Harbor Reef Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Santa Catalina Island

We spent three extraordinary nights recently in Two Harbors. Not a darn thing to do here and that's how I like it! Such a charming little town. Only one restaurant though so it'd better be good! We ate at Harbor Reef each night and we enjoyed it. The only other meal alternative in Two Harbors is to microwave a frozen pizza or burrito at the neighboring market LOL. The menu right now at Harbor Reef is quite limited. Maybe it's the season, maybe it's the 'rona. Most likely both! Anyway, two soups, no salads, a few heavy sounding hot appetizers and around five main dishes. Over the three nights my wife and I had tried them all. The bar opens at 4:00 pm and dinner service begins at 5:00 pm. The bar area is really nice and fills up in the evenings. The restaurant side is nicely decorated and fits the feel of a place called "Harbor Reef". The banquettes leave something to be desired though. All of the staff we encountered here were so friendly and genuine.

On the first night I played it safe and ordered a burger. Comes with the standard burger set and fries. I recommend adding the bacon. It was a nice amount and was overall very tasty, even the fries. Second night I ordered the red wine boneless short ribs. Comes with broccolini and mashed taters. I was expecting a more traditional braised style short rib that was fork tender. The version here was grilled medium rare and sliced for presentation. It was decent, but kind of tough. Needed a steak knife. The taters were really good and hot with a rustic texture. Broccolini was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Although the dish was beautifully presented, I probably wouldn't order it again.

Night 3, I went for the interesting looking pasta dish! The menu calls it "Herb Cajun Chicken Pasta Linquine Pasta". Apparently they really want you to know that this is a pasta dish! There's a lot going on with this one, including artichoke hearts, broccolini, maters, chicken, etc. I'm pretty sure they put broccolini in everything here. Unfortunately the linguine was somewhat overcooked and all broken up. Despite the pasta dish being labeled as "Cajun", there was no discernible spiciness to it, although it was richly flavored. The menu description curiously noted "garlic croutons" as part of this dish. I wasn't sure if this was some sort of toast point thing or literaly croutons like you'd get in a salad. Regardless, it was not included in my dish so...

This place has the rudest staff we have encountered at any restaurant anywhere on earth. This is basically price gouging like you are at amusement park but with far slower and rude service. This seems to be a management and policy problem with inadequate people available. The food is incredibly overpriced and usually served cold and after waiting at least 30 minutes from when you order, after you have chased down someone after nearly an hour to try to get them to take your order. If you happen to come when it is not busy it will just be underwhelming and overpriced. Unfortunately you have no choice really, other than to walk to the fast food style order counter next door which is attached, which I highly recommend if you do not have 2 hours to get over priced cold food. You may have to wait in line next door, but you should as it will be far faster and better treatment. We have eaten here many times with similar experiences but yesterday we had wait staff literally walking past us scowling at us refusing to take an order from us for more than 30 minutes even after asking a hostess and getting menus they just refused to take an order (which happened after waiting 30 minutes before that). We eventually gave up and got drinks from the bar and finished drinking them and still could get no service for food so we left the table and went and ordered food at the place next door (which is likely owned and run by the same people but it is harder to ignore someone when you are standing behind a register taking orders).

There are 2 versions of this restaurant in our experience. The one where there are not many people and everything is quiet on the island and we want to sit inside and have a quiet dinner, and the one when it is packed and the inside restaurant is closed and you are wanting service outside. The inside and quiet restaurant is quite nice and we have had nice service and food. This review is about the restaurant outside by the bar (same restaurant same kitchen - different...

I can't help but wonder if we dined at the same place as some of the previous reviewers, as our experience at Harbor Reef was nothing short of superb!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

First and foremost, let me address the service. The staff at Harbor Reef were some of the friendliest and most attentive individuals I've encountered in any restaurant, anywhere on earth. From the moment we were seated, they made us feel like valued guests. They were prompt, courteous, and genuinely seemed to enjoy what they do. It's clear that this restaurant prioritizes customer satisfaction.

As for pricing, I found it to be reasonable given the quality of the dining experience. The food was served piping hot, and the flavors were impeccable. The menu offers a delightful array of options, and each dish was a testament to the chef's culinary artistry. Waiting time was minimal, and our orders were promptly taken and served.

Even during busy hours, when the inside restaurant was closed, the outdoor experience was still exceptional. The ambiance by the bar was lively, and we enjoyed every moment of it. Contrary to some if the previous reviews, we were promptly attended to, and there was no hint of rudeness.

I must say that I was delighted with my visit to Harbor Reef. It's clear that this establishment takes pride in its customer service and culinary offerings. I highly recommend giving it a try and forming your own opinion, as our experience was truly five-star in every way. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

PS ask for Tristan, he...