Toby's Tavern

Toby's is a filthy little dive which specializes in rude, flustered help and below average tavern food. The brunette hag behind the counter delights in berating customers for either pushing or pulling the front door open as they enter--all contrary to the grimy little "push to open" sign stuck somewhere near the handle. Tables are often dirty, even after having been wiped. The calimari is pre-breaded (over, over breaded) and frozen--the kitchen purchases it from some distributor on the east coast. Just awful in every respect. more

My favorite is the mussels. They're famous for them. Reubens and Fish n Chips come a close second. The coleslaw, served with a lot of meals, is to die for. Every once in a while, mussel chowder is on the menu - definitely worth ordering. All kinds of GOOD beer on tap. This is a local favorite, though sometimes in the summer we can't get in for the tourists. John, the owner, is a great guy and a strong member of the community. Sometimes it's a little slow getting your food - they have a very small kitchen - but the hot stuff is always hot and the cold is properly chilled. After a couple of visits, the waiters know what you want. Just the kind of place you want to have a relaxing meal in. If you want snooty - I suggest you head back to the big city - we prefer real and honest. more

Had the "fresh" halibut and chips, as did another diner in my party. 2 others had the halibut sandwich. Worst food ever!!! We thought that maybe the fishy smell we noticed when we walked in was secondary to the tavern being right on the water, but nope, it was the fish they were serving! The halibut was not crispy, tough, and had a very unpleasant odor. Service was lacking, and it was just an unpleasant experience. Would not recommend to anyone, would not go back for anything. more

Toby's tavern is a regular stop for me any time I'm on Whidbey Island. It is in the middle of Coupeville which is a nice little historic/shopping town. Toby's has great halibut fish and chips and Penn Cove Mussels steamed in white wine. Toby's is not fancy by any means. It's a tavern in the purest sense. It has recently gone non-smoking though. Looking at the view of cold, gray Penn Cove with a steaming bowl of mussels is a great way to spend a winter afternoon. more