Ivar's Salmon House

Ivar's Salmon House is a Seattle landmark. Built in 1970 after a traditional northwest native longhouse, the atmosphere is great. A great place to eat and get some native history and artistic inspiration. Alder smoked salmon and so much more. You can pull your watercraft right up to the dock and enjoy the view of the working waterfront and downtown Seattle.

Great spot for Seattle eats. Entire place enshrined with wooden carvings. Outdoor eats if desired, but a window seat is just as good. Food was excellent.

Cool Pacwest vibes abound with the native style totems and artwork. Ivars is like 2 different restaurants. Inside is more formal and the patio is more of a waterfront fun atmosphere. Food was good along with the service. Views are great with boats all over and a dock if you choose to boat in to eat.

Great backup option if Salty's on Alki is booked out. You still have a good view of the Seattle skyline, and Lake Union is beautiful on a sunny summer afternoon (watching all the boats going back and forth is fun too). There's nice outdoor seating as well. I loved the indoor aesthetic. Really captures the historic "frontier indigenous forest" vibes of the region. Service was attentive and engaging. We came early around 4:30pm on a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't busy then. Our server was fun and appreciated his recommendations. I kept it simple--king crab bisque bread bowl. Super good, but I did notice the "bowl" seemed to have *more bisque* than the "bread bowl", even though the bread bowl is more expensive. Hmmm, okay. :) Free parking across the street reserved for restaurant patrons. Pretty close to Gas Works park so you can add it before or after on your itinerary.

This place was phenomenal! Was looking for some amazing seafood and this was it. Outdoor dock/patio was the vibe we wanted, and the food was delicious. Service got busy with the tables for a while, but other than that they were super friendly and attentive.

Sun-drenched at 68 degrees—Seattle’s version of a heatwave—I found myself basking on Ivar’s Salmon House patio, the scent of alder smoke wafting from their open-pit barbecue. The Alder Grilled Fresh Alaska Halibut arrived, adorned with pineapple salsa and a sweet chili glaze, resting on a bed of cilantro-ginger jasmine rice alongside tender asparagus . Each bite was a harmonious blend of smoky, sweet, and savory. Accompanied by a glass of rosé and a refreshing sangria, I watched seaplanes dance over Lake Union. The service? Swift and attentive, without the overbearing cheeriness. Dining in a Native American longhouse replica with panoramic skyline views, Ivar’s offers a quintessentially quirky Seattle experience—where tradition meets the unexpected.

Lovely interior on the lake side. Ton of space both inside and outside. Outside seating had great shades. Scallops were amazing, slightly questionable sauce what was not needed. Seafood skewer was great but rice was to buttery and fealty for my taste. Still good.

Went here many times but never remembered take photos, this time i remembered. Food was top notch and so did service. I also really like their interior design - very Seattle. The evening view of union lake and city is really a fabulous plus. This is probably ranked at top place to look at the city view, just behind Kerry park.

Ivar's Salmon House never disappoints. The rustic atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The menu is filled with seafood treasures - something for every palate. Service was excellent. Of course, this comes with a cost premium. All in all, a great experience.

I have been a loyal customer of Ivars for over 40 years and what I appreciate most about this restaurant is its consistency. It has maintained its amazing and unique atmosphere throughout the years. The location on Lake Union with a view of the Seattle skyline adds to its charm. The food is simply delicious. I ordered the clam chowder and a burger and was pleasantly surprised by how tasty they were. The staff is friendly and accommodating. Ivars is a great place to take out-of-town guests or for a special occasion. It's also perfect for a nice lunch or dinner.

Really really good. Came here on date night and loved it. We got the scallops, cedar plank sockeye salmon with mashed potatoes, and a bottle of wine. The food was scrumptious and the server was absolutely lovely. Her name was Monica and she went above and beyond. We will definitely be back.

We went with a group of six people visiting the area. My mango cocktail was very good. And our scallop appetizer was delicious--so buttery and melt in your mouth. Even my five year old loved them. We all had a variety of entrees. Mine was the taste of the Northwest which had scallops, and two types of fish. So yummy! Would definitely recommend. And the views on the water were gorgeous!

Upscale casual environment with good, friendly and professional service. The view is decent and relaxing. They accommodated my party's vegetarian requests quite well. To start, I had the crab and goat cheese dip which was mild and tasty. Girlfriend ordered fried avocado tacos, and I had Taste of the Northwest, which had perfectly grilled coho salmon, delicate Alaska halibut, and amazing seared scallops. We finished it off with a creme brulee, which really hit the spot. It was pretty busy even at 4:30PM on Saturday, but had no problem with the reservation. I spent a fair amount of money but I think it was worth it. I'll be sure to try this spot again!

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. The food, location, view, service, everything. I love all of the Native American art and the overall theme of a traditional salmon house. This restaurant represents Seattle well. I had the stuffed halibut, soup, and some oysters, everything was prepared perfectly and tasted great.

This is a must stop! The food was phenomenal, the staff was amazing and the views were spectacular! We got the halibut fish and chips and the crab cakes! They were delicious! Highly recommend!

This is our favorite place for seafood. It offers a wonderful waterfront view in a traditional Salish longhouse atmosphere. The salmon has always been prepared perfectly. The clam chowder is among the very best.

I had halibut, med rare (the way it SHOULD be cooked!) with spinach (alternative to green beans), and cornbread pudding as the "potato." Absolutely perfect! Hubby enjoyed the salmon/scallops/halibut sampler with green beans and mashed potatoes. The dessert of chirros was LARGE enough for 2 people, but they were overcooked and needed a side of dipping sauce. Hubby felt the burnt cream needed a slightly thicker sugar topping. For beverage I had the Whizberry Fizz that was very nice-- lemonade, pureed raspberry, with lemon-lime soda. A very enjoyable and relaxed dinner after a stressful day at the UW Medical Center. Then you Ivar's employees!

By far, the better service out of the sit down restaurants. I love the view and relaxing atmosphere. The salmon is always the star and its cooked perfectly. Timing on everything is spot on and there are hardly any gaps and delays from when the ticket is fired to the kitchen prep. The wine selection and NA beers is a nice and there are many great memories that have been made here. A great location for summer. Cold in the winter with still a nice view. A seattle go to.

As a Washington person, this is the very best one. Little slower, easy across street parking, can eat on the dock, inside or park next door. Also Dale Chihuly is next door. Downtown sure, other locations, ok. This is the spot. Also if you want Upgraded experience, inside is truly a gem.

Went for my dad's birthday and we had a party of 7 including 2 kids. The staff was fantastic with the kids! Good kids menu as well. Always a solid bet because we'll, it's Ivar's. All their food is great. Service was a bit slow tonight; felt like they could use an extra runner/buser or two. My biggest complaint is that they ruin fantastic clam chowder with bacon. Bacon doesn't belong in clam chowder. And there's a lot of us that don't eat bacon. But we'll still be back.

Our friends invited us to have lunch here. It was good. I had the Copper River king salmon and my wife had the Copper River sockeye salmon. Having sampled the sockeye next to the king, I've determined that the king is better. That's a big middle finger to the sockeye 🤣, if you get the meaning 🤣. The calamari was also good. Their Famous white clam chowder was probably the best I've ever had. The view of lake Union was nice with the Space Needle at the far end. Lots of tables out on the deck but it was a bit too windy to sit out there today.

Ivar's Salmon House is a seafood restaurant right on the water. You can get here by driving or by boat, as their dock is easily accessible to drop people off or even park it for a bit while you eat. They have probably more than a hundred tables here, as it's massive inside with another 2-3 dozen tables outside on the dock. Their menu is a decent size, with prices being a bit high but portions being good and taste being great. Their shrimp and oyster shooters are yummy and cheap, wonton sushi appetizer is delicious, and their salmon is super fresh (as is all of their other fish). They are busy quite often, so you may wait for a table, so I'd recommend reserving ahead of time of you can. The staff are friendly but don't come around as often as I'd hoped, and some of the bus staff were just playing around instead of cleaning tables. Overall it's a solid place to eat, especially for big groups and of you're looking for fresh seafood, this is a good choice.

Good prices, fried clams were a little dry and over cooked and the salad wasn’t a homemade Caesar like I’m used to at other Ivars. Coffee was good. Greats views and good setting. A Seattle classic.

Came here with the family after a day on the lake. It's a great location (we dined outside, not in the interior dining area) and the food overall was fairly good. The service wasn't as speedy as I had hoped. Refills took too long and the tables were too close together. The view is nice, which is why most people probably come here. Finding a spot to dock your boat can take a little time during certain parts of the day. Overall is was a nice dinner after a fun day on the water.

Wow. Great menu with excellent location. I got the northwest trio. Grilled Halibut , grilled salmon and a crabcake with risotto. Delicious with the fish having an alder wood flavor. Atmosphere. We initially sat outside but opted to go inside by the window. We were entertained by the parade of boats that sailed by the window. Outstanding view of the Seattle skyline in the background. Service. They were busy and the servers were swamped. Could have been better service but we were compensated with a nice key lime pie.

First, if not for Ivar's server, they'd get 5-stars across the board. Our server was mainly just awkward. He didn't know how to interact well or respect our space. However... The food was fantastic yet again, the views are breathtaking, and we will continue to bring our out of town guests to Ivar's for the once in a lifetime experience.

My family and I went out here to revisit an old favorite as we all hadn't been in some time. We were able to make reservations earlier than their opening business hours due to the holidays and the brunch they were offering. We were a pretty big party and were able to be seated facing the water, which was beautiful. As always, the decor of a traditional Northwest Indian American Longhouse interior is always inviting. Our waiter was hilarious as well as made sure to check on us often, despite how busy it was. The food was amazing! Pictures would not do it justice; there were endless options of seafood as well as the traditional breakfast items so it made it really difficult what to choose from. The line to the customized omelette station was a little much as it went from the beginning of the buffet, down the ramp to the other side so cutting back to our table after we got our plates was a little tricky. As we went on a Sunday morning, parking is plentiful, either in their parking lots, street side, or in the open lot across the street. If you haven't tried this version of Ivars or dont have a lot of time, there is also the option to order outside from their 'Seafood Bar'.

The crab legs were super fresh so delicious . The salmon was ok. The mashed potatoes were excellent. Very homey vibe and kind service.

The best ivar’s location in Seattle! We had been to several ivar’s during our 5 days trip, and this location has the best taste and menu! Clam chowder was fantastic! My skewer plate was good but the halibut fish & chips were awful (please don’t waste your money on these items). Our server (and overall service) was not the best but hopefully management listen to customers and fix this issue because this place has potential to be better! Cocktails were missing ingredients during our visit. Overall experience & view in a cloudy weather was pretty good for us. Come try it!

Service was absolutely top-notch. Our server, Paul, was amiable, pleasant, and added to the atmosphere. The view is still absolutely fantastic. The fish, chowder, and coconut prawns were perfect. The sides were good, but not at the level of the proteins. But you're really here for the seafood, the service, and the view and they 100% delivered. Added bonuses, you can boat to this location, there were ducks and geese, and a perfect view of the Space Needle.

I had a work dinner. It was in a private room and buffet style. The clam chowder, salmon, roles, potatos, green beans, and chicken was so good! The wait staff was very friendly, nice and attentive.

I am not a seafood fan to say the least. I dislike it as a matter of fact. When my visiting friends suggested this place for a late weekday lunch, I said, fine. I had wanted to see them, food was of secondary importance. I had also heard about this place. I knew that based upon what I heard, they would have at least one, good, non-seafood item on the menu. And that's what they had on the day I went. The usual, Beef steak and Ceasar salad... but the Caesar dressing included anchovies. Everything else was seafood, including the appetizers. I didn't expect much more than seafood, for sure, but i had hoped i would get a couple of choices. On the one hand, they have excellent seafood dishes, as reported by my friends that day, and their previous comments. That's what they specialize in, thus the dishes are all interesting and taste superb. That day, my friends again, thoroughly enjoyed their chosen seafood meals. My steak was ok. Cooked slightly long perhaps. A bit tough. And closer to a medium cook than that which was ordered, medium-rare. The place was a bit upscale, clean, friendly staff across the board, definitely. No waiting for seating. Had a great view of the UW crew practices by both the men and women, and of course, Montlake Cut and Lake Union. It was a pleasant atmosphere and that contributed to all of us enjoying very much, the time we had at Ivar's Salmon House on Lake Union, in late October 2025.

Our party of six had what I would call a very average meal with poor service and a high price tag. I was really disappointed because I had been thinking about halibut all day long and couldn't wait to give this place a try. The food was OK, but not the high-end experience that we thought we were paying for. Note to management, tell your servers to stop making excuses. Ask what you can do to make things right and do it with urgency. Exceptional service should be your top priority. Update one month later: I want to thank the operations manager for personally reaching out after my recent visit. She listened to my concerns regarding the poor service, offered a sincere apology, and provided a full refund. I truly appreciate her professionalism and commitment to making things right. While my initial experience was disappointing, her follow-through showed genuine care for customer satisfaction. I’m hopeful that future visits will reflect the high standards she clearly values. Thank you again for taking the time to address the issue so thoughtfully.

This restaurant is typical, nothing special. The food is average, quality of service is poor, floor, tables and chairs are dirty. Our family had salmon which was good, ahi tuna, calamari, crab cakes and oysters, which were just fine. The thing which I like is a views from terrace (but take a note that noice from bridge is terrible and there are no space for privacy).

Beautiful lakeside location with outdoor patio seating, and very cute interior. Food was generally dry and overcooked, with underwhelming sauces. Desserts were uninspired and overly sweet. Clam chowder was excellent though!

Came at night so really no view, ambience is log cabin style, it's cool. My wife can't stand the west coast grainy oysters, and was right didn't like them here, my burger was good and the local beer on tap was good, wifey said the fish and chips were good as well, just nothing special. Server was ok, maybe she was overwhelmed but forgot our beers and really no follow up.

I hate to write this review but here goes nothing. I've been going to Ivar's for years and always recommend this place for great seafood while people visit Seattle. It's a great ambience and I've never had issues here until last night. We sat outside on the deck instead of inside since it was such a beautiful day. We got served our appetizers and no plates and silverware were at the table. I think 3 people said oh let me grab you some and none was brought back. The lady that brought us the food and apologized and brought some right away. One waiter said he would bring us more water and he or our regular server didn't bring any the whole time. We sat outside til we were the last ones there and our sever came out once to check on us and it was right when our main course was served. While eating we wanted more drinks/wine but no one came out. It wasn't overly busy either so we were all wondering what was going on. We finally got up and tried to find the waiter and he was no where in sight. We finally asked a random server and we got our bill. Two other servers were laughing about our other sever not attending to us. Once we were paying our sever rolls around the corner and says oh do you need your bill. We just looked at him and he said sorry and walked away. He was outside smoking. I think the whole experience was very unprofessional. Not sure what has happened to Ivar's. You shouldn't have to chase down your bill and on a side note we could've just walked out but we would never do that. I expect to have top of the line service when you pay $50-$60 a plate. We spent over $300 and the service was such a disappointment. I also brought two people from out of town and they were disappointed as well. The food was great so I'm happy about that! Also the bathrooms were a disgrace. No toilet paper and they were just not clean at all. For an upscale restaurant it was appalling. I probably won't be going back. There are a ton of seafood restaurants in Seattle that are just as good.

Very disappointing dinner. I made a reservation and received an email asking me for more info about why we were visiting. I marked we were celebrating my mom's birthday. Once at the restaurant it was not mentioned by any of the 3 wait staff people that came to our table. The food was average. The vegetarian penne dish was overcooked and cold. The service was very slow. Our check was left at our table and no one came to get it. I had to take it up to the bar to pay. I told the person there how disappointed we were with the whole experience, it was supposed to be a celebration. I mentioned about my mom's birthday and he said, we usually give a free dessert for birthdays, but didn't offer to take the dessert we did order off of our bill. For the money charged, Ivars needs to do better.

Came here because I saw they had a vegan menu on their website but the menu that they ended up having was much smaller and less vegan friendly than what was on the website (no vegan cheese, no vegan ravioli) so I ordered the gnocchi and requested less oil. The gnocchi was extremely bland and absolutely swimming in oil. For a high price I'd expect it to at least be seasoned! Our servers are very nice at least

You pretty much pay for the view Food is terrible - risotto super salty, salmon halibut not marinated enough and is borderline tasteless. Seafood is not fresh and salmon is very dry see pic. Service is slow. Manager and waiters just chatting to each other and we waited 20min to take our order. Had to reach out and ask for someone. Explains the empty tables on a Friday night Looking forward to the templated response we received your feedback but we will in fact do nothing to improve.