Great service from Paul - attentive without being intrusive. We shared the cauliflower dish and it was perfect. I wish the crab ravioli had a bit more cheese and less shredded crab ( I assumed lump crab). Wine was divine and well within a reachable price-point. Will definately return for date night. read more

Volterra reached out to explain the situation that evening. They offered to send a gift certificate but I have yet heard from them further. I've reached out twice since and have been ignored. Even more disappointing as I was looking forward to giving this another shot :( read more

I could write a long detailed review but will spare you the details. Short version is the attention to detail, the kitchen staff, the flow, the servers, the food taste, plating, etc were all lacking based on the price point and experience My brother and I both agreed and my father that prices should be much less based on the dining experience. We believe the restaurant would do much better if they lower the expectations and pricing. They would also compete much better with many of the new amazing restaurants close by with a make over on pricing and menu. Good luck. read more

Perfection! This place is always consistent. be sure to have the calamari, and you can't go wrong with the clams and sausage as well for an appetizer. It's hard not to pass up the lamb shank with a caesar salad. If you have not been here, put it on your list, it's epic. read more

First time here and not from Seattle. Not happy that I had a bug in my water and shells in the lobster ravioli. The waiter was great and so attentive. Food was very good. Someone also flooded the bathroom tonight....so not the best experience. Last, the hostess girls need to be careful what they say as we heard everything tonight. Maybe you should be grateful for your job. Done work to do here but good place and good wine. read more

Went there for HH and very average food/service. Most food are only $2-3 lower than those HH hotspots in Bellevue, unless we are too lazy to drive, I won't be back again. read more

One of our favorite Italian places around! I always book through OpenTable since it gets pretty busy at night, so don't walk in expecting to get seated right away. If you're unsure what to order I would recommend going with the tasting menu (on the backside) where you'll get an appetizer, entree and dessert. The clams & sausage, saltimbocca and polenta are must-haves! read more

I can only review this place based on their brunch, but I am a fan! I moved up from Sacramento about 6 months ago and endless mimosa brunches is just what everyone does on the weekends there. I have not found that to be the case here so I am now on the hunt for my favorite brunch spot! It was fairly empty and we sat in the bar area. Our waitress (maybe also the bartender?) was extremely attentive. We had the Prosecco mistos which I highly recommend. The coffee was delicious. The waitress even had us try some of their homemade italian style bread and spice combination while we were waiting for our meals. My boyfriend had the avocado scramble which he said was really good. I had the duck & potato hash that was amazing! I was sold because it included roasted red peppers which I will eat on pretty much anything. But the duck was cooked perfectly and so were the potatoes (I don't know how often I notice the quality of cooked potatoes, until I had them cooked this well...) The only reason it's getting 4 stars instead of 5 is because for brunch it is pricey! We will definitely be back, but not before I check out some more affordable alternatives. Also - and this is random - but they should consider changing the music they play in there. At least at that time of day. But overall, I absolutely recommend! read more

I'd think hard and give a three. I expected a lot. The best thing on the table was the Expresso cocktail and not the main course as I expected. For starters we ordered Caprese- which was run-of - the mill- had huge slices of tomato and sparse basil. For mains, I ordered Ravioli with Eggplant.It looked great. But when it came to taste, I was disappointed - the pasta was not cooked enough. The sauce was lacy and oily. I returned the order and waited for my husband to finish dinner. And I thought we were going to have dinner together. Alas! His order turned out to be better- he ordered pasta with shrimp- a competent tasting dish. The gelato was refreshing but icy- it was a notch better than what you'd buy from the store. Maybe at Volterra you need to order well. But at such a price point you expect more from a white linen dinner place. Somewhere the actual experience did not = match with expected experience. And though Volterra does try- it seems it can only go this far for its food. read more

Volterra - Ravioli w/ eggplant - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

See all

Had a great dinner here, with a fabulous NW wine list. This will be on my regular list for sure. read more

Volterra was a notably good experience. We began with polenta and mushrooms, and we applaud the chef for bringing an exceptionally strong mushroom flavor to the dish; however, the corn flavor from the polenta did not marry as well with the mushrooms as a more traditional risotto. We also split an appetizer portion of crab ravioli with a light tomato-based sauce, and the flavor and texture were impeccable. We chose the daily special sea scallop entree along with a house specialty, wild boar. Both entrees were excellent - well balanced with a proper cook temperature. We would have preferred a slightly more aggressive sear on the scallops to add a cartelized flavor profile, and the boar could have been either more tender or served with an appropriate knife. The restaurants wine selection was excellent. The venue is somewhat cramped in its layout due to its architecture, but was overall comfortable and tastefully appointed. read more

Volterra - Appetizer: polenta with mushrooms - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

See all

Had a fun time here with my 3 friends. We got a perfect table, in a corner so we could talk and laugh and catch up. We ended up splitting a few dishes which worked out fine. First we had the antipasti plate but this was not so good to split 4 ways as there is only one of each item... 1 shrimp, 1 slice of salami, 1 hard boiled egg, 2 anchovies, etc... Then we split two orders of crab cakes which were delicious... then we ordered the swordfish which was cooked perfectly, and Tagliolini with pork jowls, wild mushrooms and truffle butter. The pasta was a thin variety and was overwhelmed by the pork and truffle oil... a heartier pasta would have worked better... we did not finish the dish. All in all, it was very good. We had a great time. The service was very good and accommodated our animated conversation. read more

Been to this restaurant in Ballard many times - first time in Kirkland Ok setting- but my favorite dish the boar was swimming in the sauce, total overkill The potatoes were over cooked cubes. Scallops good size but way to salted. Mussels and chorizo was very tasty - antipasto plate to little for what you pay- Fair good wine selection - staff very attentive read more

Great food, our first time to this location. We love the Ballard location. Excited to have another great restaurant on the Eastside. We love the atmosphere on the Ballard location. The Kirkland location is very sterile. read more

A favorite for me and my husband to take my father in law for weekly dinners! It is a fantastic atmosphere and incredible food! The wine selection is fabulous and I think the best part is that they remember us every time we go in there. We always get the same table and it feels like Cheers! I have the Prawns or the Halibut dish and it is perfection every time. A bit pricy, but the food is worth it for a special occasion. The bar has a great feel and quiet environment. read more

+Good Food + Excellent low carb options for an Italian menu - Insulting Staff The menu was good and had wonderful variety. I won't go into the details, but the mai·tre d' nearly ruined an otherwise excellent (5 star) meal. I had the lamb which was prepared wonderfully. My wife had the "wild boar" which she said she would get again. The Tirami Su was above average. The broccoli appetizer we good- and low carb. I doubt we will return. read more

Very flavorful and romantic dishes . I really enjoyed the braised lamb shank . The service was great , despite them being super busy . I will be back. This place is a must try , I didn't like Italian food until I came here . Lol read more

Meatballs were great, interesting choices of meat, all very well cooked, very friendly service, were able to prepare off the menu kids meal too read more

Volterra - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Just tried the Kirkland location for the first time. I will need to come back to try more items

Hello beautiful new friend. I took my husband out for a date night here last week and fell in love. Decadent, delish, divine, amazing, awesome, brilliant, and to die for. We were not starving so we didn't order anything but booze and entrees. Grey Goose dirty martini was supreme. Manhattan was flawless. I Bottle wine from Walla Walla I forgot the winery in think lucatta. Superb. I had the salmon. Fresh and just perfection on a plate. Husband had the lamb shank. Rich and tender just like it should be. I like the vibe of the joint. It is hip and classy. It is a new favorite and I can't wait to do a girls lunch. read more

Came here for Seattle Restaurant Week and so my expectations for service were that it was going to be so-so. We made a reso and got seated right away which was great since the place was packed. Our service was attentive and a bit emotionless but overall, for it being a full house, the drinks and meal came fast and the quality was up to expectations. The value during SRW here was better than most. I had a Kobe beef meatball which came a bit warm, and not hot as I would expect but the flavor was there and the portion was reasonable. Also had the beef tenderloin and requested med-rare but what I got was rare, almost blue. For most people, this would probably be returned to the kitchen but I ate it anyway because the sauce was amazing and covered the rare taste. To top off the meal, the goat cheese cake was divine. I'd have it again and everyday if it didn't pack on so many calories. The ambience is open and a bit industrial. Tables are super close to one another so any dinner conversation will likely be heard by your table mates. read more

I've been going to Volterra in Ballard for years and it's one of my favorite restaurants. When I heard it's opening a second location in downtown Kirkland I thought finally there would be a fine dining Italian place I can go with my east side friends! The newly opened Volterra Kirkland didn't disappoint - food there is just as good as Ballard. The look and feel of the Kirkland location is more modern - it's contemporary yet warm and comfortable. I can't wait to go back again! read more

we have always loved this restaurant however, tonight my husband and I both ordered the wild boar tenderloin. this time, it was not a tenderloin, but was medallions of end pieces of a tenderloin. very tough and disappointing. the sauce was fabulou, as usual, but the vegetables had no flavor. we will not go back for awhile. very disappointing meal. It's sad that they decided to change their preparation but kept the menu description the same. read more

Great main course recommendation, thoroughly enjoyed the wild boar. The cocktail spritz was also enjoyable and the service expectable. read more

Wow- what amazing food. I was here for a special event. The wine served was wonderful (Valpolicella). For appetizers we had cheese, lamb meatballs, and other small plates. For dinner there were crab ravioli (very good) and some amazing red meat- tender, like butter! The beet salad was tremendously good. I wish I could have gone back for seconds, but I was just too full. Seriously delicious food, and very nice servers. Lovely lovely place. I hope I can come back to Wa and try this place again! read more

ambiance was good, service was lacking. we sat and waited for our check for ages. the food was yummy, and came relatively quick!

Amazing food, fantastic staff, great cocktails and extensive wine selection. Everything is of high quality.

Their espresso martinis are so good!! They aren't on the menu but we asked and they have a whole espresso machine behind the bar. They came in chilled glasses and were incredible! read more

My husband and I were out on a date night on 9/21. This may have been our 9-10 trip to the restaurants, as its one of our favorites. Last night was our very last visit and we will never go back. We were seated at a table close to the open kitchen. The lady controlling the line kept shouting instructions and was rude and nasty to the crew. The constant screaming really got on our nerves and my husband got up to tell her to quieten down. Apparently, the owner was standing there and was allowing this to carry on in plain sight of customers.He rudely told my husband that we can move tables as the lady was just doing her job. We wont go back again ever. Don't want to patronize a place that treats its employees and its customers so poorly. Good Luck! read more

The beef tenderloin on the Dine Around Seattle menu was very tender indeed. Flavor wise, I would say it wasn't to my taste. I liked their tiramisu though--flavorful but not too sweet. I also enjoyed the atmosphere. I will be back to taste other items on the menu. read more

Volterra is a favorite of ours over the years and has never let us down. We visited their new location in Kirkland and was not disappointed. I met and enjoyed talking with my good friend Chef Don Curtis and he friendly professional staff who made our dining experience the best we have ever enjoyed. The food was absolutely delicious and we'll presented they have a very fine selection of red and white wine that enhanced our dining experience. The wild boar is to die for so if your wanting to enjoy a great evening out with friends and family Volterra's is the place for you. You will not be disappointed tell Chef Don Michael sent you enjoy! read more

This restaurant gets a rare 5 stars! We went for Seattle Restaurant Week and we ordered the fennel salad, roasted cauliflower, and osso bucco. We started with bread. It was just the right texture and delicious with the olive oil and fennel salt. Soon after we had one slice of bread, our appetizers came. The roasted cauliflower had a nice cream sauce to dip the bread in. The osso bucco was nice and tender. They must have spent all night cooking it. This came with a creamy polenta which was cooked perfectly. To top it all off, we had the tiramisu and chocolate hazelnut torte. Torte was rich but not too rich and my companion has a new love for tiramisu. All courses came out quickly and we were able to finish lunch in an hour. Service was efficient and the server had a good support staff. Everything was spot on! read more

Huge fan of the Ballard Volterra, but I'm so excited they now have an Eastside location! The atmosphere is beautiful and has such a comfortable feel. The staff is so friendly and accommodating, they really made me feel special. My guests and I enjoyed Eggplant pouches, the house salad, the little bites appetizer, Wild Boar, Crispy Chicken and yummy salted caramel gelato and tiramisu, both desserts are very large portions,perfect for sharing. I can't wait to go back again!!!! read more

This review is based on brunch. I'd like to come back for happy hour and/or dinner and will update as needed. I've heard some good things about this new location of Volterra, so I was really surprised they weren't booked up for Easter brunch. The hubs and I came hungry and were seated right away. The hostess seemed friendly, the waiter was pleasant but not exactly friendly. Hubs ordered an Italian OJ and I decided to try the bloody mary. Delish bloody mary, but huge and rich. I couldn't finish it. But the rim was coated in their special fennel salt, so I had to try it. Man, this fennel salt is delish. They brought around bread and olive oil and suggested adding fennel salt to the olive oil. I could have eaten olive oil with fennel salt with a spoon. We started with their antipasto plate and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm gluten intolerant, so always appreciate an antipasto platter with more protein and fewer crackers. This was perfect. Entrees were lamb and sweet pepper frittata for me, and wild boar something-or-other for the hubs. My frittata was ok, the flavors were good but the texture was kind of rubbery. Hubs seemed to enjoy his boar, whatever it was. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and was a great spot to celebrate Easter. The service could have been better, and some of the food wasn't as good as anticipated, but overall we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope to go back soon. read more

Yelp, thank you for reminding me to share what a wonderful evening my husband, sister and brother-in-law and I had at Volterra. We arrived at 5:30 for our 5:45 res and decided to sit at the bar! We enjoyed both the happy hour menu and the regular menu! I ordered the white sangria which was fresh and clean and very good! The spicy broccoli from the happy hour menu was delicious! We all loved our entrees...the roasted lamb over the house made spinach tagliatelle arrived piping hot! The boar, flat iron steak and prawn salad were all really good! The waitstaff was great! We parked about a mile away so we enjoyed a walk along the lake to Volterra and then a walk back after dinner! Oh, and do order the tiramisu for dessert :) read more

Had a terrific meal here with friends. The baked potato and goat cheese crostata elicited raves from all four of us. The fennel salt served with the bread and olive oil was killer. We had medaillons, lamb shank, new york strip, and wild boar. Everybody liked theirs, but in my opinion (having done some sampling) the wild boar was the stand-out dish. Had desert as well - I loved the hazelnut cannoli. So why four in stead of five stars? A few reasons: one was that we were seated on the bar side of the house, which was incredibly noisy. My wife requested a change of pairings with a dish she was interested in (she's not a polenta fan) and the server informed us that the chef probably would not change this. Fair enough: an artist should be allowed to express his/her vision. Even so, the polenta was not so compelling as to make me think something else would not have worked just as well. Finally, I prefer to have multiple "dinings" before raving too much. We might just have hit an "on" night. Absolutely no doubt, though, that we'll return for another bite at the prize. read more

Just had lunch here today. The taste and presentation of the food is what I expected. However it is the service and the fact that the food was just warm and not hot that I rated the restaurant average. It took a long time for the server to take our order. Both the entree and appetizers were just barely warm. The service was a bit slow on clearing plates and refills on beverages and bread. Although the food was good, it just doesn't add up to a good dining experience when everything isn't on par. We even hinted at the beginning of the meal that the service was off but it didn't seem to improve. read more

This is a nice place in downtown Kirkland. The vibe is nice and they have a pretty extensive drink menu with various types of beer (although only a few on tap), cocktails, and a decent wine list. The food is best described as contemporary Italian. The menu has good variety. I had the cauliflower as my appetizer and it was good. There was a lot of cheese which added a lot of taste to the dish. For my main dish I had the baked halibut. The fish was a good portion and the sauce brought the dish together with the potatoes and vegetables. The tiramisu for dessert was excellent and moist. This was a special Seattle restaurant week type menu for $28 which was an excellent deal. The pork is one of their specialities and others at the table seemed to enjoy it. They also have a good looking osso buco but I didn't try it. The bread is medicore though. Service was attentive and good. This is a nice place for a date, dinner with close friends, or work dinner (which is why I was there). read more

Love it here. The food is great and Joe is an awesome server and bartender who really pays attention to every detail!! read more

Volterra - Italian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Like a good point guard to a basketball coach, Tuscan food gives a chef so many options that you really can't go wrong. Or can you? Point guards are unremarkable in casual basketball terms. Tuscan food is largely unremarkable in terms of global cuisine. Trae Young, the best point guard in college basketball, is 6'2". Tuscan bread is bland - no salt. Point guards aren't necessarily fast. Chauncey Billups, Magic Johnson, Sam Cassel all have Championship rings but none of them would ever by described as fast. Ain't nothing fast about fagioli. Tuscans love their beans but to get them right you must soak them over time. Last and probably most importantly, there are some truly incredible point guards that are legitimate jerks. Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and John Stockton just to randomly name a few. Mario Chalmers has multiple rings with the Miami Heat and my first search on Reddit came with the phrase, "A-List Asshole." Spelt, buckwheat, barley and emmer wheat also know as farro, are all staples of Tuscan but they can be on the annoying side too. If one more food writer announces "Farro is making a comeback" I'll remind them that it's famously high in gluten which I'm proud to coin here, is the "new asshole of food." But, and this is the brilliance of a good point guard like the brilliance of Tuscan food, it is simple, timeless in it's value to the history of Italy and Tuscany and ultimately can be truly remarkable when done with subtlety and intelligence. Alas, Tuscan food is best analogized as the Kyrie Irving of foods. Simple, genius and naturally attractive without a shirt on. Volterra Restaurant (http://volterrakirkland.com, 121 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA 98033 (425) 202-7201 is a block from my apartment in downtown Kirkland. I was drawn to the restaurant by a quote on the restaurant website from Rachael Ray, "One of my favorite restaurants in the world." Also featured prominently on the website "Free parking on the street and at the Kirkland Public Library." It sits prominently across the street from Trellis next to Kirkland staples like George's and Hector's. Outside looking in the space projects upscale with an open kitchen suggesting a touch of a avant-garde with a heathy dose of pretention. It smells Tuscan with fruity bouquets from generous amounts of fresh vegetables and Italian wine. The hostess seemed baffled by my arrival asking first if I had a reservation as we stood in front of many, many open tables. My friend arrived, and we sat and were quickly greeted by Paul. In all honesty, Paul was the very best part of the restaurant. He was English with a hipster beard and an accent from the south of England (I'm guessing). Let's put a pin in Paul for the moment. The menu is conventional Tuscan with smattering of rich small plates including mussels and sausage, lamb meatballs and gnocchi. Pasta and entrée choices spanned beef, pork, lamb and shell fish all of which unleashed new levels of hunger. Looks bomb. By the by - menu posted on the website which was last updated on Halloween of 2016 also looks bomb (please reply to the author with an update). The current menu looked bomb too. I was immediately drawn to the Guanciale. J...O...W...L pasta. I did my normal thing and flirted with the wait staff. Remember that pin we put in Paul. Paul was specific in mentioning both "The Jowl" and the "Wild Boar Tenderloin" choices filled with Tuscan culinary testosterone. Without much grace or patience, we posed the most existential of questions, "what really didn't suck?" Paul was great. He knew wine. He was fun to talk to. He had some shit in his beard. I confirmed desire and ordered J....J... J...O...W...L pasta. He left. We drank. Then the starter, an afterthought, became the surprise of the night. Fungus Corn Pudding (Polenta con Funghi). As I say to my wife so often on date night, "Perfection!" The polenta was buttery smooth, and the fungus sauce was truffle-icious. In some regards it should have been a warning that, "Something Wicked this Way Comes." As the courses arrived on both sides of the table we both discovered a common theme. Truffle oil. Copious amounts of truffle oil. On the polenta... On the J....J... J...O...W...L pasta. On the beet salad. Really...on the beet salad? I'd happily lap truffle oil off my dog's ass, but for the dollars dropped at Volterra I'd appreciate at least an alternative oil on my noodles. I would have taken sesame come the last course. But alas the downfall of any great, semi known Puget sound dining establishment...laziness and repetition. Volterra has a pattern. Its clientele seems to appreciate it. Ownership seems content with the slow slide into mediocrity. I get it. It's the rain. But Kirkland is Kirkland meaning Volterra will remain a stable revenue generator until either the very young and rich or the very old and rich either develop taste or a desire to live somewhere else. Trae Young is averaging 30 points a game with 9 assists. Volterra isn't. read more