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Cafe Juanita
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
174 reviews for Cafe Juanita
Review Highlights
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"...Best Chef Northwest winner Holly Smith, Cafe Juanita offers..." In 11 reviews -
"Wild Gulf Prawns with Avocado, Breadcrumbs and Heirloom..." In 3 reviews -
"...course, hubby had the squash blossom risotto and I had the..." In 4 reviews
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174 reviews in English
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Review from Neil W.
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
From the exterior, you Cafe Juanita is aa rather boring, even dated, restaurant. This is an illusion. I will spare the details, as this place has been reviewed a lot, but this was one of my top dining experiences so far.
The service was impeccable. Our server, Clayton, was well informed and extremely nice, never smarmy. The rest of the staff was incredibly nice and welcoming.
I did not have a bad dish. I started with one of the "Apertivi" drink and small bite items. The drink, one I cannot remember, was sweet without being cloying and was a perfect start. It came with a single crostini with a bit of Lardo. When I saw it I was disappointed because my wife Sage Smash came with a small cup of crispy chickpeas. I was soon OK with my bite. It was rich, salt and perfect... I wanted nothing more form it.
I got the "silk handkerchief" pasta. Amazing is all I can say. It was well portion, perfectly season, and one of the more original dishes I have ever had. A thin sheet of pasta with sage leaves pressed between the layers over a Jerusalem artichoke puree and an egg yolk. It was topped with a bit of broth reduction and parmesan.
I then had the Iberico pork cheeks with fava beans and polenta. The pork was braised to perfection. It was tender with deep, rich flavors and unlike any pork you could imagine. The polenta had great texture and flavor.
We also had the braised lacinato kale a roasted cumin cauliflower. These sides are not to be missed.
We had a walnut torte with sage ice cream. It was rich with a great balance of sweet and savory. -
Review from Kerri J.
Everett, WA
5/21/2012
The outside is very unassuming and it could use a good pressure wash or a fresh coat of paint. The interior is quaint but a little dated and a little dark. I was surprised by this, when I go out for fine dining I do appreciate a décor to match the food; I think it adds to the experience.
That being said, the food here was pretty darn good and our waiter was excellent.
My husband and I shared the sweat bread and roasted octopus appetizers and both were tasty and unique. I liked the smoked bone marrow in contrast to the octopus (which was very tender).
We both had the "Brassica Salad with Confit Duck Gizzards with Anchovy Vinagrette". I thought the gizzards were nicely cooked and tender but they didn't have a lot of flavor and there were actual anchovies in the salad, mine had more than its fair share. While nice in the vinaigrette, I found the anchovies to be very salty and overwhelmed the rest of the dish somewhat.
Then I had the "Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Wild Foraged Ramps and Smoked Wild Steelhead Roe". The gnocchi was delicious and had a delicate goat cheese flavor and the sauce was light and citrusy. I really enjoyed it.
My husband had the rabbit, which is their signature dish, and it was succulent and tender and he said it may have been the best rabbit he has ever had.
For dessert we shared the special of the day which was duck egg-custard gelato and salted caramel gelato. Oh. My. God. Salted caramels are amazing but as a gelato?! It was the best thing I had all night! It was to die for! The duck-egg was delicious and cut the saltiness and sweetness of the salted caramel, it was a nice accompaniment to the star of the dish.
It was an enjoyable experience, our waiter helped us pick a wine that was fairly priced and really tasty.
It was pricey but not outlandish; it is what I would expect to pay for fine dining. It came to about $200 and we had spumante, wine and sambuca.
I don't know if we would rush back but if someone suggested going there for dinner, we wouldn't complain! -
Review from Rachel B.
Kirkland, WA
4/19/2012
I know I am the tiny minority that did not fall in love with this place, but I still wanted to share my thoughts. Came for my birthday dinner with my husband and parents. I knew aboiut the funky location because we live right up the street, so it was no surprise to walk into a quaint little house. I was however surprised that our seat cushions had rips in them and we had a sweet view of the parking lot. But moving on. My biggest complaint might be our waiter. He was not only pushy with our orders (we had to tell him multiple times that we were in no hurry) I also found him to be condescending. I know this place is fancy, but seriously? I don't like being talked down to.
We ordered our fair share of cocktails, apps, salads, pastas, wine, main courses and all were good but also kind of strange. I have eaten at canlis and other fancy restaurants around seattle, but never have I had such unrecognizable food. Some of it was very good such as the fish, rabbit and brussel sprouts but others were a miss in my book. The flatbread was so tiny it was barely 4 bites. The pasta dishes were boring. All the dishes were very small, which is fine but for the price I guess I was a little surpised. Like tiny tiny small. Oh and they didn't even acknowledge my birthday...bummer!
To sum it up, it was an interesting night but we won't be going back. It was too pricey for the small portions, rude service and so so atmosphere. I would rather go big at canlis or for a more casual but excellent meal eat at trellis or the stone house in redmond. -
Review from Sherri H.
Bremerton, WA
3/24/2012
My husband and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary and decided to splurge on our first fine dining experience at Cafe Juanita. The exterior of the restaurant is not noticeable--we had to drive by twice to make sure this was THE Cafe Juanita. We were a bit intimidated by the menu and the names, but everyone was friendly and not snooty. Our waiter was extremely helpful in choosing menu items and recommended various dishes.
First off, the bread and cracker basket was delicious. We had the Fra'Mani Nostrana Salame with Apple Mostarda and Giardiniera appetizer, which was phenomenal and unique. For our entrees, I had the pork sugo pasta, my husband had the squab and we shared the roasted Scarlett carrots. They were amazing, and we could not stop raving about our dishes. We topped off our night with the lemon steam cake and bittersweet chocolate torta. Like some people have said, the portions are small, but the flavors are big and don't leave much to be desired.
It was a small, intimate and romantic setting. We will be coming back again for special occasions! -
Review from Amol P.
3/18/2012
Beneath a very unassuming exterior lies a warm and comfortable space with impeccable service and flavorful food .. this place so deserves to be on your special occasion list .. we did not want to hold back on our temptation of visiting this place so much so that we decided to go out on a splurge date night .. portions are tiny but they pack a lot of punch from a flavor profile perspective .. the complimentary bread service was interesting with lots of interesting types of breads that we couldn't stop eating ..
Appetizers
- Seared Foie Gras with Sweet Pickled Rhubarb, Ginger Rhubarb Brodo and Cacao Nib
Perfect start to the meal .. foie gras melts in your mouth and then you can drink up the rhubarb brodo which is a great palate cleanser .. the colors are vivid as well
- Ligurian Silk Handkerchief with Sunchokes, Hen's Egg Yolk and Parmigiano-Reggiano Brodo Essence
This dish had more of a risotto like texture and the runny egg yolk is always fun to poke at ..
Entree
- Blackmore Wagyu Flatiron with Gorgonzola, Cipollini Agro Dolce and Caramelized Endive
This is hands down the best dish of the entire meal .. my wife doesn't like steak but even she licked her plate clean .. it was that good .. our server also took into account our preference while placing the order (yes, we love our sauce) and the side of madeira sauce complemented the steak perfectly .. apparently they are 1 of 3 restaurants in seattle that serve the australian wagyu flatiron ..
I have to make a special mention for the side of Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Lime and Pinenuts which was delicious beyond imagination .. I was so greedy that I hardly left anything for my wife to enjoy :P
Dessert
- Meyer Lemon Steam Cake with Huckleberry Reduction, Candied Lemon and Buttermilk Thyme Sherbet
I was not blown away by this dish but my favorite part was the buttermilk thyme sherbet ..
We also saw chef holly smith running the kitchen with the rest of her crew and she also stopped by a table (she probably knew them personally) to have a chat in between .. I'd definitely be back here again to celebrate a special occasion (perhaps!) -
Review from Brandon B.
Portland, OR
4/24/2012
Amazing experience. Went through a good portion of the menu from caviar covered egg, foie gras, octopus primo's followed by pork Sugo pasta, handkerchief pasta, back strap lamb and ivory king salmon. Service was outstanding and food was delicious. Top dishes were the pork Sugo pasta, caviar covered hard boiled egg and king Ivory Salmon. Def recommend.
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Review from Adrian B.
Kenmore, WA
3/1/2012
Wow. Let me start by saying I wish my palate was a bit more sophisticated so I could really describe to you the subtleties of how good this food is.
I went for Valentine's Day dinner (I know, amateur night) which offered a pre-fixe menu, and I'll have to admit that I wasn't too excited about that. I had already made reservations well in advance, and at the time they hadn't posted a special menu for the event on their website. I did look at their regular menu and was excited about some of the selections.
We started off with a Wagyu beef cruda with sea urchin, and I was slightly skeptical about the pairing.
It was sublime. Also in the mix with the opening dish were red wattle lardo and Serrano chili, which gave the succulent meat just the right amount of kick and depth of flavor.
This course was followed by white sturgeon caviar topped with an organic hen's egg, seared Foie Gras with cacao nibs, wild yellowtail with Meyer lemon peel crema, and an amazing local squab that was juicy, flavorful, and just the right size for the six course meal we were enjoying.
The meal ended with a choice of desserts: Vermont Creamery Bonne Bouche with Apple Mostarda; or Meyer Lemon Steam Cake with Raspberry Sorbetto and Huckleberry Thyme Reduction; or Bittersweet Chocolate Feuilltine Tortino with Olive Oil Gelato, Brodo of Cara Cara, Grand Marnier and Olive Oil. I had the latter, and am still mesmerized by the combination of flavors not only in that one dish that went so well together, but the entire flow of tastes and textures that went on from beginning to end of the menu.
I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Irina M.
Bellevue, WA
2/27/2012
Cafe Juanita is truly a hidden gem of our town. From the moment we walked in, had our coats hung for us, it was perfection and it did not stop there. The service was first class, never once did they slip. We were recommended the most incredible Barolo wine, paired perfectly with our meal. The menu is slightly confusing since its mostly in italian but the staff there will gladly help.
We had the poached egg special with black caviar & the butternut squash palenta dish. Both were incredible. For our main course we had the fish special (wow) and the goat cheese gnocchi (not as wow). We finished our meal with the vanilla panna cotta & the chocolate with grand merinier dish.
Eating here was surely special and we cannot wait to make another special trip back here. Service was top notch and atmosphere was very northwestern/refined. Overall wonderful experience and would highly recommend this as one of the best restaurants in Seattle.
Things to know in advance: this is an expensive restaurant, so don't be shocked when you're seated. preview menu online. if you are not familiar with Juanita, location can be tricky, i would use your gps. This is not the type of place for a bunch of rowdy people. -
Review from Mendy K.
Kirkland, WA
3/16/2012 Seated via OpenTable
A romantic dinner spot with the best rabbit I've ever tasted. AND their spumoni dessert was to die for!! Mmmmmmm....
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Review from S M.
Stilwell, KS
Updated - 12/29/2011
WOW! Great food, great combinations of ingredients. Parings you'd not always think of for some items.
The foie gras w/ candied figs - is a starter we could have eaten 5 more.
The beets with almond butter and topped with Gorgonzola fritter - fabulous.
The place is small, and a bit pricey, but worth it! If you're in the Seattle area, this place is worth the drive!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/31/2011
charming little place, fantastic food and interesting approach to combinations of foods - beets on… Read more »
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Review from Maya T.
Sherman Oaks, CA
12/22/2011
Incredible.
A house converted into a restaurant creates an intimate & romantic setting. Candlelight and wood combine with clean lines and white linen for a cozy rustic/modern decor.
The food and service are a shining example of a great evening out.
Our reservation allowed for immediate seating after coat check with rapid water service (3 options). The waiter was knowledgable and friendly. All the portions were perfect, in most eyes quite small, however very well-balanced given the richness and delicacy of each dish. It is good to order several items to taste.
We ordered:
2 appetizers -
1) Alaskan King Crab with powdered butter and green apple sorbet - a fascinating cold dish, salty and tender with unique textures and flavors.
2) Foie Gras with coco nibs, candied ginger and quince over a red wine reduction. This was heaven. Perfect searing of the meat with a delicate balance of rich and complex flavoring; tangy, buttery, umami and a little sweet. I savored every morsel with my eyes closed as the ingredients melted slowly together in a symphony of happiness.
The best was yet to come.
My companion had a glass of a light red wine which suited him.
Pear Salad with pine nuts, white truffle oil with lemon juice with shavings from a hard cheese (I think Romano Reggiano, but I forget.) The pear was incredible! Sweet, juicy, full of bright flavor that was enhanced by the supporting textures and flavors. Another unique and delicious combination.
Then we had the fish - it was the highlight of a memorable meal. The best fish I have ever had. Beets, cream sauce and a little garnish of pomegranate puree. I almost swooned.
The bolognese was the only lackluster dish of the night. It was over-salted (I don't think I have ever said that. I always want more salt and more flavor! I put two packs of flavoring in my hot chocolate, Ramen, cup o' noodles and Mac n' Cheese. So for me to say that... ;) ) It was still good, better than hamburger helper, but not as much as the price would have made you think.
Dessert. Amazing. Truly.
My companion had the flour-less chocolate cake, which had a complexity of flavor that was unusual along with the unique mint ice cream which was very fresh mint tasting rather than the fake peppermint stuff. A little more daring and delicious than the normal, but also safe. I had a light and fruity item that wasn't even on the menu. It was tart and very flavorful. A nice uplifting end to a heavy meal. There was a creamy vanilla mousse/custard something drizzled with a tangy berry sauce and frozen berries with a caramel crisp. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Oh goodness.
I will save up my pennies and go back, because it was an evening to remember. The food, the ambience and the service were all worth the relatively steep price tag. I would normally not spend 200 on a meal, but this was definitely worth it. -
Review from Stan J.
Kenmore, WA
11/20/2011
My wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at Café Juanita. It was our first time at the restaurant and we were looking forward to the evening since we have seen Holly Smith several times on various television shows. We had very high expectations and in a nutshell, we weren't disappointed.
It was a flawless dining experience, beginning with the warm greeting just inside the front door and continuing to our waiter who was gracious, exceptionally polite and very knowledgeable. The dining room is small and intimate, a perfect place for a romantic meal. The food was simply amazing, pairing unusual flavors that were imaginative and spectacularly successful while being expertly prepared and plated.
Every employee at the restaurant was unfailingly professional while being congenial and very kind. We thoroughly enjoyed our two plus hour stay and plan on returning. There is absolutely nothing that I can suggest that would have improved our meal. It was perfection. -
Review from Yee Gan O.
Updated - 9/28/2011 3 photos
Sitting in my hotel room watching a rerun of Iron Chef and seeing Holly Smith, James Beard award winner and chef patron of Cafe Juanita beat Iron Chef Cat Cora reminds me of the quality of cooking at Cafe Juanita.
It also reaffirms my decision to always dine at Cafe Juanita and Nishino on my annual trips to Seattle. Cafe Juanita serves northern Italian food but the dishes on the menu won't resemble anything that you would recognise from run of the mill Italian restaurants up and down the country
On this occasion, Holly Smith wasn't in the kitchen and the brigade was being ably marshalled by Lauren Thompson, the chef de cuisine.
I was a bit cheeky on this visit. Their foie gras preparation is my favourite in the whole USA and I asked if I could watch it being cooked. Lauren was most welcoming and allowed this amateur cook into their kitchen. It was wonderful to see her expertly sear my seasoned foie gras and finish it in the oven, saute the peaches and candied ginger, boil down with madeira into a syrupy consistency, dress the plate with some of the foie cooking juices and finish off with cocoa nibs and flavoured salt. My favourite dish tasted all the better for having seen it being prepared.
As usual, I thought about the other dishes but went with the house signature dish of rabbit in Arneis sauce. Holly used a version of this dish on Iron Chef but used a pressure cooker to get the amazing of flavour in the sauce.
Amazing food as usual and thanks for Josh for waiting so expertly and knowledgeably on me and for Lauren and Jonah for welcoming me into their kitchenListed in: Top USA Restaurants
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/15/2008
I had the great privilege to dine again at Cafe Juanita on my recent trip to Seattle. Guys and gals,… Read more »
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Review from Justin T.
Kirkland, WA
3/25/2012
Best restaurant in Seattle. The ambiance, the service and the exquisite food combine to make Cafe Juanita a wonderful experience.
The Alaskan king crab with apple sorbet is delightful! The wagyu steak and maltagliati are our favorite entrees! -
Review from Amy B.
9/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
2/11/11. My husband proposed to me before our reservation at Cafe Juanita. We came dressed up and I was wearing a new shiny ring. The weight of the ring and the surprise and elation at our new proposed status was all that was on my mind.
My then fiance (now husband) ordered a steak.
I had a risotto.
There must have been wine because we toasted.
The food was good... really good... but honestly, I don't remember much else. -
Review from Judy D.
Kirkland, WA
1/28/2012
I felt like paying $150 just for the description of the menu. It was like a beautiful poem of ingredients and flavors and my mouth was watering when the waitress left. I could not wait to have my first bite- which turned out to be orgasmic. If you appreciate gourmet food with amazing flavor & great service you need to go to this unassuming place of culinary perfection. I went without a reservation on a Tuesday Night- amazing.
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Review from Jane L.
Cerritos, CA
10/16/2011
So good but oh so expensive! That's not to say that it's not worth every penny! The meal started out w/ some bread and butter. Now I know this is a "fancy" place, but I can't help but compare the bread to cheez-its. I mean, it tasted great, but if you're wondering what the bread tastes like--open a box of cheez its and you'll find your answer. :)
As for entrees, my friend got the black cod, which she said was delicious and I ordered the braised rabbit. Of course, she made it a point to give me a hard time about how I'm eating a cute little fluffy bunny rabbit.... but that didn't deter me at all! The meat was braised to perfection! So nice and tender...slightly on the salty side but still great! For dessert, we shared an espresso gelato, which I guess had enough espresso to keep my friend up late at night.
Anyways, the meal was great! All the ingredients were so fresh... I just wish the Grape Risotto that Chef Holly Smith made on Iron Chef was on the menu. -
Review from Amber J.
Kirkland, WA
1/22/2012
I have to say that this is one of the only restaurants I've ever been to where I've felt PRIVILEGED to eat there. I booked our reservation as an early Valentine's Day (and pre-Cavalia) dinner since I'm going to be out of town next week. I was worried that they'd be closed due to the crazy weather we've had here and called ahead to make sure they were open. The lady who answered the phone was very polite and made sure to ask if I had made my reservation since they were very busy. I can see how the building could be hard to find if one didn't already know where it was. It's very unassuming and tucked into a corner behind large apartment buildings. The one real downside is the size of the parking lot. It's very tiny and the street parking is often filled up by apartment residents.
Upon arriving we were seated immediately and our coats were checked. Service was friendly and very prompt. The menu was intriguing and enticing. My husband was slightly put off because of the wording (many things in Italian that you'd have to ask the server about) but I didn't mind because I like striking up conversations with servers. My husband ordered wine. I was going to stick with water but upon finding out that I was pregnant our server offered to make me a custom nonalcoholic cocktail. He brought me a delicious blood orange concoction. We started our meal with the king crab appetizer. It was served with an AMAZING green apple sorbet. Both the crab and the sorbet were perfect but on their own. Together the sorbet overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the crab. For entrees I had the rabbit and my husband had the pork cheek special. The rabbit was cooked perfectly and was delicious. The only issue for me was that it was a little rich for me at this stage in my pregnancy. This wasn't THAT big of issue, though, as my husband ate all of his dinner and the rest of mine. His pork cheeks were PERFECT. When they say fork tender they certainly aren't kidding. If you happen to come when these are offered I HIGHLY recommend them. For desert we had the 'spumoni'. I've never had olive oil with sorbet before and it was really pleased. We were in and out in a little over an hour and never once felt rushed. Our food just arrived promptly and smoothly.
In summary, this is a great special occasion spot and a true local gem. It's got a cozy, romantic atmosphere and a friendly staff. The chef/owner obviously takes great pride in her work and I'm so glad we finally got to go! -
Review from Sonia C.
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a good experience at Cafe Juanita. We arrived without a reservation before 6pm on a weeknight and the hostess graciously seated us after we promised her we could be out by 7pm. Our (quite good-looking) server gave a very detailed spiel about the daily specials, and left us to decide. Upon overhearing that we were interested in the bone marrow bruschetta, he immediately offered to do 4 little bites for the 4 people at our table as a small app. We took him up on this offer immediately.
My friends also tried a variety of their more adventurous apps - fried sweetbreads, seared fatty lobes of foie gras, slow cooked tongue, and thin slices of lard spread on a bread crisp. I tried bits of the sweetbread and tongue. The sweetbread was accompanied by salty fried capers which were good, but the sweetbread itself was just slightly too - how do you describe it? - musky for me. The tongue was wonderfully, melt-in-your-mouth tender, but it was sadly a bit too salty.
For my main course, I ordered the sea scallops (special of the day). Though they were fresh and sweet, I was disappointed that they were a bit overcooked (I like my scallops rare) and they were not that big. It was served with a bit of heirloom tomato salad, which was tangy and good. I also got a side of the roasted kale with lemon which was so salty that I couldn't taste the lemon.
Though we were running late for our movie, my friend just couldn't pass up the panna cotta dessert. Our waiter was able to quickly rush that out to us - and I'm glad he did because it was the best part of the meal. It had a pinch of sea salt sprinkled on it (they really do love their salt here but it worked in dessert) which nicely cut the sweetness. The honey drizzled on the plate was great as well.
The prices here are pretty steep so I didn't think that the value was that great, but the food was definitely above average. The service pushes it up to 4 stars. -
Review from K S.
Seattle, WA
7/11/2011
Fantastic service, fabulous prepared food, great ambiance. My mom said it was the best birthday ever! There were 8 in our group and I felt like we were the only table in the place.
I was skeptical when I came to the door - it felt kind of 70s, dated - but once inside - warm, welcoming, intimate and homey. The kitchen is open, so, you felt as if you were in someone's home.
I would save this place for special occasion or celebration, but I would totally come back. Top 5 meals of my life - topped only by a bistro in Paris and Le Cirque.
My ribbon pasta with porcini mushroom sauce was amazing, as were all the entrees around the table (lamb, rabbit, scallops, goat cheese (!) gnocchi, quail). All the food was super fresh, in fact, one of the salads, English Peas with house made riccotta with mint and lemon tasted like spring. The parmesan tortellini soup was the hit of the appetizer round.
The wine steward - she was very knowledgeable - and you could tell she loved her job. I felt the wine list could have been better priced, especially for the "by-the-glass" wines - but otherwise, the beverages were fantastic.
Cafe Juanita - a little haunt that I didn't know existed, but I am so glad that I found - and that all my sisters and sweethearts could share it with my marvelous mother for her 65th birthday. -
Review from Kristi H.
8/21/2011
We had a wonderful dinner here. Memory making! We've eaten at Canlis and rated it the best meal of our life. This is second only to that experience.
We dined with a friend who has many severe food allergies. On making the reservation she mentioned her allergies in the notes, as on the Cafe Juanita website they state that they will try and make accommodations. The night before our visit they called my friend and went over it again to make sure they had it right.
People aren't kidding, the parking is rough! We came for an early dinner (5:45) and parked about a block away. The building is very unassuming, but the interior is quite lovely and serene. People are dressed nicer... didn't see a single jean in the place.
We were thrilled to see Chef Holly in the kitchen and I even caught her eye and we exchanged smiles! I was so excited that she was on the line the night we came to visit.
Our waiter came over immediately and introduced the specials and also the special accommodations they prepared for her. Instead of bread, they provided a chickpea crepe which was delicious. They also told her all the dishes she could pick from and the changes they'd make to fit her needs. It was really great. We eat out often with this friend and its often difficult for her to find things to eat... they did an amazing job of making her feel like she could still have special experience despite her restrictions.
I had an aperitivi...The "Last Word" with bone marrow bruschetta (yum), and the table was served an assortment of house made crackers and bread. There was one cheesy cracker that was so good and we joked that it tasted like a very refined Cheez-It :)
For apps we did the sablefish, the special of pappa al pomodoro (awesomely good), and what was supposed to be squash blossom risotto. The waiter came back directly after taking the orders and said that Holly realized they did not have enough squash blossoms to make it properly and would I be happy with english peas and puree instead. It was a great risotto, which is often hard to get!
For mains, two of us had the waygu beef, one had the lamb, and I had the rabbit. The only complaint from the beef eaters was that the portion was quite small for a $40 plate. The lamb eater thought his was great. The rabbit was unbelievably good. Very rich, very tender, and a generous portion as well. I've never had rabbit before and had no idea what it would taste like. I'm so encouraged to try and cook rabbit at home now. Everyone at the table loved it and everyone was sure they wouldn't like it!
Desserts were nothing too special. All were "good" but we weren't blown away.
Service was impeccable and relaxed. We shared laughs and they were, again, so nice and polite about the accommodations we needed.
For 4 of us with a bottle of wine it was $410 after tip. Not an every day dinner out, for sure. But we'll be back on a special occasion. Go if you can. You will eat and drink very well :) -
Review from Jonathan Y.
Seattle, WA
10/11/2011
One of my favorite 'fine dining' spots in the Greater Seattle area. The atmosphere is incredibly intimate; a perfect place to bring a date or someone special. I had my graduation dinner here (from College) a few years back with my family. The menu was almost in a different language, although the words were all in English.
I ended up half-guesing when I ordered, and none of us were ever really confident in knowing what was coming out. The duck pate was some of the best, and by my mom's accounts, THE best pate she's ever had in her life. I ended up having a rabit something or other, and it was phenomenal.
Unfortunately, I don't quite remember what else everyone in my family had...we were all too engrossed with our dishes. The wine was fabulous too, we had a Super Tuscany (which I kick myself for not getting the name of). All in all, it was a fairly expensive dinner, but for a special occasion.
I need to bring my wife here sometime. I've recommended this place to many friends since my visit. Looking forward to my next visit! -
Review from Stephanie L.
Bellevue, WA
8/30/2011
Good food! The service was great too, our waiter recommended a bottle of wine that wasn't on the menu and it was delicious!
I really liked the bread they served before the meal. There was a baked cheese cracker that tasted like a fancy cheez-it and it was really good.
We got the foie for an app and it was good, but i wished it came with some sort of bread, since it was really rich on it's one. We also go the octopus, which I wasn't a fan of. I didn't like the green sauce.
For my entree I ordered the fish of the day, I think it was striped bass? It was really delicious. Perfectly cooked, moist and tender on the inside with a nice crispy skin. Yummmm! My companion got the rabbit pasta, which was basically teeny tiny little bits of rabbit wrapped in pasta. It was good too, but I am not a huge fan of rabbit.
We got the panna cotta for dessert. It was good, the honey and salt was the best part. -
Review from Kara S.
1/19/2012 1 photo
I have been treated to some amazing meals in my day, but my meal at Cafe Juanita was without a doubt one of my top five dining experiences. Of my life. Cafe Juanita has been on my radar since I read about Holly Smith's food in the October 2007 issue of Gourmet Magazine. That article featured delicious, hearty dishes for an October meal, featuring the same deeply flavored vegetables and meats that were crafted for us last night. Since then I've watched her battle (and crush) Cat Cora on Iron Chef America, be nominated for James Beard awards, and compete (and get kicked off far too soon) from The Next Iron Chef.
She could easily have jumped on the tv chef bandwagon and no longer be cooking in Kirkland, but she didn't. I'm so incredibly thankful that she's still here, rather than in New York, cooking on tv. Because her meal made my year, just ten days into it. The salad was perfectly dressed and topped with toasted breadcrumbs rather than croutons, the octopus had the most amazing texture, the steak was perfectly cooked, and oh my god the rabbit. I had never had rabbit, but I'm so glad I ordered it. This is my tip of the day: If you have never had something that slightly or severely makes you nervous about trying, order it at the best restaurant ever. Don't try oysters or foie gras or rabbit for the first time at a mediocre restaurant. Try it somewhere that receives James Beard awards, or at least crazy high accolades from yelp or chowhound. If you, like me, decide to try rabbit for the first time at Cafe Juanita, you won't know what hit you. You'll eat the most succulant, dark meat of your life. Juicy beyond belief. And stuffed with a duxelle of mushrooms that soak up all those divine juices.
Other highlight for me: The blue cheese they served with the steak was the most amazing, silky, robustly flavored cheese I've had in so long. I could have just been given that and a plate of bread and been happy.
Only shortcoming: Our gnocchi was severely oversalted, like some reviews mention. Thankfully this was the only dish that suffered from over seasoning, so I was able to let it pass, no big deal.
The wine steward was also incredible, super attentive and helpful in picking a wine for us that was within our budget but still amazing. There is actually a $1200 bottle of wine on the menu. Can you imagine?! I guess Cafe Juanita is where the high rollers dine. Thankfully there were quite a few great bottles at our price point, which is ever so slightly less than $1200.
I love how the chef (and equally so the Sous Chef, Lauren Thompson, who we spotted cooking in the open kitchen as we were leaving) made my birthday one that I will never forget. I think it's amazing that a stranger can have that much influence over your life, simply by the product they produce.Listed in: Seattle's Best (Restaurants,…
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Review from T P.
Elk Grove, CA
5/22/2011
Finally made it here for our anniversary as we knew this was going to be a special occassion place only! As far as upscale, I did not think it was upscale at all in fact it is in what seems to be an old office building like a dentists or doctors office with a weird door. I thought the decor was very simple a little dingy it could use some color. I'm not from here so upscale for me is SF or LA and after 2 years I'm still trying to get used to the super casual of Seattle.
As for the food I'm a pescetarian so the choices were limited. I did not like the polenta appetizer I had nor the scallop plate. I did love the baby beet salad and the panacota dessert. Hubby had the rabbit and liked it a lot.
For 2 people the bill was almost $200 that was with no bottle of wine. Very pricey. If I'm going to pay that much I better be at my favorite restaurants in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica with a view of the ocean!
I will never go back! -
Review from clint w.
Updated - 4/17/2011
I can't believe it's been that long since I've been back, but it was long overdue.
We were here for a special birthday, and we were seated downstairs in the private room. Multiple bottles of cab were consumed, long with a couple of bottles of pinot grigio for the white drinkers.
The octopus appetizers was tender and moist. I'm not sure how she does it, but it was great. The endive and radicchio salads were a bit more back to earth....not otherworldly like the other dishes and next time, I might opt to skip.
Our entrees....the rabbit and the beef....were fantastic. The rabbit was moist and fall apart tender, in an arneis that was good enough to drink. My wagyu was rare and flavorful, accompanied by some greens with a peppery bite that was a nice offset. That, accompanied by a side of brussels, had us in heaven.
Staff is top notch here. You do not want for anything and being pampered is part of the offering.
I love this place. They make you feel welcome. The attention matches the level of the food.Listed in: Italian Eats, Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2007
Took a friend out for her bday yesterday. She had wanted to come here for quite awhile and she… Read more »
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Review from Garth O.
Seattle, WA
7/19/2011
One of the best restaurants in the greater Seattle area. The food, service and ambiance only has one competitor; Canlis. Cafe Juanita is expensive, but you might get out paying a tad less than a visit to Canlis.
People usually are dressed up for dining and the staff is very well dressed.
We try to visit twice a year at least. You cannot go wrong with Cafe Juanita.
The only knock is parking can be challenging. On a rainy night bring an umbrella. -
Review from Cora L.
5/3/2011 2 photos
I've never seen a restaurant with a parking lot that only has THREE PARKING SPACES!?!?! I'm exaggerating, lol, but unfortunately not by much..
That aside, the service here is amazing. The waiter sold me on everything that he mentioned and I felt like I was his favorite cousin. I also loved the darker, candlelight ambiance and the quiet, intimate feel. It's very romantic and simple.
The food, for me, was hit or miss. The starter bread/crackers were too rich for my palate, which is odd because I normally enjoy a nice buttery morsel in any form. I also could have done without the Foie Gras and Duck Confit apps -- I think because of the extreme saltiness.
I did, however, love my entree -- Local Rabbit Braised in Arneis with Baby Turnips, Nettles, Pancetta and Porcini. While it wasn't the most tender and delicious rabbit I've ever had, I definitely enjoyed how the flavors came together.
I tried my friend's lamb entree but I didn't like it. Sad, because I usually love lamb!
For dessert, we had the lemon gelato which they make themselves and it was fantastic. They definitely got the gelato right. As a bonus, we were given squares of walnut treats. I don't know what they were, but if they sold those I'd buy a case!
No 5 star review this time, but I'd definitely give Cafe Juanita another shot to try different dishes. While I felt the food was hit or miss, it was definitely worth the experience and the dessert :) -
Review from Ted E.
Montgomery, PA
6/12/2011
One of my favorite dining experiences. The service is impeccable. The servers know the menu and the wines. They can answer almost any question about the food preparation. I think they also mix their own drink orders. This makes them really care about what they are serving.
Juanita has a great Italian wine list. The food is Italian but not where you just find a bunch of pasta dishes. This is creative cuisine.
Our most recent visit had goat and rabbit on the menu. I ordered the wagyu flank steak which was recommended by our server - because I am not into goat. The steak was perfect - tender and flavorful. My wife had scallops which were also very, very good.
I have been to Juanita a number of times and have never been disappointed. -
Review from Diana C.
2/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
One of my favorite cozy and romantic restaurants on the eastside. Very unassuming and unpretentious, but amazing service and homey ambiance. The staff greet you at the door warmly and promptly and have your table ready immediately when you make reservations. I really applaud the fact that this restaurant actually take reservations seriously (unlike Daniel's broiler and Fogo de Chao).
The food is amazing! We ordered some appetizers, the veal with fried capers is absolutely heavenly! We got that last time and it was the same as last time, perfect! The meat is so succulent you take the smallest bites so that it lasts longer. The carne is raw meat seasoned with oils and spices. If you've never had a raw meat dish, this is the place to try it. It's very very good. YUM! The texture might weird you out at first, but take a few small bites and you'll love it. My bf was a little put off, but he came around. :)
For the entrée, my bf ordered the steak which was done very well with great flavor. The quality of the meat was top notch. I ordered the pork cheeks with polenta. The pork was cooked so well, it was juicy and the meat fell apart with a fork, there was no need for a knife, or for chewing for that matter. It was one of the best dishes that I've had in a long time.
The wine selection is quite extensive, but they are priced a bit higher than i'm used to seeing. We ordered a bottle of red cabernet mix that was okay. Once it was allowed to set and breathe, it was better, but I would recommend bringing your own bottle and paying the corkage fee.
It's not cheap but it's worth the price. The intimate feel, the locally sourced, amazing quality of food, and the amount of pride and effort the chefs put in their dishes makes all the difference in the world. Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Frannie A.
Woodinville, WA
3/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great food and service. Ordered as we went along and had recommended wine pairings (glass or spilt glass) with each. Love eating this way! You get to try so much more
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Review from Jillian B.
South Hadley, MA
1/1/2012
Absolutely amazing!! I love this place the food was so unique!
The hens egg was amazing- the rabbit was amazing! love it! -
Review from Mary N.
Seattle, WA
12/23/2011
The food was consistently good and the wine that our server suggested was excellent. I only had two problems. The first was that my water glass was constantly empty and sometimes we had to ask for things two or three times before our request was met. The second was that the menu was filled with such restaurant jargon that it was impossible to figure out what I was ordering without the server going through each item one by one and translating for me. Perhaps this complaint reveals me as a fine-dining simpleton, but I still found it rather obnoxious.
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Review from Karen F.
Kirkland, WA
6/17/2011
We decided to try Cafe Juanita out for my fiance's last birthday dinner as a single man and we thought it lived up to the five-star reviews.
The staff was great -- while we were there, they greeted him for his birthday at least five times. They answered our menu questions with detailed descriptions, surprised us with some complimentary moscato and toasted rice gelato, and came by regularly to refill our water glasses.
We ordered a couple of aperitivi (rhubarb bellini with marcona almonds, corpse reviver #2 with smoked bone marrow bruschetta) and the grilled octopus appetizer. The cocktails and small bites were fantastic... the bruschetta lived up to our expectations and the octopus was light and flavourful with zero rubberiness. My only nitpick was that the crisp breads tended to be on the salty side (perhaps due to the parmesan?).
For our main course, we went with the daily specials (porcini tagliatelle and sablefish) and these were perfection. The sablefish was not overcooked and the pea puree, pancetta and roe complimented its flavour well. The porcini pasta was just the right amount of richness and not drowned in its creme fraiche sauce. The dishes weren't heavy at all and the portions were reasonable. We'll definitely be back to try the rabbit. We stuck to the cab blend for our wine, and it went surprisingly well with our light dinners.
And since we weren't overly full, we still had room for dessert... espresso mousse plus a birthday gelato. Loved the crust on the mousse, but couldn't really taste the toasted rice flavour on the gelato (tasted like vanilla to me). The moscato was a nice wine to top dinner off with.
I thought dinner was reasonably priced but definitely on the higher end of the scale. Still, the bill didn't shock me as much as last year's birthday dinner at El Gaucho or Valentine's Day at Maximilien's :) I'd definitely recommend Cafe Juanita for special occasions. -
Review from Tim H.
Kirkland, WA
12/22/2010
Having seen this write-up in a Seattle magazine as a Top Restaurant and then realizing that it is down the street from me, I had to try it. We finally had some babysitters so I coerced my wife into a 'nicer' night out with me.
The second we walked in we realized we were underdressed. I've heard that the northwest doesn't really care about that type of stuff but we really stood out like sore spots that night. That gave my wife a complex a bit. I didn't care...my money is worth the same exchange rate.
The menus arrived and I could tell with one glance that my wife was not going to be happy. Almost everything on the menu was WAY too fancy worded and really hard to decipher what it actually was. In the end my wife looked at me and said "I don't understand anything here that I'd like" -- I laughed.
We had the squash polenta appetizer. Very good, very rich.
My wife had the pork cheeks which were served with pomegranate polenta. I opted for the waygu beef with carrot/parsnip puree. First anf foremost, both were OUTSTANDING dishes. Truly we would have licked the plate if we weren't already undersdressed and didn't want to draw more attention to ourselves.
We decided to have dessert as well and had the flourless chocolate cake (very good) and vanilla panna cotta with honey (also very good). I actually really liked the honey on my dessert the best...it was really tasty.
We were a little uptight eating there as it really felt like it was trying to be too upscale. Honestly they could tone down the place and listings in the menu and be just as successful. The food was really, really good.
Food: 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Price: 2.5 stars - I realize this was more of a fine dining place but our dinner was north of $150 for 2 people and we didn't have anything to drink other than water. Too pricey for what it was...even if amazing.
We may go back, but would try other places first. -
Review from Tory M.
Kirkland, WA
11/1/2011 Seated via OpenTable
It is just a house in a residential neighborhood in Kirkland that used to be owned by the Nordstrom family as their summer cottage as it is very close to Lake Washington!!
It has since been transformed into a warm and inviting restaurant with superb food, service, and wine!! It is owned and run by a James Beard Pacific Northwest winning female chef!! She was not in the house that night but her female sous chef did an amazing job!!
I started with green figs and foie gras which absolutely melted in my mouth!! It was followed by a yummy cesear salad (they use buttery panko crumbs instead of croutons!!) and for my main I ordered the braised rabbit (their house speciality). I brought some home to share with My son! My husband started off with octopus, then an amazing beef broth soup with fresh veggies and wagyu beef and his main was a wagyu beef flat iron steak cooked to perfection!!
Cafe Juanita is definitely a special occasion restaurant that we would absolutely recommend and give it 5 stars!!
Thank you!!!!! -
Review from Emily N.
Bothell, WA
2/27/2012
This is a restaurant like no other! My husband and I love to treat ourselves here every so often. I have never enjoyed a meal more than I have here. And..it's the same amazingness every time!
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Review from Chris B.
2/8/2011
We dined on a quiet Tuesday and had a great meal from the Apertivi of rabbit livers and Negroni to the King Crab, Green Apple Sorbetto and Sweet Crab Butter Powder. This was a stand out. Cool and warm. Great textures, and butter in any form is delicious. The lamb was also a great choice. Perfectly cooked with gentle gnocchi, lamb sugo, taggia olives and white anchovy.
New Year's Resolution: Pretentious Yelp Review - check. -
Review from Bill T.
Seattle, WA
12/3/2011
We were given a great seat at the Juanita Cafe in a corner, looking out at the whole restaurant. We shared the first two plates, Foie Gras, sauteed with pomegranates and a slice of pear. SPECTACULAR TASTE! Then a hearts of romaine salad with anchovy bread crumb reggiano crisps - oh, to die for - the best salad we have ever had. My wife had braised lamb on polenta, and I had sea bass on polenta too, with crispy somethings all over the plate. Finished with a circle of chocolate truffle cake, topped with mint gelato. The wait service was outstanding. Greeted by a lovely young lady who smiled the whole time we were in the restaurant. It's quite a hike for us living in Seattle, but damn it, the cuisine is calling.....
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Review from Travis M.
Kirkland, WA
2/29/2012
Excellent food overall. Perfect service and knowledgeable waitstaff. Prices are reasonable except some of the pastas. $28 for a tomato sauce pasta is a little high, it was excellent, but not a $30 plate. Best rabbit I've ever had, served with loin (rare) AND stuffed leg! Unique fresh room temp tomato soup was a nice surprise.
