We stopped here during a short trip to check out Bellingham. This place had amazing food, we tried the oysters which were probably the best ones we've ever had also tried the artichoke dip which was delicious! We sat at the bar and had a few drinks, our server was super friendly and helpful with recommending sites to see in the city. Definitely recommend checking this cozy little bar out , it's on the 3rd floor and has some cool views! read more

For location and environment, this place is a solid 4 and almost a five. Perhaps as a legacy of COVID, there were very few staff and while the two who were there were very friendly and busy, the lack of sufficient staff meant service was interminably slow. This is the boss' fault and he needs to up-his-game in the scheduling department. The seating was nice but the tables needed a wipe, the menu was good, the drinks were cold and the food was, on average, just fair. My wife ordered a Caesar salad, seafood chowder and the crab melt. The salad was very good, as was the crab melt, and the soup was fair. I ordered fish and chips. The chips were not fresh and the fish was reasonably good, but I suspect it may have been frozen. I think this place is generally better than we found it today and I think it is worth a visit despite today's relatively low score. read more

I don't know how long this place has been around, but how the hell have I not eaten here before!? This place gets a very well deserved five star review for several reasons. 1. They stay open late. There doesn't seem to be that work ethic here like on the east coast. It's almost like people don't like making money here... If the sun is going down, so is everything else. Which is annoying when you want to grab dinner after a movie. 2. The setting is nice. I think it's exactly what they were going for. I'm sure they would love to put up some black velvet here and there, but it all ties in properly with the historic building. Plenty of seating and still kid friendly. And as busy as they get, they keep the place clean! 3. I think someone put a food roofy in my beer because everything tasted amazing! Although I went for the French onion soup, I ended up ordering the BBQ pulled pork sandwich. That thing was ridiculous! I don't think it was smoked, but that thing was serious! My wife got the crab mac & cheese and that thing rivaled a $55+ lobster mac & cheese with truffles that we ate a few years back in Philly. My wife orders fried calamari EVERYWHERE we go and to me, this was up there in the top three spots. read more

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Good eclectic menu, not overwhelming, reasonably priced. Service was great, most of the tables had a downtown and filtered bay view. One of my favorite's on this visit to the Fairhaven/Bellingham area. read more

Me and my boyfriend drove into Bellingham to stay with my brother for a few days, and the night we got here he had to take us to dinner at one of his favorite places, the black cat. There was a 50 min wait, which is understandable for a Friday night. I ordered the fried chicken bacon sandwich with a Caesar salad and oh my was it delicious. The cheese melted on it was such a delicious touch, the chicken was juicy, the brioche bun was perfectly sweet. The Caesar salad was also yummy! My boyfriend ordered the prawns in butter which were very yummy. My brother ordered the pot roast, which is his favorite thing there, and his girlfriend ordered a cheeseburger. All of the food was amazing and great quality, and I would definitely recommend this place to others! read more

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Came for the first time for my birthday brunch as my partner made reservations for us. It was busy when we got there around noon. I hadn't had eggs benny in a while and ended up impressed at the combo of my meal (florentine Benny). Next time I'd order a different drink and maybe like ranch for my potatoes instead of the ketchup. I liked the food, atmosphere, and view! Not sure if there's an elevator for those that need it to get to the third floor? read more

The Black Cat - Florentine Benny - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Our last and favorite dining experience while vacationing in Bellingham was at The Black Cat. At this fun, social, casual dress gathering spot we enjoyed a great dinner with excellent service by our waitress, Claire. Our dinner featured a Caesar Salad, French Onion Soup, 14oz Grilled Ribeye Steak and Wild Sockeye Salmon. We saved room for dessert, which featured The Black Cat Brownie Sundae and Seasonal Rotating Dessert Tray. The Brownie Sundae can easily be shared by two; the blackberries and cobbler crisp dessert was excellent. We could see why locals and returning visitors favored this eating spot, with its quality food, full-service bar, and friendly atmosphere. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

My daughter and her fiancé took my wife and I to this place for Father's Day Celebration. We started with Artichoke Hearts and it was delicious. For the entree, I had the Rid Eye Steak which came with mashed potato and grilled Brussel sprouts. The mashed potato was delicious. The Brussel sprouts were over-grilled and burned. For steak, I ordered a medium, but it came well done. However, it does have a good flavor and I did finish the steak. My wife had Dungeness crab salad with salmon. Overall, she like the salad, but the salmon was dried and chewy. My daughter ordered the French Dip, which she really liked. Her fiance ordered Pesto Chicken and he seems to like it. For drink, I had the Boomtown red wine and I have to say it was impressive in the taste and the quality. The rest had some cocktails and beer. They were pretty good. The service was great. read more

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Unique location on the third floor with good views of the bay and mountains/islands. Staff were friendly and reasonably quick. We tried a few cocktails which were good. For food we had the spinach salad with crab added (salad was great, but crab didn't really work on this kind of salad) and the salmon sandwich (fantastic!). We were disappointed that we could not get their friend cauliflower tots as a side for the sandwich since the other side options it had weren't that appetizing (fries, side salad, tempura green beans). read more

I love a cool venue with exposed brick on the second floor of a cool old building. The distorted views through the shifting glass of the windows, the little lamps on the windowsills... All adding lots of character. As for the food, I got the Dungeness Crab Benny ($15+) for brunch. The crab was yummy but the hollandaise was bland. I also found the potatoes bland. To be fair, I like things seasoned and spicy -- and that's not a safe mainstream service strategy. All the same, some more black pepper on the potatoes would have been nice. But ketchup sufficed. And the eggs? Well, I have never made hollandaise so am not sure of the fix. More butter? Less flour? My solution was dousing it with Cholula; it did the trick. Bottom line: Venue is kinda cool. Food based on this one experience was nothing special. read more

Great Happy Hour, their Fish n Chips are the bomb, $15 for a bottle of wine and fondue, great value and vibe. Go there for a speculative night out, for a date for Happy Hour, you won't regret it. read more

Super cute restaurant with tons of cat-themed decor, in a lovely historic building. I came by myself around noon for Sunday brunch, and there was no wait to sit at the bar. I got the crab cake benedict, which was delicious: the crab cakes were flavorful, the eggs were perfectly poached, and the sauce was rich with just a bit of a spicy kick. read more

The Black Cat - Crab cake benedict - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I came here on a Thursday night and it was super busy. I sat at the bar and ordered a drink and the pot roast. The pot roast was very good. It did feel crowded being the bar on a busy night. It took a while to get the check. But otherwise it was pretty good. read more

Great place for dinner. It's getting really busy now that Covid is over (we can hope.) Reservations prolly needed for peak hours.. Jalapeño chicken is quite good.. My son loves the crab Mac and cheese.. Would have given 5 stars, but my ribeye the other night wasn't a great cut.. To much fat for the most expensive thing on the menu.. But my French onion soup kick ass! Overall great place to eat! You were busy last Friday, but did a great job with our party. Thanks read more

This place is such a mood! It is dark, artsy, and everything a restaurant should be in a rainy waterfront town. The building it is in is beautiful, definitely haunted, and has some cool shops and galleries to check out while you are waiting for your table. Highly recommend reservations! We went with resos on Saturday at 6:30. Everyone walking up was being advised it was a 1.5 hour wait for walk ins. We had jalapeño chicken, fondu, French onion soup and crab cakes. The French onion soup was absolutely the best thing on the menu! It was done so perfectly, this is a must have. Everything else was good, but that soup stole the show. We also had the brownie sundae for dessert, it was so good! I am enjoying the rest with my coffee this morning. When I am in this area of Washington I will definitely be back! read more

I would rate this spot more than five stars if I could...! Great ambience, friendly staff, and an impressive menu made for a truly memorable experience. The petite fondue appetizer is an absolute must! And the beef stroganoff, just wow! read more

The Black Cat - Petite Fondue and French Onion Soup - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Incredibly noisy. Tables crowded too close together. The food was fine but nothing out of the ordinary.

What a great date night place. We shared a couple of appetizers and the food was delicious and the service was attentive. Highly recommend!

We were going through Bellingham on our way to Canada, and we love Fairhaven, so we decided to stop for lunch at the Black Cat based on their reviews. It isn't as hard to find as some people think - you just go into the historic building and walk up to the third floor. There are multiple signs. We were seated immediately (it was early afternoon on a Saturday, perhaps after the lunch rush) at a window table. The view looking down over the street is charming. The service was quick and friendly. Fish and chips can be a pretty basic dish, but done right it's amazing. The Black Cat does it right. The batter was crispy and light, and the fish was delicious. But what really surprised me was the coleslaw. Normally I ask for no coleslaw because I don't like it, but the server said that their's is different. I took her word for it, and I'm glad. It was finely shredded cabbage, and lightly dressed instead of drenched in sauce. It was really good! read more

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This is a fun place with really tasty food and great service! We enjoyed the fried oyster appetizer (perfectly cooked and fresh tasting), beef stroganoff (lots of good flavors and just the right portion size) and the crab wedge salad. Our water glasses were kept filled and our server checked on us regularly. Hope we get to return! read more

Yummy! We were in Bellingham for our anniversary and looking for some lunch. We stumbled on this place. The neighborhood is cute and kitschy. I really love the ambience of the building that The Black Cat is housed in. It totally reminds me of Pike Place Market. Very cool! It's up on the third floor with an awesome view of the bay. Place was clean. Service was excellent. We ordered the lemon-garlic prawns for appetizers and they melted in our mouths! I ordered the fish n chips, my hubby ordered the crab Mac n Cheese. They were both fresh and delicious! We'll be back next time we're in Bellingham! read more

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I went there to meet two girlfriends for a drink and a a snack the afternoon of November 22nd. We got there at 3:45 and it took a half an hour for us to be waited on?! It was not that busy.... The three of us had paid our bills at about 6:00 and were talking when someone, not sure who.... A wait person or Manager, came over to our table and basically asked us to leave!!!! She said there was a line out the door... We we so shocked that we said "0k".... Got out in the hall where there were maybe 4 people waiting. We were super irritated and mortified as to what happened. No one e else was asked to leave? We are not partiers. I had two glasses of wine and my friend had one, her daughter had hot tea. Seriously? We found out who the Manager is and when I got home I called the restaurant and asked for Chevie (sp), the Manager. I told her what happened and how inappropriate it was. She said that she was "sorry" and that she would talk to her staff. That was about it?! No asking my name, have I been in there before, no resolution. My friends and I think it was "Chevie" who asked us to leave! Could be wrong, don't know, but will find out. I have been to The Black Cat numerous times and this has never happened. May or may not go back.... Thought about calling the owner to share the story with him as I am confident he would not be happy with this really, really BAD customer service!! Take note and say no if they ask you to leave. We should have said no, we were not quite ready!! read more

I've been coming to the Black Cat since 2010, and I've yet to have a bad experience. The food is amazing, the staff have always been friendly and engaging, and if you're going to complain about the wait, take into consideration the fact that the restaurant was built around a very old historical space (with limited elbow room), and not the other way around. Love the Cat! read more

Superb atmosphere and great drinks. The bartenders were great and made both visits great. I don't eat them, but everyone told me the oyster shooters - with or without vodka - are incredibly good. It can get very crowded, even in a Thursday night, so be prepared for a wait. You can always sit in the giant main lobby so no need to brave the cold while you wait. read more

Location can't be bested. The space is a spot where I take all the new people in town to at sunset. Talk about wow factor. The Best: Fondue. Get it. Eat it all. Or I will personally whisk away the remains. Bread and broccoli? WHY, THANKS, YES! French Onion Soup. Food porn, for one. And two, truly delicious. Hot, melty, rich broth covered in cheese is never bad, but sipping on wine while gazing across Fairhaven? Sublime. Beet Salad. Surprisingly incredible, the salad has wowed many of my friends. Its delicious and balanced. Mimosa Flight. Your mini juice selection and a whopper bottle of bubbly. Fun, a pretty good deal, and very pretty. Be careful how much wine you drink- there are stairs both up and down, and parking is hard to find. We have been underwhelmed by the burger three times, two different people. So stick to French food, please. read more

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We came here while visiting my grandparents in B'ham. My grandmother had a certificate so we thought we would try it. The building itself is really cool inside as it was definitely older architecture. I had the seafood chowder and my husband had a burger. The beer on tap was all local. This place is on the third floor and I'm not positive if there was an elevator. Very enjoyable and great atmosphere. read more

Located upstairs in beautiful old building. Delicious soups and appetizer. Tried the fondue which was not well made that evening. Busy bar, happy hour, dinner. View of Bellingham bay. read more

I was craving something hearty and the pot roast delivered. Omg, the sauce is so good. My gf had the French onion soup and enjoyed it very much. I'll be back next time I find myself in WA! ;) read more

The Black Cat - Pot roast, Brussels sprouts, tempura green beans - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I know a lot of folks love this place. Ultra cool location. Love the inside. My biggest and probably only gripe is they have a small menu and other than the Mac n Cheese everything is pretty ok-ish. My feeling is that if you have a small menu those few items should taste baller. I know they could do better. read more

The Black Cat is a cool place in Fairhaven. It offers good service, a relaxing atmosphere, and delicious food. I highly recommend Portabella Burger with fries. The caramelized onions and goat cheese really make it delicious. People rave about the happy hour, which I have yet to take advantage of. I intend to do so very soon. read more

After enjoying several meals here, I discovered Sunday Happy Hour. Starting at 3 pm after the brunch crowd has cleared you can enjoy drink and food specials until closing. Petit fondue, fish tacos and a mini version of the famous Mac and cheese with real crab. The Ceasar salad is one of the most unique with a not too spicy dressing. Many otherwise traditional dishes have their own unique spin. Although one that doesn't seem to work is the pot roast. Although delicious, instead of traditional gravy is broth almost overflowing in the bowl. As much as I love this place, I need to remember to ask next time why the black paper napkins are as stiff as cardboard. Weird! read more

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I will be honest. They were not upfront with us about the lack of staff. We waited 2+ hours for lunch. Then said they would comp or give us to go boxes. This place is fun and kitchie but under staffed. We ordered soup and grilled cheese and said the kitchen was backed up due to a table of 12 ...ummm...that's a hard no. read more

I wanted to try Black Cat for years! Now I have been there twice in a month! Once at night! I loved the Tiffany lamps! Food and drinks were amazing! Then, for happy hour with a group! Everything is awesome. The fondue was fun. Service is excellent. It was very busy but there are lots of efficient staff! read more

Black cat has the best cocktails in Fairhaven. I can't say best drinks in all of Bellingham since I usually am visiting breweries and enjoying beer. If you find yourself in Fairhaven part of town, definitely stop by to enjoy good drinks and a light meal. The bar area is pretty cool and conducive for meeting new and old friends. We had a couple of Moscow Mules which were cold and perfect. We had the crab Mac and cheese, with bacon of course. I recommend making the walk up to the second floor for good drinks, food and a view. Our waitress had the right mix of attentiveness without overwhelming us with "how is everything tasting" every five mins. That left plenty of time to enjoy a good conversation without interruptions. Bonus is that we ran into her the next day at Wander and she was still super nice and has a very sweet dog. read more

The Black Cat - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Well, where to start? Our waitress was unimpressive. She insisted on going in a certain order for our party even though proper manners are for the eldest/senior to order first. That is plain outright rude. We don't have kids order first before my parents get to order. She was slow to get our drinks and we couldn't help but notice she was continually eating at the counter from the kitchen. We probably should have simply left at that point and gone to another restaurant. But we were hungry so we stayed. The food was good so that's why I gave two stars instead of one. Then after we finished our meal we overheard the wait staff cussing and talking crap about others who weren't present. Will we go back? No way. Hope you have a better experience than we did. Seems like it should be a nice place and a fun vibe. read more

This place is amazing. Came for date night and it exceeded expectations. The ambiance and service at the bar was great. Food was excellent!

Walking into the building that this restaurant in was a bit surprising, I wouldn't have thought a restaurant would be in here, but i'm glad i came in! The food was really great, although a bit pricey, it was worth it. During happy hour you can get the Crab Mac and Cheese for a bit less than regular price and it is SOOO good. I would come back here just for this. We also got the calamari which was good, and i ordered the Gouda Pesto Chicken. The pesto sauce on the chicken was also super great. they also play pretty good music:) read more

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Totally impressed with The Black Cat. If you're anywhere nearby, it's worth making a detour. We were seated quickly Sunday around lunchtime. Service was friendly and efficient. I was dining with someone who has an allergy and not only did they help with the menu, but when an item came out that she couldn't have, a substitution was made quickly. The food is incredibly well executed. This isn't fancy food, but everything is scratch cooked, impeccably seasoned, and made with care to the highest standards. Take for example, the fish and chips I ordered. Piping hot, shatteringly crisp and perfectly golden-brown and delicious beer battered cod sat atop very freshly fried, crisp-on-the-outside and fluffy on the inside potatoes, with a well-balanced tartar sauce and the first coleslaw I've ever tried that made me eager to finish it. Every detail and nuance was on point. That was exceeded by the Dungeness crab melt that was also ordered. The side of Caesar salad was excellent. But the crab melt? Best I or my guest have ever had. Heaping portions of crab salad were smothered in a creamy cheddar. The crab was perfectly seasoned: sweet, slightly saline, rich, buttery, with just a hint of scallion to provide some contrast and crunch. It sat atop a perfectly toasted English muffin. Divine. Other food leaving the kitchen looked equally well-executed: French dip, burgers, a slate of Eggs Benedict's... I'll make a point to stop in the next time I'm near Bellingham! read more

Went in for a late lunch, ordered the salmon sandwich and the crab melt. Both were really good but the nod definitely goes to the salmon. Probably the best thing on the menu. The service was excellent as well. read more

Came here with my adult kids and elderly parents. Everyone loved it. Service was great, food was too. Great space in a beautiful older building. read more

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