Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Seattle / Eastern Washington

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Seattle / Eastern Washington? 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!

Rumba Seattle

4.9

4.9 (53)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Downtown

About the restaurant

Rumba is the Northwest's premiere rum bar featuring over 700 different rums. We make delicious rum-forward craft drinks with our freshly squeezed juices, balanced house syrups, and sourced best-quality ingredients. Our drinks are flavorful, focused and "not too sweet!"

https://www.rumbaonpike.com/

Top review

Kirstenvip

Dined on Sep 8, 2024

Truly a Seattle treasure. If you like rum three isn't a better spot.

OOLA Capitol Hill

4.9

4.9 (95)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Capitol Hill / First Hill

About the restaurant

We always leave ample space for walk-in's so come on over! Party's over 6 people, give us a call or send a direct message on our website.

OOLA Capitol Hill offers craft cocktails showcasing OOLA spirits, elevated bar snacks and PNW casual fine dining, shared plates, driven by the seasons. Executive Chef Elizabeth Blacker creates photo-worthy share plates with the freshest seasonal ingredients with a Pacific Northwest flair.

Nestled in a private courtyard on Union Street between 14th and 15th, OOLA Capitol Hill is a gem of a building with two garage doors opening onto a patio shaded by mature Japanese Maple trees. With 11 seats at the bar and 22 on the floor, it is one of the rare intimate community treasures that make Seattle a marvel.

We also have a Private Dining Room for parties from 8-20.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 1 day ago

Had a great time. Got to talk to the owners too. Good food and service

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Experience

Craft Cocktail Hour

Derby - The Shop Seattle

4.7

4.7 (67)

$30 and under

American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Derby offers New American cuisine, emphasizing the use of local ingredients from Washington. Enjoy glimpses of The Shop's world-class car collection! The menu caters to a variety of tastes, offering lunch, dinner, and a weekend brunch. Don't miss the Bad-Ass Bacon!

Notably, the restaurant provides a comfortable atmosphere for casual dining experiences. Enjoy the bar, indoor dining, and outdoor patio!

For those interested in automotive culture, The Shop also offers tours of its car collection on weekends. This adds an extra layer of interest for visitors, combining a love for cars with the enjoyment of good food.

In addition to its regular dining services, Derby also hosts private events and parties, making it a versatile space for different occasions.

Derby Restaurant presents a blend of culinary delights and automotive enthusiasm, making it a distinctive spot in Seattle's dining scene.

Top review

Debra

Dined 5 days ago

Love the experience at Derby with the unique cars. Menu is okay, but would like more sharable bar foods.

Inside Passage

4.7

4.7 (268)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

Capitol Hill / First Hill

About the restaurant

Inside Passage is a Northwest sunken ship, underwater, tropical cocktail bar with a sea creature named Kiki that lives above the bar. Created and run by your friends at Rumba and found within. Cocktails have elaborate, outrageous presentations and are crafted with premium ingredients and exotic flavors.

Reservations are released on a rolling basis, six weeks out. If you are looking for a date beyond that range, please check back! Inside Passage is a 21+ establishment.
https://www.insidepassageseattle.com/

Top review

Nataniel

Dined today

Such a great bar!!! Great drinks & food awesome vibes and great service!

Livbud Café

4.7

4.7 (61)

$30 and under

Vegetarian

Wallingford

About the restaurant

We’re here to inspire balance into the lives of anyone who walks through our doors – with coffee, smoothies, cocktails, taps, natural wine, and a plant forward / pescatarian menu that focuses on nutrient dense ingredients.

**NOTE ABOUT PARKING/CONSTRUCTION**
We recognize that the current construction makes it hard to get to our location. We do have a parking garage that is accessible from the east side of 35th. We validate for $3 parking, ask your server for a parking voucher. There is also street parking in the neighborhoods of Stone Way. We also encourage walking, biking, or ride share when possible.

Top review

Amandavip

Dined on Aug 18, 2024

Love this place! Have been twice for brunch, would also like to try dinner sometime. Ambiance is cozy. Staff are great. It took a bit of time for our food to arrive but we were not in a hurry. Delicious dishes! Would go back again and again.

Mint Progressive Indian

4.6

4.6 (153)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Indian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Modern Indian, fine dining restaurant located at the heart of Downtown Seattle. Executive Chef, Abhijit Sarkar, is bringing regional Indian flavors & innovative, culinary techniques to the Pacific Northwest with a carefully curated menu that has something on it for everyone. Building upon the ever evolving traditions of Indian cuisine, guests will experience a flavorful menu of vibrant, contemporary dishes inspired by the distinct flavors of regions spanning all of India. Complete with an eclectic craft cocktail program, expansive gin selection & extensive non-alcoholic beverage list, guests will have an unparalleled dining experience from start to finish.

Seating options include dining room, private dining, bar and lounge. Happy hour is offered from 3-5pm at the bar and in the lounge Tuesday - Sunday.

Top review

David

Dined 5 days ago

Creative takes on cuisine from all over India that you won't find anywhere else and were delicious and presented well. Excellent wine and equally creative cocktails, too.

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Experience

Happy hour

The Grill From Ipanema

4.5

4.5 (2509)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Belltown / Pike Place Market

About the restaurant

AUTHENTIC BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE
The Grill From Ipanema in Seattle is all about Rodízio, a popular Brazilian style of enjoying dinner among friends and a truly unique dining experience. Rodízio offers a wide variety of different cuts of grilled meats slowly roasted in specially designed charcoal grills. Served continuously by "passadores" or "gauchos" with food brought on skewers or carved to order tableside, servers make their rounds until guests can’t take another bite. Dining at The Grill From Ipanema also includes unlimited visits to the "mesa de frios" (cold table) for an array of cold cuts, cheeses, and exotic Brazilian specialties.

Top review

Suzana

Dined on Sep 8, 2024

Food was great! Need to visit with a larger appetite to take advantage of all meats. Service was awesome! Alberto accommodated us perfectly since it was a first time there. Would visit again!!

The Melting Pot - Spokane

4.4

4.4 (270)

$50 and over

Fondue

Spokane

About the restaurant

Located across the street from River Park Square Mall and one street away from the beautiful Spokane River Falls, The Melting Pot offers a truly unique experience created by the art of fondue. Our menu is full of crave-able selections that are sure to please any palate, like our loaded baked potato cheese fondue, bacon and blue salad, filet mignon and lobster tail, and flaming turtle chocolate fondue. But our restaurant offers more than just delicious food; we offer guests a chance to escape from everyday life for an hour or two and create new memories with family and friends. Whether it’s a romantic evening in one of our private booths, a casual happy hour after work, or a group function in our banquet room, we hope that the quality time around our fondue pots brings you closer than ever.

Top review

Cathyvip

Dined on Sep 6, 2024

You would think for that expensive of a dinner, the corporation could spring for a playlist of original artists. The horrible cover bands are jolting and kill the ambiance. Service and food were great!

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Experience

♥️ Deluxe Lover's Experience

Experience

Fondue and a Show 🎥

Rasai Indian

4.4

4.4 (83)

$30 and under

Indian

Fremont

About the restaurant

Rasai is a neighborhood modern classic Indian spot
Open Tuesday-Sunday: 4 PM - 10 PM

Top review

Taisen

Dined 4 days ago

Food is amazing and had a great time dining there. Really authentic Indian food with more of a fine dining experience.

Rider

4.2

4.2 (525)

$31 to $50

Grill

Downtown

About the restaurant

Rider celebrates the bounty of the Pacific Northwest by working closely with small, local, family-owned farms, ranches, fishermen, foragers, vineyards, and craftsmen. We strive to offer fresh, unique ingredients that showcase the region that we love.

Top review

Martyvip

Dined on Aug 10, 2024

We did the Chef’s Table called Fire and Ice. We were very pleased! Terrific experience.

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