Summer presents an interesting dilemma for parents, especially those who could really use a night off from cooking. Do you grin and bear it and stay at home? Or do you head out to eat and hope the one-two punch of tablet time and coloring books can get you at least an hour to enjoy a meal in relative peace? There is a way to up the odds of a positive experience—by paying a visit to one of Seattle’s many food halls. Seating is usually less strict, so there’s room to roam without stepping on other people’s toes, and everyone’s happier when they get to choose what kind of food is on their plate, whether that’s Hawaiian or burgers.  

Or, you could get a babysitter…

If you do, Tasting Table’s Emily Iris Degn has some ideas for where to take your child-free adventure out on the town—like Lonely Siren, whose name may not inspire intimacy but whose ambience certainly delivers, especially as the clock ticks later and the Portuguese-inspired plates keep coming. Make date night a regular thing with these additional suggestions.

The Bush is back in town

The Bush is back, the Bush is back. Next month, karaoke fans can finally sing their hearts out at Bush Garden again. The classic Seattle spot closed its doors during the pandemic, and plenty of delays have slowed its return to the stage, but at long last the Japanese restaurant and bar has settled into a new home just a couple blocks away from its original location in the Chinatown International District. Don’t miss the grand reopening on June 3 at 3 p.m.

Nobu to Bellevue

The global luxury restaurant brand will open its first Pacific Northwest restaurant in downtown Bellevue as part of a venture that will also see the company take over the Avenue Bellevue towers and rebrand them as Nobu Residences (a first for the United States). Diners itching to sample the Japanese dishes woven with Peruvian flavors—like miso black cod—will have to wait until next year, when the 10,000-square-foot restaurant plans to open.

Six Seven

Long before the kids started inexplicably saying this, The Edgewater Hotel’s Six Seven Restaurant—fittingly named for its location on Pier 67—made the numbers, and date, cool. Keeping with that tradition, Six Seven will host a party on Sunday, June 7, featuring live music, vinyl DJ sets, cocktails, and waterfront entertainment overlooking Elliott Bay. General admission tickets are $10, but there are pricier VIP packages to ensure access to larger booths or the outdoor patio.

Day trip drive-in

If you’re heading up to the mountains anytime soon, you might want to add a lunch stop in Issaquah to your agenda—specifically at Burgermaster’s highly anticipated drive-in, which just opened on Tuesday. Just pull up, order and eat from the comfort of your car (there’s indoor seating too). That Baconmaster and fries will taste even better alongside the brand new root beer recipe made with cane sugar and no artificial flavors. 

Two giants to end service

This week is a tough one for a pair of mainstays on Seattle’s dining scene. On Wednesday, Marrakesh called it quits after 23 years of sharing Moroccan cuisine and more than a bit of spectacle (bellydancers often accompanied the five-course tasting menu) in Belltown. And over in Ballard, Copine will prepare its elevated French American food for the final time this Saturday, although the owners left the door open for possible pop-ups this summer. Both businesses cited the lingering effects of the pandemic, among other challenges.

Calling all food trucks

From the completion of the Elliott Bay Connections project and the arrival of cruise passengers to the World Cup watch parties, the Seattle Waterfront will welcome hordes of hungry visitors over the next few months. Thankfully, the Port is taking initiative by adding two temporary food trucks across the street from Pier 69. Applications are currently open and the businesses that are selected will be able to operate there until January 2027.