Cutters Bayhouse in Seattle, WA: A Dining Experience Not to Be Missed!

There are so many fantastic restaurants in Seattle, that it's hard to narrow it down to the best of the best. And, I probably have not even been to the "best of the best". But, at least I can share some of my favorites, and Cutters Bayhouse is one of them. Cutters is a lovely, charming, seafood restaurant within walking distance of Pike Market in the heart of downtown Seattle. It's a great place to end a beautiful day of shopping and sight seeing in a magnificent city.

http://www.r-u-i.com/cut/index.php

Location

Cutters is located at 2001 Western Ave. Seattle, WA 98121. (206) 448-4884 It's a hop, skip, and a jump from Pike Market. It is convenient to walk to from many places downtown, so no need to park your car more than once. There is a parking garage about a block away from the restaurant, and according to their website, they will validate for $1 off at lunch. Parking is $4 for dinner. The restaurant is also very central to many Seattle hotels, such as the Waterfront Marriott and the Vintage on 5th and Spring, among others.

Hours of Operation (taken from the website)

Breakfast Hours:
Monday-Friday
9:30am-noon
Saturday-Sunday
9:30am-2pm

Lunch Hours:
Daily 11am-4pm

Dinner Hours:
Monday-Saturday 4pm-10pm
Sunday 4pm-9:30pm

Bar Hours:
Sunday 9:30am-10:30pm
Monday-Thursday 9:30am-11pm
Friday 9:30am-midnight
Saturday 9:30am-midnight

Happy Hour:
Daily 3:30pm-6:30pm and 9pm-close

I would recommend making reservations, as the place is normally quite busy, especially in the summer.

The Menu

Cutters has a large menu that offers a variety of seafood, beef, chicken, and pasta dishes. To view the full menu with description and prices go to: http://www.r-u-i.com/cut/menu.php

The Food

I have been to Cutters several times in the nine years I lived in Seattle, and I can honestly say I never had a bad meal. From mouth watering burgers, to some of the best pasta dishes I have ever had, I know when I walk in to this restaurant, I'm going to leave with a full stomach and a grin on my face when I leave.

One of the best items on the menu are the crab cakes. They have just the perfect mixture of crab, breadcrumbs, and buttery richness. If you read my review of Salty's on Alki, you will also notice that I raved about the crab cakes there. Crab cakes are one of my favorite foods, and if a restaurant makes them well, the place has pretty much won me over! Another winner for any restaurant is good pasta, and the last time I had pasta at Cutters, I was pretty much in heaven. I had a fettuccine and chicken with asparagus in an amazing cream sauce. The dish comes with prosciutto, but I don't like it, so I asked them to leave it off, which they did with no trouble at all. I also highly recommend the coconut tiger prawns, which are fabulous.

Cost of Meals and Dress Code

Unlike Salty's, you don't have to go broke eating at Cutters. It's a much more casual setting, and prices range anywhere from $10.00 for sandwiches, $13-18 for pastas and on upwards of $65 for seafood/beef combination dinners. No matter what you spend, though, you will get the same fantastic meal. Attire is definitely causal, as are many restaurants in Seattle. Who wants to worry about being all gussied up after a day of sightseeing and shopping? I know for me, I just want to throw on a pair of jeans and t-shirt and be done with it, and at Cutters, that is no problem at all! Now, if you want to get all gussied up, not a problem, either. The atmosphere at Cutters lends itself to both casual and more formal dining for the people that prefer it. Many come to the restaurant after a night at the theater, which is walking distance of the restaurant, so you will not feel out of place if you decide to go a bit fancy.

Service

The service at Cutters has always been very good. I am a picky eater, and I always seem to have some request or another that makes my meal companions roll their eyes. But, I have never had a server at Cutters give me the evil eye, and in fact, everyone is always nice and accommodating. I have never gone on a night where I've had to wait for an extended period of time, so I cannot comment on the hostesses or how I was treated during a wait. I have never had a negative experience with anyone of the staff, though, which is probably a good indication, with the amount of times I have eaten there, that the service is usually above average.

Facilities

The restaurant itself is not very big. There are two levels, as well as an outer deck for dining when the weather is nice. I recommend asking for a table by the water, although you may have to wait for it. Tables with water views in any restaurant in Seattle are coveted closely and hard to come by. They are usually worth waiting a bit for, but try to make a reservation and request it.

Bathrooms are always clean and well maintained, and the waiting area is comfortable although a bit small.

The View

Okay, here's where I get stumped. The view of the water from a side table at Cutters is magnificent, but for the life of me, I cannot tell you what water you will be looking at. I lived in Seattle for nine years, and I still can't tell the difference between Lake Union, Elliot Bay, or Puget Sound. It's awful, I know. I love looking at it, but I have no idea what it is. Anyway, that's really irrelevant. All anyone needs to know is that the view is breathtaking and not to be missed! The summer is great for seeing sail boats and cruise ships milling about, but even in the winter time, it's still a beautiful sight. Part of the charm of any place in Seattle is the waterfront views so when you get a chance at a good view, don't pass it up.

Addendum....I just looked at the website and the water surrounding Cutters is Elliott Bay. Let's see how long it takes me to forget that!

Bottom Line

Cutters is a great place to go for a fantastic signature Seattle meal, in a comfortable and fun setting, at a reasonable price. It is centrally located to many of the best Seattle attractions and a great place to end the perfect day!