Canlis Restaurant Reviews

First fine dining experience for girlfriend, been visting Canlis since the 80's while we dined on fish n chips style halibut inside, the valet team outside did 2 thousand dollars of personal property re my Lexus. Remaining Canlis brother mgmnt team refusingt to accept responibilty.

When you hear about a place from a great deal of your friends, you plan your trip around it! And when you get there and it's more wonderful than anything you imagined, you immediately start figuring out how to go back. Such was the case with me and my birthday/retirement visit in August 2025. From the welcome at the door, to Sophie's excellent care during the courses, to the food (the stuff of dreams), this wonderful establishment was my introduction to Seattle's food scene and did not disappoint at all. The menu was varied and superbly delicious. The chef's creativity and inspiration shown through every course and it was truly a delight. I couldn't pick a favourite off of the menu because each one was better than the last. And be sure to get the salad as well. Can't wait to be back. Thanks to all at Canlis for such a special night.

Dining here is a complete experience. The building itself is a mid century gem with beautiful views. The service was polished and informed...answering questions and offering suggestions but not obtrusive in any way. The food was beautifully presented as well as delicious. We were a party of four and all ordered different items..everyone was pleased. Dinner here will set you back a few bucks but worth it.

Beautiful setting and excellent service. The food was very disappointing. Pushing the boundaries with ingredients can be an exciting concept but unfortunately not at Canlis. Worst dish...yes to pink pork but pork served with blood running over the plate NO

I’m not sure I’ve ever been so disappointed in a dining experience. This restaurant is full of itself. Used to be a Seattle Institution. Now it’s simply a lazy excuse for a rediculously overpriced view. A poor attempt at creativity and class. Needs new ownership who understands what it takes to make a party of four happy with a $1000 dining experience. The fact that they require a 20% tip for a party of 4 tells you all you need to know. I found it beneath a restaurant of this caliber. Ive been in the restaurant business for years. I tip well. The food and service didn’t warrant the required gratuity. Wait stuff obviously doesn’t feel motivated to deliver a special evening. More importantly, the portions were ridiculously small and over-salted. It was unfortunately a weird and awkward evening. I kept wondering...am I missing something here. Sorry. Just DONT GET IT.

Not much more to be said. Excellent food and wine, attentive and friendly staff, with a second-to-none ambiance.

A formal special occasion meal - food, wine, service, outlook and ambience all impeccable. Correspondingly expensive but worth it for a special occasion.

Canlis has the reputation of being one of the finest restaurants in Seattle since its opening in the early 1950s. The restaurant offers sweeping views across Lake Union to the east. We have experienced outstanding discrete service on all our visits. Entrees feature locally sourced ingredients elegantly served. It may seem pricey, but no one walks out Canlis feeling they didn't have a special experience that was well worth it.

We dined here with my husband for our anniversary dinner and we couldn't stop saying "WOW". What an amazing restaurant, everything from their ambiance, to service to the actual food is amazing. When we arrived, we were greeted by valet parking assistants who opened the door for each of us and escorted us into the restaurant, where the ambiance was just out of this world. The scent of seeder wood was incredible and the view just took our breath away. Every dish that we ate was really delicious and made to order. I also ordered their speciality cocktails and for sure was not dissapointed. Me and my husband enjoyed every entree and are actually coming back to this restaurant the August.

The service was very disappointing. The waitperson spilt my cocktail on the table and a little on my dress. Instead of changing the wet tablecloth, additional napkins were placed on the soppy wet table. I had a damp table for my entire meal. Also, instead of replacing the spilt cocktail, ASAP, it took them good 15 mins to get it, while the rest of the table was waiting to start sipping their quaffs. Dont order the Wagyu. it was chewy.

First, we have dined at countless fine dining restaurants across the world. We were excited to try and chose Canlis for a 50th Birthday celebration while in Seattle. We called and reserved our table on the first available day three months in advance explaining the occasion and requesting a table that fit the occasion. The gentleman on the phone explained he would note the occasion and it should not be an issue. We had chosen the restaurant for the special occasion both due to the restaurant’s reputation and the views. Unfortunately, upon arrival we were seated in the corner of the restaurant with a view of some metal stairs and a grey wall. The server was very polite and professional. Our poor experience was certainly not his fault. The bread service and presentation was quite good, however, the remainder of the meal average at best. Considering the price point and reputation of the restaurant the food was very disappointing. That combined with the lack of care during a milestone special occasion it was one of the most disappointing fine dining experiences we have ever had.

By any definition, Canlis is unique. Yes, they are delicate portions, but so many of the that you will not be hungry by the end. And every selection is an incredible taste. I've eaten all over the world and this meal was clearly in the top tier.

Everything was incredible from the moment we walked in the door. Food preparation was excellent and presented with style. The servers moved in unison like ballet dancers. This is a five star restaurant and price reflects the same. It was lovely to see people dress up to dine. I highly suggest reservations well in advance of your special day. Unless you are a foodie I would check out the menu on line first.

Canlis is a must do for anyone wanting to experience the PNW cuisine and a special occasion superstar. Everything about the place is magical - right from the location overlooking the waters, to the dimly lit private dinner setting to the food, the extensive wine and cocktail list. Fine finding at its best, this place is worth every penny (albeit costly) for a once in a lifetime experience, when in Seattle or nearabouts.

The food, service, setting and view are all amazing! They are swinging for the fences in the quality and creativity of the food and it shows. All 4 courses were superb. Our server, Cody, was knowledgeable, professional and on point in every way possible. The view is incredible (see photo). Dinning at Canalis is a wonderful experience!

Excellent fine dining. Great setting. Live piano music. Of the 4 courses only one (each) was ordinary - the malted pancake (saved by the sauce) and the rabbit sausage (a bit blah). The remaining courses were superb, and there were also delicious bonus bites (bread, rabbit liver tarts, macarons etc). Highly recommended.

Fantastic wine selections, great views, and top notch service. Worth every penny! Tasting menu and Chef are both world class. We will return

Canlis offers truly excellent food worthy of a Michelin starred restaurant. The courses are varied with the pork dish and cucumber granita dessert particularly tasty. The service is good and the ambience is elegant.

If you come to Seattle I must reserve this restaurant. The view is wonderful, the food is stoning. Without words...

My husband and I ate here a couple years ago and then returned last night with my dad while he was visiting from out of town. Our second visit was just as incredible as the first. From the moment you pull up and the valet takes your car, until the moment you leave, the service is impeccable - detailed and professional, yet still warm. After arriving almost an hour early, we sat in the waiting area for about 10 minutes and then were seated in the bar where we had drinks. We arrived early because we wanted to enjoy the gorgeous view before the sun set along with the live piano. Right at our reservation time, we were whisked away to our table. Our waiter, Patrick, was delightful. He really added to the experience. I requested help selecting a wine and was pleased with the selection that I was guided to. Impressively, when I asked for this help, Patrick mentioned that he had spoken with our previous server and he had been informed of my wine preferences from the trip before. Wow! This was a completely unexpected level of service. All three of us were extremely pleased with our meals. We all shared the Canlis salad and it was as superlative the second time around as it was the first. My dad and I had the haiga rice for our second course and we both loved it. I will always remember the savory spiciness! For my main course I had the chewy carrots.They were excellent, but I enjoyed the eggplant and lentils that I had during my first visit to Canlis even more. (Brett, our sommelier during our first visit, mentioned that Canlis takes pride in offering vegetarian dishes that they believe believe are on par with the meat courses.) My husband and dad had the ribeye steak and I sampled it and thought it was very well done. We all ordered the souffle and agreed that it was stupendous pastry. I want to emphasize that what makes Canlis stand out in my mind is the overall experience. It's not just that the food is top notch, but that it's served in such an impeccably courteous manner in an architecturally beautiful building with a stunning view. I like the dress code, which makes the evening feel even more special, and that the courses are spaced in a manner similar to European fine dining. I've read reviews where people complain that the experience takes 2 1/2-3 hours. I think they've entirely missed the point of fine dining. It is supposed to take that long. It's about the opportunity to share special time with the important people in your life while you linger over courses and wine. If you want a nice meal in 90 minutes, most other restaurants in the city are set up in this way for you to eat and move on if that's what you want. Thank you, Canlis, for another special night out.

We love Canlis. Reviews here by dinner guests are definitely mixed. For the past few times, we just go to the bar, have a couple drinks, and order off the bar menu. All the highlights are on the bar menu including fries and the Canlis salad. Still expensive, but way less than the restaurant and still the Canlis experience. I have to say that I am a bit confused about their tipping policy. 20% is added to the bill and there is no place on the CC receipt to add additional tips. I assumed their tipping policy also covered $$ to the Valet. I think my valet assumption was wrong as my wife had no doors held or closed for her. No tip to the Valet to their obvious chagrin.

We were very happy and surprised to be so utterly wowed by Canlis tonight, and this is a fun review to get to write. I had read the recent reviews, had heard mostly positive things from friends and colleagues, and even checked out Reddit threads on Canlis with various ratings. Plus, we were going for a Valentine's Day Date, which is often a recipe for a let-down. So I was almost bracing myself for the disappointment that comes from having too high expectations from a service/entertainment/hospitality experience, and then the emotional backpedaling you do the rest of the time to try to "make the most of it". Not the case here, at all. I was totally blown away from the moment we pulled up, and were kindly greeted by Chris Canlis, valet, kind and warm hosts, and then more or less held the rest of the night in a sort of happy embrace until we wrapped up with our last course and got back into our vehicles, which were warmed up and waiting at the valet outside. The food: Delicious, every bite. Not overly-wrought and trying-too-hard, not too experimental, everything was at the perfect temperature, and I would have been happy with each course being my main course. The agnolotti ("purse pasta") will be in my memory for a long time. The oyster was one of the best I've had. The sturgeon was crisp on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. The bread and dips were super fun. Wanda, our main server, was so delightful and easy, and we had a really lovely guy (from Montana?) who was equally welcoming. Hats off to the barista/coffee program, our decaf cappuccinos were some of the best we've had, including regular caf drinks. Most importantly, Canlis actually isn't stuffy or snobby! Expensive and more formal than most of Seattle? Yes. If you ask questions or show interest, everyone is happy to welcome you into the culture, history, and operations. No one will mind if you ask a question about any dish and how to eat it, or for a recommendation, or to explain what a vegetable is that you haven't heard of before on the menu. There's elegance and excellence, and extremely high standards, and anticipatory service (someone say me using my partner's steak knife for my fish and brought me one in an instant), but a welcoming spirit and kindness that doesn't allow any room for airs of elitism. We love The Corson Building for this kind of warmth + quality, and are happy to find another favorite restaurant--with a whole different style--in Seattle.

Hands down the best restaurant service I have ever had in Seattle! The food is high end and sophisticated. The food is exquisite and views are unforgettable. This restaurant is great place for special occasions and celebrations. if you ever have an opportunity to go to the restaurant please do this is a culinary experience you don't want to miss out in.

My husband made reservations for his birthday in April back in December and paid the $200 deposit. He had read in the newspaper that if you did not want the tasting menu, you could get a steak or a regular meal. Well, we went there and were told that we could not get anything except the tasting menu. The food was mediocre, at best, and very salty. Half of it was inedible for at least one of us. My husband won't eat mushrooms, so he gave me his and they were in a slimy type of sauce and I could not eat them. We paid and extra $48 for the waygu meat rather than a striploin, and for that, we were given a 1 inch square piece of meat. More rare than rare, salty, and fatty. Not Japanese A5 fatty, which I have in my freezer, but just gross and inedible. I have had all sorts of food all over the world, some good, some great, some not so great, but never paid this much for bad food. Perhaps because I prefer an eating menu, rather than a tasting menu of salt, and a disappointing dessert. The bottle of Leonetti wine was the best part of the meal, but it was not made by Canlis. This was very disappointing not just to me, but also to my spouse who really wanted to go. I would love to have given a great review, but the food was unwhelming.

5 Star! 10 out of 10! 100% Absolute Perfection. The most incredible all-around experience we’ve ever had. Stunningly beautiful restaurant with impeccable style, class & service. Every dish looked like fine art, Each bite tasted like the Best morsel you've ever put in your mouth and the Service was charmingly personal while still being comprehensive, knowledgeable and professional. Certainly a "Can't Miss" in Seattle. Bravo!

誕生日の夕食に家族４人で利用しました。がテーブルから眺める景色が良く、料理の盛り付けはとても美しいのですが、味はまあまあでした。窓は東に向いているので夕焼けの眺めはありません。コース料理を４人分注文し、シャンパン１本、ワインを１本で約８００ドルでした。コース料理は和食の懐石をイメージされているものの、いまいち上手くいかなかったというされている味でした。アメリカでは１５％～２０％のチップを払う必要があるので、シアトル市の最低賃金が最近１５ドルになり、それに伴ってチップ２０％を伝票に前もって加えているレストランもあるので支払い時にダブルで払わないように気をつけてください。誕生日であることをレストラン予約時に伝えたにもかかわらず、シェフやレストランからのバースデーのお祝いの言葉やカード、写真撮影やデザートのプレゼント等は一切なく、残念でした。ピアノの演奏と景色を楽しみにバーの利用ならいいかもしれませんが、特別な日にはもう利用しません。 I visited on my birthday with my family. This is one of expensive view restaurants in Seattle with a standard quality and standard services. All of presentation look beautiful but tastes okay, it is not worth to pay so much. The course menu seemed like an imitation of Japanese Kaiseki. My husband reserved a table for my birthday, but they offered no chef greetings, no message, no card, no picture, no candle on the dessert to our table which was disappointing. Many other restaurants in Seattle offer better on a special occasion. We won't go back there for any special occasion. Windows face on east, so no twilight view, but just a view of Lake Union.

Today I took advantage of one of the greatest tales of management concern for its employees in a time of tragedy. Canlis has for years been the ultimate expression of mainstream sophisticated dining in Seattle. As virtually all restaurants were closing down because of plumeting business followed by governmental mandate, some genius at Canlis decided to keep at least part of its staff employed by way of opening its parking lot as a fast food drive thru restaurant serving bagles hamburgers and the lgendary House Ceasar Salad. I drove up to the traffic jam event at 1:00 to order a Hamburger & fries for $16.00 and a House Ceasar Salad for $10.00. Both promply arrived in a brown paper bag. Perfect service by the legendary staff. I then drove to Green Lake, 2 miles away and began my unique dining experience. The salad was marvelous (as usual) and the Hamburger proved to be one of the finest I have ever eaten In Seattle. It compared to the best work of U Need a Burger or Red Mill. Perhaps more subtly subdued than most of those establishment's offerings but incredibly complex and delicious with a seemingly home made mayonaise mixed with fragrent herbs. It was a six ounce hand formed pattie cooked to medium rare perfection presented on a beautiful brioche bun. When this great American (world wide I mean) tragedy is finally a piece of history I shall always find my self reminicing over my wonderful take out--drive thru--- lunch at Canlis. Please beg the management to keep it going as long as this tragedy is upon us. One employee told me that she thought it would end very soon.

We were seated immediately ( a time of reservation ), found the service to be excellent, but never from the same person. Each course or adjustment was from a different person. Amazing view! Very unique and elegant place for a special occasion. Food delicious! Very French like with several amuse bouce courses included. Salad and lamb were both delicious. Some of the fixed menu options were unusual, and may not be to everyone’s taste. Would return, but not too soon. Prices are staggering. We have lived in Europe, and are used to higher end restaurants, but this one just seemed over the top with price.

What a gorgeous restaurant; we hadn’t been in so long, seemed like a great place to celebrate our 25 anniversary (which went unrecognized). They are serving an experience menu for a 3 course meal for $165. There isn’t enough food there for a small child. The plates were beautiful both on presentation and the diversity of the dinnerware. Food was tepid, unimpressive. The duck was tough and the fish course was too dry to eat. This isn’t the right chef for this venue!

Canlis does not disappoint. My wife and I enjoyed dinner for our 44th anniversary and we had a wonderful time. The atmosphere is fantastic with a sweeping view of Lake Union, the service is top-notch. The service is relaxed, attentive, and very friendly. At no point did we feel anything but relaxed and cared for. The food was fun and innovative. You the diner choose menu items for three courses and the chef will surprise you with at least three more. Each one was delicious and well prepared from the freshest ingredients. I see some reviewers that complain about the cost but I think they fail to realize that what you are really paying for is the experience and I will definitely say my wife and I got what we paid for and a very memorable experience.

Really disappointed in the food. The ambiance, view, and service were great, but the food was mediocre to poor - except for one of the desserts we ordered. I was looking forward to the Canlis salad I'd heard so much about, but guess it was an off night because it lacked flavor. It was mainly lettuce and croutons. I didn't finish it. The second course was a crab and rice dish that was good; not amazing, but good. My third course was the beef and potato dish; the beef was chewy with too much gristle and the potatoes with onions had no flavor; one bite of the potatoes was enough for me. I chose the hazelnut and pear dessert, which was nice with my coffee. My daughter ordered the souffle with orange sauce, which was really good. After dessert, a waiter brought by some interesting tiny dessert; macaroon, and chocolate-rum bite. I love sweets, but took one bite of each and left the rest; both were dry and flavorless. Our waiter was nice and checked in often to refill water or ask if we needed another glass of wine. All in all, it was an experience and I can say I've been there, but will never go again. Very sad, very disappointing.

If Michelin rated restaurants in Seattle, Canlis certainly would get a star or two. The atmosphere of the place, the view from the it, the staff - all are really special. And the food.... absolutely delicious, the right portions and the right number of courses, not overkilled, not over-dramatised, but rather pure and to the point. The steak (I chose the pork tenderloin) was excellently cooked as well as the beef. The starters were shining too, especially the rabbit sausage and liver. The service was kind and professional, not the "patronising" style which can sometimes be experienced in high quality restaurants. Canlis was an a fantastic experience.

This is probably one of the fanciest places to dine in the Seattle area. What differentiates it from others is that it is up on a hill. Through floor to ceiling windows Canlis provides a spectacular view of Lake Union. A top notch four course meal where the options are numerous for each course. Each course offers options that could be vegan or not. A variety of meats, seafood and veggies that make your mix & match options endless. For the first course I decided to go with the beets. They were incredibly tasty and fresh. For the second course I inclined for the rabbit and grilled liver sausage, which was simply fantastic. Well mixed with morels to enhance the flavor and paired with a spot-on toasted rice. For the third course I inclined towards the lamb. It was deliciously tender, and the cured smelt sauce was a perfect pairing to supplement the lamb’s prevailing taste. ​ I love course meals because they always tend to end with something to deal with that sweet tooth craving. At Canlis I decided to give the rhubarb-based chocolate mousse and black lime dessert a try. It met expectations. Right amount of sweetness. Nothing extremely remarkable, but quite good. We were then offered a variety of macarons, which were appetizing to close our evening just right.

We just finished dinner at Canlis and it was amazing! My children (8 and 10) and I are visiting from Boston and this was the one restaurant I really wanted to go to. The setting is stunning, the service is impeccable and the food is exceptional. When we booked out trip, I began looking for Michelin star restaurants and learned that Michelin star ratings don't exist in Washington. From everything I could find, Canlis was one of the closest options for that type of elevated dining experience. I can now say, it 100% would have multiple Michelin stars if they existed out here. Immediately when we arrived, my children and I were made to feel valued and special. The staff was warm, kind, inviting and gave us a variety of options for the kids and I to choose from for our dining experience. Each course was served with Formal Silver Service, the expertly crafted dishes were thoughtfully described and the quality was beyond compare. Additionally, I truly appreciated how my children were incorporated into the experience in an elegant and respectful manner, rather than feeling dismissed as children are sometimes made to feel in fine dining establishments. They tasted all of my dishes and enjoyed theirs as well. My son's favorite dish was the gooey duck and my daughter's was the flourless chocolate cake. I am so thankful that I was able to give them the opportunity to experience cuisine that is unique and sophisticated while cultivating a love and respect for food that is made with those same values at it's core. When we got up the use the restroom, a gentleman complimented my children on their behavior. It was so very kind and we enjoyed chatting with him. He asked my kids if they might like to meet the chef and I kind of thought he was joking, but excitedly, we all said yes! In an effort to be polite and call him by name when (maybe later) we could meet the chef, I asked his name and he responded "Brian Canlis." We were a bit surprised. He was so friendly, warm, approachable and inviting. He was hands on and very present in making sure that everything was running smoothly. We have had many dining experiences where the owner is not on property and hires someone else to run the day to day operations, but clearly, Mr. Canlis was not entrusting his families legacy to anyone else. After we finished our meal, we inquired if it might still be possible to meet the chef. Mr. Canlis, came straight to our table, personally gave us a tour of the restaurant and shared heartwarming stories about his grandparents and the property. The one really special part was that my kids were his focus of attention. They felt like celebrities and had the largest, heartiest smiles on their faces. As a parent, this means the world to me. We ended our tour by visiting the kitchen and meeting the chefs and support kitchen staff. This may sound a bit silly, but I had tears in my eyes because it felt like such an honor and special moment. This last year was pretty challenging and to be able to share this unique experience with my children--I don't have the words to describe how valuable it is. Additionally, I felt like it was so inspirational to see a kitchen with such a diverse staff, a female head chef and an owner that is hands on, approachable and clearly values his staff and prioritizes honoring his family history. Thank you so very much Mr. Brian Canlis and staff. You have left an indelible impression on my children and I. What you have is so very special and I wish you and your family a healthy and prosperous future. Sincerely, Colleen, Cailyn (8) and Teegan (10)

Expertly served incredible meals. A group of 14 in a private dining room feels very elegant for expanded holiday family. The view was clear and an appreciated bonus. Great restaurant.

This was a special occasion for us, our 59th anniversary (yes, we're old!) Although we have often been in Seattle near our Bellingham home, this was our first visit to Canlis (made at the urging of friends) and it turned out to be great advice. (A bit of background: both of us are New Yorkers by birth and for many years, so my standard was that set by fine dining spots in my younger days in NYC, places like 21, Colony, Voisin, etc..now mostly gone. I was hoping for a reprise of great food and service, in a calm and intimate atmosphere. That is exactly what we found at Canlis, and unlike a few experiences at other "fine dining/gourmet" places, there was no sense of snobbery or that we should feel honored to be there. That was really, really nice, because we both hate snobbery in any form, but love fine dining and great food!) Upon arrival, we were greeted politely by the valet parking crew, and we were ushered into the restaurant, clearly architect-designed and first class. (Valet parking is included.) We had intentionally arrived early to try the bar and were taken in promptly by a helpful host; at the intimate bar (the bar itself only has maybe 8 seats) we were served promptly by a white-shirt-and-black-tied, black-suited bartender (how do they keep them so perfect, while bartending, we wondered?) My drink, a Manhattan, was unusual, while it was traditional it had a couple of unique ingredients that made it delicious. As we sipped slowly, we enjoyed the ambiance. A good piano player was playing from "the great american songbook" and the room was filled with people clearly enjoying one another's company. The acoustics were such that the conversations of others could not be clearly overheard yet nothing was loud, even the music. As our 30-minute pre-meal time was waning, we ordered another round, which was brought to our table as it was mealtime. Escorted from the bar around the corner to the large dining area, we found the room divided into tiers by banquettes that were almost shoulder-high for the seated diners, and each inner tier was moderately lower so that everyone could see the great views of Seattle's Lake Union to the East and South. It din't matter that we weren't next to a window, for we still could significantly enjoy the "Seattle Feel" of the place and see the whole view. We were side by side on a very comfortable banquette; near us a group of 6 or eight were in obviously good upholstered chairs at a roomy table. Tablecloths, silver, china, all superb. (Later, near the end of our evening, we watched as the crew actually ironed a tablecloth in place as a table was re-set!) Our options were presented by "Bre", an attractive young woman who was already aware we were celebrating an anniversary; she quickly determined our tastes and inquired if we had any dietary restrictions; we didn't. Then, with her guidance, we ordered. Canlis' approach to the menu process is to divide dinner into four courses with the third being the main entree. Each course has four or five options, only one or two has extra charges above the fixed price of $125 per person. We both had the excellent Canlis Salad (outstanding) and I also had another appetizer, Beef Tartar, which was very, very good, while my wife's second course was the somewhat uniquely Washington dish, geoduck. Though the geoduck was good, she wished that she had tried something a little more exotic: geoduck can't be prepared too many ways, so she realized her choice had reduced the "new experience" aspect of the meal! We both had the Ribeye steak as our entree; we like our beef medium rare, and it was perfectly done and the cuts were excellent with a great sauce. All entries come with appropriate servings of veggies, etc. Our desserts were equally delicious, a rhubarb/chocolate mousse delicacy for me and the strawberry mille feuille for her. ("Oh, it was good" she says, looking back.) We spent about two hours in the process of dining, with the interludes between courses punctuated by deliveries of various bites of gourmet-quality little savories or treats. We were never left "waiting". The service was extraordinary, with items delivered concurrently by multiple servers, Bre's attentiveness (and everyone else's, too) and by the unruffled, professional yet personal contact between patrons and staff throughout the experience. While we dined, part of the fun was looking at other diners. If there was one characteristic, it was that they were all enjoying themselves, and that the evening was special for everyone. Smiles were everywhere. Paraphrasing Prairie Home Companion, "all the men were well-dressed and handsome and all the women were beautiful"! As to the bill: Two dinners, Prix Fixe, $250; four drinks around $13 total $52. Tax, and 20% fixed gratuity for everything (including the parking) brought our total to $364. It was worth every penny. (I remember "21" in NYC in 1959 costing about $45 per person; adjusted for inflation, that's $380 in 2018 or $720 for a couple...Canlis is cheap!) It will be remembered forever by both of us, and we might even do it again for our 60th. As for those few negative reviews you might see, I'd suggest you agree with the majority who love this place!

We recently dined at Canlis to celebrate a birthday. The experience overall was highly disappointing. Despite making the reservation as far in advance as possible and informing the restaurant of the celebratory occasion of our visit, we were seated in a corner outside of the main dining room. My view was of a wall that staff stood against. We let the restaurant know at the time of booking of my dietary restriction (pescatarian) and had a long chat confirming this with the server. We ordered the same first course, tuna. I was brought a pork belly dish. The server took the pork away and left the other plate of tuna. 20 minutes later, a second plate of tuna arrives, the first now cold. The 2nd plate was dropped with no explanation. A while later the server came by to apologize without any offer to adjust the bill. During the rest of the meal all we could hear was a server for the table behind us catering to every need while we felt as though we might as well be in the closet. After the giant bill arrived and was paid, a valet almost ran us over. We will not be back and do not recommend.

Very good food combining originality and classicism. Well-balanced dishes in their flavors and texture. The starter with the poached oysters was delicious. The lamb was perfect. The soufflé with curaçao orange, a perfection. The best soufflé I never eat. The decor of the restaurant has a lot of character with a wonderful view of the union of the lake. The problem comes from the service. Our aperetive drinks were not served at the same time but 5 minutes apart. Nobody came to take the order of the wines and it was necessary to order ourselves the wine after our starters were served. Pity. The staff is very friendly. It was a very beautiful gastronomic evening. You just have to improve the service.

This is dining as it should be. Every dish had something just a little extra, we had first rate professional service throughout the entire meal and how can you not just love the view---during both the sunlight hours and at night with all the city lights. I cannot emphasize enough how much more polished and competent the service is here compared to most other wannabe restaurants---these are highly trained and skilled servers---what a joy. Great lounge for before and after drinks. We were with a group and we had our own room--everyone left pleased and now continues to rave about the experience.

My friend and I were in Seattle for a conference, and were looking for a spot for fine dining. Fortunately, we came across Canlis. When you first walk into this unassuming venue, you are struck by the sense of feeling at home, as you view the fireplace with the stone and wood decor. After being seated with a stunning view of Lake Union, you will discover a unique "tasting" menu of four courses, with incredible choices to construct your own experience. No matter what you choose, you won't be disappointed, and most likely will want to share with others at your table. If you choose to have the wine pairings, which I recommend, the staff will construct a pairing that is well suited to the menu you are having. I have intentionally not recommended any specific dish or wine pairing. I am confident that no matter what you choose, you will be delighted. Finally, there are very few places where the efforts of the staff make an experience greater than what you would expect. Canlis is one of them. Our server, Ms. K. Turner, went beyond our expectations to make this an experience neither I, nor my colleague, will soon forget.

We come here for our anniversary and are never disappointed. From the time you are greeted at valet to when you leave the service is exceptional. The staff are top notch. The 4 course meal is easily enough to share for 2. The mixed drinks are ok. The wine very good. The food is good. Some interesting choices and fun items to try.

My sister and I brought our Mom here for a birthday dinner. We dressed up and looked forward to a wonderful experience. Canlis did not disappoint. The atmosphere is lovely, the food was an experience (6 courses with your choice of three of the courses), and the waitstaff was (for the most part) professional and efficient. Here's my one complaint and why I'm not giving Canlis a 5 star rating: Let me start by saying that I rarely give a negative review, but I think my experience must be addressed. When we ordered a bottle of sparkling white wine, the sommelier uncorked the first bottle with the cork pointed in my direction. I shifted away from the cork and it looked like he was offended by my distrust. When we purchased a second 1/2 bottle, he again pointed the cork in my direction, only this time the neck broke and the pressurized bottle exploded outward in my direction. I was covered in sparkling white wine--all over my face, clothing, and in my eye. The sommelier was visibly shaken, but seemed unconcerned about the effect this had on his customers. When I asked for additional napkins to blot my face, clothing, and the seat next to me I was ignored. No one offered an apology. No one from management stopped in to check on us. I was mortified, but didn't want to further interrupt our celebrations or make a scene. So, I sat in my wet clothing, wine in my hair, and finished my dinner with aplomb. I'm still in shock, though. Accidents happen, and for the most part I'm happy to overlook such things with grace; however, to not be provided with napkins, or an apology, or some kind of acknowledgement made be feel small and my business unvalued. I think Canlis can do better and I hope they take something from this review that makes future customer's experiences more in line with their image.

Family restaurant for nearly 70 years, an exquisite location with a beautiful view. Very attentive staff although they have the habit of dealing with people as if you’re there for a once a year special event when it’s not for us. Interesting menu which was great. Wine list is very extensive and everything reflects their position as a top notch fine dining experience. Good night out

The setting is spectacular, with a great view, and in a unique building, and the the service was excellent, as was the food.We can't think of enough good things to say, we'll definitely come back next time we're in town!

My wife and I had been looking forward to returning to the service & food at the Emerald City's darling "Canlis." Once our server learned we were not ordering alcohol was the beginning of the end. Upon opening the oddly crafted four course prix fixe menu I was confronted with a strange challenge of "food pairing". The service was good but some of the servers have annoying habits such as this weird flipping motion when replacing utensils. The odd one bite pre-appetizers that require long winded stories are rather annoying. I think its time to scrap the funky new menu and return to the old school menu. This new Canlis was like a date trying too hard to be charming. We will be back once the reset happens & BELIEVE ME IT WILL. While your at it please change the ugly hotel hallway carpet. REMEMBEER the building is a mid century modern! Sorry its all true!

First, I want to say that the service was impeccable and the view is amazing. However, this is the the most disappointing meal I’ve had at a fine dining establishment. The Chef seems to be focused on presentation versus taste. The foie gras was terrible. It was sweet and it was served with thick sweet bread. The Haiga Rice was ok. The lamb dish was inedible. The lamb was tough and the flavors were confusing and all over the place. Had this been my first experience with lamb, I’d never eat it again. The soufflé was AMAZING. Seriously delicious. Skip the Reserve Tasting. There were three Sommeliers on staff that night, including a Master Sommelier. Neither came to the table to discuss our likes, dislikes, or to interact with us, or to discuss why they selected the wine for the dishes. When you pay $130 for 4 glasses of wine, it should be an experience. Likely the pairings were done at another time. Given it’s a 4 course, choose from these few dishes restaurant, I suspect it’s more of an assembly line pairing. The total was $330 a person. The restaurant is overrated and not worth the money I paid.

There was a wedding going on while we were there, so off the bat, I must say they did a great job of dealing with both a big wedding party and the usual diners. We never heard the wedding group though they were upstairs of the main dining area, either. We were here for the retirement of one of our members and as usual, Canlis staff made the event particularly special. The primary thing I love is that while you are treated like royalty, you aren't expected to act like it. If you use the wrong fork, no one is going to care or if you put your elbows on the table, it's no big deal. The staff are all brilliant at remembering all the details of your party's allergies and orders though we had a slight cocktail mistake happen first off. It was remedied immediately with apologies and led to a very funny story about service members doing anything the customer asks for. Nathan, our lead, was attentive, friendly, professional, personable and particularly good at the details of not just the service and the meal but the history of the restauarant, making everything interesting and connect to our table personally. After our excellent meal of superbly prepared crazy recipes (all of which were delicious. Strange flavors are paired, served like tiny works of art; while some I haven't loved as much as others, none of them ever tasted wrong or like the odd flavors clashed. Most often, it's something you'd never think to put together and it tastes spectacular.) we were given a special tour in honor of our retiree: the customer service director Amanda did a great job of making our visit feel special too, and making our retiree feel honored. Overall, it was the kind of experience you go to Canlis for, knowing you'll get it. The menu, unlike the first time I visited, has been for a while now more of a tasting style rather than a la carte. For those who don't know what that is, it means instead of choosing off a menu listing every dish on offer, you receive a menu with four categories, one for each course and pick out something from each list (though they allow lots of leeway on this.) Then each course is brought out, but not after at least three unlisted starters of small bites are brought out. After the fourth course which is the dessert course, there is another box brought out of sweets. One of our party said they had a friend onceeave Canlis hungry but all I can think is that that person should go eat at Outback or Claim Jumper where the overfeed you: Canlis feeds you plenty. The cocktails are fascinating also or you can order a standard or just wine or whiskey. The wine list is huge.

A glance at the reviews will tell you that Canlis can be great but leaves people expecting more, which is exactly what we found. The venue is superb and the view over Lake Union is great - we were given a window table (the sacrifice being I wasn't allowed to take off my jacket to eat which would have meant 'relegation' to the mid restaurant)! The food (4 courses for $125) was good - not amazing - but good. The wine pairing was also spot on for the food we had. my wife ordered the beef, which was too salty, she mentioned this and they immediately deducted it from the bill which was good customer service. Overall the venue is fantastic, clean, the view is amazing and the service is attentive, but feels you thinking it could have been better. Worth a trip though.

This chef and restaurant deserve a MICHELIN rating. If you enjoy food, tge pairing of tastes and textures and are not hesitant to try something different then, get your reservation! There is a $100.00 per person reservation fee, that is applied to the total bill. The food is offered by the chefs selection of the freshest ingredients available. We were able to select one of each selection of starter, entree, dessert. There were three of each offering. However, there were 4-6 ADDITIONAL presentations offered by the Chef! EVERYTHING was fresh, delicious culinary artwork! The ambiance of the Family owned and operated restaurant evokes “ a club feeling”… the floor to ceiling windows, the views, the pressed tablecloths, the baby grand piano with the musician playing easy listening music and smiling knowledgeable staff all provided for a wonderful experience . There is a dress code recommendation… jackets for men, ladies “ special occasion” dresses, pant suits, sequined tops! CANLIS IS A DESTINATION TO BE ENJOYED!

The staff is super attentive and knowledgeable and the food is worth every penny. The view is amazing and the bar has a love piano player.

This 3rd generation family owned restaurant continues to be one of the top restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. Recent honors include the James Beard Award for the best chef in the region. We have been here over the past 42 years a few times and were delighted to find that they still have the charm, the atmosphere, stellar service and food. We were greeted by one of the owners who seated us and then turned us over to professional staff members. We were among the first to be seated and by the time we departed there was a full house. Our meal was the prix fixe 4 course dinner with several choices for each course. Before that began we enjoyed several amuse buche courses not on the menu, and then got more after finishing our desserts. So if it seems like a light dinner, it is really satisfying. Every course was perfect. This is a special occasion restaurant and it is suggested that people dress for the occasion, and most do. The view here is special and the atmosphere inside is cozy. Expect to see a large total when finished, including a 20% gratuity, but no regrets, it is a worthwhile experience.

We wanted to eat at some of the best rated restaurants on our US West coast road trip and found Canlis through the previous great ratings on Tripadvisor. Thus we confirmed our reservation when contacted with great anticipation. We were very surprised to then arrive at the restaurant (right day and on time!!) that they were somewhat surprised to see us, made worse by being left to “loiter” in the lobby while staff ran in many directions looking frazzled. Not a great start to an evening at supposedly one of Seattle’s finest restaurants. Unfortunately the remainder of the evening was similarly uninspiring. The service was polite and functional if somewhat disingenuous. However the food and the wine were the biggest disappointments. The extraordinary and stunning wine list would suggest a high standard and knowledge of wine could be expected. Given the DUI laws in the US one is ultra cautious about how much we drink and thus chose wine by the glass but despite the extraordinary wine list the two local wines by the glass that we chose were very ordinary. Had the four courses menu, for each of us only one of the courses was exceptional the others being rather ordinary given the hype and anticipation we had from reading previous reviews. For example my steak was “just a piece of meat”, one dimensional and unsophisticated.The truffle fries though do deserve special mention as fries should be hard to mess up (after all even the big M can do good fries!). The first serving received at the table was lukewarm, soft, unappealing and lacked flavour and after requesting replacement a second was provided. To our surprise and amusement the second batch was no different to the first albeit slightly less lukewarm! We do appreciate that different cultures and countries have different likes and dislikes. Maybe our expectations based on our extensive high end dining experience in Australasia and Europe are not a global standard, but if diners in the US truly want to be able to have a great dining experience then restaurants like Canlis still have a long way to go.

Just wow. The ambiance, the view, the impeccably timed service, the amuse bouce, the melt-in-your-mouth Black Cod, the most perfectly crafted old-fashioned my husband and I had ever tasted - Canlis, you knocked our socks off, and we will be back! Thank you for a birthday dinner that was nothing short of perfection!!

Went to dinner at Canlis with my wife on her birthday and was not disappointed! This restaurant is not kind to your wallet but it's worth it for the overall experience. From start to finish, this was the best service I have ever received at a restaurant. They are attentive but not in your face, knowledgeable but don't talk too much, and I can't think of one thing that they did wrong all night. I had the tartare, the rabbit, the lamb, and the souffle and it was all great! The lamb and the tartare were especially good! Oh and the cocktails are great as well. My wife had the wibble and we were looking up a recipe on the way home so she can have it again. Needless to say, my wife wouldn't be disappointed if we went there again next year!

The venue is cool. Great view of Seattle nested in a wooden structure high up amongst a couple of huge trees. It's kind of like a high-end Ewok village. The service is slick. The staff are super well trained and understand the food in a way that shows real depth of knowledge of ingredients and taste. The food is to die for. Some things look plain but taste phenomenal. Some look phenomenal and taste amazing. The 4 courses are small but filling. Plus, there are some mid-course surprises (which I've just spoiled). If you like fine dining. Go.

If you plan far enough ahead or get lucky the have a private dining room for four. The restaurant is clearly fantastic given the ratings. Get the private room and it just gets that much better. We had dinner there and the service is impeccable. It's a private little haven with the best views and what feels like a kitchen and staff dedicated to you.

Canlis serves high quality food surrounded by lots of pomp and circumstance but the pomp and appearances are more important than the food. My Uber driver summed it up with this question on the way there. « Which one is better, Canlis or El Gaucho? » Both Canlis and El Gaucho are restaurants which focus on special occasion dining where they make lots of cinema around the occasion and where a non-foodie might go to impress a date. The audience is more about prom dresses, birthdays, anniversaries, and expensive dates than about the food. Foodies go to Corson or Altura. Still, if you have out of town guests you want to impress with a nice view and fancy looking food, Canlis has its place.

There is a reason Seattle residents have celebrated special occasions at Canlis for decades. The view of city lights is spectacular. Service is impeccable. The food is beautifully and creatively prepared. For 99% of patrons, this is a (very) special occasion restaurant. We were in Seattle on vacation and to celebrate our anniversary and our son and daughter-in-law's anniversary. Cost of the four courses (plus several small extras provided by the chef) is $135 a person. Jackets are required for gentlemen. Dress up a little and celebrate the finer things in life! Highlights: vichyssoise, salmon second course, ribeye entree, and the cherries and cucumber dessert. Wow! Be sure to arrive early for a drink in the bar so you can enjoy the breathtaking view.

For a high end, high class restaurant, the food was depressingly mediocre. The chef showed neither exceptional vision nor did the cook staff show spectacular execution. The service, while not being rude, did manage to feel intrusive at points, and unaware at others. At a fast casual restaurant, this would not be a memorable result, and would be 3 stars if I bothered to review, but at the level of Canlis, this is unacceptable.

This was our second time dining at Canlis. The first time me and my husband dined here in August of 2017 and were so blown away by the attentive manner fo each and every worker ( from valet parking where they open your door the second you pull up, to having your car ready and fully air conditioned by the time you take one step out of the restaurant), to the menu options to the food itself, which we thought couldn't be any more perfect. This year we decided to come back for our annual date night, and were once again blown away! The atmosphere was ideal, dimmed lights, candles, live piano playing. The cocktail beverages are some of the best that I have ever tasted; you can definitely tell that the components used are top shelf liquor and the glass was garnished with hand carved lemon peel. The menu was once again delightful with a large selection for any taste buds. The waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable when it came to recommendations and our questions. We really recommend their steak, as it is the best steak that we have ever eaten and it simply melted in our mouth; and their double baked potatoes as a side. We will definitely come back to this restaurant during our next trip to Seattle.

Stick with the basic pasta and beef choices here and you will be happy. It’s pricey for most everything else.

My husband and I love MCM architecture and this house cum restaurant has it all. The food was wonderful, but the best part has to be the attention to detail and the exquisite service offered to every client.

A fabulous introduction to a dynamic city. The four course tasting menu does not disappoint. Coming from the northeast, even the prices were a pleasant surprise. The foie gras, vichyssoise and canlis salads were amazing as course one. The Haiga rice, rabbit and salmon top notch as course two. The lamb and pork were both excellent choices for the main course and the soufflé and cows milk cheese completed the meal with an exclamation point. The setting is sublime. If you are seeking a treat, you must make a reservation.

I’ve been fortunate to be able to experience Canlis over 50 years and tonight reinforced why the experience is as good today as ever. The service, the attention to detail, the ambiance, and, of course, the quality of the food is first class. My wife and I have celebrated several anniversary dinners at Canlis and tonight we did #53, a very joyful experience. We look forward to returning soon.

We had out of town visitors that always have dinner at Canlis when in town. This time we were able to join them. I have not been to Canlis in 20 years. We had an early reservation and were seated right away. The bar was already crowded. The view form any seat is spectacular and the service is top of the line. The menu is a choice out of 4 different categories. They ask any food allergies up front. My choices were adjusted to my allergies. The only suggestion I could make to this perfect evening is that they let you know you will have some little tasty bites coming to you while you wait for each course. We all left comfortable not stuffed. $125 person

This is on of the best dining experiences I’ve had. The service was attentive starting and ending with the valet. There was piano music in the bar if you wanted a drink before or after dinner. The view of lake union was great. I highly recommend you ask for a window table when you make your reservation. The wine list was extensive. The food was unique and tasty.

Such a great view and great food. The servers were a bit all over the place. Some were super friendly and some were super formal. All the food was good except for the main course of pork. It was rubbery, little dry and barely warm. This place definitely strives to serve you and make your experience great.

Beautiful place, excellent food and unpretentious, friendly staff. Loved it. Great special occasion restaurant. Pricey, but we felt it was worth it, and had a lovely evening.

First of all, this is a fixed price, fixed menu four course meal. You aren't going to get out of the restaurant for under $300 per couple and more likely $400 if you have wine with the meal, after you pay the 20% service charge (reasonable) and the Seattle taxes on your meal (outrageous). Now, if you are still reading I will give you the good news. It was expensive but excellent in every way. Impeccable service, creative and imaginative courses, and a gorgeous view. Many reviewer have raved about the Canlis salad prepared tableside. Personally I would have preferred a good caesar salad but I was in the minority. My recommendation: Canlis is best saved for a very special occasion and person. Also, plan on dressing up, coats for men and fashionable dresses/slacks for women were the norm.

My husband and I joined our friends for dinner at Canlis last night. Everything from the glassware to the silverware to the food and beverages to the impeccable service was intentional and lovely. The four of us savored every bite of our three hour meal, from the amuse-bouche to the final flourish . I found the pacing of courses to be perfect and the overall quality and creativeness of dishes to be delightful. This is a formal restaurant but our server put us right at ease. It was my friend's birthday and she casually mentioned to our server that her family puts an extra candle on their birthday cakes for good luck. When it was time for the immaculate dessert, two candles topped her sorbet. It is that attention to detail and thoughtfulness throughout that set this meal apart. I can truly say this was the best overall experience my husband and I have ever had a restaurant.

While in town for business we were sent to this uber-trendy fine dining establishment with a stunning view of the lake. The menu and staff did not disappoint, our $125 meal came with four different courses and 5 or 6 options to choose from for each course. Small portions of very unique, tasty dishes came out perfectly timed for our group. We must have had 6 different servers attending to our food and drink needs throughout the night. Jacket (no tie) was required, giving a formal/cordial vibe to the place. Reservations essential! Perhaps a little over-hyped, this was very good but not mind blowing.

Strangely I never went to Canlis during the 6 years I lived in Seattle in the 90s so recently when Ryne and were stopping in Seattle for a few nights before a cruise I wanted to have a visit. Canlis is a Seattle Tradition and very traditional. It’s located in a secluded area on a hill by the Aurora Bridge overlooking South lake Union. It’s a very nice room with a small lounge waiting area but our table was ready so we did not have a drink in advance there. Like so many restaurants it is too dimly lit. Possibly owing to this and our reservation being on the night of our cross country flight we found the pace of the meal too slow. Pacing of meals is such a finely tuned thing. No one likes to be rushed but neither do you want to think something’s been forgotten. I will say that about half-way I a mentioned to our server we’d flown across country that AM so if the pace could be picked up a bit it would be helpful. She came through with this request remarkably well. Interestingly she also became more engaged overall which helped us to be more alert. I haven’t even mentioned the food. Everything we had was excellent and they offer a tasting menu with options for the various courses. Definitely add on the Canlis Salad.

Food was delicious & service was terrific. Looking forward to returning on next trip to Seattle. Decor was very comfortable & inviting. Mostly couples & groups of friends for Saturday night crowd.

Joshua was our waiter, and we were his first table as a waiter (they have a long vetting time) and he was outstanding! The entire crew was amazing. Service is top notch. They like to have fun! From the menu, it looks like a small dinner but don't be fooled, they have many surprises along the way. So many different flavors and more food than I could eat. I am grateful for such a wonderful experience. It's not for the budget conscious....but what a great adventure!

We were so surprised with the delicious prefix dinner, every dish was beautifully decorated and tasty . The service was superb, gratuity to the staffs were well deserved. We moved from NYC, where there is an abundance of top rated restaurants. We missed the ambience and the food there, but Canlis can easily be rated up there with the best rated in the east coast.

This was our second trip to Canlis, having dined there 20 years ago. It was time to go back. Not a special occasion, just because it was time. We went with our neighbors so we could try many items off the menu. The food was outstanding. Fresh, tasty, good sized portions, some push-the-envelope innovative plates. The wine somm was very helpful in choosing a nice bottle to compliment the food. But the overall service and value were just not quite up to snuff. After we rec'd the bottle of wine, the somm disappeared, the server too. We poured our own wine. No big deal. They forgot some tea that we had ordered when we sat down. The whole experience, with probably 12-15 servers, runners, somms, etc., was just lacking what I call " soul ". The people were just going through the motions. Again, the food was outstanding. But the coolest part after dining, the hostess remembered all our coats by sight. AND, the car valet remembered our car by sight. No tickets or descriptions. Your car just shows up and is waiting for you when you leave. A nice touch ! Will we go back, yes, in 20 years. Cheers !

We had dinner in the adorable and creative Yurt Village and really enjoyed the atmosphere created by the decor, the staff outfits, the cider upon arrival and coffee which was served in a thermos with camping mugs with our dessert. The raclette appetizer was a delicious spread, which we enjoyed with our cocktails. Both the oysters and the dumplings were tasty. We agreed that dessert was by far the best course. Our main courses were disappointing: he had the pork chops and I had the crab risotto... at least, that is what it was called. I couldn't really see any crab, and due to the heavy seasoning, I couldn't taste it. Such a bummer since getting reservations was super hard and we were really excited about the meal.

I love this place. We have been coming here for a few years now. Fantastic views. Never disappointed. Last time I had the canlis salad, spot prawns and the ribeye. Loved everything.

Great view, okay decor, substandard food in this price range. Many better alternatives on the water for less than half the price.

This is a very fancy place. The service is amazing and everyone is so helpful. The food is out of this world! Listening to how each dish is prepared is so unique!

The food matches the views. If you ever were going to ask someone to marry you at a restaurant, this should be your choice. Outstanding in every way. I especially loved the soft piano music that was close to our table. The pianist even played George Winston and had a wide repertoire. You need to do this! It's magical!

The Yurt experience was so bad. It took over 20 minutes before we saw our waiter for the first time, and over 35 min before we got our 1st drink. That was just the beginning and not the worst of it. We had to track down someone to get our second round of drinks. In 2 hours we were only able to get two cocktails. The food was sub par and 2 of the dishes had black licorice flavor, anise or fennel which no one at the table appreciated in multiple dishes. The candle in our yurt didn't work and the excuse was very bad, the person blamed the restaurant for not having their stuff together, very unprofessional Then we were forced to pay $150 gratuity for service that I would have been disappointing at Denny's for let alone a $1k meal. This was such a let down after working so hard for the booking and waiting so long to go.

It was a friends birthday so we had a meal in one of the private rooms. This was in no way the experience I have had when dining in the main restaurant. Small portions, poor choices, house wine - red or white and $240 per person. I will never recommend Canlis private dining. Oh and we were hungry and had to go home and eat....

I had not eaten at Canlis since 1993. Back then, you ordered from the menu and there were many many choices. We even had Chris Canlis come to our table and (everyone else’s) and introduce himself and see how our dinner went. I have spoken fondly of the restaurant all these years. My best friend and her husband joined my husband and I for dinner a couple of weeks ago. The restaurant is now being managed by the younger generation. They have adopted a pre set menu. There are 3 categories and you choose one in each category. They also add in a few other items. Be advised, each item that they bring you, including your “entree”, is about 3-4 bites , depending on your bite size. While the flavors are different and intricate, there just isn’t much to eat. The service is wonderful. We had a couple of cocktails with our meal and it was over $1000.00. As we were leaving, we all joked about meeting over at Dick’s drive in, for a hamburger! I sent an email to the manager, explaining my disappointment and he basically said that most people like it, and perhaps Canlis isn’t the right place for me. It’s too bad that Peter Canlis is no longer in charge. Once service and satisfaction are gone or are not at the forefront, the restaurant just becomes an overpriced piece of real estate. If you have money to burn, eat here. If you want value for your money, keep looking. We will never go back.

Canlis has been and continues to be the premier restaurant in Seattle. The cuisine is the finest both in taste and presentation, the service staff is knowledgable, helpful and attentive. The view is most picturesque. Searching for a negative, one can only point to the difficulty in access from the very busy highway and lack of immediate parking - although valet parking is available.

I attended as part of a Chase Saphire event. We were seated in the penthouse area with amazing views of the water. It was a curated menu with wine pairings. All the food was excellent. The Chef Brady Williams mingled with the group and guided us through the food items selected. It was a fantastic time. Note: Although Seattle is a casual city, this is not a casual restaurant. Gents - Suit up. Ladies - Dress the part. You will feel out of place if you don't.

My husband and I recently enjoyed the Canlis “Office” dining experience, during which we enjoyed a four-course dinner in an intimate setting. The meal itself was exquisite. Our favorite dishes were the eggplant agedashi, the Canlis salad (great grandmother’s recipe), the ribeye, and the dry-aged lamb. We also enjoyed the coffee and chocolate ganache dessert which we paired with cappuccinos. The vibe at Canlis is both sophisticated and fun. The friendly and engaging staff made us feel very special—like we were part of their family—and this made the experience even richer. After our meal, Brian Canlis took us on a VIP tour of the restaurant, which was just super cool. All in all, it was a lovely experience and we now feel a special connection to this legendary restaurant.

Every year, we go to Canlis for a dinner meeting. Each year the food gets worse. The building is nice and views are lovely. However, the food was so bad. We had a crab appetizer with rice, with no crab visible. Next, we had a choice of several dishes for our meeting which didn’t include fish. I asked if I could have fish. They told me they didn’t couldn’t give me one piece of fish, because they might be short for the whole restaurant. Instead they offered me a bean dish with roasted vegetables. There were 2-3 visible vegetables and kidney beans in a terrible tasting sauce. They offered me a sorbet of raspberry, but it was also not very good. My husband had the steak and it was not tender. He noted it was not good. The dessert of molten chocolate cake was the best part of the meal. When the father ran the restaurant it was good, now it is in a sad state. The service was very good however.

Friends of mine gave my husband and me a gift certificate for Canlis, which was quite a generous gift. We dined there last night, and we both left feeling ... underwhelmed. Before I go any further, I want to state that nothing we experienced was in any way bad. The food was good (some excellent) and the service was exemplary. The overall experience was one of underwhelming value. My husband and I are not wealthy, but we are not poor. We do well in our fields, and we enjoy dining out. We've dined in fine restaurants all over Seattle and the PNW, and in Chicago, New York City and LA as well as in Vancouver, Montréal, Québec City, Paris, Biarritz, St. Jean de Luz, San Sebastian, Madrid and Barcelona. On my own I have dined well in Lisbon, Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, Brussels, Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, Köln and Monte Carlo. I know food, and I know fine dining. I know a good meal from a bad meal. I also have a standard of what a good value is. To me, value is derived from the enjoyment experienced balanced with the amount paid. At a certain point there is a level of diminishing returns. This experience of diminishing returns was our take-away from Canlis. What astonished me about the meal was how expensive it was. The two of us had one mocktail each (no wine) and dinner. This came to just under $500. In my world, $500 is not a small amount to drop on any experience, let alone a single meal. For $500 I would have liked to have been blown away. We just weren't. The view was incredible. The staff were gracious and attentive. The food was nice and beautifully presented (the albacore in a tangy potato emulsion, the 'mostly rye' bread and the pre-dessert Greek yogurt with blueberry reduction and olive oil were by far the stand-outs.) But we have had many more 'oh my God!' moments at other restaurants. Our first dinner at Communion in the Central District was one such meal: a never-ending parade of incredible textures, flavors and inventive combinations - a meal that has lived in our minds as one of the best we've had in our lives. We had two meals at a restaurant in Barcelona (Telèferic) that were unbelievably astonishingly delicious. One meal we had in Biarritz (Le Pimpí, which has since changed hands) is a meal we still refer to fondly, even though it happened over ten years ago. These meals were events. And while these gustatorial events were not 'cheap eats' they also did not blow huge holes in our dining budgets. As a result these meals, pricey though they may have been, were excellent values. I'm going to say something here that is going to sound crass in the context of fine dining. But here it is: the food was so tiny. So very, very tiny. I ordered duck breast as one of the courses. This was a sliver of duck breast (two bites - one for me, one for my husband) and a single dumpling in a diminutive ramekin of broth (again, one bite for me, one bite for my husband.) I know intellectually that the preparation of the duck must have taken hours. The duck itself was most likely sourced from the freshest, purest duck pond on a carefully maintained farm. I had my bite of the duck and my bite of the dumpling and it was good. But just good. Not 'oh my god.' Just ... good. The same can be said of the coulotte of beef. It was good. It was tender. But it was not 'oh my god.' It wasn't even 'oh my gosh.' It was just ... good. And tiny. So very tiny. (Let me hasten to state here that we are not Claim Jumper diners. I'd literally rather eat nothing than eat at Claim Jumper, or any other restaurant that features food whose only feature is its hugeness.) I know there are people in the world who can drop $500 on dinner and that's just a regular Tuesday. I imagine these are the same people who do not think twice about ordering a $3,000 bottle of wine to go along with one course, and another bottle to go along with another course. Perhaps Canlis is built for people who live at this kind of wealth level. For my husband and me, we will continue to visit restaurants that elicit a higher level of 'oh my god!' and represent a good value in doing so.

From start to finish the service was excellent perhaps a bit cloying in that I felt surrounded most of the evening. The 4 course tasting menu had numerous choices for each ranging from standard to exotic preparations. The more exotic items pretty much fell flat and seemed to be made up of combinations that did not hold together. The crepe filled with sauerkraut and Pierre sauce was especially odd and not very good. For a restaurant of Canlis's reputation and cost I left disappointed.

I have been living in the PNW for 4 years now and finally I made it to Canlis. Oh what a disappointment... I have traveled around the world and eaten at some superb restaurants. I have had meals that are unforgettable. Canlis holds the record now: $500 per person (for a dinner with likely the largest let down to date). Mind you, French Laundry, Eleven Madison Park, or Alinea cost less than this place... Service was spotty: We sit down and a server asks if we want water. Sparkling we say. Another one comes and tries so pour flat. Eventually, we are asked if we would like a drink. Sure, except we do not know what you offer because we did not get a menu. We ask for the sommelier... Drinks arrive, so does the amuse bouche. Sommelier arrives finally and we choose a wine. The wine is finally served when the second bite is plated. Indeed, not much food I must say. So I half jokingly ask for seconds on the dessert. The answer: "Sure, you can get a second one next time you come back." A <enter four letter word> you shot through my mind. Food: Portions were indeed miniscule. Think of a Kaiser meal redux. Instead of 14+ small courses where you walk away happy and satisfied, these were 7 courses at best. Flavors were good with some exceptions. Serving morel mushrooms sans a creamy sauce is almost sacrilege. The ominous house salad was over seasoned and too salty. And dessert was about a third of what I would have liked to get. Ambiente: Traditional surf & turf setting. Large space with views, but unfortunately very loud. It was hard for us to have a conversation. Not what I would have expected. Toilets were moderately clean (one clogged). Summary: If I want to waste $500/head I can come up with far better ideas. For example, 16 dozens of Mochinut donuts, 45 banh mi, several dinners at other places that actually serve delicious food, such as Tomo, Charlotte, Ba Bar, How to Cook a Wolf, Sushi Kashiba (get there early and sit in front of the chef, otherwise skip), ... I would not go back even if the meal was free.

We travel a lot, and have dined in wonderful restaurants (including those with Michelin stars) at home in DC and across the country and globe. We looked forward to Canlis, as it was touted as one of Seattle’s best. Yes, it was a nice evening, but it definitely wasn’t top drawer. The setting is lovely and the view spectacular, both at sunset and at night. The service was alternately super attentive and neglectful. (We were “decrumbed” multiple times, but also left with empty wine glasses & an out-of-reach wine bottle.) The fixed price tasting menu had some innovative items; a few were delicious and others just ordinary. The team service approach seemed a bit pretentious...LOTS of people scurrying about, but food came out at a VERY leisurely pace. What really amused us was the ladies carrying steam irons to nearby tables to iron the wrinkles out of the newly laid tablecloths. That was definitely a first for us....anywhere!!! Certainly not a bad evening, but not stellar, either...especially given the price tag!

Let me first mention the positives. There is a very nice view from the corner table we were given, and the service was impeccable. The waitstaff was attentive, polite, and responsive. Unfortunately, I cannot understand the positive reviews that this restaurant has generally received. Our experience was so at odds with the general opinion, that I suspect that most of the reviewers were cowed by the reputation of the restaurant and felt that the exorbitant prices must reflect the quality of the food served. Well, if all you want to do is photograph your dishes, then it was exceptional. The chef seems to be completely obsessed with presentation. But if you want to actually enjoy eating your meal, this restaurant is sorely lacking. We ordered the four-course meal, and for me personally, only the dessert (the souffle) was even acceptable. The Canlis salad was okay but way too heavy on the mint. I left half of it on the plate. The salmon had a distinct fishy taste, making me wonder how fresh it was, and was ordinary in all respects. The pork was tough, and frankly not very good at all. My wife had the sea bream, which I sampled, and it was excellent. But she was very disappointed in the pasta dish as her second course. Even the amuse bouche selections were not good. As I mentioned earlier, the dessert souffle was the only dish that was memorable. The waitress mentioned that at one time there were four Canlis restaurants around the country but 3 have closed and only the Seattle location it still open. This does not surprise me and I think the sooner the Seattle market wises up to the fact that Canlis is an extremely poor value, the better. After all, for $200 per person it is fair to expect something truly exceptional.

Superb Restaurant! Wonderful attentive service from excellent staff. The food tantalized our taste buds right from the start, from the delicious cocktails and nibbles and delicious bread and spreads. The ceremony of the famous Canlis salad… and the end result was delicious. All the courses were amazing and they left us with some wonderful after tastes. Thank you Mr C for your wonderful hospitality. Regards from the Aussies.

Of all the fine dining places I have been in my life, this tops my list! FOOD Amazing food!! I had their 4 course meal and each and every thing was delicious, including the wine! They have a beautiful collection of wine. They have even won the John Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Program back in 2017 (and more awards too, I guess). Ask the server for wine pairings and they definitely help you out. SERVICE Their food comes coupled with impeccable service. It truly defines "fine dining". AMBIANCE The restaurant is dimly lit, fancy and very cozy - just what you would expect at an upscale restaurant. Wooden, exotic interiors with fireplace, and a very welcoming vibe. The restaurant overlooks the Lake Union, and has one of the best views for a restaurant in Seattle. PS: This is an upscale place, and there is a strict formal dress code.

We had dinner at Canlis on Saturday evening/night. We rented the Cache room and it was amazing. Dinner at Canlis isn't just dinner, it is an event! We ordered the four course dinner but ended up with like 8 courses of tasty tidbits. The service was excellent from Matt and Jess were our servers and they were fun, personable but knew when to give us time. Everyone at Canlis were great. The food was awesome. Try the Haiga rice, ridiculously good. The lamb was very good, shoot everything was excellent and fun to taste and try things. Best part was tasting things we didn't order. It wasn't a special event for us but we sure left feeling special. Spendy, yes but it is more than worth it.

Canlis is a fine dining restaurant in a design building, off the city center, having great views of Lake Union. They serve a 3-course tasting menu, giving you a choice to choose one each from starters, entrees and desserts. The atmosphere was very nice, service was attentive and the views were great. Amuse bouche was served first. My choice from the menu was the halibut, striploin and the smoked cacao. We had a pinot noire from the Eyrie vineyards, 2017 to pair our food. It was easy drinking, a good compromise to match with the different dishes we had. A very enjoyable experience…

Having been to Canlis several times over the past 20 years, we could d not get a reservation for a while. When we finally got pulled in from the waitlist we were looking forward to a repeat of the "wow". Needless to say, we were not impressed. The food was very Japanese- it should be marked as a Japanese restaurant. Soy in every dish- including the dessert(at least the flavor). The place was quite empty considering that getting a reservation was hard and saw several people not finish their food. Great cocktails but less than mediocre food. the price seemed too steep for the. experience. So many more places offer better in the area.

Beautiful place, with amazing views, very nice decoration, ambiance, and fantastic live piano music. Very good food. Great professional and courteous service.

0 stars if I could....don't do it. If u think that camp BBQ option has anything associated with fine dining ...u are very wrong. Don't go, $48 buys u a paper plate of potatoe chips, crappy meat and very uncomfortable sitting with porter potty..Awful food,service ambience..super disappointed

A very romantic restaurant with lovely views from every table in the section where we were seated. There were many celebrations going on at the different tables - a graduation, a couple of birthdays, and a couple of wedding anniversaries. There was a pianist playing background music for a while which really added to the ambiance. When the music stopped, we really noticed the absence. The tasting menu with the wine pairings was divine - it turned out to be a bit rich for my stomach as I later discovered,b but still a special dining experience.

The Great... We arrived 25 minutes early to our 8 pm reservation and were immediately seated in the lounge. Drinks ordered, piano enjoyed and 5-10 minutes after 8 we were seated. I was surprised at the reduced menu from my past experience there. But, we each found special things to order. I had the Canlis Salad (wonderful start), the rice dish (just okay) the ribeye (delicious) and the soufflé (good, but not extraordinary). Our waiter was very nice, interested in our pleasurable dining and attentive. The Not So Great... Aside from the reduced menu, serving sizes varied between courses. The service, although good was verrrrrry sssslllloooowwww! We understand the benefits of a leisurely meal. But, 2 1/2 hours is excessive! And, the temperature in the room was stiflingly hot which went along with the stuffiness. It made both us anxious to be outside in the 42 degree air just to breathe and cool down. Will we return? Their dress code exacerbated the environmental issues. (Consider a dress code in Seattle...). It probably won’t happen soon.

We have traveled extensively around the world and enjoyed many fine dining experiences. Our recent dinner at Canlis was right up there with the best of the best. Valet check in was breezy smooth, and we were immediately seated in the lounge for a cocktail while we waited a bit for our appointed reservation time. My spouse had a glass of wine while we waited and I had a vodka martini. The vodkas listed in the menu were interesting, including an Icelandic and Tito's Texas vodka. I chose the Icelandic with a lemon twist and blue cheese stuffed olives on the side...perfect! We were then seated at a table right at the window...perfect! Emily and her assistant Hans gave us professional yet personal, flawless yet friendly service...both perfect just the right balance. The offering is a fixed price four course meal with about four choices for each course. We started with great grandmother's salad which is Caesar-ish romaine but with mint and bacon prepared tableside, so you can ask for a bit more or less of the ingredients. The portion was generous. My spouse then had the rabbit and I had the Haiga rice which was a WOW with flavor. For our third my spouse had the halibut and I had the lamb, both of which were amazing. Our fourth was the Curacao souffle which was also outstanding. The overall portions may have seemed small at the beginning, but by the end, you're wondering if you have room for dessert. We also asked Emily to suggest wines by the glass to go with each course. Her suggestions were spot on. Canlis has a dress code and it's obvious that everything about their brand and the experience is well managed and executed. These people are pro's. The evening was topped off by the car magically appearing at the door as we walked out, and included thoughtful directions for getting back on Aurora southbound. I hadn't been to Canlis since I moved from Seattle 35 years ago. Yes there are things that have changed, but Canlis pursuit of perfection has not.

We booked at this restaurant after a referral from a colleague who said that he loved his time here. The restaurant is formal and very upmarket, and we dressed up for the occasion. The staff are very professional and chatty. The meal was exceptional and I can't think of a better dining experience. It is, of course, very expensive but this comes with the territory and you should save up for a special occasion to enjoy here. We will definitely return!

What a wonderful restaurant and exceptional team of employees. I knew this dining experience would be exceptional when I made my first call to the restaurant to get help with my reservation. We arrived at the restaurant and we were greeted by the hostess. While our table was being finalized we chatted with such a warm person that made us feel like we have been coming to this establishment for years even though this was our first visit. The dining room over looks Seattle and every table has a fantastic view. The food is as spectacular as the view. This restaurant offers a 4 course dinner for $135 pp. each course has four items to choose from. Each of us picked something different for each course so we could sample more items. I’m assuming the menu changes according to what can be sourced so I would suggest you check the menu out on line. No matter what I’m sure you will see a fabulous selection. We also ordered a bottle of wine with dinner. Canlis has a very extensive wine list. We ask the sommelier for a suggestion for a moderately priced wine and he selected our first Washington state wine which was delicious. The restaurant will also pair wine with each course for $115 pp. we decided to purchase a bottle of wine vs. the wine pairing. Not all diners need to have the wine paring. Besides the 4 courses two appetizers (finger foods) came out while we were deciding what to enjoy for dinner. Some of the items we really enjoyed were: salad - 1st course, Black Sea bass-3rd course, soufflé- 4th course. This restaurant makes you feel welcome as soon as you walk in the door. The restaurant recommends dressing up for dinner because this will be a special event but your experience will not be stuffy or make anyone feel uncomfortable. The atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. Service is flawless from the time you walk in the door until you leave. Canlis includes a 20% gratuity but never asks for anything more. We dined here for our 35th wedding anniversary.

Our favorite fine dining spot in Seattle! The food, atmosphere and service here really are second to none. Since moving to Seattle from Europe, we have struggled to find nicer restaurants whose offer compares, but Canlis really delivers. We have visited twice. Once as a couple, and again with my parents. Both experiences were great. The four course format is perfect for a satisfying, delicious meal without being as heavy as a long tasting menu. Great wine selection as well. I think a lot of Seattlites perceive that Canlis is far more expensive than other fine dining establishments in and around the city. It is pricey, but not when compared to other restaurants in its bracket in the city. We have also been to Art of the Table and Cafe Juanita, and at both of these spent more and had an inferior meal. If you are looking for a special night out, Canlis is worth it.

My husband and I had only one night to spend in Seattle, and decided to have dinner at Canlis. What a wonderful experience. The restaurant is gorgeous, with amazing views, and the food is exceptional (lots of locally-sourced, creative, delicious dishes). And the service is truly exceptional. We were fortunate enough to have Erica as our primary server. Not only was she personable, she was an expert on every dish, as well as the wine. Joelle also helped at our table and was a joy to meet. Of the additional 6 or 8 servers we had, every one was great and the entire service was outstanding. We would definitely go back here and have already recommended it to friends heading to Seattle.

This was a truly fantastic experience. I’m so glad I asked the hostess to decide what dishes to have, all of the subtleties and exotic nuances blew my mind! I’ll definitely be coming back!

Having the opportunity to visit Seattle after a twenty year hiatus I was very much looking forward to trying this restaurant. I am so happy that we did! We requested a window seat and were treated to a beautiful view. The service was impeccable. We were frequently checked upon but not in an invasive way. The food was wonderful. I had the Canlis salad (love the mint), crab with chrysanthemum emulsion, ribeye, and a raspberry millefeuille. The presentation was only upstaged by the flavors. My husband had the hemp pudding which was really good - yes, I was surprised! He had the crab too as well as the pork and a rhubarb dessert. The sommelier was very patient and helpful. I cannot remember the name of the gentleman who attended to us during the evening but he was so personable and warm. His recommendations for our wine with the first course was spot on as well. One of the owners also stopped by our table and he was just as warm and welcoming as the rest of his staff. Being from California, it is actually quite nice to walk into a fine dining establishment and see everybody dressed appropriately. I highly recommend a visit. I am only hoping I do not wait another twenty years to get back to Seattle to visit this restaurant.

This was such a fabulous experience! The atmosphere and service were excellent, but what made this truly memorable, was the incredible food! We did the classic wine pairing with our courses and they did an excellent job of choosing the wine that paired with the food. Though it is expensive, worth every penny!

Great experience! From first course to dessert! This is a 4 course meal and you get to chose from a few different options. Every single plate was DELICIOUS! I also tried all of my wife's food and it did not dissapoint. Service was top notch! Servers are very nice and everyone there is really working on making this a good experience for you!

I have visited Canlis 5 times and was quite underwhelmed by my recent visit. Service and food were not up to previous standards or other restaurants of comparable cost. The venue is still lovely.

This was my first time to Canlis, despite being born and raised in Seattle. I had always avoided it because I resented its pretentiousness in a city that prides itself on being casual. I continued to resent this pretentiousness when I received the email telling me the dress code and that there is a $50/person cancellation fee. I did, however, find the staff to be friendly and open, while providing impeccable service. We had one vegetarian and they were able to provide her with a separate menu. The view is fabulous of Lake Union and gasworks. It is a bit dark in the restaurant and the decor feels a bit 1970s to me. The food was very good and the wine list was excellent. I am tried it, but for the price, I think I would not visit again unless invited for a special occasion. I prefer someplace like Altura, where there is less pomp and more substance.

We had a great time at Canlis. However, those who are used to Michelin-star dining in major cities may be disappointed. This is Seattle's attempt to bring fine gastronomy to the table, but it doesn't quite fit the bill. The price matches those of Michelin-starred restaurants, but the palette and flavors don't quite hit the target. Nevertheless, we had a fantastic time and thoroughly appreciated the warm service by our waiter. Also, the alcohol / wine pairing is fantastic and worth it.

This is one of the two best restaurants in my life. The other was owned by the Prince of Liechtenstein. What makes Canlis excel is their attention to the entire experience. Every detail from valet to waiting to seating and presentation and staff and food. As much as we loved the food, I confess to geeking out at their process! We felt completely cared for. I think this is what sets apart a restaurant that simply has an outstanding chef from a restaurant like Canlis which cares about the whole experience in a holistic, non-snobbish way. We felt cared for. We felt like we had a proper and lovely celebration. Canlis blessed us.

The overall experience was memorable. Great location and set up, very low noise. Excellent and prompt service, makes you feel like you are the only customer in a very busy restaurant. The 3-course meal portioned right with emphasis on taste and presentation. No wonder that has been around for more than 50 years.

Went for a very special evening with great friend and daughter. Greeting was great, went to bar to await table and was surprised to see people in jeans, tennis shoes; not even near what is advertised as having a dress code. When seated at table initial service was good but definitely went downhill from there. Friend visiting from Florida which works in same industry was told by chef's at his employment that it would be one of best meals and experience; especially since the James Beard Award has just been done. The meal was interesting, difficult to get thru menu and definitely not worth the over $800 for 3. I have dined at Canlis previously but was definitely disappointed.

We stopped in for cocktails in the lounge at this iconic Seattle restaurant. Service was excellent and my 'old fashion' was probably the best of that drink that I have ever had. Loved the piano player. Next time I'm coming in for dinner.

We had high hopes for Canlis, but the experience was disappointing. While the starters and dessert were solid, the main course—a Denver cut served as “American Wagyu”—was underwhelming, overly fatty, and poorly communicated. For a fine dining restaurant, not disclosing the steak cut upfront felt misleading. Presentation and flavors overall lacked the refinement we expected. Not the level of quality or transparency a place like this should offer.

Canlis is a beautiful representation of American fine dining that continues to shine after decades of acclaimed service. We recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary at Canlis and enjoyed a fantastic meal complete with gracious service and multiple courses of plate-licking, delicious dishes. Start your evening with an early arrival to enjoy a cocktail and the romantic music of the live pianist. The drink menu includes several variations of classic cocktails as well as Canlis signatures. The food has a wonderful Japanese influence, but is Pacific Northwest at heart. On the dinner menu, you have the option to select from four courses, including dessert. Not to be missed for a starter is the classic Canlis Family salad, prepared with bacon, green tomatoes, Parmesan cheese in a light lemon and mint vinaigrette. Other great dishes included the Haiga rice cooked in brown butter dashi with Dungeness Crab, roasted pork with a green garlic and hazelnut persillade sauce, ribeye steak with charred radicchio and fermented garlic. There are a small selection of side dishes to add to your main entree, including truffled French Fries, and possibly the most delicious caramelized wild mushroom medley I’ve ever enjoyed. Throughout service there were also several small bites brought to the table that all were delightful. Servers are warm and welcoming, with an air of confidence that comes with such an acclaimed restaurant. We had wonderful conversations with multiple servers about everything from the restaurant’s history, to their favorite things to do in Seattle. In all, Canlis is an absolute must for foodies the and well-travelled visiting Seattle.

Canlis has a family vide and is positioned in their old house that over looks the lake. The atmosphere is really special and quant for a really special moment. The food is a set menu however you can pick from 3-4 options for each portion. All of the options sounded good and the ones I ordered were very good. Service is very friendly. Expect to spend $120-150 per person.

We dined at Canlis recently while on vacation to Seattle. The setting overlooking Lake Union is beautiful and the service was impeccable. It’s pricey but includes four courses plus the chef offered two extra surprise courses (an amuse bouche at the beginning and a sweet treat at the end). The sides that accompanied the third course (entree) were served for the table and were delicious. This was a wonderful choice for a celebratory dinner and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience.

Was in Seattle on business and heard this place was impressive. Took a party of 6 for dinner. In a nutshell, the service was abhorrent, food was only fair, and to add insult to injury...it was GROSSLY overpriced. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

Enjoyed a business dinner here and from that perspective everything was excellent; atmosphere, food, service, wine. But I saw the menu prices, the preparation, the portions so I’d say the value prop is a bit askew if I was paying. No doubt this is a top tier restaurant with a expansive view, valet parking, a warm and cozy fireplace upon entrance and a lovely hostess to greet you. There’s even a piano player in the bar to entertain you. Service is sophisticated and also offers coat check. The wine list is comprehensive and comes with an attentive sommelier who will guide you and decant your selection. She was the highlight of our experience. BTW The bar red wine was Andrew Will 2014, which was lovely. This is the perfect place on an expense account.

My wife and I dined here a couple weeks ago. I brought my jacket to Seattle just so we could do so on this visit...we have always wanted to experience Canlis, and now we have. The building is great...the staff are helpful, efficient and welcoming...the vibe is soothing...but sadly the food is only 'meh.' We had the "famous" Canlis Salad, chawanmushi, sea bass, spot prawns, and roasted duck--everything looked nice but nothing was as flavorful as we thought these things could or should be. . .and the spot prawns--very disappointing...slivers of prawn buried under some sort of veggie mixture. . .a famous chef once said, "let the ingredient look like what it is...resist the urge to alter it." Let the prawn be a prawn...just like we let lettuce be lettuce, carrots be carrots, etc. Anyway, we had fun but have no desire to eat here again. Upward and onward...

Canlis has been established in Seattle for a long time as one of the more established restaurant to consider when dining. Service, food and wine are always reliable.

I had heard so much about Canlis and was excited to give it a try. I went with my son and family, five in all. The restaurant itself is lovely in that it sits high overlooking east of Seattle. We probably had three waitstaff tending to us throughout. They were very attentive and excellent. That is where the excellence ended for us. The menu is four courses $135. We truly had a difficult time finding four courses that were enticing. I settled on their famous salad. It was just an ordinary romaine with tomatoes, bacon bits and croutons. Absolutely nothing special. Then I selected their Haiga rice with dungenous crab. There must have been crab in it because it was almost too salty to eat. Serving size was about 4 tablespoons. Third course was ribeye with charred radicchio. Two slices for very tasty but impossibly chewy ribeye surrounded with a sad looking few leaves of radicchio and fermented garlic paste. Dessert was crepe brûlée. Nice and crunchy on top but very bland beneath. Throw in a bottle or two of moderate wine and you are looking at close to a thousand dollars for 5. My granddaughters asked if we could go to Dicks for burgers after. That says it all.

Wow!!!! It was amazing!!! I had such amazing experience. The food was phenomenal. I’ll definitely be going back.!!! Delicious!

I want to highlight service and ambiance. It is the best. How do I know it was good? Because it happened to us and we didn’t even know it. It wasn’t intrusive. We got to enjoy the experience without having to work for the service to come us. Pure pleasure of being a Canlis customer. We were surprised with a complimentary bottle of wine from a friend and it was handled expertly. The surprise, the presentation, the explanation of the winery and the vintage. Delightful. The dinner. Small servings, but we were very full at the end. Tasty, different, surprising, pleasing, filling. The Chocolate peanut desert was unbelievable. Our table faced Lake Union on a perfect night. Gas Works Park, The boats, I-5 in the distance, the sunset, the greenery on the hillside. The ability to hold a conversation without any noise in the background. Civility does exit. It is at Canlis.

This was a unique and wonderful experience! If this restaurant was in a larger city they would absolutely have a Michelin Star. We did the Chefs Tasting menu without even seeing it, preferring to be surprised with each course. Surprised is putting it mildly! Each course was delicious, but also unique and beautifully presented. The wine pairings were equally surprising and enjoyable. I highly recommend this for a special occasion. The view alone would make it worth while.

The food is great at Canlis. I think the chef just won a James Beard award. But what makes it really special is the service, the ambiance and the view. No one does it better. It's also a great place to go for a drink at their bar.

We tried Canlis multi-course dining experience for a graduation celebration. Service was professional and courteous. Items in the menu comes at bite size ( sampling quantity). Each item is is brought to the table by a team of servers. All items are tasty and artistically presented. Steak bites are tender and juicy…cooked to perfection …. Dried persimmon is very good ….not too sweet. All in all is a good culinary experience (cuisine quality is excellent but not a unique one) if you have $220+ (including drinks) to spare for each person

We're a fan of Canlis. My family has had its fair share of celebrations there for 50 years. Despite some reluctance, we decided to have The Crab Shack take-home meal. I know how hard it is to control the quality of take out meals. The salad was only OK, the salmon mousse was OK, the vinegar chips were NOT a good idea. However, the hair wrapped around various legs of crab was not a good idea. Long brown hair amongst what looked like sweet, succulent crab did it for us. Sorry, Canlis. A clever idea has gone awry.

Hi Forest - I hope you're having a fantastic walk with your dog this morning! The vibes were immaculate and the food was excellent. Kyle - Forest deserves a raise. Mark - Phenomenal craftsmanship on the antlers. To the entire Canlis crew: Thank you for such a phenomenal, fun, and creative evening! You folks are truly the best, thank you for sharing your art and passion.

The food was delicious and the view spectacular. The service was good but some of the servers were too formal and stuffy for me. I enjoy getting to know my servers and having a conversation. I liked that they explained the dishes to you. The Canlis salad was exceptional.

We booked this restaurant because it is one of the Relais & Châteaux restaurants and we never experience any disappointment in any of those restaurants. The location is not very convenience but I think nowhere is convenient in Seattle as it's public transportation is not quite catching up with the rest of the world. The building of the restaurant is modern with very big window overlooking the Seattle harbour. The waitress told me that its structute was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright'd waterfall building. It is a family run restaurant and it is now running by two brothers of the grandchildren of the founder. They are very passionated for taking care of the restaurant. Compared to some world famous restaurants, probably still slightly behind, but the service and food are very close to connoisseur standard with a friendly touch. And the price is reasonable, US$125 for 4 courses dinner (self pick from 4 choices of each course) and coffee. hors d'oeuvres are well designed. My appetizer was salmon, nicely cooked. We added additional to try the wagyu beef. Beef texture is good but fatty meat better cook a little more and thus grill may not the best way to cook it (compared to tempenyaki). Live music is a plus. The pianist is young and thus he always plays pop songs with an elegant tone. It was a wonderful dinning experience and it is interesting to hear the history of this modern look restaurant (including they only hired Japanese waitress in the past to attain an extremely detailed service, etc).

The location is beatiful, the ambiance is also very nice. I was not particularly impressed by the food (everything was good, but I was probably expecting something more unique), the wine presentation (we had wine pairing) was too rapid

Block out a good amount of time to enjoy the experience. While I'm typically quick eater, Canlis was definitely a place to sit and savor and be present. The view is spectacular even on a dreary, rainy day. The pianist played beautifully. The food and drinks were sculptural and artistic without sacrificing taste. I've been to some places where the food were beautiful art pieces but taste meh. I enjoyed the pre-meal treats. I don't typically like raw oysters but I could've had a whole tray of their amuse bouche oyster. The flavor was outstanding and so fresh. I had the Canlis Salad, Haiga Rice, Lamb, and Souffle. I've heard about the Canlis salad for years now and while it was good, I think upon a return I would try something else. The Haiga Rice was not what I expected but it was a delight of flavors and texture. The lamb was perfectly cooked and I particularly enjoyed the accompanying greens which complimented the lamb. And while I really enjoyed the souffle flavors (great) I frequently go to a restaurant that specializes in souffles and I've become accustomed to a certain texture which seemed to be baked slightly longer than Canlis's version - but like I said, the flavor was excellent and I finished it nonetheless. Enjoyed the little treats that came at the end of the meal. The entire experience was well worth it and I would go again next time I'm in Seattle. I don't know about the men's restroom but the women's restroom has this tranquil garden window that adds a nice atmosphere to the entire experience.

You get exactly what you expect here which is high quality fine dining. The menu and prices, for the most part, are online so there are no unpleasant surprises. There are, however, some pleasant surprises and the bread they give you might be the best bread you've ever had, which was pretty great. Expect an elegant dinner suitable for business or couples. Definitely worth the splurge!

Preface: Skip to the review portion for immediate food details. One thing has disappointed me about reviews on here. 1. Pretention- it disappoints me when people are needlessly cruel , haughty, and vulgar in their review of a restaurant, while simultaneouly touting their own superior experience and tastes as if they work for Michelin. As a service industry, respect and consideratin should be mututal. People should go out of their way to create a reasonably expectable experience for the pricepoint, and guests should be honest in their critique but considerate of the individuals creating these dishes, especially in fine dining which is moreso a labor of love and feeling out artistic territory rather than making a nice hamburger. Review: Interior: Canlis is practically an institution in Seattle, and the black, angular metal and glass clad building has becoming rather iconic. The interior was just to my liking. I am rather fond of dark tones, nordic design, and a material based pallette, and this checked all the boxes; think Maaemo with less white. You pull up to a vallette, and open a large glass door into a stone and wood foyer with minimal seating and walk around the corner to a service counter, from which you are guided to a lounge and/or table. I was not obtaining the entire tasting menu this night, so I opted for the bar and a la carte menu. The far end of the restaurant is dominated by floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city, whose radiating skyblue light washes over, and reflects off every dark wood, stone and fabric surface, akin to looking up at a blue sky when stepping outside and feeling your eyes adjust to the brightness. This makes all the people, tables and furniture backlit and dynamic, rather aesthetically. Artificial light is constant and distributed, small beam angle LEDs with low coppery tones pepper the entire ceiling, creating the warm balance against the sky blue- copper tones everwhere, heightened by copper utensils, cups, bowls, etc. The restaurant has a patina and age that is rather lovely and dark. If you dislike oppressive environments this might not be your cup of tea. Even the doors in the bathrooms are handsomely narrow, all wood pillars without handles responding to a lightly weighted push. If mid-century modern meets Buddhist hideway is your dream, congratulations. Nerdy Skyrim fans will be reminded of High Hrothgar. Ettiquette: Valet, chefs, and servers were all very polite. Carpet muffles the sound of footsteps, and they are well trained and proficient- just sit back and let them do their jobs and say a little thank you upon their departure. The bartenders were more of a mixed bag- two men were manning the bar that night, both rather polite and knowledgable- one with a thick accent which made it difficult over the ambient noise to discover what he was saying, but nice nonetheless. He recommended a couple courses to me, and I had a hard time discerning if he was being hospitable or pushy, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He was very knowledgable and eager to engage concerning cocktails and various chitchat and has been with the restaurant for over 10 years. Food: Cocktail - I started with a cocktail known as the High Noon if I remember right, a Canlis original made of rum, Cardamaro, yuzu and bay. I'm a big cardamaro fan, so I ordered it. He apologized to inform me they were out of cardamaro, and before I could say a word generously poured me a portion of their sub-in amaro Antico Amar Noveis, and gave me a little backdrop on it- it was rather comparable with more high mint, eucalyptus and sage notes, but the same kind of vegetal tannins and present but integrated sweetness. It was an excellent drink, making a lovely play off of medium darkness tropical flavors. Salad- I had heard so much about the Canlis salad, and although not on the bar menu, called ahead to see if ordering one a la carte would be an appropriate accomodation, which they were happy to accomodate. I was very let down. Some people say this salad was a revelation for them, some say it changed salad for them forever, but I learned little from this prestigous dish. Composed of chopped romain, bacon, sourdough cubes toasted in bacon greese, grated pecorino romano, fresh mint, oregano, grape tomatoes, and a vinaigrette of lemon, evo, salt, pepper, and a barely poached, borderline raw egg worked into the dressing (which is why some reviewers were confused by the apparent lack of egg), the salad was good for ordinary, but insufficient for its price point. A lemon, evo, mint and greens salad is one of the greatest gifts from God, touted by every great chef there is, including Kinch, Fox, Crenn, Bloomfield, Arpege, so on, and so forth. I have had quite a few of them at staff meal at Manresa, and their subtle brilliance never ceased to thrill me. But in this case, the lemon was not brilliant, but muted by the bacon and bread. The bacon was not umami rich, but a noisey back player. The lettuce was ordinary. This would of been nice had the salad came together balanced, but instead it was stilted and disharmonious. Big letdown. Bread- When nothing else fails, everyone seems to like the bread. In a menu lacking in freshness and pleasure, the bread delivers in both regards. Rustically plated on a box of grains, with a granite slab of presumably house butter, the medium round of personal focaccia is dusted with matcha. A semi-tough exterior breaks way to a soft, pillowy interior, which tastes well to the generous amount of butter provided, kept at a very precise and ideal spreading temperature. This was nice. It was both decadent and dignified at the same time. This is not the best bread I've had in my life as many Canlis accolytes would have you believe, but it's reasonably priced enough that it doesn't have to be. Pork pate, plum mostarda, greens, grilled bread - The server accidentally ordered me the lumpia instead, promptly returned it, and brought me my pate. I was expecting a soft, spreading pate, but this was rather a ground pork loaf, meant to slice and distribute among grilled sourdough bread slices, pair with whole grain dijon, a plum sauce, and bitter greens. This dish was pleasing, but again, a letdown. The bread was an ordinary sourdough, grilled well but not remarkable, and same for the condiments. Complimentary foods- The tender was generous and attentive in making sure my complimentary nut dish was always full, along with my water. I was in town on business so I had to cancel my dessert and go, when they provided me with a complimentary guava macaron (okay maybe not guava, having a hard time remembering)- regardless, the flavor was ordinary, the texture pleasant but not remarkable. Conclusion: Canlis is a good experience- the Problem is that it's recieved accolades beyond its merit, perhaps often due to thankful Seattlites who simply have not experienced cuisine which further pushes the envelope both creatively and deliciously (e.g. Faviken, Eleven Madison, Benu, Single Thread, Manresa, etc). However- part of the problem is also Canlis's fault- they charge too much for the quality of their food. Their proteins pale in comparison to those of Cafe Juanita, Opus Co or Willows Inn (all WA restaurants), and the deliciousness of them is also inferior to many of the tried and true dishes you enjoy in the day to day (pizza, burgers, etc). If I was asked to give my opinion, I would say Canlis is equipped with a great team of professionals, who need to perhaps reevaluate their approach. From what I've seen, this opinion is growing. Not worth the cost. Exceptional atmosphere, mediocre food to exorbitant price. Not going again. While the food is mildly above average, the value is not; sadly I rate "poor".

Outstanding in every respect. - Utterly amazing food to which we had fabulous wine matches, Astonishingly good cooking, - superb, interested, responsive and very friendly service, - exceptional ambience in a marvellous tailor/made building with a delightful aspect. We absolutely loved every aspect of our evening at Canlis. It’s a must if you’re in Seattle.

We had planned to celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary in 2020 at Canlis. We had celebrated the last 48 years there and had had a reservation for a year. Unfortunately they were not open for inside dining due to Covid and had cancelled our reservation without even giving us a chance to reserve one of their outdoor spots. Which was probably a good thing since we have not enjoyed the tasting menu since Mark and Brian took over from Chris. So we spent the past two anniversaries at Daniel's Broiler and El Gaucho (two dinners for the price of one at Canlis). Today I decided to check the Canlis menu, just for curiosity, and there was not a single item that was appealing. And no Canlis Salad or Gran Marnier Souffle! We really enjoyed the old Canlis with the Christmas decorations, all our old favorites on the menu, and the best server, Faye! Check out John Howie's tasting menu-it looks delicious and is half the price!

How far this restaurant has fallen. Been here over the years and it was ALWAYS superb. Promised our teen age grandsons the best steak dinner ever….,,you couldn’t even order a steak……..or salmon, prime rib, crab, nothing but this truly horrible tasting menu. Like a previous reviewer, not enough food for even a small child. Wasted over a $1.000. on a meal none of our family even finished. Our daughters birthday was ruined In summary, get a new chef/menu or CLOSE. Mike Seattle

Canlis. A place we always used to enjoy. Some of the best steaks, crab, table side service which is now gone by the wayside.Now, $675 for a bottle of wine and a fixed menu "sushi" tasting. Presentation was great. Steak was tough. The Wagu in a bowl was over salty. My spouse doesn't like fish which was the majority of the meal. And there are no options. Service was great, but not at that price point. I will remember the good old days of Canlis and maybe drop in for a drink. We told them it was our anniversary. No real mention of the event. In times gone by they would acknowledge the fact with your dessert.

We came to Canlis as part of our honeymoon trip from the UK. We arrived a little early and enjoyed a cocktail in the bar. We were seated at a great table with a fantastic view of lake union. The 4 courses were all unbelievable (as were the small little extras between courses). The service from Nathan and everyone else we met was the best we have ever experienced in any restaurant. The service was so friendly and personal and were made to feel so special. We also loved that we were able to bring a bottle of our wedding wine to enjoy. This is a must visit in Seattle. Worth every penny.

This was my third visit to Canlis and it is always an over the top experience. The ambience, gracious hospitality and attention to detail are unsurpassed. The setting is lovely, the staff is beyond attentive, the live piano music is delightful. The four course menu has some interesting offerings and will likely expand your typical dining experience. The menu is seasonal, so checking online is wise in order to know what to expect. In our party of 4 we covered most of the menu. The presentation is stunning and the flavors are unique and delicious. Portions are small, but that allows for enjoying the entire meal without feeling stuffed. Several small "extras" beyond the menu were brought for us to sample. As we departed, we were offered matches and chocolate from a lovely, elegant box. As always, the valet magically knows when to deliver your car and it will be waiting as you depart. Canlis is definitely a great place to celebrate a special occasion.

Enjoyed ourselves place is good. Good service and atmosphere nice but for price should be better. I still recommend it for sure

If this is what’s considered fine dining in Seattle well that’s pretty sad. We had a horrible experience here with the waitress and the food was by no means fine dining nor anywhere near Michelin quality. Having visited many Michelin restaurants around the world, I know fine dining and this is not it. Upon arriving, the hostess asked if she could help us with something as if we couldn’t possibly be patrons. Unacceptable. We came to celebrate a birthday and were, dare I say “attended” to by a very rude and arrogant waitress. If you go here and are assigned to her, I would immediately request a different waitress. They would not give us her name but she was thin and Asian and maybe in her 40s. She behaved as if the job of a server was beneath her. She shouldn’t be working at a pricy restaurant like this. Worst of all she completely disregarded my dairy free dietary restriction after we talked about it in detail 3 times. First, she brought out the complete wrong dish. She then brought out food that clearly contained dairy, but when I asked her about it again, she said it didn’t have any. I took a bite, flagged her down and asked to speak to someone who was more familiar with the menu. She left then returned, admitting that the dish did indeed contain dairy. The manager took her side saying there may have been a misunderstanding on her part when in fact she simply wasn’t listening or writing anything down. She only came to check on us once during our entire meal and couldn’t care less. This is not ok. Aside from this, the food was mediocre. The Canlis salad was like something prepackaged from a Safeway or something. It didn’t belong on the tasting menu. The meat dish was strange and both myself and my partner feel ill afterwards. Absolutely horrible experience and horribly managed restaurant. Save yourself $400+ and go elsewhere.

My wife and I were treated to a dinner at Canlis for our birthdays. My wife had the Chioggia Beets and I had the Grilled Albacore to start, followed by Haiga Rice and Spot Prawns. For our main course, we both had the Dry Aged Ribeye steak. We shared the chocolate dessert. The entire meal was delightful and the staff was very attentive, but not at all intrusive. Great NW restaurant!

A $700 meal should not include slow service, unavailable menu items, and nearby tables doing video calls. We expected a repeat of last years dinner, which was exceptional, to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and didn’t get it. Don’t get me wrong, our waitstaff was wonderful. The kitchen was simply out of some dishes and our first course took a very long time because the execution was finicky. We then had a nearby table with two obnoxious women who thought it appropriate to make a video call that everyone else could hear. This is simply not acceptable for a fine dining restaurant - it was extremely rude and disruptive to the other diners. Canlis should enact a no video policy for adults since some don’t know how to act. We appreciated the acknowledgement of the clunky experience. While we certainly enjoyed the meal and our company, they were off of their game tonite.

My husband and I recently are dinner at Canlis. It was a phenomenal experience. I enjoyed getting all dressed up to eat. Upon arrival 2 valets quickly appeared to help us out of the car, followed by a door man that graciously welcomed us. Staff was ready to check out coats with a smile. We arrived early to have a drink. I enjoyed fresh the fresh Juicy Juice and my husband his usual gin & tonic. The live music piano player has great tunes all night. It was loud enough to hear yet quiet enough to have conversations without yelling. Our meal was a four course meal with a few extra touches added on by our waitress Caitlyn. I don't think I have the vocabulary to describe the edible creations we enjoyed. Each dish carefully thought out with flavor , ingredients and yes even wit came at us. Thank you chef! Caitlyn our waitress was outstanding. We asked for advice on other things to do in the city and she promptly wrote a few suggestions. We shared some stories and loads of laughter. At the end of the night we were privileged to spend some time with the manager for a private tour of the restaurant. It was great. We learned so much about the restaurant. The legacy of the family who owns it as well as a bit of the cityscape. To finish the evening as we were heading out, some kind gentleman had my coat warming by the fire ready to assist me in put it on. Canlis is beyond food it is a family legacy that is an experience in fine dining and getting connected with wonderful people that you can connect with at the heart!

Canlis is usually outstanding, but I took my family for our annual Christmas dinner event. I made the mistake of bringing a 2015 Leonetti with me, which Canlis also had in their cellar. In this case their policy is to not uncork my bottle. All of this is fine and I understand it. The sommelier actually did uncork my wine “this one time only”, and also went over the top in lecturing my family about the policy and our inappropriate behavior. It ruined our evening. As I said, it was my error but I don’t need to spend $1200 to be lectured and not have a nice evening.

Don’t go, don’t go! So disappointed! Mom’s 95th birthday and looking forward to a enjoying a momentous night with a wonderful meal . We needed to Google 90%of the description. When it came, underwhelmed! $180/ plate! Really- so mad! Just like the king in his new clothes! People rave, so superficial- like cold clam chowder, raw fish, etc🤷🏼‍♀️ ?heading to McDonald’s!

If you’re not only looking the best but the finest... you’re about to experience the most astounding culinary - gourmet event in your life. A place located at Queen Anne, where your 5 senses will be surrounded by a whole view in Lake Washington; a luxury cabin, a big fireplace, a sensational pianist, and a wonderful premium service since you arrive to the Canlis family place. All four courses at the menu is a jewel!

The overall atmosphere created by the location & decor, the view, the live piano music and the attentive staff made you feel elegant and special. The level of service delivered was the most personalized service I have ever experienced. The food was interesting, artfully plated and beautifully served. In addition to the four courses, there were bits of food being brought to the table throughout the entire meal. I did not dislike any of the food, but I was also not wowed by anything. To be candid, I am not a fan of fix course meals. Overall - Canlis delivered an exceptional experience.

Everything was perfect from start to finish. They have an outstanding wine list and the sommelier provided superb wine recommendations. The staff were friendly and professional. Each course was well thought out, well presented and super tasty. Of course, the views are just stunning. Overall, a true experience you will want to repeat.

Canlis is perfect. What else can I say? First and foremost the food is inventive, fresh, flavorful, and prepared with absolute precision. Second, the staff is exceptional. You won't find better service. Third, the ambiance, views and comfort of the restaurant is second to none. Get a reservation, hope for a table that overlooks the water and mountains, and simply enjoy one of the finest meals you will ever eat. You can't go wrong. Everyone should experience a place like this at least once in their life! Wow. Exceptional. Perfect.

The ambiance, service, and food are all outstanding! We had a cocktail in the lounge before dinner since we arrived early to the restaurant. My husband loves olives and was a little hungry so we ordered those with our drinks and they were fantastic. I'm not that big on olives but I loved them too. And our drinks were great-Games in the Woods from their menu and Perfect Manhattan for my husband. Once we were seated our server was extremely knowledgeable and patient with us as we perused the choices for dinner and the huge wine list. The starters that came out before our courses were phenomenal and course after course was interesting and took new twists on classic dishes. The views are great and the ambiance is definitely one for a special occasion dinner. It's expensive but worth it, and I would definitely return if I get back to Seattle again.

Canlis gets five stars, but the stars have a caveat attached. The final check for their set dinner, with two drinks and two glasses of wine came to $535.00. That's a lot of moolah for a nice experience, but an experience more memorable for the cost, than the food. The gracious affect of Canlis starts when you pull up to the entrance and the valet takes your car. The building and space are magnificent, perched on a hill overlooking Lake Union and Capitol Hill rising above it, the views are fantastic. Stone and wood give the interior a PNW vibe, and on this rainy and chilly night in November, the fireplaces were ablaze. Everyone is gracious, Jose and Ashley at the bar were warm, professional and kind. Our server Aly, was helpful and friendly, aiding us in our menu choices. Yet, the food was good, not great, and for the cash outlet, a questionable investment. Please understand my wife and I have dined at some of the great restaurants in the world, being older and addicted to food travel. This review is biased because of those memories, but a $535.00 expenditure in Paris, Bilbao, Emilia Romagna, New York etc. will be orgasmic. In fact, we have eaten more exciting food in Seattle at a better price point. What we will do in the future is sit at the bar, have drinks, select bites from the bar menu, and let Jose and Ashley take care of us. That way we are enjoying the best of Canlis, the wonderful setting and the graciousness of the staff.

Worth the price? That's a hard question to answer. But I did enjoy my experience at Canlis. My husband and I went to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary there on June 1st. We arrived at 6PM and were seated at a great table with a nice view. The menu is fixed by course and you choose a dish from four courses. We both chose the salad for our first course, I thought it was ok, my husband loved it. For the second course I chose the Haiga Rice which I LOVED and my husband had the rabbit and he devoured it. I had a bite and it was yummy. For the 3rd course we both chose the ribeye and we both added on the twice baked potato. For the last course I had the Chocolate and he had Souffle. Again, I thought the salad was just ok, my husband wanted more. For the second course the Haiga rice was delicious! It reminded me of gumbo, just so good. The rabbit was good as well but it was tiny. Just maybe 4 bites. I thought the ribeye was ok, could've gotten much better at a steakhouse, but I did love the twice baked potato! It came out in a bowl (picture below) and was cooked differently than I've ever seen but I ate every drop! My husband again loved the souffle and the presentation is very cool. The chocolate was good as well. I do have to say that when I saw the small portions at the start of the meal I was worried I'd pay all this money and be hungry when I left but nope, we both were stuffed when we left. Now, is it worth the price? It depends. After we got the bill (over $500) I was thinking we could've done a lot more with that $500 but it was a very nice evening. We had a great table, impeccable service. I mean, my water glass never got half way before someone was refilling it. Every staff member was nice, professional, just an overall great experience with them. My husband would even like to come back (which surprised me) for his birthday, that's how much he enjoyed the experience. I also liked how they allow you to have a slow leisurely meal and with that price point it's nice not to be rushed! We didn't leave until around 9:15 and mind you we sat down at 6:00! So, do I have to go back? No I do not. I enjoyed my meal and my time at Canlis but I will be back because my husband wants to. I definitely recommend Canlis to someone who wants an amazing dining experience!

What a great dining experience! Yes, it's not cheap. But totally worth it. My adult daughters and I went there in June 2025. Service was spot on and the food was amazing. Our servers were Sophie and Vania (I hope I did not misspell that, V!). They made the whole experience that much better. This is a fixe prix menu. The portions are made for that approach, and it completely works. Drinks are likewise phenomenal.

We were celebrating three September birthdays and chose Canlis as it is touted as THE restaurant in Seattle. It is located on a hillside with a clear view of Union Lake and our table was at the window. The host seated us and left us with a wine menu and a cocktail menu. The serving assistant filled our water glasses and we sat. When the young man topped off our glasses for the third time, my son asked if he could send someone with menus. Not a good start. This is a fixed price menu ($175/person plus a 20% service fee) with 3 of 7 courses provided in the menu. There are 3 choices for each of the 3 listed courses, the other 4 are the chef’s choice. For my choices, I started w roast duck, 2 thin slices plus a duck dumpling in a broth, baked halibut for my entree and a strawberry rhubarb white chocolate kasu. Inserted between these was a butternut squash bisque with a few prawns in it, a mixed salad, and a sorbet. The portions are small, but add up to a full meal. The bisque was extraordinary and the halibut was baked perfectly. Everything was beautifully presented. We started with cocktails. My son had an Old Fashion and I had a perfect rye Manhattan. These were made w high end ingredients and generous amount of alcohol. The extensive wine list has a few bottles for less than $100 with prices running over $1000. Once the service got started, it rolled with a nice pace and everyone was very friendly and informative. Our waiter had asked if our visit was for an occasion and brought out our deserts with a candle on each one. Good touch. Our discussion afterwards was that the poor start was a surprise and while the food was very good, lots of interesting flavors, that it was overpriced. For 3 persons, 1 drink@, an $80 bottle of white wine and the 20% fee the total was $800. I knew going in that it would be north of $600.

Canlis is by far the finest restaurant in the Northwest - nothing comes close to their quality, service, attention to detail and just the overall experience. Best martini’s in Seattle as well. They remember our favorite table, drinks, etc. each time we return. Very pricey but it’s worth it if you enjoy world-class fine dining. Not sure why they don’t have a Michelin star or two, but it rivals other Michelin-rated restaurants I’ve experienced. For dessert try the soufflé, a test for any great restaurant and they pull it off flawlessly every time! Here are my 5 by 5 rating notes. Five stars (*) is best: 1) Food Quality: ***** 2) Service Speed / Attention: ***** 3) Service Attitude: ***** 4) Atmosphere & Clean: ***** 5) Price & Value: **** Overall Rating = 24/25 = 4.8 Will I return? Yes, we do every year. Reservations recommended? A must...we usually book months in advance to get the best table Parking situation? 100% valet

A Canli's dining event brings a smile. The smooth service is a half step quicker than I can think. The food is modern and fresh, despite the archaic menu format. The Wine List is substantial, yet offers some very good wines at fair prices. This is classic fine dining at its best. The food is at once artful and tasty; the service is always perfect, never intrusive; the room is understate, but that view is phenomenal. Prices approach phenomenal. After all, this is Fine Dining.

Excellent, the best lay out the red carpet for you, everything is spectacular, the food is exquisite, the wines have a unique flavor, the desserts leave you with the feeling that you want more.