Dining at Canlis feels like attending a black-tie gala where your taste buds are the guests of honor. Every dish is a tiny, elegant masterpiece -- and I swear the view of Lake Union makes the wine taste even better. Yes, it's a splurge, but so is life. Treat yourself, and let Canlis remind you how good fine dining can be.

Really amazing food, service, and views! The ambiance is definitely Dress-up Special and the entire experience is definitely a splurge but so worth it for a special occasion!

Amazing. From beginning to end we had such a great time here. It was great meeting the owner Mark and we had exceptional service from Morgan and the rest of the Canlis team. It was the most enjoyable meal and experience I've had in years. The view which I've heard about for a long time was incredible. Looking forward to my next chance to be back!

This is a beautifully situated restaurant in a beautiful mid-century building. The large windows let you see the water with houseboats, seaplanes coming and going, sky...And with a party of two, they seat you so that both can enjoy the view. Service was 5 star from the valet to the coat check to the waiter and bus people. Pacing was perfect. The food was beautifully presented. And the flavors varied and pleasant but nothing wow'd. (One side, salmon infused Yukon Gold potatoes, was a miss for us.) Also the dishes were very small; more like tapas. We appreciated that the 20% service fee was clearly defined and meant to be a tip--they don't even have a line on the bill to avoid confusion. (Of course, they allow additional tipping if desired with a separate piece of paper.) Would consider coming again for a special occasion but probably not just for the food.

Returning to Canlis after five years, this time for our anniversary, felt like stepping into a cherished memory, yet with a beautifully different perspective. While my previous visit celebrated my sister's birthday with family, this occasion resonated on a deeply personal level. The consistent elegance, the warm embrace of the staff, and the timeless ambiance transported me back, while the ever-evolving culinary artistry reminded me why Canlis remains a Seattle treasure. It's their unique blend of tradition and innovation, a true 'way of life,' that makes every visit unforgettable. This time i got to try their cocktails instead of wine and i absolutely loved the drinks we ordered. We also tried the Canlis salad and thought it really complimented the flavors of the bread. We also got seated at the corner seat looking right outside the beautiful Japanese pine tree, as the sun set on a first spring like day of 2025, we got to enjoy our meal as the skies painted gradients of blue purple and deep blue. With live piano, friendly staff and the amazing innovative food, we had a blast and cannot wait to come back to celebrate another special occasion.

We chose Canlis to celebrate small wins at work and it was perfect! Canlis is undeniably one of Seattle's most iconic and celebrated restaurants, known for its combination of luxury, creativity, and impeccable service. Dining at Canlis is not just a meal; it's an experience. You'll feel taken care of throughout the entire experience, from valet drop-off to the moment the coat check attendant greets you with your coat. The ambiance, with stunning views of Lake Union and the city skyline, enhances the overall atmosphere. The tasting menu, with its seven expertly crafted courses, is a standout example of the restaurant's artistry, balancing textures, flavors, and seasonal ingredients in each bite. They are very accommodating of vegetarian/GF/vegan requests. We took a special bottle of wine we brought back from Bordeaux and they were happy to decant it for us. The corkage fee was $20. I also ordered a yuzu cocktail that was absolutely phenomenal! You get to pick three of the 7 courses. The other four courses are Chef's surprises. We also ordered the Canlis salad that was prepared table-side. Everything was just beyond amazing! Go with an open mind to splurge and you'll have a terrific time! Pro-tip - reservations may seem full. Select the option to be notified in case of cancellations and you'll be surprised to actually get in!

Finally pulled the trigger to come to this iconic restaurant to for our annual fancy Christmas dinner. The decor for the holidays is beautiful with lots of candles and trees with classic white lights. The pianist was also playing some holiday classics to add to the ambiance. As others have shared, the service here is unrivaled, at least in Seattle. They have complimentary valet parking and coat check - don't be surprised when they don't give you a ticket, they keep track of it themselves. Even more amazingly, when we left we did not have to wait a second for our car as it was already there waiting for us and no one lingering around looking for an extra tip - which I appreciated. Dinner is $180 per person, with an optional add on of $24 per person for salad. My husband and I opted to forgo the salad as $48 for a side salad for 2, even at a nice restaurant, is steep. We also brought our own bottle of wine as their corkage fee is just $10 per person per bottle, so $20 for us as a party of two. They do charge an automatic 20% tip, but they also do not have an extra tip line. Dinner was fantastic, there are 3 courses you choose and a bunch of small bites and Japanese milk bread preceding those. Every course and bite was delicious and perfectly cooked. The pecanlis pie was not what we expected and was outstanding - I will be dreaming of that for a while. Their staging was adjusted to our pace which made for a very enjoyable experience. We left slightly full and very satisfied. Canlis is a perfectly executed fine dining experience with a Japanese influence - it is a mainstay for a reason. Overall, I would say it was fun to get dressed up and experience quintessential Seattle fine dining and the food was all very delightful. But, it isn't the best bang for the buck when purely evaluating the food, this is more of a place to come to enjoy the entire end to end event.

Set menu $180 plus $24 for the canlis salad. Second time coming here to celebrate special occasions. Both times have felt very special and the experience has been overall good. Both times there was a Japanese theme to their menu. Food was great, but not the most exceptional that I've had at this price point. The favorites were the canlis salad (which was made table side this time!), the wagyu beef, and the duck. A couple of the chef provided appetizers were also fantastic including a smoked silken tofu dish with crispy cabbage - but I can't remember the rest. The desserts were just ok. Sticky toffee pudding was so rich it was difficult to eat the entire thing. Pecanlis pie was a better choice. Wine selection was expansive and by the glass options were sufficient for us. I really enjoyed the Pinot noir by the glass. The ambiance is great. Beautiful view of the city, fireplace, Christmas trees lining the windows. Love pianist playing beautiful music. Overall a very beautiful restaurant. Service was good but not exceptional. My main critique was the timing of the food. Sometimes we would have two of the earlier dishes (not the main courses) come out at the same time and just sit there while we finished the first one. I ordered tea as well hoping to have it with my dessert but it came much later as well. Overall this continues to be a solid seattle establishment. I love coming here and will certainly be back. Some minor things could be improved, but overall I love this family owned, beautiful restaurant and will be back. Would recommend to anyone who wants to celebrate something special.

Stopped in for my three year anniversary. Service is truly TOP NOTCH. We were convinced our server was practicing his tight five with us the whole time. Every word was a bit and we ate that up!! They ask you about taste, texture, and weird preferences or dislikes you might have, and check up on you frequently. It's a fancy spot. We thought we made a fatal mistake by not going to finishing school prior to coming, but all the staff went along with our inferiority! Luckily we were not the only people in awe of every dish that was put down and shamefully taking photos of everything. How can you not! A plebeians word of advice- take each bite slowwwwly and savor savor savor. Rinse and repeat. Truly a spot to live in the Present. You know there's that shrimp that can see like 10,000 more colors than we can. That's what I felt like with each bite except for with taste. Everything was just soooo harmonious and flavor combos that you just don't find at the Trader Joe's frozen aisle. We ended up spending 3 (Three) hours here LOL. You will spend $$$$ dollar signs here but for an Experience You Will Never Forget.

So this was a special experience in that I don't usually go to fancy spots like this but I had the opportunity so I couldn't pass it up. First off, this place is stunning. An old home overlooking the City and water converted into a beautiful restaurant. The decor has an lodge feel with some Asian influences. We got to sit in a private room for 4 people which was really great as it felt like we were the only ones in the restaurant. The service is fantastic as the waitstaff was attentive, easy to talk to, but gave us space to enjoy the company. We were a group of 4 so we each ordered the various items so we could share and also got the table side salad. I also appreciated that they had delicious non-alcoholic cocktails which didn't feel like an afterthought. The 5 courses were amazing. All very original and thoughtfully paired. Great textures, complex flavors, and just outstanding in terms of the food. It's a seafood focused restaurant which really showed in the appetizers. I also liked the main fish dish which had some Filipino flavors and had a little sourness. Some in our group didn't love that but I thought it was a unique way to flavor it. What dropped this place to 4 stars is the desserts. They were just all around meh. Nothing that extraordinary, something you could find at any fancy restaurant. So it was a disappointing end to what was otherwise a perfect dinner. Definitely worth it just the dessert will be a letdown.