What a special place! We went to Canlis last week and had an incredible time. The food was excellent with a Asian flare. The service was incredible and to top it off Mark Canlis came by and made... More

What a special place! We went to Canlis last week and had an incredible time. The food was excellent with a Asian flare. The service was incredible and to top it off Mark Canlis came by and made us feel apart of the history and heritage of the generations Canlis has been in Seattle. He was an excellent host, it was a magical evening. Highest recomendation. Pros: Food, Service Cons: None
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Last Friday night we had an incredible evening reconnecting with old friends. Canlis made the evening so special. When Mark Canlis stopped by our table, his charm, warmth and friendliness made the... More

Last Friday night we had an incredible evening reconnecting with old friends. Canlis made the evening so special. When Mark Canlis stopped by our table, his charm, warmth and friendliness made the evening even more special. He is a master host making you feel simultaneously like a VIP and an old friend. This is truly the place in Seatttle to celebrate every special event!! Pros: Ambience, service, food, wine, "extras" Cons: NONE!
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I met friends at Canlis last weekend with the simple hope of spending a few hours in good conversation: I HAD NO IDEA I WOULD BECOME PART OF A LEGACY and experience a tradition of loving hospitality... More

I met friends at Canlis last weekend with the simple hope of spending a few hours in good conversation: I HAD NO IDEA I WOULD BECOME PART OF A LEGACY and experience a tradition of loving hospitality and superior service began 56 years ago and now carried on by the 3rd generation. From the moment I walked through the door I felt embraced by a community of people who genuinely care, who smile with honest eyes, and who serve delectible foods which tempt me to sneak into the family recipe book. As my friends reminisced on beautiful evenings we and our parents and grandparents had spent at Canlis - evenings commemorating births and deaths and true love - we determined to continue the tradition with our own children. It is rare to find hospitality that has stayed vibrant and warm through; it is evident that sincere service it is not forced or part of a brand, but is the true character of Mark and Brian Canlis. We were remembered and treated like long-lost cousins, and I hope to join their dinner table often in years to come.
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I had THE BEST New Year's of my life a few weeks ago when I celebrated at Canlis. My only regret is having waited this long to rave about it here on Citysearch, although this seems to be last at... More

I had THE BEST New Year's of my life a few weeks ago when I celebrated at Canlis. My only regret is having waited this long to rave about it here on Citysearch, although this seems to be last at the end of a long list of "anyone who will listen", if you know what I mean! Everything was perfect. The staff is far and away the best staff of any restaurant I've ever been to, and this from a self-declared fine-dining connoisseur. They're just the perfect balance of engaging and invisible. You can really tell that Canlis is a labor of love for every person employed there. The Canlis family, and their consistent on-site presence, set the tone for excellence. On top of everything, when I consider the stellar wine pairings and exquisite dishes, I actually think I got a good deal! Now THAT is magic. Seriously, whether it is for a wedding reception, post-work cocktails, a romantic dinner, or a business meeting, make it memorable and go to Canlis! Pros: service, food, ambiance Cons: nada
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For years Canlis has been our favorite restaurant in Seattle. Everything worked...the food, service, ambiance. This most recent visit was the total opposite. The salad was tasteless, the entree a... More

For years Canlis has been our favorite restaurant in Seattle. Everything worked...the food, service, ambiance. This most recent visit was the total opposite. The salad was tasteless, the entree a noticeably smaller portion than in the past and the service was inexplicably distant. Gone was the feeling that Canlis cared about every detail of the evening. The evening ended with an unfortunate event and I contacted Canlis the next day regarding the way the wait staff handled this event. I was told that someone would get back to me. They did, days later, with an odd phone call and barely an apology. Had the last event not occurred or the management been more concerned about the way it was handled, I might have been inclined to give Canlis another chance and say the kitchen had an off night. I'm left with the feeling that they just don't care.
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Every time I walk through that beautiful door I am greeted by impeccable service, incredible food, and an astounding view. Canlis knows exactly what they're doing. They pay attention to detail and... More

Every time I walk through that beautiful door I am greeted by impeccable service, incredible food, and an astounding view. Canlis knows exactly what they're doing. They pay attention to detail and go out of their way to provide you with the best experience possible. The staff is superb yet accessible, and the steak! My goodness, the steak! There is no better way to eat out in Seattle. And anyone who claims to have had a negative experience at Canlis must have been utterly impossible to please. If they make a mistake, let them know, and they are faithful to rectify it tenfold! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Pros: Beautiful, professional, above-and-beyond Cons: Pretty expensive...
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NOT RECOMMENDED! I have had dinner regularly at this restaurant over the past five years and at least half of my recent experiences are not very good. I have often taken friends in for their... More

NOT RECOMMENDED! I have had dinner regularly at this restaurant over the past five years and at least half of my recent experiences are not very good. I have often taken friends in for their birthdays and many times they have made embarrassing mistakes. At one birthday I asked many times for the server to bring out the specialty cake (that I brought at the beginning of dinner), she ignored me she allowed the table to order individual deserts and then brought the cake after everyone finished desert. Another occasion I had called and specifically set up a special dinner and asked that the check not be presented at the table, the server did not follow the instructions and placed the check face up so the guests could see the total. This mistake ruined the night. I have noticed over the last year that Mr. Mark Canlis is disrespectful toward women. He is respectful of men and refers them by their last name, however when he addresses women it is on a first name basis. Canlis is not the restaurant it used to be and I will not return in the exception I have out of town guests that really want a good view.
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We visited Canlis on Sunday for my husband's b-day. It took 50 minutes to get our food because (per our waiter) there was a party of 70 upstairs. (I would figure this is pretty common for... More

We visited Canlis on Sunday for my husband's b-day. It took 50 minutes to get our food because (per our waiter) there was a party of 70 upstairs. (I would figure this is pretty common for December?). We got our coffee service right after dinner, but then it took another 10 minutes to even see dessert menus. Our waiter then told us that their specialty dessert takes 30 minutes to prepare? I think this should have been mentioned a bit earlier. We were so tired by the end, nearly a 3-hour dinner, that we didn't complain. The waiter did comp a dessert, but I would think this would happen normally on a birthday? Sadly, we didn?t have the ?Canlis Experience? that we were expecting... and deserve for a $200 meal.
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I absolutely loved this restaurant and enjoyed the dining experience! My friend flew in from Miami, Florida and wanted to take me to an upscale-fancy-restaurant to celebrate my 26th birthday and to... More

I absolutely loved this restaurant and enjoyed the dining experience! My friend flew in from Miami, Florida and wanted to take me to an upscale-fancy-restaurant to celebrate my 26th birthday and to start my year off right. He did some research and asked my friends for some suggestions and decided on Canlis. I hadn't heard of Canlis prior to this. All I was told was to dress up. He has traveled quite a bit and has eaten at some great restaurants in Miami. I work for an airline and have traveled and ate at some great cities. So we both felt we had something to compare Canlis to. It was great. Our first impression was our valet parking experience. The gentleman were very prompt and professional. We had reservations, but started with some drinks at the bar. I had a fabulous apple sour martini and he had a mojito. The drinks were smooth. Very yummy. Our table had a great view and I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant. The lighting set the mood. We started off with a couple appetizers. We ordered the Ahi & Kona Kampachi Sashimi and the oysters. Our server, Kevin, was awesome. We really enjoyed his service. He was very knowledgeable, polite, and professional. For the main course we had the Wild Pacific King Salmon and the Peter Canlis Prawns. We both agreed it was the best salmon and prawns we had ever eaten. The salmon wasn't too watery and was flavored to perfection. The same for the prawns. Dessert was out of this world. We had the Gran Marnier Souffle and the Chocolate Lava Cake with some dessert wine. I don't remember the exact name of the wine, but it had some earthly tones...Kevin would know the one we had, he made the recommendation. Once again, it was the best dining experience we have had so far. It was a wonderful change to dress up to go out and eat. Pros: great ambience, service, food Cons: Even though we had reservations, we waited for about 20 minutes...which was fine, the bar was awesome
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Interesting that the reviews for this place vary as much as they do. We first went to Canlis in the early '70's, when it was one of the best Seattle had to offer. We lost track of the place,... More

Interesting that the reviews for this place vary as much as they do. We first went to Canlis in the early '70's, when it was one of the best Seattle had to offer. We lost track of the place, though the "word on the street" seemed not so good. Out of curiosity, we came back for the first time in decades about 3 years ago...and now find that it has replaced our prior favorite of some years duration (Wild Ginger) handily. My work takes me all over the US, with others paying my bill to eat in some of the very best restaurants all over the US. I feel that Canlis rates with the finest. It just was ranked #19 in the top 50 restaurants in the US. I believe it. Service has been timely and respectful, appetizers (try the Crab Cakes) wonderful, the main courses have never disappointed (I'm a fish freak and it has been perfect every time) and the souffle really is amazing. It may not certainly be for everyone, but I really enjoy dressing up with my wife and spending 3 hours at a meal. Canlis is the perfect place to do this. Worth every penny. If you can, ask for Sven, he is our favorite waiter. Pros: Service, food, wine list & view Cons: Pricey....
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