IL Bistro

I was really disappointed in my recent experience at Il Bistro. This restaurant holds special significance to me because it is the restaurant where my husband proposed. So when we announced our pregnancy and our family wanted to visit, this restaurant immediately came to my mind. I called to make reservations for 4– the 2 of us plus my dad and stepmother who were coming all the way from Walla Walla. I mentioned on the phone how special the night was and that my husband had proposed to me here and also we are celebrating a baby on the way with family. I was not looking for anything free, but a simple mention and congratulations would have been nice. I was SO excited to celebrate this moment with my family and didn’t really get that satisfaction. The meal was nice but underwhelming. I don’t remember really anything I ate, it didn’t blow me away. Our server was fine but not engaging. He didn’t say congratulations, didn’t even ask what brought us in. I was 7 months pregnant and clearly pregnant and I think I even mentioned when ordering because of wanting to make sure there weren’t raw eggs, etc. My dad paid I’m sure $ 200+ for everyone and I left wishing I had recommended somewhere else. Lesson learned: don’t come here for special occasions because the message won’t be relayed and you will be really disappointed.

The front desk at my hotel (Alexis hotel) recommended Il Bistro for great Italian food. Admittedly, my skepticism went into overdrive when I discovered the restaurant’s location… Right in the middle of Pikes place market. However, we decided to try it out. Peter, who turned out to be the wine director, warmly greeted us at the door and led us to a table that fit our specifications (I am picky about where I sit, and always want a great table).
Peter made several wine recommendations, after learning of our likes, and produced an amazing Italian varietal that exceeded our expectations. On a side-​note, the lengthy wine list refreshingly offers great prices without the absurd mark-​up often found in Seattle.
Ashley, a very friendly and knowledgeable server, also made excellent recommendations leading us to settle on a Caesar salad which she recommended we split and the gnocchi (made in house) and the rack of lamb. All the dishes exceeded our expectations! I travel to Italy frequently and the food rivaled the best of the Italian countryside.
Recommendations:
Reserve table 5 or 18 both cozy.
The gnocchi and the lasagna are amazing as is the rack of lamb (we pestered the lady who ordered the lasagna at the neighboring table about it because it looked incredible)
I heartily recommend the house made torta gianduia for dessert.

The food was good, but the service was… Soooooo… Suh… Lowwww…
Captains log… Star date 5−20−2016… It’s day three out on patio at Il Bistro in Seattle and we still haven’t seen our entrees… We’re starting to lose hope having survived on side salads and bread for 72 hours now…
The food was good, but not worth the almost comical hour-​plus wait for our entrees. It was brutal and totally inexcusable.

I ended up leaving before my entre came out because the wait was so awful. Over an hour! No explanation or apologies from waiter even. I will never go back

We had gone to Il Bistro for Seattle restaurant week. The service was painful — between every course there was at least 15 minute lag. I had ordered the gnocchi which was excellent. My partner had ordered the steak — it was flavorless and gross. The waiter messed up the desert selection, he then argued with my partner about it and made the change. The place is located in Pike Place market — the chairs are old and uncomfortable — with the low ceilings it can get really loud. 1 to 2 stars.

Went here for restaurant week. I had the antipasto, bistecca, and hazelnut torte. The antipasto plate was pretty good, but it all went downhill from there. The steak had little flavor and salt couldn’t fix it. The hazelnut torte was just too rich and bitter. It’s hard for me to leave dessert on the table but not in this case. The service was a bit slow and the restaurant was ridiculously loud — I couldn’t hear the person sitting right next to me. Not a pleasant experience!

Overrated! The food was bland and boring. The service was slow and uninterested and our table wobbled. Now I remember why I never go there.

Had cocktails first at nearby Radiator Whiskey. Then came here for a more quiet dinner and truly enjoyed. As two women who had already shared an appetizer at previous bar, we shared a delicious salad here and then a salmon entrée. (They were out of the pasta entry we wanted but the salmon was great.) They served Classic Italian bread, and we had a glass of red. Very nice conclusion to an evening on Pike after a conference presentation! Nice wait staff.

My husband and I came here for happy hour the first night we were in Seattle. This was our first meal in Seattle and it set our expectations for the trip. The food and drinks were great. We sat at the bar and could tell that the bar tenders took pride in making different drinks for other patrons. I’m fascinated about how bar tenders know what to mix to make the perfect drink, after a series of questions about what they were mixing, the bar tender made me a concoction which was delicious. I can’t tell you what was in it, but it was yum. Good food and friendly service. Will definitely visit again the next time I’m in Seattle.
Strangely enough, the following night we wanted to go to the Pink Door, but didn’t have a reservation and they were completely booked. When I asked the hostess if she could recommend another Italian restaurant she suggested Il Bistro. Now that’s saying something — when the competition recommends you!

I can’t even say enough great things about this restaurant. I absolutely loved it! It has a wonderful ambiance and is fancy without being intimidating. The service was wonderful and very accommodating.
We got the fomaggi and bruschetta as appetizers, and they were both wonderful! The fruit preserves with the cheeses (fomaggi) was so fantastic. I personally got the gnocchi and it was to die for good. The cheese they put on top of it was incredible! To me, it honestly made the dish. I would definitely love to come eat here again!

Been here with my wife 6 or 7 times now. Il bistro has great ambience… it dimly lit and feels old school without looking dated. The space is especially inviting during the rainy fall and winter months here in Seattle.
They have a huge spirits collection which means thier bartenders can sling pretty much any cocktail you’re looking for. The house cocktail list is quite good too. Though the faces at the bar have changed over the years, they’ve always had top notch bartenders making excellent drinks.
The food is also quite good. The lasagna is my favorite in seattle. We’ve also had really good filet’s there and some solid salmon entrees. Good place overall!

I’ve only been here for happy hour. and I’ve been back 3x already. its located in the heart of Pike’s Market place. right before the gum wall ally… happy hour runs everyday from 5 – 630 at the bar. they have lots of selections ranging from $ 2-​$ 10. ive ordered the following off their hh menu:
— $ 3 bruschettta crostini — this was just okay, i wouldnt order it again
— $ 3 italian sauasage crostini — the sausage was delicious
— $ 3 Caesar salad — just your typical salad
— $ 4 ravioli di funghi — my favorite dish! must try…
— $ 4 rigatoni bolognese (veal/​lamb) — 2^nd fav dish — very hearty. decent portions for HH
— $ 5 seared calamari — it was okay
— $ 5 sauteed prawns — juicy, plump and flavorful
— $ 5 clams & mussels — lots of flavor from the wine broth
pretty much with the awesome prices you can try everything here during happy hour and the portions are not too shabby!

Il Bistro is a Seattle staple — our family has been coming here for years! They have one of the coolest bars in Seattle, and the fact that it’s nestled in Pike Place Market is just the cherry on top.
We come here often for a cocktail or to eat in the bar area. Our most recent visit was for NYE dinner. It was a prix fix menu ($ 89/​person for four courses). Our experience was just «okay» but given it was NYE, and that we’ve been here before, I would definitely still recommend it and I’ll be back myself.
We had a table of 6 and arrived early for our reservation but they sat us immediately. I did ask for us to move tables however, because 2 mins after sitting down I was knocked by a waiter’s elbow while he was service the table next to us — they were fine to accommodate our request.
Our server was fantastic, he was friendly and attentive even though it was likely a chaotic night.
I started with the carpaccio (delicious), had the Gnocci second, the lamb for third course, and opted not to order dessert as I’m not a huge dessert fan. Overall our food was tasty. Two of us who ordered the lamb had to send our plates back because all of the food on it was cold (cold to the touch, not just «not warm»). They then returned our plates to us reheated instead of giving us new plates — which I noticed because the piece I had originally cut off was still on the plate).
Given that it was NYE, I think the price was more than fair and I feel totally willing to overlook the few hiccups, and as I mentioned would still recommend!

This review is exclusively for happy hour! But that is all you need here! The drinks are good and they have some nice specials but it’s really the food that gets me here. The happy hour food menu is awesome and stupidly cheap — literally some items are only $ 2! The portions are surprisingly big for the low price too. This place is halfway down the alley that is to the left of Pike Pl entrance to the market (on the way down to the gum wall). I think a lot of people miss it but the bar still manages to get packed during happy hour so get there early to snag a spot! Also — pretty sure it goes until 6:30.
I did sample some of the main restaurant fare at one point (delicious) but it was part of a food tour so can’t really speak to the main restaurant service.

Restaurant week was the perfect opportunity to go and try this place. Feels awkward to be at Pike Place Market in the evening, in its downtime; but the anticipation of a good dining experience was taking over.
We got to the restaurant and were immediately impressed by the interior. We had a reservation, but the host invited us to sit at the bar while our table was being set.
Started with Zippa di Funghi which was a mushroon soup with truffle, it tasted really good, but the smell of truffle was a bit overpowering to me. I also tried the Fromaggi which was a mix of two types of cheese paired with some arugula and bread.
As entrée I ordered Slamoné and some other people in out party ordered Bistecca. The Salmone was cooked nicely with a side of pesto and veggies, it lacked perfect seasoning and was thus a little flavorless.
The dessert was spectacular, I tried both the Torte and the tiramisu and they were really great.
Overall, the food was three stars to me, but what a different a great service makes!!! A big shout out to JEREMY our amazing waiter who turned this dining experience to a delight; the amazing service of this place took it to four stars for me.

I’ve been meaning to try this place out for quite a while, but it turned out to be such a disappointment! Such a dark place that it takes a bit for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Arrived at the beginning of dinner hour to avoid the rush so that we could be in and out to catch the ferry but service wasn’t so good. There was a long wait to get our appetizer and an even longer wait to get our entrees & dessert. On average we should have been done w/​in 1.5hrs but we didn’t get out til 2.5hrs later… trust me it wasn’t cause we ordered alot of food, drinks and lots of convo, it was just from sitting around waiting for our food to arrive since it only took us like within 10mins to eat our meal.
The complimentary bread was served cold. Caesar salad was 4 leaves of romaine lettuce covered in caesar dressing w/​a couple of croutons. Mushroom soup was served cold, chunky and super salty. Gnocchi had a smokey taste to it and was overcooked served with a pool of cream in the center. The pork loin was ok but not much flavor to it. The torta gianduia dessert was really chocolatey and didn’t taste much like a torte. The tiramisu tasted like it was from the grocery store. Usually I would normally be full and content but this place left me feeling super thirsty from the so called soup and hungry. Definitely not worth the price of eating here. I felt like I shouldn’t have been charge for this place and should have gotten a refund!
Pics on Instagram @amanda.n_

Fantastic food, great service and a great location!
I had the salmon with pesto and pomme frittes and it was out of this world! I also got to try some of the steak with balsamic reduction sauce and it was brilliant.
Tiramisu is definitely better than their mousse but both are very tasty.

I don’t think of Pike Place Market as a Happy Hour area for some reason, but I am glad to come by and check it out. Its right around the corner from the gum wall. Nice looking Italian restaurant and a great bar area.
A few weeks ago, we were Happy Hour hoppin’ to a few places around 1^st Ave… this was one of our last stops and we made it just in time. Found some seats at the bar and the bartender was so helpful with recommendations, recognized one of my friends from prior visits, started us with drinks and food orders from the HH menu.
We decided to get a bunch of stuff to share between us:
–Grilled Italian sausage crostini: I liked it very much, slightly spicy sausage with some marinated peppers all on top of a delicious toasted piece of bread. Easy to kill these in a few minutes!
–Insalata Caesar: aka… Caeser Salad: classic and tasty, I always like to have a little veg with my meal.
–Rigatoni Bolognese: oh man, this was a hit for me! Nice ragu of veal and I think beef or lamb on top of tasty rigatoni pasta. I could’ve just eaten this the whole time, but I cant help myself to sample a boatload of other items.
–Seared calamari: delicious as well! Its not your fried calamari you typically get, this is not breaded, kind of soup-​ish like tomato broth with olives, capers and all that.
–Cozze e Vongole: Its clams & mussels cooked in white wine, nice and light, good broth, take some bread to sop up all of that and you are good to go. Super delicious!
No issues with the food, service was wonderful and a great happy hour! We had a good time and what a nice place to come with nice ambiance. Yea, it may have some tourist come in, but a spot a local shouldn’t miss.
We spoke about dessert but we were so stuffed that we didnt have room, the bartender suggested that we could sip on a nice boozy dessert and recommended the Bicerin which is Italian sipping chocolate, whoa… dangerous! Chocolatey & boozy… what a combo! Definitely would get it again!
Overall, its a real good spot! The 3 of us left very satisfied, I plan on coming back to try some more items off of their HH menu.

I get so stressed when Restaurant Week rolls around because I always second-​guess my choices, but I gotta learn to put some trust into it! I almost cancelled my reservation here but I’m glad I didn’t. IL Bistro was one of the only restaurants that had an open table for 6 as I was frantically searching two nights before we planned to go.
The restaurant is a little bit under and to the side of Pike Place, near the gum wall. Whenever I’m in the area I always like to park at Target and walk down to get a nice view and a stress-​free parking spot. I was running about 15 minutes late but my friends were there on time and were able to be seated at our table to wait for us– two thumbs up!
Since there were 6 of us, we all ordered a nice variety of items so I got to see/​taste several things on their SRW menu. I opted for the mushroom soup, pork, and tiramisu and enjoyed every course! The mushroom soup was visually unappealing but super tasty. It’s what’s on the inside that counts, guys. The pork was deliciously tender and just the right balance between sweet with the cherry sauce, and savory. The tiramisu was one of the best I’ve ever had! So light and creamy and not overly sweet. I was very happy with my choices but I think I would have been happier with the steak because mmm it was cooked perfectly and came with a risotto! The salmon was a little on the smaller side and wasn’t that great. The chocolate torte was also quite small but extremely rich.
Service is great here! My friend found a hair in her food and they were apologetic and quick to get her a fresh plate. Our server also didn’t include gratuity in our bill because he «didn’t want to be pushy.» Aw, so sweet! We made sure that he got the tips he deserved, though. Overall, it was a nice SRW experience.

Atmosphere: Very lovely. If you’re young, the dim lighting is wonderful — I’d only see it as unpleasing if I was with friends.
Waitress: She might be new; she’s not very with it. Long waits between her approaches; knocked over our wine glass while talking and never brought the complimentary bread — eventually I asked the wa
Bruschetta: Good. Simply put together. Tomatoes are large, Fresh basil leaves stripped and strewn about. The bread was a bit in the soggy side. Almost too salty but it gets away with a pleasing aftertaste that hints garlic to your tongue.
Moscato D’Asti: Sweet and lovely! Very smooth.
Rigatoni w/​lamb and veal: Very Good! The sauce is very similar to that of Italy. Good amount of zest and not too salty. You can taste the aroma of the meat in each bite. The ratio of sauce to middle was appropriate.