Our first time here, amazing! Not your standard Mexican food, best I've had... a fantastic find!…read more Homemade Chips! Thin, crisp, and nicely seasoned. Great Salsa and quac! We split the brisket enchiladas. They were awesome! This will be a regular stop for us! Well we are back! 3 days later on our return to SeaTac. Sharing the seafood enchiladas, FABULOUS!!!

First time in there, earlier tonight: The Good: attentive…read morestaff, varied menu (which, considering it's all TexMex, is a real accomplishment), ceviche tostada, NY strip asada, Poblano Chicken flautas, bacon refried beans, flour tortillas, warmed salsa, vibe, engaged manager, paintings, Columbia City is fun The Bad: not a damn thing The Outstanding: they had to close for emergency pipe repairs the night we had a reservation; the team went above and beyond to explain what was going on and help us find our way there once things were rolling again.

TL;DR: Solid neighborhood standby - nothing flashy, just…read moredependable. It's the kind of spot you wander into when everything else is closed and end up staying longer than planned. Food: They've finally figured out who they are. The old menu was a mess, but now it's all about burgers, tacos, and nachos....and the burgers steal the show. Not gourmet, but hits the spot every time. Vibe: Unpretentious and comfortable, a true Columbia City fixture. You'll find locals, not tourists, and that's part of the appeal. It's got that familiar, slightly worn-in charm that doesn't need polishing. What could be better: Honestly, not much without killing what makes it work. It's not aiming for perfection, just consistency, and that's the point.

I've loved this place forever- if you get the couch and table near the back you're blessed. With…read morethe Columbia City Alehouse closed Lottie's is clearly trying to support the community by filling the gap their menu has burgers and stadium nachos now and a projector sharing big Seattle games. Their bartenders are experts and make many cocktails that are special to Lottie's or the current annual theme. Indoor and outdoor seating is available but again that back corner spot with the couch makes you feel like royalty . They got snacks and hotdogs and burgers - they are doing so great and deserve your best.

lets start with food Cuban Tofu Panini - didnt seem to have…read morebeen in a paining Press, was cold, wasn't good the skirt steak sandwich - cold steak.... didnt like it at all cooked veggies - surprisingly delicious Green smoothie was solid the restaurant was cute enough but the server wasn't serving. not a great attitude.

Wow, really pleasantly surprised that this fish sandwich was so freaking delicious! This is better…read morethan bar food. I heard they make great drinks, but my drink was just OK. My husband ordered the Reuben and the meat was delicious there could've been more of it not going to complain. The service was quick. It's a no-frills no nonsense sort of place. And I would definitely go back for the fish sandwich again.

This place is one of a kind and so delicious for Carribean and Jamaican cuisine! If you have not…read moretried -- you must! We were celebrating my colleagues birthday the day before and were going to see a show at the Royal Room! We got drinks and I had the caprihlana and the Carribean Star! The Carribean Star is a MUST- TRY, the flavors of that drink were amazing! Both the tostones and shrimp ceviche for appetizers was out of this world! The fried catfish was breaded and crisped perfectly and their sides, especially the collard greens are tasty, a bit tangy and phenomenal! I was able to sample my coworkers dishes (they offered of course and I did too) and the goat curry -- try this too if you like curry! Such amazing flavor and tender goat! They do not take reservations but it's peak around dinner time and weekends! We got lucky with the last big table! The menu is creative and colorful. Staff is amazing! They actually had a location in Kirkland but had to close it and this location remains and is a HIT!

This is my new favorite neighborhood spot! We showed up on…read morea Thursday night not realizing that it was karaoke night. The place was packed and the vibes were great! There were no open tables so we were seated at the bar. The other patrons were sweet and friendly and everyone was having a good time. The staff were all hella friendly and attentive and were able to move us to a table once one opened up. The food was SO good!! The catfish was bangin, perfectly breaded and spiced. All of the flavors and spices were rich and delicious and everything the was cooked just right. Can't wait to go back and try other options. Also, they have a dope happy hour for smaller snax and deals. Great spot :)

We went in because the other bar we wanted to go to was full and this seemed like a poppin vibe and…read moreour server, Katie, was super awesome and there was not a moment our drinks ran dry. She was amazing. The food was really good and we enjoyed the red card sandwich as well as some appetizers. The vibe was really good and we were there for a World Cup game so I would totally come back here for another big sporting event! L

We used to go to Rookies quite frequently, but the food here is pretty inconsistent and it's just…read morebeen getting worse and worse each time. Lately, it's been a struggle to figure out what to order from their menu. During the last visit, we tried: * Cajun chicken pasta: the blackened chicken was burnt to a crisp * Rookie burger: the burger was tiny and didn't hit the spot They also took the rigatoni bolognese off the menu, which was a favorite. This place also used to be pretty popular whether or not it is game night but it seems less crowded recently. They also seem to have a pretty high turnover in staff. It's rare to see the same staff twice, and previous friendly members we've come to know have all moved on. With all the delicious spots in Columbia City, it's hard to find a reason to return.

The best way to describe the food at this place is it's off the beaten path (alley?)…read moreThe meats here are not something you can find everywhere else. From the most prized (foie gras) to the more normal (frog legs) to the odd (beef liver). And there was what I had - the rabbit kidneys on toast. I love the inventiveness of this place. It's so easy to just serve the same cuts of meats everyone else does - the prized, fatty parts of each animal and call it a day. But when there's a place that decides to dive deep (literally) into an animal and produce its organs and put that on a plate for you, it's just very cool. When you see a rabbit kidneys on toast dish on the menu - you can't not order it. The dish was pretty much exactly what you would expect - a bunch of rabbit kidneys on a slice of toast, over a cream sherry sauce. I had no idea what to expect in terms of kidneys, but these actually tasted quite normal. The best way to describe them is they had the texture and shape of larger beans, but had a bit of a meaty taste to them. Nothing over the top in terms of flavor or anything - just solid. They seemed to have been grilled. There were also a good amount on the piece of toast. The piece of sourdough bread it came on was quite good. The edges were crispy, and certain parts were perfectly lightly charred without being too burnt. The best part was the inside - which was super soft. What really tied this all together though, was the cream sherry sauce. This was outstanding. Certain parts were above the bread but a lot of it was below, and just tasting it I was blown away by its richness. It was on the sweeter side, but complemented everything so well. The way it soaks the inside of the bread is perfection - eating that was my favorite part. For dessert I got the foie gras ice cream. This was also really damn good. When two very fatty things come together, you'd expect there to be a full blast of flavor, but this was actually milder than I expected. It's still slightly salty, and very rich, but the added wine helps make it a more normal dish. I could still absolutely have a full scoop of this though. The one thing to know here is the portions are VERY small. The rabbit kidneys on toast dish is literally a single slice of bread with about 10 or so kidneys on top. The foie gras ice cream is truly miniscule - it's the smallest ice cream you've ever seen. The server did recommend 2-3 small plates per person, but I didn't particularly feel like paying a ton this night. If you were to come with someone (don't recommend groups here - the seating is very small), I'd say you could share a bunch of plates and feel pretty happy though. I wanted to give a shoutout that this place has the price inclusive of tipping. It's just so rare to see that, and absolutely wonderful when it occurs. I ended up paying around 38 for my two dishes. Overall, while not quite truly special, this place serves inventive, delicious mini-dishes that are certainly worth a try. 9/10

Everything here is delicious. These reviews saying otherwise, well. With all reviews, consider the…read morereviewer. If you're someone who cooks, and has said recently that everywhere you eat it costs a ton and is just okay -- like, you can make better at home? Come here. Because with few exceptions, I don't think you can. I've been here three times now and two out of three times everything was perfect. Absolutely. Perfect. I've recommended it to others and heard similar back from them. I think it's one of the more exciting restaurants in Seattle, and while the observation about cramped quarters is spot-on, I would imagine they'll likely evolve beyond that venue at some point, and that will be a pity, because having them close by in Columbia City makes me very happy. So book the patio if you want shoulder or elbow room, and enjoy a meal al fresco. And yes, it's a more expensive place, portions are small. It's a fine dining approach, and I think that's fairly clear up front. If you want a big pile of slop somewhere, there are a ton of options to fill up more cheaply. But if you want demi-glace and pan sauces that are perfect -- PERFECT! And meats you might normally not find compelling, like rabbit livers and kidney and, well, offal -- suddenly made succulent and delectable, try this. The only thing I felt was sort of not worth the bucks was the rabbit skull. Just not much in it and getting to it was a semi-feral process. Everything else, including the delicious salads, has be exquisite. Love this place.

In the City of Mercer Island there are bars and then there are places to chat, and have beverage…read more One of these places is Asa! Owned by actor, celebrity and entrepreneur, Hill Harper, Asa is named after the historic Asa Mercer, from the family of Seattle's original founders from the 1800's. Today, Asa is, almost literally, at the center of everything in Mercer Island. Generous amount of street parking. Quick access to I-90, great beverages, and a wonderful and personable staff. This place is not a bar, but a modern neighborhood lounge. It is complete with fire pit, wood panels, and a unique character in both its outdoor seating, and indoor tabled lounge, that it would be difficult to duplicate in any city. Craft beer? It's there. Diet Coke from a can with lime? They got you. Signature cocktail? They have it. Uniquely designed menu inspired from vinyl records?? Asa has that too. The only thing is food. Asa is not restaurant. But it does have a very tasty handmade charcuterie platter that definitely hits the spot. Bring friends, or come to contemplate your thoughts at the bar with a staff that actually cares about your well being. You're probably already a regular after reading this review, and not even know it!! Which means... you have to stop by. Enjoy the drinks and the atmosphere, at Asa!!!!! See you there!!

Asa Gathering is a true cocktail bar with a lounge vibe. Intimate and comfortable, Asa offers…read moreclassic cocktails as well as many of their own concoctions. Very chill, very relaxed. I haven't been there for lunch or experienced their morning routines to comment on that. I visit in the evenings when it isn't overly busy - a challenging feat - and sat at both the bar and in the lounge area. The service has been excellent, but patience is a critical skill here as the two times I've been here there is one person attending to everyone. I have not visited during the summer with their patio open, but something tells me the addition of another with the patio keeps the server to customer ratio the same. Not that one should be in a rush at a cocktail bar! This isn't some place you dash into and dash out of. This is where you go to kick back, relax, and sip.

We hosted our after-wedding party at 1988, and it was the perfect way to end an amazing day. From…read morethe moment we started planning, the team was accommodating, easy to work with, and helped make the process stress-free. The space itself was fun, vibrant, and had such a great atmosphere for celebrating with friends. Our guests had an amazing time, and it was exactly the kind of night we were hoping for after our wedding reception. The drinks were great, the service was attentive, and everything ran smoothly throughout the night. Looking back, we're so happy we chose 1988 for such a special occasion. It created so many fun memories for us and our guests. Highly recommend for anyone looking to host a private event or celebration!

What a gem. Drinks were balanced and so, so interesting. I want to go back to try the rest of the…read moremenu! Loved the cucumber salad, their gangalal drink, and the Pandan drink too!!! 11/10. Props to the owner! I hope he'll consider clear ice cubes for the rocks drinks bc his drinks are next level!! N