Haven't been here for some time and decided to see how it was going on a Monday night (last night). Â This end of the Embarcadero is normally slow early in the week, and this was an easy walk from some friends' home.
There have been some upgrades and menu changes since the last visit, and they have all been for the good. Â Although it was by no means crowded it was still busier than a single waitress would be comfortable with, but she certainly did her best under the circumstances and apologized numerous times for the delays. Â We were in no hurry, and it made no difference to us; a slow meal was just fine.
The bar waitress must have been new as she did not know what they had in the way of drafts (even though the menu headlines "20 craft beers" (or words to that effect). Â She went to get our first choices and returned shortly with the news that they had just a couple of choices; we settled on one, and it was a Firestone that was new to us and was good but not as good as Firestone's Double Barrel Ale (a personal choice, I know -- so others may or may not agree).
But on to the food. Â The 12 oz Tri-Tip was excellent in every respect; it could not have been improved upon! Â The spinach salad was the same. Â Beautifully prepared and presented. Â The two Scampi dinners were hits with the two who had them as was the Grilled Cod. Â Absolutely no complaints about the dinners, and this might have been a 5-star had the staffing level have been up to par. Â As it is, I can understand how difficult it is to be prepared for a busy Monday night. Â But no matter, we will be back for dinner soon (will probably be another Monday so that we can enjoy a leisurely meal watching the bay).
Not being big pasta fans, can't really comment on that except to say that the plates being served sure looked full and smelled good.
There is now a pub in the same building, and it seems to be a part of the restaurant. Â We did not check it out as all we wanted was a good dinner. Â We got it.
Had Christmas dinner here. Â Nice table by the window so it was a great view. Â Had the salmon piccata, which was very good. Â The pilaf was ok but tasted out of the box. Â The salad wedge was very good. Â Main complaint was charging $5 for pedestrian bread. Â Cheesecake just fair. Â Lots of microbrew choices if that's your thing.
Review Source:Second time here for the dinner special (before 5:45). Best cioppino ever for $17.95 and as good as many selling for $24-27 elsewhere. Â Excellent garlic bread. Outstanding selection of microbrews representing a variety of styles. Â Of course the view of the beay and rock is great. The dinner special comes with salad and desert. This night the service was slow because of an unexpected rush around 6 PM and their wine list could use some help. Â Wifey says the two offered chards ranged from poor to acceptable, but her caprise salad was excellent as a result of some very nice slabs of cheese and great basalmic. I don't think you will find better value along the waterfront.
Review Source:I came here a couple of years ago when it was billed as a BBQ place and wasn't impressed. It has since rebranded itself and got a whole new menu, so I went to give it a shot yesterday and was quite happy with it. The service was great. I ordered the calamari and chips. The calamari was too salty, but that is still better than too bland, which most places tend to serve up. The fries were excellent. It's definitely an improvement and I will be coming back... if it is still here in the future. There were not many people in the restaurant and it might not last long.
Review Source:Wow has this placed changed. The entire menu is new and they have added a pub with many bottled beers and quite a few on tap. The new menu is a little pricey but the food was good. The staff were very friendly but they had a little trouble remembering the new menu and what each dish comes with (soup,salad,etc). overall I had a good dinning experience and with a few small changes this could be a very nice restaurant. Give it a try if you have the cash.
Review Source:Was quickly seated but soon thereafter wished that I had not. Â I was told of the specials of the day of which I chose a grilled Tilapia with a light cranberry glaze. I was served Tilapia with toasted/melted marshmallows on top. Yes, marshmallows! Â Needless to say it was awful! Greasy butter mixed with marshmallow and fish........ :( Â Although the waiter soon after realized that he made a mistake in his description (I guess even he had a hard time believing what it was) and offered to replace it with Fish & Chips, it wasn't a good substitute. Strange place with bad food. Â If you're looking for Fish & Chips, I"m sure you can find them anywhere close by along the strip at half the cost and probably much better.
Review Source:I had the steak with mushroom and onion toppings, rice pilaf, veggies and baked potato and it was amazing. bf had the seafood pasta and that was good too... staff was ok. we later ordered mac and cheese and i think it was from the box, i think the kraft box i have at home is better than what they served here... so don't get it!
Review Source:This review has to begin somewhere...wish that I could have avoided this place but the reviews on here were favorable.
My group was seated quickly and the waiter/host/intern/TommyBoy or whatever his charge was took our orders for drinks. Â He was a bit of a smart @$$ but hey whatev's, my group and i were ready to grub. Â Service was incredibly slow...dude looked overwhelmed and this guy forgot to get our bread X 2 and we had to constantly remind him to refill our drinks and water...poor service. Â
Now to the food...my brother in law ordered a bread bowl which one would think would have more chowder in the bread bowl than out of it. Â NOPE. Â There was more chowder outside of the bread bowl than in it. Â I ordered some fish tacos and damn they were sorry!!! Even .50 cent fish tacos in Baja are better than the soggy tacos here.
RECAP: Slow service with too much sass, food was pretty gross
I'll pass on this place next time I'm in Morro Bay. Â This place is a perfect candidate for Restaurant Impossible!!!
So I just had to give them 3 stars, because for me, service plays a huge factor in the overall experience.
Went there a few days ago, just walking down the Embarcadero with my Fiancee and noticed the lunch special on the board. Fish & Chips with garlic bread and your choice of soup or salad for $9.00, which is a great deal.
We went in and promptly greeted and seated by a gentemen, he was quick to get us a glass of water. The cups did not match...not a huge complaint but matching glasses makes the dining set more uniform.. Our waitress then came over and took our drink orders, when she returned we both ordered the lunch special. She did not clear our menus, again a small observation. When she brought out our clam chowder, she then removed the menus. The chowerd was pretty bland, which is ok, it leaves room for me to flavor it the way i like. Some may not agree though. Instead of the cool shape oyster crackers, we got some pre-broken saltine crackers, just one packet of what was two crackers. A few good chucks of clams, lots of celery, not one of my favorite.
She brought out the vinegar and ketchup, she didn't clear our empty chowder bowls, but again just another small detail. We started to enjoy our fresh, hot fish & chips when i realized i didn't get my garlic bread. The waitress came around once, and only once the entire time we ate, no refills, no "how's everything going over here", nothing. The other servers had to get our drinks, our check and a to go box. This waitress didnt acknowledge or recognize the simple hints of a patron needing something. Anyways, i got my garlic bread.
The fish was four 6inch long fillets about 1 1/2 inch thick, lightly breaded, a little too light for my taste, but still good. Flaky white cod, super juicy and clean tasting, no fishy smell or flavor, the fries came in a large amount, covered the plate. Very crispy and salted just right. All in all the food was pretty good. But the waitress with the brown hair, dana or donna? Please learn to read and understand peoples body language. When someone starres at you and liftsa their hand up, it means they need something. Do not ignore those signs. Otherwise not bad, sorry for the 3 stars...
Came here for dinner with my wife. Â I got the Fish (Mahi) & Chips, and my wife got a burger (she hates fish). Â
Service was very good. Our waiter was very friendly and was engaging in conversation. Â Food was prompt and delicious. Â The price was reasonable considering we were sitting over the water with a view.
Would come again.
Last weekend was the first time I had been to the restaurant in about two years. I was with my kids and we were just looking for a place to watch some football and grab a burger and I remembered this place. Unfortunately it isn't the same place as I remembered. Apparently they are going after a different market because gone are the 5 or 6 flat screen TV's (They have one now) and they have tried to upscale the menu which was not what we were looking for that night.
We stayed and ate anyways and the food was about the same quality as before but more expensive. I suppose the waterfront location could push a restaurant to try and become more "upscale" but that's what I alwayus enjoyed about the Embarcadero Grill. A place where you could kick back on the water, watch 3 or 4 games, have a few beers but still be a place where you could take the kids and hang out. It's lost that feel.
My daughter had the calamari. It was okay. My son's BBQ Burger was fantastic and along with the fries were the highlight of the meal. The tri-tip was flavorful but a little tough for my taste. Overall a decent experience but has lost it's niche as a family-friendly sports bar sort of place.
In all our travels to the bay we'd never stopped in, we certainly wish we had!
We went in for lunch and although they had several tables full, we were seated immediately at the window overlooking the water. Drinks came fast and we ordered the clam chowder, salads and the calamari. The chowder was very good and the salads fresh. Our calamari wasn't over breaded and the sauce wasn't overbearing, just enough but still let the taste come through.
We'll definitely return for dinner, the view is fantastic from anywhere in the dining room but we're window people, probably try and get in early next time!
We came here for a savory breakfast after devouring a super sweet cinnamon roll from Crill's II. The food itself was alright, but what really made that meal special was the view. Our table had a great view of the Morro Bay rock, a group of lounging sea lions, and passing kayakers. The bacon was crispy, the eggs were a bit oily, and the hash browns had a good crispy-to-starchy ratio. And for $8, definitely not bad.
Review Source:Had dinner here last night. Â There was one waiter for the room but, surprisingly he was a hustler and we did not have to wait long to order or for our food. Â
We had the calamari and crab cake appetizers and a bowl of clam chowder. Â The calamari had very little breading on it and didn't look very good at all. Â It tasted great and the aioli sauce made it even better. Â The crab cake was moist but bland. I used the aioli sauce for them but I just couldn't force it down. Â The soup was ok, too peppery for my taste, but better than Campbell's.
The garlic bread is good and the marinara sauce was excellent.
The dishes were hit and miss but the sauces were incredibly good.
My friend and I ended up here while visiting Morro Bay. We wanted a moderately priced place with a view, and this did the job. View is awesome and we got to watch the sunset. She really enjoyed her chowder, and my spinach salad was pretty good, though I felt like a rabbit after awhile with all the leaves! Needed a bit more toppings. Bottomless garlic bread was awesome. Lots of families in and out, seemed like a good palce to bring kids.
Review Source:I am a local and went last night with my daughter for a quick bite. It's anything BUT quick and the food was...kinda, well....gross. We got the clam chowder and the fisherman's stew and the vegetables in both were NOT cooked..c-r-u-n-c-h-y...our nachos were burnt. Seriously, burnt. I would have been embarrassed, as a chef, to let this go out of my kitchen. I got the bill for this hot mess and had to pay a whopping $45.00!!!!!!!
Review Source:We were seated on the second floor by a window with a nice view of Morro rock. Â Quick service and the piano playing behind us was pleasant. Â The clam chowder is rich, but does have a bit more celery than I like. Â The bloody marys are excellent and I'm usually very picky about them. My girlfriend had no complaints. Â Only problem I had was how hot it was on the second floor. It could benefit from some open windows. Â Bill came out to about $100. Â Was surprisingly dead for a Saturday evening.
Review Source:Place was awesome, nice view of the bay. Good ribs, a must have. The tri-tip is somehow ok for me, but the portion was big. Didn't like the spicy fries, seems like regular fries drowned in a pool of generic hot sauce.
Downside when I went there, there was only one person serving, and he's also the bartender and waiter at the same time. But wait, he's good and accommodates all customers well. That night there was 5-6 tables, everyone was taken care of, not a long wait. Btw, his name was Rob if I remember it correctly.
can't judge the quality of the food, as we never actually got any. Â came in on a saturday afternoon/evening, to confusion. we were there probably 15 minutes before they even noticed us, by which time we'd gotten tired of waiting and were perusing the menu; their response was "just sit wherever you want".
so we have a seat, and wait....and wait...and eventually they come  by for drink orders, which came reasonably quickly.  and then wait some more, and some more people get seated(?), and wait some more; finally they say they'll come get our orders after they do drinks for the group that JUST got seated at the bar. after another 15 minutes, we give up and offer to pay for the drinks so we can leave.  to their credit, they refused payment for the drinks.
I went here for dinner a couple of weeks ago with my fiance and family. We were in town from San Francisco and visiting family. I ordered the cioppino and my fiance had the fish and chips. The cioppino was the best I've ever had! It was better than anything I've tasted in San Francisco! The sauce was hearty and wasn't soupy like I've had with other cioppinos. They put TONS of fish in it and didn't skimp at all. I finished every last bit of it with the delicious bread we had. My fiance and I are talking about planning another trip down there again soon just so that we can both get the cioppino!
The service was very personable and smooth, which impressed me because we were a larger party (8 people). It was a very relaxing meal and I was delighted by the quality of the food and service. This restaurant will remain on my favorites to visit when I return to the area!
They lured us in with the $6 breakfast of toast, eggs and bacon or something. I ended up with a generous plate of two pancakes that come with a side of hashbrowns for only $4. Bacon was $3 more, an egg was $2, while the meat patty (looked like a hamburger patty) with 2 eggs and hash was $9. Coffee $3. So somethings are cheap (like the pancakes) and others were a bit over priced (coffee, an egg.)
Pancakes were tasty, coffee and meat patty- not so much. Eggs and hash were standard fare.
Service was good- young guy was friendly and did his job right.
My husband-to-be and I dined here on New Year's Eve. It was our first time eating at the Embarcadero Grill, and it was WONDERFUL!
It was quiet (which we appreciated), and while the place wasn't overly fancy the menu was well-rounded and the service was extraordinary (our server, Robert, rocked). Â I ordered pasta with chicken and my guy ordered NY. Steak. Â We had a basket of fries as an appetizer, and the BBQ sauce that came on the side was easily the best I've ever had. We finished off our dinner with NY. style cheesecake, which was excellent.
All in all a highly positive dining experience! We are central coast locals, and definitely plan on going back to the Grill when we visit Morro Bay again.
This place is terrible. We had nachos, calamari, and fish and chips. It was all flavorless. It seemed a cruel joke to try to choke down microwaved pre-packaged fish and chips as we sat and watched the boats outside unload their fresh catches. We didn't finish our lunch. The view of the harbor is nice, but the food is inedible.
Review Source:Ok, BIG BIG CHANGE made here! Â We just got back from Morro Bay and revisited this establishment. Â And since they made some changes to this restaurant, I need to make some changes to my review. Â
It is no longer a 'cafeteria' style restaurant where you go up and order your food. Â I walked through the restaurant and looked at other peoples meals and it really looked like things have taken a turn for the better. Â So we ordered hot wings, fries, and ice cold Coronas. Â
I was so impressed with the new change that I specifically asked for the on duty manager and expressed how delighted we were about our experience this time.
I can now say that this restaurant is worth visiting and eating at if you are ever in Morro Bay.
Love this place. My wife and I stopped in on an off-season Wednesday night on the way to Sacramento for their jazz festival. We spent the night in town, which was nearly dead to activity. Never-the-less, folks were at the restaurant, enjoying their fare.
We enjoyed the view from huge picture windows overlooking the bay while having some beer and wine. Their calamari was to die for!!!! It was cooked just right, tender and not chewy, and the breading was delicious. Â The other patrons looked to be enjoying their meals as well.
To top it off, Casey, our waitress was charming and on the spot. My wife and I heartily recommend this place!
Food was good .service fast .had sports on tv. Yes ! Calamari sandwich was great . My wife said the tri tip was good.. But 4$ for the kids meal with drink they even let me add bacon to my girls kids already big burger No complaints just wishing I picked some tri tip chili up to go for late night cuz nothing is open past 9-10p.
Review Source:My wife and I went to the restaurant for a fun Sunday night dinner. The location and the design of the restaurant is great, but unfortunately the food that we chose was terrible. It tastes like a bad little league snack bar food. Its like a food court from Costco. While eating, we realized why the place is empty. We also told one employee that the food had no taste, but he just said "sorry" and left. How much did we spend? $30 for the little league snack foods! If you ever feel like eating this type of foods, go to the frozen food section at Costco :)
Review Source:My husband and I and a group of friends were in town for vacation and were craving a good fish taco. We were lured in with the promise of a free soda via a girl hawking coupons outside (and cheap food in general) and were deeply disappointed by what we got.
I have never had more BLAND food! Probably the worst fish tacos I've ever had - tasteless fish, no crema sauce, just nothing special about them at all. I doused them in salt just to choke them down. Though I can't judge the whole menu, the restaurant had very few people in it on a holiday weekend. I always find that to be very telling of the food.
The only plus, a nice ocean front dining room with a good view, and TVs playing sports... the guys love that. If you're looking for cheap tasteless food, go here, otherwise, do yourself a favor, spend a few more bucks and head just about anywhere on Embarcadero.
I live in San Luis Obispo, but love to go spend a few hours up in Morro Bay, and it's just a short drive. Â Last week we thought we'd try the Embarcadero Grill, on the Embarcadero. Â
Our first impression when we walked in was that it was clean, bright and had a tremendous view of the water (it's right on the water) and Morro Rock. Â It's not a table service restaurant, but more of a traditional grill style like Firestone Grill in San Luis Obispo, where you walk up and place your order and then grab a table (of which there are many).
I didn't know how much fish to expect since the price for the Fish & Chips I ordered was only $7.99, so I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw the plate! I was a big portion. It had three huge pieces of fish and lots of fries. And it tasted fantastic! Â Now here's what really will sell the Fish & Chips: I was with a friend who was visiting from England, and he had the Fish and Chips too. He told me that this was as good or better than what he gets back home, and they have the best in the world there (well, so he says!).
My wife had the Tri-tip sandwich. Â I knew she liked it by the way she was moaning over each bite, and nodding her head up and down, mouth full, when I asked her how she liked it.
The view was so nice that we all ordered another beer after the meal and sat there for another 45 minutes after we were done.
I'm going to rate this five stars. Not because it's a five-star restaurant--as I said, it's a grill. Â But because, for what they do --quick, big portions of great food at reasonable prices -- they do really well.
Oh, one other thing: Â Morro Bay is loaded with old restaurants with old tables and chairs, some just feeling, well, "a bit musty." This restaurant was completely remodeled (feels like a total teardown) a couple years ago and it shows. Very comfortable.
Give it a shot next time you are up there. You can save a few bucks, fill yourself up, enjoy the view, and still have some money left over to spend in some of the many gift shops.
Easy to get into (as the place wasn't packed), and it had an interesting menu. I ordered the clam chowder and the tri tip tacos, and my son ordered the fish and chips. Both were cooked extremely well, came out in just 10 minutes, and they had the olympics playing on their numerous televisions.
We liked it, and it wasn't that expensive.
My husband and I shared the fish and chips and a tri-tip sandwich. Â Decent, especially considering that this is a tourist-y location. Â What sold us, though, were the prices for the kids meal -- $3.99 for two pieces of fish and chips and a soda.
What cracked us up was that half-way through the meal, a waiter came out with three balloons for the kids in our party. Â Nice, you say? Â Well, they boldly stated on them:
EMBARCADERO GRILL
Kids Meal
$3.99
with soda and fries.
I'm all for advertising, but sheesh, that's USING the kids! Â I was not so sad when the balloons one-by-one got lost.
Dang, I was really hoping that I'd like this place more, but was a little let down instead.
First of all, the prices seem to be pretty competitive, considering this is a waterfront location mixed in with loads of other fairly overpriced establishments. Â
That said, the combination of the free-for-all cafeteria style order/pickup window, in conjunction with a pretty mediocre piece of tri-tip steak made for an average meal at best.
A few observations:
-$15 for an eight-ounce tri-tip with beans and coleslaw? Okay I suppose. Â Maybe a little steep considering the fair quality of the meat.
-The meal was served in a big plastic tray lined with wax paper. Â As I cut through my steak, I was also cutting through the paper, which required me to be sure that I wasn't eating any of that.
-Plastic knives and forks to eat a steak dinner?? Need I say more?
-No steak sauce. Â Just various brands of hot sauce, ketchup and mustard. Â Considering the extensive BBQ menu, I thought that was curious.
Overall, this was not a bad dining experience, just a little too rough around the edges for my taste.