Bizzarro Italian Cafe
Recommended by: I went back to work after lunch at Pasta Casalinga and mentioned it to my co-workers. We talked about Pasta Casalinga and I mentioned some of my other favorites like Tavolata and Il Corvo. A co-worker mentioned her favorite was Bizzarro Italian Café in Wallingford. We’d been there before, but it’s been so many years. A revisit is in order.
Description on the Bizzarro Italian Cafe’s website: Bizzarro has been a Seattle favorite since it opened in 1986 by original owner, chef and visual artist David Nast. He converted the building which was originally an auto workshop into his dream restaurant on a shoestring budget with a lot of hardwork, ingenuity, artistic inspiration and love.
Neighborhood/Type: Wallingford
Address: 61307 N 46th St, Seattle, WA 98103
What we ate/drank: Monday Night Meatball 5 juicy spicy meatballs tossed with spaghetti rustica pasta in our world famous marinara, Elk Bolognese- Wild Oregon Elk with fennel, thyme, Mama lil’s peppers and pork shoulder slowly simmered into a creamy ragu tossed with our handmade parpardelle ribbon pasta. Drunken Clams- Local manilla clams in spicy tomatoes with prosciutto, basil, shallots & ouzo. Chianti.
Bizzarro Italian Cafe has been in existence since 1986, but it’s one of those places that doesn’t consistently come to mind when thinking of Italian food for some reason. We have our regular Italian places like Tavolata Il Corvo and The Pink Door and our quaint neighborhood spots like Cantinetta, Salvatore and Serafina.
Our revisit to Bizzarro Italian Cafe is a good reminder to keep it as an option not only due to the good Italian food, but the one of a kind kitschy décor. It’s very apropos that it’s a few doors down from the King of Kitschy things, Archie McPhee.
According to Seattle Magazine, Bizzaro Italian Cafe was started by an artist, David Nast. And ownership/chefs has changed numerous times including Mike Easton who owns one of our favorites, Il Corvo . We did not know that.
Bizzaro Italian Café is a small intimate restaurant in the Wallingford area and as mentioned has been around for over 30 years.
Their claim to fame is a cell phone surcharge if you talk on your phone while everybody is trying to enjoy their meal.
If I remember correctly, I believe this surcharge was implemented in the early years of cell phone usage, where there was no texting or photo taking abilities. Who talks on their cell phone anymore?
For fun, if you want you can check out some of the irate customers who have been charged a surcharge and it appears they are not shy about it……
Cell Phone Charge! Source:Yelp
We went on a Monday evening thinking it wouldn’t be crowded, but we snagged the last open table and after that there were people waiting for seats.(Note: Bizzarro does not take reservations for parties less than 6).
If you do have to wait, they will take your number and they’ll call you when ready. You can either walk around Wallingford, go to Archie McPhee or get a drink at the Blue Star next door.
If you’ve never been to Bizzarro Italian Cafe, you’re in for a visual blast you’ve not seen anywhere else. There is literally something to see in every nook and cranny of the walls and ceilings in the entire restaurant(take a look at the pics).
There are quirky bits of memorabilia everywhere you look. You have so much for conversation starters, which makes it a fun place for first dates.
The tables are packed pretty tight and the with so many people in a tight spot, it can get quite loud.
First comes the bread with vinegar and olive oil. All entrees come with a salad and you can upgrade to a Ceasar’s salad if you wish.
We started off with the Drunken Clams which is a perfect match to slop up the sauce with the bread. The clams and bits of prosciutto were tasty, but the sauce is the star.
Our server offered to bring more bread when he saw we had extra sauce, but ran out of bread. We were tempted but didn’t want to fill ourselves up before our mains came and said he could take the sauce away. We shed a little tear as he took it.
Our entrees were the Elk Bolognese and their special of the night, Monday Spaghetti & Meatballs.
I’m a sucker for a ragu sauce and how often can you find elk on the menu. This is probably their most popular dish. I was expecting a bit of gamey, but there was none. One thing I loved about the dish is they are not chintzy on the meat.
Normally the meat to pasta ratio is decidedly heavy on the pasta side. This dish surprisingly was heavy on the elk side. This is a comforting dish to have on a cold night.
The Spaghetti & Meatballs is normally a mainstay on Sundays, but they happen to serve it on this Monday.
We may have gotten the last dish, because shortly after ordering it, one of the servers erased it from the chalkboard. The sauce was average, but the spicy meatballs(5 in all) were fabulous.
One small thing. I wish they would serve wine in a proper glass instead of a tumbler.
One of the secret side stories of Bizzarro Italian Cafe is a table in the back area it’s situated right next to a massive pole and has a chalkboard sign that claims to be the “Best Table in The House”. We think it’s a tongue in cheek title since it’s situated next to a massive pole. Sorta like these seats….
You might look at kitschy decor and think this is their gimmick, because the food in not up to par. Well the food is definitely as good as the decor is kitschy.
It’s really is a one of a kind restaurant that you will not find anywhere else and has the quirkiness of a cell phone surcharge and “Best Table in The House” to boot.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4. 55
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: A local reader of the blog suggested Via Tribulani as an Italian alternative since we’ve talked about Il Corvo , Tavolata, Pasta Casalinga, Cantinetta and now Bizzarro Itlian Cafe. We’ve been to Via Tribulani, but not for many years. It’s time for a revisit.
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Bitterroot BBQ
Recommended by: Our neighbor recommended Bitterroot for a more upscale setting for BBQ when our out of town guests requested American BBQ and our favorite BBQ joint shut down their restaurant.
Description on the Bitterroot’s website: Serving Northwest BBQ in the heart of Ballard. We pair our smoked meats with American craft beer and a bourbon selection that makes any enthusiast swoon.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address:5239 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Cowboy Killer- 1/2 chicken, brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, 3 sides(Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Mac & Cheese w/bacon and pulled pork. IPA from Lucky Envelope Brewing, Cherry Cider from Anthem.
We had relatives visiting from outside the country. When we asked what they wanted to eat, they said, “American BBQ”. We just found out BBQ Smith decided to quit their brick and mortar location and go strictly to catering only. Because they were from out of town we wanted to take them to a more upscale barbeque joint. Our neighbor suggested Bitterroot.
We knew of Bitterroot’s existence, but had never been. We’d been invited to a birthday gathering there once, but weren’t able to attend. Now was our chance.
Fair or not, when we think barbeque, we tend to think the more “hole-in-the-wall” qualities the location has, the better the barbeque will be. So when we saw that Bitterroot was smack dab in the middle of “fancy” heavy hitters like Stoneburner, Brambling Cross, Percy & Co, and Bastille right on Ballard Ave, we were a bit leery. Would the bbq be that good or would we be paying for the hot location?
First things first, Bitterroot does not take reservations and seating is done on a first come, first serve basis. We arrived on a Friday evening at 7:30 and expected there to be a wait. The place is relatively small. We wanted to dine in the main dining area, so we put in our names and hung out in the back bar area. You have your choice of eating back there too if you want. Our group of 4 ended up waiting about 15 minutes before a table opened.
The interior reminds us of an upscale Seattle Biscuit Company with an old shack feel using reclaimed wood, chain link fencing, exposed brick. It has that same easygoing shack feel. This casualness is carried through on your dishware, which are metal baking sheet trays lined with parchment paper.
Our guests from out of the country had a lot of questions regarding the options, not being familiar with American bbq. Our server was patient and provided detailed answers. A member of our party asked about the available bottled sauces on the table prior to ordering and he explained each one-sweet, honey mustard, spicy and vinegar and how each would taste with a variety of different meal choices.
To give our guests the full spectrum of what Bitterroot had to offer, we ordered the Cowboy Killer, which pretty much gives you one of everything- 1/2 chicken, beef brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork and a choice of 3 sides. For our sides we got the fries, cole slaw and baked beans. We were afraid that the Cowboy Killer would not be enough for 4 adults(boy, were we wrong) so we also ordered a mac & cheese w/bacon and pulled pork. Our drinks were an IPA from Lucky Envelope Brewing, Cherry Cider from Anthem, coke and a cocktail(can’t remember which one).
1/2 chicken, brisket, baby back ribs,
pulled pork, 3 sides(Fries, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans
Truthfully we could have done without the mac & cheese, although it was very good. I never had pulled pock in mac & cheese before, but the Cowboy Killer, could have easily fed 6 adults.
When we could not take another bite and the platter was still over half uneaten, our server said the dish is intended to have left over for take home. It took us two more meals at home to finish off the leftovers from the Cowboy Killer and leftover mac and cheese.
The barbeque was moist and seasoned perfectly. The ribs fell off the bone and the brisket just melts in your mouth. The sides were nothing to write home about, but our guests really enjoyed their first taste of American barbeque, so what more can you ask for? That’s all that counts, right?
The Scores:
- 1/2 chicken (Score: 4.0 / 5.0)
- beef brisket (4.75 / 5.0)
- baby back ribs (4.5 / 5.0)
- pulled pork (4.75/ 5.0)
- Sides- Fries, cole slaw and baked beans. (3.75 / 5.0)
- Mac & Cheese w/bacon and pulled pork (4.5 / 5.0)
Bitterroot was the perfect combination of upscale barbeque, which seems like an oxymoron, but it’s just what our guests were hoping for. We also learned that the owners of Bitterroot also own one of our favorite sandwich places, Mammoth, that we mentioned in our favorite 2018 dishes.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.35
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future:
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Lil Woody’s
Recommended by: In our Uneeda Burger post, we mentioned that we’ve been to a lot of burger places, but not Lil Woody’s. No less than 2 of our friends and 3 readers said we must try Lil’ Woody’s. So off we went.
Description on the Lil Woody’s website: We love our community and are committed to working with local purveyors: our burgers are made from Painted Hills grass-fed beef, our hand-cut fries come from Washington potatoes, our buns are handcrafted from Tacoma, and our shakes are made with Full Tilt ice cream. We support our communities and we encourage you to support yours.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 1211 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
What we ate/drank: The Kamonegi Burger, The Sarap Sandwich, Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich , The New Mexican
Comments: We’re not ready to deem Lil’ Woody’s having the best burgers in Seattle, but they definitely have the most inventive and most-anticipated burger collaborations in Seattle. It took us a while to finally get to Lil’ Woody’s. They’ve been around since 2011 and have locations in Ballard, Capitol Hill, South Lake Union and White Center. Open hours vary for each location, so double check before going. For example the Capitol Hill locations stays open until 3:00am on Friday and Saturday. Holla to all you Capitol Hill clubbers!
They’ve become such a Seattle institution, that you can even get their burgers while taking in a Mariner Game at T-Mobile Park.
Order at the counter, pay, grab a seat and wait for your number to be called. Simple. The Capitol Hill location is a pretty low key place with some sitting next to the kitchen and more seating in an upstairs area.
Lil’ Woody’s has their main menu burgers that are always offered, but where Lil’ Woody’s stands out is their always changing special burger of the week. As we write this in August of 2019, check out these special burgers that are collaborations:
- Your Last Meal Burger(Lil Woody’s in-house pickled figs, crispy Prosciutto, arugula, cornichons, mozzarella stuffed Painted Hills grass-fed beef, roasted shallot mayo.). A collab with the @beardfoundation nominated @yourlastmealpodcast! and inspired by the last meal of past #yourlastmealpodcast guest, actor and cookbook author, Tiffani Thiessen (Saved By The Bell, Beverly Hills 90210).
- Game Guru Burger(Habanero mayo, crispy fried onions, Tillamook smoked cheddar, Hills bacon, double 1/4lb. Painted Hills grass-fed beef, Mama Lils peppers spicy sweet pickles). This was during the Pax West Gaming Convention and a collab with a celebrity in the gaming community, The Game Guru.
- Taylor Shellfish Burger(Taylor Shellfish oyster dip, Tims Cascade potato chips, Tillamook smoked cheddar, and Painted Hills grass-fed beef. A collab with Taylor Shellfish which is located right around the corner from Lil’ Woody’s in Capitol Hll.
- Lil Gordo Burger (red braised pork belly with green sauce aioli, onions, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños) A collab with Phorale, an Asian/Tex Mex restaurant in Seattle.
And for the last 5 years they’ve had a Burger Month(Feb), where each week has a special burger designed by top chefs around Seattle. If you end up getting each burger during the month, you get a free gift. This year it was a denim lunch bag. We made it to two of the weeks, but you can see here how inventive these burgers are and interesting because most of these chefs would never have a burger on their menu at their own restaurants.
As you know we’re huge fans of Kamonegi and their chef., Matsuko Soma, created The Kamonegi Burger-Seared duck/chicken patty, duck egg, arugula, Yuzu kewpie mayo, charcoal bun.
<<<My picture of the Kamonegi Burger and a much nicer picture from Lil Woody’s
I love the unusual ingredients but it was missing some flavor. Perhaps a little more yuzu mayo was needed. It’s difficult to say who’s at fault. Since the chef created it, maybe the fault lies there? Or perhaps the chef’s vision was not met due to the execution of the burger? I never had a charcoal bun before, so we were a bit surprised when we got the burger on a totally black bun. I love me some egg yoke, but I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between a duck eff and a normal chicken egg through the other flavor profiles.
The other burger we had was from Melissa Miranda, who at the time worked at Bar del Corso, but is opening her own much-anticipated restaurant called, Musang. Her burger was called, The SARAP Sandwich. Sarap in Filipino means delicious. The burger consisted of roasted pulled pork adobo, chicharrónes, radishes, fried garlic, patis salsa verde, Hawaiian bun.
<<<My picture of the Sarap Sandwich and a much nicer picture from Lil Woody’s
I’m more of a savory guy when it comes to burgers and adobo is typically on the sweet side and this was no different. The bun was also sweet with the patis salsa verde adding a bit of savory. The radishes and chicharrones added a bit of crunchiness to the sandwich, which we both enjoyed.
Here is another Burger of the Week. It was really spicy, but loved the sweetness of the pickles and onions in combination with the savory cheddar.
<<<Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich – Chipotle mayo, spicy sweet pickles and onions, smoked cheddar.
This is a burger off their normal menu, The New Mexican with Hatch green chiles.
<<<New Mexican – 1/3 lb Painted Hills grass-fed beef burger, slow-roasted Hatch green chiles, house-made queso sauce
Summary: When compared to some of the other burger joints in Seattle like Uneeda Burger, Rain City, Giddy Up, etc, their burgers are on the small size for around the same price. This could probably be attributed to the variety of ingredients due to their many different offerings and everchanging Burger of the Week. When you get inventive and push the envelope with collaborations, there’s bound to be hits and misses, but we appreciate the effort and the diverse and fresh variety it brings. One thing is for sure, we know if we want something different we can count on Lil’ Woodys’
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.00
Service: 4.00
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.25
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: While eating our Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwiches, my co-worker mentioned Bok A Bok Fried Chicken. And said they don’t have burgers, but have the best chicken sandwiches. We have to check it out.
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Pouring One Out For The Homies
There were so many restaurant closures in Seattle. There were the former hot spots that we were surprised to see go – Girin, Little Uncle , Skitka & Spruce. There were some where the writing was on the wall – Sansei, Dexter Brewhouse, Il Fornaio. There just wasn’t anybody there when we visited. There were also a lot of old timers who’d been open for over 10 years and some over 20 years, so we were shocked that they closed down- Tango(19 yrs), Poppy(11 yrs) , Seattle Deli(27 yrs), Peso’s(20 yrs).
Here are some of the places we reviewed that decided to call it quits:
Junkichi Robata Izakaya– This one is really surprising. It had just opened in 2018. When we went it was packed, the food and service were great, and the location was perfect. According to some of the newer reviews on Yelp right before shutting down mentioned service issues, smaller portions and quality issues. The reason for the closure is a mystery, but the space is apparently being taken over by the owners of Suika/Tamari Bar.
Little Kitchen– Another place that just opened in 2018. According to this Seattle Times article, it just became too much work for the owners to maintain. We’re a little less surprised about the closure of Little Kitchen, but are surprised how quickly it happened. Competition is fierce both on The Ave and for Chinese dumplings.
Trove – Another surprising, but not surprising closing. Surprising in that the other Relay restaurants are super popular and successful, Joule and Revel. Not surprising in that the space that Trove was occupied was huge and in the competitive neighborhood of Capitol Hill. It must have been difficult to compete with the multitude of restaurants in the area and to fill such a huge space night after night. Also, there are so many cheaper alternative Korean BBQ places in Seattle.
BBQ Smith – They decided to focus on catering only and sold the brick and mortar after two years. Its being taken over by Don Lucho’s, a Peruvian lunch truck. It’s really a shame, because we just discovered BBQ Smith and they had an awesome happy hour deal.
The Hi Life – Strangely, this is a closure that we agree with. Not because the food was bad, it just sorta gets lost in the Seattle restaurant landscape. The space is staying in the CHOW Food(The 5 Spot, Endolyne Joe’s, TNT Taqueria) family and being changed into an Italian restaurant. We’re hoping they keep some of the old fire station details in the new space.
Ventoux Roasters –The few times we went there it was always crowded. It seemed like one of those coffee shops that would be sustained by neighborhood patrons of Ravenna, so it didn’t really need to be in a hip area or a busy main street. I couldn’t find a explanation on their website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Palomino – This is the saddest closing for sentimental reasons. We rarely came here, but it’s where my wife and I first met. Here’s an excerpt from the blog post of our favorite bars in Seattle:
Any Seattleite reading this is saying, “WTF”? The Palomino is a restaurant located in the City Centre in downtown Seattle. They do have a bar area with an actual bar that they claim is the longest in length in Seattle. Their happy hour is okay, but nothing special. Their beer selection and cocktails are ordinary. The atmosphere is a little strange because it’s open on a floor within a building kind of like a bar in a hotel or train station. So why is this our favorite bar in Seattle? This is where my wife and I first laid eyes on each other and met. She was in town for a convention. I worked downtown. It was easy to find and centrally located so that’s where we met. I guess we’re just sentimental fools.
Sadly, Ballard Loft , NW Peaks Brewing, Naked City & The Leary Traveler mentioned in our Favorite Bars post also closed down in 2019.
Sad to see these places go, but the Seattle economy is booming right now. People are eating out more than ever. If you can’t be successful in this environment, then maybe it’s best to cut your losses. I think the higher minimum wage is also having an affect on some of the smaller businesses. Sadly, we believe with such a high number of restaurant and the inevitability that the Seattle economy will slow down, we’re bound to see more closures in 2020.
Related:
This is one of the more fun blog posts to create as 2019 winds down. It allows us to review all the great dishes we’ve had throughout the year and debate which ones belong in our top 15. A list ranges from a relatively simple shaved ice to a traditionally poor man’s Hawaiian breakfast to a couple of Southern-inspired biscuit dishes to a few noodle dishes(both Italian and Asian) to Asian fusion and a few Mexican dishes.
We’ve already counted down our Best Seattle Dishes of 2019, 15 through 8.
Without further ado, here are our Best Seattle Dishes of 2019, 7 through 1:
7. Seattle Biscuit Co. —$14. The End – Cheese grits, collards, pulled pork, pickled red onion, comeback sauce, fried bologna, over-easy egg, biscuits
Excerpt from our blog post:
The Ed N‘ Diane(END) is named after the owner’s parents. I don’t usually order grits, but this was a winner and is definitely a contender for Seattle Best Dishes of 2019. The pulled pork, fried bologna and collards were perfect complements to the grits. The grits were not overly cheesy and the slight kick of the pork, the saltiness of the bologna and tart of the collards were a great spoonful of flavor. Our daughter devoured the thick fried bologna chunks and mini biscuit. We’re used to the sliced thin baloney, so when she saw the thick chunks, she seemed a bit surprised. Add the over easy egg with runny yolk and you’ve got a near perfect dish.
6. D’La Santa – $31.99. Tacoarte -Platter filled with a variety of delicious taco fillings: carne asada, pollo asado, cochinita pibil, pastor & refried pinto beans. Tortillas served on the side. (serves 2 people)
Tacoarte $31.99 Platter filled with a variety of delicious taco fillings: carne asada, pollo asado, cochinita pibil, pastor & refried pinto beans. Tortillas served on the side. (serves 2 people)
Tacoarte topping-cilantro, onions, pico de gallo, radishes, pickled red onion, salsa.
Excerpt from our blog post:
Another thing that makes this a perfect date spot is the dish that literally every table we saw ordered. That dish was the Tacoarte, which comes as two platters. One filled with a variety of taco fillings: carne asada, pollo asado, cochinita pibil, pastor, pork chorizo & refried pinto beans. For those keeping track at home that’s one steak, one chicken and three pork. The price of this dish is $31.99, but it serves two people, which we feel is totally reasonable. You can definitely fill up 3 people with this dish. Along with the meat fillings, came another platter of toppings, which included onions, cilantro, salsa, pico de gallo, radishes and pickled red onions. The refried beans are really creamy, not lumpy like what you see in most restaurants. This is the perfect date dish because you’re interacting, sharing, you can discuss your favorite fillings, topping and combinations. We quickly ran out of tortillas since the fillings and toppings will easily make 15 tacos minimum. We were asked if we needed extra tortillas, which we did. Every single table had ordered this dish and if when we go back, we’d definitely order it again.
The filling rankings:
1) Carne Asada (my favorite)
2) Al Pastor (wife’s favorite)
3) Pork Chorizo
4) Conchinita Pibil
5) Pollo Asado
5. Fremont Bowl — $14.95. Chirashi Bowl-tuna, chopped fatty tuna, salmon, yellowtail, albacore, shrimp, fresh water eel, masago with fresh wasabi + yuzu kosho (pepper)
Excerpt from our blog post:
The cashier advised the Chirashi Bowl is their most popular and it’s easy to understand when seeing the dish. The different cuts of fish make for a colorful presentation that makes it one of the most photogenic dishes in Seattle. What separates chirashi from poke is that poke marinated in sauce with a bunch of different toppings. This can mask the quality of fish as well as the quantity of fish. Chirashi is just pure raw fish, so the fish quality and quantity is apparent.
The Chirashi Bowl is not only a beautiful dish, but the quality of the fish is superb and the price is a bargain.
4. Tamari Bar – Shoka-do Bento Box
Excerpt from our blog post:
Next up was the Shoka-do Bento Box, which is limited to a certain count every evening. This was surely the highlight of the night. There are a total of nine squares with each being the perfect size for two bites, making it the perfect date night dish. You get nine different dishes, nine different flavors. It’s fun having so many choices at once and then discussing which are your favorites. Or both of you can try each grid at the same time and discuss after each tasting.
From the top and left to right with scores out of 5:
- Fried Crispy Salmon(4.25), Wagyu Beef Tataki(4.5) , Potato Salad (4.0)
- Aburi Scallop Carpaccio(4.5), Tamari Bar Sushi Roll(4.5), Aburi Salmon(4.5)
- Fried Oyster(5.0), Zuke Maguro(marinated)-(3.0), Tuna Tatsuta(fried)-(5.0)
Each appetizer was beautifully presented and each had at least 5 different ingredients and it was a good mixture of fried and raw. We just really enjoyed this concept.
3. Joule– $13. Bone marrow, spicy anchovy butter, leek
Excerpt from our blog post:
This was a home run! I don’t know if there is always this much marrow on their bones or if I just hit the jackpot, but usually there’s not much marrow whenever I order . This dish had so much marrow, I couldn’t believe it. Served with bread the marrow was perfect turning into a rich pudding that tasted like beef flavored butter. Add in the generous topping of leeks and you’ve got FIRE!
2. Watson’s Counter — $18. Loco Moco – Fresh ground house-blend of chuck, short-rib, and pork belly atop a bed of rice, house-made gravy, and a fried egg on top.
Excerpt from our blog post:
My wife got the Loco Moco. I know it’s early in the year, but this dish is a contender to be on our Top Dishes of 2019. We’ve had our fair share of Loco Mocos in Hawaii and around town at Kona Kitchen, Maono, Cheeky Café. This is the best we’ve had. The patty is made with a blend of chuck, short-rib, and pork belly and you have the rice and egg, but the showstopper is the house-made gravy. It’s a thick peppery flavorful smack in the mouth. Mixed with the egg yolk, generous sized patty and topped with sesame seeds and green onions = Broke Da Mouth!
1. Revel– $17. Rice w/Egg yolk -Albacore tuna, fennel kimchi, escarole
A
Excerpt from our blog post:
Not sure how we missed this one for our favorite dishes of 2018. We ALWAYS order this. The char on the escarole, the large toppings of kim chee, the sear on the albacore and off course one of my favorite foods, a raw egg yolk.
We were watching them prepare this dish and I see that the raw egg yolk is marinated in what appears to be soy sauce. This gives some additional flavor to the yolk, so when you mix it altogether it creates it’s own sauce. The combination of the 5 ingredients make for a perfect bite.
Perhaps, because we order this dish all the time we took it for granted last year, but we need to give this dish it’s due.
This was our Favorite Seattle Dish of 2019.
After reviewing the various dishes we had in 2019 and finally landing on a top 15, we really feel grateful that Seattle has such a wide variety of great restaurants in such a condensed area that. The exciting thing is that there are so many more restaurants that we have on our list to visit. Here’s to a great 2019 and an even better 2020!
Related:
- Our 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 1)
- Our 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 2)
- Watson’s Counter
- Revel
This is one of the more fun blog posts to create as 2019 winds down. It provides us an opportunity to review all the great dishes we’ve had throughout the year and debate which ones belong in our top 15.
The list ranges from a relatively simple shaved ice to a traditionally poor man’s Hawaiian breakfast to a couple of Southern-inspired biscuit dishes to a few noodle dishes(both Italian and Asian) to Asian fusion and a few Mexican dishes.
Without further ado, here are our Best Seattle Dishes of 2019, 15 through 8:
- Xi’an Noodles – $9.95. Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles
As mentioned in our Xi’an Noodles post, this is our main take out spot and this happens to be the first item on their menu. They specialize in biang biang house-made noodles and while they are all good, the Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles is our constant repeat order. The noodles are wide, thick and hand ripped that allows sauce to stick to the noodles. In addition to the chewy noodles you have pepper and cumin to spice and onions and cilantro as garnish. The dish is not overpoweringly spicy, but is flavorful. It’s also a reasonable $9.95.
- Dough Zone Dumpling House – Beef Stew Noodle $5.95
This is our daughter’s contribution to the list. Our two year old eats a least half of this dish whenever we go to Dough Zone Dumpling House. At $5.95 the portion is on the smaller size, so you might want to order two. The dish comes with tender fatty portions of beefs, thin noodles topped with green onions and cilantro. As she turns 3, I’m sure she’ll eat the entire portion.
- Sazon Kitchen – Grain Casserole $18.00. Mix of grains in criolla sauce, braised tri-tip and eggs. Toppings include chicharron, cilantro and pickled red onions + greens and bread.
Excerpt from our blog post:
The best of the bunch is another dish you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the Grain Casserole. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is the dish I’d order again on return visits. It was braised trip tip and some peppers and onions over a bed of various grains- I think lentils, beans, long rice and regular rice? I’m not sure, truthfully, but with the sauce and generous topping of protein and veggies, it was so delicious. The one minor thing, I’d prefer is tortillas instead of bread accompanying this dish. Perhaps the abundance of grains wouldn’t be a good match with tortillas? At $18, I was a bit hesitant since it’s bit on the high side, but after tasting it, I’d get it again.
- Snowy Village– Mango or Strawberry Bingsoo $11.95.
How can a simple shaved ice make our Top 15 list? The fruit bingsoos, specifically the mango and strawberry at Snowy Village are that damn good. There’s a reason there’s a long wait every time we visit? The fruit is fresh and the real distinction is that their ice is 100% milk, not water like most shaved ice. So you don’t have to worry about the bingsoo getting “watered down” as it melts. This is the perfect dessert for summers. Our family salivates the moment we decide to take a trip to Snowy Village.
- Seattle Fish Guys– $15.99. Garlic Cajun Shrimp Plate – Sweet Kauai Shrimp, cajun spices, garlic, butter, rice w/mac salad
Honestly you can pick any of the poke bowls at Seattle Fish Guys for the our Top 15 Dishes. We know poke is what they are known for, but we’ve chosen the Garlic Cajun Shrimp Plate. This place is actually a seafood market, but have a little seating section for meals. When we ordered the plate, we also got macaroni salad and rice with furikake. Lastly is the star of the show, mounds of sweet Kauai shrimp seasoned and cooked just right with cajun spices, butter and garlic. Warning: bring some breath mints.
The Wandering Goose–(RIP 2020) $13.00. The Sawmill- fried chicken, sawmill gravy, cheese add poached eggs in between house made biscuits.
before cutting. 
<<After cutting into it
Excerpt from our post:
The Sawmill Biscuit Sandwich-fried chicken, sawmill gravy, cheese, poached eggs. Like the Fried Chicken Plate, The Sawmill may give another Seattle Food War a new combatant. Wandering Goose may give Morsel and Bean & Biscuit a run for their money for Best Seattle Biscuit Sandwich. Take a gander at the pictures of The Sawmill below! Your mouth is salivating, ain’t it? I opted for the addition of a poached egg for extra. How could I not have some runny yoke with this bad boy?
Chicken is crispy on the outside and moist on inside. The gravy is the star of this dish. So savory. The biscuit adds a good counterbalance. As you can guess, this is a heavy meal. Get ready for a nap.
- Joule – $29.00. Peppered wagyu steak, ramp, maitake mushroom larb, 6oz
Excerpt from our post:
This was another home run albeit a rather expensive one($29). It’s one of those dishes where you may cringe at the price, but once the first bite is in your mouth, you understand why and say to yourself, “i would’ve paid double”. Tender, just the right amount of char and spice and coupled with the mushroom larb( w/ fish sauce?) was perfect.
8 (Tie) Tavolata – $11.00(happy hour). Pappardelle – beef and pork ragu, mint, chili,grana padano. & Il Corvo -$9.95. Pappardelle ala Bolongnese
<<Tavolata
<<<Il Corvo
Excerpt from our blog post:
Tavlolata-The papardelle was my favorite. It had a pork/beef ragu sauce with a hint of mint. I probably ate 2/3 of it. Sorry to the other folks at the table for hogging it!
Il Corvo- The Pappardelle ala Bolongnese was my favorite and gets a five out of five rating from me. Served with flat broad pappardelle, the meat in the Bolognese sauce is blended into a gooey paste. Bon Appetit actually published the recipe for this gravy back in 2015, but I’d much rather have it prepared and cooked by a pasta Jedi.
Stay tuned for our top 7 Favorite Seattle Dishes of 2019.
Related Articles:
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 1)
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 2)
- Tavolata – Best Happy Hour in Seattle
- D’La Santa
Snowy Village
Recommended by: When we asked the cashier, Eldon at Xi’an Noodles, if he could recommend another place that he enjoys eating at, he advised he doesn’t go out to eat much, but the place across the street, Snowy Village, has really good shaved ice(bingsoo) desserts. We can’t pass that up.
Description on the Snowy Village’s website: Snowy Village USA only uses the freshest ingredients available. This keeps customers coming back for more and enjoying our product again and again.
Neighborhood/Type: University District
Address: 5264 The Ave, Seattle, WA 98105
What we ate/drank: Strawberry Bingsoo, Mango Bingsoo, Green Tea Bingsoo, Espresso Bingsoo
Comments: Very similar to when Cinnaholic and The Donut Factory opened, if you looked on Instagram the first week that Snowy Village was open all you saw was photo after photo of food shots coming out of Snowy Village.
Snowy Village is a chain from Korea that specializes in Bingsoo and Taiyaki. Bingsoo is the Koran version of shaved ice. It’s typically flavored with milk, chocolate or green tea and topped with fresh fruit, red beans, cookies, cake crumbs and rice cakes. It also typically comes with condensed milk that’s poured over the shaved ice. Taiyaki is a Japanese cake normally bought on the streets and in the shape of a fish. There’s normally a filling of azuki beans, but can also include chocolate, custard or sweet potato.
This is Seattle Snowy Village location is only the 4th in the US. The others being in LA, San Diego and Houston.
First thing you need to know is that Snowy Village is located at the northern end of The Ave(University Ave) near UW and it’s always packed. They opened in May of this year and waited for the hype to die down. Whenever we went there we always ordered our Bingsoo to go and ate it at home because there was always a line for seats. They have seating for maybe 25 people? Don’t come here expecting to get a seat anytime soon if you have a party of more than 4.
All throughout the summer we took our Bingsoo to go and thought when autumn comes around and the tempature goes down, we’ll then be able to eat inside since the crowds have all tried it and people wouldn’t want Bingsoo when it’s cold. We were wrong. Even now as the tempatures get down to the 30’s, we’ve been able to eat inside exactly one time. They do have an ipad to check in, so the process for waiting is at least automated.
Another thing you should know is that they make everything from scratch. You can actually see them peeling mangos and cutting strawberries. This means it will take some time to make your bingsoo. My friend told me she brought her family there and when they saw how crowded it was and ordered 3 bingsoo to go. They made one bingsoo and she took it to her family who were waiting in the car. IT was taking so long to make the second bingsoo , the first one was melting and they had to furiously eat it in the car. They finally finished making the 2nd bingsoo and took that one to the car and her family had to do the same thing because the third one also took a long time to make. She was not too pleased, but we thought it was hilarious. Rookie mistake. She thought 3 workers would be making the 3 bingsoos simultaneously, but apparently how their system works is that one worker completes the entire order, so the same worker made all three bingsoo one after the other.
If you look at the pictures of the bingsoo, you can tell why it takes so long to make and why it’s so photogenic for Instagram.
The real distinction is that the ice in the bingsoo at Snowy Village is 100% milk, not water like most shaved ice.
You can see the variations of bingsoo from their website up top. That’s not even all of them. There’s more than that. Some of the choices are seasonal like watermelon or honey dew melon, so it may not be available in the fall/winter.
They have 3 different sizes single($5.95 fruit/ $5.45 other) for one person, regular($8.95 fruit/$7.95 other) for 2-3 people and large($11.95 fruit/$10.95 other) for 4-5 people.
For our family, Snowy Village is synonymous with bingsoo. We jumped for joy when we heard Snowy Village was coming to Seattle. And now, our entire family gets excited when we decide to come here on a whim. We’re so lucky to live nearby so when ordering one large bingsoo to go, we don’t have to worry about it melting. The fruit based Bingsoos are the showstoppers and the most popular amongst our family. The Green Tea Bingsoo isn’t really my cup of tea, but the rest of the family likes. The Espresso Bingsoo is Snowy Village’s version of the affagato. It’s a perfect dessert choice.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.50
Food/Drinks: 5.00
Bang for the Buck: 4.50
Overall: 4.50
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: A reader advised us of a new challenger to Snowy Village called, Kakigori that also specializes in Instagramable bingsoo.
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With two little ones under the age of three, we’ve had a lot of early mornings where the whole family is awake. In many of these instances, we’ve decided to treat ourselves and go out for breakfast, so we’ve visited a lot of spots over the years. Seattle has some really great breakfast spots and people ask us what our favorite restaurants are all the time.
In order to be eligible for our list of Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots, the restaurant has to be open for weekday breakfasts. There are a lot of restaurants that only serve breakfast on the weekends. None of those places make the list. A true breakfast spot serves breakfast everyday.
Without further ado, here are our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Restaurants.
Wandering Goose(RIP 2020)-Eating here is a treat. It feels like your eating at a farmhouse. House-made pastries and Southern-inspired meals!- Stone Way Cafe– We’ve been here at least 12 times. Spacious with lots of seats. Great food options. A really relaxed and casual atmosphere.
- Senor Moose– This is the Seattle Godfather of Mexican food. Always crowded, but for a reason-tasty dishes not only breakfast, but lunch & dinner.
- Toulouse Petit-Cajun-influenced and home of the famous Pork Cheeks Confit Hash. Trip Advisor named it their 5th Favorite Restaurant in the US and 10th in the world!
- Watson’s Counter– Newly opened. Intimate and modern. Great coffee drinks. Limited menu, but that Loco Moco though!
- Seattle Biscuit Co.– It’s got that shack in the swamp feel to it. Southern raised owners put their spin on fried chicken and waffles, biscuit sandwiches and grits with pulled pork. Make sure your stomach is empty when you come, you’ll need the space.
- Porkchop & Co.– Bright, airy and casual. Wide variety of foods French, Mediterranean, Asian, American. They smoke, cure, pickle and preserve everything in house. Impressive.
- The 5 Spot– It’s been a Seattle mainstay for so long, we take it for granted, but cavernous space for Seattle. Has a real diner feel. They specialize in American food, but have a roaming menu, so you’ll be assured of something different on every visit. Their Big Nashty fried chicken sandwich ain’t no joke.
- Portage Bay Cafe– According to Lyft, Portage Bay Cafe has more driver requests than any other breakfast spot in Seattle. The constant line of people waiting outside for a seat is proof of their popularity. Locally sourced ingredients. Super family friendly. Claim to fame: their bottomless breakfast bar of fruits, nuts, butter, syrup and sugars.
- Easy Street Records & Cafe – Review forthcoming. Such a cool place. A cafe in a record store. Hilariously named music inspired dishes.
- Brother Joe– This was a new discovery for us in the Georgetown area. Inventive coffee drinks. Surprisingly delicious variation of a loco moco and chile verde. We loved the playful human-like animal portraits.
- Square Knot Diner-Right down the street from Brother Joe. This was our traditional breakfast spot when going to Seatac airport. Friendly staff. Straight forward breakfast fare. U-shaped counter harkens back to old time diner. On more than a few occasions, jazz is being played, which is perfect for this laid back diner. Great corned beef hash and their cinnamon roll is a monster.
- Fat Hen– Get there early. This place is tiny, but mighty. Get ready to post that Alla Boscaiola on Instagram. Their fried chicken sandwich ain’t no slouch either. One of those places that feels like it’s for locals only.
- Citizen Cafe– This is the most underrated on the list. Don’t hear people talking about this place. An old fire station turned into a café/restaurant. They have French toast, farmers breakfast, scrambles, breakfast sandwiches, but we really enjoyed their breakfast tacos-the Korexican, a Korean/Mexican fushion and the pulled pork.
- Sazon Kitchen– Another new comer that just opened. Mexican cuisine with what seems like 20 ingredients in each dish. The décor isn’t much, but the food is outstanding. The grain casserole is like nothing we’ve ever tasted. Too of their other dishes we enjoyed was the shredded beef and eggs and the Rox’s signature eggs with tortilla, ham, beans and a billion other ingredients.
- Varsity Inn– A traditional American diner with a secret Mexican breakfast menu. Super friendly servers. We’ve had the shredded beef enchiladas, beef fajita omelette and carnitas w/tomatillo sauce. Shhhh. None are on the written menu. Also, order the cinnamon roll. You won’t be sorry.
- Honorable Mention: Kona Kitchen, Roxy’s Diner, Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery, Skillet Diner, Voula’s Offshore Cafe, North Star Diner, Blue Star Cafe, Beth’s Cafe, Bang Bang Cafe, The Dish, Oddfellows Cafe , Biscuit Bitch, Glo’s Cafe, Lost Lake Cafe.
- Haven’t Visited Yet: Nue, Meet the Moon, Café Presse.
Thanks for reading Our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots blog post.
Related:
Skillet Diner
Recommended by: The last time we met up for brunch with some local friends at Portage Bay Cafe, they mentioned Skillet Diner as having the same type of vibe and also having great brunches.
Description on the Skillet Diner’s website: The award-winning Skillet Diner opened in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle in 2011. We’re a neighborhood joint doing our best to make the place feel relaxed, service attentive and easy, and the food approachable yet focused. We use fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and continually redefine the meaning of comfort.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 1400 E Union St #4150, Seattle, WA 98122
What we ate/drank: Breakfast Burrito -fried chicken, three eggs scrambled, cheddar, hand-cut fries, pico de gallo, flour tortilla. Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash-brisket, roasted potatoes and carrots, onions, fennel, two eggs*. Kids pancakes and fruit.
Comments: Skillet Diner has been around since 2011 and before that it was food truck, an Airstream Trailer called, Skillet Street Food since 2007. It’s located in Capitol Hill, so parking can be a bitch, but we luckily found street parking across the street. Tall ceilings make the space seem spacious and the open kitchen gives the space energy. Like a traditional diner, there’s lots of counter seating, but also a lot of booths.
I can see why our friends we met at Portage Bay recommended Skillet Diner. Their interiors are very similar-the lighting, the casual family atmosphere, the décor. There’s a random piece of art hanging on the back wall with John F Kennedy looking out the back of a bus. I was curious, so I asked our server about it, but he didn’t know anything about it.
Your utensils and napkin are placed in mason jars, which are then used as your water glass. You’re also provided a dedicated water bottle, so you don’t have to wait for your server to refill your water. Caffé Vita is served here, so a win there.
My wife got the breakfast burrito, which includes fried chicken, three eggs scrambled, cheddar, hand-cut fries, pico de gallo, flour tortilla. We liked the inclusion of the fried chicken. For normal breakfast burritos you normally get bacon, sausage or sometimes shredded beef. Having fried chicken was a nice change. The hand-cut fries were too over-seasoned and almost impossible to eat because it was too spicy.
fried chicken, three eggs scrambled, cheddar, hand-cut fries, pico de gallo, flour tortilla
I got the Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash, which includes brisket, roasted potatoes and carrots, onions, fennel, two over easy eggs. The pieces of vegetable and meat were a bit large, but tasty. Now, Seattle brunch spots have a strong “hash” game in this town. Portage Bay Cafe‘s Farmer’s Hash, Toulouse Petit‘s Cured Pork Cheeks Confit Hash, Porkchop & Co.‘s Kimchi & Steak Hash and Roxy’s Diner‘s Pastrami Hash all come to mind. If I’m garding on the curve I would put Skillet Diner’s Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash in the middle of the pack. The Seattle hash game is fierce. It’s sorta like being in the SEC in college football.
Our daughter got the pancakes and fresh fruit from the kids menu, so happy camper in the house!
We’ve also had the fried chicken and waffles which is also quite good.
Service gave us recommendations, came around frequently for coffee refills and chased after us out the door when we forgot our to go box of leftovers.
They also have locations in South Lake Union, the Seattle Center and Seatac Airport. Surprisingly, they closed their Ballard location after the building they were in flooded. Skillet Diner is a bit out of the way for us at the border of Capitol Hill and the Central District, but it’s a good brunch alternative if we are in the area. It’s also nice to know you have a good local option in touristy Seattle Center and Seatac airport.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.50
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.00
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.40
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers customer recommendations to visit in the future: We mentioned to the customer next to us that we were at Skillet early in the morning, because our daughters woke up early. They mentioned that Lost Lake Cafe down the road is actually open 24 hours so if they wake up really early, this could be an option.
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Junebaby – The Hype is Real!
Recommended by: When doing some research on Kamonegi I noted that it was named one of the Top 50 New Restaurants in Bon Appetit Magazine in July. Another Seattle restaurant on this list was Junebaby. Not only that but Chef Owner of Junebaby won two James Beard Awards for Best Chef : Northwest, but also Best New Restaurant. This was not Best New Restaurant in Seattle, but in the entire US!
Description on the Junebaby website: Food with Roots – Southern food’s humble beginnings embarked when West Africans were taken from their home and were forced across the middle passage to North America. The term soul food originated during American slavery to not only describe a type of cuisine but also a period of time of oppression and overcoming hardships. It is traditionally cooked and eaten by African Americans of the Southern United States and merges influences from West Africa, Western Europe, and North America. As a result, America’s culinary history was built on corn, rice, peas, and the hog; many of the ingredients associated with Southern food.
Neighborhood/Type: Ravenna
Address: 2122 NE 65th Street, Seattle, WA 98115
What we ate/drank: Chicken Gizzards & buttermilk dressing $9, Pulled Pork with pikliz, Carolina vinegar sauce & aioli $12, Fried Catfish with pickled onion & tartar sauce $12, Chitlins & rice -$7.
Comments: This post should have been written probably a year and a half ago. That’s when the Edouardo Jordan hype was in full effect. Chef Jordan is the owner chef of Junebaby. Salare, his other restaurant had been open since 2015 in a rather odd place, the Ravenna neighborhood which will never be confused with the restaurant-centric neighborhoods of Capitol Hill, SLU or Ballard. Salare had received much acclaim, so when news got out that Chef Jordan was opening another restaurant on the same street, the anticipation was built up.
As soon as Junebaby opened accolades and four star food critic reviews from all over the country started piling up. From the very beginning, lines formed daily.
- Time Magazine named it one of 2018s “Worlds Greatest Places”
- Bill Addision, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times named it to his best new restaurant list.
- The New York Times gave Junebaby, Seattle’s first ever 3 star review.
- Junebaby was voted a Top 50 New Restaurants in Bon Appetit Magazine
- Chef Jordan won James Beard Awards for Best Chef : Northwest and Best New Restaurant.
We don’t really need to go on about the food being good, do we?
Here are some of the reasons that make Junebaby special:
- I think part of its appeal of Junebaby also had to do with a lack of Southern food in Seattle. Coastal Kitchen comes to mind, but definitely not many.
- They don’t take reservations unless you are a group of 8 or more, so if you really wanted to and came early enough you could get a seat for this renowned restaurant. If you want it bad enough, you can eat here and not have to wait months due to reservations being booked up.
- Junebaby’s quality dishes has “Special Occasion” written all over it due to all it’s awards, but the spot has a very unpretentious atmosphere you might not expect. It feels like home. It doesn’t have that modern, sleek decor like some of the other popular new places like Sawyer, Cortina, Archipelego or Copine. Junebaby is relaxing.
- Along the same line as the above. They are located in Ravenna, a quiet little neighborhood not known as a food mecca. I’ve read articles where Chef Jordan wanted to have restaurants that were accessible to the community and families. And Ravenna is family-central and close to us! Woot Woot! He really took a risk opening up his restaurants in an out-of-the-way area. It shows great confidence in his abilities that if he builds it, they will come.
- Check out the encyclopedia on their website. I’ve provided links in our meal description. It not only gives information about the food at Junebaby, but also foods from all over.
A couple more details about Junebaby
- They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Wed through Friday they serve dinner only. On Saturday and Sunday, they serve lunch from 11-3pm and have something called, Moonshine Hour from 3-5pm. This is when they are prepping between lunch and dinner and are only serving a limited food menu.
- They have a 20% service charge and they are very transparent about how this is split up, which we appreciate. 62.5% is distributed as gratuity to employees directly serving guests. 20% is distributed to employees not directly serving guests. The remaining 17.5% is retained by the house to provide higher wages and benefits.
- On certain nights, they have special dishes.
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Wednesdays – Turkey Leg
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Thursdays – Mac n’ Cheese with Newsom’s Ham
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Fridays – Brisket Dinner
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Saturdays – BBQ Dinner
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Sundays – JuneBaby’s Fried Chicken
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- Chef Jordan’s has two other establishments, Salare and Lucinda Grain Bar, located on the same street as June Baby.
2021 Updates: Take out from June Baby
Ratings
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 5.00
Overall: 4.85
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Waiter talked about going to a restaurant that was $1000 but it was his dream and he saved up to do it.
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