D S.

Amazing experience, food, and wine. We will definitely come here again. We did the chefs tasting menu. Each pairing was thoughtful and a delight to the senses.

Mimi N.

For all my foodies who are fans of tasting menus, highly recommend checking out Surrell for an awesome experience :) Came here for a tasting dinner to celebrate my birthday and wow! Everything from the food, ambience and to the amazing staff was excellent. Highlights: Food - Can't rave enough about the food but every dish was unique in its own blend of flavors. Absolutely love how everything was locally sourced from the PNW (Pacific Northwest) and was so freshly made. Personally, couldn't find any dish I didn't like (since all were so good!). Top favorite items were: the Wagyu beef cone, paddlefish caviar, and the unique lychee cotton candy like cake pop dessert. Food presentation - With slightly similar vibes to kaiseki (Japanese fine dining), I love how each dish was artistically presented. From the fish ware to the food plating, it was quite a treat to see how the food was arranged. Ambience: Didn't get a chance to sit at the counter but the overall atmosphere of the restaurant was cozy and intimate. Set in a house like setting, eating here felt like eating dinner at someone's home and sitting by the windows was nice for the scenery. Mocktails: As an option, you can pick a mocktail pairing for the tasting course. This was one of my top favorite highlights for the evening since each mocktail was so delicious! Layers on layers of complex flavors and ingredients, each drink left me craving for more. Service: Shoutout to the Surrell staff for making this such a pleasant dining experience! Everyone was friendly, attentive and welcoming. In addition, love the cute poem and bouquet arrangement as well for the personal touch from the staff. Definitely coming back in the future to try out the other seasonal tasting menus!

Cardin N.

I don't even know where to start here. The evening out for my birthday dinner was a 5 star experience at Surrell. Service- excellent service from the beginning. We were greeted and walked to the beautiful waiting area in the back with heat lamps ready since it was a cold evening. After a bit of a wait, our table was ready with a Happy Birthday sign at the ready. Staff was pleasant from beginning to end. Food- every bite here was delicious. Each dish was curated well with great texture and flavor. Loved the house made coffee and tea option when we were leaving! Seating- I love that there is ample space between tables to ensure there is privacy for conversations. Some restaurants in other cities pack tables right next to each other and you can't hear your partner at the table at times. Love the seating arrangement. I would highly recommend Surrell to anyone and do believe it deserves at least a 1 Michelin star or maybe even 2 whenever the Rayo g gets to Seattle!

While I was disappointed with the food, I couldn't in good conscience give this restaurant less than four stars because of the thoughtfulness and effort behind the experience. You can tell the service is trying to make it feel special and intentional. We did the five-course menu, and the wait between courses was long. Food feedback: Bread and crab toast were already on the table when we sat down. The bread was unlike anything I've tasted before. The crab toast sat for about 25 minutes without explanation, so I wasn't sure whether to eat it and defaulted to waiting. Paired with the bread, it felt like a lot of bread at once. Macaroon was probably the best bite we had. Dehydrated beet with frozen goat cheese was creative, but the beets were fairly tasteless and the goat cheese melted quickly. Mushroom pasta was delicious, and I loved the broth -- definitely a highlight. Main course (smoky bbq pork) was the most disappointing. In Seattle, there are lots of places to get bbq pork without paying fine dining prices. This version was quite salty and overwhelmingly smoky, and I didn't eat most of it. The waiter asked for feedback, which I appreciated, but that was the extent of it. Dessert tasted good but was surprisingly small.

Kyle W.

If you are going for a Pacific Northwest fine dining restaurant without having to travel much further than Seattle, this is it! There are a handful of PNW fine dining scattered across Washington state, but the ones that are memorable were in the San Juan Islands, which can be a bit inaccessible if you are not local. I went here solo and made reservations a few weeks in advance. Before I made a reservation, I sent an email to inquire and confirm if there are still spots in the counter seating, because that is the major appeal of fine dining - watching the chefs prepare the dishes in action. I checked in to the restaurant early so they poured me a complimentary small cup of mulled wine to enjoy in the outdoor seating so I got to still check that out while being indoors the majority of the dinner. When it was time for me to go inside, they were able to coat check and bag check my stuff so I can fully enjoy the meal. The winter menu features 9 courses (some courses having multiple different bites) - There is quartet of bites introduced upon getting seated, on top of their bread and smoked butter. PNW oyster, sunchoke coconut custard, roasted porcini macaron, and tempura fried maitake. I liked the macaron the most but they are all good - Crispy nori and caviar - pretty good. A bit over the top as there are gold flakes so I was a bit skeptical of the fanciness (most fine dining I went don't put unnecessarily expensive ingredients - the craft and quality of more common ingredients come with the premium instead). No complaints here - it is crispy and flavorful, with creme fraiche, the standard caviar accompaniment - Another quartet of bites: dungeness crab, smoked sablefish, duck confit, surrell-eo (black truffle oreo cookie). Here, I liked the duck confit bite the most and the uniqueness of the surrell-eo. The presentation of this dish is amazing - Herb confit wild spot crawns - a light main dish. Lots of play on texture with the grapefruit and kohlrabi - Ember roasted baby carrots - love the preparation of such a simple ingredient - coal roasted, fermented, etc and they noted that this can only be achieved during the winter season - Braised lamb neck - the lamb was so tender! I liked the puffed rice porridge that paired with the dish - Salted fermented tomatillo ice - the main emphasis is the rhubarb gummy-like. But this is a nice small palate cleanser of sort since there is no official palate cleanser compared to other fine dining - Grandma's orchard - I liked the meyer lemon and the preparation. Despite savory ingredients and citrus for tangy notes, it was a nice sweet dessert to finish. Bonus points they gave everyone in the counter a free small dessert wine pairing glass for this dish - Dark chocolate and coconut with lychee and ginger - like cotton candy, with inside having pop candy and a high quality dark chocolate. Feels like a kid eating it, so fun! At the end of the meal, upon exit, I got to choose between coffee, earl grey, or rooibos tea which is a nice touch since most of these restaurants offer coffee or tea at the end of the meal but comes at extra charge. Quantity of it is smaller here but they do not skimp on potency since it is less water from smaller cup but the same amount of tea. I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 stars since there are few things that I feel could be improved, given the meal is quite pricey and on-par to top fine dining restaurants. Food-wise it is a 5 stars in my books - The owner is friendly but describes the dishes super quickly so it can be hard to follow, and in groups so it is hard to follow which part of the dish is being highlighted. - I liked the subtle progression of the menu with the poem which is very useful only if I get better clarity of the dishes - elements of hints and surprises without being spoiled by the entire menu until the very end. - Would be nice to actually have a telephone line than automated since I did want to try this place a few weeks ago for a last minute reservation but had to resort to email which can be hard to guarantee countertop availability if you don't check email in time. - A bit more service is appreciated if a mandatory 20% service charge is imposed. The first time they poured water but a bit rushed so it splashed on to the napkin and poem paper. Subsequent times rarely did they proactively poured my empty glass Bonus points for the 2 things that made it memorable, which encourages me to come back for the different seasons - There are 20-24 people per night seating. People come and go at different times at the end of the meal, but they still recognize and call me by name. Feels personalized of an experience - I got prime seat in the counter right in the middle so I can see everything in action. - To the benefit of being solo, some things I get more of. Like the puffed rice porridge I got a full bowl to myself which is the same amount as if you were a party of 2. I get a whole plate presentation to myself in some courses too

Ryan T.

Brought my partner here to celebrate her birthday. We focus on creating memories and this didn't disappoint. I don't want to post too many pictures because surprise is part of the fun but the whole tasting menu was a wonderful journey. They also cater their tasting menu to dietary restrictions which is really amazing. The service was cheerful and knowledgeable and streamlined the entire experience to ensure it was all about the food and your company.

Brian M.

Wonderful tasting menu that's been different each time. The chef is inventive and makes very delicious and interesting food. The wine pairings are amazing and I love that it's all Washington wine. Finally the service - and all of the employees- are always amazing. Definitely recommend this one for a special occasion!

Jessica T.

Food: for the presentations, I will have to give it a 10/10. However, the food was a 4/10 for our group. It wasn't something special or make a lasting impression where I would pay to come back again. What we got was shown below in the photos; A5 waygu, carrots, scallops, a piece of octopus, oysters, macaron, potato and truffles, porridge, and desserts. The food was super salty for our taste, did not think it would be like for all the courses that we got. If the food were to be a bit more flavorful and less salty, I think I would give it a 8/10. Service: 7/10 someone will come to set up the table, and after the dishes are served, they will come back to collect the dishes . Did not really ask how we like it or if it is to our liking, or how's the taste because otherwise we could have told them how salty the food is without being upfront about it. Ambiance: 8/10 I just thought it was a bit too dark, even the restroom has minimal to no lights. But I guess they have a theme that they're going for. There will be random photos of the house and it's a bit scary.

Geana N.

The food was outstanding. It was highly creative with playful presentations featuring local seasonal veggies. The proteins were treated amazingly, and the sauces were so good I had to stop myself from scraping the plate clean. The portions are small but there are so many of them I was beyond stuffed by the last 3 or 4 courses (out of 11). The wine parings were thoughtful and paired beautifully with the meal. The service was fantastic- everyone was so kind, knowledgeable and accommodating when I let them know I can't drink bubbly. The service program started upon arrival at the door. We were offered some mulled wine or another beverage (I forget what it was), and the mulled wine was the best I've ever had. Once we were all seated the chef explained that each of us have a little bouquet of flowers that his mom composed, as well as a beautiful poem on a card that we could bring home. It was so sweet! Then the chef gave an introduction, and the sommelier poured wine and explained its background. Each course was given an introduction along with a wine pairing. At the chefs table we could see the dishes being built which was also a super fun experience. The restaurant itself is appointed so elegantly and I loved the atmosphere. At the end of the meal we were gifted a little treat bag with a copy of the menu/treats. This is an expensive meal. However that is not lost on the staff - they take care to see to every detail that can make your experience unforgettable. Of all of the high-end restaurants in Seattle this one is in the top tier of the best - and it is entirely possible that this is the best restaurant in town.

Angelica K.

One of the best vegan tasting menus I've ever had. I've done quite a few tasting dining experiences and the vegan menus always seem to be an afterthought. This definitely was not! The ambiance they set is so beautiful on the patio and they do such cute table scraping. Every dish I had was absolutely beautiful. Full of life and exciting flavor. All the wait staff including the chef/owner are fabulous. The total experience was beautiful and one of the best anniversary dinners I've had.

Edward S.

Surrell is fantastic. We had the best meal and experience. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted with a refreshing sangria. We were seated outside. When we got to our seats, visually it was stunning with a variety of bites waiting for us. The theme was Mid Spring Night. The menu is attached, but there were some deviations. The first bite I had at the table was a savory Poricini Macaroon. This was cooked perfectly and had a really good mouth feel. The next bite was a cured salmon with some herb jam. I have eaten a lot of salmon, but this was unique and delicious. The next bite was fried mushrooms that also had an original flavor. Even the bread basket and butter were great--I had one slice sourdough and the other of a potato bread. And all this was just what was at the table when we sat down. We did the wine pairing (that is definitely worth it). They matched this was Echolands Sparking Cab Franc. Like all the courses to follow, it was perfectly matched. Also, with each wine we had an excellent explanation of its background. Service overall was absolutely outstanding. After that was a vegetable salad with zuchini, radishes, cucumber surrounding goat cheese with a citrus dressing. It might be hard to imagine how this was elevated, but it was really good. This was matched with Oomrang Miller-Thurgau (which was kind of similar to a Sauvignon Blanc and a great fit with the salad. The next item was a Dungeness Crab with dill flavor in a sesame cone. The flavor was great and I really enjoyed the crunch of the cone. Shortly after that was another salmon preparation, a herb confit Copper River that came with a strawberry broth and fennel on top. Just like the first bite of salmon, his was absolutely a new taste and just incredible tasting. I was not sure how the broth and fennel would work, but they were a perfect complement. These were matched with the Carideas Counoise. All the wines were from Washington. I had not heard of the grape, but understand it is often used in blends. Again, a good match (and nice to see a red match with seafood like this). The next course was a braised Octopus with purees of Bing Cherry (with some heat) and apricots. I am not an octopus fan, but this was probably the most surprising dish of the night and it just melted in my mouth. Both purees were just perfect and nice to have two choices (although another leg would have been nice). This was matched with a Riesling. During these courses, we were teased with the smell of meat being smoked. It turned out to lamb belly and it was cooked absolutely perfect medium rare. This came with mushroom and then some rice kind of like a risotto. This was matched with the Lawrelin Syrah, another great wine. We then had beet ice as a palate cleanser. This was covered in lime cream. It was nice. The dessert was a pistachio type cake surrounded by mousse. This was another absolutely delicious course, just the right blend of savory and not too sweet. They gave us a goody bag to go, but then as one final special touch, Chef Aaron provided us with tea to go. This is not cheap, but considering the level of food and service a good value and something everyone should consider for any special occasions. Seattle restaurants do not quality for Michelin stars, but having eaten at a few that earned them, I am very confident they would earn one and glad this is in Seattle. We will definitely be back.

Courtney M.

The service was wonderful, I appreciate how helpful they were. The ambience was really nice. This is perfect for a date night with people who literally enjoy all sorts of food. The food came out so cute and so unique it almost made you not want to disrupt how cute it came out. It's perfect for the foodie that loves Instagram photos. And there's so much effort put on the presentation. I wish there was a little bit more effort put on the actual taste of the food. A lot of it was so bland. And this is a very expensive tasting. The octopus could've been grilled longer It was very floppy and rubbery. The tuna didn't taste fresh, it tasted like it sat out for quite some time. The tofu soup with the edible leaf was very bland. The lamb was delicious. All in all if you're into unique different foods and enjoy tastings this is definitely a fun spot to try.

Antuan K.

I took my wife to Surrell for her dinner on her birthday. Calling it a dinner does not adequately describe our evening. Our "experience" was spectacular. From the start, there were many nice touches to set the tone, like a poem written about the seasonal ingredients being featured in the evening's menu, and flowers made by the chef's mom that we were allowed to take home. The service was great from start to finish. The staff was attentive and eager to ensure we had everything we needed. We asked enough questions to see that they were knowledgeable about the chef's menu beyond simply memorizing the components of the dish. Speaking of the dishes, every course was delicious. My wife and I chuckled each time one of us mumbled "mmm", which happened throughout the evening. A few standouts were "Fish Sauce Caramel Cured Salmon" with an herb jam, "Wild Spot Prawn and Columbia River King Salmon" with fermented carrot, and "Into the Spring Garden Vegetables" which felt like the components of a slightly warm soup with a scoop of cold sorbet. Each of these got at least 2 verbal "mmms". The entire even was great from the first course awaiting us as we were seated, to Chef Aaron Tekulve (chef and owner) greeting everyone at the door on their way out. He stuck around to take photos with us and have conversation about their opening in 2019. I highly recommend Surrell on Madison if you're looking for a great dining experience with a comfortable environment and excellent food. The dinner is certainly expensive, but you'll soon remember that you deserve to treat yourself. Surrell is a great place to do just that.