Great service, food and learned more about Chartreuse than I ever have in life! Definitely a win!

Sister restaurant to Le Coin in Fremont, did not meet expectations. This is my second time at The Garrison. First was six weeks ago to celebrate my wife's birthday, we had a bottle of white wine and dozen oysters to begin with while we were waiting for my son to join us. Wine was crisp and delicious and the oysters spectacular! But had to leave since we were told no minors were allowed. So, decided to try it one more time just the wife and I. Order the seared albacore tuna, and the crispy Brussels sprouts. The tuna was average but the Brussels sprouts were amazing, we even order some to take out for our son to try. Also had the chocolate and candied orange bread pudding and it was so-so. Overall, this is a hit and miss place when it comes to the food, service is great, ok ambiance, and variety of food is decent. But it is inconsistent on the experience of the dishes. I guess they are trying to figure out their cuisine and staple dishes. If you are looking for a great culinary experience and time, look somewhere else. read more

We just tried this new gem last night, and what a terrific new neighborhood spot! The service was phenomenal--our waitress educated us on chartreuse (the house spirit) and we left with a new love of the drink. The oysters were solid--nothing special but very decent. They have a supplier from hood canal so there is no variation but I found them delicious. The presentation of the food stands out. We were eating the food while raving about how beautiful it was. Of note: the clams (broth is to die for) and the hush-puppies served with the fish (fish is a bit dry). If you are a foodie, the garrison won't disappoint! Sit outside and enjoy the people-watching in Ballard. read more

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Newish place - great ambiance! Love the bar area. Staff was super friendly and attentive. Happy Hour is a must! Cocktails were great, good wine list, and food was very tasty. Great local seafood, ingredients and flavors. Can't wait to go back! read more

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I've recently located to Seattle and have struggled to find a "wow" dining experience and thought this would be one of them. I regret to say, it was anemic. The atmosphere is gorgeous, staff attentive though not terribly engaging. It felt more transactional than hospitable. Food had elements of brilliance but lacked technical execution. I started with oysters and champagne. The oysters were in a spawning state. Though fresh, they're surrounded by reproductive ick, and it's not as pleasant an experience as the plump, clean oyster we are accustomed to. My second course was an amazing heirloom tomato salad that took my breath away. It was filled with tomatoes but skimpy on compressed melon, a highlighted ingredient (one piece). My last course was sablefish. The truffle celery puree and greens were the star but the croquettes were half empty. The worst was the execution of the fish. The skin was soggy, watery and flesh disintegrated against the puree. Texturally and visually it was so off putting I couldn't finish. I shared this feedback with the bartender who seemed disinterested said they'd share with the chef. I then heard them scraping the plate off at the kitchen's entrance. So, who knows. I doubt I'll return. For myself, half a dozen spawning oysters, a tomato salad, soggy fish and two glasses of wine at $140 dollars...I don't see myself returning. read more

Came here for a little weekend brunch action and it was delightful! While it was an excellent service like dinner/hh at brunch I still thought it was very expensive for the amount of food you get and their brunch cocktail fares are still pretty pricey (although not as expensive as dinner time). I still think it's worth while checking out and I'd be back to try their other brunch items. I'd like to also try happy hour which looks great! read more

This is my first review ever and I feel somewhat bad that it's a negative one. However, I must be honest and I wish I would have seen a review like this before deciding to eat here. First off, ambiance is very nice. It's a very comfortable space. The service was pretty good too. Our waiter was a gentleman and took good care of us. The food however, was not very desirable. Especially for the price. The first dishes to hit our table were the Crab Puff Pastry, Caviar, Brussel Sprouts, and Bread. The Crab meat was incredibly hard to enjoy. Not fresh at all, and not very exciting flavors in general. It was a mediocre puff pastry with a very acidic dressed frisse salad and some pickles. I can't emphasize enough how off putting the crab meat was. A huge disappointment considering we are in the PNW. Reminded me of the smell of the treats I give my cat. The caviar dish was ok. I think I would have preferred a normal deviled egg with caviar on it because the pâte à choux was dense and not that good. Caviar did not stand out and was overpowered by all the other flavors on the dish. Why call it the "Caviar" on the menu? It just did not pop and did not feel like a caviar dish. More like an egg dish with a minuscule amount of caviar to accompany it. The Brussel sprouts may have been the best dish of the evening, but even they were a bit boring and generic. Topped with the same frisse salad that was basically on everything. Even the bread was a let down. I'm assuming they don't make it in house, and if they are getting it from a local bakery, at least find something nice. Like, who approved of this? The candied orange butter was ok. Once again not very exciting, unless you are an old person who enjoys orange marmalade on toast. For the entrées we got the Ravioli and theWagyu Steak. The Ravioli was undercooked and very dense. Not sure if they make them in house, but just as well could have came frozen off a Sysco truck. No way of telling really. Very lackluster. The sauce was a saline thickened mushroom broth, I think. It was garnished with, you guessed, frisse! It was a huge letdown. The steak was also a let down. We asked for a mid rare, but what we got was a hard sear and bruised steak with a raw interior. Also, it tasted a bit oxidized and was overly seasoned. I mean, this is Wagyu Beef. Who trained these cooks? Completely destroyed such a fine product. The potato pure on the plate was ok, but the only sauce to cut it with was some kind of balsamic reduction that tastes like Safeway Select brand. This dinner with a glass of champagne and one N/A beverage came out to be over $200. I was ashamed I spent this money and was hoping for a delicious New Year's meal, but instead got a lackluster meat and potatoes dinner with seafood that was no where near fresh. The Chartreuse soft serve ice cream sounded interesting for dessert, but we went to Salt & Straw instead. Didn't want to risk another expensive let down. read more

Greeter was kind, beautiful restaurant and bar. Shockingly terrible bartender. Ordered a dry martini, was served it in a warm glass. Empty bar, drunk as a skunk man sits next to be at the bar VISIBLY DRUNK AND INTOXICATED gets served a beer continually tries to speak to me with inappropriate questions, I politely answer and say to him have a good day and he begins to get angry and aggressive. Enough time for a bartender to interject or stay by. Duty of care even in its subtle of ways is needed as a professional bartender at an expensive establishment. It took me calmly telling the bartender to please check me out and then he leaves inexplicably I am starting to be harassed bc I don't want to talk with this clearly drunk man. He began to chastise me in front of the bartender (Asian man with faux hawk type hair cut). I left, drunk guy stayed. I will never enter this establishment again I payed 15 buck just to be harassed and have a bartender look like a deer in the headlights with two customers. Thank God nothing happened, no thanks to this bartender and establishment. read more

Best seafood value in Seattle! Amazing happy hour and excellent cocktails. The the service is phenomenal

Wow! Super impressed by The Garrison. Amazing happy hour spot (1/2 dozen oysters for $12 bucks, Crab & Fennel Dip $13, and Caviar $15). The warm crab dip was absolutely amazing on a chilly, rainy Seattle day. Oysters for $2 are an absolute steal. Great service as well. Can't wait to come back! read more

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One of the most amazing food experiences we had, highly recommend this restaurant! Their HH is great and we had great service.

Amazing space deceiving from the outside. Food was delicious service excellent. Had a wonderful night with friends. Will be back.

Was our anniversary. We sat outside on a warm evening. Was lovely. Service was good. In general the food was okay. Nothing to write home about. Certainly not worth the cost. But the oysters. Hmmmm... where to begin. Lemme start with "We should have sent them back." They were full of "cream" (read "gonads). This is our neighborhood and we are not new to oysters. Really not new. They were an embarrassment to the restaurant and to me in that I did not man up and send them back. We in fact ate them. (No sickness, etc.) if you want to pay too much for a mediocre meal and like crappy shellfish served in the overpriced food scene that is now Seattle, than the Garrison is for you! read more

Fabulous brunch!!! Freshest and most delicious Eggs Benedict. Rockfish sandwich and greens salads were outta sight! Service was amazing! Highly recommend. read more

The food was delicious! We were lucky enough to come on their fried chicken Thursday! The chicken was fantastic, my favorite kind of crispy!! And the sides were equally delicious!! We were fighting over the last bite of mashed potatoes and the last roasted carrot! The service was very good, I wish he would have told us how long the chicken was taking! The only complaint, and it's understandable, was that it was very cold! I didn't see anyone who had taken off their coats!! But if you want delicious food, here's the place!! read more

Had a Father's Day brunch, which was wonderful. Everything was exceptionally presented and delicious: eggs benedict, breakfast sandwich. Banana Bread was unbelievably good. Service was first class, and the back room has a very nice feel to it. read more

The food is fantastic - we ordered the Brussels sprouts, sablefish, and caviar which was phenomenal. We also got the crab pastry which I wasn't a fan of because the crab tasted a bit dry. My four stars are all based on how delicious the food was because the service was disappointing. We asked the waitress for guidance on how many dishes to order but she didn't answer us. It took awhile to order and waited 30 mins after ordering for food to come out. We were also annoyed when all 4 things came out together. She rarely checked in and there weren't refills on water. We would come back again because the food was so good but just wish the service was better. read more

I contacted the restaurant about my recent visit. They were quick to once I gave them further information to my not another word from them very disappointed. You would think for the price that you pay that when you order a sirloin, it would not be full of fat gristle that it would least be edible, but that was not my experience. read more

Warm bartender and very nice wait staff with the knowledge of all services. A very friendly environment; I will go back

Great food, drinks and service! The interior and vibe is great as well. Highly recommend! read more

The Garrison - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great place and food and service and even the music was very good. We are also glad that they are open late.

All I'm going to say!!!! "If you are familiar with the pallet requirements for introducing a menu item to some Michelin star judges like I am, you need to come here and get the caviar menu item." AND IT'S ON THE HAPPY HOUR MENU for $15. This item is gluten free too! Yes that's a gluten free doughnut. read more

The Garrison - Caviar. There 4 normally I couldn't help but eat two of them before taking the picture. - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Staff was delightful, the bar was intimate, and the food was delicious. We had a great dinner and I'm looking forward to next time!

Great service, great champagne, and great food. Stopped by for some champagne and oysters and loved everything about this place. Perfect ambiance and decorations for this type of place. Excited to come back again soon! read more

Solid spot in Ballard. Date night, apps and main courses for us were all great. Timing of service and ambiance were excellent. Solid cocktails, just pricey (like every spot in Seattle). read more

The food was extremely sub par but the bartender earned a star. The oysters were overly slimy, cocktail sauce was more like ketchup, no horseradish in the establishment which is odd to not have as an option with your oysters. The chowder is not a NW chowder, it was super soupy. The crab dip was overwhelmed by the frisée and the flavor was more akin to a low quality tuna salad. And, what's worse is our stomachs are doing somersaults. Do not recommend!!! read more

Went for brunch today, and it was so good!!! The banana bread is a must get. I had the classic breakfast, and my friends had the rockfish sandwich and breakfast sandwich. All were perfect. read more

Fantastic cozy restaurant with a relaxed chill vibe. Creative cocktails with an interestingly curated wine list. Seafood focused with great oysters and clams! Loved the smoked salmon and the roasted carrot dishes. Black pepper ice cream with chartreuse was very creative but heavy on the chartreuse. Wife loved the pear/brie dessert! Enjoyed sharing our dinner with co-owner (unexpectedly) Jordan and looking forward to having dinner at their other restaurant. Highly recommend but def need reservations. read more

Serice was excellent. I feel bad for the staff that has to serve such tasteless and over priced food. Btw, your wine by the glass sucks. Poor options and old. Red wine was likely old since so few order it. Oysters were fi e, but that is because the cooks didnt touch it. Shrimp was terrible. Clams tasteless. Its like my 14 old mixed some nice sounding ingredients together and hoped for the best. Stay away. read more

Brendan and Annie rock! Excellent must hit happy hour... the smoked salmon toast was excellent, as was the HH Negroni read more

The Garrison - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We went for happy hour because we can get wonderful champagne and great food to share. Malea treated us beautifully after our food was delayed. She is an outstanding bartender and server and we were happy just because we came in! read more

Thrilled to have more access to oysters, a wonderful experience with a fantastic happy hour. Amanda and Brendan far surpassed our service expectations and Amanda's recommandations hit the spot for our lunch. Without a doubt, we will be back soon. read more

Newly redone dining room in the back - beautiful. Had a delicious crab benedict and banana bread for brunch. Good happy hour here.

Service is great and the ambiance is hipster meets speakeasy IMO. Oysters and clams are solid thanks to Kevin and they are continuing to make some cool updates in the space - like a chef's deli counter. Parking is definitely it or miss, but I would go back! read more

Spectacular food and staff! My heart broke when we lost The Albatross, but The Garrison carries on the artistic cocktail spirit and introduces thoughtful and soul warming dishes. Great happy hour and thrilled to have this spot as a new go-to! read more

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Probably the best happy hour of my life! Amazing oysters sourced locally daily, an heirloom marinated melon summer salad and the house martini! Cute, classy place with the nicest people. Hap, hap, happy hour! read more

Let me preface this with I rarely write reviews We are longtime residents of Ballard/Magnolia (since 2000( so have seen a lot of restaurants come and go. The Garrison was on our list of places to try and the menu was delicious We experienced high level service from Adam our server. He recommended delicious wine, bringing us a tasting before we committed to ordering the full bottle. Oysters were amazing, along with the steak and the accompanying dishes. What was most annoying was the bartender with the man bun who never stopped talking to his "friend" at the bar.. and when my boyfriend's Manhattan came straight up instead of on the rocks, we heard him blame our server for "not putting it correctly on the ticket." Man bun bartender was rude, condescending and needs a check. We spent $350 and when we walked in and out he didn't say a thing. If he is going to be your first and last impression.. you beed to do better. read more

The food was superb. The happy hour menu was ecquisite and the service was excellent. I was thinking about my return visit soon after getting perfect oysters and the long island clinched it. Two words. Return visit!!! read more

Visited for Happy Hour, the drinks were excellent, the food was excellent, the service was outstanding. Brendan and Adam were both fun, engaging, and deserve a raise - whatever they are getting - pay them more. Would visit this tiny little bar/restaurant again in a heartbeat. read more

The Garrison is the best new restaurant in Seattle! We had champagne, oysters, a winter vegetable salad, and the wagyu steak with potato gratin. Everything was perfect, the champagne list is carefully curated, the wines we had in were incredible, reasonably priced, fresh (they use a fancy CO2 bottle holder to make sure every glass comes out like a fresh bottle's pour), the oysters were the best oysters we've had in Seattle (they are locally sourced), the salad was perfectly balanced between healthy and tasty, and the waygu steak was cooked perfectly (MR) and seasoned to perfection. As good as the food was, the people (Brendan and Adam) there made the experience welcoming, fun, and entertaining! This is our favorite new spot, we will be back often! read more