As China Harbor Restaurant closes, a new swim school opens

SEATTLE - After three decades of serving dim sum and Cantonese-style dishes, China Harbor restaurant is flipping the closed sign for good on Sunday night, September 29.

Dozens of people lined up and waited patiently to dine at China Harbor one last time. Chris Neel was among them.

"I used to come here a lot for lunch, it was the best view in town," Neel said.

Seattle’s China Harbor Restaurant, known for its authentic Chinese cuisine and breathtaking views of Lake Union, will permanently close its doors at the end of September. ( Earnie G. via Yelp)

After 30 years, the staff at China Harbor restaurant told FOX 13, they will serve their last customer Sunday night. In a letter on Facebook, the owners who took over the Seattle staple five years ago said labor shortages and inflation were among some of the reasons behind their decision to close.

"It’s pretty nostalgic, there’s a lot of history for me," Neel said. As one business closes though, another open. If you swim around the corner, just below China Harbor restaurant, you’ll find the Lake Union Swim Academy. It’s in the building that is also known as China Harbor.

"The building is called China Harbor, just like the marina associated with the building is part of China Harbor, but the restaurant is also called China Harbor so there is some confusion about what’s closing, what’s opening," Matthew Jensen, owner of the Lake Union Swim Academy said.

He told FOX 13, the previous swim school was there for more than 35 years, but it closed during the pandemic, and he’s now rebuilt it. The Lake Union Swim Academy opened last week and comes at a time when there aren’t many swim schools in the area.

"Most parents are on a waitlist for over a year to get their child into swim lessons," Jensen said. "A pool like this is really important for parents to get their kids in the water and make them comfortable for safety and recreation."

The China Harbor building is home to the restaurant, swim school, as well as an event space and different offices and businesses.