[[HIGHLIGHT]]First impression as I walk into this beautiful Zen building is the warm greetings from not only the hostesses but also the wait staff and the kitchen (open view) chefs.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The meal was an experience- tasting menu at $225 with options for luxurious additions was a treat and a surprise. Gerald took excellent care of us and is one of the reasons I would return again and again read more

Another awesome night at Cafe Jaunita filled with delicious food and amazing staff, wonderful and knowledgeable! Really interesting fresh flavors that I had been craving since visiting NYC. The pescatarian menu was perfection! Cafe Jaunita satisfied all of my wishes. Great night, great company, wonderful food and staff went above and beyond! The Pacific Northwest at its best, highly recommended! read more

Cafe Juanita - Salad course! - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

I really wanted to love this place but it fell short of expectations. Service/Ambience: [[HIGHLIGHT]]The building and interior are rustic in a refined way.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was warm and friendly, but we had to wait ~20 minutes for our waiter to come by after we were first seated. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were also seated in a tucked away area, where the ventilation wasn't great.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was definitely a very busy weekend night, and it seemed like they could use a few more staff, especially based on how long it took for our waiter to first come by. There is valet parking for a fee, and limited street parking nearby. Food: While writing this review, I'm sadly realizing that I can't remember most of the dishes without referring to photos, other than the bread service, which was my favorite part of the meal. The appetizers left quite a bit to be desired, from the plating to how well the bites worked together. It's one thing to use caviar and truffles to elevate the meal, but it's another to actually make them work with other ingredients. The bread service was fantastic, loved the variety of breads they provide. The pasta had good texture but not sure if the large quantity of truffles was necessary as they kinda stole the show from the rest of the dish. The salad was fresh but a bit unwieldy, the fish was very well cooked but the dish was something I'd had multiple times before, and I truly cannot recall how the desserts tasted. Overall: At this price point (~300 pp) I would have expected far more in terms of attention to detail, flavor profiles, and just overall execution. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food and even ambience lacked identity to the point where I can barely remember my experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I don't think I'd recommend this spot or want to return. read more

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Food: Opening bites: sorbet was delightful and refreshing, the crab was fresh Second course: scallop and yellowtail were fresh, flavorful, and refreshing. The wagyu was tasty and salty. It had a contrast of texture: hard crunchy bread with soft chewy beef Bread flight: the assortment was all tasty but the potato bread was our favorite, it was moist and chewy. The butter was light and salty Tagliatelle with truffle: cheese forward and truffle didn't have a distinct flavor Pasta with mushroom: mushroom was very flavorful but the pasta was extremely cheesy Endive salad: I personally did not like the endive, walnuts, or cheese but the oranges were refreshing and sweet Venison: venison was delicious and paired well with the berry sauce. The veggie custard soufflé was off putting since it tasted like veggies but had the texture of pudding. The cabbage was seasoned well. Sablefish: sablefish was light and simple. The texture was smooth. It paired well with the beans. The olives were quite salty. Chocolate dessert: the dessert was very rich and sweet. The orange was sweet. The sorbet was refreshing. Vanilla panna cotta: the panna cotta was simple and paired well with the local honey. It was balanced well with the salt. Service: the service was great [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance: the restaurant is classy and intimate[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The reason for 3 stars is due to the high price point. Although the food was great, I do not see myself paying $225 pp again but it was worth trying once. read more

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To me it seems like Seattle is starved of fine dining and I think Cafe Juanita unfortunately shows that. Cafe Juanita really lacked the quality of attention and detail to their food and dining experience for them to be charging as much as they do. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'll start off by saying that the atmosphere and service was quaint and friendly, but there wasn't really anything special about it. It's just a clean restaurant that has an older rustic look inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We came in right on time for our reservation but we waited a pretty long time (15-20 minutes) for our server to even greet to take our order and give us water. It's probably because they were busy but that's no excuse given how much they were charging as a restaurant. Service was very friendly otherwise. As for the food, I thought it was good but none of it really stood out to me where I felt like I wanted to come back to try it again. It was a very generic fine dining experience that served classic fine dining food. The food didn't really have a distinct identity in terms of cuisine and it was all a random variety of different types of ingredients that happened to be available at the time. In the end Cafe Juanita seems like it tries to mimic something of a michelin star restaurant but falls short. We also ordered two non alcoholic ciders which were very good. I ended up paying about $660 for two people which included two drinks and an add on. Given that their price tag rivals a 3 Michelin star restaurants in Los Angeles I would say the dining experience and food were way overpriced for what we received. Also, the day before our reservation they called to make sure we were still coming and they had to emphasize that they were going to charge us a 3% service fee that isn't part of the tip. It's already such a turn off when you're looking forward to going to a restaurant and they start off the bat telling you that they're going to charge you a service fee. If they really need to tell us they're going to charge a service fee while also pricing their menu as high as they are then they need to figure out their finances rather than pushing it onto their customers dining experience. They have valet parking for a fee, street parking may be difficult. read more

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Went here since it's a Chase Sapphire Reserved x Visa Open Table restaurant eligible for $150 off. High end, expensive restaurant. Our bill for party of 2 came out to ~$700. We ordered: the seafood tasting menu and the meat tasting menu. Was delicious, but all the food was a bit too rich for my taste.... read more

What an amazing food experience at Cafe Juanita! You are cared for the moment you walk in, from hanging your coats to frequent check ins while dining, explanation of the courses and so much more. Everything here is exquisite! There were one or two of the dishes that I didn't really enjoy but everything was overall exceptional. Food is really del ious here. 11/10 recommend! read more

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Fantastic food and cocktails as always. We had a few additional enhancements that were well worth it. Bread course was great and there focaccia was moist but not too oily. There pasta was amazing and fresh. The risotto with truffles and parmesan was balanced, soft yet still toothy. Wine paring was well balanced with the food. Service was amazing as always Definitely cant wait to go back. read more

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We came here for a birthday and were very satisfied. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The whole experience didn't feel pretentious at all.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]What i felt weird was there was no music so you could hear people talking. But I guess it made this place a bit more cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The foods all tasted amazing, even the salad, and there were hidden stuffs that were not on the menu to fill you up. The server was really nice and attentive. He even split the appetizer for us without our asking, knowing we would want to share that. Overall great sidinner and we will come back! read more

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Heaven on earth. Our first time dining here was a treat. The service was impeccable, ambience was intimate, and the food and wine pairings were excellent. I have no complaints and feel the pricing was justified. Can't wait to dine here again for our next special occasion. For now, I will be dreaming of our time at Cafe Juanita. read more

Cafe Juanita - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

I've had the wonderful privilege of being treated to some incredible dinner experiences, but Cafe Juanita still has to be #1 all-time in my book. I took some visiting family here for a celebration dinner, and it will be something I remember for years. About half of us ordered the omnivore tasting, and the other half ordered the pescatarian tasting. We all did wine pairings as well. There are supplemental items that each person can customize or add - my mom added the seared foie gras and I added the A5 Miyazaki wagyu with black truffle. All of our courses were amazing, and the service was absolutely top tier. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant itself is quite unassuming on the outside and looks like a house cozily nestled into the hillside of a ravine. But when you enter, it is wonderfully elegant with a nice view of the greenbelt around it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Cafe Juanita is a place that is a bigger spend for sure (actually not as much as other fine dining places), but it is a place you pull out all the stops and do not hold back. The food and service far exceeded anything I have had before. read more

This is a fairly nice fine dining restaurant located around the Kirkland area. We booked a reservation for a Wednesday dinner for 4 people, and it was not too hard to get a reservation for opening time. However, do plan ahead if you go for Friday or Saturday. They're currently open Tuesday and Wednesday and Friday and Saturday. Parking is street parking which is not too hard early in the day, or you can valet for $10. My friend and I got one omnivore and one pescatarian and did some substitutions to try as much as we can without paying an insane amount on supplements. Some courses can be subbed like the tagliatelle for the tajarin and the vegetable and desserts courses can be swapped. You can also swap between omnivore and pescatarian options too to have a best of both worlds approach. We started with house made focaccia which absolutely stands out - crispy bread with soft interior, and each bite soaks with delicious yet not overpowering amounts of olive oil. Then there's amuse bouche that has a cannoli with caviar, crostini, and baby carrot with chickpea crema which you can eat the entire thing. It's a nice plate to start, but nothing too memorable. Bread service - 2 breads (cumin and roasted garlic potato) and 2 crackers (rosemary and sea salt, and 36 month Parmesan reggiano) variants. They are good but we were still thinking of the focaccia Frutti di mare - love the scallops and oysters but the uni is just decent. Squid ink sauce A5 Miyazaki wagyu croccante - I love this one - very tender meat (raw) with toasted bread. A light toast Tagliatelle - good, has mushrooms, cooked al dente Tajarin with creme fraiche and white sturgeon caviar - substitution, also a great pasta. The caviar blends well with the tajarin flavors Little gems - has anchovy and the Parmesan reggiano, sharp and fresh Asparagus with black garlic - substitution, you also have one piece of that if you go with the omnivore course. I really love this along with the presentation. The shallots are pickled so it provides a slightly sweet and sour contrast Palate cleanser - kinda like a raspberry sorbet. Don't be fooled by the plating as I thought the white center was also food Alaskan halibut - spot prawn bisque - cooked well, blends well with the broth Venison - I prefer this main. Venison is so tender and juicy you can even eat it by just biting or a dull knife (since I was sharing, my friend had the sharper knife for the venison course). The spring onion agrodolce bombolino is a bread with the onion inside and is so flavorful and enhances the very savory black garlic asparagus and venison. Probably my favorite dish in the whole tasting menu, aside from the focaccia at the beginning Pavlova with strawberry and lemon curd - one bite, fairly solid Le Bombe - a nice finish to the meal. Very hearty, love the sweet contrast with yuzu Sichuan peppercorn gelato for a play on hot and cold Vanilla bean panna cotta - substitution, also very good and standard Service is excellent as they make sure you always have wine and water with the food. Food cadence is good in timing but the progression feels a little bit random as we start off with a heavy amuse bouche followed by a lighter A5 croccante / frutti di mare The sommelier recommended nice wines, both white and red, to pair with our courses. We started with a Sauvignon blanc then proceeded with a red wine after to pair with the later courses. Overall, the food is good and price range is fair - after tax and tip, it was about $325 a person for tasting menu ($205 base) plus 2 bottles of wine. If you go solo, wine pairing is good for variety but if you don't mind variety, going with a group to split a bottle or two will be a fraction of the price. read more

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It's been a bit since I visited and I didn't realize private parties had moved from downstairs to a room on the main floor. The format of a pescatarian, omnivore and a menu of other favorites that I could exchange for was awesome. I added a selection or two and was glad I didn't go further because I hit a wall late in the night. Great hosts for the evening and made me want to come again. My only knock was pacing was a little off, with some extended waits. [[HIGHLIGHT]]That said, it was a larger group and it was still a wonderful time.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food and decent service, the atmosphere was very calm and pleasant during our whole meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We tried so many unique foods we didn't know existed, and would come back but it is a pricey place. Great location too. read more

Cafe Juanita - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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What a beautiful meal and a beautiful experience. Cafe Juanita is kinda nestled in the residential area of Kirkland. There's valet parking and some street parking provided. The inside kinda gives "The Menu" vibes especially at night, with the big windows that see nothing but darkness and the open kitchen... minus all the other stuff lol We came in a few minutes early for our reservation and was greeted and seated pretty quickly. They only provide different prix fixe menus, so not a whole lot to choose from, but don't think you can go wrong. We went with the omnivore menu. Amuse bouche: so cute, so good. They were such perfect bites. I especially loved the scallop that was served with passion fruit and some pistachio maybe? Herb focaccia: super fluffy and airy. The outside was perfectly crunchy as well. Pea ravioli in broth: I'm not a fan of peas, so I wasn't a huge fan of this dish. But I enjoyed the pasta itself, the texture was good and the shape is the cutest thing. The soup was also full of umami flavor. Bread board: the assortment! Loved the variety here. I especially loved the gourmet cheez-its haha Wagyu croccante: delightfully buttery. The decorations on top are cute, but the flavor doesn't really come through when eaten together with the meat and sauce on the bread. Endive salad: yummier than I expected! It's served with a pine nut sauce with more pine nuts together. With the celery on top, it kinda tastes like an elevated celery and peanut butter snack which I was super on board for. The flavors can take a little getting used to, but every bite just continuously got better. Venison loin: omg so tender, and not gamey at all. Cooked to absolute perfection. The sauce was a great pairing with the meat and cabbage as well. Palate cleanser and desserts: palate cleanser was a beautiful dollop of fruity tart goodness. The little dessert before dessert was also amazing. I could've had about 10 of those, but sadly only got one. The actual dessert was a super interesting combo of porcini gelato and chocolate hazelnut bottom. Together, it's such an interesting flavor combination: umami porcini and salty nutty chocolate. Overall, a wonderful experience and delicious menu. We were both stuffed by the end of the meal. The service was divine, everyone was super attentive and kind. Would definitely recommend this for anyone wanting a special dining experience. read more

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By far one of my favorite restaurants in the region. Northern Italian type fusion fare. Having been to Italy a few times, the food brings me back to the coast of Camogli. The staff...Like magic ( or files ), they remember the wines that I liked as my favorites. For a high end dining experience, they don't do a major mark up their bottles. Perfect for when I enjoy a glass and want to take a bottle home for later. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's cozy, low light, soft jazz in the background.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect place to celebrate a birthday or anniversary.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Do the chefs tasting menus. You won't regret it other than you might be too full by the end. read more

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I was so looking forward to eat at cafe Juanita! Everyone in WA has recommended me for years about this place and my boyfriend took me there for my birthday tonight. Service - 4/5. As we are used to the top notch Japanese customer service, it was really what we expect for high end restaurants in the U.S. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambience - 4/5. Nothing special but it's intimate enough. Good for business dinner or romantic dinner[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Food - 2/5. I really wanted to fall in love with food. But everything was just okay. There was no outstanding dish here. What I truly couldn't even push myself to eat was their halibut tonight. It didn't taste good at all. My boyfriend who is not a food snob like myself and also eats everything couldn't eat either. It just didn't have a good flavor at all. Venison was 4/5 for my boyfriend, but I didn't like it at all. They just overpowered the steak with Indian flavored seasoning too much. So was some bread and beef tartar. If you are using truly an amazing A5 wagyu from Miyazaki, you shouldn't need to over power with seasoning like this. Now you can't even taste the ingredients anymore. As they are in my neighborhood, I truly wanted this place to be my favorite restaurant in the area. Instead, we both agreed that the quality was not matching the price. My boyfriend said everything was amazing if this was at Chipotle, but because this is supposed to be one of the top restaurants in the east side, the disappointment was bigger for both of us. I can't recommend this place to foodies like me who travels the world for good food. If you don't travel much and have not experienced much fine dining though, I can understand this could be one of the best places in WA. That is my true judgement from what I ate tonight. We're truly bummed about this because we truly wanted to fall in love with this restaurant tonight. Would I come back? Probably not unless someone else wants to try there badly. We don't mind going there on business meals, but it doesn't meet the expectations we were looking for this location. read more

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They charge $8.00 for tap water!!! The food was interesting and the service was good although the frequent visits to place new silverware on the table got to be a bit much But seriously....$8.00 for a glass of tap water?!? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. $700 for 2 people is really not worth it. I have better things to spend my money on, instead of just interesting food read more

They have an excellent tasting menu. We went for a special occasion and it was amazing! The food is very delicious. We didn't do the wine pairing here, but all of the food was so good. The service is really fast, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambiance of the restaurant is really cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]This was a pretty solid place for a date night and/or special occasion.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was great but not 5 Star worthy.

Fine dining at its best... and most expensive. We are CJ fans, and this is the first time we've been to the restaurant since they switched from a la carte to tasing menus. First, the ambience. Quiet, reserved, elegant. Tables nicely spaced, noise level is low so conversation is easy, and the tables and chairs are sleek and comfortable. Service was top notch. We were greeted warmly, and our server was attentive and helpful without hovering too much. The sommelier was delightful and gave colorful explanations of all the wine we tried. Now for the food. Wonderful from start to finish. Each course was beautifully plated and lovingly prepared. My daughter had the pescatarian menu, and I had the omnivore. We augmented our dinner with the Tajarin with butter and sage, a Cafe Juanita classic. The two menus are the same except for the entree and the appetizer. We both agreed the omnivore menu was the standout. The carpaccio was out of this world: creamy waygu carpaccio with tangy jalapeno butter and the crunch of a homemade rye crisp. My daughter's frutti de mare was fresh and bright, but the cuttlefish ink was a bit strong for her liking. The tagliatelle with morels was some of the best pasta we've ever eaten, even better than our beloved butter and sage. For entrees, we gave the nod to the melt-in-your mouth venison loin. The halibut was perfectly cooked but just a tad on the bland side. Desserts were sublime. We had the wine parings with our meal. Each wine was exquisite and paired perfectly with the food. The price seemed steep for the amount of wine in each pour. We are glad we tried it, but would just order wine off the menu next time. read more

Truly a 5 star experience from start to finish at the Chef's Table this evening. All items were fresh, delicious and married well. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or business meeting out. read more

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Celebrated a big milestone birthday dinner here with 3 couples. We all had an amazing experience, wonderful meal and exceptional service. I would absolutely recommend the A5 add on, it was amazing. Initially my wife and I were a bit intimidated by the menus but once you go over everything with your server and understand the menu it becomes much less intimidating. They do offer corkage fee of $35 which I would recommend doing because their wines are a bit on the pricey side (but who's counting). read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]The service and food was disappointing, and the ambiance is less than desirable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Most of the tables are in high foot traffic areas with constant noise, and absolutely no charm or privacy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The pasta was excessively salty. With half the dish remaining, and the food portions are small, the server did not inquire or indicate interest to understand if the pasta was satisfactory. As it happened, when paying the bill the server never returned to our table. Another disappointing dinner at this place. This restaurant should not have any stars. read more

My fiance and I recently had the opportunity to dine at Cafe Juanita on February 2nd(I know, this review is FAR overdue), and I was absolutely floored. There have only been two other occasions during which I have felt true euphoria while eating a meal. One was at é by Jose Andres, a twenty plus course gastronomy tasting menu, and the other at Joel Robuchon, the famous chef's only restaurant in the United States. Cafe Juanita was the third. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor is minimalist but classy, dark and luxurious wood fitting in perfectly with the slightly secluded location of the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were greeted and seated immediately and introduced to our server, Oscar. Oscar was a wealth of knowledge and managed to be professional without being stiff or stuffy, which is often a difficult tightrope to walk. He was always there when we needed it, and seemed to vanish when my fiance and I had eyes only for each other. He is truly a credit to fine dining service, and a stellar assest to the restaurant. Now, the food. Oscar had no trouble substituting a vegan dessert for my fiancé's pescatarian menu, while I stuck to the omnivore menu. Starting off with a bang was the Miyazaki A5 wagyu carpaccio, with pickled shallots and sous vide eggs. Absolute perfection, and I say that as someone who's not normally a fan of raw beef. The shallots added a perfect amount of bite, the eggs a touch of creaminess, and every taste was exceptional. I didn't manage a bite of my fiancé's king crab with apple sorbetto, but seeing how fast it was gone it must have been a showstopper as well. The next course was not on the menu, but my companion mentioned my love of truffle to the staff and lo and behold, we got a surprise course of house pasta with a 36 month old parmesean reggiano sauce, garnished lavishly with plenty of Perigord black truffle. Pure ecstasy in its simplicity, and with only 3 primary flavors going on, the cheese, pasta, and truffle all stood out in their perfection. The risotto served next was sumptuous in its richness, despite the small portion, and agreed by both of us as the dish of the night. To cleanse the palate after the risotto was the single best salad I have ever had in my life. Beets, house made toffee, and watercress made the bulk of the dish, but again simplicity prevailed. With so few ingredients, there was nothing to hide behind and quite frankly, no need to. If you had ever told me I would wax this eloquently on a salad, of all things, I would have laughed you out of the room,but here we are. The entree was a venison loin with more truffle cooked into the capunet for myself, and sablefish with a fennel crema for my fiance. I managed only a small bite of the sablefish, as it was fiercely guarded, but the venison loin was among the best I've ever had. The kitchen somehow managed to remove the gameiness without the typical addition of heavy onion, shallot, or spice. Again, as a theme, the ingredients really stood on their own. Dessert was a simple affair, with the flour less chocolate cake for the lady and a fresh vanilla Panna cotta for me, accompanied by the most delicious honey I've ever been graced to experience. All in all, I have one regret, and that is that the Michelin guide doesn't come to Seattle. Based on other experiences around the world, this was an easy 2 stars by the guide, diminished only by its location near a vibrant business/residential area. If the location were slightly more refined, it would be a 3 star without breaking a sweat. Simply put, this is pretty much the best menu you can eat in the State of Washington. read more

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I've been to many fine dining restaurants that have Michelin stars and the food and service is on par. Loved the diversity of the staff and everyone was so attentive. Highly, highly recommend for a special night. read more

Cafe Juanita is renowned for its exceptional Italian cuisine, offering a refined dining experience that blends traditional and contemporary flavors from the Tuscan region. Set in an elegant and cozy space, the restaurant features warm lighting and a sophisticated yet welcoming ambiance. The menu, crafted by Chef Holly Smith, showcases seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Signature dishes include various fish dishes and the perfectly balanced handmade pasta. The wine list is extensive, featuring selections that complement the menu beautifully. Service at Cafe Juanita is impeccable, with knowledgeable and attentive staff ensuring a memorable dining experience. Whether it's a special occasion or an intimate dinner, Cafe Juanita provides a culinary journey that is both exquisite and unforgettable. The evening was unforgettable and worth the price tag that many find too high. Highlights were the supplement risotto and Alaskan halibut, which melted in my mouth. The sommelier's knowledge of the wines, paired with the menu, blew me away and I appreciated that I could take pictures to further research and hopefully enhance my personal collection. Hands down, my favorite restaurant in the Seattle area and second favorite after Eleven Madison in the US. I truly appreciated the lovely evening being spoiled by my friends. read more

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Food and service were excellent. Prefixe menu was well thought out as were the wine pairings.

Very very precious and out there food. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambience ok.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Very very very expensive. If this what you are looking for, this is your place. I got shanghaied into other people's choice for a reunion and got sucker-punched with a 300 dollar bill. read more

Being a long time loyalty customer for cafe Juanita since year 2005, we stopped going after pandemic hit. This is our first time going back after they switched away from à la carte menu to 4 sets of tasting menus ( omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan). We brought our own wine, an amazing burgundy that I love and it is at its prime time, definitely the highlight of the night. The wine pairing is quite expensive here, if one wants good wine without breaking the bank, it is likely a better idea to bring your own or order a reasonably priced bottle from the wine menu. Their corkage fee is extremely affordable at $35. Of course the wine brought in needs to be one that they don't have on their menu. We both picked the omnivore menu, but subsituted two dishes with the items on the supplement menu for variety. That way we get to have two different pasta courses, and instead of two veggie plates we get one veggie and one foie gras. Also ordered a grilled octopus from the supplement menu as extra, but ended up being too full at the end. Bread service, the wagyu croccante, and venison are impeccable. Some dishes are on the salty side ( especially the little gem salad) as Chef Holly Smith is usually slightly heavy handed on salt. That is her preference, not a mistake. I would say the dishes here go very well when there is wine/ alcohol involved. At the end the manager brought us two glasses of Malabaila Birbet Brachetto dessert wine to try. It is very refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness, I have to say I like it better than the dessert itself. A very lovely restaurant with perfectly executed tasting menu, and top notch service. Unfortunately not the type we can take the kids with us like before when they had full à la carte menu, but still a top choice for any special occasions. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great spot for an upscale dining experience![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor and vibe of the restaurant was beautiful and modern with an open kitchen view.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was delicious and I really appreciated they had several variations of the tasting menu to accommodate different dietary preferences; tableside service also offered adjustments within that menu (I was pregnant and they helped ensure all the food was cooked through). Would love to come back again! read more

Good splurge restaurant. Food is always great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice, quiet vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I like going here at least once a year.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Possibly the worst "fine dining" in the Seattle area, if not the entire West Coast of America.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I thought Altura was overrated but at least they had some creativity and appeared to be trying. This was the most boring, uninspired, and downright bad tasting menu I have ever had. The a5 wagyu croccante was basically carpaccio with corn nuts on top. The venison was so raw that it was inedible. And the "pasta" had no flavor or appealing quality. The $200 caviar supplement was good, but they just open a can and give you some potato chips. Honestly the worst part was the drinks. When I first ordered an Old Fashioned with rye the waitress said "rye? Is that like a whiskey?".... After downing an old fashioned with no sugar whatsoever we asked for diet cokes, which came out completely flat. When we pointed out that that their tap was out of carbonation and drinks were flat the waitress decided to gaslight us and say "thats how it comes out of the can". At this point we just laughed our way through the rest of the meal. $800 for two tasting menus, the caviar supplement, and two cocktails. This meal was just under the cost of Alinea (3 star michelin, won best restaurant in the world) and could not have been any less worth it. Save your money, fly to SF, Vegas, Denver, or Chicago and go to a real Michelin fine dining establishment that is worth your time and money. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was very peaceful and immersed in the woods.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had the standard prix fixe menu and a bottle of wine. Their wine sommelier was very knowledgeable and helped us choose a wine that we'd enjoy with our meal. Service was great and my water glass was always full. My favorite was the long bread served near the beginning. Don't know if I'll be back given the price, but it was fun to come here! read more

Cafe Juanita - Menu - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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They have an excellent tasting menu here! When I read they had reopened without missing a beat I made a Galentine's reservation for me and the gals. I had the pescatarian menu while the other two had the carnivore menus. Everything came out beautifully plated and prepared with care. It was a two hour sitting and I left fully satiated. The service was very good and the food was brought out by multiple servers so we were all served at the same time for each course. My favorite dishes were the fresh pasta, and desserts. This was a great tasting dinner - comparable to that of the Herb Farm, just half the price and half the time. I look forward to coming back once the seasonal menu changes. Note that parking is $10 for valet parking and it will be added to your table bill. read more

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What a special treat and delightful tasting experience we had at Cafe Juanita. I booked our reservation about a month before our travels and specified we'd be celebrating a birthday (my husband's and mine). I had to book with my credit card which wasn't a big deal and I was able to use OpenTable to do this. I also specified that we were vegetarians which wasn't a huge deal at all. What attracted me to this place was the fact they do tasting menus but mostly because they offer a vegetarian and vegan one. Not many places do this so we were so thrilled. Another thing: their safety precautions! We had to show proof of vaccination upon entering and I loved that because it meant all of us were dining safely and without worry. We were seated immediately and our tasting adventure began. We opted for the vegan tasting + wine pairing and oh my goodness everything was so elegant and wonderful. We definitely had some favorite dishes, but literally everything was wonderful. The service was spot on and the staff was so friendly and prompt to our questions. If you're wanting to have a wonderful dining experience and tasting experience, I can't recommend Cafe Juanita enough! read more

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*Super delayed review* Cafe Juanita has been on my list of places to try and it was an amazing experience! The restaurant is tucked away in Kirkland, WA. The entrance to the restaurant is a little dark. There probably is street parking nearby but we just used the valet for $10. The restaurant has a 5 course tasting menu with a choice of vegetarian and omnivore options. We chose the omnivore option ($170 when we dined). The dining experience was rounded out with a couple of small bites - an amuse bouche, bread with this wonderful smoked sea salt butter and a super refreshing intermezzo of lemon verbena and apricot sorbet. We had dined in the fall, and the menu pretty much revolved around truffles. We were completely fine with this, but it is something to think about when deciding when to dine at Cafe Juanita, as their menu definitely changes with the season. Highlights of the meal included the kelp cured scallops and the wagyu with shio koji. The meal capped off with a chocolate-huckleberry mouse and candied pear. This is definitely a splurge. But a really wonderful meal in a quiet and romantic atmosphere! read more

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We travel a ton, and are always looking for great restaurants. As often as not, we're disappointed. Despite great reviews, Michelin stars, and public acclaim, surprisingly often there are weaknesses and/or simply unpleasant food. That's never the case at Cafe Juanita. It's always been excellent: interesting, delicious, beautiful food and impeccable service. Quite an achievement by Chef/owner Holly Smith and her crew. It's simply one of the best restaurants in the world. Just go. read more

Love Cafe Juanita, we go for special occasions and it really is special. Such amazing textures and flavors. The options for vegetarian and pescatarian are always amazing. Looking forward to our next dining experience there. read more

My husband told me here for my birthday last night and wow, they truly knocked every little thing out of the park. I can't stop thinking about the amuse bouche, the tagliatelle, and the pork. The service was thoughtful and well-paced. I can't wait to find another reason to return. read more