Exploring Seattle’s Seafood Scene: Best Spots for Fish & Shellfish

1. The Walrus and the Carpenter

If the unpretentious décor throws you, trust that the long lines of customers in this small Ballard oyster bar are a sign that The Walrus and the Carpenter is a place that serves superb food.

The atmosphere is fun and buzzing, and the large zinc bar and cute outdoor patio are perfect for slurping their excellent and large selection of cold oysters or for munching on small yet delightful plates of grilled sardines with walnuts, fried oysters with cilantro aioli, or black cod brandade while imbibing superb wines by the glass, craft beer, cider, and fancy cocktails. 4743 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107, Phone: 206-395-9227

2. Pike Place Chowder

Pike Place Chowder is one of those Seattle eateries that are featured in every tourist guide as an absolute must-visit.< As a result, its flagship Pike Place Market spot is swarming with tourists, all getting a taste of one of the eight kinds of chowder served every day. They also offer samplers of five chowders.

Can they be called chowder flights? The counter service and utilitarian, no-nonsense décor doesn’t bother anyone, and while all they serve are the chowders and great sandwiches, that is all they need to be America's number one and Seattle's best chowder café. If you become completely hooked, you will be glad to learn that they now deliver their chowders anywhere in the States. If you are curious about the basic recipe, they are all simmered slowly in small batches, with plenty of fresh seafood and vegetables as well as real butter and cream.

1530 Post Alley, Flagship Chowder House, Seattle, WA 98101, Phone: 206-267-2537

3. Elliott's Oyster House

Located at Pier 56 on Seattle's bustling historic waterfront, Elliott's Oyster House has been delighting its customers since 1975 with a fantastic view over Eliott Bay from its cozy dining room and fantastic outdoor terrace overlooking the water.

The stars of the menu are oysters, all 30 kinds of them, prepared in any way imaginable. Working with local fishermen, they offer sustainable Dungeness crab, Alaskan halibut, wild salmon, and Pacific Northwest shellfish. If you like your seafood raw, sit at the 21-foot-long raw bar. Elliott’s has a superb wine list and local beer on tap. The place is hopping during happy hour.

1201 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, Phone: 206-623-4340

4. Bar Melusine

Bright, airy, and with the distinct impression of salt marshes on the windy coasts of northern France, Bar Melusine is cool and modern French, with its white and green décor and a menu dominated by delightful land and sea, with snacks from Normandy and Brittany or grignotages. There is a beautiful white marble oyster bar that usually has eight kinds of oysters listed on the chalkboard, mainly from several of Washington State’s smaller farms.

Melusine can fit 50 people in cozy two-people booths and large communal tables that invite socializing, creating a nice buzz that adds to the fresh atmosphere of the restaurant. Chef Jay Guerrero treats his customers with such delights as fried fish skin with fish roe and shaved sausages and confit duck gizzard served with smoked yoghurt. The list of good French wines is impressive and there are some rather interesting cocktails.

1060 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98109, Phone: 206-900-8808, See the Map

5. Ray's

One of Seattle’s favorite spots for fresh seafood, Ray's has been around for more than 40 years, starting as a simple fish shack and growing into an elegant restaurant with an incomparable view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. The elegant dining room is perfect for special occasions and the large outdoor terrace is everyone’s favorite spot for a more casual meal and drinks while watching the sunset.

The menu ranges from simple, honest grilled salmon, crab cakes, and raw oysters to many dishes with a distinctly Asian flare such as scallops with green curry or black cod marinated in kasu. The superb wine list offers something for everyone.

6049 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107, Phone: 206-789-3770

6. Rock Creek Seafood & Spirits

You can count on Seattle’s food-loving crowd to discover and keep returning to this superb eatery with its cool vibe. Rock Creek Seafood & Spirits is a fun place in the Freemont neighborhood with high ceilings, rustic wood beams, river rocks, and huge photo murals of roaring rivers that create a lively outdoorsy atmosphere of a fishing lodge or a mountain cabin. Chef-owner Eric Donnelly is a wizard with seafood and fish and serves local Northwest staples such as crab, mussels, and oysters, East Coast favorites such as striped bass as well as rarely seen exotic fish such as Hawaiian Ono or Kona Kampachi.

The flavors are international and complex and the presentation is pure art. To taste a bit of everything, go for small plates and try a few. To start with, you might go for the grilled Norwegian mackerel ‘In Saor’, pine nuts, currants, celery, pickled shallots, saba, and grilled bread. The wine list is very respectable and there are some great cocktails.

4300 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103, Phone: 206-557-7532

7. Salty's on Alki

Salty's on Alki is huge, but even if it were twice as large, it would still fill quickly. Million-dollar views of Puget Sound, the city skyline, the funky décor in the large dining room with its huge windows, and the wraparound deck or the large patio over the water as well as the decadent buffet on Sundays make this popular West Settle spot an absolutely must for any visitor.

The locals use it to show off to their visitors, significant others, or business partners. The menu revolves around fresh Northwest seafood with live Dungeness crab, oysters, and clams as well as Maine lobster and Alaskan salmon and halibut when they are in season. On the ‘turf’ side, you can find Certified Angus Beef Natural® Steak, pasta and chicken, and, of course, the famous Sunday brunch buffet with just about everything.

1936 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126, Phone: 206-937-1600