The Barnacle

I wish this place had been open every night we were in town (but it was off-​season)! We were greeted by a friendly server, and ordered two nice cocktails. The bartender and patrons were very nice, offering conversation and recommendations on places in the area. The owner (I believe his name was Jeremy) was also there; he was very down to earth and we enjoyed chatting with him very much. The food looked good, but we already had plans later that evening, so I can’t speak to that. Definitely worth at least a cocktail visit, though!

Hand crafted drinks in a warm cozy cute setting! Definitely worth the visit for the intriguing drinks that top anything I’ve ever had. Price is a tad higher then normal but it cost vs quality and you get what you pay for!
Let the bartender craft something special for you :)

Great drinks, a cute space, and really nice cheese/​meat plates. They also have 2 nori rolls and a few other small bites. You could make dinner out of what they have, but I don’t think most people do. The 4 rather than 5 stars was because staff never even noticed us or the table that was right next to us even though this place is tiny. It was almost comical that they didn’t see us and the other table. There’s a sign at the door saying to grab a menu and water and seat yourself, so we did. They were very busy chatting amongst themselves and just never bothered to look at anyone in the seating area. Finally, after 10 – 15 minutes, we went up to the bar, where they said oops we never even saw you. Once are orders were placed things came quickly. The other ignored table saw that we did that and followed suit. There is outside seating but I’m not sure how they’d ever notice you out there. A good strategy would probably be to say hi or otherwise get their attention before sitting down, or, just go to the bar to order.

Visiting from CA & went w/​my brother and sister who live on orcas. I immediately liked the ambiance with the beautiful driftwood bar. Some very interesting cocktails. I loved the Vesper… they tried others. Music in the background. Had a fun time!

The bartender, Emily, was so funny and sweet. Her service is topnotch and the drinks show off her skills. We loved the relaxed atmosphere so much we went both nights while in town.

This amazing little shack has all the wonder you’d expect from anyone claiming they can mix a good craft cocktail. The Barnacle came highly recommended from a local we chatted up during our vacation in the San Juan Islands and did not disappoint. I hope we get to go back in the near future.

Best cocktails on the island. Worth every penny. Great atmosphere. Dark, candlelit, and warm. That’s all you need to know.

A one room establishment tucked away in a backyard on Prune Alley.
First, it’s a bar with many house made ingredients and an interesting selection of booze.
Second, it’s a small plate place with a number of «boards», each built around a theme and all of which feature bread, pickled vegetables, cheese and chocolate. Nothing is hot but the combinations and the items on the boards are well chosen and nicely presented.
You’re not going to gorge here but you will have excellent drinks, interesting noshes and lively conversations with your fellow patrons.

Cute spot with decent specials and good appetizer plates. Staff was especially welcoming and friendly

Stumbled upon the Barnacle after a recommendation from the waitress at the Lower Tavern. She said they had inventive cocktails… and she was right! I stuck with a Washington State Viognier blend, but my congested, coughing husband had a brandy and fresh ginger juice cocktail served up in a cute, antique-​y looking coupe glass. The combo sounded awful, but it tasted great! Cleared him right up…
We went again two nights later and had the drink special (grapefruit juice and blood orange vodka?) and the apple pie moonshine (yum!) cocktail.
The décor is fabulous. I felt like I was sitting in a boat… loved the rope lights and nautical knick-​knacks. This place would not be out of place in Sausalito or San Francisco… franchise perhaps?
Way to go Barnacle for bringing inventive cocktails and a bit of fun to the island!

Love this place. Went on a slow Sunday afternoon before dinner. It looks like the shed for the Asian takeout stand/​picnic area across the lawn, but it’s an actual cocktail/​wine bar that is thoughtfully designed. Very unique wooden bar counter, wonderful west-​facing liquor-​shelf windows illuminated by the setting sun — it almost looks like a cathedral. Our bartender was chatty and fun, a former Seattleite, so we knew the same places (I turned her on to the Mischief distillery in Fremont though). The ginger snap cocktail my gal ordered is probably the best drink I’ve had all year (I sipped liberally from hers), and the bourbon/​orange bitters thing I ordered was simple and tasty, just as the menu says. They have a «ta ta martini» (for breast-​cancer research I think) that’s light and fluffy and wonderful. All liquors that were new to me, too. There’s no happy-​hour pricing, but as one of the very few places on Orcas open after 10 pm, you’ll be glad to have such a good place at all. Note: It gets hot in there, so sit at the bar in front of the fan if you overheat like my gal does when she drinks.