Inn at Ship Bay

We had an amazing dinner experience at the bar at the Inn at Ship Bay. Lucy, the bartender was so knowledgeable and had great taste in music. The view was incredible and the food even better. We had the halibut and the pear salad and both were perfectly prepared. We would highly recommended!

If zero stars were an option... We arrived at 4:45 pm for our 5:00 reservation. We walked up to the door where a girl popped her head out to ask what we wanted. We told her we had dinner reservations. She said they don't open until 5. We asked if we could come inside to get a drink while we waited. She said no and that the bar wasn't open. It was 48 degrees out. Where we are from is about 68 degrees right now. So we can't offer anything above a one star. When customers get on a plane to visit an island, you should at least allow them inside to buy a drink and sit in a corner so they didn't freeze outside waiting for you to open. That's lame.

This review is for the restaurant as we didn’t stay at the hotel. The food was phenomenal, we had two of the best salad dishes either of us has ever tried and a blueberry bread pudding that knocked me out cold. My wife had their Mad Hatter chicken and she can’t stop talking about how much she loved it. I was also very impressed with our waiter, he gave great advice about the food and was extremely kind and accommodating of my wife’s dietary restrictions. I really hope to go back someday.

Great views and courteous staff - ask for a bar room table from the dining room manager. Excellent 5G coverage for remote working - full bars of service in Moran State Park too, or via starlink. Try the 18% acidity house soda.🥤

Review is for the restaurant. Beautiful setting. Pre dinner drink was not very good. Bread with fancy toppings was just average. Apps were good. Pork entree and dessert were good but nothing to write home about. Wine was terrific though. Service was just ok. No one came to take dinner drinks before the entrees came out which resulted in a delay with cooling food. Most stars are for the setting.

The customer service here is absolutely top notch. Aside from the toilet that was a little short for a tall guy, the room was exquisite.

We didn't stay here but had dinner at the restaurant once. It is a cozy little place that looks very homely. The staff were all very pleasant and friendly. We went with our 2 year old, and they took extra care of him bringing a very delicious mashed potatoes for him that he really enjoyed. I really enjoyed the pork belly appetizer and the ricotta ravioli. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. We would definitely be back the next time we are on the island.

We went for an anniversary meal and had a pleasant time. The weather was nice so we elected to sit outside. As the sun was setting, it did cool off quickly but was very nice to have a great view watching the water and wildlife. The food was good and certainly memorable. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful in selecting our dishes. The last menu we found posted online was from 2 years but we had the same menu with a couple of specials. With drinks, appetizer, main meals and a shared dessert (rhubarb tart) was just under $150.

Service was slow and indifferent. By far the most expensive meal we had on the island, but the food was mediocre. The atmosphere was fine, but for the price we expected something that felt a bit more special, not quite so casual. We were celebrating an anniversary and had requested a window seat, but did not get one. Not a big deal, but there was no mention at all of the occasion. Overall we felt like an imposition and paid a hefty price for it. We had higher hopes and were disappointed.

Great little restaurant at a little out of the way of East Sound. We've been here on every visit to Orcas Island. The menu is only one page long but every single item is great. Our family is a big fan of the pork belly entrée but Alaskan halibut is equally good. Servers are super courteous.

Hard to find such a memorable meal ! Impeccable service. A menu that makes your mouth water. Such carefully curated ingredients.

We are there to celebrate my partner's birthday. I love farm to table, I appreciate restaurants have their own gardens, and raised their own pigs. Our waiter was excellent and attentive. The view was amazing. Thank you for the delicious food and immaculate service.

I love this place! Beautiful view of you sit outside like we did. The appetizers were delicious a really fresh tasting chilled beet soup, mussels in a yummy broth that we soaked up with some delicious bread that also came with a pork butter that delighted the taste buds. We also got mangalitza lonzino which is a thin sliced cured pork that was served with crackers and arugula that I highly recommend (we ate it before I could take a picture:) then the main course was scallops with thin sliced potatoes and root vegetables and the highlight was their special halibut which was seared perfectly and served on top of a creamy basil risotto with carrots and some kind of yummy basil butter sauce. And for dessert a fresh rhubarb crisp with homemade strawberry ice cream and topped with fresh strawberry sauce. I can't wait to come back and try the next menu. This was an epic meal!

Amazing food, lovely setting! We stayed the weekend at Inn at shop Bay and decided to start the weekend off with dinner in their restaurant. We started with a drink in the bar, which was delicious. Handcrafted margarita. For dinner we had Oysters, muscles, salad, magalista, scallops and halibut. My husband cannot stop raving about the flavors on the scallops. The scallops were cooked perfectly. The halibut was too notch. I don't know what the creamy sauce was on the side of the dish but it was absolutely phenomenal. The service was spot on. What a lovely place for a romantic evening. Thank you I'm at Ship Bay for the amazing food

Amazing food, and ambiance . Everything fresh farm to table. Would recommend seating at patio or bar area . Great view.

The ambiance and food is nothing short of amazing! Wow wow wow. The service was obviously lacking..... some food was cool vs hot...plates sitting etc.hopefully they can hire more staff

Two of the wines were undrinkable. The "forged mushroom" tart was a slab of puff pastry with three microscopic slices of mushroom that were almost invisible and untastable. The three scallops were expensive and so few as too be laughable. The one good dish was the pear soup. Yummy. Reportedly the pork was also good. We've been coming here for over 30 years. After spending over $400 for a very unsatisfying dinner, we won't be back

I would give this a 3.5. Many of the dishes were pretty tasty but we had been before and it wasn't as good and portions were much smaller than they used to be. For example. We loved the pork belly but it was very small. The oysters were not good quality but we probably should not have been ordering fresh oysters during the summer. We heard that the owners are close to retiring/ closing and that is what it feels like now.

Amazing food in a beautiful setting. The beef soup was outstanding and the halibut tender delicious and the surrounding sauces and risotto was delicious. The homemade bread was warm and fine!

A very disappointing experience in the food and the service. They do have a wonderful spot but if you are in the dining room, you don't have a view. I asked the server for a 1/2 order of bread since my husband is allergic. He said that was impossible. He also wouldn't let us order our main course after we wanted to enjoy our appetizer first and slow things down. He said he must take the whole order now. Ok! The Heirloom tomatoes were delicious not sure if they are worth 19.00. I had the beef and my husband had the scallops. He got four small scallops for 42.00- what? My beef that I ordered medium rare came rare. I sent it back and they used the same plate. I expected so much more. Not worth the money for sure. There were no attempts to make us feel like treasured customers- I guess we weren't. So many better restaurants on Orcas that cared about our patronage.

The inn and the restaurant are all top notch. Service was exceptional and food is always exellent

Best food on Orcas Island. You will pay for it! But worth it. The view of the cove is wonderful.

Really great food and service! Had a dinner there a couple weeks ago and it was delicious and the bartender/server was very attentive. Definitely going there again

Amazing drinks, food and service. A must do on Orcas. Ben was a fantastic server - lots of suggestions and very pleasant.

Love Ship Bay. Eating local/fresh is always great. Amazing recipes, local fish/meats, produce from their garden. Special touches on drinks/desserts. Great views and staff, fun drinks. Seattle prices, but worth it!!

THE BEST way to celebrate an Anniversary! THE BEST way to celebrate an Anniversary! OMG! We had the chef chef's choice with the wine pairing ... 6 amazing courses with perfect wines to match each course. Baatu was our server and he was exceptional, explaining the details of each course and the paired wines. It is our 46th anniversary and Staying at the Inn completed our celebration. We will come back again later this week for dinner.

An annual tradition! We come here every year for our anniversary and it never disappoints. Tonight was no exception. We started with the gnocchi and the broth was extremely flavorful. We then split the salmon and the halibut special. Both were fantastic but the salmon was a standout! It was perfectly cooked and we loved the stone fruit pairing! And don't miss the Eton Mess dessert.

Excellent food with amazing service, everyone is extremely kind & friendly. Absolutely amazing food, they were extremely accommodating, with fabulous vegan gluten free dishes. Would highly recommend if you are looking for a amazing place to dine out for the evening.

We go to Inn at Ship Bay for our anniversary when on the island. We haven't had a bad experience yet ... and this would be at least 20 anniversary's worth of visits.

We had an amazing early dinner here! Fantastic presentations, perfectly blended ingredients to create 5 star main course and dessert. After visiting orcas for the past thirty two years, and eating at all the local places, this restaurant is now the best on the island!

The food was excellent but we have never been treated so rudely before. At the end, the woman who was helping the hostess seriously told us (a group of 10) to "activate our inside voices" when the dining room was empty and the woman specifically pointed to my 6 year old son who was not making any noise. If the restaurant does not want children (who, in my case, were actually well behaved and quiet), then the restaurant should have a no kids policy. This place was highly recommended and it's really disappointing. I have never actually written a yelp review before but my family and I felt compelled to report on this unreal experience.

Seafood was really fresh and everything we ordered was delicious. Would definitely recommend and would certainly come back here next time we're on Orcas.

5 star! Wonderful ocean front setting, friendly servers, social distanced seating, and the most important- 5 star food. We ordered three entries: scallops, lamp, chicken (chicken modified for kid) - all taste great. They have both inside and outside dining, and we chose to seat inside because it was a bit chilly outside. We wandered outside after our dinner and three eagles were hanging around low above the outside patio, unforgettable views. We will come back for sure. What to know: the restaurant doesn't have to-go and doesn't accept reservations for now, it's first come first serve; we arrived 6:30pm on Friday, no line, but it can get busy some days, so try to come early. The kitchen is probably running at limited capacity during COVID, which is totally understandable, so expect a slower than normal pace, for us it was about 30 min waiting after ordering.

What a wonderful experience! My husband is a chef and he was looking forward to the tasting menu. Alas COVID made that not possible. Next time though! You order from the walk up window upon your arrival and then select the table you'd like (inside or outside). Once that is done you completely forget that you ordered from a walk up window. The rest of the experience was fine Dining. The farm to table made each bite absolutely delicious. I had mushroom salad and scallops. My husband had bleu cheese salad and NY steak. Everything melted in your mouth. Highly recommend this venue!

Thank you, Inn At Ship Bay, for getting it right!~* I've eaten here many times before and never once been disappointed. In fact, I've had one of the best meals of my life at Ship Bay. As a 20-year veteran of the food & beverage industry, these words are not stated flippantly by any means. My focus today is in RAVING about Ship Bay's handling of the current Covid health crisis and their ability to adapt in such ways that made us unbelievably comfortable when dining out last weekend. We were addressed by Claire (the hostess) in a cheerful and welcoming manner, and the dining protocol was laid out as simply and casually as can be imagined. Order at the front, sit outside in the gorgeous weather wherever we felt comfortable, and let the wait staff take it from there. This felt SO good, as we have attempted to dine out a handful of times since the islands reopened and felt somewhat anxious elsewhere as we were treated awkwardly in other scenarios by staff who just didn't seem to feel comfortable themselves being there. Not here!... Everyone was cheerful, casually professional and extremely warm. When we were ready to leave, we approached the front once again and handed over our check for processing. No one looming over us or shooing us away, and we were able to enjoy our picnic blanket gourmet dinner at OUR pace. Oh! I almost forgot that part!... My fiancé is pregnant and has been feeling nauseous more often than not lately. The staff were incredibly accommodating in letting us spread out our own picnic blanket in the shade under a lush, cozy tree on the grounds overlooking the ocean sound. Our food came out in courses in a leisurely manner and we savored each bite. Now for the food! Mangalitsa pork belly to die for (they raise their own), perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes in a tangy pesto, a gnocchi plate to write home about and the BEST BURGER IN THE SAN JUANS. The bartender, Marc, knew that I was hot on figs (it being fig season) and since it was slow he catered to me in spoiling fashion--though I can't promise you the same treatment!--by setting me up with a flight of fig-based cocktails. Pictured: the figgy Manhattan I slurped down alongside my burger. Get here, and enjoy what these amazing folks have to offer. Cheers! And THANK YOU, Ship Bay!

We had the most delicious meal at Inn at Ship Bay! My husband thought it was the best burger he's ever eaten. I had a delicious homemade gnocchi with fresh vegetables. It was incredible, and the bartender was so friendly to chat with!

Difficult time we had a wonderful experience even with the COVID restrictions. I Definitely recommend! Great food and Service thank you, Inn At Ship's Bay !

Phenomenal food at this restaurant! Hands down - BEST meal in on the island! If there are No reservations available, saddle up to the bar and enjoy an entertaining meal and artisan cocktails for their awesome bartender. This restaurant is truly farm-to-table!

We were celebrating our friends 24th wedding anniversary and wanted to do something special for them. The prices were on the high end which in my mind sets and expectation of excellence. When presented with the options on the menu, I was not wowed, nor even looking forward to ordering. Then the waitress said, we are also offering "king salmon". I thought to myself, good, something that I might actually like to eat. Unfortunately, the middle of the fish was raw. But before I spoke up, I did wonder if I was missing something. Perhaps this was the way it was supposed to be? Lucky for me, my friend ordered that same thing, but they actually cooked his fish properly. The waitress only offered to take my plate, or finish cooking the fish. I opted to have them finish COOKING the fish. Perhaps a better option would have been to START OVER and DO IT RIGHT. I also had a problem with the portions size. It was described as having potatoes and vegetables. In addition to a piece of salmon, the plate literally only had three bites of potato, one snow pea, and a piece of cauliflower. The fish itself was average and no better than farmed fish I have purchased at Costco. One last thing the place might want to consider, put screens on your windows if your going to have them open. No one like to have bugs flying around when their eating.

This is the VERY best place to have an elegant dinner on Orcas Island. Kind of a secret!

Wow. An amazing dinner at an amazing location. We are foodies from Cambridge, MA and have lots of excellent farm to table restaurants at home. Our meal was spectacular starting with the bread. Bread and butter were so good we asked for more! Appetizers were wonderful -- local mussels, salads, and the the pork belly was super. Main courses were also excellent especially the gnocchi and steak. Only item that was not great was the blueberry cobbler that was too deconstructed -- some traditional dishes can't be improved. Go here!

AMAZING food, service and ambiance! We will return, hopefully yearly! The menu is slim but your tastebuds will thank you!

Wow, amazing onsite grow, locally sourced food. Leg of lamb was not just a chunk of meat, but had a compliment of veggies, the blue salad was bowl-licking, and ravioli devine. Topped off with blueberry creme brulee.... just wow. The service was great, although I didn't like the covid counter ordering, but hey it's 2020...don't miss this great restraunt.

This is such a lovely restaurant and we were lucky to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary here today. Customer service is excellent. Clair was our hostess and made us feel at home. The chef uses local ingredients and grows many vegetables and herbs himself. The smelt salad anyasar@gmail.com absolutely delicious and the tomatoes were so fresh they melted in your mouth. We will be back

We had dinner here to celebrate my husband's birthday. The food was delicious, the view was beautiful and everyone who worked there was kind and competent. I also thought the prices were quite reasonable given the quality of the food.

Amazing food! Highly recommend the scallops as well as the 6 course meal! Perfect for something filling and fresh food

When you arrive you select your entire order before being seated. We were able to be seated promptly and water was served, it was all downhill from there. Had to ask for our wine and the waitress commented they had 3 servers and 15 tables. Another couple was seated 10-15 minutes after we were and their meal arrived. They finished their meal AND desert when we asked about our meal and were told it would be right out.... 15 minutes later it arrived, 1 hour and 15 minutes after seated. When we complained they removed the wine from the bill. At no time were we offered an apology. Covid can't be the excuse for everything, especially common courtesy.

We celebrated a late birthday dinner here. Decided to try the tasting menu. Excellent choice! Each of the 6 courses was delish. I enjoyed the wine pairing, that complimented each course. Beautiful setting and excellent service. We'll go there again!!!

I came here with a party of 6 to celebrate a birthday and everything was excellent. The server was very knowledgeable of the food and wine and offered great recommendations. The food was incredibly fresh and well prepared; each of us agreed it was one of the best meals we had had in a while. We'll definitely be coming back every time we visit and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a great meal on Orcas Island for any occasion.

My boyfriend and I came here twice in our three day trip to Orcas Island, it was that great of an experience. On our first night we did the tasting menu while seated on a beautiful, waterfront patio. Just from the delicious house-made sourdough bread with onion salt infused butter and delicious cocktails, we were hooked. The whole meal was delicious, the owner Molly and our server Hilary (we sat with her both nights) were super charming and fun to talk to as well! Our second time going was my birthday in which we ordered oysters, the pear salad, scallops, and a fig creme brulee but they also brought an extra chocolate cake. Definitely go here if you're visiting orcas! It's beautiful, romantic, and the food is worth the price!

The atmosphere, - well cared for gardens, fresh flower arrangements, clean dining room, open windows, nice little sea view terrace, - was excellent. The food was even better! Appetizers were delightful - fried duck egg with seasonal morels and gnocchi, and pork belly with rhubarb and apple sauces. Solid main dishes - scallops cooked to perfection, excellent polenta, amazing vegetables, juicy local pork. The desserts were less impressive (different chef, pastry chef?), but good enough. Best of all was service, we loved the conversation with our waiter - very knowledgeable about the food and very proud of it, also witty, charming, attentive and overall a fine gentleman to enjoy the company of. Thank you very much tovarisch! We will be back!

My husband and I had dinner there last night. The food and service were fantastic! They use fresh, local ingredients and we loved every dish from starters to dessert. The pear soup was especially delicious. Would return in a heartbeat!

Inn at Ship Bay Restaurant is the BEST food and has the BEST service on Orcas Island! My husband and I went for our last dinner of our vacation, not expecting much because although we had a few good meals nothing wowed us. But when we pulled into the parking lot and saw their beautiful garden of vegetables of herbs we knew it would be great. We were promptly seated at, as the hostess said "the best table outside" over looking the water, and our waitress happily told us a brief history of the inn and explained it was a complete farm to table experience with almost everything being farmed or raised at the inn, and always seasonal. Which is my husband and my favorite way to eat! We chose the tasting menu and couldn't have been more pleased with what was served. We started with oysters farmed on the island, a tomato salad with tomatoes picked that day, prawns with an herbed aioli, prosciutto raised and cured from the pigs on the farm over peach sorbet, the best salmon I've ever tasted, pork shoulder with a plum sauce, and lemon curd with fresh berries and homemade biscuits for dessert. And of course wonderful wine! If we ever come back to Orcas, we will definitely be coming back here for multiple meals!!

We've been coming to the Ship Bay Inn for years and have enjoyed many outstanding meals. We celebrated a birthday there on Tuesday, and had a very different experience. I ordered the Mad Hatcher chicken ($31). The preparation was not terribly inspired and the portion size was very small. My husband had the scallops. He thought they were good, but again, nothing very special about the preparation... and again a modest portion. We finished with non-memorable dessert. I'm not sure if there's been a change in chefs, but the Inn at Ship Bay Restaurant is not what it was ;(

I would like to amend my review of the Inn at Ship Bay--with regard to the customer service. Mary Anna & Geddes (the chefs/owners), expressed that they were "horrified" upon reading my dissatisfied review. They personally contacted me, listened intently to what went wrong and offered a sincere apology for the poor service we experienced. They subsequently sent us a handwritten note and personally invited my family to return to their restaurant, as their guests. We live off-island, so we have not been back to accept their invitation yet, but I was very impressed by their attentive response. In my opinion: anyone who goes to that extent to validate their customers feelings, and who tries their best "to make wrong things things right" deserves another chance. We plan to take a trip back later this summer, to give the "Inn at Ship Bay" another try, at which time I will write a follow-up review of the meal.

Dining at the Inn at Ship Bay is one of the most elegant and consistent delights on Orcas Island. The owners of the Inn, Mary Anna and Geddes Martin, are a wonderful and welcoming couple. The secret sauce behind the restaurant is Geddes, his attention to detail, his local sourcing, his amazing garden, and his style with these ingredients. There are known staples which constantly delight, such as Weathervane scallops and Mad Hatcher chicken, with the preparations reflecting what is in season. Geddes also has raised Mangalitsa hogs that deliver powerful flavor to dishes. Most recently, I had the Mangalitsa coppa with nectarines, an inspired preparation. The salmon preparations are also always something to try when available. In addition to a well-crafted wine list, their bartenders will make standard excellent cocktails also some of their own creations, such as a Fig'd Manhattan which is a real pleasure. How they also manage a usual trio or so of excellent desserts and homemade ice creams is a wonder with their menu, but they do, so save room!

This place is just the cutest and the food is outstanding!! We got the tasting menu which is the perfect amount of food and each dish was more delicious than the next! Plus, they give you a few additional treats Would 1000% come back here every time I'm on orcas island.