Seattle's Most Iconic Restaurants

by The OpenTable team

Updated February 19, 2020

Seasons change, trends come and go, but these restaurants have withstood the test of time—and have become integral parts of the Seattle dining scene. Here are Seattle’s OpenTable Classics: the places that continue to excel after 10+ years. There’s a reason they’re still around: they keep giving us a reason to come back.

Purple Cafe and Wine Bar - Seattle

4.7

4.7 (5406)

$31 to $50

American

Downtown

About the restaurant

You know the scene in Beauty and the Beast when Belle enters the beast’s soaring, book-lined library? If you’re a wine lover, you’ll feel the same way walking into Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. The walls are filled with bottles of all types and denominations, and the staff is eager to help you navigate the extensive menu. Plus, there are plenty of excellent pizzas and pastas to nourish you on your journey.

Top review

Tiffany

Dined 3 days ago

Great service - in and out pretty quickly for a work lunch. Will definitely be back!

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Wild Ginger Downtown Seattle

4.5

4.5 (6366)

$31 to $50

Asian

Downtown

About the restaurant

When Wild Ginger opened almost 30 years ago, the food scene in America was markedly different: there were few sushi bars, few ramen joints, few places to eat Korean barbecue. Wild Ginger, which features dishes from all over Asia, was a trailblazer then, and it’s still relevant—and delicious—today. Make sure to get a few of the offerings from the satay bar, and don’t miss their famous “fragrant duck.”

Top review

Corinne

Dined on Dec 25, 2024

Enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner at Wild Ginger. The restaurant seemed less than fully staffed for the amount of customers present, even though the place was far from full. Despite this the staff were all upbeat, friendly, helpful, and did not rush their interactions with us. They made sure our table had a fantastic holiday meal that will be fondly remembered. The food was amazing! Unique flavors, beautiful presentation, so delicious! The women’s restroom was a total mess, not at all what I would expect from the price point of this establishment. It looked like it had not been checked since opening. Supplies were out or low, paper all over the floor, water pooling on the counters, a notable disaster. Patrons enjoying a multi-course, family style meal will be at the restaurant a long time and are likely to use the facilities. It’s part of the experience and so easy to keep tidy and stocked. Everyone in our party loved our meal and were pleased with our choice to dine at Wild Ginger.

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Popular dish

Siam Lettuce Cups (GF)

Lola Seattle

4.7

4.7 (4250)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Downtown

About the restaurant

On its surface, Lola is an excellent Greek spot—dig deeper, though, and you’ll see a Seattle institution, a restaurant with a true sense of place. Chef Tom Douglas uses the best of what’s around him—the bounty of the Pacific Northwest—and then cooks them in the Mediterranean spirit, giving us dishes like sockeye-salmon kebabs, lamb-shoulder tagine, and slow-roasted leg of lamb with oregano, rosemary, and lemon.

Top review

WilliamVIP

Dined 1 day ago

The Greek Scramble is one of the best brunch dishes in Seattle.

Shuckers

4.7

4.7 (2562)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Downtown

About the restaurant

Shuckers is a Seattle classic in every sense of the word, from the oak paneling to the gleaming fixtures to the perfect platters of oysters. Come for a martini and a dozen at happy hour, or stay for dinner and dine on some of the freshest seafood the area has to offer.

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Rob

Dined on Dec 28, 2024

Darla is the absolute best! She made our dining experience fabulous. The scallops and trout were both excellent as were the cocktails. We’ve dined here for years and it’s always good.

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The Capital Grille - Seattle

4.8

4.8 (3957)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Downtown

About the restaurant

For a true steakhouse experience—the charred, meaty steaks, the perfectly crisp wedge salads, the rainbow of sides—it’s hard to beat The Capital Grille. The staff knows what they’re doing, and the consistency is always on point. Round out the meal with a martini or two, and you’re in for a luxurious night.

Top review

Mark

Dined 3 days ago

This is our annual anniversary dinner. The Capital Grille never disappoints. The steaks are delicious. The sides are amazing and generous. Love the Stoli Doli. The wine was great. We had plenty to take home, too.

Tulio

4.7

4.7 (4107)

$31 to $50

Italian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Tulio is a stately, handsome Italian restaurant in the downtown Hotel Vintage Park, where chef Walter Pisano infuses Northern Italian cuisine with the spirit of the Pacific Northwest. We’re particularly fond of the pastas, which include dishes like pappardelle with rabbit ragu, orrecchiete with spicy sausage, and linguine with local clams.

Top review

Blake

Dined today

We love us some Tulio's. It is just so wonderful to dine in an establishment that is more than excellent, it is confident in its excellence. The service is fun, helpful and friendly, and the food delicious. Be sure to sample the grapefruit "Limoncello"

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4.8

4.8 (3430)

$50 and over

Italian

Kirkland

About the restaurant

There are few places better than Cafe Juanita for pitch-perfect Italian food—and this Seattle institution has been going strong since 1980. And after a recent renovation, the space is as befitting a special occasion as the food itself; it’s the perfect place for a celebration.

Top review

Manuel

Dined on Dec 28, 2024

Awesome food and amazing service. Will be returning for very anniversary. A must...

Umi Sake House

4.7

4.7 (2548)

$30 and under

Japanese

Downtown

About the restaurant

Umi Sake House is one of the more fun spots to dine in Seattle, with a voluminous menu devoted to sushi and Japanese-American classics and, unsurprisingly, an extensive sake list. They do a particularly great happy hour, which is served on their back porch—lucky for you, those are the best seats in the house.

Top review

JENESIS

Dined on Dec 24, 2024

Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. Great portions for the price

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