This is the classic lesson of setting your expectations too high ... You are bound to be left disappointed. This building is so gorgeous it hurts, the little gardens are so sweet and transporting. I have been dying to go here and I finally went with my love for my birthday. The host couldn't find our reservation information, and it wasn't until we brought the confirmation email up on our phone that he even entertained seating us. He goes away and comes back to tell us they seated someone else in our name. Excuses? Who knows. Anyway, our waiter came by and took our drink orders, making good suggestions for a pairing with our food choices. He was super pleasant and gave us plenty of space. Honestly though, the food was just ok and did not really impress us aside from the salmon was cooked so perfectly but is that really worthy of returning ? I do NOT want to dislike this place so we will give it another shot. But our first impressions were a little bland. read more

I had the soho salmon with mushroom lobster. It was so tasty!!! I definitely recommend this place for a romantic date or just a simple friends hang out. Good vibe , tasty food. read more

just had our daughter's wedding here. could not have been a more perfect day! matt and staff saw to every detail ans were so accomadating. the food is perfection! love the idea of family style. the grounds and landscaping is beautiful. can't say enough great things about the corson building,food, matt and staff! thanks so much for adding to the joy and blessings of this day. read more

The Corson Building - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

awesome. sauteed dates with sea salt and persian pine nuts. tender juicy pieces of sea bass with orange, flat leaf persley and olive oil. perfect, simple, clean- and anything but boring. wondeful service. fantastic wines. great conversation in a beautiful setting eating food that you can tell dillon takes great pride in. for those of us who loved sitka and spruce, the corson building will not leave you hungry. get in and experiance what everyone is raving about... totally worth the drive to georgetown. read more

Beautiful building and surrounding garden can't make up for lack in service and food quality. Only one server was present to shlep and respond to the entire floor. Started with a nice rhubarb syrup flavored sparking wine cocktail. Popping my head into the kitchen while waiting for service to begin was a disappointment. I saw the chef and one other person calmly preparing dishes, mostly pre-cooked, and got absolutely no response from either when mentioning that I was looking forward to the meal and asked about the bread sitting on the counter. No warmth from the talent and most people pay to connect with the artist, not just for the food. Focaccia bread was wonderful with nice crust and slightly salty. Everything else failed. Stringy meat substitute for a pate starter lacked flavor and expressed only texture and fat. Toast crisps were good but no fruit compote or acid-sour accompaniment was there to cut the waxy coat of the dish. Nettle greens and potato mush lacked any brightness one expects from fresh produce and I could not detect any seasoning worth noting. Other disappointments included cold quail and desserts. The quail was overcooked and prepared with much too tart a dressing base to showcase either the quail or the vinegary sauce. Dessert course was just a big wedge of goat milk brie and honey-drizzled puff pastry. The cheese was good but came with no accoutrements - no bread, crisps, nuts or fruit. The puff pastries harkened back to the chef's biggest weakness, an inability to fry. Earlier the cod croquettes came out cold and flat, no outer crunch or satisfying tooth when biting into what should be a flavorful present to the mouth. Instead it was a bland ball served with an even blander cream sauce that would have never stood up to a good croquette in the first place. The fried pastry balls suffered the same long-holding-time the croquettes did thus they came out cold and soggy instead of crisp. Perhaps the puff pastries were baked but they still came out with a sad whimper of staleness. I don't mind the family style of eating but when I asked for more red wine (our bottle was empty), the server responded to use the other bottle at the other end of the table. While I felt guilty taking that bottle from the five folks we didn't know, we did have six in our party. When that was poured to empty, only replenishing one glass, we still never got another bottle while the white sat mostly unused. Family style also left several guests at the end of the serving line with only one coquette or very small portions of some dishes. I never saw any dishes replenished when emptied including the bread basket. It is just to much work for one server to handle three large family-style tables of 8 to 12. I was elbow-to-elbow with my bench neighbors most likely because they squashed the other party's 'fifth' person on the bench since the chair side wouldn't accommodate another person. Still, I don't like spending $80+ for a family meal where I can't move my arms, have to hold plates while my neighbors serve themselves, and fight over food and wine with strangers. Such a disappointment in both food and experience. read more

Just Dined there last night April 8th. Service was average. The Food was below average. I had the Line Cod, it was overcooked, with no flavors, the greens and squid that accompanied the dish was COLD. Worst of all, I was overcharged for Sparkling water a whooping $38 for 4 tiny glasses. I definitely don't recommend this place. Especially when you have to share the table with some strangers. read more

I was looking forward to this experience but despite the beautiful garden seating and a nice waitress the food was just bad. My starter was a radicchio salad and radicchio was so salty I couldn't eat it at all. I also ordered a heirloom tomato salad and I have definitely had better in other places, it was a boring dish. For main meal I had eggplant and it tasted okay but not special in any way. For all this boring stuff I had to pay over $50, absolutely not worth it. read more

Best brunch ever!! For $18, you get a delicious buffet spread and entree of your choice from the kitchen. You can't beat that! The menu rotates but I hope that intense liver pate is always there!! You get fluffy scones and homemade jam to start and the french press coffee was fantastic. I had the fried egg with arugula, heirloom tomatoes and parmesan for my entree and it was light and tasty! I still can't believe the price for all of this. The ambiance was also fabulous - I felt like I was definitely not in Seattle. They do take walk-in's, but making a reservation is highly recommended as the place is tiny and fills up quickly. I can't wait to try dinner! read more

LOVE. Truly the best brunch I've ever enjoyed. They basically offered a choice of two hot items made to order in addition to a small buffet featuring incredibly flavorful breakfast salads and fresh bread with an assortment of jams and butter. The food simply highlights the very best of the Pacific Northwest. These guys are doing something special. read more

Love this place, beautiful environment, food, and service. A little sanctuary in the city.

The most interesting restaurant we've been to in a long time. It's not just the food -- which is extraordinary and takes the concept of locavore to a whole new level. When you're eating ham that came from "our pig," you know it's fresh. And it's not just the passion and friendliness of the sommelier -- we had a wine he labeled as being from the best vigneron in the world and it was truly great. Plus he poured tastes of another wine he thought we would be interested in. It's really the overall vibe that's so special -- like you've stumbled into one of those European family dinners where everyone is sitting at the same table in the vineyard laughing and chatting with each other. My husband and I aren't exactly extraverts and were sort of dreading the communal table experience but we easily fell into conversation with the couple next to us and had a great time. Plus, and here's the beauty, the whole thing was the cheapest meal we had in Seattle. I think this is maybe what David Chang is aiming for with his communal tables at Ma Peche in NY. We loved it and would love to come back. read more

Came here for my birthday dinner with my boyfriend. This place is such a beautiful gem in the middle of rustic Georgetown. It's just so pretty in side out!!!! It feels like Europe! We went on a Friday night so it's a la carte menu. We had the mussle cooked with salami. It was a well balanced appetizer. For our main courses, we ordered the grilled chicken and seared scallops. Scallops were perfectly seared to where they were raw enough without being cold, and not chewy, over cooked. Scallops were accompanied by delicious turnips (are you ready to turn-ip?!). They were all on top of a bed of aioli sauce and capers. Hmm so good! I want this dish again. My boyfriend's chicken were grilled beautifully. It was full of flavor and juicy, which is really impressive. The vegetables that went with it were all yummy! We ended our meal with the homemade vanilla icecream and fresh strawberries. Not sure if they grew their own berries but they were small, fresh, and sweet! The vanilla ice cream was seriously one of the best I've had. I can't wait to go back here to try out their Saturday/Sunday family dinner style menu! read more

It was ugly cold. M. and I arrived a twink early due to a timely lack of truckers on Airport way. We slipped inside to find the cunning cottage unfilled. After decades of standing, I cajoled M. to take the first vacant seat while I visited the Joe's room. Oh, my lands! I was not expecting to open the door to sounds of such hot persuasion! Dillion pushed Bush against the substantial tile while I gasped and grabbed my pants. 'Dillon - Bush fight?" I delight! But firmly, I trotted to the stall and pretended not to notice. "The tables tonight?" said he. "Full." "The glasses?" sallied he. "Clean." "My lips?" he prodded. "Kissed." And I pissed past the bowl and onto the yellow porcelain. The business partners queened and cleaned until I couldn't pretend anymore. Stamping and cramping, I forged past. But briefly, as I did, I hear the cool words, "this partnership will last a lifetime." Hours later, I felt the same. With every crevice filled, M. and I left the theater with only hunger on our minds. read more

Beautiful rustic spot tucked away in Georgetown. Instantaneous love. Beyond the setting, a great tasting menu. Matt Dillon certainly earned his James Beard Award and continues to create fantastic dining experiences. Everything from the oysters to sweetbreads to the melt in your mouth pork. Heaven. And, kudos to the folks that throw the wine list together. Domaine Combier Crozes Hermitage at such a fair price, delicious. I'll be back, hopefully for one of their awesome dinners (cassoulet anyone?) read more

Nothing but magic - the food - the service - the setting - the staff! We reserved the restaurant for a wedding dinner and it provided the perfect venue. An innovative and delicious menu provided us with a memorable wedding feast. Seamless wait staff made the dining a pleasurable experience. We changed the main portion of the meal at the last minute and no one skipped a beat. Matt made us feel as though our happiness was his only concern and the chefs took care of our wishes. I would recommend this wonderful place to anyone who desires a magical evening. Thanks to everyone at The Corson Building for making us feel special.! read more

I've been to the Corson on four occasions: 3 times for dinner, and once for brunch. No, I don't eat extravagently on the regular, but I like the Corson so much that I've made a point to budget for it during special occasions. The Corson is an entire evening of food experience, and you'll love it IF you allow yourself to. Put away your self centric notions of demand and relax a little. Matt and Wiley managed to save a run down, old house in up-and-coming Georgetown and turn it into an intimate and cozy place to enjoy the lost art of dinner. This isn't about eating as fast as you can and catching a movie. It's not about shoveling huge portions down your gullet and snapping your fingers for hop-to service. And most importantly, it's not about pretention. At the risk of sounding ridiculously bohemian, the Corson Building is about using food to create and foster community, and I appreciate that. From their approach to serving mostly local foods, all the way to their serving style and wine selection, they are creating an atmosphere of sharing and cohesiveness. At the very center of the experience is the resounding philosophy of using food to bring people together. It's demonstrated throughout dinner, including the presentation and atmosphere of the space. While it's obvious that you are a paying customer and there is a renowned chef and staff in the kitchen, it plays much more as though guests and staff are all on the same level because of the warmth and openness they have been able to create. When you walk in the door, you are served an apertif. While you're waiting for dinner to start, they welcome you to wander the grounds, check out the design of the building, or chat with staff and other guests. There is a seating chart for three communal tables, so get ready to get rub elbows with your neighbors. Even if you don't find one thing interesting about the folks sitting next to you, don't fret as the food serves as a wonderful conversation centerpiece. A round of appetizer type foods are presented at varying ends of the table, and just as you've finished up, they address the entire room with a welcome and breakdown of the evening's food and wine. Expect to forget what they said would be coming out, because you'll be flooded with plates and so interested in all of their components you won't be able to keep track of what was on the menu. And if you opt for the wine pairing (you should!), you'll be a happy clam as the sommolier has an expansive knowledge of wines and a great gift to pair them. Another reviewer claimed they were put off by the timing of food arrival. I find their timing is just fine. They come out with several dishes at once, allow time for them to be passed around, and give you time to possibly discuss the round of items that just came out. If you have a burning desire to know where a certain vegetable came from, why a wine was paired with dinner, or how long it took to landscape the grounds, you should just ask. The staff is ultra warm and friendly and they take great pride in the Corson. Sure, you have to be slightly adventurous to try everything they prepare in an evening, but even if you end up passing on an item or two you'll be fine with the amount of food you'll get. They will make adjustments for allergies or pescatarians/vegetarians/etc. People tend to have bad associations with certain foods because the item was prepared poorly. Even if you don't think you'll like something, you should try it with the idea that these folks are going to blow whatever preconceptions you had out of the water. The only item that has remained constant at each visit has been the tremendous french press coffee served with desert. It's awesome. The last two times, we've been sent home with small jars of house made preserves. Weeks or months later when you spread it onto a bit of toast, your memories will come shotgunning back and you'll pick up the phone and make another reservation. Believe that. read more

I went here to celebrate turning 24 with my family. I love the intimate feeling and communal tables. I went on Sunday and it was a 5 course prix fixe menu with White/Red wine and cocktails beforehand. Everything is served family style to share with your communal table. Our Amuse bouche were castrano olives, very tasty. Then the first course was dates and oranges in Greek yogurt seasoned with duka and Oaxaca peppers. Great use of the spices and truly unique dish. The second dish was a breaded trout spread with crackers. The third dish was braised beef tongue, beets, and mint. This was went very nicely with the house white. The fourth course was two dishes one a arugla/onion salad and a salmon salad. This was my favorite part of the meal, I wanted so much more. The fifth course was baked pork shoulders with lentils and collard greens. Dessert was shortbread and Camembert cheese with poached rhubarb. I really enjoyed the earthy feel and had a wonderful experience. read more

What a fabulous, amazing, absolutely spectacular meal. We did the prix fixe familiy style Sunday dinner and we had perhaps one of the best dining experiences of our life. The food is amazing, and incredibly well prepared. Its all so wonderfully seasonal and local and just awesome. Its not just about the food when you dine at Corson family style, and in our case, al fresco. Its about the company and the setting under the pergola and the wine (which is included) and the interaction of all of those things together with the food. If you can find a better total eating experience anywhere in Seattle, I dare you to show me where. read more

This place is not for the antisocial germophobe. As the other reviews have pointed out, you sit at a table with the other guests, much like you might for a big holiday meal. So, if you're interested in a sort of intimate, quiet dinner environment, this might not mesh perfectly with that objective. On Sunday, the menu is set, and the food arrives on big platters that are passed from diner to diner. There isn't a lot of room on the table, so serving yourself or others can be a bit of logistical challenge. In the end, though, it's perfectly manageable, especially with the attentive service of the staff (which was excellent). The food itself was delicious, and everyone seemed to get enough, but the shared meal format creates an interesting phenomena in that each platter seemed to be left with one small portion remaining - no one wanted to take the last bit. I think the family style layout with non-family is refreshing, and is enjoyable and workable with well mannered guests, but I wonder whether or not a gluttonous sociopath at the table would bring the whole thing down. I'd sort of like to be at that table, to be honest, just to see what would happen. Overall, bringing the right frame of mind, I'd recommend this place highly. read more

I am hesitant to write a review, because I want to keep this place a secret! I absolutely LOVE this restaurant and that is coming from someone who hates group seating and family-style. Yes, yes, they do seat you at a group table and serve everything family style, but I was able to get past this. I got lucky and got placed at tables of friendly people who were not food hogs. I have been twice to Sunday dinner now, and plan for many more trips this year for the other nights. The food, both times, was amazing. A great example of fresh seasonal produce being used in gourmet meals. The experience in itself is great. You get to the Corson Building, they pour you a glass of champagne and let you wander the property for a half hour until the food is ready. The garden and building are quaint (I didn't mind the train that would occasionally pass behind the building). You are then invited back inside to mingle with your table and enjoy some wine. You are then brought many courses of delicious food. We got lucky the first time, because half out table was vegan. So, we got a whole table serving for half the table and it appears the chef was able to accommodate the vegan side of the table. The second time we went, there was enough food for the whole table. No one was really greedy or inconsiderate (this is not the place to go if you plan to be a food hoarder, you WILL piss off the rest of your table-mates). There was enough to go around and everyone was full after. read more

I went to the Corson Building for the first time in December for a company holiday party. Thanks to the Corson Building crew, it felt more like having dinner at a friend's house than a company function. I was especially impressed with the wine pairings. Marc was very attentive, warm, and gracious. Upon request, he wrote down all of the wine pairings for the night. Great service and a great night! Thank you! read more

I love this place! The food is exceptional and the service equally attentive. It might not be the place for people who want a printed menu so the food is the same every time. This place serves what is the freshest, local produce in an innovative way. read more

This was a very fun place to eat. We went there for a business dinner, so had the whole building to ourselves. The food was delicious, mostly. Some things I would not order, but there were so many courses so if you did not like one course, that was ok and there was plenty of other food. Very personalized dinner with the host making everyone feel right at home and inviting us to go into the kitchen to watch and feel at home. I don't think my kids would have liked much of the food (except the ginger snaps at the end of the meal) but a great place for dinner for adults. read more

I graduated with my doctorate in June 2011 and held a party for my family, friends, and professors (47 people in total) at The Corson Building. It was spectacular to say the least. Working with their event coordinator, Jeanie was a treat. She was the most organized and clear of all the restaurants I contacted when looking for a venue. The menu, the outdoor seating, and the staff were fantastic!! Locals and out-of-towners alike were wowed by the Pacific Northwestern menu and how beautiful The Corson Building is - I've been hearing compliments for months. Thanks so much Jeanie and The Corson Building!! read more

Nice food. Not outstanding. Too dark to tell exactly what was in it. Don't arrive before 6:30 for the 6:30 Saturday seating because they won't let you in even a few minutes early. It was wierd to stand outside in 40 degree weather with 30 people waiting to be seated for a very expensive meal. read more

We decided to try the Saturday night prix fix, what a disappointment. I feel like we went to a different restaurant than the other reviewers. Everything seemed to have been made much earlier in the day. Nothing seemed fresh or inventive at all. We started with grilled fava beans which were good but I could have made them. Followed by two heaping salads that could have been picked up at Whole Foods. A salted halibut salad followed. The halibut was hard and it was salty, inedible. Several of the entree courses were much better. Salmon and duck confit delicious. Duck breast in cherries was over cooked and dry. The entree course portions were small. All diners were very considerate on their portions yet the entrees barely fed the 8 people at our table. We were told to cut each duck confit leg in half. Really? For $100 per plate, ridiculous! There was nothing elegant or interesting about this meal. Go to Cafe Juanita or Willows Inn if you really want to see how it should be done. The only redeeming part of the evening were the wine pairings and the other couples we had the pleasure to dine with. read more

We've had dinner at The Corson Building a few times now on special occasions (and always had a wonderful experience!), but this review is specifically about our experience with them as a wedding venue. The Corson Building is a beautiful spot, and it's perfect for a small to medium-sized gathering. We held our wedding (64 guests) there in August 2016, with a quick ceremony (most guests were standing) in their garden space followed by a cocktail reception on the patio and a buffet served in the main building with seating in the open area next door (a lovely space with a red-brick backdrop--you need a permit for it, but that can be arranged through Corson). The patio space transitioned into a dance space as the night wore on. Matt at The Corson Building worked with our planner on all of the arrangements, and we couldn't be happier with how things turned out. The food was incredible, drinks were delicious, and the whole event had a wonderful, laid-back vibe. Just what we wanted. The staff is incredibly attentive and friendly. Highly recommended if you're looking for a small, intimate venue with amazing farm-to-table catering. read more

My husband and I decided to come here for his birthday dinner because we heard the chef is somehow affiliated with Sitka and Spruce (our absolute favorite restaurant). First of all, the setting is charming and gorgeous - perfect for a romantic date. There were about eight or nine dishes on the menu ranging from small plates to entrees. We ordered four of them. The food was excellent, but our main dishes came out lukewarm at best. The flavor combinations were amazing though, particularly in the rabbit dish. Our waiter was kind, but overall the service was lacking. It took forever for someone to take our drink orders after we were seated, and it was very apparent that the other party at our table (they have communal tables) was the waiter's priority - probably because they were older and richer :) We will usually pay a premium for good, creative food, but given the discombobulated service, I think we'll stick with Sitka and Spruce in the future. read more

A group of us dined at the Corson Building for their Sunday night price fixe dinner. Everything, including the wine, is included in the pp price. The atmosphere is rustic, but loud. Our group of eight filled one of the community tables. The food was good, but not ultra creative or spectacular. My favorite was a starter of rabbit bruschetta. The salmon was moist but not overly flavorful. And, I would say the same for the roast chicken. The food is served family style - and there was plenty to go around. The place was packed, even on a Sunday, and the server seemed a little frazzled and even a little irritated at times. We were invited to venture into the kitchen for a peek, but a couple of the guys tried and said they didn't think the chef appreciated it. There are about 6-8 parking spaces in their lot, so get there early to get one because other street parking is several blocks away. Overall, it was a good, but not great, experience. Definitely you want to enjoy with a group of friends. read more

I had high hopes for the Corson Building, but was sorely disappointed. The building itself was by far the best part of the meal. From the reservation process to the desert, we were disappointed at every step. Nobody answers the phone at the restaurant, but they require a credit card for reservations, so I found the back and forth message trading process to be annoying. The food was served family style at long tables and luckily, I enjoyed the company of those around me. However, I found the menu to be very strange. We went to the $60/person prix fixe sunday night dinner. The dinner included wine, which was nice, but we had to share with those around us. The other couples drank the wine very quickly and we were out of wine early in the appetizer course. We had to purchase a bottle for ourselves because the others drank what was provided. The fowl was overcooked and very bland. The fish was deep fried, which does not showcase the quality. The lamb was in the form of a meatball, which was tasty, but not something that I would order again. Most of the food came out cold and looked as though it had been sitting for quite awhile. The vegetables were all overcooked and limp. Unfortunately, the tastiest part of the meal was the rice dish. The desert was fried dough balls in powdered sugar. A meal that expensive should never serve anything deep fried, in my opinion, and they served 2 courses. The food was overall uninspired and disappointing. Although I loved the atmosphere, I will likely never go back. I hope that they can improve the quality over time. read more