Walrus and the Carpenter

Name: Walrus and the Carpenter
Address: 4743 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA, United States, 98107
Telephone: (206) 395-9227
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

384 Reviews

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Top Tags:

*We do not take reservations for any party size*
Fishing pub meets restaurant. This bustling neighborhood restaurant specializes in oysters and other seafood dishes. Using nothing but the freshest ingredients, Chef Taylor Thomas creates seasonal food. The Walrus and the Carpenter also serves wine, smart cocktails, beer and cider. It makes an ideal after-hours hangout spot. Enjoy some fried oysters with a cold beer, surrounded by cozy rustic furnishings. If you prefer an alternative to seafood, look no further than the steak tartare, which comes with thinly sliced rye toast and egg yolk. Launched in 2010 to rave reviews, The Walrus and the Carpenter is open daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

We hope to see you soon! Until we meet at the table....

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 2, 2023

7:00 PM

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Seafood, Oyster Bar
Hours of operation
Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(206) 395-9227
Website
http://www.thewalrusbar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Owned/operated by
Women

Location
4743 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Neighborhood
Ballard
Cross street
Ballard Ave. NW
Parking details
There is paid street parking in front, a paid lot just up the block from us, and back in angle parking behind us on Shilshole Ave.
Additional
Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Normandy Dinner
$225.00 per person
Prepaid
Oct 22, 2023 only
Join us for our 11th annual Normandy Dinner! An outdoor oyster, wine, and cider reception will be followed by a three-course family-style meal, celebrating the flavors and ingredients of Normandy, prepared by James Beard Award-winning Chef Renee Erickson's team at Walrus. Plan to dress for fall Seattle weather. Please note that seating and plating will be family style. Please contact in advance with seating or dietary concerns. Thank you!

Popular dishes

What 384 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on all time ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

384 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food and drinks were absolutely WONDERFUL and the service was spectacular. Our waitstaff was kind, fun and knowledgeable! Will go back again and again!
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EO
EricO
St. Louis
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best places in Seattle. Service and food is always on point.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Made reservations for Valentines Day and it was absolutely perfect! Always a great date spot, so intimate yet inviting! Will be again and again and again!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good seat at the counter next to bushels of beautiful oysters. Well prepared dishes and very good service made it a lovely dinner.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great and friendly service. Food arrived quickly and well prepared. It was delicious!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Special occasion only unless You can afford 200 bill
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KF
KathyF
Seattle
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We enjoyed everything we ate. We'll be back, there are a few things there we still want to try.
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AG
AmandaG
Denver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic oysters. Great service from Joe at the bar - although I would have loved to be down on the side where the shucking was happening, it was fun to watch drinks being made as well. Well-sized portions for the price point. Only regret: not getting the bread pudding for dessert!
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DV
DarthVintner
Seattle
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience1
Great prix fix menu for NYE - loved the whole experience. We roasted under the heat lamps outdoors and could barely hear each other over the low roar of the crowd, but the food was exquisite and we will definitely be coming back after the holidays for the 'normal' experience
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
NYE dinner was absolutely amazing. One of the best restaurants I’ve been to in Seattle
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love the Walrus and the Carpenter on all days but they went all out for NYE. Wonderful experience beginning to end.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We decided to have a nice dinner out away from our one year old. A rarity for new parents. We love coming here and knew service and the food would be top quality. The pre-fixed menu was so divine. We opted to choose our own adventure for drinks. Every course was nicely portioned, and so delicious. From the orange wine, to the red wine brisket everything was perfection. The service was also stacked and the pro’s were clearly running the show. We felt well taken care of and enjoyed our New Year’s Eve date night. 11/10 would dine again, and again.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing customer service and food! We ordered the course tasting, food proportions were quite large but not sure many would complain. Noise is a bit loud, but to be expected with the layout.
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JW
JohnW
Seattle
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience3
Great food, got progressively better, pretty small portions but interesting and subtle flavors. Definitely similar (and better) dishes happening at other Seattle restaurants for lower prices per dish. My biggest complaint is overall dining comfort. Why do a lot of good/high end Seattle restaurants want their patrons to sit on hard cold metal chairs and wood benches? Renee Erikson has how many spots in this city? Why all of them have seating like a prison food hall. I'm paying good money, let me be comfortable and relax while I eat your $19 beets. Dining out is such a nice treat, especially during COVID and the service is excellent. Please let me feel welcome to stay be investing in a cushion or better seating overall.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
My husband had been here before and he was so excited to come back! He was right! Everything about dining here was spectacular. The staff was friendly, accommodating, and informational. The food was perfection. Would recommend to anyone in the Seattle area every time.
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TZ
TamaraZ
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect place for foodies. Well-balanced menu, perfectly prepared dishes. Love it!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
NYE 2021 date with my love.
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AC
AlexC
Seattle
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Had a great NYE experience- awesome food and service. Only downside was the bar seating… it was extremely packed and pretty loud. But still had a great time.
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SM
SarahM
Los Angeles
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 19, 2021
overall4food5service3ambience4
The scallops were delicious as was the duck confit.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 17, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had the best experience and meal ever! The service was outstanding and the food was even better. We ordered a bunch of different things off the menu; all were amazing. But the stand outs were the tomato salad, oysters, halibut collar and the bread with the butter! Can’t wait to go back.
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D
Debra
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 17, 2021
overall4food4service5ambience4
Dinner was delicious and all of our servers were excellent. Would absolutely return.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
This place is a gem in every aspect. Outstanding quality with simple ingredients- timeless in every way.
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TF
ThomasF
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 15, 2021
overall4food3service5ambience4
Two out of three of us like oysters and the 3rd person doesn’t like raw food and can’t eat dairy so he felt the entree offerings were limited-he got the halibut collar which was ok but not much meat to it. We then ordered the fried oysters which were good. The raw oysters were very good for the two of us.
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RP
RebeccaP
Tampa
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great oysters! A wonderful waitress offered strong recommendations.
Is this helpful?
YE
YigalE
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is my favorite restaurant in the Seattle area. Never miss a visit when I'm in town, and they never disappoint.
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I
Isiw
Chicago
34 reviews
4.0
34 reviews
Dined on July 14, 2021
overall4food4service3ambience4
Well ... as noted many places, they oysters were excellent. Fresh, sweet, briny ... each as described. Some of the dishes were notable: the scallops crudo stood out, although the rockfish crudo might be more accurately described as a rockfish ceviche. Sadly, what stood out even more was an oppressive feeling of money-makng. To start with, it's expensive. $4 per oyster, $6 for one rather measly plate of bread. $6 for sparkling water, too frequently and energetically poured. These dishes are small. They may be announced as "designed for sharing" but if you're two people you'll be ordering 4 dishes at least, which will set you back $80 + tip before you've begun. Those scallops crudo are three delightful mouthfuls for $18. The grilled sardines were an especial disappointment. There were sardines, and they may have been grilled, but it was hard to tell because they were drowned in half walnuts (we had to hunt for the sardine pieces) and a nice shallot/oil/parsley dressing. Service was brisk and mostly interested in clearing, pouring, and taking orders. It felt more like being in a well-oiled processing operation than a hospitable restaurant. On the plus side, plenty of energy in the room, a lovely space, and a great-looking bar.
2 people found this helpful
j
julieg
Seattle
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 14, 2021
overall4food4service4ambience3
Someone forgot one of our plates and we waited a while for it. Food was really good though.
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DA
DavidA
Indiana
22 reviews
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service and atmosphere. Loved the food. Would definitely recommend and go back again.
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b
bretg
Atlanta Metro
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service. The freshest and most innovative food in Seattle. Very cool vibe
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DC
DiannaC
Seattle
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 12, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience4
Fantastic food, great staff, and the dishes were very unique with great presentation. The noise level was a little high for me, but my eighteen year old daughters loved it and were caught up in the playlist. Really fun.
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LF
LisaF
Seattle
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 11, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
I love W&C for its innovative, fresh take on raw everything. I can get high quality oysters many places, but it's their scallop crudo and steak tartare that brings me back again and again. Their seasonal melon was excellent - fruit was perfectly ripe, and nuoc cham enhanced but did not overwhelm. Their wine list is well priced and pairs very well with the food. My only criticism is that the music level is so loud you have to shout to hear your dinner companions, even in the outdoor dining space. I am also sorry to hear they will be dispensing with reservations later this month, as I will not travel 45 minutes across town to wait in line and possibly never get seated. Hope they reconsider this policy.
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Phoenix
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 11, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect birthday oyster spot. Bathroom labyrinth is a bit creepy.
1 person found this helpful
KL
KristiL
Seattle
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 11, 2021
overall4food5service5ambience2
The food and service at Walrus and the Carpenter is excellent. They know their food and the atmosphere is exuberant. It just wasn’t the right call for a romantic birthday dinner, as we could hardly hear each other and the next table was inches away. But for a fun start to a special evening or a night out with friends, it’s perfect.
Is this helpful?
1
11111
Seattle
7 reviews
vip
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2021
overall3food4service4ambience2
The oysters were excellent!! Service was great. Only negatives - This place is small....very small. We were seated so close to people next to us. This was out of our comfort zone due to Covid. The restrictions are lifted so the restaurant is compliant but I would consider this factor if you like some space. On the higher priced side also but everything we ordered was delicious!
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f
fatboy
Anchorage
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2021
overall4food5service4ambience3
Very good with all current restrictions in place. Look forward to coming back under "normal" circumstances.
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x
xyzee
Washington DC
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience3
Great place and great food. Can’t get better oysters.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Houston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic experience. The oysters and others dishes were outstanding. The bread delicious. We thought we were in Paris ! An air of France ! Service was great! We loved the place!
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AM
AmandaM
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 8, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience4
Came to celebrate my boyfriends new job and had a wonderful time. Food was very good.
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ES
ErinS
Seattle
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible oysters as always. I can always count on this restaurant group to expose me to new oysters I haven't previously had that are the freshest. Simple, but thoughtful menu.
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F
Fernando
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 8, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Superb food with great ambiance. Oystets and modern seafood.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Walrus and the Carpenter using the Order Online button.

Walrus and the Carpenter is rated 4.8 stars by 384 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 2, 2023

7:00 PM

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

4743 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Additional information

Cross street
Ballard Ave. NW
Neighborhood
Ballard
Hours of operation
Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Seafood, Oyster Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
There is paid street parking in front, a paid lot just up the block from us, and back in angle parking behind us on Shilshole Ave.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Owned/operated by
Women
Additional
Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.thewalrusbar.com/
Phone number
(206) 395-9227

Walrus and the Carpenter

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Experiences

Normandy Dinner

Popular dishes

Fried Oysters

Grilled Sardines

Scallop Crudo

Menu

What 384 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

Does Walrus and the Carpenter offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Walrus and the Carpenter restaurant rated?

Is Walrus and the Carpenter currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information