About the best food you will find in Sitka. Wonderful ambience and quaint location, a small refined yet unassuming little hideaway near the docks. Ludvig's brings a touch of class and Mediterranean cuisine to the sleepy Alaskan town. Upon arriving the restaurant was only about half full, a counter style bar and traditional table seating downstairs and a nice enclosed upstairs area as well. My server greeted me and quickly brought me a coffee. She offered me drip or french press, I actually ended up trying both, with a noticeable increase in quality and flavor with the latter! The menu looks great, I was leaning toward the wonderful madame cristo but ended up going with a croissant Benedict after my servers suggestion, which may have been a mistake! The Benedict was reasonably tasty, the hollandaise was well prepared and tasty, but the eggs were definitely over cooked sadly, more soft boiled than poached. The potatoes on the side were very crispy, to the point I feel it was a mistake from sitting out, and lastly I found the croissant, which is traditionally a dainty thing to be massive and kind of too much to be honest. Overall I did like the dish, the thin sliced ham was delicious, but next time I'll definitely be having one cristo or another I should think. In conclusion I do recommend the place! There are precious few good restaurants in Sitka, and more to the point I was pleasantly surprised at the value as well. Come in and try!
Thomas M.
If you want to get the best meal in Sitka, you need to go to Ludvigs!! I've been trying to get a table here for a while, but because of my schedule when I am in Sitka, it hasn't worked out, BUT today! Today was the day!! I was able to get a seat and enjoy some amazing food along with top-notch customer service. And I can say from the moment I walked in the front door I knew I was going to enjoy everything about this. Thank you to my server, Casey!! She was so wonderful and knowledgeable in helping me select a wine to go with my Spot Prawn Carbonara. Thank you to the chefs who made this delightful dish, too. I was even able to talk with the owner of the restaurant, Edith. Which was just the cherry on top. Recommended fully and will be back.
Alan D
This is the hot spot in town. Get your reservations early. Don’t forget your wallet! $$ $ Ludwig’s Bistro is great. They combine Spanish notes and rich flavors to bring their colorful dishes alive. Chorizo plays a big role in the chowder and beef I the paella. The steak was the all star. The paella came in next. The chowder did not live up to the hype for me, but I was happy that I tried it and finished a full bowl. I’ll go to the cart next time. Overall the flavors were there and they were unique. The interior of the restaurant was creatively designed with a Spanish Mediterranean eye for detail. Crafty and cute. It was very cozy and the window seat allowed a perfect view of the sunset. The service was five stars. They were friendly and we won shirts! Visit this place. Order anything. Enjoy. Cheers.
Recommended dishes: Bowl Chowder, Bistro Steak
Alan Golden
This place is a gem. Great food, interesting menu and everything was prepared well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bowl Chowder
Michael S.
Excellent King Salmon and Chocolate Torte.Excellent ServiceAmbiance Good but unfortunately so mixed up allI can say is that it is a restrauant in search of an identity. The name, wall art/decor, menus, Mexican music (are you kidding me) all send different messages as to the image that they are trying to convey.It is very pricey but was worth the cost of an excellent meal.The $140.00 (that's right folks) reservation fee was a bit steep don't you think?We would return hoping to find a little more cohesive ambiance.
sdpryde
Shocked at the quality. We like good. We love very good. This place is expensive (as is most of Sitka); but I called this 'Vegas expensive'. It was worth every penny. The staff is fun & knowledgeable. Everything was timed marvelously; and the quality amazing (portions = huge+) We had calamari, Linguini, and Ravioli. All portions were large and flavorful. I struggled with the 5 star (only because of the pricing, and there was no 4.5 star); but I'd go back and pay the price again. I'd just go back with a bigger appetite.
Jim K.
Very disappointing. Notwithstanding its reputation, which it continues to take seriously as evidenced by its $35.00 reservation fee, it fails drastically to meet expectations. The restaurant reportedly serves excellent paella, a quintessential Spanish dish. Before ordering, we asked our server if the restaurant considered itself Spanish. She said that the previous owner considered it Spanish, but that the current owner bought the restaurant a year ago and was making changes. An understatement. Not as glimmer of a star. We have enjoyed paella in several places in Spain and the US and have made it frequently at home, so we knew what to expect. Instead, we were served a soggy wet, rice-based seafood paste in a bowl. Not a whiff of saffron or any wonderful crusty rice from the bottom of the steel pan. Reminiscent of college food service goo from a steam table. The service was attentive and personable (*****) in a pleasant setting upstairs (****).
John Swez
Overall, probably our favorite meal in Sitka. Excellent service, great chowder. Fun place. But you do have to make reservations for sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nick Bonahoom
Food was pretty good, we had seafood Paella. I've had better in Key West for alot less money but it was good. The ceaser salad was very good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wild Alaskan Paella Mixta
work2travelgirl
We made reservations(a must) for a special evening dinner while on our 3 day visit to Sitka. The waitress was superb, Anna i believe. We appreciated that she let us know the portion size was quite large---we had appetizers and shared the fish dinner special that night. One of the best meals of our trip. Easy walk from the Sitka Hotel, and nice to walk back after a filling delicious meal. We will be eating here again when we return to Sitka.
We were really looking forward to a fabulous dinner and were very disappointed. The service was excellent from our waitress which was the best part. We started with a wild mushroom appetizer and it was wonderful. The sauce was rich and earthy which went well with the various mushrooms and the surprise of feta cheese went very well, best thing we ate all night. Next we ordered the chowder and it was ok. I liked the spice of the chorizo with lots of clams and potatoes. It could have been just a bit thinner, very thick. We spit an order of paella and it came in a bowl not a skillet as it should. The rice was thick and gooey like a bad risotto. We tried a few bites and sent it back. It was not paella by any definition. The prawn special was ok. They took the paella back and brought the prawn special. The prawns were good, well cooked a bit of char and spice with well cooked. The rice again was awful. It was the same mushy over cooked rice and no flavor. Very disappointed. They did remove both entrees from our bill. I believe there are new owners and the group we were with have been going for 20 years and were also disappointed with the food and said it was not the same. If you go I would order the pasta it was very flavorful, good sauce and chorizo.
Claudine Moore
This restaurant was highly recommended to us, and unfortunately, we were very disappointed. The chowder was lukewarm, but tasty. The paella was over cooked with rubbery scallops and the ravioli dish was cold. The Caesar salad and chocolate torte was good. I would not go back there again except for a salad and dessert. I heard there is a new owner and maybe they lost their chef. Or maybe it was the chef’s night off. Either way I would not recommend this restaurant.Vegetarian options: Nice presentation, but I didn’t eat much of it because it was undercooked which is rare and cold.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Dark Chocolate Torte
Southwest_Gaucho
This review is for Ludvig's Chowder Cart at the Science Center. My local buddy took me and my other buddy from the Southwest here for lunch after morning fishing. We ordered two bowls of the chowder, two of the prosciutto - provolone sandwiches, and three cookies with drinks and there was more than enough food for all of us and we had leftovers. Clam chowder was great and had a good spicy kick to it (green Chile would have been nice as well). The sandwiches were great and the chocolate chip cookie with blueberry sea salt was very tasty as well. Chowder comes with with bread for dipping too. Worth a stop for some great food and outdoor seating.
Tami G.
Loads of yummy celiac safe options here! Our server, Brooks, was amazing and very knowledgeable about the menu ingredients! We ended up sharing the Mushrooms for an app and then shared the calamari, beef skewers and clam chowder. All gluten free!! We even shared the crème brûlée for dessert. Had a lovely glass of montepulciano vino which was perfect with the meal. You have to make a res and pay a deposit of like $70 and they refund you when you show up. Would recommend the food was super tasty and cooked perfectly!
Abigail R.
Had a great night sharing drinks and desserts with friends in the upstairs bistro! I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent there and greatly appreciated our server Caroline's service!
About the best food you will find in Sitka. Wonderful ambience and quaint location, a small refined yet unassuming little hideaway near the docks. Ludvig's brings a touch of class and Mediterranean cuisine to the sleepy Alaskan town. Upon arriving the restaurant was only about half full, a counter style bar and traditional table seating downstairs and a nice enclosed upstairs area as well. My server greeted me and quickly brought me a coffee. She offered me drip or french press, I actually ended up trying both, with a noticeable increase in quality and flavor with the latter! The menu looks great, I was leaning toward the wonderful madame cristo but ended up going with a croissant Benedict after my servers suggestion, which may have been a mistake! The Benedict was reasonably tasty, the hollandaise was well prepared and tasty, but the eggs were definitely over cooked sadly, more soft boiled than poached. The potatoes on the side were very crispy, to the point I feel it was a mistake from sitting out, and lastly I found the croissant, which is traditionally a dainty thing to be massive and kind of too much to be honest. Overall I did like the dish, the thin sliced ham was delicious, but next time I'll definitely be having one cristo or another I should think. In conclusion I do recommend the place! There are precious few good restaurants in Sitka, and more to the point I was pleasantly surprised at the value as well. Come in and try!
If you want to get the best meal in Sitka, you need to go to Ludvigs!! I've been trying to get a table here for a while, but because of my schedule when I am in Sitka, it hasn't worked out, BUT today! Today was the day!! I was able to get a seat and enjoy some amazing food along with top-notch customer service. And I can say from the moment I walked in the front door I knew I was going to enjoy everything about this. Thank you to my server, Casey!! She was so wonderful and knowledgeable in helping me select a wine to go with my Spot Prawn Carbonara. Thank you to the chefs who made this delightful dish, too. I was even able to talk with the owner of the restaurant, Edith. Which was just the cherry on top. Recommended fully and will be back.
This is the hot spot in town. Get your reservations early. Don’t forget your wallet! $$ $ Ludwig’s Bistro is great. They combine Spanish notes and rich flavors to bring their colorful dishes alive. Chorizo plays a big role in the chowder and beef I the paella. The steak was the all star. The paella came in next. The chowder did not live up to the hype for me, but I was happy that I tried it and finished a full bowl. I’ll go to the cart next time. Overall the flavors were there and they were unique. The interior of the restaurant was creatively designed with a Spanish Mediterranean eye for detail. Crafty and cute. It was very cozy and the window seat allowed a perfect view of the sunset. The service was five stars. They were friendly and we won shirts! Visit this place. Order anything. Enjoy. Cheers.
Recommended dishes: Bowl Chowder, Bistro Steak
This place is a gem. Great food, interesting menu and everything was prepared well.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bowl Chowder
Excellent King Salmon and Chocolate Torte.Excellent ServiceAmbiance Good but unfortunately so mixed up allI can say is that it is a restrauant in search of an identity. The name, wall art/decor, menus, Mexican music (are you kidding me) all send different messages as to the image that they are trying to convey.It is very pricey but was worth the cost of an excellent meal.The $140.00 (that's right folks) reservation fee was a bit steep don't you think?We would return hoping to find a little more cohesive ambiance.
Shocked at the quality. We like good. We love very good. This place is expensive (as is most of Sitka); but I called this 'Vegas expensive'. It was worth every penny. The staff is fun & knowledgeable. Everything was timed marvelously; and the quality amazing (portions = huge+) We had calamari, Linguini, and Ravioli. All portions were large and flavorful. I struggled with the 5 star (only because of the pricing, and there was no 4.5 star); but I'd go back and pay the price again. I'd just go back with a bigger appetite.
Very disappointing. Notwithstanding its reputation, which it continues to take seriously as evidenced by its $35.00 reservation fee, it fails drastically to meet expectations. The restaurant reportedly serves excellent paella, a quintessential Spanish dish. Before ordering, we asked our server if the restaurant considered itself Spanish. She said that the previous owner considered it Spanish, but that the current owner bought the restaurant a year ago and was making changes. An understatement. Not as glimmer of a star. We have enjoyed paella in several places in Spain and the US and have made it frequently at home, so we knew what to expect. Instead, we were served a soggy wet, rice-based seafood paste in a bowl. Not a whiff of saffron or any wonderful crusty rice from the bottom of the steel pan. Reminiscent of college food service goo from a steam table. The service was attentive and personable (*****) in a pleasant setting upstairs (****).
Overall, probably our favorite meal in Sitka. Excellent service, great chowder. Fun place. But you do have to make reservations for sure.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was pretty good, we had seafood Paella. I've had better in Key West for alot less money but it was good. The ceaser salad was very good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Wild Alaskan Paella Mixta
We made reservations(a must) for a special evening dinner while on our 3 day visit to Sitka. The waitress was superb, Anna i believe. We appreciated that she let us know the portion size was quite large---we had appetizers and shared the fish dinner special that night. One of the best meals of our trip. Easy walk from the Sitka Hotel, and nice to walk back after a filling delicious meal. We will be eating here again when we return to Sitka.
Restaurantji Recommends
We were really looking forward to a fabulous dinner and were very disappointed. The service was excellent from our waitress which was the best part. We started with a wild mushroom appetizer and it was wonderful. The sauce was rich and earthy which went well with the various mushrooms and the surprise of feta cheese went very well, best thing we ate all night. Next we ordered the chowder and it was ok. I liked the spice of the chorizo with lots of clams and potatoes. It could have been just a bit thinner, very thick. We spit an order of paella and it came in a bowl not a skillet as it should. The rice was thick and gooey like a bad risotto. We tried a few bites and sent it back. It was not paella by any definition. The prawn special was ok. They took the paella back and brought the prawn special. The prawns were good, well cooked a bit of char and spice with well cooked. The rice again was awful. It was the same mushy over cooked rice and no flavor. Very disappointed. They did remove both entrees from our bill. I believe there are new owners and the group we were with have been going for 20 years and were also disappointed with the food and said it was not the same. If you go I would order the pasta it was very flavorful, good sauce and chorizo.
This restaurant was highly recommended to us, and unfortunately, we were very disappointed. The chowder was lukewarm, but tasty. The paella was over cooked with rubbery scallops and the ravioli dish was cold. The Caesar salad and chocolate torte was good. I would not go back there again except for a salad and dessert. I heard there is a new owner and maybe they lost their chef. Or maybe it was the chef’s night off. Either way I would not recommend this restaurant.Vegetarian options: Nice presentation, but I didn’t eat much of it because it was undercooked which is rare and cold.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Dark Chocolate Torte
This review is for Ludvig's Chowder Cart at the Science Center. My local buddy took me and my other buddy from the Southwest here for lunch after morning fishing. We ordered two bowls of the chowder, two of the prosciutto - provolone sandwiches, and three cookies with drinks and there was more than enough food for all of us and we had leftovers. Clam chowder was great and had a good spicy kick to it (green Chile would have been nice as well). The sandwiches were great and the chocolate chip cookie with blueberry sea salt was very tasty as well. Chowder comes with with bread for dipping too. Worth a stop for some great food and outdoor seating.
Loads of yummy celiac safe options here! Our server, Brooks, was amazing and very knowledgeable about the menu ingredients! We ended up sharing the Mushrooms for an app and then shared the calamari, beef skewers and clam chowder. All gluten free!! We even shared the crème brûlée for dessert. Had a lovely glass of montepulciano vino which was perfect with the meal. You have to make a res and pay a deposit of like $70 and they refund you when you show up. Would recommend the food was super tasty and cooked perfectly!
Had a great night sharing drinks and desserts with friends in the upstairs bistro! I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent there and greatly appreciated our server Caroline's service!