Northern Fish Old Town

Northern Fish's Old Town counter sits at the city end of Ruston Way — inside Tacoma, not the separate town of Ruston further north — and it is the casual half of the waterfront's dining. This is a retail fish market and deli rather than a sit-down restaurant: you order at the counter, and the operator's own draw is the over-water deck seating on Ruston Way, which is a rare thing to have on this stretch. The kitchen lists Northwest staples including halibut fish and chips and chowder. The hours are short and fixed, 10am to 5pm daily, so it is a lunch or mid-afternoon plan and never a dinner one. That makes it the natural midpoint of a Ruston Way walk started in Old Town, with the smoked-fish retail case worth a look on the way out even if you have already eaten.

Verified details

Only facts we have checked against a named source inside their freshness window appear here. Anything that lapses disappears rather than going stale.

What to know

• Open 10:00 am – 5:00 pm daily; there is no dinner service.
• This address is in Tacoma's Old Town, not the separate town of Ruston.

Editor's tips

• The over-water deck is the reason to come — on a clear day it is the best casual seat on this stretch of waterfront.
• Order at the counter, then take the deck; there is no table service to wait for.