Chinese
Hong Kong Bistro
507 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
A Chinatown fixture, has comfortable food, it is always bustling with a student crowd, and most importantly it is open late. Last year, they changed ownership and lost the cook. However, although the overall quality went down slightly, they managed to keep their long menu fairly consistent.
Honey Court
516 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
We used not to like this place, but it grew on us. Most of the people working there have a great attitude, and the food is quite decent. Good place for live crab.
King Noodle
615 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104
Our favorite noodle spot. The decor can be defined Spartan at best, but they serve a short menu of great, cheap, comfortable noodle soups and pan fried noodles.
Harbor City
707 S King St, Seattle, WA 98104
Arguably, the best Dim Sum in Chinatown, but the wait is so long sometimes. The two ladies at the door are a disaster, but once you manage to sit down, the food is great and the waiters are efficient and friendly.
Little Garden
14725 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA 98007
On the greasy side, but this may be the best Chinese in Redmond. The two ladies running the place have a good attitude, but they are not very organized. They cook for each table sequentially, so if you happen to come in with other tables in front of you, the wait may be long, or sometimes they even send you away if their backlog is too long.
Sushi
I Love Sushi, Bellevue
23 Lake Bellevue Dr, Bellevue, WA 98005
This used to be our favorite Sushi place. It changed management last year and a lot of the original Japanese chefs and waiters have left. But it remains a relaxing and pleasant place, and the quality is still quite good.
Japonessa
1400 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
A good Sushi place in downtown Seattle. They often have extensive selection of fish, including varieties that are not so easy to find in other restaurants. The atmosphere is a bit too hip for a sushi place, and overall it is slightly over-rated, but still a good choice.
Maneki
304 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
What's wrong with the two old ladies? They really go overboard to make you feel unwelcomed. I understand they have been there for more than 100 years, but their sushi is not that exceptional to be worth the aggravation. Their uni and ikura are good, but the "big fish" (tuna, yellowtail, etc.) is far from perfect. We just prefer the guys at Tsukushinbo next door, they are happy to see you, and they have better fish.
Tsukushinbo
515 S Main St, Seattle, WA 98104
A hole in the wall, but it has become our favorite sushi place in the International District.
Vietnamese
Pho Tai
14701 NE 20th St, Bellevue, WA 98007
No frill place, efficient place for pho. Pho is pho, and this is rather good pho. Our go-to place when we are in a hurry.
Saigon Boat Cafe
2632 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Their pho is reasonable, but it is their sandwiches and beer that are the best deal in Alki. The only problem with them is their vegetable pho, which is just not very good, so just stay away from that. They are very nice people; if you want to stay away from the Alki beach crowds and have a good, inexpensive meal, this is the place.
Seafood
Duke's Chowder House
2516 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
If you are in Alki, you got to go to Duke's. The ambience is great and in summer you can enjoy one of the fabulous Alki sunsets from their deck. The food is nothing special and expensive, but you do not go there for the food.
Seastar
205 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
This is an overall good restaurant, but their menu is sometimes without an identity and over-rated. The tom yum soup is my favorite.
Italian
La Rustica
4100 Beach Dr SW, Seattle, WA 98116
My husband is Italian and thus very picky on Italian food, so we rarely find an Italian restaurant that we like. La Rustica is an exception. It is run by Italians and is without question the best Italian place in West Seattle, and possibly in the whole Seattle area. Their wine is also excellent and surprisingly affordable, especially their house wine, Sangiovese in particular, but all reds are rather good. This is a small place, and the wait in summer can be very long.
