Restaurant Review: Neptune's Palace- Little More Than a Room With a View

It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, the kind where you feel like you have to be outside to take advantage of the weather. So my friends from LA and I did just that by taking one of those hour-long narrated bay cruises. As an added bonus, it was a Fleet Week weekend and the Blue Angels and other flying groups were putting on a spectacular air show above. It was a feast for the eyes, but the stomachs reminded us that they were being neglected as they began to grumble. We decided to head to Neptune’s Palace, a seafood restaurant located on the upper deck of Pier 39, in hopes of appeasing our eyes and stomachs.

It’s been said that there are three things that make a business a success: Location, location, and location. Neptune’s Palace has prime real estate on Pier 39, offering an amazing bay view. We were seated in the back of the restaurant where three of the four walls of the rectangular room were windows. On a clear day, you can catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge on the left. Straight ahead, even on cloudy days, one can see Alcatraz Island. If you look to the right, you have a view of most of the Bay Bridge. The décor was elegant and the ambiance quiet yet comfortable. The wait staff was well-mannered, even though it took us a while to put in our order. It was the kind of place you would bring someone you wanted to impress.

As an appetizer, we decided on the fried calamari ($8.50), served over a bed of cabbage with a side of mayonnaise sauce and a side of cocktail sauce, which interestingly had a hint of barbeque flavor. The breading was light enough not to overpower the calamari, which had a firm yet yielding texture. I’ve been to places where the calamari is more like breaded, deep fried rubber- this was the diametric opposite. The table was silent as we voraciously devoured our appetizer, heads all directed toward the window like trees growing toward the sunlight, as we watched the jets diving in formation.

The calamari was followed attentively and quickly with our entrees. Jo had ordered the seafood bisque ($4.95) and Dave ordered the clam chowder in a breadbowl ($13.95). I decided on the 2 course lunch special- a choice of the bisque or the clam chowder with a choice of two types of fish. I chose the clam chowder and sesame-crusted ahi tuna served with wasabi butter. It also included a side of vegetables and a bowl of rice ($17.50). Considering Jo had become rather seasick on the boat, she did a fine of polishing off the bisque. I was less impressed with the clam chowder. It’s not that it was bad, but I would not be surprised if they just went a few doors down to Boudin, ordered clam chowder there, and served it as their own. That would be fine if they didn’t charge an extra 9 dollars. The sesame-crusted ahi tuna was decent. What kept it from being excellent was that the sesame seeds were a bit too overpowering for the tuna. Furthermore, the tuna was not as rare as I would have preferred. But the wasabi butter was an excellent addition to the dish, giving it the zing that was otherwise missing.

I have to wonder if maybe the other items on the menu were better choices. But for the price, I would have expected better odds. That day, my eyes were thoroughly satisfied while my stomach was satiated at best. Go for the view, take your chances with the food.

Neptune’s Palace

Pier 39 Fisherman’s Wharf

(415) 434-2260