Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Bellingham area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Bellingham area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

1 / 29

#29. Jalapeños Family Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 3.3/5 (226 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 501 West Holly St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Mexican, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 29

#28. Horseshoe Cafe

- Rating: 3.4/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 113 East Holly St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Diners, Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 29

#27. Scotty Browns Barkley Village

- Rating: 3.5/5 (280 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2130 Premier Way Ste 101 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Bars, New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 29

#26. Lighthouse Bar & Grill

- Rating: 3.5/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1 Bellwether Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 29

#25. Fat Shack

- Rating: 3.5/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 414 West Bakerview Road Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Burgers, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 29

#24. Oishii Teriyaki & Rolls

- Rating: 3.5/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 424 West Bakerview Road Ste 101 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 29

#23. Boomer's Drive In

- Rating: 3.6/5 (562 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 310 North Samish Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Burgers, Salad, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 29

#22. Anthony's Hearthfire Grill – Squalicum Harbor

- Rating: 3.6/5 (315 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7 Bellwether Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 29

#21. The Archer Ale House

- Rating: 3.6/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1212 10th St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Pubs, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 29

#20. Leader Block Wine & Eatery

- Rating: 3.7/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2026 Main St. Ferndale, Washington
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 29

#19. Nicki's Bella Marina

- Rating: 3.7/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2615 South Harbor Lp Drive Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Fish & Chips, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 29

#18. Anthony's Restaurant

- Rating: 3.7/5 (325 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 25 Bellwether Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 29

#17. Lombardi's Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 3.7/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 21 Bellwether Way Ste 112 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 29

#16. Magdalena's Creperie

- Rating: 3.8/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1200 10th St. Ste 103 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Creperies, Polish
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 29

#15. Wanida Thai Cuisine

- Rating: 3.9/5 (302 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1213 Dupont St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 29

#14. Boundary Bay Brewing

- Rating: 3.9/5 (1131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1107 Railroad Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Pubs, Breweries, American
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 29

#13. El Agave Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 207 North Samish Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 29

#12. Northwater

- Rating: 4.0/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4260 Mitchell Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: American, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 29

#11. The Fork At Agate Bay

- Rating: 4.0/5 (310 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2530 North Shore Road Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 29

#10. Pho Ly

- Rating: 4.0/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4151 Meridian St. Ste 113 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 29

#9. Keenan's at the Pier

- Rating: 4.0/5 (469 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 804 10th St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 29

#8. The Black Cat

- Rating: 4.1/5 (454 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1200 Harris Ave. Ste 310 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Bars, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 29

#7. Rock and Rye Oyster House

- Rating: 4.1/5 (410 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1145 North State St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 29

#6. The Temple Bar

- Rating: 4.2/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 306 West Champion St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 29

#5. D'anna's Cafe Italiano

- Rating: 4.2/5 (565 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1317 North State St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 29

#4. Hokkai Ramen & Sushi

- Rating: 4.3/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4277 Meridian St. Ste 102 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 29

#3. Carnal

- Rating: 4.5/5 (286 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1234 North State St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 29

#2. Thai Maison

- Rating: 4.5/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2430 James St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Thai, Salad, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 29

#1. Infusion Cuisine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6912 Hannegan Road Lynden, Washington
- Categories: Mexican, Italian, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.