You cant beat the view! Reservations are sketchy. You can make one and it will be honored- but if a walk-in hops in front of you in line... you may lose that window seat request you made when you reserved. Why? The request, even though you reserved the table ahead of time, isn't checked when when walk-ins are there. It's first come, first seated- reservation or not. Specials of the day are local and fresh. Food is average, but the view from inside brings you back- especially on a windy Bodega day. read more

Topic: The Tides Date: 4/19/26 Quality: 6/10 Value: 7/10 Service: 8/10 Timeliness: 5/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Total: 33/50 Came in for our final meal from our trip here this weekend, and it was fairly good. The service was also good, but this restaurant excels most in its location. What an outstanding view of the bay! One of our waters did have a weird cloudy substance on the top so we did not keep drinking it.. we're curious what that was! The food took about twice as long as we expected for a quick breakfast, maybe 25 minutes? Traditional Eggs Benedict (Country Potatoes): 5.5/10 Very very basic, the hollandaise tasted a little funky Tides Breakfast (Classic Breakfast, Bacon, Eggs (Medium), Country Potatoes, Sourdough Toast): 9/10 Everything here was great! I wish they had a higher quality jam to offer than smuckers when there is so much good, local jam in the area already. read more

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Got seated on a late Sunday afternoon in the main dining room. We were given a window seat as tables were available. Looked at a menu that had $24 fish tacos and $20 bowls of clam chowder. 10 minutes go by. A waiter appears and asks us if we wanted bread. We declined. In the middle of my wife informing him we were ready to order, he walks off. 15 more minutes go by. We left. read more

Lovely place , view is fantastic , service prompt and attentive . Fish dishes are fresh and tasty , warmly recommend it ! read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

First off, GORGEOUS VIEW of the bay and sunset. The decor and ambiance were giving sea. My friend and I shared the bodega bay chowder and grilled snapper. Both were good, nothing crazy. The service was a bit slow, but there also weren't that many people dining there. read more

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You really can't go wrong with The Tides Wharf Restaurant. It's open 365 days a year. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Freshly fished fish options daily (which you can also buy to cook yourself from their fantastic fish counter). Whatever happens in the world, The Tides Wharf carries on, complete with its iconic little gift-shop and local market, and its history of and many homages to Hitchcock's "The Birds, filmed here in Bodega Bay. Their menu is on brand, standard and focused on seafood.. shrimp cocktail, fish and chips, clam chowder, a burger, steak, salad, fried calamari. Breakfast is your beloved basics. Oh and they have a full bar! The bartenders and waiters all seem like they've worked here forever, whether they're young or old hahah. The Tides is all around good vibes, classic food, and classic bay views. read more

This review is for the snack bar. Completely revamped menu as of a week ago. The service was wonderful, my friend and I shared a Poké bowl and it was delicious. Good selection of local craft beers available as well. This is a great addition to this space. Now they just need a lot more signage! read more

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First time visiting bodega bay pooped into tides wharf to catch the view and be inside. We waited about 15min to be seated but got a great table. Service could have been a bit better, our server was sweet, but service was noticeably slow. We had to wait quite a while for most things, from ordering to refills. We opted to get the bbq oysters and wow they are huge! My husband had the clam chowder bowl and I had the club sandwich. All in all it was good! read more

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Great Experience at The Tides I had a really enjoyable visit to The Tides. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and the staff made the experience feel easy and pleasant. The food was fresh and flavorful, with a few standout dishes that really impressed me. The location is beautiful too -- there's something special about being so close to the water. Food is amazing and I love their crab sandwich and I tried the calamari steak for the first time! We always visit here when we miss the ocean!!! Love the Tides!!! read more

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While out cruising in the little red corvette.. stopped by the tides, they were closed but it still was fun to walk around and listen to the waves of the ones and see some of the boats. Can't believe this place is still in business.. love to go back and visit when it's open read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

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Went early (5pm) on a Thursday for dinner. I had a club sandwich, husband had a burger. Both were solid. Seated at a table by the window with a great view. Seemed like others around us were complaining for one reason or another, but we found no fault in the place. read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Club sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

I was happy to finally get a chance to visit this place on my recent trip to Northern California. We were staying in Petaluma and drove over just to visit The Tides Wharf Restaurant. My brother often vacations in the area and has been telling me about the clam chowder from here for years. He says it's the best or equal to the best he's ever had. With an endorsement like that I knew walking in the door I what I was going to order. The chowder, of course. As we approached the Take Out counter my brother says, hold up, Ima get you a sample. I told him, hey, I don't need a sample, I'm sure it's fine. He says, no, Ima get you a sample. So he does, because he's cool like that. He tells the counter guy it's my first time and asks for a sample. The counter guy cheerfully complied with the request. I wouldn't have otherwise requested a sample. I mean, I didn't even know there were samples. And get this, the sample cup was not small. Not at all. It was in fact very generous. And it was also very hot. About the temperature of fast flowing lava. So hot people down in Santa Rosa could have probably heard me yelp. Eventually it cooled off enough so I could actually taste the chowder. It did not disappoint. I was impressed by how many huge pieces of clams I was finding and how incredibly tender and delicious they were. My brother ordered a large bowl of chowder. When it was my turn I ordered a small. That was the stupidest thing I've done so far this year. What the hell was I thinking? In my defense, at the time I put in my order I was still eating the sample of chowder. The sample was actually kind of filling. I thought, yeah, I'll go with a small. When I finished my small bowl I understood just how badly I f'd up. It wasn't like I was still really hungry or anything. I was just sad that I wasn't eating that delicious chowder anymore. I kept looking at the empty bowl like staring at it was going to change something. But staring changed nothing. The empty bowl just sat there in silence staring back at me. Don't let this happen to you. When you order chowder here, be sure to order the Large. Mikey C says: and remember to protect your Oyster crackers because I will straight up steal yours when you're not paying attention. read more

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Nice view and beautiful restaurant, but if you've kept up with my reviews, I really am not a big ambiance person, I'm more interested in the food. I ordered the crab cioppino, my friends pretty much drank their dinners, lol. The cioppino was okay, I've certainly had much better in north beach in San Francisco. I expected at least a half of a crab in my cioppino bu I guess the kitchen didn't get the message, all I got was four tiny legs and the claw was not among them and not much body, a smattering of mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp and salmon but no white fish. To me it was a disappointment for the price they charged for such a tiny portion of cioppino. I told my friend, I'm gonna have to bring her to my favourite place in north beach to try their cioppino. We had Helen as our server, I must say she was excellent. We also had the calamari appetizer but ho hum in my opinion. This is a great place if you are looking for a fantastic view and a beautiful restaurant but the food leaves much to be desired. read more

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Gift shop, snack bar, restaurant, dock, they have a lot to offer. On this occasion we just got a couple of souvenirs and walked around. They have a cute little area from the movie the birds. View is beautiful. read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

Nice ambiance. Terrific view if there is no fog. Pleasant staff -- although she couldn't get many of our requests down right or answer our basic questions. We were constantly repeating ourselves when what she repeated back to us was flat out wrong. The food was decent, but the New England Clam Chowder was bomb. I was not impressed with the Halibut fish special -- dry and covered in a mango-tropical mess. The Apple Pie was good old Apple Pie a la mode. Overall, not a good value for the price. Adequate parking. read more

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As a Hitchcock stan and Baytive, The Tides Wharf Restaurant has always been on my bucket list. At last, my mom and I finally visited and dined here! watched The Birds multiple times on various platforms, and it feels surreal to visit one of its iconic filming locations. While it's no longer the same interior in the movie, there are dedicated walls of photos and signed posters (including Tippi Hedren's autograph) on display. One section of the restaurant entrance features the original restaurant scene playing on loop. (If you know, you know). My mom and I ate here for late lunch and we were immediately seated next to the window overlooking Bodega Bay. Our server Maria was very accommodating, went over the special menu items and took our orders promptly. My mom and I both shared a plate of fish and chips, while we individually ordered a Turkey Burger and a special Angel Hair pasta with shrimp. Our orders were ready in less than 10 minutes. The turkey burger was impressive because the patty was tender, not dry and not greasy. It matched well with lettuce and avocado slices. The steak fries were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. My mom enjoyed her angel hair pasta with shrimp and fresh tomatoes. The fish and chips were fresh, crispy and well paired with tartar sauce. Maria did not hesitate to check on us if we were doing okay and we were fine. She also made sure we received our needed refills for water and coffee. While this is our first time dining at The Tides, this won't be our last. On my next visit, I'd love to try their warm bread and butter. read more

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My breakfast was good and worth it! I had to try the Benedict Crab Cake breakfast, Has a lot of flavor and will fill you up even when you're starving. Plus I had it with 1 1/2 cups of coffee. Great view but slow service. read more

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I thought I would bring my kids and their friends here as a treat. Extremely overpriced, bland poorly prepared food. $28 for the worst fish and chips I've ever had. And to top it off, all of us got the worst food poisoning I have had in YEARS. We went on Tuesday, and it is currently Friday. All of us are still vomiting and unable to keep down any food. DO NOT go here. If there was a way I could drive back and demand a full refund PLUS the lost wages from days out of work, I would. read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - $28 for garbage. I don't think they have ever actually HAD fish and chips. - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

Really, really bad. I had the Calamari Steak. The breading was soggy and the calamari was mushy. Had to send it back. Crabcakes were bland, seafood pasta, also bland. The food was so bad that we cancelled the reservation for the next night at their sister restaurant. Terrible. read more

Service: Shoutout to Michelle, our waitress. She was very friendly and attentive. Ambiance: Nice location on the Bodega Bay with a nice view. Food: This is where it goes downhill unfortunately. We ordered the Calamari as a starter. It had nice flavor with a sweet chili glaze, but it was overcooked and a little chewy. My wife got the Chilled Seafood Salad. She enjoyed the portions of the shrimp and crab, but thought the lettuce leaves were too big. I went with the fish and chips. The fish was red snapper, which was very fresh and tender; but despite the batter being nice and crispy, it was bland. Ever drizzling the fish with lemon only did so much. The fries were decent tho. We finished off with a cheesecake for dessert which had some raspberry sauce. It was very good and probably the best part of the meal. Overall: I was really looking forward to visiting the Tides for the fact that the restaurant is featured in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" which is one of my all-time favorite movies. And while I give kudos for the service and location, I feel it's more of a tourist trap. $40 for a seafood salad? $30 for fish and chips? It's not so much the issue of the cost because if the quality is on point it can be well worth the experience. Plus I understand inflation plays a part too. It's jut the fish and chips left a lot to be desired due to it being bland. The quality just didn't match the price. read more

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Absolutely disgusting food, nasty sludge coffee--and even WORSE SERVICE I have 2 free breakfasts for tomorrow but we won't be back bc you couldn't pay me to eat there ever again!! RUN! read more

This review is for the Snack Bar located next to the Tides Wharf Restaurant. We were on our way home from Gualala and stopped for gas and a quick bowl of soup. There are no signs for the SNACK BAR so when you walk into the building go straight to the back and turn left after the bathrooms on the left and the SNACK BAR is nestled into the left side. There are lots of tables at the window to see where Melanie Daniels once rowed a boat across the harbor to Mitch Brenner's house SEAFOOD: Fish & Chips $13.50 (only three small pieces of fish the size of Nuggets) were OK, the fries were skinny and good and served with a cup of ketchup and tartar sauce SOUP: Clam Chowder cup was $6.50 and hot and delicious and served with oyster crackers that I love but the wifey no, "to each its own". I like to crush and stir them in for a thicker consistency. SUMMARY: We passed by the more popular restaurants because they were crowded but The Tides SNACK BAR provides a quick bite and bathroom visit, in and out quickly no waiting IN LINE. AND THAT'S THE REST OF THIS CLAMMY STORY ! FAREWELL MATEY ! read more

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Gave me food poisoning so that was fun. Tasted good but not worth the after effects...

We stopped here for lunch recently. We were disappointed not to get a window table, but there's a section of tables that are raised higher than the window tables, so our view was just as good. The service was excellent. Despite arriving at lunch time, there wasn't much of a wait. Our waiter was Ty, and he was friendly, helpful, and efficient. He definitely enhanced our experience. Someone else came by regularly and refilled our water glasses without being asked. I had the Bodega Bay Chowder, and at Ty's suggestion, I added a salad with bay shrimp. It was all very good. Spouse had fish and chips, which he thoroughly enjoyed. The restaurant itself has a nice, open decor, with a beautiful wood ceiling that is quite high. It had a very subtle nautical vibe, but it was more classy than touristy. It's located in a large building with a gift shop, fish market, bakery, and small snack bar. There are numerous framed photos and articles from the making of the Hitchcock film The Birds, so it was pleasant to meander around after lunch. This will be a must stop next time we're in the area! read more

Came for breakfast right when they opened to get a window table. Beautiful views of the harbor. Decent breakfast. Staff were attentive. When we left there was a line to get seated. read more

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Had breakfast here when we stayed at the Inn at the Tides. I had the crab cake Benedict. The eggs were excellently poached and the crab cakes were moist and generous. The hash browns were bland and not cooked enough for my liking. Also ordered a Bloody Mary which was ok. The weather was gorgeous which gave us excellent views. Waitress was friendly but had to be reminded of the juice that we ordered. I will also say we had dinner here a couple days prior and I remember it sooo much better. The calamari steak was overdone and the veggies that come the it were so so. Our waitress also struggled to open a bottle of wine I brought and absolutely decimated the cork. Likely not much of it ended up in the bottle. read more

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Dined at Tides for a late lunch with visitors from the East Coast last weekend. Seated at a window table with an amazing view. Service was slow and poor. Ordered a latte while waiting for rest of party to arrive. Took almost 20 minutes to get it, but only after reminding the waiter twice. Latte was lukewarm and tasteless. Waiter was not very welcoming or attentive. He seemed as if he didn't want to be there. Food was at best mediocre and over priced for what we got. read more

We went to the seafood market the shrimp and prawns we bought we very fresh tasty we also got 2 quarts of the fresh made clam chowder very delicious would come here again. read more

Great ocean view spot. Food was excellent. Jahet provided excellent attentive service. Will be back for breakfast tomorrow! read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Butter leaf salad with grilled scallops - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

A beautiful visit to the Tides, we just dropped in for a cocktail and appy, the bar has a mirror that reflects the bay behind you, it was such a beautiful day! Bartender was so friendly and prompt. Oysters were amazing, and smoked fish platter was off the charts! It really topped off our day! Thank you Tides for making our memorable day even more special!! read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Amazing off the charts smoked fish platter!!! - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

We ordered a few couple to snack on as our reservation for a different restaurant was like 5 hours later (we got into town earlier than anticipated). Bill rang up to $50 for 2 appetizers that were not very good. We had a salad with some tinned shrimp and an assortment of fried stuff. The best thing was weirdly the fried lemon? Plently of better things in the area. read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

My husband and I usually like to go and have our favorite sautéed scallop dinner. We went during sunset and it was beautiful scenery. The waitress was very pleasant and told us the specials for the dinner. We chose a cup of clam chowder ( delicious and hot) the basket of sliced French bread was off ( not like they use to have) I felt it was microwaved to get it warm as the bread was so hard after it cooled down. Our scallops were not like the last time we dined they were small and over cooked (usually they were larger) . The veggies were so crunchy with not seasoning. I did not want to send our food back because I just wanted to be done. What happened to this place? read more

Service is worse than the food. Server had a massive attitude, didn't bring my drink, never once checked on us. Had more vouchers from the hotel for free breakfast we didn't even use bc service was so awful read more

The place is a classic! All the pictures from the old restaurant where "the birds" was filmed were on the walls... the wait is a bit long but the location is great so make a reservation if possible, or be very patient, We arrived late and cold and only had their New England style cl chowder this time: and it was thick and creamy and chowdery... yummm! Next time I'll try their crabs. Everything looked great. Enjoy! read more

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Not sure why the harsh reviews for this place - we had a good experience. The wait staff were busy but kind and super helpful. I had a delicious pilsner and they let me have a taste of a beer before I ordered ( which saved me making a bad beer decision.) I had the crab in a half avocado special, my friends had snapper, a blackened salmon and a salad. My crab was 26 and absolutely delicious - and it was a lot of crab and the extra sour sourdough was super good. We had a window table and the view was outstanding - loved watching the birds and sea lions while we ate. Parking lot is big. I will definitely go here again and I wish I'd taken home a loaf of their bread. read more

I have been to The Tides restaurant several times at lunch on our way up to the Mendocino Coast. I was sad to see the not-so-great reviews lately. This morning (6/30/25) we went to The Tides for breakfast on our way back from our semiannual Mendocino trip. We were promptly greeted (kindly) and seated. Our server Marcela was great. She was very kind, attentive, and checked back several times to make sure all was good with the food, and that we did not need anything. Our water glasses were delivered quickly, as well as two delicious bloody marys. I ordered the traditional benedict with house potatoes and my spouse ordered the corned beef and hash breakfast. He was pleased to hear the corned beef is fresh, versus canned which is common at many places. Meals arrived promptly, and he completely finished his meal, and I ate everything but a few potatoes simply because I was full. Well into our meal, another female came by (appeared to be a manager) and also checked in with us to make sure we were satisfied with the meal and service. No complaints from me! I will definitely return. Great location, view, ambiance, and food. Prices are pretty much in line with any coastal restaurant in California. Thank you, Marcela, for providing great customer service. It was a pleasure having you as our server this morning! read more

This was a beautiful surprise in the quaint city of Bodega Bay. Right off Highway 1, this restaurant offers a great ambience, beautiful view of the bay , great food and good service. Our waiter Russel was exceptional. He was alert to our needs and we did not have to wait for anything. Very polite and pleasant. We had the linguine and fish tacos. And the bread pudding. All were very tasty. Importantly, the restaurant is health conscious and uses vegetable oil instead of animal fat for cooking. read more

The Tides Wharf Restaurant - Bread pudding.. one of the best I have had - Seafood Near Me - Bodega Bay, California

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Best crab feed ever! More fresh crab than I could ever eat. My husband ate the salad, the soup and the pasta and it was OK, but I concentrated on the crab and it was delicious. read more

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We were exploring Bodega Bay area when we stopped by this place. We were super hungry even though the reviews were not spectacular. The biggest thing that can stoke can appetite is the service and how well trained they are and what experience they have when it comes to the menu. Our waitress was not bad but good either. Her personality was on the reserved side. She did go over the specials but wasn't very enthusiastic about anything in particular. We did buy the calamari as an appetizer and a bowl of chowder. I also had the fish and chips and the Mrs. Had some sort of pasta that had a variety of sea food. Well the calamari came out but it was a but under fried. The tentacles had a darker batter while the rings/body was a lot lighter and was a bit of mushy as if they were not cooked thoroughly. The chowder was thick and I like that but it was super salty and lacked luster. My fish and chips came out cooked fine but the it tasted like the oil it was fried in was old and needed to be replaced. It came with steak fries and that was let down. They were dark but no crispy and it was a bit too mushy on the inside. Back to my wife's dish. I would give it a 3 out of 5. Again it had a pleasant variety of seafood from large shrimp, scallops, salmon and not sure what type of whitefish it came with. The biggest let down was the noodles were undercooked and was a bit hard. My daughter had a hard time chewing the noodles so we just fed her the seafood. All in all it was a let down. If you aren't super hungry and if you can wait fland check out the smaller eateries. I would recommend waiting out the Tides. Will add my son's experience with his hot crab sandwich when I am able to speak with him later. read more

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Went into the restaurant to get our morning coffee...ordered a latte....we received a cappuccino instead....the coffee was ultra small...5 oz....and get this. $6......never ever going back there...EVER read more