Here's the deal. 40 years ago this restaurant may have been the place to be, but today.... It's a no for me dog. If you're gonna serve a steak, and charge $60 for it, it better be a damn good steak. Yes, if eaten more expensive steaks in 5 star restaurants, but common man. The seafood fettuccine was yummy, but that might be attributed to the mountain of Parmesan cheese. I made him shred on top of it. Our server brought the wrong drink, the sides were odd and the ambience was dated. On a good note, I'm not from this town so I won't be back. read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Old old and older - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Such a great find for the South end. Make reservations. It's a super small place. They have their own parking which is nice in that area. Reasonably priced steaks which are cooked well. Also had the burrata but the standout were the potatoes. Those were delicious. Service was also outstanding. Highly recommend read more

Came here with a bunch of girlfriends and it's great. I tried the burrata which was pretty good and the Kobe sliders which was so freaking good, and I'm not usually a burger person. I wanted to try the Baby back rib tacos but it's served with a peanut slaw, so I passed. We got a nice corner table and even though my sister was super late, she still got to have a full meal and to choose from the dessert platter which I think had 10 selections. I've never seen so many options for the desserts. read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

DESSERT FIRST! Okay, if we must adult. Our group had the Burrata appy (gone in 60 seconds good) - Lamb (good not great) - Ribeye (excellent) - Seafood Fettuccine (yummy) But dessert - I can't resist it when a tray full visits your table and they all say "eat me" - I don't even remember which we had because their sweet taste took over my brain! Service was top notch- we were very well taken care of! Ambiance is quiet and calming - not rushed or overwhelming - A+++ Gardner's should be an Olympia landmark for being consistently excellent - maybe not for the building (not fancy) the food and the excellent service - and they have easy parking! read more

Gardner's Restaurant - MUST DESSERT!!! - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

It used to be my favorite restaurant in Olympia, especially seafood fettuccine which used to have a creamy lobster sauce. I ordered it this past weekend. It was a disappointment. Not only the portion was very small, but the sauce was extremely lemony. Ordered some fried potatoes that came with an aïoli that was also extremely lemony. It seems like they chef loves lemon. Also ordered a side car for a cocktail, which in the past was amazing. This one barely had any modeled orange and almost no flavor. The dessert which was a brownie with ice cream was good read more

Wonderful dining experience! From the service, (Elizabeth was knowledgeable, friendly and attentive) to the wine selection, (we found a very nice 2023 Cabernet from Napa Valley for $35) and we both had steak, (ribeye for me and Wagu sirloin for husband) and both were perfectly cooked and delicious. Seasonal salad, sourdough bread, and bread pudding desert were all scrumptious. Will definitely visit again!! read more

OUTRAGEOUSLY good. We had a very large group and they were so wonderful to us. The food was just out of this world delicious. The waitresses were all absolute delights. I had the chicken piccata (so good!!!) and the lemon meringue drop (FABULOUS). The dessert cart was glorious. I only tried the chocolate mousse, but it was delicious. If I lived in town, this would absolutely be my date night spot. SO GOOD. read more

Old school restaurant with traditional and modern dishes and cocktails. The ambience is excellent, with tiny lights, long, white curtains dividing the space, warm wood, and a cozy temperature. We had the seasonal burrata with cranberries, which was winter spiced and very tasty, and I had the scallops in a light butter sauce, served with pickled, red onions and hazelnuts. The dish was perfection. My French 76 and my husband's old fashioned were also as good as they get. For dessert, we split the chocolate peanut butter pie. The whole evening was magical. read more

What happened? While I understand this is a more refined dining situation the value for what you pay for simply isn't there. The scallop entree is 5 tiny scallops the size of a nickel for $44. Ridiculous. The Cod entree has no side whatsoever and the pork chop is the same and the portions are again, tiny and not worth the cost. We are leaving to go get something elsewhere because we are still hungry. And please don't charge $10 for a $3 bottle of sparkling water. It's excessive. I can think of several other high end restaurants I would go to before here. read more

We've been here a couple of times and love the place. Super good food super friendly staff in an intimate cozy environment. Great for date night or intimate evening with family I've never had a bad meal here and will be back. read more

A perfect restaurant in a perfect place. We Went there for our anniversary dinner. It's one of Olympias hidden gems that few seem to know about. It's fine dining at reasonable price. The food and ambiance are spectacular. read more

Had dinner at this restaurant over the weekend and it was great. The ambience was nice, our waitress was amazing and knowledgeable and friendly. The drinks were delicious and filled to the brim, just how we like it. My only note was the menu online and in person should be consistent. Being gluten free, I like to look at restaurant menus prior to dining to get a sense of the options. The online menu didn't reflect all the dishes that were available and we almost didn't go because of that reason but I'm glad we did. Fantastic! read more

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Awesome. I've known about this place and heard great things for at least 20 years, yet hadn't been until Saturday. Amazing. Cool close and intimate even though it's a small building and a little loud. Amazing food. Amazing service. Alex was great. She knew what we needed before we did. My wife and I had an appetizer, 2 salads and 2 entrees. It was too much. Wonderful food but I was full. We finished her scallops, saved 80% of my piccata and she had peanut butter cake. Love it. Thank you! read more

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Lovely food and service. Had the ribeye steak, prawns. Both delicious but the stand out for me this time was the Risotto so very good. Seasonal vegetables were flavorful. Service was great with just the right amount of attention. Great for a special occasion. Go with confidence. read more

The food and service were absolutely incredible. The atmosphere was perfect for a date--warm, inviting, and relaxed. Our server, Alex, was phenomenal. Even on what appeared to be a very busy night, she made us feel like we were the only guests in the restaurant. She was attentive, friendly, polite, and offered excellent recommendations. Dan, another server, also checked in on us regularly and made sure we were well taken care of. The level of service truly stood out. We will definitely be coming back! read more

Hidden gem. If I could add 6 stars I would. This place is top tier, service was IMPECCABLE, Alex, our server, was wonderful. Absolutely so fresh, vibrant, and creative flavor profiles. We will be back very soon. read more

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My husband and I came back here for dinner recently to commemorate our 5 year anniversary since this is where we had our first date. Definitely different than it was 5 years ago but that's to be expected. The restaurant itself is very romantic and has wonderful ambiance. We were even able to have our same table from our first date which made the evening that much more special. The servers were really sweet and made great suggestions for specials. The only reason for 3 stars is that the food wasn't on par with our first visit. We had the salmon seafood dip as an appetizer and that was probably the highlight of the meal. My husband ordered the top sirloin with squash risotto and although the steak was on point the risotto was not. I had the scallop entree with asparagus but the scallops were beyond salty and I could only eat 2. Had I left a review 5 years ago it would have been hands down 5 stars. My husband and I agreed that we would be willing to go back and maybe try different items on the menu, but it might be a while. read more

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I never leave reviews. This place is worth running back to the hotel and writing a review. Go here. Stop thinking about it. Best meal I have had in years! Steak with truffle butter is next level. Carmel brownie for desert was the desert I didn't know I needed in my life. Do it. So so so beyond good. read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Steak with truffle butter - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Went here for a holiday work dinner and had the DELICIOUS blue cheese rib-eye streak : )

This place doesn't look like much from the outside, but the minute you step in, it transforms into a beautiful place. The service was impeccable, fast, kind and noninvasive. The waiters recommendations were on point! The food was to die for!! Savory and filling. I can't wait to come try more. This is hands down a gorgeous venue for a romantic date night. Will 100% be coming back! read more

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The food was delicious. The service was attentive and kind and the ambience was delightful. We had a very nice anniversary meal there and thank you for the anniversary card. That was a very nice touch. read more

We were extremely pleased with our entire dinner and dining experience. This is definitely one of the finer restaurants in the Olympia area. Gardner's has many seafood and non-seafood options. You'll find everything from crab, prawns, salmon, pasta, to steak on the menu. There are several appetizers to choose from - and a multitude of desserts as well. They have a very good selection of cocktails and wines. Everything we ordered was fresh, hot, and tasted amazing. Service was exceptional. Our waitress was extremely pleasant, patient, and helpful. read more

My partner and i went here for our 1st anniversary and it was the first time either of us had been there. Food was great, service was ok. Had a weird interaction with the waiter at the end of the meal where he called us out for faking our anniversary! It was strange and rude, it pretty much ruined a pretty good experience and what was suppose to be a night of celebration. You would think for the price you pay to eat there they would treat their guests with a little more respect. Also no offer to amend the situation, just a bunch of BS. read more

Spectacular. My first visit here was in 1986 (yes!) and it's been a special occasion spot ever since. Last night we enjoyed a celebration dinner and every single aspect was perfect. Spacious tables that are NOT crammed together, delightful setting and a team of servers working together to make your experience wonderful. We loved every bite: calamari appetizer, blue cheese salads, gnocchi with Dungeness crab, roasted lamb, polenta, shaved brussel sprouts, wine, carrot cake, and a coffee martini. Put Gardners on your must visit list. Cheers! read more

AMAZING food, tasty drinks, friendly services comfortable ambiance, what else can you ask for !!! Great place for a family get together! read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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What a great experience! Ambience was very nice and the meal was delicious. Started with steamed clams which were prepared in a garlic wine broth. Had the pork chop and it was the most tender pork chop ever! My waiter Dan was professional and attentive to all my needs. Definitely going back. read more

Gardner's has always been a great place to go on special occasions. Been there many times. Went there recently and was disappointed. The service was great, the food, not so much. Had a dinner salad that the lettuce was just like rubber, not fresh. The entree comes with nothing, not even string beans. Everything is extra. We had pasta that was like glorified spicey spaghetti with a $30.00 price. When you are spending over $140.00 for dinner for 2 I expect more. I think we will go next door to Bud Bay, better value and better food. read more

Such a disappointment. Took my wife here last night for her birthday and we were super excited, as this place was recommended by many friends and co-workers. One star for the shrimp appetizer and scallop. One star for the service. The blueberry lemonade cocktail was $14 and mostly ice in a very small glass. I think she got about 5 sips out of that. The spicy honey shrimp was pretty good, although the shrimp was a bit over cooked, it was the most flavorful bite of the night. I had the crab casserole, $50. Tons of crab, but zero flavor. I've had homemade tuna melts with more oomph. This was just a watery mess of crab, broiled (I assume) with some mushrooms. The side of risotto was meh. It was clumpy, not creamy, and seemed to have sat under the hot lamp for a good while, as it looked like it was forming a dry crust. The dessert was OK - blondie and amaretto cheesecake. But for $200 I expected to be blown away. It's a bit maddening to know we wasted that much money on a mediocre experience. For the prices, I would not recommend. read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Crab casserole - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

What a surprise! We made reservations when we went to hear a symphony nearby. When we got to the restaurant we were deciding whether or not to go in because it doesn't look like much from the outside. We were so happy we gave it a try. The food was amazing and the staff were very nice and attentive! We will go back when we are in Olympia again. read more

Every single table at the restaurant was taken when we arrived, so make sure to call and make a reservation. And do it ahead of time! I called 2 days before and they had only 2 openings. Thankfully, one of them worked for us. But despite of it being full, didn't feel crowded. All tables are pretty far away from each other, which made me feel very comfortable. All tables have a little hand-sanitizer bottle, which is a very nice touch in our current covid times. There were 5 of us and we all had different entrees. I didn't try other's dishes, but everyone were very happy with their meals. I had a Seafood Trio, which was absolutely delicious! So if you are in Olympia, this place is a must-visit! read more

Favorite upscale restaurant in Olympia. Intimate setting, great well-prepared seafood (and other things). Worth the time and money. read more

We stopped in here for a birthday dinner and really enjoyed the ambiance and the presentation of the food more than anything. Gardner's is located in downtown Olympia and is known for being a bit of a pricier place for a special night out. I liked the rustic look of the restaurant with the wood beam ceiling, the restored floors, and the elegant curtains creating small dining nooks. Our service was excellent the entire meal. We were greeted promptly and our server reviewed the gluten free items available which was aplenty. They had rice crackers they brought out for us as well as a beautiful selection of freshly cut vegetables so that I could enjoy the crab dip. I had a salad and the husband ordered the french onion soup. Neither of us were particularly fond of our soup/salad course but then came the entrees and at least I was convinced. My pork chop was beautifully presented with a delicate flower and was accompanied by asparagus and mashed potatoes. The husband unfortunately did not get the same experience as his chicken parmesan was overdone and rubbery and the breading soggy. He left almost the entire chicken on the plate and only ate the pasta. Overall I really enjoyed most of my dishes but unfortunately the husband didn't end up so lucky. It is a beautiful restaurant and the presentation is elegant and service was spot on. It's definitely an expensive place but I really appreciated the detail and the gluten free selections. read more

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The service was good however the food was not up to par The stuffed pork chops were so over cooked it was hard to cut them along with the scallops and polenta My buddies steak was very fatty All in all it will be a long time before we go back Sorry for a bad review but we've gotten use to outstanding food there read more

This restaurant is a gem. Gardner's holds its own not only in the cozy city of Olympia, but for much of the greater Seattle region. This charming little restaurant has great service, some of the freshest seafood I've ever tried, and a dangerous dessert platter. Last weekend I enjoyed the fish special and half order of baked oysters. Topped it off with a delicious chocolate cake. This past weekend was a four course special. Killer. The raw Lilliwaup oysters were so light and clean tasting with a light champagne drizzle. The fried Hama Hama oysters were also delicious with a light outer crisp and warm middle. Even better was the salmon and yam ravioli. What a combo! Would have never thought of it!! Not an ounce of fishiness, paired with a sweet starchiness of the yam. Yummmm I am usually not a fan of lamb, but the shanks were tender, flavorful and not overly gamey. Well done! Now beware if you are on south beach, keto or some other special diet. They will bring a massive tray of dessert options right up to your face. It will be a losing battle. Just forfeit and accept that you will be stuffing your face with some deliciousness. Will certainly be coming back to Gardner's. read more

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We hadn't been to Gardners in many years- so we were excited for an old-school Olympia date night! They really missed an opportunity to create a cozy holiday atmosphere. Some twinkling lights and a tree or two, heck a wreath even, would have put us in a celebratory mood- but the interior was dull and too brightly lit to be cozy, much less festive. The baked oysters appetizer was delicious and definitely the star of our meal! Delectable! We should have stopped there and gone somewhere else for dinner. The Cioppino was in a thick marinara and the seafood was- okay. Very disappointing in taste and quality at a $41 entree price. We shared a piece of cake for dessert, which was large and had a nice flavor- but was very dry. It'll probably be another 15 years before we try it again! read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Baked oysters - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Indeed might be the best restaurant in Oly. The French onion soup was out of this world. We shared an appetizer of bureaus with fresh tarragon, crispy prosciutto, balsamic and the flavor combo was great. Hubby loved his lamb chops and I had four big plump and tender scallops that were out of this world. Great combo of flavors on all dishes. Amaretto creme brûlée was a star read more

Gardner's Restaurant - Scallops were perfectly executed - Seafood Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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**This review is based on a takeout order** We are in Olympia for a couple days and I found this highly rated restaurant on yelp. Due to Covid concerns we did takeout. I must say service wise this is excellent. We originally ordered lasagna, seafood trio, a side flat bread and a side veggie dish. Soon after we placed the order online we got a call from the restaurant. They informed us that the two main dishes come with bread and brussel sprouts, and asked if we still wanted the side dishes. WOW - totally impressed by this. Never had a restaurant that informs me I'm ordering duplicate stuff! Overall the dishes tasted okay, but seafood trio in my opinion is overrated and overpriced. The seafood tasted fine but definitely overly salty broth. read more

Service was what you'd expect, not great not bad, just doing their job, which is fine. The food is pretty decent when you pay Tapas Tuesday prices but if I paid full price I'd be upset about the food. What really ruined this visit was the Classic barrel aged old fashioned. I'm noticing more and more places are doing stupid things with old fashioned's, it's cool, I avoid them whenever I see "smoked s'mores old fashioned" or "sweet tea old fashioned." An old fashioned is bourbon, bitters, a touch of sweet and the essence of a citrus peel. So many places throw a whole piece of fruit in there like it's a spody. So when I saw the word "classic" in front of their old fashioned at Gardener's, I ordered without following my own protocol to inquire about how they make it. When it arrived with a whole slice of fruit in it, my heart sunk. One drink confirmed what I already knew, another place doing some over sweet hipster bullshit old fashioned. It had so much sugar in it, that's all you could taste. An old fashioned is for someone who likes the taste of bourbon. Ruined my whole meal sadly. read more

My husband and I had wonderful dinner at Gardner's this evening. The staff was very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere was inviting and classy without being over the top. Everything was fresh and the flavors were balanced from start to finish. Would definitely recommend for a special night out. read more

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I can't believe it had taken me so long to try this Olympia gem! The service was top notch and the ambiance was lovely. The food was excellent- a menu developed by people who clearly love food and know how to cook. I'll be returning soon. read more