Many were sad when the King Solomon’s Reef restaurant in Olympia closed around two years ago. The space it occupied on 4th Avenue has long been a family and community space, shares Sam Dinsmore, co-owner of The Reef Restaurant, which opened in the same space June 2024. He adds that the fact the space was so well-known and well-loved by the community was a big factor when he and co-owners Ryan Perkins, Noah Murry and Jiana Hook, chose its location for their restaurant.
“We really enjoyed researching the history of the space when working on our design, menus and how we wanted the space to feel for the next generation of patrons,” Sam shares. “We put a lot of emphasis on preserving the past while still moving the space forward with our food, design and aesthetic.”
Seafood Restaurant in Olympia Has Deep Connections to South Sound
“Everyone of us was born and raised in Olympia,” says Sam. “Ryan and I have known each other since kindergarten in Boston Harbor.” The group’s deep ties to the area mean they understand what their customers want – including fresh, local seafood.
That all started in 2021, with the opening of The Oyster Boys Catering by Ryan and Sam. They often discussed opening a restaurant to offer their fresh, local oysters. “Ryan is farming some of the best oysters in the state and we knew we wanted to feature his Cliff Point Pacific oysters like we had been in the catering company,” shares Sam, “but we also didn’t want to just turn The Reef into an oyster bar.”
It also couldn’t just be any space. It had to be just right. “We wanted a space that we could create a very family-friendly environment,” shares Sam. “We are raising young families and remember growing up in town and loving coming downtown to eat. Creating a space for families like ours was a main driver in this process. We never thought the Reef would be amazing option until we had the opportunity to see the space and the wheels started turning!”
It was then time to get to work. Sam said the space didn’t need too much – the building had great bones and lots of history. “It took us a couple of months to clean and clear everything nonessential out of the space,” he adds. “During this process, we began putting the design together. With a lot of help and input from friends, family, and our community we were able to get things ready a lot faster than we ever expected.”
Olympia Family-Friendly Restaurant Offers Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
They knew from the beginning they wanted to keep the space a diner, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. And not just oysters, as Sam had mentioned, but something for everyone in the family no matter their tastes. Keeping with that, they offer everything from wings and burgers to fried chicken sandwiches and coconut kimchi fried rice with roast pork. Or try the fried maitake mushroom burger! They make all their sauces, marinades and dressings in-house. And they are putting their focus on local and fresh, meaning the menu will change with the season.
“Working to create relationships with local farmers is also a major priority for us as we design our menus,” Sam shares. “We are currently working closely with Lady Berry Produce in Boston Harbor for weekly produce and plan to expand this as we get our feet under us.”
Wondering what to order? Customer favorites include the kimchi fried rice, fried chicken sandwich and carne asada fries. For brunch, favorites include katsu chicken fried steak with house green chorizo gravy or their breakfast burrito, The Baby Burrito in the Deep Blue Reef.
They are working on their website. For now, you can follow The Reef Restaurant on Facebook or Instagram.
The Reef Restaurant
212 4th Avenue E, Olympia
360.489.0124
Monday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday, all day menu 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., late night menu 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Saturday brunch, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., all day menu 1 p.m. – 10 p.m., late night menu 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Sunday brunch, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., all day menu 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.
