Fabulous and fresh breakfast. Eggs are organic and taste like they are. Bacon and toast excellent. Love the decor and location. Service is excellent. read more

Biscuits and Gravy at the Old Town Cafe (Part of the Biscuits and Gravy in Bellingham project! http://www.yelp.com/list/biscuits-and-gravy-in-bellingham-bellingham ) Mushroom and Tahini gravy? Not something one would normally expect to find on Biscuits and Gravy! The gravy is meatless, so the mushrooms take the place of the sausage. The consistency of the gravy is good, but without the salt and spices provided by the sausage, the gravy lacks much "kick," and has a more delicate, sweeter flavour imparted by the Tahini. The biscuits are homemade, though a little bit rubbery -- but in Old Town's defense, I was eating them at 2 in the afternoon, so the biscuits are probably fresher in the morning. The B&G at Old Town are unfortunately not served in a full order (2 biscuits), but in a half order (1 biscuit) served with eggs and home fries or black beans. Because of this, the price is a little higher than at other restaurants ($6.75), but for that price, you're getting homemade with local and organic ingredients. And it's nice to know that if I ever want to eat vegetarian, I can still get my biscuits and gravy! read more

Old Town Cafe - Old Town Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Sadly, this town lacks good breakfast joints. Old Town Cafe is usually the place to go if nothing else sounds particularly tempting. I know a lot of people appreciate the banjo music, but seriously... when I can't hear the waitress ask me if I want a coffee refill or have a a catch-up conversation with a friend without having to ask her to repeat herself every other sentence, I get annoyed! Wouldn't you? The wait staff is missing the friendly factor; it'd be nice to see a smile every now and then! Also, I always feel rushed and hurried. I understand that it's busy as hell at 11am on a Sunday morning and you want to get me in and out as soon as possible but that doesn't mean I know exactly what I want to order before I even have a seat. The menu is rather impressive though which explains why it's not easy picking something out. Food is hearty, portions are decent size. Ingredients are fresh, coffee is decent. Missing two stars because of the lack of friendly servers, the ever consistent long wait time and music in moderation only please? read more

I arrived at 9 am on Sunday morning, just me and my 2 small girls. I was given the recommendation to come here because they were kids friendly, which they are. That is the bulk of why they have any stars at all. The staff was courteous, when available. The rest is a simple numbers game: Time it took to get a table for 3: 1 hour Number of times we asked to be able to place our order: 3 Number of servers for the bottom section of the restaurant (11 tables): 1 Time it took to get 2 simple dishes: 35 minutes Number of times anyone checked on us: 0 Time it took to get a mocha: I'm at home, typing this. Still waiting. They had nearly salvaged something when offering (unsolicited) my crying 1 year old a very small dish of blueberries. That is until I got my bill, before actually finishing my meal, and saw I was charged for that as well. I love small business and have worked in many restaurants. That being said, there are definitely things that need to be corrected if/when I decide to return. read more

I really want to like the Old Town more than I do. I have been there three times over the past year, and something new appears each visit to bother and irritate me. The first time that I went, I was initially impressed with the large menu and charmed by the restaurant's open, bright layout. However, neither the crafty local art on the walls nor the benefits of organic ingredients could mollify my disbelief over the lack of bread-based dishes on that abnormally large menu. With black beans, gravy and vegetables standing in for pancakes, waffles, crepes and freedom toast, I disappointedly ordered the simple two-egg breakfast. No waffles!? The second time I went, the service was subpar. Our inattentive, portly waiter served with a combination of arrogance and indolence that reflected poorly upon the new-age atmosphere promoted by the Old Town. One interaction that has stayed with me involved my request for an ingredient substitution in one of the omelettes, to which our rotund server replied, by pointing at my menu and proclaiming, "Dude, the menu says 'no substitutions'...now what can I get for you?" I can tell you what I got *him*: a fat 2% tip. The third time (and likely the last, ever), a young guy with the stereotypical hippie poncho and hemp necklace was playing guitar "for the people" in the booth right behind us. Who wants to hear Jack Johnson and Neil Young covers tunelessly blasting into your ante meridiem ears while you are trying to decide between ham-less eggs benny and tofu scramble? Like Communism, I appreciate the *concept* behind the Old Town Cafe, but I truly believe that Little Cheerful and Arliss' are much better for b'fast in B'ham. read more

Met my son for breakfast and we were pleasantly surprised. Great staff, amazing food (tons of flavor) and good for kids. Oh yeah, the coffee was rich full flavored but not burnt (aka the siren). read more

Old Town Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I am over it. A friend and I had been going here for several months on a regular, weekly basis. The last couple of times were miserable! the waitress was obviously not interested in making it a pleasant experience for us and was down right rude a couple of times; she was condescending and short when asked questions. The last two times, we got up and went to a coffee house to talk because we felt so uncomfortable. I have had good service at Old Town, I have had moderately good food (nothing to write home about), the coffee is really, really bad - and when you ask what they are brewing they will say: "it's fair trade and organic" without actually telling you what roaster the coffee has come from. Anyway, I digress, the last 3 times my friend and I had the same waitress and she is HORRIBLE, so, we mutually decided we won't go back. Foodservice isn't for everyone. If you aren't working for your tips, why are you working there? read more

Excellent place. We would go back. We even went out of our comfort zone and sat at one of the "community" tables which ended up saving us wait time and we met some nice peeps. Food was great, service was excellent and atmosphere is very cool, laid back and hip at the same time. We had a California omelet and a breakfast tortilla wrap. All food was very fresh and tasty. Obviously the locals know this place is good. For out-of -towners, this is a great spot to try. Kudos to the operators and staff. Well done. read more

I absolutely love Old Town. I get excited anytime someone comes and spends the night in Bellingham because I know that I'm going to get to take them to breakfast here. I think I have dreams about their delicious black beans. Everything I've tried has always been nothing short of amazing. I really enjoy the fact that everything is so fresh and for the most party very local. They always have a delicious selection of teas (which is nice when most breakfast places really only have coffee or plain old lipton) and the Dawn's Chai is the best chai latte I've ever had. The only negative thing I have to say about Old Town is that while the service has never been terrible, it has never been anything stellar due to the fact that the people working never come across as being very happy to be there helping. read more

food was ok at best under seasoned organic ( big whoop ) service was pretty bad and rude. Tried to ask a couple simple questions and got a snotty condescending answer . I guess I might have got better service there if I wore a Che Guevara tee shirt and smelled like patchouli. next time I go I will not take a bath for a week find a old grateful dead tee shirt put a little dab of patchouli behind my ears. come to thing of it this place does not deserve a second chance. read more

I hadn't been to Old Town in yeaaaars when we decided to stop in for a nice Sunday brunch during our most recent visit. I ordered a scramble with a side of homefries and sourdough toast. Perfect portion size and everything was delicious! I also had a bite of my girlfriend's french toast, which tasted extremely authentic and was cooked to perfection (not too crispy or soft). I remember not being a huge fan of their black beans, but many people enjoy them. I also had a grapefruit mimosa, which was a generous size and made with organic juice. I truly respect and admire this place (and others around Bellingham) for being dedicated to local, fresh and organic ingredients - they even use local Black Market hot sauce! Plus, they have a ton of tofu and other vegetarian/vegan options making it a favorite among that community as well. The ambiance is quaint and everyone is always very laid back with that signature Bellingham happy friendliness. Show up early; this place is a favorite. read more

Super long wait but the food was worth it. After putting in our name, we waited to the left in a lower portion of the restaurant next to a large play area for kids. Our daughter was kept occupied. Once we were seated, we were at a community table with some other people next to the kitchen. Decor was pretty rustic and eclectic. Food was flavorful and fresh. We were there for breakfast. Portions were huge and the prices were very reasonable considering how much food we received. We will likely return if we are in Bellingham. read more

Considering the insanely long wait, I expected to eat the best breakfast of my life at Old Town Cafe. While I definitely enjoyed my meal, it wasn't the best I've ever had. My friend and I split the Biscuits & Gravy and the French Toast (whole wheat bread) and it was a huuuge amount of food. Both were quite tasty, although I found the home fries to be rather unflavorful and the eggs a bit wetter than I prefer. The mushroom tahini gravy on the biscuit was very good. The french toast was also quite delicious and very filling. There are a ton of veggie/vegan options, which greatly pleased the pescatarian in me. Prices were surprisingly cheap - under $20 for two meals and two cups of constantly refilled coffee. I will likely be back here, although considering the breakfast is decent (but not great)...I'm not sure I'll wait as long for a table as I did on this visit. read more

In my 4 years of living in Bellingham, I have been to Old Town with different groups 4 times now. All times I have had good food in the kind of homey environment that I want out of a local breakfast spot, but the service at Old Town is consistently dissatisfactory, to the point that I have downloaded this app to hopefully inform the restaurant of my experience and to let other diners know that there are MUCH friendlier places to dine. If you're looking for a restaurant where all the servers seem to bring their personal problems and bad attitudes to work with them, then this will be the place for you. Every single time I have eaten at Old Town, the servers have been rude, short, and impatient. Every time, I was not welcomed with a hello, but instead the server would merely assume that we knew what we wanted to order, that we had to questions, and would give off a rushed immediacy to order. Of course when going to a restaurant, the main attraction is good food, but when servers give off such an unappreciative, cold and disrespectful acknowledgment of your business, it takes away from the overall experience. I appreciate Old Town's emphasis and appreciation for eating locally grown ingredients. The food and serving sizes are good at most, but the service will turn me away now even if I were to be promised an amazing meal. read more

Vegan friendly The community table is great for those trying to meet others or just don't want to sit by themselves. The wait is pretty long here but the food is worth it and coffee is superb! Cozy spot overall read more

I love this place. I popped in yesterday and sat at the community table. I had an incredible soup, and the avocado, sprouts, tomato, and cheese sandwich. Service was great, loved chatting with others at the table. I was definitely the only one in there that was in Business casual! LOL I return any time I'm in Bellingham .... as someone else here said, I wish we had one here in Kirkland (Seattle) read more

Having grown up in Bellingham, I would've thought I'd have been to Old Town Café before the age of 35, but so it is. Since discovering this place, I have returned frequently and include it in my quiver of "go-to" breakfast places in town. The food is consistently good, locally sourced, and provided in healthy portion sizers. For a couple of years I would only have the granola with yogurt and fruit. The granola is homemade and amazing! Rich and buttery, perfectly offset with natural and unsweetened yogurt. Their more typical breakfasts are also tasty, real eggs, thick cut bacon, and excellent freezer strawberry jam. This last time we sat at the "Community Table". There are two. Such a cool idea, We were in a hurry, so the community table allowed us to be seated immediately and eat without delay. Negatives? Yes, there are a few. The only reason I don't come here more often is that it is popular. Very. If I don't get there by 9 (most times) then the wait can be lengthy. I am not a fan of waiting, so I will pass on this place if we get a late start. When Old Town Café is busy, it can get really noisy. And worse, they often have live music. That doesn't help! Lots of noise and then live music, too. Conversation pretty much doesn't occur when this happens. (Hey Old Town Café, Diamond Jim's was able to cut the noise pretty neatly at it's lively space, check it out!) read more

Cozy, quaint, and friendly. Pros? -Their potato dishes can cure any hangover -Serve yourself some newspapers, water, and relax a minute! -Definitely some people watching to be had -Never late on the coffee refills Cons? -A wee bit pricey -So much on the menu seems similar, which makes it hard to choose! read more

Old town charm. Great service and hearty, filling breakfast. I had the gluten-free pancakes and loved the flavor. My partner had the traditional breakfast (bacon, eggs, toast, etc.) and was a happy camper. Really appreciated that our server checked vaccination and ID. Some places say they will and then don't. Felt so well cared for and will definitely return. read more

VEGANS WELCOME! fall in love with the best breakfast/lunch in town! i reccomend this place very highly

I can't tell you how bad I wanted to give this place a bad review so ya'll would not go here and crowd the morning wait list!!! Oh well I guess I can share..... Breakfast here is incredibly amazing!!! Their take on Eggs Benedict makes me hot and bothered!! Their pancakes are also to die for...mmmmm Old Town! read more

I think we had a thirty min wait on Sunday morning around 10:30. We killed time by grabbing a donut ( knowing we'd have to wait a while for food as well) down the street and walking around the antique shop next door. They have an option when you sign in to sit at a communal table, but that's not really my thing, just know that it's an option that might get you food faster. Don't expect there to be someone at the counter to give you an idea of how long the wait is though. It's a little laid back for my taste, the service was fine. The person who brought us drinks was friendlier than our actual waitress was. The water was self serve, and I'm still not sure how I felt about that. It was a rather crunchy/hippy place. I love natural/local/organic food, but this was a little more so than I care for. The food had a "healthy" taste to it. Overall I'd recommend it, and I'd probably go back again to try someone else. read more

I stopped in here for breakfast this morning. I almost did not try it because of all the writing about crowds. I guess 7:00 on a Monday morning is not the most popular time to go. I got a table right away. The server came by promptly and took my order in a reasonable time. Trying to be healthy, I ordered the granola. i ordered it with yogurt and fresh fruit. it is not served parfait here. They put the granola in a bowl and let you mix the rest in, just the way i like it. It was good. The coffee was good. I have an appearance up in Bellingham in a couple of weeks and will drop by again. i will be looking forward to another visit. read more

I was headed back to the south Sound after a business trip to Vancouver, and stopped in at Old Town on the basis of 4 stars. Happily, I was not disappointed! OTC is located in a historic building in downtown Bellingham. There is ample seating, however this was not an issue at 6:45 on a Thursday morning. I opted for huevos ranchero, with over medium eggs. They came properly cooked, over corn tortillas, covered in red salsa, with black beans on the side. Good flavor and filling, I can recommend these. They have a great selection of vegetarian options, and a good number of gluten free choices as well (including GF pancakes!) Oh, and as others have said, the coffee is excellent! I will definitely stop in next time I'm passing through Bellingham in the morning hours! read more

Perfect homey & funky breakfast place for a traditional, vegan or gluten free breakfast served hot and fast. Friendly servers and creative options. Love supporting local businesses who in turn buy supplies from local businesses. What n win! read more

I love love LOVE this place for breakfast. Sure, the wait is long, and it is full of Hippies ( and that's just the wait staff), but this place is the epitome of a Bellingham cafe. I really appreciate places that utilize local ingredients the way that Old Town does. I also like that I don't have to have eggs for breakfast all the time. Here I get the Southwest Tofu scramble with black beans. Everything is well seasoned. I also love the jam on the table and the wait staff is always nearby with coffee to refill your cup. Insider's tip, if you want to avoid the wait (especially on weekends), show up right when they open. read more

Ate here on a munchie whim about an hour ago and I have to say that this is by far the best brunch I have had in a LONG time. My boyfriend and I had two of the # 11 1/2's along with the gluten-free hot cakes with added bananas and blueberries. They were all magical! It was the one time I could order a ton of breakfast food and drinks and not feel guilty at all. We will definitely be back here again! P.S. If you appreciate a fantastic mimosa at a brunch diner with your meal, try their grapefruit or tangerine flavored one! They hit it spot on! read more

Always good, bottom line. Old Town Cafe consistently has great breakfast, good service, and most importantly good coffee. I love that you can get fresh filtered water and order pretty much anything off the menu in its organic version. Also the musicians offer a great local touch. They can use a little work on their breakfast potatoes (bland) but everything else is great. read more

There's always a wait. Secret is: put your name on the wait-list, then walk up the street to Black Drop and get a coffee for your wait, or else up 2 doors to Rocket Doughnuts and get a doughnut to hold you over. By the time you get back, your table will be ready! Service is fast, food is highly above average, and there are lots of choices on the menu. I love all the veggie and vegan choices. Lots of build-your-own omelets and build-your-own tofu scrambles. The southwest tofu scramble with just the right amount of tamari, plus beans, is a healthy, tasty, and sustaining vegan breakfast. Really the only DOWNER about this place is the live music playing during breakfast! The place is really too small for anyone to have a conversation over the top of the musician. Music seems to start about 10am on weekends, so try to arrive before then, or ask to sit in the upper part of the restaurant away from the "singing." read more

I come here every 6 months or so and I reminded every time (but I always forget) to not come back. Seems like everybody who comes here brings their large family including lots of kids. No big deal, just know that it's loud. There's always about 15-20 minute wait minimum. No big deal, I can wait. The thing that bothers me is there's another 15-20 minute wait until they take your order. So plan on being here for longer than you want to, and damn that booth is uncomfortable. The food is good, definitely using some fresh ingredients here. The prices are kinda high, think $40 for 2 coffees and 2 meals w/ nothing extra. No big deal, not worth it for me. read more

I am a foodie kind of guy and was in the restaurant biz for a while. I am surprised at the negative reviews. I love the place. But if a customer is unhappy and doesn't eat what they order, that person should not be charged for their meal. Weird. Never had anything I didn't thoroughly enjoy here! read more

Cute little breakfast spot, everyone is always so nice. They also make a great London fog!

We arrived about 10 am on a Sunday and had to wait 15 minutes for a table which wasn't bad. The service and food was great. I got an omelette and sour dough toast. Both were awesome. read more

Huge portions, the pancake was a size of a garbage can lid... everything is sourced locally etc. my annoying picky kids loved the place.. so I'm going back. read more

This place gets super busy and for a good reason. The food is very fresh and tasty. Unfortunately service is quite slow, it took my party of two 40 minutes to get our order of granola with milk and salad with a cup of soup. I'd say a little too long for such simple-ish meals. I also noticed it took the staff a long time to clear tables and get them ready for guests. Other than that would I recommend visiting Old Town Cafe. read more

I'm new to town but have gone to old town several times. I live that you can get homefries, black beans or a little of both. The tofu scrambles are super tasty, my mom has tried a little of everything and is never disappointed. A great go to when you can't decide. read more

On the way to Seattle, I stopped at Old Town with a large hungry hippo party of 8 on a Sunday morning. They were able to accommodate our party and we waited about 25 minutes. Everyone liked their entrees, I especially enjoyed their selection of vegetarian dishes including their veggie biscuits and gravy. Service was good, I liked the homey yet eccentric feeling to the restaurant. Their menu is crazy big so it wouldn't hurt to take a peak beforehand! I know this is an odd suggestion, but I do remember wishing they had bigger water cups. It is self-serve style and the cups are these plastic dinky ones made for children, or adults who hate hydration, or mouthwash. I felt self-conscious getting up four times during brunch to refill my tiny water cup. Can I bring my own 7-11 Gulp sized monster cup next time? read more

On our way down the 5 from Vancouver one early morning, our hungry bellies needed some sustenation. He, being a veggie, and me, on the search for bacon, researched some reviews near Bellingham for breakfast. The Old Town Cafe is definitely a townie joint. The staff are sweet, dedicated and definitely have formed relationships with the locals. It's not that large, and sometimes the staff may be stretched thin (read: you may not want to go here when you're in a hurry), but the food is just right. All of the menu items are of a healthy fare and plenty of veggie/vegan options. I walked out of there feeling filled, and not stuffed. I stuck to a simple sunny side up dish with bacon of course, and a whole wheat sprouted english muffin. Also, the raspberry jam I slathered on the remainder at the last tid bit was delicious. I wish I had known sooner how tasty that would be! It's really about the atmosphere and relationships between the customers and establishment. The food isn't extraordinary, but it's a very comforting place to start your day. It's breakfast, they aren't recreating the wheel here in terms of scrambles or toast. Wooden booths, local publications to browse and fresh squeezed OJ make my day. They also know how to cook some eggs, so you really can't make a mistake going here. read more

Going to this restaurant reminds me of how much of an introvert I am. Old Town Cafe is a very social restaurant filled with people and live music. There's a community table, where, if there's room, you can plop yourself down at. I'm not one for a community table but its a nice feature for others. The #9 is my favorite dish at Old Town. It is a breakfast similar to eggs benedict but a biscuit replaces the English muffin, tomato replaces the ham, and cheese sauce replaces the hollandaise. They serve it with your choice of potatoes or black beans and I think you can opt for fruit as well. The coffee at Old Town is good. All of the wait staff take turns walking around and filling up mugs of coffee. The water is self serve. I don't think there's a time that I dined at Old Town where we weren't serenaded. There's always someone sitting at the lower level of the restaurant playing/singing. Sometimes the music is good. Sometimes the music is bad. There's one thing you should know when you visit for the first time. The restaurant is always busy so bear in mind you will have a wait before you're seated. Once you're seated, you'll see the staff is efficient and will be served in a timely fashion. read more

BUSY BUSY BUSY! I was blown away by how much traffic this cafe gets on a Friday at 11:30 am! We waited for about 20 minutes and then snagged seats at the communal table. Once sitting the service was pretty good. Food was pretty standard brunch fare. They have vegan options so I'll be back again! read more