Local Flavor: Ivar’s Clam Chowder

The outside of Ivar's Fish Bar on the Seattle Waterfront, with people in hoodies and jackets outside on a grey Seattle day. Baskets of red flowers hang underneath the neon Ivar's Fish Bar sign. A second neon sign over another door says Ivar's Acres of Clams.
Photo © J. Morgan.

Ivar’s Acres of Clams has been a local waterfront institution in downtown Seattle since 1938. You have two choices—either book a table inside the restaurant for a nice meal, or do like the locals do and rock up to the fish bar. During the lunch rush at “Clam Central Station,” you shout out your orders for fish with the rest of the crowd. Then while it’s frying, the frontline staff fill orders for drinks and chowder, ring up the total, and send you on your way in record time. The regionally famous clam chowder is also available in local grocery stores. As they say at Ivar’s—Keep Clam.

Inside Ivar's, menu boards line the wall above an ordering counter with people standing in line. Underneath the counter blue and white tiles spell out "Cooked to order seafood since 1938".
Photo © J. Morgan.
Inside Ivar's, a sign mounted near a wooden ceiling above windows says "Clam Central Station", with drawings of smiling clams with eyes on top of their shells.
Photo © J. Morgan.

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