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Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I really wrestled with knocking off a star for value, but, really, this place doesn't deserve it. I was a bit startled by what I ended up spending, to be honest. But sites like Yelp exist to help people decide how much they're willing to spend for things, and what level of quality they're willing to budget for. So I'll give Sea Star the five stars they deserve for what's on the plate. This place really is right at the top of the heap for seafood in Seattle.
Downtown Bellevue isn't always the most fun place to try and park--you have to look sharp about getting in the right lane and turning down the ramp before you quite get to Sea Star. Not a big deal to have to run around the block to get it right, but it didn't make me feel too smart. Heh.
Once inside, you walk through a bank lobby, and into a restaurant that feels...a little too much like it's trying to blend its decor with the bank lobby on the other side of the door. It's very nice, but it's just a bunch of pre-fabricated things put together with mindless good taste. Not a lot of soul in the ambiance, but that's fine. It's not a detractor. But, OTOH, it doesn't look like it was cheap to build the place, and you know there's a dollar or two on your final bill that's going toward paying off the decor, so, if that really bugs you, Sea Star might not make you feel all that great about that aspect of things.
But the service is attentive, prompt, professional, and pleasant. And certainly well-informed about what's on offer.
Have to say the wine list was very well put together, but the beer list, by contrast, was really a non-effort. 15 bottled beers, and at least 10 of them were just industrial pale lagers "from around the world." (Stella Artois, Heineken, Corona, Sapporo). Bringing a bottle of Budweiser from halfway around the world is not the sophisticated alternative, especially if the bottle is clear or green and the beer is getting light-struck as it travels. If a cervoisier ever set foot in the place, he'd be mystified as to why they even had a beer program, given the standards they hold themselves to for food and wine.
Food here really is exceptional, though. Let's be clear about the fact that this truly is a five star seafood restaurant. Crab cakes, peppercorn encrusted ahi, and the scallops trio all were complete knockouts.
To my probably unjustified surprise, those three plates, two beers, a scotch, and a glass of wine for two people were $97. It felt a little high at first, but, in retrospect, it was probably fair enough, given the quality of what was on offer. I'd go back, but the prices put this place in the category of special treats.
NOT TRUSTWORTHY.
1) We came in for the "Seattle Urban Eats" menu (3 courses for 30). The waiter only provided us the regular menu. When we asked for the urban eats menu, he said: "I always forget." If you always forget, that's a bit of a problem, and it really sounds like either 1) restaurant policy to hide the cheaper menu or 2) that the waiter is trying to fatten his tip. In either case, it reflects really poorly on the restaurant.
2) I asked for Decaf because we finished dinner at 9pm and I wanted to sleep. I apparently did not get Decaf as I never fell asleep that night and spent the next day like a zombie. I could feel my heart pounding until 3am, and that has never happened to me with Decaf. That's too big of a mistake to forgive.
The food was good, nothing spectacular. But the lack of trustworthiness of the staff left a bitter taste in our mouth.
I keep coming here, so I suppose that says more than this review. After reading some of the more negative reviews, and reasoning based on my own experiences here, I've come to one conclusion: Seastar is pretty good on the basics.
The decor is simple and elegant, if a bit spartan. Lots of tans and light blues. Dress is pretty open - some people dress it up, but most don't. Jeans are never out of place here, although your first glimpse of the waitstaff wearing formal attire could be misleading. Service has always been very friendly and attentive, with familiar faces each time I return (doesn't seem to be much employee churn). Although the restaurant has a great wine list, I've often opted to bring my own: corkage $25.
For appetizers, the crab cakes are a win, and everyone seems to know it. The lesser known gem of the appetizer menu is the deviled eggs. They have two varieties, but the truffled ahi deviled egg is just delicious.
For dinners, I've never ordered any of the more creative or experimental dishes here, nor has anyone with whom I've dined. I come here to eat fish- fresh, seasonal, and perfectly-prepared fish- and Seastar has yet to disappoint. On our last visit, three of four ordered the Planked Salmon and loved it. It was cooked perfectly and picked up just enough flavor from the wood to taste. The swordfish is also an excellent bet. Though I'd like to try some of the more interesting sounding dishes, I don't come here often enough to deviate from assured deliciousness.
For the leery, or budget conscious, they also have a pretty decent happy hour that you might consider as a "test drive".
Nice and fresh. Decently priced.
Had dinner with friends. Overall great quality food and cocktails. Didn't inspire me to come back specifically, but would certainly eat here again.
This is the best seafood restaurant I've tried in Seattle. (I've tried over 100.) The food is excellent, wine list is masterful, service is impeccable and presentation is world-class. Need I say more?
The only difficulty is deciding amongst the vast array of cleverly conceived seafood and steak dishes. After much thought, I decided to make it an "All-appetizer evening" starting with the Salmon Poke.
Wow! Incredible flavor describes this rare combination of Pacific Northwest/Hawaiian fusion salmon poke. Great tastes! The Maui finely chopped Maui onion makes this dish delectable. Next up was the Super Dave Roll with scallop, crab, salmon, avocado, & tobikko.
last was the Halibut Ceviche with Alaskan halibut, lemon, lime, cilantro, roasted corn, avocado and tomato. Again, a fascinating mix of flavors jumps out at you.
The wine list is incredible. My only comment being, I'd add more wines by the glass, given SeaStar's storage capabilities.
This place was great! I WILL be back---AND they're opening a new steak place a few blocks away.
When you first walk in, the place looks small, but it is equipped with lovely decor, big bright windows, and a lovely staff.
The menu isn't big, but the food is exceptional with lovely presentation. Good place for seafood/fish lovers! Some of the dishes have weird ingredients, which lead to an oddly exotic taste. For example, one dish includes potato chip crumbs. It didn't appeal to me very much, but maybe others think in favor of it. Who knows.
I had fish, and it was cooked well! The seafood seems very fresh.
The servers and waiters are quick and always on top of their game.
4 stars to a clean, well-maintained restaurant with decent food!
Father-daughter date. I love my dad. We were out celebrating my graduation tonight and picked Seastar for the special night. I was excited because I'd read a lot of reviews, looked at the menu, and it seemed like a classy dress-up place for seafood.
The restaurant itself is really clean and chic. It's very new and decor is simple, but sophisticated. Service was impeccable. Your water glass will never be empty here. Our server was a little overbearing, but I could tell she was trying really hard. Presentation of the food was definitely 5 stars.
For appetizer, I really wanted to try some oysters or poke, but my dad doesn't like the "raw stuff," so we ordered the pesto steamed clams. It was really tasty and a good portion for $12.50, but the pesto was a little too salty and overpowering. For dinner, I ordered the Hawaiian ono -- basically a dense mahi mahi and my dad ordered the Alaskan halibut with asparagus.
My ono was terribly overcooked. It tasted like dry chicken. My dad's halibut was delicious! It was melt-in-your-mouth tender and very savory. The flavors were spot on and I wanted to devour the whole thing.
I ended up eating less than 1/2 of my ono and when the waitress finally came by to check on our meal, I told her that it was just "okay." She asked what was wrong and I told her about the dryness of the fish. She said sorry and frowned, but didn't offer to do anything about it (not that I really wanted her to -- at this point, we were pretty much done eating). My dad finished his entree, but it was a small portion, so he was still hungry. He opted for hunger rather than finishing my fish. Sad.
For dessert, we ordered the banana spring roll sundae. For as ambitious and creative as it was trying to be, it was a mediocre execution. The banana was soggy and tasted very bland inside the crispy layer of cinnamon "spring roll."
Our waitress ended up comping the dessert because my entree was bad, but I don't really think it made up for it. The bill was steep for only one yummy dish. Restaurants that don't have consistency in their quality is a huge turn-off for me. I think I'd be willing to come back because I feel like there's potential for greatness, but we'll see.
This is really a 3.5.
Went here last night for hubby's bday with the fam. We were all expecting the food to be fantastic, and were notably let down. There's a lot of hype surrounding Seastar, but for us, it didn't really live up to expectations.
On a side note, while the restaurant has a 12 inch voice ambience, the acoustics are terrible! We had to shout across the table to be heard, (it wasn't even very busy) and our server literally had to lean into each one of us individually and talk into our ears to take our orders. She was very sweet, but I gotta admit it was a little awkward.
Anyway, we ordered some sushi to start. Spicy tuna roll (these were over the top hot, I was expecting sirens) and Washington roll (the first time I've seen fruit in sushi - weird?) Our appetizers were the highlight - the crab bisque and the grilled mushrooms. I would happily drown in that bisque - heaven!
Everyone was reasonably pleased with their entrees, although I think my gulf shrimp with risotto was voted best. Father in-law had the Copper River Salmon which had just arrived, and while it was good, he felt that it couldn't hold a candle to the Copper River that he'd had at Ivar's earlier in the month.
I might return to check out the raw bar (the oysters that were walked by us looked crazy good) and sample some drinks if we're in the area, but wouldn't make a special trip.
I went here with a friend for lunch as they had suggested it to best for seafood in the area. I would have to agree. I had the ceviche, some seafood tower, and stuffed squid. The ceviche was phenomenal! The tower was great as well. As for the squid, I would not recommend it. The service was excellent. I still need to come back for dinner and see whats its all about.
A group of coworkers and I visited Seastar for dinner last night, and I have to say I had very high hopes that were not met.
The service was quite slow, and check-ins on food quality/etc. were infrequent.
The food was a mixed-bag. My prosciutto-wrapped scallops were excellent, as were the appetizers (crab cakes, oysters, and sushi). However, some of my colleagues that ordered salmon did not fare so well: dry and overcooked, and the seasoning rub way overpowered the fish.
The beer draught selection was tiny (hefeweizen and pale ale only), and the wine-by-the-glass (ahem, "stem") list was short - and very overpriced.
I'd go back if I was invited by a good friend to go out to eat, but I won't be suggesting Seastar to my friends.
Scallops. Big, juicy, seared scallops. The perfect texture, the perfect spices - so easy to make them right and so easy to screw them up. Seastar does not disappoint!
The special today was scallops with whipped potatoes and steamed greens - and the only reason I didn't eat every last bite was because you just don't do that at a lunch meeting - you don't!
It's in Bellevue, so all of the movers & shakers gather here for lunch. For good reason - it's great food, with great service. There are so many great Seattle places that I would probably not venture to the east side for dinner, but it was a wonderful way to shake up the typical lunch scene in our neighborhood and try something new and chic. Yes, Bellevue is all about 'chic'. Not 'hip'. But forget all Bellevue stereotypes, the food here is great - it stands on its own.
Went here for the prix fixe menu during Urban Eats and was not impressed. If the goal of Urban Eats is to highlight the restaurant, then they didn't do a very good job of representing themselves. 2 star experience, but 3 stars because I don't think it was an accurate reflection.
For appetizers, we had the choice of several sushi rolls and bisques. All were average, nothing special like you'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber.
Entrees were also unremarkable. We tried the crab cakes, gulf shrimp with asparagus risotto, hazelnut crusted trout, and the sirloin. The overall theme for each dish was that the different components of the entrees did not compliment each other very well. The food was kind of tasty, but bordering more on heavy and bland. For example, the crab cakes were paired with a killer Thai sweet chili sauce, but the meat of the crab cakes was akin the shredded chicken. They were also accompanied by scalloped potatoes and buttery sugar snap peas, which was just too heavy with delicate crab cakes.
For dessert, the banana spring roll with ice cream was a fun take on fried bananas. The creme brulee, mango margarita sorbet, molten chocolate cake, and caramel cheesecake were tasty, but not really remarkable.
Service was perfectly lovely, even though we were the last party, of 8 no less, seated for the night. Would give this place a second chance and explore the Raw Bar part of Seastar.
Love Seafood? Then quit reading this and get to Seastar!!
From the mind of rock star Seattle chef John Howie comes Seastar. Formerly of Palisade, Howie left to establish his own niche and brought a lot of their customers to his award winning Eastside eatery.
Let me say this, I have been a fan of Howie's for years now, going all the way back to his Palisade days, and the food here doesn't disappoint on any level. Start your culinary adventure at the raw bar with a cocktail, and enjoy fish and shellfish that were swimming a few short hours ago. The sushi and ceviche are outstanding, and are designed to be shared!!
Appetizers are varied but all are satisfying. If you aren't a fan of seafood, check out the Pesto Chicken Arancini (bet you can't eat just one.) The Cedar Plank Roasted Mushroom are a highlight as well, and are a great earthy starter to the meal. The Seared Diver Sea Scallop Trio and Pesto Steamed Sweet Butter Clams are my two favorites in this section, and shouldn't be missed. Seriously, shouldn't be missed.
Salmon is the obvious choice for an entree since it's the fish that made John Howie the rock star he is today, and the Cedar Plank Roasted Wild Red King Salmon is still everything it was a decade ago. Using his own special blend of seasonings to impart a subtle woody flavor this dish is the mainstay on the menu. If you are trying to eat light, the Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Seared Ahi is a playful dish that wont add anymore inches to your waistline. Adventurous eater? Try the Swordfish with Artichoke & Capers. It's grilled over applewood, and just melts in your mouth. I can't stress this enough, you REALLY can't go wrong with ANY of the seafood on the menu.
If for some reason, you can't eat seafood, or just aren't in the mood for great seafood (WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!!) Kidding, check out the Filet Mignon. It's fire grilled, and perfectly cooked every time. Don't eat red meat? Try the Roasted Jidori Chicken With Herbed Chevre; it's stuffed with goat cheese and is as rich in flavor as it is in calories!!
Desserts are a must when dining here. My favorites are the Banana Spring Roll Sundae, seasoned with cinnamon and allspice, served with vanilla-orange caramel ice cream with fresh pinapple and warm caramel sauce. On the lighter side go with Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit...Creamy passion fruit panna cotta drizzled with green tea syrup, fresh tropical fruit and a raspberry-mango coulis...Is there anything more refreshing? Try it, and you will know what I mean...
Alcohol is just as impressive here as the food. The drink menu comes in it's own binder because there are so many options available. Don't see a drink you might like (almost impossible, but I grant you there are sticklers out there; Hi Mom!) just ask the knowledgeable bar staff to make your favorite cocktail.
Wine list is very impressive. One of the best on the Eastside for sure, but it's equally as expensive. The bottles are rare, so they don't come cheap. Example you ask? How about a single berry late harvest Riesling for $300 a glass? If you are here, you can afford it (they take credit cards after all.) Stick to the stuff by the glass, way more reasonable, unless you are one of the few fat-cats left with an expense account! That said, they do feature 50 wines for under $30 a bottle, so it's up to you...The sky is truly the limit here.
Remember, eating here should be an experience, so don't come if you are going to worry about sticking to a budget. If you only can afford to eat out once a month, make a reservation here, you WILL NOT be disappointed!!
I ordered a couple rolls, they were ok, I have a few sushi chef friends so i'm used to the star treatment, the unagi was good though. I have had unagi go awfully wrong so thats a test to pass. The cocktail list was not my scene but the bartender took it past that to an whipped up a classic with whiskey barrel aged bitters. that is joy.
Also, though a it dusty the scotch collection there is quite good. There are some oldies that you can't buy with love or money anymore, except when you give the money directly to them. And another plus for the scotch drinker: they have single malt glasses. If you are going to make that purchase, you deserve the right vessel.
It's Lent 2009, and I'm fasting from meat on Fridays...so coworkers suggested Seastar after working nearby for over 5 years and never indulging. I was pleasantly surprised at Seastar's lunch menu and that means I WILL be back!
SERVER: Attentive, and answered my questions thoughtfully and convincing, without being pushy. Towards the end of the meal, she became less attentive--I might still be waiting for my check if the busser didn't overhear my companion comment on the issue...but it's OK, I was blinded by my tasty meal!
FOOD: Hazelnut Grilled Rainbow Trout - so FLAVORFUL! Well-balanced, filling, suprising, and impeccably prepared and plated.
Haven't tried dinner or HH, but less intimidated now, so will try soon!
A little bit pricey but a good option in Bellevue. I like the bar and is an ideal place for an afterhours with friends, colleagues or customers.
The food is ok and the service is very good. At the beginning use to be crowded but now is way better. Seafood is the core but I always order the filet mignon because it is cooked to perfection however people who ordered the salmon or seafood told me that it is very good.
The place is very good for large dinners and the service knows how to handle large groups; making it ideal for team dinners, etc.
Best restaurant in Bellevue. I was a frequent visitor when I was working in Bellevue. Fresh seafood selection. Must try crab cakes. Good sushi as well.
I went here for a casual late lunch with some of my co-workers. They had an amazing happy hour ranging from 1.99 to 4.99. I had the tilimook cheeseburger. It was 2.99. I loved every bite of it. All the food came fresh and juicy. I wil be coming back!!!
My boyfriend took me here for my graduation dinner. This place was mainly full of suits and ties. We were the youngest patrons there. Even though we came in with T-shirts and sneakers, we were well welcomed. The service was excellent. The food was delicious! Watch out, some of their portions are quite large, easy to split. Their menu changes regularly (I think monthly).
I would have given them 5 stars but it was extremely difficult to find their parking lot. I think we turned around three times and kept going into the wrong parking lots until we found the tiny hard to see signs that directed us to their parking.
Right now must try: Ceviche Hamachi. Delicious lime cured Hamachi garnished with olives and orange. Perfect light and refreshing appetizer.
You have to give quite a bit of credit to SeaStar for being first in Bellevue to bring this level of quality seafood purveyance to downtown.
It's something to look forward to each and every time. I agree there is a 4.8 to 5.0 rating that applies here.
I haven't gotten to the sushi yet but it's a smart menu option.
Lunched here today with a client and was quite impressed. Although Seastar has been here forever, I'm never on the east side for lunch and was pleasantly surprised with the experience. I ordered the Roasted Trout with Asparagus (skipped out on the rice) and it was divine. My other companions ordered the Chicken entree salad and the Halbut special and both were very pleased. Would consider coming back here for a business lunch - also there is free valet - which is soooo nice!
I came here for drinks with my dad and ended up getting appetizers as well. The drinks here were fantastic! I ended up having some kind of interesting take on a cosmopolitan...I forget if it was a raspberry flavored cosmo or what...but it was delicious! We ended up getting some kind of spicy pieces of beef as well as sauteed mushrooms for appetizers which were both very good!
The reason why I didn't give this place 5 stars is because it was a little bit pricey - which is fine - but for what it was, I definitely did not think it was worth it. The portions were very small (I know they were appetizers) but definitely not worth as much as we paid. I believe for 2 drinks and 2 appetizers, it was almost $60! Not including tip! Crazy...
*************************************
Okay, so I have to update this review because I had a second GREAT experience here! I decided to head over to the bar because it's right down the street to grab a drink and an appetizer. THE PORK TENDERLOIN IS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS I'VE EVER HAD TO EAT IN MY LIFE! That, and the staff there is pretty awesome. They really knew their stuff. The bartender recommended a pomegranate pear martini which was delish! I was really impressed by their knowledge! I may have to take a weekly venture here...it's totally worth it!
This is based solely on the "Grilled Crab & Cheddar Sandwich."
Pretty gross, all mayo and artichokes..hardly any crab meat. Fell apart once I picked it up and oh ya did I mention THE 1LB OF MAYO in the sandwich.....barf.
You guessed it, another 3.5.
I've been here twice. Once for drinks and then last night for dinner.
For me, the high point of the menu is the relatively easy-for-them-to-make but still tasty deviled eggs with ahi on top. I love those things!
Last night's experience was surreal. The staff was always very attentive, except when we needed something - then they'd disappear for a good 20 minutes or so. It was crazy. The rest of the time they were right there in our faces, but when we wanted to do something esoteric like ... order ... they were nowhere to be found.
The bar at SeaStar mixes up some mighty fine martinis. Well balanced, tasty. Dirty martinis are not too dirty or not too clean.
Despite Ian Flemming's best efforts, I've recently found that bartenders in London totally suck at making martinis. So it was good to get back to the states and have a proper one.
Frankly, for SeaStar, I'd suggest having appetizers in the bar and a nice drink. If you happen to be stuck in Bellevue, this is one of your better bets.
It's a foreshadowing of good things to come when the bartender is generous with tastings of his favorite liquors, and more importantly my girlfriend's sweet tooth was more than satisfied by a key lim martini that they garnished with taosted cocunut.
If you like seafood, then you will be more than satisfied with the selection, including fresh oysters and the requisite salmon. If you don't the menu still has a lot ot like with pork loin, steaks, and sundry other entrees.
Because of the open floorplan, it can get a bit noisy at times so don't expect library silences. I liked the feel, but if I wanted dimly lit romantic for two, Seastar wouldn't be my first choice.
At dinner, our waitress was helpful, funny, and slightly sarcastic, in other words, just about perfect :)
It isn't cheap, but the dishes were well prepared across the board and they manage to do that wit ha pretty extensive menu. So put me down for a yes on Seastar.
My family and I came here for dinner tonight and I really enjoyed it. It is definitely pricey, but you know what? I'd rather spend a little more money and eat really well, than spend maybe $50 less and have mediocre food (and service).
The four of us had a caesar salad, the crab and corn bisque, the hot and sour soup and the beet salad for starters. Everything was very good.
For entrees, two of us ordered the cedar planked salmon - EXCELLENT; one had a special of the night - Columbia River salmon, which he said was very good; and another had swordfish, which he said was very good as well. Everybody enjoyed their food very much. I haven't had such a lovely, properly cooked piece of fish for a long time. Even the mashed potatoes and broccoli on the side were delicious!
For dessert, two of us split the panna cotta - which was excellent, but the portion was tiny. A little disappointing considering it cost $7. But still very good.
The service was very good as well; our waitress accommodated our dietary needs almost impeccably (one slight mix up with a dish of rice but no big deal). She was nice but not annoyingly so, was there when we needed her but didn't rush us through the meal.
The ambiance was fine. The restaurant is located in a business district of Bellevue so the view out the windows is... a busy street and a high rise building. It was quite busy for a Thursday evening but the noise level wasn't terrible.
Overall, I really enjoyed having dinner here and would definitely recommend it to seafood lovers and come back here again myself.
I LOVE the oysters here! If you enjoy eating fresh oysters, you must try their Northwest Oyster Sampler. (My favorite is the Kumamoto with caviar and crème fraîche.) The combination of flavors really enhance the natural taste of the oysters - not overpowering.
My favorite dessert item is their Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit. The tartness of the sauce and fruit combination balances out the sweetness and richness of the Panna Cotta quite well.
I went to Seastar for my mother's birthday. We had a nice sit-down dinner but didn't check out the raw bar, which I now regret. I will be back!
Food: Delectable. I had scallops and they were perfectly golden; my mother had a fruit-and-fish salad and it was tangy, a tad sweet, and light; my dad had lobster and that was great also. We also ordered some sort of eggy custard-type thing and it was lovely.
Service: Friendly and efficient. No problems there.
Ambiance: Busy, and a bit loud. Not really the most romantic, which was surprising. We did get a cute Happy Birthday card on the table when we arrived. The place has lots of windows, but looks out on the street (not the most spectacular view) but you'll be too busy looking at your food not outside.
Price: Yes, it's pricey. But the seafood is fresh and the food is cooked well so you won't feel like it was money spent badly.
First 5 star review for me!
Service and food at SeaStar Bellevue were excellent. The bf and I came here for Urban Eats on a recommendation from a friend. We liked that they had numerous choices for the prix fixe menu, like 6-8 for appetizers and entrees each, rather than the normal 2-3 choices each, and most of which are on their normal menu. Additionally, you can choose from the full dessert menu! They take the spirit of sampling their restaurant on a budget to the fullest.
I found our server extra friendly (in a good way) and her recommendations were spot-on. She recommended the dungeness crab bisque appetizer and the crab cake entree. Both were excellent. The bisque had lots of crab in there, not just a measly serving. We also had the blue cheese, shrimp and pear salad which was very tasty as well as the shrimp and asparagus risotto. We practically licked our plates clean! Everything looked so yummy when they came out that we completely forgot about taking pictures to post here.
For dessert we shared an order of the raspberry molten chocolate cake (also on our server's recommendation) which was served with raspberry sorbet and fresh raspberries. It was very enjoyable and not as rich and heavy as other molten chocolate cakes I've had. For our other dessert, we ordered a set of 6 truffles to take home which was a thoughtful touch because we were so full but didn't want to waste our included dessert!
All in all, it was a highly enjoyable meal, great atmosphere, excellent service, and free validated parking (3 hrs). I didn't think their normal prices were that bad either...
[Food]
The food was high quality and well prepared, but not amazing. The portions were typical extra-large American size. What I thought would be an appetizer salad could have been a meal itself.
[Ambiance]
It was loud, bright, and crowded. I couldn't hear my dinner partner half the time and didn't really enjoy the atmosphere.
[Service]
The service was good. Our waiter was attentive and quickly fixed a mistake with our order.
[Price]
Very, very expensive. Entrees ranged from $20 up to $50 and they even had some Wagyu for $100. Appetizers and salads were large enough that you could save money by skipping the entree.
[Overall]
The food and atmosphere aren't special enough to justify the high prices. I can't imagine going here again unless someone else was treating me.
Enjoyed a very pleasant dinner at Seastar. Shellfish aren't an option for me and I'm not afraid to admit that sushi has never appealed. I was thus pleased to see a variety of other fish choices on offer. The sauteed mushrooms were truly awesome and my Halibut entree nearly as impressive. My companion enjoyed her bisque as well.
The prices aren't cheap by any means but the quality and presentation is very good and the portion sizes more generous than some other places of this caliber.
The wine list is quite extensive, but with rather few resonably-priced choices, we stuck to the by the stem choices. The ambience is pleasant, although not as quiet and intimate as I would have liked. Good service and easy parking too.
Somewhere between a 4 and 5 for me, and that's an achievement!
I image the chef and his investors sitting in a back room one day discussing what will make their restaurant 'pop'. I can see them passing around a flask, the room darkly light, the heavy fog of cigarette smoke clinging to everything.
Finally one of them says Good food on the East-Side! That'll be our shtick! A quiet chorus of approval.
Then one speaks up, But there are some phenomenal joints in Bellevue... A quiet murmur of agreement.
What about a 'raw bar'? a rise of din in approval.
But wait, aren't there some great sushi places all over the East side? again, a quiet cacophony of dismay.
Ah, but do they serve oysters? one asks. Finally the chef speaks up.
What the East Side really needs is a Brookyln's knock-off, a half-measure sushi bar run by whitey, and a lousy wine list!
Finally agreement is reached.
I take issue with this place for a few reasons. I find the concept to be clunky, it's trying to be too much to too many people. If you want to do the raw thing, do the raw thing. Seafood? Do that. Unscale? Do that.
It's almost like they piece mailed a bunch of working restaurant concepts and slapped them all together under one roof.
That being said, the food is excellent: but highly over-priced.
The wine is passable: but highly over-priced.
The service is great: but highly over-priced.
... In short, this place his confused and highly overpriced. 3 stars for excellent food, though.
We've been here twice now, with a small group each time, and everyone was very happy with the experience. The restaurant is quieter in the early evening, but as the dinner crowd pours in, the noise level goes up substantially. Even so, it's not the kind of place I'd want bring my young children. (Then again, with MY active toddlers, there aren't many restaurants I DO want to take them to!)
The Seastar Appetizer Tower is a great way to sample a few of their best appetizers and includes four pieces each of the Dungeness crab cakes, the Saifun shrimp, and the seared diver sea scallops. We love the Dungeness crab and corn bisque, though I personally prefer not to have the Madeira-Port reduction on top.
The bread they bring out includes a crispbread that I ignored the first time we went because it just looked like a plain water cracker, but after someone raved about it on the second visit, I tried it, and wasn't disappointed. Don't let its humble looks deceive you! It's lightly flavored with rosemary and maybe some other light seasoning and is excellent both alone and with butter.
The only entree I can personally attest to are the cedar plank roasted Alaskan King Crab legs, which are so fantastic that I can't even imagine ordering anything else! Pre-split for ease of eating and served with a perfectly creamy butter sauce, these are not to be missed if you like crab. Alaskan King Crab is much sweeter than the Red King Crab served in some restaurants, though a bit smaller. However, the portion size is just fine! Everyone in our party who tried the crab legs loved them, though they were all very happy with their assorted fish dishes, as well.
The classic vanilla creme brulee was nice, though I can't say it's the very best I've had. My friends who shared the coconut cream pie for two enjoyed it thoroughly, though one of them was confident she could have eaten the whole thing by herself! She wasn't so sure by the time they finished it, though.
The $5 valet parking is well worth avoiding the hassle of the cramped garage, especially if you drive anything other than a compact vehicle. When you present your valet ticket to your server, they validate it and add the $5 to your bill, so be aware of that extra charge when figuring out your tip. I'm not sure that the garage even saves you any money!
We'll definitely be coming back here.
I give Seastar a solid 3.6 stars for overall dining experience, quality, taste, and price. The portions are pretty generous, food was fresh, service was good and parking was easy.
I ate here awhile ago but didn't get to add to Yelp until now. I remembered the Oysters!! Very Fresh !
Took my wife here for her birthday the other day. Started off a little annoyed that I waited 20 minutes after my reservation to be seated. Is this what a reservation is for? To wait in the too-small lobby with 3 seats?
Once seated, the service was attentive...my water glass never below 70% full! There was a bread assortment promptly but the oysters on the half shell took a little while to get to us. The sushi was great...sometimes I forget how good sushi can be when everything tastes perfectly fresh and expertly prepared. I was a little disappointed that a "raw bar" had only 3 oysters to choose from. The chain, McCormick & Schmicks manages to always have at least 6...and they're a routine chain! The oysters were a bit pricey, too, at about $17 for 6.
The entrees were fabulous with perfect side dishes and the portions were just right with reasonable prices for a restaurant of this caliber. Enough that they felt like a full meal, but not ridiculous Claim Jumper sized either, where you would look like a fat pig if you finished the plate!
We took the truffles-in-a-box home for dessert (a good sign that we weren't hungry after dinner). The red pepper truffle was really quite something....spicy chocolate!
I was outraged at the corkage fee...$25! What a rip-off way of discouraging you from BYOB! Most restauarants have a cheapy bottle of wine for this price! We ordered a bottle from the wine list. The list was a little disappointing and there was one cheap bottle ~$35, the one we got at ~$48, and then it skyrocketed to ~$70 and way up with nothing in-between. Stick with the cocktails! I usually experience wine lists that scale a little more evenly between price ranges. This feels like a pressure move to make you spend too much if you don't like ordering the cheapest thing on the menu.
Other than the wine list, the food was great and I do recommend this place for quality seafood.
One last note...the crowd here is mostly 40 and 50-somethings and some are notably snooty (which seemed off for a restaurant in the base of an office building!).
I wish 3.5 stars was available because that's squarely where this place belongs. Certainly a good place, but it's also one of those dinners that by this time next week you will have forgotten. My dining companion stated his perfectly good piece of halibut was drowning (is it possible for a fish to drown?) in a butter sauce that was too heavy.
I had a few apps to kinda' get the flavor of the place, ahi tuna, ceviche, and a sushi roll. All were good, or good enough at least. Skipped dessert so no comment there. Waitress was super nice.
Love Seastar! We go there for lunch often. Usually get the "Tower" appetizer and the catch of the day. Never disappointed. No bad service experiences. Nice atmosphere. Always busy but not packed. All my coworkers love it too. Never had dinner there though.
Get over yourselves. I heard they are opening one in Seattle also. They tote themselves as the best seafood in the NW. Not! I ordered Chilean Sea bass, yeah I know I lose environmental friendly points for ordering it... so sorry. I cooked Chilean Sea bass at home a week prior to my visit. If mine was a 10 theirs was a 6. Perhaps I should tote myself as the best seafood cook in the NW. The prices are unreasonable, but expected. Your wine list is great but your wine sommelier has a stick up his ass. I would sooner dine here as get a Brazilian bikini wax and swim in a pool of rubbing alcohol.
Okay, definitely some of the best food in Bellevue. Unfortunately that's not saying much. I had the salmon with some sort of pureed potatos the consistency of glue. The salmon was outstanding however. The caesar salad was good, but not outstanding. Dessert was downright horrible. Without a doubt the WORST chocolate lava cake I've ever had. All of us at the table laughed about it the next day.
The service was pretty good, although the cocktail waitress completely forgot a manhattan I ordered. She was a hottie and borderline flirty, so the missed drink is forgiveable.
So, in bellevue 3 stars. If Seastar were in the bay area (CA), LA or new york... well it simply wouldn't survive.
Oyster Hour Weekdays 5 -7pm!
Neighborhood: Columbia City
Half off Wines
Bellevue, WA
Bellevue, WA
Category: Steakhouses
Bellevue, WA
Category: French
Bellevue, WA
Category: Restaurants
Bellevue, WA
Category: Seafood
Bellevue, WA
Category: Japanese
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