The Slider Cafe now "Retro Diner" — Restaurant in La Conner

Based on Google reviews, we tried this place yesterday.

TL;DR version of this review: good location; friendly vibe; excellent service; high prices; okay food; heavy duty plastic to-go container. We'd give it a 3.5 if Google allowed half stars.

If you want details...

It was oddly quiet for a Sunday at 11a. We were greeted with enthusiastic HELLOS! across the restaurant from the kitchen staff -- which was both surprising and charming. We asked to sit on the patio out front and, not long later, had a nice chat with our server. We also noticed a lot of friendly interactions with, and between, other patrons. Perhaps they were locals.

When we go out to eat, we look for things we wouldn't make at home and/or don't see at other restaurants. In this case, we ordered chicken fried steak and biscuits & gravy. They were $22 each -- as were most breakfast items on the menu. (Including burritos and tacos.)

The serving size for the chicken fried steak was reasonable. (Unlike at other restaurants where it's ridiculously big.) It came with two eggs, toast, and commercial-style hashbrowns. My dining companion said it was "Good...fine."

The biscuits and gravy - with two eggs and hashbrowns - was ENORMOUS. The eggs were perfectly over easy, as I requested. Unremarkable, shredded hashbrowns. Dough-y biscuits. Bland, flour-y gravy. So, on balance, I'd call it okay.

The highlight of our experience was our server whose name was Noelle, I think. She was friendly and attentive, without hovering. A good sense of humor too.

Our suggestions to the restaurant:

BISCUITS: Grill them before covering them with gravy. GRAVY: Cook it longer and add more flavor. HASHBROWNS: Add more flavor. PORTIONS: Offer half portions at a lower price. (Especially important for tourists who aren't going home so don't want leftovers to carry around.) TO GO CONTAINERS: Switch to compostable, please. (Since plastic recycling is a joke in this country, the heavy duty plastic one we were given will sit in the landfill for decades.)

Our suggestion to patrons who want biscuits and gravy:

Unless you plan to share or have a huge appetite, order a side of biscuits & gravy plus an egg. That would be plenty of food for most people and a more...

The Slider - La Conner, WA

As out-of-towners from another state, we were thoroughly impressed by The Slider in La Conner. The hospitality here is truly world-class. From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel like we were part of their family, and the warm atmosphere was infectious.

The food at The Slider is nothing short of spectacular. It's clear that each dish is crafted with passion and a deep love for culinary arts. We first visited for lunch and were so taken with the experience that we returned for breakfast the very next day. Everything we tried was cooked to perfection and left us wanting more.

La Conner has many options for breakfast and lunch, but The Slider stands out as a must-stop destination. It not only offers incredible food but also attracts a wonderful clientele, many of whom were strangers to us but made us feel like part of their community.

In short, if you find yourself in La Conner, do yourself a favor and visit The Slider. It’s an experience you won’t forget, and we certainly plan to return before...

So far I've only had the Corned Beef Hash here. It was very good, also the coffee was great. Staff was super friendly, checked in regularly and seemed interested in my thoughts and feelings on the food. I mentioned I would have gotten it with mushrooms but wanted to try it as the chef intended which she appreciated and said they would pretty much do anything requested as long as they had the ingredients. I would have tried the sliders but the breakfast ones didn't appeal to me and I prefer breakfast items at 7am. They brought me an entire tray of hot sauces. Nearly everything on the menu looks great... I can't wait to return. So many choices out there but this one has made it to the top of my "gotta return soon" list.

Update, I tried the Swiss mushroom, bacon blue cheese, and traditional sliders, with loaded fries. It was too much food for me; however, everything tasted very good. The cheese one the fries could have been melted a bit more but...