Beer galore at Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood is on the second floor of the building where Zen Teppanyaki is located along Coconut Street in the tourist district of Garapan. It’s open from 10:30am to 2pm and from 4:30pm to 9pm daily. (Contributed Photos)

Might as well call Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood the Munich of the Marianas because, the Chinese restaurant in Garapan has essentially been selling beer for as low as $1 each since October last year.

Oktoberfest is every day under Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood’s VIP Beer Card promotion where a deposit of $45 entitles you to 30 cans of beer and a $66 deposit 66 cans of beer.

The Chinese restaurant was already known for its $10 lunch buffets before Saipan had its first coronavirus case last March. Their bread and butter, however, went out the window due to guidelines set by the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and restaurant owner Cindy Zhang had to innovate to survive.

At first they did take-outs, soon after the task force shuttered all dine-in restaurants, then slowly reopened their dine-in operations when the CNMI went down to Community Vulnerability Level Blue last June. Despite opening the restaurant though, Zhang said sales were still down and were just enough for them to break even.

By happenstance, Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood started the VIP Beer Card promotion in October and what originally was just a monthlong thing became so popular that Zhang decided to continue the promotion indefinitely.

Beer options under the VIP Beer Card promotion are Budweiser, Bud Light, and Asahi. Customers must also consume their beer in-house and cannot take-out their libations.

Zhang said their staff will keep tabs on customers’ beer consumption and they and their friends don’t necessarily need to finish their beer in one sitting as they’re allowed to consume the beer for a period of three months.

Since the promotion began, Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood has become sort of party central for social gatherings, reunions, friends just wanting to hang out, or officemates winding down after a hard day’s work. Zhang said they’ve become especially popular among golfers who have taken a fancy to their VIP Beer Card promotion.

Aside from the VIP Beer Card promotion, the Chinese restaurant also boasts of the island’s best roast duck, roast chicken, roast pork, and sweet char siu (Chinese barbecue pork).

They also have $5-for-5 choices meal. Some of the popular fare include stir-fried noodles, fried chicken, sweet and sour pork, sliced pork, beef with potato, beef broccoli, and stir-fried vegetables. The bento-style meals come with rice and cooked in Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood signature Guangdong-style cooking.

On top of these, Zhang said customers could also order from their a la carte menu where items are also discounted up to 20% off.

The restaurant comfortably sits 75 diners under the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force guidelines.

Fisherman’s Wharf Fresh Seafood is on the second floor of the building where Zen Teppanyaki is located along Coconut Street in the tourist district of Garapan. It’s open from 10:30am to 2pm and from 4:30pm to 9pm daily. For reservations, call (670) 788-4019 or check their Facebook page: Fisherman’s Seafood Wharf Saipan.