SkyCity at the Needle
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 905-2100
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- E John Street
- Best of Citysearch:
- View 2005
- Hours:
- Mon-Thur 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm, Fri 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-3pm, 5pm-10pm
Editorial Review for SkyCity at the Needle – by Jill Lightner
The Scene
The doughnut-shaped restaurant spins slowly--about one rotation per hour--and every seat in the house faces the long, curved windows. Large tables of tourists can get boisterous; evenings settle down to well-dressed couples, who seem to be getting engaged more often than not. Servers are ready with smiles, but most of their training seems to focus on nearby tourist attractions, not food details.
The Food
Local ingredient like hazelnuts, apples and huckleberries are in everything from the bottle of dipping oil to the entree sauces. Alder-smoked salmon comes with crunchy apples and a dry rice cake; seared ahi fares better with fluffy wasabi potatoes and a sweet soy glaze. Brunch is prix fixe, supplying everything from fluffy pancakes to chunky clam chowder. Finish either meal with an ice cream sundae served in a tiny replica of the Needle, which pours dramatic fog over the table.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoThere is a minimum charge of $25 per person for dinner; $15 for lunch.
ParkingThe validated valet entrance is immediately underneath the Needle; leave the car there while exploring the Seattle Center after the meal.
When to GoRain or shine, city lights make evenings romantic. The actual views are better at weekend brunch or weekday lunch, when details and colors truly stand out.
User Reviews for SkyCity at the Needle
09/03/2008 Posted by jimmylu1
We had 3 days in Seattle before a Cruise to Alaska, on Return we thought we'd combine the view with Dinner. Our mistake. We should have just paid $17.00 for the ride up. With out a question, The worst and most over priced meal on our trip including our cruise. My brothers Un Prime rib $ 50 ish . was tough and chewy He has been known to clean the plate, NOT this time. I had Seafood Pasta $ 42.00, I ate four (4) bites. It tasted FISHY. and gave me the feeling in my throat like I had had too mush to eat. Uncomfortable. My wife had 8 oz. Fillet $54.00, she said it was OK, but not worth writing home about. My Sister in-law had Surf and Turf $79.00 .Again she said it was OK. When our server asked about our meals , my brother said on a scale of 1 -10 , it was a 2. I said ," The warm bread before the meal was better". Our Concentration prize was FREE desert , They were good. Brother and I later thought we should had stopped after the first bite, and had the OVER priced meals removed from the bill. Oh, the server asked if I wanted to take the rest of my meal along. I almost said "my dog would not eat it". But that most likely would have upset my wife. At home I mentioned my experience to a Neighbor's son who had lived in Seattle for 2 years. His remark was " it is known as the worst restaurant in Seattle , cause over 90% are tourist, and they don't care they know you won't be back . I'll go Back to Seattle, but never again will I set foot in Sky City Restaurant. Oh unfortunately they say they proudly serve Starbucks coffee. I did not have any. I feel, not only is it BITTER, it is OVER PRICED. After my first sip in The coffee shop I took it back for Tea.
Pros: Deserts
Cons: Entrays
04/23/2008 Posted by MartinFranklinTN
My wife and I had lunch there, we had reservations for 11 am, and everything was wonderful. We were informed that the chef had been replaced the previous week, we were there on 4/19/08. We shared, Ahi tuna tartar, a wild boar, bacon and lental soup, I had the peper crusted smoked salmon, my wife had the crab melt and we finished by sharing the lava cake. We each had two drinks and the bill was $170.27 before tip so you have an idea of pricing. View was wonderful, it takes about an hour to make one revolution. The wait staff was knowledgable and frendly, as was all of Seattle. We were not expecting much from the other reviews here and were very pleased with the outcome.
Pros: everything was just as it should be.
Cons: When the restaurant is not fully loaded with people it can have a minor yet noticeable lag time in the rotation, my wife could not feel it until I mentioned it.
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