The Tides Wharf & Restaurant

I stop here every once in awhile (mostly because I'm local and I love being near the coast, and this restaurant offers a water front view), and I'm always pleasantly surprised by the personable experience with the folks behind the bar - the staff here are super friendly. I really enjoyed my time here and am very appreciative for the level of service and, to be honest, expertise that is present here. It takes a lot of energy and dedication to do well in an environment that asks one to multi-task! (Way to go, Helen!). Thank you so much for an experience that put a smile on my face. With so much love ❤️

Lovely spot for lunch. Every table has a view of the bay. Love that they brought crusty sourdough to the table. The crab caeser came with a generous mound of crab and tiny but tasty seasoned croutons. They serve a thick and clammy clam chowder. I thought the crab sandwich was a tad dry but it was still enjoyable. Service was excellent.

This is a good place to visit. The restrooms are always clean. There's a gift shop with all kinds of books and shirts and hoodies, hats and sea items. There's a mini mart with fish products, wine, sodas, chips, jerky and other stuff to eat. There's a restaurant in the back overlooking the water. It has a bar in the restaurant over to one side. Lots to choose from in the menu. There's a snack bar on the other side of the building that you could order almost the same food. My partner and I ate there and ordered the bread bowl, fish and chips with onion rings and a soda. Everything was restaurant quality and very delicious. Out on the dock there were some sea lions getting some rays. You can spend some time doing things here. Good visit!

Would probably give it a 3.5. They're clam chowder was tasty and the glazed calamari was good. Slightly a bit chewier than I would like, but good. Great seating by the window looking out at the bay

Review of The Tides Restaurant – Bodega Bay The Tides Restaurant in Bodega Bay is a must-visit for seafood lovers and film buffs alike. Famous as a filming location for The Birds, this coastal spot offers delicious food, stunning bay views, and a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. From January through March, The Tides hosts three crab feeds a month—an absolute highlight for any seafood fan. The all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab, paired with classic sides, makes for a memorable meal. Plus, if you book a room at The Tides, you’ll get a discounted rate for the night of the crab feed, making it an ideal weekend getaway. Beyond the crab feeds, the regular menu is consistently excellent. Whether it’s the rich, creamy clam chowder, perfectly grilled seafood, or classic fish and chips, every dish is fresh and flavorful. They also have a full bar, perfect for enjoying a cocktail while watching the boats in the harbor. If you want to bring a taste of Bodega Bay home, stop by their open market, where you can pick up fresh seafood and local specialties. The on-site gift shop is also worth a visit, offering unique coastal souvenirs and gifts. Whether you’re visiting for a meal, a drink, or a full weekend escape, The Tides delivers a true Bodega Bay experience. Highly recommend!

Right on the Bodega bay with beautiful views. Famous for Alfred Hitchcock filming of sences in the movie "The Birds". Food was delicious and our services was great. Charming gift shop and market. Don't miss heading outside to be greeted by the sea lions.

We just had a great healthy lunch here! Beyond expectations. The food is very fresh and cooked with love. Thank you! Will come back.

Hot Crab Sandwich was amazing! We got sat by the window facing NW and we were very lucky to get see a Bald Eagle attacking a smaller bird in the water. He landed and I got some good shots on my phone, all while sitting at my table!

Had breakfast here when we stayed at the Inn at the Tides. I had the crab cake Benedict. The eggs were excellently poached and the crab cakes were moist and generous. The hash browns were bland and not cooked enough for my liking. Also ordered a Bloody Mary which was ok. The weather was gorgeous which gave us excellent views. Waitress was friendly but had to be reminded of the juice that we ordered. I will also say we had dinner here a couple days prior and I remember it sooo much better. The calamari steak was overdone and the veggies that come the it were so so. Our waitress also struggled to open a bottle of wine I brought and absolutely decimated the cork. Likely not much of it ended up in the bottle.

We had a great view and the service was attentive. The food? The wine and fresh sourdough bread were the best parts of the meal. The clam chowder was gelatinous due to overuse of cornstarch. It fell short on seasoning, fresh herbs, clams, and potatoes. The BBQ oysters tasted like someone dumped ketchup on them and didn't let it caramelize. Night and day difference between these and the tasty grilled oysters you get at Hog Island. The fish tacos lacked flavor. I added the pico de gallo - tasteless, like it had been sitting in the fridge for days. I added hot sauce. It didn't help. I'm not feeling good about shelling out over $100 for two glasses of wine and two slices of sourdough. I recommend the chef go visit Hog Island, Gourmet Au Bay, and any decent taco truck to realign their tastebuds to quality food. But only if they care about their customers.

Good quality food, nice ocean view but the service is sloooooow. The front desk guy didn't want to seat us by the window even tough there were plenty seats. The manager finally said we could. The food was better than the service. Got the crab luis, the bbq oysters, the clams is sauce, and halibut in mango relish. Parking was easy to find.

The Tides Warf Restaurant has the most beautiful view of the Bodega Bay sunset. We had a couple appetizers and martinis and watched the sun go down. Our waitress was super nice and checked on us multiple times. Not bad a bad experience after all. The next day we had breakfast since staying at the Tides property across the street offers a discount at the restaurant. I ordered soft scrambled eggs and sourdough toast. The eggs were over cooked and the toast was cold and stale.

So very disappointing. We drove an hour to purposely dine at this restaurant for lunch today. We each had the crab sandwich with french fries. We were never asked our choice of bread, even though it was noted on the menu that it was our choice. We decided to run with whatever we received. What we did receive was white bread that had obviously just been taken out of the fridge. It was not soft, but, in-fact it was dry, cold, and firm. Everyone knows that refrigerators suck the moisture out of bread. The sandwich was dry as well. No mayo or anything on it. Just crab. Flavorless crab. Even though crab is in season, I do question whether it was fresh. Fresh crab should be slightly sweet, savory and a hint of saltiness to it. This had none. The only reason I even gave this review 1 star is because the french fries were good. At $25.50 a piece, this was a total rip off. We will never be returning.

We ordered a few couple to snack on as our reservation for a different restaurant was like 5 hours later (we got into town earlier than anticipated). Bill rang up to $50 for 2 appetizers that were not very good. We had a salad with some tinned shrimp and an assortment of fried stuff. The best thing was weirdly the fried lemon? Plently of better things in the area.

The place is a classic! All the pictures from the old restaurant where "the birds" was filmed were on the walls... the wait is a bit long but the location is great so make a reservation if possible, or be very patient, We arrived late and cold and only had their New England style cl chowder this time: and it was thick and creamy and chowdery... yummm! Next time I'll try their crabs. Everything looked great. Enjoy!

Super cute restaurant with a great view of Bodega Bay. I love the clam chowder here! The shrimp is great too!!

Delicious food : I had tides cioppino and my wife had the grilled halibut both were fresh and delicious. Service was good. Ambiance is nice, sitting next to the window with a great view of the bay.

This was a beautiful surprise in the quaint city of Bodega Bay. Right off Highway 1, this restaurant offers a great ambience, beautiful view of the bay , great food and good service. Our waiter Russel was exceptional. He was alert to our needs and we did not have to wait for anything. Very polite and pleasant. We had the linguine and fish tacos. And the bread pudding. All were very tasty. Importantly, the restaurant is health conscious and uses vegetable oil instead of animal fat for cooking.

The food isn't anything too special, you're mainly paying for the view. The view was really pretty though and everything we got was pretty good. The oysters are a little bit on the fishier side which I wasn't a big fan of but my family liked them. The crab cakes and clams/clam chowder were my favorites!

I wish they would get a new manager and a new chef. Poor, slow service. For the most part, the food is almost inedible. Such a beautiful place, with such lousy food. The prices are ridiculously high considering the quality of their food.

Ambiance: it's not about the food! It's about the experience. The Original Tides was in the Hitchcock movie "The Birds." The 1990's remodel has several things relevant to the movie including a perpetual replaying film on a replay loop, gift shop, seafood market and more. Yes it's tourist focused; so what. Gauge your expectations accordingly. The main dinning room is super clean, bathroom as well. THE VIEW SPECTACULAR!!! Try the beer Death & Taxes if you dare. The food is okay. Recommendation: the Calamari, Lingcod fish tacos, crab salad... The service is outstanding. The Tides is, IMHO, undeserving of the poor ratings here if you set your expectations accordingly.

We stayed the night at the Inn at the Tides and decided to walk over and have some dinner. I had zero complaints about dinner. We got seated right away with an ocean view. Good service, good food. We enjoyed our dinner so much we decided to give it another try for breakfast. Again good service and good food.

We blew into the The Tides for our annual new years dinner reunion on 12/28/24. They were packed and we had not done our homework and thought they did not take reservations for big groups (12 of us!)....The hostess (Jesse) went above and beyond juggling and got us three tables of four in the back corner. It couldn't have been nicer! We did not mind the short wait because their bar is so much fun. Thank you, Jesse, for saving our party. We will be back next year to continue our tradition, but will have a reservation next time! I gave it 4 stars so I hope my computer is logging that.

My wife and I marked our wedding anniversary with a journey to Bodega Bay from August 11th to 13th, 2024. We enjoyed dining at The Tides Wharf Restaurant twice--once for dinner and once for the complimentary continental breakfast provided by The Inn at the Tides. Additionally, we stopped by the abutting Seafood Market twice to pick up some comforting clam chowder and snacks that complemented the complimentary wine from The Inn. While perusing the menu and making small conversation with my wife, a gentleman approached our table and introduced himself as Paulie. At first, we were unsure of who he was since he wasn't wearing the usual server's uniform or name tag. It turned out he was the bartender who also doubled as a table server. For dinner, we shared a Cioppino entree, and each had a glass of Salmon Creek Chardonnay. They offer two types of Cioppino: one with crab and another whose details escape me. The version we enjoyed had clams, mussels, shrimp, crab, and fish in a savory tomato and wine broth. The freshness was incredible--I even joked with Paulie that it must have been caught from the bay moments before it was cooked. It was truly delicious! After finishing our meal, we thought about ordering dessert. However, Paulie returned with our bill without asking if we wanted dessert, mentioning he had almost forgotten to bring us the check. By then, we had decided to skip dessert, settled the bill, and left, only to return the next day for our complimentary continental breakfast before heading home. On the morning of August 13th, we came back for breakfast, which was decent and filling. The servers were very nice and attentive, refilling our beverages and explaining that our breakfast was complimentary due to our stay at The Inn at the Tides. Despite some mixed reviews, we had a great experience and will likely return whenever we're in the area. *** Just a heads-up for those planning to dine at the Bay View Restaurant & Lounge: they add a 2% surcharge to the bill, which doesn't apply to alcoholic beverages. This extra charge is said to go directly to the back-of-house staff. It's always good to know about these additional fees, and I always include them in my reviews to ensure you're fully informed before you choose to eat out.

Visited The Tides for a party of 8, Bachelorette Dinner. You will find that the restaurant is attached to what looks like a grocery market and a few mini souvenirs shops. It's nestled right on the water and provided great views of the sunset on a clear day. I wouldn't say you need to wear a suite and tie to enter; casual attire is just fine while dining here. Decor is in the older side, so don't judge a book by its cover. Antonio, our server was sweet. He was able to handle out party of 8 without any issues. His busser always had our waters filled above the half way point, and he cleared our dirty dishes quickly. The food was not bad. Most of us ordered the creamy clam chowder to start and then we shared the calamari appetizers; one raw and the other battered version. Both versions were very tasty. The clam chowder was delish, not too salty and just the right consistency. Main dishes were good. I opted for the strike linguini pasta with cake with huge sized prawns, perfectly al dente noodles slightly bathed in a yummy garlic, lemon olive oil sauce. All in all we had a delightful dinner for our bride to be. I would recommend this restaurant if you are staying in or driving thru Bodega Bay.

This has to be the most mediocre food for Bay area prices. Every plate was thrown together with no effort, food was bland, and the seafood platter was laughable with their saltine crackers and micro shrimp. This place has the atmosphere of the 80s with no updates made to the decor or food since then. Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone unless you are desperately hungry.

We didn't want to eat here based on the reviews, but since we were staying at the Inn we decided to give it a shot. The food was mediocre, nothing to rave about. I had the corned beef & hash. My husband had a veggie omelet with a side of chicken sausage. DON'T GET THE CHICKEN SAUSAGE! It was awful, we couldn't eat it tho we tried. The best part of our breakfast was the view. There were stand up paddlers. Kayaks & plenty of sea lions fishing for breakfast. The service tried to be good. I'll give them that. We still tipped nicely. I also had a Bloody Mary. Not the best, but it served its purpose.

Views 10/10 We ordered the fish and chips and calamari app. Would've loved to learn the specials, but heard them from the server at the table next to us. Someone in the reviews mentioned it's a touristy spot, and I agree, it is. Lots of lovely photo opportunities while dining

The hostess staff was the most rude bunch I have ever experienced. Lots of arguing. The place is run by a bunch of novices. The owner should rethink who is running this place. The real estate and views is incredible and this restaurant property is underutilized for what it is with the location on the water. This property is a great opportunity for someone who wants to come in and create something special. The server is the bar area Michelle was great and she is the best thing this place has going for it!

We camp every year at Bodega Bay and this restaurant was by far the worst I've ever had, The Food was horrible!! nothing was fresh!!! It will take me a longtime before I will come back. It's unfortunate that this happened to such a beautiful location.

Just to note that the bill in 2008 would be $45 - $50 today for pancakes and eggs and an egg scramble.

Pros: -the New England clam chowder was amazing!! - the sourdough bread was sooo fluffy - the waitress was attentive and fun and was really good - the location Pro/Con - the fried calamari was really good...but felt like we got there towards end of night so was maybe just reheated -burgers were solid -some fries were good with a nice crunch on the outside and some were a bit limp Con: - I would say price but it is a tourist restaurant next to the water in California sooooo it is pretty on par for the area

Food is ordinary but decided to eat here since I had a voucher for either a free continental breakfast or 25% off other breakfast items. The window seats offer a nice view of the bay. You're right on the water. Service is good; friendly wait staff.

Was meeting up with old friend and family in the area and choose the Tides as that spot. Great location/ambiance but the food was exactly what you'll find at any other waterside restaurant catering to tourists: fried food, burger and the like. The servers were great and friendly. Honestly, we were engaged in conversation a long time before ordering as well as after lunch and that was the highlight.

Best breakfast and biscuits and gravy! We come here every year on our anniversary! Service was awesome, and the view is spectacular. You get to watch the seals and pelicans while you eat!

The service and view here were excellent! Unfortunately, the food was very disappointing. The oysters & fish and chips were extremely fishy and did not taste fresh whatsoever. We ordered multiple dishes and the only thing that was enjoyable to eat were their fries, I definitely wont return next time I'm in bodega bay.

I love seafood! And this place has plenty! Posted a pic of the platter I had and it was simply scrum dolly yumchus! I'll be back and take down more seafood and sugary desserts! Yummmmmm!

I really enjoyed the memorable and history. Our dinner was good. The restaurant does get very busy I would recommend making a reservation on the weekends. The evening does have a romantic vibe. It can be get a little loud when the restaurant is full. Our breakfast was tasty and the vibe was causal and calm. The views during breakfast and brunch are beautiful. You can watch the ships in the bay and the sea life.

We made a trip to Jenner but only found 3 restaurants on Yelp. The restaurant we were interested in was only open for dinner. So we drove to Bodega Bay and decided on The Tides Wharf. Beautiful window view of the sea. We had the oysters which were very good. I ordered the Cold Crab Sandwich with fries. Nothing spectacular about the crab. Though the fries were good. My husband had the Petrale Sole. Said it needed more seasoning. Lunch was just so-so. It was difficult to get WiFi in the area so we couldn't see the ratings on Yelp. But the view and oysters were pluses.

A bucket list California coast restaurant for this tourist. I'm here for the history, ambiance, atmosphere. Yes this foodie from Las Vegas was satisfied with the food and service too. Enjoy.

This was my first time back in years and I now remember why I stopped going in the first place Extremely way overpriced for mediocre food . When you order a dinner that comes with veggies and steak fries and you try to sub just the fries for a side salad you pay $3.50 more for you loose not just the fries but the veggies to . You pay $5 extra for gluten free pasta to any pasta dish $107 plus tip for fried chicken w/side salad Bowl of GF pasta W/shrimp , clams and scallops (sauce was literally like water) shrimp and scallops were like chewing rubber Bowl of clam chowder (very buttery) No Drinks but water On the plus side the lady who kept refilling our waters was great and our waiter who was also the bartender was good . Wish he would have just kept the mask off while talking to us , he had it off talking to the guy at the bar but not with us . But whatever, would have been nice to put a face to the nice guy . Only reason the Tides even got a star is because of these 2 people Looking at reviews they just do not care

Great place for a Sunday brunch on the water. The service and food was delicious. We will definitely be back!!

Went for a special lunch for a celebration of life. It was the perfect place on the water with a beautiful view. Service was very good and wait staff was friendly and attentive. All dishes ordered everyone was very happy with. I ordered the prawn scampi and it had way more prawns than I was expecting. It had great flavor.

The view is why you come here. It's super cozy inside and the window views are the best. Was a bit hesitant about the reviews about service, etc but I had the greatest experience with a waiter that came often and took care of us! Got the combo with calamari and tiny fried octopus which I liked! The bread bowl was not sour dough and the bread given is also not sour dough so I wouldn't get it next time but the chowder was not bad!

Hurts my soul to see THE tides like this. Current Vibe / atmosphere depressing, sullen, sad, dusty, like a crypt or mortuary. Mostly elderly walking around remembering the glory days long gone when this place was cool. My parents used to come here in the 1960s, myself 1980s / 90s. Still some movie memorabilia on the walls from the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie THE BIRDS shot here. The old gift shop building off to the right is gone, as you pull in. Replaced with a bougie fancy new one inside... also a fish market and overpriced depressing slow subpar restaurant in the back. Given this place several chances including yesterday but Just isn't for us.. Ghost town. Ridiculously Overpriced and depressed staff. I don't know what market they're trying to go for. Obvious attitude from host at restaurant was he didnt want to be there, same with the guy at fish market. Best way, to describe this place is if you landed in a bad retirement home you didnt ask to be flung into. Lousy staff subpar food that starts at $36-45 and up you can't wait to run out the door from. The gift shop and fish market wasn't bad .. but SPENDY. My wife and i got ignored by staff in 2020 and 2023. Don't waste your time or money. Downright shame its being run like this. I guess its ok for the nostalgia & memories but highly recommend AVOID.

A cheaper and faster way to get some yummy food at the adjacent SNACK BAR , no wait list and huge oysters for 9.50, great friendly guys, window seating , even gave us extra fries because they were closing soon. Deducted a star because they forgot my waters and shrimp and fries a little over cooked

We had breakfast here part of the Tides Inn we were staying at. I was not impressed. It was good and view was great. I just wish it was a step above.

This review is only for the bar. We went because my husband wanted to watch a certain football game. Apparently everyone else did too and it wasn't on because you had to have a peacock account. Since we were already there we had a coffee drink each. Nice and warm for a rainy day and even more exciting they had a decaf version for my caffeine sensitivity!! Decaf Irish code is bitter and topped with nice whipped cream. I was a little scared it would be sweet but it wasn't. My husbands Hot Irish Nut drink was, but it was actually an accidental serving as he had ordered the keoki coffee. He didn't correct them though and drank it. We were helped by Russell. Another bartender was helping the patron next to us. Ice water was provided upon request. Coffee cocktails were cheaper than the other cocktails. The restaurant itself was pretty full so it was a little hard to get our bartenders attention, but we were not in a rush as a patron came to the rescue and logged her peacock account to their one smart tv (out of 5) to cheers of the people who were here specifically for the game. Plenty of free parking. Didn't try the food here, but if you want a place to watch sports in bodega bay, it's not too easy to find otherwise!! Plenty of bar seats on this Saturday at 6ish. We were 3 out of the 8 seats available. Lots of tables behind us eating and watching one of the many tvs. The bar is fully stocked and a big coffee machine dispenses for the coffee cocktails. 8 beers on tap and a section of wine bottles.

Breakfast was terrible. Bacon, hash browns and coffee were underwhelming. Toast was cold and unbuttered. The staff gave the vibe that they didn't want to be there. Getting a coffee refill was a challenge. Would not recommend going there.

Nice view and the service, but the food is just simply not good! Even my husband cooks better! Ceaser salad was tasteless and had water in it. Crab sandwich was a dump of crab meat with mayo on top! They need to find a better chef!

After reading many of the negative reviews I decided to come anyway and see for myself. I had bay shrimp and crab louis it was very good with lots of shrimp and crab. I I had any complaint it would be that Romain lettuce was mixed I felt the bitterness of it took away from the light flavor of the crab. Each diner I saw was offered sourdough French bread and butter. My server was Helen she did a very good job serving me and from what I overheard from the other tables. I would not hesitate to recommend to others.

What a delight! This restaurant is located right on the bay with window tables. I highly recommend requesting a window table and look for a sea lion or seal! They are never too far. The service was friendly as usual, extremely fast and efficient, we were pleased. The ocean has just been gorgeous lately so I felt extra lucky to enjoy the weather outside after, there is a sweet area to walk along the bay and even a giant whale jaw! The food was perfect, hit the spot. I usually order a crab Louie and I love their bodega chowder because it's a little different than the traditional clam with a tomato base. Their Cioppino is amazing and I also recommend the bib they provide. They have delicious drinks from their bar and a nice selection of wine too. I like to try a fresh catch of the day, fresh is best! It doesn't get any better than this. Don't forget dessert. They have an amazing selection! Their pastry chef and pastry area is located next to the hosts stand. This place never has failed to be fabulous.

This used to be my favorite place to eat in Bodega Bay and I usually order the cioppino. We ate here last night for the first time in a few years and I was extremely disappointed. The wait staff was not very attentive and the restaurant wasn't even busy. The cioppino was too salty and overpriced $50!!!. The crab cakes were bland. The bbq oysters were just slabbed with too much bbq sauce that was just ok. My husband had the halibut and she it was awful. I don't know what happened to this place but we will not be returning. Very sad.

Clam chowder wasn't very good this trip and they now slice the bread paper thin.. it falls apart if you try to butter it and if you dip it in the clam chowder it falls apart.. place was clean but my meal was a disappointment

The service was horrible. Rude host and waiter. The place was DESERTED. See photos - nobody ants to eat here. That should have been a warning. All the fish was obviously pre frozon or they used old fish - NOT fresh. Rubbery textures- over cooked and disgusting flavor. We were a party of 8. 6 of us got diahria. The bill was outrageous. Never going here again. Worst resturaunt of 2023. Probably won't be open thru 2024 because it is so bad!

Ending a beautiful drive to the Sonoma coast! It's been years since we've been here. Very Nostalgic, smells of the ocean! Right on bodega bay on the wharf, nautical theme all the way fish market next door, fishing boats going in and out of the sheltered bay, bit of a sleepy feel from a bygone era, the price was more realistic for the area. I was hungry and had the clam chowder it was good' I really enjoyed the Linguini and clams' my wife had the fish and chips Without the chips , side salad Extra, nothing to write home about lots of fish but not very thick, a little dry, possibly a locally caught rockfish, not Icelandic cod. I did enjoy my meal, decor Tables,chairs basic. The views are great'. I would stop in again'

I came here on a quick getaway..The view here is outstanding..You sit inside looking out the window of the bay. The crab sandwich was amazing so fresh I even had a small shell yum..My wife got the lobster linguine in a lobster sauce yum..My sandwich also came with potatoe salad and fresh veggies yum.. After we ate our delicious meal we had trouble walking to the car so so much food and so so so fresh yummThe service was a bit slow ,but the taste made it not so bad..Must try if you are in the area..