The Boarding House

This place was really underwhelming, considering all the stellar reviews. It was telling when we went in that the only patrons were older ladies — I recall an episode of Kitchen Nightmares in which Gordon Ramsay points out that if all your restaurant customers are old, your food isn’t that good, as the older you get the less sensitive your taste becomes.
My husband got the reuben, and I got a turkey sandwich. It was disappointing that everything was extra beyond turkey, mayo, and lettuce — a few roma tomato slices were $ 0.50, cheese was $ 0.50, avocado was a dollar… the sandwich ended up being nearly $ 10 and wasn’t any better than what I could make at home with ingredients from Safeway.
The vibe of the place was nice enough, but the food was so boring and uninspired that we definitely won’t be returning.

I love this place! You can tell how passionate the owner is about her food and her business. It is simple and sweet and I love locally owned business’s!

I have been eating lunch at the Boarding House for many years. It is simple homemade comfort food. The people who work here are friendly and always remember me. They make great desserts too. I like to go on Fridays when they have my favorite soup: clam chowder. Being from New England, I miss my clam chowder. I get really dissappointed if they don’t have it. They don’t grill sandwiches in the summer months, but I love the grilled tuna melts when they are available. One delicious dessert that they have every day is their homemade apple crisp topped with whipped cream.

Do you like bland soup and sandwich’s. If you can make them at home but want to pay to have it here then welcome. I am looking for a place that can make things better than I can, so paying for food that I could make better at home is not a place I will go to again.
The potato soup I had was average at best and the bread was dry. The vegi sandwich my sister had she said was delicious but basic.

Delicious, hearty soup, sandwiches and salads. Very casual and comfortable environment. While I love the lunches, it’s their desserts that are the best. I’ve never had anything but good food and nice service. One of may favorite experiences here was one day when a whole bunch of people were in a pay it forward kind mood and person after person came in picking up the check for the person in line behind them. Finally people just started leaving enormous tips for the staff. It was wonderful to see and experience.

Cute place. Very limited menu — a few sandwiches, a few salads, a couple of soups. I had a half Reuben sandwich and clam chowder; both were very good. Cash only.

Quite a find! This off-​the-​beaten-​path café is the polar opposite of the chain restaurant closer to Target on Gilman. Went for lunch on a rainy day, felt like I took a step back in time. The windows were steamy from the roasting chicken and bread baking in the large industrial sized ovens and the smell of cinnamon wafted throughout the restaurant. I got the turkey sandwich, potato dill soup and apple crisp. Every bite of every item was delicious. It was obvious the bread was homemade… not the homemade like came out of a box, but like YOU made it at home. I saw the two REAL turkeys being taken out of the oven while we were dining because you can see the kitchen from most seats in the restaurant.
The best potato soup I’ve had in two decades! The potatoes were cooked to perfection and while the dill was plentiful, it did not overwhelm. The turkey sandwich was scrumptious… it tasted like pre-​Thanksgiving. Initially, I was disappointed the apple crisp was served at room temperature. Once I took a bite, I felt like I was back in my grandmother’s kitchen. It was so delicious and didn’t need to be warmed. The whipped cream tasted like cloud puffs look; it was creamy, but airy and light. I took home half a sandwich and half of my apple crisp. It was just as yummy the next day!
The employees were friendly, without being intruding and very efficient. The décor includes floral wall paper, real wood tables and chairs that probably came from several antique shopping adventures… much like an English tea room.
NOTE: Take cash! They only accept cash or checks, no credit cards!

Nice atmosphere and nice staff. Food was a disappointment. I paid $ 12 for a turkey sandwich I could have made at home. Bummed, I had heard good things. Won’t be back.

Very cute quiet little place. Small portions, so keep that in mind. Also cash only! But there’s an atm next door. I felt like I was being served by a grandma because the staff is so nice and makes everything homemade :)

This place is great. Fresh sandwiches, homemade soups and salads. Delicious desserts. Just remember to bring cash!

The food here is so yummy and I have given this place 2 chances now. Each time dissatisfied with customer service.
They offer cash or check only payment– fine but a little behind with the times. There’s a Becu by white horse toys so no big deal. You bus your own table and pick up your trays from the make-​line. Fine but don’t expect a hefty gratuity. Tables, chairs, and the like coated with a layer of crust and grease. I have a toddler so I can deal. They accommodate kids with cute little wooden chairs so they can sit comfortably at a table.

There’s one particular staff member here who is so awful to the customers! Rushing their ordering, making snide remarks in front of you under her breath, loudly saying «ohhh goddddd» when more customers came in she had to serve. It was unbelievable! So awkward it was almost comical, except to be on the receiving end of the abuse made me wonder why I am spending my money there. No more I say! You want cheese on your sandwich? Eyeroll. Cheddar… No you want Swiss? I didn’t even ask so I assumed… Naturally you want cheddar. Here let me dramatically scribble your order and cross it out on my pad of paper and then tear it off and wad up the paper to start all over again. Um okay. There were so many more negative interactions. Too bad because this is a nice lunch spot close to where I live. However I feel like I am visiting a halfway house for recovering real housewives or something who can’t handle simple tasks that are a part of customer service.

Love this place my mom has been coming here since the seventies. I have been coming here since the early 90’s not once have I had a bad meal. I love the potato dill soup.

I stopped in for lunch on a weekday since it’s always so crowded on the weekends and it was like stepping into my great-grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen. I had the vegetable lentil soup and the turkey sandwich (with cranberry sauce). The rumors are true… it’s homemade-​good!

this place is a sports bar for women. I think I was the only guy in the the place. the food is great, albeit good homemade stuff with traditional recipes. i pretty much ate everything, Turkey Sammich, Reuben, the bean and sausage soup and the potato dill soup were great as was the pumpkin pie bread and the apple crisp. This was all in one sitting. so a week later I“m still full. the desserts they use a devonshire cream on top vs whip cream which had a nice accent of tartness to the pies.

This is one of my son’s favorite places and he asks to come here. He has even gotten known by the staff who greet him by name when he walks in. Pretty cool for a 9 year old.
Everything here is homemade and this is a big deal to me. I hate pre-​packaged food and cook everything from scratch so when I go out I look for this too. You will get it here.
My son’s favorite is the Potato Dill Soup and it is wonderful but they don’t always have it. I’ve had the Corn Chowder and a few others (that escape me right now) and have never been disappointed with the soup. We have also sampled quite a few of their sandwiches and other items over time and have never gotten anything that we didn’t like. This of course makes it hard to decide what you want when you get there.
On to the desserts — again all home made. I will say that some of them are a bit sweet for my taste but everyone seems to love them so this is probably just particular to me. I’d suggest sharing them though because they can also be rich.
One thing though is that they don’t do Credit Cards so bring cash. A bit of a bummer but it is well worth it and in the grand scheme of things nothing that is really that big a deal.

One of those special places that defines the town.

My friend and I tried the peach trifle for the first time today, and I plan on coming here until they run out. Wow! So delicious!!!

My new favorite lunch spot on the Eastside! Currently, I am head over heels in love with their Avocado Veggie Sandwich! OMGosh it’s good! Every little morsel tastes comforting and wholesome. Want a sandwich made with love? Visit The Boarding House in Gilman Village.
So much to cherish about this place — stepping in the door is like a step back in time. From the antique hand crafted wooden tables and chairs to the dainty beautiful blue glass bottles in the window with the sun shining through. So many special touches that make the atmosphere so inviting and warm.
It reminds me of one of those old nostalgic general stores, remnants of the frontier days that used to have fresh deli sandwich counters too. You know the ones with the endearingly creaky wooden floors, a cast iron woodstove in the corner, calico curtains and a picture of Great Aunt and Uncle Johnson, who homesteaded on the farm nearby, proudly hanging on the wall. Or something like that… let’s just say if Norman Rockwell ever visited Gilman Village in Issaquah, he would’ve ate at The Boarding House.
The staff are wonderful! So gracious and funny! They are quick to assist and seem to genuinely care how your day is going. It’s easy to feel like a part of the family here.
Not sure what you want? What are you in the mood for? Check out the specials of the day or maybe have a cup of homemade soup? Sandwiches, salads, soup and quiche… menu staples at The Boarding House and they do them well.
The Boarding House is a welcome home party, a slice of old fashioned apple pie and a big hug from Grandma all rolled into one. So much to love there! The good food and the small town USA homestyle charm are what call me back to this gem!

Gosh. Sharon must have had a bad day or something because you cannot even compare the Boarding House to QFC… I mean, come on.
Every sandwich and soup I’ve had at the Boarding House has been spot on and delicious. My favorite is the Rueben and minestrone soup. Yum!
The customer service has always been great and honestly, I don’t mind paying in check or cash.
You’ll find the Boarding House nestled in the Gilman Village Shopping Center. Enjoy!

Cutest cozy lil restaurant in Issaquah! It is a little cottage that has been transformed into a restaurant!
Me and my husband were looking for a brunch place Sunday after church and my husband had mentioned The Boarding House after someone he works with mentioned it was «The best brunch they have ever had»…ok, must try!
When we entered we were greeted by a wonderful woman who was so friendly! I was looking around and she said «Darlin, is this for first time here», to which I replied yet”. Apparently I made her day, cause she came over to me and hugged me and said «OH WELCOME, SO GLAD YOU DECIDED TO TRY US» She went out to explain that The Boarding House has been there for 40 years, started by 4 women and she has been there for the last 20 years!
Everything in this place is made from scratch, which I love, nothing frozen! Wen were too late for brunch, but we saw their specials and looked at the menu. Few sandwich’s, salads and some combo meals. Everything looked great and smelled wonderful. I ordered the special of Gouda cheese, poached eggs, & Spinach in a baking dish with a side of blue berry coffee cake! Hubs had the ham & cheese omelet and a scone. We were seated and only had to wait about 5 minutes for our food!
My eggs dish was good, very very HOT, but I didn’t’ care for the poached eggs. BEST COFFEE CAKE EVER! I scarfed that down like it was my last meal!
I had a bite of my husbands omelet, it was bursting at the seems with cheese and tons of ham… we got our money’s“s worth!
meal with tea and OJ came to about $ 30 with tax and tip! What I LOVE about this place, THE SERVICE! The woman who greeted me was always welcoming people saying «HI John, Hi Nancy, Hi Mary» as they walked in the door! I love that she cared enough about her customers to LEARN their name AND REMEMBER them when they came back to her restaurant! For me, that was the keeper to make me come back to this place!!!