I've been waiting for a year to see what ELDR was all about. I had moved to Ballard from Snohomish following my heart for love and one of our first long day dreaming walks in the neighborhood we stumbled across a corner restaurant that seemed to have been cherished by the community and had a menu that spoke to my heart, almost as much as my soon to be and now wife. Fast forward to a year later and my bride surprised me on my birthday yesterday with an eagerly awaited indulgence. ELDR did not disappoint! The space was cozy, the staff was exactly what I wanted concerning passion and someone who you could share a drink with and talk industry for hours. I wish we would have done better documenting our selection but that just means we'll have to go back and eat our way through the menu! I wish I would have asked if the bread service had an half order. It's a great value and the charred Onion Compound butter was next level. We shared everything as I imagine the small menu was design to do and the potatoes were heavenly. I loved the grilled cabbage dish (undocumented) and the braised pork short ribs with the Meyer lemon bbq sauce was an amazing find. The seasonality is spot on and I hope the menu follows the weather. I can't wait to see what they do for hearty cold weather at the end of the year if that's how the chef's want to proceed. read more

See all

I'm not quite sure how to rate this restaurant. The food was delicious and incredibly flavorful. If I were reviewing the food alone, it would easily be five stars. That said, I'm rating the overall dining experience. After the remodel, I expected they would have addressed the excessive smoke in the dining room. I understand it's a small space and everything is cooked over a wood-fired grill, but I've dined at other wood-fire restaurants and never experienced anything quite like this. The moment you walk in, it feels like you're standing next to a bonfire. You can actually see the smoke hanging in the air. At times it was so overwhelming that I wondered how I was going to make it through dinner. The smell follows you home and clings to everything--your outerwear, the clothes underneath, and even your hair. Mine still smelled like smoke the next day. Our server was perfectly pleasant, and I have no complaints about her specifically, but the service did not feel worthy of the automatically included 22% gratuity. In addition, she encouraged us to order the market-price steak for two but never mentioned that it was $180. To be clear, the steak was excellent and I don't regret ordering it, but I do think an entrée at that price point deserves at least a brief mention while it's being recommended. The final bill came to around $400 for two people. We ordered four dishes total (a small plate, vegetable, entrée, and dessert) along with three beverages. I have no problem spending that kind of money on a great meal, but in the future I'd rather do so somewhere that doesn't include a mandatory gratuity for average service--and where I don't leave needing a dry-cleaning bill as well. read more

Eldr - Steak for 2 - American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Every dish was outstanding. The steak, burger, and clams were the highlights and are absolute must-orders. This charming local restaurant is tucked away in Ballard and feels like one of the neighborhood's best-kept secrets. read more

See all

Everything that touches the open wood fire grill tasted amazing! My favorite is the wagyu beef which is tender and with a smoky crust. The apple strudel is so heart-warming. The rest of the food was ok where the cured rockfish was quite salty and the pork terrine was a bit hard. The carrot cheesecake has tiny shreds where it's not as creamy. Our server was serving a lot of tables so service was getting slower as the meal went on but the waitress was very professional and super helpful. Like the cozy atmosphere with the open kitchen but my clothes and hair smelled smoky afterwards. It is a good deal during the Seattle Restaurant Week and there's an automatic 22% service charge. read more

See all

Ambiance - 5/5 Service - 3/5 Food - 4.5/5 Love the vibes of this place. Try to get a seat at the chef's counter since that's where all the action is. The grilled cabbage and steak for 2 was the highlight of our meal. Service was average, didn't really feel like the staff was very enthusiastic about the patron's dining experience and just did the bare minimum. read more

See all

Giving this lovely establishment a 4.5/5, but this small but mighty restaurant knows its food and flavors. Mind you that they add a 22% charge to cover gratuity + service charge for the restaurant - my gripe comes back to haunt me. Tip: make a reservation if you can! This place was jam packed when we arrived at 6:45 and even more packed when we left. Service was sublime when we arrived for our reservation, and we were promptly seated close to the kitchen, which was awesome as we could see the chefs in action. Always a nice +1 entertainment as we waited for our food. My wife and I ordered: Bitter Greens Clams Black Cod Steak for 2 Tiramisu The bitter greens were actually quite delightful and a great appetizer. I loved the Parmesan cheese that was drizzled on top of the greens, and the cilantro and mint complimented the bitterness of the dish. The figs added a nice sweetness to it too - we just wished we could have more of it. Overall, solid 4/5. We could have done without the clams - don't think it's worth its hefty price. The clams were great though, and tbh the grilled bread was the highlight, as dipping it with the coconut sauce was delicious. My wife basically took a spoon and drank that like a soup. Solid dish, but not worth it in my humble opinion (don't want to give a rating here). The black cod was pretty tasty, but I felt it lacked flavor. It was super light and dainty, which my wife loved, but I was looking for some more oomph and salt to it. It was presented beautifully on the dish though, and it's a nice dish for any seafood lovers out there. I was done after a few bites, and I let my wife devour the rest. 3/5 for me. The steak for 2 was the highlight - Eldr knows it's meat! The steak itself was seasoned lightly (I guess that's a thing here?), but the chimichurri sauce....oh that chimichurri sauce. That added the right kick to the meat and was the saving grace. I could use that sauce for my morning bread, afternoon tea, cereal... Jokes aside, this was a pretty hefty dish that satiated our appetite and did a good job making both of us full. 4.5/5 The tiramisu was fantastic - one of the best, if not, the best tiramisu I've had in Seattle. Dense but light, which on paper doesn't make sense, but at Eldr, it does. 5/5 Overall, Eldr was a treat. Be prepared to shell out some dough, but the meal was solid and my wife and I left happy and satisfied. I think the unique flavors were delightful, but it was also pretty subtle and light (I wish there could be a little more spark to it). But happy to come back again for another special occasion! read more

See all

Cute date night spot that is very true to GH group form. Menu is split up between appetizers, main dish and large dishes to share amongst two. It's American fine dining done well in an open fire. Everything was really tasty and service was good- a tad slow but I do think it's the nature of cooking with open fire. The hanger steak was really good- highly recommend. Also for women- your hair will smell like a camp fire if you don't put it up. read more

See all

I have been recommended Eldr a couple times, so excited to hear about a new tasting menu place in Seattle! I thought they had awesome items on the menu and I really appreciate the thought put into the composition of it. I also found out from our server that the menu basically changes every single day! - Oysters (1st): Really good, the scampi butter was awesome - Scallop (1st): This was alright, I felt like I couldn't really taste the scallop amongst the other things - Crab & Potatoes (1st): The salsa macha really worked with the dungeness crab and the potatoes, I liked this - Zucchini (1st): This was good - Spaetzle (2nd): I haven't had spaetzle this good before! The bits of bone marrow and beef rib were awesome contrasts to the pieces of pasta. I wish this dish went on and on. - Hanger Steak (3rd): As the main course, this was disappointing. I felt like our steak was overcooked/charred and the meat was not very flavorful. I actually liked the rapini on the side a little more than the steak. - Caramelized Pear (4th): This was by far my favorite dish. I am so happy we ended on this one! The creme fraiche went so well with the brandy sauce. They do only give you half a pear though. The food was pretty great, but I was overall just not a fan of the price point. The tasting menu for $90 pp would have made sense if each person at the table got their own portion, however every single item was shared. I was especially disappointed by the main course, which is why I only give three stars for this experience. I really was a fan of the dishes, especially what I saw at other tables, so I would definitely come back and try items off the menu. read more

See all

My wife and I did the tasting menu and it was worth every bite. We suggest the counter to see the chefs work and to listen to the tomfoolery. Side note: saw the lasagna. Need the lasagna...will be back for the lasagna read more

See all

Taste: 5/5 Value: 4/5 Presentation: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Dips are a must try! Wish they came with crackers or bread by default instead of having to also have 16 doll bread service to eat the dips read more

See all

My partner and I have been twice so far and we've tried the tasting and regular menu. Both were some of the best dining experiences I've had in recent memory. You can tell that the chefs really care and that makes all the difference! Particular highlights were the lasagna, bread service, and bistro steak. Reservations are a must - this place gets rightfully packed. I highly recommend counter seating - watching the chefs work and being so close to the action really brings another dimension to the experience. read more

Maybe they are still working out some kinks, but tonight's dinner was underwhelming. The frowning host stared at the iPad for a solid 3 minutes in silence when I said I had a reservation, then gestured me to a table without saying a word. Our waitress was very friendly, our cocktails were good. The smoked scallop crudo didn't have any detectable smoke taste, and could have uses seasoning. The black cod was very tasty, with muscles and greens. The biggest disappointment was the steak with spaeztle. The steak was very very charred, to the point where the only taste I could detect was bitter burnt that was very offputting. The interior of the steak was very rare, not even medium rare which was also not my favorite. I couldn't eat any more than a few bites. Our waitress didn't come by to check in while we were eating the steak, otherwise I would have given feedback. The meal for two was $230, and for spending that much, I wanted to love but, but was disappointed. read more

This place is an amazing experience! We tried as much as our stomachs could handle. I've had my fair share of burgers over the years but theirs was head and shoulders above anything I've ever tasted. Somehow a light and moist burger patty but with a perfectly seasoned char from the live fire on the Santa Maria grill. We had the roasted potatoes, sausage and grits, oysters, sunchoke, tiramisu, and white chocolate cheesecake. Literally, every single thing we tasted was incredible. The staff were very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. It was one of the best dining experiences of my life, I'll definitely be back. read more

Went twice this week, Tuesday and Thursday, and the place is packed. The host and services are world class, very very professional, kudos to the waiter name Mac! (His Service as good as Canlis' waiter) Food - we had them all and every single dish was excellent, my favorites were the bread service, the dips, and the duck. The wood fire roasting making this place special, eventhough I have to drive there from Sammamish. Ambiance - as the service is world class, thus makes the ambiance great. Nice solid table with great silverware, which they change it often after you eat a dish or after a dish is dirty. They paid attention to details. read more

Our dinner at Eldr. was fantastic. The first thing you notice is the beautiful open kitchen, a flaming grill, and a well stoked wood fire stove. We walked in and were warmly greeted, our heavy coats taken, and we were quickly shown to our little table for what amounted to an absolute feast. Our server, Chelsea, was the absolute picture of warmth and hospitality. When she found out my wife was pregnant, she immediately gave us a tour of the menu that would be suitable and made sure the bread and dips flew out of the kitchen to make sure we were fed before we even properly ordered (whitefish dip and honey butter were fantastic on their very fresh bread). She was attentive and great fun the whole meal despite catering to a really packed house. On to the main attraction: the food. Everything was delicious and delicate which was remarkable in it's way given the frame treatment. Clams in lemongrass and coconut milk really let the little morsels shine. Dungeness Crab piled high on house made tender gnocchi was a sublime bite. Pork sausage and cheesey grits were a wholesome warmer on a chilly Seattle night. And the sunchokes were charred, delicious and hot as a star. Peppermint cake made for a great seasonal finish. The wine list is well appointed, leaning somewhat Italian but I had a fantastic glass of Beaujolais. They're doing some interesting NA stuff including a delightful beet maple shrub soda. Cocktails are a nice mix of inventive and classic with a twist that I'll need to try another day. Pro tip: if you're not opposed to hearing others orders getting yelled out while you're eating, grab a seat at the counter for dinner and a show. read more

My wife, Tricia, and I had dinner at Eldr. last Saturday. It was a spur of the moment thought, cocktails and dinner,. We made a quick reservation on line (highly recommended) and went down the street to dine at the new spot in the neighborhood. We had a lovely dinner and experience. From the chef's daily skewer's, the bitter greens, and the smoked scallop crudo, all delicious and the staff (and owner Brian) were fantastic. We can highly recommend Eldr. for all of our neighbors and friends to go and experience. read more

See all

Fantastic experience! Will definitely be back. Really delicious and thoughtfully prepared cuisine and impeccable service. read more

Great food and service! All the dishes were delicious and very unique with a wood fired taste to them which was great. It does get hot sitting at the bar because you're right by the fire but other than that the ambience is very nice and elegant read more

See all

Excellent addition to the Sunset Hill neighborhood. I really like they have a few non-fired items(oysters, salad,etc) to cut the meat dishes. Chefs and staff are very welcoming. I am also super excited they offer a happy hour! Burger- Excellently cooked fire grilled burger with perfect sauce Bitter Salad- perfect accompaniment to the other dishes Oyster- Solid with great mignonette sauce and hot sauce (not too spicy to overwhelm the oysters taste) Bread- Really good wood fired bread, 3 types Potatoes- ultra creamy and soft whole potatoes Sausage- almost chorizo like but not spicy House Old fashion- a little unusual almost Christmas spice like but good for the winter (wouldn't recommend to pair with main courses) read more

Sit at the bar and have an experience far beyond your typical night out for dinner. Shockingly vegetarian friendly. Enjoy!

We are so excited to have this spot in the neighborhood! Beautiful restaurant and excellent service, but the food is the star of the show. We did the tasting menu which included generous portions at a very reasonable price. My favorite was the chicken pot pie and my husband loved the pork. This would be a great date night spot or for a small gathering of friends. It definitely has upscale vibes but the price point is super reasonable. read more

The service was great, ambiance was fantastic with the open kitchen, but the food was ok. I expected it to be better ‍