Gourmet Au Bay

Oh my gosh this place was the CUTEST. Sat at the bar and ordered some beer and wine since we were just in for a drink. The bartender/waiter was super patient and knowledgeable with all the patrons. It was very relaxing and cozy with the windows and waterfront views. I can't wait to come back!!

If I could give 10 stars! Excellent everything across the board. Excellent food, service, ambiance, wines!! Limited hours so notice before you go. Wish I lived closer.

Ordering from outside is a bit quirky. But we really enjoyed our mid-afternoon "linner", which was mostly appetizers. Since they also are a wine shop, we selected a bottle of pinot noir after the owner gave us an overview of the different ones available. The clam chowder was some of the best we've had during the five months we've spent on the NorCal coast. It had proper seasoning, a great consistency (not gummy), and lots of ingredients in it. The crab cakes were moist, flavorful, and had a zesty aioli that nicely cut through the richness of the crab cakes. The last app was grilled mushrooms with a chimichurri.That was a first for us, having only used it on a steak in the past. Really intesresting (in a good way) flavors.

Gourmet Au Bay, Bodega Bay, CA - August 2, 2024 Not our first time here, so yes, definitely worth coming back to! They are open for lunch and dinner. We arrived on a Friday around 12:30 pm. Surprisingly not overly crowded. There is adequate parking. The ordering system here is unique. You order outside at the front door, pay, and then are assigned a seat. There are four seating areas - an outdoor patio area unprotected from the wind, an outdoor protected area, an indoor dining room, and an enclosed protected outdoor patio area. All are nice depending on the weather. We ordered a beet salad, the clam pizza, and a couple glasses of wine. It was a touch breezy, so we opted to be seated in the enclosed patio. The wine and salad came out quickly, and the vibe with the smell of the ocean air was chil. It was not noisy and it was easy to relax and have a nice conversation. The beet salad and wine were very tasty. We waited a little while for the pizza to come out, and by the time it did, it was time for more wine, which we ordered. The staff were very friendly and apologized for the wait. The clam pizza included clams, bacon, garlic, olive oil, Asiago, and parsley. It was very good! They have salads, seafood, and pizzas. For pizzas, you can choose your own toppings if you like. Prices are reasonable. We paid $24 for the 12" clam pizza, $17 for the beet salad, and $14 a glass for the wine.

Bodega Bay has truly been discovered, so suggest you visit during the weekdays to minimize the intense tourist traffic. This charming town is home to where The Birds was filmed and they have some very nice fresh seafood to eat and take home. Our most favorite place for clam chowder is Spuds, when you turn right coming down the hill from the highway. Gourmet Au Bay is secreted by turning left or going straight ahead. Their clam chowder is different in a wonderful way and you get a decent size serving ($13) and a nice selection of wines, plus a regular menu. Gourmet is a lunch, wine and very early dinner kind of place, as they are open from noon to 6pm, except for Wednesdays where they close at 3pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Parking is readily available, a treat in crowded Bodega Bay. Menu: nice appetizers ranging from $15 - 17. Seafood of oysters, shrimp and clam chowder, also a steak, seafood paella, sword fish and salads $26 - 30. So you can get a decent lunch or early dinner. Also pizza and lots of great wines to choose from, by the glass or in the bottle. Our red wines were $14 per glass. They do have a selection of speakers starting at 6pm, so check their web page for topics and dates.