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    Gainsbourg

    4.1 (544 reviews)
    ModerateFrench, Lounges
    Closed 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    Gainsbourg Photos

    Business Info

    GAINSBOURG ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Gainsbourg

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    Reviews With Photos

    Happy Hour Menu
    Pat F.

    We went in early August on a weeknight for a simple dinner. We didn't make the happy hour though do to work. The neighborhood in my opinion has cleaned up a bit and parking was tight but manageable with patience. Really a nice evening to hang on the sidewalk getting "French" food. However this use more French inspired and quite American. Sort of French bistro mixed with edgy American bar. No frills really. I've always wanted to try it and glad we did. My French dip was good and made with nice ingredients however very rich, and a just that was more onion soup. Good but not treated like a dip jus. So a good quality very rich version of an American staple. My standard is a good "American French style" roll with just really good thin sliced roast beef not from a package and a rich salty jus. This is beyond that which I like but do not prefer. My wife was not pleased with her steak frites. Their frites are actually really good but the hanger steak was just stringy and not good. Good drinks, very kind yet edgy service, and a fun neighborhood vibe. We came a long way to try it so we won't be back probably. Except they do have a great happy hour deal!! And a few other things there I'd like to try do you never know?

    The special risotto
    Savanna C.

    I'd say our experience was a 3.5! Food was good but didn't blow us out of the park. I'd come back but maybe order something different. It is a lively place with good service and great drinks.

    Open Kitchen/Bar Area
    Susan S.

    Came for Happy Hour. Ordered the burger ($7), escargot ($5) and beet salad ($5). Cozy place and staff friendly. Food was tasty and the prices are reasonable. Music a little loud but it was 70's and 80's much so definitely a plus! Coming back for sure! Especially since we can walk to this place!!

    Steak Frites - IG @bougiefoodieboi
    Kyle W.

    This is a cozy, neighborhood French restaurant in Greenwood. Parking is surprisingly extremely difficult for a Sunday early dinner, where we went around 5pm to take advantage of their happy hour. $3 baguette, $4 escargot, $5 beet salad (this is with them raising the prices already literally after the New Years). Wow! Why 4 stars not 5 stars? Food is kind of hit or miss. We got the beet salad, escargot, baguette, French onion soup, duck confit, steak frites, and creme brulee. We also got 3 glasses of wine (the house red and white and brut rose) as we wanted to drink up but not spend too much - wine was $1 off during happy hour. Beet salad is pretty decent with 5-6 pieces of beet and lots of arugula and blue cheese. It was a great starter. Escargot is a little mediocre but what else do you expect if it is $4? I have never seen a dish this inexpensive even if I traveled to France for escargot. However, it felt overcooked and the amount of garlic butter is not a lot, but the baguette on the side is nicely toasted and soaks up the small amount of sauce well. I would 100% order again though because 2 of this dish is enough for a nice meal, if you want to pinch pennies. Baguette was $3 and is served with some butter. It is pretty solid, but I wouldn't have gotten it if I researched to see that escargot also had baguette. However, more bread didn't hurt at all. In fact, we ate every single piece of it because it was delicious! French onion soup is very good. It is baked with bread and cheese, and the onion is super flavorful. There is not too much soup but the whole thing is very well-rounded and satisfying. Duck confit - duck was very tender, but I wished it was a bit more flavorful. It is served with some vegetables and potatoes that were decent. $22 for a nice large piece of duck is good value. Steak frites - requested medium rare and we received it more like medium, but it was fine. The steak was a little tough but I really liked the sauce. More longer fries would have been good as they were smaller shoestring fries, and they looked more like leftover fries due to all the small fragments of fries. This dish was $26 and I expected more as there weren't a whole lot of meat. Creme brulee - $9 was pretty standard but it was burnt. We had to sadly toss out most of the caramelized sugar on top to eat a few spoonfuls of the cream. I would only recommend the beet salad, escargot, baguette, French onion soup, and duck confit, which I will gladly go again during happy hour. Service is decent. It seems like there were 2-3 people working the bar, kitchen, and serving, but it wasn't too long of a wait for anything. The server did have a few mishaps like dropping the blue cheese on the table (but he gave us a generous cup of blue cheese to make it up) and forget our glass of brut rose I ordered during happy hour (but he owned up to his mistake and comped the glass), so it was all good. I would write service off as a positive because of that.

    French dip
    Rebecca Q.

    Great hidden spot in Greenwood! You find a table for yourself - we sat in the communal tables in the middle and shared with another couple. Service was a little slow but not much staff for a lot of customers. Amazing prices and cocktail selection - loved the steak frites and escargot! Very lively and loud environment at all times.

    Sauteed mushrooms with tarragon - disappointing, flavorless, desperately needed salt.
    Lynne M.

    Tuesday, late afternoon, in time for HH, there was one impressive employee serving at least a dozen people. She was nice enough and efficient. The space is extremely loud. I'm hearing impaired and found the laughter in an adjacent booth deafening. The booth sits on a severe angle. The tables seem to be level though. The $7 HH burger had a good bun, decent quality meat with good, chewy texture, but it's cooked well done (we weren't asked our preference of doneness so that was the yellow flag). Cheese is extra (and so, presumably, is anything else you want on the burger). There was a horseradish-like taste along with a sharp goat-cheese-like taste that I found unpleasant. Our poutine had very skinny fries, a lumpy but reasonably good flavored gravy and very little cheese. The very worst item was the sauteed mushrooms - nothing but lightly sauteed mushrooms and so little tarragon it didn't add flavor and no salt. No salt. Judging by the pictures, this restaurant is highly unpredictable. Look at the pictures of French onion soup and it looks like the cooks all make it differently. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd stop by occasionally. I would not travel more than a mile to visit again (but I'm looking for food, not a fun bar scene).

    Michelle Z.

    This is a nice and cozy little French restaurant located in Greenwood did you get pretty busy and service is pretty slow because of that however the vibes of this place is great and the food is good too! We got the steak and Fritz and for appetizer we got their baguette. I think the steak was pretty good for the price, but their baguette was just ok I would try a different appetizer next time.

    Escargot
    Jennifer K.

    Hidden gem if you are looking for steak frites/burger/french dip/french onion soup/escargot fix. No reservations so you must be prepared to wait if you come in during peak hours. I loved the quirky ambiance here. It is on a louder side so you do need to speak up a little! I ordered steak and fries and loved the perfect amount of portion and fries with the dipping sauce. The steak comes with caramelized onions and mushrooms which is a nice plus. My friends got french dip, soup and escargot which they all enjoyed. If youre looking for more fries i recommend getting burger or the french dip because the portions larger than when you order steak fries.

    Sarah S.

    We came here as a party of 2 on a Sunday evening. We split a charcuterie plate. I love the heat of the mustard they provided and the meats were good. We think the plate was overpriced for the amount of food we were given, though. I would be open to trying them again in the future.

    Gainsbourger

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    3 months ago

    Always busy for good reason. The specials are worth trying. The quality has been good for all the long years this place has been open

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    6 months ago

    Cool atmosphere and vibe! Friendly attentive staff, great drinks, and fantastic food!

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    Gainsbourg Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Gainsbourg

    Do they have A/C?

    No, at least not during 2023.

    Are there happy hour deals?

    Yes, happy hour is 4-6.

    Do you have outdoor seating currently?

    Very limited outside entrance

    Is Gainsbourg kid friendly? Or do they have a age restriction?

    You must be 21 or older.

    Do you need reservation?

    No, but if you have a larger party I'd definitely call ahead as the booths can't fit more than 4 and there's only 2-3 large tables.

    View All 6 Questions

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    Essex - Cloudburst brew

    Essex

    (84 reviews)

    $$

    Ballard, Phinney Ridge

    i know most people come here just waiting for delancey but i might argue this is the better…read moreexperience. beautifully decorated, amazing service. and you can get delancey meatballs here which is the best thing in the menu. cocktails are a touch pricey even for seattle but i'd go back.

    A nice little bar (Essex), associated with Delancey. It's clear that the wait for a table at…read moreDelancey is frequently long, and they have wisely separated the bar area, and made it independent, so that waiting at the bar (Essex) wouldn't clog the front entrance of Delancey. We ordered munchies and drinks while we waited for our table at Delancey. The bartender / server knew we would be headed to Delancey in 40 minutes or so, and handled things well accordingly. We got a plate of olives (tasty, great finger food) and drinks. The Yonder cider was good, not too sweet. The Martini was tasty. I had two quibbles: The first was with the pricing: the martini was charged as two separate items: 1) gin (I suppose the charge varies by the kind of gin or vodka in your martini) 2) martini (which is apparently the non-vodka or or non-gin part of your drink) While I'm sure this makes it easier to track for the bartender and inventory, as well as for charging, as a customer, it's a little odd to have a mixed drink be a two-part charge. The second was the included 20% automatic gratuity. I don't object to the concept of a standard service charge, I just wish it had been more prominently displayed so that I wouldn't have added a 20% tip on top of that (and my tip was on the amount that included tax, service charge and drinks / food). So, buyer beware ... the service is good, the ambiance is nice, the food and drinks are good -- but the payment / billing is non-standard, and can cause unexpected surprises.

    Chez Phinney - Interior upstairs

    Chez Phinney

    (40 reviews)

    Phinney Ridge

    I had been wanting to check out Chez Phinney for awhile. Was planning a trip to Willamette Valley…read morewith friends and one of my friends suggested we meet up there after work to finalize some plans. Was the perfect spot I got there a little ahead of the rest of the gang so I enjoyed a hop water while waiting for them was greeted by friendly staff. Told them there was going to be four of us so they pushed a couple tables together for me. You give them a debit/credit card and they give you a card to use with the wine dispenser. Each wine has a nice write up so you know the religion and notes they have but the staff is more than happy to assist you and point you in the right direction if you tell them what you prefer. My friends arrived two of them already knew the owners so they caught with them a bit and I got to meet them wonderful people. We all decided to start with a Willamette Pinot since that was where we're planning for. I love the option of trying a taste before committing to a larger pour. You options are 1, 3 and 5 ounces. We ordered a bunch of appetizers since it was Happy Hour some were at a HH price which was nice. We enjoyed the cheese plate, onion dip and a tin of Calamari I believe had a photo but accidentally deleted. Was a wonderful light dinner for us all. Cute space warm ambiance, lots of tables and upper and a smaller lower area. Definitely would return wonderful selection of wines something for everyone

    Disclaimer I came here for a fundraiser, however I would definitely come back…read more A little different experience than going to a winery only tasting that wineries. This is more like a bar in the sunset that you have amazing variety of wines. Not feeling like a domestic taste the international. The directions are very simple and clear You grab a wine card, grab a glass, wine, pick a wine and decide the pour size. You know I didn't count, but there were easily a dozen wines to select from. The people who are working at the wine bar were absolutely. Truly service with a smile. The interior is really pretty cool lots of things to look at and is also very comfortable I would definitely come here again

    Kasbah Hookah Lounge

    Kasbah Hookah Lounge

    (41 reviews)

    $$

    Ballard, Phinney Ridge

    After having an ok dinner at a Moroccan restaurant we were looking forward having real mint tea…read morewith real mint and sugary flavor plus a hookah. My colleaguefriend found this place on Yelp and we Uber there. The area seemed sketchy and probably we would not want to walk around that area alone. The onwer told us he could not give us ticket for the transation due to someone had robbed the establishment recently and took the machine. The decor is very cute, love the lamps and the music is super happy and you feel like dancing there. However, the place is huge and we were only my friend and I, 2 other girls in a corner and a party of 3 at the other extreme of the lounge. Very desolated and I was wondering why there were not many people. Since I am not a hookah smoker was wondering if it is because of the quality of it or just because the area or just simply people don't go out Friday night. My friend ordered a frutal flavored hookah and explained the whole process to me and why now is fashionable to add something to make if cold. We ordered a tea pot to share and that was really nice. The owner was pleasant and attentive to our request to put Egyptian videos. We had a good night there.

    Discovered this spot recently, and I'm so glad I did! I love the vibe of this place - it have a…read moreMoroccan feel, which I really enjoyed. The windows are covered to keep the place relatively dark which seems fitting. They had ethnic music videos (playing while we were there, which was really cool. Overall this place felt very clean, and is very spacious (would be good for groups of all sizes). Also, the hookah was wonderful, and the gentleman who was working came over periodically to check on and/or replace our coals. He also offered to change the music to whatever we wanted. Very kind! When my friend and I went the other week, we were the only 2 in there. I deducted one star only because we really wanted to sit at the purple couched, but they were reserved (even though there was nobody else there). But hey, maybe next time! Heads up - if you're not a member, there's an extra fee. Unfortunately I can't remember how much the fee was, and I wasn't told how much the membership price costs.

    Sophon - Kroeung Chicken Khmeraage ($17, 2/2/24)

    Sophon

    (141 reviews)

    Phinney Ridge

    Everything was delicious! Lots of flavor in all dishes. We tried two small plates, the seasonal…read moregreens with salted soy beans and shallots and the tuna crudo. For our main course, we went with the pork belly and were not disappointed. Service was attentive. Food came out quickly! Lots of GF/gluten free and DF options! Loved to ambiance! Very cozy.

    Dinner from Nov 26, 2025 I have been meaning to dine at…read moreSophon in Greenwood/Phinney Ridge area ever since a Cambodian friend raved about them. I am showing my age by saying the restaurant is VERY LOUD, and our table was in a very dark spot in the restaurant. Oddly, they didn't have enough table lamps for all the dark tables. Our server said they "ran out". How does that happen? I stalked a departing table to take their rechargeable lamp. Anyway, my expectations were likely too high going in, and I was annoyed before even ordering, turning on our cellphone light to read the menu. The food is pretty good, though not mind-blowing good like the reviews suggest, and we had one bad dish. They offer varied Khmer dishes beyond noodle varieties, which is a plus. Go if you are looking for variety, skip the fish, bring ear plugs, and hope you have a brighter table than ours. Parking is street only. 3 Stars for the food, minus 1 star for the restaurant environment (unrelated to staff) The Food: k'tiss dip with crudités, $18 - 4 Stars We chose the marrow stone blue oyster mushroom option - p'set. The mushrooms are sautéed in Khmer seasonings, fermented bean curd, and coconut milk. The veggies are mildly pickled. They paired surprisingly well and a unique dish to try. kroeung kumeraage, $15 - 4 Stars This dish has an option of fried chicken or fried mushrooms. We chose the chicken since we already had mushrooms. Kroeung is the Khmer seasoning. Our server said this dish and papaya salad are amongst the most popular. Since we have a veggie dish, we chose this over the papaya salad (which looks great, too). The chicken is lightly fried, not crispy outside, super tender, and paired well with the kroeung aioli. trei chmouy tuk tei omperi, $40 - 1 Star The menu says serves 2 but not really. The is a pan seared fish, make your own fish wrap. We did not know we ordered a DIY dish, which is ok in principle, just not good to be surprised. The menu doesn't say so; the server didn't mention it. Luckily, by this time of the meal, we have acquired the little table lamp, which enabled me to see the long fish bones that had not been removed. FIVE of them. The noodles are a pathetic overcooked limp pile. The best part is the turmeric sauce. Do not order this dish. Epilogue: I happened to walk by Sophon this past weekend. I was surprised to see a sign saying they are temporarily closed to resolve internal issues. (See photo) That is never a good reflection of management. There is now a GoFundMe for the unpaid staff who had to quit their jobs.

    Phinney Station - Fish and chips and bulgogi salad

    Phinney Station

    (64 reviews)

    Phinney Ridge

    Good service-friendly staff. Good selection of beers…read more A bit noisy and chaotic when they have kids running around but it's a cool place and walkable for us.

    We've been going to Phinney station since it opened and have always had a great time. Today was an…read moreunfortunate outlier. One of the employees approached us on the upstairs balcony to explain that we were being given a strike under the "one strike policy" due to our kids' misbehavior and lack of supervision. I could see all of our kids from where I was standing, and none of them were misbehaving. I asked her to tell me what specifically had happened and which kids were involved, but she was unable or unwilling to answer either question. The only time they had been out of our direct control was when I sent the 10 year old boys down to the counter to break a larger bill so they could share the change and play pinball, which is normal parenting behavior for kids of this age to foster independence (see the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt). They had returned without incident and were appropriately playing the machines with a dad from our group in the corner of the room. After the employee left, I asked around to see if anyone else knew what had happened. A person at the table next to ours told me that there were other kids (unknown to us) who had been acting "rambunctiously," and that they had just left with their parents. An older boy in our group also said that my autistic daughter had a rock in her shoe, and that he had helped her take them off to clear it. She was scolded by one of the other employees for taking her shoes off, which scared her (so scared that she continued talking about it until bedtime). Unable to find out what terrible things our kids had done, and also learning about the insensitivity displayed toward my neurodivergent daughter, I went downstairs to complain about what clearly seemed to be a misdirected reprimand. I didn't use profanity, but my tone definitely reflected defensiveness. There was still no clarification as to what had happened or who was involved. The employee's entire focus seemed to be on the tone I was using, but with no understanding of why someone in my situation might be understandably upset. I have no idea what version of this story made it back to her manager, but it was definitely not a complete retelling. The next time I tried to place an order, the manager informed me that my service had been discontinued. I tried to explain my side of the story, but she was unwilling to hear it. While I do applaud her readiness to support her employee, this was clearly a moment to collect more information rather than pass quick judgment on a long time customer. I would also note that I was not kicked out and remained on the premises for another 30 minutes while everyone else finished up. I mention this only to illustrate that nothing I said was actually threatening or otherwise qualifying as misconduct. I understand and respect the kid policy at Phinney Station, and I am always ready to police my kids when they're not in compliance. But threatening to kick families out without knowing what happened or whether you're even accusing the right people is sloppy and inappropriate. And expecting parents to not be offended by that kind of treatment is absurd. I apologized to the employee for my part, but no one on staff was willing to apologize or appreciate their role in this totally unnecessary event. I would discourage parents, particularly of neurodivergent kids who may not always be immediately understood, from patronizing this establishment. There are plenty of other great options on Greenwood Ave that take empathy, inclusion, and customer feedback far more seriously.

    Copine - Pork Belly Rillettes

    Copine

    (266 reviews)

    $$$$

    Ballard

    A Seattle gem for moments that deserve more -- food made with care, service that goes above and…read morebeyond, and flavors that are always on point. This is the place I choose when I want to make a special day even more special. Copine will be closing this May, and it's hard to believe that a restaurant loved for nearly a decade will soon be gone. I've followed Chef Shaun's food since the Book Bindery days, and the thought of not being able to taste his cooking for a while feels genuinely bittersweet. If you want one of Seattle's most memorable dining experiences -- both in flavor and in heartfelt service-- go before the doors close. Also the vibe is effortlessly chic, warmly inviting, and modern with a quiet sense of character. Our dinner started with an amuse that set the tone for a perfect evening. The mushroom soup was rich, comforting, and exactly what a cold Seattle night calls for. I'm still thinking about it. Every course that followed was crafted with intention and care -- the crab, the pasta, the duck -- each one beautifully prepared and a joy to eat. The wine pairing was spot‑on and elevated the entire meal. Copine may be nearing its final chapter, but it's delivering some of its best work yet. If you've never been, now is the time. And if you have, you already know why this place has meant so much to so many.

    Amazing prefix menu restaurant that was a beautiful balance of flavor and texture. I enjoyed every…read moredish that was put in front of me. I felt so satiated at the end of the meal. Copine also has a fantastic selection of cocktails, spirits, and wine. I haven't been this impressed with cocktails in a minute. Check out the menu and see what you like but if you need a suggestion you cannot go wrong with their cocktails (inferno, martini, etc..) Made reservations in advance and was promptly seated. Half of our party was running late but the staff were so understanding. Huge shoutout to the staff they overhead that we had birthdays in our party and brought out a beautiful presentation. They overheard our table saying happy birthday delivered such a wonderful experience. (Felt like I was in that one episode of the bear LOL). Thank you Copine team! *** Copine reminded me of a Michelin French restaurant in Tokyo called Florilege. If you enjoy Copine and happen to find yourself in Tokyo, I'd look into Florilege!

    Gainsbourg - french - Updated May 2026

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