Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Seattle by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Seattle using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#29. Kokkaku
- Rating: 4.2/5 (352 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2208 North 45th St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, Japanese, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Art of The Table
- Rating: 4.2/5 (747 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3801 Stone Way North Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. The Walrus and the Carpenter
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1925 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4743 Ballard Ave. Northwest Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Seafood, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Metropolitan Grill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (2135 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 820 2nd Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge
- Rating: 4.2/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 809 5th Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, Lounges, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#24. El Gaucho
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1391 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2200 Western Ave. Ste 101 Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Vendemmia
- Rating: 4.2/5 (240 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1126 34th Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. List
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2226 1st Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#21. 2120
- Rating: 4.3/5 (677 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2120 6th Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Il Terrazzo Carmine
- Rating: 4.3/5 (655 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 411 1st Ave. South Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. iconiq
- Rating: 4.3/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1421 31st Ave. South Seattle, Washington
- Categories: French, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Driftwood
- Rating: 4.3/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2722 Alki Ave. Southwest Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#17. The Harvest Vine
- Rating: 4.3/5 (717 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2701 East Madison St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Spanish, Basque
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Eden Hill Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (339 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2209 Queen Anne Ave. North Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, Desserts, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Cascina Spinasse
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1404 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1531 14th Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Altura
- Rating: 4.4/5 (672 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 617 Broadway East Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Le Coin
- Rating: 4.4/5 (546 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4201 Fremont Ave. North Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Seafood, French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. The Pink Door
- Rating: 4.4/5 (7337 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1919 Post Alley Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Sushi Kashiba
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1486 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 86 Pine St. Ste 1 Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. wa'z
- Rating: 4.4/5 (186 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 411 Cedar St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Copine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 6460 24th Ave. Northwest Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, French
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Violet
- Rating: 4.5/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1734 12th Ave. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Surrell
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2319 East Madison St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Caterers, New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Ballard Cut
- Rating: 4.5/5 (266 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2221 Northwest Market St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars, Whiskey Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Cook Weaver
- Rating: 4.6/5 (262 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 806 East Roy St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Modern European, Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#4. 84 Yesler
- Rating: 4.7/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 84 Yesler Way Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Archipelago
- Rating: 4.7/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 5607 Rainier Ave. South Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Filipino, Noodles, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#2. SAI Sushi & Sake
- Rating: 4.9/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 25 West Mercer St. Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Taneda Sushi in Kaiseki
- Rating: 4.9/5 (259 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 219 Broadway East Ste 14 Seattle, Washington
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
