Gateway 1890 Taphouse & Grill — Restaurant in Blaine

My first visit here was rough in few areas but I can tell that once the kinks are worked out, it will be an easy four or five star visit. Quick summary; good quality overall, great staff, nice beer and cider selection, some hiccups due to being new. Slightly cozy and may have trouble with larger groups.

We arrived shortly after opening and the place was already filling up quickly. The newly redone decor is nice, hard to believe it used to be a Subway. Two large TVs at the bar offer entertainment but the overall noise of the restaurant was relaxed. Service was a little slow likely due to how busy they were but the staff were handling it well.

The menu is currently limited but notes they'll be expanding it soon. Current pricing is competitive with the area with kids plates at $6.95, mini plates at $8.95, small plates at $12.95, and main plates at $15.95. I thought the pricing seemed high until we received our food. Their burgers star in many of the menu items in one fashion or another, for good reason too.

Our appetizer, the 'Trash Can' Loaded 'Tot'chos, had good, crispy tots, and a nicely flavored sauce. I think the ground beef needed more seasoning but it was cooked fresh (other restaurants, take notes!)

My "Tower Burger" was very filling and good quality. I had skipped lunch today and I still barely finished it. Two large and juicy burger patties were cooked about medium to medium rare (just right as far as I'm concerned). My only critiques is the burger quickly became unwieldy and messy and the cheese was quickly lost in the other flavors, perhaps a very sharp cheese would suit better. I subbed my fries for a side salad which was nice but wasn't the "Backyard Greens" salad I thought I'd ordered. I'll seek clarification next visit but they were kind enough to quickly bring me some goat cheese and a missing salad dressing. One of our orders was missed too but that was also quickly remedied.

Overall, Gateway 1890 is a good addition to Blaine's dinner offerings and easily has the potential to expand into a great one. Bob's B&B...

Came to this spot while doing a day drive around the Sound and Cascades with a friend. Our server (Skylar, I think was his name) was great. Attentive, but not overbearing. The interior was clean and newly renovated but welcoming and comfortable. Great selection of beer on-tap.

We started with a plate of chicken wings, which came out hot and fresh. Skin crispy and fat rendered, meat succulent, and the hot honey garlic sauce was delicious.

I got the burger with bacon added, as a good burger is usually indicative as to the quality of the rest of the menu. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. Soft but chewy bun, meat had a nice char on the outside but a little pink in the middle, bacon was crispy and veggies were spot on (lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickle, exactly how I like it). The burger as a whole was juicy and dripped a bit as you'd expect, but the bun didnt get soggy and it held together quite well.

The fries they serve are more like jojos but curled a bit instead of a wedge shape. Tasty, and I'd be curious to see contraption that cuts them that way. I do wish I had gotten a salad as a substitute though, after some wings, the burger and two beers, I was stuffed.

My friend got the schnitzel dinner, it came with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes and a salad. It looked excellent.

I'm excited to come back and try different dishes, and I'll recommend this place if I know if anyone coming...

Four of us came here for dinner on a Saturday and it wasn’t too crazy, which was nice. We were able to grab a table right away and our server came to us quickly. Overall, we enjoyed our time here. Growing up in Blaine, it’s really nice to see more local businesses popping up!

Pros: Quick service, good selection of beers and ciders, staff was knowledgeable about the tap selections, fries were fresh and delicious, the 1890 burger was perfect, and I love that they decorated with old photos of Blaine and local street name signs.

Cons: Our server was not at all friendly, but we gave him the benefit of the doubt that maybe it had been a long shift or something else was going on and service is usually better (not a great first impression though). On a nice summer day, it is hot and sticky inside—recommend eating outside (tables were taken, so not an option for us) since they don’t seem to have AC. Opening the doors would be a nice way to let that breeze off the water in on warm days! I was disappointed with the fish and chips. You get a lot of batter and very little fish, which was a bummer because the fish was fresh! Most of the pieces were soggy as well.

Overall, definitely a better option than the Subway that used to be there and a nice spot for a drink...