Seastar in Downtown Bellevue.
John Howie’s first restaurant has been downtown’s seafood table since 2002 — cedar-plank salmon, a raw bar, a wine wall, and a business-dinner room that still fills on a Tuesday.
Seastar is the grown-up seafood restaurant downtown Bellevue books when the dinner matters: a long, warm room on the ground floor of the Civica office building at 108th and NE 2nd, with a raw bar and lounge up front, a glass wine wall behind, and a dining room that has hosted more business dinners than any other on this side of the lake. The menu is Pacific Northwest first — salmon on cedar, Dungeness crab, king crab, oysters — with a sushi and sashimi list that keeps the raw bar honest.
Chef John Howie opened it on March 11, 2002, into a recession and a downtown with far fewer restaurants, and built a group out of it — John Howie Steak, Whiskey by John Howie, Beardslee. DBN has covered the anniversaries, the four-week 2017 renovation that added the raw-bar dining area and the 750-bottle wine wall, and the charity work; the wine list has held a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2006, and the free Thanksgiving dinner is a downtown tradition.
Water Grill at Lincoln Square is the newer, bigger seafood room and Duke’s the casual one; Seastar is the one with the history and the wine list. Where each fits is in our guide to the best seafood restaurants in downtown Bellevue.
What to Order at Seastar
Northwest seafood on one side, a raw bar on the other; these five have been the answer for two decades.
Cedar Plank Salmon
John Howie’s calling card — salmon roasted on cedar with smoked broccoli and citrus rice. The dish that made his name in Bellevue, still on the plank.
Super Dave Roll
Dungeness crab, scallop, salmon, avocado, and tobiko — billed as ‘a Seastar Classic’ and the raw bar’s most-ordered roll.
Dungeness Crab Cakes
Thai sweet-and-sour beurre blanc and a lemongrass vinaigrette. The appetizer that has anchored the menu since 2002.
Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Ahi
Ginger-soy reduction and wasabi, available as an appetizer or an entree — the raw-bar kitchen’s best plate.
White Chocolate Coconut Crème Pie
The house dessert, sold by the slice or built for two. Nobody leaves without it.
Seastar Through the Years on DBN
DBN has reported on downtown Bellevue since 2005. This is Seastar’s story as we covered it, as it happened.
Bellevue’s Seastar Turns 12 Years Old
A dozen years since the March 11, 2002 opening — John Howie’s first restaurant, launched into a recession and still full.
Seastar Restaurant Completes Full Renovation
A four-week closure produced a new raw-bar dining area, glass wine storage for some 750 bottles, and an expanded menu.
Looking Back on Seastar’s History, Ahead to the Next 20 Years
The 2002 opening, the awards, and more than $8 million raised for charity — the room’s first two decades in one piece.
Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar Turns 20
The anniversary menu and a look at the Howie group that grew out of this room: John Howie Steak, Whiskey by John Howie, Beardslee.
Browse all Seastar coverage in the DBN archive.
Getting There & When to Go
Civica sits in the middle of the downtown office grid, a short walk from City Hall and Old Bellevue.
Getting There & Parking
- Drive: The secure underground garage beneath the Civica building, entered from 108th Ave NE; the restaurant says there is ample parking day and evening. Ask the host stand about validation. Street parking on 108th and NE 2nd is the alternative.
- Light rail: 2 Line to Bellevue Downtown Station, then a five-minute walk south on 108th Ave NE to NE 2nd St — see our light rail guide
- On foot: From Old Bellevue’s Main Street it is a three-block walk north on 108th; from the Bellevue Collection, ten minutes east on NE 4th and south on 108th.
Best Times to Go
The bar’s happy hour before dinner is the local move and the busiest seats in the room. Weekend dinners book ahead; weeknights are the business-dinner crowd and easier to land. Holiday weeks and Restaurant Week fill fast, and the annual free Thanksgiving dinner is its own tradition — watch the official site.
Make It a Night
The office core is quiet at night, which is part of the appeal: pair dinner with the best happy hours downtown if you want to start elsewhere, a walk down to Downtown Park three blocks south-west, or John Howie Steak at The Bravern for the sister room next time.
Good to Know
As of August 2026: dinner nightly, bar happy hour beforehand, no lunch. A 20% service charge is included on each check and retained by the restaurant. Private dining, catering, and large parties are arranged by phone. The wine program, run by partner Erik Liedholm, holds a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
Seastar FAQ
Does Seastar Bellevue take reservations?
Yes. Smaller parties book through OpenTable or Resy, both linked from the official site; larger parties, special events, private dining, and catering go through the restaurant’s reservations specialists by phone. Walk-ins are seated in the dining room when tables are open, and the raw bar and lounge are the easiest walk-in seats.
Where do you park for Seastar in Bellevue?
In the secure underground garage beneath the Civica building at 205 108th Ave NE, entered from 108th; the restaurant says it has ample parking day and evening. Ask the host stand about validation. Street parking on 108th and NE 2nd is the alternative.
What should you order at Seastar?
The Cedar Plank Salmon is the signature and the Dungeness Crab Cakes are the classic starter. From the raw bar, the Super Dave Roll and the sesame-peppercorn ahi; for a splurge, the Alaskan king crab. Finish with the white chocolate coconut creme pie.
Is Seastar open for lunch?
No. As of August 2026 Seastar serves dinner nightly with a happy hour in the bar beforehand, and the bar stays open later than the dining room. Check the official hours page for the current schedule.
Who owns Seastar Restaurant?
Chef John Howie, whose restaurant group also runs John Howie Steak and Whiskey by John Howie at The Bravern and Beardslee Public House in Bothell. Seastar was his first, opened March 11, 2002; a 20% service charge is included on every check, retained by the restaurant.