Brunch. Ohhhhhh brunch. How I have missed you. When your friends have a Sunday wedding and you need to eat before because God knows how long it will be till the "Sunday dinner" portion, you go to brunch. But where to go, and especially since places have been packed recently. Enter Black Cat, where we were seated immediately at 11am, and had our mimosas within 10 minutes (Pro tip: get the DIY one and mix the cran and pineapple juices!). We ordered a regular egg/bacon breakfast, the chicken and waffles, and the roast beef hash. I love me a good hash and my favorite is corned beef, but this one was awesome. It comes with a garlic aioli which you should put on literally everything. The chicken and waffles were also tasty - the one tiny bite I got to try, at least. There were several things on the menu I would like to try, so there's definitely a return visit in the future! I would say to be aware that as it got busier things got a little slower (as to be expected) so don't go if you are under serious time constraints - or schedule your excursion a bit earlier. It was a lovely place to enjoy brunch with an out of town friend, and I am so happy that my first experience here was so pleasant. read more

The Black Cat - Chicken and Waffles - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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The food was very good and the ambiance is casual. I had the seafood chowder and it was delicious! My husband had the halibut fish and chips and he enjoyed his meal as well. Our waitress was just OK. She relied heavily on the other wait staff to assist with drink refills and other needs. Overall it was a good experience and I would recommend it. read more

If you are looking for a cheap happy hour Monday through Thursday 3 to 6... then this is the place to go. But I don't know what the hype is. I will never come back. Honestly, our oyster shooters tasted like they came out of a jar served with spaghetti sauce!!! The happy hour Fondue... great idea, but the cheese was broken, I think they use frozen broccoli that had been thawed... and the bread was stale Besides all that - there is nudity throughout. Not our style at all. read more

No, no, no. If you want to turn off your customers right away, nothing is as effective as handing them a filthy menu, spotted with who knows what spilled food or sauce. I won't be going back. There was nothing memorable about the food, but I will never forget the dirty menu. read more

First time visiting downtown Bellingham, enjoying a cool breezy day, loving the architecture of the old brick buildings and getting hungry with all the food smells wafting in the air. After a quick check on Yelp ( thank you! Yelpies.) and sharing an apartment with a black cat, of course I had to try The Black Cat! Located on the third floor of an old old brick building downtown, with lots of other interesting vendors throughout the building. With the cooler weather and being quite awhile since I've had French onion soup, made for an easy choice to start the meal, many tempting choices to decide from the menu, I rounded it out with the crab melt with tempura fried green beans. While waiting for the food, enjoying the views of the town and bay, and the Aslan Brewery Dawn Patrol Pacific pale ale, lots of art work with the black cat theme throughout, a very relaxed atmosphere, service was excellent, filling in a little on the history of the building and the food. It didn't take long for the French onion soup to arrive, diving in through the very thick layer of Gruyère cheese to the onions and broth.. OMG!! So good!! Gooey cheese, delicious broth, and amply cooked onions, I was enjoying it so much, it took a few spoonfuls to get to the crostini, which just added more to this already amazing soup... Yes! It had been too long since my last French onion soup experience, very satisfying on a cool sea breezy day. The crab melt came soon, while still enjoying the soup. Another very flavorful selection, plenty of fresh crab, green onion, and cheddar cheese melted over a English muffin... foodie heaven for sure. Lol and the tempura fried green beans.. Yum!!! Crispy outside, tender inside, done just right. Definitely add to your list to try when in Bellingham. Great food and service, fun atmosphere, trying one of their cocktails is on my list for next time. Enjoy! Cheers! read more

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Fantastic! We were a group of five. The restaurant has great ambience and was very lively even though we arrived before 5pm. We had a lovely server, she provided friendly, prompt and perfect service. The cocktails were well balanced and delicious. We had five different entrees and all of us felt our food was fantastic. Clams were "the best they had ever had". The halibut fish and chips were perfectly cooked, crispy, not oily, and very fresh tasting. Jalapeno chicken was awesome, and the accompanying brussels were divine. It was great that they offer a gluten free bun. Sometimes, it's the small things that make the biggest difference! All five of us agreed we will dine here again. read more

Travel three stories up to a quaint little bistro in fairhaven historical building. The bar area look like it had better views so if you go I recommend asking for this area. I love the old brick on the walls. Menu is very limited hence a bistro. Moscow mule was nice and gingery. The black cat lemonade had a little kick with little too much basil for my liking. Family ordered a variety of things: Beef stroganoff. My husband gave it a 6 out of 10. Black cat burger with fries look pretty tasty. My son devoured it. The prawn tacos were good, But only having two on the plate, my daughter was still hungry. Fish and chips with a lovely coleslaw for my 15 year old son. Nothing was left behind. I wasn't particularly hungry tonight so I only had French onion soup. It was delicious but a little heavy on the bread. I usually only see one slice of French bread but this head too so it seemed like a cup of bread with some broth and onions. Also aside of tempura green beans with a sauce to start out the meal. It was very tasty and for $5 a nice accompaniment to the meal. Our bill was close to $100 before tip. Given the fact that I didn't even eat a real meal I thought the price was a little high, especially knowing my daughter left hungry. Worth a try. read more

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My birthday lunch was perfect! Truly great meals, wonderful service. And I got a birthday dessert on the house. read more

This place was cute and a lovely stop along my trip to Bellingham! It's got delicious food, I ordered the fries, shrimp and olive dip. I would say skip the dip though unless you're into half time style food. Everything else was good and there is a fun selection of different beers and drinks. Service was quick and friendly. read more

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

Service was fast and good at their job, didn't feel forgotten on a busy night. The ambience is very cool and dark perfect for a date night. I got a five-dollar glass of beer my wife got a cute mocktail and we were off and running. We ordered the fondue which is plenty for two although out of everything we got the cheese was a bit too avant-garde for us it had a different consistency than the usual pub cheese you might be familiar with. Along with that came a side of brussels sprouts, I recommend them. For entrees, i got the pot roast and my lady got the stroganoff. Both very unique takes on staple hearty meals. Both our plates were full of food and flavor and we were left satisfied. Shared a creme brulee, paid our bill, and were onward down the three flights of stairs with full bellies. Overall this place is worth the price of the menu, and if you are lucky you may get some really fast service. I do recommend calling in a reservation as the wait for a table can be up to an hour. Patience is key if you don't call ahead or are unlucky with the bar. read more

A friend and I came here for lunch. We ordered drinks and food and got our drinks after about 10 minutes. It seemed a little long to wait but it wasn't that busy when we got there. We waited a long time to get our food. Next to us was a table of 6 that got all their food before us and one the them ordered the same thing I ordered. Our server eventually got to our table asking if we wanted more drinks. We asked about the food and she admitted that she forgot about it and that she would bring us our food as soon as it was available. We still waited a long time and still didn't get our food. From the time we walked in the door until we decided we weren't waiting anymore was 1 hour 15 minutes. We talked to a busser to get our check because we were leaving. It doesn't seem like he talked to our server. We eventually went to the host at the front and she helped us. We ended up going somewhere else for food. I won't be returning to the Black Cat in the future. I like to support local businesses but I also like getting my food. I feel like we were more than generous in how long we waited and we still didn't get our food. read more

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The food was delicious and the restaurant atmosphere was excellent, we enjoyed our lunch

Not a bad table in the restaurant as almost all are next to a window looking towards the bay. My wife and I had excellent food (beef stroganoff and side salad for me; chowder, crab cakes and asparagus for her. Service was excellent and non-intrusive. Staff was uniformly friendly and pleasant. I liked the casual, old-space feel of the restaurant. read more

I always recommend The Black Cat to anyone looking for a place with great service, great food, and awesome cocktails! This time the hostess was not the most friendly, but other than that, it was an amazing experience as usual. The vibes are best in the evening once the sun goes down and the restaurant is filled with candlelight. I recommend making a reservation or expect a wait - we went on a Saturday evening and it was around a 45 minute wait to get a table. We ordered 4 different cocktails, all strong an delicious. We also ordered 3 appetizers, a cup of soup, and 4 entrees which we all really enjoyed. We did not have any complaints! Will keep coming back every time I'm in town! read more

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Located on the 3rd floor of a Historic Building , this cozy restaurant has a Cool Vibe. The food was So Good! The Mac n Cheese Epic!! The steamed clams and Crab Cakes cooked to perfection. Our Server Emily was so kind and personable. She was knowledgeable about the menu and had great recommendations.. the crew at the restaurant seemed to work well together and help each other out . That's always nice to see .. Definitely going back.. and bringing Friends. read more

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I've heard tons of great things about this place but it didn't live up to the hype for me. Service was slow, super small and crowded place with a very loud atmosphere. The food was okay but overpriced for small portions. Maybe all the great stuff was about their happy hour? Not sure but am undecided if I will try them out again. read more

The Black Cat - Blackened Prawn Tacos - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

The thing is? This place is basically perfect. Top floor of an old (very) hotel, with a view of the water. Exposed brick. Moody interiors. The place is a vibe! The food is thoughtful. Everything seems to have a little twist that makes it their own. French Onion soup is great. Fried oysters are SO good. (They used to have a cauliflower appetizer that I would drive an hour for... criminally off the menu and I wish to press charges). Crab cakes are delicious. I have never had anything there that I would say was even "meh". The service is great. Attentive, but not too attentive. Friendly, but not fake. Fast but not at all rushed. I can't think of anything they could improve other than to bring back that cauliflower immediately. I drive from Seattle to Bellingham to eat here (and then get ice cream at Mallards). Always worth it! read more

I am visiting friends in Bellingham, WA & this restaurant is great! Victoria was our server & she was amazing!! Our drinks & food were so delicious! read more

The Black Cat - Prawns, spinach & artichoke dip, fish & chips, clams, oyster shooters with vodka, beer & lemon drops. - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

We randomly picked this place out while in Bellingham this weekend. It's on the third floor of the building with a beautiful view out of the water. The waitress was so nice. But the food! The chicken sandwhich is probably one of the best I've ever had. The chicken was tender and juicy, and I will definitely be coming back for it. read more

The worst service . Beyond mediocre food. If the kitchen has a malfunction don't expect anyone to tel you that you are going to have to wait 1 hour for your food. Definitely DO NOT go there hungry! Much better places in and around the area for good American fare! read more

This place is super hard to get a table at on short notice but it's got very yummy food! We usually end up waiting about an hour. Often we wander around fairhaven so it's not a waste of time. Just be ready to wait or reserve ahead. It's good food I think people really like their fish and chips, burgers, and crab cakes. I wish they still had blue cheese on their burgers which is the only other reason for 4/5 stars. The staff are cool! read more

Located on the upstairs of an old brick building in the fairhaven historical district. Its got artsy brick vibes with good natural lighting and a view of downtown. Classic American food. The signature burger was pretty good and it was the first time having fried beans. The crab mac was also good but there wasn't a lot of crab flavor. Fries were solid. read more

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The Black Cat has the absolute best French Onion Soup I have ever eaten. It is a perfect balance of onions, cheese, bread, broth, etc. And, it is packed with flavor. - Prompt friendly service - Pleasant ambiance - Good Happy Hour One of my favorite restaurants. We come here often. read more

I called ahead to ask if the "hippie salad" was their only vegan option, the employee who answered my call took off and asked the kitchen staff, then told me they could modify many of their dishes to make them vegan. So I did go there, asked if they could make the portobello burger vegan, and they said no, I asked about a couple of other dishes, and again, they couldn't, so I had to get the "hippie salad." Honestly, if quinoa and arugula is the extent of their vegan options, they should not tell potential customers they could modify many dishes. read more

Fantastic food and service! We were I. The area for a day and our waitress (Hannah) gave us some great ideas of how we could see Bellingham and have some adventures! read more

Always so wonderful every time I go! They allow service dogs in the back as well! The atmosphere, customer service, and food is always amazing! Definitely recommend the portobello mushroom burger! read more

Great food and service! Casual atmosphere with upscale food and an overall good vibe.

Terrible experience. I came here on a date and was seated after a 30-minute wait--fine. But they sat us in the bar area without asking if I had ID. I didn't--I'd lost my wallet. Instead of simply reseating us, the waitress acted annoyed and told us there was no space elsewhere. No apology, no effort. Just a dismissive "please come back sometime" as we left humiliated. We made no mistake, stayed polite, and got treated like an inconvenience. Completely unacceptable. read more

The place was packed on a weeknight. Good sign. The food was great. I had clam chowder and a caesar salad. I drink a lot of water and my glass was kept full - thank you Mathew! I told the manager Mathew is awesome and my waitress Bailey too. I found out she was new - I think her second night. She was so good so wow great place. Nicely decorated. Kudos to owner and those who train their employees - this is how a restaurant should be run! read more

Food was delicious and service was good even on a very busy evening. Quite affordable, too, for a special occasion place. Located in a historical 3 or maybe 4-story building in Fairhaven. Hubby had French Onion soup and pot roast--fall-apart yumminess. I had shrimp starter and halibut dinner. Delish, especially the brown butter sauce. Cozy sweet setting. Good choices for cocktails and wine. Desserts looked good, too, but we were too full. read more

Wonderful place with great food and cocktails! I've been here several times and have always had a phenomenal experience. The service is excellent and the food choices are varied. Charming, historical building. Just keep going up the stairs to the third floor to find the restaurant. read more

Terrible! Went there for oyster shots and the cauli tots. Arrived about 10:15pm and were seated quickly. We sat... and sat... and waited.... and waited. Several servers and bussers passed us. We left about 15 minutes later having never been acknowledged. Literally. Not acknowledged. As we left, the staff all seemed to be gathered in an area on the side away from the bar. Have enjoyed the oyster shots and cauliflower tots in the past, so may try again another time. But we may just have to find somewhere else to order oysters and vodka to make our own shots. Too bad! read more

The Black Cat - From the stairs inside. - New American Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I love the Black Cat, and so does everyone else. Best to make reservations! It seems like we always run into someone we know at the Black Cat- very old school Bellingham feeling. Everything I've ever ordered has been delicious. The staff are friendly and attentive. It can get a little loud, so if you have a noise-sensitive person in your party this might not be the ideal spot. read more

You can't beat the location, view, or vibe at The Black Cat. I had the fried fish taco and a mini Caesar salad - both from the Happy Hour menu. They were both great. Our server was super. Great experience all around! read more

We spent several hours here last night, working our way through some appetizers, drinks, and eventually dinner. During the course of our meal, the diner next to us had an emergency. Staff, as well as some nearby patrons, rallied around her to help, and were incredibly kind and conscientious in how they helped her. Staff were also extremely gracious to us when they had to ask us to move - which we were happy to do. I can't compliment them, and the other nearby patrons, enough for just being great people. Also, the food was excellent. We came in from the cold and ordered hot drinks that were perfect; our first round was French onion soup (always divine here) and cauliflower "tots" (which were a revelation). We later tried the Happy Hour fish and chips (excellent), Caesar salad, and Char Siu pork, all of which were good - but the pork, in particular, was outstanding. The seasonal old fashion cocktail was one of the better old fashions I've had, and they're my go-to drink both at home and out. Also, my wife asked for a "surprise" mocktail and the barkeep knocked it out of the park. We just don't have enough nice things to say about the food and drink, or the staff. Thanks Black Cat for a wonderful experience, and for just being awesome people! read more

Food was excellent. drinks were strong. Staff was great! View of town was nice too!

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

What an amazing location! The history of the building alone kept us occupied for the hour we had to wait for seating. We tried to call for reservations and were told reservations were closed. When we arrived we were told the wait would likely be an hour (it was a little over), and we had talked to someone who recommended The Black Cat who also had to wait an hour on the night she visited (but she assured us it was worth the wait and we agree). We had a window seat and the food was served in reasonable time and was delicious. The ONLY thing I wasn't sure of is whether they charge for soda refills because I emptied mine before the appetizer arrived and no offer was ever made to refill it. The water was refilled multiple times so I rolled with it. Our waitress was a young lady who was kept very busy by all the tables she was serving yet we felt like we had her full attention when she was serving and checking on us. We will be back, we'll try to get reservations before "the day of". My wife had the prawn tacos, my son the French Onion soup with a generous side of fries, and I had the fried chicken and bacon sandwich. They were all delicious according to their respective consumers. read more

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

Unfortunately, to our surprise Service was not what it should of been. We waited about 45 minutes to find out our services forgot to put our ticket in. And when she told us it was about 1 and 15 minutes we still had no food. Sorry but am going back nor am I recommending . read more

I live in Bellingham and like to meet friends for Happy Hour once in a while. The Black Cat typically is a fun atmosphere, and great location in Fairhaven. On two different occasions during this past year, the experience has been less than "fun". Bottom line. IF you choose to go to the Bar and sit at the tall bar table in the corner to the right as you enter BEWARE, you may be asked to leave by the wait staff as the table has been "Reserved" for the OWNERS and they will boot you out!! Unbelievable when it happened once about 7 months ago and extremely off putting that it happened again on September 11th when a friend and I were finishing up our drink and snack. The wait person came over and you could tell she was extremely uncomfortable with the request of asking us to leave as the owners had a reservation for the table! Definitely not fair to her. The owners (unbeknownst to me) were pacing back and forth in front of our table while chatting to their acquaintances who were at the bar. I did not know who they were and wondered why they kept looking at us. We paid our tab and were walking out. The couple quickly started walking in. I asked the woman if she was the owner and she said, yes. I expressed to her that it was uncalled for and highly inappropriate to basically "kick out" paying guests of their restaurant. Her come back to me was, "I was told you have been here for 2 1/2 hours and that I did not understand how a restaurant runs as there has to be "TURNOVER". Seriously? I arrived at 3:20 in the afternoon and we got booted out close to 5:20 ish. I should have said, the turnover is YOU and your spouse who most likely do NOT pay for your drinks and food. The woman, (I do not know the owner's names and have been told the Black Cat is owned by two couples), basically said to me in a snarky tone, "Sorry if I insulted you", and she turned around and went into the bar. I replied, "No, you're not" and we left. Perhaps in the future, the owners could go sit at the bar and politely wait for their table without broadcasting that THEY made a reservation which takes away from real customers. No, I will NEVER return to that establishment. I gave the place a second chance after the first time. This time was really bad. Super RUDE and disrespectful. read more