How many restaurants are there in Seattle's busiest areas?
We counted 818 restaurants within 1 km of the centres of 10 Seattle areas. Downtown is the most crowded at 70.0 per km²; Georgetown is the least, at 4.8.
Mapped
818
in 10 areas
Busiest area
70.0/km²
Downtown
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Restaurants by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown4.3★ average | 22070.0/km² | 70.0 | 4.3★ | INTENSE |
| Capitol Hill4.4★ average | 15950.6/km² | 50.6 | 4.4★ | INTENSE |
| South Lake Union4.3★ average | 10633.7/km² | 33.7 | 4.3★ | HIGH |
| University District4.4★ average | 9329.6/km² | 29.6 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| Ballard4.5★ average | 7724.5/km² | 24.5 | 4.5★ | HIGH |
| Fremont4.5★ average | 6119.4/km² | 19.4 | 4.5★ | HIGH |
| West Seattle4.4★ average | 4113.1/km² | 13.1 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Columbia City4.5★ average | 268.3/km² | 8.3 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Queen Anne4.5★ average | 206.4/km² | 6.4 | 4.5★ | MODERATE |
| Georgetown4.4★ average | 154.8/km² | 4.8 | 4.4★ | LOW |
Where is it least crowded?
- GeorgetownLOW
15 restaurants within 1 km (4.8 per km²), averaging 4.4★.
- Queen AnneMODERATE
20 restaurants within 1 km (6.4 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
- Columbia CityMODERATE
26 restaurants within 1 km (8.3 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
Fewer restaurants is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 818 restaurants in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up346 (42%)
- 4.0 to 4.4374 (46%)
- 3.5 to 3.955 (7%)
- Below 3.512 (1%)
- Under 10 reviews31 (4%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- Evergreens3 outlets · 1 area
- Shawarma King2 outlets · 1 area
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Questions
Is Seattle saturated with restaurants?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 4.8 per km² in Georgetown to 70.0 per km² in Downtown. 6 of the 10 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Seattle area has the most restaurants?
Downtown, with 220 within 1 km of its centre (70.0 per km²). Next come Capitol Hill (159) and South Lake Union (106).
What is the average rating of restaurants in Seattle?
4.4 out of 5, across the 787 restaurants with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Columbia City (4.5), the lowest South Lake Union (4.3).
Which restaurant chains are most common in Seattle?
In the areas we mapped: Evergreens (3 outlets in 1 area), Shawarma King (2 outlets in 1 area).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every restaurant on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Seattle.