The Pacific Inn

There’s a reason why almost every pub, restaurant, and dockside seafood stand in Seattle serves fish and chips—extremely fresh, deep-fried cod tastes f*cking delicious. And you’ll find the best version at Pacific Inn, a tiny, amazing dive bar in Fremont.

Their rendition is simple—it’s a combination of flavorful breadcrumbs, flaky fish, salty french fries, and tangy tartar sauce. The cod itself is super crispy, without being beer-battered, and comes out of the smallest behind-the-bar kitchen we’ve ever seen. And while you’re here to order those incredible fish and chips, you shouldn’t ignore the fish sandwiches or Cajun fried shrimp that we could pop like trail mix on a hike. Even the grilled salmon sandwich, covered in pesto and parmesan cheese on a squishy bun, is delicious if you’re not feeling something battered in panko.

Pacific Inn is somewhere you can eat seafood all year round. It makes for a cozy winter meal when you eat at a barstool or booth and look at the vintage city photos on the wall. And for reasons we can’t explain, the food almost tastes better in the summer when you’re able to eat it on their patio alongside a cold beer. While you’re nowhere near the Downtown waterfront, a meal here makes it impossible not to appreciate all of the fantastic seafood this city has.

Food Rundown

Fish & Chips

You thought that the most iconic Seattle-based duo is Russell and Ciara, but it’s actually Pacific Inn’s crispy panko-breaded cod and crunchy french fries.

Fish Sandwich

Same excellence, only on a bun with lettuce and tomato. Ordering this is directly correlated with how much you want to eat some bread.

Smoky Cajun Fried Shrimp

Telling us to choose between the fish and chips and the spicy fried cajun shrimp is like telling a parent to choose between their children. Order the shrimp, but only as a side dish to your fish and chips basket.

Grilled Salmon Pesto Sandwich

Typically, at a dive bar, if you’re not ordering something fried, your options are sad. But the grilled salmon sandwich here is delicious. The fish has a nice sear, and it’s topped with pesto, parmesan, lettuce, and tomato on a sweet brioche bun.