417 Best Restaurants in Washington, USA

This speakeasy-style restaurant/bar, steps down from the Montvale Hotel, has a cool vibe, with brick and stone walls that feel medieval, juxtaposed with very modern comfort food. Menu choices include a tater tot casserole with brisket and roasted wild mushrooms, salmon n' grits, harissa meatloaf, and wild mushroom stroganoff. Coconut cream pie with banana whipped cream is a delicious end to a meal.

This update to the classic American burger shop manages to be both an ode to the Northwest and an example of how fast food can be done right. Organic, grass-fed beef is broken down and ground in-house, organic milkshakes are made from local ice cream, and the crinkle-cut fries feel like a nostalgic nod to childhood. Local sodas and beers flow from the taps. The bright colors, well-lit space, and service speed take cues from the fast-food industry, but the flavor is a cut above.

The Copalis River flows beside this cash-only, cedar-shake-covered local favorite, in business since the 1930s and known for filling comfort food throughout the day, starting with bay shrimp breakfast scrambles and continuing later in the day with BLTs, burgers, chicken-fried steak sandwiches, clam strips, and fish-and-chips served in baskets. The laid-back dining room has a 10-foot-long clam-digging shovel in the corner.

In a time when many of the corner-store style shops serving Seattle's unique signature teriyaki are fading into the rapidly modernizing city, Grillbird keeps it classic as it hopes to show that the affordable plates of chicken in sauce, rice, and salad, still matter to the city. Stop by for a quick lunch and for a taste of the city's typical workday lunch dish. Though teriyaki exists all over, the specific serving style and sweet sauce used at most Seattle joints was developed here and once dominated the menu of every lunch counter and mini-mart. 

This long, narrow Japanese sushi bar and noodle house offers a long menu of udon, ramen, and other hearty soups along with stir-fries, sushi rolls, and donburi (rice bowls). Start with tofu fries, miso soup, seaweed salad, spring rolls, or gyoza pot stickers stuffed with cabbage, pork, and green onion. Finish with a slice of green tea tiramisu.

An 1881 estate home overlooking Eagle Harbor was renovated to create this casual pub and restaurant at Winslow's Harbor Marina, where a complimentary boat tie-up is available for pub patrons. Local seafood—including steamed mussels, clams, and oyster sliders—plus burgers, fish-and-chips, and poutine are typical fare, and there are 12 beers on tap. This is where the kayaking and pleasure-boating crowds come to dine in a relaxed, waterfront setting. When the sun shines, the harbor-front deck is the place to be.

This all-day restaurant's unusual name comes from its former life as a mom-and-pop hardware shop—it occupies the oldest commercial building on Vashon, and certainly looks like a relic from the outside. Inside, you'll find a bistro-meets-upscale-diner serving "Northwest Americana" cuisine, with classic dishes ranging from rustic French toast for breakfast to buttermilk-fried chicken and meatloaf for dinner.

Occupying a light-filled, cheerfully painted late-Victorian building a few blocks from the port and train station in Fairhaven, this hugely popular breakfast and lunch spot adjoins an inviting little coffeehouse called Tony's, which is a nice option for lighter snacking and fueling up on espresso. In the main café, you can kick off a day of exploring with a filling Sitka omelet (smoked salmon, feta, roasted garlic, tomatoes, and pesto), or dig into one of the lunch options, such as the Matterhorn Burger, topped with mushrooms and Swiss cheese. The café closes at 2, but Tony's remains open till 6 pm.

Harry's Beach House, where the breeze is always scented with saltwater, is a casual yet exciting restaurant that opened in an old coffee shop in 2019. Spacious, warmly lit, and friendly, it's the perfect place to enjoy a long brunch or a drink and a snack after a day on the beach. The food is elegant but homey, with biscuits and a beloved burger plus seafood. Service can be slow, but that just gives you more time to enjoy the view.

Arrive early for a perch at the upstairs kitchen-side bar of this tiny tapas-and-wine bar,  because the downstairs room isn't nearly as atmospheric (though you can get a reservation there). Though no longer the citywide destination it was in its heyday, it remains a sweet spot and cheerful place to enjoy often-delicious Basque tapas, including chorizo with grilled bread, pan-seared tuna belly with vanilla bean-infused oil, grilled sardines, or duck confit. There is an impressive wine and sherry list that focuses on Basque-region wines.

Downtown Walla Walla is home to some excellent eateries, and Hattaway's on Alder has continued to raise the bar even higher with innovative and delicious dishes like Dungeness crab fritters, pecan crusted cod, and shrimp perloo risotto. Tasty starters include the pimiento cheese with crostini and the smoked oysters with Walla Walla sweet onions. Chicken cassoulet, braised beef cheeks, and curry fish chowder show the versatility of restaurant's menu. Friendly co-owner Lindsay Hattaway is likely to stop by your table and say hello.

You'll find something for everyone at this Lopez eatery, which seems to have picked favorite dishes from various cuisines and created solid versions of them, sometimes with inventive twists (tater tots in a burrito, for example); they've got everything from Thai fresh rolls to gamberoni linguine with fresh, locally made pasta.

This warm and inviting neighborhood bistro serves creatively prepared international fare with a decided Northwest focus—think mussels with coconut-saffron broth and Fresno chilis, and grilled Porterhouse pork chop with potato gnocchi, summer squash, corn, and compound butter. The bar serves terrific, innovative cocktails, and food prices during the weekday evening (4:30–5:30 pm) happy hour represent one of the best deals around.

Set in a rather ornately decorated country house beside the Willows Lodge, this nationally renowned dining destination helped usher in farm-to-table dining in the Pacific Northwest when it opened in 1986. The carefully choreographed, multicourse feasts here are quite the production and include discussions about the food with the kitchen team, tours of the surrounding gardens, and classical guitar music; thoughtfully curated drink pairings are included in the prix-fixe. The food on the seasonally changing menu is exquisite, with many ingredients sourced from the restaurant's 5-acre garden.

Herkimer Coffee's Greenwood outpost is a favorite of coffee connoisseurs, with baristas who know their stuff but won't give you side-eye for dumping sweetener in their creations. The coffee shop has some seating, but it's also a great spot to grab a cup to go.

Hiroki makes wonderful Japanese desserts like soufflé cheesecake and matcha tiramisu along with some standards like gateau Basque and almond custard brioche. There are a few outdoor tables and even more inside, and the Tangletown location makes an easy stop during a stroll around the lake or a quick detour to pick up dessert afterward. 

Tucked into a small, cabinlike strip of businesses set back from the water, this cozy, wood-paneled bakery has been a source of delicious fresh ham-and-Gruyère croissants, marionberry scones, slices of pizza, and other savory and sweet treats since 1977. Sunny summer mornings bring diners out onto the patio, where kids play and parents relax.

In the back corner of Dan's Food Market, this homey little bakery turns out delicious breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, and pastries. Take a cinnamon roll or berry pie—and an espresso—to go.

Autumn Martin, formerly head chocolatier at Theo Chocolate, specializes in creative, high-quality desserts (including vegan options) such as a s'mores molten chocolate cake with house-made marshmallows and caramel, and cookies with house-smoked chocolate chips. Thick, rich milkshakes come in gourmet seasonal flavors like Meyer lemon with lavender, or grownup boozy shakes like smoked chocolate and scotch. Hot Cakes is open late night, too. A few long communal tables make for casual dining. The company's take-and-bake mason-jar desserts make a great gift.

For a lighter bite, head north to Martin's plant-based ice cream shop, Frankie & Jo's at 1411 NW 70th St.

This sleek eatery features fresh, artisanal ingredients. Starters run the gamut from cured-meat platters to roasted almonds, pork terrine, chicken-liver mousse, and arugula salad, while tasty mains focus on simple handmade pastas, like orecchiette with sausage, garlic, and ricotta.

Set inside Huckleberry's Natural Market, this bistro has a coffee and juice bar, pre-made sandwiches and salads, and lots of items that can be made fresh to eat in or take-out, including sandwiches, salads, burgers, and wraps. If you're in a hurry, call in your order so it will be ready when you arrive; otherwise there may be a wait during the busy lunch hour. Evenings are more leisurely and you can kick by with a beer or glass of wine while your food is prepared, or try the pasta bar available Friday and Saturday evenings.

Pop into this dapper downtown java house while browsing Sequim's bounty of boutiques and galleries for a blackberry mocha or a golden turmeric chai. The food offerings hit the spot, too—consider the caprese panini or triple-chocolate croissant.

Grab a handcrafted ice-cream cone at Husky Deli, a Seattle icon. This grocery store opened in 1932 and retains its old-fashioned feel. It does quite nice sandwiches and soups, making it a good stop for a picnic lunch to take to Alki or Lincoln Park. But the real draw is the friendly service and classic ice cream at the counter.

This artisan ice-cream parlor has a few locales in Tacoma, but the newest one in the lively Point Ruston district is especially appealing because you have to walk only a few steps to enjoy your treat while strolling along the beautifully restored waterfront. Flavors here range from classic (mint chocolate chip, strawberry) to seasonally inspired (pumpkin, wild blueberry). 

There are 10 ales on tap at Ice Harbor Brewery's restaurant, along with a rotating hard seltzer and cider, and a good selection of cocktails and local wines. You can order your favorite bar snacks like pulled pork nachos, wings, and pretzels, along with more substantial fare including bacon cheddar prime rib panini, shrimp po boy, beer-battered cod-and-chips, and several burger options. For a late lunch or early dinner, the weekday happy hour is a great value.

Tucked deep into the town's historic Old Granery, amid displays of century-old farming equipment, is this cozy and rustic place where dark-wood floors, small tables, and lantern-like fixtures provide the authentic ambience of a local trattoria. The waitstaff is quick and knowledgeable, bringing out enormous pasta bowls, seafood salads, and panfried eggplant or salmon.

Housed in a historic log cabin a block from Alki Beach, Il Nido (the nest) takes a playful look at Italian culinary traditions. House-made fresh pasta is the star, joined by creative focaccia breads, chicory salads, and entrées like pork coppa. Reservations book out 30 days ahead of time, but you can always try for a seat at the bar for an aperitivo and a snack.

Tuscan and southern Italian cooking blend to create soul-satisfying dishes such as veal osso buco, homemade ravioli, linguine alle vongole (with clams), and eggplant Parmesan. Ceiling-to-floor draperies lend the dining room understated dignity, and intoxicating aromas waft from the kitchen to the restaurant's small outdoor patio that sits beneath a canopy of lights. Reservations are recommended.

This sleekly modern, dimly lighted space with a gurgling stone and glass fountain in the center serves generous portions of pan-Asian fare. The well-prepared array of Thai, Chinese, Indian, and Japanese cuisines includes curries, stir-fries, soups, and seafood, from honey-glazed walnut prawns to Filipino pork adobo.