Ivar’s Temporarily Closes Acres of Clams, Salmon House

Ivars Restaurants is closing its flagship Acres of Clams restaurant in downtown Seattle and its Salmon House on Northeast Northlake Way until at least next spring because of a steep downturn in business caused by the pandemic.

Without cruise passengers, conventions, tourists, banquets, Sounders, Seahawks, and Mariner fans, and workers in the downtown offices, there are few people eating in our full-service restaurants. We fear when the weather changes and the rains return, we lose outside dining and we wont have any customers, said Ivars President Bob Donegan.

The longtime Seattle chains 19 seafood bars will remain open, as will the full-service restaurant and fish bar in Mukilteo. The company said its seafood bars and Kidd Valley locations are doing well, and its sports divisions will remain ready to open food booths in stadiums in case fans are again allowed to attend games.

Ivars says Acres of Clams and Salmon House are doing only a small fraction of their previous business, even after Gov. Jay Inslee allowed restaurants to reopen with socially distant guidelines.

Ivars says it hopes to be able to decide by next spring whether the restaurants can reopen.