Our Favorite Soldotna, Alaska Restaurants & Watering Holes
Soldotna, Alaska may be just a small town located on the middle of the Kenai Peninsula, about 150 miles south of Anchorage, but despite its small size, Soldotna has some fantastic restaurants and watering holes.
Soldotna’s food scene has something for everybody. From fantastic pizzas and pub fare to fine dining and seafood you’ll definitely find some great food. And, there are three great microbreweries in the area we love and will tell you about as well.
Wednesday’s feature concerts in the park where dozens of food trucks area available along with local arts and crafts. The events is put on by the Soldotna Chamber Of Commerce and with the renewal of a 3 year grant from Levitt Foundation the chamber has funds to bring in music from all over the country. Definitely check out the Wednesday Music In The Park series that takes place every Wednesday from the first week of June through the second week of August.
Overall, the culinary scene in Soldotna is pretty thriving. Whether you’re looking for a fancy seafood dinner or a quick bite from a food truck, you’ll find something to suit your tastes in Home
Below you’ll find some of our favorite Soldotna, Alaska restaurants but we don’t want to forget about our favorite places to grab an adult beverage. You’ll find those below as well.
St. Elias Brewing Company
St. Elias is beloved by locals and visitors. It’s definitely one of the most poplar restaurants in Soldotna with large outside patio.
There are several places in Soldotna that make great pizzas and St. Elias is right up there with the best. What makes them standout however, is that St. Elias definitely has the best salad’s in town and they brew their own beer. Our favorite beers are the farmer’s friend and the Puddle Jumper Pale Ale.
You can’t go wrong with any of their pizzas and for salads try the Buffalo Bill or the Nacho Libre. These salads are big so it’s great to share a salad and pizzas are personal pizza size.
Kenai River Brewing Company
You’ll also hear Kenai River Brewing Company simply called KRBC. Like St. Elias above, KRBC brews it’s own beer and serves some of the best pub fare around. But make sure you get there early as this place closes at 8PM daily.
Our favorite beers are the PBR (no not that PBR), but the Peninsula Brewers Reserve and the Grateful Red, and the Honeymoon Hefe.
On the menu, everything is delicious, but please don’t miss out on the Reuben sandwich which is as good a Reuben as you’ll find anywhere. The wings are also great, and the burger is very respectable.
Kassik's Brewery
Kassik’s doesn’t serve food but since the first two recommendations were breweries we figured this was the right place to mention Kassik’s.
Kassik’s is one of the best distributed microbreweries in Alaska and you can find their beer in a lot of the places that sell alcohol in Alaska. Keep in mind though, all alcohol sales, including beer and wine, are restricted to liquor stores.
Kassik’s does have a tasting room and if you’re looking for a short drive, and maybe see a moose along the way, a visit to their brewery with a sample flight on their outdoor picnic tables, is a great way to spend a couple of free hours.
Addie Camp
Addie Camp is one of the newest fine dining options to arrive in Soldotna. You’ll find Addie Camp atop of Whistle Hill just as you’re entering Soldotna from Anchorage.
Addie Camp grows and sources as much as it can locally. With this in mind, the menu changes seasonally which makes repeat dining a great experience. There is always new things showing up on the menu.
All of the beer Addie Camp offers are from local breweries. Even Anchorage-based coffee roaster SteamDot finds its way onto the rub of the restaurant’s fantastic rib-eye.
Dining takes place in a retrofitted train rail car or the spacious loft or even the outdoor patio.
Mykel's Restaurant
Mykel’s Restaurant is located in the Soldotna, Inn right in the heart of Soldotna. Don’t let the slightly drab exterior fool you, Mykel’s is some of the best dining in the area.
Mykel’s has a nice bar that has live music all summer long on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
You can’t go wrong with any of the food here.We love the Prime Bite appetizer, prime rib, Alaskan king crab, and the healthy portions of beef stroganoff.
The Bridge Lounge
The Bridge Lounge is probably one of our favorite places to enjoy a drink with a view. You would thing with 82 miles of river there would be a few places to do this. But sadly, the Bridge Lounge is the only one – but it’s a good one.
Sitting right at the Soldotna bridge, hence the name, is the Kenai River Lodge and the Bridge Lounge upstairs with a large outdoor elevated patio with couches, infrared heaters, fire tables, and a great view. During the peak of summer this is a great place to enjoy the river and watch anglers give it their best.
While they don’t serve food they do keep all the local menu’s that deliver on hand and they are happy to have you “order in”. Our favorite order-in is Pizza Boys. Not only is it a great pizza, but it’s right across the street.
Louie's Steak & Seafood
Louie’s Steak & Seafood is a great option when you’re looking for, well, steak & seafood! It’s located in the town of Kenai, about 10 minutes north of Soldotna.
One of the things that makes Louie’s such a unique dining experience is all the taxidermy adorning the walls. Along with huge moose, monster halibut, king salmon and more, you’ll find an eclectic memorabilia from Alaska’s history including dog sleds and lots of old time Alaska technology.
Louie’s is known for it’s blackend prime rib and breakfast plates so large you need to order them in half-sizes.
The Flats Bistro
If you’re looking for a great margarita and large helping of traditional Mexican food, then you’re looking for Senior Pancho’s. It may be situated in a small strip mall but it comes with big taste!
This place is always packed and for good reason. It also has a large bar attached to the restaurant where you might be able to grab a quicker seat if you are just 1 or 2 people.
Best things AK rates Senior Panchos one of the best 8 Mexican restaurants in the state.
Senior Panchos
If you’re looking for a great margarita and large helping of traditional Mexican food, then you’re looking for Senior Pancho’s. It may be situated in a small strip mall but it comes with big taste!
This place is always packed and for good reason. It also has a large bar attached to the restaurant where you might be able to grab a quicker seat if you are just 1 or 2 people.
Best things AK rates Senior Panchos one of the best 8 Mexican restaurants in the state.
The burger Bus
The Burger Bus is a great spot to hit after a day of fishing. The Burger Bus is just as it sounds: an old school bus converted into a kitchen, with a shack built around it, and delicious burgers and fries.
The portions are big and the flavors are great. The place might look a little sore on the outside, but you can tell by the way the locals hover that it’s worth the visit. Try the halibut burger or the local favorite, the Kenai Killer Burger.
The Burger Bus was even reported as the best burger in the state of Alaska as ranked by Trip Advisor.
The Burger Bus is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
The Duck Inn Cafe
The Duck Inn, located off of K-Beach road in Soldotna, is a popular destination for both locals and visitors. The restaurant boasts a clean and comfortable atmosphere, with ample seating options to accommodate parties of all sizes. The highlight of the establishment is the food. The restaurant serves large portions, made with high-quality ingredients, ensuring that every meal is consistently excellent. The combination of a welcoming environment and delicious food makes The Duck Inn a go-to spot for anyone looking for a great dining experience. Additionally, the location is convenient for those who are visiting Soldotna and looking for a place to eat.
The Duck Inn is very popular for lunch and on Thursday and Friday night you can also find many of the locals belting out their best karaoke. Attend at your own risk!
Buckets Sports Grill
For over two decades, Buckets Sports Grill has been a family-friendly spot in Soldotna, AK, serving up classic American dishes such as fried mac and cheese, chicken, chicken salad, gourmet sandwiches, battered fries, beer and more. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and there is a children’s menu. Order carry-out or curbside pickup by phone, or dine-in with us.
One of the best parts about Buckets is that it’s one of the dining options open a little bit later in a town notorious for shutting down all dining options around 9PM. Buckets is one of the few options to get a bit to eat when your done fishing at 9PM in the summer time.
Pizza Boys
Pizza Boy is one of the best pizza options around. Hand crafted pizzas have been made by Pizza Boys since Rob and Jenny Smithwick opened the restaurant in 1990.
Pizza Boys is a quick walk to the Kenai River Bridge Lounge and makes for an excellent take away dinner to enjoy overlooking the river at the bridge lounge.
In addition to their fantastic pizzas, Don’t miss out on their great wings and the bread sticks known as Johnny Stix that come with a variety of different dipping sauces.