Midrange
Seven Stars Pepper
Great hand-shaven dandan noodles, chonggin hot chicken, hotpot.
Tamarind Tree
It is worth the awkward crawl through Seattle's steepest and most congested parking lot to relax with a Tamarind Soda next cool contempo style fountain. Tamarind Tree is an anomoly in Little Saigon, to say the least. Three Vietnamese brothers created an atmosphere that feels like it should be located in a Belltown Hotel rather than a Vietnamese ghetto. Tamarind Tree packs in more flavors for under $9 than any other restaurant. Try the Fish Paste with Bacon, or the Seven Courses of Beef. Be amazed at how high quality service, sauces, and appetizers can be served up artfully for Little Saigon prices. Eat your spring rolls with a side of fresh peanut sauce.
True to its name, the International District has a great variety of ethnic cuisines. While tourists and most non-Asian Seattleites stick to the large Chinese restaurants, the smaller places serve mostly locals and offer quite authentic atmosphere as well as food. Chinese seafood restaurants are a Seattle institution popular with locals, many with "live tanks". Not particularly elegant, but the food is great if a bit venturesome for some tastes. And while most of Seattle's immigrant Japanese population has long since moved out to the suburbs as have the upscale sushi bars, a few restaurants still stick it out in the area.