We visited Cafe Lago the other night because it had been a while. Delicious food, nice service, incredible panna cotta at dessert--but we couldn't figure out when it got so expensive? I don't know that much about food, but I know how much it costs to fix many cocktails, and even their price point made us go 'huh?' read more

Anniversary supper on Saturday evening. Wonderful delicious antipasto, salads, pasta and dessert. Wonderful service by Marty and the wait staff. Great evening in every way. read more

Having driven by this place countless times I finally made it here last week and I must say I am happy to have done so. The ambiance was homey and comfortable with very good service to top it off. As for the food, we ordered a Pomodori al Forno(slow roasted tomatoes with goat cheese and crostinis) to start with which was great. It was tangy and it had just enough garlic to flavor the dish without giving you dragon breath. Now to the main event, the Salsiccia (sausage) Pizza was awesome! The crust was thin, crisp and flaky; the sausage was really flavorful and it had enough tomato sauce to make it moist without getting the crust soggy. The only negative for me was paying $19 for my pizza which is a little steep for a personal pizza but like the old saying states, "you get what you pay for" and that definitely holds true here! read more

I'm rounding up from 2.5 stars because I really did enjoy my food. There are two primary negatives: poor value and lack of variety. The food itself was all pretty high quality in terms of taste and flavor. The lasagne I ordered was very tasty with a delicious tangy red sauce and soft, light, fluffy pasta with the right balance of cheese - their description is quite accurate. It also did not feel too heavy and greasy as lasagne often does. But it was $20 and I ate it in like 3 bites, definitely craving more when I was finished. I'm all for smaller portions, but it doesn't make sense to charge that much when the dish is vegetarian,as the case in 75% of the pasta dishes offered (there are only 4 in total), and not overly dense/rich. Not a huge complaint but my lasagne also came out luke-warm. I don't like scalding hot food so I was OK with it, but I know a lot of other people would have taken issue with this. I really wish they offered a bigger menu, or at least dishes more exotic and gourmet. For pasta, you have a meatless ravioli, a meatless gnocci, a meatless lasagne, and a vanilla fettuccine with meatballs and that's it. Maybe I'm spoiled from the E.Coast but I would expect a lot more dishes from a top end Italian joint, and certainly not just one non-vegetarian option. The dessert - chocolate truffle cake and panna cotta- was OK. Nothing special, but tasty enough. Service was also OK, although unremarkable. This place pales in comparison to the best from Boston, but maybe it is towards the top of Seattle's offerings. As stated, the flavors are there and I enjoyed my entree. I just wish other features of the restaurant were as good, read more

I ordered Cafe Lago from UberEATS and the restaurant accepted the order. But, when the driver arrived for pickup they said someone else had picked up the order. They then told the driver they had just been too busy to make the order. I heard all this while on the phone with the driver, who had been waiting at the restaurant for 15 minutes. I called the restaurant directly and they were unapologetic, telling me they had a dinner rush and were too busy to fulfill the order, even though they had accepted it. They offered to make the order now that I had called, but there wasn't any way to have it delivered, as the driver had already left. UberEATS should remove this restaurant listing from their app. read more

Best pizza in Seattle, hands down. I'm from New York so I consider myself a bit of a pizza snob, and sorry to say, Seattle in general has it all wrong wheb it comes to pizza. Cafe Lago is the exception. The Margherita pie is exceptional and the flavors are subtle and absolutely delicious. I haven't ever ordered anything else here, so my review strictly covers that one food item. Their Moscow mule is also exemplary. Pricey for sure but you get what you pay for in this case! read more

I recently ate here with my mother and we both love this place. I had eaten at Cafe Lago before, but it was a first time for my mom. The atmosphere is casual and family friendly, the food is excellent and the portions are reasonable. We split a salad, and each of us had pasta and wine and our bill was reasonable (about $30 each). I noticed that a lot of people seemed to know the staff there and so it seems like a place with many regular customers. Parking can be difficult but we lucked out the night we were there. read more

I have never found a restaurant that truly makes gnocchi well. The gnocchi here is right out of my Italian mother's kitchen. I only wish it came with a meat sauce. Our entire meal was outstanding, from the Negroni to the biscotto at the end. read more

A wonderful neighborhood restaurant - always tasty (best in town lasagna) and comfortable. But on my last visit it struck me as notably pricey - especially the wine list. I think the least expensive red wine at dinner is $45 a bottle. I highly recommend offering two to three reds in the $28- $35 range. Your many loyal customers will appreciate it. read more

I've been to Cafe Lago about 4 or 5 times over the past 3 years or so and it never disappoints. My most recent visit was just a few days ago and the service was very friendly. I had the fluffy light lasange which has been described by many as the best in Seattle. I couldn't agree more. The gnochi is also amazing. Definitely a great restaurant for a special date night. read more

I've been going to Cafe Lago for years and have always been satisfied with my meal. However, the past year or so the service has been terrible. Instead of leaving the restaurant discussing how great the pasta or pizza dishes were, my friends and I complain about the service. Good food cannot compensate for a poor customer experience. Their poor service is not an isolated event/only experienced on busy nights. The past several times I've gone, I have had to wait at least 10-15 minutes to have our waiter take our drink orders and offer bread. They are not personable, friendly, and they're even awkward. Today, waiters were standing or walking around aimlessly without taking our orders or checking in and the place was 25% full. Basically, the lack of training and lack of enthusiasm by the waitstaff is a huge disservice to Cafe Lago. I suggest that they hire or train people to be more engage and lively rather than apathetic and bored. Great customer service and experience is key. Great restaurants succeed when they not only provide great food, but also quality service that cannot be easily replicated. read more

I ordered the tortellini. It was the worst meal I've ever had at a restaurant. It took 45 minutes and was served in a broth that was essentially water. I've had better meals out of a cardboard box. Save your money folks. read more

Food is delicious and appropriate serving size, but service is s l o w each of the three times we've dined here, especially since the restaurant was not packed (less than half tables filled). Nice to have a tasty place within walking distance of home. During our most recent time out, it was a party of four. Drinks, bread, and salad arrived in reasonable amount of time, but we waited over 75 minutes for our entrees (three pastas and one steak). We were told the steak, requested to be medium rare, was the hold up when we finally asked about the status of our food. The pastas arrived, followed by the steak five minutes later. The fresh pasta had excellent texture and pomodori sauce is flavorful, though the steak was medium well to well. We didn't want to wait any longer for another steak to be prepared (after 9:30 pm at this point). We passed on dessert due to not wanting to wait around read more

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY POOR PASTA Over salty and Loss of Appetite The Food sucks here , Over priced for a Block of Salt , and horrible parking , Here is my experience I ordered linguine and meatballs food came after one bite I lost my appetite there was so much salt in the red sauce it was like they added a full box , the waitress then came and asked how was your food , I told her way to salty. she offered me something else but at this point I lost all appetite to eat . she replied with I will go taste the sauce myself and tell the chef , she never came back to apologize or say if she even told the chef , and with a Full uneaten plate in front of me, after telling her to take it away. she did not do that on top of it they charged me the $19.95 price , Don't even get me started on the under cook pasta , i do understand Ala dente , but this crap was hard and crunchy... Stay away from here , its not worth it , Not a great first time experience and will not be going back , this place sucks , and parking sucks as well , My advice is fire the chef and hire some one who knows what the hell they are doing 1 star is not even worthy of maybe 1/3 star read more

This restaurant is perfect. Really great pizza. Only 10.00 on Mondays. Wonderful lasagna. Nice staff. Can't say enough. Great going guys. read more

We had dinner here with friends from Europe this evening. The service was terrible. Two of our party of six actually never got their food despite waiting for an hour and a half. Our European friends still wished to pay and left no tip. Walking away from the restaurant we were visited with an abusive encounter by the waiter on the street telling our friends what jerks they were for not leaving a tip. Despite living a few blocks away and being able to walk there for dinner, as we have in the past, we will not be going back. Nor would we ever invite some one civilized to eat in this place. I am relieved not to be in or near this restaurant at the moment. Better to drive some place civilized at four dollars a gallon than to walk to this place and be abused so close to home. read more

Our meal was decent, not that impressive. I felt like the cost of our bill was outrageous for what we received. I couldn't help but think their high prices reflected their need for rent money. Lasagna is "good," but it's $19.00! And is accompanied by NOTHING. Big enough to share? Only if you order more food and spend more. We won't be returning. Can spend less elsewhere for food that's equivalent or better. read more

I'll never know. Cafe Lago signed up for a Groupon promotion and then after it was posted city-wide, Cafe Lago backed out. Very bad karma.

the first thing that stands out whenever i eat here, there is always at least 1 very cute server. and this time around that one was serving my table and she definitely had the service and friendly demeanor to go with it. oh and the ravioli and pizza are super tasty. while the prices are more costly and portions not gargantuan, it's still very much worth splurging on. if the prices were a bit lower and the clientele more diverse, there's no question the restaurant would get a 5-star rating. read more

I was so excited to try this place after reading that they made their pasta fresh daily in Seattle Met magazine.Upon arrival, we were greeted by a an unfriendly hostess who quickly seated us at a table next to the restrooms, and was abrupt and short with us when we requested a nicer table. While the place was slow, our request was not granted. Our waiter, while as pleasant as he could be considering he had about twelve tables, was so rushed he was dripping sweat off his brow and had no time to go over menu highlights. Turns out, there are none. Personally, I don't care for red sauce on my pasta, which is all that is offered. Further, their pizza options are very limited and don't expect much cheese on your pizza. My glass of wine, which set me back nearly eight dollars, was merely a few swallows and had obviously been open for weeks. I do not know how this place stays in business. The staff is unfriendly and rushed, the food mediocre, and please, the paper napkins? Educated seattle patrons, there are numerous other lovely Italian restaurants to pick from....don't spend your hard-earned money on this place. read more

The atmosphere was great! It is pretty busy so make reservations or go early. It is a kid friendly atmosphere and the waiter was fantastic. I only gave 4 stars because I am pregnant and craving lasagna. Their lasagna is very light and delicate. I was hoping for more hearty lasagna. read more

I stopped by Cafe Lago the other night to have my favorite antipasto plate (the best in Seattle) with a glass of Sportoletti (a perfect supper!), but was intrigued by the pizza special for the evening - bacon and zuccini. I'm so glad I ventured off course, because it's now my new favorite dish. The delicate zuccini was in perfect balance with the smokey bacon. Hopefully this will become a regular item on the menu. read more

I love this restaurant and have been dining here for over twenty years. I sometimes let it fall off the radar since there are so many delicious restaurants in Seattle, but when I return to Cafe Lago I remember why it is one of my favorites. The staff is lovely, and I've never had a rude or obnoxious server. The pizza and pasta dishes are exceptionally good; the mains courses are equally tasty and well-prepared. I just have to dine here more often. read more

The ultra thin crust wood-fired oven pizzas with a handmade sauce and fresh mozzarella truly satisfy without being heavy. Cafe Lago elevates lasagna by making it with a stack of ultra thin layers. The staff provides pleasant prompt service. The wine list is appropriate. The restaurant provides crayons and paper table covers for children to color. The combination makes this a memorable family-friendly neighborhood bistro, not to be missed. read more

so-so food, terrible service and truly over priced. I went there with a large group (8) recently and found that not one person felt that their meal was worth the price they paid for it. No one was complaining about the portion size, which seems to be the theme. We were all happy with the portion, I in fact thought I had way too much of my terrible, super salty pasta dish. The pizzas were very pretty, but at 18$ a piece they are not any better than the ones I make at home on my 20$ pizza stone. For 20$ it better be a spectacular personal size pizza and they do not come any where close to spectacular. The service was slow, confused and totally unhelpful. They seemed totally clueless and somewhat annoyed that we were there. We had 2 waiters helping us, and yet not one of them could manage to take a dirty knife and replace it without being asked repeatedly. All in All cafe lago has a good concept and at a 10th of their current prices their passable food and their diner-level service would work....sadly at the current price point there are literally hundreds of better restaurants that actually act like they want your business. read more

I had not eaten here in a few years and rediscovered it a few weeks ago. First visit back was on a slow night but the food was delicious and our server excellent! I decided to go back on a Friday night with my two kids. It was busy but we were seated right away. We had to wait 10 minutes for our waiter to come over to take our drink order or acknowledge us. It went downhill from there; no refills on water without asking.....when wine finally arrived the glass was less than half full....no one to come over and ask if our dinner was ok. $13 for a kids plain pasta. Bottom line: I don't mind paying $20 for great gnocchi but inconsistency in service and overly priced kids dinners won't have me coming back for more. read more

Little gem in Montlake - the food was pretty good (lasagna is a must here!) however, the service was not very good. The service we received was not worthy of the price. read more

Just tried calling to find the price of a pizza because I didn't see the price on the website. He hung up on me. So I called back because I couldn't believe it and he did it again. read more

Have to agree with Suzanne M. from her posting on 5/29/10. Just had dinner with my family there and it was mediocre. Not bad, but very bland - the marinara sauce tastes like it came out of a jar, and the handmade pasta was underseasoned. At $20 an entree, you would expect more. I've been to much better restaurants where $20 would get you meat or seafood in your pasta, but for pasta and bad red sauce it was definitely overpriced. read more

Good food, nice place, and I thought the portions were pretty fair. Our tab was about $225 for four people, on that tab there was 7 drinks, two steaks, half a chicken, some pasta, antipasti platter, and dessert. Those saying this place is overpriced clearly don't go out many places other than Denny's. Sure, I have other favorite restaurants, but I'll be back to try the lasagna for sure! read more

We have been longtime customers of Cafe Lago because of the delectable homemade pasta, but if today had been our first visit it would definitely have been the last. Food was delicious, but an error was made in my dining companions meal. She was asked if she wanted it replaced, but was hungry so elected to keep the meal. Our server noted the error upon delivering the adjacent party's also incorrect meal and proceeded to yell, yes yell!, at my friend. Completely unacceptable to blame a customer, yell at them, not apologize yourself, not then comp the meal or at least the drinks, etc. At $19.95 for most entrees and a la carte at that, this place should have impeccable service. I am so sad that one of my favorite places is no longer at the top of my list. read more

Very good. However small portions for a large price. Paid 7 bucks for a 3 bite Caesar salad. It's true what they say about rich people its quality over quantity. It was good just remember to bring big bills. Apparently $40.00 just doesn't cut it anymore. read more

The food here is delicious. I especially love their famous lasagna. Heavenly!!!

I've been going to Cafe Lago for the whole time it's been open, about 25 years. In that time, the food has been consistently excellent. We usually get a pizza or two, and salsiccia is my favorite. The antipasto plate is terrific. It's great to have a place you can go with friends where the quality is so reliably high. read more

Hmmmmmm. Why only two stars?? This is not my favorite but the food is always good. I think the atmosphere, tables, chairs etc. are a little cold and for a neighborhood place it is pricey. Has a huge following for the lasagna. I'm very ho hum about it but have gone back with friends who love it. Parking sucks. read more

I went to Café Lago with friends last night before heading to the Henry Art Gallery open house. I was very impressed with the food. We started with the Olivata (puree of black olives on grilled bruschetta served with goat cheese). It was good but the serving size was very small. We had four people in our party and it was not enough. For dinner we ordered the Lasagna and Salsiccia wood-fire pizza which both are highly recommended. The Lasagna was like ice cream, once you take a bite you can't stop until your plate is empty. We ended the night with the Chocolate Truffle Cake which was super rich and satisfying. The service was very good and the atmosphere very layback. I can't wait to go back again. read more

I love Lago's lasagna and ravioli. The truffle dessert is to die for, as is the antipasto plate. The atmosphere depends on the day. Sometimes it's wonderful and romantic. Sometimes the restaurant is packed to the gills and you might have a toddler next to you in the midst of a meltdown. That's the reason for 1 star off--packed seating. read more

I first came here over 3 years ago when my real estate broker told me about this place. I loved it then, I love it now. I love that their pastas are housemade. During my last visit here, I brought friends from out of town along with their 2 children (ages 5 and 3). Not only did the adults love the food, so did the little ones. Their comment, of all the restaurants we tried during their 1 week stay, Cafe Lago was their favorite. read more

I don't give five stars lightly. Lago is our go-to neighborhood place when we want to celebrate, mourn, re-couperate, or simply enjoy a delicious meal out in a comfortable place that's neither high-brow or scrappy. Lago is just right, from the tastiest wood-fired pizza to comforting homemade pasta (the same recipe that Jerry Traunfield used at the Herbfarm just across Lake Washington originates with Lago, according to the Herbfarm Cookbook). Service is consistently great, not fussy, just attentive. We often just end up getting a different pizza each and sharing all the way around, which makes for a great casual dinner. In any case, it's hard to go wrong with the food, wine, or ambiance here. It's priced competitively with similar and less impressive fare in the area (think along 15th and 19th Aves) and given the wonderful setting and consistency, I consider it a great value. Hence the five stars. My only gripe is that they are not open for lunch. However, the owner has recently opened Little Lago over in Portage Bay, with pizza and calzones, among other fare. If, like us, you don't drive, there is a bike rack right out front, and route 48 stops just a short block away at Montlake Library. Pro tip for Seattle's long summer evenings: dine here and then take a stroll through the arboretum, which is an easy walk from Lago. read more

I 've never been here and LERVE Italian food so jumped at the chance to take my girl here for her b-day when a Bloomspot showed up. Wow- was I wrong. They should call this place "Cafe Aspbergers'' as the host, never smiled or looked me in the eye, I only got the hint that he was showing us to our table when he walked away from us and then looked back like we were naughty cocker spaniels,not coming when called. The server was no better. How in GOD'S NAME do you become a server in a well-regarded restaurant and NOT have tried the entrees??! When I was a server at Anthony's, we tried EVERYTHING everyday. Then the bread arrived....apparently there was a forest fire in the kitchen, as we were served 2 charred logs that I guess was supposed to be bread. I asked for non-burned bread. Then the Clam Lingiuine arrived, with SO MUCH chili flake on it I thought I 'd swallowed a jabenero chili pepper. NO MENTION of this in the menu description- come on,REALLY??? Oh AND...wait for it.....it came with 2 more pieces of charred bread! The reduction sauce tasted like spicy Campbell's Chicken soup. I sent it away and shared my girl's pizza which was ...meh. Our server couldn't describe the panna cotta for dessert when I asked why there was a bay leaf in it- B/C he'd never tried it!!!- there was no apology, no attempt to make it better, no sense of professionalism- C'mon ! Is this what service in Seattle is now? Are you just a RainMan Order Taker??? Thank Sweet Lady GaGa I had a Bloomspot. It wasn't even worth what I paid. read more