 GEOFF CARTER
Seafood gets the royal treatment at Fish Club.
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Seafood restaurants
If it swims, Seattleites like to eat it. Accordingly, there's a fish place for every taste in this town, from simple fish 'n' chips spots like Spud to adventurous, high-end destinations like Earth & Ocean. Any way you slice it (after de-boning it, of course), we live in a seafood lover's paradise. For sushi, see our guide to sushi restaurants.
0/8 Seafood Grill & Twisted Cork Wine Bar
(Bellevue)
0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar in Bellevue share a seafood-heavy menu, a vast international wine list and an energetic staff. Some thrills: brandied crab bisque, gnocchi, soy-marinated salmon and tea-smoked duck.
Ama Ama Oyster Bar & Grill
(West Seattle)
Oysters make up only a small portion of the seafood-focused menu at Ama Ama. But at 50 cents per half shell during the daily 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour, neighborhood residents are quickly learning where to go to feed their oyster craving.
Anthony's Bell Street Diner
(Downtown)
A fun and festive spot. The waterfront location is an added attraction, offering great "see"-food along with fresh seafood (as well as landlubbing fare).
Anthony's HomePort
(Ballard/Crown Hill)
This restaurant is part of an affordable and very Northwest minichain. It's the perfect place to take the whole family for a reliable waterfront seafood feast.
Anthony's Pier 66
(Downtown)
Martini or beer, ahi or fish and chips? Whether you go upscale or down, you'll have a fantastic waterfront view of Elliott Bay.
Chandler's Crabhouse & Fresh Fish Market
(Eastlake/Lake Union)
Enjoy terrific seafood and even better service on the shores of Lake Union.
Chinook's at Salmon Bay
(Magnolia/Interbay)
This casual seafood restaurant -- practically a city institution -- is always dependably family-friendly, and its food is always satisfying. It's a great place to take visiting friends and families, too.
Duke's Greenlake Chowder House
(Green Lake)
Grab a brew and salmon burger after a walk around the lake. It's packed on warm summer evenings.
Earth & Ocean
(Downtown)
Seattle's current crop of "it" ingredients are well represented (foie gras, carnaroli rice, blood oranges), as is local geography (Dungeness crab, Penn Cove mussels, Samish Bay gouda).
Elliott's Oyster House
(Downtown)
A great place to be a tourist, especially if you're not. Savor the Pacific oyster sampler, Copper River king salmon, mussels in buttery wine broth with salty fries, fine smoked salmon, swordfish, wines and desserts.
Etta's Seafood
(Downtown)
Etta's Seafood, near Pike Place Market, continues to earn its keep in the firmament that is Tom Douglas Restaurants, offering comfort food, Seattle style: black bean soup, "Tom's Tasty Tuna Sashimi Salad," Dungeness crab cakes, pit-roasted salmon, corned beef hash and coconut cream pie.
Fish Club
(Downtown)
This hotel restaurant and bar has much to recommend it: its creative, seafood-centric menu with intriguing "small bites," gorgeous salads and spit-roasted specialties that take advantage of the freshest seafood available.
Flying Fish
(Belltown)
Chef Christine Keff's well-decorated spot offers pan-Asian cuisine with a strong seafood bent (well, obviously). It's a hip, fun place, and the fish is often stellar and always uniquely prepared.
Ivar's Salmon House
(University/Montlake)
Order from the restaurant or the fish bar and grab a waterfront table with a great view of University Bridge and North Lake Union.
Market Grill
(Downtown)
Some days you just want a handful of choices: halibut, salmon or prawns, either in sandwich form or as a platter with rice or salad. The chowder and coleslaw are well worth trying, too.
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant
(Downtown)
Famed for its happy hour, McCormick & Schmick's First Avenue outpost also delivers a wide variety of fresh fish dishes to hungry pescaphiles. Plus, the lunch crowd is often a collection of local movers and shakers.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
(Downtown)
The Oceanaire Seafood Room in downtown Seattle is quickly becoming a premier seafood destination with its well-stocked oyster bar, stylish setting and menu a that reflects airfreight's incoming tide.
Palisade
(Magnolia/Interbay)
This upmarket Polynesian restaurant should be your first choice for impressing the out-of-town relatives, appeasing the kids with a fun dining experience or celebrating a special day.
Ponti Seafood Grill
(Fremont)
A fine spot for a seafood meal or happy-hour specials while watching boats travel under the Fremont Bridge.
Ray's Boathouse
(Ballard/Crown Hill)
With a beautiful waterfront location in friendly Ballard, this Seattle institution is tops on the short list of any fish fiend. The upstairs Cafe offers a more informal atmosphere, plus a great deck for watching sunsets.
Ray's Cafe
(Ballard/Crown Hill)
With a killer sunset view of the Olympics, Ray's is still one of the best outdoor dining and drinking spots in Seattle, whether you're a tourist or local.
Salty's On Alki
(West Seattle)
Panoramic Seattle skyline view, renowned Sunday seafood brunch, great service, live music, fun drinks and food that's consistently good. Picks: oysters, tuna, mussels, chowder, crab, halibut, smoked salmon and fish 'n' chips.
Shuckers
(Downtown)
In the classic setting of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Shuckers features 13 varieties of oysters prepared just about every way you can think of. A local artisan microbrew makes the perfect accompaniment.
Spud Fish & Chips, Seattle (Green Lake)
(Green Lake)
Spud is a very good place to dine on fish and chips (or clam strips), especially if you just walked/ran/biked around Green Lake.
Third Floor Fish Cafe
(Kirkland)
The menu strongly favors what the Cafe does best. The seared rare ahi tuna (also available as an appetizer) is nearly a meal for two, served with black pepper fingerling potatoes and red onion jam. The oven-roasted Alaskan halibut, served on a bed of creamy white corn risotto, is a winner, too.
Waterfront Seafood Grill
(Belltown)
A spectacular sweep of seafood-centric schmaltz. Picks: sesame-seared Chilean sea bass, "Seafood Indulgence," Thai-inspired seafood stew and "Marvelous Flavor Fish," deep-fried to moist magnificence. A serpentine bar, live piano and stellar view add pizzazz.
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