If you ask the Waterfront
Seafood Grill’s own Chris Sparkman what makes Seattle’s
Pier 70 spot so special, he’ll tell you it’s the people.
Naturally, he’s referring to the guests, but perhaps more importantly,
he’s also speaking about his staff. “They’ve got to
have fire in their belly,” he explains enthusiastically, “otherwise,
they may as well just stay out of the kitchen, so to speak.”
A
consummate gentleman hailing from Tennessee who has worked with top-tier
pros like Emeril Lagasse, Sparkman has always been a stickler for impeccable
service. That means the whole robotic auto-pilot approach just doesn’t
cut it in his restaurant. “Our exchange with the guests has to
be meaningful. I’m very particular about that. For us, it really
is all about connecting with every person that comes in here.”
 At
Waterfront, you’ll find delicious food and great wine—everything
that the Mackay family of restaurants is known for—but you may
also discover an unexpected element of good, old-fashioned Southern hospitality,
a rare and cherished find here in the Northwest. It manifests itself
in all sorts of warm ways, from thoughtfully posed questions (after which
guests are given time to answer and intently listened to when they do),
to genuine smiles and eye contact. Sparkman understands that when it
comes to providing unparalleled service for diners, it’s the little
things make the Waterfront experience stand out from the rest. Here,
they make it seem like second-nature. And, frankly, Sparkman wouldn’t
want it any other way.
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