The Green Frog

At the far end of State Street, the Green Frog is truly a Bellingham institution. Hosting local and national musical acts for over a decade, the musical genres span the chasm between acoustic country and punk. The beer is always cold, and they always have an interesting selection of brews to choose from. Add to that the best grilled cheese sandwich in the region and you’ve got the recipe for one of Bham’s favorite watering holes.
P. S. My favorite cheese sandwich is the Michael Boston, featuring BBQ sauce and corn niblets. No really, you’ve gotta try it. The Elvis, with Peanut Butter and Banana, is a close second. In fact, I think I want one right now.

Skimmer on their ATM! Dropped by for a bite to eat and used ATM due to their cash only policy. Skimmer on the ATM. Fraud dept at my credit union contacted me the next day and fortunately, prevented any serious loss but put a cramp in my Bellingham vacation. I tried several times to call the Green Frog to let them know but their phone was never answered and there was no way to leave a message. As for the food, it was okay, but served without even a napkin. When I went to retrieve napkins, the surly bartender told me that I should look under my plate for the napkins (there were none under the plate).

This is in my top 3 all-​time places to eat. I had a friend dropping his friend off at the Vancouver airport in Canada (from Seattle) and I went with them purely so we could stop at Green Frog on the way there. That was a 5 hour commitment just for grilled cheese. That’s how you know I’m serious.
This company’s grilled cheese game is on point like no other place I’ve ever seen. They are extremely liberal with the amount of cheese they use, to the point where it melts out of the sandwich, onto the pan, and bakes into this crispy, cheesy tasting chip that covers the outside of the sandwich. That alone would make a grilled cheese unique and incredible. They don’t stop there though. They have a whole slew of insanely delicious recipes ranging from a grilled cheese with corn bits and bbq on it to a peanut butter, banana, bacon grilled cheese. They have pizza grilled cheese, philly cheesesteak grilled cheese, a weird shiitake mushroom, herb, and egg grilled cheese, and even a vegan grilled cheese. However, my absolute favorite is the Gorgonzola. It’s gorgonzola cheese (obviously), mozzarella, green apple, and bacon. I can’t tell you enough how amazing this grilled cheese is.
Grilled cheese, pizza, and sushi are my 3 favorite foods. I actively seek out the best places to eat in those three categories. Food trucks, restaurants, hotels, family recipes. I’ve had some epic grilled cheese in other states, including a triple decker grilled cheese with bacon and maple syrup drizzled over it, but in my travels, I’ve yet to find a place that makes them as good as Green Frog.
If I were going to buy a franchise of any unfranchised restaurant, Green Frog would be it. If the owner is reading this, seriously, bring this to Seattle. I guarantee if you copy your style/​culture and bring those grilled cheese here, put it in Ballard, Fremont, or Cap Hill, you will clean up. There is NOTHING out here like you guys. I’ve done my research.
My one and ONLY complaint and thing you guys definitely need to change for your Bellingham location and any future spots, is stop serving Campbell’s tomato soup with your grilled cheese. It’s an awful soup brand and really cheapens your image. Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a staple and you guys butcher that combination by offering Campbell’s with it. Charge more for soup if you must, but stop serving that. There are some amazing tomato soups out there. The Sorrento Hotel in Seattle has AMAZING tomato soup they serve with their grilled cheese. Start there.

Came here for a concert, arrived late. The place was pretty small, and with standing room only, it was UNBELIEVABLY crowded & uncomfortable. I kept wanted to sway a bit with the music, but I couldn’t if I didn’t want to bump into my neighbors. It wouldn’t have been so bad if there had been any air-​conditioning, fans, or you know, general air flow.
The bouncer eventually had to open the front door – it started to feel like Central America in there! The facilities weren’t clearly marked, and it wasn’t clear if they offered concessions, but the acoustics were nice. If I had to return, I would probably come hours early to snag one of the four tables up by the wall, that’s for sure!

The green frog is somewhere to go in the summer to sit on their huge patio and enjoy their amazing BBQ. They have killer mojitos also. In the cooler months you can come inside and enjoy a fabulous grill cheese sandwich. Not just a plain grill cheese sandwich. All types of choices. Let’s just say the gorgonzola is amazing! Come enjoy some folkie music or comedian night and have a glass of beer or a cocktail. Love it!

The Green Frog is a live music venue featuring local talent. They always have something new on so check the events calendar!
Good selection of beers on tap and grilled cheese sandwiches (that’s all they serve) will keep you fed and your thirst quenched!

I went to see a band play that was advertised as starting at 9:30. The band was there, but they put two different singers on first so band hadn’t even started by 10:30 when I left. Openers were so so and not at all in the style of music I went to see.

Dive grunge bar in Bellingham that offers a venue for Open Mic comedy and a variety music genres. Each night of the week is a different flavor. Not big on creature comforts, but it was a very fun place for my College age son not to be embarrassed by my yucking it up and grooving like a 1970 throwback lost in a time warp. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. No ginger ale so I settled on a screwdriver that had subpar orange juice and plenty of strong inexpensive vodka. That’s not exactly my standard but it is what one should expect by the atmosphere in the crowd. Whiskey drinkers are happier with a good selection and a number of beers were flowing cold from tap.
Fun Fun fun… authentic venue for live entertainment. A year ago they had a Motown night and now they have a soul night. Their jammin’ night is great for local musicians. The hook for me is comedy open mic night. I am so grateful that there is a platform for young creative people who are sometimes very funny and sometimes painfully bad have the chance to wet their chops and hone their skills with original material. On my venture there i did not find any drunk in the audience heckling obnoxiously and trying to hijack the performers. It was pretty tame and fellow comedians were supportive. If one has the nerve, it’s a safe place to give stand up a try. The crowd is friendly and there’s no pretension. I’m glad I did not have to use the restroom if it is the same caliber of cleanliness as the rest of the place. Did not try the food but apparently the comfort of a decent grilled cheese is popular and appreciated.

This was my first visit to The Green Frog. I came for a specific artist performance on a blustery Saturday night.
I only had a drink (or 2) and didn’t try their food (in spite of the favorable reviews here on Unilocal). The bar service was fine, I only stood at the «order here» sign for about a minute before the bar tender came to take my order.
The artist I came to see was acoustic and because of the the crowd (perhaps), there were tables and chairs set up in front of the stage. I had a slightly skewed folding chair, and no it wasn’t cause I’d had a couple.
This is a bar and music venue. It is rough, not fancy by any means. But the sound for the act I came to hear was pretty good. Just try to ignore the front door, stage left, which opens throughout the show and lets in a blast of cool air. Brr.
Honestly, my impression of The Green Frog is skewed by the «cash only» signs when you enter and when you approach the bar. This is 2016 and I rarely have cash… um, 99% of the time I don’t. So me having to get cash is a big inconvenience. I get it, it is way easier for the business owner: demand cash force each customer to go to an ATM before they visit so they don’t have to deal with other easier and more customer friendly payment methods. Oh yeah, and the $ 2.75 per transaction ATM in The Green Frog is swell (not really). Not only do these business owners not want to provide easy payment options for customers, they get to collect on the backend (a share of each transaction fee from the ATM).
Whoa, my review is dropping stars fast. I’ll stop here. Come for the music. Bring cash… lots of it. Don’t bring expectations for good customer service.

Impeccably helpful and friendly staff, really tasty grilled cheese concoctions, awesome beer selection on tap. Played a show here 2÷6÷16 and they completely took care of me. Lost my artist drink ticket, Jess (the sweet bartender holding it down solo back there) didn’t hassle me at all about it, gladly gave me another drink. I ordered the cyclops and it was so good, even cold! They offered to remake it for me if it was cold when I got it (I ordered it and then was due on stage when it was ready), but As a fellow server, I know how annoying that is. And even though they didn’t blame me for it, … I just couldn’t. Anyways, food is greasy, cheesy and great. Drank a smoked porter and the only other porter on tap. Good time. K, bye.

Cash only. Be prepared!
This very chill bar downtown is the best place to discover bands. Cover is usually $ 10 or less on the weekends, erring toward the side of less during the week. They have a very well rounded bar with a ton of beers on tap. If you’d rather only tease your tastebuds, go for the sassy, classy $ 2 Rainier Tall boys. Order after 11? (I think) and your pint comes with a strip of bacon on top. The outdoor seating in the back is great in the summer. I’ve totally made friends just joining in a table — this is not the place to be shy!
Although this is one of my favorite places in Bellingham, I knocked off a star for being cash only, having a limited menu, and sometimes lacking climate control.

GRILLED CHEESE AND MUSIC AND DRINKS AND ATMOSPHERE??? How very Bellingham. Can you believe there are even options for gluten free/​dairy free/​vegetarians!!! Fun Hater– gluten free bread, vegan cheese, apples and onions was actually killer with the pear cider on tap. I am absolutely convinced that everyone needs to try Cyclops too. You’ll see what I mean when you read it. Awesome music venue, and IF you’re out late, bacon hour, 12am-​1am is when things get very wild. Start salivating now. Fun bartenders, always great acts and some freaking amazing grilled cheese options. Outdoor seating is stunning and out back, and the dance floor is always waiting for you. Parking is 95% always a challenge, so give yourself a couple mins extra and maybe park uphill on a side street. Yum.

Green Frog has a great vibe, awesome bands and delicious grilled cheese. They always have 10+ unique grilled cheese options, like a grilled cheese with bacon and apple slices. Large selection of beers on tap and they make some mixed drinks too. They have a massive deck outback for the summertime. There’s a schedule on their website for shows and events, like Tuesday soul night (which is awesome).
The cash only thing can be a bummer, but they have an ATM on site. Also, the venue itself has like 6 tables and is very small, so be prepared to get to know the people next to you.
Overall, fun place to hang with friends and the pros heavily outweigh the cons.

Loved the soul music on a Tuesday. Friendly guests and staff. I had a yummy sour beer, and the grilled cheese sandwiches were amazing, with so much burnt crispy cheese oozing out the sides! Just could have used a dill pickle.

Grilled cheese here is to die for. I’m skeptical of their cash only system though. Hardly any prices for hard alcohol are listed so the bartender can pretty much name a price and there’s no record. Ambiguous cash-​only pricing always makes me wary as a customer. I can’t complain about the food or drink though. There’s a huge selection of whiskeys and beer!

I was honestly not too impressed with the grilled cheeses that this place makes. I got the «Gorgonzola» which surprisingly didn’t taste like it had much Gorgonzola in it. Staff wasn’t that friendly either.

I’ve only been here once, so it may not be a well rounded review even though I liked the place. I entered and thought, «Dark and seedy. My kind of place!» The layout is a bit odd. There is a large open area that you cross to get to the bar in the back of the place. There is a sky light, which was huge and was really the only light there. The walls are dark, and there are odd little things here and there, like a stuffed green frog atop a ledge. I ordered a Washington brew, though it wasn’t that memorable. Chick behind the bar was cool, and sold me a scuttlebutt pint glass cheap. Would come again if I return to Bellingham.

CASH ONLY.
My friends described this place best… I came looking for a beer bar but actually walked into a venue.
Dingy, dirty, dark. Pretty good beer selection but fiancé & I felt that both our beers were flat. Disappointed in that.

What the fuck. an hour and a half to get a grilled cheese Sammie… get your shit together.

Best grilled cheese ever.
First, bring cash, the only plastic accepted is via the ATM, if it is working. Second check the music schedule, if an entertainer is on stage bring a little extra cash to tip the musicians.
Okay, I’ve been moving a lot back and forth across the US the last four years. I’ve seen places that are grilled cheese only. The Frog has other side dishes, (unless they run out) and quite good BBQ in the summer Friday, Saturday.
But, from my personal experience their selection of grilled cheese sandwiches are the best ever. Why? hm. Perhaps it’s the mac & cheese grilled inside the Mac Daddy? Or perhaps it’s the homemade pastrami in the New Yorker. Also for some reason Bacon is really good in Bellingham. I don’t know where they get their bacon, but not all bacon is the same. Or perhaps the reason I find their grilled sandwiches to be the best is the crispy cheese lace. Or maybe it’s the many taps of local good beer?
Whatever the case, this post-​industrial cement shack is doing something right, making it a comfort food & music filled venue.