Ray's Boathouse
Seafood restaurant · Ballard ·
Pacific NW seafood restaurant with stunning Puget Sound views
Pacific NW seafood restaurant with stunning Puget Sound views
"Let’s say you’re planning a celebration and want to keep things simple, with something on the water that serves a few variations on a nice piece of fish with a carb and a vegetable. Skip all of Seattle’s other mediocre waterfront seafood restaurants and prioritize Ray’s Boathouse. Sure, dishes like grilled king salmon with mashed potatoes and buerre blanc taste like something you’d eat at a gala, but it all just works. Particularly if you time things out to have dessert as the sun sets behind Shilshole Bay." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Every kingdom has a king. And in this case, go ahead and bow down to Ray’s Boathouse. This apex of touristy waterfront seafood in Ballard is unironically wonderful in both taste and location. They serve one of the best crab cakes in town, every brick of fish is seared with laser-sharp precision, and the interior design has no trace of aquatic kitsch. Get the grilled sablefish in sake kasu with a glass of ice-cold white wine and be thankful you’re nowhere near Pier 55. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, kayla sager riley
"Ray’s hosts weddings (including ceremonies) year-round in its private Northwest Room right next to the Boathouse and Cafe. Views off the deck overlook Shilshole Bay, and there’s an indoor space just in case the weather turns. The wedding package comes with an AV system, dance floor, floral centerpieces for the tables, and an event manager (one of those things you may not realize how much you need). Of course, there full bar and dining menus with seafood, meat, and vegetarian options. Find out more at Ray’s official wedding page." - Harry Cheadle
"Seattle is lousy with waterfront seafood restaurants, and a lot of them don’t live up to their tourist-baiting hype. But Ray’s is worth a visit. Originally a bait shop, boat rental, and coffee shop in the 1940s, it was bought by a trio of entrepreneurs in 1973. Since then it’s championed Olympia oysters (the only oyster breed native to the West Coast), was the first Seattle restaurant to buy fish directly from fishermen, and even got people into drinking red wine with fish. Even now the food shines with small details — the calamari breading has a slight bump of pepper-y flavor that makes a routine dish exciting. Note that there are two restaurants in this space, each with a great view: Ray’s Cafe is a first date spot, Ray’s Boathouse is for anniversaries." - Harry Cheadle
"Every kingdom has a king. And in this case, go ahead and bow down to Ray’s Boathouse. This apex of touristy waterfront seafood in Ballard is unironically wonderful in both taste and location. They serve one of the best crab cakes in town, every brick of fish is seared with laser-sharp precision, and the interior design has no trace of aquatic kitsch. Get the grilled sablefish in sake kasu with a glass of ice-cold white wine and be thankful you’re nowhere near Pier 55." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, kayla sager riley
