We were in the area looking for brunch. It was between this and chinooks. We didnt want to spend a lot so we came here. It was everything we expected it to be. Decent diner food and a bit of slow service. I got salmon scramble. The scramble was pretty yummy. The hashbrowns were very bland, but isnt that what hashbrowns are supposed to be and the biscuit was a bit salt, but when slathered in butter it tasted great. The portions are pretty big in my opinion. I could only eat half of my breakfast. My husband got fish and chips. He said that they were good. Our overall opinion is that this place suited our needs, but was nothing special to write home about. read more

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Oh yeah! We are loving the Bay Cafe! We met a friend and his wife there for breakfast the other weekend morning and we all were super pleased with our experience! Great food, prompt and courteous service, and a reasonable price! All wonderful things about the Bay Cafe! I had one of my favorite breakfast meals ... biscuits and gravy! Freshly baked fluffy biscuits and creamy sausage gravy, along with an egg on the side filled me up completely! The two wives both had an Eggs Benedict dish ... one Florentine and one not. My friend had a ham and cheese omelette. Everyone loved their food, cleaned their plates, and left full! We had a great table, located in the back corner next to the windows! It was crowded there on a Sunday morning, but we didn't have to wait for our table. We loved everything about the Bay Cafe and will definitely be back to enjoy even more from their wonderfully deep menu! Two thumbs up for yummy breakfast! A perfect way to start the day!! read more

Solid diner style cafe if you're looking for a variety of brunch foods! Came here after indoor rock climbing and was mildly surprised how great this place is. Don't need to go to Downtown Seattle pier for a nice brunch view, you can eat here with a perfect view of the water and docked boats on a nice sunny day. Got the smoked salmon eggs benedict that came with hash brown and fruit and some apple juice. Service was fast despite there being many diners. We had a great view of the water while waiting. The smoked salmon was delicious! I felt the need to get that smoked salmon because it feels like they catch the salmon here. (And the seafood store nearby carries a nice variety of seafood for sale) The hashbrown was crunchy on one side and too thick and mushy for me to finish them. Nice fruit variety of berries, big grapes, orange, etc. Overall, great find! Would come here again when in the area for brunch! read more

Bay Cafe - Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Come here a lot for breakfast for the view, staff is fry and food normally very good and have reviewed such in the past. Today however was far different. We ordered one of our favorite dishes that we have not had for awhile, corned beef hash. What we got was more properly called potato hash as we could only find 6 small pieces of corned beef amongst the pile of potatoes. Normally it's full of good sized chunks of beef. It's what makes it stand out for us. I understand if there is a supply chain issue and u were out of corned beef. But you should have told us. To pay $18 for $1 worth of potatoes was more than wrong as a restaurant trying to keep what had been loyal customers. Not sure we will go back. read more

This place is seriously my favorite place to get breakfast here in Seattle!! Every single time you eat here the food is a guaranteed hit! The portions are huge- bring an appetite. They are only open until 2:15pm every day so make sure you come before then! Weekends are usually busy in the mornings so be prepared to wait a bit- they always get you in as fast as possible though!! Perfect for brunch if you're in the mood for a sandwich or a full on breakfast, savory or sweet! Before I lived in Magnolia, my family and I would take trips to eat here. It seems like breakfast spots in Seattle are slowly dying out and especially the diner setting. I also love how this is right on the fisherman's terminal so you can look out at all the boats around on the dock while you enjoy your meal. All the staff are always so nice and you can tell they have their regulars who have been coming every weekend for years. The food never disappoints either :) read more

Bay Cafe - California omelette with English muffin! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food was delicious, the waitress was friendly and she exchanged nice conversation with my sons, the atmosphere was quiet and clean.

Wish I could give zero star. Horrible service. Literally gave me a dirty unwashed plate. Ridiculous prices for gross food.

Great menu and wait staff. Excellent fish and chips .Huge servings , including choice of soup ( clam chowder ) or dinner salad .

I've been here numerous times over a number of years. First, the pros: The ambience is great, with a view of the bay and the boats. Plenty of seating, plenty of parking too. The service is always excellent, attentive and friendly. However, the food is not always so good. Their chicken fried steak is okay but not great (the gravy is seriously lacking). In general, basic breakfast items like omelettes & scrambles are pretty good, french toast and waffles also dependably good. But then there's other things, like their sandwiches... :( I recently ordered a Monte Cristo, which is hard to find these days. It was pretty dry overall, the turkey in particular was really REALLY DRY. They serve it with jam, which is to be expected, but you shouldn't NEED to use it because the sandwich is so dry! (Also, this sandwich normally has a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and there was none.) Oh, and the COFFEE IS TERRIBLE! T E R R I B L E!!!!!!! OMG. Basically brown water - no, let me rephrase... light brown water. No doctoring improves it. So... all in all, I recommend going, but stick to the basics!!! (Wish I could recall more of the lackluster menu items, but if they come back to me I'll add them in later.) read more

This diner a real one, that's what I say. Indeed, indeed, Bay Cafe is a real one. Unassuming, delicious, like a bit of the east coast.

Anyone who knows me or knows my Yelp! Reviews know that the primary concern I have with any eating establishment is: clean or not clean? If it's not, the review won't be any cleaner than the place where I happen to be at present. I'll be verbose in my profanity and vulgarity; a not-clean café is rewarded by not-clean language in my description of it. The Bay Café is clean. So clean. And no ripped upholstery. No cracked flooring or eating surfaces. The windows are clean, for cryin' out loud. The menu.....amazing. Lots of options to satisfy everyone, and judging by the fact that at 9:30AM, all tables were full, I'm guessing everyone was satisfied. I was. The coffee is fresh, hot and flavorful. It ain't Starbucks, nor Folger's. More, please. From sitting to ordering: five minutes. Perfect. From ordering to serving: ten minutes. Also perfect. That gives me time to go down on at least one mug o' Joe. From serving to finishing: 35 minutes. It was so good, I didn't want to rush the Greek Village Eggs Benedict. I savored every bite of it, and ate slowly so I could write this review, enjoy the view, and eavesdrop on any conversation I could. (Don't judge me: you do it, too.) In addition to the Bennie, the accompanying hash browns were hot, crispy and not dry. That cook knows what he/she is doing back there. Also included? Fresh fruit and berries. And lots of it. I didn't have to ask for it; that's just part of the order. They all tasted good, and made the plate attractive. I appreciated that. As regards prices: probably 20% higher than you'd find at a Denny's, a Shari's, or other places also open for breakfasts and lunches. The difference being: you're not at a Denny's or a Shari's. You're at a pop-and-pop or mom-and-pop, independently-owned, maturely-staffed business in an expensive city. They quality of the food, the cleanliness of the café and the friendly professionalism of the staff more than justifies the prices here. This was my first trip to Bay Café, but it won't be my last. This is now the go-to for my come-here friends and family from Montana. It's 29 miles from where I live, and one thousand miles from where they live, but in both cases, The Bay Café is worth the trip. Come check it out. Enjoy the Greek Village Eggs Benedict, or anything else on the comprehensive menu. And tell 'em Jeph sent you. Chances are good the server will point to me at my own table and say, "You mean THAT Jeph?" The Bay Café will be your new favorite, and become your old favorite. I promise. read more

I've been coming here for years and it continues to be one of my favorites. Friendly staff, delicious food, and with a great view of the water, this place really is a gem. read more

We were greeted and seated immediately. Everything was clean and quiet, which I love lol our server was hilarious and so kind. He was always checking to make sure we were doing good and stayed on top of refills and what not. I ordered the mushroom and Swiss burger which was delicious! Honestly it's the best I've had this far. And trust me, I've eaten a lot lol I would definitely recommend. Great cafe! read more

Best Breakfast- The Bay Cafe serves excellent breakfasts and most seating features a terrific view of the fishing fleet. The staff here is great - they get your coffee and water to you quickly. The Omelettes and scrambles are excellent. Oh and the hashbrowns - so few places do the traditional shredded potato hash-browns - here they are spot on. My wife and I like to share an Omelette (the California is our fave) + a side of the best bacon ever. Oh now I am hungry again! Plenty of parking too! read more

I love this place. It reminds me of an era gone by but in a really good way. The staff is down to earth and friendly. The food comes out quickly even on a busy day. Everything on the menu that I've tried is wonderful. Great omelettes and scrambles and I'm also a big fan of the tuna salad bowl for the healthy set. Great location in fisherman's terminal. Whether you are a local or a tourist it's a fun spot and a good meal at a fair price. read more

I have had good experiences here. Today wasn't one of them. The salad came right out of a bag with the meager addition of a quarter sized slice of cucumber and a small wedge of tomato. The well reviewed "Monte Cristo" turned out to be some dry cold cuts and half melted cheese laying sadly between two pieces of soggy french toast. Sad. read more

Bay Cafe - "Monte Cristo". Right. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Used to be a lot better. It has changed. See through watery coffee is bad. Not the same place. New owners? read more

I haven't been reviewing on Yelp for a while but needed to give the address of this place to one of my friends. I'm glad I came here because I got to read a lot of the reviews esp. the negative reviews and I felt compelled to speak up about this wonderful place. First...what they do so well here is FRESH FISH...for breakfast or for lunch. Most noted for their fresh oysters but they also usually offer some or all of salmon (sometimes wild King and even Copper River!) , snapper, halibut and crab cakes. The quality of the fish is high...I am not sure who their supplier is but the stuff is the real deal. A breakfast plate of one of those would be the fish with three eggs, hash browns and toast...but...you can mix and sub all sorts of ways. Sometimes I will sub cottage cheese for the potatoes...and sometimes sub some always excellent fresh fruit or berries for the toast...and it's all cooked exactly the way I ask...over easy eggs, rare salmon, moist and nicely browned grilled oysters, crispy and moist crab cakes....you ask...that's what you get! Lunch is an even better deal...you start with a cup of very good soup or a small salad, then you get your fish with a FRESH vegetable of the day, and very good mashed potatoes...also a dinner roll! And once again you can play around and sub...e.g. potato salad or hash browns instead of mashed, sliced tomatoes instead of the veg, etc. etc. The soups are home-made and they do a fine clam chowder, an even better seafood chowder and a delightful tomato-orzo which has a rich tomato taste and some fresh parmesan cheese grated on top. This is not to say that their other dishes aren't good, which they are..but you are in a great place for fish so why not take advantage of it? Despite some of the older negative reviews, the prices here are very fair for what you get...and the service is top notch. read more

Love the Greek breakfast the freshness of salads good dressings great wait staff Great place for lunch nice fries and soups. Diner is fun

Came here after a 5 mile bike ride along the Ballard coast-- let's just say I was ready to eat! We had first gone to Chinook which had stopped serving brunch food, so we made our way to Bay Cafe. I was a little bummed that it had 3 star rating, as I was famished and didn't bike all the way from downtown for mediocre food. I ordered the seafood benedict and was pleasantly surprised! The scallops, shrimp, and crab were so fresh. The eggs were done just right and the biscuit was fresh. The view was really nice, it was a very Seattle-like cloudy day, the dock had boats outside. Overall I loved the diner ambiance and the dock outside. The food was great- I got my seafood brunch fix! I will be back again! read more

Bay Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We happened upon this diner/cafe while walking around the area and weren't really hungry but it looked like a lot of locals were enjoying breakfast inside, so we decided to have something light. Glad we did! Hubby got waffles and sausage and I got hash browns and toast. It was good down home kind of place, unpretentious and service was friendly and quick. Would definitely come back. read more

Bay Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Pretty great place. Everyone was friendly. Great views of the bay. Had a mimosa also very good. read more

Bay Cafe - Outside sign - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I've been here a few times...mostly breakfast but today lunch. My go to sandwich is a BLT. The sandwich on rye was good. You can add fries or onion rings for a $1 more. I like the fries and we tried the onion rings this time which were really good. I like looking out at all the boats. The noise level can get high because of all the windows...was high today. The service is good and friendly. read more

Had a fine breakfast and will go back for a lunch. The service was perfect. Sausage and gravy was good; eggs and hashbrowns were just how I like them. Only wish they stayed open later. read more

My new morning must have: Oyster Benedict. It is now my best ever variation on the classic favorite. Oyster flavor shouts fresh goodness. Looking back at this6-day Seattle trip, the Oyster Benedict was the Treat of the Trip, out wowing I Love Sushi's Omagaze - sorry chef, your top meal was super fresh and had fine ingredients worth any trip, but Bay Cafe had the invincible chopped fresh Pacific Oysters deep fried into their Oyster Bomb! Since this was my only meal at the cafe and their admitted most original dish, and the presentation was a good cafe level. Service - stellar! Deadliest Catch fans, you can pay your respect to Capt. Phil Harris immediately outside the marina windows at the Fisherman's Memorial. read more

Bay Cafe - Beat feet for the Oyster Benedict at Bay Cafe. It the best in the nation. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Right by the water so the view was good! I ordered a California omelet and it was just eh. Pretty decent but not amazing. The portion size is big - it came with half a plate worth of hash browns and two slices of toast. They were busy and we waited quite a while for water and for the waitress to come take our orders. The service was a bit lacking but understandable because they seems pretty understaffed. read more

They don't observe COVID protocols and get indignant whenbyou ask. Apparently, they don't care about their clientele.

It's been over a decade since I've been to The Bay Cafe but the quality of food and service has remained over that time. I had a dinner salad and cheesecake with coffee while I visited with a dear friend on Thursday, Dec. 16. Today I brought my wife Dana to the Fish Market and said we should eat at the Bay Cafe!!! She gave it a 7 1/2 out of 10!!! She had the Cinnamon Swirl French Toast with Bacon and Hot Chocolate. I had a Dinner Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing. I also had the Patty Melt with Grilled Onions. Food was delicious. Our waitress was a delightful lady from Honduras!!! Definitely coming back to The Bay Cafe!!! read more

There is something beautiful about the parsimonious elegance of this place. It is as pure and unaffected as any restaurant could be. They refuse to mess with a model that has been working for this place -- and diners like it across the county -- for decades. The waitresses are professional - some having waited tables for 30 years. They refuse to use a POS system instead writing orders on old-fashion checks. Ready to pay? Head up to the register by the door. You are not going to find quinoa hash, or applewood smoked pork belly. What you are going to get is wholesome, old-fashioned breakfast food, as solid and traditional as it gets. There is a time and place for everything, and with an almost nostalgic nod, I love this place. read more

Bay Cafe - Tell 'em what you want, they will deliver. Grilled salmon and scrambled eggs, add feta. Swap hash browns for fruit and toast for muffin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A great breakfast spot! The food was really great and the staff friendly and courteous. We went on a Saturday morning and it was busy but the wait time was less than 10 minutes. The view of the harbor and all the boats was an added bonus. read more

A very charming restaurant with great staff ! The Chicken Cobb Salad I ordered was the best I've ever had. Fresh crisp lettuce, perfectly grilled chicken breast, lots of crisp bacon bits, ripe grape tomatoes, generous slices of avocado and blue cheese crumbles, and a hard boiled egg sliced in half. The Thousand Island dressing on the side was outstanding! Such a generous portion that I took half home! Great view of the harbor read more

Bay Cafe - Chicken Cobb Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Cutest waterfront diner I've ever been to! Not too packed but full enough to know it's a good place. Retro ambiance with quick and friendly service. I had the eggs Florentine while bæ had the French toast. Both dishes came super quick and our coffee cups were never less than half full! Quicker and tastier than Denny's, this is definitely a place to go back to. read more

Bay Cafe - #retro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was recommended by a friend and was a great recommendation. Even on a weekday this place was packed at 11 am. The hostess was friendly and greeted us and seated us right away. The waitress was another story. She came up to the table and just stared at us. I said should I order now and she continued to stare. So, I rattled off what I wanted and she wrote it down and the YS did the same. We were both puzzled by that behavior. She never said a word to us and finally a friendly gentleman took over the table. One star deduction for surly wait staff. The food was fabulous and just the right amount. The French toast was very tasty, often I don't care for French toast made in a restaurant but this was very good. I would definitely go back and try this place again, but watch out for silent wait staff. read more

We have eaten here a few years ago bit were very disappointed today. A Thursday in late May with just one other couple at the cafe at midday. Not exactly busy. We ordered simple fish and chips and went on the deck. 15 minutes until we even got water. After 30 minutes we asked where our food was and they hadn't even started cooking it. So we cancelled. Clearly Not the same place we enjoyed in the past. The staff need to pay attention to their customers not their own conversation. read more

A solid breakfast joint, where you'll get to eat with fishermen and other locals On Fisherman's Terminal, next to Chinooks, this unpretentious dive is a great breakfast place. No, they don't have gourmet food. What they do have are locals who talk business over breakfast. This is the place the folks working on boats go to eat. Not sure I'd eat dinner there though ... read more

A beautiful location, poorly maintained, smelly, sticky, dirty. The food is below-average diner fare. Hard to believe they serve anything besides fresh fish and crab meat in a restaurant at Fisherman's Terminal! And PLEASE learn how to make a real hollandaise sauce...not that hard, folks. Service is ok. I won't be back. Take your out-of-town visitors here if they're the sort that think fishing boats are exotic, and they're not gourmets. read more

I had a very lovely Sunday brunch here! Although they are a seafood place there were plenty of vegetarian options.

Our daughter took us to Bay Cafe for brunch recently. It was our last day in Seattle and we wanted a good meal before a long road trip to home. We had good food and great service, with a view of the boats outside the windows. I was interested in the soup and half sandwich combination. I asked the waitress about the two soups offered that day and was pleasantly surprised when she offered to get me a small cup of each one to taste. I chose the Navy Bean soup, which was delicious! The half a Turkey Sandwich was good. It was a nice combination. My wife an daughter had omelets, which were large and tasty. If you are in the area for breakfast or brunch, this is the place to eat. read more

I ordered the Seafood Benedict. I was surprised the order came very quick. The plate looked great but further looking at the plate the Hollandaise sauce on top looked congealed and the seafood smelled very fishy telling me wasn't fresh. The congealed sauce meant it is cold and no heat or steam coming from the sauce. Tasting it confirmed it was cold. I concluded in might have been plated ahead of time or ordered was place wrong and was kept. The English muffin was soggy. So disappointed because it cost me $28. The service was bad, the server didn't come by and asked about the food and didn't asked if we needed anything else. Just saw him back with the bill. It's a busy cafe on Saturday morning, there's no ambiance. Restaurant looked dirty and needed cleaning. The older Asian woman, the cashier needed to put a comb through her hair and look presentable she was wearing a sweatshirt. I had to put a star. They don't deserve one star at all. read more

Nice low-key diner located at Fisherman's Terminal in Ballard. I was 90-minutes early for a meeting in the area so I decided to grab a proper breakfast. I ordered the Skillet of the Day which included 3-eggs any style, served over their homemade corn beef hash, 2 slices of bacon and your choice of bread. My soft scrambled eggs were perfect! I thought I was a corned beef hash fan but it could be that I'm used to the way my Dad used to make it. It was a generous portion but just meh. The bacon was more on the soft side but edible. Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll stick with the 3-egg breakfast with your choice of meats, hash browns, and toast. My server was great, she even made sure one of her colleagues checked in with me while she was on her coffee break. As breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, I'd recommend the Bay Café. read more