Alaska Salmon Bake — Restaurant in Fairbanks

Yesterday (8/13/25) was my third visit to the Alaska Salmon Bake this season. I wanted to submit a review, but also wanted to be sure that my dining experience was not of a random nature, but shows some degree of consistency in terms of the service and food quality.

After yesterday‘s dining experience at the Alaska Salmon Bake, I have discovered that the business in general was a big disappointment. I have been a Fairbanks resident for the past 50 years and this has been the worst experience at this business I’ve seen. During the first couple of visits I ordered the fried cod dinner. Each visit when I went to request my serving of cod there were scraps left in the chafing pan, which was served to me. The cod tasted like it had been sitting for awhile. The portions were very small and limited in quantity. The breading was grease laden. The cod itself was juicy and flavorful. But then again, it’s cod. It’s hard to overcook cod.

The final straw was last night when I took my Grandsons there for dinner. My 11 year-old Grandson likes salmon and was ready to receive his serving of the salmon. I was busy tending to the other younger Grandson so the 11-year-old went alone to the server who was serving the salmon. My 11-year-old came back and told me he only received one small fillet. This was half of the serving than what he was served the last time we were there this summer. I asked the employee who was attending the grill why we were being served only half of what we’d received the last visit. He brushed it off dismissing it as an oversight. It wasn’t until another employee overheard the conversation and walked over and nstructed the employee to serve another fillet. I left feeling that the employee was deceitful. I was of the impression that because my Grandson was a young child that he could get away with serving only half of what he was supposed to serve.

After finishing my salad, I went to receive a portion of a serving of the salmon. Although the salmon on the grill looked very appealing I asked the person attending the grill if it was Silver salmon that was being served. He replied, yes. For those that are not familiar, Silver salmon are less tasteful than Reds and Kings and are much more abundant. I was disappointed to find that the Alaska Salmon Bake has chosen to serve the less flavorful of the three species available presumably to net a bigger profit on a cheaper salmon. Furthermore, when I had my salmon dinner, it was so dry that I had to toss the rest of it.

In summary, I would not recommend the Alaska Salmon Bake given the exorbitant cost for their meals,

Substandard choice for meats served and

The appearance of the lack of integrity by...

The day started with a pleasant morning at Ft. Wainwright, my wife and I went on many adventures that day. The salmon bake was the last. Needless to say, everything was well until that moment I got in line. As I arrived I noticed many people, all anxious to get their hands on some “salmon bake”, or so they thought. What I quickly realized is there is no regular at the salmon bake, only weary travelers looking for a hearty meal. That is the trap. As an arctic warrior, I expect only the best from my country. But, an MRE was the experience I was given. It started with the order, $75.00 for two meals. My wife and I thought “oh, this is going to be a fantastic meal for that price”, the fly on my prime rib thought otherwise. I was pampered with the idea of an endless salad bar, only to learn, 1 biscuit. Why one biscuit for $75.00 you may ask, answers, I cannot give. I could only feel sorry for the foreigners who were given this meal as America’s finest. This alone lacks integrity as we tout ourselves as the greatest country in the world. I ordered shaken fries, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but shaken fries I got. They threw fries in a brown paper bag, doused them in parmesan and gave me a sauce cup. My gourmet fries had been ruined. Then, I went for the prime rib. I was told “go down the line and tell the gentleman how you would like it cooked!” . I got down the line, and was greeted by a scary man, looking at me menacingly, never asking how would I like it cooked. Instead, he slammed my prime rib on the table, cut it, gave me my slice, and told me “that’s a good slab of meat”. It wasn’t. As my wife and I went to sit down, I banged my shin on a table three times, feeling pain, I was ready to eat. As I took my first bite of the prime rib, I realized, this is a scam. It was cold, wet but with blood, the a ju was nasty, old. My wife’s crab leg squirted her nice jacket and tasted of nickel. We finished eating, opened our “moist” towelette. It was drier than the fries that were shaken. We panicked, realizing our unlimited tea and lemonade were the only options of cleanliness from the abomination that was the meal. As I left the salmon bake, a shiver went down my spine, as if America itself...

My mother was visiting g last week and we brought her here for dinner.

Food I am not really a halibut guy, but my wife said it was delicious. I loved the prime rib, the gentleman who sliced my cut asked of I wanted my steak dipped in Au Jous(sp?). I'm glad he asked because I prefer not to have the sauce. Their horse radish sauce was very tasty. The cod was BUSSIN. The salmon had a honey glaze that I didn't much care for, although it was cooked perfectly. Mac N cheese was Mac N cheese, hard to complain about cheesy noodles. The salad bar had a lot of choices. My kids got their free ice cream treat which came with their meals, and my oldest got a slice of cheesecake. They enjoyed, and I have to note did not get sick. note They have Tea, Lemonade, and water only. Not a deal breaker for me. A rating

Service There are no servers. Drinks are self serve and when they text you, you go get your plate. The cashiers/hosts were nice, and the folks who give you your food while walking down the grill line were polite and clean. Drinks are self serve. B rating

Appearance The outdoor seating was nice. We got lucky and the skeeter weren't bad. Not sure how great it would be if the blood suckers were out in droves. There was an indoor 'dining hall' but I did not go inside. The stations were all clean, you could tell "clean as you go" was in effect. The salad bar looked clean and well kept/restocked. I was skeptical about the dessert hut. They had slices of pie just sitting out (pre-plated). The sauce bar had a nice selection and was well kept. B+ rating

Overall, I'd eat here again. The food was good and there was nothing that would keep me from going back. It is expensive, but everything is fresh. Everything is also more...