Great Restaurants in Downtown (Seattle)

Fisherman's Restaurant

Built on the end of a pier on the downtown waterfront, this place draws crowds in the summer. Visitors and locals alike take in the views across Elliott Bay. The interior of this two storey seafood eatery contains wooden tables and chairs, wooden walls and floors. A little brass enhances the nautical feel. If you're hungry and dining with a friend, try the Fisherman's Feast, which includes great sourdough bread, chowder, salad, a bucket of fresh Pacific Northwest clams or mussels, and a choice of crab, salmon, halibut, cod or prawns. The menu features more seafood, plus pasta, chicken and steak. The lunch crowd is casual. Jeans or shorts and T-shirts are standard attire in the summer months. For dinner, folks dress up a bit, although it is still pretty casual.

Merchants Cafe

Merchants Cafe, first founded in 1890, takes pride in the fact that it's the oldest restaurant in its original location on the West Coast. History has its advantages, one of them being that it inevitably lends a place character. Such is the case here, where the beautiful long bar seems to flavor the drinks that rest on it. The menu offers pub grub that includes primarily soup, salads and an all inclusive list of over 15 sandwiches and burgers. If in the mood for breakfast, try one of the stuffed omelets. Almost everything on the menu priced low, so filling up may not drain your wallet but tickets for a game at nearby Safeco Field will.

Maggie Bluffs Marina Grill

Downstairs from the glitzy Palisades, this casual spot with a nautical theme called Maggie Bluffs Marina Grill serves burgers and fish-and-chips on the waters of Elliot Bay. Diners are treated to a view of nearby boats, if not of the water itself. Burgers with thin fries are the best bet. The management's lack of inspiration reveals itself more in the pasta dishes, although they will suffice for the anti-burger contingent. This eatery has a full bar and is smoke free. The restaurant is accessible by boat.

Triple Door

The Triple Door is in the building that housed the Embassy Theatre, built in 1926, and a lot of the old decor from the original vaudeville house is still in evidence. The purpose of the Triple Door is to give an experience with the best in sound, lighting, atmosphere, and hospitality. When all of these elements come together, which they do at the Triple Door, it gives the audience something that can only happen with the performance of live music. It is this exceptional experience that makes the Triple Door a thrilling venue for live music. (Triple Door serves food and alcohol. In the adjacent Musicquarium there are live shows.)

Oceanaire Seafood Room

If you are looking to blow a bundle on the finest seafood money can buy, The Oceanaire is the place to go. From the more common dishes like the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper and Live Maine Lobsters, to the truly exotic Whole Dover Sole and Sea of Cortez 1 Bluefin Tuna, this upscale restaurant has it all. With a menu like this, you cannot help but leave feeling content and satisfied. Nothing but the freshest of ingredients go into the making of your meal, so when they say that the tuna they are serving you today may have been swimming the day before, they're not kidding!

EMP Sky Church

There's nothing religious about EMP Sky Church, though hard-core music fans will beg to differ. One can experience it all here - blues, jazz, hip-hop, funk, punk, country and rock n' roll, to name a few. Special events include live performances, as well as exhibitions that delve into musical history. The 140,000 square foot building is designed with exhibits and artifacts that lose its patrons in the world of rhythm and melody. There's always something going on here and even the musically disinclined will leave the place feeling touched in some way. Come, strike a chord!

Serious Pie

Steps from the Dahlia Lounge, Tom Douglas's newest creation is about pie. Not like his infamous Coconut Cream—Serious Pie is about seriously good pizza. The space is intimate, with just 50 seats, rustic exposed beam ceilings, and a wood-fired oven surrounded by natural stone visible through the open kitchen. Pizza crust is melt-in-your mouth perfect. Try the house made mozzarella, their exclusive sausage and pancetta, or indulge in Penn Cove Clam. Round out your meal with an organic lettuce starter and be sure to finish with a warm crostada dessert. Offerings change seasonally.

Ibiza Dinner Club

Ibiza is a super glam restaurant and nightclub frequented by the jet-set. Mirrored walls and a mixture of warm and metallic tones make the atmosphere highly sensuous. Sip on a Bellini Martini or other seductive cocktails at the VIP Lounge or mingle at the vibrant Tapas Bar. The dinner menu includes the preferred 'Small Plates' option offering dishes, such as the Baked Stuffed Prawns and Seafood Ibiza. An extensive wine list helps to get you grooving with the DJ. They also have live music on Saturdays. It is rumored that the food is good value for money, so go after 10p and enjoy the nightclub scene. Make sure you doll up, image is everything here!

That's Amore Italian Cafe

Even during the rare moments when you are the sum total of the cafe's clientele, this eatery always seems to buzz with activity. Warm and inviting, you will come early and stay late, as there is no pressure to leave before your conversation has run its course. Diners should make a beeline for a seat facing the back. Normally not the first choice in many restaurants but here it means an absolutely spectacular view of Seattle. Pastas and gourmet pizza flood the menu; with an excellent, modestly priced Lemon Fettuccine. There is even a children's menu.

Pecos Pit Barbeque

This barbecue joint has managed to outlive many of its neighbors. The decor is virtually nonexistent, unless you consider outdoor tables and take out windows decor, but the eatery serves up delicious helpings of its speciality—pork. The meat is offered in just about every shape and size, and slathered with one of the best barbeque sauces in town. Unless you have a tongue of steel, or you are feeling adventurous, you might want to stay away from the hot sauce.

Mee Sum Pastry

Do not be misled by the name of this little eatery. You are not going to find desserts here, but a range of very inexpensive, savory, bready Chinese dishes. You order from the sidewalk and eat your food on the go. If that doesn't appeal to you, perhaps you will be converted by the wonderful aromas emanating from the sidewalk window. Little potpies, spring rolls, dumplings and cookies crowd the display window. Choose a few or a full meal.

Sanmi Sushi

To hear enthusiasts tell it, a skilled sushi chef imbues his cuts with spiritual energy. Misao Sanmi is skilled, and in a city that treats sushi chefs more like commodities than celebrities, he has a large faithful following, many of whom consider his waterfront bar, with its sweeping view and simple decor, the spiritual center of Seattle sushi. His cuts of tuna, black cod and salmon are generous and fairly priced. For a hot meal, try the Udon and, for lunch, Sanmi's Bento is a well-rounded delight.