Best place ever. Period. Go watch a movie there after going to the pub, it's so much fun!!!!!!

McMenamins usually gets panned on Yelp since their lackluster service doesn't match with the visually appealing themes of each of their individual properties. Fortunately on the night I visited the North Shore Lagoon ("NSL"), the service, the food and the drinks were top-notch. The NSL is a rum-themed bar with that boasts the 2nd largest rum selection in WA state according to the friendly bartender who waited on me. This particular bartender was very attentive, he knew both the food and the drink menu really well and was willing to make very informed recommendations about both. Basically, he knew his stuff! For example, he let me know that the Zombie cocktail was the biggest bang for the buck even though it was $15. And while I'm always down for getting my money's worth I opted for the Mai Thai, which is their most popular drink. It came with a slice of pineapple, a lime slice, and a high-quality brandied cherry (not the maraschino crap some other bars serve with their cocktails). Combined with the great taste of the drink, these quality ingredients are how I distinguish a true cocktail bar. I also ordered a soda water alongside my cocktail since I prefer it to still water, and unlike some other places they didn't charge me for it. The fact that they offer this without charge is another reason I appreciate coming here, although admittedly it's a small gesture. For food I ordered the Mai Thai rice bowl with Tofu, which was a nice combination of fresh veggies, protein and rice in a coconut curry sauce that was perfectly cooked. They offer a variety of hot sauces to kick up the heat which complimented this dish well. The only issues that I experienced were very minor. The first is that the serving glasses were stacked high against the windows behind the bar, which obstructed the view of the pool. Also, there was another couple that had to ask the person at the host station for their check so I can imagine they may have experienced some of the lack of service other Yelpers have reported about other McMenamins. The bar is also very long and narrow so I'd imagine it would be hard for the wait staff to be extremely attentive at all times. I'll definitely be back to McMenamins to try out some of their other great cocktails and will be bringing some friends with me. I may even look into staying at the hotel next door since the overall experience is fantastic. read more

Wood shop. Cute vibes. Met up with a few friends, it wasn't very busy. Our waitress didn't check on us much and our drinks took over 15min to get to our table. The drinks were ok, not worth the wait tbh. It was the most expensive mule I've bought. I don't think we'll come back :( read more

Major disappointment! Came here with our family of 8 for Easter "Brunch". They used to have a great one, but now it's just breakfast in the Tavern. Took us an hour to get seated with a reservation for 1 pm. Finally seated.... the waitress came to take our order and said "I should let you know we're backed up 2 hours to get your food!" Wait....what?! Bad enough that it takes 2 hours to get your meal, but nobody told us when we checked in or were waiting! Needless to say, our family celebration was ruined. Used to enjoy McMenamins, but will never be back. Obviously have some management issues. May also explain why the host staff was so poor. Unbelievable! read more

The tator tots were pretty delicious! Really wanted to try the kung pow cauliflower but they don't have it anymore which is confusing because so many people rave about it. The mai tai was the best drink in my opinion between that, the pain killer and the mint drink (sorry I forgot the name).. Great view of the pool! Loved to feel the ambiance from the pool and the light. The smell of the pool created a surreal sense of being somewhere warm and tropical. The rest of the food that came out of the kitchen looked amazing. We were looking for something else to munch on to go with our drinks and after asking the waitress for an idea she responded with an snyde remark about us not knowing what we want and how was she supposed to know what we like. I was super shocked at her response. She seemed irritated and I understand it can be frustrating but if someone asks for a recommendation on an appetizer. I can't judge this place based on her being snappy.. their food and the rest of all of the other servers here at this place, everything else was awesome. read more

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Love this place. My friends and I came to McMenamins for a casual birthday celebration. We had gone to the Tavern on the Square first and were not impressed. We decided to come to the Lagoon to get another cocktail and some dessert. After looking at the menu, we decided we should have come here first. We felt safe in regards to COVID precautions. The ambiance is fun and tropical. We had already eaten dinner but we each got a dessert and a cocktail. Staff was great and attentive. My only complaints were that is was very cold in the area we were seated and my cocktail was incredibly strong. I know, I know, that doesn't seem like a bad thing but I couldn't finish it unless I wanted to uber home. We will definitely come here first next time. read more

Came here yesterday for lunch with my husband we drove 1 hour to check this place out and it didn't disappoint. The food was great. The cider was fantastic and the service was outstanding. Love the decor and how it over looks the pool. We will definitely be back. My only complaint was I wish there were a few more vegan options for me but other than that it was great. My hubby got the shrimp and sweet potato fries and he loved it. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Shrimp and sweet potato fries - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Restaurant was short staffed and so it took a while for orders to be taken and served. This is completely understandable. Everyone is working as hard as they can. However, certain staff and the manager were incredibly rude. We won't be going back any time soon. read more

Nothing about our trip made us want to ever return there. We were late to our reservation because there is not enough parking. we had to circle the complex several times and got luck that someone was leaving. When we got to our table, our server warned us that food was taking 45 minutes because they were so busy. Our food actually took 1 hour and 10 minutes. The food was not good. The brussels sprouts and pork belly dish - sprouts were mushy and the pork belly was tough. The ribeye steak was thin and tough. The cioppino had seafood in tomato sauce but no seafood flavor. We had no idea why it appeared to be so popular. read more

For Bothell residents this warm saltwater pool is FREE! Hotel guests, swim students, water aerobics, families and lap swimmers all share the venue. It used to be the school district pool but has been renovated to an almost resort-like settings--gorgeous lush tropical plants and tiki/Eastern Island theme. The lap swimmers stay to the far side, the moms & kids to the shallow end and the water aerobics at the opposite end. Warm (88-90 degrees) saltwater depth ranges from 2' 6"' to 4'10". The facility is not new. The dressing rooms show their age but supply 3-in1 shampoo/conditioner/body wash in the showers. Bring a lock for lockers or carry your stuff with you and place on hooks or benches surrounding the pool. read more

Tasty food, but the service was a bit slow. The burgers had awesome flavor and the tots were super good with Cajun spice. They were not too spicy at all, even for my kids. The double mini burgers on the kids menu were great for my 12-year-old since the meal actually filled him up. My other son got a free pepperoni pizza for passing his swim class. It had a good fire-roasted flavor. We had a cider to drink which was tasty, too. There is not a huge amount of choice in food or drink on the menu, but we have wanted to try this place out for awhile. Although it was more expensive than a regular restaurant, the food was high quality and it was worth it for a special treat. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Service from Cooper was fantastic, the Brussels sprouts appetizer is great, and the main dishes we had were excellent. The atmosphere was cute and fun. Definitely a place to visit. read more

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We stopped in for just a quick drink and to look around. Was really impressed at how different the atmosphere and decor of this mcmenamins itself was from all others. Even this bar was just a "wow" I loved it. Definitely one that stuck in my mind. It somewhat overlooked the pool, and is pretty busy. They have full menu, food, drinks, and cocktails. The staff was friendly and attentive. We had a good time, and I think anyone stopping through should stop on in :) it's hard not too, when you stop at this mcmenamins there's quite a few little bars inside the whole place, have to check this one out too! read more

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Of all the spaces/bars at McMenamins Anderson School - the North Shore Lagoon is my favorite of the bunch. The North Shore Lagoon is a tiki bar that looks over the pool and is located in the former gym of when it was a school. My friends and I came here after bar-crawling around the entire campus and I immediately liked the vibe at North Shore much better than the other bars we visited at Anderson School as soon as we stepped in. The place was much more intimate, quiet and didn't have a lot of families unlike the other bars. Though kids are still allowed here - it wasn't crowded with them. And please allow me to say I don't have a problem with kids, but bars that allow kids are not somewhere I feel completely comfortable drinking and relaxing when a baby is wailing in the background. Just not my scene. Drinks were pretty good here, as the menu offers tiki cocktails with fruity flavors and ol' classics like mojitos and pina colodas. They do also serve food here and have a private room in the back. But I just think it's cool that you look out to the pool, which actually looks like a fun place to swim, keeping with the tropical theme. Of all the spaces at Anderson School, this is the only bar I'd visit again. read more

My wife and I have been talking about coming here since the place opened but were put off by the negative Yelp reviews, however, tonight we decided to give the place a try and were definitely not disappointed. The decor is first rate, from the live banana trees out front to the subtle details that you will miss if you are not specifically looking for them. We started off with two classic tiki cocktails, the Jungle Bird and the Mau Tai, both were, large, excellent and at $11 each pretty reasonable. We then proceeded to dinner, Dragon Boat appetizers (spiced pork meatballs, pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro, fried shallots and sriracha mayo all in a lettuce leaf), followed by the Thai Chop salad with chicken for my wife and the Hawaii Five-O burger for me. The burger was great, cooked exactly the way I like it, and topped with grilled pineapple, ham and mango-habanero sauce. The salad was epic, being based on cabbage rather then lettuce and was large enough that my wife could not finish it all. After dinner was finished, we moved on to desert, I had the Kahlua Creme Brulee and my wife had the pineapple upside down cake. Both were pretty good, but the creme Brulee was not fully or properly caramelized on top so the shell was kind of chewy rather than the crisp, crunchy sugar shell on generally expects on a creme brulee. In general we had a really great time, there were, however, a couple of negatives. The first is that it took a long time to get dessert even though the place was adequately staffed and not that busy. Secondly, my wife, who had an excellent view into the kitchen did not like that the kitchen staff were not wearing uniforms and were not using hair restraints. Finally, one of the waiters who helped us had terrible B.O. which is something I absolutely detest. I would also like to say that Jacob the bartender was ultra-great and really worked hard to make sure we had a great time. read more

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This might be my favorite McMenamins restaurant so far! We are working our way through the Passport, and are almost done, so that is saying something! I LOVED that this place had a "mocktail" menu. The Coconut Pineapple drink that I ordered was absolutely delicious, and I wish that I could get it everywhere! I also really liked that they had some great seafood type specials, and I made sure to take advantage by ordering the Mahi Tacos. They definitely pulled off the tiki-esque ambiance, and it was pretty neat that the restaurant was overlooking the swimming pool. read more

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Came in just for desert after swimming at the pool below the restaurant and loved the atmosphere. Perfect for kids actually. Our waitress was casual and very nice. She recommended the Banana split and let me tell ya for $11 it was totally worth it. Huge with friend bananas. Would love to come back and try more of the menu. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Our server Katie was top-tier and we tipped generously to thank her for doing everything she could to make our lunch experience pleasant! Unfortunately every food item we ordered except for the truffle fries was subpar. We did not care for the shrimp and grits, the house salad with house vinaigrette, The donut pudding, or even the coffee. We will not be returning but sincere compliments to Katie for excellent service! read more

Love this place! Josh took fantastic care of our large group. The atmosphere is super comfortable and the food was great. Awesome to come here for some adult time while the kiddos swim too. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon is a great place for first dates & date night, a quiet place to relax and eat and meetings. Fantastic Tiki decor, superb attention to detail on this decorations & Design, warm & welcoming environment, free Wifi, lots of seating, friendly &knowledgeable staff, a nice view of the pool, yummy appetizers & meals, strong drinks & good local beers, quiet and most of all a very mellow & relaxing place to hangout at. Check out North Shore Lagoon on your next visit to Downtown Bothell. read more

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So I have a secret to share with you. It's one that I have been encouraged to not share. But it is just too good not to spill the beans to my favorite friends. It's the McMenamins Anderson School Pool and ... wait for it ... it's free to Bothell residents! How can it be we have lived here for five years and didn't know about this? Suzy and I grabbed our suits and visited yesterday. Note: your license must have your Bothell address on it to be able to get in free. The salt water pool was a balmy 90 degrees and there were only five people in the pool at 1 PM, 15 when we left at 2. The locker rooms were clean and nicely laid out. We decided to stop for a late lunch/early dinner and had some very tasty burgers, fancy little umbrella drinks (well, that's what I call them) after our swim. I'm now thinking we will want to do this every Wednesday in the morning after the laps are done. Here's their info page with pool schedule: http://www.mcmenamins.com/2132-anderson-school-pool-policies read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Swanky just doesn't cover it, what a lovely place. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

I have ventured here twice. The 3 stars are the end result of the two experiences. 4 Star - The first time I came here was after some wine tasting at a place or two with friends. In a panic to prevent a nasty hangover I requested we go somewhere where I can stuff my face with deliciousness. This was the closest place that could seat us reasonably quickly on a Saturday night. The service was a bit slow but I ordered a burger and fries and they were phenomenal. The burger was super greasy, as were the fries. This perfect combination allowed me to wake up hangover free. Bonus: the bathroom opens up right to the dining area. Convenient! 2 Star - The second time I came here it was with the family, for a Friday night dinner. They were able to seat us very quickly and we enjoyed the intimate atmosphere. I ordered the burger and fries due to the fond memories I had of eating them. Unfortunately, the grease was not as welcome this time around. In fact, it made me feel a bit ill. Also, the bathroom opening up right into the dining area is kind of gross; a better divider is advised. In conclusion, go here if you want to fight a potential hangover to experience the place at its best. read more

We had lunch here recently, it wasn't worth going back for the food itself, unfortunately. The pork banh mi was ok, the bread was too spongy and dense. The mac and cheese wasn't bad, except the smokey cheese they put in it overwhelmed the dish. If there were 4 other cheeses in there, I couldn't taste them. I thought the arugula would be on the side like a small side salad, it's put directly on top of the mac and cheese. Arugula with mac and cheese sauce on it was not doing the arugula any favors. The crispy topping on it was the best part. The wedge Caesar salad was the best of the table. I liked the addition of the tomatoes and cucumber. The garlic dressing was a bit bitter like perhaps they had burned the garlic a bit? The restaurant is overly dark, like pull out your cell phone to use as a flashlight to see your menu in the middle of the day dark. On the plus side, the staff was very nice and provided really good service. The swimming pool down below looks like it would be a blast. I could see this being a great place to bring your older kids to swim while you enjoy an adult beverage upstairs watching them below. read more

Perfect community hang out spot! Downtown Bothell with different choices for dinning and drinks.

This place is a Bothell gem. Awesome tiki bar tucked up above the pool. Great Mai Tai's or the standard McMenamins beers depending on your mood. Food has a South Pacific-Asian fusion vibe, my favorite is the Pork Belly Bahn Mi sandwich. The real reason this place rocks is it has the best service of all the spots on the Anderson School property. Being tucked up and out of the way it doesn't get as crowded. I want to give a shout out to Liz and Chelsea, when you come here regularly they truly treat you like family! read more

Great ambiance and food selection! Drinks are great too. Four stars because food quality is inconsistent. However if you are looking for a fun vibe, this is it. read more

The Ambience is amazing, kids friendly and also great for date nights, girls friends night out. Beautiful pool and nice tiki bar. That being said the food is average , not many chicken options but that wasn't the problem, the tandoori chicken was so god damn horrible. It was way too sweet and that's not how a tandoori chicken tastes like. The veg appetizers were average. Amazing cocktails though. Upside down cake a really yum. Wish they had more non veg appetizers. Service was quick and very friendly , if not for the food I would rate this place 5 stars read more

I'd give it 5 stars, but the HORRIBLE dogs they allowed on the patio really ruined the ambiance. Barking, lunging, pulling, jumping on wait staff... It was majorly cringe worthy and very uncomfortable to have my service dog around. Management, please put rules in place for pet dogs or stop allowing them completely. When my service dog is getting harassed by untrained and out of control pets, my health and safety is being put at risk and if my service dog gets hurt or misses a life-saving task because you guys won't kick out the badly behaved pets, I can sue the business in addition to the pet owners. So please, take precautions for the safety of your staff and customers and don't allow that type of behavior from customers' pets anymore. read more

No - every time I come here, I am frustrated I'm happy to pay the extra money because I live one mile outside Bothell proper. But a)the pool has been closed most times I've attempted to come due to too much fog/steam. I get requiring a parent for under 6....I would be in the pool too for that. But when I'm here w teens and they are not allowed in the water without me even tho a lifeguard is on duty, frankly I'm super concerned. What the what?? Your are not letting my teens swim because I'm watching from the upper window ??? But you won't let me have service in a non glass container?? Nor will you let my teens swim (with a life guard). What the what kind of insurance do you have ? 543 I a m an idiot!?????? I will come prepared for your idiot ness - as I am smarter than That - but I will also find out "who" insures you!! I no better than to be insured by idiots. Yes I do. Send that u read more

Really cool bar - very "authentic" tiki theme (no neon colored flowers or tiki faces here). I also enjoy the view of the pool. We went on a quiet Sunday afternoon and you could only hear an occasional splash. Not really meant for large groups - booths looked like they sat 2 but we found a table for 3. Food options looked pretty reasonable and the Kung Pao Cauliflower was FANTASTIC. Even my carnivore fiancé who hates cauliflower was scrapping the bottom of the pan. Reasonably priced for $7. Why not 5 stars? Service was SO SLOW. It was a quiet sunday and it took us quite a while to get a server, then a long wait for drinks + food + check. Just a lot of waiting around for a server here. Would like to try again. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - The view - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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I'm really happy I found this place! I live in woodinville and have never been to Anderson school before! I decided to give it a try this past weekend. I recommend going at happy hour. It's a little pricy on the regular menu. We got the sweet potato fries, and coconut shrimp. They were both so good!! The happy hour prices were great, we would have been a little disappointed with the portion size if we were paying full price. $11.50 for fries is a bit ridiculous imo. The setting is a tiki bar above a pool, it's fun and different. We got drinks and the cocktails are expensive ($12) but well drinks were like $6 so that was nice. We also got the brownie with caramel sauce and almond whip cream and it was sooo good! Our server was nice as well! read more

Ate here tonight in this dark restaurant. Waitress took our order and 40 minutes later we still had no food and she had not even checked on our table. Did not respond to our signaling her. Had to find someone else to help us. We were told the salmon was holding up our order. Salmon is easy and quick to cook but by the time our food came out pasta dish was cold and the $40.00 ribs were cold and tough. read more

Overall underwhelmed. $50+ for a pretty crappy experience. Ruby was good as always. The meatball appetizer was bland & overlooked. Ordered the Wilber (med to well) with a fried egg; I got a hard egg, overcooked charcoaled patty with stick like bacon. Completely under seasoned, heck even my oil vinegar dressing lacked any seasoning. My husband got the spicy tots, with a chicken burger. Again, dry, over cooked, bland. The only saving grace was the tots. Unfortunately the food was good compared to the service. No one at the door to greet you or a hostess. Took a while to get drinks, including water. Then after 30 min when we finally got to ask her how much longer she said "I just saw them coming up to the window, and was about to go get them". During this wait she passed our table at least a dozen times, never asked if I needed another drink or took the empty glass which I thought was weird. Then she dodged us after her window comment and avoided making eye contact for another 7-10 minutes while walking by and chatting with co-workers. We finally got our appetizers literally right before our meal and it was a pre-made meatball on lettuce with some carrot and daikon. Note to waitress: If you see the kitchen is taking a while, empathize and apologize for the wait. Offer to get them another drink since you are a brewery. Don't lie to your clients; it creates distrust. If our food was in the window I imagine you would have just gotten it If a plate is left empty and bare, it's ok to pick it up. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Wilber with green salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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Flexibility is the name of the game. You want to escape the Seattle dreariness and she wants to embrace the hygge? Done! North Shore Lagoon is cozy, tropical, and feels "away" from it all. They did a great job creating an environment that transports you. The slight humidity from the pool, warm, dim light, and tiki decor all add to the illusion. At the same time, you can enjoy your IPA and bacon burger without having to remove your fleece or flannel. It can be a bit busy, and if there is a line, it is worth noting that the line may reach down a fairly narrow set of stairs. Parents with car seats should be prepared for an arm workout while they wait! read more

i live 5 min away from this pool and they say they will not allow me to use this place because i do not live in bothell?

Probably the worst tuna I've ever had, hands down! If I wanted sauce instead of fish, I would have asked for it. At $20 a head, you'd think they would not use frozen fish, it tasted watered down. Just not what I call delicious! read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Look how much stuff they put in their tuna burger and it tasted like anything but tuna... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Loved this place! We pulled into this parking lot planning to grab lunch at McMenamins Tavern but then I saw a sign that said "Tiki" on it and I was immediately and happily distracted elsewhere. The entire property including a couple other restaurants as well as a small theater used to be a Junior High built in the 1930s. Now, the Lagoon is part pool, part bar and restaurant. When you walk in you'll see the massive pool which is open to guests of the hotel (the hotel isn't connected to the building and I didn't see it in the parking lot but it's there somewhere) and has hours for public swimming as well. It's decorated super cute, is heated and has Hawaiian music playing. Head upstairs and you'll find yourself in the bar and restaurant overlooking the pool. It reminded me of my favorite bar of all time, The Tonga Room in San Francisco. The decorations are dramatic without being cheesy, they really did a killer job with the Polynesian vibe. The bar is large with additional booth seating and the bar blends into the restaurant, again with plenty of seating and a cute little private back room with a large table (would be great for a family birthday). I wasn't expecting much from the food but I was prepared to be ok with that because I just loved sitting there, but I was super impressed with what we ordered. I had the Caribbean bowl which had rice, a coconut curry sauce, veggies, tofu and avocado. It was massive and so flavorful. My guy ordered one of the burgers (with mushrooms) and it was massive, although he ordered it medium and it was a little overdone. I would for sure come back here, they have all kinds of little events going on, local beers, good food, amazing ambiance and super good service. Total hidden gem. read more

McMenamins! At the Anderson School. Tiki Bar! Happy Hour Hour! Overlooking the pool. Great Onion Rings. Tiki Bar Geoff gives this bar 2 thumbs up. After an enjoyable time in the bar, we walked around the facility. They've done a great job on this place. Comfortable and whimsical. Great emphasis on local history. A hotel, with a full size pool. A brewery. A restaurant. A gift shop. Well done.! read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - It's aTiki Bar. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Service was friendly but food wasn't very great. We had the wings and the mini pulled pork bao sliders. We were going to order more but we just weren't very happy with what we did have. The atmosphere is very dimly lit and tiki bar style above the pool area. read more

For such a large chain you would think that they would not be out of so many items from the food menu as well as the drinks from the bar. I understand about being new but this is really poor. I would hope in the near future that the Lagoon will suceed in their new location. The first experience was not pleasant with slow service, out of menu items and inability for simple blender drinks for a major chain. Really? Maybe next time? I wonder if all the restaurants at the Anderson School House suffer from the same issue. read more

McMenamins North Shore Lagoon - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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