café soleil vs the hi spot... ... is a question my partner and i have often asked each other. after finally choosing hi spot (it's always so busy, MUST be good, right?) and being severely disappointed, i gave it a second shot when a friend wanted to go. same story as before in food AND service. two strikes, out. today it was finally café soleil. we had a warm table in the front window, the friendly waitress was quick with water and specials. we each ordered the specials: chicken sausage/mushroom/parmesan frittata and French toast to split, tho i swapped the chz for ched and added zuch. swift prep, out quick. potato guy here so i tried those first. the size of the cut was inconsistent which leads to inconsistent cooking so while some were crispy, others had parts that were just this said of undercooked, this was true for both of us. my frittata had a tiny hair on top, accidents happen. the waitress was quick to remove and ask if i'd like something else, knowing i might be grossed out by the whole dish now but i said i'd still like to try it. this gave me a chance to try the French toast out. same French bread that was served as toast with the entrée, only dipped and while not extraordinary in flavor, it was nevertheless tasty and nice and crispy like it should be. fresh pineapple slices on the side didn't hurt. if i had noticed the raspberry preserve on the table before the syrup it woulda been all over it! my new plate was out quickly as well, everything was great. i polished it off. wasn't till we got home and i was halfway through this review with 4 stars when my partner told me he didn't want to say anything there but a small hair was on the side of his dish too, not touching anything. he just brushed it off. fallen star. overall thoughts: someone needs a hairnet to protect the yummy food being served by a really friendly staff ;) read more

Absolutely delicious. Cozy decor but we sat outside in perfect weather. Had lamb ki whet, yellow peas and spinach and chicken. Perfect.

Cafe Soleil is one of the loveliest spaces to dine in the Madrona neighborhood. High ceilings, great light and lovely staff. Brunch is very good and you don't have to wait for a table. This restaurant is too often overlooked by visitors and local Madrona residents. We need to dine in soon for dinner. read more

One thing I really love about a restaurant is ambiance. Cafe Soleil is utterly charming and warm. I would really recommend it for an intimate date. read more

We love this place. Great space with exposed brick and warm lighting. The ethiopian food is tastes fresh and not too heavy! Recommend the swiss chard and the eggplant! read more

Food was very average. Service was pretty lacking. I ordered simply the granola and a latte and received the granola. My fiancé ordered a scramble with green peppers and mushrooms and received a scramble with mushrooms. It was clearly a lack of attention by the server. Probably won't be back. read more

Cafe Soleil consistently impresses with delicious breakfasts and authentic Ethiopian dinners. I think the secret is Kuri's experience as a chef in multiple regions of the world, including France, Ethiopia, and the US. At any rate, this is a favorite for the food, laid back company, and decor. read more

This is a very charming restaurant, with big windows and wonderful decor inside. The food was great, I enjoyed very much my beef dish. I can see the chef cook from where I sat, it was amazing to see her mix stuff together and the whole thing comes out delicious! read more

Love this restaurant! Food is very tasty. Service is excellent. I love eating here because I feel full, but not grossly stuffed, just truly satisfied... I go with my young son, and although there isn't a play area, he is happy to go and they are happy to accommodate him. It is a great way for him to try new foods too. read more

Our favorite ethiopian food in Seattle. We live in this part of the city where there is a plethora of Ethiopian restaurants, but soleil is our go-to place. The owner is the nicest lady ever. She also uses several organic ingredients and sometimes has gluten free injera. Also great sunny space with sidewalk seating on nice days. read more

I'd been meaning to try ethiopian food for a while, and I'm glad I chose Cafe Soleil as my 1st experience. This was by far one of the best places to eat in Madrona. Its nice that they have a non-ethiopian menu you but I'd encourage everyone to be brave and try the real stuff. The server was incredibly informative and the food was very prompt. My friend and I had the chicken ke'y w'et(stew) and the lamb tibes(saute), both were amazing and cooked perfectly. The most interesting part was the injera which was their flatbread that more resembled a crepe but was very good too and they served plenty of it. Overall, a great experience! & if I could give it more stars I would! read more

This is the best Ethiopian food in the city, hands down. I come for dinner every week, and would come multiple times a week if I lived closer. If you are a fan of Ethiopian cuisine or are interested in trying it, this will be your new favorite restaurant. If you haven't liked Ethiopian food up to this point, I dare you to go here; this place will change your mind. Cafe Soleil is clean, extremely delicious, very well priced, and rarely too busy at dinner time. It has a lovely ambiance, and the owner/sole chef is an absolute sweetheart. And as someone who has numerous food intolerances (gluten, eggs, soy, peanuts, almonds, etc.), Ethiopian is ideal. Cafe Soleil also has very nice traditional American brunches, with eggs and french toast and potatoes and the like. Go to Cafe Soleil. You and your taste buds will be glad you did! read more

I really liked this place. I had the most delicious pasta, and I don't remember what it was called. It was a tomato sauce that was spiced in a way that I'd never had before. I couldn't even recognize the spices. The pasta was al dente perfect! I need to go back to enjoy it again! The price was higher than I'd like, but the atmosphere and the staff was wonderful. read more

I have eaten at Cafe Soleil many time for both dinner and brunch, most recently a couple weeks ago, and always enjoyed it. Their Ethiopian dinner fare is always tasty and I like their unique touch of bringing a dish of yogurt and of sliced tomatoes as condiments. it would be nice to see occasional changes or additions to the menu, but their staples are delicious so I'm happy, and an occasional special does liven things up. Brunch is primarily egg based, with a good variety of dishes available, and I love that they have frittatas as an option. Atmosphere is casual with a touch of art-deco, and very light and airy feeling with a tall ceiling and many windows. An excellent dining option that fits well in it's neighborhood atmosphere. read more

We're regulars here, and always look forward to it. Out -of-town guests always enjoy it as well. The service is warm and attentive, and why not when you're serving such excellent Ethiopian food! My family and I have tried other Ethiopian restaurants in town, but this one stands out. None of us order off the spicy side of the menu these days, so I can't attest to that. But the mild Ethiopian dishes are well spiced and varied. The yogurt and tomato condiments added to the injera and entrees are a real pleasure and increase the variety bite by bite. We were comfortable coming here when our kids were babies to now young adults. The atmosphere is casual and sparse in an elegant way. Prices are very reasonable. read more

I come here for Saturday brunch a lot. I love it here. It's such a nice pace and I never feel rushed. The service was always with a smile and I love the food. The fritattas are fantastic! Definitely one of my favorites for breakfast! I really want to dinner here, I love Ethiopian food. :) read more

After being seated but not receiving a menu within twenty minutes we got up and found our own. Maybe we were supposed to grab it ourselves? Then we waited another twenty minutes to order our drinks. Then another to order food. Then...you get the idea. This is one of those places where I told my boyfriend that I wouldn't tip. Don't get your Yelp thong in a bunch, I tipped 20%, but hated every minute of the dining experience. Bring a coat, it was freezing. read more

Such a lovely place. And the attention to what matters is evident. Thank you so much for running this restaurant year after year. My favorite is coming in for breakfast. read more

The food is always fantastic. Each time I visit cafe soleil I feel like I'm on vacation. The music, food, coffee, juice, owner . . . They all compliment each other perfectly. read more

Excellente! Kuri and staff are so nice and accommodating. The food is fresh and delicious and delivered with love.

good food with an attentive and very friendly staff. extremely relaxed environment, yet not too spacious. take advantage of the outdoor dining and you've got a great brunch/lunch. read more

Just had Sunday brunch here for the first time. The service is great; however the food was subpar. Two of us in our party ordered a "scramble" and both were burned omelets that were then chopped up. The potato wedges were also charred and black. It's a shame since I live only two blocks away and would love to be a regular but the food preparation is not worth it. read more

I have recently been to Cafe Soleil for brunch and really enjoyed it, the place was pretty much full with customers walking in and out the whole time I was there, so it must be pretty popular. The food was pretty good, though I thought my hot eggplant sandwich lacked a little flavor. I just felt that they could have used pepper paste or something to kick up the flavor a notch. The potatoes that came with the sandwich were yummy! Servers are very friendly and make sure you always have your coffee cups full, not to mention they are very speedy. I would like to try more ethnic dishes, possibly dinner next time I am in Seattle. read more

Great food, relaxed atmosphere and really good prices. Had some of their omelets multiple times and a few times I tried their Ethiopian dishes. Delicious! read more

Love this place for brunch! Great value, interesting specials and delicious options. The brunch is very American fare, no Ethiopian influence that I have seen. read more

We've been going here for years for great Ethiopian food. Can't believe I haven't written a review for this place before. Its quaint, quiet, and like I said, great food. The owner is sweet and she runs the place with pride. I'm always surprised there aren't more people there for dinner, but it keeps the atmosphere quiet and many of the people are regulars. Other reviewer note that the service is slow, but that hasn't been our experience. Maybe its because they aren't as busy at night as they are for brunch. read more

This was my first time having Ethiopian food. My very best girlfriends and I have a standing date - the 2nd Friday of each month. We head to a new restaurant and enjoy a night together over great food and conversation. After a very disappointing experience at another venue down the street where we never got seated, we ended up walking along to find a place to settle down. We were welcomed right as we walked in with a friendly face and smile. We enjoyed incredible service and the most incredible food I've ever had. The price was reasonable and the environment clean with a comfortable setting and welcoming staff. Truly some of the most amazing food I've ever had. This was a Friday night - the day before Valentines Day. I called that next day - cancelled our reservations for another restaurant and took my husband to Cafe Soleil. The owner came to our table and said hello and was very sweet AND TALENTED in making us another delicious meal! My husband enjoyed it as much as I did. This is now my favorite place to go in Seattle! read more

Really cute space with delicious, flavorful food. The owner and her staff were very hospitable and warm. All the dishes we tried: spicy potatoes; yellow split peas; spinach and garlic; and chard, were all yummy. I would highly recommend Cafe Soleil for a lovely meal! read more

Cafe Soleil is a small, cozy corner restaurant with tall ceilings and large glass windows. If the ambience isn't enough to bring you in, then the food surely will be. From the yellow split peas to the spicy lentils, from the lamb tibes to the spinach garlic chicken, there is something for you to love. I can't recommend Cafe Soleil enough! read more

Cafe Soleil is by far my most favorite Ethiopian Restaurant and one of my most beloved restaurants in the world. The place is bare bones and small, but has a lovely, neighborhood restaurant feel to it. The owner knows how to squeeze a penny and has made quite a lovely, little place for people to eat without spending a fortune. I grew up in Germany and it feels like the Ethiopian equivalent of what Germans call a Gasthaus: small, cozy, local restaurant for relaxing and enjoying food and friends. The food is delicious, fresh and all prepared by the owner herself. Considering that she is the only cook, the food comes out quite speedily and if you have to wait, it's not usually for long. Nobody works harder and is more gracious that the owner, Kuri. Whenever I have family or friends who visit from out of town, Cafe Soleil is the first place on our list of places to eat and I have yet to have a visitor leave Seattle without a positive impression of this quaint and lovely restaurant. If you're looking for opulence and excess, you won't like Cafe Soleil, but if you're looking for substance and heart, you will love it. read more