We were in Olympia for a visit to The Evergreen State College and since we were in town, a stop at…read moreState & Central was mandatory. We've eaten here several times over the years, this was the first time we eat dinner here. Fam. Let me tell you, the very reasonable lunch size portions? They're significantly bigger on the dinner menu. Almost disturbingly so Being able to get a selection of interesting regional beers is always a draw, tonight was no exception. And the pretty good lunch menu is expanded for the dinner hour - as well as the portion sizes being expanded. I ordered the fish and chips, my partner ordered the bar steak (which was New York strip), and her daughter ordered the salmon burger with fries. Because it was a special, we also got a giant order of poutine. Despite being in almost at closing, the service was absolutely spectacular. We very nearly had the place to ourselves, so the overall vibe was very homey and welcoming. As noted, the portions were enormous. I opted to finish my fish at the expense of the chips. My partner wound up with a significant take home portion as did her daughter. Couldn't possibly have been happier about our decision to stop in. Since we seem to have a new Greener in the family, I'm sure that we will be in Olympia significantly more frequently. And frankly, I am pretty happy about that, just based on being able to stop in here on the regular again.

My daughter lives within walking distance to this restaurant for almost a year but we had never…read morestopped in until now. Our bad! It's actually a solid pub grub. We walked in at about 5:30 on a Thursday and it was busy but still had a few open tables. We were greeted warmly by our server. She recommended the blackberry margarita and we both said yes please! It was delicious. I got the Juicy Lucy and my kid got the Chili Burger which is open faced. They both were pretty good. The total before tip came to $74. The reason I knocked a star off is because the few available tables when we arrived were all dirty, one with plates and cups still. Another thing I see now looking at my receipt is that the burgers were both 50 cents more than what it says on the menu. $1 more is not huge but I don't like the feeling of the "wool being pulled over my eyes". Especially when the burgers are already $20 each. That's a lot of money even during these days we are living in. Will probably come back here, I might need to hit the casino on the way there to pad my pocketbook first though.

Sat 11:30 am - no reservations. Restaurant not too busy. The…read moreolder female hostess was not welcoming to us or the party of 2 that walked in behind us. I've encountered her before -- she isn't rude, just not at all welcoming. She asked us to wait for a moment for'something' which turned out to be stocking water bottles and napkins. We felt like an intrusion to tasks she could've worked on after seating us. We asked to sit on the patio in the sun - she seemed annoyed by this but acquiesced. The patio was quaint and the weather helped make it enjoyable. We were greeted by our server (wish I had her name - older lady in tie-dye shirt) she was welcoming, helpful with the menu, and very friendly! We ordered cocktails and brunch and enjoyed both! Dishes (Smoked Salmon Lox & Goats do Roam Tart) & Drinks were all good - see photos for more info. So go -- get past the hostess and you'll enjoy the rest!!! PS - I do remember from a past visit, the Beignets were good!

Octapas Café was an outstanding dining experience and one of those places where every dish seemed…read moreto hit the mark. We started with the patatas bravas, gambas pil pil (butter garlic shrimp), oysters (both raw and cooked), and a hummus platter, and everything was excellent. The true standout, however, was the smoked salmon Alfredo--an absolutely incredible dish and one of the best pastas I've had in a long time. We added some chopped jalapeños for extra heat, but honestly, it was fantastic even on its own. The dessert was equally impressive, with a cake that was incredibly moist and the perfect way to end the meal. The wine selection deserves special mention as well. They offer a great variety of Spanish wines that pair beautifully with the menu. Service was fast, friendly, and attentive throughout our visit. The atmosphere is one of Octapas Café's biggest strengths. The restaurant features a beautiful, spacious dining room, plenty of outdoor seating, and even a private event space for larger gatherings and celebrations. Whether you're stopping by for tapas, seafood, pasta, or wine, Octapas Café delivers a memorable experience from start to finish.

BRING YOUR WALLET... 2 at 5pm no reservation. Hostess wasn't…read morepresent but a kitchen staff, taking a break, jumped up quickly and warmly greeted us - the hostess came right after. She was pleasant and sat us in the sunshine on the patio. I was sad to see so few patrons. I will review the best part first: THE COCKTAILS: The spirits and craft cocktail selection was huge / the beer & wine not so much. My Old Fashioned was perfect! Food: Seafood Rosé Pasta (bay scallops, shrimp, northwest manila clams, rosé prosecco cream sauce, grilled bread) -- inconsistent cook on the different seafoods & the sauce was meh. Not worth $42.00 Grilled Romaine Salad (white balsamic bleu cheese dressing, gorgonzola, cherry tomatoes, aleppo toasted hazelnuts) -- plenty of romaine, could've been grilled longer / not much quantity of tomatoes or toasted hazelnuts -- basically a "side salad" for $15.00 Lobster Bisque (house smoked tomatoes, roasted red pepper, cream, butter poached langoustine lobster) -- tasted more like roasted tomato / red pepper soup (no lobster or seafood flavors) - there were 4 small pieces of poached?? langoustine lobster on top - I question poached because the pieces definitely had a bite to them. Worth $15.00 -- no. Due to reviews we had the Baklava Crumble (pistachios, honey, vanilla ice cream) -- basically cut up (very chewy, not crispy) baklava tossed over ice cream for $14.00 -- maybe a bad night for this dessert? We like to support small Olympia businesses and will go back for cocktails but the food costs are too high - we don't mind high costs IF we come away satisfied - unfortunately the food didn't measure up to the cost. As we drove away, we saw the "Budd Bay Cafe" was very busy - I think next time we'll have cocktails at Cynara, then cross the street for food and wine. We were intrigued with the "Clam Chowder Entrée" which is served à la minute (Washington manila clams, bacon, cream, celery, roasted potatoes, grilled bread) -- is it a deconstructed chowder?? $33.00 Sorry no pics.

Had a very nice happy hour experience this week. It was my first time coming here and was told it…read morehad a great happy hour. There are. Handful of small plates available for happy hour with the purchase of a drink. I got the onion burger, shrimp skewer, and asparagus. The burger was juicy and a great size. It also came with a handful of matchstick fries. I really enjoyed the shrimp skewer as well. My friend tried the lobster bisque. The soup was delicious, but it was more of a tomato soup with chunks of lobster. Will definitely go back for dinner some time. They also had a great selection of whiskey. I also really enjoyed the ambiance.

Are you looking for mellow ambiance with delicious bar food?…read moreLook no further. Friendly staff, easy seating, and delicious menu and bar options. Easy pay options. Parking can be a little tricky. Come here every time I come to Olympia.

This is definitely our favorite place in Olympia! We always feel welcome here and the food is…read morealways fantastic! It feels like a local bar, the staff seem to know most of the people coming in which is so fun! Today we tried the meatball sub and Italian grinder. Both were over the top delicious! This place is a must if you're in Olympia! Come hungry!

What a great find! Such a yummy Pastrami sandwich and Romaine green salad. The stand out is the…read moreService! Robin and Chris are excellent customer representatives and geniully care about your expierence.

Great people, good food and very good selection of beer. I made new friends. Just a fun bar.read more

Tucked away in Olympia, this place has such a chill vibe with the water view. Amazing service and…read morethe food was great for brunch. Was celebrating a birthday and arrived at the table with a birthday banner on table and a huge signed card. They bring you fruit and muffins to start which is an added treat.

Our first visit was disappointing…read more A friend and I stopped in for happy hour on a Wednesday. When we arrived, no one was at the host stand. I asked the bartender if we should seat ourselves, and she asked whether we wanted the dining room or bar. After I mentioned it was our first time, she simply turned away without offering any guidance. A woman who appeared to be a manager seated us and said she'd bring menus right away, but they never came, so we had to get them ourselves. The bartender was responsible for both the bar tables and making drinks for the dining room, which seemed like too much for one person. We waited quite a while before anyone came to take our order. When I asked another server if she could send the bartender over so we could order before happy hour ended, she rolled her eyes. We shared the steamers, smoked crab dip, wild mushroom arancini, and steak bites with frites. I had a lemon drop cocktail, and my friend had a rosé. Everything was delicious except the steak bites, which were severely overcooked. Unfortunately, the prices are very high--even for happy hour. Given the cost and the poor service, it's hard to see this as a place we'd return to for a casual meal or drinks. It's a shame because the food had a lot of potential.

I take everyone who visits me in Olympia to this place for their burger. Hot dang, just thinking…read moreabout it makes me salivate like a dog with a bone. They don't charge an arm and a leg for the 'burg, either, like SOME places do. Beer selection is good, especially the ciders. Something for everybody. There's live music pretty often too. Service is stellar. Helpful staff, friendly like. My old lady ordered a drink and was accidentally poured the wrong beverage. The 'tender apologized and offered to let us have the correct libation along with the mis-poured soldier--no charge. Now THAT'S service. I'll see you again, Ilk Lodge.

Mr. Crankypants and I had wanted to check this out for a while. We hit it on a Saturday evening on…read moreour way home from Bluegrass from the Forest. Aside from pizza, a burger and fries are Crankypants' favorite meal. This one he pronounced good, but not as good at his favorite (insert name of a nice casual dining restaurant in downtown Oly that opened at the height of the pandemic). I wasn't feeling all that bread, so I had a Caesar salad with a burger patty on top. If you're gonna serve a Caesar, it needs to be real (ie, at least a hint of anchovies for the umami). This one was pretty bland and the croutons needed to be crisper with more garlic and butter. They definitely deserve extra credit for sourcing local grass fed, grass finished beef. It's more expensive but it's better for you and the planet. I love really fresh cut fries with the skin on, and these would have been perfection, if they had only been served hot from the fryer. Finally, the beer: I had a pale ale that was just OK. Crankypants felt the same about his. Their glasses are really nice and enhance the pleasure of sipping. It wouldn't take much for this to move up to a 4 star destination. For that reason, we'll probably try it again sometime next year.

This place was hopping. I'm not usually into the club scene or loud music, but my SIL loves hanging…read moreout there and says the music is banging, so we thought we'd check it out. That house band is amazing! So much fun doing covers. We just chilled in a booth and soaked in the vibe. Will definitely be back because the music is great.

I've booked two larger parties here and the staff are so accommodating! It's easy to call and make…read morea reservation. Everything is setup before you even arrive. For reference, one event was 32 people and the other was 14. No complaints or fussy staff. The drinks are yummy. The burgers are to die for! Most of their food is pretty good, but I definitely recommend the burgers. They do live music here most weekends. Cover starts approximately 2 hours before the shows start. If you don't have cash, they have an ATM inside. Most of the staff are super nice. Nicole has been there most times I've been there and it's so great to see the boss taking orders and running food!