Located in the Four Seasons downtown with a view of the Seattle Great Wheel and Elliot Bay, Goldfinch Tavern has a prime location. The atmosphere is classy and ideal for date night or an intimate dinner with friends and family. In our experience, hotel restaurants can be hit or miss, but we came with slightly higher expectations since Goldfinch is a partnership with Ethan Stowell restaurants complimented by Four Seasons service.

At the top of their menu, they offer shellfish & rawbar with oysters on the half shell, King Salmon Tartare, Hamachi, Ahi Tuna, and Geoduck Crudo, and Tuna Poke. Then they have elevated gastropub-style appetizers like Winter Squash Soup and Goat Cheese Bruschetta to Fried Olives and Duck Confit Salad. Finally, they have a grilled beef section and a variety of entrees.

Ahi Tuna Crudo was fresh and bright paired with palm hearts, tarragon, orange, and pickled chilies. The fish was fresh and the dish was well-balanced. Penn Cove Mussels was less of a hit. The smoked thyme butter was a nice touch, but the actual mussels lacked salt and seasoning. The dill-seasoned fries served on the side were fantastic. The fries were crispy and the aioli was creamy with a hint of tart–addicting.

The locally caught Seared Black Cod with chanterelles, house made bacon, and delicata squash was beautifully cooked and flavorful. The fish was flaky and moist and the accompaniments were  If you’re looking for a side to share, try the Roasted Mushrooms with garlic, rosemary, and finished with balsamic or the Sauteed Brussels Sprouts.

To note, tipping is a standard 20% automatically added to the bill. Overall, a really nice experience in atmosphere, service, and food and we would recommend it.

Goldfinch Tavern is open weekdays from 6:30 am – 11:00 pm for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Happy hour runs from 4:00 – 6:00 pm daily. Weekend brunch is 6:30 am to 2:00 pm and includes a standard continental breakfast buffet as well as composed a la carte dishes.

Photos by Jennifer Liu.

Goldfinch Tavern                  |                99 Union Street, Seattle               |              (206) 749 – 7070