The food here is always amazing -- we dine at Red Light regularly and usually leave impressed. Tonight, though, was different. We came to celebrate my birthday with seven friends (party of nine) and started dinner at 6:30pm. Dinner was fantastic, as usual. Everyone enjoyed two cocktails each, and by the time we closed our dinner tab around 8:30pm, everything was smooth sailing. A few people left, leaving six of us to linger for a couple more drinks (with one designated driver). Around 8:30-9:30pm, the five of us who were still drinking ordered another round and were enjoying ourselves -- just conversation, laughter, nothing wild. By 9:30pm, the restaurant had emptied out -- only two people at the bar and one table still seated in a booth. Despite the quiet, there were still three staff behind the bar, a couple servers, and visible kitchen staff. In other words: plenty of people working, no reason for slow service. Yet, getting anyone's attention suddenly became a challenge. When our waitress -- the one in the black lace top -- finally came over, my husband ordered five shots for the group. I mentioned I'd prefer a cocktail, but she wouldn't let me order one "until after the shots." Odd rule, but fine. The issue? She vanished afterward and didn't return until after 10pm -- a solid half hour later. When she finally reappeared, I asked what time they closed, even though I already knew. "Midnight," she said, "last call's at 11:30." Yet somehow, just being there a little past 10pm felt like we were crashing their staff meeting. The entire mood shifted -- cold, dismissive, and clearly done with us. I eventually got to order my birthday cocktail, but any sense of celebration had evaporated. The waitress was short, barely made eye contact, and dropped the drink off with the check tossed on the table immediately after -- the universal signal for please leave. For the record: not one of us was intoxicated. We'd each had about four cocktails spread over four hours, hardly excessive -- especially for grown adults, some of whom are large men and responsible drinkers. Yes, we're naturally loud talkers, but that doesn't justify being treated like an inconvenience. By the end of the night, the service had gone from warm to ice-cold, completely killing the vibe of what had been a lovely birthday dinner. Red Light, your night staff can -- and should -- do better. We would've happily left a 30-40% tip to make it worth their while which we have done in the past . (we've all worked in service at some point in our lives and we get it), but this time, the tip reflected the service...... and that's definitely on them. I'm sure they will bitch about us to their friends, but look in the mirror cause you could have made an hour wage off the tip and that's on you. read more

New favorite spot to get cocktails. So many options, hard to choose what to get. I loved the three cocktails I tried. The "HeartBreaker" was my favorite, tasted a little like a strawberry smoothie (I think it was because of the coconut milk). Their new place is also beautiful. Love the design inside. Staff was great when I went! A heads up, this place was PACKED on a Saturday evening. I think that's how you know it's good! We had to wait 30-45 minutes to get in. read more

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This place is the absolute best. Can't go wrong with any of the food or cocktails. The staff is super nice and helpful. If you're in Bellingham should be a top priority to visit read more

We lived in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, NY and Seattle. This is in our top ten list. You will need a reservation, but if on the waitlist plenty of street parking and a bar to hang at 3 doors down. read more

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Bartender was super on point and amazing. Menu looked great but was there mainly for the drinks. Will def be back next time for dinner.

I have only been here for happy hour a number of times. I love the service, their handmade cocktails are absolutely delicious. And the ambience is pretty rad and has a cool history to it if you ask them. Highly recommend! read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - Old fashioned - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Loved this spot! Came later in the evening for cocktails and dessert. Dessert was delicious and very unique - sesame shortbread cookies. Cocktails were excellent, tasty, and well-balanced. Service was friendly and fast. Can't wait to come back next time I'm in town! read more

Still solidly one of my favorite spots in Bellingham. Great craft cocktails, good food, nice atmosphere (although sometimes randomly humid). I will say that the staff makes this place a standout for me. They are always friendly. They treat me well whether I'm with a large group or pop in alone. Love this spot. read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - Geezer Old Fashioned and pork wontons with spicy sauce. - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Another little sweet spot recommended by a friend of mine. We went for a late night excursion that was absolutely so fun. We had just finished sushi so I didn't think we were hungry but when my friend said they had the best dumplings, I had to order them. I was full actually so I did end up taking the dumplings to go and I am so glad I did. You know those short trips where you have a ton of leftovers but you are not sure wha to do with them? I had hand made dumplings for breakfast and they were so so good. The drinks are super tasty, decently priced and the community over there is such a vibe. I think this was a Monday or Tuesday night we were there and it was poppin, high energy, nothing but the best type of night. read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Super trendy hip place in downtown Bellingham. The black mirror cocktail was delicious. Beer on tap, excellent choices. The apps were incredible! The wait staff was knowledgeable and very helpful and very attentive. Will make it a point to go back this is a must try. read more

We just found out neighborhood bar, it's just unfortunate that we don't live here! This has the BEST happy hour menu of any restaurant we have ever been to, and that is saying a lot! We ordered the pickled cucumbers, pork wontons and the soft boiled tea egg with pickled vegetables. My husband scarfed all the dumplings down and only shared one. The were great, not over worked and tender, the dipping sauce was yummy. My husband said they rivaled mine,,,,hmmmm! ONCE AGAIN they were VERY GOOD. The pickled cucumbers were excellent, nicely pickled with a crunch. The soft boiled tea egg was perfection! Salty with soy plus the smoky tea...mmmm. The daikon, beet, cauliflower, water chestnut & cucumber pickles that accompanied it were brilliant! Thank you! Loved the building! It was hopping on a Tuesday night, all ages and degrees of hipster! Our two waitstaff, well... I was ready to adopt. Super friendly and well versed with the menu, they love what they do. We ordered the geezer old fashioned and ended up with another round. This is a wonderful place to have a delicious cocktail! Hats off to the chef and staff! The staff mentioned that they are moving into town and expanding their menu, a win-win! read more

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Redlight is easily one of my favorite places in all of Bellingham. The cocktails are spectacular, food is fantastic and the service is usually on point (even when it's super busy)! The staff are all super informed on the different spirits and flavors in each cocktail and both the flagship food menu items and new additions are always delicious. I am pretty much obsessed with the cold sweet potato noodle, the staff sandwich and the shrimp and pork wontons with the lemon sesame sauce. Shouts to Teo, Holly and everyone else working over there. Thank you for being here! read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

A must when visiting Bellingham. Friendly and helpful staff, fun atmosphere, and creative cocktails. I wish they had more gluten free options, but am quite happy with everything I've tried. read more

Got take out and it did not disappoint. Everything was delicious. Hot noodles, garlic chicken wings, frisée and arugula salad, vegan wontons not pictured because they were devoured. Best service! read more

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Delicious and cozy atmosphere, well worth the wait. Red light is known to be busy so prepare yourself for a wait unless you are an early bird. Its busy for a reason! The dishes are full of flavor without being too rich or relying just in spice to make a dish exciting. The noodles and pork belly are phenomenal. Even with a room packed to the gills the staff were checking in on me just as i was beginning to think about another drink. This place is great for some solo reading time as the background noise is just at a low rumble. The drinks utilize interesting flavors and each drink can also be toned down based on the drinkers desire. Good things take time, bring a book bring some friends enjoy the ambiance. read more

Drinks were terrific, food was very good as well. Not at all average. Fun place, friendly and attentive service, nice atmosphere and look, and far better than average in the variety of drinks and drinks that were made really well. I'll go again, and again I hope. read more

Great ambiance, excellent service and great food and drinks. The wontons are so good I could cry! I need to come here weekly. Delicious! Bellingham is lucky to have this gem of a restaurant. read more

Unfriendly waitstaff and we weren't checked on after our was done. I was hoping to ask for a lime and some hot sauce to add to my food as I wasn't liking it very much and by the time my husband flagged our waitress, our food was cold and our drinks were done. read more

We loved Redlight Kitchen & Bar so much we went 2 nights in a row while visiting Bellingham! We fought over which of the dishes we ordered and then fought over who would finish off the dish! We loved everything we ordered especially the satisfying chicken vegetable wontons, the melt in your mouth crispy eggplant bao, the rich char siu with BBQ pork and those sweet n refreshing Sichuan cucumbers! Mercy was such a delight as our server the first night and Cody delivered the happy our second night. I appreciated the comments from Hazel at the front and we can't wait to return here our next visit! read more

Same great drinks. Gorgeous ambiance. Service isn't as adorable and friendly as it used to be. BIGGEST and most widely agreed upon downer- they took everyone I know's fav dish off the menu. Bring back the cold sesame noodles!!!!! read more

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What a perfect spot to finally connect with Celeste, the new local Yelp Community Ambassador. It was a cozy and rainy winter night but the warm and inviting staff here made us feel toasty and welcome! We were greeted at the door where we found there was a small wait. To make us comfortable the host lit the fire that's built into the tables and brought us out a carafe of water. Such a gracious touch. We were soon shuttled inside: We sat at a table for two along the right hand side and discovered just how much Celeste and I have in common over cocktails that were perfection and some spicy dumplings (large order suggested to share.) Special kudos for the "weedeater" from my dining companion. My choice was a citrusy gin cocktail complete with foamy egg whites. Couldn't have been better! Throughout our experience we were well cared for with table side check ups from our knowledgeable server - everything about this place was a win. A locals joint, give them your support! read more

Food is amazing we enjoyed the chicken boa buns. I got an old fashioned and my spouse had the very mixed drink both were done perfectly. We will certainly be coming back again. read more

While the wait time is at least 45 min every time I've been, it's well worth the wait. I've sat at the bar each time and the service is great, bartenders and bar backs are friendly and work really well together to ensure all runs smoothly. The bathrooms are clean and the ambience is inviting. Now...the food - its easily the best in Bellingham IMO. It's served family style so great to order several things to share or order on your own. There literally is no bad food on this menu and the cocktails are trendy, innovative. and downright incredible. Highly recommend! read more

First off, special shout out to Dan who went above and beyond as a server, we love you Dan! I have always been a fan of Red Light and I hadn't even tried their food! After eating their Wontons (Ginger chicken, I cannot wait to try other flavors next time!) I want to try their entire menu! They are cooked in a sesame based sauce and are delicious with a great amount of flavor but it never got overpowering. The cocktails were amazing as usual, I had to have my regular, the basil gimlet which is made with their house infused vodka. My girlfriend got Dans recommendation which was a twist on their signature cocktail the blonde redhead and was fabulous. We sat in the outdoor seating which due to the wind was chilly, but they lit the fire for us and Dan even grabbed me another mask when the wind blew mine into the street! read more

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Hands down one of my favorite places to eat- ever. Everything was delicious. The spicy noodles are to die for, the dumplings are devine. The cucumbers were a great start. The staff was so friendly. The cocktails were fantastic. Five stars all around. We visited for graduation. If I lived here I would be there all of the time. read more

Our first visit to the Redlight in BHam. Excellent drink menu! Not just your run of the mill martinis. My wife ordered a cucumber-watermelon Collins, and really loves it - which is amazing to me, as she seldom consumes any alcohol. The ambiance is eclectic, with good rock in the background, and a vintage industrial feel as is the norm on State Street. Wait staff is very attentive and professional. The real trick will be the food, as it is Chinese based slight fusion. I'm having the citrus braised pork bao, she's having a crispy pork rice bowl. (Since she is originally from Shanghai, she can be a bit particular about Chinese food.) The bao was excellent- nice fresh flavor. The crispy pork was very salt forward - difficult to eat the pork. Side salad from the bao freshened it up. Needed some acidity to overcome all of that salt. Ordered some ginger chicken wontons as well - the filling is great, but the reduced soy is very salty again. Difficult to finish. Full disclosure- a friend of mine works/manages this establishment. He has an amazing background as both a chef and mixologist. The drink menu is very heavily created/influenced by him. The back of the house is constantly improving and diversifying. In explanation of my rating - I give the front of the house 5 stars, the back 3 stars. Looking forward to checking in over time to watch the back of the house improve. read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - This is the bao - excellent dish!! Fresh, bright flavor. Comes with a nice side salad. - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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The wontons were swimming in sauce I didn't know it was a wonton hot sauce soup ir I would have asked for the sauce on the side Pork ribs were tough- needed more cook time Flavor across the board was the same. I still feel sick read more

Wonderful. A hidden gem for veggie or vegan foodies. Great and attentive service. Mocktails are a delight.

Went to check out the new location and it is beautiful! The drinks were artisanal and delicious plus I'm so happy to see they expanded the food menu! read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - The Side Eye - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Keep coming back, very creative drink menu although expensive. Great food always get the spicy noodles

In the top three in Bellingham, for me. Happy hour, 4-6 pm, has fantastic drinks and food. Basil Gimlet was really good, partner's old fashioned was... strong. I think they're supposed to be though. Food was stellar! Got one of each kind of dumpling and a braised pork rice bowl (oh my goodness!). Vibe was good; servers were attentive and kind. Fast too. Sign was posted on the way to the restrooms - good policy. Wil definitely return! read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - Good sign - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Pork dumplings with some spice. Also like the bao Taco things, and tasty cocktails. Can get a bit busy and expensive with a few drinks, but worth it. read more

We put our name on the wait list on a Saturday evening and were told we would get a table after 35 to 45 minutes. Having received no text after more than 1 hour we showed up to inquire about our reservation and were told that 2 tables had closed out but had not left. We left after an 1 hour 15 minutes had passed to receive a text after more than 1 hour and a half that our table was finally ready. Needless to say that we will never spend any money at this restaurant. This restaurant is 86'd for us. read more

Loved the ambiance, the food, the drinks, the staff! All of it was phenomenal! I wish there was a place just like this in the Bay Area! There was a wait and rightfully so! Definitely would come back next time we are in Bellingham! Highly recommend! read more

Redlight Kitchen & Bar - Lemon Shrimp Pork, Sesame Pork, Spicy Chicken & Mushroom Bao ! All so good! Favorite was the lemon shrimp ! - Wine Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Excellent food, great staff, beautiful restaurant/bar - highly recommended. Right next door to what will be the new second Pickford theater. read more

Took my daughter there for her 21st Birthday, was super impressed. Food was great, drinks spot on, service top notch and the atmosphere was great!!! Highly recommend. read more

No matter how many times I dine/drink at Redlight, the food, beverages and service are always incredible! We love you Redlight :)

For years, Redlight was my Bellingham favorite. The new location is a nice facility. We tried to eat there Thursday, but gave up finding parking after circling 5 times. The previous time we were there, on a weekend, we were told that tables were not available for parties of 2. We could eat at the bar, after a wait, or at the window bar. Really? Growing pains. Dare you to name another restaurant that refuses to seat parties of 2 read more

Up scale Asian food with inventive cocktails. As bougie as it gets, but the food is spot on. Be ready for a pricey bill, but totally worth it. read more

The new space is amazing. Staff are great. The owner is an amazing person and the food is always a hit. Don't miss out on the infused drinks! read more