11 Best Places to Eat in Juneau, Alaska (From a Local)

Eating the local cuisine is one of my favorite ways to explore a new city. Whether you're a frequent visitor or this is your first visit to Alaska's Capitol City - there's plenty of unique foods and restaurants due to Juneau's popularity with tourists and cruise ships. From gigantic king crab to unique items like salmon donuts, the following restaurants have been tried and tested by yours truly.

​My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to Alaska. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For flights, I recommend using Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to Alaska.

Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars!

I always use Expedia's easy-to-use platform to compare the best rates.
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To keep cell service if you're traveling internationally, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required), and NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi.

For fun things to do, I recommend Viator or Get Your Guide to find the best tours in the area.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my Alaska packing list for your travels to the Last Frontier.

Getting to Juneau & What to Expect

​Getting to Juneau can be a bit tricky depending on where you're coming from, but in most cases flying in is the cheapest and fastest option! You can fly directly from Anchorage and arrive in less than 2 hours. Getting around can be a bit trickier, since Uber isn't reliable, but Juneau has multiple taxi services (Evergreen Taxi or Mendenhall Glacier Taxi) and a public bus system too (from the Downtown Transit Center you can head pretty much anywhere in town, you can pay in exact cash when you board or through the Token Transit App).

If you plan to stay the night in Juneau, which from my personal experience is necessary to really experience Juneau, I recommend The Silverbow Inn. This boutique hotel is the only place I've stayed in Juneau, has a great location right downtown, fresh cookies each day, and even a rooftop hot tub. It's a great spot to base out of if you're hoping to visit some of Juneau's top sights!

Juneau's Best Downtown Hotel!

My Favorite Tours in Juneau :
- Whale Watching Tour
- Mendenhall Glacier Express Tour
- Helicopter & Icefield Adventure

11 Best Places to Eat in Juneau

1. The Grind Coffee Shop
This local coffee shop has multiple locations, including a grab and go location right across from the Mount Roberts Tramway Office downtown. They have a delicious Ice Vanilla Latte in addition to other hot & iced beverages, and also have some giant cookies and baked goods if you're looking for a little snack.

2. Sandpiper Cafe
This local cafe has won countless awards for their bacon - making it a must stop, just don't be surprised if there's a long line. I recommend trying their bacon (of course), one of their stuffed french toasts, and if you're feeling adventurous - then one of their maple bacon milkshakes.

3. Jellyfish Donuts
This unique, brightly colored cafe has another location in Ketchikan - and are known for their famous "Salmon Bagels". I'll be honest, their salmon donut is more like fry bread with salmon spread rather than an actual donut, but it's definitely a unique, "local" item to try. If you're not up to it, they have plenty of other regular donut options too!

4. The Island Pub
One of the only restaurants on my list that's not located downtown is The Island Pub in Douglass (across the water from downtown Juneau). Although they're famous for their pizza, which is delicious by the way, my personal favorite item on their menu is their Hummus and Smoked Salmon Spread appetizers!

5. Deckhand Dave’s
This small shack has grown into a popular "food truck park" in recent years, and is the one spot on my list that you can't miss. Although pricey at $7.50 for a street taco, their Halibut Tacos are worth it! My recommendation would be to try their sampler which has 3 different kinds of fish tacos, but my absolute favorite is their Halibut if you're wanting to just try one.

6. Alaskan Fudge Company
This little shop has multiple locations in the downtown area as well. Although they have all kinds of sweets and chocolates and desserts, I recommend trying their fudge! My personal favorite is the "Mount Juneau", a mint chocolate fudge that just melts in your mouth. When you stop in you can even see them making the fudge in front of you!

​7. Alaskan Brewing Co.
With two different locations in Juneau (their Depot Gift Shop is downtown and their Tasting Room is located about 5 miles from downtown) this is arguably the most popular brewing company in Alaska. They even have free summer shuttles from their downtown gift shop to their tasting room! You can find their brews at most bars, liquor stores, and food trucks here in Alaska.

8. Tracy’s Crab Shack
Chances are you've already heard of Tracy's and their famous red King Crab. However, it needed to be included in this list as one of the top restaurants in Juneau. I always get their King Crab Combo (currently $98 for King Crab, Crab Cakes, Bisque, and Rolls) and although it's usually AMAZING (hence the long line), I do want to note that on my most recent visit the food wasn't as great it's been in the past...think cold crab and soggy & wet bread buns. I'll be trying it again to confirm on my next visit!

​9. Asiana Gardens
With two locations in Juneau I've only ever visited their restaurant downtown (Asiana Gardens 2), however it ranked in one of the best asian restaurants I've visited in the whole state of Alaska. They offer a variety of Asian cuisines, from Chinese to Japanese to Vietnamese and even some Korean dishes - so there's something for everyone.​

10. Red Dog Saloon
If you're wanting an "adult beverage" or just to kick back and relax during your visit to Juneau, I recommend visiting the Red Dog Saloon. This unique bar has live music and supposedly Wyatt Earp's gun. Legend goes that as Wyatt Earp was passing through Juneau he accidentally left his pistol in town, which is now framed in it's own case behind the bar.

​11. Forbidden Peak Brewery
This local brewery is my personal favorite in Juneau. They have a small eatery inside and some great local brews. Since they're located in Auke Bay they also have some amazing views from their outdoor patio of the harbor - a perfect spot to enjoy some sunset views!

Watch my Juneau Adventures here!

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Other Alaska posts you might be interested in :
-> Best Summer Things to Do in Juneau
-> Port Day in Juneau, Complete Guide
-> Best Things to Do in Ketchikan

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