Backdoor Kitchen

The Backdoor Kitchen is a food lover's dream (and most unexpected in a community of Friday Harbors size). The menu is small, with worldly influences, and the execution rivals top restaurants in any major city. The food is fresh, creatively prepared, and seasoned in such a way to highlight the natural flavors of the food but also take your taste buds on a journey. We ordered a pork shoulder salad with mango and Vietnamese dipping sauce as a light dressing. Steak with vegetables, and vegetarian plate. The highlight was the vegetarian plate with a wonderful mix of coconut curry that tasted light and fruitful (unlike most curries which are heavy and fatty). The space is small so make reservations if you can. They have a small bar room with a few tables, a dining room, and outdoor patio.

Food was amazing! The price amazed me too! Expect to spend $50+ per person.

Hell yes. Everything is great here, especially the crispy pork appetizer and the veggie entree. You kind of have to literally go around back to park and get in.

I ordered the pork chops and #5 on drinks for our dinner. I don't remember the drink name. The food is no doubt good and well prepared but the price point was definitely very high for the quantity of food served. I wouldn't recommend this place if you want to eat out on a budget. The environment was cool and a little hard to find at first specially at night.

We had an enjoyable dinner at Backdoor Kitchen. The outdoor patio is nicely landscaped with hidden romantic tables under the trees. We ordered the summer corn soup and sea scallops. Both were well seasoned and savory. Scallops were fresh and were caramelized in butter, served with fresh from the garden sweet peas and carrots, and these delightful butter seared rice cakes. Yum! Service was prompt and our glasses were never empty. Inside can be a bit loud on a Saturday night, but it’s manageable. We ate at a few of the more expensive restaurants in Friday Harbor, and this was our favorite. (Granted, we only tried two menu items) It’s located next to the new San Juan Brewery, so it’s convenient to eat and then walk across the parking lot for a brew.

We came very excited for the food due to the good reviews. The place is cute and cozy. The customer service is nice and fine. We ordered two drinks. They were good. But the food I have to say left something to be desired. Was not so tasty. And the prices are too much for what you receive. At least, our plates. We ordered one potato pasta w/wild prawns that was ok. But not what I was expecting. It lacked of flavor. The other dish was vegetarian black beans and fried plantain that was 24$ but basically was nothing special for the price. The appetizer fried pork shoulder was cold. And it came with a few tiny pieces of mango. Really dissapointed and will not repeat. It is fair to say that it was our first gastronomic experience on the Island. So we don't have any other to compare.

We have dined there twice. Must say, the atmospherics and staff are great. The last time, I gave the place five stars. I think my main problem is with consistency. We ordered the same meals, but they did not turn out the same. That can happen when there isn’t a trained chef running the kitchen. Yes, the place is pricey, but when they are running on all cylinders, the dining experience can be delightful. We haven’t given up on them.

We dined here on a Friday evening in September -- without reservations -- so had to be seated outside, The service and food were excellent. Everything we ate was beyond wonderful - main courses were lamb and scallops. The only complaint was the outdoor heater was not working so it got very chilly so we left before desert. We'll be back but next time we'll make reservations first.