We went here for a date night on the recommendation of an acquaintance who is a regular and we were amazed! This place is a hidden gem in Green Lake and I can't recommend it enough. Service is on point. Atmosphere is relaxed and peaceful. Food is fantastic! We got the tasting menu and truly enjoyed everything. read more

Went here for seattle restaurant week. Overall an average experience. Pros: The octopus with carrot jus appetizer was pretty good. Roasted and meaty octopus pieces with unique combinations of flavors. The cod was crisp and moist with a vinaigrette sauce, which was interesting. Cons: The portions are incredibly small, so you might leave completely unsatisfied. If you order the pineapple/mango sorbet, I was surprised they skimped on the fruit quality. The pineapple was straight up from a can (dark and preserved), not fresh, which isn't too much to ask for considering what type of restaurant this is. Lastly, the server was not friendly and he did not make me feel welcome. Unsure if I will come again. read more

Nell's Restaurant - Received the ice cream partly melted. Flavor was ok, couldn't really taste the vanilla. - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We picked Nell's for dinner and as the manager said, "It is the best restaurant you've never been to." It is an absolute gem. The staff was professional and very kind after we arrived, frazzled, an hour late when a caregiver did not show up at her appointed time. We had the Bastille Day tasting menu which was superb. There is a distinct Mediterranean bent to the food, which started with grilled herring on tomatoes with capers; progressed to a delightful morel risotto which was NOT a smooth, blended affair but a more "in your face" risotto packed with flavors that took turns asserting themselves. The main course on the tasting menu was wild boar, which my fiance said was perfect, but I don't eat meat so the restaurant graciously substituted the halibut, also in a Mediterranean preparation. The fish was PERFECTLY cooked with a nice sear on one side. We finished with a cheese plate (fabulous presentation, with candied pecans and booze-soaked raisins) and ended with a great dessert of flourless chocolate cake with caramel ice cream. It was everything you want in a flourless chocolate cake and nothing you don't-- gooey, not too sweet, perfect portion size. All of our servers knew we had concert tickets and when I asked if we could do the tasting menu and get out by a certain time, they said "yes" and the food came out at perfectly spaced intervals -- we would finish one course (nothing left on either of our plates!), there would be a brief pause, and the next course would appear. Nell's is elegant without being fussy, in a great location with a view of Greenlake and a choice of indoor or outdoor seating and my favorite part-- it is QUIET without being somber. My fiance and I could converse without raising our voices. To all of you who recommended Nell's, thank you! read more

I like Nell's and it's close to my home. Decent quality food, and great parking lot so no circling the block for parking usually. The night I went last week, parking lot was full so I had to drive around to find parking. The good was decent, but the 1/2 dozen oysters on the 1/2 shelf was disappointing. I must say that the oysters here are consistently small the last few times I ordered - like there's barely any flesh to eat, though they tasted fresh. I'm writing mostly to let folks know about the smallish oysters here. read more

My wife and I had a wonderful takeout dinner from Nells on Monday evening. It was ready at exactly the time we asked for and they delivered to our car. I admit I was a bit skeptical getting takeout from a fine dining restaurant--I wasn't sure the meal would travel well for the 20 minute trip home. It did and was delicious. We had an onion tart, field greens salad, black cod, duck confit, chocolate tart and rhubarb crisp with ginger ice cream. Popped the hot items in a warm oven, had an appetizer we prepared and then went through the courses as usual. The dinners stayed just fine and were just like what you would expect when served at the restaurant. Highly recommended. read more

This was my first time here. We weren't planning on visiting, but noticed it while walking to another spot in Greenlake. We thought the menu looked good, so we'd give it a try. Damn, I'm sure glad we did! The food was fantastic. The service was just as terrific, too. Skye was kind enough to give us a little history about the restaurant, ownership, chefs, etc. What a great find. Only regret is that I didn't try one of the homemade desserts. I might go just for the chocolate cake with brandy ice cream. Sounds amazing. read more

these people know how to take care of you, and treat you with respect! Peter is an amazing chef. Everything on the menu is creative, and amazing!! they were so gracious when we showed up without a reservation for our 23rd anniversary treated us like royalty. This restaurant is worth your time and your memories!! All of our future celebrations will be celebrated here you can't go wrong with this restaurant!!!! these people care! And their food is unimaginably good!!! read more

Review based off Restaurant Week: I came here with some friends and had a nice and delicious meal. Originally we had made a reservation for a later time, but after a few friends had canceled, we ended up showing up early and they took us in and to our table. They offered a three course meal for about $30 and it was nice. Our server took all of our orders at once and it was awesome because once we were done with our appetizer we had our main course and then we had our dessert waiting for us. We had different people helping us to it was hard to tell who was our actual server. Once was our host who sat us, and then we had two different people. Once who brought out our food and took our order and then another guy who came and pour wine to our table. Kind of confusing who I should have tipped. Dinner was over all great and delicious. Nothing really stood out and left an impression on me. Awesome location and nice staff. read more

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Ignore the fact this restaurant looks like its attached to the Senior Living Facility. Ignore the rather out dated decor. Ignore what other's might have told you about Nell's and come for a visit of fantastic culinary delights. I have been to Nell's a few times now, each time failed to disappoint. Rather upscale type cuisine without the upscale price tag. Inventive and uncommon combinations of ingredients that marry very well in execution. You can tell by the flavors, sauces, techniques and preparations that the head chef has professional training. Rarely does it occur that everyone at the table (5+ people) raves about their meal. Highlights include....everything! All the ingredients are locally sourced and the menu changes daily. One might expect to find a preparation including duck breast, seared ahi tuna, lamb, scallops, pork tenderloin, hangar steak, even vegetarian entree options. It is a wonderful dining experience where you want to feel upscale without paying the price. read more

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Nell's restaurant was an amazing experience! We started the night with three appetizers: Veal Sweetbreads, Sweet Onion tart, and the calamari. They were all keepers, especially the calamari, which albeit being fried, still had a soft consistency. For the main course, all of us had a seafood entree. I ordered the sea scallops and they were melt in your mouth delicious! The scallops had a delicate texture and were packed with some great flavors. I really tried to slow down to try and savor every bite! I ended the night with a Creme Brulee, which was pretty standard. Cleaned the plate! Strangely, the atmosphere felt very much like we were at an Olive Garden. I didn't mind it, although I found it inconsistent with the kind of food they were offering. The crowd is a little older. Great view of Greenlake for those nice summer days/nights. Overall, a great dining experience. read more

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Third year in a row for dinner here with pretty much the same crew. It's their 10th anniversary so we had a couple of their $10 specials. Calamari, scallops and crab cakes were shared all around. As per my usual MO, I stuck with the hanger steak, which was really good and when combined with my small plate, stuffed me. We had one person show up late to the meal, so that threw the staff and kitchen off a bit. Her black cod came out a bit late, which was to be expected and wasn't that good. All in all, not as good as past years, but still a favorite. It could be the economy, but the restaurant was not even half full. Times are tough and they may need to downscale a bit, even being in the Green Lake area. read more

Came here for restaurant week on 11/5/2019. To start, I wanted to like this place, I heard about the chef, Philip Mihalski, who Nell's reports on their website as being classical trained in French cooking n some of ,the most celebrated kitchens in New York and France. He cooks with "a passion for freshness and simplicity. " Sounds great, right? But sadly, the food was really not good at all. The simplicity aspect was one thing that lived up to the hype in the dishes. First course was a salad with calamari. A few slivers of calamari on a bed of curly endive. The endive was woody and difficult to chew. A unremarkable salad that I did not enjoy enough to finish. Second course, Beef Bourguignon. One of my favorites. However, Nell's version was lacking in any form of sauce. Cubed meat with onions and carrots were placed on top of noodles. Adequate for a cafeteria version of this dish. But there was no mushrooms, burgundy wine sauce or even beef broth sauce and tomato paste to make a sauce for the dish. Plus, these ingredients are to be simmered together, to combine the flavors and then served. This entree really was a terrible example of this dish, especially from a restaurant who totes their chef's knowledge of French cooking. Dessert was gingerbread with ice cream. The ice cream was my favorite part of the meal. Service was fine. A slight argument between customer and server at the next table, when the customer wanted to sit at a different table than the one being offered. Restaurant is nice inside. I have the feeling that the food here can be good, perhaps for the Restaurant Week menu, they cut costs. But this is sad, because I do not want to try again. Had the food been good, I would have made it a point to return. read more

Made a reservation. Got there just before the resevation and had to wait until 20 minutes after the reservation to get seated. 4 groups that came in after us got seated, 3 of which had the same party size (2). One group in particular I overheard had a reservation 15 minutes after ours and got seated right away. Besides that, the service was mediocre. Nothing to complain about but waiter was slow to bring out plates and dropoff/pickup check. Food was also subpar. Got a 3 course dinner. The first two plates barely tasted like anything. Fried calamari usually is pretty easy to make taste good but this dish was bland. Same with the entree. The desert was good. I don't usually leave reviews but the experience was bad enough to inspire me. I usually try to tip 20-25% and had to be convinced by my fiance to leave 10% because I didn't want to tip at all. Felt like a bum not tipping 15% but the experience sucked. read more

Fantastic staff. Grilled octopus was delish, sous vide prepared. Goat cheese ice cream was well balanced. read more

After getting lost trying to find our way to Green Lake, I was pretty hungry when we stumbled upon Nell's. Our group of 8 were deciding between Nell's or the Taco place next door. Hearing it was Italian, we picked it only to be disappointed by a very small patio menu (should have noticed the menu right smack in the front!). Neways, had only one server working and patio filled up fast. Service was sllloooowwww.... she took well over 15 minutes to drop out waters and grab our order. I tried: Sliders - tasted pretty much like mini pull pork sandwiches. Smothered in BBQ sauce. Not bad Grilled cheese sandwich - it says there is bacon on the sandwich but we only found a teeeeny little piece. I didn't taste it at all. But pretty good sandwich Ribs - very very good. tender and not overly saucy. We polished these off fast. Steak sandwich - mediocre... hard to eat and the beef itself was bland. Pretty decent selection,Ok prices although none of them include sides... There is a menu for sides. Service was pretty bad, especially when there was only 5 patio tables occupied. The server was overwhelmed and everything took forever... read more

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This was the best meal I ever had. Every course was outstanding, including the octopus salad hangar steak and chocolate brownie. The service was first class. Superb evening. read more

Nell's Restaurant - Gorgeous, delicious meal. - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

What a cute neighborhood restaurant! I don't know if it gets busy on the weekends but it was practically empty on a Wednesday evening, which frankly I actually enjoyed. It has a very clean and refined ambiance and there is a view into the kitchen. Service was great. They made sure to keep waters filled and bring refills on drinks. They also brought out two different kinds of breads and the seeded one was delicious! To start we all had different salads. I had the beet salad which was light and refreshing. There were plenty of plump beets scattered around the plate and a nice vinaigrette to top it off. For my entree I had the king salmon with red peppers and cucumbers and creme fraiche. The dish was a bit bland overall and the fish not as cooked as I would like. The kobe steak looked fantastic as did the ahi. For dessert I had the chocolate pecan pie which was rich and delightful. By far my favorite dessert, however, was the parfait with chocolate cake. Make sure to save room for this because it is big and absolutely amazing. Each bite has a bit of everything in it and there are huge chunks of chocolate cake throughout perfectly complemented by caramel sauce. YUM, I'm drooling as I talk about it. read more

Nell's is a French restaurant located in Green Lake. One can see the lake from the view inside the restaurant, which is a pleasant distraction on spring days and if your dinner mate is sharing TMI. Ambience: Nell's is white cloth, but like many Seattle restaurants, it's casual dress. I felt overdressed in my sweater dress. Food: Lamb shoulder blade: Lamb was roasted to perfection: juicy meat that fell off the blade and melted in your mouth. If you've ever been to The Purple Pig in Chicago, be prepared to cancel that reservation and stay in Seattle for this lamb shoulder blade. Asparagus salad: light and airy. It takes skill to julienne asparagus the way these folks did. Julia Child would be proud. Duck confit and pappardelle pasta: house-made pasta that you know was house-made. Blew the pasta at Eataly Chicago out of the water. Duck was tender and even juicy. Excellent job not masking the flavor of the meat. Marlin: Over-cooked and tough to cut into, but the accoutrements of asparagus and mashed potatoes (almost the consistency of high quality hummus) were the stars of this dish. Brownie with raspberry sauce and creme fraiche: over-baked brownie that was almost impossible to cut into. Raspberry sauce was sweet and slightly tangy. Strawberry rhubarb with ginger ice cream: Creamy ice cream that complemented the rhubarb well. Ginger and rhubarb are like two sisters separated at birth. Thanks for re-uniting them, Nell's. Superfantabulous service. I wish more people my age ate here. There's more to Seattle than the bars in Belltown and Capitol Hill. Maybe they'll catch up when they're 50. read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed my meal here. They have a tasting menu and was happy they serve a couple items as a small dish you can order separately... So we tried the calamari, black cod, and onion tart for Appetizers. All had beautiful presentation, portion and flavors were wonderful. The black cod especially melted in our mouth, was coupled with fresh veggies and was very light and elegant. Entree wise, the hanger steak was tender, juicy, flavorful and so so good. Yum. Sould definitely recommend getting that! My duck confit was braised and cooked well.. Tasted more like chicken than duck tho and probably was my least favorite of the dishes, tho still very good. Overall I was impressed at the timeliness of the dishes, presentation and attentiveness of our server, who quickly caught that my plate was missing an item as soon as he served it and promptly asked the kitchen to rectify it before I even noticed. Seating was wide, open, and lots of natural light too... Made for easy conversation and yes, finally, desserts were awesome too! Great portion size, flavors and textures. Well done! Will be back. read more

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Nell's is my go-to neighborhood spot and it never disappoints! The menu is always fresh and inventive. The food is consistently delicious, but the lamb loin on menu at the moment is particularly great. The servers are always friendly and the vibe is unpretentious and cozy. Love this place! read more

This has been one of my favorite restaurants for years. The food and service have been very good. However, my recent experience there was the worst ever. A new waitress has been hired who Is immature, rude, inappropriate, and unprofessional. I won't go into details. Granted, it was restaurant week and she was stressed out. Nevertheless, with her temperament, she might be better matched working somewhere else. read more

If it wasn't for restaurant week, I probably would never have tried this place. I'm so glad I did, though. We had a 3 course meal- all of us had the octopus, followed by the steak and the rhubarb crisp. Everything was phenomenal! The octopus was well flavored and moist- not chewy or over cooked. The steak did look like it was sitting out for a while, but it was also delicious. For dessert, the ginger ice cream was unique but complemented the rhubarb crisp. I would definitely return- the calf's liver, ahi and duck crisp are on my list of things to try! read more

Nell's skews towards the 60 and over crowd, so it's not very lively; dinner starts earlier and the place is near empty by nine on most nights. Not a ton of charm; curved walls and design reminiscent of the 80's. The food is really good - French with an American touch - although the Kobe Hangar Steak was extremely salty on the last visit; like I felt dehydrated the next morning salty. Excellent wine list if you're down for a splurge. Everything is good, even the butter. The food and the service are great. I love some quiet, elegant fine dining here and there, but the atmosphere is just a bit too stiff, bland and subdued for our tastes. read more

Came here for a bday dinner. I thought this place was a gem! It's QUIET! Calm. And very happy pleasant for a neighborhood spot. Had the halibut and it was phenomenal. My brother had the hangar steak that was super tender and moist. I really enjoyed this place for being such a small location next to Greenlake! read more

Nell's is my favorite restaurant in Seattle. It may not have the swankiest decor, but Nell's makes up for it in their food and service. The tasting menu is the way to go. ALWAYS go for a dessert or two. I will say I've been here many times and my least favorite was during Seattle Restaurant Week (food was still yum, but service wasn't as impeccable). Love Nell's!! read more

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Food was delicious. We were in for Restaurant Week (spring 2017). The grilled octopus with the carrot-ginger purée and fennel was very tasty to start, then I had the leg of lamb for the entree, which was even better because it was off the bone. Last I had the strawberry rhubarb crisp with ginger ice cream, which was a nice finish. Though I tasted the brownie and coffee ice cream which was nice too. I got the wine pairing which seemed to be a good deal, as the pours were more than I expected. Our service was a little slow and a bit lacking. It was restaurant week, so I imagine it was a bit busier than normal for a Monday night. We waited for a bit before our server came over and he didn't really check on us throughout the dinner. 3/4 of us got the wine pairing. We saw another table get an description of their wine and they just brought us our glasses with not a word. So overall it was ok, but our server just didn't seem that interested. Happy with the food though. read more

A fave for sure with great staff and an awesome menu that is updated daily! Monday nights are best as they aren't too busy! read more

Nell's Restaurant - Yummy salad at Nells! - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is the worst restaurant with the most unsafe food I've ever been! When I ordered the 4 course, there is a long, red, ALIVE parasite inside the fish! Then manager keeps getting excuses and passing the buck: He says they are not able to take care of the worm inside and not caring about our health problem. read more

If I were commissioned to dole out advice about living life grandly, I might start by saying that it's good to have a party trick. Like if you can moonwalk or know sleight of hand or can sing an Abbey Road track backwards to reveal hidden messages--let that light shine! Or if you have a glass eye or something, why not dislodge it during a conversation lull and pop it in your mouth to the room's soaring delight? Do you know who has a fine party trick? Chef Philip Mihalski of Nell's. He transforms a jerusalem artichoke and some onions and a little phyllo dough and a hazelnut--POW!--into a Tastebud Event. He maneuvers calamari and aioli and parsley--BAM! Revelation. Bosc pears, cardamom, currants, rosemary, ice cream: KLUD! Divinity. Or to put it plainly, he "can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh, soak it in the sun and make a stra'bry lemon pie." Yes, he "can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream, separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream...'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good." The expert servers at Nell's have party tricks, too. Example: a bullseye wine recommendation (full bodied, complex, balanced) at a humble price: C.G. di Arie. BANG! Renewal. If you seek a simple spot with superb service, relaxed atmosphere and thoughtfully delightful cuisine, then Nell's is for you. Ciao, off to rehearse my party trick--reciting all the prepositions in alphabetical order: "Aboardaboutabove, acrossafteragainst, alongamidamongaround, atbeforebehindbelow, beneathbesidebetweenbeyond, bydownduring--" Wait--where are you guys going? read more

I keep getting harassing and profane notes from a guy named Andrew C. about this review. Andrew C. also sent flaming messages to other reviewers who gave 3 stars or less. Given that a guy named Andrew is referenced in other reviews as a waiter at Nell's, it's not hard to imagine that's who submitted raging comments in my "compliments" area (which I did approve; have a look. They're on my profile, 9/15/10). I stand by my review as a candid and honest assessment of this place. It's fine, but overpriced. I think many other reviews, as you read through, bear this out. Reviews are nothing more than opinions. I don't purport that mine are the most educated opinions to be found on earth, but they surely aren't the least. The point of Yelp is that it offers a spectrum of opinions. Seize on one, or average them out, ignore them all--it's up to you. But as for the unhinged Andrew C., you should know that not only is harassment on Yelp prohibited, but it does nothing to alter my opinion OR my review, and it reflects very poorly on the restaurant. I doubt the owner would appreciate the service you are doing in writing things (to me and to others!) like "You should stay with Dicks, keep shovein (sic) in your mouth!" on public Yelp forums in retaliation for a poor review (in a "compliment" entitled "For your review of Nell's"). It speaks much more poorly about you (and, unfortunately, any place that continues to employ you) than my review ever did. Andrew C., three stars is a perfectly adequate rating. Take a B vitamin and move on. read more

This restaurant was very delicious! My hubby and I stumbled upon this little gem during Seattle Restaurant Week and we are so glad we tried it! For our starters we had the asparagus salad with bacon bits, pear, and goat? cheese (which was amazing) and the fettucine with clams and cherry tomatoes (a bit on the salty side but still okay). For our entrees we had the Swordfish with Buttered Parsnips, Rapini, Meyer Lemons and Ginger Confit (surprisingly soooo moist!) and the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Celery Root Puree, Asparagus and Pear, Fennel Seed Chutney (delicious!). For dessert we had the Granny Smith Apple Tarte Tatin with Rum Raisin Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce (hubby liked it...I'm not a big fan of cooked apples...) and the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Whipped Cream and Raspberries (YUM!). Apparently they change print their menus nightly and they tweak it a little. Service was EXCELLENT I might add. I would definitely come here again! read more

Quick side note: This review earned me an angry message from "Andrew C." who may or may not be associated with Nell's. Huzzah! Let's just say it was an "older crowd." It was like being in an upscale cafeteria around 3pm on Sunday for the blue plate special after the church service was over. The food ended up being pretty decent, but nothing super spectacular. Like Lori M. said, things were under seasoned and just not poppin'. Also, as Lori M. pointed out our waitress was VERY unfriendly--honestly perhaps the most unfriendly service I've ever had. I'm writing this a little while after having gone there and I can't even remember what I got it as it was pretty unremarkable (I think it was fish). read more

Nell's is the most surprising dining experience in Seattle that I know of. Set in what looks like an old Izzy's Pizza or some early 90s restaurant, the decor will throw you. ...But that's kinda the best part, because then you are seated, served excellent cocktails and get to choose from a thorough menu of dishes on either their tasting menu or a la carte menu. We almost always go with the tasting menu and are never disappointed. The wine list is also impressive, and we love their young-yet-very-knowledgeable sommelier. I've hesitated about writing this review because I love the ease of securing a table on a whim, the ability to carry on intimate conversation without having to shout, and the quaint consistency... BUT I want Nell's to stick around. So, if you're looking for a quiet and spot to indulge in a great dinner with your special someone, give Nell's a try, and enjoy the quirky 90s feel. read more

I have loved Nell's from every special wine dinner. They have been less accommodating for restaurant werk.

I haven't seen my favorite "lab" partner from culinary school. We settled on Nell's after almost every single person I know who found out I lived near Greenlake suggested that I go there (Well, they were more fascinated by the fact that I had never seen it, despite my weekly walks around the lake. Then they suggested that I go there.). I loved it. It was very empty when we got there (middle of the week, early dinner). I was bummed that they didn't have lemonade for an Arnold Palmer - but the waiter made up for it by squeezing lemons and providing me with a little mini-pitcher of simple syrup. Plus, the E and I haven't seen each other in so long, we sent the poor waiter back and forth five times before we finally decided to order dinner. The food was fantabulous. It was great. My fish was perfect - tender inside and crisp on the outside. The sauce was light and refreshing. For dessert I got the smore. Yum. Yum. Yum. How come I never learned anything this awesome in culinary school? The view was great, but the music next door from the Mex restaurant was loud and annoying. As the waiter put it, the more they complain, the louder the music seems to get. I think it's weird that they would have put a "nice" restaurant next door to happy hour Mex. I will definitely come back. Pricey, but the service and the food were absolutely worth it to me. Now if the neighbors would move, I'd be happier. read more

Best service I have ever had. The atmosphere was a bit lacking, but was very clean and simple. I feel terrible because I can not remember for the life of me what our servers name was but he was amazing. Help guide us through the meal and was able to offer excellent solutions based off of vague descriptions. Didn't rush us, helpful but not too chatty. He really made each course an experience with suggestions of wine pairings. It was delicious and I was very pleased with our evening. read more

My husband and I love coming to Nell's. Phillip (the owner) and his staff always take exceptional care of us. As a result of this we had them cater our wedding. To this day, our guests rave about how amazing our wedding food was. We know our meals at Nell's will be predictably amazing, so we choose to come here for many special occasions. We have never been disappointed. We especially enjoy the cozy corner booths where we can sit and sip wine and enjoy multiple courses as the hours pass by. We have celebrated many special evenings at Nell's and will continue to do so. read more

My girlfriend and I went here for Seattle restaurant week so this review is quite delayed. We had an excellent dining experience and enjoyed the wonderful food options. They definitely did not skimp on portions even during SRW. The ambiance/decor kinda caught me off guard but wasn't bad read more

Came here for restaurant week. We walked in and we were surprised at how much older the crowd was. Def mostly people in their 40's - 70's. The inside of the restaurant reminded me of a revamped old school diner place - something about the layout and architecture. People were also a lot quieter (more sophisticated and proper?) than us. We were just three people, but I think our laughter from our conversation was really loud in the restaurant (sorry everyone who was there... we just uh, laugh loudly...). So I guess if you're on the louder end and younger end, this may not be your "scene." The food was fine. I had the spinach soup which was very under salted. Of course they didn't put salt on the table. My pork with cumin was quite yummy. The rhubarb crisp was just ok. My companion complained that it wasn't warmed :( Things would have been better too if our waitress wasn't so fricking unfriendly. I have no idea what her name was, but every other server in the place was super nice to us. Our waitress looked like she resented serving us and having to be there. Sorry if you were having a bad day missy... but please don't take it out on your customers! read more

Last week our restaurant group went and checked out a popular Green Lake Restaurant named "Nell's". Mel has been wanting to try it for a while now, and her interest in the restaurant had peaked mine. So I was excited when one member of our group had picked out Nell's for February's spot. The cool thing about Nell's is the menu is printed everyday. That just screams creativity and fresh dishes. I decided to go with the "Chef's Tasting Menu", which means you get a 4 - 5 course meal for $45. I was thinking about piecing together my own meal from the menu, but I think I wanted everything that was on the taste list anyways. We did deviate a little and start with a round of calamari, and a few oysters. Oh oysters how I love thee! The Chef's tasting menu this night had us starting with some monkfish (very tasty and a decent portion, it was slightly buttery and cooked just right), then some wild mushroom risotto (I am a sucker for anything wild mushroom, and this did not dissapoint), then finishing with a nice piece of wild boar (very tender and flavorful, I highly recommend). Dessert was a chocolate cheesecake of sorts with some ice cream (there are fancier terms I am sure and I could be wrong, but look at that! It was soo good...). Nell's (2) The evening was very present and we had some great conversations. The staff was super friendly and our waiter surely earned his tip that night. He was very engaging and knowledgeable, again on of the great aspects of living in Seattle, awesome wait staff! It was a bit pricey, but I tell you this is a great date night spot that would leave any foodie impressed! read more