Bluewater Bistro & Bar

I went here a few months ago, what I remember of the food was that it was overcooked, under seasoned and very bland. I did have to give an extra star for the desert though. The crème brûlée was absolutely delicious & very much enjoyed by my dinner companion and me.

Service was superb, ambience with live music excellent as well. We sat upstairs, near the bar, which overlooks the dining room. Really fun night for NYE and the food was really good too. One one of the five courses was not that good. Everything else was great.

wonderful day after christmas place to lunch! great atmosphere and delicious food… many of us had fish tacos which were sooo flavorful and tasty… the fish n chips were another fave that day and i was a little envious of the fries they got with their meal! hahaha… they did share! ok, so some of us started with bloodys made from scratch… thing of beauty!
it was the best post holiday time… the food, the ambiance, the sun and the surf… it all comes together here at the bluewater!

DO NOT EAT DINNER HERE!!! My wife had the Magherita Flatbread. It came out cold and soggy with tasteless tomato that was green in spots and the chef didn’t bother to core. It had one small leave of basil per slice (4) and dry flavorless cheese. The bread tasted like it came from a package, stale and bland. I had the Asian Marinated Scallops and Noodles, which was so bad it is hard to describe. The scallops were burnt on one side and almost raw on the other side which made them very chewy, and they were served cold, however the rest of the dish, which consisted of noodles, red bell peppers from a can or jar, and something green (I think sliced green onion), was served warm. I asked our server what made it Asian and she replied soy sauce, (which I think was the only spice/​flavoring used and was the only thing I could taste in it.). These two dishes were so bad they were taken off the bill and we did not pay for them. However, we did spend over $ 40 on wine and drinks, and tipped $ 15 on the revised bill.

I do have to say that I will still recommend the place as a wedding venue because it is breathtaking… however the service lately has been horrid! We have one favorite server/​bartender who had been injured and on vacation and since she’s not around things have been less than subpar. There is another server that seems really nice but it appears all the work and kindness is left for her to do so she always quite frazzled and seems in the weeds. The food has changed too which is a big bummer because we used to enjoy the food so much. It always seems we wait forever, sometimes don’t even get noticed unless we barge our way up to the bar, and then feel like we are bothering the staff especially one lady whom I think no longer works there. I really hope things turn around because we really love revisiting our wedding site, Doran Beach, and having a convenient place to get a nosh while we are out.

A great place to have a drink and look out over the Bay/​Ocean. Fantastic views. Staff is friendly. The only problem is that they don’t stock enough space for cold beer. They always run out especially the popular brands

Dinner was fantastic! Starters included olives (a bit too spicey), cheese plate, caesar salad, chowders and warm rosemary bread, divine. Our party of five enjoyed the wild king salmon on a bed of roasted corn (amazing); rack of lamb (perfectly cooked); and special of the evening, filet mignon (very good)…the Chef certainly knows how to please with creative menu selections. Dixie and the entire wait staff couldn’t have been more attentive. And, I might add Dixie knows how to prepare an outstanding martini… All this and a view too!

Under-​baked potato, had to ask twice for a glass of water (even harder to get an empty glass refilled) and three times for bread. There are certainly some things this restaurant does well but there are so many lapses that it adds up to a disappointing dining experience. There seems to be a lack of attention to details and service is quite poor.
We had a disappointing experience here 6 months ago but decided to try it again since we had heard good things about their Sunday night prime rib dinner. As our server gave us menus she asked if we’d like anything to drink. We said we wanted the prime rib and would start with two glasses of water. She asked if we’d like some bread also and we said yes. 10 minutes later our prime ribs were presented to us and our server asked if she could get us anything else. We replied that we’d really like the glasses of water we ordered and the bread she offered. She came back a few minutes with our water. 10 minutes later she returned, asked how everything was and if she could get us anything else. We reminded her that we were still waiting for the bread she offered us. A few minutes later she returned with the bread and asked if we needed anything else. The prime rib was very good, cooked exactly the way we ordered it, as were the mixed vegetables but our baked potatoes which were under-​cooked and inedible. We informed her of this, she apologized and said she’d have new ones prepared for us. She returned about 10 minutes later with one potato. Not one for each of us, just one. A refill on water was difficult to get, I had to hold my glass up in the air and wave it around to get the attention of a staff member to get a refill.
They were up to the challenge of serving prime rib exactly as ordered and fresh vegetables perfectly cooked but couldn’t handle the easy things like cooking a baked potato correctly, remembering to bring water and bread to the table and checking back to make sure water glasses were refilled. How difficult can these things be?

I initially added the review below with 2 stars but now had some time to scroll through other older reviews where either a shill posted something positive or management responded by stating that things are now fixed. The problems are certainly not fixed and the food was terrible. Buyer be ware.
Location was nice, views good and waitress was polite and that warranted some credit. On the downside ordered the fried calamari and it wasn’t just bad it was inedible. Tasted like cardboard, actually could have been cardboard. My kid laughed and said he felt like he was eating hard chewing gum because he was able to chew it but could not swallow it. I have eaten in many restaurants and sometimes you just get food that really should’ve been prepared better but this was another step or 2 further. I found this place on open table while looking for a restaurant in bodega bay and it was really a mistake. This is not just a restaurant near a retirement community, it is the retirement community’s restaurant which explained a lot. For similar menu, views and much better food go to the duck club which is less than a mile away. If they have available reservations you walk in and eat in the lounge which is indistinguishable from the restaurant.

I know it has been a while since I wrote a review, but I must make the time and give recommendations and praises when due. BWB has had some challenges through the years, but they have listened to their club members, vacation home renters and tourists and they have gotten it right this time. I have been coming here for years, knowing the food was going to be ‘just okay’ but came for that most amazing view. Now I’m enjoying the food so much, who cares about the best view in BB? The service and prices have improved too. What golf clubhouse do you know where you can get one of the most fabulous burgers for so cheap. Seriously, some of my favorites right now are the Chinese chicken salad, the ham and chipotle quesadilla, but if you want to have the best French dip in the world, you need to find your way back here. Other greats are seafood pappardelle, ahi tuna and prime rib on Saturdays. Enjoy and thank you Ernesto.

When you spend $ 350 for eight people two of whom were under age and not drinking, one would expect the food and service to better than average. We had to wait more than ten minutes just to be greeted after we sat down ourselves. And it only got worse as the night wore on. The calamari was undercooked, the cheese plate was fine but sparse, the manhattans that three adults ordered were not up to their standard. The main dishes offered (there were no specials because they had a private party and I imagine the chef needed to keep things simple for the rest of us…) were average. The salmon dish with local fresh vegetables were nothing to write home about. The salmon was dry and overcooked. The vegetables (all four of them) were ok.
The two youngsters ordered the brownie and both said they make tastier brownies at home. So the bill comes (I had to request twice to get the check and then we had to take the bill to them to process) and I am informed that the 18% gratuity was already included and they added it after tax adding another $ 6 to the bill. None of which I complained.
If you are going to come here, call ahead and find out if there is any larger parties that will take the energy and effort of wait staff. I would suggest going somewhere else as I probably wouldn’t come back after last night. Shame on management for not having enough people to handle the customers. Very disappointed…

If there were a negative star rating, that is what I would have chosen to represent my experience there at lunch today. I came with my friend who had a delightful Cobb salad here 5 months ago. She ordered it again, and this time it was half the size but the same price! My fish tacos were completely tasteless, but by the time we got served (25 minutes!) I was starving and ate them. My friend sent her salad back and ordered a burger, which came back sad, overcooked, and the cheese wasn’t even melted on top.
This was after having made an online reservation, only discovering when we arrived that they had no record of it.
The waitress was rude, on top of all that, and we were so angry and frustrated that we left after sending my friend’s burger back, and told the waitress we weren’t going to pay for this. Neither my friend nor I have ever left without paying before, so this was an exceptionally bad restaurant experience, both in terms of the service and the food!
Apparently, they «revamped» the menu and changed the chef recently, and I’m guessing the management is pretty incompetent.

Perfect dinner! We stumbled upon this place without planning but we could not have planned it better. Everything was wonderful from the server Linda to the food and not to forget about the sunset– wow!!! We will plan a future vacation to go here again!

The only thing open slightly later in the area. Lots of decent options on the menu, but the execution of the dishes were a bit subpar. We opted for the crab cakes, the fried calamari, and prawns and scallop in thai coconut sauce, and grilled chicken pasta primavera. The crab cakes were a bit overdone and dry; certainly one of the weaker selections. The grilled chicken pasta was underseasoned and incredibly oily. The prawns and scallops in thai coconut sauce tasted fine, and the fried calamari was fresh and done well. For the price, I really expected a bit more considering we were satisfied with ²⁄₄ dishes.

New Chef New Menu New Experience! This great Bodega Bay location was always just «ok» in terms of food quality, choices and overall feel, however now this is a true «not to be missed» delicious experience. Ernesto is bringing fresh ideas, perfect execution in just the right size portions. We split the Pear and micro green butter lettuce salad, I loved panko crusted sole with mashed potatoes and micro sweet veggies and the steak with scalloped potatoes and the same yummy veggies was my husband’s choice. Top it off with a shared crème brûlée and you won’t be disappointed. Clearly the staff is enjoying all the guests being pleased and they are beaming with pride and joy as they take care of you. Way to Go Ernesto you are making a HUGE DIFFERENCE in Bodega Bay!!!

4 of us decided on here mainly because of the views. Great views from the bar upstairs. Everyone was pretty happy with the food. The calamari was a little rubbery but my main dish of salmon was tasty.

Well, it was howling windy outside as we made the turn and decided to head into the restaurant. My buddy owns a beautiful house on the 10^th green, and we had golf fever. After the turn, we decided to warm up inside. Little did we know how chilly it was inside this fairway restaurant.
The place seemed inviting. Unfortunately the female blonde bartender has a terrible attitude towards us and it seems customers in general.
After she scowled at us for what we ordered to drink, she then decided to challenge us and be confrontational. It seemed in her personality and the redhead comment to be careful with her. I understand that the power can sometimes get to folks behind the bar, but never forget where your paycheck comes from.
After she took our lunch order, the food came out fine with one exception.
I ordered a Cobb salad which literally had a rotten, soggy, mushy and slimy sliced boiled egg.
I asked little miss sassy if she could come help us. She dismissed us, and said we needed to wait. Ok. I said,” well ok, but there is a rotten egg in my salad”. Immediately I gained her attention as she quickly came back with her smug attitude.
Needless to say, I said that I ingested the rotten egg and that the cook should try to eat it. She asked if we still wanted the salad.
With Rotten egg on it? Seriously…
Maybe you would like to finish it. Take it back and you and the chef can enjoy your treat.
It could have been resolved in a professional manner without the attitude for a simple complaint.
There are a lot of other people within a company and organization. They just need to address the problem and correct it for customers to be happy.
And we’re walking…

We came here for dinner on a Saturday evening following a round of golf. We arrived around 7:30 PM and it was fairly empty, so we were seated immediately (no reservation) and had our choice of table. Several of the tables next to the windows offered fantastic views of Bodega Bay, and we were fortunate enough to be seated where we could watch the sunset as we ate.
First things first — the ambience was really nice. It was quiet, and the restaurant felt spacious, due to the ample amount of space between tables, as well as the vaulted ceilings. This made the entire dining experience feel very relaxed and enjoyable.
The service was also very good. Our waitress was prompt and friendly, and our food arrived fairly quickly. They were also good about refilling our bread and drinks, and about clearing away our dishes. All in all, not much more you could ask for in terms of service.
Now for the food itself: very good. We sampled many of the starters — the clam chowder, the cheese plate, the spinach salad, and the crab cakes — and they were all very good. It’s no surprise that they do all of their seafood dishes really well, given their proximity to the ocean. Personally, I would recommend the crab cakes the most. For entrées, we got the halibut and the NY steak, and both were cooked and seasoned very well. In particular, the mashed potatoes that came with the steak were the fluffiest/​airiest mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten — simply divine! The portions are also fairly generous, so you will definitely be full by the time you are done.
And last but not least, the crème brûlée was DELICIOUS. Perfectly caramelized on top, and the custard was melt-​in-​your-​mouth creamy. When combined with the raspberries/​blackberries that it was topped with, it was the perfect way to end a fantastic meal.
The only drawback I can think of would be that it is kind of expensive. But all in all, it was very much worth it, and a memorable experience.

I came here on a day trip and ate dinner here after a round of golf. It was quiet and not crowded at all so we ended up having our pick of seating. We chose a waterfront view that was absolutely gorgeous. It has a waterfront lodge ambience that worked great for me.
The food was fantastic! We ordered 4 starters to share, all of which were delicious. Spinach salad, clam chowder, cheese plate, and crab cakes. We got the halibut and steak for our main courses and they were both really delicious! But the mashed potatoes that came with the steak did me in and I am trying my best to think of how they possibly got them so fluffy and light. We topped it off with crème brûlée which my boyfriend also liked even though he usually does not care for crème brûlée. Oh, and the olive bread they start you out with is incredibly good, especially when still warm.
The service was also really good. They got our orders promptly, kept our water glasses filled, and cleared the table when necessary without ever making us feel rushed. It’s kind of pricey, but I felt like the experience was definitely worth it.

Our first night out on the town and we were a bit too tired to venture that far. This one was right near the place we stayed so we figured why not. My BF and I split the Bluewater Trio (two petite Dungeness crab cakes, house cured salmon, and two grilled prawns) and a Caesar salad. Both of which were actually pretty tasty.
Onto our main courses, he had the Cioppino or Fish Stew and I had the Grilled Chicken & Artichoke Pasta. They were okay though my BF felt that Cioppino was a bit lacking. As for my pasta, the chicken was a bit bland and I do which they would have had more artichokes. Otherwise it was pretty simplistic, which isn’t bad in itself but still felt lacking.