Estefania Suárez
I was going for sea food but ended up loving the veggies. Really, the roasted leeks were remarkable and the kohlrabi (an interesting root I had never tried) was well rounded with peppers and creamy dressing. The rest of the dishes were very good but cold and I was craving something warm as it is October. Excellent service and environment. Loved the music.
Brandon Hunter
What a special little restaurant- the epitome of a "hidden gem". They do not take reservations, which can be a little problematic for those of us that want to make plans for our evening (hence the only reason I am giving them a 4 star instead of a 5). The food is of the highest quality. The service is fast. The atmosphere is quaint, fresh, friendly and vibrant, in that classic and hip Seattle vibe sort of way. If you're looking for that unique and special way to celebrate friendship over oysters on the half shell, this is the place! Due to them not accepting reservations, either go on a day/time that isn't typically as busy for dining, or set your expectations for not being seated. I have eaten here 2 out of the 4 times I have visited, due to 2 of the times having exhaustively long waits of over an hour and a half. IMO, restaurants that do not take reservations are not considering the fact that people driving 45 minutes from the east, north, west or south to dine, especially people with parties larger than 2, need a reservation service. Also, food isn't always the only thing on the menu for people trying to create a night on the town. What happens if people are trying to see a show, ball game or have other plans besides dinner? Anyone that has timing requirements for their evening should definitely create a backup reservation in the area just in case Walrus and Carpenter is too busy to seat you. Like I said, the wait was too long 50 percent of the time I have attempted to go. But yes... don't give up. It's that good.
Foodie Man
Came here for beers and oysters. It did not disappoint! The bread is delicious, the oysters were great - we had 4 different types. We also ordered the grilled sardines which were very yummy.
Salva Rühling Cachay
Great restaurant, with yummy, fresh oysters! The sardines were amazing too! I liked the dates dessert too :) The squash salad though was only okay. Good, super friendly service. You may need to wait until a table becomes available (for us, we got one way before the anticipated time). Would come again!
Vicky Tran
The oysters were absolutely delicious, yes pricey but so perfect. The champagne sauce yum. Scallop flavorful and done right, calamari, wow, the halibut collar so gooood
Billy Xia
A hidden gem restaurant and bar famed for its fresh oysters, crudos and other small plates. Also had a solid cocktail and wine selection. They don’t take reservations so you’d have to plan enough time for it. We got there at 5:45 on a Sat night for a party of 6 and didn’t have to wait.
Our fav dishes were the fried oysters and the scallop crudo.
The food was good but I’ve had better seafoods for the price. Overall one of the best restaurants in Seattle for fresh seafood and small plates.
Calvin Liang
Great food and great atmosphere! Recommend the scallops, fried oysters, and sardines. The pate was sweet from the pomegranate sauce which wasn't bad but wasn't my thing.
Kaitlin Crawford
I can't even begin to explain the incredible experience that we had. So, let's just jump to the food reviews, OYSTERS wow, a must! And Steak Tartare was out of this world!! My family has no interest in tartare, I love it, and begged them to try it, it has now turned them into fans!! They both agreed it was the best thing that we ordered!! We also had the olives, clams and fried oysters. All of which were fantastic as well.
We also enjoyed a cocktail off of their drink menu as well as cocktails at the Barnacle bar right next door while we had waited for our table. Which was also a very cool spot to go, the atmosphere and decor of both places was very hip and lovely.
Sanga Agrawal
It's definitely worth the experience. It's on the pricier side but super fresh oysters.
We didn't try anything else since the oysters were $5 a piece.
This is a place I might not go again because of the price but would suggest it to friends who prefer fine dining. Even the bread needs to be bought separately.
Service is super polite and welcoming, the vibe is beautiful and bustling.
I liked that they make sure to give you half small, half big oysters so you don't feel like you got all the tiny ones.
Helen
Really loved my experience here! It’s quite busy in the evening but they have space at the bar for smaller parties. The space is all the way at the back of an unassuming building. It is definitely on the pricy side but I think the quality and taste is worth the price.
We got two of their oysters, halibut crudo, grilled sardine, summer squash, tartare, and panna cotta.
I would get the oysters, crudo and summer squash again if I were to come back. The oysters were very meaty and tasted really fresh with the horseradish and house vinaigrette. We also really enjoyed the mix of flavor of the halibut crudo, I highly recommend it!
Tartare was good but on the salty side, but it had great texture. The grilled sardine was good, on the heavier side if you want something to keep you full, but not something I would want again.
The panna cotta is super creamy and delicious, a great way to finish off our meal.
Brad Kitchen
All food was so fresh it was amazing. Oysters were so good. Had the special Halibut and Calamari which were all amazing. The service was so personal and it really made the night the best.
Satnam Singh
We had a fantastic meal at The Walrus and the Carpenter, ordering just about every dish that could be made gluten free, as well as three of each of the six oysters on the menu plus one special. Everything was very good, and some were fantastic, especially the scallops of which we ordered a second dish. Ambiance was great, service was lovely. An unexpected pleasure was a remarkably good Negroni mocktail (also reordered). The dishes were quite a bit smaller than I expected. I wish they would take reservations because the having to wait for ages annoyance is the main thing that would put be off from returning.
Lin Lin Pan
One of the few gems in Seattle where the quality of the food (mostly) matches the price. There's a reason they're FCFS and don't take reservations.
Highlight is definitely the oysters. They do rotating oysters from all different farms around the PNW area, usually ranging from sweet to salty. They're all unique and extremely flavorful.
Favorite dish was the sardine/walnut dish. Really rich earthy flavor that paired beautifully with the salty sardines. Olives were solid. Salad was also decent, good flavors.
Scallop crudo was probably our least favorite, just because it's hard to come across a scallop which really blows you away. It wasn't bad at all good balance of freshness, citrus, and richness from the base - tasty but not a "wow" dish.
We had a really nice orange wine as well.
All in all one of my favorite more pricer places in Seattle. It's really hard to come by a place here where you feel satisfied when paying more, but this place definitely makes the cut. I'm a regular.
Summer Lambert
Honestly I knew nothing about this place when I decided to go. I happened to be walking down the street, saw it, saw a line, and joined. As a solo traveler I got a seat immediately at the bar and had great service. Grabbed a few oysters and a glass of wine and had a pleasant time.
Sophia Pang (s0fa)
Lovely local spot that I couldn’t find without the help of local who saw me confused outside. I had the clam dish that I wish came with more bread so I could have soaked up all the lovely sauce, but alas. The bread is from a local bakery called Sea Wolf so make sure to check that out too. The servers are really nice and friendly; they seem quite knowledgeable and proud about the local food scene which is a good sign. I would definitely come back!
Juming Lai
The environment is cozy and music was relaxing.
The oysters are fresh and served at the perfect temperature with matching source.
I’m not a huge fan of the scallop crudo. Would be interested on salmon crudo if it comes back.
The beef was super tender with perfect seasoning.
We finished with delicious puff as dessert and were pretty happy with the visit.
Ana Sofía Vázquez
It’s always a shame to have a lousy service experience when the food is excellent. I’m pretty sure everyone else is great. Unfortunately, our waitress made us uncomfortable.
Anyway, back to the food, these are some of the things we tried name believe everyone must try:
The fried oysters were the favorites at the table.
Scallop crudo - the flavors and texture game is fantastic to start your meal.
Hama Hama Clams - my personal favorites. The idea and execution are simply brilliant.
Oysters, ofc - they’re all great and fresh.
Maple toast - the combination of flavors and texture is perfect.
Maia cheese - the maia cheese is excellent. The portion is a bit small for the price, but it’s good.
The bread and butter - the butter is incredible.
Things we enjoyed but not as much: salmon crudo and calamari.
As for drinks, they’re good but not that great and a bit overpriced. It seems like a better idea to stick to some wine.
Logistics
We arrived a bit earlier than 4 pm and barely got a table. All the time we were there, the place was packed, but the line also didn’t seem crazy.
There’s a bar next door to have an aperitif.
benoit collette
Classic ! Delicious and unique . If you have the money for it , it’s definitely a place to visit and enjoy . Oysters emporium, great bar tenders !
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