Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar
205 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004
Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar Menu
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Address :
205 108th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA, 98004 - Phone (425) 456-0010
- Website https://www.seastarrestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Jenni H.
I wasn't too pleased with my first experience here at Seastar. The first time I ever been there, I was eating with my Mom, Aunt, and Grandmother and the place was pretty busy. Although there was plenty of seating in the Bar area. We tracked a table down and got settled in and that's when I realized that I had left my license at home. I did have an Alternate ID which specified my DOB... But it wasn't a legal document. It was the Paper ID that the DOL gives you as a temporary form of identification until you get the Official Plastic ID....Either way I am asked for my ID and explained the situation... The waitress was very sarcastic and rude... Basically acting like she was a waiter at the local Shari's . I was then asked to leave my seat because I didn't have a license. I tried reasoning with the waitress but she was just so stubborn that she simply couldn't see how unreasonable she was being. I had identification that stated my age, it shouldn't matter if it is a legal document or not... The fact that it is or isn't official doesn't change how old I am. My family and I also kept our cool and stayed very reserved. We wanted to speak to the manager. She came and although she was a little friendlier, she still wouldn't allow me to sit with my family! I wasn't even planning on drinking! It isn't like I was with a group of friends and I was planning on drinking myself senseless... I was with my family, and I wasn't going to order a alcoholic beverage! So after many attempts to level out with the manager, we simply decided that this place was not worthy of our business. In fact, because of what had happened that experience... I will never be going to a Seastar Restaurant ever. They have forever lost a very good potential customer. Out of respect for the Owner/Manager.. I will state that my review was strictly based off of the Service... NOT the food itself... I had not tried their food.. and there was a point where i wanted to.. but the whole fiasco and the way that it was handled.. was just too unprofessional.
(1)Alex L.
Okay, definitely some of the best food in Bellevue. Unfortunately that's not saying much. I had the salmon with some sort of pureed potatos the consistency of glue. The salmon was outstanding however. The caesar salad was good, but not outstanding. Dessert was downright horrible. Without a doubt the WORST chocolate lava cake I've ever had. All of us at the table laughed about it the next day. The service was pretty good, although the cocktail waitress completely forgot a manhattan I ordered. She was a hottie and borderline flirty, so the missed drink is forgiveable. So, in bellevue 3 stars. If Seastar were in the bay area (CA), LA or new york... well it simply wouldn't survive.
(3)Mike G.
We got a $100 gift card, so we went...otherwise we wouldn't be able to afford it. The crab cakes were amazing and the sauce they were in was absolutely delicious. The king crab was also very good. I had the chocolate lava cake with raspberry sauce for dessert and it was fantastic! Our server was nice and down to earth, but the rest of the staff was cold and emotionless...maybe that's a Sea Star policy? I've read that in other reviews as well.
(4)Zoe G.
I feel like there are certain restaurants in the Seattle area where the two top gets no love. After our experience last night, I am sadly going to have to categorize Seastar Bellevue as one of them. More than half the experience for me is ambiance and service. While I think that the food at Seastar is really good, it wasn't worth getting basically forgotten about during our meal. Especially as this was a date night and we were also paying for a sitter. Everyone was friendly enough, but after being seated in the main dining area (at a table that seemed to be in a heavy traffic area no less), it took forever for our server to come over. By the time she did we had already pretty much decided what we were having. My husband ordered a drink, which never arrived, and while our food was prompt it just felt like a revolving cast of characters were serving us. It was a completely impersonal experience which leads me to my next gripe. I couldn't get over how corporate/executive the dining area felt at Seastar. Am I the only one that gets this impression? I felt like I was dining in the hotel restaurant, though the food was WAY better, then a nice restaurant. That pretty much killed it for me. I think, overall, if you are there in a group you will have a great experience. It's also seems like a good place for a celebration, but I'd steer clear if you are thinking of going as a couple. In fact, I would say you might as well sit in the bar as a two person party. You might have a way better time.
(3)Doctor S.
I've eaten here on several occasions, and have always been impressed by the service, and quality of the seafood fare. This most recent visit involved a happy hour menu--surprisingly great food for reasonable prices (if you can make the happy hour). $1 sushi pieces (you get 1 piece of roll per $1), $1 oyster on the half shell and also scallop cerviche. All told, for me and my other, with her glass of merlot and my soda, $35 had us happily filled. As for dinners, well, this place isn't inexpensive, but would be a nice place to have a special meal, or if the tab is on the company, a swank dinner...
(4)Eric G.
Seastar has great seafood and is another awesome "power lunch" place. Mostly it is a place of the Bellevue Community of Who's Who who dine here, and for good reason. They have valet parking, the ambience great, the servers always friendly and hardworking, and the food is outstanding. Not quite 5 stars, but I would vote 4.5 Just go and check it out yourself.
(4)Ari P.
Strurgeon was unbelievable. Sushi not so much. An oasis in the desert that is Bellevue.
(4)Michael C.
Great Sweet and Spicy Soup. Super fresh and delicious sushi
(4)A T.
First 5 star review for me! Service and food at SeaStar Bellevue were excellent. The bf and I came here for Urban Eats on a recommendation from a friend. We liked that they had numerous choices for the prix fixe menu, like 6-8 for appetizers and entrees each, rather than the normal 2-3 choices each, and most of which are on their normal menu. Additionally, you can choose from the full dessert menu! They take the spirit of sampling their restaurant on a budget to the fullest. I found our server extra friendly (in a good way) and her recommendations were spot-on. She recommended the dungeness crab bisque appetizer and the crab cake entree. Both were excellent. The bisque had lots of crab in there, not just a measly serving. We also had the blue cheese, shrimp and pear salad which was very tasty as well as the shrimp and asparagus risotto. We practically licked our plates clean! Everything looked so yummy when they came out that we completely forgot about taking pictures to post here. For dessert we shared an order of the raspberry molten chocolate cake (also on our server's recommendation) which was served with raspberry sorbet and fresh raspberries. It was very enjoyable and not as rich and heavy as other molten chocolate cakes I've had. For our other dessert, we ordered a set of 6 truffles to take home which was a thoughtful touch because we were so full but didn't want to waste our included dessert! All in all, it was a highly enjoyable meal, great atmosphere, excellent service, and free validated parking (3 hrs). I didn't think their normal prices were that bad either...
(5)Kayla C.
I'm not a big seafood person but I thought I would try this anyways especially since someone else was buying for me :-) Much to my surprise it was very good! Their appetizers are delicious and their blue cheese, shrimp and pear salad was one of the best salads I've had in awhile! Because I'm not a seafood fan I order the Roasted Jidori Chicken. It was good, but a little too rich for my liking. The service is also great! The only suggestion is to add a few more non-seafood entrees.
(4)Jody N.
Sea Star brings the best of fresh fish to your table. I celebrated my 26th birthday here with my family and was delighted by course after course of delicious food. For our appetizer we ordered the seveche which was a bite size flavor boost. Our meal was followed by an array of fresh fish (Salmon, Halibut, Cod) paired with white wine. The entrees were good, but I wasn't that impressed by the alterations they did to my fish to make it allergy free. For desert I had sorbet that was made in house and delicious!
(4)Rosa C.
the service is great, the location is great, and EVERYthing i have eaten here, which is a lot, has been amazing. the only thing i don't like is that parking can be a pain unless you plan on paying. =/ but totally worth the trip!
(5)Crystal P.
This place was uber delicious!!! Every single item on the dinner menu sounded YUMMY!! The drinks were fabulous too. I had the original and mango Caipirinha and they were both superb. The White Chocolate Cream Coconut Pie for Two is wonderful and i HATE coconut, plus it can definitely feed more than two people. You must go and enjoy the delicious food...you can't go wrong on any selection!!!
(5)Susan H.
Haven't been to Seastar in quite awhile, went back for my husbands birthday and am glad we did. Food is excellent still. My husband had the halibut with chili oil and I had a filet. Both were very good, rather large portions and their prices are still reasonable. The best part was the dessert!!! You must try the Passion fruit panna cotta. YUM YUM.. The tropical fruits are finely diced in a green tea syrup and the little panna cotta was perfectly firm but not rubbery. Lilikoi is the best fruit and I was thrilled to have it on a menu in Bellevue. Our server was very good, attentive but not intrusive. Only drag was the AC was cranking freezing air down on us. Glad we came back, Seastar is consistent with food quality and service. You should try it ;) ;)
(4)Bryan S.
Brilliant food, but pricey. Great service.
(5)Chris C.
I'll give it 4 stars because the food and service were good. I liked it, but there's nothing "special" about it. Same as just about any classy restaurant, good but nothing unique.
(4)Brian H.
I was dying for some seafood after work...I had been eying this restaurant for some time, and decided to give it a shot....I started with the oysters sampler...I had been craving for oysters for quite some time, these did not fail...very tasty would have loved more though. Next I ordered the ancho chili salmon.....OMG! this was amazing....fish was cooked perfectly, the rub was awsome and the sauce...who do i have to kill to get the recipe lol....The food while really great is very pricey....but i believe well worth it if your looking for a good high end place to eat...
(5)Katie C.
You want awesome seafood? This is awesome seafood. I've been here once, and am dying to go back. It was fantastic. The crab bisque was SO FREAKING AWESOME. Seriously. Moan-inducing. That good. My salmon rocked, but I preferred my husband's potato chip halibut, yum yum yum. Everything was delicious, service was pretty fast, it's a nice place. I must have more of that soup @_@
(5)Regina L.
The restaurant is owned by John Howie. I loved their steak, and their food, so I decided to try his seafood place. To me, the food was okay, not as spectacular as the steak. We started out with the dungeness crab cakes, and oh my word its oh so good! It was a great start of a meal. I ordered the sesame-peppercorn crsuted seared ahi, and it felt like they poured sweet chili sauce all over it. It was good, because I love sweet chili sauce, but I felt like I could have made something like it at home. So i wasn't very much impressed with my dinner. But they gained my love again with their chocolate/custard creme brulee.It was real nice and crusty on the outside but creamy on the inside. Loved it. In my conclusion, this place, I wouldn't die for, if I want to eat their delicious appetizer and dessert, I'd rather pay more and have his steaks, because then, I'll at least be satisfied for the whole entire night instead of having this love hate relationship with John Howie. The pricing isn't bad. All of this plus the roasted jidori chicken came to under around $100 with tip.
(3)Carin S.
Been meaning to try this place for quite a while; and all I can say is WOW! Nice atmosphere, very amiable staff, but the menu is phenomenal. Went yesterday for lunch for my birthday; we started with the scallop trio appetizer. I could've eaten a plate full of those - wonderfully matched flavors, melding together very well. My salad entree (the Maytag) was fabulous and my partner enjoyed her jambalaya; very tasty! And when the friendly waitress learned it was my birthday, she asked me to choose a dessert, which she said was on the house. Wine was good; coffee was great - it was an all-around fantastic meal and experience. A little on the pricey side, but I don't mind paying for quality (just can't go as often as I'd like, cuz our tastes are bigger than our pocketbooks). Will definitely go again and recommend it to anyone looking for terrific seafood.
(5)Debbie K.
$$$ (Spendy) and they serve Menage trois wine?? Seriously??? It's Bellevue for crying out loud!! This was the second and final go with this place. Downtown Seattle is not too far to drive to get some decent sushi....
(1)Denise E.
I love a good happy hour...and they have one. There are only three items on the happy hour menu, but they're good ones, and a buck a peice. I've never been disappointed with dinner I've had there either. They have a very extensive drink list too.
(4)Kitty N.
Come to me delicious crab cakes! It was an interesting selection of seafood choices here. I had the hot and sour shrip soup (more like tom yom Thai soup) and also the lobster/fillet Mignon. very nicely done. I do wish I had the king crab legs though, I was jealous of the size of those suckers on my friend's plate.
(4)Mira B.
I was a bit disappointed only because the selection of oysters was disappointing and I did not enjoy my dish.
(3)Georgia J.
The food is so amazing and the service was wonderful too! Plus, we received a box of complimentary truffles for my boyfriends birthday.
(5)Moe M.
Seastar is Northwest cuisine done right. I've been here numerous times and have never been disappointed. If you like seafood and you like soup, you must have the Crab Chowder. AWESOME! For lunch the Crab Melt is great. For dinner you can't go wrong with anything, but I love the scallops.
(5)Tia S.
I had a chance to eat here after having lived across the street for a year wondering why it was consistently full every single night of the week! Now I know! The food here is amazing. We were a party of 7 and every single person was completely satisfied with their pick. We made sure to try out each other's dishes and it seems to me everything was fantastic! The desserts weren't as great as their mouth-watering descriptions on the menu but that might have been b/c we were really full by then. I think this place is definitely worth the price ... every once in a while that is!
(5)M G.
Why doesn't Yelp allow for 1/2 stars or fractions of - because Seastar is not quite PERFECT, but darn near close. I'd say 4.8. I work very close to the restaurant, so we are forever going to Seastar whether it be for takeout or celebrations. So much so that people are kind of tired of it - yet never stop recommending it to out-of-town people or taking business meetings there. Food: I've only had lunch here - and a lot of them! It's always consistenly wonderful! The Fire Grilled Tuna sandwich - is DELICIOUS. The Tuna is seared and the portion is perfect. The Dungeoness Crab & Corn Bisque is THE BEST I have ever had. There are hearty chunks of dungeoness crab throughout with a drizzle of balsamic vinagrette that surprisingly go well with the bisque. Truly, this is amazing! If you like crab, if you like bisque (or chowders even) - you will love the bisque. Their bar food menu is amazing too. The deviled eggs are wonderful - and yes worth the price. Even the sushi is wonderful. Basically everything I have ever eaten here is AMAZING. The portions are good too - for a fancy restaurant, they aren't snotty enough where you get a small taste and should be satisfied. Even their fries taste fresh and are yummy. Oh, and they have some of the best mango mojitos I have ever tasted! Sit in the bar, have a cocktail and order from the bar menu - it's a good starter experience. Environment: The bar is separate from the dining area which is great to keep the atmosphere in the right areas. Still noise carries a bit in the dining area so don't expect to have a quiet, romantic lunch here. The dining area with it's linen and set up is very nice. During lunch be ready to see many business people having meetings. Reservations are always very good to have as it gets busy. The waitstaff is very attentive, I have never had a bad experience with them - even in the bar! And I've had to order food quickly and order several things with very picky people. This is an all around great restaurant. If you don't know where to go or where to take out-of-town guests who really like to savor food (especially seafood - but they do a wonderful gnocchi, burger and salads too), take them here.
(4)Steve G.
Unbelievable food! At most restaurants, they are known for one dish in particular that they do extremely well and the rest of the menu is just decent. Not with Seastar - there is not a thing on the menu that is not made to perfection. If John Howie is going to have it on his menu then it has to be incredible -- really, there is nothing on that menu that does not get a 5-star in my book. It is not a place to go if you want to save a few bucks - I typically spend $45-75 per adult for a great dinner. They make a great lunch as well sandwich and a drink will set you back about $10. Their wine selection and knowledge is the perfect compliment to a great restaurant and they do this perfectly. The wait staff is great. This is definitely a place to see and be seen! Cheers...Steve
(5)AAA n S.
the fish and Ahi tuna salad is good to try, and appetizer is also good, wi-fi is free but safe locked, and environment is very clean and classy, i like here and like food here also !!!!
(5)Marta D.
Oh my, the cedar plank mushrooms keep me coming back again and again. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Good idea to make a reservation at during lunch, everyone loves it as much as I do!
(5)S S.
Excellent food and cool atmosphere! Downtown Bellevue! I've had okay to good service there. You park under the Civica Building, and they will validate your parking ticket. There is not much to do around the restaurant, though - just a bunch of office buildings. It is not cheap! Good place for a date. UPDATE: Oct 2011, I believe I wrote the above rave review mostly based on my visit in their lounge section. I have gone to their dining section twice now and I think it's overrated. So, I'm bringing down one star to 4 stars.
(4)Malcolm L.
Five stars for everything but the location (in an office building) and the preponderance of braying businessmen. Wonderful food, excellent service, upscale but comfortable ambiance.
(5)Laura G.
From beginning to end our evening at Seastar was wonderful. My husband and I had reservations at the Bellevue location. We showed up early to enjoy a drink and happy hour in the bar. We enjoyed the calamari poppers and drinks that were made perfectly. The hostess found us in the bar and ushered us to our table where we met our waiter, Lisa, who might have been one of the best waiters I've ever had. She was warm, friendly and seemed to genuinely enjoy her job. She recommended wine for my husband as well as gave us insight on what was on the menu. We are a bit of foodies and her description of everything we ordered was spot on. We enjoyed the raw bar sampler (the scallop ceviche was my favorite). I ordered the swordfish which was prepared wonderfully. It was the perfect blend of richness. Just an amazing dish. My husband ordered the Harvest Trout, which was quite possibly one of the strangest yet delicious blend of favors I've ever had. We were blown away with how great it was. From the bacon hash to the split pea soup it was the perfect storm of flavors. For dessert we shared the white chocolate coconut cream pie, which they comped for my birthday (so nice and not at all expected). It too was wonderful, the coconut and chocolate paired beautifully. Our night at Seastar was such a wonderful experience we are already planning our next trip back.
(5)Bharat J.
Incredible bisque soup & great service. Wine recommendations were right on.
(4)Michelle B.
This place is all about high grade, meticulously prepared SEA FOOD. You'll spend some $ but you'll also get some creative and delicious dishes. Last night's Scallops with black truffles was a decadent taste-bud-kicker - but I'd stick to their ahi, one of the BEST seared ahi preparations anywhere. Also everything on their dessert list looked amazing! So I give it 4 stars because the bartenders behind their lovely bar weren't really that attentive before dinner. Might be because I didn't flash them the huge eastside breastesses they're used to seeing. Maybe next time...
(4)Kari P.
SEASTAR RESTAURANT in Bellevue: I went with my partner on Tuesday evening and had a window seat. Unfortunately I don't remember our server's name, but she was exceptional. She had such a great personality, shorter and blonde, with a friendly smile. After we ordered dessert, she came and told us that she actually sent it back because it wasn't up to par, which was both impressive and appreciated. A few minutes later we got our dessert and it was perfect. I ordered Prime Top Sirloin with Garlic Portabellas, and a cup of Dungeness Crab & Corn Bisque. Both were SO GOOD!! Excellent food. Excellent service. Reasonable prices on wine too.
(5)Eva G.
This place is cool, chic and mouthwatering. It was the first place I ever had sushi and crab cakes about 6 years ago when I visited Bellevue on my first business trip to the northwest. The location is central and the food is fairly priced. Great wine selection and the perfect place for a lunch for two.
(5)Jim L.
'The Place' for business, if a bit noisy. Great food, especially seafood. Good bar -- I actually prefer to eat dinner at a table in the bar because it's not as noisy and has a warmer feel. My second best favorite place in Bellevue (after Bis on Main). But Seastar is probably the most expensive place in Bellevue.
(5)Chip A.
Love Seastar! We go there for lunch often. Usually get the "Tower" appetizer and the catch of the day. Never disappointed. No bad service experiences. Nice atmosphere. Always busy but not packed. All my coworkers love it too. Never had dinner there though.
(4)Mackenzie S.
One of the nicer restaurants on the Eastside, Chef Howie is trying to make the statement that you don't have to drive across the bridge for a good meal. Every fish meal is exquisitely done, and the sommelier is extremely knowledgable. Nice bar, though usually pretty empty. Lots of business meals done here on weeknights. I agree with previous reviewers - this is a good date spot for something intimate.
(5)yoshi n.
Loved their food. sushi was just ok.
(4)megan d.
i would love to hate this place but i can't its one of the few perks of bellevue. the sashimi is top grade, the seafood is great i can;t complain ONE of the best restaurnts in bellevue for sure.
(4)ben h.
i was pleasantly surprised by this place. my initial reaction when walking in was pretension pretension pretension, but the host staff and my server were exceedingly polite and helpful. overall the service was excellent. i had the seared sesame tuna appetizer and the red king salmon and ancho chili smoked prawns. both dishes were were excellent though not good enough to make me speak in tongues and dance around the room. then menu prices were reasonable given that this is an upscale dining establishment. i've only been here once, but it seemed like you could find a few bargains on the menu if you looked hard enough. most dishes were in the $20 range. i do have to note that while i experienced excellent service the party of 6 next to me seemed to have to wait for the food for an exorbitant amount of time. so much time that the manager came out and offered to buy their dessert b/c of the long wait. that being said - my experience was enjoyable - i'll definitely come back to this place.
(4)Star E.
Some of the best grilled salmon you can find- excellent presentation, and the asparagus and fingerling potatoes are prepared with an equal amount of perfection!
(5)Brian K.
My wife and I have eaten here twice and myself another time with a group of friends. As the name implies, their speciality is seafood. I am vegetarian, so I cannot comment on this portion of their menu. However... Their wine menu is expansive and contains many great options. Their cheese plate is delicious and worth odering. Their salads are fresh and interesting. They do a great special for vegetarians. I have had 3 different ones. My favorite was a pecan and parmasean crusted tofu 'steak.' Tasty. On the weekend they have music and cougars are out in full force. So stay for dinner and head home. :)
(4)Maria N.
So, I've been going here quite a lot lately and I have to say it's gotten much better. The food has been fresh, the specials are great, and service has been top notch.
(4)Momiko S.
My Favorite Seafood Place! Reservations: I usually email them for a reservation and A. they email me back with a confirmation or B. they CALL me to let me know they are completely book but have these other times. Parking: Park on the Street, Valet OR Self Park in the Garage and they will Validate! (Woo hoo!!) Service: Awesome! When i email them my reservation I told them it was our 1 month Anniversary as Newlyweds. They totally surprised us with a surprise! Food: Lots of Choices! My Hubby and I wanted to eat everything but we will just have to go back again. (Yay!) Everything is so good! I've had their salmon, seafood stew, spicy tuna rolls, apple sushi rolls and more! Everything just seems to be perfect. Bonus Feature 1: Their Restrooms is away from the dining area. So you cant see it or smell it.. Bonus Feature 2: They have Happy Hour!! Enjoy!
(5)Stacey M.
Love the raw bar best poke around & the white chocolate coconut cream pie for 2 is heavenly! Excellent cocktails, but you pay for them...
(5)Ann M.
Night before our event the team dined at Seastar and it was amazing. We got a great suggestion on a local wine, we sat in the bar. The service was very good, but the food was amazing. I had the potato chip crusted halibut and the corn and crab chowder was delicious. Very rich and creamy, a little cup is enough and could even be shared. We ended with the coconut cream pie for a birthday for one of our coworkers so we all had a bite. I don't normally like coconut but this pie was yummy. I would definitely return next time I'm in Bellevue.
(4)Jeff K.
I wish I could show you all the photos my girlfriend took of the comment card I wrote on, but here's the transcript: "How much to have the Ancho Chili Smoked Salmon whenever I want? SERIOUSLY...SERIOUSLY...!!! REALLY...SERIOUSLY... PLEASE TELL ME VIA EMAIL SERIOUSLY! IT'S LIKE CRACK TO MY STOMACH'S SOUL. THANK YOU TO THE CHET FOR A WONDERFUL DINNER & TO ANDREA FOR THE WONDERFUL SERVICE" Ancho Chili Smoked Salmon is like crack to my stomach's soul. Seriously, it was good. We did come early for our 7:45 reservation, waited 10 minutes before we got seated, got a little rushed in terms of deciding on what to order. The Dungeness Crab Cakes might have been a little over fried for my taste. The Spicy Tuna Roll had a bit too much sesame seed oil, which didn't help the tuna. Then, everything was fine after but more amazing afterwards. I really wanted to know if I could have the Ancho Chili Smoked Salmon whenever, cause it is a seasonal dish for the summer. Andrea was fantastic, she went to the kitchen to ask about it, and brought us a response which we were grateful for. For dessert: ebony & ivory: chocolate and vanilla creme brulee. It was pretty good as well. But seriously, the service was near great. We couldn't have asked for a better dining experience on short notice.
(4)Jessica C.
A friend visiting from Japan had a craving for seafood. Living on the eastside we naturally made reservations at Seastar. We shared a seafood tower that had amazing coconut shrimp and crab cakes. Each of us ordered some sort of salmon. My friend went for the King copper river salmon and could not stop commenting on how fresh and wonderfully it was prepared. This compliment coming from someone that eats fish on a regular basis is quite impressive.
(5)Gene D.
You have to give quite a bit of credit to SeaStar for being first in Bellevue to bring this level of quality seafood purveyance to downtown. It's something to look forward to each and every time. I agree there is a 4.8 to 5.0 rating that applies here. I haven't gotten to the sushi yet but it's a smart menu option.
(5)J S.
Stopped by for a late dinner after flying in from NY. Decided to eat in the Bar, but the restaurant was pretty empty, although it was 9pm on a Wednesday night. I went the route of four appetizers: Oyster Sampler, crab cakes, salmon poke and seared tuna. The salmon poke was terrific. Fresh fish, nicely seasoned and really the highlight of everything. The crab cakes were, frankly, kind of bland, although with a great sauce. I think the problem is that there just is nothing that compares to a crab cake made from maryland blue crabs. Once you use something other than the real blue crabs, it is more about texture and saucing. In this case, there was not much if a taste of crab, although there was a nice crust and the salad on top was good. The seared tuna, was like seared tuna anywhere else. It was good, but so what. at $16 for an appetizer (I think), it should have blown me away - it didn't. The oyster sampler was good, although the waitress that served them was really useless on describing the types of oysters, beyond small and medium, and when you order three each of two types of oysters three ways you expect to get each type prepared in each of the three ways - I didn't. The wasabi topping on the oyster was delicious, the citrus not so much. Overall a decent meal that strives to be a big city experience with big city prices in a small city that should have smaller prices.
(3)gretchen m.
The Seastar restaurant makes a great steak (yes!) and the way they broil their king crab legs is unique & delicious. Overall the food is very good for lunch or dinner. But, you knew that. The happy hour in the bar is my favorite way to experience this place. Excellent appetizers, sushi and raw bar that are priced reasonably. If you hate all fish - do not bother with this recommendation. We had tender sushi rolls and ceviche with good flavor. The bar fills up so go early. There is a happy hour on weekdays to make the Bellevue-priced bar bill easier. A good upbeat vibe to the place. It does tend to be a little on the dressier side, but you won't feel awkward in jeans in the bar. I guess I was happier not knowing that it's owned by John Howie and not seeing Howie's beer sold there. It makes it feel like a chain. But I still recommend the place.
(4)Betsey S.
Wonderful seafood in Bellevue, finally! The service was outstanding. They were so accommodating of our little one (who behaved very well at her first fancy dinner out with her grandparents). Our server, the sommelier, and other patrons made much of her, which she loved. When I ran out of food for her, our server happily found her favorite, a banana, to save the day. Thank goodness Banana Spring Rolls are on the dessert menu! The Seafood Tower was a fabulous start to our dinner (we liked the shrimp best), and I loved the tilapia entree, a fish I don't normally order because of its tendency toward mediocrity. I ate every bite. Great wine list. Overall a great experience for all five of us.
(4)Paul G.
My wife and I were on vacation in the Seattle area and wanted a very good restaurant to celebrate our anniversary dinner. We looked through all the review sites and Seastar Restaurant consistently was in the top group of seafood restaurants. We decided to give it a try and the entire dining experience was top notch from the time we were seated through the awesome coconut cream pie desert. The food was amazing and the waiter was well verse in all the menu items including how they were prepared and his recommendations based upon our description of what we wanted. I can't say enough about this place and would take the short flight from Bay Area back to Seattle for a weekend based around dining there again. We have traveled all over the world and eaten at many great restaurants and this one ranks in our top 10. If you're in the area definitely must dine there.
(5)Yan T.
This was a very fine dining experience in Bellevue. Cedar Plank Roasted Pacific NW Red King Salmon came recommended and did not disappoint. Apparently the chef is known for his cedar plank roasting prowess. Started with a spicy seared tuna roll and that was fresh and tasty as well. The wine list appeared to be excellent.
(4)Nicole L.
Best Week night happy hour in Bellevue!
(5)Robin A.
Food might worth the money depending on what you order, but the decor in this place is terrible. I dread going there for anything but work meetings as it is not a place for dates or socializing with friends.
(2)Annie H.
I feel passionately about this one star review... I went to Seastar for dinner on a Friday night mostly out of curiosity and its proximity to my new apartment. It's funny because though our dishes were terrible, when I read positive reviews I like to think maybe we ordered the "wrong" things. But when I read about the "classy" decor and ambiance it makes me chuckle. I thought the decor was reminscient of what may have been considered "classy" at a midrange hotel in the 1990s. Chunky wood furniture, tacky carpet, big potted plants... But we all have our opinions :) Another reviewer said the ahi poke was inedible and I agree. The poke was equal parts tuna and raw red onion, of which the latter was so pungent and bitter, it was just... torturous (I came in starving that night). The cumin crusted shrimp was blah. Sushi was blah. Oysters were okay. The bread was good! It's rare when you have a dinner so disappointing you order dessert just for the sliver of hope that the meal ends on a better note or that the restaurant redeems itself. I'm a sucker for creme brûlée (of a wide range of qualities), but this one was ice cold in the middle. Not even the literal "middle," but just underneath the burnt layer. UGH. And my souvenir from the night was still that acrid aftertaste of red onion. This dinner was gross. The service is a whole 'nother story altogether, but the food was much worse.
(1)Sarah M.
I came here for drinks with my dad and ended up getting appetizers as well. The drinks here were fantastic! I ended up having some kind of interesting take on a cosmopolitan...I forget if it was a raspberry flavored cosmo or what...but it was delicious! We ended up getting some kind of spicy pieces of beef as well as sauteed mushrooms for appetizers which were both very good! The reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because it was a little bit pricey - which is fine - but for what it was, I definitely did not think it was worth it. The portions were very small (I know they were appetizers) but definitely not worth as much as we paid. I believe for 2 drinks and 2 appetizers, it was almost $60! Not including tip! Crazy... ************************************* Okay, so I have to update this review because I had a second GREAT experience here! I decided to head over to the bar because it's right down the street to grab a drink and an appetizer. THE PORK TENDERLOIN IS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS I'VE EVER HAD TO EAT IN MY LIFE! That, and the staff there is pretty awesome. They really knew their stuff. The bartender recommended a pomegranate pear martini which was delish! I was really impressed by their knowledge! I may have to take a weekly venture here...it's totally worth it!
(5)Jeremy H.
Great place, love the raw bar, menu is solid, lunch is a little too loud for my liking but dinner is fabulous
(3)Maasa W.
Seastar is definitely my "go-to" for any occasion. I have been here more than a dozen times, and I have NEVER had a bad experience -- ever! The food is always cooked to perfection, and the service is spectacular. One of my favorite things on the menu is their corn crab chowder. It is SO delicious, and they definitely don't skimp on the crab meat! Another great dish is their appetizer tower with crab cakes, prawns and scallops. Really great taster appetizer to share or a meal in itself. Absolutely LOVE this place, and it's worth every penny!
(5)Agnes S.
Went here for my birthday today.. Wanted to try the pink door actually, but ended up here and thank god we did... For the appetizer, the crab cakes are DELICIOUS! with its creamy Thai sauce mmmm... I ordered a crusted tilapia and it didn't let me down either.. I tried my friends' food ( salmon, mahi2, mac and cheese), all of them taste GOOD! For dessert I had the banana sundae, a little bit too filling and sweet, but yummy nonetheless.. Overall, it was a good experience and I'm sure I'll be back again in no time. The downside was we had to wait 30 mins for our table even though we made a reservation and arrived on time.
(5)Megan M.
Fantastic. Great service. Everything we ordered was off the charts good. Just go already.
(5)Saoirse O.
Obviously someone else was paying the bill, so I found myself trying the Bellevue location instead of the one in Seattle. The food was excellent, deeeeelish raw bar, clams, crab cakes, salmon and the usual suspects beautifully prepared. The only low note was the coconut cream pie, why copy Tom Douglas at something he has perfected? It was enormous so good for sharing but too heavy. But let's not dwell on that after such a lovely dinner! A couple of things to mention: I like sitting at the highchair/ bar stool things- why don't more restaurants have those? Also, the building had an oddly sterile feeling, felt like we were in a bank. Oh! We were in a bank.
(5)Lena K.
Went back again last night for dinner this time. Last time I went for happy hour. Started the evening off with Scallop, Salmon, Yellowtail, Albacore Sashimi, Oysters, Nakamura roll, and Salmon Jalapeno roll. All were excellent. Albacore was only OK, as it was seared a bit, which takes away from the freshness in my opinion. So we were pretty much stuffed by the time dinner came, but it was my husband's birthday and we wanted to try a lot of different things on the menu. He had the Swordfish which was melt in your mouth smooth, and had a great flavor combined with the citrus rice and roasted artichokes. I had a Shrimp Caesar Salad, and happily so, not only was it absolutely delicious, but after all those appetizers I would not have been able to eat another filet of fish. Service was excellent, and the Seastar experience continues to be one of the best in the industry.
(5)Cameron D.
The atmosphere is kind of stiff. The waiter that served us however was exceptional. Great customer service and recommendations with the drinks. The food however was only OK. I have had much better seafood for much cheaper at other venues. Not worth the price.
(3)Brandon O.
Recommended to us, my fiancee and I went there for "fresh seafood" and we weren't dissappointed. It was a little pricey and the furnature/carpet seemed a little outdated, but overall ot was nice. We self parked in the garage underneath and took elevator up and walked thru building lobby. The place was bigger than we expected and we didn't have to wait for a table at 7pm on a friday night. Staff was friendly and knowledgable. Pretty good experience overall.
(4)Tiger C.
You enter Seastar, and it is not just a restaurant, it is an experience. Sleek design from the bar area on the right to the fine dining tables to the left, exquisite. Another fine evening at Seastar, this is the fourth time I have been here, and I will make it to the double digits soon enough. Tonight though, here is the situation, been to every station, now it is time to eat up the lobster mac and cheese. The situation here, besides jersey shore abs, is that the plate that comes out is a great portion size, and when you dig in, the big bites of lobster, absolutely amazing. The setting is always terrific, right next to a few towers in downtown Bellevue, so you get into the real banking mindset. Moving onto to the dessert, the coconut pie slice is delicious, one bite to the next. I do not even get to finish it because the mac and cheese was such a great portion. Great start to the evening, and a brilliant kick off to what is next. Who's the awesome restaurant? Seastar is the awesome restaurant.
(5)Toby T.
While one of my dear friends decided to go on a raw food cleanse, we came to Seastar in hopes of having a fun happy hour at a new location. It was mediocre at best. Seastar is totally stuffy - no one even gave us a smile. Maybe we aren't their typical demographic and they didn't want us ruining their spotless image, but we were treated like crap. The host at the front door didn't even look at us, but our server was THE WORST! I mean, she was a total beez, if you know what I mean. I'm sorry that she clearly hates her job, but I can't change that for her. The food, however, was very good. A little pricey, even for Bellevue's standards. To go here again I would have to really be convinced, and it's going to take a LOT of convincing!
(3)Avitania B.
Seastar is good, but not great. The food reminds me of wedding food: each plate has a protein, starch, and a vegetable that's either steamed or grilled. The ingredients aren't very innovative, and the flavors are safe. You won't find a bad dish at Seastar, per se, but you can find much better in the area. It's a safe place to take picky relatives, business contacts, or large groups that like seafood but have a diverse set of tastes. Personally, I think it's a little too pricey for what you get, but on a Saturday night it wasn't crowded and the service was good. Yeah, it's a-ok.
(3)Jon G.
Good burger and fries. Chicken salad was so-so. Not a lot of flavor to it and a bit sour.
(3)Kim M.
Ambiance feels like a generic hotel lobby restaurant. Bread basket with freshly baked rolls and rosemary crackers were delicious. I got the scallops - they were perfectly prepared but the polenta custard that came with it was soooo heavy with cream cheese I couldn't even touch it. Husband said the salmon was fishy, dry and lacking in flavor. Just OK for us, nothing memorable.
(3)Annie F.
Decided to try this place for the first time during Seattle Restaurant Week and glad we did. The place was upscale and you have to be a little bit dressed up (guys a collared shirt, preferably no jeans, absolutely no baseball hats, etc). Not for everyone if you're looking for something laid back so 3 stars on the general atmosphere. Our waitress was consistently friendly and very polite throughout our meal. She unfolded our napkins for us and placed it on our lap-very fancy! Service overall was 4.5 stars. I ordered the Dungeness Crab & Sweet Corn Bisque as my starter and it was absolutely delicious! It had tons of flavor and the crab meat was plenty. 5 stars on this one. I chose the Wagyu Beef with Gnocchi "Meat & Potatoes" entrée. The meat was very tender and the Gnocchi was soft and melted in your mouth. This dish was very filling but I wish I ordered something lighter. I gave this dish 3.5 stars. For dessert, I had the Chocolate Cake which was yummy. It was moist and not too rich. 4 stars on the dessert. Overall score I would give is 4 stars. Too fancy for an everyday type restaurant (not to mention pricey) but good for date night or special occasions.
(4)Wayne M.
I'm always in for a good experience when I go to Seastar. The food is impeccably prepared, and the service is warm and friendly. Everything is fresh and amazing. I recommend the hot and sour soup with shrimp if it's available. It's brimming with big chunks of shrimp and makes for a nice start to a meal. This time I had halibut with a chanterelle succotash and the fish was perfectly prepared.
(5)Bye Y.
Went for my birthday dinner and they weren't as impressive as my first visit. The Thursday dinner crowd seemed pretty large so they were swamped and it showed in the preparation. I'd like to give 3.5 stars but veered down to 3 due to my disappointment (i.e. consistency issue). In terms of atmosphere, it's classy-swank with white linen, uniformed servers, napkin rings, etc. The only drawback was the stylish wooden wall panels that made the room very loud and hard to hear across the table without shouting. The hostess was great with some of our special requests that included holding a present at our table and moving our reservation back at the last minute. The service overall was very professional and accommodating. The only lackluster aspects were with respect to our food that wasn't prepared as expertly as I had come to expect. The appetizer tower was up to par with a couple items impressing the guests. I still didn't care for the banana in the tropical salsa over the scallops. Husband had Thai soup that was served lukewarm and had an old aftertaste. They served the table all at once so I'm guessing they had his soup out too early. My salmon special was sadly overcooked with no sauce to compensate, the asparagus was overcooked and the fingerling potatoes were a tad raw. A dry and disappointing dish. The sushi plate seemed to go over well. The wasabi surprised my mom with an unusual potency. My aunt and dad ordered a steak with bleu cheese crumbles in a weird sludge of sauce and mystery vegetables. We were able to identify portabello mushroom and onion with some peering at nose-length. The dessert was rich and chocolately with a nice presence of orange zest. With our table spending conservatively (large app, entrees, one dessert, no alcohol), the bill came to about $45/person, which wasn't bad for a fancy place but I do wish my food had been executed better. I did appreciate the 3 hour parking validation that covered our lengthy dinner.
(3)Julian H.
Exactly what you would want (and expect) for $100 a person. Seastar is definitely a place to take the big out of town client, or the family for special occasions. The atmosphere is pretty formal. The crowd on average was older. For reasons I cannot ascertain, our waitress was acting a little weird (like giving us that look you give your give your six year old when he says he wants to take the car out for a drive) at first but turned all professional and waitressy when we started doing some serious ordering and (I'm guessing) she realized the tip would not be small. It all felt a little condescending. In contrast, the sommelier was awesome: professional yet funny and laid back. I wish he had been our waitress. The food was really, really good.
(4)Ulyana T.
I have been by Seastar many times and couldn't resist but to peek through the windows to see the upbeat scene of customers interacting with each other and deliciously enjoying their food. Finally, the Seattle Restaurant Week came about ($28 for 3 courses), and the appealing menu and great reviews made me come from West Seattle to Bellevue on a weeknight. The drive and waiting in traffic was worth the experience! We had a group of 10 which was courteously accommodated on time with a gracious smile of the staff. The food was delicious, and its presentation was a piece of art. And anyone who knows me is aware that those two things are important to a foodie like I am:) I am happy to say I discovered a new gem that will be topping my list of best restaurants. Bon Appetit. Uly~
(5)Mike T.
We ate here for dinner on a Saturday night utilizing the Groupon. We just ordered the Seastar Tower and the Chef Sushi platter from the raw bar. The tower came w/the crispy saifun shrimp, scallops in a fruit and macadamia nut chutney, and crab cakes (best of the three). The sushi platter came w/a large caterpillar role, 4 pieces of nigiri, and several slices of sashimi tuna and scallop. The sushi rice was on the sweet side and the fish was fresh - nothing to write home about. The true winner was my son's mac and cheese off the kid's menu. It was great! Nice touch w/the garlic. The service was top rate - the reason for 4 stars. Our waitress was great and humored our 4 yr old son's "questions". There's validated parking under the building which is nice as well.
(4)Nathan L.
I stopped in here with a friend for dinner, after being recommended here by the bartender at our hotel. I had their lobster macaroni and cheese, plus a few drinks. The service was prompt and super-friendly, and my lobster mac and cheese? It was fantastic! I will definitely come back next time I'm in town, and even though I'd love to check out their other menu items, that lobster mac and cheese was good enough I probably won't try anything else.
(4)Eric K.
I usually feel bad giving a place with this kind of reputation three stars after one visit. After eating at Palisade quite a bit when John Howie was there I had high expectations my first trip to Seastar. And it did not live up to those expectations. A girl I was dating for a short time and I went through a week where we ate here, at Chez Shea, at Salish Lodge Dining Room, and a couple other great restaurants. This was unfortunately the low point of that week for me. Although my date enjoyed her food quite a bit, my fish was rather bland and the accompaniments didn't add anything to the flavor. The service was also friendly but that is about it. On top of that, the table they seated us at was very awkward. We sat at opposite sides of the table, but the table is so big you feel like you are a mile away. It doesn't create any intimacy. I kept having to lean in to hear my date because on top of being a mile away from her it was also fairly noisy. If there are two people in your party make sure to not sit opposite to each other. Lastly, although Seastar was advertised on the list of places offering three courses for $30 it was in fact only the Seattle location. That wasn't a big deal for us because we wanted to order off the regular menu anyway. But if you plan to go for three for $30 or dine around Seattle or any other special be sure to check which Seastar location(s) are honoring the deal.
(3)David C.
One of our favorite places to dine. Great atmosphere with nicely spaced tables for privacy and talking with friends. Fantastic food and prices are good but a bit on the higher side. It's perfect for that nice romantic night out with someone special ;)
(5)Alice C.
This is a review of their happy hours. Hubby and I stopped by a sunny afternoon for an early Friday night date. It is very hard to find restaurants in Bellevue that is innovative, with food that I have not tasted anywhere before. Their truffle fries are delicious. Not too oily. Crispy skinny fries (that is not the innovative dish aforementioned). Ahi poke was fresh and delicious. Soup was a tom yum type soup but not as sour. Calamari poppers and jalapeno salmon roll are crave worthy. We definitely will be back.
(5)Casey Y.
I think we can all agree that when going to Seastar, you don't think about your wallet. Saying this, the price of this place will not affect the review in anyway. Gotta dress casual? Of course. Everything they serve here is either good, or amazingly good. Clean, professional, good variety of foods. There's something for everyone. The desert was good, too. Need to impress somebody? One of the best places in Bellevue for an anniversary or celebration. Your wallet won't be impressed though.
(5)The Next Time O.
Nice decor and service. Good place for business or entertainment. Would not recommend for celebrations nor family get together. In our case, we had a family gathering of 11. As for food, we had for appetizers, dungeness crab cakes, 3set of half dozen oysters, and 3 sushi rolls, and salad for the 9 adults. Some of the entrees were as I can't recall all of them, halibut, seared ahi, salmon, tilapia, and sea bass. Think we all agreed fish was fresh and prepared well. The Next Time: I will return for business meeting or entertainment for either lunch or dinner. For food, the oysters and sushi rolls will both work along with a fish for entree.
(4)Chris W.
It has been a few years since I have been to Seastar, and I was excited to return and take a group of work friends/foodies along. When we arrived it became clear that the ambience was great. The appetizers and items from the raw bar looked good and the wine list as well. And they proved to be quite nice. However, when our main courses arrived they were uninspired and left us disappointed and expecting more. The Tuna sort of 'was'... and the Lobster Mac and Cheese was lukewarm/cold at spots. The desserts were nice and the espresso was good. I left Seastar thinking of it much as an attractive woman who was fun on the first date and then sort of bland the longer you get to know her. There are many fish in the sea, and this one wasn't for us.
(3)Deb J.
We tried this restaurant during Restaurant Week and were very pleased. The wait staff were pleasant, smiling, attentive and excellent at their craft. Someone has trained them well! Their bread basket was delicious - warm too. There was a sourdough and a fennel-seed bread and a "cracker" that was very good. Refill came upon request since we needed more to enjoy the excellent sauces in the upcoming appetizers - whoops - we ate it too quickly. And bless her heart - she asked 2x more if we needed more bread. We didn't. :) Above and beyond the $28/person restaurant week choices, we decided to also sample the Seastar Tower for $30 - with crab cakes, scallops, and shrimp. Yummy! The accompanying sauces were delicious, although rather rich! Only drawback - didn't like the mushy banana as part of the fruit compote with the scallops. We couldn't decide on a favorite - they were all good! My crab / corn bisque was delicious (and rich!) He had the calamari ceviche - fresh and delightful. I had the salmon with yukon gold potatoes and roasted asparagus - beautifully done although I think it could have used a sauce (the lemon wedge provided a nice fresh note but still...) Funny thing is - with most of the dishes we felt the sauces were very rich but I still wanted something to tie it all together with the salmon entree. He had the Wagyu beef w/ gnocchi - so yummy! And rich but he said it was the favorite part of hi meal. For dessert the coconut cream tart hit the spot. The waitress said the restaurant week portions were smaller than normal but we felt that the portions were more than adequate and quite filling. We also ordered Pinot Grigio (8 oz pour) and coffee at the end (good on both counts). Top notch service - our water glasses were filled often, the service was attentive but not obtrusive. For two people, the bill was about $110 plus tip. A 4.5 out of 5 stars - only because so many of the sauces were so incredibly rich and needed more balance. Plus that banana in the tower. We'll be back, for sure. Perhaps to sample happy hour, and definitely for dinner again. Good time!
(4)Alexei N.
Nice clean restaurant but seafood continues to disappoint. This time went there for late evening sushi and oysters. Oysters were quite good, but nigiri were sub-par, even Hamachi that was supposed to be fresh. It's the third time I'm going there for sushi and always get disappointed. Their Tuna poke is oversalted, fish is not as fresh as at Shiro's but prices are. Dinners are not much better, either. I had king salmon there and it was overcooked, even though I asked for rare.
(3)Ian M.
Went here utilizing a Groupon. Started with happy hour in the bar. We had the truffled fries, pork medallions, jalapeno salmon roll, an 8oz house red wine and 8oz house white wine. The truffled fries were a disappointment. More or less shoestring fries...a hint of truffle oil...but only because we knew that was what they were supposed to have on them. The sushi roll was good...spicy...but nothing remarkable for $6. The pork medallions were actually quite good. Extremely tender, Asian flavors...yum. Next, we moved from the bar to the dining room. We ordered the applewood grilled salmon and the peppercorn encrusted chicken with truffle vinaigrette. They brought a bread basket to the table which contained a great crusty rye bread and some regular sourdough. Both were okay. The salmon was a bit on the bland side and a touch dry. The asparagus was perfectly cooked...no complaints. The roasted fingerling potatoes were a little dry. The peppercorn chicken was cooked well and a decent portion. There was no truffle flavor whatsoever. The vinaigrette almost tasted like Italian dressing. The accompanying roasted itty bitty tomatoes were good...not very roasted but good. The roasted fingerlings were good...kinda salty. One of the potatoes was darn near crunchy but the rest were of appropriate tenderness. The service was attentive but not annoying by any means. We had hoped our experience would be worthy of 4 stars, but it just wasn't. We really wanted to try the coconut cream pie for two...but didn't have room. I guess if we were to come back, it would be for happy hour. The prices for happy hour aren't super fantastic, but not bad for an upscale restaurant. We don't think we'd pay the price for dinner again.
(3)Juney H.
Another quick review. This is right around the corner from my office and it's awesome for a business lunch (or dinner) due to the wide variety of menu items and attentive but unobtrusive service. You can't go wrong with the Parmesan-crusted tilapia or the ahi tuna sandwich. I've heard the crab and cheddar melt is incredibly rich and satisfying (if you want to take a nap after lunch). For a seafood restaurant, their burger is a contender: stacked high with a deliciously flavorful, meat-juice-redolent beef patty, two kinds of cheese, and fresh vegetables. You absolutely cannot go wrong with this one. If you have some time to burn and cash burning a hole in your pocket (it's not cheap), give Seastar a spin.
(5)Connie W.
I came here during Seattle Restaurant week, and I LOVED my meal! The service was awesome! Our waitress was friendly and attentive, even though my table was a group of 8 indecisive college students. I had the sweet corn and crab bisque, which was the best seafood soup I've ever tasted. (And as a girl who lived in Hong Kong, I'm very picky with my seafood!) They also had really good salad and sushi rolls as appetizers. For my entree, I had the crab cakes. I especially loved the crab cakes because they were nice and meaty, and perfectly cooked! For desert, I had the white chocolate coconut tart. It was good but a little too sweet for my taste. Overall: Great place if you're willing to spend a little more, but definitely worth the money! Will come again :)
(5)Steve G.
Best in Seattle and about 10 other cities I can think of. The waitress was top notch.
(5)Howard M.
Inspired by our recent visit to Alcatraz, we escaped from the kids for a few hours of peace and quiet. Under the watchful eye of my parents visiting from FL, Jenn and I slipped out under the cover of night to downtown Bellevue and the safe-haven know as "Seastar". We have eaten here a few times and it never fails to impress. Jenn made a diversion from the usual Swordfish routine and embracing her healthy eating breakout, opted for the Halibut route. It looked good, fresh, and well presented. Great bread and crisps get things started and if you have never experienced the Crab Corn Chowder, then you deserve to be locked up. It's that good, with healthy chunks of fresh Dungeness Crab. The kitchen was flexible enough to put together a Jambalaya even though they don't serve it for dinner. Having eaten in New Orleans and a being a Cajun food fan since I was a boy, as always, I was impressed. Scallops, shrimp, andouille, tasso, and all the goods. They ended up charging me $15 for a truly great meal. All in all a great night and hat's off to our server Alana who was fantastic...
(4)Nate W.
JH knows food and how to please his customers. I've been here several times and find the staff incredibly knowledgable and service fantastic. The crab legs are the best I've ever had! You also have to try the habanero martini! Great place for NW seafood and drinks, I highly recommend it!
(5)Jeremy M.
In a nutshell my dining experience was good enough to where I would return. Our Order: #1 Pesto Clams were bland and flavorless besides the pesto being sprinkled on top #2 Crab and corn bisque was a little too sweet and creamy to my liking #3 Swordfish was overcooked creating a powdery texture and could have used a little more salt #4 bleu cheese Top Sirloin was mediocre, nothing to really rave about. #5 the Pork medalion appetizers were probably my favorite of our meal. To say the least, I would probably say the most memorable thing about my dinner here is the fact they validate parking.
(3)Brian N.
Best prepared piece of salmon I have ever had and this is one food I have a qualified opinion on. It was on a plank. Tower of seafood was really good too. I can't wait to go back there and order the same thing everytime and see how long the streak can last. Bravo, hat's off, and thank you to the chef.
(5)Sepehr S.
Came in with a party of twelve on tuesday night. I had to change my reservation from 9 to 12 an hour before being seated and the front of the house was very accommodating. Very good service. Of the food I ate... The salmon carpaccio was absolutely delicious. The dragon roll was alright, nothing spectacular. But the fish tasted very fresh. I ordered the Scallops and watermelon carpaccio. Really well balanced dish. I also tasted a bit of the Hawaiian game fish and masa cake. The corn cake was VERY good. Great consistency. Overall I was happy with the food and the service, and wasn't too worried about the $55 check. Worthy of 5 stars, because in bellevue you honestly don't have many quality choices for dinner. This restaurant is a quality choice
(5)Rowena M.
The place was bumpin' on a Friday night, as I expected. As much as I love the raw stuff, we decided to stick with cooked food this evening. Go figure. We did try a 1/2 dozen oysters that were topped with a bunch of frou-frou toppings: grapefruit salsa, caviar and creme fresh, and another one that I don't remember. The oysters were delicious, but the accoutrement, not so much. The ones with caviar and creme fresh were tasty, but I really did not like the grapefruit salsa on the other one. That's really not surprising since I'm kind of an oyster purist and will eat it raw and plain without even a squeeze of lemon or a dash of hot sauce. That's just how I roll. The breads they served before dinner were incredible. Such crispy crusts and chewy/moist innards. A little more butter could have been served with them so that the sea salt I sprinkled on them could stick, but I won't complain about that since it was kind of cool how they provided little containers of coarse salt at the table--complete with tiny little spoons. I shouldn't be so easily impressed, but I am a fan of salts. My entree was swordfish with brown buttered artichoke and capers served with a lemon rice pilaf. The fish was meaty and cooked well, but could have used a little more seasoning. Unfortunately my little container of salt did nothing to improve it. The artichokes tasted like the marinated ones that come out of a jar so I was not too impressed with those. Aside from the fancy swordfish, it reminded me a lot like a dish they would serve at Anthony's, only more expensive. I'd like to give it another try at some point, but I'll have to save up for that and there are many other places to try before then.
(3)Joe K.
great esperience
(5)Chrissy A.
Our service was HORRIBLE. The entree (ahi) was fine but what came with it was totally bland. I adore oysters and always look forward to them when going to a nice seafood restaurant. These were not good at all. I live on the eastside and my fast take was this place was the only nice seafood place here. So...go to Seattle where you get decent options you will enjoy.
(1)Jeremy H.
I go to happy hour quite often at Searstar and have had nothing but great experiences. The bar staff are always courteous and the store manager makes it a point to swing by and greet guests. Good for atmosphere for working professionals.
(5)Mel S.
I give Seastar a solid 3.6 stars for overall dining experience, quality, taste, and price. The portions are pretty generous, food was fresh, service was good and parking was easy. I ate here awhile ago but didn't get to add to Yelp until now. I remembered the Oysters!! Very Fresh !
(4)Jason H.
The restaurant is beautiful, well lit, and the staff is very friendly. This place gets busy quick, so make sure you get here early or make a reservation, as it's a popular business spot. They do have valet and there is parking in the Civica building itself. I was here on a business trip by myself, so I sat at the bar and was quickly taken care of by a very nice bar tender. I started with an Old Fashioned and it was made very well; sweet, but not overly so. There was a raw bar over to the right, but I chose the regular bar so I could people-watch and keep an eye on the football game. I ordered their oyster sampler, which had a nice assortment of pacific bay oysters from the area. The bartender recommended a French viognier to go with the oysters and it couldn't have been a better pairing. The light, fruity wine brought out a lot of the subtle flavors in the oysters and mignonette sauce. After another round of oysters, I then opted for the dungeoness crab bisque. This has to be my favorite of the trip. Loaded with crab, smooth and creamy flavors; simply delectable. Again, went very well with the viognier. I was served an ample portion or bread with this and on a cold rainy night, it was the perfect small meal. On the next day, I went with an assortment of oysters again and their ahi ceviche. The ceviche was spicy, tangy, and just a tad bit salty...but otherwise fantastic. A nice MacCallan 18yo scotch wrapped up dinner and they have quite the top shelf assortment of spirits; even absinthe (if you consider Lucid "real" absinthe). The bar, like most, can be a loud place...so I wouldn't recommend this area for quiet conversation or first dates as the drunken business conversations can get really annoying. But the back tables were romantic and the volume was at a moderate level. The prices were on the higher side with most entrées in the $30-40 range. Expect to pay around $75-100/person with drinks and appetizers when all is said and done. All in all, the food and service was top notch and I highly recommend this for anyone who loves seafood.
(5)Tom M.
I brought a car tour through Seattle area on July 13. Had made arrangements for dinner here for 34. Wonderful experience. Easy to work with. Had appetizers and drinks on the outside patio then dinner inside. The buffet included beef, chicken stuffed with goat cheese and fresh salmon. All was well presented and very good, which is a feat in a buffet setting. They were most accommodating to our plea to delay the start of the event by an hour. Seattle decided to shut down the two major highways leading to our hotel which made all of us late. All in all, a great meal and service was outstanding
(5)Tom A.
Was looking forward to going there for dinner but was disappointed. Granted we went there for restaurant week with the limited menu but between the sub par service and just OK entree I had my expectations were not met. While the order were taken quickly and the food came out in good order the waitress was in between those events was no where to be seen. The Penne entree I had was Olive Garden grade, the starter (Hot and Sour soup) was just OK and the dessert apple sorbet was good. It might be my anticipation for a great meal was too high leading to my great disappointment.
(2)Stevi C.
I went to Seastar with some friends from the Eastside during Restaurant Week in April, so this review is admittedly delayed. I have no idea what the pricing is like regularly, but I have a feeling that the portion sizes are reflective of the price, which is to say: they're too big. That's my only real gripe with Seastar: they give you entirely too much food. The sushi bar was a little slow the night I was there because the place was jam-packed, so it took a while for our starters to reach us. I understand this place is famous for their sushi, but I didn't think their sushi was any more special that anyone else's. The entrees ordered by my party of 4 were pretty excellent, though. I had the parmesan-crusted talapia, which came doused in a tasty cream sauce and was plated with potatoes and asparagus. My real problem with this dish was that I was given two servings of fish, which, given the amount of potatoes, cream and asparagus on the plate, was just unnecessary. Desserts were equally giant and I can't imagine why they didn't create smaller desserts for their RW promo, or just for regular service. We certainly didn't finish any of ours. Quite a waste of time and money to produce desserts no one can finish. What Seastar does have going for it, though, is a great upscale atmosphere and a great wine list. All of the food is good -- there's just entirely too much of it.
(3)jean L.
I was troubled by Seastar's questionable use of the Urban Eats menu. 1) We came in for the "Seattle Urban Eats" menu (3 courses for 30). The waiter only provided us the regular menu. When we asked for the urban eats menu, he said: "I always forget." If you always forget, that's a bit of a problem, and it really sounds like either 1) restaurant policy to hide the cheaper menu or 2) that the waiter is trying to fatten his tip. In either case, it reflects really poorly on the restaurant. 2) I asked for Decaf because we finished dinner at 9pm and I wanted to sleep. I apparently did not get Decaf as I never fell asleep that night and spent the next day like a zombie. I could feel my heart pounding until 3am, and that has never happened to me with Decaf. That's too big of a mistake to forgive. The food was good, nothing spectacular. ADDENDUM: The chef/owner contacted me after I wrote my review. Apparently not presenting the urban eats menu is restaurant policy. I remain convinced that it is not good business practice. Chef Howie did apologize for the coffee incident, which has induced me to up my review one star.
(2)Josh H.
Nice place, good sit-down restaurant on the Eastside. The owner of John Howie started this place as a foray into seafood and he didn't do a bad job. I'm a little disappointed in the quality of the food for such a nice restaurant, but the service staff was very attentive and friendly. They have a good selection of things on their menu and a good price range on their items, so you can eat cheap if you don't feel like shelling out 50 bucks a plate. Try the crab cakes as an appetizer, and I really liked their chocolate/custard creme brulee. They were very good and the sauce it came with was to die for. I'd probably go again. Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5 Price: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5
(4)Wholey C.
Comfy food served at a fancy restaurant. Loved the Dungeness crab and sweet corn risotto, it was light and packed full of flavor. Presentation was very impressive, even for our two guest were here from Arkansas. We also ordered Lemon oregano trout with white shrimp, Grilled wild red king salmon with grilled asparagus and fingerlings finally a Crisp Caesar salad with crab. Talk about cleaning our plates! Check out the dessert menu for the heck of it, we did. Banana spring roll sundae with fresh pineapple and carmel and a Lemon mousse with NW berries completed our culinary experience. Service, service, service, wanted for nothing. I have yet to be disappointed at Seastar. On a good day you can see Mt Rainer from the Bellevue location. Lunch or dinner, you won't be sorry, leave room to treat yourself to a dessert.
(4)Brynne H.
Birthday dinner! A solid 4 star dining experience. My parents chose Seastar because I prefer seafood above all other meats (when I'm even eating meat), and they'd been here before and enjoyed themselves. It was a very good choice. We started with the Seastar Tower. Everything on that tower was amazing. We started at the top with the roasted Kauai Saifun shrimp in the most amazing Sriracha butter sauce, moved down to melt in your mouth scallops with a tropical fruit-hazelnut chutney, to the oh, so crispy and good crab cakes. Mmm, crab cakes. All four of us were delighted with each of the offerings, except my sister the scallop hater. For dinner, I had the lemongrass seared salmon with Szechuan shrimp (say that three times fast!) with sticky rice and a Thai curry sauce. Heaven. I barely even like curry, but that sauce was one of the best things I've ever had. Seriously, this made a curry fan out of me. Dad had the sesame-pepper crusted Ahi, and it was love at first bite. That's not saying much; you could dump sesame seeds on Beanie Weenies and this man would be happy. Mom tried the diver scallops with passion fruit peppercorn sauce, and she said it was like the food they'd been served in St. Lucia on a trip a few years back. (Rudely, I was not invited. Hmph.) Sister (not a seafood fan outside of pan-fried salmon, crab, and the occasional shrimp) ordered the filet mignon. As expected, she loved it. A little birdie told our very nice, very competent waiter that it was my birthday, so my molten chocolate orange cake was free (and presented with a tiny candle!). Awesome! To the shock of all of us, Dad had the chocolate cake, too. He NEVER orders chocolate dishes, like ever. The apocalypse might be nigh. I'm still a little weirded out by this turn of events. He even ate it all (while bitching with each bite about how rich it was, heh). Mom got the panne cotta, the only thing on the menu that did not interest me at all. Sister's creme brulee (she chose the yin and yang/chocolate and vanilla combo) was divine. I'd get that next time! The two drinks I ordered, a dirty, dirty martini to start and a cosmopolitan to finish, were both great. Wish I'd tried the sweet corn and crab bisque, but I think a Happy Hour can take care of that sometime in the near future. The sushi that was going out to other tables was beautiful, and the salads looked marvelous. A really top notch dining experience, and a great place to be treated to dinner by the fam!
(4)Alex S.
I've wanted to try this place for a long time. I'd made several attempts to make reservations a few days before wanting to try them out, yet I was never able to get a reservation for an earlier time in the day which I prefer. I finally decided to make my reservation 3 weeks in advance. When I got there I was surprised to see the a good percentage of the tables available. Some of the tables remained open throughout our dining experience. I'm confused on the whole reason for a reservation idea here and why one wasn't available sooner; but, ok not a big deal just wanted to point it out. My service was good. Every interaction with my server made me feel good about the dining experience. One of the items was delivered to our table by the manager who appeared to be a mean and angry son of a bitch! He had no personality during our brief interaction and for the most part he gave off a bad vibe. Later when we exited the restaurant the manager was upfront standing with another employee, I was put off that he completely ignored our presence, which made me feel unappreciated for for being their guest. I ordered two dirty martinis, the first one was great, but the second one came to me with a layer of ice on top of it and it tasted like salty ice water. I asked for them to remake it and it came back tasting perfectly stiff as hell. I am surprised that at $12 each the bartender would want to initially serve such a poor excuse for a drink. The food was mediocre, I can't say it moved me at all. I wish that I had a time machine so I could get my $185 back (two people) I had a view of the Melting Pot across the street from our table. I kept wishing that I was dining over there instead of being stuck at the seastar. Needless to say I will not be going back to this place again and I suggest you find someplace else to spend your hard earned money.
(2)Kevin W.
I keep coming here, so I suppose that says more than this review. After reading some of the more negative reviews, and reasoning based on my own experiences here, I've come to one conclusion: Seastar is pretty good on the basics. The decor is simple and elegant, if a bit spartan. Lots of tans and light blues. Dress is pretty open - some people dress it up, but most don't. Jeans are never out of place here, although your first glimpse of the waitstaff wearing formal attire could be misleading. Service has always been very friendly and attentive, with familiar faces each time I return (doesn't seem to be much employee churn). Although the restaurant has a great wine list, I've often opted to bring my own: corkage $25. For appetizers, the crab cakes are a win, and everyone seems to know it. The lesser known gem of the appetizer menu is the deviled eggs. They have two varieties, but the truffled ahi deviled egg is just delicious. For dinners, I've never ordered any of the more creative or experimental dishes here, nor has anyone with whom I've dined. I come here to eat fish- fresh, seasonal, and perfectly-prepared fish- and Seastar has yet to disappoint. On our last visit, three of four ordered the Planked Salmon and loved it. It was cooked perfectly and picked up just enough flavor from the wood to taste. The swordfish is also an excellent bet. Though I'd like to try some of the more interesting sounding dishes, I don't come here often enough to deviate from assured deliciousness. For the leery, or budget conscious, they also have a pretty decent happy hour that you might consider as a "test drive".
(4)Joe L.
If you like seafood, you will not be disappointed with the menu and the quality of the selections at the restaurant. It has a raw bar and a main dining room. For dinner, we started with half a dozen of oyters and calamari poppers. The oyster plate came with 3 different kinds in pairs and each pair had different toppings (wasabi infused tobiko, pomegranate with grapefruit, and chive with creme fraiche). They were fresh and succulent. The calamari poppers were stuffed with fiery spicy tuna. It was good but a little too spicy for me. My seafood stew was excellent. The herbal tomato base was just right without being too powerful. The portion of the bowl was huge and it was bountiful with fish, mussels, clams, prawns, and scallops. I'm glad we had our dinner here on our last day of our weekend trip to the Seattle area.
(4)Allen W.
A great gem of a restaurant featuring fresh seafood, especially in the raw. I ordered the grilled king salmon which was served slightly rare in the middle -- yum! Portions were surprisingly large. Also tried the calamari stuffed with spicy tuna and then lightly fried -- truly *hot* and delicious. Finished the meal with the white chocolate coconut cream pie for two. Quite large, the pie was moderately OK - not as good as I had hoped. However, the stellar service and high-quality food outweighed the coconut pie. The menu is quite lengthy and filled with many other seafood dishes I hope to try on my next visit. Parking can be found below the restaurant off from 108th - the restaurant validates.
(4)Jackie F.
My husband and I ate here last night for my birthday and really enjoyed the food. I had the rainbow trout with bacon hash and he had the lobster macaroni and cheese. Sooo tasty! We both ate every last bit. Only wish we would have had room for dessert.
(4)Jennifer M.
I really liked the swordfish (first time having swordfish) and Seastar made a lasting "great first impression". The swordfish was perfectly cooked and the portion was plenty. I loved the crab corn chowder "TO DIE FOR"!!!! I will definitely be back for more of that. The ambiance was lovely and the staff were in deed wonderful and attentive. This is a great place for seafood.
(4)Katie V.
Always good. I love their consistency! You can't go wrong with the salmon, whether you order the applewood grilled or the cedarplank roasted. Delicious! The crab bisque is also a guilty pleasure of mine. I have had filet here, and it is always good. All of the desserts are fantastic. Molten chocolate raspberry cake: mmmmm. White chocolate coconut cream pie: oh my god. And the service is always impeccable. Lunch or dinner, the atmosphere is great whether it's a first date or a business meeting. Can't go wrong.
(5)Jamie P.
We went here for our Valentines/1 year anniversary dinner. It was the night before actual Valentines' day and it was absolutely fabulous. I had the mahi mahi with cucumber nut relish... I have craved it every day since!!!
(5)Paul B.
Classy seafood restaurant that isn't too fine dining, yet not too Olive Garden either. The service was good with waiters who are very knowledgeable and patient. The prices were a good reflection for the quality of food. There were six of us at the table, and each of us made sure to order a different type of fish. My Ahi Entree was alright...tasted like Thailand a bit. But what stood out the most was the broccoli that came with the Salmon....so smokey...so aromatic. Love it. Everything else was good too but nothing in particular stood out as extraordinary. Good food for high price. We also managed to get a six person reservation on a Friday night last minute, so perhaps use that as an indication of popularity for this place. Overall, I would maybe come back....maybe for restaurant week or something....
(4)Maria A.
I prefer Palisades! This place is nothing special. The salmon I had was overcooked. Experience is nothing special - - no where near the experience you will find at Palisades.
(3)Glenn G.
I went to Seastar expecting a very nice dinner out with my wife and I would have to say we should be back, but not for dinner. the ambiance was kinda boring and too open for a top notch restaurant. the appetizers were pretty good - especially the Crab Cakes - 5 stars here. the Caesar's salad was very average - 3 stars. the Entries matched ambiance - bland taste and very small portions - 1 Star. and then came the desserts. Amazing all the way around. the Molten Cake alone almost made this a 5 star choice. it was that good. In addition, we ordered the Coconut Cream Pie. the portion was actually larger than the entree. another 5 star choice. would I ever go back. absolutely, but only for appetizers and desert. I am sure I would be satisfied and the wallet would be much happier as well.
(3)E B.
This place rocks. Eaten here many times, always spot on for food and service. They have been great at accommodating our younger daughter as well. Always a solid choice for seafood. Happy hour isn't bad either..
(5)Sean F.
Seastar is elegant and delicious, albeit a bit expensive. It's quite classy despite casual attire, and the serving staff was extremely attentive. The Seastar Tower (4 shrimp, 4 scallops, 4 crab cakes) is a must-have. It's not a lot of food, but it's absolutely delicious as an appetizer for 3-4 people or maybe part of an entree for one person. I can also highly recommend the spicy fried calimari. Instead of the usual calimari frit, it is just big tubes stuffed with a spicy mix and topped with lime.
(4)Anna M.
we went there on friday night for dinner. The ambiance is very nice, their food and service is excellent. we ordered appetizers and drinks and dinner and of course dessert. every dish was delicous and our waiteress and her helpers were nice and friendly. we will be back for sure.
(5)Jacquie P.
This is really a 3.5. Went here last night for hubby's bday with the fam. We were all expecting the food to be fantastic, and were notably let down. There's a lot of hype surrounding Seastar, but for us, it didn't really live up to expectations. On a side note, while the restaurant has a 12 inch voice ambience, the acoustics are terrible! We had to shout across the table to be heard, (it wasn't even very busy) and our server literally had to lean into each one of us individually and talk into our ears to take our orders. She was very sweet, but I gotta admit it was a little awkward. Anyway, we ordered some sushi to start. Spicy tuna roll (these were over the top hot, I was expecting sirens) and Washington roll (the first time I've seen fruit in sushi - weird?) Our appetizers were the highlight - the crab bisque and the grilled mushrooms. I would happily drown in that bisque - heaven! Everyone was reasonably pleased with their entrees, although I think my gulf shrimp with risotto was voted best. Father in-law had the Copper River Salmon which had just arrived, and while it was good, he felt that it couldn't hold a candle to the Copper River that he'd had at Ivar's earlier in the month. I might return to check out the raw bar (the oysters that were walked by us looked crazy good) and sample some drinks if we're in the area, but wouldn't make a special trip.
(3)Tommy K.
Back when I was living in Minneapolis, one of the best meals I had had there was at Marcus Samuelson's AQUAVIT (which, alas, is no longer there). The food and service were amazing but the ambiance was thrown just a little off by the fact the restaurant was basically located in an office building. Thankfully, the bland corporate architecture of the building did not find its way into the design of the restaurant. Seastar, on the other hand, is a very different story. It too is in an office building but there's never a moment that you forget that that's where you're at. For a higher-end restaurant, I was rather amazed at the incredibly mediocre decor. I don't need lots trendy bells and whistles but in a high-end restaurant part of the dining experience is just that, the "experience" and eating in a room that looks like it could have been decorated by my grandmother isn't really the experience I want. With all that said, there's nothing horribly offensive about the restaurant's design and if the food and service had been remarkable then the decor probably wouldn't be much of an issue (just like if the Mariners were winning then Griffey's laughable batting average wouldn't be an issue). There were definitely some items that would easily get four or five stars -- the scallop ceviche was pretty amazing and even the blue cheese salad was laudable. My wife ordered the sesame seared tuna. The accompaniments were great (especially the rice cake) but I didn't care for the size of the tuna chunks. It didn't make sense to me that they would cut the pieces so small. I ordered the Copper River salmon and while it wasn't bad, I felt they overcooked it just enough to start getting a little dry. Most of my criticisms here are admittedly minor and if the price point were a bit lower I might be able to overlook some of these faults (except for the stale bread I received ... that's inexcusable) but when I'm paying about $100/person (drinks and tip included) I expect a restaurant where these minor flaws just don't happen.
(3)Amy M.
One of the rare times in Seattle that a restaurant lives up to the hype. Expensive, but not insane. This is a great special occasion place, and the meal definitely lived up to the price. Depending on how much you spend on liquor, this is only about $40/person for dinner. We had the blue cheese salad (meh), scallop trio (amazing), crab cakes, ancho steelhead and it was all incredibly fresh, perfectly cooked, and we practically licked our plates clean. The only downside was that there were several very noisy toddlers - I am a parent and a huge proponent of bringing kids everywhere, but only bring them if you know they can behave. Be prepared for some well-meaning rich Bellevue parents with hyperactive and very loud children complaining about every little thing. If your kidlet has an adventurous palate and the patience to wait for professional service, this is an awesome place to let kids try the finer side of life.
(4)Andy O.
I went to Seastar for lunch with some coworkers a few weeks ago. The place has a well-lit somewhat sophisticated atmosphere comprised mostly of professionals (at least at the time I was there). I had the seafood jambalaya and it was excellent. The creme brulee was good for a dessert that I really didn't need after a plenty-satisfying entree. Service was fast and attentive for our group of 10. I'd certainly go again.
(4)Becky W.
Scallops. Big, juicy, seared scallops. The perfect texture, the perfect spices - so easy to make them right and so easy to screw them up. Seastar does not disappoint! The special today was scallops with whipped potatoes and steamed greens - and the only reason I didn't eat every last bite was because you just don't do that at a lunch meeting - you don't! It's in Bellevue, so all of the movers & shakers gather here for lunch. For good reason - it's great food, with great service. There are so many great Seattle places that I would probably not venture to the east side for dinner, but it was a wonderful way to shake up the typical lunch scene in our neighborhood and try something new and chic. Yes, Bellevue is all about 'chic'. Not 'hip'. But forget all Bellevue stereotypes, the food here is great - it stands on its own.
(4)Marco T.
Love it. I've been to Seastar in Bellevue four times and each time was fantastic. Yes, it's pricey but like the old saying goes - "you get what you pay for". I don't think this is a place for an everyday meal, but for special occasions it's perfect. I have not been disappointed by any dish yet. Also, you're not just paying for the food, it's the experience and ambiance. The staff is helpful, friendly and does their job well. The foods overall presentation isn't fancy, but very well done. If you could only order one thing, I'd highly recommend the crab cakes. Like others have said, the menu changes seasonally so be sure to revisit this absolute gem in Bellevue.
(5)michael p.
Enjoyed another excellent meal here. This time lunch with a business colleague. The service was excellent. Enjoyed the Northwest stew.
(4)Amber K.
We decided to go here because we did our research and saw that the owner received the James Beard Award for Northwest Restauranteur. Upon arrival, I think we were directed to the bar because we had jeans on, which is fine....we are from Austin and jeans are accepted at any fine dining restaurant as long as you don't look like a complete slob (or sometimes even if you do). However, at Seastar you walk in the main dining room and notice everyone is in a suit and tie. It's quite stuffy, but I had read that in reviews. The bar was way less stuffy and we found a little two top table in the back corner immediately upon walking in. We ordered wine and the carpaccio to start. The carpaccio was peppered a little too strongly for my taste but after a few bites I got over it, it was very good. For the main course I ordered the calamari and shrimp linguini and my husband ordered the Scallops. Both came in a beautiful presentation and both were absolutely delightful. I wish we would have ordered some oysters because that's what everyone else was ordering so they must be doing something right, but alas, my husband is not keen on them. I would definitely go back.
(4)Chelsea M.
Seriously? This is my all time favorite seafood restaurant!! The fish just melts in your mouth, your servers are always knowledgeable and the place itself if just fantastic! GO HERE! Im bringing my sister who lives on the east coast to blow her mind.
(5)Eden B.
[Food] The food was high quality and well prepared, but not amazing. The portions were typical extra-large American size. What I thought would be an appetizer salad could have been a meal itself. [Ambiance] It was loud, bright, and crowded. I couldn't hear my dinner partner half the time and didn't really enjoy the atmosphere. [Service] The service was good. Our waiter was attentive and quickly fixed a mistake with our order. [Price] Very, very expensive. Entrees ranged from $20 up to $50 and they even had some Wagyu for $100. Appetizers and salads were large enough that you could save money by skipping the entree. [Overall] The food and atmosphere aren't special enough to justify the high prices. I can't imagine going here again unless someone else was treating me.
(2)Aram M.
We've been there several times and always get what we pay for - great food, service, and drinks.
(5)Jenny D.
I went to Seastar for my mother's birthday. We had a nice sit-down dinner but didn't check out the raw bar, which I now regret. I will be back! Food: Delectable. I had scallops and they were perfectly golden; my mother had a fruit-and-fish salad and it was tangy, a tad sweet, and light; my dad had lobster and that was great also. We also ordered some sort of eggy custard-type thing and it was lovely. Service: Friendly and efficient. No problems there. Ambiance: Busy, and a bit loud. Not really the most romantic, which was surprising. We did get a cute Happy Birthday card on the table when we arrived. The place has lots of windows, but looks out on the street (not the most spectacular view) but you'll be too busy looking at your food not outside. Price: Yes, it's pricey. But the seafood is fresh and the food is cooked well so you won't feel like it was money spent badly.
(4)Mei-I F.
I work in Bellevue. I roll into my office park, stay put the entire day and can't wait to see the I-90 bridge and the Seattle skyline again. Seastar Eastside, you have given me a reason to linger a bit longer in the 'burbs. Thank you for not being located in the Lincoln-Bellevue Square area. Thank you for your killer happy hour and spacious bar. And thank you for having a Seattle location so I can now give you more business.
(4)Rob B.
I image the chef and his investors sitting in a back room one day discussing what will make their restaurant 'pop'. I can see them passing around a flask, the room darkly light, the heavy fog of cigarette smoke clinging to everything. Finally one of them says Good food on the East-Side! That'll be our shtick! A quiet chorus of approval. Then one speaks up, But there are some phenomenal joints in Bellevue... A quiet murmur of agreement. What about a 'raw bar'? a rise of din in approval. But wait, aren't there some great sushi places all over the East side? again, a quiet cacophony of dismay. Ah, but do they serve oysters? one asks. Finally the chef speaks up. What the East Side really needs is a Brookyln's knock-off, a half-measure sushi bar run by whitey, and a lousy wine list! Finally agreement is reached. I take issue with this place for a few reasons. I find the concept to be clunky, it's trying to be too much to too many people. If you want to do the raw thing, do the raw thing. Seafood? Do that. Unscale? Do that. It's almost like they piece mailed a bunch of working restaurant concepts and slapped them all together under one roof. That being said, the food is excellent: but highly over-priced. The wine is passable: but highly over-priced. The service is great: but highly over-priced. ... In short, this place his confused and highly overpriced. 3 stars for excellent food, though.
(3)Tina P.
Went for dinner not too long ago. I order King Salmon and it was yummo! My date had some sushi and King Salmon as well. All was very good. The staff was on point and very helpful. Can't wait to go back.
(5)M D.
I ventured in to give this restaurant another try, after hearing that they had been making changes to address the sound problems. We checked in with a late lunchtime reservation. The place was not crowded but we were seated away from other diners. The noise level was acceptable. At a second visit a few weeks later, the restaurant had a few more visitors and was somewhat noisier, obviously, but doable. I would avoid during crowded times if you want to be able to have dinner conversation. But I'm glad I found a solution that works for me here and I love this place--go at off times.
(4)Ruth F.
We hadn't been back to Seastar in a couple of years, but found the food and service were still top quality and the bartenders masters of vodka cocktails. My daughter and husband chose the ancho chili smoked salmon and I had the crab and corn risotto. The salmon was not smoked salmon in the usual sense but rather slightly smoked and then baked. It melted in your mouth with an explosion of tastes. My risotto was rich and naturally sweeten by the corn. Desert had to be creme brulee, my daughter's favorite. She could have eaten a meal of just that desert. A memorable family dinner before she goes back to collete.
(4)Laurie K.
Two weeks ago we went to Happy Hour at the Bellevue Seastar. My husband was very hungry so we ordered alot of food and we were happy with all of it! I especially loved the hot & sour soup - big chunks of shrimp and mushrooms. Sooo yummy! I wasn't so thrilled with the deviled eggs, but my husband liked them alot. He especially loved the pork loin and couldn't believe how tender it was. My only negative was the happy hour wine - not so great, so for my second glass I ordered off the menu (pretty pricey in my opinion). Anyway, we enjoyed it so much that we made reservations for dinner and took my folks there this past Friday night. So, the five stars is for dinner. Honestly, it couldn't have been better! We started out with sushi for appetizers - nice and fresh. My father and I both had the diver scallops and they were some of the best scallops I've ever had - he thought the same! My mother had the trout and loved it and my husband had the salmon & (something else I can't remember) curry - he loved it, as well. No room for dessert, although it sure sounded tempting. We had two bottles of wine and there was an attentive sommelier there if we had needed him. We had excellent service by a young man named Ryan. The four of us all agreed it was one of the finer meals we'd had in quite some time. I'm so glad we went to Seastar again and we will definitely be going back!!
(5)Nikki R.
We've been here twice now, with a small group each time, and everyone was very happy with the experience. The restaurant is quieter in the early evening, but as the dinner crowd pours in, the noise level goes up substantially. Even so, it's not the kind of place I'd want bring my young children. (Then again, with MY active toddlers, there aren't many restaurants I DO want to take them to!) The Seastar Appetizer Tower is a great way to sample a few of their best appetizers and includes four pieces each of the Dungeness crab cakes, the Saifun shrimp, and the seared diver sea scallops. We love the Dungeness crab and corn bisque, though I personally prefer not to have the Madeira-Port reduction on top. The bread they bring out includes a crispbread that I ignored the first time we went because it just looked like a plain water cracker, but after someone raved about it on the second visit, I tried it, and wasn't disappointed. Don't let its humble looks deceive you! It's lightly flavored with rosemary and maybe some other light seasoning and is excellent both alone and with butter. The only entree I can personally attest to are the cedar plank roasted Alaskan King Crab legs, which are so fantastic that I can't even imagine ordering anything else! Pre-split for ease of eating and served with a perfectly creamy butter sauce, these are not to be missed if you like crab. Alaskan King Crab is much sweeter than the Red King Crab served in some restaurants, though a bit smaller. However, the portion size is just fine! Everyone in our party who tried the crab legs loved them, though they were all very happy with their assorted fish dishes, as well. The classic vanilla creme brulee was nice, though I can't say it's the very best I've had. My friends who shared the coconut cream pie for two enjoyed it thoroughly, though one of them was confident she could have eaten the whole thing by herself! She wasn't so sure by the time they finished it, though. The $5 valet parking is well worth avoiding the hassle of the cramped garage, especially if you drive anything other than a compact vehicle. When you present your valet ticket to your server, they validate it and add the $5 to your bill, so be aware of that extra charge when figuring out your tip. I'm not sure that the garage even saves you any money! We'll definitely be coming back here.
(4)Bob B.
Seafood was fresh. Sushi was great. My grilled swordfish was perfect. But not as perfect as my Grey Goose Martini. Service was five stars. I am going back again! It is my go-to seafood restaurant in Bellevue from this day forward. BTW, I am a spoiled foodie with a gourmet cook for a wife. In other words, I am fussy.
(5)Linda L.
Seastar is currently our favorite dinner restaurant, we go to the downtown Seattle one. The service is stellar - friendly and thoughtful. I love the variety of interesting wines by the glass and have gotten some very good pairings with my food. Even the manager has come out and chatted with us. Prices are high but you're buying taste and quality, the same as most good Seattle restaurants.
(5)Steve H.
Took my wife here for her birthday the other day. Started off a little annoyed that I waited 20 minutes after my reservation to be seated. Is this what a reservation is for? To wait in the too-small lobby with 3 seats? Once seated, the service was attentive...my water glass never below 70% full! There was a bread assortment promptly but the oysters on the half shell took a little while to get to us. The sushi was great...sometimes I forget how good sushi can be when everything tastes perfectly fresh and expertly prepared. I was a little disappointed that a "raw bar" had only 3 oysters to choose from. The chain, McCormick & Schmicks manages to always have at least 6...and they're a routine chain! The oysters were a bit pricey, too, at about $17 for 6. The entrees were fabulous with perfect side dishes and the portions were just right with reasonable prices for a restaurant of this caliber. Enough that they felt like a full meal, but not ridiculous Claim Jumper sized either, where you would look like a fat pig if you finished the plate! We took the truffles-in-a-box home for dessert (a good sign that we weren't hungry after dinner). The red pepper truffle was really quite something....spicy chocolate! I was outraged at the corkage fee...$25! What a rip-off way of discouraging you from BYOB! Most restauarants have a cheapy bottle of wine for this price! We ordered a bottle from the wine list. The list was a little disappointing and there was one cheap bottle ~$35, the one we got at ~$48, and then it skyrocketed to ~$70 and way up with nothing in-between. Stick with the cocktails! I usually experience wine lists that scale a little more evenly between price ranges. This feels like a pressure move to make you spend too much if you don't like ordering the cheapest thing on the menu. Other than the wine list, the food was great and I do recommend this place for quality seafood. One last note...the crowd here is mostly 40 and 50-somethings and some are notably snooty (which seemed off for a restaurant in the base of an office building!).
(4)Moshe D.
An outstanding choice of fresh seafood on the menu. Every fish dish I tasted over several visits has tasted great and done to perfection, never overcooked, just right. Their Salmon is my favorite dish on the dinner menu. The Dungeness Crab Cakes is my favorite appetizer. Their Maytag Blue Cheese with Shrimp and Pear salad is wonderful. The restaurant is pricy, however the quality of the seafood is excellent. One of the best restaurants in Bellevue. They validate parking at the garage.
(5)May N.
I LOVE the oysters here! If you enjoy eating fresh oysters, you must try their Northwest Oyster Sampler. (My favorite is the Kumamoto with caviar and crème fraîche.) The combination of flavors really enhance the natural taste of the oysters - not overpowering. My favorite dessert item is their Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit. The tartness of the sauce and fruit combination balances out the sweetness and richness of the Panna Cotta quite well.
(3)Trevor B.
To start off for a very long time this was a great restaurant but in recent years the service and food quality have deteriorated. The last two times I have been my food was very low quality and small portions for a high price. This may be due to the recession but for a John Howie restaurant I expect much better.
(2)Jeremy H.
Awesome experience, great service, place to take clients, friends, and a nice date. The best spot in Bellevue. Tiger Prawns are amazing! Be sure to finish with a molten chocolate cake.
(5)Mac F.
Good food, good service. One of those restaurant where you never feel hurried. Seafood appears fresh and taste/presentaion excellent. The noise level can be loud, with lots of Bellevue corporate types during the early evening, but, it is tolerable. Would have to list Seastar as one of my favorites.
(5)Mike F.
In one word, uneven. The first two times I went, the place was excellent. Excellent kumamoto's. Excellent Copper River salmon. Very, very good. The next time I went made me feel like I was eating at a Libby's. Not so tasty. Probably won't be back, as there are too many other very good choices.
(3)Trish M.
Best Seafood in Washington! Try the Cedar Planked Salmon and one of their Seafood towers!
(5)M K.
From Belini Martini to oysters to chipolte halibut to chocolate truffles, you cannot go wrong.
(5)John W.
Great atmosphere - the environment feels cozy and not crowded. The swordfish was fantastic in both flavor and texture, perfectly garnished with mushrooms that tasted like they were marinated in butter! The salmon was excellent and highly recommended as well. We also had the oyster sampler, which was delicious with the two sauces provided. Service was great as well - the wait staff was attentive and classy. I would definitely go again, but would probably skip the oyster sampler.
(4)Cindy H.
Ever since I moved to the Northwest, I've been looking for a good seafood restaurant. Since I love the menu at John Howie Steakhouse (although I've only been there for lunch, hence my review for that restaurant will need to wait until I get a chance to go for dinner) and received a coupon for free appetizer at Seastar, I thought I would give Seastar a try. Unfortunately, the experience was quite disappointing. The atmosphere, decor and service were all decent, nothing particularly good or bad can be mentioned. But the menu, especially the seafood selection, was boring and limited. For fish, all they've got are king salmon, swordfish (mercury alert!), halibut, seared ahi (cooked tuna is such a waste of a good piece of sashimi in my opinion), mahi mahi (prepared with cucumber!?), rainbow trout, and tilapia, (cheap fish priced expensively). As a seafood restaurant, the least they can do is offer a catch of the day so they can at least pretend they care about serving fresh and seasonal seafood. Then the preparation was also lacking in creativity that it was putting me to sleep from just reading the menu. In the end, I tried the dungeness crab cakes, applewood grilled red king salmon and reggiano parmigiano crusted tilapia. The free dungeness crab cakes (hooray for coupon) was the best part of the meal, but it was all downhill from there. The king salmon tasted fresh, but it was undercooked ( that's coming from someone who love salmon sashimi) and the flavoring was nothing special. The tilapia was very small and bland, making this dish even more of a ripoff. None of the sides were even worth mentioning as well. My search for a good seafood restaurant continues...
(3)Valerie F.
Entrees 4.5 stars: Me- amazing scallop with truffles Husband-smoke salmon dish. Raw Bar 1 star: Passable but over $$$, I have much better for less money in California, also the Kona Kampachi is over-rated. Cooked Appetizer 4 stars: Calamari with spicy tuna YUM Cocktails 0 stars: Too expensive and not enough kick Service 1 star: Too lacks then too intensive, almost took my hubbies food away. Overall a passable 2. I would only come back here for the cooked entrees and have cheaper wine by the glass than a cocktail.
(2)Lisa L.
Pricey, but knew that going in. Expecting an awesome meal, and that was exactly what I got! Been here once for a romantic date with my hubby when we were about to move here and once more for dinner. Never been disappointed with their service, nor the seafood dishes. The wait-staff are curteous, well-informed, and never pretentious :) Did you watch Julie & Julia?Seafood and butter together just melts in your mouth goodness.
(5)Capt k.
I don't know why people keep on giving a good review. I went few times . I have bad experience every single time. I remember once they served leathery green beans and main courses are awful. I am underwhelmed on the dessert too. I do like their appetizers are pretty tasty.
(2)Bert S.
Had dinner with friends. Overall great quality food and cocktails. Didn't inspire me to come back specifically, but would certainly eat here again.
(4)james l.
i had my bday here. i got the lobster mac n cheese. its been a couple months, so i may not be remembering correctly... but the mac n cheese was a bit oily... worst of all the bill came out to almost 600. but then there were 10+ people
(3)Mark F.
Enjoyed a very pleasant dinner at Seastar. Shellfish aren't an option for me and I'm not afraid to admit that sushi has never appealed. I was thus pleased to see a variety of other fish choices on offer. The sauteed mushrooms were truly awesome and my Halibut entree nearly as impressive. My companion enjoyed her bisque as well. The prices aren't cheap by any means but the quality and presentation is very good and the portion sizes more generous than some other places of this caliber. The wine list is quite extensive, but with rather few resonably-priced choices, we stuck to the by the stem choices. The ambience is pleasant, although not as quiet and intimate as I would have liked. Good service and easy parking too. Somewhere between a 4 and 5 for me, and that's an achievement!
(4)Melissa K.
Went on a business lunch here and got REALLY sick (made me miss Superbowl Sunday when the Seahawks were playing). Their food is ok, the decor seems very 80's. I had heard great things about Seastar, and aside from getting sick, their food was just meh.
(2)L P.
I am surprised to read favorable reviews of this restaurant and wish that my experience tonight would have been a lot better than it was. I was with a group - here's a few details: - Server was slow to take initial drink orders and that level of service continued the entire night - to the point where I had to excuse myself from the table and discretely ask another waiter if we he would ask our server to come and take additional drink orders. After I asked, our server did come right over, but I've never had to do that before. - When salad orders were taken, the server didn't ask if I wanted the dinner salad or the entree salad. When an enormous salad arrived for everyone except one person at the table, we asked why his was different and he said he'd asked for the small salad. I hadn't wanted the entree salad, since I also ordered an entree, and it seems like a questionable way for the server to make an additional $3/pp. - Each of the above things I wouldn't have noticed as much, except that on top of that, my $26 scallop dinner was possibly the worst meal I've had in the last 10 years. The scallops were both salty and undercooked and the corn they were served over (who can mess up corn, right?) was turned into the strangest vinegar, non-tasty, thing I've ever tasted. - The truffles at the end of the dinner were really good - if you go by for just dessert and have the chocolate truffles, I'd recommend this restaurant. Since there are dozens of seafood restaurants in the Seattle/Bellevue area that have amazing seafood and who also have good service, I can't really think of why one would roll the dice and go to this one.
(2)Louie D.
Best restaurant in Bellevue. I was a frequent visitor when I was working in Bellevue. Fresh seafood selection. Must try crab cakes. Good sushi as well.
(5)Kevin T.
After all the fancy new restaurants springing up in downtown everywhere, this is still my favorite place to eat in Bellevue. I mainly come for lunch and dropped by for dinner a couple of times, lunch portion and quality is the same as dinner at a lower price, this alone speaks volume about how the restaurant tries to maintain a standard instead of milking your wallet dry. When I dine here, I always feel confident that the menu will be well designed and chef has the ability to execute it well. I have been to countless restautants where all the chef able to do is to grill a piece of fish and pour some sauce on it and add some asparagus on the side. I also liked the fact that they change their menu quarterly, it's very nice to try the different ways they cook and pair up scallops, fish and prawns. Some of my favorite dishes - Sweet shrimp risotto: this is just a very well-done dish that I will never be able to make in my own kitchen. Everything comes together, fresh shrimps, just the right amount of sauce and flavor (I don't always like risotto which can be very cheesy and greasy), and perfectly cooked rice. - Prosciutto wrapped scallop: another well-executed dish. Scallops seared perfectly with a little brown outside but just moist and sweet in the middle, Prosciutto tastes good and brings a different flavor profile to the scallop. I think the vegatable pairing is water melon which adds more sweetness and freshness - a great summer course. - Burger: they surprisingly have a great burger, and I dare say their burger is a bit better than John Howie Steakhouse. They used to have my favorite burger on the menu where some green-leaf seasoning (either spring onions or some Italian herbs) are added to the patty and WOW! It just taste so much better than plain patty, you get the best of both world - freshness of ground beef + the rich flavor of almost a beef stew. Unfortunately it's no longer available. Overall, a very solid choice for people who likes food. It's not as flashy and trendy as the new restaurants but it tastes the best.
(5)Sooichi S.
I experienced the best seafood in Bellvue.
(5)Carolyn K.
Crab cakes accompanied by greens drowned in dressing. Sushi was excellent. Caesar salad with shrimp was disappointing. Overall,meh.
(2)Johnnie L.
I went here with a friend for lunch as they had suggested it to best for seafood in the area. I would have to agree. I had the ceviche, some seafood tower, and stuffed squid. The ceviche was phenomenal! The tower was great as well. As for the squid, I would not recommend it. The service was excellent. I still need to come back for dinner and see whats its all about.
(4)Cindy L.
Get over yourselves. I heard they are opening one in Seattle also. They tote themselves as the best seafood in the NW. Not! I ordered Chilean Sea bass, yeah I know I lose environmental friendly points for ordering it... so sorry. I cooked Chilean Sea bass at home a week prior to my visit. If mine was a 10 theirs was a 6. Perhaps I should tote myself as the best seafood cook in the NW. The prices are unreasonable, but expected. Your wine list is great but your wine sommelier has a stick up his ass. I would sooner dine here as get a Brazilian bikini wax and swim in a pool of rubbing alcohol.
(1)Pierre G.
Happy Hour Offerings include: - Chophouse Kobe Burger and Fries [$8 - a steal]: only if you are hungry or want to share. Not as delectable as the Bacon Cheese Burger at John Howie Steak but a worthy choice; The burger meat tastes a bit like meat loaf; The ciabatta bun is unusual; Tomato, lettuce, onions are prominent; The mushrooms & cheese are, however, difficult to detect The sauce is in the background but adds a tasty layer and The shoestring fries are crispy / salty perfect --------------------------------------------------Â---------- A perfect 3-for-$25 Restaurant Week meal: 1) Dungeness Crab & Corn Bisque: This soup is thick, hearty and dense plus the the Madeira-Port reduction drizzled on top is a deft touch - could have eaten 2 bowls of this. 2) Prime Top Sirloin with Garlic Portabellas: the grilled Bermuda onion and Maytag blue cheese add contrasting flavors to the perfect medium-rare sirloin I was served [and the portion was ample]; the Portabellos [cooked just right] add another layer. 3) Rich Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Crème and Raspberries: Rich is an apt description - think of this as the best HoHo you've ever eaten; served with a lighter, chocolate sauce on the side. This was money well spent - I also congratulate Seastar for offering the largest number of plate choices I noticed during Restaurant Week; --------------------------------------------------Â------------------ BTW: You can wash all these dishes down with a $500 one-ounce brandy pour of L'Esprit de Courvoissier [Grand Champagne]; that will likely make the meal memorable FYI: They validate parking, which is accessed north of the front door
(4)Dustin T.
I wish 3.5 stars was available because that's squarely where this place belongs. Certainly a good place, but it's also one of those dinners that by this time next week you will have forgotten. My dining companion stated his perfectly good piece of halibut was drowning (is it possible for a fish to drown?) in a butter sauce that was too heavy. I had a few apps to kinda' get the flavor of the place, ahi tuna, ceviche, and a sushi roll. All were good, or good enough at least. Skipped dessert so no comment there. Waitress was super nice.
(4)Maggie V.
Fantastic seafood. I had the tuna poke for an appetizers which was delicious and very fresh. For main course I ordered a parmesan crusted Tilapia... which literally melted in my mouth. Everyone's main course was excellent. This place is much better than McCormick & Schmicks, shouldn't even be mentioned together really. My party ate in the bar, which was fine. Service was friendly and relatively quick. Good wine and scotch list for the connoisseurs. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Bellevue, and one of the best seafood dinners that I have ever had.
(5)Douglas C.
Not a big fish fan, but came here with a few coworkers for lunch. What fish I do eat I am very snobby about. On this day the restaurant stunk of seafood. Its my understanding that if its good and fresh, it shouldn't permeate the entire restaurant. What do I know... The salmon was ok, but certainly not worth the price...but with Bellevue going up Gangbusters style, can we expect the prices here to do the same? I echo previous reviews...OK, but I've had much, much better.
(3)S M.
My family and I came here for dinner tonight and I really enjoyed it. It is definitely pricey, but you know what? I'd rather spend a little more money and eat really well, than spend maybe $50 less and have mediocre food (and service). The four of us had a caesar salad, the crab and corn bisque, the hot and sour soup and the beet salad for starters. Everything was very good. For entrees, two of us ordered the cedar planked salmon - EXCELLENT; one had a special of the night - Columbia River salmon, which he said was very good; and another had swordfish, which he said was very good as well. Everybody enjoyed their food very much. I haven't had such a lovely, properly cooked piece of fish for a long time. Even the mashed potatoes and broccoli on the side were delicious! For dessert, two of us split the panna cotta - which was excellent, but the portion was tiny. A little disappointing considering it cost $7. But still very good. The service was very good as well; our waitress accommodated our dietary needs almost impeccably (one slight mix up with a dish of rice but no big deal). She was nice but not annoyingly so, was there when we needed her but didn't rush us through the meal. The ambiance was fine. The restaurant is located in a business district of Bellevue so the view out the windows is... a busy street and a high rise building. It was quite busy for a Thursday evening but the noise level wasn't terrible. Overall, I really enjoyed having dinner here and would definitely recommend it to seafood lovers and come back here again myself.
(4)Danielle E.
the fries is the best in town. the rest, just okay.
(3)Scot K.
Ambience - 4, Service - 3.5, Food 2. I should remember that when I'm in a seafood restaurant, order seafood. I was in the mood for a steak which was a mistake. I like my steaks medium rare. It came to the table medium well. Totally unacceptable for the price point of the this place. I sent it back and then had to rush through my meal. It still wasn't right, but this was a business lunch and didn't want my client to be late getting back to his office, so I suffered through an expensive mediocre steak. My advice, if its a seafood restaurant, order the seafood.
(3)Sara T.
My BF and I enjoyed a late Valentine's Day dinner on the Friday after the 14th. Service was great. I had the diver scallop trio appetizer, cedar planked salmon, and BF had the NY steak. All was phenomenal. Most notable - scallop with tropical fruit chutney & macadamia, and the cheesy potato cake that came with the steak. I had the coconut white chocolate tart for dessert - the best coconut/white chocolate dessert I've ever had. No question.
(5)Nicole N.
My boyfriend and I love coming here. The staff is friendly and the food is excellent. We have never left disappointed.
(5)Kevin K.
Nice and fresh. Decently priced.
(3)Owen L.
I knew the manager and was given a free dinner so that I could recommend the restaurant to people and have a personal experience there to refer to. So my room mate and I went out with our nice clothes on, and had ourselves a fantastic, fantastic meal. I got the swordfish steak (WOW!!) so delicate, yet firm, and juicy. With capers and sauces oh my! I had some red wine that they recommended, and it was great. My friend got a dish with shrimp. We devoured everything put before us and well, the bill was over a hundred bucks... and I was happy not to be footing it. I recommended this place to tons of people, (people with more money to burn than myself) and they loved it. So, i'm assuming my free meal was a good investment on their part. Nothing like word of mouth advertising! It's darn spendy, and darn tasty! If it's not gonna break your bank, you should try it out. enjoy!1
(5)BRYCE K.
If you think you've had a good crab cake....try theirs, best ever!
(4)John F.
Just got back from the Seastar happy hour. Definitely worth it. It's got a varied menu: I had the Kobe burger but then got sidetracked when I saw they had sushi rolls. So I started with the jalapeno salmon sushi rolls and then got the burger. Yeah, I know. Quite the combo, huh? Everything went down well accompanied by an unfortunately tangy $3 Merlot. There were 6 salmon rolls for only $3.50. They were filling. I have an appetite so I got another order. My dining partner ordered the oysters and for just a buck a piece, he thoroughly enjoyed them. Service was excellent. Right now I'm wondering why I'm not giving it 5 stars...oh yeah...the burger was one of those "I'm too big for your mouth" type burgers "and my bun is too hard and too wide." So I did what I usually do in those situations and just take the bread off. I was impressed how much meat there was as in this situation my meal is often reduces by half. Not this time; lots o' meat. The other half star I'd take away is that due to that tangy Merlot. For 3 bucks, it was the cheapest happy hour wine around but I'd prefer they do like Daniels and just offer their regular wines at half price during happy hour. Other than that, it's a great place because the HP menu is varied; the prices are excellent for the quality; and you can either have a chatty cocktail hour with friends or an intimate dining experience depending on which seating you opt for; and the service is excellent. One other good thing. This part of Bellevue isn't bad for parking. There's usually street parking just around the corner.
(4)Amy N.
Seastar is a frequent destination for the professionals in my office. Selection is good and the menu is updated at least seasonally. Crab melt and seared ahi appetizer are particularly tasty. Reservations at lunch are generally needed because of the lack of alternatives in the area. (Depressing). For a quick after work drink, the mojitos are quite good as well. Service at Seastar has always been prompt and attentive.
(4)Brian H.
Nice atmosphere, scollop trio is too salty, king salmon is good
(4)Derya Y.
Absolutely the best in Bellevue area to eat seafood! It is one of our two go to places when we are in the mood for celebration :)
(5)Garrett D.
I have eaten here a number of times and always get the Ancho Chili Smoked Steelhead as an entree. It's awesome. I'm tempted by other dishes but this dish is too good to pass up. I get it with the cajun shrimp. The fish comes on top of asparagus and a crispy gourmet hashbrown.
(5)Rachel L.
Their dinner menu is great, but their Happy Hour menu is absolutely fantastic. Chophouse Kobe Burger and Fries ($8) - talk about a steal! The meat is super tender and best eaten (in my opinion) at medium rare and comes with skinny fries that are seasoned with truffle oil. Ahi Poke ($6) - very fresh tuna with the perfect amount of dressing so that it's not too salty, but bursting with flavor. Putaportiwon's Calamari Poppers ($7.5) - the calamari here is unlike any calamari I've had elsewhere. The calamari is a little breaded and fried as usual, but it's stuffed with something that's sort of like fish eggs. I will admit, the first bite was a little shocking, but it is very delicious if you like the taste and texture. John Howie Ale ($4) - I'm no beer connoisseur, but I really liked this Ale. It was hoppy and flavorful and really easy to drink. I didn't catch our bartender's name, but he was very sweet and let me try a sample of the most tasty cocktail I've ever had. It had crushed blueberries, triple sec, and some other things - I wish I could remember - but it was really good.
(5)Shah S.
Awesome seafood! Sounds kind of strange, but they have some of the best sushi here. Their sushi plate is excellent. Was here for business dinner and so also got the chance to sample quite a few appetizers. The calamari is some of the best I have ever had. Deviled eggs are excellent. My main entree was their a chipotle glazed steelhead which was very good but I wish the chipotle had been toned down a bit. Will definitely try this place again when I am back in town
(4)Charisma Y.
I don't think you can ever go wrong with a raw bar. Throw in great service and great company and you've hit the trifecta. I love that our server took the time to speak with us, not just about the menu. She even referred to me by my name. The venue is a very intimate setting. Perfect place to take your date. This occasion was for my very own birthday and my boyfriend picked the spot. We started off with: - The raw bar sampler consisting of: Ahi poke, salmon sushi and scallop ceviche - The seared diver scallop trio. Those dishes together was a meal itself. I would recommend the ahi poke (thanks to the crispy taro chips.. how do you make those anyway? and the seared diver scallop trio). More bang for your buck with the raw bar sampler. Appetizers were shortly followed with the New York steak and the Northwest seafood stew (cioppino). All were fantastic, especially with grilled veggies on the side. I do love my steak and I do love my seafood, so I had the best of both worlds that night. Dessert was on the house: Molten chocolate-raspberry cake. And as my boyfriend put it, "This dessert makes me want to go into the back and punch the chef!" (Figuratively speaking, of course.) Thank you for the taste of heaven. One suggestion to the restaurant: An updated menu on the website. It would be great to have all this info readily available to potential customers and returning customers!
(4)Agnes G.
Great customer service, everyone was very friendly. I had the Maytag blue cheese pear salad and the Applewood grilled wild king salmon-both were good!
(4)Hanna Y.
Our server was super! The food was nothing short of delicious art and quality. Started off with the crabcakes. Wow! Wonderfully light and crunchy exterior with a succulent interior that came with a side of salad whose dressing escapes me. Of course this was amazing. Main dish were the lobster mac n' cheese and the Sea Bass with ricotta gnocchi and lobster bisque. I was in heaven. The chewy gnocchi and tender sea bass went perfectly with the lobster bisque which was like the medium between the two. I looked at it as a kind of soup and sauce for both. The boyfriend loved his creamy mac n' cheese. The peach bellini was amazingly bubbly and lightly sweet. Our server checked in on us at the perfect times. The sesame bread (I think it was sesame...could be wrong), freshly baked, served warm with room temp butter was so delicious I had to force myself to stop eating the bread and save room for my actual meal. Ended the meal with the Tropical Fruit panna cotta. Another beautiful, perfectly portioned desert to finish off the amazing meal we just had. I regrettfully could not finish my sea bass. Argh~!!!
(5)Elin K.
I absolutely love this place! Their happy hour is amazing!! Their raw-bar is what I imagine heaven would taste like. Seastar has something for everyone on their menu. I've had their steak, which is cooked to perfection, their burger is the best in town, their ceviche and tuna crudo are always on my mind. Their drinks are really good and the service is excellent. I just can't get enough!
(5)Jewels A.
Absolutely one of my top places to go! The Crispy Char Siu Chicken Salad is pretty amazing.
(5)Katlin L.
It is so disappointing that I even have to write this... My mother and I, who also happen to be business partners, eat at Seastar for lunch a couple of times a month. We always sit in the bar and eat salads/apps. Everything has been great until today... The last day we will ever eat at Seastar. Upon arrival our server came right away with menus and immediately asked if we were ready. Um no... Like most people, we need a minute to look at the menu. So he left and we looked at the menu. We were ready within a couple of minutes, but our server was nowhere to be found. He showed up 10 minutes later and took our order. I asked him a few questions and he helped me decide between 2 dishes. (This is the only reason I am giving this review 2 stars instead of 1.) While we were waiting I wanted hot water for my "Get Clean" Tea. It's a detox tea I like to drink before I eat. The server was, of course, nowhere to be found, so I went to the bar. I waited a couple of minutes at the bar with no help then saw the server come to the table with our food. So I went back over and asked him for a glass of hot water. At this point I had my tea bag sitting on the table. He said to me in the most accusatory, rude tone I have ever heard that I needed to put my teabag away and he would not bring me hot water, as marijuana is legal now and there could be marijuana in my tea. I was gobsmacked. No apology. No humor to try and make light of the situation. No offer to bring tea that Seastar sold. Just an in-your-face, rude accusation that I was going to get high at lunch during my work day. As someone who has managed popular, busy restaurants with outstanding customer service, I can tell you that this is a conversation I would NEVER allow my servers to have with a guest. If there is, in fact, a policy that people can't bring tea into the restaurant that server would be expected to apologize profusely for the inconvenience, ask if they can bring a different kind of tea that the restaurant offers, and bring a manager in to make extra sure the guest was ok. This server was so blatantly rude and accusatory I felt like I had been slapped in the face. When our food came, the disappointment continued. My mother's gazpacho tasted like cold campbells tomato soup, and my crab and shrimp cobb didn't hold a candle to the crab and shrimp cobb at John Howie. The orange bell pepper was mushy, the dressing was boring, and the weird little chunks of jack cheese just didn't go with the dish at all. The crab was great, but the shrimp were teeny tiny and there were very few in the salad. I can assure you that I have never tipped under 15% in my life... This server didn't even deserve the $5 we gave him. And I would like to note that we watched two other tables in this server's section looking around for the server, who frequently disappeared for minutes at a time. I will never go back to Seastar. Disappointing too... It's right around the corner from our office and we used to love to take clients there.
(2)Lindsey J.
Once again, perfection! The deviled eggs were hands down the best app I've ever had! My husband and I came in for my bday dinner and it was such a nice experience. We traveled 2 hours to get there and it was so worth it! The hostess seemed a bit annoyed when I asked for the restroom but beyond that everyone exhibited and gave exceptional customer service. Seastar has quickly become my favorite restaurant of all time:)
(5)Taylor M.
Took the boyfriend here for his birthday dinner. The food was amazing and the service was just as fantastic. Oysters as appetizer, king Salmon and filet for dinner and vanilla creme brûlée for dessert. Worth every dollar spent and for the quality, probably worth a few dollars more. Definitely will be going back!!
(5)Min Y.
Had lunch and dinner for business meeting. Their seafood is very fresh but other food was very average compare to the price of the dish. Ambiance is good for meetings for lunch and date for dinner.
(3)B M.
Coconut cream pie....ummmm HELL YES! Ordered dinner for take out here since I work right across the street and it was probably the best and worse decision I've made since my relocation to Washington. Best idea since it made my taste-buds so back flips and sing for rejoice! Worse because it's quite pricey and I could go poor eating here if I decide to frequent this location. For now I will call this my pampering my belly spot. lol
(5)Molly G.
Seastar was a great place to eat! The food was amazing! The waitstaff were very helpful and friendly! Will go back again if we are in the area!
(5)Jessica B.
Customer service was subpar. There was no personal connection with our servers. Nice bar ambiance. Food was good, not bad. Food service was fast. Menu creativity was fun. I wouldn't go here for food or customer service again. We had Deviled eggs Ahi poke Stuffed calimari Banana cream pie Herbal tea Iced water
(3)bruce s.
Top notch! Our party of 5 enjoyed our meal. Shared an array of appetizers including sushi and crab...delicious. My entrée were the scallops which were exceptional. Service a tad rushed and presumptive removing plates before meal was finished.
(4)Kay C.
Just came from HH and loved it!! The prices were good and food quality was very comparable to others in DT Bellevue. Tried many things - the burger was really good, and came with a ton of good fries, oysters were good, calamari was different, garlic shrimp, ahi poke, etc. Also at $3 a glass of wine (4oz pour) it's a great deal. Also liked that it wasn't too busy and a very nice environment to hang out and talk with friends over HH!
(4)Julia R.
Visited Sunday evening for Restaurant Week. Huge RW menu with lots of seafood options and with many of their best dishes featured. Really liked that parking was free with our visit (park below restaurant and get your ticket validated), and that the hostess accommodated our hour early arrival. I was not totally sold by the atmosphere here... came across to me as kind of generic. The menu definitely made up for that. I got the thai hot and sour soup, the steelhead, and the coconut cream pie. Soup was amazing, highly recommend it! Steelhead seemed a bit dry, but the asparagus with it was very good. Coconut cream pie was possibly my favorite... all in all, this is a must for restaurant week!
(4)Char L.
Very play it safe menu. Seastar does safe very well. Came for lunch and enjoyed my Halibut with Caramelized Onion & Bacon Relish. It's solid, yummy seafood that you can expect for a Seattle institution, but it wasn't very different from any other fancy seafood place. For lunch, one hour parking is validated if you park in the garage.
(3)Azucar M.
A friend and I came to lunch this past Wednesday. First, I received the wrong order, so I had to wait longer for the right order to be served. Then, my friend found a penny size rock in her food, which at that point she stopped eating! We informed the waiter who then proceeded to inform the chef. His response was that because they serve fresh seafood, clients are bound to find rocks once in a while. He did apologize but didn't offer to replace the dish or take it off the bill. Great customer service!
(2)Alexis F.
I had the best meal I've had in a while here just this past Thursday night. Yes, this place is not cheap, but I think it is definitely worth the splurge every now and then (or if you can afford it, why not once a week?!) Our server was SO incredibly nice. I wish I remembered her name. She was so down-to-earth and genuine. Star #1 for amazing service! She made excellent recommendations - one of them being the Steelhead which I did order. I had to thank her. It was just cooked to perfection and tasted divine. I have an abnormally HUGE appetite for a rather slim girl, and I was actually full and VERY happy by the time I finished my plate. Star #2 for great value! The ambience here was classy but not overdone. There were people in suits, people in jeans, families, and groups from the office there. Everything was clean, the decor was beautiful. Star #3 for environment. Back to our awesome server. She also recommended the coconut cream pie. Holy YUM?!?!?! It was absolutely delicious. The crust was like a shortbread cookie, the filling was rich but not overbearing, and the whipped cream on top (I'm a huge fan of the whipped cream) had toasted coconut shavings on top - YUM. I feel like usually desserts fall short even at nice restaurants, and I often feel like I overpay for desserts, but this pie was definitely one that needed to be shared. Star #4 for great dessert! Star #5 is for....everything. Every single second, from being seated to leaving the parking garage (validation - yay!) was perfection. I cannot wait to come back! Thank you to the server, the chefs, the woman who recommended our wine (I forgot the term for that person - but she was very knowledgable and friendly, too). I loved it!
(5)Chloe Z.
Everything is good. Love their seastar tower.
(5)Jingwen Y.
Just based on the food only, I would give this place 4 plus stars. They served some delicious food and I don't think you can go wrong with anything from the menu. Service could use a smile. I understand this is a classy place, but being professional doesn't have to be so cold and stoic. The hostess was a degree below freezing and I don't think I saw a real smile from our server the entire night. Our food took a long time to get to our table. I would not recommend this place if you want to relax for the night. The atmosphere is very business like and would be perfect for client dinner / lunch meetings.
(3)Jess C.
I hadn't been here in about 5 years but it used to be a favorite for a special occasion. I decided to take my family back when I was put in charge of finding a restaurant to celebrate my dad's birthday. We were not disappointed! The service was professional and attentive, the food was fantastic. I started with the tuna poke (which I order everywhere I see it on a menu) and it was delicious. I had the scallops with local truffles--it was perfect. I really like the atmosphere here. It is cozy but feels upscale at the same time. They made a special California roll for my four-year-old daughter and they were great with her. The only downside to our evening was that my folks are serious oyster lovers and their three faves were not on the menu.
(5)Monika C.
Seastar is a really nice upscale seafood restaurant that I was lucky enough to have a business lunch at last week. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of an office building with a parking lot (score!), the dining room had a nice look to it with high ceilings and windows, the food was great, and the service was pretty good. Only downfall? Um, the food costs a fortune! Our lunch for two ended up being $89 which included one appetizer, one salad, two entrees, and two iced teas. I would definitely come here again, but only if I wasn't the one paying!
(4)JoAnn A.
A girlfriend and I came here for HH on a day we both had off. We got there right when HH started, so the bar was fairly empty, but it was nice for conversation. (Once HH got moving, it got louder of course, but not crazy annoying loud). I recall ordering one of their burgers and calamari and both things were so delish! Service was decent, and didn't have to wait a really long time for our food, which was nice. I would definitely love to come here again for HH!
(4)Phoenix S.
Very impressive service. We were there for Seattle Restaurant Week. Ancho Smoked Steelhead and Thai Seafood Salad had exceptional layers of flavor. Seastar trio dessert was a beauty to behold & delicious. But, a top sirloin was served med. rare, ordered as medium, which is surprising for a restaurant of this caliber. The NW Seafood Stew with Salmon Sausage was the most disappointing - waiter described it as "like a cioppino." It was neither as there was not an ounce of broth. It's disingenuous to label a dish as "NW seafood stew" (which implies mix of seafood served in liquid) when there was only 7 small mussels, which was not sufficient protein for a dinner. Dish should have been called Salmon sausage with mussels on citrus tomato rice.
(3)Henry C.
Hey guys no disrespect to this restaurant the vibe was classy and very elegant but the food was alright... For the price I expected a hell of a lot more than what I got... Expensive, the best thing I eat was the spicy tuna hand roll ( it was spicy ) the oysters where alright. Menu is pretty big and my comrade eat swordfish dish which was of the grid...
(3)Alden F.
Went to this place for dinner on a Thursday night. We ended up eating at the bar because we did not want to wait for the table. The service was great, and the food was good. We had the Deviled eggs topped with Ahi Tuna, which was very good. We also had the Cedar smoked Alaskan Crab legs. First off for the $80 price, I thought that we would be getting at least 3 lbs of Crab Legs, instead we received 4 pieces. Not only was it 4 pieces, it wasnt the full Crab Leg. They do split the leg for you so that it is super easy to take the meat out, but I do not think that warrants them to charge $80. Although I was very upset with the portions, I have to say that the crab was very good, and the dipping butter sauce was very tasty.
(3)Kazar L.
Thank goodness it's pay day because let's not kid ourselves here, this place is definitely on the pricier side. All things considered though, you get what you pay for and hot flap jacks was the bread amazing. With a little extra cash in hand, the Friday foodie's entourage decided to finally give this place a go. Wearing a work vest and my coworker wearing a hoodie, we definitely felt a tad under-dressed even for lunch, but hey we had money, they had food, 'nuff said. After putting our order in, the server brought out a selection of meal buffer's including a particular Sourdough French bread. It was crunchy and crisp on the outside, soft and spongy on the inside. I'm a man that can appreciate a well made loaf, and that by golly was a damned good loaf. As for the entrée's, the shrimp risotto was cooked very well, the jumbalaya's ingredients kept their own texture and flavor, while the ahi salad was fresh and flavorful. The only small issues I had were with the crab cakes and the portion size. The crab cakes were awfully small for the price, and the flavor wasn't as fresh as I would expect from a restaurant that prides itself on seafood. As for the portion size, the dishes were just enough to get you comfortably full, but if I were starving, I'd have probably been disappointed. So if you can brown bag it for a week and save that money to come here for a meal, I'd recommend to do it at least once. The food is good and easily a close second to the bread. Service: 4/5 very knowledgeable and friendly. Decor: 4/5 upper business class Food: 4/5 great food with accompanying price tag Fact: satisfaction of portion can vary depending on hunger.
(4)Chris O.
Have had consistently great meals here. Love the pear hazelnut salad, lobster bisque, crab risotto and cedar plank salmon w/ mashed potatoes. Yum. I think I enjoy sitting in the bar even more than the restaurant. The only con I can think of is the rye bread they bring out. Rye? Gross. Anyway we just eat the other bread and move on.
(5)Jennifer N.
Yum!! So delicious! We went here last night. We started with scallops, crab cakes, and shrimp, all of which were amazingly delicious! For my entree I had the scallops with the cream corn. It was very very good! I also had a taste of the shrimp and risotto - also super delicious. Overall - great meal. I will definitely go back!
(5)Cora L.
This is my favorite restaurant in Seattle: great service, clean restaurant with high ceilings and the perfect medium-low lighting, AND fantastic food. If nothing else, try the Northwest Oyster Sampler -- the oysters with caviar and the wasabi tobiko oysters are absolutely divine. If you like salmon, try the Applewood Grilled Pacific NW Red King Salmon entree -- perfection. The salmon was perfectly seasoned and not overly salty, while also juicy and quite the reasonably sized portion. The fingerling potatoes were JUST as good as the salmon, and the asparagus was a wise compliment to the dish. I got to try some of my friend's Cedar Plank Roasted Pacific NW Red King Salmon which I thought wasn't bad (I liked mine heaps more), but his came with the BEST broccoli I've ever had. I think I could eat a whole dish of just that smoked broccoli! Oh yes, and the creme brulee was delicious -- but I'd expect nothing less after experiencing everything else. Fantastic service, and a great place for dinner all around. Even the starter bread/crackers were remarkably tasty, I really couldn't have asked for anything more. Thank you Seastar!
(5)Jim S.
The Caesar salad was great! Dungeness crab added in quantity. I had the Hawaiian Fish, which this time was Ono. I've eaten plenty of this in Hawaii, and it's hardly ever this good. Cooked just right and very tasty. My other half had the Halibut dish and is still raving about it. Both dishes came with vegetables that were just right. Our dessert was the Banana Spring Roll Sundae, very good. Overall a pleasant evening and great dinner.
(4)Kayla H.
I have always wanted to come to this restaurant as I have heard wonderful things. Came in last weekend for my moms birthday and we had a nice time. I thought our service was very nice and professional. I brought my mom some flowers and they even brought out a little water bucket to put them in. For wine we brought in our own 2 bottles. Note this is the way to go, they dont charge for the first bottle and the second bottle is only $25. We ordered the Sea Star tower, spicy tuna roll and I had the Copper River Sockeye Salmon. The tower was delicious! Best crab cake I have EVER had! My salmon was cooked perfectly. It was delicious! For dessert I decided to branch out and go for something different. My go to is ALWAYS Molten lava cake, but my mom was ordering that so I opted for the creme brulee. The molten cake my mom had was very dense and rich, as it should be, my creme brulee (I got the vanilla bean kind) was light and cream and I basically licked that thing cleaned! Overall, we had a very nice time!
(5)Flora C.
For HH Review: Good food selection and good price The house white is just not my kind of grape =( Good list: Truffle fries Spicy tuna roll Slider Oysters So So list: Filled Calamari Unfiltered Cold Sake House White
(4)Claudia I.
My husband and I went to Seastar again last night for the Nth time! I love the place. The food is always great, might I add that my husband does not like sea food much, yet this is his favorite restaurant! The decor is very nice and the staff is always very friendly. The price is a bit higher then your norm, but the food and environment more than make up for it!
(5)Jon L.
Dined at Seastar as part of the Spring 2012 edition of Seattle Restaurant Week. Like several other high profile restaurants in Bellevue, Seastar is part of a corporate building complex. In this case, the Civica building. In front of the restaurant, Seastar offers valet parking if you are so inclined. The restaurant is divided between the more formal dining room and casual bar area. The bar area is also where the raw bar is located in which items like oysters and sushi are prepared. Since I felt the dining room to be a bit too stuffy for my tastes, I headed over to the bar. The benefit in this is that I was able to partake in the happy hour specials that run between 3:30 to 6 pm on weekdays. Plus they have TVs in the bar area to entertain customers. The Restaurant Week dinner menu ($28) at Seastar had a lot of choices, unlike some restaurants which may have as little as three choices for each category. The main appeal of Seastar is its seafood. Hence my appetizer and entree selections followed suit. Ordered the calamari ceviche, grilled Washington steelhead and passion fruit panna cotta for dessert. Paired it with a glass of the sommelier's choice of white wine ($3) from the happy hour menu. The calamari ceviche was good. It was fresh, chewy and had a nice mix of tomato, chilies, lime and cilantro. A seafood salad at a seafood restaurant just sounded preferable over an ordinary Caesar salad. If you like salmon, steelhead is another fish you will probably like. Steelhead is considered trout, but the taste is similar to salmon that you might have trouble distinguishing the difference. The steelhead was grilled well and the pesto mashed potatoes were the perfect accompaniment. The mashed potatoes here was one of the best that I have had of this dish. The grilled zucchini was also good, but not as wow inducing as the potatoes. Also with the meal came two types of bread. Lavash and the standard rustic bread. I liked both, though the lavash was a bit more interesting flavor wise. The passion fruit panna cotta was a good ending to this meal. The panna cotta was covered in a green tea syrup with small chunks of fruit spread throughout the dish. The panna cotta reminds me of yogurt as it was a bit tart. The fruit and syrup sweetened the dessert a bit. I liked it as it tasted light. Felt like a better choice since I think the chocolate cake would have proven to be too heavy. Had a good meal at Seastar during Seattle Restaurant Week. Good service and food. I will have to come here again to try out the Happy Hour food menu which looked appealing.
(4)Jennifer G.
Love it! I went there during the Seattle restaurant week and got a great deal for dinner for 2. They only offered the special outside of the peak hours but that was fine with us. The raw oysters were very fresh and tasty. I love the salmon. Excellent food and great service. The dessert was very yummy too but the portion was on the smaller side. I will come here for sure when there is special like that. I booked through OpenTable and it was very easy to schedule. Great seafood restaurant.
(5)Howard L.
Very good quality here and I found prices may only be about $5 per dish higher than say in Bellingham for a similar upscale setting. Generally, I've found the Pacific NW to be a little more pricey everywhere, so I have to adjust my value standards a little. A Pike's Peak pale ale draft beer was available though for $5. I had a delicious Northwest seafood stew for $25. It had a nice tomato broth, and included large shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and tender fish chunks. The crostini toasted bread was a nice touch for it too. I suspect you can't go wrong with any dishes here. Some have suggested this is Bellevue's finest seafood place, and from what I saw, I can believe it. Parking tip: I've learned that in Bellevue, there is always free validated parking somewhere despite the apparent congestion; you just have to find out where it is. For Seastar, it's the underground self parking lot in the building just adjacent and north of the restaurant.
(5)Gentle V.
We went to happy hour and really enjoyed the food, atmosphere, and attentive service. There's plenty of room in the bar, and they validate parking. However, if you're not careful, you can rack up the tab, even for happy hour. We ordered: -2 dozen oysters (yummy!) -spicy tuna rolls -garlic shrimp (which was so delicious) The one food item on the happy hour menu that I wasn't a fan of was the calamari poppers (with spicy tuna). I personally wasn't used to the texture of the stuffed calamari and it wasn't my favorite dish. However, their cedar-plank salmon dinner was really yummy! Overall, I highly recommend Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar if you're a seafood lover.
(4)Jeanette R.
Yum yum! I love seafood and fish...this place is the bomb. Their fresh fish is always good and you must save room (or take it home) for the coconut cream pie. I'm not sure why most of these restaurants I've been reviewing say they are not good for kids?!?! We always bring our daughter here and she even requested her birthday dinner here - not good for kids? She loves it - I think you must always take your kids and let them experience the food you like and they will be good eaters. Stop giving them chicken nuggets and let them share a plate of REAL food with you at a wonderful seafood restaurant like Seastar. If they don't eat junk food they won't want it. Anyway...off on a tangent! The seafood tower appetizer is excellent - try it! Atmosphere is nice here, it's not dark and swanky like Daniel's Broiler, but it is a nice place to spend a bit of time eating a lovely meal.
(4)Jay P.
Excellent food, we tend to bring business visitors here for work, and I've taken tourist friends myself after hours -- if you're looking to impress people with Pacific Northwest seafood but not leave the East Side, this one's tough to beat. Only real complaint is the seating -- it's very wide-open, like a gymnasium, so there's never any real sense of intimacy. A few partitions would go a long way.
(4)Jenny K.
Quick food service. Wowza! Went for happy hour and ordered some rolls and deviled eggs. Arrived in an instant with a dazzling plate presentation. Service was prompt & efficient. Atmosphere was very comfortable in the bar area. Prices are surprisingly decent (approx. $5 per roll - 4 pieces) and $6.50 for martinis. Deviled eggs were quite yummy! And rolls were fresh!
(4)Nina H.
This place is still fantastic for happy hour!!! Good luck finding a spot during weekday happy hour though. It can get really crowded when people start getting off work around 4-5. Anyway, in addition to trying the sushi rolls, I've had the oysters, Kobe beef burger, and the pork tenderloins... all so delicious and affordable for the quality. Be aware of the burger though - it really is buttery and big. But SO delicious. The mushrooms and cheese were super tasty and there's a huge portion of shoestring fries that come with it too. Service is usually pretty good but they get busy so be patient with them. It's definitely one of the best happy hours I've been to and I still can't get enough.
(5)Naomi O.
One of my favorite places to eat. Very fresh sushi and I absolutely love their Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Ahi. So freakin yummy! To be honest I've been there many times and I've never eaten anything else. But my husband usually gets the Potato Chip Crusted Halibut. We've been with other people and everything they eaten was enjoyed and bragged about later. For dessert you can't go wrong with White Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie for Two.
(5)Amos Y.
It is like a moderately upscale / fancy restaurant. Service was good and fairly prompt. Ordered the grilled scallops, which were quite succulent and delicious, but there were only 4 of them. Other dishes looked like they had larger portions. Prices are on the higher end, but not outrageous.
(4)Patricia P.
What's the sign of a great restaurant besides the obvious (great food, impeccable service, lovely venue)? In my mind it's when a restaurant goes above and beyond the call of duty to make one's dining experience unforgettable. And that's just what happened for me at a recent birthday lunch celebration at Seastar. Case in point......I had my heart set on a meal that I'd had months ago at the restaurant called, Zucchini Linguine. I was crestfallen when I learned that it was no longer on the menu. But it's my birthday (I thought) and I had my heart set on it as did my vegan dining companion. So our lovely server went and inquired with Chef Joe Haynes to see if he'd comply. Mind you, it was a Friday lunch service and the restaurant was slammed so I kept my expectations low. She returned to the table and said that Chef would indeed make us what my birthday heart wanted. Fifteen minutes later our meals arrived with Chef Haynes personally delivering them to our table!!!!! We oooohhhhed and ahhhhhed and kept him far too long at tableside, but he didn't flinch. We happily consumed our meal and of course saved room for the restaurants signature desserts. We settled on the melt-in-your-mouth Molten cake and guess who made an appearance again? None other than Chef himself. We were giddy with excitement. I mean, come on, what Chef takes time out like that???? Talk about satisfied customers!!!!!!!! We are Seastar-lifers! Thank you Chef for making ours an unforgettable lunch! See you soon!!!!!!!!!!!
(5)Ken F.
Best seafood I have ever had. Period. Cannot recommend it enough. (And the sommelier was excellent.)
(5)Emily A.
A most delightful place to spend an evening enjoying fresh seafood is Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar. There are two locations; one nestled in the charming town of Bellevue, Washington, and the other near the heart of Seattle. I had the pleasure of dining with my family at the Bellevue location recently, and as a first time patron found the experience to be exceptional. The atmosphere is professional, but warm, and the service was equal. The waitress kept the dishes coming at a perfect pace, allowing us to savor the delectable dishes, yet was prompt with each course that followed. The menu is diverse with a combination of sushi, perfectly prepared appetizers, salads, soups, and entree dishes, as well as excellent breads, drinks, and desserts. Every plate was appealing in its presentations and each dish was very fresh. Our party started with the Cedar Plank Roasted Mushrooms appetizer which was very rich and filling, yet incredibly delicious. We cut right to the entrees next, choosing to skip the salad course even though the menu offered a fair amount of what looked to be tempting options. In retrospect it was wise of us to skip the salads, because the main dishes were quite hearty for a fine dining entree. Everyone at our table took turns tasting each of the elegantly presented plates. The Cedar Plank Grilled King Salmon with Citrus Rice was the best salmon I have ever tasted; cooked to absolute perfection. The Usda Prime Top Sirloin with Blue Cheese was also cooked to the exact medium rare ordered, and was fork tender. The steak was accompanied by fried potatoes which were very well prepared. The Marsala Chicken with Mushrooms was equally delicious, however the potatoes that accompanied this dish were somewhat mediocre. Although each dish was of high quality and expertly prepared, the true star of the evening was the Sea Scallops with Truffles. Even though it was rich, the flavor never waned and every bite was an explosion of ecstasy to the palate! Every drop of the sauce was consumed by each one of us in turn. I would return to Seastar for that dish alone. Although each person at our table was stuffed to an almost uncomfortable level, we proceeded to eat the scrumptious Crème Brulee and a variety of artfully arranged fine chocolates. Overall the food at the Seastar Restaurant is some of the best I have ever tasted throughout the many years of traveling up to the beautiful state of Washington. The Bellevue location has great parking options available. Reservations are a must since Seastar is a well loved and established eatery. One of the many things I love about the Northwest is the friendly hospitality, the warmth and diversity of the people, and of course the fresh fish. Seastar delivered all of this and more.
(5)john g.
Expensive but fantastic. I had the cedar salmon and it was fantastic. I've never took a bite of any fish and said wow... but I did here. It was that awesome. The service was fantastic. Water never got below half full. Our server was patient and even brought a sample after we asked about it. It's expensive. Expect to spend a min of $60 per person.
(5)Diane H.
We had the best experience at Seastar. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was absolutely fabulous. I started with the bisque. My husband was going to skip it but after he had a taste, he wanted his own. Our server recommended it. I had the sesame/peppercorn ahi but I asked if I can have a lot less of the peppercorns or no peppercorns. The server said she'd ask and I got what I wanted, no peppercorns. It was just the way I love it - slightly cooked on the outside and rare rare in the inside. The wasabi sauce with soy was perfect with the fish. THEN, our server recommended the ice cream. It was like eating a 50/50 popsicle in a cup. Soooo gooooood! Recommend you valet park because parking is limited and watch out for the signs above, especially the ones behind you if you park on the street.
(5)Jeff G.
Seastar is our go to restaurant for birthdays and other special occasions. Last night my wife and I came in for her birthday. Prior to coming the the restaurant, we had a special request on one of the menu items and called in to see if it could be substituted for another fish, they were happy to do this and it made the evening perfect (I will note that not everything can be substituted but it doesn't hurt to call and ask if you have a special request, please give them at least 24 hours notice though). We started off with the Washington roll which was perfect; full of crab and smoked salmon with just the right amount of apple to give it the added flavor. For our entrees we both had the ancho chili rubbed salmon (this was the item we called and had substituted in for the steelhead). We literally dream about this entree and we both cleaned our plates; it seriously is the best salmon dish I have ever had. We finished our meal with the creme brulee (compliments of the restaurant for my wife's birthday). It was perfect, hard crust that broke when tapped by a spoon and a rich and creamy inside. No complaints with anything that Seastar does, from the service to the food everything was perfect. Thank you Seastar for always providing us with memorable experiences.
(5)LisaLisa F.
Excellent Happy Hour. :) Ahi Poke appetizer melts like butter. The sauce is amazing.
(4)Alanna M.
Gone for happy hour a handful of times. The selection is actually pretty good. I love the truffles fries! The burger was yum and definitely a split kind of thing (for me). Prices were reasonable. Definitely a decent HH spot.
(4)Alan Y.
I went there a few times and felt more about their race-bias attitude. I had my reservation (for 2) last week and was brought to a table close to the door. But other pop-in without reservation (for 2 also, but whites) got much better inner table. This was not the first time. It totally screwed up my appetite. I will choose other restaurant next time.
(2)V T.
Heard good things so had to try out. Starter was the hamachi ceviche which was way under seasoned. Strong acidity with little balance. The fish was fresh though. Main was the applewood salmon. Again under seasoned and had to add table salt to the fish. Fish itself was very fresh and great salmon taste. Had a calamari popper from another diner. It is a good concept and the ahi stuffing was good and spicy. However that overwhelmed any calamari taste. Dessert was the panna cotta. Decent but tropical fruit syrup was horribly too sweet. Probably would not come back.
(3)Larena H.
Seastar is all kinds of delicious. They have one appetizer that was life-changing for me. You see, I don't like deviled eggs. Every time they are served at a pot luck of sorts, I get a couple of them, ditch the yolk filling (even if it's mixed with other stuff), and eat the egg whites. People give me the strangest looks, and I try to explain that I just don't like egg yolks. Of course even after the explanation they continue to give me the strangest looks. I had the deviled eggs at Seastar. Again, I tell you they were life-changing for me. I have tried countless deviled eggs over the years, and I have never liked anyone's recipe - that is until I tried the ones at Seastar. John, *sniff* you changed me! Naturally, every other dish I've ever had there has been delicious. The ambiance of the restaurant is lovely. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the area!
(5)Krista N.
I mean....really this place rocks, especially for happy hour. I can come here with a group, FILL up on delicious food, and leave for $20-25 p/p ( we get oysters) with a good drink. Most of the plates are fairly large, some larger than others but if you order a variety all are easily shared. You can also get a fresh " oyster of the day," for a little over a buck. When I go in, I already know I'm going to get at least 5-6, maybe more, it is what it is, so I come here when I got a little extra dinero. Never liked oysters until recently and now I'm in love. mmmm & really the Pacific Northwest is heaven for oysters!! What I've tried at HH and it's all good and every item is under $8: Ahi poke, hot and sour shrimp soup, truffle fries ( large basket easily shareable), their jalapeno/salmon and spicy ahi rolls, all the raw oysters I've tried, the asian inspired pork medallions ( super tender), the garlic shrimp, and the DELICIOUS salmon deviled eggs. Their blood orange martini I hear is good, although I've only had a beer when I've gone. Sometimes I don't drink, just fill up on raw yummy seafood! :) Lunch is also good and reasonably priced. Their crab sammie at lunch is pretty bomb and I usually roll my eyes at the idea of seafood and cheese. It works but it's slightly greasy so be in the mood. I've never been for dinner-dinner. I'm sure it's AWESOME and I will def go when I have some more money to spare. I love this place in Bellevue and the one in Seattle rocks too. It's just GOOD places are harder to find over here compared to Seattle, so it blends in a little more there.
(4)Grace L.
If you go, you have to order some oysters. They are amazing and amazingly fresh. I usually hate ordering seafood (especially raw) because it's rare to get fresh seafood, but these are delicious. I didn't even have to put any lemon or extra flavor to the oysters, they tasted great plain! The service was good as well. The sommelier was attentive and suggested a really nice wine pairing with our dinners. I don't remember much of the food. I had cedar plank salmon which was okay. Desserts were fine. Rasberry mojito was especially strong. Not very memorable and probably extremely pricey. This is a good place to go for a meal when you want to impress business clients or a special someone.
(4)Tory M.
Honestly, the deviled eggs and the hamachi ceviche were very nice. Unfortunately the entrees are unremarkable and very overpriced. $35 for king salmon and $30 for mahi mahi is exhorbitant for what you get. The sides of simple mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli are dishes I can make at home. I like the atmosphere of the restaurant but would love to see more exciting menu choices that i can't/won't make at home!
(2)Jen C.
Nice atmosphere. We have tried their happy hour and dinner menu. Both times, we had great service. The food is good. Drinks, like most restaurants is a little pricey. Fried stuffed squid is tasty but a little undercook during our dinner visit. Fish was cooked just right. We will come back again.
(4)Yekta A.
Delicious! The blue cheese + walnut chicken is so tasteful it's insane! The shrimp + calamari linguinie is creamy and melts in your mouth! I wasn't too fond of their oyster sampler plate, the bread they bring you is so addictive and delicious! If you valet it's $7, better than trying to find parking on the street.
(5)Jeff B.
If there is a better seafood restaurant I haven't found it. Food is expertly prepared and service is very, very professional. Great spot for an elegant dinner date or power lunch/dinner with clients. I like the view better at the location in Seattle but this place is awesome. Great wines by the glass or bottle. They are very accommodating for people with allergies or gluten intolerance, etc.
(5)Marius S.
High end seafood. Well worth the money and the service was great, I mentioned to the server that I might want to move here and he actually wrote down places and city names to browse.
(5)Kyoni R.
Our East Side SRW for the fall Edition. We came here with my meetup group the Seattle True Foodies. A small personal group of 8 gathered to this Downtown Bellevue SRW. Valet Parking up front on a cold night is a welcome sight. The restaurant was inviting and did a great job in accommodating us. Wonderful conversations followed with good food. Waitress was attentive and very helpful with our challenged heaters who had allergies. All in all it made for a wonderful night.
(4)Stacey P.
I am a huge fan of John Howie Steak, so I thought I would take an opportunity of a Groupon to try out its sister restaurant Seastar. Parking is a breeze, and the ambiance of the restaurant is rather nice, wide open space. The lighting is a bit dim in the evening, but not so dim you can't read the menu. Walking past the server station I was struck with how openly hostile the greeter was talking to a customer on the phone telling the person that being late would result in them losing a table. I can understand the policy, but I couldn't understand the need for the tone. My party was seated by the window, and our waitress was great. She was relaxed and fun, recommending food, and making small conversation. She was the best part of the experience. The sommelier seemed a bit confused with our questions and a tad bit awkward lapsing into these strange silences. The food was all right, and that's the disappointing part. John Howie Steak is a fantastic experience with the most delicious steak I have eaten in this area, but I can't say that Seastar had the best seafood. My friend had the scallops with truffles. Stealing a few bites of his scallops I found that they were all right, but not exceptional. I had the sesame encrusted ahi tuna with jasmine rice. It was overly encrusted, to the point that it felt like I was chewing on rabbit food. I ended up cutting off the edges so I could enjoy the fish. I did not enjoy the rice. I took two bites of it and pushed It tasted strongly of ginger, and little of rice. I ordered the banana spring roll for dessert and loved every bite of that. It was extremely tasty, but the banana spring roll isn't enough to make me want to return.
(3)Karyn C.
Overrated. I made my fifth visit in five years, and I will officially say for me, it's not worth it. There is so much great service, good value and great food in Seattle, so unless I'm stuck in Bellevue, I'll go elsewhere. I didn't have a huge check (for SeaStar standards) and felt a bit of discrimination from my server.
(3)Richard T.
This was my first time here at Seastar and it was a great experience. I enjoyed the overall restaurant, but I do agree with some of the yelpers that Palisades does have a better ambiance with the water views. Looking out at the street from your dinner table just does not do it for me here. The food was above average as I had the Caesar salad for appetizer and for my main course I chose the top sirloin. The salad I thought needed a little more dressing, but overall it was good. The top sirloin was adequate with the wasabi-teriyaki sauce on the side, but the meat was not very juicy even though I had ordered it medium rare. I think next time I would try a seafood course instead. We were so full by the end of dinner that I didn't order anything from the dessert menu even though I saw quite a few tasty treat I want to try the next time I go back. On the plus side the service was very attentive as they came around quite a few times to ask how our food was and they made sure that our water glasses were never empty. Also they have both valet and underground garage parking with validation. If you're ever in the downtown Bellevue area and don't mind blowing a few bucks on a meal go here to Seastar.
(4)Brenda A.
I went to Seastar for Seattle Restaurant Week (my favorite time of year!), and also for my boyfriend's birthday. He had the trout, and I had the steelhead. Both were cooked to perfection, and the sides were also delectable. We both had the oysters as our appetizer, and they were some of the best oysters I've ever had (that's huge, considering how often I have oysters at restaurants), but unfortunately our oysters had pieces of shell remaining in them. My boyfriend had the vanilla bean creme brulee, and I had the passion fruit panna cotta. Some seriously loud flavor in the panna cotta, it was awesome. The creme brulee was exactly what I expected, which means it was excellent. The server seemed a bit confused, as she gave us the wrong dish for both our entrees and dessert, but besides that everything regarding service was fine.
(4)Nom C.
Love this restaurant! Oysters are always so killer here and the few sushi rolls they offer are 1st class.
(5)Mj B.
Seastar is the only restaurant that always delivers. The food is super delicious! Try the coconut cream pie; it's heavenly!
(5)Karen L.
Seastar at Bellevue is a relatively fancy restaurant with a nice ambiance. We ate here for dinner during Restaurant Week, about a week ago, for our first Restaurant Week experience. I was happily surprised with so many choices! Yet at the same time, I had a hard time choosing. I ended up choosing the Washington sushi roll (though I wish I had chosen the ceviche!) and boyfriend ordered the hot and sour shrimp soup, for appetizer. Both were good. There was apple in the sushi roll, which is what attracted me to it in the first place, though there's nothing spectacular about it, so I don't necessarily recommend it. The soup, however, was delicious, with a generous amount of shrimp in it. For entree, I ordered the reggiano parmigiano crusted tilapia and boyfriend ordered the crab cakes. Both entrees were flavorful and had the right amounts of seasoning and flavor, not too overpowering. The crab cakes were delicious but the tilapia tasted just a tad too cheesy for me. However, both entrees were cooked very well. For dessert, I ordered the coconut creme pie, and boyfriend ordered the chocolate cake. The pie was good, but the crust was too hard; I only ate less than half--mostly because I was too full and when I'm full, too-sugary stuff is hard to eat. The chocolate cake, however, was absolutely delicious! I seriously wanted to just steal the cake and eat it all. The service was good, the food was good, but for the price, I might not be returning anytime soon.
(4)Andrej B.
Yum. We had a great dinner at Seastar. As it was packed we had to wait for the table and had a few drinks and nibbles at the bar and then the real dinner. Everything was delicious. Definitely on the come back list.
(4)Mehta H.
The decor and the ambience is just super classy. Our server was very nice and assertive, she knew a lot about fishes and crbas served in the house. I enjoyed the food being a vegetarian also ( they custom made me some veggie sushi ) which was awesome. The main course was butternut squah ravioli which was super soft and full of rich taste and texture. I am coming back here pretty soon
(4)Mark A.
We started with the appetizer tower which was really good but then came to our main course, halibut was small & dry, potato chip crust was very salty and overwhelmed the halibut. The ancho/ steelhead was very very good. My wife enjoyed that (I did too thanks to a few bites) service was a bit slow however the place was packed for a Tuesday night. Bathroom is through a a hallway which leads to the main building bathrooms which was in disarray. Overall it was a nice rest. However I would stick to a happy hour.
(2)natalie n.
Every time my mom visits me from San Francisco, there's only one restaurant she really wants to go to -- Seastar. And this restaurant has grown on me a lot, too. Seastar serves really classic seafood dishes with an occasional fusion twist. The one dish we always get to share is the crab cakes with the wildly addicting sweet and sour sauce. A luxurious splurge is the no-fuss king crab legs, but we haven't been disappointed by any of the great seafood here. Seastar also has a location in Seattle (on top of Whole Foods in the Denny triangle), and the locations have slightly different menus. We've had really great experiences at both (we just prefer the Bellevue one for convenience).
(5)Nana O.
I had to say, I was very disappointed. As for the appetizer, sesame -peppercorn crusted ahi, the fish was descent but the sauce was to sweet. For the main course, I had prosciutto wrapped scallops and it was over salted. Very salty. Also, either scallops nor prosciutto had enough sear outside, so the texture was very boring. Is this worth $30 a plate? I don't think so. I might have to give it another try sometime since I live in downtown Bellevue, but I would much rather go to Ginza for my seafood cravings for now.
(3)Shannon R.
My husband and I love to have a date nights here. We always sit in the bar because we like the atmosphere better in the bar. That is reason I only gave 4 instead of 5 stars. The dining room ambiance is dated and terrible and in need of a renovation for an upscale restaurant. However this is truly our favorite place. Now we have tried most all dishes and enjoy them all. The service has always been amazing but last night was off the hook. Talia was our server and she was truly remarkable. From her cocktail recommendations to her complimentary tasting of a wine she thought we may enjoy and the truffles at the end she was extraordinary. I will continue to go back and from now on will make a point of requesting Talia as our server. She made a great night even more amazing.
(4)Gisete K.
I love Seastar! There, I said it. I've been here twice for dinner and a few times for happy hour and I'm always satisfied after I leave. This week I had the Ahi Poke which was incredibly well seasoned and so fresh it melts in your mouth, california rolls, and a burger. I know I know, a burger in a seafood restaurant? Let me tell you, you will understand once you've tried it. Image the juiciest Wagyu beef burger in a buttery brioche roll, with fried mushrooms and cheese! I'm drooling again. Happy hour burger costs $8 and it comes with super crispy skinny fries. You shouldn't come here only for the burger but itself it's a better than deal than going to most burger joints. One thing I didn't like from the menu is the calamari. It was very spicy and the grapes didn't really work for me. Other than that, this is defenitly in my list of favorites.
(5)Jason F.
The finer things in life cost money and that definitely applies to dining at Seastar. But, once you get past the price, you can count on a terrific seafood experience. The location is pretty central in Bellevue and they have valet that makes parking very convenient. There's a good sized bar,when can sit and have a drink while you wait to be seated. The restaurant itself is large and airy and you'll feel pretty satisfied no matter where they seat you since there are no views. There are usually a couple seasonal specials, but everything I've had on their menu in my 6-7 visits has been terrific. Seafood bisque is a favorite.
(4)Rick S.
My first indication that something unusual was going on here was that my Caesar salad was perfect, right down to the chilled plate and custom Parmesan crouton. Who does that? There was even a personal pepper grinder on my table. The entree (fish) was cooked to perfection and served with vegetables that were also cooked, uh, perfectly. In fact, everything was perfect. The wait staff, dressed in black, were like ninjas; swiftly appearing from out of nowhere to keep my water glass full and sweep away empty plates.Food delivery time to the table was also very fast. At some point, it became a game with me; ordering more things just to see how they would do. The warm chocolate cake with fresh raspberries: delicious and beautiful. The cafe latte: perfect, and served in a pre-heated cup. The ambiance is inviting and comfortable, tastefully decorated and not over-crowded or noisy. This is my new favorite restaurant in the US.
(5)Rebecca F.
My husband and I finally checked this place out when I realized it was the Seattle Restaurant Week deal again (he's been wanting to take me here ever since we moved to the area over a year ago!). The menu looked like it had enough variety that we could try a bunch of different dishes (yet another excuse to take advantage of SRW for the $28 three course meal!)... I will say, though, that we probably wouldn't have just gone out to *try* Seastar without such a deal because it does seem pricey (for dinner at least) and we didn't know how we felt about the food yet. Probably the biggest negative that night was that it was quite LOUD in the place... I felt like I had to yell for my husband to hear me and he and I both were under the assumption that it would be more of a romantic date spot, but no way with all that noise. I think we just were unlucky to sit next to a few large parties and the one directly behind me was HH-drunk and perhaps extra loud because of it. If I were to return and were seated by another obviously drunk party, I'd probably ask for a different table and maybe wouldn't need to shout. The service was very attentive and friendly despite the packed house. After appetizers were finished, someone came to sweep up any bread crumbs; water was refilled in a timely manner; and really just an overall friendly - even genuine - demeanor of waitstaff, not pushy at all or seeming to want to rush us along. Oh, yes, and the decor was great! Love the lamps! On to the food! Apps: 1. Calamari Ceviche: This was very well-balanced and seemed to have sweet, savory, salty and spicy dancing in my mouth. It also has cilantro which is why I steered my husband towards this dish and that had a really good flavor too. The calamari was well prepared and overall a really good dish. 2. California Roll: Yes, I read the "warnings" that the sushi here isn't amazing so I wasn't really expecting much. I will say that it seemed fresh, the rice was well cooked and I personally really liked the tobiko they used as it had a nice pop! It wasn't a little dinky serving either -- 6 rolls even for the SRW appetizer! Mains: 1. Braised Beef: Even though my husband was thinking he wanted fish, I reminded him about the connection with John Howie and he decided to give this dish a try. It was different than the online advertised version on the SRW menu and had a kimchi rice-cake. I didn't taste all of the dish, but my husband thought it was too much of the rice and kimchi in that it should have just been a vehicle for the meat instead of such a huge part of the dish. But, with a fried egg on top, you can't really go wrong! The meat and sauce were very good too. 2. Steelhead Salmon w/smoked sea salt & black pepper: I really enjoyed the fish as it was really well seasoned with a good textural crunch to the salt and pepper. You could taste the smokiness of the sea salt too and it wasn't overwhelming the whole dish as smoking just the fish could potentially do. The fish was cooked perfectly, not overdone and not raw and the honey drizzle around the plate was a great sweet note to offset the salty aspect of the fish. The "roasted vegetable mashed potatoes" were a little disappointing only because I personally don't like all the vegetables included and had to pick them out (however, my husband gobbled those up); my husband said he would have been disappointed with the potatoes also because there was only one mushroom in my serving and he loves mushrooms! Overall, though, a really good dish and it gives me confidence that there are amazing/inventive applications with fish here that I should check out! Verdict: husband said he'd order my dish again (but not his), and I'm curious to check out other fish options. Dessert: 1. White Chocolate Coconut Creme Pie: I honestly never would have even thought to order this without the 'recommendation' of so many reviews here! I'm really glad this was one of the desserts we ordered. A good, clean coconut flavor, not just a big fluff of creme - a nice texture to it. It seemed like a light, not-too-sweet way to end the meal. Definitely try this if you haven't already!! 2. Rich Chocolate Cake: I'm a huge fan of super-dark chocolate (yum!), so I was pleased with the really nice chocolate flavor of the cake. I do think, though, that it would have been leaps and bounds better if instead of another chocolate sauce with it, there were more raspberries and/or a raspberry sauce. Dark chocolate and sweetly tart berries is an excellent combination and the three or four little berries on the plate just didn't balance out the amount of cake with this dish... the "lake" of chocolate creme was pretty much untouched too because it was just chocolate overload at that point. Overall, it's clear to me that Seastar is doing some really great things and I'm honestly curious to try more! Realistically, a 4.5 out of 5.
(5)John D.
Amazing seafood restaurant in downtown Bellevue. Highly recommend the Ahi Pole and Crab Cake appetizers.
(5)Andy L.
This place is hands down the best sushi in the area. Their raw bar is incredible and always serving the freshest food. If you are looking for something other than Seafood and are in the mood for a luxury burger? Well their kobe beef mushroom burger is to die for!!! Out of all of the old fashion classic burgers that are out there this one takes the cake. It is not your classic burger, but with the sauce, the mushrooms and juiciness of it, it is one of a kind. I rank Seastar as the best sushi in town and also the best burger in town! I recommend either one on a daily basis!
(5)Jerome B.
I came here for restaurant week a few weeks ago where they had a deal where you get 3 courses for $28. To start out, the parking is atrocious--finding the parking garage was so confusing since there are multiple in the area. I accidentally turned into the parking garage that was next to the one I was supposed to park at. After finding parking I had to get on the elevator, walk outside the building and walk into the restaurant (the main entrance is outside). You can opt to vallet your car, but I chose not to. Walked in the restaurant--we made reservations and were seated within 5 minutes! This place is fancy! I remember a year ago I attempted to have happy hour here after work ( I work in the area) and was instantly turned off because I was not dressed accordingly. This time I came correctly, haha! I was pleasantly surprised--I assumed that such a restaurant that was very proper and fancy would serve small portions of food. I was wrong! The food portioning was very generous (and delicious) For my first course I got the calamari ceviche. My friend also got it but was disappointed because she thought that the calamari was deep fried. But for me, I was okay with what I received. It was tasty and zesty at the same time! Yum! My second course was this baked chicken with grilled white shrimp smothered with some hollandaise sauce over a bed of spinach. this was really good and plentiful! I was really impressed by this dish! My last course was a vanilla creme brulee. This was also a very hefty size. It was good, but it was just as good as any other creme brulee I've had in the past. I ended up not finishing it because I was too full after the first 2 courses. In total, I'd say to come here (and make sure to dress up at least semi casual)! Food portioning was great, the food was tasty and don't forget to park at the correct garage ;)
(4)Kristy S.
A vendor took me to lunch here yesterday and it was OUTSTANDING. I had the Parmesean crusted tilapia (perfection), and my dining partner had the halibut. We then shared the coconut pie for two - outstanding and not to be missed - and had to be rolled out. Seriously, we both almost licked our plates clean. Our server was wonderful and totally on top of it. You get what you pay for...and Seastar is worth every penny.
(5)Miranda M.
Excellent food, upscale establishment. Overall, this place is good. However I'm reluctant to give Seastar five stars based on a few things: 1.) With child in tow, we try to eat early. Our reservation was for 5:00 p.m. on a Saturday. We arrived at 4:55...all the tables were empty. The hostess made us wait until 5:00 before seating us at a table. Not sure what that was about. 2.) When we asked the waitress for her recommendations on the menu, she quickly pointed out two entrees without much explanation. Maybe she was new, but she didn't "sell" very well. 3.) I ordered Mahi Mahi with sticky rice. While the fish was crazy fresh and good, the rice was mushy - prepared more like a risotto.
(4)Douglas M.
Before dining here I read a lot of reviews and in wanting to try something new, I decided to try the Bellevue location as the menu had one or two things extra that took my fancy. I arrived to a warm hostess who insisted they were busy and I would be seated within 10 minutes, no big deal except I had made a booking earlier but I know things can get out of hand at times. What shocked me was the fact the place was half empty. I was taken in and seated in one of the worst possible seats - near the bathroom. I requested to be moved but my server said they were fully booked tonight so I stayed put and ordered. When my meal arrived I received undercooked pasta and pretty average seafood. My server was uninterested in serving my table and only stopped back once to make sure I had enough water. By the time I had finished an exceedingly average and boring meal which had its flavour combinations mismatched and paid the bill I noticed the restaurant was still half empty. Needless to say - bad service, bad food and massively overpriced.
(1)Priscilla K.
Great food and great service couldn't ask for a better place to have our last dinner while in Bellevue!
(5)Rob M.
They have great customer service but if you don't know what you're ordering you could order the wrong food like me and up having a bad experience however, the setting is very nice and professional. A great place to take your special someone, if she likes seafood that is.
(4)Vivian L.
I cannot say the food is bad. I only can say with this price, it should be better. With this price, there should be something more special. I have been there once. From sushi to dessert, all the food was nice presented, well served and taste good. But nothing comes to impressive me or makes me say "Wah". So why I want to spend almost double of the price to eat something as good as some $$ places. The restuarant is clean but not fancy. You can say it is between a high class and family style. It will be good for a formal dinner. Will I go again? Maybe not, unless somebody pays for it. :P
(3)Randy P.
The Garlic Grilled Prawns and the Truffle Fries are absolutely the best anywhere. Make a dinner out of 'em..
(5)Sara L.
As usual, delicious food and great service. Nice bar ambiance. This is now one of my favorite restaurants in the Eastside. Recommended. We went on Saturday night, and happened to find valet parking, but free but absolutely great for a windy and cold night.
(4)Sandy L.
I went there for HH this time. Well I can't have much expectation on HH food and wine honeslty, The price is quite low for Eastside restaurants but atmosphere is and much less packed than Daniel's and McCormick & Schmick's!
(3)Polly C.
I've been to the Seastar Seattle location before and really enjoyed my experience there and I must say that I like the Bellevue location just as much! If you're a seafood lover, then this is the place for you. Their dishes are simple yet so flavorful and cooked perfectly. The fish is never overcooked and it just comes light and flaky, the way I like it. Their raw fish is great as well. I also got to try their coconut cream pie during restaurant week and it was amazing just like the other reviewers had mentioned. Be sure to check Seastar out if you haven't already. It's great for a date night or casual enough to hang out with a small group of friends. You'll love it!
(4)Deborah M.
I went to the Seastar for the first time to celebrate my birthday. The meal was absolutely delicious. My special requests were accommodated without any problem at all. The ambience was wonderful. I definitely want to make a return visit!
(4)Colleen Z.
Thank you Yelpers for helping me find this restaurant! Wow, the food was amazing. I started with the crab and sweet corn bisque. Friend had the stone fruit salad. Friend had the grilled salmon and I had the tilapia. The food was absolutely perfectly cooked and while come butter and creme were in the dishes not overly rich or saturated in fat. The taste of everything was just great and we were both very happy with the experience.
(5)Rod G.
Excellent overall experience. Attentive service, good setting, noise level ok due to tall ceilings. Ahi Sashimi very good, hot/sour seafood bisque just ok, King Salmon good. I would recommend.
(4)Adrian S.
I was there for lunch, and had a really nice romaine heart Caesar salad, followed by a very tasty fire roasted ahi tuna sandwich and addictive, crispy, skinny fries. If this place was near me I'd be one of their best customers.
(4)Brenna S.
We decided to try this place out on Saturday and we actually walked away from our dinner without finishing it. I am giving it 2 stars because the waitress was nice and the pear salad was good but the rest of the food was terrible. We ordered a $50 plate of Sashimi (chefs choice) and the fish we were served was not fresh. On some pieces it tasted so fishy that I actually had to use a knife to cut off pieces of skin. For the price of our meal 2 Appetizers, 2 sushi rolls and a plate of Sashimi I would suggest going anywhere else. Save your money...if you're looking for sushi there are a lot better places in Bellevue.
(2)David P.
We ordered the King Crab legs, deviled eggs, scallops, and crab cakes. The deviled eggs were by far the best of the entire meal. I loved the crab cakes and legs too, but I left feeling like I over paid for the crab legs. It was 4 pieces for $80. A little too much if you ask me, even though they were as good as they were.
(4)Cyleste K.
Great service. It's a little loud in there. Tables are square tables so you feel as if your date is far away...hard to hear what the other person is saying. When the server was telling the special, I could hardly hear him. We ordered small plates and a tower. Food was tasty...nice sauces. The scallop ceviche was kind of bland. I wouldn't order that again. They will validate parking (underground parking). Overall, nice place ...maybe not for a date...no view..just street view.
(3)Kelly L.
Came on a Friday for Happy Hour and there were plenty of seats! The menu was reasonably priced and lots of options. I got there late and I ordered whatever drinks my friends ordered but when we got the bill, realized the drinks were not on the happy hour menu so our bill was more than we expected. I don't know if my friends forgot to ask or not but I probably should've double checked myself. There's free/validated parking in the garage below which is nice. The crowd seemed a bit older and more uptight though.
(3)Tom C.
We tried this place Saturday night, no reservations, just showed up about 630/700 ish and had no trouble getting a table for 2 - it seemed to pick up a little around 8ish. We had sushi rolls as an app and I had the swordfish while the little lady had the crusted tuna. Everything was excellent. We had the chocolate molten cake for dessert, another excellent choice. If I had to try to find something to complain about, I would say they don't bring enough butter with the bread, but hey, I could have asked for more. This place was great, pricey - but you should know that going in. Service was great - our waiter seemed a bit passive/shy, but he was polite and did a good job. I don't think you can go wrong here. I don't know why I am not giving it 5 stars - it's probably not fair, but to me, there is just something missing and I just can't put my finger on it.
(4)Joanna C.
Thank goodness for Seattle Restaurant Week! $28 for a 3-course meal, especially at this place is a f****** steal! Everything was portioned just right. As a first time participant in SRW, this was a FANTASTIC experience for just a casual catch up dinner (though I felt out of place since this is Bellevue and I was completely under dressed for the environment) with one of my girlfriends. I seriously licked all of my dishes clean. For an appetizer, I had the oysters. Im normally not a fan of raw oysters but there's just something about that wasabi cocktail sauce that made it taste so damn good. For my main entree, I had the steelhead which was mouth watering delicious and grilled to perfection! The crisp edges and a hint of pink in the middle was cooked just right. The pesto mashed potatoes that came with it made such a great pairing, oh how I wish I could have it again. Last but not least, that vanilla bean creme brûlée was heaven sent! I wanted to savor it badly but devoured that sucker! I had this meal last week and I'm still raving about it. I cannot wait to come back again!
(5)Jenny Y.
I have eaten at many places in Seattle, fancy and not. Of those, I have eaten at Elliot's, Etta's, and Seastar as apart of my Seattle seafood experience. Seastar is my favorite out of them all, hands down. What I really love about this place is that the chef really knows seafood. He knows how to enhance and flavor with spices and sauces that bring out the true flavors of the food without overpowering it. This is extremely rare and difficult, I find, and most good seafood restaurants do not even attempt to do this and choose to keep the accompaniments minimal. Dishes that really stand out are the crab cake appetizer, the parmigiano halibut, and the pancetta wrapped scallops over portabella mushroom lentils. If you aren't drinking alcohol and want something light (that's not water) with your meal, their unsweetened iced tea is quite brilliant with a fruity undercurrent. Service has been good every time. I cannot say enough good things about this place and the food and at the same time I cannot seem to find the right words to express how great it is. You really have to just try it for yourself. (And just a tip, the lunch is just as good as the dinner, but I find the menu more affordable.)
(4)Byron R.
I gave this four stars, service was very good both times I was there and the food was very high quality. I thought some items were very pricey though, that's why I didn't give it five stars. Overall, it was a good experience.
(4)Ruiza A.
Went here several times at both the Seattle and Bellevue locations. Every time I took someone here, they raved about the Seastar tower and the Crabcakes!! So make sure to order them if you can! Parking: I always tend to find street parking but there is also a parking garage underneath the building on this bellevue location. Definitely business casual. I noticed a lot of business crowd dining here every time I visit. Good "on the point" service every time--but did not blow me away. I prefer service with smiles & my servers to be more engaging, warm and genuine. (El gaucho service are my 5-star rated servers) The entree that I love the most was the Ancho Chili Smoked Salmon, definitely a must-try =) Here is a pic of my favorite entree at Seastar yelp.com/user_local_phot…
(4)Thuy D.
I love the martinis that I had here. Food came out very quickly after I ordered. Oysters were pretty good and fresh. The grilled garlic prawns was pretty good as well. The tuna poke was decent, however I was completely put off by the nasty mushy rotten kaiware sprouts that was put as garnish on the tuna. For such a nice place, I expected them to use fresh ingredient. Such a shame.
(2)Richard B.
Best happy hour around! The food is awesome and the happy hour pricing is the best in town! The happy hour burger and fries is the best I've ever had! Oysters are phenomenal here too!!
(5)Jeff H.
Busy in Bellevue. Close to high end mall and Microsoft towers. Lots of patrons feasting off a solid menu. Locked in on the spicy shrimp soup and chipotle steelhead dish. Solid efforts. Friend had corn chowder and crusted halibut. 2nd time here and will continue to draw my attention on the east side of the lake.
(4)Orlene C.
I don't normally like fish, but their sauces make me enjoy fish dishes. I like to order their Reggiano Parmigiano crusted Tilapia or Halibut. For happy hour - they don't give you bread, but if you ask for it, it is free The Deviled Eggs are very good. They come in a huge portion and are very rich. Therefore, it is a good idea to share them with someone else. The sushi is good quality but only offers the basic sushi rolls.
(4)Eric B.
Dinner on a Saturday. I took the clams with pesto, the grilled sword fish and a glass of the local amber beer. The Beer was too bitter, the food was good but nothing special. Service was OK, not more. 64 usd, totally over priced for what you get.
(3)RONALD W.
Food is awesome, service not so much... I had dinner there last night and the food was spectacular. Started with the Dungeness Crab and Corn Bisque which felt more like a chowder to me with lumps of crab. Followed that up with the Ancho Chili Smoked Salmon which was spectacular with a great chili hollandaise sauce. I could do without the additional chili grilled shrimp which I thought was too salty. Definitely not enough service staff. My waitress was covering only 4 tables but one was a table of 10, so it took time for her to notice or me to flag her for drink refills and the check
(4)Lindsay P.
While I had been to the Seattle Seastar for happy hour once before, I hadn't ventured out to the Bellevue location, mostly due to the fact that it's in Bellevue. But when the Restaurant Week menus came out, this was really the only restaurant Cam and I could agree on, plus it was 15 minutes from his workplace. I ordered the calamari ceviche, the steelhead salmon with pesto potatoes, and the creme brulee. I thought they were all amazing, and had great flavor. I normally don't eat mashed potatoes, but the pesto in them gave them enough flavor that I cleaned off my plate. Cam had the hot and sour soup, the kobe pork, and the rich chocolate cake, and he also loved them. The hot and sour soup was really quite spicy, so if you can't handle spice, I would stay away. That being said, the flavor of it was very good. The kobe pork was incredibly tender and had great flavor. I'm not a huge chocolate fan so I didn't think the cake was outstanding, but Cam really liked it. I still feel though, that even though the service was good, that we were looked down on because we are young. I thought we were past that point in our lives, but it seems like the Bellevue location is more catered to the Microsoft bigwigs and the bankers within the building. We were by far the youngest couple in that restaurant, staff included. I didn't feel like that was the case in the Seattle location. So all in all, love the menu, but I will probably go to Seattle next time I want something from it!
(4)Melody P.
My first stop of October 2010 Seattle Restaurant Week was Seastar last night. I was glad that I made a reservation. The portion for Seattle Restaurant Week, I think Seastar has pretty good portion. Servers were very nice and polite. I called ahead to make sure there would be parking and Courtney who was on the phone with me told me the validated parking they have under the building. Great Services! I had Ceviche for appetizer. However, how they cooked the ceviche was not what I've learned from School or not what I've had from other restaurants. It felt like they cooked the fish first then put dressing over. (I thought it was supposed to be raw and slowly kind of cooked with lime/lemon juice, the acid) I didn't enjoy my trout. I thought it might not be fresh that's why it smelled a little fishy! However, I was really impressed with the steak my friend ordered. It really had good flavor to it with the cheese and Portabella Mushroom. I liked my dessert, White Chocolate coconut creme pie. It's the great combination. I loved the coconut! It's not too sweet, but still have the sweet I needed for dessert.
(3)Michelle C.
Amazing food, even better service! Our waitress, Michelle, was nothing but helpful and kind. When we asked for dinner recommendations she was prepared to tell us her favorites and customer favorites. She was helpful in accommodating my gluten intolerance and when I didn't like my first dish because the fish was a little tough she brought me out something else and didn't charge me for either dish. To top it off she brought out a complementary dessert! Not only did she resolve the issue, she went above and beyond to turn a potentially poor meal into an exceptional one! Thank you Michelle and thank you Seastar for hiring such awesome staff! We will be back and we'll be sharing our outstanding experience with anyone looking for a good place to eat :).
(5)Albert P.
Amazing food, wine and service would be an understatement. We started off with the Halibut Seviche, it was buttery and delicious. Then I had the Magic Dragon roll. A feast for my belly and my eyes. To finish off this wonderful meal we shared the Macadamia Mahi. I usually get desert but this was a food coma of happiness for sure. When in Bellevue I will be back. Its going to be a special event every time. The room is sexy and the staff super knowledgeable. Have fun and enjoy.
(5)Diana C.
So i've only been here for happy hour but the menu looks good enough to try a dinner here. I'll have to update when I get to that. If I am rating on just food, i'd give it at least 4 stars! We ordered about 5 different dishes, all of which came out flavorful and amazingly delicious. The textures were different and the dishes creative. I was very pleasantly surprised at how good everything was. Service is what knocked it down by a star. The service is quite cold and unfriendly. They also seemed very irritated that we didn't know what we wanted right away, but I guess for happy hour that's what you get.
(3)Nick L.
I found the oysters to be extraordinary. However, I had to request horseradish rather than have it delivered with the oysters as an Oyster Expert such as myself would have expected. The crab cakes were very small and did not taste that different from say, Joe's Crab Shack. I ate it in a single bite. But the Ancho Smoke Steelhead - my main entree - made up for all of this. It was seasoned to perfection and delivered on a bed of potato cake with corn. The asparagus was cooked to perfection. This was a truly unique entree and I would highly recommend it to any diner of Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar. Everyone in my party enjoyed their dish.
(3)Travis L.
Great service, food, and ambiance. Would definitely return.
(4)Sitha N.
Been here twice. Once for dinner and the second time for happy hour. This review is for happy hour. The food is fantastic. I can't stress that enough, but what keeps it from being five stars is the service we had during happy hour. The waitress treated us like we didn't exist (I was starting to think I didn't, so I checked the mirror in front of me and I could clearly see myself. So that settled that). She told us to "look at the menu and I'll be back." Well, we looked. Then waited. Then looked again. Then waited again. Heck, we had time to even research the food and reenact Macbeth during this whole waiting period. And what was the waitress doing this whole time? Chatting it up with the workers at the bar and walking back and forth trying to look busy, while not stop at a single table. It was frustrating. And I was getting really hungry. Like, I thought about going to the corner gas station to get a snack while we waited, hungry. And just like the hulk, you wouldn't want to see me when I'm hungry/angry. Well, she finally took my order and was all smiles, like she didn't make us wait while watching us clearly sitting there. Menus clothes. Looking at her with those, "I'm so hungry..." eyes. ~sigh~ Again, the food is great. I love the food. If it weren't for the food, the service would have given this place two stars by me, easily. But like camp, the food saves the day.
(4)Rob A.
We went there last night for Restaurant Week and had a pleasant experience. The service, food and atmosphere were great. Their selection available during Restaurant week was excellent and did not disappoint. We enjoyed a nice burgundy wine with our meal. Our glasses were never empty as the wait staff was extremely attentive all night long. As an appetizer I enjoyed the Treasure Cove Oysters which came with a great wasabi vinaigrette. The entree I chose was the American Wagyu Beef Meatloaf which had a nice presentation but lacked a bit in flavor. If it weren't for the crispy onion, I'm afraid there would have been no flavor. With the being said, the beef was nice and tender. I had order envy as my partner enjoyed the Grilled Washington Steelhead. Fortunately we swapped plates halfway through and I was able to end on a great note. The dessert did not disappoint. We shared the White Chocolate Coconut Créme Pie and the Vanilla Bean Créme Brulée. Both very rich and delicious. Overall, I would come back and enjoy the great food and service. The only reason I don't give it a five star is because I wasn't wowed. I save the five star ratings for special and memorable food and service.
(4)Les H.
Excellent service and food. We had the halibut and ahi which were spectacular along with a bottle of fine white wine (Sparrow brand). Recommend for a special evening as is expensive - you get what you pay for....
(5)Jack D.
My first impressions at Seastar Bellevue were a mixed basket of wow and huh?. Made same day reservations through Open Table, got a 7:45pm seating, though there were better time options at Belltown, their Bellevue location was more convenient. Arrived right on time, and waited only a few minutes to be ushered to our table, the ambience is elegant but not overly sumptuous, our table was next to the kitchen entrance though busy, I thought that was great as sometimes you have to chase waiters just to get a glass of water refilled. My main disappointments were the lack of linen in a restaurant of this caliber, and restrooms were a short distance outside the restaurant. After glancing at the menu options we decided on the following items. For starters the Seastar Appetizer Tower, a sampler of three favorites, seared sea scallops, crab cakes and roasted Kauai Saifun shrimp, served in a tower 4 each. It was an excellent choice, they were well balanced with a hint of spicy and sweet, the scallops were the best I have ever tried, diver sea scallops flash-seared, one with tropical fruit chutney and toasted macadamia nuts, one with golden beet, arugula and black truffle vinaigrette, and one with blood orange gastrique. Sweet white shrimp lightly spiced wrapped in Saifun noodles, deep fried and drizzled with Sriracha butter sauce and scallions, the Crab Cakes were delightful, fresh Dungeness crab, sweet cream, fresh vegetables and egg. Lightly coated with Panko bread crumbs, pan-seared golden brown served with Thai sweet chili buerre blanc. I would have been happy to have them for dessert. For our entrees we asked our waitress for suggestions, and selected the following. Cedar Plank RoastedPacific NWKing Salmon, and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. The Pacific NW red king salmon was seasoned with a rub, roasted on a cedar plank, and served with smoked broccoli and citrus rice. The cedar plank imparted a very nice subtle woodsy flavor perfectly cooked to medium medium rare, I enjoyed every bite. The Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Made with onion cream sauce, Maine lobster, fontina, crispy asiago-cheddar topping, Delice d'Bourgogne. The flavor was amazing, however the pasta was not cooked evenly and was overly chewy. After making the observation to the waitress, we ordered the Hardwood GrilledSwordfish instead, with brown butter braised artichokes, capers, lemon, roasted Cremini mushrooms, citrus rice. Oh my, it was moist, extremely tender, it melted in your mouth while all your senses are going hey wire, an explosion of flavors, textures and aromas, absolutely divine. Lastly for dessert Crème Brûlée, classic vanilla bean, rich chocolate, or the ying and yang of creme brulee,chocolate and vanilla,ebony and ivory, together as one, and Banana Spring Roll Sundae, a crispy fried banana spring roll, seasoned with cinnamon and allspice, served with creamy vanilla-orange caramel swirled ice cream with fresh pineapple and warm caramel sauce. Though the Crème Brûlée was very good, the Banana Spring Roll Sundae was epic. Make sure to include Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar on your bucket list, Locally grown fresh ingredients in the skilled hands of Chef John Howie makes it a must visit. The experience was first class, impeccable service from the moment you arrive, 'til you sadly must leave, I valet my car, by the time I stepped out the restaurant it was ready for me to drive off.
(4)Spider W.
Awesome....absolutely love this restaurant!! I don't live in this area any longer, but always go stop here for dinner when I visit. The cedar plank salmon is so good..my favorite. Everyone I'm with always enjoy the food. The service is always top notch as well.
(5)Billy A.
Great service. Really fresh seafood. that is simply prepared. Nice wine list. Not much more to say. I really enjoyed it.
(4)Nancy H.
Soooo funny! I just read Deb J's review (below). My family dined at this restaurant the same night (4/19, yesterday. It was hubby's 50th birthday!), and we ordered practically the same dishes! We too were drawn here because it was Restaurant Week, plus the Yelp reviews were pretty good, and they seemed to have more choices on their $28 fixed menu than most other participating restaurants. I chose the crab & corn bisque, which was unbelievably delicious. Hubby chose a pear and blue cheese salad which he loved. For the main meal, I had the grilled salmon, asparagus and mashed potatos. Everything was cooked to perfection, and it was all very flavourful. Hubby had the Wagyu beef stew with gnocci. He said it was divine, and very filling. For dessert, I had the coconut "pie" (it was more like a puff, and boy, it was GOOD! Totally hit the spot), and hubby had the vanilla creme brulee. The kiddies ate from the kiddie menu. The youngest had the sirloin steak that came with a huge mound of perfectly wonderful matchstick/string french fries: not greasy, just amazingly good! My only pseudo-complaint: the staff knew well in advance that it was my hubby's 50th birthday that night. Yes, they gave us a nice table at the window, and it was nice that they put a candle on his creme brulee. But it would've meant a lot if they had given him a token glass of wine, or glass of port with dessert, or a piece of cake on the house, or SOMETHING, anything, to mark such a momentous occasion. Oh well. We'll still be back, as we all had a great meal here.
(4)Al C.
Party of 5 for dinner, apps, bottles of wine, and overall a good time. Not a big oyster fan, but fun to try here. Visually, very impressive. Service is good, Sommelier kept trying to sell us cheap bottles of wine...? Food is always outstanding -- had the Scallops and even though they came out 5 minutes behind every other persons plate -- they were outstanding. $800 well spent.
(4)Veronica C.
My favorite seafood restaurant in the Seattle area, and I've been to the Seattle and Bellevue locations. If the seafood stew impressed, the seared sea scallops with black truffle asounded.
(5)Selena T.
We tried out 3 of their samplers. 2 put of 3 were excellent! The third was their sushi and sashimi platter. Ahi and salmon were good but the rest was just so-so. I'll leave sushi to the sushi restaurants. I still give 5 stars -- The service was good, the presentation was nicely done and all dishes were tasty...some better than others, true but nothing negative. The oyster sampler was truly refreshing and a great starter. Their Thai sauce sauce with crab cakes was a great pairing, scallops perfectly (I mean perfect) cooked with a surprisingly good mango pairing and shrimp with a buttery sauce was tasty! The coconut cream pie is to die for and I'm not a a big coconut fan.
(4)Kevin S.
Fresh Scallops, amazing crab cakes, and great service!
(5)Hemant K.
Had a bad experience from Start to End. When we got there the Greeter was talking to one of the waitress and completely ignored us. Me and my wife where just standing in the restaurant lobby staring at walls while the greeter continued to ignore us. When we finally got our table, we were rushed through our meals. The waitress showed up took my wife's order for appetizer, assumed I did not want any- and just left. I had to flag her down and ask her to take my order. The Food was mediocre. Although the crab cake appetizer was great, the rest of the meal was terrible. The swordfish was stale and had the stale fish smell. The Mahi-Mahi, my wife ordered was overcooked. If this was a less expensive restaurant, I would not have felt as disappointed with the service and the quality of food. But for a fine dining restaurant that charges around 40 dollars for its entrées, the experience was not worth the money. You are much better off spending your money at some other restaurant. I don't think I am going back to Seastar for a meal again. For the prices they charge, the service and food is just not up to the mark.
(2)Walter P.
Very nice meal, outstanding service and a refined yet comfortable experience. I had salmon and my friend had halibut, but I expect most everything would be at least good to very good. Definitely make a reservation, it was full on a weeknight.
(5)White K.
Great spot for a business dinner.
(4)Dan P.
We went for my wife's birthday and had the "Restaurant Week" menu. Everything was excellent but I have to make a special note on the salmon. The salmon was the most perfect piece of fish I have ever had. Cooked perfectly - light and just a tiny bit raw in the middle. Very moist and charred a little on the outside. Most of all, fresh and not the tiniest bit "fishy". I'm going to be dreaming about that piece of fish for years to come. My compliments to the Chef. Well done.
(5)Kim T.
I came here with a friend for happy hour and it was okay. The portions were good and the food wasn't bad. I like the stuffed calamari and their fries. The salmon in my sushi roll was really fresh too. We got mediocre service from the waiter, he wasn't very attentive and didn't seem like he wanted to be there. It was an okay experience. I was excited to go but was very underwhelmed.
(3)Anushree R.
Totally amazing place. Took my boyfriend there for his birthday and he just loved it. It was his birthday and I called earlier and arranged with them to get a dessert with a candle on top instead of getting the dessert menu. He was super happy. Definitely recommend it.
(5)Dale M.
Best food, best service, best experience. I can't say enough great things about the Seastar. Every time I go in I am surprised how perfect the food is and how special I am treated. Although it is expensive, there is no better fine dining IMO. Michelle the manager is so great and the staff clearly think highly of her. It seems like they have a family spirit and are a cohesive group. Try the Swordfish with capers if it is on the menu! Also, the Coconut Cream Pie is out of this world (it's really for 4 people at least).
(5)Apollo Y.
Service was excellent!! Came here with a groupon and only ended up paying about $50 tip included...pretty good considering we ordered an app, 2 entrees, coffee, n dessert. The tilapia w/bacon, tomatoes, n a split pea sauce is very tasty.
(4)Glenn C.
I have eaten here three times. Twice I had the NY strip. That steak is something special.
(5)Danielle H.
John Howie just knows how to do good food. Another winner in my book. I went to Seastar with a colleague for lunch and completely overstuffed myself with the tasty offerings. To start, the bread and cracker basket is the best. I love Howie's bread baskets. We each got a cup of the corn seafood chowder and it was very good. I feel that often soups are over seasoned and this was not the case here. The true flavors of the soup really came out and in a very delicate, not fishy way. For lunch I ordered the crab cheddar grilled sandwich on sourdough. Wow. This sandwich was absolutely divine. I was craving a burger, but since I have had burgers at John Howie Steak, I decided to try something new and Seastar IS known for their seafood. The sandwich had artichokes, peppers and the most flavorful cheese I think I've had on a sandwich. The shoestring fries were lightly salted and heavenly. My colleague got the gorgonzola chicken and although I didn't try it - it looked and smelled delicious. If I didn't have to return to the office, I definitely would have ventured into the desserts, but no way could I have stayed awake at my desk!!! I cannot wait to take my sweetheart here because I know he will adore it.
(5)Katie S.
This place was great. Came in with 3 tired sons (ages 10-14) on a Saturday night at 9 pm after a cross-country flight. Top quality food and service and they didn't treat us any differently for having the younguns along (granted they were not running amuk about the joint). My salmon was DELICIOUS and there was an extensive and very reasonably priced wine list. The service could not be beat... we were exhausted and they were so attentive and kind. Highly recommend!!
(4)Andrew K.
I have been to Seastar a couple of times when I entertain guests from abroad as it is a close alternative for great seafood without driving to Seattle (and paying for parking). Both the salmon dishes are awesome, the scallops are great too. However, I was still hungry after the meal, may be I should have loaded up on the free bread :) The service is usually great, but the last time I went, it took 30 minutes to get our order in, I never got a water re-fill, and took another 20 minutes after we finished our meal to get a dessert order in. It didn't seem too busy, but we were seated near the front so they could have had a huge party in the back. Overall, I prefer John Howie's steak house over Seastar, but recommend trying both! + Great Salmon dishes - Price is a little too much for the portions - Service is not consistent Tip John Howie's son works here :)
(4)Raymond C.
I got to go here as part of a job interview (they offered to pay for my food!) since it was nearby the hotel I was staying at. I got the ahi poke appetizer, and the ancho steelhead (salmon) entree. The ahi poke was WAY too salty; it tasted like someone added too much salt, and it was borderline inedible. The salmon was really good though! It was juicy, cooked and seasoned to perfection, and the potato cake that was served with it was a nice compliment. I would give this place 4 stars if the poke was edible, but because of the poke, I can only give it 3.
(3)Aleta F.
The food was amazing. I had the ancho spiced steelhead. Very very good. I highly recommend this place. I will definitely be going back.
(4)Tonya N.
Have been here several times since its next door to Expedia. Great HH burger here and few nice other times. I always as for the crackers which are oddly my favorite thing to eat there. Good service and consistent. Their coconut cream pie is really great as well.
(4)Debbie B.
I had the best experience here at Seastar! My husband and I brought our 9 year old son for an early dinner. We actually got there before they officially opened for dinner but they seated us anyway and started us on some appetizers. The menu is awesome with all kinds of different choices, even for some picky eaters such as myself. My husband was in heaven with the raw oysters and a big platter of sushi - he ate every last bite! Even the decorations on the plate were edible. The restaurant started to fill up as we were eating our dinner. The ambiance is great, the food is awesome and its worth every penny spent. I'd go back there again soon - maybe this time for a date with my husband! I would rate this restaurant as one of the highest quality restaurants we've gone to. We loved it!
(5)Helen C.
I have never been let down by an evening at Seastar. It's on the pricier side, but the dining experience here is well worth it. Came here for a date night (if you can call dinner with a sleeping infant date night) and the service was top notch as usual. Seated right on time for our reservation, no attitude or change in service because we were using a Groupon, and they were extremely accomodating to the infant - giving us the choice of a table or booth, whatever would be better for the baby. I've been here before for happy hour - which is also a great experience, but I love having dinner here. The bread basket is delicious if you're not on a carb free diet. A nice combo of different breads to taste. The sommelier comes by to help with wine recommendations, but isn't pushy. There are also great choices "by the glass" if you don't want a whole bottle. And the food... their seafood is amazing and always very fresh. I love their seafood stew! My husband got a steak and had equally glowing reviews for the meat, though I'm still not sure why you'd go to Seastar for a steak when the seafood is sooooo good! This is a great date night restaurant that we'll be back to soon!
(5)Rj S.
One of our favorite spots for oysters and bloody Mary's. I had a business lunch today with a small group and had a few requests which they took care of without any questions. The service was outstanding, nice job!
(4)Morgan R.
Adequate seafood, but overpriced and a staff that is anything but unobtrusive The maguro and unagi nigiri we had as appetizers was adequate, but no more. The steelhead and king salmon were well prepared and not overcooked. The wine list was extensive, but expensive rather than good (several bottles in the $200 range, and even one for over $1,000). The blood-orange marguarita was tasty and different. The veggies and sauces were nouvelle inspired, but each sauce was heavy-handed enough to overpower the food. And the atmosphere was hotel restaurant - neither intimate nor sophisticated, despite expensive trimmings. All in all, the restaurant delivers a meal experience for two worth $60-80 for about $120. Not a bad restaurant, but a poor value. We won't be going back - there are too many good restaurants in town to frequent ones that lack anything special.
(3)Greg R.
Love this place. Excellent food, string drinks and a great happy hour.
(5)J Y.
This place is only half a block away from my pad. One of the best sea food restaurant in town. Halibut and scallop dishes are always amazing and mix great cocktails.
(4)She C.
A glorious happy hour jaunt after a long day! Great atmosphere, and wondermous staff! The Ahi poke and tuna roll were spot on and delicious. My only complaint with this place would be that they only have 2 drafts on tap.
(5)Bill W.
Had a great lunch here, our first meal in Seattle. Just raw oysters, salads, and shared a fish entree. Perfect introduction to the local food scene......
(4)Tom B.
I really wrestled with knocking off a star for value, but, really, this place doesn't deserve it. I was a bit startled by what I ended up spending, to be honest. But sites like Yelp exist to help people decide how much they're willing to spend for things, and what level of quality they're willing to budget for. So I'll give Sea Star the five stars they deserve for what's on the plate. This place really is right at the top of the heap for seafood in Seattle. Downtown Bellevue isn't always the most fun place to try and park--you have to look sharp about getting in the right lane and turning down the ramp before you quite get to Sea Star. Not a big deal to have to run around the block to get it right, but it didn't make me feel too smart. Heh. Once inside, you walk through a bank lobby, and into a restaurant that feels...a little too much like it's trying to blend its decor with the bank lobby on the other side of the door. It's very nice, but it's just a bunch of pre-fabricated things put together with mindless good taste. Not a lot of soul in the ambiance, but that's fine. It's not a detractor. But, OTOH, it doesn't look like it was cheap to build the place, and you know there's a dollar or two on your final bill that's going toward paying off the decor, so, if that really bugs you, Sea Star might not make you feel all that great about that aspect of things. But the service is attentive, prompt, professional, and pleasant. And certainly well-informed about what's on offer. Have to say the wine list was very well put together, but the beer list, by contrast, was really a non-effort. 15 bottled beers, and at least 10 of them were just industrial pale lagers "from around the world." (Stella Artois, Heineken, Corona, Sapporo). Bringing a bottle of Budweiser from halfway around the world is not the sophisticated alternative, especially if the bottle is clear or green and the beer is getting light-struck as it travels. If a cervoisier ever set foot in the place, he'd be mystified as to why they even had a beer program, given the standards they hold themselves to for food and wine. Food here really is exceptional, though. Let's be clear about the fact that this truly is a five star seafood restaurant. Crab cakes, peppercorn encrusted ahi, and the scallops trio all were complete knockouts. To my probably unjustified surprise, those three plates, two beers, a scotch, and a glass of wine for two people were $97. It felt a little high at first, but, in retrospect, it was probably fair enough, given the quality of what was on offer. I'd go back, but the prices put this place in the category of special treats.
(5)Tiffany W.
Came out there for lunch. I looked up a good seafood restuarant and when i got dropped off, realize, this is the exact place i was at exactly a year ago! They open at 11:30am and that's when i arrived. Wow, this place gets filled VERY QUICKLY w/ the business clientele. I had a halibut ceviche & a wild salmon entree w/ potatoes and asparagus. Both were excellent.
(4)Thomas T.
Stopped by on a cool wet night, sat at the bar and got blown away by the food, wine and service. Place was packed but they were friendly and fast. Had the Northwest Stew. I had the Chipolte salmon last month and didn't think anything could top it. The quality of the fish, mussels, clams, scallops and broth was fantastic. Asked for a wine paring to go with the caesar salad and stew. They sent the Sommelier over to talk to me about 2 glasses of wine? What service. She nailed it. If you want excellent service, unbelievable food and a great dining experience you can find it here.
(5)Kelly B.
This is one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had in my life. My hubs and I went there on a special occasion. We had $250 in gift certs (more on that later) so went all out. We're talking, champagne, seafood tower (ridic), entrees, dessert, good God. The tower had these adorable little seashells...I think there were scallops on them. I felt like a mermaid eating off of sea shells. Our waiter (John I believe) was the nicest guy ever. Our entrees - me, halibut - him, steak, were cooked to perfection. When it came time for dessert, we gave the obligatory moaning, shaking of the head and stomach rub, but our server convinced us to get the coconut cream pie. HAVE MERCY. I don't even know what it was exactly, but it was hands down the BEST DESSERT I HAVE EVER HAD. White chocolate shavings, creamy stuff, custard, delicious crust. It was a monster. So when we hand over our gifts certs, we realize that they were good for the BELLEVUE LOCATION not Seattle. I almost died. Totally pissed and embarrassed. John went back, checked with management, and accepted them! Wha....?! Awesome, dude. Then, to top it all off, we had a few bucks left on the cert so he boxed up chocolate truffles AND GOT THE CHEF TO PRINT OUT THE COCONUT PIE DESSERT RECIPE FOR US. We were beside ourselves. We gave him a hefty tip. Cannot wait to go back.
(5)Tony D.
This was a really nice place. I did not know about the Seastar restaurants before coming to Seattle, but it was a great experience. The place was recommended by some friends so we met them there for dinner on a weeknight. The place is pretty large, but it was still packed. I had the halibut and a caesar salad. Both were really good. My girlfriend had the tuna, but she wasn't thrilled with it so ended up eating a lot of my tasty halibut. The service was great.
(4)Andrea S.
Came her for HH since I was staying in downtown Bellevue for a conference. Was looking for seafood or sushi and bar area where I would feel ok dining alone. At 5:30 on Wed, all bar seats were full so I grabbed the one table 2-person table by the door (not recommended unless you are prone to hot flashes). It was rather blustery each time the door opened. Ordered Dave's roll (regular menu, $14 I think) and jalapeño roll from HH menu ($4 if I recall). Both were pretty good, above average. Didn't knock my socks off, but were perfectly acceptable, fresh sushi rolls. Had a nice 8oz pour of Gruner Veltiner (love!!) so that was a nice find... Gruner is not on menus often. Even though my hotel was within walking distance, I drove because I'm from Phoenix and it was raining, so I might have melted. It was fine since they validated my parking!!!
(4)Shannan C.
Went last night with my sister. She loved the oysters on a half shell and I'm completely enamored with their Dungeness crab and sweet corn bisque. It's become my new favorite food. Can't wait to go back again.
(5)Beth K.
Went here, while on vacation; we were seated immediately and the waitress greeted us appropriately. Unfortunately, we couldn't get past the bread and initial drinks, as the power went out. We are sure they would've been very accommodating had the power been on.
(4)Kenji Y.
The only "bad" thing I can say about this place is the decor. It really does feel like a hotel lobby's complimentary breakfast lounge... Take that away, and you've got yourself a super primo seafood experience. Our waiter was impressive with his culinary knowledge and every dish we had came out cooked to perfection. We got the deviled eggs (if there's deviled eggs on the menu at this type of fancy restaurant, they HAVE to be good!), diver sea scallops, halibut, and seafood tower. Again...all of them were amazing! For dessert, we sampled the passion fruit panacotta, lemon foam with berries, and white chocolate coconut pie. Even though the white chocolate coconut pie is for 2, I attempted to put it down. But it slayed me...got to about 10% left and hit the wall. I've had meat sweats before but never sweet sweats! I managed to pull it together and really enjoyed the fresh air on our walk home! I'd go back in a heartbeat....I want a re-match with that coconut pie.
(4)Diane M.
Ate here with my sister and it was unbelievably ... relaxing, tasty, and does it make sense to say .. fun? Once seated, I saw customers of large and small group sizes having the time of the night. There was laughter, glasses clinging, voices echoing throughout the restaurant, and it seemed like everything was in slow motion specifically for me to admire. We ordered a few simple dishes for we had a small appetite, yet with this menu I'm enticed to return soon! There was Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Ahi, Ahi Poke, Unagi nigiri and the Pete's Magic Dragon Roll. Every bite of our food was heavenly! I loved it. My sister loved it. A perfect night.
(4)Sunny L.
Delicious seafood! I've come here a couple times for happy hour, birthdays, and for dinner. From the dinner menu, I've tried the halibut, applewood wild king salmon, ahi tuna, and the tilapia. From this list, I would say the ahi tuna was my favorite, followed by the halibut. All of the fish I've had here have been delicious though - good portion size, moist, and full of flavor. I've also had sushi here and I would not recommend it. It's not horrible, but you could go to a nice sushi restaurant and get better if that's what you're looking for. The nigiri isn't bad, but I would stay away from the rolls...they're not very good. I've had great service every time I've come here. The servers are always friendly and refill your bread basket when it starts to get low. It's a good place to take a date or celebrate a special occasion too. It's a little bit dressier than your average restaurant.
(5)Nikki W.
Yum, yum and more yum. I do'nt think I've ever been disappointed after eating here. Service is always top notch, and the food is absolutely delicious. Happy hour specials are not as good as some other Bellevue restaurants - a beer is still $4, and a 4oz (1/2 glass) of wine is $3, but there are some decent food specials - try any of the sushi rolls or the pork. My favorite thing here is the hot and sour thai shrimp soup. Other favorites - bleu cheese salad and crabcakes. A bit pricey for dinner, but pretty reasonable for lunch.
(5)Denise L.
When you first walk in, the place looks small, but it is equipped with lovely decor, big bright windows, and a lovely staff. The menu isn't big, but the food is exceptional with lovely presentation. Good place for seafood/fish lovers! Some of the dishes have weird ingredients, which lead to an oddly exotic taste. For example, one dish includes potato chip crumbs. It didn't appeal to me very much, but maybe others think in favor of it. Who knows. I had fish, and it was cooked well! The seafood seems very fresh. The servers and waiters are quick and always on top of their game. 4 stars to a clean, well-maintained restaurant with decent food!
(4)Ponarett X.
I had always wanted to try this place and once I saw it on the Seattle Urban Eats list, I had to go. The food was really good but not as amazing as I hoped it would be. I guess my expectations were too high? I started with the scallop ceviche. I was glad to see that there were multiple scallops on my plate so they definitely do not skimp there. The first few scallops were good and then I just got tired of them. Maybe ceviche is not my thing? For the main dish I had the tilapia (I think I ordered the tilapia. It was a while ago). The menu stated that it was parmesan crusted and usually this means it's coated and deep fried. I was very pleased to see that it was not fried. The coating was light and delicate. I ended my dinner with the coconut cream pie. It was very rich and coconutty. I only ate a few bites and took the rest home.
(4)Heather B.
Oysters were great, crab and corn risotto fantastic and the trout...yum. But the best part of the evening was Tiffany. Her service was incredible. When you head over for dinner ask for Tiffany. We rate her 5 stars!!
(4)Eako M.
Love Seastar for their excellent service, seafood dishes,modern decor,and ambiance However this time I was bit disappointed from the inconsistent of the food preparation specially for an upscale restaurant where entree is $34. To be fair I've got a complementary dessert of my choice for my B.D without even asking - very nice gesture. Here what I've had: Baby Spinach and Strawberry Salad - over dressed Spinach leafs wilted and not very fresh strawberries. Cedar Plank Roasted Pacific NW King Salmon - Salmon was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. Side vegetables broccoli and green beans undercooked and inedible. Sorry I'm not a fan of raw veggies. Molten Chocolate Raspberry Cake - outstanding!
(4)Dan W.
4 stars for the first time I came: fresh sushi, delicious crab cakes, great tasting salmon, good service. On my next visit, only 2 stars: service was slow, can't remember how long our server took to get our wine. Their 'signature' planked salmon was overcooked and dry, and the accompanying sides lacked any flavor. The bisque was tasty though. I haven't been back since. Did I come on an off night?
(2)Naveed N.
This place has always been a favorite of my mom! I had purchased the groupon a while back which was going to expire so we decided to grab dinner there midweek. We had a reservation for 9pm, and although we considered sitting in the bar instead since we showed up early.. they had us seated in the dining room right away. Service is always top-notch, and the atmosphere/ambience is relatively classy/fancy. We had an oyster sampler, few drinks, prosciutto wrapped scallops with watermelon carpaccio, fire grilled washington tuna, and the passion fruit panna cotta. The oysters were delicious, and while I didn't like one of the sauces, the spicier one was great. My gin and tonic was great.. nothing out of the ordinary, I really wish more places offered interesting twists on the traditional gin and tonic. I'm not typically a fan of scallops but these were great! Very nice texture and the prosciutto/watermelon combo added great flavor. The tuna was beyond my expectations, absolutely delicous.. could have used more spice, but delicous none-theless. I'm not much of a dessert person, so I'm not one to rave, although the panna cotta was really nice, and passionfruit is a favorite of mine. I'll be back again surely!
(5)Dave F.
This is the best seafood restaurant I've tried in Seattle. (I've tried over 100.) The food is excellent, wine list is masterful, service is impeccable and presentation is world-class. Need I say more? The only difficulty is deciding amongst the vast array of cleverly conceived seafood and steak dishes. After much thought, I decided to make it an "All-appetizer evening" starting with the Salmon Poke. Wow! Incredible flavor describes this rare combination of Pacific Northwest/Hawaiian fusion salmon poke. Great tastes! The Maui finely chopped Maui onion makes this dish delectable. Next up was the Super Dave Roll with scallop, crab, salmon, avocado, & tobikko. last was the Halibut Ceviche with Alaskan halibut, lemon, lime, cilantro, roasted corn, avocado and tomato. Again, a fascinating mix of flavors jumps out at you. The wine list is incredible. My only comment being, I'd add more wines by the glass, given SeaStar's storage capabilities. This place was great! I WILL be back---AND they're opening a new steak place a few blocks away.
(5)Jeff H.
The seafood is expensive, freshly prepared and good but not extraordinary. As in most restaurants, fresh vegetables are not served in abundance, or anything approaching an appropriate serving size. Desserts are enormous. So don't arrive with the expectation the meal will nutritious. The restaurant space is well decorated, clean, comfortable and spacious like an executive dining room in a corporate headquarters might be The service is very good. It's a nice place to take guests with conservative tastes.
(4)Ken L.
I have neglected to update my review since my last visit. They followed up with me to ensure satisfaction with my experience and it is apparent that customer service is crucial to produce repeat business. I will not hesitate to increase my rating a notch for this kind gesture as Mr. Howie takes pride in his restaurants. Customers appreciate being appreciated! Thanks, John!
(4)Vanessa P.
I was recently in a wedding where the bride and groom hired Seastar to cater the event, serving about 60 people. As brides maid, we were all fluttering about the morning of, doing some last minute organizing, clean up & nips and tucks, per the usual. We got to see the Seastar staff come in and take over. Their ring leader kept things moving and orderly. They were like a well oiled machine. It was calming because I knew they had things under control. Chef John Howie is known for making the best steaks in the state so we were all excited about the food. The appetizers were to die for: tender bacon wrapped scallops, sweet crab cakes, curry chicken sate that changes your life. The smokin' hot bar tender Max was hilarious and made me a great drink, twice. My dinner was a generous cut of filet mignon, monster salmon filet, mashed potatoes and asparagus. The food just melted in my mouth. Large portions and absolutely delectable! They kept the water, wine and coffee coming. The staff was so friendly and professional. I will definitely recommend Seastar to all of my friends!
(5)Taylor L.
To start off, the service was pretty darn good. Right when I entered the entrance, the hostess immediately greeted me even though the lobby that night was pretty busy. The online reservation system makes it super easy to book ahead of time without the hassle of calling in. I was directed towards my reserved table in less than five minutes and my waitress arrived just moments later. They serve bread right off the spot- with three types to choose from; all fresh out of the oven. The wine list is fascinating just to read through because they have literally THOUSANDS of choices. The menu is short, but offers a wide variety of choices. I chose the Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Seared Ahi while my Mother chose Basil-Gralic Grilled Shrimp with Pesto Beurre Blanc. I ordered my meal under pressure because I saw many other guests near me with the exact same thing. When the meal came out, it exceeded my expectations in execution. I almost felt bad eating something so beautiful! The ahi was seared perfectly and the jasmine rice cake was savoring. The latter dish was just as great- but beware for those who are sensitive to the taste of oil; it was practically drenched in it. Overall, I was very pleased with my first visit to Seastar.
(5)Christine K.
I've been here twice and the both service was good. The foods were fresh and mouthwatering, especially the salmons. They were cooked soft and tender enough and appetizers- ceviche, seared sea diver scallop trio were great to start. If you want to find something good seafoods in East side, this place is good to go.
(4)Richard P.
My first review that I get to write that the halibut *ceviche* was good enough for jehovah. And so it was Cedar plank salmon nearly as good. Very flavorful but cooked a little unevenly for my taste. Got the truffle sample to go for dessert. The two I've tasted so far were scrumptious. I was dining alone, so it's tough to judge the quality of the service. Lone diners in places like this are always outliers. That said, I found the service quite satisfactory. I had a little cognitive dissonance reading news stories about the failing economy while sitting in a high-end restaurant filled to capacity on a Wednesday night. Oh well. Didn't someone once say, "For ye have the poor always with you." Implying the inverse, of course.
(5)Jeff H.
Love Seafood? Then quit reading this and get to Seastar!! From the mind of rock star Seattle chef John Howie comes Seastar. Formerly of Palisade, Howie left to establish his own niche and brought a lot of their customers to his award winning Eastside eatery. Let me say this, I have been a fan of Howie's for years now, going all the way back to his Palisade days, and the food here doesn't disappoint on any level. Start your culinary adventure at the raw bar with a cocktail, and enjoy fish and shellfish that were swimming a few short hours ago. The sushi and ceviche are outstanding, and are designed to be shared!! Appetizers are varied but all are satisfying. If you aren't a fan of seafood, check out the Pesto Chicken Arancini (bet you can't eat just one.) The Cedar Plank Roasted Mushrooms are a highlight as well, and are a great earthy starter to the meal. The Seared Diver Sea Scallop Trio and Pesto Steamed Sweet Butter Clams are my two favorites in this section, and shouldn't be missed. Seriously, shouldn't be missed. Salmon is the obvious choice for an entree since it's the fish that made John Howie the rock star he is today, and the Cedar Plank Roasted Wild Red King Salmon is still everything it was a decade ago. Using his own special blend of seasonings to impart a subtle woody flavor this dish is the mainstay on the menu. If you are trying to eat light, the Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Seared Ahi is a playful dish that wont add anymore inches to your waistline. Adventurous eater? Try the Swordfish with Artichoke & Capers. It's grilled over applewood, and just melts in your mouth. I can't stress this enough, you REALLY can't go wrong with ANY of the seafood on the menu. If for some reason, you can't eat seafood, or just aren't in the mood for great seafood (WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!!) Kidding, check out the Filet Mignon. It's fire grilled, and perfectly cooked every time. Don't eat red meat? Try the Roasted Jidori Chicken With Herbed Chevre; it's stuffed with goat cheese and is as rich in flavor as it is in calories!! Desserts are a must when dining here. My favorites are the Banana Spring Roll Sundae, seasoned with cinnamon and allspice, served with vanilla-orange caramel ice cream with fresh pinapple and warm caramel sauce. On the lighter side go with Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit...Creamy passion fruit panna cotta drizzled with green tea syrup, fresh tropical fruit and a raspberry-mango coulis...Is there anything more refreshing? Try it, and you will know what I mean... Alcohol is just as impressive here as the food. The drink menu comes in it's own binder because there are so many options available. Don't see a drink you might like (almost impossible, but I grant you there are sticklers out there; Hi Mom!) just ask the knowledgeable bar staff to make your favorite cocktail. Wine list is very impressive. One of the best on the Eastside for sure, but it's equally as expensive. The bottles are rare, so they don't come cheap. Example you ask? How about a single berry late harvest Riesling for $300 a glass? If you are here, you can afford it (they take credit cards after all.) Stick to the stuff by the glass, way more reasonable, unless you are one of the few fat-cats left with an expense account! That said, they do feature 50 wines for under $30 a bottle, so it's up to you...The sky is truly the limit here. Remember, eating here should be an experience, so don't come if you are going to worry about sticking to a budget. If you only can afford to eat out once a month, make a reservation here, you WILL NOT be disappointed!!
(5)Joy H.
We were lucky enough to get the hookup to a free dinner here and it was sooo good!! The restaurant had ample parking below the restaurant and the ambience is very classy. Definitely a nice date environment or a special occasion type of dining. I had the swordfish with artichokes and capers which was okay - I felt the fish was a little bland. The hubby had the cedar plank roasted alaskan king crab legs - AMAZING!!! At first you notice that there's only 4 legs on the plank and you think to yourself that's it?? But this crab had fat legs and we were definitely stuffed after eating them all! He couldn't finish them so I gladly helped out! You can't really taste the cedar plank flavors, but they were still amazingly juicy and sweet. Yummmmm!!
(4)Amanda W.
I had seen Seastar on Opentable's top bookings for Seattle so we decided to give it a try. Our experience got off to a great start with easy to find (validated!) underground parking. I personally hate scrambling for street parking when going to a restaurant so having free parking close by was a huge plus. When you come up from the garage you have to walk through the bar to the front desk to get seated. Service was impeccable. We started off with the deviled eggs with ahi tuna, bacon, roasted onion, and truffle oil at $11 for 8 eggs and two of the cheaper varieties of oysters at $22 for a dozen. The oysters came with both wasabi cocktail sauce and champage mignonette to choose from. Both kinds of oysters were plump and deliciously juicy. My brother declined to try them and my parents and I gleefully slurped up his portion. The deviled eggs were heavenly. A hint of truffle oil whipped into the bacon infused center was the perfect accent to an already groan inducing mouthful. For the main course I ordered a $7 california roll to start off with. Each roll on the menu is six pieces. The california roll was reasonably priced in my opinion for real crab. It was pretty tasty but a little heavy on the rice side. I tasted a piece of my brother's Washington roll which was apple, smoked salmon, and crab. That was intriguing and fairly good but I had a hard time deciding whether I actually should dunk it into the soy sauce given the apple. For my entree I ordered a $14 crab cakes appetizer which was three little crispy crab cakes with mixed greens and a sweet and tart sauce. For someone who is a crab cake enthusiast, Palisade is pretty much the holy grail of crab cakes. But it's just so damn expensive and I personally find the veggies that come on the side with the Palisade entree to be sort of gross and not much different than those that come out of freezer bags. Seastar's crab cakes came pretty darn close to Palisade's and they were a heck of a lot cheaper. Even the delicious sauce was similar to Palisade's plum sauce. For about half the price of Palisade and the same amount of crab, Seastar came out way in the lead. Our entire family agreed that Seastar was going to be our go to alternative to Palisade when we were craving gourmet seafood. Palisade's view and ambiance cannot be rivaled but when you're looking for gourmet seafood that will actually leave you feeling quite full, Seastar fits the bill without breaking the bank. A pretty generous dinner for 4 ended up being $170 pretax. (Mind you, no drinks) I was eyeing the passion fruit panna cotta but since everyone else was too full to share it with me, I am looking forward to nomming on it next time. :P
(5)M T.
Let me start off by saying that John Howie Steak is probably my first or second favorite restaurant in the Seattle area (the other one in the running is Canlis). I've been to JHS a number of times for dinner, and dozens of times for lunch. For some reason, I had never quite made it to Seastar, so I figured I should give it a chance. Needless to say, given my feelings towards Mr. Howie's flagship steakhouse, I had high expectations. Sadly for the most part they were not met. If I had to summarize my review of the food and service, I would say it was just incomplete. Everything was decent and ALMOST great, but it never really finished. Each dish had something holding it back. SERVICE Of course, there are always some high notes. While there, we ran into Master Sommelier Yashar Shayan, covering a shift. His presence was a pleasant surprise and it made the wine selection a great experience. Sadly though, this was the lone service high point. Our server seemed fairly aloof the whole night, offered few suggestions or explanations, and just seemed interested in moving us through to turn the table over another time. FOOD We started out with the Maytag Blue Cheese Pear Salad for my fiancee and the Hot and Sour Thai-style Soup for me. These were probably the strongest dishes of the night. The salad was nicely dressed and the flavors were balanced. The soup was also well balanced, with well developed flavors that were complemented by the nice little spicy kick. For the main course we ordered the Potato Chip Crusted Halibut and Ancho Chili Smoked Steelhead. We were also intrigued by the Zucchini "Linguine," and decided to share it as a side. My fiancee had the halibut, so I only tried a little bit. It was good fish, but it was slightly over cooked and the dish didn't quite pull together. However, it was stronger than my steelhead. The steelhead was very much unbalanced. The smoky rub was so powerful that my fish tasted like it was smothered in a paste of ground up Oberto jerky, all sugar and smoke with no ancho flavor. The lime creme was a savior that made it edible and I never found the promised sweet chili hollandaise. The soggy potato and corn cake, tasted good, but the texture was unpleasant. Our shared "linguine" was a wonderful concept, but again felt unfinished. We both agreed that something was needed to pull it all together. Perhaps some parmesan would have done it, but without, it just tasted more like a warmed up salad than an entree or "pasta" dish. Finally, we moved on to dessert. I ordered a scoop of the day's dulce de leche ice cream. The ice cream itself was delicious, but some idiot decided to serve it in a small dish with a big sprig on fresh mint. As I was finishing my delicious ice cream, a piece of the mint (there was no side plate to remove it to) broke off and found itself on my spoon and in my mouth. The combination of fresh mint and dulce de leche was just plain disgusting and almost made me vomit. Mint goes with many other flavors, like chocolate or vanilla, but definitely not dulce de leche. It really ruined the dessert. It's not hard to realize those don't go together and garnish that flavor of ice cream with something else. It was an amateur mistake that punctuated the amateurish experience. My fiancee went for the Molten Chocolate-Raspberry Cake, which I will admit was impressive. The cake itself had almost a soufflé texture and was quite delicious. However, the dish fell on it's face a bit with the raspberry-vanilla ice cream swirl that was served along side it. It was so overly sweet that she couldn't finish it. Anxious to cleanse my palate after the fresh mint debacle with my desert, I tried to use the left over raspberry-vanilla ice cream. I couldn't finish it either. The bottom line is that this restaurant provided food, service and overall execution that I think is below what I expected from a restaurant carrying Chef Howie's name. I could have had better seafood and at least equal service at many Seattle restaurants for about half the price.
(2)Jing S.
Food and service at Seastar is actually ok, but the main reason I am only giving it 2 stars is the pricing. For the amount they charge, I expected better, much better. Reading the Seastar menu always gets me excited because it gets me thinking about super fresh seafood expertly prepared. Unfortunately, the dishes just don't live up to my expecations. Today we ordered the Japanese hamachi ceviche, sesame-peppercorn crusted ahi, and seared diver scallops with morel mushrooms. The hamachi, while fresh and delicious, was almost paper-thin. Paired with a rather thick slice of the green olive, I just felt that the olive overpowered the hamachi. I also did not feel that the orange slice was sweet enough to counter-balance the acidity of the vinaigrette. The ahi preparation was also quite common and nothing particularly special. The sesame-peppercorn crust did not get enough heat to really release the fragrance of the seeds. The quality of the ahi was also not the highest, with the meat being ever so slightly stringy. I would probably place it as the cheapest possible sushi-grade tuna. What was particularly disturbing for me was the fact that the center of the ahi was not cold. For a fish that is mostly raw, I would think that it is kept under refridgeration. Since the sear only cooked a very thin layer on the outside, the inside should've stayed cold, but it was quite close to room temperature... I don't know what to make of it, but I don't like it. Lastly, the diver scallops. For $35 a plate, I was expecting 3 - 4 large diver scallops about 2 inches in diameter. Instead, out came 6 scallops that were about half the size I expected. Again, I felt that they probably got the cheapest of the diver scallops and charged super high-end prices for them. The one thing worth nothing was that the scallops were perfectly cooked. Also, this dish was supposed to come with "polenta souffle". I like polenta. But when I think "souffle", I think light and fluffy. The "polenta souffle" was not light nor fluffy. It was quite dense, and tasted just like a regular polenta. No sign of any puffing/rising during cooking that would make me associate it with a souffle. We got our check along with some bitty almond cookies. Tasty though they were (and free), it was also nothing particularly inspiring. It tasted just like a common preparation -- creaming sugar and butter, then add in eggs and almond extract. Sift together flour and a pinch of salt, and incorporate it into the egg mixture along with some chopped almonds. Scoop onto the baking sheet pan with a tiny ice cream scoop and bake until their done. Personally I think the cookies can be elevated if the pastry chef added in a little bit of lemon zest or orange zest, but that could be just me. Overall, just not that impressed with Seastar. Outrageous price for ok food. Next time I am craving seafood, I'd rather take my business to Anthony's.
(2)Carla F.
Kumamoto oysters with champagne mignonette + Seared Escolar w/ Dungeness crab = heaven! I've been here a few times, and every time I near the end of my meal, I'm thinking of when I'll be back. The only drawback is that the service is a bit stiff, as if they are only accustomed to serving groups out on business meals. I have another visit planned in the next month, so I may update my review after that.
(4)Robert S.
pros- great seafood. nice decor. great staff. good wine list. innovative menu. cons- too loud.
(5)Viet N.
To think -- I thought about going to Sushiland that day! We first heard about Seastar in the Alaska Airlines magazine while coming back home from the Midwest. Oh, to have Seattle seafood again! Craving sushi after a long day of shopping at Bellevue Square, we decided to go to Sushiland, only to see Seastar right there too. Change of plans, and later, two very happy people. Ambiance: We went for happy hour, so sat at the bar for food. We normally always do this anyway, as you can usually get seated much faster, and we'd rather sit closer anyway. Besides, bartenders are usually more fun than waitstaff. Big tip, guys. The bar area is clean, but with a somewhat refined corporate look. It doesn't have the "Pike Place Market" feel, but more of a "steel-and-glass" feel to it. Not extremely cozy, but professional, like an airport terminal restaurant. Food: We ordered a dozen oysters because we were craving oysters, two orders of ceviche, a sushi roll, and truffle fries. The oysters were great, but I can't say that they were appreciably better than any other seafood restaurant in Seattle. The sushi roll was just okay, not bad or good. Ceviche was excellent - very creative flavor creations and very light. We paired this all with -- what else -- beer from Seattle. Yum. Overall: A great place to stop and have a reasonably-priced happy hour in Bellevue. I probably would not go here for a first date, but would strongly consider taking a friend. Food is slightly below the best that Seattle has to offer, but as I mentioned, this was happy hour.
(4)Chelsea M.
Great place with creative seafood dishes. The tangerine rice with the scallops was amazing!
(4)Sharon C.
I actually told my boyfriend to give this place a shot for his 24th birthday last weekend. To be honest, I never dined here until that day. I used yelp and discovered this place. I really loved the decor of the dining area. We had reservations for almost 20 people and the service was pretty good. They also provided a delicious birthday coconut cake type of thing! All in all, we had a great time. The food is quite pricey but you get what you pay for.
(4)Ryan K.
Despite it being about a block away from where I work i'd never seen the building until agreeing to meet up with some friends one night. I wasn't aware of the setting so I was a kind of underdressed in a hoodie and sneakers for the somewhat upscale decor. I'm not big on seafood actually so I opted for the kalbi pork medallion appetizer which is a definitely a new way to have kalbi...pork also generally ranks low on the meat scale for me, so it was a gamble. I was super surprised how good they were. Moist, no 'porky' flavor at all, right amount of marinade, and a good sized portion if you eat it as a meal. However, I was able to sample... - Lobster mac and cheese which was also way good. Topped with truffle oil and a big chunk of brie. - A hunk of crab leg which was pretty tasty. Good butter sauce. - Creme brulee which was actually the weakest point in the meal though still good. Desserts were served with some SICK coconut butter cookies. I'll try anything with coconut in it so this pretty much made the meal. Great experience overall and want to definitely go back. The 4 of us left with a 240.00 bill so...plan accordingly. There was also a table of Asian people that took about 400 pictures in a span of an hour. That has nothing to do with the review...just saying asian people love snappin' pics. GUCCI!
(4)Annie A.
Busy, loud and unfriendly server. It wasn't that pleasant. The halibut ceviche, jambalaya and the dessert were great but the chief's omakase sushi plate, I was a little disappointed by serving a cooked shrimp nigiri and no effort on the presentation. Maybe my expectation was too high.
(3)William B.
This was a wonderful experience GREAT service, GREAT food, GREAT venue. We had a blast all the way around! Superb
(5)Charles K.
Seastar deserves more attention. Although the aesthetics and decor can be updated to a more modern look, the food is a stand out. Chef John Howie gets high marks on freshness and its ability to truly showcase Pacific Northwest flavors + ingredients. This is the perfect place for seafood. If you're craving steak, Chef has you covered with a Filet Mignon and New York Strip Steak. Did you know he owns a steakhouse called John Howie? You can't go wrong. The restaurant also offers a great sushi bar.
(5)Malcolm C.
This place had me at the valet. The valet was extra nice & friendly. The cocktails were awesome. I had the Ginger lemon drop & my wife had the Blood Orange maggie. They made their ginger syrup in-house which gave it it's distinct flavor. My wife ordered the Cedar plank Salmon. I was magnificent. I had the swordfish. My goodness, so flavorful and ever item on our plate was cooked to perfection. This is where you need to go if your bar for seafood is high.
(5)Trista H.
My girlfriend and I meet monthly in Bellevue so this month we met at Seastar. Neither of us were disappointed. Validated parking can be found in the Civic parking garage. Seastar validates for 1 hour during lunch and 3 hours during dinner hours. Discover is an accepted form of payment. Happy hour runs Monday-Friday from 3:30-6:00pm. My girlfriend and I each ordered an 8oz pour of red wine for $8 (hh). During our conversation my girlfriend tipped her wine glass over, spilling the remainder of her wine. Our server promptly and em-pathetically cleaned up the spill. Our server then brought out another glass of wine at no additional charge. My girlfriend doesn't care for raw food so we chose: California Sushi Roll (6 pieces) for $6 (hh): dungeness crab, avocado, cucumber, and tobikko. The roll was served with shaved pickled ginger, a mound of wasabi and a lemon wedge. Absolutely delish. Seared Kal-bi Pork Medallions for $7.50 (hh): sweet-spicy Kal-bi pork tenderloin medallions are flash seared served with toasted sesame seeds and Kal-bi glaze. So tender the pork melted in your mouth. Quite tasty. Per our server's recommendation we also ordered the Truffled French Fries for $4.50 (hh): crispy shoe-string fries drizzled with truffle oil and sea salt, served with roasted shallot aioli. These addictive fries were hot, crisp and salty. A basket could also be found on every table in the lounge. A cup of Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup for $6 (hh): spicy Thai chili broth, white shrimp, tomato, straw mushrooms, lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime and cilantro. I absolutely loved every single bite of this soup. My girlfriend not so much. The soup was too spicy for her taste. Thank you Seastar for contributing to our wonderful girl talk.
(5)Michael B.
I'm not a huge fish eater but there is one item on the menu (main entree) that is over the top good that I give Seastar 5 stars. I have tried three different entrees - the steak, one I can't remember but went out on a limb and tried something new, and the lobster macaroni and cheese. All time favorite - Lobster mac and cheese! It is a seasonal dish but they were very accommodating and when it was not on their menu, I was able to call a couple days ahead and they special ordered a lobster so I would have it for my dish. Since they had no use for the rest of the lobster, they put all the extra meat into the dish....sooo good and only charge about $5 more than the normal price! They have a great bar that you can grab a drink at if you're early to your reservation. All of their sushi rolls are great and all their appetizers we've tried have been really good! We always split the cesar salad and add crab to it, it's big so splitting it works out perfect - it comes with a large cheese crouton, yum! They give a bread basket with two different types of bread and butter which are pretty good. The wait staff have all been great too - they don't rush you to get your orders through and pace everything so you can enjoy your time there. If you make a reservation, request a window view. There's not much to look at except the street but it's neat to be by it. For dessert - definitely the coconut cream pie hands down. It's large so you will definitely need to share or take home. It's a dressy place - would recommend slacks/chinos and at least a polo if not a button up shirt. Lot of customers are in shirt/tie or suits. They have valet parking available at the restaurant, not too expensive.
(5)Vijay R.
We came to Seastar for Seattle restaurant week, and boy was it packed. Luckily we had reservations on OpenTable, but even with that, we could not get a table until after 30 minutes of our reservation. People were just not leaving the restaurant. It almost makes me wish that restaurants would enforce a time after the bill where people have to leave. There are Starbucks across the street where people can continue to hang out. Now my rant is over...back to the food. I got oysters for starters that had a great Wasabi sauce. Then the grilled steelhead with curry sauce on the side was well presented and tasted yummy. To end the meal, I got the passion fruit panacotta. All items were delicious and made the wait worthy.
(4)Matthew H.
Hit or miss. For as expensive as it is I expected more of an experience. I must admit my main dish was excellent. Appetizer was way over salted... Which seems like an amateur mistake. Hated that the bathrooms were out of the restaurant and to the left then another left then tucked in the corner. A bit awkward. Staff was ok... Atmosphere was generic nothing stood out about the design or feel. The prices didn't match the place. I would possibly come back....
(3)Gary W.
We had a so-so dinner here last night. It was decent, but not great, The service was really slow. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, but oh so very slow. It took about 20 minutes to get drinks to everyone in our party of 6. They came in spurts instead of all at once. There is a nice wine selection, and certainly the drinks were great. I appreciate a bar that can serve a nice bourbon with a single large ice cube so that it doesn't turn to water immediately. After drinks, it took a long time to get the server back over to take our orders. Again, she was very friendly and helpful, but just seemed to maybe have too many tables going at once. I ordered the crab bisque, the calamari-poke "poppers and the scallops. The first odd frustration was that they brought the soup and the poppers together for me. I'm not sure why, but it meant that one got cold while I ate the other. The crab bisque was fantastic. Excellent flavor and lots of delicious crab. The calamari poppers dish was odd. I definitely would NOT get it again. My fault for trying something that seemed a bit odd. It is calamari tubes, filled with ahi poke, lightly battered and fried. It is served over a spicy slaw. The slaw was great! The calamari was fine, but the poke inside it was pretty blah. The flavors just didn't really go together very well. The scallops entree was tasty. They were wrapped in bacon and served with arugula and thinly shaved melon. Had a very nice flavor, and a pretty good sized portion of scallops. My husband had the "local tuna" which was served over tabouleh. It was pretty blah. I think the other tuna entree was likely the better choice. This one was very bland and plain, with not much flavor. Overall, the food was decent with some hits and misses, but the service was frustratingly slow.
(3)D M.
We wanted one last seafood lunch before we headed back to Colorado and this place was the best! I had the steel head salmon entree and it was hands down the best I've ever had. The dish is a new twist to fish and chips, with the potato being a soft grated slice of heaven. The sauce is breathtaking. Five stars! I would recommend dressing at the very least in business casual. My son was wearing a death metal shirt and we got a few 'looks' from other customers. The service however, was outstanding. Our dress down vacation attire didn't phase or server. He was sure to make our stay pleasant and offered to validate our parking before we left the building. We will certainly return upon our next visit to the Seattle area.
(5)Vana T.
Hands down the best happy hour menu in town! Staff is amazing there they are very professional and nice! Pricing is very reasonable here. Everything we ordered came out quickly even during happy hour rush so I was very impressed. Their truffle fries are addicting so be careful guys! Must order- oysters, the wagyu burger (only available during hh), sushi rolls, crab and corn chowder, deviled eggs!!
(5)Kaylin O.
We had an opportunity to try this restaurant out recently and we enjoyed it. We came here for dinner and ordered quite a bit of food. I wasn't hungry so I ordered 3 appetizers that were actually quite big. My husband and his colleague ordered both fish dishes (Halibut and Mahi Mahi). Both were good. I had a chance to try my husband's Alaskan Halibut and it was cooked perfectly. For appetizers, we shared: 1. Deviled Eggs: Both the Salmon Gravlox and the Ahi Tartare. Both were delicious. I liked the Ahi Tartare a little more due to the bacon bits and truffle oil. 2. Crispy Saifun Shrimp: It was pretty good. I enjoyed the butter sauce with the shrimp. It tasted like cheese. 3. Pesto Steamed Clams: I had high hopes for this but I was a bit disappointed. It was a bit salty and I didn't enjoy the flavors that much. I love Pesto and Clams so I thought it would be amazing. My husband did enjoy it. 4. Seared Korean Kal-bi Pork Tenderloin: Had a nice caramelized flavor but I felt it was a bit burnt. For dessert, his colleague ordered ice cream and sorbet. It was good. I ordered the Warm Apple Tart. This was pretty good. We also received complimentary salted caramels at the end. Nice restaurant! Fresh Seafood!
(4)Connie O.
So good! Service was great too. My friend ordered coffee and soy milk, soy milk was clearly old and started to curdle...they gave her a new one and didn't charge her for it. I got the risotto with shrimp...so GOOD. Creamy but not heavy. I also got three different types of oysters. I had no idea which was which, but they tasted incredibly fresh!
(5)Sasa G.
Happy Hour Hand shucked Oysters served with mignonette or spicy cocktail sauce on crushed ice Market Price $1.45/pp 4/5 - The oysters were really fresh and high quality. I love the mignonette without the minced shallots. I found them too strong and it is usually what I could taste. I don't know what they used but it was definitely more than vinegar. I wouldn't call the cocktail sauce spicy. Spicy Tuna Roll (Ahi, cucumber, sesame seeds, sriracha and togarashi) $5 3.5/5 - It was definitely spicier than average spicy tuna. I think it togarashi on top of the sriracha. Ahi Poke (Hawaiian ahi, ogo, onion, soy and sesame seeds) $8.5 3.5/5 - The tuna was alright. I prefer it with less onion so that I could taste more of the tuna. The taro chips on the side was the best part of the dish! I wish I could ask for more or order more on the side. Seastar Truffled French Fries (Our crispy fries are drizzled with truffle oil and sea salt, served with roasted shallot aioli) $4.5 4/5 - Crispy fries as stated. It could use a little more truffle oil. There was truffle oil added into the aioli too. It also came with regular ketchup (no truffle oil added) without being requested. Seared Galbi Pork Medallions (Sweet-spicy Galbi pork tenderloin medallions are flash seared served with toasted sesame seeds and Galbi glaze) $7.5 2/5 - There was a very strong taste of "gaminess?". I wasn't sure if it is the right word to use. Not sure if it was due to stale ingredients. I didn't not even want to have my second piece. Service 4/5 - Our cold plates came in no time. Our bartender checked on us frequently without intruding. I'm pretty sure he has been there for years. Other servers were also willing to help and take away our empty plates when our server was busy. PS: Having been to happy hours to John Howie Steakhouse and Seastar Restaurant, I enjoyed the food quality more in John Howie. There were also more filling dishes there. I was expecting a more exciting menu from Seastar.
(3)Phoenix A.
Yelp. When are you going to allow us half stars? I want to give this place 3.5 just like another Yelper below...think about it. There are many nice things about this restaurant in the same vein as there are many nice things about the nice guys stuck in the friend zone... The decor is even a cookie cutter nice - even my mother-in-law was like where I have I seen this star before? Um, it looks like the old logo for Star 98.7 FM - with xylophonish wood shapes all over the place, little starfish napkin rings, big panes of glass. Aside from the sommelier, the pace and presentation of the service staff was somewhere between trying to be professional and a little Olive Garden bustle-y. The bus boy for our table had music playing on his phone that was either in his pocket or hanging on his belt. And I quote the hubby, "They just didn't carry themselves very professionally." Our server didn't have a strong opinion about anything but said that "everything is made to be good". Like wtf does that mean??? My mother-in-law asked for gluten free options and our server said, "We have one but it's best not to deviate from what's on the menu otherwise you don't get the full experience of the food." Are you serious? If there were any specials, even a Valentine's menu, there wasn't any mention about it. For our party of 6 we started off with a variety of appetizers...oysters on the half shell, calamari poppers, and dungeness crab cakes. The full dozen of oysters had 3 varieties on the plate served with cocktail sauce and a mignonette dressing. I can't remember the names of the 3 types of oysters but one of them was nice and sweet and those of us that delighted in them agreed that the one that came in the more snaily shell was not that great. The hubby found the calamari stuffed with ahi/chorizi a bit off. "The chorizo didn't fit the ahi well. It's a bad seasoning for fish." For my 2nd course I ordered the dungeness crab bisque....very rich, buttery, and flavorful with nice chunks of meat. For my entree, I could not resist ordering the lobster macaroni and cheese served with a slice of Stilton cheese on top of it (yeah, with the consumption of all this seafood, I was trying to beat the world record for fastest case of gout ever). This was just so good and amazing. For dessert (yeah, I went there even after the mac n cheese), I had the Banana Spring Rolls...deep fried bananas in phylo dough served with ice cream, sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzled with caramel. I am a sucker for banana desserts and this was also very delicious and presented in a shiny, metal martini glass. So I pretty much enjoyed all my food. Why the 3.5 stars then? Well, I didn't find anything particularly exceptional about any of the food. The service wasn't the best. On top of not wanting to show my mother-in-law the gluten-free menu, our server half rolled her eyes at having to repeat things like the ice cream flavors and desserts. The acoustics at our booth were pretty terrible as well. We sat in an alcove that trapped noise so it sounded like everyone at the next table was sitting at our table not having a conversation with us. It was pretty annoying. Would I come here again though? I don't know. I'd rather go to Aqua or Palisade. Would I recommend it to others? I'd definitely recommend my meal and I would suggest it as a good place for a group because it was rather noisy. For a date? Not so much. All in all, it sounds like the likelihood of me coming here again is if I get kidnapped by a group of dungeness crab craving lunatics otherwise known as friends.
(3)Tony L.
If I could, I would rate Seastar as 3 1/2 stars. We stopped in on a Friday night, a little before the big dinner rush, and were seated relatively quickly (I had reservations). I would not say that the décor is fancy, but it is nice nonetheless, in a Bellevue corporate way. Our server was friendly and gave her opinions about the food that we ordered (this is her favorite, etc.), so that is always appreciated. We ordered: Pesto clams: this was good, and had good pesto flavor. The server made sure that we had bread for sopping up the sauce. Pear and blue cheese salad with shrimp: nice touch that the server asked if I wanted to split the salad into two: blue cheese and pears are a hard combo to beat. Ancho chile smoked steelhead: this was pretty good. The sauce definitely reminds you of BBQ, and the sweet potato cake is really good. Grilled miso chicken: not bad (typical chicken dinner). Unfortunately, the great service that we were getting at the beginning of the meal disappeared after our entrees were brought out. Our server never checked back with us to see how the entrees were tasting, and the busser was the one who boxed up our leftovers for us (we were saving room for dessert, but decided to leave since we couldn't find our server for a long time). I think next time I will just come back for happy hour food in the bar.
(3)Sierra X.
This is one of the best seafood restaurants in the Seattle area. I have been here several times and the fish is always fresh and cooked perfectly. The accompaniments pair brilliantly and the flavor combinations are divine.
(5)Alice C.
John Howie Restaurant, why wouldn't it be amazing?? This place is WOW. I chose this place for my birthday celebration and it was the best choice if you're in Bellevue. Crab cakes-best ever. They were portioned well with a thai sweet and sour sauce that added a kick to the crab cakes. Different but yet tasty. Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Ahi- cooked perfectly. Seared just enough on the outside but still very tender and raw on the inside. Amazing presentation of this plate. Ancho steelhead - very tasty. So many flavors in this dish. The steelhead was cooked with chili rub and topped with sweet chili hollandaise sauce which I thought was interesting. it was like eating ribs with bbq sauce but instead it was fish. The fish was cooked perfectly. Not dry but very soft and juicy. Molten Chocolate Turtle Cake - warm and fluffy chocolate cake paired with sweet dulce de leche ice cream. Simply delicious. I would definitely come back.
(5)Cascades M.
Probably the best quality seafood you can get anywhere on the Eastside. The atmosphere is very nice and open. I recommend the swordfish, smoked steelhead or the salmon. All amazing. One of my favorites is definitely the ahi tuna here.
(5)Amanda R.
We started with the oysters and scallops! Then had several of the recommended entrees. All were very good however, steelhead stood out above the rest. We also had wine recommended by the staff and loved it. The wine was a house Merlot that is only available there. We had wonderful service and an amazing time after a long flight.
(4)Janessa L.
I came here for my anniversary on a Wednesday night (thank goodness we made reservations, it was BUSY!) The ambiance was classy, aside from the carpeted floors. The service was wonderful, thanks to Alana! We were also checked on, by whom I'm guessing was the manager, which was very sweet. And since it was our anniversary they were awesome enough to bring us our coconut cream pie with a candle in it for free!! The food was amazing! I would recommend the crab cakes (the best we've had), scallop ceviche and the panna cotta for dessert! The only thing we weren't fans of was the calamari (we're so used to it being cut up and fried, so the flavors totally threw us off). Our experience was great here and we will definitely be back!! (Sorry, lighting was dim so pictures aren't that great!)
(5)Reda H.
I came here for a work lunch on a Friday. When we arrived at about 11:45ish it wasn't too crowded. It did fill up quickly after and it was pretty loud inside. We almost had trouble hearing each other but not quite to that level. I got the roasted chicken (Jidori?). This was soooo good. I will definitely order it again. I was still hungry afterwards. But that may not mean a lot since I am also 7 months pregnant. It definitely wasn't an extra huge portion. Probably just the right amount for an averagely hungry person ( I was already really hungry when I came in since I had a small breakfast). You'd still have room for desert or appetizers (which we did not order). My coworker got the Parmesan crusted tilapia. I tried a bite of hers. It was really good too. She really liked it. My manager got the mushroom burger. She said it was good. She was the only one that had left overs. The burger was a pretty big decent size. I can't wait to go back, even just for the chicken. Although I'd like to try their other dishes and drinks when I can.
(5)Tommy J.
Best seafood I've had in a long time I really recommend their stealhead salmon it was delicious tasty wonderful magnificent delicate delectable also had their Hawaiian fish it was also amazing
(5)Rachel M.
Seastar is a vanilla restaurant. But! That is not always a bad thing. Sometimes you want a dinner out to just be simple and comfortable. Reservations and validated parking make this an easy dinner experience from the get. The lighting is soft, the tables/chairs are comfortable, the spacing of the dining room makes it feel spacious, which is unusual for Seattle. Food is expensive, but delicious- dinner here is definitely a splurge, so don't clutch your pearls over the pricing, just live a little and order what looks good! We had a Thai-style shrimp soup, salmon poke, and a trio of seared scallops. I was surprised that their were only 3 scallops for $15, but they were plated separately, each with their own flavor profile. I liked this presentation so much, but ordered it to share, so had to have 1/2 scallop of each. Not a good sharing plate, unfortunately. The shrimp soup was spicy with strong basil and mint flavors. The salmon poke was absolutely delicious and came with crispy fried taro chips. This poke is a must-have! We skipped dessert, but they brought little sea-salted chocolate caramels with the check. Overall, this is a solid dining experience. Good food, comfortable atmosphere, attentive service.
(4)Billy F.
Beautiful restaurant. The most composed and eloquent waitress/waiter I have ever had the pleasure to be served by. This place felt like a $30-$40 plate restaurant and the food did it's part as well. Someone in our group said both the Crab Cakes and Ahi Tuna were the best he had eaten. So why not 5 stars? We went American Tapas style and did a bunch of small plates and aside from the crab cakes and tuna, nothing else had the wow factor. Scallops were good, but the sauces with them were strange. The ceviche was good, but felt like it was missing a flavor to make it truly memorable. Korean pork was good, but I've had more flavorful sauces. I would still recommend it, but it may not change your life.
(4)Mitchell L.
I came with my family and friends. I like the atmosphere, was great appetizers and I love there calamari with testy souse on tap. Our server was Mike he was very friendly and polite. I will definitely recommend See-start restaurant to my friends.
(5)J C.
Went for husband's birthday. Service and food was excellent. Our server Jason was very cool. The shucked oysters were tasty. My may tag pear salad was delish. Hubby had smoked steelhead which he enjoyed. I had the Mahi Mahi which was fabulous. Portions were good not the typical micro portions that you might get at other fancy seafood restaurants. Everything was cooked perfect. My only negative would be that the salad was overly dressed. Otherwise it was a great birthday meal. I just wished husband would have agreed on dessert but we got a salted Carmel to end our meal anyhow.
(4)Jenn L.
Took my mom out to dinner here on a weekday. We made reservations but sadly, we got an awkward table that was in between two sections of the restaurant and seemed like it didn't belong. Forgivable since it was busy, but not ideal. We ordered the crab cakes as an appetizer which were brought out to us very quickly. The dressed greens with the crab cakes are so, so good. There wasn't a single thing left on the plate by the time we were done. For my entree I had the Cedar Planked Salmon which was good, but not as good as a signature dish should be. It was very beautifully cooked, but it wasn't particularly memorable and the broccoli and rice pilaf it came with didn't blow me away. However, the Ancho Steelhead that my mom ordered was incredible. Perfectly savory flavor in the entire dish, from the steelhead, to the shrimp, to the potato, and the veggies. Overall, the ambiance was pleasant, although the decor will need some updates soon. It lacks the swanky feel that the Seattle location has.
(4)Paul T.
Halibut ceviche, seared scallops, crab cake appetizers and raw oysters were fabulous. Crusted halibut was amazing. Service and decor top notch.
(4)Harlan Z.
Started with deviled eggs, 8 oz filet, finished with raspberry chocolate cake. All excellent flavor served with by our waiter Jim L. Enjoyed a delicious bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir recommended by our sommelier.
(4)Connor A.
I came here and had the fish and chips and my dad had the tuna sandwich. Everything was absolutely delicious- even the fries were perfectly crispy. The bartenders are very personable and great company, while the prices aren't nearly as bad as you'd expect from a John Howie restaurant. I look forward to coming back and trying more of their menu.
(5)Cat M.
Some of the best seafood I've ever had. Prepare for an expensive meal, but it's definitely worth it. The service was just as good as the meal!
(5)Namtran V.
Happy hour!! 3:30-6:00, open seating, validated self parking, and they offer valet if you're into that. Good service. Would go again. Felt great sitting by the window and people watching because the bar has a view looking out to the street. Score, exactly what I like! (Seriously lol) Waygu mushroom burger - Came out with a soggy bottom bun so I took it off and just had the meat, arugula, and mushrooms. There was a brown sauce I was unsure of. Came out well done when we ordered medium, oh well. Still pretty tender and decent. No complaints. Shoe string fries were standard, nothing special. Calamari poppers - Full squid bodies stuffed with a tuna mixture, not exactly what I was expecting. Kind of spicy for me, then I discovered that it had to be eaten WITH the slaw. Flavors complimented each other. Worth a try. Garlic grilled prawns - Nicely grilled prawns with some flavor and some incredibly creamy mashed potatoes. My favorite dish, something familiar with a fancy twist. There's something that irks me about paying $7.50 for 5 prawns though. Blood Mary margarita was very tasty!!! I would say it was worth $13 because it was strong enough for my boyfriend and I to share.
(4)Brandon A.
Just went for our anniversary. The setting is very nice, from casual afternoon businessmen to couples for special occasions. The Cesar salad is very good and dressed perfectly. The crab cakes are also very full of crab unlike some which are mostly bread. The coconut cream pie is great also, especially the crust. I'd recommend getting this to go because it's great the next day as well.
(5)Athena G.
Went for Seattle Restaurant Week! Appetizer: oysters I think I was just really craving oysters and this satisfied it. Actually, if my entire SRW meal consisted of more of these oysters, I'd walk out very satisfied. The sauce they pair with the oysters is perfect. Could've taken that home! Entree: fried trout and oyster I think I was just so blinded by the oysters, that I saw the word oyster in the entree description and that won me over. But, I'd have to say that compared to what my friends ordered (the salmon in curry sauce and another delicious fish meal, sorry I forgot), I didn't enjoy it very much. Yet, the description was right- it came with only ONE fried oyster. I had a bit of a laugh at myself for that. Dessert: crepe brûlée Huge and soooo good. Get it.
(4)Michael S.
Outstanding. My second trip. It was 3 years ago my first time. The second time even better. Service was outstanding We started with some sushi. Sooo good fresh clean really nice. Also we started with the new hand crafted vodka. Really liked it a lot. Would buy if I could get in Idaho. Salad I had the pear shrimp. The knife cuts on the pear were outstanding. Great flavored salad. Then the ancho rubbed steelhead with chipotle hollandaise. So moist. Of course we had the coconut pie. Wow The best thing I noticed is that sense my last trip. Prices have dropped or I think more people could come here and find something the can afford. The company that had taken me bought me the cook book knowing I collect cook books. What I loved about this was our waitress told us $10 would go to a non profit of our choice. And that our waitress is a volunteer for what we chose. I loved the heart of this place. When I arrived at hotel I spent the night reading the cookbook. It's not that. A cookbook. It's a matter of the heart. I was in tears. I loved the story the heart if this. My son moved to Portland to grow in this field I pray everyday he would find a place like seastar. I admire and am moved by this place and that thy stand for more than business the art of food and entertainment. Thank you. Blessings.
(5)Steve M.
Excellent Tom Yum Goong soup followed by our entrees. Luz had the Jambalaya while I had the seared Ahi Tuna sandwich. Our 16 month old child loved the soup and the jambalaya while she wasn't a huge fan of the sandwich. I'd have to agree with her assessment. The soup was great with more shrimp than I had anticipated and fantastic flavors. My wife's Jambalaya was good but I prefer mine a bit spicier. The let down of sorts was the Ahi Tuna sandwich. It was just much too sweet for my tastes. The wait staff was very good, attentive, and conversational. I love John Howie's restaurants and will be visiting here again.
(4)Heather C.
From the appetizers to dessert everything is wonderful. We always have great service and often go for appetizers in the lounge if not for dinner in the restaurant. Michelle, the manager (S-W) is just amazing and not only remembers regulars but greets everyone so they know they are truly welcome and their experience will be fantastic! The sushi is the best and the ahi poke is better than any we have ever had and we are from Hawaii so that's saying something. The pepper and sesame seeds coated ahi is my fave as either appetizer or entree. The menu is changed often enough so that you always have a new item to try and they update it with seasonal specials such as truffles, etc. Have a great time - we always do!!
(5)Kim L.
I came here on a date last week. There was no wait, since my date had made reservations. We had the pesto steamed clams as an appetizer to start. The clams were good and a delicious start. I ordered the Applewood Grilled NW King salmon. The salmon was delicious but it was a bit undercooked. The salmon was so moist and juicy. Both items were seasoned perfectly. Service was also impeccable-our waitress was so nice and always on point on refilling our drinks and checking on us. I would definitely come here again!
(4)Erin H.
I can't believe it's taken me 5+ years to come here, after working at Expedia practically right next door. The mushroom burger is seriously one of the best I've ever had. And the Purple Rain cocktail was awesome too. I will be back! Can't wait to try more of the menu. They have Deviled Eggs!
(5)Chuck M.
I had dinner at Seastar on 6/20, with my wife. The food, service, and atmosphere were great! The king salmon was perfectly cooked throughout, and not dry. My wife enjoyed the chicken.
(5)David H.
Excellent crab cake 10/10 Grilled and chilled cocktail shrimp was pretty good. Probably shouldn't have gotten the kalbi short ribs at a sea food place. Free bread was great Poke was meh California rolls were standard Scallop ceviche meh Expensive
(3)Crystal F.
Oysters are pretty good! I ordered for one dozen and mix of three kinds, all of them are fresh and delicious~
(5)Claudine M.
Expensive and underwhelming. I don't even remember what I ate anymore. Sorry. It just was not memorable at all. Service was top-notch, though.
(3)Alexandra M.
I got FOOD POISONING from eating here. After reading past reviews, I realized I'm not the only one with this experience - it's not just me, it was clearly the restaurant's inadequacy! A group of friends and I came here for dinner on Sunday night. It was my first time at the Bellevue location, so I was excited to check it out. It was difficult to have our waitress come to our table to 1) order, 2) ask for more butter, 3) ask for the dessert menu, 4) ask for the bill. We had the oyster sampler to share. The oysters are tiny compared to the ones you get at Taylor's. Even though the ones here have better accoutrements, the price was definitely not worth thin, flat, watery, and "snotty" oysters! In retrospect, I should have sent it back; I hesitated since I was with friends, and it might look rude or impolite. Halfway through eating out oysters, a runner came to our table and said "your main course is done." He didn't ask whether we wanted them to be taken out now; he just made a statement and started taking our small plates. When another runner came out carrying our main course, we still had two oysters left on the platter in the middle (which we were sharing), and the first waiter motioned to one of my friends as if ordering her to finish them so he can take the plate. Basically, they were rushing us to finish our oysters so it would be more convenient for them to just put the main plates down and be done with it. As someone who has experienced many different levels of restaurant service, this was LOW. For the main course, I ordered the grilled Hawaiian tuna and so did one other friend; both of us thought it was extremely bland. We added salt and pepper, and it did nothing but give an overwhelming taste or raw saltiness. They should have flavored it better before grilling it or even while it was grilling. My tuna was also very dry with a rough texture. Bottom line: bad service and disgusting food that will poison you!
(1)Cindy C.
Amazing seafood place! You MUST try the Ancho Chili Steelhead! It is absolutely to die for, best fillet I've had in Seattle. It's kind of like a smothered rack of ribs with amazing BBQ sauce except the ribs is a fillet of steelhead and the BBQ sauce is made especially for that fish. Just order it, you won't regret it. The Ahi Poke appetizer was very good, fresh and flavorful. The Panna Cotta dessert was smooth and delicious, perfect way to top off all that seafood. Tip: Valet is NOT free. Get your ticket validated and they'll add 7 dollars to your tab for parking.
(5)Crystal H.
We were lucky enough to have our office Christmas party dinner at this amazing place on a Friday night. First impression walking in the door, this place is truly beautiful, sparking with holiday lights and happy people everywhere. We started with a drink at the bar, super friendly great bartender named Greg kept us very happy. Once we were seated our eyes began to devour the menu, ohhhhh, so many amazing choices, what shall it be ? We started with the Seastar Tower appetizer which was a crabcake, scallop and prawn for each person at the table. It was beautifully presented and delicious. Every bite had different flavors and seasonings. Then I had the 1/2 Caesar salad to start, very fresh and wonderful. For my entree I had the seared Tuna, amazing presentation. Tuna was perfectly cooked and the sauce set it off perfectly, along with bites of pickled ginger. The rice cake that came with it was the only disappointment. It was a bit dry and not much flavor. But the huge portion of tuna made up for that ! Now the service was on a whole different level from what I have experienced in any other restaurant I have ever been to. All of the servers had a certain style of being right there for what ever we needed, while blending in to the background at the same time. Any plate emptied was cleared immediately, with flash & flair. not sure how else to describe it. Just amazing. I hope I get to go back some day. A bit above our price range, but maybe for a special treat down the road.
(5)Dae Y.
those thin cut french fries are just pure *magic*. the happy hr area gets completely packed, so be warned. and that was a Tuesday night.
(5)Tara L.
4.5 stars On our quest for some fresh seafood, Seastar was one of our stops. We came on the first night of Restaurant Week, and the experience was wonderful. I had read great things about this place, and when I saw their Restaurant Week offerings, I was sold and made a reservation for 5:30pm on a Sunday. We arrived about 5 minutes before our reservation time, and there were already a good amount of people. It appears that the restaurant is split into two areas (bar & dining room), and we sat in the dining room. I have to say that my first impression of the restaurant's decor is that it wasn't what I expected. It's not so much that it wasn't good, but for the type of food they were serving, the environment felt more rustic than I expected. However, it was still warm and comfortable. We got a nice window seat, and having seen the RW menu, we already knew what we wanted to order, but once we saw the rest of their main menu, we decided to add on their Halibut Ceviche ($14). So, here was our RW menu choices: Course 1: Treasure Cove Oysters with Spicy Sambal-Wasabi Cocktail Sauce - With a serving of 3 oysters, they were super smooth and perfectly chilled. It would have been nice to have a 4th one (so each of us could have 2), but keeping in mind market price, this makes sense. The sambal-wasabi cocktail sauce had great flavor, but it needed more heat. Spicy Ahi Tuna Sushi Roll with Cucumber - Ahh so fresh!! Wonderfully made maki, and man, that tuna just melted in our mouths. There were 6 pieces for our enjoyment. Course 2: Hardwood Grilled Steelhead, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus - I didn't really taste much of the hardwood flavoring, but the steelhead was grilled perfectly. Not an ounce of dryness, and good portion (about 5 oz.) Mashed potatoes were garlicky and smooth, and plenty of air. Loved that they were not too creamy or buttery. The asparagus (8 spears) were grilled nicely too. This dish overall was very balanced and satisfying. Grilled Bone-In Pork Roast Chop with Butternut Squash Puree, Maple Balsamic Glaze and Crispy Sage - Sadly, this was probably the worst dish of the night. Pork chop was overcooked. There wasn't an ounce of light pink in the meat, and it was super tough to cut through. The meat was seasoned very well, but because there was no moisture to the meat, it wasn't as delightful to eat. EVen the butternut squash puree looked overcooked, and based on this, we're thinking that it was left in the oven for too long. What a shame. Course 3: White Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie - Nice flavors, but a bit awkward to eat. It was built up, and the amount of cream was so overwhelming that you couldn't separate the crust from it, so a lot of times, you'd just eat straight up cream. However, it was super airy and fluffy, and we loved that the white chocolate wasn't overpowering. The drizzle of caramel was an added bonus to the flavor profile. Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Green Tea Syrup - Oh, this was the true winner out of the two desserts. Panna cotta was smooth and tart. The passion fruit flavor shined through flawlessly, and the small fruits scattered around the plate was a nice balance with the green tea syrup. Loved the raspberries paired with the panna cotta. Make sure you scoop a little in each bite. Heaven I tell you. Overall, we had an awesome dining experience here. The ceviche was a good portion, and you can't beat the fresh flavors of the seafood in it. Everything was served at its appropriate temperature, and there were plenty of chips to scoop and dip. We'd gladly order this again too. Service was top notch, and not invasive at all. The pacing of the meal was great, and the bread that they serve is quite good (they have an onion walnut bread that is REALLY good). I'd solidly recommend this place for special occasions, and if you happen to see them participating in RW, definitely check it out! For $28 to eat a 3-course meal, it's totally worth it!
(4)David P.
Not a bad place for sushi lunch, but prohibitively expensive for what you get. Would suggest this be a place you only go when it's on the company's dime
(3)Paris F.
Truly enjoyed the attentive and wonderful service. Amazing drink, the spicy mango martini. Finished that in 5 min. Great appetizer tower that included crab cakes, scallops and tiger shrimp like. The salmon dish was average. I do think it was not worth 38 dollars dish at all. I think some things are bit over priced but overall experience, I give 4 stars.
(4)Lee L.
I have eaten here multiple times and it has been good but forgettable. I never remember the dish I had the previous time when I return. The ambience is modern, clean, elegant and quiet enough but with energy. We had some deviled eggs as an appetizer and they were delicious. The fish entree was good but forgettable.
(4)Catharine W.
Perfect dining experience! Dear husband and I were in Bellevue for a getaway weekend, and chose Seastar based on the Yelp reviews. It was a great decision. The room is comfortable and contemporary, though we understand it is undergoing a complete reno during a closure for the month of July 2015. Every dish was perfect... Ahi Poke, Hamari Seviche for appetizers were perfectly seasoned and gorgeously presented. It is hard to get good poke outside of Hawaii, so we were VERY impressed. Our entrees: I selected the Ancho-rubbed Steelhead, and it was amazing. DH had the Seafood Stew... an absolutely perfect cioppino. It is very difficult to get this dish right, with the varying cooking time required for each of the seafoods. Seastar's chefs nailed it... Though we were well satiated, we just HAD to order the highly recommended coconut cream pie for two. It was so wonderful, but HUGE. We took home more than half of it. Service was note-perfect. Kelly, our server, has been with the restaurant 13 years, since it opened, which is a very good indicator that the management knows how to keep great staff. She knew exactly what she was doing, just the right combination of helpful friendly service without being too obtrusive. Highly recommended.
(5)lisa h.
We had a group of 5 for dinner the other night and it was fantastic!!! Everybody agreed it was a perfect meal. Personally I had the mahi mahi and it was perfection! The presentation was beautiful and that cucumber salsa just took it over the top. We did the tower for appetizers and it was spot on as was the desserts. We had the butterscotch creme brulee as well as the original and the panna cotta and they were all great! And then to top it all off, our service was impeccable! Thank you Seastar we cannot wait to come back!
(5)Soleil R.
Love this place! Seastar has proven its presence and power once again! One of my mom and my favorites, our second time was not short of a delicious meal of crab cake appetizers, swordfish with artichoke and caper beurre blanc, plank roasted vegetables and chanterelle corn edamame succotash. Wonderful accommodations including simple substitutions for any part of your dish and even changing air conditioning for us, beautiful plates with the perfect size serving, a quality place for seafood and service. Healthy and happy, can't wait to return.
(5)Cindy F.
From the moment we entered the door, the staff was very attentive and friendly. The ambiance is very comfortable and not pretentious at all like some fancy restaurants nearby. Order the Deviled Eggs for appetizer and the Steelhead for dinner!! The parking is a little hard to find. Had to drive around the block since we missed the entrance the first time. Also, my table had wanted dessert, but the waiter left the dessert menu at our table and then disappeared for a really long time. So we ended up just asking for the check since it was so late already. (Make sure to get your parking validated!)
(4)Jack W.
The restaurant manager managed to track us down and invite us back for a nice meal. Delicious meal and excellent service. Contrition and a second chance, and they did great. Well done! ================= Seastar is a regular favorite of mine in Bellevue, so it is with sadness that I say my family and I had a less than stellar meal this evening. The service which used to be top notch seems to have gone downhill - from knowledge and precision in describing the menu options, to failing to describe which oyster was which type upon serving, to omission of offering fresh cracked pepper on the salad, to just not clearing unnecessary plates at the right time. The wait time for the entrees to arrive was too long after the appetizers arrived - about 25mins, explained by the server as they were short staffed this evening. The environment was poorly lit - both making it difficult to read the menu and shell the king crab legs when they arrived. The food was hit or miss - the swordfish with the caper sauce was phenomenally seasoned with the perfect char and temperature inside. Well done! The artichoke rice with vegetable accompaniment was bland and tasteless. Makes me wonder why they moved away from the citrus rice which was so good on several of the entrees. For the crab legs, at least 75% of them were good; except for the one rotten one which spoiled the experience of eating the other 3. Basically the food experience just didn't live up to our previous positive experiences. The caramels served with the final bill were great - bravo! The final straw tonight was going out to get our car from the valet, and having him ask us for the paper register valet receipt ticket from the restaurant inside "for garage tracking purposes" even though our server made no mention of this and the valet ticket itself was stamped "paid" on it. So I trekked back inside to our table to go get it and come out again. Surely enough, they hadn't cleared the table yet so I was in luck. Maybe I'm spoiled having dined at Arzak and Mugaritz in Spain over Thanksgiving - they understand service very well. Maybe John Howie is distracted with the opening of his new SPORT restaurant in the area. Maybe Seastar was just having an off night. I hope things improve, and if they don't, Seastar's reputation will regress to a less notable average from it's more noteworthy legacy.
(4)Amanda E.
Came here for lunch sat in the bar area for quick quite seating. Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The zucchini linguine was amazing very complex flavors with little guilt. The jambalaya was authentic and well executed good amount of seafood.
(4)Christina S.
Most amazing restaurant I've ever been to! Quality of service and food exceeded my expectations. Loved the crab legs and the trio sampler appetizer, as well as the coconut pie for dessert. And the selection of wine is out of this world.
(5)Nina T.
In my opinion, this is the best seafood restaurant on the Eastside. It's a great special occasion restaurant and service is stellar, though the vibe feels more business-y than romantic. I've been a few times for dinner, and the food has always been excellent overall. This is a pretty expensive restaurant. I feel like the food is worth the price, but it's not 5 stars for the price. Appetizers - you can't go wrong with the Seastar tower (crab cakes, scallops, shrimp). I LOVE the crab cakes here. They have really high crab content with not much filler, and the lemongrass vinaigrette on the greens is really flavorful and delicious. Scallops are great as well. Deviled eggs -- bacon? truffle oil? They're as good as they sound. The crab and corn bisque seems to vary: once it was spectacular, but the next time it was a little too sweet. At a lot of restaurants, I find that the appetizers are outstanding but the entrees are lackluster. This is not the case at Seastar. The mahi mahi was a standout if you like tropical flavors -- it tasted like Hawaii on a plate. Lobster mac & cheese was tasty and I enjoyed the Ancho Chili steelhead, but I wasn't as impressed with the cedar plank salmon as other reviewers seem to be. Next to the other dishes, the salmon seemed a bit bland. I never have room for dessert.
(4)Jim M.
Oh my god....if you want amazing crab legs, oysters and filet mignon then this is the place. The food was the best in bellevue and the service was stellar. Order the oyster appetizers to start as well as a blue cheese salad. Then get the crab legs. Dessert was the coconut crenels pie for two
(5)Andrew G.
Just go... It's expensive but a real treat! The spicy Thai hot and sour soup was really amazing. Anything they can make my nose run is a good thing. Also had the crabcakes, the lobster macaroni and cheese, and the peppercorn ahi tuna. Fantastic, I highly recommend them.
(4)Crystal S.
Easy walk from the Hyatt Regency. While I understand it's a seafood restaurant, they had one dish on the menu that was vegetarian friendly. Reasonably priced for what you expect from a seafood restaurant. The clam and crab chowder was amazing but $8.50 for a baby cup. Service was excellent. Our waiter was great. I can't say my entree was impressive and to be honest... I feel as if my weekly meal prep of salmon, brown rice, and asparagus is seasoned better than what I was given. Service and chowder great... Best Meyer lemon martini EVER. Entree so disappointing.
(3)Bryan S.
Love this place! Came here on Valentine's Day and had a great experience! Our waitress was funny and friendly, atmosphere was very classy and romantic, and the food was great (for the most part)! Only reason for 4 stars is due to the southwestern mash that came with the Ancho Chili Steelhead. It left a weird taste in my mouth, but I guess it just didn't match my taste. Looking forward to dining here again!
(4)Sarah R.
Oh man - I love, love, love this restaurant. I have been here a handful of times and leave stuffed to the gills and with a happy heart each time I eat here. Food: I have a hard time ordering any other than the following: * Parmigiano Reggiano Crusted Tilapia, haricot verts, creamy haricot verts, creamy ot verts, creamy----cheesy russet hash, lemon- russet hash, lemon---chive oil, butter sauce (source: seastarrestaurant.com/Be… ) WHY OH WHY WOULD YOU ORDER ANYTHING ELSE?! Oh yeah, probably because we all like different things. I digress. Oh man, even just seeing it in my Yelp review is making my mouth water. It's hands down one of my favorite restaurant dishes ever! Moving on - everything else I've tried here is DELICIOUS and when it comes to appetizers, my table mates and I are often fighting over the last bite! Even my non-seafood loving husband loves the Crispy Saifun Shrimp. The coconut cream pie is totally worth every calorie... oh gosh, just lost my train of thought dreaming about it. Service: The service here as always been outstanding! Even if I am coming for the Dine Around Seattle or Seattle Restaurant Week the service is top-notch. The servers always seem excited to see you and they all want you to have a good time. Drinks: Full bar / beer / wine / signature drinks... nothing to complain about! Happy Hour: I haven't been to the Bellevue location yet for HH (I must remedy that STAT) BUT I did notice the menu is different from the HH menu at the Seattle location so I will give it a try sometime and report back pronto!
(4)Carolyn T.
Pretty good food. Would not come here for the full menu as its over priced and their raw fish is somewhat flavorless. The restaurant week menu was delightful and affordable.
(4)Heidi M.
My husband and I took my parents here a few weeks ago. Excellent food and wine. Great service. The seafood is always fresh! Yummy chowder. The oysters on half shell are superb!
(4)Jen L.
This is a local favorite of mine. I've liked all of their salmon dishes! I love their smoked broccoli on the side of cedar plank roasted NW King salmon. Their applewood grilled salmon is also fabulous with a side of to-die-for Yukon mashed potatoes. *drool* The service here is always great. The wait staff is always knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. I have yet to have a bad experience here with service, which is an absolute plus when you are at a restaurant. Although I am a big fan of this restaurant and their service, I am not, however, a fan of their sushi during happy hour. My experience was a little while ago, so I will try it again some time to see if there has been improvement. Sign up for their mailing list, and you'll receive a coupon for free dessert! :)
(4)Jes K.
Good food and service. The "p&p" items are really better than those without on the menu.
(5)Kristi H.
My husband and I ate at Seastar during a weekend getaway to the Seattle area. It was one of the best meals we have ever had! We got the ahi tartare deviled eggs, which were incredible (truffle oil - yummmm!), some fresh-shucked oysters, and each had a different entree. The applewood-smoked salmon was delicious, but the ancho chile steelhead was the star of the night. The flavored were so perfect. Our server was also incredibly knowledgeable about the wine list and how to pair well with different foods. Although it wasn't a cheap meal, we have certainly paid more for a lot worse. I would highly recommend this restaurant! We will come back on our next visit!
(5)Christi H.
The food raw is amazing, fresh nicely presented. the staff super engaged amazing bartenders
(5)Lydia N.
Came for Seattle Restaurant Week and was completely underwhelmed by the food. Service and ambiance were pleasant. I had the oysters (app), grilled steelhead (salmon), as recommended by the server, served with mashed potatoes and asparagus, and passion fruit panna cotta with green tea syrup (dessert). I liked my friends' choices a bit more - calamari poke, rainbow trout with kale, black eyed peas, and bacon, and creme brûlée. Part of the problem was the side by side comparison. When the apps came out, it was three oysters vs a plate heaped with calamari poke (which was pretty good). And at dessert, a 2" diameter panna cotta vs 5" diameter creme brûlée. (Yes. That's a 5-6x difference in volume. That panna cotta should be lined with saffron or something) The food was decent but the presentation of foods just looked pathetic next to each other. The steelhead salmon was okay. It looked like it was trying to be a steak, buddied up with the rich mashed potato and roasted asparagus sides. There were also a few bones in the salmon that were unexpected. It's fine if served a whole fish or a cross section, but for a fillet from a nice seafood restaurant it definitely fell below expectations. My friend's rainbow trout and side were decent and much more interesting. I'd come back to try Seastar's happy hour but I wouldn't choose it for a meal again.
(2)Peter A.
Great restaurant, great service. We had the crab cakes, peppercorn ahi, seabass, and salmon. Everything we ordered was nothing less than perfect. Our waiter Eric was phenomenal. Thanks guys! Will definitely return in the near future.
(5)Elisha T.
I come here whenever I receive a gift card or Seattle Restaurant Week is going on because the price is on higher end. The food tastes good here in general and I think they serve great cooked fish dishes. I also fell in love with their creme brulé, it's the best I had in my life and the portion is so generous that I couldn't finish it. They also serve good raw seafood dishes but not really my primary reason to eat here because I go to sushi restaurants for that. The service is professional and I haven't had any bad experiences dining here. The atmosphere for dinner is also perfect for date nights.
(4)Lee D.
My wife and I decided to try Seastar for an after-party "snack" of raw seafood. I heard great things about Seastar and their famed chef, John Howie and so this place must be good! They offer up to 3 hours of validated parking in the Civic garage which is very convenient and it beats paying $6/hour for parking. Our snacks included ceviche scallops, Shigoku oysters, and Peale oysters. I'll save the best things for last. The environment in the raw bar portion of the restaurant were loud, crowded and understaffed - our lovely waitress Lisa did an amazing job waiting on so many tables! Next time we will opt for seating inside the restaurant. The ceviche was disappointing, given that it was $12 and came with 6 small scallops. The ceviche consisted of mangoes, onions, lime juice and medium sized scallops. Sadly, I couldn't taste the scallop because it sat in the marinade too long. Each bite was purely mango and onion, even when eating the scallop by itself. As my wife put it, she's had better ceviche at hole in the wall Mexican restaurants and I agree with her. The oysters were fresh and very tasty. They were accompanied with a cocktail/horseradish sauce and mignonette. The shigoku oysters are small but full of sweet flavor. The Peale oysters were similar to the traditional raw oysters but less salty and not strong "ocean water" tasting. The total bill for a dozen oysters and ceviche before tax was $43. I would give this place a 3 for the raw bar, prices, and overall quality. But because Lisa did an amazing job, I'll rate it a 4. I will come back and try the dining room and items from their menu.
(4)Amy W.
Such a wonderful restaurant: service is impeccable. When you wait in the bar for your table, EVERYONE -- including the bartender -- knows it. Appetizer of deviled eggs was delicious, and a three-tier scallop one made me drool with envy. Fresh oysters are wonderful, as is the salmon, Desserts do not disappoint. In sum, probably the best seafood place on the Eastside -- if you have an expense account, great; otherwise, it might be more of a special occasion stop. Rooms are huge and airy, so noise level is kept down.
(5)Gabriel C.
Came by for restaurant week and had the oysters (2/5), rainbow trout (3/5) and panna cotta (5/5). The panna cotta is a definite must have! It's creamy and smooth without being decadent. Downside is that due to this being restaurant week, the panna cotta was definitely teeny tiny (1" ramekin) compared to both the creme brulee (5" ramekin) and chocolate cake (thick slice). Chocolate cake was richly decadent and the creme brulee was creamy, but not too sweet (used real vanilla beans). Had a taste of my friend's dishes as well and would recommend the Reggiano Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia and Calamari Poke.
(3)Tina C.
Great fresh food! Free parking underground too. The sign for the entrance is really small and can be easily missed. The garage starts with the letter "c" i forgot what it was exactly. Ordered their assortment platter for 75 $ and shared it with two people. Their ceviche/clam was really good! We also ordered a salmon appetizer and it was really really spicy. I was surprised at how spicy it was. The dessert we ordered was a coconut for two dessert. It was massive! I think we could have shared the single order. It was really good though -- the crust was perfect. They also gave us caramel chocolates with the bill. P.S. they have a kids menu! As for pricing... I am glad I was taken out for my birthday by a good friend :)
(5)Carrie M.
Went here for restaurant week recently. I started with the salmon Sushi roll, the Parmesan crusted tilapia and ended with the crème brûlée. It was my favorite restaurant week restaurant ( out of four that we went to). The courses were delicious and a great value at $28 for three courses. I plan to come back. I also recently had tried their burger at Seattle magazines burger contest and it was phenomenal. I noticed it is on their happy hour and I definitely want to come back for that too.
(4)Jo Lynne P.
This was our first dining experience at Seastar in Bellevue. The food was excellent and our server, Jason, was outstanding. They even validate parking if you park in the Civica garage by the Wells Fargo entrance. The Seastar Colada was yummy, as were the truffle fries. (Caution: The truffle fries could be addicting.) We both had the Tilapia and really enjoyed it. White chocolate, coconut cream pie for dessert with a cup of coffee was a delicious end to an excellent meal. We will definitely be back.
(5)K N.
Great vibe Friendly staff good food upscale semi casual dining! Repeat customer since 2009!
(5)Keni M.
Our experience over all was wonderful but some of the food fell flat. Dined at the Bellevue location and the ambiance was lacking but it was nice enough. We had an appi sampler and the first couple things were just bland and unimpressive, the wrapped shrimp and seared scallop I thought were well cooked but poorly conceptualized. The flavor combos were a fail. However, the crab cake appi was totally the opposite. Delish and fun to taste, I was surprised how much I liked it paired with a sweet Thai coconut/galangal sauce. Would order just that as a starter next time. My order of white fish was bland and boring although the fish was cooked perfectly. My hubby's ancho chili steal head salmon was absolutely fantastic. I wanted to put the sauce on everything from eggs to chicken to fish. So so yummy. The staff was very attentive and friendly and more than abundant enough, almost too abundant- it felt a bit like someone was always hovering but we certainly never lacked for anything. Overall somewhere within 3.5-4 stars.
(4)Henry P.
So I just roasted the brother/sister restaurant John Howie in another review. However, I actually really liked this place. I came here for lunch one day with my team. I had the salmon with mash and asparagus sticks. The cook on the salmon was flawless and the accompanying mash and asparagus were fantastic. Technically well cooked food. The service was great as well. The staff were attentive and buzzing about as if Bill Gates was in the house. The decor of the place departed from John Howie. It seemed bright and airy inside with an open floor plan, allowing people to move and walk about the area. Overall, I thought this was a great restaurant to dine at and I plan on going here at least one more time before I leave.
(5)Aunt L.
I've been here a few times, and am surprised I haven't reviewed it before! This review, however, will focus on their ability to cater to GLUTEN FREE. I was only recently diagnosed, and this was one of my first times venturing out to a "normal" restaurant and searching out gluten free options. Not only did they have an entire gluten free menu, but a lot of their dishes are naturally gluten free. My menu was three pages long. I had a dozen entrees to choose from, and not one of them was a salad "hold the croutons." We visited SeaStar tonight to celebrate my mother in law's birthday. The four of us split a sampler for appetizer, plus a basket of truffle oil fries for the gluten-eaters in the group. (Their french fries are dusted in flour to make them extra crunchy and tasty. I loved that the waitress knew that off the top of her head. It put me completely at ease.) Our sampler was raw scallops with a tropical fruit salsa (my favorite of the trio), ahi tuna poke (gluten free, but the taro chips served on the side are NOT, as they are fried in contaminated oil. Again, the waitress knew all of this.), and California rolls. All delicious! (The ONLY complaint from the other three was that they ate so many fries, they were barely hungry for their entrees. It is a GENEROUS basket of fries.) For my entree, I had Rainbow Trout with hazelnuts, mashed potatoes, and asparagus in brown butter sauce. (Again, since I am specifically addressing the gluten free issue, I was so happy I could order a "real dinner". Obviously, my expectations must have been set fairly low, but I'm getting used to going into restaurants and expecting to have salad be my only option. And even then, dressings are iffy.) As I was the only one who didn't eat any of the huge basket of fries, I was the only one at the table that practically licked my plate clean. It was four filets of trout, on a bed of asparagus and mashed potatoes. Perfectly balanced, seasoning was great, and the hazelnuts were a great pairing! What really floored me was dessert. I knew that the Coconut Cream Pie was my husband's favorite, and encouraged him to order it for everyone to share. It was mother in law's birthday, and she would love it. It's not gluten free, but a night without dessert certainly wouldn't kill me! The waitress came back, gushed about how she KNEW we would choose that one, and then quietly leaned over and spoke in my ear as she gathered menus. "I'll have the chef make up some for you without the crust." Nobody else at the table even noticed her do it. Not only that, but she comped both plates of pie in honor of the birthday girl. I received a small bowl of what appeared to be two scoops of ice cream. It was a scoop of the coconut filling, and a scoop of the coconut whipped cream. I actually preferred it served this way!! Each bite was perfectly balanced. And, yes, I finished it all by myself. Fantastic dinner, perfect for a special occasion, and for my fellow Gluten Free peeps, I can HIGHLY recommend SeaStar! (On pricing, entrees ranged from about $25-$40, with several $70+ options for crab legs, etc.)
(5)Josh S.
There is a reason why we make sure to go here at least once a month. Food is what you would expect from John Howie. Great upscale but casual ambience. Drinks and desserts are superb as well! 5/5 stars.
(5)Andrew H.
This is probably the best restaurant in Bellevue. Crabcakes and salmon are always good. The shrimp, corn, and mushroom risotto is also very nice.
(5)Y E.
I just had dinner here for Seattle Restaurant Week's 3 for $30. There was plenty of parking available, which my server validated for me. I enjoyed the four mushroom soup, and followed that with the house smoked salmon linguini. The smoked salmon wasn't overpowering and it was well balanced with the garlic cream sauce. The white chocolate coconut cream pie was delicious, but I would have called it a tart, not a pie because it was a tart shell. I liked the jazz music in the background. The only downside was that there wasn't a restroom specifically for the restaurant. Seastar is part of an eight floor office building, so you have to leave the restaurant and go into building lobby by the elevators to locate the restrooms.
(4)Angela C.
I was in the Seattle area last week for a business trip and our vendor picked Seastar for us to dine at. My colleagues from the local office told me Seastar is one of the top restaurants in Bellevue. Since we had a fairly large group and it was a networking dinner, our vendor booked the private room and created a pre-fixe menu for us which I thought was a brilliant idea. Narrowing down the selections was definitely the most efficient way to go. [Appetizers] *Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Ahi (seared ahi tuna, served atop daikon-carrot salad with wasabi cream and ginger-soy reduction) - Beautiful presentation! I did not try this but everyone that did said it was awesome and that the ahi was super fresh. *Scallop Ceviche (fresh scallops marinated in a mango-kiwi relish with lemon, lime and cilantro) - This was not bad. I was hoping to taste more sweetness of the raw scallop but unfortunately the flavor was masked by the relish. (3 stars) *Putaportiwan's Spicy Calamari Poppers (calamari that is stuffed with spicy ahi tuna, then fried semi-crisp, served with zesty slaw, grapes and lime) - I loved everything about this appetizer! The calamari had a nice bite and the filling had just the right amount of spiciness. The slaw was great too...I kept going back for more. (5 stars) [Salad] *Maytag Blue Cheese Salad (crisp romaine, curly endive, grilled radicchio and Belgian endive in a savory garlic blue cheese dressing w/sweet shrimp, smoked halzenuts, tomatoes and crisp pear) - I loved this salad! It was so refreshing and I loved the added tartness & juiciness from the julienned pear and added texture from the hazelnuts. (5 stars) [Entrée] - We were given a choice of Cedar Plank Salmon, Prime Top Sirloin or Swordfish. *Cedar Plank Roasted Red King Salmon (Pacific Northwest salmon seasoned w/Chef Howie's special rub, roasted on a cedar plank and served w/smoked broccoli & citrus rice) - I hate when salmon is overcooked and this was cooked to perfection! Using cooking temperature of steak as comparison, I'd say this salmon was between medium and medium rare. The smoked broccoli was a nice touch and the citrus rice, I wish I could have had a second helping. (5 stars) [Dessert] - We were given a choice of Molten Chocolate Cake or Apple Tarte *Warm Apple Tarte Tatin (tart-sweet granny smith apples that are baked in a light caramel sauce, served atop crisp puff pastry, with warm caramel sauce and sour apple chantilly crème) - I'm sorry to say I did not care for the dessert. It was much too sweet and probably would have been better served with ice cream instead of cream to neutralize the sweetness. (1 star) Elegant decor, classy ambiance, service was OK...they kept forgetting to bring people's drink orders...but what matters most is that the food was amazing! Overall, 4.5 stars (Yay! I'm a fan) and I hope to have an opportunity to come back the next time I'm in the Seattle area.
(4)George K.
Very good food, just a bit more pricey than I would expect, great wine selection and the most amazing coconut cream pie that you have tasted
(4)Susan C.
Wow! This restaurant is fantastic. Order the tower, all of them are great. Gretchen is a professional and made perfect recommendations. We ordered the duck salad and the Wasabi deviled eggs. Wonderful. The king salmon was perfect!!!
(5)critic c.
Ten of us went for dinner a couple of weeks ago with high hopes for a great meal. Our server was gracious and polite but utterly inefficient. Food service was S-L-O-W - so slow that our entrees were luke-warm when they finally arrived. Probably the worst Caesar Salad I ever had - bland and tasteless. We left thoroughly disappointed. A smiling server is only a part of the equation. That by itself cannot make up for slow service and mediocre food.
(1)Heidi H.
Service was extremely slow and the place was not crowded. Ambiance was pleasant and restaurant was clean. We had dinner there with friends and I ended up getting the infamous cedar plank salmon it was "ok," if your like me that like sauces or an extra kick to your food I wouldn't recommend it, but if your on a diet or like your fish plain (without the extras) I would recommend it. My broccoli was hard after being steamed and the potato cake was not a good match. My husband had the ancho chili steal head that was amazing. The sauce was outstanding, perfect amount of everything, came with shrimp and asparagus. My friend had the ahi ahi OMG that was the BEST. So flavorful and juicy. It reminded me of Hawaii.
(3)Erin A.
This is probably one of my favorite restaurants in the Seattle Area. I loved the Seasame-peppercorn crushed Ahi. It is very delicious. For one, I love ahi, and this restaurants sure knows how to make their seafood! I was in a party of 6, and everything was done well. The staff is incredible and caters to your wants. The ambiance is spectacular and I can see why my boyfriends parent's love the place. The meals are exceptional and I highly recommend the place!
(5)Theresa F.
Seastar is a John Howie restaurant and does not disappoint! I have had dinner at the restaurant on three occasions and lost count for Happy Hour at nine visits. For dinner I recommend the Applewood Grilled NW King Salmon, Lobster Macaroni & Cheese or the Swordfish...mmm, swordfish! For happy hour the Ahi Poke is amazing, as is the Burger. The bun for the Burger is fabulous. The portions are more generous than I expected, you will definitely not leave hungry. The bar is a bit crowded at Happy Hour, many times it is difficult to find even one space to sit. Sometimes I host Happy Hour and we are able to fit 12 people at the pub height table in the middle of the bar. Service is good, but not great. Love this place and will continue to visit!
(4)Whitney B.
Seastar is favored among those who wake up looking camera-ready and have no concept of what it's like to have the struggles in front of a mirror to transform themselves from resembling weather-beaten gorillas into something remotely human-looking. While us average plebs rise from our pillows looking like we just fell 100' off the ugly tree with morning breath reminiscent of a used barf bag, your regular clientele at Seastar do not experience acne, scarring, razor burns, or gingivitis. Their daily shits reek of vanilla bean and rose petals. They don't drive anything that doesn't classify under the "SUV" category. Ford Focus? They may as well ride on a 3-legged horse with cancer. Acura Integra? To them, that would be quite as nice as holding onto the same horse's tail and being dragged on gravel by said horse. John Howie is the Hugh Hefner of Bellevue. You'll be hard-pressed to find anybody else who can deliver the sexual icons he can. He's replaced scantily clad women dressed in furry undergarments with filet mignons and all-American wagyus. When you dine at Seastar, have some semblance of a dress code and order the grilled king salmon with haricot verts and mashed potatoes and end it with the passion fruit panna cotta. You'll be wet with excitement.
(4)Ashley R.
Love Seastar! I've frequented this restaurant for work meetings, casual lunches, family dinners, and even celebrated my birthday in there private room. Always fresh, delicious, on point food. We've always enjoyed superior service. Great drinks as well. All and all you can't go wrong with this Bellevue classic.
(5)Scott C.
These guys do seafood and do it right. Started with oysters, all local and fresh. Three different fish entrees with presentation almost too nice to eat. I had the Ancho steelhead, which was really good. Plank salmon and ahi were really well respected.
(5)Lora I.
Honestly, I think the seafood here is incredibly overrated and overpriced for its quality. The portions are okay, but I would honestly much rather go somewhere else for seafood. Meh... won't come again.
(2)Michael L.
This place always delivers. We had just about everything, and loved them all. from the fresh shucked oysters, chowder, scallops, Clams, Manhattans, Caesar Salads....to the entrees: Thai Shrimp with Red Curry, Mahi Mahi and the Ahi. Everything was perfectly prepared. The pace was wonderful. All-in-all, a fabulous evening celebrating my Mother's Birthday. Cheers
(5)Joe H.
Very average imo. My co-worker once got food poisoning eating here (after eating their ahi tuna)... but yeah, I only go here for business lunch and dinner. Solid wine, booze, beer menu (not great), great location, valet parking (convenient for business lunch or dinner when you're NOT paying for food or parking), pretty good food overall but pricy, imo. Service is great sometimes, very mediocre at times. I would have given it a 3.5 stars if I could. I much prefer their steakhouse (John Howie). and yes, they take AMEX.
(3)Mike L.
A special thank you to Seastar Restaurant Catering that came out to Delille Winery to cater to our Son and Future Daughter in laws rehearsal dinner. They served dinner for 50 people and it was spectacular. The service was excellent and the food was perfect. I have eaten many times in the restaurant. But this was over the top! Thank you to Ken Phillips and his staff. And a special thank you to Chef John Howie for creating such a special night for Andy and his bride to be. I highly recommend SeaStar Catering for anyone's special event.
(5)Dan S.
*Solid, consistent, had the tuna sandwich, stellar, love their shoestrings *Service is always good, prompt *I like the valet option seeing as BVUE is a real bear to park now
(4)Tani S.
We decided to celebrate our anniversary at Seastar and it was just ok unfortunately. I had high hopes having been here for lunch many years ago and enjoying their paella but the experience this last time was just bland. I made a reservation specifically noting that it was our anniversary but we were seated near two busy client dinners/work groups. People there out with co-workers were given more intimate spots. The food was just fine. We started off with a dozen oysters which were flavorless (I enjoy the liquor of oysters the most and it was completely missing from ours, perhaps the fancy way they had plated it made it disappear into the ice), scallop ceviche that was too sweet (not enough heat to balance), and a fried shrimp appetizer whose name escapes me that is supposed to be their specialty but was so so. The entrees were fine but nothing spectacular and the coconut pie although interesting had an almost glue like pastry cream. ;(. The one redeeming spot was the service which was impeccable. But after spending $200 on a dinner for two you don't want a mediocre experience which this was. It really made me long for the wonderful experiences we had for our previous anniversaries in Portland at Paley's Place and John Gorham's Toro Bravo.. Tempted next year to head back there since this wasn't quite it.
(2)Emily D.
Great lunch menu in the bar. Cheap, quick, good quality and a lovely bread basket. Had a diet coke, salad and fresh baked bread for $16. Can't beat it when you're eating a fresh, made-to-order seafood salad in an upscale restaurant. Their soups and sandwich's are also very good, and given the lunch pricing, I will be going back again and again.
(4)S S.
The front desk at the hotel we were staying at recommended this restaurant. We got seated right away and service was on point from the very start. Got our drink orders in and appetizers. Then our meal orders were taken as well. Ordered a Caesar salad and the Applewood King Salmon. The salad alone could feed two to three people. They had this cheese crouton thing that was really cool and tasty. As for the salmon, that was amazing. Definitely fresh. Expensive restaurant in an expensive part of town. I mean, they do cater to all the well-paid executives in the area. Great food and great service.
(4)Ieva K.
I love seafood; however I was disappointed when I came to the Bellevue location of Seastar. Disappointed is an understatement, I got food poisoning. My first time to the Bellevue location was to celebrate a birthday, we had a large party of people and I think maybe that overwhelmed the staff. When the appetizers started coming out, one of the waiters spilled the sauce from one of the plates on me. Happens, no big deal; he was very apologetic and cleaned up the table as well as offered me a cleaning voucher for my dress. The appetizers were delicious and ranged from sushi, mushrooms, and the Seastar tower. It took an abnormally long time for our main course to come out. That's when things went downhill. Half of the table had to send back food because it came out cold, undercooked, or dry. I personally had no complaints about my meal, until the drive home when I realized that I had food poisoning. Aside from the food poisoning my only complaint is that it took a long time for the main course to come out. The wait staff was friendly and constantly checking back to fill water and get drinks. Ambiance is typical Bellevue; you will never be over dressed however you will still fit right in in jeans.
(2)Kerry I.
Save your money and go somewhere else. While we have enjoyed occasionally dining at Seastar in the past, we will never go back: (i) Grilled scallops served in a thin (unappetizing) gruel, took about 30 seconds to be cold. If you are going to serve food this way, at least warm the plate. Eating it cold spoiled what could have been a nice entrée, however; (ii) The scallops (or possibly the Maytag salad) gave me food poisoning, but fortunately we live nearby and were able to get home in time; and, (iii) My wife ordered a $6.50 glass of wine. The sommelier and the waiter both hovered while she took a sip, and questioned her acceptance. She said "It's OK, not great, but ok", they insisted on replacing it with a glass of their house brand. What they did not tell us, is that they replaced her $6.50 glass of wine with an $18 glass of wine (which they charged us the full amount). Now we see why they were so anxious to replace the wine. So poor food presentation, bad food, and questionable ethics dictate we won't be back.
(1)Nicole M.
My sister took my family and I here for happy hour and oh wow I was impressed. Their sushi was even better than my go to sushi joint. Truffle fries were addicting. Their oysters were plump and briney and perfectly shucked and were delicious plain. Their burger and tuna poke were both delicious too. We waited for a little bit until the dinner menu was available and ordered the mahi. We shared it and it was delicious. Their happy hour special cocktail was on the sweet side and I suspect had grapefruit (which should be labeled on the menu as it can interfere with medications). Their service was pleasant and even though we kept ordering more they never faltered.
(5)Jim M.
Very nice selections. The seastar iced shell stock bowl was excellent just not enough for 2 people . On the other hand is an excellent appetizer for 2 people. I guess little food goes with expensive restaurants. The oysters where just perfect
(4)Anthony N.
I love this place, especially the Bellevue location! My friend and I were talking about SRW and I compiled a list for them. Seastar was the only place that I've been to on the list and it was chosen -__- . My friend has never been here before and I really like this place so we agreed to go here. This place is pretty much reservations only for dinner and we were fortunate enough to make ours a couple days prior (I recommend making them at least 2-3 days in advance). Food: I really like the cracker thing they provide (I think there's rosemary in it?) and my friend said they had something similar at Trader Joe's (I will confirm later). We started the night with a glass of Riesling (Poets Leap) and sauvignon blanc (Matanzas Creek). I'm not a big wine drinker, but both were very good! For appetizers, we got the mock turtle soup and the zucchini salad. The mock turtle soup had nothing to do with turtles! It was a kinda watery chili that was a little more gamey, it was just ok. The zucchini salad was good. It was flavorful and healthy tasting. Entrees: we got the grilled steelhead and the crusted tilapia. I've had both before and remembered both being delicious. This time was no different! The fish was cooked perfectly and the seasoning did not overpower the natural flavors of the fish (for the steelhead). The tilapia was breaded not too heavily, but the sauce they had on the plate was (after a while it started to coagulate). I highly recommend either of these dishes! At this point, we were pretty full, but still had dessert. We got the crème brûlée and the passion fruit panna cotta. Again, I've had both before, but my friend really wanted to try them and I didn't mind :). I like both, but there's nothing really special. They were good but not great. Service: Tiffany, our server was really cool. She was attentive and helped answer everything. The bussers were also polite and quick to fill water and take dishes away at appreciate times (some places ask before I'm done eating wtheck!) Overall, I really like the Bellevue location over Seattle for their service but food is pretty good at either places. Seastar is one of my go to kinda nicer restaurants and will be returning many times in the future. Five stars for the Bellevue location!
(5)Suzette H.
Got my Oyster fix, they were so fresh and delicious! I highly recommend Seastar for Happy Hour
(4)Kat H.
Had dinner here on my birthday, what a perfect choice. The sevice was impeccable, from check in forward we were treated as welcomed guests. My dinner companion wanted a different starter salad and our server offered both requests in half order, very accommodating and no problem. We had the sushi platter sampler, fantastic, fresh and beautifully presented. The Mahi Mahi over rice with cucumber relish ,sweet chili sauce and buerre blanc was tasty. Our dessert was provided, gratis and the manager came by our table to check on our meal and offer a personal Happy Birthday wish, nice touch. Another plus was the Spicy Pear Cosmopolitan signature drink, delish. All in all it was a seamless dining experience, albeit on the pricy side, perfect for a special dinner,, service was exemplary.
(5)Jaddahti J.
This is a very pleasant, airy restaurant with a comfortable, relaxed vibe. (At least it was at lunch time). I was actually planning to give it only three stars, because the food was good but not amazing, and seemed a little spendy for what you got. Eg.: crab cakes were $17 for three small disks of crunchy golden goodness. I stress small because all three put together would have made one cake of usual size, and for that price tag you would expect lump crab, but it was thin shreds. The Thai soup was also tasty, but $14 is a little north of reasonable , particularly in the afternoon. Worst appetizer, IMHO, was the raw fish,(which I assure you I did not order). It was 5 or 6 razor thin slices, which was suitable for reading the New York Times through but not for human consumption. Babygirl (who likes sashimi), spit it out and proclaimed it fishy and nasty. I believe her. Two other intrepid members of our party downed it happily, but I am convinced it was psychological since they had shelled out 17 bucks for it. Outrageous. On the other hand, the crab chowder was creamy and delicious, the Hawaiian fish with cucumber and macadamia nut relish was very good. Two nice sized fillets with lots of tasty topping and a larger serving of rice for $18. Not too bad, but the price for the same thing spikes about $10 north of that at dinner, so I suggest you hustle down while the sun is still shining. Pancetta wrapped shrimp were just ok; looked like the real winner was the fish and chips. One big, golden battered piece of tilapia and a pile of fries was a generous amount of food for $10.50. So why the four stars? Two reasons: our server, whose name I didn't take down but I wish I would have. (40ish, slender woman with dark hair pulled back). It wasn't really until after we left that I appreciated her. She answered questions about the menu, made suggestions, got everything right and on time, and was pleasant but so unobtrusive that we were walking to get the car before I thought, "Hey, she was great- a waitress ninja!" Reason II: the white chocolate coconut cream pie for two ($10). Oh, my! Granted, we had just eaten lunch, but you can tell from my complaints that I'm always down for more. Still, five of us shared and there was still some on the plate, and not because it wasn't good. It was great- rich and creamy (better than Tom Douglas. Sorry). Just too much. And that is a GOOD thing!
(4)David H.
I love the charsu chicken salad. It's almost like a flavorful explosion keeping you guessing what type of ingredients are in the dressing. It sometimes see John Howie from time to time. It's good to see an executive chef show up during lunch time. Highly recommend.
(5)Randy K.
I can't review the restaurant itself, but I can review the food. We have our annual Christmas party at the building where the restaurant is located and they cater the food. The Crab Cakes are to die for as well as the little steak appetizers. Pretty much all of their appetizers are great. The prime rib is good, but a little on the salty side. Salmon is great. If you want a nice meal please give it a try you won't be disappointed.
(4)Annie T.
Came here on a Saturday night without reservations and they were full. We got seated at their long tall bar area which was slightly awkward, but they were out of tables at the bar as well. We ordered the tower of seafood appetizers and the portion sizes were not too bad for the price. It came with crabcakes, scallops and shrimp. I wasn't too impressed with the flavor of each item though, it was pretty average. The entree sizes are fairly large, and I ordered the mahi mahi. The fish was cooked nicely but it did not taste that fresh. I was just in Maui a week prior and tasted real fresh mahi mahi and there was a huge difference. The sauce on the mahi mahi was a mango relish that was sweet and tasty. The rice was not just plain rice either and tasted sweet. For dessert we ordered the creme brulee and some sort of ice cream. Nothing stood out or anything. I felt like this restaurant is just OK, and doesnt blow me away like John Howie Steak does.
(3)Dave T.
We sat at the bar. The bartender was attentive and knew the menu well. It's very expensive for what you get. The food was fine but I wouldn't go there just to eat. It would be a good place to have a drink after work.
(4)Michael W.
They don't have lobster. But crab thighs are huge and yum
(3)Alfred N.
A surprising experience for us when we made a visit to Seastar. We received some great recommendations from our waitress and she guided us through the menu. First time here and ended up ordering most of the appetizers on the menu as we wanted more variety rather than everyone ordering their own Entree. I must say everything was above expectations from the Scallop ceviche with mangos, to the salmon poke that was fantastic. We were told that they make their own taro chips that came with the salmon poke.
(4)Lisa W.
Seastar is my mom's restaurant in Bellevue, so I used to take her here for all the special occasions. The raw bar is certainly one of the best in the area. The freshness of the seafood never disappoints, and I especially love their selection of raw oysters. Plus, they have an excellent happy hour with very affordable food and drinks to satisfy your cravings while not emptying out your wallet. Parking is a breeze too, since they validate parking in the building's underground garage.
(5)Jesse T.
Everything was awesome. Service was solid. Lobster bisque, pear salad, ceviche, scallops, ahi poke, mahi mahi, shrimp risotto was all very good. The rest of our party had some oysters and thought highly of them.
(5)LiLi C.
I took my friend to Seastar for his birthday and he really enjoyed the experience. Being from Seattle, it was a dressier venue than I expected... but I suppose I should know better whenever I cross to the Eastside. It seemed like we ordered everything off the menu but the sushi - the appetizers, main entrees, and dessert were all really excellent. In terms of the space, it just wouldn't be the place I'd choose for myself when I wanted to go out for higher-end seafood. Maybe it just felt a bit generic and the service was a bit too stiff for my taste, but I won't fault the restaurant for that. It just attracted an older, mostly male, after work crowd that doesn't fit with my lifestyle or personal taste. Though I may not pick the place for myself, I'd definitely take someone whose interest was getting good seafood on the Eastside.
(4)Paul L.
Starstruck Ambiance: 4 Food: 4 Drinks: 4 Value: 4 Another excellent John Howie restaurant, Seastar is one of the best seafood places on the East side. It is mostly an American seafood place, but it does have sushi. While the sushi is just average, their other foods are excellent. The fishes are excellently prepared (go with the apple wood plank), the oysters are very tasty, and we are huge fans of their calamari. They make it like a sausage: stuffed with salmon mix, and batter fried. Tasty! Their happy hour is an especially good deal. And their drinks values are decent. The clientele are mostly professionals; it's got that business hang out feeling. All in all, a solid place.
(4)Phily B.
HAPPY HOUR REVIEW ONLY Items Ordered: Oysters, Calamari stuffed with Tuna, Deviled Eggs, Wagyu Beef Burger PROs: * Nice upscale décor and atmosphere. A perfect fit for Bellevue * Service was kind and food came out quite fast as well. * During happy hour, the value in price is great when compared to the typical restaurant items. * Parking garage on 108th * Oysters were extremely fresh * Wagyu Beef Burger was sooo amazing.. easily one of the best burgers I've had. Thinking about it is making me drool Homer Simpson style allrrggggghhhhh. Juicy, flavorful, and a pretty decent size! It's accompanied by thin cut fries that were light a crispy. And only $9?!?! Yah whatchu got Red Robin? By far my favorite thing on the Happy Hour menu! * Deviled Eggs were good. Not amazing in my book.. but they're good. CONs: * Pricey... which is why we wanted to try happy hour first! * Calamari stuff with spicy Tuna was no good in our opinion. It needs some type of a sauce or a thicker breading for a contrast in texture. The whole thing is a big bite of chewy mush. Great example of how two great components together doesn't automatically equal a winning combination. FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall I had a great experience. I wish I knew about this place back when I worked in downtown Bellevue, because I would stop by for that Wagyu Beef Burger at LEAST once a week. I hear the seafood is good here as well... and if the oysters were any indication of that I'm sure it's great. They do serve sushi here, but I couldn't bring myself to order any since I already eat sushi so often all over this town. I'll be sure to come back to Seastar for dinner! However get your wallet ready, non-Happy Hour items aren't cheap!
(4)Nina S.
I remember trying this place for the first time a couple of years ago and truly enjoyed our experience -- great food and service! Now I don't know if it's because this visit was for lunch and I was with a group of co-workers as oppose to having a date night with hubby, but it seemed the food was not as great as how I remembered it and the service was average. The crab and corn bisque was good. The fire grilled tuna burger was ok...I ordered it because it had me at sambal relish, but it needed more sambal olek. The fries were addicting though! The rest of my group seemed to enjoyed their food -- a couple ordered crab salad, one ordered the scallops and polenta, another ordered fish and chips, and two ordered tilapia (which I was surprised to see on the menu). But of course they enjoyed the food...I paid for it! It was a nice lunch, but not memorable.
(3)Xuan-Nhi N.
I love this restaurant! Everything that I ordered was so incredibly good. We got the appetizer trio with california rolls, tuna poke, & scallops. We also ordered some oysters & the hamachi for appetizers. They were all so savory. I had a salmon that was seasoned astonishingly well. The spices that were on the fish completely complimented the vegetables that came with the salmon. They also have a wide selection of wines, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Our waitress was super nice & although the place was packed, she was completely attentive. This place is easily one of my favorite seafood restaurants.
(5)Nicholas S.
The food was delicious. We had the Maytag Blue Chees Pear Salad, Greens with Honeycrisp and Roasted Butternut Squash salad, and California Rolls as appetizers prior to our meals. Both of the salads were amazing. We then had the Applewood Grilled NW King Salmon, Cedar Plan Roasted NW King Salmon and the Mahi Mahi with Cucumber Macadamia Nut Relish for our entrees and each entrée was really good. This was our first time at Seastar and we came as a Christmas gift to our parents who also really enjoyed the wonderful experience.
(4)Brianna B.
This restaurant is fabulous! It is lovely for dinner- there are huge windows that you can look out of, gorgeous light fixtures and table decorations, and fantastic food! It is mainly a seafood place and there aren't many non-seafood options. The service was great- the waiters/waitresses were very polite, helpful, and nice and always made sure that everything was satisfactory. Really liked this fancy restaurant.
(5)Yeelin T.
Came here for lunch on a Wednesday a few weeks ago. The wait was very long and the service was atrocious. If you want to run a lunch business, you need to be able to get your customers order and bring their food in a timely fashion. The staff came across as snooty unlike the folks at similar places like el gaucho and john howie. The food wasn't impressive either. Scallops were meh and sushi was ok. The seared Ahi tuna was probably the best part of the meal. Not worth the wait or the price. There are better places for lunch in Bellevue.
(2)Shep G.
Very consistent and very good. They do it all well, but you will pay for that! Great spot for a occasion, or just sit in the bar and order food there too...
(5)Allison G.
4.5 stars - My friend and I came here during Seattle restaurant week - we had the best meals we've had in a while! The sauces they used on both of our fish dishes were so good that we both felt like we wanted to lock our plates clean. :) we also had a chocolate torte for dessert that tasted like heaven. validated parking in the garage below was icing on the cake. Probably out of my price range to eat here often, but will defiantly be back for a special occasion. The only complaint I might have is the ceased salad, no the best, really bland but would still come back!
(5)Cassie N.
I love Seastar!! It is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle, though I do prefer the Bellevue location over the Seattle one. Exceptionally fresh seafood, tasty drinks and top notch service. I have never had a bad meal at Seastar. Last night I took Mike here for SRW, since he had never been to Seastar before. We were lucky enough to have Michelle as our server. She was my server last year when I went to Seastar and I remember her because she was just sooo fantastic. She was funny, engaging and fun. She makes the whole experience even better. I really would request her of I could when we come back for our anniversary. We started off some drinks with our appetizers. I've been getting some really phenomenal drinks lately... I ordered this drink called the Seastar Colada. It was fantastic! It was pretty much the best twist on a piña colada I've ever had. It had Malibu, Mango Purée and Passionfruit. It was than tipped off with this amazing coconut vanilla bean foam.. It was just awesome. The kind of drink that makes you feel like your on vacation:) We had oysters and the Jalapeño Salmon Roll for our starters. The oysters were super fresh and clean tasting.. I could eat them all day. The Salmon Roll was great, full of flavor with a little kick. They have really good sushi there, you can tell they use quality ingredients. For my entree I ordered the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia... Oh my god it was soo good. It was decadent and had amazing flavor, I loved how crispy and buttery it was. The potatoes that came with the tilapia were some of the best potatoes I've ever had. They were this fluffy, savory, cheesy potatoes... sooo good! Mike had the Steelhead and it was cooked perfectly. It came with these tasty black eyed peas with kale and bacon. They complimented the fish very well and had this great smokey flavor. The desserts at Seastar are fan-freakingtastic! I've had a couple but the best ones have to be the White Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie and the Passionfruit Panna Cotta with Green Tea Syrup. The pie at Seastar isn't as good as Tom Douglas's but still pretty amazing. The panna cotta is honestly one of the BEST desserts I've ever had and it's beautiful! The dessert itself looks like a tropical island in an ocean of flowers. The green tea syrup is crack, I could drink that stuff. We had a wonderful time, the service was excellent and everything we ordered was made perfectly. Its a little pricey but you get what you pay for and it is sooo worth it! Parking is validated for 3 hours during dinner if you park in the garage under the building so its a breeze to park. The only thing is I wish we were sitting at one of the side tables or booths. I didn't like sitting in the middle table as much, it doesn't feel as intimate and it's a little awkward. Other than that it was basically perfect. I cannot wait to come back, if you haven't been to Seastar you are seriously missing out.
(5)Parul S.
We went on a frendz recommendation and I am glad we did...Excellent food ... We ordered lobster mac n cheese and parmigiana crusted tilapia which comes with green beans...it was awesome. Nice n friendly staff..there is an underground parking which is validated you might wanna check that while making reservation as it's not the most obvious parking entrances.
(5)Scott M.
Excellent service, and the food was pretty terrific too. Took my wife for our Anniversary. I made a mention of it when making the reservation, and we got the perfect table, and everyone seemed to know it was our anniversary and they congratulated us. Even provided desert with a special candle without asking! Always appreciate such attentive service, because it is rare these days. And I recommend the pumpkin seen encrusted scallops with pesto mash potatoes. Really really good!
(5)Steve P.
Was there for dinner yesterday with friends. The meal was very enjoyable, very good food quality and excellent preparation. Two things took away from the experience for me. 1- This is not a restaurant to bring your own wine to. The corking fee here is $25. 2- This one is a nit that is just a me thing as a business person, the automated way in which their phones are answered isn't very welcoming.
(3)Sergiu P.
Went there for happy hour. Oysters were amazing. Ambiance was pleasant. Parking obviously is a problem in Bellevue, since our parking ticket got swapped with an older one upon validating by our server. Had to pay for parking. They validate for three hours, and we dined about 1.5 hrs. Management did not respond adequately.
(3)Ha L.
I like coming to Seastar when I want solid seafood. We went here to celebrate a birthday a couple months ago. We ordered the Seastar Tower to share, oh my goodness, it was so delicious. I wish I had ordered it as my meal. I had the ancho chili smoked steelhead that came with potato cake. It tasted like bbq. I think it was a bit too saucy for me. I wish I had some cornbread about halfway through the fish to cut the pungent flavors. I'm docking this place a star since the server was MIA after our order, and a different server was non-existent for awhile after we finished our meal.
(4)Foo B.
If a review is here to help you decide if you want to go, or not go to a restaurant - let me say that there is no reason NOT to go to this place. If you like Seafood, you will not be disappointed. I'm a regular here. But I'm writing this review because I saw again, tonight, what sets apart this place. I lost my parking ticket and my parking validation became in question when I tried to leave. The parking lot attendant (Review score: 1 star), who is owned by a separate company, would not accept my stamped receipt. So I pulled aside and called the restaurant. The manager came down and worked it out somehow. It's this kind of "make the customer happy", going above and beyond that keeps me as a loyal customer. So, Thank You John Howie, SeaStar and Crew. And your manager (I didn't get his name) - rocks.
(5)Darlene L.
Dungeness crab cakes, prawns, and scallops are to die for. I love the crab cakes here! But my entrée of steelhead was just okay. The cedar plank salmon was good too, but not exceptional. The complimentary birthday creme brulee was fabulous and a nice unexpected treat! The service was excellent, attentive and friendly.
(4)Shajib S.
Went there for brunch with a 1 year old baby in tow. The staff was very accommodating of our little guy. If you're going to visit the space needle, I think it's definitely worth eating at Sky city. You get the elevator ride for free and there's no better way to appreciate the view than having a nice relaxed morning.
(4)Jackie T.
I'm still blown away by this thing called Jodri Chicken. My friend said to go for it based on recommendations she heard. I was truly not expecting chicken of that level at lunchtime and I was thrilled when the meal was over. The chicken is paired with complementary vegetables that hit the right savory and sweet notes. Why can't all chicken taste this good? A few other notes ... Fries were very average and the wines offered were good.
(4)Sean F.
Very good place, approved by Italians. Only one disappointing thing: corn in risotto!
(3)Felicia C.
I had a stomach ache but I blame myself for eating so much food. Don't miss the deviled eggs!
(5)Shelby J.
I worked right up the street at my last job from Seastar. We usually had company lunches (we were a small office of about 5, and this is where the bosses usually picked for an outing). Service is great, and so is the food. The Ahi Poke is really tasty and melts in your mouth. The Reggiano Parmigiano Crusted Tilapia is quite tasty. So is the Applewood Grilled Salmon. Oh, and I can't forget the sushi. Yum. I was quite spoiled that this place was literally across the street from our offices.
(4)Kayla T.
Great after work happy hour place. I usually get the 8oz happy hour house red wine and truffle fries or spicy tuna roll and it runs me about $12-15. It can get crowded so if you're coming with a group larger than 4 call ahead or come early. The convenient downtown bellevue location and happy hour prices makes it a go-to for me.
(4)Elaine C.
Most amazing meal ever. Chef's special sushi plate was delicious. Service was top notch (Michelle was wonderful). All of the food was delicious, definitely coming back.
(5)Han W.
The oyster here is so fresh and delicious! I love our waitress who is always smiling and ready to cover our table. My favorite is the coconut cream pie which you definitely want to give a try. Thanks for making a great Thursday night for me.
(5)Tiffany M.
*Happy Hour Review* Good prices on alcohol, great food, upscale decor, attentive service Food ordered: Ahi poke- really good quality fish, great flavors spicy tuna roll- quite spicy and very good grilled shrimp w/ mashed potates- to die for, comes with 6 shrimp deviled eggs- topped with tiny bits of tuna, yum! Huge portion comes with 8 halves Drink: well gin and vodka martinis were quite good hef hit the spot
(5)Thuy P.
I really just wanted to try the raw bar at this place, but I guess I skipped it on my first visit here. I was coming from a late work day, so I decided to have a meal instead. The attire of the place is very business like and/or fancy, I felt slightly out of place because I hadn't had the chance to clean myself up so much. I ordered the Kalbi pork medallions, mahi mahi, and a mojito, which came out to be about $50 after tax and tip. The kalbi was cooked very well and was very tasty, but it was something I could cook myself, so no points there. The mahi mahi isn't something to remember, which is very disappointing considering this is an area right next to the ocean, seafood is expected to be great, and this is not up to par. The mojito was OK. Overall, it was filling enough, but the quality of food did not match up to the price they are wanting. Service is a bit slow.
(3)Andrew B.
I ordered a couple rolls, they were ok, I have a few sushi chef friends so i'm used to the star treatment, the unagi was good though. I have had unagi go awfully wrong so thats a test to pass. The cocktail list was not my scene but the bartender took it past that to an whipped up a classic with whiskey barrel aged bitters. that is joy. Also, though a it dusty the scotch collection there is quite good. There are some oldies that you can't buy with love or money anymore, except when you give the money directly to them. And another plus for the scotch drinker: they have single malt glasses. If you are going to make that purchase, you deserve the right vessel.
(4)Lor B.
Lunched here today with a client and was quite impressed. Although Seastar has been here forever, I'm never on the east side for lunch and was pleasantly surprised with the experience. I ordered the Roasted Trout with Asparagus (skipped out on the rice) and it was divine. My other companions ordered the Chicken entree salad and the Halbut special and both were very pleased. Would consider coming back here for a business lunch - also there is free valet - which is soooo nice!
(4)simon B.
Loads of people rave about the seastar, in reviewing it i've tried to strip away the hype from the reality. seastar is one of the more noteworthy seattle restaurants. its pricey and the food is meant to be accordingly outstanding. i visited a few times with my wife and have concluded its average. if you are expecting a joint that is to fish, what the met is to steak then this is not it. the sushi is veru good, as are the oysters. the cook food is so so. my salmon and prawn curry was luke war, the salmon steak was only luke warm and perched unnecessarily on top of a tower of rice with the prawns in sauce around the plate - which was barely warm - the sauce therefore rather than being hot was luke warm too. all a little unimpressive. the service is excellent....but overall....i'd rate seastar as OK....not stellar, which is really should be for the price and also the reputation it claims...
(3)Eric S.
We spent our 16th anniversary at Seastar this past December, and it was excellent! We arrived intentionally early so we could have a cocktail in the bar before dinner. Happy hour was in full swing and what a great happy hour menu! The bartender was great, he offered to open the bottle of wine we had brought (they offer no corkage fee, which is super nice) and decant it for us. After our drinks and appetizers we were shown to our table. I had called a few weeks in advance and got the number of the florist that Seastar contracts with and had an arrangement waiting on the table, and they were beautiful! Dinner was outstanding, I had a NY steak, and my wife had Halibut. Both were perfectly executed. I would, and have already recommended Seastar to multiple friends. Go check them out, you won't be disapointed!
(5)Lindsay G.
This place has the second best piece of fish I have ever eaten in my life. It was a salt and pepper salmon. The atmosphere here is fancy casual. It is very pretty but not intimating and the service is great. Also, the best part of the meal? The coconut cream pie which they will give you the recipe for. I'm definitely a fan. Also,t his place is fun. A great, not-too-loud place to bond with friends and family.
(4)Scott W.
Not cheap, but worth it. Fish done right. I'm Asian and if your willing to pay for it the sushi is memorable, I dream about the crab bisque. And the scallops are seared and undercooked to heavenly perfection. This is a John Howie restaurant and it isn't as perfect in every way as his steak house but that's perfection and even higher priced than the Seastar. This is slightly lower priced and so it suffers from the crowds, the noise level and thus the service a sometimes the consistency. But it's a more fun, relaxed place; one can show up in your Hawaiian shirt and party and you'll get lots of change back from your hundred dollar bill. I think it is the best seafood restaurant on the Eastside.
(5)Elise C.
Love this restaurant! Very fresh seafood, delicious drinks, and great customer service.
(5)Bob R.
Great stuffed calamari appetizer and the steelhead was incredible.
(4)J H.
Really good service, but I am not impressed with the food. There were too much corn in my Risotto that it was too sweet.
(3)Linndsey A.
Just dined here last night with a group of friends and had a great experience. This place is quite pricey, but well worth it in my opinion. We also went for restaurant week..3 course meal for $28. How could you not?? lol Five out of the seven of us ordered the grilled king salmon (with yukon gold mashed and grilled asparagus) so I can't say much about the rest of the dishes on the menu, but we all thought highly of it, nonetheless! The service was really on par and I loved the atmosphere. It's the perfect place to go for a nice date or if you feel like getting dolled up with your girls :)
(4)Jen S.
Went here for the prix fixe menu during Urban Eats and was not impressed. If the goal of Urban Eats is to highlight the restaurant, then they didn't do a very good job of representing themselves. 2 star experience, but 3 stars because I don't think it was an accurate reflection. For appetizers, we had the choice of several sushi rolls and bisques. All were average, nothing special like you'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber. Entrees were also unremarkable. We tried the crab cakes, gulf shrimp with asparagus risotto, hazelnut crusted trout, and the sirloin. The overall theme for each dish was that the different components of the entrees did not compliment each other very well. The food was kind of tasty, but bordering more on heavy and bland. For example, the crab cakes were paired with a killer Thai sweet chili sauce, but the meat of the crab cakes was akin the shredded chicken. They were also accompanied by scalloped potatoes and buttery sugar snap peas, which was just too heavy with delicate crab cakes. For dessert, the banana spring roll with ice cream was a fun take on fried bananas. The creme brulee, mango margarita sorbet, molten chocolate cake, and caramel cheesecake were tasty, but not really remarkable. Service was perfectly lovely, even though we were the last party, of 8 no less, seated for the night. Would give this place a second chance and explore the Raw Bar part of Seastar.
(3)Benjamin A.
Went here the day before Valentine's day and had a good overall experience. The seared tuna and deviled eggs to start were awesome and were just a sign of things to come. My seafood tower was huge but in the end I still had room for their molten chocolate lava cake. We went home stuffed and with smiles on our faces. We will definitely be back.
(5)Mary Lee L.
This restaurant delivers a consistently awesome culinary experience. Tonight seven of us gathered around a high top table in the bar for happy hour. We ordered plates of oysters, the pork tenderloins, grilled shrimp, mushrooms, hot & sour soup, and truffle fries. It was all delicious. The only thing we were less impressed with was the house happy hour wine. The choice was a white granache or a red granache. They were drinkable, but in the future I will spring for something bigger and bolder. All in all, the service, atmosphere, and quality of food makes me a big fan.
(5)kunal k.
Quite phenomenal food. I was blown away by the quality of everything. The crab cakes were spot on as was the crab-corn bisque. A bit about the crab cakes: incredibly fresh, you could almost taste the salt water! pure crab. i wasn't a huge fan of the sauce, but the crab cakes on their own were outstanding. Everyone I went with thoroughly enjoyed their meal, and the prices are on the higher end but still pretty reasonable. Well worth the buck too. I kept it at 4 stars because 1) I'm passionate about my crab cakes, and if you're going to serve them with something other than the more common sauces and remoulades, I'd expect you to do better, not take a step back for the sake of being different, and 2) it seemed like the place where the waiters would be more energetic and conversational, but I felt our service was just standard and nothing exceptional, which I strongly feel this sort of restaurant should have to complete the dining experience. Go get crabs!
(4)Brian C.
Some of the best sushi ever!!! Great Saki and just good food. I am a huge old school Palisades fan and when I heard John Howie was here I had to try it out. If you are looking for good Sushi on the east side and you can lay down the extra cash (it is expensive) Seastar is the hit!
(5)Stephan J.
Good seafood and service. I was disappointed by my pumpkin cheesecake dessert, but otherwise a nice experience. The place was packed on a Monday night, so others must like it too!
(4)Marius S.
A group of coworkers and I visited Seastar for dinner last night, and I have to say I had very high hopes that were not met. The service was quite slow, and check-ins on food quality/etc. were infrequent. The food was a mixed-bag. My prosciutto-wrapped scallops were excellent, as were the appetizers (crab cakes, oysters, and sushi). However, some of my colleagues that ordered salmon did not fare so well: dry and overcooked, and the seasoning rub way overpowered the fish. The beer draught selection was tiny (hefeweizen and pale ale only), and the wine-by-the-glass (ahem, "stem") list was short - and very overpriced. I'd go back if I was invited by a good friend to go out to eat, but I won't be suggesting Seastar to my friends.
(2)Louise T.
This place is definitely nice and has a fancy atmosphere. But to be honest, my boyfriend and I only came here because we had a groupon. The food and drinks are very expensive with small portions but our meal was good. I'd say if you were into fancy seafood restaurants, go here. Otherwise, I'd skip it. I probably won't go again just because I like a little more fun atmosphere when eating. Wait service was fantastic too.
(4)Andrew B.
Simply amazing! John Howie has made another restaurant into a food mecca. The menu is changed seasonally, allowing you to come enjoy some new favorites as well as old classics. My favorite by far has to be Apple wood grilled salmon. While most restaurants I find try to hide the quality of their meat with heavy sauces or preparation Howie knows how to delicately accent the natural flavors instead of smother them. The presentation is always good as well. This meal is really an experience from the bread basket made in house featuring a rosemary wafer thin cracker that is amazing. Deserts here have never disappointed me either. The staff as well need to be given much credit for making this restaurant a success. They are well trained, prompt and polite as well as knowledgeable about the menu. All in all unless your deathly allergic to seafood you need to try this spot!
(5)Anisia H.
It's Lent 2009, and I'm fasting from meat on Fridays...so coworkers suggested Seastar after working nearby for over 5 years and never indulging. I was pleasantly surprised at Seastar's lunch menu and that means I WILL be back! SERVER: Attentive, and answered my questions thoughtfully and convincing, without being pushy. Towards the end of the meal, she became less attentive--I might still be waiting for my check if the busser didn't overhear my companion comment on the issue...but it's OK, I was blinded by my tasty meal! FOOD: Hazelnut Grilled Rainbow Trout - so FLAVORFUL! Well-balanced, filling, suprising, and impeccably prepared and plated. Haven't tried dinner or HH, but less intimidated now, so will try soon!
(5)Mary M.
Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend for taking me to such a lovely place on my birthday. Service was excellent. We both had some kind of Thai soup that was delicious. He ordered the scallops and I had some sort a magic dragon roll. It was basically a california roll with eel and avocado on top. Nothing special but I guess I did expect better sushi for a fancy place. We also had a free chocolate truffle for dessert. Not a place I would frequent but a nice place for a dinner for 2.
(4)Jack K.
Been here a few times for lunch, dinner, and happy hour. Nice wide open restaurant, clean, excellent service and great appetizers. They also have a great happy hour, though the bar is a little small. Seafood is always fresh and well prepared. Parking is easy and free.
(5)Jac J.
My boyfriend took me here for my graduation dinner. This place was mainly full of suits and ties. We were the youngest patrons there. Even though we came in with T-shirts and sneakers, we were well welcomed. The service was excellent. The food was delicious! Watch out, some of their portions are quite large, easy to split. Their menu changes regularly (I think monthly). I would have given them 5 stars but it was extremely difficult to find their parking lot. I think we turned around three times and kept going into the wrong parking lots until we found the tiny hard to see signs that directed us to their parking. Right now must try: Ceviche Hamachi. Delicious lime cured Hamachi garnished with olives and orange. Perfect light and refreshing appetizer.
(4)Julie H.
Yeah, I like raw things. I like cooked things too. I've been to SeaStar many times and I find that I like the cooked things here better than the raw. Perhaps it's the price of the raw that turns me off. When I last visited SeaStar I had the Halibut with Spring Asparagus Provencal, and it was so flavorful and the roma tomatoes were the perfect touch. I also had the Hamachi Ceviche, which was as tiny as I thought it would be, and the Sake Salmon Sashimi. Lovely presentation and the atmosphere is nice as well.
(4)Angela W.
First let me say I am giving it three starts simply for the service. My husband brought me here last nite for Valentines dinner. One nice thing I noticed, that I rarely notice in WA state is that people were actually dressed nice! Men had on ties and women were wearing dresses and skirts.. now maybe it was because it was V-day but it was nice to actually not be the best dressed at a restaurant for a change. Now though I have lived in the area since 1979 this is my FIRST time ever going to this retaurant. I read some reviews about the atmosphere, that people didnt like it, that it was too "diner" like etc, but I liked it, the lighting was soft and it had HUGE windows all around the restaurant and that was nice. There was Valet parking and if you parked in the garage then they validated for you. So we had reservations and when we arrived we were seated right away. Our table was near the back side of the resturant facing the entire restaurant and seeing outside the large windows, it was nice! Even though the weather outside was anything BUT nice! However we were seated for quite a while before we were greated by anyone not a waitress or a waiter. We got some water.... then a bit later.... a basket of bread.... Then we waited some more and then she came over and asked if we wanted drinks. The drinks came quickly but she didnt even ask if we wanted to order she started walking away and we were both like .. um we would like to order an appetizer... So we did and I ordered the blue cheese salad, now I have changed my eating lifestyle so I was very pleased that she offered me the SMALL salad with the dressing on the side, that was nice and the salad when it arrived was very tasty. BUT we were almost done with our appetizers and she had not even asked us if we wanted to order dinner... that was odd. So we had to ask her if we could.. you know...ORDER DINNER! My husband ordered the Swordfish and I ordered the Crispy Trout with Bacon Hash. Dinner came pretty quickly and it was very nice. I enjoyed my meal a great deal. One great thing about dinner was this super nice couple sitting next to us and we starting engaging in conversation wtih them when we heard them talk about travel and they ended up being SO nice! So all in all the experience was good, the good was good, I liked the location and the atmosphere, the wine and drink list was great, bar service quick.. but the table service was So/So and for an upsclale place I expected a bit more. But I would def go back
(3)Lemon B.
I had a lunch here about a month ago on a weekday. Place has a sofisticated deco and setting. It looked more like for business lunch place. But, even for lunch time, it felt too bright and open. They should darken the room with low lighting or shade the window for more private and intimate feel. Their food was just ALRIGHT! I had rainbow trout with wild rice and asparagus. They were too salty and buttery with no special flavor. Asparagus was overcooked. We also had NW oyster sampler and scallop ceviche as appetizer. Oysters were fresh, but I wasn't sure if all that extra touch of flavor was needed for fresh oysters. I prefer the ones at Elliot Bay oyster house at a much lower price. The ceviche was just OK, nothing special. Overall, it was a disappointing experience. I should've ordered more traditional NW meals such as salmon or clam chowder. I don't think I will go back there and waste $70 for lunch.
(3)Andy A.
It was decently good but the carpet and interior are dated. Needs a facelift
(3)David S.
Went for my wife's birthday on a Thursday. It was nearly but not completely full. Ambiance is nice, relaxed, somewhat dim. The crowd was a bit older, moderately formal (T-shirts would have been out of place but there weren't not many suits either). Service was great: helpful, attentive, friendly. No hiccups, all good. The menu had lots of interesting options. Food was pretty good. We ordered the Nakamura roll and salmon gravlox deviled eggs as appetizers, ancho chili salmon and scallops as entrees, and shared a raspberry lime sorbet for dessert. My wife really appreciated that they offer 4 oz. glasses of wine - it's a more normal size and lets you try more wines (she had two, I had iced tea). The Nakamura roll was really tasty, very fresh fish. For $10 I'd hoped for more than six pieces of sushi though. The salmon gravlox eggs were good but the egg filling kind of overpowered the salmon. They had a wasabi-infused roe on top of them that was amazing though. The order came with six half-eggs, more than I was expecting. My ancho chili salmon was delicious, impeccably seasoned and cooked, with a tangy lime creme and a subtle chipotle (I think) hollandaise. One of the best pieces of fish I've ever had, the seasoning perfectly balanced the salmon. It was served over a fantastic southwestern potato pancake with four decent but unremarkable asparagus skewers. I paid $4 to add shrimp and got three small shrimp, which were amazing in taste, but definitely felt a bit ripped off on that upgrade due to the small portion size. My wife had scallops with tangerine rice. The scallops were again cooked perfectly and delicious, and the tangerine rice was interesting and tasty, but overall her dish seemed a little boring to me. She really liked it though. The portions were perfect aside from the shrimp: enough to enjoy it and feel full, but not so much that you felt stuffed. Total bill came to about $100 before tip. Overall, I really enjoyed Seastar and would go back for this type of occasion. It's a little expensive but in line with everything else in Bellevue, portion sizes are decent, the service is great, and the food is very good.
(4)J J.
Good crowd on a recent Tues evening. Ate in bar during happy hour, bit older crowd but so am I. Standard HH Martini. Decent microbrews on tap. Had Treasure Cove oysters on 1/2 shell, creamy and delicious, best I think I have ever had, delicately shelled by hand so no shell remnants were present. The oysters grown Case Inlet, S. Puget Sound. The mushroom stuffed hamburger was perfectly cooked (medium), very nice beef flavor to it and the bun was well selected to compliment the burger. Also had the grilled steelhead which was fine, no complaints there. Standard sushi roles as well, nothing to write home about however. All in all, decent recommended happy hour. Also, I like the way the managers bring out your food, nice professional touch.
(4)Tammy C.
This was a good find my girlfriend took me to enjoy. I tried some new "raw" items and I loved them! The service was wonderful and who doesn't love seafood while visiting the beautiful pacific northwest...
(5)Dan N.
Food quality is exceptional. I want to go back already! Everything I've tried is so good. The Risotto, scallops, desserts. I'll be back as soon as I can afford to come back. In between moderate and spendy. Great service, food and atmosphere.
(4)Dimitry P.
lets just start off by saying i love this place and recommend this to everybody, friends, family, business, etc. I work at a Marriott hotel and im always being asked for restaurant recommendations, and Seastar is at the top of my list. I've been here twice and yes i admit both times i went i had a 50 dollar gift certificate, so i only had to pitch in about 10-20 bucks to finish up the bill plus tip. Both times i went for dinner with one other person. we got there right before the rush and stayed for a good amount of time. The service is better than average but nothing exceptional... but that wont bother you once you have a bite of whatever you ordered. The atmosphere was really upper class affluent type of folks... not too loud that you can't hear each other but not so quite that you start to hear the thoughts in your head. Only draw back i can think of is that it doesn't have its own restroom you have to walk through 3 doors into an attached lobby of something to get there... :/ The food is amazing i've had two different kinds of salmon with really full flavor , also had shrimp with string zucchini which was as pretty as it tasted, and last but not least the best scallops i've ever had in my life perfect taste and texture. Not only was the food delicious but the plating was great too and yeah it does matter and adds to the taste of the food. to sum it up... food 5star... service 4star... atmosphere 4star... price 4star
(5)Debdeep B.
Good service, nice food, it lost a star for quantity .. :P
(4)Nestor P.
A little bit pricey but a good option in Bellevue. I like the bar and is an ideal place for an afterhours with friends, colleagues or customers. The food is ok and the service is very good. At the beginning use to be crowded but now is way better. Seafood is the core but I always order the filet mignon because it is cooked to perfection however people who ordered the salmon or seafood told me that it is very good. The place is very good for large dinners and the service knows how to handle large groups; making it ideal for team dinners, etc.
(3)Jenny W.
They never rush you here and they give you just the right amount of attention. I love how fresh the seafood tastes here.
(4)Jim B.
You guessed it, another 3.5. I've been here twice. Once for drinks and then last night for dinner. For me, the high point of the menu is the relatively easy-for-them-to-make but still tasty deviled eggs with ahi on top. I love those things! Last night's experience was surreal. The staff was always very attentive, except when we needed something - then they'd disappear for a good 20 minutes or so. It was crazy. The rest of the time they were right there in our faces, but when we wanted to do something esoteric like ... order ... they were nowhere to be found. The bar at SeaStar mixes up some mighty fine martinis. Well balanced, tasty. Dirty martinis are not too dirty or not too clean. Despite Ian Flemming's best efforts, I've recently found that bartenders in London totally suck at making martinis. So it was good to get back to the states and have a proper one. Frankly, for SeaStar, I'd suggest having appetizers in the bar and a nice drink. If you happen to be stuck in Bellevue, this is one of your better bets.
(3)Nabil P.
It's a foreshadowing of good things to come when the bartender is generous with tastings of his favorite liquors, and more importantly my girlfriend's sweet tooth was more than satisfied by a key lim martini that they garnished with taosted cocunut. If you like seafood, then you will be more than satisfied with the selection, including fresh oysters and the requisite salmon. If you don't the menu still has a lot ot like with pork loin, steaks, and sundry other entrees. Because of the open floorplan, it can get a bit noisy at times so don't expect library silences. I liked the feel, but if I wanted dimly lit romantic for two, Seastar wouldn't be my first choice. At dinner, our waitress was helpful, funny, and slightly sarcastic, in other words, just about perfect :) It isn't cheap, but the dishes were well prepared across the board and they manage to do that wit ha pretty extensive menu. So put me down for a yes on Seastar.
(4)Kathy T.
great...great...great! the service was exceptional!
(5)Andy R.
Had a hard time making up my mind as to what to order. Thankfully, our exceptional server, Jim, steered me toward the Ancho Chili Smoked Steelhead - and it was by far the best seafood I've ever had. Hands down! Great restaurant. The Malbec and Grenache I ordered was slightly warmer than I like, but I not enough for me to detract from the rating.
(5)Renee U.
Chef's Omakase Sushi Plate*---Assorted Sashimi, Nigiri & Maki Sushi I must say I was thoroughly disappointed by this dish, it's not assorted and not special and definitely should not be on a menu when everything else is so good. When I see "assorted sashimi" - my expectation was the chef would pick something unique and have an assorted selection of it not the standard salmon and albacore(which was not fresh and super fishy)...and that is all...what's assorted about this sashimi? 2 standard fish that comes on every Japanese sashimi sampler with one exception, you get more in a sashimi sampler when you go to a Japanese restaurant than this overpriced menu choice.. really??? It also comes with 4 pieces of nigiri(again- nothing special, 2 tuna and 2 salmon---rice was not even prepared like sushi rice(no rice vinegar, no flavor just a lump of rice squeezed to a shape to hold the sushi- shaking my head) & a California roll, why would I want this on a chef omakase?? People who order this are obviously sashimi/sushi experienced eater...why put an introduction to sushi on this ? - I guess I'm not understanding the logic and for a restaurant with so many good awards...I'm thoroughly disappointed by this dish. If the goal is to make this an introduction to sushi then don't call it "chef omakase" - very misleading for us folks who enjoy real sushi!!! Rename this to "intro to sushi" and really...pricing wise, expensive for something this basic. Take it off the menu, this is a horrible dish!!!!
(3)Benjamin J.
Food is great, like many other reviews already said. I'd probably give this place 3.5 stars if I can, couple things that matter to me and I think can be improved: 1. The decor and aesthetics should definitely be updated. 2. Service was really slow. I had to wave to the waiter multiple times to get his attention. If all you care about is delicious food and the above things do not bother you, you should def. give it a try.
(4)Jeana H.
Happy Hour review: Their bread was fantastic. Ahi Poke was amazing. Then it all went downhill. The grilled shrimp was ok. Rolls were so-so. Oysters weren't that great. The experience as a visual graph would kinda look like climbing a steep hill then jumping off the cliff.
(3)Jonie N.
I came here for happy hour recently and enjoyed the meal. Seats were easy to find in the bar area, which had a very chill, quiet atmosphere. The hh menu is decent too with 15 items or something. My friend and I tried: Half dozen oysters: this is at market price, so it's not listed on the menu, but we asked and it was only $8! Pretty cheap and they were good too! I don't remember what kind they were but they were super refreshing. I'd recommend. Jalapeno salmon roll: $5.50. Six small pieces and not spicy at all. The salmon was fresh though and I love avacado, so naturally I liked this roll.. just wish there was more of it! Grilled calamari poppers with ahi "chorizo" stuffing: $8. Really weird dish, don't try it! You'd think and hope since calamari is good and so is ahi that this dish would be good, but.. it just didn't work. This might be why there aren't normally tuna sausages. Oh but there was some pear salad that came with it which was good and "saved" the dish.. if that's even possible. Don't chorizo your ahi! Garlic grilled shrimp: $7.50. This was probably my favorite dish, along with the oysters. First off, nice presentation! The shrimp were pretty yummy with the garlic and it was evident that they were actually grilled! I could taste the smoked flavor! I think there were 5 shrimp? I probably could've eaten them all. The mashed potatoes were good too... not super creamy but probably made with lots of butter :/ Besides happy hour, my fiance took me here for my bday years ago and I remember liking our meals so pretty sure their dinner entrees are solid too. Seafood can be hit or miss most of the time but I think Seastar is a safe choice for some good food.
(4)Michael G.
3 stars for not being my thing then anything else. Obviously as the name implies, this is seafood specializing place. They do offer many creative and quality dishes and their presentation is impressive but I'm just not THAT big into seafood. Parking's kind of a pain in the neck too and for an added bonus this night they had just reopened after a fire alarm. Had the deviled eggs, both kind and my wife had fish. No, I cannot remember the kind because I was that disinterested. She did enjoy it, to their credit.
(3)Jean S.
I hate to dissent from so many great reviews, but I have given this restaurant a couple of chances and left underwhelmed and disenchanted both times. For such a high price, unless it's an expensed meal, I just don't think the meal justifies the quality. The last time I went, I used a generous gift card, and even without paying for most of that meal, I still couldn't believe how crowded the restaurant and bar were. Having been disappointed with our expensive entrees during our first visit, we sat in the bar and focused on cocktails and small plates. We ordered the oyster sampler (with American caviar, melon relish and wasabi tobikko) - although the toppings were refreshing, the quality of the oysters was one of the worst we've had in the Seattle area. SOOO glad we tried this before diving ahead and ordering fresh shucked oysters, as we had planned. The other dud we tried are the spicy tuna calamari poppers - basically, these are tubes of calamari stuffed with spicy tuna, battered, then deep-fried. The waitress warned us most people do NOT like it (really begs the question why they keep it on the menu), but we thought we were adventurous enough to enjoy it. Cool idea, bad execution - it tasted bitter and sour, and the batter was just really strange. We couldn't eat beyond our first bite. We should've listened to our server. The upside to our dining experience was the Seastar Tower, which included Dungeness crab cakes, saifun shrimp and seared scallops. The crab cakes were far and away our favorite of the trio, but the other two appetizers were ok. I would say our favorite orders of the night was ending with Truffle fries and Caesar salad (because I just needed something fresh). However, avoid the Caesar dressing, it was terrible; I was very relieved I ordered it on the side. Yes, I preferred eating my Romaine lettuce plain. Drinks were strong and tasty - with the exception of the dirty martini, which was SO salty. I had to chug my water. I didn't order it extra dirty or anything - lesson learned, next time ask for a martini with olives instead.
(2)Lemme K.
Good food, good service, what can be better? Their creme brûlée!!! It was amazing, nice and crispy on top and creamy underneath. The service was good, waiters was attentive and make sure we got everything we wanted. The food was ok, some were good, some could have been better. The salad was a little on the sour side because of the lemon thyme dressing. The entree which included king salmon, top sirloin, and rotisserie chicken in a Greek sauce was standard, nothing really spectacular, but the portion was big. And dessert was delicious. Overall, I would come back
(4)Kim L.
We called for reservation for a table for 2 at 8:15p. We showed up at 8:10p and still had to wait another 20min. We ordered several small portion plates (hamachi crudo, cedar plank mushroom salad, ahi poke, chocolate truffles). The only memorable dish was the hamachi crudo with tangelo segments, fried onions, and truffle-Yuzu vinaigrette. This was well balanced and yummy dish. Ahi poke needed some additional soy sauce. Overall, I'm not sure why this place has such a high rating. Not worth the price for unmemorable food. 1 star for the excellent waitress we had, 1 star for the hamachi crudo dish, and 1 star for extensive wine list.
(3)Tim C.
I came for restaurant week with my wife for dinner, and we were both satisfied with our meals - there was a great selection of seafood and it all tasted pretty good. I ordered raw oysters as an appetizer, which were smaller than I would have liked, but still tasty. My wife had a spinach salad with beets, candied nuts, dried cranberries, onions, and blue cheese, which she enjoyed. For our entrees, I ordered a cornmeal-breaded trout with one fried oyster over a bed of creole rice, and it was my favorite part of the meal. The sauce was on point, and I appreciated the contrast in texture between the crunchy cornmeal breading and the tender trout. There was a good spice kick to the dish, too. My wife ordered the Steelhead Salmon with sticky rice and coconut curry. Her dish was also enjoyable, with the highlight of the entree rightfully being the salmon. It was perfectly cooked, being seared on the outside while still retaining its inner tenderness. The curry sauce was pretty mild, but still flavorful. For dessert, I ordered the creme brulee, which was standard, except the addition of vanilla in the custard was a welcomed twist. My wife got the passion panna cotta, which she preferred over the creme brulee, but I thought was a touch too tart. Still delicious, though. Our server was unfortunately very disinterested in what she was doing. I mean, she hardly even tried to be engagaed or friendly. She simply took our orders, brought our food out, and gave us the check. There was no courtesy or friendliness to the process at all. I'll admit that it was all very prompt service, but it also felt very cold. The other servers seemed much nicer - maybe it was just her bad day. The parking is validated for 3 hours, and is conveniently right underneath the restaurant. Overall, it was a good experience, and I would not be opposed to returning to try more things.
(4)Larissa W.
I came here the other day for seattle restaurant week. This is my third time here, and I only came back because of the promotion. However, I now know that even with the promotion, I probably would not come back; I don't even think $30 is worth whatever I had here. The food was just alright, and I think that this place overvalued themselves. However, service was pretty good. We ordered the Four mushroom soup, spinach and beets salad, Steelhead in coconut curry that came with kaffir lime slaw, cornmeal fried trout, olympic mountain ice cream, and coconut cream pie. The only thing that I thought was good was the trout and the kaffir lime slaw that came with the steelhead. Everything else was just okay. Since it was the seattle restaurant week, the portions were cut down by a lot, so I didn't feel quite satisfied.
(3)Brianna G.
Came here for Seattle Restaurants Week of dinner with the family. Our reservation was at 7, but we're weren't seated until almost 7:25. The restaurant was packed! The wait staff was very nice and friendly providing great service throughout the entire meal. This made it a very enjoyable experience. I ordered the Jalapeno Albacore Sushi Roll, Smoked Salmon Fettuccine, and the Vanilla creme brûlée. Yum. The sushi was a large portion for an appetizer. 6 pieces! The smoked salmon fettuccine was good, but a little too rich for me. I wouldn't order it again. The creme brûlée was another generous portion size and did not disappoint. My boyfriend got the ginger chicken which was great option for the non-fish eater and my dad got the Grilled steelhead. It came with a curry sauce and sticky rice. It was great. I would recommend it!
(4)