“Mom, can we watch a movie? It’s still raining outside.” I looked out, and yes in fact, it was still raining. There was no blue in sight as the grey clouds covered the sky. This rain wasn’t going to let up anytime soon. After being in Seattle only a few days I already felt a pang of remorse for leaving sunny Utah for rainy Seattle. My kids thrived on running around freely in the sun and flat fields. We had traded those for sunless days, puddles everywhere and rainy days spent indoors.

When most people think of Mardi Gras, they think of the parades, the beads and lots of crazy fun. While we can’t bring the parades to you, you can experience the flavors of New Orleans at Ivar’s Acres of Clams, Salmon House and Mukilteo Landing as part of our Month of Mardi Gras.

This winter throughout Puget Sound, recreational squid fishing is at its best. Bundle up and get ready for some uniquely Northwest fun and a freezer drawer full of calamari-to-be with this how-to guide!

New Year, new you, right? Even if it’s New Year, same you, we can all make resolutions. Yet, as we all know from experience, making a resolution is the easy part, achieving it is another story. Whether you’re trying to eat healthier, ramp up your fitness routine or take more time for self-care, the steps included below may help increase your chances. So, follow along because we’re breaking down the top six ways to make your resolutions last all year long.

Allow me to introduce myself, I'm the Dancing Clam. I've been with Ivar’s since 1985, and throughout the year, there’s a full lineup of appearances that keep me pretty busy. Don’t be fooled though, it’s not all work and no play. I am the Dancing Clam, remember? I shimmy, shake and groove my way through various events around town spreading Ivar’s cheer and sharing our motto – Keep Clam. In fact, this has been one of the busiest years yet! So, in honor of the New Year, I’m reflecting on my favorite events from 2017 and sharing a preview of what’s to come in 2018.

Just a few select weeks in the year, droves of hardy Northwest families head to the Washington coast to recreationally dig for razor clams. Far from the typical clam bake clams, these much larger, oblong-shaped clams with razor thin, lacquer-like shells are known as siliqua patula. About six inches long at maturity around this region (and up to 15” in Alaska!), these clams have a “foot” that allows them to give chase into deep sand in a matter of seconds. With the right equipment and technique, however (and very a quick reach-and-grab maneuver into the sand!), razor clams make phenomenal fritters and chowder.

It’s impressive enough that people swim in Puget Sound through the summer, but there are groups of swimmers who get together year-round to swim these chilly waters. The Notorious Alki Swimmers are among these daring souls, assembling on weekend mornings in front of the Alki Bath House, some in neoprene, many in nothing beyond goggles, a swim cap and a swimsuit. The skill of acclimatizing to cold water is acquired through short swims (5-15 minutes) that become progressively longer dips.

Seattle has a reputation for many things. Rain, coffee, the Space Needle, and seafood (plus people throwing seafood). Those seafood throwers may be the most recognizable symbols to outsiders, but locals know that Seattle is so much more than what you see on postcards or Grey's Anatomy. I have heard the explanation that Seattle is “a city of neighborhoods,” but if there was one thing I could convey to anyone considering visiting the Emerald City for the first time: it would be how accessible it is to visit everything in Seattle that you've heard about – or not yet heard about – in a single day. 

‘Tis the season! We’re bringing the holiday cheer with a jam-packed schedule of events, activities and entertainment throughout the month of December. Family favorites and annual traditions such as Ivar’s Clam Lights, Argosy Christmas Ships (with the best seat in town), our New Year’s Eve bash, winter brews and more make their much-anticipated return. So mark your calendars with the schedule below.

As fall deepens in the Pacific Northwest, the chill has crept in and our green vistas have blushed to warm golds, ambers and reds. This season affects not only our palette, it also inspires our Ivar’s full-serve chefs to delight our palates! 

Veterans Day is right around the corner and here at Ivar’s, it’s a holiday we take very seriously. To honor and show our appreciation for those who have served our country, we’re offering veterans and active duty military a complimentary entrée during both lunch or dinner.

Halloween is almost here and it’s the perfect excuse to get all dressed up (maybe we’ll see a couple Dancing Clams trick-or-treating around the Sound this year). But it’s not only about your costume, it’s also a clamtastic time to get creative with adult beverages.

In fact, we’ve been testing away in the kitchen at our Ivar’s Mukilteo location to come up with the spookiest Halloween cocktails around. No matter what your favorite poison is, we’ve concocted three cocktails that suit the occasion wickedly. 

Now that football season is in full swing, it’s game time, and we’re not just talking about on the field. No matter who’s playing, a good tailgate can take your experience from subpar to excellent in a short amount of time. The key to a good tailgate is good food (although good company doesn’t hurt either). To help step up your cooking game, we’re sharing some of Chef Chris Garr’s (Ivar’s Acres of Clams) favorite dishes for the perfect tailgate this season. 

We’ve partnered with Red Tricycle, Western Chief and Seattle Children’s Theatre on a fall Explore Seattle Sweepstakes. If you once lived in Seattle or never visited, now’s your chance to win the ultimate Seattle prize package. 

Calling all Seattle Thunderbirds fans – this one’s for you! Our T-Birds Tickets & Dinner Contest gives fans the chance to win weekly prizes like a $25 gift card to Ivar’s or two tickets to a game. We’re also giving away a special prize pack including four tickets to the game on Oct. 21 versus the Moose Jaw Warriors (which also happens to be Ivar’s Fan Appreciation Game Night), $100 Ivar’s gift card, a behind the scenes facility tour and an official Thunderbirds hockey puck!