Went here last Friday with my kids. Nice atmosphere in the heart of the Cultural District in Pittsburgh. Sat by the open window in the front and enjoyed the energy and people walking by. Food was excellent. Had fried ravioli and bruschetta for appetizers. The ravioli was good and the sauce very good so knew the main course was going to be good already. The bruschetta was exceptional, the kids commented (20 and 22) on how much they enjoyed it. The main course meatballs, of course were tasty. Good bread on the panini and hoagie. French fries were baked and not bad at all. Service was terrible. Only saw the waiter 3 times. When he came at the end of the meal we asked for for to go containers since each of us had a considerable amount of delicious food (very large portions) we wanted to take home. He came back and said I grabbed a couple and dropped of the check. Well, a couple was 2 large containers and one small container. We couldn't fit all our food into it. When he came back pointed out to him that we had asked for four containers and he hadn't done that and he should pay more attention to what he was doing. He brought back 2 more and I gave him my credit card. When he brought it back he just dropped it on front of my son's girlfriend who was sitting to my left. I said give it to me not her. He picked it up and threw it in front of me and said "you need to be more respectful" I demanded to see the manager and he walked away. I told the manager what happened and while he said he would deal with it I doubt very much whether he did. So, waiter worked for free. Had he been not a jerk he would have made 25 bucks had he been nice and checked on us he would have made 20. I won't go back. I work too hard for my money to spend it on a place with rude lazy wait staff read more

I ate here last night with my boyfriend and our friends. I had the saucy balls combo with 2 chicken balls and 2 vegetarian. The chicken ones were excellent and the vegetarian ones were good but I liked the chicken better. I had the tomato basil cream sauce which was so good. I paired all of that with the tomato rosiutto. We also got the cheesy bread appetizer with the tomato basil cream sauce instead of the marina it comes with that they suggested and it was excellent. My boyfriend got the crack sauce for his Choice of a sauce and it was exactly the way it was described because it was delicious. It was a ranch base sauce and a must try! read more

Sienna Mercato - Chicken and vegetarian balls with tomato basil cream sauce and tomato rosiutto - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The 3 spaces have a great look and vibe. We had a drink on the rooftop. Margarita was tasty. It was a bustling Wednesday evening crowd. Dinner on the second floor - the table by the window was perfect, the menu was great. But we ended up ordering way too many variations on cheese and tomatoes. The food just wasn't quite good enough. Tomatoes weren't as good as I'd expect end of July for pairing with burrata. The rigatoni was quite al dente and had a surprising kick. The 4 cheese pizza was so so cheesy. Maybe if we'd ordered less cheesy, it would have tasted more distinctive and would have been a tastier combo. read more

A very cool concept. Meatballs, meatballs and meatballs. They offer a variety of meatballs with a variety of sauces. I got my meatballs over mac and cheese. Yum. Their prices seem a little high for what you get but the vibe and service were both good. read more

I love the beauty of the rooftop bar and the vibes of being downtown grabbing a drink. However, the service at the bar is always poor. I've been a few times now hoping it would be different, but it hasn't been - even when there are barely any customers. The bartenders honestly seem to keep their heads down, talk to each other, or just race around making drinks while always conveniently avoiding eye contact. When you finally get someone's attention behind the bar, they usually are nice from there. I have only eaten on the first floor, which has pretty good food (and much better service). I really just go up for the appearance of the bar. If there were another rooftop bar downtown (that's not a ritzy top of a hotel), I would for sure go there instead. read more

Terrible customer service. Very confusing lay out and process cannot mix food from there floors. Never returning

Went for a post birthday celebration. Visited the rooftop, which is amazing and had great drinks. We decided to go to second floor for food. I ordered a chopped salad and I'm not sure what salad I received. I asked the server if perhaps she put in the wrong order and she said she did not. She argued with me that my salad was in fact a chopped salad. I asked for the manager. About 20 minutes later the manager comes with the check and says she would take $5 off the salad because I ate most of it. Well, of course I did because I was hungry and YOU NEVER CAME TO THE TABLE. My bestfriend ends up going over and talking to the manager and she ends up comp. the salad and giving us a $25 gift card to use on the rooftop. We proceeded back to the rooftop, order drinks and started to take a few pictures near the backdrop. Well - - - while standing there we noticed 3 or 4 mice running across the floor - - back and forth. At this point, I was done. . . we grabbed our things and left. The staff, acted like it was nothing. I wouldn't visit this place again. The girls at the rooftop bar were awesome, but everything else was terrible! read more

Oh Sienna, how I love you. More obsessed than anything, but that's besides the point. So there three different stories to this place. Emporio (place to get great meatballs), Mezzo (Italian food), and Il Tetto (rooftop bar area). Let me start off with Emporio. Now I like to think that I make a damn good meatball, but these people have knocked me out of the park. My usual go to is Saucy Balls. I usually go for the classic beef and spicy pork in the equally amazing marinara sauce (though I like to change it up every once in a while and go for the pork bolognese or government cheese). And of course I have to get the Poutine every time I come (with fries of course). At Mezzo I tend to stick with their Beef Tartare (which is absolutely amazing), Risotto (always cooked perfectly) or their Veal Polpettes. We typically split a Chocolate Crema Torte if we aren't stuffed by that point. They also have a Pinot that I am absolutely in love with and have to get every time I visit. Last but not least, is Il Tetto. The rooftop beer garden that is open year round (has some really great views for future reference). This is the place I go when I need a really good cocktail in my life. Or of course, a good beer ( there is a reason they call themselves a beer garden). The bar snacks are pretty good too. A big go to for me no matter where i go is pork rinds, and I must say these are pretty good. The Loaded Fried Potato is pretty good as well (anything with bbq and cheese has my heart). Service is always excellent and everyone is always so polite and helpful. If you are downtown, I seriously suggest giving this place a try, you wont regret it! read more

Stay away! Place has so much potential but the lack of customer service and functioning security cameras take it down a few stars. Sprinkle in their racist bartender Joshua and the place is 0 stars but yelp only lets you go to 1. While there were other groups at the same location who were clearly intoxicated and drinking much heavier than my friends and I, Joshua took it upon himself to let the only people of color in the bar know that they had been cut off and that they were being kicked out. When we talk to the management they said that Joshua told them a member of our party took three shots in a row, to which we replied he ordered three shots for himself and two other individuals and that they could check the security tapes to verify. The manager on duty let us know that the cameras are not working and apologized for any inconvenience. When we walked outside the bouncer asked what happened and the security guard who was escorting us out shrugged and said I don't know. We even asked the security guard who was escorting us out if we were being obnoxious rude disrespectful or overly intoxicated and he agreed that we were not. It's a shame that they let a party of 16 walk out, that's at least $1,600 they lost, because a bartender was having a bad night. I would highly recommend going to anywhere else because you will receive much better customer service, feel safe with working cameras, and not be supporting a business that clearly employees individuals who hate my minority groups. read more

Sienna Mercato - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Very good food but a I was surprised at the size of the entree compared to the price and was kind of disappointed. It was still a good experience and I would go again. I wish they were more environmentally cautious as well because with every drink they brought out another straw and it's restaurants like these that could have a huge effect. But everything else was pretty good!! read more

I'm from out of town and chose this place based off reviews. I just don't get it. The concept is fun and unique. I was excited to try their food but ended up being very disappointed. I tried the Poutine with fries and mushroom gravy. It was lacking flavor. The fries were crispy and the cheese was melted nicely but it had no taste. For my main I got the Fuggetta-Bowl-It. Just from looking at it you could tell it was sitting. The meatballs looked dry, the shaved parm had a waxy look to it and the sauce was separated leaving a pool of oil at the bottom of the bowl. I showed the waitress and she offered to have it remade or I could order something else. She explained that's how the meat sauce looks. It's oily and unappetizing. She was very friendly and accommodating but after that comment I opted to just build my own bowl. I got 2 beef meatballs, cheese tortellini and marinara with creamy parmesan sauce. It look a lot better but again the taste was not there. The meatballs were a little dry and overly salty. The sauce was the same way. It had a very acidic taste and way too much salt. It was so disappointing. The poutine, bowl and a soda all came to $30. It seems horribly over priced for bad food. 2 stars because of staff but the food was just it. read more

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Had dinner with girlfriends on the second floor. We shared a charcuterie board and a bunch of small plates. My friend has a horrible mushroom allergy and they were very careful about making sure she knew what was safe. Everything we tried was delicious and splitting the bill 6 ways made it super affordable! Then we went to the rooftop for a drink. We watched some playoff hockey and enjoyed a few beers. There was a good selection. I have never been to the first level so I can't speak to that but the top two were great! read more

My food was sub par, three of my four drinks were served wrong, and Crystal approached me and my colleagues twice to ask if I(the only POC) paid my tab. Yeah, I'm not coming back here. read more

2 story Italian restaurant with unique food choices and themes on each floor. I ate on the second floor and we ordered the margarita pizza, arugula salad, and beef tartar with an amazing bottle of chianti and for dessert the chocolate hazelnut marjolaine. I have no complaints about the food or the service. I am excited to come back! read more

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What a cool place to hang out. First thing to know is there are 3 floors. 1st Floor, is a meatball and snack joint. 2nd Floor is a separate restaurant with high end dinners and pizza. 3rd Floor is an open sky bar with snacks and special meals like a pig roast. I didn't know about the other 2 floors. I ordered some meatballs and spaghetti on the 1st floor. You can build your own meatballs. I got the arriabta sauce which is marinara sauce with a kick. It was good but I wanted more garlic and Italian seasoning in the sauce and meatballs. The spaghetti was the same. I also ordered their fried donuts with ricotta cheese inside that you can dip in chocolate which were good. The two floors upstairs are even more fun and have hotter people in them! A must visit during the warmer months! read more

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Good meatballs. Well, I was looking for a book store, while my wife was at a conference, found this place, figured beer. Called the wife, she arrived. Ordered not knowing what was arriving to the table, well...amazing. the food is unique, original and outstanding. Atmosphere great, staff attentive, location (in spring or summer) scenic street scene. Try it, you may never look at meat balls the same... read more

Is hound be 3.7 for here. Had the buffalo balls and the speghetti meatballs of the month which was banana peppers. The buff was decent needs shorter Cole slaw pieces. And the meatballs were good but the speghetti was just mediocre. It's no Faustos where I'm from In Metairie. Still for late night it will do. Also tried the fat heads bumble berry which tastes like fruity pebbles it was good and also had the full pint night of the living stout. It was decent as well. So all in all not bad here but not exceptional. Late night you can't be too picky. Hot as hell here downstairs. No circulation so eating sucks when your sweating. Service was decent. So not that bad. read more

Saucy Balls!! Oh how I love thee... let me count the ways! OK, I won't count them but I will be back for more of your meatball-y goodness! Before a trip to The Paint Can (AKA a hockey game) we stopped at Empirio for some balls. Beef, Turkey, Sausage, and many other delicious kinds of meatballs, sauces, and ways to eat them. Combine the balls with a solid tap list of craft beer, everyone was happy. I opted for the ball of the month: turkey meatballs with mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes and corn. There may have been cranberry in there too... OH EM GEE!! Now THIS is a Thanksgiving feast!! Who needs a thanksgiving dinner of dry turkey, canned cranberry, or cranky relatives when you can go to Empirio and order this amazing dish?! The only thing that would make it better would be if I was enjoying it in my sweats while watching football... but I bet Empirio and I could work something out. Oh ya - everyone else enjoyed their food, too. Empirio and I are now in a relationship. The hubs understands and is supportive of my desire to indulge in delicious meatballs... he even joins in! Our marriage is now even better read more

I have only been here for lunch, and go about twice a month. The food is great, I never knew there were so many ways to modify a meatball - sauce, cheese, on appetizers, on salads and everything else!! You have to check out their meatball of the month. They had one back in March that was corned beef with sauerkraut! You don't have to wait long for the food and the service at the bar has always been very good. They have 32 cold beers on tap and are always changing the lineup, never a bad thing! read more

Sienna Mercato - Bacon Cheeseburger meatballs over mac n cheese with government cheese. Amazing combination!! - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Delicious food!! Mezzo Mule is delicious!! Liam is a great bartender!! Great manager as well! Recommended to make a reservation for Friday and Saturday nights! read more

I've always loved the rooftop bar on a nice summer day or even if it is a bit chilly out (because they have a roof!) We went for happy hour on Friday. I was surprised at how good the specials were. Basically everything was only $5 plus half off apps. It was really crowded since it was a nice Friday happy hour, but the staff was still extremely attentive. The last time I was there I had a frosé which was a little too sweet for my liking. So this time I got a gin and tonic which hit the spot! Once happy hour ended we went downstairs for some meatballs. I'm always a big fan of their variety of things you can do with meatballs. This time I ordered the Angry Birds bowl. Delicious! It had chicken meatballs on top of Mac and cheese with their crack sauce (buffalo sauce and ranch) topped with blue cheese. Right up my alley! It was the perfect spice level. Everything mixed together really well. My one friend had the chicken pesto and loved it! The Brussels sprouts and risotto is supposed to be fab as well. Our server was wonderful as well, even though I unfortunately forget his name. read more

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Very up to date and awesome vibe in downtown Pittsburgh! Would loved to have my first experience pre-covid to enjoy the multiple floors, but none the less service was good and the meatball sliders are delicious! read more

This is my go to when I have out of town suppliers. I've been there with small parties (just 3 of us) and large parties (over 10). Each and every time service has been top notch. I suggest calling ahead if you have more than 4 people since they do have been known to have long waits during the busy times. Each of the levels is a different experience with my two favorites being the Meatball Joint closely followed by the Beer Garden. Let's talk balls! They. Are. Fabulous. Each month there's a new ball being featured based on the time of the year, and then there's also the regulars. You pick your ball, your sauce, and then lastly how it is served. From small sliders to paninis, or served over pasta you have a crazy amount of combinations to pick from. And the parmesan fries are to die for! I hear they also have salads and that they're good ... but let's be honest, I don't eat greens. read more

Looks nice, but that's about it. Confusing set up with three separate restaurants with their own individual food and drink menus. I went here with a large group after a work conference. We called a week prior and inquired about reserving the rooftop, and were told it was first come, first serve but that sitting together wouldn't be an issue. Not sure how, but our group ended up on the second level, which is again a different restaurant, and we were all at separate tables. It was very odd and defeated the purpose of coming as a group. The menu on the second floor was more appetizing than the rooftop, but the beer and wine selection was minimal. Everyone ordered pizza and I ordered the scallops off the "medium plate" section. They came out and I was surprised to see two very tiny scallops surrounded by various greens, pancetta (not "bacon"), and a sauce. The scallops were so overcooked they bounced off the bowl, which should have stopped me from trying them but it didn't. They were as salty and overcooked as they appeared, and the pancetta was chewy and not nearly crispy enough. I ended up sending them back. It seemed that everyone enjoyed the pizza, but wood fire pizza isn't that difficult to make palatable so I wasn't impressed. Our server was nice and attentive, which I appreciated. My only complaint was that when refilling the water I noticed all of the servers touching the mouth of the water to the lip of everyone's glasses. That is unsanitary and just nasty, in my opinion. read more

Sienna Mercato - "Medium plate" scallops. - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Emporio is always a great experience. Honestly, I come to this restaurant because the food is good but the inside is great! When it's warmer out, the wall closest to Penn is open to view the outdoors. The inside has this cool urban vibe that's good to experience after a long day at work or if you have friends visiting the city from out of town. It's got that "wow" factor that's good for those visiting guests. The food itself is good albeit a touch overpriced in my book. But, you can order different varieties of meatballs and sauces and sides. Probably expect to pay around $40 for 2 people when coming here. Although the meals aren't huge, I will say, they are filling. My wife and I often each get the meatball panini and two sides. That's a good meal option. We like the mac and cheese and the broccoli for sides. Definitely get the mac and cheese. Broccoli . . . Who messes that up? Really? No one. So, it's good. The waiters are nice but the pace is quick. I like that the quick pace but others may be overwhelmed by it. The waiters are always willing and great to answer questions, though. So, don't panic. Want a great place to eat in the city that's unique, filled with great vibes and energy, and won't break the bank? Sienna Mercato's Emporio is a terrific option! read more

I helped to set up a corporate event for the top floor of Sienna, and I only have positive things! They were so, so easy to work with - especially with my 10,000 questions. The staff was very friendly and professional, and the food was fantastic! It was our favorite company event to date! read more

This place is legit. There are 3 floors, each of them are basically their own restaurant with their own menus and ambiance. So it's like 3 restaurants in one. I wanted a meal before I got on the bus home so I went to the 2nd floor (Mezzo). As soon as I walked in the manager (I think) was very friendly. When he saw my Yankees shirt, instead of cursing me out like most other people would do, he started a nice conversation with me about NYC. It turns out his wife is from not too far from where I'm from. I had a salad and the Frutti di Mare, which I felt was a little small for a "medium" plate, but it had a lot of flavor. For dessert the Pear Mascarpone Cheesecake was sooooooo gooooood. read more

I love this place to grab drinks after work. The rooftop bar is a great experience and they have plenty of beer and drinks to choose from. Seating is limited but there is plenty of standing room. read more

Sienna Mercato - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2nd trip to the restaurant and I would be completely won over if it wasn't for the 3rd floor elevator access. So bizarre. For those of you don't know in order to access to the third floor (Beer Garden) you have to take the elevator. There are stairs but only for staff use. If t's a Friday or Saturday night you have to wait in line. No kidding! I visited over the weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday and spent the majority of the evening waiting in line to take the elevator. I have no problem going up and down stairs but waiting in line for an elevator this is not how I prefer to spend my evening. I saw a sign in the elevator that they need to monitor the person count on the 3rd floor or something!? When it was time to leave.. I just wanted to go ..but again I had to wait in line to take the elevator downstairs. I felt completely trapped. What if there is a fire or god forbid some other type of disaster!?Will everyone know where the stairs are located?! If I visit again.. staying put on the first floor. read more

Guys, I love this place. I have been here multiple times, and I have literally no complaints. Oh wait, yes I do. Their rooftop bar is only opened on the weekends during the colder months. I mean, I get it, but it's sad. Each floor is a different type of restaurant, which is a unique vibe for Pittsburgh. I have eaten at Emporio a handful of times, and I have been to the rooftop bar, but I've never gone to Il Tetto. At Emporio, I always get meatball sliders - the pesto sauce is my go-to on a beef or chicken meatball. They are small enough to try a few, and if you're like me you will still have some room for a side. The tomato risotto is seriously everything. The mac and cheese with the creamy parm sauce is also a good side choice, but honestly just get the risotto. You won't regret it. The rooftop bar has an awesome vibe for a happy hour any time of the year. During the winter, it is only open on the weekends which has tripped my plans a few times. They have a decent beer and cocktail selection. I haven't gotten wine there, but I think they have decent choices in that department too. The prices are what you would expect for a more upscale place downtown. read more

This place is amazing. Shout out to the staff that work on all 3 floors. Genuinely the best people you will ever meet. Love you guys.

I have frequented this place quite a few times and in fact it was the first restaurant I went to when I moved here from Chicago. Yesterday I went here for lunch. I had the meatball of the month which is a Jambalaya meatball with pork sausage and shrimp served over gumbo. Let me tell you, it was the best meatball I have had. I do enjoy cajun food so this will have a lot to do with it but it was so good. Also, the service was so good. This is why I keep coming back because they are always friendly and attentive and of course the meatballs. So, if you plan on going here this month get the meatball of the month and you will not be disappointed. read more

I paid Mezzo, the middle level of Sienna Mercato, a visit this past weekend, when my friends and I were downtown to see the PGH Opera at the Benedum. Given that Mezzo just opened a month or so ago, that it made the Post Gazette's most recent list of notable new restaurants, and that I greatly enjoyed my experience at Emporio downstairs, I was eager to try this trendy new addition to the Cultural District dining scene. We started off with an order of the bruschetta del giorno, which had the following toppings the day of our visit: white bean paste, roasted red peppers, and anchovies. While the anchovies added a welcome savory note to the bruschetta, overall, I found it rather bland in flavor (my friends concurred). Fortunately, the food quality went up from there. We ordered two pizzas to share between the three of us: the margherita for something more traditional, and the pistachio-prosciutto, which came with roasted crimini mushrooms, fennel pollen, and vinagrette-tossed arugula, for something more avant-garde. The latter pie had a very interesting, complex, and fragrant flavor profile, and was quite nutty due to the pistachio butter that acted as a sauce--almost overly so. I found it similar in composition to the fig-goat cheese pizza offered at The Porch in Oakland, which I prefer due to its bolder flavor and sweet-savory balance. The margherita was my surprise favorite--I found it the best version of this pie that I've tried in PGH to date, due to its savory, well-seasoned sauce, fresh mozzarella, and its significant but not overwhelming infusion of basil. The crust of both pies was more pan-style than thin, and was crispy and substantial. The bocce cookies provided with the check were also chocolatey, gooey, and delicious, and were a nice touch. Aside from the food, we really enjoyed the atmosphere, which, as others have mentioned, is a bit more refined than Emporio (I can't speak for Il Tetto, since I haven't visited yet), but carries through the farmhouse theme. Even the tunes, an eclectic mix of upbeat songs from the 70's and 80's, added to it. As for the service, it was impeccable--the best I've encountered to date in a restaurant of this caliber to date. Our waiter, Cory, was very knowledgeable about the food, as well as appropriate wines to pair with it. Someone even came over and refolded my friends' napkins while they were in the bathroom--wow! Overall, I'd recommend Mezzo for a high-quality, casual, and reasonably-priced dinner downtown. ***Note: Please also see my separate review for Emporio, for which this review is listed as an update.*** read more

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The service at this place was honestly really good and the setting and vibes are very nice. However, the food is so bad it's kind of surprising. This place is almost exclusively meatballs so be prepared for that. I expected the meatballs to be somewhat decent since it'a their main thing but boy was I wrong. I ordered 5 meatballs and pasta from the build your own menu which totaled $17 before tax/tip. I had two meatballs of the month (chicken teriyaki), one beef, and two chicken. The chicken teriyaki meatballs were so dry and salty I literally couldn't finish them. The chicken one was less salty but just as dry. I expected the beef one to be good since it should be a baseline for a place like this, but it was also extremely dry. If you're coming here for the vibes and the views then it might be worth it, but if you're going to be eating any food I would think about it twice. I definitely would consider returning if the food didn't taste so bad because this place honestly looks amazing. But at the end of the day, you come to a restaurant to eat and they couldn't deliver a good meal so I feel like this is a fair review for the overall experience. read more

I have had Sienna Mercato bookmarked for six months, and I finally came here a few weeks ago with my dad before attending the Symphony. We came in around 4:30, and it was fairly quiet. By six, there was a wait on a Friday night. There are apparently two more levels upstairs, but we ate on the first floor with the meatballs! I ordered the panini, which is two meatballs. It was more of a lunch size in my mind, and I would recommend something with 3+ meatballs for dinner. I choose the beef meatballs, which were yummy. They are an odd texture, but very large and delicious. I ordered the creamy Parmesan sauce. Interestingly, Sienna Mercato places the sauce on the side, so you dip your sandwich. They are certainly not stingy with the fabulous and delicious sauce. You also get cheese on the panini. Overall, my dad and I both enjoyed our sandwiches. Service was a little lackluster. Our waitress was great, until she realized no alcohol was being ordered. She didn't even drop off the check herself, which kind of left a bad impression. It was a little off-putting to have someone push alcohol so hard. Otherwise, the prices are fair for downtown, and I would return. read more

I didn't mean to spend all of my money at Sienna Mercato. I only meant to get three meatballs with some spicy sauce, or maybe creamy, or maybe pesto, over a bed of spaghetti, or maybe penne, or maybe in a bun. And I only meant to get a glass of wine, or maybe a bottle, or maybe two. I only meant to try a sloe-gin fizz, or maybe a Moscow mule, or maybe see their take on a dark and stormy. I definitely only meant to get one appetizer, maybe the french fries; no, two appetizers...I only meant to get two appetizers, because the french fries had to be paired with the cheesy bread, or maybe even the mushroom arancini. And, I guess, while we're at it, I might as well try the warm ricotta doughnuts for dessert. Luckily, I had a few people with me who also only meant to get one or five dishes. The worst part? I've been here before. Maybe next time, I'll show some restraint (but I doubt it). P.S. Order everything. read more

I think this place is massively over-hyped. The food, while not bad, was far from exceptional considering there is a sole focus...and I have no plans to return. Also, I went with Darren. That dude is great. Things we tried: 1.) Poutine with gravy on fries. -Fries were as average as you can get, nothing about the gravy or curds stood out. Really lacking in the salt dept. 2.) Arancini (mushroom) w/ truffle aioli. -A shadow of previous incarnations of arancini I have had in my day. These were tiny and not exceptionally flavorful. I liked eating them but they left so much to be desired. Also, I am sick of truffle aioli. It's like the sriracha of mayo-y dipping sauces and I wish people could make an effort to be more creative. 3.) Spicy Pork, Classic, and Corned Beef meatballs in various sandwich forms. -Look guys, if you're going to focus on something..hit it out of the park. Am I biased? Sure. I've been to http://www.yelp.com/biz/salumi-artisan-cured-meats-seattle-2 and these are the best meatballs I have ever had. None of what I had at Mercato was bad persay, but I would never suggest to anyone that these were anything above a typical meat concoction. They are overcooked in the sense that they are cooked a bit above a temp that retains moisture. Though not dry, the texture did leave a bit over a bit to be desired. If you're going to head downtown and pay for parking (see below) to eat at a trendy place, it has to excel. It has to wow you. It has to make you feel like it was worth the trip. To me, this was not a place I'd go out of my way to try again. (A final kicker, there was Valet parking across the street for this place. When I picked up my car, I was *then* informed that it was $10. That's a tad bit shady, seeing as most places would..you know..advertise the price on the sign...I assumed it was complimentary parking) read more

Had an awful experience at Mezzo (Meatball Joint) so awful in fact that I walked out! I wanted to grab a relatively quick lunch there so when I got there and asked if I wanted a table or take a seat at the bar, I opted for the bar thinking it would be quicker. WRONG! I sat at the bar and waited a few minutes until anyone approached me and they asked if I would be drinking or eating and I said I was just going to eat. Ok...they left, ignore, ignore, ignore...brought me water 5 minutes later. Asked for a menu, did a whole bunch of other stuff for a bit and then grabbed a menu which was 2 feet from me and handed it over. Ignore, ignore, ignore...someone just sat one seat away and was promptly given a drink and menu. Ignore, ignore, ignore...I had made my decision on food about 10 minutes go. Wondering what the hell was going on because there were at least 2 people working the bar area and it wasn't very crowded. Ignore, ignore, ignore, person sitting one seat away has order taken and that was where I couldn't take it anymore. The bartender didn't even look at me after taking the other person's order and he was literally an arm length away. Walked out. Not planning on going back any time soon. read more

Is it wrong to be in love with a restaurant? If SM were a person, I'm sure he would be my soul mate. I stopped here a while back on a Saturday mid afternoon for a late lunch. When I walked in, I immediately knew this was my type of place. Modern, casual and chic. The decor reminds me of what would be at a classy backyard bbq. From the combination of stainless steel and glassware to the exposed brick SM will make anyone feel welcome and at ease. And I do mean anyone. Bring the kids, bring grandma, everyone will love it. Now onto the food. We tried several of the saucy balls. You can order individual balls with different sauces to try out as many combos ad you'd like. And at 3 bucks a ball, you can't go wrong. My favorite was the pork with the arribiata sauce, a yummy and slightly spicy red sauce. I also really enjoyed the garlic parm fries. Think chicken wing but on fresh cut fries. The menu has so much to offer (even vegetarian balls!) and at such reasonable prices, you'll want to bring the family every week. Which brings me to my one and only issue with SM, the location. Despite my love of SM, I doubt I will be back as often as I would l like. Having to find parking downtown, pay and walk a couple blocks to just to get to the restaurant is a large negative for south hillers like me. I wonder if others will feel the same? Hopefully a neighborhood location will be in the works sometime soon. read more

Decent drinks and decent food. Had the pizza which was ok. Went to the bar on the third floor and had a couple of beers and appetizers the appetizers were really good. Great value during happy hour read more