If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m completely obsessed over where to find the best steak tartare in Seattle. I’m into complete carnage when I go to restaurants. If they have this popular raw meat dish, I will be ordering it.
I started to realize that not all steak tartares are created equal. So I created a Trello board with a running list of all my favorites (I know, I’m a nerd). Rather than let that list go to waste, I thought I’d share with you where to find the best steak tartare in Seattle.
Where to Find the Best Steak Tartare in Seattle
Save this to Pinterest for later, as I’ll add more Seattle restaurants with the best tartare as I find them!
The Walrus and the Carpenter
website | neighborhood: Ballard (get directions) | price: ~$23
I’ve been known to describe the steak tartare at The Walrus and the Carpenter as life changing. It’s actually what spurred my love affair with this classic French dish and started my journey of finding the best version in the city.
Chef Renee Erickson’s version still holds the top spot, which makes Walbar one of my favorite restaurants in North Seattle. Most tartares use chopped meat, which can make the texture feel firm and sometimes reminiscent of hamburger meat. The Walrus and the Carpenter’s is somehow creamier.
I think the meat is fantastic by itself, but the accouterments are classically French and also delicious. You have the raw egg to break and mix in (but I recommend trying the meat plain first!). Then there’s the perfectly crisp rye toasts. Oh, and the flakes of sea salt. Together, it’s the perfect combo of of crunchy, salty, and creamy that makes this a must eat in Seattle.
Pro tips: The Walrus and the Carpenter is also known for having some of the best oysters in Seattle. Can’t make it to Walbar? Check out sister restaurants, Bateau and Boat Bar, for steak tartare instead!
Stoneburner
website | neighborhood: Ballard (get directions) | price: ~$19
I’ve been going to Stoneburner for longer than I care to remember. So much, in fact, that I include them in my self-guided Ballard food tour.
While they’re best known for scratch-made pasta and killer brunch, their steak tartare appetizer is a low-key highlight of the menu. It’s made from Washington wagyu beef and has preserved ramps, a hint of chili for some heat, and a sesame cracker for scooping.
84 Yesler
website | neighborhood: Pioneer Square (get directions) | price: ~$20
84 Yesler will never disappoint. From their open-spaced dining room with a clear view of the kitchen to their seasonal menu of beautifully plated dishes, they have a penchant for execution. Their steak tartare is topped with finely minced fried shallot and chives for added texture, and the egg yolk cream adds a luscious mouthfeel that enhances the richness without the texture of a runny egg.
The Metropolitan Grill
website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | price: ~$32
The Metropolitan Grill is an OG steakhouse serving some of the finest cuts of beef in the Pacific Northwest. Their smoked steak tartare is made from tenderloin and comes with a sharp sherry mustard dressing that adds complementary acidity to balance the richness of the meat. It’s smokey and comes topped with a runny quail egg and lavash for dipping.
Le Caviste
website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | price: ~$14
Le Caviste is a hidden gem in Seattle WA that even most locals don’t know about. It’s a tiny space with a chalkboard menu of charcuterie, small plates, and a curated list of French wines procured by owner and master sommelier David Butler. The steak tartare is an off-menu items and features delicate hints of onion, caper, and lemon that go down perfectly with wine.
Cedar + Elm
website | neighborhood: Kenmore (get directions) | price: ~$24
Cedar & Elm is located inside the Lodge at St. Edward Park, a previous seminary turned historic hotel on the outskirts of Seattle. Their restaurant is open all day (including happy hour), though it’s their dinner menu that boasts the filet mignon tartare. I love it because it’s well-balanced, yet it has a sharp bite thanks to the ever-so-subtle addition of horseradish. They also give you milk bread for dipping, which you’d almost think would be too soft, but it works!
Beast & Cleaver
website | neighborhood: Loyal Heights/Ballard (get directions) | price: varies
Beast & Cleaver is a twofold experience. By day, it’s one of the best butcher shops in Seattle where you can get thick cuts of locally sourced ribeye, sausage, and the like. By night, it’s The Peasant, a meat-driven multi-course restaurant concept showing off Pacific Northwest ingredients or Beastro, a casual a la carte restaurant.
The menu changes with the seasons, but if it’s available on either menu, get the tartare. It’s made with thick cuts of quality meat served heaping with a large wonton cracker. The acidic, caramelized onion ranch balanced the earthy, umami meat, easily catapulting it to the top of my list.
Cafe Campagne
website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | price: ~$35
Cafe Campagne is unequivocally one of the best French restaurants in Seattle. They’re located just off of Pike Place Market, neatly tucked away on Post Alley, and feature a list of seasonal French fare reminiscent of a classic Parisian Brasserie. Their tartare has hand chopped beef with shallots, capers, Dijon, and a sunnyside-up quail egg. It also includes an arugula salad dressed in verjus vinaigrette and crostini for dipping.
Pro tip: They also low-key have the best steak frites in Seattle, so make sure to get an order for the table.
More to explore in Seattle
Hopefully this article helped answer where to find the best steak tartare in Seattle. After you make your way through the list, check out my other guides to find more good eats!
Thanks for the list, I will definitely try some of those places. Have you tried steak tartare at any Korean BBQ places? That’s where I first tried it. I didn’t realize that I knew someone that also likes steak tartare; next time you need a tasting buddy, let me know!
I haven’t had much steak tartare at Korean BBQ places, but I’ll have to try next time I do! I’m not the biggest Korean BBQ fan, so that’s likely why I don’t end up at those places. Though I did try some at Girin recently (but it wasn’t exactly tartare). Let me know if you like any of these other ones that you try!
Check out the Tartare at Chan – amazing!
Ooo good to know, will have to add that to my list! Thank you!
Totally agree that Renee’s tartare is the queen of them all. Stateside also has incredible steak tartare that’s so different from Walrus & Carpenters that you don’t even need to compare. I highly recommend it!
Oooo I haven’t tried Stateside’s tartare, but I must! Thank you for the tip!
I love the yukhoe at Girin. Yukhoe is the traditional Korean equivalent to steak tartare.
What do you think of the steak tartare at Rain Shadow Meats?
I haven’t had the steak tartare at Rain Shadow Meats, but I need to change that. Thank you for the tip! And I had the yukhoe at Girin. It was totally different! I wasn’t accustomed to the more gummy texture, so I decided to leave it off the list. But next time I try it I’ll give it another go!