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
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.
04/22/2008 Posted by lvlove
My husband made dinner reservations for our wedding anniversary on april 5th, 2008 and he asked if he could reserve a window seat but the hostess told him to "just tell them when we get there". When we arrived, the guy who checks us in at the front desk was not happy at all, did not greet us with a smile but with a long face instead and all he asked was "what time is your reservation?". The elevator operator guy was very nice to us, in fact he was the only person who gave us good service. The hostess gals acted snotty and did not greet us either. When we arrived, we did exactly what they told us and asked for a window seat since we could not reserve one. Instead of getting one, the hostess responded by saying "it will take more than an hour to get a window seat, and by the time you get it we will be closed". The funny part was that we saw more than 3 tables that were open by the window and it was already 10:00 PM nobody else was coming. We stayed there until near closing and nobody sat there. So weird why they didn't want to give us the window seat. Our server didn't even greet us either and didn't introduce herself! She just walked by and said "ill be with you in a bit". By the time she was finished with her other tables and came by to us, there were no suggestions for the menu except "Are you ready to order?". When we were done with our dinner to leave, there was no service at the front desk to validate our valet parking ticket. Its a shame because my husband and I are big time diners and love to go eat all the time, if it was great service then we would come back more often even if the food is just OK. Restaurants need to remember that its the SERVICE we come back for, not just the food. But for how expensive the food is and how big of a reputation Sky City/Space Needle has, they need to really step it up with their service!
Pros: Beautiful view, unique setting, great romantic spot
Cons: Bad service, overpriced
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