Comments on: Ivar’s: The Best Seattle Has to Offer…….Seriously???

By: Somer Canon

Somer Canon — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 01:18:01 +0000

As previous comments on this post have cleared up, I think that the particular Ivar’s stand that I went to was to blame. It was very dirty and it would stand to reason the the food was no up to par with what Ivar’s really has to offer. I wish I had gone to the restaurant on the pier before leaving Seattle. It makes me happy to see so many Ivar’s fans coming to the rescue of the restaurant. It also makes me happy that most of the respondents were very polite.

By: Ron

Ron — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:07:30 +0000

Obviously you are not from around here and are not a seafood conisseur. There is a difference between “english style” and northwest fish and chips. I’ve lived here 56 years and Pier 54 Ivars has the best….except for maybe the Anacortes bowling alley!

By: Somer

Somer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:46:51 +0000

Again, I’m very thankful for all this input. It’s nice that my bad incident was isolated. Too bad I can’t get to an Ivar’s here in Philadelphia to give it another shot.

By: Stinky McGee

Stinky McGee — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:43:35 +0000

I love Ivar’s in Kent WA. And I love the employees too.

I don’t care for the chowders at all. They have an overwhelming smoke flavor and that is all I can taste. When I make chowder I blanch the bacon or salt pork for ten minutes, rinse and drain and then cook it. The fries are good and sometimes when they don’t hold when they come out of the fryer they are spectacular. I like the grilled halibut but love the fried cod. I go back for the cod all the time. I get a 4 or 5 piece order and nothing to drink (they do not offer decaf sugar free drinks with the exception of water), I eat some of the fries but all of the cod. I love their tartar sauce on the fish and the hot fries. I don’t care for the clam strips or the shrimp/crab cocktails as they can be watery. I go back every couple of weeks because the cod is so good. I have eaten on the waterfront, acres of clams, and the salmon house and the best of the lot is the store in Kent, WA. And if something isn’t right they will make it right.

By: David Talazs

David Talazs — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:27:01 +0000

I love Ivars, and living in North Carolina now, I miss it. The Ivars on the waterfront is the place to go. Personally, I want my fish and chips in a basket lined with paper. Normally it is served in the paper type bowls, with the parchment paper. Ivars has excellent tarter sauce, one place on the Carolina Coast sells it in their restaurant.
It’s been years since I’ve had their chowder, but I always enjoyed the creamy texture, and getting a clam in every bite. I know it’s sold that way, there’s a youtube clip of a couple eating the chowder, with the boyfriend commenting on the clams in every bite.
And yes, it was served in a paper cup, but then again, this was from the takeout window outside the restaurant. Nothing like a rustic chowder sold in that manner, on a cold cloudy afternoon.
Everyone has different tastes, and I’ve had English fish, I enjo that too. These days I make my own at home, and after looking up Ivars again, I think I’ll be frying some cod in the near future…lol…Personally, I’d love to have Ivars right now.

By: Somer

Somer — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:54:13 +0000

Thank you so much for giving your two cents! I’m so glad that you locals are making sense of all of this. I guess that I should definitely visit Pier 54 if I ever return to Seattle and try the real thing. I’ll chock my bad experience up to sloppy management!

By: Deeli

Deeli — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:01:18 +0000

I am sorry you had such a bad experience but that is in no way shape or form the norm for even the fast food chains. I hope you consider reporting that experience to corporate office because they count on management of each restuarant to keep up quality.

I live in Richland, WA now but grew up in Seattle and ate at Ivar’s as often as possible. Thankfully there is one Ivar’s here My parent’s took us to the restuarant on Pier 54 once a month for as long as I can remember and that’s where my love for Ivar’s fish ‘n chips began

As for the french fries, yes, nothing special but if you do what I’ve done since a child you might change your mind: Dip in their tarter sauce instead of ketsup

Being that you have braised lamb shank tastes you’ll definitely be happier visiting Pier 54

By: Somer

Somer — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:22:45 +0000

Thank you for giving a good experience on this place. I was wondering if the main restaurant was really that much better and now I know.

By: Hannah Chandler

Hannah Chandler — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:18:51 +0000

I’m sorry you had that experience. The Ivar’s chain shops are not like the waterfront restaurant. Ivar’s Acres of Clams has good food and service, for a price.

When I was a little girl, my father often took me for fish & chips, and “the red” clam chowder at the outdoor walk-up window in front of the restaurant on the pier. They had a heater in the cover over the eating area and the food was my favorite…..25 years ago! We watched the seagulls and munched our dinner–it was great on gray Seattle days.

We ate at the main restaurant recently, but I’ve graduated from fish & chips to a nice glass of wine and the dungeness crab (which was HUGE and delicious) and their pasta with shrimp…..the memories of the fabulous chowder and fried fish are fond, but long gone.
There are knock-off recipes of Ivar’s Clam Chowders online, though, that are better made at home now.

By: Somer

Somer — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:46:04 +0000

I love braised lamb shank! It’s slowly becoming a comfort food for me!