Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Seattle / Eastern Washington
  4. Seattle
  5. Belltown / Pike Place Market
Half Shell, Seattle, WA

Half Shell

4.7
4.7
93 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 19 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for happy hour
  • Good for business meals
  • Good for special occasions
Oysters | Steak | Sea Bar | Martinis

Nestled just north of the Pike Place Market, we focus on serving seafood fresh from the Pacific Northwest waters with West Coast flavors.
Our menu includes oysters, crab, salmon, fresh local catch plus steaks and a really great burger.
Icy martinis, bubbles and spritzes center the Pearl Bar.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Oyster Bar, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu, Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Chef Chris Schwarz

Experiences

  • Blini Brunch

    US$35.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Family-style brunch experience featuring freshly griddled kennebec potato blini, bristol bay salmon lox, trout roe on ice with capers and sour cream, scrambled eggs with chives, crispy smashed potatoes, and gem lettuce salad
    Blini Brunch photo

What 93 people are saying

Half Shell reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Seattle

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Half Shell delights with "amazing oysters" and "fantastic food." The "friendly staff" and "great atmosphere" enhance the experience. Guests enjoy a diverse menu, including standout options like the halibut and scallop crudo. Happy Hour is a hit with "excellent deals." It's a "gem" for seafood enthusiasts in Seattle.

93 Reviews
  1. Paul

    Seattle28 reviews

    5.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was our first visit to the Half Shell and we were not disappointed. Tom Douglas has taught us to expect excellence at his restaurants and the Half Shell is no exception. We have dined in the same location for many years when Etta's was there. I did miss the bowl of Swedish Fish by the door but am not surprised that they are long gone.

    Is this helpful?

  2. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Half Shell is awesome. Service was outstanding and their martini dip is unlike anything I’ve ever had. In a good way. 

    Is this helpful?

  3. Pamela

    Seattle59 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Half Shell is quickly turning into one of our favorite restaurants to go to. We typically go at Happy Hour, order a dozen oysters and their fabulous thick cut French fries. Yesterday, we also ordered the Gem salad and the roasted brussel sprouts and were not disappointed. At this time of day, the restaurant is not crowded, service is excellent, and the food is great.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Bobberton

    Los Angeles8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had the crab roll, gem salad, and black cod and everything was delicious. Service was great and our server made our family feel extremely welcome. A little pricy but more than worth it if you are looking for an upscale meal near the market.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Merle

    Seattle19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A + food, service and ambience. Pacific Northwest seafood highlighted. Delicious food prepared in creative ways yet keeps in mind the taste and body of truly fresh seafood. There are other delicious items other than seafood on the menu as well.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Rafael

    London3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 24 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Nice service, but the seafood is nothing special and very expensive

    Is this helpful?

  7. Janet

    Boise16 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The crab rolls were excellent, hanger steak hash was very good, crab Benedict had a too thin smattering of crab, eggs were perfectly cooked. All four dishes were 50% to 80% potatoes, one form or another of deep fried hand cut potatoes or hand made potato patties. I expected something a lot more interesting for the price. Half the plate is potatoes… Really? Maybe at a burger joint, but here? Service overall was very good, but both server and restaurant were less certain about the presence of gluten than many PNW restaurants are these days.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Bruce VIP

    Seattle34 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 18 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We went on Monday evening, President's Day. The restaurant was almost empty. I had been there 3 times previously and now found that the menu was skimpy and devoid of many items. Our server was first rate. but my steamed claims, although tasty, were few in number and served upon a huge bed of bread. I have seen this with other restaurants and sense the smell of impending closure.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Elaine VIP

    Seattle60 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 17 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was awesome. Host Chris was the best!!! Seating & the view of the street…. Everything was more than I have experienced from another Tom Douglas restaurants. We will be back.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Michele VIP

    Seattle40 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Excellent happy hour menu. Very good fries. Service efficient and friendly.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Half Shell is rated 4.7 stars by 93 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 19 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Half Shell

2020 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121-2109

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Oyster Bar, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu, Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Chef Chris Schwarz
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable International Ltd. Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo