A Guide For Visitors -- Places To Visit, Things To Do During Your Stay In Seattle

EATING OUT

Here are some restaurants within a short drive of various Goodwill Games venues. They are recommended by Seattle Times restaurant reviewer John Hinterberger and other Times staffers as alternatives to fast-food franchises. Prices are estimated for typical single meals without alcoholic beverages: inexpensive, to $10; moderate, to $25; expensive, to $40; very expensive, over $40.

SHILSHOLE MARINA

Anthony's Homeport, Shilshole marina (also Kirkland, Edmonds, Des Moines). A local seafood chain that not only grew in numbers, but in sophistication and quality. Try the Columbia River red kings, the crab cakes and the ``To Die For Double Chocolate Cake.'' Reservations: 783-0780. Moderate to expensive.

Ray's Boathouse, 6049 Seaview Ave. N.W. (Ballard). A Seattle institution dating to a bait-house lunch and breakfast spot from the 1950s; now a must-stop for visiting international chefs and food writers. Outstanding salmon and black cod. Moderate to expensive. 789-3770.

Burk's Cafe, 5411 Ballard Ave. N.W. Creole and Cajun. Closed Sunday, Monday. A roughly humble, Northwest version of a back-country Louisiana eatery that's a pleasant mix of down-home informality and Southern American authenticity. There isn't a bland dish in the house. The Dungeness Crab File Gumbo is a favorite, as are the Shrimp Creole and the Shrimp Etouffee. No reservations. Information: 782-0091. Inexpensive to moderate.

NEAR UW

La Dolce Vita, 3426 N.E. 55th St. An upscale (and impressive) spinoff from Salute! four doors east of the crowded Ravenna favorite. Eleven pastas (the cannelloni is first-rate) and several appealing veal choices. Pasta e fagiole at lunch. Espresso creme caramel! Get back in line. Reservations: 523-3313. Moderate to expensive.

Queen Mary, 2912 N.E. 55th St. Tearoom, with breakfasts, lunch, high tea and dinners, with a distinctly British accent. Good meat pies and pasties, excellent crab cakes and desserts. No reservations: 527-2770. Inexpensive.

Tandoor Restaurant, 5024 University Way N.E. Lively Indian specialties, with bracing Lamb Vindaloo, mellow Butter Chicken and better than usual samosas, pakoras, kababs, tikkas and papadams. Try the Murgh Tikka Masala. Tell the waiter: hot, but not crazy. 523-7477. Inexpensive to moderate.

Atlantic Street Pizza, 5253 University Way N.E. Is this the definitive Seattle pizza? Maybe not, but these hearty, semi-deep-dish pies with origins traceable to the Rainier Valley-Garlic Gulch days are well worth a visit or a call for delivery. 524-4432 or 524-4615. Inexpensive.

Ave! Al Ristorante Italiano, 4743 University Way N.E. Dinner every day, lunch Monday-Friday. Pastas are given rich southern Italian treatments; nightly specials are all reliable (and I recall a particularly fine Veal Piccata); the fresh mozzarella-tomato-basil appetizer is superb, lightly drizzled over with olive oil. Individual dinner pizzas ($5 to $7) are possibly the best in the city. Reservations: 527-9830. Moderate.

Axum Ethiopian Restaurant, 4142 Brooklyn Ave. N.E. Lunch and dinner daily except Sunday. Warm, congenial, serving authentic (sometime fiery) ethnic dishes in the customary way, with injera, unleavened pan bread. The bread is used as both a base for the food and as a scoop to lift it with. 547-6848. Inexpensive to moderate.

The Chile Pepper, 5000 University Way, N.E. Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday. No credit cards. Nonsmoking restaurant. One of Seattle's few restaurants with authentic links to regional Mexican food styles. Based on the techniques and ingredients of Guanajuato. Sauces are dark and intriguing, instead of the uniform bland orange-red sauces that swamp most Tex-Mex cooking here. The best Chile Relleno in the area. 526-5004. Inexpensive.

Il Paesano Ristorante Italiano-Pizzeria, 5628 University Way, N.E. Dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. No lunch. It's a converted University District house with the feel of a small town taverna or a provincial bistro. The hand-tossed individual pizzas are excellent ($5.75 to $7.50); the No. 3 features the outstanding Italian sausages of the Cascioppo Brothers in Ballard. 526-0949. Inexpensive to moderate.

NEAR SEATTLE CENTER

The Space Needle Restaurant, Seattle Center. It's the city's ultimate tourist experience. But no mortal kitchen can match the view, and this is the most heavily stressed kitchen in Seattle. Owners have put renewed emphasis into elevating food quality to the highest levels (about 620 feet to start out with). But on a busy summer night you may encounter the dinner of a lifetime or merely a knockout view with earnest but hassled service. 443-2100. Very expensive.

Le Tastevin, 19 W. Harrison St. One of Seattle's best - and most durable - French restaurants, Le Tastevin has a terrace-like atmosphere along the west, Elliott Bay-facing side of the dining rooms, and a more cozy feeling on the inner, upper levels. Wood-block floors and rough-sawn cedar walls lend a distinct Northwest flavor to the surroundings, but the menu, despites its Northwest acknowledgements, is firmly rooted in French classical traditions. 283-0991. Expensive.

Adriatica, 1107 Dexter Ave. N. Closed Mondays. Italian-Greek-Yugoslavian. The Adriatica's combination of ethnic cuisines is undeniably uncommon - Greek, Yugoslavian, Italian - but not all that improbable. For more than a decade this hillside restaurant in an extensively rebuilt former residence overlooking Lake Union from Queen Anne Hill has built up a devoted clientele that figures if the dish is from anywhere near the Adriatic, it's good enough for them - and probably wonderful. 285-5000. Moderate to expensive.

Duke's ChowderHouse and Outrageous Canoe Club, 901 Fairview Ave. N., Chandler's Cove, Lake Union. The menu is fairly limited: sandwiches, burgers, pasta, salads and a couple of fresh seafood specialties daily. The sandwiches and burgers, however, are exemplary, the salads (especially the full-sized ones) are impressive, pastas are freshly made, and desserts are compelling; especially a dark, dense concoction called Death by Chocolate. All items, incidentally, are available to go. No reservations taken: 382-9963. Inexpensive.

Benjamin's on Lake Union, 809 Fairview Place N. Lunch Monday through Saturday; dinner daily. Excellent seafood salads, but you'd never mistake it for a fish house. The Italian specials like Spaghetti Benjamin's (made with Frank Isernio's custom sausages) are satisfying, but this is no pasta haven, either. A good place for a drink, some eye-popping singles action, and some very reliable entrees by a highly professional - but not necessarily inspired - kitchen. 621-9963. Moderate.

Kamon on Lake Union, 1177 Fairview Ave. N. Japanese-American, lunch Monday through Friday. Dinner daily. Sunday brunch. It's architecturally - and in interior design - one of the most appealing structures on the lake. A highly competent Japanese restaurant, with an outstanding sushi bar - try the Chirashi-Zushi bowl for a comprehensive introduction, about $11 - and a Teppanyaki dining room, with a fine waterside view. 622-4665. Moderate to expensive.

NEAR SEATTLE U.

TestaRossa, 210 Broadway E. This stuffed pizza restaurant makes some of the most unusual and flavorful pizzas in the Northwest - but they are far from being Neapolitan or Roman classics. They may be the ultimate in designer pizzas. Reservations and takeout: 328-0878.

Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, 605 15th Ave. E. Lunch Monday through Friday. Dinner nightly. A North African lounge and restaurant where the belly dancers alone are worth a visit; it's an ornate ethnic oasis in a lively, multi-cultured (some might say counter-culture) urban neighborhood. The multi-course dinners are copious, spicy, exotic and fun. The dinners begin with Harira Marrakshia (an aromatic tomato-lentil soup) followed by cubes of Morrocan bread and a shared salad of tomatoes, celery, romaine, cucumber and marinated eggplant. Bastela Royale comes next; it's hot shredded chicken breast in layers of phyllo, with egg, almonds and cinnamon. A choice of main courses follows; the various couscous are fine; the Tenderloin of Leg of Lamb Kebabs (dusted with cumin and coriander before grilling) are possibly the best in Seattle. Try also the Braised Hare Paprika or the Lamb M'Rousia. 328-4577. Inexpensive to moderate.

Catfish Corner, 2726 E. Cherry St. Southern, farm-raised catfish in traditional cornmeal dip actually taste better than free-run (free-swim?) river catfish. Great hot wings, cornmeal muffins, good burgers and soul-warming ``Auntie's Peach Cobbler.'' 323-4330. Inexpensive.

R & L Home of Good Barbecue, 1816 E. Yesler Way. Lunch, dinner and takeout. Closed Sunday and Monday. No credit cards. Has endured and prospered longer and better than at least 95 percent of the restaurants in the city. Ribs are splendid, but the brisket may be even better; falling-apart tender, yet still moist and juicy, and a deep red-pink throughout. The two sauces, regular and hot, are frequently ordered blended half and half by regulars. Beer is served chillingly cold in mugs shaped like Mason jars. A certain amount of wry funk livens the decor. One of Seattle's special centers of unabashed hospitalty. Information and takeout: 322-0271. Inexpensive.

REDMOND

El Toreador, 7845 Leary Way. A cheery family-owned Mexican restaurant, going strong after 11 years. Excellent Enchiladas de Mole Poblano, and a knock-out Salsa Verde. Fine Margaritas. Massive nachos called ``The Executioner.'' Fair warning. No reservations Friday, Saturday nights, except for large groups. 883-7570. Inexpensive to moderate.

La Flambee, 16150 N.E. 85th St. An imaginative and lively blend of regional, continental and North African specialties by Ali Chalal, one of Seattle's top French-Algerian chefs. Small, cheerful, lace curtains, fresh flowers and fresh ideas. Wonderful couscous. 869-5559. Moderate to expensive.

MOUNT BAKER

Khanh's Garden, 2215 Rainier Avenue S. Vietnamese, great pho, a giant meal-sized bowl of soup consisting of rice or egg noodles, pork, crab shrimp, and bean sprouts in various combinations. Also good egg rolls and spring rolls, stir-frys, etc. 323-2277. Inexpensive.

Leschi Lakecafe, 102 Lakeside Ave. On Lake Washington Boulevard in Leschi. Good breakfasts, good fish 'n' chips at Koby's takeout window, nice outdoor dining-and-drinking area, salads, fries and chicken burgers. 328-2233. Moderate.

Mount Baker's Dozen, 3601 S. McClellan. An espresso/bakery cafe with great baked goods, espresso and other beverages, quiche, salads, desserts and sandwiches. Very informal, great atmosphere. 725-3654. Inexpensive.

FEDERAL WAY

Cafe Pacific, 31205 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way. Very classy, sophisticated but casual outpost of Northwest regional cooking tucked away in an urban blight of chain-food and franchise operations. Chef John Hatcher does especially fine work with seafood. Two fresh sheets a day. 839-7303. Inexpensive to moderate.

Ristorante Giancarlo, 4624 S.W. 320th St. A new restaurant in a convenience-store mini-mall, Giancarlo's offers gourmet pizza that smells as good as it tastes, as well as pastas, veal, chicken, fish and steak. Beware: unless you have the appetite of a Goodwill Games athlete, the ``small'' pizza is plenty big enough for two. Also carry-out. Sidewalk alfresco dining is an option if you don't mind the parking-lot ambiance. 1-838-1101, 1-927-1510. Inexpensive to moderate.

Rose's Hi-Way Inn, 26915 Pacific Highway S. Closed Monday. No credit cards. Nothing fancy except 50 years of food and families and roadside history. Start with nibblies of cut carrots and celery and cellophaned crackers, progress to either a cup of soup or a fruit cocktail appetizer, hot Southern biscuits and a jar of strawberry jam. The old-fashioned, pan-fried chicken is served in outlandishly huge portions and it is excellent; a choice of French fries or mashed potatoes (take the fries) is offered, and - oddly enough - few other vegetables. One interesting combination is the half-fried chicken and half chicken livers plate. 1-839-7277. Inexpensive to moderate.

TACOMA

Downtown

Pacific Rim, 110 S. Ninth, lunch and dinner. A new restaurant in a restored old building, its menu is not Asian, as the name implies, but eclectic. It offers well-prepared food, in often unusual and adventuresome combinations. Elegant and sophisticated. This is either an Oasis in the Wasteland or Invasion of the Yuppie Scum, depending on your point of view. Service can be slow. 1-272-5057. Moderate to expensive.

Tacoma Bar and Grill, 625 Commerce St., lunch and dinner. Limited but interesting menu; dinner offerings change often. Pleasing atmosphere in Old City Hall, the long-ago seat of local government. 1-572-4861. Inexpensive to moderate.

Fujiya, 1125 Court C, lunch and dinner. Excellent sushi bar; standard Japanese menu. Service fast and friendly. Really crowded at lunch because of all the office workers, but more relaxed at dinner. 1-627-5319. Inexpensive to moderate.

North Tacoma

Engine House No. 9, 611 N. Pine, lunch and dinner. A neighborhood tavern and friendly gathering place with good sandwiches, salads and homemade soups. The building was once a fire station, and relics of its history remain. Especially noted for its selection of beers, Engine House is the place to sample Northwest microbrews. 1-272-3435. Inexpensive.

South Tacoma

Moctezuma's, 4102 S. 56th, lunch and dinner. Moc's, as it is known, began as a small storefront restaurant in a working class neighborhood, where it drew such crowds that diners got used to eating in front of folks standing in the doorways, hovering. So a couple of years ago the owner opened a much larger, grander location a few blocks away and now that, too, is bustling. 1-474-5593. Inexpensive.

Waterfront

Katie Downs, 3211 Ruston Way, lunch and dinner daily. Casual eatery on the Ruston Way waterfront is always popular, but packed when it's sunny, especially on the deck. The thick-crust pizza has many devotees and the clams, served with a cup of nectar, and tasty fish and chips are good bets, too. Burgers and salads also. 1-756-0771. Inexpensive.

Lobster Shop South, 4013 Ruston Way. Dinner, Sunday brunch. Just down the road from Katie Downs but worlds apart. Fine seafood in a rather elegant atmosphere with a sweeping view. Daily fresh sheet. 1-759-2165.

Its parent, the original Lobster Shop, 6912 Soundview Dr. N.E., is located at the Dash Point dock, just a couple of miles outside the city limits. Much smaller, more intimate in feeling, with a similar but less extensive menu. 1-927-1513. Moderate to expensive.

ENUMCLAW

Mazatlan, 951 Roosevelt, lunch and dinner. Good Mexican food that seems to taste especially delicious on the way home from a day of skiing at Crystal Mountain. Mariachi band plays 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays. 1-825-3544. Inexpensive.

Baumgartner's Deli, 1008 Roosevelt E. Good pastries and sandwiches. 1-825-1067. Inexpensive.

Naches Tavern, on Highway 410 in Greenwater. True, it's a 17-mile drive east from Enumclaw, but it's on the way to Mount Rainier, and would be worth a detour for the atmosphere alone. With its slouchy sofa in front of the fireplace, the Naches is more like a funky family room than a public eating and drinking establishment. But the homemade soup, burgers and pizza are satisfying, too. 1-663-2267. Inexpensive.

TEMPO

goodwill games

Robert Julian is the singing bartender at Jake O'Shaughnessey's, which has one of the best-stocked bars in town.

LIFE AT NIGHT

Seattle night life is varied and widespread, with rock, jazz, folk and piano bars downtown, in neighborhoods and suburbs, and on the other side of Lake Washington in Bellevue and Kirkland. But the heart of Seattle night life is the historic Pioneer Square area, where about 20 nightspots are within blocks of one another. A brief look:

Downtown

The Camlin Hotel Cloud Room (1619 Ninth Ave.; 682-0100). One of the best views in town from excellent restaurants and a cozy bar, with piano music. A lovely outside terrace.

George's Bar & Grill (1901 Fourth Ave.; 622-5631). Greek music and belly dancing with Zaphara and Shaleena.

Dimitriou's Jazz Alley (Sixth Avenue and Lenora; 441-9729). It has a large dining room with excellent sound and sight lines; credible (but expensive) Mediterranean/Italian food. Elegant atmosphere supports the mainstream acts.

The Mirabeau (Seattle-First National Bank Building; 624-4550). A busy French Restaurant with a surprisingly nonbusy little bar at the top of one of the city's tallest buildings. Intimate surroundings, great views. No cover.

Cafe Felipe (303 Occidental Ave. S.; 622-1619). A flameco show to click your castenets, but watch - out patrons are waylaid onto the dance floor to join in the fun. No cover.

The Celebrity Bar & Grill (315 Second Ave. S.; 476-1111). The hottest disco in town - Seattle's version of Studio 54. Lines form most nights. Good bar, good music, good-looking people. Lots of flash.

The Central Tavern (207 First Ave. S.; 622-0209). A longtime landmark, and it looks it. The bar feels like the Old West but the entertainment is the latest in rock. Cover charge.

The Comedy Underground at Swannie's (222 S. Main St.; 628-0303). Seattle's major comedy club, located in the brick-walled basement of a rowdy sports bar. Name comics (Harry Anderson, Franklin Ajaye, Elaine Boosler, Dana Carvey) Wednesday through Sunday; top locals Monday and Tuesday. Cover charge.

Doc Maynard's (620 First Ave.; 682-4649). Friendliest place on Pioneer Square, with live rock for dancing and huge crowds of mostly young people. Cover charge.

F.X. McRory's Steak, Chop & Oyster House (First Avenue and Occidental Street; 623-4800). Across from Kingdome, it has a well-stocked bar. A favorite of sports fans. Features sample sizes of spirits and beers. Check out the Leroy Neiman mural.

Hollywood Underground (323 Second Ave. S.; 443-0496). Seattle's funk headquarters with lively recorded music. Cover charge.

The J & M Cafe (201 First Ave. S.; 624-1670). Old Seattle with a young clientele. Well-preserved turn-of-the-century place that hums with activity every night. Duke Wayne hung out here when he was in town.

Kells (1916 Post Alley, Pike Place Market; 682-1398). Authentic Irish pub with Irish food, drink and music. Even the staff's Irish accents are real. No cover.

New Orleans Restaurant (81 Yesler Way; 622-2563). Cool mainstream jazz to go with hot, spicy food. Cover charge.

Old Timer's Cafe (620 First Ave.; 623-9800). The place where Bruce Springsteen jammed the last time he was in town. Rock and blues and two long bars. Cover charge.

The Pink Door (1919 Post Alley; 682-3241). A hip hideaway in the Pike Place Market, with modern decor and modern patrons. Jazz and cabaret. No cover.

The Vogue (2018 First Ave.; 443-0673). Step into the future in this kinetic video bar, with TV screens, mirrors, soft neon and pulsating music. Lots of black. Lots of leather. Cover charge.

Seattle Center Area

Duke's Bar & Grill (236 First Ave. W.; 283-4400). Friendly gathering place popular with young people who live or work in the Queen Anne Hill area.

Jake O'Shaughnessey's (100 Mercer St.; 285-1897). Best-stocked bar in town. Specializes in Irish Coffee and Irish melodies sung by bartender Robert Julian. Always a convivial crowd.

The Space Needle (Seattle Center; 443-2100). A must-see for every visitor, with an observation deck and the famous revolving restaurant. There is a $3.50 elevator charge, except for those dining in the restaurant.

University District

Unicorn Restaurant (4550 University Way N.E.; 634-1115). English-Style spot with acoustic folk music. No cover.

University Bistro (4135 University Way N.E.; 547-8010). Eclectic entertainment seven nights a week, with rock, folk, jazz and singer-songwriters.

Ballard

The Backstage (2208 N.W. Market St.; 789-1184). Large, popular basement spot that converts from concert to dance hall in a flash. Features light rock, jazz, blues and name folk acts. Dinner available; no hard drinks.

Owl Cafe (5140 Ballard Ave. N.W.; 784-3640). A good bet for blues. A cozy neighborhood tavern with comfy seats, a small dance floor, deli sandwiches and beer.

MOVIE THEATERS

Seattle's national reputation as a great movie town goes back to the 1970s, when successful art houses drew attention to such sleeper hits as ``The Black Stallion'' and ``King of Hearts,'' and the Seattle International Film Festival was launched.

But Seattle is also special because of the physical quality of its theaters, one of which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. Some of the most successful houses were not designed as movie theaters at all, but added screens, projection booths and popcorn machines in recent years.

Here are some of the best the city has to offer:

Bay (2044 N.W. Market; 782-7100): This homey, family-oriented theater in Ballard has been operating continuously for three-quarters of a century. It still shows mostly G-rated fare, including the latest Disney releases.

Cinerama (2100 Fourth Ave.; 443-0808): Built in the early 1960s, this is one of the few big single-screen houses left in town, and still the most luxurious place to watch curved-screen, Dolby-stereo presentations.

Eames/Imax Theater (Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Ave. N.; 443-IMAX): Seattle Center's super-70-millimeter house opened in the late 1970s in the Pacific Science Center. It features daily matinees of the latest Imax productions.

Egyptian (805 E. Pine; 323-4978): The annual home of the Seattle International Film Festival is actually a remodeled Masonic Auditorium that first opened its doors to moviegoers a decade ago.

Harvard Exit (807 E. Roy; 323-8986): The main attraction of this Capitol Hill theater, which started life as the Women's Century Club, is the large and inviting lobby, complete with piano, sofas and fireplace.

Market (1428 Post Alley; 382-1171): Built in the late 1970s, this small, funky Pike Place Market theater has its entrance on Post Alley.

Metro Cinemas (4500 Ninth Ave. N.E.; 633-0055): The selection of films at the two-year-old 10-plex offers the widest range of programming in the city.

Neptune (1303 N.E. 45th; 633-5545): The programs change daily at Seattle's only revival house, a charmingly remodeled older theater near the University of Washington.

Omnidome (Pier 59; 622-1868): The theater with the wraparound screen is part of the Aquarium building on Pier 59. It features daily matinees of Imax movies.

Seven Gables. (911 N.E. 50th; 632-8820): Formerly a Legionnaires' Hall, this popular, cozy art house also has a large lobby that makes moviegoers feel at home while they're waiting for the next show.

THINGS TO DO

Ideas on places to visit and things to see in Seattle:

Woodland Park Zoo/Green Lake: A couple miles north of downtown, the zoo has a lifelike tropical forest, African savanna and family farm (625-2244, $3). The nearby lake has a 2.5-mile path for walking, jogging or renting a bike or skates. Good eateries, bathing beaches and boat rentals.

Pacific Science Center: 200 Second Ave. N., in Seattle Center. The emphasis is on hands-on exhibits, films and touring shows, laser rock shows (Laser Hotline 443-2850). It's open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $2-$3.50. 443-2001.

Tours: Rainier Brewery (311 Airport way S., 622-6606) offers tours and tastings; Chateau Ste. Michelle (14111 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, 488-7733) is a winery set amid rolling farms and carefully tended grounds. Tillicum Tours (329-5700) has boat rides to Blake Island that include an Indian salmon bake and native dancing. Gray Line (343-2000) offers three-hour narrated bus tours of the city; Seattle Harbor Tours (623-1445) does the tour by water.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

-- During the Goodwill Games, Consolidated Restaurants is offering multi-lingual menus (Russian, Japanese, French, German and Spanish) at their several restaurants:

-- Hiram's At-the-Locks, 5300 34th Ave. N.W. (784-1733).

-- Metropolitan Grill, 820 Second Ave. (624-3287).

-- Steamer's Seafood Cafe, Pier 56, 1200 Alaskan Way (623-2066); Pier 59, 1500 Alaskan Way (624-0312); Seattle Center, 313 Harrison St. (728-2228); and Bellevue Square (453-6009).

-- Elliott's Oyster House, Pier 56 (623-4340).