Octavias Bistro

Stayed at the Orcas hotel on an overnight trip and had dinner at the Bistro downstairs. It happened to be a night that there was live music which ended up being a welcome addition to what was a great meal. I am surprised that this place doesn’t have higher ratings, and it’s unfortunate that some have had less that favorable experiences, but for us between the excellent service, the live music, cozy settings, and one of the best steaks (El Gaucho level but half the price) I have ever had I would encourage anyone staying on Orcas Island to give this place a shot.

My husband and I spent a weekend at the islander with our 1 year old. We had so much fun, as there were so many activities to enjoy! We spent one day exploring the island with great recommendations from the staff, then came back to the resort for an outstanding meal with a view. The second day we spent time at the pool and rented bikes. Clams were the best we’ve had in a long time and the salmon Caesar was delicious! Happy hour prices were unmatched and staff was very accommodating and offered a kid’s menu so that we could continue to enjoy the setting and drinks in peace. We’ve already booked our next stay in one of the houses on the property! The islander is island living at its best!

Sad, this place only has 3.5 Unilocal reviews? I disagree with the people who gave this restaurant low reviews. We bought a living social voucher to stay at the Orcas Hotel for two nights. Part of the deal included one dinner and breakfast at this restaurant. All our meals here were delicious. First of all, the staff was great! Doug, who is the owner of the restaurant was working the bar on the night we had dinner here. He was welcoming and friendly. Even though though there were no big tables available to seat us, he welcomed us to wait at the bar or near the fireplace and order a beer/​wine. The beer and wine are really affordable. We probably paid about $ 6 for a glass of wine.
The dinner was also surprisingly delicious. Our waitress was really nice and attentive in getting us whatever we needed. We loved our table because you can gaze onto the harbor/​bay. I ordered the salmon with quinoa and it was so good. It wasn’t too heavy and just the right portion size. My friend got the baby back ribs and the portions were huge. I was blown away by how hearty the dish was. His sweet potato fries were good too! My husband ordered the rib-​eye and he definitely enjoyed his meal. I highly recommend eating dinner or breakfast here. We had such a pleasant dinner/​breakfast.

My mom and I stayed here and we went down into the restaurant for dinner, being on a very strict diet they accommodated me perfectly and changed the menu item for me accordingly, I had the ribeye steak with broccolini, we sat out on the patio and watched the ferrys come in and leave while drinking lavender Martinis that our Amazing bartender Erin made, she served us all evening and made our stay here wonderful!

Not even sure where to begin this review. My fiancé and I and our two friends ate here while waiting for the ferry. Exterier is very cute and quaint. Once we entered the building and were seated we immediately noticed the extremely outdated interior. This is normally NOT a deciding factor for us but the place was falling apart! I almost felt bad for the building as it clearly had a lot of history in the walls. Our table was practically falling apart. The baseboard heater falling apart. Food everywhere on the floor. Scotch tape holding parts of the wallpaper/​ceiling together, rubberband holding together the soap diapensory in the restroom which itself looked like they had a big party the night prior and forgot to empty the garbage can. (Mind you this was at 8:30 am!) The menu itself looks very pleasant with different fresh cooked options. I was impressed initially. When our food arrived it felt like it was old and possibly microwaved? Definitely not hot. Very bland, or very salty. I found a blonde hair rolled up in my silverware. And my friend found a long grey hair in her omlette (which she didnt tell us until after we left! Because she was embarassed and didnt want us to starve and not eat!) The server seemed to have her head in the clouds the entire time, it was just weirdest dinning experience maybe ever. We dine at 5 star restaurants all the way to pubs and hole in the walls. Bit this was something from the twilight zone. We had to laugh about it after we payed our bill and left. So weird! I would NEVER go back. But I hope for the sake of the beautiful building and history within its walls that the owner will take charge of the place and fofill its potential.

We’ve eaten here a couple of times when staying at the Orcas Hotel. The salmon is very tasty, and we enjoyed our breakfast (scrambled eggs, for which they substituted portabella mushroom for ham at my request) very much.

The food was great, however the décor was very old and the tables were close to banquet tables versus nice restaurant tables. The prices were high for the portion sizes, but most of the food was great. There was only 1 other table eating while we were there around 5:30pm for dinner. Our table of 7 ordered a variety of food, including pulled pork sandwiches, gourmet grilled cheese, salmon dinner, spicy shrimp appetizer (6 shrimp), coconut prawns (3 pieces), chef salad, bruschetta (with balsamic vinegar, mushrooms, onions, goat cheese), and cioppino (with sausage, shrimp, cod, white fish, clams). The appetizers were small and we were not told of the quality when ordering, that it would not be enough for all to share. They were out of the calamari and scallops so we had to change our order. The pulled pork was the best item we ordered, the meat was flavorful and the brioche bun was toasted yet fluffy. The bruschetta was surprising as it is not like the bruschetta we are used to but was delicious. The cioppino was flavorful and rich, however the cod and whitefish were very chewy, we couldn’t eat it, but the rest of the cioppino ingredients were perfectly cooked. Our server was friendly and patient with our large group (including 3 children). Would come here again but would probably order from the front café instead of the sit down restaurant.

Love this place! My husband and I had the Tequila Clams and Bistro Burger with sweet potato fries. The food is awesome, perfect blending of savory flavors. The service was great and you can’t top the view. The burger even came with a fried pepper and a shot glass of pickled veggies. Perfect touch!

I’m leaving one star because zero isn’t an option… The waitress was surly, unhelpful, and clearly had no desire to be there. She offered off-​menu options to other customers, then got annoyed when we asked about the same. She told us she couldn’t be bothered to get it, and when we offered to carry it ourselves from the bar, she abruptly decided she would get (but the price went up, we found when we got the bill). Every request of ours was met with an eye-​roll, sarcasm, or a snappy NO. The food was wildly overpriced and awful! I got a clam chowder that looked like a bowl of milk with a chunk of potato — and tasted the same. I couldn’t bring myself to eat it. Ranch dressing for our salad was out of the question, the water was promptly removed from our table when we ordered and only grudgingly returned much later. I could go on, but will content myself with warning other unwary diners to steer well clear of this place!!!

Love this place… very nice people… thanks for great service miss Tara

Service: Good & friendly
Setting: Nice view but very dated looking, & not particularly clean
Food: Very disappointing. Salads nothing special. Tuna & cod dish was served with rice that was cold.
Overall: Try somewhere else.

Wonderful setting in a very quaint hotel with a good view of the water. Unfortunately, the food was not good. I had the lamb which was way too salty and the salad was wilted. My daughter had the burger which was good, but it is hard to mess up a burger. The waitstaff was extremely friendly, but untrained. While I loved staying at the hotel, I cannot recommend the Bistro.

The food was disgusting and my wife and I both got sick from eating here. The staff was very rude. Save your money and go somewhere else on the island.

I loved the old hotel décor and thought my dinner was fantastic. We ordered ribs and a filet. First off the bread was wonderful and the whipped butter was the best I’ve ever had. I love old buildings and décor, so was in heaven to be there. The reason I can’t give 5 stars, is because although our meals were served with swift efficiency, the waitress was rude to the point of putting me in a funk that took so much away from the enjoyment of my meal. She thought we asked too much about the Kim chi, so rudely let us know. When we first came in the same waitress snapped at the nice young woman that greeted us.
I would eat there again, but not if the same older long haired waitress was there.

Upon checking into Orcas Hotel, we received a $ 20 voucher to spend at Octavia’s Bistro, so we had dinner there on our first night. I was surprised to see the Japanese influence on the menu and anytime there is Asian fusion, I get worried, but the chef did a great job. I ordered the salmon entrée which was two salmon filets each with different toppings. One had a tomato/​onion type of topping (reminded me the veg mix in ahi poke) and the other had a honey/​wasabi glaze with seaweed and Japanese veggies. Cooked perfectly and generous portions. The next night, I wanted something nice and light to eat while sitting on the porch, so I had the chop salad — so fresh. Even my husband, anti-​veggie man, enjoyed it! Bleu cheese, tomatoes, green peas, two types of lettuce, tons of BACON, and a creamy tangy/​sweet dressing. Again, HUGE portion. I have never been full from eating a salad before, so this was a first. I also love their bread & orange zest-​infused butter. I could just eat the butter by itself, but that would be frowned upon.
The waitress was absolutely lovely, personable, and worked very hard. Good job. :)
I rarely enjoy hotel restaurants, but maybe you can’t go wrong when you’re eating at a cute little hotel on a small island. :)

While staying at rhe hotel we were treated to free breakfast, and it was delightful! The basic breakfast: eggs, potatoes, meat and toast or muffin along with juice or coffee starbucks blends of course makes for a home run in my book! Hubby had the pancakes which were huge and homestyle o course! We did have drinks the first night from the bar and had to take them outside due to the bar being full of old people and a band. Overall I will give them a B+ the view from the porch amd
deck seating are amazing! Especially with the sunshining!

A superb hotel dining room with dishes made from fresh local ingredients. Very good beer and wine list. Pleasant, efficient, but not hurried service. It is a treat, and worth the price.

We had breakfast here while we waited for the ferry. The service and atmosphere were great. The food was disappointing. The potatoes were not fully cooked. The omelets were too salty.

Located at the top of a hill with many windows that overlook the ferry landing. A perfect place to unwind and relax in the evening, for it is a small yet peaceful restaurant with gorgeous views. We sat at the bar and I had many Bloody Marys as we shared their fresh calamari. So many items on the menu that needed to land on my plate, but other dinner plans awaited us back in Seattle. Bartender was very busy as she not only poured, but waited on the majority of the room. A great place to wait for the ferry and reminisce about your blissful time on Orcas Island.

Octavia’s bistro is the fine dining room in the hotel and it is quite a fanciful treat. The waitstaff is very professional and knows their business. The food is increadible… had the oysters and fried calamari… mmmmm.
This hotel is the warm welcome to the mystical island that makes the island what it is. From the moment you come off the ferry and see the beautiful turn of the century victorian mansion of the Orcas Hotel on top of the hill, the enchantment sets in.
I stayed for a week and during that time I really enjoyed getting to know the wonderful staff. They all bring the essense of Orcas to life. From their intense eye contact, to their overwhelming willingness to help in everything from service, to good hikes to just good conversation.
The food in the café is top notch. I had a blissful experience devouring an Orcas burger one night and heard a story about a customer that travels all the way from Portland, Oregon every once in a while just to come for the Orcas Burger and get’s right back on the ferry and goes home. I said to the staff, «Wow that is some committment», and they said «or just a REALLY GOOD burger!».
The view overlooking the bay and the surrounding islands with their cedar forests and beaches is breathtaking. The building has a timeless charm to it, and looks and feels very similar to the hotel in «Somewhere in Time». There are photobooks of weddings during the summer and a huge lawn and tent on the hill which seats 150… it would be a paradise of a wedding!
For being right in front of the ferry landing it seems like one would not have to go to far once on the island to have an increadible experience immeadiately. Though of course… check out the rest of the island!