I was told that this place is worth visiting because they were one of the top restaurants the Olympian cited in an article as having one of the best breakfasts in town, so our hopes were high. That is now a lesson for me that I need to temper my expectations. When we arrived, the parking lot was full but there were open tables. The waitress was super nice and seated us immediately, got us our coffee, and took our orders quickly. So far, so good. The place looks like a cabin in the woods and the dining area has nice little half booths. We were kind of excited by the idea that we were checking out a local favorite. And it definitely must be, because the food doesn't dictate the excitement. I'm sure it had to be an off day because the food was bland at best, burned at worst. I got the corned beef hash and the corned beef was fine. The egg needed salt or something because it went straight from the shell to the pan and it tasted like it. I always love some good buttered toast, but this toast was so ready that you could barely taste the butter and strawberry jam didn't make it better. Maybe choosing a thinner bread would have fixed it, but I also just didn't like the bread. The hash browned potatoes were crispy, so that was good, but they were also burned. Or maybe the oil was burned. Either way, they tasted bad and I know it wasn't just an accident for my hash browns because my sister's hash brown tasted the same. She also got the steak and there was no seasoning. I remember watching a Top Chef episode where Tom Colicchio was asking a chef why he didn't season his steak and the guy said he thought that was something that should be left to the customer's taste. Colicchio said something to the effect of, "You're the chef. You make that decision. It's your job to make the food taste good." That's all I could think of when I tasted my sister's steak. But thanks to the bland steak, we had a snack for our dogs. The reputation of this place must be just because it's a local favorite, or maybe the food is good but just not this day. I'll give it another shot sometime in the summer, but I'm not excited about it. I love me a good breakfast and I don't need fancy, bougie entrees to make me happy about breakfast food, but if you can't get eggs and toast right, then I don't know... read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Steak and eggs - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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I was actually very impressed. I had been to their old location on Martin Way, across from River ridge high School. When I went there it was really not that good and the whole place was kind of run-down. So when my wife said she wanted to try this I was very hesitant. Boy was I surprised the food was pretty fantastic the server was very quick and attended to our needs thoroughly really the only complaint that I had was parking kind of sucked. Will definitely be back for more corned beef hash and eggs. read more

The staff were kind. The environment was very loud. The food came out fast. The portions were HUGE. Unfortunately the food was not the best. The chicken fried steak was okay but had a weird breading. The hash browns were barely cooked. No crispy bits at all and when you bit into them you could tell they were not cooked all the way through. I would rather have smaller portions with food made well. It was all edible, just not the best. read more

It's a convenient stop along the highway. I highly recommend the sandwiches and some extra pickles. The staff is friendly and the bathroom is clean. read more

The service is excellent and friendly. The food is quite serviceable, particularly considering that the restaurant is off the beaten path.

I just ate here for the first time this week. I had breakfast and it was a good home style meal. It has a fun diner feel with the shipwreck theme. The service was great and bathrooms were clean. The food was good. I tried the breakfast options. The hash browns were particularly good as they were crispy and not mushy. read more

Great place to stop on the way to the ocean, Portland,etc ... or if you are a local it is a wonderful Cafe to go and eat a decadent diner type of breakfast /brunch! The waitress was fast, friendly and made an already great experience that much better Highly recommend ! read more

Second trip here and easily matches the quality of food and service of the first time. Opened a little later due to the cold weather and icy roads but we were close enough to the opening time that we waited in the car. As we rolled in we could smell the coffee and the grills warming up. Server was super friendly and attentive. Once again, the coffee cups never emptied past half full and our meals came out super timely. The wife opted for the meat lovers omelette which was LOADED with ham, bacon, & sausage. So much she couldn't quite finish. My CFS, the gold standard of breakfasts, was done quite well and served with the perfect amount of gravy. They served both of our toast orders on one plate and it was a mountain of thick cut sourdough. The topper, though was the way my eggs were cooked. I had the most absolutely perfect over medium-well eggs EVER!! Whites were firm as was the edge of the yolk but still enough to dunk a corner of my toast. I think the highest compliment I could ever offer would be that if I were ever to own a cafe like this, I would do it EXACTLY the same!! I think the public agrees because the traffic in the front door was ridiculous. read more

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Friendly service, waitress checked up on us multiple times. Food was good loved the real mashed potatoes! read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Everything is always consistently good. Service is fast. Food is fresh tasty and hot. Highly recommend a mimosa and chicken fried steak....and a workout. read more

Food was pretty good, I ordered a $21 Monte Cristo and it was lightly fried and unevenly dusted with powdered sugar. Family enjoyed a kid's pancake and regular breakfast with eggs, toast and home fries. As another reviewer mentioned, it is quite expensive, but at the least the employees get paid a decent wage (according to the owners response to the previous reviewer). Decor was of course, ship themed and done pretty tastefully. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Monte Cristo, could've used a bit more powdered sugar evenly dusted - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Cute little diner with lots of options on the menu and free flowing drip coffee. It's the perfect stop off highway 101 for lunch. We stopped here for brunch on the way to the Oregon Coast. Friendly and quick service and even outdoor seating. The burger was especially good as it was handmade and the sweet potato fries were surprisingly good! read more

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Cold food! When you go somewhere for a hot breakfast, the food should be hot. Service was fine, quick and the order was accurate.

I guess it's time to update the review since they have new owners. They still have the same great food. We usually stop here for breakfast but we were on our way out of Olympia going back home and had missed an anniversary dinner the week before so we stopped here as our first choice was closed; another pandemic casualty. We both want seafood. We usually order two different dishes and sample each other's but we broke from our standard routine and both ordered the seafood platter. My wife opted for extra coke slaw and I tried their clam chowder. The chowder was great and the seafood platter was too. There was enough on it that we both had a second meal the next evening. It included battered clams, shrimp, oysters, and cod. I might even try lunch there the next time I'm in Olympia as their lunch menu looked good too. read more

If you came here for the chicken fried steak which was always delicious, find a new spot they got a new one and it's terrible. Seems like some mass produced garbage no meat all breading it is not good anymore but not any cheaper either read more

Perfect corn beef hash! Going back for sure! Location was a surprise but quite easy to get to. Ambiance is underwhelming but the food and service made up for it! read more

Country fried steak is HUGE and great. Service was great & and seating was quick when it was busy

My favorite diner in the area! Their chili is perfectly spicy. I love their wait staff and their chill environment. They have a drive up drive through which makes it convenient when you're in a rush. Online ordering also makes you get in and out in a breeze. Everything that I've tried there has been delicious. read more

Food was excellent. Great service and laid back atmosphere. Great place to go if you want to eat in a relaxed environment.

Probably the best Prime Rib Night in this area! Good cuts, great service and tasty! Most meals there are good! Breakfast is wonderful. And if you like hand cut and breaded cod? The fish and chips are top notch! My only complaint is the coleslaw is bland and boring! read more

Unfortunately this was a pretty underwhelming breakfast. I was hoping for a greasy spoon diner and in a way I guess that's what's going on but the most exciting thing was the decor. There are eggs, scrambles and fried oysters- but nary a fruit or vegetable to be found. The gravy certainly came from a powder. Everything was pretty flavorless and yellow. Some parsley, pepper or any seasoning would have gone a long way. It's the kind of place that certainly had a smoking section back in the day. The staff was super sweet but I think ubiquitous you can do better. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Flavorless eggs, half biscuit and gravy and undercooked browns. A little parsley would go a long way. - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

My friend and I came here after paddle boarding at Lake Cushman. This place is really close to my house and I am surprised I have never been here before. Everyone was nice and welcoming and there was hardly anyone there! I got the fish and chips and my goodness was it yummy! Plus, their beer battered friend with garlic...must have. Definitely will be back. read more

So glad we stumbled upon this place. Food and service are top notch. Definitely recommend.

Omg service was outstanding!! We were a group of 6. They were super busy but they never rushed us. We had some amazing food. We all got different breakfast items so you can order anything and it will be good. read more

The ambiance is cute with boat decor, the waitress was very sweet and our breakfast was so good! Chicken fried steak, hash browns, with biscuits and gravy. We had to order the pumpkin coffee cake and it came out warm and delicious too! Great stop on our trip! read more

This is the third time we stopped here. We had a fabulous meal. The food was cooked nicely, fresh and delicious. The service was quick, polite and efficient. The place is clean. The food was delivered to our table nice and hot. Whatever you are doing to train the cooks and staff is sure worth it. Wr arrived during a meal rush time. Yet, food came quickly to all tables. Then while I wad eating lunch, one of the cooks came out to bus the tables. I enjoyed spending my money at Ship Wreck Cafe because they have earned my business. Thank you for a great meal. We had the pulled pork plate and the chili burger. read more

Hadn't stopped in here in few years, was glad to see it still open and doing well. They also did some visual improvements that looked more updated and nice, including a little enclosed patio area. We went on a Tuesday at 11:15 and it was pretty busy. Hubby had a full class bacon/egg breakfast $16.99, good menu but kinda pricey for a casual cafe. I wanted a soup/sandwich combo but didn't want to pay $18, so I chose the least expensive tuna melt $15.99 and soup as my side which was cremini mushroom that day. Our server very sweet and attentive. We also had a couple well drink cocktails which with house booze was still $9 each but decent. My tuna melt looked really good ( love their bread) but tasted like cheap tuna (fishy) definitely not albacore and lacking mayo which disappointing for $16 tuna and so wanted the soup to be nice and creamy but instead tasted like a base of bacon grease and minimal dairy, almost a rancid sour note. Ugh, I tried to eat it but just not good. Only ate half the sandwich. Hubby's breakfast was on point, but not too much you can screw up on an easy breakfast. And she did let him sub fries for the hash browns. The bill was like $55 before tip, a bit steep especially not being pleased with one meal. We'd probably stop in again if hungry and passing by but wouldn't go out of our way to go there. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Tuna melt $15.99, w/mushroom soup. Unfortunately poor quality tuna (fishy) should be albacore. Soup tasted like bacon lard base, darn. - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

I have been here twice. This is a themed diner. Our first time here it was kind of what was open and not overly busy during the lunch rush haha had the chicken fried steak breakfast it wasn't the best I ever had but it was good and portions are good, (it's not the usual giant diner size) biscuit wasn't dry either. Second time we ended up picking this place because the other place had a 2 hour wait even though we had reservations Lol but this worked I enjoyed the food the first time so why not share it with my partners family, I tried the patty melt was a little disappointed, the burger was seasoned, not enough onions, and my fries were very portioned out a small hand full...Actually I noticed everyone's food was very portioned out. The food is pretty good the prices are what you would expect at a sit down now days, the portions are portioned and there are always cars in the parking lot. read more

Good simple American breakfast. Quality and ambience is good. Clean and healthy. Quick service.

I really enjoyed this place; it is locally owned and as we were waiting you can see that locals have been going there for quite sometime as the staffed referred them by their first name. They were cleaning and sanitizing tables before sitting the next party. The server was super sweet and the food was very tasty. I orders French toast and my husband ordered biscuit and Gravy. They have a choice that you can get full or half servings; I should have gotten half as you will get a lot of food. I will definitely go back to this local establishment when visiting the grandkids again. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - The captains breakfast - French toast combination. - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Went here on a whim and I'm so glad I did!! The fried oysters were crispy and big, fried to perfection with lemon and tartar sauce on the side. The hash browns were super crispy and the eggs over easy hit the spot. Special shout out to Patience, who seated us right away, made a terrific chai (yum) and made sure to check in with us to make sure we had everything. I loved the friendly atmosphere, delicious food, and cute shipwreck ambiance. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Fried oysters with eggs over easy and hash browns. Tartar sauce included! SO GOOD. - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Solid American style diner. Great staff, good food, nice location. I've relied on them for about twenty years to be the best place to just get a good breakfast. You can rely on the servers to be friendly, and the kitchen reliably knows the difference between over easy and over medium. The name changes, but the spirit of the place remains: An American style diner done well. read more

Good breakfast joint. Had the corn beef hash which was delicious. Service was quick and friendly without being overbearing. The Bloody Mary was okay. Overall I'd eat here again. Would definitely eat here over a chain. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - the front of the building - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

A typical greasy spoon seafood spot. Breading was good on the seafood platter items, seemed like it was made in-house. Waiter was really nice. read more

Shipwreck Cafe - Half of the seafood platter: cod filet, shrimp, clam strips, and fried oysters with a cup of chowder. - Cafes Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Hmm. Went here this morning (Sunday) with my husband, and our son and his girlfriend. Sadly, we were all underwhelmed by the food. We won't be returning to or recommending Shipwreck Cafe. Three stars is because the service was great, and the ambience was nice, too. THE GOOD: - restaurant was bright and airy, very clean and comfortable. - even on a busy Sunday we were greeted immediately by a friendly hostess, and seated within minutes. - service was wonderful, all our drinks were refilled without having to ask, including coffee cups that never got below half empty. The wait staff was friendly and efficient. - the lemon bar was delicious! I WILL return for more of those to go. THE BAD: - The Food. It was average at best if I'm being kind, and I really want to be kind because I really wanted to like it. But it just wasn't good. It was so highly recommended online and in the local newspaper, and the place was packed so people clearly like it...but for the life of me I don't know why. Denny's is better - a LOT better...and cheaper. The prices here would have been okay if the food was outstanding, but all of it was sub-par. My scrambled eggs were a strange, dense texture, not made fresh. My husband ordered his eggs over medium because he knows that when he orders over easy in cafes they tend to undercook the whites, and his eggs did arrive over medium...but STILL had undercooked whites. French toast was barely brown and just soft with no crispy edges, or much flavor for that matter. Everyone agreed the hash browns were soggy. :( There are just so many better breakfast options in Olympia, so despite their best efforts the mediocre food here is a deal breaker for me. read more

After our second failed attempt at going to cut down a Christmas tree this year, we said screw it and looked for somewhere new to grab something to eat. I read this place had a drive-thru so we jumped on 101 and heading this direction. The drive-thru is... interesting to say the least. Not a speaker box type situation. You're driving up to a designated spot along the front where they have windows and you're waiting until someone has a moment to come over and take your order. We sat for about 5 minutes before I finally called to make sure we were doing it right and not missing something. Shortly after they confirmed we were in the right spot for ordering someone came to the window. We personally don't mind the wait but just be aware, good chance you'll be sitting for a minute because from the looks of it, they get packed. My husband got a burger with fries and I got the club with fries. He said the burger was good, just needed a little salt as it was kind of bland. I'm always on the hunt for a good club sammi. It was okay, nothing to really write home about. I just saw club sandwhich and got excited but didn't see it was only turkey and didn't have ham as well. I felt it being all turkey made it really dry and hard to get down. The fries are epic though! Cute spot for sure. I can tell this would have been my mom and late gramma's favorite spot for lunch before heading out to hit up the antique stores in downtown. read more

The ambiance and service were great. My fish sandwich was perfectly indifferent. My husband had a nice corned beef hash.

The Breakfasts and Sandwiches are super tasty. This is a great spot right off the highway for a quick bite. I loved their Gilligan Sandwich with a side salad for lunch. It's a Turkey BLT with avocado. Definitely a 10!! read more

Chowder fries.. Need I say more? YUM!! Warm, salty French fries, paired with a creamy rich clam chowder to dip them in. The flavors paired are truly irresistible. I was in the area and happened to stumble upon the shipwreck cafe before a girls night. I was delighted to see the chowder fries as I've never had them before and am a huge fan of both. I took my order to go. Service was decent, the two young girls at the register were nice but one was preoccupied by her cell phone. Overall, I loved this place and can't wait to try other delicious foods. read more

Diner type restaurant with the typical fare. GREAT breakfasts, large portions, friendly atmosphere, attentive staff and reasonably priced. What more do you want?!? Their entire menu is served all day so whether you are craving breakfast, lunch, or dinner fare it's available; just come and get it!! read more