Nick's Rockaway — Restaurant in Pacifica

The wife and I made the drive across the bay and over the hills to give this long lived spot a try for the first time at the suggestion of a friend and let me just say that it was one of the best meals and best restaurant experiences that we’ve had in a very long time. Friendly and attentive staff, beautiful view and everything we were served was truly excellent.

The fried calamari appetizer was, without hyperbole, one of the best we’ve ever had. Just perfect, served with very good sauces. A cup of chowder so good we immediately regretted not getting the larger bowl to share.

She got fettuccine shell feast with spicy marinara. Bursting with seafood and just the right amount of sauce. Light, not overbearing with a gentle heat. At the behest of her friend we also shared the half crab sandwich. First bite told us this was fresh crab and lots of it. Minimal sauce (mayo?) held it together perfectly. There’s a reason this is a popular menu item.

I ordered the peppersteak. I have to say I was so happy to see this on the menu. I’m in my 50’s and you just don’t see this on many menus these days. It took me back to when I was a kid and dad would take us someplace fancy and he would order this, brandy sauce wafting across the table. I was excited, but when they brought over the baked potato condiment caddy I went over the moon. Transported. This was a wonderful touch. The whole experience was exactly what we needed. It was also delicious by the way.

Our rather ambitious volume of food did not deter us from finishing with a dessert, chocolate tartufo. It was so good. I mean really good.

Doggy bags in tow we rolled ourselves out to our car. Driving home down the 1, lovely view, full happy bellies and talking about what we’ll order next time.

To the amazing staff at Nick’s Rockaway, thank you and we’ll see...

In a word: questionable! Why that word? First of all let me just say that the food overall was tasty and the service was good. We ordered appetizers and the clam chowder. The chowder was very good and was nice and thick with lots of clams! The crab. It was ok. They marinated it in oil and vinegar and other spices and herbs which tasted kind of funny and took away from the clean sweet taste of the crab. Also, it was very messy to eat as all of that oil and herb seasoning got all over my hands! Next was the crab cakes 🥸. There are two to an order. The first one we ate was good, no problem, but as I was eating crab number two I noticed on the bottom side what looked like whiskers from a bug 🐜. I flipped it over and I saw what looked like a bugs face and body. Yuck. So right away I stopped eating it and motioned for our waiter. I gave him the plate and asked him to tell me if what I saw on that crab cake was indeed a bug and he took it away to show the manager. Later, the manager came back to inform us that she consulted with the chef and both concluded that it was not a bug but cooked crab shells. However, I am convinced that what I saw on my crab cake was indeed a very crispy bug! At any rate, if you want to eat at this restaurant, go ahead but if you order the crab cakes, watch out for any...

We first visited Nick’s Rockaway during Sunday brunch and found the bar/lounge to be surprisingly quiet — a nice, relaxed atmosphere to start the day. We ordered a Bloody Mary and a mimosa and spent some time chatting with the friendly and knowledgeable bartenders, who gave us great insights into the dinner menu.

Later that evening, we returned for dinner. We had made reservations for an oceanfront table in the lounge, but there was a mix-up — the hostess mistakenly seated us in the main restaurant’s oceanfront area, which was a lot louder than we were hoping for. We decided to sit at the bar instead, and honestly, it worked out great.

Dinner was amazing. We started with the sautéed calamari, recommended by the bartenders, and it did not disappoint. For our main course, we shared the surf and turf — a New York strip and lobster tail — and it was the perfect amount of food for the two of us. The peppercorn sauce on the side, also a bartender’s suggestion, was a delicious touch for the steak.

Nick’s Rockaway has a lot of history and charm. It attracts a nice mix of locals and visitors, and the staff goes out of their way to make you feel welcome. Whether you’re in the mood for a quiet drink or a full dinner with an ocean view, this place is well...