Salty’s on Alki Beach is without a doubt Seattle’s premier all-you-can-eat brunch experience. Located on the waterfront in West Seattle, Salty’s offers an amazing array of food options, impeccable service and fantastic views overlooking Elliott Bay and the Seattle city skyline. The real star of Salty’s, though, is the food and you won’t leave here hungry. Salty’s offers a diverse menu to meet every taste and palette.

If you are a seafood lover, you can’t go wrong. Some of Salty’s offerings include Dungeness crab legs, Alaska snow crab legs, black tiger prawns, Puget Sound clams and mussels, seafood chowder, salt-crusted salmon, steelhead and lox. At the hot table you will find the Captain’s Platter (fried seafood), herb-crusted catfish and blackened steelhead. The real standout here, and this quite a rare treat, is the oyster-shucking station, where a Salty’s worker methodically shucks oysters for you one by one as you wait. Surprisingly, the line moves very quickly as the workers clearly know what they are doing.

Shrimp, clams, crab legs and steelhead trout.

If you are looking for more traditional breakfast fare, look no further than the omelet station for made-to-order omelets. I chose the daily special with crab and smoked salmon, and it was delicious. Some other breakfast items that I sampled included a chocolate chip silver dollar pancake with blueberry syrup, grilled kielbasa sausage, eggs benedict and cheesy bacon hashbrowns.

Crab and smoked salmon omelet, raw oysters, chocolate silver dollar pancakes with blueberry syrup.  

Cheesy bacon hashbrowns, Eggs Benedict, bacon, Captain’s platter, Kielbasa sausage.

Unfortunately, by this point I was quickly getting full and I couldn’t try the rest of Salty’s extensive menu. That will have to wait for another time. Some of the items that I did not have a chance to try: meat-carving station with prime rib and bone-in ham, sweet crepes made-to-order, a number of salad choices, seasonal fruits, breads and muffins and the caramel fountain. See the full Salty’s brunch menu to get a better idea of all of the offerings, as it is beyond the scope of this article to cover everything in full.

Just when I was giving up, however, I felt a last-minute surge of hunger (gluttony?) and I made a dash for the dessert table. I picked up a plate of fresh bite-sized donuts, a miniature key lime pie, a gluten-free brownie and some cheese to nibble on. At this point, I gave up and took a few pictures of downtown Seattle from the outside deck.

Donuts, brownie and key lime pie.

View from Salty’s outdoor deck.

You may be wondering about beverages. Coffee, tea or soft drink is included in the brunch price. I started with a Coke, then switched to coffee later in the meal at no additional charge. The brunch classic, the Mimosa, is available for $10. The other brunch go-to, the Bloody Mary, is available for $10. Another very unique feature that Salty’s offers is a Build Your Own Mary. For $12 you select your brand of vodka, then proceed to a mixing bar, where you select from three separate mixes, then add additional sauces and garnishes to suit your own tastes.

‘Build Your Own Mary’ bar at Salty’s

Overall, I have to rank Salty’s as one of my top brunch experiences, on par with the Sunday brunch at the historic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City. Salty’s is nicely decorated, the food is flavorful and fresh, service is great and you can’t beat the views.

How To Get There and Pricing

Salty’s is located in West Seattle at 1936 Harbor Ave. SW, see Google map driving directions. If you are driving, you will find free parking in the restaurant lot, with additional street parking available. Another great way to get to Salty’s is to take the King County Water Taxi from downtown Seattle at Pier 50. The Water Taxi drops off at Seacrest Park, 1660 Harbor Ave. SW, a short walking distance from Salty’s. For an in-depth article about the Water Taxi, see Downtown to West Seattle (Alki Beach) on the Water Taxi.

Exterior of Salty’s on Alki.

Brunch at Salty’s is only offered on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday brunch hours are 9:30 am to 1:30 pm; Sunday brunch hours are from 8:45 am to 1:30 pm. The non-holiday adult price is $57.99 on Saturdays (Adults & Seniors). On Sunday the price is $62.99 for Adults and $57.99 for Seniors. Teens 9 to 13 are $29.99, kids 5 to 8 are $14.99 and children 4 and under are free.

Helpful Hints

• Be sure to make reservations  in order to avoid disappointment. Salty’s draws a respectable crowd year-round, but especially during the summer months. Reservations can be made through OpenTable or by phone at 206-937-1600. You must call for reservations on the following holidays: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
• If you are staying at a preferred hotel, inquire about free transportation (via Mercedes-Benz van) from your hotel to Salty’s, subject to availability. Most major downtown hotels qualify for this service. Simply ask your hotel concierge to arrange on your behalf.

For more articles related to food and beverages, please see:

• Café Du Monde – coffee and beignets in New Orleans
• Ensenada Margarita: Bar Andaluz vs. Hussong’s Cantina
• REVIEW: Adam Carolla’s Red and White Mangria
• Taste of Iceland in 2014 at Dahlia Lounge in Seattle
• Welcome to Denali, home of the $9 Subway footlong

(This article was previously published on Aug. 13, 2013 on my previous website, SEATravelZombie, but has since been updated. The information contained is current, to the best of my knowledge, until just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For current operating procedures, please reference the Salty’s website or call them directly at 206-937-1600).

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