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Courtesy of Harry's Fine Foods.

Seattle's Top French Fries Don't Even Need a Burger

These fried potatoes are meal-worthy all on their own

by Dylan Joffe
View as Map
by Dylan Joffe
Courtesy of Harry's Fine Foods.

What's a perfect french fry? It's probably got a golden crust with a pillowy, starchy center. It's hot as hell (read: as fresh as can be), and tasty enough to make every bite worth the risk of burnt gums. It's zesty, but not overpoweringly salty. One misstep — a pinch too much spice, a bad condiment, soggy texture — and a french fry goes from a thing of glory to a gruesome garnish.

Luckily, Seattle's got some fry-slinging saviors who stay on top of the stellar fried-potato game. From classic to Creole- to Korean-inspired, plus dips like bourbon dragon sauce or even a straight-up milkshake, here's a collection of the freshest french fries around town for your noshing pleasure. You don't even need to complement them with a burger — though you'll probably be even happier if you do.

Note: Map points are listed in geographical order and are not ranked by preference. What's your favorite french fry in Seattle? Show it some love in the comments, send an email, or start a forum thread in its honor.

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Katsu Burger

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Georgetown's well-loved burger joint serves up killer french fries with an appropriately Japanese twist: Nori fries are the potatoes you never expected to need, but will never forget.

6538 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 762-0752
(206) 762-0752
Anthony T./Yelp

Also featured in:

The Swinery

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A West Seattle gem worth the traffic, The Swinery has a few killer options for french fry cravings. The best? The Danger Fries. They're as good as they sound, with the restaurant's signature Swine Fries smothered in bacon blue cheese béchamel sauce.

3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 932-4211
(206) 932-4211

Also featured in:

Marination Ma Kai

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The West Seattle Ferry would probably only be half as busy if it didn’t pull right up to Marination’s original brick-and-mortar. People actually leave their neighborhood for these aloha french fries. If you haven’t done it yet, order some fries, add a fried egg, and take in the view.

1660 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126
(206) 328-8226
(206) 328-8226
Cynthia N./Yelp

Also featured in:

Altstadt

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Altstadt’s order of pommes is full of well-sized fries, featuring great exterior crunch and a soft interior. Plus, these german beauts come with sides of both ketchup and mayo, a must-have for any true European. Altstadt is doing German hospitality proud.

209 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 602-6442
(206) 602-6442

Also featured in:

Mamnoon

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Do yourself a favor: Tomorrow, from 4 to 6 p.m., head to Capitol Hill, fight for parking on Melrose, and partake in Mamnoon's happy hour harra frites. These fries are unlike any other in the neighborhood, tossed with Aleppo and cilantro. Dip them aggressively in Mamnoon’s za'atar mayo.

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 906-9606
(206) 906-9606

Also featured in:

8oz Burger and Co

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A hit across the city, Kennebec potatoes have a nutty, warm quality, evoking pure potato goodness. Calling them out on the menu, 8oz takes pride in its low-moisture, thin-skinned, perfect-for-frying potatoes — and with good reason. Try them at the Ballard location, too.

1401 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 466-5989
(206) 466-5989
Phil K./Yelp

Also featured in:

Sunset Fried Chicken Sandwiches

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Tucked inside Rachel’s Ginger Beer’s 12th Ave Arts location is Monica Dimas' tiny haven for fried food lovers. Easily some of the best fries on the hill topped off with generous portions and good dipping options, perfect for offsetting the extra Moscow Mule you shouldn't have ordered but did.

1610 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(323) 577-3045
(323) 577-3045

Bait Shop

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These thick and crispy fries belong on the top of any list, city-wide or beyond. Try them with ketchup, ranch dressing, mayo, or buffalo sauce — or all four, if you’re doing it right. Overall, the shop's short, mostly fried menu is the perfect accompaniment to an aggressively boozy and enjoyable drink list. And while Bait Shop may limit the amount of Zombies you can drink, you’re allowed to order as many baskets of fries as your heart desires.

606 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 420-8742
(206) 420-8742
Bait Shop/FB

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Harry's Fine Foods

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This Instagram-worthy brunch spot on Capitol Hill, a former bodega, may not actually be owned by anyone named Harry, but it does boast a killer plate of fries (not to mention sammies, eggs, and more). Crunchy, hot taters covered with fried, glassy herbs and parmesan cheese. Sip on a perfectly crafted Bloody Mary at the bar and make sure to order a 1:1 ratio of fries to people.

601 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 328-7349
(206) 328-7349
A top-down view of rosemary fries at Harry’s Fine Foods. Courtesy of Harry's

Also featured in:

Canlis

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Sometimes you don't need the entire thoughtful experience that world-class Canlis offers. In that case, just sidle up to the bar any night of the week and get a taste with the truffle fries. Hand-cut, twice-fried, all good.

2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 283-3313
(206) 283-3313

Also featured in:

Brouwer's Cafe

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The real key to this bar's fresh-to-death order of Belgian frites is the bourbon dragon sauce. It's a little spicy and a lot addictive.

400 N 35th St, Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 267-2437
(206) 267-2437

Also featured in:

Roux

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Creole spices definitely have a place in Seattle. Fried twice with the skin on, these flavorful fries are perfect on their own or as accompaniment to steak, fried chicken, or an oyster po’ boy.

4201 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 547-5420
(206) 547-5420
David P./Yelp

Also featured in:

Li'l Woody's

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The potatoes are sliced by hand and soaked in a water/vinegar mixture before being fried. The results hit the trifecta: cheap, fast, good. Cover in queso, dip in a milkshake, toss with malt vinegar or hot sauce.

2040 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 257-5259
(206) 257-5259
Kate H./Yelp

Also featured in:

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Katsu Burger

6538 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108

Georgetown's well-loved burger joint serves up killer french fries with an appropriately Japanese twist: Nori fries are the potatoes you never expected to need, but will never forget.

6538 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 762-0752
(206) 762-0752
Anthony T./Yelp

The Swinery

3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

A West Seattle gem worth the traffic, The Swinery has a few killer options for french fry cravings. The best? The Danger Fries. They're as good as they sound, with the restaurant's signature Swine Fries smothered in bacon blue cheese béchamel sauce.

3207 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 932-4211
(206) 932-4211

Marination Ma Kai

1660 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126

The West Seattle Ferry would probably only be half as busy if it didn’t pull right up to Marination’s original brick-and-mortar. People actually leave their neighborhood for these aloha french fries. If you haven’t done it yet, order some fries, add a fried egg, and take in the view.

1660 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126
(206) 328-8226
(206) 328-8226
Cynthia N./Yelp

Altstadt

209 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

Altstadt’s order of pommes is full of well-sized fries, featuring great exterior crunch and a soft interior. Plus, these german beauts come with sides of both ketchup and mayo, a must-have for any true European. Altstadt is doing German hospitality proud.

209 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 602-6442
(206) 602-6442

Mamnoon

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Do yourself a favor: Tomorrow, from 4 to 6 p.m., head to Capitol Hill, fight for parking on Melrose, and partake in Mamnoon's happy hour harra frites. These fries are unlike any other in the neighborhood, tossed with Aleppo and cilantro. Dip them aggressively in Mamnoon’s za'atar mayo.

1508 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 906-9606
(206) 906-9606

8oz Burger and Co

1401 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122

A hit across the city, Kennebec potatoes have a nutty, warm quality, evoking pure potato goodness. Calling them out on the menu, 8oz takes pride in its low-moisture, thin-skinned, perfect-for-frying potatoes — and with good reason. Try them at the Ballard location, too.

1401 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 466-5989
(206) 466-5989
Phil K./Yelp

Sunset Fried Chicken Sandwiches

1610 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Tucked inside Rachel’s Ginger Beer’s 12th Ave Arts location is Monica Dimas' tiny haven for fried food lovers. Easily some of the best fries on the hill topped off with generous portions and good dipping options, perfect for offsetting the extra Moscow Mule you shouldn't have ordered but did.

1610 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(323) 577-3045
(323) 577-3045

Bait Shop

606 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102

These thick and crispy fries belong on the top of any list, city-wide or beyond. Try them with ketchup, ranch dressing, mayo, or buffalo sauce — or all four, if you’re doing it right. Overall, the shop's short, mostly fried menu is the perfect accompaniment to an aggressively boozy and enjoyable drink list. And while Bait Shop may limit the amount of Zombies you can drink, you’re allowed to order as many baskets of fries as your heart desires.

606 Broadway E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 420-8742
(206) 420-8742
Bait Shop/FB

Harry's Fine Foods

601 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102

This Instagram-worthy brunch spot on Capitol Hill, a former bodega, may not actually be owned by anyone named Harry, but it does boast a killer plate of fries (not to mention sammies, eggs, and more). Crunchy, hot taters covered with fried, glassy herbs and parmesan cheese. Sip on a perfectly crafted Bloody Mary at the bar and make sure to order a 1:1 ratio of fries to people.

601 Bellevue Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 328-7349
(206) 328-7349
A top-down view of rosemary fries at Harry’s Fine Foods. Courtesy of Harry's

Canlis

2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Sometimes you don't need the entire thoughtful experience that world-class Canlis offers. In that case, just sidle up to the bar any night of the week and get a taste with the truffle fries. Hand-cut, twice-fried, all good.

2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 283-3313
(206) 283-3313

Brouwer's Cafe

400 N 35th St, Seattle, WA 98103

The real key to this bar's fresh-to-death order of Belgian frites is the bourbon dragon sauce. It's a little spicy and a lot addictive.

400 N 35th St, Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 267-2437
(206) 267-2437

Roux

4201 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Creole spices definitely have a place in Seattle. Fried twice with the skin on, these flavorful fries are perfect on their own or as accompaniment to steak, fried chicken, or an oyster po’ boy.

4201 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 547-5420
(206) 547-5420
David P./Yelp

Li'l Woody's

2040 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107

The potatoes are sliced by hand and soaked in a water/vinegar mixture before being fried. The results hit the trifecta: cheap, fast, good. Cover in queso, dip in a milkshake, toss with malt vinegar or hot sauce.

2040 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 257-5259
(206) 257-5259
Kate H./Yelp

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