Hi all! The husband and I will be in Seattle the first week in June and are looking for your favorite delicious, but not budget busting restaurants. We like it all...seafood, Asian, Italian, Mexican...whatever.

I've looked through the old posts, but seemed most of the restaurant recommendations I saw were for very high-end places, so I apologize if this has been asked before.

Thanks!!!

University District has a few great ones. Aqua Verde is on the water, Mexican-ish, but really good. Cedars is Indian, there's always a wait.

Otherwise, Ivar's is a Seattle landmark, their "shack" is on the Elliott Bay waterfront near the ferry terminal. The International District has our favorite Hong Kong cafe style place, Hing Loon. Dixie's BBQ is terrific, but in Bellevue. They also have a shop at Safeco Field if you are heading to a Mariner's game.

We also like the Pink Door (not cheap, but not special occasion dining), Lola/Dahlia Lounge. A fun (but long meal) Italian place is Pasta Freska near Lake Union. No menu, the chef just asks your likes/dislikes and presents your with a 5-7 course meal. It's good and he (Mike) hasn't let me down yet! Dinner is usually around $30/person + wine. We also like Cactus which is on the eastside of Seattle, in a neighborhood known as Madison Park. Tex-Mex.

Hope this gets you started.

I can make a few recommendations, I think.

But first a general observation or two: good seafood and Italian in Seattle tend to be difficult to find in a budget spot, though the quality is usually high. Asian in all varieties (Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese) is *everywhere* and relatively inexpensive. Quality varies a lot, though, so let your nostrils be your guide.

So, the recommendations:

Italian: Pink Door, near Pike Place Market. Not exactly "budget" but not madly expensive either.

Mexican: Gallerias on Capital Hill. Mexico-city style Mexican (decidedly not Tex-Mex), with a varied menu. In the middle price range, unless one drinks a lot of Margaritas.

Asian: Where to start? For very, very inexpensive, try the Szechuan Noodle Bowl in the International District. Homemade dumplings are the best in town, and do try an appetizer of boiled peanuts. The noodle soups are hearty and very filling.

Right next door to the SNB is a new and very small Vietnamese restaurant, the name of which escapes me, but it is absolutely excellent, and not at all expensive.

Japanese: Koji Osakaya on the Harbor Steps, near the Seattle Art Museum downtown. Least expensive for lunch, even the sushi.

Seafood: hard to recommend, again because of price. I often take visitors to Anthony's at Pier 66 on the downtown waterfront. There are actually 3 restaurants there - a fish'n'chips bar with outside seating, a lower level inside restaurant that's slightly more pricey, and a very elegant 2nd-floor place that is always reliably good, but in the middle- to upper-price range. Dine at any of these with a view of the ferry terminal and the downtown skyline.

Fritzl

Asian- Go to Chinatown/International District, eat most anywhere.

Mexican- El Puerco Lloron on the back stairs at Pike Place Market (1501 Western Ave)

Seafood- Emmett Watson's Oyster Bar in the Pike Place Market (1916 Pike Place #16)

Italian- the to-go window &/or deli counter at Delaurenti's italian grocery, behind the newsstand at the entrance to Pike Place Market

Ezell's Famous Chicken (3 locations & they deliver)

Galleria's -mentioned above- has an excellent Sat & Sun brunch for $7.95 (611 Broadway East)

First, look at the PNW board at chowhound.com - I don't like the lack of search facility but there's a ton of good info there.

I try to take visitors to the following, for a good combination of food, price, view (if any) and general comfy/fun feel -

Uwajimaya food court - Uwajimaya is a vast Japanese/pan-Asian supermarket/shopping center in the International District, with just wonderful produce, grocery and fish sections - really fun for tourists. There's a mall-style food court in the store except all the stalls are Asia/Pacific - Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Hawaiian (ooh, the plate lunches...) Very fun.

Mexican - Somewhat conventional, but we really like Beso del Sol in the Wallingford neighborhood (Stone/45th). Also, if you have a car, a drive out to Bothell to Pachanga Tortilleria is worth it - very down home - take your plate across the street to the city park.)

Fish - fun and frantic, Chinook's at Fishermen's Terminal is great; there's a takeaway bar adjacent and tables facing the moored fleet.

Elliott's on the central waterfront is our pick for downtown fish, especially their oysters - probably the best in town.

There are so many others - Le Pichet at the market; dim sum at House of Hong in the ID, Seven Stars Pepper (Chinese) on Jackson in the ID for Cumin Lamb that will make you weep (for a couple of reasons); JaK's steaks (Laurelhurst near the UW, also West Seattle)... oy.

Come hungry.

Thanks all! And sorry for the double post...rookie mistake.