The Hangar on the Wharf

With its location on Gastineau Channel and the Pacific Ocean just beyond, seafood dominates menus around the city of Juneau.  We ate multiple marvelous meals featuring the bounty of local waterways during our time in Alaska’s capital city, but no place wowed us more than The Hangar on the Wharf.

It is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, the menu offering salads, sandwiches, and burgers. But it would be a mistake to not make your meal seafood-centric. We highly recommend starting with a bowl of halibut chowder.  Thick, milky, with a peppery punch, it is loaded with potato and big, meaty chunks of fish.

Instead of a plate, Tempura Fish and Chips are served in a metallic fry basket.  Lightly coated, crispy with a minimum of oil, the halibut retains firm texture and clean, sweet flavor. Chips are extra-thick steak fries with wonderfully creamy centers. A wet, mayo cole slaw and homemade tartar sauce come on the side.

Another highlight is the Alaskan Bento Box, which offers smaller portions of several dishes. When it comes to fish preparation, we generally believe that less is more. Fortunately, the light soy/ginger glaze on the salmon gives it a salty/sweetness that enhances the natural flavor of the fish. It is topped with black and white sesame seeds, plus scallions. Also included is King crab poke that is impossibly fresh — as good as anything we have enjoyed in Hawaii. Wasabi slaw provides heat. A single plank of tempura halibut completes this memorable dish.

The building orginally was a seaplane hangar, dating back to 1932. Make sure to ask for a booth next to the windows, where you have stunning views of Douglas Island, the channel, and downtown Juneau.