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Fresh Bistro
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
4725 42nd Ave SW(between Alaska St & Edmunds St)
Seattle, WA 98116
Neighborhood: West Seattle
(206) 935-3733
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 12 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Live Music every Sunday and Monday starting around 7:30pm - Small Brunch Menu available on Sat/Sun from noon-4pm{regular menu also available}… read more »
137 reviews for Fresh Bistro
Review Highlights
"The sweet potato Dungeness crab cakes were delectable..."
(in 5 reviews)
"LOVE LOVE LOVE the pork belly bahn mi."
(in 5 reviews)
"I also really love the happy hour here."
(in 27 reviews)
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137 reviews in English
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Review from Eric Lane B.
Seattle, WA
11/20/2011 1 photo
I love Fresh Bistro. Pure love. I have been here probably twenty times over the past few years. Not only have I never been disappointed, I have never not been blown away. Today we had brunch there (secret word 'benedict' gets you 25% off brunch thru the end of November) and once again we simply marveled at how fantastic everything was. I had the dungeness crab cake benedict with a chipotle hollandaise sauce. My partner had the more traditional benedict. We split an order of the blueberry coffeecake. Even THAT was stellar. It was toasted! Sliced and toasted! Good heavens it was fantastic.
We have also been here for several dinners. We've been twice for their astounding seafood boil, which I sincerely hope they bring back next summer.
Fresh Bistro is a place to love and cherish. These folks know their food. Everything is prepared with an extraordinary amount of skill, knowledge, care and - yes - even love. -
Review from George C.
Seattle, WA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place isn't too bad. I had the steak sandwich. The flavors were good but the meat was a little on the tough side which made it hard to take a bite and not pull all the meat out of the baguette. The fries were pretty good.
Our server was nice and did a good job overall. I will head back again one of these days to try other things. -
Review from Elizabethe A.
Seattle, WA
1/9/2012
My boyfriend and I came here for happy hour and here are somethings we tried:
Truffle Smashed Fried Potatoes with Tomato Aioli: this was a GREAT appetizer and only $4 at happy hour. the potatoes were perfectly cooked, soft in the middle and deliciously crispy from being deep fried. The tomato aioli just tasted like regular aioli to me but it was still tasty and went well with the truffle flavor.
lobster mac: it was a nice and rich mac and cheese with very sweet chunks of lobster. It was good, but really nothing special.
sweet potato and dungeness crab cakes: extremely soft and moist with a whole lot of crab flavor. The sweet potato added the perfect amount of sweetness and smooth texture and the remoulade that came with it added a kick!
Lamb burger: The burger itself was fantastic! The meet was melt in your mouth tender and juicy and it was cooked medium rare, with a substantial amount of pink. I was not a fan of whatever mayonaisse sauce was all over it. Next time I would probably ask them not to put that on it because it really didn't need it! -
Review from Harley L.
Seattle, WA
1/3/2012
Five-plus stars to face-plant... yep that's right. I have eaten the best sandwich I have EVER had at Fresh Bistro... a pork belly Banh Mi, with fois gras aoli and a fried egg. This sandwich literally knocked my previous favorite, Paseo's Cuban Roast on it's butt. The banh mi was an explosion of flavor, moisture, and pure fatty goodness as the egg yoke and the pork belly mixed as I excavated large chunks of perfection from the palms of my hands. For a week after I could not help but think how great the sandwich was... literally several times a day I thought back to the sandwich. I knew I was not crazy, when my friend, who had joined me, called me up and mentioned how phenomenal the sandwich was.
As you can imagine, I tried to make every excuse to get back to Fresh Bistro... I'm in Magnolia, so running to West Seattle requires some extra thought and motivation. Fortunately, my girlfriend and I were celebrating our 6-year anniversary, and Fresh Bistro with their half-price bottle night made us peas in a pod! We made reservations and the day-long anticipation-induced stomach grumbling began.
We arrived and were greeted with a long-list of items they were out of... appetizers, entrees, and wine bottles. The list seemed to go on forever. No, problem, because I see Banh Mi sliders, and we already know what the first course will be. We ordered our cocktails and the sliders and we were off. My stomach kicks into high-gear grumbling... literally sounding like a chain saw at this point.
Our cocktails arrive and my girlfirend's is out-of-this-world good... cucumber infused vodka, lime, sparkling water... just about the most refreshing drink you could ask for. I ordered a martini slightly dirty, what I got was a green salt lick. The overly-brined martini seemed to have more parts olive juice than vodka. My girlfriend's morbid curiosity kicked in and she took a swig which she immediately regretted.
All was forgotten when the banh mi sliders arrived.... basically the same version of the sandwich minus the fried egg and substitute mini brioche buns for the French bread. I immediately grabbed the bun, which looked suspiciously dark and seemed surprisingly hard to the touch. As we bit in, my biggest fears were realized... this would not compare to my newly crowned best sandwich ever... the brioche buns were completely dry... not stale, just completely devoid of all moisture. Despite the juiciness of the pork belly, the bread was just too much to overcome. Perhaps a quail egg to match the slider's size could have provided the desperately needed moisture.. but sadly, there was just no overcoming the brioche-induced drought.
Hope was not lost, we still had the soft shell crab paella with chorizo. At first I was not sure we received the correct dish. The softshell crab was walnut in color as if it was over-fried. The "paella" was a smear of risotto surrounded by rosettes of basil aoli. The crab seemed to have a strong taste... overly "sea-floorish"... you know, when you get that one mussel that just seems to be extra pungent. This is not really the restaurants fault at all, just some bad luck on our part. The paella and the chorizo seemed to be over-salted too which simply made the appetizer unpleasant.
Hey, at least we have some great and very reasonably-priced steaks coming. I got the ribeye with the blue cheese butter and my lovely girlfriend got the green peppercorn New York strip. My ribeye stole the show... perfectly cooked and the blue cheese butter was impeccably balanced. My lady's green peppercorn steak on the other hand lacked one key ingredient... green peppercorns! I am not sure if it was supposed to be understated, but we could not find one peppercorn on the plate. The biggest disappointment for this plate was the perfectly seared, but way too thin piece of fois gras... once both sides were seared I was left with 2/3 seared exterior 1/3 of rapidly drying interior. My fois gras was barely moist and certainly not the melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is fois gras. The side vegetables were fairly unmentionable.... smashed fingerling potatoes, baked potato, and baby zucchini.
My lady had pre-chosen her dessert at the beginning of the meal. You should have seen the look of dread on her face when she overheard the waitress explaining to another table they were out of the chocolate cherry cake she planned on ordering... the disappointments just kept on pig-piling on.
Giving Fresh Bistro 3 stars truly hurts me. I LOVED MY FIRST EXPERIENCE... that banh mi is easily worthy of 7 stars. However, my second, more exploratory experience was the perfect storm of dissatisfaction... a bunch of unrelenting little things, a couple of which were not their fault (crab), but most of which they need to own... dry brioche, overly salty paella, dry fois gras, peppercorn-less in Seattle, and being out of way too many menu options. They deserve another shot, just hope they can deliver!!! -
Review from Mike C.
Seattle, WA
2/9/2012
Like this place for its creative food happy hour. The little plates for $4 and $5 are great to try. Only problem is staff varies from good to disconected.
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Review from Yumiko K.
11/8/2011
My lovely girlfriend and I decided to catch up over nice dinner. She suggested we try one of the restaurants participating in Dine Around Seattle. Fresh Bistro happens to be one of them.
Fresh Bistro is such a warm and inviting restaurant with all smiley and attentive staff. Here is the list of what we ordered:
Starters:
- French Onion Soup: Hearty and delicious! I just wish there had been more soup.
- Parisian Gnocchi: Heavenly puffy pillows with Chanterelles and Brown Butter Butternut Squash Puree! We'd definitely order this again!
Entrees:
- Cioppino: I wish they would have given us more bread to sop up the soup. I am not a huge mussel fan, but I enjoyed the pan-roasted Dover Sole steak (very nice crust!) and Parsnip puree.
- Fregola: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE FREGOLA!! (I've always loved it, and I always will!!) Toasted Couscous Risotto, Lobster Mushrooms (meaty chewy goodness), Briased Fennel, and Sous Vide Egg (delicious creaminess) worked all together wonderfully.
Dessert:
- Chocolate bomb: Hazelnut marshmallow was so much fun to eat! The chocolate mousse and chocolate crumbs were perfect together.
- Thai Tea Pot de crème: My favourite! I loved the strong Thai tea flavour and funky texture. Yum!
At the end of the dinner date, we were all happy and stuffed. Thank you, Fresh Bistro! -
Review from Willis S.
I'll be the first one to admit when I was first told the name of this restaurant I couldn't help but think of fresh veggies....which is good...but then I kept thinking... "so fresh that the roots and dirt from the ground may accompany the food."
My worry that this might be some awful hippy/vegan joint slowly faded away as we approached this modern yet warm restaurant that seemed to be nothing like what I imagined.
I ordered the Banh Mi Pork Belly slidders which were executed well and super tasty! The bread at the beginning of the meal was also scrumptious and had a innovative/homemade feel to them.
Overall I would highly recommend this place...I think its a great place to go on a date or have a casual dinner with friends.
The only downside is if you are a true gluten or if you choose to eat bigger meals as opposed to several small ones throughout the day this may not be the place for you? Then again I did order from the small plates menu lol. -
Review from Jeremy M.
10/20/2011
Seattle Restaurant Week and this was my first destination. Sad to say after arriving it turns out they have ALL DAY happy hour Monday-Thursday! We opt for that instead.
-The pork banh mi was HILLARIOUS! It carried all the flavors of a traditional banh mi, but it was BITE size (big bite)! Little dry.
-Crab cake was ok, nothing to really rave about.
-Wagyu beef dip was AWESOME! So scrumptious and tender!
This place is a real hidden gem West of Seattle. My only dislike about this place is the fact that it is all street parking even though there's a parking lot RIGHT in front of their main entrance. -
Review from Tiffany N.
San Jose, CA
10/23/2011
When my usually very sweet cousin texts me a few days after our meal here asking if I've written the review yet and that she and her husband "are still thinking about bad it was," there's a problem.
I'm sure on maybe any other given two weeks, they may have fared better, but DON'T come here for Seattle Restaurant Week.
1. On the SRW overview site, it says we're allowed to order any appetizer we want. False. Of course there is always the subject to change and that we should always call the restaurant ahead of time, and we should be understanding, but seriously, I'm looking through 100 restaurants to check out the menu, and I'm lazy as it is, don't expect me to call. Serve what you say you'll serve. Oh yes, 1st world problems.
2. Had the soft shell crab appetizer. Salty, in the bad way, which is saying something because I dip everything in salt.
3. Says we can order anything on the dessert menu and then gives restrictions: can't have the brie and if want the chocolate cake, have to share. Meaning, ONE person can't order the cake for him/herself unless he/she wants to fork over another three bucks. OH, AND THE SLICE IS TINY, and not all that great for such a restriction. Whack. Also, what was advertised wasn't offered, dessert-wise.
4. Has bread knife on place setting, doesn't give bread.
5. Had the New York Steak. Well seasoned and tasty (vegetables, as well), but seriously, I already have TMJ, and this felt like I was chewing gum. I'm not about to chew 10000000x before I swallow each piece. My jaw was clicking like no other by the end of this meal.
6. For our table, we ordered the Chai Affogato, Cake for 2, and Apple Blackberry Galette. Espresso was good but not with the chai. Galette was extremely tart. -
Review from Kelly O.
Seattle, WA
1/22/2012
I REALLY want to like this place. It has a menu that makes your mouth water...gorgeous concoctions of unique food items that sound amazing! This was our second trip for brunch with my visiting parents. Entering the restaurant you feel like you have hit the 'trendy' area of West Seattle...a beautiful 'fresh' ambiance. I ordered the sopes, my hubby the lamb burger, Mom the crab and sweet potato benny and Dad the normal American breakfast. We were SO excited...an hour later we were still waiting for our food, our coffees remained upfilled, and we began to change our great conversation to...where is our meal? I lived in Spain for a few years...I know that good food cannot be rushed, and enjoy long meals with good conversation...but this was ridiculous. Our meals finally arrived lukewarm and seemed to be sitting on the counter awaiting their delivery. Even in their state, I could tell that Fresh Bistro uses GREAT ingredients. It's just unfortuate that they cannot pull their weight in service. In their favor, they did discount our bill, which we very much appreciate and would not stop me from returning...but, with so many great options on California ave a block away...I may steer clear from Fresh for a while....
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Review from Amanda L.
Seattle, WA
9/12/2011
Fresh Bistro is a solid four.
Our service was fine, but not great. The food was pretty darn good, but we weren't blown out of the water.
Food: Get the Crab Cakes. They are wonderful. The Shitake and goat cheese torta was quite good as well. The Halibut cheeks were tasty, but I wasn't as impressed with them.
I mean to come back for happy hour sometime. The hours are pretty generous and the menu looks good. All that's required is making it to West Seattle. It might be awhile.
Note: Fresh Bistro is now on the Prime Card. -
Review from Jens J.
6/13/2011
We had a most enjoyable evening at Fresh Bistro this past Saturday. The modern design inside is very appealing. We did struggle a bit with how to describe the green color covering the ceiling and parts of the walls. Neither "dusty seafoam" nor "sage" seem quite accurate. Nonetheless, our very friendly and attentive waitress was wearing a green top that pretty closely matched the restaurant color.
At least two of our dishes, the lavender-cured salmon appetizer and the New York Steak rated five stars plus. The salmon appetizer was gorgeously presented, with an appearance that complemented the restaurant's design. Composed of dabs of lavender jelly, crumbled chives, soft white cheese, salmon and tiny crusty rolls, the flavors were incredible - especially the lavender jelly! I did cringe a bit when Penny demanded of our waitress if the salmon was going to taste like soap because it was cured with lavender. It mostly certainly did not taste like soap! I don't know if it even had a lavender flavor, but it was excellent.
I loved my tender, juicy medium-rare New York steak, cut into interesting shapes and paired with carrots and cauliflower. The vegetables were served in pleasing tiny bite sizes and had been sautéed and/or marinated in a most delicious sauce.
For dessert we ordered the "Chocolate Orange Bread Pudding Pops" and the "Coconut Joy Cake". The bread pudding pops were great. The flavor of the pops reminded me of those chocolate sticks filled with orange jelly you could get years ago (and maybe still can?). Accompanying the bread pudding pops were three different dipping sauces. While the Coconut Joy Cake had a good flavor and came with a nice white sauce on the plate, the cake was a bit dry. It could have been overbaked, had too much flour, or just needed more moisture.
Both the Taylor fladgate porto (served in a big wine glass) and Royal Tokaji white dessert wine had delicious flavors. However, I wish the pours at the bar were a little looser. But pleasantly, after I remarked to my waitress on the paltry size of my first martini, the second martini was more fulsome. I would also comment that putting the orange peel directly in the martini as an alternative to a wedge really does put too much orange flavor in the drink. Other than that, the martinis were fine.
Parking is simple, either park on the street or in the Safeway garage (Fresh Bistro will validate your parking). Last note is that the dinner menu on Fresh Bistro's web site is a bit out-of-date. Several of the dishes have changed and the Chef's Whim has gone up from $36 to $42/person.Listed in: SeaTown
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Review from Matthew B.
Seattle, WA
8/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
When trying to find a place to take some out of town guests, I stumbled across this little gem on yelp. Great reviews... pretty good price. As an added benefit, they accept open table reservations... score!
When we got there the restaurant was having it's semi monthly full pig roast. Sadly, you have to have separate reservations for this special deal since they run out... but boy did it look good!
The bread was amazing (be sure to ask for extra drop biscuits.) I had the mussels, a fabulous choice.
Somehow for 3 of us we were under $15 a person... really a great deal. -
Review from Eugenio F.
Seattle, WA
7/11/2011
Since i moved to West Seattle in December, i have been here probably a dozen of times. The food is usually good, but the service is consistently bad...
The last time we went here, it was for brunch. We walked in, the place was quite (there was only another table taken by a couple), we waited for the waitress for a min or so, she finally came out and we asked to be seated. She tells us that we need to "wait a few minutes," and runs in the back... Wait with an empty restaurant, are you kidding? We decided walk out. -
Review from Sandra O.
Bothell, WA
Updated - 11/26/2011
My friend and I ate dinner tonight and loved every bite. I had the roasted beet salad with orange puree, arugula pesto, chili roasted pepitas & feta to start. It was beautiful and delicious. For an entree, I had the Painted Hills Sirloin Cap Steak duxelle, seared foie gras, demi, market veggies, twice bake potato croquette. Dessert: creme brulee and pear gingerbread cake. Gastronomic HEAVEN.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/28/2009
Just got back from dinner there. It's my 3rd visit. It was well worth the trek from Mill Creek.… Read more »
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Review from Claire S.
Snoqualmie, WA
1/6/2012
Amazing!! Gnocchi melts in your mouth. Try to hit happy hour in the bar. Same great food, great prices and service..
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Review from Hannah L.
4/30/2011
When I looked up Fresh Bistro on Yelp, I wondered how I'd missed it on every visit to West Seattle over the last couple of years. And then I realized why. It's tucked just a block off Alaska, in the most nondescript of nondescript buildings: a newish, tall, metal-walled apartment complex, across from a dated rectangular shopping center populated with the requisite Safeway, Subway, and shipping stores.
This is where I remind you that appearances can be deceiving. Although the reputation of the mother-business Herban Feast should give some indication, you might be surprised by the plethora of fascinating and carefully crafted dishes being created in the open kitchen just inside the door.
Dishes like the Fresh Bistro salad, with crisp shards of bacon, long angled spears of pickled rhubarb, spiced pumpkin seeds, sprinkles of feta, and deep green lettuces; the Wagyu-Lamb burger, thick and juicy with smashed fried potatoes and a tomato aioli with a hint of spice; the best moules frites I've had in town, with plump mussels, diced sausages and a lovely silky spicy sweet broth that positively riveted the attention of my palate. My man's grilled portobello risotto was a bit less memorable; although the fregola pasta was perfectly cooked and the dish full of thick-sliced mushrooms, overall it was a bit tame for even his taste. Not necessarily a bad thing, but worth knowing that some dishes are less exciting than others.
We finished with the coconut joy cake, which is as its name might connote: coconut cake with layers of almond cream and chocolate ganache, and a Hawaiian haupia sauce (coconut milk with sugar) swirled thickly alongside the cake slice. An interesting dessert: not too sweet, with a lovely mix of textures. I'm not sure I'd order it again (I crave chocolate too much), but it was nice to finish with something sophisticated and far from a decadent sugar-bomb.
I was thrilled to see a little winery from the Central Coast (Qupé) represented on the menu (for only $8 a glass). The Syrah was brought out in a tiny decanter and then poured into my glass, a nice little touch and a good chance for some extra aeration. The environs inside are a bit generic, along the lines of a hotel restaurant, but the walls of windows let in plenty of light and make the space feel bright, and there's a wraparound patio which should make for some nice summer lunches and drinks.
With a menu this varied, there really is something for all but the pickiest of eaters, and plenty of nice touches throughout to make most palates happy. I'm always on the lookout for places to bring slightly less adventurous eaters where I'll nevertheless find plenty to love, and that balance can be surprisingly difficult to pull off well. Fresh Bistro does that (and then some!), and I'm looking forward to my next visit back! -
Review from Dan T.
Seattle, WA
5/25/2011
My wife and I went here with my brother-in-law and his other half on Sunday. We actually wanted to try Easy Street, but they told us there was an hour wait, so after some research on our phones, we decided to try Fresh. We had to wait 15 minutes for a table (pretty standard for a Sunday brunch), but were seated pretty quickly afterwards. Although the restaurant didn't seem too busy, we did have to wait some time for our order to be taken and also had to hunt down some cream for our coffee.
Having ordered we sat and waited for 45 minutes, noticing that the table next to us had been seated after and had already started on their food. We were told by a very apologetic server that the computer had messed up our order and that she would get our food done ASAP and not charge us for one of the meals. The food, to be fair, was very good, but not worth the premium prices (approx $13.00).
We were refunded for the cheapest item on the menu ($7) in the end, which we thought was a bit of an insult as the other three of us paid $13-ish each for our dishes.
I thought the coffee was expensive, too. $8.50 for a French press full of around 4 8oz. cups. You'll pay $2.25 anywhere for French press or drip coffee, but you'll either get free refills or pay a small 50 cent premium.
I wouldn't go back because service wasn't very good - our server apologized to at least two other tables while we were there for lack of coffee cups to go with their French press and some seating issues with the other table. I would, however, wait or peruse the Easy Street shop and wait for an hour next time! -
Review from Tracy V.
Seattle, WA
6/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Been here a couple of times and I love the food on their dinner menu. The pecan crusted shrimp is delicious! Monday night is steak night, steaks at a decent price and half price bottles of wine.
I've also been to their weekend brunch, and I must say I'm not a fan. The Vietnamese crape (banh xeo) for $11 wasn't what I expected at all. It was flavorless and it was soggy, not crunchy like it's supposed to be. My boyfriend got the ham eggs Benedict, it was okay, nothing special. I'll pass on brunch but will definitely be back for dinner. -
Review from Veronica C.
Parker, CO
5/19/2011
Best eggs benedict breakfast in Seattle!
Delicious, really enjoyed the veggies side, and the mimosa is with quality Argyle champagne for $8/glass.
Quality throughout. Great service too. -
Review from Sally B.
Seattle, WA
2/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Last night 6 of us gathered to celebrate a birthday. The whole evening was wonderful! Adam and Ben (the Bartender) were both so good to us! Tuesday night they offer a 3 for $25 option (one entrée and two others - apptzr, soup, salad or dessert). Well, that sounded too good to pass up. I started with the beet salad with shaved fennel - yum! My partner had the ahi tacos (I'm ordering this next time!). The honey pecan prawns with sriracha foam is another item I'll have to try next time.
Most of us ordered the braised beef short rib stroganoff and it was so good. It comes in a cognac cream sauce with fresh arugula and enoki mushrooms to toss into a heavenly dish. The seared scallop paella was also very, very good!
Desserts were worth passing around; pear tart with a buttery crust, chocolate bread pudding and the triple citrus parfait was - awww - so, so good. I'll have to come back just for that as I was so full at that point.
Monday's are Steak Night and 1/2 price bottles of wine.
Tuesday - 3 for $25
Wednesday - Seafood boil - 1 lb. per person - $25
Can't wait to experience it all!!! This is THE spot in West Seattle. Chef Dalis and crew are delivering scrumptious food here in a very chic looking spot. -
Review from Clover A.
1/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, well, well... HELLO! Fresh Bistro. I can't believe it's taken me this long.
On her recommendation of this location, I went to meet the charming Vanessa H for brunch and it was an amazing experience.
The brunch menu was really different than I expected somehow but when I saw the waffle with carmelized apples, devonshire cream and bacon, I was sold. The little one had the yogurt parfait with HUCKLEBERRIES (the best berry ever) and granola. Both dishes were made with high quality ingredients, looked and tasted amazing.
Downside is parking can be tight and the menu is a bit highfalutin for West Seattle but the quality matched the ambitious nature so I have to say Bravo! We'll be back. -
Review from Vanessa J.
Seattle, WA
1/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Any excuse to head to West Seattle on a Sunday morning will entice me over the bridge, but the promise of sopes, pork belly bahn mi, or a decadent waffle with Devonshire cream at Fresh Bistro will have me jumping in the car before you can say breakfast of decadence.
The hostess greeted me with an iPad in hand, which she used to scan the open tables and efficiently seat me in the sunlit dining room, near the fireplace. Service at Fresh is fast, courteous, and unobtrusive, three very important things when I have yet to imbibe their rich, strong, 28 ounce french press of coffee. I unfolded my linen napkin and sipped the nectar while I waited for my party and perused the menu. Everything on it sounded delightful. Eventually, i settled on the sopes, a corn fritter topped with an egg, braised shredded pork, and a carrot and cabbage slaw, and my companions had the Devonshire cream topped waffle and huckleberry yogurt parfait. Not only was everything delicious, but it was a treat for the eyes as well.
And, one of my favorite parts, on the 35 degree, rainy, blustery day that we were there, the dining room was comfortably warm and the staff never rushed us. -
Review from Alice T.
Seattle, WA
5/23/2011
4-star food, but 2-star service. The first time I went there with a group of eight, they seated us right in the entryway -- not very pleasant. The second trip was last weekend, and I was very frustrated with the host. He didn't have our reservation in the system and didn't seem to believe that we had made one. In the midst of our discussion about this, he answered two phonecalls and even took an order. He finally seated us and then asked who my husband had talked to when he called (as if he'd remember the name). Well, I KNOW my husband made a reservation, because he did it right in front of me. And I KNOW we made them for Saturday, because it was my birthday.
I have no idea what was up with the host, but I'm really not into being treated this way. Too bad, because the food was delish. -
Review from Rhonda P.
Seattle, WA
1/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Parking can be a challenge since you cannot park w/out being ticketed or towed at the lot in front of the restaurant... this was my first time at Fresh Bistro. I had the shepard pie which was nice and I liked the side salad too. It's a tad pricy IMO for lunch entrees; especially considering what's available in WS.
I'll try again... for dinner or brunch. -
Review from Carol I.
Seattle, WA
2/21/2011
I had much higher hopes for this place than what was delivered.
To start, a group of 6 were crammed in a back table and didn't really have enough room to ever get comfortable. And I made reservations over a week in advance, so its not like they were last minute trying to get us in.
Our waiter was nice but, the service was extremely slow. After we got our check, we had to pass the card over to another waitress since our waiter was no where to be seen.
I ordered the lamb burger and the fresh bistro salad, which were both good. However, my friend's french dip sandwich was cold.
I hope they get their kinks worked out though, I have heard wonderful things about their catering and maybe it just wasn't their best night. -
Review from Kat S.
Seattle, WA
2/3/2011
I really wanted to like Fresh Bistro more than I did - I have been to events catered by Herban Feast and loved it. Is three stars such a terrible thing?
Oy, the guilt - the GUILT!
We went for happy hour and had the app bento - all the apps on the menu for $25. Honestly, it was just ok. The foam on the shrimp made me groan a bit (and not in a sexy way), as such constructions really seem played out at this point. The fritters were overdone, the oysters weren't chilled (booger central, for serious) - just some misses that could have easily been wins.
We then ordered the waygu french dip - again, just ok. They were kind enough to add about a half-dozen fries to our plate, which was sweet.
What saved this whole experience was the service - extremely attentive, friendly and I never saw the bottom of my wine glass. Great job on the front of the house - I just think that the kitchen might need a re-fire. -
Review from Garee B.
Seattle, WA
5/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Went to breakfast with friends and had a great experience.
The service was spot on and they were able to accommodate to my particular dietary requirements at the time.
Great place!!!! -
Review from Chanda I.
9/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
always have an enjoyable meal here!
what's not to like:
-fresh food
-sustainable and eco-friendly
-diversity of the menu - they have a lot of northwest flavors and other cultural flavors such as asian, french and even latin. i love me some mussels and dungeness crab cakes.
-diversity of meals - have been for lunch and happy hour. they have different menus for happy hour, brunch, dinner, lunch, and late night. including a dessert menu and drink menu. it really keeps me interested and something different to try depending on when i come in.
-special themed nights - i still need to try their themed nights like monday steak night and 1/2 bottle wine or a pig roast on tuesday nights. -
Review from Zack B.
Seattle, WA
9/24/2011
Just had brunch here today and man was it tasty! Had the bibimbop and my mouth was in heaven the entire time. I highly recommend this place. They even serve French press coffee, which is how coffee should be. Try it, you'll like it!
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Review from Christa L.
Seattle, WA
10/6/2011
My husband and I have eaten here a couple of times. Atmosphere is quaint and food is pretty good. I love lamb and decided to try the lamb burger the first time. I felt it was just o.k.
This last time, I ordered the Muscles and Fregola. Muscles were plump and very fresh. The preparation w/ spicy landjaeger was very tasty. The Fregola was my favorite! It was so rich and delicious. I loved the combination w/ the lobster mushrooms and sweet corn. The sous vide egg topping this risotto dish made it over the top de-lish and decadent.
My husband ordered the crab cake and Wagyu French Dip. He also was pleased with his dishes although I thought his crab cake was a bit too fishy for my taste.
I will go there again and try the Stealhead Amandine or the Soft Shell Crab Paella. Sounds tasty! -
Review from crystal s.
St Paul, MN
12/14/2010
Well my 3 stars definitely require an explanation for this place. I have only been here twice, but the food has been absolutely amazing, particularly the truffle fries!! They have a great vegetarian section, even on the happy hour! Their wine list is awesome, the service has always been great, and their happy hour is well priced....Now for the bad, and yes I am aware that #2 its mainly a personal opinion, but hey, its my review!
1) For some reason their happy hour details are rather elusive. We went in there the first time and were told by the hostess that happy hour was all day on Tuesdays. As it turns out, it wasn't happy hour and we were charged off the regular menu. They did end up giving us happy hour prices anyways, so that was nice. More recently though, we tried to look up their happy hour online and it didn't make sense, so I called and the guy said they did not have happy hour on Sunday, but then some guy in the background yelled at him and said that they did.....why is happy hour so confusing here?!
2) They serve foie gras. I am a vegetarian, so I obviously don't eat it, but I have strong reservations about restaurants that promote this practice. It is this reason alone that usually keeps me from going there, even though I do like the place and it would probably be a 4 or 5 star without this aspect...*sigh* -
Review from Laura L.
Seattle, WA
1/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Try it! I know you will like it - because there really is something for everyone on this menu. The ambiance and almost every dish (other than one thing/ one oversight/ one time) is perfect. The menu is eclectic. Perfect date night place. Open kitchen concept allows much of the dining space to see into the kitchen. Modern, yet warm atmosphere. The chefs and the waitstaff are incredibly focused on the customer and the cuisine.
Though, I had one thing happen today which was not so great. I ordered no bacon in my salad, because I do not eat any meat whatsoever. The salad still tasted smokey though, so I was suspicious. Then I found a large chunk of bacon in my mouth as I was finishing the salad. This was gross for me. Service was great though, and the did take that salad off the bill.
Then I had the gnocchi, which was good. My mom had the scallops, which were very excellent. There has been excess oil in all of the dishes I have ordered. This may or may not be an issue for you - some people think this is delicious! I personally prefer a style of cooking with a little less grease. But it was still tasty!
Toady we also had the bread pudding, which was to die for, and ordered a late harvest port with it. I have never been pored such a large glass of port, it was absolutely huge. We almost couldn't finish it. But, between my mom and I, we somehow managed. ;)
Despite the bacon incident, I am looking forward to coming here again very soon! -
Review from Carolyn A.
Seattle, WA
4/5/2011
I want to say that I have eaten at Fresh multiple times, I always want to like it, but it seems to continually disappoint on the whole.
Let's start with the positives:
The atmosphere is wonderfully warm, and contemporary. It has a great sophisticated vibe that is fun and slightly romantic. The servers were knowledgeable, positive and engaging.
The cons:
Twice I have been left standing in the front, waiting to be acknowledged/seated for a good 5 minutes. For such a small and intimate venue it seems like a long time for someone to notice a new customer.
The food, while creative, never really delivers. My bf's steak was boring and overcooked, and the food tends to be very heavy (with the exception of the salads) and greasy.
I guess all I am trying to say is that I didn't enjoy it, wouldn't recommend it, and will not be going back. -
Review from tina k.
Seattle, WA
Second time here and the food is consistent. The happy hour is amazing with every single bite a reaction of our heads nodding and our eyes wide open. We ordered the Herban Bento which consist of 6 items on the HH menu: Banh mi sliders on a bed of Chinese (?) five spice seasoned fries, crab cakes, ahi poke tacos, molues, chicken wings, and salmon.
The roasted beet salad as a starter was delicious, the cranberry bread pudding was scrumptious, and the blackberry mijoto topped it off. Great ambience, friendly service, fresh local flavor. Will definitely return.
**Do not park in the parking lot. It does not belong to Fresh Bistro. I got a parking ticket- those damn informants from that grimey bar nearby.** -
Review from J D L.
Seattle, WA
1/19/2011
We've been here many times and never, ever had anything less than a wonderful meal. For brunch, don't be afraid of the Banh Mi (although I think I prefer the Banh Mi sliders, on the dinner menu, served with fries!), comprising cut-with-a-fork pork belly and topped with fois gras mayo. The gravy in a biscuit with a biscuit is decadence incarnate, with a mountain of gravy topping a cheese biscuit bowl, served alongside a fresh sausage biscuit. Between the two bennies, I usually opt for the ham shank version, smoky succulent and served alongside veggies carmelized and interspersed with a healthy portion of bacon (natch). Spicy bloodies are amongst the best in West Seattle, and the coffee is thick, rick and served in a stainless French press.
Dinner is just as wonderful. Looks like they pulled the Banh Mi sliders off the menu (too bad!) but the French Onion soup is a hearty portion and the cheese is as melty as one would demand in this classic. The Wagyu French Dip is nice, but opt instead for the lamb burger. Stronger portion, and the fingerlings make it worth the decision.
Mondays feature 1/2 price wine list alongside a great selection of discount steak dishes. But that won't stop us from our regular weekend brunch sessions here. Book via Open Table for the points. Wish I could give more than 5*! -
Review from Taylor P.
8/18/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I've been twice for brunch and once for dinner. I definitely liked brunch better - although dinner was good too.
The wagyu beef & lamb burger is sooooo yummy! I've also had the peanut butter and jelly french toast which was also good but a little on the sweet side for my taste - but if you love sweet for breakfast this is a great item!!! I love that they can make pretty much any dish vegetarian - I think that's pretty cool! To drink get the coffee bomb with vanilla bean caramel. It is SO good!!!
Food is always great, service is great, I am a fan! -
Review from Melody P.
I will never know there's a such great place to dine in West Seattle. Nice atmosphere and polite staff, of course, great food.
I had the Sweet Potato-Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict. It was good. I love the sweet potato under the crab and the chipotle in the hollandaise. It's really unique. -
Review from JP W.
Seattle, WA
11/1/2010
Based on one lunch visit in late Oct, I'm giving this place a SOLID 5 Stars for service, food, menu, ambience, & whatever other criteria I'm leaving out. OUTSTANDING value. I'm not usually an all caps kinda reviewer but that's how great I think of the bang for the buck factor here.
The combo lunch plates are all great, I wanted to get them all (we got 2 combos out of 3).
So far they have the best mussels I've tried in Seattle... prolly the best mussels I've had *ever*.
Only drawback for me is that I do not live in W Seattle. But I am willing to make the drive. -
Review from Jackie K.
Seattle, WA
7/26/2010
Went here by myself for a quick bite to eat but ended up staying for a pretty long time because I wanted to savor every bite I took.
Waiter was extremely attentive and courteous. Ordered the sweet potato crab cakes. They are to die for!! My water was always full. The ambiance was nice. The whole experience was great.
Definitely coming back. Do note though that if you are coming for dinner - it'd be best to make a reservation.
