How I really wanted to like this place but was massively disappointed and feeling honestly scammed out of my money: This is a tourist trap and not a beloved local restaurant like I thought it would be. The cafe was very busy when we arrived and had to wait about 20 minutes for an open table out on the deck. Due to how busy it was, I had high hopes that the food was good. Unfortunately it felt more catered to the one and done tourist - take their money with over priced mediocre food that certainly did not command either aesthetics or taste. What we ordered: 1. Fried calamari $18: this was the smallest portion on an appetizer plate with three calamari rings and a handful of what appeared to be minuscule tentacle pieces heavily battered to give the dish the appearance of "more". Bland and oily - nothing really outstanding here. 2. Captain's Platter $28: this was the most expensive item on the menu. I ordered it hoping that at least quantity wise it would be satisfying. It came with one fried piece of cod, one fried piece of halibut, four fried shrimp and fries. I have never eaten more bland fries in my life. They weren't even crunchy but soggy with oil as they laid under the fried fish, which likely was hurriedly plated on the fries without letting the oil drip off. The fish was overcooked for sure - the cod was so small that I was honestly offended. The shrimp - undercooked. 3. Strawberry lemonade $5: standard, on the sour side. The only pleasant thing I have to say is that the hostess and waitress were very sweet. They were definitely understaffed and I felt badly for them so I tipped well. But I would not go back and do not recommend - unless you like to waste your vacation money on this tourist trap. read more

The food took forever to come (about 45 mins). The portion is so tiny and very oily. I DO NOT recommend this place. The grilled cheese was burnt. We ordered grilled cheese, calamari and burger. It was not great. Feel so scammed read more

Waterfront Cafe - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

Shambling around beautiful La Conner, I knew I wanted fish and chips and decided on the Waterfront Cafe. Nice outdoor patio. The fish and chips are top-notch. There are others I like a little better, but I would definitely come back. Great, fast service. I will be back someday! read more

Waterfront Cafe - Fish and chips! - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

What a cute, classic, traditional American spot in La Conner. We stopped by on the way to the tulips and the service was great. Limited seating so get there early. The view what perfect with the sun shining down. The food is simple, so don't expect anything fancy. The seafood is so fresh and very generous with their portions. The area is just so cute to walk around and enjoy the day with family. The bathroom is located outside of the restaurant. Overall clean and quick service. read more

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I got really excited when I saw this place had vegan fish and chips. I've had banana blossom vegan fish before that was so good so when I saw the price point I thought this was something similar but apparently they are just frozen ones. Not sure if the were Gardein. Even though they were fine I could have gotten 3 bags of those for the price of that dinner. Service was good though and a nice view outside. read more

Waterfront Cafe - Fish and chips - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

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lil cutie cafe with a decent view, def homey and not fancy. clam chowder was decent but too spiced in my opinion. panko-crusted fish in fish and chips was not bad but have had better. fries were crunchy and not bad at least! what was disappointing was the $19.99 lobster roll which we thought was a terrific deal, but turned out to just be 99% imitation crab on a cold hotdog bun. didn't really taste any lobster at all! coleslaw was decent but that is hard to mess up anyway. read more

the server was really nice.. we ordered the special seafood platter sampler................. i have never seen a smaller pieces of fish .... the cod was about 1 inch by 2 inches by 1/4 inch thick............ the pollock was maybe 2 inches and the shrimp was ok .................. if it did not come straight out of a freeze bag i would be surprised.. 25 dollars and it was dismal at best very surprised................. then we went to get something to eat................ it was laughably bad read more

Love this chowder. The BEST gourmet burgers you wil have in La Conner and surrounding area. read more

Waterfront Cafe - The BEST CLAM CHOWDER you will ever have. - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

Ordered a elvis burger,calamari and cup of soup to go. 51$. Chowder was the best thing ordered out of the 3. But the burger was not impressed with and the calamari. read more

let me just preface by saying i so very much appreciate that they offer a vegan option. my biggest issue is the vegan "tax" that seems to be placed on the vegan fish and chips. i haven't tried the burger they offer, so cannot speak on that. for the price of 25.99, it's a basket of fries along with three pieces of vegan fish fillets and a side of vegan tartar sauce. i am 99% certain the fillets are gardein, which i buy myself at the store often. i have no issues with them not making their own fillets and using a store brand, but it's the price that's the problem. at haggen, which is not the cheapest, i can buy a bag of 6 fillets for 6.99. now i get that the plate comes with fries and sauce, but that is still a huge jump in price. i would really hope they can reconsider the price, as i think it's pretty unfair to charge that much. other than that, it's nice being able to have an actual meal when out at a non vegan restaurant and not be stuck with a plain salad. the service was good, and the view of the water is nice. read more

Stopped in for lunch during the La Conner Guitar Festival. Coworkers hyped this place up as "the best fish and chips". Great beer list but lunch was mediocre. Live music was great. Staff was friendly. read more

Food was really good! We got the salmon burger and the kids fish & chips. Both very tasty. Vibes are immaculate. You're right on the water and it's a great view -- can't complain! Service was very kind but unfortunately very slow. Great if you aren't in a hurry - we spent quite a bit of time waiting on drinks and then waiting for food and again waiting for check. read more

Waterfront Cafe - Outside table - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

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What a find! Just polished off a fish & Chips and half a Big Elvis Burger!!! Taste buds were thoroughly impressed with hardy helpings of deliciousness! The fish & Chips were served up piping hot just the way I like them and and the big Elvis burger cake loaded with bacon, onions, pickles and Ortega's chiles and loads of cheeses! The breaded fish and chips are not traditional, however I was pleasantly surprised by their take on the beer battered fried breaded crust. Think of a seasoned breaded mozzarella cheese stick substituted with Cod! Delightful indeed. read more

Waterfront Cafe - Fish & chips! Tasty and good. - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

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We stumbled on this amazing little cafe one afternoon. It was a beautiful windy but sunny day. We elected to seat at their outdoor area overlooking the water and famous Rainbow Bridge. Our waitress was very friendly - she made us feel right at home as if we were in her own home. We ordered the Vegan Fish n Chips at her recommendation. OMG!!! They were absolutely amazing. They are so good, you'd of thought that they made a mistake and gave us cod. The flavors were awesome. Topped this off with an iced-cold Alaskan Amber. Great experience and definitely a place I will come back when visiting LaConner. read more

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Food, service and ambiance are excellent. Been coming here for years with my wife. When my wife passed they gave me a free meal of what we used to order together. Very friendly and thoughtful staff/ ownership. read more

Waterfront Cafe - Sunday at the cafe with my beautiful wife! - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

Great food and service. We shared the lobster roll, clam chowder and fish and chips! All were excellent along with the view. Mom says best fish and chips she has ever had read more

Waterfront Cafe - Cafes Near Me - La Conner, Washington

We enjoyed a delicious lunch of fish and chips...hand breaded The server was wonderful and checked on us periodically. I recommend the fish and chips. Some other diners had the bowl of clam chowder which looked delicious. read more

Had lunch yesterday with my Husband and great granddaughter, and was so over the top happy. The food was hot, and very tasty and amazing. The service was outstanding and the prices very reasonable. Cant wait to go there again. read more

Nice little place! Not terribly busy, but with tourist season winding down, I'd expect that. Food was really good. We shared a captain's plate and a shrimp louie, and we each had a cup of clam chowder and peach tea. Service was good. It was busy enough the server was moving all the time, and she was really cheerful and helpful. We were sitting outside and the bonus was watching seagulls eat the leftovers off plates that hadn't been cleared yet after guests had left. The French fries were a big hit with the wildlife. We'll be back. read more

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No hostess. Seating was chaos. Food was meh. NOT the best fish fry in LaConner as advertised. Grilled salmon on salad was cold. What a disappointment. read more

What a delight! Fresh food, super friendly service, water views - what more could you ask for? We left another brewery because it was too crowded and the server never came back to tell us how long the wait was. We walked in not realizing it was close to closing time - and the staff was super kind and accommodating. We tried the special platter with cod and salmon, chowder (home made and yummy) and the salmon burger. Everything was top notch. Will come back! read more

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Great fish and chips especially the breaded ones. Great location on the waterway right in downtown. read more

The food was delicious and the service was great. We loved the apple pastry with caramel.

You can't beat the setting. A dozen tables out on the pier, sitting right over the water, enjoying a beautiful day--anybody could enjoy a meal out here. There's plenty of seating inside; multiple dining rooms and a bar. On a gorgeous day like yesterday, you can get a table right away inside or wait 20 minutes or more outside. We opted for outside. There are plenty of movable umbrellas so you can enjoy fresh air and not get sunburned. The staff is super nice and right on top of every table visit. They know the menu inside and out and they really keep moving all the time. We checked out a couple entrée salads and a couple entrée-entrées. The captain's platter and the chicken strips were hits for two of us. I had the chicken caesar, which was decent. Real romaine, chopped small enough to eat. Fresh-tasting chicken, still moist and tender. Croutons probably not house-made, but okay. Dressing was very mild and couldn't have been house made, but this was $17 for a filling salad on a 10" oval plate. Okay for what it was. The Cobb salad was a bigger hit, with tons of fresh veg and flavorful dressing. The beer and wine program here is pretty meaningless, just basic supermarket stuff. Clean glasses, though, and what we picked did the trick on a sunny day on the water, so no complaints. For 2 salads and 2 drinks, 2 of us paid $58 + tip. Not bad at all. I'd happily come back here for the setting for sure. read more

Food was absolutely amazing. Fish and Chips were totally worth the drive from Vancouver BC. Service was fast and friendly.

Had the fish and chips on the waterfront deck. Lovely setting with excellent food. I am going back for their seasonal lobster roll.

Ok, I thought it would be better, my friends talked this place up, but I think it will be much better during the summer when you can sit on the patio. It is a famous place that John Wayne used to visit for the fish and chips. I do have to say those were pretty good, but most everything is fried, other than salads. I tried the clam chowder, and it was watered down, like they were trying to "extend" it. The price was not bad, it is in the little mall, and is a challenge to find....Parking is on the street, and that too can be difficult... read more

Fish & Chips is a winner. Their dill seasoning is fantastic and their tartar sauce is absolutely perfect. It has a great view of the water, you can sit outside and enjoy a sunny day on the pier. I LOVE La Conner and this place is one of the reasons why. read more

So many things to love about this spot. It's on the water and has such a quaint atmosphere. I felt so adorable sitting there sipping my peach tea. The staff are all so friendly and down to earth. Super easy to chat to. The food was really great imo. Their hand breaded fish was delicious and I loved their house breading they use. The seafood chowder was delicious as well and I regretted only getting a cup instead of a big bowl of it. Husband and friend loved their bacon cheeseburgers and we all left happily stuffed. One more thing to note here- it seems the owner of this restaurant took it upon himself to make and movie called La Conner PD and it is playing in the outer hallway by the entrance. They also sell it for $10 and have posters of it everywhere too. I find this hilarious and wanted so badly to buy the film. It looked like a real masterpiece. So if you go here, stand out in the hallway for a few minutes and enjoy the art of the indie movie world. We're talking super super indie. It's great. read more

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The ambiance for this quaint little cafe is amazing. It's right on the Swinomish Channel. It's not fancy, but the service is top notch, and the owners (Guy and Marla) do a great job of managing both outside and inside customers. We parked our boat right out the public dock in front of the cafe. Guy does a nice job on his chili and chowder in the cold winter months. I'm looking forward to a return visit read more

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Great location with good service. The lobster roll is too shredded for my liking, and the 3-piece fish and chips is average at best.

We came here on a Sunday right after church, arrived just after it opened. I would have expected some breakfast options, but there was nothing available. So we had the fish and chips, which is supposed to be their specialty. It wasn't bad is the best I could say. The service was okay, but nothing to brag on, and the overall atmosphere of the place seemed kind of run-down. Perhaps if you could eat outside near the water the experience would be different, but on a gray day ours was...meh. read more

This was a great place to grab lunch. Sitting outside with our dog watching the boats go by. The food was great the service was good. Need to try there breakfast read more

Not sure how the food is. Sat for over 30 mins while table next to us left, it was bussed and new people were seated. Server brought water and took their order, i caught her eye. She left their table and didn't come over to us. Acknowledgement and apology would have been the fix, but no. read more

The waitress recommended the fish and chips. it was honestly the best cod I've ever had, flakey and perfectly done, not dry at all, but crispy and breaded nicely. Everyone loved their meals, shrimp Louis salad, coconut shrimp, calamari and combo shrimp. Wait staff was wonderful, and took care of our dog's water as well. My son asked if we could come back on a regular basis :) read more

Just had lunch there and it was so cold (due to all the doors being open), that I would not recommend eating here unless it's warm weather (low 40's today with no sun). All of us left feeling cold, the staff all had coats on. read more

What a PLEASANT experience! We had friends visiting from Kansas and decided to have lunch in La Connor. We had our (very, very well behaved) dog with us and came to the Waterfront Cafe, asking "May we eat outside with our dog?" The deck was empty but it was warm enough. The super-friendly hostess said "absolutely! sit anywhere you'd like and I'll be right out". She came out, brought a bowl of water for our dog and a dog bone for her, then served us one of the best lunches I've had in years. Fish and Chips...simple meal...but PERFECTLY done. The hostess was super friendly, super attentive (but not in your face...she let us visit with out friends but came when we needed her)...truly 5 star service. We will be back to this wonderful Cafe. read more

Lovely lunch overlooking water. Excellent service. Staff all masked and using individual disinfecting wipes to clean tables and surfaces. Tables nicely distanced. So refreshing. A good lunch menu - at our table we enjoyed hamburgers and shrimp Cobb salad. Very tasty large burgers well dressed. The shrimp was good sized and fresh. Give this attractive, well run restaurant a stop if you find yourself in La Conner WA for some good food and a great view. read more

Excellent service . My husband had the fish and chips. Served piping hot. The fish was delicious and flakey; the fries exquisite.I had the shrimp louie which was lovely. The shrimp were sweet and succulent and not over cooked- BONUS! The greens were so crunchy and fresh. I ate them with no dressing because they were so good. read more

Wow... okay, the clam chowder here is the best I've EVER had. The french fries are those perfect not-too-thin but not-too-thick salty crispy fries (maybe a little too salty for my taste but addictive nonetheless.) My husband had the bacon cheeseburger which was... to die for. Hand formed, juice patty, SO flavorful, and the smoky relish was INCREDIBLE. I had the BLT and was probably the least impressed with it of everything, but that cup of chowder was a hard act to follow. In fact, I was so impressed with it, I ordered a second cup to go. The peach tea is delicious and refreshing and not too sugary. On top of that, the hospitality and service were amazing and prices were fair (even cheap on some items!) We don't make it up to La Conner often... but will definitely be back next time we are in town. read more