The Shakedown

amazing club... im enjoyed... jawolla rehina... subject done.... enigma post apocrypha and entityread more

Absolutely horrible bar that stole my belongings and wouldn't let me get them back, rude owner and…read morerude staff and ESPECIALLY THE RUDE BOUNCER

Buffalo holds court amongst the bottles.

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Jboog!

Redlight Kitchen & Bar

4.5(188 reviews)

Had a delightful evening at the Redlight--impeccable service, imaginative yet well-balanced…read morecocktails, inviting atmosphere, and fresh, perfectly-prepared food. We sampled 8-9 dishes; each one was a perfect blend of flavors & textures. The staff was warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable. We felt like old friends being welcomed back home! Truly a perfect evening-10/10!

This place was, to say the least, unforgettable. I grew up in Bellingham but have never lived there…read moreas an adult. I visited Redlight on my dad's 62nd birthday. Not only were the cocktails delicious and intriguing, the food delectable, and the atmosphere spectacular. The service was beyond words. Anna was a wonderful server as well as a different server who helped when I asked for something, but additionally I spoke to a bartender who provided great recommendations for my father. When the food and drinks were served, my expectations were exceeded. In addition to all of the positive experiences, once we had closed out a customized birthday card signed by the entire staff was delivered to my dad. PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND VISIT THIS RESTAURANT!

Vanilla Lemon Drop

Hot Noodle! IG - @bilalandjesseatfood

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Hot Noodles

Downtown Sounds

4.5(4 reviews)

A giant stage with lively bands playing, people of all ages dancing, a beer garden, food, vendors,…read moredogs, amazing weather...yup, this is pretty much one of my favorite local events. In fact, I'd say Downtown Sounds is the quintessential Bellingham experience. Held on multiple Wednesdays during the summer months, this free concert/street festival brings together the best our sweet city has to offer. And this year it got even better as the layout of the festival was flipped on its access, creating a larger beer garden (no more long lines!) with full view of the action on stage, plus a great food truck area with local yumminess like tacos, tamales, and ice cream. If it's a warm summer night, there's simply no place better to be. Want to experience Bellingham for all it is? Check out Downtown Sounds!

After being washed out for two weeks in a row, Downtown Sounds finally got a break from the weather…read moreGods. Perfect summer weather, great Latin vibe and lots of food, kids activities and dancing!

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Big crowd tonight!

The Underground

3.3(18 reviews)

0.1 mi

Probably the best night club in town. I've been there q couple of times last year and this time…read morecounting. It's usually packed friday night and haa free entrance for students, which is cool. Prices on alcohol are typical/expensive. But usually they make them strong enough for you to feel it. Yet, the more you spend and the often you come, they serve you better and better (and of course, you gotta tip for a better service). Music during those busy nights is great. Had a very fun experience during the halloween especially. Would recommend!

It's a cool fun laid back place with swing dancing I was v surprised to find a country bar like…read morethis in Bham

Pool! Lights!

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Mount Baker Theatre

4.1(43 reviews)

This place is a hidden gem in Bellingham. The inside is very ornate and lavish. We came here for a…read moreweekend show and had a wonderful time. This theater does not have a dedicated parking lot, but there are multiple private lots around the proximity.

We went to this lovely theater to see David Sedaris last night. It's surprisingly spacious and very…read morebeautiful. They have wine and snacks and had a really nice table of books to buy as provided by the local bookshops. It was incredibly clean and well-maintained, which isn't something you always see in old theaters. The beverage cups maybe look a little too close to medical sample cups, but everything else was perfect.

Josh Turner

MBT the view from row BB, seat 18

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Kulshan Brewing Co.

4.3(136 reviews)

1.1 mi

This is a sweet place. I came for the music (Anissa and Erik). (I even apologized to the staff--RJ,…read moreI believe he told me--explaining that's why I was there and I likely wouldn't be spending much money. He was nice as could be! And later told me he loved the music too.) Anyway, I liked their ginger beer--it had a little zing to it. I liked their humongous pretzel (I've never had one of these before--delish with and without the spicy mustard. I didn't really look at the interior of the place, but the outdoor seating area is very pleasant (though some cushions would be nice) and clearly very popular. One of the things I liked was that they have several different kinds of seats. There are a few umbrellas in spots--which is good as they are opposite to the setting sun. Food trucks were at the ready. Again, sweet place with at least one super nice staffer.

Had to try the greek food truck so had to try Kulshan too!! I really enjoyed my blackberry apero…read more It was very light with a hint of sweetness, perfect for my taste. They have a nice selection of indoor and outdoor seating and do have areas to accommodate littles.

The Kulshan Brewery courtyard picnic tables (the Greektown food truck just out of sight to the left)

Yonder Coulee - pineapple, lime and cardamom

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Cool artwork

The Royal

2.3(69 reviews)

0.1 mi

I don't know why this bar gets so much hate, but I find this place very relaxing and just a good…read moredrinking spot. Good atmosphere, cool and respectful security and typical prices on drinks. Definitely better than the other bars around. Has a second floor with additional bar area and few pool tables. The business also owns The Underground night club. Go check them out.

Bouncer kicked my out for wearing sweat pants after letting in a guy in a bathing suit and flops,…read moreand my other buddy also in sweat pants and then started to verbally assault me after confronting the security that didn't let me in. Complete snob. Incredibly rude and turned a deaf ear to me. Crappy establishment that treats their customers poorly.

The Royal NightClub

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One of the bouncers

Make.Shift Art Space

4.9(7 reviews)

0.4 mi

I checked out Make.Shift during last week's Downtown Walk and was blown away by the sheer variety…read moreof art offered here. From modern and contemporary to upcycled to textiles to photography...it's all represented in this spot. Art Walk is a great night to go because you can meet the artists in person and hear about their work and what inspires them.

Every community should have a creative center like Make.Shift to support local arts and music. The…read morespace is non-profit, all -ages, drug-free, and Make.Shift offers practice space to bands passing through for a small fee. Make.Shift is also home to "The Magic Van" a resource for bands looking to tour the PNW who lack access to a band van. This weekend they hosted a local craft fair where there was a button trade, multiple floors of local crafts, and I even picked up some vinyl. Additionally down in the lower level I found an alternative lending library (with zines of course) and some indie publications for sale. There was even an artisan guitar maker who took a break from his craft to talk about what he does. The whole experience was straight up cool. I will make sure to stop back in the next time I am in Bellingham and drop a few bucks in the donation jar because creative spaces like this enrich communities and support the arts for us all.

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Stones Throw Brewery

4.5(111 reviews)

2.3 mi

What's with the flat IPA?? Music was great but beer not so…read moremuch. Also why aren't there more beer choices? We love your place but having a hard time coming back.

Great spot! Solid beer selection and taste. Friendly bartender with excellent service…read more Funky layout with a lot of character

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The Sandwich Odyssey

4.6(204 reviews)

0.7 mi

Delicious! Been coming here for years and quality has remained intact! Highly suggest ordering…read moreonline if you're in a rush.

First time here! Loved it!! Got a Bellingham Buster and Macaroni and Cheese! Wow the Mac was bomb,…read moreflavorful! Really good cheese. Sandwich delicious! Actually called the hubby and said we need to come here tomorrow!! Service was good, they were busy, and getting order out to costumers. Cooll hole in the wall place.

Southwest stack with chicken

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Kody A.

11 years ago

Never really had the food but the atmosphere and drinks and people make this place one of my favorites!!

IDoReviews 2.

6 years ago

Consistently great shows. Actually supports local bands. Good prices. Stellar staff!

Mick M.

12 years ago

Nothing but fun times. Great bands. Good vibes. I look forward to my next visit!

Khalid A.

11 years ago

hhhh

The Shakedown - musicvenues - Updated October 2026

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amazing club... im enjoyed... jawolla rehina... subject done.... enigma post apocrypha and entityread more

Absolutely horrible bar that stole my belongings and wouldn't let me get them back, rude owner and…read morerude staff and ESPECIALLY THE RUDE BOUNCER

The Temple Bar

4.2

(177 reviews)

We stopped in The Temple Bar for drinks and dinner prior to seeing a show. The server was quick to…read moreseat us and she remained attentive. We ordered a special cocktail "the persuasion," with earl grey vodka, calamansi,honey, and lemonade. It was good but a bit unbalanced. Too medicinal. Perhaps too much calamansi. My husband later ordered an old fashioned cocktail. It was good. For food we ordered the blue cheese dip, the pork chili verde & polenta, and a reuben sandwich. The food took a while to arrive. The server might have noted our anxiety because she asked if we had a show, noting the dip in particular might take a while. She was accommodating, bringing items out as they were prepared and supplying us with to-go boxes in case. The blue cheese dip came first. It came with potato chips and bread. It was tasty but a bit too salty. It was better with bread--the chips were a nice idea but it pushed the sodium level too high. Both entrees were delicious. We ate them in a rush (not everything got photographed). The atmosphere is nice. Perhaps a bit dated (i.e.,1990s), but nice. I think it would be a perfect date spot when you have the time to leisurely enjoy bites and drinks.

Stopped here on our way up to Canada on a Friday night. We had a great time here for happy hour…read more The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was lively. We enjoyed the two charcuterie plates we got. The Petite Cheese board was a bit disappointing as there was only one cheese on it. The individual items on the boards were all good and the whole thing was a great value. I would definitely stop here again.

Bellingham Bar and Grill

3.6

(78 reviews)

We used to absolutely love coming here for the food- specifically the mozzerella sticks and fish…read moreand chips (cod and chips) but in recent visits they have been pretty mediocre and we are so disappointed! The fish pieces were super small instead of the big ones we used to get. We were told they were hand cut, but the plate ended up being 75% French fries. The mozzerella sticks used to be cheesy, stringy and delicious and recently were a bit chewy despite us asking for them to be fried longer. We still love the place- drinks are good and well priced and pool is always fun!! Looking for a new fried food spot in town, though.

We decided to stop by here for dinner on our way back from Vancouver BC. It was late at night, this…read morewas the only place I could find to eat. It was busy on a Saturday, but the service was quick and good. We looked at the menu and smiled. Ribeye's steak was only $26 and the fish and chips were $15. My husband and I joked each other that we would probably get some tough meat or a little steak. The Fish and Chips were a plateful and the steak was a good size. I had the Fish and my husband had the Steak. The meat was grilled just right and had a nice flavor, and the fish were large and delicious. I don't think there are many places where you can get steak for $26 these days. We also ordered sandwiches and sweet potato fries to take home. However, Both the fish and chips fries and the sandwich fries were so salty that we were completely inedible. Please use less salt on the fries.

The Orion

4.1

(35 reviews)

It's really hard to find cocktails under $10 anymore. The Orion is here serving up delicious and…read moreaffordable cocktails to Bellingham in style!!! I mean, look how cute my cocktail was??! When I went, most cocktails were $8. I was unfortunate enough to barely miss happy hour (5-7pm) when I went. During happy hour cocktails are $5 each. Other than the amazing deals for cocktails and snacks, the Orion is a very quaint and quirky bar. I love the space theme, vintage video games, small tables, and the separate more private room for larger parties. I saw some negative reviews about service. The night I went I was served by a very kind gentleman. He was slammed with a huge crowd and he handled it very well, and I didn't have to wait that long for my drink. I'll definitely be here again!

I've only had the opportunity to be here a few times so far, but it's always been such a genuinely…read morewonderful experience. Very fun room designs, great drinks, as well as incredibly sweet && helpful staff. I absolutely love it here, highly recommend! I'm hoping to return on a Wednesday next to enjoy more live jazz.

Tony's Tavern

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Oh yeah, great place. A true historic neighborhood pub, with most of the customers seeming to know…read moreeach other. A mature and somewhat older crowd, with lots of smiles and camaraderie, and great service by the staff. They have a hamburger special on Friday nights, which is a big draw. The floor is usually covered with pull tab rejects. They have a sound system, but it has never been so loud as to interfere with conversation. Just this writing about it makes me want to drop by for a visit....

Tony's Tavern is a hidden-gem dive bar, small, cozy, and perfect for pool and a laid-back night…read more The pull tabs are oddly lucky, the bartenders remember your drink, and everyone is always welcoming. Tucked off the beaten path but feels like home. And whatever you do... don't ring the bell

The Beach Bar at Birch Bay

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This is a great place to go if you are interested in a great view as well as local food - service…read moreis good and very timely. Go check it out

The Cabin

3.5

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First time I came here, I just wanted a burger since I was coming home from a trip to Canada. Got a…read moreburger and a beer. Solid friggin burger, smash burgers, should have made it double, still good though. And the fries were amazing, wildly crispy. Bartender was cool too. The burgers is what made me come back, b/c I am a huge fan of smash burgers. So today I come back, 3 weeks later. The same bartender, and he remembered me which kind of caught me off guard, in a good way, it was cool. And I made sure to get a double patty smash with bacon & cheese. So if you want a easy spot, with a cool/chill bartender (with cool head of hair) solid inexpensive smash burgers.. come here.

Best smash burger, hands down! Perfect dive bar with a friendly bartender. It's a great place to…read moremeet up with friends for a drink and enjoy some delicious burgers. The fries, however, were disappointing. At least on the night I visited, they were burnt and mostly inedible. Even with that I would give it another try and still give this place a 4 stars regardless of how my fries turned out.

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