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    Cafe on the Ave

    3.0 (549 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

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    CAFE ON THE AVE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe on the Ave

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    Pork Bulgogi Bibimbap
    Louise F.

    Really interesting korean fusion brunch place! Definitely a college vibe, reminded me of places I used to eat back in college. And very college priced too. And college portioned. The plates were like double the size of my head. We got a bibimbap and creamy chicken mara pasta. The bibimbap wasn't really a bibimbap but made a nice bulgogi slop bowl basically. And it was nice that there were so many veggies in it. The pasta was definitely asian fusion pasta. Really has that creamy taste you get from having pasta in korea or japan in the places that have an asian interpretation. We ate until we were stuffed to the brim and still had leftovers. Probably didn't help that I ate the garlic bread too but it was also good. Unfortunately during the meal a crazy person came in and started yelling at people and the restaurant had a difficult time keeping him out but what are you gonna do about that I guess

    We forgot to take pics until deep into Korean chicken. So tasty and crispy.
    Cristin G.

    Ok that was fun! Went with the UW student kiddo who loves this place, I can see why. Order at the counter, friendly and helpful staff. HUGE portions and boxes for take-home meant we have great meals for lunch tomorrow, too. Casual place for students, parents, and anyone in the UW area who's hungry for a big meal (or split one!).

    Korean Fried Chicken
    Natalie N.

    pretty good asian fusion spot in u district. as you can tell by the name, it's on the ave. open til at least midnight every night and open later on friday and saturday. the first time i visited, i only got a decaf latte. i recall the decaf tasting good and my friend and i just kinda parked at the place and yapped for awhile. it seems like a good place to do that at, as it's very very spacious inside. i tried it again during the cherry blossom festival and got an alcoholic drink. the drink, while very pretty in pink, was not good. wayyy too much syrup, it was almost entirely sugar, and, i love sugary drinks, but this was too much. because of that, i've never been back for alcoholic drinks. most recently, i went here with a friend because we wanted chill cafe vibes to work on some projects, but it was a sunday and evening time so most cafes were already closed. we got half a korean fried chicken with the honey garlic and sweet n spicy sauces. it was actually well-made, i was surprised. the portion was generous, which was an added bonus. everyone that works there is very nice. i think if you need a place to study or work or just chill out, this is a good place to go. it may be kind of a mixed bag in terms of quality, but you can at the very least get good coffee here.

    Chicken Pesto
    Mei Jie W.

    Located in a very central area on the ave, this cafe has a nice variety of food, cafe drinks, and lots of seating. I saw many people studying while eating. The portion is very generous. I got the pesto pasta with chicken. It didn't say it would come with garlic bread so that was a nice surprise. The chicken was so soft and tender and well seasoned! They garnished it grated mozzarella and basil. I also got an ice latte and it was really good too. You order at the counter, find a seat, and they'll give you a number plaque. They'll bring you your food, but for drinks you'll have to get yourself at the counter when the buzzer goes off.

    Ginger tangerine
    Oris B.

    The place has a casual dive bar-meets-café atmosphere. The staff were friendly and made me feel welcome. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite hit the mark, though perhaps other menu items are better. It's a bit of a gamble what you'll get.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ On the other hand, it's a great place to study or journal.

    Photograph for my review of Cafe On The Ave.
    Luther N.

    THE END OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WE KNOW IT! Last night, I stopped into this restaurant because it was my birthday andI didn't want to go to Wallingford or Capitol Hill for a meal. I told them and asked if I could be offered anything. Sure the guy said only it had to be under $5. He then said, "...we're not giving you a $20 meal free!" I could have enjoyed a plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes since I just turned seventy-five. So I took a coffee and purchased a brownie. The coffee was eventually brought out, but without any napkins or spill protection. At least it was the decaffinated that I ordered, so I said "Cheers!". I did leave with my coffee in a cup like at Starbucks, but if I had thought I could expect this kind of lame customer service, I could have gone there! Seriously, it reminded me of being back in the midwest, int he days when a person of colour could go into a restaurant but had to take the food or drinks outside. Well, so it goes but I will never go back into the Cafe on The Ave. again. Right now, I despise this place as much as Starbucks, and IHOP doesn't look bad at all after this! Luther R. Norman, Former Teacher and World Traveller...

    Green Tea Frappe
    Diana C.

    The menu is customizable for vegetarians but a bit more difficult with dairy free options, especially the drinks. The kimchi fried rice has dairy and it can't be removed unfortunately too. Got a drink and it was fine. The servers were polite and efficient. The ambiance is kinda like having breakfast or lunch in a dive bar with lots of natural lighting, which was fine. Very popular student hangout.

    Tomato Basil
    Kacey T.

    I am a regular at cafe on the ave. I love their tomato soup, it was buttery and super thick. It was also a good portion size. Cafe on the ave was super busy that day so I had a hard time studying there. The service was pretty quick. I will always be a supporter of this restaurant and I love all the seating and music Yas .

    Red velvet hot chocolate
    Noopur D.

    I very much appreciated the menu options here! I wanted something a bit lighter to eat and a sweet drink to accompany. I liked that they had "on the go" options so I got the veggie sandwich and the red velvet chocolate. The sandwich was pretty good, nice amount of flavors and vegetables. The hot chocolate was absolutely delicious, I really loved the comforting creaminess and the red velvet flavor was SO well done - still dreaming about it! My friends got the waffle and Benedict. Both were so good too. Service was really good too and all the staff were really sweet. We also enjoyed the big seating area!!

    Menu 1of6 (6/21/24)
    Marie B.

    Clearly I've been under a rock. I've walked by or driven past this corner spot on at 42nd & The Ave in Seattle's University District. It's been around since 2003! We had a brief power outage in North Seattle/Shoreline, so to escape the warm temps, The Homie recommended hanging out at Cafe on the Ave (6/21/24). Great business hours: 7am to 11pm Mondays - Thursdays & Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays 7am to 2am. Nice assortment of seating: two tops along screened open windows which allowed for a nice breeze, covered patio seating, bigger tables to allow for group meet ups, book club, gaming, etc. There's quite the variety of menu items and even a small bar area for 21+, essentially something for everyone. I had an Arnold Palmer and The Homie enjoyed an iced London Fog while onsite. Well worn, comfy college cafe vibe.

    watery ahh gyudon

    I just ordered the worst gyudon I've ever had in my life and I'm not even exaggerating. This is up there in terms of the most disgraceful things done to Japan since WW2 like man, take this off the menu PLEASE if you're gonna do it this awfully, JESUS!! LOOK AT MY PICS BRUH, GYUDON IS A RICE BOWL NOT A SOUP BOWL, LOOK HOW WATERY TS IS. this place is cookedddddd

    Kimchi Fried Rice
    Shachi S.

    One of my favorite spots in udistrict! I love the kimchi fried rice and the basil pesto pasta. Recently tried the tomato basil soup and it was so creamy and delicious! The portions sizes are generous too! Value for money

    Amazing cafe workers!

    It was a dark and stormy night, yet when I entered this cafe in the wee hours of the evening, I was greeted with the radiant sunshine of human kindness from these two lovely young ladies. Not only is the ambiance and quality of food here fantastic, but the workers here are extremely kind and beautiful :) I had a great experience and continue to come back! Thanks Zoey and Konnie for providing excellent service and always remembering my order/name

    California Croissant

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Gave me and multiple of my friends food poisoning on several occasions. Do NOT trust the food here.

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    3 years ago

    I love CotA! It's a great place to study or hang out with friends. The food is always good and they have really great portion sizes.

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    I once saw a dog sitting next to entrance door but I don't think let you bring your dog

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    Eureka!

    Eureka!

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Casual dining

    5 star experience at Eureka! Our server Zed was very kind, calm, and attentive without ever being…read moreoverbearing, which made the whole meal feel easy and relaxed. I got the Fresno Fig Burger with fries since that is my go to, and it never misses. Other times i'll get their fish tacos. The fresno fig burger is consistently flavorful with the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and the fries come out hot and well seasoned every time. Service overall is quick, accurate, and genuinely kind. They check in just enough to make sure everything is good without interrupting the meal, which I really appreciate. Overall, it is one of those spots where everything runs smoothly and the food and service are consistently reliable.

    Located in U village, shopping mall next to UW campus…read more Hate to give bad reviews but we ordered HH appetizer and water and the appetizer came before our waitress came to greet us and take our order. At least someone came to let us know it was happy hour and that we could order something. It was also one of the worst burgers I've had in my life so dry no taste and texture of cardboard. I ordered it medium and my friend had hers medium rare and she said hers was really dry and horrible too. Had to ask for more water. Quite disappointed as it was my last meal in Washington before heading home and the burger was $20! Would not recommend this spot. We should've gone to dinner tai fung or also saw shake shack after I left. Sound was also really loud. Seatings were close so the people sitting next to us (facing us) bar type seating connected to tables could probably hear everything we talked about.

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    Eureka!
    Eureka!
    Eureka!

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    JOEY U-Village

    JOEY U-Village

    3.9
    (1.4k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$$

    Joey never lets us down. Tried to go to DTF first to celebrate the almost end of school but it was…read morea 2-hour wait so we went to Joey's instead. Always consistent, great service and waited less than 10 minutes for a table. Service was great with my 8-year old recommended a kids burger instead of the full price adult version. So nice! I always get the fish tacos with fries and am never disappointed. We go to all the Joey locations - Southcenter, Bellevue, UV and we always get a consistent and good meal.

    Service was exceptional. Nice touch with a little bubbly to welcome you in. Eclectic menu to choose…read morefrom and some nice options both in food and drinks. Nice that they have regular test, low test and no test drinks depending on how much alcohol you want. Food was very tasty, we had the lobster pasta and the fajitas. The tortillas were very flimsy so messy but still nice flavor and good amount of food.. started with the hummus which is what I was told to try there and yes a creative hummus plate... which brings me to the only hiccup... The chef gets creative at times and apparently edamame is in season so randomly added to the hummus even though not on the menu. Found out half way through then had to verify what beans they were and couldn't eat rest of dish. Server was awesome about it and wasn't a problem but if you have any allergies be aware the menu MAY not be exact so make sure you ask if there are any "enhancements" if you have any known issues. Overall highly recommend.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Lobster and Shrimp Tacos
    Lobster and Shrimp Tacos
    Love the combo

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    Love the combo
    The Greenwood American Bistro

    The Greenwood American Bistro

    4.4
    (80 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    Solid romantic dinner spot in the Greenwood area serving modern American, as the name suggests. We…read morewent on a Wednesday and it was not busy - just walk in (even though we made a reservation to be safe, they never asked). We got their signature sugarkelp pita and the salmon bowl. Overall, I would come back just for the sugarkelp pita because the other dishes are quite overpriced for what you get. The sugarkelp pita, as the name suggests, is a bit sweet and has seaweed. The umami and sweetness just works perfectly and the dip of carrot shmoo and salsa macha is addictingly good. The salmon bowl is a glorified rice bowl / bibimbap-like where you can make the bowl complete by mixing everything. The salmon is quite tender and fresh, but outside of that, for $36 it is quite steep, especially since the salmon is very tiny Service is okay - there is a lack of attention with water refills spilling the table and when I paid my card, the server placed the card directly on top of some food dropped in the table... but requests are fulfilled and food comes out at a relatively fast pace.

    Came for HH right when they opened so we were the only ones here but more folks walked in later…read more Service was good. Staff friendly. Food was good and complimentary popcorn a plus. Happy hour prices decent. Parking probably hard since it's street parking and right on 85th but we walked since we are close. A nice place for date night.

    Photos
    Bistro steak plate! Best potatoes ever. Steak was nicely cooked.
    Bistro steak plate! Best potatoes ever. Steak was nicely cooked.
    Beef tartare. Taste better than it looks.
    Beef tartare. Taste better than it looks.
    Hazelnut dessert.

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    Hazelnut dessert.
    SWeL Restaurant

    SWeL Restaurant

    4.6
    (502 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$$

    Great food and great experience. The appetizers: diable…read moreshrimp was excellent. 5 pieces, cooked to perfection and presented well, Jalapeño hummus was innovative with a good hunt of Jalapeño but not over powering. Mac and cheese was really goos and we reordered it, and the burrata was great, though I don't remember much about it. For the brunch, the main meals were good. I had their breakfast sandwich and it was tasty and of the right size. Their bread pudding was tasty though it was more of a French toast in a sweet gravy vs a gooey pudding. Interesting twist and it worked. Overall a great place. The service was exceptional and 2 people that took care of us were outstanding. I've been adopting a lower tip approach in Seattle owing the increase in minimum wage, and would like us to get to a European low tip or tip optional situation. This restaurant owing their amazing service made it hard to tip low, but I still had to to stick with my principle. Highly recommend this place for a nice sit down meal.

    The guru finds himself in Seattle looking for local fare. This is another place you yelpers said…read morewas good but I have some reservations. I came in super curious about this scallop dish they had. Now I've had scallops every which way possible. Scallops are so yummy they are next to impossible to ruin. But this dish called "oven fired bay scallops" changed my mind. It's basically scallops baked in cheese sauce. I took one bite of this thing and spit it out. I never thought I would hate a scallop dish but this is it. This is an absolute hot mess of a dish that should be taken off the menu and never be made again. The baking basically overcooked the scallops to the point that they are like rubber balls. On top of that all that cheese overpowered the subtle taste of the scallops to such a degree that I couldn't even taste the scallops. Then I tried their prawn appetizer. the chef made this one spicy. There was so much spice on it I could barely taste the prawn. I had to scoop it off the prawn before I could eat it. Those prawn were actually tasty and fresh and perfectly cooked. It really needed nothing more than some lemon juice. Then I had their rigatoni which was ok but the sausage that was in it was also a little spicy. What is this chef's obsession with spice? another thing I noticed was I was trying to find something light but they don't really have anything light. all of their pasta has a traditional tomato sauce or a cream sauce. All their salads are bit and full of cheese. Their pizzas are sizeable and full of toppings. This menu seriously needs to be redone. add a few light dishes and ditch some of the heavy ones. Overall food is decent enough for 4 stars but I am deducting a star for those two terrible appetizers. This is clearly the result of a young chef trying too hard. This chef needs to learn that sometimes less is more.

    Photos
    Bar and restaurant
    Bar and restaurant
    Oven fired scallops
    Oven fired scallops
    Pear Bread Pudding

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    Pear Bread Pudding
    The Dish Cafe

    The Dish Cafe

    4.9
    (29 reviews)
    1.3 mi

    cute neighborhood spot for breakfast or lunch in the greenlake vicinity…read more the menu has a pretty even mix of mexican and traditional american breakfast fare but i was drawn in by the plantains so ordered katracho minus the chorizo (they grilled some tomatoes for me as a substitute.) they were fairly busy for a sunday morning and one observation i had when the food came to the table was the differing temperatures of items. my eggs were not hot but the plantains were, indicating some things had been sitting around while others had been recently prepared. the beans were in a small cup in the middle and had good flavor but also lukewarm. i didn't expect everything listed in the menu to be cut and arranged around the plate as it was. this dish had a toast or coffee cake side order and opted for sourdough; there was raspberry freezer jam on the take. taste-wise the dish was good and the service was fine. all in all, while it wasn't a standout experience it was totally acceptable on a number of levels and others appeared to be enjoying the location's offerings as well.

    Great brunch. Its got a very casual, west coast vibe to it. Simple decor, great service and decent…read morevalue for money. The chorizo tacos were very flavorful, with generous heaping of chorizo scrambled eggs, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions. Had a side of black beans that were quite food. The roasted potatoes were well cooked and tasty. Cappuccino was very good. Will be back!

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    The Dish Cafe
    The Dish Cafe

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    Cafe on the Ave - coffee - Updated July 2026

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