We were headed to Blaine for a Nexus Interview - stopped here because it's about 30 minutes to the building. The restaurant is in this cute neighborhood, Fairhaven. On another day I would have browsed the shops near the restaurant. I am surprised by the low reviews. We stopped here around 12:50 pm, had to wait 15-20 minutes for a table. I had a French 75, waffle with strawberries and bacon on the side. My husband had the fish and chips. We both enjoyed our food and would make a return visit. It's much larger than it appears. There is seating on the main floor, an upper area, the lower back of the restaurant has additional tables and there is a back patio area. It appears that they time the seating to coincide with server capacity. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Outside of the restaurant. - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I saw from my last Yelp review that I had thrilled to the Apple Cranberry Salad, so I ordered it again. (Whose Yelp reviews can I trust, if not my own? It really is a lovely salad, from the crispiness of the apple slices to freshness of the greens to the delicious teeth-grabbing gumminess of the rich and flavorful cranberries in contrast. Just a beautiful thing. I also decided to brave some beets! Why, one would ask, when why anyone likes beets is beyond my imagination? To me, they taste like dirt. I had a friend who used to make a mixed green salad that incorporated beets along with blue cheese. I first tried it "to be polite" and, to my surprise, I liked it quite a lot. So when I saw Beet and Goat Cheese Flat Bread on the Skylark's menu, I decided to brave it because I love goat cheese and I love a good flatbread. It was wonderful! No beety flavor, just creamy deliciousness where the goaty cheese nicely blended. Nice little dish to share too--and my companions loved it. Lavender Fields is a lovely mocktail (and a bargain at $5!)--you never see single digits on menus anymore--I had to ask if it was a mistake. No. Quite elegant and refreshing. The wonderful, attentive and charming Mischa was our server and bartender to boot. She made perfect choices for me when asked, bringing me a lovely wine to pair. (And she makes a lovely Old Fashioned.) Also wonderful to us was Brad. We had some special needs which he graciously accommodated. And the place is so lovely to sit in--just beautiful. And the music was incredible also. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - A fabulous trio of outstanding staff here...Hailey, Zooey & Marissa - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I really love the ambiance and the food here but I went last night for my birthday and the service was awful. Ordered apps and waited 50 minutes for them to come out, then two minutes later our entire meal came out. Our server never once acknowledged this mess up and acted like nothing happened. Couldn't even finish our apps and had to box them. Watched our server Victoria hangout behind the bar talking to other servers while we needed our water refilled. Had to get up and ask for our water back. For the menu price, I'd expect far better service. Especially with the economy the way it is, eating out is a luxury for the average person these days so it's very disappointing to finally have a break from cooking at home, only to be let down by amateur hour at a restaurant. As someone w 10 years experience in hospitality, it was a bummer. read more

The clam chowder can't possibly be award winning...watered down, velveeta cheese flavor. The ceaser salad tasted 'off'. The other orders were good, including the chicken pasta and French dip. read more

After the amazing burger I had at Skylarks Hidden Cafe last summer I was looking forward to going back again. Since I love Spaghetti I decided to try the Spaghetti Bolognese this time, and I was not disappointed, my spaghetti was awesome, and the sourdough bread was really good dipped in the sauce. My friend ordered the Fish Wrap and that was also excellent, although she said it could have used more spice and flavor, so she asked for some hot sauce to add. My dinner was $25, so I think it should have come with a small dinner salad. We did order the fries has an appetizer and I have to say, Skylarks has the best fries, and the sauce is excellent. Our server was very attentive and friendly, and our dinners came out pretty fast, my meal was served hot, although the break was cold. I am looking forward to trying the brunch at Skylarks sometime soon. I also like to support establishments that have live music, and Skylark's is a huge supporter of the local music scene. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Spaghetti Bolognese - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

We had a group of 14 and they accommodated us very well. Everyone's food came out quickly and was delicious. I heard the bbq sliders were dry, but that was the only complaint. Would love to come back if I'm ever in the area. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Fish n chips - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Arrived for brunch on a Sunday. We had made reservations, but there was a ton of seating available. Skylark's is right in Fairhaven, great location. Really cool old bar when you walk in, ample seating. I ordered the fish and chips, was good, not fantastic. My daughter had the breakfast burrito, and her friend had the chicken sandwich. Overall good food, not fantastic, but good. Prices are a bit high, maybe because of the location? We ordered the toasted banana bread which was two slices, and it was $10! Service was good. read more

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Excellent. The place is so cute. We arrived at opening and it was a cold morning. They immediately turned on the fire place on. Such good customer service. The food was excellent. Fun menu options and lots of them for all breakfast pallets. The Bloody Mary is the best we've had. Cheyenne has the best recipe! Also the coffee so full of flavor. This will be our go to from now on when we come to Fairhaven read more

Got the fried chicken sandwich, it tasted like rubber and was nearly impossible to chew. I will not be coming back. Too expensive for the quality of food. read more

Great coffee. Impeccable service and great food! had a cozy table in the back wit wonderful lighting.

My Lemon Drop and Bacardi Coke and Steak Bites and the Cesar Salad was DELICIOUS! I'm sooo excited we stopped in read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - I am having a Lemon Drop with a Dear Friend here in Bellingham Wa and our BEAUTIFUL BARTENDER served Us Beautiful Smiles! - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I was planning to grab a bite here earlier today, but after witnessing how the owner treated some workers outside, I left immediately. The team was clearly just doing their job (painting) the owner was yelling at them in a really aggressive and disrespectful way. It was honestly uncomfortable to watch. It just really says a lot about a place. If this is how they treat people just trying to do their jobs, I can only imagine how they treat their own staff(I have not heard good things from word of mouth). I've also heard from others that the food isn't anything to write home about. There are plenty of great local places that respect both their employees and the people who help maintain their business this just isn't one of them. I won't be supporting Skylarks. read more

Went here for a dinner with my family and was very disappointed in the food. First time in years that I didn't bother taking home my leftovers. We ordered the halibut with polenta, beef stroganoff, beef sandwich with au jus and the apple and cranberry salad. Several wilted pieces of lettuce in the salad, the halibut and stroganoff way too salty and not very tasty at all. Not good especially for the price. It's been a long time since I've been at a restaurant and thought "I could do this better myself at home." read more

Hoping the owner sees this and will reprint their menus to indicate the up charge fees for the toast options. Yes, I know 1.50 is minuscule, but it's the principle of ordering rosemary sourdough when it's listed as an option and getting an additional fee while the menu indicates "your choice of toast" but doesn't indicate an extra charge. They do list the charge for rosemary under the Benedict options, but not the omelettes, so it is a little misleading and could easily be handled by a bullet at the top where the bread options are listed. The server told us too bad so sad at first, but after asking to speak to the owner about it they took off the charge and agreed with us it was misleading. Other than this up charge issue, the service and food was great. read more

This place was one of the best for me! I had the Clams, and it was perfect for not only the clams themselves, but the sourdough bread-which was delicious when dipped in the clam butter. It also had quite the homey vibe, with the nice paintings and beautiful wood furniture. Our server was quite nice as well. The only drawback is the clam service, which was prone to spilling. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - My food - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Impressive place for an early autumn supper. Attentive service, strong entrees (we enjoyed the butternut squash and pumpkin risotto/arugula-cranbeerry-buyternut squash-beet salad). Local warm pub vibes! read more

Bellingham is a wonderful place for a day trip. And we found this place by chance. Great workers but I'm sure they were short staffed. The food was great. My husband enjoyed the clam chowder lots of clams and good flavor. The chicken and waffles were are yummy. As well as the fish and chips. Good selection of drinks and beers on tap. read more

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I've been to Skylarks a few times, and it's a good restaurant. Sometimes when it's really busy the service can be a bit slow bordering on annoying, but that is not because the staff is not trying. They just have too much to do, and I would venture to guess that the kitchen is small. That being said, the food is good, the prices not outrageous and the staff friendly and approachable. When the weather is nice they also have a large hidden outside seating area, but even if the weather is bad they have two rooms with very different feel. I would not make a special trip to go here, but if I'm in Fairhaven, I'm happy to go here. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - California Chicken Salad - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Do you have a cold and need your sinuses cleared? Looking for some good old fashioned heart burn? Not interested in tasting the food you've just spent $20 on? Look no further... the shrimp wrap from Skylarks is your answer. I like spicy food so when our waitress asked me if a little spice was okay I said "yes, absolutely!" The joke was on me because this puppy came out of the kitchen dang near on fire and was inedibly spicy. There were no flavors to be tasted when I took my first bite - either because there was so much spice packed in this thing or because my taste buds were melted off instantly - who knows? I politely asked for a box and ate my fries. I am a return customer and love Skylar's for the food (except this one time), atmosphere and service. I will be back - but heads up on the shrimp wrap y'all. read more

Charming place with a fireplace and antiques. As a traveler, I seek out scallops because they're my favorite and this place totally hit the mark. Seared perfectly and melted in my mouth. Would definitely come back for the scallops. Also had the clam chowder which was pleasantly delicious. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Scallop appetizer. Great sear and melted in my mouth - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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The food is ranges from good to fantastic, the servers are really nice and it is a cozy ambiance. However the wait times and inattentiveness can be bonkers. Worth going to but not if you're in a time crunch read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Stained glass is pretty (older photo) - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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It may be expensive but I can't help loving skylarks. Some of the best breakfast and other food I've had on that side of Bellingham. I do wish the place had a larger location as well but that doesn't actually affect the restaurant much just a thought. Great strong drinks, and again good food to boot! Employees are hit and miss but most are equally great :) Amazing potatoes, get the spuds if you haven't! read more

I very much enjoy this place. Food is good, service is iffy. I prefer it for breakfast or lunch, as my dinner experiences haven't been as great, but it's overall pretty solid. The last time I was there, it was for lunch, and they serve breakfast and lunch from open till 3pm. We had the short ribs and hash and the Reuben. I've been on quest to find the best Reuben in town, and this is a strong contender, especially if you get it with the beef short rib. The drinks are creative, and the decor was very festive, so I'll give kudos for that The service was just so inconsistent. When they were paying attention, it was great. But despite the lack of patronage at lunch time on a Tuesday, it was confusingly slow. I'm not usually in a rush, but at the same time, it's nice to not feel like you've been forgotten. read more

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This is a cozy little restaurant in Fairhaven. Excellent server. Drinks were great. Loved the salmon and the black bean burger.

I love the different feel from the different rooms. Down stairs feels like a house, the main room feels like a restaurant, and upstairs is unique in its own way. The food is very good. That is obvious by the lines for breakfast/brunch on weekends. I've been there 4 or 5 times and so far, the servers have been attentive and yet still energetic. read more

The ambience is great, a quaint, quiet place for brunch. I ordered the banana bread French toast and my mom ordered the avocado toast. My meal was moist and sweet, really delicious. A little on the sweet side for my tastes, but I'd still recommend it if you're a true sweet tooth! My mom said the avocado toast was the best she'd ever had. The rosemary bread the avocado toast comes on was to die for. Our server was kind and attentive. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Avocado toast and banana bread French toast - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Food was good, service was not. Waiter brings out soup to 2 of the 3 diners within 60 seconds of ordering. The 3rd person had nothing for half an hour when they finally brought out a small salad. For the prices, they should learn how to provide decent service. read more

They had the best French toast ever i felt like I was ascending. And the waiters were the nicest people ever super quick and super nice. And I love the name hidden café cause there is no windows. Overall good restaurant read more

It's a great location and a gorgeous layout, so I actually dine here once a year or so. Food is consistently ok. This last time was not good. Overcooked fish and chips, tasteless Mac and cheese for the kids, ok burger. Waiter didn't care about us a dine. Asked if everything was good before we could try anything, then disappeared for anything else. I had to go look for them for the check. No soda refills or anything else. Not recommended read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Great atmosphere and super friendly staff. The food was over the top good! This was the first time I've ever wanted to go into the kitchen and say thank you. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Traditional Breakfast - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Food was cold bacon was burnt biscuits and gravy were cold and tasted sour.service was slow for a place that wasn't very busy

Absolutely loved this place. Great ambience. Good drinks. Food was amazing. Try the clam chowder, it's pretty amazing. Service was awesome, they were attentive and very nice. I would absolutely recommend a stop here. read more

Cool-vibe, interesting bar/cafe in the heart of the Fairhaven historic district in Bellingham. I'll admit that I stopped by in the middle of the lunch rush but the overall service was abysmal. I thought someone would never take my order after being seated, and that set the tone for my visit. Some 15 minutes after I was seated, a woman from the behind the bar came to take my order. I guess I was seated in the bar technically, but I'm really not sure. After another 15-plus minutes my salmon burger and cole slaw were served. Despite the small size it was surprisingly good. The bun was fresh and grilled nicely. Salmon was fresh and an overall nice "little" sandwich. The cole slaw was just meh. At no time during this entire meal did anyone fill my water glass, ask to refill my soda, or even come by to check on me. Oh, and this meal and bad service cost me $32 for a small sandwich, soft drink, gratuity. It's a little bit loud in Skylark's. During the entire visit there was something that sounded like kids running up and down the stairs. I asked what the noise was and was told they were making chicken burgers in the kitchen and were pounding out the meat. I was on my own today and I really don't mind dining alone. However, I greatly dislike it when a host or server says something like, "Is it just you today?", or "Are you alone?" For crying out loud! Why make a point of a customer dining alone. Both hostess and server did this. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - 4oz Salmon burger and cole slaw. - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

One of our favourite places to dine when we are in Fairhaven. Best to visit during the balmy summer months, when patio dining is availabe. They've also featured live music from time to time. A bit on the expensive side, but all-round well worth it. read more

Don't know why they call it hidden, it's pretty prominently visible from the street. Bustling cafe, friendly and fairly attentive service. I wasn't very hungry so I had just a bowl of clam chowder, which is supposed to be their specialty. The clams were huge and juicy, but that's true of all the good clam chowders here in clam country. The broth was moderately thick but without pectin and tasted more of potato soup than clam broth. So while it was a very pleasant mealtime, I can't claim to be wildly enthusiastic, but I didn't try anything else. I'd try this place for breakfast for sure. read more

My favorite place to go for brunch with the family. Definitely sit in their outside patio area. Super nice especially when its a lovely day. I find the inside dining area dark. Service has been consistently good. The food is a hit and miss. I order one day the steak bites and they were amazing. Order it again on another day and it was "okay" not the same as what I had the first time. Also inconsistency on their cinnamon roll or aka as my kid calls it the "cake." Not sure if its the possibility of two chefs? The best was when we went there during the weekend and the "okay" was on a Wednesday afternoon. read more

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I've been coming here for years the foods delicious, service is a hit or miss this time fairly slow. But the wedge salad was fantastic and loaded with all the good stuff read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Wedge salad - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Did this place sell since last December?? Went in, plastic white tables, Downsized menu. Cheap atmosphere!! What happened!! Reduced not as upscale menu! More Fast food style, ticky tacky! I've been coming here for at least 15 years, with my father before that. When the place served Halibut and crab cakes. We recently just dined in did eat the food. Service was excellent. Not nearly as eclectic or original Bellingham feeling. Too bad the atmosphere is lacking and fast foodish now. Must be under new management not familiar with Bellingham. read more

Four of us for lunch today. Fairly busy but seated promply. Friendly wait staff took our order promptly. Good food but ....... had to wait for 1 hour 20 min to get it. Two hours for lunch is crazy. Excuses, excuses. Used to always go to Skylar's but probably our last. read more

Skylarks isn't just a hidden cafe, it's a hidden gem. You should go check it out. Thank you to the Skylark team for making our Mother's Day memorable. read more

Skylarks Hidden Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Bellingham, Washington