Best seafood restaurant in seattle

An oyster platter with advantages at Taylor Shellfish. {Photograph} by Amber Fouts.

Seattle might not have the century-old fish home traditions of the East Coast, however pristine seafood is in all places. Our regional waters infuse the entree menus at neighborhood bistros with halibut and black cod, or ship dungeness crab into our soup, our sandwiches, even our mac and cheese. Listed here are our favourite locations that target nice seafood.

Reading: Best seafood restaurant in seattle

Native Tide

Fremont

Victor Steinbrueck cultivates a community of native fisheries that may impress the Michelin star crowd. However he turns the ensuing haul into one thing you’d anticipate at an oceanside diner or deli—rockfish banh mi, salmon BLTs, an enormous bowl of residence fries layered with bacon bits and smoked cod. Native Tide’s signature, a luxurious crab roll on simply the appropriate cut up bun, surfaces solely Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; even that restricted run requires 4 hours of prep: The kitchen cracks piles of dungeness in home fairly than popping it out of a freezer or can.

RockCreek

Fremont

A area this wealthy in seafood deserves extra spots like Eric Donnelly’s, the place the chef’s fishing acumen and taste finesse be part of forces for preparations you gained’t see on 15 different menus round city. Donnelly’s menu is equal components Totten Island and Hawaiian tombo, and slaloms from complete grilled snapper to tuna tiradito to a hearty stew of shellfish and Neah Bay rockfish. The menu technically focuses on seafood, however throw within the lined patio, the cocktails, the gently Southern brunch menu: RockCreek is the entire bundle.

Westward

Wallingford

Renee Erickson’s Sea Creatures restaurant group overhauled this titanic waterfront restaurant in 2020. The seafood focus now spans the Pacific shoreline, from Washington spot prawns and Hama Hama clams to a brisk scallop ceviche layered rigorously in a pool of aguachile. The seafood tower organized Baja blue shrimp among the many geoduck, whitefish caviar, smoked mussels, and a bevy of uncooked oysters. Erickson stays a champion of fresh-shucked native specimens, however Westward is her first menu to additionally serve oysters baked (and smothered in ancho butter or beef lardo).

Taylor Shellfish

Bellevue, Capitol Hill, Pioneer Sq., Queen Anne

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The family-run oyster farming operation has 4 Seattle-area eating outposts, every with its personal menu and atmosphere—a pregame-fried-food really feel at Pioneer Sq., a vibrant intimacy at Seattle Middle, a real fish market vibe with effervescent water tanks on Capitol Hill—however a number of sorts of immaculate oysters stay firmly middle stage at every one. You may get them organized expertly shucked by the dozen, or sizzling and fried, smoked right into a savory dip, even within the firm’s signature stew. Taylor’s kitchens additionally do proper by geoduck, dungeness, and manila clams.

Seattle Fish Guys

Central District

Alums from Mutual Fish and Metropolis Fish opened a seafood market in a nondescript constructing at twenty third and Jackson that’s simply as a lot a vacation spot for lunch as for black cod fillets or uncooked scallops and spot prawns. Customized poke bowls, shrimp cocktail, crab sandwiches, massive plates of sashimi, chowder, and recent uni and oysters are equal components cautious prep and absurdly recent seafood, all with the proper handful of beers to scrub them down.

Manolin

Fremont

Newly reopened after shape-shifting right into a bagel store, then a Brazilian seashore occasion over the previous 12 months, Manolin has resumed its embrace of South and Central American coastal fare. The rockfish ceviche (with corn nuts!) stands out even in a city crammed with nice raw-ish seafood. The restaurant’s bagel alter ego, Previous Salt, nonetheless operates by day, promoting a smoked black cod that’s able to turning round your complete day whether or not you order it by the pound or in a sandwich.

The Market

Edmonds, Downtown

Shubert Ho’s no-frills fishmonger and seafood cafe made an sudden bounce this 12 months—a second location at Seattle Artwork Museum. Which implies two very totally different areas can now fulfill these cravings for lobster or dungeness crab rolls, fish and chips, fish tacos, and fried softshell by the bag. The Edmonds location has shifted to a walkup window with ample lined tables exterior.

Pike Place Chowder

Downtown, Pike Place Market

It’s onerous to disassociate this Submit Alley counter with high-season vacationer traces, nevertheless it’s even harder to neglect that very good chowder—creamy and wealthy with clams. Order on-line for faster entry to varieties made with crab and oyster, smoked salmon, even vegan lime and coconut. The Pike Place Market location has out of doors seating, however the location on the highest flooring of Pacific Place seems like a secret.

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Ballard

After all, it’s unattainable to distill all of Seattle right into a single restaurant, however nothing comes nearer than Renee Erickson’s oyster bar. Again in 2010 she meant this hideaway behind the Kolstrand Constructing as an unassuming hangout. Then got here the nationwide buzz—and pleasure hasn’t diminished since. No marvel, given the small plates of spot prawns and smoked salmon stomach, the pitch-perfect vegetable plates, that steak tartare. And, in fact, recent chilly oysters from Washington and never too far past. Order a couple of of every to match and distinction.

Ivar’s Acres of Clams

Numerous

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Ivar Haglund, Seattle’s personal P.T. Barnum with a yen for pranks, began a fish and chips counter on the waterfront in 1938; it’s since grown to incorporate greater than 20 outposts, together with fast-casual chowder and chip bars from Tacoma to Bellingham and the viewy special-occasion throwback Salmon Home on northern Lake Union. The menus differ, the vibe is something however cool, however the high quality of the seafood is at all times legit, whether or not it’s coconut curry mussels on the waterfront flagship or a basket of fried prawns whilst you’re ready for the Mukilteo ferry.

The White Swan Public Home

South Lake Union

Hidden away throughout the Ocean Alexander Marina on Lake Union, Matt’s within the Market’s seafood-focused sibling applies its rustic, seasonal lens to crab hush puppies, lovely halibut preparations, and wealthy seafood stew. Even informal fry shack staples like crispy calamari and fishwiches show the care of a kitchen with high-end roots; ditto the home’s signature “poutine of the sea,” basically fries topped with clam chowder and bacon. Additionally on premise: loads of fresh-shucked oysters (and champagne to pair) and one of many city’s epic waterside patios.

Ray’s Boathouse and Ray’s Cafe

Ballard

Downstairs: The location of a thousand anniversary dinners. Upstairs: A extra informal menu, lunch service, and a patio with Shilshole Bay views that draw summer season guests like a slushy machine in a heatwave. The frequent floor: seafood ready alongside a spectrum of acquainted to basic. Ray’s groundbreaking days are properly behind it, however hoist a glass of Washington wine to the restaurant that started as a espresso and bait store within the Nineteen Thirties, then went on to introduce Northwest hallmarks like Olympia oysters and Copper River salmon into our eating vernacular. (Make it a pink wine, since Ray’s was an early proponent of pairing it with salmon.)

Duke’s Seafood

Numerous

You may forgive Duke Moscrip a couple of dad jokes sprinkled throughout the menus at his seven-location restaurant chainlet. The person’s a seafood sourcing legend, touring by prop aircraft and fishing boat to assist sustainable fisheries earlier than most individuals even knew what these phrases meant. At the moment, the seafood’s nonetheless lovely and the big lunch and dinner menus steadiness acquainted preparations (fish tacos, dungeness salads, salmon with pesto, a lot chowder) with a strong and sudden lineup of gluten-free dishes.

AQUA by El Gaucho

Belltown

A sprawling, window-walled sensation on the tip of Pier 70 shows cruise-ship vistas of Elliott Bay with an inside view—shiny exhibition kitchen, shiny copper lighting fixtures, shiny beautiful folks—to rival them. All delivered to you by the identical of us behind longstanding steak home chain, El Gaucho. So: piano bar, examine; lobster tail add-on, examine. Fish therapies pull taste notes from France or Japan, and even the occasional sprint of kale, whereas the modular checklist of protein entrees and shareable carby sides (dungeness mac and cheese) echoes the old-school steak home menu format.

Elliott’s Oyster Home

Waterfront

The waterfront location means vacationers occupy most tables at this venerable seafood spot. However Elliott’s oyster program is peerless—a listing as rigorously sourced and curated as any wine roster, and a employees capable of break all of it down for the uninitiated. New firm beverage director Amanda Reed brings a jolt of latest vitality that bodes properly for the wine checklist and cocktail program.

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