This is the first time I've reviewed Canlis, but I've dined there many times over the years (I grew up in the Seattle area); this was my first time since Aisha Ibrahim took over the kitchen. It was a very nice experience overall - the ambience is always lovely, the view captivating, and the service excellent. The menu is a hybrid set course/a la carte situation if you dine in either the main dining room or the private room (the first course, second (on the night we were there, a crab dish with a sensational foam), Canlis salad, and palate cleanser courses are the same for all diners; you choose your own adventure for the proteins or veg (if vegan/vegetarian), as well as the dessert). My favorite item from the initial courses was the scallop toast - I do wish it had been more substantial though (as the photo demonstrates, it is 1-2 bites at most). The subsequent courses were very good, but not quite a 5 star experience for me. Dessert was a bit of a let down. The calamansi sorbet was so astringent I couldn't handle more than two bites of it. The mochi-marshmallow dessert was dramatic (our server torched it at the table), but not particularly delicious or well/conceived (it was a pile of disparate elements on a plate - not much finesse there). My companion's cheesecake was not any more impressive (it was a simple wedge on a plate). Beverage service was spectacular - we enjoyed drinks at the bar prior to dinner, and we are now contemplating coming back specifically for the lounge experience (rather than a sit-down dinner). The bar has a separate food menu that is worth exploring (especially because it features that scallop toast - yum). read more

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I wanted to love Canlis so bad. From the moment I walked in, I loved the ambiance, service and attention to detail. I was in love with the place, until the food started coming. Deep fried starter leaving a puddle of oil, unrendered fat on the duck, sturgeon dish that left a lot to be desired. The salad used what looked and tasted like store-shaved parmesan, not freshly grated. For $600 for two people (no alcohol) the food should be perfect. Other meals at this price point have me remembering the dishes forever, dying to return. Here, my partner and I were shocked at the level of food they served. The service and ambiance was perfect, but with food lacking this bad leaves us not inclined to return. read more

We recently had the opportunity to visit Canlis for a special occasion. We had been nervous after reading many mixed (and mostly negative) reviews and tried to tamper our expectations walking in but left pleasantly surprised. From the moment we stepped in to the moment we left, we were treated with exceptional service. The staff and servers are incredibly professional, and as commonly commented on, the valet is outstanding. We arrived 10 or so minutes early and were seated in the lounge to enjoy aperitifs while waiting for our table to be ready. The ambiance is hard to beat, overlooking one of the most beautiful views of Seattle. The whole experience lasted a good 3-4 hours. Our server did an excellent job describing each dish as they were brought out, though the delivery was not at the level of synchrony and performance as a three star Michelin, nor do they anticipate your restroom needs in the same way and guide you/pull out your chair the moment you return. As far as the food goes, the menu sticks more to classic rather than innovative, and the presentations are more simple rather than breathtaking, but the dishes were cooked well and tasted good - which I would choose any day over food that looked beautiful but didn't deliver in taste. I wasn't mind blown but I was satisfied, and the tasting menu overall felt cohesive. The Caesar salad, for all the fame it has, was rather underwhelming, but the set of appetizers were outstanding with flavors and textures well balanced, and the proteins were all cooked to perfection. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Canlis, from the service and ambiance to the food itself, and felt it was well worth the price tag. While not the most refined or finessed compared to top tier fine dining experiences worldwide, Canlis is still a top culinary institution in Seattle and a lovely spot to celebrate a special occasion we'd happily return to in the future. read more

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We dined as a party of four at this restaurant Saturday with a nice greeting and intro but the service and food fell off quickly. The waiter went absent after the salad course and I was forced to fetch a salad fork from the kitchen. The food was okay but nothing special as it was a few years ago and not worthy as the star-of-Seattle. As the desert arrived, I had earlier ordered a rum as the other guests enjoyed a coffee. We awaited the delivery of my rum while our deserts melted so I walked to fetch my drink at the bar while our party waited. Sadly disappointing dinner with the family after driving from Gig Harbor for a Holiday dinner... Coffee was good BTW read more

Things to know: - Fancy dress code (think suit kinda place) - When reserving, there is a $100pp deposit - Valet only - They take their time pacing the food. We were probably there for 3-4 hrs Tips: - If you are not vegetarian, then avoid the vegetarian options. They kinda pale in comparison to the meat options. - You can request the window table when making a reservation My thoughts on the food: - Considering the price of the food, I was a bit underwhelmed by the flavors. At first I thought that was because I was being a bit of a hoity toity yelp critic but all of my friends (who are not) also agreed. There was probably only 1-2 items that were very very good. But I feel like I can get a lot better for cheaper but also still fancy, in San Francisco. Overall we had a lot of fun though cause good company always makes for a good time and we had an awesome waitress who played along with our ridiculous banter. Shoutout to Sarah! read more

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Terrible service, mediocre food, auto 20% gratuity- floor manager said we were requesting drinks on rapid sequence- ya right- a drink every hour over three hours is not rapid at all... will spend money elsewhere read more

We went to Canlis for a special occasion and the overall experience was good though not excellent. I made reservation as soon as it is allowed, about two months in advance. The valet experience was the most impressive one. We arrived and the valet staff did not ask for our names nor did they give us a ticket for retrieving our vehicle as many other places do it. You literally just drop off your car and enter the restaurant. We were seating shortly after our arrival. The pace was a little slow since it took quite some time before we were able to place order for our drinks. The food was good both in terms of taste and presentation from a restaurant at this price point. I felt a little disappointed because nothing was surprising, except the battered squash. The food, presentation seemed to be influenced by Japanese cuisine and I felt maybe even a little too much. Overall I would say this is a good place for special occasions but I think it has room for improvements. read more

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Came here for a special occasion (of course). The ambiance was heavenly -- love that Seattle gets dark at 9:30pm during the summer. It really contributed to the late evening dining experience. The interior is well curated, with most tables having some placement to overlook Lake Union + gasworks park. The light from the sunset softly illuminates the dining space, fading into the dark wooden walls. 10/5 ambiance. The food, however, is a completely different story. Yes, it is decent quality and professional presentation. But at the price point, I would have expected more complexity in the flavors. I appreciate that the salad recipe is generational, but at the end of the day it's just a good salad without exceptional ingredients. read more

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Fourth time at Canlis. Canlis has the title of Seattle's best restaurant, and it's supposed to be the older fine dining. There's only a prix fixe menu, and there's three courses to choose from, and I've heard that the flavors have gotten worse since the chef changed. I have not eaten the previous flavor, this is about six months ago to go, very good, dessert yogurt cheese is very special. The most worthwhile card is still view, eat so many feel Canlis view can be ranked in the top three! read more

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We came here to celebrate a birthday. If you can grab a reservation, this is a must for a celebration. The restaurant has been on my to-do list for over a decade. The atmosphere is of a 5 star new york restaurant. The servers and team were very friendly and amplified the night out. It is clear there is history here and a place that will be around for awhile. Our meal was delicious and a culinary experience. We look forward to bringing others again. read more

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After seeing the Seattle times review, we were skeptical about going to Canlis. Don't know what they were talking about, but the service and food were out of this world! Still one of the best places to eat in Seattle! read more

Canlis is a Seattle classic fine dining establishment, with emphasis of being very dressy - almost everyone has a suit / blazer / formal dress / super formal attire. Unfortunately, the food quality and service miss the mark for such a fine dining restaurant. In summary, this place is overhyped - reservations are released 6 months at a time and they are booked months out unless you have special perks like Chase Sapphire Reserve where there are some availability for prime dinner time (8pm) which we took advantage of for a Friday evening, 2 months in advance. We requested window seat and kind of got window seat - it did not have a view of the lakefront. I guess I could be more clear, but in retrospect, the seat we got was really nice as we can take a picture together, while looking over the waterfront. There were no stringent formalities of walking around taking pictures - the waiters and waitresses encouraged me to do so, inviting me to walk past them and snap pics at the window. This gave us a best of both worlds experience. There are 7 courses, priced at $165 per person. You get to choose 3 of the courses. As we are a party of 2, we each got something different and tried each other's dishes for more variety. We also got a glass of brut champagne and a glass of white wine (soave) - pricey but the wines were recommended by the waiter and paired well with a lot of the courses. First, we got a selection of 3 bites - hamachi with shiso leaf, chawanmushi, and mushroom porcini. The hamachi is decent with the leaf, but was not as fresh as I hoped. The chawanmushi here is of an interesting take - with a slight sweetness and slightly torched mushroom taste. The mushroom porcini pastry is good, on the richer side. Second, we got a dungeness crab with potato and ginger boil. The potato was a bit too watery - I can't tell if they wanted it to be a purée or soup. I liked the texture of strings of crab with finely julienned ginger meshed together at the center bottom of the bowl. Third, we got the Canlis salad. It is a classic, signature dish, served for 72 years (since when they first opened), but it didn't feel special compared to other salads I have eaten. It is delicious though, but I wasn't a fan of the added bacon as it made this dish unnecessarily heavy. Crouton maintained a crunchy texture despite the dressing. This course is served with rye bread, which was surprisingly moist, and it is interesting they had butter with a balsamic which has a berry flavor to it. For our selection of courses, we went with the sea bream and pork, and the sablefish and striploin. Sea bream was good - the geoduck added a nice depth in texture. Pork was way too salty and rich, overpowering the other courses. Sablefish is good - there is a seaweed sauce that I am a fan of, and the fish is grilled well to have a flavorful skin. Striploin was okay - a bit lacking in flavor but decently juicy. I liked the chili sauce as it had a hint of yuzu flavor from it. Switching the pork and the striploin courses would have improved the dining experience. The "pre-dessert" was a frozen tofu with olive oil and sea salt, which is quite interesting. It was somewhat a palate cleanser in a unique way. For desserts, we got the smoked cacao and dried persimmon. Both are good, though the dried persimmon was too sweet for my liking. The smoked cacao left a dry mouth, and the ice cream was not really creamy or milky. Service is decent; a huge miss is that, unlike a number of fine dining establishments, they do not clean your table of crumbs, etc in between courses. Also, parking here is mandatory valet. We had to wait at least 10 minutes for our car to arrive at the front to leave, which is not too acceptable for a restaurant of this caliber. A mandatory 20% service charge is tacked on to the bill, but the level of service was not worth such an amount. Overall, this place is okay to check out once to check it off the list, but compared to a lot of fine dining establishments I have eaten, the food here is nothing extraordinary - perhaps the wine selection is the big appeal but a huge wine list is generally present in a lot of fine dining places as well. read more

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This is a beautifully situated restaurant in a beautiful mid-century building. The large windows let you see the water with houseboats, seaplanes coming and going, sky...And with a party of two, they seat you so that both can enjoy the view. Service was 5 star from the valet to the coat check to the waiter and bus people. Pacing was perfect. The food was beautifully presented. And the flavors varied and pleasant but nothing wow'd. (One side, salmon infused Yukon Gold potatoes, was a miss for us.) Also the dishes were very small; more like tapas. We appreciated that the 20% service fee was clearly defined and meant to be a tip--they don't even have a line on the bill to avoid confusion. (Of course, they allow additional tipping if desired with a separate piece of paper.) Would consider coming again for a special occasion but probably not just for the food. read more

Solid fine dining option in Seattle, hard to go wrong with this place. You can't talk about fine dining without Canlis being mentioned in Seattle. Food: You can choose 3 options for some customization /preference and everything we had was exceptional. Only caveat was opting for their trademark table side salad. It's a salad, I love salads and it was nothing special but it comes with a history lesson on the restaurant. I like to call it story time salad. We left very full so portions are great. Service: what you would expect from an establishment at this price (1k for 3 people). They have valet so you don't need to worry about parking. Ambiance: overlooks Queen Anne lake union area. Pretty view but if you want to get a nice seat near the windows, be sure to dress nicely as you will be seated accordingly. It's also kept chilly here. Overall I would recommend everyone to check this place for special occasions. We had a great time and loved the service and the food. read more

Canlis - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My partner and I had a fantastic first time visiting Canlis last month. We were lucky enough to sit at the owner's table to celebrate my birthday and Valentine's Day. Grateful for the warm welcome and exceptional service. We also really enjoyed our cocktails and dinner. It was fun being able to pick a few courses and be surprised! Everything was delicious and we loved the intimate experience! read more

The service is great, but I would not return. I don't think the food was as good as I was expecting, and it was just nothing memorable, considering the price point. read more

Simply the best restaurant in Seattle and could easily be a 2 Michelin Star restaurant. The chef Aisha Ibrahim is amazing and the Canlis is at the top of their game. I recommend the lamb and the Wagyu Beef. The wine selection if massive and you can find fair deals. We had a 4/5 Barbaresco for under $100. I can't recommend this restaurant more, make sure you dress up as it is still required. read more

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One of the most delicious and entertaining tastings I have ever been to in Seattle. The wagyu was delicious! The cocktails were amazing and upscale. The pianist and the ambience was very romantic. It definitely left a fine dining experience impression and I will definitely be back. The service was impeccable. The owner even came out and met us and took us on a tour of the kitchen. It was such a fun experience. I highly recommend trying this place out if you go to Seattle. read more

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Order: * Canlis Salad * Beef Short Rib * Apple Cake Pros: * Elegant, albeit slightly dated, ambiance with friendly service. * Short Rib was cooked perfectly, super tender, moist, melted fatty and gelatinous. * The Apple Cake itself was most and flavorful. * Elegant presentations. * Fantastic views from certain spots. Cons: * The salad was a bit overdressed and chopped a bit too fine so it seemed to make the lettuce too soft/soggy. I think bigger pieces of lettuce not so overdressed might serve this dish well and make it look a bit more elegant. * The short rib had some sort of balsamic or tart citrus to the sauce that sort of overpowered the flavor of the beef. Likewise, the two accoutrements were also somewhat tart in flavor and one of the items was a bit chewy. * The whisky sauce on the Apple Cake was a bit too strong. I like a good whisky as a beverage, but I prefer the alcohol to be cooked out a bit more when combined with a food dish. * For the price point and ambiance, I would like the server to give a brief description of the dishes. Comments: * The primary reason for my score is that for the level of dining that it is, I expected a bit more refinement. read more

Canlis has been on our list for years - but back then, we couldn't justify the price (we were young). For our 10th year anniversary, we found it to be the perfect time to finally try it. It was made extra special because we had just become engaged as well. It's not a big deal but honestly all the staff were nonchalant about it except for one waiter saying congrats. I just found that a little unusual for a fine dining restaurant. Other than that, you do come for (and pay for) an experience. I'm very comfortable with fancy restaurants, but this place gives off "The Menu" vibes (iykyk). From the moment you drive up and also the service we received. So many staff and they're all kind of eyeing you the entire meal from the side. Parking is also mandatory valet so keep that in mind. Okay, the food! It's a 7-course menu and you pick 3 of them (essentially your appetizer, entree, and dessert). The courses in between them are fairly small bites for the most part. Let's break it down. 1: Hamachi sashimi, mushroom chawanmushi, and koji choux. What a way to start the meal, we thought the entire board was perfection. Sashimi was great quality. The chawanmushi was so rich in flavor yet very light and smooth. And the choux - I am obsessed with the koji filling. Hard to describe the flavor, but it was a little funky (as are most ferment-y things) in the best way. This cream was possibly my favorite thing in the entire meal. I know it's not for everyone, but it was unique and amazing to me. 2: Crab with potato and ginger. The texture of the potato reminded me of Robuchon mash - it is impossibly creamy and buttery. I can see how others, even potato lovers, could find this weird, because it's rare to see pureed potatoes this thin in consistency. I am a big fan and know that it takes a lot of effort and time to create this dish. It was one of those things you can't stop going back for another spoonful and before you know it, it's all gone. We loved it. 3: The salad. It's special and your waiter will explain why. It's honestly a solid salad and the croutons were incredibly crunchy, just how I like them. My partner said it threw him out of the experience a little because it's "just a salad", but I understand its significance and didn't mind this course. It was also served with their rye bread and butter/balsamic vinegar. Rye bread is not my favorite but paired with the butter, it was moist and yummy. 4: This is the first dish we picked out. I had the sea bream and my partner had the squash. Fish was great - reminded of Chinese steamed fish dishes. Elevated but nostalgic for me. Our waiter encouraged us to try the squash over the third option (pork) and we're glad we listened. It was different and delicious. Definitely worth a try and probably not the kind of dish you create with squash at home. 5: This is where I picked the striploin and my partner had the sablefish. He loves fish and said this was top three fish entrees he's had. As for the steak, we have had the best of the best, all the wagyu, etc. This was great without all the fancy labels. A tender, well-seasoned, perfectly cooked steak. No complaints here. 6: Prior to desserts, they served out what I initially thought looked like popcorn from afar. Turns out it's frozen tofu with blood orange and olive oil. Sounds so weird. But this was the 2nd thing I loved the most. It's innovative, the tofu melts in your mouth like ice cream and it has this smooth texture that's so unfamiliar but delicious. The flavors were very balanced - the orange offered tang and bitterness while the oil was salty and the tofu was sweet. I couldn't get enough of it and it served as a great palate cleanser. 7. I ordered the dried persimmon and my partner had the smoked cacao. We ended up swapping desserts completely - and this is why you should never order the same thing as your partner :) He loved the persimmon dessert which had devonshire cream, vermouth, and yuzu. On paper, I didn't care for the cacao option but it had a nougatine with pistachios coating a milk ice cream and I could have eaten a whole another plate of it. So many textures and a great balance again with the sweet and bitter and the nuts offered a nice crunchy texture. A perfect way to end our meal. Clearly, this was an incredible meal. Certain elements were simply amazing and exactly how we anticipated it to be. But there were just enough little things that were off-putting enough to not earn a five-star rating. Throughout our meal, we were bothered by a fruit fly (or several, who knows) and one waitress joked about its presence at our table but nobody made an effort to do anything about it. It was a bit distracting as it nearly drowned in my wine glass at one point, and we kept waving it off while conversing. I know we're by the water and it's spring and the bugs are around...but honestly, I don't think I've ever noticed insects at a restaurant of their price point. Overall, a special place for a special occasion. read more

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I'm really torn on this one... this is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful restaurants I've ever been in. But lack of execution on food and service keep this from being a top notch experience. It has so much potential and with some minor tweaks it could be (mich) star worthy. The drinks to start and piano were both on point and an amazing start to our evening. The opening course was spot on perfect. I ordered the pork belly app, beef entree and strawberry (olive oil) dessert. Pork belly was perfectly cooked and had a quite complex flavor profile and texture. Bread course was amazing. However the main - beef, called a denver cut was extremely tough. Flavor was amazing, but knife struggled to cut the beef and it was even harder to chew. 2 at our table had this and both were very tough. Neither finished the entree and no-one asked how it was or why. The potatoes with salmon were offensive at best as a side an no one at our table could eat them. Very strong fishy flavor and they were left as uneaten. Again - no question as to why. 2 other entrees were very good - the halibut was a stand out as far as flavor. We asked for coffee prior to dessert and it was only delivered to 3 of the 4 at dinner and coffee quality was sub par. Especially for Seattle...Desserts were all good and everyone was pleased with this course. Blueberry and olive oil desserts were decadent and exceeded expectations. Of note - the som was condescending to one of our guests and it was noted to head server. So for a restaurant with such potential, they are lacking in a few key areas. Hopefully someone gets a handle on the obvious shortcomings and delivers on the potential this place has. read more

Canlis is one of the best restaurants in the Seattle area. It has amazing views of lake union and has such a fun tasting menu. Their salad & bread & butter are classics on their menu. They accommodate dietary restrictions very well, and I'd definitely come again. Come with a small group, and it's a great place to celebrate a special occasion. I'll definitely be back! read more

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The service here is impeccable. Above and beyond what I even expected. Honestly you could not get a better ambiance. The view is incredible and the restaurant itself is nice and open and pleasant to be in. The food is very very good. I only give it four stars because most of the seasoning was simply salt. Everything tasted amazing, but wish there was more depth of flavor with more range of spices. I would definitely come here again. All my cocktails were made absolutely perfect. read more

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I celebrated my fiancée's birthday here in March 2023. We were really looking forward to this restaurant because not only have we been wanting to dine here for a while but because we were finally able to get a reservation. The restaurant itself has an elegantly designed interior, with a very intimate setting, which is perfect for special occasions. If you are sitting in the tables situated at or near the windows, you will have stunning views of north Seattle and Lake Union and added bonus to the experience. Alongside the aesthetic of the restaurant, was the food which was nothing short of excellent, both presentation and taste. Also, as expected from a place like this, all the staff were professional from the valet persons, to the servers, and to the sommelier. read more

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We've heard about Canalis since moving to the area so I was excited to finally try it out for a special date night. The husband made reservations for us and after arriving we were quickly seated at a table with a beautiful view. Our server was friendly and helpful in assuring us that the kitchen was aware I came with a gluten allergy and would be able to substitute each course accordingly. They even brought out an absolutely delicious gluten free bread I could have eaten a whole loaf of! The courses were a variety of fresh local ingredients including delicious mushrooms, fish and meat options with an Asian flare. They were artfully plated, good proportions for a multi coursed meal, and wonderfully flavorful. I didn't have a single dish I didn't like and lucky for me the husband of mine won't eat mushrooms or fish so I got to steal a couple of his courses as well. Sometimes with these types of meals you can leave hungry but neither of us did. The portions were just right and accompanied by bread and extra surprise courses. When they brought out the final dessert mini course I was actually on chocolate overload from the decadence and so full I couldn't finish it even tho it was divine. Creativity and execution an A+. Good value in portions and ingredient quality for the cost per person you'll pay. Excellent professional service with a beautiful view. I gets why everyone can't stop talking about Canalis. read more

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One star off because of the food. Everything else was super amazing. I really liked the piano and the wonderful staff. The architecture made me feel like I was in a movie. Great view. Nothing much to say about the food that's good. Hmmm.... okay, the rhubarb shrub was sublime. Very nice bread. A few little dishes/bites had quite a bit of thought and effort put into them. I took issue with the sweet/salty when the miso salt was overpowering. The halibut was truly delicious. My dining partner's beef was way too chewey. The little potato bites were delightfully crisp but the too-salty sauce rendered them inedible. And yet, somehow, I shall return! read more

After hearing about Canlis for over 3 years, I finally got the chance to give it a try on my birthday. Being in Seattle where people would show up to a wedding wearing company swag... it's nice to dress up once and seeing others commit to dressing up. (There's no strict dress code, but majority of the men wore a suit) Pros: - gorgeous interior with that iconic Union lake view - the UX of the menu is actually very nice ;) love me some parallel structures - valet parking included with very friendly staff Cons: - it's really unfortunate but I think the food is just alright. My entrée (hen of the woods + oatmeal porridge) in particular was unbearable. The oatmeal porridge tasted like an expired risotto in a blender. I was very disappointed. - service didn't feel super personal. I put this in the cons section, but it didn't bother me too much. I know some people who would care about this, so just putting this here. I didn't have the highest expectations and was hoping this would be a safe, introductory fine dining spot. It wasn't. I'm certain if the locals hyped it up so much, it must've been great in the past. It wasn't my experience, unfortunately. read more

Canlis - Hen of the woods with oatmeal congee :( - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Can I do a review for one of their events? I'm doing it .. NYE Space Prom. Enough said. The vibes were incredible, it's like we were in a space station and taken to another world. The food was fun and on theme, and delicious. Canlis salad on a brioche bun? Let me get a plate of 10. The "meteor shower" truffles were exquisite. The ube ice cream was so so fun! There was a champagne observatory with complementary cigarettes to those who were interested. The staff, decked to the nines in space gear, were having just as much fun as the guests. I'm so glad they were able to repurpose that pizza oven because pizza planet? Feel free to move it to my backyard after. AMAZING pizza. I had the time of my life at this party, it's no wonder it sold out in 2 mins for tickets! It was harder to get tickets to this party than it was to get tickets for T.Swift. You can see more of the decor and things we ate and drank on tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRbgXUDd/ read more

Canlis - Space Prom! - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Amazing service and amazing food! The location is the perfect spot in Seattle and highly recommend getting the steak and potatoes upgrade for the main read more

the building architecture and the ambiance was great. But food here was extremely underwelming. The starter and the desert were fine, but nothing you have not experienced in non-fine dining restaurants. The main course, the "wagyu" denver steak, was terrible honestly, and nothing you would nearly expect in fine dining like this. Denver cut, to begin with is a low budget (read cheap) chewy cut by nature. E.g. not what you would expect in fine dining. Combine that with extreme fat, and we got a cheap overly fatty piece of meat, with galbijjim sauce (really?). Very underwelming and ruined my birthday experience read more

Was very excited to come here and try this revered place! They let you pick three of your 6 course meal and those are the meat entrees and dessert. Honestly, I thought the best items were all the beginning courses. At every fine dining establishment, I feel that you rarely awe at most of the items and I think canlis hit that, but what also disappoints me is that canlis didn't exceed that. The two things that stood out to me were the chawanmushi and a beef dish. The former had so much dashi and you really felt like it was so reduced and it was extremely rich and flavorful and just brought a giant smile to my face. Nothing else in it was special, just that dashi though.... The beef again had a similar theme. You get this piece of steak, and then a side of beef broth. And again, that was amazing, so rich and again reduced. There were some pieces of beef in there but I brushed those aside in favor of just the broth. Everything else at the establishment...was honestly meh. The view though was great, so I'll say that. I think I expected more, but this place is still good, idk if worth the wait times and effort to reserve though. read more

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Let me start off by saying there was nothing wrong with our experience at Canlis! The food was cooked and presented without issue and the service was great. I just don't think it is worth the money you pay for it. Like many others on here, I have been waiting decades to try this place out. I have grown up around the area and everyone always talked about Canlis and how great the service is. I put myself on the waitlist and luckily got invited to come in yesterday. I booked the reservation and decided to go with a friend. Entering was nice, the valets took my car, people were friendly as we walked to our table, and we took a look at the menu. Our server was very helpful in picking out drinks (the wine list is huge) and even helping me select what I want for dinner. I think it was a 7 course meal, and you pick 3 of the items. The food was good, don't get me wrong... but it wasn't amazing; there wasn't a lot that was memorable with the dishes. The best dish was definitely the duck though. My friend and I both stated how we'd never had duck like that before and that we didn't know it could be that good. The coffee and desserts were probably my second favorite. Overall, like I said, the food was good. They definitely have their own signature taste here that probably is less suited to my preference, but it was good. However, I just don't think it justifies the $600+ price for two people. We did order a bottle of wine and 2 drinks so without those it'd probably be around $440 somewhere. I have had many more memorable tastings/meals with comparable service that is just as decent for less than that. During a tasting you want to be amazed, taken on a journey, shown some exciting or fun things. Its an experience... but this was just OK food presented OK. Also, for that price, I'd be expecting to be wowed by everything I ate, but there were a few dishes that i specifically didn't like or just went, "Meh". Honestly, im not sure what the hype is. Is it because of the way everyone speaks about it through the grapevine that makes it so intriguing? Is it because the crowd seemed more traditional and have been coming here for a while? Perhaps they have certain traditions or opinions already made about the place from the past? I'm just not sure honestly... but my friend and I both agreed that we'd most likely not be returning as we didnt feel the need to. Overall, I'd give this place a 6/10 on food and a 6.5/10 on experience. It's overrated in my opinion. Perhaps people who aren't used to eating at nice places and want to treat themselves to what they envisioned a fancy meal to be like would enjoy it. But if you're a foodie, I'm not convinced you'd like this. read more

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Small plates of food with a couple deep fried side dishes to keep you full. Not impressed.

We had an opportunity to celebrate an anniversary recently at Canlis. Our server for the meal was Andrew, who was absolutely amazing. We started our meal with a trio of starters, including shiso wrapped sashimi, egg panna cotta (like a chawanmushi) with geoduck, and a scallop toast. The sashimi was overly seasoned, and felt quite heavy on the salt. The shiso really helped to reduce it, but it was still a bit too much on the salt. The scallop toast was just a touch salty, but it was still quite good with a nice texture almost like a katsu. The chawanmushi was our favorite of the three. It was perfectly seasoned with an amazing chive oil and some geoduck. The next course was a butternut squash foam lying over some prawns. The prawns were nicely cooked, and a pleasant surprise underneath the foam. The butternut squash foam itself was a touch salty and felt a bit overshadowed by a cheese-like flavor. We continued the meal with the famous Canlis salad and a loaf of rye bread. The Canlis salad was solid, with generous portions of toppings including lots of bacon and the perfectly crispy croutons. For our first ordered course, I went with the sablefish and my partner chose the duck. I thought the sablefish was perfectly cooked, very well seasoned, and the flavors worked well together. The duck was perfectly cooked as well, and served with a dashi and duck dumpling. I didn't have the duck dumpling, but she mentioned the dumpling skin (which was formed with noodles), was undercooked while the interior duck filling was over cooked. Our meal continued with our main entrees. I went with the American wagyu and she chose the halibut. I really enjoyed the wagyu, although it felt a touch under-seasoned. They do offer salt flakes for the table, and this was the first time I reached for it. A light sprinkling of salt greatly highlighted the richness of the beef. The wagyu was topped with some pickled onions, which had a pleasant crunch and contrast to the beef. It had a side of an oyster item, which was fairly unique as well. The halibut felt under seasoned and in need of more flavor to the dish. We had a pleasant palate cleanser with a frozen yogurt topped with balsamic reduction and olive oil. I loved this and could have eaten much more. The balsamic reduction and olive oil really elevated the yogurt, and it had a generous sprinkling of salt flakes as well. Lastly we ended our meal with our chosen desserts. I got a mochi topping over a crumbly ginger and sweet potato cookie, while she chose the cheesecake. My favorite dish of the night was the sweet potato dessert, particularly the mochi. It was toasted at the table and had a great texture. The cheesecake was unique in concept but somewhat average with regards to flavor, with a New York cheesecake on the bottom and a Japanese style cheesecake on top. The outer layer is decorated with plums, and it had a syrup on the side. Overall, the meal was good and service was excellent. The seasoning on dishes still seem to be inconsistent across the courses, but there were several memorable items that we enjoyed. read more

View was beautiful. The service was great and the food was very good. Food: Salmon - very good Halibut - delicious Wagyu striploin - not worth the supplement Duck - delicious Canlis salad - decent Bread and butter - delicious Cacao dessert - delicious Rhubarb - ok read more

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Went last night for my wife's birthday, very impressed! This was our third time in 15 years. Go here for the experience not just the food. Impressive wine list. Service was outstanding, well timed and very friendly. It's pricey but we left thinking about the amazing overall experience so I feel it was worth it. Portions are small but comfortable. Dress up for this place. read more

Canlis offers an undeniably beautiful ambiance and world-class views, but unfortunately, the cuisine did not live up to the setting. Several courses were hampered by heavy-handed seasoning; the bread, mashed potatoes, and steak were all excessively salty to the point of being difficult to finish. Additionally, our server didn't inquire about a temperature preference for the steak, which arrived much rarer than the medium-rare we typically enjoy, resulting in a texture that was quite chewy. Given the restaurant's renown, we expected a more refined and balanced flavor profile, but the execution on this visit didn't justify the price point. read more

As my teenage kid aptly observed from seeing the food photos in comparison to the $600 receipt "Ya'll got finessed." Yes, yes we did. To the elder millennials and boomers reading, that means we got scammed, duped, if you will. The food was okay, not as mind blowing as I'd expected if you consider the expensive price. The salad greens were soggy but the bread was good though. The small bites were pretty good. The service inside the restaurant was excellent. The wait staff were kind and thoughtful. The sommelier spent a good amount of time helping us find the best pairings and recommended a great wine. I did not care for the modern piano jazz music. And believe me, I like me some piano jazz. I think it was a bit tacky at times. What ultimately disappointed me and was a cherry on the top of a mediocre experience was that even though we were one of the last customers, the valet didn't have our car ready to go and made us wait. Typically, it's an expectation for all valets to open the lady's door... nope not for me, I guess. We even added an extra tip for our valet because we didn't carry cash to tip with. Overall, the experience was NOT worth the price and highly unlikely that I will return again. read more

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every single dish I had here was amazing! the service also impressive and undoubtedly the stunning view from restaurant, had such a great time here, definitely worth visiting! a must for seattle trip. read more

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Valet parking only. Exquisite view at night and seeing the city lights. Love the live pianist in the background until 10pm. Bathroom is clean and well kept. First fine dining experience and it was very lovely. The non alcohol red drink we got tasted like cherry flavored cough syrup so we didn't finish the drink (lol) Food options were delicious. Our favorite were the 4 samplers, salad, the butternut squash foam with Dungeness crab and surprise pre dessert with calamansi sorbet. Got us full before the last two courses came through. The staff were a little robotic with their interaction and didn't feel genuine losing a star on the review. Took a whole night to warm up them. read more

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