The Boat

1314 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144, United States
+1 206-323-4387
$$$ Vietnamese restaurant
(826 Reviews)
Price Range $20–30

If you're on the hunt for an authentic Vietnamese experience in Seattle, look no further than The Boat, nestled at 1314 S Jackson St. This cozy eatery has quickly become a beloved destination for those seeking comforting, high-quality dishes centered around one standout ingredient: chicken.

At The Boat, the ambiance is as inviting as the food—imagine stepping into a casual yet warm environment, where the design of the restaurant even borrows inspiration from a boat, creating a unique dining vibe. As you enter, the air is filled with the tantalizing aromas of garlic, herbs, and spices, setting the stage for a truly delightful culinary adventure.

The menu showcases a focused selection of Vietnamese classics, emphasizing the star of the show: the Cornish hen. Noteworthy dishes include the Com Ga Mam Toi, a beautifully plated dish featuring a garlicky Cornish hen paired with yellow rice, a refreshing chrysanthemum salad, and a comforting bowl of chicken broth. Diners rave about the juicy, perfectly cooked chicken, though some have noted that flavor profiles can vary from one visit to the next. For those who crave something different, the Mi Tron offers a dry peanut sauce noodle experience that balances the savory with the nutty.

Drinks at The Boat add to the experience, with options ranging from refreshing Soda Chanh to an intriguing selection of Ube and Pandan cheesecakes that promise to satisfy your sweet tooth for just $7.00 each. Notably, the Cà Phê Sữa (Vietnamese iced coffee) is a must-try for coffee lovers, delivering that rich, sweet flavor experience that pairs beautifully with the savory dishes.

While the restaurant's limited menu streamlines your choices, it allows The Boat to specialize in what it knows best—using fresh ingredients to create homestyle dishes that evoke memories of traditional Vietnamese dining. Customers have shared mixed feelings regarding service speed; the wait can vary, especially during busy hours, but many agree that the food is worth the wait. Overall, the positive reviews accentuate the passion behind the dishes, with many self-described foodies declaring it a unique gem in the Seattle dining scene.

All in all, The Boat serves not just food; it offers an experience that captures the heart of Vietnamese home cooking. Whether you're a longtime aficionado of Southeast Asian cuisine or someone simply looking to expand your palate, this restaurant is well worth your time. Grab a friend, indulge in a meal, and let the flavors transport you straight to Vietnam.

Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Service options
Offers takeaway
Serves dine-in
No delivery
Highlights
Has fast service
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
Offerings
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves cocktails
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Quick bite
Serves wine
Dining options
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Has counter service
Serves dessert
Amenities
Has toilet
Atmosphere
Casual
Cosy
Historic
Crowd
Good for groups
Popular with tourists
Popular with university students
Planning
Doesn't accept reservations
Payments
Accepts credit cards
Children
Good for kids
Parking
Free parking lot
Openings Hours
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Monday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Tuesday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Wednesday

Closed

Thursday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Friday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Saturday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Sunday

11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

826 Reviews
Ngan Duong

11 Aug 2025

Amazing Vietnamese chicken dishes! We got 1 rice platter and 2 dry noodles. Both were delicious. Chicken was cooked well and juicy. Made me feel like home..

Vicky

01 Aug 2025

The food was great!! The chicken was delicious and flavorful. We ordered the noodle soup, dry noodles and the rice. The dry noodles were the best. But the wait was a little long with just two other groups in front of us. We came on Sunday for lunch and it took more than 20 mins for the food to arrive. The parking lot was full, so we needed to pay for parking nearby.

Nadia S

26 Jul 2025

I had been curious about The Boat for a while and finally stopped by for dinner on a Friday night. The experience was a bit mixed for me. We ordered the Com Ga Mom Toi, which came with garlic Cornish hen, yellow rice, chrysanthemum salad, and chicken broth. The portion was generous and the presentation was nice, but the flavors didn’t really land for me. The hen was cooked well but was on the sweeter side, which just isn’t my preference. My partner liked it though, so it might come down to personal taste i guess. The chicken broth was decent, and the turmeric rice was fine as well. We also got a side of noodles with fried egg, but the noodles were a little tough. I ended up adding some broth to soften them, which helped. Somethings to consider from my experience - My water glass had something in it, and the server didn’t seem to notice or offer a replacement. The space is also pretty noisy with limited seating, so it’s not the most relaxing place to sit and eat. Overall, I’d say the vibe is very casual, but the attention to detail just wasn’t quite there for me.

jamie Nguyen

25 Jul 2025

Many people love eating here, so we finally went to this restaurant. If someone said it was their favorite restaurant I would go, but no one in my family would choose to go here again for themselves. The food looks delicious, but the garlic tasted burnt on the chicken and it really needed some salt. The dessert had such potential, but the sugar tasted burnt and it was extremely salty and the pandan waffle had no flavor and tasted like burnt oil on the outside while not done in the middle. I think a different waffle maker style would help. I've never seen a Belgium waffle maker used for this before. The service was friendly and I really appreciated the EXCELLENT food safety rating from King County!

Charlie Te

18 Jul 2025

Great place to get some chicken and rice or chicken with egg noodles soup. It's nice that the menu here is limited as they specialize in chicken. The Cornish hen was cooked perfectly with a great exterior crunch texture and a juicy interior. The place is nice and cozy and has a design shaped like a boat.

Jo Li

12 Jul 2025

My family and I visited on a Saturday around 12:30 p.m., and we were seated right away. Within about fifteen minutes, the restaurant quickly filled up, becoming lively and loud. Our food arrived in about 20 minutes. The portions were generous and the flavors were well-balanced. This restaurant specializes in chicken, so the menu is limited. A sign on the door states, "No pho served here."

Alvina Waseem

15 Jun 2025

Sooo yummy! I got the noodle one and it was a great portion and great taste. Be careful with the chili sauce on the table, it is very spicy! Would love to come back. I went on a Friday and there were only 2 people working the front area, one in the front kitchen and the other juggling waitress duties alone as well as helping in the kitchen. I felt stressed watching them and hope that the restaurant can hire more servers, especially given how expensive the food is!

Jorge Gonzalez

08 Jun 2025

This is a gem of a restaurant! Not your run of the Vietnamese pho and vermicelli spots, this place offers unique dishes. We tried the Com ga mam toi(comes with turmeric rice, salad and broth) and the mi tron(comes with "dry" peanut sauce noodles and broth) and had to get an order of the pandan waffles. The garlicky lightly fried Cornish hen was amazing, juicy sweet, and perfectly crispy. The rice and noodles both were delicious as well and the accompanied broth was well balanced and seasoned which felt like the cherry on top of an already loaded dish. The real showstopper was the panda waffles. O. M. G. this is destination food!!! Easily one of the top five things to eat in Seattle. The kinda thing when friends come in visit i will take them straight here. They were light and fluffy on the inside with perfect crispy buttery exterior. And the coconut cream sauce was another unexpectedly amazing thing to add to these waffles with a sweet but slight salty touch that pairs just right with waffles. I'm literally drooling writing this! If visiting Seattle... YOU HAVE TO EAT HERE!

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