The Room
Westward opened on the northern shore of Lake Union in 2013 — the Sea Creatures group's most architecturally distinctive property, with a wraparound deck that looks across the lake to the downtown Seattle skyline. The interior is intentionally beach-house casual: weathered wood, fire pits on the deck, a long bar with views of the kitchen and the water.
The Seattle Times review listed Westward among the year's best new restaurants in 2014. The deck has earned the restaurant a national reputation as one of America's most-photographed waterfront dining rooms. The booking window for the deck tightens to two to three weeks for weekend service.
The Food
The wood-fire programme runs the kitchen. The seasonal Pacific seafood, the wood-fired whole fish, the wood-fire vegetable plates run as the menu's spine. The brunch service is one of Lake Union's most-considered weekend offerings.
Wine programme is Pacific Northwest and natural-leaning. Cocktails run a serious tropical-and-classic-cocktail bench. Service is the Sea Creatures group standard.
Best Occasion Fit
Birthday: Birthdays at Westward are theatrical without being theatrical — the deck, the lake view, the city skyline do the work. The fire-pit deck table is the seat to request when the weather permits.
First Date: The deck at Westward is one of Seattle's most-photographed first-date seats. The lake view is the conversation, the cocktail programme is the second move, and the wood-fire programme handles the silences.
Proposal: The corner deck table at sunset, with the city skyline across the water — Westward is one of Seattle's most-photographed proposal venues.