One of the best dining experiences in Northern California, y’all. The combination of setting (that view WHAT?), genuinely kind and helpful service, and unnecessarily phenomenal food brings the heat. Seriously, the tuna confit, which I expected to be meh, was revelatory and has me scheming how to make it a part of my own weekly dinner repertoire. Everything else hit way harder than expected as well, across appetizers and entrees and even dessert. GO.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Krista Jonas
Consistently delicious food. Attentive and sweet staff, a comforting setting AND you can walk the beach after : ) what a special place.
Brendan Kelly
My wife and I had dinner here a couple nights during our stay in Elk. The food, service, and atmosphere were great. The warm fresh sourdough is lovely! Friendly and great food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
julian secomb
Everything is just right with this place. A cozy, rustic, stylish dining room looking out over the pacific ocean. Thoughtful, unpretentious menu made from local ingredients in ample portions. Warm, attentive service. Great wine! This is what you imagine and hope for in a trip up the Mendocino coast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Connie Lu
Beyond expectations!
My partner and I stopped here for Sunday brunch on the drive back to SF. I got the Green Bowl and jasmine green tea, and he got the Albacore Confit Tartine and coffee.
The Green Bowl was deliciously flavorful, fresh, and balanced. I had a bite of the Tartine, and that was also delicious. My tea was nicely brewed and fragrant, and the staff was very attentive in offering hot water top offs.
The staff was generally very kind and attentive, offering local suggestions to visit.
We also ordered a chocolate chip cookie to go, and I'm so glad we did! Crispy, chewy, chocolatey, and gooey all in one, even after surviving a 3+ hr drive! A++ 🍪 100% recommend getting one.
Not sure when we'll make it back up there, but I would definitely go again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A N
Love it
Yoon Lee
Stumbled upon this hidden gem in Elk during a road trip, and it turned out to be so much more than just a quick stop for food. Maritime Cafe offers beautifully crafted, creative dishes that feel thoughtful and unique—nothing like the generic meals you might find elsewhere.
We tried the California Cured Halibut—fresh, balanced, and the kind of flavor that makes you want to order a glass of white wine on the spot. The Weisswurst was also memorable, though it was the crispy potato cake on the side that truly stole the show. Portions are on the smaller side, and the prices lean high, but the quality and creativity really justify it.
The space itself is clean and cozy, with both indoor and outdoor seating. Service was genuinely warm and welcoming, which made the experience even better. Parking is street-side, but easy enough.
It’s still under the radar for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up in travel magazines soon. I’d happily come back again—it feels like a special find.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Simon
I normally don't write reviews but this was one of the best meals we've ever had. It's like the more casual sibling of Chez Panisse or Estela in NYC - simple, elegant, the best ingredients, unpretentious. On top of the exquisite meal, the people were lovely, the decor was great and the music on point. We are already dreaming of going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julian Cressman
Very delicious green bowl and buttermilk pancakes. Great selection of NA bevies. Fun and friendly service from Nathan.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nathaniel Reagan
High quality food. Dishes are simple and extremely well done with fresh ingredients. One of my favorite places to eat on the coast.
Absolute gem of a stop. Great setting, top notch staff, creative & delicious fare at good prices.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
P Slote
Exceptional food. Don't be fooled by the casual scene - the kitchen is full of high end talent. The dishes are very intentional, delicious, would compete favorable with anything you'd expect in top notch food cities. I dine in a lot of Bay Area restaurants, so often falling short of their promise. Not Maritime.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vivien Zhang
TL;DR: Hands down the best meal we’ve ever had on the West Coast! Incredible flavors, perfect tenderness of ingredients, and amazing atmosphere. We kept ordering more because every dish blew us away. Even the sourdough and ice cream were next-level. Ended the night with a sunset over the ocean—pure magic. Can’t wait to go back! ———————— My partner and I had the best meal on the West Coast in my life! We were driving back from the north on July 4th, starving, when I serendipitously found this place—with walk-ins still available for dinner. There’s limited parking at the state beach lot just across the street.
We were seated pretty quickly, and the host was very welcoming. We started with three entrées to share—squid, fish, and chicken—and after tasting them, we just kept ordering more and more. Before each dish arrived, I kept joking, “How good can it be?”—and then my mind was blown. The tenderness of each ingredient was absolute perfection 👌!!! I’ve never had tomatoes, cauliflower, or broccolini cooked so perfectly.
The flavoring was just as incredible. We ordered sourdough just to mop up every last bit of the sauce—and even the sourdough was the best I’ve ever had! For dessert, we had a 50/50 hazelnut chocolate and strawberry ice cream—the strawberry was so refreshing and natural. Love, love!
Right after we finished our meal, the timing was perfect for sunset. Half the diners ran out to the patio to watch the sun dip into the ocean—lol. What a perfect way to end the day.
I didn’t get the chance to thank the chef, but I want to say: your attention to detail, refined palate, and flawless execution shine through in every dish. I could feel the love and professionalism poured into the food, the menu, and the entire atmosphere. I feel so lucky to have discovered this place before it gets too popular. Please keep up the amazing work—I cannot wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christina Chen
Came across Maritime Cafe from a spontaneous stop in Elk — completely made our day. Wonderful service and food that was delicious, healthy, and beautifully plated. You can really tell how much the chef and team care about their craft. 10/10, and definitely check out the Artist Collective next door!
One of the best dining experiences in Northern California, y’all. The combination of setting (that view WHAT?), genuinely kind and helpful service, and unnecessarily phenomenal food brings the heat. Seriously, the tuna confit, which I expected to be meh, was revelatory and has me scheming how to make it a part of my own weekly dinner repertoire. Everything else hit way harder than expected as well, across appetizers and entrees and even dessert. GO.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Consistently delicious food. Attentive and sweet staff, a comforting setting AND you can walk the beach after : ) what a special place.
My wife and I had dinner here a couple nights during our stay in Elk. The food, service, and atmosphere were great. The warm fresh sourdough is lovely! Friendly and great food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything is just right with this place. A cozy, rustic, stylish dining room looking out over the pacific ocean. Thoughtful, unpretentious menu made from local ingredients in ample portions. Warm, attentive service. Great wine! This is what you imagine and hope for in a trip up the Mendocino coast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beyond expectations!
My partner and I stopped here for Sunday brunch on the drive back to SF. I got the Green Bowl and jasmine green tea, and he got the Albacore Confit Tartine and coffee.
The Green Bowl was deliciously flavorful, fresh, and balanced. I had a bite of the Tartine, and that was also delicious. My tea was nicely brewed and fragrant, and the staff was very attentive in offering hot water top offs.
The staff was generally very kind and attentive, offering local suggestions to visit.
We also ordered a chocolate chip cookie to go, and I'm so glad we did! Crispy, chewy, chocolatey, and gooey all in one, even after surviving a 3+ hr drive! A++ 🍪 100% recommend getting one.
Not sure when we'll make it back up there, but I would definitely go again!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love it
Stumbled upon this hidden gem in Elk during a road trip, and it turned out to be so much more than just a quick stop for food. Maritime Cafe offers beautifully crafted, creative dishes that feel thoughtful and unique—nothing like the generic meals you might find elsewhere.
We tried the California Cured Halibut—fresh, balanced, and the kind of flavor that makes you want to order a glass of white wine on the spot. The Weisswurst was also memorable, though it was the crispy potato cake on the side that truly stole the show. Portions are on the smaller side, and the prices lean high, but the quality and creativity really justify it.
The space itself is clean and cozy, with both indoor and outdoor seating. Service was genuinely warm and welcoming, which made the experience even better. Parking is street-side, but easy enough.
It’s still under the radar for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up in travel magazines soon. I’d happily come back again—it feels like a special find.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I normally don't write reviews but this was one of the best meals we've ever had. It's like the more casual sibling of Chez Panisse or Estela in NYC - simple, elegant, the best ingredients, unpretentious. On top of the exquisite meal, the people were lovely, the decor was great and the music on point. We are already dreaming of going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very delicious green bowl and buttermilk pancakes. Great selection of NA bevies. Fun and friendly service from Nathan.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
High quality food. Dishes are simple and extremely well done with fresh ingredients. One of my favorite places to eat on the coast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Absolute gem of a stop. Great setting, top notch staff, creative & delicious fare at good prices.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Exceptional food. Don't be fooled by the casual scene - the kitchen is full of high end talent. The dishes are very intentional, delicious, would compete favorable with anything you'd expect in top notch food cities. I dine in a lot of Bay Area restaurants, so often falling short of their promise. Not Maritime.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
TL;DR: Hands down the best meal we’ve ever had on the West Coast! Incredible flavors, perfect tenderness of ingredients, and amazing atmosphere. We kept ordering more because every dish blew us away. Even the sourdough and ice cream were next-level. Ended the night with a sunset over the ocean—pure magic. Can’t wait to go back!
————————
My partner and I had the best meal on the West Coast in my life! We were driving back from the north on July 4th, starving, when I serendipitously found this place—with walk-ins still available for dinner. There’s limited parking at the state beach lot just across the street.
We were seated pretty quickly, and the host was very welcoming. We started with three entrées to share—squid, fish, and chicken—and after tasting them, we just kept ordering more and more. Before each dish arrived, I kept joking, “How good can it be?”—and then my mind was blown. The tenderness of each ingredient was absolute perfection 👌!!! I’ve never had tomatoes, cauliflower, or broccolini cooked so perfectly.
The flavoring was just as incredible. We ordered sourdough just to mop up every last bit of the sauce—and even the sourdough was the best I’ve ever had! For dessert, we had a 50/50 hazelnut chocolate and strawberry ice cream—the strawberry was so refreshing and natural. Love, love!
Right after we finished our meal, the timing was perfect for sunset. Half the diners ran out to the patio to watch the sun dip into the ocean—lol. What a perfect way to end the day.
I didn’t get the chance to thank the chef, but I want to say: your attention to detail, refined palate, and flawless execution shine through in every dish. I could feel the love and professionalism poured into the food, the menu, and the entire atmosphere. I feel so lucky to have discovered this place before it gets too popular. Please keep up the amazing work—I cannot wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Came across Maritime Cafe from a spontaneous stop in Elk — completely made our day. Wonderful service and food that was delicious, healthy, and beautifully plated. You can really tell how much the chef and team care about their craft. 10/10, and definitely check out the Artist Collective next door!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Get the bowl of beans!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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