Chowder Barge – Wilmington, CA

Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay

Chowder Barge – Wilmington, CA

July 2024

On a hot summer Sunday afternoon, after a quick stop at Point Fermin Park and Lighthouse (celebrating 150 years!) in San Pedro …

… Tracy mentioned something about a barge restaurant in nearby Wilmington that serves what they claim is “the BEST Clam Chowder.” I had never heard of this place, but it was dog friendly (Garbo tagged along with us), so off we went. Oh, it also touts itself as “Los Angeles’s Only Floating Restaurant.” I was intrigued.

Wilmington is located between the Long Beach and San Pedro harbors in an industrial area gushing (not literally) with oil fields. In my seven decades of living in and around Los Angeles, I had never traveled these streets.  As we neared the marina and hopefully the restaurant, we had to wait about 15 minutes for a train carrying cargo containers before we could proceed in our quest to find the Chowder Barge.  (Be sure to keep a sharp eye out for the sign or you might miss the lane leading to the small parking lot near the marina.) 

We parked in a lot overlooking Wilmington’s Leeward Bay Marina located at the end of the Dominguez Channel. Locals affectionately refer to this area as, “Where the sewer meets the sea.” (There was no smell, so not to worry!)

In an excerpt from Los Angeles Magazine, “During filming of the 1935 original version of Mutiny on the Bounty, a large wooden barge was constructed to act as a support vessel, used to hold cameras and other movie-making equipment. After the film was completed, the barge was docked in Long Beach and mostly forgotten, enjoying brief stints as a Catalina Island shuttle, a houseboat, a brothel (allegedly), a machine shop, and finally and most importantly, as a restaurant specializing in thick, creamy Boston-style clam chowder.”

The restaurant was not crowded on this Sunday afternoon, so we decided to barge in. Garbo received a warm welcome when we sat down on the deck.   Our server brought her a water bowl and asked if she would like some bacon … bacon?  Since Garbo was still recovering from emergency surgery only 10 days prior, we passed in case of stomach upset.  I think she is still mad at us for that.

It was interesting watching the cast of characters as they took their boats out for the day. Garbo and Tracy, however, were forced to walk the plank.

The colorful, nautical-themed dark interior includes surf boards hanging from the wooden ceiling and a full bar that serves beer, wine and cocktails. 

Some might call the interior a little kitschy, but it has a cool vibe to it (plus I’m a sucker for mermaids), and would make a good spot to hoist a cold one.
Of course, having a beer outside on the deck with man’s best friend isn’t too bad either.

We started with cups of the chowder ( hey, it’s not called the CHOWDER Barge for nothing). It was very good, filled with plenty of clams and chunky pieces of potatoes.  Next time I think we’ll try the one topped with fried clams.
I followed the chowder with the Fish & Chips Basket, coleslaw and tartar sauce.  I liked that you can select from one to four pieces of fish.  Unless you are starving, the one serving fish was plenty big.
 For a brief moment, Tracy pretended to be healthy and ordered the Grilled Salmon Sandwich on a brioche bun with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce (but then she blew it when she ordered a side of onion rings).  The salmon was so large Tracy cut it in half so it would fit on the bun and took the other half home. 
 Burgers, dogs and sandwiches all come with a choice of fries, onion rings, coleslaw or salad.   We can vouch for the golden delicious fries and crunchy onion rings, and Tracy really liked the coleslaw. 
 
We definitely want to come back to try the Rev’s Special, which is a burger “slathered in chowder” (lots of napkins please!) and the breakfast menu (Friday-Sunday only).  Not to mention, Garbo says we owe her some bacon!

Was it the best clam chowder ever? Perhaps not, but it was very, very tasty, and the atmosphere inside and out made for a unique dining experience. If you’re in the mood for something out of the ordinary, come sample a little history (and a cup of chowder) at the Chowder Barge.

MaiTai Tom Tip:  If you can’t make it to the Chowder Barge, try Tracy’s summer Corn and Clam Chowder recipe … clams, corn, bacon, jalapeno …. This is the recipe you need now!

The Chowder Barge
611 N Henry Ford Ave.
Wilmington, CA 90744
Phone: 310.830.7937
Mon./Tues. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wed./Thurs. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Fri./Sat./Sun. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (breakfast served until 11 a.m.)
Parking: Free
Chowder Barge