Friendly staff. Chef came out to greet us and share the specials and you could tell he was proud of his food. Outside patio was nice, even though it was busy it wasn't too noisy that our group of 8 could chat. Everyone tried different dishes and it was all eaten, even though everyone commented on the large serving sizes - it was that good. My favorite was the lobster ravioli and the vodka tortalini. Didn't get to try desserts as everyone was full. Will definitely go again. read more

What a wonderful and delicious restaurant that i can say is now my favorite restaurant in Seattle. The chef told us that he can make anything on the menu vegan and he did not disappoint! The tomato soup was the best I've ever tasted. The eggplant and risotto were fabulous. The wine pours were large. We loved the casual patio and The down home feeling and friendly staff. The unassuming storefront entrance is deceiving. I highly recommend this amazing hidden gem read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Vegan moussaka - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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What a sweet little spot! The restaurant is cozy and has a very comfortable feel to it. The chef even came out to check on us and ensure that everything was tasty. The lobster ravioli and smoked salmon penne were delicious, as was the bread and salad we enjoyed alongside our entrees. Several nice wine options were available at a reasonable price. We ended our dinner with cannolis and tiramisu. The cannolis were not made in house, but the tiramisu seems to be, and was delicious! I highly recommend Zouave! read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Honestly, the worst restaurant experience we have had in years. Went there early August. Made the mistake of choosing this restaurant for my adult son's birthday, and it was a total train wreck. We spent over $350 for 8-9 people (drinks, apps, entrees) and the only things that were good were one eggplant appetizer and one entree. The rest of the food was totally tasteless, lukewarm at best upon arrival. The worst entree was what they were calling "paella" - no such thing - bland overcooked rice and some tasteless seafood. Save your money - overpriced and horrible. And p.s. - I told the restaurant that it was a birthday dinner and no one acknowledged that in any way. We had to track down our waitress at the end of the meal; no inquiry about ordering dessert. I saw other reviews where couples got complimentary tiramisu at the end of their meal. One and certainly done. read more

Always great food. Appetizers, entree, desserts. Went home stuffed with leftovers for lunch for 2 days!!! read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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you MUST come here if you're in Seattle. I'm visiting for a work trip and the service, food and ambiance is impeccable. Every worker here is friendly, accommodating, and efficient. The chef even came out to greet me, and asked how everything was tasting. I will 1000% be back. Please support your local businesses! read more

Delicious food in an unexpected location. The owner is the chef and the portions are very generous. Very laid back vibe which is nice.

Had an outstanding dinner here last night. A very cute, local and delicious restaurant. Reasonably priced as well. The inspiration for the dishes is definitely unique. It's explained more on their website but I understand it as Italian with influence of Mediterranean. Toward the end of our meal the chef made rounds at the tables which was very sweet and personal. The melanzane and beef roulade were especially amazing. The beef roulade dish has an interesting story, instead of posting it here I'd suggest you go in and hear from the chef yourself :) read more

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The first place I come to when I visit Seattle! Such amazing fresh food. There's only one cook so you have to be patient, but so worth the wait. read more

Food was delicious and service was smooth. It's unpretentious and no-frills; it feels like a house that was converted into a restaurant just so they could share food with people. Would definitely recommend! read more

This place is amazing. We've come here several times and the chef is always welcoming and makes delicious food. Its like im sitting in some Italian home having family cook for me. Everything is fresh, hot, and tasty. I will continue coming here very often. I had the polenta with chicken genovese with a white wine. I was licking the plate after. I eat alot of Italian and this is amongst the best read more

I desperately want to love Zouave. It's simple, family owned / worked, it's very reasonably priced, and it's a neighborhood spot. It could be the replacement for Brad's Swingside, but it's just not. Overcooked pasta, store bought / cheap meat and cheese in the antipasti and caprese (at least it seems that way), flavorless sauce, etc. The people are nice, the chef's working his tail off, and it's great to support a business like this, I just want the food to be better. read more

A neighborhood gem! Finally got to try this Italian spot in the neighborhood - it's small and cute inside with a nice patio for outdoor seating. The staff are super friendly, and it immediately gives off homely small mom and pop vibes. We ordered the caprese as a starter which was solid, but the real stars of the show were the pastas. The gnocchi with chicken was so delicious; the gnocchi were fairly large, but the texture was soft and pillowy. The chicken was also moist and flavorful. The seafood pasta was off menu and came with salmon, mussels, squid, shrimp served in a creamy sauce. That was my favorite, as the sauce was so deep in flavor and the pasta was cooked perfectly. I love this restaurant!! Will definitely come back - support local! It tastes better than the more commercial restaurants, and doesn't come with a wait! And the off menu list is extensive and fun - looking forward to trying all of the ever-changing dishes! read more

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We ordered out, I got the chicken Genovese with polenta and he got the lobster ravioli. We also got a side of the mushroom soup. Every bite was amazing and you could taste the love that was put into making each dish. They gave us a free piece of tiramisu on the side. Seems like a one-man show, but taste like an army of well trained chefs put it together. You will not be disappointed give it a shot! I know I will be back. read more

Zouave has been one of my go-to Neighborhood Italian spots for awhile, and I can't believe I'm only leaving a review now! It's a very cute and cozy restaurant where you're always greeted with a smile and warm bread when you arrive. Plus, the chef, Abe, who owns the place, puts so much passion in every dish he makes. I've tried various dishes from here over the past few months and by far, the Salmon Penne, Antipasti, and Mushroom soup are my favorites! I also highly recommend the homemade sangria. They're open in the evenings from 5-10pm most nights, if you're coming on the weekend I suggest booking a reservation as it can get quite busy! read more

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I've been a frequent here ever since I found this place. Chef is always cool, and the food never disappoints. read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Zouave Salad - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Just. Wow. I came here with some of my best friends who live in Seattle.. it's been on their "eats to try in the neighborhood list" for some time & thought it was a great opportunity to go since I was in town shortly for work. The ambiance is homey and simple. It feels like you're at a relatives house to catch up and stay a while! We were greeted warmly and shared a bottle of red blend which was nice, then order the goat cheese appetizer and it sung. The three of us gals split 3 entrees and divided it family style. We were so impressed, it was the closest thing I've had in the states that resembled true authentic Italian cooking. We split the osso bucco, lobster ravioli, and penne puttanesca with chicken. The chef was a delight to speak with.. he is well traveled, humble, and genuine. He mentioned if we ever were curious if he could make something off the menu.. just ask! Whether it be the style of noodle, sauce, or dish altogether. (I'd love to taste his carbonara one day). He ended the evening by surprising us with a delicious espresso soaked tiramisu on the house. Give it a shot! Seating is limited indoors.. there is more place if the outdoor patio is open. read more

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When Zouave first opened I was sure they wouldn't last long, for one reason: the decor is nonexistent to bad. But over the years the place has really grown on me and now I love to go every chance I get. We live literally around the block and we couldn't be luckier. The owner, Abe, knows us and always makes us feel so welcome. And the food is outstanding. And the prices are so reasonable. I don't even see the decor anymore. Who needs decor when the food and ambience are sublime. read more

This place was so great. They accommodated 16 of us for dinner and were so kind. As we walk in the chef says he can make anything we want even if it's not on the menu, reminder there was 16 of us! The hospitality was unmatched and the patio gave us the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with each other and don't get me started on the food. The food was absolutely delicious! The gnocchi was the favorite of the table. Thank you Zouave and hopefully see you next year! read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Mountains of pasta!! Doesn't get better than this! - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This is a small family restaraunt with all the aspects of a family restaurant that you want. You can't go wrong with anything off the menu, and the chef / owner will come out to talk with diners when he can. I am gluten free and had their gluten free gnocchi and it was incredible - seriously delicious. Perfect. I mentioned to the chef that we recently moving in a block away so he sent me home with a dessert as well. When my room mate went a few weeks ago, the chef came out to talk with them as well, so it's not a one off experience for the chef to go out of his way for the customers. I am now a regular here. read more

Amazing chef. I was so sad because i used to live in northern Italy and i couldn't bring the food home, but this is way better

I ate here before on a slower day, and had a pretty good experience: the salad was crisp, the osso buco had a nice texture and flavor. While the pasta was overcooked and the tiramisu was dry, I decided to come back. We came recently on a Friday night, and it became quite busy. Unfortunately it was one of the worst dining experiences we've had. 1. We were served water with a dead bug in it. When we called it out they provided a replacement, but offered no apology. 2. The Antipasto has flavorless cheese and very cheap cuts of meat; we suspect there was store bought bologna on it. It also took so long to arrive that we wondered if they forgot about it. 3. The duck risotto did not use the correct rice, was overcooked and had so little liquid calling it a risotto was a stretch. 4. The chicken masala had overcooked chicken breast and had two different kinds of pasta in it. This was clearly not the intention of the dish, but simple carelessness. While we ate the Antipasto, we took just a couple bites of the entrees and opted to leave; even though we spent good money on it, the taste and textures were too off putting. I know many people love this place, so take this with a grain of salt. It was a busy night, and I know it is smaller kitchen staff; maybe they were having trouble with the number of orders, maybe we ordered incorrectly. Still, we were very disappointed and hope others don't have the same experience we did. read more

We LOVE this restaurant and chef-owner! GREAT menu...GREAT salads...GREAT service. Diverse options....for all...fish, vegetarian, meats...We are now a devotees! read more

What a neat spot on a little corner in Ravenna. The food was excellent and was difficult to choose from a menu full of so many delicious sounding options. Best of all, though, were the people. The host who also waited our table was so nice and the chef came out to visit and check-in with every table, even recognizing repeat visitors and talking through some options to ensure the diner across from us got what he felt would be the perfect meal for the evening. The atmosphere is super casual and there's nothing fancy about the space--though they had clearly gone out of their way to dress it up a bit for the season. Just the kind of place we will most certainly be visiting again. read more

We were looking for a place with good food and outdoor seating in this area for a get together with a couple colleagues. This place is a gem, I have driven past this place so many times and didn't realize what I was missing. They have a great, covered outdoor seating with heating. The complimentary bread they gave us was still warm from the oven and tasted great. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli. Before our food came out, they brought over a complimentary warm spinach salad, that was delicious. Spinach that was barely wilted with caramelized onion, pine nuts, and cheese. I don't know if it's on the menu or it was made for us, we enjoyed it. Lobster ravioli was delicious, topped with prawns in a creamy tomato sauce, simple and great tasting. It was so good I cleaned my plate. We were ready for our cheque, they brought over a Tiramisu slice. I am told the Tiramisu was great. This is a must try place. read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Lobster Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Excellent excellent excellent. It's a cozy neighborhood restaurant tucked at a corner between homes. While Zouave features Italian food, much of the menu boasts many coasts of the Mediterranean. So we picked the seafood Paella and the Osso Buco (lamb shank), and they were delicious. The Paella was clearly rooted in the restaurants Berber origin and simply amazing. The sangria was different than usual - hinted of North African honey wine (but we forgot to ask). The wine selection was modest. Finally, the service - just amazing! The servers were super busy, but still took the time to talk and smile. As we were getting ready to leave, full and content - the chef came out and talked to us for a few minutes...the cherry on top of a wonderful evening! read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Seafood Paella - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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What a cute restaurant! My friend and I stumbled onto this place by accident and it ended up being just what we needed. It felt like being invited to a neighbor's house for dinner. The place is small and the service is great. We tried the Canary Island style paella, which is a little different than what I'm accustomed to but still delicious. The fish and seafood was cooked to perfection. And we also had the polenta and chicken. The polenta and vegetables were so good, along with the sauces. The chicken wasn't anything special but when mixed with the 3 sauces on the plate was much better. The servers gifted us a small plate of tiramisu, which was so kind. All in all, it was such a lovely experience in sure we will be back. I'm excited to try other plates. Please keep in mind d this isn't strictly italian/french like the description says. The wall has a Amazigh flag on the wall, so go expecting a diverse Mediterranean menu and a family atmosphere. read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Canary Island style Paella - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The food is outstanding. There is osso bucco, paella, puttanesca, and many other Mediterranean dishes available. The staff is very friendly. The chef came out several times to see how his patrons were doing. This was a cold Wednesday evening in the deep of winter and about half of the dozen or so tables were occupied, all with diners enjoying their meals. You could hear and see them doing so. This restaurant is a bit of a hole in the wall from appearance sake, but really fabulous dining and service read more

Chef-run restaurant Excellent service & food. Charming, rustic atmosphere and one-of-a-kind establishment.

Welp first time in Seattle, we ate lots of great food and also, The Zouave is hands down the best experience out of all of them. It's near neighborhoods, looks comfy, you walk in and are immediately greeted with warmth by everyone there. The lady who helped me with my to go order ended up showing me pictures of her newest grandchild. I share this because this is the kind of place where you celebrate one another's presence as if we're all family. Now, getting to the center piece of the experience...Mr Zouave himself (sadly I don't recall his name, apologies)...he is a mystical being whose dedication to his craft of making delicious food is only matched by his charismatic, authentic self who actually 'hung out' with us a bit. You'll know when you've met him and it's an experience you wont want to forget. Ok, last but certainly not the least highlight is this food...we just went back for the second time in 7 days and over the two dinners we ordered: - mussels: magic - bread: great. Dip it good in the Sauce - Osso Bucco: one of the best I've had - gnocchi: I could bath in this garlic Alfredo and then dance salsa with the handmade gnocchi. It was delicious - veggie (eggplant) moussaka: magic - lamb pasticcio: superb - tiramisu: delicious. Sorry for not taking photos of the food, but I did get a selfie with the chef Mr Zouave himself. We'll see you next time we're in town. Big hugs, Kyle, Adrianna and Vera (our doggie) read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Just some of the Zouave super stars. - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great food and the chef is very friendly. Wonderful variety of dishes to choose from and rotating specials. Nice evening on the back porch.

When I think of hole in the wall, this is the exact kind of place that comes to mind. Now don't think hole in the wall means it's not good. I have not received such sweet attentive server and chef before this place! Parking was a breeze. We parked just up the hill from the restaurant, street parking. There's parking in the neighborhood as well, but street parking was wide open. When we entered, it smelled how I imagine ratatouille's kitchen would be. It was subtle but also made your mouth water. We got to choose where to sit and we chose the patio. I mean it's summer, so why wouldn't we? I didn't grab any drinks, but I can only imagine they have some of the best pairings of wine with all foods. The waiter kept my water glass full. He was very attentive to that. Let me tell you, as a person who can finish 3 glasses of water before the appetizers come out, I really appreciated it! Now for the food. What can I say? So delicious! We got the antipasto for an appetizer. I thought it was so yummy. It also came with house bread. I am a sucker for a wonderful cheese and meats platter. It went perfect with the bread. Our entrees came out shortly after we destroyed the appetizer. We got the salmon pasta and gnocchi genovese with chicken. It was so much, definitely enough to have for lunch for the next day. For dessert I finally tried a cannoli and omg, I see the love. It was so creamy and I could stuff my face with about 10 of them if I really tried. The chef was especially sweet and gave us a slice of tiramisu! You know that scene in ratatouille where remy is in the kitchen tasting ever flavor there is and colors explode from behind him? That's how this entire meal made me feel. The service, the food, the smell from inside the restaurant from the patio, I felt like I had suddenly stepped out of my daily routine of work-home repeat. I am so happy I found this hole in the wall and a 5/5 on my dining experience! I will for sure be going back. read more

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Oh my goodness, this place hits the spot for your local family Italian. Expect long times between ordering and eating, as it's kind of a one man show (the chef/owner comes out and asks how everything is at the end) plus a couple wait staff. Inside has limited seating, but we were seated without a wait on a Friday night without any rezy. The osso bucco was amazing and comes out with a huge bone. I don't recommend the puttanesca, as it's kind of basic, but anything on their menu is legit (Mediterranean influenced Italian food). It really hit the spot, as we've really been missing our Boston North End since moving to Seattle! read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Osso bucco - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

What a gem! It started with very friendly service who was very knowledgeable of the menu, and even offered flexibility with our ordering. The apps and antipasto were unique and flavorful. Our entrees were cooked to perfection and were varied with our group. The chef came out and asked us how things were, and showed genuine interest in our satisfaction. I hope to come back when I visit Seattle again! read more

First time coming here. My partner and I live in the neighborhood and have always passed by the restaurant. Very cute neighborhood restaurant. Sangria- Delicious. Special Mussels Appetizer - This was so good. My partner even drank the broth after the mussels were gone. Thats how good it was Paella- My partner really enjoyed it. Chicken Marsala- This was good. The sauce was lovely. The one complaint I have is that the dish came with pasta primavera (red sauce). I assumed it was the white primavera. The flavor combination of the rich Marsala sauce and the red sauce was weird to me. The penne pasta was also really over cooked. I would ask for a pasta sauce substitute if I order the dish again. Complimentary Tiramisu- Really good! Over all we had a great experience. Zouave is a really warm and homey neighborhood restaurant. We will definitely be going back. read more

Amazing food, lamb falls off of the bone, chicken was cooked perfectly with amazing sauce. Ambiance is nice and casual, it feels like sitting at home with a professional chef. Staff are incredibly nice and inviting, truly a hidden gem of Ravena. read more

Must try! This was our first time here. I ordered the artichoke and tortellini. The food was amazing and the staff was so friendly. The Chef even stopped us on our way out give us dessert. read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Chef! - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Another Seatte dump. The food is overpriced and not authentic Italian. The owner/cook is not Italian, from what I know. The bathroom is disgusting and the place is just a kitchen and not interesting. read more

COME HERE! Lovely outdoor seating, yummy food and fantastic service. The chef came out to greet us - this has literally never happened to me before - and asked about the food. The food came out quite slow but I realized that's because they seems to only have one main chef. The food was great and big portions. Then finally we got free dessert because they said they felt bad about the wait. The price was also super affordable. This will be my go to spot for Italian food now!! read more

The Zouave Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Awkward decoration, ham-handed cooking. Nice people but our table was tacky to the touch.