For 30 years I’ve lived in Mountlake Terrace and not once visited the Getaway Tavern (24309 56th Ave. W.).

I follow them on Facebook and have been enticed by their breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings such as egg, bacon and toast; fish and chips with chowder; a bowl of chili with garlic toast; bacon burger sliders; tacos; hot wings; and shrimp po’ boy with hush puppies…oh my.

So, three months ago, in a moment of clarity, I asked my wife, “Hey, do you want to try the Getaway for lunch?” In a moment of equal clarity, she said, “Sure!”

The place was not as I had imagined. Instead of a grimy greasy spoon establishment, the premises were clean and inviting. TVs, pinball, Jenga and dart boards invited us to watch or play.

And there were no territorial glares from patrons. You know: “This is MY tavern. What are you doing in it?”

When I said it was my first time there, Jen, our waitress smiled, spread her arms out to the skies, and said, “Welcome!” My luck ended when I asked, “Since I’m a newbie would I be given a free meal?” She unsurprisingly said no.

Getting down to business, my wife ordered a porter while I ordered a Manny’s. Hit the spot after a day of doing chores.

Our choice for lunch: She ordered a French dip with roast beef and au jus. I ordered a hot pastrami on rye with Swiss cheese and grilled onions.

There were 15 or so other customers having lunch, and the lone cook, Aaron, was busy getting to all the orders. But when our food did arrive, we were very satisfied. The best compliment I could give an eatery is that the meals taste homemade. And that’s the highlight of this place: Good, honest cooking. Even when we were full, our taste buds kept wanting more.

When we were about to leave, I told Jen:  “We’re coming back.” She spread her arms out again, looked up at the sky, and said, “That makes me so happy!”

In the subsequent weeks, we’ve gone back many times. We’ve tried burgers, tacos and BLT’s, to name a few. And each time, we’ve had the same warm greeting from the crew, and the same joy-inducing gastronomic offerings from the kitchen.

Be warned:  The popular days are Taco Thursdays ($1 for 2 tacos!), and Sunday breakfasts. Come early.

My final advice: Don’t wait 30 years to go there. And order anything in the menu. You can’t go wrong.

— By David Carlos