417 Best Restaurants in Washington, USA

One of several popular seafood restaurants along Ruston Way, Duke's can be counted on to serve some of the freshest and most creative fare of the bunch—it's not just about the view here, although the tables on the patio offer dazzling panoramas of Commencement Bay. Chowder fans having a tough time deciding what to try might want to order the "full fleet" sampler, with small servings of clam, lobster, crab bisque, chicken-corn, and Northwest seafood varieties. Other notable dishes include the greens with crab cakes and Laura Chenel goat cheese, and pan-seared wild salmon with a balsamic-infused beurre blanc.

Painted a cheery yellow outside, this dimly lighted roadside log cabin evokes the feeling of a bygone era with its wood paneling, exposed beams, and bric-a-brac-filled dining room. Locally sourced seafood and steaks dominate the menu. Consider Dungeness crab cakes with pineapple-cranberry compote, gnocchi with wild shrimp and shellfish, or bacon-wrapped filet mignon topped with crab and a burgundy–cremini mushroom reduction.

This hip pan-Asian joint with big windows and ample patio seating will satisfy your yearning for flavor-packed dumplings, steamed buns, noodle bowls, steaks, and seafood. Beyond the flavorful fare, which favors regional ingredients, E.Z turns out fun cocktails like the Tiki Tiger, with whiskey, yuzu, grapefruit, pomegranate, honey, and lemon.

Waistcoated waitstaff coolly navigate the packed floor of this retro steak house serving satisfying fare in a swanky, expansive room. King crab legs, crispy seared chicken, and cool tableside Caesar salads (possibly the city's best) all tantalize, but the eatery is best known for perfectly cooked steaks—and the virtuoso presentation seems to make everything taste better. Ritzy yet comfortable, a meal at El Gaucho can make you relax no matter how stressful your day. Of course, you may get heart palpitations once again when you see the prices—just sit back, enjoy your luscious cut of meat, and listen to the live piano music. Valet parking is available for $12.

Looking like a cross between a truck-stop diner and a Tex-Mex restaurant, this tiny café has outstanding breakfast options—including traditional favorites from every region of Mexico. Wait for a space in the tiny dining room, belly up to the counter, or just watch the frenetic activity as everything from soup to salsa is made from scratch. Lunch and dinner are just as good as breakfast (served daily from 9 to 3). Try delectable pork carnitas; chorizo from the state of Michoacán; mole negro over pork or chicken; rockfish with cinnamon and guajillo chiles; and mouthwatering chilaquiles—tortilla chips cooked in green or red salsa and topped with cream.

Sample some of the tastiest Mexican-American fare in the valley at this friendly, no-frills establishment. The savory seafood dishes, such as sautéed prawns with mushrooms and garlic, are among the standouts, and traditional offerings like pork chile verde burritos and shredded-beef chimichangas round out the menu.

Since 1977 this venerable ice-cream parlor and candy shop has been a fixture downtown, doling out small-batch ice creams and Italian ices, and always featuring at least 30 flavors—many, such as pink gooseberry and strawberry-rhubarb, featuring ingredients sourced from local farms. If it's a warm day, bring your cone, shake, or sundae (or box of handmade chocolates) next door to Pope Marine Park and enjoy your dessert while watching ships in the bay.

An enjoyable stopover between Westport and the Long Beach Peninsula, this airy café with three walls of windows has panoramic views of the Willapa River and is decorated with colorfully painted chairs, hanging plants, and potted flowers. First-rate espresso drinks, chai teas, and light snacks—black currant scones, lavender-honey toast with goat cheese, bacon-tomato-avocado sandwiches—are offered.

This casual eatery in the relaxed Browne's Addition neighborhood serves tasty pub food like grilled lamb sandwiches, blackened chicken alfredo, and a Korean pork bowl, and you can wash it all down with one of the 16 beers on tap. A copper bar stands along one wall, backed by a mirror and lots of memorabilia, giving the interior a saloonlike appearance.

The rarefied setting—soaring ceilings, Palladian windows, polished-wood tables—inside downtown's neoclassical 1910 post office building is one good reason to book a table here. But don't overlook the well-prepared classic Italian and Spanish fare, which ranges from simple but hearty meatballs in red sauce and garganelli pasta (a short, tubular variety) with venison Bolognese to Spanish lentil stew with chorizo, paprika, and sherry.

The 1907 brick building that once housed the horse-drawn fire-engine brigade is now a convivial pub that's filled with firehouse memorabilia. The hearty, eclectic comfort food—burgers, tacos, mac and cheese—are well-priced and tasty. The adjacent E9 brewery turns out a nice range of craft ales and serves creatively topped pizzas.

A large outpost of the famed Capitol Hill roaster, the Vivace coffee shrine in South Lake Union is right across from the REI megastore. Grab a seat, order an expertly prepared espresso beverage, and munch on a small variety of snacks—this is a perfect stop after an exhausting jaunt through REI.

Vivace is widely considered to be the home of Seattle's finest espresso. The long, curving bar and a colorful mural add some character to a space in the upscale Brix condo complex. The place definitely has great energy—it's lively and bustling, with Hill residents tippity-tapping on laptops and students holding study groups. Pastries are a bit lackluster, but the espresso beverages more than make up for it.

If the weekend line is too long, there's also a Vivace sidewalk stand just south of here at Broadway and Harrison Street.

Set in the middle of the genial and hip Proctor retail and restaurant district on the city's north side (not too far from Point Defiance), this charming, affordable neighborhood spot focuses on regional Italian recipes. Regulars feast on traditional panfried zucchini with goat cheese and crostini, slow-roasted lamb over pappardelle noodles, seafood risotto, and thin-crust pizzas.

Artisanal pizza is featured here (including gluten-free), along with lots of pastas, calzones, salads, seafood, steak, and chicken dishes. Candles on the tables, murals, exposed brick, and wood beams give a European flavor to the dining room and adjacent pub. If you can't save room for dessert, take home treats from the in-house bakery.

Though slammed at lunchtime thanks to the high school across the street, this fast-food restaurant (the original location of a popular local chain) serves up some of the best fried chicken in Seattle—Oprah once had the founders fly to Chicago to make it for her birthday. Both original and spicy flavors are terrific, but be warned that the spicy is exactly that. The rolls are big, fluffy, and baked in generously greased muffin tins. 

Sample gelato in seasonal flavors like honey lavender and fig vanilla at this small, sweet family-owned shop. Locals in the know skip the big lines at other local chains and come here instead for a quick and delicious frozen treat.

Offering a taste of New Orleans in the Central District, Fat's Chicken & Waffles serves authentic Southern cuisine in a hip spot filled with furniture and murals made by local artists. Helmed by a chef with deep Louisiana roots, Fat's serves shrimp and grits, fried okra, red beans and rice, and other soul food classics in addition to the namesake chicken and waffles.

These two restaurants have adjacent spots in the Pybus Public Market and a shared seating area, where you can enjoy pizza, pasta, antipasti, salami boards, soups, and sandwiches from Fire, and crepes, espresso drinks, and house-made gelato and sorbetto (sorbet) from Ice. Both are part of Visconti's Restaurant Group, which began in 1985 with classical Italian Visconti's in Wenatchee and now includes several restaurants in Wenatchee and Leavenworth.

For good burgers and beer drop by this rustic roadhouse with a veranda overlooking the North Fork Toutle River. Save room for the mountain berry cobbler.

This long-running microbrewery and tavern in a slightly industrial section of downtown has a bustling, open dining room with mounted fish on the walls. It's a funky and fun standby for big portions of pub standards—nachos, smoked wild salmon platters, black-bean burgers, fish-and-chips, and a much beloved Mudshark Porter dark-chocolate cheesecake. The ales are well crafted—try the Winterfish Organic Seasonal Ale during the cooler months, or cool off with a light Organic Blonde Ale on a hot summer night.

It's a scenic 20-minute drive east from downtown to reach this intimate but lively contemporary bistro near the north shore of Lake Whatcom, where the chefs emphasize local, seasonal ingredients. In the evening, you might start with Cajun-style shrimp and three-cheese grits or mac and cheese with tasso ham, before moving on to Low Country–style bouillabaisse or seared duck breast with a cherry reduction. Breakfast and lunch are served on weekends—try the eggs Benedict with pork belly, accompanied by a Bellini cocktail. The owners also run a similarly good sister restaurant in La Conner, the Fork at Skagit Bay.

After acclaimed restaurant Caspar Fry closed in 2022 following a decade-long run, Francaise opened in the same spot just a couple of months later, bringing the flavors of France to the South Perry district. Much of the interior is the same and it's still a great spot to meet friends for brunch, and to enjoy an array of cocktails with such dishes as croque madame, rolled French toast, omelets, or the ultra-rich macaroni with truffle sauce. The dinner menu includes coq au vin served with smashed potatoes, dry aged pork ribeye, escargot, and French onion soup. Beignets are available for brunch and as an after-dinner treat.

Operated by a neighborhood nonprofit that helps young people learn job skills, Fresh Soul blends a worthy purpose with really good Southern food. At lunchtime, a pulled pork or catfish sandwich will hit the spot, and for dinner, the big combo meals (think fried chicken legs with beans, potato salad, and cornbread) are tasty and filling. The colorful cafe has a few tables, but everything is also nicely packaged for take-out.

Many regulars skip right past the rest of the menu to get to the restaurant's selection of local Penn Cove mussels. They're served eight different ways, from a traditional white wine sauce to the signature coconut green curry. Located right on the waterfront, with windows framing views of Penn Cove and Mount Baker, Front Street also offers fare like burgers and pasta for non-shellfish lovers.

One of the most popular restaurants in the beach community of Seabrook, this cosmopolitan bistro with white brick walls, a pressed-tin counter bar, and big windows produces tantalizing pies with blistered crusts and top-notch toppings. Consider the truffle bianca with locally foraged mushrooms and fresh oregano and sage, or the pineapple-bacon pie with red onion, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

For a nice pastry or quick lunch, pop by this street corner window for passionfruit malasadas or a chicken katsu sando. A Japanese artisan bakery at its core, Fuji happily (and expertly) dabbles across cultures and styles, making everything from twice-baked almond croissants to bacon-and-cheese breads, plus stunning desserts such as filled cream puffs, fruit tarts, and souffle cheesecakes. The beef curry-stuffed kare-pan paired with a hojicha tea latte makes an excellent afternoon perk-up. 

A beloved destination for hearty red-sauce Italian fare since 1966, elegant Gasperetti's sits like a diamond amid the uninspired strip malls north of downtown, doling out pasta, meat, and seafood entrées accented with locally grown produce—think filet mignon with gorgonzola-pecan sauce, and rigatoni with pesto Genovese. The cellar stocks an excellent selection of wines, with a decidedly Italian lean. For a more casual experience, sit in the G-Spot Bar. When the weather's nice, the intimate patio exudes charm.