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Slow cooked short rib, bone marrow & black truffle - Carnal, Bellingham, WA

Carnal

4.7
4.7
960 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
Carnal focuses on the bold flavors of wood fire and caramelization balanced with acidic, raw, and seasonal elements. We are a passionate group of cooks who do not cut corners and hope that is evident when you try our food. Our signature dish is a bone-in beef rib that is sous-vide before grilling over an open wood fire and finished with rendered bone-marrow. We source many of our ingredients from local farms and fisheries.


Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Grill, Meat
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (360) 306-3587
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    James Zamory
  • Catering
    Catering information upon request
  • Private party facilities
    Private events at Carnal can include corporate or social functions as well as private parties and holiday gatherings. We have an outside garden patio that can be reserved.
  • Neighborhood
    Bellingham
  • Cross street
    N State Street
  • Parking details
    Park out front or in one of the parking lots across the street from us
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

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Experiences

  • Thanksgiving 2024 at Carnal

    $75.00 per person

    Nov 28, 2024 only
    Join us for the second year of the Thanksgiving feast at Carnal. We will be offering beautifully cooked turkey and all of our favorite traditional sides. There will also be homemade dinner rolls and pies, as well as our seasonal craft cocktail and natural wine selections. Dinner will be served family style from 12pm-7pm, with bookings available every 30 minutes, for $75 per person and $35 for children under 12. Book now to secure your seat and let Carnal do the holiday cooking for you this year. Beverages, tax and gratuity are additional and not included in the $75 per person cost. There will be no substitutions nor modifications allowed.
    Thanksgiving 2024 at Carnal Photo

What 960 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Northwest Washington

    Best Overall

  • Northwest Washington

    Best Food

  • Northwest Washington

    Good for groups

  • Northwest Washington

    Healthy

  • Northwest Washington

    Hot spot

  • Northwest Washington

    Neighborhood gem

  • Northwest Washington

    Great for fine wines

  • Northwest Washington

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Northwest Washington

    Romantic

  • Northwest Washington

    Good for special occasions

  • Northwest Washington

    Lively

  • Northwest Washington

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Carnal offers an exciting dining experience in Bellingham with a creative menu and "excellent service." Guests rave about its "artful food" and "awesome vibe," ideal for celebrations or date nights. While some find it "a bit overpriced," the standout dishes, including short ribs and diver scallops, are "absolutely delicious."

960 Reviews
  1. Ivette

    Las Vegas

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service. Good was tapas / family style...exceptional flavor and variety

    Is this helpful?

  2. James

    Phoenix

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Coming from metro Phoenix which has great food, we have been pleasantly surprised by the many wonderful restaurants in Bellingham. But Carnal is a cut above. Big city vibe, and creative menu. A tad on the pricey side, but well worth it.

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  3. Lisa

    Seattle

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is now the best restaurant in Bellingham! Unique dishes, incredible flavors, cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. We will be back.

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  4. Jeremy

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service were amazing. Love Carnal. Thanks for a lovely evening.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kelly

    Seattle

    58 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    58 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    The gem salad was really good. I loved the dressing. My husband loved his entree.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Taylor

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a great experience with our server who was not only well-informed on the menu, but had great recommendations as well. Delicious options for food, phenomenal service, and a great atmosphere to dine in. Would definitely come back again!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Laura

    Seattle

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 20, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service, excellent food delicious highly recommend.

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  8. kim

    Anchorage

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on October 20, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We goofed up our reservation, and the hostess made it work for us, as did our waiter!👍

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  9. Sean

    Seattle

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Carnal has been the go-to for me and my wife for years. The dishes are consistently creative Always some delightful combination of flavors we had never encountered before. Small touches, like the fried/baked? quinoa that adds a subtle crunchy texture to an already lovely gem lettuce salad. Or how the heat from just a bit of chorizo complements the sweetness in a tomato relish. We brought our daughter here years ago when pasta w/butter & cheese was her dine-out mainstay. Carnal's mastery with flavor combinations did not appeal to her then. In the years since, my wife & I would come here on those nights when our daughter had other plans. She's 17 now and Carnal is now among her new favorites. Her tastes are starting to catch up.

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  10. Tanya

    Charleston

    25 reviews

    4.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on October 10, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    It was pretty good. Liked half the things we got. Would pass on the Mushroom and Broccolini, personally. For the price, the veggies should've been cooked perfectly. Broccolini was overcooked, and perhaps there's a better way to treat maiitakes than roasting them and covering them in coconut. Brussels, tuna, & gem salad good. Wouldn't go again.

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FAQs

Carnal does offer delivery in partnership with Chow Now. Carnal also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (360) 306-3587.

Carnal is rated 4.7 stars by 960 OpenTable diners.

Carnal does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Carnal

1234 N State St, Bellingham, WA 98225-5016

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    N State Street
  • Neighborhood
    Bellingham
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Grill, Meat
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Park out front or in one of the parking lots across the street from us
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    James Zamory
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (360) 306-3587
  • Catering
    Catering information upon request
  • Private party facilities
    Private events at Carnal can include corporate or social functions as well as private parties and holiday gatherings. We have an outside garden patio that can be reserved.
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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