417 Best Restaurants in Washington, USA

Part of the famed family-run business that's been harvesting succulent bivalves since 1890, this stunningly situated seafood market and oyster bar sits on a dock overlooking Samish Bay, just off gorgeous Chuckanut Drive. Have a seat at a waterfront picnic table or in the covered seating area and dive into a platter of barbecued oysters, geoduck crudo, whole steamed Dungeness crab, or mussels in a miso broth.

The first oyster bar from a fifth-generation family-owned aquaculture farm, it's designed to give the diner the ultimate experience of eating a raw oyster. The elegant but casual wood bar and subway-tiled walls frame big tubs of bubbling water keeping the shellfish alive. The menu stays simple, with a focus on the half-dozen varieties of oyster usually on offer and helpful staff that explain each one and shuck them to order. They also sell geoduck (the local giant clam) sashimi, cracked Dungeness crab, shellfish chowder, and a few other dishes for those who want a more complete meal. The wine list is specially curated with glasses that pair well with raw oysters. You can also purchase raw and live shellfish here, to shuck or cook yourself. The Queen Anne and Pioneer Square locations serve more complete meals, while the Samish Bay location makes a great day trip stop.

This hillside neighborhood tavern just south of downtown doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's an appealing option for lunch (or weekend brunch), dinner, or cocktails, as the drinks selection is extensive and the affordable food—from tacos to tofu—far exceeds typical pub grub. Favorites include crispy pork-belly tacos with apple-cabbage slaw and tart cherries, Moroccan-style quinoa salad with harissa-agave vinaigrette and seared tofu, and a commendable Reuben on rye bread. For brunch, fill up on chorizo Benedicts or the dangerously decadent "hangover homies"—home fries topped with melted cheese, scallions, two fried eggs, and spicy cheddar sour cream.

If you had time to dine in just one of Bow-Edison's vaunted eateries, you'd be wise—and fortunate—to choose this quirky little café decorated with vintage mirrors and mismatched tables and chairs; just be sure to bring cash (credit cards aren't accepted) and take note of the limited hours. The menu changes daily and is presented on a chalkboard, but crowd-pleasing dishes that often appear include beef Bourguignon, shrimp and scallops with grits, and frittatas with seasonal vegetables and a garden salad. Everything is astoundingly delicious here.

Art meets seasonal ingredients in the traditional multi-course kaiseki meal, and here, it also intersects with the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Eight courses of local seafood, premium meat, and foraged treasures show off the chef's mastery of various techniques. Look for fresh nigiri, grilled Wagyu beef, and refreshing broths, served at the chef's counter or the tables, in a minimalist setting that keeps the focus on the quite attractive plates. 

From Westport, it's a scenic 20-mile drive down the coast to reach the much-buzzed-about eatery that is inside the historic and offbeat Tokeland Hotel and run by young restaurateurs who had operated the original Wandering Goose in Seattle before relocating here in 2018. Folks come from all over to sample the fluffy scratch-made biscuits and Japanese-style oyakodon omelets (eggs with chicken), but dinner is the star attraction—and duck confit slow-simmered for six hours is the most celebrated dish. In addition to a thoughtfully curated wine and cocktail list, the restaurant has interesting nonalcoholic drinks, from natural sodas to drinking vinegars. A team of cute resident cats and dogs often amble about the dining room visiting with patrons.

With tall windows overlooking Ilwaco's marina, a high timber-beam ceiling, and a friendly crowd of locals and visitors, this upbeat gastropub in At the Helm Hotel is perfect for a bite to eat before or after hiking and beachcombing at nearby Cape Disappointment State Park. Highlights from the seafood-intensive menu are a platter of house-pickled fish, rich Dungeness crab bisque, lingcod fish tacos, and a Reuben with pastrami-spiced albacore steak and beer-braised sauerkraut. 

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.

The formidable redbrick, wood-fired oven toward the back of this artisanal bakery's airy dining room hints at the delicious treats on offer here, from local-mushroom scrambles over rustic toast in the morning to line-caught-albacore melts and smoked-beet sandwiches with basil aioli and local farmers cheese at lunch. There's also a vast selection of savory breads, chewy cookies, and a nice selection of espresso drinks, beers, and wines.

Weaving local seafood into gastropub-style favorites, this waterfront restaurant makes food as good as the view, which stretches up to the Space Needle to the west and over to Lake Union to the north. Seafood chowder, both on its own and over fries as "Poutine o' the Sea," Dungeness Crab Louie salad, and amazing oysters show off the kitchen's skill with the local treasures. The menu offers plenty of options from snacks to seafood platters, plus some meat and vegetable dishes for any landlubbers. In the summer, grab a quick chowder at the 100-Pound Clam, the restaurant's sister shack on the patio, or stop by on weekday afternoons for "Shells and Champagne" happy hour specials.

In a former wood mill, this fine-dining destination has gained a reputation for quality and excellence, thanks to chef-owner Jamie Guerin. Local is the watchword here, where hamburgers are made with grass-fed beef from Blue Valley Meats, and other nearby purveyors supply produce, cheese, meat, eggs, and even popcorn for the bar. Start with the warm spinach salad with trout or the orange avocado salad, then move on to the beef tenderloin steak, Japanese-style fried chicken, and fresh fish that varies by season.

Smack in the center of Vintner's Village, steps from more than a dozen tasting rooms, this smartly casual bistro is part of Bunnell Family Cellar winery and offers delightfully relaxing meals, with its open kitchen, fresh flowers on the tables, and outside seating set among the restaurant's herb and vegetable gardens. Share a few small plates with friends—maybe a caprese salad, a charcuterie plate, or crisp-crust pizza with pesto and eggplant from the wood-fired oven—or consider a more substantial meal, such as wild Pacific cod with polenta and blueberry-corn salsa.

Located on the edge of downtown's lively theater district, this swanky eatery with brick walls, high-top tables, and a bar lighted by dangling Edison bulbs is the perfect go-to spot for date night. The consistently outstanding food ranges from shareable small plates of creamy burrata and garlic toast with pimento cheese to thin-crust pizzas topped with sausage and cremini mushrooms.

Set inside a 1923 Lutheran church, this cheery yellow house of culinary worship now serves modern American fare with global accents inside the former nave and choir loft. Standouts at dinner include garam masala–crusted rack of lamb and oven-roasted cedar plank steelhead with lemon caper butter. The gooey bananas Foster waffles are a crowd-pleaser on weekend mornings.

Wallingford's strip of Japanese food holds sushi, grilled meats, and ramen for every budget, with this slip of a spot ranking among the best. Ramen comes in a wide variety, including high-end versions made with Wagyu broth and super traditional shio and shoyu options, plus vegan mushroom and gluten-free versions. A smattering of small plates rounds out the offerings, including a focus on zangi (Japanese-style fried chicken).

 After your meal, head to the ice cream window, Indigo Cow, and try Hokkaido milk soft-serve from the first place to serve it in the U.S.

If you need a handy stop for breakfast or lunch, or takeout provisions for a picnic in the North Cascades, this gluten-free bakery featuring tasty, made-from-scratch baked goods and hearty meals is definitely worth a quick detour off the highway between Sedro-Woolley and Marblemount. The breakfast menu lists the usual quiches and waffles, along with three-potato hash (with eggs, corned beef, veggies, or andouille sausage). Midday offerings include sandwiches (both grilled and cold), salads, and soups. There's a full espresso bar and a soda fountain with delicious shakes.

Count on comforting, hearty Pacific Northwest pub fare at this long, narrow, and dimly lit eatery, with an ample selection of regional beer on tap. Look for pizza, seafood, and appetizers like deep-fried pickles, beer-battered mushrooms, crab cakes, and a pound of clams. Fish-and-chips, sandwiches, and burgers like the Naughty Nellie, with American and Swiss cheese and crushed red pepper, round out the menu. There's a small beer garden in back and more seating out front. Hoquiam is about a 30-minute drive from Ocean Shores. 

You can count on finding deftly prepared Pacific Northwest pub fare—thin-crust pizzas, beer-braised pot roast, house-made black-bean burgers seafood, cod fish-and-chips, and crab-rockfish cakes—at this long, narrow, and dimly lit neighborhood pub in downtown Hoquiam. There's an ample selection of regional beer on tap, which is best enjoyed in the cozy beer garden in back.

Baja California Mexican cuisine and a laid-back vibe define this casual spot that's done up in bright, beachy colors, with a lively deck come summertime. Regulars swear by the fresh fish tacos and mangodillas (quesadillas with mango and poblano chilies). Be sure to pay a visit to the salsa bar and wash it all down with a salt-rimmed margarita or house-made agua fresca. Waits are long on sunny days and hours vary seasonally, so call ahead.

Agua Verde is perched waterside on a street surrounded by quirky boat-repair shops; in the warmer months, you can rent kayaks under the restaurant and paddle around Portage Bay.

This funky eatery in Westport's marina district offers an unlikely trinity of traditional Southern barbecue, Hawaiian food, and the pub fare that's more typical of the area, and all of it is quite tasty. The island cuisine, including kalua pork and Hawaiian barbecue chicken, is particularly good, but regulars also swear by the fall-off-the-bone beef brisket and the panko-breaded Willapa Bay oysters and fries. You can customize the spice levels by choosing from a huge selection of hot sauces.

This sophisticated, locally focused modern American bistro offers a relatively affordable menu, with many dinner entrées clocking in under $25, including a daily-changing risotto and a wild-salmon nicoise salad. Other highlights include one of the best cheeseburgers in town, ricotta doughnuts with caramel sauce for dessert, and a well-chosen wine list with a mix of international and Northwest bottles. There's a second location in Hazel Dell, on the north side of the city.

The hipster and third-wave coffee dreams combine at this picture-perfect café on the Capitol Hill's west slope. Bright, light, and with big windows onto a quiet street, it invites coffee drinkers in to sit for a spell. As per the name, the music spins on records and they stock paper newspapers, but the coffee is decidedly modern. Beans come from a variety of local roasters, and brews include the standards plus cold brew on tap, pourover, and espresso tonics. 

Anchorhead is serious about coffee: everybody raves about their smooth roasts that need no doctoring, from pour-overs to perfectly pulled espresso. They also serve unique milk-substitute creations, like the popular creamy-green pistachio matcha and the Shy Bear Fog Latte (oolong, burnt honey, and oat milk) along with a menu of pastries and breakfast sandwiches. One of Anchorhead's star menu items is the Quaffle: a cinnamon roll made of laminated croissant dough pressed in a waffle iron. Finding seating at the industrial-chic cafe can be tricky on busy mornings so you may end up having to grab-and-go. 

Merry "oompah" music bubbles out from marching accordion players at this festive, long-running restaurant, where the theme is "Germany without the Passport"; it adjoins two sister establishments, Mozart's Steakhouse and Gingerbread Factory bakery. Laughing crowds lap up strong, cold brews and feast on a selection of wursts—bratwurst, knackwurst, and weisswurst, among others—Polish sausage and beef goulash, all nestled into heaping sides of sauerkraut, tangy German potato salad, and thick, dark rye bread. Service can be slow at times, so just sit back and enjoy the ambience. You just might get called to stand up and do the "chicken dance."

The spacious, high-ceilinged downtown branch of this local chain is steps from the Museum of Glass and other attractions. It's a great place to kick off the day with a well-crafted espresso drink and breakfast sandwich, or linger later in the day over a naan flatbread pizza.

The Anthony's chain is renowned for fine waterfront dining in western Washington, and this outpost on the Columbia River waterfront continues the tradition. Seafood is the specialty—from fish-focused appetizers, including panfried Willapa Bay oysters and fresh Northwest manila clams, to entrées with Dungeness crab (whole, in fettuccine, or in crab cakes), Idaho rainbow trout, Alaskan weathervane scallops, char-grilled Alaskan halibut, and salmon. Several steaks are among the other entrée offerings.

Tucked into chic Marina Village, this handsome waterfront outpost of the popular Washington-based seafood chain has large windows opening on to a panorama of Port Gardner Bay. The specials, which change daily, might include meaty Dungeness crab, wild chinook salmon, and other sea creatures caught just offshore. Desserts are fabulous, especially those crafted from the state's succulent berries and fruits.

Locally sourced farm-to-table meals are the draw in this airy, casually elegant restaurant on the edge of downtown Winthrop. Notable examples of the deftly plated, sophisticated fare you might find here include braised lamb shank with lemon farro, grilled pork chop with savory pear sauce, lemon and feta risotto, and mushroom cassoulet. The starters and mains on the shorter bar menu are equally ambitious