Doe Bay Cafe

This is a hidden gem within so many hidden gems in the San Juan Islands. But gosh, his one takes the cake.
It’s out on the northern end past Moran State Park. The café is inside the Doe Bay Resort — a very cool place in and of itself — and is open much later than other restaurants, especially in the slow winter season. In fact, it’s one of the few open on a Sunday.
This restaurant is very cool, rustic, laid back. They have a full bar! Everything is local and pescatarian. And did I mention local? They get as close as they can to the source, buying mushrooms from local scavengers, and getting fresh seafood right from the bay.
The menu is limited but fabulous, including pastas and salads and soups, fish and more.
We had the six course tasting menu for $ 65, plus the wine pairing (can’t remember the cost) and WOW. Ye portions are generous for tasting.
The first was a bread «snack» that had 8 different toppings, including crème fresh and crispy salmon skin, olives and and some other kind of fish… Then we had delectable mushrooms in white wine broth.
It was a whirlwind of taste-​tacularness. Obviously my mouth is still reeling.
The tasting menu is crafted for each guest based on dietary needs and boy do they deliver.
And the wine! Fabulous wine ranging from bubbles to white Bordeaux and Malbec.
It wasn’t cheap but Goddamn, it was worth it.
It’d definitely recommend reservations because I’m sure that in the summer they’re slammed.

So wanted to love this café, but were bitterly disappointed. The waiter didn’t know anything about the wines, the menu was minuscule. Only three entrees — potato gnocchi, ramen and salmon, except they were out of salmon! The waiter suggested the albacore tune small plate instead, assuring is it was entrée size. We then waited an hour for our food. The tuna arrived cold and the portions were appetizer sized. The ramen was tasty, but not worth $ 20! Oh, and then they were out of most of the desserts. I would give it zero stars if I could. $ 150 down the drain

The food has great taste, but every dish were very very small bite… We ordered chef special 5 course dinner and we were still hungry after spending 3+ hours waiting for our tiny bites.

Underwhelming, despite reviews and focus on local, fresh ingredients. Service was slow and laissez-​faire, food came out lukewarm and portions were meager, despite resort prices. As we came in, the server was eating a meal and no one bothered to greet us. Both children ordered two kids’ meal menus apiece and were still hungry when done. Food was uninspired. Biscuits we ordered after our meals were leaden. Kids’ granola had an overwhelming ginger taste that was too much for young palettes. Waiter was off-​putting with, there is no delicate way to put this, strong body odor. Couple behind us ended up getting food comped after it arrived very late and they had to ask whether it could be microwaved. Driving an hour from the other end of Orcas to get here, it was a genuine disappointment.
On a side note, we called to make reservations one day and got a confirmation call. We then got a second confirmation call a few hours later, asking us to call back and confirm the confirmation. The next day, we called to cancel the reservation and it was noted. We then got a voice mail message at dinner time asking whether we planned to come or should they give the table to someone else. Communication lacking?

Spectacular location and really fine dining. We had the tasting meal with wine pairings. Course after course until I had to loosen my belt. Each course paired with a great wine and generous pours. Farm to sea means great local veggies and the best seafood known to the world. Oysters with sorrel, a smoked mackerel spread was a highlight. Soup, 2 kinds of salad. Smoked beets … I mean really, who the hell smokes beets? So unusual and delicious. The last dish, before dessert was a black cod with a corn meal square and again it was perfect. Finally they gave us two different desserts with a really fine glass of port. Worth the drive, go there!

Spot Shrimp and grits! need I say more?
We got here at the tail-​end of lunch on a Saturday afternoon. They serve until 2. The service was like we were there at noon, not a «we close in 15 minutes so you’d better order» attitude that I have experienced elsewhere, but laid back and not rushed at all.
We had Bloody Marys, I had the prawns and he had clams. Both had some kind of sweet, slightly spicy red pepper roasted and incorporated in the dish. i am pretty sure they were grown there. They were delicious.
We looked out of the window and there were nude swimmers in the bay. There is a clothing optional spa/​soak on the property but it was closed to the public that day due to some kid of festival. or we would have joined them. You could not swing a stick without hitting an intricate tattoo or a man-​bun. This is a beautiful place.

My bf and I went here for breakfast during our trip to Orcas Island. It is located further from Eastsound, so not that convenient if you’re staying in town. When we first arrived here, we were a bit confused because the restaurant is behind a store. You can walk through the store to get to the restaurant or you can walk onto the patio area and there is a door to the restaurant. The view is beautiful if you decide to sit out on the patio area. We decided to sit inside because all the patio spots were taken. This place is pretty busy even for breakfast, so I would recommend coming early. We had to wait about 10 mins for a spot, but while we were eating, other people were coming and had to wait much longer for a seat. The food does take a while to make (it looked like they only had one person cooking). They also don’t have many servers so service is not the best, but our server was courteous and respectful when he was paying attention to us. Anyway, the food was delish. Even the orange juice we ordered was good, and no it’s not freshly squeezed. I saw him pour it from a bottle but I don’t care because it still tasted good. If you’re impatient, this probably isn’t the best place for you, but if you have some time and want to have a good meal, do come here.

Our best meal so far on our Pacific North West trip.
Outstanding service, fresh ingredients, and flavorful dishes.
Every dish was a highlight. Their garden salad had a slightly smokey flavor to it that made it so we couldn’t stop licking the plate. The eggplant and halibut entrees were equally fresh and delicious.
The standout may have been their deconstructed s’more dessert though. That’s a must-​try.

Amazingly great food in a spectacular setting. Was stranded here for working a wedding for 4 days. There was no better place to be stranded. It has a very «Northern Exposure vibe to it and delicious food. The red curry with vegetables and salmon was so good! I will have to return for a great get away when I’m not working.

Delicious but portions on the small side, we were a little hungry afterwards. Had to order a bowl of extra rice! Most gorgeous setting and lovely service although there was much thought and debate as to our table (tried to book but did not succeed) and if we could be accommodated yet it wasn’t that busy!

FABULOUS! Best biscuits and gravy we have ever tasted. My kids all cleaned their plates. The kids French Toast was amazing! Beautiful presentation, great staff, and service. The fresh fruit was awesome! Best meal we’ve had on the island. Go eat at Doe Bay Café!

My boyfriend and I are visiting Orcas Island for the long 4^th of July weekend and we ate dinner here tonight. We both ordered the halibut entrée and it was delicious! The stone fruit cobbler was unlike any fruit cobbler I’d ever eaten — yummy, lightweight and I love how the fruits were not hidden in cobbler pastry and sugar. We did not make reservations and were seated at the bar (the café was completely booked for dinner). It was cool to watch the kitchen staff prepare and cook the meals. They seemed very efficient. The hostess was pleasant, the bartender was friendly and the waitress was nice. The only negative experience was there were a lot of mosquitoes inside the café; the windows were open and the views of the bay were lovely.

Treated our Mom to dinner at the end of our family reunion trip to this much heralded place on Unilocal and by locals. The food was completely underwhelming and a disappointment. Clearly a cool scene and gorgeous view, but the meal was really plain and seemed to have minimal effort, albeit home grown veggies and all. The new bread they were promoting was fit for prisoners only. I wouldn’t miss a visit to Doe Bay for the world, but maybe a cocktail here is best before dropping $ 200 for 4.

Every time we visit Orcas Island, Doe Bay Café is a required stop for us. The service has been fantastic every time, food even better. Do yourself a favor, no matter where you are on the island, make the drive out to Doe Bay and treat yourself to an amazing experience.

Great customer service! The bartender of the evening was a real treat. He made a killer cocktail and selected the perfect glass of wine for me. I was impressed with his friendly and helpful disposition; it was welcoming but not in-​your-​face. I dare to say he personified cool.
As for the food, the nettle soup was delicious. Hearty and savory but still refreshing. The veggie ramen was quite good, however, a bit on the saltier side.
Overall, it was a great experience. Cozy ambience. Great drinks. And awesome service. I recommend it.

We went for brunch on an early Saturday morning. We kind of went on a whim and didn’t get the memo that it was a pescatarian joint until my boyfriend asked the server about bacon. He was a bit disappointed with the lack of carnivorous eats but hesitantly decided he could survive on the sunflower seed butter waffles at that particular juncture. I ordered the shakshouka. Weeks later, we are still talking about our dining experience — especially the waffles. Holy bomb, Batman, it was phenomenal. Service was so-​so, not the warmest we’ve experienced, but nice and prompt. The next time we end up on Orcas Island, we will be making a return brunch visit for more waffles for sure.

UNFORGETTABLE! Last week we were married on the beach of the bay the café overlooks. Having gotten to Doe Bay early to get settled in our cabin we stopped in the café for a bite to eat around noon. First, the brunch was amazing. I have never tasted scrambled eggs … I don’t even have the words for how they tasted. Just wow! The biscuits and gravy … oh god. It was almost sexual.
On our way out we decided to make reservations for dinner after our ceremony and cancel our prior reservations at another restaurant. The restaurant was book due to a film festival on Orcas. One of the producers was presenting his work later that evening. After making our reservation the hostess came running out of the Café to let us know we were actually double booked and if would mind changing our reservation from 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM. We were fine with that and thought nothing of it as we went on with our afternoon and wedding ceremony.
When we arrived at the Café that evening we discovered the change in reservation had somehow not been noted. My wife let them know it was our wedding night and we were looking forward to dining with them. After some discussion of where to seat us we were offered a complimentary drink or dessert and a spot at the bar while we waited for a table. We decided to take them up on the drink and wait at the bar.
We realized after sitting down at the bar our spot was where the film producer was supposed to be sitting to present his film They were holding up the entire film presentation so we could have a place to sit and wait for a table!
While at the bar we had the pleasure of a delightful conversation with the bartender. NO he was much more than a bartender. He was an alchemist. His drinks were magic.
After serving our first drink he disappeared for a few minutes. When he came back he let us know that the Café wanted to celebrate our wedding with us and apologized for the confusion with the reservation. Our meal and drinks were on them!
We were a little stunned to say the least.
Then he gave us their regular menu. Which is important because their regular menu was not available that evening. They had a limited menu later in the evening due to the film festival. He had apparently disappeared to confer with the chef about whether they could offer us the full menu.
While we were grateful for their generosity and helping make our special day even more so we were not prepared for what followed. We were presented with an appetizer to as the bartender said, stimulate our appetites. Sliced apples and caramelized something, I don’t know. Heavenly!
There was another course brought to us as our dinners were being prepared. My wife knows what we ate. I have no idea. Just amazing food. Where as the brunch was almost sexual, this dinner was full on gastronomic love making.
I had the black cod as my main dish. I don’t know what the name of my wife’s main entrée was. God it was good. And dessert. We both had the root beer float. To which they add at least a shot of bourbon.
When we got up to leave our server and the bartender got hugs from both of us. Doe Bay Café. An unforgettable dinner for our most special of days. Thank you.

WOW, what a setting! Gorgeous location on the water at the far Eastern end of Orcas Island, this restaurant serves tasty veggie-​centric food.
We had a terrific breakfast on the deck at Doe Bay Café. Everything on the menu here is veggie-​gourmet, and spendy. After browsing some previous Unilocal reviews, I decided to go with the breakfast burrito: two eggs scrambled, cheddar, black beans, garden greens & smoked mushrooms, tomatillo sauce, cilantro-​avocado cream, salsa fresca and pickled red onions, rosemary-​garlic cottage potatoes ($ 14). Good stuff!
The best part of dining here was spending time in the beautiful island resort location– I’d come back just for that!

OMG! Make sure you get a reservation in advance do u wont be disappointed if they cant seat youWe ate dinner here two nights during our stay and loved every delightful morsel.
Not only was the food devine, the waitstaff was accommodating, sincerely interested in our satisfaction and extremely knowledgeable. You must try the cocktails ! Both night i had a luscious berry bramble… It contained hinger beet, vodka a berry syrup.
First night we sat on the patio… When it became chilly, we were warmed by heat lamps.
Each month there us a new menu and each night there us usually one special additional appetizer

There is only one flaw with this restaurant and that is it’s distance from Seattle. My fiancé and I wandered in for brunch after driving all around Orcas Island. We were impressed from the minute we walked in the door. The restaurant features lots of wood and big open windows providing views of the water and islands, creating a gorgeous ambiance. The menu is fantastic — lots of fresh seasonal vegetables!
I had the breakfast burrito. I’ve had a bunch of breakfast burritos all up and down the west coast and this was by far the best. The tomatillo salsa was incredibly flavorful. The burrito was definitely more vegetables and beans then eggs, but I’ve decided that is definitely better! The burrito came with delicious roasted potatoes and an avocado crema sauce. I absolutely love avocados, but I will admit the sauce was the only disappointing part of my meal — it just wasn’t very flavorful — but I had enough flavorful sauces around that I didn’t mind not having one more!
My fiancé had the grilled cheese with ramp pesto and carrot soup. He enjoyed it so much, he wrote his 2^nd ever Unilocal review to sing his praises! The ramp pesto was so flavorful and the bread on the grilled cheese was delicious. The carrot soup was so complex — so many different flavors! It came garnished with a clearly fresh from the garden young carrot that was so flavorful. He also had a latte, which he said was fantastic, and a cinnamon sugar dot — a small bread ball covered in cinammon sugar. It was so good, the bread tasted delicious.
This café was amazing, probably the best brunch we’ve ever had. We hope to be back soon. It is definitely out of the way, even if you’re already on Orcas Island, but is definitely worth the trek for some amazing food!