These negative reviews are entertaining...my favorite is the person who gave a one-star review when he never ate here. Newsflash: maybe in-person diners take priority over take-out orders. People's sense of entitlement is baffling sometimes. In any case, our experience was fantastic from beginning to end. Here goes: My boyfriend and I ate here as part of a package that we got for staying at the Tucker House (great place, BTW). From the moment we arrived, all was well. The place is small, but they make the best of it. The staff was unfailingly polite and attentive. We split an appetizer and each had an entrée. The menu is fairly short, but I like the fact that they rotate their offerings based on what's in-season, and our meals were spectacular. Dessert was perfect. It's worth noting that you'll be there awhile--we were there for 90 minutes. Food is cooked to order, though, and the ambience is perfect. Great wine list, and they even have the cider that's made on the island! It's a very European-type dining experience, which I greatly appreciated, but don't think that you'll be in and out of there in an hour. They want you to enjoy yourselves and appreciate a good meal, a nice drink, and your dining companions; I wish more American restaurants were like this! If you're in the mood for a chill vibe and a lovely meal that's easily walking distance from downtown Friday Harbor locations, this is your spot! read more

I've had the opportunity to dine in many fine restaurants. This is a fabulous little gem. Everything was spot on- ambiance, service, food, wine selection, all a five star. I also appreciated the fact that despite only catering to nine tables we were not rushed and allowed to savor the experience. We will definitely return! read more

They served good food. It's a bit pricy. Their waiters are so rude. They kicked my chair a couple of times without apologizing. I understand that kicking chairs might happen in a tight restaurant like Coho, but they should at least apologize about it. I won't go back here. Not a good dining experience. read more

This was an unexpectedly special meal. We did the tasting menu, and it was all truly delicious. The wine pairings were also perfect , interesting and very high-quality. To top it off the service was wonderful. We will definitely be going back next time we are in Friday Harbor. read more

We actually had her not great reviews about this place but we're given a gift card as part of our bed and breakfast package. I didn't have High Hopes going in because of everything that had heard but for the most part everything was 110% better than I expected. I literally have dreams about the lamb Bolognese, it was so good. We weren't super impressed by the beef tenderloin but I don't think that was because of the quality of the food at all I think it was just we didn't care for the taste palate of the sauces that were used. The service was excellent everyone was really friendly and very attentive. They have a great wine selection and at the very top of their menu you'll see a very understated option to order a side of bread literally just called bread. But it is some bomb homemade bread that I definitely recommend you order. read more

Very small local food I would suggest reservations.. I much prefer the small off the beaten path venues to the big chains, so of course I loved it. Service was a bit slow overall, but they could see we wanted a quicker experience and were able to accommodate us quite nicely. Wait staff were lovely. read more

I first off want to emphasize that service was great, however, the food was over-priced and the greens used for the salad were unwashed and contained a fair amount of dirt. The entree pasta was not fully cooked, and overall the food lacked flavor. Additionally, some of the food combinations did not make sense. Maybe it was just an off night for the kitchen. read more

We had about 50 minutes for the ferry so we were looking for a place to have dinner in the meantime. The hostess was so kind to seat us immediately and streamline our dinner so we get out of the restaurant on time. On top of it the food was fabulous, tasty and creative. read more

I don't know where to begin that's how bad it was!! There are only three or four items on the menu. None of them looked appealing. We had the bouillabaisse. The only thing cooked properly was the halibut. The vegetables were hard, obviously very undercooked. The salmon was overcooked and didn't appear to be fresh. Completely overpriced!! If you want a nice dinner go to Duck Soup. read more

quaint restaurant with friendly staff. Food was pricey for the quality. Creative dishes but lacked some execution.

RIDICULOUSLY INCREDIBLE FOOD. everything was so fresh and delicious, not to mention we all got the three course menu where you choose one appetizer one entree and one desert for a set price which was ended up being pretty cheap for how delicious the food is. should absolutely be known as the BEST RESTAURANT ON SAN JUAN ISLAND. food is just immaculate, cannot recommend enough!! read more

Excellent meal. The rabbit and Camembert ravioli was outstanding, as was the quail entree and corn caramel ice cream. Very pleasant outside dining due to Covid restrictions. Service was very good and extremely accommodating on menu change requests. Wished we lived closer as this would definitely be a frequent repeat. read more

Because it was our first visit, we selected the chef's tasting menu as it offered a great value: four courses (starter, pasta, main and desert) for $55 per person. We were delighted with our choice. Each course was outstanding in presentation and flavor. The chef at this intimate restaurant pays great attention to detail. read more

Good service but the food(?),eh ... truffle bisque was soupy and was beefy not mushroomy/truffle The octopus tasted fishy and the halibut was bland along w/the rice ... not recommended One of the islanders used "ordinary" and that it is no longer as good as it once was and I am sad to say - I have to agree - just keep going read more

This is definitely the place to eat! My husband and I went a few weeks ago on our honeymoon and fell in love with the food. We happened to stumble upon Coho after a leisurely day of hanging out at the park watching Orcas. They were the beautiful end to a great day. We were there just in time to get the 2 for $70 meal (before 5:45) and we could not of been happier with our early dinner choice! The meal began with salmon in a cucumber shell. The salmon literally melted in my mouth filling it with flavor. followed my the red pepper soup... or it might have been the house salad. Which ever, they were both fresh tasting and delicious. For the main course I ordered the nettle and walnut pasta. I have dreams about that pasta it was so good. My husband had the cornish game hen and the meat full of flavor and cooked to perfection. I could not stop eating the little crouton like bread cubes that the hen game on... it could be that they just absorbed all of the yummy juices from the hen! Delightful! For dessert we had the ginger orange sorbet and the chocolate truffle ice cream. A perfect ending. Plus, we got a bottle of wine to enjoy with the meal. I have never been so glad to eat so early, because it took most of the night to walk off the full belly of goodness! read more

The owners were so nice, it hurts to write this, but.... don't go. You see, there was a change of ownership... so all those reviews that are glowing? That chef, that menu, that ambiance is all gone. Its a confused menu in a room that echos. I wish we has eaten fried clam strips in the pub. read more

We always try to support our local restaurants and had great expectations based on word of mouth. We were very disappointed and we were embarrassed that we had suggested it to our out of town guests for their anniversary. The food was average in quality and freshness but priced well above average. But just OK is hardly worth the price. None of our choices were worth remarking upon in this review as there was nothing memorable about them. The place is billed as "intimate" but cramped is more like it. Advertising about the menu was confused and we felt misled although one person eventually did some acceptable service recovery after our vociferous complaints over the phone- we called back once to ask for a manager and the voice we knew to be a server (who was an idiot to begin with) lied and said he was the manager. Eventually an actually friendly person called back and provided some compensation. When in Friday Harbor, go to "The Place" or out to Roche Harbor and forget this restaurant. read more

I have lived here for many years and have never found my way into Coho. What a delight to find a new, excellent place to dine. My friend had a gift certificate from the place where she was staying while visiting for the holidays and we decided to try it out. We were not disappointed. I guess, based on the other reviews here that some people don't like the size of the place, but we loved the intimacy and the attention we got. We had a beautiful, leisurely dinner and a bit of a food tour of the San Juans that made me proud of our locale and confident in bringing future visitors to eat here. We had the Coho salad, which had outstanding goat cheese and the perfect sherry vinaigrette. We had butternut squash ravioli, which was out of this world. My friend had the Thai Cornish game hen and it definitely took curry to a new level. I had a perfectly done steak, and nothing makes me happier than that. The wine list is not huge but the pairings we had were compatible with the food we ate. read more

Coho Restaurant - This photo doesn't do this ravioli justice -- it's fantastic - Seafood Near Me - Friday Harbor, Washington

We had reservation for 5:00pm last night. We got there at 4:55. There were no customers in the restaurant yet. The hostess took us to the table next to the bathroom. Basically one feet away from the chair back. I asked if they would give us another table instead. They came back and told us there were couple of anniversaries reservations. So they couldn't. We accepted seatings, had our dinner, tried to ignore the people going to bathroom. The sad part was at the end. We enjoyed our dinner. When we walked out. There were still two tables empty. Don't understand why they wouldn't let us seating there, but telling stories about anniversaries reservation. Most restaurant, after 15 minutes no show on reservation, they can give the table away. But they never came us to do so!!! Really suggest the restaurant to remove the table next to the bathroom. For what I experienced, I will not go back due to the table position, and hostess, manager wouldn't make effort to make changes whenever they have the opportunities to make customer happy!!! read more

Small venue so reservations are a must. Even though our host eventually found his confirmation on his cell phone, they could not find it in their records. Nevertheless we were seated and things improved from there. Halibut was perfect, Coho salad and house wine were good, steak was perfect. Imaginative cocktails. Place was decorated nicely. Waiter was theatrical and amused us by repeating phrases unconsciously but was nevertheless attentive. Evening was dimmed a bit by a loud table of 6 millennials in this small space who used a great many 4 letter words without realizing that their literal meanings are truly unappetizing. There is lots of room for improvement but the food was great. read more

We sure would have enjoyed reviewing the food; but this review is based purely on our experience in attempting to order food for take-out. There is zero sense of entitlement, as another reviewer suggested. (Apparently there is though, if you categorize yourself as "in-person" diners on a date juxtaposed against someone ordering take-out because they have children.) Rather than entitlement, there is most certainly a perfectly fair expectation that a restaurant of reasonable quality with sound management and a capable staff should be able to handle a simple take-out order in addition to providing service to "in-person" diners. This review is simply an honest take on what happened to our family, and a caution to other families who may consider ordering take-out from Coho. My wife and I were in Friday Harbor staying at Tucker House with our two very young children (both under 3). We settled on getting the kids their own meal (they're too young to appreciate good food) while ordering takeout from a nice restaurant for us to enjoy. In talking with staff at the hotel, they suggested several restaurants nearby, including Coho. We read several reviews and settled on a couple of options nearby -- opting at first for Coho. I had walked by the place earlier (about 5:45 p.m.) while picking up some food for the kids at a local market nearby. There were three tables occupied, and the menu looked reasonable. So, once I returned to the room, my wife and I visited their on line menu and selected several items to order. (Again, with small children, we would simply have to order take-out and eat out on the patio attached to our room.) I called the restaurant at approximately 6:00 p.m. and asked to place a take-out order. The friendly person on the phone sounded a little hesitant, almost as if they had never had anyone call for take-out. Surely in a locale like Friday Harbor that could not be the case, could it? After being put on hold three times, it sounded like there was still a bit of deliberation, as I waited to order. Finally, the person pulled the phone away from their cupped hand, and the position was clarified: Coho staff refused our request to order take-out. According to the flustered person on the phone, they were expecting a "large" group of about 8-10 people, so they just simply "could not handle a take-out order." I clarified it was only for two people -- would probably be an appetizer, a couple of salads, and two entrees. Again, they refused to accommodate the take-out order, even for two people. When I asked her if the large group had arrived, she said the group had not arrived, but was expected by 6:30 p.m. However, Coho could still not take our take-out order. So my basic review is: Coho probably has good food. However, the restaurant is apparently not equipped to handle "large" groups in addition to other potential patrons, especially those ordering take-out 30 minutes in advance of a "large" group's arrival. Accommodating a take-out order for two should not overwhelm a well-managed restaurant, even if they are expecting a "large" group of 8-10 people. We were prepared to spend about $100 on dinner that evening... but were never provided the opportunity. So, yes, my apologies -- Coho's inability to provide take-out garners them a 1-star rating in my assessment, even though I have not eaten (nor ever will eat) there. read more

All the hype!! I was disappointed! The good: Fast, friendly service. Portion sizes were good. Ice cream was great. Nice atmosphere. The bad: $70 deal was not. Limited choice of entre. The nicer entre off the daily menu not included in deal. Advertising for the deal was misleading. Asked if we could have a couple of glasses of red and a couple glasses of white instead of the full bottle and was told that he (waiter) could do it. When the bill came we were charged for the full price of the wines with a bit off for not drinking the wine that was included in the $70 deal.. Would I return? No desire to return after being laughed at when asking about beverage cost. read more

We spent a weekend on Friday Harbor and dinner at Coho was definitely a highlight. The location was only a few blocks away from just about every hotel and was nice converted home that kept things quiet and intimate. The food, from start to finish was really delicious. From the amuse-bouche to the last bite of dessert we had a great meal. Not too heavy or light, cooked perfectly, and with tons of great flavors. Service was pleasant and thoughtful, they definitely worked hard to take care of everyone. In fact the only reason I'm saying 4/5 is because of the tight dining quarters. The tables were plenty big but because the dining room was so small, everyone was pretty close together. It just goes with the territory though. All-in-all, it was a great meal with great hosts in a great little restaurant. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation if you're considering! read more

I was really surprised at this experience. We had made reservations based on recommendations from another site and had expected something totally different. Given the price point, the quality of the food, the ambiance and the staff were simply not up to par. The couple working the front of the house tried too hard to present that "snobbish, East Coast" fine dining experience that just doesn't fly out here. I'll give them credit for walking the fine line between snobbish and down right rude. The ambiance was bland, the location boring. An old house well away from any view, across the street from a moped rental place. Tiny room so you hear everything. Now the food. Poached everything. I asked for the tuna to be pan seared. Nope, poached. Ok, how about the halibut? Nope, already poached. (Hint, when you serve an amuse bouche and it comes back uneaten from all diners, maybe you should ask why?) Having already sampled the horrible poached halibut we all ended up ordering the pasta with prawns. We ended up with a small bowl of pasta with tiny, tiny bits of unidentifiable vegetables and four shrimp. Not even remotely close to the size of Prawn. 4 - tiny - shrimp. Tail on, hard little shrimp. $25.00 for that. Oh, and ask for the wine to be decanted and expect a chipped glass poorly washed decanter to be placed with attitude in the middle of the table. Pass on this one. The new owners either need to get out and find out what Northwest Cuisine is all about, or pack it up and go back to Maryland. read more

We had a large group for dinner and Anna Maria went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect! She even worked with us to make sure my picky fiancee (now husband) had appetizers and a meal he loved! read more

We have been living in the Middle East and have just moved back to the USA, happily living on SJI. To celebrate we went to Coho. It was a lovely meal in the small well appointed dinning room. The friendly waiter gave good recommendations. The scallops started were perfect cooked. I loved my halibut and my husbands steak was tender. The wine suggestions were spot on. The only draw back were the very loud collage girls who did not know how to talk in a small space. No reflection on this fine establishment. Be sure to make reservations when visiting the island at this fine establishment. read more

I had high expectations of this place. I came here with a party of 16 on vacation and we took up most of the restaurant. The food was just okay. The salmon pate on the cucumber was just delicious! I ordered the scallops and gnocci and was disappointed. The gnocci were almost unrecognizable and there wasn't much flavor. The creme brulee was pretty tasty, but I've never met a creme brulee I didn't enjoy :) The service was really slow, but they were packed. read more

Adored this beautiful gem. The service, food, and cocktails were all fabulous and fresh. Each component of every dish was done to perfection. Would go back in a second. read more

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We went for the first seating prix fixe and couldn't have been happier! Soup, salad, duck & halibut all excellently prepared, with great service and a bottle of wine plus decadent homemade chocolate ice cream dessert for $80, wow!! read more

Adequate. The cheese plate and Coho salad were both fresh and tasty. The chef had to substitute pesto cream sauce for the shrimp fettuccine, to which my friend and I agreed. Barely any sauce on it though! And shells not fettuccine! We asked for Parmesan cheese which we got. Helped it some. Right now I think it's overrated. Eww! Sediment in the bottom of my wine glass! Really? And the server says "Some people like a bit of sediment." Really??!! read more

I was excited to try this place after reading all the great reviews. Unfortunately, I was not impressed and quite disappointed with my meal. My wife made reservations for my birthday. I ordered the steak, but it was fatty and flavorless. I don't like insulting the chef, but I had to ask for salt just to make it edible. It was not a good cut of meat. I make a tastier steak at home, and I'm not very savvy in the kitchen. On the bright side, My wife loved the octopus, and the wine menu is very good, which is the only reason I gave this place two stars. The atmosphere is cozy, but very small. Here's a tip... Go to the bathroom before arriving since the restroom is pretty much part of the dining area. All in all, I was very disappointed with this place and would not recommend it to anyone. Luckily I had a good lunch at a nearby restaurant, so my birthday was not completely ruined. read more

We dined in late November with a party of 11. Three and a half hours later, we left one meal short (the person shorted was offered wine instead but they failed to notice he wasn't drinking); In addition, the wine pairing never came out with the course with which it was supposed to be paired; the food was only okay. We were never asked to show vax record and we were seated nearly on top of another large party so we never had assurance that people were vaccinated. The only dessert we wanted, they say, didn't come out that evening. Finally, and this was what sunk the whole evening, our bill came with a 25 percent gratuity added for our large party. Of course, it is okay to charge gratuity with a large party. It is NOT okay to add 25 PERCENT gratuity when, in fact, they didn't tell us ahead and the service was absolutely not good. Not blaming the one server in charge of more than 25 folks that sitting -- am blaming the restaurant management for thinking anyone could deliver a fine dining experience. Super uncomfortable when we mentioned this. Chef/supervisor said, "sorry." No offer to comp a meal for the meal that they completely missed. No offer of anything other than one glass of wine to the person who was not drinking. read more

We had the early dinner chef special for two which included two individual entrees plus a shared appetizer, salad, dessert & a bottle of nice wine - all for only $70. The food & service were both very good. My wife & I agreed that it was a excellent value. One nice feature of this Prix Fixe dinner was the option to select any other entrée from the full menu such as steak or salmon & then only pay for the price differential for those specific entrées. Coho's is small so I suggest making a reservation. We ate there in the fall but I assume this is even more critical during the busier summer season. read more

The two owners don't really cook! They have a chef they hired from Aspen who is 'learning how to make our recipes, bake bread, etc." So when we came late, we knew we were in trouble! The chef was off so Anna Marie attemped to cook our salmon. It came out "sushi style," in other words, way undercooked. We have never had salmon this raw. We asked, but were told that sushi salmon was their style. We wanted to speak to the chef, but he was off this night. This place has a nice wine list, but is way overpriced and the quality comes up short. Find another place and save your hard-earned money! If you decide to go, ask your hotel for a coupon as they have them widely distributed... read more

Great food and superb service. I had the black cod and tempura shrimp in a miso coconut water broth. Oh man was it good. My girlfriend had the venison medallions also awesome! Super intimate small setting were you can't be ignored because of the lack of size only about 9 tables total. read more

One of the best meals I have ever had. Service, staff, and food were amazing. Our server did a phenomenal job with wine pairings for our dinner. We shared the octopus, black cod, chicken, and lamb. Everything was perfect aside from the lamb dish. For dessert we had the trio, creme brulee, and the mojito. The mojito was one of the most delicious ways to cleanse my palate. I can't wait to come back for another meal. read more

This is probably the best restaurant I have ever eaten in. John is the owner, chef, busboy, waiter, etc and does enerything with the help of one sous chef, but the atmosphere is very relaxed. The place is in an old home and ony has about four tables which are not turned over so your dinner can be a be relaxed as you like. I went with eight people and every person just raved about the food. I asked for a beer which I was told they did not serve, but John offered me some of his own that he had just received as a gift and it was a wonderful local beer. I highly recommend this restaurant, but please reserve in advance. read more

I went to Coho with my boyfriend and parents over labor day weekend, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The restaurant was cozy and intimate with just a few tables. The food we had was excellent; highlights included the dessert trio, scallops and the agnolotti, as well as the halibut special. Halibut is not my favorite fish, but the accompaniments sounded great and the server highly recommended it. I wasn't disappointed - it was hands down the best halibut I've ever had. The service was thoughtful and attentive, and the wine list showcased a number of great Northwest wines. I would definitely recommend checking this place out. read more

This was our first visit to Coho. We had planned to visit a different restaurant, but they were closed...and we're glad. Our dinner was amazing. We had the BEST octopus I have ever eaten! We also had the game hen and the seafood trio which were really good. I had the pomegranate cocktail which was delightful and the to top it off, we had the dessert trio which included a chocolate pot de crème and crème brulee which were both yummy. Thanks, Coho! Keep up the good work! read more

Coho is run by the same people who run the Tucker House B&B. The service was very attentive and accommodating. They don't have a mixed drink list but made me something she was unfamiliar with since they had the ingredients. We also enjoyed our wine blends, both red and white. The food - goodness! Great portions and well-seasoned. I've been to many restaurants that are either too light or heavy handed with salt and the chef struck the right balance that sat well with my palate. I had the crab cake special and the halibut. It is probably one of the most well-cooked piece of fish I have had in a long time. You can tell that they treat all ingredients with great care. I would strongly recommend a visit to Coho if you're staying overnight in Friday Harbor. There are only nine tables so make sure to make a reservation ahead of time. read more