RockCreek Seafood and Spirits — Restaurant in Kirkland

Executive Chef Eric Donnelly has done it again, opening his latest culinary masterpiece, ROCKCREEK SEAFOOD & SPIRITS on the shores of Lake Washington in Kirkland. Building on the success of his flagship Fremont location and FlintCreek Cattle Company, his newest tour de force is a welcome and much needed addition to Seattle’s Eastside.

The restaurant is housed in the historic designated 1930’s Webb Building, painstakingly restored to its splendor by renowned architectural firm Chesmore Buck. On the modern interior, the vibe is clearly “Montana fishing meets understated Pacific Northwest charm”. Design elements include black metal, exposed wood trusses – a homage to the past, and rich walnut accents bringing home a sense of warmth, hospitality and welcome. An expansive bar with dozens of libations overlooks the lake. An outdoor patio provides for alfresco dining during long summer evenings. Downstairs is a cozy and inviting bar with a huge fireplace, perfect to bring cheer to fall and winter.

The restaurant serves Dinner, Brunch, Lunch and has a Happy Hour. At Dinner, starters include the shaved Heirloom Cauliflower with farro, pine nuts and Calabrian chili, the melding flavors enhanced by pecorino. Small plates have many gems – the Hawaiian Tombo Tuna Tartare is a crowd favorite, served with a delicious blend of anchovy, horseradish, rye cracker and topped with a quail egg. Coming in a close second is Chef Eric’s take on Bruschetta - Totten Inlet mussels served with saffron aioli, garlic confit and dill.

The main course is where Chef Eric’s skills shine to perfection. The amazing Chilean Sea Bass “Provencal” literally melts in the mouth, its smoky buttery flavor accentuated by caramelized shallots. Other stars include the seared Hokkaido scallops and the Baja Brown Grouper with jerk marinade and bacon-onion mojo.

Leave room for deserts – particularly impressive is the decadent Ricotta Apple Beignets with caramel crème anglaise and the signature RockCreek S’mores, the Chef’s version of Valrhona chocolate mousse with smoked meringue.

ROCKCREEK SEAFOOD & SPIRITS brings it all together with its pescetarian gastronomy. Fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked seafood, flavors that meld cohesively and impeccable service, all housed in a superbly architected space by the Lake. Your body and soul will be well nourished!

I predict that James Beard 3-time semi-finalist Chef Eric Donnelly will soon...

4.5 stars, but I'm not sure if there's something that the restaurant could have done to make it better.

The thing that sticks out the most in a negative way was the loudness of the restaurant

Came here on a busy Thursday evening to make up for the Mother's Day rez I had to cancel because I was sick. I've been to the Fremont location a few times and Flint Creek for the 1st time about a year ago. I chose this because my mom and I both prefer seafood and she had never been. Great location by marina in DT Kirkland; hope to check it out in the summer for outdoor seating. Table felt a bit cramped next to the other patrons, which isn't great for my senior citizen mom. I also was barely recovering from losing my voice the last 2 days and my mom is hard of hearing. Because of the excessive noise, she couldn't use her hearing aid and I couldn't project my voice. Absolute worst combo for a loud, busy, popular restaurant, but not sure what the restaurant could change about that.

I was regretting my decision of choosing this place, and thought about finding a different restaurant. Fortunately, staff was very friendly, attentive, and empathetic; game changer. I really hate being the high maintenance patron, but I asked to possibly switch to a quieter area, and they were very understanding and accommodating. The table was closest to the door, but the highback/barrier made it comfortable and didn't notice any cold draft. Most importantly, much much better for the both of us to be able to carry a conversation. They were out of a few items, and kept running out more dishes, which was a bummer, but I guess that's part of having items available fresh daily. The chef(?) came out to apologize and comped a couple dishes, so that was also really nice. Food definitely lived up to the hype and cooked (or not cooked) to perfection. I'm always amazed and how something even so simple like asparagus is cooked at such a different level any top-notch home cook can make. A bit of a rough start (also, there was a giant puddle of urine at the front of the toilet in the bathroom, but once again, not the restaurant's fault), but the super amazing service and great food really changed the dining experience around. And my mom really enjoyed her meal/appetizers so I guess that's all that matters. Thanks to the staff for going...

I chose this restaurant because my friend loves oysters. We had Sam as our waiter in the dining room and he was magnificent! He recognized that I wasn't quite sure what to order because this was more high-end restaurant than I've been to, and so he guided me based on my preferences. He suggested that I try the sea bass and I did and it was so delicious!! I have never eaten sea bass before so I had no idea how great it would taste and the way they prepared it was just beautiful. My friend was also pleased with her meal but I'm not sure the name of what she got. Regarding the food, it was excellent!!

Unfortunately, we were seated right by the kitchen so I cannot attest to the ambiance.

My biggest complaint is that we did not get served drinks for quite some time even though we were sitting at the bar for happy hour prior before going into the dining room for our reservation. The Bartender, who was making drinks right in front of us, didn't talk to us for a few minutes and then she said she asked if we had a reservation. I said yes and we continued to not be served. Finally she asked if we had ordered drinks. I said no. She said I told her yes when she asked 15 minutes ago. I said I may have misunderstood her, even though my friend stated that she didn't ask that. My issue is that even if I did misunderstand what she asked, she still waited too long to follow up. If it had been super busy I would give more grace, but it wasn't. Maybe I should have spoken up sooner, but I was confused.

Overall it was fine. I knew it was going to be expensive; I was there for the experience and I guess I was expecting more. Thank...