Kingfisher
By Jeff Fraga
Photos by Dinah Satterwhite
On Bainbridge Island, chef Brendan McGill is rethinking what it means to run a restaurant—and what diners really want when they sit down to eat.
After 16 years of refined, farm-and-sea-to-table dining at Hitchcock and Seabird, McGill faced a reality reshaping restaurants everywhere: rising costs and a fine-dining model that no longer added up. So, he closed, rebuilt and reopened as Kingfisher—a relaxed, wood-fired dinner house designed for how people eat today.
The new menu reflects that shift. Oysters and crudos share space with roast chicken, dry-aged steaks, burgers and café fare. It’s polished but approachable, built for both drop-in meals and date nights.
“If you really care about hospitality,” McGill said, “you have to take care of people’s everyday meals too.”
Still, he hasn’t let go of what made his earlier work special. On Sundays, Kingfisher transforms into a Supper Club: two long communal tables, up to 32 guests, and a multi-course meal that feels more like a dinner party than a night out.
The format is intentional—ticketed to reduce no-shows, structured to encourage conversation and rooted in the sense of connection that first defined his restaurants.
For McGill, the future isn’t about abandoning fine dining. It’s about balance—creating a place where everyday meals sustain the business and where special experiences still have room to shine.
Kingfisher, 113 Winslow Way E., 206-201-3789
