The Walrus and the Carpenter
Oyster bar restaurant · Ballard
4743 Ballard Ave NW #300, Seattle, WA 98107
Highlights
Oyster bar with fresh oysters, small plates & cocktails
Oyster bar with fresh oysters, small plates & cocktails
"Whether you’re looking to eat your first oyster or your 6,387th, the best place to slurp them is at The Walrus And The Carpenter. If having them raw isn’t your thing, we can also vouch for the cornmeal-dredged ones served with an excellent cilantro aioli—or even a deep-fried halibut collar glazed with fish sauce caramel. With a mollusk in one hand and a glass of sparkling wine in the other, there’s no better place than their big marble bar." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"The Walrus & The Carpenter is one of the most famous restaurants in the city - which means it’s the kind of “Seattle” experience that’s special whether you’ve never been there before or if it’s your hundredth time (if that’s the case, kudos). A table will work, but it’s more fun to sit at the bar, watching the oyster action. The space is straight-up delightful, like a tiny farmhouse with an oyster bar inside, and no matter what you eat - oysters, vegetables, cooked meats, even the bread - it’s all going to be stellar." - aimee rizzo
"You can’t call yourself a Seattleite unless you’ve chased down some raw oysters with bubbly wine at The Walrus and The Carpenter at 4pm on a Saturday. It’s the perfect power move for a casual date, or impressing out-of-town friends. Grab a seat at the marble bar overlooking the oysters waiting their turn to be shucked and share some of the best small plates in the city. If raw bivalves aren't your thing, we can also vouch for the delicate cornmeal-dredged ones dipped in an excellent cilantro aioli, and an amaro spritz at Barnacle next door is mandatory with every visit." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Erickson’s well-known oyster bar is among the group’s locations whose workers have unionized to push back against what they describe as a pay cut following the implementation of a new service-charge policy; the unionization is part of broader labor action across the Sea Creatures restaurants." - Harry Cheadle
"On really hot days, the preferred place to sit at Ballard’s seafood mainstay is inside the cool dining room rather than the covered patio (though you'll need to get there early to avoid a wait). Pair your trip with a hungry stomach, a friend or two who may need a win, and a glass of fizzy sparkling rosé. Next, all that’s left to do is close your eyes and point to any dish on their menu of small plates. Oysters, crudo, clams, fresh rye alongside whipped butter with the consistency of marshmallow fluff—it’s all going to be stellar." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
