Just there for the first time, a Sunday breakfast. Good and friendly service. Authentic diner food in an authentic mom & pop diner. Some of the dishes we ordered were even a bit creative. The restaurant is a nice place to relax and talk. No loud TVs or annoyances. I looked at the Yelp ratings first and so I didn't expect much. Expected a "dive" but it was not. It was WAY better than I expected. I think it's a good place for people who like classic Americana diner fare. If you're insistent on haute cuisine or "health food" have some sense and go elsewhere. read more

No longer will eat here due to sub-par food. The Monte Cristo was not very good, and the fries were greasy and tasted like the old oil they were fried in. read more

Occasionally, it is worth revisiting places we have previously written off. Sure sometimes, the next visit will confirm the original opinion but sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised. I went to Shay's for breakfast this morning. On a previous visit, I thought it smelled like old grease but today it was freshly scrubbed and inviting. I had chicken fried steak and eggs. The eggs tasted particularly fresh. The chicken fried steak was delicious and Shay's actually knows how to make exceptional country gravy that puts most places in the area to shame. The hash browns were nice and crisp. Service was friendly and prompt. There were a lot of senior citizens having breakfast. I think the seniors are on to something. read more

I am not against greasy spoons, but Shay's smells like a nursing home. It's just a very SAD place. I've gone there twice--just to make sure since it's within walking distance and that area of Shoreline doesn't have a lot of options--but both times I haven't gotten great service or tasty vittles. The weird windows filled with fake flowers and shamrocks freak me out a little. And one of the regulars a couple booths down kept belching loudly every few minutes, which for me doesn't make for the best dining experience. Maybe if the food was DELICIOUS, then it would be funny and kitchy, but it's really just super creepy and makes me want to leave as quickly as possible. read more

I didn't expect to like this place but I did! Get past the dingy look of the place and enjoy the great food! Breakfast served all day

My husband and I are starting to grow seriously attached to this place. It was a slow start. We were wary. It doesn't look good but it is full of friendly people and character. We came because we can walk from our house. We keep coming back because it's comfortable and easy going. The food is pretty good. Love the chicken fried steak. Robert Irvine would have a field day redecorating but it is always pretty busy so I guess he won't be called. Wish they had better beer on tap. They have Redhook ESB in bottles so...OK then. read more

This place doesn't smell as bad as other reviewers have suggested but that's all it has going for it. Coffee tastes like water. The hashbrowns taste like the coffee. The omelettes have no filling or flavor. I couldn't eat my meal. read more

I dig this place. The breakfast food is always good and whenever I take someone there they rave on and on about how much they like it and will definitely go back again... I think that's a good sign. Bloody Mary's are stiff but not too great- drinkable though. read more

This is a great dive bar! You know those people who say they like dive bars and then you find out their definition of a dive bar is a place where the majority of guys are wearing shirts that have horizontal stripes and a collar, and they have a few beers in cans (or a 40oz option)? This place isnt for them. This is a real dive bar. The regulars can drink and the bar tender knows a good pour. This place is up there with Zaika (on 147th and NE15th) except this place has better food options than Indian food, and the people singing kareoke are truly terrible. :) Not for the pool shark or scenester. Put your drinking hat on and have a good time...(and shirt and shoes). Side Note: If your credit card is registered with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan you earn miles eating here. read more

Wow one of my grossest restaurant experiences. The dirt in the little places and the rug looking like it was bought used from a frat house were bad enough. I'm eating my food and it's kinda gross but I'm housing it down outta hunger and I notice my toast is moldy. I mean real moldy. including what I have eaten. I point it out to the waitress and she comes back knocking $2 off my bill for the test and hash browns since I ate my eggs. Just gross. I spend the rest of the morning waiting to get sick. Just a nasty place. read more

Love, love, love this place. Has something for any hungry person. Old greasy spoon style. Has a counter and Tv in the main seating area. I haven't been to the lounge. read more

Four egg omelets and a plate of bacon big enough to make your arteries start hardening just thinking about it. I've never had dinner at Shay's because the breakfasts would keep me full for the rest of the day. read more

This is a classic greasy spoon. I will say it doesn't fit the Seattle vibe at all, looks more like a place you find in a small town and everyone knows the staff. That said, good food, great service and super adorable. Skip the trendy brunch scene and give your wallet a break by coming here! read more

Best "hole in the wall" dinner! Monte Cristo's are awesome and French dip actually has enough meat you can actually see it! Dated decor, but friend staff! read more

I stopped in here when the first place I tried to eat at was inexplicably closed 40 minutes after they were supposed to opened. Had driven past Shay's a number of times and figured it was time to give it a try. It's like Beth's and Shari's had a baby that catered to 60-year old men by serving decent food at a decent price and with no line at 9am on a Sunday. It's a little more dimly lit than most breakfast joints, here's a slight haze of cooking smoke in the air, the booths are comfortably broken-in, the coffee is refilled frequently, and the staff is friendly without being bothersomely attentive. (Though they appear to have a some regulars that they'll make conversation with, if you're into that sort of thing.) I'll definitely be back. read more

Had a prime rib dip last Thursday (kudos to the cook). It was the best French dip sandwich I can remember ever having. Stayed on for karaoke with Louie, the host, and Johnny the bartender. Had a magnificent time. read more

I like it a lot. Just old fashion comfort food with an average well poured cocktail. If your from SF its like they took Eddie's Dinner on Divisadero and mixed it with an irish pub. I would come come again for a hangover brunch any rough Sunday. read more

only two more hours till shay's opens and i can go get an amazing breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was the third time I have stopped in within the last month and a half, can tell that the staff (management) is making a big effort to clean up the place. It looked pretty good! My food has been very good all three times, the weekends fill up fast in the dining room, lots of regulars which is a good sign. I love sitting at the breakfast counter and reading the paper. read more

We absolutely love Shay's! It is a one-of-a-kind place, with old school Irish kitsch, servers/waitresses who have been serving regulars for years, willing to banter and tease, and that's worth all the money in the world. Yeah, it's a bit worn, and it could definitely use a good ceiling cleaning/painting, new carpet, bathroom remodel, but then it wouldn't be the old Shay's any longer. The food is reliable and good. They have the best Hollandaise sauce in town, nice large portions, If you order an omelet, prepare to take at least half of it home. The bloody marys are great on a laidback morning. Really, what more do you want? read more

The carpet smells bad like a Rabit Hutch. As soon as you walk in . Otherwise tge Waitresses are nice and experianced. The Breakfast was great really good Omaha Bacon. Nice fluffy pancakes. read more

REALLY not happy with my experience on St. Patrick's Day! Parking was to be expected even at 5:00 pm, no parking. I had to park around the corner and walk down the hill. The front of the menu listed their St. Patrick's day Specials. The usual, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Stew and drink specials. My fiancé and I looked over the menu and we were torn between a couple different entrees but ultimately chose the Corned Beef and Cabbage because that's what you do, right? For starters, my meal was cold. The meat was dry and the veggies were over cooked. I didn't think sending it back would have made a difference. They were busy and the service was good. The worst thing was when the bill came. It was really higher than expected. After looking more closely, I discovered they were charging $14.50 + tax for one of the worst meals I've ever had! I say "discovered " because the prices for the food specials weren't even listed on the menu. I brought this to the bartenders attention, but what could she do other than relay the information to the manager. It's really too bad because my fiancé had never been and was looking forward to trying their breakfast. Probably will never go back. I should've gone to my favorite bar, Tabs in Kenmore, but I was meeting up with friends at Shays. I heard Tabs served really good Corned Beef and Cabbage for $10 and Irish Stew for $6. I know where I'm NOT going next year! read more

Great fast & friendly service. A variety of food options. Had the best zesty ranch salad ..... Best family owned restaurant I've ever been to and would recommend it to anyone! read more

It's all about producing a product that you're proud to serve. I been on a quest for a plate of minced ham and eggs, scrambled soft. Shay's scramble was a close to soft as I have found. That said, I had add cheese to the minced ham and eggs, and what I got was a fistful of shreaded American cheese added cold to the plate. The hasbrown were overly greasy, but they still tasted and had the appearance of being hashbrowns. My biggest problem with my breakfast, was that nothing was seasoned. The coffee, while my cup was refilled,was very watery. It just goes to show that you have to take pride in what your serving. Shay's was basically empty at 9:30 AM and you wonder why. JR read more

I love Shay's! The biggest and most deli cios breakfast in the Northend. Lunch choices are fantastic too. The menu is so vast that it takes me 10 minutes to decide!!! read more

Are you ready to step into 1970. This is a diner connected to an old school style bar. Unfortunately not retro, it's that old and not updated. This is just the type of place you hope is one of those gems of a greasy spoon with huge portions and home made flavor. Alas, not so. Very friendly staff. Their prices were the only current part of the menu - about 9 bucks for a basic 2 egg meat and hash breakfast. The hash browns were undercooked and the eggs overcooked. Overall we have had better elsewhere without having to smell cleaning solution. It's not a bad place, I just can't recommend it over others. read more

We tried this place for the first time this afternoon. We live right around the corner so we were hoping for a good experience. We sat down and waited about five minutes and were given coffee, water and menus. We waited another 25 minutes without any service. The waitress walked by a few times and half smiled but never stopped to take our order. We left because we were tired of waiting. It was a little busy when we first arrived but by the time we left most patrons had finished their meal and left. No excuse for letting us wait 25 minutes without saying a word. Needless to say, we will not ever return. read more

Food was ok NY Steak Sandwich. they may want to replace the pie refrigeration unit as it sounds like a chainsaw when it kicks on.

I've been coming in once in awhile for great breakfast food. But my friends and me used to just about live here when it was Snuffy's Cousin! Remember? Their fine breakfast omelet's continue read more

Much better than average diner food and GREAT drinks. Don't bother ordering a double.

I am giving this place 5 stars, not because they have the fanciest looking place, which they don't, it's an older somewhat worn building and like some people said, over towards the bar and restroom area it can smell kind of funky (like bathroom air freshener or something). This aside, you will not find a better place to get a breakfast omelet, and they are reasonable with their pricing. I also went there during lunch/dinner hours and ordered their Great Dane burger. It was the best burger I have ever eaten that wasn't cooked on a charcoal grill. The size of the thing was enormous, I had to cut it in half to eat it, and it tasted delicious with smoked bacon and all the good toppings. I could not eat another bite after that, it was very filling in a good way. I will have to come back here again for another one sometime, outstanding! Also, the waiter is friendly, good service and I believe he has worked there for a long time. It's a nice small Irish family business, so I would prefer it any day to some corporate place. read more

The bar smells like straight nasty dirty toilet! Person prior noted about the carpet not cleaned in decades, more like ever. My boyfriend remembers going there when he was young with his family and it was nice, sad for him to see what it was and the dump it is now. Just waiting for it to officially close or to be closed by he state. read more

I've been going to Shay's for years and have never been disappointed! Old school diner with great drinks and amazing food.

$11.99 Friday Prime Rib Special with soup or salad, with your choice of starch and veggies was our big draw to this place! I loved the retro wooden salad bowls. So nostalgic for me. The place is no fancy schmancy place, and driving by would make you think twice before you enter, but it's just your all around grease spoon! Breakfast is served all day! Anyways, the prime rib is not a bad deal, and it's cooked well too. You get horseradish and some au jus. I tried the meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and veggies. The meat loaf was a generous portion, I got 4 slices! It was topped with brown gravy, I have a soft spot for this. Tastes like the one my mom would make from the package since she didn't know how to make the real stuff. Growing up in a Viet household, gravy and mashed potatoes was something we would see once a year or so. I loved that they played music of the 70's and 80's. Walking in Simply Red's "Holding Back the Years" was playing, it just made me feel warm and fuzzy all over. The waitresses that work there are real nice and friendly. Some people that walk in are a little rough around edges, but they don't bother us. The food is pretty good! Service is good, and not hovering at all. Prices are wallet friendly! I will be back for Eggs Benedict my other comfort food, in the breakfast category. read more

The Prime Rib Special is amazing. I have never left this place hungry. The service was great.

Nice to find a bar with people at 3 PM and cheap beer. A drinker's heaven if you don't care for fancy placws.

We have eaten here 3x's now and have nothing to complain about. Food is decent, nothing fancy but all american stay with you all day fare. Service is decent, music is louder coming from the kitchen than whatever oldies station they play in the restaurant and the decor is eh. You can't be a snob and eat here. read more

Good ole fashion blue collar food, this is what I miss having grown up in Seattle, places like the 234 broiler, Vals cafe, glad Shays is here when you just want some great food, low price and good service. The bar makes 'hay-maker' drinks your liver will be crying uncle, not for me but it too is a blue collar bar, and for that I appreciate them. read more

In high school, my best friend and I spend so much time at Shay's it was ridiculous. Then, all of a sudden, the food got really bad. Frotunately since then, it's gotten really good again. It's just your typical diner; American food, drinks, friendly staff. read more

What a dive, what a dirty place, what awful food, what terrible service! I guess you have to be drunk not to notice how bad this place really is!! read more