Harborside Bistro

Not that great, but the service was really good. The food was just okay — and since it’s fairly close to my house and our server made a positive impression, I may have to try it again.

Went there last night. Food was pricey. Wine was REALLY pricey. I ordered the Hawaiian Mahi Mahi and I thought it was a little weird. Turns out it was the grilled Mahi Mahi which was more cajun in flavor. My husband had the Smoked Sturgeon which he thought was pretty good. I had a beet salad (I’ve had better) and he had the clam chowder which again he thought was pretty good. All in all our meal was just okay and pretty spendy.

Lunch Review
Environment: Quiet with view
Service: Nice and Friendly
Food: Very tasty
Seafood Pasta — this dish may sounded simply but I was surprised by it’s full taste, freshness and crispy (not the fried type of crispy — the fresh kind). The pasta was very tender and flavorful.
Coffee was strong and hot! =)
Price: Good food with a view kind of price
Notes:
–Salmon and White fish dish portion is on the small size.
–Fish and chips looked good.
–They forgot to check me in on Opentable. =(
–Private Parking Lot: discount parking rate

Impressive remodel, the previous incarnation was getting a bit tired and tattered.
The wine bar upstairs is a fantastic addition. I understand a new wine steward was brought in and it shows with the wine list and upcoming events.

Disappointing. First, be aware that they have done away with the bar («bistro») menu, though it still appears on the web site. This means that, outside of happy hour, you’re paying the same in the bar or the dining room, for the same menu. The happy hour menu has 9 items for $ 5, some of which are not on the regular menu. To be fair, the squash gnocchi I had the first time I was here post-​remodel was fantastic.
The menu is expensive, and nowhere near as expansive as it used to be. I’m sure limiting the menu was part of the new Harborside concept, but I think it was a mistake.
The remodel is gorgeous… but I doubt I’ll be back unless they bring back a bar menu.
Updated ⁹⁄₁₂: I believe they’ve re-​expanded the dining room menu a bit and re-​rebranded the restaurant as McCormick & Schmick’s. Last time I went in to ask, though, the bar menu was still the same as the dining room menu. I still don’t understand this decision.

I just visited Harborside Bistro for happy hour last night. They are still a fairly new establishment it seems, so they don’t get much of a crowd outside of the happy hour, as far as I could tell. That being said, the HH food is delicious and relatively cheap ($ 5 a plate), the drinks are a bit pricey (about $ 1 — 2 more than you would expect elsewhere), the view is great, the service is excellent, and the décor is classy, as one would expect from an establishment situated on Lake Union.
== Must-​try dishes ==
* ceviche — great presentation, being served in a little jar, and the taste is wonderful with a pleasant kick.
* surf-​n-​turf sliders — we only got the turf sliders, but they were cooked to a perfect medium rare on the inside. The jalapeño aioli was delicous and you’ll want to use that up with your fries.
* chickpea hummus — if you’re hungry or enjoy hummus, you’ll like this one. We asked for extra pita chips later on, and the second batch of chips was much better being that they were toasted and warm when served.
== To consider ==
* Alaskan Ling cod fish-​n-​chips — two sizable pices of fish served with crispy fries.
* bacon-​crusted pan-​fried oysters — interesting dish with 3 pieces, although not for those who don’t like oysters (obviously).
* crispy Monterey calamari — decent portion and preparation.
* honey bbq baby back ribs — ribs themselves seemed a bit overcooked, but were still fairly tasty. About 6 small ribs come in a serving. The tiny side of slaw was actually a highlight here.
* truffle popcorn
== Not worth considering ==
* Dungeness crab spring roll — didn’t seem to be freshly made based on the spring roll wrap, and where was the crab? Expect only vermicelli in your 3 spring rolls.

Amazing service, best bartenders in town. Go for happy hour and ask thomas to make you something delicious! Great view of south lake union.