13 Best Restaurants in Ketchikan, Alaska

Steamers Lounge at the Landing Hotel

Name and Location: Steamers Lounge at the Landing Hotel is located at 3434 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Ever since the Landing Hotel first opened, Steamers Lounge has been a well-liked hangout for both residents and tourists to enjoy a meal or a drink. With breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and the Tongass Narrows, the lounge has a classy yet cozy ambiance.

What to Expect: A complete bar with specialty cocktails, regional beers, and a variety of wines is available to patrons at Steamers Lounge, along with a menu that offers a choice of salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and entrees. The lounge is a fantastic place for a night out in Ketchikan because it occasionally hosts live entertainment and music.

Information for Visitors: Steamers Lounge is open every day for lunch and supper, and on weekdays, happy hour specials are offered. There is plenty of parking in the hotel lot, and the lounge is housed inside the Landing Hotel. Although they’re not usually necessary, reservations are recommended especially at busy times or on evenings when there’s live entertainment.

With floor to ceiling windows framing the Tongass Narrows harbor, Steamers Lounge is housed inside the Landing Hotel and offers stunning views of the sea and mountains while serving up seafood starters and locally brewed microbrews.

With the picturesque floats and fishing boats cruising through Alaska’s Inside Passage and the forested Revillagigedo Island in the background, the lounge’s outside balcony offers prime viewing. Enjoy half-priced appetizers including creamy seafood chowder, half-shelled Northwest oysters, and crispy calamari during the daily happy hour. If you want a full seafood feast, there’s also a long menu featuring local rockfish, salmon, and halibut.

When bands perform rock and blues standards in the nights, it creates a dynamic atmosphere. Signature drinks like the Fog Cutter, which combines gin, cognac, rum, and citrus, are shaken up at the bar. Steamers Lounge is a great place to stop for an afternoon or evening snack while taking in the lovely views and affordable fare while visiting Ketchikan’s waterfront activities and creekside sights.

Sweet Mermaids

Name and Location: Sweet Mermaids is located at 1014 Water Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Since its opening, Sweet Mermaids has been a beloved destination for both locals and tourists with a sweet tooth. It provides a delightful assortment of baked goods, chocolates, and ice cream in addition to a quirky and lovely setting. The store is well-known for its imaginative and exquisitely produced sweets that are created with premium ingredients and a lot of love.

What to Expect: A range of freshly baked pastries, cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats, along with handcrafted chocolates and an assortment of ice cream varieties, are all on the menu for guests of Sweet Mermaids. To go with your candies, the store also sells tea, coffee, and other drinks.

Information for Visitors: Sweet Mermaids is open every day, with longer hours in the summer. The store is situated in the center of Ketchikan’s downtown, close to the waterfront and other popular local destinations. There is seating both within the store and, weather permitting, outside on the patio.

Under the direction of co-owners Christy and Shai Crystal, who describe themselves as “sweet mermaids” and are life partners, this colorful restaurant on Creek Street in downtown is known for its elevated comfort food, which combines elements from the owners’ extensive travels throughout Asia, Mexico, Morocco, and beyond.

The innovative cocktails and small shareable meals on the globally inspired menu are ideal for combining. Starters like pulled pork quesadillas, Dungeness crab cakes in chipotle aioli, and duck wings in Thai chili sauce can be nibbled on while enjoying a Mermaid Mojito or a Sage Against the Machine, made with blackberry sage shrub syrup and absinthe.

Larger appetites are satisfied with heartier mains including the Moroccan Beef Short Rib Stew, Poblano Mac & Cheese, and Mushroom & Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast. With its bohemian-chic decor that includes vivid magenta walls, globe string lights, and a lounge-like arrangement, Sweet Mermaids beckons guests to stay around. It’s a great place to spend a fun night out in Ketchikan with friends because it’s active.

The Twisted Fish Company

Name and Location: The Twisted Fish Company is located at 3213 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: For many years, The Twisted Fish Company has been a well-liked seafood restaurant in Ketchikan, renowned for its welcoming ambiance and fresh, locally caught fish. The restaurant has grown to be a favorite among both locals and tourists because of its inventive cooking and dedication to sustainable seafood.

What to Expect: The Twisted Fish Company has steak, chicken, and vegetarian selections in addition to a wide range of seafood meals such fresh Alaskan salmon, halibut, and crab. In addition, the restaurant has a complete bar with house wines, beers, and creative cocktails.

Information for Visitors: The Twisted Fish Company is open every day for lunch and supper, and on weekdays, happy hour specials are offered. Tongass Avenue runs alongside the restaurant, and there is plenty of parking in the lot next door. It’s best to make reservations to guarantee a table, especially during the busiest travel times.

The Twisted Fish Company offers some of the freshest and most sustainably farmed fish in Ketchikan. Situated next to the airport ferry terminal, the restaurant boasts big windows that provide a picturesque view of Tongass Narrows and the harbor.

Place a counter order. Market-style, then settle in to the relaxed yet elegant dining area with wood accents. The variety of fish offered varies according on what owner Jason Clark and his fishing vessel catch each day, but frequently includes Dungeness crab, black bass, lingcod, wild salmon, and black cod. Get it pineapple teriyaki glaze-dipped and fire-grilled Cajun style, or try the crowd-pleasing beer-battered fish and chips.

The menu is rounded out with Alaskan microbrews, seasonal soups, and burgers, but the seafood is the star here. It’s the ideal location in Ketchikan to sample delicious seafood that you won’t find anywhere else and to contribute to sustainable fishing operations that safeguard Alaska’s streams and oceans.

Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House

Name and Location: 326 Front Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901 is the address for Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House.

History and Significance: For many years, Annebelle’s Keg & Chowder House has been a well-liked eating spot in Ketchikan, renowned for its delectable seafood chowder and welcoming atmosphere. The eatery has grown to be a beloved local hangout and a must-go-to destination for those wishing to experience Alaskan food.

What to Expect: The menu of Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House features a range of seafood delicacies, including the well-known clam chowder. Expect a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant is a perfect place for a relaxed dinner or a leisurely drink because it also has a variety of beers on tap.

Information for Visitors: Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House is open for lunch and dinner every day. The eatery is situated in the center of Ketchikan’s downtown, close to a lot of the area’s stores and attractions. Although they are not usually necessary, reservations are recommended, especially during busy times.

Serving fresh, sustainable fish for more than 30 years, Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House is situated on the waterfront in downtown Ketchikan. The restaurant, which is housed in a 1907 historic building, features a rustic, homey decor with wood beams, nautical décor, and a pot belly burner. Renowned for its freshly produced chowders, Annabelle’s serves traditional varieties including Clam Chowder and Seafood Chowder, which is loaded with seafood like salmon, cod, shrimp, and clams.

Other specialties include fresh seafood from the area, such as perfectly cooked Alaskan weathervane scallops, king crab legs, and halibut cheeks spiced with Annabelle’s own blend of spices. Meals are simply prepared to bring out the flavors of the fresh fish. Make room for Annabelle’s Sweet Bread Pudding, her specialty dessert. Through the picture windows of the restaurant, take in breathtaking views of the Tongass Narrows.

Bar Harbor Restaurant

Name and Location: Bar Harbor Restaurant is located at 2813 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

Burger Queen

Name and Location: Burger Queen is located at 4106 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: For many years, Burger Queen has been a mainstay of Ketchikan’s fast-food scene, providing residents and visitors with an easy-to-eat meal alternative that is also good. The eatery is well-known for its traditional milkshakes, fries, and burgers, which bring back memories of the typical American diner experience.

What to Expect: Burger Queen offers a menu of traditional burger options, crispy fries, and creamy milkshakes, making it a nostalgic fast-food experience. The restaurant is a perfect alternative for a quick dinner or a laid-back lunch because it offers both dine-in and take-out options.

Information for Visitors: Burger Queen is available for lunch and dinner every day. The restaurant is conveniently accessible by vehicle or foot off Tongass Avenue, one of Ketchikan’s main thoroughfares. There is plenty of parking on the restaurant’s lot as well as on surrounding streets.

Burger Queen is a beloved vintage burger restaurant in downtown Ketchikan that has been delighting locals and tourists alike with juicy gourmet burgers and thick milkshakes since 1957. The pink and black checkered floors, vinyl booths, and walls covered in vintage license plates and souvenirs instantly transport you back to the 1950s.

Explore the menu full of inventive specialty burgers named after rock stars and bands like The Beach Boys, Queen Latifah, and The King, all while oldies rock ‘n roll plays in the background. Made with premium ground chuck steak and served on freshly baked brioche buns with gourmet toppings, burgers are prepared to order.

Unable to decide? Sample the Burger Queen Special including melted cheese, guacamole, bacon, mushrooms, and grilled onions. Serve your burger with thick onion rings or crispy fries, and then drown it all in a rich, hand-spun milkshake with flavors like the groundbreaking Sock Hop Malt. Make room for Burger Queen’s renowned Crazy Donut Shake, which combines chocolate syrup, vanilla soft serve, and glazed donuts.

The Clove

Name and Location: The Clove is located at 5694 Borch Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: The Clove is a relatively new restaurant in Ketchikan, but its savory and distinctive Indian food has won over many devoted patrons very fast. With its unusual and reassuring cuisine, the restaurant has brought a flavor of South Asia to the center of Alaska.

What to Expect: The Clove offers a menu that includes a variety of traditional Indian foods, such as curries, tandoori specialties, and freshly baked naan bread, all served in a warm and welcoming ambiance. The restaurant creates a genuinely unforgettable dining experience by using premium products and real spices.

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Information for Visitors: On weekends, The Clove is open for a reduced number of hours for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is only a short drive from Ketchikan’s downtown, situated in a quiet neighborhood. In order to guarantee timely seating, reservations are advised, particularly for bigger parties.

The Clove, located in two compact yet cozy dining rooms in downtown Ketchikan’s historic Stedman Hotel, serves inventive artisan drinks and locally produced modern American cuisine. Under the direction of head chef Abigail Martin, the menu changes periodically and features modern takes on classic dishes including rockfish, halibut, wild Alaska salmon, Dungeness crab, and spot prawns from local farmers and fishermen.

Begin with a refreshing beverage from the creative cocktail menu, such as the Douglas Fir, which combines gin, fir syrup, and lemon. Appetizers, such as Seared Alaska Scallops or Dungeness Crab Dip, highlight local ingredients. Go on to robust main courses like the Quad Burger, which combines local beef, pig, lamb, and bacon, or the Alaska Halibut over a ragout of leek and clam. The Pan-Roasted Alaska Peach with Honey Mascarpone is the ideal dessert. Make arrangements in advance for the quiet dining rooms with sitting by the fire.

Diaz Café

Name and Location: Diaz Café is located at 325 Dock Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Known for its generous portions and welcoming service, Diaz Café has long been a popular breakfast and lunch destination in Ketchikan. Locals like gathering at the café because of its regularly excellent food and friendly atmosphere.

What to Expect: Diaz Café offers a traditional American diner experience, with a menu that includes lunchtime favorites like burgers, sandwiches, and salads in addition to breakfast favorites like pancakes, omelets, and breakfast burritos. The café is well-known for its substantial servings and affordable costs, which make it an excellent choice for hungry customers.

Information for Visitors: Diaz Café is available every day for lunch and breakfast. The café is situated in the center of Ketchikan’s downtown, close to the waterfront and a variety of other local businesses and attractions. Seating is first-come, first-served, and during peak hours, the café can get crowded.

Owner and chef Dexter Diaz’s Diaz Café is a bright, bold Filipino restaurant located in a quaint area near the waterfront in downtown Ketchikan. Chef Diaz creates traditional dishes such as crunchy lumpia egg rolls, slow-cooked stews, curries, and flavorful noodle stir fries using family recipes.

Recipes make use of coconut milk, ginger, and lemongrass, among other Southeast Asian seasonings and ingredients. Start with the Kare Kare oxtail peanut stew and ukoy, which are shredded veggies and prawns fried into fritters. Go on to dishes like fried eggs and garlic fried rice, or beef tapa, which are thin slices of cured beef.

Pancit noodles, embutido meatloaf, and Chef Diaz’s famous sisig—a combination of pork belly, onions, and eggs—are among the other delicacies. A fried egg is served on top. For dessert, make sure to try the turon banana spring rolls. Diaz Café has won accolades for serving real tropical cuisine in a casual, friendly atmosphere. Reservations are advised.

Dockside Galley

Name and Location: Dockside Galley is located at 2843 S Tongass Highway, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Dockside Galley is a longstanding feature on the Ketchikan waterfront, providing informal meals alongside breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and the harbor. Due to its relaxed ambiance and fresh seafood, the restaurant has grown to be a favorite among both locals and visitors.

What to Expect: The menu at Dockside Galley consists of burgers, sandwiches, and salads in addition to an assortment of seafood specialties like fish and chips, crab cakes, and seafood chowder. The restaurant has seats for guests both inside and outside, and every table has a broad view of the water.

Information for Visitors: Dockside Galley is open every day for lunch and dinner, and in the summer, its hours are extended. There is plenty of parking at the lot next to the restaurant, which is situated along the South Tongass Highway. Although they are not usually necessary, reservations are recommended, especially during busy times.

Dockside Galley, which is situated directly on the Ketchikan waterfront, offers a waterfront dining experience complete with huge windows that overlook the harbor and freshly caught seafood from Alaskan waters. Dockside Galley is a combination casual restaurant and seafood market. It features an order counter where you may buy fish and have it prepared while you sit down in the eating area, which is furnished with old pictures and fishing gear to give the impression of a cannery.

Depending on what’s caught that day, the fish may include halibut, salmon, rockfish, crab, and spot prawns. Choose between baking, grilling, pan-frying, or beer-battering. The seafood combo platter for tasting and the crab cake pita sandwich with aioli layers are two of the best-selling items. In order to let guests experience Alaska’s fishing legacy, Dockside Galley takes care in acquiring sustainable seafood at a price that is still reasonable. Savor grilled salmon over alder wood or a cup of classic fish chowder while taking in the waterfront views.

Innisfree Irish Pub

Name and Location: Innisfree Irish Pub is located at 6095 Roosevelt Drive, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Located in the center of Alaska, Innisfree Irish Pub offers a warm and genuine Irish pub experience, bringing a bit of the Emerald Isle to Ketchikan. Thanks to its welcoming ambiance, live music, and wide assortment of Irish beers and whiskeys, the bar has grown to be a well-liked meeting place for both residents and tourists.

What to Expect: The menu at Innisfree Irish Pub contains traditional Irish pub fare including fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and corned beef and cabbage. Guests can also anticipate a cozy and friendly atmosphere. Along with a variety of Irish whiskeys and cocktails, the bar also has a tap list that includes both local and Irish beers.

Information for Visitors: The Innisfree Irish Pub is open every day for lunch and dinner. On certain evenings, there is live music and entertainment. The tavern is situated in a Ketchikan business district, and there is plenty of parking in the lots nearby. First-come, first-served policy applies to seating, and the bar can get crowded at prime times and on evenings when live music is performed.

Feel like artisan whiskeys or traditional pub fare instead of seafood? Visit the Innisfree Irish Pub, which features Irish artifacts, Guinness signage, and dark wood furniture. Since its 1999 opening, Innisfree has featured everything that makes an authentic Irish pub, including a mahogany bar and fireplace as well as a selection of beers and whiskeys directly from the Emerald Isle. S

Sip expertly poured Guinness or locally brewed craft beers from Alaska while enjoying whiskey tastings that allow you to contrast single malts such as Tullamore Dew, Jameson, and Bushmills. The menu features filling pub staples like shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, Irish stew, and towering corned beef sandwiches. Steak and ale pie or Bangers & Mash are possible daily offerings. Get the whiskey-sauced bread pudding or sticky toffee pudding for a sweet finish. With its welcoming atmosphere and delicious food, Innisfree Irish Pub offers a taste of Ireland, warmth, and good cheer to Ketchikan’s downtown area.

Ketchikan Grill

Name and Location: Ketchikan Grill is located at 5698 Borch Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Ketchikan Grill has been providing classic American cuisine with an Alaskan twist for a number of years, providing both residents and tourists with a relaxed and welcoming dining experience. The eatery has established a reputation for providing excellent food, welcoming service, and a commitment to helping out the local fishermen and farmers.

What to Expect: With a focus on using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, Ketchikan Grill’s menu offers a selection of appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and entrees. In addition, the restaurant serves a variety of non-alcoholic drinks, unique cocktails, and beers and wines from Alaska.

Information for Visitors: Ketchikan Grill is open every day for lunch and supper, and on weekdays, happy hour deals are offered. The restaurant is only a short drive from Ketchikan’s downtown, situated in a quiet neighborhood. In order to guarantee timely seating, reservations are advised, particularly for bigger parties.

Ketchikan Grill, which is housed inside the Gilmore Hotel and has a view of the picturesque Tongass Narrows, offers upbeat, casual waterfront dining in a relaxing atmosphere. Floor to ceiling windows provide lush views of the port below, as vessels sail through Alaska’s Inside Passage, and the rugged Revillagigedo Island across the river.

The seasonal evening menu, which was created by Executive Chef Anthony Martinez, features a variety of premium meat options in addition to an abundance of seafood from Alaskan waters. Hazelnut-crusted Alaskan weathervane scallops, butter-poached halibut, and chili-spiked prawns baked in a wood-fired oven are among the suggested items. There are options like Alaskan reindeer sausage or charbroiled ribeye for land lovers.

There are also sharing small meals and lighter salads to choose from. Kids take pleasure in their own cuisine. The cuisine is complemented by a large wine list and expertly made cocktails. When traveling to southern Alaska, Ketchikan Grill offers a unique evening out with its scenic surroundings and freshly prepared native cuisine.

New York Cafe

Name and Location: New York Café is located at 207 Stedman Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901.

History and Significance: Known for its traditional American diner cooking and warm service, Ketchikan has long adored New York Café as a breakfast and lunch destination. Locals like gathering at the café because of its regularly excellent food and friendly atmosphere.

What to Expect: The menu at New York Café includes lunchtime favorites like burgers, sandwiches, and salads in addition to breakfast favorites like pancakes, waffles, and omelets. The café is well-known for its substantial servings and affordable costs, which make it an excellent choice for hungry customers.

Information for Visitors: New York Café is open daily for lunch and breakfast, with shortened hours on the weekends. The café is situated in the center of Ketchikan’s downtown, close to a number of neighborhood stores and points of interest. Seating is first-come, first-served, and during peak hours, the café can get crowded.

Visit New York Cafe, a kosher-style Jewish deli serving breakfast all day, for heaping pastrami sandwiches, overstuffed omelets, and matzo ball soup that tastes much like it does in New York City. Using tried-and-true recipes, the Ketchikan mini-chain was established in 1987 with the goal of bringing genuine Big Apple Jewish deli fare to Southeast Alaska.

Extensive menus feature deli sandwiches like the king-sized #19 Pastrami Tower, which consists of a full pound of hot pastrami stacked with mustard on double-baked rye bread, inside the laid-back dining area decorated with checkered floors and memorabilia. Other favorites include house-roasted turkey platters, bloated corned beef or onion-poppy deli buns, and belly-busting Reuben sandwiches bursting with sauerkraut.

Big omelets, eggs Benedict, latkes, blintzes, and “world famous” lox, eggs, and onions are all typical breakfast fare. Daily lunch and dinner specials include stuffed cabbage, knishes, sweet potato kugel, and matzo ball soup that will fill you up. Make room for chocolate babka cake or cheesecake in the New York style.

Conclusion

Ketchikan, naturally, has one of Alaska’s best food scenes, with its stunning scenery of forested islands and fjords, as well as access to pristine Pacific waters brimming with fish. There are alternatives for every taste and budget, from elegant restaurants like Bar Harbor Restaurant that offer breathtaking views of the Tongass Narrows to laid-back dockside cafes like Dockside Galley that serve the freshest catch.

Seafood enthusiasts should not miss Ketchikan Grill’s locally produced cuisine, The Twisted Fish Company’s seasonal sustainable catches, Diaz Cafe’s island delicacies, or Annabelle’s award-winning chowders. For a memorable evening out, Bar Harbor, The Clove, and Sweet Mermaids provide sophisticated fare and handcrafted beverages. Talented chefs and restaurateurs at Ketchikan impress with their selection of varied cuisines in addition to their exceptional fish.

Savor authentic Irish fare at Innisfree Pub, Filipino comfort food at Diaz Cafe, piled high Jewish deli at New York Cafe and retro burger joint vibes at Burger Queen. With such an abundance of dining choices in this compact seaside town, visitors are sure to eat very well when traveling to Ketchikan, Alaska.