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The Lockspot Cafe

3.3 (445 reviews)
Open • 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

The Lockspot Cafe Photos

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THE LOCKSPOT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - The Lockspot Cafe

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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.

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!

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 The building seemed much older and slightly outdated decor, which I wouldn't change!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 Sandwich with onion rings
Sabrina T.

This spot is right in front of the Ballard Locks, so it's great for a little snack/lunch. My wife and I ordered the fish sandwich with onion rings and the "famous" fish and chips. Everything was good but just good. It lacked flavor really. Everything came out perfectly fried and fresh, service was quick and kind. It just wasn't anything special to rave about it. Overall a great location and maybe some other options are better but for me it was pretty average, but happy to support a black owned and woman owned business!

Salmon chowder bowl with Caesar salad combo
Jun Li Z.

Food I ordered the salmon chowder on a wintry cold day in Seattle. This was amazing and I definitely was expecting chunks of salmon but barely got any pieces of it which was disappointing (hence the two stars, this for $16 was a tad bit high). I was craving more salmon meat than cream but nevertheless it was delicious! Service Attentive and friendly! Ambiance TV, bar, well-lit with windows I'd come here again to try their other dishes! Fast service!

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.

Valerie W.

I love me an old school divey spot and Lockspot Cafe is a fun place right next door to the Ballard Locks. I hadn't been here before but can appreciate there is a "eat-in" restaurant & bar in addition to an order window for food/coffee/beer. Inside is dark and divey...love it. Staff are generally friendly. I'll definitely return to try some other menu items and perhaps a drink at the bar...where I failed was getting a to-go order as I don't live terribly far away. My order of fish and chips, a beer, water...$30 Ooooff. The fish itself was decent; I really enjoyed the panko breading and homemade tarter. One piece was great and one was chewy however. I also don't think the meal warrants the $17 price tag, even though I understand prices are high in general right now. Fries were soggy by time I got home after my 10 minute walk. Sad.

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3 years ago

The sign says their food slaps and sure as sh*t, it does. The Salmon Chowder filled the void on this balmy 63° day.

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

I was shocked how bland the fish sandwich was. Zero seasoning and flavor. Save your money and go to Red Mill!

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4 years ago

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Alison S.

Thanks Dana! We appreciate the love and you seeing us for who we are!

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Thanks Leslie! We appreciate you!

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Thanks Melissa! We appreciate the love!

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Ray's Boathouse - Ancho Crusted Albacore

Ray's Boathouse

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

We ordered bread to start ($8). The butter was hard, and since the bread itself wasn't warm, it…read moremade spreading nearly impossible - a small detail that set a slightly off tone at the beginning. For mains, we ordered the ribeye and the grilled sablefish. The sablefish was delicious and a nice change from more standard fish dishes I've had before. The puree it came with was good, but the dish, I thought could've been served warmer. The ribeye had a weak sear and chewy, unrendered fat making it tough and difficult to slice, and the cut itself was uneven with one end thicker than the other. The sauce ended up being overpowering rather than enhancing the dish. On a positive note, the service was thoughtful, and the view is absolutely stunning. In the end, I'd come back for the ambiance and maybe another seafood dish, but skip the steak next time.

Ray's is a decent choice for seafood, but without the views, this would be a 3-star. The restaurant…read morehas amazing views and is right on the water. We were sat right at the window, and even post sunset it is a nice ambiance. The restaurant was not overly crowded and we didn't have to wait long with our reservation. I do recommend getting a reservation though. The staff was friendly, helpful and on top of things. The food was good, but was pricey. We got the mushroom risotto and added scallops to it. To add 2 scallops was +$26 which is steep even for Seattle. The scallops were cooked really well, but I would still say the price tag wasn't justified. We also also had the Wild Alaskan King Salmon and the Sablefish in Sake Kasu . The salmon was okay, but nothing noteworthy. The sablefish was delicious, and I would definitely recommend. If you are looking for a special meal - anniversary, birthday, etc. - and want great views of the water then I think Ray's is a good choice. While the food is pricey, there are some solid options on the menu. But if you are just looking for some great seafood, there are better tasting and better priced places around Seattle that would be better suited.

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

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

Ray's Boathouse - PNW Halibut

PNW Halibut

Ray's Boathouse - Dungeness Crab Cakes

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RockCreek Seafood & Spirits

RockCreek Seafood & Spirits

4.4(1.4k reviews)
2.2 mi•Fremont
•$$$
Locally owned & operated
Free WiFi

The night before, I'd had oysters at an overly performative but insanely beautiful bar on 12th Ave…read more(iykyk) and they left a lot to be desired. So when I woke up still craving shellfish, RockCreek was the call. It was the right one. A dozen oysters to start: Kumamoto and Shigoku. Clean -- no grit, no sand. Whatever they're doing back there, it's working. The brine was full and present in every shell, and the mignonette hit that rare sweet spot of light but actually seasoned. The Winter Old Fashioned? Get it. It was so delicious. Then came the crab Benedict. The side salad alone was worth writing home about -- big, buttery, peppery leaves draped in one of those feather-light vinaigrettes that sounds simple until you try to replicate it at home and realize you can't. But the real star of the entire plate was the potatoes. Crispy outside, genuinely fluffy inside, seasoned with conviction. A masterpiece is not too strong a word. Closed with a glass of pink wine. Was eyeing the bottle with the piglet on the label, but it was bottle-only -- a distinction I find increasingly arbitrary as a former server and bartender. One day that policy will be a relic. Not yet, apparently. Best brunch I've had in Seattle in two years. Highly recommend.

Came in for happy hour on a quiet Tuesday night and had a great experience, as usual. Rock Creek…read morecontinues to deliver bright, flavorful food. We ordered some of our go-tos -- hamachi crudo, tuna tartare, and calamari -- and everything was spot on. The vinegar dill fries are exceptional: thin, super crispy, and loaded with seasoning (honestly hard to stop eating). We also tried the loaded fish sandwich and the cornmeal-battered lingcod -- both solid choices. Spicy margarita lived up to its name with a nice kick. It was pretty dead when we arrived around 5pm, with only one other larger table seated, which made for a relaxed, easygoing happy hour. Always a dependable spot when you're craving seafood done right.

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RockCreek Seafood & Spirits
RockCreek Seafood & Spirits
RockCreek Seafood & Spirits - Chef Eric

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Chef Eric

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

Local Tide

4.6(502 reviews)
2.2 mi•Fremont
•$$

I came here with a friend today around 2pm! There was a line to order but we didn't mind waiting,…read moreSunday afternoon on a sunny day so we expected it! I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and I am so glad I finally did! We ordered a few things to share and every single dish was delicious! Shrimp toast: this was a great appetizer to share! Very crispy and the sauces on the side gave it a more complex flavor! It came with a sweet mayo and chili sauce. The chili sauce is definitely spicy if you can't handle spice so beware on how much you're using if that's the case. I also really enjoyed the slaw that came with it, it was very refreshing and it had a bit of sweet mayo flavor to it, I think it's the same as the dipping sauce but I could be wrong! Fried oysters: these were delicious! I think fried oysters can be a hit or miss for me, sometimes the interior can feel too dry and feel kinda of mushy-like, like I'm eating bread rather than seafood. But this had great texture on the inside while being crispy on the outside! The sauce on the side tasted like a pepper aioli which gave the oyster a nice tang *the fried dishes were great but after having a few, it definitely felt heavy, so this would be something I share with someone else vs eating it on my own Smoked salmon belly dip: I really enjoyed this! It was creamy and had chunks of salmon in it. It wasn't too dense or thick so it was perfect for scooping onto the kettle chips. The kettle chips were lightly salted so it was the perfect combo with the dip. Clam chowder: wow I absolutely loved this! This is different than any other chowder I've had. While I love a white creamy chowder from your typical seafood places, the base being a fish stock definitely brought out the seafood flavor vs a white chowder feeling like a cream base. This chowder still felt creamy and rich without the seafood flavor being overpowered. Rockfish bowl: the crab rolls were sold out by the time we made it to the register so we opted for this instead and I am so glad that we did. I didn't really expect this to blow me away but this was such a refreshing dish that balanced out the fried dishes we got. It used viet flavors that you may typically find in a banh mi which made it refreshing and had great texture from all the different fresh ingredients and fried garlic. I also loved how the fish came in patty form mixed with pork, it was flavorful and moist. I love any type of fish tofu/patty, I think it really makes fish flavorful when it sometimes can have a really mild flavor. I'll definitely be back to try the crab rolls!

On the higher price-end, Local Tide has a small menu of gorgeous healthy and fresh dishes!…read more The shrimp toast is 100% in the top 3 bites I have had in Seattle, absolutely no doubt!!! Just be mindful that the portions are a little small for what you spend though

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Local Tide - Inside

Inside

Local Tide - Fried Oysters

Fried Oysters

Local Tide - Fried Fish Sandwich

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Chinook's - Blackened Rockfish Tacos

Chinook's

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

Chinook's Seafood Restaurant is a great spot for classic Pacific Northwest seafood with beautiful…read moremarina surroundings. We visited the Friday after Thanksgiving and arrived around 5 PM, hoping to beat the crowds--and luckily, we did. The restaurant was still fairly calm before the evening rush arrived. We had hoped to take advantage of Chinook's Happy Hour, but learned that the Happy Hour menu is only available at the bar, not at dining tables. Since we wanted an easy, relaxed conversation, we decided to stay seated at our table instead. Our server, Marilyn A, seemed a bit frazzled, likely because she had several tables to manage at once, but she was clearly trying her best to keep up and serve everyone promptly. We started with fresh Kumamoto and Totten Inlet oysters, which were delicious--clean, briny, and very fresh. For our entrées we ordered the wild salmon burger, salmon and chips, and the classic Caesar salad. All were enjoyable and satisfying choices, especially if you're in the mood for simple, well-prepared seafood. We skipped dessert since we had just returned from Leavenworth and had fresh sugar and gingerbread cookies waiting for us at home--a sweet ending we were already looking forward to. Overall, it was a pleasant early evening seafood dinner and a nice, relaxed way to wrap up the day.

As always, the food was delicious. The oysters in particular were fantastic. So fresh and so juicy…read more The complimentary bread was also so delicious. We asked the oysters to arrive first and then the calamari, which were both before our main entrees. The server delivered exactly on the order and we really appreciated it. The ambiance easily is one of the most unique views in the city, I would say. Overlooking the rows of harbored boats, there does not exist many restaurants that can rival the ambiance here. Also, pretty much every seat in the house has the same view, so you really can't go wrong if you wanted to impress someone here. We went for lunch, but anytime of the day really works here. I've been here for a quick drinks at the bars too, which is also fun. All around the most well kept secret gem in all of Seattle!

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Chinook's - Inside

Inside

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!

The Walrus and the Carpenter - hama hama clams

The Walrus and the Carpenter

4.2(2k reviews)
0.8 mi•Ballard
•$$$

Best oyster bar in Seattle, excellent raw seafood bar. Spot prawn crudo and Pacific oysters are a…read morestandout. Outstanding service and staff that really know their seafood. Renee Erickson's team always does excellent with small plates. The endive salad with toasted pistachios was delightful, refreshing, and well-made. Sit at the oyster bar and order a glass of your favorite crisp white or bubbly. Always a good time, great vibes. Usually love the steak tartare but the night we went they were using some odd aioli that I didn't care for.

The Walrus & Carpenter is a place I wanted to love, and there's definitely a lot to like here. The…read morespace is fantastic and very inviting, with a lively, cozy feel that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy the experience. The food is good across the board. The oyster selection is always fantastic with a great variety to choose from, though they do feel a tad pricey. The bread is fabulous, really well done, but at the end of the day it's still just bread. The tartare is solid and enjoyable. I was a bit disappointed in the sardines as the walnut pesto and shallots overwhelmed the fish, which on their own are delicious and didn't need that much going on. The cheese options are another highlight and something I do quite enjoy. Overall everything here is solid and well executed, and I understand why it's popular. For me though, it never quite reaches exceptional. It's a good experience, just not one I find myself going out of my way for.

Photos
The Walrus and the Carpenter - Atmosphere

Atmosphere

The Walrus and the Carpenter - Steak Tartare*

Steak Tartare*

The Walrus and the Carpenter - Veruca Salt

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Veruca Salt

Duke's Seafood - Crab cake

Duke's Seafood

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

Where do I begin?! We had such an amazing experience at Dukes, for our last night in Seattle. We…read morewalked in with no reservations for a party of 2 & were sat at a clean table overlooking the harbor. Our incredible server Trey soon came over and helped us decide on some drinks, as we were debating between a few. The menu has so many options, it was hard to just choose one! We soon put our appetizer orders in, as well as our entrees. The calamari tasted fresh and crispy, what's not to like? The oysters I was recommended, tasted sooo fresh! The smoked salmon deviled egg was something I've never thought would work, but it tasted amazing. You can never go wrong with fish and chips, which tasted great! Our server was so sweet and was very attentive throughout the whole night. Dessert time came around and Trey recommended this Washington berry pie, we were sold! It came out deliciously warm with some ice cream on top, which was the cherry on top for our night!! Can't say enough great things about this restaurant, great staff, solid menu, we will definitely be back!!

Duke's is, well... Duke's…read more It is a bit of a formulaic small chain of restaurants that offer a waterside view and a seafood heavy menu. The food is good, but not something that will bring you back over and over again. The service on the other hand is incredibly good. Kind, thoughtful and incredibly authentic. We took my mother - a person who lives with disabilities and requires a mobility scooter. The staff went out of their way to help her feel comfortable and well taken care of. In my book - the staff of Duke's of south Lake Union are a solid 5 stars rating. And, the food is a 3'ish rating. Put together- it's a place that is worth visiting if for nothing else than the amazing staff. Oh, and the view on Lake Union is also really great, especially if you can grab a table near one of the patio heaters.

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

Bar with a large assortment of drinks

Duke's Seafood - Seafood restaurants near me

Seafood restaurants near me

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The Lockspot Cafe - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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