"Ethan Stowell's Four Seasons room plates geoduck crudo and wild king salmon over Puget Sound — for a polished waterfront dinner or business lunch."
Goldfinch Tavern is the ground-floor restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, opened in 2015 in partnership with the prolific Seattle chef-restaurateur Ethan Stowell. It looks straight out over Puget Sound from the foot of Union Street, with Jeffrey Hunter leading the day-to-day kitchen.
It is one of the most polished hotel dining rooms in Seattle, in the company of the landmark Canlis and the waterfront Aerlume a short walk north.
The menu reads modern Pacific Northwest: local oysters, hamachi and geoduck crudo, king crab, Penn Cove mussels, ricotta ravioli with local porcini, a well-regarded burger and wild king salmon in season. It is squarely seafood-forward, using Washington farms and waters.
There is a strong by-the-glass wine list, a daily happy hour and a popular weekend brunch; live jazz from guitarist Brian Nova plays some evenings. For a classic Seattle steak alternative, Aqua by El Gaucho sits on the next pier.
The room is bright and understated, with big windows framing the Sound and the ferries, leather banquettes and a long bar. It is calm and grown-up rather than buzzy — a hotel dining room built for conversation and a view rather than a scene.
Water views, an easy pace and a central waterfront address make Goldfinch Tavern a confident business lunch, and the calm, candle-lit dinner service suits a quiet anniversary.
Not for budget travellers or a casual bite — this is a hotel dining room with waterfront prices, built for occasions rather than a quick, cheap stop.
The restaurant opened in 2015 in partnership with Seattle chef-restaurateur Ethan Stowell, with Jeffrey Hunter leading the kitchen day to day at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle.
Modern Pacific Northwest cooking: geoduck and hamachi crudo, Penn Cove mussels, king crab, a strong burger and wild king salmon, plus a popular weekend brunch and waterfront views.
At 99 Union Street inside the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, on the downtown waterfront overlooking Puget Sound and the ferry terminal.
Yes — the dining room and bar look directly over Puget Sound, with some of the best water views of any downtown Seattle restaurant, especially at sunset.
Booking via OpenTable; happy hour and brunch popular.
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Goldfinch Tavern leads our Seattle picks for waterfront Pacific Northwest dining.
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