Duck Soup

Deliciously balanced preparations and well presented plates. Staff was attentive. Enjoyed the recommended cocktails and wine paired with our meal. Roasted Baby Carrot Salad, Scallops, and Sturgeon. Highly recommend!

We visited back in 2021 and the food was incredible. Smaller, local, creative portions. Our most recent visit on Wednesday was a little disappointing. The staff seemed slightly aloof and were not able to answer all of questions, and the food wasn’t quite as good as I remember. The bread and appetizers were fantastic but the entrees were disappointing. Big plates of watery mashed potatoes, soggy asparagus. My pasta looked appealing but I came to find out that it had an entire can of corn in it which really took away from all other flavors. The food just wasn’t appropriate to the price, the price should either be lower for this quality or the chefs should refine their work.

Great place to get engaged! My BF-now Fiance...gave the ring to the server and she presented it in my dessert. They were so cute and made the night special!

Duck Soup Inn is magical. We’ve been coming here for close to 20 summers and every meal is always so special.

Read a couple of the negative reviews and I have no idea what they’re talking about. We came here on a whim and honestly just for the clams that we saw on a google review pic. We never expected the place to look this amazing. The lighting, the ambience, the fire place we were seated directly in front of. Amazing. Service was impeccable and beyond polite. The food was incredible. We both ordered the filet mignon which was easily 10+ ounces and perfectly cooked. Honestly one of the best filets that I’ve had. It came with potatoes and a broccoli. For the price—fantastic. We had a bottle of wine as well which paired great. My only slight complaint is there could be some more local options for wines. We would absolutely come here again. Especially in the summer so we could enjoy the outside fire pits. Highly recommend this “out of place” fine dining experience.

We had couple of salads and they were so delicious! Enjoyed desserts! Fine Dine-in Experience. Loved the service. Fancy place and yummy food.

We went to Duck Soup for a birthday dinner when vacationing on SJI. We had heard it was a can't miss, fine dining experience on SJI. The service was disappointing from the greeter and the server, not rude, but certainly not overly welcoming or engaging. The dinner menu had several enticing options, but the preparation and flavors of our entrees were underwhelming. We enjoyed one of the mocktails and the green salad.

Flavor was fine. The server was friendly and tried her best, but the kitchen made us wait 90 minutes for entrees and delivered the food lukewarm. I feel like we got our food early because we complained, and other tables that arrived at the same time were still waiting. Will not return unless future reviews indicate significant improvement.

Deliciously balanced preparations and well presented plates. Staff was attentive. Enjoyed the recommended cocktails and wine paired with our meal. Roasted Baby Carrot Salad, Scallops, and Sturgeon. Highly recommend!

I've been traveling WA state for the last month, eating in Seattle, small towns, mom and pop places and highly rated restaurants. I know good food and I know when the business is customer oriented. I'm sorry to report that my very first meal on the island was at Duck Soup. After reading reviews and watching IG influencers rave about it in their stories, I made the mistake of not following my instincts. It all started with the "big" salad we started with. We just knew when we found wilted greens and a lack of a good dressing. Then came the bread that was decent but came with a huge squirt of anchovy paste that was so fishey and pungent we didn't want to touch the last slice. The waitress gave hints, "Go real slow with that". We moved on with ordering and should've known the $18 kids meal was a flop when the waitress described the ivory salmon as a "salmon with a genetic defect". The so called salmon was rubbery, slimy, and thrown across watery potatoes and some okay green beans. The flower on top had bugs in it and when we let another server know, she said "oh you can just toss that out!" So we tossed it into the bushes. I let the waitress know the kids didn't like the meal and she was more than Ok with it, suggesting it's always good to "keep trying things". The other kids meal was a filet that was ordered as medium but still was stringy and bloody. We had to push aside the kid meals and order them the $40 vegetable pasta which was charred veggies thrown in unseasoned cream soup with pasta noodles. My husband and I ordered the lamb chops and, I will admit, we should have said well done but the waitress claimed that medium rare was the standard. We asked for it medium well and it was just pink meat on a bone that we gnawed at because we were hungry and already in a mess. Not one person asked if we liked our food. Bottom line- this place was a waste of time and money. They are just making dishes and serving them, like it or not. My guess is that no one is tasting the food and checking for quality. I will not be back and I recommend this to no one. The only good that came is this is that it inspired me to buy clams at Wescott and make my own delicious meal!

Nice, cozy, Pacific Northwestern restaurant in Friday Harbor area, though dishes can be hit or miss depending on what you get and service could be better. Location requires a car as it is not centrally located near the ferries or seaplanes. I made reservations in advance for 6:30pm dinner Sunday, and it was quite busy. Most people are visitors like us so near 8:30pm when we finish the meal, the restaurant clears up with minimal people starting their meals, to catch the last ferry of the day. Note: despite the name, there is only one duck item on the menu, and according to the server, the name comes from the 70s saying here: "easy as duck soup." We got roasted baby carrot salad, braised pork belly, duck breast, and prawns and herb gnocchi. For dessert, we got the toasted dandelion ice cream sundae. We also got a cocktail "Twyla Mae" (forgot the exact spelling) that was a bit underwhelming - watered down. We got started with bread and anchoiade and butter, and the anchovy is pretty prominent and salty so enjoy it sparingly. The baguette was decent. The butter was also good. Roasted baby carrot salad was pretty solid - many uses of carrots which ended up flavorful, paired with a fresh herbed ricotta and fried carrot bits and baby arugula salad. Presentation was spot on too. Braised pork belly is decent - good ratio of fat to meat, with some oyster mushrooms. The mustard on the side was too strong and did not really pair with the pork belly. Duck breast was cooked to a medium and also had a decent fat to meat ratio. I love duck so this one was good. Prawns and herb gnocchi was also delicious. Price point is a bit high for what we get, 7 pieces of prawns that were pretty fresh, and herb gnocchi was large gnocchi, not the small ones. At minimum, the gnocchi was fairly flavorful, further enhanced with the sauce. Ice cream sundae was $14 which was quite high, about double the cost of what it was 2 years ago... but we were intrigued by the toasted dandellion flavor that ended up a bit subtle. We were celebrating a birthday and there was nothing special they do aside from just sticking a candle on the dessert. If we did not tell the server, they would not have paid attention, even though I stated a special occasion in the reservation notes. Service is a bit mediocre for a restaurant of this caliber. Long waits on food, so a 6:30pm dinner straddled close to 9pm, and our ferry was 10pm. We had to rush the dessert as it was already past 8:30pm, around the time we hoped to leave the restaurant to leisurely make it to the ferry. The server did not wipe down the table between mains and dessert, which would've been okay usually, but the server placed my spoon carelessly on top of some sauce that was left from the mains. I called it out, and they brought a cloth to clean the table but dropped the spoon loudly thereafter, which annoyed me a bit. Throughout the dinner, the server was nowhere to be found in a lot of instances, instead of paying closer attention to the tables if they needed anything prior to the server making the rounds across the tables every so often. Overall, a decent place that is recommended by lots of people, but a little overhyped. I would recommend for a nice dinner, but it falls short in service and some dishes when considering the price point indicative of a fancier sit down restaurant.

Came here for my birthday dinner since we were staying on the Island, and the flavors and quality ingredients combined with the beautiful location and decor were perfect. The service left a bit to be desired, though. Twice, our dishes were left unattended to the point that we had to move them around ourselves before anyone came to clear them. The servers aren't great here for a "fine-dining" experience restaurant. They also had a snooty air, which was annoying. The service was so slow that we decided not to order dessert or an extra cocktail because everything else had taken so long. Did notice that some folks were legit sitting and chatting for hours and hours because they were there well before and after us. Liked that it was an excellent place to catch up with loved ones without the pressure to leave. That may be why the service was slow. True Island time, I suppose. They have an adjacent parking lot and three seating areas: the dining room, this outside patio area, and the gravel patio area closer to the woods. I had initially booked the dining area, but the day was so beautiful that I kindly asked to be seated in the garden patio area. It was lovely watching the hummingbirds come and go while surrounded by nature. The parking lot view was the only annoying part. Had I not worn heels, I preferred the gravel patio area with fire pits. We ordered: (btw, one of the butters served with the table bread has anchovies mixed in and at first the flavor wasn't that great but it grows on you! Going to try to make this at home now) -Clam Special (I can't remember the exact name): The clams were giant! The picture did not do them justice, but this dish was excellent! -Confit Duck Leg--This was so delicious! Considering the name, I just had to try it, and it exceeded my expectations. I loved how they added citrus to the dish! -Smoked Pork Belly App: These were surprisingly hearty, even though they were tiny. I highly recommend you give them a try! -Petite Cioppino App - This was also delicious; the seafood was perfectly cooked, and the sauce tied the dish together nicely -2 cocktails which were delicioussss I highly recommend this place for special occasions or just for catching up with loved ones. Just make sure you set up your reservation ahead of time and enjoy the beautiful drive up. The surrounding area is gorgeous!

The salad and scallops were amazing! Well curated and seasoned. Every mouthful of the scallops just melted in my mouth! Loved the seed the croutons. So unique! Yummy bread and spreads too. Great service from Laurel and wonderful decor and ambiance. Duck was pretty good but not outstanding.

We loved our visit to Duck Soup! We made reservations ahead of time for dinner and were seated immediately. Our waitress was so friendly, welcoming, and attentive. We thought she did a great job with service. The space was cozy and inviting, with indoor and outdoor options available. It looked like the patio had heat lamps for chillier nights. The Halibut entree was our favorite out of everything we ordered, and the Chamomile Honeycomb Gimlet was so unique and flavorful. I would definitely put this on my return list!

Beautiful foliage-fringed restaurant with a funny name. The food is excellent but super pricy. Its location is not close to anything on the island except Lakedale Resort, which the trolley does stop by but limited hours/schedule so impractical, so you either need a car or hail/order a taxi to get there. Our server was gracious and attentive. She deserves 5 stars! Food/Menu - wide variety of meat and seafood to pick from. Very fresh and seasonal. Some highlights: - super flaky and crunchy bread served warm - the anchovies paste is scrumptious, could not get enough of it! - beet panna cotta is interesting! But together with goat cheese, candied pecans, and salad with a tart dressing it was well balanced - halibut was generous in serving size! Bit expensive for $48 - steak Diane was made to my husband's liking, and the potato Mille-Feuille side was super crunchy and addictive mouth watering. But still not worth $60+ imo Cocktails - earl grey old fashioned was lovely - Niepoort tawny port ended my night on a lovely note Definitely make reservations in advance! The server let us know that gratuity was already included since we had a large group. I appreciate that she even had written out the total amount so all we had to do was sign. Pricing is cost prohibitive, so just beware.

I was in a party of 6 that reserved a table for 7:15 pm. It took over 90 minutes to be served our food (food arrived at 8:55 pm). The waitress explained that they were hosting a wedding so they were very busy, but that is not a reasonable excuse. If the kitchen isn't able to handle a large volume of orders, they should not be seating additional customers or taking reservations for that time until the wedding concludes. Additionally, there were 2 other parties that were seated after us but got served before us (they even finished their dinners before we got our food). I'm not sure if this was due to incompetence and poor prioritization, or discrimination (a majority of my party was Asian), but it was definitely a slap in the face. The food itself was fairly bland as well, definitely not worth the price.

What a cozy place! We were recently on San Juan Island and decided to try the restaurant after reading positive reviews. The food was excellent. Scallops with risotto for me and steak for my husband. Green salads to start. All were expertly prepared, well portioned and delicious. Service was attentive without feeling like it was too much. We left satisfied with our bellies full of local food.

My cousin brought me here for dinner and it was amazing. I loved the location right by a pond, it was very green and luscious, they even had a garden out front. We had a reservation, but had to wait a little bit for our table to be set up. Our waitress was super nice and helpful. We sat near the back of the restaurant. Inside was very cozy and a little dark, felt like being in a hobbit hole. For our appetizers we ordered the cucumber salad and pork belly. These dishes complimented each other very well. The cucumber salad was refreshing and crunchy while the pork belly was fatty and tender. The presentation of each dish was beautiful and eye catching. I liked their use of edible flowers in the cucumber salad. For my entree I had to get the duck breast. Presentation once again was stunning, the duck breast was at the center of the plate, but it was surrounded by fresh greens and topped with chives and another edible flower. The duck seemed slightly undercooked but still tender and delicious. The polenta was cooked perfectly and soaked up all the juices that came from the duck. My cousin ordered the radiatori for her entree and it was also plated elegantly and had a lot of fresh vegetables in it. Of course, we had to order dessert. We split a simple pot de creme, which was also topped with the usual edible flower. It was a chocolatey rich, but not too heavy dessert. We had a wonderful dinner here and I would definitely come back the next time I come to San Juan Island.

I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant; the location, innovative food offerings, willingness to accommodate guests with vegan diets/lifestyle, and hospitality. Just finished my third meal here in a years time, two of which were back to back nights. They always have a vegan entree, soup, and appetizer, and when we expressed interest in returning a second night they offered to make modifications and serve us an off menu item. Cocktails and mocktails well executed. Thank you, Duck Soup team! See you in a few months.

I'm sharing my recent experience at Duck Soup, hoping it might help others make a more informed decision before dining there. We visited on August 8, 2024, for my brother-in-law's 50th birthday--and were extremely disappointed. Our experience was far from what we had hoped for, and unfortunately, it overshadowed the celebration. First, the online menu was misleading. We were looking forward to dishes like the pork chop and belly, only to find they were not available once we got there. Instead, the menu at the restaurant was different and the prices higher. This was frustrating, especially since we had specifically chosen Duck Soup based on their online menu and recommendations. Our party of six faced numerous issues with our meals. Out of all the dishes, only one was satisfactory. We chose not to send back the majority of the meals out of embarrassment, which contributed to a ruined birthday dinner. Here's a breakdown of the terrible food we were served: The filet was overcooked despite ordering it medium rare. It was remade, but it definitely was not worthy of an $80 steak. The Steak Diane was overcooked, with raw and burnt side vegetables that were left untouched. The noodles that came with the black cod were drenched in soy sauce, making them inedible. The pasta and prawns were overcooked and barely touched. The quail was undercooked and left uneaten. It looked like it was thrown in a microwave. My stomach turned so much that I could not eat it. The waitress never asked what if there were any issues even when 4/6 dishes remained mostly uneaten. We should have spoken up, but considering it was a birthday dinner, we did not want to spoil the night. The final blow came with the automatic $88 tip added to our bill ($528 total), which felt unjust given the poor quality of the food and service. After spending so much, most of us left hungry and had to find another place to eat. I spoke with the manager, who explained that the online menu isn't always current, as they change their offerings monthly. She also mentioned that the main chef was in the ER that night. While I understand that emergencies happen, it doesn't excuse the overall lack of quality and bad service. I was told we should be grateful for being accommodated without a reservation, but in hindsight, I wish we hadn't gone at all given how disappointing the food was. We were never offered anything to remediate the crummy food and experience. We dined here previously and it was pretty good. However, after this experience, and the manager's response, we will not dine here again. I want to make sure others do not make the same mistake we did with eating here.

A lovely setting for dinner. A warm summer evening out on the back patio with huckleberry bushes nearby and stately conifers surrounding the restaurant The kitchen gets stars for the delicious food that they bring to the table. You won't be disappointed.

I travel for business and have been the hospitality world for 35 years . The service is NOT worthy nor the prices they charge and so beyond my expectations. My worst dinner experience ever. Food was okay there just no customer service at all and the Manager has an attitude not suited for being in the restaurant business We were so built up for great a dinning experience based upon who friends went there two years ago. I guess they are living off their past reputation. My strong recommendation is stay away!!!

The food is 5 star to me and I eat dinners out almost every day! This is seriously the best place to get a bite to eat, but just know that this filet mignon was like $55 so keep that in mind! The steak melts in your mouth with the quality of butter

Food, service and ambiance were all top notch. Would definitely recommend. Original cocktail offerings and great wine list.

This was my FAVORITE meal on our weekend trip to San Juan Island. Duck Soup is in a quaint cottage in the woods, absolutely beautiful. The bread they give you comes with anchovy paste and if you love anchovies like me, this is unique and yummy. Their cocktails use a local-ish distillery from the Seattle area. The baked oysters were nice and flavorful, but the winner for me was the large soup and salad entree. The soup was a roasted artichoke and the salad was blueberry tarragon with local vegetables and toasted hazelnuts. I could've licked the plates, this food was that fresh and delicious. I will be recommending this to anyone going to SJI!

+ nice service + beautiful ambiance + butter was great - Food looks much better than it is - Cocktails were stronger than they - overpriced

Amazing food and ambience. This is high end place, so make sure you're prepared with your budget and attire. Definitely a place to go if you have a special occasion! We will absolutely go back.

Not up to the hype. We were there for our honeymoon and while the restaurant itself was beautiful, the food and the service were underwhelming. Not to mention both the booths AND the chairs at the tables were mind-bogglingly uncomfortable. I was looking forward to relaxing and enjoying a fancy dinner for our honeymoon but it wasn't worth the price or the trip to that part of the island despite their past reputation.

Such a cute little hidden gem of a restaurant. Really enjoyed dinner here, we ate on the patio while it was still light out. We loved everything we tried but the pork belly was a fav.

Four of us enjoyed a wonderful evening at Duck Soup. It was a little chilly outside and they graciously moved us to the main dining room. Our appetizers were a small side salad and artichoke soup; both were great. The salads were loaded with local vegetables and the soup was rich and piping hot. Entrees consisted of the lamb chops, the pasta with spot prawns and pesto sauce, steak Diane, and the duck confit. We shared bites with each bite better than the first and all of us exclaiming that we should have ordered each other's meal! Extensive wine list with many selections moderately priced. Service was prompt, food was well timed. In all a great experience worth repeating when we next visit San Juan island.

We were celebrating our anniversary. We ordered the halibut and scallops. The scallops were delicious. The halibut was ok but not too special. The desert banana cream pie was too die for.

This is an outstanding restaurant. It's located in a woodsy area with a pond out front. You almost start looking for fairies and gnomes to peak out from behind the trees. From the ambiance to the food, drinks and service, it's an amazing place to dine. The cuisine features locally grown produce and seafood from the area. The creative cocktails have local ingredients and are quite the treat. To start the meal we had 2 appetizers: the steamed Westcott mussels that were so delicious that we used the freshly made bread to sop up the sauce. We also had a shrimp/seafood tartare that was to die for. Dinner was an herb crusted halibut and a scallop dinner. Both were great. We had their crème brûlée for dessert. It was the creamiest and best one I've tried. All in all it was a fantastic meal. Oh, our waitress? Outstanding!

Magnifico- love it. Always amazing. Creative healthy clean and flavorful. One of my favorite restaurants in the west coast not just WA!! Don't eat here I don't think you should enjoy the fabulous food and staff. Leave them for me

Flavor was fine. The server was friendly and tried her best, but the kitchen made us wait 90 minutes for entrees and delivered the food lukewarm. I feel like we got our food early because we complained, and other tables that arrived at the same time were still waiting. Will not return unless future reviews indicate significant improvement.

Food and service were excellent. Ambiance was a bit eclectic, but I think that's the vibe they are going for and it works. Sat on the patio and the heaters made for a very pleasant evening. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth the expense.

The peach burrata was so delicious! The scallops were pretty good, they were a little over cooked. The dashi risotto was really good, nicely cooked. The spinach wasn't very good, too much of it and didn't have the best flavor. The filet mignon was cooked nicely, the mushrooms and potatoes were very good and the sauce was delicious too. The service was okay, our waitress wasn't the friendliest but overall the staff was alright. The restaurant is like an upscale cabin, the ambiance was really nice! We came here to celebrate my boyfriends birthday and our 5th anniversary, I told them this in advance but they didn't offer any free dessert or anything which was a bit of a bummer, but not the biggest deal. I just had to pay for them to bring out a dessert with a candle on it.

For Fine Dining, San Juan Island's Duck Soup comes highly recommended. Is it 'all that'? Read on, Gentle Readers... THE ROSES: Lovely location in the heart of the island. Nicely appointed dining room, decorated in a homey, rural northwest style. Pleasant and attentive service. Superb menu with a wide variety of offerings to please most palates. Most dishes are executed very well (see THORNS). I was very happy with my scallop dish, and I would heartily recommend the mixed berry crumble, served with a side of warm sweet coconut milk. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the dining experience you're receiving. THE THORNS: While most dishes are very well-executed, there is the occasional misstep. The duck breast suffered from inadequately rendered breast fat, leaving the duck excessively fatty and rubbery. If you didn't come to San Juan Island by car, getting to DS can be a challenge. DS recommends San Juan Taxi, which was a disappointment. While the ride was on time and the driver competent, the vehicle was quite tatty and reeked of cigarette. Furthermore, they charge $25 per couple (one way), regardless of how many people they pick up along the way. While Uber and Lyft are sometimes hard to get, I recommend trying to get a ride with them instead. You'll pay less and probably have a better experience. THE VERDICT, AND WHY ONLY THREE STARS WHEN IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ENJOYED THE RESTAURANT: Overall, I recommend Duck Soup. I give them 3 stars because at this level of dining experience (Fine Dining), I grade on a higher standard, and as Fine Dining restaurants I've been to go, DS is in the middle of this pack; not a standout, but not underperforming either. Recommend.

Made a reservation a week in advance via their online form and I'm glad I did as the place was packed even on a Thursday night! We were able to dine outdoors with our puppy. We shared the large summer salad as an appetizer which was perfectly sized for 3 people and refreshing. I enjoyed the duck breast which was very tender and presented beautifully; it was my husband's favorite dish and he normally doesn't like duck! I preferred my husband's filet mignon which was perfectly cooked medium rare. My mom really loved her scallops. The house bread with butter and anchovy paste was so good, and the bread girl kept coming around with refills. The waiter was on point too and very sweet to our dog. Would definitely come back and it was nice to go somewhere removed from the main downtown area!

The menu did not have many vegetarian options. I ordered a creme brûlée was old. The interior of the location was really nice. Reasons for Rating: +1 Excellent location and parking +0 Food taste really good +0.5 Customer service +1 Interior/atmosphere +0 Would return/recommend others

On our 30th anniversary stay on San Juan Island, wanted to try a couple known restaurants. We picked Duck Soup as one. Atmosphere is cozy, nice fire place, nice decor, and comfortable. The menu changes, but you can tell the chef puts effort into it. We got the duck and scallops for entrees. Very good. But the pork belly appetizer was absolutely the best part of the meal. Very good. Oysters also tasty. Thanks for a nice dinner. Try it out everyone.

Aloha, San Juan Island, also known as Friday Harbor, is basically a tourist destination in the summer months as the car ferry stops here. We lucked out to come before the crowds yet most businesses we're already geared up and open, nice. Duck Soup was recommended by our host, as one of the best on the island, and Duck Soup did not disappoint. Definitely one of the more expensive restaurants, but hey, we heard they get a lot of celebs who own on the island :). A cozy fireplace warmed us on this cool spring evening, as we dine at a very fine meal. One of our party said he's favorite of the trip! Wow, that says a lot as we dine a Michelin stared restaurants too. Nice beverages to compliment our meal, decent wine list too. Make your way to Duck Soup when at Friday Harbor, enjoy!

Dinner at Duck Soup was the best that my wife and I had on our trip to San Juan Island. The restaurant itself was extremely cute, and the service was so friendly and attentive. We started with steamed local prawns and raw oysters. Both were delicious. For dinner, I had scallops with risotto and my wife had a steelhead salmon with potato and a corn puree that was also very good (I had a bite). For dessert, we shared a Tres Leches cake that was very yummy, especially with the little toasted crumbly stuff if the side. Altogether it was a great meal to finish our trip. We no longer had our rental car. But a round trip cab ride from Friday Harbor was $40 and easy to arrange.

We were lucky enough to get a walk in spot on a rainy evening. We got the beet salad, duck breast, lamb rack, and creme brûlée. We loved everything we got here, and got second helpings of the bread. Great atmosphere, being tucked away off the road. Highly recommend!

I was so disappointed in our dinner last week. I had visited Duck Soup several months ago and it was amazing. I revisited last week with my husband wanting to share the great experience I previously had but it was a huge let down. We had visited the local brewery earlier in the day and we were told by locals it was not as good as it used to be to be but we went regardless. The menu was nothing like the previous visit. Nothing sounded appetizing and prices had significantly increased. We still ordered regardless. The trip to get here is 4 hours for us so we were committed. Food was terrible, overcooked steaks and charred undercooked vegetables. Staff were pretentious and very unfriendly. We ran into another couple that night at our hotel in Roche Harbor and they shared our same experience. They were there at the hotel restaurant having what looked like a second dinner but we found out they sent back just about everything they ordered at Duck Soup. They had been told by their boss that Duck Soup was amazing as well and were as disappointed as we were. I normally do not post bad reviews on business but this place left a bad taste in our mouths and our wallets.

The food was just ok. Ordered the filet and clams. The pricing was not too high but the food was not great. Cute place.

If you're looking for an excellent meal in San Juan island, skip anything on Friday Harbor and check out Duck Soup. When Halibut was in season, it was the best I've ever had. The vegetables are prepared almost perfectly, pork belly cuts like butter, clam chowder is off the chain, and the desserts are fab. The service here is also top notch. Emma is wonderful, informative, and a kind human. I can't stress enough that if you're looking for a great dining experience, you should first come to duck soup and then try everything else. You won't be disappointed in your selection. Don't forget to make your reservation today!

This place was fantastic other than the somewhat slow service. The ambiance was great, it's such a beautiful place! The food was also delicious, but the only off putting part was us having to wait such a long time to get ahold of a server. We were there for 2 hours when it could've been 1. However, I understand them wanting more of a dining experience. We will be returning.

We had a great experience at Duck Soup. After recent bad reviews we were a little concerned but things went well. Service was prompt, waiter was very nice. Price is a bit high for the food -- considering the locale I don't blame them for upcharging but I could do better. Nothing spoke out as fantastic which I would generally expect at the price.

We went as a group of 6 with the highly anticipated restaurant experience. Once we were seated, it was 15 minutes before the waitress came by to provide water service and take our drink order. After we placed our entree orders, we were told by the manager that we were too loud and to quiet down. We were talking at the same level as all the other patrons in the restaurant. Also, while we were waiting for our entrees, none of the servers cleared any of our appetizer dishes or provide any refills on water. At one point, one of us had to leave the table and flag down the waitress to get them to clear our table in preparation to receive our entrees. From order time to receiving the entrees took at least 45 minutes. We noticed all other patrons received their entree's in a much quicker timeframe. Entree quality was very good but the rudeness of the waitress, manger and staff cancelled out the total experience. To pay these high prices, we expected impeccable service and politeness' from all of their staff - which we did not. On our way leaving the restaurant the hostess made a comment that "you will never come back again to our restaurant". Once we got into our cab, the restaurant called the cab driver and told him to charge us TRIPLE! This is most outrageous un called for approach we have ever experienced at a restaurant. We visit the Roche Harbor area each year and will definitely tell everyone we know to NEVER go to this restaurant.

Service was slow and the staff rude. We waited too long once we were seated for service, and that slowness continued throughout the meal. The management said several comments to our group that we couldn't believe. Very unprofessional! The food was good, but the experience left a bad t in our mouths!!

COVID-19: Outdoor dining available on 9.17.20. No indoor dining, but we were allowed to use the restroom inside. Reservations highly recommended. Parking: Private lot. Even though we only had the option of eating outside, I loved the atmosphere and how this was tucked away on its own. I wished I had made an earlier reservation so that half our meal wasn't eaten in darkness. Some tables had umbrellas with some lighting, but ours just had a candle. It would've been romantic to see the stars, but unfortunately the air was smokey from the fires. There was a fire pit in the middle of the outdoor dining which kept us warm enough. Casual dress code. Service was fantastic. Complimentary bread and butter: The bread was warm and very tasty. In addition to the butter, there was an anchovy spread of sorts. I didn't try it because I don't eat seafood, but my boyfriend said it was good. Spiced Pisco Sour $12: A very tasty drink! Old Cuban $13: Refreshing and minty. A little too minty for my personal preference. Duck Confit $17: I don't really know how duck confit is supposed to taste, but I thought the duck meat was OK. I loved the white truffle aioli and would have been just as happy to have this as a salad without the duck, as odd as that is. Roasted Figs and Brie $14: I wasn't expecting the Brie to be stuffed in the figs, so it wasn't as brie-y as I was hoping. Still finished it all. Duck Breast $34: I don't eat duck often except at Chinese restaurants, and even then I mainly like it for fried skin. I still wanted to try this because duck is in the name of the restaurant. Same to the duck confit, I thought it was OK. Normally if a sauce is really good it can save the dish for me, but the sauce with the duck didn't really stand out. Beef Filet $39 for 5 ounce: The beef was a little too salty. I wasn't super impressed with the sauce on this either. The mashed potatoes were OK. I prefer them to more creamy. San Juan Island Distillery Apple Brandy $13: I don't typically order liquor straight up, but I was curious to try this local product since the distillery wasn't open for tastings on the days we visited. Yeah. It's just not for me. My boyfriend liked it though. Cedar Creme Brûlée $11: This was interesting. I definitely detected the cedar notes. I wouldn't want it again, but glad to try something different. Photo Mention - Small Soup $7: Thai Fish Chowder. My boyfriend said it was good. ***** My Star Ratings: 1 Star - Terrible. Just thinking about it makes me angry. 2 Stars - Meh. Unlikely for me to return. 3 Stars - OK. Open to coming back, but wouldn't go out of my way to. 4 Stars - Yummy! Will definitely return if I haven't already. 5 Stars - AMAZING!!! Would plan my day or even a trip around eating here.

When asking around for nice restaurants to try out, Duck Soup was referred to us by a Friday Harbor resident who, admittedly, has only been like twice. So we gave it whirl. We arrived early on an Autumn evening and were seated at a table along the periphery of the main dining room. The lighting was so dim, and the menu print was so small, that we couldn't read the menu without our phone lights. The menu was difficult to choose from for me because I don't eat a lot of meat or shellfish. When our meals arrived, we had to use phone lights to see what was on our plates because the lighting was so dim. Without our phone lights, our plates looked like various grades of shadow shapes; however, with our phone lights we could see the color of the flower on our plate, the color of the vegetables, the texture of our meal. Our service was ok, no personal connection, nothing memorable. The restaurant is a high-priced experience. Our bill was more than $200 for two people; our meal was more ok but nowhere near was wonderful as our dining experience the night before. The restaurant we dined at the night before was actually less money, the service was personal, warm, and exuberant, the wine choices were good, the evening marina ambiance was lovely, the food was fantastic, and the lighting was such that it was cozy, even romantic, but we could read the menus and see our food. All in all, Duck Soup was a disappointing and expensive experience for us and we wished we went back to the previous night's restaurant.

Our experience here is fantastic. Made a reservation for Friday night. When we came in, we were promptly greeted and seated - everyone here is warm and friendly. The bread with anchovy paste and butter were amazing - the anchovy paste was flavorful but not overwhelming. Lamb meatballs were juicy and the pita chips were crispy and airy. I got the duck leg and it was 100000/10 - crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and very flavorful; the carrot purée was magical. They were able to accommodate double veggie no potatoes and that was some fine fresh veggies! Husband got the quail and he really enjoyed that as well! For dessert, he got the earl grey cream brûlée - the earl tea flavor really comes through. I got the toasted dandelion sundae and it aaa delightful. Highly recommend coming here when you are on the islands!

Disappointed. As many reviewers have said, the wait times were unacceptably long. The mevu was very hit or miss. Drinks: sangria was bitter and had no fruit flavor (tasted like dry red wine over ice, couldn't finish mine). Apps: were good, Burata was good, smoked oysters good. The mains were very disappointing and in general a great mismatch between quality and price. Grilled scallops--no sear/caramelization on the scallops and no seasoning, meant no flavor, just cooked enough not to be raw. Miso glazed cod served in an inedible broth that was so strongly flavored it tasted like miso paste mixed in rice vinegar. Dessert--was okay, not great. I've definitely had much better food for less; it clearly wants to be a fine dining experience but just can't get it together. Save your time and money.

We went to visit the in-laws and this is where they took us. They have talked about this place and how great the food is. My experience was sadly the opposite. I hate the open room seating because of the noise. We were seated next to an obnoxious family clearly drunk. They were out of the Steak Oscar so I played it safe with the soup and salad. My husband said his duck was great and his parents shared pork medallions. The wine is always a winner so there is that. The bill was over the top expensive. I would never go there again.

My bf and I recently spent a few days on San Juan Island first week of July and this was one of our favorite places. Price point was a bit on the high side at around $150 for 2 people including tips. Ambiance: 5/5 I loved loved the ambiance, very rustic chic and homey. The rugs on the benches was an especially nice touch. Food: 4/5 We had the soup, salad, the fish of the day which was halibut and duck. The salad was this beet salad but it was pretty tasteless. Everything else though was great and I loved the homemade warm bread that was continuously being replenished. The drinks were also good. Service: 4/5 When I went, which was around 8 pm on a weekday, service was attentive and we didn't have to wait long for our food. We never had trouble flagging down someone if we needed to either.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm traveling to a place I've been before, I know I've had a great dinner somewhere, but can't quite recall the name of the place. What to do? I go into my previous Yelp reviews to figure it out. For Duck Soup, I will never need to refer to this Yelp review to remember. This restaurant is MEMORABLE and then some! We are staying on the island for a couple of nights (Snug Harbor Resort...great place to stay fyi!) so it's convenient, but I would consider making a day trip from Seattle and beyond for this dinner. It's THAT good! First of all, the initial impression from the outside is like a dream. The restaurant is somewhat hidden by beautiful trees and tastefully decorated with lights. It felt like we were somewhere in the deep south walking up on a secret spot. The restaurant was packed. They had been recently closed for the winter season and are only open for four hours a day, four days a week. It was very obvious that most of the guests were locals based on the way the staff recognized and interacted with everyone. This is always a good sign. We arrived early for our reservation and had to wait a bit in the lobby. Two different people on staff asked us if we wanted a drink while we waited so..we had a drink. Rhubarb Margaritas were unique and refreshing. Hit the spot after a long day of relaxation :) We were sat in a corner booth in the charming, dimly lit dining room. The aroma was hitting us from all directions and we were practically (literally) salivating in anticipation. They have a killer wine list that goes deep and the prices are shockingly fair when compared with other restaurants at similar price points. We went with the 2019 Andrew Will Cab Franc for $63 and loved it. Dinner started with homemade bread and butter, followed by oysters on the half shell with yuzu mignonette, and wasabi tobiko. It was a beautiful presentation and we loved the little popping crunch the tobiko added. Just right. My wife ordered the Filet Mignon which was cooked to a perfect medium-rare topped with a smokey bearnaise. Did you ever see the movie 'When Harry met Sally'? Remember the scene where Sally faked an orgasm while eating in Katz deli? I'm convinced my wife wasn't faking it when she took that first bite. I watched her...eyes closed and sounds I haven't heard in a long....now that I think about it, I've NEVER heard those sounds before. Sounds like a "me problem" right? I digress....my entrée was the Halibut. I managed a seafood restaurant for over 20 years and can say with reasonable confidence that I have eaten more halibut in my life than most people. This was without question, the best halibut dinner I have ever had...ever. A tender, thick cut over a puddle of pureed peas, a delicate crust, served piping hot and it seemed as though the flavor profile changed with each bite. Total bliss! After we practically licked our plates clean, we decided we were ready to go up a size in our pants wardrobe and we each ordered dessert...worth it. Crème Brulé and Banana pie. Just do it. The service was flawless. Everyone was genuinely friendly from the moment we walked in, until we left. We were grinning from ear to ear the whole way through and we will definitely be back.