Lucas Wharf Restaurant Bar - BODEGA BAY

Our appetizers lacked flavor, and my chowder was served cold. The shellfish that accompanied our duck dishes was overcooked and crunchy. My fish fry combo included shrimp and scallops that were overcooked and tasted off. The mixed vegetables were mushy beyond recognition. To make matters worse, two additional shellfish dishes came out with several unopened crustaceans, a clear sign that they were bad. Typically, a kitchen would make an effort to remove as many unopened ones as possible, especially when the restaurant wasn’t busy, so there was no excuse. All four duck dishes we ordered were disappointing. Additionally, our waiter appeared to have a severe case of pink eye, which was not exactly appetizing while trying to enjoy our meal. About 24 hours later, both my daughter and I started feeling sick. It wasn’t until I learned that she had eaten some of my food while I was in the bathroom that I connected the dots. She became ill the following day, and while I felt slightly better, it was still worrying. I attempted to contact the owner for a week and a half but had no luck reaching her. I wasn’t looking to cause a fuss; I just wanted to express my concerns. Today, I found out that the owner, Peggy Lucas, received my complaint letter and decided that her best response was to go on vacation for the next two weeks—certainly not a proactive way to handle a situation, especially when foodborne illness may be involved. Ladies and gentlemen, there aren’t many dining options in Bodega Bay, and while it’s a beautiful place worth visiting, I would suggest finding accommodations elsewhere before considering Lucas Wharf. The only reason I can see them staying in business is due to unsuspecting tourists. The overall experience was just terrible, and given their apparent lack of concern, you might want to reconsider unless you enjoy spending your vacation with your head in the toilet.

I ordered the Calamari Appetizer, Clam Chowder, Fried Captain’s Platter, Seafood Risotto, and Seafood Pasta. Overall, I was only somewhat impressed by the pasta. The main reason I didn’t give it 4 stars is that the shells lacked flavor, the chowder was slightly above average, the risotto was just okay, and the captain's platter was mediocre as well. Additionally, our server was not particularly attentive, to say the least. Considering the cost and ambiance of the restaurant, I expected more depth of flavor in the dishes. They just didn’t have that initial wow factor to make them memorable.

On our way home from the beach, we stopped by this restaurant without any expectations, and we were completely amazed. The food was fantastic—extremely fresh seafood. Christian provided delightful service, and the view was beautiful. They even offered water for our dog. Thank you for a wonderful meal!

Wonderful view. great customer service. delicious food and reasonable prices. had an amazing time. definitely back.

Lucas Wharf Restaurant is great. The salmon and rockfish are caught locally, many other options on the menu as well. The Pablo crumbled salmon is beautiful and the crab melt sandwich was delicious. We sat on the window and watched the birds, the fishermen and even some seals. The view was very funny.