El Agave Mexican Restaurant

During a recent stay at the Fairhaven Village Inn (adjoining) we were excited about visiting…read moreGalloway's - based on the website's photos and posted menu. The place has potential but honestly disappointed. See photo below of the Hummus Platter. Really? Next came the "Baked Brie with Figs & Cherries" - which sounded delicious. No figs in sight - yes, a ramekin of baked brie with a bit of cherry in it, but... uninspired. We also ordered the Stuffed Potobello - and left most of it on the plate. Pros? It was close to our hotel, and has charming half-moon booths. Summary? Uninspired with potential.

Been here a couple times and I can say that it is an absolute treat! Not only is the staff…read moreincredibly welcoming, the cocktails are absolutely fantastic. This is what they mean when they use the phrase, curated mixology. They have crafted libations that will suit anyone's taste, and do so with excellent presentation and quality. This is a place that you go to and feel classy immediately upon walking in. Not so in a pretentious way, but in comfortable way. Also, their food menu consist of small tapa style food; The cheese stuffed dates are enough to send you to heaven! Excellent for a date night or night out with the girls/guys.

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Southside Bar

3.9(24 reviews)

the beer selection is crap! chuckanutt kolsch- crap…read morestems IPA- ok Larrabee Lager- crap terramar cider- seriously cider! wander IPA - absolute crap model- acceptably crappy Miller High Life- seriously! Heidelberg Lager- are you kidding me!

Super rude manager who cannot read an ID - refused service because my real ID didn't look real to…read moreher. Will not be going back & will not recommend to friends! Absolutely unwelcoming environment.

Sardines, etc.

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Estelle

4.1(65 reviews)

Beautiful food with very fresh ingredients and a lovely staff. A pleasure. I enjoyed my mealread more

Love the vibes of this restaurant! It's on the pricey side but you can tell the ingredients are…read morehigh quality and the food is top-notch. Every single item we got was amazing but my favorites were the pretzel bread, duck fat fries, and roasted carrots. The pretzel bread is pillowy soft, the duck fat fries were so crunchy with umami flavor, and the roasted carrots had a delicious sauce on top with shallots. The duck confit was also cooked perfectly but I would recommend getting the orange glaze on the side since it was very sweet/bitter and could overpower the duck. The steak was also a little bit on the tough side when we got medium so maybe opt for medium rare.

Lacinato kale pasta with pecorino, pistachio, and black pepper

Brussels with apple cider, ginger, and sage aioli.

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Dungenness crab pasta with 'nduja butter and Meyer lemon

The Black Cat

4.1(486 reviews)

0.0 mi

Stopped by Bellingham to grab a quick lunch after hiking to Fragrance Lake. As a cat lover this…read morerestaurant really had me at the name already lol. I was happy to see steamed clams on the menu. I grew up eating fresh steamed seafood for dinner, so battered fried seafood that is more common here hasn't really grown on me yet. To me fried seafood is a fancy version of chicken nuggets. I loved the clams, so light but bland. The sauce is full of umami flavor, drizzled with some fresh lemon juice, it was like a summery beachy afternoon in a bowl. I could easily dip a loaf of toast with it if I had one. The clams were fresh and meaty, nothing to complain about with this dish. My partner had the grilled cheese, and he said it was mid. He's vegetarian, and I don't like cheese, so I didn't bother to try any of his meal to do my own fact check. The staff were friendly too. Overall, this is a nice place to grab lunch when visiting Bellingham.

We stopped by The Black Cat and had a bit of a mixed experience…read more The Florentine Benedict had great flavor, but unfortunately it came out completely cold. I get that the spinach and tomato are meant to be cool, but the poached egg and hollandaise should at least be warm--kind of the whole point. On the flip side, the Black Cat breakfast (bacon + waffle) was delicious, and the Croque Madame (Croque Monsieur with a fried egg) was chef's kiss. Only note there--fries under the sandwich instead of on the side made things a little soggy. Coffee was solid, but we never got a refill, and same story with water. Once the food hit the table, service basically disappeared. Atmosphere is great--cozy, classic Fairhaven vibe--but overall service was very slow. Would come back for the food, just hoping for a little more attention next time.

Entrance

Black Cat Breakfast with bacon and a side waffle

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Crab cake Benedict

1-Up Lounge

4.2(33 reviews)

•$

This place is really special. The way it is designed, you as a patron are encouraged to share the…read moreexperience of gaming which is hard to do. Most barcades will lock the patron in a singular experience exclusively and assume "this is what people want, right?" And while 1up knows that this is totally a valid part of a gamer's experience, they remember that sharing games with your friends is what makes gaming memories last. Thanks for creating the most unique and thoughtful space for really enjoying games and employing staff that understands that.

I just love this place. They have something like 2500 games and every system from Atari to…read morePlaystation 4 and everything in between. So I can get my mario fix and check out some of the newer games. (Like the newest Tomb Raider on PS4!!!! Ahhh I love it!) This place is so nostalgic for me. One game I used to play a lot as a kid is Alex Kidd on sega. So much fun to play that and think of "the good 'ol days." They have happy hour everyday from 4-7. Which means the drinks (draft beer and a simple selection of liquor) are a bit cheaper and it is drink to play. If you don't want to drink it is $5 an hour for the first hour. Up to $15 for a day pass. Or $40 something for a month pass. Considering what you can get for that it is an amazing deal. They also have food. This is the only spot that made me consider not giving 5 stars, but I love this place even if they didn't have food. It was what I imagine all teenage boys eat while playing for hours in their basement. Frozen food they pop in a convection oven. And it is all nasty. However, I do watch people eating and they seem to enjoy it. Oh! This place is 18 and up after 8. They seem to be a bit easy on this rule, but just keep it in mind when you have a hankering to play some Mario at 9pm with a teenager. Lol

The "dining" area

Some patrons enjoying the games

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The owners with some regulars

Matthew’s Honest Cocktails

4.2(25 reviews)

2.3 mi

We were wandering around in the dark and happened upon Matthew's. We loved it! And how lucky for us…read morethat it was Happy Hour! Our wonderful server, Seth, immediately and proudly proclaimed (with smile) that they use premium liquors for all their Happy Hour pours (at a mere $5!) I ordered the Rosemary Gimlet from their Unique Cocktails list: House infused rosemary gin, fresh basil, lime juice, simple syrup--it was total perfection. Nate, our second server, joined in the fun as we toured the photos of young stars. Beautiful atmosphere, wonderful staff, delicious drinks. A fun time was had by all!

The staff here is extremely unprofessional and was quite rude to me. I did not find there drinks to…read morebe particularly good or well thought out. It was also rather overpriced. Overall, I got a very snooty vibe from this spot and would not return.

Old fashioned

Heliotrope IPA and Dirty Vodka Martini Dry

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The bar

Keenan's at the Pier

4.0(498 reviews)

0.4 mi

This spot is perfect for a scenic dinner--especially if you time it for sunset. They offer both…read moreindoor and outdoor seating. The patio can get a bit chilly, but it's worth it for the view, and they do have heaters available. I started with a salad, followed by the Keenan's burger with a garbanzo bean patty, and the soup du jour. All three were delicious. The complimentary bread served with garlic herb spread was a wonderful start--aromatic and very satisfying. The salad had a great balance of fresh vegetables and toppings. On a cold day, the soup was especially comforting. The burger itself was well prepared and flavorful. The staff was polite and attentive, though they seemed a bit overwhelmed due to a large party seated next to us. Another nice perk: there's a boardwalk and beach right next door, making it a great place for a stroll before or after your meal.

You know that place that you love and then keep forgetting to review? This is one…read more Short Answer: The food is fantastic. The venue is incredible. The service is amazing! A Bit Longer Answer... Keenan's is somehow still a bit of a hidden gem in Bellingham, WA. How that is, at least for visitors, is beyond me. It is located in the absolute best hotel in Bellingham, the Chrysalis in Fairhaven, a delightful part of Bellingham, WA. You will want to stay there, just saying, and their spa? Oh my gosh...but I digress... A few weeks ago, while staying overnight, I took my brother-in-law to dinner at Keenan's. He dislikes...a lot. Forgive me, but one of his "super powers" seems to be in finding fault in any even somewhat nice restaurant. Something is always wrong with the food, the prices, and/or the service...yeah...but wait! Monty ate every bite and (wait for it...) did not complain once! Alert the media! Oh, happy day!! Okay, more details... I have had the pleasure of eating at Keenan's both in person at the restaurant and via their room service many times. BOTH ARE AMAZING! Their room service breakfasts are incredible! How they make their omelets as light and yet filling, EVEN WHEN DELIVERED to my lovely hotel room, is beyond me! Order their fruit, too, whatever it is they offer, order it. It will always be a beautifully flavorful addition to your meal. I can promise you your food will show up, even with room service, well-seasoned and ready to devour! Their dinners? WOW! I have had so many of their entrees, and each one is incredible. Their scallops are always perfect. Again, seasoned so that it complements the scallops without overpowering them. Their rib-eye is incredibly tender while still being cooked medium-rare, yay! And, their duck...oh my gosh! Hurray! I have to add, check their specials. I have never been steered wrong. Of course, a meal is almost as much affected by the service as by the food, right? They will treat you like a VIP, no matter who you are or what you order. How cool is that? I love that they have that ability to be attentive without hovering, nice! How funny is this? Their venue is stunning. There is no questioning that point. It is simply stunning! The cool part of that is that they cook like they don't have a view. Does that make sense? They don't just rely on that "wow" factor and assume you will just go there for the view. The food and service are even better than the view, and that says A LOT! Oh, shhhh...just saying, between you and me...Mia, our latest server, is a rock star! Can you tell I am a fan? Yep! Count me in! Go there, you will thank me!

VIew

KALBI SHORT RIBS

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Hot Toddy, Molled Wine. Cheers.

Back Door

4.8(20 reviews)

2.2 mi

Yes, yes, yes! The staff from the moment we walked in, to ordering drinks, getting drinks and…read morechecking to see our satisfaction was on Point! The cocktails are as unique as the glasses they are served in. The drinks were 10/10. The vibe...like the name....it's fun and flows with a funky sexual fun vibe. Definitely will be back!

The staff is very welcoming and really care about your drinks and make sure you are enjoying what…read moreyou are having. The music is great, the staff are friendly and the drinks are Incredible! Highly recommend!!!

Amazing cocktails!!!!

Black Bock

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Drinks

The Filling Station

3.9(380 reviews)

We have eaten here at least six times and keep returning because the food is delicious and service…read moreis great. We have eaten both fish sandwiches (Salmon and fresh line caught cod), we have also eaten burgers and salads and onion rings. Yum. The food is fresh and consistent. The servers have been excellent and the service is fantastic.

In B-ham for what has become a weekly trip. Have The Filling Station a shot & was impressed. The…read moreChuck Wagon burger is an interesting spin on a French Dip, what with its onion straws & roasted garlic aoli. The service was great. I will be back to try the El Camino!

American Pickers

Triumph Burger

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Margarita + Spiked Mint Shake

Övn Wood Fired Pizza

3.9(291 reviews)

Best pizza in town! Lots of vegan options…read more Outstanding service. Small space and can be rather busy in the evening. Patio when the weather is nice.

Got the lunch special which was an 8 inch pizza and a salad for around $20 (upgraded to a kale…read moresalad). What a great deal! The pepperoni pizza was so delicious. Cheese was ooey gooey, the tomato sauce was tangy and there was a good amount of garlic flavor too. The crust was soft and light. I will definitely keep coming back when I'm in town!