Pike Place Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Seattle

Restaurant Review – A Mixed Bag with Some Solid Highlights ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 out of 5)

We visited this restaurant for lunch on a Saturday just after the 4th of July. The wait time was about 20 minutes, which wasn’t bad given the holiday weekend. However, finding the entrance was a bit of a challenge — the sign is small and tucked away in a stairwell, making it easy to miss if you’re not familiar with the area.

Once inside, the overall vibe was casual and somewhat old-school. The dining space has a nice view overlooking the market, and the bar area is a decent size with a few TVs for entertainment. There are around 18 tables, with a separate area for those waiting to be seated. Cleanliness seemed fine overall, though the salt and pepper shakers at our table could’ve used a serious wipe-down.

We ordered a chicken Caesar salad and a Caesar salad with shrimp. The shrimp was cooked perfectly — tender and flavorful. The chicken was good but bordering on dry. Both salads were underdressed considering the amount of lettuce, so we found ourselves wishing for a little more dressing to balance things out.

The furniture is one of the weaker points. The tables are a bit short and show their age with scuffs and dings on the edges. Chairs have a curved bar along the back that can dig into your sides, especially if you're on the larger side. Booth seating is bolted to the floor, so if you need more room or flexibility, it’s best to request a standard table. That said, they do let you adjust the window shades if you're seated in a booth, which is a nice touch.

Service was mixed. Our waitress wasn’t particularly chatty, and she seemed a bit worn out, but she did keep our waters refilled. The host was on the phone when we arrived to sign in, so there wasn’t much of a greeting, though she seemed polite once free.

The menu is simple, with entrees ranging from $20–$30, with seafood and steak options costing significantly more. Drinks come in basic bar glasses, and each table has sweeteners, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Overall, this spot has a decent atmosphere, especially with the market view, and the food is solid if not spectacular. With a few upgrades to the seating and a little more attention to detail, this place could...

Of all the options that we chose for a Pike Place area restaurant, I’m not sure why we chose the Pike Place Bar & Grill. The description of being a “posh bar” is laughable at best. The restaurant is dated-looking, seemed run-down and worn out, and had nothing posh about it.

I’m not sure why I didn’t bother taking a picture of the food (or the restaurant for that matter) — oh wait, it was because my food was awful. I had the fish ‘n chips, and quite frankly I’ve had better fish ‘n chips in Minnesota (which is about as far from the coast as you’re going to get) than I had here.

Their beer selection was also not that great — in one of the craft beer capitals of the Pacific Northwest, I had hoped for more and was disappointed in their offering. Additionally, their pours were terrible — you want some foam at the top to help release the aroma and flavors in the beer, but instead the beers seemed lifeless.

Pike Place, as it is, is just a mistake if you’re looking for a great place to visit. It’s obscenely crowded, stinky, and a true tourist trap. Were this not a tourist trap, I think Pike Place Bar & Grill would go out of business because their food and ambiance is awful. But I think they’re kept alive simply because of proximity to the market.

Do yourself a favor and go someplace else. It wasn’t worth the insane amount of money that we spent for low-quality food.

A few take-always here for the owners:

• invest in better kitchen staff • update your restaurant — it’s an absolute dive right now • invest in your wait staff — put them through programs like the cicerone certification • start carrying a wider selection of area craft beer AND KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU’RE CARRYING. The server didn’t know anything about the beers you guys were serving. • reduce the size of your menu and work REALLY HARD at making amazing food, right now it seems you’re not working nearly hard enough to be better than low-brow chain restaurants...

Food = Best, Server = Racist

We were two Asian girls. We chose this restaurant because of its large windows and great scenery. But a server girl led us to the narrowest corner and shaded seats. At first, I thought it was because there were only two of us. But I saw two white couples sitting in multi-person seats by the window. So I was questionable and asked if I could sit near the window. However, she said that only people who come at certain times can sit there. Then she refused our request. She made it clear that she couldn't. Where is such a seat in a restaurant? I've never heard of it. But I accepted and sat down. Later, when another server came to pick up the order, I asked, "we can't sit by the windows?" The friendly server moved us over. There was no reason I couldn't sit by the window. It was then that I noticed that the guests sitting next to us in the same corner edge, shaded place were all Asian girls. And when she took the spoon from our table, she took it without 'excuse' or something. The shrimp dish and the food were incredibly delicious. All the other servers were nice. But she definitely set us apart. It was the first discrimination I've experienced with a woman since I came to the U.S. I have videos of all of this. I have Instagram, and I also have a lot of pretty influential YouTuber friends around me. I'll post the content on social media if you guys don't take proper action or a convincing...