4. Restaurants

Ivar’s Acres of Clams

1001 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA, 98104
  • (206) 624-6852
  • Store is closed

Ivar’s Acres of Clams Menu

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  • Khoa N.

    The Happy Hour price was great. Foodwise, the calamari is mouth watering delicious, and the oyster shooters is definitely an aphrodisiac sensation. I also think the clam chowder is very savory. The blackened true cod tacos was delightful to bite into but had a grassy aftertaste .

    (5)

  • Denis N.

    We were out on a nice Sunday afternoon and decided to pop in to Ivars. I have always had a pleasant experience at Ivars, I celebrate my college graduation at the south lake union location and we always take our family from out of town to Ivars, however today was different. The atmosphere is inviting and service has always been great and I've always felt that my input is valued if for any reason it wasn't.

    (4)

  • Max S.

    I guess this location is kind of touristy, but no matter, I really enjoyed the seafood and the area in general; went to the nearby Ye Olde Curiosity Shop before dinner. I spent a week in Seattle and managed to eat here twice, and ate at Ivar's in the Safeco ballpark a during a game, making it 3 times in a week. Sure, people from this area probably think that was too much and that there are much better places, but when you're from out of town and find a place that you like, you tend to go back. Generally, I'm not a big fan of salmon, however their fried seafood platter was delicious. Nice variety of seafood on the plate, including batter-fried salmon. Tasty and FRESH (duh its Seattle)! I also ate a lobster dinner, but it was kinda pricey.

    (4)

  • Suie C.

    HH- YES please! $4 for 6 oyster shooters. Great deal with fresh and fat oysters. I've tried out pretty much everything else on their HH menu and I like the seafood cocktail and the beet salad (not sure if they still have this one, saw a strawberry salad instead) the best. They also offer the standard fish n chips, clam strips, chowder, etc all at reduced prices Brunch- Pretty good. Not as expansive as salty's but not as expensive either. Dinner- it's okay. Kinda pricey and you can get good food here for a cheaper HH price.

    (4)

  • Murray J.

    Good chowder and view, slow service and fish and chips are just alright. Definitely overrated, and the tartar is terrible.

    (2)

  • Walter O.

    I hadn't been to Ivar's in several decades. But this meal was excellent Ivar's is a seafood restaurant and not much else. It is a little pricey. But the food is good. I had the Copper River Wild Catch Salmon. It was prepared on a bed of leeks with a pomegranate demiglace. They hit just right! It was well prepared and the salmon was exceptionally fresh. My wife had the North West Seafood Platter. I tried some of the clams. They were probably the sweetest clams I had ever tasted. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a meal down on the Seattle waterfront.

    (5)

  • Evelyn B.

    My boyfriend and I decided to take a stroll along the waterfront on a sunny afternoon (you have to take advantage of these days!) with the intention of finding a spot to munch and drink. We weren't sure where we were going to eat, but as soon as I saw the sign HAPPY HOUR 3pm - CLOSE in huge block letters I knew we had found our spot. And funny thing - I actually had visited Ivar's on a Seattle vacation prior and it all came flooding back to me: Best Happy Hour Spot In Seattle !!!! So Ivar's has a lot of things going for it. The location is outstanding. It's an upscale seafood restaurant in SEATTLE where you know their seafood is fresh. It's big. Then once you actually find a spot in the clam digger's lounge, you realize the price for their drinks AND food are amazing. And the happy hour selection is way above average. We ordered two Ninkasi IPAs (our favorite) at just $3.50 a pop. A bottle of Coors Light. The crispy calamari, oyster shooters, clam chowder and smoked salmon platter. The calamari was a "safe" purchase because... honestly, who ever does calamari wrong? The chowder was a "must" since I've only heard amazing things about Ivar's clam chowder. The shooters were a treat BUT the smoked salmon platter... THIS was what I was really looking forward to. And it blew me away. Perfect, caramelized, flavorful smoked salmon on a bed of refreshing citrusy salsa that you could put on a few baguette slices with a pat of cheese to blend all the flavors together. I think I could eat this everyday for the rest of my life. Trust me when I say - ORDER THIS! We are planning on making Ivar's a regular HH spot, and the best part is they have such an extensive and interesting happy hour menu that we will be able to try a little bit of everything each time we stop by. I have my eyes on the fish tacos and crab cakes next. Oh, and our bill came out to $36. SCORE! In conclusion - GO HERE (early)!

    (5)

  • Brandon O.

    Tourist trap. The fish and chips tasted like frozen fish sticks, and the chowder was definitely not "world famous". I only ate half my meal, and decided to eat the bill instead. Also, the seagulls outside are insane, bird droppings everywhere, and they will desperately try to steal food.

    (1)

  • Elyssa B.

    Two thumbs up for the Happy Hour 3- Close daily in the bar. I enjoy the Calamari, Caesar salad, crab and goat cheese stuffed Salmon, I would say it is probably a 3 oz piece, small but tasty. The burger is good. Tonight we had two beers, one beet salad and one blackened salmon Caesar salad, a cheese burger, and I had my usual stuffed salmon. $40, pretty good service, and all around good time. Tip: when it is cold out, it can be a bit chilly by the windows, but in the summer time it is the place to be! Happy dining

    (4)

  • Linda C.

    Happy Hour! Just when I thought I couldn't eat anymore after a full day of eating! hahahha.... it was late... past dinner... but we wanted to eat a little somethin' somethin' .... just cuz! :) Happy hour did the trick! $4 for 6 oyster shooters??!!?!?!!!! NICE! They're not gigantic oysters or anything but they tasted fresh and I got my fill of oysters! Smoked scallops on tuille? ... I dunno... the smoked scallop was good... don't know about it paired with the sweet tuille.... didn't much like the taste it lefted in my mouth. . . . sooo. . . . I ordered another round of oyster shooters!!!! hahaha. :D Happy hour is till close in the lounge area.

    (3)

  • Eric V.

    Went for happy hour and I was satisfied with the food and the service. Neither was very impressive but...ok. Would I return you ask.....yes. The view is very nice.

    (3)

  • J. C.

    Lovely place to have halibut and chips, along with a great local beer and a view of the water. The service was attentive but not overly keen (there was no unwelcome hovering, but our water glasses were filled promptly and our second beer delivered quickly). I'd go there again.

    (4)

  • Corrie B.

    Ivar's is, of course, famous in Seattle and with the tourists due to their location on Elliot Bay in the downtown Seattle Waterfront. It is an old restaurant, but it is very clean and has a lovely view of the bay from most of the indoor seating. We went on a Sunday afternoon at lunch time and had no wait to be seated in the main dining room. Our server was great, even splitting our order of 4 pieces of fish and chips that Chris and I shared onto two separate plates for us in the kitchen, rather than making us do it at the table. We both had the clam chowder, which is a signature Ivar's dish and it was creamy and delicious with chunks of clam. My niece ordered the seafood alfredo which looked amazing. It was a little fancier than she was expecting, I think, but she said it was very good. We had warm sourdough bread that was refilled without us asking. Even though I am a Washington native, having grown up just to the south of Seattle, I had never been to Ivar's. I am glad we took the opportunity to go while we were playing tourist in Seattle and it is definitely someplace I would go again.

    (4)

  • Phily B.

    Tasty food at a reasonable price during happy hour! PROs: * I lovvved the baby shrimp quesadillas! But the last time I went it was missing :( Seasonal perhaps? * Happy hour gives some great deals! 20%-50% off on a decent amount of items. * Nice view of the dock plus outdoor covered outdoor seating. * This location has an actual sit down restaurant with some great options. This is more than just the quick fast food Ivar's joints that I'm used to! Don't stop at the fast food area... keep walking... look for those wooden doors! * Great seafood options! CONs: * So yah... where you gonna park at dog? With the parking area under the highway reconstructed as a thru way... uhmm... yah... parking sucks. But i guess if you came to Seattle as a walk-on from the ferry, then well, parking isn't an issue for you now is it :p * The non-seafood items such as burger/fries were ok. Nothing special. FINAL THOUGHTS: When I worked in downtown Seattle I used to come here for happy hour pretty often. Service was always kind and fast. I recommend you try some of the seafood if you come here in order to see what sets this place apart from something like Red Robin. The burgers and fries were solid... I loved this location on sunny days! Nothing beats happy hour outdoors with a Mac n Jacks!

    (4)

  • Kurt R.

    Even just stopping in briefly for some chowder & a porter, this place is well worth it. Even on a busy Saturday afternoon, the servers are relaxed & friendly. Good times (& beer)!!

    (4)

  • Carly C.

    I love Ivar's. I love their Happy Hour but I love their brunch even more! Now, it is a little steep ($25 each) but it's a total treat when you do go. They have everything.. breakfast food (waffles, Bacon, eggs benny is super tasty.. it doesn't taste like it was mass produced), lunch (prime rib, wings, fish and chips and of course chowder!!!!), dessert and fresh crab, prawns, clams etc... BUT be prepared to sit on the couch the rest of your day. Ivar's brunch does not lead to a productive day but it does make you happy.

    (4)

  • Catherine A.

    This place was way too hyped up for me. I told my local Seattle friends I wanted some good oysters, so they brought me here. The service before my whole party arrived was impeccable; however, as soon as our party of 8 (automatic 18% gratuity) had arrived, our waiter was flocking around every four top near ours, but rarely paid us any attention (he also forgot to bring several different items to our table, even after they were requested twice). My moscow mule tasted like gasoline and soap. The margarita was much better. The oysters were not what I was expecting, some were too briny, but most were lacking any flavor except for rotting. I would have gladly taken the briny ones at best. I ordered a salad, it was fine. My husband ordered the chowders and was not impressed by their "famous" white chowder. Why anyone would have it shipped to their home is beyond me. All in all, I say three stars... It wasn't horrible, but I definitely won't go back. Can't beat the view of Seattle though!

    (3)

  • Mark A.

    Aside from its famous white chowder living up to its name, this place was wholly disappointing, especially for the price. It appeared as if, as soon as we sat down, the server looked at our table (composed of 8), and knew he was getting his tip (guaranteed 18%), so he mailed it in. We had to wait 30 minutes for waters and then more time for drinks/appetizers. Throughout the meal, three separate waiters around the restaurant dropped items, which was embarrassing and, frankly, annoying. When our main entrees arrived, most of the hot plates were overcooked (see: halibut, salmon) and served lukewarm to cold. The red chowder (tomato-based) was frankly inedible, tasting like it literally had been scooped out of a can and not even warmed. The oysters were tasty (kinda hard to screw up), but no one was exactly thrilled with their "housemade" mignonette. I guess this is what you get for coming to such a giant restaurant, living on its age-old reputation, and expecting consistent quality. The only reason to come back is if I were starving, on the waterfront, and in need of oysters. Otherwise, there are loads of better options in-town.

    (2)

  • John B.

    Food was mediocre. We ordered a bunch of food out of hunger (which is never a wise thing) and yeah...while I ate everything like a ravenous farm animal after it set in I sat with regret. OK food and I'm just glad I didn't have to sit on the toilet later.

    (2)

  • Garey D.

    Making like tourists in Seattle we decided to eat here. We were quickly seated with a wonderful view of the waterfront (nothing like watching tourists feed and take pictures of seagulls!). We both ordered the 3 piece halibut fish and chips and shared a shrimp cocktail. Everything was great! When we commented to the waiter about how good the fish was he let us know that this time of year it was fresh. While a bit pricey ($22 for the 3 piece) it was well worth it. My wife says it was "awesome". We will be back next time we're in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Darin A.

    The food was pretty good but the prices made this a place I won't frequent often. The portions were done but when the least expensive lunch option is in the 14 dollar range I will head elsewhere. If price isn't a concern then you will likely enjoy the atmosphere and food. Not recommended.

    (3)

  • Z H.

    I managed to eat here the very last night it was open, meaning that they were out of a lot of things, but the bacon-wrapped halibut was delicious, as were the clams. It's hard to beat the view if you get a table by a window, especially for dinner when you can watch the sun set on the water. A great experience.

    (4)

  • Donley P.

    They certainly have fresh seafood but they don't seem to know how to prepare it. The mignonette served with the oysters was ok but not very flavorful. The breading for my prawns was flavorless and the cocktail sauce had a weird vinegar flavor that did not complement the seafood. The tartar sauce was just bland. My wife had the "world famous" fish and chips and it was fishy because they didn't clean it properly. The service was slow and inattentive.

    (2)

  • Daryl I.

    Not worth the $$$ . A lot more better places in SEA than this tourist trap...

    (2)

  • Laura N.

    This restaurant was recommended by a friend as one of his favorite places to eat. It was fine, a little slow. Food was decent but not cheap... Actually I got a fish sampler and all my fish was rather cold. It's an ok place to eat but not a must do.

    (2)

  • Addie L.

    We found Ivar's via Yelp and glanced through the reviews, we were not disappointed! Oysters Rockerfeller was cooked perfectly, a lot of restaurants can't get it right. Cooked it too much, turns rubbery, too little and it's too raw and slippery. The seasoning is really good to, right amount of flavor without being too salty. There best dish by far is the clam chowder.. wow it was amazing. My mother-in-law had the seafood trio and it's worth it with three types of fish (salmon, snapper, and halibut), my wife had a local fish dish, was good too. I had the two pounds of clams and that was so-so, clams were tiny but flavor was good. The experience was good too, service was excellent and the views were amazing (too bad it was raining). The prices are reasonable for what you get. Parking could be an issue, suggest parking at a garage or going on a Sunday where it's free. This restaurant is must if you planning to visit Seattle!

    (5)

  • Thao L.

    Overpriced bland food. I ordered the grilled salmon with a spicy pablano pepper sauce. The salmon was cooked nicely- the sauce wasn't spicy and was actually pretty bland. Restaurant is situated on the pier so the views are nice. Other than that the restaurant isn't anything to rave about.

    (2)

  • Phoenix A.

    Ok, so now that I am officially here in Seattle, I decided to try the clams at the urging of one of my friends. I also order the seared ahi with chips and guac. I ordered a spicy bloody mary and that's exactly what I got. I have to say that in general I'm not a clam fan, but I wanted to order another bowl of them. Maybe an acre of them cuz these delicious little thingies were teenie. I threw all shame out the window and was scavenging for meat that might have become detached from the shell and hid underneath in the yummy broth. I was throwing shells into the bucket like crazy. The ahi was ahi but the clams were winners! Parked across the street in the self-serve lot. Service? Great-great...but it was all about the clams.

    (4)

  • Lillian L.

    My cousin brought me here for happy hour. & i'm glad that she did. I have to admit the seafood freshness, the atmosphere, sitting right by the dock & watching that ferry set away & kids feeding seagulls with french fries is quite heartwarming. As for the taste of everything.... eh. i wouldn't say the food screams anything at me. It's more of the atmosphere and eating the seafood at the place that makes me happy. We ordered: the "world famous" clam chowder, "world famous" fish n chips, ahi tuna tartare, oyster shooters, & steamed mussels. 1. World famous clam chowder. Um. I didn't find anything THAT particularly amazing about THEIR clam chowder. I was already expecting it to be delicious because I was so cold & was craving clam chowder. Honestly, clam chowder is always good clam chowder. (unless it's canned?) But heck, thank god they didn't do wrong? 2. World famous fried fish n chips. YES. that was good.... i'm not a fan of fried foods, but the fish inside was so PERFECT... it was tender & the texture was just amazing. the chips/french fries were average good. 3. Ahi Tuna Tartare... DELICIOUS as well... it came with taro chips, & dang - just dipping these taro chips into this blob of tuna tartare with avacado & a slice of ginger fulfilled my tongue with the exotic & wonderful flavor. 4. Oyster shooters. My first time ever eating raw oysters, but yes i enjoyed it. it was really, really fresh. I don't really see how you can go wrong with these oyster shooters unless people start getting food poisoning though. 5. Steamed mussels.... probably the least impressive. I was expecting more from it, with the apple cider & all. The description makes it sound delicious... but eh, it was honestly just alright. I liked how it came in a huge pile on our dish with a metal pail, but i wouldn't order this again. Ivars is an essential lunch place to bring your friends/family to if they're from out of state, but i'd def try to bring them during happy hour. it doesn't seem worth the original prices & crowd (if there is one??)

    (4)

  • Jason P.

    You have to come to Ivar's if you visit Seattle right? We made sure we stopped her for dinner one night during our trip. Did it disappoint? Absolutely not. Seattle is a place that prides itself on it's seafood and it shows. When you are eating so close to Pike Fish market you have to expect a higher quality. Upon arriving we were asked if we didn't mind waiting for a table or if we wanted to eat in the bar area and order off the happy hour menu. We jumped right on that. It has all the Ivar's classics, but at a much more reasonable price. The happy hour runs from 3 to close if I recall correctly. The gf and I ordered the crispy calamari, the cod tacos and the classic fish and chips. Everything came out at the same time which we weren't expecting. We both agreed the tacos were our favorite. My girlfriend didn't like the calamari as much as I did, I thought it was some of the best I have ever had. The best quality anyway. The fish of the fish and chips were much better than their counterpart. The fries were very mediocre and not what I was expecting for famous chips. I would definitely recommend coming here if you are tourist. I didn't get to see the chip feeding to the gulls, but I heard it's quite the spectacle to watch.

    (4)

  • Kate M.

    Their Happy Hour is totally ridiculous! I couldn't believe the prices on food. We had a large meal on the cheap last night. My dad was in town and he's a big fan of their bartender Jim and the different chowders. We sat in the bar to take advantage of the quick drink service and inexpensive Happy Hour menu. We all really liked the seafood chowder and all our different cocktails. The blackened salmon caesar wasn't quite as delicious, but was a huge portion for the price. The calamari was rubbery, and I wouldn't order it again. I personally would have liked more options that weren't deep-fried, but it looks like that's the specialty!

    (3)

  • Anthea W.

    I'm totally 'eh' about this place. The food was eh. The service was eh. Nothing special about it... especially after going to the Pike market chowder place, Ivar's got nothing on them.

    (3)

  • Jesy B.

    I don't get tourist trap vibe from Ivar's but maybe that's 'cause I'm from Seattle & love it anyway. Not that I came here a lot because it's a bit "ouch-y" on the wallet. BUT THE CLAM CHOWDER IS AMAZING. So, if you don't want to drop a ton of coins, check out the HH. It is quite happy indeed. I, of course, got the classic white chowder and my little bro tried the other kind...not the red stuff...something else. I tried it, it was okay but I'd stay stick with the classics. Yum yum yum. There's a ton of other items on the HH menu to pick from (oysters, tuna, etc) and a decent tap list.

    (4)

  • DeAnne E.

    I came here with some buddies after work. Great Happy Hour schedule: 3pm-close daily! Oh, you can't beat that. It's a great place to come for food. Not a great place for drinks...they put lots of ice in the glass to water it down. They gotta save money somehow. The bar area is packed during the afternoons--pretty much a given. Great atmosphere for hanging out before a game. If you are going to a game, take bus number 16 or 99 back to Pioneer Square and walk it. If you want to burn off those calories then totally walk it.

    (4)

  • Laura L.

    Tourist? Visiting family in from the suburbs? Try this local waterfront eatery. Local? Try the Salmon House instead. I have a warm place in my heart for Acres of Clams. We held our wedding reception here almost 7 years ago. Don't let the two stars fool you, as that I think they have great ingredients, however, the preparation is definitely aimed at the tourist who has no palate for tasting real Northwestern cuisine. I had the king salmon, which my waiter warned is normally cooked medium. I am used to this, however, it came to my table a little more than medium, and with an overwhelming sauce. I also am accustomed to at least one vegetable on my plate, but none were found, not even as a garnish. We were here midday on a Saturday, and as expected, we were surrounded by tourists. Tourists don't have to be rude, as a rule, but the ones seated around us were unfortunately so. Two different tables, at least once, watched videos on their smartphones at full volume. These weren't even kids. Also, the staff was encouraging their patrons to occasionally go out the emergency exit (right by our table) and feed the seagulls. The prices are moderate for a local eatery that has good ingredients. That being said, next time we take family to the Aquarium, I think we'll try a different venue.

    (2)

  • Dyane P.

    GREAT happy hour. Best clam chowder. I am originally from Washington so every time the bf and I visit my family, its the last stop before going to the airport.

    (4)

  • Joel S.

    Amazing view and fish and chips. Went heard with a High School classmate living in the area. Really enjoyed the view of the sound and the great seafood options. Be sure to consider the Halibut Fish and Chips.

    (5)

  • Ryan W.

    Came here for happy hour one night with a group of friends and had a great time. Their happy hour menu is large and reasonably priced and the pours on their drinks are hearty! We had the clam chowder and clam and chips.. both well made and very tasty. Im suprised it was so dead when we there... it was around 9pm on a Friday night. Definitely one of the better HH's I've been to ;)

    (4)

  • Jessica A.

    We had a pretty typical meal here. Fish & chips & chowder. It was great and spot on. The service was wonderful & attentive. If you're looking for a great seafood restaurant for a quick lunch, this fits the bill!

    (5)

  • Al T.

    Wonderful service!!! Excellent food!! Definitely recommend to any seafood lover!!! Calamari was exceptional!!!

    (5)

  • Samantha G.

    Wow I had dinner here before but I had NO IDEA that they have happy hour from 3-closing! I had oyster shooters ($3 for 6!), their tuna tartare and creme brulee. So I never had oyster shooters before having happy our here but they were really yummy. The tuna tartare was really good and the chips that went with it were interesting (in a good way). The creme brulee was alright. Not the best creme brulee but I devoured that. HH does get super crowded here! We actually came here earlier and it was packed with Sounders fans. This is a place where I wouldn't bring a large group of friends to.

    (5)

  • Michele T.

    We waited a little long for the food. The food is pretty good, I had the Pier 54 (which is basically everything out of the ocean that is yummy). A bit too costly, I was not even near full for the price I paid. Maybe that's just how seafood is, but they could have some side dishes with it. The wait staff is friendly, maybe a little slow.

    (3)

  • Matt S.

    A little bit of childhood nostalgia. Fried clams and a beer for this big kid.

    (4)

  • Brian M.

    Eh, the food was ok. The clam chowder didn't really taste like much of anything and the bread bowls werent even toasted. The fish and chips were very fresh, which is a plus...but the batter VERY thin and not seasoned. Not terrible but have had way better up and down the coast of Cali. I think perfect clam chowder needs no salt or pepper, and should be a bit thicker, but that's just me. Splash Cafe in Pismo, CA spoils ya for life.

    (3)

  • Sarah W.

    We flew in from Atlanta and arrived during prime dinner time for the West Coast. Ivar's was on our list due to many recs from friends. We made the walk from the train and that wasn't too bad, even with the cold and slight rain. Upon first glance we almost DIDN'T go in because it looked quiet. We didn't see anyone inside so it seemed we'd be duped. We went in anyway and were pleasantly surprised to find a large seating are and bar that was out of sight from the front entrance. It does look 'kitchy' and touristy but just HANG IN THERE. The food was wonderful. It was consistently our favorite through the duration of our trip. We both had salmon. I had the special and my partner had the salmon with brussle sprouts. We also had the goat cheese and crab appetizer which was so so good and not too rich. My partner had the shrimp cocktail and it was wonderful! The cocktail sauce was perfectly spicy and not at all generic. For dessert we had the pear tart per our waiter's recommendation. The couple's around us had the chocolate but the pear tart was on par. Loved the food. Would definitely go back the next time we are there!

    (5)

  • Yvonne D.

    I was craving seafood the other night and found this place on Yelp. It was easy to book a table on Open Table then we were on our way. If I had walked by this place I would've thought it was a tourist trap and never given it the time of day. Thank goodness we were already committed -- this place was a great choice! + Dungeness Crab and Goat Cheese Dip -- small portion but very filling + Ivar's Famous Clam Chowder -- very creamy and delicious (not the best I've ever had but pretty good) +/- Ivar's Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon Chowder -- interesting flavor + Pier 54 Seafood Bounty -- SHARED this gigantic bowl of seafood (half a Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, halibut, salmon, prawns all simmered together in a tomato fennel broth) I can't wait to come back! Note: don't confuse this place with the stand outside that only sells fried food.

    (4)

  • Kimberly G.

    Went here for late lunch and happy hour drinks on a Friday. The fish and chips and the prawns and chips sucked. I know I'm in trouble if my food comes out 5 minutes after I ordered, you didn't cook anything fresh. The fries were lukewarm and soggy, obviously been sitting under a heat lamp. The fish and prawns were also lukewarm, when you just pull something out of a fryer it should be HOT but when you pull something out from under a heat lamp then it's not. I was disappointed considering this place has decent reviews. I can't speak for their other dishes but for fish and chips this isn't the spot.

    (1)

  • Monty A.

    Go for the fish and chips...and the white clam chowder. By recommendation from a friend we brought ourselves to Ivar's last week during our visit to Seattle. We decided to eat out next to the wharf so we ordered at the counter. No long lines that Wednesday night...so we were able to order quickly. Food was ready in about 10 minutes. My wife loved the fish and chips. So did I. They were quite good. Near perfection...in my opinion. My son had the clam chowder in a bread bowl. It was very good. I got the oyster and chips....terrible. You might want to avoid this one. Overall I thought the price for food was justified. Sitting on the wharf was fun for us. The seagulls were numerous and boisterous...especially when they thought you were going to throw food. They wouldn't get to close if you kept your eye on them...but they did managed to slip away with a piece of oyster I had left unattended at the table. We thought the seagulls were one great adventure...but I realize that not everyone wants this...thankfully...they have an enclosed area just to the left of the order counter for you to enjoy.

    (3)

  • Roni B.

    so we came here for our last lunch in seattle w/ our new seattle yelp buddy chris w.!!! thanks for the suggestion chris! the food was pretty good. i had the golden seared crab cakes & my girl had the prawns & chips!! now i don't know if it's because i'm from tx (where everything is bigger lol) but the lunch portions are very slim for the prices they charge!! the prawns which were described as jumbo...were not!! if those were jumbo....i hate to see their smalls lol!! the crab cakes lacked flavor, however the sauce that accompanied the dish was full of flavor....but not everyone likes sauce...so i strongly suggest salt & pepper ivar's!! the restaurant was located on the waterfront, so the view was nice!! i think i'll try the fish & chip bar next time rather than going in for the "fancy" restaurant atmosphere!!

    (3)

  • Dan L.

    Easily would have been 5 stars because of the ultra fresh fish and crab but our server couldn't have been worse. We had to clear our own plates by putting them on the table next to us... then HE started using the table for the same thing! He wasn't busy and even his other tables were getting up to pay upfront because this guy only came out every 15 minutes or so. For lunch, we were there for 2 hours.... Talked to the manager and the only effort made was to remove the fish and chips that were burnt. Too bad, the food was good.

    (2)

  • Kevin S.

    My family and I LOVE Ivar's. We live on the Kitsap peninsula, but we've gone so far as to get on the ferry, ride over to Seattle, eat dinner at Ivar's, then get on the ferry back to Kitsap again. This is a very nice restaurant - upscale atmosphere (and prices), and the food is absolutely exquisite. Service is cordial, polite, and prompt, although somewhat impersonal. I suppose in a restaurant as big as this and as popular as this, the servers never see or recognize the same family twice, so you don't get the personal connection you might at smaller ma & pa type neighborhood restaurants. All that being said, we still love Ivar's for the very nice atmosphere, excellent food, and decent service. My kids love it, too. They provide a kids' menu on a paper scuba diver mask, and we usually walk out of the restaurant with both of my boys wearing their paper scuba masks.

    (4)

  • Jitin J.

    Not bad

    (3)

  • M D.

    Excellent food Fantastic service OUTSTANDING view!!

    (5)

  • Danielle S.

    I decided to give Ivars 2 stars based on location and scenery. The food was blah and not worth $30+ a plate at all!!!! I felt like everything ordered was a bit under seasoned and had no real flavor. We had a party of 6, ordered appetizers and the whole shebang, I felt a bit cheated because it was not what I was expecting for the price and do not order the calamari!! I have never had an issue with calamari anywhere before not even the cheapy Ivars we actually love to go to, but this was just terrible!! and the Aoli sauce was disgusting. The cocktails were decent. Honestly for the prices charged, I'd rather go to Anthony's Homeport and truly get a worthy expensive meal!!!!! It is definitely not worth it to go to this place..... ever... What a waste of money!! Whoever put price range as $$ is dead wrong unless they' ordered appetizers. It is $$$ Notice all the good reviews are from tourists???? This is NOT Seafood Seattle to rave about. There are many other places, save your money and go to the crab pot or spend $$$ and go to Anthony's Home Port. NOW that is a Seattle favorite!!

    (2)

  • Kristine C.

    My cousin is a Seattle native and this was on her lists of "Go To's". went here during happy hour on a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't too busy. We sat in the bar area, where you can also get the full menu. The food was delicious. The bf and I ordered the manila clams, the mussels, the oyster shooters, the prawns and shrimp. I'm not a fan of oyster shooters, but these were really good. You know sometimes you can taste the sand and the sea?! Well, these oyster shooters had none of that. I don't know what kind of sauce the mussels were cooked in, but its the best I've ever had. I even poured a little of the sauce in the other plates for more flavor. The service was very good. Our waiter even brought back all the plates and knew who ordered what. It was unbelievable. I hope next time I can sit in the dining area for the full experience.

    (5)

  • Alex T.

    Can't say anything was too memorable about this place. Was in pike place with some friends so we decided to grab happy hour down at the water front. Prices on happy hour food was really really good in comparison to their original prices (pricey pricey pricey!). Had their clam chowder (which was really good... but we could have just gotten that at pike place). We also ordered their calamari which wasn't as crispy as I would have liked. Weird. Okay selection of beer. Definitely go here if you're a tourist.

    (3)

  • Mike B.

    Well if you can get past the Hobo smell and the birds then you may enjoy the meal. Overall the food was good, thumbs up on the chowder. The price to me was on the high side for what you got. If I had to do it over I would most definitely eat inside the restaurant and not out on the wharf. Watch your fingers with those pesky birds...

    (2)

  • Emily B.

    A childhood favorite of mine, Ivar's has always been at the top of my list of "must-go's" when I return to Seattle (albeit infrequently) for visits. It never disappoints. Maybe it's more nostalgia than anything, but I doubt it: the fish and chips are crispy, fresh, and delicious. It's right on the waterfront, is super casual for the kids, and is just good old fashioned fun. As everyone knows, you should count on ordering at least one extra basket of french fries to feed the seagulls (I'd recommend ordering two or three).

    (5)

  • Char L.

    Delicious clam appetizer. So fresh with no taste of fishiness. Salmon was good, but nothing to write home about. If I were to come again, I'd go for the walk up counter outside and order fried goodies.

    (3)

  • Gerry T.

    Walked over from the Olympic sculpture park and we settled on going to Ivar's for oysters on the half shell and fish and chips per my brother's recommendation. 4 stars for the ambiance (they're right off the water) and fresh seafood. The chowder was indeed very good.

    (4)

  • Lyly T.

    Ehhh...I would skip Ivar's the next time I'm in Seattle. I was excited after reading the raving reviews for Ivar's but was totally disappointed in the end. I made a reservation through OpenTable and the reservation never made it to Ivar's. Not sure who's end it was on but something went wrong. The hostess was accommodating and tried to seat us as soon as she could for a packed Saturday night. Service: Wasn't the worst but it left us wondering where our waiter was most of the time. There were huge gaps between us ordering and receiving food and drinks. We even thought damn...we should've ordered food when he came the first time. He defintely wasn't very attentive. Food: My boyfriend and I shared the fish and chips, a bowl of clam chowder and the appetizer trio (crab cakes, calamari, marinated prawns [shrimp cocktail?] Fish and chips were not hot at all. It was bland. Fish did not taste fresh. I should have sent it back. I've tasted better clam chowder from Costco. Best thing there was the appetizer trio. The crab cakes were great. Prawns were good but you can't really screw up a shrimp cocktail. Calamari was ok. Nice try Ivar's.

    (2)

  • Michelle W.

    Took a party of 8 to Ivars Acres of Clams for dinner and our daughter's quarter century birthday celebration. Happy Birthday, Amber! Made reservations. Asked for a table by the water and got it. Wow, what a view! This is a classy place, but dress casual. No fishy smells inside. Bring a decent camera if you want a group shot sans vampire-ish faces. It's a low-light place. Everything on the menu was delicious. We got the sampler plate so got to taste everything. Our guests ordered fish 'n' chips to surf and turf and had bread pudding (that came with their meals). They mmmmm'd all the way through dinner! Ivar's Acres of Clams on Alaskan Way was a little pricy, hence, 4 stars instead of 5, but worth the view and location! Polite servers, accommodating restaurant for special occasions. We brought in a birthday cake and they immediately put it in their fridge until we were ready to party! You might have seen us if you remember a low monotoned dwarfish rendition of the Happy Birthday song (begun randomly by daughter Amber's sweetheart, Asa, and accompanied by the rest of us!) All in all, memories were made and we'll definitely return. Thank you, Ivar's, for a fantastic time and delicious food!

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    "Kiss my grits Mel" this place was a joke. I believe there are two elements that make a memorable dining out experience. 1= great fresh food and 2=attentive service (with personality of course!) You really can't have one without the other. Ivan's definitely had negative stars on the service. I gave them an extra star ONLY because of the chowder and crab. We did have burnt fish n chips though.

    (2)

  • Food H.

    We went to the street food kind of stall and not at the posh restaurant next to it. I loved the warm food. They also have a large area to sit and eat, although its a self service stall.

    (4)

  • Ada Y.

    Felt like being ripped off. Our fam ordered a lot and nothing seemed fresh or even memorable. We seated way in the back n our server was never around. The restaurant was slow. Food 2/5 Price 2/5 Ambiance 3/5 Convenient 3/5

    (2)

  • Margaret M.

    Was really dissatisfied with service from Mac. Came to the restaurant to get good food and service.as I was told by our tour boat driver that it was a landmark and good. Well after Mac took our order and then brought our food not once did he check on our food or us. We did have another waitstaff bring water for us. Food was ok nothing special. Big disappointment guess well go down the street and eat at the fisherman were they have excellent food, great waiter just a really great experience !! By the way I did buy Ivar'r cookbook At least on the cookbook it had what seems like cool things to make . Just work on customer service and bring soup thats hot not just warm .

    (1)

  • Tj M.

    Before we left Seattle we wanted to have a nice dinner,and we stopped here.We saw on the web that this got excellent reviews,we know why now.This place was great although we had to wait 45 minutes to get seated(sea hawks game just got over).It was worth the wait.We started off with a bowl of white clam chowder which there famous for.It was delicious and full of flavor which hit the spot.We also got the fish & chips which was pacific cod,and that was very good.If your at pikes you need to check this place out,it was well worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Lady D.

    Stay in the bar and away from the restaurant! We started our evening in the bar while waiting for a table with a view. The house wine was fine and the IPA was happy hour priced as was the food. We could have, should have, eaten in the bar! Once we were shown our table, the wine and beer prices went up. The Manny's Pale Ale was good according to hubby. We ordered 1 dozen oysters and they came in two different kinds- small and medium ones with a different flavor. they were raw but did not come with crackers and sauce like I'm used to in Florida. Meh. Our server bragged to us how good he was when I saw a large group seated next to us. He assured us he would take care if us. I'm in search of great clam chowder and this was not it! The waiter forgot it - and the oysters. I ordered the sock eye salmon with potatoes and green beans. He brought out what he had originally recommended- which was bacon wrapped halibut - which I'm sure was good buy did not look worth the $34 price tag. I don't care I'd they make their own bacon- I wanted salmon. Hubby's dinner was the triple combo with giant prawns (they weren't), salmon and halibut. The best part of the meal was the tomato salsa they had which was prepared with tomatoes, basil and a balsamic vinegar reduction. I have never chopped tomatoes for this dish before and I serve it cold. This was served warm and was very flavorful. Our server sucked - and the food was a disappointment. The $120 meal was just not worth it!

    (1)

  • Raian V.

    After stopping by Brooklyn Seafood for happy hour that ended at 6, I searched for another HH spot. This place has Happy Hour all day! I like their clam chowder, very creamy. The drinks here were cheap, and I had Oyster shooter. Oysters weren't as fresh as other places but can't beat the price. It's a nice location right by the pier and you can see views of the water.

    (4)

  • Fred G.

    I visited Ivar's Acres of Clams during a visit to the Seattle market area. The restaurant was very nice, there were many different varieties of food options, and what we ordered was very tasty and satisfying. I ended up having the clams and my wife ordered some lobster, both of which came out very fast. The only bad thing about Ivar's was that, even though we made a reservation 24 hours in advance, we still had to wait 30 minutes once we arrived at the restaurant.

    (3)

  • Ninette C.

    My favorite brunch and one of my favorite buffets of all time! My parents took me here for my 11th birthday uh...many years ago. Their dinner is solid, but let's talk about brunch! On my...20-something birthday, I found out about the brunch. I told my family I wanted to have brunch instead of dinner for my birthday. It was kind of cute coming back after all those years for the same occasion. Now I've already reviewed Ivar's Salmon House but I found this place first. Like the Salmon House, some of the things I eat here include: -Eggs benedict -Cheese selection -Waffle-to-order bar -Salmon, cod etc -Shrimp cocktail -Pasta salads -Pasta-to-order bar -Omelette-to-order bar -Lox -Cold lobster and crab -Clam chowder -Acres of clams and mussels This place is bigger than the salmon house. Each of their to-order bars tend to be bigger and there is seriously food around every corner. We always take out-of-town friends here. My favorite items are probably the acres of clams and mussels, the clam chower and the cold lobster. Seriously this is a pescatarian's dream come true. The only thing missing is sushi! haha. At $25/person, I eat more than my share! I have cravings for this place. (For more, see my Ivar's Salmon House review as it is similar.)

    (5)

  • K D.

    Nice location on the pier in Seattle. Good views of incoming and outgoing ferries. Definitely a touristy staple. Had crab cakes, a cup of chowder, and a small house salad. All were OK but nothing blew my mind. I would have liked the crab cakes to be a bit more browned / solid. The chowder was good but definitely found better at other local establishments. I did like the decor - nice booths and lots of nautical decor. One of the coolest things about this place is the flyer inserted in the menu which maps where each of the fish featured on the menu came from. The service was great.

    (3)

  • Julie N.

    Oyster shooters - $1.50 Why have i not had this before?!!! OH my goodness, they are astronomically goooooooood! Ivar's Famous Clam Chowder - I had a friend who told me it was the best clam chowder he's ever had. Of course, I had to try it even on this hot sunny day. The verdict : he was absolutely correct! Milan Clams - Much better compared to Duke's Chowder House version. The wait was long but when you head in....there are a ton of empty tables! Why??!!!

    (3)

  • Lisa O.

    VEGETARIAN REVIEW of happy hour: Good prices, modest but sufficient portions at their daily happy hour. As a vegetarian the spring salad was my main option besides the hummus appetizer and though it lacked protein, it was tasty- initially I was weary of the vanilla bean vinaigrette but found it to be delightful. Friends enjoyed and gave 4 stars to their salmon blt, fish/chips, and cod tacos. Went on a Wednesday at 715, no line, fast hospitable service. Local tap beers were $3.50/pint. Hit the spot and was easy on the wallet-

    (4)

  • Danielle M.

    We visited on our trip to Seattle with family and it was a lovely place to eat! The food was great. My husband and I shared the Crab & goat cheese dip & the smoked salmon plate.Tasted great!! (We were popping in for a quick bite before the Ferry arrived) The atmosphere was very fun & cozy. My son spent most of the time looking out of the large windows at the Seagulls. Will be sure to come back if we are in the area again!

    (3)

  • Erin B.

    I've had me some Salmon in my time. My dad regularly goes salmon fishing, and needless to say I've come to know what to expect out of a good fresh salmon. Ivar's Copper River salmon was AMAZING. I literally gobbled up the whole thing before my husband could have a tiny sample. I had the grilled Sockeye salmon, and maybe it really is that it comes from the one place on earth where all the tasty salmon hang out, but I happen to think most of it was how it was cooked. Most of the time you get some over-cooked salmon that may or may not actually be pink, but this was bright pink - almost orange (they say it's this color because of the Copper River...or I think that's what I overheard the waitress say to another table) and it wasn't dry because they didn't OVER COOK it. As a side note, I wasn't a big fan of the rissoto cake and salad that came with the fish, but all was forgiven and I chalked it up to just not being my cup of tea. Maybe I should have ordered a different plate with different sides. Either way this fish was the main attraction of my plate, and my taste buds were certainly happy. My husband had the bacon wrapped halibut, and he said the bacon actually made the dish too salty - and he loves bacon. Maybe bacon doesn't make everything better after all. He still ate it all and said the halibut was delicious. Our waitress wasn't the best, but certainly not the worst either. She did her job well, but I was a little sad that we didn't have the other girl who was telling stories and asking her tables about their day and what they were doing in Seattle. They only have the Copper River salmon for a limited time, and if you're nearby you should definitely try it! Best salmon I've ever had at a restaurant, hands down.

    (4)

  • Sin T.

    This is my go to place when I'm craving some chowder! The staff is always fast and friendly! Clam, oysters and fish are always winner choices. White chowder hit the spot every time! I wish their chips aka fries were better though.

    (4)

  • Linda C.

    The lounge with their happy hour was bomb! yes, I said bomb! The price is good and the food was really amazing. I really enjoyed the shooters and the clams. The only thing that i found 2 faulty things with the service: 1) we didnt order a dish and told server to take it back but they said we could keep it anyway... and charged us at the end! 2) the food came out at a reasonable time with the exception of the very last item we ordered mid-meal.

    (4)

  • Shawna B.

    Holy crap, went here thinking it was just a fish & chip bar & got a fine dining restaurant. Very pricey, but the food was good. I'm not really into seafood (why the hell was I at Ivars then? WANTED CLAMS!) so I wasn't thrilled BUT everything was cooked fine & presented fine. Our waiter had no personality & he really annoyed me but otherwise the view is nice, you get to see the Fire Chiefs boat & the Ferries loading & unloading. Honestly? Just go to the Crab Pot, better prices & it looks more fun, but if you really have a tooth for seafood & WANT fine dining/romance, check out this place. Meh.

    (3)

  • Stacey C.

    Stick with the outdoor lunch section. I give the outdoor section of this restaurant 5 stars but the inside was a huge disappointment. The food was mediocre, but both me and my boyfriend felt sick after the meal. The service was not very good and the place was loud. I wouldn't waste my money going back.

    (2)

  • Elizabeth B.

    This restaurant was the first place in a long time... maybe ever... that I had an experience that made me go, "Wow. Did that just happen?" So, we were there getting something light-ish to eat before heading home, and the waitress was kind of brusque, but I was going to be willing to forgive that. The food was actually kind of tasty, as far as I could tell, but... My husband wanted to ask her a question, and tried to get her attention as she was walking very quickly away from the table. He had to repeat himself. It's not like he was being rude or that we were even especially high-maintenance. So it's pretty clear the volume wasn't the problem, and the waitress straight up goes to the table in front of us and starts talking to the customers there! It was pretty clear we were being deliberately ignored for no reason. I was pretty mad, so I went up front after I was done eating and observed... the hostess, too, seemed like she didn't care. I was sitting there for quite a while and she wasn't inquisitive as to why I was waiting outside when the people I was with were still inside. Instead, she packed her things and kept walking away. I was debating on whether it was worth trying to get her attention and explaining what happened, but she didn't seem very interested to begin with. On top of that, the restaurant is expensive. Thankfully we didn't spend too much, and it was food. It was edible. Tasty, even. So, too bad. If they hired less rude employees they could actually be worth my respect, maybe even a repeat visit. Nope. I was going to rate this two stars because the food was not bad, but "Eek! Methinks not" describes my feelings pretty well here.

    (1)

  • Lindsey B.

    YUM!! Upon arriving in Seattle, my husband and I were on a hunt to get some lunch that involved seafood. I'm horrible with directions and we somehow walked away from Pike's Place (where we intended to go) and right to Ivan's as if someone was lookin out for us! We sat in a nice booth and immediately saw that they were having specials on mussels- cooked 5 different ways! My husband and I both ordered a half order one of the classic white wine and the other was southwest style. I had the classic and it was so good! Great flavor and the mussels were HUGE! Husband loved his southwest style too! I wasn't sure if i wanted the crab cakes or the "famous" fish & chips. the waiter said the crab cakes, hands down. So we both ordered the Crab Cakes with crispy fried leeks, stone ground mustard aioli. OMG!!!! The crab cakes have a light fry on them and the flavor is all crab! The stone mustard aioli was super yummy! We made it a "meal" with sautéed spinach and fried yellow Yukon potatoes. My husband & I should have split everything as it was wayyyy too much food, but oh so good! And the bread they bring out- score! Can't wait to go back for mussels and crab cakes again!

    (5)

  • Alison V.

    I've only been here for brunch. I don't really like seafood. Yet, I was still satisfied. The brunch options are numerous during their buffet. There were so many things to choose from that I only wished I was hungrier that morning. They have a waffle bar and they'll make you bananas foster. Mix those two things together and you'll be in heaven. It's a bit pricey, but I think well worth it. I can't really comment on anything but brunch so you're on their own there.

    (3)

  • Orphanthal J.

    Great meal. Great service. Great view. I had lobster, my wife had bacon wrapped halibut and the kids fish and chips. All great. Will go back again.

    (5)

  • Johnny W.

    I should have known better than to trust reviews for fancy looking tourist traps on the pier, but the Chinese in me was compelled by the "buy one entree get one for 106 cents" birthday promotion they were doing today, on top of their happy hour specials. So the three of us came, ordered two bowls of chowder, an angus beef burger, a salmon burger, an order of fish and chips, and an order of prawn and chips. The salmon and beef burgers were nothing special, with sub par store-bought buns (that were neither toasted nor grilled), while the fish and prawns were okay dishes - the former was slight better than fish sticks, both in terms of batter and taste, while the prawns were a bit more notable. The chowder was probably the only thing we found satisfying among all the orders though, but it was nothing compared to the chowders at Pike Place Chowder. The upside to Ivar's chowder is that it's about half the price for an equivalently sized bowl at PPC. We all left with a bad taste on our tongues, both figuratively and literally. The taste of disappointment, and the taste of old frying oil (it took a shot of whiskey to wash it out). Chowder aside, given the quality of the food, we still found happy hour prices to be overpriced (about 40% off from 3pm to closing, ~$6 for the burgers, and ~$8 for the fish and prawns) - even with two entrees at $1.06 each. So, never again. If I'm feeling less spendy than PPC, I'll get the chowder at Ivar's, but their seafood bars are sufficient for that.

    (2)

  • Annah L.

    My coworker had told me about this place when she used to live in Seattle as a grad student. Since my parents were desperate to try fish and chips, we decided Ivar's was a good choice as any. We weren't disappointed (or at least my parents weren't). The restaurant seems to have a lovely view of the docks and you can see the ferries that head off to Bainbridge or Bremerton. I really only noticed hungry seagulls staring back at you. I had ordered the Coho Salmon with orzo in some unidentifiable red sauce which was on their daily special menu. It was a bit bland and tasteless although I know salmon isn't suppose to be TOO flavorful. Our waiter was polite and came back an appropriate amounts of time to check up on us. If you're looking for a well-priced meal with a view, I'd definitely recommend Ivar's. However, as Kate B has mentioned, it really isn't something to gush over.

    (4)

  • Chukki S.

    Great clam chowder! Fish and chips were decent too.

    (4)

  • David K.

    YAY! Seagull feeding is pretty damn fun. Those mutant obese seagulls just love Ivar's fries (as do I). I had a great time feeding the seagulls and the food was just about adequate. Enjoy an afternoon with the birds, a truly unique experience.

    (3)

  • Erika E.

    I love the food on the happy hour menu! They recently started noting which items are gluten-free on the menu, and everything I've had (crab stuffed halibut, risotto cake with prawns, and the fish tacos) has been amazing. Their well drinks aren't tasty, but they are stiff, and asking for both at the price of $3.50 feels a little entitled. It's a pleasing place to hang out, too. I like decompressing after a long day by watching the ferries load and unload, and the dark wood decor and the low-key atmosphere on winter-ish evenings makes it feel like a local neighborhood joint, not the tourist trap you might expect from its waterfront location.

    (5)

  • Richard D.

    Actually 3.5 stars. I must state at the beginning that I didn't want to go to this place. I knew it would be a hard-core tourist joint... a place I usually avoid like la plague. But we were meeting friends (with two wonderful kids), and it's a kid friendly place... so, what the heck. I was determined to keep my snooty attitude in check and just go with it. The food was much better than I expected. My salmon was perfectly cooked. The kids loved it, the adults found it perfectly acceptable. I really expected nothing but fried food, but the menu offered quite a good selection of standards and daily specials. The waiter forgot our salad, but hey, he was busy! Besides, he wrote nothing down (which usually, in a fine restaurant I don't consider a mistake, but in this case... well obviously it was). But no biggie... there was plenty of food without the salad. So... there isn't really much to phone home about, but it wasn't the joke I thought it would be, so I was pleasantly surprised. The neighborhood however, is a mess. Parking is horrendous and the homeless and tweakers that crowd the boardwalk make it somewhat unsavory (notice I didn't slam all the 'tourists' that mill about), but once inside it's relatively pleasant (though very dated). But the food is good to very good. The waiter was relatively attentive. Some of the clientele left a lot to be desired... read: screaming children, running around unsupervised. What the F*** is this, Chucky Cheeze? Caveat emptor. Enjoy!

    (3)

  • Kate B.

    Ivar's was the first place we went to when we got to Seattle (well, after checking in to our hotel and taking a nap...I mean, come on). I had made a reservation online well in advance, so I don't know what the wait times were (kudos to Ivar's for being on time with their reservations!), but it did look pretty crowded when we got there. The food was pretty good, but it's not something that I would rave over. I definitely appreciate the level of freshness we got - according to our waiter, the onions we had were in the ground a ay and a half earlier, and the fish was in the water that morning. Fantastic. Fairly expensive, but we enjoyed the experience, atmosphere, and the food.

    (4)

  • Kailin H.

    Restaurant wasn't particularly busy, so we sat at one of the tables in the "bar" area which was basically like sitting at the restaurant, except we got happy hour prices that were significantly less than the regular dinner menu. We ordered the fish n chips, salmon sandwich, clam chowder, and clams. The fish n chips were delicious - perfectly lightly breaded and tasty, and by far the best fish and chips we had on the trip. 5 stars for this dish, especially for the happy hour price. The salmon sandwich was also amazing - the best non-smoked salmon we had. Perfectly juicy and flavorable, and a nice course to sample the fish without having to order a whole $30 fillet. The clam chowder chowder was underwhelming - very creamy but lacking the chunky ingredients and light on clams overall. I'm usually not a good judge of clams, but they were okay.

    (4)

  • MJ P.

    We have been many times to Elliot's next door for seafood and just loved it, so this time we decided to be daring and change it up a bit. Wrong move. There is just no comparison. The service was slow, unfriendly, and dare I say almost grumpy. Except for the window seats which we were lucky to have because we had a reservation, the booth seats reminded me of the last office setting I worked in. The screwdriver my husband had for a drink might have been made with an eyedropper. I chose a mixed drink off the menu which I sent back because it tasted like cough medicine. The food itself was generally unexciting and the seafood could not hold a candle to Elliot's preparation and presentation. Elliot's is a little more costly, but walk on a few more feet, pull out a few more dollars and enjoy your meal there instead of here at Ivar's.

    (2)

  • Line T.

    Pros: Cheap happy hour drinks (3.50 wines, 3.00 beers and well drinks) and cheaper appetizers. The clams were pretty good. Cons: VERY touristy. Food is your typical touristy seafood, even though it's local. The crab cake slider was mediocre. The service was pretty slow. Overall: I'd probably look for something more local instead of so touristy next time.

    (2)

  • Vicky L.

    My second stop while in downtown Seattle was at Ivar's for lunch. Us three gals were freezing our faces off so we wanted to warm up with some fish & chips and a piping hot beverage. The restaurant was pretty empty when we walked in around 11, but it filled up towards the end of our meal. We decided to sit by the window so we could see and talk about how disgusting seagulls are. Their drinks looked good, but all I wanted was some coffee (decaf) with Bailey's to warm up. And warm me up it did - it was DELICIOUS. Somehow things are always better when you're feeling an extreme. Whipped cream also helps. My friend went for the fish 'n chips, I had the mixed seafood 'n chips (shrimp, calamari and fish), and my other friend had the bacon-wrapped cod. All three were generously sized and priced; I haven't had fish 'n chips in a long time, but they were really good there, especially since they were fresh out of the fryer. Definitely a fan of this place for more reasons than one: the food, the service, the views, and the location. Ivar's will be a place I return to if I'm ever back in downtown Seattle.

    (4)

  • Victoria C.

    This will probably be the last year I go here for my birthday. Not worth having some of my friends miss out on dinner because they can't afford to dine here with me. The food is meh--not that exciting--and the prices are hella steep. I see the appeal of eating here--great location with pretty good views (as long as you're sitting near the window and not in the middle of the restaurant). But, the prices just keep rising and the portions shrinking. They revised the "clam bake" and now call it the "bounty". It is less food than before in a weird tomato broth and now it's $8 more than before. $32 for hard-to-eat shellfish which, when all is done, is not very much food. Pretty much everything on the menu is at least $20 with an average of $30 per meal. Fine if it's amazing, gourmet food. But it kind of reminds of old people home/retirement home food.

    (3)

  • Justin S.

    We visited this restaurant on vacation with our pre-teen daughters, and had a blast. Our waiter was extremely personable, and even managed to get the kids to believe (for a bit) that cell-phone use at the table was not allowed. I wish they could have kept up the ruse a little longer. The food was very fresh and plentiful, and served quickly. It was one of the least expensive "real restaurant" meals we've eaten on this trip, and well worth the time and walk. The restaurant is very nicely furnished (they are in the middle of renovating restrooms when we were there, and that was kind of a bummer; however, they certainly put more effort into accommodating their customers than most establishments). Highly recommended, and we'd certainly visit again.

    (5)

  • E M.

    "One of the best Happy Hour in Seattle"

    (5)

  • Rob R.

    Classic downtown location, great greasy fish. Chips are hit and miss. Perfect food for a ferry ride across Puget Sound.

    (4)

  • Shannon H.

    The food is quite tasty, I had the crabcake sandwich and a bowl of chowder. Unfortunately the lunch portions (and likely dinner too) are very overpriced. Our waiter was great, well spoken and polished appearance, very patient with my friend and her small child who had trouble ordering something he wanted to eat. I was impressed with the service we received during the busy lunch rush mid-tourist season. I would come back for a happy hour special, but probably not for lunch any time soon. I'd prefer to just grab some fish-n-chips and a bread bowl and sit outside with the seagulls and save $30.

    (4)

  • J A.

    Chowder seemed old or previously frozen. The Ivars brand is what pulled us in, but it didn't live up. Not going back.

    (2)

  • Brendan c.

    I was expecting this place to be upscale Seattle version of a Red Lobster for tourist. Was I WRONG. Ivar's Acres of Clams dish was perfect. Okay not completely perfect in that I had to keep asking for more bread to soak up the juice. I didn't want to miss a drop of that perfect simple liquor. I just got out a soup to drink it. The razor clams was okay. The clams were tough and the breading was overkill; however with the olives and tomatoes match the dish just right. The biggest let down of the meal (almost cost a star but the clams were so good) was the calamari. They were in such small pieces you couldn't eat them unless you scooped a bunch in your mouth at once, otherwise you just tasted breading. The staff was nice and the food came out really fast. I'm going back for more.

    (5)

  • Dana K.

    Walked around Seattle with my friend and stumbled across Ivar's. Previously, it was recommended to us by a local so why not! This place is huger than it looks and is located on a pier overlooking the water. Foolishly, I assumed that a huge place on the waterfront would be a winner. Well smack me in the face for assuming. We walked in and there were 3 people at the front of the house. All 3 hostesses looked like they were the bees knees or something because none of them smiled and the 2 Asian female workers looked irritated. We got situated at a booth and waited. Instantly noticed the place was somewhat empty at 7PM. So.. we sat there.. and waited... and waited.. tick tock. Two servers passed us by with no acknowledgement, no beverage. Hello?! Long story short, we waited for 15 minutes with our silverware and menu. No waiter, no acknowledgement, nothing but some really stuffy air. Up and peaced out and got some bomb pizza from Serious Pie instead.

    (1)

  • Evangeline A.

    Fresh oysters, clam chowder, shrimp & Dungeness crabs for appetizer- food was really fresh and good but I've had better seafood for about the same price. Place is new so it's clean and nice, lots of space between diners. It wasn't too busy when we got there but still had to wait for 15 minutes to get seated and waited again for someone to get our order. Maybe they were short with people, who knows.

    (3)

  • Jennifer R.

    This place has always been our favorite spot to have fish-n-chip. Fast foods finest in Seattle waterfront with heated seating area for those cold and rainy nights. The service is great other than they rarely clean out the condiment area. Sometimes I fear to use the cider vinegars cause fruit flies might be in the squeezer. I always stick to tarter and ketchup cause they are sealed. Other than their cleanliness the rice is cheap for the amount of fish-n-chips you get, the chowder bowls are delicious and they also have a sit in restaurant inside which is great!

    (3)

  • Jessica T.

    Oh Ivar's how it breaks my heart to see the changes that have gone down. I have been going to Ivar's for years and years. As a broke college student, I thrived on their happy hour menu - the best in town. Every day from 3 to 11, I could chow down on cheap yet delicious oysters and bowls of chowder.If you have never had their chowder, you truly are missing out on life. Ivar's clam chowder is thick and creamy, made with real cream (or milk or whatever it is) with tons of clam and potato chunks throughout - served alongside little oyster crackers. This is the first time that I have been back to Ivar's in a few months and a lot has sure changed. For one they just reopened after a few months of closure for remodel. Don't get me wrong, the space is absolutely beautiful, from the lounge you have a breath taking view of the waterfront - more specifically the ferry loading and unloading the hundreds and hundreds of Seattleites and tourist alike. Make sure you take a peek at the panoramic photo next to the entrance, there are 3 photos stacked atop of each other. Each photo was taken each year that the restaurant was remodeled - its amazing how much the city has changed. Why the lowered rating..? Well, not too long ago a new legislation passed in Seattle raising minimum wage to $15. As a direct result establishments throughout the city have responded with a raise in their menu prices. Ivar's has done that as well as eliminated the need to tip (see my photo). Here are my gripes, my oyster shooters went from being $1 on happy hour, to straight up being eliminated from the menu altogether and tripled in price. More than tripled to be precise - 3 for $10. Don't get me wrong they were absolutely delicious, fresh and sweet, but 3 dollars for an oyster barely larger than a half dollar is no beuno. Chowder prices rose an additional 2 dollars and entrees have been minimized or have disappeared from the happy hour menu altogether. I get it, things get more expensive and I can probably get over the fact that things have tripled in price. But the main reason for me knocking the stars off in my review is the level of service. I surmise that due to the fact that diners are no longer obligated to tip, the staff has seemed to stop caring. At one point in the meal, when my friend in our party asked the waiter about the beers on draft the response he got was a menu thrown in front of his face as the waiter as he proceeded to walk away. Seriously..? I wish I could describe in more detail who that waiter was, but no one waiter seemed to care enough to stick around or pass us along to the person covering the next shift. But then again what does he care, at the end of the day no matter what service level is given he will still get his paycheck.

    (2)

  • Chris V.

    Great place for Happy Hour. They have the best catchup I've ever tasted. My waitress said it's from Oregon. The fish & chips are top notch plus the Potato Croquette's are something special woth a tasty combination of braised pork and boubon sauce. I will be back for more. It reminds me of a light tasty version of poutine. And to top it off, Gretchen gave me the best service I've ever had @ Ivar's. The newly remodeled dinnig room & bar are very nice too. It's a nice upgrade to the Seattle waterfront.

    (4)

  • Mark A.

    Four different chowders to choose from. Nice view of the sound off the deck and nice indoor seating. We tried the chowder sampler with a salad. The chowders tasted good but we're not served hot. Caesar was good with anchovies. Fresh fish selection looked good but we did not order for lunch.

    (3)

  • Benetta P.

    We had the best waiter ever. We had the best view of the ocean. The jumbo fried prawns, the grilled shrimp, grilled salmon, and halibut was excellent. Being a visitor I heard about the New England clam chowder but I wanted to try them all. So I ordered the trio of clam chowder. They were all good, so your favorite would be based on personal taste preference.

    (5)

  • Christine F.

    We came here last Saturday for lunch, around 1pm Amazing view, and we had a great time, but this place is severely overpriced. $40 for 3 crab legs, $15 for 3 oysters? They do include tip in the menu prices which I thought was strange. Also our waitress was way too attentive, to the point of annoying. We had the table with the best view on the porch, so got the impression she Just wanted us out of there to get the next people in. The guy who seated us was very friendly and kind though. Great place for a date, make sure you eat out on the porch or near a window since what you are really paying for here is ambiance and a view

    (3)

  • G G.

    Remodeled recently, and very nice inside. Definitely a different dining experience than their seafood bar outside. Of course the prices are higher too. Note Ivars added in the tip to the prices as part of their approach in updating wages and menu pricing. We had clam chowder, fish and chips, oysters, and steamed clams, all were well prepared and the service was great. Great location on the pier and easy walking distances to the Seattle sky wheel.

    (4)

  • Tayles P.

    We had a great experience here. The new renovations look great. The atmosphere was fun and family-friendly. Staff were very accommodating. The seafood was fresh and very well-prepared. Portion sizes were good value for money. It's a bit more expensive than we typically do, but next time there's an occasion to celebrate in Seattle, Ivar's will be near the top of the list!

    (4)

  • Steph F.

    When in Seattle, have seafood right? I made reservations at this restaurant for dinner but ended up not needing it since it was pretty empty when I arrived. We ordered off their happy hour menu since it was going on at the time and we weren't too hungry yet. We tried the chowder sampler, crab cake slider, mixed berry salad, and calamari. The only thing that I really liked was the mixed berry salad. Everything else was not very impressive, not very flavorful, batter heavy, and greasy. The chowder was so disappointing compared to Pike Place Chowder. Overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this place or come back the next time I'm back in Seattle.

    (2)

  • Kellie C.

    Love this place. The service is five stars. The food is five stars. The atmosphere is five stars. We have gone every Labor Day weekend for the clam chowder, king snow crab legs, and cocktails for the last three years in a row. We have never had a bad meal or a bad time. I highly recommend this restaurant. It it totally worth the money

    (5)

  • Jeff Q.

    4 stars for the sunset water view from the outside deck. We had a big (18) group and were seated within ten minutes for dinner. Crab appetizer was awesome and the calamari decent. Tianna was our waitress and did a good job of keeping glasses full and plates cleared. The fish & chips was good but order the batter instead of the breading. Bring a camera for the views.

    (4)

  • Blonde B.

    Great food and an even better view. Walk up window for all things Seattle Seafood. White Clam Chowder to die for! DOn;t be confused with Ivar's Salmon House next door which is sit down with waiters. This is great food at the pick up window and you sit at tables out back on the water. So great for a fast meal!!!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth S.

    Did you know Ivar's has Happy Hour from 3PM to close?! I have spent many date nights with my husband there and enjoyed the menu selection thoroughly. However, last night a few girlfriends and I went to the newly reopened, remodeled Ivar's for Happy Hour and instead of being left satisfied, we were left feeling disappointed and ignored. Not only has the menu changed - it appears they've tried to create a more up-scale dining experience - but it really misses the mark entirely. We ordered prawns, chowder, 'build-your-own-tacos,' and empanadas. The chowder had a thick, gooey layer of coagulated cream, as did the sauce on the prawns. The 'build-your-own-tacos' came already built; while the empanadas were nearly translucent and doughy. Top that off with a waitress that was so incompetent, after ordering a side salad with blue cheese, it took her 10 minutes to come back and tell us they didn't have a side salad; instead we ordered a Caesar salad with blue cheese instead of Caesar dressing. Took her another 10 to come back and say they didn't have blue cheese dressing. Wouldn't it have been helpful to know that in the beginning?! Our waters were never refilled and we were rarely checked on. I don't know if it's the new $15 an hour rule for restaurant employees, but tips are automatically included in the cost of the food, which means that you are also no longer able to tip accordingly. So even though we had terrible service and sub-par food, at the end it didn't matter... I used to love Ivar's Happy Hour - at one point I would have said it was the best in the city. Sadly, this is no longer true.

    (1)

  • Whitney H.

    This place is interesting to me. I grew up making frequent trips to the walk up counter. Now that I'm a grown up that can afford sit down restaurants, I wanted to treat my boyfriend to a great pacific northwest meal as it was his first time in Seattle. We both ordered 3 piece fish and chips. Each meal cost $18 which I was comfortable with paying because Ivars is the best of the best in my opinion. Our food arrived luke warm and was identical to what we could have gotten at the counter next door for $10 less. I understand that the minimum wage raise changed the prices but there is no way this meal was worth almost $20. Did I mention that the fish bar literally right next door serves the same thing for much cheaper? The remodel looks amazing, the service is slooowwww. I would recommend this as a nicer end sit down dinner but don't order anything you can get at the fish bar. My sister had chicken that was fantastic. I wish I would have done that instead.

    (3)

  • Juan C.

    This place is ridiculously horrible , the food that we were served tasted like old kitchen towel ah nd it was cold at the time it hit our table. They should be ashamed to serve this type of dish to anyone for the

    (1)

  • Jonathan V.

    You know, this place has changed. Use to go here as a kid. Prices were great, food was good. With the remodel, prices have skyrocketed and the menu has vastly changed. Portions are so so. Taste of the original items (chowder, fish and chips, tartar sauce) is same as always. Honestly, i won't be back unless i am going with a group who wants to go there for the view / ambience. What a shame. If i want ivars, i am going to the far cheaper fast food location in bellevue/crossroads.

    (2)

  • David C.

    Great remodel. BEAUTIFUL views from the deck. Right on the water. It's obvious this restaurant has undergone a major renovation. Just beautiful. Terrific food. Love the chowder.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    Came here to meet up some friends and it was an okay experience. The waiting area was very spacious and clean. We had a reservation so we didn't wait that long. I started off with the white peach sangria and it was delicious. It was very fresh and had a very crisp taste. It wasn't too strong. Since I don't eat seafood, I ordered the half grilled lemon chicken and it came with mashed potatoes and grape tomatoes. The grape tomatoes were seasoned too sweet for my liking and the chicken wasn't greatly seasoned either. I didn't taste any lemon of it and had to add salt and pepper. I'm assuming their seafood is better since it's their specialty. The service however was very good. The server checked in and refilled our waters. Also, the memo prices already includes a 8% gratuity (tip) and you can add extra on the receipt.

    (4)

  • Dasia A.

    I am very excited that I was able to be apart of the weekend where they served free food for the re-grand opening. It looks so much elegant inside. I did like the previous layout but this new layout is phenomenal. I have been to the Sunday Brunch numerous of times, so it was exciting to eat food from the actual menu. I have eaten during dinner time once before but the experience wasn't all that great. Our waiter, who at the end told us she was brand new, did an exceptional job. She told us about what most people had been ordering and what she recommended. I would love to come back soon to eat outside (as our waiter recommended us to do). New layout great, food was great! Thank you Ivar's for the lovely dinner on you!

    (4)

  • Kristi M.

    Just OKAY. Chowder was kind of bland. Couldn't taste any goat cheese in the crab and goat cheese dip. Probably wouldn't return.

    (2)

  • Ron O.

    Went here for dinner on a Saturday night with a large party. The remodel is quite amazing but none of us could understand why the A/C wasn't turned on. The restaurant was so hot it took away from the dining experience. Also, the no tipping policy was new and prices are noticeably higher while our server was not as attentive as we would have expected given the menu prices. Not sure if this is simply due to the no tipping/$15 an hour law or a fluke but it contributed to the lower star rating.

    (3)

  • Steve F.

    Love their happy hour. Lots of tasty choices and there's lots of seating too. Great place to take out-of-town visitors.

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    Although it's a huge tourist place, Ivars is still one of my favorite place to have a sit-down meal on the waterfront. It's good food, slightly upscale, but not too expensive. You won't find anything super unique or trendy on the menu, just classic waterfront fare.

    (4)

  • Paige H.

    This place was okay. The ordering process was strange with people at the counter yelling, but in their defense there is a sign explaining how it works. The chowder is pretty darn good. The fish isn't anything über spectacular, but it isn't bad. The pigeons in the dining area keep you paranoid. Suddenly you think they are all around you all the time. The do shoo fairly easily - but they are persistent. Overall good food, nice view, and plenty of seating.

    (3)

  • Aerick W.

    Though Ivars is indeed a Seattle classic, these tootn' beans don't HAVE A CLUE! Ya know, I've been walkn' long time john, and I'm not impressed. I sit down in the "famous" restaurant of Seattle, and what do I get?! An ugly and trashed building that people call beautiful (people these days...They call a trashed metal hut called Ivars pretty and beautiful, but they don't even complement a cow!!! What are they thinking?!), and then everything else...dumb! After recent renovations of their restaurant, it now seats more both inside and out, yet the place is trashed and packed as bejesus. We had a 15-20 minute wait on a Labor Day weekend Saturday, even though the place was half empty. The dumb plumb who designed the Ivars sign inside the lounge put the "A" upside down. And then later we asked why it was like that and our waiter lied, "oh...um it was made so you would think about it more." And also, what kind of dumb pit of an excuse was that anyway? Now to the food: I have quite a bit to say about it and the Sally who took out order! I asked for a REGULAR lemonade and she was like, "sure, the strawberry lemonade for you," then my table corrected, "No we would like TWO REGULAR lemonades." She then goes haywire hackbomb on us. "I thought he wanted a strawberry lemonade??" I respond, "No I would like just a REGULAR LEM-" "Ok strawberry lemonade," she says when she walks away. The food was expensive to the max 4 piece fish and chips was mediocre and was very small...$22! Bowl of clam chowder (came in a medium-large cup, half the size of bread bowl! RIP bread bowl of goodness), and it was $8! Just dumb man, come on! Would I go to Ivars again, yes, do I want to, no! Sincerely, Long Time Seattleite

    (3)

  • Sean B.

    I don't even like clam chowder, but I LOVED Ivar's clam chowder. Beautiful restaurant. Great atmosphere. Also the pulled pork potato croquettes were out of this world.

    (5)

  • Ryan N.

    Happy HOURS!! You can't beat the 3pm-Close deal everyday. Ask for window seating during the warmer months.

    (4)

  • Amy K.

    We ate here most recently to celebrate my daughter's third birthday. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The food was great, and the view even better. The portions were so large that my husband and I could split something. Parking was a bit of a bear then, and may be even worse now with the construction, but I would say it is worth the trip.

    (4)

  • Michael K.

    Single Awareness Day - 2013; 3 years have passed since the last time I actually had a reason to go out in celebration of such a silly, commercialized Hallmark holiday but nonetheless, I am very happy that I did for a multitude of reasons. We arrived fifteen minutes early for our 5:30 reservation, were seated immediately, and had lovely drinks placed before us within a minute of sitting down. The pink, orange and yellow sunset probably looked wonderful for my companion as her seat faced it - I, however, had to put up with a ski-doo and a few seagulls. No fault of the restaurant's, of course, as they have no control over physics. We spent a good ten to fifteen minutes trying to devise a plan that would allow us to order two-thirds of the menu, but eventually agreed on a mild inevitable food coma brought on by seafood bliss. The seafood cocktail was so good I will copy the description directly from the menu: Fresh Oregon shrimp meat, lemon and coriander poached white prawns, Dungeness crab, fresh avocado, shredded fresh horseradish and a giant, heaping portion of dropped-jaw. The only other place I've seen a dish prepared in this matter was at Duke's and while I love Duke's for what it is... this was infinitely better on all accounts. The appetizer trio is a small portion of fat-kid heaven. The grilled prawns were delicious (although the double skewer made them a little more difficult to retrieve then one would expect) and the calamari definitely deserves a place in the top ten of my all time list. Perfectly tender, perfectly breaded - delicious. The crab cakes could have used more crunch but the crab itself was awesome so they were still notably good. The main course was a tour of what makes the Pacific Northwest so wonderful. Again, I will copy the description directly from the menu: Marinated grilled white prawns; Alaska halibut, smoked tomato sauce; Wild Coho salmon, basil pesto with sour cream-green onion mashed red potatoes. Every bite was perfectly cooked, perfectly flavored and beautifully presented. To top it off (and we're not sure exactly how it happened), we were each given one piece of tempura squash that was out of this world amazing. Sounds strange, I know but it was glorious. The service was great, the meal was excellent, and while I won't be able to afford to feed my cat for a few weeks, it was well worth the sacrifce (he needs to lose weight anyways). I am excited to return to try their happy hour in the near future.

    (5)

  • Trisha C.

    During a recent trip to Seattle, the bf was insistent we have chowder at some point. We came here for dinner, starting out with the crab and goat cheese dip. Yum- I could have just eaten that and been happy! I had the fish and chips, which were delicious. I was blown away with how not greasy they were! The bf had both the NW chowder and the original chowder. He loved them both. Service was quick after a short wait for a table, but nobody was overly friendly. We would probably get the food faster (not at the sit down restaurant) the next time.

    (4)

  • Darin J.

    An amazing Happy Hour. Came on a Friday night, got good service and fantastic salmon Caesar salad, oyster shooters, and of the course the amazing Seafood Chowder. The previous two times we had very subpar service, and I am not very critical on this. I look forward to another happy hour here....

    (4)

  • Amanda S.

    Happy Hour review The Happy hour menu is quite decent, nothing to spectacular but for HH you can't expect much. I had a fish BLT type of sandwich, it was both tasty and filling (good portion size) The place was very crowded, but we were able to find a place at the bar The service was okay, the waiters were quite busy so there was no time for chit-chat It's located in a tourist area so parking is a hassle (and quite expensive)

    (3)

  • Greg H.

    This is one of my favorite places to stop by for a quick beer and some tasty bites after getting off the ferry. Wether it be a bucket of clams or a prawn shooter or a full meal you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Sarah G.

    You have to get sea food in Seattle, and if you are going to be eating near the Pike Market, you will obviously be eating in a semi touristy kind of spot, and normally I am not one for eating at big touristy venues, but I was on the search for a place that took reservations and was kid friendly and had good reviews, and Ivar's was that pick! And I have to say, it was exactly what I was looking for! This restaurant was so incredibly accommodating for the 1 year old that we had in our dinner party, plus if you can get a table with a window which has an amazing view of the water, that little kid will be entertained almost the whole dinner! He could watch all of the boats, the birds, etc. It was definitely a win even with how pricey I thought the food was, to see how great it worked out for him. We started with the calamari and it was okay, not the best in the world, but the special salmon dish I got on this jalapeno risotto bed was just awesome! This is why the Seattle region is known for Salmon, because not only did my dish have a huge piece of salmon, it was cooked perfectly and all of the sides with it on that plate were just great. I also was the lucky winner of a free beer since they had poured an extra one at the bar, so winner!!!!! The rest of our party got some of the classic fried food dishes and were all very happy too while Kristin got another type of fresh fish and it was such a big portion she got to take some extra home with her! All in all, this place is a great, family friendly option, although at $25 for main dish and up pretty much, it is not cheap. But for that view and great service, I'll take it.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    The fish and chips is solid, prices are alittle high and their is a huge wait unless you sit at the bar. Overall it's not a bad place, right on the water so really great views.

    (4)

  • Sean P.

    Food is great. Right on the pier. Wine list is just meh. There is several sections to the Ivars restaurant, we were inside. There is another section outside. Our table faced that area... Where you can fight for your lunch with Seattle's flying rats. They say feed the seagulls, but seagulls are dirty nasty creatures. The tourists seem to enjoy them though. Feeding them. Getting pooped on. Not for me. My advice, stay inside. Eat your food. No fighting. Ate the calamari and the acre of clams. Both good. But not great. Watching the lady with the neck brace get pooped on was the highlight of the lunch. Hahaha. Is that mean?

    (3)

  • Davrick L.

    Took 30 minutes to get our food, plus the 20 minutes of waiting for a table. Under staffed, not cool at all.

    (1)

  • Celeste T.

    Sitting down to eat fish & chips...what are you talking about! Ok, I just couldn't do it. So instead I had a hot toddy and some very excellent Coho salmon over sweet potato gnocchi, with a garnish of young frisee. Service was friendly, not too formal, and thorough, though my server stumbled over some of the finer points of the menu, like he'd forgotten or something. I enjoyed my evening, looking over the water was nice, though I wasn't so impressed that I'll go back anytime soon...

    (3)

  • JR G.

    First off... This is a touristy type of restaurant. What do you expect from something in the water in Seattle? With that said, my brother and I go there just about every time we're in Seattle. It's been at least a dozen years since I've been to Ivar's and it's exactly as I remember. Yes, the decor is dated, but to me that adds to the nostalgia of the place. This time I got my go-to appetizer, fresh calamari. Sooo good. Super fresh and light, not too greasy. I also got the salmon BLT. It was great! The rest of my party was happy with what they ordered as well. We went for lunch and got enough food to keep us satisfied until late into the night. Don't expect a hip and happening restaurant when you go to Ivar's. That is not what this place is. It's a good restaurant with good food and a great view of the sound. Even the prices are reasonable considering what rent on the waterfront is.

    (4)

  • Jay B.

    One of the best Clam Chowders that you are ever going to have. It's worth it to go just for a bowl. The food is pretty good as well.

    (4)

  • Jennifer H.

    WOW THIS PLACE ROCKS!!!! I've never had good clam chowder until we went here.. We are picky and this place won us over. I had the acres of clams meal and it felt like i was eating forever lol. My husbands meal was was the best fish we had forever.. Go to this place if you want good seafood.

    (5)

  • Kat in the House s.

    We were downtown and didn't want to try and navigate Pike Street Market... I found Ivar's on OpenTable and it was a fabulous choice. The food was wonderful, our four year old was mesmerized by the view, and we had a wonderful lunch. The only ding I would give the restaurant was that our waiter was a bit grumpy... Note to him- we realize how hard you work- we don't mind tipping for good service, so show us some!

    (3)

  • Julia J.

    I ordered the grilled salmon. It had great flavor, but was not cooled evenly. Well done on the outside and very rare on the inside. My husband ordered the fish and chips and have them a thumbs up!

    (3)

  • A C.

    Yes, I'm a local. Yes, this is a touristy location. I still come here all the time! There's nothing quite like having Ivars fish and chips on the Seattle waterfront, while sitting outside, watching the seagulls get fed. If I am not eating outside from ordering at the fish bar, then I am inside with my tourist friends, having happy hour. The food is great. One tip, if you want raw oysters, go to Elliots. Everything else is delicious.

    (4)

  • Ashley S.

    We had just finished an Argosy Cruise and wanted to have some seafood. This was the first place that came to mind and we were so glad we stopped here. We had eaten at their quick service place, but had never been to the restaurant. It was very busy, but we were able to get two spots at the bar. Their clam chowder was wonderful! We also had some drinks and clams, which were also good and hit the spot. Great place!

    (5)

  • Joe D.

    Had the fresh halibut special that's wrapped in bacon which was very tasty. The wait staff seems very attentive and the food came to table fairly quick. The location on the water is great for views of the Puget Sound. It's noisy and crowded during prime times which also means it's a well liked place. It's good for large or small parties. I would definitely go back and try more dishes on the menu but I suggest you ask the table service staff what is fresh vs frozen of you are picky on food quality.

    (4)

  • Aaron S.

    Amazing NW Clam Chowder and Alaskan Amber on tap. For this Colorado boy I'm in heaven.

    (5)

  • Meg Y.

    I wish I could remember our server's name so I could give him credit. I came down from Vancouver for the weekend with my somewhat hard to please parents- I had made a reservation on Opentable in advance. The food was fantastic (Cioppino, Mixed Grill Trio, Salmon Corn Chowder) and the service was outstanding. Coming from a very restaurant-centric city, I have to say I've been very impressed with the service throughout the city- much better than at home. And again, our server (and everyone else helping) was awesome.

    (5)

  • Chuck R.

    Eh. Nothing special here, and a wee tad overpriced for what you get, which is food that is actually not quite as good as the fare you enjoy for less money at Ivar's Fish House right next door. At the Acres, you're paying for the comfort of sitting inside at your own waited table versus either standing or sitting with other diners at the Fish House. The food is decent, but we'd not return after this one experience.

    (2)

  • Keith D.

    Put a restaurant facing West on the Seattle Harbor and it's hard to go wrong. Was able to snag a reservation on OpenTable, so gave it a go for my family of five. Table was ready as was the wonderful wait staff. Food was good, and given its location, reasonably priced. Very kid friendly which was great for a tired family. My wife and I split a fried platter...love it when a restaurant splits it for us. Kids meals were well portioned and they were very happy. Would definitely return next time in Seattle.

    (3)

  • Alden C.

    Last month after hitting the Seattle Art Museum it was Steve's goal to get fish and chips at Ivar's Acres of Clams. Apparently it is a summer tradition for many folks in the area to get fish & chips. I was interested to give the place a try! Steve and his friend said that Ivar's was more inexpensive but our meal was about the average for a nicer dinner cost wise. Perhaps we went to the wrong area and should have went to Ivar's Fish Bar which is at the same location. Whatever the case may be we still enjoyed our meal. We had a nice view of the pier and could see a ferry go back and forth and look at the nearby anchored fire boats. It has really a nice atmosphere! Now I only have had fish & chips a handful of times and each time I like them better. Probably because we go to a better restaurant each time and the quality gets better each time. I don't know where the best fish & chips may be in Seattle but I really enjoyed the meal here! The fish sticks were delicious and so fresh! Ahem, everytime I review fish & chips I always say they were the best I have had but at the current time these are the best fish & chips I have had. We did not want dessert but our friend's son wanted something sweet but then he decided he did not want the cheesecake he ordered so it was up to Steve and myself to eat it. It too was pretty good! I would definitely go back to this Ivar's location and get the fish & chips again as well as explore some of their other menu options!

    (4)

  • Louley W.

    GREAT spot for Happy Hour. As far as dinner goes ... I would avoid. There are many places on the waterfront for a better tasting meal. Ivar's has been a part of my dining life since I was a small child. The downtown location is such a disappointment compared to the Salmon House. For $80+, I had the worst version of their salmon chowder I've ever tasted (It tastes better served fast-food style on the ferries and at stadiums). The rest of the meal was so greasy we couldn't even finish it. The only saving grace of this past visit was the wait staff, who are ALWAYS amazing. Not sure what's going on in the kitchen, and at these prices, this is not acceptable.

    (2)

  • Isela P.

    On vacation for Fourth of July. Family hungry and we were walking by this place and chowders sounded delicious. We all tried different chowders and calamari. Chowders very bland and calamari had no flavor and not crispy at all. All in all disappointing for a restaurant on the water. Maybe fish n chips better.

    (3)

  • Bobby M.

    Perfectly baked salmon and potatoes. Smoked salmon chowder in a bread bowl was delicious too. Extremely busy with tourists. Reservations are a must. The place desperately needs a refresh though. It's a Seattle must see, but it's sad like an 1970's, musty, old whore house.

    (3)

  • Steve S.

    I'd forgotten about this place until reminded by Yelp! It was a great intimate late night dinner of salmon & clams! If you've never been you ought to try it, even if just the "walk up" clam chowder shack

    (4)

  • Jingwen Y.

    Originally I posted this on Ivar's Fish Bar that's also around the same area but an avid Yelper decided to send a note to correct my review. I hope that this person sent the same note to 50 other yelpers to correct their reviews posted to the wrong location. Honestly I think Ivar's need to increase the font size on their logos for their different locations or maybe I am the only one with this issue. ----------------------------------- Waterfront view and all night happy hour from 3pm to close daily, what's not to like about this place? For the hardcore fans, there is even a store next to the restaurant to buy some Ivar's merchandise for the salty sea breeze feeling. This was my first time visiting this location I always associate heavy greasy fish and chips with Ivar's because that was my experiences at other Ivar's location. So when my friend suggested going in to check it out, I hesitated. The experience turned out to be better than expected and catching the happy hour was a lovely surprise. Setting is almost intimate and causally classy. Service was very friendly and the food is pretty good. I would definitely come back with more friends.

    (4)

  • Brian J.L. M.

    Family friendly. Knowledgable staff. Prompt service My first time at Acres of Clams with my son and I couldn't be happier. I was seated quickly and greeted by my very knowledgable server Kyle. My 3 year old son was getting a little impatient and requested french fries, and thats it. I asked for a prawn suggestion and Kyle knew exactly what to bring, ancho marinated prawns! Along with some amazing mussels with Uli's Famous Sausage. Kyle paired my meal with a Ninkasi IPA. Awesome choice! It felt like two minutes and out came my son's fish and chips, kept him from jumping off the walls. Much appreciated. My son said, "Dad I like this place!" Of course he devoured the shrimp and chips. And shortly after was munching on my prawns. The creamy fried mashed potato thingy, is absolutely the best! Good ice cream to end. Will be back again to try everything else. I think i'll bring a group, so I can try everyone's food!

    (5)

  • O S.

    Only had oyster shooters and the clam chowder. Both were excellent but what truly stood out was the bartender. Kind and knowledgable. Let me taste some bourbons and had good recommendations.

    (5)

  • Gage R.

    I can't believe this place is rated so high! I only came here because of the high yelp reviews... It is a total tourist trap. The atmosphere inside reminds me of a buffet. The restaurant is large and packed to the brim. Our server, Jose, was barely seen as the place was so large. He forgot our appetizers and twice forgot drinks when we ordered them... twice. I was so frustrated at the service and atmosphere i nearly stormed out. I cannot knock the food and what we had was decent. For the price however, i would not recommend this place to anyone. Yes it is on the water, however the restaurant is so large unless you have a spot at that end of the restaurant (which isn't likely) youll never see it. Huge Tourist Trap - run away...

    (1)

  • Kevin L.

    We didn't have time to hit the happy hour, so we only stopped by for the takeout food, essentially mall food court quality. But the seating area along the bay is really cool and feeding the seagulls is the best part! They're capable of catching fries in mid air. Try it! -- PHOTO: yelp.com/biz_photos/egty…

    (3)

  • Andy S.

    Great food!! Ordered acres of clams which was fantastic. Soaked up the wine sauce with bread it was so good. The chowder bowl is good but can't compete with SF boudins bowl (which is by far my favorite so far). It's not as bad as the reviews give it.

    (5)

  • Mark H.

    Great seafood place! Atmosphere is chill and the service was good. Got the salmon with crab topping and it was excellent! Restaurant is located on a pier and overlooks the sound. Overall, great place to get some seafood.

    (4)

  • Robert B.

    When I was a boy, my parents would take me and my siblings to the Seattle waterfront for fish and chips. As recent transplants from Kansas, this was a real treat, and I've had a soft spot for Ivar's fish & chips ever since. I'm much older and my tastes are more diverse, but every now and again, I've got to have my Ivars. I also prefer more genteel surroundings than the Fish Bar, with it's rather chaotic ordering system, but fortunately, you can get your favorite fried delicacies in the lovely Acres of Clams dining room. This venerable Seattle institution is often overlooked by the locals, but you really should check it out! They're not fancy or derivative with their menu, but what they do they do very well. Service is competent, and the view is delightful. I was a little puzzled when the hostess told me if I wanted a table in the dining room, I'd have to wait (the restaurant was perhaps 1/3 full at 12:30pm). I can understand their not wanting to let service suffer by giving the servers too many diners, but it seems to me you should have more staff on during what should be the lunch rush. That niggling point aside, my seafood platter was golden-brown perfection. Given how simple it should be to make fried seafood, you'd be amazed to see how rarely folks get it right (are you listening, McGrath's in Federal Way?). Simply put, Ivar's Acres of Clams is a solid, blue-chip performer, and a great 'go-to' choice for introducing out-of-town guests to the joys of Northwest seafood!

    (4)

  • Lani B.

    Went with a big group and the service was slow to take our order and didn't really check on us during our long wait for food. This would have been forgivable except that the food was really bad! I had the blackened Cesar salad, the waitress asked me if a medium cook was okay and I said medium rare would be better then it was well done and chewy. It was also flavorless and even salt couldn't save it. The only other things I tried were the starters: the calamari was kind of limp and not very flavorful, the coconut muscles were yummy but too heavy. Way over priced and even the spot isn't worth it.

    (1)

  • Steve A.

    I used to live in Seattle and was a student at the UW, this place is smack dab central on the touristy Pier 54 area - so yes it is a touristy spot, but damn if they don't have one of the best clam chowders I have ever had. All I could do to CLAM DOWN while I was eating that. Took a few friends here prior to leaving on a cruise to Alaska, and I think everyone enjoyed the restaurant. There service was a little spotty, but if you like fish, they make good fish here, so maybe not the most fancy or the best hole in the wall in town, but good honest seafood at a decent price. So I already raved about the clam chowder - MUST. HAVE. IT. if you are down that way. They also have a take out window if you don't want table service...but do try it, you'll like it. The main meal - well I had a combo that sounded good with Salmon and Prawns - everyone at the table's order came in correct EXCEPT mine, so the waiter dropped off some Prawns and then brought so more in a different style and then found a large piece of Salmon that wasn't mine and threw it on a plate and gave it to me. Normally, I'd drop off a couple stars, but everything when it did come was actually pretty good. I'd eat here again...so much so that we made sure we had Ivar's Fish N Chips at the airport before we left and yes, we did also order he clam chowder there - also good even for an airport - their fish n chips, were okay for Halibut - better options in other cities, but still decent.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    I used to love coming here for happy hour. Recently they changed the happy hour menu and now the portions are the same prices but WAY smaller - kind of a rip off. Three days ago I came in for happy hour and was able to grab a seat right way - which is really rare! - and ordered a margarita and 3 happy hour plates (knowing they were going to be small anyway). Our cocktail waitress, Sidney, was initially nice, but after I had a few sips of my margarita it became almost as clear as water, so we complained. She replied with quite a bit of snark about how they make their margaritas (which I didn't believe - there was no way it was made that way, or if it was, it was made really wrong). I didn't want anything else, so I just asked for a water. We then needed a few more things - we didn't have silverware, or ketchup, and needed more tartar sauce. We weren't being demanding, but Sidney quickly became really rude (and it's not like she was busy.) One of the worst experiences I've ever had at an Ivar's. Probably won't come back here again, which as a bummer, because it used to be really awesome.

    (1)

  • Sin-Yaw W.

    Happy Hours are Seattle's best kept secret. Come to Ivar's and proceed directly to the bar, find a table, and you will have a great time. I started with Ninkasi's beer and finished with Red Hook. In between, we had fish and chip (happy hour version), half an order of Mussels Rockefeller, and steamed clams. The server was friendly and patient, foods and drinks came promptly, the place was pleasant. And the Mussels and clams were to die for! I soaked my breads in those sauces and tried to suck every drop dry. The Mussels were fat, sweet, and delicious. The clams were lighter and fresh. Hmm... By the way, their SeaTac airport branch was equally good.

    (4)

  • Michael T.

    Amazing. Almost didn't come here due to some trash talking reviews.. idiots. Place is incredible. Mojito is off the chain, blackend salmon will make you want to slap yo momma. Enjoy.

    (5)

  • Sadia K.

    Mediocre food, just a tourist trap. Every once in a while you feel like going for some "touristy food", for example Boudin's Bread Bowl soup in San Francisco. This however is nothing special. It's all just blah. Sadly our waiter made the event all the more uncomfortable, he talked waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much, to the point we had to look the other way when he walked by so he wouldn't make eye contact and come over with a bad joke or poorly put sarcasm.

    (3)

  • Maria G.

    I was here for its happy hour and wow its one of my new favorite happy hour places in town! You get big portions of food with happy hour price! You get a nice view of the water, too! That is always a huge plus! Our waiter mistook the order and gladly brought us out a new dish, apologized without any hesitation! I will definitely come back again!!

    (5)

  • Jamie K.

    What a yummy place to eat. It was our first night in Seattle and we thought we'd try Ivars. We were wearing jeans, shirts and jackets (pretty casual) and didnt feel outta place. Some ppl did dress up though. We had a great waiter and service was friendly. My fiancé ordered the fish and chips (yum!!) and I got a giant bowl of clams and potatoes (forgot its menu name!) It was great!!! Ate every last bite!! Waiter recommended a delish white wine and there was a good beer list too!! Go here if you like seafood!! It's a chain restaurant, but a darn good one!! One thing that I remember is hearing a small fight in the kitchen between staff. We just laughed cause it sounded like Chef Gordon Ramsay was back there!! :) Ps. Always remember to take bad reviews lightly. If you go somewhere with high expectations you'll be let down. Also, Going out is what you make it. I wouldn't consider Ivars a romantic date. But my fiancé and I have fun/romamce wherever we go! :)

    (5)

  • Geri M.

    Crab cake sandwich and the grilled Sitka halibut were very good. Customer service was also great!

    (4)

  • Tiffany T.

    Literally everything we has was mediocre. At best. Drink was blah. Steak was overcooked. Shrimp cocktail appetizer was weak. Only 3 shrimp and fake little shrimp dumped in it. Crab cakes were not good. Mashed potatoes were fake. For a $39 meal. It was actually terrible. Should have been a $20 meal at best. Could have got better and cheaper at Applebee's. super disappointed.

    (2)

  • Andrew S.

    My sister and I have been coming here since we were little kids. Its not enough that Seattle happens to be one of the best cities in the world, but it has gems like Ivars to allow people to just enjoy and enjoy for a deal too! Ivars Acres has an inside and an outside -- the outside was where we dined this time, just a grab and go spot with a view over the bay and delicious food. The recipes never fail, are uber cheap, and hit the spot. Fish and chips, clam chowder, jumbo prawns, cole slaw, dungeonous crab cocktail. Delicious. One thing that hasn't changed and I am not necessarily a fan of is the shrimp cocktail. Mainly small shrimp, but its in the picture so you get what you see and what you pay for with this one. I always come back here. Just watch out for seagulls and children throwing their chips.. the seagulls can be agressive, and annoying.

    (4)

  • Steven Y.

    Great chowder! Loved the experience and the good. A little touristy, but the good and service didn't make you feel like a tourist.

    (5)

  • Michelle M.

    Started out with the clam chowder, my husband had the mussels. Both were excellent. We split the King Salmon dinner w/Brussels sprouts & cauliflower purée. Was to die for!! The portion size after the split was perfect. We were expecting to split at the dinner at the table but they did it in the back. Great service even though they were slammed with Holiday parties. Will definitely be coming back. Great view as well from our table!

    (4)

  • Jay P.

    My girlfriend and I just got into town on the ferry and on the way in we spotted Ivars. We decided to give it a try. The food was good but the portions small. The service was average. Prices were a bit steep for the quality/portion size and our fish was over cooked. If you're going to charge $34 a plate for fish you should know how to cook it. The vegetables were tasty but were left on the plate and arrived to the table cold. The food is good especially if it's warm and properly cooked. It's pricey for what it is. I wouldn't recommend it.

    (2)

  • Carol J.

    This is okay but make sure you ask if an item is fresh...grilled halibut with a side of arugula salad was yummy! If you are a fish restaurant, please serve only fresh items. The grilled halibut was fresh, but please do not order anything deep fried as it is not fresh. This is an overpriced restaurant that needs to update its menu to only fresh items. The service is outstanding.

    (2)

  • Randy D.

    We journeyed to Seattle to begin our cruise vacay and decided to come up a day early to take in the sights before sailing off to Alaska. My wife, a native Washingtonian, arranged the entire day, including reservations at Ivar's. As a little girl, her Dad and Mom would pack her into the car and drive all day from southern Washington to eat at Ivar's, so it had the nostalgia factor working for it... Upon entry, we were told that even though my loving spouse had made reservations weeks before, there were no window seats to be had. Strike one... We got a booth that, by craning our necks, we could catch a glimpse of the fire boat next door. After about 10 minutes, a waiter came by and said "Your waiter will be by with water in a few minutes." Another 10 minutes and our laconic waiter showed up and plopped some water in front of us. After placing our order and peering over the many empty window tables (they never did get filled by the way), we got a bowl of room temperature sourdough bread and creamed butter. Strike two... Our appetizer arrived after another 10 minutes (seared crab cakes and garlic aioli). Not bad, but the two cakes were a good mouthful each. We cut them in two to make them last. Since it was Ivar's Acres of Clams, we order the clam strips and chips. When they finally arrived, the clams were....clams, and the chips were pretty meh. Not grocery store frozen food section stuff, but nothing special either. Neither of us finished our chips and we flagged down another waiter for our check. Our waiter appeared (very quickly this time) to scold us for not finishing.... I could have got that at home... Strike three... I'm sure there are a ton of better seafood places on the wharf and I would have given Ivar's two stars, but my wife has fond memories of the place...

    (3)

  • Angela C.

    A friend took us here right when we got into Seattle because they have great happy hour times. Their happy hour is 3pm to close! How do they keep the business going with hours like that? The prices here are extremely reasonable and the portions are huge. Ivar's Clam Chowder ($4) Roasted Beet Salad ($4) Oyster Shooters ($4) Crispy Calamari with chipotle-lime aioli ($6) Backened True Cod Tacos ($6) Angus Beef Cheddar Burger ($6) Steamed clam in butter ($7) Ivar's Fish and Chips ($7) These prices are amazing for what you get! I can't say it's the best seafood I've ever had, but it's pretty fresh and you can't beat the prices.

    (4)

  • Glenn C.

    Found Ivar's from reading Yelp. It was a good find. My son and I had the Seafood Bounty. It was a good collection of shrimp, clams, crab legs, salmon and halibut in a mild red sauce. My wife had the crab cake which was very mild in taste. The tomato sauce was a little spicy but a good complement. The Caesar salad was OK and the Seafood chowder was a little spicy but good. My daughter had the regular clam chowder which I tried. It was good but not on the level of other reviewer opinions. We got there at 8:45PM on a weeknight. Our waiter had several tables and was not excited to be working this late. Service was definitely lacking. Their website talked about happy hour deals on drinks and appetizers but found out that it was only for the lounge. Our waiter didn't mention the half price bottles of wine.

    (4)

  • Rachel R.

    After 4874545 (an estimate) happy hour visits, I have yet to have one bad or mediocre experience. The happy hour here is the absolute best. I say that with a lot of Northwest pride. They change it seasonally and offer stuff like "Crab Stuffed Ling Cod" instead of stuff like nachos and jalapeno poppers. This one time they had smoked weathervane scallops on a vanilla crisp! You really can't beat happy hour everyday after 330pm to close which makes it the most accessible happy hour. You don't have to rush the make a 5-7pm window or go out on a Monday. The cocktails are pretty solid, the beers rotate, and the chowder is always delicious. Here's a tip: If you like bread and are sitting in the bar area, ask for a bread basket. They usually bring them out for the dining area but you usually have to ask if you're sitting in the bar.

    (5)

  • Kristin C.

    We had a horrible waiter who kept forgetting about our table, so we had to have other waiters get us more water, vinegar, our check, etc. The food was pretty good but it was surprisingly expensive! I'll take people here when they visit me from out of state, but will not be back again as a local.

    (2)

  • Steph C.

    Matt B. and I hit up Ivar's Acres of Clams for its generous happy hour, which lasts from 3PM to closing time in the bar area. I had a glass of wine and a light first dinner by the ocean. Not a shabby way to pass some of that boring time between lunch and dinner. Matt got the fish and chips which came with a cup of clam chowder. I stole a bite of his fish and chips and all of the chowder. The fish was probably the best thing on the table, white flaky meat fried in a thin batter. The fries were decent, if forgettable. I liked the clam chowder, but considering the name of this particular Ivar's, it could have been better. It was chunky and white with some chewy bits of clam, but it wasn't markedly tastier than other chowders I've had. I did order some mussels that came in a good coconut curry broth, but again, probably not something I'd go out of my way for. I also tried the oyster shooters, which, while a decent deal at six for $4, were kind of slimy and not delicious. The service was good and the relaxed yet classy atmosphere of the seaside restaurant was conducive to a pleasant time. I didn't love the food but the prices were good and the quality fair. I'd probably go back now and then if I lived in Seattle.

    (3)

  • Jay H.

    Had a (pre) dinner there...bar area was very nice, found a seat quickly. Had the NW Chowder appetizer (delicious) and Manny's Ale...awesome. Right down on the water, even had someone buy our dinner for us. Not sure on main dishes, but atmosphere was nice, food was excellent, service was fast...4 stars easy....

    (4)

  • Brian M.

    If you're looking for sophisticated seafood find somewhere else. If you want deep fried fishy goodness you will never find a better spot. There may be better fried clams somewhere on earth, but if there are I've never found them. Awesome fish and chips, great fried shrimp and excellent (free) sourdough bread to start. A bit expensive and very average service, but the great food more than makes up for it. If you're in Seattle, don't miss this spot.

    (4)

  • Jon P.

    I came to Ivan's with the intention of checking out their Happy Hour specials. However, my excitement was quickly shot down by the rude attitude of the Asian hostess and overweight Caucasian waitress in the lounge area. By no means am I a racist. I mention their ethnicities purely as a mechanism for others so that they are not surprised by these two individual's customer service -- or lack there of. The waitress answered my questions about their happy hour wines, salmon selections, and other plates in a rude tone. Definitely not the type of service you'd expect from a restaurant with a 3+ rating, and that's too bad. Luckily another waiter (male) came to the rescue, and made up for the others. I had the crispy calamari, oyster shooters, and salmon Caesar salad. First off, the portions of each dish were generous. Secondly, i rate the calamari 6-7/10, the shooters a 8.5/10, and the salmon caesar a 6/10. Compared to the salmon salad I had at cellars, this salad was sub par. Overall, decent food during happy hour, but customer service needs improvement.

    (3)

  • Chris B.

    No basis for comparison, but good fried fish and chips. Decent chowder, but pales in comparison to that I've had in Newport, RI. Other fancier dishes were nice and tasty. Had the Snoqualmish Irish Cream ice cream for desert. Overall great atmosphere and service, clean restrooms and a great view of the bay.

    (4)

  • Sharnae M.

    During my lovely vacation to the top corner of the states I found myself craving all the seafood I could possibly get while so close to the ocean! I was enroute to the crab pot ACTUALLY but it was indeed closed and sitting next to the pier was this lovely place. The Menu is pretty upscale, it may not seem like a lot of choices, as It wasn't for me. Yet I fell in LOVE with their calamari appetizer and the chowder that they are known best for. I loved this place! The atmosphere had a casual yet not too romantic vibe to it. The staff was polite and spoke with great enthusiasm! I would def recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Candi K.

    This is one of my go to spots for HH if its at an awkward time since they have happy hour from 3:00pm to close. They food is usually pretty good and their menu changes occasionally. One thing i like is they have happy hour dessert too.

    (4)

  • Shane S.

    My first visit to Seattle I tried this little spot with a huge line on the pier. The fish and chips had a nice crispy light batter. The cod, while smaller.... was flaky and succulent. The fries were thick and fresh. The tarter sauce was tasty and not too "pickely" I sat outside with gulls screaming around me for a snack. I really enjoy this place.... I will always come back to eat the fish and chips, the terrific clam chowder, and to throw some leftovers to the gulls!

    (4)

  • Aprilyn S.

    Happy hour from 3:00 PM to close?! How could anyone NOT stop by? I'll say it over and over again: the quality of food in Seattle is on another level! My boyfriend and I had just gotten done with our exploration of the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum and decided to stroll along the waterfront to find the freshest seafood around. What a great decision this was! We literally had what felt like a happy hour FEAST. We ordered: fish & chips, manila clams, and oyster shooters, in addition to our [very cheap] drinks. Six LARGE oyster shooters for $4.00, what a steal! Appetizers range from $4-$7 and drafts, wells and selected wines average about $3. Everything was good! The service was great! And the prices, UNBEATABLE!

    (4)

  • Kevin Q.

    Always love this place until tonight. Ordered the seafood cocktail. No crab. I brought work colleagues here. They ordered the same, no crab. Ivar's disappointed tonight. Brought it up as a group in front of the bartender, he ignored us. Must have known that Ivar's was skimpy that night.

    (3)

  • Vijay C.

    The chowder was good but the fish and chips were amazing.

    (4)

  • Cody H.

    We had an enjoyable dining experience here, the atmosphere is good, the service prompt (even on a busy night), the food was good, but the place seemed to be a tourist magnet and a capitalist venture to extract money from ostentatious hordes of travelers. I was satisfied by the Acres of Clams, but not thrilled. Those beautiful fresh clams could have been given a more proper send off than just being served in bowl with all that lovely juice just sitting in the bottom of it going to waste! I would have loved some pasta to soak up that delicious broth. However, the reason I am a fan of this place was the frickin Smoked Wild Salmon Chowder. It came out piping hot in a sourdough bread bowl with big chunks of salmon and was phenomenal. I would pay to have that stuff shipped to me overnight. They have a to-go area just outside the restaurant where you can grab a bowl or fish n' chips for a much more reasonable price. I would have rather saved money, grabbed some food and hung out with the fry eating sea gulls on the pier. That is what will go down next time, because I will not die happy without having tasted that soup again.

    (4)

  • Eric L.

    We visited Seattle recently and everyone was telling us how we had to eat at Ivars and get the clam chowder. So we came here on a rainy Saturday for lunch. Since we made a reservation, we got seated pretty fast. The menu is basically all seafood, from soups to fish to shellfish. They also have about 4 or 5 non-seafood items if you're not into seafood. I ordered the lunch combo with a cup of clam chowder and a crab cake slider. The clam chowder was good! It was thick and creamy and had lots of clams and potatoes. It had a strong bacon taste too, which I liked. The crab cake slider wasn't that great. The crab cake was OK but wasn't flavorful enough so the sandwich ended up kinda bland. Overall I think it's definitely worth it to come here to get the clam chowder. It wasn't the best I've ever had but it was one of the best. Make sure to make a reservation before you go in just in case it gets crowded. Also there's plenty of paid parking lots in the area but they're kinda expensive at $8.75 for 2 hours.

    (3)

  • Carole B.

    Heard this was "the" place to go for excellent Seattle seafood. Being from the midwest I was very underwhelmed. CONS: - Strawberry margarita didn't have any alcohol in it. - Fried calamari was the same as I've ever had anywhere else. Good portion for 2-3 people tho. - Vanilla bean crème brûlée was just brulee over ice cold vanilla pudding. - Not a large menu to choose from. Menu differs from what is both posted online and on their door. I would not've ventured in had I seen their actual small amount of menu choices. PROS: - I went during cheaper prices happy hour - so i was able to try a few things that I never tasted before. - Found out I'm not a chowder fan - might've been good but I can't gauge, and they kindly automatically removed the cost from my check because I didn't eat much of any of the 3 sampler chowders i tried. - Fish and chips: the small battered fish portions were perfectly deep fried, tender and a really nice white fish. - Close to downtown. Will i ever go there again? No.

    (2)

  • Alina T.

    I gave this a two only because our waiter was nice. Other than that the food was whatever and was not worth the price. I had the combination plate of kings salmon and kings crab legs. It was a little dry and the portion was not enough! I have a friend who can get full off of eating five pieces of fries and for her to say its not enough, then it's NOT ENOUGH!!! This is a tourist trap!!!!

    (2)

  • Alexandra W.

    Loved their oyster po' boy and my sons kids menu fish 'n chips. Our server was good, the drink (Wildberry Fizz, I think - get it, I will go back just for that!) was epic, and the food was good. I wished for more oysters on my sandwich and the fries were just okay, but we had a good time and I might go back next time I'm there! (The view was great! We watched salmon jumping in the harbor...who knows why?!)

    (3)

  • Cissi C.

    Wow! The best clam chowder I have ever tried! Period. It's cheaper to buy clam chowder and eat outside, but there is also the option of sitting down within their restaurant (which is more expensive). Will surely come back again!

    (5)

  • John-Michael C.

    Happy Hour is what this place is about! I mean, if you have plans of going out afterwards for more drinks and eats.. cancel cuz the only thing you got coming is food coma. I mean, feel free to try to eat afterwards. but drinking their beers and mountains of food at happy hour prices is going to stop you in your tracks... it's like pringles, once you pop you just cant stop. They got clams, n oysters n fried things. What else goes better with beer than fried things? NOTHING! And what goes with fried things that go with beer?!?!? TARTAR SAUCE! heaven Place gives me nightmares... I couldnt stop myself. drool

    (4)

  • Robert P.

    The food, service and atmosphere are good. Ivar's is more of a tourist place than a high-end seafood restaurant. With that said, it's a good place to take the family while visiting downtown. They are famous for their chowder so be sure to try it while you are there.

    (3)

  • Erin H.

    Happy hour is the best!

    (5)

  • Jon K.

    A great Happy hour menu, you can easily piece together a great meal with a couple of drinks on a budget. The Seafood Cocktail is fresh and tasty, the fries are crisp and well seasoned, The Crabcake Slider and the Clam Chowder, hands down together this should be a combo on the menu period. Its a little crowded and touristy, but its on the water, has a great view of the ferry boats coming and going, and its a Seattle staple. This is one of those places you need to bring your friends and family from out of town to. I'll be back for seconds!

    (4)

  • Alex S.

    Keep clam they say, and that's what we did after my friend highly recommended this place. And lucky us - we got there as SOON as happy hour started! Amongst the four of us, we got a round of beers (mine was the Maritime, which I enjoyed), we got: -Calimari - I'm not a fan but it was pretty par for the course. -Scallops with bacon - these were really great. Tasted quite fresh and who doesn't love bacon? I THINK - could be wrong but I THINK - I felt a granulate or two of sand in my teeth during my second scallop. Aside from that, they were nice. -Fish (cod) and chips - my fellow diners weren't a big fan of this but I definitely was. It wasn't mesmerizing by any means but it was good enough for me. -Clam chowder - bring on more bacon! Great chowder. I don't' have a ton of experience with clam chowder but this was one of the more memorable bowls I've had. -Jumbo clams and chips - My favorite of all the dishes. The clams didn't have a TON of flavor (after all they were fried) but they were fun/easy to eat and went well with the vinegar soaked fries. There was also an order of cod tacos I didn't try - BUT all of that - everything above (including 1 beer per person) came to roughly $20 per person! A whole meal of batter fried goodness for a picture of Andrew Jackson.

    (4)

  • Jimmy P.

    The clam chowder in a bread bowl, about as good as life gets. And the calamari bites are also a major score.

    (5)

  • B. Y.

    We were visiting Seattle with family and needed a kid-friendly place with excellent seafood and reasonable prices. My friend who lives in Seattle suggested this place, and it was spot on. The raw oysters and oyster shooters were the highlight - very fresh and not too pricey. The clam chowder was also very good. I had the Acres of Clams entree, which was tasty, but I was a bit disappointed in how small the clams were. Service was very good. Everyone left happy,

    (4)

  • Shannon C.

    I know this is supposed to be "THE" place to go for seafood in Seattle, but like many others I was pretty disappointed. I don't mind paying for good food, but the food at Ivar's isn't worth the price. My seafood cocktail was decent but not great. My husband got some trio dish that had salmon, halibut, and prawns. I tasted his salmon and halibut and neither were impressive. We have made better at home. The service was not great. They brought me the wrong salad, but it took so long to get it that I just ate it. I was so hungry I didn't want to wait for another one. There are other seafood restaurants in the immediate vicinity in the same price range that are way better.

    (2)

  • Christine V.

    $4 for 6 oyster shooters during happy hour?! Utterly ridiculous. So, SO worth it. 2 of us had 3 each and the other 2 had 6 each. I can't speak for other times of the day, but we went right around when happy hour started, and it wasn't too crowded (we sat near the bar). The food was worth the price, the waitress was nice and the food came out in a timely manner. It was a good place to whet our appetite before our "real dinner" later on. :)

    (5)

  • Daren D.

    Great late-nite HH 'til closing during the week. I had a ginger whiskey and the beef skewers. Both great and although the skewers didn't resemble the skewers spread out along the stick that I'm used to (these were slabs covering 1/3-1/2 of the stick), tasty nonetheless. Good stuff.

    (4)

  • Sharon T.

    I've recommended Ivar's for years, and it has been my go-to place to take new Seattle visitors, but the last few times I've been there, the fish was dry and flavorless, the whole meal was lukewarm at best, and service was terrible. We had to ask for literally everything, and wait ages for it. Last month, I had the Petite Alaska Lingcod and had to smother it in tartar sauce just to get it down. But at least the tartar sauce was good, after it finally arrived about 10 minutes after I asked for it. The bar was packed and really loud, so maybe that's what's carrying them now. But for food, I was embarrassed to have taken an out of town business associate there. I hope they get their act together. It's been a Seattle icon, but regretfully, it won't be for long at that rate. I'll head down to Anthony's the next time I want a nice dinner on the Seattle waterfront.

    (1)

  • Erika C.

    I didn't know what I was getting myself into, coming here. During our Seattle trip, we didn't really Yelp too many places. We wanted to unplug and be spontaneous. Bad idea. We came here and I felt like it was definitely a mistake, but I'm surprised to find that this is a four-star Yelp joint. Pricey and mediocre. I've seen other locations.... so perhaps this is the first location, like the first SBUX. I believe I have been caught in a tourist trap. Grumble.

    (2)

  • Michael D.

    This is my favorite chowder. Love the deep fried food. My first visit to Seattle introduced this succulent soup to me and Ive been a fan ever since. Now, every time I fly out of the airport I get a cup to go. Long live Ivar's! Come Hungry

    (4)

  • Lorri A.

    Really good clam chowder. VERY GOOD. And there is a lot of "chow-da" being served in Seattle. Fried calamari also very good. Cooked perfect - NOT overcooked (nothing worse than being served overcooked calamari = rubber bands! ) and a generous portion size. Touristy? YES. Still, very good.

    (4)

  • Mike W.

    Yummy fish and chips! Inside and outside dining.

    (3)

  • Jamie D.

    Way over priced for the quality of food

    (2)

  • SJ L.

    We were visiting Seattle for 3 days, and I wanted some serious fish, being an East Coast gal. I loved this place. Busy happy energy - pretty interior - great view of the piers and the Sound. We both had the Copper River salmon, which was in season when we were there - yum - cooked perfectly. We both had the clam chowder (traditional white) which was delicious - rich with a good (not great - but I'm greedy) ratio of (pieces of) clam. Btw, we don't usually order the same thing but tonight it just worked out that way. How often can you get Copper River salmon and clam chowder, at a waterfront restaurant! Perfect. A very good wine list with a wide range of prices. Great professional service - just the right amount of attention. Prices were original - menu had lots of choices. We saw several families and groups there. Ok, back home to the midwest we go. But next time I'm in Seattle, I'll go back to Ivers.

    (4)

  • James P.

    Stumbled upon Ivar's walking around town. Looked good, so we gave it a shot. Despite going at mid-day, it was packed. Lots of families with loud kids--not a place for a date. Menu was full of fresh seafood. I had a cup of the red Ivar's Famous Clam Chowder. It was fresh and tasty. My wife had the Dungeness Crab Cake Sandwich. It was humongous, hot, and tasty with tons of French fries. Enough food for two people. I had the Wild Alaska Lingcod. It was light, flaky, and delicious. We both enjoyed a glass of Washington pinot gris. No dessert. This would be a fun place for a large group.

    (4)

  • Winnie T.

    Wonderful HH deals. Service really could have been better- the bartender was semi-rough/rude with us, and waitress rarely stopped by our table after we ordered and received the food. HH is limited to a section of the restaurant, so we had to stalk a group of people like vultures to take their spot right when they left. Awkward. HH items range from $5-$12 I think, with items like clam chowder, fish n chips, and mussels. Fresh, good quality, good quantity stuff.

    (4)

  • Shae A.

    My lunch was so delicious, I couldn't get over how good it tasted. I had the wild salmon fillet and it came with roasted potatoes and some sort of garlic spinach stuff and a piece of the most scrumptious squash ever. The amount was enough that I couldn't finish it all. My boyfriend had the fish and chips and was way envious of my plate. The decor is charming and the service was very friendly. We also had a nice view of the boats and the water. It can't really get any better than that: excellent food, great service and a wonderful view.

    (5)

  • Pooline N.

    Great happy hour. The food is always good and there is a great buzz in the bar area where we usually sit and look out at the water. I would recommend the crab cake slider and oysters rockefeller. The staff are always quick with drinks and happy to help

    (4)

  • Arty Z.

    We met our kids and grand kids in downtown Seattle for a visit to the Aquarium and lunch. The kids live in Denver but used to live and work in Seattle. For lunch on a weekday, the wait time was less than 10 minutes. The waitress was terrific. While I wasn't overly impressed with the halibut fish and chips, my appraiser, bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes, shaved pecorino, olive oil and a balsamic reduction, was outstanding. As well, the Crab Louie, stuffed salmon, and wild berry salad all hit their mark. Sure you get tourists in there, it's Ivar's and it's on the waterfront. But the food and atmosphere are just fine and in several respects quite good. Our waitress was fantastic. 4 and not 5 stars because I think the prices were a tiny steep.

    (4)

  • Joy W.

    Being from a landlocked state, we loved sitting out next to the water. My son ordered the bacon wrapped Halibut and it was to die for. I wish I had ordered it instead. I ordered the acres of clams, which were very good too. I guess the one thing I was disappointed in was there were were not more choices of clams. I expected a giant menu of clams, mussels, oysters but there were only a few items.

    (4)

  • Josh H.

    Pretty crowded joint considering I came in for dinner during weekday. I waited about 10 minutes for a party of 2. The food was excellent. I had the Dungeness Crab And Goat Cheese Dip and Crab Cakes for appetizer and Alaska Halibut Fish n Chips for entree. Very tasty! Will come again the next time i am in Seattle.

    (4)

  • Heather H.

    Came here on a sporatic late evening excursion to try some fine seafood of Seattle: expecting the mediocre happy hour fish n' chips, basic salmon n butter, basic cocktail sauce etc. OH NO! They serve some really fine steamed mussels, sauteed clams, shrimp, and oysters served in an array of ways! Nicely prepared and clean the place is great for getting a taste of Seattle. Take my advice: Grab seating near the windows so you can look out over the waters and enjoy the full deal. Only thing that sucked were the drinks. My gin n' tonic was seriously weak and bland. I would avoid grabbing cocktails and grab a beer instead. Follow Xander.S's advice and hit the happy hour! You won't regret!

    (4)

  • Dee T.

    After a long, blistering cold tour on Ride-the-Ducks, my crew and I were craving for something to heat up our bodies and what's better than a bowl of Seattle's clam chower. During the tour, we learned that Ivar's is one of the Seattle's original and famous tourist joints, so we made the trip there in time for happy hour. We had the clam chowder, fish&chips, crab quesadillas, and steamed clams. Clam Chowder = Creamy/thick, full of clams, Delicious. Fish & Chips = Ordinary like any other restaurants may serve this. Crab Quesdaillas = Bland. Nothing special. Steamed Clams = We had a lot of dead ones so for the ones we were able to eat; it was very alright. Due to the happy hour prices, the cost for the four of us was very reasonable. The setting was nice. The restaurant is right at the pier, so you can see the waters from your seat. Service was good; took our orders quickly and the meal came within minutes.

    (3)

  • Larry N.

    Could have been way better. Went here today to try some decent fried seafood.. That's really their specialty, so I didn't want to push their boundaries. Started out with Calamari that had some calamari, but also some long fat chewy strips that didn't really taste like calamari. Next we had fish n chips (supposedly their seafood staple) and a fried Northwest platter (clams, prawn, fried cod). The fish was the same on both platters, and fresh and tasteful. The clams and prawns/shrimp both tasted off and were both very rubbery. Service was friendly, but only okay. My 2nd drink that was ordered before the entrees came, did not arrive until I was almost done with my meal. With the gift shop and large rack of brochures from local attractions, it seems very much like a tourist trap of mediocre quality.

    (2)

  • Jen J.

    As a wide-eyed, camera-happy tourist, I absolutely enjoyed Ivar's and give it a solid four stars. Every time I find myself in a new city, I become torn, at whether to pretend to be a local or to give up completely and wear my large camera fanny pack that screams tourist. While in Seattle, I chose the second option (well, I just bought a fancy DSLR and its lens alone is huge and can't be concealed in any non-tourisy purses). We showed up at Ivar's after searching for seafood on yelp. The place looked like a total tourist trap! One way you could tell? On average, people in the restaurant (other than the wait staff) were about 50 pounds more over weight than the average Seattle inhabitant I saw in other less tourisy neighborhoods. While waiting for a table by the water (which took more than 30 minutes even with a reservation. Although I think it may have been our fault as we forgot to tell them we wanted a table by the water on the phone :P) we became increasingly dubious at the high tourist concentration and how that may be an indication of the quality of food. However, the meal was absolutely awesome! We ordered two appetizers, the Ahi Tuna Tartare and a dozen oysters on half shells. Both were fresh and delicious. One thing we didn't care for was the watermelon flavored dipping sauce for the oysters. It was sweet, overpowering, and didn't really go with the oysters. I had to ask for the good ole horseradish. The entries were tasty as well. I had the "Clam Bake" which was pretty much a seafood Cioppino (minus the tomatoe sauce). The broth complimented the flavors of the seafood. The portion was hearty and I personally liked how they didn't try to cram a bunch of pasta on the bottom of the bowl as fillers. My companions had the grilled flounder and the scallops. I tried the scallops which was perfectly cooked. Service was great. The view out of the window was beautiful at sunset. Dishes were fairly expensive (I think my clam bake was $28) but hey, I'm on vacation, I could splurge on some good food. :)

    (4)

  • Dani S.

    I'm Clamed OUT! After eating here, I skipped 2 meals. I'm raising clams in my stomach... I started with 2 bowls of clam chowder - yep, not 1 but TWO! Each for only 75 cents. The clams were soft and tender, super fresh. Creamy chowder was thick w/ potatoes and pieces of fish. Best chowder I've had in my life, and I've had lots before. Then I ordered 1 lb of clam sauteed in this pepper garlic sauce. Clams were once again very good, but the potatoes were a bit under-done. Overall, good experience and great food. Oh and you can have them ship you some clam chowder next door in the gift shop... Stay Clam!

    (4)

  • Phil S.

    What started as a pleasant dining experience turned into disaster. We were seated promptly at at table in the center of the room. Waitress took our order and we waited----waited----waited for our food. My companion ordered the bacon wrapped baked Haddock. When it finally arrived, after a 45 minute wait, the bacon was raw and the fish cold--read just out of the refrigerator. We returned it. The manager told us that "this just doesn't happen here". Sorry, Charlie, it did!

    (2)

  • David L.

    Due to the incompetency of the hosts/hostesses, we were not able to eat here. This review is for the terrible service at the front podium. First of all they had five (yes, 5) young men and women working at the podium. We sat close by to wait for our table. They were mostly disorganized about assigning tables. A question of how long the wait is would be returned with a "ummm uhhhhhhhhhhh ummmm maybe like 20 minutes?" My wife and I were in town for only two nights for a wedding. Saturday night would be our only night out on the town. Based on positive Yelp reviews and the price, we chose Ivars for our dinner venue. Upon arriving, the restaurant was fairly crowded. It's Saturday night, so that is to be expected. We walk up to the podium and are assigned a pager with no estimated wait time from the hostess. We were only party of two. As we are waiting near the podium, another couple comes up to the podium shortly thereafter, and one of the hosts assigns them a time of 30 minutes. As we wait, we wander around the store inside the restaurant and sit patiently. As 45 minutes rolls around, we are frustrated. I kindly tell the host at the podium that we have been waiting for 45 minutes. He snickers and says "actually, it has only been 30 minutes." Regardless of if I was wrong (I wasn't) what's with the attitude? The host then explains that there are several reservations and call-ins ahead of us and they will get to us soon, hopefully. Yes, you read that correctly. Call-ins (people who call in last minute and say they are on their way down) take priority over people who are waiting there in person. I completely understand that reservations have a priority (as that is the point of a reservation) but call-ins? Unacceptable. At that point I tell the host to forget it. His response "Fine." I will forever remember this as the experience I had during my one night in Seattle. Absolutely terrible customer service. No excuse. Shame on Ivars for allowing the staff to act like snobs, and shame on Ivars for their call-in policy.

    (1)

  • Chelsea J.

    I've been to Ivar's on the Pier a few times and have always been pleased with the food and the view. Two of us shared the mixed grill plate with salon with basil sauce, halibut, yummy grilled prawns, asparagus, and garlic mashed potatoes. The mixed grill was $29, a cup of salmon chowder was $6 and a bowl was $7 I believe. The restaurant gets very loud which is a downside. The location is great and the food is delicious. Ivar's is a good place to take visiting relatives and friends to eat right on the pier and watch seagulls fly (or blow) by in the wind.

    (4)

  • Chad G.

    Pretty darn good. We'll be going back.

    (4)

  • Judy Y.

    Love the Happy Hour! Hubby and I vacationed in Seattle, and went on a Monday night, and it was HH all evening. We got to sit just by the water (in the bar section) and ordered off the HH menu. Clam chowder was good (I still prefer Pike's Place Chowder), and the Fish Tacos were very yummy. We also got the Fish 'n Chips (which were good), and the Cocktail Sampler (okay), and the Clams (pretty good). Our server was pretty mehhh, probably because it was kind of a slow evening, and we looked like college students out for a cheap meal. There is a sign outside that encourages feeding the seagulls! Bizarre... and lots of people were feeding them! Anyway, probably not as worth it during normal hours, but during HH, Ivar's is worth the food and the view.

    (4)

  • Henry C.

    The Background: I came here because Elliott's didn't have happy hour on Saturday, and boy was that a happy coincidence. $4.00 for 6 oyster shots, who am I to say no? The Positives: 6 tasty oysters for $4.00, what more do I really need to say? The oysters are pretty large, they are fresh and tasty and come in a shot glass. The other food is pretty good too, but it's hard to want to eat anything else. The Negatives: None.

    (5)

  • Alison M.

    This place was great - highly recommend that happy hour in the bar area for great deals and good food/drinks!

    (5)

  • Edward N.

    This place is very good. Abundant seating, on sunny days you get to see people outside your window feeding the seagulls. Fish and chips is very good here. The tartar sauce is also the best, fish has a nice flavor and very fresh tasting. Fries are crispy and golden. Lemon wedge for a nice garnish before digging in. Clam chowder is the same old award winning flavor that I absolutely love. The bread and butter appetizer before your food comes out is also nice. I did dock 1 star because the waiter we had was too quiet and didn't seem very nice or happy. It's a RARE sunny day in Seattle, come ON! I'd come here again for sure when I crave their chowder or fish and chips.

    (4)

  • Jing Y.

    Go for their happy hour!! Their hh lasts from 3 - close every single day (prob the longest hh I've seen!). This place def offers good value for the amount of food you get and the wide range of selection on their hh menu. I got 6 oysters for $4 and salmon sandwich for $6.50? It was probably one of the better salmon sandwiches I've had and the price is hard to beat! Their dining room also sits right on the water, so I can only imagine what a great view it must be if you come during the day!

    (4)

  • Missy I.

    Crab Cakes a MUST try! Super delish.. I ordered Alaska Halibut so Fresh!

    (5)

  • Steph C.

    This is a wonderful place to take your family for a classic Seattle seafood experience. Its located on the water near Pikes Place Market. There were tons of families so we felt at home with our 1 year old. We watched the boats dock and the seagulls dive for food as we dined on crab cakes, salad and crab stuffed lingcod. It was a wonderful meal.

    (5)

  • Jenna D.

    Always great service. Very fast and very friendly. I don't get food here often because I'm cheap and I don't like spending a lot but the food is always tasty. PS. Try some clam nectar! It only costs like a buck or something and it's so good when it's cold out. I used to always order it when I had to take the ferry home at night time.

    (4)

  • Amber M.

    A Happy Hour MUST. From 3 to close everyday. We checked it out on a Sunday around 5pm, it was a nice walk down Alaskan Way, fresh sea air, very touristy, which is fine with me cuz I am one too. The bar seating was nice and open, not cramped whatsoever. We ordered only happy hour options: Crab Quesadilla (large portion, great with the dipping sauce) Blackened Fish Tacos (last thing we ate, too full at this point) Clam Chowder (first thing we ate, good but not great) FIsh and Chips (the best thing we ate, not greasy, great crunch) Oh we also had about 7 cranberry-vodkas's, and they were GREAT. :s

    (4)

  • Adriana K.

    I was actually really surprised by how much I enjoyed my lunch when I went here recently. It had been years since I had been here, as I have been disappointed by the Lake Union location several times. But the food was fresh and delicious - and I thought, pretty expensive. In fact, that would be my biggest complaint; it wasn't busy during the lunch hour, and it seemed as if the place could use a face lift, but the cod special I had was cooked perfectly, and even the side bread was tasty. I would come back for happy hour; but not when I have to foot the bill for a meal.

    (3)

  • Matthew M.

    Note, cafeteria is 5/5, the restaurant, more of a 4/5. Tourist from California, with sensitive taste buds and wife that likes to find fine dining and good dives. Restaurant: $70 after all was said. Bacon wrapped halibut is as good as our waiter led on, wife's salmon was also as fresh as he mentioned, however the side that came with the salmon, some kind of bacon fat medley, bunk. Great service, bacon wrapped halibut kicks butt and nice view and ambience. But, it's pricey for what you get and the sides need improvement in my opinion anyways. Cafeteria outside: $11. Excellent fish and chips, and chowder. Best chowder in Seattle, my opinion, it's different from the Fish Hoppers (best chowder I can find in my home state, or anywhere) but easily 9/10 of Fish Hoppers. Very fresh fish, prepared well. Normally I'd rate an establishment like this with 4 stars, however, I really want to give the cafeteria 5/5, the restaurant, 4/5 and to be blunt, this is the best food I've found in Seattle so far. Chowder has a bacon flavor in it, very creamy, was a bit light on the clams themselves but I think it's the scoop they gave me. Fish is so fresh it doesn't taste like fish. Bottom line, go here if you're in Seattle, and order the chowder and fish and chips, can't go wrong, you'll enjoy it.

    (5)

  • Dae Y.

    I got really lucky w/ parking - all credited to a lovely couple in a black sedan. it was my lucky day to get good parking, but i can see how it might be tough to find it. don't normally go down this way b/c it always seemed too touristy. but this is a great spot for happy hour. their happy hr menu is really nice and it runs for a long time too. had oyster shooters for $0.50 apiece. and the seafood chowder was really good too. inside it's a nice full blown restaurant with a nice bar area. i never knew an Ivar's like this existed. for some reason i always want to pronounce Ivar's like "eye-var's" where the var is like car. but it's supposed to be "eye ver's" where the ver is like the last syllable of jennifer.

    (4)

  • Maren M.

    Happy hour with delicious food and drinks with a beautiful view of the water. This place was cool to relax and have a nice conversation in. Will be back!

    (5)

  • Ben F.

    I've been here a couple times and it has always been a good experience so far. It's a great area with a view and staff, food were good. I've had fish and chips both times. I think I remember them having pretty good happy hour specials too.

    (4)

  • Scott A.

    My wife and I flew from FLL to SEA for 3 days of visiting beautiful Seattle. Our first night dinner was at Ivars. Jonathan our waiter made the first dinner memorable. His assistance in wine choice was on the money. The dinner was awesome and we can't wait till our next trip back. Mussels, Clams, and the Bacon wrapped Halibut a must! Our choice for Ivar's was a great way to start the trip.

    (5)

  • Brad C.

    We were recommended to go to this place by some local Seattle friends. Funny thing is they don't like seafood so I was curious why they sent us here. We first stopped in to the sit down part of the restaurant and looked at a menu and saw the prices. They were fair but we were just in for a simple dinner. They said if we wanted to sit outside to try the Ivar's next door. Turns out they have another section that is outside and serves mostly fried dishes and chowder. This part has outdoors eating and you can feed the seagulls. I didn't want that much fried food so we went back inside. We didn't want to wait so we ended up in the bar section and found more food options. There were several smaller and more afforDable dishes that were all very very good. Service was Greta and the view was pretty good as we watched the outside patrons feed the seagulls. In short, there are three options with this restaurant, nice sit down, outside food counter, and the inside bar.

    (4)

  • John P.

    On my visit to Seattle, this was the best meal I had. The service was fantastic and the view was great. I took a good size group here that was being wined & dined all week, and they said Ivar's was the best food they had all week. Hopefully it will go a long way with some business development! Most ordered the bacon wrapped halibut... everything is better with bacon... and a cup of the chowder. The others ordered another halibut dish as For a group of 14, I was able to get out just over $1K. That included everything from appetizers, meals, drinks, and dessert. I would not think twice about going back to Ivar's as I definitely would!

    (5)

  • Ed S.

    Halibut and seafood chowder were excellent. Great service.

    (4)

  • Amber P.

    I DREAM of Ivar's CLAM CHOWDER! And FISH and CHIPS! The service outside is actually better than my 5 dining room service experiences (once they forgot about my order entirely) (sorry indoor staff), so feel free to skip the fancy atmosphere and get the same delicious food from the express outdoor bar.

    (4)

  • J B.

    I ate here twice about 5 years ago. The food and service have not changed a bit. The servers are so polite and welcoming, not to mention efficient. Our little 1 year-old was happy as a clam eating here and enjoyed choosing from the great and healthy kids menu. The clam chowder was amazing, the crab cakes were delicious, and the fish was close to the best I've ever had. I would come back and eat here in a heartbeat! I highly recommend this restaurant to anybody in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Mae C.

    I think this is one of those highly overrated tourist places. I was in Seattle for only a day and I wanted some really tasty seafood. Everyone kept saying how I just had to go and try Ivar's - the "Seattle Place". The hostesses ignored me for a while as they stood their and talked which should have been my first hint. Then when one finally took me to my table she acted annoyed practically to the point of eye rolling and was rather condescending. At the table she slammed the extra items away - it wasn't just being quick - it was slamming (Maybe they were annoyed that I was alone but who knows). It was normal restaurant busy but I didn't see a server for a long time. When one finally showed up, they also acted annoyed and then walked away while I was still ordering. I made a special request (but not a big inconvenient one) with my food which they ignored. When the seafood came, it did not taste fresh and was just not very good. I even felt a little funky for a couple of hours after I ate. Waste of my seafood dinner slot in Seattle!

    (1)

  • Stacey S.

    As a born and raised Seattleite, I visited this restaurant yesterday with some out of town guests. While the food was good, I found the fish bar outside just as good. Prices at the fish bar are a bit less, but the atmosphere inside the restaurant by far makes Acres of Clams a better choice. I probably won't be back until I have more more out of town guests, who want the Seattle Waterfront experience. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the restaurant, but there are other places in Seattle I'd rather go to with easier parking and excellent food.

    (3)

  • Janelle M.

    A friend and I had stopped in here after a Mariner game. The food there was amazing!! We sat in the bar and ordered off the happy hour menu which is from 3pm to close everyday...bonus! Everything we had was good! After we had eaten everything and cleared our plates we were still a little hungry and ended up ordering the Nebraska Prime Beef Hamburger. Can you say OMG!!! They grind up their own meat and make their own patties. It was probably one of the best hamburgers I have ever had. I couldn't make one at home that good. My friend agreed! We will for sure be going back there if not making a trip up to Seattle just to go there!

    (5)

  • Jon D.

    Ivar's has some tasty, tasty chowder. Being a Washingtonian, I grew up with rich, creamy, hearty Ivar's chowder from Ivar's seafood bars far and wide. And the chowder at the Acres of Clams is precisely a hot bowl of everything I love about Ivar's. But I was keeping CLAM for the rest of the meal, as, although well composed, the $20 "Beat the Tide" meal was fairly uninspired. The sourdough rolls were tasty, but I oh, how I wish they were warm! My prawns and steak were perfectly cooked, and simply prepared, but not interesting in the least. The salmon that my gastronomic partner in crime was indulging in across the table was slightly overdone, which makes all the difference in the delicacy of a good wild salmon. But the food was decent. The view was stunning. The service was average. 3 stars, but that will be in comparison to the nearby competition. McCormick and Schmick's is a bit better, Elliot's Oyster House is excellent. Ivar's is a Seattle establishment, I commend them for homey preparations, but there's not too much special here.

    (3)

  • Xander S.

    Having eaten here both at regular hours, and for happy hour, I can safely say 3 stars for regular, 5 stars for happy hour! The food at regular hours is nothing to brag about, and their oysters certainly don't match those of Elliot's down the street. It's rather pricey, and although the restaurant wasn't crowded when I was there, their service seemed a tad slow. On the flip side, their HAPPY HOUR IS AMAZING! 7 days a week from 3:30 until close (which usually means midnight), these hours are filled with people wanting to enjoy a good seafood/grill type meal on the cheap. Good food, good drink, at a great time, and all at a good price--what's not to like?

    (4)

  • Sarah J.

    If you're on a budget, Ivar's is definitely cheaper than Elliotts, though Elliotts has a killer happy hour. The food here is just "meh." However, if you sit in the back by the water the view is very dramatic and lovely. Service was friendly. All in all, it wasn't a bad choice, but I don't understand how they could mess up clam chowder and potato leek soup. The ahi tuna app was pretty good. The fried oysters were kind of just "eh."

    (3)

  • David L.

    Much better than expected for being on the touristy waterfront of Seattle. Cod tacos were very tasty. Server, Kyle, was prompt, courteous, helpful and good-natured. Prices were reasonable. Service was quick an unhurried. Would definitely return.

    (4)

  • J Q.

    Auggggh. Tourists! So many. Especially when a cruise ship docked. So many yokels. Fanny packs. Seriously. Fanny packs. But the food, while overpriced a over-hyped is good. I always come back for the clam chowder. And the people watching.

    (3)

  • Quani C.

    Seriously? I'm getting the first on this? Something's wrong here... I thought I'd been referred here by Yelpers. Hmmm. I've been told that this place is an okay place to take out-of-towners for seafood in Seattle. And it most certainly is. It was late lunchtime on a Friday, so we had to wait a few minutes before being seated right near a window... overlooking a pier area. There was also a seagull feeding area right near the window as well, so we got to watch kinds feeding seagulls and screaming while the birds took the food right out of their hands. Scary. Ugh. Thank God there was a window between us and the "action." Ugh, again. Across from our table were diagrams of clams and old photos of fishermen. We were attended to pretty quickly, although the restaurant was pretty dead. It actually seems like our waitron was the only person taking care of tables at that time. The menu is pretty extensive, although a tad pricey. I'd kind of expected that, though, so it was okay. I ordered the fish combo platter (fried fish, baby prawns, and clam served with fries), my friend just went for the fried fish platter. The food was brought out in a timely manner, we didn't have to wait FOREVER... perhaps another side effect of the relative deadness of the place at that hour. Since I've been in Seattle, although I'm not a HUGE fan of fish, I've been trying it pretty much everywhere I go. Ivar's had the best that I've had so far. The fish (I don't remember what kind it was) was not-too-overly-fishy tasting. The breading was tasty and well proportioned to the sizes of the morsels I was eating. The overall portion of my meal was PERFECT for me, but maybe not for the $15 price tag. My Austin friend was satisfied with his Seattle fish dining experience.

    (4)

  • Ben S.

    Typical tourist trap but at least not as insane as those in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The grilled chicken was dry and overcooked. The green beans not fully cooked. The mashed potato very buttery. The scallop biscuit appreitzer was excellent, however. The Pier 52 was very good. The "Small Fries" from kids menu was excellent! $5.25 with cookies, soda, fries, and 3 pieces of fishes which are among the very best one could get. I wish *all* of us could order that! Would have give this a 4 stars if the waiter is a little more relaxed (this place was so crowded *all* waiters look tense).

    (3)

  • Arlene M.

    Went here during a recent visit to Seattle, from a friend's recommendation. I'm glad we went. They offered a 3 course meal (and it didn't fall during the Restaurant Week days). Can't go wrong with that. The Salmon was fresh and the fried Polenta was tasty (first time I've ever had polenta!). However, they ran out of the Creme Brulee, but instead gave me Kahlua Creme Brulee instead. Even better! Good for kids, and for adults. Apparently this place is a local favorite. I could see why.....

    (4)

  • Phoenix mi m.

    We had an out of town guest and we took her here for Sunday brunch. It was crowded yesterday - 1st in-town game of football season... a lot of Seahawk fans went for brunch. Louder than usual but still nice. The out of town guest enjoyed her experience. The food was better than my last visit. I especially loved the grilled veggies and the famous chowder. The chowder was smoother, tastier and sweeter. Best of all... there was a handsome dude stationed at the seafood area, shucking the oysters... and those oysters were plump and juicy sweet.

    (4)

  • Linda C.

    Hm. Four stars people? Really?? The food ranges from 2-2.5. Overall kinda greasy. Clam chowder is very rich but pretty tasty. Veggie medley is greasy - tasted like the portabello was fried, and everything was drenched in oil. Acre of clams were decent. Service is OK. View... is pretty good. 'Tis a tourist spot through and through. Go for the view, not for the food.

    (3)

  • Cindy H.

    I visited Ivar's Acres of Clams with my out of town guests on a beautiful summer day. Finding free street parking (after 6PM) was almost impossible so after circling the streets for almost 30 mins, we eventually gave up and paid $10 at a lot nearby. Once we finally got to the restaurant, our spirits were immediately lifted by the great waterfront view. Though I've never heard of Ivar's before moving to Washington, but "World famous" is really a great marketing term that lured us into ordering their Clam Chowders and Fish 'N Chips. We tried both their red and white versions. I personally preferred the white, although I think in general, the both were still a little too salty and thick...not quite as good as Pike Place Chowder. The fresh and crispy fish portion of the Fish 'N Chips was quite delicious, but the fries were just average. What really stood out was the Pier 54 Clam Bake. It came with a generous portion of fresh mix of seafood simmered in tasty seafood broth. Having read mixed reviews about this place, I was pleasantly surprised that overall, the food was better than expected. There's no question that this is a touristy restaurant, but when considering location, price, service and quality, Ivar's Acres of Clams is a good choice for the occasional guest visits.

    (4)

  • William P.

    My partner and I visit the Seattle area every summer around mid-July, always incredibly excited to eat fresh seafood. We live in Tucson, Arizona, so "fresh" back home has a very different meaning. Ivar's has a great view of the harbor and fast service, but I have yet to be impressed. It is most definitely a place for tourists willing to pay the high prices for a somewhat dated experience. The wait staff has been dour or gruff in our visits; never rude, but not exactly inviting or pleasant to interact with. We have done their lunch special multiple times; underwhelming, bland, nothing memorable except the clam chowder. If you're craving some fish after a visit to the Aquarium go to the Fish Bar, the "fast food" side. N.B. for celiacs: the options here are very very limited. And if you're one of those gluten-intolerant people who also have egg or milk allergies the options drop to what I call slim pickings. Allergies aside, my partner and his friends, natives of this area, have not been thrilled with the restaurant side of Ivar's. It's either Fish Bar or a no-go.

    (2)

  • Charlie S.

    I have been going to Acres of Clams since the early 1950s when I was 5. I like it better now than I did then, although it was fun to meet Ivar when he was alive. Acres has a very good variety of well-prepared fresh seafood, as well as the usual deep-fried fare. The holiday Sunday brunches are special and very good.

    (4)

  • J.d. B.

    Great food and great view. The waitstaff were always there when needed and took care of all of our needs

    (4)

  • Gene B.

    We liked Ivars so much, we went back again. The clam chowder is awesome, but we tried the NW Seafood Chowder next time--also great! Had the prawns and chips, plus the clam strips and chips. I have never had better. The staff is super friendly and very good! Definitely recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Pauline L.

    To Ivar's I go! After a brisk 1 hour cruise around the harbor, I wandered over to Ivar's Acres of Clams to do a little seafood damage. I did for a brief moment wondered if I should just grab the fish and chips at the Fish Bar, but after watching chunks fly all over the tray, I think I'll stick to indoor dining instead. I got seated right away, and I got the Ivar's Original halibut fish and chips (it came out golden and flaky with a beautiful order of fries that's perfectly crisp and seasoned.) I also ordered the Pacific Northwest Oyster Sampler (sweet and salty and fresh, my only concern was that there weren't enough on my plate). Service was brisk and I had good water coverage. I didn't mind that I paid $21 for lunch with tax and tip. That's cause the food was good and the day was sunny. Good times! If you're lucky, sit by the bay windows, they offer wonderful harbor views.

    (5)

  • Al S.

    Seriously, I would move to Seattle just for Ivar's!!!! I took a random trip to Seattle a couple of years ago just to watch the Clippers play the Sonics (weird I know), and made it a plan to visit this place. I was fortunate to enjoy the delicious Sunday Brunch Buffet. Oh my, all the King crab, oysters, and seafood was so overwhelming. Maybe people from Seattle are used to it but it was a true feast for me. Try this place, try it now!

    (5)

  • Corey G.

    Ivar's is a great place to bring some one from out of town for excellent fish and chips. Their FnC's are really delicious, especially if you get 'em Cajun Style. They're always fresh and awesome. Their clam chowder is decent...nothing compared to Pike Place Chowder though (a little walk away, but totally worth it). The fish counter needs to get its act together. There's always a big chaotic crowd in front of the counter with a dude screaming at everyone. Their system is pretty bad. Their picnic area is stuffy and there are kids who are always feeding the dozens of disgusting seagulls. It's a cool atmosphere if that's what you're going for, I guess. Pro: Great Fish and Chips. Pretty good Chowder. Cheap prices. Con: Difficult ordering system. Low-end eating zone. I would recommend this to anyone and I would go back (not for chowder though).

    (3)

  • Diana C.

    food was surprisingly good -- the fish was cooked well (no overcooked fish here thank goodness) and the portions generous. price was supercheap -- drink, appetizer, main course, and dessert for less than 30 bucks -- but i was in the bar area that has happy hour pricing from 3pm to closing. will definitely be coming back to try out other items on the menu

    (5)

  • Dennis B.

    Excellent service and better food. Ie the clam chowder would make an new englander to cry tears of joy

    (5)

  • Mich M.

    Ok, I am a SF girl and do know my seafood, this is NOT!!!! This is in the midst of a tourist "trap". Expensive and just OK. Travelers beware.

    (1)

  • Debbie C.

    We were as "happy as clams" after our dinner at Ivars. Our waiter suggested the fresh halibut just caught that day. One of had the special: halibut wrapped in bacon with fresh asparagus and roAsted potatoes. I had panko breaded halibut fish and chips with a great dinner salad. Updated comfort food.

    (5)

  • Joe S.

    Best happy hour in town. Ivar's Acres of Clams (TM) is one of my favorite things about summer, along with being drunk in the Seattle Center and playing paddleball. It's not the greatest place for seafood, but damn if it isn't consistent. Grab a couple scratch margaritas, some oyster shooters, clam chowder, and some mussels and you're good to go.

    (5)

  • Neal A.

    I went with my wife and adult son for dinner. It was a good thing that I thought to make a reservation. It is the tourist season and the wait was over an hour without reservations. The hostess led us to a table and my wife noticed that the bench seat was not clean. She asked the hostess if she could clean it. The hostess had a very "put upon" look on her face but she did clean the seat. She left it plenty wet too. We used the spare napkin to dry the seat. So that was the only negative thing about our experience. The food was great, if a little expensive and the service was pretty good too (considering the crowd). We will dine there again, I'm sure.

    (4)

  • Julian H.

    We sat in the bar while waiting for our table to open. The bar has some charm. We got a table next to the window for our out of town guest. The views of the water are okay not great; for treating an out of town guest to the waterfront experience, I would take them to Elliott's, although it's more expensive. The food, service, ambiance and everything was fine, but nothing stands out as wow.

    (3)

  • Ronnie P.

    The service here was wonderful! We were a party of 8 and the server took excellent care of us. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and a good time was had by all!

    (5)

  • H G.

    I ordered the grill trio and was served it luke warm. The salmon was dry. Requested more hot tea, tea bag was not replaced.

    (1)

  • Abe M.

    Went here on Valentine's night with my wife. Excellent food, great service and wonderful views if you can get a window seat. Why the poor rating? I made the mistake of using their restroom... It was like walking into a stadium bathroom at a Raider's game on free beer night. I was LITERALLY horrified. With the quality staff, food, atmosphere and high price I would expect more from these guys. If you're heading to this place take a leak off the pier so that you are not exposed to the horrors that I witnessed....

    (2)

  • Don T.

    I love this place. My favorite is the halibut & chips!

    (4)

  • Brendan M.

    I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience at Ivar's Acres of Clams. My impression of Ivar's --- inexpensive chowder served at walk-up counters --- was not particularly flattering, but I enjoyed our late lunch at Acres of Clams. We were seated in the lounge area after a very short wait, although groups with people under 21 probably would have had to wait longer to be seated in the main dining room. I had a pint of hefeweizen and the fish 'n chips. Fried fish often turns out greasy, in my experience, but my meal was very tasty and inoffensive. The fries were good, too. The price and the service were unremarkable. Ivar's isn't my favorite place to go for fish, but if you're down by the ferry terminal and need a good place to eat, Ivar's is fine.

    (3)

  • Bee Q.

    Ivar's Acres of Clams has been a Seattle institution since the 1940s, when founder Ivar Haglund opened the first Seattle Aquarium and began selling fish and chips. Yes. Ivar really wrestled an Octopus. And yes, you were not hallucinating: Ivar was on the JP Patches Show when you were a kid. Now about Ivar's Acres of Clams. Named after an 1870s tune touting the seemingly endless bounty of the Northwest Clams, Ivar's Acres of Clams is a Seattle tradition and the most truly local, "old Seattle" seafood place on the waterfront. Inside you'll find good American seafood. Not fancy, mind you, but simple and in the Pacific Northwest Tradition. Ivars Acres of Clams is a family dining establishment, and is low on pretense. In other words, you could take your neice, grandma, and distant cousin there and everyone would be pretty happy. If you're looking for innovative, cutting-edge preparations of seafood, Etta's is probably a better, pricier choice for you. The real steal at Acres of Clams is in the Clam Diggers bar. It's one of my favorite places to watch a game and eat simple American food. From 3 to close, they have amazing Happy Hour offerings, with big servings of appetizers at half price. The menu includes clams, fish and chips, hamburgers, prawns, and lots of other seafood. In the summer it's crawling with tourists, but in the winter, when you can watch the storms roll in from the bar, it's a clam chowder, hot toddy haven.

    (4)

  • May P.

    Went here for happy hour on a Sunday afternoon...very busy but we did get seated right away. Service was alright...for a party of 4 we were only given one happy hour menu..that means we had to take turns looking at the menu...didn't try to refill our drinks whatsoever... food was okey..I ordered fried shrimp and fries..no "wow" factor there...my husband ordered shrimp cocktail...it was actually more of cocktail sauce then shrimp..we did love the clam chowder though..it was perfect!

    (3)

  • Mike C.

    still can't really figure why it's so different from the fish bar. nevertheless, equally good and the place to go for more elegant seafood goodness when in town.

    (3)

  • Kellen B.

    I love Ivar's! If you don't want the stuffy waterfront dining experience, then come here in the summer for it's 3PM - close bar happy hour. During our last trip to Seattle we stopped into Ivar's, sat in the bar, feasted for a solid couple of hours and had a blast. They have a separate menu for the bar but it includes all the goodies you can ask for. Clams, fish and chips, oyster shooters, etc. The bartenders were also on top of everything and very friendly. In fact, as we were leaving, we asked about some blues or jazz clubs within the area and they were happy to provide us an entire list of places to check out. There also always seemed to be conversations between random people throwout the bar. You could tell that people were genuinely enjoying their meal and time.

    (4)

  • S C.

    This has been our favorite family place since the '60's and it never disappoints. On a recent Seattle visit, our friendly server even loaned us their wheelchair for a brief trip outside. True NW hospitality and oh, those fish and chips. Thank you.

    (5)

  • Elynne G.

    I don't know what's wrong with this Ivar's but I had the worst experience in seafood when it came down to this one downtown. I loved Ivar's at Mukilteo Landing but this, was a pain. We were looking for a seafood place and having decided to skip Crab Pot (the wait was an hour long, OMG!) we were thankful to know our hungry tummies had to wait only for 20 mins at Ivars. I know people always say you come to Ivar's for the clam chowder, but I wanted to try something else since I've always HAD their clam chowder. Oh boy, was I totally disappointed. For the appetizers, we shared smoked scallops on a sweet biscuit with a bacon salad. The sweet biscuit was too sweet, more like a sugar cookie than I would've liked paired with lightly smoked scallops. It over-powered everything. So I ate the scallops without the biscuit and ate the biscuit later. For dinner, we had the specials of the night, which was whole steamed dungeness crab served with red potatoes and green beans with melted butter. The crab was tasteless and absolutely not fresh. The skin was dry and even the butter didn't help. I was absolutely horrified at the condition of the crab served. The only good thing about dinner that night were the potatoes. Even the green beans served were overly seasoned with pepper that it burned my throat. Absolutely horrible dinner. I don't know why they keep trying to cook. They just need to stick to their clam chowder. If you can't even get something as 'simple' as crab on your menu, you don't deserve to be called a 'seafood restaurant'.

    (2)

  • Alex L.

    Food sucked BIG TIME! First off I ordered a 3 piece for just under ten bucks I had No idea it would look like a 3 piece chicken nugget portion size is terrible NOT WORTH THE MONEY TOURIST TRAP! Also my GF ordered the fried clams n fries yah well shes been up all last night puking and crapping her brains out! seeing this was the only thing she had to eat yesterday all signs point to IVARS! I will never eat here again. If your willing to spend 30 bucks on fish n chips go to a sit down restaurant and get a real meal.

    (1)

  • gretchen m.

    After 3 times going to the Ivars on the pier, its not nearly as good as the Salmon house, (I would have thought the food would be the same). I was expecting the fish and chips to be exceptional, but it just wasn't. It was dry. The fresh fish was okay but bland and it was all a bit overpriced. I gave it three shots because I wanted to find a waterfront place for fish, but eh...it just didn't live up.

    (2)

  • Matt G.

    Like choosing to learn the bass guitar for your high school senior project, going to Ivar's for seafood is the epitome of playing it safe. You'll get fresh clams, thick and creamy chowder, and your choice of many different local fish. However, I felt pretty underwhelmed by my experiences here, just like you would if you ever hear me play the bass. I ordered the grilled halibut sandwich, asking for their stone-ground mustard aioli to substitute for mayo. They forgot, but that happens. It was topped with perfectly ripe avocado but the roasted red peppers were stringy and mushy. The halibut, while tender, didn't seem to have much going on in the seasonings. It felt like since it was going in a sandwich, not a lot of effort was put into making the fish taste great on its own. It could've used some S&P while the taste of lemon was overwhelming. I went with family and tried little bits of cod, clams and mussels. All of them were okay and I would be completely satisfied with them if I was somewhere not known exclusively for amazing seafood, but when I'm on the waterfront in Seattle, I expect more. Next time I'll just stick with the Crab Pot.

    (2)

  • Taisha T.

    I've been to Seattle few times and the times i've been, it seems that we find our way to Ivars! Last time I visited Seattle, last summer, we went for Happy Hour. I can't remember the exact hours it was for but I do remember it went on all night. Unlike LA or SD, Seattle seems to have extended Happy Hour that goes on until midnight even! LOVE it!!! We sat along the window with the gorgeous few of the harbor. I had SIX oyster shooters (with the yummy toppings) for ONLY $3. I paired that with a $3 beer and I was in heaven. The oysters were fresh and sweet...Yummmmm! Next time I'm in Seattle I will definitely find my way back to ivars for their great Happy Hour Deals! Next time I'm in

    (4)

  • Akiko I.

    This place is great IF you like happy hour style dinner* Our intentions were to have a sit down dinner at the Pier with the great view. But when we got there, the wait was around 45min. So we decided, why not the bar? It turns out, Ivar is doing a all night long 50% off happy hour on the bar menu currently! We had 3 drinks, 2 orders of oyster shooters (6 pieces/order), fish & chips, 2 clam chowders, steamed clams....and something else. I don't remember what it was hmm. Anyway, all that for under $50! You would think that bar food is not all that but it is not the case here. We tried few clam chowders while we were in Seattle and in Vancouver but the best one was at Ivar. It is very thick and creamy with chunks of clams. The oyster shooters were just divine and the fish was very fresh and juicy. The view was great with all the boats, seagulls, sunset, etc. We loved it so much, we went back once more before we left Seattle. Seriously, we thought it would be a tourist trap but it didn't seem like so with the happy hour going on. So try it if you like good food for good price and good ambiance. *Food = great *Price = great! *Decor = nice *Service = good

    (5)

  • Christina W.

    A friend of mine and I went to Ivar's for happy hour on a Thursday afternoon. We didn't have to wait for seating, as it was seat yourself in the lounge. The food was super cheap because of the HH prices, and the wine was as cheap as $3.50 a glass! We scarfed down some calamari, some soup which we shared and it was absolutely delicious, oyster shooters which weren't very good and some crab enchilada's which were skimpy on the crab meat. I'd go back in a heart beat though because the prices were unbeatable. Afterward we walked the pier and did some souviner shopping.

    (4)

  • Navin N.

    I had visitors from France who wanted to eat good seafood in Seattle. So I was under lot of pressure to take them to a good restaurant, chose Ivars based on the yelp rating and I am so glad I wasn't wrong. Everyone loved the food, service and ambiance. For me, I had grilled Ling-cod fish on a risotto cake. It was delicious.

    (4)

  • Courtney L.

    This is an overpriced tourist trap. I couldn't believe that my a simple order of salmon and chips, an additional side, chowder and drink came to over $25. And that was at the fish bar outside... Not the restaurant. Yes.. the food isn't bad but is extremely salty. I've worked as a professional check for over 9 years and can tell you that there are far better choices in Seattle.

    (2)

  • Suzanne M.

    This would be an ok place to bring out of town family with kids for brunch. Food was ok, nothing great, but nothing offensive. I thought it was very expensive, and think there are much better choices in the area. Really, though, all the waterfront restaurants cater to tourists and are expensive. Here's what I like to do with tourists--take them for a ride on the Bainbridge Ferry, then actually go somewhere yummy to eat.

    (3)

  • Lauren P.

    Overrated tourist spot. White chowder had too many potatoes; where's the clams?! Raspberry lemonade - great.

    (3)

  • Bert N.

    This place has an awesome happy hour. We flew in and left the airport in our rental around 930 and got here around 10. Happy hour goes from 3PM until close. I was under the impression that Ivar's Acres of Clams only had happy hour from 3PM-6PM. What a nice surprise. We ordered EVERYTHING. Clam Chowder, Clams, Salmon (not HH), Cod Fish Tacos, and Fish & Chips. Can't forget the amazing six oyster shooters for $3! Everything was pretty good. It wasn't amazing, but definitely nice for the price. There is a nice view of the water and the service was great. Would I come back? Sure, but only for happy hour.

    (3)

  • Amy C.

    Hands Down- the best brunch that I think that I have ever been to! We were looking for a place between our hotel and Safeco Field and found this restaurant on opentable.com . YUM! Two full rooms of food-- I was in heaven! All for $24.95-- there was a raw bar, omelete bar, pasta bar, pancake station, crepe station, chowder, mussels, and everything else that you can imagine! And they have boody marys with pickled green beans. I am surprised they didn't have to roll me out of there. Sigh- I miss Seattle!

    (5)

  • Doug T.

    When the temperature and UV index is rising in PHX I will use almost any excuse to get to a cooler climate. This time it was Seattle for first of the seaon salmon. It was a week or so too early for Cooper River but there was King on the lunch menu at Ivar's Acres of Clams. I had plenty of time for a long lunch after an ealry morning meander thru Pike's Place Market (a required visit). I was the first seated and asked for a window overlooking the two Seattle FD boats (Leschi and Alki) and the omnipresent seagulls. I spread the time out with a pt of Pike's Kilt Lifter and watched the seagulls play get off of my spot and the Tacoma Ferry Boat and later the Wenatchee trade postions. I then ordered a bowl of the NW Seafood Chowder. It was pretty good but think I would have preferred Ivar's Clam Chowder. After watching more seagulls I finally placed an order for the Kng Salmon on the lunch special with the purple Peruvian potatoes, asparagus and a chilled avocado sauce. The grilled salmon was pretty small and average tasting as far as salmon goes for my taste buds. The potatoes were good but the asparagus was a little too large and fibery. The cold avoocado sauce was a definite mistake because there was too much of it plus it cooled the salmon as flakes from the now tiny salmon fell into the green abyss. Note: Next time I will have to plan to be in Seattle when the Copper River Salmon is available and go for simply grilled without sauces.

    (3)

  • Angela P.

    Just to inform you this review might be a tad bias. Why? Because I have officially titled myself Ivars #1 fan. Ivars has played a significant role throughout my childhood as well as my adult life. No matter where I am in my life, as long as there is an Ivars nearby I know I'll be ok. **I even worked here when I was in high school because I loved their food so much. (free fish and chips every 4 hour shift? put me on the schedule please)** Whether you are at the fish bar or this "fancy" Ivars, the food you get will be delicious. If you are not looking to spend 12 bucks on fish and chips, walk outside and to your right and order the 3 piece at the fish bar. The clam chowder is awesome, the fish (no matter what type is perfect) and the service is always pleasant. I LOVE their happy hour! It has a good selection of food and drink and the prices are half off! Try the cod tacos. I order those every time I do hh.

    (5)

  • Rhondalei G.

    Great place for a decently priced happy hour. I usually get the fish & chips, tacos, ahi tun and a drink. The location can get very busy, especially during the summer months, so come early or prepare to wait a bit for seating.

    (5)

  • Jay R.

    We came here for dinner, service was friendly and food was fresh. seemed like a long wait if you didnt have reservations. it was dark already, but seemed like it had a great view.

    (4)

  • Isabel D.

    We came to Ivar's for a nice, sit-down dinner. I had their fast food, and was not impressed. But we were told their restaurant is better, which it definitely is. I had the seafood chowder, which was amazing. My friend had the smoked salmon chowder, and that was even better. I thought chowder in San Francisco was the best, but this beats it by far. My friend doesn't like clam chowder, but he devoured his portion, so this only attests to how good it is here. For entrée, I had the seafood stew. The description made it sound like cioppino. I think it probably was, but it just doesn't have a lot of soup in it. However, it was heaped with a variety of fresh seafood, with some tomato based soup and some garlic bread for dipping. It is a huge portion though, so don't expect to finish it without sharing. We were seated next to the window and got to watch the ferry coming in and out. We came in pretty late in the evening though (10pm), so service was prompt and friendly. It seems like it would be a good date place, or a good for a special occasion. Really good seafood that is prepared well. And if anything, go for the chowder!

    (4)

  • Joshua S.

    From the outside Ivar's looks like a fried seafood restaurant with world famous fried clams, fish and chips and the like. That's reason enough to stop at Ivar's. But if you're lucky enough to visit an Ivar's that includes a sit down restaurant like the one near the ferry landing in Seattle, you will not be disappointed. Last week my wife and I spent a Sunday in Seattle. We had plans to see Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market and the science fiction museum and had heard that Ivar's did a Sunday brunch and so we planned our route appropriately. I was a little skeptical at first because I was a afraid that we would end up with waffles, omelettes and a few shrimp for $25 a person. My concern was unjustified. For $25 we got a massive selection of amazing food. The buffet included fried clams, shrimp, raw oysters, crab, chicken, lox, salmon, eggs benedict, pork, bacon, waffles, crepes, pancakes, fruit salad, chocolate covered strawberries, key lime pie, creme brulee, chocolate truffles and a lot more. My wife and I took multiple trips to the buffet taking small amounts of everything so that we would be able to try as many things as possible. The food was amazing! The only downside was that I had to stay off the Wii Fit for a couple of days so I wouldn't have to explain myself to that little balance board toon. Yeah, my I might have skewed by goal a little bit, but it was for a good cause. How often do you get to eat Sunday Brunch at Ivar's on the water in Seattle?

    (5)

  • Nick D.

    Happy hour btw 3pm on is one of the great bargains. Food quality is excellent, good portions and not expensive. Good service, atmosphere and views. Doesn't get better than this for the money. Clams are just the best bar none.

    (5)

  • Junzha L.

    I have to concur with the mostly negative reviews this place has earned. You shouldn't have people standing around the front podium well after shift change. Oh, please, don't everybody come get me at once. Luckily they assigned me an awesome waiter who was very timely with our orders, but I noticed they intentionally gave my party a shitty seat when there were better options(hint, hint, I wasn't dressed in a suit or like a tourist.) Nevermind all the snooty management, the acres of clams were awesome,. as well as the calamari and prawns, they really have a solid calamari believe it or not, so that was pleasant. However, steak main course was WAYYY too salty for what was otherwise an excellent cut of meat. The dessert sampler was OK, the creme brulee' was a little underdone but extremely good custard, the mousse was good for chocolate lovers, flat for any other palate, but the freakin' apple crisp was pathetically tasteless and oatmeal-like. Overall, we got a good waiter despite the fact the waitstaff was obviously hoping we wouldn't tip him or treat him well, based on the dirty looks we got. We got good food despite it being the whole spectrum of excellent to poor in presentation, but the prices are ridiculous (I paid $85, sans tip, for my dinner.) Overall, I'd expect this from some shitty hit-or-miss greasy spoon, not a supposedly upscale tourist trap.

    (2)

  • Jon F.

    We went there after taking the ferry from Bremerton to Seattle.Ivar's is within walking distance of the Ferry building. This restaurant is not a Mom and Pop restaurant, Upscale classy type of place.with the prices to match. I ordered the Clam Chower and Ivar's has more creme in it than Clams. Comparing with other chowers from Morro Bay,Ca.,& Pismo Beach,Ca.&Santa Cruz,Ca.--The clams are larger in the chowder at these locations than the Diced up clams at Irvar's.

    (2)

  • Lucy D.

    Ok yes, it can be a tourist trap (just like the rest of the downtown area). I don't care, because the happy hour is so good. Also sometimes the tourists provide an entertaining spectacle. Recently I was there to witness a gaggle of out-of-state college football fans enjoying themselves at dinner, a couple of them dressed fully as an ears of corn. Halfway through the meal one of the ears of corn heard the call of nature and ran sprinting to the bathroom, magically transforming into a guy in a red spandex bodysuit as he ran. Hmm. Is this what our genetically-modified food supply will look like 20 years from now? Anyway, back to Ivar's. Visions of apocalyptic-food-related-doom aside, it is really quite a pleasant place to go for happy hour. Drinks are well priced, the food is better than at most bars, and it is relaxing to sit back and watch the goings-on around Elliot Bay, including people feeding grumpy, huge genetically modified seagulls who have been fed too much Ivar's seafood.

    (4)

  • My N.

    This place has the freshest seafood ever we always go here for the yummy clam chowder. The food is great and so flavorful.

    (5)

  • Ted D.

    The wifey and I ate here for Sunday brunch on our visit. We enjoyed the great variety of food, we were in a coma when we left from all the food...good food despite being like a buffet. Definitely worth a visit.

    (4)

  • John L.

    I had the halibyt special and a bowl of clam chowder. Among the commercial restaurants here in the Seattle Waterfront area, this one stood out-- solid body, lots of clams, not a lot of filler. The location itself is beautiful with a lovely view of the water. This place as a whole isn't bad, and I certainly enjoyed it more than its neighbor down the way, the Crab Pot (which isn't bad either). I tried the clams as well (a friend ordered the acres of clams) and they were great! Our server gave us excellent service, and was never slow on the refills. The restaurant itself is well lit, roomy and reminds one of a houseboat, minus the cramped areas. I highly recommend stopping by.

    (4)

  • Brian S.

    Really good seafood for great prices. Right on the water they have a outdoor walkup for chowder and other bites, inside dining on the water and they have a bar area with fantastic happy hour 3pm -til midnight. Food and service is good high enough class inside for business or a nice date and the drinks and food are both really good!!

    (5)

  • K I.

    The original clam chowder is da bomb!

    (4)

  • Hal M.

    Ivar's Acres of Clams is really, really good. It's also a great value. We live in SF and have visited Seattle many times. Never went to Ivar's because we figured it was the Seattle equivalent of a Fisherman's Wharf restaurant. Nothing could be further from the truth. We had a couple drinks plus several smaller plates, including calamari, crab dip, steak salad, crab cakes, and chowder. I was amazed at how well prepared and fresh all of the food was. And none of it was over salted or fried. Plus, the room was really nice and the service was great. Total tab was about $40, including drinks, which is downright cheap compared to other places. Don't be fooled by the location or the kitsch. Ivar's is the real deal.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    Unless you are taking your parents out...skip the dinning room and stay in the bar! The happy hour dishes are fantastic and half the price! Happy hour is pretty much all the time...which defeats the concept but I digress... The fish tacos are very tasty as are the fish and chips. Honestly the friend are kinda meh on that one...but with so many good options no need to waste calories on the fries. The calamari is fresh and comes with a great dipping sauce. Oh and drinks are cheap too! Alaskan Amber on draft with fresh seafood....mmm mmmm good!

    (4)

  • Rylan C.

    It was ok. I'm used to really good seafood coming from San Francisco so I expected more. This place will fulfill your seafood cravings but I think you can do better if you're really looking to enjoy seafood at its best. Get the fish and chips and you can't go wrong.

    (3)

  • Ivan L.

    Nothing special about this place other than it's a landmark of Seattle. We came looking for a meal and that's what we got. We were lucky enough to get one of their happy hour tables. Our waitress was decent. Nothing too memorable about Ivar's. All I can remember is the typical clam chowder, fish & chips, and oyster shooters. I was surprised at the tiny size of the oysters and the lack of freshness too...

    (3)

  • Michele H.

    We were going to just do the happy hour menu, because it was very decently priced. However, there were no windows to look out. So we did the full menu to get a better spot. I got a salad and clam chowder. The soup was delicious! My friends got some of the fried foods, clams/fish. They didn't seem too impressed and the fries were so tasty. If you go, definitely get the soup!

    (4)

  • Lo B.

    I love Ivar's, I've been coming here since I was a little kid. We would go and feed the seagulls our leftover fries.. Great clam chowder, great fish & chips. You really appreciate great seafood after you move far away. My dad was in an Ivar's clam eating contest way back in the day. Fish and chips were his favorite, and this was his favorite place to get them.

    (5)

  • Audrey L.

    If the food and ambiance were outstanding or fancy it would get a five. Came on a coworker's wife's rec. She used to live here. Around $80 for coffee, two glasses of wine, clam bake, pound of legs, cup red chowder, bowl seafood chowder. Had a rezzy for V-day. Came 45 minutes early and hostess was nice enough to let us in. Other hostess seated us, but we spied a booth. She was very kind to walk us back out while it got cleaned in under three minutes and walked us back. I could see the other hostess at the front rolling her eyes. I saw you! Great view of the ferries. Bread was stale and reheated. Eatable. Nice, good waitress. Refilled water and coffee quickly. My red chowder was good. Couldn't find huge chunks of clam. I'll stick with Crab Cooker's in Orange County, Calif. His seafood chowder was delicious. It had chunks of almost every shell/fish imaginable. Great filler for only $6. There's a takeout counter right outside the restaurant too. Too bad I threw away the bag, but the oyster crackers they get are good! haha It was something to write home about. They tasted like crackers not communion wafers. I remember they were from Vermont. Saved me from fainting while walking and doing the touristy thing the next morning. The clambake was ginormous. Everyone stared as it came out. The broth was super salty. Corn was frozen on the cob =/ I got three fairly large and very long crab legs. I only made it through one and a half. Fail. They were sweet but might have been salt-plumped. Had to use my lemon for the first time. Came with very nice kale (and purple too) with roasted potatoes. I had room to just pick at it. I only wanted apple crisp, which they were of course out of. Walked north by the water and ran into the Arcade area with the Ice Creamery instead. See my review for that.

    (4)

  • Chris U.

    The food was only fair as was the service. The linguine was bland and the chowder just OK. Great fish restaurant? Keep looking.

    (2)

  • Ponarett X.

    I really like the happy hour here. First of all, their happy hour lasts from 3 until close so I can be leisurely with my eating and drinking. The prices are great and the portions are satisfying. I made the mistake of ordering the oyster shooters and having them all to myself. They were good but after the 3rd oyster, I was done. Next time I'll share. The seafood chowder was delicious, but it's Ivar's so you can't go wrong with their chowder. My only disappointment was that the drinks were a bit weak. Spend your money on the food and get your drink on elsewhere.

    (5)

  • Marilyn T.

    The fish market next door had a huge line, despite that it costs over $12 for some fish and chips. We decided to sit inside on a cold day and go for the brunch buffet. At $25 per person, it's a pretty good deal. There are also $3 mimosas available, and wines are $6-10 a glass. The buffet offers more than you can eat. There's an omelette station, a carving station (cuts of beef are hit or miss), crepes, and pasta made to order. There's a raw bar with freshly shucked oysters, crab legs, and shrimp cocktail. There's also a belgian waffle, french toast, and pancake area, and the sweet scent of the freshly griddled dough smells so good. Inside the inner room, there's a good selection of fresh fruit (some of the sweetest pineapple I've had in a long time), plus cheeses and crudite. There's also the traditional lox (not fatty at all, not overly salty), biscuits and gravy, steamed clams and mussles (amazing broth), cod (well seasoned), clam chowder, salmon, fried fish and chips, eggs Benedict, sausage, roasted potatoes, and prepared salads. It's a huge variety. Plus, there are plenty of desserts. I'd skip on the prepared salads (too heavily dressed) and the croissants (nothing special, room temperature). The clam and mussels in broth were so well seasoned and not fishy at all. The biscuits had a nice butter outer crust to them, and they didn't even need gravy. The crab was pretty salty, but that's how I liked my crab. Shrimp were a bit small. There's also a nice view of the water and the cruiseliners pulling into the pier. It's a nice place to have a variety of seafood at a really reasonable price.

    (4)

  • Marissa P.

    So I have to write this from a tourist's perspective, since I am a tourist. I suppose if I was reviewing this restaurant in San Francisco, I would have a different take on it. But since I'm a visitor in town for a business trip, I figure I'll take the "When in Rome" mentality. I was really pleased with the food I ate. King Crab is truly a treat, and the fresh stuff is super, super delish! I suppose it's not really a fair assessment, cuz how can you possibly screw up fresh crab? But then again, the fact that there WAS fresh crab is something special. The service was really good and attentive. The ambiance was great--had a fantastic view of the ferries and the sunset. If you are also unashamed to admit that you're a tourist too, check out this place!

    (5)

  • Dena R.

    Great location and fantastic happy hour prices!!!!

    (4)

  • Nam N.

    how can you not like a place that holds Happy Hour from 3pm - 11pm every day of the week!!!! easy! you can't!

    (4)

  • Brent C.

    UNDERWHELMING. Altogether I wouldn't return, this is especially disappointing as this was our last dinner while on vacation in this area. After seeing/reading reviews I had expected better. This was on par with an off day red lobster, nothing special or memorable. The only redeeming portion of the entire meal were the oysters which were good. The rest, service, wine, chowder, scallops, ambiance etc were poor. Cannot recommend as I would not return.

    (2)

  • Yvonne D.

    I went here on a Monday for happy hour and it was packed in the lounge! and why wouldn't they be packed? the food are very cheap on the happy hour menu, very good portion and good flavor! I went with three friends, a couple of my friends drank beer, they said it was good draft, I didn't drink any beer so I can't remember the price, but the wine was cheap! $3.95 for a glass of white wine? please!!! The best thing was the wine was very good, better than most places, some place serve very bad wine on the happy hour menu, but this one was nice, nice smell and taste and for $3.95, I had a couple of 'em! Anyway service was good, food was good, alcohol--GOOD! The ambient was kindda like a sport bar, doesn't means it's bad, just means it felt like a sport bar.

    (4)

  • Glo F.

    No nonsense dining. Order at the counter, take food else where or eat outside where you can feed the seagulls and watch the ferries. Yummy clam chowder. Fried fish (cod) was okay. Would go back for chowder and lunch with the seagulls. Can get a bit busy during peak time.

    (3)

  • Eme L.

    Looking through Yelp as I walked from my hotel when this place popped up. I liked the menu, so decided to give it a try. Ordered the clam bake (clams, mussels, shrimp, and crab w/ potatoes and corn.) All the seafood was perfectly cooked and quite tasty. My quibble? The potatoes were under-seasoned (everything could have used a bit more salt and pepper) and the corn was a mushy mess. I guess the focus was the seafood, but it would be nice if they had paid attention to the accompanying items as well. This isn't a place I'd search out on a return visit to Seattle, but would probably stop by if in the area again.

    (3)

  • Landon Y.

    I was really excited to go to Ivar's. It's a Seattle institution and was highly recommended by friends. Booked a reservation through opentable.com . Got to the restaurant and they had us in the system, and were seated at a window table. Wow! What a view! but here is where the 3 stars come off... Waiter takes our order, mom orders hot tea. He brings the teapot which is missing a huge chunk of the spout. She points this out to the waiter and he replies that "all of the pots are like this, but if you want, i'll bring you another one." We say yes, and he comes back with a teapot with a functional, uncracked spout. Go figure. I guess all are not alike. Mom's dish has carrots as a side item, which were very crunchy, still pretty close to raw. She asks if this can be cooked more thoroughly, and waiter replies, "the chef always make it like this, but if you want, i can see if he can cook another batch". Yes, we would...these are raw carrots. Comes back and carrots are cooked...what's with this waiter??? I ordered the acres of clams, which was great, 2 pounds of nicely steamed manila clams with garlic butter sauce. The wild salmon was also great, and very fresh. Another dish ordered was the fried fish plate, which included wild salmon, cod, scallops and shrimp with fries. Not a bad choice either. Fish was all fresh, which seems to still be a strength of Ivar's. Basically, if the waiter was anywhere near competent, this rating would have been more positive. Bottom line, go next door to the Ivar's fast food counter. You'll save 50% off the restaurant bill, and not have to deal with, "oh, it's always like that, but if you want, i'll bring you another one."

    (2)

  • Katherine R.

    This place didn't look like anything special when we walked in, but good thing we didn't let that deter us! All our food was out of this world! I had the best salmon I've ever had. And the prices were incredibly reasonable! I chose the "three course" dinner for around $25 or so, and it felt like a steal!

    (4)

  • Foug C.

    Order the appetizer with the scallop's and the vanilla bean vinaigrette. Everything I tasted at Ivar's was delicious. The service was really good as well.

    (5)

  • Oliver T.

    Came here with my Dad while I was visiting my sister in Seattle. Nice atmosphere and we got to sit with a view of the bay.

    (4)

  • Amy N.

    I would recommend Ivar's particularly for its happy hour. The great thing about the happy hour is it's from 3pm to close daily! I honestly think the happy hour food is better than the food on the normal menu. I'm not sure if it's a psychological thing where cheaper = better, but I guarantee you it's worth it! Happy hour dishes I recommend: Smoked scallops, calamari, ahi tuna tartre, OYSTER SHOOTERS, clam chowder, and the fish tacos...heck, just order the whole happy hour menu.

    (4)

  • Fresca T.

    I don't know about you but I am one cheap ass mofo. I like my food good and I like my food CHEAP. You need to go to the bar at Ivar's during Happy Hour. Maybe I was delirious, maybe I suffered some sort of mental confusion from downing to many oyster shots but the food was FREAKING GOOD for the price! I would recommend anybody visiting Seattle to go there during Happy Hour. Oyster shooters are $3 (6 oysters) Clam Chowder $4, possibly one of the best chowders I have ever had Fish and Chips ~$6? Steak with polenta and mushrooms ~$6, Drrrooool. So good. I'm gonna go cry now because Chicago doesn't have good seafood.

    (5)

  • Jenny D.

    This is a great little place on Alaskan for a quick warm-me-up meal on a chilly day! Food: Oh, delicious. Last time I went I got the red clam chowder. Man, it really hit the spot. Of course the fish and chips is fantastic. Service: Quick, efficient. It's busy! Price: Okay, $4ish for a bowl of soup is a bit high, but it's damn tasty!

    (5)

  • Apple C.

    Delightful. Local organic strawberry and goat cheese salad was perfectly dressed and portioned. Halibut was stunningly perfect, an accompanied by a well priced and cold beer. Four person seafood appetizer was delightful. Attentive but not overbearing waitstaff, quick seating, great view and ambiance. Very tasty, definitely worth braving the tourist masses if your're down this way. Review based on visit 8/28/2010.

    (5)

  • Joshua D.

    Somehow I find myself here often for one reason or another. I like their chowder and happy hour. Always good service. Tasty bread, and watch the ferries come and go. Simple really...;)

    (4)

  • Katherine S.

    I can say that the Fish and Chips are pretty good. The fish is moist and tender. There's indoor & outdoor seating and the staff is very friendly. The only thing that is disturbing is how people are feeding their leftovers to the birds so you have an infestation of birds flying around and docking on the rails for food.

    (4)

  • Donna M.

    We were taking some out of town family on the usual sight seeing tours when we stopped at Ivar's for lunch. It was a surprisingly quiet lunch for a Saturday. The appetizers were very good. The fried calamari was tender and seasoned well. My sister had the seafood cocktail and loved it. My halibut was dry but there were no complaints from the rest of the group. Decent food with one exception.

    (4)

  • Maya W.

    Fantastic Clam Chowder!! 3 stars just for the chowder alone and the fact that it was 75 cents a cup. The chowder was creamy, delicious and filing. The service was very good (not excellent but very good) but we were so impressed with chowder. The king crab legs were gigantic and salty just like I like them.

    (4)

  • Sam L.

    Good happy hour selection. The seafood chowder is a must try! Big chunks of fish and seafood-delicious.

    (4)

  • J B.

    Great place for lunch. Had a Halibut plate that was very good. Around $10. My buddy had scallops Awesome waitress service. Not much for views but a nice interior. But not sure what the clam chowder quotes posted everywhere are about.

    (4)

  • Denise K.

    Went during happy hour, prices were great. Calamari was the best I had in awhile, crab cocktail, and the smoked salmon plate were great. Bypassed a 40 minute wait by eating in the lounge where you get happy hour prices. Would definately go back every time I am in town.

    (4)

  • Angel R.

    Had the halibut with portabello and garlic mas. All I can say Is. "YOU NEED TO ORDER IT!!" it was very good. Sitting in the restaurant with the huge panoramic style windows facing the harbor gave me the sense of being on a cruise ship ( I could be wrong, I've never been on a cruise. But I did see titanic). If ur doing the touristy thing definitely give it a shot.

    (4)

  • Shen-Fu T.

    nice seafood chowder!

    (4)

  • TJ D.

    Hit the place up for appetizers and drinks during happy hour pre-Sox/Mariners game at Safeco. I really wish to drop 2.5 but Yelp insists on the Likertesque scaling method...so I round up! The appetizers were sub par considering its a seafood place named "Acres of Clams". As a patron you take a chance with the name anyway, but you'd think the proprietors would use it as a catalyst to provide fresh and tight food. Bottom line: final tab is ok during happy hour, but minimize appetizer ordering.

    (3)

  • Marissa P.

    Ivar's is a Seattle Institution and a family tradition for both locals and frequent tourists alike. Located right on the water front it's got a wonderful location. You can park on Alaskan Way under the freeway overpass. You can't go wrong with their lunch or dinner menu. Lunch is nice because you can actually see the water, but the ambiance during dinner is also enjoyable. Yes, it's pricey, but you are paying for high quality seafood and a view. Being a Pacific Northwest girl, I know my seafood and I've never had a single meal over the years and years my family has been going to Ivar's that didn't taste fresh. It's a place you can't count on for consistent service and food quality. The menu is seasonal of course but there are a couple of things you can always count on - amazing clam chowder and clams served a variety of ways. I'm also a huge fan of their halibut and salmon fillets. My sister however, cannot fathom ordering anything other than the seafood fettuccini alfredo. To each their own - regardless of what you choose you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Judy L.

    The clam chowder is the thickest soup you will ever have in your life. AND there is bacon in it. Bring your Lactaid if you are lactose intolerant.

    (4)

  • Tom K.

    Delicious coho salmon with chanterelle mushrooms and polenta cakes.

    (4)

  • Matt G.

    Great food. I tried several of the meals. The executive chef knows what's up. Great service. Great view of the sound. Would return anytime. Again, great food and family atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Erin R.

    The happy hour here is pretty nice! Normal HH times Monday thru Thursday, but Friday it is 3 pm to close! Awesome... The other nice thing is that it isn't overly crowded. I have never had to wait more then five minutes to grab a table. The waitstaff can be fairly variable, but oh well! Just give me some chowder and a pint and I am happy! ivars.net/Acres_Home/acr…

    (4)

  • Linda J.

    Although I only went once for happy hour, the service was good, the food was tasty (I don't usually like clam chowder but theirs is amazing!), and I enjoyed the view. I'd definitely go back (for happy hour -- I can't afford their fancy pants menu right now).

    (4)

  • Kevin L.

    Really slow service in the happy hour section even when the place was nearly empty on a Monday night. Food was totally average. Calamari was a bit soggy, oyster shooters were.. interesting (possibly jarred) and I'd rather have a burger from McDonalds than the cheeseburger I had. Can't beat the happy hour prices, though. However, expect it to take a happy hour for your server to come by!

    (3)

  • Melanie V.

    Apparently Ivar of Ivar's fame was quite the visionary and back in the 60's or whatever (i'm totally guessing here) decided that submarine travel was the wave of the future and said to himself "I gotta get in on this submarine thing before everyone else catches on!". He then sent a bunch of Ivar's Fish Bar billboards to the bottom of Puget Sound to fully exploit the captive submarine traveling audience. Apparently they were recently discovered and brought back up to surface level where they served as the perfect marketing tie in for the Ivar's anniversary special 75 cent clam chowder. I'm not sure if any of that is true, but it makes a good story doesn't it? Anyway, the clam chowder is good, a little bacony for my taste but creamy and thick and quite tasty with the warm rolls they serve. The king crab legs are a little bit of a splurge but so worth it, especially if you're used to the much smaller dungeness and snow crabs. I don't know why they even bother with that little thing of butter, the crab is so sweet and flavorful on it's own! We also got the appetizer trio which had crab cakes, calamari and some kind of grilled shrimp. The crab cakes were tasty, very garlicy and full of flavor. The shrimp were ok, they seemed a touch undercooked to me. I'm not a fan of their calamari. They use the larger squid and don't serve the tentacles (the best part!) cuz I guess they freak out some (mostly white) people. I hate it when there's no tentacles! To sum it all up. Appetizer trio- Skip it King Crab Legs- Get it! but get someone else to pay for it. Clam chowder- while the promotion lasts, get 2!

    (4)

  • Habit Y.

    first off this is NOT THE FISH BAR...need to make another trip for that, cause word on the street, i'm BEYOND missing out! but if you need to get warm and grab a drink this is not a bad stop. the crab cakes are good, drinks are strong, and papa likes the clam chowder, shoot me for saying it, but i've had better. service wasn't bad, and Ivar is waiting out front for your touristy photo opp., put it on the list, worth checking out

    (3)

  • victoria w.

    A must for taking out of town guest out for lunch, dinner, or happy hour. The atmosphere of the pier and the view of the sound and the ferries is a picture perfect backdrop of Seattle. I love their happy hours. Priced perfectly for amazing goods! We celebrated my 30th birthday with a large (demanding) group, our waitress was so patient and accommodating. With all the madness, she kept calm and made all of us so happy. The food was great and the drinks kept coming. Thank you Ivars for a memorable birthday!

    (5)

  • Shannon W.

    Although in a "touristy" part of the waterfront, I was pleasantly surprised by how good and fresh the halibut was at Ivar's. Both locals and tourists filled the tables when we were there, and I loved to sneak a bread roll and feed the well-trained seagulls on the back porch. I also enjoyed looking at the many pictures of Seattle during the early 1900s (we joked that the restaurant should be renamed to Acres of Pictures). If you're looking for good food and a great view of the water, try Ivar's.

    (4)

  • M. G. D.

    When I'm near the water, I want some good, inexpensive seafood. No hoity-toity stuff. Fish n chips and great chowder are all I need. Besides, Ivar's is a Seattle landmark.

    (4)

  • Ai C.

    Parking is a hassle but...Love their clam chowder and the view can't be beat! To me, still the best fish and chips ever! and the view of Puget sound --- Paradise!

    (4)

  • Julia Z.

    This is for the fish and chips stand next to the fire station, where we stopped yesterday on the way back from the ferry. Service was miserable. There were three clerks and it wasn't clear who was doing what; one of the clerks became available and took the people who were BEHIND us in the single line... WTF?? We got two orders of fries; good at first when they were hot, as they cooled off, they started to taste fishy, because they probably cook the fish and oysters in the same fryer. Ugh. Not my speed. Yay seagulls! It's fun to feed them, even though it's probably bad for them somehow.

    (2)

  • Brent R.

    The chowder here is amazing. I have enjoyed both the Seafood/Salmon chowder and they are both excellent. Honestly when I visit again I will most likely just order a heaping serving of the chowder. My entree was a well prepared salmon filet on a bed of asparagus which hit the spot nicely. The service was friendly and accommodating and the view wasn't bad as we got to watch the ferry's arrival. A nice restaurant to just sit and enjoy food with family or good friends. The non-seafood menu is a bit scarce though so I wouldn't drag any fish haters to this restaurant(unless they don't mind having a burger).

    (4)

  • Josh B.

    Ivar's has pretty decent seafood. It's pier location and landmark status make it a pretty good place to take out-of-towners. But it's quite expensive for what you get. I'd say there are a lot of places in Seattle that you can get better seafood for the same price (I recommend a trip to Ray's Boathouse of course!). I had the namesake dish ("The Acres of Clams") and it was pretty tasty, but not meaty enough to be really filling. On the bright side, they did serve me some pretty amazing Blueberry-Vanilla ice cream.

    (3)

  • Drew B.

    Great dinner. From out of town couldn't of asked for better service or food. Suggest Ivars combo. Steak and crab legs

    (5)

  • Ken R.

    This place is a great place for Happy Hour for seafood lovers only at the bar side. Great price & portion on the happy hour menu and the drinks is just right, but the only problem is finding a seat when its busy first come per serve so when you find one grab it right away.

    (4)

  • Thu T.

    come here for the happy hour very reasonable!! oyster shooters!! services was friendly not speedy but ok.. drinks was on the light side.. Had a mojito but barely taste any alcohol.

    (4)

  • Jim B.

    My friend Cynthia lives in the area and loves this seafood restaurant located down on the water...and now I'm a fan too! I enjoyed the clam chowder and still can't believe it only cost seventy five cents! I had the Acres of Clams dish and loved it! Service was good though the waiter pretty much brought the soup with the main course and then the check before asking if we wanted dessert or coffee. Great decor with big glass picture windows and reasonably priced for lunch. Very enjoyable! My friend has good tastes...

    (4)

  • Dena P.

    I had not been to this Ivar's since I was a little kid, but I went the other day and it was amazing. I was surprised how busy it was for a Sunday night, but I guess it's a hot spot in Seattle. Even if you've lived in the city your entire life, it's fun to go out and experience Seattle's finest. I believe that Ivar's is a wonderful place to eat and experience the ferry's coming and going at the pier. I had the lobster tail and my boyfriend had the king crab legs. The food was delicious! Our waiter was very prompt and we didn't have to wait for our food for very long. We also split a bowl of clam chowder, which was delicious as well! I saw a few families there celebrating graduation and others on a romantic dinner date. This is a great place to enjoy some great food and the price is right as well.

    (4)

  • Megan L.

    I want to go here EVERY Sunday! All you can eat brunch for $21! The crab is so fresh and delicious, I just sat there for 2 hours just eating and eating dungeness crab. It was so good! There were a lot of other delicious breakfast and lunch items but I was too preoccupied with breaking, opening, and savoring the crab. Out of all my years eating buffets in Vegas, this one has the freshest and most delicious crab!

    (5)

  • Eliza C.

    Dinner at Ivar's was extremely disappointing. My family and I had dinner here during a pre-cruise stay in Seattle. Ivar's was recommended by one of my husband's coworkers, who is originally from the area, so I took her suggestion with high regards. What a mistake! Although my crab dip was tasty, the rest of dinner was definitely a miss. Both my husband and I ordered the Taku River King Salmon, which was served with creamy polenta, arugula pesto and asparagus. The salmon was perfectly cooked, but was ruined with the extremely strong flavor of the pesto, which was smeared over the entire dish. My son, who ordered chicken fingers, was given the wrong entree and had to wait for his correct order. After a dismal dinner, we decided to skip dessert.

    (2)

  • Veronica A.

    Tried their world famous clam chowder...it was good..a little too thick, and even thicker when you add the crackers, but it was seasoned great. Ordered the fried platter with cod, shrimp and clam strips and fries. Can't go wrong with fried food! Also ordered fried oysters on the side. MMMmmm they were delicious! I wish I ate them while they were still hot. (Doesn't taste the same as left overs) Our waitress was attentive. The restaurant is beautiful. Has a great view of the bay!! Bathrooms were clean and the best part was our kids got to eat free and a cup of chowder was only $0.75!!! What a bargain! I'd like to come back here and try a few things off their seasonal menu.

    (4)

  • Amy B.

    I know that Ivar's is supposed to be a Seattle icon - but I don't get it. Really. The clam chowder is fine. I'm sure at some point it was made from scratch but now it pretty much tastes the same as something that came out of can. The fish and chips/fries are also fine - but again, nothing special. The batter seems to be mostly cornmeal which is fine - but not as flavorful option. Even the quality of the fish is just fine - not bad enough to make you sick while not good enough to really leave an impression. The best part of Ivar's is the view (and probably what you are actually paying for). I appreciate that there is a glassed in (and heated) seating area off to the side of the actual stand. A nice place to sit and enjoy your meal. People always stand outside and feed their fries to the seagulls. I'm sure that this is awful for them but it is very fun to watch!

    (3)

  • Chanda I.

    now they have happy hour every day 3:30pm to close! great spot to start or end your friday. the happy hour has to be eaten at the bar area. $3 Wells, Drafts and Selected Wines Appetizers up to 1/2 Off. come get yourself some chowder! they also have a bunch of fried seafood and non-seafood goodness. also in a pretty spot near the water.

    (4)

  • Dean D.

    We went for the Sunday Brunch buffet. The food here was excellent, raw oysters on the half shell, dungeness and snow crab, omelets made to order, 3 or 4 different types of fish and all you can drink juice. I am definitely going to go out of my way to experience this great smorgasbord of food once again. Everything was really fresh and great tasting! It's also fun to feed the seagulls out on the pier.

    (5)

  • Holly J.

    Went here for the Sunday Brunch, and spent wayyyyy more than I expected! Probably didn't help that I decided to get an alcoholic drink at 9 am, lol. The brunch was pretty good though. I especially enjoyed the omelette station, and the raw bar with the dungeness crab legs and clams. We will definitely go again but not until we have some extra $$$!

    (4)

  • Reg L.

    Ivar Haglund is a Seattle icon. He came over from Russia with next to nothing and ended up being able to buy himself the tallest building West of the Mississippi at the time (Smith Tower) for his birthday. This restaurant is a sit-down-dinner place where all your clammy dreams can come true. I grew up on Ivar's Clam Chowder and basically don't like any other kind. This is where the best ICC is available. You can buy it at Costco in Seattle (frozen) or at any of dozens of "Clam Bars" around the city. But this place really is the best of it. Acres of Clams has the full range of cocktails, appetizers, and entrees and is mostly seafood. I think there is one chicken and one beef on the menu. But honestly, you go for the clams. If you're in the mood for a faster, dirtier clam fix, check out a Clam Bar and get deep-fried clams (they're served as "Clams 'n' Chips". But this is a good place to get a clam fix while pretending to be respectable about it. Regardless, keep clam!

    (4)

  • V R.

    A must for good old clam chowder!

    (4)

  • Kyle B.

    Best Happy Hour in Downtown Seattle hands down! Almost half off on all food and appetizers, cheap drinks. Food is great. Location is on the water, and happy hour goes from 3pm until close. Can't beat it.

    (5)

  • Derek P.

    Mmm mmm good. Nothing like warm Ivar's clam chowder on a clear brisk day. Fish 'n chips are classic as well. I'm not at all sure that eating inside was the best choice today. The whole "Ivar's experience" was lacking. Aged wood, cramped booth seating, hostesses that don't smile on the way in or say bye on the way out (despite making eye contact!). I have a feeling that the chowder servings outside would have been a little more filling - for the prices - compared to the inside seating. Grab a thick coat and enjoy chowder outside rather than inside with the stuffy staff.

    (3)

  • Will M.

    This review is only for the fish and chips stand. The fried fish was decent but nothing special. DO NOT get the fried oysters, a group of seven of us ate here, only two people got sick (like really sick, vomiting, stomach upset, etc) and the two of them ate fried oysters. The clam chowder had a very watery texture but the flavor was good. Overall the food here is over-rated.

    (2)

  • Joanna S.

    Service here is comparable to the lovely fecal matter blanketing the neighboring dock, courtesy of the seagulls hovering above Ivar's. I'll admit I hate seafood. But no excuses! Ivar's could've/should've held onto a glimmer of hope with its prominence among the barnacles & clam-loving crowd, and the fact that sitting at a table here kinda feels like you're on a ship. Which is kinda cool. But Ivar's was so sluggish with their service and took forever to notice we'd finished and were in need of the final check... I get the impression that this place is begging to be dined & ditched.

    (2)

  • sheri A.

    We love Ivar's happy hour - which lasts all week long from 3 to close during spring. The deals are great, the selection is great and the portions are very large for happy hour prices. The one thing we didn't care for were the fish and chips. It just wasn't that classic batter. But that is our only complaint. The waitstaff was always attentive even though they were very busy and the food and drinks were great.

    (4)

  • John O.

    We went to Ivar's Acres of Clams after a day of walking around Belltown. We took the Metro 99 (free) down Alaskan and got off the bus right in front of Ivar's. We were starving, so anything should have tasted GREAT. It was okay. The salmon I had was mediocre, and the caramelized brussel sprouts that came with it were really good. It was a little pricey, I thought, but it has a really nice atmosphere, and our waiter was very friendly and helpful. I'd be willing to try another dish there in the future. Oh, and they have fantastic Puget Sound views, as do many seafood restaurants in the Seattle area. I still say Arnie's is better, if you live in the Edmonds or Mukilteo area.

    (3)

  • Michael W.

    This review is for the seafood bar adjacent to the main restaurant. Ivar's has always had some really good fish and chips. Ever come down here during the day??? It is crackin' with tourists and the like. But rightfully so, their fish and chips are made of smooth mouth watering cod. Try their oysters and chips? Yum. Clam chowder. Yum x 2. I've been a believer though cuz my Dad has worked at the main restaurant for more than 25 years as a cook. Keep up the good work Dad! Love you

    (4)

  • Paul B.

    Great food and service. Good beer. Nice view as well.

    (4)

  • Alex S.

    we went there last Sunday. didn't like it. Salmon did not taste fresh, prices were very high for mediocre food. can't imagine why this place has 4 stars. I'd say 2 stars for food quality is more correct. but given that this place is very expensive and you'd expect something great in return- have to give it 1 star.

    (1)

  • Lizzy J.

    Oh Ivars! My new mistress of Seattle! The NW Seafood Chowder was to die for! Even though it was super hot I enjoyed every bite and until I burned off my taste buds! I couldn't stop eating and then it was all gone. I will definitively come back to have another bowl - nothing else just the Seafood Chowder.

    (4)

  • Billy M.

    It's a classic. The place has been there for over 70 years and where else can you get a cup of chowder for $ .75?!?!? A must "eat at" when in Seattle!

    (5)

  • Landon H.

    I echo all that is cliche about this Seattle staple: great food, great view, great experience. A little overpriced, but Ivar's is the scratch for you seafood itch.

    (4)

  • Jennifer W.

    How can anyone not give Ivar's a 5 star review? I have had my share of clam chowder in the Bay Area, and while some are memorable, especially along S.F. Fisherman's Wharf, none stand out more so than Ivar's. It is so thick you can eat it with your fork. No, seriously, Vicky L. really ate it with her fork. We also shared the fish and chips and calamari strips. Both were delicious. Lightly fried pieces of fish with creamy tasty tartar sauce. The best part of the whole Ivar's experience are the seagulls and their gleeful dives and screams of joy when someone feeds them. Equally as entertaining is watching your good friend feed the cute little ones only to have one chunky seagull fly over her head and snatch the fry right out of her hand. Yes, I admit, I watched this from the safety of the glass enclosed dining area and shook my head as she still attempted to feed all the other little ones. But hey, she had a great time, the seagulls were well fed, and we dined out on some of the best clam chowder in the Seattle area. I would say it was a win win for all of us.

    (5)

  • Jose B.

    bomb.com fresh seafood cant beat it

    (4)

  • Alan M.

    Good food, though overpriced. Nice views. Courteous service, but very slow.

    (3)

  • Elaine L.

    Each time I come to Seattle, I either eat at the Acres of Clams or the adjoining Fish Bar at least once. Waitstaff is very efficient, great when you need to catch the next ferry over to Bainbridge. I enjoyed the broiled fresh Alaskan halibut with asparagus recommended by the waiter. And of course, Ivar's clam chowder is always as good as I remember it to be. The entrees in the restaurant are on the pricey side, but the quart of clam chowder that I ordered to go was cheaper than I could get from the fish stand next door. Strange, huh?

    (4)

  • Allie S.

    Food is average and expensive. It has some great history and a nice spot on the waterfront but I don't go for the food. I prefer Ivars Salmon house location more but there are so many better places for fresh fish.

    (3)

  • John P.

    The Sunday Brunch has a respectable variety of good, but not great, food. The price of the brunch includes the premium waterfront location and the name. I looked over the water and thought of a different waterfront, big name, restaurant where, for about the same price, I can have a bigger selection of much better food. There's a reason that the line at Ivar's isn't as long as Salty's.

    (3)

  • John C.

    this is a great place. the food was excellent, and the view was quite possibly the best in the house. we were right at the end of the wharf, had very good service, and excellent food.

    (4)

  • nikki c.

    My boyfriend and I went here for fresh 2 POUND Dungeness Crab while on a mini vacation. Hailing from Chicago, this was a treat! The atmosphere is great and we had a wonderful view of Puget sound. The cost of dinner with a bottle of wine and tip was only $130! I was torn between the fresh Halibut and the Crab, but decided to go with the crab. My only regret is that I didn't have any room to try some the fresh chowders! definitely would recommend trying this place!

    (4)

  • Kelley H.

    One reviewer said the food is "average and expensive" - they nailed it. I've never had GREAT food here. I find their happy hour food way better than any of the entrees and they are all so cheap! On fridays HH lasts till closing. One of the waitresses there signs so if you are an ASL user, its an added bit of fun. I don't think I'll ever eat another entree there in the dining room, but I love the bar and the HH selection is great.

    (3)

  • Michael F.

    Great view right on the waterfront. The clam chowder is highly recommended and rivals most on the Atlantic.

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    Went there for dinner and go there early so went and had drinks in the bar. Drinks were good and not watered down as I expected for a touristy place. Food was decent with the clan chowder being the highlight. Took off one star due to our server being semi-attentive.

    (4)

  • Pauline S.

    I love clam chowder. I'm the person you will find at Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf secretly hiding a plastic spoon, using it to sample paper cups of clam chowder as I walk down the road of sumptuous food. I love tasting the subtle variances of buttery and fishy. Though there is no better bargain in life than a cup of chowder for 75 cents and a bowl of chowder for $1.50.... good chowder and awesome chowder is awesome chowder. This is awesome chowder. It was filled with clams and potatoes and had a lovely taste of bacon in the background. You know what they say... nothing is better than bacon! But it's a subtle hint and doesn't overpower the clams. I had to also try the fish chowder. For those who don't like thick type chowders, this was the better choice. It definitely had more of a fish taste to it and tasted more ocean like. Very good, but I prefer the clam chowder. There was four of us, and two of us got entrees. There were alot of types of fish dishes and I didn't even notice that there were different types of salmon. I got the one with the butternut squash risotto. My 2nd choice would have been the one with the polenta. I'm not sure what steered me to the one I chose. My boyfriend got the salmon with the mashed potatoes. His was the salmon I preferred. This is the lighter, flakier type of salmon. The salmon I got was the darker flesh color that was more dense. The greens I got could have been cooked a little longer so it was tender. I was a little thick and chewy. I'm not sure what type of green it was. My guess would be kale. If I had remembered, I would have asked for it to be not as salty, but it was a little salty. But I tend to have a low tolerance for salt. Our server couldn't have been any nicer. He was very accommodating when I asked him for a small dish of romaine lettuce with a little of the beet salad salad dressing because my aunt didn't like the arugula . I asked for a waterview and I got it. NICE. I loved Ivar's so much that I had to get to the airport hours earlier so I could get some to take home. I hope I can get back before the anniversary price for chowder is over...

    (4)

  • Scott B.

    My first review ever, but this place deserves it. We went for the Sunday brunch from 9am to 2pm. It was $26.00 for adults and $14 for kids and had everything. Roast lamb, prime rib, crab legs, omelet bar, pasta bar, huge amounts of deserts and superb staff. I will go again.

    (5)

  • Katie D.

    I've been for happy hour a few times and enjoyed it. Last night, we I went for dinner for the first time and was totally taken aback by the terrible service. We waited an hour before our order was taken another hour before the food came. My mojoto, which tasted like watered down 7up, had everyone at our table thinking the bartender forgot to put rum in it. When I asked the waiter about it, he gave me serious attitude and ask "well would you like a double?". Um, no, I want my $8.00 mojoto to taste like a mojoto.....and all at our table agreed that while the food was good, it was wayyyy over priced and not worth the extremely bad service and wait. Go for happy hour, or the fish bar outside.

    (1)

  • Holly J.

    Great happy hour for the price and a brunch that is much less expensive than Salty's

    (4)

  • Ian M.

    Stopped in on a lark, looking for a seafront seafood to fulfill box three on my list of tourist cliches. A wee bit pricey, but great food. I got the "title track" from the restaurant: the acre of clams. Very good, I had never shucked my own shelled seafood before, and was a little weary of "effort food" based on my experience with spiny king crab legs. But the process was painless enough, and the clam meat within satisfied my palette with a succulent lemon sauce and red potatoes. The little lady had some salmon, which was also delicious and presented elegantly. The view from the booth window wasn't as great as I would have hoped though, as there giant fishing boats blocking the skyline. I probably wouldn't go there again if I ever find myself in Seattle again (though I make a point on not retreading most steps on vacations) but it was all in all a satisfying dining experience.

    (4)

  • joe c.

    I know it's touristy, but I am a tourist here. The place looks like every other of it's kind, but I wanted some fried seafood and they really delivered a delicious version of that. The fried seafood plate was really, really great. (And yes you can have bad fried seafood, it doesn't all taste the same) We had a table by the window with a nice view. I normally like a more local flavor, interesting restaurant, but this day, this is what I wanted and I was not disappointed. I would go back!

    (4)

  • check p.

    ivar's has a great happy hour, because they have non fish items, and it lasts until closing on Friday night! The clam chowder was thick and not floury, fried calamari was delicious too, really fresh tasting. Also had the caesar salad with blackened salmon- excellent, and a pork slider (the non fish, spicy, and tasty). service was great, and the view at sunset was worth the price alone. But the price was half a little more than half price!!! Service was just fine. what more can I ask for?

    (5)

  • Gina T.

    So okay, maybe I am a bit bias here... I don't work here, and I won't admit why... but this place has really come a long way in the past few years. I remember hearing the name Ivars and thinking over priced deep fried fish bar. This is really not the case at Acers. They not only care about the experience you have while dinning but the quality and menu has vastly improved. It may seem at bit on the high end for people that like deep fried everything... because their selection has become seasonal and fresh. Don't be that patron that orders the 'chicken' dish at a seafood place. Venture out and try something off the fresh sheet. The chef has worked hard putting together some interesting seasonal creations that's whole purpose is to please the pallet. They really aren't trying to gouge you out of your money, they are trying to impress you so that you come back. Why else would you go out to eat when most of the stuff on a traditional menu you could make at home for less than half the cost! Oh and don't let me forget the brunch! I have heard people say they thought it was pricey... but come one people crab, clams, salmon, halibut, and even more at all you can eat. Very worth way more than what they are charging. Long story short here, Ivars Acers of Clams is not only a Seattle staple, great spot for tourists and locals alike but frankly just really good food.

    (4)

  • WK H.

    Went to their happy hour. Food was decent. Your better off getting fish and chips here during happy hour as its the same portions as you would buying it outside and its cheaper. Overall i was satisfied with my experience but was not wowed by anything in particular. Prices are decent. Giant tourist trap, but your near pikes market so go figure. I would come back again.

    (3)

  • Michael R.

    Samon and clam bowl is the Best!

    (4)

  • Mongrul H.

    Need to throw in my two cents. Ivar's is great! The chowder is delicious every time. The oysters are really good, fries are good, fish is good, shrimp....mmmmm, everything is good at Ivar's. Their almost like Mcydyee's of the Northwest now when it comes to seafood, but it's damn good, and fairly cheap! When I get on a ferry to go to Bremerton, or back to Seattle, I always get a cup of Ivar's clam chowder! It warms your soul!! Add some Tabasco if you like a little heat. It works perfectly. I had to leave WA today, and as I passed Ivar's in the airport I shed a tear because the line was too long and I was late for boarding. I wanted that last cup....... :^( I'm still pissed about that....

    (4)

  • Bill V.

    Fast service... Too fast. Please don't rush me. You have 28 open tables, I can take my time. On the dock, I expect better. Meh.

    (3)

  • Dave E.

    Every visit to Seattle has us seated here to gorge ourselves on clams. The 2# bucket, downed with pints of Mannies, makes for an enjoyable meal. Service is great - but I recommend you make reservations so you can skip the waits... easy to do that online. Other meals high on our list include the regular halibut fish & chips (not the pricy version).

    (4)

  • Laura M.

    The inside is beautiful. That is about it. I would much rather spend my time in one of their fast food counterparts. The service was sloppy. There were was a lady complaining when we first arrived there. Then two tables in our section got up and left before their order was even received. I should have followed suit. 45.00 for King Crab legs....and nothing else. French fries added as a great help to us. One lb only. I got a meal I'd get at a normal Ivars. It was called the Northwest Fried Platter. I got the two most awful pieces of salmon in it. I've gotten a much better selection in their fast food places. Got my daughter a lil kids nibble to eat, her fries came out cold, and her fish was dripping with excess grease. My friend, who is from Hawaii, left hungry after eating over cooked, and reheated tasting crab. We could have gone down to the Crab pot and had a better experience, been full, and paid A LOT less. Now I understand why they have the street side right outside.

    (1)

  • Rowena D.

    + Like fresh crab meat? Yes. + Like life altering clam chowder? Yes. + Like a great view while you eat? Yes. GO TO IVAR'S NOW!

    (5)

  • Matthew O.

    Since moving away from the coast, getting decent chowder and fish & chips is impossible. So driving thru, this stop was a must. Best happy hour in Seattle and it lasts until close.

    (5)

  • Roger A.

    I love Ivars. I ask for Fried Clam and that is what I get. Ashamed of the Ivar's down in San Jose.

    (5)

  • Cathy G.

    I go here regularly. I usually get the same thing. Chowder and fish and chips. I love the area. I love the food. I love the tartar sauce. ooopps gotta get going oops I am leaving to go buy lunch at 10 am.. hmm better stop and shop first

    (5)

  • Keith A.

    Went here for vacation with my family and it is spectacular. The food here is out of this world and is thee best seafood I have ever tasted. I will be making annual trips to this home away from home.

    (5)

  • Heather V.

    Great for a Seattle tourist experience. The Fish and Chips are delicious and the Chowder is pretty good too...

    (3)

  • Jeri L.

    Every time I visit family in Seattle, they know the first thing I want to eat is Ivar's. We were recently there for 4 1/2 days. I had Ivar's four times :D Clam chowder is amazing. Super Combo all the way. It's the BEST; enough said.

    (5)

  • Brent L.

    This is probably one of my favorite places to kick back and relax in after work. Love the bar, and the happy hour. Great selection of brews and well priced seafood in a great classy environment.

    (5)

  • Beudreaux D.

    This is a long time Seattle favorite with the traditional style Northwest seafood fare. The ambiance is great. Nice view of the water towards West Seattle and the state ferries coming and going. The bar is great, especially for happy hour with very good drink and appetizer choices at nice prices, do this at least. Go here for traditional style seafood, like deep fried stuff and the clam chower is a local favorite. Sometimes I want the food to be predictable. Like, not pureed with bulger and squash or some New Age experiment from the kitchen. Ivar's won't do that to you. Service is usually good. The bartenders are professional and friendly. They could improve the quality of their hostesses. Last time I was there, they were too unorganized or lazy to come get us in the bar when we weren't standing in the lobby when they called our name despite having three on duty at once and being *told* we were in the bar. Sheesh. The sad thing is Ivar's didn't make any money for the dinners we would have bought if we had been seated. The wait staff didn't make any tips. And I will probably go somewhere else now when I am trying to impress an out-of-town friend what great seafood places Seattle has. Good hostesses are more important than cute ones.

    (4)

  • C C.

    I had the fish and chips and a cup of chowder and I must say that the fish and chips had to be one of the best I've had. The fish was cooked just right and not over done like most I've had. It was not over breaded with oily fatty batter. They actually used the good stuff to bread the fish. Out of all the restaurants I've tried along Alaskan Way, I liked Ivar's best.

    (4)

  • Eddie I.

    Great "Pier 54 Clam bake", more than enough crab, mussles, clams and Prawns - good quality and steamed to perfection in a nice mild sauce. Also had a good selection of local brews, unfortunately due to the clam bake could only try one of the beers :( The Washington Coho Salmon with braised pork was also done exqusitely. Oh yeah, almost forgot, the seafood chowder - WOW. Actually fairly reasonable, though not cheap.

    (5)

  • Erika O.

    Their happy hour is now 3pm-close! Went before a Sounders game. The salmon BLT is really yummy. Only complaint is that the drinks are a bit steep for a Happy Hour ($5 beers). There is ample seating and the staff at the bar were really attentive and friendly while I was there!

    (4)

  • Sarah B.

    Ivar's is good fish and chips, good chowder, and a great view. But there is better on this block. Don't do the sit down restaurant inside because it's just jacked up prices and ambiance. If you want something fancy, walk down to Anthony's. But the outside booth gives decent deals, no beer out there though. I've stopped by here a few times and do enjoy the food but usually, I keep walking down to Steamer's because I really enjoy their fish and chowder more. And they serve beer and have better ambiance in my opinion.

    (4)

  • Marissa W.

    First, I need to say I've never been here for dinner. So I can't comment on that. What I can comment on is the lunch and brunch. Lunch: Not too pricey, excellent food and service, and a beautiful view. The parking (or lack thereof) tends to keep me away from lunch here on a regular basis, but when I have friends or family in from out of town it's worth bringing them here. Brunch: THIS is what it's all about. I am in love with their brunch. The selection is amazing: clams, shrimp, crab, mussels, clam chowder, baked and fried fish, barbecue chicken, roasted beef and lamb, all manner of fruits and vegetables, two full tables of pastries and cookies, crepes, waffles, omelets, bacon and sausage, eggs benedict... I could go on and on. You'd have to be deliberately difficult to not find something worth eating here. The price is on par with much less impressive buffets, too.

    (5)

  • Nita M.

    Probably seems a little silly for a vegetarian to review a seafood restaurant but I'm sure I'm not the only vegetarian who ends up getting stuck at a seafood restaurant because of work. The menu really doesn't have much to offer for vegetarians - there is no "side" section to make your own meal out of vegetables & baked potatoes & whatever else. Our server wasn't particularly accommodating when I asked to add vegetables that were accompaniments to other dishes to my order, and by that I mean I was unable to. I ordered the mixed green salad to start and the one vegetarian entree, the grilled vegetable medley. The salad was fine - mixed spring greens (at least it wasn't iceberg) with a few tomatoes & carrots. The medley was pretty good but way too small to make a meal (the extra veggies I asked for would have helped...) and overpriced. It was grossly oil, but had a very nice garlic basil flavor from the tomato sauce. Next time (well hopefully there isn't a next time) I will order it easy on oil & extra sauce & double the vegetables (hopefully a nicer server too).

    (2)

  • Tara S.

    Wonderful meal....Copper River Fresh Salmon just perfect, Halibut wrapped in bacon delicious and Acres of Little Clams tasty! Service accommodated all of our large group needs. One of our favorite places to take visitors.

    (5)

  • Jim B.

    Ivar's Acres of Clams was a pleasant surprise. The northwest seafood chowder & local Manila clams were absolutely delicious. I ordered the Ivar's Mixed Grill Trio. The honey glazed prawn skewer; Alaskan halibut with citrus and herb compound butter; wild Washington coho salmon with basil pesto and Yukon gold mashed potatoes were all delicious. One of the guys in our group ordered the king crab legs & steak. He said the crab legs were fantastic but the steak was not so good. The service was very good. We had a table by the windows with a nice view of the water.

    (3)

  • Lynette W.

    Great for buffet brunch. Lots of choices and good for seafood lovers. I myself am not a seafood lover, so I have only been in for brunch. I absolutely love a good buffet with lots of choices though.

    (4)

  • Shannon W.

    So we stumbled in here after doing some happy hour hopping around Seattle on a Friday evening only to find out that they were having happy hour too (from 3 until closing!). What a great surprise! We scarfed on all kinds of dishes.... fish tacos, steamed clams, fish & chips, clam chowder, and even had dessert--creme brulee & chocolate mousse!! All of it was great and at happy hour prices, this place just can't be beat. The only downside was cold coffee/tea and lack of napkins and silverware--have to take off a star for that. But we will definitely be going back! We left happy as clams :)

    (4)

  • Raymond T.

    Dined there the week of June 14 and it was a good experience. Not as good as Elliotts but still very solid. I liked the atmosphere at Elliotts better and it also had a much better selection of oysters and seafood in general. Ivar's is not as expensive as Elliots. Good quality food, excellent service...

    (4)

  • Kari C.

    Horrible service, too bad cause it could be a cool place. Clam chowder was delicious!

    (3)

  • Michele M.

    Sunday brunch is the way to go. Holy moses on a mountain of food. Crepe bar, omelette bar, waffles, pancakes, eggs benedict, fruit, seafood, sausage, bacon, dessert, OMG. Don't eat dinner the night before so you can fit it all in, then go for a major walk. There is a FULL BAR, too for mimosa and bloody Mary fun. SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!

    (5)

  • Kathryn F.

    We were taken here for some great seafood and were not disappointed! We had the Smokey clam cowder, steamed clams, burger, salmon salad all were delicious! Looking forward to going back on my next trip to Seattle.

    (4)

  • Steve J.

    This is a must if you like seafood. The atmosphere is great on the pier and the staff went out of their way to accommodate our large group with kids.

    (4)

  • Robert J.

    A 3PM to Close happy hour is an excellent idea. This place is full of cultural goodness. Ivar's acres of Clams is delicious. I had a strawberry daiquiri and it was only $2.95. I wanted oysters but they weren't terribly fresh. So, I had a cup of the North Western Chowder that was excellent. Not nearly as good as Pike Place Chowder.. But then again what could be? I also had Sauteed Manilla Clams and Penne Cove Mussels with their sour cream and chive red mashed potatoes. Everything was excellent. Then, we get to the dessert. The dessert was the best part of the whole entire meal.. it was a carmel chocolate cake with a pool of carmel sauce and creme anglaise with german dark chocolate and a chocolate moose on top. The bottom line: Perfect food. Service was fast and the waitress was nice. Everything was priced pretty well for being a fancy restaurant.. The only thing is that they didn't have fresh oysters.

    (4)

  • Ryan H.

    had happy hour apps in the bar, pretty darn cheap prices for the location, food was only slightly better than average, but very cost-friendly

    (3)

  • Rob O.

    A classic seafood restaurant that is well done. We had the blue cheese appetizer, which surprised us. The cheese was more of a mix between Brie and blue cheese-not too pungent with a creamy texture. It went great with the accompanying raddicio and toasted crackers. Everyone raves about the clam chowder, but it was a little thick for my taste. Fish and chips were spot on and what you'd expect. And we also ordered the fish tacos which were wonderfully seasoned and tasty.

    (4)

  • Karl S.

    This was charming. We ate at the outside fish and chips. The Clam Chowder was delicious, and great on a cold Seattle day.

    (5)

  • Kyann M.

    Go for the clam chowder. It is delicious!

    (5)

  • C. W.

    No, just no. I did not fly all the way to Seattle for fast food. I was so disappointed to have wasted a meal at this place. Never again!

    (2)

  • Marie S.

    Did happy hour last night here. It was good and decent prices. We ordered two bowls of clam chowder which was good, but not the best I have ever had. I prefer dukes or pike place. My bf had the fish and chips and I had the nebraska cheeseburger with bacon. My bf liked the fish and chips which I thought was okay. Not the best fish and chips ever, but not horribly greasy like other places. Fries were okay. I am quite picky on my fries though. MY burger was pretty tasty. It was moist and they toasted the buns which I like. Fresh veggies. I wish they would have used the thicker crispier bacone though. All in all, good and good prices.

    (4)

  • Angie B.

    The clam chowder was good but nothing special. I thought the food was over priced. My dish lacked flavor. I ordered a combination plate with crab, salmon, halibut, muscles and shrimp in sauce. Was not impressed at all. Would not go back.

    (1)

  • Chimi A.

    Had a great meal, everything tasted great! I ordered the steamed clams and fish & chips. Very yummy. Will definitely return when I go to Seattle next!

    (5)

  • Alyssa A.

    We walked into a dark and crowded waiting area, and because I've never been here before, I asked the hostess where the bar was for Happy Hour. She was kind of a know-it-all, and pointed to a narrow bar entrance while rolling her eyes. Not a good start. The service was lackluster. The waiters and waitresses seemed very tired, and were no more than polite. I ordered my usual Whiskey Sour, which was a bit on the weak side. I ordered the clam chowder, which for $4.50 was a good deal and typical Ivar's tastiness. I also ordered these apple-smoked scallops which were interesting, and not particularly good. They were not what I expected, and came somewhat raw on these puny little crackers. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're feeling especially adventurous and you have a couple of friends to share it with. Otherwise, the view of the water was nice from my friend's point of view (I was seated facing the other direction) and we had ourselves a rather pleasant evening. I think it was due more to good company than to the food or drinks though.

    (3)

  • Hannah C.

    This place has got to be my favorite seafood restaurant in Seattle. We came here on Sunday 8/9 for a late dinner but the food was spectacular even if it was later in the evening towards closing time. The food entrees here are huge so be careful as not to order too much if you had already ordered a couple of appetizers. We had the half dozen of **raw oyster shooters** which had came in each in a shot glass layered over a half a teaspoon of cocktail sauce (of which you could squeeze lemon and tabasco sauce over) was out of this world delicious! The Traditional clam appetizer was nicely done with an insanely delicious sauce of which you can ask for bread to dip into its white wine sauce. Insanely delicious. Then the huge entree called the Clam Bake which had came with a generous mix of steamed mussels, clams, jumbo prawns, half of a Dungeoness crab, with lots of red potatoes halves, and a half corn laced together nicely. There was so much food that we had to take home the left overs. All for about $45. Very decently priced. Service was excellent.

    (5)

  • S D.

    Great view and service, but mediocre, overpriced food...except, of course, the outstanding clam chowder. Calimari was rubbery and way over-breaded, salmon was fishy-tasting, salad was ok but nothing special. Save some serious $$ and skip the expensive, touristy sit-down restaurant. Get a vat of clam chowder to go from the Ivar's outdoor stand, walk out on one of the piers on a cold, windy, rainy day, suck down that chowder and experience true Seattle al fresco dining. Wear your goretex and you should be ok, since the chowder is very, very, very, very hot. Bon appetit!.

    (2)

  • Romeo V.

    Went here for dinner with my mom, sister, brother, and my better half for Sunday dinner... This is going to be really tough for me since I'm a fan of their fish/chips and clam chowder but the "finer dining" experience was just ok for me. Most of my family ordered fish/chips w/chowder and my mother and I ordered the grilled halibut w/ravioli. The grilled halibut cost about $23/$28 depending on the portion. The halibut tasted good and it was cooked very nicely. It came with three mushroom raviolis and that was good as well. Everything was good but I thought it was a little expensive for what I ordered (Tourist trap since its on the waterfront). If you want to order fish and chips, your best bet is to go next door to the Ivar's Fish Bar and order to go or to eat in the covered area. After dinner, my friend told me that their Sunday breakfast buffet is a better deal. I will have to give it another try next time.

    (3)

  • Alyson L.

    I'm going to copy Tony G.'s review for the Fish Bar and say that I would give this location 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding down. The happy hour pricing was great, the food was great, the drinks were great, but ONLY ONE TAB PER TABLE at happy hour? Not so great. Thank goodness for the ATM right next door, but when you have 15 people it's not so easy to figure out who owes what on a $250 tab. They were willing to split it between as many cards as necessary though - they said it really wasn't that hard. They do get major kudos for hooking us up with the tables in front, since all I did was call to warn them that there would be a large group trickling through after 5 or so. The server did his best to get everyone's orders taken in a timely manner and when they brought our food all 15 of us were served pretty seamlessly. Oh, and the food was satisfactory for all of us - damn those fries are good! I'll definitely go back pretty soon or hit up the Ivar's in SLU (at least for Happy Hour which runs from 3PM to Close on Fridays).

    (3)

  • Proteus D.

    Tempted by the great Yelp reviews I came here with some work colleagues while working in Bellevue. It was Wednesday night and the place was empty...which was a red flag as the place is huge. Overall we were quite disappointed. The food is just OK... although we didn't really experiment with the menu too much. We had shared appetizers ...... calamari, crab cake etc, some medium priced wine and I had the Coho salmon (which was quite pricey). Nice enough, just not sure it deserves 4 stars. We all felt a little let down.

    (3)

  • Christina E.

    The bartender was quick, helpful & friendly. She described the different beers available & made sure I liked the one I picked. We were seated at our table before our anticipated wait time. The New England clam chowder was just as good as I remember...30 yrs ago ! Also had the seared Ahi tuna appetizer & tasted my husband's crab cake. All were delicious. But the appetizers, which we had as our meal, came only minutes after the chowder, so the ahi was cold 1/2 way through the meal. I still enjoyed it since I like sushi, but I'm sure it would've been more enjoyable had it arrived later. The crab cake melted in my mouth. It was almost as fabulous as my chowder ! Will definately come again next time we're in the area.

    (4)

  • Kari R.

    I went to Ivars at about 3pm on a Friday. Good time to go if you can. It wasnt crowded at all so we really had the best service and our food was brought to us quickly. My friend ordered the halibut and fries and I ordered the acres of clams. He rated his food at 'good'. I did the same. The acres of clams really is just good. Not great, or amazing. Just so-so. On the good side they were amazingly fresh! Tasted like they were caught not too long ago. The broth was a bit weak to me, but the clams were made rather well. The side dish that came with them was simple red potatoes. You know, the kind you can make at home...only these were worse. They were a bit too hard, but not enough that I would send them back. I guess the major complaint I had was the meal wasnt filling, even a little bit. Point being. It was okay clams, with an okay location that had okay (albeit a bit too dark for an afternoon) atmosphere. Just keep in mind you're probably paying for the waterfront, not the food.

    (3)

  • Ron O.

    Nice place with a good view of the water. I give the white clam chowder a C+ the Penn cove oysters were fine buy they came with a raspberry cocktail sauce that I didn't care for. I prefer the traditional sauce with my oysters. The server did a good job but I feel like the clam chowder should have been better.

    (3)

  • Ryan P.

    Great clam chowder.

    (4)

  • P S.

    OK so we and our dear friends down here in Sacramento have traveled to Seattle and gone to Ivar's for the insanely good clam chowder. Our personal quest is to find one better than Ivar's and so far we have failed. And Ivar's has the best happy hour menu in the known universe. Hello, well drinks for $3? Yummy small plates plates of yummyness cheaper than a Big Mac?!?! Ivar's management, if you read this, please build apartments above your restaurant so we can just live there! Oh yeah, and they have a great view and attentive wait staff. Hope they start that apartment construction soon....

    (5)

  • S B.

    This place appears to be pretty popular, so I'm guessing there is a fairly long wait for larger parties. I, however, was by myself and able to get a seat in the bar area pretty easily. Given its location, I was afraid it would be really touristy. I was pleasantly surprised that the food was actually quite good.

    (4)

  • Aly B.

    My boyfriend and I love going here for happy hour. The salmon Caesar salad is so delicious! The waiter, Derek L., in the bar is so friendly and efficient! We will continue to go here for the great service, delicious food and happy hour prices!

    (5)

  • Laura P.

    1 star for the mashed Peruvian purple potatoes, 1 for the sourdough bread. Sad.

    (2)

  • Juris D.

    Love the chowder

    (4)

  • Kim T.

    This was the first place we had dinner after we arrived in Seattle for a friend's wedding last August. I had the crab legs and they were wonderful.

    (4)

  • Alison W.

    Totally found this place on yelp and was intrigued by their happy hour. I mean, there are not a lot of places that offer it every day from 3pm to close. That's totally awesome. You just have to sit in their lounge/bar area which isn't too big compared to the rest of the restaurant. But like the rest of our trip, it wasn't full. Also being a Saturday, there was no after work crowd, I think. We were meeting up with a friend in the area so we got there a bit early and got drinks. The waitress was cool, checking everyone's ID even though only I was 'drinking.' She came back to check on us in a little bit just to make sure weren't being stood up, I guess. Hahaha. But we were a little hungry so we just ordered. Our friend arrived shortly after though. The food also came out afterwards. We had the seafood chowder, calamari, fish n' chips, and the cod tacos. It wasn't enough food for the four of us so we added the crab quesadilla and the burger. Let's see - I liked the chowder but it wasn't as good as Pike Place Chowder. The calamari was average - tasted like you could get it any old place. The fish and chips were probably my favorite - 3 small pieces of battered fish and a fistful of fries. I love it when the fish tastes fresh and is so flaky. The taco's we also very tasty. The quesadilla was probably my second favorite. Although it was kinda greasy, it went perfectly with my beer. The crab was real as evidence by tiny bits of shell and I liked the flavor the peppers gave it. And sorry, I didn't try the burger. It looked like any other burger though. My first well drink was pretty strong. But I was ok. Then I ordered a beer and I was perfectly buzzed. Does that make me a lightweight? My friends had the strawberry lemonade which is pretty good. Towards the end of our meal, we were seeing less and less of our waitress though. She even forgot that we ordered our second round of drinks and we could see them sitting at the bar waiting to be picked up so we had to remind her. Price wise - you can't beat it. Drafts and wells are $3. And all the food was like 30-40% off the regular price. I love getting things "on sale." The place is located right on the pier and a short walk from Pioneer Square. Well a short walk from Pike Place too or anywhere for that matter since Seattle's such a walkable city.

    (5)

  • Susan S.

    Good tourist stop seafood restaurant on the waterfront in Seattle. What charms about this place is a seat overlooking the ferries and fishing boats coming into port. The food is pretty good - get the chowder special at 75cents for a cup! Yes, 75 cents! Rich, creamy, not a lot of kick, but you can add some pepper for that..We had fried calamari in the bar waiting for our table (ten minutes soon became forty-five, but that's because I requested a waterfront table.) David had the dungeness - - very nice, predictable, but nice. He had a mess of garlic spinach - crispy cooked and fresh, and a whole bunch of beautiful red skinned potatos. I had the dungeness crab cake appetizer, since the calamari filled me up. The two crab cakes were flat and round, crispy with a hint of nut (?) in the breading. Nothing like Maryland crab cakes (er, why should they be anything like that you silly Maryland tourist??) but not as meaty and satisfying as I'd hoped they would be. You know when someone uses claw meat to make a Maryland crab cake? Yuckers...it was sort of like that with these. My wine glass was kept full, and the setting was really nice, so I'd give it a thumbs up for sure. Oh, and if you want lunch to go, there's a 'fish fry' place just next door -- with a ton of options for on the run noshing!!

    (4)

  • Gloria L.

    went for the happy hour!!!! happy hour is definitely worth the deal... i tried the seafood clam chowder which was awesome!!! also had the salmon, and it was super yummy!!!! if i go back to seattle, i would definitely go back to ivar's!

    (5)

  • Barb B.

    Two words: GARLIC FRIES! So effin' good. I don't care what I smell like three days later.

    (5)

  • Ocean S.

    There are so many great seafood restaurants in the Pac NW, but there is such a draw to the Seattle waterfront and Ivar's. Every time I've been there I'm hoping this will be the time I really love it. While pricey for the tourists, it does have a great view from a pleasant dining room day or night. Service has always been good. Warm sour dough rolls are killer and the seafood chowder/clam chowder are very good. Tried the King Salmon special last night paired with purple potatoes and asparagus which was served dressed with arugula and shredded prosciutto. Turned out to be a "heavy" combination that in the end just didn't work. Not saying you won't find anything good about Ivar's, just saying this was probably not their finest moment.

    (2)

  • Nic B.

    Alright, so I didn't actually eat at this location, I enjoyed the Ivars in Mukilteo. However, Ivars is a small family run business with only three restaurants so I'm going to assume a certain level of consistency and go ahead and rate it. We got our table quite quickly, the service was awesome, quick, and friendly, and the food was tasty. I ordered the Penn cove Saffron Mussels and loved every bite of them; it was also pretty amazing that (from the Mukilteo location at least) you can look out the window across the Sound to Whidbey and virtually see the bay that the mussels come from. Fresh and local, who doesn't like that?! I also sampled the Crab Bisque (creamy goodness) and the Alskan Razorback Clams (good). I will say the music selection was pretty lame, but then again maybe I just wasn't feeling jazz flute on Sunday afternoon (I usually limit it to the morning). Overall a great place if you're looking for somewhere not too fancy with quality seafood at decent prices.

    (4)

  • Lisa M.

    Attentive service, nice view of the Sound, but high priced for what you get. I had the crab cakes, got 2 but they were good. The chowder sampler as ok; I preferred the seafood chowder of the 3. Manny's Ale was recommended, and it was tasty. Go with that.

    (3)

  • Will L.

    Headed down to Ivar's with a huge group of Yelpers. Er... not really WITH a huge group, more like I met a huge group there. Whatevah. It's not too fair to rate them on service as there was like 20 of us all clamoring for drinks and food and arriving at different times, and honestly they did a pretty good job considering. The clam chowder was awesome. I stole some fries from Dfens Dan and they were tasty. They had Alaskan Ale which is what I drink at home so... always nice. And finally, they got me a shot of tequila within a reasonable amount of time. TeKillYa. Why did I do that? No clue.

    (4)

  • Robert B.

    We had a couple of hours to kill since the Baimbridge ferry was full the other evening so went over to Ivar's for beer and snacks. I was expecting something like Gladstone's in Malibu but it was not that touristy at all. Food prices were pretty good, beer selection was great (LOVE Beer in Seattle!), wine list was nice, etc. We had a big plate of calamari that was perfectly cooked, crisp and tasty, and a plate of oysters that were fresh, yummy and not too expensive. Waitress was really nice too, even found out why there was no changing table in the mens room for me (it broke and they are remodeling the bathrooms soon and decided not to put it back up). I'll definitely go back to Ivar's next time I get a chance.

    (4)

  • Adam S.

    All night happy hour food and drink with a large menu. Food was good. Great location on the water. Only downside was it was slightly noisy but I sat in the bar so that could be expected. You go here for the location, not really the food.

    (4)

  • Adam M.

    Not a bad place to grab some fush & chups. My only complaint is that they encourage people to feed the seagulls outside where you eat. I guess that's cool if you like having a bunch of flying rats surround you while trying to eat but I'm not into that.

    (3)

  • Stephen S.

    Visited Seattle last week and went hear on the recommendation of a friend. Great ambiance, excellent waterfront view. Our waitress (Stephanie) was outstanding. Very attentive and friendly. Ordered the combo of salmon and king crab legs. Hands down the best king crab legs I've had. Very juicy and meaty. The even slit it so it's easier to get the meat out. Salmon was excellent as well. Girlfriend got the bacon-wrapped halibut and enjoyed it thoroughly. Highlight has to be the original clam chowder. Thick and creamy, exactly what a clam chowder should be. Highly recommend this place if you want some good seafood with a view.

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    The happy hour is a great deal, but otherwise the food is over priced. Sit outside, its the same food for less.

    (3)

  • Berkley C.

    So, my father in law was the smartest here. He ordered a bunch of appetizers. All of his choices were pretty good. I ordered a cup of their renowned white chowder and it was pretty good,but I liked my father in laws choice of seafood chowder better. It had a more complex flavor. My main course was a bit of a disappointment. I was debating between their Acres of Clams (what they're known for) and the whole dungeness crab (a special and a bit pricey). I was advised by the waiter to get the crab because they happened to run out of their regular clams and these were a substitute and not as good. But, it just so happened that my expensive dungeness crab was quite dry. I was so sad. Crab is my favorite thing in the world, more than lobster. I love the process of working for the meat, and the payoff is usually amazing. I don't know how they ruined this crab. To top it off, my father in law got the clam steamers appetizer and it was really good. Though the waiter was very friendly and accommodating, he steered me in a direction that ended up in a lousy crab. I may go back for some chowder, but I've learned my lesson on meals...

    (2)

  • K N.

    This is my all-time favorite happy hour place--don't even bother going there for a traditional sit-down dinner. The hours of said happy hour are extremely generous--from 3pm to closing every freakin' day. Finding a table can be difficult, but not impossible. Get the fish tacos--you will not regret it. Also, since the faire is so inexpensive, get the three dessert sampler and share it.

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    I ordered the halibut & chips (about $18), and shared it with my daughter. She noticed right away that the fish wasn't halibut (we live in Alaska and know our halibut). She told the waiter and he said she was wrong. She argued with him and he was almost abusive (what ever happened to "the customer is always right"?). He ended up saying he'd get us something else, but it was too late. I know the fish was not halibut. It was probably cod or tilapia, definitely NOT what we paid for!!!

    (1)

  • Juanita P.

    Tourist Review: I am forever grateful to a Seattle friend who introduced me to Ivan's. Because he lives here, he already knew what to order so nothing was short of excellent. We started off with the clam chowder-- both the Northwest style white and Ivan's original red clam chowder. Best chowder I have ever had! We also had the grilled wild halibut and ended it off with white chocolate cheesecake. With fresh food, great service and a nice view on the waterfront, this is a perfect place to bring a date.

    (5)

  • H C.

    3.25. The restaurant itself isn't THAT nice but the food is decent. We had the clam chowder which was good, although the bowl is way too big for me to eat as an appetizer. You get served sourdough bread at the beginning as well. Hubby got the seafood linguine which was pretty good and I had the acres of clams. I swear I had more empty clam shells than I did clams. I wish I had ordered the appetizers version of the clams instead of the entree. We had the bread pudding to finish and it wasn't great. In fact, it was a little bit cold.

    (3)

  • Chow L.

    First thing I noticed was the uninviting staff...not one smile, didn't feel very welcome. We came here for a few drinks and appetizers before going to another spot for some crab. We ordered the cornmeal battered calamari, a bowl of the world famous chowder, and clams. Calamari was cold and soggy, clam chowder had decent flavor but I wish there were clams in there. There was a nice smokiness to it though. Maybe some bacon fat. Clams were pretty good, very strong on the garlic and white wine, good portions, great for bread sopping. Our service was attentive but I think a fake smile would have been nice. I don't think I'd be back.

    (2)

  • Amy X.

    Their clam chowder (both red and white) is good. That's about it. My salmon Caesar salad was very meh. I think I would only go back to check out their Happy Hour.

    (2)

  • Brian L.

    I've experienced both the Fish Bar (outside on the pier) as well as the restaurant iteself. Restaurant: I am really disappointed that this place is a far far cry from what it used to be just as far as the diners. There's no dress code, but that definitely doesn't mean that you should be coming in with T-shirts and cargo shirts. It's kind of discrage, really... I know this is in a touristy area, but show a little respect for what I would consider "fine dining" and dress up a little! Ivar's deserves better than that. The food is really good. I'm not sure how extravagant their dishes are as far as something creative or inventive, but if you are getting local seafood, you can guarantee it will be fresh and cooked to perfection. When you have ingreidents that good, you don't need to muck it up with herbs, spices, and sauces. I got the halibut and crab leg combo. Delicious. You may see servers bringing the chocolate cake to other tables, you'll want to get it too. Worth it. Fish Bar: Really good! I got this for my commute on the ferry, and the fish is deep fried to order. Comes with fries (chips) and they'll give you lots of ketchup and tartar to your hearts desire. I like this place, though I wouldn't get it often just because it is priced a little higher than your average fast food. It's not really fast food though... it's good food quickly.

    (4)

  • Sal A.

    This was the first time I've been to this restaurant. I decided to take my family. We all enjoyed it a lot. It was a nice open space and the waiter was very accommodating. We ordered the smoked salmon and corn chowder to start. It was absolutely delicious and tasted homemade. It was a cream based soup but wasn't too heavy. We had the berry and goat cheese salad which was really tasty. The calamari was mediocre but the rest of the food was really good and fresh. We ordered the copper river king salmon to share. It had oyster mushrooms on top and a healthy serving of mash potatoes. This was super fresh and cooked just right. Not over cooked. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant. It's pricey but worth it if you want a good seafood restaurant.

    (4)

  • Kristin C.

    I made reservations here for Sunday Brunch for my parents Anniversary while they were visiting. My parents are seafood fans, but I am not, so I figured this would be a good option so everyone could get what they wanted, and try a little bit of everything. The brunch is pricey, about $27 per person, but there are a lot of food options available. So I definitely think it's worth it for a special occasion. Especially if you are a seafood lover! We saw lots of people piling their plates full of crab legs, mussels, clams, shrimp, cod and salmon. They even had fish and chips available to appease my picky seafood eating boyfriend! I had some of the clam chowder, and as always from Ivar's, it was quite good. In the end, ironically, my parents ended up eating more of the food that wasn't seafood. There were so many options. A few: - Omelet bar. I had a delicious bacon, cheese, mushrooms and chives, with some red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick(never thought of that before!) -Crepe bar, waffles, pancakes, and french toast. They will even make you bananas foster! -Lots of cookies, and pastries. Some delicious tarts, and eclairs. - Eggs Benedict, bacon, and Uli sausages. - Lots of fruit available. I think I ate at least 1/2 a plate full of yummy pineapple. There is definitely something here for everyone. Service was fantastic as well! We always had a full beverage, our server was super nice, and so was everyone else. I asked about chocolate sauce for the waffle bar, and I was told there wasn't any. So I just had strawberries instead(which were delicious). A couple seconds later though another employee walked up to me and offered to go and get some chocolate syrup for me. While this is a bit out of my price range, if I ever have friends or family in town again, or a special occasion, I will definitely remember it! Make reservations, or get there right when they open at 10 am. This place fills up quickly! They even got us a table right by the water so my parents could enjoy the view!

    (4)

  • Slade M.

    I was quite disappointed. I had fried clams (strips-- no full belly) and they were over cooked. I thought of saying something but the service was so bad it woul dhave taken for ever. My wife had salmon. It was dry. Place was pleasant-- watched the ferrys come and go. But the prices were high, service so-so and food crummy.

    (1)

  • Ann L.

    We went to Ivar's restaurant to treat V.'s sister for lunch. It's next to the take-out Ivar's which is a lot cheaper but we wanted something nicer. We went for lunch Thurs 7/2/09 and we got: FREE rolls w/ butter - fine iced water clam chowder & salmon salad $13 - A. got it & seemed to enjoy it I got a cup of clam chowder $5 & a salmon blt $13 - both were ok, nothing special. J. got a bowl of seafood chowder $6 & bottle of O'Douls beer $3.5 V. got a bowl of clam chowder $6 Total $46.5 + $4.65 tax = $51.15 before tip Credit cards taken. Bathrooms behind the check-in on the Right Sunday Seafood brunch buffet 9a-2p website: ivars.net

    (3)

  • Kyle J.

    As far as seafood brunch buffets go -this is as good as it gets! Especially for the price which I believe was $25. My date and I certainly got our money's worth! the view was great, too - we were seated right by the window. And it wasn't too crowded for Memorial Day weekend '09. I must elaborate on how low my original expectations were and how violently they were shattered: 1) The name Acres of Clams - for me, it has this ring of i dunno, piles of food everywhere. 2) I saw it in a tourism brochure - I'm from NY and our city is flooded with tourist traps in travel brochures, a lot of them right by the airport exit. 3) it was located at one of Seattle's busiest tourist attractions - some restaurants shave off quality since they get the one-and-done travelers and tourists. Sheer volume, mostly non-repeat customers. but BOOM - the first taste of seafood I had there (you can see my pictures), which i believe was an oyster, was fresh and no less than an excellent example of Seattle's Northwestern seafood bounty. Again I went for brunch and they had two chefs: 1 for made to order omelets and 1 for pastas. I remember Crab legs, shrimp, clams, oysters, salmon, fried fish, grilled vegetables, and eggs hollandaise as the standouts. The typical breakfast brunch fare was available and also high in taste, texture, and quality. If I'm ever in Seattle again, i will DEFINITELY hit this place up again for Brunch. (PS - also, walked a block or two to take a cheap ferry to Bainbridge Island after this and had some great ice cream at Mora Ice Creamery yelp.com/biz/mora-iced-c… ) Point blank: Ivar's brunch kept me full all day at a great value and was the best meal i had in Seattle.

    (5)

  • XYZ Q.

    Awesome - great seafood - must try while u r in seattle. my favorite is halibut wrapped in smoked bacon...yummy!!! nice atmosphere. booking system is somehow annoying...i used Open table to reserve tables, twice, they asked me to wait 10 - 15 minutes extra...i make reservations for a reason because i don't want to wait for extra time when i arrive on time.

    (5)

  • Jason W.

    Not the best, not the worst. Check out their fresh sheet and try the white chowder! Great view of the ferry boats coming in and out of the bay.

    (3)

  • Vicky J.

    Man, I love this place for Happy Hour. I just wish it was closer to my work. HH runs from 3:30 until closing, and some of their best food is on the HH menu, which is awesomeeee. $3.50 for drafts, well drinks, and house wines. I went here last night and got a salmon blt for $6 and six oyster shooters for $3. The fish and chips are also $6. I definitely recommend those dish options, as well as the chowder of course. But he options are pretty extensive. I would skip the crab quesadilla. Not enough crab in my opinion. I recommend going for the wine or beer, instead of their wells just because it didnt seem like there was a whole lot of vodka in my vodka soda. But all in all, a very good place for HH, if you don't mind the seagull-feeding tourists outside!

    (4)

  • RJ E.

    Happy hour from 2pm to close makes this the first start on our night out. Seafood including Oysters are on the happy hour menu at the bar.

    (5)

  • Jim K.

    Tasty seafood! I loved my stuffed salmon and steak special. My wife had the clam chowder ins bread bowl, and it was equally tasty. Love the view of the sound from our window seat. Probably would have had another drink if the server had come by more often, but it was nice to have a romantic dinner with my wife.

    (4)

  • Josh M.

    It's ivars, on the water, doesn't get any better. It's good food, as you would expect. Prices are a bit steep for what it is, but it is good

    (4)

  • Dwight K.

    Disappointing. Salmon was overcooked and waiter seemed tired even though it was 6 pm. Sad because I had a memorable dinner here in 1986. Overpriced for mediocre quality,

    (1)

  • Steven N.

    Good gosh, finding this place is like finding a hidden $20 in your wallet. Having been to Seattle on more occasions that I can count on both hands, I have always missed this gem of a restaurant until now. $3 oyster shooters? Happy hour menu all day? What in the world? This is an amazing place and I've been raving about it ever since. i came here on a sunday night around 9pm. it was pretty quiet and eerie i must admit on a sunday night, but given that it was cold and rainy winter day, I don't blame anyone for staying home to snuggle up next to their fireplace. The girlfriend and I ordered about 7 dishes off the happy hour menu including 4 orders of oyster shooters. Yes, that's 24 oysters. It was pretty sickening but oh so good. Not sure if I would order that many again. We brought our own wine as well and to our surprise, the corkage fee was a mere $12. Not bad, not bad. Definitely coming here again, thank you Seattle!

    (4)

  • Mark P.

    Pros: The food is delicious, the sample clam chowder was great, i liked that you can try all 3 types of clam chowder and portions were good. I had the Marsala Clam Linguine With Ulis Chorizo, very good. You can't go wrong with any type of food you order. Cons: Drinks. The first thing I wanted to order was the Margarita but then I found out they use margarita "mix", YUCK , I ordered the white wine sangria , pouring a glass of wine and adding 3 grapes does not make it a sangria, oh and adding more ice than wine watered it down so fast. Coffee: Drip coffee only, really!! Too scared to try it, thinking it might be "instant" coffee Ivar's, serving those terrible drinks is like serving Mrs. Paul's fish sticks. I hope you get my point. I gave Ivar's 4 stars because of the food and service, great service.

    (4)

  • Michael M.

    Service was good. It would have been better if the waitress didn't have too many tables to wait on. She was very polite and didn't give the appearance of being rushed, but we didn't see her as often as would have liked. Food presentation was 4 1/2 stars. That's pretty high for me. It looked delicious. We had the King Salmon (the priciest salmon on the menu), it was cooked very good, but lacked the taste to justify the high price. The view of Puget Sound was wonderful and the atmosphere of the restaurant was nice. I would go back again, but not for a special occasion. I also wouldn't spend the extra money on the pricier items.

    (3)

  • Shana N.

    Happy Hour 3:00-close! Yes, please! I met some friends here for dinner Friday night. We sat in the bar, ate and drank for cheap! We got a table by the window and it was a beautiful night! I had the fish and chips - classic and always fantastic! One of my friend's had the fish tacos with cod - delicious and beautiful presentation! My other friend had the cheddar burger - this was a nice, fat, juicy burger! It was undercooked for her taste, so her husband and I finished it up! It was a tasty burger! The fries are great, especially dipped in tartar! We also had the beef skewers which were good too! And you just can't beat the prices!

    (4)

  • Andrew L.

    My family and I have been coming here for 30 years ... excellent clam chowder, fresh seafood and great selection of beers. Best prices at the bar between Happy Hour until closing.

    (4)

  • April D.

    There was quite a wait, but we opted for the open bar seating during happy hour. And luckily enough, there was a table open. It was packed, but our food came out pretty quick. Our awesome tattooed up waiter was very nice and attentive. We ordered some manila clams, and they were taking a while, but he was always quick to update us, even when the place was pretty packed. We also ordered oyster shooters, scallops, crab cake slider, fish tacos, and the fish and chips. Yes we're fatty. But halfway through, we realized our eyes were definitely bigger than our appetite. I think we definitely could have gone without the crab cake slider. It was good, but it was heavy. The fish tacos were also heavy, and maybe another thing we could have gone without. I liked them, but my friend didn't. Definitely have had better fish tacos. But everything was pretty good. I really liked the scallops. That was my favorite appetizer. They're honey cured and apple wood smoked scallops with a little bit of bacon and a vanilla bean vinagrette sitting on top of a sweet garlic crisp. Yumm. Good times.

    (4)

  • Remash G.

    Another badazz find on good ole Yelp! I had the mignon and king crab. The mignon was perfect and the crab was sweet and moist. Many restaurants boil crabs until it is dry.

    (5)

  • Jessica H.

    This review is based solely on service. Stopping in at lunchtime for some of the "famous" clam chowder during a recent visit to Seattle, my companion and I ended up walking out about 30 minutes after being seated and promptly ignored by the server. There wasn't much of a rush from what I could tell, and we were seated in a high-traffic area of the restaurant, but we could not for the life of us hail our waiter after he made a brief initial appearance to (rather condescendingly) introduce the priciest lunch specials of the day. The runners brought by water and bread, but our server was nowhere to be found to actually take our order--didn't even offer to get us a drink for starters. The guy just struck us as odd and inattentive, to say the least, and after catching the attention of a different server on our way out to explain the situation, we walked out in search of a place where the servers actually...served.

    (1)

  • Randy H.

    Amazing seafood, very fresh, great view of the Sound. The clam chowder is amazing but I was blown away when I ordered the Pier 54 Seafood Bounty. If you enjoy fresh seafood this is a must.

    (5)

  • Wendy T.

    Ivar's is awesome: happy hour from 3pm to close! We went 2 days in a row because we liked it so much. Seated ourselves in the bar, because even at 3:30pm there is a wait for a table (everyone wants a windowside view!). You can see have a great view out the window from the bar area if you seat yourself strategically! The best HH dish by far was the cod tacos: 2 generously stuffed, delicious, tender cod tacos with a side of chips and pico de gallo. Coming in a close second was the house smoked salmon. Served on top of red bell pepper jam and topped with a creamy goat cheese spread. 3 generously cut thick slices. Oyster shooters are a steal, as is the chowder. You can order a half and half chowder to make things interesting! The seafood + white clam is a good mix. The bar manager is fantastic and the best service we experienced in Seattle. On the first visit, he got our order for the second round of drinks, but they never showed. Later, he came over to apologize for the mix up (the waiter thought he brought them, he thought the waiter brought them, so no one brought them!), brought us the beers and took off both rounds of our drinks from the bill. The next day, the bar manager took off the hummus plate from our bill when he noticed we hadn't touched the dish. We told him the hummus was dry and bland. Great service, super deals, worth the happy houring!

    (5)

  • Olivia T.

    I live in Portland, Oregon (currently) and yes we have great happy hours...but nothing compares to Ivar's happy hour. I read review after review about this place and was a bit skeptic, just because people mentioned about how this place is sorta just another tourist trap restaurants. I'm happy to say that what I was afraid of didn't happen at all during our happy hour dinner here. They have happy hour until closing time even on Saturdays. We walked in there and sat at the bar section of the restaurants. My eyeballs popped out when I saw their happy hour menu offerings and prices for them. $4 for 6 Oyster shooters (WOOT!), $4 for Clam Chowder bowl, and the rest of items that we ordered of their menu were in the range between $3-$6. We had the Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad, Fish and Chips, and Steamed Clams. We thought these portions would be smaller portions since it's happy hour, but we were oh so wrong. These portions were decent pretty big portions. We stuffed ourselves silly. The Clam Chowder was one of the best chowders I've ever had. I had plenty of Clam Chowdas in my life, but nothing came close (that's what she said). Our server was so nice, she even gave me the rest of the Salmon piece that supposedly went on the Caesar Salad. Since no one else ordered what I had, instead of threw it in the trash, she gave it to me. Now, that's service. We also had $3 well drinks and $4 beer on tap. We finished our meal with the $5 Creme Brulee. I've never been so stuffed after a good happy hour (that's what she said again..). I miss Ivar's already and of course Seattle!

    (5)

  • Katie S.

    IVAR'S!!! WTF???? No more brunch? What are you thinking? So now I'm supposed to go back to Salty's? Please say it isn't so. Where is the Femme patrol supposed to go for birthdays now? Please change your mind!!!

    (1)

  • Emmy M.

    Food was good, but I think it was very overpriced. Definitely a tourist trap! When the food came out, my first thought was "oh, that's it". I thought the portions would be bigger for the price. But if you do go, get the clam chowder! It was pretty amazing.

    (3)

  • T L.

    We'd been on our feet all day visiting the great Seattle downtown and riding the ferry over to Bainbridge Island and back. The ferry dropped us off on the waterfront, it was getting dark, cold and we were hungry for something good to eat. We looked into Ivar's and were completely surprised! We sat in the bar section, the happy hour runs all the time I believe! Discounted drinks, and we ordered stuff off of the bar menu, and the dinner menu for a great meal. Clam Chowder, Steamed Clams, bunches of oyster shooters, BLT with Alaskan salmon, fried prawns and fish tacos -- all for very reasonable prices! Granted the place is in a busy tourist spot with no parking, but when we left the Seattle seafood transportation gods smiled down on us, an empty taxi was pulling up as we walked out from our great dining experience. When we get back to Seattle we are definitely eating at Ivar's again.

    (5)

  • Robert W.

    So I was in Seattle for a wedding that bit. The morning after I decided to drown my sorrows in some briny oysters on the half shell. Ivar's came highly recommended by the hotel, concierge. They use really fresh high quality ingredients. I think they invest a lot of effort into training their staff, but something was missing from the experience. Actually I think a lot of small items that would be insignificant in isolation added up to a so so, ho hum experience. First off the dining room was more frigid than a Victorian era London maiden. The heat would kick on for 30 blissful seconds and then shut off for 20 minutes, odd. We ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell. They brought 6 of one variety of oyster, 5 of another variety and 1 poor lonely third variety. Maybe this is the norm in Seattle. I'm used to New England or San Fran where if more than 1 type of oyster is avail, the waiter asks what variety you want. The oysters were cleaned well. The accoutrements were first class. I had a sampler of 3 chowders. The soups were on the warm versus hot side (not good). They all tasted great. My favorite was the NW chowder. The fish n chips was made with great fish, it was not fried to perfection. I expect perfectly fried fish at a seafood restaurant. The beet and cheese salad was great. We had to wait about 45 minutes for fresh bread, which was annoying. The service was too slow. A few people ordered a second round of bloody Mary's. After about half an hour our waiter came over and apologized for taking so long to get the Mary's. He stated the bartender was MIA. Again, that is just odd. You are open for business and your bartender disappears for a half hour? Because of the high quality food, they hold at a 3. If there service was better and there kitchen was better about how they send food out, they would have been a 5.

    (3)

  • Christian M.

    Listen to me, people. Someone was paid off, deals were done in back rooms, money changed hands, the objectivity and independence of yelp has been compromised, I'm sure of it. I flatly reject the notion that such an oft-reviewed place deserves four stars. Clam strips - crispy fried lumps of starch boasting a clam flavor so subtle, it's almost imperceptible. I think at most the chef leans in close to the lumps of starch and whispers real intently . . . "clams!", and that's the extent of it. Salmon chowder - hot, salty milk with fingernail-shaving-sized slivers of salmon in it. Too thin, not especially chunky, way too salty. blah. Diet Coke - by far the best thing I ordered, it totally lived up to its name. I did like the enclosed tent on the pier.

    (2)

  • Wayne K.

    As I write this, there are now 105 reviews, but I don't care, I need to tell everyone about the awesome happy hour they have at this place. I happened to stumble across this restaurant/bar as my out-of-town friends and I were looking for a place to drink with a decent view. Although the view was mediocre (you can't really see anything if you're at the bar), we were happily surprised by the after 3pm to closing happy hour with $3 beers on draft, $3 house wine, and $3 well drinks...wow, that's cheap!. Best of all, they have awesome clam chowder and a seafood chowder for $.75. That's right...for 3 quarters, you can get a nice bowl (they call it a cup, but it's a pretty big cup) for 3 measly quarters...booyah...just found my favorite seafood restaurant in Seattle...hehe.

    (5)

  • Jason T.

    I'm a long time regular at the outdoor fish bar on Elliot Ave. IMO the fish n chips are okay, nothing spectacular, but still good. Don't know if anyone else notices this but the fries are ridiculously hot--like temperature wise. 1st degree mouth burns are a possibility. Take your time and savor the goodness.

    (3)

  • Windy S.

    HH is off the chain! Oyster shooters used to be $0.50 ea. they have since raised the price to $4 for half dozen ($0.66 ea) and $4.50 for a pretty good bowl of chowder. Me likey.

    (4)

  • Kerry D.

    I wouldn't have chosen Ivar's, based on the location- I would have assumed it was overpriced and average. I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong! I went with a co-worker who'd been there many times, so he helped me navigate the large menu. We sat in the bar area and got a waterfront table, late on a Sat. night, without any wait. We were pretty happy to find out that the happy hour menu was in place! Great drink/food specials! I had a nice local lager, 3 oysters Rockefeller, chowder and a mini crabcake sandwich- definitely over ordered. The crabcake was ok- completely average, but completely fine. The oysters were very fresh and well prepared/presented. They offer a few different chowders- I had the traditional white chowder. I was expecting something spectacular, since my dining pal said his family ships it to the midwest a few times a year. It was pretty good, a little roux-y- I could really taste the flour- but it was hot and had a lot of clam pieces. The service was really friendly and they were attentive. My friend was really happy w/his food and the prices were reasonable. Not bad, for a tourist trap!

    (3)

  • Nancy D.

    Had friends in town from Texas, what a great time! As always, no matter what I'm having for dinner I have to start with at least a cup of the clam chowder! Heaven in a cup!

    (4)

  • Nico A.

    I love the food here. It may take a while to get a table if you are a walk in so try and make an Open Table reservation. It is well worth it! The seating in the back by the window gives you a great view of the ocean! The clam chowder is to die for and I can't wait to come back here if I'm in town!

    (5)

  • Meredith M.

    Ivar's Acres of Clams is awesome. We are from Vancouver, WA and were not sure if we were getting the fast food version of Ivar's or the sit down restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised that the restaurant was sit-down. It was very welcoming and very large inside. I was worried it would be pretentious but it was the complete opposite. It was low lit in the place which was nice and we got a window seat next to the dock where we could look at the boats and the water. We had a very nice waiter who brought us bread and Diet Cokes and we proceeded to choose our dinner. I got the the Seafood Mixed Grill which was salmon with pesto, halibut with bruschetta, marinated prawns and cheddar mashed potatoes. My husband got seafood fettuccine. We ordered a caesar salad to split because the waiter said it was big enough to share. The bread was good but they only brought out two rolls and no refills. The waiter had the salad but on two plates which was nice too. The main courses were to die for. Very very good fish. My husband kept saying how happy he was with all the food. We will definitely eat here again if we are in the area because we want to try the clam chowder and fish and chips.

    (4)

  • Rob H.

    It has been a good 7 years since I have been here. However, the food is still great. It's a little pricey, 4 fish and chips, 2 bowls of Chowder and 4 Cokes came to $63. But, a day down on the pier and of course letting the little dudes feed the army of Seagulls, it's time well spent.

    (5)

  • Sabina S.

    I adore this place. If you go, go to the bar. Te restaurant is really pricey and probably won't live up to your expectations (except probably the view.) The bar's happy hour is everyday from 3 until close. They have delicious food, including yummy cod or prawn tacos, a delicious happy hour burger, and even crab cake slider. Their bartenders are super sweet, and knowledgeable. During the summer, I'm here all the time after work, and am a HUGE fan. Kudos, Ivar's, keep it up!

    (4)

  • Akbelth B.

    Nice food and great staff The menu has been changed (needs to be updated here) I recommend this place

    (4)

  • Aj T.

    A favorite tradition, seated promtly. 5 on a Saturday evening with no reservation. Excellent calamari. Bacon wrapped halibut very good. Server spaced our courses perfectly. Noisy. good wine list, mostly northwest wines.

    (4)

  • Stephanie I.

    We walked here from the Space Needle, and while on the way here, we were complaining about how far it was (we were tired and hungry and grouchy), it was definitely worth the walk (that wasn't even that far...) We stumbled upon the happy hour (starts at 3pm) which was AWESOME! My table had the Ahi Tuna (so yummy - came with taro chips and this avocado...thing), Salmon (this was ok - too strong flavored for me), Fish n Chips (yum), and the Clam Chowder (SO. FREAKING. GOOD). Seriously, this clam chowder made the entire trip that much better. In fact, we even came back the next day to get more. Prior to this trip, I thought I knew good clam chowder (in Boston)...but this just blew everything out of the water. Must try!

    (5)

  • Michael C.

    This is the best deal on deep fried seafood you will find in all of Seattle. They have three distinct eating areas: the quick outdoor counter, the bar/lounge, and the fine-dining restaurant. The lounge area offers a great view of the water and offers inexpensive happy hour specials from 3pm-close! Yes, try the clams!

    (5)

  • Kathleen L.

    My husband and I met visiting friends in Ivars for dinner. We are from Phoenix,and the friends were from Hawaii. Ivars was recommended as a "must do in Seattle." We had lots of clams for appetizers and then each of us ordered different entrees. The food was very good - a sentiment shared by everyone at the table. The service was quick and the wait staff efficient and pleasant. It's not easy to wait on a large crowd, but it was handled well. Oh, the alcoholic drinks were good - an important observation. There was a lot of confusion as we were leaving and a charge card and reading glasses were left behind. The waiter chased us down with the charge card and the restaurant held the glasses until we picked them up the next day. All-in-all a good experience.

    (5)

  • Elena M.

    Went back for HH again and had a considerably better experience than before. I have to kick them up a star. First off, HH from 3:00 PM to closing, seven days a week, is just awesome. We were going to a show near the market early on a Sunday evening. We wanted just a quick, and not too expensive, nosh beforehand. Ivar's HH definitely filled the bill. The lounge area was crowded, but there were a few empty tables available. We grabbed one of them. A server came over almost immediately and took our drink order. Drinks were brought. Food was ordered. Food was served. I had the fish 'n chips. He had the salmon sandwich. Portion sizes are not huge, but still a definite deal considering how low the HH prices are. We split a crème brûlée for dessert. It did not last long. Next time, we'll each get our own. :--) Service was fine. Our server was handling a lot of tables, but made sure we, and everyone else, were taken care of in a timely manner. We'll be back...

    (3)

  • Kuishimbo F.

    So... came here cuz my friend told me she loooooves this place for the seafood. We walked over from downtown and with a name like "Acres of Clams" I knew at least one thing I was going to order. We started out with a few oyster shooters - which contained cocktail sauce and a fresh raw oyster. Coming from the Bay area... there are many different types of oysters and likes/dislikes. I tend to love small, briny, NOT creamy oysters. Well, these were all creamy so it took a lot of sauce to get it down. Then we ordered a dozen to share of the specials which were just as creamy and had a strawberry mignonette but it was more like watery syrup. Just needed more acidity unfortunately. The clams... well they were small. The dish for appetizer disappeared very quickly since they were small... did I mention, very small? Things that were delicious: - Fish N Chips - the halibut with panko crust was just amazing! - King Crab legs.. yes it came out to about $15 per leg but they were perfectly cooked and sweet, tender, juicy and fell out of the shell - no major tools necessary! So if you want bigger clams, or are used to Manila clams, best to go elsewhere. But the halibut Fish N Chips were the best I've had.

    (3)

  • Aaron C.

    Was doing some Touristy stuff with my Sister who lives here. Knew Seattle (particularly Pike's Market) was known for it's fresh Seafood. Decided I wanted some good Clam Chowder and hopefully some oysters or mussels. We went down towards the docks/ferry port and noticed Ivar's which was supposed to be known for their clam chowder, and seafood. Decided against just going to the Seafood bar because the restaurant looked fairly nice inside. Should have known better considering the hostesses barely noticed us as we walked inside, but sat us down at a booth by the window. First thing I noticed the silverware had one bent fork, and two dirty pieces, gross. I was willing to overlook this because I was pretty hungry. Didn't bring it to the attention of my server, I just pushed them aside to the edge of the table to see if he'd noticed (he never did, but that's fine I guess since I didn't say anything). I ordered the Famous Clam Chowder, my sister ordered the NW Seafood Chowder, and we also split a plate of six fresh oysters on the half-shell. The oysters were good, the strawberry vignette they served with it was pretty awful though. Then we got the chowders. Our server brought us the same chowder, but we couldn't really tell if that at the time, but the receipt confirmed that for us. Rather than make a fuss of it we just paid, and left a pretty mediocre tip and a lesson learned. I should have known better considering my roomate used to work at a "famous" wharf/pier seafood restaurant that was dressed up fancy but was in fact disgusting, over-priced, and not worth the wait. If you think about going here, don't bother, just go to the fish bar and get the cheap-o version. At least there you know what you're getting!

    (1)

  • Ellen D.

    I was in town for the night on business, and I was excited to put a nice meal on the company card. Came here and sat at a table in the bar area by myself - had a nice view of the water and the ferry. Waitress took a little long to come over and greet me, but she looked pretty swamped and frazzled. Once I placed my order for a glass of wine and the steak/king crab dinner, I had some delicious bread. My food arrived after about 20 minutes, and the plate had steak and salmon. I informed the food runner that I had ordered the steak and crab and he stormed over to the waitress. She came over and apologized, saying that she had accidentally typed in "King Salmon" instead of "King Crab" - kind of a weird mistake to make, but it happens. Another 20 minutes go by and the correct food finally arrives - until I cut into my steak... well done when I asked for medium rare. If it had been only slightly overcooked, I might have just eaten it, but wanting a red center and getting back hamburger meat is too much for me. I gave the plate back to the waitress - she seemed genuinely apologetic. Having worked as a waitress for years, I know that things like overcooked meat are not the waitress's fault. Another 20 minutes... finally the right food. At this point, I was already stuffed from the bread and I was tired from travelling all day and sitting at a restaurant for an hour. Food was okay - crab was good, but the steak was mediocre at best. Manager came over and offered to pay for my two glasses of wine, which was a nice gesture for all the food mix-ups. I can see how this is a great place to eat, but my experience was less than phenomenal.

    (2)

  • Inez D.

    The Shrimp salad was very tasty, great service, with the view of the Ferry's, Seattle's Fire Boats and seagulls made for great entertainment. Would recommend Ivar's to anyone visiting Seattle.

    (5)

  • Stella L.

    Came here for dinner after being deterred by the long lines at both The Crab Pot and Elliott's and even though it was our 3rd choice restaurant, we were not disappointed. Dinner rolls - I love it when restaurants serve dinner rolls warm and this place was no exception. Wonderfully warm and soft sourdough dinner rolls. Yum! Fried oysters - These were the BEST fried oysters I've ever had. I was blown away by how large and tender and tasty they were. At other places, they come over-fried and teeny but not at Ivars! Superb! Pier 54 Clam Bake - This dish was large and tasty and the broth was very buttery, just the way it should be. Overall, this place was excellent. I'm glad we went here as opposed to the tourist-trap Crab Pot. Great food, good ambiance, friendly servers - couldn't ask for any better.

    (5)

  • Boris L.

    Ivar's is right at the piers so we thought it was going to be another one of those tourist traps like "The Crab Pot" which we were extremely disappointed with. One thing to note is that this is a review for the restaurant, not the take-out counter for fish and chips (though that is just as good). We went in before noon so the restaurant was pretty quiet and sat by the window overlooking the harbor. The waiter was really friendly and gave us adequate time to look at the menu even though we were all indecisive. In the end, I chose steak with shrimp, asparagus and mashed potatoes, and my dining partners had clam linguine, seafood stew and clam chowder. My steak was cooked perfectly and the shrimp was delicious to say the least. By the end of it, I was licking my lips and despite how full I was, still wanted more. It was that good. My dining partners felt the same one and my friend spent almost an hour on his seafood stew, enjoying every last spoonful of broth and every last piece of seafood he could dig out. Definitely going to come again in the future! Yum!

    (5)

  • Cynthia C.

    I'm so full I'm going to puke... Came here for the Sunday brunch seafood buffet and they definitely have exceeded themselves in the different varieties that they offer for brunch. They had the raw bar (crab, shrimp, oysters), the cooking station (crepe, fried bananas, french toasts, pancakes, waffles, omelettes, pasta, cut meats, the serve yourself stations (salad, clam chowder, eggs benedict, fish and chips, grilled cod, smoked salmon), desserts (bread pudding, cinnamon bun, chocolate eclairs, chocolate mousse cake, bacalava, pastries)...anyways you get my point, the list goes on and on. I typically don't like buffets but for $25 and for the variety it provides. Can't beat that!

    (4)

  • Will F.

    Great oysters, incredible view but not a place i would frequent. Definitely a touristy Seattle place to mark off the list.

    (4)

  • Dennis B.

    A real change over the last few years. Quality of fish way down, red chowder was watery and marginal service. After over 50 years my last visit will be my last visit. Too Bad it was a great place, now just a tourist trap!

    (1)

  • Kayla H.

    Went here for dinner Saturday night with my boyfriend's family to celebrate September birthdays. I give this place 4 stars because we first went to the bar because we were early and the waitress was totally unfriendly and cold. But then when we were seatted our server was awesome and really nice. I am not big into seafood but the calamari was suberb and the clam chowder was the best I have ever had. Usually I get it at the Ivar's bars around the city but this was WAY better!!! I had the strawberry salad with chicken for dinner - I know I am weird. And it was ok. Yes I probably should have ordered seafood from a seafood restaurant. LOL. Next time I will know better.

    (4)

  • Ramin M.

    Good food. Prices ok. I loved the clam chowder soup. Will visit there again.

    (4)

  • Cossette P.

    Bummer because I didn't think of trying this place out until my 4th trip to Seattle. We walked up to the order window and ate in the covered sitting area they have to the left of it. The fish and chips were outstanding and the clam chowder tasted fresh and oh so good. It is definitely worth trying when you're looking for cheap eats in downtown Seatlle.

    (4)

  • Esther T.

    Great happy hour menu and prices. The calamari is so amazing--so tender. The clam chowder is also a must. If I lived here, I'd probably come often :)

    (4)

  • Sean P.

    Food is legendary! The service is not so great. Be prepared to wait.

    (3)

  • Jeff L.

    Pretty good seafood. Good service. The white clam chowder is amazing. The main dishes are slightly overpriced.

    (4)

  • Leslie C.

    I ordered the cup of clam chowder and their grilled sockeye salmon (Vanilla bean vinaigrette, roasted winter squash risotto cake, grilled romanesco cauliflower). Was not blown away and it tasted average. The salmon was a bit dry. Left a little disappointed with how much I paid. :/

    (3)

  • Melville P.

    This Happy Hour was great! They have a varied selection of big and small plates for very reasonable prices. Also 3.50 beer, wine, and wells. We started with the calamari which almost looked like French fries. It was perfectly fried and tasted great with the aioli and lemon. Next we had the seafood cocktail and it was full of crab meat. The avocado also really made the flavors pop. Last we each ordered our own creme brulee. They were simply delicious and the sugar cracked perfectly. The next time you want a happy hour rendezvous that won't drain your wallet, hit this wharfside Ivar's. FYI, order French fries outside after dinner to feed to the seagulls. It's a Seattle tradition.

    (4)

  • Sovannary S.

    Although the food was dericous and cheap, everything else was horrible. The server showed up at our table about every 20-30 minutes. Never once did i see her engage in conversation or just SMILE at us. Once we were done eating, we moved to the bar to watch a game... Only to be chewed out by the Bartender. First she was complaining about how she's been there for twenty years and that she knew everything... blah blah. My bad you've had a crappy job for the last 20 years, that's none of my concern. THEN when closing time hit she yells out "Im about to be done closing out in TWO minutes and once I'm done, YOu are too!" CAn you say menapause???

    (2)

  • Gene B.

    Not exactly a dive, but not exactly fine dining either. Has a pretty decent Happy Hour that extends 3 PM to 11PM. The bar is kinda limited, but service is nice.

    (3)

  • Eva R.

    We're new to Seattle, so I felt this gives us license to hit up Ivar's on the Pier. But after our good experience, I'm pretty sure this'll be a repeat stop. We came here for happy hour, which is very happy indeed, since it's on everyday from 3pm to closing in the bar. That's got to be one of the best deals in town, right?! Most eats range from $4-$7 during HH, and are a mix of appetizers, salads, and even some mini-mains. The fish tacos are super, and the 4 piece fish & chips comes to $5. Draft beers are also $3 or $4 (can't recall), and the taps featured Ninkasi's Total Domination and Hale's Supergoose when we visited, so big thumbs up from us. The bar is cute in that brass rails and maritime theme way, with a nice long row of windows out onto the water. I imagine the complains about brunch and table service could be real, but the bar is a can't fail for Happy Hour, IMO.

    (4)

  • Tyler M.

    How, how did this place get a four-star average?! This is SEATTLE, seafood is sort of our thing. You should know better. I'm gonna give you all the benefit of the doubt and assume that all the rave reviews are from tourists and midwesterners. I've unfortunately been here about a half-dozen times, as my family lives on the Kitsap pensinsula and it's right next to the ferry, so it's convenient. That is the only good thing I have to say about this place. Oh, and the service is fine. BUT MY GOD, the food. I have never had seafood so terrible. Chowder was bland and forgettable, fish n' chips and calamari were soggy, prawns WAY overcooked, and the fried oysters were completely inedible. Go anywhere else but here.

    (1)

  • LaWana R.

    Seated quickly at window table with great view. The staff was consistently friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. Food arrived plated in an appealing manner. Portions were generous and the food tasted great.

    (4)

  • Veronica C.

    Best food happy hour I've found yet. Limited drink/wine specials. Great service. Beautiful water-view seating in the bar area. Will be back!

    (4)

  • Clint W.

    All these years in Seattle and I've never been inside this place. Incredible. (Of course, I've still not been up in the Space Needle either.) I've eaten fish and chips outside, while dodging seagulls, but I'd not even stepped foot inside the restaurant. We came here for brunch with a big gaggle of folks. Quickly greeted with either coffee or orange juice, the staff was absolutely great with us. The staff was what earned the third star. The food wasn't as tasty or as varied as either Salty's or the Ivar's Salmon House, but since we were there for several hours, I can't say we didn't have a good time. There were the usual crab legs, shrimp in a shell, mussels, clams and clam chowder. Leg of lamb and roast beef was also available for the non seafood eaters in the crowd. The desserts didn't have as much variety and were quickly out as people wended (I think I just made that word up. Nice, eh?) their way through the line. Fun for a sunny morning on the water.

    (3)

  • mike l.

    I liked ivar's a lot. Touristy but the seafood was excellent. I especially like the oysters Rockefeller. They were lightly breaded and cooked just enough. Our waiter was a pro and pacing of the food was good. Came out of there feeling I got my money's worth. Location is a short walk from pike's market or downtown hotels.

    (4)

  • Layne P.

    Great location, Fantastic food. Best chowder I have ever eaten. Very nice inside. A bit pricey. Update: I had to go back and try the fish and chips at the outside stand. While I was there I had them give me another cup of chowder (couldn't) resist. Great fish! The fries were good, but not great. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Andrew B.

    I don't actually care for cooked seafood very much, but I've been here a few times and I always get the steak, which is superb. I also found their crab cakes rather tasty. Those with whom I've visited this establishment always seem pleased with their seafood. Overall, the ambience is not thrilling and the prices are a bit high, but the food is quite good and the service is most professional.

    (4)

  • Sam H.

    I have gone to Ivar's before and never thought anything bad about it, but this time it just seemed to let me down. I went with my wife and her father. It was a nice day and unlike the previous time I hadn't just come from Chemo. The atmosphere was comfortable, but it had a strange fancy but casual mixture that just seemed more odd than interesting. So the food was a ton more expensive than I remember so I just stuck to something relatively cheap and got the halibut and chips. I would have gotten a cup of chowder and salmon but my father in law was paying and I didn't want to set him back $40 just for me. The chips in the halibut and ships were pretty good. A little dry, but I like my food dry. The halibut tasted fine but was very greasy. I ate my food and had a sinking feeling in my stomach that I usually get when overloaded with grease. I have always enjoyed the food here before so I feel bad for giving three stars, but the most recent experience was fairly bland, and therefore they're getting a bland rating.

    (3)

  • Greg S.

    Ivar's is a big name in Seattle. A lot of places serve up their clam chowder, and they have a huge presence down on the waterfront with their sit-down restaurant and the take-away joint. I enjoyed the food, especially the smoked salmon chowder...oh wow! The halibut fish 'n chips was good, but I was disappointed with the size of the fish pieces; not a lot of bang for your buck. Their famous "acres of clams" was great though. Yummy clams and dipping bread in the sauce is a must! Being from the San Francisco Bay Area, I would equate this to some of the seafood restaurants at Fisherman's Wharf. It's definitely a touristy spot. I think next time I would hit their take-away counter and side-step the whole sit-down experience.

    (4)

  • Cindi M.

    So after walking around Pike's Place Market we needed to stop for some food. I spotted that they had a salmon chowder. That peaked my curiosity. So we decided to stop there. At first glance the inside restaurant was busy, but the outside area was not. My girls shared a white clam chowder in a bread bowl, I had the red salmon chowder in a bread bowl, and my husband had the fried oysters with chips (a.k.a. fries). The food was reasonably priced and it was fantastic. We ate outside at a table and it was nice to watch as the ships sailed by, and the ferries came in and left.

    (5)

  • Wilson C.

    Since we were in downtown Seattle and right on the waterfront, we figured that we would try the local seafood. We discovered Ivar's from a tourist pamphlet from our hotel room. Ivar's had the fisherman's wharf eatery profile going on. Seafood was ok, we had some grilled lobster, crab, clam chowder, the usual fare. A deduction for bad skimpy oysters. We ordered both raw oysters and baked rockefeller and both were very small and not cleaned well. I decided to give an extra star because I really enjoyed the local beer there, Manny's Pale Ale was the one I had. Plus, the waitress who served us was very helpful and prompt with our food as well as quick on refills, extra napkins and such. Also, she answered a lot of our questions on places to visit in the city. Overall we were satisfied with dinner. Better quality and amount of seafood would definitely earn another star.

    (4)

  • Houser S.

    You can't get any fresher than Ivars! I grew up with this place and so fish and chips are just THIS way or they just don't stack up! The malt vinegars are awesome! And I don't care if it's fried! I LOVE everything on the menu!! I never even knew it was a tourist place til I got older, but they don't have anything close to this in Southern California, unfortunately. So the only time I can get fresh fish and chips is when I visit. Anytime of the year, this place ROCKS!!!!

    (5)

  • Josie W.

    A very good restaurant with really nice seafood but I thought it was overpriced by a bit. The dungeoness crab and oregon shriimp louie was actually wonderful and well priced (compared to some other dishes especially). Our server was very overly solicitous and made a joke about my friend being on her phone that I found sarcastic and snarky (and not in a good way). People who go to the Ivar's fried food bar out front take their food over to the dock and throw it to the pigeons which is fun to watch but a bit odd. Anyway, very good fresh food on the waterfront.

    (3)

  • Teresa G.

    Love this place. Been there twice and I make a piggy of myself with the clams. They are so delicious. They have a huge buffet of breakfast items, prime rib and tins of seafood. Made fresh and well stocked. Kind of on the pircy side though...

    (4)

  • Julia T.

    For deep fried food and fries it should either be much better quality or cost a lot less. $16 deep fried fish and chips is just silly.

    (2)

  • Meesh R.

    Great Fish and Chips on a COLD January morning. I will never forget his place! A must try if you're even in Seattle!

    (4)

  • Sarah W.

    Have no complaints - I thought everything was great and the staff were very friendly and accommodating.

    (4)

  • Diego S.

    Oh my I really forgot how great the sit down portion of the restaurant was! I hadn't been here in about 10 years! I came in recently for the Ivar's birthday! buy one regular meal and get the 2nd for $1.06! Wow, I left with 2 extra meals one for my love and the other for me! I ordered the steak and my moms had the salmon! wow even the desserts were $1.06! The steak was perfect, and for being booked w/reservations the service never lacked! I do remember the service being great when I came here last, and even at the quick little take out counter, the people are great! Thanks Ivar's for being a great restaurant in the NW for 106 years! who can say that WOW! The place doesn't have any tv's but who needs them when you have the view!

    (4)

  • Selina P.

    Came randomly here on a Wednesday with the kiddies after walking the pier. It was busy considering it was summer, but we didn't have to wait very long. Our waitress was friendly & checked in on us occasionally. I had the Fried Northwest Platter, which was a pretty good portion for the price & the fish was delicious. We shared a caesar side salad & the chowder sampler, both were hit or miss. Boyfriend had the Ivar's Combination special & chose the Sirloin & King Crab Legs while the kiddies had the Kid's menu chicken strips. Everyone was satisfied, especially the other half who was still not over our bad experience with king crab at McCormick's in Bellevue. He was even happy with the portion of the sides that came with it. It was a nice dining experience overall, but nothing aside from the view made it stand out. Which I guess is pretty hard to do with so much competition in the area. Glad we had the chance to try this place out though, we would have probably spent less for almost the same stuff at the fish bar.

    (2)

  • Lynh N.

    We ordered Oyster shooters, ahi tuna duo, Gorgonzola Risotto fritters, and fish n chips. Everything was good! And the fish n chips comes with a free cup of chowder...Alaskan seafood chowder. Win!

    (4)

  • Jimmy W.

    No more Sunday brunch, which was 99% of why I initially gave this place a 5-star review. Fortunately the Ivar's Salmon House still has their Sunday brunch.

    (3)

  • Erik M.

    Ivar's is the prototypical Seattle restaurant - swanky enough to be a little special, yet casual enough to be comfortable. While it caters more to the tourist set during the summer, it's still a fine spot to grab a nicer lunch for locals who work in the general vicinity. On a nice day, the views from the main dining room are not the best to be found along the waterfront, but are hardly shabby, and the TVs in the bar offer ESPN/FSN distractions if you're in for a more casual meal. It's a bit on the pricey side, but the food is really nicely done and the portions have always been commensurate with the price tag. Like most of the waterfront restaurants, seafood dominates the menu, with a handful of vegetarian and meat options to round things out. On my most recent lunch visit with an old colleague, we saddled up to the bar and started with an order of the fried calamari (more than enough for two), which was simply outstanding with a light, flaky breading that was just crispy enough to compliment the tender calamari meat. For my entree, the Dungeness Crab and Shrimp and Louie salad was a massive bowl piled high with fresh, flavorful lump crab meat and crisp chilled shrimp with tomatoes, sweet peppers, and egg. Far more than I could finish, and every bite was delicious. Washed it all down with a few pints of Manny's and left very satisfied, if a bit over budget for the week.

    (4)

  • Leslie B.

    Great place to go for Happy Hour. First the bad: We had 6 oyster shooters for $4.00 and I wish I could drool as I write this but to me, they were just okay and a bit on the small side. My bf had the salmon blt and it was very small and he thought it was just okay. Now for the good: the fish and chips are delish. My sons family owns a fish and chips restaurant, and I haven't found too many places that can beat their fish and chips....I'd have to say, this is up to par with them. The calamari is very good, as my son said, its seafood fries. The seasoning was tasty and the calamari was cooked to perfection and not rubbery at all. We also had the clam chowder and I thought it was so good that it beat out Pikes Place Chowder!

    (4)

  • Mee Y.

    One of my most favorite places to go Happy Hour in Seattle! All-day HH starting at 3:30pm til closing!! $3 oyster shooters! Half off on selected appetizers!! I tend to get the Fish & Chips, Clam Chowder, and Chocolate Mousse. Deeeeelishious. Of course, they have your usual selection of beers to go with your chips. Warning: the HH is so good here that finding a table for your party can be tough. The waiters and waitresses are always nice enough to help scout you one or inform you when one has opened up. The restaurant is on the waterfront and there's an abundance of parking across the street (provided not rush hour). I just loooove coming back to Ivar's Acres of Clams!

    (5)

  • Sabina W.

    One of the best places I have been during my visit in Seattle. Typically the high touristy spots are dissappointments. You must go here. it's a little pricey...like a sample appetizer is $25bucks it reads it is enough for 3-4 people more like 2 people. The location, the view and the service is well worth it. Nice place for a date or to watch a game in their bar area. I would come here again most definately. This place is open up late compared to the other seafood establishments surrounding them.

    (5)

  • Jay C.

    Upon my second visit to the Big Wet SEAs, my friends and I found ourselves at Ivar's. Awesome location but Yelp isn't about location rather than the deliciousness of what I ate. I ordered a coconut kamikaze which was real tasty! Smoke scallops were good. Fried calamari was good too. I ordered the fish 'n chips and was kind of disappointed. The fish wasn't as crispy as I wanted it to be, if at all. The Ivar's-To-Go looked way more crispier than the restaurant one. We sat next to the water and I saw plenty of people with super fried fish while others fed the sea gulls their fries. This only made me jealous and thought we should have gone to the one next door. Other than that, it was a pretty good place to eat. Although, I wish I could say the same for the fish 'n chips. Overall, a thumb and a pinky up!!!

    (3)

  • Leah P.

    Pretty much a tourist trap, but we fell for it. I had the Fish and Chips - really mediocre. My husband had the chowder, which was very good.

    (2)

  • William D.

    This past August my spouse and I spent a week in Seattle. We found ourselves twice down near the waterfront wanting a late lunch/early light dinner. We ended up twice in the lounge which has a great lounge menu of pretty good food. We also really enjoyed the excellent selection of Washington state brews and wines. Service was very good.

    (5)

  • Ali B.

    Better than the average seafood joint. Clams and oysters were good, skip the crab cake.

    (3)

  • Robert F.

    Amazing food, inspired flavors, fresh fish! If your into more than just "deaded and breaded" seafood, then come here! This isnt just a tourist trap. This place is a classy restaraunt where a couple can have a nice romantic dinner on the waterfront. We dressed up because we like to even though all the tourists were around us in shorts and baseball caps. We were seated fairly fast as it was 9pm. The waiter Max was friendly and fast and very attentive. Choices were wonderful and local (they even give you a map of where its all caught). I got the fresh sockeye with an arugula pesto and heirloom tomatoes tossed in basil. Also golden mashed potatoes. Very professionally prepared and presented. My girlfriend got the king salmon in saffron sauce. The taste combinations were just beautiful. I really ate slow to savor this dinner. Had desserts where their pastry Chef has free reign. The triple chocolate cake in caramel was gorgeous and rich almost like silk cake, and my Cherry Peach cobler ala'mode was light and flavorful. These people take pride in their works and service. I will visit here every time i come to seattle.

    (5)

  • Mark E.

    What a great location. The views and the atmosphere were nice! The Copper River Sockeye and King Salmon (cooked rare) melted in your mouth. The restaurant was a little pricey, but the food was great.

    (4)

  • Bob O.

    The restaurant is a long wait, due to all the tourists.....but the food is mediocre, and you are better off to just order the fish and chips outside......had the crab louie and it was only fair.

    (3)

  • Robert S.

    So my Partner was going on about wanting fish and chips yesterday, and we are without a vehicle till we get to Chicago, so we decided to take the bus downtown and go to Ivar's but when we got there I didn't want fish and chips I wanted to sit down and eat a nice meal, and with this location being on the waterfront, and full of tourist you can get a nice meal and not feel bad that you didn't dress up for dinner, as most of the other patrons are in shorts and t-shirts also I started off with a Hazelnut Martini the Hazelnut Vodka is from (Bend OR), and tastes very good with a twist of lemon in it, I think it would also go great in a Chocolate Martini may have to see if I can order a bottle I started dinner off with a roll as they give you warm rolls and butter to snack on while waiting for you soup, I got the NW Seafood Chowder, and it was a nice change of pace from the usual clam chowder we have at every restaurant on Fridays, the combo of seafood and the Smokey bacon made it very tasty Then I decided to try the Combo as I wanted Halibut but also a little more so i was also able to get 2 Crab Cakes, and comes with Green Beans, and Baby Red potatoes, I asked for the fish Medium so its just firm on the outside but tender and moist inside, the Green beans were just blanched so nice and green and still crunchy, the potatoes were just right still firm enough to eat with your fork, but soft enough that I didn't need to cut them with a knife, the Crab cakes were just slightly crisp on the outside but nice and soft in the center we didn't get any desert but I did get a cup of coffee, all in all it was a very nice meal and we both enjoyed our selfs, now will have to see if I can top that for our last meal here in Seattle tonight

    (5)

  • Mary M.

    Pros: cheap and delicious happy hour Cons: Where was the crab in my crab quesadilla? And also when our table was finish the the rest of the group left. My bff and I wanted to have a beer at the bar to finish watching to Huskies game. An older lady behind the bar said,"We close at 10pm so we are closed already, you gotta leave when I'm done cleaning!" Seriously? There's about 7 minutes left of the game!!!!

    (3)

  • Ivonne N.

    We got a table next to the window with a fantastic view of the Pier. The food was phenomenal, the seafood cocktail and oysters 1/2 shell amazing! Clam Chowder and NW Seafood chowder are highly recommended. Get there early for lunch to get a good table

    (5)

  • Bill M.

    Location, location, location. Having said that I did return for lunch. I used to work for MCI in the area about 20 years ago and we would go here often. Nothing has changed and I am thankful for that! The service was slow but the food was what I expected... a balance between high getting a ton of food out quickly and quality. We go here for the location, they know that and make it just good enough to please. We will return and continue this modle of minting money.

    (4)

  • Jeff T.

    As a kid growing up in Seattle, I had always heard about Ivar's on the waterfront but never ate there. Now, as an adult living in Texas I finally was able to take my wife up to the Pacific Northwest and get some delicious seafood in my favorite city! Ivar's certainly has that "landmark" feel when you walk in, with a large lobby and the great view of the ferries, seagulls, fire department boat, etc. We started off with an appetizer of Ivar's Cocktail, which was a bit pricey but featured several huge shrimp (prawns?) with a slice of avocado and mango to complement the sauce, and then smaller shrimp buried down below. The cocktail also featured dungeness crab meat and two snow crab claws. The clam chowder just prior to our dinners was good, but not the best ever. My wife and I both ordered the $19.95 special each, which featured, in addition to the clam chowder, a choice of entrees and a dessert. For my entree I chose the "acres of clams", which was downsized for the special but still plentiful (I believe it was a pound, as opposed to the usual 2 lbs. in the $25 entree version). The clams were brought in a large bowl with butter sauce, steamed in the shell and opened up and ready to go. They were delicious, but it's a good thing I had yummy warm bread rolls to help fill me up. For dessert we both chose the creme brulee, which was not set afire in front of us, but was clearly still warm on top from the carmelization prior to our server bringing them out. It was a very good dessert. For anyone wanting fresh seafood, a great atmosphere, and a true Seattle experience, I recommend Ivar's Acres of Clams - but it can get heavy on the wallet if you're not careful! Oh, and I must mention that the highlight of the meal was when I stared out the window and saw a harbor seal swimming along and then nose diving just near the fire boat. Our server said they don't see many seals anymore, so I felt like I got a special treat by seeing this one.

    (4)

  • Anonymous C.

    Ivar's has solid seafood and we enjoyed the deals during Happy Hour. The fish and chips, fried prawns and calamari were al very good. There was a long wait for a table so we ate in the bar section which wasn't any noisier than the restaurant. Service was alright. If you're looking for something to eat in the area, I would recommend it.

    (4)

  • George M.

    Good service, great clam chowder and a nice view of the water front make this a nice place to grab a quick lunch. Nothing particularly outstanding on the menu other than the chowder, but then there's nothing bad on the menu either. The biggest highlight for me was watching an otter play on the dock right outside our window. All in all, a three star "A-OK" rating for me.

    (3)

  • Delilah R.

    Everything I've tried was/is delicious. Outstanding service with patient waiters who put up with my exes mother...gold star! (This includes taking silverware back for cleaning and bringing "fresh" cups of water every 20 min.) Really nothing was wrong with the silverware or water AT ALL and the waiter who put up with her was amazing. For sure. Crab cakes to die for and drinks so good and strong I could have died. Go to happy hour....then off to the streets of the city!

    (5)

  • Dana W.

    I've lived in Seattle all my life. I always thought Ivar's Acres of Clams was where the tourists went to eat. It wasn't until recently that I discovered that this place can actually hold its own in the crowded Seattle happy hour scene. If American-style seafood is what you crave, Ivar's is a great bargain for your belly. I've been here for happy hour a couple of times now. Each time I've left feeling full of food...and full of the satisfaction that comes with getting a good deal. Skeptical that this potential tourist trap has anything of value to offer a jaded Seattleite? Here are a few of reasons that might change your mind: #1: Happy hour starts at 3pm and goes until close. EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. None of that 3pm-5pm Monday to Thursday nonsense. #2: All the food is under $8 for happy hour, and portions are pretty generous. You'll find a lot of classics here. Nothing too out of the ordinary, just tasty food at great happy hour prices. Ivar's classic fish & chips and clam chowder are both on the happy hour menu. My friends and I are fans of the yellow curry mussels ($6) and crab quesadilla ($5). #3: The happy hour food menu includes appetizers, entrees, AND desserts. This enables you to "build your own meal" out of purely happy hour selections. #4: If you come on a Monday or Tuesday, select bottles of wine are 50% off! My three friends and I split a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle riesling for $10. Not a killer deal or anything - this is about the price you'd pay for the same bottle at a grocery store. But it's always nice to drink some decent white wine at a seafood restaurant, and why not do it for $2.50 a glass? #5: If you don't like seafood, don't fret. The happy hour menu has burgers and ribs. I have to admit that Acres of Clams is a decidedly un-hip destination for happy hour. You won't find dainty pieces of seared tuna delicately balanced on square white plates with tiny sprigs of parsley. The decor is all old photographs and brass railings, not blown glass, white tabletops, and concrete ceilings. But if you come here for happy hour, you're not coming for the hipness. You're coming to eat. Ivar's may be a tourist destination, but it's also a Seattle classic. This place has been serving up comfort (sea)food since 1938. And from the looks of their winning happy hour formula, they seem poised to continue this tradition for many more years.

    (4)

  • Kellie C.

    Such a beautiful view from this awesome location. Service is good and the setting is somehow both romantic and casual. Try their clam chowder or crab artichoke dip, they're both excellent.

    (5)

  • J K.

    It's not bad. It's not great. It's a Seattle institution. It's a nice place to get a standard waterfront touristy experience.

    (3)

  • Christine R.

    Has to be one of my new favorite happy hour places. Not only because I am a fan of their restaurant food and they serve it foe half the price in the bar, but the service and the atmosphere is great. For beer for my mom, a well drink for myself, fish and chips and calamari- it all came to $22.. Yes $22 for all that!! Love it!! Great place for tourists and locals alike.

    (5)

  • Jan P.

    Oh my god, fresh seafood Sunday brunch for only $21 per person. Seafood is ME food. My first samples consisted of dungeness crab legs, alaskan king crab legs, freshly shucked raw oysters, fried thick bites of white fish, baked salmon bites with sauce, steamed clams, and white fish with sauce...hell, this was all on one plate. This plate I had two of, which resulted in a heap of empty exoskeletons on other plates. Yum yum. Oh right, there was more to the brunch buffet than seafood I suppose. I also had two plates filled with the amazingly delicious fresh Belgian waffles and mini pancakes, which I topped with syrup, butter, strawberry puree, and whipped cream. This was part of the breakfast nook, which included fresh crepes and omelettes made to order. I kind of briefly glimpsed prime rib, sausages, eggs benedict, samplers of cheese, fresh fruit, and what have you as I was elbowing my way to the seafood, but y'know, I didn't even bother to try any of the other stuff. A number of bite-sized desserts laid upon a long table to the side as well. The waiter here was friendly and helpful, bringing us bowls of dipping butter, exoskeleton meat digging tools, and drinks when needed. He was kind of taken aback when I asked for bbq sauce for my raw oysters, but I guess he has never been to Half Moon Bay. The downside I found to service? The person in charge of taking away used plates could use more initiative, but I guess not everybody is there for the buffet so discerning between customers can be difficult. Oh, oh, and some of the dungeness they had put out was still frozen. Hrmph. Anyway, I superwish with furrowed eyebrows that the Sunday brunch buffet was available down in California, but it ain't happening so I won't be making any wrinkles.

    (5)

  • Lc C.

    ***Strictly about the Happy Hour*** with that being said..... One of the most soild HAPPY HOUR joints in Seattle. HH starts every day from 3pm-close which is until about 10 clock. The menu rotates every season or so but their famous namesakes are always available, which are the cod n chips and the chowder. Most items are under 10 bucks with a lot of variety. Draft microbrews are $3.50 a pint. *experience* Super jam packed especially during rush hour when every one is just leaving their jobs.But tends to dwindle down afterwards. The bar section is small but the dining area near the entrance is also part of the bar and HH still applies so no worries. The food is great value for what it is, and that doesn't mean care and quality is compromised. The seafood selection here for a HH will raise any seafood lovers libido. No pun intended. With that being said, I enjoy this place very much and I'm glad Seattle has a spot that highlights seafood on a budget. I also don't care if this place is a tourist trap. It obviously shows how phenomenal this place is. In all "I fuks wit it"

    (5)

  • Mark P.

    Why yes, I did order the "acre of clams" on the menu. I'm a clam lover, probably my favorite food. The menu claimed two full pounds of clams, needless to say that included the shells. I had a hard time when I got to the bottom of the bowl, the last six or seven clams were a trial of my will power, actually the last few were closed pretty tight but considering the first 20 or 30 were easy to open showed me at least they were not over cooked! The broth was good enough to sop up with the bread. The other four folks at the table also enjoyed their meals. Nice place.

    (4)

  • Ellen O.

    We were in Seattle for a short vacation and the food was amazing. Having expectations of getting a nice seafood meal we checked Etta's and Cutter's but the vibe was just not right for us. Heading down past Pike's Market we cruised along Alaskan in search of Ivar's. Once inside we had such wonderful attention and the expectations were exceeded by the experience. My son enjoyed the 6 oyster sampler. We shared the crab cakes, which were light, flavorful and presented with a tangy complementing sauce. For entrees, we had the Peppercorn Sockeye Salmon, which was out of this world, with a delicate pepper flavor, and the Coho Salmon, which was my dream come true. Roasted potatoes and onions rounded out the meals so tastefully that we could not even consider dessert. Ivar's locale is ideal, parking was pretty easy in the evening. Service was stellar. Thanks, Linda! We hope to visit again as soon as we can make another trek to Seattle.

    (4)

  • Gary M.

    We tried the restaurant while visiting San Diego. A great choice if you are looking for a crowded restaurant with mediocre food and high prices. A nice destination for tourists. Count me out. There must be many other better choices.

    (1)

  • Ti B.

    Craving clams! Craving clams!! I was craving clams!!!! So my dear man took me to Ivar's Acres of Clams. This place was supposed to be the place to get clams in Seattle. I asked for them steamed with no sauces...and they came with lemon butter garlic stuff. ew! I just want clams. They were expense, small, and not satisfying. This place sucked! I would say maybe I should try something else, but I ate what they are famous for...clams! Sorry Ivar's! Time to pick up the standards, everyone is beating you.

    (1)

  • Natalie G.

    Ate at the bar during their nightly happy hour. Had the salad with steak on it. My friends clam bake was cold so he sent it back, and still wasn't impressed with round 2. The Dr. Pepper cocktail was great though.

    (3)

  • Omar J.

    Four stars instead of three due to the fact that they have Happy Hour from 3-closing at 10pm EVERY DAY!!!! They have a great selection of fantastic beers and delicious appetizers that range from $6-$12, mostly in the $7-$8 range. I've ordered the blackened cod tacos more than once cuz they were so awesome. Other items include Wild Salmon BLT, an awesome Burger (both of which come with fries making it a meal to fully satisfy your tummy) and of course several chowder/fish & chips kindsa items. The HH drink specials could be a bit more discounted as they're only $1 less, but unfortunately that seems to be the trend with too many places these days...just calling it happy hour to get you in the door. It makes a great before and/or after ferry ride for a date or if you have people visiting from out of town to show them the waterfront. Also nearby are the aquarium and the ferris wheel. It could also be a great prefunk spot for downtown/belltown/seahawks/mariners/sounders action. FYI for happy you must sit at the bar can't make reservation, which gets pretty packed around 4-7pm, so plan for a little wait to get a table. Great on nights with sunsets, but hard to get a table next to the windows.

    (4)

  • Cheri H.

    One of my favorite restaurants. It's actually the first restaurant we ate at when we moved to Seattle, and what a great place to start! The food is delicious, and the atmosphere is beautiful. The restaurant offers a fantastic view of the Puget Sound. My favorites are the crab cakes and just about any fish they serve on the menu.

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    I've been to Ivar's now several times and each time it has been crowded, but I'm still wondering if it is crowded because it is a local hangout or it is a tourist trap. I'm leaning towards tourist trap... I'm not sure how to describe the food beyond "adequate." There is very little which sets it apart from any other seafood restaurant I've ever eaten it. I'm thinking you could find the same food at dozens of places up and down the west coast. The location is quite nice and there are nice views if you have a window seat. The servers seem friendly enough and the service is acceptable. I'm willing to bet there are better places for in Seattle for seafood.

    (3)

  • Porch G.

    When I was a kid I was obsessed on Fried Clams. I would demand that we stop at Howard Johnsons during road trips and my parents would indulge me with those chewer rubbery little fried suckers. Well now that I'm old and crusty ...I still love fried clams. They are perfectly made here at Ivar's....the only problem is they skimp a little and give you too many french fries..(which I feed to the seagull's) I'd give 5 stars if they offered a clam only plate !! Lately they give out a free cup of excellent clam chowder !! Those seagulls are funny...once you feed one it will squak soooo loud you'll be forced to give him all your fries !! the garlic malt vinegar is a nice condiment choice

    (4)

  • David S.

    Once again, Ivar's delivered really good food and really good service. Salmon BLT is excellent as are the chowder bread bowls. Server even boxed up some fries for us to feed the sea gulls next door!

    (4)

  • Manesh P.

    Great place to pull up for a seat at the bar especially during happy hour where most of the menu is half off and the drinks are cheap. Ivar's is good, but I think it's pretty clear it's become more of a tourist trap/casual franchise than a must have local favorite. The beer menu is a mix of big name local favorites - manny's, mac and jack - and macro brews. The various fried seafood dishes are pretty run of the mill. And, I have to say, being from Boston and somewhat of a chowder fiend, Ivar's clam chowder is just good, not necessarily great. I like my clam chowder thick, but my cup at Ivar's was just a bit too viscous. Though, it wasn't cloying from a salty/creamy perspective which was a pleasant surprise. Overall, great place for a cheap eat, but if you're a tourist don't expect an experience that you haven't had at any other "fisherman's warf district" casual dining/bar location in SF, Boston, or any other city.

    (3)

  • Priscilla L.

    I used to love brunch here until i discovered that they have HAPPY HOUR! Food from $3-6 (i think) and hh is from 3-close, 7 days a weak! my all time faves are - the curry mussels (ask for their roll and dip it in the sauce!!) - Oyster Shooters ($3 for 6 of them!) and i was never a raw oysters fan, it usually gives me the seaweedie taste, sandy and pungent, but their shooters are clean and yummy! -Crab Quesadilla Just to name a few. All their HH food is quite yummy. My least favorite, i would have to say are the short ribs, i ordered it twice, and its either too salty or too sweet and both times, it was sorta dry and over done and tried to cover it w a bunch of bbq sauce.

    (4)

  • Steven H.

    Yes, it is a touristy spot, but you have got to love Ivar's. I wear my "Keep Clam" t-shirt religiously. Their Bloody Mary is on of the best in the country.

    (4)

  • Robert L.

    for my birthday (3 months late), my friend was going to take me to elliot's oyster house, but when we found out there was an hour and half wait, she suggested she take me to ivars down the street to get our seafood fix, and i wondered why she wanted to take me to a fast food joint of all places...THEN i found out that this ivars is a fine dining restaurant.... not even realizing it, the waiter never actually brought out our bread and butter, and when he realized he was sluffin, he got us a complimentary dessert :) so that worked out nice. my friend and i split the seafood chowder, which was really good, thick and full of goodies but a little bland, and with the bacon in it, it gave it a nice smokey taste, i ordered the coho salmon, and my friend ordered the washington king salmon. both salmon dishes were excellent, cooked to perfection and seasoned marvelously, if memory serves me well, i would say it's better than elliots (elliots being a little drier). both dishes were served with seasonal veggies and yukon mashed potatoes, probably one of the best mashed potatoes i've ever had. for dessert, we split the raspberry white chocolate cheesecake, how could i say no to that, 4 of the most amazing things in the world meshed into one dish! it was phenomenal.

    (5)

  • Lutz L.

    Bad service and the food is not exceptional like the price. I got even sick after dinner I had there. There are much better places close by than this one.

    (1)

  • Brian S.

    Clam chowder is very good. Fried clams-might be frozen and from a third party. Stil, it is an icon and you have to stop by for the obligatory clams and chowder. Right on the water and a a place you have to stop.

    (4)

  • Leo C.

    This location is strictly a happy hour pit stop for me. It is right be the ferry dock, so I can dip in, grab some oyster shooters, a Jameson, and be out in less than 10 minutes. BOOM! Now I will elaborate a bit, the happy hours at all Ivar's SIT DOWN establishments are stellar... they run for long hours, have insanely cheap seafood and pub food deals, I'm always impressed, and stunned (in a good way) when I get the bill. Don't be expecting amazing drink specials, but the food discounts are significant! The bar staff at this location is very friendly, and they are probably overly comfortable with eachother for some customers, but it doesn't really bother me. I'm always a bit shocked at conversations that are downloaded inadvertently from service staff, but whatever... I guess that is just the way things go... and now I sound like a grumpy old man!! I swear I'm not!! Swear!! Stop in if you are at the ferry, or whatever... just know that the ferry dock password thing is not required, just skip it and walk through. We probably paid $1.9 million as taxpayers for each machine, and we don't even use them because they shutdown mcdonalds down there! Locals know what I'm talking about lol

    (4)

  • Rona L.

    We went for HH the other day since we were in the area. It's always fun to be out on the pier and it makes even a simple trip for some food a little more special on a non-special Thursday. We found free parking outside and the bar was not busy at all. We were greeted right away and ordered drinks to start. For food, I ordered the white wine clams and my boyfriend ordered the salmon BLT on focaccia bread. His sandwich was solid -- I love focaccia and when you add bacon, you really can't go wrong. The salmon was cooked nicely too. My clams, I was really disappointed in. Though the broth was flavorful, half of my clams were gritty and every time I thought about saying something, another clam would be fine so I kept eating. I probably wouldn't order it again. I wish we had been more hungry because the clam strips and chips looked amazing (huge pieces of clams) and our friends really seemed to enjoy them. So far, I haven't been wowed by Ivars, but it's always a solid option on the pier.

    (3)

  • Alex M.

    Service was very slow on a day the restaurant seemed less than busy. Prices are horrible and the food wasn't good. I ordered the chowder sampler. The soups came out luke-warm and tasted canned. Will not return.

    (2)

  • Deborah J.

    Have you ever been starving and then thought, how the heck am I going to eat all of this after ordering way too much food? Well that had happened here on Friday. We waited for a table for like 5-10 minutes, no big deal. Service was pretty quick for our party of 2 although there was one server in our small area and two large parties, I did see a smaller party complaining about slow service but thought they were a little impatient. Fish & Chips, Clam Chowder and a Caesar Salad = way too much and that was split between the two of us. I used to have an unhealthy addiction to Ivar's clam chowder a few years back where I would order the tanker and they would give me 3 spoons thinking I was sharing HAH. Anyway Chowder is still delicious as ever. I really needed them to have outdoor seating on this scorched day, but air conditioned room was adequate enough and probably better in hindsight.

    (3)

  • Cory B.

    When I take foreigners around this great city, I always ask if they'd love some clam chowder. For clam chowder I look no further than to Ivars. Order it in a bread bowl and you're super full for $10. Lots of nice beers on tap and wine as well. As for other dishes, the fish and chips are classic! And not (super) oily and served on newspaper! Oh, we're getting fancy now! Their deep fried clams and fries aren't flavorful and tend to be on the rubbery side. Unfortunately we asked for a nectarine salad. Thinking it was a seasonal salad the fruit and lettuce would be fresh. We had to send back the salad twice because the nectarine wasn't fresh as all. It was obviously been refrigerated and hard as a rock. The lettuce wedges were fine, but not amazing. Since they were wedges instead of tossed leaves, it was annoying to cut up the lettuce for the whole party before serving. Portobello dish is a great vegan option. Just ask for any cheese on the side. Would I come back? Absolutely, because we're known for our seafood in the NW, and view of the ferries, on the pier, you can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Kim A.

    Our waitress was Awesome!!! Great service! Great recommendations and awesome views! Stop by and see the remodeled Ivars!! No waiting for us and I hope not for you!

    (5)

  • Marian L.

    It was okay. First off, the bread that they gave us was stale and cold. Second, the water was not cold. We ordered fish and chips and Salmon BLT sliders. My friend said that the sliders were pretty good. Fish & chips were definitely not worth the price... It was still good but for $10 for two small pieces of fish is whatever.

    (3)

  • Anne C.

    I disliked my experience so much (with the exception of the beer) that this will not be a long, nor a favorable review. Stopped here for Happy Hour and dinner not based on Yelp Review (oops) but on the fact that they are an established restaurant along the Seattle waterfront area. They have been in existence for 75 years and we thought they must be doing something right? Wrong! The bar/restaurant area was hopping and as there was quite a bit of wait time, Mark and I decided to belly up to the bar. What we got were Happy Hour prices (one of the few restaurants I have EVER been too that has Happy Hour specials 7 days) but not a happy experience. The food while reasonable priced was of poor quality - fish should not smell fishy and that was the aroma that emanated from our oyster shooters. The fried seafood was lackluster and our fries were cold and limp. Even the chowder was lukewarm at best. It seemed to me that the food quality matched the prices - and I don't think that should be the case. Inexpensive seafood should not taste that way Our waitress was nice enough - she did seam a bit overwhelmed behind the bar so I can't fault her for the food. She kept our drinks filled and did the best she could with what she had. Really disappointed - maybe it was an off night but it seems that Ivar's is living off its 75 year reputation

    (1)

  • Paul V.

    Had the sampler to determine what was the best chowder. They were all good but I liked the northwest chowder the best.

    (4)

  • Tram N.

    This place was not like how I remembered it. Came to Seattle to visit my family and I kept telling my boyfriend about how awesome this place was and how great the staff and food was! I kept telling him how I can't wait to eat the clam chowder and oysters again. Boy was I wrong. Walked in and the staff up front was not welcoming. Came in with my family and asked them if we will be able to get seated and served within the next 1 1/2 hour the hostess said yes. Once we got seated, it went down hill from there. The server took forever to even come up and introduce herself and take our drink order. We all knew what we wanted but she said she will be back with our drinks before taking our orders. Didn't even ask if we wanted to order any appetizers while she put in our drink order. Our drinks took a while to come out and even longer for the beers from the bar. Once we finally got our drinks (our server didn't even bring them to us) we flagged our server down to place our order. It took awhile for our food to come out and the portions are way small! One of the guys ordered another beer once our food came out and he never got it. We end up canceling it in the end and the server didn't even acknowledge that she forgot to put it in and didn't even apologize. My cousin's bacon wrapped halibut ($32) was the size of a child's fist with 3 tiny strings of asparagus. The fish tacos was just meh and the soup was runny. I had to add extra crushed crackers just to get it thicker. Half way into eating our server brought out complimentary bread and butter. We had to hurry and eat since we were short on time. If we didn't have a tour coming up we would've stayed back and spoke with management but we had to leave. I hate to say this but I wouldn't come back here to eat and neither would my family who lives here will come back to eat because of the service we got. Not worth the money guys! You can get better food and service somewhere nearby!

    (1)

  • B R.

    I had been waiting for them to re open. Not worth the wait. No real bar specials. The clams in the bar used to be a great deal now the beer is cold but the clam price doubled in the bar!

    (1)

  • Pamela S.

    So glad they have such a large dining area and we didn't have to wait to be seated for dinner. Many restaurants in this area seemed pretty packed at the time. We got seated in a booth not next to the windows but the view of the bay was definitely very visible. It was sort of nice. Ivar's overall had an older feel to it and it was very dim inside. Favorite part of my meal was my cup of Ivar's Famous Clam Chowder. It was delicious and a great start to dinner, so I definitely recommend getting this or another one of their chowders. It was also pretty filling, because I didn't have much appetite anymore for my Ivar's World-Famous Fish 'n Chips, which consisted of 4 pieces of Alaska True Cod. I thought it was just okay, nothing spectacular. Thinking back, I wish we had tried the clams. There's no "famous" term but it IS in the restaurant's name. Maybe next time! Service was average.

    (3)

  • Ben N.

    You can probably guess that a place called Ivar's Acres of Clams, which purportedly began operation in 1938 and is situated on the city's waterfront, is going to be a bit touristy. You can probably also guess that Ivar's was a bit more downscale back in the day and that successive remodelings over the decades have both scrubbed away whatever character this place might have had and permitted Ivar's to keep increasing its prices. (I'm using the "you" rhetorically there, because that's actually my guess.) Anyway, Ivar's is pretty good. It's a huge and comfortable but rather boring-looking restaurant with great views of Elliott Bay and the ferries rolling in and out. The menu is loaded with all types of seafood choices: clams, mussels, oysters on the half shell, fresh fish, fried fish, etc., etc. Oysters on the half shell were excellent, and the fish dishes--salmon and halibut feature prominently, of course--weren't at all bad but not all that interesting. After learning that we were in town from Ohio, the server seemed to go an extra length in confirming that it would be OK if our salmon was cooked medium. But it was actually a little beyond that on the cooked side, dammit. The prices are a little on the high side, but that's what you expect with such traditions and locations.

    (3)

  • Lauren A.

    This place is awesome. The view is relatively nice, I'm not from Seattle though, so seeing the water may not be as big of a deal for some of y'all. We got the crab and goat cheese dip, amazing!!! Not overly flavored with goat cheese or crab, but the perfect combo. We ended up getting the special, which was crazy expensive, but it was salmon caught that morning, so it was probably worth it. It was $40, but for a nice meal, really not so bad. Our waiter was hilariously nice, he was overly animated and attentive, but it was good. He got us to buy the upsell on almost everything. I would definitely go back for a nice dinner if I was local.

    (4)

  • John L.

    Great view and ambiance. Looking to entertain guests from out of town, this is a great place to take them. One of the historical landmark that makes it Seattle/ Washington. Take pictures with great background.

    (4)

  • Elisabeth I.

    Came in twice once on a Friday to check about happy hour, wasn't greeted. When I asked about happy hour they told me it was in the bar and went back to gossiping amongst themselves. When I asked if they had a menu I could look at first, I was told to just grab one off of a table or something. Came in again on a Saturday night and once again was not greeted. When I asked for a table the hostess said ok grabbed some menus and walked away. When she noticed we didn't follow her she just turned around and stared at us. The other hostesses were just chatting at this time. Our waitress wasn't much better. Asked for our drink order before we had a chance to look at the menu, sighed when we asked for another moment. As a positive she brought at my sons food very quickly after it was ordered. The food was amazing!!! But that has more to do with the kitchen. All in all shit service amazing food.

    (2)

  • Joop V.

    We had a wonderful dinner at Ivar's this past weekend. We got there around 4:30pm on a Saturday and we were told the wait was already 1 hour! We waited anyway (since the last time I was at Ivar's I was told to wait one hour but it really only lasted took 15 minutes to get seated). And we were not disappointed as the wait was really just 30 minutes (instead of an hour) this time. We got a salmon tartare for appetizer which my friend raved about. There were special dishes featuring copper river salmon so we opted for grilled copper river salmon with huckleberry sauce (since copper river salmon's availability is seasonal) along with another dish (trio appetizer) as the main course). The copper river salmon itself wasn't too special (tasted like regular salmon) considering this salmon was $42, $10 more than other salmon main course. However, the highlight was really the huckleberry sauce that is a bit tart and goes along really well with salmon. After that, we also shared a peanut butter mouse pie. The dessert was hugeeeee and well worth $7 (definitely bad if you finished it all by yourself...so find someone to share it with!!). Overall, service was great, view and location is lively and we were very happy with our meal. The only thing was that we wished we wouldn't have to wait as long or that they would know better how long the waiting time is (good thing we decided to wait!!).

    (4)

  • Michelle P.

    Had high hopes given the new look of the place and the great outdoor deck. Unfortunately it fell terribly short on both food and service. I started with a 1/2 dozen oysters despite the $17 price tag thinking they must be really good and might be worth it. They were all around disappointing! 3 of them were about the size of quarters and the rest were only slightly bigger. The flavor was also sub par. Another in my group ended up sending theirs back after trying one. I also had a bowl of chowder which was actually on par with Ivars typical quality. My only complaint was the cost of $8/bowl. I got a bigger bowl in the airport the following day for $6 which obviously is a pretty good indicator of how overpriced the restaurant is. Our server was painfully slow and we saw very little of him throughout the meal. I've eaten many meals in the Seattle area and this was the only bad experience I have ever had! Very disappointing experience.

    (1)

  • Grady T.

    Ate or should I say paid way to much for food at Ivar's House of Clams on August 6. Be aware tip included in bill, had to do since service is so very bad. Awful. Sent raw oysters back. A one gag swallow was enough to know rejection was only path to the rest of my dinner. Walk in, pay for bad food food and bad service at your own risk. Good luck

    (1)

  • Rene V.

    It was like eating through history. Recipes that have been passed down through the years. Excellent! Ordered the clams in white wine and butter sauce, tasty! Had the simply grilled king salmon and Copper River Salmon, Both were cooked to perfection. Ordered it medium rare and it was truly some of the best salmon we have ever had. The fish and chips were on point as well, recipe from 1938! Finally, we sat at the bar and the service was great. Both of the gals working the bar were great. Angela in particular who was primarily serving us was simply amazing accommodating all requests and orders.

    (5)

  • Corena S.

    While on vacation, and a mini high school reunion with friends who recently relocated to WA, I decided to try out Ivars. The place was recently renovated and has a great ambiance to chat, mingle, and enjoy the beautiful views. We were greeted, and seated within about 10 minutes. Our waitress was great, however she did appear to have several tables that she was assigned to. It took about 15 minutes to actually take our order for drinks, and another 10 for them to come out. By that time, we were ready to order. We placed our order and waited another 35 minutes for our food to finally come out. When our food finally did arrive, sadly it was super cold. Our waitress, Judy was very apologetic and was quick to assist with getting us replacements. While waiting I went and spoke to Anthony, the restaurant Manager. He was very attentive and apologized for the experience. We received replacement food, which was honestly just slightly warmer. By that time over an hour had passed and we were just over the wait. Our time was limited. When we requested for the check, our waitress kindly came over and advised us that Anthony had taken care of the entire bill! The service here is GREAT! We had not expected this at all. As for the food, I was not a fan and if it were not for the service, I don't think I would ever contemplate coming back to eat. We will give it a second shot when we return! THANK YOU Anthony! You rock!

    (4)

  • Lfr3 R.

    Nice location on the pier. Not much going for the place except the location. The food was ok, not bad and not spectacular. Service was a little slow.

    (3)

  • Alma S.

    Great location on pier. You can see the ferry boats come and go. Good and fast service. You can taste the fresh seafood. We ordered the chowder sampler, appetizer trio and Ivar's mixed grill trio. Chowder sampler: Original Red Clam Chowder was ok. I wasn't a fan of it. I thought it would be more of a tomato base, but it was a tomato cream base. NW Seafood Chowder was delicious. You can definitely taste the salmon and bacon in it. White Clam Chowder, of course, was the best out of the three. Again, definitely can taste the bacon in it. It was so good that we ended up ordering the tanker (that's what they called it) from Ivar's fish bar next door to bring back to our hotel and ate it later that evening. Appetizer Trio: Crab cakes-I love crab cakes, but I didn't really think there was anything special to this one. It felt like it was missing something. Calamari-very tender. I like that they include the tentacles with the order. Grilled Orange Marinated Prawns-WOW! This was the best of the three. You can taste a hint of orange sweetness to it. Prawns were cooked perfect, not chewy or rubbery at all. I could've just had another order of that. Mixed Grill Trio: All 3 seafood in this platter were cooked just right. This also had the same prawns as the appetizer. Alaska Halibut with tomato fennel chutney...well I would've rather just had the fish with no chutney. Wild Coho Salmon with basil pesto was really delicious. Salmon was fresh and the pesto just took it up a level. Next time, I would just ask for the basil pesto on both fish.

    (4)

  • Becca R.

    Beautiful view. Went with my family who eat seafood - but I got the chicken sandwich and it was very dry and the avocado was not ripe at all. Don't recommend it. Definitely a bit of a tourist trap and not great for non seafood eaters.

    (2)

  • Stephanie K.

    We went here at the suggestion of a family member who knows the manager. We should have known it was a bad sign when he said he wasn't just recommending it because of the relationship he had with the manager. The view is nice (but you can get that for free outside) and the inside was pretty neat with the recovered sign but that's it. Our server was not knowledgable. She perhaps could have been new but that just means she isn't properly trained. She had no clue about the wines on the menu and should have just admitted that and found someone who did instead of making up random info. The food was frankly disgusting. Everything else we have had thus far in Seattle is fresh, wholesome, and delicious. This was awful compared to everything else and was as much or more in cost. The most off putting thing was the server explaining over and over that the service fee was included but we could still tip her. Yes, one remind is great for people who don't get how this works but multiple times? All the other places we've been have highlighted it on the receipt and there isn't even a place to tip unlike here.

    (1)

  • Sarah R.

    My friends took me here for the first time for some late night happy hour. It was a Thursday night about 9PM (they close at 10PM) and it was pretty quiet there, plenty of seating at the bar and the restaurant. Service was great, our waitress got us started with drinks right away. I wasn't too hungry at the time so I shared the clam strips and chips which were actually pretty big strips & good! I really like them with their tartar dip! I also got their vanilla bean creme brulee which was good, not too sweet and you can see the vanilla :) I saw what my friends ordered, some kind of sandwich with foccacia bread that looked REALLY good! But, they also ordered steamed clams and said it was gritty (sand) so NO bueno on that :(

    (3)

  • Kristal L.

    Decided to try this place when visiting Seattle because everyone was raving about it. The food decent but we came in a party of 10 and a lot of our salmon was over cooked. The best part about our experience was the waitress, Alison. She not only responded quick to our complaints, she replaced all the over cooked meals. Even though the food was just decent, the service was excellent! Probably one of the best services I've ever experienced. Thanks Alison!

    (3)

  • C B A.

    The remodel completely changes the layout, ambiance and view in a very positive way! A new west view of Elliott Bay along with a large new restaurant dining deck are just some of the great new features. The interior is a mix of elements celebrating the old pier while also using subtle nautical detailing and integrating images of Ivar's and the waterfront. The menu has some tasty new items that should please the adventure eater. Overall, a great transformation of this institution!

    (5)

  • Leilani M.

    Location was nice, and food was just OK. Nothing special at all. Service was normal, nothing spectacular. I found the food quite boring with no special flavor to it. Wish I would have picked a better place to eat.

    (2)

  • Monica B.

    At times, I get a bit bored with some of the offerings in the downtown business district. Ivar's provides a much needed distraction. One of my favorite things to do on a beautiful day is get a bunch of people together, walk down to Ivar's, have a nice lunch, then hang out on the pier. I've worked downtown for years and have consistently come to this location. Ivar's seems to have their lunchtime staffing levels right (not all restaurants do). They have found the right balance in the amount of staff it takes to run things efficiently. I always make reservations because I get points on a third-party site for doing so. TIP: If you want a window seat, you should make a reservation. For me, I spend enough time there that a window doesn't interest me much. But, if I'm meeting a friend from out of town, I reserve it for them. The selection on the menu is good - a bit of something for everyone. Salads, seafood, sandwiches, it's on there. I've had fairly good luck with the food there. My favorites are: halibut cheeks, ling cod, and salmon. Sauces are very important and really tie the dishes together. On my last visit, I had bacon wrapped halibut. Yum! The Yukon potatoes were cooked perfectly, just enough sauce, on a firm cut of halibut, wrapped in smoky bacon that magically infused the fish. I also enjoy the blackened cod tacos and fried seafood platter. It's a real treat for me to eat an entire tray of fried food. Fried, I say! As far as appetizers, that's a bit more inconsistent. For example, on my last visit, we had calamari. It was not fried crisp and lacked seasoning. With the texture and flavor of calamari, you really need strong seasoning and at a minimum, salt. I haven't had brunch at this location (I tend to go to another location for that) but I do come to happy hours. I like the long happy hours and the prices are very reasonable. If you're thinking about a way to try a variety of foods, the happy hour is definitely the way to go. Ivar's is a great place for small or large groups. I've found my many outings there to be very enjoyable.

    (4)

  • Noel M.

    We had lunch inside the restaurant. The wait was short but when we were to be seated we walked past 2 empty tables by the window to a table by the wall next to the door to the kitchen. I asked to be seated by a window but was told by a tired abd bored wait staffer that those tables were for other customers. I asked again and got an eye roll. She then went all the way back to the front and came back with people to seat them at the window tables. People who came in after us. Food was blah. Acres of clans is a joke. Avoid.

    (1)

  • Tammy Y.

    I love my Ivar's happy hour for sure, however this location has a limited menu compared to the Northlake location. The berry salad with goat cheese was fresh and perfect for the summer and the fish tacos were a good size with tortilla chips. It would have been nice to have some salsa with the chips, but a good presentation nonetheless. Seating was limited, but the service was great. I'll keep coming back here for that.

    (3)

  • Jess W.

    Been here enough times, figured I should write a review. A quick one, at least, to add to the massive pile of 'em. Fish and chips is consistently good, but I wouldn't call it amazing. It's satisfying and filling, so if you're craving some reliably hot and stick-to-the-basics fried fish, go for it. The clam chowder appears good and reliable, too. Try something off the drinks menu (including non-alcoholic) - those are surprisingly good. It's got a great view of the water from most tables, and you can sometimes see a seagull just chilling by your window. We always sit in the actual restaurant, so I'm not about to do the "go outside and mingle with the birds" experience (seagulls are kind of scary). Service is always friendly, although it does slow down when they're busy in the evenings. I've never had like, exceptional 'totally made my day,' service, but they're friendly and helpful and I have no complaints despite visiting this establishment more times than I can easily remember. The prices are reasonable, but not the best bargain in town. Great place for company, and it holds up well to its tourist-y reputation. I definitely wouldn't bring seafood aficionados here (we've got other, classier fish houses for them) but it's a great place to bring family or friends on a casual "Yeah, this is pretty good," basis. Ivar's, I'm not quite ready to take our relationship to the next level, but we're solid friends.

    (4)

  • KaeRae Art C.

    Love the oyster shooters, clam chowder, and cod fish and chips. These are the most popular dishes. I've been there twice for the happy hour specials on these three dishes. Happy hour starts at 3 pm and goes until closing. Food is great and happy hour prices make the deal. Staff is friendly. It's nice to have a window seat and to watch the ferry come in and go out. Ferries carry people and cars. Sea gulls are waiting for people to feed them.

    (5)

  • Merrill O.

    Any place that has happy hour from afternoon until close, automatically earns 1 star from me. Add on 2 fabulously friendly and knowledgeable bartenders (Angela & Adrian) and an amazing salad (Northwest Berry Salad, minus the blueberries), and there you go....4 stars! Thanks for the great kickoff to my birthday cruise!!

    (4)

  • Eileen C.

    I LOVE THIS IVAR'S sit down restaurant, not because of the food (it's alright, I've had better), but because of the whole dining experience. Whenever I come to Ivar's it's always a real treat, usually after exploring Seattle waterfront or the aquarium. The interior of the place is cool and the view is awesome...I really feel like I'm in a movie when I dine here; That's how special the dining experience is....with the light Seattle drizzle and overcast skies outside with the seagulls trying to get at the food on the pier. I love their Po Boy sandwich that occasionally pops up on their specials of the day. It comes with fried clams but I always ask them to substitute it for their fried shrimp. Last time I was there, my friend had the Salmon BLT and she loved it and noted that it was cooked to perfection. As a desserts person, I usually order 2-3 desserts and therefore have tried all of Ivar's desserts selections and they are all delicious. My favorite is the trio sampler because you can try their creme brule, apple crisp, and chocolate mousse which is an excellent way to try many of their dessert favorites....for just $8.50. If you're a tourist, this place is a must. If you're a native, this place is a must.

    (4)

  • Laura V.

    We flew into Seattle and arrived at the Waterfront in time for a late lunch. We knew this was a chain, but because we were hungry, we gave it a try. The location is very nice and you sit looking out at the Ferry going back and forth. The hostess said we would have to wait to be seated, so we went to the bar area and the server there pointed us at a nice free table with a view and she continued to provide us excellent service for the rest of our lunch. We ordered a number of appetizers, including crab cakes, calamari, acres of clams, and clam chowder. The clam chowder was flavored with bacon, so that was good (all things bacon flavored are, right?). The acres of clams were good, but the manila clams could have been a little bit bigger. The fried calamari included strips, rings, and tentacles as well as fried spinach. It was also good. The crab cakes were light and were overshadowed by the aioli that was served with it. Separately, both tasted good, though. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and if I am ever at the Seattle Waterfront again, I would consider coming back to enjoy some OK food and the fabulous view.

    (3)

  • Bryan M.

    Stopped by after leaving the ferry and hit the bar with a buddy for lunch since the dining area was full. The bartender was sociable and the brews were cold. The barkeep offered a recommendation (the Pier 54) and we both went for it (along with cups of chowder). He came back in a few with a couple of bibs and I'm glad I jokingly put mine on since I am not fluent in crab legs! I've been here several times over the years and this place never dissapoints. Don't mix this review up with the outside fast venue of Ivar's - that's good but in a different "I just toured the pubs and need food before I get on the ferry" kind of way. The inside restaurant offers many more choices and I order the famous clam chowder each time I come here. Good location, good food, good service. Thumbs still up after all these years!

    (4)

  • Samantha A.

    Still really like this place for happy hour. Their fish and chips is pretty good and their raspberry mousse is delicious. I will say that their wells drinks are rather weak, but that's why I usually order a beer or glass of wine instead. I've always been pleased with the service and love how close it is to the ferry. Their house chowder is pretty good, but I wouldn't get the sampler of the 3 different chowders again. Overall, really good deal for happy hour and love that it lasts from 3 PM until they close.

    (4)

  • Jennifer N.

    1- This is definitely a touristy area of Seattle. And the highway cutting off this section of town from the rest of the city makes me think it might be a little sketchy post dark. 2- Happy Hour from 3pm- close. They should rename Happy All Night. 3- $4 beers. Amaze deal. And tasty Pyramid Hefe on draft. 4- Extensive small bite menu. Good calamari (fried) with a bit of kick. And, I ate my first oyster. And liked it. 5- Bar is not on the water, a little disappointing.

    (3)

  • Francisca W.

    heard it's a local "chain" but worth a try, so went in for dinner since we were coming off the ferry and was right there anyway. had to say, my expectations was a little different upon hearing "acres of clams", but ended up rather disappointed at the end. was a little hesitant when i turned on Open Table and found allll these availabilities for a reservation on Friday peak dinner hours. more hesitant when the ferry service pushed back an hour and i still ran into zero issue changing my time. finally got off the ferry and walked into the large but empty waiting area, now feeling a little snobbish that i even made a rsvn. led to our table and saw other patrons...i could breathe a little easy now, but still not quite sure why this place is not happening given it's a local favorite?? even the infamous No Name in Boston has a full house at this time of day! but anyway.... let's talk food. entrees at $23-$30+ is probably standard for a real/fresh seafood restaurant, but my Alaskan king salmon dish at $33 felt like something i could make better at home. the fish had perfect grill marks and was cooked perfectly, but at the end of the day, it was just a piece of fish sitting in its own glory: "the ingredient was not enhanced", would be the exact words from a Chopped judge on Food Network. meanwhile, the "saffron Riesling vinaigrette" was almost non-existent visually and by taste, and the strange combo of tomato and cucumber chunks at cool/warm temperature really didn't help with anything aside from boosting one's veggie intake. it's kinda sad that the highlight was actually the mashed yukon underneath, which was buttery and light. though seafood and potato outside of the fish & chips pairing always seems "mush on mush" to me...so now I'm really thinking that our waiter - while very friendly and efficient - only recommended this simply bcoz it cost $7-8 more than the other two salmon dishes. husband's seafood cioppino ($26-28?) looked great, and seafood seemed to be cooked nicely, but personally i didn't care for the taste of the broth. he probably found it ok as he kept dipping his food and my mashed potato into it. there was a decent variety of seafood, though: fish, prawns, clams, mussels, crab...you name it. off the seasonal menu, we got a nectarine walnut salad ($8?) with purple lettuce, slab of blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. the dressing was a little too much in quantity and taste for me, but hub liked it and said it wasn't too strong in the vinegary department. i also didn't like that the half nectarine wasn't peeled (doubt it's washed?); since it wasn't specified organic on the menu, i cut out the skin to prevent ingesting unnecessary chemicals and pesticide. if the lettuce wasn't saturated in the dressing, i would've eaten more too. manila clams in white wine and butter broth ($13) was good, but again something one can easily make at home (we each tried our hand), if such clams are readily available at your local market. the shellfish was prepped (no sand) and cooked perfectly, i'll give them that. chowder was decent: not too thick but full of substance - got a few chunks of full clams in the bowl, with more "debris-size" clammy stuff in every spoonful. non-alcoholic drink came in a generous 12(?) oz. glass (same as water glass); mix was just right, not overly sweet or icy. service was attentive without being intrusive, but i did notice a number of wandering staff during the meal...again, they probably expected a higher turnout than this? it was quite dark outside at the time so i only saw shadows of cars parked at the pier after the ferry left. not much of a "water view", more like dock view. in that case i probably prefer night view rather than seeing it in broad daylight. in all, food and service is decent, place is clean, old school decor with lots of ship models in showcases. but... nothing really to write home about. we both felt that we won't be willing to spend another $100+tip for this. personally, i was in more of a food heaven spending about the same last night at Shiro's, even though with fewer quantity of food. could be a matter of taste and personal preference.

    (3)

  • Tom V.

    On a day trip to Pike's we cruised over to Ivar's because of recommendations my brother and sister-in-law had received from others and it being iconic. They had heard that the fish and chips were off the chart, so that was our plan of attack - at least for three of us. We had considered their outdoor fish bar, but then opted to go into the restaurant to relax a little, away from the hoards milling on the streets. The decor was quite nice and we could tell from the moment we were being walked to be seated that the price index was rising. That came to fruition when we discovered that the Ivar's World-Famous Fish 'n Chips jumped up $6 apiece (compared to their fish bar prices) for the three of us. The wife opted for a the $41 (WTF? LOL) King Salmon special. We also each ordered a cup of clam chowder on the side. The clam chowder was nothing to write home about (but I will here). It was a mediocre chowder at best, with not very many clams. The portion was small to boot. The Friday before my brother and I slipped into the Shelton / Mason County Hospital cafeteria, because we heard it was their clam chowder day, and purchased their large container for $2 apiece! Yes, we pigged out and bought two each :-) . That clam chowder was awesome and one of the best I have ever eaten! The Ivar's World-Famous Fish 'n Chips - don't know how the hell they are "world famous". Although none of us became ill from eating them and the fish appeared to be "fresh" (fresh/frozen I'm sure), the breading was dense and lacked any taste whatsoever to us. None of us cared for them and we reminisced about the fish & chips at Harbor Fish in Oceanside, CA, when we all lived in the area. Now, those are some of the best! My bro and sis-in-law didn't even finish theirs. Now, everything was not a thumbs down. My wife's $41 plate was one of the BEST prepared salmon dishes she has ever ordered. She raved about it! The salmon was perfectly prepared and the risotto cake it was atop of was fantastic, per her. At least one of us left here satisfied. As for the service - it was okay. Nothing special and our waiter lacked some personality. I personally will never eat here again, with so many other options available and the potential to save a few bucks. I was really hoping to like this place, but the truth hurts! Take this review with a grain of salt, I suppose. We all have different taste buds. Dine in at your own discretion. Oh wait! I almost forgot about the bread and butter basket brought to our table while waiting for our meals. That actually was some of the best sourdough slices I have had in a long while; and obviously enjoyed it much more than the clam chowder and fish & chips.

    (2)

  • Jonathon H.

    I took the duck tours and the captain recommended this place. So I ordered scallops and chips plus a bowl of white clan chowder. The scallops were underwhelming. They were probably the diameter of a nickel and about half and inch high. (I cook scallops at home larger then silver dollars and an inch high). On top of that I was given only 6 of them and a ton of chips which I ended up feeding to the birds. Now I'm from New England so I know clam chowder and this was not it. The soup was way to thin and had a smell and taste of onions. There was barely any potatoes and clams to be had. To simply put it the food wasn't worth the time it took me to travel here.

    (2)

  • Grace A.

    My date took me here for Single Awareness Day! We got two nice drinks each, which were all good, plus a seafood cocktail (insane), the trio appetizer which had both great balance and fantastic presentation. It comes out on a cute tower thing with three layers. The trio app came with some really good shrimp skewers, calamari which the manboy was super diggin', and crabcakes that even I (as a super pro crab-in-its-natural-state, anti fried food) have to admit were great. Then we split the trio entree, which had some incredible acorn squash, great mashed potatoes, MORE AWESOME SHRIMP, and two different types of fish--- halibut and salmon. Oh, and some spinach. The fish, though well cooked, were my least favorite part and I gave some to the fella, which he was happy to devour for me. Minus one star for no decent parking and the odd placement of pillars blocking the view (which may have been really, really nice from one of the many empty tables that weren't blocked). Our waiter was funny, the place is huge, the cocktails were nicely balanced, and the tab actually ended up more than $20 LESS than we expected! If I return, I am getting like only oysters and clams. I can't believe we made it out of a shell house like that without a single shell opened. Overall, would suggest.

    (4)

  • Serena T.

    Visited Seattle with college buddies in October. The view was awesome; we saw the ferry boats dock at the harbor, through the window. Ivar's was celebrating their anniversary, so they had a special menu. We ordered a variety of plates. The ones that stood out the most were the crab cakes, mussels, and Ivar's Acres of Clams. The Acres of Clams is big, and is meant to share with the table. I'd definitely come back to order those three seafood items next time I visit Seattle! Side note: Why is there no more Ivar's Fish & Chips in San Jose? :(

    (5)

  • Richard G.

    I have never gotten a bad meal here. I order different fish, crabs , chowders and always done to perfection. Service is always helpful and attentive; Courtney is terrific. Been combining to Ivar's for 43 years, when I was in the Navy and it is one of my favorite restaurants . Sad note, they will be closing for 9 months while the city renovates the waterfront . Hurry back

    (5)

  • Liza C.

    Loved this place! Our waiter was great. We ordered the appetizer trio and it was delicious! For my entree I got the pier cioppino and it was amazing and I highly recommend it Great view and great atmosphere. Not too crowded for A tuesday night. Prices were reasonable for being a tourist area. Plus it was my birthday and they gave me free dessert of my choice and I love that. Great place for birthday date. Definitely coming back!!

    (5)

  • Carol S.

    Seth provided excellent service! Order what their specialty is, Clams & chowder! My friend ordered the chowder & loved it! I ordered calamari, salmon with crab cake it was good...but nothing exciting. Ironically night before @ Mariners game I had their chowder...fried clam & chip my friend had salmon sandwich which were all excellent! Lesson learned Regular menu from casual dining/bar area safe bet & better value!

    (4)

  • Tom B.

    A very enjoyable experience. The value drives down the overall score from four stars to three, but take that with a grain of salt. If you're just visiting, don't mind a bit of a splurge, and want to look at the ferry boats while you eat, this is fine. But before you splurge, just know that you can get burgers, dogs, fish and chips, or other grub for much lower cost within easy walking distance. You can also get somewhat better food in this tax bracket within easy walking distance, all on the waterfront, and you have literally hundreds of options if you go inland. All that aside, this is a nice place with a solid kitchen, decent wine cellar, and dependable staff. Eight of us came in here and got a big open window right by the ferry boats. It's not quite white linen. But they don't mind making you kinda feel that way if you want, so they keep it pretty close to that line while still accommodating hordes of tired, weather-beaten tourist families. It's a long shoebox on the pier, but it feels nice inside--clean carpet, nice leather upholstery, tons of *really cool* historical fishing and maritime photos. The staff ranges from pleasant restaurant industry veterans to goofy guys who remind you of the "case of the Mondays" waiter in Office Space. They're all moving quickly, though, and they all know the menu. They're there to work, regardless of personality. We had a bunch of stuff--the oysters on the half shell (Kushi and Copper Creek) were pretty damn good, and so was the crab/goat cheese dip. The bread is good. I had the cioppino, which was really nice, lots of great finfish and shellfish. Good broth, not too salty. Lots of crab, steak, salmon, and halibut around the table, lots of happy smiles. Entrees range from $30-$50 here, and the apps were $20 each. Not cheap. The final bill was a little harsh. Stuff was all good, but priced like it was jaw-droppingly amazing. Sitting by the ferries and feeling that bay breeze added a LOT, but not enough to justify charging twice what the food merits. So treat this as a special occasion where food isn't supposed to be the absolute star of the show, and you can enjoy a meal here once in a while (or once per visit maybe).

    (3)

  • Matt M.

    ****TOURIST TRAP***** Not impressed. In fact, they are getting a bonus star for location. I am actually GIVING them credit for the awesome seagulls that will actually eat their dry, crappy fries. The indoor area could not handle 6 people so we went outside. They have some people taking fried orders out there. This clusterf*$# is a trainwreck that cant possibly attract regulars of any kind. So they must prey on tourists. The fried food is bad meat masked by frying it to death. The french fries are 3 grades lower than McDonalds, but the location is incredible and the birds will actually eat this crap.

    (2)

  • Betty B.

    This place is awesome! You can get a great view of the ferries and the crazy seagulls outside. The restaurant is spacious and the atmosphere is comfortable. The clam chowder is the best I've ever had. It is soo freakin' good. The fish are fresh, cooked perfectly, and the flavors are amazing. It is a bit pricey but it's totally worth it. NOT a tourist trap at all.

    (5)

  • Clifford P.

    Given their reputation, we just had to try Ivar's on a recent trip to Seattle. We made reservations for a Friday lunch, and were glad we did. When we arrived, the sizable waiting area was full of people, but we were seated right away thanks to having reservations. The location can't be beat, right on the pier with large windows looking out over the water. We ordered the Halibut n' Chips, Crab Cake Sandwich, Fish n' Chips, and Chicken Club. All were good, but I would have liked to see Salmon n' Chips offered as well (I later discovered Salmon n' Chips offered at the Ivar's in a local mall food court). Service was spot on, with our drink order being taken shortly after we sat down, daily specials explained, and main courses arriving hot and promptly, despite the restaurant being full. Portions were generous, so we were pleasantly stuffed after our lunch. Overall, a great place to dine when visiting Seattle. Reservations highly recommended!

    (3)

  • Michael F.

    I really didn't want to eat at this restaurant because of the long wait, but my friend wanted to eat here. I thought it was okay, but they put bacon in all their soups. It's too bad, so I ended up just getting a simple salad. Not really a good place to go if you are a vegetarian.

    (3)

  • Liliane E.

    I came here with my fiancee and some close friends for a late Sunday afternoon lunch. Our table had an amazing water view, and we had amazing food to match the view. The crispy calamari with crispy spinach leaves was tender and amazing. The seasoning was right on point, and the crispy spinach leaves were light and melted in your mouth. We shared the Pier 54 Seafood bounty, which came pre-split for us. The seafood was tender and was delicious. My only complaints are that there were pieces of miscellaneous shell in the broth, which rendered it inedible... and the crab legs were near impossible to crack which means I got no crab meat out of them :( Overall a great experience, but with room for improvement :)

    (4)

  • Sarah S.

    I stopped by here while in town visiting alone. I sat at the bar that overlooked the outside, where seagulls enjoyed handouts from tourists eating at the Ivar's kiosk outside. My waiter was extremely nice, patient, and attentive. I had just a prawn cocktail and it was really really delicious - some of the best shrimp I had ever had. I also had a local Seattle lager, too. I was too early for happy hour, but, it looked like a good option for locals and tourists alike. I have little desire to have a formal meal here - it's chock full of tourists and families, but, to pop in for a drink and a raw bar treat is well worth it - the seafood was fresh and probably a better option freshness wise than the fried food.

    (4)

  • Katy H.

    Happy hour starts at 3 and goes until close, so there are some great deals to be found here. We tried the Chowder Sampler which was fair, the fish tacos which were nice, and then a salmon stuffed with goat cheese and crab which was by far the best. The chocolate moose was the cherry on top of this great meal.

    (4)

  • Heather K.

    Meh. Some of the spendier seafood on the waterfront. Staff is bad. Restaurant views are bad. We were celebrating and asked if we could sit near a window (we would wait longer, of course). The staff told us (very very rudely) that "Every seat has a view." So we went into the bar & watched 5 window tables sit empty in the restaurant. As I tried to pay my bill in the bar it took the waitress forever. I paid in cash & was standing there waiting. Finally I said "my boyfriend is getting our seat... Can i get my cash?" To which the waitress said "Gimme a minute!!" Little did I know that they were refusing to seat my boyfriend until I came out of the bar. I got an eyeroll & a loud sigh from the staff for that. Finally we were sat in the back corner. We could only see a little bit of the skyline from the window. The hostess told us (as she was seating us) that we'd better like it as they had nothing else available. 2 stars because their happy hour is pretty solid.

    (2)

  • Chris W.

    Super neat place in the waterfront district. Nice big windows to view out onto the piers and also to see glimpses of Puget Sound. Beer choices on tpa were superb which is the case all over Seattle. :). A very beer friendly city with great local beers on tap. I enjoy that very much when visiting a city. The food was great as was the service. I had the fresh salmon BLT. Was very good.

    (4)

  • Susan W.

    Went here on Thursday night for Happy Hour before the Sounders game. We scored a seat next to the window so we were able to enjoy the view of the water & seagulls. We ordered a variety of the apps to share. Oyster shooters, Fish tacos, Prawns & Chips and Mussels in coconut curry broth. Everything was amazing! We were ready to go back last night and order the exact same thing again! Our server Chelan was fabulous. Will definitely be going back & taking friends & family with us. :)

    (5)

  • Tim P.

    It's not a trip to Seattle without visiting Ivar's. My go-to is the fried clams and chips with a bowl of clam chowder. This location is brilliantly placed right on the water. If you go outside its fun to feed the seagulls too.

    (5)

  • Alex O.

    It's not going to change your life

    (3)

  • Walter B.

    Closed as long as work is being done along Alaskan Way

    (1)

  • Saucy M.

    Ahhhhh, Ivar's... This is where I fell in love with this wine called Aligote. And no, I'm not a fan white wine (Cab Red all day everyday), but when I tried that, that was like the best white wine I have ever tasted. The calamari was some of the best that I have ever had as well. And as you would guess, if you read any of my other reviews, I ordered some of that salmon which came with mash (no garlic sadly but was still really good), and a Caesar salad. The only that I can complain about would come from me not ordering more appetizers. Other than that, I will be back, and ready to order up a storm. Great service and all that blah blah. -Saucy MB

    (4)

  • Chartchai B.

    ivars. monday night football. happy hour. not busy...WIN

    (5)

  • Jamie H.

    if you are on Seattle's pier needing lunch, waiting for a ferry or boat tour, its ok value for a quick lunch, service good...

    (3)

  • lulu c.

    I wanted to like Ivar's. I wanted badly for the famous clam chowder to taste good because I was craving clam chowder and needed it asap. What I got was a cup of something that tasted like wallpaper paste with little rubber bands floating in it. AVOID at all costs.

    (1)

  • Rachel F.

    The resturant inside is nothing special...over priced seafood. The crab cakes were excellent though. But not good enough to get me to go back inside again. I think I'll settle for their clam chowder at Costco.

    (3)

  • Erica W.

    two words. happy. hour. its actually really good and very affordable. nuff said

    (5)

  • M N.

    After reading reviews on this restaurant, I was convinced that I would find good food and service. I was very disappointed... I ordered Cioppino and my wife ordered the Clam Bake. The clams were so small and sparse and the mussels in my dish were equally small. The service was okay at best. Our waitress seemed not to care about the service she was suppose to provide. We had to ask for water, utensils, etc several times. Overall, a poor dining experience for the amount of money we had spent. We expected just a little more.

    (2)

  • Murray S.

    Like the last reviewer, I love Ivar's Take Out and wish there was one in SF. But where would they put it? It's in a tourist area of Seattle but I'm a tourist there. In SF, it would be on Fisherman's Wharf and who would ever go there except tourists. I also love the chowder at Ivar's and I eat the clam as well as the salmon. Thick, creamy, lots of clams and potatoes. Delicious. Add a dash of tabasco and you are in heaven. They give you a large bowl or cup for great prices. Also they'll put it in a sourdough bowl but that's a bit much and a waste of good bread. If you are into fish and chips or fried clams, they do a nice job on those. I recommend eating at one of their outside tables. The sea gulls sit a foot away and loudly demand your leftovers but that's all part of the scene. Also you're across from the ferry pier to Bremerton and you can watch the commuters run for the ferry. Great scene. Great food. Even authentic--Ivar's has been there since 1938 and apparently in this form. The sit-down Ivar's restaurant next door is supposed to be o.k. but nowhere near as good as the take out counter. Long live Ivar's take out.

    (5)

  • Me H.

    This is for Ivar's Sunday brunch. I took visiting guest here for brunch since Salty's couldn't get us in. The food was warm, fresh and flavorful and there was a nice selection to choose from. Not nearly as wonderful as Salty's but it worked for us. The one draw back was that for three different items I had to wait for them to refill the warming tray, it was either a really busy Sunday (Seahawks game day) or they aren't on top of things.

    (4)

  • Eric L.

    it was pretty good. i got the jumbo shrimp and fries with clam chowder. i thought the clam chowder was lacking since its their speciality. I did think all the food tasted great but the cost was a little high for what i got. this is really the only choice for street food thats seafood down by the water.

    (4)

  • Kei F.

    This place has a great happy hour. They have a good beer menu, and their fish & chips and fish sandwiches are tasty.... You can't go wrong with these items that are only $5 each.

    (4)

  • Jonathan B.

    Happy hour from 3 to close! At least one good thing has come out of this recession!! I get together with 3 other guys pretty much every Thursday night for a "Guys Night" and we go have a few beers and some good food. We've been going to Pogacha's in Issaquah for a couple of years now a bit more frequently than any of us would like- the deals there are great and the food is pretty good, but we've gotten pretty tired of it and are always looking for something new. I stumbled across Ivar's website a couple of days ago and discovered they have extended their Happy Hour prices from 3 to close every day, so we had to give it a try. First off, we were able to get a seat as soon as we walked into the bar (around 7pm), which is not common for a place that has a great happy hour (try getting a table at McCormick and Schmidt's at 5:30 on a weekday sometime). The next thing I noticed was how many servers they had- I counted 4 in the bar alone. They also had two bartenders, which was really nice. Our server was a friendly, quick, good-humored woman who bore a striking resemblance to Meadow Soprano. Their beer selection, while not exhaustive, is very good- they have a few local micro-brews on tap that were outstanding (I particularly like the Hale's Cream Stout). So we ordered a beer each, she had them to us in less than 2 minutes and was ready for our food order. I ordered the oyster shooters ($3 for 6!) and the fish and chips, both of which were excellent; the other guys ordered mussels, fish tacos, calamari and crab quesadillas, which were all very good. I don't think I was even half-way done with my beer (and I'm a pretty fast drinker) before our food was ready. We were very pleasantly surprised by this level of service- a lot of the places we've been seem to sacrifice speed and service for good prices, but not here. When it was all said and done, we had a total of 11 plates (a mix of small and big plates) and 8 beers; with tax and tip, the bill came out to $100. We will absolutely be back!

    (4)

  • Smelly S.

    Ivars is exactly what a tourist want after a touristy day around Pikes Place market. It's fresh, conventional and predictable. They also have yummy beer and are ready to deal with your 3 year old cousin and 90 year old grandma with nary a sidelong glance. Best of all, they care for their clients. They're local and if you leave something there, they'll actually find it send it to you, no questions asked. That's class people...

    (4)

  • T C.

    Great service, great chowder (so my bf said, I hate chower) and yummy calamari. Unfortunately, the breading was odd, but the calamari was cooked so right on (which is hard to find), that I couldn't hold the breading against them. Also, it was not greasy and the dipping sauce was tasty, so 2 more pluses. They seemed to try to support other local Seattle businesses, so another plus. However, minus one star for being out of the 2 beers that I wanted to try. The beers we did have were good though. Also, happy hour from 3:30 to close is awesome, as is baseball on the tvs.

    (4)

  • Trip C.

    After Fifty Years, it's Still A Great Place! Ivar's is the grand ole standby for phenomenally fresh seafood in a great atmosphere with a phenomenal view! It is elegant but you will not find any uppity waitstaff here; my faher has been coming to Ivar's since the fifties and still loves it!

    (5)

  • Edwyn A.

    since ivar's salmon house was closed for remodeling (Feb-2006), decided to have lunch at Ivar's Acres of Clams. Apperently this used to be an aquarium back in the 1930's and slowly the aquarium was replaced by food - well the seattle aquarium is nearby if you want to look at aquatic life. the view here is great. the clam chowder is great and you can find ivar's clam chowder served everywhere in the Seattle area... i also had the world famous fish n' chips. they even have halibut fish n chips if you want something different. prices are fairly reasonable for a seafood place. plus they have great pictures of old seattle along the walls.

    (4)

  • Laura M.

    There's no question that the fish was wonderful: fresh, nicely prepared, well seasoned, etc... They know what they're doing with the fish. But literally everything other than the fish was pretty bad: the bread, the corn on the cob, the ice cream, the salad dressing even.... everything else was highly, highly mediocre. I mean, I don't know how you can make a corn on the cob taste that soggy and overcooked (I ordered the clam bake and it came with a corn on the cob), but they sure figured out how to ruin a really simply side vegetable. And we ordered a simple vanilla ice cream for dessert, and even that was icky - it was pasty and had no flavor, it tasted like bottom-shelf supermarket vanilla ice cream. So, while the fish was good, there are so many more places to get excellent seafood in Seattle, we would not go back - we'd rather go somewhere where our side dishes and desserts will be decent.

    (3)

  • Latte A.

    1 star for really small appetizer plates; really rude waiter who kept trying to take the kids plates from them before they were finished; not asking what they want for side dishes, but choosing the chips for them. And the clams and fish&chips were really not that good. I was dissapointed.

    (1)

  • Michael R.

    Samon and clam bowl is the Best!

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 10

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Tue, Wed, Fri
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Ivar’s Acres of Clams

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