Decent, not great Italian food, poor service and rude staff when ordering to-go. We came in asking if they had any tables for some point in the evening (fully aware it was busy and we didn't have reservations and expecting to wait an hour plus) and the person at the front desk chuckled and said, "seriously? You're joking right?" So, as we knew it was a busy evening in Seattle, we asked to order to go as all other spots were packed as well (the pink door which was our top choice was SO nice and apologized greatly for not being able to seat us so we took their recommendation on going to IL bistro). When we asked to order to-go the worker said, "I guess you could, but you'll be waiting a long time." Despite our disgust with the service, we, against our better judgement ordered to-go. The food actually arrived in less than 15 minutes which really had us wondering why they were so rude in the first place. We brought the food back to our hotel, less than 10 minutes between receiving our food to sitting down and starting to eat, and boy were we disappointed. For the price, we expected some great Italian food, or at least good food but we were presented with cold ravioli with no flavor and just a dribble of sauce... for almost $30. The linguini alla vongole was absolutely drowned in sauce but the clams were fresh and tasty, the only thing we enjoyed even after having to pour out 90% of the sauce just to get to the food. I hope that they train their employees to be kind, as we have all worked in the service industry and know how busy it can be, that doesn't give you the right to make snarky comments and be rude. Hoping they can fix their main problem at the front desk. read more

IL Bistro - Menu - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We came here because we couldn't make a last minute reservation anywhere else.. I was optimistic since you can't usually go wrong with Italian... The moment we were led to our table there was an awful smell of vomit in the restaurant. It must have been an old smell that just kept lingering and hadn't been properly cleaned.. Our arugula salad had a bland dressing, the foccaccia was really greasy and really doughy. The pizza that my boyfriend ordered was awful. It tasted and even looked like a microwaved pizza, not authentic Italian nor American looking pizza. It even tasted pretty bad. My clam pasta was ok- the Manila clams were fresh and good but in the sauce they threw in canned chopped clams which are really salty and cheapened the taste of the dish. The pasta noodles were really hard too, which made it hard to stomach. Luckily our server was nice and the manager was very professional , so I was happy about the service recovery and how they made an effort to make our experience better for us, hence 3 stars instead of my initial 1 star review. If the food was better (perhaps upgrade to a new chef who knows how to cook Italian food), then we would come back.. read more

In the heart of pikes place market right by the gum wall. This is a nice cute restaurant with a great atmosphere, very romantic actually. The staff is top notch and on it. We sat in the main dining room but the bar looked cozy and inviting. I want to go back for happy hour. The food was good. I wanted to give them a 5 star but the flavors weren't fully there. We had four different dishes. The lasagna was the best dish we had. Stick with the pastas! One dish had a hair in it but this happens everywhere. They replaced the dish and took it off the bill which was unexpected. Great customer service and was very thankful for that. The drinks were great! I can't say enough about the service! The pictures aren't the best since it was so dark in there. read more

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Very happy to see IL Bistro is still around, stopped in for a late night tizer Prosciutto Carprese and a Gamberoni, some bread and wine. Perfect except the bread was just not up to par. However the ambiance of this old establishment is truly romantic in a old part of town. Its worth a trip if you have someone special that you want to romance with, enjoy! read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Fantastic food! The sausage pizza was excellent, some of the best we've eaten. I ordered the chicken parm and it was wonderful. Great breading and cheese. Koa, our server, was so kind and efficient. Drinks were great too! read more

I hope your experience here is better than mine. I should preface this with the fact that I have been a server/bartender in fine dining for close to 5 years. I have worked for two different Italian chefs and three of the top-10 restaurants in cincinnati, so perhaps I have high standards. I digress. I'm very sad. Perhaps this was the perfect storm. Perhaps not. After looking at the reviews online, my boyfriend and I were very excited for a nice dinner in Seattle. We sat in the bar area, because the vibes were immaculate. Stunning and exactly what you want for a romantic night out. Candles. Roses on the table. We ordered two cocktails, which came out promptly. We then ordered our appetizers... the Arancini balls were amazing and the focaccia was great. There's a phenomenal spice blend in the arancini, maybe oregano and basil? Mmmm. Delicious. At this point we begun being served by 4 different people. Each person seemed more scattered than the last, and didn't ask us how anything was, or take more than 5 seconds at our table. They were there to do the bare minimum and then run off. We ordered a Ceasar salad to split and our entrees: gnocchi and vongole. The server rushed off before we could add that we wanted another round of drinks with dinner (I'm a sucker for vermentino with vongole). Our entrees came out first... The gnocchi was solid, according to my partner. My vongole came out with a sand-filled clam, which leaked all over the dish. No biggie, that happens... but it took about 10 minutes for anyone to notice I hadn't touched my pasta, and we were at a high-trafficked table. When someone finally stopped, they mentioned "we didn't get our salads?". They took back my vongole to remake and said they'd grab the salads. The salads came out, leaving my boyfriend with an entree in front of him, cooling as he waited for mine to come out. We weren't offered pepper with the Ceasar, even though every other table around us was offered pepper with their insalata. Still, nobody asked if we wanted a refill on our beverages, even though our glasses were empty. My dish came out remade 10 minutes later, and with every clam opened to ensure it didn't have sand. It was pretty decent, not the best vongole I've had but very solid. The server who dropped it left before we could ask for drinks. Halfway through our entrees, we flagged someone down to ask for another round. I was really looking forward to a vermentino. The drinks were made and sat on the bar, not 5 feet from us, for about 7 minutes. People walked past multiple times. We had paused on our entrees, hoping to enjoy them with beverages. When the drinks finally hit the table, I took a sip... the wine poured was either a very oxidized bottle of vermentino, or a glass of moscato. It was sickeningly sweet. Not one person stopped to see why we weren't drinking or eating anymore. For about 15 minutes, we sat waiting with no service. My boyfriend started drinking the wine and gave me his cocktail, hoping to save the experience. He doesn't mind sweet wines. When someone finally came by, it was to drop the check without asking about dessert. They took off the vongole which was nice, but didn't stay long enough for me to ask about the wine. When they came to pick up the check, I finally had 2 seconds to mention the wine. They ended up taking it off the check. All in all, just a confusing and saddening experience. We were looking for dinner, in order, with beverages and a server who we could snag for literally 10 seconds. Very sad evening. read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Service and ambiance were fantastic. My friend got the risotto and I got the linguine. Both dishes were good but not amazing. The linguine with clams was heavy on the lemon flavor and would have been better if the sauce was thicker. The linguine itself had excellent texture. The risotto had good taste, but my friend and I both agreed the depth of flavor could be improved. We both ordered the "She Bangs" cocktail which was our favorite part of the meal. Overall a great place for a date night with decent food and good drinks and service. read more

IL Bistro - Risotto with veggies - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food and service was great. We had a $300 bill and was charged $6 per bottle for water and was not aware of this. We got charged $48 total for water and the waiter did not even notify us that it was $6 per water. Per usual he asked "do you guys want water" as most places water is free. read more

Food was amazing. And the customer service was pleasant. The bar had a nice setting! We will definitely visit again. read more

Didn't get to take any photos, but everything was 100% PHENOMENAL. the Arancini is some of the best I've ever had. The burrata, gnocchi and chefs special salmon was out of this world. Cocktails and recommend Riesling were perfect and the service was 11/10!!! Jess is amazing, go see her! read more

Get. The. Gnocchi. It's so good. My wife and I randomly tried this place out and were blown away.

I got the foccacia bread, caesar salad, & lasagna. Bread was ok - served with a bowl of mostly balsamic & hardly any olive oil. Caesar salad was decent but was way overdressed. The lasagna was the worst. The meat was really gamey tasting & the edge of the meat was burnt. The noodles were also very mushy. It wasnt edible. Server not great - never asked how my meal was & I asked for a bowl of plain olive oil for bread & never received it. Wont be back next time I'm in Seattle. read more

This place is a rip off, let me start with the good. the food is ok, we had the calamari, salad, and several of the pasta plates, the lasagna is a good size and decent flavor, not the best but not horrible, I'd give 3 stars for food alone. The restaurant, here's my issue, waiting staff, they suck, massive attitude, tall skinny guy with scrubly beard, this is for you, I felt like I was being waited on by a 10 year old. Pathetic service. Here's the kicker, they add a 4% service charge "to provide a living wage" yet we were still automatically charged a 20% gratuity to the bill. It's not gratuity when it's added and adding 24% to the total bill is not cool. Find another spot, this place is grungy, outdated, and not worth my money. Do yourself a favor, find another spot. read more

Julian rocks! Came in a few times recently for dinner & drinks and have blown away each and every single time with the level of expertise from the mixologists (Adam, Jonathan and Julian) and service from manager Angel at il Bistro compared to many of their competitors in this great area of bars including Bath Tub Gin, Zig Zag Cafe, etc. Each drink is handcrafted frankly to the level you'd expect from Murray Stenson in his heyday at Zig Zag, Canon, etc. and that's the utmost compliment in the Seattle Bartending Community. As for the food - just ate the Lasagna tonight, which must have had 10+ layers with the ultimate crunch on each bite that was simply to die for. Frankly, I'd go back daily just for that dish - let alone the mouthwatering cocktails that are perfectly balanced so your getting each flavor & note exactly as Julian prepared it. Can't wait to come back in the future for another drink & dinner. read more

My new favorite Italian place in the city. I recommend sitting in the bar, and if Tasha is working, you're in for some of the best service you've ever had. Can't recommend enough. read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

five stars all the friggin' way, man! when these guys say italian, they mean italian. so goooooood. read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is the most underrated bar in the area. Cursed as an industry bar because of its dark and hidden location Il Bistro is filled with a lineup of the best bartenders I know in Seattle. This is my favorite stop for a prefunk, dinner, happy hour, etc. The Venue is dark and equipped for live music. Beautiful red roses salute the bar as beautiful orange lanterns illuminate the detail in the bartenders craft. Dan the man is my favorite. Bar manager, relatable genius, daring mixologist, and a class act. I come with a different request every day and his drinks not only satisfy but inspire. The happy hour pizza is great, pastas are delish, but honestly I only come for drinks and ill make a trip just to see Dan. If you're trying to meet people in Seattle and have an intimate adventure with a bartender, this is my recommendation. read more

IL Bistro - I asked for an elevated aperol spritz. This drink lasted 3 min - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The service was excellent. Food exceeded my expectations. My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and everybody was very kind congratulating us and made sure we had a good spot in the restaurant. Felt very romantic and secluded from everybody else. Thank you IL Bistro!! Will definitely be coming here again!! The cocktails are great too! read more

IL Bistro - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Unbelievable flavor. The gnocchi will make you moan. The calamari is a revelation. The gamberoni are just right. read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

When I'm on vacation I like to find "famous stuff": the lounges that the stars used to hang out in - or those places that all the locals rave about. My wife and I were thinking Il Bistro might fit the bill. It's been there for 30 years and It's located just off Post Alley. In fact the back wall is the legendary "gum wall." So we were expecting something amazing, maybe even legendary. The Yelp reviews promising an "underground gem" really fuelled our expectations too. Based on the meal we had, I'd have to give it a rating of "meh." Certainly not worth $105 - which, with tip converts to $165 Canadian. I expect a memorable, or at least a good meal for that much. The place was packed, and if you're looking for a quiet rendezvous you might be disappointed - especially if you want to whisper sweet nothings into someone's ear. While it's dimly lit (i.e. you can't read the menu without the decorative candle), cozy (low ceilings) It's louder than a Jr. High classroom the day before the school dance. We actually moved tables trying to escape the frat-party din. Of course, all of this is minor if the food is actually good. We certainly didn't find anything to rave, or praise even faintly. I had the risotto, which was a cafeteria-style rendering of the dish. The predominant flavour was "too salty." Besides cheese and lots of salt, there was no real discernible seasoning, nuanced, layered or otherwise. My wife had linguini al mare - and the title was obviously taken too literally. It was swimming in a seafood "broth" best characterized, once again, as salty. I couldn't really taste anything else in the dish to even conjure a guess as to where the chef was going form. While I'm a big fan of "letting the ingredients speak," in this dish they just kind of whisper, or gurgle. We began our meal with unremarkable starters. A Tuscan bean soup - which, again, mostly just tasted like salt with a definite grocery-store deli vibe. My wife had a watery Caesar salad which, for the first time in our experience, had no garlic in it. Between us we ate less than half the food. Surprisingly, maybe because they were busy, or perhaps because they're self-satisfied/arrogant, nobody asked, at any point, if we were enjoying our meal. Of course, I don't really think they cared, the service was brusque, cold and indifferent. Maybe we're too Canadian we expect nice. In hindsight, I guess every city has those bland, over-priced, old school grad-dinner-and-anniversary Italian joints that people's grandparents really seem to love. This place definitely falls under this category. read more

IL Bistro - The spectacularly bland risotto and linguini al mare. All $165 (CAD) of it. - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We spend a week end in Seattle at Christmas. A highlight is a dinner at a nice restaraunt that has some character to it. Our favorite place recently closed leaving us in need for a new Saturday night dinner place. Through Yelp, we decided upon il Bistro. Great find, but..... This is a wonderful setting, at the foot of Post Alley and the Gum Wall and in a classic basement bistro setting. The ambiance was super and just what we like. The wait staff was friendly and prompt. However the kitchen and bar seemed "behind" and so our drinks and meal took a long time (more than casual, elegant dining speed). I had the gnocchi, my daughter the ciappino. Both very good. In fact, my daughter tried a bite of the gnocchi and said it was the best she ever had! My wife on the other hand, had the chicken dish and was very unhappey with the chicken itself. The sauce and fagioli were very good but the chicken tastless and "an odd texture". It was not on the level of the rest of the dish or our dishes. We will likely give il Bistro another try as we like the restaraunt, but not for the chicken dish. read more

This place has no customer service. They didn't want to honor our reservation when we were 9 minutes late and the place was dead. When we insisted, they finally seated us and then the server was a real jerk. They didn't seem too upset that we left without ordering. What a disgusting way to run a business, especially knowing that we were there to celebrate a birthday. Don't go to this restaurant...bad vibes for sure. read more

Food was low quality, probably comparable to the Applebees in Factoria. It wasn't terrible but I normally go out to eat to experience food I couldn't make myself. All of this food could have come out of my own kitchen and I'm a mediocre cook. Service was beyond terrible, our waiter was rude and not knowledgeable. When asked for menu recommendations we were told "everything is good" which is very unhelpful and after trying the food, very much a lie. At the bare minimum, the ambiance was unique. read more

We went here because we couldn't get into Pink Door, first off the ambience is dimly lit. Not romantic but just minimal lighting. I couldn't see the menu so I had to take out the phone and use the flashlight. Yes, that dark in there. We ordered the charcuterie board and while everything was pretty good, the crackers were straight-up stale. Yes, they were uneatable. My partner ordered the Cioppino, and I ordered the pork chop. Her Cioppino was okay, but absolutely no bread service--nothing to sop up the tomato broth. The portion was slightly small for $40+. My pork chop was delicious and the beans served with them were good. No vegetables with the meal. And also no bread service to start the meal. Service was hit and miss but overall ok. No pictures because of the horrible lighting. Better hope the table next to us are not leaving a review, they hated the pasta and the service for them was slow and avoidable. read more

Boyfriend and I came here for my birthday after our previous reservation didn't pan out for an odd reason. Regardless, definitely not disappointed. The food was both plentiful and good, and the waitstaff were very nice about helping us pair wine with our food. However, just be aware that the lighting is quite dim and this is not a quiet place! Most of the time we couldn't hear the background music and had to elevate our voices a little to talk. It didn't bother me so it won't really affect my rating but it may be an issue for others. read more

IL Bistro - Lasagna, Ravioli alla Carbonara dUovo - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The space, location and ambiance are great. Dimmed light, cozy atmosphere... very good for dates. The wine carte is good, the service would check on us with a good frequency, but the food was ok. read more

The food was excessively salty. None of us could finish our entree due to how salty the food was. But the ambience and service were impeccable. read more

So we ended up here because- unlike everyone else at 8:30 on a Saturday night - they were open! First off - The prawn appetizer was very good If the bread would have been a little crustier I would say excellent But then the main event. My wife's ravioli was tough and lacking flavor - and still much better than my risotto (pure salt bomb). The staff was very friendly They deserve better food read more

Came here for the first time through the Seated restaurant app. At first I thought "Oh jeez - this is going to be a really touristy place" but alas it wasn't too busy at all on a Wednesday evening. The inside has a nice red glow to it which is perfect for bringing a date and has a nice upscale italian feel to it. The waiter was extremely polite and very nice. They brought out bread for us to eat while we were waiting for our food. I was craving the cioppino and according to the waiter, is one of the most popular and also the messiest dish to eat (I was wearing a dress shirt and was concerned it would get it dirty!). Boy was he right - it was very messy to eat! The cioppino came with a quarter of a dungeness crab, scallops, fish, 2-3 pieces of medium sized shrimp, oysters, and mussels. Overall, I was impressed by the presentation and the amount of cioppino they gave me for my order but was disappointed in the taste. It was extremely bland and didn't have much flavor. Overall the service was superb, my water glass stayed full after many refills and they were very good at asking us if we were done with our plates before taking them away. So here's my final spread: 1 star for service, 1 star for ambiance, 1 star for presentation. Could use some work on the quality of the food - spice things up a bit! read more

IL Bistro - Cioppino - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Pretty decent late night menu! I like the atmosphere here perfect for a late night or a date. It seemed to be pretty poppin when i went even though it was around 10p which is a good sign! read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The good: Very romantic and pleasant ambiance. Food is quite good, decent for sure but not amazing. Excellent wine list. Good service, pleasant and fun. Not good or bad, but it is dark and you need a cellphone to read the menu. The bad: Very expensive, about $120 pp in our case. Could order carefully and have a great time for less, but still. Wine prices are easy to understand, by the glass they charge the cost of the bottle. Wine I pay $19/bottle for retail (Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre) is $16/glass here. The ugly: We were a party of 5. We are generous tippers and didn't mind the surcharge added to the bill, but if you are then going to automatically add a very nice tip to the bill the server should mention it. I suspect about a third or more parties end up tipping again, we almost did. All in all a pleasant experience. Have to say that Nell's up by Green Lake is similar but better overall. read more

Incredible food, ambience and service. A Seattle classic. We had the lasagna, short ribs and vongole. Portions are huge!

I have not been here in years, but I'm in the loop of how this place still operates. Simply put, one of the most romantic dinning rooms in Seattle (or what's left of the city), the Bar has an insane amount of scotches, I can't quite remember the number but it was in the 30s. The Servers and Bartenders are experts in their craft and the owner is obviously passionate about a business that gets harder and harder to run in this economy. The food has never disappointed either. But the lounge/bar area is where this place truly shines, it reminds me of a 1950s type speak easy lounge with smooth and silk vibes, great cocktails and again, expanded selection of phenomenal scotches. Do yourself a favor, give the good ol' Il Bistro a try, it has lasted this long (over 40 years, 46 actually, I think?) for a reason, and that is consistency, expert craft and passion. One of the last gems of Seattle that's still standing. read more

Il Bistro Decent spot if you are visiting Pike Place and you want Italian food without having to find parking again. Food: 4/5 The food is exactly what you expect from any other Italian restaurant. Definitely more elevated than the usual chain spots like Olive Garden or Maggiano's. The food did take awhile to get to the table, but other than that everything was good but not extraordinary. I had the lasagna, and it was MASSIVE! I liked all the ricotta that was used to layer the lasagna and the meat sauce was savory and well balanced. My girl got the Linguine Di Mare which was good with its seafood-y flavors and nice acidity. We also shared the bruschetta which was good but might have been a carb overkill lol (if you like tomatoes though definitely try this) Service: 5/5 Nothing to complain about here, the servers are all nice and attentive to your needs. It did kind of suck to hear that they were out of tortellini (I went on Sunday at 7:30pm) Ambience: 4/5 Like every other review before me, the lighting in here is very dim. Good spot for a date with the slight pink lighting. Only thing I found weird was that it wasn't that busy so it was a little quiet in the dining room, but the bar seemed to be pretty lively (they close at 2am) Overall, Good spot if you are in the area and want some solid Italian food without having to wait for a table! read more

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The ambience is unbeatable. So was the service. The food is up there, but with a couple of sour notes. The truffle risotto tasted very bland without the parmesan cheese. The presentation was terrible. It badly needed some garnish, like some micro greens, parsley, cilantro, chives... anything! (see photo). I ordered an appetizer that happened to be an entree sized plate of maybe 20 mussels. My main course was an entree dish with seafood (and yes, more mussels). Wouldve been nice to be given a heads up about this from the waiter. The 2 legs of dungeness were just for show (didnt taste like dungeness; more like fishy salmon). The clams in the dish had sand. One of the clams tasted quite toxic (like it was caught in the Gulf of Mexico (right next to an oil rig or something). The broth, however, was exquisite!! The dessert (chocolate something) needed some kind of sauce. And i didnt care too much for the "italian cheese" that tasted like philadelphia cream cheese whipped together with bleu cheese. Nasty. But then again, kinda sophisticated flavors going on there. In the end, i didnt appreciate the waiter writing in the tip on my behalf (i used a Passport membership which gave me a complimentary entree). But still... dont write in the tip for crying out loud. read more

IL Bistro - Truffle risotto in badly need of some garnish/color and savory flavors. - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The ambience in here is romantic and makes a great date night! We came with another couple, and we're seated quickly having made reservations. Drinks for actually reasonably priced surprisingly. We each ordered something different, but the winner of the night was the clam linguine! We all 4 wanted to eat that ONE dish. The lamb bolognese didn't taste like lamb, more like beef. To me wasn't anything special. Antipasto was a great way to start dinner off! I would definitely come back and recommend to friends. Check it out! read more

Came in for date night with the wife for the first time, and WOW we were glad we did. From the pleasant and quirky host to our friendly and knowledgeable server, service was great. The food was even better having great Cioppino and Lasagna with solid cocktails. Will definitely be back! read more

The food was very good, however the lighting is very dim. So if you wear glasses, bring them. I enjoyed all of the dishes we ordered and they were authentic Italian. My favorite was the pesto sausage pasta and the chicken Parmesan. read more

IL Bistro - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The food was yummy. The service efficient. Not the friendliest service but efficient. We ordered an appetizer, salad, entrees, wine, and dessert. Took the server's wine suggestion and enjoyed that. Go early to avoid the rush and crowd. read more

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Super pricey on a normal day, but potentially worth the price. I went for their restaurant week menu and had: Their mushroom-themed soup (so flavorful and creamy) Their pork loin (crisp on the outside and the most moisture I've had in pork for a while though the sides were lackluster) Their tiramisu (perhaps the one weak link as the lady fingers were still too dry) My friends had the pasta bolognes and the salmon. The wine I had was great and they give you endless bread/butter. Fancier feel and friendly staff. I will be returning, though probably only for special occasions. read more

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