RockCreek Seafood & Spirits — Restaurant in Seattle

I need to tell you about Rock Creek because holy hell, Seattle just became my favorite food city and it’s entirely this place’s fault. I walked in thinking “yeah yeah, another seafood spot” and walked out genuinely considering moving here. Not even joking.

The oysters… okay so imagine the most perfect first kiss you’ve ever had. That anticipation, that moment right before, then that rush when it happens? That’s these oysters. Each one is like a tiny ocean deity decided to bless your mouth personally. They had kusshis that were so clean and briny I actually moaned out loud (the couple next to me definitely heard, zero regrets). The mignonette wasn’t just an afterthought either - it was this champagne situation that made everything sparkle. I had two dozen. By myself. The server kept bringing them and I kept saying yes like some kind of shellfish succubus.

But wait because the apps nearly killed me. The tuna crudo came out looking like abstract art and tasting like… okay you know when something is so good you get angry? Like legitimately mad that you’ve been eating inferior food your whole life? That. The hamachi collar was basically foreplay on a plate - crispy skin giving way to this buttery flesh that just melts while you’re still processing what’s happening. My Australian heart wants to compare it to good barramundi but honestly that’s insulting to this fish. And don’t even get me started on the grilled octopus because I will literally never shut up about how they got it that tender while keeping that perfect char. I’ve had octopus in Greece, in Portugal, in that place in Boston that everyone raves about - this destroys them all.

The desserts though. THE DESSERTS. I don’t even like sweets usually but their pastry chef is clearly some kind of witch because those beignets? I would let it ruin my life. Actually no, it already has because now I have to come back here every time I’m in Seattle which means I need to find more reasons to be in Seattle.

This place isn’t just good. It’s “cancel your dinner plans for the rest of the week” good. It’s “text your ex at 2am about oysters” good. It’s “consider taking out a second mortgage just to eat here weekly” good. Rock Creek doesn’t just serve seafood - it serves experiences that’ll haunt your dreams in the best possible way. Absolutely wrecked. 10/10 would let it...

One of the best sea food places in town! We've been here twice and enjoyed both outings.

Warning: plan to spend more than $100 a person. There's just no way to truly enjoy RockCreek on a budget. It's the type of place you go to explore the chef's flavors and one dish per person just isn't gonna cut it.

Service here is always phenomenal. The waitress took our menus and marked them up to show exactly how the dishes could be prepared without gluten (my wife and I are both celiac). We ordered 5-6 items and she coursed everything out with excellent timing.

I don't remember there being anything on the menu except seafood, but the variety is incredible. We got a tuna dish and a mackerel salad to start. I'm not sure why the mackerel is called a salad, it's a small serving of fish. Both dishes were delicious and both an 'assemble your own flavors' kind of deal with acidic and bitter vegetable pairings. Then we got oysters brock-a-fella which was my least favorite dish... I recommend going with fresh oysters over these.

For our final course we got a seasonal dish: Baja Snapper and side of roasted carrots. It was definitely in the top 10 of the best meals I've had in Seattle. Just an incredible celebration of flavors without overpowering the delicious flavor of the snapper. And the carrots! Laid on a bed of eggplant salad and roasted to perfection. You must get them!

For drinks, we got cocktails and wine. I had a classic martini and a Spanish white wine and my wife had a selection of cocktails. All of them were great pairings to our dishes.

The one thing I'd change about RockCreek is the atmosphere. The location is close to our house, which is convenient, but it's definitely residential upper Fremont - there aren't exactly any 'views' there. The interior is beautiful, but functions poorly as an upscale restaurant... I felt like I was seated in the main hallway. The last time I went I felt like I was seated in a nook upstairs. They employ some of the best cooks in town in an open kitchen, but there is no angle at which to view these artists at work. It's a two story wooden structure that would be perfect for a coffee shop, but, in my opinion, much less so for a restaurant of this caliber.

All in all, if you are looking for a night out with the best selection of Seafood Seattle has to offer, I highly...

Short review. Go somewhere else. Service was a 0 star.

Long review. My wife and I were in town and wanted to have a nice meal out. We choose RockCreek because I haven’t been able to try blue fin yet. The place is a very nice building. It appears very clean with what look like an open view kitchen. The first thing I noticed was they were preparing flatware under the steps that lead to our table. We were seat the waiter came asking if we had been there before. We said “We have not.” The waiter pours us water. The water was poured in a manner that made the jug splash water on the table. The waiter returns after we made our food selections we picked an app and entries as we always do. We ordered the blue fin tuna, baby heirloom tomatoes, neah bay rockfish stew. The waiter takes the order. He proceeds to tell us that people usually order 3-4 small plates along with their entrees. We just roll with it and just proceed with out original orders. We don’t see our waiter again until after the app is gone. He refilled our water at this point splashing more water. I noticed that the waiter was talking with some other guest giving the a bunch of recommendations and explaining how people usually order. We get our terribly small entrees. They are the size of appetizers. They tasted good but 100% not worth the prices. The waiter returns again after the entrees are gone. We have taken to pouring our own water at this point because of the water being splashed. The waiter asked if we want the check or desert menu. My wife said “Check”. I said “Desert Menu.” The waiter didn’t bother with the desert menu. He brought us the check. I talked with the manager. She took my name and my description of events. She didn't compensate or anything at that point.

The food was tasty. Prices are way over inflated. Portion sizes are super small. Service was garbage. I would really like a refund for this meal and time spent here.

Update The manager never did reach out to us for any. I am adjusting my...