere with a historic charm gives this place its uniqueness. Friendly staff made us feel at home. They provide our toddler with toys which made it easy for us parents to enjoy our food. Loved everything about this place. I can truly say that this place is one of the kind. Must visit, especially If you want to experience Alaska in its true form. read more