I was in Coupeville for the Penn Cove Water Festival and decided to have a steak for dinner. I chose to eat at Toby's. I ordered the 8 oz sirloin steak and asked for it to be prepared medium rare. I declined the side-salad due to dietary restrictions. However I had no problem eating the steak fries and sourdough toast. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a portion of horseradish included. Take care with the horseradish because it is very potent! Fortunately I enjoy very potent horseradish and happily ate it with my steak. The steak was cooked perfectly and was juicy and tasty. I was not disappointed in any way with my meal. I did regret not ordering a red wine though. If I had it to do over I would have indulged. read more

Toby's Tavern - Bar Steak, 8-oz. Sirloin - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

We had a great lunch here! We tried the cheeseburger, fish chowder and salmon sandwich. They were all good. The fish chowder was spectacular. They also give you garlic bread with the chowder and that was also amazing. I wanted the chowder and garlic bread again the next day. The service was friendly and efficient. We got our order in quickly and the food arrived quickly. I was waiting for the check but then saw someone go up to the bar to pay. So, that's what I did. I'm still not sure if that was what I was supposed to do though. The inside is a little dark. There is a lot of water/fishing related decor. There is a small amount of booths and a small amount of stools at the bar. After we got there a lot of people came in and had to wait because there isn't a lot of seating. read more

We went on the Saturday night of muscle fest. Usually we avoid Coupeville and Langley during event weekends unless we want to participate but I'm glad we went against our instincts this night! The town was shut down and sleepy including a closed down Main Street when we arrived. The band party in the tent with the fantastic cover band rocking it (our community has hired them for events on the beach). Unfortunately we had to park uphill at the big community lot.... But is a nice walk down to front street. Toby's was still busy and we were unusually welcomed outside by a nice fellow managing a wait list with some folks waiting for a table. He asked about bar seating and we bought in. First time sitting at the bar here and it was fun. Servers were not the same ladies we remember, Another couple came in and mentioned that to them and we chimed in positively. The ladies working here have always been great to us but these two fellows were rocking service and having fun. We had a pint of beer and cider within a minute of sitting down and food order taken pretty quickly. She got fish and chips and me the French dip Anything fried here is good! The fish was awesome and generous . Some leftover went into the air fryer next day for a great snack. My French dip was good with a perfectly done Jus and fries. The meat is a little chopped up and not a huge sandwich but really tasty and these two dishes make us want to go share a meal. One thing I see about reviews here is that wait times are long or surly staff. We have never experienced either probably because we choose to go here and "roll the dice" with table availability and try to be kind to a very busy staff. That's not easy but it's not hard. They have a sign over the bar "be nice or go away" and you have to sort of take these things with you to Toby's! Both big meals and a couple of pints was like $53 plus tip This place is a great example why fine dining in Whidbey isn't worth the hassle and cost. read more

Toby's Tavern - French Dip - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

See all

Toby's makes an amazing mussel chowder!!! We also enjoyed two lbs of mussels and an outstanding fish and chips...High rating was based on the on point cocktail sauce which made the lunch experience very nice. IPA was cold and we received amazing service from Dede..... If you're even on Whidbey Island for a day trip I highly recommend a visit to Toby's.... read more

We had a great lunch. Saw three deer from our booth. Service is friendly, food and the view are great. Regulars get there right when it opens. Mussels, mussel chowder and beer. Garlic bread is addictive as well. Shoutout to Sarah and Crystal. read more

Toby's Tavern - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

See all

0 stars for the server with red sleeve baseball shirt that totally ignored us. 5 stars for the blond braided hair server who finally acknowledged us. She was friendly and apologized. We sat down- server ignored us and immediately served the folks who sat down after us and the folks after them. SO RUDE - TOTALLY IGNORED US!! The other braided hair server Finally acknowledged us after 15 minutes - she was busy though - it was the other server with the red sleeve baseball shirt that totally ignored us even thought we sat right in front of her-did not even acknowledge us. "Fine dining" outside. - this a DIVE BAR. Burgers were ok - priced $15-17. Fried were soggy and cold. San Juan IPA on draft was good $7.25 for a pint. Not a place I'd come to again unless I was desperate. read more

See all

My best friend and I came here for lunch. It was packed and we had to wait for the table. To me this just meant the food was going to be great. The wait for the table was not as bad as we had anticipated. To drink, I had a Stella beer. You cannot go wrong with a cold beer. To eat, I tried the seafood chowder. It was tasty and it had a little bit of everything. As an entree, I had the hot honey cod bites, which was delicious. The hot honey elevated the taste of the cod. My best friend had the fish chips and she enjoyed it. When we were done eating, it took us a bit to get the server's attention to ask for the check but we understood why as it was full. The staff was nonstop. This was a nice casual tavern to have lunch in. read more

Toby's Tavern - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

See all

Every single time I've ever been they're courteous, kind, friendly, and just plain old school awesome. Can't recommend these fine and kind ladies enough, just please leave some room at the bar for the locals. PLEASE. read more

What a surprise. This is 100 percent a dive bar. You walk in and they have animal trophies on the wall, the menu is full of fried foods. We got a 1lb of mussles and boy are they delish. We also got fries to accompany them. The wait was a tad long but the servers are a happy friendly bunch that take care of you while you wait. We will be coming back! read more

Toby's Tavern - 1lb of Steamed Penn Cove Mussels - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

Food, is okay. Not the best Fish and Chips, clam strips are also just okay but their seafood chowder is good. However the servers here makes you feel at home. Like we are friends that haven't seen each other in a long time. While their food isn't exceptional, I'd still recommend visiting this spot. read more

Toby's Tavern - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

This place was highly recommended by locals, so when in Whidbey we follow their leads. We stopped by on a Thursday around 3pm. It was almost a full house when we got there, and we were lucky to get the corner window spot. I believe it was Kim that took our order, Deedee that brought over the mussels and Susan that suggested the cod fish & chips. Service was friendly and attentive. They are known for their Penn Cove mussels and their fish & chips. We ordered 2 lbs of the mussels, cup of clam chowder, halibut fish & chips and the cod fish & chips. Way too much food for 2 people for sure but this is how we roll. The brightest star of our late lunch was the cod fish & chips. I highly recommend the cod over the halibut. If you're in the area? Give them a try. read more

See all

Oh hell yes. This place is AWESOME! Why haven't I come here after living in Oak Harbor for 12 years?! The vibe is awesome, the staff is friendly, the food hits the spot. And better yet, you're by the water so you got a great view. I'm definitely going back again! read more

Toby's Tavern - Oyster shooters! - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

Three of us girls are in town for an art retreat and stopped at Toby's for lunch today. Our server Didi was awesome! So helpful and fun. The food was delicious, too. One had the mussels (done perfectly), one had a great burger, and one had a Reuben on gluten free bread (delish). We even got a melt-in-your-mouth homemade cookie. Sara at the bar/check out was a treat to chat with. We're here for a well and will definitely be going back to try more on the menu. read more

Food was amazing service was outstanding plus the atmosphere is worth a million dollars Thanks Ladies

Super loud and messy inside. Terrible customer service with bad attitude. We put our stainless steel water bottle on the table just after sitting down and the waitress walks up and goes "get this off my table". I'm sorry, I didn't know it was a crime to carry around a portable water bottle?? We left immediately. We didn't stay for the food. read more

Visiting from out of town with our Navy son and stopped here while on the island. What an awesome place. We only had the beers, watched a game, and played pool, but very cool atmosphere and the two women working the bar make it special. read more

Toby's Tavern - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

Great food! Toby's USA classic and never disappoints. Been here many times over the last few months and I highly suggest the mussels, fish and chips and calamari. read more

Fabulous lunch & a Northwest beer with a view. Was crowded for 2;00 on Monday but we happily waited on the front bench. It's a lovely day in Coupe Ville! Hostess, waitress, and all staff checked on us. Highly recommend this funky tavern with seafood!! Try the mussels & onion rings!!! read more

Best mussels I've ever had. Great service. Cold beer. It doesn't get any better! Every time I come to town I make sure to make it a point to stop. Not sure why others have had bad experiences. Was reading the one man who said he brought his grandson here. First of all it's a tavern and there are signs all over saying no one under 21 allowed. So that's your fault sir. Anyway highly highly recommend. Oh and make sure you get one of their cookies by the bar on your way out. They're outstanding!!! read more

We showed up a few minutes before closing and we're going to get food to go but they welcomed us in and made us feel at home right away. Food is perhaps slightly pricey but appreciated freshly made food and wonderful service. This place has been a bar for 80+ years we learned, so the walls are decked out in all kinds of nautical memorabilia. Very cool local spot and I don't understand why the ratings are so low? C'mon people! read more

Toby's Tavern - Pool table and very cool decor inside - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

See all

First and chips quite good. Coleslaw salad needs far less mayo. Unable to eat it. Fries adequate. Staff great! Welcoming and helpful. Ambiance unique and vintage as always. read more

Okay, this place is cool.... I love these old saloon-type places, super rustic and lots of cool things just hanging on the walls and from the ceiling! Good menu with lots of choices and pretty reasonable prices. Great views out the windows and lots to look at inside! I got the sirloin steak and it was pretty tasty. It lacked a good sear on it, but otherwise tasted good. Garlic bread was excellent, with a nice sear! Fries were also good, tasted very potato-ey, in a very positive way. Maybe cook them just a bit longer tho, but that might just be my taste. Service was friendly and quick and would definitely come back for the ambience AND the food. read more

See all

First time at this establishment. Low key, down to earth, locals' joint. It's a small place overlooking the waters. We got there just in time as the place filled up fairly quickly for lunch (and we were told it was a slow day). If you come in during their busy time, expect a long wait. It is, what it is. Quaint town with a few restaurant = captive audience. So many items I wanted to try! Decided on Seafood Combo - think fish & chips, but it's Clam Strips, Shrimp & Cod served with French fries & Cole Slaw, $25. Portion size was good. Overall, it was good, not oily. The cod was flavorful (usually fish & chips dish tend to be on the bland side, but this wasn't). My companion ordered the Crispy Halibut Burger - served with lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, mayonnaise & French Fries, $13. Similar to my cod, the halibut was nicely seasoned. It's breaded on the outside (the crispy part of the name). Portion size was good. Overall, delicious. I'd come back again and try the other dishes on the menu. Service was good. Staff were friendly. There were only 2 servers for the place and they were hustling! read more

See all

After nearly three years of coming to the island and looking across Penn Cove, I finally found the time to visit Toby's Tavern. Hearing lots about the downtown area and Toby's, I walked in on a Thursday about noon and it was relatively quiet with some locals enjoy small talk and some food. I was treated at the for by the woman behind the bar, offering me to sit anywhere at the bar. Having a set, I ordered a local beer (San Juan Outer Island IPA) and was given a menu. From what I had heard their fish and chips were excellent and the bartender added the mussels were just as good. I decided on the fish and chips for lunch. The first question I was asked, "where are you from?" Guess I didn't look local enough. I explained my soon to be mother-in-law lived on the opposite side of the cove and I'd been visiting on a very regular basis. She showed me some video of orcas in the cove, as I waited for my food. The establishment was clean and unique to Penn Cove. Definitely see as a local hangout when work ends. Friendly people, as I said hello to a few others in the bar. The food arrived and the meal was tasty. Four large pieces of fish served on a bed of chips with coleslaw and sides of tartar and cocktail sauce. I didn't have long to sit and relax, but enjoyed the quick visit. With Pen Cove Brewing no longer open, I might favor Toby's on more of a regular basis, when I am looking for a cold refreshing beer and some good local food. Can't wait to return for another meal! read more

See all

Iconic spot with tons of history. Gorgeous views, quick solid service and excellent selection of seafood and dive bar classics. The mussels were good and clam chowder creamy. Tons to look at inside and walkable to all the other shops and restaurants nearby. read more

Toby's Tavern - Steamed Penn Cove Mussels - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

See all

I truly don't know how this place stays open. This is the 3rd time I have been to Toby's and each time has been worse than the last. So this time, it wasn't that busy, there were at least 3 empty tables. We stood there waiting for 5 minutes for someone to finally acknowledge and then seat us. I ordered the turkey sandwich, my daughter ordered the chicken tenders, and my son-in-law ordered fried shrimp. Our drinks sat empty twice, both times we had to stop someone to fill them, and then our food took an hour to come out. We actually asked to cancel our order and for our check to pay for our drinks and then our food was magically ready. My sandwich was pitiful. It had hardly anything on it. My daughter's chicken tenders were bizarre. The breading came off in one giant piece, leaving behind rubbery bland chicken. My son-in-law said his shrimp tasted like it was fried in old oil. The server was snotty, short with us, and acted like she was swamped when she actually spent more time chatting with one table (she definitely knew them) than she did making rounds and checking on other tables. We WON'T be back. read more

Fun little dive bar right on the water and Main Street. We stopped in for a beer and lunch. The patty melt was one of the best I've had. Marble Rye toasted perfectly with sauted onions and gooey cheese with a perfect medium cooked hamburger patty. French fries were good and so was the cup of chowder. Fun staff that were very attentive and gave us some good recommendations for things to do and places to go on the island. read more

Great food, nice people, really slow. The mussels were plump and tender. We were informed on ordering they weren't local tonight (alge problem). Good none the less. Fantastic garlic bread. The various fried fish and shellfish we tried were good, as were the fries. The fresh salmon was a generous serving. The steak dinner worked. Our only concern was taking 2.5 hours for 2 courses, mussels and entrees. read more

See all

I genuinely enjoyed my visit to Toby's Tavern. I made the trip to Whidbey Island from Seattle with my partner, and we had heard that there were some excellent spots in the main strip of town to check out. The surrounding area was rather busy, as to be expected for such a popular area (check out Practical Magic!), but we found the entire trip to be perfectly charming. Toby's was the perfect lunch spot, with very excellent food and beer. The atmosphere was nautical and authentic, and our server was very kind. Be warned, this is a BUSY restaurant, so be prepared to wait for a spot. This was my first time enjoying Fish and Chips, and I think Toby's was the right place. The batter was flakey and light, the fish was succulent and fresh tasting, and the chips were crispy and delicious. I was blown away by how enjoyable the meal was. If you are looking for a charming and delicious spot to enjoy on Whidbey Island, please check out Toby's. The seafood is great quality, and it's a fun spot to sit and enjoy a meal. read more

Everything was amazing. Service food and the cool old time feel. One of our fav spots. Will be back for sure

This is our first time at Toby's and we were absolutely disappointed. We immediately had a table, but that was the first and only good thing about our visit. There was three of us, and we ordered the fish and chips, a cups of chowder, patty melt, and french dip. The fish and chips were bland, and coleslaw was not good. The chowder was just fine. The patty melt was okay, and the french dip was abysmal. It was flavorless and consisted of dry bread, with dry meat to dip into the blandest au jus i've ever had. It took an hour to get our food, and we saw our server three times. When we ordered, to tell us after 50 minutes he was sorry about the food taking so long, and when he brought our food. He never asked us if our food was good nor if we needed anything else. He did on the other hand go back to multiple other tables who had come in later than us. It was practically like we didn't exist. We sat waiting for ten minutes after we finished. Our server acknowledged we were done, but never brought the check. We had to go up to the counter and checkout. I would have brought these issues up to him but we simply had no opportunity because he never made himself present at our table. It cost us $68 for a meal that wasn't even good. It was over priced and had some of the worst service I have ever experienced. read more

Ambiance is top notch. The Tavern is iconic and has a great deal of character to it. Service is awesome. Very welcoming to new customers. Both the server and bar tender were attentive and know their menu well and can answer any questions and make recommendations. They have been there along time. If you are disrespectful to them you can expect to be asked to leave. Not just by the server but long time customers. Its a small community and Toby's is successful because they have historical ties to the Whidbey Island community. Food is great, I love their muscle and other seafood choices. Never had other items on the menu. I figure if your going to a seaside tavern have seafood. Just don't understand why you would eat anything else. read more

The staff is incredibly rude, not only to us but I watched how they treated others. Screwed up most of the orders and totally missed one of our orders all together. The service is so slow, if you go plan on being there at least an hour and a half for a burger. I don't know what happened to this place, it used to be awesome. It's the opposite of that now. Never again. read more

The WORST!!! Let me start by saying I NEVER LEAVE BAD REVIEWS... BUT I walk in with my beautiful grandson and wait for about 8 minutes. Then the millennial waiter gives us menus, staring at my grandson. He asks "erm... are we 21?" My grandson says no and he yells at us to get out! Yells! How were we supposed to know he wasn't allowed in the restaurant. This type of entitlement from these millennials is what is ruining this world. Rudest person ever. Makes no sense we couldn't eat there. I could look past the stupid rule, but the way this guy asked the question was just filled with hatred and millennialness. He said "are WE 21?" when he could've said "is HE 21" this felt condescending and I hope no one ever has to deal with this guy again. DO NOT GO HERE UNLESS YOU HATE YOURSELF!!!! read more

Had the steak special and it was really tasty. Love the atmosphere. Service was great and I love the Spuds McKenzie up on the shelf! read more

Toby's Tavern - Spuds - American Near Me - Coupeville, Washington

See all

Used to live in Coupeville 15 years ago. Toby's was a mainstay... loved it. Happened to be on Whibey and made a point to stop by and have a pint. Wasn't to busy, two bartenders working. Was ignored at the bar. A local came in sat next to me and was immediately severed. Bartender still did not recognize me. Finally asked me what I wanted and was served my beer. I was one and done so I didn't open a tab. Bartender gave me my tab 8.25.. for the beer. Handed the bartender a 10... never received any change. I finally asked how much was my beer, he said 8.25..I reminded him I paid with a 10 and asked for my change. He had to fish it out of the tip jar. I told him if I wanted him to keep the change I would have said so. Bartender never said sorry or anything just put my money on the counter and walked away. So sad to see..Tobys was a great place. read more

I'm not big into dive bars or bar environments in general so it wasn't a great start, but some people go for the beer and the friends so I'm sure they might like it. I go for the food, and it was mediocre. It'll fill you up and do in a pinch, but it kinda feels like a tourist trap once you get it. I ordered the fried shrimp basket and got what I could clearly tell was pre breaded shrimp not made in house, decent fries, and good coleslaw. I ordered to go because they were full, but part of the group I was with sat down and had a meal at lunchtime. It took so long that we had to push back departure for 15 minutes and then they were late for that. Might have missed the ferry if we were any later. In short it's a tiny restaurant with few seats, mediocre food, and slow service, but I bet it's a great bar and it has a view of the bay. read more

Great local pub with wonderful Penn Cove mussels if you like that. Beyond that it's your typical hamburger joint bar with good beers. Great end of the day stop for bike riders. I give it four stars because your usual grub joint, but the mussels make it above average . Don't expect to be coddled by the waitstaff they've seen it all. Usually they're friendly as heck but this place gets pretty busy around lunchtime. read more

Feels like home. The two charming studs had the full house running like a well oiled machine. Have never laughed that hard in a bar on an island. Fish and chips were great but the fried shrimp was better. read more

My waiter was Sarah she gave me the check before I was finished and was bad mouthing some of the other staff. Yeah that was awkward.