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This steak house incorporates high-quality beef into the culinary traditions of northern Mexico. Barley-fed Australian Angus and American, Japanese, and Australian Wagyu hit the grill, while USDA Prime meat goes into tacos and tortas. The salsa bar and appetizers show the finest ingredients and flavors, along with a touch of tradition in the handmade guacamole. Along with a strong wine list, the bar stocks a superb selection of mezcals that includes niche and rare bottles.
5405 Leary Ave. NW, Seattle, Washington, 98107, USA
Known For
- Varied mezcal collection
- Colorful salsa bar
- High-quality beef
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations recommended
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Renee Erickson made her name serving Seattle's seafood, and takes a new spin on the same at this cool, marble-topped ode to Parisian fish and shellfish bistros. The menu offers seafood both raw and cooked, as well as meaty continental classics like steak tartare and a burger (and steaks borrowed from Bateau next door). Seafoam-green seats pop with color from the white walls in front of the long L-shape bar and tables that surround it. Baskets of fresh oysters await shucking from beds of ice, while nautically named cocktails are shaken nearby. Boat Bar is part of Erickson’s trio of restaurants on this corner: General Porpoise Coffee and Doughnuts serves oversized filled doughnuts until the afternoon, and diners looking for a more substantial meal can head to the steakhouse sibling, Bateau.
1060 E. Union St., Seattle, Washington, 98122, USA
Known For
- Fresh oysters
- Great drink options
- Delightful interior
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.–Wed. No lunch, Reservations recommended
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$$$ | Greenwood |
Ethically sourced meats, from steak cuts to gamier dishes such as bison, wild boar, and duck, headline the menu at FlintCreek, where floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a busy corner of Greenwood. A small-plates section features a cumin-dusted lamb tartare as well as mussels bathed in charred jalapeño-lime butter, while main-dish standouts include a brined pork chop on grits and a hanger steak topped with onion marmalade. The industrial-chic two-story lofted space, which has double-high ceilings and a lovely bar backed with modern yellow tile, is usually lively but not too loud, and the service is reliably solid.
8421 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle, Washington, 98103, USA
Known For
- Sustainable ingredients
- Fancy chops and à la carte sides
- Hip vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Founder Shiro Kashiba is no longer here (he's now at Downtown's Sushi Kashiba), but this sushi spot is still the best in Belltown, with simple decor, ultra-fresh fish, and an omakase service that's a bit more affordable than at other spots.
2401 2nd Ave., Seattle, Washington, 98121, USA
Known For
- Chef's choice omakase
- Affordable sushi
- Simple ambience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Westward singularly nails the dream of Seattle visitors and locals alike: serving high-quality, fresh local seafood from a waterfront location with a view. Lake Union laps at the rocky shore just feet from where diners look out toward Downtown as just-shucked oysters gleam from seafood towers. Owned by Seattle's seafood queen, Renee Erickson, Westward takes its mission to present pristine seafood in a simple fashion very seriously, starting with the splurge-worthy shellfish tower. The short menu focuses on chilled and raw seafood, but also includes a few small salads and larger dishes that come from the wood-fired oven. The wine list is excellent, but the full bar also offers a flight of mezcal to pair with the oysters.
2501 N. Northlake Way, Seattle, Washington, 98103, USA
Known For
- Variety of fresh oysters
- Waterfront and view tables
- Elegant shellfish towers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | |
Straddling an indoor space and outdoor patio of the large 400 Fairview building, this lobster specialist channels a Maine shoreline shack into an urban west coast landscape. Seafood is the star here, particularly in the lobster roll, but also in other sandwiches, a range of salads, and the clam dip. They serve craft beer on tap, a few wines, and slushy cocktails in the summer.
400 Fairview Ave. N, Seattle, Washington, 98109, USA
Known For
- Frozen drinks in summer
- Big outdoor patio
- Many styles of lobster roll
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon.
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This stunning gastropub is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant, built on warm service and great food. Seated in the white wooden chairs or on the bold turquoise benches, to eat here is to be welcomed into the dining room of a long-lost friend. The signature dish is their bread—thick cut and buttered, served as if it were a steak—which sets the tone for the simple-sounding, but impressively prepared menu items. The menu leans heavily on fresh seasonal vegetables and local seafood. When the weather is nice, the garden patio behind the dining room is one of the most coveted cocktail seats in town.
425 NW Market St., Seattle, Washington, 98107, USA
Known For
- Good cocktails
- Garden patio
- Well-prepared seafood
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Tues.
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This tiny, 24-seat restaurant quietly turns out exciting and innovative food in the form of visually stunning small plates. Tables are seated beside wide windows overlooking the serene side of Queen Anne. Along with the a la carte menu, a five-course chef's tasting menu is always available and includes special local ingredients like geoduck (giant clam). The beautiful dishes always feature intriguing local ingredients and products such as licorice mint and black garlic maple butter. The chef’s signature dessert, “lick the bowl,” is an unmissable riff on cake batter made with foie gras.
If you're looking for something more casual, head to the kid-friendly sister restaurant, Big Max Burger Co., a block away.
2209 Queen Anne Ave. N, Seattle, Washington, 98109, USA
Known For
- Signature dessert "lick the bowl" made with foie gras
- Grand tasting menu requires reservations
- Daily changing menus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations recommended
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$$$ | |
Harry's Beach House, where the breeze is always scented with saltwater, is a casual yet exciting restaurant that opened in an old coffee shop in 2019. Spacious, warmly lit, and friendly, it's the perfect place to enjoy a long brunch or a drink and a snack after a day on the beach. The food is elegant but homey, with biscuits and a beloved burger plus seafood. Service can be slow, but that just gives you more time to enjoy the view.
2676 Alki Ave. SW, Seattle, Washington, 98116, USA
Known For
- Great decor
- Harry's burger
- Excellent cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations recommended
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This sleek eatery features fresh, artisanal ingredients. Starters run the gamut from cured-meat platters to roasted almonds, pork terrine, chicken-liver mousse, and arugula salad, while tasty mains focus on simple handmade pastas, like orecchiette with sausage, garlic, and ricotta.
2208 Queen Anne Ave. N, Seattle, Washington, 98109, USA
Known For
- Small plates
- Seasonal ingredients
- Fresh pasta
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Tuscan and southern Italian cooking blend to create soul-satisfying dishes such as veal osso buco, homemade ravioli, linguine alle vongole (with clams), and eggplant Parmesan. Ceiling-to-floor draperies lend the dining room understated dignity, and intoxicating aromas waft from the kitchen to the restaurant's small outdoor patio that sits beneath a canopy of lights. Reservations are recommended.
411 1st Ave. S, Seattle, Washington, 98104, USA
Known For
- Elegant space
- Veal osso buco
- Classic Italian fare
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., no lunch Sat.
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Married chef-owners Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi have wowed Seattle diners with their French-fusion spins on Asian cuisine. Joule's nouvelle take on a Korean steak house serves meat options like Wagyu bavette steak with truffled pine nuts and short rib with Kalbi and grilled kimchi. Nonmeat menu items include Chinese broccoli with walnut pesto and mackerel with green curry cilantro crust and black currant. The weekend brunch buffet goes slightly more mainstream with a fruit and pastry buffet, as well as entrées like oatmeal-stuffed porchetta.
3506 Stone Way N, Seattle, Washington, USA
Known For
- Classic brunch buffet
- Korean-inflected flavors
- Lively vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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The sophistication, elegance, and excitement of Mamnoon are rare in Seattle's excessively casual restaurant culture. Try inventive Middle Eastern foods like pumpkin dumplings, chicory salad with sour mint dressing, and labneh cheesecake, in a transportive environment that matches the enchanting menu. The restaurant also offers easy and affordable options at lunch, making it a convenient choice if you're heading up the hill to explore.
1508 Melrose Ave., Seattle, Washington, 98122, USA
Known For
- Fluffy housemade bread
- Stunning interior
- Superior drinks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon., Reservations recommended
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The Eastside sibling of Capitol Hill's darling Vietnamese eatery is utterly polished and sleek— much fancier than the original restaurant. But the favorites remain the same: diners love the bo la lot beef, crispy drunken chicken, catfish clay pot, and barbecued hoisin pork ribs, and all go impressively well with the specialty cocktails. In signature Bellevue style, diners dress up a bit more than in, say, Capitol Hill or Ballard, though the weekend dim sum brunches draw more casual diners. The free parking in the garage behind the restaurant is a boon on busy Main Street.
10245 Main St., Seattle, Washington, 98004, USA
Known For
- Seafood specials
- Upscale Vietnamese cuisine
- Drunken chicken
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With an elegant bar and laid-back roof deck, this serene Vietnamese restaurant on a tree-lined residential stretch of Capitol Hill is a better bet than ever. Upscale fare blends Vietnamese and Pacific Northwest elements, including wild prawns with lemongrass, catfish clay pot with fresh coconut juice and green onion, and lamb with fermented soybeans and sweet onions. Homemade ice creams include lychee and mango, but the restaurant's most famous dessert is the coconut crème caramel. The wine cellar has nearly 250 varieties, including many French selections. The weekend brunch—which serves traditional Vietnamese offerings, dim sum, and favorites like French toast and eggs en cocotte—is divine.
615 19th Ave. E, Seattle, Washington, 98112, USA
Known For
- Crab dishes
- Excellent wine list
- Weekend brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations recommended
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Open the door into Greece and be welcomed by the white-washed walls, blond-wood tables, bold-blue chairs, and most importantly, the open kitchen full of grilling and olive oil. Greek classics dominate here, with lots of seafood. The cocktail menu provides drinkers with an opportunity to enjoy Greek spirits such as ouzo, mastiha, and rakomelo—“ouzeri” actually means a restaurant that specializes in small plates to go with ouzo (or other drinks).
1529 14th Ave., Seattle, Washington, 98122, USA
Known For
- Fresh seafood
- Mediterranean ambience
- Greek spirits
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon., Reservations recommended
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This Seattle classic has been bringing the flavors of the Caribbean to the city for more than two decades, since the owner moved to town and grew frustrated with the lack of dishes like roti, curry, and jerk that she missed from home in Trinidad. Open only a few days each week, and only for a few hours, people clamor to get in and grab Pam's aloo pies, flaky breads, and tender curry goat. Keep an eye out for specials featuring her famous doubles and wash everything down with a glass of sorrel.
1715 N. 45th St., Seattle, Washington, 98103, USA
Known For
- Flaky flatbreads
- Coveted few hours
- Spicy Caribbean cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.-Thurs. No lunch
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Large windows look out on Elliott Bay in this cozy spot tucked behind a meat vendor in Pike Place Market's main arcade. In nice weather, open windows let in the fresh salt breeze. Flowers brighten each table, and the staff is warm and welcoming. Despite its name, this restaurant has only a few French flourishes on an otherwise American/Pacific Northwest menu. Go for the rich oyster stew, the sea scallops with rosé hampagne beurre blanc, Dungeness crab (in season), poussin with barley risotto, or the fish of the day. Local microbrews are on tap, and the wine list is thoughtfully compact, but if you want to feel more like you're in France, sip a pastis as you gaze out the window.
81 Pike St., Seattle, Washington, 98101, USA
Known For
- More Pacific Northwest than French
- Rich oyster stew
- Local beer on tap
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$$$ | Madrona |
One of the latest from restaurateur Ethan Stowell—and a well-received departure from his usual Italian fare—this new French brasserie in beautiful tree-lined Madrona serves up excellent house-made charcuterie and expertly prepared grass-finished beef. A 10-minute trip from Downtown or Capitol Hill, Red Cow is a bustling modern space with knowledgeable, personable servers. Start with a selection of the restaurant's many nose-to-tail delicacies, such as lamb terrine, beef marrow, or a chicken-liver mousse so exquisite you'll want to scrape up every last bit of it with a side of frites. Beef cuts range from a flavorful hanger steak to a splurge-worthy New York strip from Mishima Ranch; if you can't decide on one classic sauce (béarnaise, compound butter, red-wine reduction, and horseradish cream), ask for a sampling of all four. Other entrées include fresh local shellfish and a succulent half roast chicken. A well-curated wine list—several bottles cost less than $40—features French imports alongside a noteworthy selection of Northwest whites and reds.
1423 34th Ave., Seattle, Washington, 98122, USA
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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A temple to uniquely prepared seafood, this is the restaurant that locals want to bring visitors to: an example of the casual way seafood weaves into all sorts of dishes when you live so close to such bounty. The mix of appetizers, oyster shooters, small plates, and full entrées makes the long menu an epic adventure filled with fresh local, domestic, and global fish—from local oysters to Hawaiian tuna, and back to black cod from Washington’s own Neah Bay. The dining room, built with ample wood and wall-sized murals of waterscapes, invokes the idea of a modern fishing lodge, but the high ceilings and sharp metals keep it more lively than cozy.
4300 Fremont Ave. N, Seattle, Washington, 98103, USA
Known For
- Unexpected but spot-on flavors
- Fun atmosphere
- Craft cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays