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    Cafe Paloma

    4.4 (274 reviews)
    Closed • Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Cafe Paloma Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE PALOMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Gorgonzola Salad x Red Lentil Soup
    Amanda M.

    Have you been to Cafe Paloma in Pioneer Square? I had some extra time prior to an event in the area & was hungry. I popped in, was seated quickly & ordered the soup & salad combo + chicken. : Gorgonzola - organic fresh mixed greens topped with gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, currents with apple or pear. : Red lentil soup - made in house It was made quickly and brought out & everything tasted sooo fresh & the soup was really hearty & comforting. The inside was shabby chic decor like you'd be inside a grandma's well lived in small apartment which added the charm. Perk! Everyone was basically dining solo so I felt right at home. #mediterranean #LunchVibes #soloinseattle #FoodieLife

    Falafel Plate
    Wendy K.

    Came here for lunch with friends yesterday. We arrived at a little past noon so as expected was a little crowded but we were able to get a table for four. We all got entree for lunch and apparently we were hungry and the dishes were delicious cause all four of our plates were clean at the end of the meal. Two ordered the BÖREK -Spinach, caramelized onions, scallion and feta cheese wrapped baked in filo dough. Another ordered the KÖFTE: Traditional Turkish meatballs with ground beef and lamb. Mixed with onions, garlic and spices, served with rice and I had the FALAFEL. Falafel was not dry like some can be, came with a nice green salad adding freshness to the fried dish. I had a taste of the other dishes the Kofte was moist and well seasoned. The Borek was also delicious very similar to a spanakopita. Always love that a bottle or two of water is on the table so you're not waiting for someone to replenish your water.

    Lamb Panini
    Carolina L.

    Was walking around the area trying to find a place to do some remote work, and stumbled upon this cafe. The lamb panini was very filling, and they even paired it with a salad which really complimented the sandwich. The decor is very cute, making it a good place for some photos!

    Andrea M.

    The food was amazing. The service was good. They were very busy. That was a good sign. I got to sit at the bar window. Fritzi and people watch the portion was amazing. The staff was friendly and the chef was friendly. Location was easy to get to. there's parking on the street parking that you must pay for, but the ambience was wonderful and it reminded me of how good it can be downtown Seattle. I will definitely come back, especially for the baklava.

    Chicken over rice with Gorgonzola salad
    Sherrie K.

    Small neighborhood place we stumbled upon while walking around the Pioneer Square area. Small menu, homemade and cozy. Food was tasty and delicious. Friends of the owner provided the evenings music entertainment. No automatic 20% gratuity added. Would go back to enjoy the food, try the meze platter and more desserts...the fig cake looked amazing.

    Falafel plate
    Elise W.

    Cute little lunch spot right around the corner from our hotel. Enjoyed the quaint atmosphere and my falafel was very good!

    Our Awesome tour guide who recommended Café Paloma.
    Pamela M.

    After an underground tour in the area, my daughters and I decided to go to Café Paloma to eat (which was on the list of recommendations by our Underground Tour guide) The food was so outstanding, I had to compliment the chef at the end. If you would like a quaint place to eat, with great homemade tasting food I highly recommend Café Paloma! (I wish I had taken pictures of the food)

    Red Lentil soup with a side of pitas
    Will L.

    I had some time to kill due to a late ferry--the ferry terminal is quite close by--I was hungry and stumbled upon Cafe Paloma. I didn't have a lot of time--about 20 minutes--and ordered their red lentil soup, figuring that it would be fast. It was! And delicious too! With a side of quartered pitas, it was a very satisfying light lunch. I also ordered some baklava to go. It was okay; I've had better. But I'm very interested in trying some of their other variety of desserts they had displayed at the front counter, including rice pudding, Creme Brule, and a number of other house made goodies. Cafe Paloma is a cozy little place with a wide variety of Mediterranean fare. It's been in its current location for 26 years.I'll certainly be back! Especially since it is so close to the ferry terminal.

    Shepherd Salad
    Rekha M.

    Well, walking around Pioneer Square we casually noticed this spot and thought Mediterranean would be the healthy choice. We were seated right away and a place that looked like it was made for two. This is a family run business and the owner has been here at the restaurant for over 25 years in Seattle. the food was healthy and delicious. We will definitely be back.

    Meze Plate
    Dan H.

    Everything was solid. Came in on a weeknight at 7 and was seated right away. The mezze plate was our favorite - carrot spread (yum get this), hummus, and babaganoush served with hot grilled pita. We also got the lentil soup which was good but a little bland but a good sized portion, and the special which on the night we went was a stuffed pastry made from phyllo dough and stuffed with apples pomegranate chicken dill. Service was excellent. Ambiance was casual and homey and a little quirky. Reasonably priced as well. Overall I would be back if I were in the area.

    Les R.

    Food quality was good, so fresh, and really tastey. My meal was $26.05 with tax and tip for a Prosciutto panini and beet salad, and table water to drink. Service was good. Everyone was friendly and the inside is relaxing with all kinds of details around the cafe. Would recommend grabbing a bite to eat at this lovely and inviting cafe.

    Carrot dip with grilled pita bread

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    1 month ago

    Outstanding food, chef was very nice and a delight! The Lentil soup was amazing. Cool decor, old instruments, very cool place

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    3 months ago

    Friendly service and delicious homemade food. Humus is smooth and tasty. Yummy cookies and Baklava. YUM! Small but comfortable.

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    8 months ago

    What a gem of a place. Incredible authentic real food & fresh squeezed drinks. Try, it will not disappoint!

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    11 months ago

    The food is excellent and the menu provides a wide range of options. The service is friendly and the atmosphere cozy.

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    1 year ago

    Fantastic, chill, delicious and gracious! Beet salad was great, the wine and the cappuccino

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great menu, great service, fresh food. I highly recommend it. And make sure to leave room for desert. You should try the baclava

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    3 years ago

    I asked to not include an item that I have allergies to in the salad. It was still included. Waited forever! Not coming back

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    Page 1 of 7

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    Tanoor Seattle - Shakshuka

    Tanoor Seattle

    4.4(393 reviews)
    1.8 mi•South Lake Union, Westlake
    •$$

    Tanoor has been my personal go-to place when I craving for kebab and Lebanese cuisine!…read more This time I hosted my team event at Tanoor Seattle ~3O+people, private dining, booked just one day ahead, and they pulled it off beautifully. Service was excellent from start to finish. They helped us with storing our birthday cakes, took great care of our vegan teammate without us even having to ask twice, and the portions were generous across the board -nobody left hungry. We even got to sing happy birthday to our teammate, which made the night! Huge shoutout to the entire Tanoor team and to Ali the manager for making it seamless on such short notice. Would absolutely come back for another group dinner (and personal dinner for sure!)

    The food here is pretty good. The fresh bread that is served at the table is the highlight. This…read morerestaurant has a modern vibe and is a nice dine in option in the area. I highly recommend the combo for two to three people as you get a variety of different appetizers and all of the main kabobs. However, a couple of things that really made this experience mediocre. First, the meat was overcooked even though I asked for medium rare. Most of the meat came out medium well. The rice was undercooked and hard when you bit into it. The server could have been more attentive.. didn't come back to check on us, even though the restaurant wasn't super busy. The biggest disappointment is that this establishment passes on a 5% fee to help pay for their staff's benefits. They stay it's optional and they can take it off but it's very distasteful. The owner should reconsider this and build this expense into the pricing of their menu. Otherwise their wait staff is going to feel slighted when customers leave less tip because of this additional fee. Overall, this is a solid place, but the experience was just average considering all aspects, and therefore the three star rating.

    Photos
    Tanoor Seattle - Pita ovens

    Pita ovens

    Tanoor Seattle - Chicken Shawarma

    Chicken Shawarma

    Tanoor Seattle - Our appetizers: stuffed grape leaves, tabouleh salad and fries.

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    Our appetizers: stuffed grape leaves, tabouleh salad and fries.

    Homer - Burnt cucumber with huckleberries, shishito peppers

    Homer

    4.4(443 reviews)
    2.1 mi•Beacon Hill

    I finally got to tried Homer and it didn't disappoint! We…read morewere a big group and waited about 1.5 hours before getting seated. I'd recommend getting there early and explored the neighborhood while you wait. The restaurant was a bit loud so it's a little hard to chat with big group. We chose the Family Feast option, which came with 3 course of food, desserts. This option is fantastic for big group to share, as well as to try different menu items without having to choose. They brought out a lot of food for each course, and pack up whatever we didn't finish for us to take home. Since their menu changes often, it was a great experience for both first-timers and guests who have been before, to try seasonal menu items. Our first course consisted of 3 dips, grilled medjool dates, anchovies with sourdough, and unlimited pita bread. All of the dips were delicious, and the grilled medjool dates were one of my favorites of the meal. Our second course were summer tomatoes, shaved kohlrabi, and grilled little gems salad with nectarines, and dill emulsion dressing. All of them were so refreshing, and the flavors were on point. The summer tomatoes were sweet. We were already pretty full at this point. Our third course were roasted chicken with chili-fruit paste, and grilled pork with rainier cherry. The chicken was super tender, the chili-fruit paste was not spicy, just the right amount of sweet and spicy. The grilled pork was tender and sweet, it was definitely one of my favorites. Desserts were ice cream and warm cookie with sweet cream. It was absolutely tasty and a great end to the meal. Our server was very attentive and nice. We didn't feel rushed during our time dining here. Overall, the restaurant was super worth the long wait, and I love all the dishes I tried that day.

    I organized a reunion for our group, the first time we'd all been together in over 10 years. We've…read moreall been through life experiences none of us expected, so this dinner meant a lot. I arrived 20 minutes before opening and was first in line. One friend joined me 10 minutes later. At 5pm it was just the two of us, so I asked for a table for 4 and explained that I'd happily order food and drinks for everyone immediately, even though the rest of the group was still fighting the weekday traffic. The hostess refused, so we stepped aside. 2 minutes later our 3rd friend arrived. I asked the group behind us if they minded us getting back in line. They laughed and said it was no problem because they had just had their 3rd person arrive as well. When I got back in line, the hostess deliberately skipped over me and called the next group instead. After seating them, I stopped her and asked for a table for 3. She asked if it would "really" be just 3. At that point I honestly didn't know. Our 4th friend was driving from Everett and had texted that she was stuck in standstill traffic. I said yes, seat the 3 of us. The hostess told us to wait while she seated yet another group, taking the last indoor table. We were then placed outside on a hot day. Despite how the evening started, I did exactly what I'd said I would. We ordered dinner for the entire group, including 2 bottles of wine to avoid inconveniencing them with making drinks. Then, incredibly, the hostess came back to our table and removed the 4th chair to make absolutely sure our last friend couldn't join us if she arrived. It felt petty, unnecessary, and frankly embarrassing. What should have been a joyful reunion became a stressful experience because of one person's rigid and unwelcoming attitude. The food was equally inconsistent. The labneh was extremely sour and came with cold, slightly stale pita. The squid & lamb were overly salty. The kohlrabi with peaches was so aggressively smoky that we left almost the entire dish untouched. The mushrooms were fine. The grilled pork was excellent and easily the highlight of the meal. The cod was just okay, and the desserts were average. We spent ~$500 for the meal. People don't spend this kind of money just for the food. The price reflects the entire experience, and that's where this restaurant failed. The service felt cold, impersonal, and overly focused on rules instead of hospitality. Rather than making guests feel welcome, the hostess made us feel like a problem she had to manage. I've had warmer, friendlier service at fast food restaurants. I won't be returning, and I took the time to write this review because no meal, especially one marking such a meaningful reunion, should be overshadowed by such an unnecessarily unpleasant welcome.

    Photos
    Homer - Inside

    Inside

    Homer - Grilled Pork

    Grilled Pork

    Homer - Heirloom tomatoes

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    Heirloom tomatoes

    Yalla Seattle - Soujouk (Beef) and Cheese Wrap - $16

    Yalla Seattle

    4.6(216 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Capitol Hill

    I have followed Yalla on Instagram for awhile. I love how the Owner Taylor often donates part of…read moreproceeds to a cause in need most recently to those struggling in Nepal. Which was part of the reason I visited a few weeks ago. I actually have been wanting to try Yalla for awhile, and just recently figured where it was located. A bit out of my way from work and home, but the day I decided to go was perfect. I was meeting friends at Sake Nomi which doesn't serve food so you're allowed to bring some in. I had two hours to waste so it gave me plenty of time to get up to Capitol Hill and back to Pioneer Square. Yalla is a walk up window with a bench outside to sit but I imagine most people take the food to go. I was sharing the food with five other people so the three mezze dips was the perfect option, I also added the special dip of the day that had 100% proceeds going to help those in Nepal. I also added one of the pressed Saj, the grilled Kefta a lot easier to share. One of my friends wanted the Lamb wrap so that was included in the order as well. Love how fresh the ingredients were. Each dip had distinctively different flavors and textures. Saj was included two different ways to enjoy with the mezze in its soft flatbread form and as a cracker perfect for dipping. My favorites were the Muhummara and the Nuraniye (Zuchinni Dip). I liked the tanginess of the Muhummara and the fresh lemon forward of the Nuraniye. The Kefta was delicious, I need to carry a knife for situations like this when sharing food we ended up ripping off pieces this came with Labneh. I definitely want to try a wrap next time and well their toum sauce. Service was friendly and helpful when I was explaining there was a group of us sharing the items.

    Yalla is a walk up window slinging unbelievably delicious Palestinian food. I went on a gorgeous…read moreSaturday just after 12PM and there was no line, but it looked like they were packing some take out orders. The signature saj bread is cooked fresh on a hot stone and is almost like a Middle Eastern flour tortilla with the way it's super thin and satisfyingly chewy bite. The only seating options are a few large benches on the sidewalk, but there's a poster saying you're welcome to sit at the neighboring bar which opens in the late afternoon provided you purchase a drink as well. Ended up sampling 3 of their wrap options and the Zaatar Wrap was deliciously nutty and fragrant, but texturally there was so many herbs that the center ate a little dry. The Lahme Khuruf (Lamb) was my favorite by far with super juicy ground meat with some tang from the labneh, sweetness, freshness from the tomato, and texture from the pine nuts. Absolute home run on this one! The Awarma and Cheese was a close second, but personally, the flavor profile was just a little less interesting than the lamb. Tip: grab some extra napkins as the wraps can fall apart a bit at the end!

    Photos
    Yalla Seattle
    Yalla Seattle - Fityr and Labneh Saj with added chicken

    Fityr and Labneh Saj with added chicken

    Yalla Seattle - Beef

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    Beef

    Cafe Paloma - mediterranean - Updated October 2026

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