We will be in town for the University of Washington graduation in June. It also happens to be my wife’s birthday that weekend. I am Looking for birthday-caliber restaurant recommendations that can handle a group (10 people). I have only been to Seattle once as a kid and know next to nothing about the current city and its environs. Any must-see tourist recommendations for a short weekend trip are also welcome. Thanks in advance.
I was out there for business about a month ago. A friend who lives there took me to Bateau: https://restaurantbateau.com/
The food was really good, it works well with wine (they have an interesting list), and the spot is unlike any steak place I have been to before. No idea if you can book a table for 10, but it is worth reaching out to them if the concept for the spot sounds appealing to you.
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I was there for five days last summer, 5 different restaurants for dinner, plus some other foodie places. Here’s the link:
As mentioned, foodie snobs diss Wild Ginger. As mentioned, it’s a great restaurant and imo suitable for your birthday venue… it’s plenty good enough, an impressive venue and they will happily seat 10.
Without going into Downtown from the University campus, Nell’s on Green Lake is classic and excellent.
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Eight Row would also work well for you—in the Greenlake Village. Fooc and wine list are wonderful and the people there even better!
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Try Lark as well on capitol hill if you want to splurge. their upstairs space is perfect for larger parties, and they have an interesting wine list to go with the often outstanding food.
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I echo the Eight Row recommendation, one of my favorites and the menu could be a good fit. It is also pretty close to UW.
Alternatively, you could buy out one seating of Off Alley since it is tiny (12 seats I think) and the food is as good as anything in Seattle. Note they do use some off cuts and offal but there are enough crowd pleasers and more seasonal/local dishes that it shouldn’t be an issue. That time of year is great with seafood and mushrooms.
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Close to the most tourist-y part of town (Pikes) I really loved the Pink Door. Really good food, ambience, and decent wine list if I remember correctly. Need to make reservations kind of early
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I just had an excellent dinner at Flint Creek in Greenwood. Eight Row, Lark, and Nell’s are all good ideas too.
An additional downtown suggestion would be Matt’s in the Market, a Seattle institution. It’s not a huge place, but their website says they can accommodate parties up to 14 for a la carte dining.
Tourist recommendation: for an easy day trip go check out Bainbridge Island. The ferry terminal is in downtown Seattle. I’d recommend taking a car so you can explore more of the island, but it’s not essential. Seabird is the best restaurant on Bainbridge in my opinion and is very good.
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Private dining room at Wild Ginger or Carmine’s for 10. Waterfront Seafood Grill has an awesome PDR too, overlooks Puget Sound.
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I’d sign up for Beast and Cleaver’s mailing list and then jump on reservations at “the Peasant” when they come up for your window. Food is nothing short of spectacular, although wine pairings are meh.
Eight Row is pretty good, as others have mentioned, and they have a great wine program. Walrus and Carpenter for oysters - it’s an institution at this point
Touristy stuff:
- Family pic at Kerry Park (Queen Anne)
- Take another pic with the troll under the bridge in Fremont
- Cruise on South Lake Union if it’s a warm day
- Wander around and eat your way through Ballard. So many great places.
- Pike Market with lunch at Pink Door (if nice weather, sit on the patio). See the fish throwers, swing by and say hi to Jason Bray at Pike & Western. Get some cheese curds at Beechers for the wine you pick up
- if you like waterfalls, come out my way and go see Snoqualmie Falls. Hike out at Rattlesnake Ridge.
If you’re a bourbon snob, hit up Canon and get the Platinum Card out. Ballard Cut is also fantastic for bourbon.
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Save a little cash and go to Radiator Whiskey in Pike Place or walk down street and hit up Diller Room for Whiskey/Bourbon.
Do the Seattle Underground tour…you can hide from the zombie hordes up on First and Second Ave. Gasworks Park, Seattle Zoo, Argosy Cruise on Puget Sound.
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Second Radiator Whiskey; total miss in my post (but mentioned in several other ones on the topic). Between their barrel aged manhattans to special picks, they’re one of my favorites.
One additional thought I had was Carrello. Seasonal Italian from the Altura tasting menu restaurant team across the street. They do a feast for the table for large groups which is family style, quite good and a lot of food.
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If you want to stay near the University I would go to Ivar’s Salmon House. The foodies won’t rave about the food but I think it is fine. The place reeks of classic Seattle and view is great. They will have no problem with a table for 10.
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For me, Westward would be a much, much better option.
I would even recommend Westward if the location near UW was not a factor.
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If your trip takes you through Sunday, the Fremont Farmers market is legit and not as touristy as Pikes. Also Theo chocolate is in the area and it’s one of my favorite chocolate shops (samples and tours). I haven’t been since the pandemic so it may have changed. Market and Theo are close to the U District.
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Near UW I’d say Cantinetta or Jak’s Grill.
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Yes Jak’s is a great place but their Laurelhurst restaurant recently closed.
Then I’d just go get bombed at Wedgewood Broiler.
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Nice Kris. That would be a great place for an offline. Eating iceberg lettuce with Kraft Thousand Island dressing, and cheese-its. Nothing finer. We could have jello for desert which would go great with a d’Yqueum. I would invite my brother and serve him Meiomi Pinot. 