What a lovely atmospheric and just special restaurant. The food is marvelous, the service is friendly and expeditious. I've eaten at dozens of well known restaurants and San Fermo beats all for ambiance, food and service.A+++ read more

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A Cozy, elevated meal that hits every note. I loved the decor inside and it was very romantic with low lighting inside an old house. From the very first bite, this meal felt like the kind of dinner that slows you down in the best way. The presentation alone sets the tone, ornate plates, warm wood tables, and candlelight that makes everything feel a little more intentional. The Caesar salad had crisp romaine, a creamy dressing that actually clings to the leaves, and a bold anchovy laid right on top. The warm focaccia was a special of the night with olive oil and balsamic. So soft inside! The soup was a quiet surprise, another special of the night. It was velvety, beautifully balanced, and finished with a swirl of bright green oil that added just enough herbaceous lift. It looked like something out of a cookbook and tasted even better. I was sad to take the last bite. It stole the show for me! The pasta dishes were a delight. One came coated in a bolognese sauce with a snowfall of cheese, I did not complain! The other studded with pancetta and peppedZ Comforting without being heavy. Just perfect. Altogether, the meal felt warm, intentional, and deeply satisfying. It was the kind of dinner that makes you want to linger at the table a little longer. Plus the service was exceptional and I really liked the idea of adding a 23% gratuity to the bill. It was well deserved! read more

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Warm and comforting on cold and wet days. Yummy pasta is the star here. The spaghetti bolognese is classic with al dente pasta coated by the rich and meaty sauce. Stuffed pastas are done well here. Slightly sweet pumpkin filling with savory parmesan and sage make for a well balanced dish. A variety of breads, dips, and salads as your starter options. It's a cozy spot for dinner. Service is leisurely but that gives you more time for catch up conversation over plenty of wine. read more

San Fermo - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

probably 3.5 stars if I could. very cute spot, indoors and outdoors are both charming depending on mood and time of year. i've been multiple times. their cocktails and wine list are creative. the Ragú is why people give it five stars. and it's worth that! i think about that sauce a lot. when i've gone with something different, i regret it. others are good but not noteworthy. the service is a drag. extremely extremely slow every time i've been and inattentive. servers talking to each other. all this and a mandatory 22% service charge. if you're going to require 22%, i expect 22% service. and it's not. it's 18% service on a good day. read more

My girlfriend and I came here to celebrate our 3-year anniversary! We usually go out for higher-end places, but decided to find a more low-key option this time around. It's inside a little wooden house in-between two stone buildings, with a cozy and intimate interior. Our waitress was very friendly and gave us good recommendations. My girlfriend ordered one of the limited special braised beef pastas while I ordered the agnolloti del plin off the menu. My pasta was more like a ravioli, but it was quite comforting. Every bite was a flavourful gush of pumpkin sauce, and the little crumbs on the pasta gave it an extra texture for more of a mouth-feel. A little on the sweeter side, and the portion was more on the petite side, but a great dish nevertheless. For the braised beef pasta, we were talking about how the taste reminded us of some Southeast Asian dishes. The dish itself was fine but not something we'd order again. San Fermo is a nice place to go out on a date, and reservations are recommended. I would come visit again to try their other pastas. read more

San Fermo - Agnolloti del Plin - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

=== Overall === Beautiful little place with small (but very tasty) pasta plates. === Food === I came here for Seattle Restaurant Week and thought it was a good deal. We tried the Ceasar salad which was good - just pretty strong on the fish flavor, Farinata (which was surprisingly REALLY good) and then a saffron meat spaghetti and risotto. The risotto was really good for me for the first few bites, but got a little overwhelmingly cheese-ey so I had to tap out of that one. I loved the saffron spaghetti even though it was a little spicy, and their non alcoholic drink was good as well. We opted not to get dessert as nothing stood out. === Service === Service was pretty friendly. They pointed out that it was Seattle Restaurant week, and they were pretty swamped. The table next to us was celebrating an anniversary so they got complimentary bubbly and dessert which was cute. === Ambiance === We sat upstairs and it was a little cramped but decorated very nicely. It was on the dark side, and I think due to the nature of sitting upstairs it was a little harder for them to check in on us. We also had a large spider crawling around the wall behind us for the majority of the meal which was interesting. read more

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First time trying this place as my friend craving Italian close by. The reservation was made on open table the day of the visit. We ordered a baguette, Cesar salad, mushroom risotto and bolognese. The baguette from Seawolf though it was not warm still excellent! I wish I can get their baguette at supermarkets.. Cesar salad was a huge portion with 2 fillets of anchovy's and tangy dressing, lots of Parmesan. It was very good. Now the entrees, they were actually small portions. The risotto lacked the flavor of stock and creaminess. The bolognese was super salty but I could tell the sauce was carefully made from scratch. The meat was tasty. Not sure if the sauce was cooked too long.. we got leftover that I am planning to add more pasta and some liquid or tomatoes to thin out for a remake dish. The service was excellent perfect timing everything and the server was super knowledgeable and courteous. read more

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I'm so confused about why this place is always booked out. Pasta is mid at best: both the bolognese and agnolotti did not have much flavor other than being kinda salty. Small portions, long wait for food. Something baffling: both me and the table beside us were celebrating birthdays. Staff said happy birthday to both tables at the beginning. At the end, the table beside us got a candle brought out with their dessert and they said happy birthday etc..(not sure if dessert was complimentary for her).We also ordered dessert but there was no candle brought out for me, it was kinda funny because we were right there and witnessed the two different treatments lol The cabbage appetizer was very good! Nice char and good flavor. Ambiance was good we were seated in the attic. 23% default service charge no matter table size is a bit crazy. Receipt also says additional tips not required but appreciated... after the 23% read more

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My husband and I had a nice anniversary meal here. We were started off with a complimentary glass of champagne which was a really nice way to start! For an appetizer, we shared a pea starter. It was fresh, flavorful and unique. We each had a pasta dish for our meal and enjoyed them! The only odd part of the experience is that we booked a reservation a couple weeks in advance for a week night and the only options were early or late, making us assume they'd be busy. They ended up seating us in the attic, and for the entirety of the meal it was just us and the waitress. We might have preferred the more lively, cute atmosphere downstairs but maybe they thought we appreciate the privacy? read more

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The service was amazing. So warm and welcoming. The candlelit ambiance with small tables and open kitchen feels like we r dinning in a friend's house. Every dishes was amazing and the charred cabbage was really refreshing. read more

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Super cute ambiance. Was able to do a walk in with no wait. Lots of outdoor seating with heaters. The price is a little high for the small portion sizes but I do love that most of the ingredients are directly from their farm. They do however charge an automatic 23% service charge. read more

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My boyfriend made a rezy here for date night. He made the reservation about 3 weeks in advanced. We came on a Sunday evening at 7PM and were seated promptly. I love Italian food so I was excited to eat here. The inside is super cozy with a homey feel. We were seated on the second floor and the server let us know that they prefer everyone to place their whole order (appetizers, main, etc) at once so that they can pace out the meal for you. One thing to also note here is that there is 23% service charge added automatically so there is no need to tip. To start, I shared the Caesar salad. I'm a crouton lover and the ones in the salad were great. They were wine-soaked and had a delightful crunch to them. The salad dressing was good and I felt that it was a decent portion size. For the pasta, I had the Swan House Farm Bolognese. I felt that the pasta did not have a uniform cook to it. Some of my noodles were perfect and in the same bite there were pieces that were very undercooked. I love al dente pasta as much as the next person but quite frankly some of the pasta was too undercooked. The sauce was rich and had a nice creaminess to it from the parmigiano reggiano on top. It was not overwhelmingly meaty and heavy which I liked. When you consider that this pasta dish was $30 and at least half of the pasta in it was undercooked, I was left a bit disappointed with this dish to say the least. I also tried my boyfriend's pasta which was the Bucatini alla Carbonara. I liked the saltiness from the pancetta and it balanced well with the creaminess of the sauce. I liked the shape of the pasta and I thought it did a good job of absorbing the sauce. Some pieces of the pasta were undercooked as well but it was not as bad as my entree. I didn't feel that the service was particularly great. The server seemed annoyed to be there. We also did not have our water refilled during our meal and I saw that other tables kinda had the same thing going on. The mandatory 23% service charge is a bit bold considering the service was subpar. Overall, the food and service were a let-down. I really wanted to like this place but it fell flat in almost every category except ambiance. read more

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San Fermo serves Italian dishes and homemade pastas served in a charming historic building, complete with a cozy bar and patio. My daughter made reservations here for my birthday, and it did not disappoint. The food was delicious, and the staff was friendly and accommodating. A wonderful spot for a special occasion. read more

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Kinda crazy it's on a lot of top Italian restaurant lists because it was NOT worth. It's cozy and cute +linside I'll give them that. The baguette appetizer butter was delicious however parts of the bread were legit too hard to eat. The other appetizer was pretty good but a bit small. I was visiting Seattle w my family and had dinner w my cousin here who said it was very difficult to get a reservation here which is surprising because it's definitely overhyped. Our server was nice in the beginning however slightly disappeared when the food started to take a while. No explanation or sorry about the wait at all. Quite literally waited almost an hour and a half for our pasta. It would've been a bit better if our server had told us why or said sorry about the wait etc. but nothing. Pasta was also pretty mid and a 23% gratuity tip is crazy. read more

San Fermo - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Incredibly confused about the current rating. San Fermo is one of my favorite spots - it's so good I go on my birthday. Reservations are highly recommended. I love how their menu is always changing with the seasons. The bolognese is a staple and my husband gets it every time. The inside is very cozy and welcoming. The staff is always kind and attentive. I was too full for dessert when we went for my Bday so Denise, our amazing server, brought me a candle and a little wine. GENIUS. They're closing for renovations soon but I am already anticipating our next visit and the amazing new dishes that will be on the menu. read more

San Fermo - Burrata persimmon appetizer - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Fantastic ambiance, great service, and some pretty good food! This is a pretty popular restaurant for a nicer/fancier dinner, and it is recommended frequently by others. We made a reservation for a table of 5 and were promptly seated upstairs in a cool room. Starting with drinks, we all got the house mocktail which was really light and refreshing - so good! We also got the burrata, salad, chickpea flatbread, and olives for appetizers to share. I particularly liked the salad, and the pistachio spread on the burrata was also fantastic. For mains, we shared the saffron bolognese, cavatelli, risotto, duck, and one other that was tomato-sauce based with bacon bits. While I wasn't a fan of the risotto (due to the gameyness of the lamb), I did enjoy the rest of the pastas! They were all cooked al dente and I think the tomato sauce ones were particularly good. Definitely make a reservation if you want to eat here - its very packed and popular! read more

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Great food, great service, cute ambiance. I think other less than stellar reviews were complaining about the price, which honestly good Italian places these days cost about this much. I like their transparency with tipping. The bolognese and risoto were super flavorful and done perfectly. Love their seasonal salads too! Can't wait to be back read more

San Fermo - Peaches - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is such a special place!! Easily the best Italian food I've ever had. Idk if I should be proud or embarrassed to say I've already been here like 5 times and I hadn't even lived in Washington at that point haha. I always walk in not knowing what the menu would look like since it's all seasonal, which somehow makes it more exciting. Every visit feels like a bit of a surprise. So fun! The burrata salad is always amazing. Creamy, soft, paired with fruit that's just perfectly balanced. Another highlight is this lemon pasta that I still think about regularly. No idea what it was called, which is a tragedy bc I'll never know what to ask for again and now it's gone :( , but it was hands-down the best pasta I've ever eaten. Light, bright, silky, hit every single note. Everything they serve somehow manages to feel both classic and totally unexpected. There's always some little twist or bold flavor that makes you pause for a second mid-bite. But it works. Every time. Haven't had a single pasta that wasn't incredible. The space adds to it. Cozy and warm, with this low-key charm. Sat outside in the back when it was warm and upstairs when it cooled down, both perfect. Definitely the kind of place that you borderline overstay your welcome bc it's too cozy and you forget other people are waiting to eat. Not cheap, but not suuuper surprising for what you're getting. Feels more like a celebration spot than a random Tuesday night thing. Also, be ready to do absolutely nothing after, because the food coma is real. read more

San Fermo - beef tartar + baguette - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Such a cute place!! Gave us complimentary bubbles and the servers were super sweet! Got the caesar salad, bolognese and the risotto. The bolognese WAS AMAZING!! The salad was also pretty good, but I wasn't that big of the risotto I felt like it tasted too much of a corn? And was bit confused because it was spicy? But also corny?? (Put not intended) also the chilled Italian wine was very good and paired well with the food. Overall will always go back but just might not get the risotto. read more

San Fermo - Bolognese and Risotto - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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So good! This place had such a cozy and romantic atmosphere. The burrata appetizer was very refreshing and light. I wish the bread was a little bit thicker. The Bolognese was delicious and the short rib was super tender and very flavorful. Overall, the dishes are a little bit salty, but seems very authentic. The service is a little slow, but expected for an Italian restaurant. I love the vibes here and definitely recommend getting a reservation. read more

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Incredible food, incredible service. Menu is definitely for meat and cheese lovers, but I felt so take. Care of ordering a vegan pasta dish (the chef's choice!) and was PLEASANTLY surprised - one of the best dishes I've had! Good to note that you must order all of your food at once, including appetizers. I loved the cute ambiance of the back patio! read more

San Fermo - Menu - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The atmosphere is superb, very cozy and intimate. However, we were seated upstairs which was less so. Cheap string lights were above and it did feel a little tight. Downstairs ambiance is much better. As another reviewer noted, 23% gratuity is automatically added. This is remarkably high and expectations were had. Like as others have said, our service was mediocre at best. There was no effort to welcome us and they did the bare minimum as any other low end food restaurant would. We noticed the same for all tables in the upper floor, so it was equal treatment. Perhaps, the food would be spectacular as well - not so sure. We ordered the cantaloupe chilled soup, dungeness crab risotto and bolognese. These were all delicious and the risotto was particularly tasty! However, the steep price tag for these do not match up, especially with the forced 23% tip. A tip is extra and is meant to reward above and beyond service. Granted is America is still having this bizarre culture, so I would tip the norm, but having diners pay a whopping 23% does not mean service can be worse. The dishes themselves are expensive already, so why the significant upcharge? Very hard to justify for our party. read more

Such a cute little house wedged in the middle of Ballard! We managed to get in between reservations. Ordered a Caesar salad, bolognese, and a tiramisu. The food took a bit to come out but it was pretty worth the wait The Caesar was really good! Just a bit too vinegary for my taste. I liked that the croutons were wine soaked! Super unique. 9/10 The pasta was a little undercooked and the sauce a bit salty but the flavors were super cohesive and I really enjoyed it! 8/10 I think the real star of the meal was the tiramisu. The portion size was big, it wasn't too soggy, and they even sprinkled some sea salt on top which enhanced the chocolate/espresso flavors. Would come again just for the tiramisu. 10/10 read more

San Fermo - tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came here for Seattle Restaurant Week and had a good experience! The restaurant has an intimate, cozy atmosphere and the service was warm and welcoming from the moment we walked in. The SRW menu included a starter and a main, and we opted to share the mushroom risotto and the carbonara. The carbonara was delicious with great flavor, though a bit on the salty side -- not surprising since guanciale tends to be cured and naturally salty. The mushroom risotto actually impressed me more than I expected; it was creamy, earthy, and had me going back bite after bite. Overall the meal was rich and satisfying, and even though the portions looked modest, I left feeling surprisingly full. A lovely spot for a comforting Italian dinner in the heart of Ballard. read more

Cozy. Good service. Unconventional. Short menu but delicious. Fun atmosphere. Good drink selection. read more

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Yummy food, cute atmosphere, very fun staff (we had a lovely server with snort black hair and glasses, loved them)! A little on the pricey side but everything was delicious, I'd come back for sure! read more

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The ambience here can't be beat. Came here for a girls night dinner and our order was chefs kiss! I'm still thinking of the charred cabbage salad. The agnolotti with lemon ricotta was refreshing and a nice complement to the pork should tagliatelle. The pork chop was cooked perfectly and came with a plate licking delicious luxury pumpkin puree. Paul, our server and som provided great service and wine suggestions. The cocktails were also amazing. Our group was extremely happy with our experience. read more

San Fermo - Agnolotti, pork chop and the daily special tagliatelle - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Revisited them recently and while the food was excellent as always I tend to agree that the 23% service charge is a bit excessive. Tips should be decided based upon service received. If you wish your employees to make more money pay them a higher wage. That being said the Porchetta rocked, the Roasted Beets with candied Pistachios as well was fantastic. Great date night spot, the interior charm of the building is undefeated. read more

This is a very cute spot in a nice area, with kind servers and a friendly atmosphere, although service was a bit slow. All the seafood was done exceptionally well, but some of the vegetables were a bit fibrous and old. All of the flavors were very well balanced and portion sizes were perfect. I think the unique plates were a nice touch as well read more

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I been really wanting to try this restaurant for a while and have heard nothing but good things about the place. I finally tried the spot and was fairly disappointed The good: this is one of the cutest restaurants in Seattle. It is located in a historical house with a nice courtyard. The inside is dark and candle lit. It is the perfect place for a date. The bad: the food was fairly overpriced for the quality. I ordered the bolognese and the dish was super salty and didn't have that umami. The pasta was also too al dente. Very limited meat options as well. I grew up in NY and NJ so I am particular about my Italian food but I say with certainty that this spot can't compare to the Pink Door or Spinasse. Service was mid. I had one of the front porch seats which was isolated but it was just mid. They do add a service fee for you. read more

Great food, been coming here for years. But with the 23% service charge, I expect amazing service. Recently went here for a special occasion. Service was a little slow in taking our order and bringing drinks, but no huge deal. But our pastas got sent to the wrong table and we waited 60 minutes for it to finally arrive. The waiter realized and brought us *olives* on the house... lucky us. (The olives are terrible btw). At least could have comped one of the courses or round of drinks. Normally this would be quite annoying, but being forced to tip 23% for that garbage service was insulting. Will not be back. read more

Had the greatest time at San Fermo pet usual. The servers are always so fun and personable, and know both drink and food menu very well. The ambiance is dark and cozy with a good level of white noise chatter between the kitchen and other patrons. Food is always 10/10. Had the pork chop with pumpkins and it was delectable. read more

San Fermo - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

To start off we had amazing service. Tonight we had the pasta bolognese (highly recommended by our waiter)-- the sauce super salty- like someone added an extra tablespoon of salt to the salty sausage- pasta part was decent. The Cesar salad was delicious. The halibut served over a mashed potatoes and grilled mushrooms. I really liked the mash and the mushrooms. Halibut was a little dry and this one lacked salt. Might have been better to add a small bit of bolognese to the halibut. The burata was delicious. It came with 5 pieces of extra crispy toast and wedges of sweet heirloom tomatoes. The risotto was cooked with mushrooms. It was the best dish overall. Also our waiter took off the salty bolognese-- which I'm sure is more delicious on other days. We left with full bellies. read more

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As a Ballard resident, I've always been curious about San Fermo! An Italian restaurant in a little adorable house: I am in! I made reservations about a week ahead, but it seemed like people were walking in too. We were seated out on the patio, which is well heated. It's really lovely out there--you feel a bit transported and it's kind of a shock to leave and realize you are still in Ballard! Our waitress was attentive, friendly and helpful. We split a caprese salad, I got the risotto and my husband got the malfaldine with pesto. I thought everything was very good! But perhaps not great (but I am an Italian American lady from NYC, so my standards are high). The torta de mele was a cozy and autumnal dessert. I felt that portions were very generous and I left stuffed! Tip is included which personally I prefer (at least they don't do that thing where they charge a huge service fee and you are also expected to tip, like so many Seattle restaurants lately). My only feedback would be I felt like some of the bussers/waitstaff were really INTENSE when clearing tables. I know they have a hard job to do, but I almost jumped out of my seat a few times because plates and glasses were clanked together so loudly or water was being dumped out over the patio edge (SPLAT!!! each time). I was also right in front of the bus tub I think, so some of this was just my bad luck and I admit that I am sensitive to sound so this may be a me thing, but it kind of killed the otherwise lovely vibes. I did appreciate that the music wasn't blasting and enjoyed the 80s medley that was in rotation when I was there! A good choice for a romantic date! read more

San Fermo - Risotto on the patio. - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

***DISCLAIMER** I do work in the restaurant industry (over 10 years experience as a line cook) this review is based solely on this experience alone as I understand all restaurants have off nights. I leave this as constructive criticism only. Atmosphere- super cute/romantic however it was absolutely freezing when we came, we had to keep our coats on the entire meal. Service- We came for my wife's birthday, I wrote this in the notes of our reservation- host didn't mention anything and when I mentioned it he didn't seem to care (I mean at least pretend) The actual server was sweet my only note was that drinks took way too long (about 10-15min). I noticed she would bring all the drinks from her section at once. While I understand the logic it's not fair to keep people waiting on drinks solely to save the extra trips to the bar. Food- Beet/Goat Cheese Salad - I'm all about beets and goat cheese and the beets and arugula needed some life (seasoning) the goat cheese was also super cold which made difficult to eat with all the other components and also muted out a lot of its flavor. The candied pistachios I could snack on for days. Charred Cabbage- Amazing. Plating was beautiful and all components worked amazingly. Baguette with butter- much like the goat cheese the butter would've been nicer more temped out so it could spread better. Saffron bolognese- it was a nice bolognese but needed more salt. Did not taste any saffron though which was a bummer because saffron has such a beautiful flavor to it. Agnolotti- Way too much Dukkah spice. Especially with the eggplant puree you couldn't get any of lemon ricotta filling. read more

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Just left San Fermo and I'm barely walking straight because the drinks here are dangerously good. Bartender's got a heavy hand, but I'm not complaining. We tried the Little Red Riding Hood and the Show and Tell, which both tasted amazing. Food was even better than the drinks. We got a farinata to start, and it was savory and crispy. It came with two spreads (a cheese one and a fruity one), which both complemented it really well. I got the risotto that came with mussels and my friends shared a cavatelli. Both were flavorful and delicious. Everything tasted fresh and high quality. For dessert (shout out to David), we had the Earl Grey tiramisu. It was rich with a bright flavor, and the sea salt on top was just *chef's kiss*. Service was great, staff were attentive and friendly, and Shelly (the bartender) was funny. We'll be back for sure! read more

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This is the best Italian food in Seattle!!! We are repeat diners. Best Bolognese that I have ever eaten!

A beautiful restaurant with a great open kitchen concept. First off, service was kind of slow and odd? When we first got seated, the server filled my friend's water but not mine while I was in the bathroom. That was really odd then I had to wait another 5 min for someone to come around and fill my water. Also our entrees took soo long after we had finished our appetizers. Food was mid..I ordered the cavatelli and expected the sausage to be incorporated throughout the dish. Instead, it was pretty dry and it was in big chunks that were bigger than the pasta so the dish didn't feel cohesive. read more

Had a lovely visit here recently while family was in from out of town. I love the cute ambiance of this restaurant, which is actually inside an old house. It feels very cozy, and the multiple fireplaces add to that coziness. The little booths are perfect for a date night and they even have a small bar at the back you can sit at. The food was delicious both times I came here. First time I came I had risotto, which was cooked perfectly and filled with mushrooms. This recent visit I shared the Caesar salad and the homemade duck confit pasta. Since they change their menus seasonally, they may not offer the same dishes the next time you come. Just something to keep in mind. The other dish I tried was the chickpea bread. It came with a goat cheese spread and rhubarb compote. I loved this combo, especially the slightly tart rhubarb which paired very well with the bread. I also had a beautiful strawberry basil infused mocktail! It was their seasonal one for Spring and very tasty. The service was great as well, very professional and helpful. Highly recommend coming here if you haven't been yet! Or come for another visit! read more

San Fermo - Cute vintage placesettings - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Food was mediocre. Needs more salt and flavor. Waited 50 minutes for mediocre small portion pasta and service was poor. Food definitely needs more salt. Waiters were also weird, some of the walking around in shorts, at a supposedly nice dinner spot, is just an eye sore. On top of that, 23% service charge is absurd. Forcing customers to leave a 23% tip when the restaurant should take care of that, is ridiculous. A service charge for 2 people, definitely ruined the entire experience. And it's not noted anywhere. read more