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The Tides Wharf Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
103 reviews for The Tides Wharf Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The clam chowder was absolutely delicious."
(in 30 reviews)
"The location is amazing, the views are spectacular."
(in 4 reviews)
"...can often hear and see seals swimming about in the harbor..."
(in 3 reviews)
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103 reviews in English
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Review from Courtney S.
San Ramon, CA
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really want to say more about this place. Unfortunately, it was Christmas Eve, I just drove two+ hours in rush hour traffic, and I was hungry. So I ordered fish and chips for takeout. The restaurant was crowded and I didn't feel like waiting. The waiter was really nice -- a plus.
When I got back to my room I opened up the container, ready to inhale, then, what? So the fish strips were dipped in, what looked like, cracker meal? I was apprehensive how good this fish would be. I am used to eating egg-battered fish. Believe it or not it was so good. The cod was fresh and had a light, yet meaty, flavor. The cocktail sauce was tangy AND spicy; I liked it very much. I was less impressed with the tartar sauce.
I look forward to my next trip to Bodega Bay, and checking this place out again. -
Review from K J.
Murray, UT
11/27/2011
Good clam chowder, but not worth any extra effort to obtain it. Fish & Chips were run-of-the-mill fare. Pricey, in my opinion for quality and service received. The view is nice, but if you're looking for great food...keep looking. The other guests in my party were underwhelmed.
Service was poor (there is no better word choice here). There is a nice pastry selection in what appears to be a separate business or for some reason there is a whacky service charge to have it served to the table. (Guess they need to turn the tables to run the tourists through quickly.)
There MUST be a better place to dine that also has a view! If not, how sad for this area. -
Review from Ruthie V.
9/27/2011
We ate lunch here yesterday on our way home from the Russian River. I've been here a few times before and this time I was in the mood for a good salad.
We sat near the window with a nice view of the Bay and ate complimentary bread with semi-hard/cold butter as we waited for our order.
I had the Dungeness Crab Louie. It was very good for $18.95 (you pay and extra dollar for the Dungeness instead of regular crab). BF got a burger that had a hand made patty served on a French roll with grilled onions and it came with fries. He also ordered a bowl of clam chowder and bay shrimp cocktail.
We got full, rubbed our bellies and left for home. He slept while I did the driving but that's okay, he paid. -
Review from Eme L.
Mountain View, CA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
We really had our hearts set on a trip to Spud Point Crab Company, but failed to realize that they would be closed on December 26. So this became our "plan B". This place was packed (being one of the few places open that day probably helped), but we were seated after a 20 minute or so wait. It's a bit touristy and the decor leans heavily to kitsch. Let's just say that our expectations were low. Although the husband's fish and chips included way-over-fried fish, I was pleasantly surprised by their crab cioppino - very, very tasty with expertly cooked seafood in a delicious broth. Not bad for plan B!
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Review from Kira S.
Manteca, CA
12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Drinks were good. Food was mediocre at best. Over priced. You really can't beat the view
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Review from Lynda S.
Fairfield, CA
1/18/2012
We've lived in California all our lives. This was the worst seafood lunch we've ever had. We had a whole cracked crab; we thought the crab pots outside were a good sign. Never had crab that tasted like that. Mush. I asked the server if the crab was frozen, he wasn't sure, but when he checked with the kitchen he said, "No, it's not frozen, it's probably just overcooked." Overcooked? $30 for a crab on a plate that's "overcooked"? But the crab sandwich was perhaps even worse. Dry crab, on dry white bread, odd, flavor. $20 for the worst sandwich I've ever tasted. Potato salad was hard as a rock and had no flavor. $80 for lunch for 3 and we walked away hungry.
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Review from Eastsac G.
Sacramento, CA
9/5/2011
This review is for the bar area only this time. Have eaten here many times in the past but in the last 20 years it's taken a nose dive. The food is mediocre at best and not worth the price. The locals don't eat here.
The one bright spot used to be the bar area. Friendly, knowledgeable bartenders even if the drinks were a bit overpriced. Came here a couple weeks ago and was a huge disappointment.
Bartender said they'd just hired 3 new bartenders and everything was screwed up. Well, seems to me this guy didn't know his a*s from a hole in the ground.
Ordered a call tequilla and a Bud for DH. Bill came to $16! Questioned the bartender and he said he KNEW it was the wrong price but chose not to say anything. Wha............ Called a supervisor over and still took them over 15 minutes to straighten it out. It was almost getting comical. Received $1.50 back. We left and I called out "good luck".
If you want a few drinks, head over to Lucas Wharf. I don't think the food here is any better but the bar scene definitely is. -
Review from Aranyani A.
Sacramento, CA
8/26/2011
There are several aspects of this restaurant that make it an all around unpleasant experience.
-The Service is lacking, the waiter we had seemed like the last thing he wanted to do was work there, and I dont blame him.
-My husband and I found actual pieces of cork in our wine.
-The food is appalling. I ordered the Calamari Grande (calamari steak) and it was basically a huge slab of squid smothered in marinara. The potatoes had been sitting out for what seemed to me, like hours.
-I could not even finish the (boxed) dessert that was served to us.
Please, avoid this place. For $100, you can eat at 4-5 other places in Bodega.
However, it does make for a good first night of our honeymoon story! -
Review from nicole g.
8/26/2011
I was impressed. Thats hard to do at a seafood restaurant. Normally, sea food is fishy and the smell of it makes me want to puke. Bleh.
3 stars just for the view! it was gorgeous. Not a bad seat in the place, guaranteed. The water was so close i felt like i could touch it! Gosh i wish i could sit there all day. Made me so sad to think i had to go back to the desert in a couple days. While eating dinner, even though the window let lots of light in it still had a romantic feeling to it. I was with family. Boo. No man to let me awe the scenery with. I really liked that you could see the boats coming in and out.
The prices are reasonable for it being in an upscale area and a seafood restaurant. the bread that came along was good, not spectacular. Kind of felt a little dry to me but putting a lot of butter solved that issue. there went my weight. so much for eating healthy on my trip. SHOOT! (pssh, like i really thought that would happen.. NOT) I ordered the shrimp/chicken pasta and thought it was very creamy. To my surprise it had a good amount of chicken and shrimp. Most places skimp out. It was more than enough for me. I had most of it taken home. Gotta love those left overs :)
The waitress was friendly. Pretty attentive except when it came to MY drink. i had a coke and everyone else had alcohol.
Our side of the restaurant they have an area where you can just order sea food, which is cool. Nice and fresh daily catch. There's also a really catchy gift shop where you can get some snazzy goodies and items. beware though its definitely not cheap. -
Review from wolfy w.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2011
After a nice drive along the Sonoma coast with out of town guests, we had a group of 12 for a late afternoon lunch. Waited time for a table on Saturday was a short wait. Very nice view, but was fog in and out all day. I guess for out of towners, this is probably really for them or your just too tried to look for anything else.
The meals were fair for most and OK for the rest of the group. My " Dungenness Crab sandwich" was a disappointment. Just plain white bread and lightly dress crab meat in the middle, very plain looking. Lettuce, tomato and red onions on side with choice of fries, coleslaw, etc. The positive is that they use real Dungenness Crab meat at least. Service was good however, but the food is mediocre. Average Price was $14 to $ 20 per person without drinks, the norm for tourist joints along the coast. -
Review from April L.
Petaluma, CA
6/19/2011
I'm surprised by the crappy ratings on here though I did go for lunch time so maybe that's different.
My boyfriend took me for a nice lunch on the water. It was beautiful and super entertaining to watch wind surfers, birds, and even some playful seals in the water.
The bread was delicious and filled me up while my boyfriend munched down on a seafood platter that he adored. I don't eat seafood but I did attempt a crap leg and some salmon which was I did actually manage to swallow which is pretty good considering I HATE seafood.
I got the New York steak which was delicous along with some thick giant fries, broccoli covered in garlic, and a side salad. I liked that the salad wasn't all "purple leaves and weeds" like so many restaurants are up here in Sonoma County.
My boyfriend really enjoyed his fried clams and wouldn't shut up about how great they were along with the rest of his "fisherman's catch" combo or something like that.
Our server was just fine, not spectacular but not anything to complain about. I liked the place and I hope to go back.
OH! I do want to say that as a non-seafood eater, I'd love to see a non-seafood appetizer! I was shocked there wasn't a single option besides ordering an additional side salad on your meal. -
Review from Ceyda O.
Richmond, CA
9/9/2011
While driving on Highway One, my friends and I decided to take a break from our roadtrip to visit Bodega Bay. I love Bodega Bay, it was my second time, as it is very peaceul and serene. It's relaxing to drive around, grab some saltwater taffy, head to the beach and maybe stay a few days. We checked out a few of the stores they had and bought some souveniers and salt water taffy (It was everywhere!), and then headed out to the beach. After a few hours of sight seeing and riding horses at the ranch they provide, we decided to eat at the Tides Wharf Restaurant.
We ordered the seafood sampler which was fresh and delicious; with me trying to be my new go getter dare devil try new things self, I tried everything on the platter: clams, oysters, crab, shrimp, and smoked salmon. The only thing I had a problem with was the clams, they weren't prepared very well and had a lot of sand in it that was not cleaned out. But other than that it was great!
For dinner I ordered a salad and the halibut spiced tomato pasta. The salad had romain lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots, all of which was old. The spiced tomato pasta was well seasoned and cooked to perfection; the halibut was obviously not fresh, but still very tasty.
As a dessert, we decided to order the chocolate cannolis, which was my first ever cannoli, and they were delicious! -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2011
I love how it feels like you're going to fall into the water. That's scary. Not that the water's terribly deep or dangerous, but if the floor of the building--or the building itself--did collapse into Bodega Bay, you'd have much more than drowning to worry about. The sharp, splintered boards would do some serious damage, and even if you didn't drown, you might be pinned or trapped long enough for physics and your heart to conspire for your expiration.
It used to fascinate me when I was a child that in many churches' Stations of the Cross the Twelfth Station was rendered as "Jesus expires." I knew, of course, that it should be "Jesus dies on the cross." I knew this because this was the station at which we knelt or bowed or did whatever longer than we did at the others. It also bothered me when I found out that the Fifteenth Station wasn't really a Station at all but something added so that little kids (and maybe nervous, non-believing Catholics) wouldn't feel so hopeless. Hello! It's Lent. There isn't supposed to be hope amid the darkness. OK, there is supposed to be Christian hope, but we celebrate Lent as a form of ritual cleansing, and we know Easter is coming, so it's all right to just sit with death for a while sometimes. Really, it is.
There's something lonely about Bodega Bay. It's not the seascape or the tranquility of its waters. I think it's those things sticking out of the water. It's as if everyone is expecting a huge storm, and all those boats are out to sea because it's better to ride it out out there. Or they're preparing for the alien invasion.
The food is uninspired and par for the course for by-the-sea seafood restaurants. You're supposed to ooh and aah at the view. You're supposed to delight in the fact that the fish or lobster or crabs or oysters you're eating were caught nearby. Even if they weren't. It's all part of the romantic act. Forget the difference between sea smell and fish smell. Forget that you're paying a lot to eat in what amounts to a warehouse on stilts. Forget that you can get much better, fresher seafood in less big-box settings and that you really didn't have to drive all the way out here for this. Or maybe you did. Maybe you like self-deception. In which case, enjoy the view, the food, and your company, by all means. -
Review from Binh D.
6/20/2011
It's an expensive Sizzler with a better view.
Food: Not equivalent for the price. Portions were big though. Avoid the seafood sampler. Most of the specials were decent and the halibut was the best thing at our table. I was also disappointed that they served farmed salmon, especially for a restaurant that prides itself on fresh seafood. Wine list is inflated in price, so probably more worth it for you to bring your own wine.
Ambiance: Restaurant could definitely use a makeover, but the view of the bay was nice.
Service: Sat down at 6, entrees didn't arrive until 7:15. Server was nice, but seemed like she had too many other tables to take care of so it was hard for her to check on us.
Price: Close to $300 with tax and tip for seven people and we only had one bottle of $35 sauvignon blanc.
Overall: There has to be a nicer special occasion seafood restaurant in Bodega Bay then Tides. -
Review from Vin L.
Honolulu, HI
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I visited here with my family, coming from Hawaii.
It was alright. Seems as though many other yelpers aren't pleased with the place.
Good stuff: Nice view, decent food, reasonable prices.
Not so good: servers could be more attentive for filling water, butter should be defrosted before setting on the table with the bread.
Yeah, just so-so. -
Review from Jess s.
5/22/2011
Ehhh.. i'm kind of just whatever about this place. Growing in SF - home of CLIFF HOUSE.. I found the tides wharf restaurant a knock off version of it. Granted it's in a completely different city, I didn't really find the view that impressive.
When Mr. X's parents visited, they decided that they really want to go to The Tides Wharf Restaurant for lunch, so we accompanied them. Perhaps we went on a bad day.. But the place was pretty dead looking for a Saturday lunch time.
The food was okay, wasn't too impressed with their pasta dishes. But my clam chowder wasn't too bad - just a little too salty for my liking. The service however, was very impressive. The staff were very attentive and would come over every 5 minutes to make sure everything is going fine for you.
I know this place is more for the view than the food, but if I'm going to pay that much I would very much like it if the food is good as well!
Overall, the environment & service isn't that bad but if you're here for just the food then I would go somewhere else. -
Review from Cory E.
Fairfield, CA
6/15/2011
simply put, the server Ken is the man. His service and conversation was awesome. Gave us other things to do while we were in the area. Very helpful.
we only had breakfast but it was great. Best bacon I have ever had. I went with Kens suggestions and had the omellette special and it was really really good. Service was fast and helpful.
we will eat there again -
Review from Morgan P.
San Mateo, CA
9/4/2011
Gag me with a spoon. It smelled like dirty, dirty lady parts. Not a great sign for a seafood restaurant. We had the hamburger because I will be damned if I die from eating nasty seafood. I mean, what the hell? It is a seafood restaurant ON THE SEA. Hamburger was greasy, dripping nasty, waiter was boring but could probably tell by my face it was a mistake to even sit down in the restaurant. It does not even look like it did in the movie The Birds, which was the only reason I went. I did not like to Yelp and I regret it. Stinky, smelly, NASTY.
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Review from T A.
Alameda, CA
11/9/2010
As much as I enjoyed my time here, the food itself was pretty average at best.
Shared a batch of fried calamari, which weren't really fried.. or maybe they were and just special fried, where there's not much coating? Either way, I enjoyed the clam strips way more than the calamari.
Also partook in the obligatory Clam Chowder that we were told is a must have. It was pretty good too. Nothing spectacular, but.. good nonetheless.
I really enjoyed the view of the bay and the window seat. Our waitress was nice and the wine was hella over priced, but that's to be expected.
They had several pictures up from the movie The Birds and a cute little gift shop with corporatized souvenirs to take home with you if you need a shell that has your birth sign engraved on it. -
Review from corey G.
10/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
We stayed at the Tides Hotel across the way, and a discount for breakfast at this restaurant is included.
We had a grumpy waitress. I think this was going through her head:
"Great more of those no-paying free-loaders from the hotel coming here for breakfast." I could see it in her eyes. But I left her a tip, albeit a small one, despite the lack of service.
The food was decent though. Isn't all "free food" a little more sweeter. -
Review from Mark B.
Los Gatos, CA
11/28/2010
For what it is.... Very casual touristy stop with a good view and prime location to get business. Ok. I was alone after some hiking and looked like crap.... But wasn't too out of place there. The service was really fast and the food was really good. I had oysters on the half-shell (very fresh and good), a cup of chowder (good - rich) and the salmon special. The aioli sauce was great, veggies very fresh and perfectly cooked. The salmon portion wasn't huge, but was cooked perfectly with tons of flavor.
I would not take my date here to celebrate our escape weekend, but I would definitely stop here again with my kids or a more casual circumstance. -
Review from H K.
San Francisco, CA
11/26/2010
For years I had been coming by this building as a rest stop when driving on CA 1 without realizing this was used as a setting for Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds". I should have realized that when one time I was here and the film's lead actress was there signing autographs.
I had been stopping here usually for the food stand down the hall, but last time I decided to dine here. The service up front when asking for shabby was rather shabby. Once I sat down, though, things seemed fine and service was hood. I ordered the seafood cioppino which was tasty (but it was also the first time I had it so maybe I didn't have others to compare to). Nice views looking out through the large windows. -
Review from Kevin H.
Menlo Park, CA
1/27/2011
I mean it's ok I guess.. the food is decent.. but the prices are the standard crazy tourist prices.. and that ain't fun..
We did have a super great waiter though.. so there's that.. -
Review from Tam F.
8/14/2010
Toni and I had lunch here a few weeks ago during our mom/daughter day. We decided to go somewhere different and since I had never been to Bodega Bay, I jumped at the chance.
The company of course was wonderful, but the restaurant itself was just okay. We shared an appetizer and I had clam chowder which wasn't as good as it should have been given the location. Service kind of sucked as my iced tea was never refilled and our waiter was lame and got a lame tip from me.
I doubt I would ever come back to this restaurant but would jump at the chance to have another mom/daughter day with Toni just about anywhere.Listed in: A Big Helping of Family…
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Review from Karl L.
Carson City, NV
4/21/2011
Our lunch was quite good. The dining room has an impressive view over the water. Bodega Bay is a very small town with limited dining choices. The town is definitely worth the drive to see. The dining room is very open and airy. It could use some refurbishing.
Our lunch was four stars. The clam chowder was quite good, the warm sourdough bread was excellent and my salad was very good. The dining room is three stars because of the need for refurbishing. The service was very good. Bodega Bay can't be judged by Monterey standards. The prices were a tad high, but not nearly the price level in Monterey. -
Review from Toni M.
7/20/2010
Today Tam and I shared one of my favorite birthday presents, a mother/daughter day. She picked me up around 10:30 and we drove out to the coast, enjoying the transition from Petaluma to the farms to the ocean. It gave us a chance to visit and catch up. I had suggested Bodega Bay as a more comfortable alternative to the heat of Sonoma or somewhere else inland. Alan and I have stopped at Lucas Wharf restaurant several times over the year and it was my suggestion to stop there, but when we passed it I didn't think it was the one I wanted and so we ended up at the Tides. We decided to stay there rather than drive back to Lucas. Neither of us had a smart phone, so we couldn't check it out on Yelp.
The building looks like relatively new construction. In addition to the restaurant there's a gift shop and a fish market. It looks more corporate/commercial than Lucas, which is old school w/ dark woods and fishing nets draped around, as I remember.
We were seated at a 4 top table a row in from the windows and given menus and a basket of bread and butter. We decided to share the special appetizer, a frito misto of calamari, shrimp and artichoke hearts. Tam ordered a bowl of clam chowder and Iced tea. I ordered a Caesar salad w/ grilled salmon. I asked the waiter to describe the zinfandel that was sold by the glass. He said it was dry. I asked if it were fruity and he said no. He suggested a white zinfandel, at which I took umbrage. I shouldn't have asked him. I should have just ordered the zinfandel. As it was I ordered a glass of shiraz, which was OK, but got better as it breathed.
The appetizer was good, though the calamari was a much larger proportion than the shrimp or artichoke hearts. I think there were maybe two or three each of the latter two. I saw one lone tentacle. But the calamari was cooked well, not overcooked, which was good.
The salad was good. I could taste the anchovy in the dressing. The lettuce was fresh and crisp and the croutons were house-made. The salmon was a good sized piece, not too big but not skimpy either and it was perfectly cooked. Tam thought her chowder was OK. Service was desultory. Her iced tea wasn't refilled and the waiter was largely absent. We agreed it was a three star experience. I don't know that Lucas would have been any better, but Alan and I have fond memories of it. This was a good lunch, but the best part of it was the company. -
Review from skulltattoos s.
Roseville, CA
11/7/2010
Had to see where the Birds was filmed and found this small beauty..... Very cozy and the food is really good. I love the market in the front of the restaurant as well. pricey but good. i will be back there.
ALSO if you go to the beach stop at the School House beach and find the log there its a great place to lay a blanket and listen to the majic waves. -
Review from Frances H.
Rocklin, CA
9/2/2010
This is a review of the bar only; we did not dine in the restaurant (but we should have after a less-than-pleasing experience at Lucas Wharf's). Anyway, the bartender who served us was a kick in the pants. Entertaining in the way you expect from a bartender, but not obtrusive. She patiently let my husband try a couple of tap beers and let us taste some funky new liqueurs on the market. And, she made a wickedly delicious martini!
My husband and I took our drinks to the small patio to enjoy the sun and that fantastic smell of the seashore. We ordered some fried calamari which was absolutely yummy. Tender on the inside, crunchy on the outside, served with both tartar and cocktail sauces. It was a little greasy, but not soggy.
We told our bartender that we were going to Lucas Wharf's for dinner. She told us that The Tides Wharf Restaurant and Lucas Wharf's share the same cooking staff and have very similar menus. With hindsight, I'd say that we should've stayed at The Tides to have dinner, too.
Bottom line: I would definitely go to this restaurant again to visit the bar & have an appetizer. Next time, we'll stay for dinner, too. -
Review from Deanna M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/12/2010
The food at The Tides was pretty good, but the service was really unimpressive. I had the Bodega Bay Burger, which is served on sourdough bread with grilled onions. The burger was quite good, and I got plenty to eat.
However, it was all we could do to get our server's attention so we could get our check at the end of the meal. Then we tried to have her split the check unevenly by giving her the dollar amounts we wanted charged to each credit card. Instead, she split the check right down the middle. Even then, she couldn't figure out how to print out the receipts correctly. I've never been to any restaurant where the servers didn't know how to charge two different credit cards.
As others have said, the view was very nice. Just don't expect a lot at The Tides when it comes to service. -
Review from wazz u.
Yuba City, CA
8/7/2011
We went for lunch on a Sunday at 1:30 pm The place was busy, but they got us (2 people) seated within 10 minutes. The place has some class to it. Reasonable prices and our waitress Pamala was great. Glasses refilled promptly, packed house but you could still talk to your mate. They must of had a meeting or something because the waiters and waitresses were attentive and I saw one on them even put on a lobster bib for a guy. Not a bad seat in the house for views of the bay. We both had the New England clam chowder with sourdough bread and a shrimp cocktail on the side. Dessert ($6.00) was Italian peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla. We'll be back.
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Review from Lindy B.
Santa Rosa, CA
6/10/2010
Food or View? View or Food? That's alway the choice it seems one has to make. It's almost impossible to find a restaurant that offers both. And the Tides Wharf Restaurant is no exception. Our food was not horrid, it was edible, but forgettable. The chowder ($7.95 for a cup $9.95 for a bowl) is good, pretty standard. The Chef's Combo Plate ($17.95) had 2 shrimps, 2 pieces of some fish (should be able to ID a fish); and a couple of fried oysters (horrid texture and taste); the fries were soft and limp. My FIL had the combo Louie salad, he did comment on the nice amount of crab, but the rest of the salad was unremarkable.
LindySez: Go for the view. Go for the sea-lion show. But don't go for fine dining. -
Review from Aus B.
Denver, CO
4/25/2010
Location and entertainment via the cute harbor seals are great.
The food is horrible. We ordered the fish and chips. The fish is said to be very fresh. However have you ever seen seafood advertised otherwise?
Back to the "meal". The fish looked like frozen fish sticks which would have been fine if it was moist and tasty but it was dry and flavorless (due to being overcooked). As for the chips, they tasted like fish and were soggy.
If they cannot get something simple like fish and chips right i cannot imagine what the rest of the dishes taste like. -
Review from Nader-Demitrios H.
Rohnert Park, CA
7/4/2011
The Tides is the best catch in town. Over the past decade, this Bodega Bay restaurant had consistent quality dishes. Overall, the food is decent and the atmosphere is nice. Recently we tired some other eateries and was shocked by the poor food quality.
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Review from Kristine D.
Mountain View, CA
8/2/2010
I had a bad feeling about this place the minute I spied all of the cheesy Italian statutes yet I hoped for the best as I took my seat at the Tides. While the staff was nice (expect the manager who appeared to be sleepwalking his way through the night), the service was pretty shaky. We waited up to 90 minutes for our food! There were 8 in our party and the restaurant was enjoying brisk business that night, still all of the tables around us were seated after we came in and all had eaten and exited when our dinner arrived! Not good!!!
When it came to what we dined on, again the reviews are mixed. My husband ordered a steak sandwich medium rare and received one well done. My daughter's pitiful serving of raviolis from the kids menu looked like it had been sitting under hot lights for some time after it had been poured from the can featuring a chef who doesn't work at the restaurant on its label.
On the upside though, the salmon in lobster sauce (my menu choice) was delicious and the place offers a selection of desserts that you can't go wrong with --- my niece has some amazingly rich chocolate cake, I enjoyed some incredible tiramasu and my young kids seemed pretty happy with their sundaes.
On the whole, the place was a-OK. -
Review from Heather D.
San Francisco, CA
7/21/2011
The clam chowder was so good as always, loaded up with tons of clam.
We had fried calamari and it was very bland, I had to put some salt and pepper on it with lemon.
I had the fish and chips, It wasn't horrible but i probably wouldn't order it again. My boyfriend had some seafood with rice, which he really enjoyed.
He had a long island ice tea and I had sprite, which comes in a moderate sized wine glass and wasn't unlimited refills, thank goodness I only had two.
The service was okay, we were charged for things we did't order, so make sure you check your bill before you pay.
The view was fantastic as always at a sunset dinner.
I think next time we'll explore and try some other places. -
Review from Mandy L.
7/28/2009
The location is amazing, the views are spectacular. Well, the views are spectacular. I would suggest coming here to enjoy the scenery and dining elsewhere.
It is overpriced, and for what you pay and the service you receive there are definitely better places to dine. When we went the last time the host looked like he was bored but when you came and required his assistance it was like you were disturbing his boredom. Sorry dude, I thought you were working. My bad.
We got the clam chowder and shrimp cocktail. Meh, is the best describer for our meal. It was not bad but also not really great either. The soup had a decent texture, smooth and creamy. Fairly bland in flavor and the bread was kinda stale. -
Review from monica e.
Oakland, CA
3/6/2010
My sister and brother-in-law let me stay at their weekend home in Bodega Bay when they were out of town. I had a hankering for fried calamari and figured any place on the Sonoma Coast likely serves yummy seafood. So, I dropped into the Tides and placed an order to go with the hope of noshing on them on the porch of their house. The order came promptly.
I excitedly drove back to the house which is probably a seven minute drive from the Tides. I got back, positioned my seat just so in order to enjoy the view of the ocean, prepped my beverage, watched my dog spin three times into his napping position, and took in the breezy coastal air for a moment. It was to be my idyllic moment for my stay. Then, I opened the styrofoam container, popped a set of tentacles in my mouth and chewed what felt like four rubber bands. The subsequent 9 attempts were the same. Ultra-rubbery. I gave one to the dog and he wasn't so pleased either.
I'd like to give this place another chance but a seafood restaurant shouldn't mess up calamari and it's tourist trap prices are just too high. The two stars are for the wait staff who were decent folk, though. -
Review from Ben F.
Novato, CA
6/20/2011
We went for brunch. First, the staff was OK, but I did get twice the attention from our busser as our waitress who seemed to swing by every 15 minutes.
My gripe is the food. My huevos rancheros had too many stringy onions, not enough beans and the red sauce lacked flavor so I had to dump tabasco on as an attempt, then, to top it all off, I think the cheese was Velveta or some other processed "cheese food." Really guys, for 50 cents more per dish, you could take the food up a couple notches. Pass it on for another dollar or two per dish, you've got a captive audience and a wonderful location.
OH, I saw the wine list and would not go for dinner based on the grocery store brands listed such as Rodney Strong, La Crema, etc. Seriously, these are wines you see stacked at Cost Plus or Safeway, not in a nice restaurant!!!
With some more direction, this place could be a gem. -
Review from Michele K.
Oakland, CA
6/9/2009 3 photos
I am surprised to see so many bad reviews...We loved it!
The clam chowder was great...(I didn't even need Tabasco, which is very unusual!) I ordered the cioppino which was so super messy but delicious and my bf ordered a open -faced hot crab sandwich, which was loaded with crab!!
The views were spectacular, as the restaurant is situated on Bodega Bay. Our waitress was delightful and we were very happy with our lunch. Perfect tourist spot! -
Review from Ann L.
11/17/2007
I didn't eat here, we just came to take some pictures and look around. There is a scene of The Tides in Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" so that's why it's such a tourist trap.
They have a fish market, gift shop, and a restaurant in here. Outside there are some nice views and you can see: whale head bone, whaling pot, & whale jaw bone, & some birds (possibly). There are some fake black birds on top of the gift shop inside, cool.
Separate bathrooms available.
