The Waterfront Grill @ Pier 32 Marina - San Diego

Enjoyable place for an outdoor Sunday lunch, specially with our gorgeous California weather. We had shrimp cocktail, clam chowder and tuna melt. Yummy. We had to wait a while for our order but was worthy. Plenary of parking

Delicious clam chowder, not super thick, but it is rich & flavorful. The sourdough bread with the chowder is killer!!! The fresh made potato chips & dip are delicious on the salty side. The French dip is tender with great bread. Very relaxing place with a beautiful view. Nice area to walk after your meal.

THIS PLACE IS THE BOMB! Food is so so delicious! Sahil our awesome server, greeted us with a wonderful smile! Definitely a hidden gem! Sahil recommended the clam chowder and my goodness, haven't had clam chowder so amazing like this one! Loved it!!!!!

Had the fish and chips and the fish was good but the garlic fries are horrible. Served cold looked like they had been sitting. Very disappointed had higher hopes

A nice place to be for brunch. The vibe is nice, food is looks good but eggs are dry. Coffee is not acidic so I think that’s good. Customer Service is amazing

Nestled at Pier 32 Marina in National City, The Waterfront Grill offers a delightful dining experience with picturesque marina views. The restaurant's outdoor seating provides an intimate setting, perfect for enjoying a leisurely meal while watching boats drift by. The menu features a variety of American classics, including fresh seafood dishes like fish tacos and fish and chips, as well as hearty options such as Angus beef sliders and flat-iron steak. Patrons often commend the quality and flavor of the food, with many highlighting the garlic parmesan fries and the light, crispy batter on the fish and chips. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, making it an ideal spot for casual dining with family and friends. The staff is known for their friendly and attentive service, contributing to a pleasant dining experience. Whether you're looking for a peaceful spot to enjoy a meal or a place to unwind with a drink, The Waterfront Grill provides a charming setting with excellent food and service. It's a perfect choice for those seeking a serene dining experience away from the bustling city center.

We are so happy to find this hidden gem in National City. The view is fantastic. Food is ordered at the counter and it is delivered to your table. It is outdoor dining which is amazing. The staff are very nice and friendly. We ordered the Beer Battered Fish and Chips. The fish, which is Alaskan cod is perfectly cooked. Crunchy outside and moist inside. The garlic Parmesan fries is a little bit soggy. The Angus Burger is huge. The patty needed a little bit of salt for my taste. We chose the old Bay chips and it was crunchy and so delicious. We had to pay for parking but it was not a lot. Overall it was a great experience. ❤️

New to the area... Arrived 5 minutes before closing and still treated like royalty. Server stated there was no rush. Ordered the turkey club on a croissant with garlic parmesan fries... EXCELLENT! Atmosphere was casual with beautiful views of the marina. Great vibe... Highly recommend!

We like to come and relax out here from time to time. This time we arrived just at right time A large party was just leaving of about 22 guests. With this gorgeous day, and not too hot to enjoying excellent food outside and great service why not! I had the Chipotle black bean and mushroom and cheese burger and it came with golden fries hot out from the kitchen. I enjoyed my burger but the patty was so soft I need to cut it in half and it would move off the bun My Wifey had her favorite beef sliders, & tots very hot too and crispy they crunched when we bit them yum. She enjoyed her sliders we shared of course I was sad hear from Dani's last day She graduating with her BA in few weeks too. We are happy for her what a great hard working person she and all of them here. The guy in a small boat he worked as cook here but boat is here and his kitten what fun to be on the water

I came here after time spent on the ocean because this was close by with some much needed shade(under the pergola). Located on the waterfront, the vibe here is welcoming and unpretentious. At first glance, I thought this would an unmemorable place to get some snacks, which they have a lot of. Instead, it was very memorable. I am delayed in posting this, but I must say that the New England clam chowder at The Waterfront Grill in National City is truly one of the best. Being over 1500 miles from New England, what the San Diego region has is countless New England clam chowder identifying soups - most which are simply "clam chowder" and ought to leave New England out of it. Over the years I have found there are some dishes you just have to go to the source, right? Well for this one, now you don't, because someone here is brilliant. This is New England clam chowder. The essence - they nailed. When I tasted this, I travelled "home." I'd give this 7 stars if I could. If there was any disappointment, it's that it only comes in one size. Don't let that bowl-looking plate fool you, because it is in fact a "small bite" as the menu states. I do hope this restaurant does/has not acted on critical reviews of this chowder, nor let inflation break it. Please change nothing about your New England chowder, ever.... except offering it in a larger portion. YUM!!!!!

Ambiance is a top notch marina location in National City. The restaurant is a cross between a drink and dine atmosphere. Umbrellas shade some of the sun. Seating is an outdoor venue. Most surprising thing to me was how great food is here! I've been to this restaurant more than a few times over the years and the food is always great. The cashier and person who brought me food were the same person. Working those multitasking genes all the while being very nice and amiable. Tip: Park on the street if you don't want to pay.

I had to work down in Chula Vista, and well, needed to find somewhere to eat that was dog friendly cause...you know...Cako loves to eat out! LOL! The Waterfront Grill came up and I had never been, and I didn't know that there were docks in National City. You order at the counter and they bring it out to you. If they're not busy, they'll bring your drinks. If they are, you can pick them up at the bar. The staff is really friendly. I ordered a rum punch that did kinda punch, but the flavor was a little off. They also have some good beer choices and a full bar. I ordered the clam chowder and the turkey club croissant. The chowder was really good! Loved the grilled bread that came with. The sandwich was good though I thought maybe toasting the croissant a little but not sure what their set up is in the kitchen. I liked the parmesean fries which may have been airfried cause they weren't greasy. Scooter had the Captain's breakfast but didn't like the texture of the eggs. He's a picky eater cause they looked fine. Again, was impressed with the crispy tots! You cannot beat the view on a sunny day! Glad they had the sun shade covering a good portion of the patio, though full sun was available too. Cako loved watching everyone and even saw the dock kitty come sauntering around. We parked on the street, but the lots are paid. $1 per hour which is great! If you choose 3 hours, it's only $2.50. One of the last great bargains around! Great place to come to! I now have another place added to my rotation! Cako Approves!

This is a hidden gem in National city by the Marina I been here a few times and Chef Kathryn is soo personable and also her staff, I can see the love she puts in when she creates her dishes, I love the swordfish, rosemary Calamari, and also the spicy chicken sando, if you haven't been here come check it out the views are amazing and they have happy hour

This is a terrific spot maybe 6 minutes from our RV resort. I chose this location because it was at the marina and not a far drive. It also seemed more of a locals place which is always better. The staff are super friendly and the menu is simple with good options. I had the best tuna melt ever with fries which were perfectly cooked. My family had clam chowder and said it was one of the best they have had as well. This was a fantastic find and judging how good lunch was, we will Be back for breakfast. Only question, wee aren't certain about drink refills which we needed but we could have asked. Thank you Waterfront!!!!!!

I've been wanting to try this place for a while! So glad we stopped today for lunch. The service was great, and I enjoyed the setting. The two that were running the show had the best attitudes as they got busier. So friendly, I believe their names were Dani & Kevin!

Wonderful service! Unfortunately they changed their menu, and what I had thought of getting was not available on their new menu. But it was still delicious food great view and vibes.

Came here the other day and ordered the claim chowder, buffalo wings and chicken bacon ranch wrap. Not gonna lie my food did come out cold. I don't know if it was because of being by the water but yea it was unfortunate. Also the claim chowder came out watery and the bread with it was a bit burnt. But service and the atmosphere is nice and hopefully the second time will be better

If you want some pretty mid tier food by the water, you've found it. This place is all about the location. Wish the food was more well thought out, there was nothing exciting about it, just ingredients that classically go together assembled to be eaten. The view of the marina is better than most, but also, it's just a bunch of boats floating around. Eh.

I came here with family for brunch. This is somewhat a counter service restaurant where you place and pay for your order at the counter and it gets delivered to your table/number. Our food was delivered in a timely manner, at the right temperature, and displayed nicely. Nothing extraordinary in flavor, but well prepared. You can seat yourself either "indoors" or under the shade sails/umbrella to enjoy the view. You can tell the birds around the area were fed because some were pretty ballsy when "begging" for food. I would come back again.

Well let's start with customer service it's normally extremely good I think the worst I've had it was somebody who was probably not having a good day but they were still very polite. Their Waterfront salad is by far the best salad I've had it's delicious it's zesty. The View here is gorgeous it's on the waterfront of national city and you can see all the boats parked in the I don't know what it's called maybe a harbor you have high-end people who come from military contractors she's in the military seniors from the military a really cute place for lunch

Super cute place right on peir. Garlic Parm fries were ! It's a walk up place but super friendly, could use 1 or 2 more people to help.

The food is good & fresh, service is friendly & quick, the view is relaxing. You cant help to slow down. Hours are limited, mostly lunch. Enjoy!

Love coming to this place. The staff are fantastic!! My friend calls this her "happy place" but I was very disappointed today to find out they no longer serve the French Dip sandwich. Please!!!! Bring it back!!!

Perfect Family outing for out large crowd. They greeted us and remembered we had been before and thanked us for bringing the Family! Phenomenal

The service was awesome. The attention to detail was obvious. I had the the fish and chips which were amazing. Great atmosphere and dog friendly.

Went for lunch with a group of 10 friends. I hadn't been in years. I was impressed! The outdoor eating area is much larger. Loved the sand area with Adirondack chairs. All of our orders were great! I had the waterfront salad. It was fresh and had a great vinaigrette. Others had Caesar or Cobb. Some had fish tacos, sandwiches, wings, fish and chips. The place was packed, service was wonderful. Everyone was very nice. We definitely will be back. Love the food and outdoor patio. They did a great job getting all our orders and in a timely manner.

Came here for a brunch on a beautiful day, but keep in mind this is right on the Marina so it can get really windy as the tables outside are sat in the middle of a perfect wind tunnel. Since I came on a weekend, they did not have a lot of seafood options, but rather your typical brunch foods, like scrambles, benedicts, french toast, burgers even. The menu was a little limited, but pretty good at least. I ordered a benedict (they only have 1 option) and the hollandaise was delicious, however, my egg was cooked to medium hard... not runny what so ever so I was pretty disappointed in that. The staff here was so sweet. Our little group had a cake on us, and they let us store our cake in their fridge, no questions asked. So easy, just what we needed.

I held my Book Signing and Launch Party on the upper deck of Pier 32 on a Sunday afternoon (2:00-6:30 p.m.). It was the best place to celebrate! I loved the venue and the view of this place. I worked with Kathryn and Kevin in the Events department and was able to finalize my contract three days before with the correct head count of 62 people, set-up (belly tables with table cloths, short chairs with tables), appetizers (I got cocktail menu #4 with charcuterie and fruits in small cups that were passed out on a platter) and alcoholic/nonalcoholic beverages. I even hired a DJ with a mixer and a live band (with trumpet, trombone, saxophone, keyboards, flute, guitar, and bass) to play at the event. I was able to bring my own desserts and set up in the the little room that was indoors. The venue was festive, quaint, and perfect for my event. Special thanks to the facilities to help with the electrical set up for the band, Dani (set up tables and chairs), Precilla (oversaw the drinks), and Kathryn and Kevin (events coordinator). After the event, I got a lot of positive feedback about the venue with the beautiful marina view, the event, food, and location.

Love this place, food is good, and the location is great. Service is great as well, not overbearing like many American restaurants. We enjoy the waterfront grill and usually come here with visitors. Check it out!

Amazing food, great view, and easy parking. All things I love from a great restaurant. My husband and I really enjoyed our time dining here during the day. Lots of good options to eat- we were so full afterwards!

First time here. Parking was a bit unique due to all the paid spots. I ordered the angus burger which was delicious. Great host, extremely friendly. The view is very nice.

Everytime me n my man come here the service is excellent n the food is always fresh n amazing the mai tai is definitely refreshing n delicious!! This place is a great place for lunch

Pretty good place, outside dining was perfect other than a bird doing business in my drink. (Not their fault lol) They replaced my drink and were friendly! We just got sandwiches and overall they were good! Think of your basic "cute-styled" deli sandwiches :) Edit: Meant to put 5 stars! The people there were really kind and always helped us out if needed!

We are so happy to find this hidden gem in National City. The view is fantastic. Food is ordered at the counter and it is delivered to your table. It is outdoor dining which is amazing. The staff are very nice and friendly. We ordered the Beer Battered Fish and Chips. The fish, which is Alaskan cod is perfectly cooked. Crunchy outside and moist inside. The garlic Parmesan fries is a little bit soggy. The Angus Burger is huge. The patty needed a little bit of salt for my taste. We chose the old Bay chips and it was crunchy and so delicious. We had to pay for parking but it was not a lot. Overall it was a great experience.

The Waterfront Grill was fantastic! The food was reasonably priced and delicious. The view of the marina was great. Highly recommended.

My husband, father and sons love this place and always tell me how great the food is. They've been visiting this place on and off for at least 6 years. My dad has stage 4 cancer, and he says he really enjoys the ambience here even on days when his appetite isn't that great. Today while out Christmas shopping, my husband and I decided to stop and have lunch here since the weather was so nice. When we walked in we weren't greeted, I assumed it was just a very casual establishment, no big deal. However, when my husband and I approached the counter to order, the older gentleman kept his head down the entire time intentionally and totally avoided eye contact with us. He didn't repeat our order and hardly said a word, he just kept his eyes down and had an overall rude, odd standoffish attitude towards us. I was totally confused and wondered what the issue was. I asked my husband if that particular employee had been there the other times he'd visited. My husband stated he never saw that person before. He also stated that during his past visits, the other employees are always very polite and inviting. We ate our meal, food was delicious and the view was relaxing. But I just couldn't get totally comfortable because of the odd interaction between us and the cashier/employee. While eating I noticed that same employee speaking and smiling with other guest. This made me feel even more uncomfortable, like he just really did not care for our presence. On our way out, my husband put a tip in the container and as we walked past the bar we saw the cashier/employee again, my husband said very clearly "Thanks so much, the food was great". I KNOW the employee heard him because the employee half way glanced at my husband then quickly turned away, ignoring us and began purposefully shaking a drink. He didn't say a word to us, he didn't even bother to smile or thank us for coming. So rude. I told my husband that I personally will not be going back, it was just too awkward and I really felt like we weren't welcomed. It's beyond unfortunate because the food was tasty. I refuse to pay to eat somewhere if I'm going to be treated poorly ON PURPOSE. I will add, the person who brought our food to the table was friendly with a kind smile. There was also a cute little 8 yr old boy who brought our ketchup to the table. He was so well spoken for his age, and he was the highlight of our visit. Customer Service Cashier 1/10 (for this reason alone I will NOT be back) Location 9/10 Price 9/10 (fair price for portions and quality) View 10/10 Meal 9/10 Cleanliness 9/10 Food Server 10/10 Little Helper 10/10 Bathrooms 9/10 There's a lot of outdoor seating in an open area and a few tables inside. Hopefully if you go you have a much more pleasant experience than we did. It's beyond disappointing that we had such a poor experience because of one persons negative actions towards us. The entire experience was a 2/10 because it doesn't matter how the food taste or how nice the views are if the overall atmosphere is uncomfortable. "One bad apple"

My husband and I like to ride our e-bikes along the bay shore bikeway. We came across The Waterfront Grill and decided to have lunch there. We've been back many times since. I had a date with a girlfriend here and my husband and I had a double date with friends. We've had a burger, French dip, and the fish and chips. All of these meals are our "favorites" here. We always get the Parmesan garlic fries because they are AMAZING! The cookies are quite yummy, as well. We've always had great service here. The staff is friendly and efficient. On our most recent visit we were served by Brooklyn. She was great. Super friendly. I would have loved to have her sit down and join us for lunch so we could talk about her travels. As far as ambience, you can't get much better than this. The tables are set up on the deck overlooking the Marina. It's fun to look at the gorgeous boats and yachts and decide which yacht we'd like to buy. Since we can't afford the boats, we'll just keep coming back for a good meal and some yacht owning daydreams. Love this place! We'll keep up our streak of eating here at least once a month.

Food was good, our server Sahil recommend the fish bowl topped with salmon and avocado & it did not disappoint ! Service was great as well Sahil welcomed us with a smile and good conversation ! Atmosphere was amazing, we went around 3pm on a Saturday, plenty of seating and amazing view ! Would recommend giving this place a try.

This place was great. Friendly service, yummy food and beautiful scenery! What's not to like?!

I was really hopeful to find a nice waterfront restaurant in my area, it was a Sunday afternoon and the vibe was perfect, the greeter and person who took my order was beyond kind and attentive. I had an hour worth of work to do so I ordered some wings; fries and a beer....sat down, set up and was looking forward to eating and getting some work done. I asked the waiter for the WiFi password and he came back and said "we are switching servers at the moment so we don't have wifi" I found that hard to believe because how are they taking orders and credit card payments then? So I simply asked if they didn't have public wifi to just say that, and not lie and say they didn't have it. The manager came out to speak to me and was very rude from the minute she came out, she said "I'm new, it's me second week l, they never gave me WiFi information." I would have been happy with that and I just told her I'd like to cancel my order but she said it was already being made, I did tell her the sole purpose of me coming out was to find a place with a waterfront view and to get some work done, I told her I had found them on Yelp and was looking forward to visiting their establishment but the WiFi wasn't the thing that upset me, it was her off-putting attitude. I ended up asking for a refund for my order and paid for my beer but if you are the 'manager' of an establishment you should have access to the guest WiFi password or if don't then just say that and don't be rude when I've established that I am a paying customer. It's honestly a nice vibe and could definitely see myself coming back before this ruthless and embarrassing confrontation by the "2 week old" manager . Overall 2/10, the food on everybody else's tables looked good but we didn't even make it to that point so it's a thumbs down for me. Management, this could have all been avoided by putting a sign up with your WiFi password, or hiring someone with people skills. SMH

Visited today with friends, the place is clean, great view, the service was good--wished they would come to the table to take the order; instead you stand in (a long line; I suppose it varies) and order. Small place, but pretty. I ordered an angus hamburger, and it was ok, not much taste but still ok. The Parmesan cheese fries were great! Portions are big.

The staff here are very friendly, doos is delicious. We ordered Fish and Chips with garlic Parmesan fries plus a Caesar salad. More than enough for two. It's beautiful sitting with a view of the harbor.

The food is delicious and the service is amazing. The overall ambiance of the place is just incredible. I come here at least once a week for their fish tacos and Caesar salad! The margaritas delicious It such a nice and affordable place to come eat with a nice view of the bay.

A hidden gem! This place was awesome. Great view, nice selection of drinks and food, good service. Very kid and dog friendly. Tons of outdoor space and seating, even a sand pit with nice chairs for sitting back and taking in the view. Can't wait to return!

Came here a couple times. It's a very casual spot with a relaxing atmosphere. You order at the counter and your food is brought to your table. Right next to the water, it us All outdoor seating with plenty of shade and a nice breeze. The staff working are all friendly. The food is good too! The onion rings and fries are crispy, the veggies in my salad werr all fresh. Their turkey croissant sandwiches is light but also very filling. The burger is hefty and juicy. Definitely a place worth trying.

The food is outstanding. You haven't had a tuna melt until you have eaten theirs. The chowder is beautiful. Not to much flower and a hint of lemon. The waterfront greens salad was the star. Great food, great price, cannot be beat.

Located deep in National City off of Marina Way. They do have lot paid parking and street parking. Open concept type with indoor/outdoor seating. Great to visit on a beautiful Sunny SD day. Customer service was good. Food was delicious! The tuna melt sandwich is a MUST! I didn't understand how a tuna melt sandwich got such great reviews until I had one myself! Must have something to do with that cheese crusted bread they use. It was AMAZING! We also ordered: Fish tacos - delish Wings- half buffalo and half lemon pepper. Lemon pepper was the star of the two.

We found this place called "THE WATER FRONT GRILL" accidentally by exiting at a wrong exit ;) We saw this building that said PIER 32 MARINA and when we drove closer to it we saw a beautiful water view, so we decided to go down. Going towards the Building I saw tables, but I didn't see where the foods on people's table were coming from. I went around and saw that there was a Small Food place. We lined up and while in the Line, I noticed that no matter where you seat yourself, you have a beautiful View around. I looked at the Menu and they weren't that big of a meal, but for sure it will still fill you up, we just decided to order a Snack-size food since we had another Reservation at a another restaurant. The snacks we got: * BEER BATTER FISH and CHIPS * WINGS BUFFALO * ROSEMARY CALAMARI *ONION RINGS * SAILORS BLOODY MARY All of the Small Snacks that we got were just okay. I like the Drink that I got, the Sailors Bloody Mary. I also like their Wings Buffalo. The Service is great here , very friendly staff . I didn't Focus much on the foods 'coz I was more focused on how it was so relaxing just hanging out there enjoying the View with my Family :) It's a great place to grab a small snack or drinks and sit down with your Family, Friends, while having a Nice relaxing View .

Wanted an outdoor venue to hangout with the family. Yelp friend Marie S. has raved about this place having gone a couple of times. I'd always wondered what was on "that side" of the I-5 exit so why not lol? It was a Sunday and we arrived at noon. The place has a few tables inside and a massive patio which our party of 8 settled in at. You order at the counter and your goods are delivered. The place wasn't too crowded yet but by 1p it was packed. This is a solid stop. I didn't experience some of the issues from less than 3-star reviews talked about. Service was courteous and our food came out timely. Food wise I think you just needed to realize that this was essentially a bar. High cuisine? No. Can the basic menu be executed correctly? Yes. We got the following: Angus burger with fries Turkey club on croissant with onion rings French toast (a bit soggy) Tuna melt All are standard fare and they were good sized and tasted good. Not fancy but wasn't expecting fancy either. Good place to hang out with friends and family.

Amazing Angus burger and garlic fries, and yummy green salad with grilled chicken! They Also have a great selection of alcohol. Love the view of the boats and yachts and the serenity of not too many people, on a sunny San Diego afternoon!

Affordable and delicious. You can't beat this view, I use to come here when they first opened and over the years, I just realized I've been missing them. The quality is still grade-A! They don't skip a beat. Can't wait to try the rest of the menu. They have definitely upgraded. EVERYTHING looked so mouthwatering. It's always so peaceful and beautiful eating bayside next to the boats. The staff is so friendly and nice too. This is my hidden gem, right in the backyard of National City.

Wonderful experience while waiting for our jet ski reservation. Really fast, friendly service. This was our both of our first tuna melts ever, and it did not disappoint. Bread was perfectly buttered and slightly salty that complimented the cheesy hot tuna mixture. The drinks was light and refreshing and just encouraged us to enjoy the views and vibes around us. The open patio faced the cool blue waters. I really enjoyed the lunch there and would definitely visit again if I were in the area.

So glad I found this hidden gem I was a little confused on where to go, but when I found it, it was very nice and clean! Everything was very affordable and delishhhh, I got a Caesar salad, garlic fries, and a Caesar salad wrap with chicken SO GOOOOD. The salad had very good flavor and the fries were perfectly crispy, definitely coming again.

Wanted a dog friendly restaurant to go to lunch with my mom and came here on a Friday afternoon. The weather was nice and a good amount of seating. You do have to pay for parking in the lot or find street parking. We ordered to share and got 2 cups of clam chowder, a Caesar salad, the Turkey Club Croissant with fries, and 2 drinks. Everything was really good, ingredients seemed to be fresh but pricing was a little high for National City. We paid $63 before tip but for the type of food it was, it didn't seem like it would be that much but the portions were fair. Overall, it was a nice view, good weather and food, just nothing fancy. We would come back again!

Good little gem tucked away in national city along the water. Came here for lunch mid week and not too crowded. Order, get a number and find a seat type place. Menu is pretty limited, not sure if they have a dinner menu. They do have a few wines by the bottle or glass which is nice. Bottle beverages as well. Service was great and fairly quick. Maybe just a little more options on the lunch menu, but overall a great spot that's off the beaten path. I'll come Back here

It's been a few years since we've been here and we're happy to be able to come back with family. This location is great. It's open and outdoors. We ordered fish and chips and a half salad and clam chowder soup. It all hit the spot. There's even a large sandbox off to the side for you to hang out or for the kiddies to run around. Such a gem in South Bay.

Haven't went out of my way to review a spot in quite some time! That being said- the service here was absolutely amazing, as was the food. Shout out to the blonde who seemed to be doing it all, hope you read this and know you are just outstanding! We ordered the fish & chips, and the half sand which/soup combo. Such a great place overall, nice view of the marina and pups were welcome! It was already dark due to the time change and a little breezy but there is heating outside for comfort. Loved it! Might go back today to try their brunch!