I'm hooked on this place. I can't remember how many years ago I first stumbled into the Bay Cafe', but I'm back several times a month. I happen to like the way they make pancakes; not too thick and doughy. But try anything. Lots of Benedict's on the weekend menu. Good choice of burgers, sandwiches, omelets, salads and daily specials. Over the years I haven't had anything that made me say "yuck". People this is a diner. It is not gourmet. Ya want gourmet, go to Cafe' Campagne down by the market. Okay? Just go. read more

I've lived in the area for over 5 years and somehow just discovered this hidden gem earlier this year. Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day, and I know that trendy brunch spots are the thing now adays, but I'll be honest, I'm pretty no frills when it comes to breakfast. I like your standard pancake/waffle fare, some good bacon, cripsy hashbrowns and some scrambled eggs. This place is a pretty no-frills diner like experience - similar to ihop or denny's but obviously not a chain. I've never had an omelette here, but they seem to be popular (and look huge). For the most part service has been speedy, but the paying process can be long as you pay a cashier rather than your server and their credit card machine is pretty slow and a line can build up. read more

If you like refined, froo-froo Seattle brunch experiences, don't eat here. It's a for-real diner with limited ambiance. If you like good food, big portions, friendly service, plus a great view, eat at the Bay. My husband and I come here almost every weekend and we are never disappointed. Omelettes are tasty, hashbrowns are great, as are the pancakes and waffles. The coffee could use some help but that's our only complaint. The best feature is the woman who runs Bay. She's a riot - a true matriarch - who runs a tight ship and works darn hard. Will you have fluffier eggs elsewhere? Yes. Will you find a better latte? Absolutely. Will you find a place that makes you consistently smile more than the Bay? Probably not. read more

The server who worked Friday am called me an alcoholic after two mimosas. I tipped the bitch $30 and I regret it. Anyways. Hate her and the food sucked. read more

This is a good place to have a decent breakfast with great customer service. For years I would come to the fisherman's terminal and would see this diner but never thought about trying the place. My other half wanted to try a different traditional breakfast place so we thought we would try it out. It is your standard diner with a great view. It actually looks similar to Chinooks that is a fish market away from here. We were seated at a small booth near the counter. I forgot our servers name but she was absolutely awesome. She had a great attitude and always had our coffee cups and water filled and checked if we needed anything. The food was good, it is your standard breakfast. Price wise it is on par with other diners. They did have specials on the blackboard that had seafood listed. I would come here more often if it wasn't out of the way for me. read more

Between the alternative style of Capitol Hill and the hipness of Belltown or the clubiness of Pioneer Square - one might forget that Seattle is a marine town with seafaring culture. This is what you remember about Seattle when you are at Bay Cafe. Looking out at boats (tug and fish) at the Fisherman Terminal, and eating across from a man in waders, you feel connected with lost (though present) culture of Seattle. This place is only open from 7am to 2:15pm - breakfast and lunch. The people are nice and a coffee cup never goes empty. Hearty, and comparably, cheap meals make Bay Cafe a refreshing experience. Has a laid back diner feel. I am new to the area and the waitress commented that she had never seen me, then took the time to lean on the table and tell me about the Cafe and its history. There was no rush about the place at all, though my food came quickly. Egg centered breakfast menu (Benedicts, Omlettes, Scrambles) but also offer waffles, pancakes and such. Salmon/Seafood are also omnipresent in these dishes and one assumes that the fair is local (they aren't hip enough to advertise their "local" ingredients in a gimmicky, marketing way). I've had a better benedicts (though mine here was very good) to be honest. Their lunch menu looked good and had an international flair (gyro plate, Mediterranean dishes...). If the food was any better I'd hit it with a 5-Star rating. But I like this place very much indeed. read more

Diner atmosphere with good food & good service. Nothing fancy but value for the money. Would definitely come back. Benedicts and biscuits & gravy are good. read more

We get forced into eating here, because my relatives like this place. The food isn't great (weird, sweet tartar sauce, fried fish plated atop iceberg lettuce, so the fish is damp) although not terrible enough to send back. I always feel queasy for about 24° following a meal there, no matter what I order, so next time the relatives choose this place over Chinooks, I'll stay home. Our waitress was fairly solicitous, but just because the restaurant is located at Fisherman's Terminal, it shouldn't mean that their waitresses must SOUND like a fisherman. The fries were good, though. Should I ever break down and eat there again, I'll just get an order of fries. read more

I absolutely love this place. Its a diner through and through. I frequent this place on Sunday's for brunch usually. And on most Sunday's there is a line and the first couple times I was here I thought I'd have an incredibly long wait. But we usually get seated within 10mins of getting there. The place is big and always packed on Sundays and has a variety of customers. On others days its a bit more mellow. I've never had a problem with the staff and found the service to be great. Quick and efficient. I've tried various things on the menu and I love everything they have. One of my favorites is the Popeye scramble. The crab cake benedict is also very good. This is one breakfast place I will definitely keep coming back to. read more

I love the food, atmosphere, and staff here. The have the best Monte Cristo sandwich!

Really good breakfasts can be had here. Fine views of fishermen's terminal. Very casual and the food is pretty darn good. read more

Bay Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I love the food and the service is fast. But it is soooo pricey. Almost twenty dollars a plate for most of the items.

This is an old-school diner to be sure. I've had breakfast and lunch here, and would suggest breakfast over lunch. Still, I haven't been disappointed in anything I've had here, and the service is good. This place is kinda lesser-known because it's out of the way. (Crossing a bridge off 15th between magnolia and ballard to get to the marina.) Worth a stop-by if you're looking for a good breakfast. read more

I ordered the Oscar Omelette (diced ham, asparagus, crab meat, mozzarella cheese and hollandaise sauce). It was large enough to split into two portions! The crab meat came in chunks, which I greatly appreciated. I was afraid that I'd get scraps, but was pleasantly surprised. The 8-grain bread was deliciously normal and well-toasted. The service was fantastic; our waitress was a delight. The ONLY complaint I have are the hash browns... although I don't think it's as much of a complaint as it is a "I've had better". They just taste like the normal frozen hash browns you'd probably get from any ol' breakfast joint. Overall, it's a good breakfast place to try out. read more

Greeted by happy staff quickly. Struggled to choose between two board specials: salted caramel French toast or grilled snapper, eggs and hashbrowns. I chose latter. Yum! Two eggs cooked to order. A plentiful amount of browns and a huge serving of grilled snapper. I'm very critical of bar and restaurant service and they exceeded my desires. My only critique is one that would help them ... There were extensive specials written near the entrance but I was greeted at the table with, "Do you know what you would like?". Since specials are often using ingredients not normally used, it would help reduce spoilage if I'd been asked as my coffee was being poured, "Did you have a chance to see our list of tasty specials by the door?" A great breakfast experience! read more

I guess the Bay Cafe is supposed to be know for their breakfast foods, but I honestly haven't tried them. I work in the area, so I've gotten lunch here quite a few times. I can say that the food is always good and is tastes like comfort food. I have tried quite a few of their lunch items, but honestly, the clubhouse sandwich is the best. :) And as other reviewers have said, the portions are huge. I usually can only eat half of the sandwich and have to save the rest for later. Whenever I call to order food or go to pick up my food, I talk to Pam. She is the sweetest lady! And she remembers me! I would reccommend the bay for some good ol' comfort food. Always makes me feel good on a rainy day. read more

The service is consistently great, the staff seem to really enjoy working at the Bay Cafe and seem to get a kick out of the customers. They're friendly and want you to have a good experience. The view is quite nice and I enjoy the big windows facing north so that we may enjoy the view. The booths and bathrooms are clean. The service staff makes sure to clear your plates away when you're done so you don't have to sit staring at the mess. The food is exactly as advertised, diner food. The portions are hearty, I can't finish my plate. Some dishes are better than others, I stick to the classics except for the Benedict because the hollandaise sauce needs a little work and I'm under the impression that most of the seafood is frozen or canned. Other than that you'll fair well with omelets, pancakes, waffles, etc. This is a great place to entertain friends who enjoy coffee with their breakfast instead of mimosas. read more

Great place to go where the staff treat you like family. I love the fact that the staff treats you like family because my family always has get togethers here. They don't take reservations but that always accommodate us when we show up and sometimes we have 10 people when we randomly decide to go. The food here is also really good. You can't go wrong with any of the omelettes or eggs benedict here. read more

Yummy! Came here in late August last year. We ere seated as soon as we walked in, and the host was very accommodating and friendly :). The portions are huge! Well, this coming from a Canadian, but wholly moly! I couldn't finish my sandwich lol. The restaurant was kinda cold, but that wasn't a huge issue. It reminded me of IHOP. It's in Fishermen's Terminal and it has a very nice view of Salmon Bay, especially on a sunny day. Can't wait to go back! read more

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We had a quick and tasty breakfast here last weekend...pancakes with strawberries, waffles, sausage and scrambled eggs....all very good. And no wait for a table on a weekend morning. Yep, it's true -- you can actually get a good breakfast in Seattle without waiting for an hour. Woo hoo! Our server was nice and efficient. In fact, she dropped the check before our meal was finished, but then checked back to make sure we didn't need anything else. A good start to our day. read more

Good breakfast / brunch place. Right next to the docks, with a great, up-close view of the boats. Seafood omelette--shrimp, crab and scallop inside, cheese and hollandaise on top--was delicious, and I swapped the toast for fruit. Service was prompt and friendly. read more

Bay Cafe - Seafood omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I took my dad here for breakfast when he was in town for Christmas. I do love the Fisherman's Terminal view and vibe and the waitstaff was fast and efficient, but the breakfast was bland and not awesome. I wish the food was better there because the location is great. read more

Yuck. I gave this place a try after being recommended by a friend. Sadly, It majorly disappointed. The food was delivered cold! Our server, Cindy was snarky when I took my plate up to the counter to be be microwaved by another server. She then spoke rudely about my wanting my meal heated to the other server,right in front of me! She also dismissed me when I asked for butter for my Grandmother's potatoes, and never once came back to our table, not even for water refills. Her excuse was "I had six tables at once"! She delivered my cousin's so-called salad (plain old bagged lettuce smothered in ranch) before our drinks & asked "who had the salad?". Wow. Debbie, the manager I asked for THREE times before being acknowledged, wasn't much better. ‍ The view was great.... But the service & food aren't worth giving it another try. read more

TL:DR - overpriced for what you get; I won't be back. I've been curious for years to try this early-closing place; the timing finally worked out for a late breakfast. The north end of the interior is light and airy, with 2-story windows looking out directly on the boats; the rest (the majority of the space) is pretty blah. I got seated in a cramped booth which turned out to be a bad spot, with an EXTREMELY annoying and intrusive light fixture. It wasn't super-busy, but it was a full 10 minutes before the waitperson approached. The food didn't take too long. I had opted for a biscuit with my eggs; but what I was served resembled a hamburger bun more than anything else. My pet peeve was the ultra-cheap flatware they use; its the type with sharp edges that cut into your fingers, which I hate. The main problem with this place is that its overpriced for what you get, accurately reflecting Seattle's soaring commercial rents and minimum wage. There are NUMEROUS other similar places with similar or cheaper prices which are much much more pleasant. I felt burned by the experience, and don't expect to return. read more

Went for breakfast this morning... Mr. Picky had eggs, hash browns and bacon... I had the same swapping out bacon for sausage links. Clean place, nice staff... food was over priced for what we got. MN flavor at this place, bland. Good view... read more

I was show a picture of my empty plate because that would say it all. Ordered minced ham and scrambled eggs sourdough and hash browns and it was all exactly what I wanted and expected. Service was spot-on. Food was hot, very prompt, and I felt good that I brought my wife here. I would definitely come again and I've been here before and the only reason I'm not getting 5 stars is because it's not the Ritz. read more

With the possible exception of Katina's Kitchen, the Bay Café is the best place in Magnolia or Interbay for breakfast! As I have mentioned in other reviews, There are four aspects to every sit down restaurant - food, service, ambiance, and value. Food: Family and I eat at the Bay Café at least twice a month. Every omelet we have ever ordered has been superb and more than ample, even for my appetite. Service: The service is classic! I am always reminded of the waitresses at "Mel's Diner" in the 1974 film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and the subsequent 1976-1985 TV sitcom "Mel's Diner" or "Alice". Are you old enough to remember this? If not, look it up. Ambiance: Looking out over the Ballard fishing fleet. Value: Great food and service in a cheery atmosphere at reasonable prices. Check out the daily specials. read more

I'm not a seafood fan but this place is really really good, especially for breakfast. Typical every time I visit Seattle we end up eating here every day for a week and I leave never wanting seafood again... Then I always come back for more. The breakfast menu is great and tasty, food is prepared to perfection, the wait staff is courteous, polite and always there to top off a cup of coffee. I suggest a visit by anyone in the area to this cafe. It's well worth the time and your belly will thank you. read more

If you have not given yourself the opportunity to "step outside the box" to try the Oyster Eggs Benedict... you are truly missing out. Try. It. Now. Thank you for wonderful service and DELICIOUS food. I'll be back! read more

The benedicts here are so good...we had the Italian and the Seafood, both were excellent.

I love this place. Unfortunately I live in ballard now and it SO hard to get over the ballard bridge. I know Im lazy! I love the feel of fishermans terminal and the corned beef hash and pouched eggs always come out quickly and hot. Friendly staff and easy parking. read more

Best breakfast place in Seattle. Too sad they are closed now due to Covid, but look forward to coming back again once they reopen.

It's a DINER OK ! great place for classic diner fare without any frills . Weekends have several benedicts available , service from past tells me that the more busy they are the better, your food arrives fast and piping hot. read more

I've eaten here many times in my life. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Unfortunately I don't get it all too often. The food here is great, no complaints in that department. I understand grabbing breakfast on a Sunday morning can be a challenge because its busy. But the last 3 times the hostess was rude to my wife and me. We left. again, food great, weekend hostess too stressed out..... She needs a vacation. read more

My fruit cup was moldy. It had mold in it. The eggs were not fresh and not high quality. The service was ok.

Went to the Bay Cafe for a nice family breakfast. They were busy, so we stood in line patiently and waited our turn. A couple blew past us and all of a sudden they were being served before us! I told the hostess that we had been waiting patiently and were first and she said that since we had 3 people we had to be seated in a different section. This is not true as the inside area of booths hold 4 people, no problem. The hostesses demaeanor was rude and no apology for taking the other people first. We left, didn't order and headed to the Varsity!!!! Go there, the food is better and Patti the lead hostess is a peach and will makes sure to keep a list who's next!! read more

This is what a diner is all about. Good food, good coffee, great view of the fishermen's terminal. Lots of booths, reasonable prices and they have seafood benedict on the weekends. If you are looking for a good breakfast spot and haven't been here yet, then try the bay cafe. They have parking and if there is a wait it is usually pretty quick. read more

If you like Denny's, this is your place. Not impressed. . . Food was bland, service was poor and fruit was not fresh. 2 stars for location.

Everything here is the bomb.com!! Best in the northwest fo sho!!!!8}

This place is great. I love how it had a casual diner feel. It looked really small, but our large group of 8 people was seated right away in a separate room. Our waitress was really upbeat and honest about the food. She brought us coffee right away and kept the waters full. I ordered a feta and spinach omelette with fruit. It was extremely large and absolutely feta filled delicious. Everyone really enjoyed their food and I would definitely be back! read more