With cranes in every direction, rising costs and the economic strain of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused many bars and restaurants to shutter permanently, the Emerald City has seen its fair share of once-stapled restaurants closing up shop.
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However, some restaurants have managed to make their place in this ever-changing city, finding a foothold in their neighborhood and building a community around them.
Whether it's Seattle's oldest Chinese restaurant where Bruce Lee used to dine or the famed lunch counter at the Athenian Inn from "Sleepless in Seattle," these legendary spots define the Emerald City's food culture.
Keep reading to take a walk down memory lane with past and present photos of 16 of Seattle's beloved local institutions still operating today.
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Mike's Chili Parlor
This Ballard eatery has been serving its signature chili recipe since 1922, and needless to say they have the best chili fries and hot dogs in the city. The recipe itself was passed down from Greece, and the restaurant has been owned and operated by the Semandiris Family for 4 generations.
Through the decades, it has fed the city's fishermen and blue collar workers, and still maintains a no-frills, dive bar appeal today.
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Be sure to try their chili burger: a hamburger smothered in their homemade chili and topped with a mountain of cheese, onions and relish. Just be sure to ask for some extra napkins for when the inevitable mess ensues.
Virginia Inn
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This Belltown restaurant and bar has been around since 1903, and appeared in the movie "Sleepless in Seattle." It later appeared in the 1992 cult classic "Singles," which emblemized Seattle's grunge scene.
Almost three decades after its Hollywood debut, the menu has become fancier and the crowd is more touristy, but the vibe is still laidback and purely Seattle.
The building itself is one of the oldest in the Pike Place Market area that is still standing and serves up Pacific Northwest fare from its patio.
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Mecca Cafe
This Lower Queen Anne institution opened in 1930 by C. Preston Smith and his wife Frances, who opened 5 Point Cafe in Belltown one year earlier. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the two historic joints were the first legal bars in Seattle.
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The Mecca stayed in the Smith family until it was sold in 2001. The late-night establishment still stands today, serving up burgers, benedicts and sandwiches at reasonable prices.
Three Girls Bakery
This bakery and quaint lunch counter has been filling Pike Place Market with delicious baking bread smells since 1912. It was founded by, you guessed it, three Seattle women and originally sold loaves of bread for just 15 cents.
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Still in operation today, the business now serves up both hot sandwiches and baked goods to hungry customers in the market.
Ray's Boathouse
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In 1939, founder Ray Lichtenberger, moved his growing boat rental and bait house to the current location and opened a coffee house in 1945. Throughout the '60s, it operated as a fish and chips joint, known for it's iconic neon sign.
Ray's Boathouse caught fire due to a wiring problem on May 26, 1987. Some of the boats kept at the pier were damaged, and when the fire was finally out, only Ray's sign remained standing. No one was injured and the restaurant reopened on April 9, 1988.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners made the hard decision to hibernate until dining restrictions eased. The restaurant officially reopened in March and is again serving up fresh Northwest seafood dishes.
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Hattie's Hat
Hattie's Hat is another good example of old-school, divey Ballard. It's been around since 1904 and has a popular Guinness meatloaf. It was first a saloon, and then turned into a diner in the 1950s when a Swedish couple purchased it.
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The menu still retains some nods to its Swedish background with Swedish pancakes served with wild lingonberries. The wooden bar has been an original fixture since its opening in 1904.
Ivar's
Beloved local showman Ivar Haglund (1905-1985) established Seattle's first aquarium at Pier 54 and started a fish-and-chips stand in 1938 that grew into a restaurant empire.
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In 1946 Mr. Haglund opened the renowned "Acres of Clams" restaurant, one of 31 fish bars in the region. The restaurant also featured a dancing clam, known as Clem, in its advertisements.
While some locations, including the iconic Pier 54 restaurant, temporarily shuttered during the pandemic, all locations are now serving up bowls of creamy clam chowder to tourists and locals alike.
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Maneki
The Maneki Japanese restaurant has been around the International District for over 100 years. The restaurant serves traditional delicious family-style dishes in a warm, quaint atmosphere.
Initially built at 212 Sixth Ave. S. in 1904, Maneki had to be relocated after the restaurant was ransacked when Japanese citizens were sent to internment camps by the government during World War II.
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Once it was rebuilt following the war, this Seattle staple has been pleasing customers for over a century and is one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in the country.
Lockspot Cafe
Lockspot Cafe has been open for over 90 years, staying true to its no-frills roots and representing the character of "old" Ballard in the rapidly growing neighborhood. It has doled out platters of crispy fish and chips through numerous world wars, market crashes and natural disasters.
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"When you walk into the Lockspot Cafe, it's like coming home. This is a generational place," said owner Pam Hanson, who started working at the cafe as a bartender in 1996.
Along with being one of the longest-standing restaurants in Seattle's competitive food scene, Lockspot does also have another claim to fame: parts of the TV show "Deadliest Catch" were filmed there with the captains. Hanson also noted that Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and his wife are also patrons.
The historic restaurant was recently put up for sale by Hanson and purchased by new owners who said they remain committed to keeping the legacy of the cafe alive for the next generation of Ballard residents.
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Blue Moon Tavern
Seattleite Emma Hellthaler is currently at the helm of the Blue Moon after taking over from her father, Gustav, who bought the bar with friends in the 1980s. Known for its open mic nights, live shows featuring local artists and cheap pours, the unpretentious spot has a long history of serving Seattle's counterculture through the decades.
Beat poet Allen Ginsberg was one of many who hung around the Blue Moon Tavern. Others poets who hung out there include Theodore Roethke, Richard Hugo, Carolyn Kizer, Stanley Kunitz and David Wagoner. Their time there and the history of the Blue Moon was preserved by the late Walt Crowley, another familiar face at the Blue Moon.
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Today, the inside still retains much of the bar's no-frills feel. The bar was also featured on a PBS documentary that showcased how local restaurants were surviving the economic downturn of the pandemic.
"It may be a dingy place, it may be a dive bar, but it's ours," one regular said in the documentary.
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The Athenian
The Athenian has been serving seafood in Pike Place Market since 1909. In 1933, it was one of Seattle's first restaurants to receive a beer license.
It became a tourist hotspot after it served as a colorful backdrop for Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner to talk about tiramisu and the anxieties of dating in 1993's "Sleepless in Seattle."
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Today, you can still grab burgers, salads and seafood from the bustling eatery and impress your parents who love the movie.
Dick's Drive-In
The famed Dick's Drive-In opened its windows on Jan. 28, 1954, by Portland-born Dick Spady.
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The first location was located in Wallingford on 45th Street, which is still serving up their famed deluxe burger, fries and milkshakes with a friendly smile and quick service to this day.
Members of the Spady family still operate the franchise as well. The beloved chain has opened a total of 7 locations across Puget Sound and has become an iconic landmark in the city. A new location at the Crossroads Mall in Bellevue is expected to open sometime this year, bringing burgers and fries to the Eastside.
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Merchant's Cafe
Merchant's Cafe claims the debated title of "Seattle's Oldest Restaurant" and has stood on the corner of James and Yesler since 1890.
Originally named "Merchants Exchange Saloon," the owners changed the name to cafe during prohibition and also operated as a cigar shop. A fire at the Mt. Fuji Hotel next door almost destroyed the structure in 1938, but the cafe has persisted.
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The restaurant's long and sometimes spooky history makes it a popular destination for those interested in hauntings, ghosts and the paranormal. It is also a good spot to catch a Seahawks game.
Jules Maes Saloon
Jules Maes dates back to 1888 starting as a grocery and hardware shop known as "The Brick Store" and eventually became a saloon. In 1912, it was bought by Belgian immigrant Jules Gustaf Maes, who was known as "the Mayor of Georgetown."
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Customers consisted of mostly lumberjacks and fishermen as Georgetown was the city's industrial district. The bar closed during prohibition but reopened several doors down on Airport Way South in 1939.
The 133-year-old wateringhole temporarily shuttered in July 2020 amid COVID-19 dining restrictions before longtime patrons stepped in to keep its legacy alive.
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Lowell's Restaurant
Before it was serving up fish and chips and clam chowder, the space was a combination coffee roaster, peanut roaster and cafeteria in Pike Place Market called Manning's Cafeteria.
In 1957, it officially became Lowell's. The three-storied restaurant has become a tourist destination in the market and uses fresh fish and produce from other market vendors.
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Billing itself as "almost classy since 1957," the restaurant boasts of sweeping views of Elliott Bay.
Tai Tung
This historic Chinatown International restaurant opened in 1935, making it the oldest remaining Chinese restaurant in the city. Bruce Lee used to frequent the restaurant, and would order their chow mein and fried rice.
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The third-generation owner, Henry Chan, has been working at Tai Tung since 1968, and can happily point out Lee's preferred table.