The food is tasty , a bit below my expectation . Still good. The flavor for most dishes are there although I wish they cooked the lamb longer read more

Rupee Bar was amazing. They serve a fusion of Indian subcontinent food that is well spiced and appeals to both Indian and American taste buds. They technically claim to be Sri Lankan, but most food seemed Indian. Kerala is not in Sri Lanka lol. Dhal Curry and the Kerala Fried Chicken were amazing starters. Fish Curry was what we had for mains and we also got some naan. Overall everything tasted so good, my only complaint would be that portion sizes were pretty small and prices are quite high. Not the perfect combo. read more

My wife and I try new restaurants very often. Rupee Bar makes a strong case for our favorite spot. Amazing food, great cocktails, excellent service. A bit of a snug fit, but makes for better vibes for 2 people. And the vibes are immaculate. This place is the whole package. read more

I wanted to like this place, but nothing lived up to the menu. The service was inattentive. The server took ages to take our order and then brought the wrong item. The food was the biggest disappointment. I didn't necessarily expect authentic, but nothing made sense and the execution was nowhere near the lofty menu. The naan was burnt! Also, fyi - no one anywhere in South Asia eats naan dipped into sambol or chutney. I'm not sure how this place envisaged any of these dishes being eaten together. Sambol is dry and usually eaten with rice which was missing from the menu. I liked the lamb though! read more

It was really delicious! Small portions though. I'd say close to $100 per person if you wanted to be full.

My partner and I went here on a Wednesday night around 6pm. We didn't have a reservation as they don't take reservations the same day but they have availability to seat us right away when we arrived. They have about 6 tables inside plus bar seating and probably about 5-6 outdoors as well. They require proof of vaccination to sit inside. When we sat down they were quick to serve so definitely get your drink order ready first. All of our drinks were great and made super quickly so you can't go wrong there. We asked the server how many dishes to order for 2 people and he recommended 4-5. To start we got the naan and curry. Both were delicious however there's more curry than needed for order of naan so we ended up getting 2. For $4 an order, it was a little expensive for the size. We then got the melon paneer dish and the zucchini dish. They come out fairly quickly so we we're glad we ordered the naan and curry for first. The melon part of the melon dish tasted great, the paneer had no flavor even with the chili oil. I found the zucchini dish to be completely flavorless except for some citrus from the sauce on the bottom. Next we had the fried chicken which was delicious! So juicy and tender and spices were great. As well as an aioli that was a perfect pairing. Lastly we got the dessert which was small but also good and tasty, just nothing super amazing. As someone with no Sri Lankan cuisine background I thought this place was good, just maybe slightly overpriced for what you get. I thought it was a great for a different flavor profile than what you generally get at other places in Seattle. Cute ambiance with great service. read more

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Customer service could be better. Was made to sit outside in the cold when the tables and the bar was near empty. Was told only the owners friends sit in the bar. Shocker. Drinks were good. Food was decent. Dessert is pathetic. read more

Amazing food, amazing drinks. Excellent service also. I'll definitely go back. So, I'm sum, it was excellent.

Wanted to visit rupee so I could partake in my favourite hobby....eating until I can't move We come in, aesthetic is absolutely fantastic. Sat immediately. Menu was so delicious we decided to have one of everything (highly recommend this choice). Our bartender was beyond amazing, I would give him 10 starts if I could. I'm so sorry I can't remember your name too many cocktails -____- Told him dealers choice on the drinks, he comes back with a mezcal cocktail. Otherworldly. This man deserves a raise for mind reading. Food....how the hell did chef liz get the naan so damn CRISPY. Perfection. There is so much complexity, richness and layers to all these dishes. The grilled peach with the halibut? What? Saucy. I love it here. 10/10 straight up having a good time. Will come back 4 more fried chicken. read more

Rupee Bar is the restaurant I've been most excited to eat in 2020! And it definitely didn't disappoint. We headed over on a Wednesday night after work to beat the crowds and got a bar seat within minutes, but I can totally see why the wait is 2-3 hours long on weekends because the place is relatively small (max 30 people). Definitely wouldn't come here with more than 4 people since there aren't tables to accommodate large parties. What we ordered: naan, bhel puri, Kerala fried chicken, deviled prawns and black cod. The naan was hands down one of the best I've had, and tasted insane dipped in the tomato chutney. We also got the coconut chutney but I would skip that in favor of the sambal, as the flavor was a little meh (reminded us weirdly of pimento cheese?). Make sure you save some naan to sop up the sauce that comes with the black cod-because that stuff is pretty epic. The most interesting dish for me was the deviled prawns which included the crunchy prawn shells, so much texture and umami in every bite. The fried chicken is definitely what I want to eat after a heavy night of drinking, and I've been dreaming about a late night visit to Rupee Bar to do just that. The cocktails were excellent as well, and a standout was the mezcal cocktail with mango. Can't remember the name but we tried a couple and they were all super delicious, carrying over the Sri Lankan/Indian inspiration in many of the cocktail ingredients. Only qualm about this place is that portion sizes are pretty small for the price point, and it would be great if some of the sides came with the naan vs. being $3 each. To get the full experience (4-5 dishes, a drink a person) I'd recommend budgeting about $50 pp. read more

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Lovely little (literally tiny) Indian-ish bar in Ballard. There are very few tables but they are quite accommodating and will let you hang out at Olaf's next door while you wait. The place has a cool vibe and uniquely decorated darker interior. We sampled a couple cocktails that were quite delicious, a cinnamony one and another that was aptly described by my friend as limeade for adults. The food we tried was almost uniformly tasty and aesthetically pleasing (the Thali salad is very colorful) with particular highlights for me being the pumpkin and dhal curries. The naan wasn't particularly memorable, but was fresh and did the job. Our server was also nice and attentive throughout our meal. Not sure I'd come back just for the food, but as a whole experience the place is great and an accessible entry point for those who aren't that familiar with Indian or Sri Lankan cuisines. read more

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I went here with my friend around 5p on weekdays, we were seated right away. Great ambiance of modern/fusion Indian food. Stellar customer service. Food is delicious and finger licking good! The cocktails are decent. For the price and location, I recommend this place! read more

This cozy cute spot in Ballard is perfect for an evening date or you're just meeting friends. The service is quick and good. The music wasn't very loud and the place had a very fun vibe. For food, we ordered the kerala fried chicken, mutton rolls, dhal curry with naan, lamb shank and the banana bread pudding for dessert. The dishes are all tapas with shareable plates. Everything was excellently cooked, the meat was tender and the batter for the fried chicken was very well seasoned. The kerala fried chicken was our favorite. The mutton rolls were a hit too! Very crispy and the sauce was yumm! Dhal curry was nice and had an interesting tartness to it. My only issue was with the lamb shank. It was a bit too sweet for my taste. I wish it was spicier. This is very underrated but makes a world of difference to your food experience. They give a decent amount of sauce/side dip with your dish and I cannot appreciate it more! They had an interesting list of cocktails and they experiment with a mix of spices I have not seen elsewhere. They are very delicious and got strong enough to get you to a happy place :) I loved the last night in negombo! read more

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Good food, good place, good service. The drinks were refreshing. The place is small but fun. We waited around an hour to get a table on a Friday night. We ended up sharing the table with a couple which was nice too. Although in the end the host rushed us out saying there is a 2-hour wait, when the closing time was 45 minutes away. read more

Rupee Bar - Drinks - Sri Lankan Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is my new favorite restaurant, hands down. The meal my partner and I had at Rupee Bar was the most fantastic thing we've eaten in Seattle in the past 10 years. Not a single item was less than spectacular. Each dish was unique and flavorful. Having read other glowing reviews, we waited eagerly to get a table here. We were not disappointed! A few quick things to note for COVID: Due to a limited indoor seating capacity of 3 tables, reservations are essentially required, so please be sure to plan ahead. There is a refundable $10 per person reserve fee, but we understand the need for this due to the financial strain of COVID restrictions. This limited spacing provided a more comfortable dining experience. You definitely avoid crowding, noise, and get more individual attention from your server. It makes for a great date night atmosphere. As for the meal: We were seated promptly on arrival. The interior is trendy and exotic. The staff is attentive. We ordered an Indian tonic, two naan, mutton rolls, the chicken kerala, mint chutney, coconut sambal, and a lamb shank. Our dishes arrived in a comfortable sequence, allowing us to enjoy each item before moving on to the next. The best thing overall was the lamb - the meat just falls off the bone. It comes in a spicy curry sauce that pairs exceptionally well. The chicken kerala is also a must try. Overall, it was worth the price. The final bill was around $80 and we left very satisfied. Thank you for a great experience. We'll be back in the future! read more

It was my husband's bday dinner treat and I am glad to choose this restaurant on this special occasion. We were extremely delighted and satisfied with the taste we ordered the Paan cocktail and was of superlative degree. It had the paan flavor. We ordered the kerala fried chicken which had some masala sprinkled on top of the chicken and chicken was so well cooked and crispy. This is a must try . We tried all 3 sambol coconut. Tomato and chilli and they tasted amazing. Well the daal and naan are the best which I have ever had till date. Dal tastes like the home cooked dal with a nice smoky flavor and I rate it as the best daal I have ever had till date along with the the pillowy and fluffiest naan. These are definitely a must try. we couldn't stop binging on the naan and daal and ordered it twice. The cod fish with a side of mango curry is also delish. The fish had a crispy layer on top and melts inside your mouth. The portions are small but the taste factor counterbalances it. All the dishes were amazing, finger licking and flavorous! read more

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Truly dazzling food. Absolutely stunning space. You can't go wrong with any of their food (although absolutely don't miss the Kerala fried chicken (KFC) or the chickpeas that they recently added. The cocktails are super-inspired as well. Fun staff, great vibe. read more

I didn't have plans tonight and as usual, wasn't interested in eating right after working out. So after lots of searching around for what might be open for dinner after 9 pm, I stumbled upon this place and am so glad I did. The place is small and intimate without people sitting on top of each other. I had the dal curry, naan, and the Kerala fried chicken, which ranks up there with some of the best fried chicken Iv ever had! It was crispy, not greasy, and came with pickled vegetables that were crisp, bright, and a perfect complement to the chicken. Seriously, the chef could teach seminars on how to properly fry chicken and we'd all benefit! Also, the staff was gracious and friendly! read more

Wonderful spot in Ballard for tasty food, outdoor seating and interesting drinks. Very friendly staff too! Definitely share some plates for variety. Around the corner from Ballard Homestead, nice spot for live music. We like to eat at Rupee and wander over to the show after. read more

Rupee Bar - Outdoor seating - Sri Lankan Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A perfect cozy little hole in the wall spot located in Ballard. Calling all tinder, hinge, and bumble goers, this is the SPOT. They have it all: Boujee cocktail drinks, a variety of small dishes to share, and a cute decor aesthetic! The staff was extremely friendly, always filling up our water but not obnoxiously so where you're sick of seeing them. The drinks are strong and unique, each bearing a collection of lovely aromatic flavors. The one thing I wanted to note wss that I expected more out of the main items. While the Kerala chicken was good, it wasn't extraordinary. The naan and the muttons were the stars of tonight's dinner. Definitely recommend coming here for an intimate and ethnic meal experience read more

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4 star because this place should be open till late night, as it's a bar. Food was amazing, atmosphere is nice. Food is all healthy menu with Indian twist. Same goes with drinks. read more

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I fancied this place! Came by recommendation of a local friend. Had the mutton rolls, pumpkin curry, fried chicken, and rice pudding. Also washed it down with their bourbon/rum drink "Fancy That". All delicious. I was hesitant on mutton rolls, but you should know, it's ground mutton which would have sped up my nod of approval. And it was excellent. Now reading other reviews I'm sorry we didn't try the naan. If you've a big appetite, you'll be ordering a lot, which would be tasty for sure, but you might run up a bill, depending on how you judge that. read more

One of the best places to have Sri Lankan (Indian) food. The hot naan and dalh are my favorites to have on a cold evening. Definitely recommend the spicy chai and the great variety of cocktails. read more

So glad Rupee is now open with outdoor dining!! One of our neighborhood favorites. So delicious! Our friend was the FIRST to order the lamb shank, new to their menu, and it was amazing! If you've never been, you won't be disappointed. Unique cocktails, the best naan ever, and an array off flavorful dishes... Rupee is a treasure! read more

Rupee Bar - The #1 lamb shank!! - Sri Lankan Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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So good! Dined in at Rupee Bar and left wanting to back as soon as possible. Super fun date spot or friend dinner. Awesome vibe inside - great music, beautifully designed, modern, young and fun. The cocktails were incredible and unique - loved the Crazy Jumper and Indian Tonic I love Indian food or anything Indian inspired but you don't have to love Indian food to love this spot. Must orders- Kerala Chicken (we ordered this twice bc it is that good), bulgar salad was a total surprise and not to be missed, naan is made to order + dhal for dipping, lamb shank and the halibut were incredible. menu is more of a small plates design so you can order a lot. Not heavy at all and just very fresh. read more

High quality food and drinks however it was pretty expensive. Bass was quite soft and fresh, naan and sauces were delicious. Fantastic cocktails- worth going just for that! Highly inventive and unique read more

Only had the cocktails, but deeply happy to have done so! Stopped in for a quick pre-dinner round after finding this gem on our way from Ballard to dinner in Sunset Hill. Interior was well-designed and inviting, although we sat outside for our drinks. The Indian G&T was wild and tasty, as was the Mezcal cocktail (name escapes me). Service was polite and quick. Worth checking out if you're excited about venturing off of the traditional cocktail beaten path! read more

There are two things I want to say right off the bat about Rupee Bar: 1. The food is delicious. 2. The Sri Lankan food is not very authentic. I am a Sri Lankan-American, and I pretty much grew up eating Sri Lankan food. If you're looking for truly authentic Sri Lankan food, you'll be disappointed. First of all, half the menu is Indian food (and to be fair they're up front about that fact). But even the dishes that are supposed to be Sri Lankan are just a little different. The pol sambola (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_sambola) is saltier and less spicy than it should be. I assumed the "mutton roll" was supposed to be what in Sri Lanka we call Chinese rolls, but it was fairly different. Had a chat with our waiter and he basically admitted that they weren't going for authenticity, just what the chef thought would taste good. That being said, almost everything I ate there was delicious. Best naan I've ever had (that's 100% Indian, of course). The tomato chutney thing they serve with the mutton roll was so good, especially paired with the naan. Definitely get multiple of the side dishes (including extra tomato chutney). Pork ribs were great, deviled prawns were great, the Kerala fried chicken was delicious (if not as unique as their other dishes). I think most of us are okay with giving American restaurants some leeway to tweak originally Asian recipes, my only issue with this place claiming to be Sri Lankan and serving inauthentic food is that in America Sri Lankan cuisine has little to no representation, so people don't really have the chance to be exposed to the real thing. And that's kind of a shame when you consider how great the food is. Probably the only negative thing I'll say about the food is that the papadam was gross, it was like the kind you get at cheap Indian restaurants. Definitely not what we eat at home. But other than that definitely check this place out for some delicious and unique food. read more

Every single thing on the menu that my sister and I ordered here was absolutely FANTASTIC. Rich in flavor and the best part, NOT salty! I've found that many places with flavor packed profile dishes tend to have a lot of salt, but the food here is so well flavored that salt is almost not even necessary. The sauces I could drink... the beets, the salad, and don't get me started about the fried chicken. It is hands down the best chicken I've ever had. Unfortunately for me, I'm from Southern California but was up there visiting my sister. If I was living up there, I'd be here weekly... or daily... Amazing stuff!! Oh, and the drinks... the one with Coconut Milk, Turmeric and Gin... MUST HAVE! read more

We decided to try this place out but upon walking in we found it absolutely packed. There is basically one aisle between the tables and bar and only one person can walk at a time down it. That poses a problem as you basically have to turn around and go outside to allow that person through and out. The waiter didn't really explain anything to us. After standing there in the packed and extremely hot and stuffy place we just decided to leave. I don't think this provides a dining experience worth the price. Bumping elbows and being hit in the head with someone's bag while sitting at a table eating isn't my kind of fun. They need to have a limit of how many people can be inside at once and station someone outside to control the flow of traffic in so that diners can enjoy themselves and not feel rushed. I was disappointed because I really wanted to try a cocktail but the environment was not conducive to a positive mood. read more

Loved the ambiance & the food was so fresh & delicious! We sat outside, had to pay $4 when making the reservation. That's the first time I've ever had to pay to hold a reservation. It was worth it though, friendly servers & yummy food with authentic spices & originality. Order two naan's for the table, they're so good! read more

Amazing. The food and service was really great. Highly recommend! They have creative drinks as well! read more

Beautiful space and yummy food but I can't get past the... cultural appropriation (at times also phrased cultural misappropriation, is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures). I am wondering if they even considered the this. White people opening up a fancy bar in a fancy white neighborhood with their white faces on their website, not one POC on the website....ouch. I'm sure they're incredible people but I just can't. I gave three stars because I am not a crazy person and I love fancy places but, WOW!?! At least try and save yourselves by donating some proceeds to an orphanage in India or Sri Lanka so you don't look so bad. read more

We really enjoyed this place! We went with another couple a d we each got 4 food items and the naan and it was enough. My husband and I got the two curries (fish and pumpkin curry) and both were delicious! We also got Bhel Puri and their gobi/cauliflower dish. The cauliflower was my favorite!! It was cooked perfectly and I loved the sauce that came with it! The bhel puri was a little too spicy for me but my husband really liked it. I would definitely come back here! read more

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Very tasty food and great service. The lamb and chai were fantastic. Cute outdoor seating areas well.

Excellent spot slightly off of the heart of Ballard. They've got outdoor seating now and some limited indoors, but the ambience is awesome. It has that low key but classy vibe with how they've set up the inside, and the food didn't disappoint. I ordered the Kerala fried chicken and iced chai, and both were excellent. Typically "fancy" Indian inspired places dull down their flavors, but the chicken was perfectly spiced and cooked. It had the right crunch your like for a fried chicken, great balance of Indian spices, and was incredibly succulent still! Definitely a spot that's ideal for groups so you can order multiple small plates (their menu is rich with Twists on Indian classics), so I'll definitely be back with company. Overall great service, great ambiance, and excellent food read more

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~1 hour wait on a Friday evening around 6 PM. Others have already talked about how this is more of a tapas place which is good to sample the menu in a group. But hey please don't stretch the concept of "small shareable plate" by throwing just one tiny roll of mutton for $8. There just wasn't enough meat for me to comment on how the food was. The proportion of meat to batter just wasn't right for me. Thali salad - This was good, really good. BUT, while I appreciate the presentation, I feel sometimes folks just overlook the practicality. If the salad came in a slightly bigger bowl which allows me to give it a good toss, I wouldn't be sitting with just the dressing at the bottom. Deviled Prawns - Many probably don't really like prawns with shell on so I can understand some reviews down-thumbing them but I really enjoyed them and would recommend. Naan - Good. You have to make peace with having naan with the side sauces (chutney and sambol). Think like pita bread with a dip. On that note the Mint Tamarind Chutney should be renamed to Mint Chutney. Fish Curry - OK Kerala Fried Chicken - OK read more

Absolutely awesome food, drinks and service. I've eaten the dhal, mutton rolls, thali salad, naan, ribs, prawns, fish, and pumpkin curry so far. All exceptional, perhaps pumpkin and fish were lower down my favorites list. I've had the bourbon drink that has treacle - super. G&T with housemade tonic as well as the mezcal drink were great too. The service is so good that they came to Olaf's next door to tell us our table was ready when we didn't answer their call. Now that's service. I haven't had their 'KFC', or other salads yet. Hmm may be time for a third visit in two weeks... read more

We had a really spectacular dining experience here last night. There were four of us, and we ordered each food item on the menu--that might sound like a lot of food, but it ended up being just about perfect. Each little plate comes out like its own perfect gem. It was so much fun to get to try them all--they were so varied. There wasn't a single thing I didn't like, but my favorites were the shrimp and the cauliflower dish. The naan was gorgeous too, I've never seen anything like it. Service was stellar. Our drinks were great. The decor is lovely. This place is perfect for a quick and delightful dinner before seeing a movie at Majestic Bay. Can't wait to come back. read more

The place is very busy .. had to wait for an hour on a saturday evening. Love the decor ,service is good too. The dhal curry with naan is a good combination although 4$ fr a naan is crazy. The bhel puri had a different taste .. not the regular kind .. it was okay. The kerala fried chicken was good .. liked the spices . The portion size is just too small for the price. read more

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