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Darby's Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Diners Restaurants Vegan Diners, Vegan [Edit]
211 5th Ave SEOlympia, WA 98501
(360) 357-6229
- Hours:
Wed-Fri 7 am - 9 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
86 reviews for Darby's Cafe
Review Highlights
"Fresh Squeezed Lemonade."
(in 5 reviews)
"They serve some damn good food."
(in 3 reviews)
"They make a few different tofu scrambles- i got the curry..."
(in 3 reviews)
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86 reviews in English
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Review from Mia C.
Seattle, WA
12/3/2011
I LOVE IT HERE!
it's small, divey, you see the guts of the prep kitchen while sitting at the bar and it feels very very local and liberalized. the food here is good, but the environment is what makes it for me.
i love the sign telling you the house rules. just because i'm a customer does not mean you shouldn't tell me what your boundaries are- riighhhtt?!. And I agree- be a cool patron or hit the road.
What's also fun is the fact you only get brunch until 2pm on the weekends. I tried to order a burger and was informed I had to get something else. I got the pesto scramble and black rye toast and it was very tasty. Probably better than the burger. However- their portion sizes are out of control. Next time, I'll probably just ask for 1/3 of everything.
Random bits:
Any place that has PBR Bloody Marys and OJ with Olde English is pretty hype. Their alcoholic beverages on the brunch menu takes up half the page- is very impressive.
Their apple butter is out of this world effing good. I smeared my black rye toast with it.
Servers were cool with me, but I can see where there'd be some attitude.
Overall reaction:
This place screams small liberal city vegan-y diner and is so genuine in its overall attitude that I am in love with it. I only really go down to Olympia for activist and community outreach stuff, but I always make it to Darby's for brunch or lunch. I live in Seattle and its still been hard for me to find something that has the edgy authenticity (without the pretense or the -omg-i'm-so-vegan-hipster-i-can-die) this place has got. -
Review from Renee D.
Olympia, WA
1/18/2012
1. OK for a brunch.
2. Really gambling with quality of service when you come.
3. THE MUSIC. I cannot listen to Dr. Dre booming on the speakers while eating my omelet and feel even remotely good about my life and the world.
4. It's like QB. -
Review from Chip B.
Olympia, WA
11/30/2011
Today was the second time I have dined here for lunch in the last month.
On my first visit I had the Reuben with curley fries. That sandwich was great. The sure sign of a good Reuben for me is I take a bite and the meat crumbles in my mouth... no pulling off pieces of rubbery meat... and this sandwich was SO tender and tasty. WOW!! The curley fries...eh, I've had better. Don't get me wrong, these were good... but they are pretty thin so they were more like curley potato chips.
Today I unexpectedly went in a totally different direction. Reading the menu, I was torn between the BLT, the Rueben or the halibut fish and chips (was worried I'd get the curley fries with this). I decided to try the Vegetable Sandwich... after years of making fun of my co-workers for eating a salad on bread... or for ordering a sandwich less all the REALLY GOOD STUFF... this was my choice... with a cup of tomato something soup. DELICIOUS!! Yummy seeded sliced bread... spread with cream cheese... filled with plenty of avocado, red onions, leaf lettuce, ripe tomatoes and slices of cucumber. The soup was thick, creamy and very filling.
The atmosphere here is different... the walls are covered with a myriad of movie posters, antiques and other strange but interesting items. The music is on the loud side but not so loud that you can't carry on a conversation... just the way I like music... and today there was some Johnny Cash playing which was exciting. The service is pretty damn good... may even rate up there with those expensive restaurants that assign people to each table. Friendly and efficient but not annoyingly hovering. Just there when you need them and obviously good at what they do.
I can't wait to take others here. -
Review from Olystacy B.
Olympia, WA
2/10/2012
My daughter and tried this place out for breakfast and were just not impressed. The service was seriously lacking but I think it it the kind of place that is pompous and arrogant enough just not to care. I guess they figure people will come anyway and based on the lines, they apparently do. As for me, I have not and will not be back.
It took 15 minutes after being sat down to be acknowledged. Another 10 for a glass of water and and another 5 for our order. The food was good - I had an omelette with apples, cheese, and bacon. A delicious combination I would have never thought of but I make all the time at home now. The price wasnt worth what we got and again the service was horrible. No refills without having to ask and then wait longer and no check backs.
There food is not good enough for me to put up with lousy service.
If you like poor service, this is the place for you. -
Review from deborah d.
Bellevue, WA
1/29/2012
A group of friends met in Olympia the other day and Darby's was the place one of us suggested since our dietary preferences were all over the map.
As another reviewer mentioned...they have their rules for customers right up front.
The variety of menu offerings are broad.
The space in the cafe' is not plentiful and I am glad we met on a weeknight or the wait for a table and our food would have been quite long.
Fast food this is NOT...I found my Chef Salad with the balsamic dressing to be very yummy. I have to admit over 30 minutes to deliver 4 meals was a bit much and the other salad at our table confused our server...but the Cobb did look pretty good ;-)
Yes I would go again.
The volume of the music was a lot too loud for my taste...but we were still able to converse and have fun while we were eating. -
Review from Holly P.
Wilsonville, OR
2/4/2012
Quite possibly the worst breakfast I've ever paid for. Burrito was served cold, mostly tortilla with dry rice/bean filling, cheese not melted. No salsa or pepper sauce available to spice it up. Wait staff inattentive and booming music made normal conversation impossible. Would definitely not return.
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Review from Molly W.
Olympia, WA
11/6/2011
Restaurant is tiny and it's always very crowded, so the service is sloowwww. It's not unusual to have to wait for half an hour on a Saturday or Sunday morning for a table for three. I think they should start taking reservations, but you know what, that would make them just too damn organized, and remove the essence of Olympia from the restaurant.
But I'm not hating. I have intentionally returned here multiple times. They serve some damn good food. There are vegan options for just about any meal. And the place has character. I recommend it. Just be patient. -
Review from C K M.
Seattle, WA
9/4/2011
Was excited to have a nice outdoor lunch at a vegan friendly place. The food was bad - gross salad and homemade burger. Soggy and tasteless. The service was bad - the waiter only came once. Not to mention the place was gross inside and out - and I'm a tattooed punk.
Being punk is no excuse for making really bad food and having major 'tude. -
Review from Nina M.
Seattle, WA
8/29/2011
Really bad food, I was surprised! "Goddess salad dressing" was a lump of semi-frozen tahini, avocado in the salad was too hard to eat while the tomato was mushy and grainy, curly fries which sounded so good were an oily, squishy mess. Vegan Delight Burger was also a squishy, bland blob. Waiter had BO and dirty clothes, and no one knew what we had ordered or how to charge us, chairs and tables were dirty and greasy, and the outdoor seating area had cigarette butts lying all over the place. Felt really grossed out after I left here having hardly touched my food. Definitely will not be back. Too bad, as the menu looked great, especially for vegans!
Also punk music was blaring - even if you like punk, do you really want to hear it so loud while you eat Sunday brunch? -
Review from Mikhael K.
Olympia, WA
12/1/2011
The only issue with Darby's is the one male waiter. He has brown hair and is typically eccentrically cross dressed with flamboyant hoop earrings. He is extremely closed lipped and does as little as possible to get by at his job. Upon first visit, he barely made me want to return as I was convinced that I had done something wrong. He makes me feel like a burden to be there, rather than welcomed as a paying customer that always tips. I could see if I were difficult, as I wait tables too, but I am not.
Aside from that, I've never had a problem with anyone else there. The food is great (a little greesey, but to be expected from a little eccentric Americana diner like this). They have thoughtful veg/vegan options and changing beers all the time. They also have creative drinks like Old E and OJ, or a stout beer with 2 shots of esspreso! Their breakfast is great regardless if you like meat or are veg (I like both and have tried both, they both win). Their Mediterranean burger is fab. I like this place a lot. -
Review from Pure S.
Seattle, WA
1/15/2012
Terrible service. Just dreadful. I'm not going to waste my time detailing the visit, because it went just as most of the other low-starring reviews stated. The staff here doesn't care. They seem to resent the people coming in to support the business that pays their bills. Baffling. I wont be back.
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Review from Ashley P.
Olympia, WA
6/5/2011
So I used to have a positive opinion of Darby's... that was until something changed for the worse in terms of service.
I usually frequent this restaurant about once a month but after this mornings service, I am definitely going to find another breakfast restaurant for when my friends are in town.
First off, the waitress (a "punk" hipster looking woman with short black hair and too many tattoos) started giving us attitude from the start. She refused to seat us, rather saying "it's the table with no people, figure it out yourself". And to top it off, after waiting for 20 minutes with NO SERVICE, another person took our order. We ordered coffee and food, never received our coffee, and no waiter came to our table the rest of the time we were there so we couldn't even ask twice. When our food came, the rude "punk" hipster threw our food on the table with no regards to who ordered what. My husbands gravy was splattered all over and she wouldn't even look at us.
No service the rest of the time. When we paid, the rude hipster asked "what did you have", threw the pen at us and then stormed off.
That being said, the service is usually not as bad but, I don't know if I want to risk it and go again. This girl needs to be fired for poor service first...
The veggie benedict is wonderful as always but as my friend said who came with us "the food was good, but if this was the 1st time I'd been here, I would definitely never return" -
Review from Nick P.
Olympia, WA
4/25/2011
Welcome back crimedoggs, after a three-year hiatus I'm back to patrolling and polling the world wide web looking for stiff ones. Let me stop getting all soft on you and just get this key point through: the service here absolutely blows. They try to pass it off as some quirky small-town crap where it's cute to get lukewarm hamburgers and greasepile fries while some Evergreen half-grad thinks it's funny to throw creamers at you and suck at their job and you should be appreciative they even gave you silverware-kind of joint. While not a dealbreaker in itself, the part where they don't pay you to eat here really cuts the experience short for me.
Yo Darby's here's a protip (you can comp me in mediocre reuben sandwiches anytime): refilling a coffee cup, properly cooking eggs benedict, and delivering warm food aren't only the stuff of five-star resorts. Go for the small-time gold!
PS: you guys use the ass of the bread for sandwiches and write a blurb on the menu striking down complainers. CASE CLOSSEDDDDDDD! -
Review from Angie B.
Chehalis, WA
11/6/2011 1 photo
After dropping hubby off at the barber shop, little spawn and i needed some grub. i wanted a non-chain diner-type place. i was a little wary about a spot so close to downtown- i didn't want to deal with any Oly-yuppies. And the menu prices looked a bit steep, but i was kind of expecting that too. We got a table for two next to the window. Got delicious coffee, HUGE breakfast- had enough to feed hubby after spawn and i both got our fill. They make a few different tofu scrambles- i got the curry one. Absolutely perfect, with broccoli, and some other veggies, fried potatoes, and thick toast. Spawn got huge pancake. The place was pretty busy, and the staff was running around. i like a place that leaves you alone, and lets you go at your own pace, and has Misfits blasting form the kitchen. Got all three this day. Will definitely be our breakfast treat anytime we're in Oly.
i just read some of the reviews- we got no vibes of pretentiousness or strange waiter. Usually we get weird stares when we go out, either because spawn are naturally loud and happy, or that i'm tattooed and- well, not sure what else. Here we didn't feel out of place, or unwelcome. Take it as you like. -
Review from Rebecca W.
Portland, OR
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow, I didn't think the Portland ugly mug scene would be topped in Olympia. I'm being generous with the stars here. Darby's has a friendly atmosphere but, overall, the food and service are barely adequate.
They have a lot of veggie options and the prices are pretty good. -
Review from Heidi E.
Tacoma, WA
6/28/2011
I love Darbys but then I love Olympia so it goes hand in hand
reading the reviews I can understand why folks who do not frequent this place do not like the service..yes it can be crappy ..and it is pretentious in a very strange way ..but then we are in Olympia you guys!
We go often enough that we are greeted and get decent service..sometimes even a smile! Always a tease from our usual servers
SMO with cheese and "the good fried potatoes" wonderfully crisped baby new potatoes
I like the pancake although I have never finished one! they do offer real maple syrup just ask
and the BEST part is the home made jam the summer ..there is no limit to how much you can dump on your toast!
the coffee is really good always hot hot and yes my cup is filled until I have the jitters
I think that people should speak up ..if there is no one there and a server is distracted ..I just ask for service and tease... "really hungry over here helloooooo???"
really they are a bunch of offbeat folks but so am I so I fit right in
This really is the best breakfast around and if you are shy or sensitive to servers with attitude and tattoos and piercings ..well just walk by you can find something else down the street
I like it here and will continue to be a "regular" attitude and all
it is was it is and it is a perfect spot to have a nice long breakfast with my friends ..the attitude is not for everyone but the food is wonderful ..I like both -
Review from David Z.
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you've never been here before, get ready for some uncertainty. Darby's, like too many other Olympia restaurants, has unfortunately adopted a customer service motto of "whatever..." You see, when you walk in you really aren't greeted or given any indication of whether you should seat yourself, wait to be seated, or order at the counter. Let me save you some confusion: seat yourself. At this point, service actually seems to pick up, as you should be able to order and get your food in a reasonable timeframe, which is great. However, at the end of your meal, get ready for more confusion. After waiting for some time, we ultimately went to the counter to pay. I'm not sure if this is how it works here, but we paid and were on our way, so I guess it's ok to do it that way.
Awkward customer service aside, the food is really good. I ordered a corned beef hash, which at first glance looked like it would be your average, greasy spoon type breakfast. It's looks were deceiving. It tasted great, and actually "fresh," if you will. The food tasted great, and the portion was more than generous, especially for the price! Is it the most gourmet breakfast food I've ever had? Hardly, but when you factor in the cost for the quality and quantity you get, Darby's has some fantastic food.
With everything said and done, I wish I could have given them 5 stars. If I was rating only the food, I easily would have. But when there is simply no evidence that they care about the customer's overall experience, I'm going to have to take off some stars. If nothing else, go for the food, as it really is good, and use this review as a way to avoid the awkward "what am I supposed to do" feeling that I'm sure many first time customers feel.Listed in: The Best of Olympia
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Review from Ashley S.
1/23/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I'm going to make this simple, it is FABULOUS!
They have good music playing in the background, great decorations (wizard of OZ themed) and damn good food! I had the black bean burger It was legendary! It tastes like everything is made fresh. The bell peppers don't taste like they were cut in the morning but rather right before placed on my burger. It was so fabulous I couldn't stop eating it. The fries are amazing, I asked the waiter if I just ate an entire potato, he confirmed that indeed I did. I have also had the breakfast burrito, they don't skimp on the sour cream. It looked like half a tub! The hash browns taste like they were made to order as well.
I think this might just be my favorite restaurant in Olympia.
Remember... lunch is served after 11am on weekdays and 2pm on weekends. Don't be coming here at noon on a Saturday expecting fries, you just will not get them!
Also, they do a pretty shitty job of letting you know how to pay and seating you. When I first came here I didn't know if I need to wait to be seated, order at the counter or just sit down. The answer... just sit down. Don't stand there awkwardly like me. Also at the end of your meal go up to the counter to pay, even if you haven't got your ticket, it is probably waiting for you up front. A sign up front telling you to find a seat would be a great addition as well as them simply telling you to pay up front when ready.Listed in: What to do in Olympia
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Review from Nick W.
1/16/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Don't come here for friendly service from a smiling waitress.
Don't come here for a quick meal.
Don't come here for a healthy meal.
Don't come here wearing clean clothes.
All that said, the question to be asked is "Why should you come here?" and the answer is quite simple...
Come here for damn good food.
I find that the times I go to Darby's are after a group of my friends or I have consumed somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-3 times the amount of alcohol we should have. We drink coffee outside until we get a table, get poked fun at by the waitress, order a greasebomb breakfast, load it up with hot sauce, eat too much and then go home and sink into a couch.
It doesn't matter if you smell like the restaurant after you leave, it doesn't matter if the waitress didn't smile at you and thank you for coming in, and it certainly doesn't matter that your cholesterol may have jumped a few points with the one meal. The fresh coffee kept coming, the eggs benedict was good, and yes, I really did want the side of bacon to come at the same time as my brass monkey.Listed in: Always Something There To…
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Review from vanessa l.
Tacoma, WA
10/2/2011
The food is typically good and locally sourced but the terrible service and employees ruin the entire experience. Some of the employees do not take showers and smell very bad. Other employees dress very inappropriately and overall the employees seem to be there to serve their own self interest not the customers. I witnessed numerous employees being chronically disrespectful, condescending and flat out rude to countless customers. I will NEVER go back again.
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Review from EJ M.
Bonney Lake, WA
1/4/2011
We ate at Darby's in the summer and the food was okay. Steve had a pancake and I had an overcooked omelet. We thought we would give it a second chance. We waited (outside in December) which is understandable until we realized there were 4 unoccupied tables inside. The guy seating people took another group in fron of us (in error) because he took our name w/out determing the number in our party. He took the other larger party with the same name who had come later. We waited another 15 min. & finally gave up.
We probably have seen the last of Darby's -
Review from Netia H.
Tacoma, WA
Updated - 7/2/2011
Darby's burger was awful. Greasy and disgusting. The service was non-existent. It is definitely an Olympia mainstay, and if a hipster atmosphere and a well respected vegan menu is enough for you, then Darby's is a great pick. It is definitely popular, just not my pick
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/30/2011
Gross, greasy spoon. Burger was about the worst I have had. Service was complety awful, and… Read more »
Comment from Sara R. of Darby's Cafe 7/7/2011
I'm sorry you do not like our hamburgers. We use fresh,… More » -
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Review from Crystal J.
Modesto, CA
8/31/2011
Good food. Friendly service. Wizard of Oz. Waiters in short shorts. 'Nuff said.
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Review from David G.
Bonney Lake, WA
1/4/2011
Great food, unique atmosphere, ok service.
When you first arrive you will need to get your name on the list and wait outside. I tried to take my grandmother, and she was less than thrilled about sitting out in the cold weather. But the food is worth the wait.
Everything I've tried is delicious. The breakfasts are awesome. If you get there after 11:00am I highly recommend the Reuben; the onion rings are totally worth the upgrade.
The decor is truly unique as a downtown Oly store should be. There is also a wall of hot sauce with a wide variety of unique sauces. Despite the staff's seemingly antisocial demeanor, they actually seem to be very nice once you start to talk to them.
Overall this place is great, but it's not for the faint of heart. -
Review from Melissa F.
Bellevue, WA
9/29/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I think my parents go here just about everywhere weekend for breakfast.
Freshly squeeze orange juice. Dad would absolutely insist that you try it.
They have a good selection of breakfast foods - something to please everybody. The atmosphere is nice and quirky, too. There is always something new to look at on the walls or the ceiling, even.
Recommend! -
Review from Matthew M.
Olympia, WA
8/7/2010
Welcome to the perpetual mediocrity that is Olympia..
Darby's seems to have slipped to an epic low... We tried to eat here last week... and watch empty tables sit un-bussed while we waited to be seated for at least 30 minutes..eventually left for FishTale..
Apparently one week later those empty tables still waited patiently to be bussed...We tried again today.. same story... this time we held our ground.. finally seated after 30 minutes... after being seated we received a coffee then the server disappeared.. never to be seen again.. 30 minutes later still no one to take our order?!?!? So we took our business elsewhere again...for the second time in two weeks..
It's obvious they are terribly under staffed and under manged... The service is slipping fast!! But not at FishTale... We can be seated and served our food and pay our check at FishTale before they can even figure out how to clear a table at Darby's... and the food is just as good if not better... so any logical person will choose FishTale.. which I will be doing from now on... peace out Darby's you STINK!! -
Review from Amanda K.
Olympia, WA
6/28/2011
Breakfast was great, they actually make the food rather than heating up frozen portions like so many other restaurants do these days. Waitress always smiled and checked on us, and we even got our pancakes on the house because she was 2 minutes behind on bringing them with the rest of our food. I will be going back!
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Review from Jason S.
2/8/2010
Darby's is always packed yet I am not exactly sure why. You may or may not get what you ordered and they don't really care. They don't care because they can apparently lose business based on the throng of people always waiting outside their doors for food they could easily prepare at home. What is so good about Darby's? They make eggs. I can make eggs. They make pancakes. I can make pancakes. They make grease I can make grease. They make good hashbrowns and yes I can do that as well.
The food is average at best and the service is like a box of chocolates you never know what you're going to get and it tends, in my case, to border on indifference. If you don't care about my business then I don't care about yours.
On my latest visit I ordered fresh squeezed Orange juice with my simple breakfast. In the half hour I was there it never came even after I mentioned to a server that we still hadn't received it. Upon paying the bill I politely made the cashier aware that we hadn't received it. Her response was "cheaper breakfast that's a good thing". But I didn't want a cheaper breakfast I wanted a $5 dollar glass of orange juice. -
Review from Rob R.
Olympia, WA
8/7/2009
I love Darby's. It's a great local business with conscientious owners and staff. It is a wonderful addition to our community. They're located in the heart of downtown Olympia right across the street from the Capital Theater, the hippest movie theater around. The vibe inside the place is always fun and upbeat, you can go there with a group of friends and have a great time.
So why only two stars? Simply because any more than that would be dishonest, and a disservice. To me, reviews and rating systems are about highlighting great food, great atmosphere, great service. Darby's isn't trying to be a fancy restaurant with top-notch service and exceptional food. It is a diner, with typical diner food; big breakfasts, sandwiches, and burgers. Everything is served to you with a glistening sheen of grease, once even my water tasted like grease.
And that is what I expect from a diner, no, it's what I demand.
I don't go to Darby's to meet nice people, or to eat a meal that's going to knock my socks off with it's flavors. Diners like Darby's are about feeding the devil on your shoulder so that it'll shut up for awhile. Darby's is an exercise in pure American excess. Yes. Give me the greasy fries and burger, of course I want bacon on that, yes, absolutely put gravy on the hash browns. Stuff me full and shove me out the door toward the nearest grocery so I can pick up some Tums on the way home.
Do I recommend Darby's to people? Sure, but always with a disclaimer: Go to Darby's if you're hungry and just want to fill the void. Filling the hole in your belly is what diners are supposed to do, it's their purpose. Darby's Cafe does exactly that. -
Review from Melanie L.
Tustin, CA
8/22/2009
I would've given one star but I never actually got a chance to try the food so I do feel a little bad for the review.
Without realizing, we walked in five minutes before closing. As we sat down, the girl at the front walked into the back and yelled loud enough for everybody in the room to hear, "WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE! NO CHANCE OF LEAVING EARLY TONIGHT!". Meanwhile, I was waiting for my boyfriend to get out of the bathroom, and I had to listen to the girl in the back complain and throw around pots and pans in anger. Once the boyfriend was out of the bathroom, I suggested we go somewhere else and that was the end of our experience. -
Review from Tim K.
Olympia, WA
1/1/2010
The food if good and i think it would be great if the service was any better. Good food only makes up for so much, we've given up on this place.
The service is the ABSOLUTE WORST in Olympia. We been there several times with different friends and family and it's a gamble each time. Most times it's long waits and being ignored. While waiting for our food once, we watch a couple get seated, order, eat and leave before we were finally served.
To be honest there was one time we got in and there was prompt and attentive service.
Also, cooks should not wear tank tops while cooking, it's nasty. -
Review from Joe C.
Denver, CO
4/16/2009
We were recently in Olympia for 2 days and on both breakfast mornings we went to Darby's. Not because we didn't find anything else and not because we were lazy but because it was so delicious. It came highly recommended by the locals and so of course we wanted to give it a shot. We gave it two.
The line was out the door when we got there on Saturday; write your name down, head outside (raining or not) and wait until you can sit. You won't be disappointed. When we got seated, I ordered coffee as is the norm and SV ordered an orange juice for vitamins and healthy type living since her and her roller derby team was skating agains the Oly Rollers that evening. Holy crap. That OJ was the best OJ I've ever had. I'm not sure where they get their oranges but it was so good I can still kind of taste it in my mouth. One of our friends traveling with us opined that he was from Florida and this was the best juice ever. If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is.
I ordered the biscuits and gravy, SV ordered a 2 egg combo, Julie A. ordered the vegan gravy with buttermilk biscuits with some tempeh and Gabe ordered the Bob Scramble (sausage, garlic, cheese) as well as some pancakes for the table. Everything was so good. Including the rye toast and especially the pancakes.
The pancakes had a great crisp and chewy interior texture that tells me that the griddle they were cooked on was seasoned by Lucifer himself. The gravies (including the vegan one) were savory and rich and the scramble was well done (I actually ordered that the next day).
Darby's should be a part of your visit to Olympia. If only for the delicious delicious orange juice. -
Review from Nick B.
Seattle, WA
12/28/2010
God Damn it.
I want to like Darbys sooo much. The location, lay out, offerings, and atmosphere is perfect for a rainy Olympian morning. The 2 meals I have eaten there were pretty good. But this whole "Look at me, Im fucking cool as shit and like to huff gas in my free time so I am not going to say hi or say Ill be with you in a minute or anything" attitude is so... much like QB and Voyeur it is really getting old around here.
The last time my perfect lady sweetness and I went to Darbys we were not in a hurry, and I think we had a snack at home, so we were not dying of hunger. We went to Darbys and sat at a vacant but dirty and full of dishes 2 top. It was obvious that they had been busy, but it looked like they were down shifting. (I have been in the restaurant/bar business for 10+ years) We were not acknowledged for 5 minutes. I got up and wandered around, grabbed a paper and dropped it off at our table. "Server been here yet?" "No." We're going nuts. We made a plan, Im gonna go pee, and if no server by the time I get back, we're outta here. I went to the restroom. As I peed, I thought "A bad beginning, yes, but today is going to be rad. We are going to get coffee and omolettes and go hiking... and so forth" I get back to the table. "No server?" No. By this time, it is so ridiculous we decide to not leave, but wait and see. Wait and see what the fucking problem is. We eventually got an order in, and it came out half assed. No coffee refill. I never got a brass monkey I ordered. The server was way too busy talking to her turddread stink ass table next to us to give a shit to see if anything was going right. And seriously, its not like Im wearing a fucking polo shirt over here, I like crust metal as much as the next guy...
Gross Service. Disgusting.
Food was good, but even if they served an omelette covered with paper thin slices of foie grais, and filled with housemade andouille and carmelized onions with truffles for 5 bucks (Which, they definately do fucking not so dont get randy on me) , I wouldn't wait an hour and half for it to be served to me by someone who doesnt understand the concept of diners wanting to drink water, or order a drink, or order food, or maybe even engage in simple conversation. Or wanting a check. Or wanting change back.
But hey, I am eager to have a good experience here, so I'll give it another go soon. Just as soon as I find a huge lump of hashish to smoke. -
Review from Amanda D.
Seattle, WA
5/4/2009
The first (and only) time I went to Darby's was also the day I moved back to Seattle. I am kicking myself for not trying this place out sooner, because it is one of the VERY FEW places in Olympia that I'm exited to return to.
There are three solid reasons why I'm so psyched about Darby's:
1. Fresh Squeezed Lemonade. Any outstanding restaurant MUST offer fresh squeezed lemonade and/or limeade, in my opinion. The OJ is also freshly squeezed.
2. Southwest Frittata. This thing is BURSTING with flavor! Eggs, black beans, corn salsa, sour cream, cheddar, olives, and jalepenos. DAMN. I can't imagine wanting to try anything else on the menu after eating this dish. Came with hashbrowns and toast. I'm not a big hashbrown eater, but the biscuit I ordered was delicious. I cleaned my entire plate.
3. Brass Monkey. I kid you not. Any breakfast joint that serves malt liquor with fresh-squeezed OJ is straight up badass. They've also got mimosas, if you prefer.
Will definitely be returning next time I'm hunting for breakfast eats down south. -
Review from Bri D.
Seattle, WA
7/19/2009
We had been planning to come to Darby's for as long as we had been planning our extended stay in Olympia, after all, we do share our last name with this cute little place. We came in pretty late one morning and were seated right away. The one server/busser/cashier was a little overworked so I forgave him when it took a little took long to come around. He was quite a nice guy though, very well-meaning. The decor of this place is eclectic and interesting. You definitely have plenty to look at while you wait. I'm not sure what the Wizard of Oz obsession is though.
For my meal I ordered Izzie's Apple Omelet which was made with green apples and white cheddar. It sounded delicious. It also came with hash browns and toast. The omelet itself was very good and loaded with apples, but if the cook had been more liberal with his cheese it would have been stellar. The eggs were incredibly fluffy, I would even go so far as to say it was the fluffiest omelet I have ever had. The potatoes were interesting. I think that a couple potatoes were thrown in a food processor, cooked up, and then thrown on my plate. There was so much it was unbelievable. Flavor-wise, they were just okay. My multi-grain toast was very good and had plenty of Smart Balance on it. I was surprised at how good and buttery that stuff actually tasted. I also slathered on some of the housemade blackberry jam which was simply delicious.
Darby's is a great little place and I understand how it is an Olympia staple. Good prices, friendly service and tasty food make a winning combination. -
Review from Juli M.
Olympia, WA
1/28/2009
The fried stuff is heavy, really heavy, and perhaps too greasy for me. In the cases where there are non-meat options that go all the way to 11, it may be difficult to order them merely vegetarian and not vegan. It's pretty American Diner but with a serious down-home Olympia twist in the form of lots of vegan silliness and such. If you can avoid anything too greasy it's pretty awesome. I don't care for the endless-spiral french fry form factor in general, and its major weakness (hard to eat without getting yourself seriously greasy) is amplified by the Darby's cooking style. And of course, all that surface area means they're cold by the time you've worked up the courage to try eating them.
But it's friendly and cozy and if you try enough things you can find something good. If they'd have babies with Clubside their Olydiner progeny would be unstoppable. Their vegan gravy is oddly sour like so much vegan nonsense, and do their fantastic buttermilk biscuits a disservice. They'd make a lot more sense as a 24-hour place, but are still worth going to if you're willing to put in some effort figuring out what dish will keep you coming back. -
Review from Abhimanyu M.
Olympia, WA
9/14/2009
I went in last week and ordered the special of the day which was an Omelette with Spinach, Tomatoes, Salami and Monterey Jack Cheese, Hasbhrowns and Toast.
The service was pretty slow which is something I've come to expect at Darbys. I also saw a pretty rude sign above the cashier that amounted to something like "If you don't behave the way we want you to behave, you're welcome to piss off." Not really cool.
The Omelette arrived in about 15 minutes with hashbrowns and Sourdough toast. The toast was far from toasted and was pretty soft and not warm at all. That kinda sucked.The hashbrowns were nothing spectacular but lacked any flavor. The Omelette looked great and I was happy. The Salami however could have been sliced but they chose to put chunks in which makes eating the Omelette with a bite of everything in it pretty hard. There was also not enough Salami and too much spinach and cheese. It tasted pretty good and I took about four bites before I started feeling a little queasy. That prompted a trip to the bathroom where I threw up. I came back to my table and let the food sit there for a while. I will vouch for their fresh OJ which was awesome but the food left me reeling.
After about 10 minutes, I noticed that my Omelette was floating in a pool of grease. Yes. A pool of grease. Naturally, I decided that I couldn't eat any of it anymore, drank my OJ, paid and left.
So as you see, the taste wasn't the problem. The hashbrowns were alright, the toast was un-toasted and cold but I couldn't fathom eating something that was so heavily loaded with oil or butter and pretty much unhealthy.
A lot of people tell me that this is the place to eat after a heavy night out on the town. But the fact of the matter is, food needs to be healthy as well and not everyone who comes there for breakfast has had a heavy night out on the town. All in all, I probably won't go there again unless they start using less oil or butter in their food. -
Review from Zazenz Z.
Olympia, WA
11/22/2009
In the past I wouldve considered Darby's as my favorite Oly breakfast spot. After what I was served today, I don't think I'll be coming back. My tofu scramble sat in a huge puddle of oil. I'm not exaggerating. I couldve filled a coffee cup if I tipped my plate over one. The hashbrowns were blackened to a crisp. My friend's frittata had an entire can's worth of black beans piled on top of the egg so you couldn't even see anything under the beans.
When we mentioned the disappointment in the food, the cashier said that he thought they were training a new cook and had been hearing complaints for the past 3 days. 3 days?! Shouldn't management have a better handle on the restaurant than to allow crappy food to be served for 3 days... -
Review from Glenn D.
Tacoma, WA
7/23/2009
Took me so long to get here and there was so much hype I really felt like it was going to disappoint but it was great. The decor is a bit weird but hey, so is Oly. Our poor waiter was doing everything in the place so service was slow but there's no way I could blame him. Hell, I even gave him a great tip. Overall, this place is enjoyable without considering the food.
As far as the food goes, it's really nothing special. I had an omelet that was pretty good. Nothing bad about it but nothing exceptional. The "hashbrowns" were the weirdest thing I had ever seen. They tasted fine but their preparation was a bit clumsy.
This was one of the better breakfast places in Olympia. Really though, that's not saying much. It was good but if it were in Tacoma or Seattle, I don't know if it would last very long. -
Review from Sonia P.
Portland, OR
6/29/2009
Oh Darby's. Love it, hate it - Darby's is an Olympia institution. Sort of like The Reef (RIP) and Jake's. They have 'Get Fuzzy' comic strips framed and hanging on the wall, along with the plethora of Wizard of Oz memorabilia. Oh, and there's food too. And a bit o'booze.
I've only ever gone for breakfast (which they serve all day long) and it winds up being my only meal of the day. I'm not shitting you. I eat breakfast at Darby's and I don't eat for the rest of the day, which I totally factor into my review because, hey, that's one hell of a deal. 3 meals in one. The breakfast's are deliciously greasy, fatty, and comforting. I usually go for the egg's Benedict because I'm a fan, but I've sampled their pancakes, omelette's, onion rings, tofu scramble, hash browns, biscuits and gravy....all of it greasy-spoon-fantastic.
Weekends, there's always a bit of a wait. My hubby and I usually hang out at the front counter, sipping 16oz fresh squeezed mimosa's while awaiting our table and chatting with the staff, so I don't consider the waiting a bad thing. In fact, it's a bit of a ritual I look forward to. Did I mention that Darby's is affordable and very 'downtown' friendly? Oh, and the owners are just the coolest people.
