BIZNOTE: Salty’s on Alki brings back Thanksgiving buffet

| Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

With three weeks and two days until Thanksgiving, you might be contemplating a no-cooking option. We’ll of course be compiling a list of restaurants planning to be open on the holiday; for early planning, here’s the first announcement: After a pandemic hiatus, the most opulent Thanksgiving restaurant option in West Seattle is back. Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor) is taking reservations for the return of its Thanksgiving buffet. They’re booking hour-and-a-half seatings between 10 am and 5 pm on November 23rd. $120 for age 16 and up, $60 for age 10-15, $30 for age 5-9, free for the littlest ones (4 and under). You can see the full menu here – the buffet is grouped into Breakfast Classics, Salads & Such, Seafood Bonanza, Crustacean Station, Carved Meats, Thanksgiving Sides, Made-to-Order Pastas, the famous Chocolate Fountain, Fresh-Baked Pies, and a Cornucopia of Cupcakes. You can book a reservation online here if your group has 4 or fewer people; otherwise, call 206-937-1600.

Family_of_Five October 31, 2023 (12:59 pm)

These prices are insane! We are a family of five with two teenagers who would be subject to “Adult” pricing and my mother-in-law who lives with us. If the five of us went here for Thanksgiving dinner, the total bill would come in at just under $1,000! Since drinks aren’t included, this assumes that we are ordering an average of 1 1/2 drinks per person.Who is this for?

not for you October 31, 2023 (3:49 pm)

Well given your outrage it’s clearly not for you. But honestly, $200 per person all-in doesn’t seem too outrageous, since it looks like a spectacular spread, on a big holiday. Considering the cost of the groceries, time to prepare, cleaning up, etc… it makes sense to me.
- Bill October 31, 2023 (7:57 pm)
  
  Total BS — $200 is a whole month’s food budget for me — and probably most other people!
CarDriver October 31, 2023 (4:06 pm)

Family5. As Salty’s,along with pretty much every other restaurant isn’t seeing their doors knocked down with job applicants. Increased wages and benefits are how they try to get and keep employees. And, business 101 teaches someone has to pay and restaurants, along with every other business do that by passing increases along to the end of the line-customers. I’m sure they’d be happy to charge less but they’re waiting for someone to explain with facts and data how they can.
Westwood October 31, 2023 (4:29 pm)

Pretty simple really…don’t go. It’s clearly not for your family. And FYI…water is free.
Eddie October 31, 2023 (4:49 pm)

The tip! Will no one think about the Tip?
- rdubs October 31, 2023 (9:19 pm)
  
  I’m JUST thinking about the tip…
WCM November 2, 2023 (9:52 am)

It’s for Richie Rich and friends. Maybe we start neighborhood communal potluck type feasts 🤷🏻‍♂️

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy October 31, 2023 (12:59 pm)

I don’t think I could eat $120 worth of food if I tried. And I’m really REALLY good at trying, haha! Looks good though.

KT October 31, 2023 (2:12 pm)

I bet you could eat $120 worth of crab and lobster at the Crustacean station given the market price of both!

Kt October 31, 2023 (2:11 pm)

Lady Jaye is doing a take out.. but the only have a limited amount of dinners.

Doug October 31, 2023 (2:17 pm)

Is Salty’s regular weekend buffet back as well?

Daniel October 31, 2023 (6:29 pm)

No

Charlie October 31, 2023 (2:40 pm)

Bring back Happy Hour!

GHO October 31, 2023 (4:09 pm)

The spread DOES look amazing, every bit, but that said…$120 + beverages + 4% (fine print) + tax + tip (cuz we’re not jerks) all in a 90 minute allotment makes my stomach hurt 😬 I do hope they book out though since I’d love to see weekend brunch – and HH – return!!

Mr X October 31, 2023 (4:42 pm)

Menu sounds amazing. I’ll post the link to my GOFUNDME later tonight.

waikikigirl October 31, 2023 (8:41 pm)

Or you can go to Claim Jumpers in Tukwila and have enough food for Thanksgiving and the rest of the week! LOL!!!!https://www.claimjumper.com/thanksgiving

goombamoobs November 1, 2023 (9:00 am)

Did Salty’s go fine dining?

Terrie November 1, 2023 (9:51 am)

I’m unclear what the surcharge is for… ?

KT November 1, 2023 (1:59 pm)

So, $120 per person is not really what they are charging. It’s $120 PLUS a 4% surcharge. $120 isn’t enough? And exactly what is subject to the surcharge? Is tax and tip included in the amount subject to surcharge? It’s great that, based on some of the comments, there are people who won’t think twice about this but I’m betting there are a whole bunch of West Seattle folks who can’t partake in this offering. And that’s the way life is, but don’t pretend this isn’t pricing on steroids.

Tom November 1, 2023 (10:01 pm)

Even the most expensive buffets in Vegas top out at $90 pp. Saltys is taking a moonshot with their pricing! Don’t be a turkey 🦃

Mel November 3, 2023 (4:34 pm)

I think you’ll find that Salty’s is competitive with other Seattle fine-dining-ish restaurants at that price point (I’ve checked around). You can certainly pay less, but you’d need to go casual-dining (think Claim Jumper). And Vegas buffets have the advantage that most of their diners also paid to stay at their hotel and lost money at their gambling tables.People to whom Thanksgiving is a big deal will have no problem thinking of it as a special expense along the lines of a day trip to the Peninsula or box seats at a baseball game. That said, I’m with you, Thanksgiving dinner is to me a change-of-pace nice-to-have meal and not much more, so no, I wouldn’t pay a special-event price.

eva merrick November 2, 2023 (5:49 pm)

At the risk of sounding hopelessly square, for singletons, the Marie Callender turkey meal to share gives you 640 calories of potatoes, turkey, gravy and stuffing without any pesky vegetables to worry about Costs about $8.00, good to pick up as soon as it’s stocked.

Sue H November 3, 2023 (3:24 pm)

Eva, I’m laughing at the “pesky vegetable” comment. LOL. That meal is my usual Thanksgiving go-to. That and a box of Trader Joe’s stuffing mix eaten over the weekend!

Sue H November 3, 2023 (3:23 pm)

Yes, I think the price is crazy. But, businesses make decisions on what the customers want and what the market will bear. If enough people go, they’ll repeat it again. If the place is empty due to price, they’ll reconsider in the future. My ex used to complain about the lack of stores open late in the Junction (10+ years ago) and I always told him that if they felt that the extra business they could get would outweigh extra operating costs for those hours, they’d be doing it. We need to vote with our dollars. That said, I’m sure there are enough people willing to do it and will show up despite the price. I won’t be one of them.

Sue H November 4, 2023 (3:11 am)

The Four Seasons hotel downtown is holding a Thanksgiving buffet for $160 per adult and $70 for children 5 to 14. So apparently Salty’s is a bargain in comparison. I’m not the audience they’re looking for, but I hope that whoever goes to these lavish buffets enjoys themselves.

Gatewood88 November 17, 2023 (10:37 am)

I think it looks delicious – and is well worth the cost given the amount of work and cost that goes into hosting a thanksgiving get together with family …I suggested we do it this year but we have out of town family coming and one of them loves to cook…. But if they do it next year we will be there!

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