Lowell's Restaurant
Categories: Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown1519 Pike Place
(at Post Aly)
Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 622-2036
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Full Bar
58 Reviews for Lowell's Restaurant
One of Lowell's Restaurant's Favorite Reviews
Some of the things I love about Lowell's:
1. The views... the first being the natural view of the water from the windows, and the second being the view of all of the different types of people who come in there while they visit the market.
2. The staff, they are so friendly!
3. The bar: this is the best place to grab mimosas and bloody mary's (and if need be-- jaeger shots) with a group of friends the morning after a rough one.
4. The food is really good too. I mean, you are not going to find anything gourmet, but delish for sure.
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I am actually giving this place 3 1/2 stars. We came here for breakfast right after we got off the plane upon recommendation by my sister, who saw this place on the Food Network.
The workers were friendly and helpful.
The breakfast was ok. I had the garden vegetable omelette and that was great, but the hashbrowns... eh...I would have rather had a piroshky!
My sister had the oyster omelette and that was pretty good. I liked that they put bacon in it too.
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I guess you haven't really experienced Seattle if you haven't eaten in a restaurant with a great view of the water hanging over the street below at such an angle that you have to hold on to avoid slipping off your chair. We kept joking that we were going to pour our water onto one side of the table and watch it roll off the other.
I shared grilled cheese & fries with my 5 year old. It had tomato in it, which I liked, but I took it off her side. She doesn't really like tomato and hey my adult immune system can handle the potential microbes in the news lately that her might not be able to. It was billed as 3 cheese, but all the cheeses were pretty non descript so it didn't matter. The french fries were the frozen kind. My husband's fish from the fish & chips was perfectly crispy, though very mild in flavor. His coleslaw was exceptionally light and refreshing.
I also liked the lemonade, which I mixed 50/50 with Cola, my favorite mix from when I used to work in a movie theater and get all the free soda I could drink.
It was hot today, but sitting on the 3rd floor under the open windows was actually pleasant.
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Ugh! We consider ourselves breakfast people and always like to try new places. Today we made the mistake of picking Lowell's.
Strolling in just before 8am is a great time at the market, not to crowded cool and easy to get around. We get into Lowell's with decent seating on the 2nd floor, not a window table but close enough. It's a great view no matter where you sit.
We order our food making no special orders except that our hashbrowns and bacon is well done... we like things crispy! The waitress completely ignores the request, you know sometimes you can just tell it's in one ear and out the other.
Our food arrives and the scrambles are just messy, too much butter and no flavor. The bacon is cheap cheap bacon and the hashbrowns were cold. To add to it, the sausage isn't Uli's, how can you have a restaurant that serves sausage so close to Uli's and not use Uli's in your menu. Seriously...
At any rate my husband and I both took a few bites of our food to assess the above, drank our orange juice and left.
Absolutely not worth $15 a piece, in fact not worth it if it was free.
Guess you just pay for the view.
7/13/08 - I'd like to add we went to our staple today Alki Cafe, a view that beats Lowell's hands down with 2 cartwheels and a backflip and the food was tasty, consistent as always and we both left full for $20.
I came here because I wanted either french toast or pancakes and they had the former (btw, what is the deal lately with brunch places not having pancakes???). The dish was fine but unremarkable. What I disliked was that one of the glasses was dirty and when we asked for a cleaner one, we got attitude from the waitress. First she makes a face and tells us the cups are just like that, they need to be cleaned with bleach. We noted that this wasn't the case since the dirt was coming off on our hands, so she finally took it back and rinsed it, but it still came back dirty. She also ignored us for awhile and seemed annoyed when we asked for our bill.
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Dropped by here for lunch while shopping at Pike Place Market one day (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Ordered my food on the first floor, walked up to the third floor to get a table by the window, and waited for the server to bring my meal. The food was good, but the view was even better! I haven't eaten on the second floor yet, but it offers traditional sit-down table service.
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Great place! My Seattle native friend took me here for my first meal in Seattle. Prices are a little on the high side, but the food is good. I got clam chowder in a bowl and it lives up to San Francisco standards. Great view too, although it would be even better if there was more to look at. The greenery in Seattle is just amazing though! I love the way Lowell's is decorated and how it matches with the rest of Pike Market.
You basically order your food at the counter on the bottom floor, get a number, and stay on the first floor or go up to the third floor. They deliver your food to you where you're sitting. Seems pretty crowded all the time!
This is a great place to take out-of-towners for a great view and some stiff cocktails. I usually head directly to the 2nd floor bar, pull up a stool, and order the best Mojito in the city. They make it with fresh mint and lime from the market of course!
Great place to escape the madness of the Market, and you'll always find an eclectic mix of both locals and tourists. I've never gone there without striking up a conversation with some interesting people.
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On my arrival in Seattle my lovely companion and I spent a good while trying to find this place. Oh, it isn't really hard to locate; she just couldn't remember the name or address, just that it was on the water with a nice view.
Having now eaten there I can understand. My fish and chips weren't at all bad, just unremarkable. She was a little more enthusiastic for her fish tacos, but in the end neither of us was gushing with emotion. Okay, perhaps there was a bit of emotion, because by the time she had called her husband to help us figure out the name of the place she was starving.
The view is nice enough, as well, if you are coming from some completely land-locked environment. Otherwise, it's -- well, an industrial harbor. Ooh, look! Masts! And concrete warehouse rooftops!
But again, the servers were nice, and did not seem to be out of work wannabe supermodels like I get all the time in Miami.
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I've been to Lowell's on several occasions. To some degree, it is the quintessential Pike's Market tourist trap... however, if you find yourself there without a staggering line you should definitely give it a whirl. The staff is friendly, the beer is cold, and the clam chowder is incredible - get at least the bowl if not the bread bowl (you'll hate yourself if you only get the cup).
I lived in the Northeast for 10 years and never had clam chowdah this tasty!
Eh. Wasn't too impressed.
My husband and I went to Lowell's in the morning and ordered downstairs (kinda crowded when you order). They gave us a number and we headed upstairs to the 3rd floor. (The 2nd floor is full service.) We luckily grabbed a seat near the window. The awesome, fantastic view that everyone talked about? It's a decent view...but it's not "breathtaking."
Onto the food......it was more disappointing than the view =(
Orange Juice: You serve this yourself downstairs before you go up. They hand you a cup and you push a button on one of those juice machines.
Crab Omelet: I expected this to be really big and good for costing around $15. The omelet was small, and only had tomatoes, crab meat, and cheese inside. Wasn't that great. Not impressed.
Hash Browns: The crab omelet came with hash browns on the side. These were gross! They were really buttery and I could really taste the burnt parts. Every bite I took felt like I was drinking a spoonful of oil and butter. Sick.
French Toast: This was decent. It came with a lot of slices and the pieces of toast were nice and thick....not little pansy pieces. Tasted good.....it's hard to mess up french toast, no? Topped with LOTS of powdered sugar....oh yeah baby~
Cinnamon Roll: These are already plated and on the counter as you order. If you want one, you grab one and they'll ask if you want it heated. This was huge! But it wasn't soft and fresh as I would have liked. Again, it was good but not great.
Overall, I give Lowell's 2 stars. I was disappointed in their food and view....but also, I couldn't believe we paid $39 for that food!!!!! Way too expensive for the quality of the food!!!
Although the location is convenient....we won't go back here again if we visit Seattle.
See the pictures I posted.
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Every since I watched Rachel Ray's show on Seattle... and she went to Lowell's... The past couple times when I visited Seattle, I went to Lowell's for lunch... I enjoy eating there with friends. Nice food, friendly staff, reasonable price, and most importantly, it has a pretty nice view of the water from the window.
good experience of the fish market.... buy your food and walk up to the 3rd floor for more seats.
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Great views. Fish and chips was so so. Fish great. Chips... so so (how can you screw up fries folks!)
Went here for lunch - had a seafood sampler of deep fried things. Reasonably priced. Mediocre food...it needed more variation than panko over batter. I wish it could have been cleaner in the seating area...
...BUT, a fabulous view from the 3rd floor and the friendly service made up for all of this. We had a great time.
Had a pretty good breakfast here. Boy its full you tourists. The waitstaff is pleasant. But they want you in and out. The food is good. Its equivalent to a Denny's with a view. The breakfast is large and will fill you up. Not a lot of Piazza...I thinks its because its touristy and very bus. The place is hard to find a seat and very hectic. You probably not going to get you coffee cup refilled. But it was satisfying and a nice place to have breakfast if you just happen to come down to the Market. Don't make a special trip to come here. Just my humble opinion. View are nice from the higher level rooms.
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I first heard of Lowell's from Giada's Weekend Getaways. =]
My boyfriend and I loved the breakfast much better than the lunch. I had their famous fish and chips, which was extremely diappointing. I'd recommend Steamers' Seafood down at Pier 57 instead. My boyfriend had the Alaskan roll, which was okay. Breakfast was much better. I had the Seattle Joe's Scramble (onions, mushrooms, spinach, sausage, cheese, and eggs) with hash browns and toast. The presentation of the dish is not appealing, but its delicious. We loved the food so much we came back again. My boyfriend had the Classic breakfast with bacon and sausage. The best he's had compared to Sear's back in San Francisco. And the portions were pretty big.
There are 3 levels of seatings. you can order on the 2nd floor, which is also a bar/lounge. The restrooms are on the 3rd floor, and its not too shabby. You order downstairs, take your number, and they'll find you. Personally, I like sitting downstairs, because its pretty crowded on the 3rd level and it oversees the garage downstairs. For some peace and quiet, dine on the first level, and you'll get your food faster. =]
It's not the most fab seafood you can find, but for lunch, the local recommendation to come to Lowell's can't be beat. They have good prices, fast service and decent meals. I enjoyed my shrimp and crab louie very much. We really dug the view on the 3rd floor.
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4 out of 5 stars ! Amazing view, friendly staff and most importantly great CHOW !
The BEST steamed manila clams in the most DELICIOUS garlic wine butter sauce that you can dip bread in all day for eternity and a day!
on my most recent trip to the market, I took a friend to eat and enjoy the rare sunny day, we had the crab cake sub ! whoa is your mouth watering yet there were actual pieces of chunky crab legs in this rich and tasty crab cake!
I love me some Lowells folks....
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This is my kind of breakfast joint. Simple, no fuss, honest food. The third floor view is quite amazing and made every bite that much better. I had a shrimp quesadilla which was pretty much a shrimp omelet stuffed into a tortilla but it was pretty frickin good. It is kind of in a tourist trap being at Pike Place and all but I don't mind. I'm not from Seattle but visit my brother here a lot and I find PP quite charming. Worthy of a visit. Next time I'll try their lunch.
Had a craving for fish and chips, so...Lowell's was close when I picked up some Sicilian sausages at Uli's in the Market. The fish was lightly breaded; not the breading was lightly fished as in most places. The chips were hot- though not spectacular(I miss Frites!!)The cole slaw probably had seen better days-like October 2004-wilted and sour. Tartar sauce was flavorful, not memorable. Well, my craving was met;but, not truly, truly satisfied to the fullest, hmm, sounds like my old...never mind.
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By the mixed reviews, I guess most people aren't really sure what they're looking for in Lowell's. Here's what I'd recommend:
Head to Lowell's in the afternoon (after 1:00), head upstairs to the second floor bar area. There, you will find plenty of seating, and likely an open seat by the windows which have a great view of the sound out towards West Seattle. While many of the food selections here are fairly average, it's hard to find a better bowl of Clam Chowder in the city, and the Cod & Chips are the best around.
The Cod is usually a seasonal catch (best when Ling is in season), but it's guaranteed to be a fresh catch from the morning haul, and these are the biggest pieces of cod you'll find in a nice golden batter. The clam chowder is excellent. A creamy base is loaded with countless soft clams. These two items are the best two on the menu, so if its not your flavor, I can't guarantee that you'll like the place.
The prices are really wallet-friendly, and the value you get out of the aforementioned meals for the price they charge is out balanced WAY in your favor.
The bar area upstairs serves good beers and has a full-service bar. The staff are friendly and quick. There isn't a single thing I don't love about going to Lowell's, and just writing this review has me pining for another fix so I'll be there today for lunch.
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I've only had breakfast here and I enjoyed my visit. I opted to purchase my meal and sit on the third floor with a view. The friendly and hardworking staff figures if your not on the 1st floor, you must be on the third. My smoked salmon omelet with shredded hash was good but nothing spectacular to write home about. Free refills on drinks at the self service counter.
For an out of towner, this is a pretty good place if you just want to sit and enjoy the views without the waitress service and I don't think the prices are all that high as other claim. I guess it depends on where your from. I'm from NYC so $14 for a plate of eggs and potatoes is nothing to blink about. The prices are competitive but you get a great view of the waters.
The only time I come here to eat is for the breakfast. So why four stars? Cause of the second floor baby. It's the bar, and they have a huge view of the water which is a treat. The bartenders kick arse, and are very very good at what they do. Only two beers on tap, so lots of bottle beers and hard alcohol. The appetizers are priced nice... But not too tasty. The best thing though about this bar? This is where the Pike Place Market Community goes after work. You can have drinks with the farmers, craftspeople, store owners, employees, etc etc.
By the way, if you ever want to know why there are no doors on the restroom stalls... Feel free to ask me.
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Food - 3.5
Service - 3
Ambience - 3.5
Was in town for a few days and only had an hour before my day-long meeting on Mercer Island, so I jaunted down to Pike's Place from my hotel one early Wed. morning. I arrived while the fish mongers were still setting up shop and there were nary a tourist in the market, so I had the place to myself. Looking to grab a quick bite, I settled on Lowell's since it was one of the few places serving food at that hour.
I had the crab omelette which was quite delicious. Very fresh crab meat and fluffy eggs. And the view on the 3rd floor was gorgeous. A little pricey but that's to be expected at such a high traffic tourist destination.
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It was suggested I check this place out by some locals at the fish market, they said I would find a quality breakfast with a view. They did not lead me wrong! My friend and I were seated up on the second floor where they offer table service. Both of us ordered the crab omelet and coffee and we were not disappointed! The view was spectacular and the omelet was fresh and very tasty. The crowd was laid back and the service was very good. Breakfast at Lowell's was a great way to kick off my first visit to Seattle.
I've been going here for years now and still can't get enough. If I am in Seattle this is part of my routine. First stop is the hot min donuts and coffee place. I then spend my morning working up an apetite. Once my belly is growling I head on over for fish and chips.
Thick, crispy battered filets compliment a huge bowl of their chowder.
Prices are great, service has always been perfect.
Get a table with a view of the sound and sit back and enjoy.
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This is a great place to go for breakfast. It's kind of a dingy old school kind of place but still charming. It has three floors where you can enjoy your food. You can order downstairs and take your food to floor one or three. If you would like to be served, go to floor two. I have only been here twice for breakfast but I've opted for the salmon benedict each time...because it is so good.
Another good point is to note that you can look out over the water as you dine which is very serene.
The only thing that they could probably improve on...is the coffee. It's the only reason I knocked it down.
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I want a menu fairy that can tell me what to skip and what to order.
Lowell's is ok in a pinch. Since hubby rarely gets out of work while it's daylight and the weather was so gorgeous, he wanted to meet somewhere downtown. We ended up at Pike Place, gazing at the views, when hunger struck. I told him that Lowell's would be passable if we could get a window seat. Luckily, we got our orders in before 6 pm (when the kitchen stops taking dinner orders).
Menu fairy would have told me to skip the fried calamari, on a bed of shredded lettuce. The texture was somewhere between spongy and rubbery- just what whets my appetite (NOT).
Menu fairy would have told me to get double the order of steamed manila clams. Who would have thunk it? A tourist trap with fab views and a great garlic/butter/wine sauce!! Instead I got a so-so salmon sandwich (I've had better at the cafe at Whole Foods, of all places). Menu fairy would have zapped that choice.
Menu fairy would make them serve desserts when there are fabulous sunsets. I know, I know, the staff wants to get the hell outta there and enjoy their evening. But once I've parked my butt there, we could have lingered over dessert and coffee while enjoying the view. Oh well. . . yelp is the closest thing I have to a menu fairy.
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Beautiful view on all three floors of this restaurant located right in the heart of Pike Place Market. Just the view of Mt. Olympus from your table is worth eating here.
Best of order downstairs and then find a table on the 1st or 3rd FL. The clam chowder and fish and chips are decent. Not the best but the view is really, really fantastic (especially if the sun is out). The 2nd FL is table service and there's also a bar there.
Very nice comfort food in the crazy Pike Place Market area. Three floors. 1st and 3rd are order at the register, and then they deliver at your table by number. 2nd floor is seated sit down and has a bar.
All have windows overlooking the Bay. Great views of the ferries, tour boats, cruise ships, etc.
Had lunch there, and got to say that the turkey sandwich I had was marvelous with nicely down fries. Extensive menu, and was voted best breakfast restaurant in Seattle. They have 30 different types of eggs benedict.
A respite and some good food in the churning turmoil of the Pike Place.
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Nice views. Food is decent but nothing spectacular. Cod sandwich and calamari were as expected. Decently priced ($10-12/plate). We opted for the lower level non-table service and didn't regret it.
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First floor and third floor are self service. I opted for table service on the second floor. Nice view. Had the corn beef has which is supposedly the best in Seattle. It was okay - maybe i am just used to the canned version :-) The hash browns are real hash browns not home fries :-) Though the hash browns could have been a bit more crispy.
Tourist trap - check
Kiddies all around - Check
People standing in line reading a menu as if they have never read "grilled salmon on a sandwich before - Check.
REALLY good clam chowder on a sourdough bread bowl... super duper check.
I mean, it's in Pike's Place Market, the place where you have to body check old ladies (or rather, they body check you... ) So you get a bit annoyed at the concept, but after all those flowers and knick knacks and 10000 raspberry honey shops, a woman's gotta eat... So this is a really good place, with a phenomenal view...
Hope this helps.
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I know, I know, this is a must-stop restaurant for tourists alike, and it shows. We were lucky to find a table on the 3rd floor for breakfast on a Friday morning, because the place filled up quickly. I personally wanted to go here to find out what all the excitement was about, and to see if I would have the same experience as Giada De Laurentiis had on her visit to Seattle. The menu even had a "Giada's Pick," telling you what she actually ordered when she filmed at the restaurant. I took a little detour and had their "market breakfast" instead. It hit the spot just right...the eggs and hash browns were perfect, and the bacon was actually crispy for a change. Add a nice glass of orange juice and a perfect view of Elliott Bay, and it's a great way to start off a vacation.
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Lowell's is a three story restaurant with views of the waterfront on each floor. You order on the bottom floor and get a number. I guess the second floor is for the bar patrons, while restaurant orders go to the third floor. I didn't exactly understand the distinction. I went on a weekday during August and we were able to get a seat on the third floor.
The views are very nice and since it was a balmy 85 degrees in the middle of August, I think we had the optimal situation. However, since the place is somewhat small, it tends to feel cramped. I wouldn't bring your claustrophobic friend.
The service was not too bad, though the order taking below feels rushed since you have to order like it was fast food. The server upstairs was friendly, though it is not like a full service restaurant. I wouldn't expect to get your drink refilled too frequently. However, since you can get self serve water, it is okay if you are not having a beer drinking contest. I forgot the local brew I ordered, but it wasn't too spectacular.
I ordered the seafood platter, which translate to fried everything... so those oil averse should stay away. I probably should have ordered the salmon instead. I would say that overall the food is okay. It wouldn't be too disappointing for a lunch. It could also be argued that it was overpriced for what you get.
It seems as if Seattle has a lot good restaurants, so unless you are starving and must have a nice view, I wouldn't recommend filling your gut up here.
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I've had lunch twice here recently. Once by myself and once with some co-workers. Both times I ordered one of their seafood salads along with a bloody mary.
Lowell's has a relaxing atmosphere. The interior is a little dated, but I suppose that's part of its charm. I get a little tired of brushed aluminum, glass, and granite tile all the time. This sort or reminds me of visiting someone's old cabin that was built in the 50's. And you can't beat the views of the water. Lowell's has three floors of seating, but I only really like the the second floor (probably because of my preference for being as close to the bar as possible).
Bottom line: good place for a long, low-key, casual 3-drink lunch, plus two cups of coffee while you stare out at the water. For locals, though, I'd suggest avoiding this place during tourist season. Try late October or November at around 1:30 in the afternoon, and be sure to get a window seat on the second floor. Otherwise, you might as well be at Denny's.
Lowells sucks. A great place to take tourists, but if this is only place they eat, this would give them the impression that Seattle food is the worst.
I had an old friend in from out of town this past weekend to take the Alaska cruise, and they were only going to be in town for that morning, so I decided to show them the Market.
This breakfast was so crummy I felt embarrassed that I made this chioce. I had the standard breakfast fare, scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast, and they were all equally awful. I had to send the hash browns back to actually be cooked, as I got "hash whites" that were cold to the touch, and toast that was so cold, the butter couldn't melt on the bread.
This dump and the Athenian Inn have got to be the biggest tourist traps going: at least at these two ripoff joints they don't bend you over like the Space Needle restaurant.
Getting taken for $10 I can live with.
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Passing through downtown Seattle to catch a flight a few hours later we made a detour "quick stop" at Pike Place. Finding a parking space took longer than anything else. Lunch at Lowell's was part of the "fish market" experience. A three story eatery with amazing waterfront views on all levels, we enjoyed our quick bite of clam chowder and seafood platter to share. The clam chowder was yummy but we weren't thrilled about the platter. It was overpriced and the amount of food (all fried) wasn't worth it.
Even so, it was part of the Seattle charm. Check it out but choose wisely from the menu.
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Ask to be seated at a window table second floor bar area. The views will make you fall in love with Seattle. I was fascinated with the ferries docking, undocking, coming, going. Ferries are an essential part of the Seattle water world. Lowell's is the perfect vantage point for a relaxed stop when in the market area. Good food, good drinks, GREAT views.
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Pricey because of the location. And the view. Which is worth it.
The menu may not be spectacular, but the eating is across-the-board good. This place serves a simply defined, tourist-oriented role but does it with dignity.
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