Pike Place Chowder

Seattle, United States

4.3

Closed now

42 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 206-267-2537
Website:
www.pikeplacechowder.com
Address:
1530 Post Alley Ste 11, Seattle, WA, 98101
b/t Pike Pl & Pine St
Downtown
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
820 ft3rd Ave & Pike St
840 ft3rd Ave & Pine St
990 ftPine St & 4th Ave
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Seattle) 01:22 Monday, 23 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Seattle’s best lunch spot! Our chowder recipe, made famous at the Charlestown St. Café is a member of the «Great Chowder Cook-​off,» Hall of Fame in Newport Rhode Island after winning this event picking the «Nation’s Best Clam Chowder» in 2000, 2001 & 2002.

Seattle area delivery available through Amazon Local and Caviar. We also ship our cold-​packed chowder nationwide, ready to heat-​and-​eat. Call us for details!

Find us in the deli section of your local Washington and Oregon QFC and Fred Meyer grocery stores. Check out our website for more info!

History

Established in 2003.

We are understandably very proud of our «New England» Clam Chowder,

but our other chowders are equally outstanding. Next in line in

popularity is our Seafood Bisque. This chowder is made from fresh local

salmon, cod, crab and bay shrimp prepared in our tomato, basil, cream broth. Our Smoked Salmon Chowder is also very popular and prepared with capers and cream cheese. For those wanting a chowder a little lighter in calories we offer two chowders prepared without any milk or cream. Our Manhattan Clam Chowder is made with chopped Ocean Clams in a tomato, onion and celery broth and our Crab and Shrimp Clear Chowder made with shellfish stock, corn and assorted vegetables. We also offer a non-​seafood chowder our Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder and Vegan Chowder served in coconut milk and lime juice.

Two recent additions to our menu are our Cascadia Harvest Chowder and Crab & Oyster w/​Chorizo made with all local ingredients fresh out of Pike Place Market.

Meet the Business Owner

Larry M.

Business Owner

With two Seattle locations, Pike Place Chowder first opened its doors in 2003 in Pike Place Market, followed by the 2007 launch of a second location in the Pacific Place shopping center.

Owner and Founder, Larry Mellum, runs a tight ship when it comes to serving only the best, a standard that has earned dozens of wins in regional and national competitions, including induction into the Great Chowder Cook-​Off Hall-​of-​Fame.

In 2011 and 2012, Pike Place Chowder won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the West Coast Chowder Cook Off in Monterey, CA.

Related places

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Nearby

Near this location:
10
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LoPriore Bros. Pasta Bar
1530 Post Alley
10
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Twilight Artist Collective
1530 Post Alley Ste 4
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Dar Salaam
1530 Post Aly
10
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Made In Washington
1530 Post Aly
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LoPriore Bros Pasta Bar
1530 Post Alley
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Lyall Farms Fresh Roasted Corn
1530 Post Alley

42 reviews of Pike Place Chowder

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
I don’t like chowder. Haven’t eaten it in years. Never planned on eating it again.
Then I came to Pike Place Chowder. Everything changed.
I can personally attribute my new found love for
Chowder 100% to Pike Place! The combination of spices and ingredients in a bread bowl that was steaming hot was a little slice of heaven!
Great staff, awesome atmosphere, in a great city.
If you get a chance and you’re on the pier, CHECK THIS SPOT OUT, ESPECIALLY ON A WINDY, COOL DAY!
Place rating: 4
Oklahoma City, OK
The chowder here is amazing! I got all the chowders just to sample and the original clam chowder is the best to me.
I was a little disappointed in the salmon however. It just tasted really sour.
The Manhattan was good as well. The chowders are a pretty good price for a good amount.
Place rating: 3
Fort Worth, TX
The New England Clam Chowder here was delicious! The seafood bisque and the lobster roll were a bit disappointing though. Both were pretty bland with not a lot of flavor. The line wasn’t too long when we got here and we got our food pretty quick once we ordered. There are tons of tables in front of this place to eat which were packed but usually a spot opened up before the next person with their food started looking for a seat. Come specifically for the New England Clam Chowder — the other stuff, just pass on it.
Place rating: 5
Santa Rosa, CA
At the Westin hotel, great bar low key great bar food and awesome staff!
Great atmosphere too!
Good prices as well.
Place rating: 4
Queens, NY
We arrived around 1pm on a Sunday afternoon. Given how small the place is and how famous their chowders are, its no wonder why there’s always a line. The wait time wasn’t bad though, it was about 20 minutes and we managed to find a seat for the 4 of us.
We tried their 4 cup sampler, dungeness crab roll, and lobster roll. The New England Clam chowder stood out from the rest. It was very flavorful and savory, with the perfect consistency and creaminess! The lobster roll tasted pretty average, which kind of disappointed me. The dungeness crab roll, however, was on point. They give you a good portion size of crab meat and lobster meat on their rolls. I would highly recommend this place if you’re near pike place market
Place rating: 3
Carlsbad, CA
Frankly the chowder is not worth the 45 to 60 minute wait. I’m sure if I put any effort into looking I could have found equally decent chowder, but when a place is on the top 100, you kinda have to see what the hype is about. It was good, but not THAT good. I read in someone’s review that it was «aiight» and completely agree. My son loved it but his pallet isn’t that discerning. Don’t waste your time with the lobster rolls, these guys are not known for them nor should they be. The bread is far too thick and completely dominates the sandwich. Zero satisfaction and a waste of money. If you do want to stop by and give this place a try, the sampler is a good idea. 4, 5 ounce cups of whatever you would like to try.
Sometimes I need to listen to my instincts and just go with them. As I waited in line, I thought to myself, «this is probably just like going down to pier 39 in San Francisco. Total tourist trap…». Turns out I was right.
Place rating: 5
Sacramento, CA
First time here the line was about a good 25min wait just before closing on a Saturday. Oh what to choose sampler, bread bowl or just soup.
The New England Chowder was GREAT! no words to describe the flavors thick and creamy soup with chunks of clam so tender and potatoes ohhhh dunk your bread in OK. Their chowder is Served HOT perfect on a cold and rainy day like today and don’t forget to grab your spoon, napkins and quart to go cause you are gonna want more.
Outside seating tables and chairs
Place rating: 4
Las Vegas, NV
If you come to Pike Place for the first time, it’s almost a given that you have to visit Pike Place Chowder.
I personally really love soup, and chowders especially. My favorite is clam chowder overall and that’s their most well known soup. They had a lot of delicious soups. I didn’t know exactly which one to get, so I got 4 with the sampler. If you haven’t tried all their soups, or you don’t have a clear favorite, a sampler is what I recommend. I got the new england clam chowder, seafood bisque, manhattan style chowder, and the market chowder. Everything but the manhattan style chowder were cream based, and were actually the better ones in my opinion. I put their oyster crackers in all of the soups, and it adds a nice crunchiness and texture to the soups. I also got the lobster roll, but it wasn’t at the level I was expecting. I was expecting it to be like ones I have had in Vegas and in Maine, but the bread wasn’t toasted, the filling didn’t have any structure to it cause it didn’t really have any mayonnaise to hold it together. It wasn’t bad, but for $ 20, it just wasn’t at the level I was expecting.
Overall, definitely worth the visit. Go get yourself a nice bowl of chowder!
Place rating: 4
Honolulu, HI
I got to try this place two months ago during my trip to Seattle. I liked how they had a wide variety of chowders to choose from. I had the market chowder, which consisted of ingredients chosen by the chef. Sadly I can’t remember the exact ingredients in there… obviously it consisted of different types of seafood, but unfortunately I can’t remember exactly which ones. I just remember it was amazing! My hubby ordered the crab and oyster chowder, which we thought was just okay. But I really was impressed with the market chowder that I ordered and would definitely come back in the future for that.
The line for this place was obviously wayyyy super long, as this place is very popular and touristy. So basically I had my husband and friend stand in line and I went to Starbucks to grab a drink while they waited and ordered. By the time I got my drink and made it back to the restaurant, the food was ready.
BTW, we also ordered the crab sandwich which we thought was just okay. The crab was not as meaty as we would’ve liked and the flavor was lackluster. Overall we enjoyed our experience and would recommend it to anyone visiting Pike Place. =)
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Despite being one of the more popular offerings, Pike Place Chowder has a fairly unassuming entrance off Post Alley. The inside has a bar to sit at, as well as some seats, although it may be a struggle to find seating with all of the people around. The line wraps around PPC for quite a long stretch, so get here early, if you want some of that good, good chowder.
And good it is. This ain’t your Campbell’s Chunky soup, as the chowder at PPC has a much smoother texture, and the clams are unbelievably tender and huge. In my opinion, better than the chowder you can find at Fisherman’s Wharf in SF. Sorry, Bay Area residents. I’m not sure how comparable the product is, but from a straight-​up taste perspective, I just prefer it way more in Seattle.
In all of this though, I’m not quite sure why the lines are so long, since all you have to really dole out is the chowder? I know they have some other offerings on the menu, but unless those bread bowls are taking a long time to bake, I’m not sure why the line doesn’t move faster. A curiosity for the ages. Nonetheless, the staff is very friendly and attentive, just not quite the most efficient. Prices run at about $ 6 – 12 for their chowders, which isn’t too bad, since it’ll really fill you up.
This is one of those cases where you should definitely try it if you haven’t done so already since the product is pretty great, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a must-​return place, as the lines are so long. If the lines are short though, I’d get in for some that chowder right away, if you can help it.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s this — I LOVE soup. Every single kind of soup. I love chowders, bisques, noodle soups, Asian soups, cold soups… you name it.
When I found out there was a chowder restaurant at Pike Place, I knew i needed to go. When I found out they did a chowder sampler, I pretty much dropped everything and sprinted over.
(All restaurants should do soup samplers — get it together other restaurants!!)
Anyways — you choose 4 chowders at 5 oz’s each for around $ 15. 5 oz might sound small, but trust me — it’s plenty of food. Enough for 2 people to share, or one person who really loves soup to devour.
I opted for the smoked salmon chowder, the seafood bisque, the market chowder (lobster and corn!) and of course, the traditional clam chowder.
I recommend you sample chowders like you would beers or wine, from lightest to strongest in flavors.
I loved the seafood bisque, market chowder, and the traditional clam chowder. The smoked salmon chowder was a little too strong in flavor for me. However — if you like smokey flavors, get it!
Place rating: 4
Fredericksburg, VA
So after hearing all the hype I needed to go see what it was all about and give this clam chowder a try. I ordered an 8 oz. cup and shared it with my husband. Honestly, I have not had clam chowder before. I use to not like soup and wouldn’t eat it until I got sick. However the older I’ve gotten I actual like and eat soup now.
I guess it was pretty good. I mean I honestly have nothing to compare it to. It was nice and creamy. However, I did try clam chowder at Ivar’s who also claims to be the best in Seattle and honestly they tasted almost the same. The chowder at Ivar’s was creamier and a tad thicker but that’s all I can honestly say. It is good soup. I can’t say it’s he best I have had bc I don’t know, but it is good. My husband also said it was good.
Overall, I liked the soup and would say it is worth a try. Just be prepared to stand in a long line, but it moves pretty quick.
Place rating: 5
Palo Alto, CA
WOW. Line was really long but it took us about 20 minutes to get to the front of the line. I could not decide on what to get so I ordered the chowder platter: vegan, scallop, salmon and New England.
They were all delicious, but the New England was the definite standout. The bacon infused soup surrounded by a vortex of delicious fish and clam flavors really made my mouth drop. It was insane.
Seating might be cramped and you might have to be in the rain, but so worth the wait.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Good luck with waiting in a long ass line that wraps around throughout the building!
I’ve been here a few times. The first time was with friends and I remember the line wasnt as long as it could be. The most recent time I went with my bf, we stood in line for a half hour before they opened. There was only one other person who had the same brain as us haha.
We ordered clam chowder, of course. I almost wanted the sampler chowder but I didn’t wanna be disappointed with some of them haha. I wanted to enjoy the regular ol clam chowder. I believe new England? My bf wanted to try out the lobster roll sandwich, which was pretty darn good too! I’d only go here if there wasn’t that long of a line and if I wasn’t extremely hungry.
Soooo we stayed at The Roosevelt hotel in downtown Seattle. There’s a small shopping mall across the street. If you go up to the 4th floor with all the restaurants, you’ll discover the Pike Place Chowder smaller restaurant there. Exact same menu. Exact same amazing goodness! We discovered this location on our LAST day. Sigh haha. Now we know!
Place rating: 5
Union City, CA
The first time I came here in March– the line looped inwards and passed the little photo prop faces. It was a 20 minute wait, and our group was about 10+ guests. Seating was a bitch, not to mention it was raining. Was the chowder well worth it? I’d like to think so :) (I even went back in line a second time so that my friends driving from Portland could have some too, by request of course. You’re welcome Phong!)
I had the sampler because I didn’t know what I had wanted. Lobster Corn, Seared Scallop Chowder were my two all time favorite. (I got them again last month when I went again in April)
$ 17 for 4 cups and a fountain drink– the remainders were for every morning of my stay there. Breakfast that you could pop in the microwave!
Our seating situation was much easier in April as we went on a weekday and it was about an hour prior to closing. We go in, we ate, and we got out.
** There are signs on the table that you can’t sit down until you get your food, so the seating turn around gives it a good whirl. Timing is good, as it’s all soup you’re slurping. Even the rolls and sammiches are eaten up quickly.
Place rating: 5
Federal Way, WA
My mouth just waters writing this review! I love clam chowder. I love chowder. THIS PLACE IS THE BEST!!!
My favorite is their smoked salmon chowder and the lobster&corn bisque. SOOOO good. Their classic clam chowder is obviously always great.
I reccomebd getting the sampler if it’s your first time. It’s definitely worth it!
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
They have an amazing selection of 8 – 10 chowders here, my personal favorite has got to be their seafood chowder. The chowder here is rich but has a nice balance of cream and generous amounts of seafood in it. There’s a reason why they’ve won the best chowder award year after year.
The line may look intimidating when you first get there, but it ends up moving quite fast. Seating here isn’t too hard to find as they don’t let you reserve seating, however on a nice day, you’re better off just standing and eating.
I personally just skip the bread bowl and get the 4 sampler bowls. That way you get to try a little bit of everything since there’s all you can eat bread on top of the spoons and forks. On rainy days they also give you a free poncho for every meal ordered which is really nice of them.
If you check in on Unilocal they also offer $ 1 off your sampler plate too!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I had the lobster roll and the seafood chowder here and neither could ever disappoint a true seafood lover!
One thing to note is prepare yourself for a wait if you arrive anything less than 15 minutes before they open for service. The line wraps around and out and definitely proves itself worthy.
The creamy chowder with fresh pieced of seafood to go with fresh sourdough bread are amazing!
The lobster roll is fresh and plentiful of lobster. My only complaint or comment would be that the roll is a bit dry and ordinary. I have preferred a brioche or butterier option.
Overall, this is a must stop spot in the market and shouldn’t be missed. You can tell it’s a favorite of tourists and locals alike as the regulars stop in for lunch during the day.
The service is SUPER organized and friendly. They know the drill and work like a well oiled machine.
Place rating: 2
Seattle, WA
Probably overrated but you’re around Pike’s Place, what isn’t overrated?
I waited about 20 minutes on line and got my food in 5 minutes so it wasn’t too bad. Thanks to the Unilocal check in offer I got a discount for a chowder sampler. It came with the crab and oyster chowder with chorizo, seafood bisque, smoked salmon chowder, new England chowder. I also ordered one of their crab rolls just to see how it is.
Maybe it’s because I’m a born and bred East Coaster but I find the chowder hardly as good as the ones I’ve had in Maine and Boston. The crab roll was also disappointing too. It was mostly bread. I found most of the chowder to either be too salty or too oily. This place is probably a tourist trap though to be honest. I was surprised when I saw they received awards from a chowder competition. Clearly Maine wasn’t competing. Come at your own risk.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
Alright, so hear me out.
The chowder here is great — definitely opt for the sampler ($ 1 off with Unilocal check-​in!) so you can taste as many as you can. I was partial to the seafood bisque myself.
Now, a couple of things here make this place a fine spot, even with a short wait, but not for 45 minutes as I waited on a Friday at 2:30pm — at least the weather during my time in Seattle was perfect.
The sourdough here has a good chew to it, but it’s cold. Cold, chewy bread is not pleasant to eat, even when you’re dipping it into piping hot soup. I personally got a bread bowl, and again, it was cold. Even at the end of my meal, the bowl was never warm. Just slightly warming up the bread a bit would have this meal a million bucks.
…speaking of, the meal was pretty expensive for what you get. 2 samplers, a bread bowl, and a drink rang up to just under $ 50. While it’s a pretty good deal to feed 3 people, it’s…soup. Mostly cream, spices, and seafood that’s not even 100% fresh! They’re upfront about where they source seafood, but man, it’s a bit of a bummer to hear it from the horse’s mouth (they’re very nice horses, by the way!).
I’m a pro at waiting in lines (does Franklin BBQ in Austin ring a bell?), but for 45 minutes for soup — not exactly my cup of tea. No regrets actually eating here, though; it’s a Seattle institution, after all.
Place rating: 4
Sacramento, CA
FOOD
— Chowder Sampler: four 5 oz cups of chowder. Unilocal gives $ 1 off! Comes with 2 pieces of sourdough bread.
– New England Clam Chowder: award winning clam chowder. Great! 4.5÷5
– Market Chowder: Chef’s choice of ingredients. May include halibut, scallops, shrimp, oysters, crab, or salmon. Good! 4⁄5
– Seafood Bisque: cod, salmon, and shrimp in a tomato-​based broth. Award winning chowder. Delicious! 5⁄5
– Seared Scallop Chowder: creamy scallop chowder. Good! 4⁄5
— Dungeness Crab Roll: fresh crab salad and lettuce in a bread roll. Though they were generous with the crab, the flavor wasn’t good. Possibly, the worst crab salad I’ve ever had. The sauce helped a tiny bit, but it was still not appetizing. I didn’t finish it. Good thing I only got the half size. 1⁄5
SERVICE
So the line was down the hall and around the corner. lol. Don’t get intimated though, it moves pretty fast. The staff were friendly and worked efficiently. 4⁄5
FINAL THOUGHTS
I would come back for more clam chowder and seafood bisque!
Place rating: 5
Sacramento, CA
Food in touristy areas aren’t supposed to be that great, but P.P.C. has THE BEST CHOWDER hands down!
We got the Chowder Sampler: New England Clam, Smoked Salmon, Bacon & Corn, and Seafood Bisque (all 5 oz. each). Don’t let the small cups fool you. This sampler is enough for two. The chowders are thick and not empty. When I say «empty» I’m referring to the fact that they have a lot of substance submerged into the thick, creamy chowder. There’s a fair protein and vegetable to cream ratio.
The lines are long, but goes by quickly. Just FYI, reserving seats indoors is not allowed; you need to have your food with you when seating yourself.
My personal favorites: New England and Bacon & Corn Chowder.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan Beach, CA
As someone who lives near the coast, I have tried my fair share of chowders. Pike Place Chowder is in the Post Alley area at Pike Place Market. When you walk to this area, the uneven brick road creates a Hollywood moment. What a romantic short stroll to take with your significant other. In any event, let’s talk about some good chowder.
I tried the New England Chowder, Sampler that consisted of Smoked Salmon, Scallop Bisque, New England, and Manhattan. I also tried the lobster roll. I won’t review the lobster roll because I only had a bite.
The New England Chowder was the reigning champion. It was creamy, smoky, and the ample amounts of clam added the needed freshness. I got it in a sourdough bread bowl. Personally, I wish I didn’t get the bread bowl. They provided a healthy portion of chowder and I was unable to finish the bread bowl.
The Sampler is a solid choice where you can choose between four different chowders. From my sampler, I liked the New England and Scallop Bisque. Taste of a ocean breeze came through from the Scallop Bisque. Still, I preferred the New England. The Smoked Salmon was good, but a bit too salty. With the Sampler you get a few slices of sourdough. As such, you still can try Pike’s sourdough bread without the bread bowl gluttony. More so why the Sampler is a solid option if you are not sure what to try.
Although there was a line when I showed up with my party, the line moved fast. Don’t be intimidated by the line. Limited seating awaits you, but you’ll end up finding a seat because people tend to get in, eat, and get out.
Place rating: 5
Canal Winchester, OH
Delicious! A quick hot treat while you’re walking around the market. The smoked salmon chowder is so good. It’s creamy and flavorful and so rich. The smallest bowl of it will be satisfying. Enjoy inside or sit outside on the patio while listening to the buskers. A fabulous market must-​try.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Delish chowder varieties. Also has a Unilocal check in offer for a free small bowl extra. The Seattle Sockeye salmon is phenomenal and has a great smoky flavor.
I got the combo and all 3 were unique and sooooo good. Try it!
Place rating: 4
Torrance, CA
Pike Place Chowder is a must stop if you are in the area. The line can be horrendously long, but it is definitely worth the wait. Luckily on the third day that I went to Pike Place, the line was pretty short so my wait wasn’t too long.
We decided to go with the sampler so we were able to order 4– five ounce cups of different chowders.
New England clam chowder: Hands down the best New England clam chowders that I’ve had. It had that delicious flavor that you expect from clam chowders. I wish I was able to purchase a gallon of this stuff before my fight back to LA! 5⁄5
Seafood bisque: Pacific cod, Northwest salmon, crab and shrimp in a rich, creamy tomato broth. I thought this bisque had a great seafood flavor. The creamy tomato bisque was so decadent and smooth and had fresh basil in it. 4⁄5
Lobster, crab, bacon, corn chowder: This was a new item on the menu since they got rid of the southwestern chicken and corn chowder. I thought the flavor of this chowder was slightly sweet, but that’s what I expected from a corn chowder. 4⁄5
Smoked salmon chowder: This chowder was definitely the worst one. It consisted of cream cheese, salmon and capers. It didn’t lack flavor, but I thought the flavors didn’t work well together at all. I love salmon lox and what not, but this was not quite the same at all. 1⁄5
I highly recommend coming here if you visit Pikes Place. The wait will be worth it when you get to take a spoonful of the delicious chowder!
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Wow the line was super long and took about ~30 minutes. We ordered the clam chowder sampler where you get to choose 4 chowders. I wish they would label the cups so we knew which was which aha we lost track but everything tasted great regardless!
My only complaint was that I had to share with my BF and they could use some labels or write something to distinguish the differences.
Tip: They give you two free bread slices but there is a basket of free bread on the top shelf where the utensils are. The free bread are all the insides of the bread bowls! My sisters LOVE the insides and would have been so excited!
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
My first food visit when I arrived in Seattle Friday in the afternoon! We went around 3 pm and there was absolutely no line. Score!
Since we didn’t really get to eat lunch due to our flight, my husband and I ended up getting a medium clam chowder and whole crab roll to share. Clam chowder was hands down amazing! I was definitely impressed. My husband wanted to come back for another bowl, but we sadly never made it back. It also came with 2 slices of sourdough bread that had a really nice tang.
As for the crab roll, I wasn’t too impressed. It was incredibly light which was a plus, however flavor wise just didn’t do it for me. Could have done without, and filled myself with the many other options around Pike Place.
Also, as I didn’t really encounter a line, I can’t really comment on if a 30 minute wait would be worth it. The chowder was definitely worth my zero minute wait!
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
«Chow and Hutch, sounds cool.»
Oh Starsky, it is cool. THIS CHOWDER ROCKS!
Tried the New England Clam Chowder and the Seafood Bisque. On a brisk, rainy day this absolutely hits the spot. Both soups packed with fresh seafood and were just the right consistency. There can be really runny or really thick chowders; this falls in the «just god damn right» category. Each order comes with oyster crackers and warm french bread.
Another must stop spot at Pike Place!
Place rating: 3
Berkeley, CA
The wait was about 30 minutes, but this was NOT the best clam chowder I’ve ever had.
We ordered the chowder sampler (four 5 oz cups of any chowder of your choice), and a Unilocal check in takes $ 1 off.
We ordered:
–Market chowder (5⁄5)
–Seared Scallop chowder (5⁄5) the aroma of the chowder was so good! The taste of it was also much more unique and had more depth of flavor.
–Seafood Bisque (4.5÷5) it has bits of salmon in it.
–New England chowder (1⁄5) it was WAY TOO SALTY.
It comes with two pieces of bread but there is extra sourdough bread on the cart near the entrance.
The nice thing about this place is that they’re decently generous with the amount of clams in their chowder. Many places just put in a bunch of potatoes in their chowder, but this place doesn’t. Props for that!
Overall, all the cups were way too salty that it was overwhelming. For this reason, I wouldn’t come back again unless a friend was visiting the area to try it out.
Overrated for sure.
Place rating: 3
Orange County, CA
Nice long line when we got here on a Friday early afternoon– the line moves fast so don’t be discouraged.
When it was our turn to order, we got a Dungeness Crab Roll and a medium clam chowder. They are very generous with the crab and they put in just the right amount of mayo so you can still taste the crab. The roll was nothing special.
The clam chowder was decent. There was a fair amount of clam and it was not too salty.
3 stars overall because everything was a little above average but not amazing. Glad we got to try it though!
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Tourist trap or not — this was the best chowder in my entire life.
I was in Seattle for a day and a half and I ate here twice. Don’t let that line get you down, it goes by extremely fast and it is TOTALLY worth it! It’s a little pricey, but still, worth it. There are a ton of different chowder options (vegan included) as well as crab and lobster rolls. I was only focused on the chowder. I had the New England and it was so buttery, creamy, loaded with bacon, potatoes, clams and seasoned to perfection. The menu offers a tasting option to try four different types as well.
*They ship the Chowder! I’ll be placing an order shortly!!!*
Place rating: 4
San Bruno, CA
We visited Pike Place Chowder because it was raining and we wanted something hot in our tummies. There’s minimal seating inside and outside their space, but luckily we found a seat for 2. There was no line and the guy at the register along with the rest of the staff were actually very friendly. That’s always a plus! We both decided to go with two medium cups of regular clam chowder. The total came up to about $ 17 and came with a side of bread which was nice and unexpected.
The chowder came really hot… exactly how I like it with a lot of chunks of clams and potatoes. It wasn’t too creamy. It really hit the spot and was very filling. I would probably return to try the ever so popular crab roll.
Place rating: 5
Vancouver, WA
The best bowl of chowder I’ve ever had. Even better than the ones I’ve had in New England.
We ordered a medium Manhattan Chowder and a Smoked Salmon Bread Bowl. The medium is a good size that won’t leave you in a food coma. The bread bowl however, is the ultimate experience. I’ve never had smoked salmon chowder before and I must say it was a foodie experience I’ll never forget. So rich, savory with deep creamy flavors. The Manhattan’s clams were fresh and not chewy like they are in most chowders. I personally prefer a tomatoe base and it could not have been more zesty or flavorful.
This place is crazy busy. How could it not be?
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Chowder for feeding kings, bread for feeding pigeons…
Clam chowder still very good from the last I remembered it. Although I don’t remember the price being so high, $ 8 for the smallest size, a small cup, I think 8oz… Not sure if I will pay that much for it again if I’m in this area…
Line was already long near noon… But seriously the chowder is good but the bread was hard, stale and only good enough to feed pigeons.
Place rating: 4
Emeryville, CA
On a cold foggy day, of which there are plenty of in Seattle, I wanted nothing more than a bowl of soup to warm me up. I didn’t need to look much farther than the long line in front of Pike Place Chowder to know that this restaurant was the place to go for soup.
My boyfriend and I ordered a medium serving of seafood bisque (~$ 8) to share since we weren’t too hungry. The soup was served with a slice of sourdough bread. The bisque was rich, delicious, and quite filling.
Although there was a long line, we didn’t have to wait too long (no more than 10 minutes). There’s seating but it does get crowded. There’s no holding of seats so be sure to grab your food before finding a place to sit.
Place rating: 2
Los Angeles, CA
Don’t fret, the line is long for Pike Place Chowder and it may seem difficult to grab a table, but by the time it’s your turn to pay and sit down, the seats will open up! For a better alternative, grab your soup and take it to Rachel’s Ginger Beer (RGB) around the corner. At RGB, you can grab a craft soda or cocktail, enjoy your soup, and watch some sports.
I typically don’t like clam chowder because sometimes the clams are too chewy and I end up spitting out half of them. I was happy to see that there were so many different options, that were not clam-​based. Unfortunately, Pike Place Chowder did not impress me.
My friends enjoyed the New England clam chowder bowls. I ordered the Market Chowder, which had crab, oysters, and chorizo in the soup. The flavors were somewhat similar to the New England one, instead of clams there were oysters and crab, and instead of bacon there was chorizo. Except I couldn’t taste the chorizo/​crab and some of the oysters were chewy so I ended up spitting some of them out. The Market Chowder just tasted like a less flavorful New England chowder.
My friend ordered the sampler with a seared scallop chowder and it was like drinking warm cream (yuck).
The large lobster roll was packed with fresh lobster. I’m used to the bread roll a little toasted with some butter. The one at Pike Place Chowder wasn’t to my liking because the roll was too dry.
I am still not a fan of clam chowder. Sorry, Pike Place Chowder – you weren’t able to change my mind.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
As a tourist myself, I wouldn’t consider this a tourist trap although it is in the heart of Pike Place. If the food is good and the prices are not inflated, so I’d probably dine here too if I was a local. The wait was not too long that took about 15 minutes. It was in the corner of a building, so you would have to lineup win the hallway in front of other shops. Seating is limited indoors but there are plenty of seatings outdoors. As popular as this place gets, finding a seat shouldn’t be too hard since you can’t reserve seats. There are signed on the table that you can only sit there if you have a tray in front of you.
I enjoyed how there was a wide selection of soups. There was a wide selection of different type of soups. If you check in, you get $ 1 off a sampler of 4 soups. We chose: New England Clam Chowder, Smoked Salmon Chowder, Seafood Bisque, and Seared Scallop Chowder.
I loved the clam chowder and this has to be one of the best clam chowders I have had. There are bits of clams in each bite. The smoked salmon was my favorite! It was flavorful with the capers cooked with the soup. The seafood bisque was good too, but it seemed like it was a little too much of everything so I couldn’t taste much. The seared scallop is a good choice, although I tasted too much milk.
The Captain’s roll was also enjoyable. It wasn’t too heavy with the mayo and it was simply made. It was a roll with shredded lettuce and the shrimp and crab meat and other toppings.
Something that I have to mention is that they don’t make their soup on site. As I was waiting in line, I saw two of the employees pushing a cart full of several hot pots of clam chowder to the back.
Overall, I’d come back for the clam chowder or salmon chowder. All the seafood tastes fresh from the sea!
Place rating: 3
Anaheim, CA
I know everyone thinks this place is amazing, but I would not wait in line for anything on this menu. Good thing we didn’t have to wait in line on a Sunday night.
The chowders are pretty good and definitely vary in flavors, but they’re not AMAZING. The bf thinks they were too salty. The soups come with sourdough bread so you don’t need to order a whole bread bowl, and they have extra bread sitting on top of the condiments shelf.
We ordered the sampler ($ 1 off with Unilocal check-​in!) with Oyster & Clam, Scallop, Salmon, and Seafood Bisque. I liked the Salmon and Oyster one the best, but if I come here again I want to try the regular Clam Chowder. We also ordered a Seafood Roll (which I think is just crab), but I will never order a roll again. Super expensive for a lot of bread and not much else. NOT WORTH IT.
The seating is super cramped and it was so hard to move anywhere. We had to scoot our chairs just so the people behind us could leave.
The location is a bit hard to find since it’s down Post Alley and on the second floor. They have a separate kitchen area across the hall, not to be confused with the actual eating area.
All in all, it’s not bad to try once, but this is not my go-​to food place in Seattle.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
I would recommend getting the sampler if it’s your first time here! You can also check in on Unilocal and get $ 1 off of $ 13.95. My boyfriend and I shared the New England clam chowder, smoked salmon chowder, seafood bisque, and the seared scallop chowder.
The seared scallop chowder was my absolute favorite! It’s perfectly flavored. We came back the next day and had to get more! The New England clam chowder was my boyfriend’s favorite.
Please respect the other patrons & pike place chowder and notice that on each table there’s a sign that requests guests not to hold tables until you have received your food. In my experience, for 2 guests it wasn’t difficult to find seating as people tend to finish their chowder fairly quickly.
Place rating: 4
Seattle, Estados Unidos
Espectaculares sopas en el mejor lugar de Seattle: Pike market! Las mesas están mal distribuidas
Place rating: 5
München, Bayern
Sehr gute Clam Chowder!
Besuch in diesem Restaurant ist ein absolutes MUSS bei einem Seattle-​Aufenthalt!
Restaurant ist direkt um die Ecke am Pike Place Market.
Die Schlange zum Anstehen ist rund um die Uhr recht lang, aber es geht erstaunlich schnell bis man dran ist (10min etwa).
Und die gute Chowder ist diese Wartezeit definitiv wert!
Tipp: Chowder im Brot bestellen, das ist echt ein Genuss!