Insider Pages Reviews for The Spinnaker

4 Stars: I loved this place (by John Elliot F.)

John Elliot F. — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:29:00 GMT

I loved this place. The view alone is breathtaking. The staff was super attentive. The service is great, everyone is super friendly. The food is great. I can't wait to go again.

1 Stars: We (by egjavier)

egjavier — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:00:00 GMT

waited for one hour. the staff were rude. When asked how much longer is the wait, angrily responded that we were already told there is no available table yet. Upon ordering, soem of us requested rice instead of potato with our order and the waitress rudely said they do not serve rice, only orzo. all orders came with rice anyway including the one who specifically requested for orzo. When asked to change that to orzo, she got mad and said the order was for rice. Food was mediocre, definite very expensive for the quality.

4 Stars: Excellent choice for brunch (by Debbie C.)

Debbie C. — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:40:00 GMT

We went with some friends to the Spinnaker for a brunch - I can't even begin to say how wonderful it was! The view alone made it worth going. The brunch menu was extensive and the attention from the waitstaff was just right. Will go back again for a dinner next time.

5 Stars: Wonderful view and food (by cuddle)

cuddle — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Had dinner with my date and enjoyed every aspect of the restaurant. We were seated by a window facing San Francisco and saw the lights come on. Million dollar view! Staff was wonderful and very informative. I truly enjoyed the Petrale with macadamia nut crust. Shared the Strawberry Zabaglione dessert......tasted awesome. I would highly recommend this place. I thought it was a tourist trap but the maitre'd told us that they have a lot of bay area regulars.

5 Stars: Lovely Experience (by grendlekitty)

grendlekitty — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:00:00 GMT

I've been back several times, only during the day. I feel like the view would be wasted at night. The service has always been prompt and friendly and all the food is well priced and delicious, esp. the shrimp sandwich. The last time I ate there, I was seated right next to a huge glass wall right on top of the water and saw seals poking their heads up during the meal. It's in a charming neighborhood, a beautiful and easy drive from SF. The restaurant is low key but elegant, they have valet but have never had trouble parking in the area.

1 Stars: Very Poor Food & Management! (by helena)

helena — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Went to this poorly managed restaurant with my family for Easter Brunch-lunch. Requested a table in back (got seated in the front part). Our server was decent but not great!
The food was terrible, almost to the point of nasty. How can you screw up a salad and clam chowder????
The manager approached our table YELLING (I NEED THE TABLE NOW - I MOVE YOU TO THE BAR AREA AND GIVE YOU A FREE DRINK) Every single person at our table is in the restaurant business - We all got up and vowed to NEVER eat at this tourist trap ever again!!!!! The only thing nice about this place is the view (the food and management are terrible).
I congratulate this establishment in making a huge mistake of talking to us with such disrespect!

5 Stars: Delicious Food with Great View of SF Bay (by skylarkar)

skylarkar — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Perhaps my favorite Bay city, Sausalito can boast about this restaurant on the water. It literally sits out IN the Bay on pilings, water lapping the posts around you. We watched the sail and motor boats move across the water, enjoyed the gulls fishing for their early evening snacks just outside the glass wall near our table, and dined on excellent food. Parking was valet and easy, service was friendly and consistently attentive. Our roasted halibut and grilled mahi were perfectly seasoned and the chowder was yummy. Menu choices are plentiful and dishes are presented well. Before dinner you can browse wonderful galleries nearby and enjoy the views from the city which faces the Bay. Exciting photo ops abound.

5 Stars: Outstanding Service, Good Food (by jcmal)

jcmal — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Three of us ate here for lunch on Tues., June 12. Our server, Robert, was outstanding. We never asked for more water or bread. Our table was watched and replacements made immediately. We had one N.E. clam chowder, which was very good. The other two of us had the spicy tomato bisque seafood soup..... good, but not that good that we would order it again although it WAS loaded with scallops. We also had the Petralie Sole with macadamia crust and a fantastic sauce, and the pan-seared scallops. We both would have liked these more seasoned, but they were, nevertheless, tasty served with wonderful julienned vegetables & asparagus spears, with orzo. The other lunch was the stuffed avacado. Again, good. The atmosphere is fantastic. No matter where you sit, you have a view of the bay. I've been there months ago, and will certainly return.

1 Stars: Worst restaurant experience ever (by andrefouad)

andrefouad — Sun, 13 May 2007 09:00:00 GMT

was excited to try Spinnaker with a group of seven on a very special family occassion. They made us wait one hour past our reservation time, with three hungry young children. Even then, they said they could not seat us yet. We left and had to find somewhere else on a busy Saturday night. They made no apologies, acted as if they had no control, and offered no compensation for our wasted time. Absolutely horrible service. I would not take a chance on this place at anytime, let alone a special occassion. Obviously, they overbooked and valued their revenue over their customers' satisfaction. Great view if you don't mind horrible service. Worse I've seen lately.

3 Stars: Great view, okay food (by kr333)

kr333 — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

This place has an amazing view. Very romantic setting overlooking the water. The food was expensive though for the only slightly better than average quality.

5 Stars: Best Clam Chowder; Gorgeous View! (by roops)

roops — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Food was delicious! I had a lovely lunch alone at the Spinnaker. I ALWAYS order clam chowder when I'm out, and this was the BEST I've ever had. My crab cocktail was delicious, and the shrimp avocado salad was tasty, but not GREAT. The bread pudding was delectable.
The service was phenomenal! The waiter was sweet and attentive. WIthout my knowledge, my waiter ran out to the valet to make sure my car was ready before I left.

3 Stars: Nice atmosphere, average food (by rmboro)

rmboro — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The Spinnaker offers great views and a pleasant, although somewhat "touristy" atmosphere. However, my husband and I were disappointed with the food. The fish dishes were unimaginative and bland. Since there are so many other great seafood restaurants in Marin, we probably will not go back.

4 Stars: Overly priced and poor service (by nina13)

nina13 — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Unless you are of white descent or exude a certain amount of money, you will be overlooked at any given time. The entire staff is rude in their physical behaviour as well as their use of vocabulary.

3 Stars: great view skip the food (by lasloras)

lasloras — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The view from the Spinaker is it's distinguishing feature- and it is a devastating view of the San Francisco Bay. That being said- go for the view and a drink and skip the dinner reservations or even the appetizers. The food is overpriced and overvalued and the waitstaff leave an enormous amount to be desired. On two occasionbs even the drinks were poor and I sent back a mixed drink as it tasted like water. However the view mitagates all other issues so try this for a cocktail or glass of wine and savor the old san francisco atmosphere

5 Stars: GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE, FOOD AND VIEWS (by nellie_12)

nellie_12 — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

What a wonderful place to spend an afternoon or evening with your date. The staff is wonderful, friendly and professional...the food is great and the view is magnificent!

Very tasty dishes and awesome desserts.

Definitely enjoy spending time at this beautiful restaurant and savoring the food and view.

1 Stars: Rude Hostess (by iacobus)

iacobus — Tue, 30 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

The hostess was so rude to my family on Memorial Day that I insisted we leave, even though my mother was thinking of staying - and it was my mother to whom the hostess had been the most rude! I used to work in retail and can understand having a long day at work on a busy holiday with lots of tourist traffic can really drain a person, but that's no excuse to take it out on customers who were polite, well-dressed, and hungry. :p

2 Stars: Where do you find such terrible wait staff? (by bwrother)

bwrother — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 09:00:00 GMT

We've been going to this restaurant for years to celebrate birthdays and other events. The last two visits have been very disappointing. I'm sad to say that we will probably never go there again. I've never had wait staff speak to me the way the ones at this restaurant did last night. They were rude, condescending and defensive. They definitely did not give me the feeling that the 'customer is always right'. The atmosphere is dear to us, but we will sacrifice it for finding a place that values us as customers.

1 Stars: Amazing view - terrible food (by dutchisses)

dutchisses — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I was very excited to try this restaurant with my fiance on Valentine's Day. When we got there we were impressed by the views, and our great table. From there things went south. My cocktail glass had someone elses' lipstick marks on it, so the waitress took it back. The next one she brought had the same problem!! Ew. Then both my swordfish and my fiance's prawn pasta were HORRIBLE. They tasted microwaved and the presentation was that of a much cheaper restaurant. I sent my meal back without eating more than two bites. This restaurant really ruined our Valentine's Day experience. Not recommended.

5 Stars: wedding reception (by dexter9)

dexter9 — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 09:00:00 GMT

The service for a private party was excellent! It was spacious with a world class view, and the staff was knowledgable and helpful. Everything was as requested and in this day, that is remarkable.

2 Stars: Is this a restaurant... or a hosptial cafeteria? (by fabiofulov)

fabiofulov — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 09:00:00 GMT

The view at this place is great. It's literally on the water with lots of boats going by. Everything else though is suspect. The best description I can think of for this place is institutional. The carpet, furnishings, linens, the waiters in their polyester vests, the entire décor, and of course the food. I felt like I was dining at a Holiday Inn or a hospital cafeteria. The prices weren't outrageous compared to other restaurants in similar locales but the quality wasn't there, so it was disappointing. The waiter was moderately friendly and professional although after he brought the food he never came back to refill drinks or ask how it was. I knew the instant I walked in and saw the cheap surroundings that this wasn't the place for me but the girlfriend wanted the view so we stayed. My eyes were happy, my tummy... not so much.

5 Stars: Great service, view, and (importantly) food! (by jlk1961)

jlk1961 — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 09:00:00 GMT

We found our overall experience at the Spinnaker to be outstanding. The hostess was a bit cold but the server was exceptional--friendly and highly competent! We enjoyed every bit of our experience, from wine to appetizers (good clam chowder--a bit thin but tasty) to entrees (some excellent pasta shoices) to desserts. And of course the view cannot be beat! It is an easy ferry ride to the Spinnaker and with the unique shopping in Sausalito I would recommend this experience. We had lunch reservations but they were not very busy (weekday). I would definitely make reservations well in advance for dinner. The desserts are home-made and wonderful!

1 Stars: Very rude personnel (by helhak)

helhak — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 09:00:00 GMT

THe waitresses are very rude and treat the customers in a disrespectful way. They don't quote the correct wait time

1 Stars: skip this place (by puchu)

puchu — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 09:00:00 GMT

i found it a waste of time and money. i have been to much
better places in Sausalito. the service is terrible, and the
food mediocre.

4 Stars: Seafood with a Sea View (by lord_humongous)

lord_humongous — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 09:00:00 GMT

The Spinnaker serves above average food with a great view of the bay. This would be a nice place to take out of town visitors so they can get a nice view of San Francisco. The staff of The Spinnaker seem like a boring bunch of people but they get the job done. And I would say that the best part of the meal was the great dessert.

4 Stars: A great graduation memory (by dlibra)

dlibra — Sun, 12 Jun 2005 09:00:00 GMT

We arrived, we began to enjoy our visit. We had made reservations and were promptly seated. Our window seating added immeasureably to our experience. Each of our party had a taste of appetizers; garlic w/brie, calamari and crabcakes and devoured them with ahs all around. I thought the Hollandaise sauce served with the crabcakes was the best. Two of our party had NY steak, ordered it medium-well and they were uttering "mouth-watering" "tender" as they took each bite. Our crab w/penne was very rich and I am afraid the taste of crab, although sauce was filled with the "meat" was overwhelmed by the heavy sauce, thos good, it is not something I would order again.
Our grandsons were thrilled when our server expertly prepared the Caesar dressing for our salad at our table. Thank you, Spinnaker, for making our visit so pleasant and a part of our graduation memoryl.

1 Stars: Not worth it - The food was awful. (by pingneo)

pingneo — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I must agree, the view is great but the food really leaves a sour taste. We had to send something back to the kitchen because it was too salty and unedible. The rest of the stuff that we ordered were not good too. I had the clam chowder and bit into a lump of flour! The entrees were all too salty and the presentation of the food was mediocre at best. Certainly not worth the money and the wait! I bought my date for a Valentine's Day dinner after a day at the spa when we were both ravishing hungry and left very very disappointed!

5 Stars: best night of the week (by foleymt)

foleymt — Mon, 18 Oct 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Fantastic view - great food - prompt friendly service - well trained - worth the extra wait for a table on the outside wall

3 Stars: go there for the view, not for food (by atomicltwister)

atomicltwister — Mon, 20 Sep 2004 09:00:00 GMT

They have one of the best view in Sausalito. I would suggest people go there to enjoy a glass of wine and the wonderful view. For the food, it is very american, and the view is worth more than the money you pay for. I'll give it a good value, but it is not for the food.

4 Stars: Nice Romantic Place (by andyk314)

andyk314 — Sun, 13 Jul 2003 09:00:00 GMT

The first time that I went there, it was a great experience. Not only was there an awesome view, the food was decent, especially the seafood. It's just a great place for a date or an anniversary, in my case, an anniversary. They have free valet parking, which is great. Once again, nice view, highly recommend for dates only.

5 Stars: What A View ! (by diannemann)

diannemann — Wed, 23 Oct 2002 09:00:00 GMT

What a great experience. Wonderful view, outstanding food... good, attentive service. Will make this a regular choice for our west coast trips.

5 Stars: Awesome (by nekelona)

nekelona — Wed, 07 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Best place to be romantic, entartain family, friends

Best View in the Bay Area