Falls Terrace was recommended by one of my managers who lives near Olympia as one of her favorite local restaurants. And it’s now one of my favorites as well. Located just off Interstate 5 on Deschutes Way in historic Tumwater, the restaurant hugs a steep hillside about the Deschutes River. The terraced, multi-level dining room runs the length of the building, offering panoramic views of the river and waterfalls below. There’s simply not a bad table here; no matter where you are seated, you’ll be treated to a stunning view while you enjoy your meal. You may even see a bald eagle or two fly through. And the trail below the restaurant along the river provides a nice place for an after-dinner stroll. I’ve been told that this is one of the top restaurants in town for a romantic dinner, and I can see why.

The scenery isn’t the only thing that excels at Falls Terrace. The menu, featuring fresh Northwest seafood, steaks, chicken, and pastas, offers many excellent choices at very reasonable prices. It’s hard to find fresh seafood of this quality at these prices; most entrées are priced under $20. What’s even more amazing is that the price includes a delicious fresh salad or soup, warm scones and honey butter, seasonal fresh vegetables, and a choice of rice pilaf or potato. A full bar and wine list, featuring many Washington and Oregon wines, is also available. To top it all off, there’s the staff; many of the employees have worked here more than twenty years and love their jobs. As a result, prompt service with a high level of attention to detail comes from some of the friendliest restaurant employees you’ll ever encounter. The restaurant also offers a senior citizens discount, early bird dinner specials before 5:30pm weekdays, small plates for those desiring a small portion, and a Sunday brunch menu.

I dined at Falls Terrace several times during my visit, sampling a variety of entrées. I highly recommend the macadamia-crusted salmon, a fresh filet of salmon crusted with crushed macadamia nuts and bread crumbs, then grilled. Another good choice is the Northwest sampler, a combination of a small filet of baked salmon, pan-seared halibut, and a Dungeness crab cake. All three of these are available individually on the menu as well, but the sampler allows those who can’t make up their minds (like myself) to sample three different regional favorites. I appreciated that all three features on the sampler were reduced portions--the entrée as a whole really is not any bigger than a single entrée plate.

Overall, Falls Terrace is a great restaurant. While I’ve dined at other seafood restaurants where the food was a slight cut above what you’ll get at Falls Terrace, the fish here is still excellent, and it’s an incredibly good value. This, combined with the great views and superb staff, make this a restaurant I’m sure to visit again on future trips to Olympia.