14 Best Restaurants in Seattle, Washington

Tucked into Post Alley, this hole-in-the-wall joint serves award-winning chowders. Skip the wait and order ahead for pick up, then snag a table in the outdoor section of the market and enjoy with a view. The smoked salmon chowder and crab and oyster chowder give the traditional New England chowder a run for its money. While most people come for the chowder, it also sells seafood rolls–brioche buns stuffed with fresh Dungeness crab or lobster. Few places draw longer lines than the Pike Place Starbucks—but Pike Place Chowder gives Seattle's flagship coffee shop some stiff competition. 

Local restaurateur Renee Erickson was inspired by the casual oyster bars of Paris when she opened this inconspicuous spot, located at the south end of Ballard Ave, behind Staple & Fancy. The result has been a lasting sensation. In town full of oysters, the freshness and selection here manage to be a cut above. Reservations aren't accepted, which is why every day when the doors open at 4, there's a line waiting to fill the tall tables and the seats at the zinc barand why at any time a wait is likely. The menu also offers refined small plates, mostly other seafood and vegetables, but oysters are center stage. If you love them, you'll love it here.

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.

This lobster-roll specialist brings a breezy Maine-coast vibe to South Lake Union’s 400 Fairview complex. The star, of course, is the lobster roll. It's rich, buttery, and undeniably indulgent—but the menu also reels in more approachable options like crab and shrimp sandwiches, hearty chowder, and fresh salads. In summer, slushy cocktails join the lineup alongside local craft beers and wines. A long bar and communal patio seating round out the easygoing, waterfront spirit—more seaside shack than city storefront.

This long dining room facing Lake Union has original Northwest Indian artwork collected by the restaurant's namesake founder. It's touristy, often gimmicky, and always packed. You are paying for the setting here: a building designed as a loose replica of a traditional longhouse with terrific views of Lake Union and Downtown. Try to snag a table on the deck.

Marrying together local inspiration and well-sourced seafood, this bright, friendly counter-service casual spot captures the city's culinary culture in its menu. Going beyond the pricier headline fish like salmon and halibut makes the food both more sustainable and more affordable. Instead, Dover sole, rockfish, and albacore find their way into riffs on familiar dishes like banh mi sandwiches and filet-o-fish, and fish and chips. The pescaphobic will also find joy in the burger, which is among the best around.

Ray's has a split personality: there's a fancy dinner-only dining room downstairs (reservations essential) and a casual café and bar upstairs. Both serve fresh seafood in classic preparations—clam chowder, steamed mussels, crab cakes, grilled salmon—but the main draw here is the view over Shilshole Bay. Competition can be stiff for seats on the café's deck, especially at happy hour. If you're going to splurge on dinner downstairs, reserve a window table.

A temple to uniquely prepared seafood, this is the restaurant that locals want to bring visitors to: an example of the casual way seafood weaves into all sorts of dishes when you live so close to such bounty. The mix of appetizers, oyster shooters, small plates, and full entrées makes the long menu an epic adventure filled with fresh local, domestic, and global fish—from local oysters to Hawaiian tuna, and back to black cod from Washington’s own Neah Bay. The dining room, built with ample wood and wall-sized murals of waterscapes, invokes the idea of a modern fishing lodge, but the high ceilings and sharp metals keep it more lively than cozy.

It's undeniably touristy, but the views here simply can't be beat on a summer afternoon. Famed for its Sunday and holiday brunches and view of Seattle's skyline across the harbor, Salty's offers more in the way of quantity than quality—and sometimes a bit too much of its namesake ingredient—but it's a couple of steps up from the mainstream seafood chains. If you can get a table with a view, order a wine by the glass and a cup of chowder or some crab legs, and enjoy.

This seafood shop-cafe hybrid sells some of the freshest fish around town. They makes some of the best poke around Seattle, along with sides like kimchi and mac salad, and dishes like a crab panini and clam chowder. Containers of daily catches and shellfish line the walls, and there's more to see in the glass case. Everything changes with the season. There are a few tables to the right of the busy counter, or take your food to go and enjoy it in nearby Judkins Park. The smoked salmon is a delicious souvenir to bring home.

Like the Edgewater Hotel that houses it, Six Seven is noteworthy for its views of Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound, especially if you opt to dine at the tables lining the deck at sunset. Regionally sourced seafood, such as cedar plank salmon, miso-glazed black cod, and a flavorful bouillabaisse, are menu standouts.

The waters off the Washington coast produce some of the world's tastiest shellfish. This cozy bar, located on a lively block between Starbucks Reserve and Melrose Market, is a great place to take a deep dive into the deliciousness. Along with local oysters, you can sample clams, mussels, crab, shrimp, and, if you're feeling adventurous, geoduck. (It's not all raw; there are steamed, stewed, and baked options.) The Taylor family has been farming shellfish for five generations, and they know their stuff. They also have bars in Lower Queen Anne and Pioneer Square, and their the Samish Bay farm makes a great day trip stop.

One of Washington’s largest shellfish farmers, Taylor shows off its harvest at this bright, high-energy bar. Oysters take center stage, but you’ll also find crab, prawns, clams, mussels, and geoduck—and the indulgent Salish Sampler lets you try a bit of everything. This is more a place for a raw shellfish feast than a full meal, though hearty chowders and stews can fill in the gaps. Located across the street from Seattle Center, it’s a favorite pre- or post-event stop.

This waterfront pub pairs fresh, creative seafood with some of the best views in the city—stretching from the Space Needle across Lake Union’s sparkling north shore. The kitchen leans into local bounty with dishes like crab hush puppies, seafood poutine, and perfectly grilled halibut, all served in a relaxed, nautical setting. Tucked just east of Lake Union Park, it still manages to buzz on sunny days, when the patio fills with brunch-goers and locals lingering over pints in the afternoon light.