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A Terrible Beauty
Categories: Restaurants Irish Nightlife Bars Pubs Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Irish, Pubs, Music Venues [Edit]
201 Williams Ave SRenton, WA 98057
(425) 227-3396
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat-Sun 9 am - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
133 reviews for A Terrible Beauty
Review Highlights
"We also had the potato cakes which were extremely tasty."
(in 8 reviews)
"Best corned beef the bf has ever had."
(in 7 reviews)
"My fav is the Dubliner Burger."
(in 5 reviews)
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133 reviews in English
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Review from Teresita C.
Seattle, WA
12/17/2011
What an odd, giant, strangely shaped restaurant/bar this is. And I can't pinpoint why, but I LOVE it.
We met with some Southenders for happy hour and our bartender was brilliant, Eamon was his name, and serving up good booze was his game. He was attentive and helpful and knew his stuff.
We ordered several appetizers and enjoyed them all. Each one of those plates was scraped c l e a n, but unfortunately we didn't stay for dinner. Every plate going by looked delicious, and we couldn't help but overhear the oohs and aahs, especially over the towering Rueben. Supposedly they make a vegetarian Rueben, which I will be all over during our next visit.
It was a Thursday night and the bar had a quietly bustling quality to it, a trio scratching out some tunes and some football on the telly. Maybe it reminds me a bit of a pub I've been to in England or Ireland, or maybe they just know how to run a quality joint, with little fanfare. -
Review from Morgan L.
What a waste of a cool restaurant name.
The waitresses are always bitchy, and they rarely come by to check on you.
3 stars are dedicated to the kitchen staff only... they make flavorful food and get it out while it's still hot. -
Review from Cobra C.
Seattle, WA
1/29/2012
Bartender couldn't make a simple drink *sigh*.
Not to mention the "live" music. Geezus... loud and bad acoustics. I think you might be a great band, but I can't hear it well enough to find out.
Over all.. I'd give this place a miss. -
Review from Dahlia C.
Seattle, WA
2/7/2012
They may be a good restaurant, but the main guy who run the kitchen has a very very poor customer service skill. I tried to throw a birthday party for my hubby. The contact person, Preston, barely got back to me in timely fashion. Should have looked away after not getting the promised menus for a couple days. Went there to try the shepherd pie, it's OK... Pretty bland actually! Emailed to place order for the party, no answer, via His cell phone, no answer as well... HOW RUDE!!! If you don't wanna the business, at least response profesionally. Told my friends who I invite not to give this place any of their business. Throw the party at Wild Rover in Kirkland instead, and had a blast, our friends love them too. Would highly recommend Wild Rover...
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Review from Lloyd W.
Portland, OR
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Phenominal corned beef...the most tender I've ever had. Cabbage was not slimy, and served with a delicious pickled relish.
Atmosphere was something between a warehouse and a Bennigans.....
super food, great beer list, mid-range pricing but probably the slowest service imaginable.
Rating was due to service and atmosphere....but I will certainly be back! -
Review from Rhonda T.
Seattle, WA
2/5/2012
Really enjoyed brunch today.........but, I would give 5 stars if a coffee refill was offered. Bummer......but I'll be back.
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Review from JoAnn A.
Bellevue, WA
I really like this place. I find the food to be delish (definitely try the Sheppard's Pie!) and I like that there are board games around the place that you can play while you're there. (The boyfriend and I played Scrabble last time :) ) I made my birthday plans here recently, and I found the place we were seated kinda difficult for me to really talk to everyone, but it was a busy night (the night before NYE) and seating was limited. I was hoping we'd be in their upstairs area, but that had already been reserved for a bigger party. Their upstairs seems to be more spacious and (a little) less noisy, which was why I had hoped we'd be there. Overall though, I think it's a place worth checking out.
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Review from Cara M.
Kent, WA
1/25/2012
I love brunch, plus the big sofa makes a great afternoon pint escape!
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Review from Kevin P.
Renton, WA
11/27/2011
When A Terrible Beauty first opened and word spread that they had great food, they struggled to keep up with service. But things have stabilized since then, and while it's true that you can still experience slow service when they're busy or understaffed, that's just the price you pay for popularity. In my book, it's now the most reliably delicious and fun spot in downtown Renton. The fact that some of my friends from Seattle come to eat there is quite telling. The brunch menu is scrumptious -- the corned beef benny and the banger benny are my favorite. And for lunch/dinner, I really enjoy the French Dip (or whatever their name is for it) and especially the Grilled Turkey sandwich, which has dabs of apricot preserves in it... and I'm usually totally against mixing sweet and savory. The corned beef and cabbage with horseradish/cheddar potatoes is amazing.
I also appreciate that they have hard cider on tap! -
Review from Sam H.
Tacoma, WA
10/25/2011 1 photo
I've been here a few times - during happy hour and weekend brunch. The restaurant is clean and has a nice atmosphere. There are pool TV's, a large bar area on the 1st floor, and a nice, quieter second floor, which can be reserved for private parties.
Tasty wings, a large beer selection, and desserts during happy hour. A variety of eggs benedicts (smoked salmon, crab, sausage...) on the weekends.
The service is always friendly and prompt. Reasonable pricing. I'd definitely recommend this as a place to come if you're in downtown Renton. -
Review from nate j.
Updated - 11/15/2011
Hit or miss when it's later on weekend nights.
I've experienced slow, but friendly, service.
Menu items can be lacking (sold out or not available) at times.
Very loud music (noise you cannot make out over the loud conversations) and chatter environment.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2009
Super delicious, great atmosphere, and great service!
OMG! I am still sitting in the glow of… Read more »
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Review from Krista M.
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I woke up this morning, went to the dentist and had the bajeezus drilled out of four of my teeth. Not the way I usually prefer to start a weekend. So the dentist tells me "no food harder than a cooked noodle for 24 hours." Damn!
Then my friends text me and say they want to meet up in Renton at A Terrible Beauty, a bar I had always wanted to go to. At first I was bummed because of my special temporary pansy food diet. Then it hit me, Shepherds Pie and Beer! Yay! I can get drunk and tongue down some meat and potatoes still. Woo Hoo for me. Eff Yeah!
So anyway. I liked this bar. The live music was great, I would come back again just for that. Service was nice. I tried the fried salmon and really liked it. Shepards pie was just ok. The Irish Nachos sounded so good, but they lacked texture. It is a very mushy dish from beginning to end. There needs to be some crunch in there. More bacon! The french dips looked mighty tasty though. If had full use of my masticating mechanisms I'm sure I would have devoured one of those sandwiches. I gotta come back for the french dip.
One real issue I had was with the bathroom. BIG HUGE windows all right in front of your pee space. Long cheap dirty curtains covering the windows that leave cracks that one across the way could easily peak through. Give someone a nice pair of binocs and they could have a happy time watching you do your business. It kinda creeped me out. Get some real curtains people. Seriously. -
Review from Marcie C.
11/3/2011
I'm so glad we found another cool place in Renton with yummy food! My husband and I ordered the clams and mussels and they came with a delicious sauce but only two small pieces of toast. When asked for more, they quickly obliged. Their menu is full of really tasty-sounding dishes. We were advised from people at the Western store down the street to try any of their hot sandwiches, the mac & cheese, shepherd's pie, or salads. For entrees, we split the bacon mac & cheese and the shepherds pie. They were delectable! A little rich for us, so we each ate a quarter of each dish before having to stop. We ate the leftovers the next day and they held up fairly well.
For dessert, we were talked into getting the bread pudding to go and it did disappoint me. I love bread pudding, but this one was a one-trick pony. The portion was huge, but after a few bites I had had enough. Not enough going on.
We really enjoyed listening to live music! And the atmosphere is fab! We will definitely be back! -
Review from E Z.
Issaquah, WA
10/26/2011
My first thought biting into the Dubliner Burger: "Oh my GOODNESS this is delicious."
This place has great atmosphere, good service, and has (mostly) good pricing. Downstairs there was a loud and exciting pool game going. Soccer played on the televisions. Upstairs there was a Foosball Table and a couch.
My one and only complaint about this place: the recommended starts cost way too much. We had these amazing Cheese Bites, which tasted like they were sent to us from the kitchen of God, but when we saw the bill out jaws dropped. $56 for three people. Two beers, one coke, three entrees and those cheese bites. I wish the beers were lower in price too, maybe $4-$5 instead of $6. However, everything tasted good and our service was amazing.
I'll definitely be coming back here, maybe even tomorrow night! But I'll skip the starter. I don't want to end up poor. :( -
Review from Jessica T.
Renton, WA
12/21/2011
I love it here.. Cheap yummy brunches, live music often, and great drinks. I mean, for being in Ren-un, the place is top notch. The waitstaff is great too... really personable.
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Review from Tim D.
9/26/2011
Went here for a work team event on a Friday evening. The beer selection is decent, and the food as well. The place was fairly packed, and parking was a bit difficult to find, which is weird for Renton.
The Irish nachos were a slightly different take, as it was fried potato slices layered with the fixings, rather than fries topped with stuff. A pretty good interpretation. The potato cakes were tasty. The fish and chips were pretty good, but the batter could have been a bit better. As it was, the batter came off the fish in large chunks, leaving me with large chunks of fish and separate large chunks of fried batter.
The service was a bit slow overall, but we were a large group in a packed pub on a Friday night, so I can't really complain. We were also in the far back of the second floor, so it was probably a trek just to get to us.
All in all, it was a pretty good experience. There was some karaoke going on downstairs, which my group was told was non-standard for the day, but apparently another large group came in and scheduled it. It was somewhat faint given our location, and somewhat humorous in the overall. I will definitely be coming back to see what it's like when it's not quite so busy and loud. ;) -
Review from Keith B.
Renton, WA
8/28/2011
Great location, good selection of beers, KILLER FOOD!
I love this place and its one of the few pubs I take my friends to when they come up from San Diego. There's plenty of seats, all the servers I've had have done a great job at keeping the beer flowing and checking up with us to see if our food was made right. Prices are great too and you will leave with some cash left in your wallet while having a stomach full of Delicious beer and yummy (yup, I used the word yummy) food.
My only complaint is that sometimes the live bands can be a tad too loud; making it hard to talk to friends while the music is blasting on the terrible sound system.
If you find yourself in the Renton area and want some killer Irish cookin', stop by this place. (The Irish soda bread is pretty damn tasty BTW) -
Review from Nesi L.
Seattle, WA
8/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
There is no plausible reason that this place only has 3.5 stars. A few friends and I have become somewhat of regulars here because the food and the service is always amazing.
I've come here on a number of occasions, half at brunch and half for dinner. Jasmine and Ashley have taken care of us during those times & both remembered us from previous visits, which I always think is nice. During brunch, they have a list of benedicts, of which I've tried the crab once and the smoked salmon the other time. If it's possible to stay fit and eat these benedicts at every meal, sign me up! Other than those I've had the grilled cheese, corned beef sandwich, Guiness beef stew, and fish & chips and I would proudly vouch for any of these items!
If you want the absolute best service possible, ask if Ashley's section is available and I'm sure she'll take great care of you during your visit. Happy eating! :) -
Review from Michelle N.
Renton, WA
9/2/2011
I never thought to check this place out because I assumed it was more like a club/nightlife kind of place (warehouse type share, karaoke nights...) but it was highly recommened by friends, so we tried it! AWESOME FOOD!! Our first visit was on a Friday, so I had the fish and chips/clam chowder special. I have to say, after years living in the Puget Sound, this may be the best clam chowder I've had! My husband had the patty melt and he loved it. We also had the potato cakes which were extremely tasty.
The ONLY reason Irish Beauty isn't a 5-star knockout is the sub-par happy hour food menu. We've been trying to save a few bucks lately and thought for sure we could catch a satisfying HH here - no such luck. The$5/plate portions were very small; we spent almost as much as we would on two entrees and walked away without being full.
Won't return looking for a HH deal, but I'm sure we'll be back for dinner. Overall, it's a hidden gem with great Irish dishes! -
Review from Waldemar K.
Kenmore, WA
12/1/2011
Have visited three times and would definitely return, for quality of food and service. Their Hot Dip sandwich (french dip with a Guinness gravy) was excellent, their Reuben was very good and generous (though it won't supplant Citizen's Reubens for me), and their Mac and Cheese is great!. I've not had anything here that disappointed, and the service I've gotten has been top-notch.
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Review from Danielp S.
Renton, WA
12/15/2011
I'm confused about why I'm writing this review. No, I'm not drunk. I mean, that's the problem, really. I've never BEEN drunk. I don't drink! I keep trying to down a glass of wine with dinner occasionally, resulting mostly in funny faces. Beer? FUHGETTABOUTIT.
So, well, I had a raspberry lambic beer here because my daughter had one. Apparently I can down the whole thing mostly without sour faces. I can't say anything else about the alcoholic delights. Sorry. Read everyone else's reviews for that.
Here's what I do know: This place is classy for a local pub. Yes, there's the whole Irish thing going on, which, you know, whatever. I'm not Irish. But there's enough convincing Irish stuff going on that it's not even cheesy. I like the dark wood everywhere. Your waiter's likely going to BE Irish--brogue and all--and the live music is all this bemusingly real Irish folk stuff. I'm not talking Enya here, okay? I mean REAL stuff. I'm sure it's real because I've never heard it before, and because it's just not catchy enough to be fake. How's that for deductive reasoning, eh? It's just gratifying to have pleasant, skilled, folksy music played by live musicians every time I happen to show up. Again, I'm not looking for an Irish experience--I'd go to Ireland if I wanted that--but I can't even get cynical about what they've got here. It's that natural. That's not to say I think real Irish pubs play live folk music. That's not what I mean.
The fare can be pretty good. They put some effort into using decent ingredients and fighting off the grease attacks plaguing most pub food. You can get something as chic as a beet salad with goat cheese if you like, or just stuff yourself to popping with a shepherd's pie. The menu is extensive. It will accommodate just about anyone with something. It's not cheap. It's not expensive. The waitstaff is not the most conscientious, but at the same time they're happy to oblige. Very chill.
They're open way late--2 AM--though they close the kitchen around 10, I think. They host karaoke (KAH-RAH-OH-KEH, all right? It's NOT CARRY OHKEY, so QUIT SAYING IT THAT WAY! Ahem) on a late evening or two in middle of the week, if that's your thing. It's loud. We didn't stay that time. It's a little loud any time because of all the patrons and the live music. Sometimes it can be hard to find a place to park your hiney. But besides the bar, regular tables, and booths, they also have sofas and lounge chairs scattered around with coffee tables or side tables nearby, so you can generally flop somewhere if you're determined.
In summary, not posh, not a dive, not cheesy, not polished, not cheap, not expensive. Charming, a little loud, can be crowded. Good food, good music. Open late. A gem, particularly for the area. -
Review from Karrie L.
Renton, WA
Updated - 9/30/2011
Had my b-day party here and well...they sorta messed up on our seating so not everyone got to sit down at our "area" for about an hour.
We had some kids w/us and our reservation was for 7pm cuz kids gotta be out by 9. Kind of sucked in that sense but over all it was fun.
They did take off $50 from our check, but would much rather had had a better seating arraingment. Our waitress was great though. Management should have came over and appoligized in person I think.
Next year we'll do the buffet style if we have it here again, as another party had and they were most likely better taken care of that way.
NOTE TO MANAGEMENT: show your customers/staff some class and come over and talk to people if you know you messed up. That is the sign of taking responsability :-)
Your restaurant is great, just back yourselfs up. If you can't seat people at a certain time, just tell them when they call and make the reservations and be firm.
Thank you.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/14/2011
I love the food here. The servers are great also. I would have given them 5 stars, but...well, the… Read more »
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Review from Kristina G.
Sacramento, CA
8/17/2011
Overall just a great place.
1st time I went was just to check it out and have a beer...or two
2nd time hanging out with friends and family and they had live music. A lot of different kinds of beer consumed that night and all were pretty good (from what I hear) I stuck with STELLA.
3rd time went in for what we heard was a fabulous breakfasts. Yum yum.
Best corned beef the bf has ever had.
I will continue going back probably for some pool and libations.
I the kilts can not go unmentioned!! -
Review from Bran S.
Seattle, WA
5/19/2011 8 Check-ins Here
I regret the three stars rating because the food is top tier - great brunch, killer dinner, strong drinks consistently and addictive soda bread, all tremendously filling in a good way - but the service is abhorrent when busy. The servers are friendly and all that... when they're there.
It's bad enough so when my friends and I are looking for a place to eat in or near downtown Renton, we'll usually choose another establishment because we know we'd be fools not to tag on a good chunk of time to order and/or get our check(s). I enjoy Terrible Beauty's relaxing ambiance and delicious food, but would like to enjoy the rest. -
Review from Gia G.
Long Beach, CA
8/16/2011
I don't know how many times I've driven past this place on my way home and wondered what the heck was 'in there'...the giant green square of a building sort of not giving much of any impression except that it has a banner outside that says 'brunch' etc. Well, I'm glad I finally went in. WOW, was the food great! We went in around 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon. Apparently, their weekend menu up to 3pm changes from the daily menu but I wasn't too concerned because I ordered their Cornbeef on Marbled Rye (aka their hot reuben) and will now forever be a fan!!
Piled high with Cornbeef that was tender and seasoned just right. It has exactly what you'd expect in it: cornbeef, swiss cheese, sourkraut and a bit of dressing. It was so big I gave up - grudgingly, the other half of my sandwich to my hubby. When I placed my order asked the server to tell the chef that I didn't want my Rye 'grilled or greasy, but dry and toasted' and she seemed a little confused. A few minutes later the manager or chef came out and clarified it which I thought was nice...so I got exactly what I wanted. It also came with a large portion of fries though I was offered potato salad or coleslaw too.
My husband ordered the beer battered fish and chips and they were very good. I took the other piece of fish since he had my 1/2 sammy! I guess on Sundays they have a bit of live music playing...two guys on guitars playing well - not too loud or soft. After their set, the other music kicked in and it was crooners.
The next time we went was during the week. Again the menu was a little different but much more expanded. Again, I ordered the cornbeef sandwich. The server was older and understood how I wanted my sandwich (bread) not buttered on the outside. She also pointed out that they had a cold cornbeef sandwich that had coleslaw on it instead in case I was interested. This time my husband ordered the "stuffed" burger. This one was stuffed with Camembert cheese. He added bacon to it. It was thick and juicy but nothing to write home about and he continued to covet my cornbeef.
The rest of the menu looked pretty good ~ there are many starters and entrees to choose from. We went there around 3pm Monday and people began to trickle in. It's obvious this place has fans.
We later had a hot fundge brownie with icecream which was better than average. Music was Irish folk playing in the background.
A few reviews here mention 'bad service'...so far we haven't had an issue with it but I think when it starts getting busier, I can see where it might be. I noticed the server was slowing down a bit.
A PLUS - they have a good size parking lot though when it fills the street parking next to it works too. -
Review from Susan W.
6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here last month with Mom, Dad & Hubby. M & D go there at least once a month. They have been wanting us to go there for quite a while and the time finally arrived.
Maybe they talked it up too much or maybe it was just an off night. We got there at approximately 5:30pm on a Thursday night & the place was pretty busy. Had to sit upstairs. Not bad but not good either. Live music was going on downstairs. Your usual Irish bar music. The band was okay, but not my cup of tea.
Dad got his favorite fried shrimp. They looked good & he hoarded them all to himself. ;) Mom had a pretty good looking Immigrant turkey sandwich. She had leftovers to go. I had the reuben & it was decent. Not knock your socks off but better than some I've had. Hubby got screwed He was asking the waitress what she recommended between the Hooligan Housedip and the Doorstep. She said Hooligan so that's what he ordered. It seemed to be a much smaller sandwich than both mine or Moms. He was still hungry after finishing his dinner. :(
Hubby ordered a second beer that he never received so when the waitress showed up to ask if there was anything else we told her to cancel the beer ordered 20 minutes ago!!!
I might go back but I won't go out of my way. -
Review from Dan W.
Renton, WA
5/18/2011
I've been there a few times. 4 or 5.
The food was pretty good. Maybe it's better now that I hear they have a new head chef. But it was nothing other than a standard pub menu with a bad Irish-American twist. I'm not sure why they serve what they call a Sheppards Pie with Beef instead of Lamb. That is called a Cottage Pie.
The service was what I despised most. Everyone there seems to have a "you need us more than we need you" attitude. My main problem was: Why is it so hard to get a drink? Every time I have been there it seems like I have to beg them for a drink instead of being offered one. On more than one occasion I had to leave my table and go to the bar for a drink, and that was not on a busy Friday or Saturday. I would think that on Wednesday at 6:30PM I would be able to be served a drink no problem.
I'm sure I will be back. Only because friends will drag me there. I won't be back by choice. -
Review from Jenny R.
Los Angeles, CA
10/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best food in Renton hands down. It's a pub so don't think fancy. We got a variety, Reuben, Fish and Chips, Prawns and Chips, Chowder, Mac and Cheese, Fried Cheese, Potato cakes, Irish Nachos and chicken strips. All was delish!! We sat upstairs where it was quiet. Full bar was awesome!! Love, Love, Love....highly recommend.
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Review from Aubrey G.
5/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been coming here since it was Giant's Causeway back in the day. Lots of fond memories here :) It's gone through some ups and downs since then and it's currently in an up!
The owners of Terrible Beauty have really taken this place to it's full potential. The decor is just fascinating to look at. From the giant Irish flag colored curtains to the ginormous bar shelf with the big clock in the middle. There's also lots a little cubby hole booths with chandeliers that give off a nice glow. They recently put in an Irish store with all sorts of goodies imported from Ireland and fresh home made Irish snacks.
Their prices are decent, about $3.50 for a domestic. Haven't had their food in a while but last time I did I remember it being good.
There is something for everyone here. The place is huge with a second story loft that looks over the bar below. Their is pool, foosball and live bands on the weekends ( which I actually don't like because they're way to loud and usually not good)
The only other downside is that they monopolize on St. Patty's day, charging $25 just to get in and they up their prices on everything. It used to only be $10 to get in and the prices stayed the same. Oh well guess we all have to make money somehow. Overall this is a great place to come and kick back with some friends and have a great night. -
Review from Kay N.
King, WA
7/21/2011
This is a only a food review. We did not try their beers.
We came here in a weekday night and it was semi-crowded. The sign says seat your selves so we just picked a random booth to sit down. They have menus already at the table so you can choose what you want to eat while you wait for your waiter.
My bf chose the Shepard's pie and I chose the peach pork chops. I love my dish, it was delicious! The pork chops was moist and I believe it was slightly fried because I could taste a crunch which made it even better. It had peach chutney on top of the pork chops which was fantastic! It came with two potato cakes similar to hash browns and a side of sour cream to dip it in. It was good, and there were also some cabbage as another side to my dish. My bf enjoyed his dish and said it was better than a different irish pub we went to last week. We got brownie a la mode as dessert and it was "okay," we wouldn't necessary order it again.
Service can be a tab bit slow, but it is a pub. The server was courteous and gave us what we wanted in a timely matter so I gave it a 4. -
Review from shirley l.
Seattle, WA
12/22/2011
I dont know why I never stopped by sooner. Definately a gem of Renton's that I'm kinda glad not everyone knows about because I would hate if it were more busy. Love that they have such a huge beer selection - great spot for a get together. As for food, the dubliner burger and the house made sea salt & vinegar chips gets two thumbs up from me! This spot has easily become one of our new go-to eateries!
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Review from Becky B.
Bonney Lake, WA
4/6/2011
I've been to A Terrible Beauty 4 or 5 times now...why, if it's so bad have I frequented it so much? A few reasons.
1) I really want to like this place, it's locally owned and operated, has a great backstory about the new owners retaining the old owner's employees and all that heartwarming jazz.
2) My first experience time was with a rueben that really knocked my socks off; a departure from the traditional, with mouthwateringly good corned beef. So, like the crack addict who is always chasing that euphoric, first high, I am drawn like a moth to a flame.
3) It's very close to my office.
4) price/quantity of food ratio is above average, for lunches.
5) I took a large party to lunch there for a special event, pre-ordered our meals and everything was served, hot, fresh and fast on time.
Now, why I won't go back.
1) Service. Inconsistent at best, but for at least 3 times out of 5 it's been terrible. Servers walking past the table, without offering water or to take your order. Servers not checking back on the meal and forgetting drinks, messing up orders etc.
2) Food Quality, again, inconsistent. My first reuben was a masterpiece, of perfectly succulent and tender corned beef, beautifully toasted bread and a lovely bite of mustard. Subsequent ruebens have not measured up to the first; burnt bread, dry and unflavorful corned beef, skimpy amounts of meat (which maybe was a blessing, since it was dry and overcooked). Brunch was horrible; meager portions, dry and chewy corned beef on my "benes" and slow, turtle like service. I've had the mac and cheese, and was turned off...congealed cheese, not creamy and a resovoir of grease...no thank you. Fish and chips were decent, but there seemed to be something "off" with the cod...maybe I just prpefer halibut or rockfish, hard to know.
3) Servers and their "naughty irish schoolgirl" outfits. Really? Give me a freakin' break.
Despite the Pros, listed above, the cons have over time, rendered this joint to the bottom of my lunch list. I really wish I could like this place, but it's just not worth the possible dissapointment. -
Review from Mike W.
Renton, WA
3/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place seemed pretty interesting. The atmosphere is great, and I like that there's an upstairs and a pool table. However, maybe it was just a coincidence and I need to go back to be sure, but the service was really slow. Like molasses. Servers kept walking by the table and no one would stop. Drinks became empty, order hadn't even been placed yet... I dunno, I was really not impressed with the service.
On the other hand, the food was really good, and the beer excellent. And the beer selection was pretty decent too. I didn't have any problem finding something I wanted to try. Also, they had live music, a small jazz duo. That was really neat, and really added to the atmosphere. It wasn't terribly busy when I was there (Sunday brunch), and it looked like it could accommodate larger groups. So all in all... tottering on 3 stars I think. If the service was better, it would be a more solid 3 and possibly even a 4. We'll see, I'll probably go try them again some time. -
Review from Dest S.
Seattle, WA
9/30/2011
BEST CARROT CAKE IN THE WORLD. A super comfortable local bar with an amazing staff.
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Review from Kate S.
2/23/2011
Brunch, brunch brunch brunch.
That's where it's at here at A Terrible Beauty.
I mean, you could come here for late night suburban pint pounding, or enjoy yourself a lovely shepherds pie for dinner with a shot of Jameson, but their brunch is what makes my Irish blood sing and get happy. I recommend the Irish breakfast - but be wary. Come really hungry or extremely hungover (or both) otherwise you'll have more food than you know what to do with. And what brilliance the traditional Irish breakfast is! I mean, come -- this combo of fried eggs, bangers, rashers, potatoes, soda AND potato bread is a culmination of thousands of years of tradition from a place that knows something about fighting off brain-melting hangovers. And if you are like me, plan to repent yourself of this fried-meaty meal by having a salad as your next 3 meals to balance it all out.
The building is large and quirky -- lots of fun seating options. Plenty of yummy beers on tap, just the service is spotty and some of the servers weird (in the bad sort of way) which keeps me from giving these guys another star.Listed in: Suburbia! (Renton funzees), Beer. Beer beer beer....
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Review from Larena H.
3/4/2011
If I were to sum this place up in one sentence, I would say: It's endearing in its own special way.
We happened to stop by here around Halloween, and it probably had something to do with the holiday, but the people watching was great.
The Reuben sandwich was acceptable, and the service was friendly and prompt. They had quite the ale selection as well. Portion sizes were rather large, so sharing was an option. -
Review from Meghan F.
Seattle, WA
4/30/2011
Great little hidden gem in Downtown Renton. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but walk a few steps through the front door and it's a warm, inviting, fun little Irish Pub. We arrived around 6:45pm on a Friday night, perfect timing because most of the tables were taken by 7pm. There was live music (fantastic female singer/acoustic guitar) and a vibe of celebrating the end of a hard work week.
Great menu-lots of choose from, all with an Irish Twist. I had the Reuben with the homemade salt & vinegar chips-amazing. The corned beef was moist and falling apart, marble rye was perfect toasted (a tad on the buttery side) and the chips-OMG I could have eaten an entire plate of those.
The hubby had the Plowman's Platter-good for the low carb diet crowd!
Overall I loved the atmosphere, service was decent, and the music was perfect. We'll be coming back for sure. -
Review from Dion F.
SeaTac, WA
3/25/2011
There is only one reason why A Terrible Beauty is getting this rating. That's because of their waitress Aaron (sp?) The decor is nice, in of itself. They have good food and good drinks. But there was nothing about this place that said "Keep Coming Back". I had decided that (the last time I went) was going to be my last. It was boring. The live band was playing the same set list they play every week. Etc
Aaron remembered us from a week before, and she immediately came over to make sure that we had been helped before. To make a long story short, She kept us entertained, we asked her to just make us some random drinks, and she did phenomenal. Etc
I enjoyed my time there so much, that i'm going to become a regular. Thanks for hiring her! -
Review from Henry L.
2/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was surprised to find such a cool venue in Renton. Sorry, I usually get my drink on in Seattle or Bellevue. It's simultaneously open and cozy -- just depends on where you sit. Upstairs there's board games and a foosball table or as the French would call it, "baby foot." There's a large number of beers on tap. Check the wall. Unfortunately there's no descriptions of the beers so I just went with one of my usual beers.
The pub grub is pretty standard Irish-influenced faire, but I thought it was all done well. The biggest surprise of the night was the cheese burger. The cheese was in the middle of the patty rather than on top.
There was live music while we were there on a Friday night. Not sure how often there is live music, but I'd assume most weekend evenings.
If I could change one thing about this place it would be their name. I'm sure it has some significance but I just don't like it. -
Review from Dennis S.
Seattle, WA
2/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A Terrible Beauty is a photastic name for an outstanding Irish pub in downtown Renton! It's a great spot to go for dinner or to meet friends over some whiskey or beer while eating greasy food and listening to live Jazz music.
I usually get the reuben sandwich when I hit up this spot. Delicious. I've also tried they roast beef dip. Delicious also.
The service at this place can be a little slow, especially when they get busy, but the servers and bartenders are attentive and know you're there.
They layout at this place is worth noting, with two stories (more like one and a half) of seating. Pay attention to the fun Irish accent of the bartenders and servers when you go to this place!
