Chuckanut Bay Distillery — Attraction in Bellingham

Disappointed and Frustrated — Won’t Be Returning

My friends and I (a group of six mature, respectful women) went out on Friday, 7/11 to celebrate a birthday at Chuckanut Bay Distillery’s rooftop in Bellingham. The experience started off fine—I arrived early and was told there’d be a two-hour wait, but surprisingly we were seated about 20 minutes later. The elevator ride up was charming, the rooftop view of the city and bay was lovely, and the baby seagulls nearby were a fun bonus. So far, so good.

Unfortunately, once we were seated, things took a sharp turn for the worse. Our server, Shelby, gave off an immediate sense that she didn’t want to be there. She was short, unfriendly, made little to no eye contact, and clearly had no interest in engaging with us—even when we asked basic questions about the menu or drinks. Her energy cast a negative shadow over the entire birthday celebration.

We tried to shake it off. The food, while tasty, came in small portions. The cocktails? Weak, watery, and forgettable—not what you’d expect from a distillery. We each ordered one round, and that was more than enough.

Then came the final straw: we asked ahead of time to split the check, but were instead handed one bill over $200. When we asked for it to be separated, Shelby bluntly said no, and pointed out that a 20% gratuity was already added. It felt like we were being forced to tip for service that had been cold, disengaged, and frankly, off-putting. With no help from her, we spent 20 frustrating minutes manually splitting the bill among ourselves.

This experience was incredibly disappointing. We go out frequently and have never encountered this kind of energy or treatment in Bellingham—ever. Fortunately, we salvaged the night by heading to Bellingham Bar & Grill, where we were welcomed with genuine hospitality and great drinks.

My Advice: Skip the rooftop. Enjoy the food downstairs if you must, but be warned—the drinks are weak, the service was poor, and the overall atmosphere was soured by a server who clearly didn’t want to be there. We...

ALLIE, ALLIE, ALLIE!!!!!!!! This had to be one of my favorite tours that I’ve ever experienced in life. In case you all are wondering who ALLIE is, she’s only the greatest, most enthusiastic, and knowledgeable tour guide ever (DUH)!! If you’ve sat and pondered whether or not you should attend The Chuckanut Bay Distillery tour, here’s the suggestion DO IT !!! This was a ton of fun. You get to see the silos, learn about the history of the building, taste certain whiskeys, and see a bit of the production process. The experience is very educational and well worth it. I also would like to include Nick and Daniel in this review. Nick is a great bartender and has a one of a kind sense of humor. He made my experience at the restaurant/bar great. Daniel was very polite and helpful, even gave a little history on how the building previously looked and different pieces that are throughout the building that were kept during renovations. If I’m ever back in the area I’ll definitely visit again. Thank you all so much, it was certainly...

Did the distillery tour with the Good Time Girls and had a great time. The history of the building and the guys who bought it, renovated it, and turned it into what it is today is fascinating.

Their signature potato vodka, made with locally grown whole potatoes, blew our minds. Not normally a vodka fan, it turned out to be delicious and the only vodka that I would dare call sippable.

Unfortunately, their whiskeys were all disappointing, but I can highly recommend their coffee liqueur, and while their Krampus liqueur is interesting and tasty, it’s too strong to enjoy on its own. During the tour they served mini cocktails with those liqueurs in the form of a White Russian and mulled wine. Both were delectable.

All in all a great little spot and worth your visit and patronage, especially since they source as many of their ingredients as locally as possible, and the founders are hard-working local boys invested in...