Ivar's Salmon HouseServerOur server was fantastic. I enjoyed her personality and ability to serve us well.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMIvars Salmon House is always goodgreat place to take out of town guests for reliably good salmon dinner. interesting NW indian decor. scenic vies of Portage Bay with boats and ships paasing. friendly service. better seafood than restaurants on Elliott Bay or South Lake Union that are more pretentious. The restaurant was really busy on a friday night, but they arranged a large table for us that was not right at the window but still had an excellent view.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMgreatmreOverall , this was a good place to eat. The setting on the water was gorgeous, but outside diners had to contend with the noise of nearby I-5. Copper river salmon was in season and absolutely succulent. The alder grilled fillets of both King and Sockeye were perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned. There were some shortcomings. The smoked salmon chowder was gloppy with thickener, the bread was a bit tough and the green beans too mature. The waiter was a bit scatterbrained, but attentive, eager and quick. We did not have dessert. The decor in these types of places runs the risk of being gimmicky, but these folks avoided that quite deftly. We will eat here again.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDock Seating + Alaska SalmonWe sat out on the dock on a recent warm Seattle evening. The food was good, our waiter was friendly and helpful, the views were superb, and the lake breezes felt heavenly. Our out-of-town guest thought Ivar's Salmon House is over-the-moon wonderful.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst class salmon and viewsI have always loved Ivar's Salmon House for its unique museum class decor and architecture, combined with the salmon prepared as it should, and first class views. It is a place to take out of state and overseas visitors. I am happy to notice that the food has improved back to its former quality from the careless mediocrity it suffered from for many years.
Our pieces of alder smoked salmon with the absolutely delicious sauce was the best we have had for years, anywhere! And service was excellent.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMUWgroupthank you, amazing night
Thank you so much for accomdating our large group. The service was good as was the food. I also appreciated having our table set and ready before our party members started to trickle in. We had a great time! For some in our group it was there first visit to Ivar's so not only did they get to experience and see the place, but they each mentioned they will be back!6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFoodSalmon was excellent except for the rare part in the middle.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing team dinnerWe were in Seattle for a competition from NJ and choose to go to ivars for our team dinner. It did not disappoint!!! Food was awesome and the service was great!!5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGeen BeansThe food was lovely except for the green beans. They were just too tough to eat so no one at our table was able to eat them.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMPost wedding Brunch!Fabulous choice for a last minute booking for 18! Very accommodating, and easy to settle such a large cheque individually too!
Hope we get to return again very soon , as the selection a d quality of the food was amazing!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday BrunchWe love to come here. It is the best seafood spread in Seattle. Never disappoints us.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMA place for old and new friends.A great place to catch up with old friends, with good food and an outstanding view.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday BrunchOur family of four had a great time at Ivar's Salmon House for Brunch. The view of downtown over the water was amazing. The selection of food choices was extensive. The make your own Bloody Mary bar was diverse in its offerings. The service was great, kept the water/coffee topped off. Overall a very nice time. You should go.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMSeattle ClassicExcellent view (ask for a window table). And, of course, great salmon.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful upgrades , great foodYou have to see the newly remodeled bar- sunshine radiates throughout the restaurant and the unmatched view of Lake Union and Seattle iconic buildings all from your table. As you enjoy a variety of well-prepared Salmon House dishes and watch the boats and ducks go by you can't help but feel relaxed and amazed by the experience.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat seafood under the bridge!My wife and I had enjoyed a number of new choices for dining in Seattle on our most recent trip. Somehow, we still had to complete our Seattle visit with a trip to Ivar's Salmon House. One serving of Red King Crab legs later, all was right with the world. A bottle of champagne was introduced by our server as specially priced, so we ordered that. Double perfect! My wife enjoyed her salmon, we both shared a salad, and we celebrated a great evening out at Ivar's. We had a great view across the sound as the lights came on in the Space Needle at 9:00 pm.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were seated at the timeWe were seated at the time of our reservation, the waiter was friendly and helpful. The food was served in a timely manner.
The atmosphere was great and the food was wonderful.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSeattle's best Mom day BrunchIf you're from Seattle or just visiting, Ivar's Sleafood Brunch is a right to passage. There's food for all ages. All kinds of breakfast food from omletttes to French toast. But the seafood is the best part. 3 kinda of salmon. Chowder bar and crab legs. And the desert table is the best! Chocolate fondue includes fruit, rice crispies and s'mores. And oyster shooters and bloody Mary's are perfect on a spring morning. Every Seattlelite needs to bring their mom there for Mother's Day at least once. You cannot beat the view! Our server was great and we tipped extra because he was so warm and friendly. My mom appreciated that. Me too!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Mother's Day Brunch.Excellent Mother's Day Brunch. So many choices and so little stomach space. It was my family's meal for the day. Even our 19 year son couldn't eat any more for the day. He manage to eat at least 3 full crabs and numerous plates of other items.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSEAFOOD DELIGHTIVAR'S HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD PLACE TO GET LOCAL SEAFOOD. QUALITY IS ALWAYS VERY GOOD WITH VERY GOOD SERVICE. GREAT FOR LARGE GROUPS AS WELL AS COUPLES.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMMom's DayAs always it was a great place for a special occasion. The people working there was fantastic. We were greeted by very friendly people who seated us promptly. Our server was very polite. The food that was ordered came in a timely manner and was delicious as always. I had the surf and turf and the steak was delicious and tender.
Would definitely come back again.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAmbianceWhen I went to Ivar's in the 1970s it was easy to see the grilling of salmon on the fires even from the tables. That seems to be hidden now behind a partition. I liked it the old way.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, wonderful.The food is always wonderful, the service great, and the views are some of the best in the city. The noise level was at the high end of tolerable and parking is a challenge on a busy night. Still, one of my favorite resturants.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat view and good foodI live out of town but just about every time i come to seatlle i eat here. Food is very good, great views of water and downtown seattle and good service. Ended up sitting in bar since my daughter wanted a burger, which wasn't on mail menu. Bar menu/happy hour is great, and you can get pretty much everything you want on main menu. Great outdoor patio, boats docking there to drop of hungry sailers, and great views of downtown and skyline. Its part of a small chain, yes, but you don't feel like you are in a chain restaurant. Very fresh tasty fish (and yes, my daughter really liked her burger). Can be tough to find it, if you are coming from U district, but worth the search.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMLast night in SeattleA bit noisy for our party of five to have a conversation but the view of the boats on Lake Union was great and the salmon and halibut were excellent. It was very busy on a Friday night at 7:00 PM so the service was a bit slow, but we didn't mind as we enjoyed a slow pace to our evening.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMIvar's service was outstanding.Ivar's service was outstanding. It was the best buffet service that I have ever had. Although our waiter only had to deliver drinks and clear plates, he went far beyond that. He gave us information about the buffet, where we would find different items, and brought us crab claw crackers and cocktail forks. He explained how the Bloody Mary bar worked and was quick to refill our beverages. A real treat to be served so well.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMDespite arriving 20 minutesDespite arriving 20 minutes early, for our reservation, my party and I were seated without a problem. The food was amazing and the wait staff were very friendly and attentive.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGo for the King Salmon!What excellent food. We had the fresh King Salmon and the Halibut. The best salmon I've ever had.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMSlow and inattentive serviceSlow and inattentive service but the place was packed. Wrong food order was brought to the table. Outstanding food once it arrived. I would recommend some noise canceling products as communicating across the table was difficult w/o raising your voice.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AM"I love the view of the city."I love the view of the city. Seating was a little close to other table, but considering that we were a group it was ok. I definitely would return to try more dishes. We had several starters and not one of them was lesser in taste of quality. Everyone loved their meals. Service was extremely friendly and accommodating, but seemed a little overwhelmed."4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThe unknown brunch spotGreat food , Great place to bring out of town guests !4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious brunch spread withDelicious brunch spread with tons of items. My husband is gluten free and had no trouble filling up his plate (more than once). And while there are definitely a lot of items that revolve around seafood, there are plenty of options to be had devoid of our fishy friends. Kids will get a kick out of the chocolate fountain for fruits and other tasty morsels. If you can get a window seat (we got there around 10 on a Sunday [with reservation] and had no trouble) the view is beautiful! We were able to see float planes coming in and morning rowers. Such a pretty backdrop for brunch, I'd definitely go back!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food. Awesome service.Great food. Awesome service. We had a large group and they accommodated everyone nicely. Only constructive feedback would be that our feed took a long time (more than usual) to be served. I'm not sure if that was because of our large party. Otherwise, it was a good time had by all!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food, sevice, and anGood food, sevice, and an outstanding view. Limited on site parking.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMIntro to SeattleGood food, great service and unbeatable view. I often take out-of-town visitors to Ivar's as an introduction to Seattle and its foods.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMIvar's continues to be ourIvar's continues to be our go-to local restaurant -- especially with out of town guests. Wish they'd bring back the regular cornbread instead of the muffins, and wish they had black cod/sable fish on the menu more often. Nice views, attentive service, great decor.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and service.Excellent food and service. Consistent on both counts!4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSalmon House, a Good Seafood ChoiceWe took Mom her for her 92nd birthday, which I had mentioned in my reservation. We were seated at a very nice table by the window, which was ample in size, as I asked for, for my very tall husband. My mother had a great time, and so did her older sister. Our wait person was very patient with their hearing impairment, plus the place was full, and hearing was a bit harder. There is something on the menu for everyone, and prices are moderate, portions the same, but fine, unless you have a big eater with you. Better to keep things affordable in these times. We had a very good time. Mother and her sister are very outspoken, and they were very happy with everything.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time for dinner at thisFirst time for dinner at this Seattle landmark. Relaxed, family friendly environment and incredibly friendly staff. Great views of Ship Canal Bridge and Lake Union with Seattle skyline in the distance.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, excellent serviceGreat food, excellent service and wonderful view. The restaurant is noisy and makes it hard to hear conversations but the food makes up for it. Always go here when in Seattle!!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMEven though only one windowEven though only one window table remaining, we were happily taken to it.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was our families firstIt was our families first visit and we where celebrating my grandson's 7th birthday.. We had a perfect table with view for him to enjoy the boats, the planes and the space needle as this was his first visit to Seattle. We enjoyed the food and the waiter Mike was excellent!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Seafood in SeattleHad read good reviews about Ivar's, both for the food and the views. Both were as good as advertised. Went for lunch on Monday and had the traditional fish and chips, and the fish tacos. Both dishes were very good. Service was excellent, and Ryan took good care of us.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWe really enjoyed our EasterWe really enjoyed our Easter family dinner here. The food was good and the service was excellent. We had a small problem and the management and waiter were very responsive and accommodating. We'll be back.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMTradition at Ivar's Salmon HouseEven though it was SLAMMED for Easter Brunch, the food and service was excellent. Best bang for your buck Easter Brunch in Seattle.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was excellent and wasFood was excellent and was very tastefull. The Hostess was most polite and helpfull with our request for a window table. We had just came in from Portland for our dinner and was a little tired and she was very respectfull to us and our wishes. The cocktails were very good and the service was excellent.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMBest buffet with best viewsIf you are considering this particular location for Ivar's, then you've no doubt heard about their famous brunch. Is it worth the $35/person? YES. It's the best brunch there is, in my opinion.
I've taken my wife and stepchild here twice now, on both occasions for easter brunch this year and last year. The staff were not as personable as the first visit, but the quality of service didn't otherwise suffer. In the restaurant world, brunch buffet is the worst shift there is -- it's painful gruntwork and not at all lucritive for tips. Ivar's staff hold up very well under the very challenging conditions of one of Seattle's most popular brunch buffets. It's quite remarkable.
The longhouse setting and views are outstanding.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe really enjoyed our mealWe really enjoyed our meal and the wonderful view of Lake Union and downtown Seattle. Food and service were great. Maybe a lttle pricey but great food overall.
We made a reservation for 5PM which was perfect because we beat the dinner crowd and we were able to have a window seat. I would suggest making a similar reservation if you want it quiet and more personal than later when the dinner crowd begins arriving.
We all ordered salmon and we each had a different menu item. All were very good and large portions but we all opted for no desert because the meal was a bit more than we expected. Everything is a la carta. The meal was served quickly although we did not feel rushed.
We will go again likely around the same time,
Steve3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat food & great viewI love this place. I've never had a bad experience. In using Opentable, they accomodated my table request. (thanks Salmon House staff!) Friendly, fun, enjoyable, & delicious. Costco in Issaquah/WA is selling $100 worth of Ivar gift cards for $80. Consider getting some and you instantly save 20%.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was nice to return to ourIt was nice to return to our favorite place to dine when we lived in Bellevue. We have been away for over 10 years and it was pleasant to find that the restaurant was still there and very much alive. We look forward to returning to visit when the remodel is over and the facility is back to full speed. Food us still wonderful and service is as great as it has always been. Nice to visit and old friend.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AM