nwflyboy

What he said.

Things to note:

It rains a lot here during half the year. We often get really, really miserable hard sideways day-long deluges in November. Maybe you'l get lucky, but don't count on it. If it's really crappy outside, and it often is at that time of year, I would not want to be wandering the streets. Settle on a nice, dry, warm place and relax. If you're British (and I think you are), you should have some sense about that kind of weather.

About Ivars and the waterfront: Fuggedaboudit. First, while their fish & chips are OK (by local standards), it's basic deep fried stuff, cheap and heavy. Fine as far as it goes, but it's more of a local institution (old cute TV commercials) than great food. But that's besides the point: the morons who run the city have completely torn up the waterfront to remake it for the Disney cruise ship crowds, and I believe Ivars is actually closed for a few years. In any case, while it might be a pleasant way to kill a little time on a nice August day, there is absolutely no reason to go to the waterfront in November, given what will probably be the wet weather and your limited time.

On a cold, wet, gray November day, Seattle can be a pretty scummy looking place, despite all its pretensions. If it were me, I'd head for someplace warm, dry and with good food (like Los Angeles...). Closer to home, the Triple Door isn't a bad recommendation. I'm not sure the trip out to Magnolia (a mostly residential neighborhood) is worth it. Plenty of decent food options closer to the center.