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Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
"So many oysters, so little time. We stuck with what they were serving up for happy hour--tasty little guys from Dabob Bay, so fresh with…" read more »
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After being in Seattle for almost 3 years, I am ashamed to admit I've never been to a Tom Douglas restaurant. Granted, I'm vegetarian so the seafood isn't a real draw for me. Etta's location is ideal, right across the street from the water, right by Pike Place. My friend visiting from Texas and I went on a Friday evening around 6, the seating was prompt and bread and water were brought quickly. The setting and tables were a bit "cold" but I appreciated the juxtaposition of seasonal pumpkins and other decorations.
The girl in the picture was our waitress and she was GREAT! She knew the menu, was knowledgable and truly passionate about the food, and suggested personal favorites; specifically the salmon with cornbread stuffing for my friend. I love the stress on regional food.
I had the butternut squash bisque with maple cream and sage and it was hearty and delicious. The honeycrisp and Beecher's cheese salad complemented this nicely; crisp, refreshing. I left full. I feel that the price was to be expected for the quality of food. AND you get Swedish Fish when leaving! I'm excited to try the Dahlia Lounge and Serious Pie next!
I popped in here for a snack since I have been gorging myself in general...I ordered two appetizers.
1) Tom's tasty albacore tuna sashimi salad pickled ginger, wasabi tobiko, green onion . The sashimi was okay, but not as fresh as what would be served at a fine sushi restaurant. Wasabi tobiko which tends to be a favorite of mine was scattered atop the picked ginger which was a rather perplexing move. From my recollection, pickled ginger is to cleanse the palate...the tobiko is to enjoy with the fish.
2) Spicy shrimp and ginger spring rolls sweet chili dipping sauce...this dish was so over salted that it was inedible. At first I thought the salt had been slathered on the spring roll wrapping...but it was the "meat' of the spring roll which was ill prepared. My dining partner confirmed that it was too salty to eat.
My dining partner ordered the Etta's Rub with Love wild Coho salmon with shiitake relish, cornbread pudding. He ordered the salmon on the rare-medium rare side in fear that it would be overdone. While it's texture was perfect, I know that he wasn't feeling so well later that night - perhaps the fish or the copious amounts of salt in the "rub with love". I enjoyed the cornbread pudding...it was reminiscent of Thanksgiving and Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix - moist and fluffy with the same flavors.
On a scale of 1-10...I'd give it a 4 for location. This is one of the only casual restaurants to dine right at Pike Place Market that offers more than a stool and some counter space. Service was attentive. The restaurant was popular, but it reminded me more of an average place at a fish market anywhere in the country.
Etta's was SO good.
I ate there a while back with some old friends that were visiting the area and it was quite the treat.
While the prices were a little high, the quality of food and service was exceptional. The clam chowder was wonderful and the tuna dish was even better. The fish was so fresh and perfectly seasoned with herbs. It was served alongside mixed greens, and potatoes.
If you're looking for a nice evening out for some super fresh seafood, this is the place!
My daughter and I ate at Etta's after tasting the crab cakes on a Savor Seattle tour. We tasted the crab cakes, which made my daughter into a crab eater (THANK YOU!), on Monday and went back for lunch before flying home on Wednesday. What a great lunch! We had a great waitress who's name I am spacing, but she gave me a fabulous wine suggestion of a Pinot Grigio, to go with our crab cakes and crab salads (I told you my daughter is a crab eater now). What a fab lunch! The crab cakes are nice and crabby, not to say that they are grouchy, just yummy, especially with the tomatillo sauce on them. The crab salad had a ton of crab on nice crisp bibb lettuce with avocado and grapefruit and a light, light, light grapefruit vinagrette. I personally would have liked a touch more acid in the vinagrette, but it wasn't important enough to bother with flagging down the waitress. A perfect lunch for a mom and daughter who were hungry in spite of feeling all the food from eating our way through downtown Seattle!
One of my friends blew back into town from Italy. "Where do you want to go to eat?" "Seafood, I can't get any salmon in Italy. I'm dying. Let's go to Etta's."
After a horrifying hour and 15 minute commute to drop off her car at the hotel and get down to the Market in the pouring rain, we luck out and find a parking spot on the corner.
Camped out at a table by the window, we open with a glass of wine to relax. Chowder and a shrimp cocktail follow in rapid succession. She loved the chowder but I should have passed on the shrimp.
True to her desires, she got the salmon which was maybe a little past medium rare but still very good and I ordered the Kobe beef with garlic mashed potatoes, also very good. She hoovered away most of my mushrooms before I got to them, but that's another story. Both were hits with us and Etta's retains it's status as a favorite.
A lot of folks said this place is expensive, but it's not that bad to me. Remember that it's… Read more »
I recently recommended an important client visit this Seattle seafood landmark based on reviews and then took my savvy Aunt from New York to check it out for myself. Client and Aunt both gave friendly reviews oozing of "it's nothing special, but they did not upset me in any way."
For me, parking was a chore and the service was uncomfortable, forced and nervous (perhaps it was his first day?) He hovered at the wrong times and disappeared when he was most needed. I had to flag him down twice, first to order, then to give him the credit card.
The steamed clams and mussels were good, but nothing inventive or exciting... dare I say boring? I had a at least 10 clams left in the bottom of the pot swimming in the bland white wine sauce. They probably didn't want to open up in that mediocre broth, poor clams! The accompanying bread was a greasy charred version the bread they brought for the table, it could have used less butter and more seasoning, maybe rosemary? My Aunt had a few of my clams and said they were better than her muscles... bummer.
If you are looking to wow out of town guests, Etta's will not score you any points and will not exceed anyone's expectations, least of all your own. You're better off heading across the street to Cutters to wow them with a view and equally standard seafood.
Prices are high, but the food is very elegant and yummy. I ate there a while back and had a lovely halibut dish with an orange sauce. The service was fast and pleasant.
With popped in for an anniversary dinner while in Seattle last month and were very delighted and thankful for having heeded the recommendation of a friend to visit Etta's. What a fantastic meal!
My wife had the halibut and I had the classic crab cakes - the best that either of us had ever eaten up until that dinner. Atmosphere is relaxed but a little dressier, prices are right on for the excellent quality food, and the service is excellent. I only skipped the 5 stars due to the apple sorbet being just a little bit disappointing. A little bit north of the Pike Place market tucked right up against the Puget, Etta's is a fave for the next time we're in town.
Had breakfst here the other day, the corned beef hash was excellent and more importantly it did not come back to haunt me later.....Yay!
The crab cake my wife had were so good I was only allowed a small taste. The waitress was physic, all you had to do was start to think about a refill and viola..
I wish I could give Etta's 3 1/2 stars, but I can't, so I'm just gonna tell you that I'm giving it 3 1/2 stars.
So there.
Accommodating? Yes, as we had a large group, plus more people showing up...unannounced.
Appetizers? V. tasty, but running short of bread is never good for a group that drinks...a lot.
Entrees? Crab cakes were really good, but I was a little taken aback that it was served w/ frites. Really? I was thinking a rice pilaf or something, but not fries. The salmon that C had was pretty good, but I felt was a bit on the undercooked side. The chowder my friend was having was quite good, albeit on the heavy side. Otherwise, not bad, but not AMAZING.
Desserts, on the other hand, were EFFING AWESOME. Coconut cream pie is so. Freaking. Good. And the chocolate cake - sinful.
I don't think I'll be visiting Etta's again anytime soon, as I am partial to other Tom Douglas restaurants - I feel that the quality here wasn't as good as Dahlia or Lola.
Was really disappointed with this restaurant. First time in Seattle, we wanted to eat around Pike's Place because we were hosting a guest from Chicago.
If you love butter, you'll love this restaurant. The supposedly famous great crabcakes: butter cakes. Was told there was a recipe book written by the chef just for crabcakes. I wonder why, just buy a stick of butter. Same deal with the cornbread pudding. you can taste nothing but butter. The clam chowder? Tastes better, but still a lot of butter.
Best item we had: the Coconut Cream Pie. Very tasty, they must have forgotten the butter topping.
When you factor in the price, I've had much better for much less.
went here for brunch with two good friends. we ordered:
crab benedict with hollandaise sauce-presentation was nice, just enough hollandaise sauce (not over powering), eggs were perfect and i was happy to find chunks of fresh crab hidden underneath the eggs :)
corned beef hash with chipotle ketchup-it was delish! and OMG we loved the chipotle ketchup so much that we asked for another serving of it and dipped almost everything in it. It had a savory beginning and the heat slowly crept up from the tip of your tongue to the back or your throat, but not to the point where it tickles.
french toast with mulberry syrup and yummy bacon-it was so light and fluffy and the syrup was perfect! we were afraid that it would be too sweet, but it wasn't at all! The bacon was thick, and crisp just the way i like it!
service-our server was really helpful with the menu and made sure we had everything we needed.
decor-chic casual, it had a coffee shop/brunch feel. it definitely helped by having the tall windows facing the water. I had a nice view of protestors doing the thriller while trying to convince people to march along with them against the public option for health care. it was definitely entertaining.
Went here for dinner tonight... .so make that #2 of TD's.
started with the small order of crab cakes... very nice... not filler'd to death, and with good fresh flavor.
I had the chowder with bacon... quite good as well... possibly a little on the salty side... prolly from the bacon.
Wife had the chioppino... another good dish... lots of good stuff... well cooked and prepared.
Not a stellar, out of this world meal, but good nonetheless.
I'd give it 4 stars if the waitress didn't guess my age wrong. It was really upsetting, I mean, shouldn't you always subtract a few years from your guess before you say it out loud? She was wayyyyy off.
Aside from that, the oysters are fresh, I'd recommend the Snow Creek oysters. Their crab cake was the best I've ever had but I'm not a fan of crab cakes in general. Halibut was alright, if I go back I'd try their Kobe shoulder.
Had a light meal here while visiting Seattle. I have to say the food was good as was the service. We had a window seat of the market so that made for great people watching.
We both had two appetizers, I had the mini crab cakes and the crab saled. The mini crab cakes were good but very small, about the size of a quarter and not very thick. Three of these for $12.00 was pushing it in my book. The salad was delicious. It had fresh crispy green beans that paired well with the crab. I did not eat the fresh grapefruit sections that were in the salad, it tasted better without them.
The oysters were very fresh and tasted like the sea, as it should be. The broth in the mussels appetizer was very rich and delicious and came with this grilled bread that just begged to be dipped in and sopped up.
They are famous for their coconut cream pie, however I did not have any but I saw several being served to other tables and it looked good. Perhaps I missed the boat on the pie but will never know....
Made a Sunday brunch reservation at 11am for an hour later on open table. That kinda rocks. Their brunch menu has tasty southwestern inspired flavors which was unexpected given that this is a seafood restaurant. I love that the toast here is thick buttered crusty bread.
We were seated near the window so we could see lots of pikes place tourist walking about. The service was fast and friendly. My corned beef hash was good (although I wished they had crisped the meat up a little). My companion had the huevos rancheros which was also a tasty dish. I would def head back here.
Parking seemed like it would be kind of tough, but we lucked out and found street parking around the block (free on a Sunday).
This was a nice place to brunch before we walked over to see the aquarium.
A very fine breakfast in a fascinating location near the Pike Place Market! The wait for a table was about half an hour on a Sunday morning and my date and I chose to walk around the market in the meantime. Perfectly charming, grey Seattle morning to boot!
Etta's was very busy--perhaps, bustling a better word! Our waitress was sweet and accommodating and the food was presented very quickly. I enjoyed the meal down to the last potato. And I must say: Amazing orange juice!
My friend finally completed one of her lifelong dreams -- getting her motorcycle license -- after a rigorous, 2-day crash course in motorcycle driving. My other friend, a man notoriously known for his ability to make ice cream with broken ice cream machines, and I organized the "Feast of the Seven Seas" to celebrate our friend's coming of age as a biker chick. "What was a suitable place to host such a gathering of grandiose proportions?", the ice cream maker friend asked. I told him Etta's.
And so we went.
The complimentary olive bread that we received before the food wasn't that great, but the butter that came with it compensated for the bread's lack of flavor.
For appetizers, we tried 3 of the larger oyster shoots. They were pretty good. The largest one (Snow Creek?) was the best-tasting. Sadly, none of them had pearls.
For the main course, we had the Alaskan Halibut and the Crab Cakes. Both were good. The halibut had a good texture, and didn't taste like the sea (which I prefer). The crab cake was a bit too soft for me. It would sometimes break while in transit from the time I pierce it with my fork to the moment it ended up in my mouth.
I had made reservations for 3, and specifically asked in the reservation for them to sing a congratulatory song. However, this request was not honored, nor was it even mentioned by the waitress. My biker chick friend was clearly disappointed; no amount of olive bread, oysters, or crab cakes would cheer her up. We finally left and headed for Capitol Hill to get some coffee to boost her morale.
I am a man who rarely frequents fancy places on the weekdays, just one of those rules you make up for yourself like not eating red fruit on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. In other words, a little arbitrary.
However accompanied with a few friends, We decided to make the journey to Etta's Seafood a restaurant opened by none other that Seattle's star chef Tom Douglas.
We had the Oysters, Crab Cakes and a nice Halibut. I don't have much sense of taste for Oysters, but I can tell you they tasted like the ocean.
Simply excellent crab cakes, with great texture and flavor with a solid buttery foundation. Halibut was cooked well, however I can't say that I was floored by mystical wonderful journey of flavors that I sometimes expect.
Some arbitrary rules should be followed such as; not goading the waitress to guess at a lady friend's age at the table, but other rules like visiting fancy places on the weekdays should be definitely reconsidered.
We came to Etta's on a weeknight to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday, after carefully considering which restaurant to patronize with our fine custom. From the start, when the birthday boy discovered the bowl of swedish fish in the foyer, it was a sweet evening.
We all savored our bottle of pino blanc, which seemed like a bargain at $25 compared to some of the offerings on the wine list. {Plus, I appreciated that the waitress deferred to me on the wine, even though I am just a delicate lady.}
The food was great, too: Birthday boy's bro (who happens to be a chef) enjoyed his cioppino, which positively overflowed with seafood. I ordered the fava bean and ricotta raviolini, which was pretty much the only vegetarian option on the menu. But no complaints about the dish itself, it was quite good!
Besides, we weren't there for vegetarian eats, we were there so the birthday boy could get his salmon on! And get his salmon on he did. If I had, hypothetically, stolen a few bites, I would have been able to tell you how moist and flavorful and awesome the salmon was. But of course, I didn't do that. Because I'm a good vegetarian. Yup.
*cough itwassodelicious!!! cough*
Service was excellent, and I really have no complaints about the decor or the location. Yes, it's definitely a splurge. But Etta's is a lot nicer than some restaurants at the same price point (like Ten Mercer). If you haven't been to Ray's yet, I would definitely check that out first. But if you're looking to get your salmon fix somewhere new, you could do a lot worse than Etta's.
So it seems like coming here for brunch is not the full Etta's experience. Then again, I've heard the Seafood experience at Etta's is not that great, so maybe brunch was the best meal to have here?
We were pretty fortunate to walk in at the right moment and not have to wait for a table. We were sat at a very nice table for two at the window; great view of the park and a view of the harbor.
Two cups of coffee were ordered; Starbucks drip. Wow, don't order the drip coffee, it's terrible! I don't really drink Starbucks drip coffee so I don't think I fully comprehended how bad it truly was. Bad, awful, terrible...but not really the restaurant's fault, other than the fact that they SERVE 'bucks instead of a better Seattle coffee roast.
Food however, was pretty tasty. I've never heard of monkey bread before in my life, but now I'd like to have it for breakfast all the time. The caramel butter sauce it's served with is delightful. I was going to order the Brioche French toast with rhubarb compote and vanilla mascarpone, but the boyfriend decided he must get it. So I bowed out and got the Breakfast Polenta; topped with caramelized bananas and walnuts drizzled with a little bit of melted butter sauce. While it was good and very reminiscent of the flavors of the cinnamon-y Monkey Bread, I think I liked the French Toast better.
Service was on point, and the place was pretty nice. I'd definitely go back for sure.
We walked around downtown after the Bears beat the Seahawks and decieded to come here. I ordered the halibut and it was just ok. Dont expect to get much food either. the fresh squeezed lemonade doesnt taste fresh squezzed. i wouldnt comeback
My husband and I love, LOVE Seattle. Pike Place Market, we can go there everyday everytime we visit Seattle. For every trip, we make a point to try a different restaurant, and we usually do some research before hand.
We picked Etta's our last trip to Seattle (I believe it was back in December 2008). I remember the restaurant well and decided to write this review because I just got done writing one for Barbara Jean's...
So we ordered the Manila Clams, Dungeness Crab Salad, and their "famous" Dungeness Crab Cakes. First of all, we like Etta's decor. The location is awesome, so close to Pike Place Market. But neither the decor nor the location can fill the bitter empty disappointment as soon as we took a bite of their "famous" crab cakes.
To their credit, the clams and the salad were pretty good (but not "wow" good). The crab cakes meal was way over priced and mediocre at best. They were like silver dollar sized crab cakes with hardly any crab meat chunks that I can tell and with too much other fillings. I remember thinking, oh geez, I could get double the size of crab cake that is filled with chunks and chunks of crab meat at Barbara Jean's at home.... for half the price!
Overall, we had high expectations because of Tom Douglas' name and the "famous" crab cakes the restaurant advertised. Maybe that's the reason we were so disappointed. The food did not justify the price they charge. I don't mind paying for a good meal, but I honestly felt robbed when I walked out of that restaurant.... still hungry....
Good thing is, the restaurant is close to Pike Place Market... there are many vendors that offer down to earth, great food for very little $$...
Piroshky Piroshky anyone?
Good solid brunch with a decent number of options.
A bit pricey normally, but they take the Prime entertainment card, so it's way cheaper for me!
The Huevos Rancheros were pretty tasty--the beans were a bit too overpowering, but all the other fixin's (pico de guallo, guac, and chipotle sour cream) made it unique and worth a try.
Hmmm....maybe Tom Douglas stopped trying since Serious Pie became his latest hit... It's not to say that you shouldn't try the seafood at Etta's (the oysters are fantastic), but be prepared to pay top dollar for mediocre fare. One of the salads on the menu is a (not so dressed up) head of iceberg lettuce drowning in a sea of blue cheese dressing. The end. No croutons, no grated cheese, no veggies...just a head of lettuce. That will cost you $8. A plate of the tiniest mini crab cakes (three total, each about the size of a shumai) you have ever seen will be another $15, a burger which shouldn't cost more than $7 will run you about $15 and a sour mojito will cut you down another $8.
Other than that, let's say you've got guests in town who are dying to chow down in the market and don't mind spending a few dollars. Etta's has the decor and vibe of a midwestern hotel restaurant circa 1991, so be warned. There won't be anything memorable about the view or the ambiance.
In the end, it simply feels like Tom Douglas has slacked off and forgotten about Etta's. I think it can be salvaged, but for the moment, it leaves a lot to be desired.
So....What's all this about?
We hardly blast a place - give it a chance. We have been living downtown Seattle for a couple of years. When we first moved hear we enjoyed going to Etta's for Sunday Breakfast....However sadly, like most things fantastic......gets stale......
And with that - We just went to Breakfast....a perfect sunny Sunday in July 2009.
We got our order of "Monkey Bread"...since we planned to have a hearty breakfast we ordered a half order.
So four dollars later.....and we get a small muffin size "monkey bread", So Etta's in Seattle definition of a half order means 1/5 the size of a full order...go figure....But we say hey if you want someting good you have to "pay to play."
Bad move...This was horrible the bread obviously microwaved before it hit our table was warm in the crust and hard as a rock in side.....This was obviously 1 or 2 day old bread....It was unbearable...we sent it back (We hardly have ever done this).
The waitress said no problem and sorry.
Ok here comes our food...can you believe this they fuc*&ed up two eggs over easy...which means in my book a runny yoke...not completely uncooked, the white portion of the egg ...disolved into a an egg soup..Not kidding. The bacon under cooked.....the bread toast....hard as a rock...and old......ok......sometimes everyone has a bad day..the cooked smoked crack the night before...whatever.....
I guess it was when I got the bill and realized that they still charged us for the monkey bread.. i sighed.......I politely asked them to remove it.....and I voted with my feet...Never to recommend or to return to
..................ETTA's in the Market...
Listen, I only want to help...I use yelp all over the US...but if you want a good breakfast in Seattle...Stay far away from this joint!
My first meal in Seattle. Hell, my first HOUR in Seattle. I wandered from my hotel down through the Pike Place market, and ended up splashing out here. Thanks to recommendations from fellow Yelpers, I had Tom Douglas' name in my mind so stopped here when I passed. Sadly, I hadn't remembered the full quote:
"+1 to any Tom Douglas restaurants, except for Etta's" (Shirley Y.)
Oops.
Still, I started with a draft Pike Pale Ale ($5), which was good if not spectacular. The clam chowder (bowl - $8), likewise -- nice texture, flavorful, but no better than any I've tried elsewhere, and probably not worth the price. The highlight for me was the entree (a special) of Copper River Sockeye salmon ($26), on a bed of Israeli cous cous, garnished with thinly-sliced radish. The herb flavors in the cous cous and bitterness of the radish complemented the richness of the salmon, which was perfectly cooked, wonderfully. I finished the meal with a large espresso ($2.50), whose saucer was garnished with a freshly cut lemon rind. Who knew the smells of coffee and lemon went so well together? Not me, apparently.
Service was prompt. Perhaps too prompt -- my entree was put on the table before I'd finished my appetizer. The attention wasn't unexpected, as it was very empty (1-2pm). I can't fault them for their skills at taking $45 + tip from me within 40 minutes of sitting down!
If this is regarded by others as his below-par restaurant, I'll have to try one Tom Douglas' other offerings before I leave town...
Across from Pike Place Market is Etta's. We were hungry for brunch so we went here. Probably would have been better to eat dinner here since this place is first and foremost a seafood restaurant. I don't eat seafood anyways so it didn't bug me to eat brunch here.
I had French toast- there was this vanilla spread and berry sauce to go with the syrup. The French toast absorbed everything, which was cool since it made for a sweet breakfast. However, this place gets 3 stars since the coffee (Starbucks. of course) wasn't too good.
I Love Etta's. So much fantastic seafood, so little time. I had halibut which was cooked perfectly--a nice thick piece that was still moist and juicy inside. Served with a sauce that had either morels or porcinis just elevated the taste sensation to something short of sublime.
Why oh why does this place have to be so expensive? If it were more affordable I'd be here every week. So now I have to relegate it to the special occasions that seem so few and far between. Like my birthday--must it only be once a year?
My friend was visiting in town and she wanted to check out a Tom Douglas restaurant. Being new to the northwest culinary scene, I say "Tom who?". Of course, she proceeds to explain how he is well-known in Seattle and how he beat the famed (read: vastly-overrated) Masaharu Morimoto on Iron Chef. Count me in...
Ambiance:
Nothing fancy or pretentious. Very quiet and dimly lit environment, which makes for a decent date or conversation spot.
Service:
The service was very attentive, not a fault I could find.
Food:
The good: Clam chowder (the clam taste is nicely infused into the chowder, which was neither too watery nor too thick)
The meh: Seared rare albacore tuna (texture was flaky on outside and buttery soft on the inside, but taste was almost non-existent)
The ugly: Wouldn't be much of a renowned chef if something made it in this section.
Value:
If you want to eat at a Tom Douglas restaurant; you probably shouldn't care too much about the price..... but I've been told that this is one of the more economical alternatives to his other restaurants. We spent about $40+ per person with drinks included, not too bad.
Overall:
I'll give it one more shot for brunch, but my dinner experience was somewhat underwhelming. My expectations may have been a bit too much (I tend to expect near-orgasmic food experiences from "renowned" chefs' restaurants). I get the feeling that this is the neglected middle-child in his family of restaurants.
The cup of clam chowder ($4) dipped in the crusty olive bread (complimentary) was excellent! The crab salad ( $12) was disappointing: lettuce leaves, three slices of grapefruit, a few green beans, and a dollop of lump crab meat, with a very light grapefruit vinaigrette dressing. The grapefruit slices and crab meat were delicious (all three forkfuls) but the rest of the salad was rather tasteless. Excellent fresh brewed iced tea. To be fair, our server did warn us if we wanted more crab meat we should order the $18 salad (same salad but with double the crabmeat).
Brunch Review - slimy woody spinach tried to ruin the Benedict, but the monkey bread made it all better... almost.
French Toast was the same as Lola... with better bacon.
Slow service made more painful by slower table clearing... while both were having a conversation where we could see them... for more than 5 minutes.
For a $50 breakfast splurge... I expected better than Lola... or at least equal... at least the bacon was better cooked?
Etta's is a good choice for seafood, albeit a more pricier one. I've only been there for dinner, so I can't comment on lunch. Nevertheless, Etta's is a nice treat now and then. The decor is elegant, the food is delicious and beautifully presented, and the location by Pike's Place is nice. Across the street is a nice spot by the water for taking pictures. However, be on your guard when you go there. The area is notorious for drug activity; you might even see some action if you're there.
Anyway, let's talk about last Thursday night. It was a great experience. I came in with a party of 7. Some of my party was late and we added a person onto our table last minute, and the hostess was okay with everything. This was despite the extremely packed and jumping environment. Our table could have been gone-no problem. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable. She gave detailed descriptions of the entrees and drinks and was able to offer suggestions to the out-of-towners. Here's what our table had for main entrees: salmon burger, cow burger, halibut, heirloom tomato salad, steamed clams, fish and chips, ravioli, and salmon. I've had their salmon before and it's delicious. While salmon is one of my favorite fishes, sometimes its hard to dress it up with pizazz. Etta's has no problem with this. Their salmon rub is famous for a reason. Since I'm more budget conscious these days, I opted for the salmon burger. Yum! The salmon patty had Etta's famous salmon rub on it and was topped off with some slaw. The fries on the side were thin and crispy. The portion was so generous that I couldn't finish my fries. The same couldn't be said for my friend's halibut; it was delicious and pretty, but probably closer to a European serving size than the whopping huge American one. We also decided to have dessert, the coconut cream pie and chocolate cake. I wasn't wowed by the chocolate, but man the pie was fantastic. The coconut cream was so thick a fork could stand in it. Plus, the flecks of coconut and white chocolate adorning the plate was a nice touch. To top it off, our waitress was very accommodating to splitting the bill SEVEN ways despite the fact the menu said it was a no no. Great food, location, service, and company made for a great evening.
Came here for Happy Hour! The place is very close to Pike Place Market!
We got a couple of beers and some appetizers to share: Calamari, Oysters, Fish Tacos...
They were good. You could taste that the seafood tasted more 'fresh' than the seafood I usually have.....
It was a nice restaurant. I'll have to come back again some time for a real meal.... but, it's not the last Tom Douglas restaurant that I will have gone to.....
Recommend!
3.5 stars.
This was my first experience with oyster shooters - it was disappointing and makes me slightly apprehensive for future experiences ordering them. (However, I have and they were much, much better).
The oysters tasted like the sea (are they supposed to taste like that?) and I found at least one piece of shell in it. I definitely washed that down with a lot of water - why didn't I order a drink?! *shakes fist*
The crab cakes definitely do live up to Tom Douglas' standards. They were the perfect size with a ton of real Dungeness crab packed inside and a tasty green cocktail sauce. They weren't overcooked or overly breaded. *Note: I actually made his recipe for crabcakes at home a few weeks ago and it turned out pretty similar - let me know if you want the recipe :)
Another time I came here with my dad and brother for Father's day brunch. It wasn't much to brag about. My brother got the corned beef hash which he said was okay but lacking in the corned beef department. I ordered the huevos rancheros with two eggs, a quesadilla, black beans, and guacamole. It was pretty tasty and just the right amount. My dad ordered the dungeness crab benedict - the lemon dill hollandaise was a bit on the sour side, but the crab was fresh and cooked well.
I think I've now hit every Tom Douglas spot in the city, with Etta's being the last - but certainly on my list for a return visit.
The main dining area is open, bright and has a great vibe. Even packed the noise level is lower and conversations possible. The elevated bar area and iron fencing go a long way in defining spaces without making you feel cramped. I was a little less keen on the smaller dining area, somewhat non-descript and feeling tacked on, so suggest waiting for a table if needed.
Service was friendly and efficient, although a tad bit off with a somewhat flustered feel to it. Certainly didn't cause any problems, but detracted a little from the "fine dining" experience.
Three starters and three entrées later, I can put to rest anyone's fears that the seafood isn't up to par and enjoyable. Definite stand outs were the Dungeness crab salad - light, cool and refreshing, and many layers of flavor that make the last bite as good as the first. On the simpler side was an entire trout, modestly seasoned and perfectly moist. All the dishes disappeared quickly and not a single complaint was uttered, well, except that we were too full to have dessert.
Stellar. Not one complaint, I tried to find something wrong but couldn't.
Service was outstanding. Very attentive (a nice break from Cap Hill service)
Great wine by the glass list, we were even offered to taste our glasses which I thought was nice.
Had the raw oysters to start. Some of the best I have ever had. Also had a soup special that was a curry base. Very good.
I had the house special salmon which was done very well. BF had the tuna which was seared to such perfection it almost didn't look real.
Finished with a chocolate mouse type thing which was very rich and good.
Overall, it was a great experience. We will definitely be back. Being on the prime card helped, but expect a to spend some dough.
Well, it's not often that I get a babysitter to watch my 3 and 15mo old daughters- but, I guess since it was my anniversary, why not (thanks sis).
So, after searching around downtown- my wife and I settled on Etta's and I'm glad we did. Upscale enough without pretension- great food and great service.
I had the crab cakes- which were close to perfection. Wifey had the salmon- which was good- not great, but good. Amazing Coconut Pie and Chocolate cake to boot. Wow, we ACTUALLY got to eat in relative peace and quiet...and we didn't have to scarf down our food in anticipation of meltdowns!!!
3 stars for food/ ambiance and 1 for service.
This review is for their brunch menu...
A couple friends and I went for a late brunch. I found their brunch menu to be short and not super creatiive. I ordered Etta's brunch which was very un-creative of me. Even so, I found it just average. The sausage was dry and flavorless, the eggs tasted like eggs, the home fries were ok. I wasn't impressed with the meal, but it wasn't bad either... just average
The fluids, however, are another story... I liked their coffee. Good coffee for drinking black (not too bitter). I had a sip of my friend's bloody mary... let me say I want some of that next time I'm there! It was spicy and yum!
Looking for a "special" restaurant that wouldn't completely break the bank we finally decided on Etta's, and were quite pleased though not completely overwhelmed by our dinner.
I was a little surprised by the relative lack of seafood options for a place just a few short blocks from the Pike's Place fishmongers - heck Etta's has the word "Seafood" in it's name! It's wasn't a terrible selection, but I was just hoping for one of those extensive fresh seafood lists that tempts you with a ton of delicious sounding options. In fact, I ended up going landlubber with a Seared Kobe Flank steak that was really quite good, though I wasn't enamored with the red kale and turnip sides.
The steamed Manilla clams were nice and plentiful, though a little bland and actually on the smaller size. I really enjoyed the Spicy Shrimp Eggroll appetizer, and the chili dipping sauce was quite delicious.
They had a decent wine selection, with bottles starting from the low $30s, and our mid-range Helix Syrah was excellent and very versatile. Menu prices for starters and entrees were right on the cusp of Yelp's "moderate" and "spendy" ratings, but certainly right in the ballpark of what you'd expect for a quality restaurant in this location.
Service was quite attentive, and non-obtrusive - both qualities I appreciate when heading out for a nice dinner - and the timing was impeccable as our entrees were delivered moments after our starter plates were cleared.
That the service was so good was all the more impressive given the fact that there was a celebrity in the house: Andrew Zimmern and a table full of his "friends" were filming a piece just a few feet away from us. It was a combination of amusing and distracting to see the director instructing people at the table when to eat, laugh, etc, but it didn't throw off our server one bit. I'm curious as to what program they were filming for as I'm pretty sure it was not Zimmern's "Bizarre Foods" show.
Anyway, Etta's is a solid option for dining near to Pike's Place. You might be able find better food, prices, or views - but Etta's has a nice balance and is definitely a good destination.
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Neighborhood: Belltown
Steak & Crabfest
Seattle, WA
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: Seafood
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