Owl Soda Fountain & Gifts — Restaurant in Wenatchee

We were visiting from Seattle, so we visited OWL twice in two days. I noticed that some reviews said the service was bad, but we had great service both times. The prices were average, but the quality and scoop size was above average. :)

OWL's window has a sticker claiming they are a bike friendly business and that definitely seems to be true. There is a ton of bike parking right outside the walk-up window, and it's not just your standard setup. There is a bike repair station with a repair stand and a vending machine that contained a variety of essentials, including tubes, bars/gels, energy drinks, CO2, etc. There are also two bike shops in the immediate vicinity. (We stopped in Cycle Central and were thoroughly impressed by their store setup and friendly service.)

They serve Umpqua ice cream here, and it was delicious. The flavors on the menu were all pretty normal, but there was a pretty long list so you're sure to find one that you like. Over the two days, my wife and I got a banana split and two brownie sundaes. They were large and hit the spot after a long ride on a hot summer day. The brownie sundae came with a huge brownie, but there was actually too much sauce for my tastes.

There was not a lot of seating, but we were able to find a table and a high chair both times. They have a cool, old-fashioned bar (as expected), but it just won't work for small children. Since they have a gift shop too, I think it will be really cramped when they get busy. There is a bathroom in the first floor of the building. It's locked, so ask one of the OWL employees for the key. The bathroom did not have baby...

It's a charming 50's style soda fountain! How great is that! They have a variety of retro drinks, the Muddy Fizz (a cola and chocolate concoction) and the Lemon Lime Sour (a delightfully sour amped up Sprite) are particularly novel and delicious. They have food for people who want something to eat as a way to enjoy the ambiance a little longer, but they really aren't equipped for meal preparation, so it's mostly hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches and the like. Oh the other hand their desserts are great...banana splits!

The rest of the shop is a gift shop filled with various touristy candies, little jewelry baubles, stuffed animals, greeting cards and that sort of thing. They also have a coin-op scale and a jukebox with oldie tunes.

I have to warn folks that the people who run the place can be a little terse, even cranky with their customers. The shop has enough pleasures that it hasn't ever dampened my spirits enough not to love the place--but I have learned a degree of caution. Know what I want to order by the time they come by the first time. Order quickly and precisely, don't...

I was excited to try this old-time soda shop. They were busy after the St. Patrick's day, but not too busy. I was s happy to discover phosphates, a soda I hadn't had since childhood. I asked a new employee if I could have a cherry in the drink. A bossy employee made a big deal of it and said that was the kind of thing that "tripped" them up. We were sitting at the counter while she continued to ride the new employee, telling him he was wiping the counter the wrong way. Oblivious to the customers at the counter, she crossly directed her underlings instead of encouraging them. Needless, to say my cherry on...