Gig Harbor diners will soon have a new option for chowder and fish and chips: Ivar’s is opening a Seafood Bar in the Uptown Gig Harbor complex, with an anticipated February 2026 launch, Gig Harbor Now reported this week.
The Seattle-based chain signed a lease in November for the former Lunchbox Laboratory space at 4901 Point Fosdick Dr.
According to Ivar’s President Bob Donegan, the expansion has been a long time coming.
“We’ve looked at Gig Harbor for 15 years,” he said in the Gig Harbor Now article. “We’ve seen every 2,000-square-foot space that’s come available. … We’re happy this one finally came up.”
Unlike Ivar’s full-service waterfront restaurants in Seattle and Mukilteo, the Seafood Bar offers a fast-casual experience. The company currently operates 18 such locations, including nearby sites in Tacoma and Lakewood. Menus differ slightly by location, but staples like fish and chips and the brand’s well-loved clam chowder remain constants.
For the Uptown site, Ivar’s expects to hire about a dozen employees, with management positions currently posted online.
The former Lunchbox Laboratory space provides more room than many of the chain’s other fast-casual sites, with around 80 indoor seats and an additional 40 outdoors during the summer months. Donegan said in the Gig Harbor Now article that the larger footprint could allow for an expanded menu, potentially featuring items from Ivar’s Kidd Valley brand.
Uptown’s proximity to Highway 16 and steady traffic along Point Fosdick Drive, combined with established neighbors like Safeway and Kohl’s, made it an attractive choice.
