Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar

Olympia, United States

4.3

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 360-956-1928
Website:
www.docksidebistro.com
Address:
501 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA, 98501
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
410 ftCapitol and A [sb]
470 ftCapitol and A [nb]
760 ftOlympia Farmers Market
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
No
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Romantic
Noise Level
Quiet
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
No
Best Nights
Wed, Fri, Sat
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Local time (Olympia) –

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Sunday 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Open for lunch, appetizers and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, Dockside Bistro focuses on pairings of fine wine, fine food and great jazz in an intimate and warm waterfront setting. Owner Laurie Nguyen and Executive Chef Cedar Martin utilize the freshest local ingredients to create sensational cuisine with subtle Asian influences and a Northwest flair. We are particularly pleased to offer Painted Hills Organic Beef on our menus and seasonal game. Our seafood is wild caught from sustainable fisheries or culled from local shellfish producers on Eld and Totten Inlets. With frequent lunch and dinner specials, promotional events, regional jazz artists, Dockside strives to provide an informal and quality dining experience whether you are dropping by for appetizers and a glass of wine, a mixed drink, or for a full lunch or dinner. Please come in and join us.

History

Established in 2007.

Dockside Bistro and Wine Bar made its debut on May 12th, 2007 and quickly became a favorite spot for wine and food lovers alike. We continue to strive to provide an intimate and warm waterfront setting with the finist free-​range, wild-​caught, organic and locally sourced food available. Please come in and enjoy our fine restaurant.

Meet the Business Owner

Laurie N.

Business Owner

Owner Laurie Nguyen immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in 1975, eventually settling in Seattle, WA in 1976. Laurie relocated to Olympia in 2003 drawn by the beauty and allure of the area. A gourmet cook and wine-​lover for many years, Laurie’s passion for interior design and cooking permeates Dockside Bistro. She takes particular delight in designing specials integrating her training in Asian cuisine with the abundant seafood of the Pacific NW.

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20 reviews of Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar

No registration required
Place rating: 2
Santa Fe, NM
So sad and unfortunate! This waterfront spot with its antiquated yet charming décor looked promising.
The staff was courteous and well informed and no one stopped by with the redundant and obnoxious «how’s everything taste» and «locally sourced «.
With a diverse and thoughtful wine list (reasonably priced), a menu that reads well and set in a nice environment, you hope for the best
The beet salad was nice and would have been a nice prelude except for the roasted garlic which overpowered everything and was not necessary for what would have been a clean salad. Next, razor clams which should have read razor clam was grossly over cooked and like eating rubber bands. The accompaniment was better than the clam and aside from the giant lettuce leaf, the plate would have looked enticing. Next was the scallop appetizer (pork belly sold out) and the scallops were cooked well, seared yet translucent in the center.
Save the worst for last. Crab cakes. One bite and my night was ruined. A mouth full of cumin and bread crumbs and I couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth. It should have been called «crab falafel».
Good simple wine list and reasonably priced.
Place rating: 4
Redding, CA
Tried this restaurant tonight and I had the steamed mussels and the fog goats cheese salad which is one the best salads I have ever had — fresh greens, great cheese ’ I didn’t need the dressing. Yum! My husband had the boullibase and thought it was good. Would definitely come back
Place rating: 4
Olympia, WA
11 months ago I gave Dockside Bistro 3 stars for a very underwhelming meal. I have gone there twice since and the meals have been wonderful. It must have been a bad night for the chef the first time. In addition, great customer service.
Place rating: 5
Portland, OR
My sweetheart and I stopped by for drinks and dessert last night. The Dockside Bistro is a warm ambient space with friendly and knowledgeable servers.
I had a NW Manhattan, which, while not traditional, was a brilliant take on the cocktail. I love the cardamom bitters!
I also enjoyed a piece of key lime pie. Instead of a foamy version, this is a traditional curd-​type with a shortbread crust and a whipped cream garnish. A lovely texture and a good balance of sweet, tart and bitter.
Our bill– for two toppish shelf drinks and two desserts — $ 43.00 before tip. Totally worth it.
Our little boat is parked in the marina just outside. We expect to frequent this place often.
Place rating: 5
Lafayette, CA
Awesome graduation celebration dinner! Everything from the staff, to the wine, to the food and ambience were perfect. Thank you for a helping to make a special evening!
Place rating: 5
Olympia, WA
Excellent place. Great location and décor. Perfect for high-​end entertaining or special evening.
Place rating: 4
DuPont, WA
The food is awesome and they have every wine you could ask for. The wait staff couldn’t be better thank y’all for having me. I only gave them 4 b/​c of the beer selection. Being a southern boy wines not quite my taste but other than that I would eat there again
Place rating: 2
Missoula, MT
Really nice restaurant, the location is wonderful. The issue is that the prices and atmosphere they’re selling are completely unjustified. I’m not usually very nitpicky, but if someone is claiming to be an upscale, gourmet place I expect the service and food to be up to standard. The waiter was short with us and seemed to have his mind wander off while he was talking. We asked how the Elk was and he told us it wasn’t the best, and that other places do it much better, and didn’t make any effort to make things sound appetizing. When the plates finally came, we found the food to be of equal quality to the service. The worst part might have been the roasted vegetables. I say without exaggeration that I had to cut through a huge piece of «roasted» carrot with a steak knife. The other vegetables were wilted to oblivion. Either way, it’s an elegant looking place and that’s the only thing it’s got going, because the food won’t make you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
I sauntered in after a long business meeting in Tumwater. I arrived just after 6pm on Wednesday night and the place was not too busy. I received prompt service although not overly friendly. The menu was full of delicious looking options although they were at least 23.00 each. I ordered the scallops and had an appetizer of steak skewers. Both were very good and served promptly. The wine and beer selection were both adequate, if somewhat limited. More attentive service and better price point would have garnered a 5.
Place rating: 4
Wahiawā, HI
No reservation, no wait, great view, will return! Came here for quiet, relaxing dinner for our 15yr anniversary. Based on the previous reviews, I was convinced this would be the perfect place for us. Definitely a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. I originally came here to try the goat cheese salad then my waitress told me about the crab cake appetizer. Ordered both and was beyond satisfied. SIMPLY DELICIOUS! My husband had the half rack of lamb. He said it was tasty but portion was too small for him. We received a complimentary molten chocolate cake for our anniversary.
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
Great location two minutes from the state capitol (Olympia), even better cuisine after along day of relaxation and travel. Great wine list selection.
Place rating: 4
Anaheim, CA
We had a wonderful dinner here. We were seated near the window and had a great view of the water.
The service was excellent as was the food.
Place rating: 4
Olympia, WA
We met some friends for dinner here and the Dockside was their suggestion. This was such a nice surprise.
The Dockside is truly «fine dining». A deep wine list. Dishes prepared in classic styles with sauces. Great romantic ambiance in a reasonably quiet atmosphere. There is also a side dining room for groups.
The menu is largely meat but has some seafood as well. My wife’s salmon, for example, was presented and prepared to perfection. They do offer one or two vegetarian items (vegan soup and a butternut squash ravioli main course).
One «insider» tip on wine. If you bring your own, most places charge a $ 15 corkage fee to open and serve your wine. The Dockside has a policy of supporting local businesses and wine makers. If your wine was purchased locally (such as the near by Wine Loft) or was made locally (as was the Medicine Creek we brought), the corkage fee is waived. Well done Dockside!
Place rating: 4
Lincoln, NE
We stopped in here pretty late one night and were seated near the windows. It looks like during the day it probably has a really lovely view of the water. The restaurant has a very intimate and romantic feel to it with low lighting, rich and elegant decorations, and several small nook areas for privacy.
Service was probably my least favorite part of our meal. There were only a couple of tables and it took a long time to take orders and then for food to come out. Our server was also not very friendly. We came in about 45 minutes prior to closing, which I get it, is not really the most desirable time for customers. We’d driven up after work from Salem and because of my gluten allergy I do my best to avoid fast food. So we were quick with our ordering but our server just didn’t seem pleased with us.
The food was delicious. Their gluten free crab chowder was absolutely amazing and they even brought out gf crackers for me. The scallops were perfect and the crème brûlée was excellent. The Boyfriend had a steak which met his very picky standards. We left very full and happy.
Price is a little on the higher end but based on the quality and execution of the dishes as well as portion sizes it was definitely worth it. I’ll be checking it out again next time I’m in the area.
Place rating: 5
Wilsonville, OR
Lovely, scrumptious lunch right on the docks in Olympia. Yes, this is a wine bar but so much more.
We ordered three completely different salads, Caesar, Beet, and Humbolt Fog Goats salad.
We also ordered a razor clam appetizer which came on a lightly dressed bed of arugula sprinkled with capers.
The crab chowder was also ordered and could have used a bit more seasoning but nice and hot:)
One of the best places to eat in Olympia. Highly recommend.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Seafood and classic lunch fare completes this menu.
Was in town for business and ate here 3x times for lunch and got a good idea of the menu.
— Blackened Salmon: good and well cooked l, but I expected a little more kick and salt to it.
— Fish Tacos: you get 2 tacos and those are bigger tacos than the norms street tacos. While the fish was ok, the tortilla was not a warm.
— Miso and Wasabi Salmon: hands down the best of the year three. Plenty of flavor and delicious. It had a really nice kick to it and was well done.
Service was good and it is a pretty view from the dock. Would definitely return if in the area and to have that miso salmon again.
Place rating: 5
Olympia, WA
dockside is one of those places that we save for a special evening. A little spendy, a little fancy, but the perfect date night for Olympia. The menu is amazing. Everything is cooked perfectly, the wine list is amazing, and the servers know what pairs well with everything. The ambiance is amazing too! They have some seating that is lower and some seating that is higher in the building, and it’s fun to sit a little higher up and look out at the water.
I ordered the duck, and it comes rare, which was amazing. My husband had the steak and loved it! Next time I will try another thing on the menu just to be blown away again. Yum!
Place rating: 5
Olympia, WA
First of all, I’d like to say, this is a place you are going to spend a few hours at. We eat here on special occasions and it’s a process.
Great wine selection, great food. Much better than the other places on the water in Oly for the price. We love it, but it’s an experience that takes time. Start with the seafood martini or any other appetizer, then have a salad (or we share), have your entrée, then share a dessert.
Love this place.
Place rating: 5
Bonita Springs, FL
My wife and I came in for Date Night, on our vacation, and being from Naples, Fl., we had no idea what to expect.
PHENOMENAL food, presentation, service. We had the Pear Gorgonzola Ravioli, and the Pistachio Encrusted Halibut as main entrée. We started out with the Scallop, and Roasted mushrooms.
5 STAR!!!
Highly Recommend and ask for Haley. AWESOME! !!
Place rating: 5
Lacey, WA
What a lovely dining experience… From the ambiance to the service to the food! The service was impeccable. We were even offered a table next to the windows once it was cleared. I was particularly pleased with the knowledge of the wine menu and recommendation. The Malbec suggested was excellent. I had the rack of lamb which was perfectly seasoned and cooked. I seriously considered gnawing the bits of meat off the bone. Pommes frites… Holy. Sh#*. More, please?!? I could actually come here just for the Malbec and fries. No joke.
It would be really, really amazing if the outdoor seating area allowed for alcoholic beverages. There aren’t many places in Oly along the water…
I will say though that this will definitely be the place I bring friends and out-​of-​towners!