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Warm, comforting setting. A bit pricey, but reasonable for being part of a hotel's restaurant. Dinner was sophisticated and delish without being pretentious. Absolutely enjoyed my morning cup of coffee by the gas burning fire on a chilly October morning.
Four spatulas
We were out at the Willow's Lodge for our anniversary, and went to the Barking Frog for brunch based on the many good reviews on Yelp and recommendations from friends and co-workers.
Service was decent, but not anything special. The dining room is nice, we felt very comfortable. Luckily we were in when the dining room was practically empty, I can imagine it would be very noisy in there when the place is full.
Food is where the place loses all its stars. Everything we ordered was lack-luster, mediocre, and could be had better and for less money at most neighborhood bar & grills.
The croque madame was mostly just a giant mound of bread that dominated the plate and didn't allow the other flavors any room to shine. The side of sweet potato fries were just OK.
The breakfast burrito was served with burned on grill marks that gave the tortilla and unpleasant charred flavor. The burrito filling was bland, the eggs overcooked, and overall barely helped out by the side of chutney.
The mac and cheese, that the waiter assured us would be awesome, was runny, seriously lacked in cheese flavor, and was missing any hint of richness and decadence one would expect from a high end rendition of this dish. Go to Scott's Bar & Grill in MLT for a real mac & cheese experience.
We were impressed with the wine menu, but considering it was an early brunch we didn't have a chance to explore it. I doubt we'll go back for a later meal just so we can experience the wine list, the brunch we had was just too much of a turn-off.
So I went here with extremely high expectations. I have tasted chef Bobby Moore's food and I was looking forward to trying his dishes.
I arrived before my date and was greeted by a very nice hostess. She asked me if I wanted a drink prior to my guest arriving. I hate it when people don't acknowledge you until your guest arrives.
I asked the server for a recommendation upon hearing the prawns are their specialty I opted for the prawns. OK so looking at them I thought it doesn't look that different but then I tasted them. They melted in my mouth. They had a hint of crispiness but were not fried. They were cooked to perfection and were so incredibly tasty that we ordered another order.
We had a few drinks and retired across the way to the Fireside lounge. They have a late night happy hour with lamb burgers, calamari, the prawns, sweet potato fries, salads and alot of other great dishes. I highly recommend this place. It was like being in Montana but only 20 min from the city. The ambiance was incredible. There was a Louis Vuitton party next door and i was so hoping for a party favor lol.
I want to go back and try the full course meal when I go with a bigger appetite.
20 stars! Well, actually it's kind of a haul to get there, so 19 stars.
Barking Frog is, by an untouchable margin, the BEST overall dining experience I've had in the Northwest. Service was impeccable. The Sommelier is a dream. Wine list reads like porn. The food was to die for. Ambiance is outstanding. (We had an awfully good table though - luck of the draw).
For the first time in my life I had bread pudding and understood what all the fuss is about. It's totally pudding-like! But made out of bread! And all this time I've wondered why people order nasty chunks of old bread with syrupy goo all over it. I might never have it anywhere else, but I will have it every single time I go to BF. Awwww! BF! That's it. You're my BF, Barking Frog! My restaurant BFF.
Best advice: be experimental with your food choices.
Don't make the pilgrimage all the way out to Barking Frog and order f'ing halibut. Come on, people. Seriously. Live a little.
Me and my Fiancee went out for a dinner at Barking Frog yesterday... considering the menu price, we decided to order one dish per selection instead of orderting two dishes.
For appetizer, we had Grand Marnier Prawn, which was really good and we truly enjoyed the dish.
For Salad, we ordered Beet Salad , which was okay nothing special about it.. in fact that was my first time trying beet, so I have to say that I won't be eating beets any longer knowing the nature of the taste..LOL
For the main dish, we ordered the Hawaiilan Marlin, and it was absolutely delicious!... We really enjoyed the main dish and decided that we'd definitely come back for that dish...
For dessert, we had roasted lavender, peach crumble with ice cream on top, which I didn't care for much. The lavender taste is so strong that is all you can taste.
So judging from the four dishes, I would say between A-OK and Yay- I'm a Fan... but will definitely come back for the main dish... they are truly delicious!
This is a tough one to review. At various times during the meal the review in my head bounced back and forth between a 3 and 4 star rating, but I finally settled on 3.
We had a $100 gift card from a friend to come here. We'd eaten once long ago and only recalled that the tables were too close together.
The tables are still too close together. And they're too long, so your date seems like they're sitting a mile away. And it's loud (and we had a loud talker know-it-all at the table next to us, which didn't help).
Our service was awful and spectacular. Inattentive, slow, hard to hear, and when he did choose to stop by our table always seemed to be rushing off to someone else's table with wine glasses or something. We had a LONG wait before our order was taken. A LONG wait before they brought our bill. Too long a wait for our appetizer too. So where does the spectacular part come in? Our water girl. She was awesome and did a fantastic job keeping our water glasses full at all times (seriously, she was great!)
The food varied between awesome and so so. We had figs and ham for the appetizer and it was fabulous. I had the crab salad with pickled peaches. I would never order it again, yet it was strangely tasty in an odd inredibly pickled kind of way. My date had the arugula salad which was fine, but just arugula salad.
For main courses I had the "hawaiian marlin" which was cooked perfectly and absolutely amazing. Alas it was on top of a very odd crispy rice thing that didn't do it for me. My date had the beef tenderloin and she absolutely loved it (it was really tasty, I managed to sneak a taste).
So all in all it was a mixed bag. Most of the food was delicious. The service was bad. The tables are too big and the place is kind of noisy.
We just went here for Sunday brunch and had a wonderful experience! We've been here for dinner during the 30 for $30 special and really enjoyed it and thought to try it for breakfast...
The weather was good so we sat on the picturesque patio which distracted our two year old since she loved the fountain. We had the huckleberry pancakes which were light and airy with a yummy syrup. The omelette of the day was wonderful with its well seasoned potatoes and biscuit.
We definitely will look forward to coming back...
I was glad to have finally been able to try the Barking Frog, as I had seen it many times on my way to the Red Hook Forecaster's Pub. We arrived for the five o'clock sitting, and availed ourselves of a glass of wine. We had the popcorn lobster, which was good but a little greasy. I had the stuffed pork chop and my date had the salmon. My chop was grilled to perfection, yet I was a little dismayed to see both it and my side dish were covered in cilantro (not my favorite, and I hate to have scrape garnishes off my food). My date's salmon was quite good, but it was the Yukon Gold potatoes that had her in a state of bliss.
Bottom line, the food was good, the wait staff was attentive, and the dining room was pleasant. My one objection is that it seemed a bit overpriced for the meal, even with the expectation that it would be pricey.
I loved: the atmosphere, service, and location.
I could take or leave the food. Being a non-seafood eater my choices were limited. I had the beet salad to start, and hanger steak for the main course. The beet salad was pretty good, but the steak left a lot to be desired. I know it's not the best cut of meat, but man - I could barely even chew through it. I've had a better $10 steak at Chinook's!
LOVED the coconut ice cream for dessert. Had several glasses of the Viognier they serve by the glass which was amazing.
The place was EMPTY when we went, which was a Friday, at 8pm. There was one other table with guests, and a few people in the bar. Not sure if that's any indicator.
Glad to go and experience, but not quite sure what all the hype (and price!) is about.
I have gone to the promised land. Once again....in Woodinville. (I mean seriously folks, 50+ tasting rooms, Redhook and now Barking Frog on my list!) Barking Frog rocked my world.
Luckily my dining partner let me choose anywhere I wanted to go and haven't been, so Barking Frog was up top of my list. We arrived a little early and walked across the way to have a drink at the Fireside Lounge, which was nice. The restaurant called once our table was ready, promptly at 8pm, which was our reservation time. We were immediately greeted again, and seated close to the fireplace which was nice because of the Arctic Blast, and I was freezing.
Our server Brian was AWESOME! Totally outgoing, willing to share his honest opinions and a fan of Brian Carter. Yay! After perusing the impressive wine list (which is heavy on the Washington wines... woohoo!) I chose a Mark Ryan Blend Dead Horse which is Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot/Petit Verdot perfection. He even brought out a carafe so the wine could decant more as we ate. Good call!
I stuck with the choices on the 3 course for $30 deal, and I am glad I did. I started with the Grand Marnier Prawn. Jesus Mary and Joseph.... yum. My dining partner had the beet carpaccio which was good, although I am not a huge beet fan. Next up, the American Kobe Hanging Tender, Riccotta di Bufala and Lobster Ravioli, Truffled Bearnaise, and Pickled Fennel. Holy CRAPPPPPP! I smelled the truffle goodness when it was set down in front of me. The raviolis were amazingly full of lobster. My friend got the Smoked & Braised Kurabuta Pork Shank, Controne Beans, Braising Greens, Pancetta & Olive Vinaigrette... which was also tasty, but we both agreed the ravioli/kobe combo was superior. Finally, dessert... I got a pan de chocolate and he got the buttermilk panna cotta. The texture on his was odd, so we both happily shared mine.
Overall, AWESOME. Go, run, walk while you can and try that lobster ravioli. Also, awesomeness when a couple overhears you talking about you working at Brian Carter and have to introduce themselves as fans. Yeah, kind of a rock star, shee shee night.
Tops in my lists of French toast. It was amazing. All I can say is that I wanted to lick the plate because the caramelized almonds were stuck to the plate! French toast was made perfect, not runny or dry and the syrup was warm. Roasted potatoes were wonderful as well. I would stop in for breakfast again if I were in town, and in the area- a little out of the way of Seattle. But my best bud has great taste in restaurants.
Cozy, warm atmosphere and looks like a fun place for dinner. A fancy dinner with wine for sure. I would have more details but its been over a year since I have been- but I can still taste the yumminess.
Also next door is a brewery that serves 'beer floats'.
Do frogs really bark? I feel like they croak. Although the Croaking Frog isn't a very fitting name either because isn't croaking another way of saying dying? I guess I don't want to eat somewhere called "dying" frog. I guess Barking Frog has a nice ring to it and at the very least it makes you curious as to what the f it is.
I'm still digesting the brunch I had here. I ate a lot. I'm very full. Our table gravitated towards the lunch-esque items rather than the breakfasty items which I think was a good call. The french toast was ordered and was just okay. Rather disappointing in my opinion, but nothing was wrong with it.... just a very average dish.
The lunch-esque items, however, were divine. We had an order of the Grand Marnier Prawns which were cooked to perfection and coated in the most delicious sauce imaginable. Slightly tangy, citrusy, sweet and oh so creamy! The waitress mentioned the complexities of the sauce require it to be made over a week long period. Crazy. I had the ceasar salad as a starter which was crisp and refreshing. The dressing managed to be extremely creamy, garlicky and parmesany without being overly heavy. For a main course I had the Beecher's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. It was warm and hearty which was a pleasant welcome. It was a little too reminiscent of an alfredo sauce, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
When it comes down to it, everything was enjoyable, but it was only the prawns that really wowed me. The ambiance and impeccable service rightfully award an extra star. Not sure if I'll be racing to come back here for brunch, but I eagerly await a time in which I can come here for dinner.
Chef Bobby Moore's award-winning Barking Frog is the "bomb". This is a foodie's dream come true. Everything is amazing: Service, ambiance, food, desserts and the mostly Washington wine list is incredible!
The menu changes by season and Chef Moore continues to innovate. Many years ago, I remember the menu having more "game" items, but today's menu is more mainstream and better!
Their Sommelier has done an incredible job of assembling the Best of the Best from the Woodinville valley wines. This is always a Wine Spectator Top 100 wine list. Often, I have been in the Barking Frog and run into a winemaker or an exec from one of the many successful wineries.
It's really hard to pick a favorite dish as the menu continues to change based on the seasonality and availability of ingredients. My wife loves the ahi with bok choy and I'd agree this is a great preparation. I've had great steaks, great duck, great seafood, and never been disappointed.
Seattle is really lucky to have a restaurant of this quality and at these prices. If this restaurant were in LA or New York, you couldn't get a reservation and the bill would be 3X.
I had both lunch and dinner and my only comment to the restaurant would be: Get rid of OpenTable. Several times, the restaurant has shown up with "no availability", and I've called and alway got in. Usually, it wasn't even crowded. Something is wrong where OpenTable doesn't realize how many tables are available.
Actually, I would like to give 3.5 stars.
I have always heard rave reviews of this place, so I was excited to hear they were apart of the 3 for $30 Dine Around Seattle deal. On top of that, the Grand Marnier prawns were available, and I was told that was the yummiest item. So, my hubby and I decided to make reservations for dinner.
I think it would be easier if I just broke it down...
- Food: Really good. You must combine all the items on the plate to get the full effect of the Grand Marnier prawns. I enjoyed all the flavors paired together. I had the Kobe shoulder/lobster ravioli entree which was a-mazing. The ravioli was rich enough to satisfy, but not overly heavy, the meat was tender and juicy, and the tasty pickled fennel was a great addition to all the dense flavors. I finished with the ice cream sandwich sampler and wanted to live in the walnut ice cream/walnut-cranberry shortbread cookies. My hubby had the pork crepinette and didn't really enjoy it, but thoroughly enjoyed the prawns and the panna cotta.
- Atmosphere: There is a general warmth and inviting feel to the restaurant, until you check out the clientele. We both felt out of place, as if we needed to be in our mid-40's enjoying our three-figured paycheck. As the night progressed, we saw more varying ages and dress, so maybe we just eat too early...
- Service: The server was good, but not personable. Nonetheless, all the wait staff was spot on with filling our water, additional bread, clearing the table, etc.
Basically, I enjoyed the food and will probably visit their establishment again. However it will probably be for a special occasion only. I would say the only thing I regret not partaking in was their wine selection. I think I will probably go to the hotel's cellar/bar for their happy hour... I can enjoy their yummy prawns again!
3.5 Stars.
I went here with my friends for the "Dine for $30" deal and had the Duck French Onion Soup, Kobe Beef Cheeks and Bread Pudding...
Over all the place is very inviting, has a Lodge like feel to it (must be romantic in the winter with a touch of snow). But the food was So-So. It was between good and meh. Which is the type of dinner that makes you leave.... unsatisfied. Here's where I thought the problem was, each dish was waaaayy toooo overworked. Everything had something "lavish" in it and was smothered in 'sauces/flavors". I would have preferred the Onion soup with out the duck (it tasted gamey), the Beef without the apple bits and scones on the side (it was like eating apple pie with beef bits in it). Both beef and apples would be great without each other. And the Bread Pudding was wayyyyy to sweet.
It was almost as if the chef's tastes buds had gone partially deaf.
For $30 bucks it was great. But if I had, had to pay the actual menu prices I probably would have left angry.
We Ate @ Barking Frog 2x this weekend, Dinner for my Birthday, and the morning after for Breakfast.
I have to say, the Dinner was one of the best I had in the last year. We splurged on the tasting menu, which started with a foie gras terrine, that was pretty tasty. Moving on was a Warm Dungeness Crab timbale, which was amazing. A ton of dungeness crab, leeks, and roasted apples in a drum shape. Very good. The main dish was a beef tenderloin on a bed of Kale and Risotto. Barely could finish the dessert course. With a bottle of a local washington red ( Januik ) the meal and the service was sublime.
The next morning ( we stayed at the hotel across the way ) we had a wonderful breakfast. I highly recommend the dinner, the Breakfast was alright. Her waffles were to die for, but my southwest frittata was above average, nothing to write home about though.
All in I really enjoyed Barking Frog and it is now one of my favorite places on the eastside, which seems like a foreign country to a west sider like me.
We had dinner here for Easter, and I think the company and the atmosphere made the experience more than the food.
I had a lamb shank that was excellent, but the special halibut that 3 other people at our table had was just okay.
The waitress was very helpful and pleasant, as was the rest of their staff.
The price was of course ridiculous, but you go into it knowing that so I cannot complain about that! Although if I had ordered the halibut and paid that much for it I would have been severely disappointed.
I would perhaps recommend this place, but honestly there are better restaurants within minutes that I would recommend before the Barking Frog.
Arrived in a party of 5 looking forward to a terrific meal. I had heard rave reviews and maybe my expectations were too high...
Decor: Pacific Northwest/upscale. Lots of wood. Tableside fireplace near the entry is welcoming. An imposing glass walk-in wine cellar at your entrance on the right highlights many of the local Pacific NW wines. It's a dressy, date-night kind of place. Unfortunately, you will have to contend with the highbeams of cars swivelling around the willows lodge parking loop as you eat -- which at times gives the surreal impression that you are eating in a parking garage.
Wine list: Heavy on local wines but with a good selection. We selected both a white and a red for the table.
Menu: The first half of the menu is starters/small plates. The second half is entrees (seafood/meats). Food is typical Pacific Northwest/Pacific Rim fare but nothing stands out as inspired. I believe they had a tenderloin, kobe-style shoulder, lamb as well as panseared swordfish, panseared tuna, and maybe two other dishes.
Our waiter greeted us and literally RANKED every item on the menu for us after taking our wine order. Many, like myself, appreciate an assertive waiter who can helpfully steer you away from menu selections that may not match well... but this came off as overbearing. Our waiter made no attempt to try to match a dish to the individual preference of his customers, he only re-arranged the chef's menu in a most popular to least popular order, and, in so doing, compelled nearly everyone to choose one of two dishes: the lamb and the ahi tuna.
The wine arrived and our waiter, despite the protests of our host, proceeded to pour BOTH the red and the white for everyone. Now, in my book, you would take the red with the lamb, the white with the tuna. A waste to pour both especially without asking -- and to me, a guileful and mean ploy for a table to purchase an extra bottle of wine. Our whole table was annoyed.
The salads were nondescript and bland. The dressing seemed to be simple oil/vinegar/mustard but without something to set it apart which is strange because the Barking Frog is steps away from the Herb Farm where they seem to have elevated the salad to an art form.
My tuna, a miso-soy seared ahi tuna served rare with pot-stickers arrived and was not a total disappointment. The tuna tasted supremely fresh, tasty, and definitely sushi/sashimi grade. Unfortunately, it was greatly marred by the overly salty miso/soy sauce that had puddled and congealed on my plate. The pot-stickers were burned on the edges and the dough too thick. I have honestly eaten better pot-stickers at Panda Express. I was left with an overlying thick taste of salt on my tongue.
In the end, it was a two star meal weighted down to a lone star by our overbearing waiter.
With so many excellent dining choices in Seattle, why bother shelling out for mediocrity? Save it. I was embarrassed for my host who had recommended the place so highly and sat shame-faced and apologizing at the meals end.
So we tried the "Dine Around Seattle" which was three course meal for $30. I had Grand Marnier Prawn - American Kobe Shoulder Tender - Buttermilk Panna Cotta and my boyfriend had Yukon Potato Soup - Smoked&Braised Kurobuta Pork Crepinette - same dessert as mine.
My meal was perfect. Everything was delicious. The Kobe Tender was with creamy sauce and lobster ravioli and it was probably one of the most delicious plate I've had for a longest time. The weird part of my meal was the dessert: it was a very strong and unique fruity pudding with a butterscotch stick. I was unable to describe what it was. It was somewhat bitter, sweet, sour, etc... see? indescribable. lol
My boyfriend's pork dish was too dry for me. not juicy enough and didn't look that tasty either. They served it with beans and it just didn't feel like it was cooked long enough.
The service was alright.. the main server was polite and was trying to do everything possible to make it work, but there was just too much going on inside the restaurant...moving the tables, chairs, constantly walking around the small spaces between the tables, etc... felt too crowded in there.
I would come back for the food but maybe not for the atmosphere of the restaurant.
Some of the best food on the East Side, but at a hefty price. Went there last week for a customer dinner and was not disappointed. The menu, while not the most exciting, is very well executed in most cases. Highlights include a wonderful baby arugula salad with goat cheese and apples, which was a better choice than the duck confit and smoked onion soup, which was way heavy and had way too much duck. The salmon, while perfectly fine, was overshadowed by fresh ravioli of peas and mushroom, which were even better. The walu was also an excellent choice, and overall, fish dishes outshone meat dishes, although no one ordered the $55 beef tenderloin. Portions were very generous, so we only tried one dessert, which was a spicy creme burlee. It actually had a kick. Interesting, and yes, probably like the original chocolates from the Aztecs, but not really my cup of tea.
The wine selection is another plus, with many choices from NW vintners. Actually, it probably had one of the best selection of local wines, but again, with most bottles over $60, definitely pricey. Service was adequate, but not exceptional, although we avoided the negative experience of some of the other reviewers. That could be due to the fact that there were only 3 tables filled that night, and with the economy in the toilet, it looks like high end restaurants will have a hard time filling tables. Overall, the Barking Frog is a solid restaurant with an excellent wine list, but all of this comes at a cost.
Since we were staying at the Willows Lodge (very nice by the way) to celebrate a special occasion, we decided to make reservations at the Barking Frog for dinner. We'd had lunch here a few years back (which was quite good) and thought it was a safe bet.
While our server was quite nice, I cannot say that our food was. Since we had both had salad for lunch, we started with the popcorn lobster. It was quite tasty and was filling for an appetizer for two. And while my 8 oz. Beef Tenderloin was what I expected, my wife's Wild King Salmon was not. It was even a bit too raw for my sushi-loving tastes, and my wife could not stand it (she unfortunately doesn't like to send things back to the kitchen). However, the separate sauce they provided for the salmon was pretty nice. Our creme brulee for dessert was only decent and nothing to write home about.
So considering that the bill for our food was ~$130 for two, I doubt that we will return to the Barking Frog for dinner. While it was very nice to dine in Woodinville for a change, we know of countless Seattle restaurants that are cheaper and offer more consistency with their entree options.
Good food. Ate off the brunch menu. I would love to try the dinner menu. The food was fresh and local. I liked the mac and cheese. Very nice atmosphere. The communal table around the fire looked fun. Service was a little uneven. I give it a smiley face.
I might have bumped the review up a star if I had ordered something else off the menu or if the service had been a little better...but for now we'll go with three stars. We went here for a late brunch Sunday morning after dining at the Herbfarm. There was no wait (the place was maybe half full). Since I had eaten so much for dinner last night I just wanted a salad. I ordered the Caesar salad, and was a bit surprised when it came out with whole anchovy slices on the side. I know some people like their salad that way but usually I've heard of it being crushed up in the dressing, meh, whatever, it was a good Caesar salad, nothing earth shattering.
My boyfriend ordered the mini kobe beef burgers, which were phenomenal. The rest of the breakfast entrees I saw on other tables looked awesome too (and were huge portions)...enter major case of food envy.
Service the whole time was very strange. There seemed to be only one server working the whole dining area, so at times there were gaps in service. But then I look over and see no less than 4 servers just kind of hanging out in the hallway between the dining room and the kitchen. I only saw one of them come out the whole time we were there, and he just waited on one table. Were they all on break? Were they working room service or catering for the lodge? Who knows, but it would've been nice to have another server in the dining area so we weren't sitting around twiddling our thumbs waiting for the cheque.
The dining area is pretty cute and "lodge-like" and they have a nice patio area for the summer. I really like their round dining table that is situated around the hearth too. As far as dress and bringing children - brunch was super casual, everyone was in jeans and I saw several families with small children who all seemed to be enjoying their meal.
I started the evening off in a FAB dress and feeling like I was having a Cinderella experience.
I was absolutely looking forward to the eveing and was expecting great things.
The lounge was perfect. We had a great server who brought me the best Cosmo I have ever been served. As my dinner partner noted... they did not hold back on the alcohol in the cocktails. Our server in the lounge was personable and attentive. Perhaps we should have called it a night.
The food was all okay... but at those prices, it should have been outstanding! Our waitperson left us feeling virtually ignored, and the portions were so small that we all left hungry.
We won't be going back, but at least we tried it.
I have to say that I really, really didn't like this restaurant. After some wine tasting in the area, my family and I had reservations here and were really looking forward to it. There were 4 of us and we all ordered different things so we got a good mix of items but they were all bad.
The Dungeness crab timbale was good until we got to the middle of it and it was frozen! I was the lucky one to discover this as I took a bite and tried not to throw up at the table. The Grand Marnier shrimp was ok, nothing too special but probably the best thing we ate that night.
We all ordered different salads and thought they were pretty tasteless. Maybe they forgot the dressings or something but they were not great.
As for the entrees, my mom could hardly eat her pork chop because the piece of meat was all connective tissue or something and she couldn't cut through it. The rest of us didn't like our entrees much either (the beef tenderloin, scallops, and beef cheeks) and for such an expensive meal that is ridiculous. The chocolate espresso s'more sounds great but we couldn't taste the espresso or the s'more (marshmellow).
I will not go out of my way to get back here anytime soon.
I went to Barking Frog as part of the $30 for 30 Dine Around Seattle promo.
I loved the ambiance. They had a big fireplace/firepit in the middle and had a festive lodge feel. The restaurant was much smaller and more intimate that I expected, which was perfect for catching up with old friends!
For the appetizer, I had the French onion soup. It was well done, and it was the first time I had French onion soup with beef inside. For the entree I had the Kobe beef cheeks -- which were nice and tender. Finally for the dessert, I ordered the bread pudding with ice cream a la mode.
Overall, I enjoyed the meal. The ambiance took my breath away, but the food while quite good, wasn't spectacular or memorable.
When I go back here I'm going with 10 or so people, however many you need, and we're going to sit around the big giant table that has the fire in the middle of it. The exposed wood in the lodgey feeling dining room makes you feel like you're in Napa and the mountains, and on the east side all at once, but not in an overwhelming way.
We happened in for the 3 for $30 which is interesting only highlighted on the menu by little frogs, because, hey, if you're not in the know, why don't-cha pay full price (or so they must think). Happily, things I would have ordered were the things being offered. Both the fresh salad and my sole were wonderful. Dessert was a little flavorless but the server who brought by a few comp'ed glasses of wines we had discussed throughout the night was a great touch. And oh the wine, should indeed be mentioned. We got a bottle of Westery Pinot Noir and it was amazing to the point that I clearly wrote the vineyard down and will drink it again.
A semi-hidden gem, often overshadowed by the Herbfarm next door.
Wonderful for brunch the morning after an Herbfarm evening where you spend the night at Willow's Lodge.
But also hands-down fantastic for tasting menu + pairings for dinner as well. Always just downright scrumptous, interesting yet comforting flavor profiles, excellent service, etc.
One thing I'm not a fan of is the close-together tables, packed in a little tight against the wall.
Especially for breakfast, sitting by the in-room "open hearth" style firepit is a treat.
The atmosphere was stellar. My baby daddy and I dined with a group of foodies with a penchant for wine and witty conversation. We all sat at the stone table with a gas wood fire as the centerpiece. Attended to by a wait staff keen on Northwest style, we were served without a sense of urgency, a jaded sigh, or any sign of remote inadequacy; swoon baby. And since the wait staff was willing and able to put their ego aside, the food shined. While some say food tastes better when it looks better, I feel food tastes better when it is served better. In the words of Edina Monsoon "I don't want to drink a cup full of your anger." Cheers sweetie.
I sampled Elk and several heady wines (the ice wine was a delectable after dinner treat) in addition to the Sea Bass, Spinach salad, and the Washington Apple Tart for dessert. My date for the evening claims to have no sweet tooth but shared in the devouring of mine anyway. The Sea Bass was a beautiful thing. Teased and titillated, my taste buds were swimming with delight. I wish I had the recipe. It was a very memorable dish in the most positive way. So I do not hesitate to give the Barking Frog two around the world snaps and a zig zag back.
Barking Frog in Woodinville is a credit to the marketing promotion that is Twenty-Five for $25. Generally, I am fairly disappointed in the restaurants that are participating. They throw together an appropriately priced tasting menu and there you have it. Lame.
Not the Barking Frog - they offer three selections for each course off of the normal menu (which is dang pricey) and don't make you feel like you are ordering off of the early-bird special menu.
The wine list is extensive with a small but perfectly thought out selection of wines by the glass. I don't want to be overwhelmed by a wine list. Just offer me a couple of solid choices in each category and I'm smitten.
The crab beignets started off the meal just right. It's like someone hugged crab cakes with a donut - brilliance! The main courses of trout and grilled chicken breast were perfectly seasoned and well prepared. I don't know what types of people are complaining about the portion sizes, but I had to get the rest of my entree boxed up to take home. Sure, you aren't getting tex-mex portions here, but you are getting more than nouveaux joke food for sure. And, the desserts were amazing. The creme brulee had a touch of coconut milk in it that really made it stand out and the chocolate cherry terrine was a nice spin on a chocolate mousse type dessert.
The restaurant was perfectly cozy, not too bright, not too loud, just a great place to enjoy a meal. Some of this may have to do with the fact that the hostess that evening was our very own Yelper Adrienne H who ensured that we were seated at a very nice table. I'm not a fan of the banquette style tables or the communal tables, so I may have a different take if sat inappropriately.
This was definitely one of the best dinners I've had in a long time. Perfectly prepared food with great service all served up in a wonderful atmosphere. Take that internal restaurant snob!
I enjoyed dinner outside in the courtyard, next to the fountain. It was very serene. The wait staff was solid. My date (a first date) did not see anything she liked on the menu when she viewed it online from home but wanted to see the place anyway. I think she enjoyed the evening despite getting her filet mignon butterflied and thoroughly grilled to a state resembling Siamese hockey pucks. [BTW: It was prepared as she requested.]
My meal, on the other hand, was fantastic. I started with the foie gras. It was wonderfully tasty, though the portion was so small I thought perhaps they believed they were doling out gold. I followed up with the sea scallops. The portion was ample and delicious.
The only drawback to a very pleasant evening was the attack of the mosquitos as it grew dark. Maybe they wanted to draw out some of the foie gras slowly moving in sludgelike fashion through my bloodstream.
It's a beautiful restaurant which delivered a very nice evening.
I went here on a recent business trip, and absolutely loved this quaint little restaurant across the driveway of our lodge/resort... plus the fact that it was "free" made it even better!
Overall, I was pleasantly by the quality, consistency, and flavors of each and every dish our collective table of 5 ordered.
The wine list is extensive, complete with mostly nearby CA and local WA wines. We had the Northstar Merlot 2003 (I lost track on how many bottles) the whole night - which I highly recommend. My only regret is that we didn't visit / do tastings at the Northstar winery.
On to the food....
We each ordered our own appetizer, but I did make my rounds around each one: from the popcorn maine lobster, to the spiced sea scallops beignet and other seafood dishes. I opted for non-seafood that night, and ordered the steak tartare/beef carpaccio with raw quail egg to start with. Not a regular of beef carpaccio/raw quail egg combo, I was feeling a little adventurous, but it was worth it in the end. The juice (or should I say, slime) of the quail egg went extremely well with the beef carpaccio, and was nicely complemented with the thinly sliced beef carpaccio. The popcorn lobster and scallop beignets were just as delish - you can't really go wrong with big, fresh, deep-fried seafood.
For my entree, I ordered the wild boar. It was prepared medium rare, and was juicy, tasty, and to my liking! It left me craving the next day for more wild boar, but you don't see that often on a menu.
We finished the night with the Washington Apple Tart (we're in Washington for goodness sake! apples were succulent, crisp, and full of flavors), Chocolate Bread Pudding (so-so, tasted more like a cake than bread pudding), and the Creme Brulee.
Service was to the tee (is this the correct saying), which only added to the perfect dinner.
Highly recommended, and an awesome alternative for those (like me) who couldn't/didn't make it to the Herbfarm next door.
One word... AMAZING!
Not knowing what to expect - I ventured out on Valentine's night... I ordered the tasting menu and was blown away. By far the most amazing meal that I have ever had. I enjoyed a little taste of everything... for a few extra duckets I could have had a wine pairing with each course but opted to wait for next time.
From beat salad, to seared Ahi tuna and Kobe beef... with a palette cleanser in between made from fresh Washington apples... dessert had to be exceptional for it to grab my attention and was it ever, a flourless chocolate cake with a homemade raspberry sorbet... again AMAZING!
I was definitely spoiled --- had a hard time getting back into my regular routine with lunch at the local deli the next day!
The Barking Frog has a warm open fire where guests can sit around a circular table and either dine there or chose to sit at one of their quaint tables with simple white linens... I must say the multiple forks to chose from was a little over whelming --- minus me not knowing which for to use for what... I muttled along and have to say I can't wait to go back...
Looking for an experience --- looking to impress your date (I received a single red rose at the end of our meal)!!! ;)
Be like Nike and just do it!
I heart the Barking Frog and you will too!
I drove to the Columbia Winery in Woodinville on Saturday with my wife and son to pick up our tickets for wine tasting next weekend ("A Passport to Woodinville"). It was about 1 pm and everyone was hungry. We noticed the Barking Frog and decided to give it a try. Wow! Glad we did.
They were serving their brunch menu. I had the Cascade Breakfast, while my wife had the Southwest Frittata, and our son had the Mac and Cheese from the kids menu. If you've read some of my other reviews, you know I have a weakness for a well made Bloody Mary, and the Barking Frog's bar did not disappoint.
The real hit, though, was the Southwest Frittata. Very tasty. Also, when they ask you if you want toast, english muffin, or biscuit, take the biscuit. The biscuits are locally made and they're delicious.
I would have given the Barking Frog 5 stars, except that I though that their service was a little slow and inattentive. For the prices they charge (not outrageous but not cheap, either) they should not be stingy with the number of servers working. All things considered, though, that was a minor issue in comparison with the quality of the food and I still highly recommend this place.
The barking frog probably wouldn't be my first choice for a date. Given that it is often forgotten tucked in behind the Herb Farm and near several more casual more attentive restaurants, like the golden goat (just down the street), I often forget it as an upscale option. I recent ate there with some business colleagues and enjoyed myself. The service was very good making nice recommendations for wine with dinner and the apps were very good.
The food was high quality but nothing to write home about. I felt like the ingredients were good, but the fish seemed over cooked. The reason this restaurant is overlook a lot of times comes down to the lack of that "something special" that you can find in many restaurants within walking distance...
Give it a shot! We went during the dine around Seattle promotion. Definitely worth going then for the deal. Otherwise, it's a little pricey. The entrees were good, but the desserts were bland.
We ordered the dungeness crab watercress salad (interesting and tasty!) for an appetizer. I ordered the Kobe meatball and pasta entree (pasta is nothing mindblowing, but just good food) and my b/f got the sea bass with asparagus/etc. (definitely would order again--fish was flaky, a little crisp on the outside, and smooth and buttery on the inside).
For dessert, we got flan and a German chocolate cake. He liked the flan, but it wasn't anything better than you could get at a cheaper place. The chocolate cake was boring and tasteless.
The service was awesome. We got to get a copy of the menu, we had our table turned so we could both sit on the booth, the server was very well-informed about the dishes and shared this information with us.
Cozy atmosphere, large fireplace, very romantic. It was packed when we went, but it was during a promotion. I recommend making a reservation (we did).
Sandwiched between 2 of Woodinville's most popular wineries, the Columbia Winery and Chateau Ste. Michelle - also next to the Redhook Brewery, and close to Delille Winery as well as many other local wineries in the area - The Barking Frog is a great place to eat after a day of some fantastic wine tasting.
If you are looking for GIGANTIC portions and low prices (as previously mentioned in a review), go to Claim Jumper (gag). The meals here are perfectly proportioned!
Fresh ingredients, thoughtfully prepared and presented meals by Chef Bobby Moore and Scott Lents, and a staff that is dedicated to excellent 5 star service. They are kid-friendly and also offer a great children's menu.
Over the past summer they added a large wine cellar showcasing local Woodinville wines. By the way - did you know that there are over 40 of them in this city?
Many of them you may have never heard of before, but they are some of the best. Try the Popcorn Lobster, the Grand Marnier Prawns, or the Ocean Sampler for your appetizer with a glass of Chateau Ste. Michelle's Eroica Riesling or Steven's winery "A Thought" Sauvignon Blanc. With your tenderloin I suggest trying Baer Winery's URSA, Mark Ryan's Dead Horse, or Gorman's Bully. The service staff and thoughtful sommelier Jeffrey, should be able to give you some great recommendations that will please your palate and compliment your dinner selection!
Many of these great local wineries aren't open to the public - but if you go across the street to the Willows Lodge Fireside Cellars Bar, you can taste these great wines Monday - Saturday! They have also recently added a "Happier Hour" from 4:30-6:30pm with special prices on their "Specialty Cocktails" as well as some 1/2 price wines by the glass, and fabulous appetizer specials like their Burger Flight (Salmon Slider, Ahi Slider, Lamb Burger, Kobe Burger), Grand Mariner Prawns, Corn Fritters and Garlic Fries!!!! YUM!
I have just found my new favorite haute cuisine restaurant on the eastside! The dining room is small and intimate with a fireplace to keep you warm.
The menu is very creative and has a fair amount of variety. We started off with the Grand Marnier prawns which were very tasty. My boyfriend had the chicken with truffle cream sauce, oh my god what an amazing dish! The flavor is so amazing we had to go back and have the chicken again! I had the ahi tuna with short ribs. It seems like an odd combination but it was very good. The real test of any fine dining establisment for me is their Creme Brulee and the pastry chef at Barking Frog hit's this one out of the park! The creme is the perfect texture and the extra thick burnt sugar is a nice touch.
I will warn you though, make your reservations several days if not a week in advance as it's usually completely booked and for good reason. Enjoy!
Another 25th year anniversary dinner, this one with Susan and I, at the Barking Frog. This restaurant was recommended by an office mate, so I made the reservation. When we arrived the hostess congratulated us on the occasion, and sat us at a great table. Then came the water server who also congratulated us. The server did too, and suggested a couple of appetizers - both were excellent. Dinner followed, which was excellent too. Ditto for dessert.
The menu is well-thought out, with plenty of variety. The chef and staff are excellent. Service is top notch as well.
I really liked the vibe of the restaurant - casual but classy. I saw people come in shorts so it is pretty relaxed.
The service at this restaurant made me want to check out Willows Lodge across the parking lot.
Definitely recommended!
Yum! Since I've never had to pay for a meal here (someone else has always treated me), I haven't had to worry about the cost of what I've eaten.
The location and atmosphere are both great. It's nestled in between the wineries and Redhook and its soooo pretty! It's not overly pretentious but the restaurant still manages to feel special. Plus the service is amazingly attentive and thoughtful.
The food is amazing. The wine list is huge and their desserts are elegant and original. If the price scares you, head there for lunch--you still get a great experience and meal with a smaller price tag attached to it.
Woodinville, WA
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Woodinville, WA
Category: Hotels
Woodinville, WA
Category: Wine Bars
Woodinville, WA
Category: Italian
Woodinville, WA
Category: Restaurants
Just a quick list of my favorite Seattle (area)…
