Windows On the Water

My husband and I had dinner one Thursday night here while we were on vacation. We made a reservation the day before without a problem. We requested a reservation 30 minutes before sunset so we could ensure we would be able to see while having dinner. The restaurant is on the second floor. There are stairs and an elevator available. We were seated by a window with the most gorgeous view. We ordered oysters (from the Pacific) and Brussels sprouts as appetizers. My husband had their soup of the day. It was all delicious. The oysters were fresh and cleaned well. The brushless sprouts were flavorful and crunchy. My husband enjoyed his soup too. For main courses, my husband ordered the NY steak. It was cooked to perfection. It was very tasty and the portion being 12 Oz was filling. I ordered the local black cod and I was over the moon. I usually don't enjoy cod but since I didnt translate the name of the fish to Spanish (I know fishes by their Spanish name), I ordered based on the menu description. I'm so glad I did that. I guess I had never had cod cooked the right way before because it was fantastic. I still think about that dish. Finally, we ordered the lemon mousse for dessert. It was creamy, sweet, and tart. It was the perfect ending to our dinner. The service was perfect too. Our server was welcoming, had great recommendations, and came by at the right times. We didn't feel overwhelmed but also we didn't feel neglected. It was just right. We would 100% visit again!

We had an awesome dinner here with fantastic food, superb view and excellent service. We had the pear salad, crab cakes, sand dabs and the butterscotch creme brulee. Absolutely fantastic!!! It was all so good we wanted to come back the next night and order it all again. Highly recommend!!! It's not cheap but it was one of the best meals we've ever eaten.

We always go out of our way to make it to Windows on the Water when we visit the coast. The food is always great! And the views for sunset are perfect.

The food was a mix, few dishes were good, few missed the mark. The steak was very dry, chewy and not up to the mark. The view is very good as the name suggests. Service is quick, prices are on a slightly higher side but not exorbitant.

First time there. Had to make reservations for dinner on a Saturday so my boyfriend and I dressed nice for a date night. The place had great atmosphere, excellent lighting and the wait staff were very nice and professional. I was, however, disappointed that they didn't have any sort of dress code. We are local and were bummed to see people there in sweatshirts and flip flops, like they just walked in from the beach, when we had to make our dinner reservation a week prior. We had the steak and the halibut. The steak was a perfect medium rare and had wonderful flavor. The halibut was also cooked perfectly but was paired with cooked spinach and together did not compliment well. I ate the halibut and was very pleased with it and finished the spinach separately. All in all it was a nice experience and the food was good and we will be back.

The food were great, service was quick, and attentive. Seafood were fresh, reasonably priced. The place inside is small compared to other restaurant in the same area. But they have outside seating, good depending on the weather. Parking is difficult. We had clam chowder, clam pasta, and Today's special Ahi.

Windows on Water is a charming restaurant with a beautiful view of the bay. The service is good, and the restrooms are clean. However, when it comes to the food, it clearly does not live up to the price. I tried the scallops with mandarin, mushrooms, and fried bacon for the first time. It was certainly inventive, but I prefer my bacon cooked with eggs, and it was overpriced. I also had the halibut, which was overcooked and completely tasteless. The chef didn't use any spices, neither salt nor pepper. For $200 for two people, I expected more. Unfortunately, being a tourist spot, the restaurant doesn't seem to rely on the return of tourists.

Food was quite good. Fish was a touch overdone but that didn’t stop me from eating all of it haha Our server didn’t know a ton about the wine or the oysters but everything was enjoyable nonetheless! The mousse dessert was a definite highlight and we got the arrogate dessert as well. Delicious meal! Spent $200 on the halibut, 1/2 dozen oysters, pizza, a bottle of wine, dessert and two dessert martinis. We feel it was worth the price for sure! We would return here

Top notch food, service and ambiance. Plus, the scenery is fantastic. Came in hungary and left completely satiated.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. The staff was friendly and attentive. The place was clean and decorated cute! It's fancy, but I wore flip flops and a tank top, so it's not nose in the air fancy. The pizza was so good. Loved the crust! We could see the woodfired oven from our table, which is cool. I've never had a shrimp cocktail like this before. The sauce was different. I enjoyed the touch of horseradish, but it was just a little too sweet for me. The shrimp themselves were plump and cooked perfectly. The porkchop was so freaking good! The potatoes and kale were cooked perfectly and seasoned well. I loved the bacon and blue cheese on the porkchop, which was also cooked perfectly. I basically licked my plate clean! Really, I just used the table bread to soak up all the sauce after I ate everything. My honey loved his ribeye. The presentation was lovely. Grandma enjoyed her scallops. The chef knows how to get a good sear on the scallop, which is crucial! I was a little disappointed with the table bread. It was either a day old or cut hours before serving and sat out. It was harder than it should have been. Good thing they served it with vinegar and oil. I look forward to coming again! Thank you guys!

Good food and service, but the real reason to come is the expansive views of the bay and 'the rock.' The ambiance is somewhat dated but perfectly pleasant. We came in without reservations and were told there were no tables even though the restaurant was mostly empty. Perhaps they were just gating the restaurant. Whatever. We sat in the bar area where the full menu is available. The drinks and the food were good, service was even better.

Beautiful view of Morro bay at sunset. Being celiac we really appreciate the gluten-free options on the menu as it makes ordering a whole lot easier. Started with the crab cake, which was absolutely delicious except you only get one! I feel for the price 2 would have made more sense. Second course was the duck salad which was a total fail for us due to the fact that the rare duck is served ice cold on a cold salad of spinach. Honestly, if they would wilt the spinach, and serve the duck breast warm, it would have been so much better. Did not even finish the salad, which was a shame. Third course.....the sand dabs! First time trying this particular fish, and the way they prepared it knocked our socks off! Win! Would definitely return for dinner, but rather than the salad, would order another crab cake.

Panoramic view of the Morro Bay rock in the dining room. Watched a sunset while we were dining there. Enjoyed the wasabi-induced crabcake, Bouillon styled chowder (not thick enough compared to the NE variety), and the very fresh seafood Cioppino. The crème brûlée was also authentic and creamy.

Food here was very tasty. I would definitely come back here especially on a Tuesday for their $0.75 oysters on the half shell or fried. Service here was also exceptionally good. Our servers name was Eric and he definitely made our experience here very worthwhile. His recommendations of food were definitely on point. We ordered the clam chowder, soft shell crab, oysters on the half shell, fried oysters, diver scallops, steak, assorted ice creams(seasonal flavors: pumpkin, strawberry, and amaretto), and the creme brulee. Would definitely come back here the next time I'm in the area. Oysters were super fresh and the fried oysters were resting in a very tasty bed of tomatillo creme sauce which Eric, our server, gave us a basket of bread to soak up the delicious tomatillo creme sauce. Soft shell crab was a nice surprise. Wish there was more than one crab but it was bursting with crab eggs. The soft shell crab was reminiscent of shisamo(little anchovie looking like fish that are filled with eggs). Clam chowder is definitely one of the best in the area. We went to 2 other places (The Galley and Giovanni's) to compare chowders. The one here at Windows definitely had a homemade feel to it almost as if "Giada" made it herself haha. Rather than go for the biggest clams on the market I like how they used smaller clams so every spoonful was bursting with potatoes and clams. The added bacon was also a very welcome addition. Diver scallops were very fresh and flavorful. The scallops and the cauliflower puree were definitely paired perfectly. I've never been a fan of quinoa buy their red quinoa was prepared perfectly. The steak was cooked perfectly. Asked for medium rare and was served exactly at medium rare. The balsamic caramelized onions worked very well with the steak too.

Windows On the Water was our favorite place we ate during our trip to Morro Bay. Everything about this place is absolutely fantastic! The views are spectacular of the harbor and Morro Rock. The food was plated beautifully and was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend The Dungeness Crab Cake starter. Best crab cake I have ever tasted. The New York Steak was also fantastic, tender and cooked to perfection.The Avocado-Chimichurri, Bordelaise paired great with the steak and Yukon Mashed potatoes and garlicky broccolini. My partner got the ahi tuna and enjoyed it. The service was awesome. I will be eating here from now on when we visit Morro Bay.

Amazing place, Amazing View and Amazing service! Went for my Birthday and had a wonderful time. The best pork chops with bacon jam I have ever had! We only live about an hour away and for sure it will be on our fine dinner list!

I was told this was the "fancy" restaurant at Morro Bay and once I went inside it was definitely true. Big seating area, great view of the water and the big rock of course. I got the shrimp pasta and it was really good. The servers were nice as well.

First time here for dinner and the food we ordered were all delicious! My husband and I are definitely coming back!

I absolutely loved my experience at Windows! Our server was amazing and my steak was phenomenal!

I'm Addicted to the flavors of Windows. The haikaddo scallop was perfect. Soshito peppers excellent, and the tomato basil is to die for. Stop by if you want some real good food.

Thanksgiving dinner with the kids. So good and great service from beginning to end!! Reservation/ Drinks/ Food/ Service/Ambiance Thank you for a wonderful evening!

Server Trad was excellent - good presentation great - scallops could have been hotter - served warm - soup excellent - shrimp cocktail just okay - drowned in a mayonnaise type sauce - stick with traditional cocktail sauce please.

Waiter: Nice & Friendly Ambiance: Great, background music & enough people where no one is listening in to your conversation. Went right before sunset & the views were just spectacular. Food was delicious!! Except for the banana foster bread pudding, that was not our favorite. Drinks were okay, husband got a wine flight and they were okay wines. I got a lemon drop & it tasted like juice. Next time we'll def go with other drinks.

Wow, what a beautiful place and a great experience overall. When you first walk in, you immediately understand the name of the restaurant... the Almas are literally windows with the most breathtaking view of the ocean and Morro Rock. There were even some adorable sea otters playing right in my view. Then there is the amazing service. Laura was our waitress and she was so professional and attentive and made sure we had a great experience. She was knowledgeable about the menu, friendly and extremely helpful. Most importantly the food was Devine. I has the salmón which was great but the pork chop that my brother got was absolutely amazing. He told me that's actually the only thing he ever gets because it's that good and now I understand. Next time i will be back for the pork chop. I forgot to take pics but we ordered 3 desserts and shared. My fav was the ice cream made in house! Overall lovely experience and this 5 stars is well deserved.

We stopped for a light dinner on the way from Hearst Castle to Pismo Beach. Service was ok, our waiter was a little snooty in the beginning but his attitude improved through the evening. You are definitely paying for the view. The food is on the pricier side. Two of us ordered the soup of the day which was vegetable and beef soup but one of them had no beef in it. The kitchen should have ensured each bowl has proportionate vegetable to beef. Vegetable and beef soup - nothing special Chorizo pizza - good crust, flavorful BLT salad - nothing special Shrimp linguine - flavorful View - beautiful

Very good service. Spectacular views. Recommend this restaurant if you like ocean views & seafood.

We were 6 adults at dinner. We were in the "view" room. Our server was attentive and helpful. I had a pizza appetizer which was the best part of dinner. My shrimp linguine was very oily and my wife's halibut was dry. Can't speak to the dinner of the others. Living in MB I find this restaurant very, very overpriced. Be prepared to pay 2X what you can get elsewhere. Also with a view.

We went here for dinner last night and enjoyed gluten free clam chowder 14oz prime rib and crème Brûlée kids had pizza which was huge and could have been shared - It was a wonderful place very calm- the little town seems to close by 8pm on this sleepy evening in February- but it's a gem of a town! enjoy! the service was still great even though they were closing i up- call ahead- and the ambiance was sweet- a little western inside.

Food was incredible. Sand Dabs were excellent. Scallops were honestly one of the best I have ever had - and I've had a lot. Everything on the table was outstanding. Ambiance was great as well. While more on the upscale side compared to the other waterfront restaurants, it wasn't at all pretentious or hoity-toity. We ate dinner so didn't see much of the view. But having drinks there during the day has an amazing view and backdrop. Oh and the service was top notch as well!

First, let me tell you, the food was pretty decent. Views was good. The reason I'm giving 1 star is for the service. Our server's name was Elizabeth! Watch out for her with your bill! We told her it was our 40yr anniversary and that our hotel was super nice & gave us a bottle of champagne to celebrate so we were a little buz but sure we'll have glass of wine & I'll have a beer. When our bill came, it was almost $200. All we had were an an appetizer, 2 drinks (one each) 2 main course and a dessert. We looked at the bill closely. She thought we were buz & BILLED US for 2 GLASSES of WINES and 2 BEERS! The nerve of her! She assumed we were buz so we won't look at bill closely! So watch your bill carefully with her!!!

Had dinner last night at this restaurant. For a very large seating area, there were only 6 tables occupied, kind of told a story. The two martinis, were very good, but on the smaller size. Remember to ask for your tiny dinner rolls, if time goes by...the salad was not mixed green, looked like it came from a tub, with a couple bites of cheese, some almonds, the dressing was good though...we ordered cioppino, the broth had no taste, the seafood was hot, but lacked flavoring. On top of the cioppino was two wedges of toasted bread/garlic toast, it was cold, lacked garlic taste and or butter. I did notice a woman next to us had sent back her halibut, it wasn't cooked, she asked for it to be cooked a little more, but was inedible when she received it back. Dinner was $240, including a tip, we gave this place a second shot, never again.

Wonderful experience and dinner. We sat at the bar facing the window to begin and enjoyed watching the chefs get ready for the evening. The Pomegranate Martini was beyond good! We were seated before our time and only wish we had been there earlier for the gorgeous sunset. The local oysters with a saki mignonette was wonderful and I wish I could have ordered more. I quickly devoured my six. Reed had the meat pizza and I tried the crust which was perfection. As we were waiting for our table we sat at the bar and had a cocktail while watching the chefs prepare the kitchen for the evening. Loved watching the pizza chef throw and catch the pizza, stretching it to perfection. BTW my Pomegranate Martini is highly recommended! We each had a flight of three different wines for dinner. I had the wine, as I seem to have developed an allergy to red. (Dang). They were different and delicious. Reed loved two of his three reds. My crab cake was divine with or without the ginger! Yes! I would love to eat there again!

Delicious! The pre dinner cocktails were fabulous! The Filet was perfection and the braised short rib amazing! Great atmosphere, beautiful view! Attentive waitstaff were very charming.

I was fortunate enough to come have spent my 33rd birthday here with my wife. Restaurant manager, Paul, provided excellent customer service working with my wife when planning out our reservations and accommodated our needs perfectly. Our waitress, Paxton, was extremely polite, attentive and professional. She definitely made the experience better. I was pretty bummed when they told us they were out of certain supplies so we couldn't order certain drinks or certain meals. But I had zero regrets ordering their shrimp linguine! Overall a great experience. Location was perfect, interior is extremely classy and the staff overall did a great job with their professionalism. I'd highly recommend this place to others & I'll definitely return in the future.

Well I was very sad to say my excitement on coming here left me sadly disappointed. The absolute best part of our whole experience was our server. He absolutely made our night amazing. Came here to celebrate my mom's 70th birthday. Her one wish was some delicious seafood. Unfortunately the first 2 dishes she was hoping to order were sold out. While I respect and understand that fresh ingredients may mean limitations due to local availability I think there is probably another way to handle this with a bit more grace. 3 out of the 4 of our party members had to order something different due to the entrees being sold out. Mind you we did not arrive late in the evening. One of my very favorite items to get is fresh shucked oysters. Since no one else was really interested in having any, I was on my own. So I do what I have done many a time, pivoted and ordered 2 appetizers for my dinner. Started out with Oysters. I've shucked my own oysters only once and had less shells in the presentation. I had to choke a few of them down after I found there was so much shells it made me want to gag. I'm all for the occasional shell because lets be honest, oysters can be fickle to shuck. In a restaurant of this caliber this was certainly not what I was expecting. We had the perfect night to dine al fresco and their upper deck was perfect for that, The night was clear and surprisingly warm so we didn't need the heaters. The pork chop and shrimp dish were raved about from the rest of my crew, I just happened to have not the same experience. Far be it from me to judge from my two apps alone so ignore me if its not your fav. I still will be back just based on the pure experience from our waiter who made our experience so amazing. I only wish I could remember his name - to the Cal Poly grad who thought a court room was your life path, you made our night and are the main reason we will come back for another try. Cheers!

This place is great. Beautiful food and view on the embarcadero. Brought my parents here who are food snobs and loved it.

We brought our friends who were visiting from Paris and had to change the reservation several times because of traffic delays. The staff were great to accommodate us, the table service was fantastic and the food was excellent. Two people in our party got the local Halibut and cleaned their plates.

Had not been to this restaurant in sometime, sometime before Covid. So glad we decided to go here. Our server was Elizabet and she was so friendly and helpful. She didn't bug us or anything, also the wait staff was good also. We had the table bread as we wanted something to start with. What you dip it in is a little like Giuseppes. I had the halibut, which was excellent and very filling. My husband had the shrimp linguine and all he had left wa a little bit of linguine . It was recommended to try the peanut butter cheesecake. So I ate a few bites. Yum Yum and took the rest home. My husband and I both decided to try a flight of wine. I had the Pinot flight, which was great and I probably will go to at least one of the wineries. My husband had flight 134 and he really liked the Sangiovese. I highly recommend going here. We had a lovely view looking at the fog rolling in.

We went to Windows on the water to fine dine and to enjoy the view to the sunset and Morro Rock. The view from the restaurant really is spectacular and the inside is spacious. For appetizers I had their Crispy soft shell crab and burrata. For entree I had their Shrimp Linguine. The burrata was good, peaches and mozzarella blended in together well and I enjoyed the dish. The crab however was average at best. Shrimp linguine was also quite disappointing, it was definitely boxed linguine which for the price point is disappointing. The shrimp in the pasta was also a little bland for my taste. I am giving this restaurant a 4 because the food was a 3 and the view and service were a 5. The food does not match the price point at all. The lemon drop martini had too much lemon juice or not enough triple sec, etc. There were more minor things but the service made up for it. Our waiter was funny, likable and professional.

excellent food and service. Ocean view. We dine here as often as possible. It's a great escape from the hotter areas, for a nice relaxing dinner date.

Everything tastes delicious, pretty much all is done in house, from sauce to ice cream to syrup on the best old fashioned I had in my life, place is elegant clean and amazing customer service! Highly recommended

We really wanted to enjoy our dinner here, but it disappointed. The whole experience seemed like a throwback to the 1990s. The decor was tired (even the restroom decor had bad seascapes), and the music was an easy-listening pop playlist that would've been more at home in a dentist's office. Maybe because it was 6:00 on a weeknight and the crowd skewed older? But just because you're older doesn't mean you want cheesy music. The service was pleasant though not top-notch professional. But where our dinner really failed was the food. One of us ordered the vegetarian pizza. The crust was decent, but on top were unseasoned slices of barely cooked veggies. No character, no effort. A salad that was supposed to have pear had two minuscule slices, and the whole thing was small and stingy. Worst of all was the fish. The menu makes a big deal about ethical sourcing and freshness. But the salmon was bland, and the daps were meh. And the presentation was that kind of overwrought tower of layers you used to be wowed by back in 1990. All for $40! Sorry, Windows on the Water. You need a revamp: decor, menu, everything.

Need to step up the service, our waiter was average, never told us his name and wasn't very attentive. My cocktail was flat the waiter took it back and got me another one. Don't order the clam chowder it wasn't a cream base, it was broth and too salty. The lobster meat was terrible over done. Our entrees were good, rib eye and filet Mignon cooked perfectly and the creme brulee was awesome. Very expensive restaurant, not worth $400.00 for two people.

Very nice and fancy place near the water. The prices during happy hour was great. The food was tasty but everything was super salty. Drinks were well made. Worth checking out once.

The food was ok, but it's the view and the service that really mattered to me. We were on vacation and stayed just steps from the restaurant. We had a romantic dinner there with a million dollar view and a very attentive server. The entire staff were very welcoming.

A stunning, romantic place to eat. The food never disappoints and the people working there are very accommodating. The service and food are always great, but nothing beats the view & ambiance of the place.

Ambience was ok...we had a nat flying around our plate....which was bothersome to say the least....the service was great...the food was not very good....rib eye was tasteless...sandabs weren't very good at all.....a basket of bread is 6.00.....not very happy

I had the opportunity to have dinner with two very close friends on Super Bowl weekend. We sat at the pizza tables. Great service and food. The server was terrific!

Food was great. Service was great and the ambience in view of Morro Bay is un-surpass. try the Sand Dabs. Really good. Also great wine this. One of our favorite restaurants on the central coast of California.

Sooo I lied. I hardly ever give 5 stars, however, they exceeded my expectations. We came from LA to visit Morro Bay for our Anniversary and came across this restaurant. The wait staff was great! Our waitress and bartender gave excellent service ! I forgot her name , but she was dressed as Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction. Excellent customer service and very attentive. We sat at the bar area because seating was reserved until 8pm. We ordered a crab cake as a starter ... Great flavor and fresh ! Drinks - Bando paloma cocktail Moscow mules with a splash of Pineapple juice . Seasonal menu and hard to choose so we got a Panzanella Salad, Meatball Pizza and Halibut entree. Every bite was refreshing, delicious and seasoned to perfection. We will definitely visit back soon ! Thank you to the waitress , bartender a, chef and all the skilled cooks who made our dining experience for our 15 yr Anniversary amazing.

Still the best kept secret in Morro bay It's up stairs we always take the elevator If you want beautiful views of the bay delicious food and good service this restaurant will not disappoint. We had the clam chowder and sand dabs, it's a perfect split. For the dessert, crème brûlée with berries. We've eaten her many times and it's always consistently good.

This was fine dining at sunset. We reserved a table for 5 for a sunset birthday dinner for three out of the five guests. They took care of us. Paul Merkle made sure we got a perfect window table, timed perfectly for a sunset meal. The three birthday folks had the Rib Eye, I had the scallops, and the mother in law had the sand dabs. Everything was delicious. We brought our own favorite wines, and I felt the corkage fee was reasonable. Coffee was wonderful as well. Service was steady and perfectly timed. They even protected some forgotten sunglasses for pickup the next day. It was a perfect evening and I can't say enough.

This restaurant is located on the Embarcadero and is on the second floor. Parking can be found nearby but the elevator wasn't working when we arrived. Our seats had a beautiful view of the bay so if taking pics is your jam, you'll be happy. There's a full bar and some interesting cocktails available. I ordered the risotto, which was a tad bland. My date ordered a pizza, which was nothing to write home about. The staff was friendly and attentive. Like a lot of restaurants on the Embarcadero, it's all about the view and location. The food will fill you up but it's not anything memorable

I would recommend Windows on the Water for anyone looking to celebrate a big occasion or treating their loved ones to a very special meal. The atmosphere is beautiful, and the food is fantastic. Take a look at the pictures I shared in this review. The food is prepared and plated so perfectly, and everything tasted so good. We had a reservation, which I recommend during the later dinner hours. Try to get a table by the windows, looking directly at the incredible Pacific Ocean and Morro Rock. There is no better view in California during a sunset. We shared a really great bottle of red wine. The wine list at Windows is really nice. There are so many great varietals to choose from. We began the meal with the burrata and some local oysters. The burrata was so rich and tasty. The oysters were small, but really sweet & flavorful. All 3 of us shared our food, and it was all so delicious. I highly recommend the cioppino, the ribeye, and the diver scallops. It was all so good. The bill was high, but that can be expected at a fancy restaurant like this one. I will definitely be back for another unforgettable meal and will recommend this location to anyone looking for a special meal in beautiful Morro Bay.

Couldn't recommend coming here enough! First off you have to get the house bread with the dipping oil. And if possible a table by the window because the view is amazing! I had steak and lobster dish that was hands down the best dinner I'd ever had. I forgot our servers name but she was gem and made our evening super special.

Place has it all. It ain't cheap but you get what you pay for. Best caprice appetizer I ever had.

Great date night, great view. Menu is up scale but limited. Bone marrow was an awesome app. Hear they change it up now and then, good to get new tastes, been there a few times. Will go back again. Will also call ahead for what is on the menu.