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Spending 5 nights in Seattle, looking for reasonably priced restaurants


susanNjay
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We are flying in to Seattle May 31 and spending 5 nights before cruising June 5. We will also have one full day in Seattle when our cruise returns June 12 since we are flying red-eye out June 13... I am looking for both lunch and dinner restaurants that are reasonably priced. I am seriously thinking of food trucks for lunches most days (thoughts?), and I am pretty sure we will do the Space Needle restaurant for lunch June 12. What are some Seattle area restaurants that are not very expensive? I would love to pay $20 or LESS per person, and although my husband is a seafood fan, I would rather not eat seafood.

I don't know that it makes a difference, but our Seattle days will be Sunday through Thursday pre-cruise.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

--Susan

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We are flying in to Seattle May 31 and spending 5 nights before cruising June 5. We will also have one full day in Seattle when our cruise returns June 12 since we are flying red-eye out June 13... I am looking for both lunch and dinner restaurants that are reasonably priced. I am seriously thinking of food trucks for lunches most days (thoughts?), and I am pretty sure we will do the Space Needle restaurant for lunch June 12. What are some Seattle area restaurants that are not very expensive? I would love to pay $20 or LESS per person, and although my husband is a seafood fan, I would rather not eat seafood.

I don't know that it makes a difference, but our Seattle days will be Sunday through Thursday pre-cruise.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

--Susan

 

If you go to Tripadvisor and type in Seattle, and then restaurants, it will list just about every eating place there is, and you can then narrow them down by price and neighborhood.:)

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Thanks, Husky61, I have already done that...I am looking for more of what CC/local people have recommendations for... Here's the areas I will be in on each day:

Monday--Pike Place Market

Tuesday--Pioneer Square/Bainbridge Island ferry area

Wednesday--the Market area again

Thursday--Ballard

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Thanks, Husky61, I have already done that...I am looking for more of what CC/local people have recommendations for... Here's the areas I will be in on each day:

Monday--Pike Place Market

 

My favorite lunch in this area is the Market Grill, a little lunch counter along the Main Arcade of the Market--look for the neon fish overhead. I know it's tiny, and all the stools will be occupied, and you'll think you'll never get a seat--but hang around and a couple of seats will open up faster than you'd expect. My favorite thing on the menu is the grilled blackened halibut sandwich, but they also do salmon and chicken. The house-made coleslaw is terrific. Everything is really fresh and locally-sourced. Best lunch at the Market!!

 

Other good possibilities: Uli's Famous Sausages, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, or if you don't mind grazing as you walk around, a couple of hom bao from Mee Sum Pastry. If you order selectively, you can get lunch under $20 at Maximilien, and maybe at the Pink Door (the views from the patios of both might make it worth splurging a little).

 

Dinner around the Market for under $20? Good luck with that. Some of these places (Market Grill, Uli's, Beecher's, Mee Sum) are open until 6 pm, so you could get an early meal there. Sit-down places with table service are pretty universally going to be out of that range in this neighborhood. Down on the waterfront, Anthony's Bell Street Diner (the more casual sister restaurant to Anthony's Pier 66) has a Sunset Dinner Special before 6 pm that's probably one of your best options (it's pretty seafood-focused, however).

 

 

Tuesday--Pioneer Square/Bainbridge Island ferry area

 

Best lunch in Pioneer Square (some people say, best in town): no question, that's Salumi. They're a family-run place (and it's a family with some serious foodie cred--Armandino Baltali, the founder, is celebrity chef Mario Batali's dad) that makes transcendent Italian-style cured meats. They're open short hours, there's always a line, there's just one big table to sit at (if you can find a seat), and it's totally worth it--especially if you get there on a day when they have culatello. Buy some salami to take home, or to snack on later--the molé salami is one of my favorites.

 

Pioneer Square has some other great sandwich places, too: Tat's Deilcatessen, Rain Shadow Meats Squared, and Delicatus, for starters.

 

Il Corvo is a foodie favorite that does handmade pasta at lunch only. I haven't been but people rave about it, and I think you might get lunch there for under $20.

 

Again, dinner in that area is going to be a challenge in your price range. Best suggestion: grab another sandwich, or head over to the International District for Chinese or Vietnamese food. You'll have plenty of choices. My favorite is Seven Stars Pepper Szechuan Restaurant (the hand-shaved dan dan noodles are amazing). I hear good things about Shanghai Garden, Vietnam House, Tamarind Tree, and Crazy Pho Cajun.

 

On Bainbridge Island, you have a few good options. Blackbird Bakery does really good house-made pastries, soups, quiche, and savory tarts. The owners have recently opened a restaurant called Fork & Spoon that I haven't tried, but I intend to, first chance I get.

 

The Streamliner Diner is a longtime Bainbridge favorite for basic American comfort food.

 

The Harbour Public House is a cozy pub, great place for a beer or a burger.

 

 

Wednesday--the Market area again

Thursday--Ballard

 

If you're going to the Ballard Locks, a good lunch or dinner option is the Lockspot Cafe, right next door. It's a little neighborhood pub, nothing fancy, but they do good burgers, sandwiches, and fish & chips. If you're a fan of Deadliest Catch, you might recognize it--they've filmed there a time or two. It's a hangout for locals, including the fishing boat crews and other salty types.

 

On around the bend, past the locks, across from Shilshole Marina, is Paseo, another local legend. They do big, sloppy Cuban-style sandwiches that are questionably authentic, but unquestionably delicious. They have made more than one much-hyped list of best sandwiches--not just in Seattle, but in America.

 

Chippy's Fish & Drinks is one of local celebrity chef Ethan Stowell's less-upscale places (most of the others are way out of your price range, and mine). I haven't been but Stowell is a local foodie favorite.

 

Oddly for an old Scandinavian fishing neighborhood, Ballard has a couple of really good Mexican places: La Carta de Oaxaca and Señor Moose. Either one can probably meet at your price range.

Edited by Casagordita
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may I suggest you post this as a question on Tripadvisor? List the areas you'll be in. Seattle isn't known for food trucks, its much more a Portland thing.

 

My favorite in the Market is Emmett Watsons but the Athenian is also very popular for the view.

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Casagordita--THANK YOU SO MUCH!! that list is terrific and I really appreciate your help!!

I just got a Seattle travel guide in the mail and numerous restaurants are mentioned in it, but I figure some of those are not local favorites but more of an advertising highlight.

Again, thanks!! I figure eating out for several days will be somewhat costly, but now I know more of where we can save so we can splurge a bit.

-Susan

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Dan G--thanks for the info. An interesting fact is that the Seattle travel guide that arrived yesterday specifically mentions numerous food trucks. Some of them sound really good! :-)

Have a great night!

-Susan

 

 

 

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Seattle only recently started allowing food trucks to actually prepare food and park in the street. Best bets are to look around Westlake and Thomas at lunchtime.

 

I would add a couple of ideas on Bainbridge: Hitchcock Deli and Restaurant Marche both have a pretty epic lunch service. Neither have particularly seafood-heavy menus.

 

In the ID, I heartily second 7 Stars and Tamarind Tree. I would also add Jade Garden as a cheap favorite of mine and Kau Kau is essentially giving away delicious Chinese BBQ meat.

 

One of my favorite places for cheap eats in Seattle is the Seasmoke Grill counter inside Whole Foods Westlake, which is walkable from downtown and Seattle Center, and is on the streetcar line. Select seafood, meat or poultry from the fresh cases in the back of the store and it's grilled/sautéed/fried to your order with fresh sides. The proteins are at market price, and sides are a few bucks.

 

The ugly reality is that there are almost no sit-down places in any of these areas where you're going to find $20-or-less dinner entrees that I would name; rents and wages are really high, so cheap eats aren't a downtown/Market phenomenon. You're going to be looking in the ID/Chinatown, the U District or various other neighborhoods outside downtown. If you've got a rental car, your options expand dramatically.

 

Oh, and if you're going to splurge, I've had dozens of meals at Ethan Stowell restaurants and they have never disappointed. Dude knows exactly what makes Seattle dining special and delivers it at every single location of his mini-empire. If only I could say the same of another revered Seattle restauranteur.

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You're welcome! You did rather hit on one of my favorite obsessions--good, cheap food! :rolleyes:

 

The best way to track local food trucks is on SeattleFoodTruck.com. We don't have so many permanent food truck pods like Portland does (more's the pity!) but there are a few places where you can find a handful of different trucks every weekday. There are a few spots downtown, and at South Lake Union, and down at the Starbucks headquarters building in SoDo. This website does a pretty good job of keeping up with who will be where, but if there's a truck you're especially looking for, check that truck's website or Facebook page for that week's schedule, because they change them a lot.

 

One more place I didn't mention before is the food court in the Armory at Seattle Center. Most of the restaurants there are local and really good--not the typical schlocky mall food court chains. Lunch at the Space Needle is a good plan, but if you stick around the area long enough to want dinner, too, you could do a lot worse than the Armory.

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I am remiss for not mentioning the single best cheap lunch in Seattle. If you are a fan of the Thanksgiving Leftovers style of turkey sandwich, you best be going to Bakeman's. It's 0100 as I write this and I am now drooling thinking of this $4.75 wonder. The soups are house-made as well. Cash only, and the room is pretty non-descript. If the weather is semi-decent, take your order to go and enjoy it in Waterfall Garden Park, a five minute walk away.

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One of the best (okay, I'll say it, IMO THE best) combination - twofer/threefer/fourfer - outings in Seattle for food, view, neighborhood experience is the West Seattle water taxi from the ferry terminal downtown across Elliott Bay to Seacrest Park on Harbor Avenue facing downtown. http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/kcdot/WaterTaxi/WSeattle.aspx

 

The view crossing the bay is sensational - the skyline, Space Needle, Mt. Rainier.. then when you land, your food truck experience is right there, in the form of a land-based branch of one of the best food truck operations in town. Marination Ma Kai is a Hawaiian/Korean/Mexican fusion place (Spam sliders, Loco Moco, Kalbi beef tacos) with an outdoor beer garden (spiked shave ice, mai tais...) with the same drop-dead view of downtown. http://www.marinationmobile.com/#about

 

Next door you can rent bikes (or kayaks) and bike, or take the free shuttle bus, or walk of course - on the the level path that runs along the waterfront, around a mile and a half around Duwamish Head to Alki Beach, with its little west coast statue of liberty, sandy beach, views of passing ferries with the Olympics in the background, and more shops/cafes/bars facing Puget Sound. Then it's back to the water taxi and back downtown. Or maybe another stop in the patio. Decisions, decisions.

 

View from ferry dock -

 

20091226_31a.JPG

 

View from Alki Beach -

 

20140513_47H2.jpg

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I like eating in the Columbia Tower food court. They have many options including Mexican, Indian, etc. The prices are more than reasonable and it's easy to find, just ask the reception/concierge.

 

After lunch, you can go up into the 40th floor Starbuck's (highest Starbucks, at least on the West Coast). Order a latte and take in the views of Seattle for free! Talk about budget conscious. I love it up there.

 

Have fun.

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This has to be the best thread I've read in a long time!!! Thank you all SO MUCH for all this terrific information on eating well while saving $!! I appreciate all of your help!

-Susan

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Next door you can rent bikes (or kayaks) and bike, or take the free shuttle bus, or walk of course - on the the level path that runs along the waterfront, around a mile and a half around Duwamish Head to Alki Beach, with its little west coast statue of liberty, sandy beach, views of passing ferries with the Olympics in the background, and more shops/cafes/bars facing Puget Sound. Then it's back to the water taxi and back downtown. Or maybe another stop in the patio. Decisions, decisions

 

All good suggestions! And one more: on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the summer, the Alki Point Lighthouse is open for tours. It's historic and very pretty, and you can get a peek at the residence of the District Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District. What a location--talk about a job with a sweet perk...!

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Great thread Susan,

 

What would be a good place near the Space Needle or Westlake for an late lunch/ early dinner?

 

Around the Space Needle and Seattle Center...besides the Armory food court, my pick would be Toulouse Petite, a few blocks up on Queen Anne Avenue N. They have an extensive happy hour menu with some great munchies--best in town, and some people say, one of the best happy hours anywhere. You can easily graze your way to a nice meal there on some excellent creole/Cajun food with a northwest twist. Happy hour runs from 4 - 6 pm but if you want a table, better get there right around 4 pm--it's that popular!

Edited by Casagordita
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We have lots of great Happy Hours! Almost every restaurant around here has one. If you see a restaurant that looks good, look up their Happy Hour.

 

When in Ballard I would look at Ray's Cafe (upstairs,more casual). You might pay a bit more than $20, but really good...and great view! They also have a Happy Hour. Right next door to that is Anthony's Homeport. If you get there early they have an Early Bird 4 Course dinner for I believe $22. Also a great view!

 

If you really are wanting to try the food truck thing, I would head to South Lake Union on a weekday at lunch time. A ton of food trucks descend on the area to feed all the Amazon.com workers. You can take the streetcar from Westlake Center (shopping mall downtown) there.

 

Also, is there a reason you are spending two days at Pike Place Market? I would recommend going and doing other things. For example, I think Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center is not to be missed. It is incredible! Take a local cruise. The Locks Cruise is the best! Even if you go to the Locks on land, going through on a boat is a whole different experience. The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in South Lake Union (SLU) is also pretty cool.

 

When you go to Pioneer Square I would head to the observation deck of the Smith Tower called the Chinese Room. It is cheaper and has a lot less people than the Space Needle.

 

Also, just an FYI, our seawall (there is a underground wall that separates Downtown Seattle from Elliott Bay) is getting rebuilt. Currently about half the waterfront is closed until July 1st. One of the restaurants I was going to recommend is on the closed list. Piers 54, 55, and 56 are closed. Piers 57 and higher are open. Just something to keep in mind!

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I don't know if you have a vehicle or not but if you get a chance try Dicks drive inn. Google it and have a look at the menu, and yes the prices you see are correct.

This is always a fav when we are in town.

 

Greg

 

Ah Dicks Drive Inn, That brings back a few memory's. We often went to the Dicks in Spokane, where you could feed a family for less then $15 and have a ball feeding the leftover fry's to the seagulls..

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We are flying in to Seattle May 31 and spending 5 nights before cruising June 5. We will also have one full day in Seattle when our cruise returns June 12 since we are flying red-eye out June 13... I am looking for both lunch and dinner restaurants that are reasonably priced. I am seriously thinking of food trucks for lunches most days (thoughts?), and I am pretty sure we will do the Space Needle restaurant for lunch June 12. What are some Seattle area restaurants that are not very expensive? I would love to pay $20 or LESS per person, and although my husband is a seafood fan, I would rather not eat seafood.

I don't know that it makes a difference, but our Seattle days will be Sunday through Thursday pre-cruise.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

--Susan

I agree, I live in Seattle and this is the best thread . . . fyi, if you want to eat at the Space Needle make sure that you make reservations . . . ask for a window seat better chance of getting one. It is a incredible experience, and it rotates once in an hour

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This is a great Thread!

I have a question.

We are going to a Mariner's game when we visit. Game time 7pm

Is there a good spot to grab something quick to eat before we go or would I be able to find a Veggie Burger at Safeco Field?

We have NO car so relying on public transportation.

Thanks for any suggestions

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