Bridgewater Bistro — Restaurant in Astoria

This is normally our “go-to” restaurant when we are in Astoria, which is quite often.

I’m not quite sure where to start with our last visit. Full-on mixed emotions. We had reservations and were specifically going for the crab cheesecake, which has been one of my favorite items on the menu since they featured it as a special sometime before summer I believe.

The crab cheesecake is $20 a slice, which is quite hefty for an appetizer, however it’s well worth it when it’s made to perfection.

This visit, it was not.

On top of that, the hostess at the door was very rushed and seemed overwhelmed the entire time and then when we told her that our party went from 4 people to 7 people, it was met with resistance and what appeared to be annoyance. We explained that the (4) top can take the reservation and the other (3) can wait until something opens up. We were in a bit of a rush and needed to head back to Scappoose as soon as possible, and we were with another couple.

She said the table was being cleaned and we would be sat shortly. We asked if we could order some drinks at the bar while we waited and she said that she would prefer if we waited until we sat at our table because the bartender was extremely busy.

So we waited.

And waited. Aaaaand waited.

After about 25-30 minutes, my husband got impatient and went to the bar so that we could at least enjoy a cocktail with our friends before they had to leave.

We were finally seated at a table, almost 50 minutes after our reservation. Our guests at that time had to leave…without eating, and we were rushed to order appetizers that would get to our table quickly so that we could eat in a hurry and then leave. Not my favorite thing to do when trying to enjoy delicious food.

Anyway, ordered the crab cheesecake, the brussel sprouts, some oysters, and the bruschetta.

They brought some complimentary bread to the table for the long wait, which was actually DELICIOUS. But then when the $20 crab cheesecake arrived…my mouth dropped. Completely not the same cheesecake I’ve had in the past and was QUITE disappointed. The size, the texture, the consistency, the sauce…wow. Could not believe my eyes.

The server actually saved the day and was really wonderful and had a great personality, so he changed my attitude slightly. However the entire experience was really frustrating.

I’ve included a shot of the crab cheesecake that I ordered that very first time I got hooked, and it’s next to the cheesecake that arrived at our table this week.

Based on that, it would be very hard for me to even consider ordering that again for what is actually delivered to the table.

I get that they were busy. But we were met with crankiness from the very beginning from the hostess as soon as we walked in the door, and then it all went downhill from there.

I’m a top Google photographer and shoot food as a side gig, and the first cheesecake photo already has over 2500 views in just the last 48 hours, however, that’s not what you get when you place your order. Not sure if I should remove it or not, but it’s super disappointing. The first shot looks like an actual piece of gourmet cheesecake, the second shot looks like a piece of disheveled “broken” pie. For $20, not too happy.

Our extremely nice server said that we wouldn’t get a check, which seemed AMAZING and very kind, however we did indeed get a check, but they did take care of our friend’s drinks and...

I tried out this restaurant driving a vacation trip, and it was quite a mixed bag. I’ll list both the goods and bads of my experience here.

Building: Parking was easy, plenty of spaces available. Entry was clearly marked, the door and windows were clean. Entering the building was pleasant, it was clear where to go to check in, and there was comfortable seating for people to wait. Bathrooms were very clean, private, and had a good smell. The selection of seating was diverse (booths, tables, bar). There was a clear view of the water through the windows (which were clean). The floor and tables were very clean.

Atmosphere: It was quiet, accompanied by relaxing piano music. Server was very kind, and checked up often. Decorations were very rustic-beach themed, it felt right.

Food and Drink: [Fish & Chips] - I had an order of 3 fish, fries, and slaw. The slaw was very good, as were the fries, but the fish was not great. The flavor of the fish was good- clearly fresh, but the breading was insanely slim. The breading was honestly melting away from the moisture of the fish by the time I finished the first piece. The second piece I tried essentially fell apart in my hands, and when I ate it the texture was slimy. The third followed suit to the second, which makes me believe that it wasn’t a one-off situation- possibly that when it begins to cool that reaction results. [Huckleberry Lemonade] - I had 1 glass of Huckleberry Lemonade that I didn’t finish. Its visual presentation was nice, but the taste was very bitter, as if it had an overwhelming amount of salt in it. Someone else at my table had a similar issue with their drink, where it was extremely salty. [Bread Basket] - The bread basket came with 4 pieces of bread in it, but had an overwhelming amount of rosemary in every piece. It doesn’t mention what kind of bread it is on the menu, so focaccia was a big surprise. [Root Beer Float and Oatmeal Lace Cookie] - The root beer float was served as a glass with 3 scoops of what appeared to be vanilla bean ice cream with a can of root beer on the side. The brand was unknown to me, and will not be sought out again as it was very watered down. I took a swig from the can and attempted to hold it in my mouth to determine the taste, but the entire swig foamed up almost instantly leaving absolutely no liquid. The ice cream, while it has a very nice smooth texture, didn’t have much flavor either, tasting more of ice than vanilla. The oatmeal lace cookie that came with it was not actually brought to the table until we reminded the waitress about it. The taste and texture of the cookie was actually delicious, though the suggestion from the waitress to dip the cookie in the float simply resulted in a soggy cookie with no discernible change in flavor. The straw used for the float was cute decoration.

While I loved the actual restaurant, the food was suboptimal. The menu and dishes are likely targeted towards the older folks who come off the nearby cruises, so the flavoring is probably for more...

First time dining in Astoria, searched up good places to eat in Astoria and this restaurant was the top recommended. Note that when we got there, there was only one table ahead of us. Host was pretty unfriendly.

When we got seated, our server seemed nice and professional, but seemed nervous and wasn't fond of the menu, made us a little uncomfortable. For appetizers, we ordered the clam chowder and mushroom soup. Horrible time management, took 20 minutes just for our two cups of soup to come. When our soup came, we looked over at the table who i held the door for were already boxing up their food and getting their check. We were furious. Our soups tasted terrible. Clam chowder wasn't clam or chowder, just watery potato and onions. No creaminess at all, just water with mushy potatoes. Didnt even have clams. The mushroom soup was decent. The soup came so late that they comped it for us.

After we finished our soup, which we were very displeased with, took another 15 ish minutes just for our entrees to come. We ordered the mac n cheese and fish and chips. At first glance, I could already tell the mac and cheese wouldn't be suitable for my neighbors dog. Truly one of the worst Mac n cheese dishes i have ever tasted. Was super dry, bland and no flavor, way overcooked, no creaminess whatsoever. Felt like you were eating the pan in came in, not the actual macaroni. The wine serving size was tiny, and my coke was watered down. The only thing that saved this review from 0 stars was the delicious fish and chips, would definitely recommend, although we were very disappointed with the coleslaw on the side. Adding on, right after I ate my first few bites of macaroni my stomach didn't feel well.

Lastly, i was uncomfortable with how dirty the bathrooms were. Cobwebs everywhere and a displeasing smell. Felt like it hadn't been cleaned in a long time.

Won't be returning this restaurant and don't recommend.

I'm editing this the next day. We both woke up with horrible stomach aches, both felt like we just got stabbed in the stomach. Don't know if this is from the food, but we both feel the same way after eating...