In Seattle Tomorrow - Space Needle / Pike Market

We’re going to be in Seattle for a day and are looking for decent places to eat for lunch and dinner. Looking for casual places within walking distance of Pike Place Market and/or Space Needle and Chihuly gardens. Preferably seafood.

Thanks!

For seafood in that area, here are some suggestions.

  1. Matts in the Market – a bit hard to find (it is upstairs at the southeast corner of the market). Excellent food and seafood.

  2. Ettas – part of the Tom Douglass group of restaurants. Excellent seafood (though I have not been in years, so I am assuming quality is as good as it has always been). Etta’s is a more seafood restaurant than Matts.

Those are the two that come quickly to mind in the Market area. There is also Steelhead Diner – not quite as high quality as the other two, but still really good.

I am sure others will chime in with other recommendations. Enjoy! The Chihuly garden is really worth it!

Thanks Ron! We moved up to PDX in October and are enjoying exploring the area. Going to be camping in Olympic NP next week.

Sorry I didn’t see this earlier, Joe. Where did you end up eating and how was it?

My wife and I will be in Seattle in mid- October for almost 3 full days, heading to Portland thereafter. So, any suggestions…on both places to experience the bounty of the NW, and things not to miss are appreciated. Haven’t been to the area in over 40 years…remember particularly the beautiful ferry ride out to Bainbridge and a night out there in a bunkhouse…and the views from the water.

Etta’s for lunch and Steelhead for dinner.

Oysters at Etta’s were good, crab cakes at Steelhead were OK. Everything was pretty expensive. The whole area felt pretty touristy.

Oh sorry Joe. It is a pretty touristy area, particularly in the summer. I am sorry the crab cakes were not great. My memory is that the crab cakes at Etta’s are quite good (though truth be told I prefer to make my own – it is easy to make good ones and restaurants tend to have too much filler in my experience).

Sorry again we did not steer you well. We will do better next time!

Ron no need to apologize! I was self-limiting by specifying the location that I did. We’ll be back with more time in the future.

Sounds good. But I do feel bad that you had a mediocore experience. I will say that Steelhead Diner is fine, but by no means amazing. They do source from the market – and their food is good, but there are better places. Let us know when you are next here. Maybe some of us can meet and open some two buck chuck – which is the best Seattle has to offer. :slight_smile:

I, too, am sorry to hear about your only so-so experience. The closer one gets to the waterfront in downtown Seattle, the more touristy it gets. There are hold-outs (Matt’s In the Market, for example), but the better food scene by and large is up on Capitol Hill. Prices are out of control in Seattle these days for sure. I just ate at a Mexican restaurant that charged $12.50 for a house margarita and $14.50 for three tiny “street” tacos!

Keep Joe’s experience in mind…and suggest something for a mid-Oct 3 day stay…please. Want to experience the local bounty, but not haute cuisine versions. TIA

Walrus and carpenter
Spinasse
Eden Hill
Heartwood Provisions
Kashiba sushi
Tarzan I Jane
RN74 for cheap DRC

Cafe Juanita (if u go to Kirkland / east side)

Mark’s suggestions are all good ones, though most are on the expensive side. Matt’s in the Market is worth a try. Kashiba Sushi is amazing – but pricey (not overpriced – it is worth it, but expensive).

On Capitol Hill if you want good oysters, I recommend Bar Melusine – excellent oysters, and some pretty good other things. More for snacking as opposed to full meal. Brooklyn Oyster House downtown used to be excellent for oysters – but I have not been there in a very long time.

I assume for local bounty you mean seafood? I am curious what others here would recommend for seafood. I tend to find it is always better for me to buy fresh seafood at a market and cook it myself.

Edit: The other place to consider is Dahlia Lounge. Again, I have not been there in ages, but it used to have the best consistent seafood of any Seattle restaurants. This is Tom Douglass’s first restaurant, so a bit of a Seattle institution. They have a very extensive raw bar as well if you are into that.

Thanks, Ron, Mark!

Yes…I mean seafood, but, also, whatever is the bounty of the harvest in mid-October in WA state. I assume that’s some foraged things and some fruits, but…don’t know. Mainly seafood, though. Not looking for “expensive”, as that factors into the pleasure quotient. I agree on cooking seafood at home, which I do frequently in Phila and in Maine. But, my impression is that the seafood bounty is different up there, and cooking it is not an option. We expect to have a car, though, so have some flexibility. Yes, am into raw bar, if local.

Keep the suggestions coming, please. Will check out all of them, as we have no preconceived places to try.

In addition to Matt’s in the Market and the other good suggestions above - for local bounty/Seattle spots —

The Whale Wins - seafood

Poppy - Northwest through an Indian lens

Bar del Corso - pizza but creative NW-style

Larger places that are solid or really good and fun places/spaces - Sitka & Spruce (can be very good); Palace Kitchen - fun, solid if not spectacular (another Tom Douglas place)

Le Pichet - classic small French bar/café - not strictly local bounty, but just a lovely place - especially for lunch - and the food is done just right

Poppy, unfortunately is now closed. :frowning:

One other idea then on local seafood is Taylor Shellfish. The have a place on capitol hill (at Melrose Market) but also I think elsewhere in Seattle.

Another good raw bar is at Lark. We love Lark, but it is on the pricey side as well.

Will post more as I think of them!

Yah they definitely are amazing :smiley: Pricey, sure… compared to say a casual night out… but they are probably the best quality sushi in Seattle (Caveat, i’ve not eaten at the new Taneda, tho i got a reso for late Sept)…
I think Kashiba is world class quality sushi for 1/2 the price of what you’ll pay elsewhere. I think i can get 20-22 pieces for about $100-$120 all in… compared to paying $250 plus in some michelin star sushi joints Tokyo/NYC/LA etc (and of course the key is it’s just as good).

i’m getting hungry just thinking about this topic. [wow.gif]

Rats! Did not know that. No Poppy, no Shanik. It’s a wasteland.

I should have mentioned that the space Poppy was in is going to be a second space from the people from Altura. For those not from the area, Altura is a tasting menu only restaurant also in N Capitol Hill. Some say it is the best restaurant in Seattle. Not sure I would go that far, but it is up there. The new place is supposed to be a bit less serious I think – though the press on it so far has been a hit unclear. We are hoping it will be worth frequenting as we used to do with Poppy. Though I will miss the Poppy cocktails – they were some of the best I have ever had (caveat – I am not much of a cocktail fan, and therefore not much of a connoisseur.).

Seattle:
Heartwood Provisions

Portland:
Southpark Seafood