Upriver Grill & Taproom — Restaurant in Sedro-Woolley

Absolutely shocked by these positive reviews so we must have hit them on their worst day of the year. The experience started with multiple different groups of people standing at the front waiting to be seated. No communication from staff whatsoever. Even after several of the groups approached the staff on if we could seat ourselves we got no answers. The staff wouldn't even look at us. 2 couples gave up after 10min and left. But no I said! The reviews are so promising, we have to preserve to get to the good stuff. So we endured. Finally we're acknowledged, amazing. We get sent to the outdoor seating which was beautiful. Great ambiance out there. We get our drinks quickly and morale is improving. Then the server tells us they're out of what we ordered, okay we pivot and put in a second order. Server comes back out to tell us we can't have fries with our tacos it comes with chips and salsa. Huh, okay, that's fine. Server comes back out and says they're out of chips and salsa but for an upcharge we can have fries :) so we have to pay extra because they were out of the included side. Sure. Then the tacos get to us, finally! The prize I've been waiting for. They were so rancid I spit it out into my napkin. I mean truly bad. The flavor of the brisket was just awful, metallic tasting. The fries were decent. We ordered soup and it never came, had to get it removed from the bill. Our server David was very kind and friendly, he was clearly struggling with the lack of resources the restaurant was giving him. That being said either the owner or manager, clearly she worked there, was seated at a table near us. She kept loudly talking about how she had taken the staff under her wing and was repeatedly stopping the clearly overwhelmed staff to chit chat while tables waited excruciatingly long amounts of time for their servers to return. Completely tone deaf. Read the room lady! One table got up and left without being served. Another couple next to us started loudly debating about whether they should just dine and dash. I started to think they had the right idea.

Shockingly bad experience, wouldn't come back if it was free. Instead it was $60 for 2 inedible orders of tacos, a beer, and a diet Pepsi. What a time...

We arrived, were told to wait 30–40 minutes, provided a phone number — and then nobody called. I came back after 35 minutes and was told I hadn’t picked up my phone… I was literally standing in front of the restaurant the whole time.

Then the server (Erin) came by. Maybe it was because of our non-American accent or maybe she was just miserable, but she treated us like trash from the beginning.

It’s called a Grill and Taproom, so I assumed they’d have draft beer — but no. $6.50 for a canned beer, and no one told me. Fine, I can live with that. But I was never offered a glass, nor asked if I wanted one. She threw the can on our table.

We ordered two steaks — they were actually decent and grilled properly to our liking. The table next to us was saying they were scared of their server and that the service was bad. Honestly, I was kinda scared too. I get that hospitality is a brutal job (I worked in the industry for 15 years myself), but this was something else.

When I put up my credit card to show I was ready to pay, the server brought back just the slip with the tip line — no itemized receipt. The total for two steaks and canned beer seemed high, so I asked for the breakdown. First, I got a receipt from a completely different table. Then I asked again and finally got our actual receipt. We were charged for a cider we never ordered or received. When I pointed it out, Erin vaguely said sorry, but didn’t seem apologetic at all — just more annoyed that I said something. She took my card again, said she’d refund the difference, and came back with $7-something in bills and a pile of nickels and dimes. When I asked if they had bigger change, she said no — and according to her manager, this was the only way to do it, and they’re short on coins.

I understand the industry is hard, and I can overlook some flaws — but these weren’t coincidences. Don’t try to rob tourists, and don’t treat people like garbage. If you hate your job, find a...

We stopped at the Up River Grill & Taproom in Marblemount, WA after visiting nearby North Cascades National Park. Before stopping, we had checked out the menu online and had both decided on burgers. This is a very cozy feeling restaurant with a rustic decor that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. We chose indoor having gotten enough fresh air following six hours in the park. For starters, I picked a local beer, Up River Amber Ale from Skookum Brewery, and my wife chose the Chocolate Expresso vodka martini. It was so good, she had two. I was driving so I stuck to one beer.

We both ordered burgers. Mind was the Mushroom Swiss with fries, and she chose the Up River Heat with fries. The burgers were available with gluten free rolls, and my wife said it was the best gluten free roll in a restaurant she had ever eaten. No, we didn't get the name of the company that made them. Both burgers were absolutely some of the very best burgers we have ever eaten in a restaurant. We finished the meal by sharing a piece of cheesecake drizzled with chocolate. An excellent finish to a tasty meal.

Our server and everyone else we encountered at Up River Grill & Taproom were terrific. We felt that the prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. The bill for two people was $100 with the tip, but the martinis were a substantial portion of the bill!

Up River Grill and Taproom is a seasonal operation, open from May through October. If you want to cool off and enjoy a great meal after visiting North Cascades National Park, by all means give this...