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Seattle, WA

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The Lockspot Cafe

3.3 (456 reviews)
Closed • 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

The Lockspot Cafe Photos

Business Info

THE LOCKSPOT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The Lockspot Cafe

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Leon U.

Went to the locks and was hungry after watching the boats and seals. This was one of the better fish and chips plates that I have had. The crust is crispy and fish not too greasy, was fresh. It needed a bit more salt but it's better to add than to have it over salted. Tartar sauce was very flavorful. Bathrooms are clean. Don't listen to the hater reviews, check this place out!

Outside
Sneha B.

Location is the only advantage to this restaurant. Decor is good and there was crowd, so we decided to try it. The Salmon was overcooked and tacos were tasteless. Servers were busy but taking good care.

Sunday Menü.
Susan C.

Located right next to the Locks in Ballard this cafe has been there for years. Great place to get take out for the Park at the Locks. We ordered the fish and chips to share and the clam chowder. Since there are many fish and chip places to choose from theirs would be rated about an 8 out of 10. Highly recommend for a date at the Locks!

Luke warm bowl of clam chowder and order of $19.00 fish/chips
Russell P.

This restaurant was once a popular place for locals & tourists. It's been under a new ownership for several years. I went specifically today for the clam chowder ($8.50 a bowl) and the cod fish/chips (2 pieces $19.00). Extremely disappointed with the luke warm "waterery" chowder. I was anticipating a nice thick creamy chowder. Nope! The fish/chips were lacking flavor and also lukewarm. An unexpected batter on the fish. Fries were almost cold. Very disappointed. I was there at 12:30 in the afternoon. The staff seem lackluster and no one is assigned to host/seat customers as they arrive at the wait to be seated sign. My food was brought to me by some casually dressed woman from the kitchen. My waitress never appeared again after taking my order. Would not return.

Leonard Jack ..

To begin with, great location if spending time at the Ballard locks, or golden gardens park. The long time staple was everything I expected. The building seemed much older and slightly outdated decor, which I wouldn't change! It adds to the dining experience, The menu gave all the expected breakfast choices and some unique options. I had the French toast, which was incredible and cooked exactly how I asked. I also ordered the smoked salmon omelette which might have been one of the best omelettes I've eaten. Place was good enough to bring me back same day for a burger at dinner time. Prices are very reasonable as well,

Dining room
Jacque C.

Looking for some comfort food that would break the budget, Hubby and I decided to swing by the Lockspot one evening. We hadn't been in for years and not since the new owners took over. It reminded me of why this place has endured for decades and become a Ballard icon. The new owners, whom were among the very first to provide box Mel's and food to feed restaurant workers for free during the COVID pandemic, haven't changed the place a bit. You instantly feel comfortable. Service is warm, friendly and welcoming. It's the kind of place where one feels like they can turn to the fellow diners at the next table and start a conversation. The food was great. Hubby had the fish platter, with a breading that was light but added just the right touch of flavor and didn't overwhelm the fish. I had the chicken friend steak with sausage gravy--a cardiac special for sure which is probably not going to be featured on the cover of Food & Wine, but was tender, delicious and satisfying. We grabbed a couple of slices of the freshly made carrot cake to go. The bar area was full of people who were relaxed and it looks like a great place to chill and have a beer or a cocktail. Suffice it to say, we'll be back.

Fish & Chips from the senior menu Fish Sandwich
Kay Y.

First time in this restaurant after visiting the Ballard Locks with my elderly mother. We enjoyed the relaxed and friendly vibes, the restaurant having a Senior Menu catering to folks like my mom who was apprehensive on ordering an entree due to the usual large size, the attentive but not overbearing service, and the delicious food. My mom had fish and chips from the senior menu and a cup of salmon chowder while I had the fish sandwich.

Fish & Chips
Sofie D.

To start, this place is vibey and dark and if you're visiting the locks nearby, it's perfect. The ginger beer drinks are well-made and well-priced. The staff are super nice and attentive. The fish and chips were fantastic, seasoned perfectly, the homemade tartar sauce was standard, and the fries were tasty. However, you don't get a whole lot for the price. I was disappointed in my portion size compared to my wife, who got the fried prawn basket. The prawns were near-tasteless and hardly salted at all, however the cocktail sauce accompanying them was delicious and her portion of fries was much greater than mine. Varying quality and portion sizes for a big price, but the fries and drinks are good. I'd come here again at our next visit to the locks, but I wouldn't get the prawns.

Fish Sandwich with onion rings

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11 months ago

They make you feel at home with in minutes of walking in I knew I had found my place!

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1 year ago

POC/woman owned, there is both a sit down and walk up option and the fish, clams and chowder are always excellent choices.

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2 years ago

Great food served very cordially, at a reasonable price. Service is usually pretty punctual and friendly too.

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2 years ago

The senior menu is perfect for us. Food is delicious and prices are senior friendly. Wish more items were offered on senior menu.

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Page 2 of 12

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Ray's Boathouse - Ahi Tuna Tartare - 10/10, a must order salsa macha, avocado, pickled jalapeño, cilantro, chips

Ray's Boathouse

3.9(1.4k reviews)
0.7 mi•Sunset Hill, Ballard
•$$$

The food was great, but our server (Frankie) made this the best possible night. Will be back just…read morebecause of her!!

Frankie deserves more than five stars!…read more We had dinner at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle last night, and I have to give a huge shout-out to our server, Frankie. She was truly the best server I have ever had while dining out, and that is saying a lot! From the moment she took care of us, Frankie went above and beyond. She was incredibly kind, attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and happy to answer every question we had. Her attention to detail was outstanding, and she genuinely seemed to care about making sure we had the best possible dining experience. What impressed me even more was overhearing her at the table next to us. She actually asked the diners if there was anything she could do to make their experience even better--as if the level of service she was already providing wasn't exceptional enough! That told me this wasn't just special treatment for our table. This is simply the kind of server Frankie is. Her wonderful attitude, professionalism, warmth, and genuine desire to take care of her guests made our evening that much more memorable. Ray's Boathouse, you have an absolute gem in Frankie! This outstanding young woman deserves all the recognition you can give her. Give that girl some praise--and a raise wouldn't hurt either! Thank you, Frankie, for taking such wonderful care of us and for making our dinner such a fantastic experience. You are exceptional at what you do, and it shows!

Photos
Ray's Boathouse - Interior view to my right (12/17/23)

Interior view to my right (12/17/23)

Ray's Boathouse - Ancho Crusted Albacore

Ancho Crusted Albacore

Ray's Boathouse - PNW Halibut

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PNW Halibut

Local Tide - Dover and Fries ig @snapped.by.neel

Local Tide

4.6(532 reviews)
2.2 mi•Fremont
•$$

My first taste of Local Tide was ordering their popular Lobster Roll to go several years ago…read more Unfortunately, I have no photos as I consumed it so fast! Today, I am still a fan of Local Tide's food. I love their collaboration with their next door neighbor Aslan Brewing, which have become a favorite after work hangout lately with co-workers for happy hour. You can order food from Local Tide directly at Aslan and they will bring your food to you. Don't miss getting the shareable Chips with Salmon Belly Dip. That is sooo good and you might have to order 2 or 3 plates. It goes fast because you can't just eat a few, lol. The Salmon Sando and Salmon Teriyaki bowl is of course really good, too. But the surprise for me was their super good Smash Burger that is perfect with their home style fries. Both Local Tide and Aslan are two stellar businesses in Fremont. You can't go wrong patronizing either business. Support both!!! It is worth your time and money!

Local Tide was such a lovely find! From the food to the service, everything about our experience…read moremade us want to come back before we'd even finished eating. We loved everything we tried, but the shrimp toast was an absolute standout! I don't think I've ever had shrimp served in this format that was so plump and juicy. The accompaniments elevated every bite, adding even more flavor, but even without them, the shrimp toast was incredible on its own. The shrimp really speaks for itself! The rockfish bowl was another favorite. The fish is prepared like a patty and is SO flavorful. Paired with the bright, fresh slaw and soft, warm rice, it makes for the most incredible bite. Every component complements the others beautifully. We also tried the salmon belly dip, and the textures were fantastic. The chips taste homemade and are perfectly thin and crispy, providing the ideal contrast to the rich, creamy dip. The best part is getting a nice chunk of salmon in your scoop! The staff deserves just as much praise as the food. Everyone was incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and welcoming, and their recommendations were spot-on. You can tell when people genuinely know the menu and want you to have a great experience, and that made our visit even more special. The space is small and intimate, with a friendly, inviting atmosphere. When we visited, it wasn't very busy, but I could see seating becoming a challenge during peak hours, especially since I didn't notice any outdoor seating. Parking is also something to consider, as the area seems to rely primarily on street parking. I'd recommend giving yourself extra time to find a spot during busier periods. I'm still giving Local Tide five stars because our experience was phenomenal. Those potential logistical challenges didn't affect our visit, and I wouldn't want to take away from an experience that was genuinely wonderful. The food was delicious, the service was exceptional, and we left already planning our next visit. There are still so many things on the menu we want to try, which is always a good sign! Local Tide has officially made our list of Seattle spots to revisit. If you're a seafood lover looking for thoughtfully prepared food and genuinely welcoming service, this place is absolutely worth checking out!

Photos
Local Tide - Inside

Inside

Local Tide - Fried Fish Sandwich

Fried Fish Sandwich

Local Tide - Smash Burger

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Smash Burger

Palisade - Our new City View Brunch

Palisade

3.9(2.1k reviews)
2.6 mi•Magnolia
•$$$

On Wednesday evening, we visited Palisades in the Magnolia District on Marina Place, just off…read moreElliott Bay. The restaurant offers sweeping views of downtown Seattle, Elliott Bay, West Seattle, and, on clear days, Mount Rainier. A stones toss from the Marina, you'll find Pier 91 which serves as home port for Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages. Palisades is spacious, with a bar and lounge area, a visible kitchen, and an active indoor pond and high-end coastal decor. The restaurant also offers outdoor seating and a private dining room for events. A ramp provides accessible access to the restaurants main entrance. But, they really need to work on upgrading their health rating from good to excellent (a rating they've maintained in the past)! My wife and I have visited this restaurant on several occasions; however, this is the second review that I've done since participating with Yelp. This time around we are having drinks in the bar/lounge while waiting for another couple to arrive before dining in the main room. To past the time we ordered a couple Ahi Nachos appetizers and glasses of Sauvignon Blanc and smoked Old Fashion. Our dining partners arrived and we were seated in the main dining space with a nice view of Elliott Bay though it was overcast late afternoon. Our server Brian was great; attentive, welcoming and offering great suggestions! We began dinner ordering the Dungeness Crab + Avocado Roll and Calamari as appetizers, both were delicious. Two in the dinner party ordered the Herb Crusted Slow Roasted Prime Rib (they loved it). My wife ordered the DUNGENESS CRAB + SHRIMP FETTUCCINI which received a thumbs up and I selected the SEAFOOD TRIO which included Dungeness crabcake, salmon, shrimp with Yukon mashed potatoes seasonal vegetable and beurre blanc. My only complaint regarding this dish was the portion size of the salmon fillet (way too small). I did choose to elevate this entree by adding a 5oz lobster tail and additional grilled shrimp. Both were great! Regarding the salmon, I suggest that the kitchen reevaluate the size of the salmon fillet for this dish. As we were celebrating a birthday we ordered a couple desserts (Key Lime Pie, New York Style Cheesecake, and Butterscotch Bread Pudding) to go, and the birthday Red Velvet Cake that was devoured on site!

My husband and I decided to enjoy coffee and desserts at Palisade while enjoying the view of the…read moresolar eclipse. Service was exceptional, the live musician added for a nice background. It's hard finding places in the area that have operating hours that can accommodate when we have children and when we're seeking later evening time frames for just us. I will return and highly recommend!

Photos
Palisade
Palisade
Palisade

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Chinook's - Blackened Rockfish Tacos

Chinook's

3.9(1.1k reviews)
1.1 mi•Interbay
•$$$

My husband and I love Chinooks, and have been going here for more than 20 years…read more However, I have to preface this review with the fact that it has gotten quite expensive. It always was a bit on the upper end as far as prices go, however, it's so high now that we very rarely go anymore. Because most of the entrées are $30 or higher. So it's hard to get out of there for under $100, dinner for two. Even the "blue plate special", which used to be more affordable -and the name of which implies that it should be a good value, is more than $20 now. I don't remember how much exactly. I think it was $23 last time we were there. Their fisherman's bread, that they bring ahead of your order, is always scrumptious. And I do appreciate that there isn't a separate charge for that, because these days there are plenty of places that do charge for a bread plate. I'm always happy if I have a couple extra pieces to bring home; it goes great with scrambled eggs in the morning! So having mentioned the prices, they do have a happy hour, although the food menu is quite limited. But they have the BEST white clam chowder on the planet, and their Caesar salad is also excellent, and you can get both of those at happy hour. (Yay!) By the way, you don't have to order an alcoholic drink to sit in the bar area and have something during happy hour. Just FYI. If you do go for dinner and sit in the large restaurant area, they have a choice of seating between tables with wood chairs that have arms that go 3/4 around to your right and left (important for those of us who are plus sized - not so comfy), or your basic booths. And of course, who wouldn't love the big windows that look out at the marina and all the boats?! The specialty here, of course, is seafood, and they certainly know what they're doing. I've had salmon, halibut, catfish, bay scallops -(something I truly wish they would do more), shrimp/prawns... all excellent! And while I wish they would vary their dessert menu a bit, as it hasn't changed in all these years for the most part, the desserts are yummy and consistent. Personally, I love both the crème brûlée and the Irish cream chocolate mousse. They do also have a seasonal fruit "cobbler"; it has another name, but I forget. They make it with peaches and other seasonal fruit. It is HUGE! So either get it for your entrée or plan to share it with someone. With that in mind, if anyone at the restaurant is reading this, I would like to suggest a classic apple crisp. Now there's something that most people love, and it can be made year round, yet it's amazing how rarely you see it at any restaurant. Honestly, if we could afford it, we would go here probably twice a month. These days, we're lucky if we can do it twice a year!! And again, FYI, there is a large parking lot, but at peak times it can be full enough that you might have to walk the length of an average block to get to the entrance. It is wheelchair accessible by the way. Before I forget, I have to give a shout out to the staff, which is always very friendly and efficient. The wait staff in particular, is noteworthy! So this place is highly recommended...especially if you can afford it! Sorry, no photos at this time. I'll add some next time we go.

Chinooks won't blow you away. Their food is very average, especially for their prices. I've been…read morehere many times and I've never once left thinking that I couldn't do better in my own kitchen. It's like an old school family-style diner with a view and prices that reflect the location, not the menu. I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the place, it's not outright disappointing, but it's clear that they bank on their nostalgia rather than the inventiveness of their cuisine, which is a shame because they should be competing on the same level as Ray's or Palisade rather than Red Lobster. Service is never an issue, neither is finding a seat, even on the weekend.

Photos
Chinook's
Chinook's - My friend's Halibut Fish and chips with side of asparagus

My friend's Halibut Fish and chips with side of asparagus

Chinook's - Manhattan clam chowder for the win!

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Manhattan clam chowder for the win!

Duke's Seafood - Devine dessert

Duke's Seafood

4.0(1.5k reviews)
4.0 mi•South Lake Union, Eastlake
•$$

We had a really good meal at Duke's on South Lake Union. We got the crab cake burger, salmon bites,…read morechowder and some cocktails, but the coconut shrimp was definitely the highlight for me. Everything was really good and there was a nice variety of things to order. We sat outside on the dock and the seating was probably my favorite part of the whole experience. Being right on the water with the boats and Lake Union around you made it such a fun Seattle dining experience. The staff was nice and the service was good too. Definitely recommend sitting outside if the weather is nice because the view really makes it worth it.

Came at 430 on a Wednesday and didn't have reservations. They were busy, but able to seat us (party…read moreof 5) within 5 minutes. They told us they had a party coming in at 6 so we needed to leave by then. No one kicked us out, but we left on our own at 10 after 6. Unless they were using the middle area our table was in for the large party, they were seating people around us at smaller tables. Overall service was pretty quick. Server was pleasant and attentive. We had to ask for the happy hour menu in the dining area. Server didn't automatically offer it so was a little surprised. I don't think they have a bar so how else are you supposed get happy hour prices?! Got the house white wine and the chicken tenders. The chicken came with a side of ranch and mustard as sauces as well as some coleslaw. It's a fish place so can't be that upset on chicken taste, but some bites were on the meatier end than others, which weren't ideal. Based on that alone not impressed. Can't speak to anything else unfortunately. Varied menu (though pricey). Self pay parking lot.

Photos
Duke's Seafood - Bar with a large assortment of drinks

Bar with a large assortment of drinks

Duke's Seafood - Crab cake

Crab cake

Duke's Seafood - Bloody Mary

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Bloody Mary

The Lockspot Cafe - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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