. We have been hear a few times over the year and the food is actually getting better, Its one of the nicest places to sit, anywhere. The food is just a bonus. Fresh oysters on the half. Great fish tacos, burgers and sandwiches. The service is always good and the views is breath-taking.
The price is more than fair for the location. The bloody Mays come with pickled asparagus.
Ended up here more because it was near our hotel and still open than anything else. Unsurprisingly, this place seems to rely on its beautiful location and turning over tables quickly. Food was fine, and they had some local wine at reasonable prices. We had clam chowder, salads, and calamari. Nothing that stood out either way.
Downside was super-slow service and an unattentive server who tried to make up for it by being over-friendly when he showed up. Given that Cambria is a tough place to get reasonably priced good food, this isn't a bad option if you're staying in the area and/or looking for a sunset view.
******* Manager - Please Read ********
Arrived last Friday night, 2/15/13, around 8pm. Â Had about a 20-30 minute wait for a table, as expected, no issues there. Â Sat at the bar with my companion and ordered a nice bottle of wine to share. Â It was a sweet white and the bar tender put it on ice for us there on the bar as they should.
As we sat and visited with others waiting to a table we noticed one very disturbing thing, really the only trouble with our experience here. Â It was the lady seating people, she had such a bad attitude like she was doing everyone a favor allowing people to be seated. Â At one point she stood behind a large post just outside of the bar area calling out a groups name. The couple was sitting right next to us and responded mutiple times. Â The seating lady acted like she did not hear the couple and yelled over to the staff at the check in station for the next name. Â She should have walked around just a little IF should could not hear them respond.
Then a few minutes later when our name was called she played the same game, pretending not to hear us. Â And even when she eventually did recognize us she failed to even offer to take our bottle of wine to the table for us as we gathered our drinks and jackets. Â My recommendation to management, get rid of this woman, she spoils an overall excellent dining experience.
Ok, now on to all the good about this place. Â The bread was wonderful and it was served with soft butter, not that rock hard nearly frozen stuff some places offer that is impossible to spread. Â My companion ordered the salmon and it was cooked perfectly and delicious. Â I went out on a limb and order pork chops, they were perfectly cooked and the accompanying potatoes were delicious.
Would have rated a 5-star if not for the hostess and came close to giving it a 3-start but the bar, food and service overall were so good.
Sat on the patio facing a foggy Pacific with waves crashing on rocks 200 feet away...amazing view. Â The service was prompt and friendly. Â My wife had the crab cakes and calamari and shared a bowl of clam chowda'.
The 3 small crab cakes were average but had a tasty dipping sauce. Â The crab was not of lump quality, but more of a shredded type like tuna sandwich quality. Â
The fried calamari was a huge plate of tentacles and tubes that were lightly battered and fried, very good. Â
Clam Chowder was good with slight bacon flavor, but Ive had better. Â
Extremely convenient to just walk here from our hotel right next door at Cambria Landing.
Steve out.
Fantastic service, great food, highly recommended!
We rolled into Cambria on a Friday ~8:30PM after 6 hours on the road, tired and hungry.  We checked into our hotel on Moonstone Beach, then drove down Main Street looking for a restaurant that was open, but couldn't find one.  Most of the establishments in this town close at 9:00 or earlier (the term 'they roll up the sidewalks' is quite appropriate here...).  Anyway, we drove back to the hotel & I called Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill to see what time they closed (at this point it was 9:10).  A friendly gentleman answered and told me they closed at 9:00 but also mentioned that they were still going strong so we could come down (we were less than a minute away).  When we got there the door was locked but I could see someone standing inside.  Normally I would just walk away, but I was desperate.  I knocked loudly and the young man opened the door and I related the conversation I had on the phone, but was half-convinced that he'd tell me to go kick rocks.  He let us in, seated us and shortly after, our waitress came to our table. She was so friendly and could not have been more gracious. We ordered the sautéed mushroom appetizer and it was to die for! The waitress kept bringing warm bread (mentioned that it was how she liked to eat the mushrooms, sopping up the juices). I ordered the chicken, my husband got steak, and my son ordered the sea bass.  All were absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked (to be honest, I thought the food might be sub-par since we came in so late, but this was not the case).  Never once did we feel like we'd put them out for coming after closing or did we feel rushed to leave.  We got a dessert to go (red velvet cake--very, very good!).  We will definitely come back again.
Went today for a late lunch or early dinner about 4:30 pm. Friendly greeting lovely and warm with great view of ocean. Took our order and then brought us the worse white doughy uncooked bread. ALMOST suggested that my husband I leave but he was starving and ate it. We decided to order the $19 soup and salad with the crab cakes as an appetizer. I had clam chowder and the shrimp salad and my husband had the French onion soup and Cesar salad. My clam chowder came in an hereby bread bowl with the lid toasted. Â Wonderful! Jim the manager stopped by the table and I told him about the doughy bread so maybe he'll fix it. Nothing else needs to be fixed. Service was terrific too.
Review Source:We walked to this bar from our hotel for drinks and appetizers. Â The bar staff was fantastic and the atmosphere was fun. Â However, they would not allow us to order any food at the bar, even appetizers. Â This was especially frustrating since we had ordered 2 bottles of wine and wanted something to munch on while we drank.
Ultimately, we begrudgingly went to sit at a proper table on the patio where they would allow us to eat. Â The view was nice and the appetizers were fantastic - clam chowder and cajun shrimp and scallops. It was nice that they offered blankets for the chilly evening, but heat lamps would have been better and would have made it easier to eat. Â
I liked the food, but would not go back for anything other than a quick drink, since they don't allow you to eat at the bar.
Wow! Wish we had a restaurant like this where we live. Â The setting is gorgeous right on Moonstone Beach with both indoor and outdoor dining. Â We had to wait 20 minutes for a table, not bad considering it was prime dinner time. Â Our waiter, Todd, was excellent. Â My husband said it was the best clam chowder he ever had. Â My salad had wonderful home made balsamic dressing. Â But the very best was the seared scallops cooked to perfection with a honey citrus glaze. Â The presentation was excellent, hot bread, attentive staff, all very good. Â Nothing less than 5 stars to me. Â Highly recommend this place .. not cheap, but what we had was definitely worth every penny. Â As a matter of fact of all dining experiences in San Simeon and Cambria, this is the tops.
Review Source:We are locals and have been coming here for more than a decade. Â We love certain dishes, but wouldn't rate 4 stars for everything, so this rating is geared to our tastes. Â Our favorites are clam chowder, Cajon Shrimp Tacos, Fish & Chips, Eggs Benedict (Sunday Brunch only), great salads, and for dinner Scampi. Â However, they have a large menu selection so something for everyone is available.They have a full bar and drinks are fairly good. Â Good outdoor casual seating for families as well as couples. Â Service is generally good and the staff is friendly. Â Views are great, only ocean view restaurant in Cambria.
Review Source:Well, what honestly makes this restaurant is the management..specifically Jim the manager!!! He greeted us personally with a smile the moment we walked in then we watched as he went table after table asking the guests after they had finished their meals how they were and how they might improve on their dining experience. My husband and I maveled at his honest, seeking approach. Bravo to Jim!
That said, the fish tacos were delicious and they view was to die for. They also provided blankets to those chilly on the patio. I would reccommend!!!!
Stopped by on a reference. BEAUTIFUL view, good prices and the clam chowder- let's just say I'm a fan. I recommend the salmon quesadilla for sure. It was packed full of flavor and very unique- worth a try. We also had the crab cakes... not worth getting again. The service was friendly- for the most part. Our waitress was, well- sassy, kind of got on my nerves and neglected to remember that some people like refills on beverages :/ I'd go again JUST FOR THE CLAM CHOWDER AND VIEW though. 4 stars is fair.
Review Source:We went there over Memorial Day weekend for dinner since we were visiting Cambria. The location is great, and I think it is the only restaurant in the area that has ocean front seating. The wait was long, so we ordered to go instead. Order went through fine, and the food was delicious. But we were "auto charged" with 15% service charge on a take out order! Â We were not told about this until we received our food and the bill. Not sure what service we were charged for, waiting inline to place an order, someone packing the food in the styrofoam container, or someone running the bill? It is crazy, sorry, will never order to go again from here. Diner be aware....
Review Source:Hate this place! Never going there again! The only thing they have going is the view. You're better off having your own bottle of wine and sitting on one of the benches out front....my boyfriend and I were there vacationing and thought we'd try it out. Our first 2 minutes there seemed good...the manager came out..offered everyone blankets since we were outside...and that was it. 5 minutes later...no one...10 minutes later...no one...30+ minutes later...not a single damn person came to even get us water let alone take our order! Everyone was being helped that was next to us...everyone! Every single time...they would just walk right by us. Not even looking at us. At some points..the other waiters and waitresses on the other end looked over at us...and would walk away. Possibly the worst experience ever! We finally had to wave over a bus boy over and 5-10 minutes after that...the manager comes over and gives us this bs excuse that they were switching shifts and forgot...bs! Because by then they were closing...so what shift were they switching?! I would not recommend this place! They are either racist or judged us because they thought we are young and don't have money. Either way, the worst experience! There are so many better places in Cambria! Food wasn't even worth the prices. Go somewhere else if you're in Cambria!
Review Source:My family has been a fan of Moonstone for quite some time. We usually go for brunch/lunch and always sit outside on the patio. The views of the ocean are breathtaking on a clear and sunny day. They have a large menu with a ton of options along with a full bar. With brunch they offer champagne/mimosas and though the menu says "2 glasses", they keep the refills coming. It's a great place to come with a group and the servers are all extremely nice and attentive.
Recommendation:
FISH TACOS!!! They are simply to die for. I made the mistake of not ordering them last time I was there and totally regretted it. They are huge and full of flavor.
Calamari Frita is also great and makes for a big appetizer. When I was younger, I would order the appetizer as my main course. Delicious.
I've never been for dinner (that I remember, maybe I went when I was younger) but I'm sure it's as fabulous as the brunch and lunch that they serve. Even if you don't go for dinner, it's a great place to stop by for drinks and watch the sunset.
We visited here on a Thursday night after having explored Cambria for a good portion of the day. No reservations required, great viewing, and slightly less expensive than the legendary nearby Sea Chest restaurant.
Service was prompt and friendly with good recommendations from the staff. I had the scallops which were PERFECTLY cooked. Don't remember what the wife had. Very filling and tasteful food and a good selection.
There's lots of good places to eat in Cambria; this is an excellent option and should be considered if you need a good meal at the end of the day.
Another hidden gem in Cambria, we loved sitting on the patio and watching the sunset. The staff was great the food was killer good, the only downside is that it is pricey, but well worth it.
If you want really fresh, well prepared fish this is a great place to get it. I had the Swordfish dinner that came with mashed potatoes and a garlic creme sauce (killer good) and vegetables. My wife had the Yellowtail and it was prepared cajun style and that was quite tasty as well.
I was fooled by the "$$" designation on Yelp, but glad I was, because even though it was expensive it was worth it. We had delicious seafood (the best seafood pasta I've ever had), a good mai tai, wonderful service and a great desert. Although we ate inside (outside seating is also available) the view was great. Will return here the next time we go to Hearst Castle!
Review Source:The fabulous views allow this place to be totally mediocre and still do good business. Â The food is passable -- our group went for drinks and appetizers on two separate evenings and had the sauteed mushrooms, the steamed clams and the coconut shrimp. Â All fine, nothing great. Â I will say that the house-made Bloody Marys are among the best I've ever had. Â Bottom line: go for the views, not the food.
Review Source:just had dinner here. I am stuffed. Clam chowder, flat iron steak, mashed potatoes, veggies. Chowder is very good, very different with bacon in it. The steak was very good with pistachio butter dipping sauce. The potatoes had, I have no idea. Cheese sauce of some sort . Very good. service was very good. Â We sat and watched the sun set over the ocean. Would highly recommend this place
Review Source:We came for the dinner menu, but quickly learned that it would only be served after 5pm. We arrived at 2:35pm and received a table at 3pm. The lunch menu was no longer available, and we were served by the 3pm Lite Fare options instead.
Since we didn't want to wait until 5pm to try out their dinner menu, we ordered some lighter items instead to hold us over for dinner at the Black Cats restaurant.
- Clam Chowder
- Clam Steamers
Clam Chowder was delicious, particularly when dipped with their bread appetizer.
Clam Steamers had a wonderful wine flavor, but I have to admit that I am not a fan of them for the price-to-quantity ratio: for the little amount of food you get, these dishes are always just too pricey.
Service was fast and friendly. We had a GREAT view of the ocean. Atmosphere was lively -- the guests all seemed to enjoy themselves.
Parking was a bit of a challenge to find.
Since the dishes we ordered were not exceptionally outstanding, I am only giving this restaurant a 3-star, average rating. Until we get to try out their entrees or dinner menu, I believe that this rating is fair. The experience was neither bad nor out-of-this-world.
The Popeye omelet was awesome. The GF ordered the California scrambled... awesome. Nice size Champagne glasses.
I cant believe i have never reviewed this place.
This was about our 4th time here. We come to Cambria a few times a year including this visit. Moonstone beach bar offers the best of all worlds including great service, great views, great people to stare at and of course the best food. Â Can't say all my meals have been the best, but this time, my selection was the Popeye ommelete which I thought was superb. Unfortunetely once I tried the GF's California Scrambled, i thought i died and went to hell.. I am mean, heaven. It was so overwhemling incredible I had to place it aside so neither she nor I ate the rest. Â Fortuntely for the Chihuahua she got the best Doogy treats this side of Paso Robles.
The Champagne brunch was way cool. They dont skimp on the glass sizes and the weather was beautiful.
Thank you Moonstone. You guys dont let your location and popularity go to your head.
Two Hoots
Hoo Hooo!!
Holy moly they have big portions here along with big views! Â Plus, complimentary champagne...hello! Â Even though I was slightly hungover, free champagne sounded like a fabulous idea!
Â
I ordered the french toast and it was mondo. Â I only ate about half of it. Â It looked like a small loaf of bread, loaded with mounding heaps of chantilly cream and berries (see posted pic). Â So, delicious but a little overly sweet. Â The bf got some scramble with avacado that I stole bites of to even out the sweetness of my meal. Â His was mighty tasty as well! Â
This is the place to brunch though. Â The wait was a little long and expect one, unless you get their early. Â But food was delicious and the view of the ocean is wonderful!
The view is amazing at every table. Â The service is very slow.
The food was so-so. I had salmon and it was cooked perfectly, my complaint is the pesto sauce that was under the fish.  There was way too much of it that it spilled over into the vegetables and rice.  It seemed that I had the pesto sauce with the salmon! The fresh veggies would have been good except they were smothered in  parmesan cheese. Â
The worst part of our dinner was the wait. Â Reservations are not taken here. Â We waited about 30 minutes for a table. Â When we were seated, we waited 15 minutes before the bread person brought us bread, but no water. Â No one checked on us for 25 minutes, then the waitress showed up and asked if we were ready to order! Â
Look for other restaurants in town, there has to be better.
If there was a way to give this a 3.5 that's what I would give it. Â
First night I went I had the Scampi which was very good. Â A 4 star meal, I ordered the Moonstone Margarita from the bar which is a Margarita made with the Margarita mix you buy at the grocery store, at least that's what it tasted like. Â Still not bad. Â
Second night I had the New York steak.  This was not good.  Maybe a 2 star steak.  The Lynchburg  Lemonade was very good and refreshing and helped wash down the not so good steak.
My wife had the Garden Pasta Primavera which she tells me is very good.
Overall not bad next time I will stay away from the steak and maybe re-review this and up the star count.
There are actually a surprising amount of GREAT dining experiences to be had in this sleepy little town. A meal at Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill is not one of them.
That doesn't mean I don't kinda love this place and eat here often. The food is actually pretty good! Â But overall, it's not amazing.
The view, however IS amazing. And most places in town do not have a view.
For me, the smoked salmon quesadilla appetizer is the yummiest, most crave-able thing on the menu here. Oh man--it is GOOD. It seems to be filled with some sort or cream cheese/cheese combo I think? And lots of yummy smoked salmon bits, of course. They top it off with delicious tomatillo salsa, a touch of cream, yummy cilantro, and some green onions. Yummnn.
I like their fried clams and their fried oysters--ordered individually. The cod that comes on the combo fry platter is bland and forgettable.
The fish tacos are ok but not great. I much prefer the Cajun shrimp tacos. THOSE are yummy!
Their clam chowder is popular supposedly but I'm not a fan. It has bacon in it.
For dinner, I always go with the Cioppino. yum!
It should be noted that their beer selection is fine, but not stellar. You would think that a bar/grill would have beer on tap, but they don't! They have Firestone DBA by the bottle, which is good, but I wish they has Union Jack too. Oh well.
As for the outside patio seating, the heaters supposedly don't work or barely work or something...so, with the coastal wind, it can get pretty chilly. They give you blankets though--so that's good. But really, they have so many heaters and vents. They should get them fixed and working properly.
Also, if you sit outside, you will likely encounter some of the most brazen blackbirds you will ever meet. Be prepared to fight them for your food. And whatever you do, DO NOT FEED THEM! If the birds are acting up, notify your server and you will be armed with a spray bottle so you can fight back.
Great bar and grill, and they do a good desert too! Â Moonstone has a great view and a great vibe. Â Not quite elegant but not really casual either... A very happy median. Â Their food comes in delicious, generous portions.
As should be expected in the area, there is a great bar, with a slew of specialty cocktails and a ton of local wines. Â
The desert is great, the cheesecake came in a huge slice, fit for three! Â It went well with the recommended port, referred to us by the waiter.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
