Lowell's Restaurant & Bar

Margaritas, fun bartender (nate) and awesome fish & chips. Don't want to go back to Indiana! Open one there, we'll build a lake for ya.

Pros: Handshakin fresh lemon &lime juice margaritas

Cons: had to leave

Posted 10/18/09

Good times. great food and super casual attitude and atmosphere. Great view of ships going to port, funky way of getting your breakfast on, climbing flights of stairs, but pretty hilarious. It works, we liked everything we had. We'll be back for fish & chips, give the other meals a try. Good show guys.

Pros: Insane shrimp & chorizo scramble with homemade salsas, incre

Cons: nothing we saw

Posted 10/01/09

The cute little Hawaiian bartender food server that was laughing and joking with everyone and the window table while we ate their awesome halibut & chips. Great selection of drinks, this is a gem of a place. Reminds me of old Barnaby's overlooking the water in Sausalito in the 70's. Real place with fresh food. Except for the drunk clowns that wandered into the bathroom and started talking about scoring at the bar down the street, all cool!

Pros: nicole, Hot Halibut 7 Chips, window table view

Cons: the two clowns that wandered in and out with loud mouths

Posted 10/01/09

these guys get more right then wrong. fun people with a zany operation on 3 floors but it is real! the salmon tacos were as good as they get, but I've never come across salmon tacos before. these guys seem to want and make better then tourist food under the harshest of circumstances. small kitchen and stairs to run to crowds on 3 different floors but it works. we had excellent fish & chips, the salmon tacos, an order of crab cakes and a couple beers. best lunch we had in seattle. can't wait to try their "famous breakfast".

Pros: fresh salmon from next door fish market

Cons: hiking up the stairs for the view

Posted 09/08/09

When questioning the staff about the price for a small dinner salad I was told "it is what it is." Nice!! The fried shrimp was freash except for the burnt breading on it and the fries were regular old frozen type. So, $13.00 for that and $7.00 for the salad. The tables too are close together. PLUS , as for hygiene the staff never was seen washing thier hands or the tables. I guess they try to push alcoholic beverages to make you not realize what is going on. I just moved to the area and will find a better way to show-off the beautiful Puget Soundr to my clients and friends. However...Lowell's doesn't do anything but play-up thier locationin the Pike place market. BTW, the last time in I sat at the bar and had a equally disturbing experince. Ex -staff with hangovers catching up on the gossip and compare mgmt horror stories!

Pros: the convience to the market

Cons: tired old tourist trap!! burned out staff!!

Posted 02/06/09

Being from a city of great seafood, I was impressed by the quality of the seafood and the smart service given to our party of 8.
Food came cooked properly and hot..Not easy to do at the busiest time of the day to a large party of people.

Pros: All pros!

Posted 01/28/09

It's been in business over 50 years and is still going strong. There are different rooms with different (relative) ambiance and options. They call themselves "almost classy" which is a stretch, but it is a kick and the food is perfect for what it is.

You can order on floor one and either eat there, or on the third floor which is a nicer spot. They bring the food up to you and it doesn't take long at all.

The second floor has table service and a great bar along with the view. I was quite impressed with Manny's ale which was new to me.

I'm a major clam chowder fan. It is very good at Lowell's compared to virtually all others around the country. But great chowder is the norm for Seattle. The burgers here are also great. The blackened salmon tacos in a corn tortilla work well for those who like a Mexican flair.

Breakfast is actually supposed to be their best meal. I hope to try that next time around.

Posted 12/07/08

If you want to enjoy the quintessential breakfast experience, and are a stranger to Seattle, I cannot think of a better place than Lowell's. We stumbled on this place early our first morning while checking out the market and were greeted by really friendly staff, a comprehensive menu, and the best views you could ask for. Needing to enjoy the Seattle experience, I ordered the Dungeness crab omelette, and tasted a bit of heaven. Add to this some sourdough toast, and a great cup of java, and I had an unforgettable meal, despite not really being a morning person. Lowell's is on the list of 'must do' while in Seattle.

Pros: The view! The staff! The food!

Cons: having to leave

Posted 11/09/08

I tell all i know to chek out this joint for petit dejeuner= breakfast in english...:o)
the atmosphere is great the place is sooo old and unique i love it... i feel as if i am in europe, but better.... yeah like cleaner and more food....hee hee
take yourself and any friends from out of town for a bite here you won't be dissappointed....
say hi if you see me every tuesday 11 am there!
A dieu

Posted 07/25/08

Yes, this place takes a little energy, but it's worth it for the experience. Order off the menu on the first floor, get your drinks on the first floor and hike up to the third floor for a breath taking expensive view at a quite reasonable price. Food is very good and fresh (duh... you are at the Pike Place Market), wait staff is friendly and prompt, cook is interested in you getting exactly what you want and this is a different location than your average sizzler joint. I had the blackened prime rib sandwhich with fries - blackened is the seasoning and not the burning of the meat and it wasn't too spicy for a half delicate stomach. My friend had the salmon taco which were quite fresh and tasty (second duhh... you're in Seattle and at the Market). Third floor view is outstanding and actually a quiet hideaway but a tad bit hot on a rare 80+ degree day. Good location to take tourists or regular hearty Seattlelites. Another note... there isn't anymore indoor smoking in Washington, so don't fear going up to the third floor and worry about butt air - Seattle is under clean air conditions for dining :-) The only reason why I didn't give it five stars was that you have to go thru additional training to understand how to get your drink and take it up to the 3rd floor.

Pros: View, View, View and Interesting Place to Eat Good Grub

Cons: Need a bit of training to understand the system of getting drinks

Posted 07/12/08

It was my first time visiting Seattle and we found Lowell's when walking thru Pike Street. We got the Farmer's Breakfast and the famous Eggs Benedict topped with crab. The farmer's breakfast is the same as any breakfast joint but the eggs benedict with crab was phenomenal! We sat on the 3rd floor where it's self-seating (2nd is table service). The view of the water is great being on any of the 3 floors and the bus boys were quick about clearing tables and getting what you needed. The team at Lowell's made you feel like family and that's why we will always come back to Lowell's when visiting Seattle :)

Pros: Great food, quick service, and a great view

Cons: No cons...

Posted 05/05/08

Since we have only lived in Seattle for 8 months we are still exploring the many places to eat. My in-laws were in town so we decided to explore the Pikes place market area. One of the shop owner suggested we try the Lowell's. I was a bt hesitate at first just because I thought it was just another tourist restaurant rather than some place locals would go to. To my surprise the food was very good. I ordered the fish and chips and it was one of the better fish and chips I had. The batter was light but crunchy and the fish was flaky and not mushy. My main test is the does it smell like fish and it did not. My wife also enjoyed it and she is not a fish eater. My in-laws food was also tasty. The service was fair but the staff was very pleasant. The only minus is that seating is difficult to get during peak periods and if you are lucky you can get a window seat with a nice. Overall the dinning experience was worth it. I would bring friends and family who had not tried this place.

Pros: Good food and views if you can ge a window seat

Cons: Pricy for what you get and seating is scarce

Posted 11/18/07

We are locals and regulars of the market. This was not our first time at Lowells. It was saturday and we sat on the first floor. Went up and ordered 3 meals, paid and tipped ten bucks in advance. We then went to our table with our number and waited. After watching everyone in the room getting served we asked a server the status of our order. He said he would check and never returned. We waited another 5 plus minutes and asked another server what was up with our food. He came back with the food and told us the food had been up butnot delivered. I tried my omelete and everything was cold. The server said he would check and see what they could do. He never returned. The view is great. The food is good. Service and recovery are poor. It wouldnt have taken much to make it right except some effert.

Pros: good view, good food

Cons: poor service, poor recovery

Posted 10/02/07

The zaniest time I can recall...our wild Alaskan salmon sandwich and fish tacos were both cooked perfectly (not dried out-very moist and fresh) but it was the view and the fun of watching these guys run trays of food up 2 flights of stairs, laughing and joking and WORKING their butts off, what a delightful change from all the cookie cutter joints in most cities. (We saw it on Giada Deluarentis' Weekend Getaway Show, she also reccomended a great happy hour at Cascadia up the street!)

Came back for breakfast our second day and had an incredible Tiger Prawn & Avocado Salsa Fresco Omelet that was big enough for both of us to share, along with handmade bloody marys in the bar lounge. Same view as the rest of the place's 3 floors.

5 star views, 5 star laughs and 5 star food, we'll be back.

Pros: Stellar views and fresh, hot food served up quick.

Cons: No elevator to the third floor if your knees aren't that great (like my wife's).

Posted 08/03/07

while we were able to snag a window table on the second floor at busy lunch hour, we waited almost 45 minutes for our food. luckily for them, the fish and chips and fish tacos with black beans were worth the wait! the fish was crispy and the salsa was just right. as for the black beans, i almost ate the bowl and the spoon, too, haha. the clam chowder was also good and the iced tea was perfect, too, unexpectedly as it's just iced tea, you know? the views are unparalleled and the meal was a great way to start our vacation. we'll just chalk the long wait to busy lunch hour...

Pros: crispy, fresh fish, yummy black beans

Cons: looooooonnnnnnnnng wait for food

Posted 06/29/07

I loved my breakfast it was delicious, and my expresso mmm. I only give it 8 instead of a 10 because my friends were not impressed with their eggs benedict. But I would reccomend going there for breakfast!

Pros: I loved the the location!

Cons: I didn't have any cons but my frineds weren't happy w/their eggs ben

Posted 02/11/07

Looked like a little diner in the Pike Place Market, turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Seattle! What appeared to be a little restaurant turned into a fun time for all when we were told there were actually 3 floors of panoramic seating to choose from, all overlooking the port of Seattle and the waterfront. Even though there was eight of us and a line going out the door, the friendly staff took our order and directed us to a large dining room at the top of their stairs where there were lots of tables by the windows. We passed by a bustling bar on the second floor landing where everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and after being passed by waiters RUNNING up the stairs with loaded trays of hot breakfasts, (!!!), we were barely sat down when our breakfasts arrived. It WAS a zoo, but a fun, friendly, energetic chaos that they seem to have mastered quite well...everyone leaving was laughing and smiling, with "regulars" shouting out thanks to the employees as they left.
My breakfast was the Seattle Joe's Scramble with sausage, spinach, mushrooms, green onions and Parmesan cheese scrambled in eggs beside crispy hash browns and an English muffin. My husband had a Dungeness Crabcakes Eggs Benedict which he devoured while my son's blueberry pancakes were huge (and they swirled whipped cream all over them at his request at no extra charge!) and loaded with blueberries. All the adults grabbed homemade bloody Mary's at the bar and the kid's had hot chocolates. All in all, we found the fact that Lowell's was so utterly different from anything we had ever experienced combined with great food a wonderful counterpoint to the "cookie-cutter" places we found everywhere else.
BTW, the next evening we snuck back without our son and watched the sunset in the 2nd floor lounge while sipping hand muddled fresh mint "Mojitos", the waitress (I think it was "Kittie or Katie"...?) cracked us up! 5 Stars!

Pros: Unique, views, value

Cons: Could be chaotic for grumps!

Posted 10/18/06

Even though I'm a Seattle native, I've lived all over the U.S. in the last few years. Upon moving back to my beloved city, I headed for one of my favorite places, the Pike Place Market. There I "rediscovered" Lowell's Restaurant, a place my family ate when I was a kid. Now that I'm all growed up, I've found a new favorite place! The views of the water are unequaled and so is the food. Hearty, tasty and very reasonably priced! The staff was great and I personally love the vibrant atmosphere. A place I'll return to again and again!

Pros: great food, wonderful staff, affordable

Cons: all those stairs!

Posted 04/26/06

The average food here is no compensation for the bizarre seating and ordering system at this tourist spot. To eat on the first or third floor you must order at the front counter which is a convoluted mess with people ordering, other people trying to fill their drinks and grab silverware while indifferent waiters push through with gigantic trays filled with food. But if for some reason you wish to dine on the second floor they have waiters on that floor, and that floor alone, who will serve you at your table. If you are a tourist in Seattle and find yourself hungry in the middle of the Pike Place Market feel free to go in and eat while you enjoy the view of the Puget Sound, otherwise I would recommend going elsewhere.

Pros: Nice View

Cons: Poor Service

Posted 05/30/05

Stumbled across this little place while strolling through Pike Market. Settled on some eggs benedict, and was pleasantly surprised. The staff was quite friendly, the view of the bay was nice, and the food was GREAT.

No parking but that's to be expected for Pike Market...
BTW: Second and third floors are smoking, first floor is non.

Pros: Great food, Great staff, Good prices

Cons: No parking, Very small (crowded)

Posted 03/06/05

A friend and I were prowling around the Pike Place Market one day hoping to find a place where the locals go, we were directed to Lowell's Restaurant and Bar. Wow we had no idea , three floors of view seating and the bar on the second floor was where we ended up! We sat at the bar and had the best fish and chips hands down. The service was great. The bartender was engaging, introduced us to some of the locals and poured us a famous Bloody Mary! We had such a great time and have been going back on a regular basis ever since.

Posted 10/08/04