It’s hard to miss The Boat. She’s iconic. A pink boat-shaped building in the heart of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District, right by its sister restaurant Pho Bac Sup Shop. The Boat is a beloved beacon of the city’s thriving Vietnamese food scene, and focused on one perfected dish — cơm gà mắm tỏi, a garlic-fried Cornish hen served with fragrant chicken broth rice — with a few variations (with Maggi seasoned dry noodles or soup noodles). And what more could you possibly need?
The Boat is a deeply satisfying experience. The atmosphere is welcoming and unpretentious, the casual authenticity of a family restaurant. This one, run by the second generation of the Pham family who had a vision for the wonderfully weird boat structure. Inside, the comforting fragrance of garlic and chicken broth easing you in. It’s deceivingly simple, but complex in taste and execution. Appealing the first time or the hun
the details
| Address | 1314 S Jackson St, Seattle |
| Website | https://www.thephobac.com/the-boat-chicken-rice-shop/ |
| Yelp | https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-boat-seattle |
| @theboatseattle | |
| Hours | 11am – 9pm every day, closed Wednesdays |
| Price | $$ – about $20, and a generous enough portion to share if you get extra rice or noodles |
| Aesthetic | no frills charm in a quaint, nostalgic, whimsical way |
good to know
Go here for: a casual lunch or dinner of fast comfort food
Order this: there’s only one thing on the menu: half a cornish hen, crisply fried garlic, chicken broth and fragrant rice or noodles; and save room for dessert, also one choice: the bánh kẹp (a choice of vietnamese waffle flavors with coconut cream)
Amount of time to spend: 30 minutes to an hour for a casual meal
When to come: avoid peak lunch and dinner hours, particularly on the weekends, but afternoons and weekday lunches are pretty chill
Getting here: across the street from the 12th & Jackson light rail station, there’s a parking lot adjacent that is often full, but there’s usually plenty of meters in the streets nearby
Other things to note:
- There’s a slight discount for using cash.
- Walk ins only!
Last visited: August 2024
Last updated: May 2025