Erika C.
Yelp
The ambiance -
I feel like with Nick's, you have to start by talking about the ambiance. We were seated in the lounge area, which has a whole other decor from the main dining room. The lounge has the old school/mid-century lounge vibe, with a view of the ocean. They didn't turn any lights on in the lounge, except for some red ambient lighting on the ceiling and a neon sign (again, Vegas).
I think you may have to be in the mood for that. I was, so I personally loved it. I felt like I should have been laundering money with an office upstairs. And also eating lunch while making thinly veiled threats at my goons then wiping my mouth menacingly with a napkin.
The service -
We had great service. Staff were friendly and checked in with perfect frequency. They also boxed leftovers which is rare post pandemic. I don't usually mind doing it myself but I also forgot how nice it was just to have someone do it instead of handing me some boxes.
The food -
Crab sandwich. They don't hold back on crab but I think they used too much bread. I'd have preferred half the amount of bread they give you. It's an easy problem to solve. I went for the add-ons of avocado and cheese (cheddar; you can also pick Swiss, Monterey, Monterey Jack, or American). It came out to about $50. It's not the cheapest but it didn't surprise me and I could see half of the sandwich going for $25 elsewhere.
Seasonal salad. Pretty good, I liked the ratio of all the ingredients. Not sure what else to say about salads, I don't normally eat them but I found this one pretty palatable.
Fish and chips. Alaskan cod. The batter was super crispy on top but did get a little soggy from sitting on the plate with some oil under it. If I come back and I'm picking the fish up and resting it on something so it doesn't sit in oil or steam up against the plate. This dish hit the spot though.
Clam chowder. This tasted fine, I think most Bay Area clam chowders are generally the same level. It's never bad but it's hard to standout.
Total damage was ~$120. Would not go terribly out of our way but will definitely revisit for a no frills coastal lunch.