I went to this restaurant by myself on a trip to La Conner. As I was by myself I decided to sit at the bar. Didn't want to take up a table. I honestly prefer sitting at the bar anyway. This bar was small and the bartender was quite busy with drinks. I'm a little unsure about the size of the bar. I don't remember at this point. I went here during brunch which is one of my least favorite times to dine out, but I was there and hungry. I can cook breakfast at home. I know how to make poached eggs and blender hollandaise. I was extremely happy to find a corned beef Ruben on the menu. It's been a while since I visited so excuse some details. I prefer pastrami Reuben's, but you can't go wrong with corned in-house beef. The sandwich was a little greasy. It's what you expect from this dish. Greasy, a little messy, delicious corned beef. Great level of sauerkraut and not too much thousands on the sandwich. I think the fries are made in house. I remember either way they were very high quality. Comfortable, clean, and modern. I was surprised by the lack of interaction the bartender had with me. I used to be a bartender. Part of your job as a bartender is to entertain your customer. I had a mocktail and it was great. So she was good at making drinks. Then she started cleaning bottles. I'm sitting at the bar by myself as a single woman. You're a woman too. Talk to me a bit. Part of your job as a bartender is to be social. Not sure if that is a restaurant policy or not. ABC possibly - always be cleaning. That's why I usually go to restaurants for happy hour. I was happy to see this place serving dishes besides breakfast during the happy hour time period. The Reuben was delicious!
Thomas K.
This nicely appointed shoreline restaurant served us an excellent meal of top quality ingredients and very well prepared dishes. The duck confit was very good, the salad nicoise excellent, and the pesto spaghetti was top drawer. All the pasta is made on site, and all were excellent. Wait staff was highly professional and even the martinis were spot on. Kudos across the board. Best restaurant meal we've had since moving to the PNW 2 years ago. Highly recommend.
Chelsea C.
Really great food and is right on the waterfront. Had the sablefish and it was amazing
Amanda AV
Absolutely loved Nell Thorn. Everything was exceptional from the food to the amazing service. We were lucky to get a seat facing towards the channel. Their fish and chips (hand cut) is some of the best I’ve ever had. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Linda Adams
I was blessed while in La Conner to choose Nell Thorn for dinner. Perhaps the best meal, service and dining experience I have enjoyed in a very long time. It will not disappoint I promise!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elle P.
I've dined here a few times when the weather is warm with my dog outside on their patio. There were also other dogs that were out on the patio. Staff has been wonderful and friendly every time we visit. The atmosphere is not too loud or quiet. I love enjoying the delicious food along with the water view. The plates are big, and we share multiple dishes with the whole family. We've tried their appetizers including Nell's bread, salmon chowder, and fresh skagit bay oishi oysters, and their main entrees Dungeness crab pasta and cod & chips. Everything tastes very fresh, I especially love their fresh oysters and crab pasta! It is always a pleasure dining here.
Business G.
What a spectacular dining experience in La Conner! The menu offers something for everyone. We enjoyed a multi-course meal that featured several exceptional items. The Broccolini soup with house made bread was incredible. Polenta with a mushroom gorgonzola sauce was another standout - and way bigger portion than we expected. The New York steak with peppercorn sauce was so good too, would order it every time I'm there. Amazing service by Annie made the experience even more incredible. This is a must stop!
NatureLove Moss
We have been here a few times and tried their nicoise salad and bouillabaisse. For dessert, we tried apple tart with vanilla ice cream and blueberry bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. Every thing was absolutely delicious. They make their own bread, and it tastes fantastic with wonderful texture. We will go back to try other dishes on their menu. Their service is also very, very good. We highly recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brooke Anderson
I had a wonderful time celebrating my friend’s birthday here! The freshly baked bread was so good we got it twice (and used it for dipping in the jus from the clams and mussels). Service was top notch, attentive but not overbearing. My partner had a risotto-esque pasta, I cannot remember the name, but they were like pearly little noods, with scallops and they were cooked perfectly. I had the crab pasta and it was very tasty (tbh I salted it a bit, but I like to salt everything). Being on the water is so beautiful and you just can’t go wrong.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Xochitl Castaneda
This place is too loud. It's cute, but you cant hear people talking. I couldn't wait to get out of here so I could hear my companions. Admittedly, I'm hearing challenged. If you are dining with hearing impaired folks pick another spot.
We ordered the bread for an appetizer and it came cold. Then my husband got the crab Mac and cheese and it smelled very fishy and was not a very big portion for $35. Our dinner took awhile to come , then both of our steaks were a weird grainy texture and not very tender. All our vegetables were cold. And the ice tea tasted like water. Definitely overpriced and disappointing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Carol B.
Great variety of food, nicely prepared with very friendly service. Beautiful restaurant along the canal in the quaint town of LaConner. Great destination for shopping and dining in this fine establishment. Highly recommend!
Aarti Vaid
Read all the great reviews and thought we would be in for a treat. Sadly, not the case. The server was rude to us repeatedly (irritable, wouldn’t make eye contact, literally scowling at us), forgot our drinks multiple times and then blamed the bartender for being slow (who throws their coworker under the bus in front of guests?). She literally walked away from the table a couple of times while I was asking her something or trying to make an order. It was a really unpleasant experience.But of course when she dropped off the check she made sure to wish me for my birthday and compliment my daughter’s shoes. Like seriously lady? You ignore us for the evening, are rude to us but now when it’s time for us to tip you, you perk up and pretend to be nice? Gross.I would have excused it all if the food was outstanding but that was a miss too. I ordered the warm beet salad, nothing special. My husband ordered the ravioli and the sauce was oily, heavy, to the point of breaking. Clearly not well executed. We also had a dozen oysters, fried oysters and the bread. The fried oysters were also oily and heavy, such a shame to ruin beautiful oysters with a heavy hand! There were 5 of us at the table but of course no thought about making sure there were actually 5 slices of bread in the basket. The little things matter. When the dozen oysters were dropped off I asked, “anything for us to know about these oysters” (sweet? Thick? Origin? Anything?). The food runner was taken aback and said “oh, they’re local”. Thanks, I figured that, way to talk them up ?.My son had the spaghetti bolognese and that was delicious, thankfully. The two little kids had the Mac n cheese side, also good (but having a good Mac n cheese is not a high bar…). I’m sure for this area, the food is considered “fancy“. But when you’re charging big city prices, you should deliver on big city expectations.Anyway really disappointing and it honestly just made me sad. Supposed to be a fun birthday dinner but turned into us feeling like we weren’t welcome there. Will never go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
J B.
I first tried this delightful restaurant during the dark ages of Covid! Sat outside during a very rainy night, and had one of the best meals in ages. Since then, I've gone out of my way to visit this restaurant every time I have the chance. The servers are super nice and friendly. The bread with their herb butter is so delicious I could just scarf on that all night! Everything I've tried on their menu has been stellar. Love this place!
Marilyn B.
Incredible good food and excellent service. Recently widowed, I was dining alone but not by choice. However, I felt comfortable being there and it was a lovely setting. I honestly no longer remember but I ate but it was all seafood and it was great.
I went to this restaurant by myself on a trip to La Conner. As I was by myself I decided to sit at the bar. Didn't want to take up a table. I honestly prefer sitting at the bar anyway. This bar was small and the bartender was quite busy with drinks. I'm a little unsure about the size of the bar. I don't remember at this point. I went here during brunch which is one of my least favorite times to dine out, but I was there and hungry. I can cook breakfast at home. I know how to make poached eggs and blender hollandaise. I was extremely happy to find a corned beef Ruben on the menu. It's been a while since I visited so excuse some details. I prefer pastrami Reuben's, but you can't go wrong with corned in-house beef. The sandwich was a little greasy. It's what you expect from this dish. Greasy, a little messy, delicious corned beef. Great level of sauerkraut and not too much thousands on the sandwich. I think the fries are made in house. I remember either way they were very high quality. Comfortable, clean, and modern. I was surprised by the lack of interaction the bartender had with me. I used to be a bartender. Part of your job as a bartender is to entertain your customer. I had a mocktail and it was great. So she was good at making drinks. Then she started cleaning bottles. I'm sitting at the bar by myself as a single woman. You're a woman too. Talk to me a bit. Part of your job as a bartender is to be social. Not sure if that is a restaurant policy or not. ABC possibly - always be cleaning. That's why I usually go to restaurants for happy hour. I was happy to see this place serving dishes besides breakfast during the happy hour time period. The Reuben was delicious!
This nicely appointed shoreline restaurant served us an excellent meal of top quality ingredients and very well prepared dishes. The duck confit was very good, the salad nicoise excellent, and the pesto spaghetti was top drawer. All the pasta is made on site, and all were excellent. Wait staff was highly professional and even the martinis were spot on. Kudos across the board. Best restaurant meal we've had since moving to the PNW 2 years ago. Highly recommend.
Really great food and is right on the waterfront. Had the sablefish and it was amazing
Absolutely loved Nell Thorn. Everything was exceptional from the food to the amazing service. We were lucky to get a seat facing towards the channel. Their fish and chips (hand cut) is some of the best I’ve ever had. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I was blessed while in La Conner to choose Nell Thorn for dinner. Perhaps the best meal, service and dining experience I have enjoyed in a very long time. It will not disappoint I promise!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've dined here a few times when the weather is warm with my dog outside on their patio. There were also other dogs that were out on the patio. Staff has been wonderful and friendly every time we visit. The atmosphere is not too loud or quiet. I love enjoying the delicious food along with the water view. The plates are big, and we share multiple dishes with the whole family. We've tried their appetizers including Nell's bread, salmon chowder, and fresh skagit bay oishi oysters, and their main entrees Dungeness crab pasta and cod & chips. Everything tastes very fresh, I especially love their fresh oysters and crab pasta! It is always a pleasure dining here.
What a spectacular dining experience in La Conner! The menu offers something for everyone. We enjoyed a multi-course meal that featured several exceptional items. The Broccolini soup with house made bread was incredible. Polenta with a mushroom gorgonzola sauce was another standout - and way bigger portion than we expected. The New York steak with peppercorn sauce was so good too, would order it every time I'm there. Amazing service by Annie made the experience even more incredible. This is a must stop!
We have been here a few times and tried their nicoise salad and bouillabaisse. For dessert, we tried apple tart with vanilla ice cream and blueberry bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. Every thing was absolutely delicious. They make their own bread, and it tastes fantastic with wonderful texture. We will go back to try other dishes on their menu. Their service is also very, very good. We highly recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had a wonderful time celebrating my friend’s birthday here! The freshly baked bread was so good we got it twice (and used it for dipping in the jus from the clams and mussels). Service was top notch, attentive but not overbearing. My partner had a risotto-esque pasta, I cannot remember the name, but they were like pearly little noods, with scallops and they were cooked perfectly. I had the crab pasta and it was very tasty (tbh I salted it a bit, but I like to salt everything). Being on the water is so beautiful and you just can’t go wrong.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is too loud. It's cute, but you cant hear people talking. I couldn't wait to get out of here so I could hear my companions. Admittedly, I'm hearing challenged. If you are dining with hearing impaired folks pick another spot.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Caesar Salad
Restaurantji Recommends
We ordered the bread for an appetizer and it came cold. Then my husband got the crab Mac and cheese and it smelled very fishy and was not a very big portion for $35. Our dinner took awhile to come , then both of our steaks were a weird grainy texture and not very tender. All our vegetables were cold. And the ice tea tasted like water. Definitely overpriced and disappointing.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Great variety of food, nicely prepared with very friendly service. Beautiful restaurant along the canal in the quaint town of LaConner. Great destination for shopping and dining in this fine establishment. Highly recommend!
Read all the great reviews and thought we would be in for a treat. Sadly, not the case. The server was rude to us repeatedly (irritable, wouldn’t make eye contact, literally scowling at us), forgot our drinks multiple times and then blamed the bartender for being slow (who throws their coworker under the bus in front of guests?). She literally walked away from the table a couple of times while I was asking her something or trying to make an order. It was a really unpleasant experience.But of course when she dropped off the check she made sure to wish me for my birthday and compliment my daughter’s shoes. Like seriously lady? You ignore us for the evening, are rude to us but now when it’s time for us to tip you, you perk up and pretend to be nice? Gross.I would have excused it all if the food was outstanding but that was a miss too. I ordered the warm beet salad, nothing special. My husband ordered the ravioli and the sauce was oily, heavy, to the point of breaking. Clearly not well executed. We also had a dozen oysters, fried oysters and the bread. The fried oysters were also oily and heavy, such a shame to ruin beautiful oysters with a heavy hand! There were 5 of us at the table but of course no thought about making sure there were actually 5 slices of bread in the basket. The little things matter. When the dozen oysters were dropped off I asked, “anything for us to know about these oysters” (sweet? Thick? Origin? Anything?). The food runner was taken aback and said “oh, they’re local”. Thanks, I figured that, way to talk them up ?.My son had the spaghetti bolognese and that was delicious, thankfully. The two little kids had the Mac n cheese side, also good (but having a good Mac n cheese is not a high bar…). I’m sure for this area, the food is considered “fancy“. But when you’re charging big city prices, you should deliver on big city expectations.Anyway really disappointing and it honestly just made me sad. Supposed to be a fun birthday dinner but turned into us feeling like we weren’t welcome there. Will never go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
I first tried this delightful restaurant during the dark ages of Covid! Sat outside during a very rainy night, and had one of the best meals in ages. Since then, I've gone out of my way to visit this restaurant every time I have the chance. The servers are super nice and friendly. The bread with their herb butter is so delicious I could just scarf on that all night! Everything I've tried on their menu has been stellar. Love this place!
Incredible good food and excellent service. Recently widowed, I was dining alone but not by choice. However, I felt comfortable being there and it was a lovely setting. I honestly no longer remember but I ate but it was all seafood and it was great.