I had a shrimp linguine. Really yummy food, suuuuuper small portions! Literally 3 shrimp was all I got on top of a tiny pile of noodles and veggies. My husband had the duck, it was also a very small filet. Not worth the price for how much food you actually get to eat. read more

What a great place! The menu is au courant, with a wide variety of delicious-looking options, including salads, sandwiches, and noodle bowls. They definitely have all the right stuff, just need a little tweaking here and there. We had some minor seasoning issues with our lunch- my beef carpaccio salad had some beets that were perfectly seasoned, while other beets were way too salty to eat (and I like my salt!). We also ordered a cup of the daily soup special-- beef and vegetable-- and it came to our table lukewarm. And I don't think it had been salted at all. But otherwise it was a pleasant experience, beautiful interiors and extremely reasonable prices. I hope they are able to fine tune the seasoning of their plates and build up a solid following! read more

I didn't have have a good time. The crab cakes didn't taste like crab, too many ingredients that hid the flavor of Dungeness crab. The chicken and pasta was very good, most and flavorful. The service was only fair, with too many changes of who was a server and who was in charge. Most likely not repeat. read more

A friend had heard buzz about the bison burgers. We arrived and found everything on the menu sounded intriguing. Fresh, inventive, and adventurous. We enjoyed the fish tacos with cranberry relish and the lamb pot pie (both on the happy hour menu and a bargain) as well as an roasted root vegetable salad. And definitely can recommend the laced smoky old fashioned. read more

What an amazing surprise! Phenomenal food, complex flavors and great atmosphere. A hidden gem.

We were glad we found this place! delicious happy hours menu, good wine and beer list, super nice and friendly waiters and waitress! Everything we ordered tasted great, clams, chicken waffles, smoked salmon dips. read more

Had the pleasure of an awesome dinner with my wife at the Northwater ! We enjoyed the roasted cauliflower presentation is excellent flavor exceptional! My wife had the blackened salmon very tasty, and I had the shrimp pasta. Again presentation was awesome and a real treat! Don't be afraid to take a box to go because you should definitely save room for the Banana cream pie! Best banana cream pie I've ever had by far ! Great job guys!! read more

Place was recommended by my partners Dad who is a local. At first I was very skeptical as it's in a Holiday Inn near the airport. But the food blew me away. We got cauliflower starter- the homemade mint sauce was exceptional. Also had the Cesar and chickpea starter both top notch. Finished it up with bison burgers (we were hungry). Will def go again when in Bellingham read more

Northwater is a fairly new restaurant in Bellingham. The food is excellent and the ambiance is a little more upscale than what you typically find in Bellingham. They have a fantastic happy hour with really good prices (just be aware that happy hour ends at 6pm). Don't let the fact that it's inside a hotel and out by the airport deter you from going to this great restaurant. You won't be disappointed! read more

We were so disappointed today. Maybe it was just a bad day for them but reading all the reviews we had hoped for an excellent meal and it definitely wasn't. On the plus side, service was very nice and accommodating. The place looks very nice, spacious, pretty. Although I hear the bathrooms weren't very clean. The presentation of the plates was nice. Now for the rest.. We went for brunch. Squares of butter on the kids pancakes had a nice fingerprint on them. (and kids menu had a very poor selection) Poached eggs were completely cooked. Burger did not include the ordered cheese and was very dry. French fries tasted like frozen fries. Lettuce was shredded, definitely came from a bag. It is too bad, we really wanted to like it. We always try to see the positives and are not hard to please. Hopefully it was just a bad day, or some of the staff was missing? I don't know, but it left us disappointed. read more

Food was pretty good. Service was unquestionably the worst I have had in recent memory. Two tables in restaurant yet staff was totally overwhelmed at the thought of bringing water and silverware. Asked for help in the bar, none to give. Pack your patience before coming. read more

A hidden GEM!! Seriously the BEST CHICKEN AND WAFFLES I HAVE EVER HAD!!!! Quite possibly the best tasting food I've ever had. The bartender and wait staff were beyond sweet and friendly, with BOMB recommendations. I will be back specifically for those chicken and waffles sooner than later! read more

WOW!!! Tiny airport restaurant wasn't open yet, so we crossed the parking lot to the Holiday Inn, and had the best meal of our whole trip. Our server Dakota was exceptional, we had incredible burgers and salads and drinks. Seriously, if you are in Bellingham, get yourself over here! read more

Wowza! I've been here a few times now. The first being when I brought my managers in for Happy Hour. We ordered 1-2 of everything on the Happy Hour menu and there was nothing that was a disappointment. Also went with my husband and friends for dinner last night. The cocktails are outstanding, the food is so very tasty and creative and the service is impeccable! This morning was breakfast.... and again, so yummy! I ordered a spicy Ceasars (ask for a smoked ice cube in it and its heaven!). They offer house made bagels (which were just the right amount of chewy) with an herbed cream cheese and lox. Hubby had the breakfast sliders and he enjoyed them. The atmosphere is lovely and the team goes above and beyond to ensure you enjoy your experience. Well done Northwater! Keep up the good work! It's about time Bellingham opened a classy and friendly restaurant that serves creative morsels! read more

See all

What a pleasant surprise. Amazing food, some of the best dishes I have ever had. Service was fabulous. Food came out fast, and was just beyond delicious. This place is a hidden gem, attached to a Holiday Inn, but dont let that deter you. Really nice decor, clean and just perfect. read more

Fresh food, very new and clean place. Friendly staff, not crowded, great option near the airport.

Cool place on a nice day to sit outside for an appy and a drink. Good happy hour specials to share. Also went for lunch Caesar salad and drink and it was great as well. Check them out read more

This place has great food and drinks. The one thing they need to improve on is their speed of getting their food out to the table. We ordered and it took 45 minutes to get. Hmmm. It was worth the wait. I will be back. read more

Been here twice in the short time it has been open. Wife and I have had several of the happy hour items as well as dinner options. This is seriously good food without being pretentious or overpriced. All the staff in the restaurant is extremely enthusiastic, friendly, and very attentive. In my opinion it is the best food currently being served in the Bellingham area. read more

I had lunch here a couple of weeks ago and it was very good but this morning my husband and I went for breakfast because the lunch server the other day said that their biscuits and gravy was excellent. My husband is a biscuits and gravy guy. He wanted a little more gravy and was told that they only make it for each order so it would take a few minutes and he would be charged and extra $3.00. He decided that if he was going to eat the rest of the biscuit he wanted gravy on it. It is the first time he was ever charged for extra gravy and was not a happy camper. I ordered the pancakes and it would have been nice to have butter with them. The syrup was warm and good but I love butter on my pancakes and was afraid to ask for some as I didn't want to be charged extra for that too. We will not go back, which is sad because we kind of live in the neighborhood. read more

We got hungry waiting for our San Juan flight so decided to check out the new motel and see if it had a restaurant. According to yelp there was. This is a spanking new facility with a very nice restaurant. Easy walk from Bellingham airport terminal. Great friendly service and a good selection for any meal. We had the pulled pork specialty sandwich recommended by our friendly server, Ariel, and it was terrific. Tried the roasted cauliflower appetizer(hint-- plenty here for three!) and it was awesome! The meal was reasonably priced for this type of fare($$). Hope to return again when we are flying in or out... read more

Northwater - The pulled pork special !! Remains of the roasted cauliflower appetizer in the background. House made "ketchup" in the little bucket. - American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

This place was ok, it's located in the holiday inn, it's actually their in house restaurant. Clean ,spacious and great service. The food was good but I was bummed that they only served the Scottish eggs for lunch and dinner. read more

I want to give this zero so bad. 20 minutes for a drink. Raw calamari steak. Horrid steaks. Deviled egg app my grandma makes better. This. Was. Awful. We moved from the bar to the dining room because after waiting 15 minutes we were never brought menus or acknowledged, so honestly our bad- we should have just left. That was hands down the worst dining experience/food I have ever had. read more

Don't be fooled because this place is inside a hotel. The food had a variety of options, all which sound decadent and tasty. As a vegetarian, it's sometimes hard to find a fulfilling, nutritious meal; but not here! The cauliflower risotto was amazing. They have nice cocktails as well. Try the whiskey sour with a smoked ice cube! read more

Best breakfast in a long time! House-made bagels, English muffins, and packed-with-blueberries muffin. We had a bennie and a lox/bagel etc. Fabulous. Soothing modern decor and good service. It is new, that shows, but quite wonderful. I see the other reviews are for Happy Hour and the bar, so I am ready to go back soon for that! read more

Lackluster happy hour. We went after hearing a few very promising reviews, unfortunately we did not feel the same. We didn't try any food after being so disappointed with the drinks, however I don't think we'll be back to try it. read more

I LOVE the food here!! They also have a great atmosphere for small groups or large.

Just drinks. Decided we would check this place out for an after dinner drink. I found the hostess and servers to all be very nice and attentive. I thought the lighting and some of the decor were cool, but the tables and chairs seemed cheap and institutional. They made the place feel cold. I ordered a drink from their list, one with tequila that was spicy and sweet. My husband ordered gin and tonic. The place was crowded, and the noise level was a bit much. In the end we paid $18 for two very weak cocktails. Mine tasted great, but I am pretty sure there was little to no alcohol. I tasted my husband's, and it tasted like pure tonic water with a splash of lime. I would like to go back, but I am not too eager to spend $20 on watered down cocktails. read more

It was surprisingly good! We are from Texas and we were visiting family in Bellingham. We got home late from a Mariners game and everyone was hungry. Most restaurants were closed or about to close, so Northwater was about the only decent option at that point. Everyone was happy with their food and the service was excellent. It was a lot better than any of us expected for a hotel restaurant. The only reason why I won't give it 5 stars is because we couldn't order from the full menu. I guess at a certain hour they close it down to a "bar" menu. Nevertheless, everything was very good and the waitress was very pleasant and attentive. I will go back next time I'm in Bellingham. read more

I tried Northwater's restaurant for the first time last week and I was totally impressed. Not to mention the bar, hotel, pool, and facilities in general are phenomenal. I ordered the fish and chips and was so satisfied. My friend had the bison burger and it was glorious. Northwater is in a holiday inn, but this is not just a corporate chain restaurant. I think Northwater's menu, staff, and atmosphere reflect the true spirit of Whatcom county. I will come here again. read more

Kind of out of the way, by the airport, but this place is nice. Beautiful physical space, good appetizers and drinks. We experienced some wait time issues, but they've only been open a couple of weeks. This is a place we will return to again and again. Good for groups. The staff is very attentive but not annoying. Small plates are amazing, outside seating available. read more

BIG HINT: Ask for the specials to experience potential future menu additions. Every time I have been to Northwater the wait staff and management have exceeded already outrageous expectations. HUGE FAN. HUGE. (They had me at 'crabcakes' ) read more

Whoah! This place is sneaky good. The hotel itself is beautiful, but then you go to the restaurant and it gets even better! Every single dish and drink looks so delicious, it is hard to choose, which is why my husband and I have been back multiple times since first visiting :) the staff is always incredibly personable, too. They take pride in the creativity of their chef, and they know their menu well! read more

Went there last Saturday for lunch. The restaurant is clean, spacious, attractive and quiet. The food was flavorful and tasty, and the portions were massive. The burger I had was delicious. read more

Didn't know there was a Holiday Inn across BLI Airport. And didn't know a Holiday Inn could offer great dining. Spent lunch before dropping off sis to the airport. Service is very friendly. Ambience is superb. Loved the Seafood Sausage Corndogs ($9) and the Saffron Shrimp Risotto ($16). Not a Risotto guy but this one was satisfying. read more

Had dinner in the bar tonight. Started with the korean beef lettuce wraps. The meat was excellently prepared however I found them a little bland. I had the exposed burger but asked for it to be served on a bun. The kitchen accommodated my request and it was excellently prepared. My fries were crisp and tasty. My husband ordered the shrimp rissoto and I couldn't help myself from stealing several bites. It was delicious and a generous portion. Overall I think this is an excellent addition to the Bellingham restaurant circuit. A little confusion as far as who our server was and definitely some staff still learning but everyone was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed with nice decor. read more

I was extremely skeptical about going to this place once I found out that it was attached to a Holiday Inn AND right by the Bellingham airport. HOLY COW! This place is amazing! The service was great, the handcrafted cocktails were fantastic, the food was pretty fantastic, and it was an overall pleasant experience! I have never had a side salad that I wanted seconds of! It was a simple bed of mixed greens, roasted tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and a light lemony/oil dressing that made it not heavy but filling! The "tomato jam" that accompanied my burger was delicious, and I don't like ketchup on my burgers OR fries! I will say the burger was overdone, but that won't stop me from coming back if I'm ever in the area again. I wasn't even staying at this Holiday Inn but if I'm in Bellingham again, I sure will just to have this place at arms reach. read more

The mixologist Courtnay and Jessie are the greatest. Highly recommend their company. They will make what ever drink you want and make it the best. read more

Service was good, our waitress was friendly and personable. Unfortunately, the food wasn't as good. Stay away from the veggie burger, by far the worst I've had in Bellingham. I couldn't eat more than a few bites before throwing in the towel. Even the fries weren't redeemable. In addition, we tried the roasted cauliflower and while it wasn't terrible it also wasn't by any stretch remarkable. If our waitress hadn't been so nice, I'd be giving 1 star. read more

Great atmosphere, very clean, reasonably priced food and the quality of food was very good. We had fish and wings. The reason it was only given three stars is our Waitress was not very attentive and did not take down our orders correctly and gave Attitude when we wanted to fix the problems. We had two different servers during our visit and both seemed new or did not how the knowledge of what they served or had to offer. 5 stars to the chiefs! read more