Boat Bar — Restaurant in Seattle

A friend and I stumbled upon Boat Bar because we suddenly decided that we were, and I quote, "looking for something fancy and sophisticated" while wandering Capitol Hill. I took one look at the menu, realized that I had no idea what half of it was, and happily wandered in to join the waitlist. When we arrived, most tables were already reserved and we were quoted a 15 minute wait time, and told that we would be texted once our spot at the bar was ready. After hanging outside for 20 minutes, we didn't get a text so we walked inside anyway and they immediately sat us. I suppose their software was acting up, which happens to the best of us!

Once seated we were offered a choice between sparkling and still water. I have never been given that option before, and having regular water referred to as 'still' really drove home the decadence of it all. The food here is served in a way that makes more sense for the whole table to share as opposed to everyone getting their own dish, which I absolutely loved. It wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought it would be either! Our server Brie (Bri?) was the perfect level of attentive. The food itself was incredible- They honestly served the best french fries and broccoli that I have ever tasted. I had no idea what steak tartare was and am pretty sure that I risked salmonella poisoning by eating it, I regret absolutely nothing.

Now here's the part that blew my mind. While leaving, I accidentally left a bag at the restaurant from the shop that we had visited before dinner. The hostess ran an entire block to track me down and give it to me! That's some next level customer service and I appreciated it so much. I'm definitely coming back and making a...

We walked in for Happy Hour on a Thursday and had no issue getting seated. This is definitely a place to get fresh oysters, a cocktail, and maybe a few small plates if you're interested.

I'll start by saying that the oysters were incredible. So fresh and generally delicious. The vibe inside was relatively chill/quiet which was nice, and aesthetically the white & turquoise played into a really pleasant ambiance.

We also tried the prawns dish and it just wasn't for us. It was a bit too savory and at that price per prawn, I would've much rather just gotten more oysters (especially during HH). They had lots of small plates that sounded good, so I'm sure there's something for everyone... but for premium prices, I'd prefer not to feel like the menu might be hit-and-miss. This came as a surprise/disappointment to me, as I have loved trying different Sea Creatures restaurants when in the Seattle area.

I know I referenced price above, but it is fair to note that premium experiences tend to come with premium prices. Therefore, fresh (delicious) oysters come at market prices (as you'd assumed). For those wondering... my guess would be that their selection likely ranges between $4-6 per oyster (depending on what they're serving). Our Sippican oysters, for example, were on the higher end at $5 per ($4 with HH).

Their Happy Hour goes from Open (5pm) to 6pm, and offers $1 off oysters, beer, wine and house cocktails. This is DEFINITELY something to take advantage of if you plan to come to try a selection of their oysters, as the $1 off each oyster really adds up!

I'd come back - I just likely would stick to HH oysters and...

The food at Boat Bar was undoubtedly excellent in taste, but as a tourist, I was dumbfounded by the cost and portions.

A single oyster shuck is $5. The oysters are delicious but $5 per shuck is excessive. Personally, I’d be willing to pay up to $2 per shuck. The shock factor of the oyster prices could be mitigated if they posted the price on their online menu, but they do not. I understand that these are probably “market price” but at least a range would have been helpful because these were more than double what I normally would be willing to pay for even the best oyster. It is sad actually because at $2 per shuck I would have tried every oyster on the menu but at $5 per shuck I was only willing to try the most and least briny.

The burger is also excellent in taste. But it’s not a burger, it’s a slider. When my burger hit the table I was totally shocked by the size because I though I was getting something of substance. In fact, it is small even by the standards of most sliders. The pictures of the burger online generally do not have a great frame of reference to judge the size, but it’s not much larger than a fifty cent piece in diameter.

Some one weighing over 200 pounds would easily have to spend $60 - $100 on themselves alone to leave this restaurant feeling satisfied.

The service was excellent. Your glass never empties before someone refills it for you. The staff is professional.

Due to the incredibly small portions, and very high price, the atmosphere of the restaurant almost...