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    Shay's Restaurant

    3.7 (123 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Shay's Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    SHAY'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Shay's Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos

    Prime Rib Friday Special and Chicken Fried Steak (11/11/22)
    Marie B.

    In the past few days, I've had a hankering for indie old school diner type spots. I have recently stopped at 65th Street Cafe & Restaurant in Seattle and Shari's in Shoreline. Third stop was yesterday's dinner with The Homie at Shay's Restaurant and Lounge (11/11/22). Again, despite being a Shoreline resident since March 2002, this was my first visit. It has been around since 1983 and under current ownership since 1992. Longevity and flying under the radar as a mainstay along Hwy 99/Aurora. Crowded private parking lot out front shared with a Korean grill spot and hair salon, but I was able to find a spot by the main entrance. Upon entering, we chose a corner two top. There were various table configurations and counter seating in the main dining room. There's also an adjacent bar/lounge. A good sign was that there were regulars enjoying their meals and each other's lively company. We were warmly greeted, handed menus, flatware, napkins, ice water, and told of the evening's soup: clam chowder but there's also some chili available. Yes, the interior is dated, popcorn ceiling, but with homey, humorous decor. Thankfully, the initial odd scent dissipated. I had a ravenous appetite since my last meal was nine hours ago. There was a nice variety available for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert...just about everything looked appealing. Also, there's a senior menu for 55-plus for additional savings. Breakfast served anytime, but switch over from lunch to dinner happens at 4pm. Again, my phone was having issues so I was not able to take current photos of the interior and menu pages. The lone entree photo taken was provided by The Homie. We both started with cups of clam chowder with saltines. Clam chowder was hearty, creamy, and full of flavor. The Homie ordered the Chicken Fried Steak topped with sausage gravy, mashed potatoes, and daily veggie side. In addition, a chocolate shake that came with the metal container it was hand mixed in. I opted for the Friday Prime Rib special ($27.95, 8 ounces, medium rare with horseradish and au jus) with a baked potato (w/bacon, green onions and butter) and daily veggie side. Prime Rib is also available at 10 oz and 16 oz, but at market price. This is was reminiscent of Wedgwood Broiler's (another OG in Seattle) prime rib, but Shay's version was much more flavorful. I was a happy camper with the tasty daily veggies - I ate and poached all the broccoli and yellow zucchini. I left behind the onions and cauliflower though. Traded protein bites, but gave a sizable portion of prime rib to The Homie to feast on. I really enjoyed how delicious and tender the prime rib was. Both the prime rib and au jus was on point and not overly salty. Food provided was very generous. I had to box up my entire baked potato and fixings. The Homie had to box up some of his chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. A truly satisfying meal, great service, and yet again my bad for not detouring much sooner. Face palm, over 20.5 years later! Shoreline has a handful of indie gems, but definitely enjoyed the OG Shay's Restaurant and Lounge. I look forward to future visits to check out additional menu items.

    This is our great Dennis and JP

    The food is great, old school diner. Karaoke Is fun with lots of drink options Come on in and give it a try Thursdays and Saturdays 8pm to Midnight

    If you like the way the world is headed, don't come here. Things at Shay's are the way "it used to be." It still has a choice of sitting in the classic American diner setting, or sneaking into the lounge. Regardless, the waitress will call you 'sweetie' and gladly serve you a stiff coffee, or something stronger if you're of that persuasion. Shay's is a genuine "local" watering hole. Whether you sit out at the counter or back in the bar, if you strike up a conversation you're likely to meet your local blue collar worker or their spouse. Painters, sailors, machinists, fishermen and truck drivers are fixtures here. Don't be surprised in the mornings when they all argue over how much the showcase is worth on the Price Is Right. If you're lucky, you'll run into the 'Mayor of Shoreline' or Greg, the charismatic chef who's been working here for more than 40 years. If you're REALLY lucky he'll even tell you how he lost his hand... but that's not likely. You only live once, so have the biscuits and gravy, or a world famous mashed potato omelette. Their BLT is better than most and the turkey bacon croissant comes with thick pieces of white meat, not any damned sissy sliced deli meat. You'll tip well because they treat you well... and you'll be remembered next time. See you there.

    Prime rib dinner
    Ashley R.

    This is a true dive but has been here for decades! I have some since I was in diapers. 3rd generation. Great staff that have been here since I was young. I like their food. I have gotten hash browns which are great and even their prime rib dinner on Fridays. (see picture). Parking can be tricky but for those who don't know, there is a gravel lot on the hill behind shays with stairs into the restaurant. As for drinks, They come stiff and affordable. The regulars are also friendly. Typically an older crowd comes here but I think it's great for all ages.

    Prime rib and mixed veggies. Delish!

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    11 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    I went here for breakfast and it was a good breakfast and good value. I'll be returning here again.

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Stopped at Shay's today for the first time for breakfast. It was a cute place, very good food, and excellent staff! We will return!

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Great old diner vibe, very relaxing. Good service & the scrambled eggs and ice tea were awesome!

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    1 year ago

    Awesome home town restaurant. Excellent service and excellent food At a great price. I eat here every time I am visiting my son in Seattle.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Worst corned beef and cabbage meal ever. Dry, cold, salty. So disappointing. Was so excited to go to Irish pub on saint patrick's day

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    4 years ago

    Take away as good as sitting down. Make sure to call ahead just in case they are clsed

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    Page 1 of 4

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    Blackbird - Turkey Bacon Swiss Sandwich

    Blackbird

    4.3(158 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    We came here again a couple days later because our first visit was so good!…read more It was a little less busy when we went this time, so we were able to park in their lot, which is convenient! This restaurant is perfect for dogs since they have a covered patio! It's comfortable but not super casual, making for a delightful ambiance. I like that you order at the counter and your food is brought to you. The servers are kind and make sure to take care of you! To drink, I had their special lavender mocha, iced. You first taste the chocolate and then a hint of lavender. The mango mule and strawberry basil spritzer are delicious drinks too. To eat, we had the pulled pork sandwich, the blue burger, and the lamb burger. The burgers were cooked nicely and were flavorful. The pulled pork is tender and tasty! My favorite part of the dish is the fries--if you're a French fry fiend, make sure to come here and get their fries! We'll definitely continue to come back to Blackbird for lunch!

    Stopped here for lunch. It's a busy restaurant -- that…read moreseemed to have a lot of regulars. You walk in and order and then sit at a table with a number and they bring your food out to you. You get your own water, napkins, utensils, etc. Ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and the Fish Tacos. They were both really good!! The fish was cooked perfectly- hot and fresh. And the sandwich had great flavor and the chicken was cooked well. The service fell short for us. We ordered drinks which didn't come out until our food did -- which was almost a 25 minute wait. When the food did come out, I was brought the wrong meal and had to wait longer. For me, the prices are also a little steep for the portion sizes and also not having a server. Luckily the taste of the food was great! We sat outside -- which was nice patio area. There were also a handful of tables inside but they were all full.

    Photos
    Blackbird - Self service station

    Self service station

    Blackbird - Beet Salad

    Beet Salad

    Blackbird - Fish and Chips

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    Fish and Chips

    Aurora Borealis - Housemade Mud Pie

    Aurora Borealis

    4.0(188 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    I'll be honest, I am surprised by not only the good reviews but the fact that absolutely nothing…read morehas changed since this place opened. The food is very good and consistently so... when you can get it. The restaurant is always PAINFULLY short staffed so while the staff is very friendly, they're simply never around. We have had to cancel food orders more than once because sitting there waiting for an hour to order (literally), then waiting another hour and multiple reminders for the bill before you can close out is just untenable. We live right up the street and since the food is so good, we try over and over and over again and it always the same experience: endlessly disappointing. Sitting there for 15 minutes with empty glasses and not a bartender in sight, or waiting 20 minutes in an empty restaurant only to finally order and have the server tell you they just sold out of what you wanted is not the way to run a restaurant. I'm only giving it two stars because the food is so good, but I'm afraid we've been disappointed one too many times. Until they can either hire staff or train their current staff on how to deal with their sections, we're out.

    Friends had a birthday party here in the lower level. There is a private room for parties. We…read moreenjoyed the band that played 90's music. Fun photo prop station. Good food and drinks, service at the bar.

    Photos
    Aurora Borealis - Nice interior (restroom clean too!)

    Nice interior (restroom clean too!)

    Aurora Borealis - Mud Pie

    Mud Pie

    Aurora Borealis - Sound board.

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    Sound board.

    Red Mill Burgers

    Red Mill Burgers

    3.9(1.5k reviews)
    4.6 miPhinney Ridge
    $$

    I had to try this place after hearing so much about it! I got the burger deluxe w cheese and the…read moreonion rings. The burger diameter is a bit larger than you'd expect from your typical carry-out drive in burger, and was a seeded sesame bun. The patty was well done and decently juicy - it seemed good but I feel like it's more for the nostalgic vibes and something about it gives comforting cafeteria/drive in feels over say, a high-end burger or thick patty. Toppings were fresh and the special sauce is pretty good. The onion rings were amazing! I can see what the fuss is about. It's a thick, crunchy coating that absorbs the umami and onion aroma from big, juicy onion rings and a light dusting of peppery kick. They stayed crispy over the course of an hour too. I ordered online and did takeout, and the food was still fresh even though it had probably been waiting for a couple of min. There is a parking lot but on a Thurs night it was full.

    Good classic burger spot with indoor (counter, tables, and booths) and outdoor seating and friendly…read morestaff. I loved the music, pleasant surprise to hear some Sade, Lauryn Hill, and other r&b and soul artists playing in the background. I had a deluxe with cheese, fries, and a Nutella Oreo shake. The food was tasty, the whole group left satisfied! For personal preference, I wish the patties were thicker - I'd do the double deluxe next time since I like more meat in my burger, but the flavors were all good. The fries were fresh and crispy and the shake was nice and thick (I enjoy this, just recommend asking for a spoon since it was a lost battle with the straw until it melted a bit). I look forward to returning and trying more flavors for shakes and their other burgers! Everything looked really good and I enjoyed everything I ordered. Would recommend!

    Photos
    Red Mill Burgers - Menu + vibe

    Menu + vibe

    Red Mill Burgers - Bacon Chicken Sandwich

    Bacon Chicken Sandwich

    Red Mill Burgers - Red Mill Double Deluxe W/cheese

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    Red Mill Double Deluxe W/cheese

    Shay's Restaurant - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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