The Various Diners of Whatcom County -- 24/24 Reviews, Including the Best!

No beating around the Hollandaise -- Mount Bakery has the best Eggs Benedict in Whatcom County.  The secret?  They make their own bread.

It's done -- I've reviewed all 24 diners in and across Whatcom County.  (Quick listing here.)  And with the exception of two corporate monstrosities (they rhyme with LIBLOP  and JENNY'S) I had a ton of quality dining experiences.  And frankly, even the weaker spots were never too terrible -- we all have bad days.  I think at the very least what I got out of this project was simply getting into remoter parts of Whatcom County that I might never have seen otherwise.

Here are the three best diners in Whatcom County:

1)  Mount Bakery (with three locations, I went to the one in Fairhaven)

2)  Old Town Cafe (admittedly, I'm a bit sentimental about this place but objectively, everything they put out on the table is very, very good)

3)  Marlin's Cafe (one thing I learned -- while food quality is most important, atmosphere is impossible to separate completely, EBs only on weekend)

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 24: Al's Downtown Diner

2012 Main Street, Ferndale, WA

Where we headed today, Mr. Tummy?  Well, it's lovely Ferndale and the small, unassuming Al's Diner.

Cozy but also surprisingly on the new side in terms of decor, the place was packed -- the best sign there is for a quality restaurant.

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 23: Marlin's Cafe (Inside Nelson's Market)

 

512 Potter Street, Bellingham, WA

Let's head to the York neighborhood east of downtown, and a place that's inside a larger Market, but as far as I can tell most people come here for breakfast.  It's Marlin's Cafe!  And it's well worth the detour!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 22: Horseshoe Cafe

113 East Holly St, Bellingham, WA

Let's head to the heart of Bellingham for breakfast today, at the Horseshoe!  And let's be honest -- you might be turned off by the homeless guys encamped along the sidewalk but I'd suggest going on in.  They seem to have an agreement on not harassing customers.

So maybe not the best way to start one of my diner reviews?

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 21: Acme Diner

2045 Valley Highway, Acme, WA

Well now, how about a place I've never even seen before?  In a part of the county I've never even been to before?  It's not like there's much else there, other than a post office!  Welcome to the delightful Acme Diner!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 20: Skylark's Hidden Cafe

1308 11th St, Bellingham, WA

Back to fancy, fancy Fairhaven!  It's a new year, and with the post-holiday blues hanging over me I headed here for my beloved dose of Eggs Benny.  I'd been wanting to try this place for a while, and was very pleased with how it turned out.  It's more of a restaurant than a diner, and a nice one at that, but definitely worth a visit.  Let's get down to our breakfast business!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 19: Avenue Bread

2301 James St, Bellingham, WA (one of three locations)

Not dead!  However, there have been some changes over the past few months.  My Dad is fine, but we've moved him into managed care.  My part-time work continues at the animal shelter.  And my thirst for delicious breakfast food in friendly environments remains unquenched!

Here we are at lovely Avenue Bread, which is a Bellingham mini-chain.  So yet another place that makes their own EB muffins!  Approved!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 18: Cafe 544

 

302 E Main St, Everson, WA

I found this place by accident.  I knew Everson had at least one diner, but I'd driven past this building a few times before realizing what it actually was -- a restaurant that serves breakfast!

I guess you could call it minimal, but certainly not mediocre!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 17: Mount Bakery (Fairhaven)

 

1217 Harris Avenue, Bellingham, WA (Fairhaven Location)

Well, let's head over to Fairhaven where the fancy people live!  And let's see what delightful things they get to eat for breakfast!  Bennies, of course!  The best ones, apparently!  That gauntlet has been thrown!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 16: Old Town Cafe

316 W Holly Street, Bellingham, WA

Full disclosure: my very thrifty father was has never been one for eating out in restaurants.  For years he maintained a beautiful vegetable garden, and one of the joys of visiting him was getting to eat fresh green beans and salads and squash.  (He never did figure out how to get tomatoes to grow regularly here, with all the rain, alas.)  But Old Town Cafe is a spot we'd usually visit once on my summer visits.  So what I'm trying to say is -- even my frugal father, my prudent Pop, thinks this place is worth your time and money.  Let's head south of downtown and try!

An old menu?  I think so!  Let's head on in!  (Am I the only person who would have ordered the fried young beef liver 70 years ago?  Maybe!)

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 15: The Birch Door Cafe

 

4192 Meridian St, Bellingham, Washington

Let's head back into town, on the north side right off of The Guide -- The Birch Door Cafe!  Seasonal fruit, mimosa menu, huge Bavarian ceilings, and no shortage of patchouli wafting in the wake of the waiters and waitresses!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 14: Three Flavors Kitchen

507 Nooksack Road, Everson, WA

Back to Everson, and its sister village just to the east -- Nooksack!  Welcome to Three Flavors Cafe, which is strange because they have American, Italian, Mexican, and Chinese dishes on offer!  (Check out the menu, page five if you don't believe me!)  While out of the way for many, I'd say it's more than worth the trip.

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 13: The Daisy Cafe

 

The Daisy Cafe, 114 W Magnolia St, Bellingham, WA

There are no shortage of downtown breakfast spots in lovely Bellingham, and here's another one -- The Daisy Cafe!

Eggs Benedict await!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 12: Hilltop Restaurant & Catering

Hilltop Restaurant & Catering, 5645 Guide Meridian, Bellingham, WA

North out of town once again along the lovely Guide Meridian, is it a diner?  A restaurant?  Or a catering business?  Yes!  It's Hilltop Restaurant!

Wallet?  Check!  Hungry?  Check!  Passport to Eggs Benedict?  Of course!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 11: Rusty Wagon Old Tyme Food

Rusty Wagon Old Tyme Food, 6937 Hannegan Rd, Lynden, WA

Back to lovely Lynden, in the center of Whatcom County!  Hope you brought your appetite, partner, as well as your tolerance for Western kitsch!

You're either going to love or hate this place, cowpoke!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 10: Little Cheerful Cafe

 

Little Cheerful Cafe, 133 E Holly St, Bellingham, WA

Let's go back downtown, shall we?  On a rainy morning quickly turning to sunlight, or a sunny morning quickly to rain, Bellingham has got you covered when it comes to your breakfast needs -- at Little Cheerful Cafe!

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 9: Web Locker Restaurant

 

Web Locker Restaurant, 734 Coho Way, Bellingham, WA

Some places scream out "diner," others are more subtle.  Very technically speaking, Web Locker is an all-day restaurant that serves breakfast, so it counts.  Located on the newly developed part of Bellingham's waterfront, I expected something boujee and upscale.  But it was actually quite friendly, with a bunch of regulars drinking their coffees and reading their papers on another rainy morning.

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 8: Arlis's Restaurant

 

Arlis's Restaurant, 1525 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA

You are a diner, Arlis's.  I know this because you are only open until 2 p.m. every day.  And your EBs and coffee are sublime.  Look at you with your water-stained marquee, trying to pretend you aren't a wonderful stop on my breakfast journey, nay, pilgrimage.

I'll admit, it was love at first sight.  Just a little shabby and used, but with huge plate glass windows all around.  I knew I was in the right place.

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 7: Denny's

Denny's, 161 Telegraph Rd, Bellingham, WA

Let's head back into town, shall we?  We started off our journey with IHOP and while not great, it wasn't a complete disappointment.  Even a corporate joint should offer some small pleasures in the form of coffee, decent service, and hopefully passable food.

Oh, sweet summer child. . . .

I'll say this -- the service was fine.  I came in late before picking up a family member at the airport and figured I'd take the chance.  Right away, that uncomfortably sticky bottle of syrup was sitting there, judging me for all of my bad life choices so far.

The Various Diners of Whatcom County 6: Smokestack Diner

 

Smokestack Diner, 210 W Main St, Everson

Everson is in the heart of Whatcom County, along the banks of the mighty Nooksack River.  I've driven through it a few times, but finally had a reason to stop.