The Athenian Seafood Restaurant And Bar

We came in for lunch and, as it was really busy, waited about 20 minutes for a table. The food was very good. The prawn cocktail was super fresh - big, juicy prawns with an amazing sauce. We loved it so much, we should have ordered two. For my main, I had the seafood sauté - a generous portion packed with chunks of fish and seafood, really delicious. My partner had steak with salad, which was great too. Service was friendly and efficient. It’s clearly an iconic spot in Pike Place Market, especially knowing some scenes from Sleepless in Seattle were filmed here.

Great location, decent service, the food is hit or miss. They’ve got drink and food items on the walls that are no longer on the menu.. one day your food is great, another not so much. Today I got the red snapper fish and chips. Ordinarily fantastic, today the portion was greasy and half the normal size. It was not good.. I guess it’s probably better for my health that the portion was so small. 6 bites of fish.. $24.99

Great food and the atmosphere was nice. The view of the waterfront was beautiful and our server was punctual and nice. Many of the tables for 3+ people were small and it felt a little claustrophobic, and some of the silverware provided was dirty. Apart from those things this is a good spot for a burger or fish food.

food was pretty decent, the sizes are rather small for the price, but it’s the pike place area. server was nice, seemed like they were in a bit of a rush sometimes though. the seating is very weird as you can only fit a certain amount of people in the booths, so if you have a bigger group, be aware. nice view of the waterfront as well !!

Part of Pike's Place Market, small, cramped dark environment. I had the seafood pasta. After adding a generous amount of salt, it was pretty good. The green beans in the dish were a little too crispy for my taste. The waitress was busy but efficient. Spent $120 with tip.

I always stop at The Athenian when I’m at Pike Place Market, it just feels like part of the experience. I love the vibe, the people-watching, and the overall energy of being right in the heart of the market. The service is always great. The food is a bit overpriced in my opinion, but that’s probably the cost of the location.

Ugh…. came here after reading a lot of reviews and it’s definitely for the tourist…. Order the dozen oysters on the half show and that was good and I also ordered the shrimp and spicy garlic cream sauce….And that was good…. But unfortunately, my large bowl clam chowder was lukewarm at best and the vegetables were still crunchy so I only finish half the bowl because lukewarm clam chowder does not work for me…my sister had half dozen of oysters and the clam chowder, and she agreed that the clam chowder was lukewarm and mediocre…ugh….oh well, what do you expect it’s at pikes market and it’s definitely a tourist trap… but the view was nice

Had a great meal overlooking the water. Tried salmon fish and chips for the first time. It did not disappoint and was great. All the fish we had was fresh and perfectly cooked. They also had alot of local beers on tap well that paired well with the meals.

The Athenian is its own whole vibe -- a true Seattle classic that's been around since 1909! Stepping inside feels like a little time capsule, with cozy diner-style charm and plenty of character. It still looks much the same as it did during the famous Sleepless in Seattle scene filmed right at the bar. The menu has that perfect mix of comfort classics (burgers) and elevated seafood dishes, with lots of great fish options and a solid happy hour, including a great house wine. If you can, grab a window seat -- the view of Elliott Bay is unbeatable. It's the kind of spot that makes you feel like you're really in Seattle -- a must-visit for locals and visitors alike.

We happened to come across this restaurant while walking the Public Market. We felt like having seafood so we chanced it and asked for a table for two. We went with fish and chips. The cod was good but it seemed to come across as pre-breaded. The fried calamari had a nice crisp to it which we enjoyed. The restaurant itself looks dated but it kind of gives it a nice charm. No frills restaurant. Service was good. All together, it's an OK place to dine. Nothing special about it.

Stopped by The Athenian for lunch during a solo day of adventures at the market, and it was a fantastic little escape. The Ahi Tuna Salad, (A MUST) was absolutely to-die-for. Fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. And that WASABI CUCUMBER DRESSING..OMG, PLEASE SELL IT BY THE BOTTLE! Pair that with (you know me) a dirty gin martini, sitting by the window with amazing views of the sound, Utopia IMO. Service was friendly and attentive, though not over the top, which suited the relaxed vibe. Be advised, minor gripe is that it can get a bit crowded, I mean it IS Pike Place Market afterall. However the combination of good food, drinks, and scenery makes it well worth a visit. Cheers

We came here years ago, and yesterday for a cocktail midday, then moseyed back at dinner time. We were seated at a nice table upstairs overlooking the water, sweeping views of the Ferris wheel/Seattle Eye, boats and ferries coming in and out of ports, and the water reflecting diamonds across the surface. The service was attentive, our friendly server gave nice recommendations and checked in us frequently. We ordered a dozen oysters, the Athenian salad, a Crab Louie salad, French fries and a shrimp cocktail. Everything was yummy! This was featured in the movie Sleepless in Seattle and located in Pike Place Market, this area can be very touristy and busy, but I love the feel of this eatery, and for a more touristy area, I would recommend this restaurant.

The Athenian is a place I've wanted to try and finally got the opportunity on this trip. It's in Pike Market, overlooking the sound. Yes this is tourist area but the place has been around for over fifty years. Great nautical feel to the place, a throwback to a different time. The food was good, not amazing but solid. Kong Salmon was fresh but could have benefited from some seasoning. Everything else was good. What was priceless was the amazing service and the setting. Just amazing.

Located inside Pike Place. This is just alright. There was a long wait on a Saturday even though it was raining outside. It was a 30 minute wait for our party and was the shortest wait compared to other restaurants in the area.... Ordered the halibut fish and chips per the waitress' recommendation. It was softer/moister(?) so I would say the breading fell right off so not as crispy. The clam chowder was decent nothing special. I would not come back, but if this is your only option it is overall just okay

This is one of my traditions when visiting Seattle. The mussels are always delicious. Every table has an excellent view and the service is always spot on. Looking forward to my next visit!

I was ecstatic to be able to experience this restaurant with my husband and daughter during our late fall trip to Seattle. We had a phenomenal all view right at dusk so the ambiance was amazing! I had the most delicious Halibut I've ever tasted in my entire life! So good that I didn't even wait around to snap a photo lol! My husband had a seafood pasta that he really enjoyed! However the view alone is what made this restaurant 5 star in my opinion! especially the beautiful sunset!

If you're in the Seattle area--or just visiting--and love seafood, you must try The Athenian at Pike Place Market! We kicked off our meal with the Market Cream Prawns--oh my Jesus, this dish is divine! The sauce is packed with flavor; I could honestly eat it all day with some warm sourdough bread. This is a must-try appetizer! My daughter ordered the Salmon Caesar Salad and said it was absolutely delicious and full of flavor. My boyfriend had the Ahi Tuna Salad--also a hit! The ahi was super fresh and tasty. I went with the Alaskan Cod Fish and Chips. It was good, but not quite as impressive as the other dishes--no real "wow" factor, but still enjoyable. The restaurant has a bit of a "hole-in-the-wall" vibe, but in the best way. Pro tip: skip the bar and ask for a window seat! The view of the pier, ferries, and waterfront scenery adds so much to the experience.

Found this spot as I was walking through Pike Place Market This is a nice restaurant with a full bar and nice views of the water There are TVs placed so you can watch a game Ambiance is nice Food is good and reasonably priced Service is friendly I would come back here again

We loved this spot so much we came back the next day. Clam chowder soooo good. Casual classic atmosphere. Service was great! Nice happy hour in the pub area. We will be back!

This is just a must visit for the old school feel. We were able to get a table with the pier view. I ordered the seafood scramble with English muffin. The seafood is a combination of shrimp prawns, salmon and cod. The cod was an amazingly mild meat with the eggs. Hash browns are available with the meal. It came out fresh abs out. So glad we decided to pop in for a bite.

We had lunch here and what a treat. Our server absolutely made our experience. We got a great booth by the window. We had some wine and drinks and an overall great lunch experience. I had the Red Snapper fish and ships which were delicious. The fish was cooked perfectly and the Cole slaw was delicious. We had no complaints during our visit. The location is convenient to the Public Market tourist district.

You simply cannot beat the view from this place. A time honored classic that can get crowded as heck when you first walk in. I may hate myself later for sharing this, but if you want to skip the line and there's only 2 of you head to the bar. It's where the locals eat and the service is excellent. I usually get either a bloody mary (nice and spicy) or a gin gimlet (not too sweet), a 1/2 dozen oysters and what I call "salmon lollipops", they are just two skewers of perfectly grilled salmon with a simple sauce on the side. nothing esle. Wine menu is not-so-much but the beer and cocktail offerings are on point. Let's keep this little secret just between the two of us. Ok? ;-)

Good view of the harbor, and the fried cod fillets in the fish and chips platter were delicious, albeit small. The Cole slaw tasted fresh and delicious - not too sweet and not overly creamy. That's the plus side. Seafood bowl had a staggering variety of seafood, all of which was overcooked, in a broth with no flavor. The fish in the Halibut fish tacos was also overcooked and flavorless. Overall, a disappointing meal that failed to satisfy. Not surprised that the waiter never asked us how the food was.

Tom Hanks film, "Sleepless in Seattle", shot a scene at the Athenian because it screams Seattle; tourist spot but not trap; good seafood; quality ingredients; friendly service; casual vibe; gorgeous Elliott Bay views; high noise level when busy (usually busy); good luck with parking; good for single diners, couples & small groups, family friendly; support your local small businesses & restaurants.

It's the iconic restaurant from Sleepless in Seattle. That alone is worth 5 stars. I thought it had closed down. I ate here not realizing it was the same one from the movie until i got home and examined the photos. I'm a tourist in Seattle so didn't realize something that locals probably all know. Big bonus, the seafood dishes we had were very good! The non-seafood dish we had at our table was fine, but highly recommend getting seafood from here.

We wanted to get some seafood before heading to the Christmas market and this place has ok reviews. It was a little challenging to find, but when we called, the employee helped guide us. I ordered a bowl of seafood which was unfortunately bland and flavorless. It did not smell great either. I tried very hard to eat, after adding salt, but nothing could save my dish. My daughter had shrimp scampi which wasn't bad, but everything was just extremely mediocre and expensive. The only positive was the cool view overlooking the water.

This is a very touristy place to visit.. It is high volume. The staff is very friendly, casual place, and they filmed "Sleepless in Seattle " here.. The prices are what you expect, and the views are good... I would come here again...

Came here after being starving from walking around being a tourist at Pike Place Market with my family. This spot surprisingly had a table ready for us without needing to wait too long on a busy Saturday. We ordered some crab legs (which ran us about $100), but the pro to that is that it was already cut for us, so no need to really do too much work besides eat it! Some places really make you work hard for the crab, so I did appreciate that, especially considering the price we were paying. The other dishes were pretty mid. I did like the calamari as well. The restaurant was busy and conveniently located in the heart of Pike Place market for anyone that was looking to grab a bite to eat in this touristy part of town.

The Athenian Seafood Restaurant blew me away. The clam chowder was hands down the best I've ever had--yes, even better than in Massachusetts--rich, creamy, and full of flavor. The fish and chips were equally outstanding: perfectly fresh, flaky fish in a crisp golden batter. Service was warm and welcoming, and the views of the waterfront made the whole experience even better. I'll be dreaming about that chowder for a long time.

Great food, great view, surprising clean bathroom. Server was super nice. Price is a bit pricy but everything at Pike market is so I think it's fine.

We had to wait for over 35minutes for a table, so the expectations were high. Raw oysters were ordinary; mussels were ok but not so good that we thought it was worth the wait. We love the ambiance and the wine is good tho. The dungeon crab was disappointing. We had a whole crab for 88 dollars. The price is acceptable if it were good, but alas, it wasn't. It was undesirably tasteless, as if it's been deep frozen for quite a while and it wasn't even fresh at the first place when it was frozen. It was so bad that every time we had a crab, my husband and I would say to each other, 'this is good, unlike the time we had the dungeon crab at the Athenian. seafood restaurant at Pike market.' We concluded that the restaurant is solely for tourist experience or happy hour cocktail.

Hello, this establishment had a nice view. I ordered a simple clam chowder and side house salad . The clam chowder was oddly sweet. My partner ordered the halibut sandwich. The fish to sandwich ratio was way off. For 26$ it's seemed reasonable but once we saw the piece of fish we realized why it was so reasonable . The fish was small thin and slid out of the sandwich as soon as it was picked up . The taste was extremely bland, it was as if it was seared in butter and that it . It was editable after adding salt and pepper . If you are a tourist visiting pike place I suggest you find another spot and don't listen to local fisherman's who suggest going here. The service was ok but our servicer never introduced her self so i can't even give her a great mentioning at least.

Great seafood compliments a great view of the Sound. I've eaten here twice for their king crab, perfectly prepared both times. Friendly staff. My family love the oysters.

10/10 I love thisssss restaurant!! If I lived in Seattle I would probably be here almost everyday.... Great for a quick lunch Very friendly staff , wait wasn't long , and very clean! ( especially the bathroom ) Ordered : Oysters, fish and chips , calamari Every dish was delicious me and my mom devoured it lol it was the best seafood I've ever had so far :)

The service and view were spectacular, and their clams, steamed in butter and garlic, were a winner. Don't bother to order the chowder, however. It was very disappointing with hard, raw onions and celery, and no clams... Everything else was fantastic, especially our waiter.

This place is beautiful. The view is incredible and the food is delicious. I had the shrimp and scallop saute which was good. Garlic Mashed potatoes were great and the kids menu had a great selection. My family loved it. The wait staff was friendly, accommodating of our stroller, and quickly had us seated.

This spot is located right in the middle of Pike Place, so it is a bit overpriced given that it's catering to the huge swath of tourists. However, they do have a nice view on the top floor that overlooks the harbor. We got the clam chowder (4/5, pretty tasty and thick, I think it comes pretty close to all the other chowder places with super long lines) and the 1lb of clams which comes with bread (3/5, a bit overpriced since I counted 25 clams total but the quality was pretty tasty). Be warned, the food does take a little bit of time to come out so be prepared to wait.

Visiting Seattle, WA and Pike Place Market for the 1st time, stopped by at the Athenian which had tantalizing seafood options. Fun fact: did you know a scene in "Sleepless in Seattle" was shot here? They have the exact seat where Tom Hanks was sitting at too. Other than that, food was pretty good. Came here with a group of 10. I was debating b/w Cioppino and Seafood Bowl. I was convinced to get Seafood Bowl, as it was more popular. Others at table got something different. Salad and fish and tomato and I don't remember the dish name (Salmon something?). Also the Halibut. I liked the Salad Salmon one more. Mine was pretty mild but ok. We shared all dishes. Mussels and shrimp and salmon was just some of what it had. Broth and rice too. It was mild, but near end I added green chili sauce, it tasted much better. View overlooking beach was pretty nice too. Anyway, Athenian is pretty cool seafood spot. Gonna rate up because of ambiance and service and food itself was pretty ok, nothing outstanding but solid. Will recommend it if recommended Seattle area and especially Pike Market which has lot of cool seafood spots to grab a bite to eat.

I had a great lunch here today. It's a nice spot in the Market with a great view of the harbor. Myself, hubby, sister, and brother-in-law came in just before 12, and were seated promptly. Our waiter had water to the table as we sat down. We ordered beers and food, and didn't have to wait too long for anything. I had the snapper fish and chips special, the hubby had the fish sandwich, and my sister and BIL split a club sandwich. Everything was delicious, and the portion sizes were actually decent. We are visiting from San Diego so we won't be back here soon, but we would definitely seek out another lunch at the Athenian.

Apparently this is a must do in Seattle. At least that's friend said. It must have been for the history of the place rather than the food. It's over 100 years old and it shows. There's limited seating but great views of the lake. I wish I could be so complimentary of the food. I had fish and chips. The chips were just frozen food service fries. I paid an up charge for the whiting fish. It wasn't bad, but the breading had no flavor. My coworker had the seared ahi tuna salad. It wasn't anything to write home about. He wasn't particularly fond of the sesame seeds they had on it. If someone insisted I go there again I would but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice.

My mom, sister, and I had a delightful experience. The space is lively and charming, with great views of the waterfront. The food was delicious -- my sister and I split the four, large King crab legs and they were amazing! So good. My mom enjoyed her spinach salad, which was huge and fresh. Our charming and friendly server Michael was very fun and nice, had us laughing, and made a great time even better.

SO GOOD!! The food was delicious! I got the blackened salmon tacos & they were perfection! Our server was so kind & welcoming & helpful! I also really enjoyed our seating right on the water!! 10/10 experience!

Excellent food, very welcoming, great service. The view looking at the sound was beautiful.

Great service, and the cod fish and chips were awesome! Two pieces of fish and the fries were hot and crisp. Definitely will be back

How have i not written a review of literally my favorite place to visit in Seattle when i arrive??? Totally my bad and a huge oversight. For being a potential tourist trap, it's like the nicest place with good/attentive staff and lots of drinks. Nice views of the sound and everything that makes Seattle "Seattle." One of my friends asked if this was the "go to" for fish and chips. I said it was certainly mine! Seriously buttery and deliciously flaky. Just perfection. Also their chowder in the bread bowl? Phenomenal. They have happy hour prices in the lounge (very specific area with self seating and bar area), and it's so so sooooo worth it. Even on weekends! nice local craft beer choices. If that's your thing. We always have such a lovely experience here. Be a local tourist and try it out

It's been so long since I've last been here that I couldn't remember how I felt about the place or what I ate until I read my review from nine years ago. Definitely a better experience this time. We were walking around Pike Place Market, and was trying to decide on a place to eat, and decided to eat here. We made it in time for happy hour, and ordered off the happy hour menu: a couple of beers, Nachos, Clams and Mussels, and Fish and Chips Basket. Everything was tasty, and we were really satisfied. And our waiter was very friendly, great service.

We found this place when researching happy hour deals in the Pikes Market area and found that they have $2.75 oysters on HH deal. We sat at the bar and got the last seats. Lighting was really bad in the back and I had to use my cell phone light to even see the menu. We settled on some drinks and ordered a bunch of oysters. The drinks were so so. I had a raspberry French 75 and it was very very tart. We got some fried oysters however I didn't try them. I was told they needed to be fried longer as the oyster part was still mushy inside. The fresh oysters were delicious. I was surprised to see there was no minete (not sure how to spell it) to go with the oysters. Just horseradish on top of cocktail sauce and some lemons. Either way, they still tasted really good. I asked where they came from and the bartender said from Nisqually. I will say I am a fan of those now. I would order these in the future. I would check this place out again next time we visit Seattle.

Looking at other reviews, I wasn't expecting such a great meal. The halibut fish & chips were perfectly cooked. The Dungeness pasta was one of the best dishes of our whole vacation. Restaurant has an older vibe, but it gave the place character. Service was prompt, but then a little inattentive during the meal. Loved the view from our spacious booth.

We had an overnight layover in Seattle coming back from our Alaskan cruise. We came here for lunch. The wait was about 10 minutes as there was only the two of us. They seated us on the second floor by the window. The view was stunning! We ordered the Athenian Seafood Bowl and the Deep-Fried Seafood platter. The Seafood Bowl hit the spot! The warm broth was very soothing! It had rice to complement the shrimps, mussels, clams and fish in every bite! The Seafood Platter was equally delicious!

Decent food and attentive servers. Small booths that can just barely hold 4 people. Nice seaside views and vibe inside the restaurant

Solid recommendation here! Located in Pike Place Market, we stumbled upon The Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar and decided to try it out for lunch. We arrived at the perfect time as there was an opening and we were seated immediately. For food, I ordered the Famous Fish Sandwich with fried cod layered, Italian slaw on an artisan bread served with fries. My partner ordered a cup of the New England Clam Chowder and the Baja Halibut Tacos. Flour tortillas with fried halibut with chipotle mayo and cabbage salsa, served with fries. Service was good and they stay on top of it to help move customers along. The ambiance was great as well with a classy fisherman's wharf vibe. We sat a table at a lovely window looking out onto the pier and the Puget Sound. For more info, check out their website at https://www.athenianseattle.com.

Charming old restaurant with friendly staff, amazing views and excellent food. Sat at the bar for a quick bite-cioppino was delicious! Thanks very much

It was a 25 minute wait for 3 people at 6pm. Be mindful they close at 7. We were seated with a great view. I ordered the Sockeye Salmon. Friends had Northwest grilled salmon, and the cioppino. All entrees were excellent. Our server was kind and attentive. Guacamole app was good but small. Overall good meal but a little expensive for the quality

We ate here because of the connection to the movie, Sleepless In Seattle, but would return for the tastiness of the food. The clam chowder was really really good. The halibut tasted like it was swimming earlier that morning, so fresh! The views were amazing and the service was fast and friendly! Highly recommend!

A taste of old-school Seattle, located inside Pike Place Market with great views of Elliott Bay. Founded in 1909 by three Greek brothers, they serve up fresh seafood at reasonable prices. The seafood sauté was delicious with generous portions. Service was quick and friendly. You might recognize it from the movie "Sleepless in Seattle". Open Thursday-Monday.

If you're looking for good seafood and a nice view, check out this place inside Pike Place Market. It has a pretty extensive menu and some good beers and cider on tap. We ate here twice while staying near the market. The service was good both times. The fish and chips (halibut is what we ordered, not cod) was excellent. My husband had chowder and thought it was good, but has had better. Still, he said he'd order it again so it was decent (he gets chowder every place it's offered so his standards are a little higher than most). We had the ceviche ($17) which was good. Being from California, I'd never had salmon in my ceviche so this was interesting and different. I liked it and portion was big enough that it was enough for a meal for one person. Even though there a lot of choices for seafood around the market, this place is worth a try. A few other notes-- parking is tricky in the market area so I recommend parking up the hill and walking down or using the lot off Alaskan Way. Also, the wait was not as long as they quoted either time so don't let long wait times deter you. And if you like boozy cider, I recommend the Shilling cider.

We were passing by and noticed this place inside the Pike Place Market (the row with flowers). We got two burgers and a salad. The food was okay, just what you would usually expect from a tourists place. The service was great, Robert A. was kind and fast! The seats by the window will provide you with great views, especially during the sunny day. The dislike: the place needs a major deep cleaning (especially the ventilation parts), the bathroom could have a little better maintenance.