- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ristorante Paradiso
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
120 Park LnSte A
(at S Lake St)
Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 889-8601
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10:30 pm
Sat-Sun 3 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- 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
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
52 reviews for Ristorante Paradiso
Review Highlights
"Consistently excellent Italian food."
(in 3 reviews)
"I had the LINGUINE TUTTO MARE which was excellent."
(in 3 reviews)
"The wine list was large and reasonably priced."
(in 3 reviews)
Loading...
52 reviews in English
-
Review from Amanda F.
1/31/2012
Oh ladies. This place will separate the boys from the men. Going there on a date with your man? Have him order you a bottle of wine (or a half bottle if you're looking for a lighter bill). You'll see exactly what happens and you just might want to thank me later.
The wait staff here are professionals. Their style harkens back to the days where you could wear the title of "waiter" with pride and make a career of it. And, these men do it justice. We came here early on a Thursday evening and were seated right away. My fiance had been here previously and raved about the food, especially the salmon. We started with a half bottle of cabernet sauvignon (not italian, I know, but it's my boo's fave) an order of the calamari. And, this is real calamari. None of that fried business you'll find at other establishments, it was delicious and perfectly cooked.
For our entrees, the boy got the seafood risotto (so amazing I almost tried to swap), and I got the salmon with capers. The salmon was good, but I felt the capers and accompanying lemon-butter sauce slightly overpowered it. I got a side of the linguine so that I could experience their pasta; very tasty, with a sauce that is a little watery, but that could have been from the lemon-butter sauce.
A fairly quiet restaurant, I felt a little underdressed wearing dark jeans and a fleece jacket. This seems more of a dress-casual kind of place. Also, parking is available, both metered and not, but we were lucky to snag one of the spots out front of the stores, not far from the restaurant. -
Review from Jeff B.
Redmond, WA
1/7/2012
Four star LUNCH New Years Eve.
PRICE - Great value; combined with the food this resulted in 4 stars.
SERVICE - Excellent.
ATMOSPHERE - OK.
WINE (glass) - Fine.
FOOD - Very Good.
3 of us went for lunch. No meat dishes.
- 2 had tomato and pasta dish: Capellini Pomodoro. Both rated it highly.
- I had olive oil, peppers, garlic, and past dish: Penne Aglio e Olio. Very good.
- 2 of us also had cup of bean soup: Pasta Fagioli. -
Review from Roger R.
Sammamish, WA
2/7/2012
We had lunch here today and it was terrific. Caprese salad huge and very tasty. Caeser salad with anchovies was wonderful. Main course was pork with a madera sauce with mushrooms and one of the best I have had. Service was excellent as well. This was my first time here but will be returning. BTW, espresso top notch too.
-
Review from Mark S.
Newbury Park, CA
12/27/2011
A nice trattoria that serves basic home-style italian food in an unassuming atmosphere. Nothing will totally wow you, but you should not leave disappointed. The pastas have a lot of flavor, the italian version of egg drop soup was wonderful, and the salads have the perfect amount of dressing. Very solid ristorante.
-
Review from David W.
King, WA
Updated - 11/26/2011
I had to write again only because they offered three specials: fish, pasta and a salad. We shared all three and found them all to be good. Whether a special or from the menu, we are never disappointed.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/10/2010
This is a nice spot in downtown Kirkland, though without any view. The inside is pleasant and the… Read more »
-
-
Review from Esther S.
Redmond, WA
7/26/2011
We went with some friends to celebrate a birthday on the 4th of July. The restaurant is quaint and very Italian. We ended up having to move tables when we heard more of our friends were coming and the waiter was very accommodating.
Now on to the food. Awesome! The fresh bread was wonderful. We ordered the Bruschetta to share and it was probably the best I have ever had! I ordered the Cappellinie Al Pomodoro Fresco and it was delicious. Fresh and flavorful. My husband ordered the Pollo Ala Mia Maniera and he loved it and he is usually is not a big lover of Italian food.
Overall the atmosphere was great, service was good too and the food was awesome. We will definitely go back! -
Review from B A.
Kirkland, WA
11/7/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The caprese is wonderful and I have never had a bad meal here!
-
Review from Tammy C.
Palm Desert, CA
9/14/2011
All I can say is delicious, the pasta was wonderful and the champagne was perfect! A very sweet romantic place, go there with someone you love!
-
Review from Heidi P.
9/23/2010
We had dinner here about a month ago and it was a horrible disappointment. First off, the decor and the menus were both old and worn.
I asked our waiter if the gnocchi was house made and he assured me that it was. I make gnocchi at home, and have grown up on it, so I know what it should taste like. The gnocchi was gummy and disgusting. It tasted as if it had been made then boiled, set aside for hours, and then reboiled. I didn't want to send it back, but asked the waiter if its texture was normally like that. He said no and took my plate to have remade. When the plate was returned, the new gnocchi were even worse. The texture was the exact same, but the portion was smaller, and the sauce that it came with was watery and had no flavor.
My friend ordered the carpaccio. It had tons of sinew and was chewy and pretty inedible.
The best dinner plate was my husband's who got pasta with a cream sauce. It was edible. Also, I ordered the Paradiso salad, which had anchovies. It was actually good.
My friend ordered a glass of wine and it tasted as if it had turned. It was not surprising as the restaurant was full corked, already opened bottles of wine. I know this is normal for a restaurant, but these bottles sitting around did not seem as if they were gone through very fast.
The prices here are very high for food that is not fresh and poor in quality. I will say that our waiter was very nice and seemed eager to please, however I will never return here. -
Review from jimi b.
Hoover, AL
10/9/2010
I had the Risosomething Maresomething.
Description on the menu: Mussels, shrimp, scalllops... blah blah
There were a ton of shelled mussels, but only two shrimp, and approximately 4 scallops. Reading the description I imagined a delicious dish. I ate about 1/4 of the plate and filled up on bread while sitting uncomfortably in a cramped corner adjacent to window looking out onto someone's back sitting at another table. $17 wasted.
My GF had the pepper steak. Can't really go wrong with steak, but for $24, I lament that we hadn't chosen to go to McDonald's instead.
Service acceptable.
Most likely never going back.
Although I peeped another table eating dessert, looked pretty good, but I just wanted out of there. -
Review from Luisinho B.
Kirkland, WA
8/16/2010
This was our favorite restaurant for many years. I think they changed ownership or kitchen personel or both.
5 weeks ago we went for dinner, My wife's minestrone soup was so salty that was impossible to eat it. They apologized profusely as they had not realized they put way too much salt (How can a head of a kitchen serve something to customers w?o tasting it first???). The rest of the meal was just OK. Based on the good experience of previous years we decided to call it a bad day for them and gave them another chance. BIG mistake.
Yesterday we went again. The Halibut special was NOT fresh so we did not finish it. the pasta primavera was over cooked and with too much salt, the linguini Norcini was a sea of oil. We barely touch the food yet we got food poisoning.
It is sad to see this happening to what we considered one of the jewels of Kirkland.
Save your money and go to better places. This is over priced for mediocre (or even dangerous) food.
Service is excellent, but with bad food there is no service that can overcome the poor experience -
Review from Jarrod L.
8/24/2010
Service bad. Food average-good.
It was a Monday evening and the restaurant was ~30% full. We were seated immediately and given menus and water. We looked at our menus and waited for a server. 30 minutes later, the hostess came by and refilled our waters; we asked her to find our waiter since two different waiters had conspicuously avoided looking at our table while we waited to order. Moments later, a gruff waiter arrived and we gave him our orders. Hot-out-of-the-oven bread sticks arrived and shortly afterward, our antipasto. The Antipasto All'Italiano was a sampling of five cured meats, provolone, roasted red pepper, and pink olives; all were fine, though the hot salami was unusually mealy in texture.
The Crespelle Ricotta e Spinaci was acceptable, but featured regular crepes instead of the green crepes noted on the menu. There was no accompaniment to the pasta, but none was expected. The Saltinbocca alla Romana was very nice with a very delicate but appropriately salty sauce and tender veal. To the side were roast potato wedges and sauteed vegetables (mostly carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower).
Dessert was both of the types of tartufo offered. The Tartufo Lemoncello was the highlight of the meal, being wonderfully sour with a great mouthfeel. The Tartufo Classico was OK though less rich than I expected.
The portions are "fine dining" sized and the menu is organized into columns, so if you arrive hungry you could have a 5-course meal (antipasta, insalate, primi pasta, secondi carne, dessert). If you went the 5-course route, it would easily be over $70 per person including wine and tip compared to the over $50 per person with 3 courses and a half carafe of inexpensive chianti.
Even though my review is poor, I think I will try it again sometime, but not likely with just a party of 2. -
Review from Betsy H.
Seattle, WA
9/21/2008
I had a nice relaxing dinner here last Wednesday night with my mom and it was great. It was a beautiful day, the downtown farmer's market was going on and we were able to snag a table outside. The waitress was very understanding when I mentioned that we had a little time constraint because i had to be to choir practice in a little over an hour and not only got our order in quickly for us, but was timely in bringing the check over as well.
The food was very good! I had the Crespelle and my mom had the Canelloni. There was still enough for a doggie bag and two days later, was still good after being microwaved. The wine selection isn't big - the only wines by glass our house wines, but they do offer about 10 to choose from (ie the riesling, the merlot, the pinot gris, the cab... etc) and they are priced well.
I will go back. :o) -
Review from Julia Z.
5/13/2006 1 photo
I know it seems like I give all the restaurants I like five stars, but that's only because I don't hate any enough to feel super-passionate about writing reviews for them (yet!)
We discovered this restaurant in 1998 when we first moved to Juanita and it's been one of my absolute favorites ever since, seeing me through a failing marriage, separation and divorce, a long-term lover, and I've been trying to get my fiance there but last time we tried, I discovered that they don't serve lunch on Sunday. It's worth it though, and we WILL get there!
The FOOD and AMBIENCE make it all worthwhile. The food is fantastic, authentic without being fussy, good portions without being American-outrageous or European-tiny. The owner-chef uses only the freshest ingredients, and even though there are a number of old favorites (potato gnocci.... mmmmmm!) there are changing dishes with the seasons as well. I've tried lots of different meals there and haven't come across ANY that I don't like, which is saying a lot, because I am picky queen and don't usually even like to try new things.
The decor is relaxed and fairly authentic... it feels like a small family restaurant in Italy. Kids are welcome though they might be intimidated by all the romance in the air on weekend evenings. The outside sidewalk dining is lovely once it's warm enough and that really reminds me of the cafe experience in Europe.
You won't like this if you want predictable, bland chain-restaurant food. You'll hate it if you want kids' menus and crayons, though I think they do have them... it's not Red Robin with loud music and tons of distractions, so if your kids are used to the insanity at those places, prepare to deal with their boredom.
I'm not a big wine drinker, but my former father-in-law was impressed with the wine selection and good prices. He is from the UK and travels extensively all across Europe for work, so he has a better sense of these things than I do. He loves this restaurant and I'm always happy to oblige him when he comes to visit.
The staff is excellent, many of them working there for years. Don't be shy about asking for something you love that's not on the menu, or a customization of a dish that is there; they are really happy to do this for you especially if they're not super-busy.
I often skip dessert, but they're too good here to do that; they are homemade and authentic. Save room!
MAY 2006 update: My fiance and I finally got to the restaurant together tonight, and it was better than ever. First, we got a lovely table by the window, perfect for people-watching. Our server was fantastic, friendly and helpful with no attitude and great attention to our every need without making us feel hovered over. The food was excellent, from the cheesy garlic bread hot from the oven to the meat lasagna (my new favorite) and my favorite of eight years, gnochetti di patate (potato gnocchi).
Dishes, silver, and table linens were scrupulously clean. And dessert was outstanding; we had the sour cream cheesecake with raspberry sauce... the fresh strawberries were an excellent addition to this fantastic homemade dessert. Best of all, I don't think the prices have gone up since 2000 or so. We had all this food, a latte, a soda, and a to-go order of seafood fettucini (with mussels and clams) for $60 including an over 20% tip.
In short, this restaurant is better than ever and I would give them six stars for the meal we had tonight. Even at 6 pm, the place was nearly full, so clearly we're not the only ones who have realized how good it is, and what an excellent value too.
It's actually gotten easier to park in downtown Kirkland now too, now that they've started charging 40 cents an hour to park. It's WELL worth it in my opinion.Listed in: Top Restaurants, Places for Groups, Desserts!, Last Suppers
-
Review from June N.
Seattle, WA
3/10/2008
I was thrown off a bit by their catch phrase/slogan "the art of Italian cooking" or something along those lines, but all in all, this is a great little Italian restaurant.
Pasta dishes are reasonable (under 20) while meat entree's are a in the high teens to around $30. Sauces were nice and not your standard red sauce with the oil all separated out of it. It was a very light tomato sauce with just the right amount of cream in it to give it body and not a coronary.
My veal with mushrooms was excellent. Lots of funghi whereas some other restaurants would skimp, Paradiso delivered. Tasty bread service, friendly waiters and open late.
We just lucked out as we were walking around and looking for a place to eat. I'd never heard of this place before, but I'm glad we stopped by for a late dinner. Will go back again if in the neighborhood. -
Review from Shep G.
2/3/2007
Julie Z said it all....This place blew me away last night...everything was very good from the suggested wine, the appetizer (Carpaccio), main course (Cioppino)and desert (gelatto)...Just Awesome!
http://www.ristorantep.../
Even ran into friends here who gave us a bad time for not eating here sooner....Took me 20 years to find this place under my frigging nose....but I will now go more often!Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from Cathy S.
6/27/2009
I ended up here last weekend for dinner for a bachelorette party. I immediately felt like I was back in Boston in the North End when I walked into the restaurant. I was however, a bit disappointed with their menu. For a family run Italian place, I felt like it needed more classic dishes like tortellini or manicotti. I really struggled to find something on the dinner menu that I was in the mood for.
I ended up with the stuffed chicken (with spinach and prosciutto), which was pretty decent but I would have much more preferred a red sauce pasta dish (other than spaghetti). -
Review from Merrilee O.
Kirkland, WA
12/30/2008
OK - I'm a little biased.
I was treated to a wonderfully romantic birthday dinner here a few weeks ago. Less than a month after my birthday, we pulled up for dinner here again. I knew something was up.
I further knew something was up when my man couldn't finish his steak with mushrooms, a dish he'd raved about forever after my birthday. I do not hear "I'm just not the hungry" when he has a steak that tasty in front of him.
Something was up - we got engaged on the beach in downtown Kirkland right after dinner!
But back to the food... like I said, the steak won my man's heart, possibly more so than I ever did. I had veal the first time and the halibut special the second time. Both servers we had offered perfect wine pairing suggestions. The service was friendly and personalized. The salads were wonderful, the bread is just as great as prior reviews suggest, and the tirimisu is amazing.
Of course, like I said, I'm officially biased. I can tell this is going to become a favorite spot for celebrating special occasions!Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from Ryan Q.
Kirkland, WA
8/5/2008
Some of the best Italian I've ever had. The service was very prompt and kept everything going in a nice orderly fashion despite being packed to capacity.
Great times!Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from Simon L.
Redmond, WA
6/28/2007
Nestled in an alley off the main drag in downtown Kirkland, it's a wonder that anybody can ever find this place. We had a pleasant experience here. This place has great atmosphere and our waiter was awesome.
We started out with appetizer of ANTIPASTO VEGETARIANO which is marinated grilled eggplant, red peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, olives, and zuchinni served with drizzled olive oil. Delicioso.
My wife had PENNE PARADISO which was great. I had the LINGUINE TUTTO MARE which was excellent.
I have nothing bad to say about this restaurant except their website pisses me off. Whenver I click somewhere on the page a picture of a dude dining with two chicks pops out. hmmm I wonder what they will do after dinner......We will definitely go back again. -
Review from John W.
Kirkland, WA
7/11/2010
I'm not Italian, but if I was then I think I might say something like, "the food at Ristorante Paradiso is truly authentic, like my grandmother used to make!". But I'm not Italian, so I'll have to go another direction with this...
My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of dining at Ristorante Paradiso last weekend, and the experience was top-notch. She had the Penne Moda and I had the Linguine Tutto Mare in white wine sauce, and both were well-prepared and delicious. (Note: Things like the Tutto Mare are, in my opinion, a real test of the cook's skills. Lots of different types of seafood and all of them were cooked to perfection. Totally worth it.)
The service was also very good. The Chianti the server recommended was delicious and reasonably-priced. We ate outside on the front terrace, and the he stopped by frequently and discreetly to check up on us. I like that: Great service that doesn't intrude on your dining experience.
We enjoyed our meal so thoroughly last weekend that we stopped by again on Thursday night. We decided to take a table inside as it was a bit warm outside. Unfortunately there was no air conditioning and no fresh air flow through the restaurant, so we left without ordering.
Overall? Fantastic restaurant, just avoid it if there's a heat wave on. -
Review from Ling B.
Redwood City, CA
5/22/2010
This place is the right mix of cozy ambiance & good food. Been here a few times now, and enjoyed some cold vegetable antipasti, bowtie salmon, and a custom fettuccine w/ calamari (the best but you have to ask for it - and get the calamari appetizer style - not fried but in a light base) during the last visit. Pics of what we had: http://ling.swingvine....
Usually attentive wait staff and a well-behaved, quiet crowd. Open late as well. -
Review from Aaron F.
Kirkland, WA
5/7/2011
I have been here many times over the years. If you see my rating of only 3 stars and wonder why I have returned so many times I would say that for the eastside they have good Italian food. My 3 stars would come as a comparison to top quality Italian in Seattle.
The food is good but a little pricy but you can have a good family experience with a great location in Kirkland for summer nights and hanging out after your meal. -
Review from Pamela T.
Gold Bar, WA
10/27/2010
My husband's Italian and wanted some "comfort food". So I went on line and found Ristorante Paradiso. It has a European flare with linen covered tables outside and a lively, festive atmosphere inside. We
were sat immediately in a room off the main dining room. I thought to myself what a wonderful spot for an intimate dinner for two. The server introduced herself after we got settled. She was friendly and attentive throughout the meal.
The wine list has much to offer, mostly Italian with a good amount of American wines to round it out. It's very reasonable too!! They offer
one American wine in particular that I know I've payed much more for at other restaurants!
There were four of us and we're all good eaters! The appetizers were excellent, especially the carpaccio which was tender and flavorful. The mussels and clams in a white wine broth were clean and crisp. I especially liked the wine broth. It's got a good amount of what I love garlic ! Oh and the bread ! They make it fresh from scratch. The perfect way to sop up some of that wonderful broth! I had the linguine tutto
mare for dinner. It's a mixed seafood dish with a white wine sauce or a red sauce. I got the white wine sauce. I like it because it's like a
cioppino which I love and it has noodles which I also love ! My
husband had the pollo maniera. It's a chicken breast stuffed with prociutto, spinach and ricotta cheese.They cook it and smother it in a mushroom marsala wine sauce YUM ! Our friends had the fish of the
day and the lasagna. The fish was Dover Sole. The sole was tender and moist, not overcooked. It came on a bed of penne with the most wonderful spicy, tangy tomato sauce with kalamata olives.The lasagna was no ordinary lasagna my friend ! This lasagna had intensity !! The menu read "Made with a meat sauce, noodles,
mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses", Anyone would be full after
finishing that up!
Of course there were desserts. We tried to be good but we had to indulge. I had the tira misu. It was creamy, chocolaty and delicious.
My husband had the "coconut ripieno" which was a coconut sorbet. I don't normally like sorbets but this one actually had a great flavor. Our friends had a chocolate decadence and a lemoncello tartufo. They both raved about their desserts! Overall is was a wonderful experience!
We'll be back !! -
Review from T P.
Elk Grove, CA
10/10/2009
The bread is warm and home made although they serve it with butter and not olive oil.
Appetizer ante pasto italiano was a plate of mixed salumis and cheese.This was more like lunch meat and bologne from Safeway.
Depending what dish you order it can be hit or miss. The sauces tend to be on the watery side and I don't think there is much flavor. The gnocci seemed to be homemade but the sauce was terrible. The bowtie pasta with smoked salmon I had was boxed pasta with watery sauce and no peas! That dish always has peas!. I could have made better at home. Tarimusu for desert was very fresh and authentic.
The service was very good and we liked the cozy atmosphere but the food just doesn't cut it so probably won't be back. Every time we try the Eastside for restaurants (usually because we don't feel like driving to Seattle) we are extremely disappointed! -
Review from mike p.
Redmond, WA
12/14/2009
I had the lasagne for my entree and (being a bit of lasagne snob) I am glad to report that it was quite good. They added some ham in as well which is new and delicious twist. I also enjoyed their caprese salad and baked bread. Both were very good. I was not as pleased with the calamari but it wasn't breaded which is how I prefer it and was also a bit juicy for me.
The service was excellent and the food tasted pretty authentic. I didn't feel crowded as they had good seating and table placement as well (decent lighting too).
All in all, I think you'll find this is a great value for your money. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Cheers! -
Review from Marizka C.
Redmond, WA
4/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Overpriced with mediocre food. The salad was good, bread was made fresh but our second entrees were horrible. My vitello scampi was way too sour, it killed my tastebud. Everything else I tasted afterwards was just sour. Saltinbocca ala romana was not worth the $23. The veal was overcooked with not much flavor but butter. Cannot taste the sage and wine sauce, just butter. Olive Garden has better food than here.
-
Review from Tammie P.
Boston, MA
3/10/2009
We ordered take-out from here one rainy night, and I asked for the frutti di mare fra diavolo-style. The girl on the phone did not know what fra diavolo meant. Granted, it's not on the menu, but I would think someone who works in an Italian restaurant would know.
Anyway, the dish was right and it turned out pretty good. The rolls that are served here were also good, but the Caesar salad was drenched in dressing. Next time, I'll have to remember to order the dressing on the side. -
Review from Josh N.
Seattle, WA
10/12/2009
TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I particularly think that the eastside lacks a diverse environment of good restaurants and after trying this restaurant that list is even smaller. The location and layout of the restaurant is great and thats where it stops. There were very good reviews for this place so I was excited to take my girlfriend there as opposed to having here drive to seattle.
The meal that I ordered was ok, my girlfriend order the caneloni and I have seen and food cooked out of a box that looked more appetizing than this did and I know that it tastes better. I was embarrassed for them when they brought this out.
Dont waste your time, there are much better Italian restaurants in seattle. I wont be spending much time dining on the eastside anymore unless Im looking for a typical chain restaurant. -
Review from Jacob S.
Bothell, WA
10/22/2010
We went here last night for the first time with my family for the 3 for $25 and was seriously impressed. We had to wait about 5 minutes which isn't bad considering the place was packed. Well worth the wait! 2 of the 4 of us ordered from the regular menu while the other 2 tried the special three courses for $25. For appetizers we had the caprese and escargot which were great. We also tried the calamari which was delicious, not fried but sauteed in white wine and very tender. For dinner we had the fish of the day which was halibut, some of the best I have ever had. The others ordered the gnocchi (cooked perfectly), a veal dish in a mushroom sauce (very tender) and a homemade pasta with chantrelle mushrooms in a light cream sauce with sausage...sooooooo good!
Unfortunately we arrived later in the evening and they had run out of tiramisu, the server offered us anything off the regular dessert menu, can't beat that. We had a coconut sorbet, a limoncello ice cream...my new favorite!
The wine list was large and reasonably priced. The service was top notch, friendly and very accomodating...I can't believe we hadn't found this place sooner! -
Review from Seth M.
Fall City, WA
9/15/2009
I need to put one star just to pull this average down. 4 stars was very misleading and I ruined what needed to be a very amazing dinner for a very close friend.
The decor is pretty tired, so dont expect more than hole in the wall kirkland. I ordered the Calamari and the Clams and Muscles, both of which were not very good. The Clams and Muscles were at a few points inedible and we both had to spit the ones that tasted like raw sick garbage out of our mouths and try desperately to get the taste out up until the point where we asked they be taken away because they smelled so bad and were so gross.
They were out of the wine we wanted so I got something else. The service was really poor and very very slow for the amount of bussers and waiters dealing with what looked like 4 or 5 tables. I had to wave 4 times to get water, bread and just the usual. I hate to be a total snob, but I would expect them to at least try to pour my wine too which no one even came close to.
The main courses were pretty generic although the ravioli was pretty good in all fairness.
The dessert was again really mediocre. It was like a frozen thing from a QFC, it wasn't moving at all.
Just dont go here, until they fix some of this. This is NOT a 4 star experience, its really not. Its not special compared to the level of dining available in the area and on the eastside in general. -
Review from Christine C.
Houston, TX
8/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
great great GREAT gnocchi! perfect texture and density. soft but slightly chewy. delicious tomato based sauce with lots of juicy morsels of sausage. incredible flavor with plenty of depth.
carpaccio wasn't my favorite although my sister lovvved it. thin slices of fresh beef tenderloin drenched in olive oil, lemon, piled high with raw and surprisingly mushroom-y mushrooms and parmesan slices. good ingredients that tasted very distinct. didn't blend that well, imo.
spinach and egg beef broth = SOUP-er yummy! sounds so simple and blah but tasted incredible. managed to be light and hearty at the same time. no idea how. just EAT it.
one WARNING though: you must exercise self control and restrain yourself from filling up on punchmeintheface good rolls. although those soft, fluffy, doughy rolls will tempt you through the whole meal,
you really don't wanna miss out on the reAL food! -
Review from mamalicous M.
Seattle, WA
2/10/2008
Having lived in the big apple-I miss the little Italy dinning experience as well as Hell's Kitchen. A friend and I went to this restaurant and it brought back a flush of memories. It is right in the heart of Kirkland so a great place for people watching as they stroll by the windows. The service was excellent (gorgeous European men in their crisp white button-downs and black pants). The bread was warm and flavorful. Any restaurant that delivers the bread right after the beverage order gets a star automatically. I had the fettuccine and it was so rich and creamy. I haven't had the same quality since little Italy. It was reasonably priced and very cozy. I only wished I hadn't filled up on Delicious bread and noodles to have saved room for dessert. Good selections of wines.
-
Review from Ebru Y.
Chicago, IL
6/24/2006
I love this place because it offers very good food and service. They have the best tomato soup in the world! It's pretty romantic if you want to take your date to Paradiso, with the dimmed lights and the romantic decor. The only thing I don't like about it is that there is a little bit too much of service if you know what I mean. I don't like it too much when somebody is coming around every 2 minutes to fill up our water glasses. It's nice to be checked on once in a while, but sometimes it just gets too much. Other than this minor issue, this is a wonderful place!
Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from Dan W.
Redmond, WA
9/8/2007
Excellent dinner with friendly wait staff and the prices are very reasonable for downtown Kirkland, especially with the quality and quantity you get. I never found the waitstaff too overbearing... they came by about every 10 mins which is pretty typical. And the best, was that without reservations, the two of us dropped in on a sunny Friday evening and were seated within 5 mins (party of four you'd probably want to make reservations). Probably the only drawback is the restaurant is pretty small, and a lot of tables packed in the small space. The background noise from all the patrons was a bit higher than expected, but we had no problem carrying a conversation. A true Italian dinner here would consume your entire evening with their great menu choices while not costing an arm and a leg like some other establishments downtown.
-
Review from Nicole C.
Santa Monica, CA
6/7/2011
I am not one for handing out 4 stars, but this place is consistently good... with everything. Staff is great! Food is excellent (note - we have not tried any of the seafood dishes). The food may not be what most consider "traditional" Italian food but every dish we have tried is good. The decor may need an upgrade, but in my opinion it give it that less pretentious atmosphere and no one minds if you walk in wearing jeans.
-
Review from Alice C.
WA
7/1/2007
Yelp never fails. We went to this restaurant soley based on past yelp reviews. Everything is exactly like Julia's review., ambience, food etc. The price is very reasonable. Hubby and I commented that they could easily charge more for the quality of their food (not that we encourage it!). The service was outstanding on a bit of the stalking side (but in a good way). The bus boys and the waiters were constantly watching us to see how we were doing and refill our water glasses each time we took a couple of sips. This will easily become one of our favorite Italian restaurants.
-
Review from Whitney C.
Seattle, WA
10/22/2007
This place was great. The food was excellent, and the service was even better. It is small so I would recommend reservations, but definately check it out if you are in Kirkland. Our waitress was Kristi and she was awesome. The tiramisu was light and fluffy, the marsala sauce was not too sweet, the prawns big and the sauce flavorful and light.
-
Review from J C.
Kirkland, WA
9/2/2008
Excellent food and the service was great, too. It's nice they let you share the food as well (extra charge). A great dining experience in downtown Kirkland. We've been going back regularly.
-
Review from Paul F.
Sammamish, WA
2/3/2010
Excellent food and atmosphere in downtown Kirkland. Great rolls, piping hot and quite tasty! Highly recommend the stuffed chicken dish.
