Rating: 
I have had a long tumultuous relationship with the Flying Fish. In 1996 as an interview candidate, I first set foot in the bar on a cold February night. The friendly bartender was shutting down but directed me to Minnie’s for some late-night grub. In 1998 I had the first of many great dinners there with my Dad. Then in 2001 an offensive maitre’d turned me off to the restaurant for awhile (I found out later he was generally disliked and fired not long after my encounter). LL and I had considered the Flying Fish in January as a location for dinner, but the recent citysearch reviews gave us pause. As we found out last night we should have ignored our trepidations, for the food was as good as ever.
After a Cinco de Mayo happy hour at the Apartment, the munchies called and we rolled the dice (and scored) on a table at the Flying Fish. They market themselves as a destination for both “quick bites” and “doing the town”. In the past I’ve only considered the Fish as an option for a nice dinner out. Last night reminded me that they are equially viable as a venue for an informal, light meal.
We started with their Thai Crab Cake. As our waiter noted, the only thing “Thai” about it is the lemongrass aioli drizzled over the cake. It adds a nice overtone to a crab cake which can rival the best Seattle has to offer.
When I come to the Flying Fish with a group I salivate over the platters, either the Whole Fried Rockfish or the Salt & Pepper Crabs. Neither of these dishes are viable for two, so last night we ventured for a new platter: Grilled Fish Tacos. These are not your average fish tacos. The handmade tortillas are tiny, but the innards taste equally scrumptious on your fork as they do in the tortillas. While I expected high quality fish, I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty salsa and guacamole.
While I miss the rockshrimp springrolls (Christine, please bring them back!), the Flying Fish is still flying high with awesome food, friendly service, and classic Seattle atmosphere.
Flying Fish
2234 1st Ave (at Bell)
Seattle, WA 98121
206-728-8595
M-F: 11:30AM-2:00PM (Lunch)
Daily: 5:00PM-2:00AM (Dinner + Late-night Menu)