space needle/sky city - chow-worthy?

Had to toss in my two cents. The OLD Space Needle restaurants - two of them - may be what many remember. 3/4 of the revolving ring was Eye Of The Needle, which was upscale-casual. The remaining 1/4 was the walled-off Emerald Room, a black-tie-and-tails location... which served the exact same food at higher prices. You were paying for the view, really, and paying a lot, since the food was okay but not worth the price by any stretch. It was a place you went once. If you took out-of-town guests, they remembered only the view and the novelty factor. The revamp as of a year or three ago is called SkyCity, as noted here, and takes up the entire turntable. Theme is again upscale-casual. In my opinion the food they now serve is worth, alone, about 3/4 of what they charge, so you're still paying for the view to a degree - but the food is now worth visiting for. Nothing exclusive to the place, no, but it'll make the experience memorable enough. I wouldn't eat there constantly, but I'd take guests there, and they'd likely remember that the food was good. Yes, the kids' menu is pricey too, but at least it includes some "fancy" options like salmon. One constant is the "lunar lander" dessert, a dish of ice cream set in a larger glass bowl of crushed dry ice, with a metal separator ring pierced with holes. Warm water is added just before it's brought out, covering your table (and the floor) with massive billows of fog. Everyone nearby will want one - adults too, I've noticed. And yes, there is no elevator fee if you're dining, nor to visit the observation deck. The "hidden" $156 charge isn't so hidden - it's the fee you pay for the observation deck alone. And trying to con them by claiming you're eating at the restaurant when you aren't likely will result in a charge, or them shooting you down with "I'm sorry sir, what was your name? I'm not seeing a reservation in our computer" So, is it worth it? For a special occasion, yes. If you want to keep the prices down, and you prefer a daytime view, go for lunch.

Zephyr Skunk in Pacific Northwest