Adam was a wonderful waiter. The pace of our evening dinner was on point. He gave honest feedback and made suggestions on what to order. The whole dinner and evening was very nice.
Anastasia
It was a fantastic night! Food was outstanding: portions size and quality were perfect. I had their special of the night - King Salmon, my company had a crispy duck. The dessert was one of the best I've tried in Bellingham's restaurants. Live piano music was lovely and not too loud.
Leah
We are outside on a the patio. Our server Cora was friendly and helpful. Great food and amazing sunset
Maria Swansen
The location and service at this restaurant are great but the food is such low quality, especially for the price. I’m shocked this place has above 4 stars. I don’t often feel compelled to leave a restaurant reviews but I feel that others should know not to waste $200 on this place. There are so many better restaurants in Bellingham that deserve the business for a fraction of the price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
Anna
Fantastic service trapped in a restaurant that doesn’t know how to cook.
If I were rating the staff alone, this would easily be five stars. Our server was attentive, professional, and genuinely kind — one of the best I’ve had in months. The host and hostess in training were polite and welcoming, and even the hotel receptionist went above and beyond, helping with Wi-Fi and offering cookies with a smile. Every single employee I interacted with was warm, observant, and trying their best.
But no amount of good service can make up for food this badly conceived and poorly executed.
The food itself was worse than disappointing — it was misleading, flavorless, and in some cases inedible. Garlic butter and bread: How does one manage to make garlic butter that doesn’t taste like garlic? Somehow, Lighthouse did. The bread was decent, but the butter was pale, timid, and devoid of the punch that makes the pairing enjoyable.
Melon gazpacho: The menu promised “seasonal melon, cucumber, basil,” which suggested a refreshing chilled soup. What arrived was literally a small portion of cold watermelon juice with a basil leaf, a cucumber shaving, and a garnish floating on top. Not only is that not gazpacho, it’s frankly insulting to call it so. If I wanted a fruit drink, I could have ordered one.
Duck entrée ($54): The menu listed “seasonal fruit gastrique, demi-glace, seasonal vegetables, cabernet veal reduction, mille feuille potatoes, fresh plum.” It sounded layered, balanced, complex. What arrived was duck cooked medium rare by default, without even asking my preference. Now, I’ve had duck in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe and North America, and never once has a chef automatically sent it out half raw without checking the diner’s taste. The result was tough, stringy, and so chewy I had to discreetly spit out nearly half the portion. The potatoes, which should have been delicate layers of crisped and seasoned goodness, were simply bland and forgettable. Sprinkling a pinch of tarragon or even grey sea salt could've made them so much better.
The kitchen here clearly knows how to plate food worthy Instagram — but that’s where their talent ends. Everything looked like it should be good, but once eaten, it revealed itself as hollow, unseasoned, and amateurish.
To be blunt: Lighthouse Bar & Grill is pretending to be fine dining without having any of the culinary skill to back it up. The prices are laughable for what’s delivered. I don’t mind paying $50+ for a duck dish when it’s carefully executed, balanced, and delicious. I’ve happily paid twice that elsewhere. But to pay this much for duck I couldn’t even eat half of, potatoes without flavor, and a soup that completely counteracts the very definition of what it pretends to be, is insulting and misleading.
In short: the staff deserves a better kitchen, the guests deserve food worthy of the price, and the management needs to decide whether this is a restaurant or just a hotel bar with delusions of grandeur. Until then, I won’t be returning.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Kevin
We had a reservation and were promptly seated in a nice booth with a great view. We were brought the standard food menu and drink/wine list. I was at first disappointed as the wine list was so limited. Haven't been there in a few years and thought the wine list had been downsized. However, I'm glad I asked the waiter and he immediately brought me the full wine menu which has a great selection. The food was excellent (my wife had the salmon and I had the seafood fettuccini alfredo). Our server was quite professional, attentive and thorough.
Anna
The service at Lighthouse Bar & Grill was outstanding — our server was attentive, friendly, and engaging, the host and hostess in training were professional and welcoming, and even the hotel receptionist went above and beyond to help with Wi-Fi and offered cookies despite me not being a hotel guest. The staff deserves every bit of praise. Unfortunately, the food fell far short of expectations. Melon gazpacho: The menu described it as “seasonal melon, cucumber, basil,” suggesting a blended, chilled soup with those ingredients (which is what gazpacho is defined as). What arrived was essentially cold watermelon juice with a small garnish of basil, a cucumber sliver, and pea shoots. It was a refreshing drink at best, but calling it a gazpacho is misleading and disappointing. Duck entrée: Described as “seasonal fruit gastrique, demi-glace, seasonal vegetables, cabernet veal reduction, mille feuille potatoes, fresh plum.” The duck arrived medium rare by default without consultation of cooking preferences. It was so tough and chewy that I had to discard nearly half the portion. The potatoes were underseasoned, and the sauces lacked depth and flavor. I eat duck regularly, from across Europe and North America, and I have never had it served medium rare, especially without consultation. Garlic butter and bread: The butter was surprisingly bland, with almost no garlic flavor, despite its appearance. Overall, the kitchen seems focused on presentation over execution. For the prices charged, the food was underwhelming and did not match the menu descriptions or the level of service. I hope this feedback is useful — the staff is excellent, but the kitchen needs to catch up to provide an experience worthy of the restaurant's potential.
miranda
Oysters were off, waxy film around 2 of them, champagne mignonette also underwhelming . Pre-busing could have been appreciated . Service staff friendly .
William Hidden
Great food. Friendly staff, fantastic view of the harbor/bay.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brianero Hall
Service was so slow and barely friendly. The pork belly appetizer was hilariously small. The caesar dressing tasted like straight vinegar. The fish and chips were great. The duck and the potatoes that came with it were great. Would have loved to have more than one drink, but the first round took 30 minutes to come, so we didn't. Patio scenery is nice.
Great service by Adam. My brother's halibut was a little overcooked but he immediately took care of it. It came back perfect. He comped us dessert. Overall, a wonderful evening!
Lala
7/4/25
We decided to have dinner and watch the fireworks from the restaurant’s patio. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and we had the best view of the fireworks.
The restaurant has a new chef and the food was excellent as well as the service. We had a great time today.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kristi Yarn
We spent two lovely happy hour afternoons on the patio here during our stay at the Bellwether, and both were exceptional.
Our cocktails were delicious, the food was great, and the service was top-notch. Highly recommend the fried mushrooms, meat & cheese plate, and fish & chips.
Our server, Carolyn, was especially fantastic. There was large business party on half the patio that kept the staff super busy the second day we were there, but Carolyn made sure to check on us frequently and maintained her professional, courteous demeanor.
We will be back next time we're in Bellingham!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Barchard
Had seafood boil. Was good. Supposed to have chorizo. Didn't. Got an argument.
It's expensive but the food is just ok, it's not over the top.
Caesar salad wasn't crisp...but was ok.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
Dawnette Rice
I would like to say thank you to our server Adam. He was extremely knowledgeable and kind. His service was wonderful. The dining area, the view, everyone’s personality and the food was stunning. It was the perfect place to spend our 5th anniversary.
Adam was a wonderful waiter. The pace of our evening dinner was on point. He gave honest feedback and made suggestions on what to order. The whole dinner and evening was very nice.
It was a fantastic night! Food was outstanding: portions size and quality were perfect. I had their special of the night - King Salmon, my company had a crispy duck. The dessert was one of the best I've tried in Bellingham's restaurants. Live piano music was lovely and not too loud.
We are outside on a the patio. Our server Cora was friendly and helpful. Great food and amazing sunset
The location and service at this restaurant are great but the food is such low quality, especially for the price. I’m shocked this place has above 4 stars. I don’t often feel compelled to leave a restaurant reviews but I feel that others should know not to waste $200 on this place. There are so many better restaurants in Bellingham that deserve the business for a fraction of the price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
Fantastic service trapped in a restaurant that doesn’t know how to cook.
If I were rating the staff alone, this would easily be five stars. Our server was attentive, professional, and genuinely kind — one of the best I’ve had in months. The host and hostess in training were polite and welcoming, and even the hotel receptionist went above and beyond, helping with Wi-Fi and offering cookies with a smile. Every single employee I interacted with was warm, observant, and trying their best.
But no amount of good service can make up for food this badly conceived and poorly executed.
The food itself was worse than disappointing — it was misleading, flavorless, and in some cases inedible.
Garlic butter and bread: How does one manage to make garlic butter that doesn’t taste like garlic? Somehow, Lighthouse did. The bread was decent, but the butter was pale, timid, and devoid of the punch that makes the pairing enjoyable.
Melon gazpacho: The menu promised “seasonal melon, cucumber, basil,” which suggested a refreshing chilled soup. What arrived was literally a small portion of cold watermelon juice with a basil leaf, a cucumber shaving, and a garnish floating on top. Not only is that not gazpacho, it’s frankly insulting to call it so. If I wanted a fruit drink, I could have ordered one.
Duck entrée ($54): The menu listed “seasonal fruit gastrique, demi-glace, seasonal vegetables, cabernet veal reduction, mille feuille potatoes, fresh plum.” It sounded layered, balanced, complex. What arrived was duck cooked medium rare by default, without even asking my preference. Now, I’ve had duck in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe and North America, and never once has a chef automatically sent it out half raw without checking the diner’s taste. The result was tough, stringy, and so chewy I had to discreetly spit out nearly half the portion. The potatoes, which should have been delicate layers of crisped and seasoned goodness, were simply bland and forgettable. Sprinkling a pinch of tarragon or even grey sea salt could've made them so much better.
The kitchen here clearly knows how to plate food worthy Instagram — but that’s where their talent ends. Everything looked like it should be good, but once eaten, it revealed itself as hollow, unseasoned, and amateurish.
To be blunt: Lighthouse Bar & Grill is pretending to be fine dining without having any of the culinary skill to back it up. The prices are laughable for what’s delivered. I don’t mind paying $50+ for a duck dish when it’s carefully executed, balanced, and delicious. I’ve happily paid twice that elsewhere. But to pay this much for duck I couldn’t even eat half of, potatoes without flavor, and a soup that completely counteracts the very definition of what it pretends to be, is insulting and misleading.
In short: the staff deserves a better kitchen, the guests deserve food worthy of the price, and the management needs to decide whether this is a restaurant or just a hotel bar with delusions of grandeur. Until then, I won’t be returning.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
We had a reservation and were promptly seated in a nice booth with a great view. We were brought the standard food menu and drink/wine list. I was at first disappointed as the wine list was so limited. Haven't been there in a few years and thought the wine list had been downsized. However, I'm glad I asked the waiter and he immediately brought me the full wine menu which has a great selection. The food was excellent (my wife had the salmon and I had the seafood fettuccini alfredo). Our server was quite professional, attentive and thorough.
The service at Lighthouse Bar & Grill was outstanding — our server was attentive, friendly, and engaging, the host and hostess in training were professional and welcoming, and even the hotel receptionist went above and beyond to help with Wi-Fi and offered cookies despite me not being a hotel guest. The staff deserves every bit of praise. Unfortunately, the food fell far short of expectations. Melon gazpacho: The menu described it as “seasonal melon, cucumber, basil,” suggesting a blended, chilled soup with those ingredients (which is what gazpacho is defined as). What arrived was essentially cold watermelon juice with a small garnish of basil, a cucumber sliver, and pea shoots. It was a refreshing drink at best, but calling it a gazpacho is misleading and disappointing. Duck entrée: Described as “seasonal fruit gastrique, demi-glace, seasonal vegetables, cabernet veal reduction, mille feuille potatoes, fresh plum.” The duck arrived medium rare by default without consultation of cooking preferences. It was so tough and chewy that I had to discard nearly half the portion. The potatoes were underseasoned, and the sauces lacked depth and flavor. I eat duck regularly, from across Europe and North America, and I have never had it served medium rare, especially without consultation. Garlic butter and bread: The butter was surprisingly bland, with almost no garlic flavor, despite its appearance. Overall, the kitchen seems focused on presentation over execution. For the prices charged, the food was underwhelming and did not match the menu descriptions or the level of service. I hope this feedback is useful — the staff is excellent, but the kitchen needs to catch up to provide an experience worthy of the restaurant's potential.
Oysters were off, waxy film around 2 of them, champagne mignonette also underwhelming . Pre-busing could have been appreciated . Service staff friendly .
Great food. Friendly staff, fantastic view of the harbor/bay.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Service was so slow and barely friendly. The pork belly appetizer was hilariously small. The caesar dressing tasted like straight vinegar. The fish and chips were great. The duck and the potatoes that came with it were great. Would have loved to have more than one drink, but the first round took 30 minutes to come, so we didn't. Patio scenery is nice.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Restaurantji Recommends
Great service by Adam. My brother's halibut was a little overcooked but he immediately took care of it. It came back perfect. He comped us dessert. Overall, a wonderful evening!
7/4/25
We decided to have dinner and watch the fireworks from the restaurant’s patio. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and we had the best view of the fireworks.
The restaurant has a new chef and the food was excellent as well as the service. We had a great time today.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We spent two lovely happy hour afternoons on the patio here during our stay at the Bellwether, and both were exceptional.
Our cocktails were delicious, the food was great, and the service was top-notch. Highly recommend the fried mushrooms, meat & cheese plate, and fish & chips.
Our server, Carolyn, was especially fantastic. There was large business party on half the patio that kept the staff super busy the second day we were there, but Carolyn made sure to check on us frequently and maintained her professional, courteous demeanor.
We will be back next time we're in Bellingham!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had seafood boil. Was good. Supposed to have chorizo. Didn't. Got an argument.
It's expensive but the food is just ok, it's not over the top.
Caesar salad wasn't crisp...but was ok.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
I would like to say thank you to our server Adam. He was extremely knowledgeable and kind. His service was wonderful. The dining area, the view, everyone’s personality and the food was stunning. It was the perfect place to spend our 5th anniversary.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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