What a great little theater,even has a balcony section for added seating…read more Went and saw the production of hallelujah girls on Sunday. What an amusing presentation. It is a story of a spa shop owner and friends dealing with life and business ownership. Crazy cast of characters.. with so little to do on island don't miss a show or two when you're here A special thanks to Becky Armstrong for letting us know the dates and Lisa at the theater that helped us so much with our mother..

Great venue to catch a show! Located right in downtown Friday Harbor…read more They often have rush tickets an hour before the show...and cheap! I would definitely go back next time I am in Friday Harbor!

Had high expectations that didn't deliver…read more My girlfriend and I came to stay the night on Orcas Island, and this was the first restaurant we tried. Having made reservations beforehand, we were really excited to try this place out. The servers who greeted us were really nice. The restaurant had a beautiful dark interior that gave off a cozy steakhouse vibe. They even offered to take my coat, how nice of them! Despite the hospitality, the food did not really live up to expectations. I got the birria, and while it was okay, it definitely wasn't worth the price I paid. My girlfriend's scallop crudel was almost as pricey and it did not even fill her up. I believe the bill for our whole meal (including a mocktail) was over $80. This was definitely not worth the price point paid for, considering that we were not fully satisfied with that meal. Regardless, many thanks to the Monti staff for having us.

First visit and I'm smitten. Great decor and service, but the meal really distinguished itself…read more First course was a fennel shaved salad with exceptional flavor - don't be dissuaded by the reference to anchovy dressing - it works magnificently and nothing overpowers. The chicken liver with summer tomatoes was magnificent, even if they needed an extra slice of sourdough to finish the plate. The star was the roasted pork belly. I've had many in my day but this was the crown jewel of belly's - succulent, tender inside and crispy edges, and the flavor was off the chart delicious. Rigatoni with lamb did not disappoint and pasta was cooked to perfection. Saved room for chocolate mousse and it was excellent and not too sweet. Wine pairings supported the wonderful meal. I look forward to returning and trying all the dishes we didn't select. This place has it over Rosario and Madrona. Your wallet will be lighter but not unreasonably so.

We didn't expect to find a nice cocktail bar at Friday harbor but were surprised to stumble upon…read moreUrchin. They have limited seating but give off a speakeasy vibe. We sat by the bar and the bar tender was super friendly and welcoming. They have a limited but interesting food menu. We tried the Endangered species cocktails namely, Sea Foam and Save the Butterflies. The cocktails were really good. We had so much fun! A must try in Friday Harbor.

Cute spot with the best drinks in Friday Harbor! Great for non alcoholic beverages too!read more

A must go to if on Friday Harbor. Roberto is an amazing host who will make you feel at home. Great…read morebeer and wine selection. Highly recommend.

The og Bier ON the Pier festival was seriously one of my favorite PNW beer events for over a…read moredecade. Sadly, last year the Port of Anacortes decided to close down the iconic Transit Shed pier location for this event (and for all events, of which there were many); so the festival was forced to move to the only other available facility in town: the Depot Arts Center. I have to say, it was NOT an improvement. First off, the Depot is broken up into several different rooms. I've been to a few art shows here, and it works for that. But for a beer festival, there just wasn't any energy since the breweries were all cordoned off from each other, and the music was outside in a completely separate tent area. At the original festival (on the pier), the stage was right in the middle of the action - not a separate destination entirely. Speaking of music, this was a highlight as Skagit Valley favorite Mama Dirty Skirt rocked the stage on Friday night. And on Saturday afternoon we chose the early entry option just to see one of our all-time Bellingham favorite musicians, Michael Dayvid, perform. There also seemed like fewer beer and cider options than years past. Several local breweries weren't represented, including favorites like Stemma, Wander, Aslan, and Boundary Bay from Bellingham, and North Sound from Mount Vernon. We missed seeing other PNW brewery kingpins, too. Fremont Brewing was there (thanks Fremont!) but it would have been lovely to see Georgetown, Elysian, Pike, Deschutes or any number of other local legend breweries. This could have been a space issue, though, as the breweries/cideries present were all stuffed into very tiny spaces. The breweries who were present definitely brought the enthusiasm and great brews. Some of my faves were Farmstrong's Oktoberfest vienna lager, Temperate Habits' ESB, and tasty sips from Beach Cat, Anacortes Brewing, Fringe, and Garden Path (to name just a few). The food options were also a bit disappointing compared to previous years. On Friday, we chose the dumpling operation, which was pretty much highway robbery. We paid over $15 for literally the tiniest, saddest little dish of dumplings ever. It was barely enough to be considered an appetizer for one person; definitely not a meal. Needless to say, after that we just walked downtown to the Brown and got a decent meal for not much more! On Saturday, we grabbed a hot dog from one of the on-site vendors and it was quite delish. I feel like the festival organizers did the best with what they could. But, personally, I probably won't return to this festival again unless some major changes are made. It wasn't really worth the time and expense to spend a whole weekend in Anacortes.

There are both pros and cons: Pro:…read more The amount of preparation by the actors becomes obvious as their performances are usually excellent. Cons: The new seats are designed for small people. Seats are narrow with little to no leg room. During musical performances, song lyrics often tell the story, but the live orchestra is always so loud it usually drowns out the lyrics. So, while the actors are doing their best, unfortunately, their singing simply can't be heard.

The Bellingham Theatre Guild is celebrating their 90th year of showcasing talents to share with us…read moreto enjoy! This was my first time here and was a great experience. The theater is creaky and old, the seats are a bit stiff, but it is charming and is a piece of Bellingham history that is so wonderful to have. Great talent and shows and love that this theater is here to offer the arts to our community!

If you are looking for an usual experience on Orcas Island do not forego visiting this very special…read moreprivate museum that has over 800 works of art from 250 San Juan Island artists. It features the largest collection of HELEN Loggie's work and an extensive collection from James Hardman all in an exquisite architectural setting on the water with breathtaking views complete with follies. It is breathtaking and will provide you with inspiration and awe along with thanks that people like Leo Lambiel exist in this world.

Leo Lambiel's guided tour of his awesome home cum museum is awesome, and well worth the $20 fee per…read moreperson. His taste in art by San Juan Islands artists is eclectic -- inspiring, humorous, ironic, abstract, representational -- in a range of media. The house reflects his own craftsmanship in construction and decoration, and grew from its origins as a cabin to a mansion of many rooms, soaring ceilings, windowed walls, and outdoor stairways. Leo's folly is the grotto, which he continues to work on after 17 years. Wine also is his passion, and his wine room has patterned walls made of used corks. Altogether, a wonderful tour.

I really enjoyed this pit stop before heading back to the ferry to Seattle. What i didn't like is…read morethe 2 bottle minimum to wave the $30 tasting fee. The wine is worth a bottle purchase but the upsell really gets you bc its like how can I justify $30 sips. Then you trick your brain to pretend it's $30 off and a free tasting but it ends up being $90.

This was my first time to San Juan Vineyard. My husband had been before and wanted to take me back…read more We came to celebrate our anniversary, so the photo with the chapel was a must. We didn't need reservations, we were able to get helped and seated right away. The two hosts were helpful and friendly. They don't offer food, so you are able to bring your own. Pets were allowed, they even had a dog bowl available. Seating was all outside, some covered, some not, and heaters were available.