Beautiful food with very fresh ingredients and a lovely staff. A pleasure. I enjoyed my meal

4 of us, 2 locals and 2 visitors, dined here for the first time. The ambiance was nice when we arrived, but it can get loud when the restaurant starts to get full. There is some outdoor seating for those warm summer evenings. The service was fine. The drinks were also fine and fairly priced. The menu choices are fairly limited, and the entrees are all on the pricey side, especially the scallops. We shared the ricotta & toast appetizer and the chicken liver mousse. The ricotta consistency was very soft, almost whipped and needed salt, but there was no salt or pepper on the tables. The flavor of the chicken liver dish, under a rather thick layer of fat, was excellent; however, "mousse" is supposed to be soft but this was so cold that it was hard. Both items were served with an inadequate portion of toasted baguette which insured that more had to be ordered! Still, taste-wise, this and the duck fries were the hit of the night. The 4 beautifully large scallops were partially undercooked, the burgers came topped with "sauce chien" (dog sauce) with no warning that it might be too spicy for some, and the "creative" duck confit, left me wishing for the "classic" preparation! I don't see a return visit for us. read more

The service is amazing and then to an altogether other level is the creative approach to food preparation!!! Took our niece and her boyfriend her for her birthday and everyone had delicious meals !!! When in Bellingham one must try this place read more

Love the vibes of this restaurant! It's on the pricey side but you can tell the ingredients are high quality and the food is top-notch. Every single item we got was amazing but my favorites were the pretzel bread, duck fat fries, and roasted carrots. The pretzel bread is pillowy soft, the duck fat fries were so crunchy with umami flavor, and the roasted carrots had a delicious sauce on top with shallots. The duck confit was also cooked perfectly but I would recommend getting the orange glaze on the side since it was very sweet/bitter and could overpower the duck. The steak was also a little bit on the tough side when we got medium so maybe opt for medium rare. read more

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Ambiance and service was great. Cocktails were innovative and balanced. Carpaccio was good but a little one note for texture. Pork was good, but needed a different texture for side. Otherwise it is just pork and sauce. Alternatively tell me to order Sides. Dessert was good with lots of flavors and texture. Would try again read more

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Servers and hostess were welcoming and service oriented. They offered us three checks, no problem. Little Gems salad was my favorite, the dressing was both creamy and light. My co diners loved the roasted carrot starter. The black cod entree was generous, fresh and flavorful. I will be back read more

Estelle - Light and bright - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Excellent in every way! Warm, friendly, experienced staff who didn't hover but came around at all the right times. Beautiful interior that felt upscale but unfussy. Food was outstanding. We had the dinner roll, roasted carrots, salmon, and duck confit. Everything was cooked perfectly and the sauces and seasonings were delicious and unusual. Will be back next time we're in Fairhaven. Thank you for a wonderful experience! read more

The ambiance is cliche' bistro, the service while well meaning is not well trained, and the food is over seasoned, over sauced and flattened by butter and duck fat. I do love butter and duck fat, but ingredients like these require a lighter hand or lose the yum factor they were added for in the first place. read more

Drinks. Cocktails really seems to be their thing. Creative drinks with fresh ingredients. If that ain't your thing don't worry. They have a large wine selection and a small beer selection. Service. Excellent at the bar and at table service. Atmosphere. The entire place just oozes out cool and relaxing. Great place for drinks and a light meal. Food. Everything was on point. The grilled oysters were great. The Duck Confit was fantastic. Crispiest skin I have ever had with a very nice sauce. read more

Estelle - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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The ambiance at Estelle sets the perfect retro/modern vibe. The food was impressive, the staff were friendly and helpful. However the noise level reminded me of dive bars during my college days. And my wife and I came home smelling like food, which also a reminder of dive bars. Over all it was a good/not great experience. The restaurant is small, and filled with as many tables as they could get in there, so be prepared to get cozy with your neighbor. The food was fantastic, but the wait for food, drinks, and even the check was disappointing. We went on a Saturday night so it is understandable that they were busy. We might try it again because the food was that good. read more

Estelle - Estelle Dinner Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Estelle has the look: a dim, French-kissed jazz bar where the lights are low, the cocktails whisper Paris, and the promise of a perfect night hangs in the air. When the kitchen hits, it's sublime--the kind of meal that makes you swear you've found the best table in Whatcom County. But consistency kills the romance. One visit it's magic; the next the bread's dry, the meat soggy, the service indifferent. At the prices they charge, that roulette gets old fast. Go when you're feeling lucky and want a little Parisian smoke with your gamble. Just know the house doesn't always win--and neither will you. read more

Best food I've had in Washington State. And the service is fantastic as well. I'll be back!! read more

Great service and cocktails at the bar from Tyler. He knows his stuff talking to my cocktail nerd daughter. Copper River Salmon - amazing! Beet salad - so flavorful! Crème Brûlée - excellent! read more

A rare situation where the food & drinks tase as amazing as they look. 5 stars all the way.

Appetizer - ricotta and carmalized leeks a must! Beverage- any of their in house shrub, I had their watermelon lovely, just lovely. Dinner_ can't go wrong with their seared copper river skin on perfectly crisp. The chocolate dessert special was perfect balance of chocolate and sweet. I like that the balance was with the fruit, white chocolate and the almond flour textures were harmony. Bravo! read more

Ambiance and service very good but food and wine not so great. The duck confit was smothered in an orange sauce (!!!!) - a good confit doesn't need a sauce- served with uninspired radicchio leaves - also sauced in orange. Caesar gem salad was grainy. In contrast, hamburger was terrific. Prices: high Menu: very limited Good place for cocktails read more

I love this place!!! I had high hopes when I recognized the white umbrellas and black rails from the now long-gone and my beloved Gainsbarre--I got so excited! (It all looks so elegant and French!) Sunny and a sweet seat outside later, I was happily ensconced in the menu with a lovely, summery mocktail-concoction by owner/chef/bartender, Aaron, enjoying the many beautiful plants in the decorative planters. (Inside is very lovely and welcoming too. And the goldfish wallpaper in the end bathroom, fabulous!) My first time there, my favorites were the crab salad and not-really-a-salad (an incredibly crab-flavorful mound of crab--tender and delicious!) and the wonderful chop salad with the extremely fine and generous mimolette cheese, studded with sunflower seeds, an occasional sweet scallion or vegetable surprise like haricot vert (thin French green beans). On this occasion, the chop salad had transmogrified into a Caesar and is likely to remain as such "because it was pretty much a Caesar anyway," we were told. Well--hint to the owner/chefs--the Caesar is lovely, but the chop salad was steps up from that in specialness and flavor. While I love a good Caesar, as this was, the chop was one of the most unusual of chops and one of the best salads I've ever had--ever. The steak tartare was incredible--in itself. It was topped with a gribiche sauce (creamy, with a little egg and some tiny green somethings studding the top (chive?)). The sauce didn't quite work for me with the meat, but a solution was easy as I just slid my fork through the bottom. (Next time I'll order sauce on the side.) Also incredible, and every little bit, was the duck confit--the legs cooked in duck fat were so tender and flavorful, and the sweet and spicy sauce (some cinnamon?) was a perfect compliment. Oh, I loved this so! (Passersby saw us eating it and were cooing! "Confit!" we heard excitedly and gave a big thumbs up. They hurried inside.) Last but not least--my second time for the dessert of roasted stone-fruit, crème and crunchy sugar concoction. OMG! According to our delightful, informative and charming server, Julianne, the menu has been changed regularly to work out the best ideas and approaches, but is nearing settling. I say, so much here is absolutely fantastic and some things, in my humble opinion, are extremely close. (It's nice to have a little change now and again too, so I hope they don't settle too much for those of us who may be regulars.) And chop salad back, please!!! Highly recommended!!! read more

This was our third visit to Estelle Our server Nadya was great. We sat outside and with the plants it doesn't feel like you're right on the road, it's quite cosy. Love the blue glassware. The drinks were good if a bit smallish in volume for the price, but the lovely stemware is also petite. Appetizers were Little Gem/red romaine? Salad. Good,but the dressing seemed a bit underwhelming assuming it's the same one as at Carnal. The chicken liver mousse was delicate, smooth, delicious, esp with the layer of fat on top, but the mango was too much for me. Came with homemade bread which my dining partner enjoyed. Her main was steak frites. Frites fried in duck fat, what's not to like? Steak was smothered in an off pink plum sauce, and had a few cherry tomatoes on top of the sauce, which didnt seem to go. It tasted so bitter that after a bite she asked to send it back. The server said she would get her another steak, but left her plate on the table. My duck confit was tasty, tender, perfectly crisped. My orange sauce was also bitter but I just didn't eat it. The watercress salad was good, I wished there was more! When the new steak came out, perfectly cooked, it was on a side plate which another server just put down next to the now cold old plate of frites. Because half of the plate had the plum sauce steak we moved her frites over to the side plate of steak. Sigh. Anyway, our server was apologetic and asked what our thoughts were. We were honest and said that there's no need to reinvent the wheel on Steak Frites. A peppercorn or bordelaise or even Betnaise sauce will do the trick every time. Our server did give us a 9$ credit back for the steak, which was nice, but we would've rather had the warm fries tbh. read more

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Third time's the charm? Every time has been charming! Amazing experience, each time has been a 10/10. Fantastic food, the roll is wildly good and the steak and frites just perfect. Had the homemade hard eggnog, so good, and the boozy cocoa. All was incredible, staff was personable and pleasant! Probably the only spot in town we've hit three times... tells you something. read more

We were attracted by the white umbrellas and the beautiful plantings in the outdoor seating area. Julianne was our server, and she was so helpful describing our options. We chose two salads to share: a crab salad which was tiny, but very delicious, and one of the nicest chopped salads we've ever had. It wasn't a typical chopped salad as it was predominately leafy. But it had wonderful, fresh greens coated in a light garlic dressing and a fine, delicious cheese, tons of sunflower seeds and with chopped vegetable bits throughout such as fine green beans. Beef fat fries were wonderful--nicely, but not overly spiced, and dryly crisp as if done in an airfryer. Wine selections were good: I had a red Bourdeau which I liked very much. Owner/chef Aaron was on as bartender for this Monday, and he crafted some nice mocktails for my partner, featuring verjus, which we'd never heard of, which is pressed juice of unripened grapes. Dessert was a wonderful concoction: slow-roasted stone fruit served in a brown butter crème anglaise. It was great! Fantastic place and ambiance outside and in. read more

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This review is only for their drinks/overall ambience. My friend and I stopped in around 3-4pm for drinks and a snack on a Saturday and there was plenty of seating given the strange time. They had a good amount of cocktail options, as well as a handful of NA cocktail options. I tried their seasonal cocktail ($13-14) and got a croissant ($5), which came with a side of strawberry jam. Everything was delicious! Overall ambience of the place was also very nice and servers were friendly. Overall, a great experience + they allowed dogs outside. Parking is all street parking on the street, but there were a few lots close by. Would try again the next time I'm in the area! read more

Great food! Great cocktails! Lovely space and the service was just what you want, there when you need them.

The food is absolutely amazing! We started with the steak tartare, piled on top of two large crostini's, fresh and seasoned well. Then ordered side of carrots in a coconut yogurt sauce (forgot name and actual ingredients) that was the best I've ever had. For entrees, ordered duck confit and hangar steak with frites. The duck was soooooo good-that sauce is liquid gold, highly recommend. The hangar steak cooked to perfection and the fries were awesome too. Great service, Nadine was our waitress and gave excellent recommendations! Would easily go again! read more

Great little bistro in Fairhaven. Estelle offers a refined, but relaxed atmosphere with soft lighting and a large, welcoming bar. I had a glass of the Côtes du Rhône, the steelhead crudo, and duck confit. Everything was excellent, but the crudo was a real highlight. The service was friendly and on point - I'll be back for sure. read more

Excellent duck excellent food service ambiance all of it! We cozied up to the bar! The steak frites were amazing and the sauce for the fries omg sooooo good! So much flavor and the texture so good! Excellent suggestions and service by the bar staff and knowledge of the menu and drinks as well as ingredients! read more

Estelle is a relatively new arrival on the Bellingham restaurant scene from the owners of Carnal. The atmosphere is nice with low lighting, nice furnishings and an inviting bar. As with Carnal, the staff was uniformly friendly, helpful and welcoming. The fully stocked bar turns out some interesting specialty cocktails and well as all the standards. Although the selection of wines, beers, and ciders is not extensive, it appears to be well curated, matching the dishes on offer. We started our meal with a couple of specialty cocktails and the chicken mousse. My wife enjoyed the Calliope,a run based fruit forward with spicy notes from cardamom and nutmeg. I had the Over Dark Glasses, pistachio infused rye with apricot liquor and small amounts of two amaros. The chicken mousse was a generous smear of chicken mousse on crusty bread with a garnish of greens and pomegranate molasses. The mousse itself was smooth and pleasantly seasoned with good flavor. The molasses was a nice sweet foil for the rich mousse, however, being very sweet and strongly flavored, it tended to overwhelm the taste buds. Sometimes less is more: a little lighter hand would have been better. For entrees I had the trout amandine and my wife had the duck confit. The trout was definitely non-traditional. Rather than the usual whole trout sauteed and served with a brown butter sauce and almonds, this dish was a very large hunk of trout filet about 3 inches square and 1 1/4 inch thick (lake trout?). It was perfectly cooked and had some very nice crispy skin. The sauce was a thick creamy colored almond creation that was very rich. There were copied almonds and shirt prices of green beans scattered atop the sauce. My wife's duck confit was probably the star of the show. Perfectly cooked duck legs (2), a sweet sauce to counter the richness of the duck accompanied by a bucket dressed salad. Two duck legs was a large serving, and one went home and found itself in duck tacos the next day. We shared there only dessert on offer, a bay seasoned creme brulee. The very smooth custard was redolent of bay, but was not overly sweet, which was a nice contrast with the sugary topping. Where Carnal has a clear meat-forward focus, Estelle seems to lack the same cohesiveness. The menu and atmosphere are very definitely bistro, with a modest selection of appies and small plates and a few entrees, a well stocked bar, and a welcoming and informal vibe. The menu has some French influences, but one probably shouldn't focus on that aspect, more on the bistro setting. Definitely worth a visit to Fairhaven. As time goes on I think we can expect to see good things from Estelle. read more

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Best bartender ever. Tyler is an absolute master and makes the experience so amazing. We will definitely be back

Update- One of my favorite places in Bellingham. They change the menu often and every single item I've ever had has been wonderful. Highly recommend!! read more

Estelle's is simply great. The food is creative and never fails to impress. The cocktails are simply brilliant. The staff at Estelle's are friendly, knowledgeable and work as a great team. The size, informality and sense of casual elegance is very appealing. It is a smallish place with a French bistro vibe. Estelle's has become our favorite restaurant to take friends to who visit us from out of town and is always a wonderful treat for us too. The menu at Estelle's is small, but each dish is so well done and distinctive it is very hard to have a favorite. A new-to-us dish that wowed us on our most recent visit was the 'chicken liver mousse coastal huckleberry & chive with sunflower sourdough' omg! We'll be back soon again and highly recommend it. read more

Welcoming servers to us and our small dog at outside table. We shared the duck legs with fries and bbq'd ribs. Food was delicious and fun to share. If their bar menu offered a house carafe I would give them 5 stars. $52 for a red blend is too much. read more

Estelle - Duck legs with fries, bbq'd pork ribs. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Went for the first time last night and it was fantastic! The service was great and it really did feel like a French bistro. The food was impeccable! We split the carrots (AMAZING) and I had the steak frites while my relative had the Dover sole. They were both cooked perfectly. Finished the dinner with the crème brûlée. I will definitely be back! read more

We were looking for somewhere for a low key birthday dinner and were recommended this place by a friend. Can't say enough good things about it, everything was absolutely fantastic. Service was 10/10, drinks were creative and delicious, and the food was to die for. We had the chicken, steak frites, duck confit, hamachi crudo, and the gem lettuce salad. I would recommend ALL of them, really can't find anything bad to say. It was such a cute place as well, we got some really great photos and had an amazing view of the sunset. So glad Estelle opened, I think it's exactly what bellingham needs. read more

Estelle - Duck Confit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Incredible ambiance. I got the steak tartar, roasted carrots and their version of a whiskey sour. This entire meal was incredible, I'm not sure which I liked best but these might be the best roasted carrots I've ever had! read more

Fairhaven's "Swim Club" has reopened as "Estelle" but with a new food and drink menu, featuring French-American cuisine. I appreciate that the interior looks similar to its predecessor since it still retains the unique vibe and ambience different from other locations in Fairhaven and Bellingham. Stopped in for a quick drink and had the Lioness of Brittany, which was explained as a spirit forward drink, all true :). Staff was great! read more

Estelle - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Fantastic restaurant! I was very impressed with the menu choices, everyone in our group was delighted with the atmosphere, location, service and especially the FOOD! read more

Great fries and had one of the most amazing drink here. Was entranced by the atmosphere i saw from from walking on the sidewalk and it brought me in read more

Fantastic meal! Best cocktails in Bellingham aside from sister restaurant Carnal. We loved the Willows Inn and favor Michelin star restaurants if that tells you anything. read more

The ambiance and food reminds me exactly of the French bistros in Paris and London I used to go to when I travelled for work. The burger and steak frites were fantastic, the duck fat fries are addictive. Highly recommend this place, so lucky we have a place like this calibre in Bellingham. I hope this group keeps on opening more restaurants! read more

Great theme, really good food, great service. We ordered the oysters, the steak and the ham and cheese sandwich. All were served beautifully and the attention to detail was obvious. The salad with the sandwich was perfectly seasoned, and the fries were also quite lovely. We ordered the steak medium rare and were not at all disappointed. Great service. The one small thing was the long hair in my water glass, but other than that a perfect experience. The bathroom was also on point. Hopefully this one lasts. read more

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I was pleasantly pleased with this place. The ambience is nice, old classical looking with dim lighting and a nice bar area. The chairs are super uncomfortable, it has one bar that digs into your spine if you try to sit back. Also the table we were sat at is very small and difficult if you are sharing (which is what the menu is meant to do). Anyways we had the crab salad which was the only underwhelming thing we tried. It was very small, lacked flavor and presentation. The pork ribs, spicy spaghetti and duck confit all had great flavor and were better portions to share. You definitely need to order 4-5 things for 2 people to share for dinner. We also had 3 different people serving us which was a little confusing but the service itself was fine. Lastly, the menu is very minimal and they did not offer any specials which is not ideal. I hope to see some additions to the menu. read more