Salito's Crab House & Prime Rib
Waterfront · Seafood
Verified September 2026
Photo by Sarah Stierch, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A big waterfront patio at the north end of Bridgeway, built for exactly what its name promises: crab, prime rib, and a water view with plenty of outdoor seating. The building has been through a few identities before this one, running as Zack's in the 1970s and later as Margaritaville and Paradise Bay. It's a bigger, more tourist-facing operation than the smaller spots downtown, and it plays that role well, with high table turnover, a menu long enough that indecisive groups don't argue for twenty minutes, and enough patio square footage to seat a genuine crowd. Listings show it open daily, with the kitchen running into the evening.
Atmosphere
Lively and large, with heat lamps and umbrellas covering a genuinely big outdoor patio. It's good for groups, good for kids, and good for anyone who wants a water view without a formal-dinner price tag. It reads more like a big beach-town restaurant than an intimate Bridgeway storefront, and that's the point. Expect noise, plates moving fast, and a cheerful, slightly chaotic energy on sunny weekends. When the fog rolls in the heat lamps earn their keep, and the patio is still a pleasant place to sit with a bowl of chowder and a view of the harbor.
What To Order
The whole roasted Dungeness crab and the USDA Prime prime rib are the two things the menu itself calls out as signatures. Order the prime rib in whatever cut size fits your appetite, up to the slab if you're serious about it. The sizzling iron-skillet mussels, shrimp and crab in garlic sauce is a good starter to split before the main event. If you're not in a crab mood, the long menu has plenty of other seafood and steak, so a table of mixed appetites will find something. Crab is best in season, so ask what's freshest before ordering.
Good To Know
The patio can get a wait on sunny weekends. Put your name in and walk the harbor while you wait rather than standing at the host stand. Listings show hours of roughly noon to 8 daily, with service running later, but check the restaurant's site for the current schedule since seasonal times shift. It's at the far north end of Bridgeway, past most of the shopping strip, so budget a few extra minutes of walking if you're coming from the ferry, or drive and look for a spot nearby. Reserve for larger parties. Prices sit between the casual counters and the white-tablecloth rooms, though crab and prime rib are priced to match.
Our Take
The pick for a bigger group or a family trip that needs a menu with something for everyone and a patio big enough to hold a whole table's worth of opinions. Go for the crab in season and don't overthink the rest of the order.