The Most Fun Restaurants in Anchorage

For out-of-towners dining out in Anchorage, a major element of fun comes from perusing menu items created around novel, unfamiliar ingredients. Here, bison, elk, foraged berries and local honey feature alongside Alaska's unrivaled fish and seafood, such as colossal king crab, halibut and sockeye salmon. The Anchorage dining scene offers a fun experience for locals as well. Even the fanciest restaurants in the city retain a warm and fuss-free atmosphere befitting the proximity of the wilderness. But where do the savviest foodies go when they're seeking fun restaurants in Anchorage? This is the Tastemaker 20. We looked at data covering thousands of restaurants to discover the best of them all according to OpenTable's most experienced eaters. The following Anchorage eateries promise a great time along with amazing cuisine. We suggest booking a table at one of these top choices today.

The OpenTable Team

14 Restaurants

Updated November 25, 2019

Restaurants:	Kincaid Grill, Tequila 61°, Rustic Goat…
Price Range:	$$ - $$$$
Cuisines:	Seafood, Contemporary Latin, American…
Neighborhoods:	Anchorage…

Kincaid Grill

$$$$

Seafood

Anchorage

4.8

1650 reviews

Kincaid Grill is a special occasion-worthy neighborhood restaurant in West Anchorage with a sophisticated vibe. Chef and owner Al Levinsohn notably won a gold medal in the Alaska Seafood Challenge. His mastery with local fish and seafood comes together with culinary influences from all over the world. The dinner menu might feature pristine Alaskan oysters both roasted and on the half-shell, and mains ranging from a San Francisco-style cioppino to miso-glazed Alaskan back cod with shoyu-sesame broccolini and coconut ginger rice. Just as tempting are berbere-spiced lamb chops and sous vide buttermilk fried chicken with southern braised greens and whipped potatoes.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Tequila 61°

$$$$

Contemporary Latin

Anchorage

4.4

289 reviews

Mexican culinary traditions and local Alaskan ingredients come together at Tequila 61°, one of the most fun restaurants in Anchorage. The gastropub, which specializes in handcrafted cocktails as well as innovative cuisine, offers a casual dining experience in an eye-catching space. Note the Mexican-inspired artwork plus furnishings hand-crafted from wood reclaimed from the Port of Anchorage. Signature dishes include coconut shrimp tacos with a shell of thinly sliced jicama, and fajita molcajete, a surf-and-turf creation with filet mignon and tiger prawns served in a volcanic stone bowl.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Takeout available

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Rustic Goat

$$$$

American

Anchorage

4.6

370 reviews

At the Rustic Goat, an industrial chic-meets-wilderness venue in Anchorage, patrons enjoy a choice of two distinct spaces. The main dining room is upstairs, ideal for a sit-down meal of elevated new American comfort food, while the bar downstairs offers a more casual setting for sampling craft beers with some bites. There’s also a seasonal deck. Lunch and dinner menus both include shareables, burgers, pizzas and sandwiches. Among them are halibut corn fritters, bison sliders and a kimchi grilled cheese. At dinner expect some additional main dishes such as lamb shank pie and roasted game hem with everything bagel bread pudding. The Rustic Goat presents a weekend brunch too.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Jens' Restaurant

$$$$

Seafood

Anchorage

4.8

1383 reviews

Live music and a venue adorned with works by contemporary Alaskan artists (in collaboration with the neighboring Blue Holloman Art Gallery) help Jens’ Restaurant stand out among all the other fun restaurants in Anchorage. The midtown restaurant, a locals’ favorite since 1988, also draws consistent acclaim for its fresh ingredient-driven cuisine with Scandinavian accents. Danish specialties such as dill-cured salmon and pan-fried veal and pork meatballs feature on weekday lunch menus. The dinner menu changes frequently but always includes a couple of vegetarian entrees along with the signature pepper steak.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Marx Bros Cafe

$$$$

Contemporary American

Anchorage

4.8

1484 reviews

With just 14 tables inside a cozy bungalow dating to 1916, Marx Bros Café promises an intimate and memorable dining experience. The critically acclaimed restaurant, a local gem since 1979, specializes in Alaskan seafood in creative preparations. The menu changes nightly but often features the signature dish, halibut macadamia with jasmine rice and a mild coconut curry sauce. Know that Marx Bros Café is a Seafood Watch member and serves only sustainable, wild-caught seafood. Non-seafood dishes including local duck, veal and venison might be among the tempting options as well.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Ginger

$$$$

Pacific Rim

Anchorage

4.7

1277 reviews

Craft cocktails, microbrews and creative Pacific Rim cuisine are the signatures of Ginger, a hip and fun restaurant and lounge in downtown Anchorage. Lunch, dinner, late-night, happy hour and brunch menus feature from-scratch dishes with bold flavors and a pan-Asian influence. Expect ample seafood, meat, chicken, duck, vegetarian and vegan options in appetizer and large-plate formats. Highlights include the spicy ahi tuna tower with fresh avocado salad, a Vietnamese chicken sandwich, Mongolian beef nachos and mango-teriyaki Alaskan tofu. The beer menu features mostly Alaskan brews.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Benihana - Anchorage, AK

$$$$

Japanese

Anchorage

4.0

1324 reviews

Benihana, the famous sushi and Japanese steakhouse chain with more than 70 international venues, claims one of the most fun restaurants in Anchorage. Its table-side teppanyaki offerings, complete with entertainment by a skilled chef showing off their knife skills in style, always makes for an enjoyable dining experience. The comprehensive menu stars five-course meals with many choices of steak, seafood, chicken or surf-n-turf combos custom prepared on the grill, plus soup, a salad, appetizer, vegetables, dipping sauces, steamed rice and hot green tea. There’s also a full sushi menu and several locally inspired dishes exclusive to the Anchorage venue. These include a hibachi sesame-crusted seared tuna steak and seafood diablo, a spicy noodle dish.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Haute Quarter Grill

$$$$

Contemporary American

Anchorage

4.7

1879 reviews

An upscale restaurant in downtown Anchorage, Haute Quarter Grill presents contemporary American cuisine with diverse global influences, all prepared with top-quality local ingredients. Hearty cuisine including house-made pastas, ribeye steak, roasted duck and baby back ribs with a sweet and spicy plum BBQ sauce draws hungry diners seeking a special meal. Other highlights include a slow-roasted prime rib in 12- and 16-ounce cuts, a seafood jambalaya, and seared togarashi-spiced scallops. A stand-out starter ideal for sharing is the cheese plate, which comes with house pickled vegetables, Alaska honey, roasted red peppers and garlic, apricot fig chutney and toasted baguette.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

49th State Brewing Company Anchorage

$$$$

Brewery

Anchorage

4.5

998 reviews

For locals and tourists looking for great beers and top-notch comfort food in a laid-back atmosphere, 49th State Brewing Company is absolutely one of the most fun restaurants in Anchorage. The downtown brewpub, which occupies a historic two-story venue with a seasonal rooftop deck, features classic American cuisine elevated by top-quality local, mostly organic ingredients. Along with classic burgers, pizzas and more are Alaskan specialties such as free-range buffalo meatloaf, a half-pound yak burger and halibut tacos. Plenty of vegan and vegetarian options are available as well. Award-winning beers make an ideal accompaniment to such substantial fare.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Crow's Nest - Hotel Captain Cook

$$$$

American

Anchorage

4.7

1797 reviews

Crow’s Nest presents wonderful world-class cuisine, but diners are just as likely to rave about the views. From its setting on the 20th floor of the Hotel Captain Cook in downtown Anchorage, the restaurant boasts 360-degree views across the city to Cook Inlet and the peaks of the Chugash Mountains. Gourmet touches feature throughout the menu along with unexpected nods to Alaska’s natural bounty. Exemplary creations include a bison filet with duxelle, celeriac emulsion, Sitka spruce and sorrel gremolata, and a charcuterie plate starring foie gras, rabbit rillettes, duck bacon and lamb merguez. An excellent wine list is another major draw to the fine dining establishment.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Southside Bistro

$$$$

Contemporary American

Anchorage

4.8

1463 reviews

Anchorage foodies and critics rave about Southside Bistro, a restaurant comprising two spaces in one. Choose to sit in the formal dining room with views into the open kitchen, or on the more casual bistro side with a fireplace, wine bar and its own menu of burgers and wood-fired pizzas. The Anchorage Daily News called Southside Bistro the best restaurant in Anchorage in 1999, while Wine Spectator has given its wine list the Award of Excellence for more than 20 consecutive years. The dinner menu changes frequently but consistently presents local produce, seafood and meats with diverse global influences. Consider the scallops and risotto cake appetizer, the slow-roasted Scandinavian duck with a brandy currant sauce, and chile-rubbed skirt steak with tomatillo-cilantro sauce.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Kinley's Restaurant and Bar

$$$$

Contemporary American

Anchorage

4.8

1460 reviews

Kinley’s Restaurant and Bar, a sophisticated fine-dining restaurant in Anchorage, is the brainchild of acclaimed chef and certified sommelier Brett Knipmeyer. Seafood is the focus of the chef’s lunch and dinner menus, but there are also some notable alternatives such as a chorizo-crusted double-cut pork chop, Thai fried chicken with a honey-sambal glaze, and a sweet potato and black bean sope. Standout seafood preparations include a wasabi-battered filet of rockfish with Chinese mustard cream, halibut cheeks with a pancetta and pea risotto, and fresh oysters au gratin or on the half shell to start.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Simon & Seafort's

$$$$

Seafood

Anchorage

4.2

5598 reviews

With panoramic views of the Alaska Range and Cook Inlet through its walls of windows, Simon & Seafort’s has dazzled Anchorage diners since 1978. Locals know the institution for its special occasion-worthy cuisine and setting. Meanwhile the bar menu and happy hour in the saloon present the option to enjoy those same incredible views with a few drinks and more casual bites. Fresh Alaskan seafood is the star of the dinner menu, with Barents Sea colossal red king crab, sockeye salmon, halibut, sea scallops and North Atlantic lobster tails among the highlights. Prime steaks and a prime rib slow-roasted in rock salt are available as well.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Sullivan's Steakhouse - Anchorage

$$$$

Steakhouse

Anchorage

4.1

1997 reviews

Sullivan’s Steakhouse, part of a small national chain, is one of the most fun restaurants in Anchorage for diners seeking an old-school fine dining experience. The downtown Anchorage venue hosts live jazz every night and showcases locally distilled spirits behind the bar as well as local seafood on the main menu. House-cut and bone-in steaks and chops are the focus. Steaks range from an 8-ounce filet mignon to a 28-ounce prime porterhouse, all with a choice of sauce and option to add a decadent compound butter topping. More than a dozen side dishes include cream-style spinach, Brussels sprouts with bacon and hazelnuts, and lobster horseradish mashed potatoes.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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The Most Fun Restaurants