Shay's Restaurant

If you like the way the world is headed, don't come here. Things at Shay's are the way "it used to be." It still has a choice of sitting in the classic American diner setting, or sneaking into the lounge. Regardless, the waitress will call you 'sweetie' and gladly serve you a stiff coffee, or something stronger if you're of that persuasion. Shay's is a genuine "local" watering hole. Whether you sit out at the counter or back in the bar, if you strike up a conversation you're likely to meet your local blue collar worker or their spouse. Painters, sailors, machinists, fishermen and truck drivers are fixtures here. Don't be surprised in the mornings when they all argue over how much the showcase is worth on the Price Is Right. If you're lucky, you'll run into the 'Mayor of Shoreline' or Greg, the charismatic chef who's been working here for more than 40 years. If you're REALLY lucky he'll even tell you how he lost his hand... but that's not likely. You only live once, so have the biscuits and gravy, or a world famous mashed potato omelette. Their BLT is better than most and the turkey bacon croissant comes with thick pieces of white meat, not any damned sissy sliced deli meat. You'll tip well because they treat you well... and you'll be remembered next time. See you there.

In the past few days, I've had a hankering for indie old school diner type spots. I have recently stopped at 65th Street Cafe & Restaurant in Seattle and Shari's in Shoreline. Third stop was yesterday's dinner with The Homie at Shay's Restaurant and Lounge (11/11/22). Again, despite being a Shoreline resident since March 2002, this was my first visit. It has been around since 1983 and under current ownership since 1992. Longevity and flying under the radar as a mainstay along Hwy 99/Aurora. Crowded private parking lot out front shared with a Korean grill spot and hair salon, but I was able to find a spot by the main entrance. Upon entering, we chose a corner two top. There were various table configurations and counter seating in the main dining room. There's also an adjacent bar/lounge. A good sign was that there were regulars enjoying their meals and each other's lively company. We were warmly greeted, handed menus, flatware, napkins, ice water, and told of the evening's soup: clam chowder but there's also some chili available. Yes, the interior is dated, popcorn ceiling, but with homey, humorous decor. Thankfully, the initial odd scent dissipated. I had a ravenous appetite since my last meal was nine hours ago. There was a nice variety available for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert...just about everything looked appealing. Also, there's a senior menu for 55-plus for additional savings. Breakfast served anytime, but switch over from lunch to dinner happens at 4pm. Again, my phone was having issues so I was not able to take current photos of the interior and menu pages. The lone entree photo taken was provided by The Homie. We both started with cups of clam chowder with saltines. Clam chowder was hearty, creamy, and full of flavor. The Homie ordered the Chicken Fried Steak topped with sausage gravy, mashed potatoes, and daily veggie side. In addition, a chocolate shake that came with the metal container it was hand mixed in. I opted for the Friday Prime Rib special ($27.95, 8 ounces, medium rare with horseradish and au jus) with a baked potato (w/bacon, green onions and butter) and daily veggie side. Prime Rib is also available at 10 oz and 16 oz, but at market price. This is was reminiscent of Wedgwood Broiler's (another OG in Seattle) prime rib, but Shay's version was much more flavorful. I was a happy camper with the tasty daily veggies - I ate and poached all the broccoli and yellow zucchini. I left behind the onions and cauliflower though. Traded protein bites, but gave a sizable portion of prime rib to The Homie to feast on. I really enjoyed how delicious and tender the prime rib was. Both the prime rib and au jus was on point and not overly salty. Food provided was very generous. I had to box up my entire baked potato and fixings. The Homie had to box up some of his chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. A truly satisfying meal, great service, and yet again my bad for not detouring much sooner. Face palm, over 20.5 years later! Shoreline has a handful of indie gems, but definitely enjoyed the OG Shay's Restaurant and Lounge. I look forward to future visits to check out additional menu items.

Exactly what you're looking for from a diner experience. Extensive menu with anything you'd want (shout out to the Monte Cristo!) The breakfast food was all pretty good and had generous servings. The mashed potato omelette was particularly unique. The exceedingly friendly service was just the cherry on top. Pro Tip: The claw machine is only $1 and actually gives you a chance of getting stuff! We got two beanie babies and felt like kids again.

This is a true dive but has been here for decades! I have some since I was in diapers. 3rd generation. Great staff that have been here since I was young. I like their food. I have gotten hash browns which are great and even their prime rib dinner on Fridays. (see picture). Parking can be tricky but for those who don't know, there is a gravel lot on the hill behind shays with stairs into the restaurant. As for drinks, They come stiff and affordable. The regulars are also friendly. Typically an older crowd comes here but I think it's great for all ages.

Fun little diner along Aurora Avenue, and the perfect place for an early AM breakfast. Old-school breakfast choices and decent coffee, plus comfy booths, friendly service and plenty of parking. I feel like I have been transported back to the Seattle of my youth.

I live in Renton, but it's worth the drive to Shoreline for the delicious and bountiful breakfasts. It was my first visit. I ordered the senior 2-egg omelet with sausage and cheese, hash brown potatoes, and slice of toast. The omelet was excellent -- one of the best I've eaten. The service was top notch with fill ups of coffee ever present. The hash browns were freshly grated potatoes. Two thumbs up for this restaurant.

Been going to this place for over 30 years. Usually go for breakfast or lunch and it is always delicious. The servers are very friendly and the food always arrives quickly!! I would highly recommend this place, it is an old school diner type restaurant, nothing fancy but good food!! I would give them five stars., but the only thing is they need to update their bathroom.

I have been wanting to try this place for awhile now. It's hard to find a good breakfast spot. I ordered the Cornbeef Hash , hashbrowns, poached eggs. Everything was cooked very good. Looking forward to trying more stuff. Great Service. Claw machine inside.

Came here for breakfast while getting my oil changed. Homey and definitely a place for regulars. The eggs Benedict has a super generous slice of ham and the bloody Mary is standard. Friendly staff. Would come back.

Shay's is the kind of local restaurant that lives somewhere between a diner and a "family restaurant". It's a little rough around the edges, but it has the heart of a place run by real people, not cogs in a corporate machine. While not exactly cozy, it's got a comfortable ambiance with the usual homespun kitsch: signs about the virtues of bacon, lots pf pictures of chickens, that sort of thing. It's absolutely nicer on the inside than it looks on the outside--a sketchy looking strip along Aurora in Shoreline. Like so many places, they're understaffed at the moment, with just one server shared between the dining room and the lounge. Despite that, the service was warm and personable. The food was quite good. I got the New York Steak Sandwich. It was pretty tasty on a perfectly toasted bun with sautéed mushrooms. The house-cut fries were nice, too. For dessert, I got a yummy strawberry sundae that was overflowing the glass. In short, the main thing that Shay's has to offer is both simple and rare: it's a genuine local spot without pretensions. It's the opposite of all the slick, hip chain restaurants that seem to be infesting the city.

Been going here for a few years since the closing due to C-19'(2020). Prime rib Friday is back!!! Yay! Stop by and give it a try. See you next Friday!

Delicious food and excellent service! Fridays prime rib dinner for the win. Good spot to bring the kiddo. I can't wait to try their breakfast.

Fish and chips are excellent...and the Prime rib dinner is worth the price ...even the sides are good....I bus from Everett just for the food and a drink at the lounge. Unfortunately i did not realize that the kitchen was completely closed on one of my visits...so call ahead....

I completely ignored the other reviews.... Why??? My mother is a gourmet cook and she told me "those reviews have not had the Prime Rib". Martha Stewart worked for my mom at one time. True story. Nearly my entire family has been in the food industry at at some point. Food is in our DNA. My mom knows good Prime Rib and she pressed "Chris.. Shay's has the most incredible Prime Rib and their Prime Rib Dinner is only $15.00 on Friday nights". She was right. The Prime Rib was divine!! The vegetables were excellent too. Baked Potato.. can't mess that up! The restaurant is not updated. It is not fancy but the Prime Rib is freaking delicious! I will come back!! Ask for Debbie and tell her my mother Sharon and I sent you! Follow me to see my future reviews!

I've loved Shay's for a looooong time and can't believe I haven't written a review for them. I know that at first glance, Shay's is dumpy and divey but all that glitters isn't gold and Shays has been around for 30+ years for a reason and they deserve a shot! The food is consistent and fantastic, I've never ever had a bad meal (one time I did get onions on my chili-gasp!!) and all the people I've introduced Shays to have had great experiences. This is comfort food through and through, there is nothing hip about the food, atmosphere or service. It's simple, full of effort, consistent and hits a spot that you might not even know needs a hit. My favorites are: Eggs Benedict, Ham and cheese omelette, club sandwich and hot beef and turkey sandwiches. Their hollandaise is delicious and creamy perfection and the ham they use is so thick and yummy! I've heard great things from family and friends about pigs in a blanket, the super burger, the Great Dane burger, corn beef hash and the chili. The service has remained top notch throughout the pandemic with all the staff clearly working their butts off to provide great food, great service and to keep the restaurant open. We supported them on a bi-weekly basis, ordering takeout that was hot, fresh and delicious and always ready when they said it would be. And we never once had a bad meal or experience. I'm so thrilled to see that they're opening for full service beginning next week which includes bringing back their prime rib on Friday and Saturday! Shoreline is lucky to have this durable gem that while not perfect (everyone has bad days) has continued to fight to serve great food. Give them a shot and support them and go get loved on by the wonderful waitresses who don't ever seem to break stride!

I love a good dive bar. And if you like a good dive bar, you'll love Shay's. I went recently on a Saturday for karaoke with some new friends, and the restaurant was closed but the tiny bar area was hopping. I was a little disappointed that they only had two beer taps - Budweiser and an Elysian IPA, so I ordered a mixed drink which was super strong to the point I almost couldn't drink it. So I downshifted back to beer and had a bottle of Stella. (STELLAAAAAA!) The karaoke was fun, too. This is definitely an older crowd, so if you go for karaoke don't plan to sing anything released after 1982 if you want the patrons to get into it. I chose a 70's disco song which got everybody dancing. Food is limited in the bar - the bartender was acting as cook too. We ordered some fries and mozza sticks for the table. The fries were good but the mozza sticks were meh. If you're going for fancy vibes and good food the bar might not be your best choice. But if you like it dark, divey and shady you'll love Shay's!

Ordered the Thanksgiving meal from this place. It was a good price for lots of food, 2 adults couldnt finish. Everything tasted okay, nothing special, pretty standard. The customer service was friendly.

this is very difficult time for all restaurants since the pandemic. I very much enjoyed the brunch here. very nice service and delicious food! clean and have hand sanitizer for customers. i hope this kinda family owned brunch places are able to be there forever. support local business more !

Not bad but Nothing to write home about, but accomplished the task. Had the chicken fried steak. Pretty slow getting the food and they weren't busy. But the waitress was nice and attentive.

Definitely a divey place off of Aurora in Shoreline. I've had the breakfast a couple times cause I used to work nearby. I'd say the breakfast is decent. Not mind blowing but the service is good & friendly. I had the California cheesesteak, it was made fresh with freshly shaved prime rib. The fries were cooked fresh as well. Very good experience!

Take away as good as sitting down. Make sure to call ahead just in case they are clsed

Good diner food and a great price. Service was friendly and quick. Food was hot. Not sure who was cooking, but he knew his stuff.

As much as I wanted to like this local joint (I went for breakfast), I can't imagine going back. The breakfast (pancakes, eggs and sausage) was standard, though tasting of that grill spray ... But the bathrooms were gross, the seat in my booth had upholstery that was falling apart, and worst of all, the sign in the window from the King County Health Department didn't inspire confidence in their food safety. My waitress was friendly and efficient, but my overall impression is of a tired joint that hasn't kept up with the times.

how do we know that the employees are tested and vaccinated if they don't check the patrons. food is great, but meeting requirements from the state is imperitive regarding covid.

The outside does look sort of seedy and once inside, there is a faint moldy smell BUT, it's a fantastic restaurant! It's an old school diner with wonderful food. We have had Thanksgiving there with traditional food and lots of it. But you can also have anything you want, whenever you want. Fries are homemade, not cooked from frozen. Turkey is real turkey, not a molded roll. It's not fancy in decor but it will always be one of our top favo restaurants. Never, never had a bad meal here.

had dinner at Shay on our first trip to Montreal with our grandson. we had a great time! Really good food, my wife is Greek and knows good Mediterranean food. Of special note was the great wait staff. Really attentive and a lot of fun! will look forward to going there again!

Love the all day breakfast! I'm always a fan. Today I brought my family there for the first time and they loved the breakfast and really happy with the service. Really not much to say... Food is good. The waitress is funny and nice. Great place to chat and have coffe all day!

We stopped in because this place looked right and it is. Down to earth honest good food with realistic prices. Corned beef hash is my to go to and I've eaten it all over the States. This is by far the best I've ever had. I don't know why, it's out of a can! Poached eggs were perfect. Big portions and friendly service.

Underwhelming food... Came as a group of 3 and we had jumbo prawns, fried chicken steak, and monterey chicken. The meal came with clam chowder that taste decent but very salty. *Jumbo Prawns ($12.99) Fried shrimps with mashed potato and side vegetable. I'm not sure why they named it jumbo as they were just teeny tiny shrimps. The gravy/sauce taste alright but broccolis were overcooked *Monterey Chicken ($11.99) Chicken stuffed with ham w/ omelette, veggies, and mashed potato. Underseasoned. You could also immediately tell that the gravy taste like the instant gravy you could buy from a store. *Fried Chicken Steak ($10.49) Fried chicken with gravy served with sunny side up eggs and hashbrown. This is the star dish!! Even though the hashbrown was quite dry, everything on the plate was well seasoned. Recommended *Toast w/ Jams The toast was burnt.. That speaks a lot Verdict: While the customer service is beyond good, the quality of the food just couldn't keep up.

Food was standard. I think the coffee was some of the worst I've ever had. It had a very smokey taste. Service was pretty slow, I got my toast after I finished my entire meal. No bike parking outside.

I like breakfast joints where I can get breakfast at any time of the day. Shay's fits that bill, serving diner food at a decent price. It's also family friendly with lots of free parking and super nice waitstaff. AND you can get a burger or breakfast all day long, lunch until 4PM, and dinner served from 4PM until close! The table was clean when we sat down and we received our menus quickly. Our waitress was wonderful, checking on us often and liberally refilling our coffee, sodas, and waters. The menu offered typical comfort food. I wouldn't come here for anything fancy. On our first visit, my husband ordered green onion potato pancakes served with bacon. The pancakes also included sour cream, butter, and oddly enough syrup. I ordered the country breakfast with poached eggs, sausage patties on English muffins with sausage gravy, and served with hashed browns. Our friends ordered Eggs Benedict and one of their 4-egg omelettes stuffed with ham and cheddar. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I think we'd return if we were craving midday comfort food but wouldn't make a special trip there.

If you ever want the best prime rib in Shoreline then come here for a beautiful piece of meat presented in front of you. Repeat customers are here every friday for this feast. I'm writing to let them know tonight was the worst. The meat was hard and over cooked not medium rare and veggies falling apart from smothered something. Maybe just a bad night? Or cook over worked? Just saying, other than that check out Friday after 4pm when they start serving prime rib for under 20 dollars.

First off, Wonderful Establishment. Immediately we saw that we needed to seat ourselves which I always kinda liked at a diner/cafe/Restaurant, but then my girl was kindly greeted by a wonderful server(Linda?) while I excused myself to wash my hands from a long drive already. When I came back our coffee and waters were already fresh and ready, ordering was a breeze but a few different well made items to choose from. We received the best service as well as a wonderful late breakfast thank you so much for a Great experience all around, Keep the good work up and success will follow!

Had the mushroom Swiss burger, it was awesome. The fries could be crispier but that's ok. Also had the roast turkey which was very good the server told me they roast it in house. Great service and inviting atmosphere

This Resturant has wonderful food.. a homestyle family run business. most days you can find the owners working the counter and cooking . the food is so delicious. and they are very accommodating for additions. or subtractions for orders. food orders to go are just as good. hours got cut due to covid but we were so excited to see they would reopen their doors again. always leave feeling like family more than just a customer..

I have a weakness. I love places that have duct tape on the banquettes and the carpets may not have been cleaned for a decade. If a waitress calls me "hon" or "dear" they get bonus points. This is Shay's. Shay's is where I like to breakfast these days. My knees get weak thinking about the biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs on top. Luckily for my heart this is not an every week occurrence. I love this kind of food! Warning though. The Wife, who is a coffee snob, really dislikes their java but they do scrape up a pot of tea for me whenever I go.

It's a hidden gem, given that it's on aurora you wouldn't expect much of it. But it is actually one of my go-to brunch places in Seattle. The food is pretty good, it wont be the most amazing dish you've ever had but the atmosphere is genuine and the prices are pretty decent. It has an old school diner vibe which I love, and there are booth options for parties of 1&2 (along with the normal group booths). What can I say, I love sitting in a booth... Take yourself or your family here and enjoy a nice morning at the diner!

I can't belive I have been driving by and dismissing this place for decades! Decades, people! First of all, their breakfasts are wonderful. My crab cake benedict came with crab cakes instead of English muffin. So perfect, as I am not a huge fan of bread or bread-like substanes. The crab cakes were very tasty, but what really blew me away was the Hollandaise sauce! So rich, yet with just the right amount of tartness from the lemon juice. The regular eggs benedict were also a hit. Friday nights they offer an 8oz prime rib for $11.99, which includes soup or salad, rice, and veggies. I ordered the 8 oz portion but received something much bigger, probably 10 oz. It was delicious! Served with a side of au jus AND horseradish. So yummy. For your starch, you can choose between baked potato, mashed potatoes and gravy, french fries, or rice pilaf. I highly recommend the mashed potatoes and gravy. I opted for the clam chowder to start and it was terrific. The decor is definitely dated and the bar in the back is full of career alcoholics, but just come for the food!

Excellent food. Great service. We all had breakfast foods. As sprint car fans, it was a nice surprise to walk in and notice the photos of the old sprint cars on the walls.

The sign says "world famous food place". This world famous food is cheap and served fast and friendly. The food itself however leaves a lot to be desired. Its greasy and seems a little "off". I don't know any other way to describe it. That's it, that's all I got. I'm going to detail the low/high points in the form of a list: 1. The place smells "off". Not so bad that you would have to leave but not good either. Sort of like you would think old smells like. 2. It looks dirty. Like old bowling alley dirty. The ceiling is black around vents from smoke (I hope). 3. The decor is strait out of the 1970's and not in a retro way but in a really run down way. 4. If you order the lunch special you get a free lottery ticket! 5. That off smell... Its the food....

I love shays. Their breakfast is awesome... better than Sheri's, IHOP, or Dennys. Never had dinner, but if you go I recommend one of their breakfast items like the mash potatoes omelet or the country breakfast.

On my quest for the perfect Monty Cristo sandwich, I convinced my family to stop here. Now, nobody loves a dive restaurant more than I do, and I can usually forgive a bit of the atmosphere, but when we walked in, the ceiling was BLACK -- not just a little black, but a good portion of it was black. I don't think they cleaned it since smoking was outlawed in restaurants. The lady who seated us looked exactly like my grandma, which instantly endeared her to me. But, she was only seating us while our real waitress was on a smoke break. How do I know she was on a smoke break? Because I could totally smell it on her. I wondered if she even bothered to wash her hands before serving us. My son went to the bathroom to wash his hands, and upon return said, "mom, don't ever make me go in there again. It's the scarier than a Honey Bucket." That's a great way to win friends and influence people -- scare small children with your horror story bathroom. Still, I was willing to be open-minded. After all, they serve Monty Cristo, right? I ordered my beloved sandwich, and my son ordered meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. My husband ordered fish and chips -- he loved his food - after all, what can one do to ruin fried stuff, right? My Monty Cristo came, and it was pretty small - they promised a triple decker sandwich, and it was NOT triple decker. But, that didn't bother me. What did bother me was the fact they used artificial cheese, the sandwich was slimy, and it tasted like plastic. I'm tellin ya, if this was my first Monty Cristo experience, I would never have eaten another. My son wanted me to mention that his mashed potatoes were terrible - he said he didn't know what they made them with, but they didn't taste like any potatoes he'd ever had. he also said his meatloaf was "icky." We are never going to eat here again!

Top o' the morning? Maybe after eating here... As Jim said...not four stars for particularly awesome food, but for being a great place to get a consistently tasty breakfast. I've been going here on and off for, egads...15 years? And the place hasn't changed a bit. Same pull tabs. Same seeding looking lounge. Same horrifyingly odd planter in the window made out of a child's pants and shoes. But with the same old bad, you get the same old good...heaps of cheese, eggs, meat and potatoes. If you are on the Northside and want a fine diner/downhome/familystyle breakfast, this is the place to go. Though admittedly the service can be a touch patchy. I never did get my hot chocolate last time.

Fun little karaoke place! You can get food until about 10pm, but pretty much everything they've got is breakfast foods. Really like the karaoke stage, but they don't have a huge selection & most of the karaoke songs that I sing, they didn't have. Patrons are very friendly and talkative. Bar staff were nice & helpful.

I freaking love this place! To be more specific. I love the bar. At breakfast. The food is fine...I mean, you can eat it and all. But the drinks are great! I asked the bartender for "some coffee with booze in it". She brought out this drink that made my toes curl. It tasted just like...ANOTHER ONE! It isn't fancy, but if you want to day drink - with people who do it professionally - it may be the place for you.

Better than Red Robin's ! Incredible sweet service, delicious and filling food, better bang for your buck than any chain you'll find around here !!

This is, as other have opined, a classic greasy spoon stuck in decades long past. That in mind our server was friendly, the food acceptable and the prices in-line with both service and quality. Gosh this place needs a good cleaning though! I'd give it three stars but for the cleanliness. If you consider that smell is a very large part of flavor you might be interested in skipping what they have to offer.

You need to eat here. We are here in Seattle for family activities and decided to go out for breakfast. We like trying out family diners and so we stopped in at Shays. Ambiance four star It is straight out of the 1970s. The decor is well worn and mostly serviceable. It is decorated for fall and gives a home style feel. Food 4 star We ordered 3 meals. Belgium waffle and bacon. New York steak and eggs. Great steak and cooked the way I like it. Scrambled eggs toast and hash browns. Cleanliness 0 star This is where they need help. The floor is so sticky your feet make a sound when you pry them from the floor. The table was sticky and the chairs. It would be good to close down for two days and do a complete cleaning, paint inside and out, replace the carpet, and get the loud desert refrigerator repaired or removed.

I came here with my mother, this is my 2nd time coming here. The clam chowder is delicious my mom is a yelp elite she became the duchess. My grandmother frequently comes here, she really enjoys it. This is a great restaurant for dinner and lunch...

Looking for a decent breakfast place on our way to downtown Seattle for a big a group and landed here. Diner type menu but food was above average. The service was very good. Not a "classy joint" but if you want a lot of food at a decent price - check it out. I had the El Paso Breakfast Burrito and it was a good sized portion and tasty. Crab Benedict was also ordered by people in the party and they gave it a thumbs up. Most impressed with their short stack. Big fluffy pancakes were probably the biggest hit.