This place was awesome! We were traveling up from Portland, OR and went here on a local tip. The atmosphere is great, service is friendly and the food is delicious, plus it is right on the water with a great view. We were there on a Tuesday and a local jazz trio was playing some covers, they were sweet, a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I highly suggest stopping here if you are in the area! Also, I happened to stupidly leave my sunglasses there, and was already on the road back, and they very kindly offered to mail them to me. Good people! read more

Good food . Fun atmosphere. Service a little slow. Friendly wait staff. My steak was excellent.

Great meal for everyone in our group. Especially the clams n mussels appetizer and the desserts were the capper on such a hat-centric joint. Do ya see what i did there? Anyway we enjoyed it n i hope you do too. read more

We brought 2 friends from California and were seated promptly, with menus. Some one came by to take our drink order and when they were brought to the table, they took our entree order. In a short time, our food arrived, and everyone agreed, it was delicious. I had asparagus as my vegetable and would have been happy to have that as my entree, it was s-o-o-o delicious! Others at our table had the double baked potato and said it was excellent. The entrees (2 steaks, 1 chicken, and 1 vegetarian meal) were superb. Naturally, we ordered dessert too. Apple crisp with ice cream, creme brulee, and key lime pie. A terrific cap on a great meal. service was excellent. Highly receommended! read more

We came across the Ajax when we were on our honeymoon. After having driven past the sign many times throughout the years, my wife - who was famished at the time - said "Ajax Cafe. I'm hungry. We're eating there." We had no clue what we were walking into. Fast forward five years, and we've gone back any time we've been in the area. The Ajax Cafe is a funky one-of-a-kind restaurant that delivers on both food and ambiance. A staple in the Cafe is the entertainment. Though hit-or-miss (the entertainment when we were there in May wasn't quite as good as in the past), it's what you would expect in a funky restaurant in a small town. The Food: You get the impression that the seafood comes in the back door of the building, straight off the boat. I've never had a bad piece of salmon, and my wife swears by the Fisherman's Stew. Though initially disappointed that they changed the recipe for the stew a couple of years ago from a fish stock to a tomato base, it took around three bites to like it just as much. I've also had the pork loin, scallops, and other quite tasty menu items. Fresh local ingredients are key. The local cheese platter appetizer is quite tasty. When we had it, it included selections from Mt. Townsend Creamery. The wine list also features several local selections -- the Fairwinds Gewurztraminer is a good selection. And the desserts. Chocolate Pots de Creme is tasty, as is the Coffee Creme Brulee. However, the fresh fruit crisp a-la-mode is still one of my favorites. When you walk in, you'll find the walls lined with every type of hat imaginable. Feel free to try one on. Historically we've always gotten a reservation, though they haven't been quite as busy the past couple of times we've gone, and I have the impression that we could have walked right in. All in all the Ajax is a great place for a nice dinner. It's off the beaten path, but well worth the drive down the hill. read more

We ate here in March, 2013, to celebrate our anniversary. (Well - it was memorable!)We'd heard really great things about them. OUR experience was very different, however. They were busy, we had made reservations, and they seated us very promptly. To put it kindly - maybe the real chef was on vacation or something. We had one salad and one soup to start - didn't finish either one, as the tastes were all wrong. The salad dressing was so strong that the the salad was not good - the shredded beets that were on the plate were blah. My husband's soup was just weird! (From other reviews, I guess we should have tried the clam chowder.) Next we moved on to the main courses - mine was the Wild Salmon ... cooked WAY too much, so very tough, and with (again) a sauce that overpowered the salmon. I don't remember what my husband had, but again the sauce again overpowered the dish; he didn't finish it. We mentioned all this to the waitress, who just shrugged her shoulders. NOT going there again. read more

Ajax is great. Its an interesting place in an interesting location. Its really just something you have to experience, and grab a Dr. Soos hat while you are at it. The food is very good. Its not a steak house, but steaks are decent. Any of their seafood items on the menu are always amazing. read more

Food is always yummy! Drinks are always nice. I love all the hats around! I always feel like I have a personality to match each hat

We really wanted to love Ajax. It's local, it's quirky, and the food is supposed to be quite good. We haven't been here for several years, and, frankly, we may not go back. The food was good, but not great, and the dining room was freezing cold. Too cold to enjoy the evening. I guess someone didn't start the fire in a timely manner. We've been home for an hour and I'm still cold. So, the food--Our party had two specials, the pork chop, and the seafood paella. The seafood paella and pork chop were good, but we were sorely disappointed in the nightly special, which was scallops over "pesto polenta". The two of us who had the scallops with polenta had a fraction of the food compared to the other dishes, and it wasn't particularly flavorful. I'd like to know where the pesto was, not to mention the rest of the dinner. Ok--so scallops are really expensive. How about giving us a little more polenta and more than a couple of little veggies to make us feel more fed? read more

Ajax has been one of our favorite places in the Port Hadlock area. In fact we recommend it on our web site Oakbaygetaway,com. Over the years it has over gone a transition. Owners changed and they recently installed a bar which gets little use. The food is generally very good and we will continue to recommend it. But the menu choices are not as good as they used to be and the service is a little confusing - two different waitresses would ask us if we wanted more bread or if we were ready for desert. On certain nights they have live music which varies in quality and volume. It is located on the water and has a view of the launching ramp. read more

The atmosphere is fun and inviting. The staff is friendly. They had live music last Saturday Evening. I ordered halibut with mushroom risotto. This was a special dish, not a regular menu item. Other seafood dishes appear on the regular menu. My halibut was dry and overcooked. My risotto was essentially dairy-free (it was closer to steamed rice than risotto). I expect more from a $30 entree. My wife ordered a seafood linguine, which came with spaghetti noodles. Her dish was mediocre. Fun atmosphere, beautiful setting, friendly staff, lousy-to-mediocre food, high prices. The lousy food ensures I won't be returning. read more

Ajax used to be our family's favorite restaurant.....we will not be returning again. We have been going there for over 15 years, but we were so disappointed this last time that we will not go again. We celebrated our friend's birthday there on Saturday- the service and food were unbelievably poor. First they didn't have enough menus, then we wanted appetizers and drinks but no one ever came to take our order, and our food was cold and terrible. We were forced to just order our main courses and starved to death while we waited for almost an hour! We could have ordered many appetizers and drinks, but apparently they did not want to make money or offer service. The wait staff seemed super flustered and overwhelmed, I had to ask for my drink 4 times. We called twice in advance to inform them of our friend's birthday, but they didn't even do anything! My flat iron steak was cold and flavorless, my husbands New York was also bland. read more

Dinner was disappointing. Took friends who were visiting. Clam chowder was not the rich delicious New England chowder we were used to. My salad was ok. The chicken breast was tough and tasteless. My husband ordered the seafood stew, It was bland. I felt like the chef forgot to flavor the dishes. We drove from Sequim to try this restaurant and won't return. Our friends made no comments so I assume their meal was not outstanding. read more

I finally got to experience Ajax Cafe last night with my mom after a day long road trip around the peninsula. It was as great as she said it was...and as fun! An adorable house next to a small marina down a dirt road - a perfect setting. I'd recommend a reservation because the place is a happening spot even for being so remote. Now for the food...we shared a spinach salad that was wonderful then shared a bowl of their famous clam chowder. BEST clam chowder I've ever had...by a mile! It was amazing. Clams in the shell, fresh chunks of potatoes, bacon...yum! For a main course we had the braised mushroom pasta...very rich but with a wonderful taste, and the special which was an almond crusted halibut - wasn't a huge fan of the sauce, but that was just me. My mom loved it. We also had a bottle of local red wine. I can't remember what it was but it was only just over $20 and I thought it was great. That's quite the deal! And did I mention the hats....HATS! Everywhere! If you go to Ajax, you better enjoy it because it's really a treat! read more

We stopped by to check out the cafe in advance and thought it was very cute. The menus are presented inside vintage album covers, lots of vintage band concert posters on walls. It is a pleasant casual eatery. When we arrived the next evening for our reservation we were seated in a nice location by the front windows so we had a view of the boats on the nearby water. Our menu choices were varied, seafood, steak, pork, chicken and vegetarian entres all sounded terrific. My wild salmon was perfect and my partner's flatiron steak was delicious. We also ordered the clam and mussel appetizer which was wonderful. The creamy broth was seasoned delicately for the seafood and it was very smooth and flavorful with the house bread. On our Thursday evening occasion the piano player was in the house and provided excellent music. We highly recommend this cafe if you're in the Port Townsend, Port Hadlock area. read more

fun place, good entertainment, had the halibut...not much taste, asparagas was barely cooked, bread pudding was ok

The food was amazing and super tasty. Although I felt the place was super understaffed our waitress was super nice and tried to help us the best she could. However, there was a young girl helping our waitress out who was extremely rude. Our meal was very late (which when dining with a 2 year old isn't good) and after waiting 45 minutes for our appetizer we asked where the second one we ordered was and the girl rolled her eyes at us. In fact any time we asked for anything (more silverware, water refill etc. she would act quite rude), I have eaten here several times and until they hire a more professional staff I would not eat here again. read more

Mother's Day 2008 / party of three; my wife and daughter. Everything in me wanted to 5 star this night and place. After all, It came highly recommended, the spotty weather cleared up and the day was a good one up to now. We has res. for 5 and showed up @440 OK they sat us anyway (pretty empty at that point). Remember that this is the eclectic joint, the noise, the hats and the nothing matches is all part of the sctick - but I think it is carried too far. There is a very unpleasant odor at the front door - pet urine I guess. The plates, glasses and silverware were all dirty. I mean dirt - floaties in the water etc. Maybe it was all about the food I hoped. Started with the clam chowder. 31 clams - had to count as there was nothing provided to remove the shells after eating - fine, but the broth (very thin styled) was extremely salty and unbalanced. Every bite was different, wine was not reduced. The pancetta was nice overall would not order again. Wife had a Caesar salad - bland OK. Entree's: Daughter had crab cakes entree. 3 cakes reminded me of hush puppies. OK but dark brown exterior (heavy batter /old oil) masked any hope of tasting crab. I ordered the tenderloin. It was tasteful and the sides were good as well. I especially liked the tomatoes which topped the mushroom risotto. A bargain at 18.00. The wife had stuffed pork chops and they were good as well. She (or my daughter) normally chooses the best meal but today it was me. We did not order wine but I did peak at the list - not a great selection but enough to compliment the meals. I did notice some bringing their own bottles. I did not ask about corkage fees. We also didn't order desert as I made some strawberry shortcake. That way I'd have a can of whipped cream! It was early in the year for seafood and when we left it was packed. Noisy as you'd expect, the piano player played well and at a good volume level. The wait staff was knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. I would recommend a spring cleaning, perhaps more descriptive menus. read more

Great little restaurant...lots of character. Great food and great service. Will come again.

Clam chowder is sooooo good, creamy and tasty! We regret that we didnt order clam appetizer as well, since the clams are very fresh. The iron flat steak is not that impressive. One star off is because the chair pads look very old and unclean. read more

Atmosphere is funky. Really enjoyed the mismatched everything. Piano player was enjoyable. Food delicious! Service good, even thought it was really busy. Come with a group of people who like to have a good time and wear their hats!! read more

Just drove up from Portland to start our vacation and headed straight for the Ajax Cafe. We were not disappointed at all. The place is funky, eclectic, boho but the food is to die for. The evening temps were perfect, the views of the water superb...a wonderful night. We started with the asparagus wrapped in prosciutto with a Gorgonzola sauce, followed by the house Caesar. My husband has the lasagna and I had the flat iron steak. Yummo! We were too stuffed for dessert so we enjoyed a walk along the water. The Ajax Cafe is pure magic! I wish we were closer but will make it a regular stop when on vacation. read more

Every trip here (we go at least once every 4 months) is a celebration. We always bring our nearest and dearest to eat here -- kids, grandparents, hipster-dufus city friends, etc. As a vegetarian (no chicken/fish), the menu is a little slim... but every dish is simply a GIFT. Recent example: chimichurri sauce over seasonal vegetables, etc. left me licking the pate (which is acceptable in this setting). Also, staff are very willing to do a vegetarian improv with daily specials and other entrees. We're so proud of -- and grateful for -- our neighborhood restaurant. read more

Read my profile... I am admittedly a retired, professional food snob. I guess I'll start from the outside in... Parking was minimal at best, and the day we were there was rainy which meant stepping right into a nice 3" puddle of muddy water, as the lot on the side is all dirt. Secondly, as we walked inside, we noticed a Hat Party, as most every one was trading hats with each other, and from hangers all around. It appears to be a restaurant promoted activity. No Thank You! Who knows who's head it was on, and believe me, out here in East Jefferson County, Lice are a very real issue. I volunteer at the local school. I know how prevalent they are! Nonetheless, people were having fun, so good for them, but no thank you! Thirdly, the service was average, but please keep in mind that local help is sparse, and great local help is near non-existent! The food itself is pretty good at times, but having eaten here thrice, (we live seven miles away) it is not consistent. This is an issue for many of our local eateries. The ribs I had on a quiet Tuesday were quite good, but I believe they were the same batch, re-heated when we returned for an encore (on purpose) the following day. You see, we keep our sailboat directly across form this eatery at the Port Hadlock Marina, which would make this place a plus for us, but... As is most places out here in tourist land, the food is overpriced. My Advice? Keep producing consistent plates, but spare the uber expensive "local farm" suppliers, and the advertising thereof, as people will not stop coming to you because you don't offer local suppliers. This will drastically reduce your costs for foods, and then lower your prices to draw in more of the locals. The restaurant business is not static, and above all it requires leaving one's ego at the door. Often operators are too emotionally invested in their own concept to accept the need for a different path, and the singular focus that allowed them to open the restaurant may also be the characteristic that leads to their downfall. read more

Our party of five dined at the Ajax one evening this week and were treated very well by everyone on staff we came in contact with. Service was prompt and professional, warm without being too chummy. We expected it to be loud and it was, though we didn't have to shout. we were all somewhat underwhelmed by the food, however. The clam chowder was the best of the dishes. The ribs were poorly seasoned and just tased of a too sweet sauce and not much else. Salmon was overcooked and the polenta seems pretty lifeless and dry. The "Classic Ceasar Salad" was anything but with some of the worst croutons ever plated. They can be wonderful and it's just not that hard to do. Disappointing considering the prices which are pretty downtown. There are such fine restaurants in Port Townsend and we had so hoped that this would be one more to recommend to out of town guests. I will say that the decor in the restrooms was very entertaining and the place was clean. read more

I play with a trio every Tuesday night from 6 to 8 pm. We play for tips & dinner. The reason we play there rather than any other restaurant is because the food is the best in the county. If you come on a Tuesday night be sure to come up and say Hi. Gary read more

This place was such a find. You wouldn't know about it unless someone told you or you drive by like we did and decide to be adventuresome. Everything in the place is different. Hats hanging everywhere for patrons to wear and be someone else for the evening. We weren't quite sure what to expect, but heck, why not try something new and different. Well to our surprise, the food was absolutely outstanding and the whole experience was fun. I had the clam chowder; best I have ever had. It was all about the clams; no thick pasty soup. They really use the clam broth with some thickening and kept most of the clams in the shell. Oh my, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. My husband and I had the Northwest Fish soup for our entrée and didn't leave a single drop in our bowl. We would have loved to have met the chef. Anyone who can deliver food this good, deserves a standing ovation. Do not miss this place if you are in the area. read more