Ivar's Acres of Clams

Ivar's Acres of Clams is a waterfront seafood restaurant and fish bar on Pier 54 at 1001 Alaskan Way on the Seattle waterfront in Washington State. It carries the name and legacy of Ivar Haglund, the local showman and restaurateur who built a casual seafood empire around Puget Sound's catch and a famously playful public persona. The cuisine is straightforward Northwest seafood: fish and chips, clam chowder and Dungeness crab cakes are the signatures, with the chowder and fried fish especially associated with the Ivar's name. The pier-end setting gives views across Elliott Bay toward the ferries, and seagulls are a part of the atmosphere, particularly at the outdoor fish bar. The sit-down dining room is casual, family-friendly and often busy with visitors, with a moderate to loud noise level and no dress code. The adjacent walk-up fish bar offers a faster, cheaper option, serving fried fish baskets and chowder to eat at outdoor tables or along the pier. The beverage programme is simple, including Washington beer and wine, plus soft drinks and cocktails. Prices are moderate, at roughly $20 to $40 per person, with the fish bar at the lower end. Reservations are accepted for the sit-down room, which is useful at sunset and on summer weekends, while the fish bar is first come, first served. The location is steps from the Seattle Aquarium, the Great Wheel and the ferry terminal at Colman Dock, making it a natural stop on a waterfront walk. Visitors should guard food against gulls at outdoor seating and confirm hours, which vary by season.