Alaska Salmon Bake - Fairbanks

I was the one charged with looking at the reviews. After eating there, I don't know how anybody could say it was anything less than a 5 star event. We showed up at about 6. Tons of parking. Easy in. The weather was 75 and Sunny. We immediately went to the front of the line, because nobody was in line lol. We went through the buffet line and load it up our plates with as much as we wanted (Mac n cheese baked beans and potatoes), expecting that we were going to get about a small 6 oz piece of fish. WRONG! The wife and I decided to get the cod and we got three huge pieces and it was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. The boy got salmon that was char grilled. A nice large piece and it was GREAT. A little bit too sweet of a glaze for the boy, but I loved it. We sat under the Spruce trees and feasted, drank beers and really enjoyed the event.

I’ve heard folks raving about this place, so I was excited to give it a try. Came away very disappointed. The best item was the crab legs, worth every penny. The grilled Salmon was ok, slathered in way too much sauce. The fried halibut and cod were over breaded and completely unseasoned. Prime rib was dry and overcooked. Mac and cheese was very delicious, as were the roasted potatoes. Fried chicken nuggets and fries were well seasoned and tasted great. Employees were very polite and it was cool to sit outside and enjoy a beautiful day, but overall not worth the price.

On a positive note, I really appreciated the outdoor ambiance — it was enjoyable to see and smell the grilling taking place outside, and having my main dish handed to me directly by the chefs was a nice touch. The picnic-like atmosphere under the trees was delightful, and I was relieved not to have any issues with mosquitos. They must be doing something well since a line started to form with other customers eagerly waiting for dinner. Although it was a unique experience, I’m afraid I wouldn’t choose to come back.

My husband and I ordered the halibut dinner, as we were eager to return after our previous visit to the Alaskan salmon bake in 2010. Unfortunately, our dining experience this time didn’t meet our expectations. On a positive note, the service was outstanding, and the atmosphere was lovely! The salmon looked appetizing, and I wonder if I would have been better off choosing that instead of the halibut.

The atmosphere was amazing, making it a delightful place to eat. Placing our order was easy—everything went seamlessly. We were lucky to have great weather, too. The food was enjoyable, with generous portion sizes. However, the dessert was rather plain.