Dinner and an overnight stay are a must-do. The tasting menu at dinner is one-of-a-kind. Blaine Wetzel is cooking at a high level using ingredients native to the island and nearby. Breakfast the next morning is also excellent, and completes the experience. The accommodations are rustic, but the overall experience is great. If you have children, they will arrange for members of the staff to babysit for an extra fee. Not to be missed.
Best dinner of my life!!! Believe the hype. Put this lovely beach side hotel on your bucket list. We stayed in the Heather room and the steam shower was sublime. Will definitely return and always recommend! PS. The less than 3 star reviews are ridiculous. This place is a world class restaurant and penalizing them for an inability to plan ahead is absurd.
3 stars because of fantastic ocean and island views. Wonderful ambiance, but be prepared to pay for field greens, grains and deer jerky. If $5 ice tea is ok with u, then proceed.
Great local food without the stuck-up fancy restaurant experience.
Amazing experience you have to go bucket list place. Food was crazy good for sure and the island is great. Borrow bikes from the hotel and cruise around, do the hike at the reserve, go to the cafe, walk on the beach. Highly recommend
It was one of the best dinners I've ever had. The backdrop of the Lummi Island sunset was breathtaking. And I'm pretty sure they served dishes which you'll never get anywhere else. The Herb Taco was the highlight.
One of the most creative and elegant dining experiences we've had.
If you like beautiful views and amazing food, this is the place for you. Hands down one of the best meals I've ever had all while watching the sun set over the San Juan islands. If I could I would go here every year. I would eat and eat and hang out and drink and eat some more. Basically, if you are in the area you shouldn't miss it.
The closest thing to a Noma experience on this side of the pond. 20 courses with optional wine or juice pairings for half the price! A number of chefs in the back also trained at Noma, and as such there are definitely notes of inspiration in the plating of some of their dishes. The food personifies the essence of the Pacifict North West, with many dishes dashed in woodsy flavors. I'm not sure if the focus is always on the fresh vegetables, but this also meant the main course was vegetarian and it would have been nice to feature a protein on the dish as well. You get to visit the farm from which they get all of their produce for their dishes, and interact with the farmers who grow everything. The Inn itself is also very modern, clean and updated, with the most luxurious bathrobes to lounge around in. They offer a huge variety of complementary homemade snacks and drinks in the lobby as well as in your room.
The restaurant at the Willows Inn was everything we had imagined and more. Over four hours, we were served (depending on how you count) 24 tasting plates from their early spring menu. There were at least five different types of shellfish, sustainably harvested black cod, rockfish, halibut, and salmon, with inventive herb/greens courses to punctuate the meal.
Highlights included the smoked black cod doughnuts (!), a winter greens tart with oyster puree, amazing halibut (the fisherman was also there dining that night), salmon like I've never tasted before, a trio of blossom desserts, and perfectly cooked rockfish. The service was all that you would expect at a place that delivers this caliber of food--unobtrusively attentive, well-informed about the menu, and completely unpretentious.
This all takes place in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable--the sunset seemed perfectly timed with the courses of the meal, and the fixtures, tables, dinnerware, and all other aspects of the ambiance were immaculate. We were glad that we were staying on the island, which gave more of a sense of place to the food that we were eating. Staying there after taking the short ferry over for a few nights is highly recommended.
After the dining experience, we were sent home with bread and asked if we wanted to tour the kitchen, where the staff (including master chef Wetzel) were extremely pleasant and informative.
That night ranks as the dining experience of a lifetime. You are probably wondering--is it worth the price? It was a big splurge for us, and yes--completely worth it. It has changed the way that I think about food, and that's something that is impossible to quantify.
At check in, we were welcomed with a large array of snacks in the lobby. We got the sunrise room, right above the dining room. It was clean and had a king bed with fluffy feather pillows. I really liked how the shower gels smelled. No air conditioning, but we are there in late October so it was unnecessary, despite the unusually sunny weather. They also had candied pecans and dried apples for us to enjoy in the room. There is a hot tub outside with towels, and it seems we were the only ones interested in using it. Dinner was amazing, every single dish was prepared amazingly. They use a lot of unusual ingredients, so be prepared to be adventurous. There were a couple of dishes I didn't fancy, like the oysters and the fennel ice cream, but I could tell they were made with great care and using the finest ingredients. My favorites were the smoked black cod donut and the smoked mussel. The king salmon and the pumpkin were also really good. The service was fantastic, and even with the steep prices I did feel they lived up to expectations. We were taken on a kitchen tour after the meal. We also had lunch there, and the dishes were really good, the salmon rilette on grain toast was my favorite. The portions are small, however. Overall a wonderful experience.
Exceptional dining experience. Very warm, friendly and professional staff. It was extra special meeting the chef and touring the kitchen
According to the judgement of the Dept of Labor, the Willow's Inn has to pay underpaid wages of $148,000 because they provide the super rich with an ostentatious meal at the expense of their worker's (chefs) doubling up as painters, janitors, etc.
Beautiful locale only matched with the incredible dining experience.
Second time here and still 5 stars, it truly is an experience as much as a dining menu!!!
Must tried the tasting menu and breakfast, you will appreciate the delicate work from Blaine Wetzel and his crew. Everything was delicious and with a little surprise and make us keep thinking what next and what next...
Reservation is a must if you are NOT staying at the Inn.
Nice atmosphere but the beverages are way too expensive
We had lunch, dinner and breakfast. All three were great, but the dinner was phenomenal. The house we stayed in was quite large, with 2 bedrooms and a living room and kitchen. The bathroom was a little small, but although it was shared, they ensure that no one shares a bathroom unless they are in the same party. The staff were very friendly and gladly showed us other places we could explore on the island. All in all it was a great experience.
Exceptional food (a dinner of a lifetime), very friendly staff, beautiful views, relaxing location, and excellent massage. If you need to get away from all the craziness of life, this place is perfect!
We stopped here more or less by chance and got a table on the veranda overlooking the garden and the water. At first, we were kind of disappointed in the menu as it's basically just small plate fare and we were really hungry. So we decided to order a few items including the cheese and meat place, the halibut rillette and the mixed greens with nuts. They served everything with grain crisps and some gluten free bread for my brother who is truly gluten intolerant. There were so many different and unusual flavors that often mixed well. Some of the items on the trays were unfamiliar so we asked at the end of the meal. The pickled blueberries and pickled baby fern fronds were certainly the most unusual. By the way, bother were delicious which is why we asked. Besides the gourmand fare, the setting is enchanting; a house with casual artistic furnishings where even the indoor tables are art. One of the waters told us that local artist provide much of the table settings including hand turned wood bowls and Lumi island fired pottery. They let us peek in the pantry and we were blown away at the variety and diversity of the ingredients they have available for their meals. If you are in the Lumi area, I HIGHLY recommend making the 15 minute ferry over to the island and stopping by The Willows.
Amazing food, beautiful location, enthusiastic staff. Nothing but freshly caught seafood and locally grown produce yet a stunning and fulfilling variety of flavors. One of the best meals I've ever had. Well worth a visit.
Excellent meal, but very disappointing room accommodation ( skallaham suite - very very far that you need to drive more a mile, a very small bed, not functioning heater,..). You may as well stay somewhere else(w/ Airbnb at much lower rate) and eat at the restaurant
Indescribable, immersive food and hospitality experience. A highly worthwhile meal for any foodie. Highly recommend staying overnight at the Inn and getting breakfast the next morning. We will certainly be going back soon!
Beautiful experience! Love the midday menu. Worth the trip to Lummi Island.
Wow - I'm not even sure where to begin. The Willows Inn on Lummi Island is one of the most quanit and relaxing settings that you can imagine. The restaurant prides itself on using local and sustainable items that are procured as close to the restaurant as possible. A huge portion of the items served on the tasting menu come from places on the island. The Willows even has their own fisherman to provide the freshest of seafood. Make no mistake, this is an expensive restaurant but the dining experience is truly unbelievable! We had 19 items from the tasting menu that ranged from smoked salmon to sunflower roots to honeycomb! Aside from the sea urchin and the raw oysters/clams, I was amazed at delicious the food was..... I seriously ate a piece of sunflower root and wished that I could have more.
The rooms feel very much like a traditional bed and breakfast. We were in the sunset room which is right above the dining area. We could hear the music through the floor, but it wasn't too loud and stopped around 10 p.m. The view from our room was truly breathtaking. The setup of the room was relatively basic but has everything that you need for a relaxing getaway! There's Wi-Fi...although it didn't work for me...but I didn't miss it! Each room has a mini-fridge and a hot pot to heat up water for tea or use in the French press - which was a nice little touch. Overall the accommodations were great and I didn't even miss the lack of a TV in the room!
If you are looking for a delightful getaway and enjoy trying unique foods, this is your spot! The Williows will not disappoint!
Very beautiful, sunset Beach is across the street. A must see on the island.
Fantastic setting and fantastic food. Excellent attention to detail and service. Really impressive. Warning to fellow travellers though: It's very expensive, so don't go in looking for a budget snack. :) Can't fault it in any way (other than being pricey.) Absolutely lovely place to go if you're looking for a splushy time on Lummi Island.
We came for our anniversary and it was such a chill, romantic spot. The ferry across is the tiniest I've seen in Washington State, and gave us a nice preview of how laid back and quaint things would be. It was a bit rainly when we arrived so the wood burning fire place in the main house was a perfectly cozy welcome. We got massages then had their famous multi-course seafood dinner. My favorite meal was actually their breakfast. It was also multi-courses with fresh juice combos. Their food presentation is incredible as is their flavor combos. You will not be disappointed!
We had happy hour on the patio. The service was excellent and the menu was good and well priced. We had a salad which was simple but had some amazing flavors and a charcuterie and cheese board. We also had a few house cocktails which were a bit unique but didn't suit our taste so we ordered another round of some classics which were prepared properly and did not disappoint. Overall I highly recommend going here even if it's just for the views and happy hour. Still need to get back for the dinner service.
The food is exceptional! Seasonal, local, delicious..... but pricy (yet worth it!)
This was the greatest experience of my culinary life and beyond...amazing healthy food creations from unusual organic foods.
One of the best meals of my life. Got a gift certificate for dinner and wine pairing. Amazing flavors and perfect pairings. Generous pours and a super star group of people working there. Fabulous!
Best meal of my life.
Perfectly rustic setting, gorgeous sunset, impeccable presentation, very professional and courteous staff. Quantities were just right, too.
Further kudos for not overcrowding the dining room, allowing us a degree of privacy at dinner (which is getting to be extremely rare).
The room is very modern and spacious. Had a nice view and service was very nice.
Dinner here is incredible and memorable. Very expensive, but something you will not forget.
Wonderful experience, from the atmosphere to the dining. A bucket list destination.
Best dining experience that I have been a part of; highly recommended. If you can, reserve a room for the night for the full experience. Very attentive and professional staff.
Enjoyed a light lunch on the deck at The Willows Inn. Service was excellent. Food was very good. Beautiful scenery. Expensive.
They most amazing food and service I ve ever had in my life. Can t wait to go back.
We stayed at thes haven room, and it was great. The steam shower and privste deck were a plus. The fpod at the willows in was great, lots of different flavors and the staff were phenomenal
Fantastic food and service ! Really enjoyed the experience and also the flexibility at one point we paused our dinner to go watch the sunset from the bluff on the other side of the road. We were last to finish but still made to feel very welcome.
World class in every way. Bucket list destinations. Not to be missed.
We went for dinner and had a wonderful time. Food was fantastic, service attentive. The timing of courses was really great as well, we didn't have to wait long between each. We were all full at the end. Atmosphere is cozy, and got treated to a gorgeous sunset view. The Lummi Island is quaint and beautiful. As a local puts it, you go there to watch the rocks change into sand at the shore.
This was the best meal I have yet had. Each dish was delicious and expertly executed. Each wine paired well with their respective dishes, but the standout was the house made vermouth. The service was impecible and the staff and chef were wonderful hosts during the entire four hour meal.
The food is stellar. You are in the hands of a brilliant chef.
If you're into farm to table, hyper local ingredients and a quiet place to get away from it all; this place serves it all to perfection.
One of the most amazing dining experiences I've ever had. Gorgeous setting, outstanding, beautiful food, and easily among the best service I've had. This is worth making the journey. The inn accommodations were very comfortable and homey. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Simply the greatest meal I have had the privilege of eating in my life. "Meal" doesn't do my dinner there justice, maybe I should call it a culinary event. Creative but deceptively simple preparations of amazing local seafood, meats, and vegetables. Every dish's presentation was stunning and the taste delivered on what the eyes and nose were promised. The drink pairings were perfect. Despite the cost (particularly once you factor in a stay and getting to Lummi Island), I still believe it is a bargain for this experience.
Staying at the Inn is highly recommended as it will afford you an opportunity to tour the grounds and see how much of your meal was grown. Breakfast is also excellent but greatly overshadowed by dinner.
Very fine dining and excellent service provided a wonderful experience
This dining experience was beyond belief!
Superb staff and unbelievable flavors brought to our table were like nothing I've ever experienced before. A 50th wedding anniversary gift from our 4 sons that we will never forget!
Magical. Dining here is an exquisite, elevated and sublime experience. If you seek soulful artistry and delight in the kind of beauty rooted in simplicity and purity, you will be moved by your visit.
The food was fresh and well prepared. Service was prompt and friendly. The freshness of the food was obvious.
I ate dinner at the Willows Inn yesterday. It was the most amazing meal I have ever eaten in my life. Every one of the four courses was extremely flavorful and unique. Keep on the lookout for the smoked mussels and lamb kebabs, those were our favorites. Shoutout to Kat, our server, and Blaine Wetzel, the amazing head chef, for showing us kindness and welcoming us to this wonderful restaurant!
Food was amazing. Cocktails are always a treat. View from the deck is fantastic. 2nd visit.
Loved it! Wonderful & warm people. Relaxing & gorgeous environment. One of our best meals ever!
Absolutely superb! The food and wine pairings were phenomenal! Our room was ridiculously cute and comfortable! Everyone was super friendly! We are definitely coming back and recommending The Willows Inn to our friends, family, and random people we may happen to meet.
Absolutely exceeded even the lofty expectations we had. One of our waiters (and we had over a half dozen) even took us into the back and gave us a tour of the pantry and a bit of the kitchen! What a treat!
Remember, this is a restaurant run by a disciple of Noma, rated as the best restaurant in the WORLD.
Once we again save up our $, we intend to come back.
Well worth the drive, the wait for the ferry, the price, the everything. The amount of thought that goes into almost everything this place does is fascinating. Go for lunch. It's fairly open plan, and an extremely relaxing time at a place that's thought through everything. Wow.
We had breakfast on a Sunday. The food was great. There were two courses: granola and porridge followed by egg, bacon, cheeses, cured meat, salmon, and kale. It came with coffee and a juice as well. The preparation of each item was perfect and it made for an excellent meal. After we walked into the pantry where a chef happily talked with us about how they store items. We enjoyed the experience and would do it again on a special occasion.
I have finally had my first truly exceptional dining out experience in the Pacific Northwest, and it is one of the best I've had, anywhere. From the moment we stepped over the threshold, and into the living room of the Willows Inn, we were greeted as old friends, welcomed in from the "cold" to share a passion for living through a mutual love for food, drink, and setting, expressed through seemingly tireless ingenuity and risk-taking. The staff is unabashedly transparent about the joy in which they share their secret with us... that this secluded restaurant on a small island looking west over the Puget Sound is a center of gravity for the kind of art and humanity we can all share. You don't have to understand composition or art history. You don't have to be able to articulate what it all means. You just sit down with your partner, your family, your friends, and experience how it feels to wrap yourself in nearly 6 hours of first-time flavors, in a setting that perfectly frames this culinary masterwork.
If it's nice, start on the deck and enjoy cocktails dreamed up by the staff, using ingredients foraged from the island. Maybe it's gotten a little chilly. Move yourself to the living room and enjoy your first courses by the fire while lounging on the sofas. Linger there for a while until you decide to find your table for the rest of the meal. The setting is just as wild as the food. You can make of it what you will and the experience becomes all the more moving for it. Is this even a restaurant, or are you enjoying this in a friend's home? It quickly becomes difficult to tell because you never feel like you are on anyone's schedule but your own, and it's magical. All the while, the senses are being tested by flavors that you've likely never experienced before, and how many times one might be blown away during one meal can not be overestimated. Sure, not everything works, but nothing is disappointing, and you can imagine that something might be refined over time to grow into a dish that will blow you away the next time you are fortunate enough to visit. What better experience than to embrace the unexpected, created by the hands of people willing to take risks for the betterment of our shared experience. Let yourself be at a loss for words. Let the flavor take you over in ways you didn't think possible. Look at your friends and loved ones, knowing that you're all experiencing this together. Ultimately, the efforts of this talented and passionate team at the Willows Inn expresses the elevation of the human spirit from pure survival, to what it means to truly enjoy the fruits of where civilization and culture can take us... spoken in a language every one of us can understand.
I look forward to our next stay with great anticipation.
Such a special experience. Blaine and the entire team work to make dinner here as fresh and unique as it can be. And it can only be on Lummi Island. Echos of NOMA but Willows is it's own self. Don't miss the wine or juice pairing to make it absolutely one of a kind. Everything is beautiful and insanely well executed.
This place was fantastic. Highly recommended for special occasions. It's not cheap so you'll need to ready to pay for it but it has value
Amazing room and amazing meal. All the acclaim for the chef's past experience and awards is well deserved. You pay for what you get, but it's well worth it.
Recently traveled to Europe. I had a chance to eat in a 3 star Michelin restaraunt, and 2 2 star Michelin restaraunts. I am not sure I am in a position to judge (Dunning-Kruger effect) but I feel the food and service at Willows inn are comparable. And the view and price are better.
We stayed on the cutest cabin with a phenomenal view. I think the Inn has a massive amount of properties on the island.
Funky on the outside, but delightfully spunky within. The kitchen crew lived up to its reputation as more than a restaurant - it's a performance: combining an innovative approach to preparing foraged vegetables with flavors of sea and smoke with attentive and knowledgeable servers who, more often than not, made the food you're eating. I have never experienced anything like it - the best meal I've ever had. Prepare your palate for an adventure. Get the wine pairing - but plan to stay the night afterwards!
Amazing food sourced locally. Make sure to tour the farm. Also get breakfast the day after.
Fine dining restaurant is the crown jewel of the island. Breakfast and dinner service is exceptionally prepared and presented.
An old inn, located on the west shore of a tiny island divided by a five-minute ferry trip from the mainland, hosts one of the most exquisite restaurants of the Pacific Northwest. Dinner at the Willow's Inn offers a true gourmand experience with relentless attention to details, carefully crafted in a shape of a twenty-course feast.
If the weather permits, you start the dinner on the terrace under a wisteria tree with a calming sea view. The first few bites set the bar high and surprise with a creative and well-balanced mix of tastes, flavours and textures. However, it's just a warm-up: the exciting part starts when you move inside and take your seat in the dining room, adjacent to the foyer. Your dinner turns into an extensive study of local products and ingredients, skilfully transformed into artistic creations. The menu is built around fish, shellfish, vegetables, berries and herbs. It offers plenty of food to taste and overwhelms your imagination with flavours. The service is friendly, attentive and unostentatious, which makes the dinner even more enjoyable.
Our favourites were: savoury doughnuts of smoked cod, pink singing scallops, herbed tostada, and steamed halibut with mustard greens. With each of these dishes, we thought "it won't get any better than that," and the talented team led by Blaine Wetzel proved us wrong every time. The deserts featuring wild rose and stinging nettle ice cream deserve a special mention. Dinner at the Willow's Inn is a truly unforgettable experience that deserves a trip if you're lucky to book a table.
Incredible food. We had breakfast and dinner there. I would highly recommend it. You can also take a garden tour so you can see the food you are eating.
The location and view can t be beat. We went for their a la carte lunch service and were impressed by everything. Very thoughtful wine and beer selection and expertly crafted cocktails. The menu itself was perfectly concise yet diverse. We had almost everything on the menu and all of it was stellar. The atmosphere was very casual, but on point and professional. This is regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world and it s obvious to see why. I can t wait to visit again for dinner.
I have been there with my clients, omg the meal is awesome!
We rolled up during a sunny day for cocktails + snacks and the staff was helpful + accommodating... We have also eaten dinner there in past and everything was perfect.
What to say....described as "the BEST restaurant in America" I can't disagree.
Amazing food and staff, wonderful view, friendly atmosphere, and a great one of a kind experience. I can't wait to go back.
This has instantly become my new favorite place! The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the staff goes out of their way to make you feel special and the cuisine is unlike anything I've ever experienced. There was nothing about this experience that wasn't world class
Compared to other "molecular gastrotomy places, the Willows Inn had more, smaller courses, all of which were very interesting combinations of largely local ingredients. The wine pairings were mostly local, too. The result was very successful and made for a very interesting meal. We would come back here, despite the out of the way location, to eat here again.
Food, amazing. If you want a food adventure try this place. But it comes with the most expensive tag in the area and it's worth every penny!
willows-inn.com
