Oceanaire Seafood Room

Wonderful seafood, from what one can tell on only one visit.
The crabcakes were magnificent and so was the sauce but, not together. Ask for a slice of lemon to bring out the full flavor of the crab. Then, soak up the delicious sauce with the bread.

Pros: worth the price, as fresh as could be, well prepared

Cons: don't be late, busy

Posted 10/09/02

We were up there for the weekend and decided to pop in on a Saturday night after shopping all day.
Although we were not dressed for the restaurant the
host graciously told us that he would not be able to seat us till 930 but we could order at the bar since we were starving after a day of shopping. The food and service was excellent. We were told by several people who were waiting for a table that this was one of the happening places in the city. Expect to wait a half an hour from your reservation time. But order a Bloody Mary or a Cosmo while you wait and enjoy the great people watching. We'll definitely be back again.

Posted 09/30/02

I once had a seafood smorgasboard at the bar. The service was the best I've experienced in Seattle, truly refined. The oysters were varied, and fresh. I'd love to eat here more often when my wallet is a bit more padded.

Pros: Professional Service, Formal

Cons: Expensive, Kind of Corporate

Posted 09/25/02

After all of the hype, dinner was so-so. Not bad, but also not worth the price. I suggest eating in the bar, since there is at least some opportunity for interesting people watching to make up for the DULL meal.

Cons: Expensive, Mediocre

Posted 09/25/02

The food is wonderful, the drinks marvelous & the service superb.

Posted 09/24/02

Great space and just love the lunch I had there one day.

Pros: spacious, great atmosphere, great company

Cons: price, parking, service

Posted 09/23/02

I loved the atmosphere in the resturant. I'll be making more trips there in the future.

Pros: Nice Lobster, Nice Fish, Good Parking

Cons: Price, n/a, n/a

Posted 09/22/02

I have eaten here twice, once at the bar alone and the other with a great friend. I eat out frequently and have come across great seafood but the service here makes the seafood stand above Seattle's best seafood restaurants. I realy enjoyed how the staff treated us graciously even though we were dressed in jeans (the couple next to us were dressed to kill). I hope that Oceanaire keeps it up as I look forward to taking clients and friends here for a great time. By the way, order the Blue Fin Tuna...melts in your mouth!

Posted 09/21/02

I must have dined there on a bad night -- Both times. I thought the ambiance was cheap, with condiments galore on the table and cliched chrome and wood. The service was poor down to the menus, which are supposedly printed daily, but my table got 3 different menus the first time, and two different menus the second--both times it took about 10 minutes to figure out which was which. It got worse from there. A server (not ours) brought out the food, and put everything in the wrong place (both times). The show continued. The food was certainly big, and the oysters were very good, but the rest was either bland or over spiced, and the fish was often undercooked (Ono isn't good cold in the center!). Perhaps we were there on bad days . . . Or perhaps everyone has been fooled by the Claim Jumper sized portions.

Pros: Close to Paraomount

Cons: Bad food, Worse Service

Posted 09/11/02

Yes, it's expensive. Yes, it's kind of noisy. But I just can't love seafood enough here. Pickled herring with cold vegetables to start with is a nice touch. I've never thought halibut cheeks with morel mushrooms would create heaven in my mouth. Or how about nicely done rosemary crusted sturgeon with huckleberry sauce? This is the place where you can comfortably take your out-of-town friends to when they scream "I wanna eat seafood in Seattle!!".
But what I don't understand is the "family-style" portion for appetizers and desserts. I personally like to taste different kinds of desserts that my friends order, NOT everyone sharing one huge banana split (my friend and I could never finish it). Cut the portion and price in half please. Knowing how big the dessert would be, I will never order one.

Pros: Food

Cons: Noisy atmosphere, Expensive

Posted 09/09/02

What can I say, this place has it all! I have eaten in many restaurants around the world and consider myself to be somewhat of a snob when it comes to food. I will return to Seattle soon and I know I will be coming to The Oceanaire again! The Sturgeon is to die for, the Tempranillo by the glass impressed me but what will bring me back is the service. Greeted by a friendly hostess, seated promptly and then entertained by the whole staff. It was a feast that was worth the time to acknowlege publicly.

Pros: Friendly, Great food, Extensive wine list

Posted 09/04/02

I have no clue what people are talking about when it comes to this greatly overhyped restaurant! The seafood is hard to taste, it is usually coated with breading or served with some heavy sauce over it. The wine list is boring and poorly chosen, it reminds me of old school restaurants that still think Sterling and Kendall Jackson are the best wines in the world. This place should be the flagship restaurant for Ivar's.......it's just a glorified fish and chips establishment.

Pros: downtown

Cons: price, wine selection, food

Posted 09/04/02

Try to ignore that this is a budding chain...and instead relish the fresh but mainly not local seafood that you'll have a hard time finding elsewhere. If you've had your fill of all of our incredible local fish and you want to explore a bit wider, go to Oceanaire and try a slice of Big Eye Tuna, Tongan Sailfish, or Hawaiian Monchong.
Be aware...the portions are huge, part of the reason for the high prices. Fun but noisy atmosphere.

Pros: Fresh foreign fish, Fun atmosphere

Cons: High prices

Posted 09/02/02

Fantastic seafood and one of the best restaurants in Seattle. The fish come in fresh daily, even on Sunday and the food is simply yet elegently prepared. Highlites include the excellent shrimp, oysters, and ahi. The bread is excellent (always a sign of a good restaurant), but though the deserts are ample they are certainly not the best thing on the menu. I'd reccomend skipping desert and coffee here and heading over to the dalhia lounge after your meal. Still this is one of the best restaurants in Seattle and should not be missed.

Posted 09/01/02

i live in Los Angeles, when i was visiting seattle i had the freshest and most amazing fish i have EVER had. Oceanaire had a wonderful selection of fresh fish and if you like oysters, you cant ask for any better. I cant wait to go back!

Posted 08/18/02

My wife and I ate here last Saturday. Our experience was very positive. Shrimp de Jonghe, sturgeon, and blue marlin, plus assorted accompaniments - all quite good. The server was friendly and competent. Other offerings on the menu showed imagination, and it was clear the emphasis is on fresh seafood.

Some responses to other reviewers: Yes, it's expensive, perhaps too much so, but this is why one does a bit of research first before going to a restaurant. Yes, it's noisy. Why is it almost every restaurant in the area is so afflicted? The prices on the wine list struck me as somewhat pricey but not abnormal for this sort of establishment. As for the individual who was unpleasantly surprised that seafood is the emphasis, what does the name "Oceanaire" sound like? You might want to look for a restaurant named "Feedlotaire".

Pros: fresh seafood

Cons: noise

Posted 08/13/02

Last night my girfriend and I had dinner at the Oceanaire. We had heard alot about the seafood there from friends. We decided to check it out for ourselves. This isn't your ordinary salmon and halibut joint. They have an incredible menu of fish flown in daily from around the world! The server was friendly and very knowledgeble about the menu. Music great! Drinks were huuuuuge! WE'RE GOING BACK!!

Pros: FISH, SERVICE, ATMOSPHERE

Posted 08/06/02

Everytime I enter The Oceanaire..be it lunch, dinner, a cocktail, I'm taken back to another era... a time when....atmosphere, service, and food meant everything. And the Oceanaire comes thru every single time! What a crew of perfectionists from the Chef's attention to his spectacular seafood preparations to the warm, friendly sparkling personalities of the hostess, servers, bartenders. I set high expectations for myself as a business person here in this city and entertaining clients, friends and family at the Oceanaire makes PERFECT cents$ Worth every hard earned dollar! Thank you OCEANAIRE!

Posted 08/05/02

This was an overpriced, overhyped and noisy place without a view. Back to Waterfront we go. Total bill was $200 for 3 people - scary!! Even valet costs more than Metropolitan! At least cannot say we didn't try.

Cons: overprice, noisy, parking

Posted 07/31/02

The food at the Oceanaire doesn't belong in Seattle, it's true...it is deserving of a much bigger metropolitan area! I have only eaten like this in NYC, San Fran, etc. You get what you pay for at this place. The freshest seafood you can find, an amazing winelist (which the sommelier informed me, just won a Wine Spectator award), and service that puts even the hottest restaurants in the country to shame! Trust me...the Oceanaire is a classy trip to a food/wine conniseurs heaven! You'll leave feeling like royalty....

Pros: Great Food, Outstanding Wine List, Impeccable Service

Posted 07/28/02

I was quite impressed at with the atmosphere at The Oceanaire. I felt like I was in a very classy supper club & it had all the trimmings associated with that era - down to the Aqua Net Hairspray. The staff was impeccable. Service couldn't have been better & the management was very professional. Hostess was lovely & manager was spectacular. I can't wait to return. I loved the big band style music. Very comfortable atmosphere.

Pros: great staff, great food, great atmosphere

Posted 07/28/02

A seafood lover's haven! My girlfriend and I absolutely loved the food, the waitress was wonderful, excellent selection...will definately come back in the near future! A++++

Pros: Great Staff

Posted 07/27/02

Oceanaire has, in my opinion, the freshest fish in town- the seared rare ahi tuna is melt in your mouth delicious and all of the many selections of fish I have tried are excellent because they would not serve you anything less than the best! The service has always been satisfactory and the atmosphere welcoming. Oh, and don't forget to save room for the very large and tasty Baked Alaska-mmmmmm!!!!!!

Pros: Freshest Fish, Good Attitude

Posted 07/25/02

I was completely amazed by all aspects of dining in Oceanaire. The food was fabulous, the atmosphere was prefect, the service was fast and friendly, and the drinks knocked me off my feet!

If you love your seafood, this is THE restaurant to go to.

My only complaint is that I can't find time to get back there sooner!!

Pros: Fantastic food, Quality drinks, Fabulous service

Posted 07/25/02

We have been to Oceanaire 3 times and love it every time! The seafood is the best around. They have seafood that is not common to the everyday fish lover and that's what makes it great.

Pros: Valet service, Nice decor

Cons: Pricey

Posted 07/25/02

The food is great. It is well worth it. Excellent dining for a nice evening out.

Posted 07/25/02

The food is top notch. They offer a wide variety of menu choices including non seafood items. The service is outstanding. The Oyster bar has an incredible selection of the freshest oysters in the city. The bar carries the best of the best in liquor, beer, and wine. It's Expensive but you certianly get what you pay for. I had a 3 pound live Maine Lobster and a couple dozen oysters with a Cesar salad and I can't wait to go back. This is most certianly a "special occasion" restaurant, you won't be let down.

Pros: Valet Parking, Excellent Food, Outstanding Service

Cons: Expensive

Posted 07/16/02

my boyfriend and i dined here and we just had a ball... from the moment we sat down till the time we left we were indulged in what seemed like heaven... everything from appetizers to dessert were wonderful and exotic... we didn't know what a lot of things were but our waiter was patient enough to go through and explain everything to us... he set the course wonderfully and i just can't say enough how much we loved it...

Pros: fresh fish, great chef, great service

Posted 07/08/02

I had heard so much about this sleek new restaurant I decided it was time for me to swing on in, and thats exactly what I did when I came through the old school spinning door. For the next two hours my lady love and I had a truly great dining expierences, being a seafood man I found my Place. As I sit here in my office writing this review Im day dreaming about swing through the doors the next chance I get.

Pros: Great Seafood, Friendly Service, The Best Booths!

Cons: nada

Posted 07/08/02

There are many places to get good seafood in Seattle, and Oceanaire is definitely one of them. But are the prices really jusfieid? $50-75/per person dinner may be okay for east coast businessmen, but not for me or my family.

Pros: good food

Cons: inflated prices

Posted 07/04/02

I have been here twice, once for lunch and another for dinner. Both times were outstanding. The food and service is top notch in every respect. The portions are large and the prices are no more than I expected for fine dining. I will continue to take my customers and friends there as this IS the best seafood in town. Safeco is not the only place to see a Homerun.

Pros: great food, generous portions, great service

Posted 07/04/02

The concierge at our hotel recommended this place...she said it was the freshest seafood in Seattle. This place is just McCormich & Schmick's with a different name. The prices are RIDICULOUS. There are so many other good places to go in Seattle (especially if you are a tourist). The seafood is fresh, just not well prepared and soooo overpriced. I mean, it cost us over $25 for a dozen oysters. Are they serious? A glass of average quality wine was $8. My swordfish was maybe 6 oz. and was $25. Beware, it is all a-la-carte. On a plus, even though a side of asperagus was $7.50, it was terrific. Overall, stay away from this place.

Pros: convenient location

Cons: too expensive, average food

Posted 07/01/02

There are so many really great restaurants in Seattle, where a drink doesn't cost $8-10 !! Yes, it's nice, great seafood selection, but don't expect to get away without $75 per person for wine, appetizer and salad. (The entree will be extra)
The service is great, and so it should be at those prices. The only bargain is half-price appetizers during happy hour, that brings them down to the prices in the rest of the world.

Posted 06/25/02

I ate here just a few nights ago and while the food was pretty good, the prices just can't justify ($190 for two with tip-we each had two glasses of wine and an appetizer). I've eaten at 4-5 star restaurants in NY, SF, Italy..and Oceanaire just seems to have a casual way about it but again, super pricey! Our server was very friendly, but lacking a little energy and the timing was off on the courses - the portions were HUGE almost gluttonous. The lighting was weird too-sort of bright....overall, the food is good, but the experience was just odd for the $. I would recommend going to the Waterfront Restaurant for seafood and a beautiful atmosphere that works.

Pros: Fish

Cons: Price, Casual Atmoshpere

Posted 06/20/02

I've lived in Seattle for 10 years and am a avid restaraunt goer. First of all I only saw the waiter three times. My First cocktail had liptstick on the glass. The waiter didn't come and check to see how we were. It was sent back via busboy. My companions dinner came and my was never ordered. His crabcakes were full of shells and by the time my dinner came we had finished his and we were too full to eat the second. Foolishly I ordered a second cocktail and jokingly checked my glass. Guess what more lipstick! Our bill came with only the one comped drink to discover that my drink was $11. I usually don't ask the price of a cocktail but considering the condition of them I was pretty shocked. Hey maybe they thought I didn't have enough makeup on and thought they were helping me out!

Posted 06/06/02

This is by far the best restaurant experience I've had in a while. The best part about the restaurant is the fresh fish. Our waiter told us about the pains taken to insure fresh fish and it is amazing the lengths Oceanaire goes. What's really impressive is the special things that oceanaire has that no other restaurants do, such as fresh sea urchin. I've had urchin in other restaurants before but until I had it fresh I had no idea what I was missing. The wine list is decent and the service is good but the real deal is in the fresh fish. I'd definately recommend...

Pros: Fresh Food, Great Wine, Great Service

Cons: Pricey

Posted 05/26/02