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Pump House Restaurant & Saloon Enjoy fine dining in an historic atmosphere overlooking the Chena River in Fairbanks, Alaska. We offer prime aged beef, Alaska seafood and a premium wine list and micro brews. And don't forget the spectacular Sunday Brunch - on the deck or in the dining room. Our food service is "Alaskan Style", which means the combination of the freshest products possible with our unique culinary heritage. We use Alaskan salmon exclusively and served fresh whenever possible. Our beef is Certified Angus and aged to insure maximum flavor.
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The Pump House as you see it today was reconstructed in the spring of 1978. Our purpose was to attempt to recreate and 1890's "Gold Rush" motif and atmosphere which was associated with the "Rip Roaring" but still Victorian era in Fairbanks. Everywhere you look you will see relics from the rich and illustrious past.
Our food service is "Alaskan Style", which means the combination of the freshest products possible with our unique culinary heritage. At times you will find the herbs grown on site or "Local Grown" under a state wide sustainability program. And don't forget. The Senators Saloon features "The World's Most Northern Oyster Bar" where you can sample succulent oysters flown in fresh on Alaska Airlines. To wash it all down, chose from the Pacific Northwest and Alaskan brewed micro brews; most recently Fairbanks own Hoodoo and Silver Gulch breweries.
Reviews (39)
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Lacey S.
Jun 24, 2022
Currently my favorite place to eat in Fairbanks. My go to dinner is the Small size filet medium rare with Blanton on the rocks. Laveles lost my business when they decided to require personal health information at the door. I didn't move to Alaska to put up with that crap. The tourists can have that place all to their self. The food has been going down hill for some time anyways.
Rob H.
Jun 16, 2022
Awesome location with available outdoor seating overlooking the river. Very highly recommended by the locals - and for good reason. Superb food, drink, and excellent service.
Thunder
Jun 06, 2022
A must stop for seafood and Alaska fair in Fairbanks. Great for special occasions or just a hankering for great seafood. I recommend a reservation as this is the premier place to gather and eat. I love the rustic Alaskan atmosphere. There is an amazing mahogany bar with a large setting and table area in addition to the restaurant. Prices are inline with the quality of the Alaskan cuisine served. A destination restaurant.
Veronica Misko
Jun 03, 2022
Delicious bacon wrapped scallops. I had the halibut and my friend the salmon. Both were delicious and cooked perfectly. Our server was delightful.
Yolie Raya
May 22, 2022
Best restaurant in Fairbanks. Fresh and quality ingredients. The clam chowder is different than most but very delicious. Everything we had was on point. We were too full for dessert but they all looked amazing.
Jay Are
May 14, 2022
Walked in and the hostess was spectacular, we had to essential cut our reserved party in half (flaky friends) and the hostess was very accommodating of that. We got seated and our server Cat (sorry if I spelled it wrong) was phenomenal she very personable and welcoming. About half through our night a gentleman pulled up a seat to our table and began talking with us about our food and stuff.

The gentleman happened to be one of the owners (Freddie) and he was probably one of the most down to earth people I've met talked to us for about 45 minutes about his plans and what he had envisioned for place. If you want a great sit down experience, absolutely come check out the pump house.
Jazzzy J.
Apr 23, 2022
Great place serving up good food in a historical setting. Service was okay. Seafood was delicious. Back in the day, the pump house was used to provide water to dredges operating on Cripple Creek in the Ester area. The building was abandoned by the company in 1958, and was enlarged and converted into a restaurant in 1978. Unique ambiance and would visit again.
Chen G.
Apr 01, 2022
If you go Fairbanks you have to try this restaurant. The oldest building in Fairbanks. Food was sooo delicious and seafood was very tasty and fresh. Highly recommended!
Nat T.
Mar 31, 2022
Not sure why overall rating for the Pump House is under 4 since we had such a great time here! We originally were going to go to Lavelle but after speaking to multiple locals, we decided to opt for the Pump House for a rustic feel and historic establishment aspect. We made reservations ahead of time to ensure we get a table and were seated promptly upon arrival.

Upon seating, we were offered huge bread basket and the rest of our food came out quickly. The place does get fill up quickly even on a weekday so I recommend going earlier so you dont have to wait so long (we went on a Wednesday at 5pm). The food is delicious and fresh: Alaskan Halibut have robust flavor, King Crab is naturally sweet, and both seafood risotto and chowder is great.

I am not a big seafood person but this meal is nothing less than delicious. Our server Wesley is also friendly, prompt, and truly complete our experience. For dessert, the server will bring a tray of dessert variety mock ups for you to decide so know exactly what your dessert will look like instead of a regular menu. We picked Coconut Mango cheese cake and it has such an interesting flavor in a good way. Overall love this meal and hope to come visit again in the future!
Rach H.
Feb 25, 2022
Shared with family again! Disclaimer: im from cali and i love asian food so this is not my type of food. I think i am probably just not too fond of the food. Wine flight - smooth and good Fried calamari - very soft, not crispy - not bad tho Vegetarian plate - rice is sweet. grilled veggies with a sauce. The sauce is red and looks creamy with mayooo.

The mushroom was good! Seafood risotto - yes! Flavorful but salty Chicken denali - smashed potatoes were good! Chicken was dry Steak~ heavy bbq sauce, i think it is okay, would not order Atmosphere was great, love the decorations! Our server was really nice and was from Texas. Food wait time was an hour after sitting down and ordering. They are short staffed for sure. Food is mediocre considering the price. Would not come again for food! Thanks :
Grace C.
Feb 24, 2022
Just flew in and this was open near Fairbanks airport. Five star for Jena our server. So polite. Friendly and great customer service. We ordered clams with reindeer sausage. Good butter wine sauce. Sausage was lean. Def not your typically Italian sausage or andouille sausage. Clams were nicely steamed. Not chewy. Great atmosphere. My Friend ordered seafood pasta and it was a little bland. But plenty of seafood. The deserts we ordered were creme brulee and Chocolate cake with warm cream cheese in the middle. Delicious.
Curious George
Jan 16, 2022
Love this restaurant! Everything was so tasty! Service here was excellent! People keep filling your water and asking how you felt about the food! Our waiter Dejan definitely was a 5-star waiter! Strongly recommend this restaurant!
Wenxuan M.
Dec 23, 2021
Decor inside is tasteful and great representation of pieces of Alaska history. Our waitress was energetic and great with menu item suggestions for our large group. Food is tasty, seafood are fresh and well seasoned. Unfortunately I left my headphones behind at the restaurant and didn't realize until thousand miles away. Patty who answered my call was quick to locate my missing item and quickly arranged the shipment back to me. Really appreciate her help! I have visited The Pump House on both trip to Fairbanks with good memories. Will definitely visit again next time in Fairbanks!
Dec 23, 2021
Our tour guide recommended this place to us, but it's such a disappointment. It was about 50min from the time we placed order, and saw the first plate of food came. Besides the long wait time, they made several mistakes on our foods. We ordered steak cooked medium, but the steak came as raw rare, not to mention that's 50min wait and it was raw rare.

One of us has serious lactose intolerance and specifically let the server know before ordering the food, still, his pasta came with loads of cheese. And it's not the end of it, we ordered creme brulee for desert, but they came with a cheese cake. It was the last straw that inspired us to write this review to detail out all the unpleasant experience from the beginning to the end.
Andrew Hays
Dec 19, 2021
Wow. Easily top 3 restaurant I've ever eaten at. I started with calamari and had the king crab dinner for my entree. Huge serving of king crab at market value, so be prepared to pay, but entirely worth it. The fried zucchini and shrimp appetizer were amazing as well.
Nov 21, 2021
We reserved a table on Saturday and came in on time, we ordered our single appetizer (sausage and calm) and main course(grilled salmon and halibut), it took one hour! for the appetizer, and we waited our entrees for another 50 mins, no matter how good the food is, I will definitely not come back, the heating is not functioning well, I have to wear my down jacket inside the restaurant all the time, also the service is really bad!

The first time we ordered (just normal as other guests who first came to the place) the server stopped us and say we are not ready and she will come back later. I will definitely not want to wait for 2hours just for my appetizer and entree.
Dreaming Doodles
Nov 03, 2021
Food was great. Arrived right at 5pm without a reservation. Did not have an opening in the dining room but we were able to sit at a table in the saloon part. The rest of the saloon filled up within 10 minutes. This place is good. No complaints. I drank hot apple pie which was perfect. My husband ordered the chicken Mac and cheese which was great. My son ordered crab which he really enjoyed and I ordered the elk meatloaf and it was delicious. This is definitely a place worth visiting more than once!
Marilee Clark
Nov 02, 2021
Very busy (expected for Friday night) and pretty pricey. The food was good but not what I expected for the price paid. Our waitress was really nice though. Neat pictures and history pieces throughout.
Samuel Wright SamuraiMarine
Oct 27, 2021
My son and I went in for dinner on Saturday (23 Oct 2021) and sat in the bar area where Elizabeth was our server. The food was fantastic. I had the Reindeer Medallions, medium rare and my son had the Elk Meatloaf. Before that we shared the Clam and Reindeer sausage appetizer. Everything was perfect and Elizabeth was a wonderful server. We did not want for anything and she was pleasant and joked around with my son. I come here every time I am in Fairbanks and this has always been the level of service and food quality I have gotten there. Love this place!
Jaime B.
Oct 24, 2021
I am so happy I got to experience this place, finally a proper delicious meal. The Pump House in Fairbanks Alaska is definitely one of my favorite places to eat here, the ambiance was cozy and comfortable, there is beautiful old wood everywhere. The staff were attentive, professional, and made sure drinks were filled. I order the 6oz Filet Mignon that came with steamed broccoli and carrots, with herbed mash potatoes.

My steak was perfectly cooked to a happy medium. The mash was creamy and flavorful, and the vegetables still had a nice bite to them and tasted delicious. For this place I would break my rule of never eating the same place twice if I can help it. It is a little pricy but this isn't a place to eat at every night, would if I could though lol. I will eat here again tomorrow as my last meal before heading back to Florida. Thank you a great meal!
Steve H.
Oct 23, 2021
This Fairbanks institution is full of Alaskan history with artifacts and decorations showing the history of the area. It was also home to what I think was one of the best meals that I've had on my Alaskan adventure! The thought of trying the reindeer medallions crossed my mind, but I couldn't do it to poor olde Rudolph. I went for the Alaskan halibut instead and was not disappointed.

The herb crust added just a little texture to the soft/tender chunk of halibut. It was the perfect balance. The vegetables that it was served on top of had a great sauce and I could not have been happier about my meal! This place is a must go if you're in the area. You won't be disappointed!
Hao Cheng L.
Oct 10, 2021
We were an Asian party of four and waited more than one hour for food and the only thing we got are just excuses and lies. The food was just simple fish and chips, fried calamaris and few entries. We started to ask when food will arrive after 30mins, and they just repeatedly tell us that several more minutes, several more minutes, etc. I understood entries take time but couldn't get why fried fires took so long and they could not honestly admit they forgot to place the order.

People who came after us were already packing and leaving. The funny thing is that when we shared our experience to the general manager, "thanks for sharing the experience" was the only word we received.
Jeffrey C.
Oct 07, 2021
Foodwise, this is prob the best of the touristy restaurants in Fairbanks and prob one of the better restaurants we've been at in Alaska, edging out Turtle Club, Chena's Alaskan Grill, and Lavelle's. Good enough to visit this place twice in our 4 days at Fairbanks. : We had fish n chips, crab cakes, blackened halibut, oysters, and the crab and everything was well-executed, trad-American style. Place had a historical kitschy charm to it -- people and busloads of tourists definitely swarmed the place during dinner time but the turnaround was pretty fast!
Lynn B.
Sep 22, 2021
We came here on the recommendation of our vrbo host. Reservations were recommended but we managed to catch a couple of seats at the bar where we chatted with the friendly staff. We wanted locally sourced dishes so we chose the reindeer medallions and fish and chips which could be cod or the halibut we chose. The quality of the food was excellent. My husband has overlooked the slaw on his fish plate until I tasted it and discovered it was a delicious fennel and apple salad.

I had leftovers from the reindeer which we had for breakfast the next day. There's a nostalgic atmosphere with a touch whimsy. Great service. Prices weren't bargains but not too much for the quantity and quality. A good special occasion spot.
Chip M.
Sep 22, 2021
Very nice atmosphere! Really enjoyed the king crab legs, but how you gonna mess up a foot and a half long crab leg? Good time.
Meghan H.
Sep 16, 2021
We arrived at 5:53 PM and were told that there were zero seats to try eating in the saloon. (See pictures and time stamp.) When we arrived the main dining area was empty and the staff were rolling silverware but, we were told it was full. We are now leaving at the time stamp of the 3rd picture- officially 7:14pm having ordered at being seated 45 mins prior and only salads provided.

We didn't get refills without request. If you're going to carry on and turn your nose up at 5pm like you're a big time restaurant you better deliver. If you were in the lower 48 you would have been laughed out of town. On top of it when we went to leave our server got confrontational with us when we were expressed our dissatisfaction. Really?

The only redemptive thing was the bar manager who admitted that the service was not per owner standards. Clearly. What a joke. By the way- we weren't offered bread in the saloon, despite us being offered the same menu as the main restaurant. The awards and ratings they have received are from employees and any accolades they have received must have been from a decades ago because they clearly did not demonstrate an iota of this. We have been visiting Alaska for over a week from Seward on up into Fairbanks and this is the only spot that has left us disappointed.
Kylie
Sep 12, 2021
Had reservations for 8:30. The parking lot was packed but the atmosphere inside of the restaurant was great. Nothing felt busy, chaotic, or loud. Food was excellent. Loved the chowder and reindeer medallions. My husband got meatloaf and also liked it a lot. For dessert we had fruit crisp that tasted like delicious Christmas to me. Our waitress was super sweet. Great experience here
Adam Janke
Sep 03, 2021
We made reservations 2 months in advanced knowing we would be in town. Fine dining in a unique Alaskan town at a converted pump house by the river. Ambiance is perfect, waitress was attentive to our table of 3. Seated immediately. Reindeer meatballs for an app, filet mignon and bacon wrapped elk meatloaf for our meal, and tasty desserts. Portions were large and the meal was great. I recommend the beer flight so you can try different Alaskan beers. Bill came to $160 after tip for 3 (1 child) and was well worth it.
Deadra F.
Aug 22, 2021
We had just gotten off from a delayed flight. Needed food and an adult beverage. This was the place! We didn't have a reservation so we sat at the bar which turned out to be the best choice! Bartender gave food and sightseeing recommendation - both were spot on! Only regret is not going back again on our trip!
Jl Johnson
Aug 19, 2021
Great food, service and views. We tried to walk up but were surprised to learn they were jam packed. We left with a reservation for 5 PM the next day. The food was incredible and the servers were chatty and friendly. I loved my Alaskan Halibut which came in a savory broth. The seafood risotto and dessert were great too.
Frank D.
Jul 15, 2021
We have been to the Pump House 5 times, 2 while we lived in Cincinnati and 3 now that we live in Seattle. When in Fairbanks, it is the place for dinner. Make reservations. It is always crowded. We had halibut prepared 2 ways and a very good seafood chowder. The dessert tray was the most inviting I have ever seen in my life and we got the peanut butter pie.
Marie B.
Jun 13, 2021
Had such a great dinner here. Yes a little touristy but well, it is a tourist area lol. It didn't bother us at all. Everything about our meal was perfect, the server was super nice and my dessert was amazing - we go to FB often and will be having dinner there again!
Alana C.
Jun 07, 2021
On a beautiful sunny day, it's challenging to get a table on the deck, near the water. But if you can, it's the best seat in town. There's also indoor seating, but it can be a bit dark inside, and quite noisy. We've been coming here for years. Food used to be hit-and-miss. But lately, all the food has tasted excellent. My favorite items on the menu are the salads (salmon or calamari Caesar & the crab Cobb) and the blackened halibut dish off the dinner menu. There's lots of beers on draft.

We like the Twister Creek IPA, but sometimes I get the Strawberry Lemondrop Martini which is made with fresh berry puree. What's holding me back from giving more stars in this review is the service. The young lady who served our table seemed scattered, and I watched our drinks sit in the well of the bar for 10-15 minutes before she finally brought them over. She also wasn't very quick to replenish our ice waters. At the end of the day, Pump House is a landmark in this town and worthy of visits all summer. Cheers! :)
Chris C.
May 28, 2021
This is a super rustic old tavern saloon look. You walk in and the giant bear incased in glass greats you and you know you're in quintessential Alaska. We ask for a table, and bummer they are all booked and the bar is full so we had to sit outside. THOUGH SOME MY FRIENDS CAME SHORTLY AFTER WITH NO RESERVATION AND GOT SEATED INDOORS BOOOOO Anywho, now we feast off the limited options menu, which wasn't bad.

I got the quesadilla, king crab and some chowder. The chowder was, the crab was $40 a half pound (one leg) but good and the quesadilla was a. run of the mill quesadilla. The view was outstanding and our service was amazing. I will go back and hope to sit inside. Then I would def bump my stars.
Jie B.
Apr 07, 2021
Service: 4.5 star Chowder: 5 star King leg: 5 star Calamari: 3 star, it tastes like cheese, someone like cheese might like it Overall: 4 star
Nathan R.
Mar 27, 2021
This place might get 4 stars in other locations but it's kind of the perfect experience while you are in Alaska. The food is quite good, even amazing at times. Maybe not the cocktails as much, but you really go here for the unique food experience. I'll start by saying.that seafood chowder is the business. Just incredible. I'd go here just for that.

But beyond that, the reindeer meatballs are also incredible as were the elk and the reindeer entrees. I would definitely recommend the elk meatloaf over the reindeer medallions, but they are both fun to try. The staff is super fun and friendly and the decor is what you want from an Alaskan restaurant. But really, that chowder.
Kiran B.
Mar 18, 2021
I am SO glad we came here to eat. This place was recommended by two separate cab drivers and we knew we had to check it out. The Elk meat was definitely the best dish we ordered. My second favorite was the crab cakes and a close tie was the risotto! The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because COVID precautions weren't effectively taken.

One of our waitresses had seemingly deliberately removed her mask filter, making the mask effectively transparent. I wasn't comfortable with that nor the near 100% capacity operations
Tim V.
Feb 13, 2021
Had dinner there on a weekday, the seafood chowder was decent and the seafood risotto was good as well, the wife had the my strip and it was good as well. Over all the place was solid with great service, decent prices, good food, and cheap adult beverages.
Adrian A.
Feb 04, 2021
A staple in Alaska! My girlfriend's family and I went here for dinner since we're in the City of Fairbanks. The ambiance was great with bunch of hunted animals in taxidermy form, which make their steak so appetizing to order. This place has been here for a very long time and well established in the community; the perfect way to start the mini vacay in Alaska.

The customer service is great and accommodating to say the least. Definitely it proceeds it's reputation for being a seafood steakhouse. I ordered their Reindeer medallion steak, which comes with grits/ gravy and vegetables on its sides. Oh mann that Reindeer meat is cook to perfection because it is so gamey but at the same time tender and lean.

It melts like butter when you start biting it down. sooo goood! The sides are perfect combination to soften the gamey after taste of the meat. I ordered their red wine, as well to go all out with the steakhouse vibe : Meanwhile, my girlfriend and her mom ordered Alaskan crab legs, since we're in Alaska. why not?! Lol. I took a bite and boyy that was some milky flavored crab legs. Coming from a guy that doesn't eat crab that much, the meal was pretty solid. Overall, this is place is definitely a recommendation to people visiting the City of Fairbanks. A must! PS: damn it's uber cold outside :/