The chefs here manage to make simple dishes made with few ingredients taste muddled and confused and soaked in soy sauce. Add to that bad service - messed up orders, was not informed items had run out when given menu - and extreme over-pricing and we have a two star experience folks. PS: who brings their kids here? Seriously? read more

I really wrestled with a rating for this place. Do I give them a two because the service was poor and...for lack of a better word, weird? Or do I give them 3-4 because the food was pretty dang good? We'll split the difference and go with three. Okay with you, Yelp? Cool. So. This was a restaurant week stop, so I'm trying not too put too much stock into the weird/badd service, but it's hard to ignore. That is one of those things that just is there, in your face, and you think about it later, too. It was inattentive, not quite to the point of neglectful, but close. The waiter seemed fairly disinterested, and the server never said a word. The food, however, was tasty! The drunken chicken was fabulous (and holy cow, they give you a veritable mountain of it!), and the banana cake was nothing short of heavenly. It was basically a very pudding-like banana bread over some sort of (sorry, I'm forgetting) savory cream sauce. Really, really good. All in all, if you really love Vietnamese fusion cuisine, come for the food. If you place high value in the service experience, save your money and go elsewhere. read more

We forgot to make a reservation, and ended up waiting about 30min. So I highly recommend making a reservation before going there. The food was really tasty, good wine selections but I thought they were a bit pricey for what they serve. read more

Monsoon is losing its edge (at least on me)... I usually come to Monsoon for weekend brunch. I enjoyed their congee (although the portion is always small). I also liked their dim sum assortments. But over the years, the dishes don't taste as good anymore. I like the scrumptious amount of mushroom in their Pho, but the broth is always a tad bit fatty and salty to me. My last visit was a bit disappointing, especially with the long wait for our food. The restaurant wasn't fully seated and we had to wait for about half an hour. The service was good but the long wait for food seemed to be unnecessary based on our orders and the fact that it was pass 1:30pm. It might be a while before I come back to Monsoon again! read more

Came here for a late lunch today with hubby before a doctor's appointment on First Hill. When we arrived, realized it was Dine around Seattle so -score!- we each got 3 courses at a tremendous deal! LOVED: The two 1st courses and one of the mains-- crispy imperial rolls (carlton farms pork, shrimp, glass noodles, herbs), crispy vegetarian rolls (taro root, northwest tofu, carrots, woodear mushrooms), and crispy local drunken chicken rice bowl (fried egg, bok choy) JUST M'EH: The other main, the pho ha noi style (w/ painted hills teres major, ginger, birds eye chili, long doughnut). Quality was excellent, but taste was missing-- just could have used a more flavorful broth! We both finished with the banana cake (w/ savory coconut sauce), also good. Portions for the mains were generous, the small plates were a little light if they served their normal portion sizes for the Dine Around Seattle lunch 1st course. I would definitely return for happy hour or dinner, but likely to stick to the rice or noodle dishes versus the pho's. read more

Nothing stand out. Thy catfish claypot is just Oyster sauce and black pepper. The food is also over pricey

My wife and I have been here a handful of times and keep wanting to like the place more but are consistently put off by the condescending and unfriendly service. The food is decent (usually) and the space itself is modern and cozy but the hosts and wait staff act like you're doing them a huge disservice with your presence. Better head to Pho Bac on Jackson street-much better in all respects. read more

Quaint, neighborhood haunt that feels warm and welcoming in spite of its unadorned, minimalist furniture. This place is ever-popular, so be prepared for a wait (even if you have a reservation). Yet, the food compensates for the wait time, sizable portions, inventive, and the perfect amount of spice. I've been twice and left satiated and satisfied both times. The barbecued ginger five spice pork ribs are a must, extremely messy but delicious. I'd also vouch for the crispy drunken chicken, cervena venison with yellow curry, and Asian eggplant in spicy coconut sauce. The scallops were nothing to write home about, the butternut squash felt a little out of place in an Asian-fusion restaurant. All in all, a great little place to dine out, minus the over-priced wine list, aggravated by the fact that our served described every wine of interest as "elegant," without much additional insight. read more

Just wow. Best meal of the year. Awesome locally sourced meat and the flavor is just stupendous. 'Crispy washington drunken chicken' - like a sesame chicken but taken 10 levels beyond. I don't usually rave about food, but over dinner all I could do was say "wow. wow. wow." Really, that good. read more

I wandered into Monsoon the other night for a quick meal. I had no idea what type of cuisine I was about to eat; I only knew that the place looked lovely and promising. I sat at the bar, ordered the $10 glass of sparking wine, and asked the bartender for a meal suggestion. After hearing him out, I decided to go with the squid dish with cherry tomatoes, peppers, and celery. One of the chefs came out to talk to me while my meal was being prepared and he told me that the cuisine was Vietnamese-French, which made perfect sense. My meal was light, bursting with flavor, and made from fresh ingredients. After visiting Ho Chi Minh City recently, I can say that my meal reminded me of those I had at the more upscale restaurants in HCMC. I was quite pleased with the authenticity of it. I recommend Monsoon despite the high prices. The chef explained to me that they make an effort to get the highest quality seasonal ingredients, and I believe it. For $30, you can get a nice meal, a glass of wine, and a little slice of French-inspired Vietnamese cuisine. read more

The food here is mediocre at best (this is coming from a Vietnamese person). Portions are small for what you pay for. Nice setting, service is decent. I'd recommend Monsoon East! Food seems better and cheaper. read more

Tried Monsoon for the first time as part of Dine Around Seattle. We couldn't believe how many options they had on their Dine Around menu! Most restaurants don't spend lots of energy on this promotion and sometimes treat patrons poorly when they come in specifically for Dine Around. Not Monsoon! We had wonderful, attentive servers, AMAZING food, and huge portion sizes. I couldn't believe the size of the Dine Around portions! We had tons of leftovers that made an excellent lunch the next day. Recommended: Pork ribs appetizer (a large entree size) Appetizer that is steak wrapped in a leaf Cabbage and prawn salad Eggplant Crispy Tofu Drunken Chicken Prawns and Yellow Curry Clay Pot Catfish We loved everything! Thanks Monsoon! read more

Don't eat the chicken unless you want to take your life in your hands. The bones are so small it takes about 30 minutes just to remove them all. I ordered scallops, and guess they were out of the squash so it was just a bunch of warmish scallops on a bed of bland radishes . read more

I love this little restaurant resting in the quiet corner of Capitol Hill. We've came here for both lunch and dinner and I noticed that the menus for both are quite different. For lunch, we've ordered pho and vermicelli. Both were flavorful and on point. For dinner, we've tried almost everything on their bar menu and they were all very delicious! I would definitely come back here and take all of my friends here in the future! read more

My favorites were the imperial egg rolls and the cod. But honestly nothing spectacular. The egg rolls tasted like from any other Vietnamese restaurant but double the price. But the good thing is that they tasted authentic. The curry shrimp was a disappointment. The curry sauce was delicious especially eaten with the jasmine rice but the shrimp needed to be marinated longer in the curry. It didn't have much flavor. read more

tl;dr: Slow service (may be an exception in this case): clean, modern environment; fresh food, if sometimes small-portioned, not a great value for the price. I came here on a Wednesday for lunch with two friends. It was fairly empty, but still took the hostess 5 minutes to seat us, after which it took a similar amount of time to place our order. We waited over 20 minutes for our food: two orders of pho and one vermicelli bowl. The pho had good flavor and the portion medium-size as far as pho restaurants go in the area, and had fresh ingredients. The vermicelli bowl with shrimp was acceptable: fresh, but skimpy on the portions, especially the scant amount of noodles. It took a while to receive our check and pay. Overall, I was disappointed with the slow service and the small-portioned bowl. The environment was clean and modern, and probably the highlight of the experience. Given the number of positive reviews and a personal recommendation, I suppose the slow service was an exception, and our server may have been dealing with an understaffed kitchen or something other. I hate writing bad reviews, but my experience was under par. read more

Love this place! They have peppercorn crab as a special item for night. Amazing fresh delicious crab. I hope they would put this on their regular menu. Would return! read more

I went to Monsoon for Restaurant Week with a friend and to be honest, the food was okay. The only item that really stood out to me was something that I actually ordered off menu from the Restaurant Week menu. The tamarind soup tastes exactly like the catfish tamarind soup my parents make at home. So I would say, the Vietnamese food is pretty legit (I'm Vietnamese so I would know). Other than that, the other food was okay. It was very basic and nothing super great. The Drunken Chicken on the Restaurant Week menu tasted exactly like sesame chicken you would get at any other Chinese restaurant which was disappointing. Another friend that I know who went and got the same dish said that it was better when he went so I guess it was only my dish? All in all - it's a cute place to go to for Vietnamese/Asian Fusion food. It's like another Ba Bar. read more

First time having Vietnamese in an upscale restaurant. Was there taking advantage of 30 for 30 for Dine in Seattle with some lovely friends. First impression : the design inside is minimalist, clean, slightly modern. Not child-friendly (unless they are angels but, let's face it, they won't be). Perfect for small parties (2 people) to groups of 6-7. Our reservations were for 7:30 and by the time we got there, the place was full. Would recommend making reservations. Located on a less busy street in Capitol Hill, the ambience is easy, friendly, fresh. Food: AMAZING. And the presentation of the dishes made the dining experience all the more enjoyable. We all made a point to order a variety of dishes. Jasmine Rice, Lamb, Asian Pear Salad, Bo La Lot, Tofu, Noodles, Flank Steak and on and on. If/When I go back, I'd order (and would recommend): First course: Squash soup or the Bo La Lot. Second Course: Eggplant,Tofu, or the Lamb. Dessert: the Caramel = Heaven in my mouth. A chocolate fanatic, I thought the best bet would be the ganache for me, but the caramel (a version of creme brulee meets flan, but served cooled which makes all the difference) blew our entire party away. So much so, we guiltlessly ordered another... Service was prompt. The staff were attentive and well informed of their drink/food menu. Price was right for the quality and excellent presentation of the food. Go. read more

First time being at Monsoon for brunch today. This place is really good with simple service. A bit pricey maybe but the food is super clean and cooked with love. We went with a sampling of Dim Sum plates and a couple sides, including eggs as well. Good egg cookery skills. The shrimp crispy wonton and diakon cake rocked as well did the steam buns which had a very nice porky flavor. Mimosa sparkled brightly with champagne and not dull and flat, coffee was warm and strong and they have no problem keeping your cup filled. Egg sides come in three, which is quite much. I would prefer them sold by the each. Bok choy was tasty as well the pork and shrimp sausage. Chopsticks at the table but they have no problem giving you a fork. I would recommend this place for brunch for those looking to skip the heavy greasy spoon. Five stars, if the menu wasn't, so limited. I think these guys should push it to the next level and add some items with a greater degree of heat. read more

This is my favorite place ever! That's all! But yelp is making me write more, literally anything on this menu is amazing! You feel full but not stuffed because the food is so fresh and relatively light, although it's a big portion! Love it!! read more

This is possible the best Thai restaurant in the Northwest with a constant refreshing of their menu with chef's specials. However I measure a Thai restaurant by how well they prepare a very spicy dish of Massaman Beef and theirs is the best in the Northwest. Additionally they have one of the largest listings of Teas of any restaurant I've ever attended. read more

We went to Monsoon with high expectations, and were disappointed. The opening soup was superb - had that been all, I would have given Monsoon 5 stars. But it went downhill: service was slow, and our three entrees were served over a spread of about 5 minutes: ever sit there with a plate getting cold while you wait for the others to be served? The quality of the entrees was goodish, but not served traditionally: one of my friend's meat came uncut, and thus impossible to eat with chopsticks. A small matter, perhaps, but my friend was disappointed to receive his entree in a very Western manner. Perhaps that's the "fusion"? The entrees were generous, but lacked any complexity, so that by the end of the dish, one was finishing it to finish it, not to keep enjoying any nuances or hidden flavors. Prices were too high for what we received, or the service. We left feeling that at 2/3 the price and less pretension, it might have been an enjoyable, if unremarkable meal. read more

Prior to today's attempt to order lunch from them I was poised to give them 4 stars due to a very good dinner my husband and I had a few weeks ago and the wine list. However, I merely asked for pork instead of chicken in a noodle bowl and was told that this location makes no substitutions , period. Odd, since I've had the imperial roll vermicelli bowl at the Bellevue location several times with pork substituted for chicken. It's their right to exercise such poor customer service ... it's my right to opt out dining of here again. Their loss, as we like to buy expensive wine and eat out for virtually every meal! read more

This hidden gem is in a great quiet spot in Capitol Hill. Even though I missed happy hour, Monsoon definitely left a great impression. First off, great service by the staff. The beer was flowing well. The crowd and atmosphere is laid back. For me though, I love the rooftop seating, especially on a nice day in Seattle. While I spent most of my visit there to have some drinks with friends, I finally caved and got some of the pork spare ribs. I really have nothing bad to say. They tasted great. We'll seasoned and very tender. Looking forward to going back. read more

Monsoon Seattle - Spare ribs. On point! - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was my first time at Monsoon, and I was shocked by the service. The head waiter was so rude that I felt like I was eating somewhere in the Michelin Guide, instead of at a Vietnamese joint in Capitol Hill. When there was a problem with my dish, he stalked and huffed like a child, blaming me for the issue and refusing to correct it. I'm frankly surprised that in an economy like this, this guy still has a job. Vegetarians, dine at your peril. Be aware that all the vegetable dishes will come in about a cup of fish sauce, and the chefs will refuse to cook without it. They're not big on accommodating dietary needs. And check the salad for hair. read more

Great little place in Capitol Hill! HIGHLY recommend making reservations. The only complaint I would have is the haughtiness of the maître d. He tried to seat us at a table in the middle of the restaurant when there was a perfectly lovely booth/table space available. When I asked to be seated there instead, I can't even remember his excuse but it was a 'no'. Then he walked away. My children started to sit down as someone else approached us and asked how we were all doing? I mentioned the situation and she went to see what the story was. We were immediately moved to the booth along the wall. We had a fabulous waiter who was able to make recommendations and handle the banter we throw out naturally with ease. We truly enjoyed everything- the Drunken Chicken gets a lot of love but to be honest? I can get the same thing from Pick Up Stix or even Panda Express if I want fried chicken pieces in sauce. There are so many other items to choose from! If you have never had Vietnamese spring rolls wrapped in lettuce leaves drizzled in sweet and savory sauce? You are truly missing out! And that table? It stayed open the entire time even though it was a Saturday night. read more

Amazing care from our server. He suggested a cocktail for my husband after my dear hubby ordered a drink that was apparently a wee bit on the sweet side. He just mentioned that it was a bit sweet, maybe he would prefer........ Needless to say, it was a perfect suggestion. We ordered two starters and we each ordered a main. Just light enough that we decided to also each order dessert. Monsoon was my first experience with Vietnamese food, and I was thrilled with the complexity and depth of flavors and spices. It was a party of delish in my mouth. I cannot wait to go back!! read more

Came to this place for dinner on a Monday date night for Restaurant Week. In a nutshell- the food here is good but I wouldn't come back here again for my Vietnamese food fix. Why? Cuz honestly I've tried just as good food, if not better, here in Seattle for about half the price! (ie Tamarind Tree). Ambiance is very nice but, i rather be in a hole in a wall restaurant with awesome food :) This is what we ordered: Appetizers: Ba La Lot - very tasty but again nothing mind blowing Vegetarian Spring Rolls- this was sub par Entrees Drunken Chicken: Very good..I made sure to eat all my leftovers ;) NW Sole This was my favorite! I think i would recommend this the most out of all we tried. The flavor of the fish was great and was cooked perfectly! Dessert Chocolate ganache w/ peanut butter- meh ..just a small dome of chocolate.. Banana Bread- this was pretty good. Bread was super moist, and good banana flavor. It's served warm with a cream sauce...very tasty. read more

Dee. Lish. Uss. No, this is not a word, but I do not care. The food I have eaten here was so tasty. Oh my goodness. NUANCES: I don't think I've ever thought to myself, as i am eating something, "gosh, there is some serious complexity in this thing I am eating." I thought this, however, while eating the 5-spice ribs. Oh sweet mother of mercy. The pickled jicama added to the deliciousness, by cleansing the palate. SOLID: The diver scallops were delicious and perfectly done. The sauce was a little spicy for my tastes, but I am a notorious wimp when it comes to heat. It was a delicious dish nonetheless. FIRE: I like a chef that is unafraid to use straight up flames to cook his or her food (obviously assuming they know what they're doing with said flames). I enjoyed getting food that had a bit of carbonization on it, but didn't taste at all like it'd been done up in a saute pan or anything like that. There was a purity of flavor that I appreciate, and it came through on these dishes (particularly the ribs and the stuffed squid, but also to a lesser extent on the Washington corn. SERVICE: Our waiter was low-key and a nice guy. I can see where the other reviewers are coming from vis a vis the coolness; there where quite a few people who tried to get tables who either didn't have anyone greet them or who got a cool reception. I didn't see rudeness, though. Classy, semi-formal joint. SUM UP: The food was delicious. Goodness. Nice, simple decor. Red wine was a little too warm, but no biggie. Definitely worth a visit. read more

I agree with the Yelpers who gave high marks for food and mediocre marks for service. Our server disappeared for long periods of time and was openly impatient when our (admittedly large) group took a while to order. However, the food was spectacular. The filet almost brought a culinary-school-trained friend to tears and the claypot catfish is everything you have heard. Avoid the somewhat dry pork loin and the lackluster eggplant. And be sure to make reservations -- the place is small and fills up quickly. read more

Big, big Love! Sloppy and wet! This place is definitely a splurge. With wine, my table of seven managed to run a tab that exceeded $75 per person with ease. But really, which would you rather have: a common hooker or a high-priced courtesan? The family-style dishes were the perfect balance of size and quality with interesting, bold, and successful flavor combinations. I'm mostly vegetarian, and there were plenty of options on the menu to titillate my senses, but my omnivorous friends definitely made out better than I did. I almost flex-atarianed my way into their beef flank, if you know what I mean. read more

I always have a good meal here. Solid happy hour options (late night too). I love the shrimp dumplings they serve at brunch and order bo la lot every time. Swoon. Great cocktails and good wine selection, as well. read more

Wow is all I can say. I'm not much of a foody, but this place blew me away. The food is simply awesome. Anything with the pork belly is fabulous. I don't know what they're called, but the rice/meat wrapped in a giant leaf thing is tremendous. My favorite Seattle restaurant by far, although admittedly I haven't been to a ton of places just yet. I've only been here for weekend brunches but the service always been fine. Never had a problem. The food has always been outstanding. The menu is very interesting and creative, again from what I can tell, and each time I go I can't wait to go back. Awesome. read more

Well...it must've been an off night. We stopped in last night for a quick dinner and ordered a round of cocktails and small bites: Fresh rolls, pork ribs, and sautéed tofu with shitake mushrooms. Their take on the Moscow mule is fabulous. Light, crisp and refreshing. Perfect accompaniment to a nice evening with an open window to the patio. 1 star for those mules! Fresh rolls were good - nice sauce accompanying the rolls. Rolls are on the small-ish side -- but nicely packed with fresh veggies and tofu. 2nd star here... Then the ribs arrived. Not sure what happened here but they were not the same ribs we've enjoyed countless times on previous visits. The ribs were seasoned nicely with the 5-spice...however, they were so tough, fatty and just plain inedible that we barely sustained an appetite after the experience. We both had 1 rib and pushed the plate away... not good. No. Opposite of good. Probably will not be ordering these again - which is a shame because they were so tasty and 'fall-off-the-bone' delicious in the past. The waiter looked at our uneaten plate of ribs, asked if we were done and clearly we were not enjoying the ribs...so we said, yes we are done...then he took the plate away...LOL #whatevers... Last, we finished off our meal with the always reliable tofu shitake dish. Delicious, lots of great flavors (ginger, garlic, green onion, secret spices, etc). 3rd star. Overall, this place is still better than the place kitty-corner to it (IMO) so we'll return. We will just stay very far away from the ribs. read more

Come here for lunch!!!!! The ox tail pho is amazing. Ask for a beef/mushroom mix and you will be happier then you've ever been. We go to Monsoon's weekly. Service is slightly slow, however, there is only 1 server on, and the kitchen is as small as in my apartment. That's okay. I'd wait 2 hours for one bowl of delicious pho. It's nontraditional if Broadway pho is anything you're used to. The beef is very tender, the mushrooms are the best texture and quality!!! Start with the green papaya salad, or the arugula salad-- get the pho of course-- then finish with the banana cake w savory coconut sauce. AMAZING!! p.s. Went here for dinner once--- learned they don't serve pho during the evening and had to apologetically leave. Pho is where it's at. Monsoon ruined every other pho for me. Ouch! read more

Their vegan tofu dish was amazing. I never thought I'd be the type of person to talk about depth/layers of flavor but wow! Really beyond a basic tofu stir fry. Also had the crispy rolls as an appetizer, very fresh and something I'd return for. Overall I'd love to see some more vegan options here because the ones we got were killer and the service was as well. Def worth checking out! read more

We went to Monsoon on a Saturday night. The decor is nice - we sat a a table in the bar area. Our server was average; not terrible, like some of the reviews on here, but nothing special. The food, though, was excellent. The catfish claypot had amazing flavor. The wokked squid was also delicious with a completely different range of flavors and tastes. We shared both and each had a cocktail. The drinks were made well and there were some innovative choices - my drink had both tequila and dill and it was great. read more

Monsoon Seattle - Viva Zapata cocktail - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is positioned in a quaint and residential part of town and has a limited menu of completely fantastic plates full of flavor and charm. I had the catfish claypot and id go back to have it again most definitely. They have a great, yet small, selection of beer on draught as well. I was just a traveller passing through and my server was super friendly and helpful in pointing out the popular dishes and places to check out in the area! read more

Came here for a coworker's going away lunch. The food was to die for. I had the lemongrass tofu dish and it was amazing. My coworkers had a variety of different dishes here and they were all satisfied. Very friendly staff and the prices are reasonable. Very clean and very nice atmosphere. read more

Monsoon Seattle - Lemongrass tofu dish. - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington