Nice minimalist decor, friendly and attentive staff. Great music, when packed the restaurant can get pretty loud causing bigger tables to have limited conversations including both ends of the table. Came with a large group while at a conference. Service was timely. Wine selection was great, cocktails were mostly tasty. Enjoyed the meatball, salad, burrata, garlic toast, beef ragu, ravioli, scallops and wagu. Don't skimp on Gelato either alone or in the affagato (their version is larger than I am used to). read more

We were originally sat in the dining room. It is tight and crowded. We asked to move to the bar area. We sat there for 20 minutes with no service. We weren't sure if we were supposed to order at the bar or scan a QR code. We asked for some guidance and then our server showed up. A manager came by and apologized for our wait and claimed our appetizers were complimentary. This wasn't the case when we received our check. To make matters worse we also paid the automatic 22 percent tip on those items. Exactly what this type of policy gives you. Bad service. We ordered Little Gem Salad 4/5, Grilled Octopus 4/5, Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti 3/5, and Bucatini al'Amatriciana 3/5 The business replied to my review and supplied an invalid email address. Nice! read more

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The place has nice ambience, but small complaint... the chairs n stools are hard wooden, but gives the place that old town feel. The staff are attentive if you look rich or bright blue collar, so dress up... I went after work & am not a bright blue collar person, just blue collar lol..., so weird service! Most staff ignored me n even gave me a free drink, which was sweet! The food... is why I will come back!! It was mouth watering, amazing, and delicately delicious!!! Street parking. read more

Cortina - Crown royal on the rocks - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great place! A very nice restaurant to go to -- usually early evening before the rush. The food is fabulous in my opinion and the service is always friendly and welcoming. The Bucatini was delicious. Enjoyable! read more

Cortina - Bucatini - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We came here for happy hour on a Friday around 5pm. It wasn't very full so it was easy to get a place to sit. The vibe/aesthetic is definitely unique so it was nice to be in a place that's not so similar to everywhere else around. Our server was a little off putting - the entire place was empty but she made a point to say we're seated in the wrong section for happy hour (we didn't seat ourselves). Luckily she didn't make us move, so it was just weird that she had to sternly tell us that. When we ordered she was also a bit pushy and felt passive aggressive at times. We got our food in normal time and it was pretty good. It wasn't seriously better than any other Italian place or pasta place I've been to but it definitely good. Not sure I would pay non-happy hour prices though. Overall, not sure I'd be back but think it was worth trying once read more

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We ended the day at a cozy Italian restaurant with a great bar. To start, we ordered a few small plates--fried artichoke hearts served with a zesty dipping sauce and a smoked salmon dip. Coming from the South, I half-expected the salmon to be mixed into a creamy queso-style dip, but instead it was a lighter version topped with chives and carrying a subtle smoky flavor. Different from what I imagined, but still delicious and very fitting for Seattle. It was the perfect way to wrap up a busy day. Conveniently located off 6th Avenue near the Grand Sheraton Hotel, this spot is definitely worth a visit. read more

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Wednesday 6:15pm walked in dinner got welcomed and greeted right away and able to get a spot in the bar seating area. At this moment the restaurant was 80% full. The restaurant has half regular seating and half for bar seating, main style mixing the natural wood tone -- modern and contemporary. Looks pricy and the menu approves this alignment. It is definitely on pricy part. So I got two appetizers and one dessert. The hamachi crudo was good, fresh and juicy. Without considering price, 5 star. For the ordered salad, ZERO star . First time I knew there is way to make a salad correlate salty, spoke to the fact , I tried two bites and finished full glass of water. I thought it perhaps the seasoning was not evenly put so I tried third bite.... Struggling for couple minutes, I raised hand to get waitress attention and she took the feedback professionally and explained that sauce can be salty sometime and she offered me another plate which only with Oliver oli and balsamic and cheese on the side. The ingredient was fresh and this plate deserves 3 star plus 5 stars service along. The most impressive part is the pistachio cake, layers of flavors, not too sweet not too dry, just about right. Recommended. read more

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I've heard good things about Cortina and seen it around as a recommended spot and it definitely lived up to it! The service was great -- very friendly waiters who helped with picking out the best dishes. I tried the Little Gem Salad, Fried Potatoes, Paccheri with shrimp, and Cacio e Pepe. The flavors were so good, even if it was a classic and not too heavy, and the dishes were very filling. It is on the pricier side but it's a great spot for a celebration or date night. Would recommend trying it out! read more

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Came here after work for HH with most of our team (large party). I arrived a bit later than others, so apps were already on the table. I was able to try the focaccia, meatballs and chips, all were solid. Ordered the Cacio e Pepe for my entree and while I'm admittedly not an expert on the dish, I thought it was good! Our sever did a great job of ensuring everyone was taken care of, including figuring out all of the checks. Rounding up to five stars thanks in part to the wonderful service. read more

Cortina - Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I will say that this review is a little overdue... But the experience that I had at a recent company dinner at Cortina was phenomenal! I've always had heard good things but never made it in, so I'm glad I was given an opportunity. It was a set menu for the evening and I got to try an assortment of quite a bit. We dined in the private room in the back (fits about 30) and it was a good space for the evening. Staff was super kind and attentive all evening. Our first course bites included the Pufftown Focaccia, Buffalo Mozzarella, Little Gem Salad, Arancini, and Hamachi Crudo. Everything tasted really fresh and flavor hit in each bite, but my favorites were the Arancini and the Hamachi Crudo. The sauce accompanying the arancini was delicious and the hamachi crudo MELTED in your mouth - the chive oil was also such a beautiful touch. Highly recommend! Our entree bites included the Strozzapreti (beef cheek ragu), Rigatoni, King Salmon, and Flat Iron Steak. I'm not quite sure if I can pick a favorite out of this set because everything was amazing. Everything was cooked to perfection! I lean pretty heavy to salmon and steak so those bites were the most exciting for me and they deeeelivered. The horseradish cream with the steak was also such a solid complement to the dish. For dessert we were able to try the tiramisu which was the perfect end to the evening. This was a great introduction to Cortina and I can't wait to be able to visit again in the future! read more

A very solid restaurant. It took a bit longer until we got served, even though the place was not busy. My friend and I both got tagliatelle with lemon chicken where the chicken stole the show. It was so crispy and delicious! The pasta and the sauce were very good too. We also got roasted carrots and the pistachio cake which were good, nothing spectacular though. It was oddly empty on a Friday night, which we were told is because they heavily rely on the theater across the street. read more

Cortina - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I went here for a work dinner and LOVED it! The ambiance is wonderful. It is so trendy but somehow very classic at the same time. So aesthetic and impressive. I started with one of their prosecco cocktails and it was lovely. The fermented cherry at the bottom was such a cute touch. They also have a fabulous wine list. Their burrata peach salad blew my mind. The peaches tasted fresh from the farmers market and the seasoning on the salad was so good. I could have had like 9 plates of this. The salmon was PERFECT. I loved that it came in a bunch of smaller pieces because each had a crisp inside and flaky beautiful inside. They made me a special gluten free cacio y pepe style pasta and OMG. I eat gluten free pasta many places, and their pasta is something special. I am still thinking about this dish days later. They were so accommodating with my dietary needs and the staff was just top notch. The food, conversation, drinks, and community were able to flow smoothly since the servers were all working so hard to create a sense of harmony and peace at our tables. Could not be more grateful. read more

Maybe we got unlucky with the booth in the very corner of the L-shaped restaurant, but it was so loud -- in the 80-90 dB range according to my watch. The decor is nearly 100% hard surfaces, so it seems like some simple acoustic treatments like wall coverings and rugs would really help even if you weren't gonna mess around with the ceiling. Service was great. Food was good but unremarkable. Viceroy cocktail was good but indistinguishable from a normal old fashioned. Pretty solid 3.5 star but I have to round down because of the noise. read more

My partner and I had a good experience at Tavolata, so we wanted to try another Ethan Stowell Restaurant. Unfortunately, we didn't like Cortina as much. For appetizers and sides, we got the Pufftown focaccia and fried potatoes. The potatoes had a nice texture with lightly crispy skins and came with a tasty aioli sauce underneath. We wish the dish came with more sauce though, because the potatoes didn't have as much flavor on their own. The focaccia bread was standard and good. For the main course, my partner and I both ordered the double cut pork chop because, well, we both really like pork chop! But sadly for us, the pork chop was the most disappointing part of the meal. The pork chop was dry and tough to chew, and not particularly flavorful. Only the meat right next to the bone had the fatty texture and tenderness that we usually like about good pork chops. The polenta that came with the dish was also fairly bland. It is perhaps partially our own fault for both ordering the same dish, instead of diversifying a bit and getting a pasta dish that we might have enjoyed more. (But what can I say? We both really like pork chop!) read more

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Great food, excellent location, and fabulous service! Making a reservation was easy. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch with my team.

Dinner here. The format is a near exact copy of other establishments by this owner. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with that but it could leave one a bit bored. Different restaurant, same menu choices. Oh well, the food was well prepared and tasted great. Cacio e' pepe could have been a bit creamier. The cocktails were good. timing of service between small plates and main course was off. Is there a time limit? The ambiance in this location is a bit like a sports bar. There are several TV screens. Also, one must understand that the Two Union Square Building is a bit labyrinthine if trying to enter the restaurant from within. read more

I visited Cortina with a colleague on a Thursday afternoon around 12pm. We went without a reservation and were seated immediately! We sat at a high top table along the window. The tables were very close together, so there wasn't much privacy for business conversation. I ordered the bucatini and my colleague ordered the ravioli. The bucatini was good, way more spicy than I expected. We got olives and focaccia to share. The focaccia is insane. Overall the food was delicious! Definitely would've liked more privacy in terms of seating. read more

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The vibe of this restaurant is hard to pin down. It feels modern and upscale but there were plenty of people dressed in jeans and a t shirt so I didn't feel like I needed to dress up much. Their on menu cocktails are very good, but beware if you get anything off menu. My boyfriend got an old fashioned and it was basically just bourbon on the rocks. The food itself was fine but nothing to write home about. I'm always a sucker for something with a little chili and cheese so I was pleased. read more

Cortina - Strozzapreti - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Cortina is in the downtown Seattle and easy to find. It was an easy walk from my hotel so we decided to check it out. The venu is warm and comfortable to hang out for happy hours or an intimate dinner with friends. Service overall was good. Our waiter was nice and stopped by often to check in on us. We ordered several appetizers (Focaccia, Marinated Olives, Baby Beets, Buffalo Mozzarella) to share. Overall you can't go wrong with the appetizers. My favorite appetizers were the baby beets. The Cavatelli entree was disappointing. I felt the noodles were way undercooked and it was overly salted. So I didn't like my order at all. It was just very rich an salty. Although it was a good portion. I didn't even want to take it too go since I absolutely didn't like it at all. read more

Great place for a corporate dinner and to use the corporate card. The tiramisu was the best part of the meal. The focaccia was top notch. The burrata was kind of mid. The rigatoni ;(vegetarian version) was good. The ambiance works perfect for a work dinner. read more

I've been a regular at Cortina for a while, especially since I work in the same building, and it's usually my go-to spot for both team events and casual meetups. I've always had a great experience... until yesterday. I ordered a pickup for a group work event, and when we showed up, the staff couldn't find my order. I had to walk back to my office, grab my phone, find my confirmation number, and walk back to the restaurant to confirm that my order was placed successfully. When I returned, there was no real explanation or apology for the delay. Honestly, it felt a bit like I was inconveniencing them. Now, I know this isn't a huge issue--first world problems, right? but when you're charging $30 for a salad, I'd expect a little more communication and maybe a bit of customer care when something goes wrong. The food was ready 30 minutes later. I will probably be back, but I'm hoping this was just a fluke. A little more attention to customer service could go a long way, especially when people are paying top dollar. read more

Pastas were not good, I was told they were cooked to al dente but much too hard to bite. Very flavorless, thankfully the one I had was only slightly better than what my partner got. We ordered: two pastas, one appetizer, and one lemonade. The total came to over $100 and there was a 22% automatic gratuity which makes no sense--we're a party of 2, not 6? Which we were unaware of and did not appreciate. Service was OK I guess--was fine until I pointed out the hard pastas at the beginning and then it took a while for us to ask for our take out boxes and check, despite the majority of customers at the bar and only one table besides from us. read more

Cortina - I don't know, but they were both tasteless. - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I went during happy hour, on my way back to the hotel from pike place. Great location to stop and have a drink or snack before dinner. The service was 10/10 even for just a round of cab! The price point is about $15 a glass. The place is beautiful, warm and minimalist. I am def coming back when I am back in town! Glad I found it! read more

Cortina - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I stumbled upon Cortina one night as I was leaving a convention and I'm glad I decided to stop by. I enjoyed my first meal so much that I went back a second time...and brought a group. This one will be on my return list and my recommendation list for the city! First, I can't stop talking about the decor and ambiance. The long bar as you walk in in perfection - offers tons of solid seating and isn't too loud or tight. The whole location has great distinct feel - nothing over the top - and perfect for the type of food they serve. The staff on each visit was incredible. They were connected, but not annoying, able to drop by and refill water and get additional meals, but I never felt pressured by their visits. Both of the servers were 100% knowledgable about the menu and easily navigated us in our decisions and even were quick to point out things that wouldn't fit into what we were discussing. That open dialogue makes for an even better expereince. Moving into the food and beverage - there is nothing that I had that I wouldn't tell someone to get. I loved the beet salad, if you're looking to do a few shareable plates, put this on the list. The beets were perfect and the addition of the mozzerella and the hazelnut spread only added. My ultimate favorite was the Tonnarelli pasta. Know that they were not kidding with the pepper, it was definitely prevalent, but I loved it. Lastly, I will tell anyone who will listen to get the Smokeshow Stevie, hands down one of the best drinks I've ever had. read more

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Stylish Italian restaurant and bar that's great for a work meal or happy hour. Service was great and gave us plenty of time to enjoy drinks at a leisurely pace. We enjoyed the happy hour menu, which offered a number of options. We ordered the focaccia, fried potatoes, and baby beets, which were all decent. I'd recommend the beets in particular, which comes with burrata. read more

Cortina - Baby beets - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We had a great time checking out Cortina. The food here is delicious and the service was friendly and fast. I definitely would recommend checking this spot out if you're in Seattle and we will definitely be coming back next time we come through. read more

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Was suggested Cortina by colleagues. I was skeptical because they are the type of people who would suggest Domino's pizza. But I was pleasantly surprised. I came during Happy Hour to kill some time and because the prices were pretty high during the other hours. For two drinks and a pasta I spent 55 dollars. Service charge of 22 percent was included in the bill. Drinks cost roughly 12 dollars per cocktail and the pasta which is only one of three options on the happy hour menu, is roughly 17 dollars. I sat at the bar during a fairly busy time. It was 5pm on a Tuesday. And was served pretty quickly and was checked in on regularly. Which is impressive because the bar was pretty full and there was probably 30 or so seats there. My first drink was a Union Sour ($12) bourbon, lemon, egg white, orgeat, bitters. And my second drink was the Beauty Sleep ($11) vodka, passionfruit, ginger, sparkling wine, lemon zest. The beauty sleep was delicious. The union sour was okay at best. Tasted pretty bland. My food was the Strozzapreti ($17) which had beef cheek ragu, tomato, chili, ricotta, and olive oil. And my colleague had the Bucatini ($17) pancetta, tomato, red onion, chili, pecorino romano. I preferred my colleagues because it was much more flavorful and unique. The atmosphere was an intimate casual. Where you could be close enough to your partner but if you're wearing jeans you'll fit right in. The lighting was bright and the chatter in the place felt like a good hum. It wasn't too loud. I enjoyed my time here. It might be connected to a larger building as there were steps and a larger hallway that led to somewhere else. But it was a charming place and I'd give it four stars because it was happy hour. I'd give it 3 stars if it was during regular hours. read more

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Avoid this restaurant if you are interested in savoring food and wine, as their employees douse themselves in perfume. That ruined our last experience there. Recently, we went to try Eggplant Paccheri, a new addition to the menu. Unfortunately, every time a particular employee (seemingly the only one not wearing black clothes) came nearby, her strong perfume overpowered our wine and food. A host (a different employee) brought our desert, which smelled great, but her sweet perfume spoiled the next moment. When we complained about staff members' strong perfume, our server said "you guys are sensitive. This is a public space." It's not that we're sensitive; they lack courtesy and respect for their customers. It's not a nightclub, where you might expect a lot of fragrance, and we weren't sitting in the bar. We've eaten here several times, and each time there was a service issue, so this was the absolute last straw. read more

Delayed review from Seattle Restaurant Week. I dined at Cortina for their $50 pp for a three course meal. Sometimes restaurant week is how I justify eating expensive "fancy" food. The duck gnocchi was a bit too heavy for me but the steak on top of that beet purée was chef's kiss. Tender and not overcooked. I liked their appetizers (prosciutto and crudo) as an opener. Nice interior however slow to service read more

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TLDR: Top 3 places for pasta in Seattle (fight me for it). Food: I've been here several times and with vegetarians and was happy with everything. And went here with meat eaters and was even more happy. I feel confident you can blindly order here (I've done it several times) Vibe: - It's classy without the being stuffy. - great for a first or 10th date. - I've never seen this place packed, so not sure how mandatory a reservation is. What can be better?: The 20% automatic gratuity is a bit much (customer - to insert your personal gripe here.) (business owner - to insert defensive statement here.) read more

I walked here from my hotel looking to enjoy a traditional Italian dinner. The yelp rating was high and I didn't look any deeper. But I arrived to find a limited menu with little to no pasta dishes. While I recognize there are different regional cuisines and not everything is pasta, there was so little it was disappointing. Normally I would have walked out. Unfortunately it was late, I'm still on east coast time so I'm tired, and I am starving. So I ordered the ravioli with was the only pasta dish available. I am now sitting here waiting to see if this was a bad choice or not. The place looks nice and up scale. At first I was being routed to a row of high top table with wooden bar stools. That was unacceptable and asked for a traditional seating. There was some computer checking and finally a "I think we have something for you " and I was seated at a table with a cushioned bench. Whew. I am puzzled by the hesitation, the place was only half full. Well my plate has arrived. The ravioli was ok. It was covered in some green sauce which was only marginally appealing. This may have been a very good meal but because it was so different from what I went there for I was unsatisfied. Oddly when the server asked how my meal was I said OK. They never batted an eye and said great. This place strikes me as somewhere that aspires to be disappointed if you say anything less than very good. So this is one and done. Also a reminder to dig into the menu at places that say they are Italian before going. Now I'm going back to the hotel to sleep. read more

Delicious pasta options near the convention center. Our server was fantastic. Great for a large party.

I got the Pappardelle and it was good and light! The mushrooms inside was great, I only wished there was more in it. The inside was spacious, perfect for large groups. We went at 5:30pm on a Tuesday and there was no lines, in fact a bit empty. read more

Another great ESR experience. Delicious food, decent service... and even with a delay in getting our main dishes, they got us out the door in time to see our play. read more

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We love Cortina!! Will you make it out there almost every trip to Seattle and we are never disappointed, especially with their seasonal menu!! Their appetizers and salads are perfect so don't forget to get those with your main dish! They also have delicious dessert options. Don't forget to make a reservation! read more

My numerous visits to the other Ethan Stowell restaurants (ESRs) have been positive, but unfortunately, my experience here was very underwhelming. I get that the location being in the heart of downtown Seattle means slightly higher prices, but the quality did not match the other ESRs and they upcharge as much as they can. Even worse, this place is ONLY open Monday - Friday and my friend and I have been wanting to go, but weekday dinners are hard due to work so we went out of our way to try this place out for not much satisfaction. We were seated at 5pm which is part of happy hour (HH). We didn't get a happy hour menu, so had we not known about it, we would have been overpaying a lot for the items we plan to get (the pastas in HH are $17 but in dinner menu are $26-28). We pointed it out, and they said that HH is only at the hightop bar so we decided to move. It would have been less hassle if the host upfront asked if we wanted to do HH or not, if they wanted to stick with the policy. Paper menu prices are at least $1-3 higher than the ones online, so we felt upcharged. I would understand about inflation, but they need to update the prices online to reflect the new pricing so that we don't feel upcharged. For food, we shared the Arancini, Tonnarelli, Strozzapreti, and Assorted Sorbetto & Gelato. Arancini was okay - the tomato sauce fell flat and the filling itself did not have much flavor. Pastas in general are quantity over quality. Tonnarelli is decent with the strong black pepper taste, but it is cooked a bit too soft. If this restaurant is part of ESRs, how could the food here be so much worse? Strozzapreti is the same - the pasta is too soft and not that flavorful. To finish, the "assorted" sorbetto & gelato was just 3 scoops of pistachio gelato. Then why even call it "assorted"? The presentation of the dessert is quite haphazard. Service is decent but not on par with the great service received at other ESR. Water refills are present, but there is not much personality of service in comparison. Overall, I would skip this place and would recommend the other ESRs if you are craving this type of Italian food, such as Tavolata, mkt, and How to Cook a Wolf. read more

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This is the lunch combo I picked for the 2024 restaurant week. The place was has clean lines for restaurant decorations with light wood. I like that it's bright with natural and white light. The tables are large sized tables which allows you to space out and not feel crowded. Food served as large full plates. The chopped salad was fresh; however the wine vinaigrette was only tart with not much of flavor. The pasta was fantastic and taste was not overwhelmed by spices. I like that they used freshly made pasta and the sauce was the right amount and the pasta was not swimming in sauce. The lemon sorbet with the shortbread was a good finish to the meal by wrapping everything up neatly. read more

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I really like cortina for business meals! This latest time, I came in for lunch and I had quite an appetite and asked what the server prefers between the steak salad (which looked incredible at other tables) or the chicken Parmesan and they said if I was hungry to order the chicken Parmesan. Boy was I happy they said that! I have a huge appetite and this sandwich and salad side filled me up! I think the sammi could have been lighter handed on the salt but it was otherwise such a satisfying and filling meal. I also got the chocolate tart to go as dessert and it was a little disappointing for an Ethan Stowell dessert. Tart was a little stale and filling grainy. I wonder if it would have been better had I stayed and eaten it. I forgot to take a photo of it but it was just okay and I would likely not order it again. It had been a while since I've been here for dinner but I also love coming here for any pre downtown evening activities. It has great vibes and the service is always on point! read more

Cortina - Chicken Parmesan with side salad - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Stopped by for lunch and it did not disappoint! The space is large, bright and very clean. The staff are amazing and very attentive. For the food, the pappardelle was delicious with a rich carbonara flavor and a runny yolk. The dish was amazing and definitely will get it again when I come back. For the drinks, the Olive Oyl'e Martini was unique and well crafted. It went well with the richness of the pasta. No complaints here and can't wait to come back and try more dishes. read more

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Been here twice (post-Covid) and can't help but say it's a hit or miss with the food. Service was great both time but I definitely recommend going during their happy hour rather than lunch hour. The happy hour menu is 10x better than their lunch menu. I wish they would bring their pre-Covid menu back as I had bookmarked this place end of 2019 Recently went for lunch with a coworker since the restaurant is within our work building and it was packed so would recommend making a reservation. We both ordered the Paccheri Nero and though the menu described it to have a citrus element it was VERY salty and had heavy chunks of garlic pieces throughout. It was so salty my coworker was unable to finish the full meal. I wish they offered more veggie-friendly options but I'm sure you can order an item without meat. Might give this place another try during their dinner time/menu read more

Cortina - Paccheri Nero - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington