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Mon-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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Gainsbourg is ADORABLE! And why wouldn't it be, with immediate associations being Serge, Charlotte, Jane Birkin, Francoise Hardy, and Lou Doillon? In fact, they are the namesakes for some of the cocktails here. I particularly enjoyed the Francoise Hardy, which was a sparkly drink with a bit of a gingery kick. I also got to try the lavender lemonade (light and refreshing), lemon incest (not particularly wowed by this one), and Jane Birkin (I can't exactly remember, but I think it was grapefruity). Aside from their quirky cocktails, they have a really random/wide selection of beers that is likely to satisfy anybody's beer craving. We also got the poutine and shared it-- plenty of snackage for four people. Why is it that the only other place I've been able to get poutine is Canada? I think everybody else needs to be introduced to the concept of french fries drenched in gravy and topped with melted cheese. Soo worth the calories.
I lovelovelove the fact that they project old movies on the back wall. It seems kind of weird to think about, but it seriously just works here. Also, the unisex bathrooms are decorated in a really cute, quirky french manner with damask patterns and ornately framed mirrors. Love.
Went here with the bf looking for something different. Instead, I found this:
1. Slowest waittress on the planet.
2. Slowest cookers on the planet. It took 30 minutes to get out french onion soup.
3. Steak frites: the chewiest, worst cut of steak ever, which was only about the size of a twinkie, and tasted like NOTHING. I could taste a lot of the alcohol from the port they added in an attempt to make a sauce. Maybe they were trying to get me drunk so I wouldn't notice the suckness?
4. Fish and chips: fish were decent, but there were only 2 and they were practically bite sized. The rest of the large plate was just a pile of fries. Same went for the steak frites. Essentially, I had fries for dinner.
5. Damages: $25 and what could have been a better dinner at McDonalds.
Upon my second visit, I regretfully have to say that I really don't dig the Gainsbourg.
Apparently, they were out of Hoegaarden yet again (according to my friends who unsuccessfully tried to order it). At this point, it might help to make a note of its limited availability on the menu, guys. I ordered a Grey Goose and soda, and even though it was Grey Goose, I wasn't expecting to pay $7.50 for an 8oz glass of mostly soda.
What really really disappointed me was that my Croque Monsieur -- the same sandwich that two of my friends had gotten minutes ago -- was literally half the size of what they had gotten. Okay, I understand that bread loaves vary in size, but when the difference in size is that dramatic, you either give me another sandwich or charge me less. Getting half the portion that two people at my table got for the same price is unbelievable.
I really don't expect to come back anytime soon.
The Gainsbourg is very hip and very French. It is also very nondescript, which may or may not be an… Read more »
Things I like about Gainsbourg:
1) Random selection of beers - Everything from the required Belgians to Busch cans (which are $1 during happy hour)
2) Drink menu illustrated with naked chicks.
3) Full selection of different types of absinthe, including some local brands (from Woodinville, as well as Oregon and California), up to 135 proof.
I didn't try the food, but it looked good. Next time...
I wanted to add an update as I have been back several times since my last posting for lunch on a weekday and also ont he weekends. Love the fish and chips! The fish was Talapia and has a seasoned breaded coating which was unsual and very tasty. I really love the environment in this restaurant. It is dark, cozy and invites conversation. I never felt rushed and the service was great.
Kudo's to Gainesborg for creating an unique restaurant and opening during a stressful economic year. I say let's keep supporting these small businesses so we can continue to experience a more personal place.
Ok, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the great food and albeit fun atmosphere here. My… Read more »
I went to Gainsbourg before I read any of the reviews and was shocked at the negative comments many Yelpers made. Upon review however it appears Gainsbourg started off shaky and has since really utilized the feedback to improve their service and menu. I guess I'm glad that I discovered this amazing spot only a few months ago.
That being said I have probably been there 10 times since, and have tried almost everything on the menu. The cocktails are new and fresh, the delicious small plates are reasonably priced and the service is courteous.
Highlights:
Jane Birkin, Lemon Incest, Lavender Lemonade and something purple (cream de Cassis?)
Salad Nicoise - when available - is very filling
escargot- so buttery and mild, not chewy
cheese plate - love the Euphoria
Steak - 5 0z - great sherry sauce
beet salad - great balance of flavor
Haricots vert - devine
Cream Brulee cheesecake - heaven
I almost forgot brunch - hands down best biscuits and gravy I've had in Seattle. Home made biscuit with ample sausage gravy (not to thick).
We concluded our French night at Gainsbourg. (Because you can't go see Jule & Julia on an empty stomach, and yet you also want to nibble again on more French food after watching the parade of hollaindaises and Thermadors, we decided to sandwich the movie between two mini meals. The first was Bastille, the second was Gainsbourg.)
I'm an ardent fan of Gainsbourg, and this sealed the deal. I had a delicious cocktail, switching from my usual Byron to a French 75, though the special absinthe menu intrigued.
We enjoyed a cheese plate with a delicious fig jam, and a mouthwatering plate of mushrooms in a garlicky broth. It was one of those dishes where you use every bit of bread to soak up sauce because it's too good to leave behind.
I just wished I hadn't had the (so so) frites at Bastille in the evening, because Gainsbourg's are much better. Crispy, never soggy, and a fun choice of sauces including some yummy mustard and tarragon aioli options.
Love the loungey atmosphere, bizarre French 70s movies on the screen, quirky lamps, and of course the Twin Peaks room in the back. Service is attentive, and food comes fast.
Gainsbourg, we'll be back for more!
Gainsbourg... oh, Gainsbourg.
Your garlic aoili... Your garlic butter. Your surf 'n' turf with mash.
Oh, how I love thee...
I forgot how amazing you were... how each dish is made with love.
We be back more often, I promise. Your Haricot Verts blow my mind.
We made it back here for dinner last night and it was so fantastic- absolutely deserving of all 5… Read more »
After moving to Greenwood, I have been on a mission to try every restaurant/bar within a ten block radius. As far as bar/restaurants go in this part of town, I wasn't really disappointed, but it wasn't really anything special either.
I am a fan of cheese, so the fact that there was cheese melted on top of AND inside my croque-monsieur was delightful. The server was friendly, the french fries freshly made -- not bad not bad.
I just couldn't shake off the feeling of slight...pretentiousness? I ordered a pint of hoegaarden, which I was stoked about since not too many places have hoegaarden on tap -- and they were out. Sad. I got a can of wittekerke instead (which was good, but the same price and only a 12 oz. can). I talked to my roommate, who said that the exact same thing happened the last time she was at the Gainsbourg. So apparently they're regularly out of hoegaarden? Sad.
Basically, for about the same price and a nicer atmosphere and vibe, I can head down the block to the Pig 'n Whistle, or Naked City, or Gorditos, or......
Having been here twice now, I have to declare Gainsbourg is one of my favorite spots. Sad that they aren't closer to me, but at least there's a bus that takes me almost door-to-door!
The cocktails & frites are great - I LOVE the decor (and I'm not just saying that because of The Black Lodge'ish Twin Peaksey room in the back), and it's just cozy, cozy & more cozy. I recommend the alcoholic lavender lemonade if they have it while you're there, and the Jane Birkin. The frites come with your choice of a few dipping sauces & the two I had were delish!
Also, they just started serving brunch so we tried it out this Sunday. I APPROVE. Cafe Vita coffee w/free refills for $2, the cutest creamer containers ever (vintage-y little cows & rabbits), the biscuits and gravy were pretty much TO DIE FOR, and the meat-y scramble thing my boyfriend had was also amazing. Plus they get extra points for making mimosas (etc) with Prosecco instead of champagne, and for playing Hanna-Barberra cartoons on the wall.
You win at Brunch, snacks and booze Gainsbourg! I'll be back as fast as the #5 bus will let me.
My one & only complaint: why you gotta start your Tuesday night Twin Peaks stuff so late? 10pm on Tues, I'm in bed. Bump it up to 7 or 8 and I am so there - I am dying to try a TP-themed cocktail!
I jokingly made a comment that I would give the Gainsbourg five stars (instead of four) if they started carrying Boodles gin. Several days later, the owner picks up a bottle and emails me to tell me. How friggin' cool is that???
You rock, Gainsbourg. I gave you five stars on my old review, and give you an additional updated five stars for being promptly awesome!
One word: Absinthe. They've got it, the real deal!
Gainsbourg is just another demonstration that the…
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So to be fair I only had a small slice of cheese (yum!), a Hoegaarden (rare!) and a french coffee (coffee with brandy and walnut liqueur -- horrible, not sure what kind of cheap alcohol they're using for that, but for $8 they could have done better, a lot better). But the food looked good so I'll update when I get a chance to try that out. They did well with a group and the seating was comfortable. But, yeah, the partially exposed brick on the wall could've been really cool but it was done in such a perfectly consistent pattern that it looks fake, cheap, and cheesy.
Two of my dear good friends came to this bar and enjoyed it therefore I wanted to give it a shot. My homie Yelper Aaron E. and I came on a Monday night to partake in the all day happy hour they offer that day.
I arrived a few minutes early, slid through the doors, and walked into a dark and daunting atmosphere. A group of four immediately gazed in my direction and the man behind the counter gave my pastry bag the stank eye. I was waiting for him to sternly tell me outside food was not allowed but I was able to make it to a table unscathed. Despite the less than welcoming faces, the entire place smelled heavenly, like soup. What a way to whet my appetite, Gainsbourg.
The waiter high-tailed it to my side and set a menu on the table. He was friendly in a spastic manner. After he gave me the menu about two seconds later he asked what I'd like to order. Whoa, slow down tiger! I've got some thinking to do. I informed him I was waiting for someone and he asked if I'd like water now or later. Now, please. Then I was left to view the menu.
I had visited Gainsbourg's myspace page to see what the menu had to offer. Not much in terms of non-meat options. My only choices were a beet salad or soup. But there was dessert! My intentions were to get the soup but having an actual menu in my hands showed me there were plenty more vegetarian options. Unfortunately happy hour doesn't apply to the food. Only drinks which you can get a $1 off. I grew giddy as I read absinthe was served. I will most certainly be back for that drink of trouble.
Aaron E. arrived and after he browsed the menu, we ordered. I went with a sandwich, the name I can't pronounce, that had gruyere, horseradish, and I substituted the ham with tomato. I also got a small loaf of bread and a PBR. Aaron ordered the french onion soup and frites with a type of fish I can't remember the name of and a specialty cocktail.
It took a while for our food to reach the table which was peculiar due to the lack of patrons but when it did I was a happy girl. My sandwhich was small but was delectable. The gruyere was melted and seeping through the grilled sandwhich bread, layered with tomato and horseradish. The flavors complemented each other famously but my only complaint is there were pockets of horseradish and if my nose was stuffed up the horseradish would have taken care of that. Holey Moley. My bread was okay. The butter was hard as a rock though. Aaron said his soup was tasty albeit scorching hot. I tried some of his frites and they were crunchy and greasy, just how I like them.
We didn't see our waiter too many times. My stomach wasn't full enough so I ordered another round of bread and that took longer to arrive than the first course of food. Its just bread. How long can that take to prepare?
After we left our plates clean, we asked for the check. To my surprise the bill came to $27 and change. I was expecting it to break the bank.
I had great food and fun company which made my time at Gainsbourg highly enjoyable. I need to go back and try the aromatic french onion soup, get a dessert, and drink a glass of absinthe.
After stumbling around for 10 minutes trying to find this place, I eventually found and I'm glad I did. It's the building with the green awning, btw.
Although the decor is not much to look at, the people are friendly and the food really good. For only $9, I had a surprisingly good steak. I would almost even say great. It was tender and juicy, and most importantly, medium RARE. For the money, sure beats Applebee's idea of a 'steak'. I will definitely have to come here again to check out the rest of their menu.
Although the menu is filled with a lot of small plates, I found the portion size of the steak frites to be perfect for dinner. The right amount of meat, and plenty of fries to fill you up.
I have to admit I'd never heard of Gainsbourg before Kiki mentioned we should go there. Bad Aaron. I live like a block away, too. How have I never been here and never seen it?
After arriving I was quickly given a menu and equally quickly was asked what I wanted. Wow. I felt entirely rushed the first part of the meal and then things slowed down to a glacial speed the second half. Crazy. After being asked if I was ready to order approximately 10 times in three minutes I finally decided on a signature drink (don't recall the name), a cup of French Onion Soup and the Poisson et Frites (just because Katie S. said they were good). While waiting for the food I snacked on some bread (that wasn't complimentary) which was fine. My drink sounded good on paper, but was extremely bitter. Heavy on the grapefruit and not nearly enough simple syrup. I forget which alcohol they used but I wasn't a fan.
My food came about 5 minutes before Kiki's which was awkward, but she helped herself to the frites that came with my poisson. My French Onion Soup was pipping hot with a nice gooey layer of fromage. It scalded my mouth and it took a good 10 minutes before I could eat it, but I have to say it was quite good when it cooled off. At $5 (I think) it was a great flavor and portion--definitely something I will come back for. The poisson (tilapia) was seasoned really well, but I thought it was slightly overcooked and became sort of dry. Nonetheless it had good flavor and the seasoning and breading was perfection. The frites were freshly fried, crispy and greasy but I think the star of the dish was the tartar sauce which was perfection!
Over dinner Kiki and I discussed how we would rate Gainsbourg (yes, we're Yelp nerds)... we both said 4 stars initially, but a little while later, in my head I changed it down to three since service really wasn't that great. I can't begin to describe how odd it was that I was pressured to order within seconds of sitting down and felt rushed the first half of the evening and then felt completely ignored the second half. Sort of unsettling. However, when the bill came, I knew I had to give Gainsbourg 4 stars. It was incredibly reasonably priced for pretty darn good food. Since I'm so close by I can definitely picture myself coming back in the future. Next on my list is the Steak Frites. Hmmmm.... or maybe just a few plates of plain ol' frites.
Stopped in to try brunch on a Sunday. Quiche was served cold and probably would have been tasty if it had been served warm.
Just felt like a bar serving food as an afterthought. Service was great and love the cocktails. I'm sad cuz I was hoping for a great meal. Will go back for drinks and not eat.
What a little gem Gainsbourg is! Formerly home to several grotesque sandwich shops, this space has received an ironic French makeover that while somewhat contrived is charming and fun. Is it a "theme" restaurant? Maybe, but Rainforest Cafe it is not. Interestingly, there are quirky classic foreign films projected on the back wall, but unlike the Pig & Whistle up the street we found the films at Gainsbourg added a nice ambiance.
There's a full bar accompanied by an above average wine selection, and even a few well chosen import beers that are a nice alternative to the ubiquitous Northwest micro-brews featured at most local restaurants (but not enough variety to threaten neighbors Naked City or Pillager's Pub.) The menu includes french inspired small plates that received high marks from our group, including great Pommes Frites. Vegetarians may be disappointed at the lack of selection however. The service was fine, but when the place fills up you might have to work to get their attention, fortunately when you do it's always friendly.
This is a good addition for Greenwood which is still home to occasionally low-rent fare but with places like this starting to pop up we may be looking at a revolution, in this case a French revolution.
Been here twice now. I love their cocktail menu. Most of their drinks are bubbly. You know I love me some bubbly drinks. Food was good. The cheese plate was on the skimpy side, I must say. The Gainsbourger was delicious. It's a blend of lamb and beef and served on a baguette. Even the boys loved it! Frites, yum. Croquette monsiour, delish. Always have had a pleasant time.
The atmosphere is great. The concept is good. The service is fine. The prices are pretty reasonable. The food is fair at best, at least on the night we tried it.
I'd be happy to give it 2.5 stars. It's got potential, but soggy, lukewarm fries and my friends' oversalted soup were disappointing. I suppose we should be less passive-aggressive and actually say something about our food, but really, can't the kitchen staff tell when the fries aren't hot anymore?
The carrot soup was nice and simple. Cheese was good. Most dishes were almost good, but missed on some small but essential detail that undermined the experience. Not enough salt, too much salt, not enough caramelization, not enough herbs.
ETA: The owner suggests I speak up if something doesn't meet expectations, and said they'd be happy to remove it from the tab. So maybe don't be so passive aggressive :)
A late-night dinner of baguette with butter, steak frites, and a cocktail called Lemon Incest (vodka, sparkling lemonade, and...something) were what greeted me upon my first visit to Gainsbourg. I had been hearing about this place from friends ever since they opened and finally had a chance to visit with one of my favorite dining partners.
It was fairly busy, even on a Tuesday night after 9:30, but not crowded. We were greeted quickly and given menus, and our order was taken promptly as well. Drinks (alcoholic for me, non- for her) arrived shortly after, and her soup, which smelled so divine that I had to order the baguette with butter just so I could sneak across the table and dip it in the broth. Our steak frites were likewise delicious. My only complaints were that I had to ask for water and silverware (to spread the butter on my baguette), but once those came, everything was fine.
I'll definitely be back to try the escargot and the roasted brussel sprouts, dessert, and probably for a repeat of the steak frites. And on Monday nights they hold French lessons (themes rotate, but are usually slightly cheeky).
Who knew that what Greenwood *really* needed was a little french bistro?
Three and a half but I will round up.
I was pretty pleased with this place. We heard great things about it, so we met up with some friends the other night. First thing I noticed about Gainsbourg was the ambiance. Loved the old French film they were playing in the background, even though it didn't have sound, nor was it in English. (I am just guessing at this point.) I wanted to get their King Porter because it had the highest alcohol content, but they ran out and gave me something else. This review would be more useful if I remembered what they gave me, but it was good whatever it was.
I ordered the steak frites. The fries were spectacular and the homemade, yes homemade, ketchup roundhouse kicked me in the back of the head. Sorry, that was my way of trying to be clever in saying it was damn good. The steak, on the other hand, was not very good. It was tough and didn't have much flavor. This is not going to discourage me from coming here again though because everyone else seemed to love what they got. I guess next time I would have to try something else.
Zipzap Zubidy Bop!
The food isn't bad, but the small plates are definitely small (granted this really just prevents overeating, which may not be too bad of a thing). It just annoys me when people say that $9 for steak frites is cheap when you have to order more food to get filled up.
Nevertheless, my real beef with this place however, is the fake/forced "french bistro" atmosphere. Maybe its because we sat on the fake leather couch next to the fake fireplace (why even have one), but either way this place just rubbed me wrong. The bartender was even wearing this silly fedora.
I think that I could have given this place 3 stars cause the drinks were good, but I wanted to bring the inflated average down a little.
When I saw that Gainsbourg was classified as a French bar, the first vision I had was of an establishment filled with patrons garbed in black, sneering at your wardrobe over dog-eared copies of Sartre: "L'américain Stupide a le goût terrible dans les vêtements."
Fortunately, that wasn't the case.
Instead, Gainsbourg has a mellow vibe and the servers could not be friendlier unless they went home with you. The layout is also inviting with dim lighting, covered lamps at the booths and soft music set to a low volume. You won't need to raise your voice for conversation here. Seating is a bit sparse with booths along one sidewall as well as seating at the bar, of course. In the front, there is a small stove fireplace with couches nestled between the bar and the front windows. Bathrooms and the Lynchian red room are in the back.
The beer selection is impressive with six beers on tap as well as about twenty bottled selections, mostly Belgian. This collection is a bit esoteric, but all sounded fabulous enough that I sought to try them all. That didn't go quite so well, but does leave a number of untried beers for a later trip. The first tap beer on the menu was interesting: it was a light ale with an effervescent quality, almost like drinking sparkling wine. The name escapes me, but the knowledgeable server would undoubtedly identify it for you.
Although the beer was Belgian, the cuisine was French. Almost the entire menu was interesting and I ended up getting the steak frites. These were excellent, although the steak was a bit gamey. A number of other attractive menu options were also available: ranging from French onion soup to salmon dishes. In addition to the French-inspired menu, there was also the obligatory French film showing during the evening (with subtitles) as well as a map of the Paris metro on the bathroom wall.
You clean up real good, Gainsbourg. I spent a good hour sitting in here last night before I realized that I'd been to the space before, years ago when it was Buster's Brown Bag. Let me just say, Gainsbourg gets the gold star for Most Improved (much like me my freshman year of softball).
While daunting, the list of foreign beers was something I was willing to tackle bravely. And with the helpful server guiding the way, I ended up with some really good selections. They only had about 6 beers of tap, but have tons of bottled beer, which they serve with a glass and NOT out of a paper bag, like they do at Norm's.
All the food looked really good; I tried the French version of Fish n' Chips, and those dang French did it better than us once again! I could have easily eaten twice the amount they brought, but it's good that the portions were small, since I'm watching my girlish figure and stuff. I'll definitely be back to sample more of their food--the plates were about $4-8, which is so reasonable! And the words 'cheese plate' have a magical effect on me. Don't even get me started about the cheesecake that they offer too!
All the previous reviews were right--Greenwood is finally getting some class! This place feels like it would fit in right in the heart of Fremont or Ballard, maybe even (gasp!) Belltown! I mean, any place with a wall of red velvet is highbrow in my book.
Not living in the downtown vicinity, I am always looking for great dining places that are a little more within our reach. Trying to find downtown parking in Seattle is a drag on a Friday or Saturday night. The idea that Gainsbourg could provide small plates and an ambiance that may rival my love for the Pike Place Market seated Cafe Campagne truly excited me. I decided to surprise my honey and treat him for a Saturday night dinner at Gainsbourg.
The ambiance was great; it had a little bit of a red light district feel to it. The movie projection screen, and the fireplace in the front were unique touches. It was surprisingly dead inside; we were happy because that usually means no waiting for a table and fast service. Our waitress was sweet, really sweet. She was cute too. However, there were only about 6 other people in the place on a Saturday evening, and she was a bit absentee.
We started out with a glass of prosecco; a great deal at $6.50! My honey ordered coffee and was really happy when she brought out a french press of caffe vita coffee. The little kitty cat cream pourer was adorable. We were off to a good start.
Now here's where things start going a bit off.... These are small plates that can be served in any order, but I would think an experienced chef could figure out how to serve them in an appropriate order, without having to request it. We asked for 2 french onion soups, 1 escargot, a Poisson (breaded and fried tilapia) frites, and a steak frites. So I would think we would be served the soups first, then the escargot, and then the frites dishes. This would make sense right?
This is how it came out: Two french onion soups with the Poisson frites. By the time my soup was finished my frites were cold, and they weren't even hot when they were set down on table. The tilapia was crispy on the outside and flaky and delicious on the inside. The tarragon mayo that came with the tilapia was laced with capers and was simply delicious.
After about 5 minutes or so, the Escargot was served, piping hot; too hot to eat. If we would have got those with the soup, they would have been at perfect temperature by the time we finished. We thought maybe they forgot about the steak frites. Around ten minutes passed and our dirty dishes were still sitting in front of us. We were just about to flag down our waitress and ask if they had forgot about the steak when it arrived. I was never asked if I wanted another glass of prosecco until my honey finished the steak and I was ready to pay the bill and get out of there.
Now as for the taste of the food, everything was good, but unseasoned. All of Gainsbourg sauces are house made, including the ketchup which is super tasty. The escargot were served in a cool looking ceramic dish. They were garlicky and delicious, but were not seasoned with salt at all. The soup also lacked salt, and needed to be adjusted. The steak was extremely tough, and the onions on top of the steak were not salted. The frites received with the steak were very hot and delicious.
It was disappointing that most of my complaints were minor errors in service and execution of food. While they may be minor mistakes, they add up to a disappointment that was really unnecessary. Our total bill only came to $41.00, which was really great. The escargot cost only $6! WIth everyone else's positive experiences, I'd like to give Gainsbourg a second try. The charcuterie plates as well as the salmon pate sound really good. The prices are so reasonable, and being on Greenwood ave, it's a great location. I just hope they work out some of the kinks.
Gainsbourg is WoNdeRfuL addition to the Greenwood hood!!! I know there are few good bars/resturants in this neighborhood but Gainsbourg just makes Greenwood better. The decor within is dark, classy and very romantic!! They even have a roof mounted projector that plays foreign films("La Vie En Rose" ,"Breathless") on a nightly basis. The booth seating gives you a sense of privacy. And I would highly recommend the table with the zebra hoof lamp. Because you get a great view of the kitchen and the projected movie on the opposite wall.
We opted just for drinks and dessert on this visit but believe me we'll be back. Well I had a St. Bernardus Wit(tap) and M'lday had a Basket Case '05 Cabernet. As for dessert we had a very lovely cheese cake topped with huckleberries. The cheese cake seemed to be whipped, which gave it a very cream and light feel. And paired with our drinks we were in dessert heaven!!! Service was top notch and very personable. So again we can't wait to go back for dinner. Because Gainsbourg is just fantastic!!!
There is nothing I like better than b/w titty movies projected on a wall!
Now don't misunderstand me and think this is seedy. It's ambiance people. And the Gainsbourg has more ambiance than you can shake a bottle of wine at.
The Greenwood Lawn and Tennis Club held their winter formal here last weekend and I was lucky enough to score an invite. This place is a great venue to hold an event at. Plus I hear Greenwood is now a douchbag free zone. The db's are migrating to Ballard for the winter.
Note: For now Beer and Wine. Rumor has it liquor license is coming soon.
Um... so how do you tell when a place is excellent?
A: When you go there twice in one day, and find yourself wishing they were open for breakfast too!!
We ordered half the menu and there wasn't a single item that even touched on ordinary.
Small plates for around $6 to $8 each, so share...
The escargot was mild, and garlicky, served in a traditional presentation, I think I compared them to a mussel without the brine taste.
The beet salad with soft goat cheese and walnuts was a flavor sensation!
The cheese and spicy meat plates were complimented with a sparkling array of pickled delights, and served with baguette slices.
The Frites can be ordered as a side on their own for $3 or $4 and I can't stress enough... they were the best I've ever had! Light and airy, I was almost convinced that they were made from something more flavorful then a mere potato!
The herb and bread crumb encrusted tilapia with Frites has to be the best value on the menu at an affordable $6, a perfect compliment to their delicious hand picked Belgium beers!
At first i thought the beers might be a little over priced at $7 to $8... until I tasted one!
Smooth, with desert undertones, these beers danced over my taste-buds in a way that renewed my faith in humanity... or at the very least... in Belgium beer makers!
The alcohol content is also double of a ordinary beer so be careful! I had three and I was cooked!
Top all of this off with a wonderful atmosphere that grows on you more and more the longer you're here, and Greenwood has a hit!
There's even an area in the back that's a tip of the hat to Twin Peaks... I mean... are you freaking serious? I'm in love!
Yep... it finally happened.... Greenwood is cool.
I love this bar with a capitol "L"! (As in Lust.)…
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I'm so impressed.
I've been three times now, and all three times I've just been bowled over. The atmosphere, the food, the service, just fabulous.
First it was Belgian beers with appetizers of pate and roasted Brussel sprouts. The small plates were perfect with my white beer.
Then it was an evening to sample the new cocktails. bourbon, champagne and brandy cocktails all enjoyed. I'll never say no to a Kir Royale. Service was fabulous, friendly attentive, and dapperly dressed to fit the surroundings.
Last but far from least, last nights dinner and dish with a girlfriend. Sparkling lemonade , french onion soup and steak frites.
The service was wobbly on the last one, but I didn't expect much for a Monday night.
I'll be back. I've planned that a fresh press pot of coffee and dessert is a reasonable indulgence for some lonely Wednesday night.
We love to go to Gainsbourg after the Greenwood-Phinney Art Walk (2nd Fridays) and grab a late night drink and delicious snack. The ambience is ultra hip but the prices are reasonable. I am particularly fond of the faux-fireplace and the wine selection! I have also heard they have a unique juke box but we always forget to check it out!
This is definitely the BEST addition to the Greenwood-Phinney neighborhood!
We really enjoyed this French theme bar. Cozy with a nice selection of food and drinks. This is another small plate establishment but unlike many of the other places servicing such, I found the prices here to be very reasonable. The food and service pretty good.
The fromage a trois offered a nice selection of cheeses, almonds and bread. The beet salad was delicious. Our moules frites were also good. The frys were crisp and mussels in a nicely seasoned both. I was ready to order the poisson frites but wasn't too keen on tilapia. Streak frites, the brussel sprouts and the soups will be tried next time.
In keeping with their French theme, I was impressed with the now legal Absinthe offered on their bar menu, I think they had 5 to sample from. Nice beer and wine selection. It looked like they had some creative cocktails too. Fine place for a lite meal and a glass of wine.
Greenwood, I am impressed. There is a classy yet comfortable bar that exists in my limited imagination with an almost New York feel to it. Studied, but not trite. Attractive, not flashy. It's Gainsbourg!
Booths, tables for two. Plenty of room for all, or scooting tables together for more friends. Music at a volume you can still hear each other.
We tried a few dishes, and were most impressed by the Oysters Gainsbourg. I really wasn't sure what to expect, but it was a little ramekin with tiny oyster bits, cream, carrot and onion. I generally like my baguettes a little "toothier", but still used the bread to mop that ramekin clean! I also enjoyed the Tempranillo off of their ample wine list.
My only gripe was that the service was a bit slow - no drinks for about five to ten minutes... It wasn't busy at the time. Despite the wait, it wasn't enough to discourage me from coming back.
Just FYI - the bathrooms in the back are unisex. I spent a confused minute or two searching for some designation. Some bars get a little too creative with their WC signage. Am I a squirrel or a raccoon? Anyhoo - you can go into either one at Gainsbourg. No matter what species you are.
The food here just keeps getting better and better. And the drinks just keep getting stiffer and stiffer. *Ahem* Well, then.
But no, seriously, the food is even better than ever.
They have outdoor seating now, and Happy Hour has been going on for a while, and THAT is totally the time to go. I like to go right at 4 on Tuesday.
There's no food until 5, but it is quiet and it's pretty awesome to have the whole place to yourself, like your own personal bar. It doesn't last long though, so enjoy it while you can.
P.S.
I edited this just to keep it up to date, as I go here all the time.
I just read some of the other recent reviews, and apparently some other people were disappointed. I'm sure we must have been there at really different times, because I've always gotten good service, and although the frites were a little less crisp than I'd have liked once or twice a while back, the last two times I was here, they were very crisp, hot, and a big plate of them. The croque monsieur was still yummy as of last week and the week before, and I would say that it is a larger portion than before. Everything else I've had a taste of recently was also very good, so...?
Also - I never reviewed the fish taco that they had here for Cinco de Mayo, but I wanted to include it on my list of places I've had 'em.
Let's just say that if fish tacos are on special on a day when you're in here, I'd get it if I were you.
Thank bob this place opened pretty much right around the corner from where I live, because as much… Read more »
After reading the reviews of this place, I expected to be chased out of the establishment by trendy hipster posers with Pitchfork(s) and wardrobe condemnations. The reviews caused me to be extra sensitive to this behavior, so I noticed that we actually did receive one or two reproachful glances from another table but it was easy to ignore; otherwise the atmosphere and service was just like any other bar.
Gainsbourg's Happy Hour should not be considered a "happy hour", it is simply a $1's worth "welcome surprise" off the bill, per drink. The drink I had was $7 and tasted like old lady perfume, so next time I think I'll stick to the beer.
In general, the food was ok and the French Onion soup was ... well, it was definitely soup, but definitely not the best I've ever had. If I'm dying for some French food and don't want to leave my neighborhood, I might try this place again.
Additional note: What kind of place uses MySpace as their official website?! Especially a pretentious place dedicated to the arts and French cuisine. Or, perhaps Myspace is the mark of true (outdated) trendiness?
I can see already that this is a special place. It's been open two months now, and I can see a lot of yelpers agree, from the 30 plus reviews already. This place has some positive buzz, and deservedly so. I'd imagine it's a tough market to open a new restaurant, but I think these guys are going to do just fine.
I arrived with my Mom at around 4:30 only to discover that they aren't open until 5pm. The very nice waiter later told us that when the weather warms up, they might open a bit earlier, and also add outdoor seating along Greenwood Avenue. I would think it might be good for them to open a bit earlier, maybe around 4-ish to accommodate people who get off work a bit earlier than usual. 2 or 3 other parties had already been seated by the time we got there at 5:05 pm, so I bet they were waiting like we were.
The theme is French. They offer small plates. We ordered 4 plates -- the potato-leek soup ($4), the brussel sprouts with bacon and onion ($6), the oyster dish ($6), and the steak frites ($8). I also ordered a beer, the Burgoyne or something -- not sure how that's spelled, for $7. My first choice was another Belgian they were out of for 3 more days until it was delivered. The one I got was good after the first, somewhat sour sip, but once the flavor warmed up, it was quite good.
They also offered a nice selection of creative cocktails that looked inviting, but I wasn't in the mood for harder liquor.
All the plates were truly delicious, home-made meals. Despite the small plates, we were full when we left, and very satisfied. The quality of the cooking on all accounts is VERY good, and for just a small fraction of what it would cost to go to almost any other french-type restaurant.
I think having only one cook preparing each dish takes time, so our plates came out jogged -- my mom's choices came out, then mine 5 minutes later, but we were sharing so it wasn't a big deal. But if I was out on a date or something, this might be a bit awkward.
Still, gotta give this place cred for some terrific food and drink at a great price. Plus the atmosphere is a bit dark and quirky, but in a classy way. I will definitely be back.
PROS: Really great, nicely presented small plates at a really great price. Nice atmosphere, and selection of creative cocktails and beer.
CONS: Ran out of my beer of choice. Staggered servings (due to the labor involved in cooking and presenting each dish) could be a bit unnerving if you're out on a date or something.
Greenwood is movin' on up, folks. You other neighborhoods best watch out because we're bringing all sorts of cool.
Gainsbourg is the newest establishment adding a bit of class, character and hip to Greenwood Avenue. The atmosphere is top notch with dim lights, exposed brick walls, chandeliers and moody colors. When we came there was a dj spinning some good ol Mo Town hits while Amelie played silently on the wall. How's that for cool?
You get the bang for your buck here. The small plates ranged from $3-$8. So, pinch 300 of your pennies and go have yourself a nice meal. The Belgian beers pack a mighty punch. And the great thing about it is that they don't taste as strong as they are.
The servers were friendly and willing to help you choose from the unpronounceable names. My only complaint is that they seem pretty interested in chatting with each other and weren't always quick to pay attention to us.
While many of the other establishments along Greenwood get my patronage due to proximity, Gainsbourg could very well become a destination bar.
Damn, it seems like most reviewers had way different menus than what we had last night since they had actual entrees of some capacity to select. Our choices were truly limited to small plates so we went with the frites, the cheese plate and escargot. They had 2 soups, some salads and the famed brussel sprouts listed as well but nothing struck me as substantial (which is what I needed arriving post-workout).
Arrived around 7ish, the booths were filled so grabbed a seat on the couch by the fireplace and waited for my friend. I had asked a person at the bar for a wine list/drink menu, was handed one and told the server would be with me. Well, he didn't get to me until my friend arrived. I will say the wine pours are large and they have a great variety of specialty drinks. We chatted awhile and finally ordered some food...the cheese plate wasn't anything special but the escargot was tasty. The frites were good, small portion with the house made ketchup really hit the spot.
Since it was Tuesday the place started to get packed around 9:00-9:30 with folks arriving for the Twin Peaks viewing....service wasn't fantastic to start with but it certainly ceased to exist once it filled up. All in all though this is a great little place on Greenwood if you can wade through the creepy street people to get in the door.
New favorite. Frighteningly close to my house. Affordable,
friendly, urban-bordello-chic, generous wine portions
(oh my...) fabulous small plates so you get to try lots of
great stuff...for cheap (did I say *affordable?*)
If anyone remembers, and misses, "Bouchee" in Fremont, this
place will help you get over their having dropped off the map a few
years ago.
Gainsbourg is a strange, yet, delightful place. They play films that I adore, and they make a killer fish and chips. On the downside, they have really poor service.
I wouldn't really call it a french restaurant. It's more of a hipster bar that just-so-happens to serve excellent food. I like to believe that the food was an afterthought; some sort of freak accident. And I like to hope that they will perhaps change their business into more of a restaurant than a bar.
If you're the type of person that may be annoyed by hipsters, then this place may wear you down. You will have a million hipster eyes cast upon you - judging you.
But the food is worth it. Trust me on this.
Though the portions are a bit dainty, the prices are justified by the quality of the product. I would like the option to upgrade to an actual 'dinner portion', but the whole menu is set up to be more like a shared finger food. The idea is that you get off of work, go with some friends, order a bunch of drinks and snack while you watch some cult classic TV show or film, under a dim, red light.
My friend and I had the Poissons + Frites (Panko-herb crusted Tilapia, tarragon rémoulade). In 'Merica, we call this Fish and Freedom Fries. It came out to about $6.60. A dainty little portion of the most-delicious breaded fish I've ever had the pleasure of eating. The breading on the fish appeared to be burnt, but it certainly didn't taste burnt. It was - to put it simply - the best fish portion of a fish and chips plate that I've ever eaten.
Congratulations, Seattle! You do have some good food!
The fries (these aren't chips, my friends) were a step above your standard fast food fries. Definitely good, but by no means chips or traditional frites. You definitely get more of those fries than you do fish; which is a pity, seeing as how delicious and flakey that fresh cut of fish was.
But the in-house tarragon rémoulade? Great Caesar's Ghost! We cleaned our tiny cups clean with a finger swipe. Amazing. Simply incredible. The best tartar sauce I've ever had, in my entire life. I could drink it.
I really like this place. I love that they play Kubrick movies and cult classics. The food is great, but I wish they'd offer full dinners instead of small plates.
I like you, Gainsbourg. Just not the hipsters that always seem to flock here. Pick up on your service and consider offering a full dinner service, and I will come here every week.
talapia fish and chips to die for!
AND THEY SERVE POUTINE! hell mother yes!!!! Why did I just find this place once I moved to the bay area'? so unfair!!!!!!
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