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Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro
1107 Railroad Ave.
Bellingham, Washington, 98227
United States
(360) 647-5593 | map
bbaybrewery.com
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Ratings by John_M:
Reviewed by John_M from Washington
4.36/5 rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
4.36/5 rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
No disrespect to the many outstanding places on the East Coast, but this place pretty much typifies why I'll always lean to the left when it comes to great beer establishments in th U.S.
The atmosphere of this place is drop dead NW. It has a completely laid back, nothing pretentious feel to it. Although the beer here is clearly world class, the atmosphere is unassuming, ho-hum, go with the flow West Coast. The crowd here really says it all. On this particular Monday afternoon there were families, young hipsters, and old farts like myself hanging out, relaxing, and just having a mellow time hanging out with friends and having a good time. As one enters the brewpub one sees off to the left a medium size bar with around 10 bar stools. There are some rickety old tables and chairs, high ceilings, and left over sails adorning the walls. The furnishings are pretty stark and are nothing fancy, giving the brewpub a minimalist, easy going, nothing pretentious vibe.
The quality of the beers here is off the charts. The regular line-up is stellar, with even the blond and amber worth a try. The imperial oatmeal stout is world class, and the seasonals... sigh. The dunkel bock was pretty much the best I've tasted in the U.S., and the Old Bounder barleywine and imperial IPA just fabulous. My test for outstanding DIPA's is that they have to be so hoppy that they wear my ass out, almost causing indigestion because of the excessive hoppiness and richness. The DIPA here more then meets that test.
The service here is the type of service that is so good it's hard to describe. This is a regular's bar, with most of the customers making this place their home away from home. The cute young bartender, at least on the day I was here, treated everyone accordingly. She seemed to know everyone by name, gave everyone a well deserved ration of shit, and then treated them like they were visiting relatives. She was friendly but polite, familiar but considerate.
As for the selection, the day I was here they had some 9 different beers on tap. Everything was pretty outstanding, though of course some things were better then others. The IPA and scotch ale were no better then fair, but pretty much everything else was outstanding.
This is the sort of place I only wish my friends on the East Coast could visit. At least from my experience so far, there is nothing quite like this on the East Coast, as it completely epitomizes the NW experience. There are plenty of fabulous places here on the East Coast, but there is NOTHING like Boundary Bay. This place is an absolute diamond in the rough; a complete gem. What I wouldn't give to have a place like this in Baltimore....
Apr 08, 2008The atmosphere of this place is drop dead NW. It has a completely laid back, nothing pretentious feel to it. Although the beer here is clearly world class, the atmosphere is unassuming, ho-hum, go with the flow West Coast. The crowd here really says it all. On this particular Monday afternoon there were families, young hipsters, and old farts like myself hanging out, relaxing, and just having a mellow time hanging out with friends and having a good time. As one enters the brewpub one sees off to the left a medium size bar with around 10 bar stools. There are some rickety old tables and chairs, high ceilings, and left over sails adorning the walls. The furnishings are pretty stark and are nothing fancy, giving the brewpub a minimalist, easy going, nothing pretentious vibe.
The quality of the beers here is off the charts. The regular line-up is stellar, with even the blond and amber worth a try. The imperial oatmeal stout is world class, and the seasonals... sigh. The dunkel bock was pretty much the best I've tasted in the U.S., and the Old Bounder barleywine and imperial IPA just fabulous. My test for outstanding DIPA's is that they have to be so hoppy that they wear my ass out, almost causing indigestion because of the excessive hoppiness and richness. The DIPA here more then meets that test.
The service here is the type of service that is so good it's hard to describe. This is a regular's bar, with most of the customers making this place their home away from home. The cute young bartender, at least on the day I was here, treated everyone accordingly. She seemed to know everyone by name, gave everyone a well deserved ration of shit, and then treated them like they were visiting relatives. She was friendly but polite, familiar but considerate.
As for the selection, the day I was here they had some 9 different beers on tap. Everything was pretty outstanding, though of course some things were better then others. The IPA and scotch ale were no better then fair, but pretty much everything else was outstanding.
This is the sort of place I only wish my friends on the East Coast could visit. At least from my experience so far, there is nothing quite like this on the East Coast, as it completely epitomizes the NW experience. There are plenty of fabulous places here on the East Coast, but there is NOTHING like Boundary Bay. This place is an absolute diamond in the rough; a complete gem. What I wouldn't give to have a place like this in Baltimore....
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri
4.04/5 rDev -0.5%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4
4.04/5 rDev -0.5%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4
This place feels like a classic brewpub, offering up a traditional American food menu, along with quality, no BS beer. Interior is a mix of spaces, most likely expanding throughout the years to occupy adjacent interior and exterior space as demand rose. All interior spaces are more traditional Americana brew pub, with hardwood floors, and open, neutral-colored walls adorned with beer memorabilia. A back patio offerings seating under an enclosed awning, and steps down to a gravel-lot with picnic benches for completely open air beer consumption. Staff are all kind, building on the homey, small town setting. Beer selection spans an array of clean styles, that is to say, not many flavor additives, if any. Just good, sessionable beer.
No comment on food.
Jul 23, 2021No comment on food.
Reviewed by MikeN11 from Washington
3.18/5 rDev -21.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
3.18/5 rDev -21.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Cool spot with a good vibe at least during covid. The issue I had was with the staff asking what "we" wanted. Pretty sure "we" didn't eat together and damn sure "we" didn't pay together. Scrap we and go back to what would you like.
The food is good not great but the "we" stuff drove me crazy.
Feb 25, 2021The food is good not great but the "we" stuff drove me crazy.
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
3.85/5 rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
3.85/5 rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
I've actually been here many times, but never reviewed it until today, apparently. My wife, kids, mother, and I went there for lunch yesterday.
They're kid friendly, open and friendly vibe. Bistro isn't the nicest in the world, but it's not bad. I like going there.
They generally make good but not special beer. They have a decent selection of beer, maybe 8-10 taps, only their own beers. Yesterday, they had their 2014 Old Bounder on tap, and it was extremely good (I had a second glass of it and bought a bottle to take home).
Their food is good -- much better than standard pub grub. I haven't been disappointed by anything I've had there, and their menu seems to change somewhat, with a few dishes that seem to be on the menu all the time.
May 30, 2016They're kid friendly, open and friendly vibe. Bistro isn't the nicest in the world, but it's not bad. I like going there.
They generally make good but not special beer. They have a decent selection of beer, maybe 8-10 taps, only their own beers. Yesterday, they had their 2014 Old Bounder on tap, and it was extremely good (I had a second glass of it and bought a bottle to take home).
Their food is good -- much better than standard pub grub. I haven't been disappointed by anything I've had there, and their menu seems to change somewhat, with a few dishes that seem to be on the menu all the time.
Reviewed by gandres from Philippines
3.86/5 rDev -4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
3.86/5 rDev -4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Visited on an afternoon Saturday, December 26, 2015
Bartender was very attentive even with a full restaurant
Limited choice coming from brewery
location and place is very good but parking is a challenge
Dec 28, 2015Bartender was very attentive even with a full restaurant
Limited choice coming from brewery
location and place is very good but parking is a challenge
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington
4.01/5 rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4 | food: 4
4.01/5 rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I visited Boundary Bay on a recent trip to Bellingham and it was my favorite of the breweries I visited. It has a very lived-in brewpub feel, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a population of regulars in addition to the autumn-weekend tourists.
There were about a dozen beers on tap during my visit, and the ones I had were decent if not mind-blowing. Everything seems well-crafted, even if the individual beers weren't all exactly to my taste. The food is good; I opted for the reuben (my go-to brewery choice) and it was quite tasty. The staff are friendly and I felt like I was treated as a regular despite it having been my first visit. I will definitely try to return here the next time I'm in town.
Oct 12, 2015There were about a dozen beers on tap during my visit, and the ones I had were decent if not mind-blowing. Everything seems well-crafted, even if the individual beers weren't all exactly to my taste. The food is good; I opted for the reuben (my go-to brewery choice) and it was quite tasty. The staff are friendly and I felt like I was treated as a regular despite it having been my first visit. I will definitely try to return here the next time I'm in town.
Reviewed by Moose90 from Washington
3.93/5 rDev -3.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev -3.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.75
Vibe — A bustling and busy space with nice tall ceilings and a small main bar area that peers into the brewing space. Nice and warm, always packed. Nice outdoor seating in the warmer months.
Quality — Always high quality, though the beers may not be earth shattering, they are always well made and tasty.
Service — Usually quite good, sometimes not so much, a bit inconsistent, but overall it is good, quick and attentive.
Selection — Limited taps and often times there is something on Randal and something on Cask, can usually find something new, but can always find an old favorite.
Food — Pretty limited menu, but I have never had a dish I didn't like, the Turkey Dip is a go to, and the salads are always great.
Overall — A great place for an original craft beer and good food. We go multiple times a month.
Apr 15, 2015Quality — Always high quality, though the beers may not be earth shattering, they are always well made and tasty.
Service — Usually quite good, sometimes not so much, a bit inconsistent, but overall it is good, quick and attentive.
Selection — Limited taps and often times there is something on Randal and something on Cask, can usually find something new, but can always find an old favorite.
Food — Pretty limited menu, but I have never had a dish I didn't like, the Turkey Dip is a go to, and the salads are always great.
Overall — A great place for an original craft beer and good food. We go multiple times a month.
Reviewed by TheBungyo from Washington
4.25/5 rDev +4.7%
4.25/5 rDev +4.7%
Boundary Bay has long been a staple in the NW craft beer community and even after all these years they're still on their game. Most of their offerings are very good, and the food is consistently good as well. Plus, there's usually a few offerings on cask. All of this coupled with great service make this a must visit when in Bellingham.
Dec 07, 2014Rated by mr-jj from Washington
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
I like the vibe of this brewpub. Lots of energy, friendly servers, great menu and food, and a good beer selection.
Nov 13, 2014Reviewed by EspressoGuy from Canada (BC)
3.58/5 rDev -11.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 2.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -11.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 2.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
First the good: love the room, the beer garden, the whole ambiance. It's great! The service was just as great. It was busy and our server was doing a fantastic job of being personable and making sure everyone was happy. Amazing! The menu has a good selection that is sure to please a wide variety of people. Speaking of which, it's a good mix of patrons from sporty-bikesters to hipsters to everyday working people. I wish patrons were allowed to choose the 6 beers in the sampler but it covers nearly all their regular offerings ... and when I asked about the two keg beers the great server happily brought me mini tasters in addition to the 6 on my tray.
Now for the bad: I really didn't like any of their beers. They were totally disjointed, tasting like they were just thrown together without any sense of balance. The listed alcohol levels were reasonable but the lack of a balanced accentuated the alcohol which made the beers taste even worse. I didn't finish any of the eight I tried. I thought I had hit the beers on an off day but a local beside me was raving about their big and bold taste.
So I'm torn about recommending BBB to friends. How about: it's a fantastic beer destination but just don't drink the beers.
Maybe it's just me so I'll give the beers another chance another time ...
Jun 29, 2014Now for the bad: I really didn't like any of their beers. They were totally disjointed, tasting like they were just thrown together without any sense of balance. The listed alcohol levels were reasonable but the lack of a balanced accentuated the alcohol which made the beers taste even worse. I didn't finish any of the eight I tried. I thought I had hit the beers on an off day but a local beside me was raving about their big and bold taste.
So I'm torn about recommending BBB to friends. How about: it's a fantastic beer destination but just don't drink the beers.
Maybe it's just me so I'll give the beers another chance another time ...
Reviewed by mabermud from Washington
4.25/5 rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
4.25/5 rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This local Bellingham pub epitomizes the Bellingham culture. Down to Earth, natural, somewhat artsy, and laid back. They serve a solid IPA. For me, it is especially tasty on cask. This is one of our favorite places to go in the summer for afternoon beers, plus it is very much, kid friendly. The outdoor seating/beer garden is nice, the events they have here are always fun, and it is centrally located in downtown Bellingham. Their beers are solid, the food is good, and the people are nice.
Apr 08, 2014Reviewed by heyealex from Washington
4.6/5 rDev +13.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 5
4.6/5 rDev +13.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 5
They have a great brewpub. The beer isn't the best I've had, but I've been spoiled over the years. Overall, its great quality, the Cascadian Dark is one of my favorites. The food is the best I've had at a brewpub, try the yam enchiladas, I thought it sounded crazy at first, but they are amazing. The staff is incredibly helpful and fun to be around, especially after a few pints. Very much recommended if you find yourself in Bellingham.
Mar 31, 2014Reviewed by jellikit from Washington
4.05/5 rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.75
4.05/5 rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.75
Great Beer! Fish Tacos are a great choice to pair with their excellent IPA. The Barleywineish is a great choice. Also they were pouring a single-hop Amarillo that was out of this world. I have been enjoying this brewery for years and will continue to frequent Bb when I make it to a Bellingham. Great location.
Feb 02, 2014Reviewed by Gaffattack from Washington
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +10.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Loved it here. My first time was today. Service was great, although there wasn't as many beers to choose from than I thought. The tap house section of the brewery looked neat too with the option for the love music. I enjoyed the platter I had and I'm not much of an IPA guy but none of them weren't too bad. I was happy to see the hockey game on at the bar. I live up north, I want to watch hockey not football. Ill definitely be coming back after my deployment. I'm moving to fairhaven so ill be enjoying this place for years to come.
Jan 02, 2014Reviewed by vbre23 from California
3.88/5 rDev -4.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
3.88/5 rDev -4.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Always visit Boundary Bay when we go to Bellingham. Great atmosphere but gave it an OK only because it was always too crowded when I went there. They need to expand. Otherwise I could rate it higher. The servers busted their tails to get the beer out so I say great service! My favorite beer is the Imperial IPA. Be ready for it! IBU's are up there! Great place!
Oct 06, 2013Reviewed by kemoarps from New York
4.55/5 rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.75
4.55/5 rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.75
It definitely helps that it's a beautiful day, but walking up to the brewery with the view of the bay is stunning on a day like this.
Greeted by hop vines growing just inside a fenced off area next to the entrance, the seating is open and airy. It probably could get kind of stuffy during the winter when it's socked in, but on a bright sunny day like this it's airy and open.
Really friendly staff everytime I've come in, whether just to pick up some bottles or to eat. Even when it's super busy they are good about communicating that fact and keeping things moving.
Delicious food, handmade using local ingedients for the most part... priced about on par with standard stuff of the type.
Wholeheartedly recommend stopping in anytime you're in Bellingham, or northewest washington in general for that matter
May 08, 2013Greeted by hop vines growing just inside a fenced off area next to the entrance, the seating is open and airy. It probably could get kind of stuffy during the winter when it's socked in, but on a bright sunny day like this it's airy and open.
Really friendly staff everytime I've come in, whether just to pick up some bottles or to eat. Even when it's super busy they are good about communicating that fact and keeping things moving.
Delicious food, handmade using local ingedients for the most part... priced about on par with standard stuff of the type.
Wholeheartedly recommend stopping in anytime you're in Bellingham, or northewest washington in general for that matter
Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro in Bellingham, WA
Brewery rating:
3.46 out of
5 with
996 ratings
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