Phenomenal food, great people, limited hours. If you happen to find yourself in Carnation when this country town cafe is open, I highly encourage it. On the weekend mornings they sometimes have fresh made doughnuts that are solid. read more

Don't underestimate this sleepy little diner as you're passing thru Carnation (as I've been doing the past several years). Thinking this was just another breakfasty YOURTOWNNAMEHERE Diner, we were stunned to find so many great options on the dinner menu. Halibut cheeks?!! I had the special, Garden Vegetable Risotto with grilled halibut - amazing! Ali had a Spinach Salad with candied almonds and fresh strawberries, all really fresh ingredients and delicious! More vegetarian options would be a great addition to the menu, otherwise great service and food - definitely not a place to miss. read more

The food, service and atmosphere were all wonderful! Stopped after visiting Snoqualmie Falls and we are so glad we did.

Good food, great staff. We eat there often. Owners very supportive of the community. Try the donuts, just like my grandma used to make!

They have done a great job of adjusting their business for the current conditions and the service model is excellent. I had the fish and chips and they were great. read more

My salmon sandwich was served on burnt grilled bread. The bar was so hot and filled with flies. The price of wine was wrong on plackard. The service by girls was excellent. read more

We stopped by for a casual early dinner and loved every bite of our orders! We had a salad, main course w/steak and some drinks. Everything was delicious and portions were good size. A fair warning- If you want a dessert save some room! Service was very friendly as well. We came back in a week and had another enjoyable meal. I highly recommend this place! read more

Delicious - the steak was tender and stayed juicy until the last bite- Yep, I ate it all . The shrimp dinner must have been good too because he ate everything. Now that Carnation Cafe is open for breakfast six days a week (excluding Monday) it's hard to decide if we should make the trip for breakfast, lunch, dinner or go for their special Spaghetti Wednesday night or the other special Steak nights with baked potato bar, onion rings and much more 3/18/2018 - I like knowing that everything on the menu was carefully selected by the hands on owner, Chef Don. He searches out for the finest and flavorful ingredients. This is NOT a commercialized restaurant, food taste homemade. They have an Easter and Mother's Day brunch - I highly recommend making reservations. You'll be treated with flavorful food and fantastic friendly service. Sorry I missed taking pics of today's meal,... guess I'll have to go back read more

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

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Although the wide porch outside suggests country decor, inside the Carnation Cafe is clean and modern. I was curious at the totally divergent reviews; some really great and a few really bad so when our travels brought us to Carnation I thought we should give it a try ourselves. Our experience here was totally positive. We stopped in for lunch. When we arrived there were only a couple of guests and only a few more came in during lunch. Our server was prompt and pleasant and our food cake out after an appropriate interval, not too fast, not too slow. My wife had their signature burger accompanied with the house made potato chips. She reported that it was really good, and from the one bite that she shared with me, I have to agree. The burger and all its toppings were really nice. The bun, however, was just an average commercial bun. The chips are worth a note. House-made, they were flavorful and delicious. Interestingly there is an up-charge for fries, about which I will say more in a moment. I had the half rack of ribs with a house-made BBQ sauce. They were really great! Moist, fall off the bone tender, and flavorful. The BBQ sauce was a particular highlight. The ribs were served on fries. The fries appeared to be the same mass-produced potatoes available in diners nationwide. This was surprising to me as many parts of the meal were made in house, but bits and pieces were not up to the same standard. Almost forgot to mention that as my ribs were delivered, the waitress said that the chef said the serving was a bit too small and was sending out more as soon as they were ready. I was already happy with the initial serving, so you can imagine my pleasure when I got more! The suggestions that one should save room for one of the fresh pastries or desserts was right on. My wife and I split the Italian cream cake. It was both beautiful and delicious. A perfect ending to the meal. So to sum up, this restaurant has a great chef, but they seem to take occasional short cuts. The road to dinner here has a few bumps, but the destination is worth the trip. Definitely worth a visit if you are on the area. read more

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Went for lunch today. Nice servers and employees. I ordered turkey club and they were out of croissants so it came on wheat bread - yummy! I'd have this again it was good. Husband had chicken caprese sandwich - not that great. Didn't compare to my sandwich! Clam chowder good as was side salad. Come back? Maybe. Might try dinner next time. Desserts looked good and we were told all homemade. read more

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

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I've had a few different meals at Carnation Cafe and have always left with a full belly and a smile on my face. Chicken fried steak for breakfast -- eggs over hard -- good portion, I liked the gravy and eggs were cooked just right. My partner was happy with his Eggs Benedict. Another time I had the cheeseburger and it definitely satisfied; it was cooked how I wanted with a big portion of house chips. Now I usually prefer French fries to potato chips but Carnation Cafe is the one place where I'll make an exception. Had spaghetti and meatballs on a spaghetti night last year with the neighbors who absolutely love going to the Cafe. Meatballs were perfect, nice homemade tomato sauce, and all in all a very positive experience. Service has always been prompt and courteous. If you're passing through and want some good ol American style cooking done right check it out. read more

We went on the weekend and had the brisket sandwiches they were delicious. We ate in the bar and the service was great. Good food, good vibe. I would recommend this cafe. read more

This place is so fantastic. The food is delicious - I've tried several different items from the menu - and their Covid procedures are incredibly on point. The breadth and quality of their menu is impressive. Cannot recommend highly enough. read more

Think about a hometown diner and you will be zapped to Carnation Cafe! I was hoping for lunch offerings but we happened to be there a little too early. Eggs Benedict Florentine was delish with a twist to the Hollandaise sauce and we couldn't stop eating the french toast. Husband also got the biscuits and gravy. He said it was the first time he's tried it with a brown sauce but he gobbled it right up. Prompt service and yummy food. If we are ever in that neck of the woods, we would return! read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - French Toast was delish! - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

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We have gone to breakfast here several times and have never been disappointed. The service is amazing and each person we have come into contact with is attentive and friendly. I love the Texas French Toast and my husband always, always orders the Eggs Benedict. The house potatoes are pretty delicious as well. I'm surprised that on many Saturday and Sunday mornings how empty the restaurant is. It's so good, it should be so busy. I mean it's great not having to wait to sit down, but feel like people are doing themselves a disservice by not eating here! The desserts displayed in the front look amazing. We always vow to come back for dinner just to try one of the desserts, but haven't been able to just yet. It's definitely on my list! read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Texas French Toast - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

We showed up for dinner thinking that it would be an all day breakfast kind of place, but there was a really nice dinner menu. I had lobster Mac and it was the bomb. Fresh cheese, not oily and and lots of lobster chunks. The bakery counter looked amazing, but I was too full to try the pie. Super friendly service and yummy food. I'll be back next time I'm in the area. read more

What a meal! Literally every part was spot on. We led with a couple of the meatball sliders. Came with dill pickle garnish. So delicious- extremely tender, wonderful flavor. Wanted to get more of them, but saved room for entrees and desert (which was a smart move, since the portions are no joke). For entrees, my wife had the rigatoni polpetta, and it was spectacular. The marinara they use is complex and completely amazing. Pair that with the meatballs from the sliders and perfectly cooked pasta, you can't go wrong. I had the halibut cheeks, and that will be the best meal I will have all year. The roasted garlic bacon butter sauce was literally everything I've ever wanted in a sauce. There was a flash of sweet in the breading, and it made an amazing flavor combination. Had to compliment the chef for that, seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted. We ended with dessert, and since entrees were so good, we struggled to save enough room. I got a pastry / mousse combination, and my wife got an eclair. Her eclair was quintessential- exactly what you expect to have when you order it. Mine however, again, was out of this world. The chocolate mousse was so good, and that combined with the fresh strawberry sauce was wonderful. I can't say anything negative about the Carnation Cafe! Ps- Allaura was awesome. read more

Carnation Cafe & Lounge - Halibut Cheeks with that life changing garlic bacon sauce! Garlic mash & asparagus, too. - Steakhouses Near Me - Carnation, Washington

Had the burger...best burger I've had in a really long time. We arrived just before noon. The waitress offered us house made donuts only offered during the weekend breakfast, free of charge. Donuts were tender and melt in your mouth delicious! read more

If you're looking for someplace to have a private event, we recently booked the entire café on a Saturday afternoon/evening and it was absolutely the BEST experience! It's been a week and our guests are still emailing with kudos on the amazing food and great atmosphere. I had been searching for a venue near Seattle/Eastside to have a fun, casual "life celebration" party for 50+ guests. I spent several months contacting every traditional venue in the area with disappointing results. On a whim, I called the Carnation Café - we have family there and know the food and staff are excellent - and Don and Heidi (owners) were open to the idea. I'm SO glad it worked out. I emailed Don my initial thoughts for the lunch buffet based on their published menu and he came up with much better ideas that elevated everything to "refined comfort food" and totally surpassed my vision. I requested floral arrangements and high-end wine, and he sourced both from local, family-owned businesses. We decided on an open bar, and our bartender Michelle was excellent. Throughout the whole process, I was able to text Don directly and got his responses promptly. The café has a lot of outdoor seating (appreciated by our COVID-wary friends) and a big, free parking lot. I was worried that the location might be too far from Seattle but we had a high turnout and the leisurely country drive was appreciated by a lot of our city friends. It turned out to be the perfect venue for our event - I highly recommend it. read more

Disgusting. The Huervos Rancheros: pace picante salsa, over cooked egg, deli style thin sliced ham. This grossed me out while I was eating. It's something my mother-in-law could make, and she's a lousy cook. The chicken fried steak wasn't breaded, was over cooked, and didn't come with gravy. Grossest breakfast ever. I'm not sure why the place was packed and there are so many great reviews. read more

Visited on a Sunday morning, drove up and down the main drag in Carnation, and realized this was basically the only breakfast option, so we stopped in. Very busy and a long wait but we finally got a seat in the bar. Food was overpriced and disgusting. $4 for a super small glass of milk, $9 for an Irish coffee, breakfasts are about $20 each. I ordered an omelet which the server told me was the most popular egg item on the menu. The bacon crumbles were just loads of rubbery pieces of undercooked bacon fat. It was one of those omelets where none of the toppings are mixed into the eggs, it's just plain eggs flopped over with a pile of "stuff" in the middle. In this case the rubber bacon fat and a bunch of raw tomatoes. Came with an avocado which was brown and should not have been served. The accompaniment was some gross potatoes that were extremely over peppered. The type of potatoes made from last night's baked potatoes that didn't get served. The biscuit was dense. Definitely nothing special there. I was expecting delicious layers and for it to be served hot. Disappointing. Service was fine. the waitress was pleasant. Would not return due to the quality of the food read more

My friend and I stopped here for lunch today. We live in Seattle and were just out for a drive and ended up here in Carnation. First off, the restaurant is very clean as are the restrooms. We were greeted by a very pleasant waitperson who seated us. We ordered the" Tolt" burger, (a Wagyu beef burger) which was done to perfection. It came with fries. Service was great, employees were very attentive and nice. Bakery items are delicious as well! We had a coconut tart and a piece of carrot cake....yummm! Looking forward to next time! read more

Service was great, food was well executed comfort food (I had the meatloaf sandwich). I hadn't been back since a couple of years ago, and the menu is much improved. read more

We ate there for the first time this week. Very impressed with the menu and quality provided. Halibut Cheeks were done perfectly, sided by mashers, asparagus and beets. My wife had the pork chops, and was also very pleased. Probably the best clam chowder I've had. Will be back again soon. (Wine selection was a little sparse, but bring a favorite bottle for a small corking fee.) Oh, and excellent waitstaff!! read more

Food is always above standard. Would love to see weekend brunch time and cafe hours extended.

Good food, good service, good to those with food allergies. Definitely a place to come back when you're in Carnation. This place is good enough to be in the big cities. read more

Never had a bad meal here. Eggs Benedict is the best around on weekends only. Call them up to see what fabulous special is going on. Love the rack of lamb special. Kid friendly! We are locals and visit a lot! So glad they are here!! read more

Great food with excellent curbside pick up service. One of my favorite spots in the Valley. The brisket and hash are a must try on the weekends! read more

Service lovely and food was so yummy!! Had the pasta and cooked perfect! Cocktail always on point. Simple fair made with care.

Best restaurant in the valley! The staff are welcoming and on point. The food is fantastic, everything on the menu is scrumptious. Such a great atmosphere! read more

Decent food. Clean and nice interior. I wouldn't go out of the way to eat here but would recommend if you are out in Carnation. The 1/2 lb beef burger was tasty and cooked perfectly to medium as I had requested. My husband said his pastrami sandwich was ok. They have a decent kids menu selection although the prices are higher than we usually pay for kids meals but it all looked like quality food. The kids chicken fingers were panko breaded made in house. I hate when you order a kids meal and get frozen chicken nuggets at a restaurant. The kids also loved their house made chips. Wish the coffee was better. Would give them 4 stars for food. But when we went to the dessert counter, there were fruit flies or some tiny bugs flying around. You'd think the staff would notice the cloud of bugs since they walked past there to get to the kitchen. read more

We stopped in on a nice Saturday afternoon for lunch because they offered shady outside seating. I give them props for keeping the tables far apart. The rest of the lunch was disappointing. I ordered the seafood plate with a piece of whitefish, two pieces of badly flattened (not butterflied) shrimp, a couple of pieces of clams, and two oysters. I asked to substitute something for the oysters but wasn't allowed to do that. It came with nondescript french fries and some warm coleslaw. I also ordered iced tea. My meal totalled over $20. I don't think I ate 1/2 of it. I requested more iced tea but was told that I'd have to purchase a second serving. I know that ice tea is very inexpensive and carries a nice hefty margin. I know they probably could not refill my existing cup that I had been drinking out of, but it wouldn't be hard to bring another cup without a lid and straw and I could reuse what I already have. The service was pretty good but the value was poor. I'm not likely to go back. read more

Our company was in town to do some charity work for the holidays. We made a stop for lunch with our team here. Wow!!! Shockingly fabulous food. Very cozy and inviting! Wonderful service. We will absolutely be back! Thank you for the all around great hospitality! read more

Food is really good but... Two stars because: Very high priced for what you get. On my last visit I ordered the Jerk Chicken and the portion was extremely small...about half what it used to be. They got rid of kids eat free on Tuesday which is the only thing they made it worth the high prices. read more

Great family Sunday breakfast. Cozy spot with friendly staff! Joe's scramble hit the spot.

Stopped in on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised to be served barbecue. Ribs and brisket were absolutely perfect and the cole slaw was excellent with a little kick to it!! Definitely recommend!! read more

This place was a great find. I had a Tolt Burger with a salad and for desert a chocolate cake with flan and a cake pop. It was amazing! Service was good and atmosphere was great sitting on the patio. Definitely recommend. read more

With so few options in Carnation this is the sort of place that could probably get away with quite a bit. They don't skate by though. It's everything you'd want out of a small town breakfast joint. The coffee is hot and delicious. I had the biscuits and gravy, which is usually pretty pedestrian. They use Italian sausage for their gravy and it's just the shift you want in a traditional dish. It's a brown gravy with some spice and I'm pretty sure there's some hints of pepper and onion. I also shared a side of bacon and scrambled eggs with cheese. It got a little salty by the end, but what did I expect, really? The ambience is is traditional, but updated and comfortable. They've got some TVs to watch a little football, and I heard nearby tables going for mimosas and bloody Mary's, too. Their omelettes, chicken fried steak and looked tasty as well. read more

Great food and service. Prices might seem a little high for this area but the quality of the food justifies the cost? My only complaint is that they have really weird hours. It's hard to count on being able to eat there unless you go online and check their hours. Certainly not normal restaurant hours. A close friend of mine says their breakfasts are great but it's only served Saturday and Sunday. read more

Been here several times and I have never had a bad experience. The wait staff has always been friendly and accommodating, even when a group of 12 of us come in and have 4 kids. Having worked in a restaurant I know that's not an easy table to wait on. Food and drinks are also good. The menu has a good variety of options. Every dish I have had has been tasty and satisfying. read more