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    Duck Soup

    4.0 (310 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated a few days ago

    Duck Soup Photos

    DUCK SOUP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Duck Soup

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    Reviews With Photos

    Inside - IG @bougiefoodieboi
    Kyle W.

    Nice, cozy, Pacific Northwestern restaurant in Friday Harbor area, though dishes can be hit or miss depending on what you get and service could be better. Location requires a car as it is not centrally located near the ferries or seaplanes. I made reservations in advance for 6:30pm dinner Sunday, and it was quite busy. Most people are visitors like us so near 8:30pm when we finish the meal, the restaurant clears up with minimal people starting their meals, to catch the last ferry of the day. Note: despite the name, there is only one duck item on the menu, and according to the server, the name comes from the 70s saying here: "easy as duck soup." We got roasted baby carrot salad, braised pork belly, duck breast, and prawns and herb gnocchi. For dessert, we got the toasted dandelion ice cream sundae. We also got a cocktail "Twyla Mae" (forgot the exact spelling) that was a bit underwhelming - watered down. We got started with bread and anchoiade and butter, and the anchovy is pretty prominent and salty so enjoy it sparingly. The baguette was decent. The butter was also good. Roasted baby carrot salad was pretty solid - many uses of carrots which ended up flavorful, paired with a fresh herbed ricotta and fried carrot bits and baby arugula salad. Presentation was spot on too. Braised pork belly is decent - good ratio of fat to meat, with some oyster mushrooms. The mustard on the side was too strong and did not really pair with the pork belly. Duck breast was cooked to a medium and also had a decent fat to meat ratio. I love duck so this one was good. Prawns and herb gnocchi was also delicious. Price point is a bit high for what we get, 7 pieces of prawns that were pretty fresh, and herb gnocchi was large gnocchi, not the small ones. At minimum, the gnocchi was fairly flavorful, further enhanced with the sauce. Ice cream sundae was $14 which was quite high, about double the cost of what it was 2 years ago... but we were intrigued by the toasted dandellion flavor that ended up a bit subtle. We were celebrating a birthday and there was nothing special they do aside from just sticking a candle on the dessert. If we did not tell the server, they would not have paid attention, even though I stated a special occasion in the reservation notes. Service is a bit mediocre for a restaurant of this caliber. Long waits on food, so a 6:30pm dinner straddled close to 9pm, and our ferry was 10pm. We had to rush the dessert as it was already past 8:30pm, around the time we hoped to leave the restaurant to leisurely make it to the ferry. The server did not wipe down the table between mains and dessert, which would've been okay usually, but the server placed my spoon carelessly on top of some sauce that was left from the mains. I called it out, and they brought a cloth to clean the table but dropped the spoon loudly thereafter, which annoyed me a bit. Throughout the dinner, the server was nowhere to be found in a lot of instances, instead of paying closer attention to the tables if they needed anything prior to the server making the rounds across the tables every so often. Overall, a decent place that is recommended by lots of people, but a little overhyped. I would recommend for a nice dinner, but it falls short in service and some dishes when considering the price point indicative of a fancier sit down restaurant.

    Key lime pie
    Lynda T.

    I love the outdoor dining ambience for fine dining. This is a place where I would not bring little kids. Despite the name, they've never had duck soup on their menu. They did have a duck entree which was very good. I would not recommend their black cod. The grilled skin wasnt very crispy and the cod wasn't very blackened. Only other complaint is that it took 45 min to an hour to get our food.

    Brittany L.

    I loved the environment but for the price it's just Meh! If I visited San Juan again it wouldn't be here. I've spent a lot on meals before and I just wasn't impressed with the menu for how much it cost. The menu also doesn't describe everything that is on the plate. I got the dinner salad and it had goat cheese.... I hate goat cheese lol and it didn't say it came with the salad. Favorite thing was the Rockefeller Oysters.

    Clam Special (the clams were much larger than appears in the photo) - Highly recommend!
    Rose E.

    Came here for my birthday dinner since we were staying on the Island, and the flavors and quality ingredients combined with the beautiful location and decor were perfect. The service left a bit to be desired, though. Twice, our dishes were left unattended to the point that we had to move them around ourselves before anyone came to clear them. The servers aren't great here for a "fine-dining" experience restaurant. They also had a snooty air, which was annoying. The service was so slow that we decided not to order dessert or an extra cocktail because everything else had taken so long. Did notice that some folks were legit sitting and chatting for hours and hours because they were there well before and after us. Liked that it was an excellent place to catch up with loved ones without the pressure to leave. That may be why the service was slow. True Island time, I suppose. They have an adjacent parking lot and three seating areas: the dining room, this outside patio area, and the gravel patio area closer to the woods. I had initially booked the dining area, but the day was so beautiful that I kindly asked to be seated in the garden patio area. It was lovely watching the hummingbirds come and go while surrounded by nature. The parking lot view was the only annoying part. Had I not worn heels, I preferred the gravel patio area with fire pits. We ordered: (btw, one of the butters served with the table bread has anchovies mixed in and at first the flavor wasn't that great but it grows on you! Going to try to make this at home now) -Clam Special (I can't remember the exact name): The clams were giant! The picture did not do them justice, but this dish was excellent! -Confit Duck Leg--This was so delicious! Considering the name, I just had to try it, and it exceeded my expectations. I loved how they added citrus to the dish! -Smoked Pork Belly App: These were surprisingly hearty, even though they were tiny. I highly recommend you give them a try! -Petite Cioppino App - This was also delicious; the seafood was perfectly cooked, and the sauce tied the dish together nicely -2 cocktails which were delicioussss I highly recommend this place for special occasions or just for catching up with loved ones. Just make sure you set up your reservation ahead of time and enjoy the beautiful drive up. The surrounding area is gorgeous!

    Roasted baby carrot salad
    Richard D.

    Deliciously balanced preparations and well presented plates. Staff was attentive. Enjoyed the recommended cocktails and wine paired with our meal. Roasted Baby Carrot Salad, Scallops, and Sturgeon. Highly recommend!

    Lamb rack
    Sarah L.

    We loved our visit to Duck Soup! We made reservations ahead of time for dinner and were seated immediately. Our waitress was so friendly, welcoming, and attentive. We thought she did a great job with service. The space was cozy and inviting, with indoor and outdoor options available. It looked like the patio had heat lamps for chillier nights. The Halibut entree was our favorite out of everything we ordered, and the Chamomile Honeycomb Gimlet was so unique and flavorful. I would definitely put this on my return list!

    Halibut with lemon pepper butter sauce
    Camie K.

    Beautiful foliage-fringed restaurant with a funny name. The food is excellent but super pricy. Its location is not close to anything on the island except Lakedale Resort, which the trolley does stop by but limited hours/schedule so impractical, so you either need a car or hail/order a taxi to get there. Our server was gracious and attentive. She deserves 5 stars! Food/Menu - wide variety of meat and seafood to pick from. Very fresh and seasonal. Some highlights: - super flaky and crunchy bread served warm - the anchovies paste is scrumptious, could not get enough of it! - beet panna cotta is interesting! But together with goat cheese, candied pecans, and salad with a tart dressing it was well balanced - halibut was generous in serving size! Bit expensive for $48 - steak Diane was made to my husband's liking, and the potato Mille-Feuille side was super crunchy and addictive mouth watering. But still not worth $60+ imo Cocktails - earl grey old fashioned was lovely - Niepoort tawny port ended my night on a lovely note Definitely make reservations in advance! The server let us know that gratuity was already included since we had a large group. I appreciate that she even had written out the total amount so all we had to do was sign. Pricing is cost prohibitive, so just beware.

    Roche Harbor

    Majorly disappointed Read through recent reviews! This was our first time after being highly recommended by friends. Raw and cold duck, warm just ok Halibut and messy Un tasteful veggie sides. Staff including waitress couldn't care less. With no alcohol or desert $188 was insane Im all in for spending for a 5 star dinner but not this. Beware!!!! Read other recent reviews Mcmillons is a much better option Ps no comps or even a sorry. Staff indifferent

    Duck Breast and polenta
    Marissa L.

    My cousin brought me here for dinner and it was amazing. I loved the location right by a pond, it was very green and luscious, they even had a garden out front. We had a reservation, but had to wait a little bit for our table to be set up. Our waitress was super nice and helpful. We sat near the back of the restaurant. Inside was very cozy and a little dark, felt like being in a hobbit hole. For our appetizers we ordered the cucumber salad and pork belly. These dishes complimented each other very well. The cucumber salad was refreshing and crunchy while the pork belly was fatty and tender. The presentation of each dish was beautiful and eye catching. I liked their use of edible flowers in the cucumber salad. For my entree I had to get the duck breast. Presentation once again was stunning, the duck breast was at the center of the plate, but it was surrounded by fresh greens and topped with chives and another edible flower. The duck seemed slightly undercooked but still tender and delicious. The polenta was cooked perfectly and soaked up all the juices that came from the duck. My cousin ordered the radiatori for her entree and it was also plated elegantly and had a lot of fresh vegetables in it. Of course, we had to order dessert. We split a simple pot de creme, which was also topped with the usual edible flower. It was a chocolatey rich, but not too heavy dessert. We had a wonderful dinner here and I would definitely come back the next time I come to San Juan Island.

    Salad

    The salad and scallops were amazing! Well curated and seasoned. Every mouthful of the scallops just melted in my mouth! Loved the seed the croutons. So unique! Yummy bread and spreads too. Great service from Laurel and wonderful decor and ambiance. Duck was pretty good but not outstanding.

    Filet Mignon at Duck soup, the best steak ai have ever had.

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Duck Soup

    Westcott Bay Shellfish Company - Salad

    Westcott Bay Shellfish Company

    4.6(154 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    We came the first day of the season! We arrived 10 minutes after it opened at 12pm and there were…read morealready quite a few people and it filled up quick. Ordering can take a minute when it's busy but the food comes up relatively quick- especially the non cooked options. It was a beautiful day so seating outside was perfect. We got oysters where we shucked it ourselves and it was a fun experience! They give you a demo and can help if folks are having trouble. The freshest oysters you're going to get. The mussels were so flavorful with their broth. I recommend getting their bread for it!

    While visiting Friday Harbor, Westcott Bay Shellfish was recommended…read more Free parking can be found in the lot. Discover is an accepted form of payment. We didn't have reservations and were extremely lucky to be seated at a high-top table. If you want a tide table, be sure to make a reservation. The high-top tables are more like bar style seating while the tide tables are more family style seating. The tide tables are equipped with sun umbrellas and closer to the water. The high-top tables are also covered and equipped with blankets to help ward off the chill. The Farm Store is also an option if unable to get seating near the water. A casual self-serve dining style, similar to going on a picnic. The Farm Store also has a little gift shop. Westcott Bay Shellfish only offers beer and wine. I sipped on a glass of Revelation Rose for $14. My wife had a SJI Lager for $9. While deciding what we wanted to eat, we shared the Bakery San Juan Bread for $7 with Olive Oil for $2. We each sampled a single High Beach Sweets Oyster for $3.75 each; served with mignonette and a lemon. We each ordered a Stop Light Oyster Sampler (qty 3) for $13.50: Herb Lemon Garlic, Lime Cilantro Sriracha and Chipotle Bourbon. My favorite flavor was the Lime Cilantro Sriracha while my wife's favorite was the Herb Lemon Garlic. Service was impeccable. The environment friendly. The food fresh, flavorful and fun. Overall, I am so happy that our lodging steered us to Westcott Bay Shellfish.

    Photos
    Westcott Bay Shellfish Company - Stoplight sampler - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Stoplight sampler - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Westcott Bay Shellfish Company - Oysters

    Oysters

    Westcott Bay Shellfish Company - Outside

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    Outside

    Downriggers - New Year day special

    Downriggers

    4.0(739 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$$

    If you find yourself in Friday Harbor, you absolutely have to visit this spot. My top tip: make a…read morereservation. This place fills up fast, and after dining there, it's easy to see why! Our party of three visited for lunch at noon on a Thursday. Since we had a reservation, we were seated immediately at a lovely table right by the window. The atmosphere was great, and the staff were incredibly courteous and friendly throughout our meal. We initially thought about starting with some small plates, but we were so eager for seafood that we jumped straight into the entrees. We weren't disappointed: Bouillabaisse: This was our first time trying this dish, and it was the highlight for us. It was incredibly flavorful--exactly what we were craving. Spicy Prawn Mac and Cheese: It definitely lived up to its name! It wasn't "blow-your-head-off" hot, but it had a perfect, noticeable kick that really elevated the dish. Blackened Cod Tacos: These were fantastic. The cod was perfectly prepared and worked so well with the rest of the taco ingredients. We also enjoyed a couple of non-alcoholic drinks that hit the spot, though I'll admit that since I'm writing this a couple of weeks later, I forgot to snag photos or the specific names of the drinks! They also have a really nice patio area if you prefer dining outdoors. Whether you're a seafood lover or just looking for a great meal with a view, this place is a must-visit!

    A lovely restaurant tucked at the edge of Friday Harbor…read more While the views were stunning, the service was just ok. For the nature of the restaurant, we had hoped for our waitress to be more friendly and genuine. However, it felt like they just wanted to fulfill our order and be done. I ordered the South Sound Clams and Snapper Sandwich. Bathing in an umami-packed and rich Thai curry broth, the clams were tender and fresh with a bit of brine. Very good and shareable with one other person. The snapper sandwich wowed me! The bright escovitch and creamy avocado paired wonderfully with the snapper. Every bite was delightful. The house-made potato chips, however, were disappointing. They were thin, not crispy, and sticking to my teeth. If you can, substitute for fries or salad. Despite our subpar service, the delicious, well-priced food and beautiful scenery still make this the perfect date spot.

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    Downriggers
    Downriggers - Crab Melt***

    Crab Melt***

    Downriggers - Crab Deviled Eggs***

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    Crab Deviled Eggs***

    Madrona Bar & Grill - White truffle Parmesan fries ($9.95)  IG: @ohmyono

    Madrona Bar & Grill

    4.0(243 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    While staying a few days in Friday Harbor, my wife and I dined at Madrona Bar & Grill…read more Madrona Bar & Grill is closed seasonally and seats on a first come first serve basis. Madrona Grill offers outdoor dining with a gorgeous view of the harbor and island. Each table outside is equipped with a sun umbrella to help ward against damaging UV rays. Madrona Grill adds a 3% service fee to each tab to compensate the staff. Discover is an accepted form of payment. While looking over the menu, I had a San Juan IPA for $8.95 and my wife had a Seapine Pale Ale for $8.95. We shared the Pacific Shrimp Louie for $26.95: avocado halves (1 whole) filled with wild shrimp, served with Spring Mix greens tossed in vinaigrette, tomato wedges, lemon wedges and Louie dressing. We shared the Blackened Rockfish Tacos (qty 2): for $24.95: blackened seared Rockfish, mango-lime slaw and Pico de Gallo in a corn tortilla. Garnished with avocado crema, queso Cotija and pumpkin seeds. Served with salsa and a side of cucumber and grape tomatoes. We shared the Crispy Rockfish Crab Dip Club Sandwich (w/o bun) for $22.95: deep fried rockfish, crab, artichoke dip, mango-lime slaw and dill pickles. We chose the sea salt fries as our side. After our meals, we decided to stay for a bit longer and enjoy the view so I ordered a glass of San Juan Vineyards Rose for $12 and my wife ordered a Pig War Martini for $17.95. We had fun together sampling the food items that we chose to share. All choices were delicious with the Pacific Shrimp Louie being my favorite and the Crispy Rockfish Crab Dip Club being her favorite. It was peaceful sipping on our drinks enjoying each other and our surroundings without being pressured by the staff to leave. The staff were amazing in their attitudes, pride and knowledge. Bonus for providing island recommendations to us to explore during the rest of our stay.

    When I arrived, there was no one there, which was fine. I thought, awesome, I own the place! Then…read morea loud hen party showed up and a "VIP" needed help so the staff totally forgot about me. They eventually gave my order to someone else, so I waited a VERY long time for a cheeseburger. No comp, no apology, nothing. Also, the female supervisor is really loud and unprofessional. I left feeling unseen. I visit the island regularly, but never going back to this place.w

    Photos
    Madrona Bar & Grill
    Madrona Bar & Grill - Vegetarian noodle bowl with a St. Germaine spritz

    Vegetarian noodle bowl with a St. Germaine spritz

    Madrona Bar & Grill - Fluffy duck

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    Duck Soup - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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