This list of the best restaurants in Seattle with a view was inspired by my dad. Every year for his birthday he says he wants to go somewhere with “ambiance”…his code word for water views. And every year it’s a scramble trying to find places that he’ll enjoy.
I realized it was about time to put a list together compiling the lists upon lists I’ve made over the years. And since my family only accepts places with excellent food, I thought I’d pair it down to the places that we thoroughly enjoyed for both views and taste.
So if you too find yourself in a similar bind as I do every year on my dad’s birthday, or if you want to get nice views beyond the Space Needle or Smith Tower tourist attractions, use this list of my favorite restaurants in Seattle with a view as your guide!
Best Restaurants in Seattle with a View
I put these in alphabetic order and added a key to give you a sense of prices. $$$ means the place is fine dining and pricey, while $ means cheaper eats.
Aerlume
website | 2003 Western Ave (Downtown) | cuisine: Pacific Northwest | prices: $$$
We took my dad here for his last birthday. It’s one of the best fine dining experiences in Seattle located in downtown Seattle just outside Pike Place Market. The decor is modern with an open kitchen, fire pit right in the middle of the restaurant, and a ton of windows. Those windows offer gorgeous views of Elliott Bay and even leads out to a small deck open in summer. The picture above was from our table on the deck at sunset.
As far as food, the menu changes regularly to match the season. However, make sure to get the steak tartare, salmon gravalax, and chicken liver mousse if available. I don’t even like liver usually, but this was exceptional with the apples and pecans.
Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi
website | 10400 NE 4th St (Bellevue) | cuisine: steak and sushi 🙂 | prices: $$$
I saw Ascend on Instagram and was intrigued by its theatrical dishes and drinks that use a heavy dose of dried ice and smoke. However, I held off on trying it because I assumed it’d be like places in Vegas: all show and no substance.
Well, I was wrong. The meal we had at this Eastside gem completely blew us away. We liked literally every single dish we ate. Every one. That rarely happens. The cocktails were also excellent, as was the service.
For example, we went ham and splurged on the miyazaki wagyu that’s supposed to be one of the top 1% of beef in the world…with the price tags to prove it at $45 an ounce and a required 3 ounce minimum. Now I’ll tell you I am NOT a send-something-back type of person. It embarrasses me and I rarely do it.
However, they overcooked the wagyu, so by principle of paying about $200 for a steak, we sent it back. They comped it, gave us a free dessert, and brought out a perfectly cooked new one.
Canlis
website | 2576 Aurora Ave N (Queen Anne) | cuisine: Pacific Northwest | prices: $$$
Canlis is the OG fine dining restaurant in Seattle. It also happens to have some of the best views of the city.
It’s dining room is perched on a hill overlooking Lake Union. You may whiz by it because they’re right on Aurora, but you’d never know it once inside because you’re enveloped in mid century Mad Men vibes with stunning views of the city skyline.
I haven’t been to the restaurant since they hired Aisha Ibrahim as their new executive chef, but I’m really excited by her fresh perspective. She’s going to change the menu to focus more on Indigenous ingredients, but you’ll still find their classic Northwest cuisine like the Canlis salad (which if I’m honest was our least favorite thing when we ate there, so maybe save room for her new stuff!).
Little Water Cantina
website | 2865 Eastlake Ave E (Eastlake) | cuisine: Mexican | prices: $
It took me way too long to finally visit Little Water Cantina, but I’m so happy I did. It was doubly sweet because I’d just eaten at another Mexican restaurant that won’t be named and literally left the food was so bad. So I was extra thankful for Little Water Cantina to come to the rescue.
This spot is unassuming on Eastlake because it looks like just a restaurant tucked under a condo building. But the back opens up onto a deck with gorgeous views of Lake Union. Music is often pumping and people chattering, so it makes for a lively vibe. They’re also known for their late night happy hour where you get free chips and salsa.
Drink wise the margarita verde I ordered was exceptional. It was spicy and not too sweet despite having pineapple in it. Instead, the basil and cilantro made it fresh and early!
Food wise you need to get the nachos. It has both melted Monterey cheese and queso, which was extra meaty thanks to the chorizo mixed in. The nachos are crisped in the broiler and it comes with guacamole, crema, pico de gallo, and your choice of meat (get the carnitas!).
mbar
website | 400 Fairview Ave N (South Lake Union) | cuisine: Middle Eastern | prices: $$
This is one of the best rooftop bars in Seattle that also has pretty good food (honestly, most of the others are best just for drinks!). The entrance is inside the 400 Fairview office and shopping building. A host will greet you at the entrance and walk you to the elevator. From there you’ll go to the 14th floor, down a hall, and into an indoor/outdoor restaurant with a lot of plants and bumping music.
The vibe can be a bit clubby or crowded with the after work crowds, but the views of Lake Union and the Space Needle can’t be beat. While I’ve ordered dishes here that were just okay and not on par with the best Mediterranean food in Seattle, the must gets are the chicken kebab and mezze with three different dips.
Marination Mai Kai
website | 1660 Harbor Ave SW (West Seattle) | cuisine: Hawaiian | prices: $
Marination’s West Seattle location has the most envious property, so obviously it deserves a spot on this list of the best restaurants in Seattle with a view. It has a huge outdoor patio area overlooking the Puget Sound. Across the way you get a view of the Seattle skyline and the water taxi shepherding people back and forth.
My favorite item at Marination is the kalua pork sliders. I don’t usually love kalua pork, but their version is acidic thanks to a yummy slaw. It’s this dish alone that makes Marination one of West Seattle’s best restaurants, and definitely where to go for some of the best Hawaiian food in Seattle.
Matt’s in the Market
website | 94 Pike St (Downtown) | cuisine: Pacific Northwest | prices: $$
Matt’s is an iconic Pike Place Market restaurant. They have the most prime location across from the market’s famous sign, which you get a front row view of through their historic arch windows. These windows make a great perch for people watching as they mill around the market below.
It’s a popular place to come for lunch. Make sure to get their famous caramelized onion bacon dip and housemade chips. Insiders know it’s one of the must-eat places in Pike Place Market. I also enjoy their fishwich, though know it’s grilled fish rather than fried a la McDonald’s!
Maximillien
website | 81A Pike St (Downtown) | cuisine: French | prices: $$
I actually got lost trying to find this restaurant the first time I went. It’s tucked inside Pike Place Market down an alley way to the left when you enter the market underneath the sign.
Inside it has two stories of indoor seating, but the real draw is the small outdoor patio. You’ll be seated right next to their herb garden and get views of the Olympic Mountains.
While many consider this spot one of the best French restaurants in Seattle, I think the must-get food here is the mussels. They are super flavorful and served with irresistible frites.
The Pink Door
website | 1919 Post Alley (Downtown) | cuisine: Italian | prices: $$
I went to The Pink Door about 10 years ago and remember thinking it was meh. But I went again recently and was put in my place. It is in fact awesome.
The restaurant is tucked behind an inconspicuous pink door (get it) in Pike Place Market’s Post Alley. The inside has an Italian Carnival theme with Venetian jesters, masks, and equally festive decor tucked everywhere your eye can look.
But the real draw here is the outdoor patio open in summer. It’s hidden behind a big tree so it’s obscured from view to feel like one of the last hidden gems in the market. The trellis with hanging flowers and Italian print tablecloths make it seem like you’re eating from the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast with the water in the distance.
Considering The Pink Door serves some of the best pasta in Seattle, pasta is a must get here. Specifically get the bolognese and lasagna. The bolognese tastes like it’s been stewing all day, with a deep meaty flavor and the perfect amount of cream. The lasagna has the thinnest sheets of pasta, the creamiest ricotta, and this amazing pesto that gives it an unexpected brightness.
Place Pigalle
website | 81 Pike St (Downtown) | cuisine: French | prices: $$
This is another one of the best restaurants in Seattle with a view that’s located in Pike Place Market. Like Maximillien, it’s also tucked down a hallway to the left of the market when you enter at the famous sign.
To get into the restaurant, you’ll walk through a small outdoor dining area with a few bistro tables overlooking the Seattle waterfront. These are the enviable seats, but the inside is as cute as a button with checkerboard floors and a vibe that feels as if you entered a Parisian brasserie. And in true Parisian style, the service here can be slow. But no worries, having more time to linger over the views isn’t so bad.
Make sure to order the bouillabaisse. It has a tomato-saffron broth and a ton of fresh seafood. Seriously, so much: salmon, mussels, clams, seasonal white fish, and shrimp.
Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe
website | 6049 Seaview Ave NW (Ballard) | cuisine: Northwest seafood | prices: $$ – $$$
This is one of my dad’s favorite restaurants in Seattle with a view. It’s near Golden Gardens perched right on the water. Downstairs is the fine dining restaurant with huge windows overlooking the sound. Upstairs is the more casual cafe with a great covered patio running the length of the restaurant.
My preference is the cafe because of its more affordable price point. My go-to item here is the clam chowder, which is creamy and imbued with smoky bacon goodness. Try it and see how it compares to the other best places to get clam chowder in Seattle.
Terra Plata
website | 1501 Melrose Ave (Capitol Hill) | cuisine: Spanish | prices: $$
It’s admittedly been a while since I’ve been to Terra Plata, but I can’t forget the gorgeous rooftop patio tucked into the angular building with string lights and almost 360-degree views of the downtown buildings.
The menu has Spanish tapas and larger plates, but what’s really got my eye is the paella. Spain was the last European trip I took before the pandemic, and I look back fondly at the memories of being packed into tapas bars elbow to below with other guests.
Westward
website | 2501 N Northlake Way (Northlake) | cuisine: seafood | prices: $$
Westward is one of the best restaurants in Seattle with views, hands down. That’s because they have the most enviable property right on Lake Union, but further away from the traffic in South Lake Union. Instead the only traffic you’ll see are the boats making their way into the docks surrounding the restaurant.
You can take in the views from their outdoor patio with fire pits and tables, or bask in the ambiance of the restaurant’s stunning interiors. It’s no wonder the decor is serious eye candy: the restaurant is owned by famed restauranteur and James Beard winner, Renee Erickson, who is known for owning some of the best fish restaurants in Seattle.
She bought the restaurant a few years ago. I haven’t been to Westward under her ownership, but considering most of her restaurants are my go-to restaurants in Seattle, I’m confident the food is yummy.
The White Swan Public House
website | 1001 Fairview Ave N (South Lake Union) | cuisine: seafood | prices: $$
The White Swan Public House is owned by the same people who own Matt’s in the Market. Their restaurant is right on Lake Union with a huge outdoor patio with breathtaking views of the water. Since it’s first come, first serve and has an outdoor bar, the vibe is always lively.
My favorite dish here is the Poutine of the Sea. It has clam chowder gravy smothering fries with clams and bacon. Why clam chowder fries aren’t more a thing blows my mind, because these are kind of a revelation.
More Restaurants with Views in Seattle
Here are spots still on my list to try that are known for great views.
- Agua Verde Cafe (U-District) – I’ve been to this Mexican restaurant and kayak/SUP rental spot about a decade ago, but I need to go back to refresh my memory!
- Bluewater Bistro (Leschi) – I heard they have great seafood and views.
- Charlotte (Downtown) – This restaurant is inside the Lotte Hotel and looks to have pretty views of downtown.
- Goldfinch Tavern (Downtown) – This is one of Ethan Stowell’s restaurants inside the Four Seasons Sheraton.
- Iconiq (Mt. Baker) – The French-Japanese cuisine at this spot is intriguing!
- Six Seven (Downtown) – I’ve always wanted to go to this restaurant inside The Edgewater Hotel, which is right on the Seattle waterfront.
- The Stone House Cafe (Rainier Beach) – I’ve heard this spot has some of the best brunch in Seattle.
Other Places to Try
Once you make your list through these best restaurants with views in Seattle, try these other restaurants and bars for more good eats in the Emerald City.
- Best Rooftop Bars in Seattle
- North Seattle Restaurants to Add to Your List
- Fish Restaurants in Seattle That are Actually Good
- Quintessential Seattle Food to Try in Your Lifetime
- Ultimate List of Dishes You Must Try in Seattle
