We visited twice in the last week and both times were very nice experiences. We went on Sunday for brunch and then Thursday for lunch. We were greeted warmly and seated right away. They have a full bar and their margaritas are tall and string. Brunch on Sunday was good, not great. My meatloaf was pretty thin and dry, but the other breakfast items were well prepared. For lunch, on Thursday, they have $5 menu items, which is a great deal. We had wings, Hot Chicken Slider, Ceviche Tostada, Corn Fritters and Birria Taco. All were excellent. The service was friendly, prompt and professional. Overall, a very good place for a bite and a drink. read more

See all

Nice place, perfect weather, non-existent wait staff. Took a seat outside, enjoyed 25 minutes of uninterrupted menu reading and casual conversation before we pulled the old Irish Goodbye. Several wait staff around, just not around for us I guess. The neighboring table, who was seated after us stopped a waitress and after several excuses she reluctantly took their order. Wasn't busy, maybe just a bad day. read more

Not many choices in Carnation and we've been here before, first time we went we had some not so great service, the next time we had some not so great food. Just lacked flavor and didn't taste great. The restaurant itself is nice and has space along with parking but for the money we can get better food elsewhere. read more

See all

On Friday June 19 three couples were seated in the bar for dinner. This was our first time to visit the restaurant. The food was OK. Just what you would expect from a small restaurant in a small town. Nothing special. The menu listed items that we were told were not available. At the of placing our order nothing was said about an automatic 15% gratuity being added to the bill. The total service was the server bringing water two glasses of wine and a beer and the food. My point is that we should have been informed before we ordered that this automatic gratuity was gonna be added to our bill. For a experience that was just average I may have left a gratuity but certainly not at 15% for average food average service in a small restaurant in a small town that had many items so we're not available, etc. I won't be going back and I will not recommend in the future read more

We ordered 2 fish and chips 2 chicken strips and the chicken was so overcooked we sent them back. Fish n chips we scraped out the fish & left the burnt coating. Got a club to go and the bread had grill marks but not toasted. $102 later! Will never go back. read more

Carnation is a small town but we are extremely lucky having a quality restaurant like Carnation Cafe. They have a varied menu and everything is outstanding. My wife and I eat there probably once a week and we've never been disappointed. Icing on the cake is the wait staff. They are friendly and efficient. I certainly highly recommend this establishment forbreakfast, lunch and/or dinner. read more

Stopping here after church is a real treat for our family...my MIL isn't an easy person to deal with but the waitstaff is always good at it and it's not a bad place to take kids who can behave read more

Definitely a great choice in Carnation & worth ride from surrounding towns. Enjoyed a lunch several times there & introduced friends to the welcoming restaurant. read more

Stopped in yesterday on the way home for a quick bite. Was a little early for lunch but they had a burger on the menu for breakfast and ordered that. It was delicious. They also have a wall full of hot sauce to choose from. Prices were great, and was even able to catch up with the owner who is a Patriots fan. He was nice enough to give me a DiamondKnot Rootbeer to go as I had tried to order one earlier but the Rootbeer was in the process of being refilled. Will definitely come back to try more things! read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Burger with a hot sauce from the shelf - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

I wasn't going to set foot inside after seeing the biggest Pride flag displayed outside the cafe a couple of years ago. Recently, I had friends coming to town who wanted to go to the cafe, although not a choice I would make, I went along with it. The breakfast and the service was very good, much better than what I had experienced in the past. The reason I am giving only three stars is because of their displaying the gay pride flag at the doorway. I go to restaurants for the food and ambience, NOT to be met with a political statement that I am 100% against. I have no problem with the owners or staff having their opinions, but I shouldn't have to have it thrust into my face at the front door. REMOVE THE PRIDE FLAG! please do not push your personal and political choices onto your patrons. read more

Great breakfast place with good food, comfortable environment, and pleasant staff. We're lucky to have such a fun local eatery.

Nice spot for breakfast and lunch, nice staff that is quick to make sure you're taken care of. Great food I highly recommend stopping here to eat. read more

The new menu for Thursday happy hour is fantastic. The smoked barbecue ribs were perfect. The homemade barbecue sauce clung to the ribs. The clam chowder was perfect. No artificial thickeners used, like cornstarch or flour. The fried scallops are a New England delicacy. It's so nice to see them on the menu, and the dipping sauce for them was perfect. Great beer selection also. read more

Caveat to this review: My husbands beer glass had the previous drinkers lipstick still on it, so not washed well, and his dessert had a hair in it. This place is part bakery, part nice restaurant, and part bar with bar eats. The environment is nice, though the seats are taped so they are worn. But we were seated quickly everyone was cheery and kind. The food. I had a French dip, onions, peppers, and mushrooms, fries, tomato bisque soup, and the berry crumble for dessert. The win here are the baked goods, the bread for my sandwich was delicious, and super soft, the berry crumble was full of juicy berries, homemade, and not too sweet. The meat on the sandwich was good and there was a lot of it, the mushrooms and peppers were good too, but rather sparse for an additional 2 dollars for each of those additions. The French fries were shoestring, crispy, needed salt but I could do that so all good there. No ketchup at the table, and when you ask you receive a tiny bit, so if you like ketchup ask for more up front. The soup was delicious, tangy, great texture, the pesto on top was delicious. All in all satisfying dinner, just a few things that would have made it better, plus the hair and the cleaning issues. read more

See all

Burger patty was huge, veg fresh and the fried onions delicious. Really liked the bisque, it has the sharp acidic bite of fresh made. Onion rings were well fried and crispy. Chocolate pie was rich and thick. It was really good food. Great little restaurant and bar, with prompt and efficient service. Two things, there was lipstick on my glass, and what looked like a hair baked into the pie. My wife's food had neither. Since this is my first time, it could have just been a bad day for me to eat out. read more

See all

I really wanted to like this restaurant. Visited for the first time yesterday (Sunday at 12:45) to order 2 sandwiches and fries for take out. They were very busy so we did expect a wait but this was... bad. After a very long wait to even be noticed, we ordered our food, paid, and were told it would be about 15 minutes and they would call for us as we were waiting in the parking lot. We waited. And waited. And waited. At 1:30 we went back in to check what was happening. Again, it took a very long time to get anyone's attention. When we finally talked to someone they said they had no record of our order?! Um what? We had already paid! Talked to three different people who were very convinced we hadn't ordered and finally the person who originally took the order confirmed. Then the finally started our food. After 45 minutes of waiting in the parking lot. Pretty shortly after, we did receive a bag with our food. We came home with the bag and -- arggggh -- they forgot our fries. Not even chips. So we had paid $40 plus tip for two club sandwiches and they forgot the side that comes with the meal. I ended up calling the restaurant and requesting a refund and the person on the phone was very courteous and said he would handle it right away, so that was nice. The whole thing just really sucked. The sandwiches were fine. read more

Such a cute cafe with delicious food! We came here for a Saturday morning breakfast. The restaurant section was full and we were seated in the lounge. Service was prompt and friendly. We loved our breakfast - two egg breakfasts and the 2-2-2. We even got to watch CFP football on the TVs in the lounge! read more

See all

Food was was absolutely scrumptious. Anna and Rosa were friendly and delightful to talk to during our dining experience.

I love local places such as Carnation Cafe where you can trust their ingredients and staff. I came here for a team lunch and I must say their menu is not only delicious and filling, but it's also priced very well. They offer a homey-intimate experience where you can learn about their staff, and trust their locally sourced food items. I had the wagyu burger with fries and a pineapple mimosa. All options were amazing and I highly recommend this restaurant to all! read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Tolt burger - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

This restaurant is a cozy, welcoming restaurant with great ambiance, friendly service, and wonderful dishes. Our server, Rosa, greeted us with a smile, seated us right away, and brought us refreshing ice water while we ordered our drinks, as well as keeping our drinks flowing. My husband and son ordered the Tolt Burger, each with special ingredients, and when Rosa brought out their plates, everything was grilled and prepared to perfection. My Cobb Salad was fresh, crispy and a huge portion. Rosa even offered us a dessert menu from their scrumptious, eye appealing dessert case that you can salivate over when you come into the restaurant, baked fresh on-site every day. Our portions were so big, that we declined desserts, but will definitely order treats next time. There is also a full bar for those who enjoy a cocktail, beer or wine with their dining options. Although the restaurant is closed on Mondays, Rosa even recommended their kids eat free special on Tuesdays, the unique appetizer menu specials on Thursdays, so we will definitely be back! Thank you, Rosa and Carnation Cafe for an amazing dining experience! I highly recommend that you check out this small town culinary gem of a restaurant in Carnation, WA. You definitely will not be disappointed! read more

Loved this little place. Great food, wonderful service, decent price. What's not to like??

Went in on Saturday at 1:00. The first appearance is not great. Looks like it could use a good scrub. However seating and bathrooms were clean. My Huevos Rancheros were good. However my fellow diners food was awful. They each had meatloaf and neither ate it. When I commented to our waiter he gave them a $1.85 price back. We then had two desserts to share. The swiss roll was good, the German chocolate cake was served ice cold and had none of the gooeyness that German Chocolate is known for. Our waitress didnt seem to be trying and was dismissive slow. Her replacement Damien was great. read more

The Carnation Cafe has always been a great place for our family. We go there once a week for breakfast. It's one of our favorite breakfasts spots. It's really nice to have a good local spot as we live in Carnation and don't always want to drive out of our little town if we don't have to. The food is always good. Never had a problem. We mainly do breakfast, sometimes lunch but rare. I'm sure if breakfast is always good everything else is good too. The only bummer is that they only do eggs benedict on the weekends and we usually only go in on a Wednesday or Thursday. They also make little cinnamon sugar donuts that are fantastic. read more

Had a chance to stop by the Carnation cafe for some Sunday brunch after checking out Snoqualamie Falls. We really loved the vibe of the place. They had live music, tasty Mimosas and a dynamic menu. We enjoyed the Stuffed French Toast and a side of Ham, and of course a mimosa! read more

See all

My wife and I had several great meals there, but Thursdays they have a $5 appetizers special. We went for lunch. We had a shrimp cocktail and hot wings, with a bowl of Manhattan clam chowder. More than enough for light eaters like us. Everything was great, very tasty. Waitresses really made us feel welcome...my go to place in Carnation. read more

Ordered a crispy chicken sandwich and clam chowder. Both were exceptionally delicious and the prices were decent. Service and ambiance were also excellent. Highly recommended. read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Crispy chicken, 2 for $20 deal. - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

Kid review: Food was good, but the wait time for the food was a tad bit slow but other than that it was pretty good and if you are a kid I would recommend the steak it's so good. They sat us pretty fast for nine people so that was good. We were looking for a waiter to sit us down and a waiter saw us and he prepared our seat. read more

This is a great local restaurant with homey vibes. We usually come here for breakfast/brunch on weekends. My recent favorite is the smoked Turkey sandwich in sourdough. It is one of the best sandwiches I've had! We've also had the biscuits and gravy, a great warm start to the day. We occasionally get the donuts also, which are warm and fresh, sprinkled with sugar. Overall, I'll be back for more! Happy eating! read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Smoked turkey sandwich, biscuits and gravy in the back - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

Quick, friendly service. The crunchy French toast was so good! Highly recommend that dish.

Chef John had a special tonight 5-2-25 that was a pork loin marinated in jerk seasoning, stuffed with a pineapple chutney. Served with buttered mashed potatoes and green beans. Excellent! read more

See all

So I really really wanted to like this place; it's cute, location is convenient on your way to some great hikes, and I love supporting non-chain eating establishments. The Good: great service, friendly and prompt. The coffee was better than most diners, and the ambiance was like stepping back in time in a small town. Parking is plentiful and good access for those with limited mobility. Fresh baked biscuits were yummy. And that's the end of that. The not so good: Ordered the corned beef hash and hunted down all of 6 small pieces of corned beef hiding in a mound of bland mushy potato (cubes?) One dining companion ordered the swedish pancakes which other than being completely tasteless on their own, were passable once dressed with strawberries and cream. Another person in our group had the mushroom scramble which they pronounced tasty. Maybe we got them on an off day, but other than those biscuits (which would have been even nicer if they had been warm), everything else was meh. read more

My wife and I had breakfast at the restaurant last weekend. The scrambled eggs were a few degrees north of lukewarm, and they were overly caramelized, the bacon was lukewarm and the pancakes were light and flat far from fluffy. The server was kind enough to have another round of eggs cooked and those came out fine. My wife's biscuits and gravy were a few degrees south of lukewarm and her bacon was in the same state as mine. The restaurant was busy but there is no excuse of serving tepid food. The coffee was good and hot, Jack Reacher would have approved read more

Well that's a fun surprise! First time in and loved it. Great flavor, terrific service and cozy atmosphere. Had the NY Steak salad - very tasty. Husband had the pastrami and it was "legit pastrami!". Coming from a Philly guy, that's good. We plan to go back next time we're going to Miller's for an evening. Highly recommend read more

Stop in on our way through town for breakfast on a weekday and it was very quiet. Food was decent, nothing to rock your socks off but decent. The biscuits and gravy were different than anything we had seen or tried before. They were great in splitting our meal for us at no extra charge we really appreciated. It's a cute little place on the north side of town with great outside seating. read more

See all

We love the cafe. It has great food (I love the breakfast sandwich) and is so friendly. The ambiance is really light and welcoming. Warning to Seattle people, if you eat there you may fall in love with Carnation and move out here. read more

I always enjoy my visits at Carnation Cafe. Breakfast, lunch or dinner the food is consistent and a really good local option. I was slightly disappointed when I asked for tarter sauce with my fries and was charged $1.50. That would be the only reason I gave a 4. If condiments cost extra, ok, just let me know it's additional when I order it. Nothing I'm going to storm out about, just a note. I absolutely love that they offer Orenda Wine and they make a great Bloody Mary! read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

I love the food here!! The price service and foood are so good!! I love coming here with my husband and their smoked salmon fritata and Bloody Marys for brunch, oh my god read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

Went on a Saturday around noon for brunch. Place was busy but we were seated within 10 minutes. Since it was just two adults we were in the bar area. Food was very good and plentiful, so both of us had food to go. The bar tender/waitress was great. She had the whole bar but no one in there was left out. If I lived in this area I would be eating there a lot. read more

The food is wonderful. The homemade bakery items really stand out. The staff are very friendly and efficient. It's not a chain. The space is always warm and cozy. Good price. read more

My family and I stopped by for a late brunch on Sunday and sat in the patio to enjoy the sunny (but cool, windy) day. I only went inside to ask for outdoor seating and am not sure what seating indoors looks like (capacity, etc.). My husband and I shared the cornflake-crusted French toast stuffed with cream cheese and it was rich and delicious. The menu said it was stuffed with cream cheese and marmalade, but ours didn't have any marmalade in it. Would've been amazing if it did though! We didn't want to order a full brunch entree for our daughter so we just ordered her fries. I later saw they had a kids menu, but one was not offered to us before we ordered. She didn't like the fries, but I did. They were like McDonald's fries in thickness, which is how I like my fries, but as many said they were a little underdone for me. But I ate them all, so I guess you could say I liked them. Staff were friendly and helpful. Outdoor seating was nice. Rarely in the area, but would return for brunch. read more