Ivar's Acres of Clams
Best Seafood Institution in Seattle · WA
Keep clam. Since 1938.
Ivar's Acres of Clams has anchored Seattle's Pier 54 since 1938, when folk singer and showman Ivar Haglund opened a fish-and-chips stand beside his aquarium and started a Northwest institution. "Keep Clam" became the city's favorite pun, and the chowder and fried fish became waterfront staples.
Nearly a century later, generations of Seattleites and visitors still line up on the pier — making Ivar's the 2025 Centurion Award winner in Seattle.
What they're known for
- Fish 'n chips
- World-famous clam chowder
- Alder-grilled wild salmon
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Selection follows the published criteria; Ivar's Acres of Clams met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Seattle since 1938 — 88 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Seattle.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Seattle has kept Ivar's Acres of Clams busy for 88 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Seattle regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best seafood institution in Seattle for 2025 for nearly 90 years of clam chowder and fish and chips on the working waterfront.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
The details, verified.
- Legal / trading name
- Ivar's Acres of Clams
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1938, Seattle, WA
- Founders
- Ivar Haglund
- Location
- 1001 Alaskan Way, Pier 54, Seattle, WA 98104
- Centurion Award
- Best Seafood Institution in Seattle — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
Frequently asked questions.
What is Ivar's Acres of Clams?
Waterfront seafood institution founded by Ivar Haglund in 1938, famous for clam chowder, fish bars, and the motto 'Keep Clam.'
Is Ivar's Acres of Clams award-winning?
Yes — Ivar's Acres of Clams is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Seafood Institution in Seattle, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best seafood institution in Seattle for 2025 for nearly 90 years of clam chowder and fish and chips on the working waterfront.
Where is Ivar's Acres of Clams?
Ivar's Acres of Clams is in Seattle, WA.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Seafood Institution in Seattle Seattle, WA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Ivar's Acres of Clams
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Ivar's Acres of Clams (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear.
Own this business? Claim the listing for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.