Pimienta Bistro & Bar

Every time I go here I am always happy with the food. This is one of my favorite places to eat in the area and the best restaurant in the neighborhood. The mixed drinks are awesome. The clams with chorizo are also really good. The chef is always there is seems and you can tell she really cares about her establishment.

Loved this place. Came here for the tapas. Loved trying new foods & the experience! Will definitely be back!

This food was amazing! Always go with the dinner special. Service was spot on, atmosphere was quiet, conversation was special. The chef takes your order, she serves your food.

Pimienta is a nice little restaurant that has a local feel. Service is friendly but not intrusive. The waiter/​bartender has a great demeanor.
Unfortunately, the food is only good but not stellar. The paella tastes more like a rice dish that is heavy on the tomato sauce instead of a traditional paella. The salmon was overcooked. So were the clams. The chorizo did not add to the taste. Bar Bistro in Midland and OSJ in Lakewood have far superior paella. Again, I am not saying that the paella was bad. It was good but not great.
The same can be said of the cocktails. Good but not great. You can get better Latin-​inspired drinks at places like Asado on 6^th or Tango in Capitol Hill.
The lobster Mac and cheese was creamy. But I think it would have been better baked for another 10 to 12 minutes.
I think Pimienta has potential. The chef needs to re-​group and maybe conduct some blind taste tests. The paella, if it’s going to be your signature dish, needs work. But this can only happen if the chef is open to comments.
Oh, almost forgot. The desserts were much better than the food. Chocolate cake and lemon pie would be 4.5 stars.

Being a resident of the Greenbridge community in Seattle’s White Center neighborhood, Greenbridge Café is one of my favorite places to grab breakfast or lunch. After finding out they had this sister restaurant in Federal Way, I knew I had to make it in.
While my partner and I were in South Seattle, we decided to make an extra stop to visit. We pulled up to the nondescript strip mall housing Pimienta. After stepping in the door, we were quickly transported to a rustic Latin American farmhouse with repurposed wood on the walls and chicken coop netting light fixtures. We happened to come in during Happy/​Social Hour which is held weekly 4:00 — 6:00 PM Tuesday-​Thursday and 3:00 — 6:00 PM Friday & Saturday.
We jumped head first into a cocktail ordering the Basil Martini, while my husband the Brown’s Point Caipirinha. They were some of the best alcoholic beverages we’ve had in Seattle! Flavorful with fresh fruit, a hint of alcohol, yet easy going down. Before we knew it, the several plates we ordered came out:
–Panela Frita with Flatbread: Fantástico! Panela is a smooth Mexican cheese made of cow’s milk that has great texture but takes on the flavors of what it’s paired with. The BLTP (BLT + Panela cheese) at Greenbridge is my go to, so I knew I had to order it. I was right! The panela paired perfectly atop the toasted flatbread which sopped up the pesto cream sauce surrounding it.
–Mac and Cheese: I could not choose to add lobster for an extra $ 3.00. They sure generous with huge chunks of lobster amongst the al dente pasta smothered in a creamy combination of cheeses. Bravo!
–Calamari Fritti: This was a large portion of calamari lightly-​breaded in almost a panko with a kicking side of wasabi mayo.
–Clams with Chorizo: The chef specializes in everything and anything Latin American and her choice of chorizo was delectable. The pile of clams were piping hot while marinating in a paprika «curry» of vegetables.
After a second round of cocktails, the owner/​chef Blanca came out to check on us. I was well aware of how much she pours her heart and soul into her businesses. My husband and I explained how excited we are to return for dinner to try several dishes including the Duck Breast and Lobster & Prawn Linguini. These would of course accompany an order of Panela Frita and several cocktails. Blanca also mentioned how they host Tapas Nights every third Wednesday and Thursday of the month. Seattle has limited tapas restaurants so we are hoping this is our go-​to.
After my first visit, I can declare that Pimienta has one of the top Happy Hours in the Seattle area due to its large variety of dishes and excellent cocktails.

The food is amazing and so thoughtfully prepared and plated and the service is impeccable. Not only that chef Blanca greets you personally and makes sure you have everything you need. Delicious drinks are also a bonus. If you haven’t been here yet, you should!

Excellent food! This was recommended by a friend of ours and we have taken up her suggestions before and usually they are spot on… usually. Lol!
This suggestion was a definite hit with both Steve and I!
I ordered the special that they had for the night which was sliced steak cooked with Latin American spices with a spicy polenta casserole which was to die for! The added herbs and blossoms at the top of the polenta simply made the side dish all the more magical!
For dessert I had their Crème Brulee. I didn’t think I could have handled some of the more richer options on the dessert menu and it was perfect for sharing.
Pimienta is tucked away in a much more quieter area of Federal Way which adds to the peacefulness to the rest of the atmosphere here, including the restaurant.
A wonderful place!

I’m changing my review from a 4 star rating to a 5 star rating. This place deserves it. My minor complaint about needing a side of some sort to the lamb was addressed by the owner who agreed and listened! Who does that anymore? Wow! Now the amazing lamb will come with a side of polenta. I’m floored. If I could give this restaurant more than 5 stars I would

Wonderful atmosphere and awesome staff. The food is perfectly seasoned… Throw your salt and pepper shakers away, you won’t need them ever again!

Good food and atmosphere, but sort of an out of the way location unless you live in the area. I would go back if I lived closer.

I came here on a whim while driving around. I had this place bookmarked for some time now and happened to be in the area. This is a small and quaint place that’s located behind a Chevron and Brown Bear Car Wash. It’s not facing the street but you’ll still be able to see the name of the restaurant on the building as it’s in big lettering. There’s a small parking lot with enough stalls so parking shouldn’t be an issue.
I was a bit taken aback by the location. It has sort of an industrial feel to it from the outside. Once you walk in, it’s a totally different feeling. It’s a cutely decorated place. I love the little touches from the wired hanging lights to the table setting to the adorable pillows on the bench along the one wall.
There’s not much of a beer selection and they only have one kind of each type of wine. I’m partial to Cabernets and they had Leese-​Fitch from Sonoma, CA. More on the cheaper side of wines and it’s just an OK wine. Kind of surprising that they charge $ 9 a glass and $ 30 a bottle when a bottle can be purchased outside for $ 9. The same price they charge for a glass. I would have thought they would have had better wine considering the price of the menu items.
Now to the food. we had the smoked pork belly topped with a quince pâté, balsamic drizzle, and sunflower seeds. OMG! It was so delicious! The quince pâté, which is basically a fruit jam/​jelly complimented the pork belly along with the balsamic. YUM! I’d go back just for that! Oh. and the Amaretto Coffee we had was sooooooo good! Perfect amount of sweetness and the coffee was perfect. For the main course I had the Paella Valencia, which was OK. It was a tad but too soupy for my taste. It has great flavor though. My boyfriend had the Rib Eye Steak cooked medium with a side of olive oil potato smash. They ran out of gnocchi marscapone Sherry vino sauce for the steak. Bummer! The steak was quite a thin cut considering the dish cost $ 32. However it was perfectly cooked to medium and was so full of flavor and quite tender. The potatoes were just OK. Nothing to rave about.
Would I come back here? Yes, during happy hour and for that amazing pork belly and to die for Amaretto Coffee! I’m also curious to try their other dishes.

I’ve decided to update my review after an incredible dinner. Actually got to meet Chef Blanca and she is awesome! We got to try the lobster mac and cheese which is actually better than (formerly the best) lobster mac and cheese I had in Maine. Coming from Massachusetts I’ve tried a lot of great lobster mac and cheeses but none have been as good as Pimienta’s– the sauce is delicious and the lobster tasted fresh.
We also tried the blackened chicken slider, poblano soup, Panela Frita (fried salty cheese) with a delicious sauce, coconut crème brûlée and truffle fries (a classic). I’d recommend anything and everything on the menu. The basil martini is incredibly bright, refreshing, and flavorful– I’d also recommend the drinks. There is absolutely nothing bad on the menu!
The food is comforting, absolutely delicious, and perfectly executed. The quality of the ingredients and the love in the menu comes out in taste. I’d give six stars if I could

Still an amazing place, only drawback is the location because I forget about it as it’s still hidden behind that gas station.
We went here for dinner on Sunday — my husband, our nearly 4 year old son, my Dad and his girlfriend. We were the only customers in the restaurant and were treated very well. While they don’t have a kids menu, our waiter listed off about 4 or 5 custom options for our son. When my son politely asked for chicken strips, our waiter said he could do chicken skewers, which was perfect.
This place is a hidden gem. A perfect night-​cap and/​or date night spot. We hope to go back soon.

While I do not have any direct complaints, the menu prices do not match the overall experience my wife and I had at Pimienta. Our dinner cost was par with more upscale places I would find in Seattle or Tacoma, but the food was unmemorable and the location was unimpressive. We felt a little misled based on previous reviews.
Given the cost of the ingredients in our dishes and my suspicion that the location’s rent can’t be terribly high, I do not think Pimienta can readily justify charging $ 25+ for each entrée and $ 9 for a small glass of house wine. The food was adequate, but portions were unreasonably small and not really cooked to the same quality of which I could easily do at home. If they knocked 50% off of the menu prices, I would be able to rate at least ⁴⁄₅. But, with the current prices, I cannot really recommend this location based on my first visit.

Charming and quaint atmosphere. Ample bar seating. It was a real pleasure meeting Owner chef Blanca. She cares about the customer and the products that get plated. They also care about the sourcing of their food.
Nice wine selection by the glass, although out of some selections. Tempranillo and the montepulciano were standouts. All reasonably priced. Cocktail menu has some interesting classics: moscow mule, basil martini, caipirinha.
Roasted beet salad. Really enjoyed this. Very mild dressing house made with blue cheese and buttermilk. But not at all overpowering. Beets were so fresh and perfectly roasted then sliced paper thin so they melt in your mouth. High quality crisped bacon accompanied.
Pan seared scallops. Pan seared and tender. Served with mushroom risotto. Drizzle of balsamic reduction and Aleppo pepper infused oil added uniqueness to the dish. Minor critique is that the risotto was a bit heavy for the delicate scallops. Perhaps less is needed to accompany this dish. Overall still very good.
Everything made in house. Including dessert. Homemade brownie with pumpkin ice cream. Blanca made a custom after dinner drink with saffron infused gin, orange essence and it was incredible.
Looking forward to my next visit to explore more of the cocktails and I’ve got my eyes on the ribeye, wild mushroom polenta, the Aleppo crusted ahi.

Came here for happy hour. Place is very nice. We ordered the clams, prime rib sandwich and soup. The portions are super small and you have to order a drink to get happy hour. I’m quiet disappointed cause for happy hour, it’s kinda pricy compared to the portions. The flavor was okay not really explosive. I wouldn’t come here for happy hour

My husband and I would always drive by this place and he finally surprised me for a impromptu lunch date. It was perfect cause we went during happy hour.
As you walk in the interior of the restaurant had the classic rustic design to it. It felt very homely, but at the same time was casual fine dining. I loved the custom light fixtures.
We had the truffle fries, lobster mac and cheese, butternut squash and goat cheese tacos, panela frita with flatbread and paired it with the Victoria beer and ginger beer (my ginger beer is a non-​alcoholic beverage)
Truffle fries was one of my favorites and very flavorful, especially the aioli that came with it. I liked how they garnished the fries with cheese.
Butternut squash and goat cheese tacos, was very flavorful. The squash was very creamy and had a tiny kick to it. Although I couldn’t taste the goat cheese too much.
We liked how tender the lobster was, but we absolutely loved the panela frita though.
This dish is a must-​try wen eating at this restaurant. The cheese was coated with a type of panko crust and garnished with seeds. It gave the cheese a crunchy-​smokey taste, also keeping the cheese gooey in the inside. The combination of the cheese, creamy sauce and flat bread was divine.
The service just added to the experience! We’ll be back!

What a great experience!
I love the hands on approach of owner/​chef Blanca.
It was a neat experience getting to meet her and have her tell us about the dishes, etc. Definitely unique and appreciated by everyone in my party.

Was exploring the city with the husband and decided to eat dinner in the area rather than going back home. We consulted the ever-​knowing Unilocal and came across this little gem.
Don’t let looks deceive. It’s next to a gas station and car wash. But once you get inside it’s super cute. Very intimate. Good for a date night or fun night out with friends.
The juxtaposition of Latin and European flavors was really nice.
We do wish they had a few more vegetarian options however. For dinner your choices are one salad dish or one pasta dish. We went with one of each. We also ordered the butternut squash tacos and queso to start.
The tacos were awesome… more like empanadas though. But very good. The queso was good but we were hoping it was more like a fondu… it was a little harder.
The quinoa salad was great. Crunch chickpeas and veggies. Yum.
The pasta was also good if a little heavy. It came with cream sauce and lots of cheese.
The service was friendly and warm.
Definitely recommend. Probably the best restaurant in all of Federal Way.

Never been there so thought week give it a try after reading all great reviews. I really was hoping I would love the place but I don’t have the same experience. First off the positive. The place looks unique and service was swift. We others the grilled lamb with risotto, lobster Mac & cheese and chicken with apricot balsamic drizzle. The food came looking stunning.
Here it’s the bad part. They are under seasoned. I don’t mean just personal salt level preference but the flavors aren’t there. Lamb was just bland. Risotto a little over and again lack flavor. Chicken though moist it’s also missed the bar. I think a bit more drizzle would help. Didn’t taste the apricot though. The lobster Mac & cheese was disappointing. The wine cheese sauce made it less cheesy. At $ 11 a pop as side dish, it’s have a few small pieces of lobster and liquidity sauce.
All that without any drinks puts us over $ 60 before tips. Definitely had better in that price range.