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Categories: American (New), Lounges
Neighborhood: Capitol HillMon-Tue. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Wed-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"I had my first time at Liberty last night. Since I wasn't able to get things done in calm environments, I thought that I'd try this one. I…" read more »
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Some years ago, in my previous Seattle incarnation, I worked in the Broadway Market on Capitol Hill, yet I never went to the Bleu. I know ~ Sad, now that I know what I missed!
As soon as I walked in the door, on a Sunday afternoon (when the free parking had already made me happy!), my eyes were as wide as a child's: Full of wonder at the little, private, cool little booths that lined my path to the bar. At the end of that path was Nikki, who remembered me from years ago on Cap Hill.
At first I thought it was just the funky, great and personal decor and the fabulous, warm and exciting reunion that made the place rock, but then I realized that everyone at the bar was talking to strangers! And not in the boring or superficial way ("What do you think of those _(fill in the team)s_"?). I actually assumed they were all friends, and had all come in together!
My daughter and I played Scrabble there, while super-stylin' Nikki played the fabulous gongs she'd just bought at a trade show, and we all talked like a Real Neighborhood. Who knew?
We were given free beer (mmmmmm!) 'cause we had to leave our nice booth before our game ended. Someone had reserved that booth. Again, who knew (that was possible)? What a great place for a private conversation or first date or a gathering with friends, known and unknown!
I love Bleu's famous wasabi grilled cheese sandwiches! Their nachos are also mighty tasty and I always get their Guinness/Chambord cocktail (I'm blanking on the name) when I visit.
My only gripe about the place is the seating. You'll be literally rubbing elbows with people at the bar when they're busy. I liked sitting in the tiny two-person booth the first time I was there despite being 6'5. My worst seating experience happened when we were sat at a regular booth. Two girls in the booth next to us (same bench seat) kept elbowing me through the velvet curtain while making out with each other. GET A ROOM, PEOPLE!
Bleu's wait staff is friendly (especially the bartenders) and I've experienced good service from them the majority of the time. I highly recommend it as a good lilly pad choice for a night of bar hopping.
This was the first place I went to when I visited Seattle. This was on suggestion of my friend. The place was cute, not a whole lot of seating and I liked the little private "booths" (not recommended for those who are claustrophobic).
The service was good, the staff was friendly, the food was GREAT and the drinks were awesome.
I had the veggie BLT which was awesome. We also had the nachos which was really tastey and the spring rolls (I think they were called rabbit rolls) which came with a great spicy mayo.
The drinks were awesome. I had the key lime pie which was really good. They also gave us a "sex at my house" for free because the bartender accidently made it which was also really good. I highly recommend going to Bleu Bistro, but call ahead of time to reserve a table.
Great comfort food, fun booths, nice beer list. Perfect, cheap date.
I'm a tall girl (6'1") with a tall boy (6'9"). Tall boyfriend gave it shot, but he couldn't sit comfortably in any booth/chair they sat us in. We all felt bad, it being his birthday an all. Sorry, birthday boy! No big boy booth for you!
I went back a couple of days later with another tall female friend of mine. We knocked our knees against the bar. We squished in a back corner booth. We had great drinks. GREAT DRINKS. Drinks that are not listed on the menu. I don't remember the name of the drink nor the bartender. I'm mentioning it, because the drink had a gin and cilantro, plus other stuff, and was supposedly the bartender's original creation. The bartender had black hair, worked Wednesday, September 30th. If you know this guy (or are this guy) email me! I will be going back if only to savor the holy grail of gin drinks.
Also, we were tripping on the vampire vibe this place had. If you go to the Bleu Bistro, I will be the loud tall girl that is laughing her ass off because she is too drunk to realize that vampires are not going to get her. Come by our table and say hi!
The ultimate date place to go out for drinks. dim lights, fantastic drink menu, and awesome mad hatter grilled cheese!!! good customer service!
but be warned, like everyone says, it is small. If you go are going on a busy night and get one of those booths with only a curtain between you and the next table, be prepared to have a few elbow nudges. I dont mind the small space though. It's kinda cute. :-)
Not a bad way to die: Joshua makes me a few of his World's Best margaritatatas (Wednesday night bartender), I suck them down between pleasure ridden bites of Wasabi Grilled Cheese, steal a few kisses behind the curtain from this dude that keeps forgetting my name but I forgive him 'cause he makes up funnier ones like Babezilla, stumble back upstairs to my apartment, drunken key fumble, fumble, fumble, yesss, no!, greeted by blast of hot air from my arch nemesis, the radiator, so hot, so hot, so profanely hot,
rush to the window, sticky, stuck, jahaaaaAAammmitt!!! fall out my window and am impaled on Bleu's patio posts. There's worse ways to go. See you in Heaven, Joshua's margaritatatas.
I had heard a lot about Bleu Bistro. I had heard tales of it being a great intimate date spot and that infamous wasabi grilled cheese sandwich. When my date suggested we meet there I was excited but my expectations were slightly high due to the overwhelming good reviews I had seen here.
Bleu Bistro is tiny. If you have any kind of claustrophobic issues I would surely stay away. You enter and there is a narrow hallway. To your left and right there are small pockets of seating. If you continue down the hall you pass buy matchstick box size tables. Privacy curtains are there but if first meeting someone those close quarters may be a bit uncomfortable. Keep on walking down the hall and you'll hit the bar and more seating surrounding it. I met my date right in the front of the restaurant which gave us the perfect amount of room. As far as decorations go they are random and few and far between. In a place as small as Bleu is, interior design has to take a back seat. There was a bit of the feeling of being in a basement.
The menu seemed to have more drink items then food. I spotted the wasabi grilled cheese but passed. While grilled cheese is one of the greatest creations known to man, wasabi isn't my most favorite side. I decided on the vegetarian BLT. My date chose the wasabi grilled cheese.
Our salad arrived. A plate of mixed greens with light dressing and to my surprise a dollop of hummus. It was a great start to a heavier meal. The sandwiches followed and I found it to be okay. It was Morning Star bacon piled high with two unknown, yet delicious, sauces. My date noted his sandwich was tasty.
The waitress started out checking in on us frequently and being by the open door she wanted to make sure we weren't cold. As the night progressed, her visits became more sporadic, then became nonexistent. After flagging down another waiter for our check, we started a scramble. Another waiter was only going to charge us for the drinks we had on the table. After explaining we had more he disappeared to try to sort out the mishap. Apparently our waitress misplace or didn't leave our ticket when she took off. Finally our ticket was retrieved and as a sign of a thank you for our honesty, a round of drinks were free. I do appreciate the gesture but we ended up having to stay much longer than we expected because of the missing waitress and bill.
Really, if I could, I would give Bleu Bistro two and a half stars. I didn't find it as exciting or the food as good as many others have. Sure, it was great for a date because you are forced into someone's personal space therefore you have to be engaged but other than that Bleu didn't impress me like I hoped it would.
So in a quest for the best kick ass first date ever, my oh so handsome date suggested we head over to Bleu Bistro and he knew the perfect seat for us.
That man is smart.
After a frantic run to the bathroom for me (a girl has gotta pee) we were seating in a L shape booth that was pretty private. The first drink I saw was "smack that ass" and I stuck with beer. :) My date enjoyed his drink as well. We spent a good two hours in that booth talking about Seinfeld, Family Guy, life etc and when the time came, a nice kiss. I am not a big PDA person, but didn't feel like everyone saw us swapping spit since the spot was pretty private.
If you want a good spot to make out. Go here. :)
While visiting Seattle on vacation, my bf and I were starving and looking for dinner. Our concierge directed us to Bleu.
I don't know what is more confusing, the menu at Bleu or why our concierge recommended it.
The food was terrible. Overcooked pasta, bad bad bad mac & cheese, sauces that tasted old like from a random jar you find in your fridge, and flavor pairings that were just totally wrong.
The food menu is confusing, randomly ordered sandwiches, pasta dishes, salads, and random tapas. I still don't get it. And I'm still mad about how gross my mac & cheese was. Who can mess that up?
The drink menu is extensive and creative - I'm not sure how tasty the cocktails are because I didn't drink. Maybe I would have enjoyed my meal better if it consisted of only spirits. My bf had a nice off-the-menu gin concoction made by the friendly young bartender.
Our service once seated was terrible. I honestly thought our waitress forgot about us, since we were sitting in a dark booth near the front of the restaurant...but the entire restaurant is dark booths, so I guess she was just slow. Like, we couldn't even find her to pay and get the f out of there slow...we saw her only once the whole meal when she took our order....but I could hear her taking care of a table on the other side of the curtain as us.
Speaking of curtains, the restaurant is full of dirty, dusty curtains and drapes, and there are partitioned booths scattered about. I liked the creativity of the set up. The cleanliness level made it seem like an old attic full of old crap from Aunt Ida.
Basically I think they should change the name from "Bleu" to "Blech".
OK, I walked in and was briefly mesmerized by it's old-world Europeon charm - from the rustic,eclectic, and bohemian decor, to it's small scale and intimacy.
It's kind of a tight squeeze, and most of the dozen booths or so only seat a couple. The size, the fabric, and low-light atmosphere really promotes low-level conversation, and hanging out with a date or a friend or two - really nothing more.
Tawnya greeted me with the ebullience of a fun-loving, respectable 20-something, kind of like, "Honey, seat yourself anywhere you want..." I sat myself at the bar, while she was scrambling about, and was clearly the only one bartending and waiting tables. I overheard her commenting on the fact that she's never had such a busy rush thus far in her six months of employment, and I made mental note to be forgiving :-)
Tawnya asked for my drink, I asked her for iced tea, and they had none. I got the feeling, and it was implied, that she wasn't going to make it, so I asked for water. To be honest, she had been trying her hardest to give me the best service possible, and I totally appreciated and respected that!
I asked her about the wasabi grilled cheese, and she offered up the "happy hour special", which included the sandwich and a salad for $4.99 (regularly 8.99) - with the purchase of a drink. She asked for my drink again, and I mentioned that iced tea is really the only drink that I ever order; Tawnya was gracious enough to say something like, "Honey, you're gettin' that ice tea." Again, I really appreciated her sole herculean efforts of serving up the lunch crowd with the only two hands she had!
In the meantime, Tawnya came back to apologize for my expected wait time and served me the salad - which tided me over. She even offered me some chips just in case I was still hungry.
I waited a good half hour for my food, and it was worth it. The grilled cheese came on sourdough with a trio of dipping sauces as well as two slices of tomato, some onion, and two leaves of romaine on the side. I think that the dipping sauces tasted like apple sauce, wasabi mayo, and miso vinegrette - though I am not sure.
Tack on another 15 minutes from the time I finished to closing out the transaction!
I had already set my expectations low, felt empathy for Tawnya, who also felt really bad for her customers: she didn't charge for the iced tea. I really liked the food and setting, had no complaints, and tipped extra. The bill, with tax, came out to shy under $6, which was well worth it.
I'd come here again.
my favorite bistro in Seattle. Yummy food.
I was sad when they had to remodel it. It used to have these great little "treehouse" like seating areas.
Damn fire code.
The boyfriend and I ended up coming here on a whim on a Friday night. I fell in love as I walked through the narrow hallway past booths tucked away in every nook and corner, each with curtains for a perfectly private dinner.
The drink list is wonderfully descriptive, which makes it hard to choose where to start. The Gin Fizz was superb. As for food, the Portobello Mushroom sandwich was amazing! We were too full for any desserts, but I think that will happen on our next visit.
And I will be back!
This place is cute but I somehow rarely say, "Hey, how about bleu?" Could be the long wait to get drinks/food delivered to the patio. Could be that it is often hard to find a spot for more than 2 people. Don't get me wrong, I do like it but I just don't LIKE it. It is a cute place and nice for a quiet night.
They have a loooooong list of drinks with dirty names which can be hilarious. Just try saying, "I want a dry hole." without laughing. The little booths are fun but can make me feel just the teensiest bit claustrophobic. All the food I've had here was pleasant but nothing to rave about.
To sum up my positive impressions: charming, stick to the drinks.
To sum up everyone's not so positive impressions: avoid the food.
If you're Japanese or like small tight spaces packed with character, come on in, grab a booth, and enjoy a drink :D
Are you a romantis reprobate? Take your special friend to Bleu, it's not hard to be flirty when the mood is pre set by the atmosphere loaded with a languid desire that slowly wafts through the air, noo wait, that's the smell of their delicious mac n' cheese. Either way baby it works.
Heaping portions, enchantingly dark, and a little mysterioso.
Imagine a gauge rating a venue's gestalt character from bland to eccentric. Bleu Bistro pegs the needle at eccentric just before the meter shorts out from charm overload. It's an utterly unique gem with character in spades but its charms are not for everyone.
Among the features everyone should enjoy are:
- A surprisingly deep menu. Indecisive types need not apply as you will have several choices in several categories of food: bar nibbles, lighter soups salads and sandwiches, hearty plates of comfort food. Tacos! Vegetarian items! Pasta! I particularly enjoy the grazing plates offering pickled vegetables, hummus, breads and little arcane surprises like a mason jar of brandy-stewed pear wedges. Don't avoid the facon -- a meat-free bacon substitute with all the crunch and smoky-salt of the real thing.
- Bold, delicious cocktails. The bar specials tend toward the bright and flashy (think blue curacao, cherry liqueur) but sometimes you want a high-powered girlscout drink and these pack the requisite punch. Bar standards are handled with aplomb. Beer and wine selections are good.
The list for love-it-or-hate-it territory is much longer. I happen to fall on the love it side of most of these:
- The dining room is a warren of tiny (and I mean really, very small) booths, curtained-off tables, little perches, and in the middle of it all a little bar. Small as the bar is (I bet 10 people could perch on the stools around it) it seems to defy the laws of physics to exist in such tight quarters.
- Did I mention this place has a character all its own? I doubt uptight folks expecting a high-touch dining experience will make it past the front door. In case this happens, the menu will be the next obstacle. It's a smattering of genres and content. The lost and found form provides humorous social observations. Bleu history is well-represented. It's longer than you'd think. It rambles, sometimes returning to topics you'd thought quite done. It also features solid descriptions of the food. Exploration is rewarded.
- Service is friendly if not sometimes constrained by the environment. These folks navigate a tiny restaurant full of patrons. If they aren't always at your table right when you want them to be, it's not because they're goofing off.
Be willing to exchange some convenience and speed and Bleu will reward you with a charming experience outside the dining norm.
Such a cute place. Very romantic. Great use of such a small place.
If you go there you will spend a bit more than your average fair.
This is one of my favorite places to eat when I am in Seattle. I usually am there at night, a stop before my final destination. This last time I actually went there for lunch and got to sit in the front, by the window. The atmosphere at Bleu is fantastic! There's always awesome music playing and the cozy curtained booths are so romantic and private. I usually get the same things when I eat here, the cheese plate and the wasabi grilled cheese. The size of the cheese plate varies, depending on how many people are sharing.
This time we opted for the $12 cheese plate because we wanted the tasty pears. Whoever made our plate must have been feeling really generous because it was loaded with so much tasty goodness (more than the usual generous amounts). Lovely mounds of roasted garlic, numerous olives and creamy herb cheese. Always ask for extra rolls if you plan on eating all those tasty treats.
My wasabi grilled cheese was perfect. Perfectly toasted and melty cheese. I love that I get three dipping sauces because I can never decide which one I like the best (however I think I lean more towards the peach sauce). I always feel like I should be paying more because of the fantastic food and experience I have every time I go to Bleu.
The only thing wrong with this place is that it doesn't take up an entire block and therefore, you may have to make reservations.
The food is across-the-board awesome, the drinks have never let me down and if you want privacy, you have it. It's romantic, though some of the smaller booths definitely dissuade being physical (probably on purpose).
This is one of those places you take someone when you want to wow them with Seattle.
I love Stephanie E's summary: "sexy, dark, curtain-y, intimate." This place has some killer herbal and floral martinis (ask Justin to make you something), and the ambiance is unique in Seattle. It reminds me of a little Amsterdam bistro, tucked away in the heart of the city.
Tres cool.
Sexy, dark, curtain-y, small, intimate. They have a lavish drink menu and delicious Italian salsa. I had a few too many and ended up ordering too many rounds of too-expensive drinks, but at the time it was well worth it. I had some sort of open faced sandwich involving a lot of cheese, and due to the hearty portion had to leave most of it behind. It was a mellow evening, mellowed more so by the Shins playing overhead, but lovely nonetheless. Also, you can elbow the person in the next booth over through the curtain if they get too rowdy.
When I walked into Bleu a man and woman sitting at the entrance complimented me on my jewelry and after telling them I made it, they went on to tell me many things...like how they make jewelry, they like big jewelry, the dude is engaged to a waiter down the street, they got engaged at a Celine Dion concert, and he was an out of work (drunk) cosmetologist.
I liked them.
My friends had already found us a cubbyhole to uncomfortably sit in, so I made my way in only to begin the LONG chill at Bleu. I suppose I caught my initial greeters during their long chill too, because Bleu is just that kind of loungey place to sip drink after drink and munch little crunchies until the dark gets light.
The group is eclectic here, some have dreads and tattoos, some are men dressed as women (god that guy would have been hot straight), and some are just semi-normal, emotional peeps like me.
It isn't a 'blow your mind' kind of place, but it could be a 'blow your something' kind of place...
This place seems pretty cool, if you can get a place to sit. It is very small and has booths with curtains. I told my friend that they were called porn booths and she believed me. Laugh out loud.
Instead of getting my usual Jack and Coke, I decided I wanted to try one of their drinks on the menu. I couldn't figure out what I wanted and by the time it came to me to order I looked at the menu and saw raspberry kamikaze and ordered that. After ordering it I looked at my friend to confirm that I ordered a kamikaze. He said ya, then kicked my ass for it. The drink was ok, you get it in a martini glass and a shot so you do get what you pay for, just didnt really feel a buzz coming on. Also thought the service could have been a little faster.
This would be a good date place and if I ever get the balls to ask a girl out this would be on the list of places to take her.
Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
What a unique restaurant--perfect for an intimate, romantic evening. If you can get a table outside, it's also good for some drinks with friends. I wouldn't sit inside with something you're not VERY comfortable with though...
The inside seating is at individual, boarded-up and/or curtained booths. The atmosphere is great. They leave the lights down low, play some great music, and the servers are always friendly and helpful.
Their drinks menu is huge, and everything on it is good and strong. The food is tasty too. I haven't had a single dish at Bleu that I wouldn't order again. The bruschetta with pears is especially glorious if you ask me.
This place it great, and favorite date spot for me and my guy! The food is incredible, and the drinks are delicious and strong. I've tried about four drinks there and each got me pretty buzzed, two and I'm good for the night, haha. I've ordered the wasabi grilled cheese, which is very good, but my absolute favorite is the Portobello Sandwich! It's mouthwatering and keeps me coming back. The environment is a bit tight but romantic, I like how you can seclude yourself with the sheets they have hanging. It's also good for a group of about four as well. The only problem I have is that the lights are a bit dim, but it's bearable.
Wow.
Ok, granted ,my new guy took me to Bleu, and I was already smitten so Bleu may be benefitting from my current state of ephemeral joy.
BUT, I also think this place just rocks. The food is tasty and not too expensive. The drink menu is huge and varied. The music was cool. We had reservations and got a private table with curtains to keep out the "not-in-love". I don't know if all the tables are like that. It's very casual so you can be your sexy self without pretending to be a big shot.
There's bathroom wall style writing all over the booths, and they're made with unfinished wood. It's not fancy schmancy but at the very LEAST, it's as sexy of a dinner date as going to some five star restaurant and you're probably twice as likely end the evening with naked snuggling.
Bleu is the perfect date spot. Almost to perfect. I remember taking a date here once and the waiter looked at me and said "You I know" then he looked at my date and said "you I don't".
You know its bad when you are using dates as a way to go out and eat.
My welsh charm and wit barely got me out of that one.
Bleu is one of the more unique restaurants in Seattle. I like having an excuse to grab a drink here or possibly the spinach ravioli.
The atmosphere is intimate and story book romantic.
They have these tiny booths that you can sit in and pull the curtains on. Once in your cozy little romantic cocoon of happiness you cannot help but feel somewhat romantic if not entirely.
In your cocoon of romance (I have been watching a lot of venture brothers lately) there are sometimes candles, sometimes mirrors and always those cool curtains. If you make reservations ask for one of the booths up front. When you get towards the back they open up a bit more.
Bleu is a must for someone looking for fun, romance or a memorable night.
This place is across the street from rite aide and is the last stop on the capitol hill perfect date.
Yum. I love Bleu's atmosphere, but more importantly the grilled cheese. It's so fun to go on a date here. It's kind of odd with the service, because they can't always see if you need something, but overall it's great.
This place has great drinks. Order one drink, and you invariably get a side car, i.e. refill. Totally rocks. That being said, the booths are interesting. They're tiny... which can be slightly uncomfortable, but it can also create a nice intimate atmosphere for a date. Go for the drinks... and know the foods pretty decent too.
LOVE everything about this place!
It used to have a bird's nest-like artistic sculpture in the doorway, which I miss. But it still has that amazing interior decor that I fell in love with instantly, the first time I waddled in.
PositIVEs:
The lighting in Bleu is non-existent, YAY for romantic/funky mood darkness!
The seating is private and fun!
The food is different, and SO full of flavor!
Open Late!
The drunks at the teeny bar are an earful of valued conversation!
Seriously, they know what they're talking about, advice wise and all!
The bartender makes MAD strong drinks (drive home carefully)!
I always enjoy this restaurant, and everytime I order something new I love it!
REcoMMendAtions:
Be open more often!!!
Pull the curtains, I want to hide at Bleu Bistro! Hide, and drink, that is. If you're looking for a private date setting, this is it. This is a charming, cozy bistro with plenty of little alcoves. Even the little space by the front door is secluded and sexy. I didn't want to leave.
Bleu offers a plethora of drink options. I had the mojito (served in a mug!). It was magnificent, with just the right amount of lime, mint and sweetness, and a sugared rim, which was a pleasant surprise. My companion had a chocolate martini, which was also quite tasty.
I can't wait to go back and peruse the rest of the mile-long drink menu. No one has to know I'm there...I'll be the one in the back, behind the curtains...
Bleu Bistro is the best at customer service I have ever experienced in my entire life. It is impossible to have any complaint whatsoever about anything there. The food will blow your mind. The drinks taste great from beer to tequila. I had the Mediterranean Open Sandwich. Great price for the food I purchased and it was an amazing combination with beer. For me there aren't many foods I can eat while drinking. Inside is such an awesome feel. Everywhere you sit has it's own pretty much sealed off area in a booth. Happy Hour is a must here and I would recommend anyone to go to get some amazing food and service.
This is by far one of my favorite places to go in Seattle. I will definitely miss it when I move. Whether you're visiting Seattle or you live here, this place is for you!
love love love this restaurant! It looks like the inside of a rickety old houseboat or something, but I think that only makes it better. It adds character. Friendly staff, great ambiance, and the food is delicious and fairly priced. Plus they have that special deal on some days (sorry, can't remember which) where if you get an alcoholic drink, sandwiches are only $5. And these are pretty extreme sandwiches too; comes with a salad and everything.
Highly recommended.
This is a pure 5 star review. Place is so darn near perfect it's scary.
First.... your experience will depend heavily on your bartender. This is a bar that employs true mixologists, not just pourers. Some of the concoctions on their menu are absolutely phenomenal and are prepared with care and caring... I personally think that the "Rusty Bitch", brilliantly prepared with a great combo of Scotch and Cinnamon, is one of the best drinks available for order at any bar in the nation.
Every element of the place is well executed. You sit in these gorgeous wooden coffin-cabins that seclude you and your date from the hipster heaven that is Capitol Hill. The menu is a work of modern art. Every one slightly different. Food is fantastic. The well-publicized wasabi grilled cheese is just the beginning.
Here's the kicker. This place classifies as a "dive bar". I think that both of us walked out spending less than it costs to go up the misleadingly named Space Needle.
Yes, I'm a fan! This place is the greatest! Especially at night.
I'm sure you've heard that they have the greatest grilled cheese sandwich in the city/country/world, but seriously, it's good! It comes with three dipping sauces that don't sound like they would be good with a grilled cheese, but oh-my-goodness!
That's just ONE of the many things I love about this place. It has the coziest, funkiest and, even, sexiest atmosphere. It's like walking onto an Alice in Wonderland set for adults who like to eat and drink.
It's definitely my number one date spot (though I haven't taken anyone there yet.. what does that tell you about my dating life? haha).
I mostly go there alone though to be honest. It has a nice cozy bar, friendly staff, and good prices to match.
Oh, and frosty cold mugs for your beer, does it get any better?
What a wonderfully bizarre place. If you like Chez Gaudy then this place is for you (it's the same owners I think?)
The Pesto pasta and Mac and cheese is orgasmic. I would know, my pants are wet right now...
It gets two stars because I have had good meals there before. But this place just doesn't get service.
If it was just slow, I would be somewhat forgiving. But tonight I called to place an order to go. Which I have done many times before.
On a Tuesday night mind you, I was told, "Sorry, the kitchen is too busy."
Not, "Yes but it will be 45 minutes, or an hour." But we won't take your order at all because the kitchen is too busy.
....Keep this up and that won't be a problem for you much longer Im sure.
Why doesn't Des Moines have joints like this? Or maybe they do and I just haven't found them. It's more fun in Capitol Hill anyway.
So I had a meetup with a new guy. Interesting. But that's neither here nor there.
We had a spot right near the bar in one of the cute little booths with curtains. The bad thing was that the crash of dishes each time they bussed a table was really obnoxious, but I guess that was part of the fun--laughing at each other every time one of us cringed with the clanging sound of dishes being tossed.
My martini was decent, but the stout they offered (forgot which one--not Guinness) was very tasty. I also had the Mediterranean open faced sandwich which was covered in tasty feta with olives, tomatoes, and perhaps a little too much garlic. I swear I kept waking up during the night because I couldn't stand the leftover taste in my mouth.
The person I was with had a chicken pasta dish which he said was good but he only finished part of it and opted not to take it home. Maybe he was so enamored of me that he lost his appetite. Ahh yes. I do that to people sometimes.
They also started us off with a salad each, which I didn't expect. The greens were tossed with a light vinagrette and had a small mound of either hummus or white bean spread, and came with a piece of garlic toast, heavy on the garlic and oil.
Aside from the food which I thoroughly enjoyed, I also liked the intimate setting, the graffitti on the walls, the fun and rambunctious crowd, and the playlist--Raconteurs and Belle and Sebastion--come on now. How can you not like it?
Bleu Bistro gets my award for most original restaurant concept in Seattle! It's basically a maze of secluded tables in various configurations affording diners an intimate experience...possibly too intimate in some cases!! I felt a little freaked out in this super-tiny curtained-off cubbyhole with my 6'2" dining companion...but I checked out the other tables later and some of them appeared to be just right for my slightly claustrophobic self.
Don't get me wrong though-- it was super cozy and sexy, and the food and service were top-notch! I ordered some kind of bruschetta with pears and cheese and a salad that was super big and good...but after all that wine, I honestly can't remember many details! My friend swears by the Wasabi grilled cheese and it looks like the Masala chicken and fish tacos have gotten mad props from multiple trusted sources. The bar area looked swanky as well, I hear the cocktails are stiff. I'll have to go again and try a non-claustrophobia-inducing table...just might change the review to 5 stars if everything was as good as last time!
Oyster Hour Weekdays 5 -7pm!
Neighborhood: Columbia City
Thanksgiving Day at Sazerac
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
Category: Southern
Seattle, WA
Category: French
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