Fishermen’s Terminal

Put us in an empty section and of course, pretty much neglected us. To start with, totally forgot to bring the scones coffee was warm when we got it, the food was ok ordered a side of buttermilk pancakes and she changed it to make it cheaper for me so I got one pancake never seen that one before. I hate having to say something but I don’t like slimy sunny side up eggs. For $ 50-​$ 60 expected much better I’ve been coming here for years and don’t really blame the kitchen but I won’t allow them to get away with saying they were understaffed.
I talk to the manager afterwards and he gave us a gift certificate for a free breakfast for two and that I do find made up for everything! Happy and not just because of the coupon but because they offered to take care of it and did something about it.

First time there, we saw a few of the deadliest catch boats. Today, it was pretty slim pickin’s regarding boats there. Still was nice.

I’ll be honest, I was mostly here to stalk Deadliest Catch vessels (I did see one, so yay!). So, basically, a long walk on the pier. It seems like a lot of people had the same idea, there were lots of locals just having a stroll. It’s a nice, flat place to enjoy a walk. I’m sure they’re used to it, but I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly folks were, even though we were clearly not there to work and we were mostly in the way. Some even smiled and said hi, and that’s not usually how it is if you’re just being a tourist on most docks. The Seattle Fisherman’s Memorial was a beautiful tribute. As the daughter of a former captain and commercial fisherman, I’m glad my dad’s name isn’t among them, and hearts out to the families of those who are.

After going to the Ballard Locks’ visitor center it was suggested that Seattle’s Fisherman’s Terminal was a place lokkeloos and tourists could go. Since Steve and I still feel like we are tourists in our own town we went ahead and went here!
This location is definitely not as touristy as many places in Seattle and in addition to that we went here on a quiet Sunday morning.
There isn’t anything too dramatic here to see other than the statue which is a memorial to fisherman who lost their lives at sea and many different kinds of boats that are docked that you can stroll by to take a gander at.
The building that has the Fisherman’s Terminal sign on it is comprised mostly of restaurants.
The neighboring buildings have offices to various kinds of companies.
So all in all not a huge tourist trap but nice all the same and very quiet!

Although there are many businesses that operate at Fisherman’s Terminal they are not Fisherman’s Terminal. Fisherman’s Terminal is the moorage operated by the Port of Seattle. It is the largest moorage in Seattle and is a commercial moorage with space for recreational boats as available.
We have spent several nights at Fisherman’s Terminal. The staff is always helpful. They monitor VHF 17 and can assign you a slip as you arrive which is nice. The transient rates are very fair. They have some of the best showers available in the area. Nice laundry facilities too. There is tons of free parking for up t three nights or longer if you ask nicely. They also have a pump out facility.
If you don’t have a car available it’s a short walk across the Ballard Bridge to many shopping options. There is also a public dock at 24^th Street in Ballard that is just steps from many restaurants, stores, and bars. Another option is the dock at the 14^th Street boat ramp in Ballard, it’s just 3 blocks or so from Trader Joes.
All in all a great place to stop for a night or two in Seattle (that is if you are on a boat)

I’ve been coming to Fisherman’s Terminal since I was a small child, and now I am lucky enough to say I live just up the hill. There is nothing more ‘authentic seattle’ than strolling up and down the docks to see the fishermen working on their Alaska fishing vessels and then buying fresh seafood at the market that those very same people caught that day. Flying fish at pikes place is Disneyland and Fisherman’s Terminal is the real deal.

I stopped by here on. Sat morning when nothing was going on. It’s obviously a working fishing depot with some really latge boats docked there & it must be really interesting when the boats have return to port and are unloading their catch. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to see any of that.
Apart from the boats, the most interesting thing I saw there was the Fisherman’s Memorial with dome personalized items left by the names of several Seattle fishermen so lost their lives at sea.
The prices at the the Wild Salmon Seafood Mkt seemed really high compared w/​what I’m use to in San Francisco but decided to by some salmon «candy» (sockeye salmon heavily cured with brown sugar). It was great!
Aldo, if I hadn’t eaten already, I might have given the Bay Café, Little Chinook or Chinook’s a try. Maybe next time. Except for me, it seemed like mostly locals &/​or fisherman there wc was a plus. No fee for parking in the lot was also nice.

Making sure the hard working fishermen are safe for there long voyage out on these rough seas!

Chinook’s could be my absolute favorite restaurant at any price. The only downside is that it can be a bit loud (and as an introvert I tend to value quiet).
That said, I would never turn down a chance to eat there. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather eat.
For what it is worth, I always order the same thing. I would guess that all the food is great but I love the salmon fettuccine so much that I’m afraid to risk trying something else!
Any time someone is visiting from out of town, this is a must stop place to eat. Perhaps that does make it my favorite restaurant.
Once again, I’d give it 5 stars if not for the noise level. Let’s just say it is a very nice place to visit, but I would not want to live there, lol.

Free parking and cute little restaurants with a great view. What more could you ask for?

I live in Magnolia, Seattle and I visit the terminal weekly. Some say you can’t buy fish off the boats… this is false. You can buy fish from boats who actually fish and are not processors or transports. For example, during the summer months (and the salmon run) the Loki fish company will sell you the freshest salmon you can get. The fish market in the terminal, thought a little pricey, will sell the freshest fish you can get anywhere in Seattle. (on par with PP fish market and City fish.) I get my haircut at Charlies Barber shop in the terminal, been there since 1947, and is the most quality affordable shop around (half the price as rudy’s) The same owners of the terminal fish market also recently bought and renovated the Highliner pub, amazing fish and chips, good local beers on tap and a great happy hour. Because they own the fish market its safe to say their seafood is extra fresh. Oh and there’s also Chinooks, a family owned seafood restaurant chain that operates their own fishing fleet. Some may say the terminal doesn’t have much to offer, I say they are misinformed and maybe are being a little rushed by their busy tourist schedule. I love this place and I frequent many of the local, small businesses that Fisherman’s terminal has to offer. Oh did I mention, FREE PARKING!

It’s ok, but we were wanting to get seafood off the boats & there weren’t any last weekend. I asked around and was told it’s pretty rare for fishermen to sell their catch off the boats anymore. There is a simulated lighthouse here, but it’s not open to the public so you can’t get an elevated view of the boats. Ok, so looking at boats is ok, but I don’t see a need to return.

I’ve been here several times on sunny Seattle days and am usually happy with just walking around, people watching, admiring the yachts and fishing boats, etc. But if I had to be honest and critical, I’d say this place is kind of unimpressive.
PROS:
1. Water. Who doesn’t enjoy a short stroll on the docks, hand in hand with a loved one, chit chatting idly?
2. Several restaurants to choose from.
CONS:
1. Restaurants are meh. E.g., Chinook’s is not that great. Greasy, diner-​ish seafood.
2. Parking is packed (don’t get why).
3. Not a lot to see. There is a tobacco place, a couple yacht/​boat tour agencies, a fresh seafood stand, an art/​cards store, etc.
An alright place to wander if you’ve nothing better to do and happen to be in the Magnolia/Fisherman’s Terminal area.

So much to see and to do.
Fresh cool sea smelling air. Boats, fish — fresh for dinner. magnificent interesting views.
people drinking in the scene. YOU are part of the scene!

We stopped by here in particular to visit the Fishermen’s Memorial, and to pay respects to Captain Phil. The statue with the backdrop of hundreds of boats and mountains in the distance was. amazing.
Most of the piers are open, so you can just wander around. It’s astonishing how many fishing boats are actually here — the place is massive. The Sea Star (chase boat on Deadliest Catch) was also here, and apparently offers tours occasionally.
Free parking, and some shops that we didn’t go into.

skip the Wild Salmon Seafood Market and head to the West Wall to buy fish right off the boat suppoting the local fisherman. It is legal for them to sell right off the boat unlike what others have said.
Three stars for the Wild Salmon Seafood Market
Five Stars for the West Wall that the Fishermen’s Terminal

Shhhh… this is one of Seattle’s best kept secrets… skip Pike Market… skip any of the other fish markets and come here for the fresh catch…
Not only has the fish just come off the boats, but the guys working behind the counter are eye candy squared! No hint of any smell… only the salty goodness of the sea and sound. Further the prices are competitive with other purveyors around town and they carry a great selection of rubs and seafood accoutrements…;)

I discovered this place when my mother dragged me down to the boats to find some fresh fish for dinner that night. We were too late to get anything right off the boat, but wandered into Salmon Bay to see what they had.
They have a wide variety of fresh local fish and also a variety of shell fish. The crab looks amazing and there is always lots of it.
The employees are wonderful and have advice on everything from how to prepare it to what to serve your seafood with. They also sell a wide variety of planks.
I agree with Kathleen — you cant beat no parking costs, and NO tourists… and really I’ve found the prices and quality to be better than the pike place market anyway!

Skip the fancy Seattle dinner out and take your guests here to walk along the boats and pick out their dinner. And you can avoid those obnoxious throwing fish guys posing for photos with tourists. Real, genuine fishermen here and real, genuine people.
I did this with my parents and they loved it, we picked out some fresh salmon and took it home to cook it up. The fishermen were extremely helpful in describing the different types and the best way to cook them.
And it was cheap… can’t beat that!

This is the place to come if you have a phobia of tourists, hate paying for downtown parking, and want seafood that is fresh and yummy. Salmon Bay has everything Pike Place has from prawns to alligator. You can buy their fish fresh, frozen, or already prepared. The best part about it is that all the fish are cut no more than 20 mins before you buy them and the people who work there are so very helpful that just talking to them is worth the trip. (ps– try the salmon patties for your next cookout and just so you know… they DON’T throw fish!)