Very good service, oysters and crudo were acceptable and mocktail was good. Overpriced but not surprised eating at a restaurant attached to a hotel. read more

Rider - Oysters on the Half Shell* Hamachi Crudo* - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Cute vibe and ambiance complete with TVs playing the latest games. Mediocre wine. Overly sweet cocktails. Ordered the mother love bone half sweet and it was still too sweet! Ordered the crab butter rolls and for how decadent the dish was felt it was lackluster and wouldn't order again. Not sure I'll be back soon to try the rest of their menu. read more

Rider - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Worst service I've had in a decade. Honestly the waitress did not deserve the auto included gratuity. Red flag also the place had a sign in the window saying their food safety was just "okay" not good or excellent. The ambiance was nice and it was fancy and you expected good food but only one of our meals was actually good. One of the appetizers was inedible - terrible bland carrots. Our rare $60 filet was ordered rare and came medium! The server took my order wrong and brought the food out wrong. We did not dare complain because she was so rude and neglectful from the start. Our food took nearly 2 hours to arrive. We were almost late to our show. The drinks were delicious though. I would avoid this place. read more

Saturday night around 9. Came in, sat at the bar and ordered a Manhattan and a Caesar salad. 40 minutes later still no salad, the drink is done and the bartender never visited once. I finally got his attention and asked about the salad. He says it was never made and asked if I still wanted it. I passed. They comped the drink but very poor service. Avoid at busy times. read more

Food was alright, went in for lunch and wondered why it was so empty. Got the bill and realized why, for a salad, a side of fries and an Arnold Palmer it was $50! read more

I have wanted to eat at Rider for awhile. Finally had the opportunity to drop in for dinner with my daughter. The food was below average. I had the Rigatoncini and the pasta was undercooked, chewy and some noodles just plain hard. The kids burger was like a brick and had a very smoky taste which may just be their recipe. The cocktails were good and the staff were very friendly. Given the quality of food relative to the price, probably not going back. read more

We perched up to the bar at around the 8p hour. First, we ordered a dozen fresh oysters. Excellent! Fresh! Nothing more to say about the shucked oysters . Arianna, our server and bartender, recommended a sauvignon blanc to pair with the shellfish.. Perfect! Next, I enjoyed the SQUID INK TAGLIATELLE entrée. The pasta was delicately prepared. So tender and good. The seafood (octopus & squid) is fresh as can be with roasted tomatoes. I adore seafood. This dish was excellent. I wanted to go red wine this time. Arianna, recommended a cabernet which did not overpower the delicate seafood. Oh, and Arianna is a true pro at her craft. She is polite, efficient, hospitable, knowledgeable & helpful with the food and drinks menu. Arianna added to the positive Seattle restaurant experience. Kudos to Arianna! My dining experience was five star. read more

Rider - Delicious squid ink plate! - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Very basic restaurant with ordinary food. Setting is nice. Service is ok. Food is ok. Nothing more and nothing less.

I made a reservation for standard seating, not the bar, but they sat us in the lounge because they didn't have enough staff! The lounge was way too noisy. We also noticed that their food safety rating was only Okay, which is risky at a seafood place. Bummed out to not try the bouillabaisse for two, but we definitely won't return. read more

Very good beer selection, very good wine selection. Excellent whole trout, grilled and seasoned to perfection, crunchy side that I cannot identify. My companions both order fish and were both impressed. I actually highly recommend this place. It is, however, on the pricy side. read more

Rider - Whole trout - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My husband and I have now been to Rider 4 times in the last couple of months because it's perfectly located in the vicinity of two movie theaters where we needed to be for recent screeners and premieres. The food is actually pretty good - but 3 of our 4 servers have been tip cheats. In very tiny print at the bottom of the menu, it mentions that a 20% "service charge" will be "added to each bill and distributed to the team working in the restaurant." On our first visit, our server made sure we knew about the built-in 20% fee/gratuity (she was great, and we decided to tip a little bit on top of that to show our appreciation). However, on each of our following three visits, the servers (all different) decidedly did NOT tell us. In fact, not only did they never say a word about the built-in 20%, they presented the bill with a line asking for a "gratuity". Unfortunately, we forgot about the built-in 20 percent on visits 2 and 3 and thus ended up ultitmately leaving a 40% tip (the built-in 20% and our 20% tip on top of that)!! We're definitely not made of money - so that hurt. I mean, come on! Obviously, 40% was a mistake, but did the servers check in about it? NOPE. Then on visit 4, with friends, we remembered and decided to test it to see if the server would mention the automatic "service charge" and surprise surprise, NOPE! Folks, this is not just an innocent oversight on one server's part. It's clearly a culture at Rider NOT to mention the built in 20% in hopes that customers will tip additionally. 3 out of 4 servers. Really upsetting. They could learn a thing or two from The Metropolitan Grill which not only makes a point of letting you know about their built-in 20% service charge/gratuity when they present the bill, but they have a whole dedicated page on their website explaining it, how it's distributed, their staff's fair wage, and how that 20% is all that's expected by way of gratuity. If you disagree that the service you received is worth 20%, they will remove it from your bill. If you're very happy and choose to leave more, that's super generous, but not necessary. Rider is trying to pass off a large part of the cost of taking care of their employees on the customers rather than pricing up their food which yeah, would undoubtedly scare folks away - but it would be HONEST. But when the servers opt to say nothing, it's so sneaky. We're done with Rider. A shame because it really was convenient and we enjoyed the food and drinks. But, honesty is still worth something in my book. read more

Happy hour review! Wow! Walking in the door is giant and awesome. The smell of applewood in the air. The quality of this place you know it'll be pricey. But the happy hour menu includes a great selection at a great value. The cocktail program is on point. I had the poutine today. It was big! With pickled onions and fried kale. A twist to a Canadian classic but it added a much needed acidity and very worth. The bar was connected to the lobby of a hotel? And it went deeper back to a large dining room. The bar was large, very spacious, and the bar was just plain beautiful. Props to the designer for such a wonderfully simple yet efficiently organized work place. Will definitely be back frequently for happy hour. read more

Rider - Olmstead old fashion - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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No oyster forks, so you're forced to slurp off the shell. I'm not a snob, I don't mind slurping... But these oysters are poorly shucked and I pulled at least one piece of shell out of my mouth per oyster I ate, and my poor husband actually bit into a gigantic pebble (see photo) in one of the oysters! The chowder was overly salty and was extremely heavy on the celery. The cioppino would've been alright, except they didn't clean the clams well and there was ton of sand in it... you can see the sand I didn't eat in one of the photos. All the glasses of red wine are from WA or OR, which isn't our favourite. Happy hour for 2 came to over $110, and had potential to cost a hell of a lot more for a chipped tooth! Not recommended at all, unless you have pica and then this might be right up your alley! read more

Rider - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Overpriced, mediocre food, unprofessional wait staff. Food was largely a miss. Trout fritters were dense and overcooked, similarly with the Dungeness crab Scotch egg - nice touch with the crab, but Scotch egg dry and not runny. Kohlrabi salad was refreshing and delicious. Our old-fashioneds were made too sweet, bartender was rude and brusque when we mentioned. Service is painfully inadequate - wait staff untrained. Chaotic meal with a total of 5 servers during our dinner. Waited 30 min. for grilled oysters, which servers forgot to include in our order, even longer wait for bill to be corrected. Staff was confused about happy hour - conflicting messages about happy hour menu and pricing. High prices, mediocre food, mandatory 20% service charge included on all checks. Wait a few months (at least) for this place to shape up or move on. Good luck, Rider! read more

Rider - Kohlrabi salad. - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

1/1/20: Tho it was a full house for NYE our reservation was honored on time and we enjoyed the full prix-fixe menu. Our server was just the right attentive and the wait staff took pride in explaining the intricacies of each dish. Each plate on the four course menu had at least three to four Washington or Oregon sourced ingredients and the presentation was on point; our server even switched out our cutlery prior to each new course which again was such a nice touch considering the full house. The busers kept the waters topped, the manager handled the card at the end, and we got out on time for our show. Go Team Rider. I can't wait to come back and try their happy hour and full menu. Btw Rider's Forest-Ocean decor theme and lighting is the best restaurant interior I've seen IMHO, especially with everyone dressed their best. Gorgeous space. Didn't even know there was a cool hotel (Theodore)above us. Underrated. read more

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Rider is a beautiful restaurant and the kitchen and FOH staff is amazing. Taylor was our server for a large party and she handled us very well. She was fast, efficient and kind. The parm fries and oysters were so delicious! Thank you Taylor ! read more

I was a bit skeptic and unsure about spending money and time in a place virtually unheard of. Until the evening hostess informed me the restaurant is apart of the newly remodeled Theodre Hotel formely Roosevelt hotel gave me a better sense of the layout and brand direction. The outside is under construction and interior was nothing more than a typical dimmed lighted modern style restaurant. The waiting staff seemed to be a bit irritable and impatient which was a total different vibe from the hostess. The lounging and bar area is open later than the restaurant. Not to mention, happy hour at Rider is comfortable and classy! I ordered Yellow Jack Fish (a la cart) with a side of pull apart bread accompanied with house made crab butter. I know I know crab butter sounds like a great idea but the taste of fish oil and butter isn't the most health centric pairing of ingredients, try the butter yourself. The fish was prepared and arrived quickly garnished with veggies not advertised on the menu, I ate the little veggies. In fact, the veggies and bread was the best part. Overall, price, location, service and quality of food was sub-par and not worth the money unless your buying raw food. Also, 20% gratuity is automatically factored into the bill, I didn't know until I got the bill which was a bit dishonest in my opinion. read more

Rider - Yellow Jack fish - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food was great, had the baked oysters, crudo, mussels, and fish sandwich w fries. I would have liked more of the sauce on the fish sandwich. Gun to my head to pick a fav I'd have to say the baked oysters. Wine by the glass selection was good and not the typical ones you tend to see here. read more

After our cocktails here and seeing the fish and chips, we knew we wanted to come back to Rider. And we knew exactly what we wanted. However, what we didn't know is that Rider only serves fish and chips at lunch. So we walked all the way over there in the cold, pouring rain to find that what we wanted was a no-go. Well, I'm glad we stayed because the food and service was awesome. And now that I know better, I'm coming for lunchtime fish and chips. Oh, and do yourselves a favor--if you're there for dinner, get yourself those pull-apart rolls as a little pre-dinner snack. Holy moly, those are good. I'm also a HUGE fan of their herbed fries. read more

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Customer Service was spectacular. Our waitress was so sweet. I give it 3.5 because the food was mediocre. The scallops were delish but the rice doesn't pair well. Steaks weren't cooked as requested and the fries tasted like they used old cooking oil. It had an aftertaste. Desserts were good but not mind blowing. read more

Well, well. NYE pre coursed dinner was certainly a treat in every way but the good one. I had some friends in town and this joint was the one they came up with. Sadly, I did minimal research and it seemed like a good fit. They must have had a talented photographer take the pictures that were on the website because it certainly didn't transcend to the horrid experience that we endured; for not one, not two, but four hours. This is honestly the first review I have every written and hopefully this is the last because that was the equivalent of a bunch of drunk fifty-year-old Canadians playing pond hockey. There was literally nothing professional about that experience. I understand that it was pre-coursed, and NYE. A holiday that is directly related to amateurs and they sure showed that on this day. I can get into the extremely frigid food on every course. I could get into the bread that was promised on sitting at our table that showed up after the second course. I could get into the length of a dinner like I recently mentioned. However, the fact is that as I looked around and scanned if any other tables were experiencing this, I can only imagine they did. Or the fact that they didn't care could be it as well. I've worked in some stellar establishments throughout my life in the industry; but top to bottom this was hands down the worst experience I have ever had in any facility in my life. The nature of the menu, the blandness of the dishes putting aside the polar temperatures of every course was almost criminal. Not to mention the bread knives we had to use to slice protein. Being in the heart of downtown Seattle which certainly is sore on the eyes these days is unfathomable. Maybe they are playing to the downtown scene which is a misfortune? No idea. This was truly the worst dining experience I have ever had, and I certainly have a body of work when it comes to professionality, customer service, and careful and thoughtfully planned food. This was a true torture of patrons. I truly don't care if they had a bad night, understaffed, or just plain unexperienced. Zero-star review if I could. read more

Really glad this place is back. Went last night for a late Valentine's and it didn't disappoint. Love the wood grill. Highly recommend to anyone! read more

A few of my coworkers had come here for lunch and had nothing but good things to say about it. I came here and I was utterly disappointed. I don't understand what the hype about this place was. I should of known when it was 12:00 PM on a Thursday in the middle of downtown when there was no more then 10 people in the restaurant. I ordered the fish of the day and it was the blandest thing I had ever tasted. No flavor whatsoever. I was a little skeptical that mine wasn't done enough and behold come evening and my stomach was utterly upset. Never again. To begin with this place has limited options. The only plus was our wonderful server who was super friendly and nice and the dessert. The mini doughnuts and pumpkin cheesecake was the star of the lunch hour. Both amazing. In the end, I probably will not return here. There was nothing that stood out and it ended up making me sick. read more

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Really enjoyed my first visit to rider. The place is huge and has plenty to offer. I joined a friend for Happy Hour after work. There are lots of good options on the menu, both drink and food. We got the fries and followed that with more fries in poutine. It's not tradition poutine. It had veggies and some other pickled things on it. My friend and I thought it was worth while though. There is no shortage of drinks here and the bar makes some fun specials. We got the daily special, it was a drink for the bartender that was leaving. But I think this is a place where you can trust the mixology. read more

Rider - Poutine was on Happy Hour but it's not for the traditionalist. (Cheese curds included) - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

If given my choice of restaurant, it's always a steakhouse or other meat-forward establishment. That's just my jam. I've done the Ruth's and the del's and the whatever...and it's all a fine steak. But that's about it. It's a steak. The food here is artistry. The NY strip is by far the finest steak I have had in a very, very long time. Perfectly cooked, fabulous service, and cozy hipstery atmosphere..,right up my alley. It was perfect. Every single bite was just as stellar as the previous. Absolutely blown away. read more

The fact that I only managed to snap a pic of the entree says something about the caliber - and presentation - of food here. (And the only reason I remembered to pull out my phone to do so was because we all paused when our entrees came out as the waiter explained each dish). It is quite pricey - the appetizers average around $15, and the entrees range mostly from high $30s to mid $40s. However, for a special occasion, this place is worth checking out! APPETIZERS: Burrata & White Anchovy Toast: Definitely recommend, the burrata pairs so well with the fresh and sweet peach. Probably my favorite dish of the night Ahi Tuna Tartare: Normally not a huge fan of tartare, but this one was done more like poke and quite enjoyable Rockfish Crudo: It was fine, but I wouldn't get this again Rider Pull-Apart Rolls with Crab Butter: we ended up ordering another one of these after trying the first one ENTREE: I got the Duck Four Ways: seared breast, duck fried rice, foie gras mousse, and confit. I could have done without the jam glaze but luckily was able to avoid most of it by the way it was positioned on the plate. Portion size was just the right amount to clear off your plate (after some delicious apps) DRINKS: I only got one cocktail and it was unfortunately a little too sweet and forgettable. I didn't bother getting another. The service was fine, nothing exceptional. read more

Rider - Duck Four Ways - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The food and drinks is the only reason this place is even getting stars. Sarah I was our waitress and wasn't the nicest. Was quick to run away and not take our full orders. We were in a 10 people party and didn't realize they didn't split checks. It's annoying that it was not communicated to us that they couldn't split checks. It says at the bottom of the menu that "we gladly accept a maximum of 3 forms of payment per guest check". But yet we were told that would have to be 3 equal payments. read more

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Great service, great drinks. Food is a bit overpriced for the taste, though portions are good. I especially liked the Old Fashioned with Saffron mist. The oysters were fresh. Fries were well seasoned. Pretty presentations. The wine list was diverse. Would come back for light bites and drinks! read more

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We're staying at the Hotel Theodore and had some credit to use at Rider! It was very spendy for what a simple breakfast it was, but it was good. I opted for a side of eggs and toast ($9) and my Husband got the "New American Breakfast," ($17). It seemed like an average American breakfast to me. The best part of this meal was how thick the bacon was. The vibe of the place was super hipster and classy, and the service was great. They also filled my hydro every morning and I was super grateful for that! read more

Rider - Side of eggs and toast - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Fantastically poor all around. 45 minutes to get the first drink. Two hours to get entres. Food was overcooked and cold. Server had an attitude and made excuses about being "overbooked." I suggest not taking reservations if you're not staffed to handle. read more

If I could leave a zero star review I would. Worst restaurant experience anywhere on the planet. Took a table of 16 clients to this restaurant and worst experience I have ever had. Manager threatened us with calling the police with a trespass notice because we complained about waiting for our food for 2 hours. Stay away from this place. Would love to discuss this with the owner but feel certain they will never reach out. read more

So we as a large group tried this restaurant last year, and had a terrible experience. Unfortunately the person planning the dinner for this years conference forgot how terrible the service was last year, but I was thinking maybe it's because we had a raucous party last year, maybe this year would be different. It started with the hostess, who honestly should not work in the service industry, her attitude was by far the worst excite had at a dining establishment, she acted like she was the bouncer at the hottest night club in Seattle, unfortunately she works at a overpriced mediocre restaurant where her and her coworkers treat the customer like garbage because the feel like the should make their own rules and not treat the customer like they should in a restaurant with this type of pricing. If we wanted to go to a fast food restaurant and be treated poorly and bosses around like they make the rules . Absolutely ridiculous, one of the people in our party decided to go to bar to order a drink at which time the hostess, decided to come over and tell him he needed to go sit down and order a drink from the server. With a. Party of q12 we had one more person decide to join us, the same hostess came over and told hi he could not use that seat as it was a reservation waiting to show. We were there for over 1.5 hours and we spent almost 1500$ nobody ever showered for that seat or the many others. We did get super lucky to have an awesome server and she was very attentive and made up for the rest of the staff that acted like they work at a nightclub and not a fine dining establishment. I know it's hard to attract good employees, but when you don't even reach them to be appreciative of the customers who actually spent money... that's unfortunate. Well I'm hoping next yet we don't make a reservation here, because they are inconvenienced by the customer. If for some reason the person organizing our plans booked here again, I would not go. The service was extremely rude and subpar. At least if the food and drinks met our expectations it would be fine. But it's just an overpriced poorly trained staff with no accountability apparently. Hopefully those who work here chose a job in customer service especially front of house reconsider their life choices and move to a career whet people don't mind their terrible attitude. read more

My husband and I went here for our 16 year anniversary as we were staying in the Hotel Theodore. It was a unique, hip restaurant with very different new age food. The service was good but a few mistakes were made. We had the calamari appetizer and the flavor was unique but too fatty Italian meat on the bottom. It needed a bit more salt but the calamari was cooked well. My husband ordered the whole trout and it was cooked perfectly with unique flavors...but again...needed some more salt. I ordered the duck 3 ways. It was absolutely delicious, except for the foi gras, which is an acquired taste. Our server accidentally put in 2 trout orders and not my duck so we ended up sharing the trout first and then the duck second. It was quite a wait since the duck takes 20-25 to prepare. The manager brought an appetizer to us on the house while we were waiting but didn't ask why appetizer I would have preferred and it ended up having an ingredient my husband is allergic to and raw fish that I don't eat. If they wanted to make amends for the ride mix up they should have asked what I wanted or just taken an amount off our bill. All in all it was a unique experience and kinda fun but won't be going back. read more

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We made reservations and arrived on time. However, though the place did not seem busy, we were made to wait until one of the two tables near the loud bar was open before we were seated. Ah yes, the bar reminded me of one of those "looking for Mr. Goodbar" places of the late 70s, early 80s. The music was loud and there seemed to be more than one type playing at th same time. Everyone's conversations could also be heard. Once we were seated, the waitress wanted our order right away, when we needed a few minute, she did not return for quite some time. When our food arrived, it was no our orde, but the table next to us. Our order took another twenty minute. Our first dish was soup, which took a good 20 minutes to arrive. My husband ordered the $72 ribeye as a special treat. He asked for medium rare and it came well done. Remainder of the meal was basic. Things that could be made at home. If you are a barfly you'll like this place. If you are a foodie not so much. Prices and extra charge are too much. read more

The food here is divine! Everything tasted really good and fresh. The service was excellent. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable. This place is chic and modern looking I want to try everything on the menu. The Parker rolls are so good. So fluffy and buttery. The crab was excellent, you can taste the freshness. The pasta dish with the short ribs were so tasty. I could go on and on about the food. Just one of the best foods I've ever eaten. Chef Ricardo is amazing. We love your food and will definitely come back and recommend this place. Thank you. If you are in Seattle, this place is a must! read more

The Rider is great for a nightcap! The bartenders were very friendly and helpful. Eric in particular reminisced with me about our favorite spots in Seattle and suggested a few new places to check out. The breakfast at Tiffany's was delicious! Beautifully crafted with hints of chocolate and coconut. I will definitely go back next time I'm in town. read more

What a great meal! This was actually my 4th time here. Normally I have the burger. Tonight I was out of the box and started with a cocktail called the Ballard Locks. Whew, little boozy but delicious! Then I ordered the Dungeness Crab and pea ravioli and my sister ordered Ricotta Parmesan Mushrooms dumplings. Talk about amazing!! Our food was not only beautiful but fresh and delicious. The Rider has fresh locally farmed foods. Their menu seems to rotate with the season. I love this place so much! I love the vibe, the staff is the best around. Tonight our server in the bar (Rachel) was so sweet and so fun! We were telling her about our big day downtown Seattle and the next thing we knew she had the chef make up something special for us. It was a beautiful Lemon dessert. Just to die for! Amazing night especially when the chef came out to thank us for coming in. Thanks for an amazing night! I will be back! read more

Rider - Lemon dessert- Italian meringue is to die for! - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Such a lovely place to come and grab a cocktail after work. I adore the "BEET it" drink and all the bartenders make it so well. Appreciate the friendly service and my server Avagail was lovely and attentive and I will definitely be going by more frequently!!! Cute little spot in downtown with inviting vibes. read more

While staying at the newly renovated Hotel Theodore, my fiancé and I got hungry and found ourselves at the Rider Restaurant. Our check-in lady from the hotel told us that their burger was the best in town, and well, we just had to find our for ourselves if it really holds up to that title. The interior was absolutely GORGEOUS. It was clean, modern chic tiles, with touches of dark wood. We sat in the bar where it was low lit, romantic, but really noisy. We ordered one burger (due to the price, wow!) and a side of garlic herb fries. When our food came out, we could not believe our eyes. The burger was HUGE. It was literally the size of my face. There were thick slabs of bacon, not dried out. Perfectly toasted brioche bun, and a thick patty. The separate side of fries came with a fancy sauce holder, with ketchup, tomato aioli, and wasabi aioli. Once we dug in, we were in heaven! Hands down one of the best burgers I've ever had. It was moist, seasoned, and had many pleasing textures. The fries seemed to have some vinegar soak, which added an extra kick in every bite. The array of sauces gave me a different type of experience. It was heavenly. The only downsides to our experience is that it was incredibly noisy and the prices. We are city people, and understand bar atmospheres, though it appeared to look way too fancy for certain behaviors. This has no fault to the restaurant in any way, just kind of a bummer. The prices seemed a little intense for what we got. But, it tasted wonderful so we can't complain too much! We will definitely be back soon next time we are in the city. read more

Rider - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We honestly had a great experience. Our waiter Austin was so funny and thoughtful. He made us this the most perfect experience and treated us like family. We stayed in the hotel attached to the restaurant and had a blast. We will definitely be back every year we visit seattle. 10/10 experience. read more