I have visited here and it was my go to for myself and visitors since moving to Olympia and always had a wonderful experience ... until yesterday. I gave a 5 star rating a year ago although visited several times since then. I can't figure out what happened. Did the chef (s) move on, or pass away and a crew from a local fast food restaurant was hired as a replacement? I ordered the meal with filet, crab leg, lobster (portion?) with baked potato and Death by Peaches for dessert. I have had crab legs here before. This had been boiled until there was no flavor, and very ittle meat. And that was the selling point for me. The lomaster was fine but the sauce wasn't hollandaise as the bartender said. A watery, mustardy sauce. Not terrible but not very good either. Ordered filet medium, came well done. I took it home hoping to add to chili but too tough to eat. Took the baked potato home to save room for dessert and it was good. The real slap in the face was the dessert. I have ordered Death by peaches over and over and was never disappointed. What arrived was a heavy, dry, dense cake without much flavor, some peaches and a small scoop of ice cream. It needed a lot of ice cream or peaches to get through it. I left most of it. I don't mind splurging and I have without complaint but this was such a a disappointment. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Most of the patrons were older and I had to wonder if management feels their expectations are lower?[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will close by stating that wait staff and bartenders are top notch. Including Isiah from yesterday. Above and beyond even with a busy crowd. Never a complaint about the service. You are no longer my go to restaurant that I can depend on. Oh, had two drinks that were fine but the wine list is meh. read more

Clam Chowder is still beyond delicious - and they provided a splash of sherry too! Sunset dinner menu is okay. Definitely wish a few others were in the meal option list. My steak was medium well despite asking for medium, the mashed potatoes couldn't be swapped for anything and weren't great, and my son asked for no mushrooms but there were plenty in his dish. Chicken Fettuccine sauce is delicious, but the chicken is a bomb of lemon in your mouth. Salad was a little too heavy on the dressing, but good flavors and a good portion size. Fried artichokes had a delicious garlic aoli included. Creme Brulee - my son loved it to the point of scraping both of our bowls to the last tiny bit. I though it was okay but the sugar was bitter. Highlights: Clam Chowder and our awesome server (he had a beard). Both are worth returning for! read more

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Well i have to say it's consistently inconsistent. The prime rib is definitely the way to go, but they can't seem to get the temperature right. They will fix it fast though. The edible flower and microgreens are actually a great touch. $2 for 6 grape tomatoes in a Ceasar salad is diabolical though. Inflation hasn't hit that hard! Salad needs more cheese and dressing and fewer crunchy white bits. Mashed potatoes are on point and the bread doesn't disappoint. Im very happy to see the young lady whom is a carbon copy of the iconic Stacey Dash still employed there. I had to tell her she's famous but she definitely knew already. I did see 2 other women of color there which was shocking but in a good way. The 1st time I went it was all white male staff. Way to keep things diverse. Therefore we will keep coming to spend money. A other Sunday afternoon success. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Come early to get a great table by the water.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

They have the best happy hour in Olympia -- great mussels with broth and popcorn shrimp with unbeatable prices. Service is always stellar. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is maritime themed, cozy and entertaining.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]An easy spot to eat in peace.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great location great, ambience great service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great food highly recommend. The red seafood Curry was amazing. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Red curry seafood gumbo - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

My children and I were visiting family in Washington and someone suggested we try Budd Bay Cafe! So happy they did! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The views of the marina were amazing! Especially since we came at sunset.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was a big party so I can only review what my kids and I ate, but everything looked amazing! I had the surf and turf and it was fantastic! The lobster was a little cold but the hot lemon butter sauce was hot so it made up for the cold. My steak was made exactly how I ordered! My children ate shrimp pasta and they ate all of it! Which is rare so I know it was good! The service was outstanding! The pricing was to be expected as it was seafood! The waiter was on it even with the big party! Thank you when we get back to Washington we will definitely be back!!! read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Surf and Turf!!!! Super fresh!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Great restaurant on the bay! Great clam chowder but what really set this place apart was our waitress Nancy so sweet and genuine. Made the day! read more

The food was average nothing special. The most positive statement I can make is that I didn't feel ripped off.

Amazing clam chowder and all around fantastic food taste. Service was a bit lacking and slow We came on a Monday before 1pm. read more

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Food was amazing and delicious, portion was perfect and the soup was delicious and filling! The meat was tender and the calamari was crisp and fresh! Of course the bread was probably the best bread we have had in awhile! Service was top tier even on a busy day! [[HIGHLIGHT]]And the atmosphere was amazing, by the dock so we can look at the water and peope walking by![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely deserve a second visit! Thank you for having us on a Valentine's Day ! read more

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My last review was for the last thanksgiving buffet. This review is for the 2026 Easter buffet. I love prime rib, in addition to buffets in general and Budd Bay Cafe has prime rib on its menu daily. As is to be expected, the prices of the holiday buffet has been raised about $5, but they do offer a discount for seniors. As someone who grew up eating with some regularity at high end restaurants, I admit that my standards may be higher than the average diner. Though I felt the Easter buffet was better than my experience at thanksgiving, I was still disappointed. As to the prime rib. Until last year, whole 7 bone roasts were brought out to be cut to order. Now much smaller freshly cooked roasts are brought out from the kitchen to be cut to order. To be honest, I'm not really sure what cut of beef this is. First, if you like your beef cooked rare or medium rare, you won't find it at these buffets. The rarest from a freshly brought out was medium. Second, as someone who purchases and prepares prime rib roasts at home, what I was served did not have the melt in the mouth feel. it was more like a cheaper roast beef of another cut. Having said this, I was surprised to find rack of lamb/lamp chops, surprising as the cost per pound of rack of lamb is currently over $20 a pound at the supermarkets. For those who don't know, rack of lamb is the same part of sheep as prime rib is for cattle. The breakfast dishes were quite nice, and a printed card on the table offered made to order omelets, brought from the kitchen, rather than made in front of you. There was a nice but to my mind a rather modest selection of salads, cold meats and cheese. The selection of desserts appeared better than previous buffet visits. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I lucked out with my 2 pm reservation, as the restaurant was very quiet, though my great server told me it had been packed with long lines to get food earlier.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] All in all, at least for prime rib, I think I'll stick with the Friday special at O'Blarney's where two sizes are offered, the prime rib is always perfect, and the Friday special is at least $10 cheaper. read more

Went to bug Bay for Father's Day. Brunch got there at 10 was seated promptly when we went up to get our food. Everything we got was cold. The only thing that was warm was the omelette that I ordered. The prime rib was so overcooked and cold that I had a bite in then left alone the waiter asked is everything OK? I did tell him the food is all cold other people around the tables were complaining about the same thing and for 55 a person I think you should've had at least warm food. read more

Hi there, everyone! It was pouring outside today thus I called-in an order for the Budd Bay Carnitas Tacos to go. Upon returning to work the fries were nice; The tartar was very nice. But the tacos themselves lacked some things. I got two 6 inch corn tortillas per taco that had not been griddled nor heated prior to loading; I got a "dime bag" worth of carnitas and Cisco's own colored lettuce/cabbage blend; All ingredients said and done? They should use 4 inch or even 3 inch street taco tortillas given the amount of material being stuffed into each taco. Was not impressed. read more

Such a disappointment. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Dated atmosphere and subpar food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was good. The rolls are hard, the crab cakes were peppery, the chicken parm was confusing. Sliced rubbery chicken that was pre sliced, floating in a watery Alfredo, topped with cold marinara, and sliced Parmesan that didn't melt. It was inedible and thankfully was taken off the check. Would not recommend, will not return. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Chicken Parmesan - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Great food. Love when they have buffets. Great wait staff. Easter buffet coming up. Make reservations. read more

I should have stuck to my rule when eating out, only eat what can be cooked to kill any food borne bacteria. I got food poisoning here, had the special sandwich which was cold meats on grilled bread. Never order cold meats, turkey, ham, roast beef. They weren't even high quality meats. I paid $33.00x after tax and tip, for the special with chowder ($5 extra charge), only ordered water to drink. Our service was okay, they needed more servers for the lunch hour, so we had to wait longer for our order to be taken. read more

Nice waterfront location. We sat next to the window and had a nice view of the water. Staff were super friendly but service was so slow. We were there for almost 2.5 hours and most of that time was waiting. We had ordered a coconut shrimp appetizer and it never came. I guess the server realized it and brought us out a fried shrimp appetizer with a side of fries. My colleague told him we had ordered the coconut shrimp. He told her since it took so long g the cook added fries and this was going to be free so. . . it was kinda like he was implying, "just deal with it". We did have fresh sourdough rolls. So good. . . but sourdough is my fav! I didn't really see anything small on the menu and all I wanted was king crab legs. So I ordered a small Caesar salad and a side of crab legs. The crab was so good. I wasn't expecting 2 legs! I ate the crab and took home the salad and had it the next day. I don't even remember what my colleagues ordered but they seemed satisfied with their orders. As good as the 2 crab legs were, they were not worth the $43. Will I be back? Most definitely and hopefully with my husband or someone I can share a plate with. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Caesar Salad and side of king crab legs - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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The place was so cute and the food was delicious! I got the Sunset Dinner special which included an appetizer, meal and dessert for a very affordable price. I got the clam chowder and it was one of the best I have ever had. For my meal I had the shrimp scampi and dessert was New York style cheesecake. We went as a family to celebrate the holidays and the place was decorated so nice. I can't say enough nice things about our waiter, his name was Nick. He was wonderful, provided advice on drinks, food and continually checked on us. He didn't just help our table but there was a table of 2 blind people who he was serving and he took it upon himself to go above and beyond to ensure they had the best service too! Highly recommend if you are looking for a good restaurant for a celebration, date night, etc. you don't be disappointed! read more

I had the good favor of stopping in at the Budd Bay Café. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was a charming place set amongst the backdrop of an active waterfront.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was delicious and the service was excellent. I will definitely be stopping there. Next time I pass through Olympia.! read more

Amazing food and great job plating. Friendly and attentive staff. Cool view of the water. Over all a very good experience. I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

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T-bone Steak special (steak crab and shrimp) 40 and Cioppino 29 were amazing and generous portions! Sour dough rolls yummy. Food was fresh and cooked to perfection. Presentation was beautiful. Friendly staff. If I lived here I would be back often. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - T-Bone steak King Crab Grilled shrimp, clam chowder and Seafood Cioppino with Garlic bread - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This one has great food, service, and ambience always a nice stop when I'm in Washington.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]].. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I try to make it in every time I'm passing through just because of the food service and ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]You can't go wrong here.... At least I haven't in the last six years I've been stopping by.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Last week, I visited this cafe for the first time. I arrived 15 minutes before my friends and was seated at a booth. I have chronic back pain and should have asked for a table. The staff was so helpful as I couldn't sit down. The waitress moved all my stuff to a table for me. A wonderful gentleman, I didn't get his name, brought me some Dragon balm for my back and stayed with me until the cramping began to dissipate. By the time my friends showed up, the pain was so much more bearable. I will never forget their kindness. So, service 5 stars ++++. I had the butternut squash, and it was yummy. So, food 5 stars ++++. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was so pleasant to sit and look out at the bay. It is truly a NW gem.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I strongly recommend the Budd Bay Cafe. read more

Eat elsewhere. Tried cocktails horrible. Appetizers simple artichoke dip horrible. Fish taco was like Cajun goo with siracha Mayo. Horrible. Very high priced. Passing through town wanted to try new place. Never again. read more

Very good clam chowder, reasonably priced [[HIGHLIGHT]]great ambience in view[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Service is amazing.

We had a nice experience from the beginning. We had lunch on Wednesday afternoon. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated right away outside with the great view.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Kelsey our waitress took great care of us. We shared the Coconut Shrimp and the special Cedar Plank King Salmon. The food was good. It was a nice size salmon portion. The only thing was our plates were not taken off when we were done with each meal, luckily we had an extra table to put them on. I would recommend it especially with the beautiful water view. read more

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Server was great , we had 21 people , 6 was on one separate check . Food was great, have large amount . Enjoy Aloha! read more

Beautiful views at sunset and good food. Rosemary chicken reminded me of Thanksgiving flavors. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Rosemary chicken - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Service was friendly but terrible. Food was mediocre at best. I would be willing to give it another try and choose something different. The service issue may have been because the waitress wasn't unable to handle a larger party. read more

Came here with my family over the weekend to taste local food after finishing the first day of STP ride. We ordered bunch of dishes to share . We tried the their clam chowder and it was one of the best in Pacific Northwest. Cajun calamari was ok and the coconut shrimp is a bit salty but good. Salmon Salad, fish and chips are also delicious. They serve large fillet of fishes at least 3 o the fish and chips. For dessert we ordered the cobbler and death by peach served warm. The cobbler is awesome but the death by peach is a bit sugary. The caramel bourbon sauce is not needed for it is already topped with ice cream and the peaches are tart and sweet already . Our server is great and really tended us well despite of the dinner rushed challenge by short staff. He kept checking with us and also apologized for missing our drink but made up for it. Good place to try when in Port of Olympia Wa. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Our server was amazing! The customer service and the food were outstanding!!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Then we had a beautiful sunset to top it off.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]What an incredible evening![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Thanks for helping us make a great memorable 81 birthday for our mom !!! read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Cioppino 9-10-25 - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Good food but definitely caters to an older crowd as nothing was salted. Jerry the waiter was a gem. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Surf and turf - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Kelsey is amazing! She made our visit here sooo lovely! She was so attentive and took great care of us. We will be back for her!!! Great food too read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Went for a quick meal yesterday and we found ourselves a new date night spot. Everything was so good we didn't even bother taking pictures. We had a cup of clam chowder to start which was so tasty with the perfectly made tiny sourdough bread balls. I had the Budd Bay cheddar burger and my husband had a Prime rib dip and both were so flavorful the fries on the side were nice and crispy and as if the food wasn't a good enough reason to come back [[HIGHLIGHT]]the nice view of the bay made it even more reason to return.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] To top off an already good meal our server Ben was so incredibly nice and very knowledgeable on what the special were, he was very polite and his service was both friendly and attentive.We will most certainly be back for another meal. read more

Budd Bay is consistently one of my favorite restaurants. The food is always fresh and delicious. The view is beautiful and the interior is so cozy. I went to Budd Bay with a group of friends over the weekend and had some amazing food. Unfortunately our service was lacking. I think this was a fluke though considering how full they were. Multiple items were forgotten which was a bummer. I'll definitely come back and try it again. read more

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We were disappointed in the food. We came for the clam chowder. Maybe we are spoiled on the Oregon Coast, but the chowder was tasteless paste. The fish tacos were dripping fluid. No fresh toppings. Just tasteless fish wrapped in a warmed tortilla. The grilled salmon was greasy. Again, no flavor. The sourdough rolls are excellent. And our kids enjoyed their fish and chips & cheeseburger. Our waitress was kind. After speaking to the manager the fish tacos were removed from our bill. It is very over priced for the quality of food. read more

First of all...only 2$$?? No, that should be revised. Plan on paying at least $30/plate! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's so shabby and needs a huge update.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everyone's food was subpar to say the least. Fish & Chips (cod) was dry and overcooked mostly because the cod was thin. I had a crab melt and there was no way to tell if it was crab or even canned tuna! Mushy, fishy, and the mashed Yukon potatoes were gluey. The service staff was very indifferent [[HIGHLIGHT]]The carpet is stained black and needs to be replaced, along with most of the tables, chairs, etc.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The only thing that made this a good night was the friends we joined there. Do better BBC. You've been strong and steady for many years and are currently riding on your previous reputation. read more

Great service and beautiful views. Ordered the classic 2 pc fried cod and chips and loved the crispy fries with the tartar sauce. read more

Budd Bay Cafe - Inside - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Generous portions, great food & attentive staff. The atmosphere is casual & the views of Budd Bay stunning. Perfect in every way!

To be fair a busy time of day. To be truthful miserable food (cold, tasteless could not finish even the hungry kids passed)