Ivar's Acres of Clams

There's a good reason Ivar's is a Seattle landmark

Ivar's Acres of Clams is, as far as I know, the only restaurant with an on-site shrine to its owner. Just outside this highly popular fish-and-chips restaurant on the Seattle waterfront is a cast bronze statue of a grandfatherly Scandinavian in a captain's hat, offering French fries to the local gulls.  Ivar Haglund has long since gone to the Big Fish-fry in the Sky, but I imagine wherever he is now, he's still happily feeding his French fries to the birds. Everyone does, now, despite the fact that the fries are so yummy. You just get the urge to share your deep-fried joy with the critters.

Since Haglund's time, Ivar's has become a restaurant chain in the Puget Sound area. Despite this, DO NOT waste your time picking up a meal at one of the satellite locations—save yourself some time and just go straight to the original Ivar's. The folks there simply know how to sling the hash right, as locals and tourists alike will aver.

The basic fish and chips are a must—battered and fried at just the right temperature, so they're crisp and hot and don't retain much of the oil they were fried in. The house-blend tartar sauce is a perfect match to the fish and fries. And of course, you did come here for the "acres of clams," right? They're here in spades. Get clam strips if you like, deep-fried but NEVER rubbery, or some of their justifiably famous nectar of the gods, white clam chowder (they have red chowder, too, but I can't in good conscience recommend it).

Seating? Yes, there's some, mostly outside (but covered). Here's what you do, though: Ivar's is conveniently located close to the line for the cross-sound ferries. Go to Ivar's, get a bowl of clam chowder and maybe a drink to go, walk down and catch a ferry to Bainbridge Island. Pick a spot with a nice view and enjoy the half-hour ride, leisurely savoring your chowder. On an overcast day, it's hard to imagine anything more quintessentially Seattle.

All material displayed on this website is © 2001-2009 by S. B. Houghton, writing under the alias "The Pirate King." All rights reserved.
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