I had THE WORST experience at this establishment. I didn't even get a chance to eat there!!! As I was walking up with my family, a waitress that was cleaning a table outside dumped water on one of my family members feet, didn't apologize, and rudely told us they were not accepting anymore customers! Needless to say, we turn around and left, shocked. Called back to speak to an owner or manager and was told neither were working. What a shame to be treated this way. We definitely won't be back. read more

We were lookin for a new place and now that Summer is over, we decided on Birch Bay. I must be honest we were headed to another place and because the businesses are SO CLOSE my Siri told me I had arrived and I didn't realize until I could see the sign of the other place. Anywhoo, we were seated quickly with a table near the window to look across the Bay. The club chairs were really comfy but the table was really wide. We started off with beers and Steamed Clams in White wine for $16.95. The portion was GENEROUS with two tasty pieces of smoked sausage links on top and more than enough for two. I ordered one of the Monster Cheese burger with Blue cheese as my choice and cooked medium; my Husband ordered the 10 oz. King Sirloin-medium with mashed potatoes. While waiting we saw several plates come out and my husband commented, "Their burgers are huge." I was hopeful and then he added, "They should be for the prices." My choice was $15.95, a bit pricy for what was set before me and my husband's 10 oz "King" sirloin might have been 8 oz at the most for $22.95 My burger was well done & the steak was cooked medium well-the one thing that saved the kitchen from a return was the flavor. The burger meat was seasoned really good and Husband said the flavor of the steak was really good. His sides were also good for mashed potatoes & steamed carrots/broccoli. My burger...hmm. where do I begin? 1. It was a small meat patty 2. It was over cooked therefore not as juicy as I had hoped 3. The Blue Cheese was a teeny blop in the middle of the patty that promptly slid off on the first bite. I'm not trying to tell the kitchen how to do their job but, you can make a blue cheese & mayo spread=add. few crumbles of Blue Cheese and it would justify the the $15.95 price tag. Havarti or Cheddar were the other two choices of cheese. The atmosphere was dated but clean. To be directly across from the Bay, it seemed stuffy and not very "beachy". They seem to be "trying" to attract a younger crowd with TV's placed randomly around and leather couches in the small bar area. The service was good, I don't think she gave me her name but she was friendly & efficient. Overall, it is your typical tourist spot for the Summer season and the regular spot for the older crowd-nothing special for us. read more

See all

Been here a couple times while visiting. Dining in in the past, ordering togo on our most recent visit to distance. Always friendly and good food. I highly suggest the fish tacos. Even good to go! read more

Walked from hotel down the road at 4pm. Food was excellent with large servings and good drinks. I had salmon BLT and spouse had fish/chips, Caesar salad. Salad was fresh, crisp. David, our great server, returned several times to check on us. Listen up servers, if you want $$$ tip DO NOT WAIT until end of meal to come back with a big smile and the ticket. Be a David read more

The food was slightly overpriced but overall good. We had the mahi-mahi tacos and the fish and chips. The fries and beer were great.

We had an awesome time at this local restaurant! The server was very engaging and very helpful with our little guy's order. He was joking with him and the little guy actually replied to his jokes! The food was very well presented....the fruit smoothie alone was a wow! Good job! read more

See all

We live close by and like to go to CJ's for meals and drinks. They're open late - which is great. The service is always good, and the staff are super friendly. We haven't had a bad experience there at all. They probably have the best fish and chips in Whatcom County and the portions are beyond generous. I've read some complaints about slow service. During the summer months they get busy. That means you're going to have to wait. That's life. read more

First off, I feel like the place was overpriced. 2 fish and chips $17. Chicken strips kids meal $9 (annnndddd it only came with one strip.... kids were going to share one strip each but had to cut it in half. They kept complaining. And I was grumbling under my breath). Slow service. Some people got bread (pretty sure that's what it was), don't know why, don't know if it was extra, but we waited for a good minute and wish we could of had some. Food was good and when the staff came around they were friendly, but that's only why I can give it two stars. There are plenty of other great restaurants in birch bay.... read more

My wife and I came here this Sunday, after waiting 45 minutes at another local restaurant for a dinner salad and appetizer that never arrived. At the Beach House we were seated promptly, ordered the clam chowder, a Caesar salad, and the cheesy bread, to share for a light supper. We were served not long after ordering, even though the restaurant was busy. The clam chowder was thick and very tasty, one of the best chowders we've had. The salad was also tasty, and the cheese bread was delicious. Our server was friendly and timely. We'll be coming back soon! read more

We enjoyed a great night celebrating my husbands birthday. The food was wonderful, service was great. Clean environment! We would all recommend this place. read more

Have gotten great service when eating in person. Food is good, view great. But....I have the absolute worst luck with take out from here. Third time it was wrong in one year of going there. Check your order for correctness before you leave. read more

We came to Birch Bay for a girls weekend and ended up at the Beach House for dinner. We had the best food and service and even met Chef Juan. They have fabulous gluten free options. We decided to have lunch two days later with another day of wonderful food and service. Highly recommend. Servers Shannon, Chris and Chef Juan were welcoming and gave us exceptional service. Thank you! read more

Absolutely the best fish tacos I have ever had and I've had a lot of fish tacos! They give you a very generous piece of Mahi Mahi on each taco (2). Their French fries are also delicious and I don't usually eat French fries. The clam chowder was also good but not very hot. My fault for not sending it back but I dont like to do that. Still it was good. My friend had the fish n chips and said they had too much breading but everyone has different tastes when it comes to that. Beautiful deck to sit on if the weather is nice! read more

I loved this place. I've forgotten the name of my dinner, but it was a brisket sandwich on a ciabatta roll with a delicious coleslaw and onion rings. It had a sweet BBQ sauce that was good and a horseradish sauce that I couldn't detect. It came with a huge side of crispy French fries that I couldn't finish despite being very hungry. I will absolutely go back to have it again. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

Food was overpriced and just okay. The bartender/cocktail waitress seemed angry. Apparently they decided to close early, but rather than say last call and giving us notice to finish our food and drinks, she said "We're closing now so you'll need to go". Weirdest thing I've ever heard in s restaurant. Wonder if the owner/manager knows this happens Went again in October. Restaurant smells like sewage. Drinks are overpriced and waitress was rude:( read more

First night in Birch Bay, we picked a winner! What a chowder!! One of the BEST I've ever had. We've tried chowder all over the northwest, and I make chowder...so I feel qualified to review. Homemade, seasoned perfectly, just the right amount clams, potatoes, bacon and celery. I didn't get any grit either. Every bite made me go, Mmmmmm! Go to CJ's just to try this chowder! We also had the Lobster Shrimp Mac & Cheese. Unreal!! NOT dry, very creamy. This bowl is huge, enough to split. A must try too! They also serve hot doughy yeast rolls. The service was friendly and knowledgeable. We sat on the deck right across the street from the bay. We were so pleased with this restaurant. We'll go back. Second time: We had to have the whole family try the Lobster Shrimp Mac and Cheese. We got one and split it 4 ways as an appetizer, perfect! Tonight the dh and I tried the Birch Bay Fish & Chips. The coleslaw was very good, not too sweet. The breading on the fish was tempura, so it was thick, but was crunchy on the outside...tasty. You get two fish and a ton of fries. I could only eat one fish filet, very filling! Worth noting, the tartar sauce is homemade and had the right amount of dill. So the fries...they were crispy and seasoned on the outside and soft inside, fantastic! Not your typical fries on the side. Our waiter, Brett, was cool, very accommodating, always kept our drinks filled and like we liked them (we have a dd that doesn't like ice). =) One of our dd's got a burger that reminded me of what it's like when you're sitting at home and someone starts to grill in your neighborhood, it smells so good, you wish you were there...The Jack Burger was grilled ground sirloin with grilled red onions and mushrooms. It was so juicy!! And huge! She could barely eat half. Needless to say, CJ's Beach House makes us want to vaca in Birch Bay! read more

See all

Expect to pay a kings ransom if going with kids! My husband and I wanted seafood and didn't want to drive to bellingham, so we opted for the short drive up to birch bay to eat at CJs. We have been here before and like the food. Yes there's a BUT coming! But this time we lacked to be impressed, especially for the price we paid. Regular entrees seemed to be slightly higher priced, but what was really the killer was the kids meals. $9.95 for a kids hamburger! $6.95 for a cup of Kraft Mac and cheese! These prices do not come with a drink for the kids, nope that's extra! My husband and I left thinking, it wasn't bad, but for $100 dinner it was not fantastic! Sorry CJs probably won't be visiting again until kids are in college! read more

Had reservations at 6:30 it's not busy got seated at 6:35 didn't get noticed until 6:50 15min later for New Year's Eve they should be more prepared not very acceptable for the prices of food... read more

This place was OK. We went for our daughter's birthday lunch. We wanted to eat outside somewhere and we had eaten elsewhere in birchbay before and wanted to try a different spot. We were able to bring our pup on the deck with us while eating which was nice,, service was fine, atmosphere was good. The order, however, took what seemed like a really long time considering the amount of people attending the restaurant, (maybe 3 tables occupied outside, 4inside.) the kids got burgers, which were huge and cooked perfectly, my wife and I shared the mahi tacos which the fish was way over cooked and dry. The fries were great. The calamari we got for an appetizer was very good as well. My reason for the three star is the time waiting for food and the over cooked dry fish as well as the price. read more

I attempted to order a burger with no onions. I was told I couldn't place a special order on any of the toppings, it was "all or nothing". I asked the server "you mean I have to pick the onions off myself?" and the reply was "yes, it's our policy". Ridiculous. What about patrons who have allergies? Do they expect patrons to remove any food items they have allergies to at the table? I will never attempt to eat here again. It's a shame because the location is spectacular. read more

Our family of four stopped by for lunch today. The restaurant was clean and the atmosphere perfect for a beach restaurant. The hostess was very sweet and welcoming. We ordered burgers and chicken strips. The burgers were full of flavor and high quality ground steak. Yay for toasted buns... :) My bloody mary was delicious as well. The wait time for food was not long and the prices were decent for quality of food. While the server was nice he did not check on us once or bring a requested item. The women's bathroom was also out of paper towels. We would probably return if ever in the area again though! read more

As a person allergic to certain foods this place does not modify anything for your allergies. rude waiters and completely over priced.

This review is about a racist service experience at CJ's. A group of friends and I, all Asian Americans, arrived around dinner time and were seated promptly. However after sitting for nearly an hour without a single server coming by to take our orders, we grew slightly uncomfortable. This discomfort was amplified by the fact that all the surrounding tables, who were all seated after us and all happened to be Caucasian, put in orders and got their food and drinks already while my friends and I sat waiting for our turn to even put in an order. When we as kindly and as graciously as possible attempted to get the attention of the wait staff, we were ignored and given dirty looks by multiple servers. After about an hour of being ignored, my friends and I left the establishment. It's sad that just two hours north of Seattle, that racism is still such a real thing in this day and age. I will never again patronize this establishment, as CJ's promotes an environment where employees are allowed to adjust their quality of service according to a customer's skin color. This is called discrimination. It wasn't just a single employee, but multiple servers that gave us looks of disdain and ignored us as we tried to get someone's attention. I thought hard about whether I should post this review of my experience. I considered just brushing this negative experience off, ignoring it. But I couldn't bear the thought of this happening to the next person of color who steps foot into CJ's. It's NOT okay and we should not ignore incidents like this, that may seem "small" in comparison to other news stories. If we tolerate this act of racism, what more will we tolerate? I would encourage anyone who is against racism to also not patronize CJ's. read more

This was an unexpected surprise... the food wasn't just good, it was GREAT! Our server, Tiffany, was so sweet, friendly & accommodating. We had our dog with us & she welcomed her & treated her like a customer, bringing her water & treats. The kitchen prepared our food exactly as we'd asked (we're just a tad high maintenance!) I had the BEST crab cake Benedict I've ever had! My husband had a California omelet with shrimp that was also outstanding. We will definitely be back! read more

CJ's Beach House - Seafood Near Me - Blaine, Washington

Was there for a birthday dinner. I asked to sample a cider and the waitress told me she didn't have time for that they were just to busy. The restaurant was at 40% capacity if that. Got up and left. I'll spend my hard earned money we're I'm respected. read more

Relaxing atmosphere, great food, quick service, and friendly staff!! Very pleased with my experience

This has been the absolute worst service I've ever had in Whatcom county! Been here for an hour had to wait twenty minutes to order a drink I'm still waiting on food haven't asked for a refill had to return one drink it was suppose to be a grey goose martini and came out as a whiskey sour then came back as an olive juice martini gross this place has gone down hill won't be back done waste your money as this place is ridiculously over price now my calamari is here and it's over cooked yay take my advice don't come here!! Ps we never even got bread read more

I'm going to give this place a 4 star with an asterisk... I've been coming here off and on for a few years. I used to live a half hour south of Birch Bay, and now I live IN Birch Bay and, after my visit today and considering my last few, I think I'm going to revisit my normal "There isn't one" to the question I get asked by people coming this way to visit, which is, "What's a good restaurant to go to in Birch Bay?" My question is usually followed up with "I mean CJ's Beach House is pretty good, but that's pretty much it, though The Beach just next door has some pretty good bar food and is much better than it used to be...the other two in town...avoid like the plague. Unless you want to have a bad day, then go nuts. Look, I like good food. I'm picky (or at least not quick to rave if something isn't delicious), but I'm not a diva. I'm not going to lose my mind when the place is busy, especially during tourist season, and if I feel like I'm being ignored, I'm going to get off my rear and say, "Hi, we're over here...and we're starving." That usually works to light a fire under someone's bottom...should we have to do that? No. But if you've ever been in the service industry, you understand that sometimes restaurants have off days. In the past, I've had issues here. I've had some service issues, usually with new wait staff, and it usually resolves itself. But here's the "good": I chose them to put on a Christmas Party for about 30 employees of the company I used to work for a couple years ago and I had expectations as moderate as the budget I was given to throw this party. And they knocked it out of the park. Their food was amazing, their service was bar-none, and they kept the bar open late for us (win!). The literal only complaint was from one table that was near a vent with a draft and CJ's addressed that. My husband and I had a burger there the other night, and it was one of the best burgers I've had in a long time - and that is saying something because there are some great burgers in Whatcom County (The Local in Bellingham, The Hilltop on Meridian to name 2). The owner of CJs also owns a steak house or two and their burgers are formed from high quality ground steak and they're fantastic and juicy (unless you ask for them cooked to death, then that's on you...I order mine medium and it has a little pink in the middle). I was this close to ordering a second burger (yes really). I'm not usually a fan of sirloin steak (I'm a rib eye girl), but I just finished eating a flavorful, conservatively seasoned sirloin steak cooked to a perfect medium rare and, when I asked for vegetables only for a side, I was anticipating a pile of broccoli (which is "fine")...but, instead, was rewarded with perfectly roasted carrots and some indulgently buttered spaghetti squash. It made my night (yes, I'm easy, but seriously...it was delicious). Has this restaurant had its issues? Yup. Have they all been addressed? I have no way of knowing. But, in my opinion, they have come a long way and deserve kudos for a great little lunch and dinner spot (I JUST heard they started doing breakfast...will edit review once I've checked it out) while continuing to work on the occasional service (hiring?) issue. Honestly, with a few of the reviews - and I can't abide by deliberately nasty wait staff - I'm optimistic that they've addressed those servers and handled it accordingly (showing them the door if the review from the end of September is accurate, no excuse for that). My answer to "Hey, what's a good restaurant in Birch Bay?" will be, "C.J.'s Beach House. They have occasional 'iffy service' (my earlier mentioned "asterisk") when it's busy due to the wait staff turnover that you see in restaurants in little touristy beach towns, but their food is spot on and they're a pleasure to dine with....and if you have a new server that seems to have forgotten you, grab the next restaurant employee you see, they'll get you taken care of." read more

Girls trip to Blaine and seafood lovers! Stopped at this restaurant and ordered 3 clam chowders, which came out with a yellowish base color verses creamy color and texture. The chowder was old, not fresh, with a very tangy bite to it. Not recommended. My colleague had fish and chips, the fish was frozen, not fresh and smelled rotten with very soggy breading. Asked to return the dish and order a replacement item and the waitress refused as she stated they do not credit back food EVER under any circumstances. There were only two pieces of fish and one had been split between three people as our opinions were asked. 90% of the food was still there including the coleslaw, another piece of fish, and fries. The meal was 18.95 for two small pieces of fish and chips. It was the worst seaside fish and chips ever. The other two meals were the deconstructed blue cheese salad with chicken for 17.95 and full size caesar salad. Neither were worth the price and we all walked back to the penthouse sick to our stomachs. Lastly, the booths were stained & silverware was filthy. read more

I've been going to this spot since it was Stephanie's. I loved the Black Jack burger at the old CJ's. My girlfriend and I tried out the new place for the first time recently. I thought I was ordering the halibut & chips, which was the special dish of the day, but got cod. The batter was good. I can and do make better fish & chips at home. My girlfriend had the oysters. She said they were good. A popular appie is the local steamed clams, which we shared. The clams had a nice flavour; but, like the escargots at the owner's steak house n Blaine, had a sauce that was entirely too salty. Not salty enough to make us not eat the clams (or the escargots at the other place), but salt was the dominant flavour. (FWIW, I make better escargots at home, than the owner's Blaine steak house does. But this isn't about that restaurant -- which we both like.) Service was rather slow, though the restaurant was anything but crowded. It was polite, though. The menu was lacking. The 'Land' part of the menu had one (overpriced) steak, BBQ ribs, a chicken dish, and spaghetti. The seafood section was not that much better. The almond-crusted halibut looked intriguing, but I didn't want to pay the asking price. The new CJ's offers average food at upscale prices. It seems the target market is the tourist trade, and not locals who might eat there regularly. Their prices should be in line with the level of food they serve, or the level of the food should be raised to match the prices. As they are now, we are unimpressed. read more

Decided on bbq ribs appetizer (small appetite). Tasty, but kind chewy/crispy instead of fall-off-the-bone tender I prefer. Friend also ordered small. A starter salad w/seasoned chicken breast. Really yummy read more

The food and view are great. The service can be iffy sometimes. We were alarmed when we asked for no pickles or onions on the burger, we were told we either get all or nothing on the burger. That was quite off putting. I was with friends that don't like either. I don't mind pickles on my burger. So I ordered normally. My burger came without a pickle. When I noticed and asked the waiter to bring me one, he made me open up my burger and rifle through it, as he didn't believe that there was no pickle. There indeed wasn't. A strange experience for sure. read more

Great food and great service. Burgers are impressive and the lobster shrimp Mac n cheese was delicious. Mani mahi tacos were outstanding.

Very over-priced tourist trap. Lots of flies inside the restaurant, super pricey pizza that took almost 30 minutes to make. Loved seeing lots of jobs being provided to local teens but it was VERY disorganized and seemed like some of the workers were backlogged and scrambling while others were standing around looking like they had no idea what they were supposed to be doing - meanwhile there were tables not being waited on and simple food items that took WAY too long to prepare. read more

I love the red headed bartender. He's awesome and so genuine and truly cares about your experience. I can tell he takes his job seriously and works hard. I really appreciate when I come in and he is there. Also they have some dope chowder. read more

First and foremost... I don't do seafood and this is primarily a seafood restaurant. However we did go there because my hubby LOVES Seafood. The place was not crowded and was pleasantly quaint. When looking at the menu I was a little shocked by the prices and thus assumed I would receive great quality. Noting the lack of land food besides steak burgers (I'm also gluten free) I opted for the seafood Cobb salad, minus the seafood, add chicken. Yum. I was very pleasingly surprised. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and cooked, the greens were a nice pleasing variety (not iceberg), and the bacon was well..bacon...not bits. Again, yum. $16.95. Hubby ordered the special...cream cheese and crab stuffed prawns. $23.95. He was slightly disappointed when it came out, 4 prawns, carrots and snap peas, and a handful of fries (choices: fries, rice pilaf, or mashed potatoes). But one bite in and he was in heaven. The veggies were cooked in a garlic butter and were perfect. Good place. Good food. Great service. read more

What a pleasant surprise! We did a last minute trip up to Birch Bay for the weekend, so I didn't do my usual research preparation. We happened upon CJ's Beach House fore dinner the first night and it was beyond what we expected. Interior is casual, but the food is top rate. I had the prime rib special, and honestly it was the best prime rib I've had in years. Previous bar-raising experience at the House of Prime Rib in San Francisco. Nothing in Seattle has touched it. Husband had crab stuffed prawns. A bit buttery and heavy, but good flavor. Son had fish and chips, which again was a big surprised. Lots of high quality fish, little perfectly crispy batter. We liked it so much we brought our friends back the next day, and again, everything was delicious. Steamers, crab cake, house salad w/blue cheese crumbles and shrimp (get the shallot vinegarette)...excellent. Service was good to great. Customers very friendly. Prices fair. Next time we're in town, we'll return. read more

Well now, sunset....fancy seeing you there! My mother recently moved to Birch Bay and for a recent visit, she was more than excited to show me around the small town and a few spots that are more than the place to be. On the first night of festivities, it is a must...MUST in my family to have a drink. To toast in an adventure. Simply a must, so that is what CJ's Beach House was for us. It was too late for dining, but the evening air was just right for sitting outside on the well seated patio and ordered up a drink. The bar is pretty extensive (way to go!!) and the wine selection is just as large. I was pretty surprised to see such a crowd that late at night...in that small of a town...but then again. When you live on the bay, it should be illegal not to watch a sunset on a patio with a drink in hand. This of course assuming you are not under the age of 21, not 8.5 months pregnant or afraid to leave your home. Such a gorgeous view, the dining staff were very attentive, fun and easy going. We were going to come back for breakfast, but a word to the wise (or maybe it was just us) the place doesn't have very early hour service. We dropped by by 8:00am, and it was a locked up shop. Even so, CJ's is on the radar for a return visit when back in town, and this time it will be for more than a drink. The food looked and smelled tantalizing. read more

The service sucks!!!!! Food is good when you can get it ordered and delivered. Worst service I've ever had.

Really great fish and chips and mahi mahi tacos with great location!. Don't pass this up it's definitely worth it!. We all will remember eating here as a family memory it was that special! read more