The Marx Bros Cafe

I think I've been to the Marx Bros Cafe when I was little, but I don't remember that visit. I just went recently to celebrate my dating anniversary with my fiancé. It was very nice! I love the cozy atmosphere inside. Our server was very attentive and the all of the staff was polite. My favorite part of the evening was watching them make the Caesar Salad fresh table-side, I highly recommend it! Our meal was amazing! I had the duck and my fiancé ordered the pork chop. From what I understand, some of their main menu changes every so often, so it gives you a reason to come back in the future and try new dishes! It is a pricier restaurant, but definitely worth it.

Right away when The Marx Bro’s Cafe announced on social media they were retiring, I made a reservation for my husband and I’s anniversary. Over the past month I’ve heard of people unable to get reservations and a BIG wait list. Last night it was finally time for our reservation and it was an amazing experience and maybe not for the reasons you think. Sure, the food was delicious & yes the service/timing was impeccable as always, but the realization of the history and personal connections/impact is what stood out most to me. Our server was the same server who helped us last time we were in for my husband’s birthday. I sat there wondering what their employees would move on to next, if I could get a recipe book, where the art was going and who would take the building over next. I looked around and saw many friends and families enjoying their night laughing, smiling & reminiscing. I asked the gentleman making our Caesar salad what his plans were after the restaurant closed next week. “Be a farmer,” he said. He has never been a farmer before, but will be able to spend time with family he hasn’t seen in years. He will be driving the Alcan with family to Mexico. Alaska provided an opportunity for him to pay off his debts, work hard and create a life he only ever dreamed of. He came to AK to get away from CA, where he could no longer sell cars, due to living the fast life of too many speeding tickets. Our conversation was a lot longer, but you could tell Van, Jack and his other restaurant family has had a big impact on his life. I hope the best for him on his new journey. On the art, I noticed round pink garage sale stickers. I asked what they were for. They were pieces that had already been sold and a couple he pointed out the owners were keeping for themselves. There was only 4 left, not claimed yet. How cool for people to have a piece of history. Now, who would take the building over? I for sure thought another restaurant would swoop it up, but then there’s the risk of the new owners changing too much/ruining what’s been built up for 40+ years. A non profit that makes meals for the homeless will occupy the building, which I think is wonderful. We also discussed their chef who sadly passed years ago and the connections. I’m a 911 operator and vividly remember the day we got the call. Sounds like all who knew him were very lucky. I also overhead a guest conversation about someone not being present working last night. The reason was due to the abuse they’d been receiving for the past two weeks, with people unhappy they were unable to secure reservations. This makes me sad. This is not the Anchorage I want to be a part of, where we send beloved members of our community into retirement in a hateful way because we don’t get something we want. We can do better! Sure, easy for me to say since we did get a reservation, but I would feel the same way even if I didn’t get one. We should be celebrating, respecting, encouraging and thanking this fine establishment into retirement and remember how blessed we are for the legacy they’re leaving behind and ever even being a part of our community. P.S. the halibut cheeks, Caesar salad & scallops were my favorite from our meal. We didn’t have room for dessert unfortunately. I wanted one of everything, but my body said otherwise.

Tried this place based on reviews seen. I give this place 4 stars. The negatives for me were waiting a long time for dinner after the appetizers, but it is also a small place as was quite busy at the time of our seating. Second negative, both dinners were not hot just warm. The dinners we tried were the Kodiak scallops and the halibut. The appetizer was halibut cheeks which were amazing, and were served hot. We tried tiramisu and carrot cake and both were great!! Waitstaff were friendly and attentive. Definitely a place to try if you have not been here.

Definitely, a must visit when in Anchorage. Small menu, nice wine list, not huge, but solid selection. My friend who loves craft beers had a good selection and was happy to see what they had. All in all, great meal, our Server, Amanda was perfect! Go and treat yourself. Oh yeah, someone in our party had a dairy allergy and they were great at checking with the Chef and offering options. That doesn't always happen but Amanda made it easy for us.

Delicious food especially on a cold Alaskan night. Marx Brothers has great service and very cosey atmosphere perfect for a double date. All (4) of us had the Ossu Bocco, which was incredibly delicious. We started with the Melitzano Salata, Alaskan Oysters, and Smoked Pork Belly. Everything was the perfect temperature, and tasted fantastic. Searched around a few places as we visited family here from Maryland, and were satisfied with the Marx Brothers. Hope to stop by on our next visit!

The best ceaser salad I ever ate. The steak was like cutting into butter. My snapper was deliciously delightful.Music was pleasing to my soul.Ambiance lovely. The staff very pleasant and inviting.

Phenomenal food in a cozy atmosphere with excellent, attentive staff. We had the duck, the shrimp and a rockfish special with the chocolate mousse, the cheesecake and the berry crisp. Every dish was delicious and the presentation was fantastic.

OMG, excellent dinner and service. Was greeted/seated by a very pleasant young lady and Mr. Van, himself! The appetizer of foie gras is literally 'melt in your mouth' buttery smooth, amazing. We enjoyed fresh baked bread with olive oil, entree of Salmon with an increditable red pepper sauce, entree of scallops, shrimp, housemade spinach noodles with roasted broccoli. All was prepared with perfection.

Trivia: What is the name of the small room (on the right once you get in) with pictures and framed newspaper clippings? Trivia #2: What's other establishment (with the owner's name in the title) is located on the Glenn highway as one drives into town? Couldn't help asking this one! The Marx Bros Cafe is the cream of the crop. High end menu, delightful service, and delicious food. Make sure you get a reservation. There are some spots for walk-ins that may or may not be available, but the spots for reservations are cozy. We opted for the tableside Ceasar salad service and Van did it himself. Since it was out first time, he paired the salads with a white wine. The salads were delicious, but arguably, the conversation with Van was the best. He told stories of the restaurant's early days and added the plot to so many of the pictures and clippings that hung about the room. The food, wine, and champagne excellent. I was sad to hear it was closing. Total bummer.

Super cute little house that holds the restaurant. Very pleasant front desk girl. Our server Jersey was on point, always checking on us. I had the lobster bisque which was pretty tasty & my husband had the oysters which he thought were just ok. For dinner I ordered the scallops with pasta and my husband ordered the filet. The scallops were nothing special just lacking some real flavor. The steak was good however we were expecting the steak to be AH.. just because this restaurant is known to serve tasty food and for what you pay. I did take a slice of carrot cake to go for the next day and it was tasty.

Got to be the best restaurant in Anchorage! Food...excellent (fresh Alaska oysters, Cesar salad, line caught Chinook salmon pan fried in cast iron, followed by creme brulee) Service...excellent (professional wait staff and owner Van Hale's tableside hospitality) Ambiance...excellent (historic old home repurposed to cozy restaurant) all make this a reservation worth making! It could compete anywhere...New York, San Francisco, Chicago...but it's right here in Anchorage, Alaska! Special moment of the evening...owner Van Hale's suggestion for pairing our salad with gewurtstraminer wine and instructing us to sip...taste...sip..then playfully asking my partner if I can be trusted to follow his instructions!?! A wonderful host and restaurant!

I have been here twice now- once for our 1 year anniversary and once for another date night, both in 2022. First time we were seated in the history room which is the room directly to your right as you walk in. It was quiet and quaint, four tables in that room and you could hear other conversations. The second time we were seated all the way in the back. The door was open and the breeze was cold even though the hostess said we could close it if needed to tell her. The kitchen was also kind of loud and busy. Other people have mentioned this two top table and it's not the best seat in the house. Food: they only do beer and wine, heavy heavy on the wine. They have a short beer list maybe 5 or 6. First time husband got a beer second time I got Prosecco. They have delicious hot bread, three different kinds. It's honestly the best part with their dish of butter with black truffle Salt on top. They also have a dish of olives too on the table. They have appetizers but we haven't gotten any of them. I think this list changes as well. Both times I got the filet mignon. Their menu changes some, depending on season. In august 2022 they had salmon, halibut, scallops all local Alaskan caught. Filet mignon, and venison were the other two options. The filet mignon comes with garlic mashed potatoes carrots and asparagus. The filet mignon was perfectly cooked and oh so soft and tender. It was so good. Honestly I didn't want any of the seafood options either time I eat those things at home. The service is good, environment is pretty good, the place is an old house and small, they only have a handful of tables, 15 to be exact. We also got the Caesar salad, which they make right in front of you at your table all from scratch. He literally cuts anchovies up and cracks an egg on the salad and tosses it in the dressing with croutons, Parmesan cheese and lettuce. It is a cool experience but overall I couldn't really eat the salad. Not for me even though I thought I would love it as I do love Caesar salad. Wow I almost forgot dessert!! They have the best crème brûlée I've had yet because they actually put flakes of really vanilla in it and you can tell, as well as see it. Amazing

Wow I have lived in town since 2007 and have never made my way here. Tonight was our one year anniversary and we decided to give it a try. This place is worth it and a must visit. I have been told menu changes braised on what's available and fresh! Wow fresh! I mean fresh, like the carrot tasted like it was pulled from the ground moments before serving! So good, I truly mean it the taste of fresh vegetables is just something you can fake. I am a sucker for Duck. If it's on the menu I have to try it. So glad I did! This was so good. This dish had it all, perfectly cooked duck, an amazing amount of veggies (mushrooms, peppers, Bok choy, some kind of sprouts?) The noodles seemed light in portion but was just the right amount! I eat the dish clean. Happy I didn't have to much more. My beautiful wife (see photo) got the filet mignon! Was happy she shared a bite. The port sauce was something you could put on anything and make it next level! The carrot and asparagus was freaking amazingly delicious! Desert ohhhh yea you beat your *** we got desert! crème brûlée for us to share at the table and a tiramisu togo! The crème brûlée was the best I have had in the state. Even possibly the best I have ever had. The vanilla bean that was in it, (that's what i think the black specks are) was such an amazing touch! We shared this after the meal and it was probably just right for our us. The Tiramisu that we got togo was frozen for us! They said to let it sit out for a few hours if we wanted tonight. we wouldn't have any room we will eat tomorrow. Price ? well heck I honestly thought it would be over $100 per person. we Spent $130? pre tip. honestly it was less than I expected but the quality was well over anything I have had in such a long time. We not only will come back we might come back more often! Duck was $45 filet mignon was $50 I think? Beer was $6 and deserts are reasonably priced as well. I can name 2 places that cost more and are more just Alaska HYPE than anything. This place beats all the others. Staff was superb and everyone was nice. We had 4-5 other people visit the table to check in on us, I think one of the owners did as well. Honestly I love this because it shows they care and want your visit to be the best. It was! Beer and wine selection was good. Beer was light selection but was happy to see some locals and some other I enjoy like Stone Brewing. This would be the only think I would like to see grow is a larger better beer selection but honestly it's this is a house and has less storage so I understand. Again was so happy to go and will go again! I recommend coming and checking this place out. Don't wait like I did.

Wow. That is what comes to mind when I think of Marx Bros Cafe. I am a little mad at myself for taking years to visit this fine establishment, however, I am so glad I got to visit and celebrate early Valentine's day with my partner. Every course we enjoyed was delicious and well thought out. Van made our Caesar salad table side and it was so fun to have a chance to speak with someone there been in the restaurant scene in Anchorage as long as he has. Marx bros cafe is definitely a hidden gem and I can't wait to visit again soon!

This is a 5 star experience for me. Hubby and I enjoyed our Valentine's dinner here and just had a MARVELOUS time. Guys this place transports you to a cozy old time America feeling. It sorta felt like Savannah, GA if that makes sense (it will for some). We had a table with a window view FANTASTIC. I absolutely loved my filet mignon, my goodness it melts in your mouth. The owner came to make our authentic Caesar salad table side, what an honor and what a treat that was. This is the kind of place you should explore all the courses from warm bread & volcanic salt butter to olives on the table to appetizers to dessert, just GO FOR IT! #TREATYOSELF Great place for a romantic date night.

Phenominal food phenominal service. Beautiful presentation. I was there as a single and was treated like a regular! First ate here over 29 years ago and it's just as good now as it was then! Highly recommended!!

This is my favorite Anchorage restaurant. I love the Neapolitan Seafood Mousse appetizer and I look forward to Van's Caesar Salad every time. You can't go wrong with anything you order from Marx Brothers!

Few places like this in any given city in America, as we walked in the smells of mouth watering food made my tummy growl a little , the old tradition of taking a jacket and handing g you a ticket has not been lost in this beautiful restaurant. The perfectly choice of music set the stage for our experience. We felt lucky on a Friday night to have the room to our selves for half the night . The walls were littered with nostalgic blank and white photos of the brothers and all the years of culinary performance in my home town . Our server recommended an outstanding red Zinfandel that paired beautifully with our meal . I ordered the special a pistachio crusted king Salmon that was perfectly executed and my handsome Date ordered the Filet . The mood and energy in Marx Brothers just makes you feel at home and delivers consistency and wow factor. I highly recommend this life long restaurant that has been a place with memories from as early as my wedding rehearsal (30 years ago ) to my Parents retirement celebration (25 years ago ) to end last night just a beautiful evening of food and wine .

I attended a birthday dinner with my family a few days ago and was severely disappointed. It was an extremely expensive dinner and this was a one and a lifetime experience for our family. We ended up witnessed the owners and the chef going around and talking to the other tables, but they never came to our table, although we had the largest party in the venue. The waiter didn't bother to ask if were enjoying this special occasion, and also forgot that it was a birthday dinner. We had to remind them and ask for a candle for the desert. I felt like this was a missed opportunity for the owner and the staff to treat us like this like it was an extraordinary event. Instead we witnessed all the staff treating the other tables great and ignoring us. Extremely disappointed, will never go back.

The location is downtown in a cute old house renovated to be a restaurant...reminds me of restaurants I've went to in Portland, OR. Perfect first date or special occasion place as it's intimate with good lighting and space between seating areas. The hostess was bubbly and took jackets and promptly seated us. Wine by the glass or bottle, good menu, enjoyed that the dessert list was longer than the entry list! Also entree servings are large enough to have leftovers like Kincaid's entrees size. Foie Gras is a must along with crème brûlée for dessert! I am not a salad eater but enjoyed watching a table salad being made across the room from us by one of the owners that came over and took the time to talked to my date and I about some of his classic recipes! I had heard about this restaurant and never been as I am terrible at making reservations a day ahead. I'd definitely recommend it, superior service, food was an experience that is worth the cost (and honestly I spent same at Glacier Brewhouse for mediocre food) and best date atmosphere restaurant I've been in Anchorage!

Had to issue an update, since our first experience here was supremely lackluster and our most recent one was divine I'll say 4 stars, maybe that first experience was a fluke - hard to say. Went with a party of 5 with family visiting in town, had a special request to dine here and I figured worth a second shot. The wait staff was phenomenal, the Russian riverv valley wine was divine(Pinot noir I think?), the apps were all on point (Caeser excellent as always, and the oysters with the pepper vodka sorbet are perfection), and all of our entrees turned out delicious. Essentially, every part of our night was a total positive reversal from our first time dining here. Looks like we'll have to do a round 3 before we can say which experience was a fluke!

First and last time at the Marx Bros restaurant. Superb location with a view, nice decor, and very nice staff. Has an extended, wine list, however selection is rather primitive. The food was disturbing, if not disgusting. We had seafood mousse, foie gras torchon, seared kodiak scallops, and the tea smoked duck. Seafood mousse was spongy and tough. Foie gras was still frozen. Superior Kodiak Scallops did not survive the kitchen massacre. They were boiled rather than seared. On the side they had some sort of wannabe pasta with sorry imitation of pink alfredo, which was called "Paquillla pepper-truffle veloute". Not sure if chef has seen or tasted 'veloute'. The triumph was the duck. Neither the duck, not the sorry, stinky, mushy, mess underneath it, were edible. The duck was old, stale and rubbery. The mess underneath was disgusting to even look at, although we tried a bite or two to confirm the visual. Our advice to the owners is to get a CHEF! On the bright side, the dessert was very impressive. One of the best creme brulee and chocolate mousse we have ever had. That's what earned the food a star in our review. Our advice is to go there, order dessert and port, and wait till they get a chef! If you're hungry go somewhere else. Start with Kincaid Grill.

This is my birthday and I came to Anchorage with one specific restaurant in mind for my birthday dinner--Marx Bros Café, a small world renowned restaurant located in one of the oldest homes in Anchorage specializes in innovative contemporary cuisine featuring fresh Alaskan seafood and only the finest quality meats. So imagine how disappointed I was when they called at 4pm to cancel a 7:30pm reservation! I am elated that they did so! Kudos to this establishment for exercising the tremendous responsibility to close their establishment because two employees tested positive for COVID-19 this morning. I'll make another trip to Anchorage especially to eat there and this time I'll have my family!

Going to write a super unpopular review here. I've been here on two occasions, with the most recent one this past October. But i'm just not a fan? I feel like the dishes are OK but could be executed a little better. Everyone raves about the caesar salad (and its actually kinda pricey) but I felt the flavors weren't really there? I definitely enjoyed Simon's caesar salad much more. I also felt the food lacked some flavor as well. It wasn't bad but it wasn't spectacular - like I was expecting it to be from the other reviews. The service, however, was on point. They are always making sure you have everything you need, super attentive and friendly. I also do love the house vibe. Just wished the food was as great as the vibe and service of the restaurant.

Our first visit to Marx was perfect. We celebrated Valentine's Day early and had such a great experience. From the outside it takes a second look to realize this is a restaurant. I highly suggest to make reservations in advance as they book out fast. Parking is available along the street. The staff was friendly and the servers were excellent. The drink menu has a great selection of wines and bubbles to choose from. We both love bubbles so naturally we chose a bottle. The dinner menu had a variaty of great choices, from duck to lamb to scallops. We chose the filet mignon, cooked to perfection and paired with mashed potatoes and veggies. We sure will be back again.

Yes, yes, and yes. At least once every month I like to treat myself to a fancy dinner. My friends and I refer to it as "Fancy Dinner of the Month." In my research for my Alaska trip this past summer, I found out about Marx Bros Cafe and I promptly made a reservation for dinner for the evening of July 6th, 2019. Sure we were in and around Anchorage a number of times over our 5-week trip but July 6th was just about the midway point of the trip and I knew we had reason to celebrate all of the awesomeness of the trip thus far but also all of it that was to come. And let me tell you, Marx Bros Cafe definitely fits the bill for AWESOMENESS!!! Excellent, excellent service, great atmosphere, and for what its worth, somewhat reasonable prices. From the moment we stepped in the door and gave our name for the reservation, I felt like my Dad and I were treated like... a mix between family and royalty. I love the fact Marx Bros Cafe is basically a house and the dining tables are in various rooms. My Dad and I were seated at a table for two in a room near the checkin area. I had read all about the table side Cesar salad and definitely had to order that. The salad really is made table side, much like guacamole or a margarita might be in a Mexican restaurant, and I have never tasted a salad so good. Yes, salad and good are purposefully in the same sentence there. In addition to the Cesar salad, my Dad ordered the house made Gnocchi appetizer which were pretty much melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The potato dumplings had king crab in them and had crispy capitol and sweet gorgonzola mornay on them. Ouh la wee! For our entrees, I ordered the Filet Mignon (ooooh yeah!!! Fancy Dinner of the Month, remember!!!). The Filet was pan-seared and came with bourguignon sauce, truffle butter, whipped Yukon gold potatoes, and asparagus. Apparently I was too busy wolfing my steak down to notice what my Dad was eating. Oops. I do know, however, that he enjoyed it. We concluded the fantastic dinner not with another bottle of wine but with the Warm Berry Crisp dessert. There were strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries baked with a crumb topping and ouh la la it was so good. The birch syrup-butter pecan ice cream was a big draw for us and it was so, so worth the extra calories! Be sure to check out the history of Marx Bros Cafe if you have the opportunity to dine here. If not, check it out on their website (https://www.marxcafe.com/history). I love, love, love GREAT local businesses. "Elegant Evening Dining," indeed! I highly recommend this gem in Anchorage and can only hope I will have the opportunity to dine here again. If this isn't Anchorage's finest dining, please do let me know what is - but be sure you've dined here first.

Good experience. Fun little location. Enjoyable view. Great to watch the late summer sun set slowly over the water. We had Gnocchi Caesar salad Rack of lamb Couple rounds of wine. Total came to $139, not including tip. It's interesting to contextualize this one. It's good food. It's especially good given the size of the city and the distance. We didn't have a particularly magical experience, which is fine. Hostess and waiter on a Friday night seemed disinterested and detached- I wouldn't mention it given the state of the pandemic/world in general right now, but it was sharply contrasted by the attitude of the man bussing tables. He had a wonderful welcoming dispositions and a quick energy that makes you want to jump in and help. Or reshingle your house or something. It's great. Enthusiasm is beautiful, especially now. As for the food itself- Gnocchi was excellent. We shared, and it was a testament to the fact that we make sacrifices for those we love. Could have just had three orders of that. Caesar salad proved that its reputation is well-earned. A salad with a two person minimum @$15pp seemed like a lot, but it's a production and I see why they do it the way they do. Other reviewers complaining about anchovies had me steeling myself for slabs of smelly fish on my lettuce, but I learned that people were freaking out for having a little bit of one made into a salad dressing. Which is how you make a Caesar salad. Absolutely silly. You may as well order a Bloody Mary without tomato juice. No one should take you seriously until you repent of your shameful ways. The lamb was good. Respectable while also unremarkable. You may have better luck than we did, could have just been an off night. You won't have a bad meal here, but you may find more value at other places. All that said, it's easy to see why this pleasant little house became such an institution. Here's to happier times ahead.

We visited Marx Brothers while on vacation in Downtown Anchorage. The walk from the Hilton is just a block away, and the setting is eclectic in a converted house. We had dinner in the front right room, what was likely at one point a sitting room. The layout is quite jammed in, and it creates some logistics issues (e.g. the waitress tripping over my chair, another guest asking to turn a table sideways to better facilitate conversation, and the distraction of the staff moving tables to facilitate a party of 6). Overall, the food was fine, the star of the night being the scallops. Halibut was a bit dry, and the berry crisp was uninspired with syrup-laden fruit). I'd discuss our just-OK server in more detail, but she never provided her name, and it didn't show up on the bill. At about $75/person all-in without alcohol or appetizers, I would anticipate a better experience. So at the end of the day it was fine, but if I lived in the area, I'd look for better options.

Marx Bros is by far my favorite restaurant in Anchorage. It is classy with amazing food. Not set in a strip mall like several other 'fancier' establishments, Marx Bros is in a quaint old house abounding with ambiance. The food is excellent - from the tea smoked duck to the venison to the halibut Olympia to the salmon dish of the week. Can't bet it! Appetizers include oysters, gnocchi and my favorite - the Neapolitan mouse - 3 color mousse. Desserts are also amazing - carrot cake, chocolate mouse, pie. The wine list is excellent, somewhat of a beer list, but sorry, no hard liquor. Oh, and I would be remiss if I did not mention the one-of-a-kind Van's Cesar salad. This is made at your tableside from scratch - abounding with garlic and pepper. Delicious! Costs are up there, but as expected for the quality. Plates are $40-50. Staff are friendly and helpful with your food/wine choices. 2 individual unisex bathrooms upstairs. Coat check when you enter. No parking as this is downtown. Some lots around and street parking. This is a must visit place. Especially nice for a meaningful occasion, but a great 'splurge' date night too! Highly recommended.

I deleted my last review after getting threats from some of the staff but I've decided to repost it and stand my ground. One night when I had gone here the hostess overheard me telling my boyfriend I wanted to stop by a nearby restaurant/bar that stayed open late to grab some drinks and she commented about joining us. It just seems like a casual joke, right? We laughed it off and said yea maybe we'll see you and then she said "no I'm about to get off work, I'll go with you". I just barely "met" this girl! I don't even know her name. We politely declined and had promptly left. Shortly later the hostess shows up at the nearby restaurant and tries to not only sit with us but tries to greet us with a hug! I declined, again because I don't even know her, and she doesn't back off. She starts asking what's wrong and I'm trying to politely not cause any problems, I say nothing is wrong I just don't really know her and don't feel comfortable. She responded by telling me what a bitch I am and threatening to "beat the shit" out of me. When I asked her what her problem was she told me to "shut my mouth or she would shut it for me". She followed me from their location and threatened me for not hugging her?! The bartender noticed her being aggressive and kicked her out. She threatened to be waiting outside for me. I reached out to Marx Bros about the incident, because I don't feel safe even going there, and this is how they responded. Apparently the owner then called the restaurant to check on them because he felt like I'm a threat to their host and banned me from the restaurant. Even though another employee backed up my side of things. To this day when I try to give them another shot (hoping maybe she's gone now and things will be better) they cancel my reservation and in some instances lied about being too full to accommodate me. I was threatened by a lunatic that stalked me from their restaurant and I'm the issue? Wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

This is my second time here and definitely my spot when I'm in town. Not only is the food next level, but the team they have is legit the ambience. From the jump, Hannah swoops in with this infectious personality. She's not just hospitable, but personable, and she remembered us. Then we have Jeffrey coming in for the kill with amazing table side service. Never pushy or makes us feel rushed. They're both attentive and thorough, and fun to speak with. I'd say the food is worth it all (and it most rightfully is amazing) but these two are the spirit that has us addicted. Be back in a couple weeks

We've been coming to Anchorage for years for the Iditarod/Fur Rondy festivities--and Marx Brothers has been a favorite restaurant for at least a decade. It's unfortunate how events of the last several years have changed everything. Several in our party expressed disappointment with the food this evening -- cold dishes, excessive seasoning, and just nothing special. And the service we experienced was really atrocious. From a generally bad attitude to no bread service until we asked a third time it was nothing but disappointing. When a restaurant forces a 20%/$200 tip on a party the wait staff ought to be willing to work for it. Instead, to be frank, we felt mistreated by the lead waitress. It was unanimous -- we wont be back. Sorry to see the decline in this once great establishment.

Thank you, The Marx Bros. Cafe for such a wonderful meal last night. I also appreciated the recommendation to try Kincaid Grill...I'm there now! House Made Gnocchi Potato dumplings with Alaskan red king crab, crispy capicola and sweet gorgonzola mornay Halibut Olympia Fresh Alaskan halibut stuffed with king crab, lemon caper sauce and asparagus Marx Bro's Cheesecake Our own special recipe, rich and creamy

Fine dining. Excellent service and food. Great place to go with a date. Very intimate.

I honestly can't say enough good things about my experience here. We went all out, how could you not. Wine pairings with each plate, appetizers, salad, entree, and dessert. For the appetizer we got the gnocchi and while this would typically be something I would rank as a top choice for me it was, although so good, my least favorite item I had tonight. Everything else was just so spectacular while this was good it was blown out of the water by the salad and entree. The Caesar salad was a force to be reckoned with. To have the sweet owner make it table side with skill and precision was not only fun to watch, but the interaction was wonderful. Since it was our first time he kindly offered a wine paring with the salad because he learned we love our wine. He was right, the two went together beautifully and it elevated the experience. I would come here alone for this salad and I'm not typically a salad person. For entree we got the duck and the scallops. Both had such delicate and amazing flavors. Using simple and natural ingredients each individual flavor was able to shine uniquely while creating an amazing medley. I can't wait to return, and ideally come back for some future classes offered here. Perfect spot for a special occasion, date night, or simply for any food and wine connoisseurs visiting the anchorage area

Phenomenal cuisine. We came for fine dining and stayed for the ocean of love and skill that peppers the whole experience. What good fortune to happen by and realize what gems may shine this evening. And oh did they ever! Far beyond what we could imagine. Solid 5. An establishment cultivated over decades and distilled to excellence on the nectar of every bite. I could effusively share for paragraph after paragraph but instead will bask in this joy in the evening sunset (it will come eventually) with my companions. What an evening we've been gifted! Delight! Thank you chef!

Looks very sophisticated comparing to other places here in Anchorage. The food was a bit pricey but we still enjoyed it. A very intimate setting, tables are a little bit too close together. Excellent service tho

We received a gift certificate and used it for our anniversary. We knew going in it wasn't going to be our typical scene. The food was excellent. The service was well done. A bit of tight quarters and of course spendy. Overall a great place to experience at least once.

What an amazing experience! The Marx Bros Cafe is a wonderful restaurant with limited seated. It is an old historic home that has been converted into a quaint and cozy upscale restaurant. From the moment you walk in, to the moment you are handed your coats from coat check for departure, you are given the best customer service. Every single staff member was polite courteous and friendly. The owner Van himself was very hands on , bussing tables and helping the servers. If you order a Van's Caesar Salad (which you should) Van wheels out a cart and makes you a fresh salad along with his own Cesar dressing he makes right before your eyes. He is peeling garlic, crushing anchovies, beating eggs and adding this and that while carrying on causal conversation. You can tell he loves what he does. He paired our Cesar salads with a lovely Gewürztraminer wine. Remember it's salad , wine then salad. It is the most exquisite flavors.. and this was just the salad. We ordered a crab cake to share - absolutely delicious . I had the Grilled Kodiak Scallops- scallops were cooked to perfection the sauce was robust with flavor and the spinach pasta was lovely (I was soo full by this point!). My husband let me try his Hibachi Grilled Wagyu NY Strip - OMG hands down best steak we've ever had. It was seasoned perfectly- cooked perfectly- it was mouthwatering, flavorful , rich and succulent. Everything was amazing but most importantly the staff and Van himself really made our experience top level. It was worth every penny! We live in WA , and this place is worth a 3hr flight.

We heard a lot of great things about this establishment so naturally our expectations were high. My wife really liked it and enjoyed the atmosphere, food and service. The service was good and the owner made our Caesar salad at our table. The salad was very good and we enjoyed it but again I thought it was good but not great. The decor seemed a little of out of date and the lighting was a little too dark for me. Someone might say it is private and cozy but I found it crowded as there was a table within arms length of our table just too close. The food was pretty good but nothing really exceptional. In my opinion this place is good but over rated and quite expensive.

First time at Marx Bros was for our 10th anniversary. It was charming and beautiful, the food and wine was delicious, and the service was top notch. It was the perfect place for us

Amazing is all I can say. I love the atmosphere on top of the amazing cuisine. Excellent wine selection. The table side Caesar salad is the best in Alaska.

I've been here twice in the years I've lived in AK. The first experience was great, I remember the Cesar salad the most. This time, I was so excited as it's reputation speaks for itself. The Caesar salad made table side and by scratch is by far the best I have ever had. The appetizers were pretty good, I think I was expecting more. We got the egg plant pate and the gnocchi app. Both were about 3.5 stars. We got the salmon and the cod special. I have such a hard time paying for fish out since we catch and cook our own but it's Marx Bothers...it has to be excellent right? It was good. Nothing out of the world or with the price tag of $50 a plate. The sides were the same, just good and nothing more. If I'm going to splurge, it better knock my socks off and unfortunately it just didn't...socks are still on dang it. If I went back it would be for wine and Caesar salad. Over all I would give this 3 stars but that Caesar earned an extra star.

I booked a reservation for four (2 girls under 10 and the wife) 2 weeks out for a Friday at 6. The employee took all my info and said I was good to go. Arrived 10 min prior and was greeted by 3 people: 1 who took our coats, 1 who checked our reservation, and 1 who seated us. Wow! First impressions are key. Seated in the middle of the downstairs floor with a view out the back. Good spot and room is warm and welcoming. Very fancy. This was a dinner before I had to leave for a month. Wanted to treat them good that night. Waiter was nice and gave us menus and asked for our drink orders. Because I had looked at the menu prior and it wasn't kid friendly, I asked him if the chef could make a special pasta for my 5 year old. They happily obliged. Appetizer: We ordered the Melitzano Salata appetizer. It was really good and fed more than 4 people. Entree: Wife and oldest had the Lamb Chops and I had the Alaskan Spot Prawns. Portioned well, cooked exactly how ordered, and very delicious. Desert: Girls had the Caramel Ice Cream, Wife had Tiramisu, and I had the Raspberry Sherbet. The owner was nice to our girls and the desert was on the house. He said he had 3 grand children of his own. Nice guy! All in all, it was a night to remember. Recommendation: Chef should know 2-3 dishes for under 10 that they can make from what's on the menu in case a family like us arrives. My fault for not letting them know ahead of time. Also, the parking out front is not good for late arrivals. There is a paid parking lot one block up the street. Park there for $6/3 hrs. Will come again without the kids.

I have so much I could say about my experience at The Marx Bros. Cafe, but I will leave it at this - my meal tonight was one of, if not the best meal I have ever eaten at a restaurant. It was beyond words (and this is coming from a teacher who has to speak all day long!). P.S. - do yourself a favor and try the cheesecake. It is certainly the best I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

I have eaten at Marx Brothers a couple of times in the past and enjoyed their outstanding service and food, so expected the same when I took the hubs out for his birthday dinner on Dec 30. He had never been there so we were both excited to go "out" and enjoy a special meal. He ordered the fresh white king salmon special and I ordered the Peking duck dish. We also ordered the tablseside-prep Caesar salad. With a reservation, the two of us were seated at a table for four, right next to the back door and right outside the kitchen and prep area. Kind of a bummer when several other tables for two were unoccupied when we arrived. It was uncomfortably cold and high traffic, but we went with it. We ordered a bottle of wine and shortly after, our tablseside-prep Caesar salad rolled up. The table next to us also had ordered it and we were told that we would be sharing the experience because we were so close together. Disappointing, but ok. The super cramped spot we were in was so tight that there wasn't enough space for the servers to walk through with he salad cart there, so it turned into a bit of an extended logjam for both the staff and diners. The salads were fresh and tasty. We enjoyed watching them be prepared and also interracting with the owner/salad steward. When our food arrived, my Peking duck looked really good sitting atop a lovely nest of soba noodles with baby bok choy which was very tasty and enjoyable. The duck, which I was really excited about, was just barely warm all the way through. The skin, which I expected to be at least somewhat crisp, was unsatisfyingly floppy and the underlayer of fat wasn't rendered as one would expect from a Peking preparation. I felt like perhaps it had been prepared ahead and not completely reheated prior to plating. My date's white king salmon was served atop a bed of a quinoa medley. Huge disappointment. As lifelong Alaskans, we fish seasonally and we eat a lot of salmon so we know what "fresh" is. King is an all time favorite and we were both super excited for this dish. Unfortunately, this fish was very fishy tasting and didn't seem fresh but more like it had been in the freezer too long. The texture was not of fresh fish at all. King is full of fat and when freshly grilled or otherwise prepared, should be juicy, hot and delicious. This fish was none of those things. Lastly, the quinoa was surprisingly bland...almost no flavor. The fresh king dish either had an off night or maybe needs an overhaul. We finished with the creme brulee which came with a blackberry for garnish and slice of cheesecake adorned with a ribbon of raspberry sauce. Both desserts were satisfying and delicious. Overall the service was outstanding as always. The wine was very nice. The desserts were delish. We were happy to enjoy a rare date night out at a nice place. We were also happy to spend a couple of hundred bucks (before tip) for a great experience but we both feel like our actual dinner was not at the level one would expect from Marx Brothers. We didn't care for being sat at the back door (all glass and it was freezing cold outside) and also being right at the high-traffic kitchen door/prep area. Seemed like an afterthought to squeeze a table in there. We aren't about leaving bad reviews. Just being honest and hope someone from the restaurant takes this as constructive feedback. We still recommend Marx Brothers and we will be back, but this particular meal at a very nice restaurant was pretty underwhelming. All the best.

After leaving Alaska 35 years ago, we returned to our favorite restaurant with our Alaska-born son and his fiancée, with high hopes that the food would be just as good as we had remembered. The Marx Bros' Caesar salad has been the gold standard in my opinion for all these years and was even better than I had remembered. We tried new items such as the halibut cheeks appetizer which was incredibly delicious as were the oysters that were savored! The rockfish en papillote was also tasty! We couldn't resist their desserts and the cheesecake with raspberry coulis, berry crisp and carrot cake were a nice way to complete the meal. The only disappointment of the evening was the sold-out seafood mousse (at 8:30). I almost cried. It just means we need to return to enjoy this special appetizer! Service was outstanding and dining here was a very special way to end our visit to Alaska! How many restaurants survive 35+ years in business and manage to provide the same quality of service and gourmet experience?!

Home style cooking from a classic home built restaurant. Amazing oysters to start, great wine/beer options and mind blowing entree dishes (go with the venison).

When I think about the top three foods I enjoyed the most in Alaska, one of them may surprise you. One of the most memorable dishes was the Van's Caesar Salad. Now, although it was at this restaurant that I found one of my favorite meals, there is a reason why I give this place a three star rating and keep reading and you'll understand why. Reason For The Three Stars: When I think about the cost of the entrees and how they tasted, it just didn't do it for me. I ordered the Potato Crusted King Salmon and for $42, I expect that bad boy to be the BOMB, but it wasn't folks. It was actually a little bland to me. For the dessert, I got the chocolate-macadamia torte and although the presentation is beautiful, the quality in taste is lacking. The dessert was kinda dry and surprisingly, my hubby and I didn't even finish it - that's how disappointed we were with it. And for dessert, that's a big deal for me because I LOVE dessert. On the flip side, the one thing that was the BOMB and going back to what I said in the beginning, the Van's Caesar Salad is truly amazing and I would recommend that. When I was told by a friend that this was the best Caesar salad he's ever had, I was like, "Really?! What's so good about a freakin' Caesar Salad?" Well, let me tell you, I get it now because after having it, my hubby and I were both saying that this was the BEST Caesar Salad we've ever had. The chef prepared the salad right in front of us and made the dressing from scratch and I believe one or a few of the ingredients came from different parts of the world. Would I come back here? Yes, for the Salad.

This is the place that we go to for special occasions. It's charming, romantic, classy, take your pick! I've had a variety of things on the menu and they've all been well executed, beautifully presented, delicious, and perfect portion sizes. When all of these pieces come together they contribute to what is not just dinner, but a great dining experience. You simply enjoy yourself and your company with the environment and the food. A popular item that should not go without recognition is the Caesar salad. You can't beat table service like that from start to finish, and I love that it's also one of the classes that they offer! Service has always been delightful as well, you definitely feel like you can relax because you're well taken care of. If you're treating yourself and/or someone else, come here! You won't regret it! You do get what you pay for, in the best way possible.

had reservation. confirmed. got to restaurant and it was closed. had to go somewhere else. no one notified me that the restaurant was closed.

This iconic rustic shack of a restaurant has been delighting the Anchorage community with upscale dining for 37 years. Tonight I got to experience a sample of their success. Oysters. Half dozen with Pickled ginger vodka sorbet. Insanely good. Probably the most unique preparation I can remember and definitely the highest quality of oysters from south east Alaska. Beet salad. Very fresh and plentiful. Very mild vinaigrette. I found the beets themselves delicious, however they were diced too small for my liking. They got lost in the greens instead of being front and center as the star of the dish. Filet was an 8oz grass fed prime. Nice demi glaze and truffle butter accompanied. Very nice side of yukon gratin. Cut like butter and had a melt in your mouth quality. Wine. A stunning Red Mountain reserve from Washington state. Service staff was excellent and highly knowledgeable. Very attentive to detail, and sincerely care about your dining experience. Looking forward to my next visit.

It's debatably* the fanciest, nicest restaurant in Anchorage. I have been meaning to visit since I moved here, but never quite got around to it. I finally fixed that a few days ago. I dig the ambiance; it's like being in Grandma's cottage. The walls are adorned with memorabilia from years gone by. You can tell this place has some history. I ordered the lamb chops, rare. (because that's how you do lamb chops) They were perfectly cooked and the portion was spot-on (too often places like this serve micro-portions). I dream about these chops. My dining mate ordered the filet mignon, also rare. It wasn't what either of us would categorize as rare. Reluctantly, she sent it back. (neither of us like to be difficult about things like this) They were very embarrassed and replaced it with a delightfully rare steak. There was no hassle, just an apology and a snappy replacement. We were both insanely impressed. Why not five stars? The beer selection. I don't expect the world from a restaurant like this, when it comes to beer. I get that most folks want wine with their fancy fare. BUT, would it hurt them to have at least one beer that's brewed in Anchorage? All the beers on the menu were bottles from Alaskan Brewing, a very large brewery in Juneau. Beer that you can get in just about any state in the US. Why not add some local flavor to the beer selections? I feel like Anchorage Brewing would be a perfect fit for this place. *maybe not, I feel like this is unequivocally the finest fine dining spot in Anchorage. I know not everyone will agree.

I have Nothing bad to say. Very positive experience at this place. Food was excellent and so was the service. Highly recommend the Marx Bros Cafe.

Vann the owner is a true host. Greets you at the door, spent time with us telling us his story and has been making the Caesar salad for 39years. He's a pro! Filet was perfect, potatoes (Yukon Gold algratin) and Sprouts. The Misses had Scallops and they rocked it. Finished dinner with berry Crisp and ice cream. 10 stars.

The food was good enough and not that expensive for a fine dining establishment. We had the Caesar salad they make table side, but it had a clove too much garlic. I had the NY strip that was cooked medium as requested but otherwise less tasty than others I've had. My friend had the salmon but it came with an unusual sauce that somehow rendered the salmon itself tasteless. A dash or two of salt helped immensely. The dessert was a fruit tart with maple syrup butter pecan Ice cream and it was very good. I suspect vanilla ice cream would have been a better choice to make the fruit more the star. The wine was excellent and they had my favorite dessert wine: Sauternes.

I've lived in Anchorage for 24 years and just recently visited Marx Bros. I really love that it's a house and dining areas are in different rooms. The space is very small, but fairly comfortable and the atmosphere is friendly. The walls are decorated with old photos of the owners and founders, Anchorage and newspaper or articles published about this restaurant. A lot of history around you. If you are looking for an intimate dining experience with private conversations, this may not be the best choice for that experience. The food was delicious. I'm not getting into specifics about different dinner offerings, but just know that whatever you order will be great. They have an extensive wine list, some local beers and cocktails to offer. They make their own (locally famous) Caesar salad right at the table. They even offer classes to learn how to make their Caesar! They offer other classes as well, so check out their website to sign up for some fun learning experiences.