We had an incredible experience last night for our wedding anniversary. The staff did so many little things to be attentive and celebratory that made the night very special and memorable. And the food and cocktails were so amazing. It was truly a fantastic time. read more

This was our second visit to Nell Thorn, and it was even better than the first. We sat outside and had Gregory as our server, and he provided fantastic recommendations that made our experience even more enjoyable. We started with the sourdough bread paired with the spiced herb olive oil, and also added the tomato basil dip. Both were absolutely delicious and complemented the bread perfectly. For our entrée, we split the cod and chips, which was the perfect amount of food for two and cooked beautifully. The outdoor patio created a great atmosphere, and the service was exceptional from start to finish. We'll definitely be back--even if it means making the drive all the way from Kirkland, Seattle! read more

Nell Thorn Restaurant & Pub - Cod & Chips / Bowl of Tomato Basil Soup - New American Near Me - La Conner, Washington

This place is in a great location with waterfront views. They have their own parking. We sat inside near the bar but they had plenty of outdoor seating. The service was prompt. They have a good wine list and lots of seafood options. We ordered the fried oysters, the smoked chicken salad and a burger. We thought the oysters had too much breading so not something I would order again. The other 2 items were good. read more

Nell Thorn Restaurant & Pub - New American Near Me - La Conner, Washington

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My wife and I came here for dinner on a two night stay in LaConner. We had made reservations online from home a couple of weeks before our visit...5:30 p.m. on a Friday night. We were immediately seated out on the deck and started with a couple of house cocktails: Commencing Countdown for me (can't recall the ingredients, but I thought it was unique and delicious, like drinking a chilled green Thai Tom Ka Gai soup), and an Olivia for my wife (vodka, mango, lemongrass, dry vermouth, lime, soda water), which she said was rather meh. Each drink was $13. We needed those to wash down the most delicious, crispy large order of Truffle Fries ($13) we've ever had. I'd return just for the fries and drinks or wine. For dinner, my wife chose the Dungeness Crab Pasta ($39), wild Dungeness crab, chili flakes, organic spinach, gentian, rose, grapefruit, saffron butter sauce, house semolina spaghetti, shallots, garlic sourdough breadcrumbs, evoo. I had the Halibut ($52!!), seared wild Alaskan halibut, pea vines, watermelon radish, wild yellow chanterelles, parmesan risotto, saffron beurre blanc. Both entrees were excellent and perfectly prepared. Along with our meal we had a delicious bottle of Grochan Cellars Oregon Melon de Bourgogne (similar to Pinot Blanc) for $42, which accented the food quite well. Total bill before tip was $187...far more than we usually spend for dinner. Service was fine; my only complaint: with a fine meal like this, I would expect the server to offer to continue pouring our wine throughout the meal, but that didn't happen. read more

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Hungry for pasta? Located in a sleepy, quaint, white & whitewashed town with Native American names but not a single American Indian or non-white person in sight (was only Asian couple, felt a bit uncomfortable with kids of white family staring), there's actually a decent restaurant serving Pacific Northwest style cuisine. The vibe is moderately upscale/business casual, white table cloth, good choice for a nice date with a water inlet view but also can be family friendly; noise level was moderate; friendly & attentive staff; quality ingredients; hand-made pastas; short list but adequate wine selection (would've preferred more local WA wines especially for a restaurant that boasts farm-to-table local sources). Reviews pointed to Dungeness crab pasta. Pasta was al dente but cream sauce was salty in combination with the crab. I also tried the prawn pasta, which was excellent. If you're looking for authentic Italian pasta, Nell Thorn isn't a Nonna's kitchen. Limited free parking lot; reservations recommended although I got a table right away without one; seafood with handmade pasta is not cheap, small portions, not great value but tasty. Glad I tried but will look elsewhere next time in La Connor. read more

Moved from old location to bigger and better spot with it's own parking lot classy new.look with waterfront.view oh be.sure to try.the."food" --Nell's Bread @$6 is the.perfect crunchy with a.soft.interior @$6 / Seafood.chowder cup @$10 could.be.dinner however don't stop.there try the unique Caesar salad @$11 for half salad can add 7 fried.oysters for $10 and the Pan roasted chicken breast @$35 or Dungeness Crab Pasta @$39 both with saucing that.make.my mouth water top it.off with the Berry Trifle with fresh seasonal berries/ short.bread/and dreamy lemon sauce @$14 (more.that.enough for 4 folks) plus make sure you get the Organic Tony's.coffee @$5 so you don't fall.asleep on your way home-(insider tip eat in the bar area and ask for water view in one of.the.booths)--Cheers.al read more

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August 12, 2025 - La Conner, WA We had a wonderful lunch on the dog-friendly patio overlooking the waterfront. Our server was Melissa, and she was friendly and welcoming. We ordered the Wagyu Burger ($24) with a side salad to split. They charge a $2 split fee, which I prefer over bringing out one meal and an extra plate. The Wagyu Burger is the best burger I have had in a long time. The meat was cooked a perfect medium, and was served with caramelized onions, white cheddar, a most delicious truffle aioli, and a wonderful house made brioche bun. Yum. I was almost sorry I split this one. But that left room for dessert...a luscious chocolate mousse served with whipped cream and a macaron. read more

Nell Thorn Restaurant & Pub - August 12, 2025 - Waygu Burger with side salad (split). So good! - New American Near Me - La Conner, Washington

The service was prompt and the waitress friendly. I had a lamb burger; outstanding! We had a table with a view of the river, which was very scenic. Highly recommend this restaurant for the food, the ambience and the service. We will be back! read more

Always delicious and fresh. They have more than fish, but I definitely recommend any of the fish dishes as they are cooked perfectly. Pictures are of the crab pasta, duck with mushroom pasta, and the beef short ribs. read more

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Being the only Asian women, we were repeatedly steered to the worst tables (by the bathroom, then a corner without shade), while every decent table was "reserved" yet stayed empty... that pattern is glaring. This is a classic microaggression called "table dumping" - steering non-white guests to less visible, less desirable sections. We were not treated equally. We had a reservation, we were polite, and we asked multiple times before a manager finally relented. We hope your host staff is trained to seat all reservations equitably, not based on appearance. ·We were the only Asian women in the restaurant, and it was impossible not to notice the stark difference in how we were seated versus every other guest. read more

Fabulous food, service, atmosphere. The staff at Nell Thorn is very informative about the food, wine and cocktails. They offer suggestions based on diet restrictions or something you might not like. They are always there to make a suggestion and offer help but are not hovering. So nice to see a restaurant with so much help. The food is fresh; everything picked or caught from the same day. Ask to be seated at a window table. It's lovely to view the river while you are dining. Highly recommend this wonderful restaurant. read more

Nell Thorn Restaurant, La Conner, WA - August 12, 2025 We sat on the patio with our dog Sophie. Our server's name was Melissa. She fell in love with Sophie. We didn't go inside of the restaurant, but outside looking in looked nice. The outside patio is right on the waterfront and it's enjoyable to watch boats go by. We split a wage cheese burger with a salad - $2 split fee. I ordered a house made ginger beer and my wife got a tasty glass of Benziger Running Wild Chardonnay. Everything was dedelicious. read more

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After making our dinner reservation a week ago, we were looking forward to experiencing this restaurant. When we promptly arrived for our reservation, we were told there would be a 10 minute wait to be seated. 15 minutes passed and when we inquired about being seated, we were told the server said she wasn't ready for us to be seated because she was still dealing with a large group. When I asked how long our additional wait time would be, I was told that it was uncertain. We received no apology or acknowledgement of the inconvenience. I have never experienced anything like this in a nice restaurant that generally receives highly favorable reviews. So weird and disappointing. The menu looks great - too bad we didn't get to try anything. read more

We had dinner last night. The Bolognese and Shrimp pasta were excellent and the service was great as well

Oh, how I wish the food rated as highly as the service and atmosphere! We visited for a Tuesday lunch. Perhaps the kitchen wasn't well staffed? Loved the setting, the view and the parking. The server was very pleasant. I asked if each couple could get a check. Then ordered the truffle fries for the table as an appetizer. The fries were ok. The aioli tasted like plain mayo, and there was not a hint of truffle to be found. Very disappointing. Do they use truffle salt? Truffle oil? Who knows, you could taste nothing. Our friends each tried a pasta. The crab pasta was so very salty she couldn't eat it. Additionally she thought there wasn't much crab in the $39 lunch dish. We were more than half way through our entrées when the server stopped by. She offered to have another portion made for her with less salt. My friend declined that offer. The other pasta ordered was the bolognese, and they liked the flavor but thought the pasta too al dente to enjoy. I had the large ceasar salad. The best part of it was the very crispy little gem romaine. It was treated very well. However, it had no real flavor. It tasted like a salad tossed with mayo and parm. Garlic? Anchovy? I did get 3 croutons in that large salad. My other had the wagyu burger. He thought it was cooked well to order, but had a hard time keeping it together as he ate it. He paid extra to have a side salad instead of accompanying fries. Unfortunately, he chose the ceasar dressing and had no interest in it after the second bite. Btw, when we got the checks, the fries were spilt between the 2 bills. We left it that way instead waiting for new checks. But I thought I was pretty clear when I asked for separate checks that I was ordering that item for the table to share as an appetizer. I expected it to be on my check. read more

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This is probably our 5th time to Nell Thorn and every time it is a great experience. The food is always well executed and the service is always great. Great atmosphere as well. Definitely one of the best restaurants north of Seattle. read more

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We enjoyed our first time here last week. Wanted to bring our close friends to experience what we did. We ordered Nell's bread, labneh, truffle fries, salade nicoise, Dungeness crab pasta, spaghetti polpetta, bolognese, crème brûlée, vanilla ice cream and licorice ice cream, nitro espresso martini, and lots of cocktails and soda. We all left completely full and satisfied. They gave us a table next to the water front window. Last night was perfect in every way possible read more

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I've been going here for the last five years and somehow Nell Thorn has leveled up! The halibut was better this time than anytime before and believe me...that's saying a lot. This restaurant has been my favorite place this side of the Mississippi for years! Tonight, every single thing has been improved upon. The bread, phenomenal. Crunchy crust but a perfect texture on the inside. The oysters were cold, fresh, and shucked to order. The halibut was pan seared perfectly golden with a béchamel, served over Meyer lemon risotto. This dish could not be more balanced with the addition of the sweet peas. The ribeye is as perfect as always. Superb cut of meat, prepared perfectly, with a demi glaze and seasonal vegetables. To cap the evening off, the decadent cheesecake and huckleberry compote provided a rich and delicious "not overly sweet" combination with the perfect compliment of whipped cream. The crème brûlée boasted a creamy custard and perfectly burnt sugar top layer. Service is always impeccable. Friendly and knowledgeable staff who have been there for years. Ambiance is quiet. Nice but not formal, and very well decorated. I don't know how they keep getting better, but Nell Thorn has once again knocked it out of the park. read more

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There are creative cocktails and good food to be found at Nell Thorn, albeit for a price. Come flush and plan to spend for the best experience. Reservations are key, especially on busy weekend evenings. The patio is worth the wait in the warmer months, but the dining room is comfortable too. Service can be chilly and there are occasional miscommunications between bar and service staff, though quickly resolved. Servers sometimes lack wine list knowledge, and food service can be arhythmic, with apps and entrees hitting the table randomly. That's the missing star. A little team building and training could go a long way here. Go for the pasta dishes - they make their own noodles, and they do it right! Recommended. read more

The service was amazing, they paid attention, without being bothersome... The menu changes every day. They have a decent wine selection, however they missed on the whisky selection.. It is a place that you can come somewhat casual, but I would recommend business casual... I wish they would have table cloths, but that is an added expense. The food was delicious, I had the duck, and a Caesar salad, with anchovies, and an appetizer... with the wine, for one person, was about $100. They have a parking lot, and street parking... I do recommend reservations.. read more

What a lovely experience! I went here on a Friday night and was a able to make a sunset reservation the same evening. We were seated outside and once it got a little chilly, our server was able to move us in, which was nice. We got the hibiscus tea, which was really strong and had a cinnamon spice to it. I loved it! The star of the show was the polenta. WOW! So crispy with a wonderful creamy sauce over it. Such a wonderful starter. Both of us got seafood salads and they were pretty good. Didn't blow our minds but definitely filled us up and had great local ingredients. We loved the vibe and felt like this was a lovely option for our dinner out in La Conner! read more

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We were a family group of 6 adults and 2 well-behaved young children for Mother's Day. We had a reservation and the serving staff was friendly, professional and accommodating. Our meal was good though prices are high, portions were on the small side, and the kitchen was a bit heavy handed with the salt which was a common thread through our appetizers and entrees. There is no children's menu and truffle salt coated the fries so they were not appealing to young palates. We ordered 4 appetizers shared around the table, bread (excellent but not included with the meal), a single soup, 6 entrees, and 9 cocktails (two with no alcohol). The bill came to just over $600 before tax and tip. read more

We had a 2:15 reservation. The hostess brought us to a table, we politely asked if could sit at the window. No. Both tables were for four. We waited 15 minutes for water and a waiter. He came and we said we ready to order. We ordered and then were told, sorry you can't order off the menu but we could get an appetizer or a salad. No one had told us that we couldn't order lunch. He said that the hostess should have told us that when we came in. Well, honestly she was too busy being snotty to tell us anything. We left at that point. It's always been a favorite restaurant but not anymore. read more

Cute sea-town restaurant featuring fresh local grown food. Sitting on a doc that leads out to the sound. Service was great, got the cook wrong on the burger we ordered, they were quick to make it right. read more

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Wonderful food for every taste & preference. Upscale presentations and meals with a casual vibe. Excellent service and wonderful location along the channel. Highly recommend for date night, family or friends! read more

First the good. The food is really good. I have no complaints about the tastes or the way the food was prepared. The restaurant was clean and very nicely done. Okay now to the bad. The service we received on a slow Friday night was horrible. I have gotten better service at ihop. We got seated and our waitress came over twice. Once to take our drink order and then our regular order. This took all of 10-15 minutes. She then disappeared for 50 minutes. Food didn't come to us until over 1 hour had passed. And it was cold because it sat on the pass for so long. We never got an apology or explanation. Then she was right back with the bill. Basically, we were made to feel very uncomfortable by her. She never even introduced herself at all, I had to do that part. It was like she hated us for even being there. read more

While driving through La Conner, we stopped by Nell Thorn for brunch, and while it was unplanned, it was a great choice. The restaurant is right on the Swinomish Channel and even has a parking lot. Do get the bread - it's definitely worth a few $$ and I still dream of the chewiness and the butter. For brunch, the corned beef hash was really good with a nice ratio of protein and carbs, topped with two perfectly poached eggs. Unfortunately, the carb to protein ratio was off on the reuben as the bread was quite thick. The arrabbiata was also very good with the eggplant. The burger was also solid. Do make reservations as this place gets very busy. Service is friendly and solid. Overall, a great stop in a great town - can't wait to come back when it isn't pouring down rain and also sit outside. read more

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Sitting in the quaint town of La Conner. Nell Thorn is truly spectacular. No where else on that peninsula will you find such excellent staff and such delicious food. For starters the ousters are briny and wonderfully fresh. Also, the bread is simply excellent. The main event though is the halibut. The best halibut I have ever eaten. A crispy crust and delicate meat means it is absolutely superb. The views of the channel next to it just add to the magical atmosphere. The desserts also help to end an absolutely superb meal. read more

Nell Thorn Restaurant & Pub - The greatest ever halibut. - New American Near Me - La Conner, Washington

Food it's great. However, service today kinda drop a little, will see next time. Hopefully they get better. read more

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I don't know how you could possibly give this restaurant a poor review. You definitely get what you pay for here. Their food is delicious. I got the Pan Roasted Chicken Breast, everything about this dish was delectable. I LOVED their sourdough and olive oil appetizer too-so simple but perfect. The lighting and atmosphere were so relaxing and enjoyable. The fries are awesome, steak, AND the service is great. The staff is so attentive and kind. I highly recommend to anyone who wants to treat themself, or taste some of the best food in Skagit Valley. I could go on and on. Thank you, I'll be back very soon! read more

I would give a zero if I could. This place looked nice inside and was great to watch sunset in warmth. When we walked in party of 3 one being my 7year old. I was met with snooty attitude and asked if I had reservations. I asked do I need them? He said no. Then why ask?! They were dead and I felt judged and the staff would look at us and laugh. It was a really uncomfortable environment and we ended up leaving because of the way the staff was. I'm sorry but the staff does not know how much I have in my bank account (they are pricey) and I felt they were judging us enough to make us leave. We went across the street to the brewery and had amazing food, service, and environment. I would not recommend this place to anyone! read more

Delicious! The parsnip soup was divine! The bolognese? Amazing! Beet salad? Delish! We popped in for lunch and will be back for sure.

Great food. Great view, and service. I loved it I came for brunch, and I will be for dinner soon read more

Really enjoyed my meal of spaghetti and meatballs. The view was lovely and staff attentive.

It was delicious and the vibe and service are amazing. Came here for my birthday which i personally enjoyed.

The absolute Best in beautiful LaConner to eat..have been there ,at least 50 times..food,service consistently outstanding..Recommend highly to ALL!! read more

Attended on a Tuesday night, so not too busy in the restaurant. Server was Trish D. Great service and knowledge of the menu. The restaurant was out of one of the dishes for lack of ingredients.... We had the cispy polenta topped with mushrooms and herbs and the bolognaise dish. Both top notch. Look forward to returning again. read more

Call first! we drove from Seattle have lunch at Nell Thorn's. They were supposed to be open but they were closed. Had no idea we needed to call to see if they were actually open. Long way to go for nothing. read more

Another excellent meal here. The atmosphere is so inviting and relaxing. It's the food that shines here with fresh, often local ingredients. This time, the squash agnolotti and the salmon were both standouts. read more

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Wonderful food, service and location. Honestly the best meal we've eaten out in a long time. Ordered the sourdough bread with olive oil, clams, caesar salad, and fries. Everything was WOW. Great flavors and textures, fresh ingredients. The staff were all very friendly and you can't beat the waterfront view. Will definitely return! read more