SALT Fish House, Arcata CA

This was a great spot - my in laws took us out here while we were in town and I was really looking forward to it. It was the only time we got to go out to a higher end eatery on this trip because we have 3 kids and they tend to eat with us in vacation. The server Derek was phenomenal! He was knowledgeable on the menu, had great recommendations and was quick! Food was tasty especially the cioppino! The only thing I had a qualm with was that the hostess seemed bothered that we were there with kids. Now my kids are pains sometimes and they were really tired and jazzed up on ice cream from down the way but it didn’t feel like an automatic welcome when we walked in with 3 kids. We didn’t have a reservation and there were several tables that did but she said all the tables that would accommodate us were reserved. We were having a pretty early dinner. And 2 of the reserved tables hadn’t arrived by the time we left. Also no kids accommodations- the table that wasn’t reserved that opened up was a high top so we couldn’t have our youngest in a high chair and had to have him in one of our laps instead. Definitely put a damper on the fun of going out together. Still good food and I think I as the mom was most stressed about it in our group. Thanks for the tasty dinner and accommodating us!

If i could give a 100 star review I would!
Service- impeccable.
Food- delectable.
Ambiance- otherworldly.

To say I was satisfied with my visit would be an understatement.

I must say the bartenders who served me were spectacular- shout out Dante and Taylor My Green Flash was made to perfection. Great job guys!

My servers name was Derrick. He was inviting, polite, elegant, and tentative. Cant say enough great things about his service. I would even say he deserves a raise!

And dont even get me started on the cuisine. The Pimento Dungeness Crab dip was divine- I couldnt stop indulging in the creamy spicy deliciousness. Chef Gomez knows exactly what hes doing!

Long story short, Salt Fish House is THEE place to be.

We were here last fall and really enjoyed the experience. Not so much this time. The service was slow, the menu less interesting and the food much more ordinary. For example, my tuna berger arrived with overcooked tuna and too much dressing on the bun. Good seafood but could be better.

Salt is arguably one of the best restaurants in Humboldt County. The food and drinks are top notch. The bill may leave you a little salty but that is the flavor of success. Try the green flash drink it is delicious.

We ordered special of the day, Halibut and Dungeness spaghetti. The latter were lukewarm to cold. Not sure how it was supposed to serve.

Seafood tower is overpriced for what you are getting. I don’t recommend the scallop crudo. The tuna poke was really good.

Horrible service, we got ignored by our waiter and our food took 1 hour and a half said they were short staffed while there was waiters running around not helping us

Great setting and service. TERRIBLE QUANTITY for price. Got the snow crab because of the picture on their website. This picture had almost a whole crab. What did I get? ONE LEG AND HALF THE CRABS XSS CHEEK? I spent a little over $150 that day. Let me say this, I love their sister restaurant. (The Campground) Never again this place though.

Hubby brought me here for a romantic date night and it did not disappoint. The service was alvery focused and attentive. The atmosphere inspired our own creativity, and the food.words can not describe how truly delicious their dishes are, order mains or follow our lead with a couple appetizers and 1/2 dozen raw oysters. Either way you will not feel robbed by their serving size, and I guarantee you'll want to come back for more! (Especially for the clam chowder)

In almost a decade of living in Arcata, this was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had. The prices of food do not match the quality. I enjoyed the crab dip, but the cioppino was flavorless and the plate arrived with the toasted breast totally soaked in both olive oil and soaked in the cioppino broth, causing it to become prematurely soggy. I was served a draft beer that was warm because their taps were malfunctioning, and it was just all around unpleasant compared to less expensive restaurants in Arcata that serve high quality food like Japhy’s or Bencharong Thai House. Not a single person at our table expressed love or satisfaction after we were finished eating. I’ll give 2 stars for the decent crab dip and friendly waitress. If you’re visiting and want good seafood—do yourself a favor and keep driving toward Crescent City and check out Schmidt’s House of Jambalaya, Chart Room or Crescent Seafood.

I hate that I didn't take any pictures of the food, but that's just how delicious it was!
We ended up getting the halibut and Seafood roll.
The halibut was the perfect portion. It was flaky and had the right amount of seasoning. The seafood roll was fresh and filled with plenty of filling.
The drinks really stole the show. We got the Clownfish, Osaka Sour, and rum punch. All 3 had distinct flavors. You can tell the care that goes into the food and drinks here

Service and ambiance were good. Food was underwhelming and not worth the cost. Decent but not memorable.

Crab legs are incredibly underwhelming for the price. Service is fine, and staff is nice, but the food was not worth it unfortunately.

Went to Arcata on a quick vacation and after reading reviews decided to check this place out. I would describe it as upscale pub food and enjoyable. The fresh oysters, house made hot sauce, and crafted cocktails are fantastic! Order a Green Flash, it's the best cocktail we've ever had. The staff here are awesome and were truly a highlight of our trip.