Ajax Cafe
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
271 Water StPort Hadlock, WA 98339
(360) 385-3450
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Ajax Cafe
Review Highlights
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Kevin A.
Bainbridge Island, WA
12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had dinner out here on a whim. I guess I felt that I was spending too much time over in Seattle and not giving that Olympic Peninsula the attention it deserves. It's also fun to try restaurants off the beaten path. I feel that part of the beauty of living on Bainbridge Island is its central location, right in between Seattle and the Olympics. The hidden gems of the Olympic Peninsula are really accessible from here. But I digress. I had an awesome meal here. For the appetizer, we had the dungeness crab cakes, which were packed with crab meat. For the main entree, I had the lamb chops while my friend had their amazing barbeque ribs. Both the lamb and ribs were really tender and flavorful. The ribs just fell off the bone. And they serve pretty large portions. I left the meal feeling rather full. With these kinds of restaurants, I find this somewhat atypical.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention the hats! There are numerous hats hanging all over main dining room. Part of the full Ajax Cafe experience is wearing one of these silly hats while having dinner. It's great!
I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Shep G.
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had a wild night at this place, they were kind enough to try and seat our large party that did NOT have a reservation...They couldn't have been nicer. The place is so much fun, and the food is fantastic!
We did have one weird problem though, one of our party found a pretty big chunk of glass in her pasta, well actually she discovered it in her mouth after it cut her mouth. The staff of Ajax was properly horrified by that happening and offered every solution a great place will offer (free entree, free drinks, etc.) ...she was a little traumatized and didn't take them up on any of the offers...They did remove the entree from the bill. Actually I think they handled it wonderfully, they were as shocked as we were, thank god she didn't swallow that glass. My theory is that they get their pasta from somewhere else and it came to Ajax with that in it.
Anyway I wouldn't hesitate to go back here, but next time we will make a reservation! and you should too.... -
Review from JC T.
Port Townsend, WA
1/3/2012
My family decided on Ajax for our New Year's Eve dinner and it was a great way to say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012. Ajax its a small intimate restaurant with a crazy, fun decor. On this evening we were remarking on the thousands of individual Christmas bulbs that were dangling from the ceiling. A few here and there would have been strange but in mass it was decadent and amazing. The food delivered as well. We all split the sausage stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer and then I moved on to the Fisherman's Stew. Chalk full of clams, mussels, shrimp and fresh fish, my entree was delicious. The bouillabaisse itself was mild so if you prefer it spicy then you might look at their numerous other options. We polished off our drinks while listening to a nice two-man band singing on a stage in the corner. Add in an attentive wait staff and there was nothing to complain about.
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Review from Ben P.
Port Hadlock, WA
3/21/2011
We moved to Port Hadlock a couple of months ago, and in that time have had exactly two truly outstanding meals, and both of them were at Ajax.
Some of the other reviews have addressed problems with the service. It seems that when it gets busy, there might be a problem trying to keep up with all the tables, but for some reason, every non-chain restaurant in this area seems to work the same way -- a little slower than everywhere else.
How can I make that observation/complaint and still give the place five stars? You'll know as soon as your dinner hits the table. Everything (and by everything, I mean "every single thing") we've gotten, from appetizer to dessert has been tremendous. From one of the best caesar salad's I can remember, to the sumptuous clams and mussels, to the perfectly seared flatiron, to the fisherman's stew (which might be one of the best things I've ever tasted), it seems impossible to go wrong here. Lovely presentation as well -- not overly fussy but totally enticing.
The place is funky, every water glass is different, there's the hats, and other crazy crap just sitting around. Given that ambiance, the fishing-pier surroundings, and the sometimes "casual" service, you definitely wouldn't expect to be getting such a top-notch gastronomic experience.
Expect it now. -
Review from Bryce L.
Seattle, WA
8/8/2011
Might have been the best meal of my life.
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Review from Bonnie S.
Quilcene, WA
7/10/2011
We just loved this place. The food was outstanding - everything was exceptional . I love their commitment to serving ultra-locally produced food from named farms and suppliers. Funky and fun decor, totally eclectic and goofy stuff everywhere, menus inside of funny old LP record jackets, hats hanging all around to freely wear. What fun. Really a great mix of funky and gourmet. The food was great, the wine list very intriguing. Will go back definitely!!!
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Review from David C.
Renton, WA
1/21/2011 7 photos
My wife and I had a great dinner here on our Anniversery. The Ajax Cafe has wonderful ambiance and the location feels very secluded.
The food was excellent! The Wild Mushroom pasta was extremely tasty and my wifes braised Lamb shank was delicious.
The only reason I only gave them 4 stars was because the desert was very disappointing. It took a while to get to us and the Chocolate Bread pudding was kind of luke warm to cold and was very uneventful. My wife got the berry cobbler and after she dug down two or three inches through the overbearing topping she was able to find the berry's.
However! I must say that when we complained about them they removed them from the bill without a moments hesitation. An excellent move for any restaurant.
We would go back if we ever find ourselves in that neck of the woods again!
I almost forgot! They use old Album covers for the menus. The really wierd thing is I was a complete Steve Martin fan when I was in High School and my wife was a John Travolta fan from Staying Alive. BOTH of our menues were of those people from those albums!!! Kind of creepy but cool! -
Review from Emmy R.
Woburn, MA
3/20/2010
Should you happen to find yourself on the Olympic Peninsula - first off - lucky you. Second off, go here. Just do it.
The Ajax Cafe is a cozy little one-roomed dining room with 20-30ish tables, including 1 next to a furnace. (Nothing gets a star from me like keepin' me warm while I dine.) This place is quirky and has a *lot* of character. Every chair, napkin, glass, setting is unique, as if they stocked their restaurant from donated place settings. The menus are bound by old split album covers.
Of course, the well-known charm of the place is the hats. If you've seen a hat - sun, cowboy, birthday cake - they've got it. Nothing says class like heading to the bathroom and returning to the table as a joker. It's fun, interactive even.
The place is very relaxed; the servers wear Ajax t-shirts and jeans. (My kind of work environment.) However, don't be fooled by the laid-back environment. The pricey food seems somehow out of place in the small-town cafe setting and is worth every penny. I had the pan-seared salmon and it was fantastic. I also started off with a clam chowder that - dare I say - may have rivaled a classic New England chowder. There were full, fresh clams, shell and all served with chunks of purple potatoes. The presentation was just beautiful.
I would love to be able to return here when it's warmer and the patio is open. The place is right on the water and I'm sure has a beautiful view when the wind isn't whipping through.
I would bring anyone here. I hope I get to check it out again sometime. -
Review from Amanda B.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2007
The boy, the bean and I decided to take a weekend trip over to Port Townsend. We had read about the Ajax Cafe online and even though it's a long, dark drive from PT, it was cozy and welcoming on a cold, windy night.
We called ahead and made reservations, which is a must. Even though it was a Sunday night, the place was packed. We were seated next to a wood burning stove, which was great; the cold, wet wind had chilled us to the bone.
The ambience is comfy, boisterous and lively. The walls are papered with hats of various styles, meant to be worn by guests. This makes for a funny scene. The bar is tiny and stocked with just the basics. A man was playing piano on the small stage in the corner- some Tom Waits tunes, some originals.
We ordered baked brie with fruit, orange tomato soup with goat cheese, fisherman's stew, pumpkin ravioli. I had a glass of the house red and it was fine. The brie was good, like a gooey grilled cheese, the soup was a miss. The fisherman's stew was alright, I was hoping for Cioppino, but the broth was chicken based and very yellow. Didn't work well with the mussels and clams. The ravioli was fine.
We decided to order dessert- a brownie sundae, which was good (how can anyone mess up a brownie sundae, right?) and a fruit crisp. The fruit crisp could have been so perfect, but our bus boy brought it out cold. Like, straight out of the fridge cold. Huge bummer.
All in all, fun atmosphere. Decent food. If we find ourselves back in PT, we would come back. -
Review from Barb B.
8/12/2007
HUH?? WHAT?? I SAID I CAN"T HEAR YOU! WHAT??!!
I don't mind music with my meal but I felt like I was in some jazz garage band for deaf people HELL....with food. The volume was up to near max and this place just isn't big enough. Sorry, two strikes. I'll be back when I can turn my hearing aid off. -
Review from Kris L.
Seattle, WA
6/9/2010
After spending the day sailing in the rain, we showed up at the Ajax Cafe which was the only open restaurant on a Sunday in Port Hadlock. We had absolutely no expectations of this place, we were just happy it was open!
We were all pleasantly surprised by the great food and fantastic ambiance. We all put on the crazy hats that were scattered throughout the restaurant, we listened to lovely live piano music and all agreed it was a great meal! We arrived in Port Hadlock by accident - the winds were not in our favor that day, but we will definitely go back just for the purpose of eating at Ajax again. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Bellevue, WA
10/16/2009 2 photos
My friend was really excited to take me here, it is one of her favorite places to take people to when in Port Ludlow.
It is off the beaten path down a road, right on the water. It is quaint looking on the outside (from what I could see - it was a bit after dusk when we got there).
When you walk in, it is quite loud. There is a lot of bustling and chatter all about. We didn't have reservations, but they were able to accomodate us. This was nice because it was fairly packed. (I would recommend reservations though if you do have an idea of what time you would like to dine.)
We were seated at a nice table on the side. There were hats everywhere. Hats of all different kinds. All of the chairs are unique in that they are decorated differently. All of the dishes are different as well. Kind of a neat idea. That particular night, the live music was a piano player. He was pretty good. They brought out a basket of bread that was good for a starter.
For a starter, I had a mixed green salad with poached pears, vinaigrette & Gorgonzola crostini. There wasn't enough vinaigrette on the salad for my liking & the Gorgonzola crostini was burnt - black on the edges. Kind of a bummer. The pears were really good though.
For my entree, I had Pine nut crusted Alaskan halibut over mascarpone polenta & Chianti butter sauce. The halibut was nicely cooked, but the breading on top had some burnt flakes. The mascarpone polenta was good and Chianti butter sauce was ok. I had to add some salt to my entree though because I felt it lacked taste.
The ambiance & creativity here gets 4 stars, the food gets a solid 2.5 stars. But, all in all, it was a fun experience.
P.S. Be sure to check out the bathroom when you're there. -
Review from Jane L.
Bainbridge Island, WA
4/25/2009 1 photo
If you go to the Ajax Café you simply must try on a few hats - it's part of the charm of the place. As soon as you put on a hat you're a biker chick, bronco rider, lady from another century, the mad hatter....
It's magical. I love everything about the Ajax. It's wonderful tall windows looking out onto the Port Hadlock waterfront, it's remote location, it's shabby-chic mix 'n' match plates, the low-key waitresses, the four-piece band playing American-Pie music that was truly in the background, and, of course, the food.
I ordered scallops, naturally! They were dry scallops from Alaska perfectly seared on the outside and not overcooked. Risotto was creamy and perfect with a little tomato and finishing out my entre, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto - which was crisp - yum! All the flavors went together so well they were at once comforting and high-style. They have a good solid wine list. We were glad to find a bottle of Canoe Ridge.
My dining companion enjoyed her flank steak and the desserts were perfect. I had chocolate pot de crème and my friend had the coffee crème brulee.
There is outdoor seating for the summer months, which are lengthened a bit by heaters.
The Ajax Café is worth the drive - from anywhere. It's magical and funky and fabulous. -
Review from Nikki G.
Seattle, WA
9/5/2011
I finally got to experience Ajax Cafe last night with my mom after a day long road trip around the peninsula. It was as great as she said it was...and as fun! An adorable house next to a small marina down a dirt road - a perfect setting. I'd recommend a reservation because the place is a happening spot even for being so remote. Now for the food...we shared a spinach salad that was wonderful then shared a bowl of their famous clam chowder. BEST clam chowder I've ever had...by a mile! It was amazing. Clams in the shell, fresh chunks of potatoes, bacon...yum! For a main course we had the braised mushroom pasta...very rich but with a wonderful taste, and the special which was an almond crusted halibut - wasn't a huge fan of the sauce, but that was just me. My mom loved it. We also had a bottle of local red wine. I can't remember what it was but it was only just over $20 and I thought it was great. That's quite the deal! And did I mention the hats....HATS! Everywhere! If you go to Ajax, you better enjoy it because it's really a treat!
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Review from Catherine A.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2010
I hate to give this review, but it's necessary and totally truthful, and most importantly, I really want the owners to see this. We went to Ajax today upon a recommendation from a friend, and we were beyond disappointed.
We got there at 4:15pm, and were told that the menu was limited, as they were no longer serving the Mother's Day brunch, and they weren't serving dinner yet. So we looked at the six or seven items that were available, and we were fine with that and decided to give it a try anyway. We ordered our drinks and meal immediately, as there wasn't much to choose from--basically salads & sandwiches--and then received our meal in decent time, and then started eating our meal, and then realized that everyone else was being offered the dinner menu. It was 4:30pm!!! They didn't even have the decency to say something like, "we'll be serving dinner in about 15 minutes if you'd like to come back then," or somehow make it clear that we may have a limited menu available to us this very minute, but that a full menu was going to be available VERY SHORTLY. So as we sat there and ate our extremely boring & tasteless food (note: sandwiches on cheap bread that we could've easily had made MUCH better at the QFC up the road), while the wait staff offered much more appealing-sounding dinner options to every other patron in the restaurant. Then we got to listen to everyone go on & on about how great their dinners were; I'm not sure how to explain this, except to say that it made us feel like second-rate citizens!!!
We ate our food, and our plates were cleared, but nobody asked if we needed refills, or if we wanted our check, or ANYTHING for at least 10 minutes. We sat there at an empty table like a bunch of imbeciles for all that time, with nothing on our table except our credit card in plain sight, then finally someone came up and said, "Has anyone offered you the dessert menu?" Oh my god, we almost started laughing!
When we left and inevitably went up to QFC to buy some quality food to sustain our appetites and cleanse our palates for the rest of our road trip, for a long time we kept looking at each other, shaking our heads, and saying, "I still can't figure out what just happened to us at that place!" We are befuddled.
I would never ever recommend your restaurant to anyone unless I took pleasure in cursing someone with an hour of horrible service and barely mediocre food. -
Review from Jill M.
Portland, OR
9/23/2010
I always try to get to Ajax while visiting family on the Peninsula as it is my favorite restaurant there. This may not be saying much considering how lackluster and overpriced the choices are out there, but but it counts for something. The food is usually very good and the environment fun, while also having more earned price points than many other places in the area.
I would give one more star if it weren't for my most recent experience there in which the server was completely inattentive - checking in with us as we were just finishing our meal, walking right by many times while our empty plates sat, and not returning with our check for about 10 minutes after learning we were finished. My meal - the current chicken dish - was also the least appealing I've had there. In my experience, it is best to stick with the seafood choices.
I love the environment there: eclectic and kitschy in a fun not cheesy way, music on the weekends. It's not cozy and romantic, but rather a bit raucous and upbeat. If only the server we had this last time reflected that.
A general note to servers at finer restaurants on the Peninsula: you do not need to say "I will be your cashier." This is a given at a nice place and you don't work at Applebee's. Or maybe the clientele out there does need to be told. I don't know, but I do know it really cheapens the presentation. -
Review from C S.
Seattle, WA
8/24/2010
Ajax Cafe is by far our favorite restaurant on the Peninsula. At first we were hesitant to take the trip down to Port Hadlock, but I am so glad we ventured! The food is local, always fresh, and top notch. I love the excellent food with the casual atmosphere. We take guests here whenever we can!
Do save room for the ice cream. The blueberry is amazing! -
Review from Molly C.
Tacoma, WA
5/8/2009
We ate here as a part of a group, which usually spells trouble for amateurish restaurants. The folks at the Ajax proved they're pros, however; quality was not sacrificed for our group. Sure, the food took a little longer than it would have if we were a two- or four-top, but we weren't expecting fast food for a group of our size.
The food was top-notch. I started with the arugula and orange salad. Delicious and simple. For dinner I ate the pine nut encrusted halibut served with mascarpone polenta and grilled asparagus. I was expecting the crust to be coarse; on the contrary, the pine nuts were finely milled to a finer-than-cornmeal consistency. The result was great--the halibut had a light crisp on the outside, and was perfectly cooked (medium) inside. For dessert I had the humongo fruit crisp, which although good was easily the weakest link of the meal. Others in our party raved about the ricotta and Dungeness crab manicotti, cedar plank salmon with fresh horseradish sauce, and (appetizer) steamed mussels and clams. The wine list had good values and was well-selected.
The atmosphere was lovely. There was a 2-piece jazz band playing on stage but the music was never obtrusive. The decor was eclectic and fun. It reminded me of hanging out in an artist's dining room. The service was friendly and competent.
We will be back! -
Review from C W.
Renton, WA
7/2/2010
We came across the Ajax when we were on our honeymoon. After having driven past the sign many times throughout the years, my wife - who was famished at the time - said "Ajax Cafe. I'm hungry. We're eating there." We had no clue what we were walking into.
Fast forward five years, and we've gone back any time we've been in the area. The Ajax Cafe is a funky one-of-a-kind restaurant that delivers on both food and ambiance. A staple in the Cafe is the entertainment. Though hit-or-miss (the entertainment when we were there in May wasn't quite as good as in the past), it's what you would expect in a funky restaurant in a small town.
The Food: You get the impression that the seafood comes in the back door of the building, straight off the boat. I've never had a bad piece of salmon, and my wife swears by the Fisherman's Stew. Though initially disappointed that they changed the recipe for the stew a couple of years ago from a fish stock to a tomato base, it took around three bites to like it just as much. I've also had the pork loin, scallops, and other quite tasty menu items.
Fresh local ingredients are key. The local cheese platter appetizer is quite tasty. When we had it, it included selections from Mt. Townsend Creamery. The wine list also features several local selections -- the Fairwinds Gewurztraminer is a good selection.
And the desserts. Chocolate Pots de Creme is tasty, as is the Coffee Creme Brulee. However, the fresh fruit crisp a-la-mode is still one of my favorites.
When you walk in, you'll find the walls lined with every type of hat imaginable. Feel free to try one on.
Historically we've always gotten a reservation, though they haven't been quite as busy the past couple of times we've gone, and I have the impression that we could have walked right in.
All in all the Ajax is a great place for a nice dinner. It's off the beaten path, but well worth the drive down the hill. -
Review from Anne S.
Missoula, MT
10/7/2009
Hmmm -
I'll have to give this place another chance before I can give them a solid review.
I called and made a reservation a day in advance...
when we arrived I had a good feeling as upon steppping out of the car, my ears were comforted by the soft melodies echoing from the cafe.
When we got inside, it was hard to dismiss the crowded entryway as I practically had to step outside each time anyone tried to squeeze by. We then waited....then waited some more.
For a Saturday evening, they were under staffed, having only one server and one bus person. It was doable since it is such a small place, but still.
We were finally sat....then we waited some more. We were seated next to a party of about 15. (8 yr old b-day party)
Finally, the bus girl saw that we had been waiting for quite some time and took our drink orders. We ordered a bottle of wine and we did get it....eventually.
We waited 45 minutes before the server came to take our order. That is fine. The ambiance was wonderful....for the most part.
The food was actually really good. The portions were perfect and I didn't leave feeling like a stuffed pig. Kudos to the chef!
I was actually fine with the wait - at first. I was aware that they were busy with minimal help. But then it because abundantly clear, we were being ignored.
It was unfortunate that the server was more concerned with the tip (she probably never got) from the large table than she was with the rest of us. My husband and I certainly were not the only ones there who left disappointed that night. For example - when she brought us our food, she literally RAN away from our table. I never had the chance to ask her to check on the progress of that wine we ordered.....waaaaay too long ago. It was a total out of sight, out of mind thing. We did not exist.
It was a shame really.
The birthday party. It took all I had to NOT go up to someone and (probably not so) politely remind them that they are in a restaurant and that the other patrons in the establishment ARE NOT their daycare providers. It was the biggest display of disrespect I have ever seen. The grown ups sat there, drinking their wine, while about 10 kids are running around, wildly out of control! I shit you not, my water was spilled twice....thank got for the attentive bus girl, because I tell you, had it been our server responsible for cleaning up the mess, I'd still be wet.
Somehow, not so surprising - we got the bill while we were still eating our dinner.
We paid our bill, tipped the bus girl, and left. We enjoyed the rest of our wine at home. -
Review from Mark P.
Poulsbo, WA
5/14/2008
Mother's Day 2008 / party of three; my wife and daughter. Everything in me wanted to 5 star this night and place. After all, It came highly recommended, the spotty weather cleared up and the day was a good one up to now. We has res. for 5 and showed up @440 OK they sat us anyway (pretty empty at that point). Remember that this is the eclectic joint, the noise, the hats and the nothing matches is all part of the sctick - but I think it is carried too far. There is a very unpleasant odor at the front door - pet urine I guess. The plates, glasses and silverware were all dirty. I mean dirt - floaties in the water etc. Maybe it was all about the food I hoped. Started with the clam chowder. 31 clams - had to count as there was nothing provided to remove the shells after eating - fine, but the broth (very thin styled) was extremely salty and unbalanced. Every bite was different, wine was not reduced. The pancetta was nice overall would not order again. Wife had a Caesar salad - bland OK. Entree's: Daughter had crab cakes entree. 3 cakes reminded me of hush puppies. OK but dark brown exterior (heavy batter /old oil) masked any hope of tasting crab. I ordered the tenderloin. It was tasteful and the sides were good as well. I especially liked the tomatoes which topped the mushroom risotto. A bargain at 18.00. The wife had stuffed pork chops and they were good as well. She (or my daughter) normally chooses the best meal but today it was me. We did not order wine but I did peak at the list - not a great selection but enough to compliment the meals. I did notice some bringing their own bottles. I did not ask about corkage fees. We also didn't order desert as I made some strawberry shortcake. That way I'd have a can of whipped cream! It was early in the year for seafood and when we left it was packed. Noisy as you'd expect, the piano player played well and at a good volume level. The wait staff was knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. I would recommend a spring cleaning, perhaps more descriptive menus.
