Bramling Cross

Well, I have been to Bramling Cross two times before my most recent visit this past Saturday night. Both times before the food was excellent. In fact, the first time I was there I met with the Chef to personally give him my complements for a job well done. I alway start with the Chicken Liver Mousse (my fav…) and usually order another small plate. My husband just goes right for the large plate options on the menu.
This past Saturdays visit was very underwhelming. Maybe Chef was off for that night I don’t know what was going on in the kitchen this particular evening. Every item we both ordered was very very salty. So salty that I sent back my hardly eatten Chicken Liver Mousse. And the Dungeness Crab Dip my husband had was the same! salty. Then I received the Beet Salad and Bramling Burger. All the same salty, salty, salty!!! The burger was under cooked too. The Beet Salad couldn’t eat either. Someone in the kitchen had a very heavy hand with the salt!
I did ask our server why everything was so salty and was there a change in the kitchen and they apologized. I asked them to say something to the kitchen just to let them know. Don’t know if they did that but they did give us a credit for the Chicken Liver Mousse. That was nice but I would expect a restaurant such as this one (part of the ESR group) to be constant everytime.
I do recommend a reservation as the tables are usually taken by reservations and the bar seating is first come first service. I will try it again and pray everything with them is back to normal.

I really enjoyed this place. We stopped here after visiting the farmer’s market and I loved the décor. They were having some issues with service but that did not impact our experience. My husband and I shared the fried chicken AND I LOVED IT! The biscuit with honey that came with it was also very good. I will definitely be back here.

Great date spot.
Focused, new American menu with an attention to detail. Some of the menu item descriptions are a little pretentious and made me laugh… particularly the foraged mushrooms.
I got the burger and manila clams both were refined and had balanced flavor profiles.
Sat at the bar, the bartender was very friendly and enthusiastic about the menu. Upscale décor and mood setting atmosphere making it a great date spot.
Prices were reasonable for the quality. Pretty creative, artisan drink menu. I had the Ranye West, hilarious name and tasty. Large selection of draft beer for a restaurant of this nature.

Best brunch I’ve had in a long time. Ordered the omelette with mushrooms and herbs, plus broiled grapefruit with mint and crime fraiche — both were perfection. I could eat that every day. Even the potatoes, which I generally consider decorative and skip, were perfectly seasoned and delicious. Friends got the hanger steak and eggs, reportedly perfectly cooked, and the biscuits and gravy, which was one of those dishes so perfectly presented that it warranted a photo.
Portions of all dishes were just right — on the smaller side so you don’t leave in a food coma. I hate getting omelettes so massive that they need a platter. Split an incredible cinnamon roll for an appetizer and a pitcher of mimosas with the table. All excellent.
While the service was pretty poor, we didn’t have to make a reservation or stand in line, like you have to do at so many popular brunch spots in Seattle, so I wasn’t inclined to be fussy about it. The restaurant, which has a half dozen sky lights that made the place glow even on a cloudy day, wasn’t very busy, so we could have a conversation without yelling or dealing with close quarters. But with food this good, that won’t be the case for very long. Go get it before it starts appearing on «best brunch» lists! I’ll be back soon.

I’ve been here a few times now, and have had positive experiences all three times! Really nice atmosphere– high ceilings, brick walls, warm lighting. During the day, they have giant skylights to let in natural light.
The beer selection is pretty great– for my tastes, it’s wonderful because they keep a great cider on tap and even a sour beer, which is a little surprising. Most places are IPA and lager heavy with maybe one cider, so it was to my surprise that they had both a delicious cider from Elemental as well as a sour from Wander on tap. The cocktails I’ve gotten have all been very delicious and going during happy hour is a huge plus. I’ve gotten the Bam-​ba-​lam and the Road Runner and have enjoyed both. Drink ware is nice, and the hand-​made dish-​ware is really nice too.
For food, the pickle fries are super delicious. Crispy and well seasoned with a tasty dipping sauce. I’ve also gotten the burger which wasn’t amazing the time I had it. It could have been an off day, but the bun seemed dry and so did the burger in general. The chicken wings are dressed with what seems like a asian sweet garlic chili sauce– kind of an odd flavor. I’ve gotten the pretzel appetizer too which is not bad. Fries have been my favorite.
Servers and hostesses are very accommodating, friendly and helpful with suggestions.
I would highly suggest making reservations if coming for dinner. This place is great for drinks and a bite to eat. I’m looking forward to trying their brunch menu next time!

I fully dig this place for sure. But first of all, I have to say that for a place named after a variety of hop, a place that stocks several dozen bottled beers in their cellar, a place that has a dozen taps, they don’t seem to go too crazy picking up crazy beers. They pick good solid beers that the average beer lover can enjoy. So know that coming in – you’re going to get mainly supermarket beers here. They’re from a supermarket with a nice selection, but this isn’t the place to find kegs of insane special releases or anything like that. This seems to be on purpose.
It’s in one of those long narrow shoebox type spaces that are everywhere on this side of Ballard. They’ve done a rad job making the most of it – the buildout in here is gorgeous. You walk in a long wooden chute, with tables on either side of the railings. Everything has a tasteful craftsman feel with tons of painted wood and some antique-​y decorations. Farther in are booths and a long bar, then a couple communal tables and a long narrow display kitchen.
You get printed menus on construction paper, and the staff are right on point. Super friendly, super likeable, super enthusiastic. They focus heavily on small plates. You should pay attention – seriously. Between the four of us, we had:
Cauliflower. I mostly like this vegetable for healthfulness, which is not how they prepare it. It’s creamy and seasoned savor-​ily. Tasty for sure.
Benton’s ham. This was perfectly executed. Thin, lean slices of ham, not too salty, served with bitter greens on a sweet biscuit that’s crumbly enough to be chewy but not to be messy. I could eat five plates of this.
Beef carpaccio. Elegantly sliced, artfully plated. Very tasty. Served with some cheesy goo (I think) you can wrap up in the beef slices like a lettuce wrap.
Pretzels. Zzzzzz. Nice dip, nice mustard, don’t really need to order this again.
Chicken liver mouse. Perfect slices of toast with nuts, some greens (I think) and a big dollop of mousse. The mousse was a bit on the sweet side for my liking, but I seem to say that about chicken liver mousse everywhere, so I will probably order this dish less in the future – everywhere, I mean, not ’cause of this place.
Pork rillette. This was SO rad. Not greasy at all, great flavor, served with tasty, chewy bread and awesome stoneground mustard.
Osso buco. Okay, this was an entrée, but I love seeing places put this dish on the menu. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked shank, still on the bone. We cleaned it right down to the bone, too. Very tender, sweet ham-​like flavor. Nice handmade spaetzl.
Cast iron cookie. Chocolate gel (firmer than pudding) on a slab of cookie baked fresh in a tiny skillet a bit bigger than a deck of playing cards. Cute. Very tasty. Tons of milk chocolate, cocoa, and dark chocolate flavor.
The dishes here are nice, the serving implements are nice; everything here is nice. It’s not super cheap, but you can certainly get good value, especially out of the small plates. I can easily come in here again for drinks and snacks or a full dinner.

Nice relAxed ambience. Awesome food. Perfect for brunch and hanging out with friends. If ever you come here, get the fried chicken!!!

Invited by college friend to try Bramling Cross this evening as part of Seattle Restaurant Week. I’ve lost track of all of Ethan Stowell’s restaurants, this was a terrific reintroduction.
Big plus, our wait person. We were well attended to, but she remained unobtrusive between courses. Knowledgable about the dishes, on point the whole time. Great rapport and genuinely made you feel welcomed to be there.
First course was a shocker as we were informed that we would be receiving a series of starters. Plural not singular. What a brilliant idea to get acquainted with various flavors and presentation! We received pretzels with a tasty Gruyère dipping sauce. Followed by a delicious green salad with apple and fennel, fried oysters with cole slaw, chicken rilettes with hazelnuts, and corn fritters. Note the generosity– not one, but a series to get your taste buds amped up!
College friend chose the Dynamite Chicken, half a chicken served piping hot with biscuits and collard greens.
I had the seafood dish with pasta tubes in a complex tomato sauce… again generous with the fish, clams, mussels, and plump shrimp. Just dine carefully as I encountered some broken mussel shells.
Desserts selected included the chocolate amaretto cake and the panna cotta. We declined coffee service but asked for ice with our water, as it was a rare warm spring evening.
Pleasant and satisfying dinner, pretty much synonymous with yet another successful Ethan Stowell restaurant. Thoroughly enjoyed Bramling Cross!

I like Bramling Cross. The setting is very Ethan Stowell, but it seems a bit quieter than some of his other more well known restaurants. I’ve been here for dinner as well as brunch. Dinner favorites included the pork shank and fried chicken. Both meats were well seasoned and flavorful. Brunch was a nice option as there was no wait on a Sunday morning. I tried the breakfast plate consisting of potatoes, eggs, and house made sausage. Quality ingredients, especially the sausage, made the dish satisfying and filling. Service was excellent both times.

Amazing food, service and ambiance!
The first time was so great that I booked another reservation the same week.
Experienced regular dinner service and restaurant week dinner and there was no difference in quality and portion size.
My personal favorite was the Dynamite Chicken. The full order is great for a group of two or three.

Really good place– a bit on the pricier side but the plus is that many of their larger plates are shareable. The Warm Macrina Potato Demi Baguette is def. worth getting. The Grilled Chicken dish was really good and my husband and I were able to share this. My friend got the Bramling Burger which came with fries and she really enjoyed it (the burger is on the thick side).
Overall, I recommend this place and would come again

Gah, I love Ethan Stowell, so this was tough. I did come with high expectations because he’s my favorite chef; but granted, I wanted to like it much, much more.
My friends and I came here for brunch on a Sunday (reservations recommended). The décor is rustic yet sleek. We sat right by the kitchen, so could easily see the chefs prep the food before it went out. Our server was awesome. We ordered mimosas and he actually opens the bottle and pours the prosecco for everyone’s flute at the table, which allowed us to pour however much OJ we wanted. I liked that, especially because the biggest complaint I have with mimosas is when there is too much juice. He had a great attitude and was very knowledgeable about the menu, as well as making recommendations for us. But, our food took an hour to get! I know we had a large party, but an hour is way too long to get some grub.
I ordered the Bramling Burger, which I was super excited to try as a burger lover. But I was unfortunately, disappointed. Since our table was in view of the kitchen we could see the orders and I saw a burger plate sitting for awhile until it was sent out. And guess whose burger that was? I appreciated that they waited to serve it until everyone else at the table had their food, too, but shouldn’t they time that sort of thing? So when my burger came to the table it was lukewarm and the buns were cold. But what was worse was that it was overcooked to my medium-​rare request, even though the server warned me that the restaurant’s medium-​rare is on the more rare side, which I liked and accepted. But that wasn’t the case with my burger. Since it was overcooked it wasn’t as juicy as I had hoped. Other than the cold buns and overcooked meat, everything else of the burger seemed to be fine, like the fries, which were crispy.
A bunch of my other friends felt «okay» about their food except my friend who ordered the Brioche French Toast. She really liked her meal, but said that it can be on the sweeter side if you don’t order a side of protein like the sausage. My friends also started with the Cinnamon Roll, which they loved as it wasn’t overly sweet. (I’m allergic to cinnamon otherwise I totally would’ve have some!)
Since we came on a Sunday — also note that this is when the Ballard Farmer’s Marker occurs and is nearby, so parking can be difficult. Overall, I wasn’t impressed, especially for an Ethan Stowell restaurant. But I’d be willing to go back and try something different or for dinner service.

This was a post holiday get together. They have a great space for groups.
The server was on it and took good care of us.
The food was overall good, but almost every dish had a flaw.
The pickle fries could be a little crisper with more pickle flavor. The brussel sprouts had good flavor and seasoning, but needed to be cooked longer. The sausage was great but there were a lot of undercooked beans. The chicken was cooked perfect, meat-​wise, but the crust was overcooked and the meat was under seasoned. I would have also liked to have seen a larger portion of grits and greens for a family meal. The osso bucco tasted great and the spatzle was good, but there needed to be more sauce. The rillettes had too much fat and the Dungeness crab dip was a bit watery. The cauliflower soup was light on advertised truffle flavor.
The drinks were good, in an interesting way, but I would not reorder any that I had.
Here is the thing, I would go back. The food was reasonably priced and the portions were decent. The missteps in the meal execution were nothing major.

I love fried chicken, and Bramling Cross serves up a fantastic fried chicken dish. I tried it for brunch and was pleasantly delighted. It was a huge portion with two biscuits for $ 17, and well worth it because I had leftovers for a second meal.
The crispy skin is flavorful and sweet with the drip of honey. The chicken is also tender and juicy and the biscuits didn’t feel overly heavy like some brunch spots.
The décor resembles a library, and the booth seats are private yet open because of the layout.
This is a great spot for food as well as drinks! I will definitely be back.

Came here for brunch and really enjoyed the fried chicken and pork cheek hash. The chicken was crispy and juicy and the dynamite dipping sauce added a punch of flavor (similar to a buffalo sauce). The toast that was served with the chicken was fluffy and sweet. The pork cheek hash was filling with chunks of pork, lots of mushrooms, and potatoes. They serve café vita coffee and kept the refills coming. Space is cool and service was friendly. Would come back again.

Great meal. I had the pork check hash which had a lot of cheek but would have like more kale and potatoes. The beers are a fine selection and the cocktails are good.
Very chill. Staff seem like they are from «Portland.»

This place is doing food RIGHT. Had the grilled chicken (cooked to perfection along with amazing roast potatoes and green beans), pickle fries (regular fries seasoned like pickles — phenomenal), and a «brewski old fashioned» beer cocktail (more old fashioned than brewski, smooth and delicious). Everything was killer. The entire staff was warm, attentive, and helpful. Got great recommendations and our glasses were always full. On the expensive side for Ballard restaurants, but well worth the price.

The single worst Sazerac I’ve ever had!
The food on the other hand was more than memorable.
Macrina Bread– Their potato demi baguette with warm olives and butter you can’t go wrong.
Pork Rillette– The single best thing I’ve eaten in 2016
Beet Salad — Horseradish crème fraîche and smoked trout a classic but exciting pairing
Biscuits — Salty ham, sweet honey, creamy butter. Definitely needed the arugula to cut the fatty rich flavors but something I will crave.
Great experience, the spaghetti looks great, I will have to try that when I return. The chef showed amazing attention to the one I observed him prepare, which is amazing because it is a simple dish, clearly he Gets It.

I love Ethan Stowell restaurants! He is my favorite chef in the whole city but this restaurant lacks. It could be that it just opened and they need to work out all the kinks? Beautiful set up, customer service was wonderful — hostess and bartender. It definitely has a hipster casual vibe with the fake library and plastered animal head art décor.
We made last minute reservations but ended up dining in the bar. Opted to dine there rather than wait another 45 mins for our table. Great selection on cocktails, beer cocktails, wine and beer!
What was lacking for me was the robust flavors I expect with Ethan Stowell dishes. The crab dip was the best thing all evening. They give you the perfect amount of bread to dip ratio. The ham and biscuit was just ok. Thin biscuit, salty ham… I couldn’t taste much honey to balance it all out though. Pickled fries w/​dill were so so. Nothing exciting. Comes with aioli. Brussel sprouts were grainy and boring. I love sprouts, but this lacked in flavor and creativity. No wow factor. We also ordered the hanger steak which came cold. :(Disappointing, but glad we decided to split it. I only had a small piece with the veggies. We didn’t complain, but the server asked us how it was and we were honest. In return, our dessert was on the house. We ordered the pecan tart which was dry and not very tasty whatsoever.
Maybe things will improve with time, but my favorite is still Staple and Fancy down the block.

Wow, this is a tough one… somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but I’m trying to be objective and not penalize it for being pretty good but less than I was hoping for, but also not give it more than it deserves just because it’s a trendy new Ethan Stowell joint.
It’s an attractive place with extremely nice, knowledgable and talented servers and a pretty aesthetic – the interior décor made me think of the home of a wealthy gentleman who does a fair amount of fox hunting, book reading and brandy drinking, but with a healthy dash of modern flair too. It’s quite beautiful inside and there’s probably space on the walls for a few more touches if they wish. We sat near a shelf with an encyclopedia set and I used it to look up some ingredients. Take that, Internet.
The menu has all kinds of things on it in large and small plates, including plenty of meatless things and some seafood too, so my girlfriend and I had plenty of options. We got the warm Dungeness crab dip with bread, the Manila clams with frites, and two vegetables, the Brussels sprouts and the delicata squash, plus a very nice bottle of Viognier.
Of the food, the Brussels sprouts were excellent, roasted perfectly with a coating of light bread crumbs. The rest of the food was, well, fine… nothing to complain about nor to write home about. The squash flavor was fine but the texture was dry and a little mealy. The pairing of steamed clams with fairly underwhelming French fries was especially peculiar… it really didn’t make any sense.
In the end, I think I must call it a 3-​star experience because it was good but not necessarily enough to make me want to come back, and at $ 100 for two people, I would have rather have left feeling like «I want to come back here and explore the menu more!» rather than leaving feeling like «well, they’re still figuring things out.»