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Sometimes you just want to break stuff. And I'm not talking the playful "Opa!" type of plate smashing. I mean really rip something limb to limb. Feel the satisfying crack of an exoskeleton under your hands. Perhaps even sustain injury yourself during the process.
When that's the case, I suggest coming to Flying Fish and ordering up the Salt & Pepper Crab. Not only do you get a formidable opponent covered in oil, but you get a tasty meal!
It's meant to be shared so choose your dining companion wisely.
GREAT happy hour!! I have been have been addicted for the last few months. They have a variety of super gourmet dishes and they're all six bucks. I usually just get 2 and am pleasantly full. They also have a couple very tasty beers on tap.
I sit at the bar alone and always end up making friends with people sitting next to me. If you appreciate things like lamb ribs, tuna poke, etc. for 6 bones, check this place out. I heard that they're moving to south Lake Union. Too bad but they will probably have parking and a great view.
We had a decent group of five at Flying Fish last night, all with different tastes and interests, all walking away pretty darn happy with the experience. My risotto and scallops were cooked just right, the wine list offered solid suggestions for matching with just about any table combination you could come up with, and the mixture of small plates for individual or shared appetizers as well as some of the larger dinners definitely fit the bill.
Our table's only real caveat / issue was the messiness of the dungeness crab's seasonings (though the presentation was amazing), but it was taken in stride. A little more on the pricey side compared to some other spots in town, but it's certainly not a place where you're surprised at the check once it arrives. We'd definitely go back again.
A Belltown 'institution' first recommended to me by a fellow worker who lives in Seattle, downtown. We were most impressed with his recommendation and asked our hotel concierge to book for us. (It was also recommended that we cab-it to the restaurant as area parking is VERY limited; again, excellent suggestion. The restaurant waiter also arranged for a cab to pick-us-up after our meal and get us back to our hotel).
Handsome bar area, if that's your thing.....or table/booth seating for up to 4 - 6 persons. Our waiter was very attentive, fortunately, and very knowledgeable about the menu offerings (changes daily depending upon fresh-catches). We all were delighted to share crab cakes, salmon and oyster offerings.
Full bar service and a very nice wine list. Pricey, yes a bit, but a very convivial evening. Flying Fish is both noisy and cozy - obviously others (hopefully) having a nice evening of fellowship.
Plan ahead: book a res in advance - take public transportation or a cab and 'leave the driving' to others (not Hertz, oops).
The handful of times I have visited Flying Fish I have been very impressed and pleased. Today we went to their great steal of a happy hour which takes place every day from 4-6pm. They serve a dozen oysters on the half shell with cocktail sauce for $6.
Their small plates which are normally priced from $8-14 are only $6 each and offer an opportunity to sample a variety of dishes you might not normally try.
Tonight we got the oysters on the half shell, Thai Crab Cakes, the Grilled Bread Salad with sun dried tomato pesto, pancetta heirloom tomatos, nicoise olives, pecorino (my personal favorite part of the meal), the Crispy Calamari with honey jalapeño mayonnaise and cilantro oil, and the Ahi Poke Tuna with coconut sticky rice (surprisingly tasty with a hint of wasabi).
Our server was friendly and attentive and the dishes were served with beautiful presentation and care. For these 4 small plates and oysters and 1 glass of wine and a beer, our bill came to $41.
Flying Fish is also a special experience for dinner with genuine helpful service and great recommendations from the servers.
My friends have been telling me about the Flying Fish happy hour for months $.50 cent oysters! (I guess they used to be a quarter but this recent trip I think they were .75) So when they suggested we go I got excited and looked it up on here first to see what y'all thought. I was horrified! I read reviews of worms in the oysters and super rude service... I almost didnt want to go.
I love oysters too much and .50 cents a piece was still calling my name so I went and decided to make my own judgment about the place.
The oysters were fresh and GREAT~ and with a group of 6 we went through 7~8 dozen oysters as well as a few drinks for everyone and a couple apps (Calamari- standard wasnt life changing Marlin/Swordfish/some crazy fish?- seared to perfection melts in your mouth) . The bill was ~$120 about $20 a person which wasn't bad I thought for me eating oysters to my hearts desire and have a few drinks along with it ^.^
The service was good the bartender was cracking jokes and friendly. The decor was pretty cool, typical Belltown. One thing I did notice was that they have a good selection of top shelf liquor, not that I could afford any at a bar. One guy next to me got a shot of Hennessy XO, I was jealous.
I also read that for many people it was REALLY busy and that made their experience bad but when we went right around the beginning of happy hour at 4pm on a Wednesday it was nearly empty. When we were leaving around 6pm there was a bit more of a crowd but still plenty of tables open.
I plan on going back with one of my friends who loves oysters more than me and put in some serious work! :) I would recommend the happy hour if you like fresh seafood. The regular hour prices seem a bit stiff though.
Had the Flying Fish last night and although the service was acceptable the atmosphere just wasn't there. Nothing really grabbed me to feel, wow, this place is so great! They advertise themselves as a "small plate" restaurant which they really aren't. They have an appetizer menu with great stuff, mind you, but the prices are mostly in the 11-17 dollar range.
Please note that they had one of the greatest prepared scallops I have ever tasted, their cocktails were fresh, balanced and extremely tasty and the curry ribs were perfect. The rice was undercooked and flavorless so there is room to grow.
So really good food, no nonsense up-to-par service, good cocktails, but lacking in atmosphere so much it was almost as bland as the rice. I believe that good food is the most important, but with so many great places to eat in Seattle, you have to give me something extra if you want me to come back.
All-in-all, its pretty forgettable . . . hmmm . . .kind of like this review I suppose.
We were lured in by the $25 birthday coupon. The food just wasn't very good. We ordered four small plates: calamari, thai crab cake, grilled bread salad and the sauteed gulf shrimp. My favorite was the shrimp, it was nice and spicy. The calamari was too greasy and soggy. The other two were just "eh". Service was good.
I've been here before and enjoyed the large plates, I guess small plates just aren't their thing. I don't think I'll be returning.
Went here a few years ago for my birthday - and got tiny green jumping worms in my raw oysters. I've worked in food service, I know sometimes things don't go ideally, but this platter should NEVER have made it to my table. The waiter told me "sometimes that happens" and refused to comp or replace the offending appetizer.
At the time I was reviewing on citysearch, and they got my review removed. Management offered a free meal after I called to complain, and it's a good thing I didn't actually want more food from here because the voucher never arrived in the mail.
Do. Not. Want.
Went here for 3 for 30 and it was delicious. Planning on going back soon for more calamari with my other friend who could not make it --maybe during happy hour (ends at 6). The 3 for 30 deal is really a deal at this place considering their regular menu prices. The seared scallops were perfectly done, with black rice risotto. The lamb rack appetizer and calamari were also delicious. I don't usually care for dessert much, but the pumpkin custard tart was tasty too.
On top of the food, the service was very good, without being obtrusive. The host/waitstaff handled my request for my birthdaying friend very smoothly. There's a coat check, which was very useful for the rainy night, and the bathroom was nice and clean. The atmosphere was also hushed enough to hold a conversation at normal levels.
Skip the headache of parking in Belltown if you're there at peak socializing hours and take a bus or cab it, or at least carpool. You may also want to consider skipping this place if you don't like seafood, since although the rack of lamb was good the selection of non-sea-related items is pretty small.
i really debated giving this place 3 stars. Was the food or service bad, not at all; was the food or service great, not at all. It was a just an alright meal. We had the Blue Marlin and the Halibut, nothing spectacular here. The prices were higher than they should be. Each dish costing almost $30 and it was a relatively small portion compared to other local eateries. I have no complaints about the food, it was fine, but no wow factor. The appetizers were also small. A thai crab cake appetizer consisted of 1 crab cake ($13) and it was not close to the best around. It was greasy and bland. The calamari was another mediocre dish.
I really had high hope for the place. Unfortunately we probably wont be returning. The price vs flavor was not there.
My husband and I stopped by Flying Fish after running an errand in Belltown for happy hour. We had just missed the end of happy hour at 6PM, but Amos the bartender convinced us to stay anyway.
They have a good selection of draft beers and some really good wines. We ordered the steamed clams appetizer (which I guess is 1/2 price during happy hour...only $6) and it was amazing! Amos kept the breading coming so we could dip it into the butter sauce leftover from the clams. Even though the dinner meal seemed a bit pricey, I'd like to come back and try it. I'll definitely be back for their happy hour though!
The portion of fish serving must have shrunk with the economy.
The layers of flavorful accompaniments are well thought of.
Flying real quick to say that this is one of our favorites places to get sea food,we have been here for couple of times and its been really good,the service is polite and quick.
the prices are a lil bit high but you get what you pay,the food is delicious,well cooked,prepared and with the right ingredients to achieve those savory flavors textures and a that BAM of taste in your mouth :)
They have a full bar which you can seat and wait for your table,they also have an upstairs area and back area separated from all the crowd both real nice for a date,apart from all the chatting and noise from other people, im sure that if you call ahead and ask for those areas you can get them and enjoy your date,family or friends.
i will go dress a little bit better than usual,willing to drop $100-$150.
enjoy
ipb
Had an enjoyable business dinner here last night. The ambiance was nice and the service was fine.
Portions were smaller by gluttonous American standards, but I wasn't hungry when I left.
Started with the caesar salad with friend oysters. I really enjoyed this since the salad wasn't covered in dressing. Main course was the salmon and that was delightful. Dessert was the creme brulee, but I think I would have preferred it more traditional and not with berries.
I just love The Flying Fish! The ambience is classy and smart. Oh goodness gracious, the FOOD, this fabulous place reminds me as to why I live in Seattle! FISH! They really do it right and every mouth watering morsel is such a rich and incredibly delicious treat, totally worth the price.
The wait staff is completely unpretentious and helpful. I am very picky how my Vodka Martinis are mixed and boy o boy, they do it right! With a little layer of ice on the top. Their happy hour is terrific too. I can't wait till I can go back!
Just went here for my first time, after hearing a lot about it, and it was just what I expected it and wanted it to be, but even a little better than that. Which is to say, good food, friendly staff, a relaxing place for a dinner conversation that doesn't require too much fussing about the food.
Went here on a Thursday evening for an early dinner. I showed up kind of grumpy after a long day. The woman who greeted me at the door had a huge smile and was very charming.
I waited for my date at the bar, where I was the only patron not eating oysters from a huge plate, which was apparently the thing to do. Had an Aviation martini. The bartender was super nice, served me the drink the way I wanted it, and cracked jokes until he got a smile out of me.
I didn't spend much time looking at the menu but we had some sort of corn and shrimp thing for an appetizer, she had scallops, and I had seared Albacore tuna. The food was hearty, fresh, and filling and the scallops and tuna had great texture.
Presentation was par, which means very good, which brings me to portion size... They were perfect for the circumstances of an early dinner with convivial company... but if I were here with the guys a little later in the evening, I would have been very hungry at the end. Probably would have had to eat a lot of bread. But the portions are also a lot more than that of the typical ultra modern establishments where the cuisine is tiny and delicate and just meant to be looked at while you converse with your date.
Bathroom was really clean and the tissues were high quality. Big Plus.
Overall, I had a really solid experience and the restaurant did everything right so I didn't have to worry about anything except enjoying myself.
And that's just about all a guy can ask for - 5 stars!
Fantastic fresh fish restaurant in downtown Seattle along restaurant row. They have new entrees everyday depending on what comes in. I got the clams appetizer and the Mahi Mahi entree which were unbelievable. I'd also recommend the desserts. I got the Semifreddo which was awesome.
Nice environment, cheerful staff and bartender. It gets quite busy so either plan or ordering at the bar or making a reservation.
HH prices are okay for mediocre food and pilsner (not pint) glasses of beer. The wine list is the most overpriced in all of Belltown. Yes, that's a big statement, and I'm sticking to it. $16 for a glass of Efeste? Please. Some of the small plates are decent. The service is roll of the dice. Sometimes you're lucky to get a server who's having a good night. Tonight we got someone who didn't give a crap. Oh well. FF is supposedly moving to South Lake Union in a few months. Good luck and good riddance.
I wish I could give it a 3.5 stars instead of 3 stars but wateryougonnado? The front lady totally ignored my bf when he was trying to figure out what time they opened since the door was still locked (clear, glass door mind you) and the sign says they shoulda opened up. It wasn't until I popped out from behind him that she acknowledged us. I don't know what that's all about but anyways, since we were craving seafood, came back 5 minutes later and she seated us to our table.
Then the waiter who took over was very nice so kudos to him. We came right on time (happy hour lol) and all the small plates were $6 which is a deal. Bf had crab cake and I had steamed clams. Steamed clams came with a big chunk of bread and butter to dip in the broth. I wish the broth was more flavorful. Tons of small clams and the crab cake was very good, very fresh. I so wanted to try the dessert (smores platers sounds bomb) but I didn't want to over indulge myself since I already filled my belly earlier at Le Pichet.
I would def come here again to try the other mouth watering dishes they had on the menu.
I dont think i can rate this place more 'en 2* 's. The place is ridiculously expensive and no where close to McCormmick & Shimmicks which is considered at the same price range.
I had the rock fish... its served on a unique style as a whole fish was hopeles in taste and not at all worth money paid for it. The wine highly recommended by the chef along with the food was just like any other wine that you can lay hands at a gas station.
I am not going here agian
Such a frustrating establishment. My last visit sealed the coffin on this overpriced disappointment of a place.
The food itself isn't bad but doesn't excuse the horrific price. ONE crab cake comes up to $13. It had a nice sweetness and creaminess, the happy hour price of of $10+ is still disgraceful.
I had fish tacos ($20). It was pretty well seasoned but came in little chunks like dog food. Tortillas were bland; probably not made in-house. The marinated/pickled onions were interestingly pleasant. Ho hum on the guacamole. We had dined here 3+times before, but can only recall this last dinner.
Another strike is that we were served wine that was probably opened the night before and sat all day. The pinot noir was flat and had reverted into grape juice. My date found it interesting so we kept it. Had we known the waiter would charge us $13 instead of $10, I would not have kept quiet.
We tried the Oyster Frenzy event a couple years ago for the first/last time. It's an abysmally organized affair that strips the dignity of anyone who attends. At least it's properly named a frenzy. The space is tiny and ALL the food is oyster-based. Oyster chowder? Blech!! The line for cooked items spanned the length of the restaurant and back. Didn't even bother. Wine tickets were sold at an addit'l cost. Ugh.
Elliott's oyster event is far far superior.
The biggest black mark on Flying Fish is their use of promotions. They give away $25 coupons like candy. I got one for my birthday and decided to go before an M's game. Upon entering, we indicated our intention to use the coupon since I didn't want to order a lot off the Happy Hour menu and not be able to use the coupon. My date said I should go off the regular menu, use the $25 deal and he'll order off the Happy Hour menu. The hostess didn't seem to have a problem with this and seated us.
We were having a decent time, despite a creepy waiter who seemed to take offense when taking away an empty plate, then the bill came. I popped out the coupon, there was some nay-saying, and the manager was brought over. We weren't intending to exploit anything but we thought it was efficient that I get the bulk of the items at regular price to apply the coupon and my date get an item off the HH menu, which no one objected to when we announced it prior to seating.
But no, we had to get a manager involved to bring down the hammer. "Only one promotion per table." We only got ONE happy hour dish, so what's the big deal with giving us an extra $3 in discounts? It's already a bit embarrassing to use a coupon at an eating establishment but they had to rub it in by quibbling over a tiny amount. We're not exactly hard up for cash so we were planning on making up for the coupon by tipping very very well. The waiter should have been on our side.
Final tally: $57 for a gin drink (+martini charge, assholes), glass of wine (overcharged and sub-par), one app, one entree. Applied the $25 discount and a healthy dose of humiliation...and we gave $3 tip. Had we not gotten our balls busted, the tip would have made up for at least half of that shitty coupon. If they're going to be as strict about discounts as KFC, maybe they should give out the coupons less often but be more forgiving with its use.
P.S. Waiter. Saying "they're not my rules" doesn't negate the fact you overcharged me for icky wine and ran to bitch to your manager about an additional $3 discount. To reiterate the rant I wrote on the receipt "fuck you."
UPDATE: I felt compelled to write them:
Hey! Thanks for making me and my date feel like degenerate, exploitative cheap asses for using this coupon! Happy fucking birthday to me! Thanks for quibbling over an extra $3 because we didn't know the ONE happy hour dish we ordered would fuck things up so royally. Nevermind that we told the hostesses we planned on doing so prior to seating. Thanks also for overcharging us $2 on the glass of wine which was probably left over from the night before. Yes, I drink quality wines often and can tell the difference. Did I need to wear my Prada shoes to get some respect, you arrogant assholes? Did my walk-off-the-street jeans attire offend your hoity toity airs?
Yes, I only came in that night because of the coupon. I tried this establishment at least three times prior and wasn't compelled to return, mostly due to your price to quality ratio and the pure snobbery. My gut was telling me no and I should have stuck with it. The humiliating experience with the coupon just cemented my disgust with this restaurant.
Here's a tip: Don't issue coupons; lower your prices. If you do decide to issue coupons, don't be whores about it.The point is to ENCOURAGE people to continue their patronage (did I really have to explain that to you?). Maybe issue coupons of a lesser value. BUT DON'T BE FUCKING DICKS ABOUT IT.
So good luck with that. I hope you change your ways and flourish. If not, I hope you go under and I buy your patio furniture at the bankruptcy auction.
I didn't like the food here that much. The portions were very small too (I guess that's a good thing since I didn't like the food). The service was terrible also.
A friend and I went for a birthday dinner and we were not impressed. We've wanted to try it since it's been getting good reviews.
We ordered the mussels to start which was decent, but nothing special. The salad was also just okay but there wasn't really much there. For our entrees we ordered the king salmon and the mahi mahi. The fish was good but the rest, especially the squash wasn't very appetizing. They relied too much on the sauce to give the dish flavor.
For what we received the price was okay (about $110 for both of us), but I've had better for the same amount of money and a better view.
The thing that totally killed the dinner was the service. It was okay at first, a little spotty towards the end and just downright rude when we left. I've never seen a higher end restaurant waitress open the bill and count the money at our table before letting us leave. Not only did she leave it sitting there while we chatted for at least 15 minutes before deciding to leave, she made us wait until she made sure she got paid before we could even stand up. WOW.... I will never go back there again.
Some friends and my wife and I ended up here when looking for a decent happy hour. Our waiter had a very smug attitude with us. We didn't end up getting food because we left after 15 minutes since we immediately felt unwelcome. I did notice that the food was VERY expensive. I cannot speak to it's quality, though.
A bad start with a good save.
For starters, we had to wait way too long for our reserved table. This resulted in a loss of a star right off the bat. Uh-oh - it was not looking too promising.
But talk about a comeback, as once we were seated it was all good. From the perfect mojito to the amazing lobster salad to spicy shrimp platter with tangy pineapple salsa, we were humming and oohing and ahhing as we ate.
I like it here and all is definitely forgiven. I can't wait to return, as I was coveting other patrons orders as the passed by our table.
Sturgeon, never had it before, and if I have it again it will be very hard to live up to the perfectly cooked version that I had at Flying Fish. A perfectly crusty, wonderfully seasoned exterior, protecting the flaky tender inside. I dream about the fish I consumed here.
Not a bad seat in the house, either a view of the bustling kitchen, the diners below if you are seated on the balcony, or a view of all the Belltown life if you're siting near the huge windows. The service was also great, wine recommendation was wonderful, and while our server was pressed and dressed, he didn't take himself so seriously that we couldn't connect. Overall, I couldn't improve upon this experience if I tried.
Since the 3 for 30 deal (3 courses for $30) is ending soon my mom and I wanted to take advantage of the offer and go somewhere marvelous for dinner. Our initial plan was to try somewhere new and exciting but after a long day for both of us we decided to stick with a favorite and come here where we knew we would leave satisfied.
We were very promptly greeted and seated by the host who was welcoming and funny. Since Flying Fish really is one of my favorites and I've had everything at least four times I knew exactly what I wanted after glancing at the menu--Calamari as a starter and Swordfish as my entree. The calamari came out hot, crispy and perfectly seasoned. The creamy aoli was the perfect balance to the spiciness of the green chili sauce and each savory, spicy and sweet bite was heaven. My mom went with the Soup of the day which was a pepper soup with mussels and cilantro. The flavor was balanced and the mussels were cooked perfectly. My one complaint was the abundance of cilantro. Flavor wise there was the perfect amount but I swear they put a pound of the stuff in the soup which made eating it not so much fun. Nonetheless it was warm and comforting.
On to the entrees.... ooohhahhhhyyyuuuuuuummmmy. My Swordfish was divine. It's a fish I rarely have but absolutely love. It seems heartier, meatier and heavier than most fishes wish is a pleasant surprise. I feel like it's easy to under-season it and have a bland dish but Flying Fish nailed it. The onions, sweet potatoes and other veggies it was served with created a very subtle but enjoyable sweetness to the dish. I feel like it could have been served on a tropical island. So fresh and flavorful! The Tuna that my mom ordered was enjoyable as well. The portion of fish was huge and it was served with an equally generous serving of Bok Choy and a Risotto cake. The one issue I had with this dish was the wasabi... I feel like it overpowered everything else at times. Unfortunate since the Tuna was cooked perfectly as was the risotto and bok choy.
For dessert I went with the Rhubarb Cobbler and the madre had the Grappa Brownie. The cobbler was delicious. The rhubarb was sweetened perfectly... still tangy and sour but with enough sugar to take the bite out of it. The cobbler topping was more like a mini-scone baked on top, but it was crumbly with a sugary, golden brown crust. Definitely a win. The brownie was better than I recall, but nothing to rave about.
Top it off with amazing service and company and I was one happy camper. I can't think of a better way to end a long, stressful day. Check it out! You know you wanna!
After reading some of the reviews of this restaurant I'm beginning to wonder if these people ate at… Read more »
You cannot go wrong with dining at Flying Fish. The service has always been friendly and efficient, and the food always very good.
I am a lucky, lucky girl.
I have these amazing people in my life who not only endure my seemingly unending ration of shit, put me through college (for a really looooooong time), support my every decision (regardless of how fucking stupid the choice I am making may be), but they also take me out to dinner to places like Flying Fish on a Thursday night under the guise of "supporting our favorite local restaurants during these trying times" and let me stuff my fat little face full of oysters and pancetta wrapped Mahi Mahi.
And not only do I have those people, no you would think that would be enough, but NO! Not only that, but I find not one but TWO little pearls in my oysters.
TWO.
Who wants to rub up on me and get some of this?
Flying Fish! What the heck happened?
I was torn about the number of stars to give. Our first experience here could not have been more perfect, and our second one..well, it was sucktastic. So that's why it's 3, and I'm stickin' to it.
So, the first time we went to Seattle we ended up at Flying Fish as our intro to Seattle cuisine. It seriously ranks as one of the best meals I ever had, from the PERFECT swordfish to the brownie dessert. Our waiter was extremely friendly and funny and even gave suggestions as to where to go next in the city. Flying Fish was officially our fave Seattle restaurant!
Fast forward to two years- we're back in Seattle and could not be happier, since the seafood in Chicago is non-existent (but, if you like sides of beef at every meal, it's your kind of town).
We were VERY much looking forward to going to back to Flying Fish, but unfortunately it was nowhere near as incredible this time. In fact, this was pretty bad. First of all, we were seated in the rain when there were plenty of seats indoors. Needless to say, our service was less than attentive.
The food itself this time was nowhere near as fresh and excellent as it was the first time. In fact, the swordfish was definitely "off": it was undercooked and somewhat rubbery, and it was hard to get through it. Big, big disappointment.
Flying Fish, you let us down! Love Seattle so much, but don't think we'll stop by ever again when we're in town. Sorry.
As per a recommendation from a New Yorker married Seattlelite, we decided to plunk or cash into some good seafood lovin'. When we walked in, I thought it was going to be one of those pretentious, upscale places for us schlubs that just walked off the streets. We sat down and noticed that it wasn't just a place for stuffy business suit types, but just people who love and enjoy a good meal.
Our waitress was a doll. She aided us in our indecisiveness and slapped us around when we were getting out of hand. No she didn't. I said she was a dear. She just indulged us and let us run amuck. Ordering up the Guinness and Red Hook like no tomorrow. Good beer and seafood is wonderous.
We ordered the crispy calamari with a honey jalapeno mayo sauce, sister-in-law mussels w/thai chili lime dipping sauce and the half shelled oyster sampler. The calamari was so tender and work harmoniously with the wonderful sauce that made me forget about the regular joe sauce: marinara. I'm not a mussels or oyster fan, but will have to give thumbs up to both dishes. The mussels (ranked 3 out of the 3 we had) was tasty, but it didn't pop my socks off despite me not wearin socks. Wearing flip flops! I'm from NY, we don't wear socks w/our sandals. At least that's how fashion has taught me. The oysters, ranked number 2, I was a little skived about because I have a thing about eating raw shelled fish. Yeah, I can eat sushi, but shelled fish is another thing. But, since my bud was craving tremendously for it, i graciously tried one. Thank my lucky stars that the first one I tried was the best one. The kushi had wonderful texture and tasted so sweet despite i drowned it in a squeezed wedge of lemon. After that, I tried the other two types, to which I don't remember because the only name that kept singing in my head was kushi. My bud loves me because he let me sample 2 of the kushi. True sacrifice. In true fashion, we finished everything plus downed 3 beers each in a paced out scenario.
Lovely place and lovely food.
Happy hour here is a joke. No seats, the oysters are cheap but questionable. Not to mention that they overcharge for drinks.
Go to Elliott's!
Stumbled upon this restaurant while visiting Seattle. We had one of the best meals ever. Three of use shared the mussels, rockfish, oysters and fish tacos. I live in Chicago, so maybe I don't have the exposure to such great seafood, but the entire meal was satisfying and tasty. I would recommend this place to anyone. Cocktails and atmosphere were also superb.
Server was attentive and probably a little too busy, but service was solid.
The only thing that saved this review from 2 stars were the scallops, they were heavenly. The calamari was awful, looked like the stuff you dredge up from the bottom of the deep fryer and the taste confirmed my suspicions. The crab cakes were good, but the bouillabaisse was weak, perhaps they should consult wikipedia for the essential ingredients. The wait staff were excellent.
I have a feeling that this place is more about presentation than substance. We ordered the whole fried rockfish. It came out very impressive looking - arranged just like a fish swimming upstream - but deep fried. We were taught to scrape the flesh off the sides of the very big fish and wrap them in thin rice wrappers with some raw vegetables and dipping sauce.
The only problem is that it tasted just ok. The pineapple anchovy sauce was neither tart nor spicy enough and the fish was not seasoned at all. The whole effect was really bland and I got tired of the taste after two servings (there were at least 12 wrappers from that damn fish).
Service is excellent and the prices aren't all that bad.
I don't want to discount the place too quickly because a few people recommended it, so I'm willing to give it another try in the future.
Excellent seafood, questionable portion size and price seem to be the themes as I'm reading the other reviews. Can't say that I argue at all with the first point, food is excellent here, and with a menu that changes daily, you can always find something to your liking...
It is important before you read any further that EVERY ingredient at Flying Fish is certified organic, or wild. That means you are getting some of the freshest stuff out there, so bear that in mind...
Portion size has never really applied for me here, because every time I've been in, our group/date depending on the night, order many small plates and share everything and everyone leaves happy and full.
With the price thing, I would have to disagree. I personally don't find it expensive, although money isn't really that huge of deal for me. It is important I feel to point out that you are in Belltown, one of the most over priced areas in Seattle. That said, if the food is worth the price, then it's worth the price, and in my eyes, the food here is. Anything with tuna here is not to be missed, and their crab cake is one of the best around.
My gripe is with the bar area. The seating in there is a joke, and who wants to sit outside when it's 30 degrees? Alcohol selection is about average, and the wine list doesn't really excite me, its about what I expect in the Belltown district, and there are many places with a more diverse listing.
Overall, I love eating here, and know that I will always get a great meal no matter how often they change the menu.
I had a unique experience here.
I came in the night after my wedding. I had asked the staff if they could do a small wedding cake (I wanted to surprise my new bride) and they said they could.
We came in had a few apps - they were great. Had a wonderful dinner, some wine.
Then came the cake. It was a two tier beauty. With fresh sunflowers arranged around the cake. The cake itself was a slice of heaven. The frosting I assume was butter cream. It melted in your mouth but wasn't too sweet. The cake was great. The filling a mocha chocolate that again wasn't too sweet. It was great. We froze the top tier.
With our cake the waiter brought us drinks to toast with. And this was another great touch. I don't drink. The waiter was observant and courteous enough to realize I wasn't drinking and he brought me a tonic water with fruit juice - because it's bad luck to toast with just water.
All in all this is a restaurant I will be coming back to. Great food, great service. Wonderful place.
Bummer, our last evening in Seattle and we picked this place hoping for a great seafood experience. Flying Fish was a big disappointment.
Got seated after 5-10 minutes of waiting, as told in advance. No problem. Bus boy came by with water - he was the last friendly person we encountered. When our waiter decided to drop by after 10 minutes, it was with an arrogant and careless attitude towards his job and us. He rattled off the daily specials, avoiding just about all eye contact with us. Had to remind him to bring us bread btw.
The menu claimed that portions were big so my wife went with an appetizer (poke) and I opted for the ono. Food was beautifully presented and tasted well, however the entree was small and lacked sides. Apart from a few noodles swimming at the bottom of the plate and two deep fried cucumbers, the fish was very lonely.
Not ONCE during the meal did the snooty waiter come by to ask how we liked the food, if everything was okay, etc. He picked up our empty plates without a word, stopped by a few minutes later and placed the dessert menus in front of us - no questions asked! Does it get any ruder?
When he learned to talk again and asked if we had decided on a dessert, we responded with "check, please" and left shortly after. What a disappointment.
Been going here for years and I AM DONE. I've brought my aging parents here and endured rude wait staff and my husband and I have put up with it since it opened but no more. There are better places to eat. Our waitress was Juliana, who forgot our drinks, gave us unforgettable attitude and when I asked what Mong Chong tasted like, she replied, "Well, it tastes like Mong Chong!" They are just so incredibly rude I'm annoyed every time I leave. The Wild Ginger, The Met, El Gaucho and many others offer much better service. I can't believe the owner doesn't care. Staff really seem to hate the patrons. I'm over it.
Food is okay, not stellar.
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: American (Traditional)
Seattle, WA
Category: American (New)
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