If you’re hungry but #StuckintheSuburbs, here are my favorite restaurants in Bellevue and the Eastside! While Seattle definitely is a foodie city, after you cross I-90 east, you won’t find a super vibrant food scene. While downtown Bellevue and Kirkland have some trendier places, you’ll mostly find fast-casual chain restaurants like Chipotle and Panera.
“The Eastside” typically refers to the King County suburbs east of Seattle, but I just extend that all the way to Snoqualmie Falls. There are still very few restaurants with 4.5 stars on Yelp, but I have high hopes for new restaurants in Redmond and Woodinville!
Lil’ Jon // Bellevue – Factoria // Yelp: 4 stars
Do not be fooled, there is nothing lil about the food! Lil’ Jon is well-known for its massive portion sizes and its giant cinnamon roll which runs out on the weekends. It takes up a full plate and should probably be shared among six people. This is the kind of family-run diner-type restaurant that’s been around for years. I haven’t been since COVID, but I’m a big fan of their breakfast since you can pretty much customize it to get whatever you want (egg/bacon/sausage/toast combos). The pancakes are also huge, so start with just one!
I Love Pho // Bellevue – Factoria // Yelp: 3.5 stars
This is a casual restaurant, and I got a lot of vermicelli salad bowls from here growing up. I like the egg roll one the best. We recently started going again during the pandemic for the banh mi sandwiches. I think they must get their baguettes from the bakery across the street. The bread is so soft and delicious!
Great Harvest Bread Company // Bellevue – Factoria // Yelp: 4 stars
This is technically a chain, but there are only six locations in WA. They make sweet and savory breads, as well as other baked goods. The cinnamon chip bread is a large circular loaf and it is heavenly! They also make custom sandwiches for lunch which are good as well.
Pogacha // Mercer Island – North end // Yelp: 4.5 stars
This is a new location for Pogacha after they closed their Issaquah location in 2019. This is a Mediterranean restaurant that has free bread (pogachas are little flatbreads) and everything on the menu sounds great. We recently went to dine-in for dinner, so I don’t have a go-to order, but am excited to go for brunch sometime.
Tapatio Mexican Grill // Newcastle // Yelp: 4 stars
Tapatio has been our go-to Mexican takeout place during quarantine. I like it because they include a free bag of chips and spicy salsa. The entrees are pretty large and serve us for two meals. I like to get one cheese enchilada with salsa verde and one chicken enchilada with mole, which comes with a side of rice and black or pinto beans. It’s fairly busy on the weekends, so we started ordering early, more towards 5pm or 5:30pm. There’s a Factoria location that has fun décor inside, but the restaurants are owned by different people, so there are different menus. We have been preferring to order takeout from Newcastle, but one day we’ll have to try dining in.
Loco-Chon Bar & Grill // Newcastle // Yelp: 4.5 stars
This is a new, more trendy Mexican restaurant. We ordered takeout one time, but dining in is definitely the way to go! The chilaquiles are fantastic and I got a California burrito (French fries in the burrito!). There are free chips and salsa, which honestly are spectacular and remind me of Chipotle. We are big fans and will be back soon! Be sure to check their Instagram for the most up to date deals and specials.
Yea’s Wok // Newcastle // Yelp: 4.5 stars
I live in an area with a lot of Asians and everyone goes to Yea’s Wok for Chinese food, so you know it’s good. It’s so popular that there is always a 45-60min wait for takeout, even on weekdays! We’ve been going here for years and mostly do takeout since the restaurant is pretty small. Our go-to dishes are the Mongolian Chicken & Beef, Chicken Chow Mein, Sauteed String Beans with Ground Pork, and two servings of white rice for our family of four and it lasts us two meals.
Happy Lemon // Issaquah // Yelp: 3.5 stars
This is a chain, so there are several locations in Seattle and on the East side, but we end up going to the Issaquah one the most. It’s usually pretty busy, so you have to wait a bit for your drinks to be ready and they fill a lot of Grubhub orders. I like to get the A7 which is milk tea with boba, pudding, and lychee jelly. If we’re really feeling like treating ourselves, we also get a half vanilla, half chocolate bubble waffle. They’re crispy, yet chewy and just sweet enough!
Fins Bistro // Issaquah – Olde Town // Yelp: 4 stars
We haven’t been to Fin’s Bistro for a while since we don’t really want to do seafood takeout. It’s a bit of a more expensive place and it’s located right next to the Village Theatre, so people used to get dinner then go see a show. The food is great and the service is excellent. Their menu changes, so I don’t have a go-to, but you can’t go wrong!
Gaslamp Bar & Grill // Issaquah – Gilman Blvd // Yelp: 3.5 stars
We only started getting takeout during the pandemic, so I’ve never eaten here in person yet, but it looks like your typical sports bar. It looks like it could be fun to go and watch the Seahawks games. I like that they offer tater tots with all their burgers and sandwiches. My mom and I love getting the Reuben sandwich. It’s pretty stacked with corned beef, so I usually just eat half and save half for lunch the next day. They also have specials every night of the week, so be sure to check those out for a cheaper price!
Sammamish Café & Spirits // Sammamish – Plateau // Yelp: 4 stars
I haven’t been here in a hot second because it’s a little far from my house (25mins feels far in WA) and I haven’t been getting breakfast takeout during COVID, but I love a place that serves breakfast all day! I think it’s a family-run restaurant and has a more woodsy vibe than Lil Jon and I’m a fan of their hot chocolate which comes in a mug with a big swirl of whipped cream and mini M&Ms. I also like the Swedish pancakes and the strawberry rhubarb French toast! It was pretty busy pre-pandemic so there was always a little wait.
Tipsy Cow Burger Bar // Redmond – Redmond Town Center // Yelp: 4 stars
This may have “bar” in the name, but it’s definitely a family-friendly environment! I’ve only been here two times I think, but they have all kinds of burgers from beef to chicken to salmon. I don’t have a go-to order, but I’ve gotten The Brewmaster before, and it was so good! They have boozy milkshakes, but you can also just get a regular milkshake if you’re under 21 or don’t like to drink. Or you could always go to Molly Moon’s for ice cream across the street!
Lifted Taco // Woodinville – Woodin Creek // Yelp: 4.5 stars
This is a fairly new restaurant, and my mom and I just went for lunch a few weeks ago! In the morning, they serve breakfast tacos with eggs, and normal tacos for lunch and dinner. These are not small Mexican tacos, and these are not Texas tacos either. They’re stuffed full of meats and other ingredients, and I don’t think I would order more than two for a meal. I got the Breakfast Smoke breakfast taco which had smoked brisket, egg, cheese, and bbq sauce and it was delicious! I also tried the queso and chips, and while it’s not like the Torchy’s Tacos queso that I had in Austin, it’s the best I’ve found in the Seattle area.
Seattle Cinnamon Roll // Woodinville – Town Center // Yelp: 4.5 stars
I love a good Cinnabon but Seattle Cinnamon Roll is definitely better! This is a cinnamon roll drive thru in a random place in Woodinville, and you can also walk up to the window on the other side. I got a pecan sticky bun, and it was basically like a bready baklava with sweet honey glaze. The regular cinnamon roll was also very good! You could also choose your own toppings and build your own. They close early in the afternoon, so be sure to get there in time.
The Lounge at The Attic // Snoqualmie Falls // Yelp: 4 stars
There are two restaurants at the Salish Lodge next to Snoqualmie Falls. The Lounge at The Attic is casual, and the Dining Room is a little more formal, although you’ll see people dressed pretty casual since many are coming in after visiting the waterfall. My mom and I decided to grab lunch here last year after taking photos of Snoqualmie Falls. We sat outside on the patio and got the clam chowder, tomato soup, and donuts. The complimentary bread is these warm little golden biscuits served with honey and jam. I can’t wait to go back for a proper brunch or dinner!
What’s your favorite restaurant on the Eastside? Let me know in the comments below!
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