The future of food may be here. A small, busy space, almost literally an alley. Attentive staff, almost obsessed with the food. Fragrant, richly flavored and textured dishes in small but shareable portions. You will go home and rave about the rabbit kidneys. You have been warned. Highly recommended. read more

The best way to describe the food at this place is it's off the beaten path (alley?) The meats here are not something you can find everywhere else. From the most prized (foie gras) to the more normal (frog legs) to the odd (beef liver). And there was what I had - the rabbit kidneys on toast. I love the inventiveness of this place. It's so easy to just serve the same cuts of meats everyone else does - the prized, fatty parts of each animal and call it a day. But when there's a place that decides to dive deep (literally) into an animal and produce its organs and put that on a plate for you, it's just very cool. When you see a rabbit kidneys on toast dish on the menu - you can't not order it. The dish was pretty much exactly what you would expect - a bunch of rabbit kidneys on a slice of toast, over a cream sherry sauce. I had no idea what to expect in terms of kidneys, but these actually tasted quite normal. The best way to describe them is they had the texture and shape of larger beans, but had a bit of a meaty taste to them. Nothing over the top in terms of flavor or anything - just solid. They seemed to have been grilled. There were also a good amount on the piece of toast. The piece of sourdough bread it came on was quite good. The edges were crispy, and certain parts were perfectly lightly charred without being too burnt. The best part was the inside - which was super soft. What really tied this all together though, was the cream sherry sauce. This was outstanding. Certain parts were above the bread but a lot of it was below, and just tasting it I was blown away by its richness. It was on the sweeter side, but complemented everything so well. The way it soaks the inside of the bread is perfection - eating that was my favorite part. For dessert I got the foie gras ice cream. This was also really damn good. When two very fatty things come together, you'd expect there to be a full blast of flavor, but this was actually milder than I expected. It's still slightly salty, and very rich, but the added wine helps make it a more normal dish. I could still absolutely have a full scoop of this though. The one thing to know here is the portions are VERY small. The rabbit kidneys on toast dish is literally a single slice of bread with about 10 or so kidneys on top. The foie gras ice cream is truly miniscule - it's the smallest ice cream you've ever seen. The server did recommend 2-3 small plates per person, but I didn't particularly feel like paying a ton this night. If you were to come with someone (don't recommend groups here - the seating is very small), I'd say you could share a bunch of plates and feel pretty happy though. I wanted to give a shoutout that this place has the price inclusive of tipping. It's just so rare to see that, and absolutely wonderful when it occurs. I ended up paying around 38 for my two dishes. Overall, while not quite truly special, this place serves inventive, delicious mini-dishes that are certainly worth a try. 9/10 read more

Off Alley - foie gras ice cream - Wine Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Everything here is delicious. These reviews saying otherwise, well. With all reviews, consider the reviewer. If you're someone who cooks, and has said recently that everywhere you eat it costs a ton and is just okay -- like, you can make better at home? Come here. Because with few exceptions, I don't think you can. I've been here three times now and two out of three times everything was perfect. Absolutely. Perfect. I've recommended it to others and heard similar back from them. I think it's one of the more exciting restaurants in Seattle, and while the observation about cramped quarters is spot-on, I would imagine they'll likely evolve beyond that venue at some point, and that will be a pity, because having them close by in Columbia City makes me very happy. So book the patio if you want shoulder or elbow room, and enjoy a meal al fresco. And yes, it's a more expensive place, portions are small. It's a fine dining approach, and I think that's fairly clear up front. If you want a big pile of slop somewhere, there are a ton of options to fill up more cheaply. But if you want demi-glace and pan sauces that are perfect -- PERFECT! And meats you might normally not find compelling, like rabbit livers and kidney and, well, offal -- suddenly made succulent and delectable, try this. The only thing I felt was sort of not worth the bucks was the rabbit skull. Just not much in it and getting to it was a semi-feral process. Everything else, including the delicious salads, has be exquisite. Love this place. read more

Overhyped and overpriced for what it offers. I really wanted to love this place, especially after seeing it featured in the NY Times, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. While the atmosphere is undeniably hip and trendy, the overall experience didn't justify the price tag. The food itself wasn't bad, but it lacked that "wow" factor. We tried several tapas-style dishes ranging from $20 to $50 each. The Farmer's Rice ($48) arrived in a small sauce pot, which felt underwhelming for the price. The octopus was overcooked, and the black cod was just a single, small piece. I was also disappointed by the Uni Butter Radish--the radishes were fresh, but I couldn't taste any uni at all. On a positive note, the broccolini and the potato with crab meat were the highlights of the night. Service was hit or miss. Our initial server was very kind, but the wine steward and the female server who followed were quite cold and dismissive. Bottom line: This isn't a place to go if you're looking to get full. It's better suited for a quick drink or a "pre-game" spot before heading elsewhere. The vibes are great, but the value for money isn't there. read more

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I take everyone I love here. It's just dependably good food, with excellent service, and there's almost always seating outside in their streatery. The menu changes regularly so there's always something new to enjoy. Highlights: whatever they're doing to feature foie gras (in the summer, it was buckwheat waffle; currently it is an English muffin), whatever savory pastry they are offering, and their foie gras ice cream. I also want to keep supporting this place because they pay a fair wage, built into their prices now, and their staff seem actually happy to be part of operations. read more

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You gotta know what you're going to, otherwise you won't like it at all. It's a narrow place if you're inside, you're at a counter staring at a wall. You'll be offered interesting things to eat - including kidney and liver. Music is not elevator style. You interact with staff - chitchat - and they're engaging. They wanna chat because they're excited about the food. And so am I. It was great! It was a fantastic experience! But you gotta know before you go. Otherwise, you're gonna be bitter read more

We had such high hopes for this cute little Seattle place.... But, sadly we were so disappointed in just about every way. Do not come here if you're hungry! Though the food was quite tasty, the portions are doll-sized and VERY over-priced. We needed a microscope to see the clams and crab in the seafood dish, and the salad was about 4 bites. We left hungry, and went to another restaurant to get an actual dinner. The $19 gin and tonic tasted like weak ginger beer, and we weren't sure if it even had any gin in it? The $16 glass of wine was a 3 ounce pour. To top it off....this is a tiny restaurant-- 6 feet across, and they were playing the loudest, most unpleasant music during our meal-- on a Sunday night, which should be kind of a chill day. The seating is uncomfortable, and because you have to sit facing the wall, we couldn't hear each other at all. Sorry guys-- please spend less time talking about how great your food is, and actually make more of it for people to eat on each plate. You can do way better for what you are charging people. read more

I wanted to love this place and the food..... First the restaurant itself is extremely narrow and you stare at a wall if you sit inside. Thankfully the had a table outside, otherwise we would have left. The staff was welcoming and informative. The food was good not great, interesting daily changing menu. The pricing on the other hand, in mind was absurd for the portions. I am thrilled to pay $32 for a tuna dish but this literally a 2" x 2" square of albacore tuna lightly grilled with barely any seasoning. The cost of dinner for 2 of us was $218 with tip. Four shareable dishes and a beer. Kudos to the chef and staff but we won't be back. read more

Okay, a lot to break down here. We had the tasting menu with two drinks, and it came out to be around $350. The space is super tiny, as many have expressed. We sat by the door, and our knees were touching the entire time. So I would say the seating is not the most comfortable, especially if you are taller or larger in size. I think the tasting menu was an experience; however, I don't know if it was worth the money. I think they were very creative, and the ingredients were very high-quality. However, some dishes were very small and plain. The steak we had was the best part of our meal and I would easily pay $60-$70 just for that dish but everything else was just OK. I would recommend to go and try the à la cart, but I don't think the tasting menu is worth it . For example, one of the dishes we had in the tasting menu was a bun with a rabbit kidney in it, but there is a dish on the menu that is a piece of bread with at least over 10 pieces of rabbit kidney on it and it was $14. It's still a must try and I would go back again for a la cart menu. read more

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We enjoyed our meal here! It's a small restaurant with counter seating only for 10ish people. Make reservations via texting. The menu items rotate through. They're small sharing plates, less of your regular proteins and more organ meats. Most of the plates were unique and well prepared. The grilled octopus with smoked cabbage - octopus was normal good but the smoked cabbage was done so nicely, like best cabbage ever (which is wild because it seems like a basic ingredient). The beef tendon in the onion soup was soo soft. I normally don't like tendon because of the texture but enjoyed this one. Monkfish liver is good (as it is in Japanese restaurants too), but my only thing with it is, it was $46! It's a bit hefty imo and the unique part of it was that it was in a good crab broth. My least favorite is the rabbit kidney, not that it's not prepared well but it's probably just not an ingredient I like as much, ok to try once. We spent $210 with tax and tip for 6 items. Overall, good meal, on the pricier side. Would come back when the menu items rotate through again. read more

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Fantastic place Evan has created. He and his staff are friendly and knowledgeable about every part of the food and wine. We did the tasting menu and it was fantastic! It was fun to see a chef so excited to serve his unique food to you. Everything on the menu should be tried. We are definitely going back the next time we are in Seattle! Be sure to sit outside if you can, there is more space. Get their menu in your belly! read more

Very small space, so text to make reservations before you go. You will be sitting next to each other and not across due to the space constraints. Ordered a variety of things to try: Oysters - this was very good flavor wise and went well with the plum sauce Beef tendon w/ matsutake - I kind of wish the matsutake was cooked down a little. It provided earthy flavor, but the tendon was very bland as well so needed an element of flavor....maybe salt. Foie gras w/ pig feet - foie was rich and delicious, but needed something to cut the fat as the pigs feet was super gelatinous and fatty tasting as well. The cherry was way too sour in not a great way. Black cod - perfectly cooked, but felt like the black garlic sauce overpowered the delicate fish. Braised endive w/ pear - this dish was delicious in every way and the cheesy cream sauce was smoky and perfect. Bread and butter - one of the few carb options on the menu, but not sure it was worth $8 as you can get the same bread a few doors down at Columbia City Bakery. I would pass on the cocktails. None of us liked any of ours and it felt super watered down. Solid 3.5 stars, but rounded up for good service. read more

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Look, I feel bad. Mostly for the chef. A friend strongly recommended this place and said he was friends of the chef. I read briefly online and saw it RECENTLY titled in so many awards so I immediately booked. Every dish tasted good in principal, and the chef nailed all his cooks. From the fish to the meat to the pear at the end. The chef is great and deserves all the awards. He's simply just outgrown the restaurant as a whole. The place is uncomfortable and has no ambience, the scale of the restaurant probably forces them to increase the prices and reduce the portions (For $670USD spent for 3, we were all still hungry). The night before, we had Eden Hill for the same price and were so full AND had a bottle of $100 wine. Food aside, mandatory tip of 20% is probably reflective of the bad service. The chef himself was great, but our waiter was condescending at times and other guests were also whispering about his attitude. So of course, mandatory tip because we surely would've tipped much less. read more

Off Alley - Wine Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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It's always great food and a great time! Their menu changes often, so you will never experience the same menu twice. They are VERY creative in their dishes, and they always surprise you with their flavors. I was super shocked and amazed by their ham & melon sorbet, so delicious! We always do the tasting menu, and it's a great experience! The place is smaller but means more intimate! My boyfriend and I love Off Alley and the owners! Highly recommend Off Alley and their chef's tasting menu! read more

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My friend (who lives in Seattle) suggested we try Off Alley as it had received high praise from several news outlets. I'm from Vancouver where the food scene is quite prominent so my expectations for this place were high. Off Alley boasts an innovative and creative daily changing menu so I am not sure if I just came on the wrong day but my experience was far from good and my entire party and I left disappointed. Upon arrival, the restaurant lives up to its name as it is literally in the shape of an alley. Seating is tight and limited and there is no A/C so we immediately felt stuffy and hot but were determined not to let that affect our perception of the dining experience. The menu is handwritten daily which gives it a rustic personal touch. It was suggested to order everything on the menu but it seemed much so we left a few items out. Chilled tomato soup This was a good start with nice deep flavours but the portion size to cost ratio was tragic. (No picture attached as we got a bit excited.) Whipped lardo toast To my understanding, the fattiness of the whipped lardo was to be cut by the ramps but there was too much of a sour taste from the pickled vegetable that I couldn't really taste anything besides a hint of creamy smoked pork followed by straight vinegar in my mouth. Fresh cheese dumpling Our whole party actually liked the deep savoury flavours of the broth that the dumplings were soaked in but I would say the dumpling itself was not for me. Also to charge $19 for 3 small dumplings.... Zucchini with cured pork jowl There was virtually no flavour in the zucchini mixed in a pool of oil which I assume was supposed to pair with the salty cured flavour of the pork jowl. The jowl was cut paper thin to the point where it was basically transparent. The server even mentioned that it was a very specific and special type of farmed pig. If it's so special, why am I only getting a paper slice of it? Fatty tuna belly on brioche Fatty tuna belly, excellent! Brioche, also excellent! Eating them together wouldn't be my first choice but at the least, both components tasted good. Dungenesss crab in eel broth I just feel sad when I think about this dish because this little bowl (smaller than a miso soup bowl at a Japanese restaurant) cost a whopping $34 and tasted....upsetting. Putting it in eel broth did not do it justice at all. It clashed and there was no umami flavour. 0/4 members of my party enjoyed this dish. Black cod with smelt roe and corn I liked the corn! Snails with popover and caramelized onion Snails were very yummy in the caramelized onion sauce - the popover however was just not for me. This is just a personal preference. One of my friends really liked this dish and felt that the flavours and textures were very fulfilling! Tripe with matsutake and duck crackling I love tripe. It's a staple ingredient in a lot of Asian cuisines and I especially enjoy it in dim sum and noodle soups. I know tripe has a very distinct flavour but this dish carried its distinct flavour in all the wrong ways. It especially brought out its gamey flavour but when paired with the mushroom, it left a horrible aftertaste. The crunchy duck bits on top left my mouth overwhelmed with weird tastes and textures. 0/4 members of my party enjoyed this dish. Pork schnitzel with country gravy At this point, I prayed things would get better. This dish at the least, helped delete the lingering taste of the tripe in my mouth. However, I was once again confused at how an innovative and creative cuisine produced what seemed to be a thinly fried and breaded piece of pork (with barely any pork it in) with some creamy white minced pork sauce on top. I know pork schnitzels are pounded thin but all I tasted was breading. Nonetheless, I still liked this way more than some of the other dishes. Seared fois gras with buckwheat waffle and berries + fois gras ice cream Thank goodness we finished on a decent note. This is a sweet and savoury dish that won the approval of half our party. The berry compote went well with the waffle and the fattiness of the fois gras. The ice cream was also surprisingly pleasant! When the bill came, we were perplexed. Yes, running a restaurant is not cheap and workers deserve more than a fair wage I am all for it. Dining is also a luxury and not a necessity. However, I struggled to understand how these clumsily slapped-together dishes became $80 per person. (After the currency exchange, I died inside.) Besides the food, I also did not feel any particular sincerity or warmth from any of the serving staff. Understandably, this is not an advertised fine dining restaurant so I didn't expect high-end service. However, if your food is so inconsistently good and you charge 20% auto grat at least make up for it with a smile on your face. read more

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Such a unique dining experience. I'm happy I went with someone who is a regular! Unassuming neighborhood bar.Very small (about 12 bar seats + some patio seating), so you WILL wait. Rotating menu with creative items (both food and drink) you will not find anywhere else. Nice touches like hand-made dishware and hand written menus. Ordered a series of drinks and the following Small plates: Air Cured Wagyu ($18) Sweetbreads, Morels ($21) Raw Amberjack, Fried Sweetbreads ($21) Fried Pig feet, Seared Foie Gras ($22) Raw Sole & Eel Cream ($17) Bread & Butter ($8) Pistachio & Black Sesame Ice Cream ($6.5) We were sat at an outdoor patio table booth with two other lovely strangers (now friends :) ) The staff is chill and no bullsh*t. read more

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Everything about this dining experience was great! The food was amazing. We had the sausage stuffed squid, cheese dumplings, and the parsnip/apple/kohlrabi and finish with pear pastry. The flavors wonderful and preparation beautiful. The service was fun and attentive. We plan to return as much as we can! read more

I was out wandering and enjoying the mild, sunny weather on this particular late Saturday afternoon. Meandering from north to south, I ended up in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood and my first spontaneous visit to Off Alley (3/18/23). I was able to find street parking and joined five others waiting by the entrance for the 5pm opening time. I didn't have a reservation, but was offered to sit al fresco at their sidewalk parklet with the knowledge other parties may share tables. Their unique configuration has limited indoor seating, so pro tip - make advance reservations if indoor seating is a must. The sun was setting, the wind had picked up, and thankfully I was dressed in layers for the short period I was seated outdoors with another couple. I passed on any wine or cocktails and was encouraged to at least order three items. I started with Dungeness crab bisque with savory clams ($22). Next I decided on the Black Cod with fennel and celery root ($17). I opted to stick with just two and not three items. Service was efficient. The dishes I ordered had amazing flavor. Simply amazing and makes you wanting more. I can understand why all the kudos and buzz about Off Alley. However, given today's culinary scene and working hard for the opportunity to dine out, the serving sizes were a bit small for the price. That being said, give it a whirl to dazzle your palate. Just go into it knowingly with reservations made and that it'll cost you. read more

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Man, oh man, should I have listened to the reviews. I was really excited about this place as it came recommended from two of my coworkers. However, as other people have commented, I do not think it was worth the price. It was $500 for just me and my friend who did the tasting menu and two drinks each. Prior reviews say there was a 20% mandatory service charge. They took this away, but it looks like they increase the cost of the food as a result. First of all the ambience: inside you were just seated facing a wall. I stepped in and asked to be seated outside right away. At least, then we could people watch. The food was definitely very fatty with courses that included foie gras, duck sausage, and pigs feet. Even the rolls were stuffed with sausage. What was funny is that our waiter poo poo'ed fine dining at places like Canlis and said they take pride in doing the third cut of meat. So why the hell am I being charged $500 for a third cut? This is not kobe beef. So it seems to me they are no better than other fine dining places. Of course, partly my fault as I should've checked the price before hand. While the staff was very friendly and enthusiastic, I would not come back again. read more

To eat at Off-Alley, planning ahead is a must. There are only 12 seats along a counter in a narrow alley, literally, no joke! Their website is very clear about how to get a reservation. Because of the size and physical constraints of the venue, I don't recommend this place for group gatherings. Also note that they are very strict on a time-limit of 1.5 hrs for 2 people, and a max of 2 hrs for larger size parties. Again, this is to-be-expected given the venue size. As for the food, because they change their menu daily and the menu is small, every visit is a new adventure. Bring some flexibility and a sense of wonder to try new flavors. We were suggested to order four to five dishes to share, which is fairly standard. The service was great, minus one thing. Our server answered our questions about the dishes and didn't push for additional orders. She did make a mistake and didn't tell us about the dessert menu. Turns out the most popular dish requires a 25 min pre-order, and the kitchen instead declined our order after she convinced us of its awesomeness. (We would have exceeded 1.5 hrs dining time.) That was disappointing. Gratuity is set at 20%. Despite the mistake, I thought it was well earned. The Food: Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Anchovy, Smoked Cheese, $13.50 - 5 Stars I never knew an anchovy sauce can taste this good. You really can taste the anchovy, but it is not at all fishy or weird. Smoked Salmon, Goat's Cheese, Salmon Roe, Grilled Bread, $18 - 4 Stars For the salmon lover, this is a must. We ordered extra bread as it is a bit too salty to eat by itself, but it's perfect with the bread. Black Cod, Chanterelles, Garlic Croutons, $18.50 - 5+ Stars!!! This was the BEST dish of the night. Absolutely perfectly seared black cod. I have never tasted croutons so perfect. I should have ordered one more! Beef Tongue, Hatch Pepper, Onions, $16.50 - 4 Stars The hatch peppers are made into a thick sauce. The combination of the sauce with the greens, the pickled onions become an excellent flavor profile. However, I personally like the beef tongue with more sear. This method yields an earthier flavor. Spider Steak, Beef Tendon Pot Pie, with added Seared Foie Gras on top, $24 + $24 - 5 Stars The photo is close-up, so the little pot is maybe 3" diameter. The crust is perfection, the beefy sauce and ingredients are perfection. The foie gras is indulgence. read more

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Preface: I'm a reasonably logical person, so I don't understand why people are leaving two and three star reviews along the lines of "hated the service but loved the food" -- if you read the reviews ahead of time (and know you're in for a 12-person seating with a small wait staff), why would you still show up and complain about the service? You want a different kind of restaurant service, go somewhere else. Makes zero sense. Intro: Came here with my wife for a birthday dinner on Sunday, with prix fixe menu. Showed up about 10min early, waited outside until 7p while they finished setting up. (Bonus, they sat us in the middle, between the door and kitchen.) Service: Everyone was attentive and very friendly and we had a great time at dinner. One nit, at one point I wanted to ask our waiter Carl something, but he was tied up for 3-4min because some randos had come in from outside to ask if the restaurant had an open seat (could clearly see 'no') and then peppered Carl with questions about the restaurant, aesthetic, reservations, etc etc.... In one sense I appreciated his patience and dedication to taking care of (potential) customers -- but to the randos, cmon guys, read the room, and the sign outside ("have you checked the website?") Menu: Outside the restaurant was a menu, but it turned out that was the "add on" menu you could add to your order. They told us the menu was hearty, and so recommended we only get the beef tendon, and skipped grilled oysters, waygu ribeye, cheese, and bread. We ordered a bottle of wine -- wanted a red and tried their recommendation of a vin rouge grolleaux (which we had never had before), and it was fine but don't think we'd have it again. First courses: Fritter w aioli, Mixed winter greens m, Crab bisque w croche red bowl. All were very good, my favorite were the winter greens which were served with a light sauce, good texture, very well balance flavor. Finished all of them. Beef tendon: This was our one add-on, and it was just as promised. The tendon melted in your mouth, and the broth paired nicely with the mushrooms. It wasn't too heavy, which set us up nicely for their showstopper... Main course: Shepherd's pie with lamb. The chef came by to explain the lamb was actually not literally a baby, it was a 2.5yr old ewe from San Juan Island, but the way it was raised and cooked, it was as tender as a lamb (and not as tough as mutton). The flavors and balance with the potato and garlic (he mentioned some special new vegetable someone grew) made it probably the best shepherds pie I'd had, and it was just an incredible dish. We finished most of it, and took the last quarter home (which, heated up and was amazing the next day). For context re: the wagyu beef: the people on both our sides got it, and it looked amazing, but by the time the shepherds pie came out, they were all pretty full and could barely touch the shepherds pie. Dessert: the prix fixe came with a tart that was really light and well-balanced, but for me the winner was the rye custard. It was just incredibly well done, the mix of berry plus custard (not too thick / viscous) plus the rye crunch on top.... The chef said it's been on the menu for three years because they like making it so much, and I hope it sticks around. Dessert wine: we asked for a port, and they gave us Vino cotto stravecchio. Another amazing find, not too syrupy, does not taste too strong, will look to add this at home. Had a great meal! Loved the aesthetic, loved the vibe, trusted the chef on the menu (literally had no idea what it would be) and he did amazing. Would go back and bring friends. read more

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The food was good but overpriced, and the service left much to be desired. They used the same glass for three different types of wine and didn't change the silverware between courses, which was disappointing. The ambience felt like a mix between a dive bar and a fast-casual restaurant--not what I expected for the price. My friend and I ordered the tasting menu, along with a cocktail and a couple of glasses of wine. Unfortunately, the pricing ($250+ each) didn't match the experience. While the food was decent, it wasn't remarkable. The chicken main course, for example, felt more like a starter soup, though it was described in a much fancier way. This seemed true for many of the dishes. Looking at the photos of other reviewers, there is a chance we came the wrong day, because some photos look great. Overall, I don't recommend the tasting menu, and I'm unsure if I'd return or recommend this restaurant to others. read more

Have been here 5+ times. Was very impressed with my first 2 visits but food quality / taste degraded recently, along with rapidly increasing cost / quantity ratio. + To this day I still love the daily a la carte menus. I appreciate whole-animal cooking and being inventive with uncommon cuts. + I remember a few wowza-good dishes, corn soup with roasted chanterelle, ankimo liver in chilled broth, really fresh pea salad, and black cod was delicious every time. - However, the percentage of disappointing dishes / hit or miss had increased in more recent visits. Many of them were VERY SALTY. - They recently changed to walkin-only for a la cartes and is pretty inflexible with the rule, which is pretty disappointing for someone who has been reserving spots and dining with them for a long time. - IG posts are getting more snobbish than ever, why? A little more friendliness never hurts anybody. Overall, would still give a 4-star because objectively I had some fond memories of it. Hope it does not disappoint next time! read more

Awesome date night spot. Tucked away on rainier ave, it's easy to miss but it's very intimidate inside. The staff are awesome and it's super laid back. Prepare to have lots of small bites and finger foods. The ribeye is absolutely amazing as well. Rotating menu but it's nice to have a quieter and nice dining experience option in the area. The octopus was son tender an amazing. Comparable to what I've had in Japan, for real. The ribeye was so flavorful and amazing! Definitely worth trying once for a small celebration read more

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Weather was playing nice and so date night must happen! Not kidding, this is a hallway turned into a restaurant... no joke. Freaking WORLD CLASS!! Whole animal cooking and local fresh ingredients, passion, and attention to every little detail. Overall the staff were fantastic, the chef and his team are fun to watch and listen to. Servers were hit and miss a bit, but one person doesn't make for a bad night honestly or may have just been an off night for the one and only sourpuss. It's really amazing for so many reasons thank you all at Off Alley you are very special people doing really awesome things. Can't wait to come back soon. Cheese Dumpling Crab Bisque read more

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Ignore the complainers. When something is this good, there seems to be a want to tear it down. How about you don't come as a party of 8 to a 12 seater restaurant towards the end of service? Dummies, the lot of them. "This doesn't taste like San Sebastián..." where does the restaurant advertise itself as a Basque joint? I used to live in Madrid, does that mean I'm Spanish? People are thick. On to the restaurant. It's simply incredible. I'm not trying to brag but I've done quite a few Michelin star places (just last month!) in Spain this year and I've also done the heavy hitters in Mexico City earlier in the year. Off Alley was the best meal of the year for me. The service is awesome, they're thoughtful and give appreciated advice. Oh yeah, they're real people too, not some fake TGI Friday's tryin to be your best friend style service. There's banter and laughs to be had. The whole evening was an experience from start to finish. The menu is constantly changing but one thing that doesn't is the Brussels sprouts with smoked cheese, garlic and anchovies. This dish is perfection. As the night goes on, they run out of certain dishes and they're nixed on the chalk board. Due to a small number of seats and small amount of ingredients, their ability to quality control is exactly what you want. Where else are you gonna get perfectly poached Brussels sprout leaves with a buttery, garlicky, anchovy sauce that isn't over cooked and seeping butter as the sauce is broken? That's the type of quality control they can offer. Tuna belly was fun. The amberjack with kumquats was bright and oh so good. Cheese dumpling with forest mushrooms tasted like winter manifested itself on a plate. Sweetbreads we're perfectly cooked with a wonderful sage and squash sauce to dip. The pigs foot compounded into a croquette of sorts with foie gras and seared apples was possibly the best dish I've eaten all year. The pain perdu with foie gras ice cream blew our minds. Wine pours are smaller but that's great cuz they're less expensive and it allows you to move along with your meal as things get hardier. You need to come here. After stuffing myself in Europe recently, we're truly blessed to have a restaurant like this in our city. Can't wait to come back. read more

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TLDR Price: $$-$$$ Favorites: Popcorn sweetbreads, Black cod In a word: Inventive Review: Blink and you'll miss the narrow, brick-lined dining room of Off Alley as you search the block, but that same narrowness gives the upscale restaurant its character. With only twelve seats, come prepared for a 1.5-hour wait (no reservations), intimate seating, and chefs emphatically yelling "Guest down the line" as you pass them to wash your hands. Once in the bathroom, you'll see generations of the rotating menu lining the walls, showing how every visit will be as unique as the first. When ordering off the chalkboard containing the current iteration, pick four to five dishes to share. Thankfully, plates come small so you can share many inventive offerings. Our sampling included quail-stuffed waffles and sausage-stuffed squid, with garnishes and sides that were composed and flavorful. My favorite was the popcorn sweetbread, which was delightfully crispy and had a sweet glaze and squash puree that complemented otherwise savory flavors. It's rare to dine like this anywhere, which is why Off Alley was the only Seattle restaurant in The New York Times' top 50 of 2022. I'll certainly be back to try a new version of the menu while the one I enjoyed joins their growing archive. read more

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Off Alley in Columbia City is a 2022 NYT best new restaurant serving pacific northwest fare with seasonal ingredients. For dinner we ordered a series of small plates including roasted tomatoes with eggplant puree, smoked salmon toast, cream caraflex cabbage topped with leek ash, whipped lardo toast, black cod, and sweetbreads (which were neither sweet nor bread but in fact fried chicken over pumpkin sauce). The dishes were thoughtfully constructed and presented and the service was excellent. Seating is limited inside, but the only counter seating makes for an intimate date experience and the food makes it well-worth a visit read more

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So quaint, so tiny. They have two booths outside that are communal sitting but we opted so sit inside instead. I'm so glad we did because we got to hear the chefs shouting all the orders, which was a fun atmosphere. It felt like a place I'd go to in New York! I also appreciate that it's a "no mask, no vaccine, no service" place! It made me feel safer eating in such close proximity with others. We got the bread service, cheese plate, octopus, albacore, rabbit liver, and duck egg. We were stuffed by the end, but wanted to try it all! Everything was really good. I'd say the rabbit liver and albacore was my fav. Rabbit liver was super rich and flavorful. The albacore was really refreshing with the cucumber and dill. The only thing is that I'd wish we'd saved our bread for some of the later dishes (like the rabbit liver and duck egg). We ate most of it with the cheese plate since the plate didn't come with any crackers or any other accompaniments. Some honey or crackers or mini pickles would've gone a long way! That is prob the only thing we wouldn't get again since we didn't love any of the cheeses and it was pretty sparse in terms of the slices. Better to save those $15 for another one of their delicious small plates! This is a place we'll be coming back to often. It's so unique and the food is spectacular. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

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We went there without reservations at around 8pm. Got lucky we just have to wait for a couple of minutes. Top restaurant of Seattle and we definitely have to try it. Unfortunately, one visit is enough. The portion is rather small. After awhile, all the food taste rather salty. We started off the oysters. Have tasted better ones. The cod fish is really salty and we're glad the portion is small lol. We are quite petite in size; not hard to sit elbow to elbow with other customers at the long side table. Looking for something good, creative, better service, and reservation that is easier to get? Try 84 Yesler. read more

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I went here tonight, Dec 28, for their special tasting menu between Christmas and New Year's Eve. It's a tiny place with maybe 10 seats altogether along a wall. I got a reservation easily about a week or two before. I'm a party of one and I was flexible with dates and times. I just had to text their number on their web site, and then I had to call to make a deposit/payment to secure my reservation. The food was excellent. My favorite dish was surprisingly the crab bisque with clams and fermented sausage. It was so smooth, light, and warm, and the clams and crab were so soft. Just a really cozy and well-rounded dish. My second favorite was the quince sorbet. I've never eaten a quince, but the sorbet was light, refreshing, and had this honey taste to it with a nice almost floral aftertaste. It and the french toast were admittedly rich desserts, but I have a sweet tooth. I'll always love dessert lol It wasn't too loud. I brought a book with me to read, and I never felt bothered. It also wasn't super dim either, which is a complaint I have about many fine restaurants. The service was friendly and attentive. I would absolutely come back. read more

Have you watched a movie or TV show that had gripping beginning, then flattened off, then ended with a big bleh? This is exactly how I felt about Off Alley. We got English peas, lardo bread, cuttlefish, quail, and sweetbread. English peas had great flavors and texture, you can tell the ingredients were super fresh and handled with care. Lardo bread was my personal favorite of the night - creaminess of the lardo was perfectly complimented by the pickles on top, resting on a piece of perfectly toasted bread. It was amazing. Then the cuttlefish came, it was cooked nicely, but lacking salt and was overwhelmed by this "grassiness" flavor because it was cooked among the green leafy plants that I don't remember what those are now. My husband and I both thought it was too "grassy" and we could barely taste the cuttlefish. Then we literally waited 40+ minutes for the remaining two dishes. Quail was cooked perfectly, but extremely salty, as if it was seasoned with salt twice. I couldn't finish it. Sweetbread was a complete fail, everything was mushy, morel mushroom was mushy, artichoke was mushy, sweetbread was mushy, it's a big pot of bleh and absolutely no texture contrast. Taste-wise it was also one noted, salty. I couldn't end the meal with such a bad dish so had to try a dessert. I ended up ordering the olive cake, which was a pleasant surprise. Overall, the food at Off Alley had no resemblance of food we had in San Sebastian. If anything, the technique and flavors were more French, probably from chef's years in France. With that said, the "bads" overweighed the "goods" we've had here. Won't come back any time soon. read more

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Lots of surprising negative reviews but I think it's because people don't know what to expect. Yes, it's a tiny place but that's part of the character of it -- expect to get cozy with whoever is next to you. The dishes are small but you'll leave satisfied. You'll spend a pretty penny but it'll be worth it. 5 star meal across the board, from the flavor to the wine selection to the dining experience. We booked a reservation a couple weeks ago and went last night, opting to order a la carte instead of the tasting menu. The staff recommended that we do 5 dishes for a couple, and we let them decide our wine for us all evening. They were very friendly and enthusiastic about each wine pairing they brought us (not sure why some reviews say they are pretentious, we didn't get that vibe at all). Highly recommend letting them choose and trying some more unique orange and skin contact wines! Each dish was unique and we didn't have a single one we didn't enjoy. They coursed it out really well and every dish was packed with a ton of flavor. My only regret is that we didn't get the bread and butter to help soak up all the incredible sauces. Since the menu is constantly changing, it's hard to recommend our favorites but just know you will have some delicious dishes here! Excited to go back and try their tasting menu next time, as it's actually off-menu dishes! read more

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Short and simple for me. Im willing to pay a lot of money for excellent food and service. Here, i found neither. A lot of fancy talk from the chefs, but lacking in flavor. The 20% additional charge is criminal. Would not recommend, despite some dishes being "creative." read more

Overpriced, bad ambience, uncomfortable dining experience, and average to above average food. Better places to spend your money at this price point. read more

Unbelievable delicious meal. Top-notch execution, creative use of ingredients, surprising wine pairings. Easily one of the better meals I've had in Seattle. It's not a Canlis-like ambiance. It's just food sorcerers and booze witches casting spells from a kitchen and dining area that's basically a hallway. Stop complaining about shit and eat. read more

Sad times, if you want an over priced pretentious meal pack with few ingredients and no flavor and stuck up owners then this is your spot. I feel the owners heads have gotten too big and are now better than there costumers. They have an air of entitlement that rivals snobby narcissism. The food is mediocre at best, the wines are lack luster and the treatment of customers is bad. read more

fantastic menu every night. What an extremely talented group of people in the kitchen!!! Is truly an experience like no other!!!!!

If you are looking for a true 5-star experience, then this is it. It is officially one of my top three favorite restaurants in the Seattle area. We discovered Off Alley after it recently opened August 1 in Columbia City, and wow... I don't think words can describe how unique and amazing this gem is. It was opened by chef Evan Leichtling, who has worked at many excellent restaurants (including a three-Michelin starred restaurant and multiple restaurants in Europe), and his wife and sommelier Meghna. This dream team duo keeps the restaurant up and running and even did the majority of the renovation of the space prior to opening. The spot is very tiny; "alley" is no understatement. There is standing room for those who want to stop by for a glass of wine and snacks and single long bar-style table that can seat three parties of 2-3 during their two seating times of 5:30 or 8:00 p.m. Wednesdays- Sundays. This makes for a very intimate experience where you can get to know Evan and Meghna, where the ingredients were sourced from, how the dish was made, and anything else about them or the restaurant you'd like to know! The menu changes daily and ranges from about $45-55 per person for their 5-course tasting menu. You can also opt in for the wine pairing, which we certainly took advantage of. They also offer various snacks. We ordered the lamb brain Rockefeller ($8) and fresh cheese, Romano beans, and anchovy ($10). Where else can you say you have tried lamb brain? For the tasting menu today, I had 1) turnip, rabbit heart, cultured cream, 2) chilled tomato soup, grilled padrón peppers, 3) picked clams, grilled leek, smoked butter, 4) lamb tongue, farro and gem lettuce salad, and 5) rye custard, peach, and granola to finish off the meal. We had five different wines to pair with each of these dishes, which were each new to us and delicious. Thank you Evan and Meghna for making our Saturday evening extra special and bringing some of the most outstanding food we have ever eaten to Seattle! read more

Came here because I heard the wine was supposed to be good and maybe it could be but what I had for my first glass was not very good at all and then when I asked if I could have something else, the waiter loudly berated me in this pretty small restaurant about my taste in wine -- effectively telling me I have zero taste. It was a really horrible experience. Not everyone prefers the same taste in wine, especially if what's in the wine menu description does not match the taste of the actual wine. Didn't stay for the food after that. read more