Wonderful food and great service from Venessa. she was very helpful in helping us pick out the best Food for a wonderful experience

This place is truly a hidden gem (well worth the 30 minute drive). It's one of the only places that feels like it cares about their customers. The quality and portions are fantastic. They've got big shareable platters and seriously high quality food compared to everywhere else that's been slashing quality and raising prices. I heard ownership changed hands for the first time in 30 years as of two weeks ago and truth be told, I'm terrified that there might be changes coming.. read more

This is my west coast seafood spot. I wish the Alaskan Amber was 2 degrees cold - I like ice crystals floating in it. The Halibut Fish and Chips with Cole Slaw is my jam. The place is funky and fun. Can't beat this place. read more

This was another great lunch at Wally's. We got seated fast and had our owner in quick. We both got the Cod and Chips special and a bowl of 50/50 chowder. The chowder is my all time favorite! The fish was cooked perfectly and breaded to perfection. The tartar sauce has just the right tang. This is such a great value! Great food, great service! read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Cod special - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Was a little disappointed however likely because I didn't go with a fried food entree. I had the cold shrimp and crab salad. It was good however the dressing lacked flavor and I did expect slightly more seafood at the price point for that salad. read more

Finished our trip off with fried seafood! The chowder is a must and very smooth and thick and creamy. One of the best we've had! The fried combo was a great option to try everything and the cod medallions and shrimp were the stars. You can pass on the crab strips and cod lings. Dungeness crab sandwich was hearty and definitely a great portion of crab. Food was great but missing salt. Service was great initially and then we were totally forgotten about and watched our server mingling as we waited for our check to be dropped off and picked back up. Other than that, it is a great option if you are looking for fresh seafood! read more

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We live in Des Moines so we visit Wally's about every 6 months. We finally took our own advice and ordered one seafood combo instead of 2 and it was more than enough to split. We did not even feel the need to take advantage of the bottomless fries. We added a side order cup of slaw. We did not notice any difference since it changed hands. The place was just as crowded and the food was just a good. The only negative was that the clam strips were a tad overcooked in the combo. Service was fast and responsive. This restaurant recently changed hands but we did not notice any difference. In the past, some have avoided it because of the political views of the ownership but that is no longer an issue. read more

Went for clam chowder which did not disappoint. The seared scallops were spot on as were the salmon tacos and the cocktails were super fun and good. read more

Went here after searching for a local restaurant. This is a cute little spot and I am glad we visited while we were in town with my family. We got the fish and chips with fresh fish and clam chowder. This place was busy during early dinner but we waited about 10 minutes and got seated. Our server (forgot his name) was not the friendliest but it was okay since I figured we'd order immediately and just eat and go. Thankfully the food made up for the lack of friendliness. The fish and chips were fresh and fries were great. Fish wasn't greasy and came with plenty of sauce on the side. The clam chowder was definitely the star of the show. It was creamy, hot, and had plenty of flavor. read more

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I thought anthonys was best for sea food. Nope wallys is the only place to go for seafood. Clams are amazing chowder best in state no best in united states. So glad live less than 5 miles from this fantastic sea food restaurent read more

Took my niece here for lunch since she was visiting from out of state. Located down the road from the water, it has nice views out the window and the restaurant looks like a classic beach style seafood joint. My niece loves crab legs but this is not the place for that. The crab options were cakes, and crab cocktail appetizers and a sandwich of some sort. She ended up ordering the crab cakes and they were good. I wouldn't say the best but I'm also not overly impressed by crab cakes in general, neither was she. She opted out of the sides and got a small cup of chowder which we enjoyed. I ordered Halibut fish and chips which I did enjoy the crisp, lighter breading and moist fish but it rly lacked flavor. I also had to ask for a lemon wedge to squeeze on it. Other than that, we ordered two Arnold Palmer (lemonade mixed with iced tea). Service was friendly and the right amount of attentive. What surprised me most was the cost $118 for this meal described plus a 20% tip. The meal wasn't bad but definitely not worth that price. Not sure I would go back, as I wasn't wowed by anything, it was just good. read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Dungeness crab cakes and halibut fish n chips - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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We came in around 2pm on a Saturday and it was quite busy. The place is much bigger inside than it appears on the outside. They have a full bar and outdoor heated seating. They had so many employees working and I could tell it helped with service. Because it was incredibly fast. We had a wonderful experience and the food was delicious. We ordered a bowl of chowder and the combo platter to share. We stuck with the cod because cod is almost as delicious as halibut, especially because it's battered and fried. The service was super duper fast and we were in and out in 1 hour. The fries were top notch! Like some of the best. And the chowder...my oh my...it was thick and creamy. Very very good!! I almost bought a tub of it ($22) to go but I was so full at the end that I couldn't think of food anymore. read more

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I had been going here for several years and really liked the food. Yesterday I had lunch there. It was awful. I had chowder which was gluey. I had a crab louie salad which had no flavor whatsoever. I chalked it up as a one off til, after I'd been home a while, got sick as a dog. I'm still recuperating today. read more

I'll keep it simple. The service here was superb, pet friendly in the patio, and the food here is pretty darn good!

This place was super crowded when I came...and it smelled amazing! I wanted to try everything, but picked a few items that were recommended by the bartender. I sat at the bar, being a party of ONE, it was easier and I got hear some good conversation from the bartender and watch some sports on TV. The Clam Chowder was excellent and the best tasting thing I had actually. I enjoyed a few drinks at the bar, they were all right, maybe I didn't choose the best options, but the bartender made up for it. The combo platter was just okay. I knew it was all going to be fried, but I think the taste was lost as everything was pretty much dry. The tartar sauce was sweet, which I liked, but I couldn't finish it all. This was a lively place, not too loud where you couldn't have a conversation. It's larger inside than it looks from outside. Parking was tight, but I found a spot in the back. read more

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Food was spectacular. Service was better. Best fried fish plate I've ever had. Dungeness Crab was awesome, as was chowder, and Peach Crisp. Hope to be back soon. read more

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This place is so cute and feels like it belongs on the beach. I had the blackened fish tacos which were good but not "blackened" at all. The chowder I had with it was very good as well. The service was friendly and the place was very clean. I also enjoyed the music selection. They have lunch specials during the week but overall this place is priced fairly for the quality of the food. read more

Before too much time has transpired, I wanted to give my impressions of Wally's Chowder House. I was here shortly after they opened on a weekday, so there wasn't much customer traffic. I opted for the Daily Special, a Winter Combo of 3 Breaded Cod Medallions, 4 Prawns, 4oz of Clam strips, and fries. The seafood was fried and showed just a slight level of oil on the surface. The Malt Vinegar cut through that perfectly. A very pleasant lunch entree. However, two other items made my visit here memorable. First was the Clam Chowder, which isn't much of a surprise, as their name is Wally's Chowder House. I ordered a cup of New England Clam Chowder, which was a mistake. Why? I loved this so much, I regretted not ordering a larger size. I had ordered other items from the menu, which was the only reason I didn't order more chowder. They offer the Clam Chowder in cup, bowl, and quart sizes, and the next time I'm here, I'm going for the quart size! The other item I was impressed by was one that most people don't think twice about: the Cocktail Sauce. Cocktail Sauce is simple to make: usually ketchup with some horseradish, and perhaps other stuff for flavor, like lemons, Worcestershire sauce, and something spicy. Whatever they put in the cocktail sauce works. In fact, I can easily say that it was the best cocktail sauce I've ever had, and believe me, I've tried lots of cocktail sauces in my seven decades of existence. read more

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Best meal I've had in soo long! We went here years ago and have been dreaming about coming back ever since! We drove from the Seattle area and will be doing that once a month from now on. The prawns were huge and meaty and absolutely loved the fries! The tartar sauce was delicious too, so we ended up purchasing a pint before we left. The Dungeness crab salad was delicious! I wish there was more salad itself as the portion was a bit small but the quantity and quality of actual crab leg meat more than made up for it! Loved their blue cheese dressing too. I ended up ordering a Diet Coke as their water tasted funny but that was the only downside. Great service and fun/local atmosphere. Reminded me of being on vacation somewhere. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we will be coming back monthly! Worth the money and the drive. read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - 8 piece Prawn Platter. And added a green salad on the side. - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Best fish & chips! Been going there since I was a kid! Wonderful service! Miss the fresh made pies!

Service is still great! My friend was shocked by the price of the soda (basically now $5). Great blackberry pie- worth the price!!!! read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Chowder Clam Chowder - Bowl ($12.99) & Clam Chowder - Cup ($7.99) - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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A lively spot frequented by locals. You should come here instead of Anthony's. (I haven't really lived in Puget Sound in a while now, so I don't really consider myself a local anymore) Anywaayyys, service is super friendly, almost too friendly for my introverted taste lolll. But even if it were, the servers seem quite genuine and Jammie is a bad*** that memorizes almost all her orders. The vibes at the bar are immaculate. I don't usually just hang out at a bar, but if I did have to choose a bar, I'd easily pick this over any of the sports bars or others down the street. Got a pineapple hurricane. I could feel a bit of a buzz going into the bottom half, so I'm happy with it. Clam chowder bread bowl was pretty good. Nice and firm bread. The flavor of the chowder was generically good. We had a special fish and chips that was 3 piece cod and 3 piece halibut. Now, they made it sound like this was an incredible deal. At 6 pieces of fish, this was a good deal. However, I did note that the fish were on the smaller end. So if it had been only 3, it would've been a rip-off rather than simply average in my opinion. The fish itself was good, but just good. I did like that there wasn't too much breading. However, I did find the texture to be slightly too hard in some spots. At least, it was not evenly the ideal texture. A fairly generous amount of tartar sauce. On the other hand, the fries were phenomenal, which is weird because I don't really consider myself a fries guy. For fish and chips, my most common complaint has been that I like the fish, but not the chips. This is the only place I can remember at the moment that I liked the fries more than the fish. The light crispiness is on point. There is also some light seasoning that I found suited my taste perfectly. I had a hard time deciding between four and five stars. Maybe I'm slightly less forgiving today, but I'd warrant this is probably still the best seafood spot along this local waterfront. read more

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I was invited to join a friend for lunch at Wally's. If you mention seafood, you have my full attention. This is a community oriented place and is family run for the most part. The decor is old style with wooden chairs and tables. The most notable thing is the owner/manager circulates the restaurant praising the staff in an odd way. This is a bit off putting, but easy to ignore. I had the shrimp cocktail, broiled halibut, and Caesar salad. The shrimp cocktail is a collection of tiny shrimp that are over cooked and the water not salted when cooked. I expected about 3-4 large shrimp. The cocktail sauce was good, but could use a bit of a kick with more horseradish. To me, the key to broiled or grilled seafood is the combination of spices/seasonings used that enhance the experience. The halibut was devoid of all seasoning, but did come with a lemon wedge. This type of fish is expensive and deserves better attention to detail. It was throughly cook , moist, but flavorless. This is a fish that I absolutely love and prepare at home. The Caesar salad was okay. It has the right lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and a very thick dressing. It too came with a lemon wedge. This also happens to be my favorite salad-ever. I must note that this place is not cheap, and for that amount, it's not too much to ask for a dash of salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, whatever you can find in the kitchen to bring out the flavor and experience of the halibut. I would urge the chef/cook to explore seasoning for fish and remember that halibut is big, delicate, and needs seasoning. Also, cucumbers have no place near a Caesar salad, but fresh grilled or even fried anchovies would be delightful. read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Shrimp cocktail - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Great bar area in the back. Bartender was great and my fish tacos were amazing. Lots of blackened cod and the sauce was delish. My only complaint is that the menu on the bar said all day HH Sunday's. The bartender said that they don't do HH on the weekends anymore. Take the menu off the counter read more

Marcella and I just ate here for lunch. Had the best beer battered Rockfish and Rockfish tacos. The chowder is thick and full of clams. Impeccable service from Tanner who really made our lunch special. Make sure you ask for Tanner! read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - India Pale Ale - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Friendly service. Clam chowder was good. I ordered a bowl and it was served with two small cups so it could be shared. It was More than two cups. I ordered the rockfish 4 piece platter. It was as tasty as the higher priced fish. I had the coconut cream pie the last time and was disappointed in the texture. It was thick and not light and creamy as I had expected. read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Coconut cream pie. - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

We had the best clam chowder and best server ever! Big servings with some leftover to feast for snacks.

New owners, not related at all to the J6 Neanderthals. Good food. Great location. Not much to add to other great reviews, just welcoming Wally's back to the right side of history. read more

We have been going here for decades and have always enjoyed it. But just like any place it has had some bad days and lots of good days with their food. Well unfortunately, today was not one of their good days. We had their shrimp cocktail and it was horrible. Presentation alone was horrible. What we expected was a cup w big juicy shrimp, cocktail sauce and some garnish. What we got was a huge sundae bowl that was full of about 2 cups of chopped celerey, half swimming in cocktail sauce, with a small dolop of what seemed to be canned 'shrimplets' or 'fry' not actual shrimp cocktail. They were smooshie and not fresh. It was an absurd dish in quality, presentation and price!! The chowder was really the only great dish. The salad was lacking but fresh. The combo platter was mediocre for the price. Two small pieces of cod, a few clams, praws (which were well cooked) and scallops (which were cooked well and tasted good once we took the breading off. Fries were old. Coleslaw tasted like it had been sitting in dressing for a couple days (limp and little to no crunch from the cabbage. The garlic cheese bread - horrible! It was cold when it should have been warm, tasted like and looked like it had been reheated and left out before serving. We then ordered dessert to go but were then left disappointed at home when trying the coconut cream pie, it was REALLY think and tasted like it was made w corn starch. The Blackberry pie was mediocre to say the least, hence we just tossed them out. Spending $160 for two ppl to enjoy a mediocre meal at best - no. We will not be back any time soon. Hopefully things improve w the new management. Server was great and attentive! read more

I think I've found something better than the fish n chips... blackened halibut tacos... amazing! Always great service, fast and friendly! read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Blackened Halibut Fish Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

If there's one place you can visit during a long layover at SeaTac and can't get to downtown Seattle, I would choose Wally's Chowder House every time. I was told the famous clam chowder is legendary, I now know why. It really is along with the fish and chips. You cannot go wrong with either one--I had both. The decor will keep the conversation going and your eyes wandering with every bite. read more

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Don't even think twice go to this place if you've not been there before, I'm in town working near the airport honestly this is my third time but my second and third time were last night and tonight. Cutest little place very cozy inside it's decorated beautifully with Christmas lights I have a feeling they do that year-round least with some of the lights. But it's all about the food yes get the clam chowder it is amazing outstanding I've always gotten the white I noticed when I ate in last night lots of folks around me ordered the red but the white clam chowder is hands down some of the best I've ever had last night I had the rockfish as it was on special they had it available three ways all you can eat, fish and chips or I got the tacos and it came either fried grilled or blackened my great waitress recommended the blackened and it was very flavorful and a perfect amount of spice in the blackened format. Wait stuff fantastic as well as the front counter folks for to go pick ups can't wait to be back in town again to have another meal here read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Quick shot of the cozy restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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I was going to give this recommended place four stars because both the NY steak and the Maine lobster tail were a bit on the tough side. Steak was cooked medium to medium rare. But the service and home made blackberry pie made up for main entrees. Plus, the martini was a generous pour and coffee was especially good, served with a small pitcher of cream. Simone was very attentive, offering refills, checking on my enjoyment and needs regularly. The ambiance was lively as the Mariners sailed past Toronto. Fun coastal decor. read more

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I didn't expect this stunning crab leg salad... amazing! So much gorgeous, fresh crab leg meat. My friend had rock fish and chips. Very fresh ingredients here. We shared a decadent warm chocolate brownie topped with whipped cream, ice cream and warm fudge sauce. My only complaint? The fudge sauce was in one spot, which we figured at toward the end of eating it. Would have been better spread or drizzled about. The servers were great! Very efficient and pleasant. read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Absolutely delicious! We had the seafood combo, a bowl of chowder and chicken Alfredo. I would return! read more

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First time trying out this place. Thrilled to try since the ratings were high. The place was very homey and has an outdorsy feel. The staff were friendly. Ordered a combo platter to go. Since we are in a search of a good fish in chips in the area. Unfortunately, the place is just like any other that we have tried. The combo was very dry even the fries. You could tell that the fries was not freshly made. The seafoods were all greasy and has a very thick batter that it's almost hard to bite. The only good one is the cod. The other seafood felt like they were old and frozen. Felt bad since they were on a great location near the water so you kinda expect it to be a great find. read more

Wally's has been a beloved seafood establishment in the Southend for many years. It's a neighborhood gem for fantastic seafood, from the best fish and chips in Seattle, IMHO, to delicious seafood pasta, and their award-winning clam chowder! The portions are ginormous with consistently fresh quality. The bar area is perfect to meet up with friends and catch up or watch a game and on nice days, the charming little outdoor patio area is an ideal place to relax and dine. Highly recommend!! read more

Service was friendly and fast. Restaurant had a fish fry family type atmosphere. We tried the local Cod and rockfish. Both were good, but the star of the show was the clam chowder. I think it's the best I've had, I'd go back just for the chowder! read more

This place has a great atmosphere, good location just a couple blocks near the water and really good service. Unfortunately the food was just okay. I ordered the blackened prawn tacos. The seasoning was good, portions generous but shrimp were overcooked. My husband ordered the broiled halibut and it was just okay. read more

Wally's Chowder House & Broiler - Seafood Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Foods amazing, always great service. It's the perfect spot on a beautiful day, or rainy..we love the chowder, halibut, cod, shrimp, and drinks are yum tooo. read more