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The Great Foodening - PAX Food Destinations 2011
ElmoFuntz
Portland, ORRegistered User regular
Portland, ORRegistered User regular
This was such a great thread last year that I wanted to resurrect a new version of it for those of us looking for great options of places to eat. I have taken most of the original posts and consolidated them into a new version for 2011. I have tried to make it a bit easier to locate places by including the address and website (where available). If a place has multiple locations I have listed the closest one to PAX. A huge thanks to MrDoctorProfessor for starting this list last year which I took many listings from and all of last years posters.
I have not and will not include large chain places like Subway, McDonald's, etc as those are boring and you can find them anywhere. I am going for places (fairly) unique to the Seattle area.
A notice to all out of towners going in large groups. Most places will charge an automatic gratuity of around 18% for groups 6 or more even if your service is subpar.
Disclaimer: I have not gone to 99% of these places they are all from users posts. If you feel a price level or description is wrong please let me know and I will adjust it.
As people post places in the thread I will update the spreadsheet listing on Google docs with those that make sense and have enough details. PLEASE include what you think the pricing is like in the $-$$$ format if you suggest a listing. If you don't give me details chances are I will say oh sounds cool but not list it because I don't know enough about it. Please at least give the pricing and type of food. If you can include the address, website, and distance that is even more helpful.
This list is getting big and I started including hours open and special notes so I have decided it is easier to just maintain 1 copy on Google docs than it is to update the Google docs copy then paste here like i was doing. This also makes the list look cleaner and it is much easier for people to sort however they want. So please check this link for the listing which will continue to be updated.
Thanks for all the great suggestions and PM's keep them coming!
I have updated the spreadsheet with entries that I could find details on and that made sense to add as of 7/29/11. I did not add some suggestions that while looked very good were more than a few miles away as the goal is to be within walking or quick public transport distance.
I have added a link on the spreadsheet labeled "GMap" (Column heading "Show Me!") this is for those of us looking at the map on a mobile device that want to be able to get a map to the location from your current location (I was originally going to do it from the convention center but thought this was a better solution). Clicking this link will open up Google maps with a pin of the address and let you get directions. Oh ignore the yellow highlights (or don't) those are places I hope to visit is all...
Listing
I have not and will not include large chain places like Subway, McDonald's, etc as those are boring and you can find them anywhere. I am going for places (fairly) unique to the Seattle area.
A notice to all out of towners going in large groups. Most places will charge an automatic gratuity of around 18% for groups 6 or more even if your service is subpar.
Disclaimer: I have not gone to 99% of these places they are all from users posts. If you feel a price level or description is wrong please let me know and I will adjust it.
As people post places in the thread I will update the spreadsheet listing on Google docs with those that make sense and have enough details. PLEASE include what you think the pricing is like in the $-$$$ format if you suggest a listing. If you don't give me details chances are I will say oh sounds cool but not list it because I don't know enough about it. Please at least give the pricing and type of food. If you can include the address, website, and distance that is even more helpful.
This list is getting big and I started including hours open and special notes so I have decided it is easier to just maintain 1 copy on Google docs than it is to update the Google docs copy then paste here like i was doing. This also makes the list look cleaner and it is much easier for people to sort however they want. So please check this link for the listing which will continue to be updated.
Thanks for all the great suggestions and PM's keep them coming!
I have updated the spreadsheet with entries that I could find details on and that made sense to add as of 7/29/11. I did not add some suggestions that while looked very good were more than a few miles away as the goal is to be within walking or quick public transport distance.
I have added a link on the spreadsheet labeled "GMap" (Column heading "Show Me!") this is for those of us looking at the map on a mobile device that want to be able to get a map to the location from your current location (I was originally going to do it from the convention center but thought this was a better solution). Clicking this link will open up Google maps with a pin of the address and let you get directions. Oh ignore the yellow highlights (or don't) those are places I hope to visit is all...
Listing
Go for the eyes Boo, GO FOR THE EYES!
ElmoFuntz on
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Sushi place with a little conveyor belt that goes around the restaurant. Plates are color coded and each color is a different price. You pick what you want off the little belt and they charge for each color of plate you have. There is also a main menu if you want more than just sushi. Can be as cheap or as expensive as you like!!
Website Here: http://www.bluecsushi.com/
A bit far away from the convention center, located right near Safeco Field and a block away from Qwest Field. One of my more favorite food destinations in Seattle.
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The Westlake Center food court is more of the traditional mall food court, but it has some interesting options, like Indian, Thai, Mediterranean, etc. About 0.3mi from the convention center at 400 Pine St, prices variable but tend to be $ (it's a mall food court), list of food sources here.
I have found Cajun & Grill at the food court there to be surprisingly edible.
It makes me sad to see so many people line up at Subway when there are many excellent eateries within shooting distance of the Convention Center. I try to eat fairly cheap myself and I found MOD Pizza last year:
http://www.modpizza.com/
It's not super-great pizza, but it's quite tasty. You get a nicely filling personal pizza for a reasonable price with what you like on it and at fast speed. A great option for PAX and its like 2-3 blocks away.
Absolutely delicious and only a good 4 to 5 blocks from the convention center.
I have to admit I have a soft spot for them because I'm of Mexican-Italian descent and my grandmother's maiden name is Bruno.
+++BRONYS BEFORE BROS!+++
Yelp
Damn, I want a crumpet now.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-crumpet-shop-seattle
Wow the reviews for this place kinda scare me.. not sure I really want to recommend it.
Check out my PAX schedule assistant for Windows Phone - http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/pax-digital-assistant/6e56d005-983a-e011-854c-00237de2db9e. Feel free to send me feedback or requests at any time!
What sort of food do they serve?
I've never had Russian cuisine, sounds damn good though. Is it close to the convention center?
Um... Yeah... The Turf is notoriously the biggest heroin-scoring spot downtown. It's generallly patronized by dopefiends and pimps. I'm sure the food won't kill you, but stepping on a needle in the bathroom probably will. Seriously - I don't think this is an appropriate recommendation for out of towners.
For a nice, New York style old-school martini and steak bar, you can't beat Von's Roast House on 7th & Pine. We live in Seattle, and that's where we go at PAX. Very laid back atmosphere, spectacular happy hour, excellent prime rib, reasonable prices (Not McDonald's prices, but better than Ruth's) and martinis in their sidewalk cafe section. If you like mmmmmmMEAT, this is the foshizzle!
For a decent meal for the more budget-consicous, there's a mission style burrito window called La Vaca on the corner of 1st & Pike, at the Pike Place Market. This was one of the first burrito places in town: before the taco trucks, before the taquerias, before the Taco Del Mars. It's not Southern California, but the burritos are big, cheap and tasty.
Yikes, I was not aware of that. Recommendation withdrawn.
What is the budget like on these two? I am guessing $$$ for the first and $ for the 2nd?
I wanted to also mention, if you are going to a seated dining restaurant in a large group (8+) please please call ahead, it's only polite. Ran into a large group of MMT PAXgoers at The Pink Door last year and it struck me as somewhat rude (though you all were very nice and awesome besides that!).
And I'd absolutely recommend The Pink Door as the food was great, particularly the fantastic tomato soup. Best I've ever had.
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Well, I know where I'm stopping at least one night. Their martini/cocktail list is awesome.
An authentic Aviation and Lucid Absinthe available. I'm there.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
If you go during happy hour, I'd say $ for both. But yeah, Von's is more like $$ normally. Still, for a downtown steaky kinda place, it's a pretty good deal. It caters more to locals than tourists.
One more recommendation - esp. for folks who aren't from heavily asian-influenced areas. There's a tiny little hole-in-the-wall Ramen shop down in the International District (Seattle's obsessively PC name for Chinatown) called Samurai Noodle. If you've never had fresh ramen, with slow-cooked homemade stock and all the trimmings, this is a must-do. It's about a 10-15 minute FREE ride in the bus tunnel from the convention center. Warning: it's popular at lunch and only seats about a dozen people so go with a group of 4 or less and be prepared to order takeout and eat in the Uwajimaya food court around the corner. A mammoth bowl of noodles and a beer will set you back about $14.
http://www.samurainoodle.com/
CRAB POT!
1301 Alaskan Way
Pier 57
(at University St)
Seattle, WA 98101
Neighborhood: Downtown
(206) 624-1890
www.thecrabpotseattle.com
As seen on ManVsFood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5IezsYmagk
Edit: And yeah in response to theansaname, Crab Pot is really great =D
Ivar's Fish Bar (note: not actually a bar) is on the Seattle waterfront, Pier 54, about 0.8mi away. I'm going to say it's $, but others might disagree. They serve primarily fried seafood and chowder, so fish and chips and the like. At the same place is the Ivar's Acres of Clams restaurant, which is a traditional sit-down seafood restaurant with a wider array of choices. It's been a while since I was there, but I think most things are around $$. The Ivar's website is http://www.ivars.com/
A note about ordering at the seafood bar. The ordering style is fried foods first, and then everything else. When they're busy, they'll collect a bunch of fried food orders all at the same time, then call out when an order is ready. When the customer gets there, they order all of the other stuff and pay then. If more than one person has the same order (fish and chips is not uncommon), it's whoever gets there first who gets the order, and everyone else has to wait until the next instance of that order is finished. If you're in a group, order as a group to reduce the number of competing orders and speed things up.
Kind of far away, but Sunday brunch was really nice.
1.9miles | $$ | Cafe Flora | Vegetarian / Vegan| 2901 East Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98112 (Cafe Flora)| http://www.cafeflora.com/