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Russell's
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Event Planning & Services Caterers American (New), Caterers [Edit]
3305 Monte Villa PkwyBothell, WA 98021
(425) 486-4072
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Sun 4:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
71 reviews for Russell's
Review Highlights
"I did appreciate the no corkage fee."
(in 5 reviews)
"The vegetables were cooked to perfection as well."
(in 10 reviews)
"Hubby had the pork chop $26 and it was delish as well."
(in 5 reviews)
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71 reviews in English
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Review from Yuno M.
Kirkland, WA
12/22/2011
We absolutely love Russell's. This is definitely one of our favorite places. I give two big thumbs up for this restaurant for the ambiance, service, and of course food! :) Our favorite entrees are the filet mignon (one of the best I have ever had) & the scallops. The steak is always cooked to perfection every time we go there! :) Sometimes my husband and I go to Russell's simply to sit in the homey and comfortable bar area for a drink and appetizers. My husband is impressed with the beer list on draft.
Also I would like to mention their customer service that I experienced just recently. I have to say that they went above and beyond the norm for me, and I can't thank them enough. I purchased a gift certificate for my clients as a holiday gift. However, there was a bit of an issue with it (not Russell's fault at all) and I needed to contact them to see if they could help me. Right away, the manager called me back to see what was my problem and how they could help me. Then the director of marketing and I communicated a couple of times and she assured me that they would take care of it. I don't want to get into the details, but I was so happy with the service I received.
We recommend this place to everyone, and the quality and consistency we experience at Russell's is truly impressive and appreciated by our family. -
Review from Michelle L.
Everett, WA
11/28/2011
I would give this place 5 stars...but there were just a couple of issues that are keeping that from happening.
First the good...the Entrees were amazing. I had the duck breast and my husband had the beef tenderloin. The duck was cooked to perfection, very moist, and quite flavorful. His steak was out of this world. It just melted in your mouth. The sides...well not so much. The Brussel sprouts were way under done..and I was really looking forward to them when I saw them being served. The Risotto, well, it was just a tad under done as well...had a good flavor, but a little tough.
Dessert!! OMG...Yummy!!! I had the Chocolate Carmel tort..and he had the apple crisp. Both were excellent.
When I called I told them it was for our anniversary, and that we would like a quiet table...having never been there before I did'nt realize that this isn't really a place with "quiet" tables....but ours couldn't have been much noiser...right next to the lounge, that was playing the Apple Cup..need I say more.
Service was wonderful....So really the only thing that kept this from a 5 star review, was the table, and the under cooked sprouts..
Will we go back...heck yes... -
Review from Jason B.
Mill Creek, WA
11/13/2011
Ok, I was waiting to review this one until I tried it a few times. I really wanted to like this place. I've had 4 meals here, or should I say 4 bad meals here. The menu is inspired but the execution is poor. My wife or I have had issues every meal, I really wish I could have had at least one full meal here that didn't have something going back to the kitchen. They also charge Ruth Chris prices for beef that I can get on super value at Safeway.
As for the place itself, it is in an unexpected area but inside is really cool. The bar is crowded but the bartender is skilled so it doesn't seem so bad. They have a lot of great local wines. We have had reservations every time and they didn't have them when I showed up 2 out of the 4 times. They quickly accomodated us when they didn't have them even with a crowd.
I probably won't go again or entertain here. -
Review from Diane S.
Bothell, WA
2/7/2012
Love this place, been 4 times, each time great. Food is wonderful, banquet space is awesome. Friendly, great service.
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Review from Kristen B.
Redmond, WA
11/1/2011
Russel's... How I worship your steaks.
My mouth waters just thinking about how tender and juicy my medium rare fillet mignon was. Melted right in my mouth, paired perfectly with our handpicked and brought to the restaurant full bodied cab, right down to the decadent shared dessert.
Did I mention no corkage fee? Is that a standard at Russel's? I thought that was simply divine! Means you can splurge on your meal without having to worry about that extra money spent on allowing you to bring your own bottle of wine.
WOW! My taste buds can't even describe how wonderful the steak really was. I am a dedicated carnivore until the day I die, and Russel's certainly delivered when it came to quality meat.
Steamed veggies and the potato with everything on it was absolute bliss, mixed with the steak. Usually, fine restaurants get at least one dish a little off, by being too salty, too bland, or simply over/under cooked.
Russel's amazed me with their ability to get every aspect of both mine and my better half's meal JUST RIGHT! That's almost a celebration in itself!
There aren't many steakhouses that deserve a well rounded five stars, but Russel's left such a wonderful impression on me that it deserves to be recognized for their greatness. -
Review from Greg C.
Bothell, WA
1/25/2012
Great place. We met some friends there on Tuesday night; the place was busy but not over crowded. I had filet, wife had scallops, friends had NY steak and pasta. The NY steak was HUGE. Much larger than expected. The filet was cooked perfectly and excellent. Dessert was a chocolate caramel tart, which was very good. Only downside was the clam chowder was pretty weak - but then I compare it to Mo's. Still overall an excellent meal, but pricey.
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Review from Mrs. W.
Bothell, WA
Updated - 1/1/2012
The decor has improved quite a bit. The food is outstanding as always. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that the chef sends out an amuse to every table. And it is always delicious!
They had removed the lamb for a while due to some sourcing issues - but we were oh so happy to see it back! Yay!
The vegetable napolean and the bread pudding are out of this world. To die for!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/2/2009
We go to Russell's pretty often - mostly because it's the closest NICE restaurant. The food &… Read more »
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Review from Carrie S.
Bothell, WA
9/19/2011
I wanted to give this place more stars, but quite frankly it lost a few for some specific reasons and mixed feelings. The dinner started well enough with prompt service, though oddly positioned right next to the kitchen which I think was a result of not having reservations. Hubby and I were celebrating our second anniversary, and in true frugal style I had a http://restaurant.com coupon.
Service-great to begin with, then petered out as the restaurant became busier. It was clear the staff was working their tails off, and I know that because we were facing the kitchen. I would say they could use a few more people to be honest. Towards the end when we ordered coffee and dessert it just seemed we got forgotten. One entire cup of coffee and still no dessert later and when dessert did come we did not get offered more coffee.
Food-Tasty but Pricey -the value just was not there for me.
Amuse bouche-I found it odd for a restaurant of this caliber to have one, but it was yummy enough beef teriyaki on a cucumber slice..nothing that blew me away.
Bread basket-nothing special, and since when does it kill them to heat the bread a little?? So tired of "fancy" restaurants that can't heat a piece of bread.
Appetizer-we shared the Prawns and a Spinach salad, at $10 a piece I expected more. Maybe its the Fat American in me but 5 wimpy shrimp for $10 in some butter and garlic sauce is just not enough for me, and the salad, while tasty, did not warrant the $10 price tag either. Just because you want to be an expensive restaurant, doesn't mean you are or deserve to be.
Dinner, I had the Scallops with Mashed potatoes and veggies $25. Everything was delicious and hot and a good portions, so no complaints there. Hubby had the pork chop $26 and it was delish as well!
For dessert I had the white chocolate cheesecake which was delicious and not too big and not too small. Hubby had the Chocolate tart which tasted like a candy bar but in a good way. Both were $9
All in all we liked our meal and the restaurant was nice, a little dimly lit if you are in the middle of the room though, and loud once the dinner rush started. I don't know that I would try it again if I had the money, they were a bit overpriced and a bit understaffed but with few good restaurant options in Bothell, this one was ok. -
Review from Mike L.
Redmond, WA
1/1/2012
Great food and wine! We had steak lobster scallops all were excellent. Service was superb. The wine a petite sirah from Peirano Estates was excellent.
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Review from Kevin C.
I feel that a 3.5 star overall rating for this restaurant is a little low.
I had a very good experience here, and we even told our waiter we had a living social deal to use.
To start off, when I walked in there were a bunch of suits walking around, and I thought I was way underdressed for this place, but it turned out there was a private party going on. Having said that, the atmosphere is very "chic" and classy.
The next thing, we were handed paper menus. Yes paper. I am happy that a place like this has paper menus. The last thing I want to see at a place like this is a big clunky plastic encased menu. It also instills confidence that it's constantly rotating.
For service, we had great service, they were very accommodating, and even threw in some humor to boot, we had a really good time, and we weren't even drinking.
The food was better than expected; I would say that the quality of the food belongs to a restaurant that deserves more than 3.5 stars.
For appetizers, we had the beef Carpaccio, which was seasoned great, and was very flavorful.
I personally had the seafood dish wrapped in a pasta sheet. Very delicious, and the seafood tasted very fresh. My friends had the filet mignon and the roasted duck. Very good, both of them were prepared similarly, with carrots, asparagus, and risotto. The risotto was very tasty, the duck was cooked to perfection, and the filet was seasoned perfectly.
For dessert, we asked if we could do half and half of 2 desserts, and they were more than happy to do so. This put a smile to our faces. Again, very accommodating.
Overall I really enjoyed my experience here, we all did. We did notice the thumping upstairs, but it wasn't enough to make a dent in the time we were having. So if notice thumping on your date, you're doing something wrong guys (or gals)! -
Review from Jessica D.
Seattle, WA
9/18/2011
Mixed feelings on this place.
The service was outstanding. Our waitress was a doll and gave us plenty of peace and quiet yet made sure we were taken great care of. Thank you for that! :)
Environment was cozy yet LOUD. Not at all the intimate place we imagined for our small celebration we were out for...
We both had the filet mignon which were cooked to perfection and delicious! Yay!
He had the garlic mashed potatoes yet neither of us tasted any garlic. They tasted good though.
I had the herbed risotto which arrived as mushroom risotto. I despise mushrooms. When the waitress asked me how it was, I told her honestly that I didn't know there were mushrooms in it and I don't care for them and she said sweetly "just pick them out" which took me by surprise. I had no intention of complaining or asking for something else yet for $37 I was surprised at that response. I then responded something to the matter of that I wasn't allergic to them, I just don't like them, in hopes of a response but did not get one. Weird. I'm guessing it tasted good, I just didn't eat it.
Seasonal vegetables... When paying $37 for a steak dinner, the last thing I expected was sliced carrots and a few green beans. Being that it was September and their soup of the day was butternut squash, I thought for sure they'd have squash or zuchini? Carrots & green beans? It felt like a let down compared to the amazing steak. Or maybe I wouldn't have minded as much had I loved my risotto? I'll never know...
On the positive side, we are used to going to steak houses that do not include any sides so I'm not complaining... -
Review from Jocelyn S.
Bothell, WA
12/15/2011
Love this place!!! It is one of my favorites! The ambience is relaxing yet very romantic. The salmon & the steak are so delicious. The steak is different in that it is unusually dense, filling, & super full of flavor with their yummy sauce. They also give you a unique little appetizer teaser that's different each time; these are always a nice delectable treat.
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Review from Eric D.
Bothell, WA
11/1/2011
Really good well crafted food, eaten here about five dinner meals. No corkage fees, great food, much closer than Seattle or Bellevue.
Ooops, new policy, they have a $10 per bottle corkage fee, 1/26/12. -
Review from Duane F.
Amherst, NH
9/18/2011
Recently, I was in Bothell for business and a couple of teammates suggested that we try dinner at Russell's. Boy, I am glad that they did!
Three of us aligned to eat dinner on a Thursday night. Russell's did it right...each of us thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Here is my recollection of that meal:
Me - I had a Baby Spinach salad (well made with spinach, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, pancetta bits and a pancetta vinaigrette) followed by the Sea Scallops. I asked that the Sea Scallops be paired with the Herb Risotto, which our waiter was more than happy to do. I also asked for a recommendation on the wine pairing...and the waiter was spot on with the recommendation (I, unfortunately, do not recall the wine). After a bit, he came back to check up on us and everything was great.
Colleague #1 - he had the Baby Spinach salad along with the Double Cut Bone In Pork Chop with the Risotto...and was in heaven as well. BTW...that Pork Chop was HUGE!
Colleague #2 had the Pork Chop and Risotto, with a cup of Tomato Bisque as a started, again, loved it!
The dinner went very smoothly and the waiter was superb. The service was attentive without being distracting. -
Review from Sonia C.
8/22/2011 6 Check-ins Here
The lunch options are reasonably priced but quite average-tasting. The service at lunch straddles that weird line between waiter service and no waiter service - meaning, you still have to tip even if they don't do everything for you. You have to order and pay at the counter, get your own utensils, carry your own drinks - but they bring your food to you and clear your table after you're done.
I had the half sandwich and soup combo for $9. My salmon sandwich on thick focaccia was ok, but it had just a very very very slight fishy taste that I didn't like. The chicken vegetable soup was very good though - extremely hearty since it was almost a stew of shredded chicken and rice, with just a slight spicy kick.
I would come here again since there's absolutely no lunch rush (there were only 2 occupied tables at noon), but I would not make this a destination lunch dining spot. -
Review from Siao J.
Los Angeles, CA
This place is tucked away in some biz park over in bothell.. would never have gone or known about this place if my client wasn't two blocks away.. came here for dinner a few times, pretty solid, nothing bad to really say, but what i do want to talk about is..
The Barnyard Tenderloin Burger with Bacon!
Wowsers, it's been almost a year and I still think about this burger! see my picture. Notice the perfect melty texture on the cheese, many slices of crispy bacon, and imagine the tasty supple of the tenderloin. This is not a crazy exotic burger, but the bacon cheeseburger executed to perfection.
The tenderloin is so tasty and tender, but also light at the same time. The bacon is plenty (I hate it when the burger has two slices and isnt in every bite!). The cheese is perfectly melted and coat every bit of the patty. Fries would be perfect with the burger, but the homemade chips are super crispy and very tasty.
Finally, this burger actually taste healthy?? Maybe it's the tenderloin, but you don't feel heavy and dragged down afterwards. It's just the right amount to satisfy you, make you want a little bit more, but also still feel great~ -
Review from Tyra P.
Bothell, WA
7/13/2011
I haven't been to this restaurant for a full dinner, just lunch and happy hour. I will say this, when you walk in it will be a very long time before you are acknowledged. Usually there is no one around, no waiter, no hostess. Awesome.
On my last visit for lunch I left my wallet behind on the table by mistake. I didn't notice it was missing until later that evening. No one tried to used the cards and I hadn't been anywhere else, so I called the restaurant. No, they said no one found my wallet. I called back to the restaurant again daily for the next few days. No one found my wallet. I went about the business of replacing everything, credit cards, debit cards, drivers license. It was horrible feeling that someone had my drivers license with my picture and address, that someone had access to my bank accounts, my identity.
SIX WEEKS later, I get a call from my insurance company. Someone called us from a restaurant called Russell's, they have your wallet. Huh? I called the restaurant and yes they indeed had it. Apparently some really thoughtful and considerate employee picked it up tossed in the office and never gave it a second thought. When I spoke to the manager she was not apologetic. They found it because they were cleaning. People had thrown things on top of it. REALLY, it wasn't a pair of eyeglasses. -
Review from Regina C.
5/10/2011 3 photos
I have been to Russell's 5 times in my life and I cannot believe that now right NOW is the first time I am writing a review.
I love everything about this place, the beautiful touches, the lighting, the ambiance, the decor and the food is among the best I have ever eaten.
Makes me think about last week when i was in having dinner with a friend. I was as usual wanting chicken Piccata (not on his menu). The chef, Russell, the last time I was in when he came out to the table to see how everything was (what? who does this anymore?) anyway, he asked what my favorite meal is and I told him chicken piccata. Well, he said he would make it anytime to just ask. Well....I did. And it was a beautiful thing and I am so grateful. He added his own touch with artichoke hearts and a demi glace the result was a rich/light/buttery/lemony/heavenly/salty/juicy/ most tender chicken dish I have EVAH had folks.
I can go on and on, but I just want to say a couple more key things about this beautiful gem. You can bring your own Washington wine and there is NO corkage fee! Also, the beet salad is to die for. just a perfect balance of sweet from the beets and the creaminess of the goat cheese is the bomb.
They do it right here and I love this place. Also, one more really important thing. My husband has had the duck here on three different occasions and it had been perfect every single time. Joey, my husband is hard to please in this area he loves Russell's duck. -
Review from Ted E.
Montgomery, PA
6/12/2011
We enjoyed our meal at Russell's. Appetizers were ordered - and then reordered some they were so good. The mushroom appetizer was amazing - esp the sauce. We also had a beet salad and soft shell crab and both were very good.
Russell's allows you to bring in Washington State wines with no corkage - great policy since this is near the Woodinville wine tasting venue. There are about 90 tasting rooms and wineries in Woodinville - great variety of wines and price points.
I had the duck which was not fatty or greasy like duck can be. The scallops looked very good as did the steak.
Desert was shared. I think the "hit" was the toffee/chocolate desert. I could have had another but saved the calories for another time.
Very good place to dine - unusual setting in that it is an old barn in an office complex. -
Review from Some G.
Redmond, WA
3/19/2011 1 photo
Worst food ever.
Did anyone here go to culinary school? My duck came out like a sashimi... Super duper raw!. Since it's a food safety hazard I called the chef to cook it more. Well the chef insisted the duck was cooked medium which was completely and utterly untrue. See the pict I uploaded and judge for yourself.
Absolutely unsafe food here! -
Review from Jill Z.
Woodinville, WA
5/4/2011
Terrible!
I've had nothing but bad experiences at Russell's for breakfast and lunch. I work in a building right next door and it's convenient to get coffee and lunch there, but every time they manage to screw it up! The food is so-so at best - nothing impressive. And it's all WAY over priced for what you get. The coffee is usually very bitter and I'm always having to beg for milk and raw sugar. When I order lunch to go, I'm often left with a cold entree that's been sitting around. I've even stood watching my food sit in the back getting cold while others are served after me. And special orders? Forget it! This seems too much of a challenge for the high turn-over staff. I've never dined here for dinner, and never plan to, so I can't speak to the dinner service/food quality. But for breakfast and lunch, beware. You'll be sorry you gave them your business. -
Review from Todd P.
10/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
A bit on the pricey side, but absolutely worth it! Had dinner here with a co-worker while visiting Bothell for business. The hotel gave us a discount coupon for half-off a second entree, so how could we resist!
I started with the spinach salad which was delicious with bits of crispy fried pancetta. For my entree, I ordered the salmon with potato gnocci and roasted seasonal vegetables. This dish was spot on, with the salmon served at the perfect temperature and the pan sauce was amazing with the gnocci. Wow!
For dessert, the bread pudding. It was a bit different than I expected, more like a large, heavy piece of cake with ample and very rich caramel sauce.
Overall, a solid four stars. -
Review from Brandon C.
San Ramon, CA
2/10/2011
Came here for a business dinner. I had the salmon with potato gnocchi. It was excellent. The piece of salmon was generous and cooked perfectly. I wish more places could go it right like this.
Others who had seafood dishes were equally pleased. The pork chop for some wasn't as much of a winner.
My only gripe is that service slowed way down toward the end of dinner and dessert. It was noticeable and people were waiting 15 minutes for dessert.
I would go back though. Good stuff! -
Review from Milo D.
Issaquah, WA
9/16/2011
Just ok - maybe better for lunch. Food was decent but not spectacular. We ate dinner on a weekend with a 7pm reservation and the noise from the party upstairs in the "barn" was deafening. So, warning - if you go for dinner, ask to be seated as close to the bar area as possible. Otherwise you'll hear the thump-thump, and clomp-clomp of the party above you. Also, service was mediocre. I did appreciate the no corkage fee.
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Review from Theresa B.
Seattle, WA
12/20/2010
My husband and I came here on our anniversary to have a nice night out away from the babe. Date nights are rare these days, so every one is that much more special to us. It was definitely busy for a Wednesday night, and I was glad we made reservations. The building is a converted barn in the middle of an office park. Cute and kitschy.
Service started out great through dinner - our server checked on us, made sure our water glasses were full, and the bread basket was full.. The food was delicious. 4 stars for the food. We shared the scallop app, and I had the salmon. Both were delicious. Well-seasoned and cooked nicely. My hubs had the steak which was cooked to perfection. His risotto was so-so.. A little mushy for my liking. But I loved the gnocchi that came with the salmon. Definitely from scratch.
Service started going downhill after our entrees - minus a star. Our server disappeared somewhere.. We had to ask our water server (not our regular server since she forgot about us) for a dessert menu. We ordered the creme brulee tart to share which was waaay more tart crust than creme brulee. It wasn't anything special.. I was sad they were out of the mousse which was my first choice. Also, our dessert took FOREVER to come out. While we waited, our server didn't check in. She finally apologized when she brought our dessert. Turns out, she put our dessert order in after this giant group. We were annoyed. Mind you, it wasn't like they were turning over tables during this time. It was busy when we arrived, but most patrons had already cleared out.
My pet peeve is when the table next to us arrives after us and leaves before us. We had the same amount of courses, and they were definitely out at least 10 minutes sooner. Bottom line, if you're here on a date and have a babysitter, let your server know otherwise you'll have a 3-course meal last 8 courses without those extra 5 courses. Lastly, it was a little pricey for what it was - minus a star. We probably won't come back especially since we're a 20 minute drive.. Lots of other closer places that I'd rather go back to or try. -
Review from Dane M.
Bothell, WA
1/6/2011
I don't know what's up with the excessively lop-sided reviews for Russell's, but I think a lot of people read these reviews before their dining experience and are predisposed to expecting "bad service" and writing poor reviews about silly things that most of us would accept as fair and balanced (no Fox News pun intended).
I've never had the service (mediocre to great) get in the way of a good meal at Russell's, but it's plainly obvious that you come here for the food, not the experience. Go to Cafe Juanita or Canlis for that, just be prepared to triple your dining budget. -
Review from Zee T.
Everett, WA
2/20/2011
I met a few ladies for an evening meeting. Overall, the service was great. Our waiter was friendly, but not too overbearing. He knew the menu well and made excellent recommendations. I had the pork chop, which was well cooked and a hearty portion. The veggies were seasoned well and mashed potatoes were smooth and delicious. I made room for dessert, which was a smart move. The BEST creme brulee E.V.E.R.
Overall, the food is worth the price. The ambiance was nice...though a little too dark for a meeting since it was a bit hard to read paperwork. -
Review from Cheryl C.
Woodinville, WA
8/8/2010
Russell and his team are amazing! This is some of the best service and food I have ever had. It has an unpretentious atmosphere and is very comfortable.
Order either of the steaks or the fresh fish of the day, he cuts them all himself.
Bonus ~ Not corking fee on wine you buy in Woodinville! -
Review from Robyn P.
Seattle, WA
4/16/2010
Now that I work in Bothell, Russell's will probably become my go-to spot for lunch and HH. There's just nothing else out here!!
I ordered a "Spicy Peanut Chicken Salad," but was dismayed to find nary a peanut and not that much spice. thankfully, it was well dressed, had a balanced veggie-to-chicken ratio, and consisted of good-quality greens (mesclun, not iceberg).
My co-workers raved about their fish tacos, although two for $8.50 seemed a bit high considering you can get better-quality, more authentic tacos elsewhere for a lot cheaper.
Being an old barn, the interior could be so much nicer. when I first heard about this place, I was thinking rustic elegance: old oak floors, beamed ceilings, distressed woodwork ... not so much. It's just sort of blah, and the generic brushed metal and glass door makes the facade look like a pediatric clinic.
All in all, it's an OK place. I'd come back, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, especially on the weekend. Commuting to BotHELL 5 days/week is plenty enough for me. -
Review from Jill M.
King, WA
3/30/2011
Sad to say that extremely slow service ruined the experience here.
The food is good but not spectacular. The menu is limited and all of the meat dishes are accompanied by the same vegetables and some sort of potato. Waiters disappear for loooong stretches, the iced tea glasses are tiny and perpetually empty. My mashed potatoes were cold. Dessert was particularly anguishing because I was ready to go home but knew we'd be in for another 45-60 minutes waiting for the dessert menu, waiting for dessert, waiting for the check, waiting for the waiter to run the credit card, etc. And if you order coffee with your dessert, don't expect a refill.
There are much better places on the East side. -
Review from Shivaun R.
Seattle, WA
1/3/2011
Kind of a bummer - I went with a group of co-workers as a send off for someone's last day.
It's kind of hard to locate, not well marked off in the weird little business park its in, which is odd since you'd think since they are the only thing around, they would try to stand out a bit more since its so far off the beaten path.
I don't know about dinner, but I would not recommend going for lunch. They seemed understaffed, and the wait was very long even for simple things. My group of 10 was there, as well as only 6-8 other diners, so the wait seemed excessive.
The counter staff person seemed put out at having customers, and when I asked if I could have water, she told me I could get it at the table. When I asked the server attending to our table for water, she rolled her eyes and just pointed to a self-service area.
I ordered my sandwich without lettuce, and after about 20 mins the server came to the table and said, they accidentally made my sandwich with cheese so they were remaking it...I said that cheese was fine, just no lettuce, at which point she seemed unhappy to have to go back to the kitchen again.
When she returned with the food, I got the first (original) sandwich, and by then it was cold. I could very well be wrong, but it looked like they had tried to remove the cheese at one end, and then ended up leaving it on. It took one of my co-workers almost 30 mins to receive their latte. After everything was deposited at the table, we never saw a server again.
I agree with others who have said the food is ok, but that the servers seemed quite careless about the whole experience at the restaurant; feeling unattended, not taken care of, and poorly treated. I would not recommend Russell's for lunch, and I do not plan to return. -
Review from Jim Q.
Bothell, WA
10/15/2010
I went last week with my wife for dinner. There was no way and the restaurant was not too busy. I think we came before it started being busy (around 6:30PM on a weekday).
We ordered the mussels as an appetizer. I got the fish of the day (Halibut) and she got the seared scallops with mashed potatoes and veggies.
After we ordered, we were offered hor dourves. it was a chicken salad on a cucumber slice. It was really tasty and was a great way to start the meal. We also got bread with balsamic and olive oil.
The mussel appetizer was delicious. It comes with a pancetta butter sauce and some crostinis. The dish was quite large, and it would have easily catered to four people. I could have eat that and been satisfied.
The seared scallops were fantastic. They had a perfect sear and a great bite to them. The mashed potatoes were surprising good, so were the seasonal veggies.
The halibut was very good as well, not as good as the scallops. It was pan seared on one side to get a nice crust and had a side of squash polenta.
Overall, a great evening. The service was very friendly, and it was a very nice atmosphere. Would go back again. -
Review from Chris O.
6/16/2006 ROTD 6/30/2006
Russell's is a new restaurant in Bothell, an offshoot of the excellent Lowell-Hunt catering company. It has fantastic food at an odd location. It's in Eastern Bothell, just East of 405, North of 522, South of Mill Creek. For those of you who know it, it's in the old barn-type building near the Cingular Bothell campus. Easy to find from Mapquest (true dat, double true).
Now I've been in this building before it became Lowell's, and it was a run-of-the-mill lunch cafeteria. They have done a lot with it, but still with the tile floors and no booths (just standard tables), to me it retains some of the old undesirable feel. It's nice, and they've made upgrades, don't get me wrong, and perhaps if you haven't ever been there before you'd not have noticed.
But let's talk about the food. It's truly fantastic. Our salads were both excellent and unusual, the filet with bleu cheese was excellent, as good as Daniel's, and ditto on the pan-roasted rosemary garlic chicken. Both meats had plentiful wonderful sauces/gravies. The vegetables were cooked to perfection as well. The dessert didn't impress me but I thought it was good quality, just not my cup of tea.
Service was pleasant, knowledgeable and efficient.
And the prices! I could not believe how affordable it was. Our bill was $74 before tip, though to be fair we didn't have any drinks. But still I can't think of any better (or equal) food value in this quality range. You just cannot get that quality of meat anywhere. The filet was 2" tall, and I could have cut it with a butter knife, even cooked at medium.
Lastly, parking was easy because the place is empty. If you need a last minute reservation somewhere and can't find it, this might be your ticket. There were only 4 tables full at 8pm on a Friday night. Hopefully that will change because I'd like them to stay open!
To sum up, if it were just food and prices, we'd have a 5-star here. The ambiance takes it down a notch. But maybe that's just me. Can't wait to read another review.
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4-month update. We just went in tonight (Friday in October) and were really looking forward to it. Plus I read James' review which made me even more excited!
Unfortunately it wasn't quite as good as before, for 2 main reasons. One, the pace was too slow. For our 7:15 reservation we were seated at 7:22, and didn't get our appetizer until 8:00. They apologized, saying it was "slammed," though looking around the restaurant was only about 3/4 full. I guess compared to the last time we were there that is slammed!
The other thing is that the food just wasn't quite as good as before. I think the main reason for this was that most dishes had overly strong flavors. We ordered mostly the same food as last time we were here, but found the salad dressings to be a little too strong, and the bleu cheese on the tenderloin to be overpowering. Overall it wasn't bad, but not as good as we remembered.
The service was friendly and the prices still reasonable -- we really want to like this restaurant. I still think it's a neat place, and we'll give it one more try at least. Maybe tonight was just an off night. If the previous night was a 4.5 star night, tonight was a 3-star night. -
Review from J C.
Kirkland, WA
10/23/2009
Very bad service.
My husband and I were in the mood to try something new. From reading all these good reviews, we decided to give Russell's a try.
It's located within of a bunch office buildings - we almost did not see it.
Anyway, when we got in, the first impression was "hmmm what an interesting place to have a restaurant" -- you open 2 double glass doors like walking into an office building, then the restaurant is in front of you. It reminds us of the "restaurant wars" episodes on Top Chef, it almost feels like the restaurant is there temporarily.
So we got in, no host / hostess came greet us within the first 3 minutes. We then saw someone who looks like a manager walking by, we prompted him "hi", so he said something like "someone will be with you shortly". We waited for another 3-5 minutes, a lady came by to sit us down. The restaurant was only about half filled.
We ordered a glass of wine. Then the server took our dinner order which were: salad, sea scallop entree and fish of the day entree. The free amuse bouche (some kind of fish cake with bacon) which came quickly was a nice touch and tasty in flavor, though it's slightly on the salty side. The rosemary bread came with balsamic vinegar & olive oil, but there were only 3 small pieces of it in the basket, and they were cold.
From that point on, we waited for at least 35~40 minutes, still no sight of our entrees, and no one came by to tell us what's going on. Water glasses were refilled, we got hungrier & hungrier so we ate the 3rd piece of the cold bread. As I was chowing down the last bite of the bread, our server came by and told my husband something like "I'm going to give you the rock fish also, so you'll get sea scallops and fish both, because I can't give you more sea scallops". We were like "Huh...? Oh, ok." We both thought they had extra fish they wanted to just give away.
So we waited for another 8~10 minutes, the manager guy came by saying "sorry it's taking so long, we're gonna go ahead and take care of the bills tonight". We thought, hmm, nice, at least they're doing something to make it up to us. 10~15 more minutes later, the manager guy came and told us sorry, they had to re-make my entree because they forgot that I did not want onions on my plate. 3~5 min later, my husband got his scallop entree -- the plating looks fine, but there were only 3 pieces of scallops on it, and a piece of rock fish. I asked the server about it, he said, "oh yeah, we ran out of scallops so that's why I told you I was going to give you the fish also". He also told us "we're gonna go ahead and take care of the bill for you guys".
About 12 minutes later, I FINALLY got my food!! So from the time we sat down and ordered our food, IT TOOK OVER ONE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES to get both of our food. The food itself was actually tasty, though a bit too salty; we were just so hungry we ate almost everything.
BUT GET THIS - After the food, the server brought the desert menu. We wanted desert but we were tired of sitting in that restaurant for such a long time, so we ordered it to go - Soon after that, the server brought us A BILL - yes, A BILL!!! THEY CHARGED US for the wine, the salad and the desert! We were like "WHAT?!" They gave us a bill after we were told TWICE they were going to "take care of the bill tonight". It feels like they totally don't care if we come back or not.
We waited for another 10~15 minutes until we got our take-out desert.
It's amusing to me as that the small restaurant is not even half filled, we had to wait for such LONG time to get our food and the service was NOT good at all.
My husband and I both agree that if they honored what they said and take care of the bill entirely, we'd most likely come back for the second time to try again, because we wanted to like this restaurant.
What they did by giving us a bill after all basically told us to not come back. Oh and by the way, the desert potion was SUPER small - my husband ordered a New York Cheese Cake, for $8 you got a tiny little slice (about 1/3~ 1/2 of what you usually will get at any other restaurant).
So, NO! WE WON'T BE BACK. -
Review from jean c.
Lynnwood, WA
6/25/2011
My husband and I had a wonderful experience. I had the scallops..Yum! Fresh, melted in my mouth. My husband had the duck and he enjoyed it as well. Crab cake appetizer was fine (not great, but acceptable) and the dessert (molten lava cake with berries) was yummy. We took advantage of the free corkage and brought in our own bottle of wine. We also used a http://restaurant.com gift certificate which saved us some money as well ($2 for a $25 gift certificate). I was concerned that maybe our server would not serve as as well since we brought in our own wine and had the http://restaurant.com coupon, but she was very gracious and service was excellent. I would not be able to afford this restaurant without the savings and so I appreciate how I was still made to feel like a valued customer.
We will be back! -
Review from Joy C.
Bothell, WA
4/30/2008
This has become the restaurant of choice for my girls night out. We came here originally because of the location and have been coming back ever since.
The waitstaff is smart and funny and the food is excellent on a good night and pretty darn good any other night. They do not anticipate large crowds during the week and are usually unprepared when it happens so service can be a bit slow - tonight they had the bartender out helping wait tables because it was so busy.
I've had the special of the day a few times and it seems to be the choice meal. Tonight I had the Crispy Duck, but as flavorful as it was, it wasn't very crispy and very well done on the outside and very rare in the middle - sort of what happens when you cook cold meat. Still yummy - the risotto is decadent. The scallops have been a favorite of our tables too.
We haven't tried many deserts because we can't get past the yummy buttery bread pudding in it's own pool of yummy caramel. We almost ordered two.
I was so impressed the first few times and maybe tonight was just an off night, but I'd still go back. It's a GREAT date place and although the attire is casual I always love to dress up a bit and don't feel out of place. I'd actually say more dressy than casual. . .
All in all you won't be disappointed if you decide to go. And yes, I think you should go. -
Review from Adrienne H.
Kirkland, WA
9/3/2009
Russell's is casual fine dining done RIGHT. Chef Russell and his team certainly have it down. Great service, inviting atmosphere, excellent food and many personal touches...
I had heard many good things about Russell's over the last year. I'm disappointed that it took me so long to visit. Its definitely off the beaten path over on the Monte-Villa Parkway in Bothell - but worth the trip.
What drew me to the restaurant was a trip to Page Cellars. They had advertised limo service via Butler Transportation to several wineries for wine tasting, and then the shuttle would take you back to the restaurant and any bottles that you bought on your wine tasting, you could enjoy with dinner at Russell's for no corkage fee. No cost for the transportation - you only pay for your dinner!
What a genius idea!!!
I haven't taken advantage of this offer yet - but I plan on it.
I visited last Saturday evening and sat in the lounge to enjoy some heavenly Sea Scallops cooked perfectly, along with a wonderful Beef Tenderloin with risotto. I was with a group of 5 who brought in several Washington wines and we were not charged corkage.
Aside from the food being delightful, it was wonderful to be joined by Chef Russell and Rob, the restaurant manager. How refreshing, a great chef with amazing credentials who was down to earth! It was a joy talking to him for a couple of hours as we all sipped on wine until after midnight.
I observed them accomodating a large, last minute party and was impressed with their dedication to make sure this party had a wonderful time, even though it was the end of everyone's night.
I'll be back to Russell's for many reasons - the food, the wine, the hand crafted cocktails - but especially for the personal service and wonderful company. Well done Russell! -
Review from D J.
Everett, WA
9/3/2008
I truly enjoyed my experience at Russells. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the atmosphere was great. I ordered the duck and my friend ordered the Fillet Mignon which was very good but unfortunately both were overdone. The appetizer scallops were delicious and cooked to perfection. I will definitely go again however this time I think I will ordered the scallops as my entree.
The only other downside was the location and sign placement of the restaurant. We had a heck of a time finding the restaurant but overall it was worth it. -
Review from Kelley T.
Lynnwood, WA
11/6/2010
I found out about this place from http://livingsocial.com where I bought a $60 certificate for $30.
The food itself was above average. The chef was so great to come out and talk to everyone. However, the service was VERY slow and pretty bad. I ordered soup and they forgot my spoon. That wasn't so bad except that they also forgot the spoon for the next table too. Our breads took a good 15 minutes after we ordered food and the entrees took an extra 45 minutes.
I would only return during off-peak days and hours and see if the service speeds up. -
Review from Todd G.
Aberdeen, WA
5/30/2011
My girlfriend and I went to dinner at this place last night and were greeted by the two hostesses staring at us blankly, looking at each other and whispering something, then going back to blankly staring at us. No "Hello","Hi" or even a smile. After an awkward silence I asked for a table for two and they asked if we had a reservation. I looked over to the dining area to see only about half of the tables open and asked if we needed one. Neither of the hostesses responded, then started walking us toward the tables, noting that they didn't have any menus at the moment, so we would have to wait for some (Seriously, no menus? Again, the place was half empty). Once we were seated, the hostess cleared away the extra table settings, but also inexplicably took away my girlfriend's salad fork and my bread plate.
After we were done dealing with the hostesses, the dinner went fine. The beer selection, in my opinion, was sub par for a fine dining restaurant, but my duck breast was excellent and my girlfriend's new york was pretty good (but not great, a little overdone for 'medium rare').
Overall, the food was good if overpriced, but the service upfront was pretty appalling. I shouldn't feel like I'm not wanted at any restaurant, especially one that I'm about to drop $80-$100 in. Oh, and my poor experience probably colored my perception, but I thought the decor plan of lining up empty wine bottles on every ledge and window sill looked a little too much like a 19 year old girl's college apartment.
