Captains Anchorage Restaurant and Bar - Big Bear Lake

When I go out to eat, I expect to pay a lot for my meal. I also expect to get a lot of food for that money. I'm a bit of a foodie and only want the best. Well, this place did deliver a great meal that I really enjoyed, only the portion was so small that I left feeling hungry still. The price wasn't worth the meal. However, the ambiance is very nice. more

1st time here in over 20 years… Best salad bar ever… Great waitress!!! Fabulous prime rib and baked potatoes… more

We like it over here very much. We enjoyed the food. Everything was fantastic, the service and the food. We really appreciate your food. Thank you! more

Lynn - our server was amazing. She was knowledgeable, friendly and joyful. more

The service was great and they kept good care of us! Good food too!! more

The place has the feel of a dark old cabin. Love the prime rib here. Come here for the Prime Rib! Ive had it numerous times when I lived up there. They used to have a special. Dinner would run about $20. Comes with great chowda or salad bar. I think it was Monday. Don't know what the bad reviews are for. lol I live down """"the hill"""" now and can say that this restaurant is def not expensive. Maybe for the locals. This was one of my favorite restaurants in Big Bear. I lived up there for 3 years. Others include Maggios (Italian), Cocina de Mexica (Big Bear City, hole in the wall Mexican), and Grizzly Manoir (local breakfast spot) more

The shrimp diablo and prime rib were great. We have been coming to Big Bear for years and the Anchorage is always a favorite. more

If you are looking for the best of the best in Big Bear, look no further. The service was unbelievable and the food was even better. more

I visited friends in Big Bear and they recommended Captains Anchorage for dinner. I was a little hesitant since the rating was just average. The Restaurant has been in Big Bear since 1947 and is supposedly haunted according to my friends who frequent this place. The inside decor is rustic two stories high and the bar has is a tribute to the cowboy actor Andy Divine . We enjoyed rum and coke for $5.00 each and domestic beers for $3.00. Overall the meal was very good. Salad bar included super fresh ingredients with a large variety to choose from including beef barley soup. I had two bowls and was so yummy. My main entry was the 12 oz prime rib but to my surprise it was 2"""" thick and was about a whole pound! My prime rib was cooked perfectly with steamy hot ajus and a baked potato. A big high five to our server Loraine at the bar, who was very accommodating and super friendly. more

Not to say it's the best anywhere, but if you are in Big Bear and want a good steak dinner, this is the place. The service has always been good, the ambiance woodsy, rustic and what you expect from a mountain restaurant. They always have good fish specials...and their steamed artichoke appetizer is great. Fresh, cold salad bar is the best in town. Early bird specials and do yourself a favor and make a reservation for later on weekends. more

We've had a place in Big Bear Lake for over 4 years now, and finally ran out of excuses to avoid this icon. Having Yelped it, we were not expecting to be impressed. Luckily, despite the reviews, we had a great time and a great meal. I'd probably give it a 3.75 if I was able to. The salad bar is small, but very good. Their house dressing is a little on the sweet side, but if you go 50/50 Oil and vinegar with the house dressing it's very good. At the salad bar was clam chowder and cream of mushroom soup. The clam chowder was very thick (not my favorite way) but it had loads of clams in it and tasted very good. The cream of mushroom was also way over-thick, but extremely tasty. We wound up putting some on our baked potato and it was great! We ordered prime rib, and the medium rare came as advertised, the ones having rare got medium rare as well! The cuts were very generous. They have an 8, 12 and 16 oz cut. My wife's 8 was probably close to the 12 oz. My 12 was an honest 16 oz cut! My wife ordered the potato, and I the steamed veggies so we shared. This was the way to go. They bring a full potato, and a generous, not overcooked plate of veggies. One of my boys had the teriyaki sirloin and was very pleased with it. The biggest """"con"""" was that the plate was cold, so the meat cooled off very quickly. For the prices they charge, they really could heat their plates. Before the meal, we had some martinis and they were cold and strong and reasonably generous. With the meal, some red wine by the glass. Again, very good and reasonably generous. I'm not too sure about the complaints I've read about this place being overpriced. I think the prices are about par for the type of food and atmosphere you are getting. You can easily spend as much at the national chains for the swill they serve. Oh yes, speaking of atmosphere. It's an old place and dark inside. Nothing all that special, but exactly what you would want for a steak house in the woods. The service was good and the waitress was friendly. Make reservation if you are there on a non-peak weekend. They don't open the upstairs when the town is slow, so the dining room was full. I'm not sure how it is during peak times, but the place is pretty large if you take the upstairs into account. With the limited choices in Big Bear (especially now that Fred and Mary's is gone) we'll probably be back. It definitely outshines the Cowboy Express! more

Saw this restaurant while driving, read the reviews and decided to try it myself. Very dark rustic setting. Very friendly and attentive staff. Menu had great choices, a little pricey but comes with salad and soup bar. Portions are large...and yes the prime rib is delish! more

SO good and worth the wait....super cozy and extremely friendly service. The hostess bought us a drink because we waited for an hour but we had just walked in so we werent even upset.....highly recommended plus the ghost stories are fun! more

If you're a prime rib fan you have to try the Captains. You can cut it with a fork and the portions are HUGE. Even the petite cut is giant. Great salad bar too, and the upstairs dinning area is quietier, a much better ""date"" room that the downstairs. The bar drinks are good with lots of regulars hanging out every night. It's often standing room only in the bar on weekends. I've yet to have a bad meal at the Captains! more

We had a great meal at this cozy mountain restaurant. The soup and salad bar was good. Steak was medium rare ( as requested) and seemed larger than the 6oz ordered. more

You have to be the most picky person in the world to not have enjoyed the restaurant. The food and service are A+ and can't be beat in Big Bear. This is a MUST TRY place. more

Sorry for those who have had bad experiences, but you may have eaten there when it was crowded and crazy, which can happen to the best of places. We have eaten dinner here at least 10 times a year for the last 25 years, and have never had a bad meal! Their steaks and prime rib are great and the seafood is respectable. The salad bar is fresh, and the clam chowder is thick and I love it that way! The bartender always acknowledges us immediately and gets our drinks to us promptly. There have been holidays and busy weekends where we have had to wait for a table, but what do you expect on a holiday? The atmosphere is not fancy...the building is historic, and the history is on the menu...take the time to read it. Our teenage sons have taken large groups of friends in and have always been treated like high rollers. Upstairs is only open on big holidays when large crowds are predicted, and there is no way they could seat you up there if they didn't have the staff for both floors. more

Best steak and seafood in Big Bear. The wait and bar staff are excellent. more

The upstairs is definitely better than the lower level for private dining. The food was excellent and the portions were great. Simple selections of Fish, Pasta, Steak and Chicken. A truly well rounded restaurant. Not an overwhelming bogged down menu with 15 chicken entree's with 10 special sauces. Salad bar is decent and a nice addition to your meal. Probably a great place downstairs for sports game viewing as well -- MAKE A RESERVATION - THEY ARE BUSY. more

This place is an old school prime rib house -- iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing, baked potato and sour cream, slab of meat, martini. If you're looking for something contemporary, go look elsewhere. It's a great change of pace and fits with the rustic atmosphere of Big Bear. The service is exceptional -- everyone was so nice and helpful and genuine. Sure, it's a little pricey but hey, it's prime rib, after all. more