Branzino

This place went downhill when the original owners sold at some point over the last year. The service became terrible after most of the core staff left. Avoid until new ownership is brought in, IMO. Used to be a great cocktail spot or a place to get good small bites, very much looking forward to a reopening.

The food: wonderful!
The service: mind-​numbingly slow, even at un-​crowded times.

This place must be under some financial trouble. I tried calling them during business hours for a reservation and they didn’t answer, so I reserved on
with note to call back if there’s any issue. Went at reserved time and found them closed, with no sign on the door to explain this. Tried calling them again to complain except they don’t pick up.
I would advise potential customers to steer clear.

We had dinner here over a week ago, and even sitting here now I’m so peeved I was robbed of my money. So:
Food — mediocre Italian
Meatballs: good texture, but so bland, and the tomato sauce tasted metallic
Grilled octopus: cooked well, but also completely unseasoned and bland
Roasted chicken with spinach gnocchi: Chicken was cooked fine, but taste didn’t blow me away. Gnocchi tasted like they were frozen/​prepackaged, server let us know these are cooked in big batches in the cream sauce, and then just sit. That seems… icky at best. At worst, offensive technique to Italian food/​professional chefs
Service — straight up, dude was an aggressive weirdo. Husband and I are on a restrictive diet, and as we were telling our server this, he checked his watch 3 times and looked over his shoulder twice, and never once made eye contact. We ordered based on his recommendations that could accommodate our restrictions, and still ended up getting sick. It’s a good thing we weren’t deathly allergic to these items because that guy clearly could not care less. We also came on a Friday night, and this place was pretty dead. A couple of old dudes at the bar, and maybe 3 other tables? Our dinner still took over 1 ½ hours, for two appetizers and a shared main course. I had a Groupon, which I had pulled up on my phone, which he grabbed out of my hand when we were presented with the bill. DO NOT TOUCH MY PHONE. I mean, that’s pretty basic social etiquette.
Ambiance — no one gives a crap about this place-​chic.
Dead on a Friday night can be very telling. There are parts of a pillar someone tested paint on. I guess no one could make up their minds, because it’s still there. The whole place looked run down and dirty — not unsanitary necessarily, just like no one has ever cared enough to just do even light dusting.
Even with a Groupon, I felt like I spent too much money. Save your money, stay far, far away, and explore some of the other restaurants nearby that are infinitely better and worth your money. Belltown isn’t exactly hurting for options.

The ONE rating is for lousy customer service. We called several times yesterday to make a dinner reservation for tonight (Sunday). We assumed they were exceptionally busy, because no one picked up the phone. So we made a reservation through OpenTable. However, when we arrived we found out why no one picked up the phone — the note on the door said Branzino was closed for maintenance!
How hard is it to leave a message on your answering service that says we are closed for maintenance?! And also to advise sights such as OpenTable that you are closed for maintenance??? Because of the poor planning, it makes me wonder what «maintenance» means. It goes without saying, we will not go back to Find out!
We made the best of our trip to Belltown and tried Black Bottle around the corner which was excellent!

Dishes are tasty, but very, very small. Not a good value restaurant.
They seem to frequently be out of the signature dish, Branzino.
Had the beef carpaccio appetizer. $ 14, tiny portion and the meat was very dry. There was little truffle oil to moisten or flavor the beef. We had a groupon voucher and I’m pretty sure this must have influenced the size of our pasta, otherwise I can’t see how a restaurant can justify such small entrée portions.

I was really disappointed — I expected much more.
My husband and I just moved to Seattle and decided to celebrate with a nice dinner out. We picked Branzino because it served seafood (seemed like a no-​brainer) and seemed likely to be good based on reviews. To be fair, we came on a Monday, so maybe they were having an off-​day. But…
1. Atmosphere: The restaurant was almost completely empty so we couldn’t get a strong sense of the atmosphere. It’s a cute little restaurant — very dark and intimate. I’m sure it feels nicer with people in it.
2. Service: The service was fine — fast if not friendly. Didn’t do much to recommend any food, wine, etc. She seemed ready to call it a night (which, considering it was empty, I guess I don’t blame her).
3. Food: Here’s where things were sad. They were out of everything — the menu is really small to begin with and they were out of over half of all the food, including oysters, their name-​sake dish, mussels, tuna, and asparagus. If Mondays are tough, they might want to close instead of serving customers whatever happens to be left over. But we soldiered on, and my husband got the shrimp fettuccine, and I got the salmon (special of the day). We shared the burrata as an appetizer. The food was «eh.» Really dry burrata in the appetizer (parts were almost like goat cheese), and the basil sauce was weirdly briney and sour. In my husband’s dish, the shrimp was tough but the sauce was tasty. Nothing special at all. All of my food was under-​salted — the potatoes had barely any flavor — and the salmon was slightly over-​cooked. For a $ 85+ bill (one drink each, one appetizer shared, no dessert), I really expected a lot more.
I think the fact that this was supposed to be our meal celebrating coming to a new city made this experience worse, but I do think that no matter what day of the week, a restaurant should strive to put out consistently good food to make customers feel like they had a special meal. Especially at a restaurant that is so clearly marketed for dates out. I don’t know if we’ll be back, but, if we are, I hope to see a better side of this place!

If you’re looking for a place with terrible service (Elise especially), this is the place to be. After sitting at our table for 40 minutes, we finally got to put in our drink order. We had to send someone to find her so we can order our meals, all of which came out at separate times and were given to the wrong person. It was a fixed menu for NYE so thought it should be pretty easy, it definitely was not. We had to leave for a show which she knew at the beginning and explained that 2 hours is plenty of time, however it took so long to get everything we weren’t able to stay for the full meal and weren’t served dessert (still had to pay for it though). Bottom line, service was terrible, food was mediocre, and prices were ridiculous. She gave even gave herself a 20% tip and said it was mandatory!

Branzino serves classic Pacific Northwest fare in an intimate atmosphere that one could describe as dark, almost gothic, and smelling of rich mahogany (the booths are reminiscent of pews… All hail Chluthlu, God of the Sea!!)… but for our purposes here, let me describe Branzino as Pacific Northwest in style, both in atmosphere and in foodosphere.
I will echo another review who said the Pappardelle Bolognese pasta is great. For all lovers of big thick beefy noodles and some garnish to feel fancy like cheese, why not combine the two? I always do. It’s earthy and meaty and carby and great. (Note: This dish is probably best served when it’s cold out.)
Also, here’s a plug for the roast chicken, mostly as it pertains to the spinach gnocchi. Those little pillows of goodness are frankly one of the primary reasons for living. The chicken is also quite good on its own, but, being as it’s two large portions of chicken per dish, the sheer amount of meat is overpowering and perhaps notable for being so self assured. (I would probably say here, «Note: Only order if you’re in for a man-​sized portion of food,» but that would be sexist.)
Overall, am I a fan? Yes, I’m a fan. Also, I’m a fan of when I order food to go and the order DOESN’T get canceled. Yes, a cancellation has been known to happen when ordering from here… it’s been known to happen about twice. You don’t want my money? You don’t think you can meet the deadline or uphold the quality? Why put yourself out there as a restaurant that offers that service then? Refused service is unprofessional. Just saying. But hey, Branzino… I still like you and will come crawling back/​crawing into the restaurant whenever you want me to give you my money!

Disappointed.
Appetizer came out with meals (after a fairly long wait considering there were probably only 8 people there). I ordered a Cosmopolitan cocktail, it came in a very small glass, had no sugar on the rim and was so sour/​tart I could barely drink it. The food was ok, nothing memorable. Some bread to eat while waiting would have been nice, but I guess they don’t do that there. Overall, it was a pretty forgettable experience. Won’t be going back.

The server was very inexperienced and was doing her job like a robot. She came to ask what drinks we like twice even before we opened the menus (we were chatting) and «how is the food?» before we even took a bite. Sorry we are not as fast as you dear server.
The food was just ok.

A cute, small cozy place, looks kind of dark as you step in, but gives an intimate romantic feel to it. Staff are super nice and polite and something about it just feels right.
We went in for drinks, but while we were having our drinks, I took a glance at the menu and just loved the menu. So we just decided to oder a few items and try them out. We got the meatballs and the roasted mushroom crostini. The meatballs were okay, a little bit too spicy for my liking. The sauce on the meatballs tasted really good. But the star was definitely the mushroom crostini which was made with truffle oil, smelled like heaven and tasted amazing. Overall, the ambience was the one thing that was carved in my memory the most. Would be happy go back and try some other items on the menu.

My wife and I continued our visit to Seattle with dinner at Branzino. The ambience was great. Our server came over right away and was very attentive. I had the Papperdelle Bolognese and my wife had the Halibut. Both dishes were great.
The only reasons for 4 stars instead of 5 are that they were out of the appetizer that we wanted, they only have 3 beer choices and they didn’t have any sort of sparkling water.

Service was great, but the food wasn’t, the grilled octopus was pretty bland, and my wife ordered a Bellini that taste like it was sparkling cider, the ambiance is excellent, I’d come back maybe just for drinks but not food

Branzino is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Seattle. It’s a romantic small place with nice atmosphere and the food is SO GOOD.
The gnocchi verde with chicken is the best gnocchi I’ve ever had (and I’ve tried a lot of gnocchi). The dish is flavorful and the chicken is delicious and moist. My husband had the pappardelle and cleared the plate. We also had the octopus appetizer which was very good, I used bread to get every last bit of the green sauce that comes on top.
Came again for happy hour and had the house pizza which is delicious. It has a very thin crisp crust with quality flavorful ingredients and is baked in a wood fired oven right in front of you. Highly recommend.

Food and drinks were very good, and service was really great — very nice server. Location was great but it was kinda empty when we got there at 7pm on a Friday, so atmosphere was a bit lacking. We had fish and a mixed platter for appetizer which was very good. A good spot downtown.

I tried out this Belltown restaurant/​bar with their Groupon. Like others said, it’s a nice small place with intimate lighting and very conveniently located. The food was also great. I had the papardelle bolognese and my boyfriend had the gnocchi verde. Both were really good. Servers were very polite.
However, for the smaller portion size for the price, I don’t know if I would go without a Groupon or happy hour. The papardelle was $ 19, and the gnocchi was $ 13. It would also be great if there was a bread basket or something included.

I went there with a groupon on Saturday night. The place has good ambience in a nice neighborhood. I was a little surprised that the place was a little empty. I had tuna crudo and mussels. Both of them were fine. Although they are in entrees section of the menu, their sizes were pretty small. I felt pretty fine having 2 entrees :(the service was ok. Food was ok/​average for me. Good value with the groupon for sure !

Worst service ever.
The food was good but it took forever to come out — somehow our pizza was ready before our Antipasti as well…& I’ve never been anywhere that mussels took 40 minutes to cook.
The waitress seemed as if her mind was elsewhere. The restaurant was not busy… honestly she was just not very likable… had she been nicer and more attentive I honestly feel as if the long gaps of time wouldn’t have been as bad…
My advice… don’t go here if you are hungry.

Got an order of the burrata to start — it was pretty good but what made it amazing was the salty toasted bread. I didn’t love the dressing on the arugula — it was a little strong and overpowered the mild taste of the burrata but eaten all together with the bread was nice. It was a large portion too. Definitely ask for more bread :)
The namesake whole branzino fish was super fresh and cooked well, with a great flavorful skin and a great sauce that sat under the fish. This also came with a dressed lemony arugula salad that I thought was much better.
Service was slow and the entrée dishes are kind of expensive. I had a groupon but don’t know if I would return without one.

Had friend from out of town last month and we were recommended to check this place out since we were already in the Belltown area. Their fish was highly recommended and served table side. Which is a fancy way of saying let us debone fish in front of you and serve each person equal portions, ha! We also had pappardelle with braised short ribs. Delicious but a bit salty. Food was 4 stars but I gave 3 because service needs improvement.

I actually enjoyed this restaurant. My waitress wasn’t the greatest hence the 4 stars. The quality of the food was great and its open LATE which is even better. This is primarily a seafood/​Italian restaurant.
I definitely plan on coming here again… I do however plan to steer clear of the short haired blonde that works the late shift.
Enjoy!
Dee

My wife and I went here for dinner on a week night. We had a reservation but the restaurant was surprisingly almost empty. Our server was extremely friendly and attentive and that made the experience a very pleasant one.
We started off with the grilled octopus. It was so perfectly marinated and cooked. Melted like butter and was full of flavor. The Puttanesca and Basil Salsa Verde were perfect flavor pairings. The only think I didn’t like about the dish was the grilled bread. I wish it had been served on the side instead of at the bottom because the drippings and sauces just made it really soggy.
Moving on to entrées, my wife got the Margherita pizza which was extremely flavorful and perfectly balanced. The center was a tad bit soggy but the rest was nice and crisp and held up beautifully. The crust was a little burnt and added a lovely bitter note which I personally really enjoy.
I also got the Pappardelle Bolognese. It was one of the nicest pasta dishes I’ve eaten in a very long time. Absolutely spectacular flavors, a hearty sauce, beautiful tender meat, every bite was heavenly. The pappardelle itself can be a little stuck in the center so open it up with your fork and let the sauce seep in.
We finished with the chocolate Crème brûlée. It was topped with apple slices which I preferred moving to the plate below since it made it easier to eat. The dessert itself was pretty average and probably not something I would order again.
Overall I think the food was spectacular with a few tiny things that could be improved. The portions are pretty small and the restaurant is most certainly pricey but it’s one of those «special occasion» meals so I get it. Would love to go back here and repeat some of those dishes and try some new ones too. Highly recommended.
p. s. Amazon Local has a deal for this restaurant so be sure to check it out.

Super yummy food!
Must try– Pappardelle Bolognese, Bucatini Gamberoni, and Chocolate Crème Brulee!
Can’t wait to come back!!!

I can’t wait to eat here again. I came here for the first time because I bought a Groupon. I saw that they had grilled octopus on the menu, and I am slightly obsessed with octopus.
The food is a little bit pricey, but the ambience is intimate and the service is good so I would come back. I came with a friend and we each had two drinks and an entrée, and we split an appetizer and the bill was $ 95. The salmon with corn and tomatoes ($ 29) was very good. The grilled octopus ($ 14.5) was also good, though not a large portion. Their mojitos ($ 11) were also good but came in those skinny Belltown-​sized glasses :)
Also, random: they have a little bit of outdoor seating, and bread is available upon request and comes with olive oil and balsamic.

Great ambiance, great food AND good service!
I bought an Amazon Local deal after reading a few reviews on Unilocal.Boy am I glad I got it! I went with 2 other people and didn’t order any beverages but got 2 appetizers and 2 entrees.
We got seated right away with a reservation and the service was prompt. We ordered the Burrata & beet salad to share and then the gnocchi (replace meat with mushrooms) and Spring pizza. EVERYTHING was amazing and I was so full after dinner. Not until after dinner did I realize we had ordered everything vegetarian… it was so good!
Definitely recommend this place especially for dates. They have vegetarian selections but can accommodate other dishes with no meat and sub for other veggies like mushrooms or asparagus.