Didn't expect this, but was so excited to find that nearly everything was already gluten free or had a gluten free option. The service was very sweet and knowledgable. Food was amazing as well (especially loved the sardine bruschetta - gluten free baguette wasn't bad at all!). Also, the best espresso martini I've ever had. Will definitely be back. read more

My husband and I pass this place often on our walks, but never really knew much about it, as its hours are limited and the name doesn't give much away. However, we've been drawn by the free paella Thursday sign appearing outside for the last several weeks, so we planned to go. We loved it! The inside is intimate with cool wall paintings and designs. You order at the counter, and as the sign suggests, on Thursdays one drink gets you one free scoop of paella. The paella was so good (especially with their table-top chili oil drizzled on top), we had to get two drinks! Ultimately an extremely budget gem in Fremont, particularly on Thursdays. read more

Esters Enoteca - Arancini - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Fun little spot with good food and wine! I'd call the vibe a little 'divey'? Order at the counter, eccentric decor, a little small. The owner, Nick, was super nice and gave us a recommendation on a wine. My friend and I split the Carbonara (so good and creamy!), Mediterranean salad, and the bottle of wine. It was a quick and affordable dinner, just what we were looking for. It was my second time here, and I'm sure I'll be back! read more

SO delicious! Some of the best pasta my boyfriend and I had in Seattle during our trip there. They have such unique dishes but I went with a classic ragu because it's my favorite go-to and it was perfect. Flavorful and comforting. I got their homemade ginger soda (or ginger beer) and got a free scoop of paella with it. That was delicious as well! It's a bit crowded inside and there's not a lot of seating but the vibes are very cozy nonetheless. The service was warm and friendly. Definitely would recommend! read more

Esters Enoteca - I believe this was their ragu - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I'm not sure how this place is listed as a tapas spot--there wasn't really any Spanish influence in the food. That said, the three dishes we ordered were all good, the prices were reasonable (for Seattle), and the staff was very friendly. I also liked the overall vibe. It wasn't exactly what we expected, but still worth a visit. read more

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this restaurant. Your order at the counter, they give you a number and you find a table. Seating is limited but it didn't get too busy one a Friday evening. The hours are pretty limited as well. Staff were very friendly! We ordered an espresso martini and the Mary Pickford. The espresso martini wasn't great unfortunately and the Marty Pickford was stiff. We ordered the Greek fries to start which were yummy but needed more feta and tzatziki. The fries themselves were fresh and seemed to be hand cut. For mains we ordered puttanesca with gluten free noodles and the ravioli. The puttanesca was quite acidic and a small portion. My partner didn't care for the ravioli. To end the night we ordered a glass of wine and burnt sugar banana and rum phosphate. They have a great selection of wine and I enjoyed the phosphate. I think we will need to give this place a few more tries until we decide. I will say this place can get spendy if you plan to drink more than one drink per person. read more

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I enjoyed this restaurant in Fremont! I tried their pasta and boozy phosphate. I don't know if I would try either again, but they were nice. My friend tried a different pasta than me (the ragu) and it was much better. Counter service was not totally my vibe. I prefer getting to sit with a menu and have a server find me, but I was happy with the overall experience. read more

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I really enjoyed this place! My brother and I split a few appetizers and mains. The Burrata & eggplant bruschetta was delicious and I'd get it again. The cauliflower app was too sweet for my liking. The star of the meal was the Ragu pasta. The flavors were perfect, it was fresh and not too heavy, and the squiggly pasta is the PERFECT shape for the sauce. The carbonara was cold by the time we started eating it (but that's our fault for talking too long). Overall great place for decent prices. My only qualm is their beer options seemed a bit limited, and it was chillier inside than I'd hope (although they had heaters overhead). Would come back here for sure! read more

Esters Enoteca - Ragu and carbonara - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

So delicious! We had the pasta carbonara and amatriciana. Nothing beats the fresh pasta! You know you're going to have a good meal when you can smell the food a block away! Service was quick and the interior decor was eclectic! Wish we had room for dessert! read more

Esters Enoteca - Amatriciana - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We went to this funky little spot for an early dinner on a Friday at 5 PM. We were the first to arrive and welcomed in by a kind man with a gray beard. We'd never been before, so we asked questions about the menu and different items to order. We started off with a couple of cocktails, the cranberry ginger mule, and the pineapple daiquiri. The ginger mule was very good. It was not too sweet, and the ginger flavor had a subtle but spicy flavor. The daiquiri wasn't your typical daiquiri and had fresh pineapple and lime flavors. However, the drink itself is deceiving (i.e., strong with alcohol yet extremely drinkable). So, depending on your tolerance, one, maybe two of these should suffice. Next, we ordered the oxtail poutine. Not what I expected when I thought of poutine. The red sauce over the poutine had a good balance of sweet and acidity with the pickled red onions. The oxtail meat was tender and served over a bed of fresh cut, homemade fries. The poutine had a grated parmesan sprinkled over the top that complimented the dish very well. Finally, we ordered the amatriciana (fresh squid ink bucatini w/tomato, garlic, chili, squid, and house-cured lardon), and the Porchetta sandwich (pork shoulder spiced and smoked w/bread and butter pickles, pickled red onion, gremolata aioli, and arugula). The squid ink pasta was fresh, and the noodles tasted handmade and with love. The squid wasn't chewy, and the sauce had a bit of spice. The porchetta had a smokey flavor, but it was a tad dry. The butter pickles and the aioli help add some moisture back to the meat, and the arugula added a nice citrusy/fresh bite. Overall, we had a good experience at the restaurant, and we will definitely be back to try some of their other small plates and cocktails! 4.5/5! read more

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OMG! This is a Huge hidden gem. You must come here. Do not walk by. The food was off the charts good & should be serving in a very high class fancy restaurant. We had their Negroni - outstanding. Smooth, delicious and not flammable. The seasonal ravioli with sweet corn and ricotta, lime-cilantro oil.. amazing. No joke. I ordered one to-go to have later. Elote Ravioli. My husband had their Carbonara which melted in you mouth in flavor. Recommend. We can't wait to come back and try more from the menu. We're diehards after One Visit! read more

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I love Esters. As a celiac, it's just so darn easy to eat here. Counter service, which honestly I prefer. Arty ambiance. What's not to like?

Cute, casual spot in Fremont. Eclectic but good menu - cocktails and poutine were delicious. Not my favorite pasta in Seattle, but still good! Fun ambiance. read more

Esters Enoteca - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The food here is quite good. The experience is a little off putting, with order-at-the-counter and a checkout experience that defaults to a 20% tip for bringing the food you just ordered at a counter,to your table. The wine situation was also weird. A single red and white selection by the glass, any other choice by the bottle. Overall, I just wouldn't pay $90 for dinner for 2 (tax and tip included), that I had to order at the counter, unless it was amazing. It was good but not amazing. read more

This place was a wonderful Saturday night surprise! I had walked by the place several times and wanted to try it just because of the vibe-- think bright purple paint for the exterior and black and white checkered floor. It's counter service style, but they have QR codes at the tables so you can grab a seat and scope out their menu before ordering. We went ahead with the pastas because we were starving, and they did not disappoint! The was outstanding. There was just enough brine from the squid ink noodles to cut the fat from the lardon. The sauce was super fresh, and there were nice big chunks of savory lardon. ($17) The puttanesca was also very fresh. The anchovy, bright tomato, and olives all complimented each other for a well-rounded dish. ($15) They also have a good wine menu and fun cocktails! TL;DR: This is a super fun spot with a cool vibe, delicious food, and great wine at a reasonable price! read more

Esters Enoteca - Puttanesca - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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One of my favorite things about this place is that you can order a half sandwich! Sounds like "no big deal" but when you want to try a few different items, Esters' gives you the opportunity to do so without waste! Food was good and tasty and would be a fun place to come with friends to eat and have a glass of wine. Kale salad - I think I would skip this if I came again. It wasn't anything special and the kale was tough. The braised beef cheek sandwich was good, tasty! My kids had a grilled cheese and tomato bisque and enjoyed both. read more

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This place has some super solid options for people who are gluten free/celiac. Really interesting decor and decently priced. Overall, pretty good! read more

Esters Enoteca - Puttanesca - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Forgot to take a picture because it was so delicious... my favorite sandwich from Esters is the porchetta panini. The combination of flavors is just perfect. Would highly recommend getting this sandwich if you love pickled stuff - it comes jam packed with house made pickles and red pickled onions! The sauce on it is also delicious, and the pork very flavorful without being greasy. This sandwich will definitrly become one of my go to meals when in Fremont. The inside is also super cute, and on Thursdays they give free (small plate) paella with drink purchases! It always smells amazing as well!!! Wonderfully nice cashiers and servers. read more

Esters Enoteca - Inside bar seating - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Awesome happy hour specials! The food was really delicious. Lots of yummy fermented cocktails and other drinks too.

Esther's has good food, fun drinks and great atmosphere. Cozy place to dine out. Just overall good vibes.

The food was outstanding and the staff was so nice and accommodating. Great restaurant atmosphere, in the heart of the Fremont district. Nick the owner couldn't have been any nicer. Love this place. Give it a try. read more

Super cute! Liked this little vibey place. Nice and quaint. Def worth checking out. I liked that it's right around the corner from the cider place. My friend and I were walking around the area and stopped in here for a glass of wine. Nice little quiet and quaint spot for some wine, a bite and conversation. Prices were decent, not bad, not way over priced either. The chickpea fried cauliflower was yummmmmyyyyyy! Could have used a little sprinkle of pink Himalayan and a little more of whatever drizzle they used over top. I didn't really care for the pickled salad thingy that my friend got, but I don't liked pickled stuff, so .... I'm not one to give a fair review of something like that. Might visit again for happy hour! :P I think it was listed as every day from 3-6 or something like that! & places that do happy hour specials get extra points in my book! read more

I was craving tapas and I stumbled across Esters Enoteca on Yelp thinking this would be a great spot based on the reviews. I also saw arancini on the menu and that's my all time favorite tapas! We stepped into the restaurant and it was cute and different but in a good way. You order at the cash register which I thought was odd. They are also considered a wine bar and they didn't even have a wine list. They said go to the wall and pick a wine out. I don't think the girl at the register knew anything about wine either. We ordered arancini & fries to start. The arancini came out and they looked wonderful but the flavor not so much. They tasted like corn nothing like an original arancini with risotto. The fries took about an hour to get to our table after we ordered our sandwiches. The sandwiches didn't have much flavor to them at all which was another disappointed & not much presentation to them. I would never order them. They don't really serve you there pretty much bring your food to your table and that's it. They didn't follow up after we complained about not getting our fries (twice). All the lady said was they are busy. It was just a cluster. I also couldn't figure out their menu it was literally a hodge podge of food. It was like they threw up their ideas and there was no execution. The place is extremely small and they also had a DJ. Not sure about that when it takes away your seating. Maybe it turns into a night club. Just all strange. read more

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Overall rating: 4.5 I first saw Esters riding the 40 two years ago, but I thought it was just a shop. Then I rediscovered them on Yelp, saw arancini on the menu, and was sold. The last time I had arancini was 2015, in Rome, and I wanted to share this curious dish with my partner. Needless to say, Esters quickly made it to the top of my list of places to check out in Seattle. We went there for a celebratory dinner and I had browsed the menu enough to know I wanted to try 2-3 different dishes. We ordered the arancini, but when we got there we also overheard a recommendation for the carbonara, so we got that too. Our last dish pick was the tofu & yam sandwich. The arancini were alright, but it was the sauce that really stood out to me. The portion itself is small - 3 of them - but totally worth it for the sauce! The sandwich tasted a bit dull; a pickle, vinaigrette or crunchy greens would freshen it up a bit. The carbonara was a little dry for my taste, but my partner seemed to like it. Overall, I got the sense that their food was more experimental than traditional, and the portions on the smaller side (save for the sandwich). That's what brought the rating down to 4.5. As for drinks: I tried 2 of their sweet Rosè picks - both excellent and priced fairly. My partner had a beer, which he said was alright. I am definitely interested in coming back to try more of their wine. (It's really cool that they give you a discount on purchases when you dine in too.) It should go without saying that service and interior were 5 stars. It wasn't too busy when we first went in for happy hour around 5 or 6 pm, but they had a steady trickle of patrons as the evening progressed. What I really enjoyed was how pleasant they were in trying to find me the right wine! So despite my food rating, the rest of the experience was very inviting. I'll be sure to come back! read more

Esters Enoteca - Arancini (featuring the best sauce ever!) - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I am not a wine snob, but I used to work in a well curated wine shop...so I know some things. Enough to be able to tell a good wine from bad. & Esters has got the goods. They had a negroamaro (from Lucarelli) by the glass. Yum! While we were glancing at the menu the clerk (who we found out was the owner) happily offered us tastes before we committed to a full pour (Always a good sign). & I could tell he was definitely into wine but in an approachable way with comments like "You'll like this if you like Malbecs!". The quirky space itself is also a dead giveaway that pretentious vibes are not the case here. Wine should be fun! Esters gets that. And not only wine, but a handful of great draft beer options too! And the owner was so friendly. I could tell that this place was a labor of love. In the short time we were there he bused tables, checked up on the patrons, seemed to know several people on a first name basis, and set out tea lights. They also have a little wine "shop" with bottles to buy. Great selection! All the heavy hitters were represented (France, Italy, Spain) but also South Africa, I think Portugal? and he even told me about a new Lebanese wine that was "a lot like a Boudreaux," he said. Bottle prices were fair, and comparable to what I paid back in Michigan. Prices ranged from $11-$$. We only ordered drinks, (they have a great happy hour! My wine pour was $2 off) but I want to come back on Thursdays when they do free!? small plates of Paella & then I want to come back on another night and order a bunch of small plates off their menu (they looked more like medium sized "plates" & looked amazing). read more

Esters Enoteca - Negroamaro (wine pour) & my husbands draft beer (can't remember the name) - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We came here for dinner on a weeknight. The food was delicious as were the well crafted drinks. We had the banana rum and old fashioned drinks along with the cauliflower wings, lamb kofta and poutine. Great place for food and drinks. The wine selection looked excellent and well curated. Definitely a must try read more

This is a nice little spot for snacks and wine. Very small and order first before you sit down. Have tried quite a few menu items and some are hit and miss. The poutine was wonderful. The carbonara was meh. Pieces of giant ham and not really that tasty. Would definitely go back to try the Ragu. They also have a nice free paella on Thursdays that's pretty tasty, and FREE. read more

Great find! My husband overheard someone talking about this place and we took a chance. Cozy restaurant with funky decor and the food was absolutely delicious! I was very pleased with the squid ink pasta. It was a bit spicy, but the spice definitely complimented the squid. I would 100% go back! read more

We planned to hit HH here. It's set up bare bones but was still fun. Lots of small nibbles and you order at the counter and then find a place to sit. We tried the duck fingers, fried cauliflower, a warm potato salad and pasta carbonara. It sounds silly but the salad was my fave. Everything was pretty interesting and we had hh pricing-2 dollars off each dish. A couple glasses of wine and we were happy little people. read more

My first time visiting/eating, I was a semi-regular at the last place in this same location. I have several food sensitivities (nightshades and nuts) and found there really was a lot on the menu I could eat. If you are a light eater or love to share tastes with a friend, you're going to be good here either way. Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese. Chickpea-cauliflower fritters with fennel pollen and saba. Pear and ricotta salad with pepitas. And ricotta brushetta to finish. They do lunch and brunch as well as dinner, and the menu changes seasonally, so I will have to get this spot into my rotation. And my elderly parents who eat like birds are going to be delighted when I get them here next. read more

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Wow, very pleasantly surprised by this place. I've seen it on yelp but definitely had no expectations walking in. You walk up, order and take a seat. The bf ordered everything so I had no idea what was coming. Duck fingers came out first. Wow, perfectly crispy and great flavor with the sauce. The lamb bruschetta was good. Last was the carbonara and again WOW! It was exploding with flavor and perfect noodles. This pasta was better than some places that specialize in pasta. This place is great! Small, casual, great/friendly service, good vibes, good music and great food. Will be back! read more

One of my favorite restaurants to go out with my girlfriends. It reminds me of a New York style eatery with cool vibes and delicious food. For whatever reason, I always happen to go on the days where they give out a free Paella side with your dish (I think this is Thursdays?) and you have the option of a vegetarian one or a seafood one. So delish!! Whenever I come here I get the lamb kofta sandwich (drooling thinking about it) and a drink of some sort. While I did Dry January, they were very accommodating in recommending N/A drinks and made me one off menu! It's the little things - and made me feel special and taken care of. I love Esters and will continue to be a regular here. read more

Wanted to love Esters as my wife and I love tapas and Esters is just down the street but unfortunately the food just didn't do it for us. The space itself is cute. The ordering process is a bit interesting as you order your tapas at the counter rather than at the table, so make sure you're ready to order before you approach the counter. We tried a few different items and didn't love any particular dish. The squid and bacon was a skewer and the squid and bacon didn't seem to be a cohesive dish. The fried cauliflower was a bit greasy and clunky. read more

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Just enjoyed a lovely meal at ester's enoteca. Arrived right after they opened and had the full attention of the person taking our order, which you do up front at the counter. Plus we took good advantage of their happy hour. Yelp has this place price rated only 1$, but ordering several dishes as you would in an Italian restaurant pushes that up a bit. Four of shared two pasta dishes, carbonara and puttanesca. Both delicious. Better than you might get at more expensive places. we had two salads, a Mediterranean salad and kale Caesar. I might not order the kale salad again but others liked it. In addition we shared fried cauliflower, surprisingly complex, and a eggplant panini. Loved that. Everything was good. Prices ranged from $9-14. Finally I had a Sky Kraken ipa and a friend had the Obec dark lager. Both quite good. Service was unobtrusive but more than sufficient. In fact I can't be critical of anything. Definitely will return to this place. Recommend it for a fun night out with great food. read more

New and hot business in Fremont. Was not planning to come by but I heard there is a free appetizer from the apply pay event. So why not? Esters is a family owned business - very friendly and the price is reasonable. Location is pretty easy to spot too. The bites was lovely. Recommended to check it out read more

Esters Enoteca - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Esters just opened. Went in to check it out for lunch (they are just doing lunch this week during their soft open). They had lots of sandwiches to choose from including porchetta, beef cheek, lamb, duck fingers, chicken, and tofu. There were a handful of salads and soup offerings as well. I had the lamb panini. The lamb and peppers went well together and it was nice and juicy/ tender. Their was an aioli in the sandwich, also good but didn't really notice that it was mint, the harissa flavor was also on the very mild side. I also ordered the Tuscan white bean and kale soup. I've never had a tomato based Tuscan kale soup before so was thrown for a loop when i opened my to go order. The soup is very hearty with tons of beans in it. I was pretty disappointed that it wasn't what i was expecting (hopefully they can change the soup description as I'm sure I won't be the only surprised by the tomato base), that being said it is a super hearty flavorful vegan soup. I'll go back again soon to try a salad and another sandwich. I know folks are sad to see Homegrown gone but for a similar price point i feel like these sammies are waaaaay better! read more

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I have a hard time getting excited about sandwiches, but I'm sold on the lunch paninis from Esters. The vegan tofu sandwich is ridiculous: a firm patty (similar consistency to Katsu Burger's patty), sweet, perfectly roasted yams, arugula, and two sauces (marsala onion marmalade and gremolata mayo) that add tons of flavor. This is a very well composed sandwich. Also, it's huge - with a salad this could be spread across two meals. Also got the kale salad (a vegan version of this is possible too) with magical candied walnuts that are both sweet and savory at the same time. I was a big fan of Cafe Piccolo and definitely plan to return here for dinner sometime. A+ read more

Esters Enoteca - Vegan tofu sandwich up close - tofu patty, roasted yam, marsala onion marmalade, gremolata mayo, arugula. SO GOOD - Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Dear Esters, Nick and Tracey, you are such a cool couple. Your spot is just what Seattle needed...great wines, yummy tapas, an unpretentious vibe, affordable prices and a fantastic happy hour (3-7pm!) You're so welcoming, your staff is friendly, patient and kind, and your walls are covered with really amazing artwork (ask Nick about the art, the story is really cool). Your fries are tasty, even when they cool down, which is not something you would say normally about fries, but yours manage to remain crisp. Same for your fried cauliflower. ANDDDDD, you have plenty of VEGETARIAN options!!! Woohoo!!! I can't wait to come back and try your tofu sandwich, it sounds like what dreams are made of. Can't wait to see you again, xxo, Liana read more

I liked the vibe of the restaurant and taste of taste of Esters food, however, the portions are disappointingly small for the price tag. After ordering four dishes, my boyfriend and I still had to run home to satiate our appetites. Ok, not run because I have a broken foot, but I digress. As an example, the summer squash dish looked like it was on a summer diet. The portion was probably one third of a squash. I could have eaten 20. The squid and bacon tasted spicy and delightful. Recommend ordering several. Happy hour is probably the move, and the drinks were well priced, but don't plan to eat a lot. read more

I love coming here. I really appreciate the informality but also the quality of food and drink. The folks behind the counter are happy to help and give rec's. The drink menu is constantly changing and I appreciate that I can have a Basque cider one month and some great seasonal Italian wine the next. While the portions are not huge, the pastas are great. They're al dente with some amazing sauces to work with (bolognese and carbonara to name a few). The apps have always been top notch and these seem to always be changing as well. Last time I was here we had some phenomenal duck liver mousse with caramelized onion. Great place to have drinks and dinner with friends. Great place to pop in for a quick snack. Great for a lot of reasons and I hope it sticks around! read more