Madrona Bar & Grill

Many years ago, actor Charles Grodin wrote an autobiography, "It would be so nice if you weren't here". For some reason, I kept thinking about this title while dining in the Madrona Bar & Grill, located in the Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island. Can an otherwise wonderful establishment's clientele be serious 'buzzkill'? I think that argument can be made here.THE ROSES: Truly picturesque waterfront location. The century-old buildings have a wonderful 'Cape Cod' vibe to them. For pub grub, the food here is surprisingly creative and well-executed. I was particularly impressed by the Wagyu beef dip sandwich. Even little 'throwaway' details like the French fries are executed creatively and with verve. The prices are surprisingly reasonable, considering the venue. Service is quite efficient, considering the conditions they had to work under (see THORNS).THE THORNS: When busy (which appears to be pretty much all summer), this space can be loud and chaotic. Not relaxing at all. Staff seemed more than a little harried, but they were clearly trying and doing an amazing job, all things considered.What was the problem? I think in this case it's the clientele. Site of a luxury resort, some of the most expensive homes on the island and a marina full of yachts, Roche Harbor Resort hosts a clientele that is mostly white and affluent. In MB&G you add alcohol to this mix of money and ego and you get a fair amount of Really Unpleasant and Entitled People Behaving Badly. It wasn't much fun watching well-dressed middle-aged people badger and berate the staff because they felt they had to wait too long for a table or a drink.Patience and kindness matter, people. I asked my server for second beer. He was waiting many other tables and I think forgot my order. When he checked on me again I mentioned I'd love another beer, but made no big deal about it. He was so happy to have a customer who was patient that my drink was 'on the house'! It wasn't necessary; but certainly appreciated.THE VERDICT: In terms of food and service, Madrona Bar & Grill actually exceeds expectations. When things are busy, its well-heeled albeit rather entitled, loud, and demanding clientele kind of dampen the fun, and make the place seem like a set from a bad reality TV show on Bravo (think of a mashup of 'Below Decks' meets 'Real Housewives of [fill in the blank]). Recommend if you can visit this place more towards the 'off' season or outside of the lunch/dinner rush. Otherwise if you like the loud scene, it IS a great place to people-watch.

Amazing vibes, okay food.The bff and I decided to get lunch at this harbor side spot after the ferry ride + a small exploration on the fringes of town. Since it was a Monday, we were promptly seated in the outdoor area. We decided to order:*white truffle Parmesan fries ($9.95): lightly battered fries with black pepper, garlic, and sea salt; then tossed in grated Parmesan and white truffle oil. This was served alongside a secret fry sauce. This was so Parmesan-dominant that the white truffle had almost no chance to sneak its way through. *roche harbor's "tilted kettle" clam chowder ($10.95): chowder with tender clams, smoky bacon, clam nectar, red potato, veggies, and herbs. There was no depth in flavor at all. It honestly tasted store-bought lol*beer battered fresh vancouver Island rockfish and chips ($26.95): the rockfish and chips were tasty, but nothing that blew us out of the water. The batter was over-salted. Will have to say that tropical mango-lime island slaw was really, really, tasty though, and I'd get this again in a heartbeat.Yes for the views, the vibe, and the friendly service; not so much for the food. Grateful to have tried though!

Arrived for dinner on a Sunday night and were pleasantly surprised there was no wait even though it was a busy summer night. We were taken extremely good care of. Our server was so kind and professional. The menu is huge and everything was fresh and delicious. The fish and chips were incredible. Everyone was happy. We loved the free parking and gorgeous small town feel.

Unfortunately, As many of the other reviews mention, this establishment allows dogs on the deck. This was my main issue here and why I removed 2 stars. The food was good. The service was good. The decision to allow dogs on the deck while people are eating ruined the experience. The Barking, the dog hair, the annoying owners acting like their dog is a person... I'm sorry this is a poor policy for a spot like this. When paying for a slightly upscale experience my expectation is definitely not to deal with the pets of strangers.

We have been here for drinks and snacks over the years, this was our first dinner. We started with the Prawn Cocktail which was delicious, sweet and spicy and so much you can share! The fish tacos looked amazing. I didn't try them; was told they were excellent, not spicy; just full of flavor. The Fish and Chips was good. Needed a hint of salt (Seasoning was mild) the batter was very good, not too oily and crisp. I ordered the Shrimp Poke Salad and was pleasantly surprised as how good it was. Cold, sweet, hint of ginger, sesame and the nice sweet pop tobiko. I don't think this was a regular menu item, it was amazing and I highly recommend it! We enjoy the atmosphere and the amazing sunset with the lowering of the flags. Go and enjoy the entire experience.

Location and view is fantastic. Roche Harbor is beautiful. Our server was kind and attentive - he never left us with empty drinks. The hostess was super sweet as well. Food was just meh for us unfortunately. My girlfriend got a burger that was so sloppy with a soggy bun she could barely pick it up. The Shanghai noodle bowl consisted of what I'm pretty sure was merely spaghetti noodles, cold packaged chicken and baby shrimp. While filling, it was just underwhelming for $27. Maybe other options on the menu were better choices and we just struck out with ours. I'd go back for the view and to maybe try something else on the menu.

Great place to grab lunch or dinner when visiting Roche harbor! Lots of outdoor dining along with a beautiful indoor bar. They have everything from burgers to fish tacos, and a great drink selection as well. With there not being many options in the area for dining this was my go to when in town for a wedding.

Madrona rarely misses. This place is in one of my favorite regions of the state and sits right off of Roche harbor. The people watching is hilarious also. The food is typical American bar food with some good seafood too. I'd highly recommend the blood Mary too but maybe ask for half the ice.

Great place for a meal and views of the harbor. My husband had the Kobe beef dip sandwich and said it was the best he's ever had. Service was on point.

Beautiful view. Service took some time but we had a big group. Tried paying and the waitress wouldn't take my card and let the groom pay. Was a bit disappointed with that. But he beat me to it. The food portions were a bit small Forturn dish.