My adventure here almost made me lose faith in Yelp. I stopped here while traveling for business in Seattle. I went purely on the faith of the reviews of Yelpers. I don't get it. For the all the hype, the place totally under delivered. OMG, blasted broccoli! It tasted fine, but for all the "must try" recommendations, really just okay. It's roasted broccoli. Yes, you will get about 2 lbs. of it, but it tastes the broccoli I make at home. Beer selection was average. Service was average. Space was average. I would not go back next time I'm in town. read more

OMG! If you are a wine lover...you have to try their Red Ghost Blend! It's a mystery blend and fabulous reds. I wish I was able to grab a bottle before I left. The Broccoli is also a great dish here, perfect for those of us that are trying to stick to healthy meals. This is a very unique wine bar. Most wine bars that have food only have tapas portions. This place has varying sizes of portions when you order them. It is best to ask the waitress when she takes your order so that you order enough to satisfy the hungry in you. Every dish was excellent, the broccoli, the calamari and the coffee here is excellent. The waitress even took a special order iced coffee from one of my friends. You can't get better service than that. The ambiance is very cozy and somewhat romantic. If I lived in Seattle, I'd be here all the time! read more

Went for a birthday bash with an entourage and got seated promptly (I think someone made a reservation??). We were in pairs for tabs, but the servers were very accomodating. Tried almost everything on the menu, family style. The Squid salad was DELICIOUS. I would go back time and time again for that alone. Light, crisp, tangy and fresh... mmm... so good. The grilled lamb and hummus was tender and surprisingly quite a lavish spread. Two hearty lamb skewers, cucumbers, mixed olives, taiziki sauce, and pita triangles. Cumin Pork was dry but the frisee salad that it was accompanied with was great. Hanger steak was moist and yummy. Developed a weird allergy to raw oysters (can't have more than a couple) but still ventured for one. Fresh and saucy, just the way I like it. Broccoli blasted was good but not as amazing as I thought it would be compared to all the reviews. It was not over cooked and well seasoned but nothing spectacular. On to the flatbread... brie and leek, was... eh. Not spread evenly over the flatbread and the leek was too salty and clumpy. Fresh arugula tasted like a regular pizza. Decor and atmosphere.. it was an odd, but good, mix of romantic candlelit couples and large but intimate groups. The wine list was great as well as the cocktails. Next time, a date night here or a girl's night seems to be in order... read more

I've taken large groups here and also just one other person or myself. It's always great. Really good food. The service is kind of spartan teamwork, yet you get whatever you need. Nobody is overbearing and it's very casual and fun. My only criticism is the wines. They should have at least a few fancy wines available and by the glass as well. I brought some folks here from wine country in CA. I warned them that there'd be nothing great by the class there, but they were still unhappy though too polite to say. I love everything else about this place. read more

Great little place in belltown. They've got great appetizers and a decent wine list (around 40 wines - lots of european wines). My personal favorite foods are the flat breads. My only real complaint about this place is that its sooo tough to get a table at unless its after 10 pm on a weekend. I should mention though it is a bit of an older belltown crowd - mid 30's type crowd. read more

I'd been meaning to get to Black Bottle for a long time, but somehow had never managed to eat here despite all the great reviews I'd heard. I finally went here for dinner with my friend last night and we had a GREAT time! I really dug the ambiance of the place. The dark lighting, the dark wood and brick interior, the style of the lighting - it was all very nice. The food was EXCELLENT. We split the Seven Spice Shrimp, the Green Beans & Tofu, and the arugula/tomato/basil/pesto flatbread. The shrimp were very good and had just the right amount of spice. I will note I was a little thrown off by the fried shrimp heads that were also on the plate, but they tasted just fine. I was a big fan of the green beans and tofu, though I wish the accompanying sauce had been drizzled more over the beans (and not just under the beans) because it was delicious. The flatbread was likely the best part of the meal - an excellent combination of flavors and I almost wanted to eat the entire thing myself! I also had the house pinot grigio ($4 at happy hour) and it was quite good. Our waitress was attentive but not intrusive. Our water glasses were constantly being refilled. The food came out very promptly. We were able to have a nice, long, two-hour dinner without being rushed along or pressured in any way. It was a very nice experience. I'd definitely like to go here again and I would, without a doubt, recommend Black Bottle to others! read more

After frequenting the Bellevue location for some months I finally had the chance to check out the "flagship" location. It's right on 1st, on the corner, very easy to find with lots of nearby street parking. Also conveniently located in the heart of Belltown, aka easy to bar hop afterwards. The interior is cute! Good mix of seating and table sizes. Great service, come-to-expect-from-Black-Bottle inexpensive yet delicious food menu, and of course fabulous drinks. The menus were different between location so I tried something that wasn't at the Bellevue location - fried chicken and collard greens. Skinless, boneless, breaded, and fried - amazing! Collard greens? Seasoned to perfection. Also got a side of green beans and tofu. It was pretty bland, so next time I will stick to my usual - the blasted broccoli. Also had some beer and wine - the wine I got was $8.50/glass - ouch! But complemented the German chocolate cake I had well. We brought in the cake for a friend's birthday - just a heads up there's a $20 cake cutting fee. Service was prompt, friendly, and frequent. Checks were split with gratuity added. Appreciated how there was no tip line on the receipt so there was no confusion that we had gratuity built-in. I officially love Black Bottle. read more

I love Black Bottle and am so impressed! It is a cozy, fun, and chill place to be, especially for a fun and low key girls night out. It is open from 4pm to 2am everyday, so it is a wonderful option for a late night bite on a weeknight. The prices are very reasonable and the drinks are fabulous. My favorite so far is their white sangria...$6/glass and $24/pitcher. Might as well get the whole pitcher. ;) As for the food, there is plenty of delicious choices. I love the roasted vegetables--a yummy medley of carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, parsnip, potatoes, and asparagus. The arugula and tomato flatbread is just perfect. The roasted beet gratin is creative and delicious...pure carnivores will not miss the meat. The plates are great for sharing and won't burn a hole in your wallet. Don't forget the dessert--the chocolate cake with vanilla gelato is a MUST, though I'm not sure you will want to share! read more

Lucky for me this is one of the closest bars to my work because it is damn good. Black Bottle is perfect for after work drinks or a dinner with friends and drinks. It's also better since the gross, dilapidated convenient store next to it closed. The wine list is well selected, and the food is amazing. As others have mentioned- You must try the seared broccoli- it doesn't sound appetizing, but even my most carnivorous friends have finished the plate. The flatbreads and fried tofu are also some of my favorites. I'm glad they finally added happy hour- although limited to drinks, it is something, right? Service has always been fantastic. I've also had lots of parties in the back room for work related events. Paul, the event coordinator and bartender is great to work with. read more

Yum Yum Yum! I recently made a 12 hour work trip to Seattle and the highlight of my visit was a late dinner here. I arrived pretty much straight from the airport, full from cheap chinese food from the SFO airport - but a colleague told me that we HAD to go here even at 11 pm at night. I was not disappointed. The ambiance reminds me of a cool SOMA or Mission restaurant/bar - kind of Oola-ish. Very diverse crowd - but mostly "hip" folks wearing printed tees and blazers, funky hats and that sort of stuff. So this is what we had - all under $10 bucks each (yes, just 2 of us!): hanger steak and daikon/shiso - yummmmy, good for the meat eater, but don't mistake the daikon (japanese for radish) for potatoes! braised artichoke heart and greens - the most delicious salad I've had in a while. very tasty artichokes on top of a variety of greens french country - hell yah, can't go wrong with brie on bread with lots of other yummy stuff. kind of like a fancy pizza. highly recommended. racked olive salad | hot coppa | soprasatta - very tasty as well. you gotta like olives. served with some pita like bread and some thinly sliced meat that reminded me of proscuitto and salami. I'd recommend all of the above with a bottle of wine. We had a pinot which was excellent. Our bill came out to 70 bucks or so which wasn't bad at all given the excellent experience. Great for a night out with friends or a date (or a late night dinner with a colleague!). I'll definitely be back... read more

MMm...quite nice. We made reservations for our party of 4, which wasn't needed. But c'est la vie. We sat in the back room where we were the only ones there for some time. The servers wore regular street clothes, so we weren't sure who worked here and who didn't. That was a bit confusing. Brought our own wine ($20 corkage fee) and ordered a ton of food (I skipped lunch), copied from their site: braised artichoke heart and greens bacon lemon scallops and frizzled kale natural hanger steak and daikon/shiso brie leek french-country pesto smoked chicken and sun-dried cherries broccoli blasted coconut plantain cup lemon curd ricotta cake lavender crust Um, yeah..all that. We ate and ate and ate. It was the right amount of food for 4 hungry people. Laurie B. was spot on with how awesome the broccoli was and the kale (that came with the scallops) was REALLY good. Like, REALLY. I would say that the kale was the best tasting thing that night, followed by the broccoli, the chicken/cherry flatbread, then the lemon curd cake. The steak wasn't as good as I hoped, but it was very tender. Service was good (I was worried after reading some reviews). We were tucked in back until more and more people joined. I think this back area was quieter than the front. They kept the plates coming out at regular intervals. Water refills a little slow (but I'm always thirsty). And we were given a couple chances to order more food if we wanted. It was a weekday night though, so maybe when they are busier the service goes down. The cool thing was the check was just over $100, and that included the $20 corkage, so the food was $80. At $20/pp for a nice dinner with many different tastes, I'd say it's a quite a deal. read more

Really unfortunate location for the urinal. But that aside, the food was amazing and the eye candy entertaining. We hit the Prosciutto flatbread, the lamb & hummus, the shrimp, some other amazing flatbread, the MF'ing cumin pork loin, the cauliflower, and more, I am sure. The only thing we didn't finish was the cauliflower which, although very tasty, was a much larger plate than the others and we were running out of room. It's a bit dry, but the curry was good. We also got the banana flambe thing and the chocolate cake thing. Both were good. Every single dish was good in its own way. The music ranged from Peter Bjorn & John to Kruder & Dorfmesiter. Very fitting. Only downside, other than the urinal, was the waiter who rarely attended to us. Overall, I'd return. They do take reservations, but only for like 3 tables per hour. read more

Wow....so glad we decided to try this place. Came on a Friday night with a group of four....TIP- Make a reservation!! This place is packed, and we did not have a reservation, so we ended up waiting over an hour for a table. (Ducked into C.S. Finnegan's next door for some excellent wine and beer while waiting!) Anyway, the wait was well worth it, because the food and ambiance were great. It is really dark, so be prepared to squint. Our waiter was friendly and helpful with suggestions. Between the four of us we ordered seven dishes...shared family style. Great progression of food throughout the night, as we finished one dish another was brought out. The Excellent: * Madeira saute and grilled halloumi cheese * Bacon lemon scallops with frizzled kale * Malbec demi glazed oxtail * Clemency (cocktail...so good) The Good: * Grilled octopus and fava beans cilantro pesto salad * Brie leek French country pesto flatbread * Seven spice shrimp The Okay: * Braised artichoke heart and greens read more

Once you go black, you never go back... Truer words... I really, really love this place. The food is great... not excellent... but as great as it should be for the perfectly reasonable price and style. LOVE the blasted broccoli and the curried cauliflower is to die for. The spicy peel and eat shrimp are mm mm good. The flatbread flavors a scrumptious but I would request them to be... well... flat. They are a little doughy. Atmosphere is dark, cozy, and perfect for socializing. Fun servers, fun crowd. read more

Synopsis: great food, great wine, sucky service and musically-challenged. Mitchell suggested we head here last Friday night and we met up with our friend Scottie who was visiting. I liked the look and location, like many a wine bar I've been to it was all about clean lines and a modern look. The tables were low with comfortable chairs. It was a nice day to be outside but all the tables were taken so Mitchell and I decided to sit at a table inside at the front so we could see the sliver of water. This is when the service started to break down. One woman sat us and gave us 3 menus ( we were waiting for Scottie), then another woman came by to try to take the 3rd menu, then we were left alone, for an eternity, while everyone who worked there seemed to be fighting over the music. A part of a song would play and then would be cut off abruptly and a new song would start. Eventually I went to the bar to order drinks and an app while we were waiting. Delivered by 2 different waitresses who again tried to take our 3rd party's stuff. Finally he arrived and we waited for a long time again for him to be able to order a drink. Eventually we all got drinks and food. I had the viognier which was so good. It tasted of pears with a lightly sweet yet crisp taste. Mitchell had a rose cava and Scottie tried the malbec. We started with the flatbread with tomato, balsamic vinegar and argula. Extremely good and satisfying on a warm summer evening. We shared a round of a half dozen oysters on the half shell that came with a yummy shallot, herb vinegarette. Mitchell and I shared the lamb kebab and hummus plate. The lamb was done perfectly with really good flavor and the hummus was dotted with pine nuts and olive oil. The pita bread was toasted and I was a happy happy girl. Scottie ordered the yellow fin, which was very spicy, and I thought it was good, but I would only order it to share with a group. The tab was about $100 (6-7 glasses of wine with 4 plates), which was reasonable, but it took us over 10 minutes to flag down a waitress to give us the check. Meanwhile a line had formed going out the door for people who wanted to be seated. This place could be awesome if the waitresses could get their shit together. They were terrible, I don't know if this was some new kind of communal waitressing or if they were trying to channel some San Francisco snooty restaurant where you pay to be treated badly... but it put a damper on our dinner. The music also needs to be worked out, it was way too loud where we were sitting, the music choices were clearly being debated and the songs that were allowed to play all the way through were ok. I'll try this place again, but if the service continues to suck I'll go enjoy my dinner at one of the million other wine bars in Belltown. read more

How come no one really mentions just how massive the portions are?! I came here hungry and thinking that Black Bottle was like any other gastropub where the plate sizes were relatively small and tapas style. What a (glorious) mistake! There was only two of us and it was really just me that was very hungry so I ordered the prosciutto flatbread, the blasted broccoli, and the kimchi pork belly skewers. And as the plates came to our table one by one my eyes got bigger and bigger. How the heck was I supposed to eat all of this myself? That blasted broccoli plate could easily feed 6 people! And yes I thought $11 was expensive for some skewers of pork belly but each piece was also very big! I dug in eagerly and after I was stuffed to the brim it didn't even look like I put a dent into the blasted broccoli. Now onto each item... Prosciutto Flatbread: Also very big but I really wouldn't call it a flatbread as it was quite thick. It was tasty but nothing amazing. Lotsss of cheese if that's your thing. Pork Belly Skewers: Pork Belly must be like the golden chalice of meat-cuts because there is no way you can prepare it to make it taste bad. As always it was very very juicy and soooo flavorful with that little kick of kimchi. They come on skewers with actual pieces kimchi as well. Blasted Broccoli: I have now made it my life goal to perfect this simple recipe. Perfectly seasoned (although i can see how it can get a bit salty after a while if you are eating it with other salty dishes) and "blasted" to a crisp perfection on the tips of each little broccoli hair. Best of all? I'm sure it's pretty good for you minus the high sodium intake. Who knew eating veggies could be so fun! Definitely best gastropub I visited in Seattle and for a very reasonable price for all the food that you get! read more

The food here was great. The food we were able to order, that is. We must have came on an off night because after sitting down and ordering our drinks, the waitress came back to let us know they were out of "some of the items" on the menu. She proceeded to tell us which items weren't available and it was literally everything we already had picked out to be ordered. They were completely out of everything under the meat section, no scallops, no this and no that. I was able to get the chicken and roasted cherry flat bread, which was beyond amazing. I was able to get pretty full off of it and shared with my friends too. I also had ceviche which was very fresh, it was just surprising at the small amount of chips I was given with it. I made it work though. :) This really is a cute place and has a good amount of things to choose from, when actually available and not out. The prices are even better, so I will most likely be back to try out the items that were unavailable the night we went. However, I would suggest to anyone working at Black Bottle reading this that if you're out of almost everything on the menu, you say that before seating a table and taking our drink orders. We would have gone else where, but we already waited there for so long and were late to our other night activities. read more

I'm in Seattle for the weekend and I know what I'm having for dinner tonight. Blasted Broccoli. I know- how great can broccoli be??? Pretty freakin' amazing at Black Bottle. read more

This place would have been incredible and amazing...if someone had told us it was tapas. The hostess and server never asked if we had been there before and just assumed we understood the concept...we however did not, and left hungry and angry when I figured out what the concept was. We would've spent more money on food and drinks, would have tipped the server more and the Black bottle would have made another $30 from us easy. The food was delicious, but how hard is it to explain your restaurant's concept? It's not. Maybe enough people know and they don't have a problem with business, but I'm incredibly upset with my experience. Also, the service could use a friendliness boost. If you like the nonchalant "we're too cool" hipster attitude you'll, love this place. If you like nice friendly competent service, you will not. read more

The staff and restaurant itself highly exceed my expectations and I can't rave about them enough. I held a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend recently and was able to reserve the private room in the back (complete with a bartender and food service) for the full evening. The requirements to reserve the room were completely affordable to me and i love that they were also willing to keep separate tabs so I didn't have to foot it all. Paul was extremely helpful throughout the planning process - from the moment I initially inquirred months before to the day before the actual party. The helpful staff lent a hand to carry in the cake right when they saw my friend and i walking towards the restaurant w/our hands full of balloons and decorations. All the great service was topped off with the delicious food they served. I think our group individually ordered something different on the menu and everyone LOVED EVERYTHING -- i personally couldn't get over the pork belly and fried chicken. I will make it a point to go back for more. Now there is a downside, which I can't really put blame on them, is that I wish Black bottle was not located in Belltown - with all the recent crime happening around there lately, i was really afraid something would happen to someone - and unfortunately, two of my friends had their cars broken into :( Just beware where you park and maybe spend the extra money to park in a paid lot for extra caution. If you ever want to have a private party, I so recommend going with Black Bottle. I've never experienced any other place that has been able to operate in such a sophisticated and humble way. read more

I've been to Black Bottle several times and it never fails to please. Yesterday however was the first time sitting outside in their roped "patio". Thank god for the metal rope, had it not be there I would have been easily tempted to give my bottle of wine to a passing toddler. As always, I had to order the blasted broccoli. It's a must have if you've never tried. The flatbreads are always a good choice however they were very chintzy on the prosciutto yesterday. I also experimented with the fresh sardines namban and was pleasantly surprised. Lightly breaded and pan fried topped with sliced, roasted vegetables. Yum! Oh, and the men's bathroom is crazy dark... like gay bar bathroom lighting. Just an observation. read more

The Black Bottle atmosphere is clearly alluring. People flock to it -- the ambiance can be felt from a mile away... and so one is tempted to visit it. However, after visiting it, I can confidently state that there is no real reason for me to return. As far as my meal was concerned, I ordered a pizzaesque flatbread with eggplant that was delicious, and quite frankly quite a deal for the price. The octopus salad was flavorful as well -- though heavy on the greens and very light on the octopus -- and the server was very helpful and had a great tempranillo wine recommendation. Overall, a good gastronomical experience. I had made a reservation to the establishment a week prior. Before our party of 5 had finished its drinks or all of its flatbread, we were asked by another server whether we minded moving to the bar. Our table was adjacent to another empty table and a "really large group" was on its way in within the next 15 minutes. OK, that's fine, I understand, I won't be rude about moving... but that the same server inspected us consistently every minute or so, urging us to leave, was unnecessary. It's one of those "probably won't happen again if I went there again" experiences, but with so many great gastropubs to choose from, I need not risk another unpleasantly rushed evening at this enoteca again. read more

This is the place you've been looking for. You should have a staple "any night of the week place," and friends, Black Bottle should probably be yours if you live in Belltown. Empower the staff to pick the wine and throw a proverbial dart at the menu and eat what you hit. It'll be great. And now that you've sampled a glass of that wine, you might as well order the bottle, it's just going to make sense at that point. Eat any of the deserts and the flat bread. And as you near the end of the bottle you've been consuming make a friend, good people are found here. read more

3.5 Great trendy ambiance - dim lights, minimal decor, and loud music. Fun, if not exactly intimate. I was looking forward to the food and drinks here, given the stellar reviews both on Yelp and in the Lonely Planet guide. I was mildly disappointed with the food we ordered - definitely good, but not great. We got the highly recommended broccoli blasted, the hanger steak, and the chicken & dried cherry flatbread. I don't think I knew what the expect regarding the broccoli, but when I saw an enormous plate of broccoli arrive, I thought "Dear God, how are we ever going to finish this?" At first bite, I felt like I was chewing on crispy broccoli soaked in salt & garlic. I could see it as sort of a salty snack to munch on, but not something I'd want to scarf down as an entree. "Salt" was the theme of the evening; not to be confused with flavor. It tasted like there was too much salt in the food - even in the hanger steak, which actually had a very nice tender texture to it. The red sauce (wine?) it came in didn't quite mask its saltiness either. I liked the sweet and tartness of the chicken and cherry flatbread, which offset our other courses. We finished the dinner with a peach and blueberry kettle tart, which comes to you exactly as it's stated: in a kettle. And it's tart. I ordered the sweet plum vodka drink, while my friend sipped a Pinot Noir, which was surprisingly quite strong. Though not the "gourmet" and eclectic dining experience I had hoped for, Black Bottle is a cool place to relax for some casual dining or bar/lounge food. Fun drinks and food that won't break the bank; you definitely get more than you can handle with that broccoli dish! read more

This was an incredible find! Was just driving around looking for parking & noticed this corner restaurant. It looked dark from the outside but crazy packed on the inside! We walked in and host told us there was an hour and 45 minute wait for a table for 2. Almost 2 hours!? No thanks. Then we saw 2 bar seats opened up & we were told that they were first come first served. Jackpot! We got to know the bartender, JP. He was super helpful & nice. Gave us ton of recommendations for places to eat in Seattle & Vancouver. (I was going there the next day). We ordered 3 small plates. Ceviche & tortilla chips were refreshing. Pork belly with kimchi was out of this world! It was super tender & sweet with a kimchi kick! Blasted broccoli was recommended but i thought it was just ok. However this dish is not small! Lots & lots of broccoli!! Seasonal sangria was good. I definitely would come back if I return to Seattle. It's a local spot. Great for small groups. Make reservations. However I think the bar seats are the best. It can get really loud in there. Will be back! read more

After some thought and deliberation over many tapas and small plate joints in the area, we settled on Black Bottle in Belltown for one of my bestie's birthday. The ambiance is nice, but it can get really noisy so bring your outside voice! Because of the size of our group we were able to sample a lot of different dishes -- crispy fried chicken, boar ribs, chicken laab gai, hanger steak, pork belly and kimchi, the infamous broccoli blasted, prosciutto flatbread and chicken flatbread, and fried tofu and peanut sauce. Upon arriving, I was most excited to try the broccoli blasted since everyone on Yelp (and beyond) raved about it. I honestly didn't get the hype. And I'm not sure most of us in the party did either. It's basically burnt broccoli with a little oil, lemon, salt & pepper but the other flavors were hardly noticeable. I do however, really like the flatbread, the hanger steak and the fried chicken. The laab gai was decent but if you're expecting what you get at a Thai restaurant, you'll be disappointed. Service was spotty, but luckily in larger groups you don't notice it as much. I'd like to come back and size up the last half of the menu! read more

So good. We ate so much I'm almost too embarrassed to list everything we ate. Almost. Blasted broccoli, smoked ribs, bacon wrapped scallops, hangar steak, proscuitto and bechamel flatbread, and finally, *phew* curried potatoes & cauliflower. Everything was amazing. And not too spendy. A bit scene-ster, but whatever. The food is worth it. Make sure you get the flatbread. read more

I love this place. I've been here twice, and both times it's been totally excellent. The atmosphere is great, and it's always busy but never too packed. The wines are fantastic, and the food is delicious. I've had a couple different flat breads that have all been great, and my friends have enjoyed all the other various foods that they've ordered--ribs, scallops, etc. It's a great place to come for happy hour and then hang out for a while. Fancy food, but not for a ridiculous price. Love it. read more

Lackluster intro to Bellevue food scene. This place serves decent food, on a tier below it's price point. Nothing original, flavors ok, scallops were chewy, cheesecake was gritty. Interior was an attempt at industrial cozy, but lacks personality. Coming from across the water, I was underwhelmed. read more

Four stars because our server took forever to acknowledge us after we were seated. The hostess, on the other hand, was extremely friendly and helpful. The restaurant itself appears small when you first enter, but there's additional seating in the back. The ambiance was enjoyable, though, the crowd and music combined made it too loud to simply relax. I saw a few couples that appeared to be on dates. I can't imagine going on an intimate date with all that noise in the background. Aside from that, the food was definitely worth the 30-minute wait. We ordered the kimchi pork belly, broccoli blasted, and fried chicken with collard greens. The fried chicken was okay, but the other two dishes. OMG. I savored every last bite. The broccoli was such a simple and basic dish but had my taste buds flipping with joy. I think I gave a compliment after each bite. In hindsight, my friend must've been annoyed. Oops. I was excited to try the boar.ribs, but they were sadly out of it. Boooo. The dishes are served tapa style. I don't recommend anyone coming if you're starving, but it's definitely a great spot for a night cap or to wind down. read more

Black Bottle - Pork belly with kim chi - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been wanting to come here for a long time, probably since I walked by the place the first week I was in Seattle (2 years ago...). Well, I finally made it, and now I'm hitting myself over the head for not walking in sooner. The place just looks like it's going to have good food (particularly if you look at the food, it also happens to be beautifully presented). It's one of those sparsely decorated places where the food really stands out. It's bright and colorful, and smells great. It's also a fun place to eat. We ordered food to share, and I'd say each portion was about the right amount for 4 people each to get a decent taste. They're larger than tapas, but still large enough that you probably want to order more than one per person. Our table of 5 (4 of which were men, yes, it was a good night) ordered 8 dishes which seemed about right (actually, we ordered 7, but there was a mix-up with the order so we also received a chicken dish they thought we ordered on the house). All of the food we ordered was good, some of it was very good and inventive. The blasted broccoli which looked like someone went at it with a blowtorch was fabulous. Our mussels were perfectly cooked, but the sauce was just alright. I would have liked to see more bread served with the dishes, particularly the ones with sauces and dips. Things you should order: Wine (it is a wine bar after all), blasted broccoli, and at least one of the flatbreads. read more

Hummus and lamb plate = lovely plate of food! This is one of my favorite dishes of theirs! It comes with cucumber slices, 2 skewers of lamb, hummus, tatziki, flat bread and a salad of pepperoncinis, kalamatas, fennel and tomotoes with feta sprinkled on top. The hummus is probably the best I have had. Nice and creamy and fresh tasting with pine nuts resting on top. Absolutely delish! The flat bread pizza is of course a must. I have had several and the prosciutto with bechamel is great. (but you won't go wrong with any of them!) $4 house wine during happy hour is very nice and if you get here early you should hop into a table or a place at the bar no problem. This place is great for all occasions. I have been here on a first date, with guests from out of town, happy hour and a starting point for a night downtown. With the large windows and small outdoor (very small with just a few tables) area you can get some sun when the weather is nice too! read more

The following is based on my experience dining here on the Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 8pm. I had a bad experience with the food (pork belly and blasted broccoli) but everything else was excellent. Details follow: Pork Belly: This dish includes 3 skewers with a substantial amount of "pork belly." Unfortunately it was overcooked resulting in the taste and texture of a dry pork chop. If the menu is correct and this is truly pork-belly, it seems as though Black Bottle is using a low-grade cut; the typical succulence of pork belly was surprisingly absent. Equally surprising was the lack of effort placed in the sauce that bathed the pork; it tasted similar to the sauce that comes from sweet thai chili sauce packets one would expect to accompany chinese take-out. Blasted Broccoli: This dish comes in an oval plate about 1 foot long and piled 3 inches high with broccoli. I remember this dish tasting like vegetable-crack; however, this time it tasted like taking a bite out of a broccoli-flavored chunk of salt. It takes culinary negligence for me to actually send a dish back to the kitchen, and I do not take that action lightly. I deferred a replacement dish and this was comped accordingly on the bill. I will be back to give them another shot. Environment I recommend Black Bottle for a date including a first-date. The lighting is dim yet one can clearly see the person with whom you are dining. The music is pleasant, if not slightly upbeat, yet never too loud. The dishes are designed to be shared, fostering companionship, and the food is not messy or sticky. If you are trying to impress someone, however, check the reviews dated after October 2013 to ensure the quality of the food on my visit was simply a fluke, as I expect it was. If there is a long wait I advise finding an alternative dining location (such as List down the street). The issue is that the entrance area is awkwardly small and you or your date will inevitably feel like you are encroaching on someone else's dining space. There is also a cold breeze coming in through the door that is difficult to avoid. read more

I have a love/hate relationship with Black Bottle - I love the food, I hate the service. Time and time again I have received horrible service here and yet I continue to return because the food is quite good at the price point. If your able to sit at the bar I highly recommend it as the service you'll get will be much better then at a table. Favorite dish: blasted broccoli (don't let the fact that it's a vegetable deter you) Favorite drink: Ketle martini w/ a twist read more

Cute location with great open windows for people watching and enjoying the weather when it's good. Some of the patio space is... Awkward, the space is so tight between the wall and the rope separating it from the sidewalk that your only hope is to step high over it, always an awkward experience. The table and chairs could only be slightly shifted and we had to shift them just to create a little legroom. For food we had a frisée beet salad, fried green beans, and a Brie, leek, French country pesto flat bread. Salad was tasty and green beans were well fried. The toppings were tasty but it was too thick in my opinion. I don't know what the technical distinction between a pizza and flatbread is... (Fancy-pants-ness?) but this was much too thick for a flatbread or for a pizza in my opinion. Service was very friendly though a little slow read more

I was there as a guest for a happy hour, sponsored by an out-of-town organization. This is a review for that evening. The event was in a separate room in the front of the restaurant. The drinks were good. Though unlabeled (is that meat? not meat?), the snacks were good. Other than that....it wasn't a great experience. Mostly because nobody seemed to be managing the space. It was SO LOUD that my boss left within 15 mins. (not good) That speaks not only to the hard cement floor, no tablecloths, and no sound-absorbing ceiling tiles (typical industrial chic problems) BUT to the fact that they were playing loud music on top of the din. Huh? Why? Keep in mind this was a professional networking event. Also, it was hot in there. Like, really hot. And it took a guest to finally stand up and open the huge window so that we could have some fresh air. "Where is the staff?" I kept wondering. "Why are we in charge of the environment and comfort?" I mean, there was a bartender...young guy....and someone collecting the dirty glasses, but they weren't exactly being ambience-sensitive. read more

Stopped in for happy hour and a little bit of fuel before the family's first evening out after flying up for a weekend visit. Decent happy hour menu of food and snacks. We happened to arrive right at open time and sat down. After a few minutes our server came over and only wanted our drink orders. I guess we were kind of taken aback that he told us to hold on (he stopped my cousin from ordering, odd). We nibbled on roasted peppers and everyone ordered some happy hour tacos. A $2 taco is a small little thing, about a 3" shell. Overall, nothing impressive, but a nice place. read more

Black Bottle is so distinctive in appearance, even on a drive-by, that I had to hit the brakes and check it out. I called my buddy in town who was on his way to meet me elsewhere. Change of venue: we're going to Black Bottle. There are outside tables, which were appealing, but those have no service - you have to go get your drinks at the bar. To order food, as I was planning, you need to sit inside. The inside is cool, with deep contrasts and a spare look to it, somehow rustic and modern at the same time. And loud. Really, deafeningly loud. But that's just the sound of a lot of pretty folks have a good time simultaneously. And the people watching was about as good as it gets in Belltown, which isn't bad at all. Many taxis full of shiny happy couples came and went and several tables seemed dedicated to Girls' Night Out gatherings. I felt bad that I didn't have designer jeans and a button-up shirt as seemed to be dress code for the guys, but I wasn't turned away in my cargo shorts and tee shirt. I was shocked that for all the attention given to appearance, the bathroom -- at least the men's -- had no mirror whatsoever. There's a vast wine selection and I heard the cocktails are great but I was in a beer mood. The beer list is short: Guinness, Manny's, Maritime, Hoegaarden and Stella. Of course what I was hankering for was a Pilsner, just 'cause I'm like that. Understanding that it's 'small plates', I ordered two for myself, the roasted veggies and the mussels Marseilles. I had to take a deep breath when said 'small plates' arrived. The mussels alone would be more than I could consume and the veggie plate was overloaded with delicious roasted morsels. I did my level best but I'm afraid I only made a moderate dent in the volume when I was finished. I just kept marveling that this amount of food totaled only $20 and I easily had twice what I needed. It kind of negates those happy hour deals we work so hard to track down. The service was attentive and not effusive. Just to be heard over the din requires enough effort from the servers, the less said, the better. A little sound-deadening and a Pilsner on the taps and I'd have had a five-star experience for sure. read more

Solid. Of the two dishes I had, I'd only order one again (maybe). The seared ahi with asparagus salad was nicely spiced with great texture and balance. Delish. The beet gratin: not so much. It was beautiful ... Tasted like beets and Gruyere (which it was) ... But no other spice or seasoning to be found. Disappointing ('cuz I am a beet fiend). Oh well. Wine list is great variety by the glass, but why such strong French influence? There are two many fabulous local Pinots to have only one Willamette Valley feature but two French. Come on now! read more

Was up in Seattle for a visit, and, while I've seen some reviews about bad service on this old yelper, I have to dispute. But first, the food was overall pretty great. The bacon-wrapped scallops with frizzled kale, a hanger steak with shiso leaf and daikon, and, of course, the blasted broccoli, were the standouts. Got there in time for happy hour and was pleased to get a tasty $5 martini with extra in the shaker glass! Now here's where they get the minus-two stars, but then a plus-one. The oxtail with malbec reduction was too salty to finish. The blasted broccoli (which takes about 10 minutes, I've made it myself) came about an hour after we ordered it. But without our griping at all, they took both those items off our tab. EATERS, we are not in Kansas (Portland, really) anymore. In my homeland, the servers would've been like: Salty? Psh. Get a better palate. Took too long? Eff you. But not here. We were blown away. Black bottle win. read more