Been here many times! Food is great but portions are skewed sometimes. Delicious steak on a giant bed of lettuce. It was a game of hide and seek to find the toppings in the mountain of lettuce. But the poutine...perfection every time. read more

The Local - Steak salad. - Sports Bars Near Me - Yelm, Washington

The food was fantastic, everything was fresh and so well presented. My whole table loved everything we ordered, even the kids. 10/10 will be coming back, even though it's a good hour drive from where we're at. read more

Poor service and staffed by kids who clearly don't want to be there. Boss or owner was drunk at the bar with business paperwork spread all over the bar top. Just avoid this place at all costs. read more

The service was slow, I had to ask for my coffee to be refilled. I watched another table servicing themselves and going to grab a hot sauce after asking for it. Then later they had to search out a coffee refill. When we came in , I noticed a couple tables with people who had obviously been waiting too long for service. I have never seen a breakfast plate where you were only given one piece of toast. The vibe was off, the service was off, and the food was less than. We will not be back or even entertain a return. read more

The restaurant is poorly managed--takeout orders are frequently delayed or incorrect, and at times, they won't even allow you to place a takeout order, making the experience frustrating and inefficient. read more

Met up with a friend at The Local on a Sunday morning just after opening. Parking is a major issue with this location. There are only like 9 parking spots - all other parking is for neighboring businesses. We were seated immediately but our sever didn't come to take our drink order for about 10 minutes. We ordered food at the time too but our food came out before the drinks. I ordered the biscuits and gravy. I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to gravy and I was pleasantly surprised that the gravy was pretty good. It did not taste like it was from a package or mix. It tasted homemade, which was impressive. Full of flavor!! The ambiance was nice but rather noisy. Hard to have a conversation but that was the other patrons so can't blame the establishment for that. read more

JUST left this restaurant, had to post a review, that's how odd this was. We moved to Yelm about 3 years ago and at 3:15 today, we called to ask if the football game we wanted to see what on. They said it was on and we arrived at 3:20. The restaurant was not packed or too busy. Not sure on staff shortages or not but there was about 15 customers and about 3 waitresses that I saw. We were given waters by the host but our waitress didn't come to our table until 3:30 and admitted that she didn't know we were there. No worries, we are calm and patient people. At this same time, a couple of guys were seated in front of us, about 10 minutes after we were seated, and they already had their drinks delivered. At 3:40, the waitress came back with our drinks and took our order of two appetizers: Brisket Queso Dip and steak skewers (medium rare). A basket of fries were brought to the table that was seated in front of us at this time. At 4:00pm, the table in front of us received their entrees. It seemed like they ordered sand which plates with meat wrapped in sourdough bread. The delivery of their food prompted me to stop the waitress and ask about the status of our appetizers. The waitress mentioned that our skewers were ready but they were on the kitchen waiting to be delivered with the brisket queso dip. I asked her if it was possible to find out exactly how much time it would take and I mentioned that the guys in front of us were seated well AFTER us but have received their appetizer and entrees while we only had our first round of drinks. She was hesitant but she left to check on it. A few minutes later, we decided to just call it and headed to the bar to ask for the check. As we were approaching the bar, the waitress came out with the plates and mentioned that they JUST finished cooking the food. We politely asked for it to be package to go as the whole experience was odd. She mentioned that it would be a while and we agreed to wait. The check was given to me, but not a copy of the receipt so I took a picture. The food was packaged for us and we took it and left. The skewers were already cold. We did not eat it as I'm not quite sure if anything was done to it. Something to note is that we are considerable darker than most residents of Yelm and that was exactly true of everyone in the restaurant. I have not posted a review in my life ever, but this whole experience was kinda odd. The food was packaged kinda hastily. Each order was about 16$ which seems pricey for only two skewers and some brisket queso dipped tossed at the bottom of a cardboard box instead of a bowl or something. The drinks weren't too bad at least. Ambiance was normal for the location and type of restaurant. This is the first review I've ever posted. I had to download the app and create an account. Not sure if that says enough about the experience or not. read more

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LOVE this cute little place in yelm! GET THE CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN YOU WONT REGRET IT! One of my favorite meals!!!! Anything I've had from their menus has been amazing and the staff are all so fun and nice:) read more

The Local - CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN - Sports Bars Near Me - Yelm, Washington

Had fish and chips here and it was quite possibly the worst I have ever had. The fish was very bland and the fries were so overly salted my wife and I couldn't eat them. Service was extremely slow. Great beer selection was the only positive. read more

Terrible service ordered brunch on 1/19. Sat at the table for an hour waiting for food to be brought out. Ended up getting up and walking out. For context sat down roughtly around 12:20. Ordered, waited 15 minutes for water. At 120 asked the waitress when the food would be ready explaining we have movie tickets at 145. Didnt receive a answer got up and walked out.​ read more

Wanted to try everything and wish I had the burger but I had the salad and I couldn't finish it but it was fun. I love the vibe and Lord of the Rings was on the whole time? With magic is this read more

The Local - Local Aperol Spritz and Local Mary - Sports Bars Near Me - Yelm, Washington

I've been here three times, the first time for brunch and it was absolutely delicious!! I had the fried chicken eggs benedict, it was one of my favorite Benedict's I've ever had. I've recommended it several times to people. The second time the service was slow, they didn't have glasses for water which no big deal. It took about 15 minutes for a waitress to come out to the patio to our table. It was a Sunday afternoon, these things happen in a restaurant from time to time. I've worked in the restaurant industry for a long time and some things are out of your control. The third time was last Sunday, I came in with my two toddlers and sat on the patio, it took awhile for my waitress to come out, there was a table on the other side of the patio their server was out about 3 times before mine came out. I ordered a drink and food at the same time. It took about 10 minutes to get a beer and about 50-55 minutes to get one fried chicken dinner. I wasn't checked on after my food was dropped off and I had to go inside to pay. The waitress was sweet, but I would have appreciated knowing how long the wait for food was going to be before ordering considering having two small children. I think the restaurant is really cute and I hope the owners get a handle on the service because it has so much potential to be an awesome spot. And there aren't a lot of places in yelm to eat. read more

Every time I come here the food is awesome! some of the best chicken. The staff is amazing!!!! The parking is tight but if you can't find a spot just park in the gravel lot a block away and walk over it's worth it! out of all the places in Yelm to eat this place is a must. People are happy, food is tasty and drinks are top notch! Staff really care and if there is anyone on here saying anything else then they just need to say something and they will make it right. The owners really care about this town and you can tell. They are here to stay! food is soooo good! read more

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The food was superb!! Service was awesome from Taylor!!! Heard many great raves from friends and am pleasantly surprised - 5 stars for sure!! read more

We've eaten dinner here twice and have been delighted each time. The pecan shrimp is a fantastic appetizer and the Salmon with lemon sauce was savory both times. The atmosphere is warm, with a local feel...but the menu has a decidedly cosmopolitan creativity and presentation. Our cocktails were expertly made, with flair and great taste. The staff are super friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!! read more

Had Friday fish and chips. So greasy couldn't even eat. Batter super thick and fish didn't taste good. And paid $24 for it. Disappointing. read more

New restaurant in town. Thought we'd give a go. Nice remodel from the Thai restaurant that was there. Dining room was nice and decent sized bar. Staff was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately temps were around freezing so couldn't eat outside but the area looks great can't wait for summer. Food came out hot and fresh. Poutine was good and portion size was spot on. The TennesseeHot Chicken was great. Pickle and sauce. The perfect sandwich. Lastly the Lime & Coconut was a tasty cocktail. Will definitely return to explore more of the spirits and read more

Great food, best salad I have ever had and we eat at way more than we should. The New York steak salad was cooked perfectly. The only thing better then the food was the service! New to Yelm and this place made me proud! read more

I don't know what happened, this was a 5 star and I'm changing to 2. We came back here a few months later with friends and it was a hot mess! Service was bad, it took nearly an hour to get our food, other tables were getting their food before us when we sat down and ordered first. Food was not as advertised. The kids ordered a noodle dish, I believe it was a Mac n cheese, and that is not what came out, it was so spicy they couldn't eat it and we all had to share our dishes with them. When I asked the waitress about it and said this is not what they ordered off the menu and why is it spicy she said that is how it's suppose to be. I'm sorry but why are kids being served spicy food???? I like to think it was a bad night, looking at other reviews though maybe it wasn't. I like to give the benefit of the doubt and we may try them one more time, because the first visit was great, but if it's another bust will not be back. read more

Food was good. The waitress was so busy talking in the bar area she forgot about us. The place has terrible parking. The restaurant is very small inside. They have a great menu but need too move to accommodate more people. If they moved too a bigger space they would be packed all day especially on weekends. We've tried too go back but can never find a place to park that doesn't say tow away. read more

The food was amazing! Service was fast and the server was so kind! My friends planned the best birthday celebration for me and it was the best time!!! Highly recommend. Great place and people! read more

The Local - Birthday celebration! - Sports Bars Near Me - Yelm, Washington

The service is amazing and the food is so very good!! Loved talking with the owner! Everything about this place is top notch! We are definitely making The Local our spot as a family!! read more

The best veggie burger I've had in a very long time. The pesto they use on the bun is so flavorful compared to the typical mayo or unknown sauce you'd find in a run of the mill veggie burger. Plus, they use all locally sourced ingredients which for me, is a personal plus. I also enjoyed the Cucumber Basil Martini and the Cucumber Tajin Margarita cocktails. Super yummy that I felt were great accompaniments to the meal. We look forward to our next visit to The Local. read more

The service was very slow. The gal who helped us wasn't very informed on the food being offered. It took 20+ min for our cocktails, 40+ min for our food. We got our side salads at the 40 min mark of waiting and were told they would be preparing the rest of our food soon. The waters we got were in tiny glasses with no ice. The French fries were so salty we couldn't eat them. Ambiance was ok, there was 1 table available near the door and it was very cold. The didn't close all the way so we had to close them multiple times to stay warm enough. Overall, most of the food was good but extremely slow.... If you have a ton of time to kill, go for it. Otherwise, think twice. Took almost 2 hours to get through our meal. read more

My husband and l went there for dinner tonight. We ordered the ribeye steak meal. They were cooked to the desired doneness. Unfortunately the steaks were horribly tough that we only ate a few bites. I told our waitress and she came back and said the cook told her that can happen. They didn't offer another dinner substitute or reduce our bill. At $40 a steak dinner we were disappointed to say the least. Our waitress was very attentive. As we have been here several times before and had great food l hope they remedy this problem. I don't believe there was a manager tonight as none came to talk to us. read more

We have been here several times and our food has been good but it's soooo slowwwww. It seems like we are always waiting. Waiting for our drinks, waiting to order, waiting for the food, waiting for our bill. The staff is friendly but we like to sit in the lounge area for the tv and the chairs are most uncomfortabe. I will continue to eat there on occasion but it's not my go to. read more

The Local is my favorite place to go for a great meal..service is always friendly, tasty cocktails..but the food is fabulous.

I waited to post this review so my visit wouldn't feel like "first timers luck" but after a few times I can safely say this place is one of Yelm's best! My endless compliments to the chefs & the owners for curating a menu that feels high end without breaking the bank. Wonderful culinary experience with a laidback restaurant feel. I recommend this restaurant for those looking for something a bit more all while staying in your comfort zones. read more

Tried the local for the first time during their weekend brunch. Everything tasted really great. Our sever and other staff were all very friendly and attentive throughout our meal. I loved the atmosphere as well especially with the Christmas decorations, it had a very cozy but lively vibe. Definitely recommend! read more

The Local - Fried Chicken eggs Benedict - Sports Bars Near Me - Yelm, Washington

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I had a wonderful lunch at The Local about a month ago, when I happened to be in town: NW Arugula Salmon Salad and a Blueberry Basil Margarita. I would definitely order both again! Unlike what a few other reviewers are reporting, we had no problem with: 1) Parking - there's a gravel lot right around the corner on 3rd St SE, less than 150 yards away. So if you can walk that far, parking is easy. I didn't actually pay much attention to the spaces immediately around the restaurant, so it may be that options are more limited if you have physical mobility issues. 2) Ambiance - We were a group of five - with four of us being 65 years of age or older, and yet none of us had a problem with hearing conversation, at normal volume, even though we were there right at noon. 3) Service - We were seated promptly. Our server was friendly, helpful, and efficient. And everything arrived at our table in a quite reasonable time frame. 4) Portion size - The salmon salad filled a large platter, chock-full of a nice variety of fresh ingredients. Given that The Local is new (not even a year old yet), and there's been a well-publicized restaurant labor shortage ever since they opened, it's understandable if it might be taking them a bit of time to work through some unevenness. I sincerely hope they are able to successfully negotiate the challenges, because we had no complaints. It was a positive experience, and I for one look forward to another meal there the next time I'm in Yelm! read more

I went here the first week of them opening up with a large group of 8-12 people. The service was great even though a few orders got mixed up but with that many people, I could understand that. The food and drinks weren't too bad either everything was perfect for us. read more

Took 50 minutes to get food with no drink refills or a single swing by the waitress (on a dead Sunday.) The food was wrong, overcooked, and missing items. Took another 20 to get these missing things but by the time we got them I was no longer interested and ready to go. Other customers around me did not get any refills either unless they were sitting at the bar. read more

We came into the restaurant tonight with our family. The server was nice, the owner was nice and it is a very cute place. The food was piping hot and very good! We had the prawns and the wings appetizers, both wonderful! The fried Caesar Salad was so good too! We recommend this place for sure and will be back! read more

Venue: Not a lot of seating indoors, outdoor seating is open now for summer, and is quite small for families more than 3-4 people. Great for a couples. Service: The people are nice and greet you as you come in. Drinks get to you about 15-30 minutes once you've been seated at a table. Sitting at the bar is almost immediate. The food takes a long time to receive 45-60 minutes to get three burgers and fries. Do not arrive hungry. The servers did apologized profusely. Food: The food is not consistent depending on who is in the kitchen. I went today and my burger was overcooked and charred on the outside. I ordered it medium. On another occasion all our burgers were amazing. The spirits are great and reasonably priced. read more

Service going downhill fast!!! Had maybe 15 people in the restaurant and the lady went around telling everyone just so you know it will be at least 30 minutes before you get your food. Was good in the beginning but not so much now... read more

Great food, great service and waitress. Came between brunch and lunch so had to a wait a bit, but the atmosphere was great and it carried the day. Overall great spot for lunch! read more

Ok. Tried this place again. Gave it the benefit of the doubt. It was worse than the first time. Waited over an hour for our food and when it came out, it was cold. We were told they ran out of steak, but someone who came in after us not only got their food before us, but got a steak as well. Terrible service this time. Won't go back. Avoid this place. read more

My friend and I were really wanting a steak and trying to find one at 8:00pm in a small town isn't so easy. The place we wanted to stop at on the way from Mt. Rainier was closed and after reading some of the reviews, thought The Local might be a good place. I want to start by saying the young kid who seated us was very nice and attentive and overall the service was okay but the food was a different story. Dinner began with a big salad of fresh greens sprinkled with some cheese and cucumbers. There were only three dressing choices--ranch, blue cheese and Caesar . Still okay so we filled up on a tasty salad. We both ordered the New York strip steak and that's where things really took a turn. The steak was tough and tasteless. The server explained they had just cut the steaks that morning but if your chef or kitchen doesn't know how to cut a steak and the quality is questionable at best, you're starting with a handicap. We were wondering if it even was a strip steak. Additionally, it was bland and didn't seem to have been seasoned at all. I'm not into heavily salted or seasoned steaks anyway but a little would be nice. We should have gotten a clue when the server asked us if we wanted any steak sauces. Probably should have said yes. Sides included garlic mashed potatoes which were fine but the side that was originally green beans in the Yelp menu turned out to be an odd mix of cooked celery, radishes, mushrooms and onions. Let me just say this. NO ONE LIKES COOKED CELERY! Leave that for the soups! I also ordered the Gorgonzola bechamel sauce as an extra side. The server forgot to bring it and when I asked for it, she brought a cup of Gorgonzola cheese. Then tried to say it was the sauce on the side. Uh...NO. My friend and I rarely say something negative about a meal but when you're paying $26 for a steak, it should be edible. The server just shrugged and no attempt was made by the restaurant to make things right like maybe knock something off the bill or offer a gift card so we could give them another try. The table next to us ordered burgers that looked good (though the customer sent the first one back as something was messed up) and my friend said it looked like she only took a few bites of the second one. Lastly, the place was pretty loud (not great acoustics) but it is a sports bar. Or a sports bar also trying to be a restaurant. We were disappointed. A lot of the dishes described on the menu looked like they would be good but if the chef doesn't know what they're doing, you'll never get what was described. read more

BEST BURGERS IN YELM! Maybe in all the neighboring counties? So many delicious options to choose from. Freshly remodeled interior, friendly staff, delicious & locally sourced food. Definitely worth the drive out to (sortof) remote Yelm. read more

I do not like to make anyone uncomfortable if I don't have to. I chose not to say anything to our waitress. But I feel I must make a PSA and let everyone make their own decision. Issues: 1.Short black hair on rim of my plate 2. Order medium steak but it came out as room temperature to taste and the middle seemed raw in some parts ( not edible). 3. Ate what I could because I was really hungry and then ended up getting sick at home. I know my part in this by not speaking up when I should have, and or just not eating it at all!! I hate that I'm sharing this because I've also had some really great food here before, and know it can be or was good! My experience as of late, is that it's been on the decline between food taste, and slow to hardly any service, that I sadly have decided not to go back. I hope they will read this and really look into making some needed changes. I wish them all the luck. read more