Ivar's Acres of Clams

Pros: great food, awesome view of Puget Sound, walk-up stand and vast sit down area
Cons: could be seasonal to some

Anyone who lives in the Seattle area, and has taken a trip down to the piers, knows of Ivar's and the history behind the restaurant. Ivar's started out as a fish and chips stand years ago, and developed into a chain of seafood restaurants located in the ...

Pros: Location, good food, kid's menu
Cons: Lunch entrees were a little pricey

We spent a few days in Seattle prior to an Alaska cruise. The Seattle waterfront is a great tourist attraction complete with lots of t-shirt stores, great harbor views, ferry launches, an aquarium and restaurants. We asked several locals where to eat ...

Pros: Cheap Food served on the pier
Cons: Birds, birds, birds

Okay, it's not gourmet seafood. Not even close. But who can resist a basketful of steamy fried cod and hot-from-the-oil fries? Especially when eaten on Pier 54 overlooking the gorgeous Puget Sound?

Sure, this is purely a tourist's hangout,...

Pros: Much more than just a meal for the money!
Cons: Parking can be a problem

Among my many fond memories of life in Seattle, from where I moved three years ago, are wonderful times along the waterfront and Pier 54, and special meals at Ivar's. Whether you want a more leisurely and "classy" sit-down-inside meal... or...

Pros: great view, best fried fish in town!!
Cons: tiny bit spendy, plan to walk alot.

I remember first going to Ivar's on the pier when I was 16 years old....ahem, 16 years ago. I was a Montana native and hadn't been to the sound before this day. While visiting friends in Carnation....they took my family and I to the waterfront. After...

Pros: great seafood, prime real estate, bit of Seattle heritage
Cons: can be expensive, average about $30 a plate

This restaurant has become one of the highlights of the Seattle waterfront, and for good reason. The fish 'n' chips stand on the street is yummy enough, but the restaurant on the bay side of Pier 54 raises Ivar's to a whole new level, that of a premier...

Pros: Fresh, juicy seafood! Perfect batter for deep fried.
Cons: Can have long lines, but worth the wait.

I moved away from the Seattle area 6 years ago and I still miss going to Ivar's on the pier for fish and chips! I've never been a big fish lover but Ivar's knows how to do it right! The fish and chips batter is perfectly light, not greasy. The fish is...

Pros: Fish and chips! Clam chowder!
Cons: It's busy almost all the time, if that bothers you

Ivar's on the waterfront - a piece of Seattle history. When the city put in the Waterfront Streetcar in the '80s, you knew there would be a stop within a very short distance of Ivar's - there just *had* to be. It wouldn't be right otherwise.

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Pros: The taste of excellence in seafood
Cons: Waiting to get in when it's a little crowded

The great thing about Ivar's is the fact that it has a tradition of excellence as classic as an old love song. You know it's good and you know it's real. Whenever I go to Seattle I try to make this one of my first stops because I know the seafood is...

Pros: clam chowder
Cons: none

This restaurant is my all time favorite!!! I no longer live in Seattle, and it is pure torture to be away from Ivars

My favorite dish is the clam chowder. The taste is like no other I have ever found. I have tried clam chowder at every...

Pros: Great atmosphere, and unbeatable clam chowder!
Cons: None for me!

Ivar’s has two locations on the pier – a quick service counter restaurant with covered outdoor seating, or a delightful indoor, sit down restaurant. Obviously, the later is more expensive.

Both offer above average, if not necessarily spectacular, seafood fare. The clams are excellent, but above all you must have their clam chowder, the best I’ve ever had. Creamy, not gluey, with lots of actual clam meat, and no grit, you can’t go wrong.

The prices at the sit down restaurant are very reasonable, especially at lunch time. The service is consistently above average. The view of the pier is beautiful (you can watch ferries arrive and depart), and the largely wood interior strikes a good balance between elegant but not too stuffy. The kids menu is excellent, making it a good choice for traveling families. In addition, there’s enough action outside the restaurant to keep kids occupied and well behaved.

Be sure to stop by the statue of the original Ivar, located outside the quick-service restaurant.

I would recommend Ivar’s as a great stop for any visitor to Seattle, or for an locals looking for a good meal.

Pros: Somewhat quick service. Scenery
Cons: Low value. Below average to average food quality.

The waterfront place is overpriced and messy but has "okay" food. You can find better at many places off the waterfront. You are paying for that location. The other Ivar's are typical greasy, low quality joints that are only concerned with speed. Watch for the runny chowder I have experienced a couple times now.