Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in South of Seattle

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in South of Seattle? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Hood Canalé

4.8

4.8 (22)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Union

About the restaurant

Hood Canale' is a unique Wine & Beer bar offering a retail wine shop as well. The bar, garden and waterfront areas serve Napolitano-style wood-fired pizza and charcuterie platters and more. Come in and try our signature Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp Pizza and pair it with one of our 800 bottles of champagne or wine from around the world. Set on the beautiful Hood Canal, there's nothing like enjoying a great glass of wine and watching the seals or salmon go by. We hope to see you soon.. We are 21 and over and we do not accept pets. Take out is available and wait times will vary during peak hours for the restaurant. Thank you.

Top review

Vanessavip

Dined on Aug 24, 2024

Exceptional pizza, and lovely service. Can’t wait to return.

Copperleaf Restaurant & Bar

4.8

4.8 (2165)

$31 to $50

Northwest

Seatac

About the restaurant

Copperleaf Restaurant & Bar is a Northwest gathering spot serving seasonally-inspired farm-to-table cuisine. Our team is committed to sustainable practices that bring the season's bounty to your table. We hand select products from small local farms, fishermen, ranchers and artisans to curate all our menus. Arrive early and experience a seasonal cocktail or glass of Washington State wine in Copperleaf Bar! Come see why Copperleaf Restaurant is a quintessentially Northwest experience.

Table reservations for the patio are honored based on request and availability at the time of arrival; due to the frequently changing weather circumstances of the Seattle area and the popularity of our outdoor dining spaces, we are unable to guarantee reservations for the patio.

Top review

Annettevip

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent service and delicious food! Lovely ambience.

Paolo's Italian Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (1272)

$30 and under

Italian

Kent

About the restaurant

For more than 20 years, Paolo’s has been bringing the taste of Italy to Kent. Paul Raftis founded the restaurant after growing up learning to cook along side his mother, Darlene Raftis. He enjoys the open kitchen he can chat with guests as he works. He never tires of hearing "It smells so good in here!" As a marathoner, he is living proof that that you can eat Italian and be healthy. In fact, one of his signature dishes, "Fettucine Paolo" was featured in Runner's World magazine. "It's one of the dishes I developed, it has no cream in it, no butter." It's a delicious pasta dish that utilizes olive oil, garlic, chicken stock, garlic, balsamic vinegar, sundried tomatoes, artichokes, and chicken. So whether it's bruschetta, cioppino, pizza, or spaghetti and meatballs, Paul thanks each of you for choosing to dine here.

Top review

Tristen

Dined 5 days ago

I LOVE their clams. After you finish them, dip some bread in the sauce and finish it up. You’re welcome!

Grazie Ristorante - Southcenter/Tukwila

4.8

4.8 (1893)

$31 to $50

Italian

Tukwila

About the restaurant

We are an authentic Italian restaurant featuring wines and foods from the different regions of Italy. A remarkable aspect that sets our restaurants apart is our employees are taken to Italy for education in Italian food and wine knowledge. Our servers are personable and also educated to help you with your dining selections. We take no shortcuts with our food and make everything on our menu from scratch, using only the freshest ingredients and imported products. When you step inside the door of our restaurant our goal is to take your senses on a culinary journey to Italia.

Top review

Barbara

Dined on Aug 29, 2024

Greeted and seated in a welcoming and timely manner. On a Wednesday night the place was packed. I am glad we had a reservation. The food and beverage was spot on. William was our waiter. He was attentive but not intrusive.

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Duke's Seafood - Kent Station

4.7

4.7 (769)

$30 and under

Seafood

Kent

About the restaurant

Duke's Kent Seafood Restaurant is an upscale casual Pacific Northwest restaurant & bar offering signature, flavorful, 100% sustainable wild seafood, Award Winning Chowder and grass fed burgers in a gathering place that is friendly, comfortable, unpretentious and filled with personality. We only source all natural, healthful ingredients. Duke's food is free of hormones, antibiotics and free of harmful chemicals. Guests sum up their favorable assessment of what Duke's has to offer with three words: It’s so good! Duke's in Kent is a locals favorite, perfect for grabbing a drink at the bar, lunch, dinner, outdoor dining or dinner with the family or group of friends.

Top review

Kathleen

Dined 5 days ago

Duke’s is always my first choice for lunch. The food & service are superior. The variety of seafood is great!

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Popular dish

Chowder Samplers

Popular dish

Dungeness Crab "Un"Cakes

8 Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (57)

$31 to $50

Asian

Auburn

About the restaurant

A beloved regional destination for Asian cuisine, 8 welcomes guests for lunch and dinner service once again!

Featuring a newly refined dining atmosphere, 8 offers all the menu favorites patrons know and love as well as a few new surprises.

Sourced from New England and delivered fresh throughout the week, live Maine lobster is available for hand selection from saltwater aquariums. Guests can choose one of three preparations – Salt & Pepper, Black Bean or Ginger Scallion.

The delicacy of Peking Duck is also a new addition to 8. Marinated over five days and roasted to perfection, the flavorful, crispy-skinned entrée—served with scallions, cucumber, and steamed buns as well as hoisin sauce—sates parties of two to three.

The number 8 is a symbol of luck and wealth in many Asian cultures.

Top review

Annevip

Dined 4 days ago

8 is usually one of our favorite restaurants. Tonight it was different. The service was terrible. It was more than 25 minutes after we were seated before anyone came to our table. The drinks and food were very slow to arrive. Although the 8 at 8 menu was on the website, we learned once we got to the restaurant that it was not being offered. I ordered the tuna tataki special and the tuna was overcooked. It was super disappointing.

Duke's Seafood - Southcenter

4.6

4.6 (1071)

$30 and under

Seafood

Tukwila

About the restaurant

Duke's Restaurant Southcenter, located in Tukwila at the south end of The Westfield Mall, is an upscale casual Pacific Northweset seafood restaurant offering signature, flavorful, 100% sustainable wild seafood, Award Winning Chowder, and grass-fed burgers in a gathering place that is friendly, comfortable, unpretentious, and filled with personality. We only source all-natural, healthful ingredients. Duke's food is free of hormones, antibiotics, and free of harmful chemicals. Guests sum up their favorable assessment of what Duke's has to offer with three words: It’s so good! Great Fish Tacos, Wild Halibut & Salmon, Salads and amazing sandwiches.

Please note: We do not accept reservations for the outdoor deck seating. First come, first serve. Please feel free to designate outdoor seating as your preference when making a reservation or checking in and we'll do our best to see you on our patio.

Top review

rhonda

Dined on Aug 28, 2024

Jenny was our server. She’s always great. Got to meet new manager. Fine young man. We will continue to visit Dukes at Southcenter… old enough to of met Duke years ago……. He’s had the nicest and greatest places in to eat in Seattle area……. Southcenter Dukes of all of them,,,,,, favorite. Alki was a hangout for years…. Thanks again Jenny

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Popular dish

Dungeness Crab "Un"Cakes

Popular dish

Dungeness Crab Dip

Experience

Happy Hour at Duke's Seafood - Southcenter

Mama Stortini's - Kent Station

4.5

4.5 (822)

$30 and under

American

Kent

About the restaurant

Mama Stortini’s is home to a delicious blend of Pacific Northwest and Southern and Coastal Italian flavors. Popular pastas, fresh British Columbia salmon, crispy thin crust pizzas, juicy burgers and much more – there’s something for everyone to enjoy at Mama’s. Locally owned, locally loved. We strive to make you feel right at home!

Top review

Johnvip

Dined 5 days ago

Staff was wonderful. Good was good. Ambiance was delightful

Smoke & Cedar Steakhouse

4.5

4.5 (240)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Auburn

About the restaurant

Located on top of the all-new Muckleshoot Casino Resort tower in the heart of the bountiful Pacific Northwest. Smoke & Cedar will be among one of the country's leading steakhouses, dedicated to providing excellent guest service, fine libations, prime steaks and the best seafood the PNW has to offer. This one-of-a-kind restaurant in Washington commands 270-degree views of Mt. Rainier, the Puget Sound and both the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges.

Smoke & Cedars menu is updated seasonally to best showcase ingredients collected by foragers from the farmers markets, regional farms, and other artisan purveyors. The soul of the restaurant quite literally extends through its decor to spectacular views, complimenting a menu that conveys the sentiment that quality procured ingredients-are better appreciated on a beautiful plate in an approachable but elegant setting.

Bon appétit!

Top review

TommyH

Dined on Aug 29, 2024

Took my father for his 76th birthday dinner. Sat outside, the view is amazing and its peaceful and quiet up there. Service was top notch, I wish I remembered his name, but he was very informative, attentive, and great personality. Food was great. Overall a great place for a celebratory dinner.

The Restaurant at Alderbrook

4.5

4.5 (1420)

$31 to $50

Northwest

Union

About the restaurant

Our location brings out the best in fresh local seafood, dry aged beef, world-class wines and waterfront views - making The Restaurant at Alderbrook a destination in itself.

The interior setting of The Restaurant at Alderbrook takes its inspiration from the outdoors with warm colors of chocolate brown and sage green representing the gardens and lawn of the resort. Floor-to-ceiling windows and multi-levels amplify views of the brilliant shore and snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains.

The cuisine showcases local seafood harvested from Puget Sound and Hood Canal. After all, our shores are encrusted with oysters, our docks lined with mussels, and our sea teems with salmon.

Top review

Diane

Dined on Aug 27, 2024

We had a table of 4 for our 50th anniversary. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and then seated promptly. We all ordered the Farm Stand salad and it was delicious. Everyone enjoyed it. One person ordered the Crab Cakes and the rest of us ordered various steaks and frites. All of the meals were perfection and every steak was cooked exactly as ordered. Those steaks are also very delicious and tender. Everything was also seasoned perfectly, although the broccoli could have used a tad less salt. The person who ordered the Crab Cakes said they would have liked frites to be included, but they said the Crab Cakes were delicious. The desserts were divine. One couple ordered the Huckleberry Layer Cake. They loved it. My husband and I ordered the Lemon Creme Brûlée. It was very good too! I would like to give a shout out to Paddy, our waiter. He was a delight and made our dinner even more special. They are fortunate to have such a wonderful person representing the restaurant. All in all, our dining experience was excellent, as well as the food. Highly recommend!

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