The Cliff House
6300 Marine View Dr, Tacoma, WA, 98422
The Cliff House Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tacoma for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
6300 Marine View Dr
Tacoma, WA, 98422 - Phone (253) 927-0400
- Website https://cliffhousetacoma.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Lee B.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our new date place for sure! Came here for happy hour on Saturday, 3PM-6PM is a 1/2 price Happy Hour Menu! YUM! We had the Blackened Cod Taco's....they were to die for!!!! 7 bucks for 3 taco's!!!!!!!! We also had some wine and beer, perfect pours on the wine and coldness on the beer! Sat downstairs, the view was AMAZING.....AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Felt like we were on a vacation in paradise! The place is literally on a cliff!!! Don't live far from here and always thought we would be under dressed in jeans and Seahawk Shirts, nope! We were treated like the best dressed guests, the bartender was very nice and was friendly and attentive towards us. The manager "Vince" was totally awesome with a beautiful smile and accent and he had a caring and loving attitude towards the restaurant he was managing! We will be back for sure! FOR SURE!!!!
(5)Alan M.
Expensive. Some of the food was good, other dishes were actually really bad. Service was slow and pretty awful. Bar was good but very slow. Nice view!
(2)Doc C.
I would strongly suggest renting their view table for $100. an hour while you have Ruth's Chris Steak House CATER your meal. Our $42. 14 oz. "prime" Ribeye steaks were mostly GRIZZLE. After the first two inches of grizzle, we probed around our steaks trying to find chewable meat. My wife gave up and let our pleasant server know our problem. She was given a nice Fillet. My jaw and patience were worn out, so I ate the under cooked Tomato and Veggies. I did enjoy the Potatos however. Also, my so called Caesar Salad was just a head of Romaine, a bit of Parmesan and Croutons, don't they even know how to present this ? This was my fifth time here since 1952 and I should have read the Yelps before returning here.
(2)Jackie G.
My server greeted me promptly but came accross a bit stuffy. I won't try and guess why. Anyway the view out onto the bay is phenomenal. That alone makes it a romantic place worth a stop over. The table settings made you feel it was a little upper end but the prices on the menu for entree's didn't reflect how you feel here. Almost a contradiction I wasn't hungry, but I ordered a cup of the New England Clam Chowder. Not bad..wish it was a little hotter. Came with some crackers that I'm glad weren't stale. The cup was $7. Nothing spectacular in the chowder dept. I was never looked after by my server after she poured my water. Maybe it's due to her being the only server. I'll give her a pass on that one. 3 stars for ambiance due to the view. I would need to be here in a date or something to give a more full account of the operations. I did leave a $10 although beyond the $7 plus tax I feel my tip was generous considering some lack of service.
(3)E R.
My family was in town & we were celebrating a special occasion. We thought a good steak dinner & a great view would be awesome. We had never tried this place,and I've lived in the area nearly 9 years now. To start we had called and made reservations on April 30, for the night of May 2nd. We got reservations no problem. Got to the restaurant and we were seated immediately, the place was pretty empty, shocking since it was a Saturday night. Our waitress was friendly. We got water quickly, then she came by and took our drink orders. I ordered a blueberry lemon drop. She comes back with the drinks and tells me they are out of blueberry liquor to make the drink. I ordered another drink, (can't remember what) it wasn't great, I actually didn't take more than 2 sips & my husband finished it instead. I stuck to water from here. Onto dinner...we had a party of 10, not including my kids, we all ordered filets. My parents both received their steaks, over cooked, they ordered them medium well-well. It was so chewy they couldn't eat it. My mother in law & father in law both ordered a filet & bacon wrapped filet, as well they were on the well done side, to top it off, they weren't even given the right cut of meat. They sent their order back & were cooked new steaks that were the right cut of meat. My grandma too ordered a filet & her food was not over cooked, but simply cold. As if it had been sitting there for awhile. I received my bacon wrapped filet & I ordered it med, it was under cooked, could see way too much red in the center. Not a warm center for a med steak. Finally, u sister ordered a steak, which was a bit more cooked than she would have liked but ate it anyway. On to my kids meals. My youngest wanted plain noodles with "sprinkle cheese" Parmesan cheese. The waitress said they could do that, her dish came out and it was tortellini noodles. We ordered plain not tortellini, the waitress never mentioned it was tortellini. Needless to say she wouldn't eat it & got ice cream for dinner since she wouldn't eat anything else on the menu (my picky eater, ugh). My other daughter got a hamburger which out of all the meals came out just fine. We ended up sending back almost every steak plate for correction and because of that we weren't able to eat our meals together, they each came out at a separate time. So we were unfortunately eating and finishing meals as another would come out. After dinner was over, the waitress did apologize for the steaks, she offered us 3 desserts for 10 people to share. We asked to see the choices and we each ordered our own. The lemon cake was amazing. Light to the taste not too sweet. The berry cobbler my sister ordered was warmed and served al a mode. Overall the service was fine, nothing spectacular. Food was definitely not worth the $900+ we spent. For that price you expect much better tasting food and it to come out cooked correctly as well as the correct piece of meat you order. We gave it a try and unfortunately we will not be coming back to this establishment to waste more money on mediocre food and service.
(1)David E.
Come for the view, leave for the service! Celebrating our anniversary we chose The Cliff House for drinks and appetizers again. PROS: great views, strong drinks, delicious appetizers. CONS: Be prepared to eat with your hands! Neglectful service. We ordered the blackened Ahi and waited a full five minutes without utensils before I had to get up and ask the waiter for forks. Same thing with the clams and bread, delivered without a butter knife. Had to get up and ask again. Wasn't even busy downstairs.
(3)Jennifer O.
My husband I attended our Sister-in-laws Parent's 50th Anniversary in October. We had the choice of Rib-Eye, Salmon or Risotto. We both chose the Rib-Eye and were not disappointed. We sat in the lower area of the restaurant and the view was amazing. We actually felt like we were on a fancy boat. There were quite a few people at the anniversary, but the staff was quick and attentive.
(5)Lesli H.
I went there for Happy Hour. There was three of us. We had several drinks a piece along with oysters, crab dip, tenderloin tips, salmon sliders and clams. The bill was reasonable (less than 100.00).
(5)Cynthia P.
I don't know what happened. New chef? new menu? raised prices! We took my husbands boss and his wife to the Cliff House this last weekend and were very disappointed. The only good thing was our waiter-Ed & the French bread....it was yummy. The food was $$$$$ and had nothing to be desired. I had a crab louie that wasn't a crab louie at all. Mixed greens with so little crab it was almost non existant. The dressing was NOT thousand Island...........which is the original crab louie. Just wasn't any good at all. I wouldn't refer anyone to go here. The portions were so small........I'm telling you we were so disappointed.
(2)Kim P.
My Hubby made reservations for dinner for my birthday and I choose the Cliff House as we had yet to visit and heard and seen some good reviews. The location was beautiful, I would like to go again around Sunset with a little more light but all in all the ambiance is very romantical. Service was excellent! Our waitress was very attentive, the menu and drink selection were spot on and the food came out in a decent amount of time. I really don't have anything bad to say and would have given this place 5 stars but the price and food portion, just didn't cut it! My salmon piece was delish and my husband's lobster was pretty normal, but we each got 3-4 pieces of asparagus and a small ladel size of potatoes for our sides? The plating just threw us off a little, good thing we decided to add a salad for starters!
(4)Kim S.
This place COULD be so good. They have everything going for them, but the food is so inconsistent. They should take a clue from another restaurant that is on the water in Des Moines;). That unnamed restaurant always has a line to get in, great food, great service, and reasonable prices for what you get. This restaurant is very close to where I live and I would love to be able to go there more often and feel like I'm getting great food at a reasonable price.
(2)Jeff N.
This establishment serves delicious prime grade corn fed steaks , the crab cakes are among some of the best I have had, not to sound arrogant but I have had a lot of crab cakes from various places. The bread is fresh baked in house giving the best freshest possible and the berry crisp, let me just say YUM! Me and my wife have ate here three times this year , that is saying a lot since we drive from Olympia.
(5)Kimetha M.
I agree with many of the reviewers on this one. Gorgeous view, great ambiance, friendly and attentive wait staff but only ok food. $130 plus tip for two steaks, a salad and a glass of wine should merit melt-in-your-mouth good steak, which definitely was not the case. I have had better wine and steak from Costco.
(3)Erika S.
This place was almost a complete let down. My boyfriend and I were spending our last night of our 8 day PNW vacation in Tacoma and wanted to end the trip with a nice dinner out. We are both laid back ppl who rarely find things to complain about, but this place was a nightmare. Our service was horrendous. We didn't get a glass of water or a drink ordered for the first 15 minutes we were there...& they weren't even that busy, plenty of empty tables (now I know why). Our waitress was very frazzled and seemed agitated the entire time. We ordered a Caesar salad to start, it was fine. We ordered a 2nd round of drinks, she forgot & we had to remind her the next time she came around. I ordered the scallops & prawns with risotto, it was good. My BF ordered the prime rib & it was barely warm. Ultimately, the service received was not even close to the value that we paid.
(2)Remi B.
It looks like I should have read yelp first. What folks are saying is on here is true. The view is spectacular, the service mediocre, and the food lackluster. I'll elaborate on all three... The restaurant. Our seats were cozy, the interior lovely, and the view panoramic of the Tacoma waterfront- awesome. The service. The hostess looked only semi welcoming, but seated us quickly, and then we waited quite awhile for anyone else to pay us any mind. I doubt it was the waitress' first night, but she acted like it. She seemed spacey and clueless to the menu. One drink order was incorrect, but we didn't say anything. When asked what to pick when pondering between two given entrees, she replied that they were both flavorful - lots of favor, but different and the same. It didn't appear that the chef provides any tastes to help the staff out. The food. It was plated beautifully, the portions as expected, but the flavors nothing exciting enough to bring you back or remember the experience. The bread was boring. The salmon great. The scallops tasted out of a box- sure they weren't, but weren't prepared correctly. All in all, an amazing location that needs a makeover in terms of staff and food preparation. No one thanked us for coming and we walked past two different employees on the way out. For the $$$, it was pretty disappointing.
(2)Layne B.
So I came to the cliffhouse...sat myself in the bar upstairs..beautiful view but...there was a bartender behind the bar...never did catch her name short hair and not very friendly...she looked at me but didnt come over right away...seemed preoccupied in conversation with a gentleman standing at the end of the bar. When she did come to me she seemed quite put off when all I asked for was a cup of coffee. Drank my coffe while she ignored me and once again was engaged in conversation with the man in the suit...who finally walked away and rather scowled at me for some reason? Finally I just got up and luckily there was a friendly young lady who said her name was jenny up front. I gave her my money for my coffee as I never did get a bill and promptly left. At least the view was great as the rude and indifferent service was not.
(1)Blaine D.
To begin our evening at the cliff house they had lost our previous reservation and the hostess was quite snooty. Our waitress was a bit scatter brained but a sweet woman non the less however, eating at a restaurant such as the cliff house I would expect her to know what kind of potatoes would be served with the steak. The drinks were very well made and the food was delicious with a few minor hick ups. The calamari was great and the crab dip was good the prime cut ribeye was excellent as well as the parmesan mashed potatoes. Unfortunately our trip took a turn for the worse later in the evening everyone in our party who had eaten the crab dip had been overcome with diarrhea luckily out home has three bathrooms and plenty of tums and pepto.
(2)Pam T.
The restaurant is very nice. The view and cozy booths were very comfortable. However I think the head chef had left by the time our food was prepared. My food was severely in need of flavor. It was just bland. My counterpart had a tough rib eye with some suspect sauce. That was sent back for some hearty crab cakes. Our server was great the view was wonderful just wanted the food to match the experience.
(3)Rachel S.
Mixed feelings. The veiw is amazing. The atmosphere is awesome. We had a wonderful time. The food was overpriced for the quality in my opinion. It wasn't gross it was just "ok" but we paid for more than "just okay". If I had advice for the owner it would be to step that up a bit. The cobbler for dessert was the only thing that held its own off the menu. The waitress said it was the cheifs special. That was delicious! Everything else we could have gotten at a much less expensive resturant or even a chain resturant. That all being said: the view is INCREDIBLE. We came at night on a clear evening and you could see far out on the water. I would definitely come here again just for that.
(3)Carl D.
The Cliff House is a great place to grab or drink or dinner. When its warm enough you can sit outside and enjoy the views. Wait staff is always friendly and fast.
(4)Tim C.
I came here for lunch and tried their chicken sandwich (on the menu, it's listed as their burger, but you can substitute marinated chicken for the beef). I enjoyed the flavors, especially the mayo, but the chicken was unfortunately quite dry. It came with fries, which were tasty - almost like thick curly fries that weren't curly.. if that makes any sense. There were some other items on the menu which looked interesting, and which I probably should have tried over the chicken sandwich, but I was in the mood for some chicken that day, for whatever reason. I sat by the window, which made for a nice view of the water - it was definitely a redeeming value of this place, so I would highly recommend it if possible. The service was average. I would expect a little more from a nicer restaurant, but it was a weekday lunch, not many people were there, and so I guess trying to keep service at a high level may not have been a priority.
(3)Lana L.
Don't waste your time and $$$ here! Decided to try this new place out for the view on a nice sunny day and the view was phenomenal, food ok; however the service was terrible. Our server Colleen was rude, snobby, stuck up- we were afraid to ask her an extra question -_- and after we finished our meals, we realized we've been sitting and waiting for our check for a good half hour and she was nowhere to be found... went upstairs to check out there and on our way there the restaurant manager "John Ferri" wished us a good day. We asked if he would like us to pay for our meals before we left!? He looked at us w a funny smile while we explained that we aren't able to pay at our table... He says, hold on let me go get your check... After a few mins, he comes back w the check and says he feels bad for what happened-not to worry about paying- meal is on them & gives us his business card w a free appetizer to please come back and give them another try... About a week or so later, we came back in the evening and got the same waiter, Colleen... We said, ok let's see how it goes this time.. She was very unfriendly and abrupt. So we ordered quickly and had another ok meal... We ended up being there during happy hour, nothing fancy or special. When the time came to check out we gave them the business card w free appetizer & our card. After we were charged I noticed she comped an appetizer but the rest of the prices were skewed... So I ask another nicer waiter if I could see their menu again just to see if maybe I was wrong... Sure enough- in order to give us that free appetizer- they adjusted their happy hour half off prices back to regular... And again, instead of asking our rude waiter any further questions we went upstairs and ran into the same manager, John Ferry. Asked him what the deal was for overcharging and his face changed. He went back to that waiter and came back w change in cash... What a "pleasant" experience both times! We surely won't be back for anymore drama.
(1)Bryce K.
Old, stodgy, and tired. I have no idea what makes this location so challenging. Maybe they rest on the view and assume you won't pay attention to the food, service, or complete lack of inspiration.
(2)Marianne R.
The Cliff house has had its share of growing pains, it goes through new management every few months and for a while the food is good, and then it becomes lackluster. This last Saturday (5-23-15) the food was very good, but the experience was not. We arrived at 6:40, we had 4 adults and 2 children. We could have sat in the restaurant upstairs, but since we really just wanted some appetizers, we chose to sit downstairs way in the back and out of the way. I remember commenting that we had got there just in time to avoid the $10 cover for the music. We had a total of 9 appetizers, and 3 alcoholic beverages. I was shocked when the bill came to almost $200. When we got home, I noticed that the waitress had put the $10 cover for each of us on the bill, without saying a word. For the extra $60 we could have easily sat in the restaurant and ordered entrees, and if she would have mentioned it before we ordered, we would have. We were also charged for each soda that the kids had, even the refills. Shame on you Cliff House....really.....
(2)Lisa M.
I ordered the salmon and it was very well prepared. I was quite disappointed with the side dishes, however. When I spend 25 to 30 dollars for a meal, I expect more than steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes. The view does not make up for the lack luster meal.
(2)Alden C.
I ducked in here for a light lunch several days ago. Some may say that doing the salad and soup menu item is way too light to post an actual review for this place but I am going to go ahead and do it anyway. The Cliff House is one of the more upper crust restaurants in Tacoma and is much needed for the Brown's Point area since there really isn't that much there as far as businesses go and mostly a residential area. The Cliff House is known for it's view and it holds up to the hype quite nicely. I am sure the sunsets here are gorgeous but it really doesn't matter what time you come here because the view over Puget Sound and Tacoma are amazing! The service was great. The wait staff was very nice and were always there whenever I needed something and to keep my water glass full. As I said this is one of those more upper crust restaurants so it is a bit more expensive than many places in town. However if you come here for lunch you can get a pretty reasonably priced meal. I got the soup and salad. The salad was a garden salad with blue cheese dressing which was wonderful. The salad was very fresh with vibrant flavors to it! The soup was equally wonderful. It was a cup of clam chowder which hit the spot on a chilly day like the day I chose to come here. They have a nice selection of panini sandwiches here but unfortunately I was not hungry enough for one. It only means that another visit is in order. I only deem an update to be necessary on the sandwich report only if the quality slips but I am fairly confident that won't happen. Otherwise just assume that it too was great!
(5)Anne K.
Oh, Cliff House. You could be so much more. The view is fantastic, service is only okay, food completely uninspired and uninteresting. I want so badly to patronize them as my local, but despite repeated requests for vegetarian options there is literally nothing on the menu for vegetarians except truffle chips. The nuts and salad both have bacon in them, and you can't even find a veggie quesadilla or veggie sandwich, even if you ask. Maybe have a drink here, then go down the hill for good food.
(1)Nancy D.
Amazing appetizers, great cocktail menu and good service. Any changes, however, they might mess up (I.e extra lines in drinks forgotten, and menu changes forgotten). Great place to dine.
(4)David H.
Great place with a great view! Definitely one of the better places to dine in Tacoma. The service was friendly and the food was good. I will be coming back soon.
(4)Bob K.
The Caesar was old and slimy. Risotto was over salted to not edible. Calamari was cooked in rancid oil. Rack of lamb was tasteless and small Creme brûlée was a joke. A complete rip off. After complaining they took off $15. Is it a comedy club? Waitress was very inexperienced We felt bad for her. NEVER going back don't waste your $$$
(1)David L.
Very nice local restaurant. The food is excellent with a wonderful view of Puget sound. You will be very satisfied!
(4)Michael W.
I find myself Reviewing only the extremely poor establishments, I think that's because most of my expectations are usually met and don't find it necessary to comment. and my poor spelling ability. I find myself only taking the time to review what I think is inexcusable behaver or service. That leads me directly into this review. I was the area from out of town, and found myself with some free time. I drove up the scenic road to The cliff House. I pulled into the parking lote and decided to give the establishment a try. When I walked in I was immediately confronted with the wait staff. She asked if I had a reservation? I looked around and saw many open seats. I asked do I need reservation? She kindly said of course not, are you here for food or drinks? I said drinks and possibly appetizers, She asked me if I had a preference of where to sit? I said where ever the best view is . In case you have never been there (Silly People) The magnificent Ocean Port is outside their massive window. She said she had a great table by the window. Has my fellow travelers started to walk off with her, That's when I ran into.... The manager! He appeared friendly enough , tall , dapper looking with curly hair. But knowing appearance can be deceiving I was not sure what was going to occur with this encounter. Boy was I in for a surprise! He said hello! He was extremely friendly telling me the history of the bar, walking me to pictures on the walls showing the Restaurant in its young days. He took the time to explain about the fresh water meeting the salt water out upon the ocean that we could see from their windows. He took the time to explain why the barge was anchored out front on the ocean, and stories about the barge. He was one of the nicest Managers/people I have ever met. And you thought this was going to turn bad! Shame on you. The rest of our encounter was just as lovely ( I word I normally would not use, but thought it to sounded appropriate) The drinks were great and appetizers where great, The manager was what managers I think where when Greats like Frank Sinatra and John Wayne roamed the earth. Great! I assume anything this man attaches his name to most be great, I look forward to making a trip back and visiting again. Explanation of my use of the word Dapper: My use of the word dapper=
(5)Eve Y.
View is great! Food? Nothing exciting... We got the classic surf and turf, oyster entree, chowder and manila clams. Nothing out of ordinary. Service? Sloooow! Servers are nice tho'. Place has a lot of potential. Needs menu revamp, maybe upgrade decors? More senior folks seems enjoying themselves here however.
(3)Ray I.
Got the fried oysters dish. It was a bit heavy, even for a deep fried dish. The service and view was nice though.
(3)M R.
There were so many things wrong w/our Valentine's dinner last night at the Cliff House - I honestly wouldn't even know where to start. So I won't. I can say the view was very nice - even though we were put in the basement/lounge when there was plenty of seating on the main floor. We will absolutely not come back to this place.
(1)Action J.
The Cliff House is an amazing venue. The environment and the view of the greater Tacoma area. 5 stars
(5)Linda G.
Loved our food and experience. Service is fast and friendly. The view is amazing. Wish we had more time to stay. They have jazz music on Wednesday and Sunday.
(5)Daniel F.
We went today for Easter brunch. It began with a very limited selection of just average choices more in line with a Marie Calanders than a premier northwest steak and seafood restaurant. Actually aside from the cold shrimp and tiny Snow Crab legs, one could find more choices at an Old Country buffet. The food. All the food. Cold. Literally cold. Even after this was brought to their attention. Although quickly addressed was replaced with more cold food. No one ever did ask if we wanted anything to drink. Or anyone around us. Ever. We finally asked for coffee after our cold brunch. Everyone I spoke to in the parking lot experienced the same thing. I felt bad for them as it seems I was the only party to politely inform them. I seemed to be the only one who got comped anything. At $37.00 per person, they charged me for 2 of the 3 of us. And gave me a $50.00 gift certificate in hopes I'd come back sometime. Needless to say I won't be coming back. So to their suprise probably, I used it toward my bill. Having been to Salty's and Ivar's acres of clams buffet's dozens of times over the years, I had an expectation for a forty dollar brunch. It fell so short that I will never go back.
(1)Jim A.
We hope to move to this part of Tacoma partly because of this place. No kidding. Previously thinking Federal Way... now looking further west toward Browns Point. What an awesome local hideout. We've been here three times since the renovation in 2012 and have been made to feel at home each time. Bad food or bad service can wreck an experience when just one of those two components isn't on point, and so far so great on both counts!
(5)Camille V.
My Dad surprised my husband and I by taking us here for our wedding anniversary dinner. It was the three of us plus our son (20 months) and my Dad's girlfriend. First off, this place isn't exactly toddler friendly. The staff was very cordial, but it's a fancy restaurant with piano music and cloth napkins. Plus an incredible view, and a very nice wine list. I felt somewhat out of place in my jeans and sweater (I had just come from work). You are definitely paying for the location and view. My goodness, how beautiful. I had the filet mignon and lobster tail (Dad said to order whatever I wanted, so I did). It was really good, but the filet mignon was definitely my favorite. The lobster got cold real quick and was suddenly tasting like it was overcooked. Our appetizer was the spinach dip, which was also excellent. The prices here are on the higher side, so definitely save this place for a special occasion. There is a happy hour downstairs in the bar, but I find that there are better happy hour specials elsewhere.
(4)Michelle S.
I haven't been to the Cliff House since it was reopened by the new owners (mostly just because I have two small boys) My husband and I came here last night for dinner. Everything we ordered was delicious. We started off with the Crab and Artichoke dip. I highly recommend it. I tried the filet mignon, and my husband had the New York Steak. Both were delicious!! We had great service. Our waiter was very professional and friendly. I hope to return soon. PS Try the tiramisu too for dessert!!!
(4)Thomas F.
1st time coming here after hearing so much about it. The food was good both my wife and I had surf and turf, steaks were very good and the salmon I had was just as tasty as the steak! The price is a little high but comparable to other high end steak houses in the area. Where the value comes in is in the AMAZING view of commencement bay and Mt Rainier. Def a place to bring folks thy aren't familiar w the beauty of the northwest!!!
(4)Andre G.
Great view and real romantic setting.... the food, not so much. When I pay $100 for 2 plates of food they better knock my socks off. I've had better steaks at a dive bar at in spanaway. Why a ribeye was covered with cheese is a mistery to me. The limp oily vegetables were terrible. The best part of either meal were the potatoes. They do mix an awesome cocktail but I won't be back again.
(3)Patricia O.
I have been at the Cliff House Restaurant many, many times, when it was under the previous owner and 3 times since it was remodel and reopened. It has been my neighborhood favorite restaurant! The new owner did a great job remodeling and enlarging the main upstairs restaurant and the service is as good or better that before. I am rating it 3 stars as the 3 times I have gone for dinner as a new restaurant, the food has not been great, is not bad but it could be better for a fine dining restaurant. I have not tried the sunday brunch but I hear is good, so is on my list This is a very romantic place to go and the views of Mount Rainier and Commencement Bay on a clear day are the best!
(3)Jillian R.
As many other people have said, it seemed like they were understaffed. It took a long time to get anything... especially when we had incomplete orders, they took forever to bring a sauce they had forgotten, and when they did it was a tiny, tiny half-ounce portion. BUT when we asked for nutritional information and they didn't have specifics, the chef came out to talk with my 11-year-old diabetic cousin and said he'd customize an entree to her dietary needs. He followed up with us, bringing the meal out himself, and checked with us after the meal. That really made up for some of the lacking service. As for the food... I didn't think it was particularly memorable. I had a seafood fettucini, which was creamy and delicious without being too heavy. It was a pretty good portion, too. The wine was really great! We took notes and ended up buying a few bottles later. Dessert was fantastic!!! They don't have espresso, but they have some of the best creme brulee I've ever had - a special blood orange flavor specially created by the chef! What you're really paying for is the view... it's incredible.
(3)Allen U.
Usually you can get a view or you can get great food--why not get both--come on down Marine View Drive and perched on a Cliff overlooking Tacoma is a remodeled wonder of wonders--Commencement Bay twinkles at nite and for lunch you get old time serendes (think Frank Sinatra etc)--try the Spinach Salad (you can split this salad) @$9.00 with the special of the day Petrale sole with mashed potatoes/young broccoli and cream sauce @ $19.00 or try one of their sandwiches @ $9-14 also the new (from) New York Cheesecake desert @ $7 is a nice finish-- now you have a nice view and great food -- and sometimes the sun comes out too-- New owners and now a new cook from Seattle (installed one month ago) have revamped the meau--simple is better--chicken//beef//fish--with special sauce--Al
(4)Kent M.
Great view, good drinks and comfortable vibe. Food was spotty, good and bad in our party of six for a Wed dinner. Beef was great. Staff was overworked serving us, had some longish waits, ok job that was not a big issue to me but does keep rating lower. I picked this place for the view and was pleased with a floatilla (herd? ) of sailboats on the bay as we dined. The dried out marlin dish on chefs menu was all bad, poorly cooked wild rice, no potatoes served as said on menu, the kitchen cannot let that happen at over $30 price. I would try The Cliff House Tacoma for happy hour, iI am a pushover for a great view.
(3)B C.
I grew up in Brown's Point, not NE Tacoma which is where the school is, Brown's Point is down the hill heading towards the water where you see a sign say "Welcome to Brown's Point" as you drive by. We drove past the Cliff House daily, and it looked like a great place. Now I go almost monthly to this establishment. My nephew says it's his favorite restaurant, they know how to cook his filet mignon. Last weekend was the most recent time I went there with my nieces. We had the 8 oz filet mignon, 6 oz filet mignon with bacon wrap, and salmon dishes. PERFECT, the only little passing concern was the waiter didn't seem as genuine as previous wait staff. Previous visits we have had amazing service. They took tailor made requests (i.e. my nephew prefers 12 oz filet mignon) and brought us amazing dishes. they even go out of their way to make us wonderful fruit drinks. When they closed down, we were very disappointed, but my nephew texted me as soon as he heard they were opening up again. I highly recommend the Cliff House for anyone that is looking for first class service and food. I'm not sure why Lana complained about her appetizer prices, considering the view and location, I have paid more for drinks and appetizers at Anthony's even at Ivars Salmon House on Lake Union in Seattle. If I had eaten HALF the food (taco and crab/artichoke dip which we LOVE) as she did then got the food she ate comped, I wouldn't complain about the prices. The Cliff House is an amazing experience that I refer people to, and will continue to refer people there.
(5)Corinne M.
The view is stunning at sunset! The service is amazing.The food is phenomenal. This place is on my top 5 places to go to for a date night! If you are out for a special occasion, this is the place to go to!
(5)Ellen T.
The Cliff House is and has always been a quiet haunt on the eastside of Commencement Bay where you go to: 1) take your prom date out for dinner 2) negotiate your real estate terms with your agent on your new half-million dollar home 3) take someone from Gig Harbor that wants to be impressed when you can't get a reservation at Stanley & Seaforts 4) celebrate ladies night and get sauced with the Real Housewives of Federal Way/Browns Point Its not a bad place but the crowd is pretty predictable. The food is about what you'd find on a country club menu or some other institutional banquet facility - chicken & pasta, steak, surf n' turf, local seafood, etc. and pricing is about on par with places like The Keg or Anthony's. The most alluring factor about this place is not so much the food but really the waterfront view of Commencement Bay and the city. It's also quiet and out of the way so if your seeking privacy and intimacy you'll find it here.
(3)Gretchen H.
Great food and service, it has the best view of Tacoma and even Mt Rainier.. When it's sunny, anyways. Pretty pricy though, but I would go back.
(5)Steve F.
We are from S Oregon. Came here with daughter and hubby who live here. I just read all reviews posted since I was curious WHY this place was not 5-Star. After reading I came to agree. Location IS a WOW! Ambiance and service also was great. My wife ranked her scallops/mushroom as one of her BEST meals. Daughters Salmon dinner described as PERFECT. Son-in-laws surf and turf he described as EXCELLENT (he can be very critical when it comes to food). I had the steak. I had the Ribeye. Very flavorful and perfectly cooked. BUT TOO THIN!! Several reviewers mentioned better steaks at Cosco and I would agree but that is a great meat dept too. If I'm paying for all that I listed as "good or great" and then I'm saying I will be back and we will for those reasons alone. If the purpose of the review is for the establishment to listen to their customers, then that is why I am writing. Oh! Mashed spuds WERE the best I have ever had!!! But COME ON MAN thicker on the Ribeye please!!
(4)Andy S.
I had been to the Cliff House a few years ago before going there for dinner the other night. The views and scenery from this place are amazing and the service and staff were wonderful. It is a very romantic setting and their menu read like what you would expect from a high end restaurant. We ordered our food and drinks and everything was looking great. The drunks were fantastic, the waitress was great, and I really liked the bread they brought out before the meal. My wife ordered the salmon and I ordered the "crab stuffed halibut." As the waitress brought out our food, I could literally see how overcooked the salmon was before she was even within 5 feet of the table. It looked and cut into like a piece of smoked salmon. It was pretty terrible and ilmy wife couldn't even finish it. The crab "stuffed" halibut was too a severely overdone piece of fish with lumps of crab meat on the top of it. Halibut cooked properly is one of the flakiest fishes you can get and this one was partially moist in only the center of the rates part while the rest of it was as stiff as rubber. I had high hopes for this place and certainly will give anyone another chance but that was severely disappointing. It didn't make it any better that the dinner was over $100 and then we had to go somewhere else after too eat since neither of us finished our meals I hope they can make some improvements here as the scenery is really quite nice.
(2)Valerie R.
My friend and I went to check the new Cliffhouse out. When we walked in, it looked absolutely gorgeous inside! Very fancy and dark, but a bit cold. We ordered the blackened ahi and antipastino both very delicious, but the antipastino was extremely small barely enough for two people to have two servings. I had my two year old son with me and I when I asked what the kids menu was, he told me there is no kids menu. I asked if it was possible to get a half portion of one of the pasta dishes and he said no. I think that is ridiculous that they don't have any options for kids. Kind of upsetting! Drink prices were excellent though! But if a restaurant cannot cater to children, it makes it hard for families to attend the restaurant.
(3)J H.
The only thing good about our dining experience was the view. We sat in the lounge downstairs and ordered a few items to share off of the happy hour menu and drinks. We were disappointed to see that the $13 dollar scallops only came with two overcooked tough scallops. The shrimp was far from fresh and drowning in sauce. We asked for waters from our first waiter and never got them, we asked again from another waiter and did not get them, by this time we had finished eating and asked our waiter again for water. Her reaction was unprofessional and was enough for us to not return. She said " oh my gosh she didn't bring you waters yet, I asked her a while ago, she forgot." Instead of blaming someone else she should have taken responsibility since she was our original waiter that we asked twice already for water. As petty as that sounds, it put a bad taste in our mouth that she blamed her co worker. The food was nothing spectacular especially for the portion size and price. We won't be back and won't recommend. We decided to tip well and agreed to leave it at that, leave and not return.
(1)Garrett G.
Awesome experience! Went to the Cliff House a week ago for my anniversary. The staff was incredibly helpful and informative. The restaurant sits on top of a cliff overlooking commencement bay and the city of Tacoma, it really sets a nice romantic mood. Although the view at night was outstanding, it is supposed to have an insane view of Mt. Rainier on a clear day. We started with the crab and artichoke dip, it was amazing. After eating all of the bread that came with it they were very quick on refilling everything. Next we both decided to get the fish and chips. Although they were great, they weren't as fantastic as there price tag might merit. Nonetheless, it was a great dining experience. I will most definitely be returning for a drink on either a Sunday or Wednesday night during their weekly hosting of live Blues and Jazz! Overall, nice and classy dinner. As Arnold so eloquently put it, "I'll be back!"
(4)Nam N.
tucked away on 509... The Cliff House is a nice alternative for fancy dining and not having to make a trek up to Seattle or too far down and into Tacoma. The prices are a touch on the higher side (based upon USDA Choice grade beef) however the preparation is done well and the portions are fair. Ultimately, however, you are paying for the view. They do have their own private parking lot, Valet is not needed as the further spot is but 150 feet away from the main door. The views are nice as window seating stretches from wall to wall and the windows are floor to ceiling. Service has been consistently good in my past few visits - however to be fair, I have yet to try them at peak hours. Speaking of hours - the happy hour is more or less a literal term as the late night HH runs from 9pm - close which is 10 on weekdays and 11pm on weekends. The upstairs dining is more intimate and quiet, Doug at the bar is a great guy to chit chat with. While the downstairs can be more lively and louder in atmosphere if you are going with a group of friends and feel uncomfortable when the surroundings are too silent. All in all - I do like to frequent the The Cliff House for a good steak or prime rib (available only on weekends) from time to time. If not for the food - its a great place to grab a night cap cocktail if you're feeling fancier than having a cold beer at a local dive bar.
(4)Neal Q.
Dated decor. The view of the bay and Tacoma are fantastic. Mashed potatoes that come out of a bag and look like meringue. My girlfriend's risotto was undercooked and slightly crunchy. While the piece of what could have been a spectacular piece of Cooper River Sockeye Salmon was over cooked and drowned in a citrus infused butter which overpowered and detracted from the naturally delicious salmon.
(2)Brent F.
when I heard ownership changed we decided to give the cliff house another try. disappointed doesn't begin to describe the food, ambiance and service. food: we stopped by for happy hour and tried a number of apps. truffle bacon mac n cheese sounded promising but was a huge fail - should have been listed as a soup. it was so bad we couldn't eat it. other apps tasted like the sauces came from a can. I'm pretty sure the teriyaki on the tenderloins was shitty yoshida's sauce. ambiance: aside from the fact that we should have left when we sat down because the place had a funny smell the interior was old, beat up and dirty. service: 30 min to get our first app, there was missed food, duplicate dishes showing up at our table. disaster. we asked our server, who thought the mac n cheese was a great choice, to take the dish away. noticing we only took two bites she inquires if something was wrong. we said it wasn't good, can't eat it good and it still showed up on our bill. even at half price happy hour I felt like we overpaid. the view is nice but there are better views and better food around the other side of the bay.
(1)Liz D.
Good happy hour menu in the bar downstairs and casual vibe plus live jazz on Sundays makes this a nice easy end of the weekend.
(4)Lance M.
Two because the salmon was good and It think they tried. Went for Mother's Day Brunch and it was a mess. They had a line upstairs and one downstairs and the one downstairs did not have a line. So we went down there. The food was cold, not warm, cold. There were not condiments, such a butter or cocktail sauce and they ran out of a lot of things. Just not a good experience and WAY overpriced. For the right occasion maybe I would give them a shot, but not anytime soon.
(2)Cheryl B.
We live near the Cliff House and have been there several times since the rennovation, Service has never been very good. The food is average at best and overpriced for the quality. Save your money.
(1)Lisa E.
I called and spoke to the owner per Tara's comment to me - he really didn't care what I had to say even though we spent nearly $400 for mothers day brunch - definitely will not be returning and will let everyone we know of the bad service!
(1)jill R.
Last night was the 2nd time we've been to the Cliff House and overall, it's a nice place with pretty decent food. But the service is...the service leaves much to be desired and here's the thing about that. When I'm paying $32 dollars for a 6 oz piece of Alaskan Halibut (cooked almost perfectly, btw) and when I'm paying that price for not only the fish, but the ambience, view and overall experience, that server better be a) friendly b) quick c) efficient and d) professional. Both times I've been there, the service has been none of those things. As someone who used to manage restaurants, both diner and fine-dining, it's important to realize that staff makes or breaks the place. The food is tasty but it's not exceptional or incredibly innovative--not good enough to compensate for crappy service. 20% is usually my MININUM tip. Last night, I felt compelled to insist my husband leave only 15%. Whoever you were (no introduction) you need to smile more, move with a little bit more alacrity, and check on your tables regularly. It is also not cool at a fine dining establishment to have a "runner" bring out your food. At Chili's? Fine. At a place charging your prices? No. Also, someone wrote in their review that the presentation of the dessert tray was "so eighties". That's nonsense. Factoid: a dessert tray results in higher dessert sales. That's restaurant 101. If the server had brought the tray to the table as opposed to asking us if we wanted it, we would have probably succumbed to something that looked scrumptious rather than declining. I watched it go by several times and was anticipating that part of our dining experience but we never got it. :( Oh, well. Again, speaks to the service level. A better server would have brought the tray over which would have sealed the deal. She failed that up-sell. :( But the food was pretty tasty. The first time we went for lunch, I had a composed salad with fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, basil and artichoke hearts. It was yummy. My husband had fish and chips and they were yummy too. The service sucked. Took FOREVER to get our drinks out, and some bread on the table and the food took a long time. They were really understaffed, it seemed. Last night, my husband had the wild Salmon with basil butter and it was good. His roasted potatoes were undercooked. (Note to chef: when cooking potatoes, ALWAYS err on the side of overcooked as opposed to undercooked). I had the pan-roasted Alaskan halibut with mashed potatoes. The dish was under-seasoned but a little salt brought out all the flavors. The fish was near perfect. It probably was perfect when it was plated but also probably sat a few minutes because it wasn't really super hot when it got to me and it was slightly over done. But it was definitely edible. We also ordered salads...I had the wedge salad and my husband the ceaser, and they were both good. Not awesome. But good. I'm pretty sure the bread are those little demi-loaves from La Brea Bakery you can get at Costco. Not complaining, just saying. The bread was served warm with cold butter and that's how it should be. So all in all, a-ok. A little pricey...$100 bucks with tip, no alcohol, no dessert. We'll go again, but hopefully, the service will have improved. Even if it hasn't, the views are awesome and the restaurant is nice. :)
(3)Chris B.
Pepe has remodeled the Cliff House and changed the menu. It just re-opened last week. So, we thought we would give it a shot. The food and atomosphere is a vast improvement over the previous owners. Service was excellent. We had seared Ahi, salad and the Steak filet. Everything tasted great. We will definitely go back on a regular basis. Great job Pepe!
(5)Ana B.
Went for appetizers and drinks, happy hour stops at 6pm so we lucked out. We ordered pizza margherite, sirloin tips and braised bacon. The pizza was a good portion to share between the two of us, crust was thin and the flavors were subtle but it wasn't bad, you can taste the basil and mozzarella. The beef tips were nice and juicy, loved the Fresno peppers but the teriyaki sauce was too much. Too sweet, too much of it on the plate. The braised bacon was my favorite, it was nicely seasoned and soft, the sweet sauce that comes with it wasn't overpowering but now I can't remember what it tasted like either... Each square of pork rests on what I think is a Parmesan wafer which sounds like a good, crispy addition to this dish but since it's under the pork and gooey sauce, it became chewy and inedible in my opinion but my husband ate the whole thing without complaints. We also had coffee (good) and creme brûlée, very good. It's close to home, has a great view and service was good.
(4)Sarah E.
First, the views are amazing!! Nicely remodeled and the staff are very efficient and friendly. I have no problem paying the price for an amazing meal. However, I had the halibut special stuffed with crab (which seemed kind of bland) with a sauce that was too runny and covered my entire plate. The portions are sparse...I had 2 pieces of broccoli and what looked like a "squirt" of mashed potatoes. The music was too loud to the point it was disturbing. Not impressed and very let down. You must be paying for the view??
(2)macdaddy m.
Place has a great view - mothers day brunch $45 / person !
(2)Rocci H.
Decided to go for an early dinner and found the food to be good, but not great. My steak was done well, and I asked for rare. They made me a new steak but by the time it came out, my wife was done with her dinner. They did not take anything off of the bill, which was $240 with tip for two. It's not the waitresses fault that the manager is a complete and total idiot who doesn't know how to run a higher end business. I won't be back.
(1)Mia C.
First time back since it has reopened - brunch is ordered from a menu - no buffet thank goodness. After being served the wrong order twice the bartender/waiter finally went to the kitchen to get my correct order - eggs benedict - the eggs were overcooked resembling a hard boiled egg - the ham was cooked to a perfect color of black - the hollandaise sauce was hidden somewhere because it wasn't on the eggs. The bartender/waiter noticed it right away and put in another order - which turned out absolutely perfect - awesome. Normally I would say they have a lot more work to do - to be good. But the outstanding service and attention to detail along with actual concern that the order came out bad - makes this a restaurant I will continue to go back to. And I also have to say the prices were alot lower than I was expecting. Also - overhearing talk at the bar - their new happy hour has been a big hit. Can't wait to try it next.
(4)Mike R.
My parents live about 10 minutes away, so we've been to The Cliff House many times over the years. They recently (maybe 4 months ago) reopened with new management. I've probably been here 5 times since then and I've had very different experiences. My company's CEO was in town and it was a bright, sunny day. I knew this was where we had to go for the view, but I wasn't sure about the food since it was my first visit since new management took over. I ordered the salmon and the CEO said he'd have whatever I was having, which made me even more nervous about it. When the salmon arrived, I could visually see it was cooked perfectly and I was very relieved. On top of that, it was minimally sauced and seasoned allowing the flavor of the salmon to be the star of the dish. I hate it when restaurants put some kind of mayonnaise-based sauce and crazy spices on salmon. They don't do that here and the fish is fresh and tastes amazing. My boss also ordered a dessert - the coffee creme brulee - which was very tasty! Since then, we've been for a happy hour type visit a few times. No complaints, but nothing special food/drink wise. I enjoy their spinach salad, but that's pretty hard to mess up. I love margaritas and, unfortunately, their margaritas are pretty weak and have too much mix. However, that is very common to find at most restaurants in my experience. Most recently, my mom asked where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner and with it being such a nice day, I said The Cliff House. It was after work on a weekday, so we sat in the bar. I decided to revisit the salmon dish I had with the CEO as did my mom. When it arrived, I could visually see it was overcooked, but I couldn't tell by how much. I looked at Mom's plate and hers was overdone, too. What annoys me at restaurants is when something like that, which is visibly wrong, makes it out of the kitchen. I took my first bite and instead of the soft, smooth bite you can effortlessly remove with your fork if the salmon is perfectly cooked, I had to cut it with my fork and it was stringy and hard. The vegetables looked like they were a bit overcooked, as well. Unfortunate birthday experience. The service has been pretty good on all visits, so I don't have any problems there. There is no way to argue with the view, either. It is a stunning place to eat on a nice day when you can see Mt. Rainier dominating the Port of Tacoma and Commencement Bay. If they can pull it together on the food side, we'll probably be here more often. As it stands, I'm sure we'll be back (though we're in no hurry), but we'll probably just have a salad.
(3)Jeff H.
View is very solid, and the happy hour offers some very good drink prices. I didn't eat when I was in, but did peruse over the menu. The food looked HORRIFICALLY overpriced. It had all the appearances of Red Lobster quality with a Palisade view. Next time I come back, I might sample a few of the happy hour offerings to hopefully debunk my suspicion.
(3)John S.
Very poor planning for Valentine's Day on the part of Cliff House management team. Seating us at a extremely small table in the bar is not what I signed up for when I made my reservations a month in advance. We were being rushed the whole time and the place was only 2/3 full at best. The food was okay but there was an available window table that they said was reserved as well for someone else but the table never got used while we were there. I will definitely not be going back for a special event. By far the worse part of an otherwise enchanting Valentine's Day!!
(1)Erin H.
Well we were very underdressed so I felt like an idiot the whole time (thanks to other patrons, never the staff) we're new to the area, just got done working on the boat and decided to check the place out. Very nice inside, polite staff, the food and drinks were very tasty! Lovely view of course. I must say they have a nice selection but I ordered a starter salad which was HUGE and a pasta entree that was quite small. My boyfriend did not get an appetizer and his entree was also quite small (a pasta with prawns dish I believe). So he unfortunately ended up ordering pizza later that evening. If you're looking for a nice evening out, fine food, maybe a romantic dinner, this is your place; if you are really hungry I suggest getting a starter or maybe a $40 steak to fill you up.
(5)Molly C.
We had a lovely dinner at Cliff House. The view is outstanding, our server was great, and even the chef came out to visit with us. They were accommodating to my gluten-free diet and our experience there was truly fantastic. We are already looking forward to our next opportunity to dine at the Cliff House.
(5)ChiKurt S.
Cliff house is by far the best of the fine dining with a view restaurants on Commencement Bay. The brunch is great, the dinners are good and the newly remodeled room offers the perfect views of the waterway.
(4)Michael S.
We went here yesterday night for dinner and were treated to a great view, strong drinks, wonderful calamari, and delicious steaks that were cooked to the requested temperatures. We also split two desserts - the peach crisp and a piece of black forest cake... both were fine, but I think we will skip dessert next time... didn't seem worth the cost or calories. Speaking of dessert, one piece of advice to the management... ditch the dessert tray! That is so 1980s and it ends up resulting in wasting fresh product, or putting older, stale pieces of cake in front of paying customers. A simple piece of card stock outlining the dessert menu is cheaper and more effective. The dessert tray reminds me of going to Red Lobster as a kid... that's not a good thing. I would also note that the clientele was on the older side - the average diner seemed to be somewhere in their late 50s-early 60s. This place definitely caters to that crowd, and frankly as a 28 year old I don't care so long as the food isn't dated and it's executed well... and we both thought that the food was really good. The Cliff House reminded me a lot of Jak's in Issaquah, but with a much better view and no need to wait for an hour to get a table. I would definitely come back.
(5)Karen P.
I was there with friends 3/1/14. My friends ordered filet mignon and I ordered lobster. ($48). It was truly awful, gray and rubbery. The "drawn butter" was something from another world. It wasn't butter but horrid yellow salt liquid. I really did not want to make a fuss but had to send it back and get the filet. They need better quality control on something as delicate as lobster. I know it's easy to over cook it. Service was good though. It is chilly by the window.
(2)Gini A.
I have to admit, it took a lot to get me back to The Cliff House after so many years of really awful food by different owners. But now I have had 5 - 6 very good dinners and the view are no longer the only reason to be there. All dinners have been very good in presentation and flavor and the service has also been very enjoyable. TG I used to love coming here with my parents or after a dance at Stadium and thats a long time ago. It is back to what it was, a really wonderful dining experience you don't really have to go to the city for. A definite recommend!
(4)Bill G.
The old Cliff House reopened awhile back and we finally made a stop for a glass o' wine and some apps. The remodel looks great - it is fresh, classic and timeless. The view from the Cliff House is simply the best in the southend - hit Wednesday evenings and you'll be treated to the sailboat races in the sound - very entertaining! The clams were "goodish" - not as good as before, clam chowder is "OKish" - the wine selection is a "B" my suggestion is to think more NW wines - ya know Washington & Oregon. We will try the Cliffy for dinner in the coming months - and update this review - I know you're on the edge of your seats - but hold on!!! Bottom the Cliff House is a great choice!
(3)