The service was great! Had an amazing cioppino with succulent clams and crab. I especially enjoyed the Moroccan French waiter who was very congenial and attentive. The King Dome Cordial was an amazing alcohol-free drink with many different amazing tastes. They have a wonderful selection of roses and reds, which are all delicious. I would recommend this joint for not only a casual dinner, but also for a nicer get-together! read more

Nice happy hour. Lively spot with an active bar area. Kohlrabi salad is a fantastic, flavor packed, healthy dish.

They over charged my card.billed me twice had to managers not follow up with me.they didn't return my calls.they still owe me 18.72. Garbage service garbage food garbage people. I will never go back dont aste your money or time on this shithole.not to mention food not thatgreat.i was so excited to eat hear.but worst experience. Save your miney.dont eat here at all. read more

Outstanding food and service. We came for dinner and every single thing all four of us had was excellent. The cocktails were refreshing and delicious. The truffle fries were amazing. Whether it was fish or the salad or a delectable dessert, everything was delicious and well-prepared. Amber and Jake could not have been better servers and Juan was friendly and hard-working. Loved this place! read more

The salad, clams, pull apart rolls... soooo good... only bad, not a nice table... would sit in the bar, better ambience... service was fine, not bad, not over the top... food delicious!! read more

Just an okay restaurant. Was way too warm inside because of the cooking fire. Don't care for the AUTOMATIC 20% tip, especially when only 18% of it goes to the servers. Would go for happy hour but not dinner. Overpriced and not outstanding. read more

I really wish this place lived up to its potential. It's a gorgeous space and a desperately-needed type of establishment in this part of downtown. That said, I don't really know what it wants to be. The menu is small-ish and feels really disjointed. The portions are enormous... but the food just isn't very good. The trout looked beautiful but was over-salted, the cauliflower side dish was enormous but bland and the fries were not very good. And they implied none of the entrees came with sides - so we ordered some unnecessarily. Staff was nice and attentive and again, it's gorgeous, I just wish I wanted to return for more. read more

The atmosphere was nice, and there were some strengths, but generally the food was a disappointment for the price point. Like another customer, I also had a similar experience of an oyster not being shucked well and served with shell fragment, and when I mentioned it there was absolutely no attempt to bring another one, adjust the price, have a manager apologize, etc. They did not seem to even care. The rolls with crab butter were also a big disappointment and a total waste of money spent for me. They were way over priced for rolls, nothing special, and the "crab butter" somehow did not work at all for me either. The trout fritters were also a one and done dish I would not try again. I agree that the service was very immature and confused at times, and poorly coordinated, but some of the staff really stepped up and did a great job. There was just too much inconsistency of service quality. read more

My friends and I went for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. We were looking to celebrate a big occasion. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. Eager to try out this new place we perused the menu which looked promising. Unfortunately, the service or lack there of quickly diminished our excitement. It took over 30 minutes to get our drink orders and one friend had to wait longer as they told her they were out of her gin of choice only when they returned with the drinks. We quickly realized our server was new and was struggling a bit with some big parties she had. We asked for some help so we could place our order and that manager seemed put off. She offered donuts for the table which was nice but would have preferred timely service. The lunch lasted 2.5 hours, and we got our food long after parties who sat down after us. Multiple times they blamed their slow service on the women's march but we were one of three parties on the dining area. And you would expect they staff accordingly. read more

Absolutely amazing food. Unique combinations of ingredients and flavors. Great ambience. We thoroughly enjoyed everything about the meal. The tuna tartar and the shaved vegetable salad are a must try! read more

Had an awesome dinner/experience here. Very nice atmosphere in the restaurant. My compliments to the chefs and Yassine!

Visited while in town on business in December. Food was pricey for the quality, tacked on 20% gratuity automatically which I didn't feel was earned. Drinks were overpriced. I visit Seattle at least 4x a year for work and always stay at Hotel Theodore (my company books me here because it's very close to the office) so Rider is a convenient place to have happy hour with coworkers or would be optimal for dinner. Unfortunately I venture to other places because they are better quality and priced restaurants with better service. I wish this was more appealing. I really want to love this place. read more

The burger is literally sooo fucking good. The tomohawk is soo good it's a special for 2 people but like 5 people can actually eat it. The sherley Temple is really good but sweet. And the local green salad is soooo good the dressing is amazing and so flavorful. I am so happy we went here for dinner. read more

My wife and I grab drinks in Seattle regularly and the service here was incredibly slow, and not because it was overly busy and they were really understaffed. On top of that, they charge a 20% service charge which would be great if service was phenomenal, but it was not. We heard good things about the food but didn't try any, but we will definitely not come back. There are plenty of other top notch places for cocktails in the city. read more

Hostess was rude and ignored us, just so you know, you are supposed to greet customers and ask if they have a reservation. 30 min for drinks to arrive, an hour for food to arrive. Server was nowhere to be seen for most of that time. The service is beyond bad at this place. I realize you are new but you need to step it up folks! The food was decent. read more

How this place isn't all 5 star reviews is shocking to me! Everything from the fresh and local ingredients, flavor profiles, ambiance, is just top notch! i recommend sitting in front of the kitchen and watching the fire grilling chefs in action. What a gem! read more

Rider was our go-to on a Friday night for a quick and easy meal because we were staying at Hotel Theodore. We were fortunate to find a table in the bar and had no expectations because we originally had planned to be elsewhere then decided we didn't want to walk outside. We were so, so surprised at the quality of the food. My carrot pasta was cooked perfectly and had ridiculous flavor. Every bit was sensational, and though I almost never finish a pasta meal, I ate every bite. My husband had the smoked chicken breast and love the smoky flavor and tender texture all the way to the last bite accompanied by sauces that completed the chicken extremely well. We definitely will be back--next time with our boys who attend UW. We later this same weekend took them to eat at an Ethan Stowell restaurant and were very disappointed--we should have taken them here. read more

I had an excellent experience at Rider. I arrived during happy hour at the bar, and was seated early at my table. I asked a lot of questions regarding food sensitivities and informed them that it was my birthday. The bartender Jordan started me off right with a low sugar handcrafted cocktail. Once at my table, my server Jesse graciously checked on all my requests, and we settled on a lovely meal for one- 4 oysters on the half shell (mignonette not required, the oysters were so savory), one yummy grilled king crab leg basted in olive oil, the duck plate (so moist, tender and tasty!) with the kohlrabi salad instead of the potato/legume sides. Everything was expertly prepared and well-seasoned. The head chef David presented me with a freshly printed seattle restaurant cookbook, and I was served a complimentary glass of rose champagne. They wanted to gift me a dessert to celebrate my birthday, but I declined since I'd already over my sugar allowance for the day. Overall, I loved the service and the food was very tasty. I did not expect a "value", I was there for high quality food, in a fine dining experience. You all exceeded my expectations. Thank you so much! read more

This is probably my favorite restaurant in Seattle. The food is amazing and the service is the best. I loved the crab fat butter rolls and the hanger steak was so tender and delicious. I can't wait to return read more

I have been to Rider a few times and the food and service has always been great. I always look forward to dining at Rider. My wife and I went there last night to celebrate our 4 year Wedding Anniversary because we wanted to celebrate somewhere special. When I called to confirm our reservation I told them that I wanted a window seat, they said no problem. Well when we got there they seated us far from a window which started my night off wrong. They should not promise us a window seat when they cannot deliver their word. We ordered the scallop appetizers which was ok. I had the rockfish which was a little disappointing. The taste was ok but the temperature was not hot it was luke warm. My wife had the pork chop which ok but it was cold. Towards the end of the night I started to feel sick. I started feeling nauseous and developed a really bad headache. I was sick all night. Rider really disappointed myself and my wife especially on our Wedding Anniversary. I don't think we will ever go back to Rider again read more

Nice space, impeccable service. Food was just meh & overpriced. Carrot pasta was thick & tough & the rib eye steak was chewy, bland & not prepared as requested. The donuts were yummy as were the pull apart rolls & the Ceasar salad was.very good as well. read more

We were so impressed with this place! The ambiance is unlike most of the other upscale places in Seattle...Very sexy but comfortable. The food was extremely good and the drinks were out of the box (spicy bourbon martinis) and delicious! I don't eat seafood but my husband tells me their chowder is, "Hands down the best I've ever had!" The location also made this an easy choice while we were Christmas shopping downtown because it is so central to shopping, the freeway, etc. You will not regret choosing Rider! read more

Smashing! Service, food and ambience is all a hit. Hit up happy hour early and sit at the chefs counter where the wood-fired grill is front and center. Can't wait to go back read more

Let's just say it wasn't great. They brought the wrong dish. Service was poor. I thought possibly part of my meal would be comped due to the mistakes... but no. I won't be coming back. Disappointing. read more

Staying at the hotel and go in and order dinner after going to some local bars. They tell me they won't serve me a beer cause I look like I have had too much. Wasn't at all talking, being loud or stumbling around. Just wanted dinner at the hotel before going to bed. It wasn't at all that I was drunk but they just didn't want me there. Maybe under dressed or something. Really pissed me off and went back to the bars for dinner and a beer. read more

This place is HORRIBLE on multiple levels. The food is grossly underwhelming. Their version of the seafood tower is offensive. Tasted like old, old seafood. Fake king crab?!? What restaurant in Seattle does that? Shishito peppers had no seasoning, Caesar salad was a joke and the Moscow Mules are served in beer glasses. All these things I could try to get over but on top of the crappy food the service is HORRENDOUS. Our waitress was beyond pretentious! Didn't look us in the eye at ANY POINT and walked away several times as we tried to order drinks. The service was so completely horrible - I would seriously caution against going here - it seems to be a consistent theme in the reviews. read more

The service and drinks were good. But the food was terrible. We had the caesar salad that was napa cabbage? The flavors just didn't work and there was way too much dressing. We also had the blistered shishito peppers that were not cooked with any oil and were extremely dry. I don't plan on coming back because of the food. Also getting to the bathrooms is so confusing and there is only one sign at the beginning. There should be signs telling you which floor you should go to. I got lost a few times tying to find it. read more

We were visiting Seattle from Los Angeles and wanted a nice steak dinner. We decided to give Rider a try. Ambiance is great! The staff is ok, service was ehhh, a C- and the food was good but not great. Every step of dinner (drinks, order, food) took forever! It was just an ok place overall. read more

After a long day at the convention center exhibiting our company, I took the team to Rider. We all were extremely​ pleased​ with the great, polite and energized service. The small plates on the HH menu hit the spot. As for cocktails​, nothing beats the DB COOPER. They even give credit as to who design and crafted the drinks. We all noticed what a hard-working,​ ​professional and knowledgeable​​ bartender (Katie). She answered all of our questions and made really great pairing suggestions. read more

Friendly service even though we came closer to 10 PM. Instead of turning us away, the hostess suggested sitting and eating at the bar. Never felt rushed! Food was excellent. Bartender was lovely. Love the ambiance. We will come back here! read more

Great service. We were excited to try out the new digs where Von's once held court for many years. I did not expect a new Von's experience, I expected a new Seattle experience. It was good but a few things left me wondering after we left. I preface this with fact that back in The Von's day, I was a tourist here. Now I live here. I am reluctant to go to a restaurant that is attached to a hotel as is the case here as they tend to feel there is a captive audience and complacency is an underlying attitude. We had a starter; the tuna tartar. Come on people ! Just call it poke and be done with it. Overly complex and very small amount of tuna for the price. The side we had was the bread and crab butter. $8 for a bit of pull apart bread with some seasoning on it and about a tablespoon of the crab butter. It was OK but the butter only lasted for about a third of the bread. My wife had the burger done medium. It was very good and we would go back for it again but only that. I had the chicken breast. Over cooked a little but a little is a lot for $28 ! Spinach Gnocchi was interesting but did not make up for the over cooked chicken. Martini was good. House red was good but over priced. SO, I felt like I was given a meal at a hotel that was more costly than it was worth. This is a location that is ripe for locals to go to as it is up from the Paramount. I feel they are taking it all for granted. Now here is the kick in the pants: I knew there was a 20% service added to the bill because I read about it before I went. I have no problem with this and the service was in fact very good. What I don't appreciate it getting my bill and no verbal reminder of same. The itemized bill was folded and tucked away in the slot of the folder so not to be seen. Then on the visa receipt there is a gratuity line. I thought the amount total was a bit high so double checked the hidden bill and there was the 20% added already. I think many will double tip for what is already overpriced. Carlisle up the street is way better. Sorry guys. read more

Bartenders are great. Oysters for happy hour are a bargain. They have great cocktails and Happy Hour Specials!

Just had the chefs tasting menu. What a wonderful experience. Such good unique food. I was on a wonderful adventure. The service was great and it is so hard to believe that such intricate, delicacies could come out of such a casual kitchen in such a relaxed comfortable place. read more

I love this place so much!! The herbed French fries are out of this world. Customer service was awesome, attentive servers made the experience top notch. I enjoyed a specially crafted cocktail by an awesome bartender, best drink I've had in a long time. Great atmosphere!! read more

I would give this place a better rating if they served one domestic beer (Coors Light, Miller Lite, Bud Light) but they don't. Like most places in Seattle they are trying to be different and only carry terrible craft beers or IPAs from small local breweries. read more

I've been to Rider twice. Two strikes. Strike one: The first time with two friends before a movie. It an OK experience. My two drinks were good. My friends ordered Paper Planes cocktails. The bartender didn't have one of the ingredients so he modified it. My friends liked the first round. When they ordered another round, the bartender made something different rather than just making the same. Both of my friends didn't care for the drink and asked the waiter why it was changed when they just asked for another one like they had before. To the waiter's credit, he comped them the two drinks. I didn't feel like spending a lot of money on a quick bite to eat before a movie so I just ordered one of the least expensive items on the menu -- the herbed fries. They are delicious. My two friends didn't want to spend a lot either so they split the $19 burger. The place was pretty busy which made the service pretty slow. At one point, another waiter jumped in to help our waiter out. Strike two: The second time to Rider was last night after a movie. I took my wife there to have a cocktail and something to eat. I would estimate it to be about 1/4 full at 9:20. It seemed like it would be a nice place to wind down for the day. Since it wasn't very crowded, I thought the service would be good. I was wrong. After we found a table, the waitress came up to us and asked us a question but talked so softly that I couldn't hear her. She seemed a little put off when I asked her to repeat what she just said. I got some serious lingering side eye from her as she walked away. It was at least another 10 minutes before she came back and asked for our drink order. More side eye when she left the table. I actually laughed out loud, raised my arms and said "What the hell?!" It took another 10 minutes to get a glass of beer and wine. I asked for the food menu. More side eye. Now I started doing the eye roll. When we asked to order some herbed fries she told us that happy hour starts at 10:00 if we wanted to wait. 20 minutes? Sure. At 10:02, my wife caught her attention and asked if she would put in our order for the fries. This time my wife gets the lingering side eye. Now my wife gots a little agitated and told me that she was in charge of the tip. The waitress saw that my glass was empty and asked if I would like another one. Sure. My wife's glass was almost empty, but the waitress didn't ask her if she wanted another one. That agitated my wife even more. The fries came and they were delicious. I asked the waitress for a couple of napkins and you guessed it... more side eye. The check showed up and included a 20% gratuity. That was about 20% more than the waitress deserved. Not only did we get slow service in a not very busy place, we received service with a serious attitude. Not even waiting for the third strike, we're out. read more

Overpriced. Soupy Caesar salad. Poor service, they included a 20% tip without letting us know. The two stars are for the decor, which was nice. I wouldn't recommend going here. Tourist trap. read more

Service was not good at all. Food was average and way overpriced. Too many good options in Seattle to go back.

Great service, loved the ambiance, and the food was great too! I ordered the Caesar salad and sampled some of my daughters grilled cheese and the pull apart bread with crab butter. Everything was tasty, I was super impressed with the pull apart bread with the nutritional yeast. read more

This place is all about location......across from Pacific Place and a couple of block walk to Paramount Theater. That being said, it is trying to be something special, upscale - it is not there yet, especially for the price range. The servers were all pleasant, but distracted and somewhat slow. Given that there is a compulsory 20% service charge, they'll need to step it up. The apps were the star of the show. We had clams and the crab toast, both were excellent. Also of note is that Rider has an extensive wine list. If you are a wine snob (and I mean that in a positive way), this restaurant fits the bill. Our entrees were ho-hum (chicken, pasta, burger - with the burger being the best of the lot). One final note - not important but bears mentioning, finding the bathroom may require a map:) - buried on the 2nd floor of the adjacent hotel with no signage. If location dictates my selection of restaurants, I may be back. Otherwise, I'll probably dine elsewhere based on this experience relative to the price range. read more