Pro: The view is really beautiful. Con: As soon as I walked in I thought this restaurant needs to be on Restaurant Impossible. Very old school 1970's decor, everything looks old and worn down. Still, we wanted to give it a chance and per the suggestion of the waiter we ordered grilled fish and some mixed seafood plate. The food was honestly horrendous. It was very bland and at $30 an entree, really a disappointment. I was still starving after I finished my plate. Even more unfortunate - we're not tourists! We live in the area! And have had really delicious seafood throughout the Bay Area and esp. in SF proper. It's such a shame. read more

ordered the sea bass . charred skin presented face up .i guess to hide the goo underneath it . it was cooked to death orzo mixed with what was supposed to be lobster and prawn im guessing they were the invisible type .. then to add insult to this tasteless mix they chopped asparagus some unchewable added a tough summer squash and spinach it had no taste at all .This is the third time on three mothers day i thought i just ordered wrong every time i have been there.... last time was bay shrimp and clams so small it was hard to find the clam part . the petrale sole is a big yes my wife had it the crab appetizer what was that tasteless concoction and what do you do with it .finger food ... my brother ordered the same thing and left the orzo on the plate .. excellent views . i was in the food business for 28 years and appreciate service i give them the staff 5 stars for trying... but with a much food as i saw them throw away i would re-think my menu .. hire a chef and move on read more

Too bad there is not a negative rating! Fine customer service by our waitress, overpriced mediocre food! Yuck! Dessert was tasteless, lobster was tough and over cooked as was the steak. They only get two stars because of the nice view. The calamari was fresh and tender, but the Southwestern flavored sauce it came with was a big, fat YUCK! I would never go there again because the food was just so dissapointing for the money you pay. read more

I have a good friend who likes this place. I don't understand why and it's not worth arguing with him. Oddly he is very health conscious, but likes this place for special occasions. I went with some friends to celebrate something...and wow. Wow wow wow. What a time warp. Hadn't changed since I was a kid...and still had the same seriously unprofessional service you would expect at a Dennys. There seems to be no protocol or training for the staff because they serve food any old way, picking up from either side so you don't know which way to avoid being hit by a plate. The person who seated us walked like she was in a marathon, no grace, no calmness and then bam! Tossed our menus on our table and disappeared. The staff is not acquainted with what or how to speak to guests and just blurt out any old thing no matter how rude. I ordered a martini and forgot that martinis are also made with Gin. I tried to send it back but go so much grief over it from our extremely condescending waiter. It also came with a lecture and a bit of an argument. I finally said, "fine, I'm not really in the mood for a drink anyway" . He actually charged me $8 for the drink that I couldn't drink. I find that just a bit off no matter how idiotic it was on my part to not specify a vodka martini instead of gin. My food was so so bland and uninteresting. I was trying my best to find one nice thing to say about The Spinnaker but I couldn't. Not one inch of our experience was a pleasure. My friend on the other hand just loved his dinner. That's when I realized he hasn't eaten at a nice restaurant since the 80's and is a creature of habit so he just goes back to the restaurant with the good view. The decor needs a face lift, (ugh..it is so depressing inside) and the food...YIKES. With so manygraduates from all the cooking schools in the bay area THIS is the best you can do? It's such a second rate place, but wasn't it nice at one time? Won't go back no matter what. I also notice a lot of other bad reviews here and not one single response from management. Nothing. It says a lot... read more

First the positives. Great view of the bay. Also the view is a solemn and tranquille one rather than a busy hustling harbor such as that you would see in Monterrey. The negatives: Very low value for money. I had ordered the filet mignon and my wife had ordered the spinnaker salad. We ordered some chicken strips for our daughter. The service was super mediocre. The waitress couldn't care less about our table until the time to tip came when she said a few good words about our 2 year old daughter for obvious reasons. The food was ultra mediocre. The filet mignon lacked texture. My wife hated the salad and she's a diehard for salad. Honestly, a Denny's would have been better than this place for almost a quarter of the price that I paid. When I'm paying an hunsky and twenty for 3 entrees and 2 desserts with tip, you better rock my world with the food. The view cannot fill the gap of poor food and mediocre service. A 2 star rating just because of the value for money (or in this case, the lack thereof). read more

The Spinnaker restaurant in Sausalito has one thing going for it ....the view. The decor is mid 70's, the food is sub par at best, crab cakes were more like hush puppies with a small amount of crab ....we have had a great time in San Fran and Sausalito , so far this was the worst part . I would not recommend, or go back ... very pricey for food that should be on a buffet. read more

Yes, you can come for the dinner and lunch, but if you come for the cocktails you are certain to have a five star experience. There's no better way to experience a cocktail on the west coast than spinnakers' view of San Francisco, Alcatraz, Seals, birds, boaters and the golden gate bridge. read more

Of course the view was astonishingly beautiful, it would be worth it even if the meal had not been so enjoyable. I took my Mom there who was visiting form San Diego and she had as yet not been to Sausalito. She absolutely loved it. The halibut was wonderful as was the clam chowder, a bit salty but sooo flavorful and full of clams. Of course I don't eat a lot of salt so soups usually do taste salty to me. The service was good and the food came out at a good speed. The dessert was good too. We had chocolate cream puffs. It was perfect for sharing. read more

GREAT view! TERRIBLE food! It amazes me that this place seems to be stuck in the early 80s as far as decor and style. Dull lighting. Spinnaker desperately needs a makeover, and a updated menu. I had the Ciapinno. Whatever shellfish were in it, the flavors were obliterated by a very tomato paste tasting broth. The seafood was tough, and maybe had been frozen? GREAt view though. read more

First off this place has amazing views & makes up for the lack of good service. I had my birthday dinner here, party of 12. The waiter didn't even introduce himself, I don't think I ever got the name. They rushed us through our whole time there. When I asked our waiter for a favor, he sighed very loudly & hesitantly asked me what it was. I wanted a group pic of the table & he told me the pics don't turn out good! You know what?! Let me be the judge of that. Seriously, the service here was HORRIBLE. Most of us liked our food, it's so-so to pretty good. But again, I think what keeps this place in business is the view! It's breathtakingly beautiful. read more

We returned to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. They had been here 25 years before. Let's just say that nothing has changed. I mean nothing. Besides the sentimental value of reliving a great memory (hence the one star), please opt for another option! read more

This has been one of our favorite special occasion go to places. Well, tonight it fell off the list. Slow slow slow service, over 2 hours and it wasn't that busy. We were celebrating my father in laws 91st birthday and they actually charged us for his dessert! ,And, only one dessert was ordered. Bad business and they lost ours. read more

Two stars for the view and the friendly waiters. Food was definitely subpar. It's unfortunate. With a little love to the restaurant itself and the food, this place would be a class act! read more

What a horrible experience!!! It was my boyfriend's birthday and it was a disaster! We got there and were promptly seated but I'm sure it helped that I made a reservation that specifically stated that this was a birthday dinner. The server was clueless but nice. We ordered our appetizer (crab cakes) which was nothing special but at least it was edible. When we got our dinner I was totally disappointed! I ordered prawns and ny steak- the prawns were tiny and the sauce was bland. The steak which I ordered medium rare was served medium to medium well-Which is a sin where I come from! lol:) My boyfriend ordered a fish dish-it was super bland!!! Long story short-I sent my dinner back and didn't want a replacement I just wanted the check. My boyfriend's dinner was so bland that between the 2 of us we didn't even finish it! I think the thing that upset me the most was how the manager responded, she must have been the owners wife or something because she had no business being a restaurant manager! I paid the check(they did comp my entree) the bill was $49.81 and I left $57.00 which for horrible service and food I'd say was more than generous-just imagine how well I tip when the service and food is descent! So...as we were walking out, we walked right by the manager and she just ignored us...she didn't say thank you, or apologize.She didn't say come back and see us again, have a good night....nothing!!!She just ignored us and looked away. Horrible customer service!!! The only thing worth coming for is the view! I will never go back! read more

We had an awful meal! I had bouillabaisse. The sauce tasted like a can of Campbell's soup. We sent the seafood starter back.The waiter was inattentive and was in dire need of a shave ! It was my second really bad but expensive meal at spinnaker. This place has gone downhill. read more

Views, foods, design, service....anything else? Nothing too special, but it's really hard to complain. The valet parking is better and probably cheaper than the parking lot. Nice place to hang out with friends and family for a lazy afternoon. Remember to make the reservation tho; otherwise, you have to be waiting for a long time. read more

As part of a party of 8, and wanting to experience New Years eve at The Spinnaker, reservations were made months in advance. Upon arriving at the restaurant at the appointed time, we were checked in and began the wait for a table. The reservation was at 9:00pm and we were finally seated at 9:40pm. This was only the beginning of what I would classify as poor overall quality. Once seated and not to go into great detail, our meals were served 1 hour and 20 minutes after being seated (11:00pm). Although salads and soups were served prior to the main meal, my wife's salad (butter leaf) looked "old". To the degree that she would not eat it. Concerning the main meal, made up of three components, were (1) grilled fish (excellent), (2) vegies (ok but only warm in temp) and (3) mashed potatoes (poor and cold). Although the waitress indicated that she would replace the potatoes with a big hot bowl, she came back and said that the cooks had gone home. Instead she supplied the table with one desert for four of us who had cold potatoes. I need to mention that the organizer of group had spent the prior years on New Years eve at this restaurant. She indicated that she had not experienced this type of service before. Of course she was very embarrassed. As for myself, I have spent many a quality meal all over the world, and find that The Spinnakers view, which is magnificent is the only reason to visit this facility. I would suggest perhaps a drink at the bar at sunset, but leave to a different restaurant to have your meal. Suggestions for the restaurant 1.Clean up your reservation system. Nobody should have to wait more than 5 minutes past there reservation time, that is why one makes a reservation. If a group is not there on time, shame on them and open the table up for others. 2.Ensure that meals are delivered within 15 minutes after be taken by the wait-person. Also ensure they are hot. As for the future? There are many great restaurants in the San Francisco area. I will not waste my time in the future at The Spinnaker. read more

The service is really good, the food is terrible. Two stars for the service only. If you do go order the Sole. Otherwise inedible.

Was in Sausalito for lunch and decided to go to The Spinnaker for the view. Yelp ratings weren't the best but the view is what we thought most people go for. We were wrong. We had a Crab Louie salad that was one of the best we have had anywhere. If you like a Crab Louie where the crab is actually the meal and not something that just flavors the lettuce, then this is the restaurant for you. Service was also excellent. Look forward to going back to try other dishes. read more

Great service. Unbeatable views of Sausalito, San Francisco and the Bay. Great wine selection. Beautiful presentation on excellently prepared food. Very nice balance of flavors in the dishes. read more

this is by no means a review on their food. my friend and I felt cold after finishing huge scoops of ice cream on a windy afternoon, so we hunted down a place for hot tea and landed at The Spinnaker! definitely NOT cheap, we had 2 cups of black teas + 1 piece of tiramisu (nothing special), and it came out to be around $15. but the oceanfront view was totally worth it, I imagine having dinner here for a special occasion would be memorable :) would love to return in the future for REAL FOOD! read more

Its right on the water in Sausalito, its a good place for a formal dinner. Highly recommend the dungeness crab, one of the better seafood places I have been to. Don't go for the valet parking, you can find street parking right next to the restaurant. read more

One of my earliest memories is coming to the Spinnaker, all dressed up, for special meals with my grandmother. While the adults ordered cocktails, our server concocted a 'handball' for my brother and I - 7up, orange juice and grenadine - so we could feel more grownup. It was a place for special occasions and special guests, where the seafood was consistently good, and the service warm and inviting. Flash forward 25 years, and I'm crossing the threshold again, with a dear friend and mentor in town for a visit. Everything seems exactly the same, only smaller. We sit and have drinks in the same lounge, looking out on the rocks I used to climb on after dinner, when we kids got antsy before my parents were finished with their meal. We take one of the few tables by the window left at 5pm, and our server greets us with the same warm familiarity I remember. In fact, he's made friends at all the tables, so we don't mind waiting a little bit because the attention is so personalized. That same warm, ultra sourdough bread comes out, with the little pats of salty butter in the same chilled shell-shaped metal dishes. I order bouillabaise, which comes with their otherworldly garlic bread, and she gets the halibut on the chef's menu - perfectly grilled over mushroom risotto with balsamic-glazed tomatoes and mozzarella. Heaven. We use way too much bread to sop up every last bit on our plates in lieu of licking them clean. We watch the sailboats head out for their sunset cruise while I sip my decaf and feel for the the brush of my gram's fingertips on my hand, hear her whisper in my ear. As we leave, we pass a young twenty-something couple on their way in, on an early-relationship date. A new tradition just starting, as mine has come full circle. I hope it never changes. read more

Yes, the views are fantastic. The seafood is also great. It is our "go to" spot for fresh seafood even though we live 15 miles further north. read more

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. My friend and I were looking for a great lunch place but every place had a long wait...excepf for The Spinnaker. I thought it was because the restaurant was huge. I think I know the real reason. When we walked in I noticed the place had that 'old house' smell (I thought resto's were supposed to smell like food?). We were seated at the window and got a spectacular view of the city. From here it all went down hill. The menu looked like they had last updated it in the 70's, along with the carpet and the wait staff uniforms. The food came out promptly but the rather cold waiter dropped our plates on the table, poured water and left before we could ask for anything. I know lots of folks go here because they are tourists, or senior citizens, but seriously, the menu isn't bright and inviting and the view isn't enough to make anyone with any sort of palate return...but then, some people really will eat anything. I don't understand many of the other reviews that say the food was ho-hum or so so, or even less then average and then give this restaurant 3 stars. Folks...that's average...really? I know I won't waste my money here, instead, I will wait in line and go to a place where the fish is fresh, service is good, and the menu is not dated. read more

The view is magnificent. The food is startlingly mediocre. The average age of the people here is about 68 (which I actually enjoy). So if you've got family in from out of town who are pushing 70, with sharp vision and dulled taste buds, this is your place. Otherwise, there's no shortage of better restaurants around. read more

If I could....I would not have given them any stars. This was my second trip here, the first time hardly anyone was in there so I figured I would get the better treatment seeing as there is no competition....WRONG!!! Our waiter was so unbelievably rude and condescending! We ordered the lobster tail, and before I could get the rest of my order out he smirks and tells me "It's $50 a plate" Excuse me?! I couldn't believe that came out of his mouth! Because I wasn't in Gucci attire and wearing a ring that could sink a ship he assumed this? Big mistake buddy, I brushed it off went about our meal and hoped for a better outcome. Wrong again, he hardly stopped by the table and when he did he was so rude it was uncomfortable. Terrible service! I didn't even want to tip the jerk but manners seem to get the better of me. Second time, I thought okay it should be better as it was around dinner time and a weekend. Wrong again! Like people below have mentioned, the waiter was more attentive to the people surrounding us flashing their money and talking about the yachts they own. Never once was my drink refilled, was I asked if I needed anything else, and my husband literally had to yell to get the guys attention....mind you every time he had to walk to one of the other tables to chat with the high class customers...he had to pass us. I even tried to wave down another waiter and he simply looked at me and looked away. I was so furious it took all of my strength to not say something to the manager at the time. To top it off, when we left he took our plates that weren't nearly finished and tossed it. Didn't even ask if we would like it to go. I was furious! Now I have spent over $100 for each of my two lousy visits. What they fail to realize is I come from a family that owns a European car shop in San Francisco as well as a European mechanical shop, My mother is a Broker my Father a Lawyer, I'm also a Financial Advisor for Kaiser. So money....I have plenty of but I do not wear it on my sleeve because I am no better then anyone else. So unless you intend on showing up looking like you own half of the world, don't expect anything but less than horrible service! Sadly, this place has lost a TON of clientele between my acquaintances and those of the family business. I will make it well known to everyone to never step place in this place as long as I can help it. read more

The view is 5 Stars. I did not find much else to recommend the place. The hostess was missing in action for about ten minutes as the line to be greeted and seated grew. Our mature server, who I expected to have some finesse, was aloof and didn't bother to go through the specials, just a blunt "Do you know what you want?" She proceeded to bring me crab cakes instead of the crab quesadilla I'd ordered, then tried to convince me to keep the crab cakes anyway. The decor is drab and very dated. I could have overlooked that if the food wasn't so lackluster and the service disinterested in customer service. Would not recommend. read more

Views are spectacular! Had a wonderful lunch here. Clam Chowder was delicious. Good service

Horrible service. Forgets our order after 45 minutes of waiting. Not worth even a penny. What a joke.

We were in visiting from NY and were lucky enough to stop here..The food was spot on and the service excellent...

Valet parking, off the beaten path. Great views of the bay. Went here after parking somewhere else and walking the stores during lunch. Smallish dining area, they really pack tables and people in there so it's tight. The restaurant basically sits out over the water. Okay food, nothing spectacular. I got Angel Hair Seafood Pasta. It came with shrimp, scallops and clams. Pricey as expected (about $15). Service was good, though our waitress ended up messing our order up and brought the wrong menu item out. A place that is past it's prime, only in existence because of it's location. read more

My son and his girlfriend were in from the east coast, and we wanted a day in Sausalito. The Spinnaker is sort of centrally located relative to the shopping district, and down by the water, so we walked in. I think it's safe to say The Spinnaker is mostly view. The food was ok. The service was ok. The ambiance inside was really lacking - if you have certain expectations of decor related to ticket price.... which I do. ;) The Spinnaker has what I consider a pretty impressive wine list, and I found a nice buttery red wine by the glass - though the better wine selections were by the bottle. The seared scallops I chose compelled all the forks at the table ;), but my son and his lovely were pleased with their meals. We did marvel at the assortment of lovely sailing vessels that passed by us as we ate. The panorama of sometimes crashing, sometimes lapping sea does add to a sense of contentment or luxury, I guess. It is fun to watch seals and birds frolic while you enjoy conversation and a nice glass of wine. For out-of-town guests, I suppose this is a nice "Hey, you're in California" experience - although we had better. (see Sam's Chowder House;) ) read more

Slow service and they charge for soda refills- great view though and the food is decent.

I love to take out of town guests here. It's hard to beat the view (on a pier over the bay looking out at SF and Angel Island), but the food is delicious too. I admit it can be a little hit or miss, but generally speaking the food is delicious. A perfect Marin/SF experience. read more

Gorgeous view, friendly service, good drinks, good appetizers. I'd definitely visit again when I'm in SF. Per my Mom the decor hasn't changed in 30 years but you forget about that after sitting in front of the beautiful view! read more

Eight of us took the Ferry from SF for lunch on a typical San Francisco day: a bit foggy in the morning, gorgeous in the afternoon. We had a window table and great service from Gary, an old pro, who made us feel relaxed and comfortable. It has been 30 years since I dined here and my memory of that occasion was nice but uneventual. I had the halibut (requested med-raw) saute with mushrooms, accompanied by perfectly fluffy rice, and lightly sauteed vegies. Everyone was very pleased with each dish. We celebrated my birthday; the GG Bridge's birthday, and welcomed a marvelous visitor from France who spent the day with us. The entire outing was a great success, and yes, this old standby with the lovely view is turning out terrific seafood these days. read more

Only giving three stars because of our server RICARDO. If it weren't for him I would give this restaurant zero stars. Manger at the front seating people was not welcoming or warm at all. Once we were sat, we waited 20 minutes to be greeted. Only were given attention because I finally grabbed a waiter. Crab potstickers were disgusting and dry. Patrale fish was nothing special, bland with no flavor. Penne pasta with seafood had no sauce and the shrimp had poop still attached. Thank goodness for our server or we would have walked out. Will not be back. But if you do happen to go, ask for Ricardo. read more

This old school classic restaurant is a family favorite. The location is amazing food is great and valet parking is a must in Sausalito. If you want to go and have a crab salad for lunch, eggs Benedict for brunch or a pasta/ seafood dinner you've hit the mother load here!!!!! read more

We used The Spinnaker as our wedding reception venue and we were blown away by the amazing staff and service! Bill, the special events coordinator, did an OUTSTANDING job! He is easy to work with, patient, kind, and a pro when it comes to event organization! I highly recommend The Spinnaker for an event space. Not to mention, the food was delicious, and the views and deck area are amazing! read more