Shadowland

I’ve tried a lot of brunch places on and around the Alaska Junction and I can honestly say that I think that Shadowland has some of the yummiest brunch options. The prices are fair, the ingredients fresh, and the food is mighty tasty. The cornbeef hash was amazingly good. The chicken and waffle was good, but I probably wouldn’t order it again since my waffle was a bit soggy and a hair underdone.
The service was pretty quick. Our waitress was friendly, but we didn’t interact too much. If you’re wondering where to get brunch and you’re in the area, check out Shadowland!

This place is awesome! I travel from Woodinville just for their vegan burger. Best vegan burger i have ever had in my life! it has a double (can’t believe it isn’t meat) patty, loaded with veggies, and enormous flavor. The pickle fries are wonderful, airy, light, and crispy. Every drink I’ve had there has been made perfectly and the waitstaff, bartenders, and cooks were always pleasant and wonderful at their jobs. I fully recommend eating here. I’m sure the rest of the food is amazing as well, but I just cant stop ordering the vegan burger!

Great place to chill on a cold NW Saturday with savory biscuits and gravy, paired with a Boneyard IPA. The staff is easy on the eye and the mix is easy on the ear.

Sorry Shadowland. Food is decent, atmosphere is decent, but I have never seen a bartender smile there once, or say thank you. Ive had a lady bartender with tattoos a few times who is probably the main complaint. Never friendly, unwelcoming, and her saggy cut off tank tops don’t exactly make me want to order food.
«Going out» isn’t as much about the food and drink,(as long as it’s priced appropriately, which shadowland is) …but it’s about having a fun time and great experience. Thats why I pay 3x the value.

I’ve lived within walking distance of this place for years now, but my relationship with Shadowland is a bit of an abusive one. Sometimes it treats me oh-​so-​nice, with delicious food and some friendly service, but most of the time it treats me like shit. Two quick anecdotes:
1. It’s 10ish pm and we realized we hadn’t eaten for a while. Aiming for the closest spot we enjoy, I end up at the bar at SLand asking for a food menu. The bartender apologetically tells me that it’s Happy Hour now, and they don’t do happy hour food to go. Okay, so I’ll order off the regular menu. No, they are ONLY serving happy hour food now, and the full menu isn’t available. But they’ll make a deal with me: If I pay the REGULAR menu price for the HAPPY HOUR items, they’ll put them in boxes for me. Yup, for an extra $ 1.50-$ 12.00 an item, they’ll let me take the food out of the establishment. I ask if I can just order the food on plates, tell them I’m full or had a family emergency and put them in a box, and they said no.
To his credit, the bartender was pretty apologetic about the whole situation and understood when I laughed quite loudly and left the restaurant. From the way he spoke of it, this is either a stingy management or bitchy kitchen staff issue. Either way, ridiculous.
2. The scene is today, 20 minutes after the Hawks finished whooping up on the Cards. I’m hankering for some of their delicious Phở (see? Abusive relationship) so I mosey down the street and snag one of the five open spots at the bar. It was a pretty mellow vibe, so I’m assuming the game traffic had cleared out. I sat for about 3 minutes while the bartender flipped channels on the two TVs, trying to find another game. No sweat, I’ll check out the menu. She then speedily heads over to the kitchen area, comes back a minute later and starts fiddling with the TV again. I’ve memorized the menu by now. This process repeats one more time, with her even making eye contact with me once, as I struck up conversation with a guy who showed up a few minutes after me who also hadn’t been served. After 10 minutes pass (yes, exaggerations suck so I made sure to check the clock on my way out) without a greeting of any sort, I remember the dark side of my affair with SLand, and head back out into cold to find a more accommodating place to eat.
Food: 4 *
Service: 1.5*
Ridiculous managerial (?) policy about to-​go food: 0*
Sorry, Shadowland. We really tried to make it work, but I don’t think you have any intent on changing your ways. I’m taking the kids and the dog and leaving you once and for all, for someone who appreciates me and doesn’t act like it’s such a burden to take my money.

Shadowland is full of amazingly nice, chill people who don’t mind if I sit around and type on my laptop. They remember me and what I like, offering me my usual drink before I even sit down. They’re thoughtful (asking me if I would like gravy on the side, etc). I can’t say enough nice things about the staff, and it’s also a well lit place with big booths that doesn’t smell like a bar often does (this is a plus). They’re attentive and so nice.
My biggest and really only complaint is that the kitchen is very hit or miss. Granted it’s a bar so their focus isn’t food, exactly, but I think sometimes there are some basic kitchen skills missing. For example, if you don’t in some way treat your veggies (roast, blanch etc) before putting them in with eggs, they will make the eggs soggy. Their carbonara is WAY oversauced and bland. The pork tacos, equally bland, though generous in terms of portion. I think just some reimagining of the details and maybe some retraining of certain back of the house staff would make their food go from acceptable/​good to great. I like their honest hot food (e.g. eggs benedict, cheesesteaks, burgers) angle, I just want it to be better executed. The menu is big, but maybe it’s too big to really make everything with the care deserved.
That said I can’t fault the prices. Ten dollars at brunch gets you a MASSIVE plate of veggies, potatoes, eggs, etc. Plus there are some standouts, primarily the thai chicken lollipops. I could eat several plates of those in rapid succession. The churros are delicious. The staff also never looks down on customers for ordering non-​alcoholic drinks.
So in short, thanks Shadowland for being so rad. I love you guys!

We had an awesome dinner and even better service. I’m not a big review person, but when the service is this good I make it a point. Our server was Mara and she’s stellar. She was so personable and checked on us a number of times. My group wasn’t easy (some drunk colleagues) and she handled it like a total pro. Overall a great spot to bring colleagues or girlfriends. Good food and even better service. If you can, request Mara. She’s amazing and one of the best servers/​bartenders I’ve had the pleasure of of meeting. 5 stars due to our fantastic server!

there is a previous review from Anthony A, bashing shadowland, and a server, apparently named Mara. I happened to be at Shadowland at that same time, and witnessed the interaction of the group, and the server. I have to commend the server for her patience, and professionalism in dealing with this obnoxious, rude, belligerently drunk group. Kudos to Mara for the way in which she professionally and calmly dealt with this group. No person should have to suffer the abuse that this group bestowed upon her. Anthony A. should be ashamed of himself for twisting and lying about this encounter. If you look at his other reviews of other places, you can see that this is simply a lonely angry man, who expects the world to bow at his feet and kiss his shoes. If he were any kind of decent human, he would take his erroneous, and blatantly lying review of shadowland and the server down.
shadowland is an awesome establishment, the people are wonderful and the food is certainly worth the trip.

Our party of 5 stopped in at Shadowland for appetizers and a drink Friday night, and had the without-​a-​doubt, standalone, unequalled and worst restaurant experience in our entire lives, bar none. Our server was Mara, and Mara clearly has no business working in the restaurant industry. Did you know that when a table asks for separate checks, the new way of doing things is to tell the customers ‘no’ and that instead you’re going to bring them a pen which they can use to take notes and figure it out yourself? No? Well, evidently it’s a new thing, which you underscore by snapping at your customers and telling them that «it better all add up, because if it doesn’t, [you’ll] stick the balance on whatever card you want». Step 2 in this new way is to then come back with the notes and say none of it makes sense, but that you’ll ‘bring out a piece of paper so [we] can figure it out again”, and then you do so! Step 3 is to come back several times, never help out, and just ask the table to redo their work over and over. I guess Mara felt we somehow deserved this. Things got so bad that after waiting for what probably wasn’t nearly as long as the awkwardness and uncomfortableness of being treated that way made it seem, we decided that rather than wait another horrible minute, we’d go and stand by the cash register and get SOMEONE to cash us out. And GUESS WHAT??? MARA split our bill and rang us out without any problem. But wait… there’s MORE! The only reason Mara did her job was because this attractive blonde woman came up and told us she was the floor manager and asked if we needed help. I — the person in our party who doesn’t drink — told her about our horrible experience, made it clear our waitress was a huge problem, and that we just wanted to leave. This woman walked away, and rather than handle the situation in the usual way: come back, tell us she spoke to the waitress, and apologize, just sent Mara back to us. Or, you know, subjected us to further crap from the person who’d already ruined our experience.
When we were cashed out, I made sure I wrote ‘0’ for Mara’s tip, and totaled it. I wanted it abundantly clear that we hadn’t forgotten the tip, we were leaving NOTHING. Then we made a hasty retreat. But we’re not done… while we were standing outside discussing the incident, Mara ran outside and screamed at us that we were never allowed back because we failed to tip her on a hundred dollar bill! I was a waiter once, I get it. I was also a restaurant manager, banquet captain, bartender, all back in the day when I worked for 8 years in the restaurant industry. And after an experience like I’d just described, I’d have certainly known it took place. I would’ve understood why someone wrote in a tip of zero. I’d have been aware. Of course, in all the years I was a waiter, I never, EVER would’ve even thought about, let alone considered, bringing an effing piece of paper to one of my tables and told them to figure out their damn bill themselves. Gee, I wonder why we didn’t tip…

I like the atmosphere of this place a lot. Good place to bring a date. Very classy and inviting.
The food is good, not amazing but pretty solid. The only real complaint I have is with the service. While the servers are usually friendly most of the time it can take a long time to get your bill and have asked for things like water or ketchup and had them not arrive.
Overall I like Shadowlands and will go again.

Best vegan burger I have ever had! Pickle chips are amazing! My server was awesome! The beer selection has gotten way better. Didn’t order beer this time, but my cocktail was made perfectly. I wished I lived in West Seattle so I can eat here more!

Awful customer service. If they get busy the waitress gets snappy. Eva I think her name was. i saw my drink sitting on the bar for 5 minutes she is talking with the bartender. I come up and ask her if I might just take my drink to the table 10 feet away as she is grabbing another set of drinks. What was she on a smoke break I wonder as she stinks like that or is it pot I am not sure. Maybe she smells a bit like pot. She says «no you have to wait like everyone else». Okay I said. Sat down. Told my friends the drinks will come and we wait another 5 minutes as she chatters with the bartender again.
Then she brings everyone drinks and points to me says which one is yours? I told her which was mine and thank you and she says to the table «he is cut off». Referring to me. Wow. I was totally sober just hoping for a drink within 10 minutes of ordering it. She looks at me and smirks then walks from the table to take my drink back to the bar. I was in fact completely sober. Apparently I just set her off.
Truly horrible treatment for what was actually supposed to be a nice business meal with new work colleagues and she thoroughly and unnecessarily embarrassed me such that for all the many times I had eaten there that was the very last. Right on!
Why does the management tolerate such nasty or high wait staff? This waitress seemed smug to have cut me off and I was sure a little surprised at the wait for drinks but does that mean I’m drunk or just that they are not so efficient bringing drink orders. Apparently I was just cut off for complaining about the wait. If she thinks you’re in any way troubling her that means she is going to relish in her personal world of rudeness despite she relies on your business. That action towards customers obviously buys reviews like this one for shadowland and will result in people never returning with the friends and family I might have otherwise because of the HORRIBLE vibe I got. From her.
Don’t go there if you expect the customer to be treated with dignity. At least one server has a power trip and abrasiveness possibly a smoking problem that will throw your night if you expect shadowland to be as efficient as anywhere else with drinks. What an unfriendly sort. I’m pretty sure I heard she was Eva or Ava and she is sending decent customers like us away forever just to show who is boss. Her actual boss should ask bartenders how often she cuts off customers without so much as a question whether they are too drunk or just frustrated about her particular slow service. And what is with the smell?

I’ve been here multiple times in the last few months. In fact, some friends and I have started a monthly breakfast club and go here. Examples: Lunch (French dip with horseradish and clam chowder) was excellent. Happy hour is a favorite, especially the mac & cheese and the Thai port lettuce boats. Service is good (especially at lunch), friendly and attentive without being intrusive. A five!
One bad experience with slow service, but that’s not the norm. Waitress had not expected such a large group right at opening, and her help was late. Management seems concerned to fix issues like that.

Came here for happy hour, the waitresses Heather couldn’t even wait for her customers to leave the restaurant before she started talking shit about them.

I came here to escape the Sunday brunch onslaught of 1 hour + wait times and screaming children. Great mimosa and the fried steak and eggs was exactly what my hungry brunch-​needing stomach needed. Amazin’. Service was quick and not in your face. Nice and unobtrusive and I was able to eat my meal without endless check-​ins.
Vibe is pretty cool, not too upscale and they’ve got some cool traditional light fixtures and exposed beams. A Nice quiet 11am brunch!

By far my most frequented West Seattle establishment to date. I’d never eaten a Reuben sandwich (I’m a pescetarian) until I had the catfish Reuben at Shadowland. Mind blowing. Truly. A thick, crispy, breaded catfish fillet, melted Swiss cheese and a small heap of pickled RED cabbage (yum!) between toasted marble rye. To die for. I ate it 3 times my first week in town! I still have the Reuben every Wednesday night after hiking. The other days I indulge in either the breakfast burrito at brunch (sans meat) or the jalapeño mac & cheese. It’s all good!

I have been here a lot. I love this restaurant but 3 people (including) myself got food poisoning here this last week. Don’t get the crab cakes! And the chowder was very salty.
Other than that stuff such a great spot, good drinks, good people. I’ll be back once I can stomach it again.

I love this place! I have been going to Shadowland, and several other West Seattle bars and restaurants for many years. Shadowland is a great place, for great people. The bar staff is phenomenal. Great, fast, courteous, and lovable service from bartenders who know how to make a drink. The bar is fully stocked with liquor choices to quench any thirst, and they have recently added a few more beer taps serving up some great micro brews.
The servers at Shadowland are great people. Service can be slow from time-​to-​time, as there is often too few servers for too many tables, take this time to enjoy the company you are with and the local art on the walls. If you want speed, hit up a drive-​thru.
This bar offers a wide range of entertainment throughout the week including: Trivia night (Mon), Singer/​song-​writer night (Tues), and Circus Night (Wed) — They actually perform aerial acrobatics from their high celling!
The menu is pretty awesome for bar food, if you can call it bar food, and offers a wide range of options. I myself, do not typically trust menus that try too many types of food; however, Shadowland has a diverse staff that have introduced options from Phở to Fried Chicken to Hawaiian sliders to a newly added Cheesesteak. In my several years (7+) of coming here, I have tried nearly everything on the menu. My personal taste loves some items, and doesn’t really care for others. For those who care my suggestions for things to try include: Ribs, Cheesesteak, Hawaiian Sliders, Catfish Ruben, and the Field Roast Burger (Vegan). I personally think that the Corned beef Croquets and the Gyro are a bit on the bland side.
Happy hour menu is slammin’ with options ranging in prices up to $ 7.50 and offers the second best HH burger in West Seattle. I highly recommend this bar to all of my friends and family!

My friend and I visited on a Thursday around 7pm. Neither of us have ever been here before, but my buddy wanted a vegan burger in West Seattle and I, the carnivore, wanted greasy pub food. Well, we both got what we wanted in spades. I don’t normally order drinks, but after seeing the liquor menu I couldn’t pass up a White Russian. My cocktail was as tasty as it was strong. On crappy White Russians the barkeep will water it down or use use too much vodka compared to the Kaluha, but Shadowland made me a great drink! So, I loved that.
The best surprise were the French fries. I gotta say that Shadowland fries were the best fries I’ve had in my life. Really great flavor and the perfect external crispness and internal fluffiness without being burnt or soggy.
My friend wouldn’t stop talking about how amazing their vegan burger tasted.
My cheesesteak was just OK. Way salty and cheez whiz is not a good choice. Actually cheez whiz on cheesesteak tasted kinda gross. Dunno why they didn’t use american cheese.
That said, my drink and fries overpower the average-​to-​lame cheesesteak, and my friends vegan burger made their day. So, our days were made great thanks to Shadowland. And the cool atmosphere also contributes to my 5-​star rating.

Okay. So I’ve lived in West Seattle for 3 years now. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of any establishment, honestly. WS is strange. (Yeah, Captain Obvious here) but things close early, food is generally blasé as is service and diversity of choice, it can be pretty beige here. Or worse… They all have pretty huge drawbacks and mostly I just drive into town now due to the repeated disappointment I experience in WS. So I go out a great deal and feel now I have a pretty good grasp of the Seattle «thing». Reading through these posts I would have to concur on the primary complaint: service.
Of the some dozen or so times I’ve decided to give Shadowland a go I have spent 10 sitting for more than 20 minutes at the bar being all but completely ignored. Actually it’s worse the one bartender who likes to boast about his athletic history will actually make repeated eye contact with me and in this passive-​aggressive fashion just fail to ask me for my order. It’s incredible. He is by far and away the worst bartender I’ve ever encountered. He may make a decent drink but that could never make up for the dumbfounding disdain for the customers. Look, I tip well, never cause a scene, order wine mostly and pretty much just chill in my corner. I have been known to sit with my credit card out trying desperately to pay for over 40 mins at this establishment while I just get walked past… and I still tipped the Neanderthal.
That said: the food is pretty solid. The happy hours are decent, though 6 p.m. can be a tight one for working stiffs. The late night one makes up for it. There are, in fact, a couple of bartenders that have surprised me. Even noticing me from across the bar and doting on me trying to learn my preferences and taking time to engage me, and ensure I am taken care of.
Um. I am pretty low maintenance and I understand the Seattle freeze thing. But the service industry is that: service. I don’t abide asshats not should the servers or bartenders I dig that. And WS can be filled with the worst douches (outside of Lake Union… Parts of Capital Hill or Belltown…) But please, try not to alienate those of us who are trying to be respectful of how hard you work. That helps tremendously.
So go on a night when Andy (best service, personable, and never idly passive) is working. Probably one of the more attentive bartenders in the city. (I have a handful of nominees in this category as I have been generally pretty lucky with bartenders it seems, based on what others tell me.) I also have had good luck with the female bartenders here (sorry I don’t know their names!) The few times I’ve interacted with them they’ve appeared to be diligent in their work ethic and personable. Avoid Ryan like the plague and sit at the bar… Servers can be pretty passive aggressive… Sorry, but it’s true.
Also: they have an absinthe drip. In WS that’s a plus. I mean if you’re having a French Impressionist night and can’t leave the odd planet that is WS…

I have never had pickle chips before, but now I have been changed for life. They are amazing here. And with a catfish Ruben with one of their delicious cocktails, its amazing. I was one fat happy kid! I cant wait to go back and try more. The drinks are amazing, loving the jalapeño margarita. The staff is great, very friendly. Lots of great seating for groups.
This is such a gem of a spot. I cant wait to go back, and probably eat a whole place of pickel chips myself!

After reading about 20 mostly positive recent reviews for this place, I’m confused. I feel like I’ve missed something. Long time West Seattleite but first time to this establishment last night. Server took our drink order and then promptly forgot about us. Waited for a very extended period of time to actually receive our drinks. Food menu is not easy for those that don’t eat red meat. I ordered the chicken and cabbage salad which advertised «pulled chicken» — note to restaurant: what was on my salad wasn’t pulled chicken. Midway through dinner, our server changed — not that the initial server ever announced that she was leaving or that someone else would be helping us. Our «new» server asked us to move to a different table because Tuesday is OPEN MIKE NIGHT and they needed our table to set up. Um, no? No, we won’t move to another table mid-​meal, but thank you.
Aside from the mediocre food and service, the ambience is not my speed. It’s dark and cold inside (we all had our jackets on the entire time). The clientele seems to be young grunge types. Once is enough for me, I won’t be back. But judging from all of their other Unilocal reviews, they aren’t hurting for business.