I'm sorry to add to the growing list of negative reviews of Monsoon. I really have enjoyed it in the past...but sadly, the past is where all of my enjoyment here stays. The discerning and astute among you will notice that I am a brand-new Yelp user. That's right, I registered on this site after today's brunch just so I could write a negative review--it was that bad. The interior was clean and bright. Would that I could say the same for our server. What service we received, when we actually got any service, was indifferent at best, and culminated in a 45-minute wait...for the wrong order. When we pointed out that we were missing several dishes, our server said simply, "Oh. We're out." No apology; no inquiry to the kitchen; that's all, folks. I feel dirty ever leaving a tip less than 20%, but our server got change off $1, and even that was only because it was more important to leave and find another restaurant before it closed than it was to get change and leave him with nothing. He certainly earned it. To be fair, what dishes we received were decent in quality. A 45-minute wait for the wrong order of serviceable food from an indifferent and incompetent server, though, means I will never go back. Sad; it used to be so much better. read more

I had brunch at Monsoon last Sunday and really enjoyed the meal. My boyfriend and I were in the mood for some dim sum, so we ordered a few things to share. We had the veggie wontons, shrimp dumplings, pork buns, and dungness crab benedict. All VERY tasty. They were super busy so the service was a little slow, but our waiter made it up by buying us dessert, the coconut creme carmel. Highly recommend. read more

I've been wanting to come here for a long time. My boyfriend and I went here on a Friday night for a date...and it was everything I expected. The food was delicious. Not sure what to settle on, we got our waiter recommended squid and lamb; the food turned out delicious. We also got a banana bred dessert, which was plenty for us to share. The warm gooey banana goodness was out of this world. The only downfall of the night was the waiter. As much as I like waiters who don't nag you every 5 minutes with the "how's everything tasting" questions, I also didn't like having to wave down the waiter to get the check. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Great place -unbeliavably tasty, fresh food. The place is a simple, thai/asian fusion restaurant. Simple or traditional plates are extra yummy. It's as good as it gets. It's worth going. The drunken chicken is extremely good. The dim sum on weekends on the morning is really yummy too. read more

The drunken chicken and manjalitsa pork were down right amazing. I couldn't imagine ordering anything else. The spring rolls are just average, next time I'm going to get the ribs as the appetizer, those looked tasty. Chocolate ganache for dessert. Very good, but too small. The wait staff was very helpful in showing us which things were gluten free (allergy). + drunken chicken + manjalitsa pork + good service - no parking - a little cramped read more

Reliably amazing brunch, good service, and I even love the music they play. I have never been unhappy with anything I've ordered for dim sum, the service is always quick & friendly, and the price point is super reasonable. They've also recently added some cocktails to the menu and are expanding -- though I've never had a problem waiting too long for a table. read more

Sad to hear that Will has moved on. Great cafe for Viet-fusion. They actually serve great loose leaf teas. I like the Imperial Puer the best. read more

Monsoon Seattle - Enjoy the new bar seating. - Vietnamese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Monsoon Restaurant was a very special treat. We ate there for a special occasion to celebrate that our daughter got into the Coast Guard. We found Monsoon wonderful. The food is different and interesting. The flavors are fantastic. The service was perfect. The price is very reasonable. We will eat there again. There is also parking!!! read more

The soft shell crab was just perfect, crispy, tasty, with cucumber as a cool foil. Curried prawns were yummy & rich. The server was a bit green, water not refilled, check -back delayed. The chocolate ganache was too hard, yet velvety smooth. Price very reasonable. read more

Went here on a business lunch today, Wow that was Great! Nice location with the full slide out windows and rooftop eating, lots of tables to sit at. The service was excellent and the Food.... The Food was delicious. Well Done Monsoon. read more

My wife and I love that place. Modern delicious vietnamese inspired food, in a cool loungy restaurant. My half vietnamese mum approves the food, and it means something! I recommend read more

We were there Saturday for lunch and the server was so kind! I can't remember his name but he just made our experience great! The food was delicious! We would definitely recommend this place! read more

Came here with a reservation, waited for over an hour for our food after we ordered it and our server was no where to be found. My bf ordered the clay pot chicken and it was next to impossible to eat with all the unforeseen little bones. It was over cooked, we weren't told how long it would take to make and the bone had fragments and little splinters. My bf described it as 'hard to eat without feeling like I would choke'. Apparently that's how the dish is made but wouldn't recommend the wait. At the end the waitress apologized for the wait trying to offer us a complimentary dessert which we politely declined. Unfortunately she wasn't able to adjust our bill at all which would've been the appropriate thing to do. read more

One of my favorite restaurants on the hill. Great food and chill staff. Cool spot to take family and friends visiting, also relatively easier parking compared to 15th or pike/Pine corridor. Enjoy! read more

Just ate here for the first time tonight and WOW!! Amazing experience! The hostess was very pleasant and was able to seat us earlier than expected. The waitress for our table was great. And the food was out of this world, delicious! We ordered the lamb skewers and the imperial roll to start, both really good. The imperial roll had the best flavor, yum. Then we ordered the wheat noodles and the tenderloin dish and that was mind blowing. The Tenderloin was perfectly cooked, almost like butter it melted in your mouth. Freaking insane!!! For desert we ordered the flourless chocolate cake and it was the perfect treat to top off the meal. Small, light, fluffy molten cake in a small cup, with some cinnamon sauce to drizzle over it. Super tasty! A perfect meal from start to finish, which is a rarity. We will be returning soon to try more dishes! Thank you, Monsoon staff read more

Below average banh mi. Baguette was already drenched and in half by the time we received it. Absolute mess and tasted very abysmal. Not worth paying 14 dollars. read more

I'd prefer to give them zero stars, but that isn't an option. We went today for lunch with five adults and three babies. It was a slow Monday there, and several tables were empty. The young man seating people started with a bit of attitude, but then said he would accommodate us by combining a couple tables. Fine, problem solved. Then he walked away and came back saying that they had only one high chair so they couldn't seat us. We said no problem, we'll just put a couple of the babies on our laps. In the meantime one of the waiters had seated a woman at one of the tables that he was going to combine. At this point he said, 'you should go to Talulah's for lunch instead'. But that restaurant isn't open for lunch, and I said so. He continued insisting that we go to Talulah's. At this point we had no interest in eating at Monsoon, and left. Note to Monsoon: we won't be back, nor will our spouses, and we'll be sure to mention this to our friends too. Perhaps you should hire more selectively! read more

We stumbled across this little gem, came for lunch; busy enough but not to busy. Food is wonderful I had the chicken noodle dish with the imperial roll. Noodles were very fresh, all the flavors worked well together. I didn't care for the Imperial roll. My lunch companion had the steak banh mi and it was amazing, it is so large you won't be putting your mouth around it. The staff is quite standoffish and aloof. Otherwise this would have been 5 stars read more

Not impressed, at all. I've been to many Thai and Vietnamese restaurants and Monsoon was probably the worst experiences I've had. The food was very oily and had too much herb and spice. The portions were small for the price point and the dishes were very basic and revolved around one or two main ingredients. Where is the Bun or Pho? None of this menu makes sense. The veggie options were such a joke and lacked imagination. Overpriced and overrated. I couldn't recommend this place to anyone. The wait staff were unfriendly and seemed irritated to be taking our orders. We ate from their dinner menu, perhaps their lunch menu is better...? I won't be trying it though. read more

Most people would agree that bad service can severely detract from an otherwise delicious food experience. Our evening at Monsoon for my four friends and me was peppered with one annoying and disruptive event after another: To kick it off, there was the drafty door table where we were seated. Then there was the screaming infant in his high chair who was throwing rice, to the gleeful entertainment of his inconsiderate adult chaperons. BTW, it was ~9 pm. We ordered a bottle of white wine and did our best to ignore gymboree hour to the left. After eating three yummy plates of light apps, a server and a busperson came to the table to deliver the entrees, but left the 3 large dirty plates in the center of the table after depositing the entrees. No clean side plates were offered - and I know this is not a requirement in Seattle, but appreciated when pulled off. We ended up piling the dirty dishes in front of us because the entrees kept arriving but room was running out. We eventually requested (!?) that they be removed. We get the bill; it was time to go. As we glanced at the tally, we noticed it was off. Turns out our two $38 bottles of wine where rung up as $98 bottles, causing ~$120 discrepancy in our bill. We politely pointed this out to our server. She blankly stared at us, passively standing there waiting for US to suggest what to do next. Uh... She went into the back and reappeared at our table 10 minutes later...not with a fixed bill, but with an "explanation" of what happened, which we had already deduced. Not difficult: we had ordered one $38 bottle of wine and she delivered the wrong $98 one, twice. Fair enough, mistakes happen. But you know what else happens? Expedient and customer-service oriented ways of clearing them up. Another 5 or 10 minutes went by to fix the bill, and we paid and left. Our experience at Monsoon was overwhelmingly focused on toleration and lowering the bar of what a nice, relaxed (celebratory) evening out should be. Until I hear the service improves, I won't be back. read more

Amazing food Arrogant maitre d' Don't miss the imperial rolls... Will definitely be back! read more

Returning to Seattle from a trip to Reno, my companion and I looked forward to dinner at Monsoon, a highly-rated Asian restaurant in Seattle's Capitol Hill district. Having had an astounding breakfast earlier at The Harvest Vine (Basque fare) off of Madison, we thought, how could we go wrong. Of course, that's code for the fact that it did. We arrived on time and ordered a bottle of wine. We ordered our food and the server asked us if we wanted to stagger these dishes. We agreed, thinking the plates would come out in a timely manner, in progression. Our starter plates of fresh vegetable rolls and Lychee salad were indeed wonderful. But that was the peak. As parties of 6 entered the restaurant, and our wait time between courses stretched beyond 25 minutes, we wondered what was wrong. We felt as though we had been neglected. The server, making typical excuses for the kitchen staffed by the owners, needed to be made aware of the predicament. A plate falling to the floor only heightened the tension. The three cooking in the kitchen seemed harried, but totally unaware. Our main dishes then arrived. Barbequed pork ribs, fried tofu, and beans with mushrooms came in sequence. The server forgot which type of rice we had ordered. Typically, the oversalted dishes left a taste in the mouth familiar to those frequenting oriental fast food. For a $100 bill, even with wine, this was substandard. Noting our dissatisfaction, the server took it upon herself to give us a complimentary desert of her choosing: soaked banana bread with coconut milk. We were not amused. As the server tried to hand us the bill and disappear, I detained her. First, I remarked how that, assuming we could be placated with a complimentary dessert, which we didn't want, was rather bold. What irked me most was the control being exercised over the customer by that action. Finally, since she hoped we would come again, I said in no uncertain terms that it wasn't likely. For those diners who experience this sort of captive abuse, I suggest standing firm. We still tipped, partly to replace the dish; there's no reason to be mean-spirited. It also served as incentive that the message would be delivered to the culprits: the owners. Educated consumers don't throw money away. We vote with our feet. We also try to educate businesses in appropriate behavior. read more

This was my first time eating at Monsoon and even though it was dine around Seattle, I thought that the food was wonderful and the service was attentive. I can't wait to come back and get more ribs, shrimp curry, and banana cake! Everything my wife and I ate was absolutely delicious... with the exception of the fresh rolls. Fresh rolls aren't that exciting to me anyways, so maybe it was just me. Oh, and the coconut creme caramel... WOW! My wife ordered this and I wasn't interested in even trying it, but turns out that stuff is magic! Definitely getting that again too. The only downside is that it's a little on the small side and they do only serve beer and wine at this location. Otherwise I think that Monsoon is going to have to go on my list of new favorites because it is simply great grub! read more

Monsoon is a wonderful restaurant with delicious food! I have only had one bad service moment, but that was only one time at the night time happy hour, every other time the service has been great! The ambience is very relaxing, and kind of hip, but not in your face about it. Everyone can feel comfortable here from the older crowd to new young food explorers. The food is full of flavor and never disappoints! The Imperial Rolls are amazing and the shrimp wontons for brunch are like the best thing EVER!!! I highly recommend it! read more

Great happy hour menu. All food was very tasty. Nice drink selection. Quick and professional service. Would gladly come back. Would highly recommend. read more

I gotta be honest, we really expected better. We ordered the salmon, the crispy chicken and the lamb. All three dishes were terrible. The lamb had no flavor and or he sauce tasted burnt and was not appetizing at all. The chicken was decent, but had a very bland after taste. The best thing we ate was the salmon, but it surely wasn't the best we've ever had. I don't think we're going to be returning to monsoon. I think they're having an issue with a chef or something, just bland food. read more

Made a reservation for myself 11/6/2022 for 4:45pm. I arrived on time and there was no one at the host stand at the time so I sat myself at the bar. The young woman at the bar acknowledged me and I informed her I had made a reservation but would like to dine at the bar (there were plenty of open spaces) She then proceeded to let out a rather loud sigh and informed me that I should have let the hostess know and that I would need to get up and go and tell her myself. I was incredulous obviously and I attempted to clarify by asking if she really wanted me to get up from my seat and personally inform the host (who was now at the stand) that I had arrived and would be dining at the bar...she rolled her eyes rather ceremoniously and after a few moments of uncomfortable silence, she turned quickly and mumbled that she supposed she could do it. I feel it important to point out that the restaurant was all but a few folks, otherwise empty. I've never been made to feel badly for actually patronizing an establishment but I definitely did this time. After this incredibly rude and embarrassing treatment by the bartender, I simply left and have no intention of ever returning. This restaurant may have good food but if this type of treatment to their customers is representative of the type of establishment it is.....I would recommend you go literally anywhere else. read more

Food & drinks were great. Service, however, was not so great. Hostess at front was as dull as white paint on the wall. Server was somewhat friendly, but seemed like she just did not want to be there. We watched people who sat after us receive their food before us. In fact, I recall they came almost 30 minutes after us and left before us. I assume we experienced ageism at its finest. Good luck. read more

Waited over an hour for food at lunch time, with almost ZERO communication from our server. We watched a 6 top and a three top that came in after us get served and leave before us - two pregnant ladies and a toddler. When we did ask about the delay we were given attitude. Let's just say there was almost a prego riot. The food didn't make up for it either - we were served under cooked chicken in a bland vermicelli bowl. Next time I want good Vietnamese and not just a shmancy atmosphere, I'll stick to the dives north and south of the city. read more

Not super impressed with this place. We ended up here for weekday lunch and it wasn't busy. The waitstaff was not friendly at all- not sure why since it wasn't like they were slammed or anything. I felt like writing a note to smile more since no one even came remotely close to it. We noticed it wasn't just our table or waitress, just the whole vibe of the place. It's too bad. Food was ok, but not super impressed by it. Probably not on our list of places to go back to. read more

Had a great dinner here! The food is wonderful, you really can't go wrong with the menu -- the vegetarian crispy rolls were great, as was the halibut. Only complaint I'd have is that it was quite slow; they were totally packed and not really equipped to accommodate such a big crowd. That said, I'd definitely go back again and would definitely recommend it! read more

This place is a fusion joint with high prices. Service is good but food is not memorable.

This place gets 5 stars for brunch and 3 stars for dinner. Dinner here is not particularly special and quite expensive. There are some good dishes, and the cat fish is delicious but on the whole I feel it's overpriced for dinner and fails to deliver. Brunch on the other hand, is an entirely different story. The oxtail pho is the best pho I've ever had, the dim sum is delicious (even though they don't make it in in house) and pineapple french toast is to die for. The other items on their brunch menu range from very good to excellent. My favorite brunch place in Seattle. read more

Excellent food. Tremendous wine list. Never had a bad dish. Definitely on the pricey side so my wife and I only go once a year for dinner. Dim Sum isn't quite as pricey and is also wonderful. Very good pho. Dinner is always a great experience. Love everything on the menu. read more

I came here for lunch and ordered the banh xeo (vietnamese savory pancake) and the spring rolls. I was slightly skeptical, but they were AMAZING! Done perfectly on both dishes and the restaurant itself is very pleasant. Must try! read more

The food was great. It would be a four star in that regard. Service not so much. We were delighted to chose this restaurant to start off the "Dine Around the Seattle March" month. The three course meal ideal. Appetizers came quick. 45 minutes wait for the second course was not cool. Deserts came fast. Maybe this was because reservations were made for this and some members did not show up and were late. We waited for them for a bit, you know, to be nice to our friends. Waitress said they do not split checks, so we had to do the math ourselves and split between us. One of us did not do the three course so we had to do the math, subtract that and include the right tax and gratuity fee since it was already include was the party was above 8. Waitress eventually said ok nevermind I'll split your check because we took a while to do the math but by the time she said to split checks, we had already finished. Recommendation. Don't do large parties here. Come in smaller groups and don't make reservations. We felt they think us reserving time, they are losing time in business and extra tips. Not so cool for a first time experience. Again, food was great. *thumbs up* read more

Not sure how one can give this place a bad review. Maybe the food server wasn't the friendliest, but who cares the food was outstanding! We ordered about 3 starters and 4 mains and all were super tasty. My favorite was the drunken chicken, still thinking about it! read more

Everyone knows the drunken chicken is bomb, but let's not forget the AHI TUNA FRESH ROLLS. Trust me...

Horror does not sum up the experience we experienced tonight at Monsoon. My friends and I are currently in Seattle and wanted to enjoy the great summer weather, and heard that Monsoon has a lovely patio. These two things were true: the weather and the patio were great. The food was decent as well, but the service was so astoundingly poor we will not only never go back, but we will make an active effort to tell friends and family to never go here. When we asked for the check, we threw in our three credit cards. Standard procedure for a casual meal out with friends! A few minutes later, our server who was seemingly overwhelmed all evening, came up. She had been curt all evening and we had suffered from a dehydrating dinner since our water was never refilled, but that was the least of our problems. She asked us in an accusing manner: Whose card is missing? She held up two cards. All of us, alarmed, looked at her and said, "We all put in our card. There should be three!" She then indifferently retorted, "Yes, I know. But one of them fell through the cracks of the patio and so there's only two now." Our jaws dropped. "What are you going to do about this?" We shrieked. Two of the girls at the table were visiting from out of town and were traveling out of the country after this pit stop in Seattle, and not having a credit card wasn't just a slight inconvenience, but a traveler's nightmare. She blinked once, almost impatient, and proceeded to shrug. "Well, nothing. You aren't getting back the card." "What do you mean..." "I mean, we aren't going to be able to recover the card. It's fallen through. What I can do is comp 1/3 of the bill - her part." The server callously pointed at my friend who had turned a shade of pale only reserved for hotel sheets. When we called the manager over, she was aggressive, unapologetic and dismissive. "There's hundreds of cards! What we ARE doing is comping her third of the bill." The bill was insignificant. My friend, who was now crying, had just asked to go back to the hotel and made it known that the night out was over. What kind of restaurant treats their customers like this?! They drop a credit card through the patio slats, dismiss the issue as minor, ruin a Friday night, and then pompously offer to only comp 1/3 of the bill, which was only about $11 - a value that doesn't even cover our uber ride to the restaurant. We told the manager that we couldn't believe she wouldn't comp the entire bill given how big of an inconvenience they'd placed on us, and the manager was firm that she could only comp my friend's portion. My friend, pushed to the edge, burst into racking sobs. At this point, we just decided to pay our bill and leave. In the height of the emotion, the manager very reluctantly agreed to comp our entire bill and turned our cards away as we handed them to her. It wasn't that we couldn't pay our portion, it just made sense for the restaurant to take some responsibility. What could've been a great night out with some of my best friends ended in tears, harsh words, and a commitment to never return. The saddest part: It wasn't even the food that left the horrible taste in our mouths; it was the atrocious service. read more

I apologize, I shouldn't have blamed the waitress. I just got a confirmation from John, who I believe is the manager at Monsoon, that the kitchen is at fault for my food not coming out on a reasonable time frame. According to John, they were super backed up. But I still don't understand how my food took over an hour to come out!!!!!!!! 5 parties that came in after me got their food and was checked out while I was still sitting there waiting. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ! I completely think it's unprofessional that John thinks just because he gave us a "heavily" discount I don't have the rights to let my fellow yelpers know what a horrible experience I had!!!!! read more