Canlis - Seattle

Canlis created a truly perfect and entirely unforgettable evening to treasure. Four perfect courses, with a few surprises sprinkled along the way. My fiancé and... read more Canlis created a truly perfect and entirely unforgettable evening to treasure. Four perfect courses, with a few surprises sprinkled along the way. My fiancé and I both ensured we ordered different items to try as many of the offerings as possible. I’m not going to rank them all, but here are the top three I would say are “must try”: Shaved Wagyu, Striploin, and the Halibut. Enjoy a cocktail, as each one is meticulously crafted (and pretty boozy too). The entire staff operated as a well-oiled machine right before our very eyes. Dirty spoons phasing out of existence, an immaculately set table, your napkin being magically folded when you return from the restroom, I am convinced each staff member is a magician on the side. Amanda, Ashleigh, Dan, Forrest, John, I thank you for injecting your personalities into our experience. The food was great, but the staff is what brought the “meal with a view” to life. It’s been 18 hours since our experience and the only thing that has prevented us from talking about it was sleeping last night. I’m not sure when we will stop. Seven out of five stars.

My partner and I got engaged this past weekend and the Canlis easily took the cake as our favorite activity, huge thanks to Forest and Jeff for making this a un... read more My partner and I got engaged this past weekend and the Canlis easily took the cake as our favorite activity, huge thanks to Forest and Jeff for making this a unique and unforgettable experience! While the views and general ambiance of the establishment are already top notch, it's the staff interactions that truly makes you feel special here. Forest was our waiter though I'd hesitate to label it as that as he did so much more and he's the reason we loved Canlis so much more than any other fine dining establishment. He took the time to listen to our story, get to know us, share some Canlis history, and fulfill every request. I'm truly impressed by Forest, I know he served many other tables aside from ours, but he really made us feel special! He's got the most charisma and social energy/endurance of anyone I've met yet. Despite everything he was already doing, Forest went the extra mile to make the evening even more special for us on our engagement weekend by giving us a lovely tour and the pinnacle of the whole weekend set us up with an isolated bonfire on the roof for us to reflect on the day while looking over the glorious view. The food, glorious. Presentation was on point. All the dishes were either had an uncommon flavor profile such has mixing traditionally clashing tastes but making it work or was taking typical dishes to the highest level of preparation. The portions were moderately sized as you'd expect from a fine dining establishment, but there was a surprisingly high number of courses with multiple portions which is nice. Thank you Forest, and everyone at Canlis who cooperated to help make the experience possible, for the wonderful night we've had. This is how you earn lifelong customers! We're definitely looking to make this a regular annual celebration. TLDR: Canlis is worth every penny and more.

My problem was that we had high expectation given prior review of Canlis. Everything about the restaurant is average, not great and certainly not good value for... read more My problem was that we had high expectation given prior review of Canlis. Everything about the restaurant is average, not great and certainly not good value for the money. Compared to other high end restaurants in other metropolitan areas, Canlis lacks in culinary experimentation, food presentation, menu development and basic taste. There are many other and better choices to showcase the Seattle culinary expertise. The menu lacked imagination and the presentation of the food left much to be desired. The desert was all but tasteless. The wine list was solid, though, but very expensive, even for a high end restaurant. This was one of the most expensive meal we have ever had (and we have had dining experiences at the old Noma, Amass, Fat Duck, Bæst etc) for a food experience that was average at best.

Good. Food: 5 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 read more Good. Food: 5 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5

I recently photographed a wedding upstairs in the Canlis Penthouse space. It was beautiful, intimate and so fun. The couple packed it to the max (stated seating... read more I recently photographed a wedding upstairs in the Canlis Penthouse space. It was beautiful, intimate and so fun. The couple packed it to the max (stated seating size is 25-80), but everyone was still able to move around between tables when needed. The staff is incredible and the food was unforgettable. It was awesome because they even let me go up on the roof with the couple for a few photos of Lake Union! Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5