This was not a bad lunch spot. Nothing terrific, but suitable for a small island. I'm always a sucker for soup, and that was good.

Our visits to Seattle are full of wonderful experiences. Our friends enjoy variety and unique gastronomie. After walking through the many shops and enjoying their many different varieties of items, we were all fighting our "hangry" moods. Our friends have eaten here many times as locals and thought we'd enjoy it. It has exceeded our expectations. These are very high stanfr, read more

Vashon Island - Was Not On Our Radar: We read an article in the Seattle Times about Vashon Island bit.ly/VashonIsland Vashon tries to keep it real despite an influx of people and money Rising costs have made it difficult for this idyllic, rural island to keep its counterculture vibe. So we decided to visit. It's An Island: The only way on (or off - unless you envision your own Escape From Alcatraz swimming scenario) is by ferry. So we jumped on the ferry and took the 15-minute ride from the Southworth bit.ly/VashonFerry side. Upon arriving we took the (only) road and followed it to 'downtown.' It was about time for lunch so we walked past the few restaurants we saw and peeked in the windows. We almost missed 'The Hardware Store' because the name made us think, well, umm, that it was a hardware store. My wife happened to look inside and found that there was a nice looking interior with a late breakfast being served. Every Town Has A Slogan - Some Are Just Weird: Vashon Island is the place where people who think places like Port Townsend, WA ("We're all here because we're not all there") or Bushnell, SD ("It's Not The End of The Earth, But You Can See It From Here) or Roswell, NM ("The Aliens Aren't the Only Reason to Visit") aren't down-home enough. It is a place where, if you never could, or wanted to, outgrow Haight-Ashbury, you would consider living. In order to compete with those other towns, Vashon Island has the unofficial slogan, "Keep Vashon Weird." Visit at your own risk - enuf' said. A Boy Named Sue: Alright, back to the deceiving name for the restaurant. Just how did a restaurant become known as the Hardware Store? Their website http://thsrestaurant.com/ reveals the answer, "Our Mission is to create a 'great good place' where people in our community can come together. We began our journey 12 years ago when the original Vashon Hardware Company decided to close its doors and decided to open a restaurant." With Apologies To Dr. Hook: To try and blend in with the locals, we did the "Walk right in, sit right down, baby let your hair hang down," move and sat by the window. There was a small sign on the table that essentially said, "We get our stuff local." The Hardware Store web site states, "For as long as The Hardware Store has been in business, we've been committed to having fresh, locally grown produce and food products available for our menu. You can imagine how many cases of vegetables and herbs we go through here, and the availability of gorgeous, organic heirloom and unusual varieties inspire our ever-changing, seasonally designed specials and menus." Vision Quest: The menu goes on and on about cage-free, locally sourced food items. It made me think that this is the kind of place where the sausage donators were grown on an organic farm. When the little piglets were just old enough, they were sent, free-range style, into the local woods on their own vision quest, so they could get a name befitting them of their heritage and land. I can imagine the piglets discovering their names like 'Josiah of Joy' or "Annabelle the Awesome' or 'Missy Mellow Moonbeam.' Of course, beyond the cage-free, locally sourced requirements, the piglets also were certified-organic, no antibiotics, no hormones added or administered, no nitrates/nitrites, pastured raised, sustainable, animal welfare approved, gluten-free, non-GMO, antibiotic-free, low-fat, sustainable waged and, as a bonus, they all voted for Bernie. Is There A Meal Somewhere In Here? Well, yes. I had their all natural, local-sourced hamburger. I know it is hard to screw up a burger, but it really is harder to make a great burger. This was borderline great. My wife, a wanna-be BBQ aficionado, had the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. I can attest that amount of BBQ splatter on her shirt confirms that it was awesome. She almost ordered an extra sandwich to go. Wait, There Was More: As we left, my wife ordered their in-house donuts because I like donuts. She doesn't. Thank Gawd she ordered two because she wanted to try a bite of mine, "Just to see." About 15 seconds later, my two donut bag was reduced to just one donut. My wife added donut shrapnel to the BBQ splatter. About Our Waiter: Waiters and waitresses come and go, so Colin Loch was friendly and we also discovered he was a rapper. Well, OK, who isn't in these times? Yo, yo, yo My crib is in the Vashon hood The homies, they all real good Piggies are treated real fine They all get locally-sourced, organic wine... I could go on, but you get the idea. Anyways, back to Colin. He shared his rap, Kitchen Life https://soundcloud.com/colin_loch with us. He was rockin' da house. He said Eminem was a role model for him. I asked him if he was going to get his own 8-Mile movie. He said, "Maybe 1/8 Mile." Thanks Colin. In Conclusion: Yep, worth the stop. I would be very appreciative if you could respond below: Was this review Useful / Funny / Cool Read all my reviews here bit.ly/RodsYelpReviews read more

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Ok let me break it down for ya! I ordered the Vashon breakfast and enjoyed it for the most part! The scrambled eggs were nice and fluffy, english muffin was good, sausage links were the BOMB but my only hesitation was with the breakfast potatoes. They weren't bad - but I think they could've been cut smaller and seasoned better. Definitely good enough to eat but nothing to rave about. Nothing was greasy which was nice! My sister ordered these huge donut holes and my oh MY were they just the cherry on top. The outside is perfectly glazed and the inside has this light fluffy and eggy texture that kept me wanting more. Service was very good; we came pretty early on a Sunday (10am or so) and it wasn't busy just yet. When we left, just about every table was full. Kind of weird that there was only one bathroom available for the ladies since it's not a super small place. Overall, we had a great experience and I would definitely come back here! I really wanted to try the pancakes or french toast but I didn't see an al a carte section to see if I could order sausage links on the side. I guess I could've asked but oh well! I would post a photo but I was so hungry that I couldn't wait to take a photo :-) Shawwie! read more

The fish and chips were delicious and the truffle fries were wonderful. Our waitress, Colleen, was a sheer delight. She gave great recommendations and had us laughing the whole time. read more

Just had a wonderful lunch at The Hardware Store. Our server was Colleen. She was so fun! Her customer service skills are stellar. Will definitely return for more. In addition to Colleen, I highly recommend the sweet potato fries with caramel dip. read more

Day tripping around the Island, and found this great eatery. Although the food is good, and a basic menu, the flare and service puts it over the top. It is a really cool environment with strong drinks and wine. Prices are equal to quality and not out of scope. The wait staff here are some of the best in all of WA state. Make it your stop when visiting Vashion. read more

Food was good but the service was mediocre. Staff all seemed bothered by the customers and a little "too cool" to give great customer service. We did appreciate the gluten free options but $19 for a chicken Caesar salad ?? Unnecessary - probably won't be back. read more

Love this place. Every time I come to the island I try to eat here. They have many gluten free options and a separate fryer and take every necessary precaution to make it safe. Came in on a Friday night around 530pm. I did have a reservation- but I'm unsure it was necessary. Had the GF clam chowder ( AMAZING!!) and the Fried Chicken salad which was super tasty. Way too much bacon but that's my only complaint about the food. Unsure if they have the whole "island time" mentality going on but our server was def not in a hurry and we did sit there for over an hour to eat dinner. We were not in a hurry but just in case you are, maybe give yourself some time to come here. They also offer local to the island cider from Nashi which was fantastic!! I will be back next time I'm here- thanks for the yummy food guys!! read more

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We came to the island for a little weekend getaway at the Lodges - we brought our dog with us, so our dining options seemed a bit limited once we arrived. After perusing a bunch of the places recommended by the hotel, we called The Hardware Store to order takeout. They had just seated a big party and asked us to call back in a half hour - i totally understand being busy and overwhelmed but I was a little frustrated that they wouldn't just take our order and let us know it would be delayed - so much so, we ALMOST didn't call back to order but I'm really glad we ended up ordering from them. I typically don't expect much when we order takeout from anywhere, but this was DAMN good. We got the fried chicken entree, salmon bowl, and sides of mac and cheese and sweet potato fries in case anything went awry with our entree choices. Long story short, nothing went awry, everything was AWESOME, and we were very full and happy at the end of the night. We also got a brownie for dessert and they put the ice cream on ice - very thoughtful. I would say it's quite possibly the best takeout meal we've ever had. 5* for food, and as much as i hate to, -1* for the awkward call back. Sorry!! Will definitely visit again next time we're on the island. read more

We were very impressed by both dinners we ordered from The Hardware Store this weekend! As a Certified East Coaster Clam Chowder Enthusiast™, I have to give them a huge shout out for their chowder; it was excellent. We loved their grilled pork shoulder steak so much so, that we ordered it both nights. Their house made rigatoni was very tasty as well. While the burger was alright, their fries were perfect/super crispy. Next time we're in Vashon, we'll be sure to visit THS again! read more

When is a hardware store not a hardware store? When it's a restaurant. Huh? Thing is, this locally famous old building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was just too famous to change it's name. That's Vashon for 'ya. Read what you want into that. The restaurant is really nice, very homey, slightly upscale without being pretentious and the food is great Northwest fare with a lot of local, fresh flavors. You can get everything from Penn Cove mussels to meatloaf and you might as well just get a burger for lunch. Or go with the crab cakes, or my personal favorite, the Fried Chicken Salad. It includes roasted corn and ranch dressing. Down home yum. The place sits at the main intersection smack dab in the middle of town and you can eventually see all of the Island life out the bright windows. There are no stoplights on the Island since the life isn't that fast, but be patient. I enjoyed eating here, but it was a little hard to reconcile the restaurant with the REAL hardware store I remember from ages past where I used to buy tools for dad for Christmas and arrows from a bin for my first little bow. Don't worry, I only shot at targets. Really. read more

Went here for dinner, arrived around 7:50pm. Waited for 5-6 minutes before someone finally came by to tell us they are closed. Even though the restaurant was fairly busy (for covid time) and the restaurant hours close at 9pm. No additional info... hmmm, before 8pm, sorry we're closed. read more

I love it when I get a day off that is usually a work day for everyone else. Mostly because I can try places out that I usually am not able to try due to the time factor. Thus, I made a trip out to Vashon for the first time. Just to see. Not much there it turns out. The restaurant options are also quite limited. Of these, The Hardware Store is clearly the best of the lot. It is centrally located on the corner of the one (only?) all way stop in town. The exterior is rustic, while the interior is spacious and cozy. It has a small town feel to it which I like, but the food has big city flair. Took a seat at the bar and had a late lunch there. The menu consists of American comfort foods offerings. All reasonably priced. I think everything on the lunch menu is $12 or less. Decided to get the fried chicken salad ($12) with a cup of coffee ($1.50). The cup of coffee was lovely. It was served in your basic coffee mug, but I did not expect to get the cream and sugar cube experience here. You just don't see sugar cubes offered anywhere. Just sugar packets. A shame. As for the fried chicken salad, for the most part I loved it. The greens, corn and tomatoes were nice. And who does not love bacon, bacon, bacon! The fried chicken is of the lean chicken breast variety which fit in well in the dish, but I was really hoping for some buttermilk Southern fried chicken. Oh well. The thing with the fried chicken was that it was quite warm, which actually took away the crispness of the greens a bit. I think it may have been better to put the chicken to the side of the dish with the salad front and center. Dressing was nice, though a little excessive. Not that I mind. Service was good and friendly. I did also like that they have an art space in the back of the restaurant to show off local art which is quite appealing. Seems like many other Vashon businesses have diversified offerings too. Like the movie rental place down the road that serves drive-thru espresso and the supermarket that sells board games! Vashon is small, but quaint. And The Hardware Store is bar none the best place to dine in town in regards to food and ambiance. It is not saying much given the competition on Vashon, but this is certainly the type of place I would return to again given the feel that this place has. read more

Good weekend brunch, solid coffee, excellent ham and bacon, perfect eggs over easy, potatoes and toast. A random choice on our part, but glad we gave it a try. Basic entrees, but done with extra care and superior ingredient. A nice experience for our first visit to Vashon read more

One of my favorite places on Vashon! Great service, food, and drinks. Two different patios with heating to help support relaxed C19 protocols. read more

We patiently waited for an hour to be seated. Finally got a table and were ignored for another 20 minutes while we watched other tables get sat and greeted/served after our arrival. It was a busy Monday evening, but there is no excuse to be ignored by staff. I am a restaurant manager and THIS constitutes a negative review. People love to complain online about all kinds of garbage, but this is legit. I wish I could have tried the food, but I will not be back. read more

The Hardware Store - "Where is the food?" "I want dinner" My 7 year old left hungry. - New American Near Me - Vashon, Washington

Located right in the middle of Vashon Town, the Hardware Store is centrally located to just about everything. It has to be because there's nowhere else to go. It's an island, after all. The greeting was pleasant and prompt and very tolerant because we asked to be moved twice. Even after that she was nice so that's bonus 1. Ok I'm not one for sweets but our host for the day took the liberty of ordering the donut holes, which were very good. Very delicate with a center that tasted very much like fresh cooked egg. Only a small bite of the sugar coating was plenty. If you want to have one, just split it with your neighbor. There is no need to have a whole one. The egg white and tofu scramble was excellent served with my choice of gluten free bread and home fries. The veggies were plentiful and included cauliflower and carrots as well as other assorted veggies. Just keep the coffee coming and I'll be happy. He did. I'm not sure about other places in the vicinity so I have nothing else to compare it to. Next time I do breakfast out on Vashon, this will be the go to. read more

This is a great place to eat when visiting Vashon although check your times because their hours when they serve the full-menu are limited. Our waitress said it was to give kitchen staff a break before the dinner rush. Remember you are on an island and most islands work on island time!! Anyhow we showed up around 1:30pm and the only thing on the menu was sandwiches, burgers, salads and a few appetizers. Although on the other-side of the menu was a very interesting looking breakfast menu, which I must try at sometime I just got to catch the earlier ferry. Service was good and food came out quick. Everything was cooked to order and very tasty. They also have a full bar with a good selection of local beers, spirits and wine. I have been here a few times and definitely one of my places when I visit Vashon, it is a fun place and right downtown so you can walk to everything after you eat. read more

I was there on Saturday 9/19 with friends. The experience was mixed; my friends enjoyed their meals. I was disappointed in the fruit salad I ordered for lunch - small portion with not much variety and pricey at $7.50. I did let them know for their information but there was little interest. They also had difficulty figuring out the tab and would have shortchanged themselves had my friend not said something. It was not an inexpensive lunch and a little more customer service would have been nice. read more

We spent a wonderful evening at The Hardware Store! We're on the island for a long weekend to celebrate my birthday and we couldn't have picked a better restaurant for my birthday dinner! The meal was fantastic! I had potato gnocchi which was out of this world and I'm a gnocchi snob. My husband had yellow curry seafood stew and he said it was one of the best meals he has ever had! The atmosphere was comfortable, inviting and cozy! Our server, Jana, was so friendly and gave us great tips on places to explore and visit while on Vashon! If The Hardware Store was closer to our home, we would definitely be regulars! This is our first trip to the island but it definitely won't be our last! read more

I want to love the Hardware store; they're a Vashon institution! I love the vibe and ambiance and have been there many times. Breakfast is my favorite. But I increasingly find the food to be only so-so and really expensive for what you get. Their high points come in tasty cocktails; the lavender lemon drop was divine. But my gf added an extra shot of house alcohol to her Bloody Mary and it was $17.65! Steep! And her salad with crab cakes was decent, but $14 for 2 crab cakes that are so small (about the size of a medium scallop), on top of the price of the salad seemed too much. I was happy they carry the impossible burger (delicious!), though apparently the bun isn't vegan. Overall, my latest lunch for two of a burger and salad with 3 cocktails ended up costing $100, plus tip. Ouch. If I'm paying that much, I wish I was leaving feeling full. read more

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I was looking forward to trying this local staple but we found very few menu options, and even fewer that were vegetarian. i decided to order some classic pancakes for brunch and was excited to enjoy them- but quickly realized after a few bites that they had sesame seeds mixed in (I have a severe allergy). The waitress was kind and offered to get me something else because of the mistake but they still charged me for the messed up pancakes...? I left hungry, confused and itchy. :( read more

A Vashon staple! I always send people here if they are looking for a sit down dining experience on the island. THS is a special place for so many reasons! Breakfast, lunch or dinner...you can't lose. Plus the feel good vibe doesn't hurt either. read more

Great atmosphere and tasty food. I had the omelet and I highly recommend it. My wife tried the fried chicken salad and she shared one bite of the fried chicken. I went back for a second bite and she said "nope". I cannot wait to come back again so I can get my own fried chicken salad because just thinking about it makes my mouth water! read more

The Hardware Store - New American Near Me - Vashon, Washington

We love this place for breakfast/brunch (haven't been for dinner). It's family friendly, the food is great and the staff is even better. Would totally recommend. read more

Top notch vegetarian risotto! So dang good. Coming here again. The cocktail menu has a lot of options and the service was good! Wasn't hungry but I'm hungry again. read more

Normally I hear it's good when you're able to sit down and eat but the takeout was below average. Everything was in smaller portions at the same price. Fries were lacking, fish was minimal. It just felt, average. At least the chowder was good, but again small. read more

Hand's down THE place to go on Vashon for a homey delicious meal. Been coming to this joint for the past couple years - never disappoints. They are so nice and have lots of options for meat or no meat, gluten or no gluten. I usually get the impossible burger wrapped in lettuce and sweet potato fries. Crave it weekly now. And the atmosphere is so old school Vashon - you cannot miss this place whether a local or just passing through. Rarely do you find a restaurant or any place with a soul. This place has soulful history. Highly recommend!!! read more

Perfect example of when savory, service and simplicity melds best. On the ferry over, I met a nice lady who has a cabin on Vashon for weekends and a home in north Seattle for work weeks. Upon asking for recommendation for good fare (I could tell by her energy she was a serious about her preference) she immediate recommended The Hardware Store. After driving around the whole island, watching deer and appreciating sheep resting, I decided to park and walk while the farmer's market opened. FYI: only coffee shops and breakfast places open before 1000, everything else: "noonish" as the signs read. Purely island respite and timing. Behold, I ventured into The Hardware Store And has the best wedge salad ever! I am a sucker for a mean wedge salad. Jamie, the cutest ever, was as well, and when she cracked black propped until her arms tired, I knew I was home! read more

So good! I had the buttermilk chicken strips and loved them. Great service and great food!!

We had a glorious day on Vashon and then had the most delicious food at The Hardware Store Restaurant in the heart of Vashon. The staff were so kind and accomodating. I want to give a huge shout out to Shana and Grace who made us feel so welcome. Our food was beautifully presented and we enjoyed every bite. My husband had the mushroom and cheese dish which was the special of the day and I had a lovely casear salad with yummy salmon. I also enjoyed their home made soup which as so comforting and perfect for a the fall evening. I loved Vashon Island and we plan to return and will definitely look forward to to dining at this great restaurant when we do. HIghly recommended. Five stars. I wish I could give it more. read more

Reviews were accurate. This place was a gem and worth the visit. The food was delicious, the service was warm, and the ambience of the restaurant was wonderful. If you're in town on this quaint island and looking to grab a bite... make sure The Hardware store is on the top of your list. We definitely will be back. read more

Good clam chowder Good crab cakes but on the dry side Great salad and dressing Good service 3.5 stars Nice atmosphere, clean, KD Lang donated a guitar which is on the wall by the (non-gender neutral bathrooms)restrooms. Would go again, especially since lots of other places o the island were closed. Will return to try May's Thai food tomorrow, number on Thai place in the area! read more

We NEVER send food back and we rarely don't finish our food from a restaurant. We didn't finish our food from here, in fact we took a few bites and then ordered food from somewhere else. The Clam chowder was cold. When we asked for warm clam chowder we were brought back chowder at the same temp. The spicy chicken sandwich was pink in the middle, not even cooked all the way and definitely not spicy. The cacio e Pepe was swimming in water and butter. The flavor was not great at all. And then to end it they took my card off the table and ran it without providing a bill first, I'm not even sure what I paid for but it certainly wasn't for a good meal! I never received an itemized receipt. Skip it entirely. read more

Excellent burgers and service. The bar is pretty open to the rest of the restaurant so if you have young children and that's an issue this may not be the place for your family. Plenty of seating and street parking near by. I would definitely come back. read more

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Kudos to The Hardware Store crew for holding it together during the Coronavirus mandatory "Stay at Home" order. They took the time to renovate their kitchen and also provided take out from the kitchen next door. And what take out it was!! We had the Impossible Burger with salad, a Beef Empanada with salad, and a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. They threw in some Roasted Red Pepper Soup for free! The food was all fantastic - a real treat for us during this period of self-isolation and a joy to be able to help out the restaurant too. read more

Took the ferry from Point Defiance (Tacoma) to spend the day shopping and sightseeing the island. Found this place for brunch...it's super cute inside (in over a hundred year old restored building). We ordered the espresso (yum!) and a chai latte...the chai tea was great however you can tell the don't use thermometers and it was served way too hot...burnt my tongue. The chorizo biscuits and gravy were a unique take on the traditional, my husband enjoyed them but will try something different next time. I had the granola and yogurt...very fresh ad satisfying...nice to have a granola dish that isn't all yogurt! Service and staff were very nice! Can't wait to try them for dinner next time we are on the island! read more

The Hardware Store - Chai latte and espresso - New American Near Me - Vashon, Washington

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The are in this place is nice, very open. The drinks are good and the bartender Thia I think her name was, is very sweet and a great bartender. We decided to walk after having a few drinks and went to another restaurant that happened to be closed because it was almost 8 which was pretty ridiculous because it was the weekend. So we went back to this place because the food did look good. We came back and we were almost turned away because they were about to close too, but Thia came to the rescue and sat us down as long as we ordered quick, which we did. I ordered the burger medium rare and my parents had the fish tacos and salmon with salad. When it comes to the food, we did not experience what we thought. My burger was over cooked, such a bummer, my moms salmon, also over cooked and the fish tacos ... not the best either, too dry and too thin of fish. Maybe the kitchen was in a rush, but if you want to keep your business, please make sure the good is cooked to a persons likeing... very disappointed with the price we paid for the food as it wasn't cheap. Service however was great ! read more

The Hardware Store - New American Near Me - Vashon, Washington

I'm not sure that The Hardware Store deserves the local hype. The space is great, but the service is sketchy, starting with inattentive teenagers manning the host stand. Servers seem frustrated from time to time, indicating possible problems with the kitchen. We've been there for both brunch and dinner, along with several friends, and we have found the food mediocre. The "side" salad is incredible, but the brunch can be skipped entirely. The fried chicken dinner is horribly overdone, while the mashed potatoes are excellent, if only the gravy was on the potatoes instead of under the chicken. "It's OK" has been the most common answer when we ask how our dinner partners' meals are read more