SEATTLE — Ray's Boathouse is the winner of Best Outdoor Dining in 2022's Best of Western Washington viewers poll.
What began in 1945 as a boat rental, bait stop, and coffee house is now Seattle's best known waterfront restaurant. Ray's Boathouse is perched on a pier at the spot where boats turn into the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Salt water, the Olympic Mountains, massive ships, and small pleasure boats are all visible from the expansive outdoor deck that's open weather permitting. Gigantic outdoor heaters keep the outdoor dining cozy this time of year and executive chef Kevin Murray's creations do this one-of-a-kind location justice.
Innovative seafood appetizers like fried oysters on crispy pork belly with white BBQ sauce, and seared Yucatan octopus with romesco, red potatoes, and pickled onions pair perfectly with the view.
Cold smoked sablefish with a miso glaze, pan seared sea scallops, and Dungeness crab cakes on fregola sarda (think pearl couscous but toastier), with butternut squash and red pepper aioli were all a fitting tributes to the salty location of the place.
Congratulations to Ray's Boathouse, a rare place that delivers on both location and cuisine, and puts a friendly polish on the whole package. And if you want to make sure you get to dine on that deck, just give them a call before you arrive to make sure it's open.
Ray's Boathouse 6049 Seaview Ave. N.W., Seattle 98107 (206) 789-3770
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