Location: Tumwater
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Where to eat American food in Tumwater: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Discover Restaurants offering the best American food in Tumwater, Washington, United States. Nickname(s): Washington's First
Things to do in Tumwater
10. Anthony's Homeport Olympia
Overall Ratings
4 based on 391 reviews
Reviewed By HighPriestessSusan
We received a gift card for Anthony's and this was our first time visiting the Olympia location. The featured drink was a peach daiquiri, and we finished with a shared peach dessert. A spinach seasonal salad and shrimp entree were the main course. Service was excellent and the view at sunset was lovely.Thank you so much for joining us! It sounds like a wonderful evening and I am so happy to hear that you were able to try some of our peach specialties and that you also enjoyed the salad, shrimp and service. We hope you can come see us again soon! ~Taylor
9. Biscuit House
Reviewed By maryellenbradley
Friends went to breakfast at the Biscuit House and we all had a good meal. You can get biscuits with omelets, biscuits and gravy, eggs and even French toast. The restaurant is in the Toyota Dealership and also serves lunch. The atmosphere is not much but the food is good and service is nice. They also make great lattes.
8. Fish Tale Brew Pub
Overall Ratings
4 based on 451 reviews
With more than triple its original seating and a kitchen that spans the former brewing floor, the Pub offers a robust menu featuring local meat, bread, and produce. And while the Pub's 24 taps of beer and cider can present guests with a daunting selection
Reviewed By Rich B
Hard to believe that recent reviews remain positive about this establishment. Rumors are that they will be closing soon. Not sure if this is true but they act like it. Two of their own most popular beers were not available. Are they going to brew more? Our less than enthusiastic waiter did not know when this might happen. They still had some good draft options from other breweries but this is not what we came for. After a while deciding what we would eat and we tried to order Crab Cakes, we were then informed that they were not available either. Perhaps this could have been mentioned when we were first given the menus?? So two of us ordered the fish and chips and the fish had no taste. Lots of crispy breading but the fish was mediocre at best. We both ate just half of the 3 pieces. When asked if we wanted take out boxes, I said that it was not good enough to take home. Our waiter just walked away. The other two meals were pretty good but our hosts may have just been trying to be positive.
7. Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 272 reviews
Dockside Bistro and Wine Bar is the inspiration of Chef Laurie Nguyen. Chef Nguyen takes pride in combining the flavors of her Vietnam heritage with the freshest and finest ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Chef Nguyen's fusion cuisine focus
Reviewed By andrewbmusic
BEST SERVICE WE'VE HAD IN OLYMPIA IN A LONG TIME. BEN was stellar. Water filled, comped our dessert for my super preggo wife (early Birthday Present). Steak skewers were mouth watering and melted in you mouth. Salad was clean and delightful. Presentation was phenominal. It was our first jaunt into Dockside and will bring us back again in the future.
6. Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By PAboyinFL
We traveled to Oregon and Washington, and thought we would be able to find good local seafood. While searching nearly in vain around Olympia, we came up with Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar. When we arrived, it was obvious the venue was much more upscale than we had in mind, but we were there, so we gave it a try. We started with a dozen oysters. We had them in the shuckers choice, which was a combo of four different oysters for $36. They were incredible. Two types were very meatly, and two types were very sweet. The oysters were raw on the half shell, but no hot sauce, horseradish, or crackers were offered to go with them. We did order a side of bread which was excellent for an additional $3. We searched the menu for other plates, but found little that appealed to us, especially at the prices listed. No salmon was on the menu at all. The general crowd at that dinnertime seemed pretentious which fit right in with the menu. When we ended the meal after the oysters, the waiter got a bit of an attitude with us. Apparently, fried fresh seafood is not something that is found in the Pacific Northwest.
5. River's Edge
Overall Ratings
3 based on 65 reviews
Reviewed By Michelle B
You would think that, given that River's Edge advertises itself as available for large groups and banquets, that they would know how to serve large groups, right? Well, No. Not at River's Edge. We had a banquet room reserved for 66. Everyone had already chosen their meals weeks in advance. Dinner was supposed to start serving at 6 PM. We got there 5 minutes after 6 PM. Our place tags-with name and dinner choice clearly printed on color coded tags, were on the same table with a pair of small dispensers labeled Ice Water. There were, perhaps, five glasses left. I took two and found one of the dispensers empty and the second one nearly so. About ten minutes after 6, two young ladies..our 'servers' began circulating among the tables, taking notes from the color coded name tags on who had pre-ordered what for dinner. Many people had ordered a beer or a cocktail. We were not offered anything. I finally had to snare one of the servers and order my husband's beer. It showed up a while later. I was lucky. I had ordered the rosemary chicken and my husband had ordered the steak. Our table, amazingly, was served first. My rosemary chicken and my husband's steak was delivered at about 6.30. The man across from me was served, too. His wife, who had ordered the simplest thing on the menu..a salad with some salmon...was served about twenty minutes later. The meals for the rest of the table and the the rest of the room came out in dribs and drabs. A plate here, a plate there. Some tables went un-served until well after 7 PM. Our plates were empty by the time other folks were just beginning to receive their dinner. And we had the hall reserved til only 8 PM. Which means that some people got their dinners about thirty minutes before we were to leave. This is simply non-existent organization on the management level. Management KNEW they had 66 people showing up, with meals pre-ordered weeks in advance. So management KNEW that so many people wanted dinner this, so many people wanted dinner that. Management should have known that TWO people aren't enough to serve 66 people in a timely manner. Management should know that it takes MANY cooks to turn out 66 meals in a short period of time. Management should understand that 66 people are going to want drinks,and a LOT of water on a hot day. And we were just one of SEVERAL venues renting their 'banquet halls'.River's Edge has no concept whatsoever of what it means to serve a banquet to a lot of people. I will admit that my rosemary chicken was very good, and my husband's steak came out perfect.But given that we were the first ones served, I wonder if we were just lucky.The bathroom had not been cleaned in a while. There were no paper towels when I went in the first time, and the second time I went in a pair of rolls had been placed on the wet sink countertops.One of the toilets had been plugged up, and the trash bin was full.Parking, while free, was hard to find, given that this place is a golf club and it was a lovely day, so parking spots were few and far between. I will say that the two servers for 66 people tried their best. They really did. But when you have 66 people all wanting something...like their dinners, tonight? with some water? it had to have been daunting. It was very apparent to me that management was more interested in cutting costs by having perhaps two cooks and only two servers for 66 people, rather than providing a quality service.Next year, we'll hold our annual awards banquet somewhere else.
4. The Brick on Trosper
Overall Ratings
4 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By TheNWTammy
The website said their lunch buffet was a selection of pizza, pasta and more. Well, not so much. There were three pizza offered; Pepperoni, a chicken BBQ, and one with artichoke on it and a sauce I couldn't recognize. The pasta (Yes, only one option) was a coagulated alfredo. The sauce was greasy and separated and it was one big noodle. They offered a salad. A caesar that had obviously been mixed way too early because it was wilted and very unappetizing. So the 'Selection' of pizza, pasta and more wasn't a selection at all.No dessert either. Basically $9 and not worth it. No vegan options at all. Maybe the restaurant part of the restaurant is better, I don't know but the buffet sucks! Won't be back to try the restaurant because of that. Service was good though! And the bathrooms clean.
3. Gardner's Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 329 reviews
Gardner's has been family owned since 1983 and has proven to be the favorite place to dine in Olympia. Gardner's Executive Chef Dayton Kuenstler favors the freshest local and seasonal ingredients. Everything is created from scratch, including an abundance
Reviewed By AreWeHavingFunYet
We celebrated my husband's birthday with dinner at Gardner's and everything was great. Starting with wine and appetizer and ending with delicious chocolate cake, everything was excellent. We had the stuffed mushroom appetizer, side salads, scallops (so GOOD!) the salmon, and chocolate cake with a birthday candle. Our delightful and knowledgeable server, Kirsten, made sure we had an awesome dining experience. Thank you Kirsten! We will be back.
2. 5th Avenue Sandwich Shop
Overall Ratings
4 based on 353 reviews
Reviewed By 3roaming
Late lunch with my daughters. The Reuben sandwich was excellent. I had the clam chowder as my side. Great service!
1. Falls Terrace Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 313 reviews
Reviewed By kelleym808
Had lunch here while visiting the Tumwater Falls. Great view of the falls. Food is overpriced with small portions, however very tasty. My husband had the salmon and I had the steak. Each meal was just under $20, extra if you want corn chowder. Our waitress stated âIâm putting some bread in the oven just ask if you would like someâ. I thought that was odd.. you would think she would just bring some over. Or at at least ask us if we would like some bread, instead of us having to ask. Most restaurants just bring the bread over. Seems petty but it just doesnât feel inviting. Donât think Iâll be returning.
