This was one of those rare meals where you think back as you start to write the review and just sit back and smile. It was a great evening and dining experience! The weather was decent for mid-September and we decided to have dinner outside to enjoy the view. We struggled to narrow down our menu choices because so many things sounded good. After tossing around what we both found interesting and in a rare move, my husband said we should order a few appetizers and a salad. Fine with me! Prawn & Avocado Margarita Cocktail: not for the weak! The sauce is infused with wasabi and can take your breath away if you are not careful. We love sushi so we are familiar with wasabi and just enjoyed the kick! The prawn and avocado are on top of diced cucumbers so I used those as a quick follow-up after enjoying the heat of a prawn. (Don't eat the pepper on the side -- it's garnish...my husband got carried away and took a bite ) Tuna poke won ton nachos: one of the best tuna poke nachos we ever had! Zoom in on the photo, particularly near the middle of the nachos cuz my pic angle is odd. These nachos are not skimpy and are loaded with tuna! The red ginger on top was simply delightful! Chop Chop Noodle Salad: again, this salad suffers from my quick picture-taking habit. The salad looks small in the photo but it IS entrée-sized. ‍ This salad was one of the culinary highlights of our 8-day vacation. The combination of noodles and vegetables is something we don't have often. We also really enjoy sweet chili sauce so that was a good way to meld all ingredients together. We have only been home a few days but it won't be long until we try to replicate this ourselves. read more

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Have had two wonderful experiences at this beautiful venue with a view you cannot forget. Had Wagyu Beef Dip first night and Mojitos! Perfect combo and both on point. Second night was for a football game preseason but still it's . Clam Chowder was also excellent and memorable. The servers and Bartenders are seasoned and remain very accommodating and friendly even in busy and bustling spurts. This is a must stop and I have one more thing to try before leaving so hope to go again tonight . Sorry no pick of beef dip I was too quick to eat it ! The chowder was the perfect temp so once snapped I ate it up too! read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

Charming setting in historic Roche Harbor, MB&G hits all the right notes for casual, outdoor dining. The menu is predictable in a comforting way--burgers, salads, sandwiches. The service is consistently excellent and the food is delicious. We're fans and will return for more relaxing meals and conversations when we're in this beautiful area. read more

Beautiful views and chill vibe on the patio. Dogs are welcome! Friendly service, tasty cocktails, and the food was delicious. A must-visit when in Roche Harbor. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Cheers! - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

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We really enjoyed the vibe of this place that we brunched at before heading home over mother's day weekend. We were seated on their outside patio for a sunny pleasant day. Service was pretty slow but they did mention this was their first time running a brunch menu like this so we cut them some slack. They have tons of gluten-free options on all their menus and we were thrilled to see that their entire brunch menu was gf. Obviously we had to have some waffles. This was actually my first chicken and waffles experience and I can see the obsession for sure. Gf waffles were delicious and the chicken nice and crispy. Definitely a nice little spot, would love to try some of their regular gf menu items in the future. read more

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I've been here so many times over the years and usually really enjoy it, however we had a horrible experience on our anniversary trip this year. Got to Madrona around 6pm, put our name in with the host who said about a 30min wait. After walking around a bit and still hearing nothing we checked in with the host at 6:35/40 because we saw most everyone who we had come in with had been sat. Honestly I think she forgot us or didn't take our name down, she said she can't guarantee times and that she couldn't even estimate how much longer it'll be but that it could easily be another 25+ minutes or we could get a table inside. It was a beautiful day so we really wanted to sit on the deck. We waited a few more minutes and after seeing other groups who came after us be sir we gave up and said well just sit inside. We waited for over an hour. Once we got inside the waitress let us know that the kitchen is really behind and it'll be awhile for food, again no estimate of time but we noticed not a single table had food! Which I don't think I've ever seen at a restaurant. Once our food did come out after about 35 minutes, we were sadly disappointed yet again. My Shanghai street noodles that I've had before contained cold beef and the noodles were so salty they were quite literally inedible. My husbands rockfish was decent at least. There were also at least 15-20 flies circulating inside in a group and I was shocked nothing was done about it as it was there through our whole dinner. The views were great, our waitress was wonderful (none of this was her doing), and the wait staff really seemed to be working hard and turning tables and getting people what they need. The hostess and the kitchen however need some help on how to manage especially in summer high season. read more

Good: - burger - fish and chips (the fish was AMAZING) - fish taco - steak taco - ginger n juice (very dry taste, not too sweet) Beautiful view. Needs more shade since the umbrellas are not movable and can't cover you completely, so beware on hot or sunny days if you're sitting outside. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Fish and steak taco, ginger and juice - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

We sat outside by the marina. Wonderful atmosphere. Servers were very friendly. Food was delicious.

While staying a few days in Friday Harbor, my wife and I dined at Madrona Bar & Grill. 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. read more

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We stopped at Madrona Bar and Grill yesterday for lunch after arriving on Orcas Island. I have to say the number of low score reviews surprises me. The food was great and the service was better than OK. We will most likely visit there again while here on Orcas island. Personally, I expect in a resort town, on an island no less, that staffing may be a problem, and current economics does not help any business. Therefore my scale for a 5 star experience is adjusted with that in mind. Good food, good beverage, friendly staff, no problems, great view = 5 star to me. Be relaxed, be friendly and polite and enjoy the view and the food. Our fish and chips were great. Everything we saw on nearby tables looked delicious too. Know in advance the outside tables are in high demand and may be reserved (I think). read more

Mmm I only got the clams and a drink here but the clams were really good!! I got it without sausage, and it was still pretty filling. Bigger clams than I'm used to but still meaty. Fluffy duck was a little too sweet for my taste but still good. Beautiful views! read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Westcott Bay Shellfish Co. Steamed Clams - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

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I stopped in for a beer and lite dinner. I ordered the Caesar salad without any proteins. It was definitely a great looking salad! However, overdressed to the point of being almost inedible. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Caesar Salad - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

First visit to Roche Harbor - won't be the last!! Reminiscent of the summer camp in Dirty Dancing! We ate on the patio and watched the sunset, watched as the flags were lowered, and listened to the announcements for the next days activities. Our server for the evening was amazing and did a great job of making us feel welcome as well as making our visit memorable. The food was delicious as were the cocktails - the fluffy duck is a must try!! The quaint village and marina were a pleasure to discover and we'd love to come back and stay longer. read more

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Perfect little happy hour stop in beautiful Roche Harbor! My husband said the spicy margarita was the best he's had in a long time--just the right amount of kick. We shared the ahi tuna nachos and wow... so fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. Tons of flavor in every bite. The menu had great variety, the views were charming, and the service was friendly and laid-back. Just an all-around great vibe. Highly recommend for a quick bite or drink with a view--you won't regret it! read more

This restaurant just reopened in May, so a few days ago, and it felt quite short of expectations compared to what I would've expected to get from prior photos taken a year ago, featuring large portions at much cheaper prices (I get inflation but the differential is significant). The unpredictability of early May weather meant that we did not partake in outside seating as it just thunderstormed a boat load of rain so we did not want to take chances sitting outside despite the weather clearing up. We went around 4:30pm on a Saturday and it was already pretty busy. We got one of the last 2 tables remaining inside, while a server gradually dried and cleaned up the outdoor space, which started to fill up by 5:30pm. Expect a wait if you go in the peak summer months, first come first served. We still briefly went outside to soak in the views of Roche Harbor, and definitely recommend outside seating when the weather is for sure clear and nice. We got the crispy calamari, rockfish fish and chips, crab mac and cheese, and sticky Asian five spice baby back pork ribs. Dishes were around $20-40, and the portions are much tinier than expected. The crispy calamari wasn't crispy at all - it was soaked in sauce and left out for a while. I expected something like Korean fried chicken where it is still crispy while tossed in sauce, so the naming did not match expectations. The rockfish fish and chips featured 2 fairly small pieces of fish with a disappointing amount of fries and cole slaw. It insultingly felt like they purposefully skimp on food. I would've been slightly happier if they gave more fries or something more. And the fish and chips were almost $30. Crab mac and cheese had decent amount of crab but again, very small portions. The baby back pork ribs were decent but 6 small pieces for $27 is definitely grossly overpriced. With a stingy amount of fries and cole slaw. We also tried the pig martini that tasted fairly familiar, nothing stood out, but it was nice that we got the request of putting 2 little piggies on the glass. It was not aesthetic beyond that, so I would not get cocktails here. $18 for something fairly average does not score well for me. Service is decent. For such a price point and the reputation it has built up, I expected a lot more, not leaving hungry and leaving a huge dent in the wallet. Additionally, this is the only restaurant we went in the island that I see a 3% service charge on top, as if the original menu price weren't overpriced enough. I probably won't return, as I got better value, quality, and quantity elsewhere throughout the weekend. read more

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Drove out to Roche Harbor with warnings that it was a bit pretentious, but we had a wonderfully satisfying lunch at Madrona, and are so glad we came. We arrived about 1pm without reservations, but we were seated immediately. Excellent, friendly service, and prompt delivery of food and drink. My wife and I shared a bowl of their amazing clam chowder, and it was so good I wish I had my own! Then we shared the Crab & Artichoke Quesadilla, which was excellent; light but crispy and flavorful, and we shared the Blackened Rockfish Tacos, which were huge and wonderful. You have to ignore the prices, which are high all over the islands, but this charming bar & grill was worth the drive. read more

Really good I love the rockfish!! The food is great but the service wasn't. The only thing is my little sister wanted one of the pigs they put on alcoholic drinks which are very small and mass produced by the way, and was told to pay?! I'm sure the bartender was just trying to just pocket some money off a kid. They wanted to charge her $5. The ambience is not great because there's a lot of flies. I recommend this place I suppose but the pig thing was kinda weird read more

Fantastic dockside bar and grill! Just get here early to secure your spot. We love the Pig War Martini and the crab and shrimp cocktail! Sometimes service is a little hectic and slow, but it's the best casual dinner at Roche! read more

Wow - amazing location on the water and the food was top notch. Our kiddo can't stop talking about the steak tacos and husband said the Asian sticky ribs were some of the best ribs he's ever had. The beef dip was perfection as well. We're not staying at the resort but stopped for a meal and the staff couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming. read more

Service here has always been excellent and friendly! The restaurant has great outdoor seating and views of the harbor making it the perfect spot for a sunny lunch! The food is fresh and delicious while the cocktails are also amazing! I will continue to visit whenever I am in town. read more

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Ambiance and setting were terrific. Food (tuna poke salad and rockfish crab sandwich) was delicious. Pineapple mojito was...interesting. Just not our cup of tea (haha) Prices--$26 for a tuna poke salad that was 95% vegetables is quite ridiculous. I would have expected something under $20. read more

When I arrived, there was no one there, which was fine. I thought, awesome, I own the place! Then a 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 read more

Great view of the marina and a great patio. Very attentive service and food that is good. I had the noodle salad with three types of protein. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Boom Chop Chop Noodle Salad - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

Beautiful view. Service took some time but we had a big group. Tried paying and the waitress wouldn't take my card and let the groom pay. Was a bit disappointed with that. But he beat me to it. The food portions were a bit small Forturn dish. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Fish tacos - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

This restaurant is in a beautiful location in Roche harbor. Our server, Della was very friendly and attentive. French dip and rock fish taco were delicious. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

Lively atmosphere in a fun setting. Great service. Everything was on point. French dip was so yummy, Shanghai noodles yum, ribs delicious, rockfish tacos addictive. Drinks were great although the Long Island was watered down. Highly recommend. Check out the kayaking and the cute dogs. read more

Many years ago, actor Charles Grodin wrote an autobiography, "It would be so nice if you weren't here". For some reason, I kept thinking about this title while dining in the Madrona Bar & Grill, located in the Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island. Can an otherwise wonderful establishment's clientele be serious 'buzzkill'? I think that argument can be made here. THE ROSES: Truly picturesque waterfront location. The century-old buildings have a wonderful 'Cape Cod' vibe to them. For pub grub, the food here is surprisingly creative and well-executed. I was particularly impressed by the Wagyu beef dip sandwich. Even little 'throwaway' details like the French fries are executed creatively and with verve. The prices are surprisingly reasonable, considering the venue. Service is quite efficient, considering the conditions they had to work under (see THORNS). THE THORNS: When busy (which appears to be pretty much all summer), this space can be loud and chaotic. Not relaxing at all. Staff seemed more than a little harried, but they were clearly trying and doing an amazing job, all things considered. What was the problem? I think in this case it's the clientele. Site of a luxury resort, some of the most expensive homes on the island and a marina full of yachts, Roche Harbor Resort hosts a clientele that is mostly white and affluent. In MB&G you add alcohol to this mix of money and ego and you get a fair amount of Really Unpleasant and Entitled People Behaving Badly. It wasn't much fun watching well-dressed middle-aged people badger and berate the staff because they felt they had to wait too long for a table or a drink. Patience and kindness matter, people. I asked my server for second beer. He was waiting many other tables and I think forgot my order. When he checked on me again I mentioned I'd love another beer, but made no big deal about it. He was so happy to have a customer who was patient that my drink was 'on the house'! It wasn't necessary; but certainly appreciated. THE VERDICT: In terms of food and service, Madrona Bar & Grill actually exceeds expectations. When things are busy, its well-heeled albeit rather entitled, loud, and demanding clientele kind of dampen the fun, and make the place seem like a set from a bad reality TV show on Bravo (think of a mashup of 'Below Decks' meets 'Real Housewives of [fill in the blank]). Recommend if you can visit this place more towards the 'off' season or outside of the lunch/dinner rush. Otherwise if you like the loud scene, it IS a great place to people-watch. read more

Amazing vibes, okay food. The bff and I decided to get lunch at this harbor side spot after the ferry ride + a small exploration on the fringes of town. Since it was a Monday, we were promptly seated in the outdoor area. We decided to order: *white truffle Parmesan fries ($9.95): lightly battered fries with black pepper, garlic, and sea salt; then tossed in grated Parmesan and white truffle oil. This was served alongside a secret fry sauce. This was so Parmesan-dominant that the white truffle had almost no chance to sneak its way through. *roche harbor's "tilted kettle" clam chowder ($10.95): chowder with tender clams, smoky bacon, clam nectar, red potato, veggies, and herbs. There was no depth in flavor at all. It honestly tasted store-bought lol *beer battered fresh vancouver Island rockfish and chips ($26.95): the rockfish and chips were tasty, but nothing that blew us out of the water. The batter was over-salted. Will have to say that tropical mango-lime island slaw was really, really, tasty though, and I'd get this again in a heartbeat. Yes for the views, the vibe, and the friendly service; not so much for the food. Grateful to have tried though! read more

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Wow! This place was fantastic! Seating right on the outside patio, harbor side with the sun out...fresh seafood, veggies, and a cold pint! This made for a great ending to our long day of exploring San Juan! Island life is magical, especially if you get to bask in the summer vibes emanating from the sights, sounds, and smells of this little coastal resort community. The Madrona Bar & Grill feels like high class living, but for the common folk! I highly recommend a stroll through the grounds and opting for this outdoor venue rather than the stuff indoor option next door! I will definitely be back here on our next visit to the island. read more

Probably closer to five stars than four. Great location offers a beautiful, unhurried experience just off the harbor piers. On a sunny day, outside dining is a "must." You might catch a glimpse of otters and seals in the harbor waters. The food gets solid marks. Their take on a Shrimp Louie was very popular, as was their crispy rockfish sandwich--which was well dressed with an excellent mango slaw. Our service was splendid...sincerely pleasant and accommodating. We visited at noon...but the sunset experience is reportedly very special. read more

This little establishment exceeding my expectations. Depite the area, this was pretty casual (which I like). We got seated out on the deck overlooking the marina. Our waitress was extremely friendly and attentive to our needs. I had the spicy Thai chicken burger. Wasn't all that spicy, but just about right. My wife had the fish and chips, which she enjoyed. I had one of her fries and that was pretty decent. They had the San Juan island brew on tap, which was pretty tasty. I did post some pictures, but not of the food. Great food, great service, beautiful island ! read more

Was not our best experience. We are touring WA and came to Orcas Island for a whale watching trip, some hiking and my daughter and her boyfriend's first visit to the San Juan's. This restaurant was recommended to us, others wanted pizza- i insisted it would be good. I was wrong. The hostess was curt- and she was not honest about tables near the window... said they were for reservations. But that's not what I witnessed. And mostly it was her abrupt nature that was a turn off. Our server was engaging and answered our many question. The food was ok to Bad - the especially horribly bland dish was the 'special' Alfredo Salmon. Both the fish was bland (how is blackened ever bland?) and the Alfredo was terrible. We did ask for some Parmesan to give the noodles some taste. The clam chowder was basic - the cod was a healthy portion. The ravioli was tasty, but the chicken added as an extra was also bland. Our server was very friendly but offered me something besides french fries and I did not realize it was +4. It was described if you are getting on of the entrees you could sub..... but the $4 was on the bill. I think the evening/dining experience took a further down turn when we were told they were out of a 3rd of the menu items.... It's not a big menu. Overall, I cannot recommend. It's easy to be nice.... And that set the stage. And the reason for being In a restaurant is the food- it was greatly lacking especially for the price.! As I type this I overheard a man say the bartender overcharged him.... PS. We also heard the lady across from us complain about the Salmon Fettuccine . Expensive and not tasty. read more

So damn good and Javier was an amazing server. Loved everything we had here and it is right on the water. I could literally eat that chopped salad every day. Just a really open dining area with fantastic views, great drinks, and wonderful food. Great place to stop in especially after a morning of fishing. Loved this place!! read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Chop chop salad with crab, shrimp, and chicken + noodles - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

Great place for a meal and views of the harbor. My husband had the Kobe beef dip sandwich and said it was the best he's ever had. Service was on point. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

We have been here for drinks and snacks over the years, this was our first dinner. We started with the Prawn Cocktail which was delicious, sweet and spicy and so much you can share! The fish tacos looked amazing. I didn't try them; was told they were excellent, not spicy; just full of flavor. The Fish and Chips was good. Needed a hint of salt (Seasoning was mild) the batter was very good, not too oily and crisp. I ordered the Shrimp Poke Salad and was pleasantly surprised as how good it was. Cold, sweet, hint of ginger, sesame and the nice sweet pop tobiko. I don't think this was a regular menu item, it was amazing and I highly recommend it! We enjoy the atmosphere and the amazing sunset with the lowering of the flags. Go and enjoy the entire experience. read more

Nice restaurant great staff beautiful view very limited menu very expensive. They have a $55 corkage fee, which is just outrageous. I guess they only want you to buy wine from them even though it's a limited wine list. read more

There are only a few dining options on this side of the island, and the Yelps were clear: when in Roche Harbor, Madrona is the clear choice. You have to go in knowing that everything comes at island price. It's an island, and though there are some local producers, fishermen, or other purveyors of ingredients, a lot of stuff still needs to get trucked on and everything has a surcharge. So you may balk at $20-30 menu items, or even some that went up around $50, but there are only a few bucks difference between here and the other spots in Roche, so you might as well go first class. We were seated out on the patio, over the water, and that right there is a big part of the magic. It was lunchtime and the sun was coming down, but they did offer us an umbrella. Rockfish fish and chips (local) and a lamb burger (local) seemed like the right choice. We appreciated the COVID measures with masked staff and plenty of space between diners, and should mention that the whole of San Juan Island is taking it very seriously. In fact, they had a station set up on the dock where you could get a mask (and visitors were being checked before entry) so that's very reassuring. The food arrived, and it was a nice lunch. The fries were the actual winners of the table, with a wee bit of breading and delightfully crisp fry. The lamb burger has a lot of promise, but it's so full of other seasonings that it looks like a veggie burger with flecks and flakes and bits and bobs of I actually dunno what. We both looked at it and wondered if they had brought the veggie patty by mistake, but after tasting it, you can pick out the lamb flavor. Probably a great choice for someone who likes but doesn't love deep lamb flavor, but I wish the lamb patty could have sung a little more of its own tune. The fish and chips were a good bet, if only a bit bready. I like a good breading, but there were big chunks of breading only. Great tartar sauce, and I enjoyed the slaw. For sure this is where you need to eat. Take it all in, the view, the ambiance, and get some solid food to fuel your adventure on San Juan Island. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - Local Wild Rock Fish and Chips - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

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Great service! Dinner on the patio was lovely! Great fish and chips, really tasty salad with very flavorful house dressing. So glad we came here read more

Unfortunately, As many of the other reviews mention, this establishment allows dogs on the deck. This was my main issue here and why I removed 2 stars. The food was good. The service was good. The decision to allow dogs on the deck while people are eating ruined the experience. The Barking, the dog hair, the annoying owners acting like their dog is a person... I'm sorry this is a poor policy for a spot like this. When paying for a slightly upscale experience my expectation is definitely not to deal with the pets of strangers. read more

Madrona Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Roche Harbor, Washington

Amazing service, good food, and an unparalleled view. We were a large group of 10 and had an amazing evening.