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Etta's Seafood
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
2020 Western Ave(between Virginia St & Pike Pl)
Seattle, WA 98121
Neighborhood: Downtown
(206) 443-6000
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 3 pm
Sat 4 pm - 10 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
401 reviews for Etta's Seafood
Review Highlights
-
"The coconut cream pie is out of this world." In 43 reviews -
"Tom Douglas, you are truly a genius." In 80 reviews -
"definitely the best crab cakes I've ever had." In 79 reviews
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401 reviews in English
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Review from Grant C.
Baltimore, MD
5/10/2012
Absolutely amazing dry-rubbed salmon. My wife and I came here for dinner with a friend, and were treated to one of the best salmon dinners that we'd ever had. We're from Maryland, and are no strangers to seafood.
Our braised octopus and olive bread starters were fantastic. The service was prompt, polite, and provided great recommendations to our party on Seattle white wines to try.
We would definitely come back again. Fantastic experience. -
Review from Jacky A.
4/21/2012
If you looking for a great dessert place, this wont be the place you are looking for.
We were here for the seattle restaurant week, 3 course only for $15 (lunch), WHAT A GREAT DEAL! It is super awesome, there is mussels for appertizer, we had lin cod fish, salmon... we also order a wine and some oyster to go with it.
It is super filling and you wont be disappointed with their appertizer and main course... only dessert disappointed us... I dont blame it.. its not famous for their dessert.
I strongly recommend their msusels and fish and chips. mussels soup base is really good and the fish and chips is very juicy... -
Review from Joanne W.
4/18/2012 1 photo
I came here for brunch before I decided to venture off into Pike Place Market with my friend. It was my first Tom Douglas restaurant. The service was impeccable, really friendly people at this restaurant.
I ended up getting the Dungeness crab eggs benedict as per a recommendation by the social media expert of the Tom Douglas Co. It was good, but wasn't amazing; I think the hollandaise sauce just overpowered my crab. However, my friend got the hash - and that was good. What was amazing about it? THE KETCHUP. I kid you not. It was a jalepeno ketchup of some sorta. I could've ate an entire bowl of it.
All in all, great food, good service. Nice little place next to Seatown Seabar and Pike Place Market to start off the day. -
Review from Dawn H.
Honolulu, HI
5/15/2012
I came here for dinner and they had a killer wedge salad and a ton of great entress. HOWEVER, I had breakfast here alone on a weekend ALONE and never felt more comfortable or satisfied. The wait staff was extremely nice and very helpful.
The food was awesome. I had scrambled eggs and their homemade hash and toast. The meat in the hast was lean and very tasty with veggies and onions. DO NOT FORGET to order a Bloody Mary. Once of the best I ever had with pickled white asparagus spears, a little spicy and olives. Unreal. I was here for work from out of town and I always eat here when I come to Seattle. You won't be dissapointed. It's also right on the main strip by Pike Place so you get to people watch! -
Review from sterling h.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2012
My daughter took me here for early Mothers day yesterday at 6:30pm. We had the shindig and a great bottle of wine. Price was good and included coconut creme pie that is out of this world. Loved the waitress.
We will be back! -
Review from Michelle F.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
The only thing that I really liked about Etta's is the location & how you can see the water. The service was BLAH. They took our order, but didn't really check in with us. Also, they forgot to bring me my drink. Maybe they did not take us seriously since we were younger than most of the folks dining there, but it would've been nice for the servers to provide us the same service as the older folks.
Food - good, but nothing special. I had the salmon with kale which was a good portion, but again - it's not like I couldn't have made my own or that I could've gotten it somewhere else.
The ambiance & location is nice, but other than that I don't think I'd be back. Sorry Etta's. -
Review from Thai D.
3/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
It's a pricy spot, but the food is excellent. My salmon with "rub with love" was very delcious, along with some of the best cornbread pudding I've ever had that was part of this dish. My friend's dish was their chicken, which was very tasty and tender as well (although the farro was a bit salty). We loved the sake-steamed clams and the toffee pudding cake desert the best way to end the meal.
Actually, that's not completely correct. They also had complementary Swedish Fish in a bowl by the exit. THAT was the best way to end the meal. :)
The restaurant itself is nice. the location is lovely, and we liked the service. I don't think this is Tom Douglas' best restaurant, but it's definitely a high quality place. Definitely a "take-a-date" or "take-your-mom" dinner spot. -
Review from Ferdmeister V.
Beverly Hills, CA
4/22/2012
Great food..! Nice ambiance. A little pricey but worth a visit for sure! Crab cake salad is definitely a must if you visit.
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Review from Living Aware Daily ..
Seattle, WA
3/30/2012
I devoured a delicious lunch today at Tom Douglas's restaurant Etta's on the north cusp of Pike Place Market. I ordered the smaller portion of the Rub With Love Salmon dish that came with a shiitake mushroom relish, kale, and cornbread cake that was mouth-watering and a perfect portion. I ordered this knowing I would probably disregard the cornbread since it is normally one of my least favorite things to eat. Au contraire this wedge of cornbread was the best piece of cornbread I've ever eaten. The fish was perfectly cooked with a warm, pink, moist center that makes my mouth salivate thinking about it. Everyone in my party was extremely satisfied. Some ordered the fish and chips that came out hot, crisp, and perfectly seasoned with a mound of skinny fries. Others had the ling cod that was light, flavorful, and so fresh they had to have personally fished it earlier this morning.
I love that Tom Douglas brings a lot of the ingredients used in his restaurants from his organic veggie farm in Prosser, Washington. They also like a lot of other local restaurants recycle their restaurant grease into biodiesel with, General Biodiesel. Very green, very local, and so very good! -
Review from Derek T.
Redmond, WA
5/16/2012
mussels are solid 4 stars. understand why in aggregate it's 3.5 stars.
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Review from Jgirl S.
Seattle, WA
3/25/2012
Delicious food here.
Ok, so it is a tourist trap, but the food IS good. Hubby and I went here for a Saturday late lunch and left very happy.
Prices: The prices are high. We left paying $70 for lunch, which included 1 beer, 1 glass of wine and two entrees. $29 for 2 crab cakes is expensive, but they were packed full of big crab pieces. YUMMY!
Ambience: I think a lot of tourists come here because it is so close to The Market. The vibe was good though and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Food: Really delicious. Maybe because everything seemed to be cooked in butter?? I loved their hand cut skinny french fries and the kale served with the crab cakes. Hubby loved the burger with cole slaw.
Service: Friendly and attentive. We never felt we had to get anyone's attention for anything.
We will return before tourist season jumps into high gear. -
Review from Marla K.
Lynnwood, WA
4/26/2012
Came here last night for a going away dinner for a friend. Service was great, there was a $15 corkage fee for the bottle of wine we brought, pretty standard. We came on a weeknight, and the clientele seemed to be mostly business dates, very few couples, no families, and no men in anything more casual than a button-down.
Octopus with harissa-honey sauce, yum! crab, avocado, and grapefruit salad, double yum! Our entrees were very tasty as well, crab cake for her, fish n chips for me. The cole slaw with mine was meh- no acidity to cut through the mayo, and I was a little sad with the amount of my plate being taken up by french fries (albeit delicious french fries) vs. fish. Dessert was the panna cotta. So. Good.
all in all for two people, our own bottle of wine, four courses and a tip, we got out under $150. Definitely worth the splurge, and I think I could take an out-of-town boss here, in-laws, or other out-of-towners who want to get some Seattle Seafood and check out the market. -
Review from Nicole N.
Seattle, WA
4/21/2012
Etta's was my first stop for seafood the minute I moved to Seattle. Friends & family have raved about this place, but I had to see for myself. It definitely lived up to its' hype. The service was wonderful, very efficient, very polite, very catering. I've been back multiple times for their awesome Happy Hour.
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Review from Kate W.
1/27/2012
Wow, brunch at Etta's, wow. I heard great things (on yelp) about the crab Benedict and I love a good benedict, so that is of course what I immediately ordered. It wasn't until that was taken care of that I realized, I had a beautiful view of the water and that the restaurant felt very "comfortable." (I mean comfortable in the best possible way). The staff was also extremely nice and very attentive during my short wait for my food.
On to the good part. When the crab Benedict arrived, it was large so I figured I could just eat half but that was before I tasted it. It was ridiculously good. One of those dishes where after the first bite you have to stop and compose yourself because you need to remember this. The Hollandaise was possibly the best I've ever had. I wanted to drink it, though I refrained. It also had spinach which was a bit different, though didn't add or detract from anything. Not only did I not eat only half, I finished the entire thing and dipped the potatoes through the sauce to ensure I didn't leave any.
This was an expensive dish ($19.50)but well worth every penny! -
Review from D M.
Lakewood, WA
1/23/2012
Some of life's greatest mysteries have never been solved like where is Jimmy Hoffa, is there life on other planets, how 3 & 1/2 men is still on TV, and now... why cheaper restaurants seem to provide better food quality and taste than overpriced ones.
We kept hearing about the crab cakes and fish and chips so while limited due to a snow storm we walked from Pikes for dinner. The best dish by far was the clam chowder. Very good flavors, enough clams, and bits of bacon for different textures. Other than that... the rest of the meal we kept wondering if other food places would be open after we left here. The crab cakes were overly mushy and bland. For the amount of cakes you get, the size of the cakes, and the price this was the biggest letdown. The fish was flavorless and immediately thought about better fish we tasted just across the street for far less. The "chips" were just string french fries that looked like something from Jack in a Box and even the habanero ketchup couldn't classy it up. The side salad with raisins I had one bite and refused another bite. Happy hour drinks... watered down and more ice then drink.
Overall, the view from our table was nice and the service from our waiter was spot on to what to expect from a higher end place but unfortunately this place falls short when you measure it up to their prices. My recommendation is to sample much more at the plaza across the street for far cheaper with less regrets. -
Review from Cindy L.
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
My sister and her friends celebrated their birthdays in Seattle about 2 weekends ago. For Saturday night, we made reservations to dine at Etta's.
the restaurant was pretty quiet when we entered. There were maybe 3 parties dining at that time.
The server in the beginning didn't seem to be too thrilled to be serving a party of 11 ppl but she warmed up after she took our order.
I had the grilled salmon with the cornbread pudding.
The salmon was just salmon. There wasn't any special seasoning to it that wow'd me. BUT....the cornbread pudding was the SH-T!!! It's just a shame that they only gave a small portion of it! I wanted MORE! I never had anything like that.
The cornbread pudding was the highlight of my dish.
I got feedback from my friends at the table that the seafood stew (cioppino like) was also very good. Big portion.
Overall dining experience was good. =) -
Review from Jennifer N.
Chicago, IL
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
While being stuck in Seattle due to weather I decided to head into downtown Seattle. I stopped into the Pike's Place Starbucks and they suggested Etta's for lunch. Etta;s is only a few doors down and has a very appealing menu. I started with a glass of wine and ordered the fried oysters. I found both items to be good and the service was good as well. The waitress was friendly but a tad slow despite the fact the restaurant was a tad empty.
Overall I thought this was a good restaurant and if in Seattle again and looking for a more upscale restaurant I would head here again. -
Review from Danita D.
Seattle, WA
4/8/2012
We went to Etta's for my husbands birthday dinner. We were very impressed with the food and service. We ordered a bottle of wine which the bartender had a hard time locating, but to make up for the long wait the waitress offered us two complimentary glasses of wine. I ordered the tuna and my husband had the halibut, both were excellent. We had a half dozen oysters as an appetizer, which were good, but I am used to and prefer the larger gulf oysters. The spicy champagne vinegar sauce served with the oysters was very good and different from the usual oyster condiments.
My husband had the triple cream coconut pie for his birthday. It was good, but had very little custard. It's mainly whipped cream and coconut.
We were impressed to see Tom Douglas in the restaurant and talking to a few tables. He took pictures with the girls sitting at the table behind us as part of their birthday celebration.
We are new to the area, so I will definitely check out more of the Tom Douglas restaurants.
I recommend reservations. -
Review from Pam L.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Visited here on the Pike Place tour and got to have a crab cake.
3 words...To Die For!
I will be going back!!! -
Review from Steve L.
1/5/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Yet another one of Tom Douglas' restaurants in his ever growing Seattle empire, and like the rest of his locations I was not disappointed.
I came here with my parents looking for a decent seafood meal and was not let down. I had the pacific albacore tuna, with kimchee, brussels, and pork belly. Like most things that have pork belly it was damn good and well worth the price, which I found quite reasonable.
The server was excellent, friendly, and very knowledgeable. She was able to describe every item of my meal in detail and provide an excellent wine parring with no hesitation at all.
Damn you Tom Douglas, I want to find one of your places that suck but so far you keep proving me wrong. -
Review from Bunneh L.
Seattle, WA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
"Crabby hour" from 4-6pm on weekdays in the bar can't be beat! $20 for a whole steamed dungeness crab. Did I tell you I love crab more than life itself? The quality of the crab is excellent, unlike *certain* establishments that offer all-you-can-eat crab.
The bar area is tiny, so be sure to get there early to partake in this amazing deal.
Nom nom nom. -
Review from Juan V.
San Francisco, CA
3/25/2012
Great seafood. All of the ingredients are fresh and the dishes are varied and delicious. The place can get packed due to the fact that it's a local favorite for brunch and its proximity to Pike's Place. At peak rush hour, expect slow service. Fortunately, the food is worth the wait.
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Review from Rebecca S.
Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
Welcome to the Tom Douglas diner.
Beautiful view and high prices, but diner quality food and service.
I've been to Etta's a couple of times now and both times, I left underwhelmed.
The first time I went to Etta's, it was for an after-wedding party. I remember ordering potato-nettle soup and some chicken dish, and I remember the soup being bland and the chicken being fatty and chewy. I also recall the service being way too slow when we were tired and just wanting to eat a good meal and go home.
The last time I went to Etta's, it was for restaurant week and the experience was plain awful. I ordered a salad, salmon pate, and asparagus with a poached egg on top. The salad dressing was too acidic, the salmon pate came with some creepy, clear gelatin at the bottom of the plate and the asparagus dish was so bland other than being drenched in truffle oil and it was hardly any food for an entree. For dessert, however, I ordered a rhubarb-ginger shortcake which was absolutely amazing, but not worth going back for. Service was extremely slow, and the waitress seemed very on edge, making it a not enjoyable experience.
Overall, there are better restaurants at Pike Place Market and there are also better Tom Douglas restaurants in the area, and next door even. Skip Etta's.Listed in: The Market, Tom Douglas
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Review from Jason R.
11/20/2011
Dungeness dungeness DUNGENESS dungeness DUNGeness dungENESS WOO-HOO DUNGENESS!
It had been at least four years since we'd had Dungeness. We realized they were in season while we were in Seattle. I'm walking around checking menus. My wife kicks me and points at the sandwich sign proclaiming crab specials at the bar. I wondered which crab it could be. Duh. Me not so smart'n'stuff. In we go, dodging a tour group that appears to be dodging the nearly nonexistent rain while not actually buying anything... But they also were being treated well by the not-obviously-flustered hostess.
Once seated at tables by the bar, we receive our Dungeness-filled menu and proceed to push off to our happy place. A salad with a heaping helping of Dungeness. And then... the penultimate in crustacean eating and the ultimate crab, whole Dungeness. For cheap-ness during happy hour. Our East-coast-timed tummies were happy.
I'm sure they have other things on their menu, but during Dungeness season one must ask why? Well, except for salmon, which weren't running at the time.
The barkeep of the day, Morgan, completely rocks. He not only mixed a cocktail my wife *finished* (that never happens), but he also had in-depth knowledge of the seafood and its origins. His descriptions lead me to try oysters for the first time later in the week, but that's a different story (and, alas, a different place). The saison also hit the mark.
So my rating really is based on a single primary (drool-worthy) ingredient that needs a very light-handed preparation and a single (alas) visit and our encounters with a few excellent (droo... oh, um) staff. Take it as it is. -
Review from Samantha G.
Seattle, WA
It's that time of the year (again)....SEATTLE RESTAURANT WEEK!
Sadly I'll be out of town for the rest of the duration of SRW but I wanted to check out Etta's since I've been impressed with the Tom Douglas restaurants I have dined at so far (Dahlia Lounge/Bakery, Serious Pie, Lola and Palace). Here's a break down of what I ordered:
Penn Cove Mussels
This could have passed as an entree! These mussels also had chicken fennel sausage and sliced apple garnishing it and it all went so well together. The starter also came with two slices of bread to soak up the sauce and it was great. My dining partner wished he ordered this since the clam chowder came in a small bowl.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
I was disappointed with this dish. This came with two large pieces of chicken, which was not as crispy as I was anticipating them to be. My dining partner also ordered this dish and we both agreed that the chicken definitely was missing some spices.
The potatoes were alright and they could have used a little seasoning while the tomato braised collard greens were wonderful. I thought they helped add a little more flavor to the dish. I was feeling full half way through the dish so I saved the rest to eat at a later time. If anything, I should have just stuck with seafood since this place is named Etta's Seafood.
Pecan Pie with Peach Bourbon Ice Cream.
Initially, I was torn between this and the chocolate cream puffs since I already had the coconut cream pie at Dahlia Lounge. Our server highly recommended the pie and I'm glad I took his advice. This was a decent-sized portion and loved how the pie and ice cream went together. I recommend this if you're not much of a sweets fan.
My dining partner ordered the lemon cheesecake topped with a berry sauce (?) and that was great as well. I like how light this cheesecake was.
Overall, I was satisfied with my experience but I'll stick to ordering seafood here if I come back.Listed in: Restaurant Week/Dine Around…
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Review from Jeff H.
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tom Douglas has some great ones in his restaurant empire, Serious Pie and Dahlia to name a couple, but Etta's isn't one of them. It's hard to really put my finger on what exactly the problem was, but the entire experience just seemed off.
Service was a little on slow side, and the food didn't hit the mark. With so many great seafood places in Seattle, it takes something special to stand out, and sadly, Etta's doesn't. -
Review from oNEloVE C.
Dublin, CA
2/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
First stop lunch in Seattle!! Started off with of course coffee and coconut cream pie!! hella jammin'!! Service was to the tee the way it should be if your gonna break hella $$$. Crab cakes, service, pie and soup sooooooo good I accidentally told the server I LOVE You hahahha! Since we started with dessert the server cleared our table thinking we were done with our entire meal hahahha! Only when we on vacation we always start with dessert hahah!! Dam craving them meaty crab cakes!! drool drool!
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Review from Greg C.
10/15/2011 3 photos
Berry, berry nice! I'm a fan! And my mom was happy to hear I took my wife here for our anniversary because...wait for it...Etta is her name! Well, she spells it 'Edda,' but it's the thought that counts.
At any rate, the food was GREAT!
But i'm getting ahead of myself. Here's the story...
My wife and I dumped (uh, I mean left) the kids in my brother's capable hands and went on our merry way to downtown Seattle for our anniversary. Unsure where to have an actual sit-down lunch by our little lonesome, we walked up-and-down the Public Fish Market neighborhood before we stumbled upon Ettas.
Slick black paint, gold lettering on the windows, and table-clothed tables visible from outside, we looked at each other and said, 'Let's eat here!'
On the inside, a young lady greeted and led us to one of those cute little tableclothed tables at the front windows. Giddy, almost, we told the capable server that we were visiting Seattle from Hawaii and we wanted to try some nice hot soup. 'Gotcha!' was the response and a few minutes later, we both got rather large porcelain white bowls of New England clam chowder with a green aiole spread across the top placed in front of us. YUMM! Large spoon in bowl, then in mouth! YUMM! Hot, creamy, fully of potatoes and actual clams, and the green streak in the bowl somehow made the soup taste even better. Actually, the view of the cold folk walking by with umbrellas and parkas somehow made our soup taste better. Oh, kids!
My wife ordered bread and she stuffed her mouth with it as soon as the server came back. What can I say, my wife loves bread!
I ordered the fish and chips and almost regretted it when I received it - not because it wasn't good, more because, I ate too much bread too, so my wife and I had to share the fish (really, she took one bite and let me finish the rest...nice wifey!). The fish and the tartar sauce were very good, but the 'chips' were really thin fries that were slightly overcooked. Good, but a little dry.
No worries, we liked the restaurant, the location, the price, the greeter, the server, the soup, the fish...and the plantation iced tea! That was lunch on our anniversary. You're wondering about dinner, aren't you!? Salad back at the parents house while the kids ate chicken nuggets.
Isn't love grand!?Listed in: Cream of the Crop
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Review from Etta T.
10/28/2011 6 photos
Finally went to Etta's! Been wanting to try it since I moved to Seattle 5 months ago... Seattle Restaurant Week gave me an excellent excuse. Met my fellah here for the prix fixe lunch and thoroughly enjoyed every bite!
The clam chowder (with bacon and parsley oil) was possibly the best I've ever had. We also opted for the baby spinach salad (pear, curried cashews, bacon and sesame dressing) - also amazing!
Next, we shared the "rub with love" salmon. The server was nice enough to let us know right away that they typically serve their salmon slightly underdone (which was great with us!) - the cornbread pudding served with the salmon was incredible... but the salmon itself wasn't anything special. Also served with buttered kale and shitake relish (which were both pretty great). My suggestion with this entree is to make sure that you try all of the flavors together. The chef at Etta's has the expertise to please your pallet by combining flavors that you might not otherwise expect to belong together. For example: by itself, the salmon just okay - but if I put a little kale and cornbread on my fork with it - the flavor and texture combination was delicious!
We also shared the hand cut spaghetti (butternut squash mascarpone and chantrelle ragout). As a couple of meat-eaters, we were tempted to order the fried chicken instead... but I'll quote my boyfriend here, "I don't miss having meat at all." It was definitely something to write home (or Yelp! about) ... the hand cut noodles were done to perfection - but the real show stopper was the butternut squash mascarpone... I'd never had anything like it before - but now find myself in desperate need to have it served with everything in my life. Pizza? Do you have butternut squash mascarpone toppings?
For dessert: coconut cream pie and cream puffs. The pie was perfect - the crust crispy and fillings mouth-watering... the white chocolate shavings: genius. The cream puffs were okay - I can see someone who absolutely loves chocolate really going for them - but they weren't my cup o' tea (not really a chocolate mousse girl)... I will say that the pastry itself was very good.
The presentation of everything was great! The service was awesome! I love the location and can't wait to visit again. Thanks Etta's and Seattle Restaurant Week for giving me my first 3 course lunch and fantasies of clam chowder and butternut squash to last a lifetime. -
Review from Brian and Ann Marie E.
Seattle, WA
10/12/2011
Ordered the burger Medium Rare. And it was MEDIUM RARE. Never ordered a burger medium rare and actually received it that way. AWESOME. They grind their own meat in house, so it's safe, from one single cow (not a hundred napping in their own poop), and clean.
As Borat would say, v'ry nice. -
Review from Philip R.
10/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
A few blocks from Pike's Market sits Etta's Seafood; nothing much to look at from the outside, and just half a block from having a fantastic view of the harbor, it's neon sign glowers from behind slightly black tinted windows. Laid out in booths, the restaurant affords privacy and feels calm.
The signature dish a smokey and tender salmon on a bed of kale, served with cornbread and a shitake mushroom relish was phenomenal. Honesty couldn't have been improved upon and I'd like to eat this again and often. Don't overlook the chowder with bacon or the pecan pie both nice staple dishes but you'll remember the salmon. Often. -
Review from John K.
Los Angeles, CA
3/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Still one of the best crab cakes I've ever eaten but the clam chowder I had with it was terrible. Not much flavor and I realized that some of the things I thought were potato were clumps of flour. I've never had that happen before. Still the crab cakes and wonderful green tomatillo sauce would have won me over except the service was bad and the home fries I replaced my regular fries with were not very good. Home fries were mushy and flavorless and so was the service at the bar. Either I offended the bartender (and I can't think of how other than asking to have my dirty table wiped when she tried to serve me a water and asking if they make their own apricot juice in their apricot sangria) of she was having a bad day. Either way the service wasn't attentive or friendly.
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Review from Syd M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/8/2011 2 photos
Visited Etta's on a recent first trip to Seattle. I was not familiar with Tom Douglas, but after dining at Etta's found out he has a variety of restaurants in and around the Seattle area.
Ventured into Etta's on a Thursday night. Crowded and busy, but not completely full. We were seated shortly after arriving and were immediately greeted by our server. We reviewed the menu for a short while and placed our order.
We started out the with the Flash Fried Calamari. Fairly standard Calamari, nice and tender (not to many of the tentacle pieces which is a plus for me and my BFF) but with a lighter breadcrumb coating and a super delicious Olive Tapenade "dip". This dip was very pleasant surprise! Normally I'm used to being provided some type of seafood sauce, aioli or marinara sauce. Love the combo of the tapenade and tender, lightly crisp calamari, a very nice start!
I opted for the Dungeness Crab & Butter Lettuce Salad. A nice heaping portion of Dungeness Crab Meat piled high atop stacked butter lettuce leaves with sliced avocado and grapefruit wedges all drizzled with a super light vinaigrette. Simple concept, done nicely. Loved the abundance of sweet crab meat, creamy avocado, tangy grapefruit and the super light dressing that let all the flavors merry yet stand out individually.
Our server was very friendly, courteous and food came out promptly. Drinks were never empty and portions were nicely sized. The restaurant has huge windows that face toward the ocean, though the restaurant is a bit sunken so you have decent view of the ocean horizon.
As my first tasting of a Tom Douglas "joint" I was looking forward to trying out his other venues...ended up dining at a total of 3 of his restaurants during my long weekend. You could say he gained a fan :) -
Review from Becky S.
Seattle, WA
9/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I visited Etta's last night for the first time and was not that impressed. The food was delicious but the portions were SO SMALL! For the prices on the menu, I expected to get a bigger portion.
--Our service was good, the waiter had a wonderful sense of humor.
--We ordered the fried calamari and I enjoyed the green olive relish that came with it, instead of a marinara sauce.
--I had the tuna with ginger carrots and fried rice... the tuna was yummy, but the dish needed more carrots and rice!
--Another person in my party ordered the crab cake... it was teeny tiny and pathetic for an entree! She said it tasted good and really enjoyed the cucumber salad, but for the price it was not a good value.
--Someone else had the fish and chips... this is actually a decent size portion, so he got his money's worth.
I will not dine here again, but instead spend the same amount on bigger portions at Chandler's or Ponti :) -
Review from Sarah L.
Come on, Seattleities and out-of-towners....how can you not?
Its freaking Tom Douglas, one of his three originals (with Dahlia as his first, and Lola to follow). If Tom Douglas restaurants were like the Star Wars trilogy, Etta's would be like The Empire Strikes Back. And believe you me, this Tom Douglas empire has definite staying power.
Lets begin shall we, in a galaxy not too far away, Pike Place Market. The pride and joy of Seattle's fish and fresh produce world. The ultimate in "what you see is what you eat".... literally. You see it in the market that day - BOOM it ends up on your plate in front of you.
$1 oysters during "Crabby Hour" will only leave you crabby after its over, as regular prices triple to $3/mollusk . However, these babies go down so so smoooooth.... its hard to remember how many you've sucked down until you get the bill.
Menu: Umm, well. Pretty much everything is amaze-balls. I recommend if its your first visit to go with the "signature" dish that started it all - RUB WITH LOVE Coho Salmon.
A very impressive dish, surprising sweet, unbelievably rich, density of flavors. Although Tom doesn't do much cooking on the line anymore, this dish is a one-of-a-kind Tom original, originating from his humble beginnings. I recommend ordering it medium-rare.
Excellent view, excellent service, and like all Tom D places - overpriced :/ But not overpriced enough to avoid on a normal basis and save for a special occasion. Expect entrées to be at the $25-30/plate mark. -
Review from Malibu S.
Seattle, WA
2/5/2012
Rich and flavorful! From the clam chowder to the Fish Mongers Stew. Clam chowder had a generous amount of clams and bacon, and flavor is 2nd to none. The stew stole the show though. An amazing saffron broth with a mound of perfectly cooked seafood delights served in a giant bowl. This stew is a meal in itself. Very friendly staff. I look forward to returning.
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Review from Eric S.
Seattle, WA
1/18/2012
I love Etta's. After spending an afternoon shopping at Pike Place with family or friends, Etta's is a welcome respite from the crowds that pack the market. I've had many great meals here, but my all-time favorite is the pulled pork sandwich. The Tom Douglas rub with love is so awesome! The last time I was there, the chef actually came out to our table (not Tom, but still cool!) and told me exactly how to make the pork at home. How awesome is that?!? Go to Etta's, and try that sandwich, you'll love it!
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Review from Jamie J.
4/14/2011
Etta's is betta than you might think:
Restaurant week stop #2 (after Dhalia Lounge - Thomville time). I have to stay, I really liked Etta's more than Dhalia Lounge. Not that they should be compared, but just for S's & G's.
The service was great. Actually quite flawless. I was impressed by the little note on my receipt by the waitress, and by the knowledge seeking wait staff. Not to mention the swedish fish that you can grab before and after dinner... it's the little things, folks.
Food wise, my entrees consisted of poached egg (i think) over white beans, truffle oil, bread and grilled asparagus. The second plate I got to chow on was a beef cheek dish. The beef was cooked to perfection, but I was a little dissatisfied with the accompaniment; it could have had better back up singers, if you will.
The claim chowder is to die for, literally. Also, the wedge salad is huge, and comes with the bluest blue cheese you will ever have - not really, there is just a lot of it (in a very good way). Nice apps to start with.
Dessert - we were blessed with coconut creme pie and ginger shortbread with strawberries and rhubarb.
I had a great night here. Great food, great view, and great experience. I would love to go back, and I'm sure I will very soon.Listed in: Tongue Pleasers - Dessert, DougieVille
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Review from Ingrid C.
I wandered in to Etta's by myself on the Monday of my visit for an early-ish lunch (just before Noon). It had been recommended by a friend, but since I wasn't sure where it was, it was a pleasant surprise to find it just steps from the north side of Pike Place Market.
I was seated by the window so I could take part in my favorite lone-dining activity: people-watching. Well, in this case, tourist-watching. Even within the restaurant, I spotted no fewer than three guidebooks.
Normally I'm all about trying signature dishes at well-known places when I go somewhere new (I want to see what the fuss is about), but I also want to try special seasonal things. What do you do in Seattle, and you come from a land-locked state? Compromise was in order.
I started with the clam chowder with bacon and brown-butter croutons. I thought this was divine. I love it when creamy chowder doesn't feel super-heavy, and this one had just the right consistency. That's also particularly impressive with words like, "bacon" and "butter" thrown around. Fresh seafood always hits the spot, especially after deprivation.
For the main, I decided on the quinalt river sturgeon with blue bird farro, young garlic, upland cress. The menu doesn't tell you that the garlic is in pureed form (becoming a very delicious and bright green dressing). It was just the right amount of zip for a pleasantly fleshy-yet-mild fish. I know sturgeon is not everyone's favorite fish, but I definitely appreciate it. Also, considering sturgeon is one of the few fish I can get fresh in MO, it was interesting to compare.
Dessert was a delightfully plump-yet-light lemon pudding cake with thyme whipped cream. Just the right amount of herb to make a light dessert even more refreshing. And when I say 'light,' I'm guessing it's just the flavor and not the calories... sorry.
All and all, a great experience. My server, Ben, was a sweetheart, too. -
Review from Allie S.
7/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I happened to love the clam chowder. I thought it was interesting and unique with the bacon chunks (not just sprinkles but chunks). My mother however, found it bland and more along the lines of Potato soup.
The wedge salad was great - thanks for not giving us a hunk of iceberg. Maybe a bit too much dressing though.
Servers are great and beyond friendly.
