At the end of a day whose beginning occurred in the courthouse and whose middle was split between the Social Security Administration and the DMV, I was changed in many ways. But not one, at least: my yearnings for good food, a varied wine list, and a new restaurant persist. So, on to a new culinary experience: Tulio. After investigating the website, I was excited to discover the information about the environmentally friendly practices of the restaurant and Chef Walter Pisano. Most importantly, that he adheres to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program when serving fish (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx). I attempt to be even more an ethical than an elite eater, and so restaurants whose food philosophy is in sync with mine are always tops on my list to try and hopefully return to. After reading much ado about the sweet potato gnocchi, (and after an amuse-bouche of salmon mousse and duck confit) we tested it out in lieu of the temporarily missing calamari. It was quite good: the seared, buttery exterior concealed (just barely) a fluffy, slightly sweet yam-like cloud. Yum. I could have done with a bit less butter (the heaviness of it reminded me of breakfast pancakes, an odd association at dinner) and a little more sage, but it was a novel change-up from a standard potato gnocchi. On to dinner: I ordered the orecchiette (spicy sausage, rapini, tomato sauce all covering one of my favorite kinds of pasta, the little hat), and the man went for the tortelli (a large filled pasta with crab, drizzled with a lemony olive and crab oil draped with silky spinach leaves). Mine was good, but a little more tomato sauce would have done a better job balancing the spice and depth of the sausage. The man's was the winner of the night and would probably get four stars on its own. The crab was relatively unadulterated with any other filling, the citrus oil cut the sweetness of the crab perfectly, and the portion size was (to me) just right. Service was friendly (but a bit spotty, as we waited quite a time to get our bill), and the Barbera quite nice. To me it's worth a visit back, in which case I might check out fish or fowl instead and skip the pasta, as there are better spots in town to have it (whether you prefer a more authentic or a modern Italian twist). Tulio's breakfast and brunch menus look interesting as well, so I'm hopeful for that since there aren't many good brunch spots right near my place. One big plus: the real kid's menu that doesn't just read like a kid's menu. I know it's a hotel restaurant so necessarily caters to a certain demographic, but nevertheless those professional touches are nice to see. A good end to a good day, sitting there in the dark wood-paneled room near the back, just reflecting on and enjoying changes. Cheers! read more

I've eaten at Tulio a few times: the first for the 25 for 25 promotion about a year ago, and the second "just because". Service is always great and the decor/atmosphere is cozy and pleasant (coat hooks for each table!) I strongly recommend the sage and browned butter sweet potato gnocchi, and the chicken with garlic under the skin is sublime. However, this review is related to something slightly different: my wedding reception. We chose to have it at Tulio, and it was this past Saturday, May 12 2007. Unlike many restaurants in town, Tulio does not charge you for the room. They do charge a minimum food and beverage ONLY if you rent the room on a weekend. My reception was FLAWLESS and I'd highly recommend this venue for others. Mawganne (pronounced Morgan) is the coordinator and worked with me to make everything perfect. Suzy was my consierge that evening due to Mawganne being out of town, and she was just as pleasant and accomodating. Appetizers were passed around quickly and spaced out well. The buffet was wonderfully prepared and presented, and the alcohol table was set up in the perfect spot. No one cared about our rowdiness, as we took up the entire top floor. So yes: Tulio has good food and good service, and is fantastic for wedding receptions too! read more

Nice, but nothing special. It's only been 2 days since I went and I hardly remember anything about it. Given after 4 rounds at Vessel I wrote an epic review, this doesn't bode well for Tulio. However, egregious errors usually stick with me so, on the other hand, Tulio couldn't have been that bad. The service was average. My server was very nice, but in such a faked, plastic way it was off-putting. Again... nothing special. The food was above average, inline for the price which I found to be rather high given the gastronomical wasteland that is downtown Seattle. I started with the sweet potato gnocchi. It was very good, although a little overdone; too crisp. The flavor however was very good, but the texture was a little too gluey. The dry-aged ribeye was outstanding. Even at medium-rare the meat was tender without much tough connective tissue. It was good, however I didn't see much else on the menu I'd come back to try. read more

Get tickets for event at Benaroya Hall. Order a couple of appetizers for take out, ask the nice hostess if you can borrow cutlery and cloth napkins (will return after the concert). Tip huge for the kindness and complementary bread she added with our appetizers. Enjoy the crisp Seattle air and christmas lights downtown. Take your food down to the lobby of Benaroya Hall find a table, get a glass of red wine, and have a light dinner before show time. Gnocchi appetizer was amazing. I haven't officially sat down for a dinner here, but I will definitely return. Soon. Special shout out to the Hostess for being so accommodating with cutlery/cloth napkins. read more

I went to Tulio last year for my birthday with my mom and grandmother, and ever since then I've been wanting to go back. I had a really pleasant evening- the service was very attentive and they were really friendly and sweet about it being my birthday. The night we were there, we had a trainee waitress who was accompanied by another waiter, and what could have been really awkward was not at all a problem. They brought the dinner out and explained about the various dishes we ordered in a way that would've been mouth-watering even if it wasn't right in front of us already! I, like so many before me, had the lemon risotto and garlic chicken which melted in my mouth. Seriously, the lemon risotto is amazing and I want to learn to make that at home. read more

Whoa- Is all I can say when I walked into this place. Like omg, do I really belong here? I kept looking around to see what type of people were dining, because I sure as heck was not born into a life of luxury. But sure enough, the customers all looked like very nice down to earth people like you would see at any breakfast place across the country. This place is definitely way nicer than most places I ever eat at on a daily basis. As intimating as that was, I was completely disarmed by the niceness of every person who came to wait on our table. There was at least five different people that came by and I can't remember all that each did. But you had within minutes: hostess, waterboy, server, bread person, and then later food deliverer. It was impressive how it all flowed so fast and with such ease. Everyone was genuinely interested in you having the best dining experience. I was feeling kind of like I was in a dream because it's hard find a place that can truly master it all. All I can say is, Wow!!! Very nice. And thank you...I'm touched that I had the opportunity to eat here with my love. It was a very romantic setting to end the last day of our honeymoon. :) read more

I usually don't write reviews because I was a server for a long time and despised people who thought they were gods of the universe in their yelp reviews, however the mediocrity of this high priced restaurant is something to mention. I ordered the fish special which sounded lovely - seared halibut w fresh frisée, cherry tomatoes, asparagus and corn. My colleague ordered the same and we were very happy to hear we got the last 2 halibut of the night. However, after waiting for what seemed to be a long time for our entrees - about 30 minutes after our appetizers were served, we both were disappointed to find both of our fish were dry. Like the consistency of dry swordfish. The server was apologetic and the manager came out to see if he could bring us a small pasta or dessert to make up for the disappointing fish. We didn't really want either, but felt like the restaurant really wanted to give us something we didn't want rather than comp our entrees. In my experience as a server, if a customer is unhappy with a dish you do one of two things: 1) immediately replace the dish and fix the problem, or 2) comp the dish. They did neither, mainly because it was the last fish and they certainly did not want to comp anything until I put up a fuss... First disappointing meal I have had in Seattle since coming here regularly this year. Will make sure to post some great reviews of other places to make up for this bummer. read more

One of my favorite Italian restaurants in Seattle. Everything's always been delicious, reasonably portioned and properly cooked. The service, while not impeccable, has never fallen down like so-many Seattle restaurants. I've never had a problem getting seated within 5 minutes of my reservation and even then, the seating the in bar is usually available for a pre-dinner cocktail. And the decor (lots of wood & molding) appropriately sets the mood. The gnocchi everyone references is indeed delicious. I've also enjoyed lamb and duck several different times. Definitely consider sharing dishes so you can enjoy all the courses, and don't fill up on bread :-) My only complaint is that it also serves as the restaurant for the hotel, so sometimes the ambiance suffers because there are loud tourist families seated near you. I don't need everyone to wear a jacket and tie, but when I go out and spend $50-100 I would like for the people around me not to be wearing ski jackets and tevas with socks (but hey, that's Seattle in a nut-shell, so what can you do?). read more

Solid Italian, 3 1/2 stars. I sat by the open kitchen and they appeared organized and under control, good sign. I started with a scrumptious martini (of course!) along with house made meats and olives (yum!). The salmon was tender inside with a crispy and perfectly seasoned crust. It said it came w/ gnocchi, which is one of the reasons I ordered it, but it looked and tasted more like polenta. When I asked the waiter (who was sweet and v. cute, though I normally don't dig the ponytail types) he said yes, he knew the menu was misleading, it's more of a "gnocchi square". Um, ok, you gotta give it to him for being matter of fact. I took some tiramisu home w/ me (rather than the waiter, since I'm not that kind of girl) and it was ok but not great. I rather enjoyed my dining experience there and will go back again when I'm in town for work. read more

Ahh, Tulio oh Tulio. So I've been told that Tulio is known for being a secret little hide-out for the well-knowns in Seattle who want to enjoy some great Italian fare. Yesterday when I went to the infamous Tulio, there were no celeb sitings but I can certainly understand why Tulio is the chosen place for people around here. The atmosphere is very vintage with a classic, regal feel. This is absolutely and precisely what I would picture when going to an Italian Ristorante. The wood and brass décor is all very Godfather-esque and at any moment one might expect to see Al Pacino pop out and make an appearance. OK, so that might be a slight exaggeration, but one thing that is not is the exceptional food I had at Tulio. We started our lunch off with the Sweet Potato Sage Butter Gnocchi appy which will blow your mind! I feel like going back to Tulio today JUST FOR THAT! I then opted for the Calzone stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach and cheeses! It was fantastic and the calzone crust could not have been more perfect though my only wish is that they offered other varieties of calzones on their menu since I am positive they would be great. But that gnocchi. Wow. The service was exceptional - our server knew the dishes very well and was able to provide great recommendations. We did not have reservations and were able to get a table though my colleagues were surprised by that saying normally reservations are required, even for the lunch hour. Overall, I had a lovely experience and am looking forward to checking Tulio out for dinner sometime. Just as long as they serve that gnocchi - what a WOW :) read more

Tulio is easily one of my all time favorite Seattle restaurants. It's the perfect place for a date night, brunch with your mom or a meal with a really good friend. The ambience is perfect, lots of dark wood, intimate spaces, comfy booths and not too big. I've always been extremely happy with the service here. The hostesses are super nice and sweet, and the waiters are there for you but not intrusive. The other night none of us even noticed that our glasses were refilled or that the check came to our table. That's the way it should be! I also have to say, James, our waiter the other night, was not only tons of fun, but he helped us pick really tasty entrees and desserts. I had the smoked salmon and lemon ravioli, which is creamy and citrusy and yummy all at one. MItchell had the lamb, which might be some of the best lamb I've ever tasted and Jodye had the tortelli which was filled with crab. For dessert please get the hazelnut gelatto - you will not regret it. I've also been here for brunch multiple times, which says something since I hate breakfast food. The eggs benedict is always a personal favorite of mine. Make sure you check out the wine list, not a bad glass/bottle in the place. read more

Went here on the recommendation of a friend I bumped into at the airport on my way to Seattle; he was just returning. Good thing as he had some awesome recommendations! When my friends I and I first approached, I was a bit concerned as the romantic vibe beaming through the windows, with white table cloths, warm candlelight and a warm, dark wood room. That did not hold us back, and frankly, while this could be a great date spot, it is equally comfortable and good for a group dinner. Good, hearty Italian food with robust flavors. I had a pasta dish with a spicy sausage ragu. Yum. Bold spice, but hearty tomato based sauce was so satisfying. Great wines, good prices. Great service. OMG! Nearly forgot to mention the sweet potato gnocchi... little fluffy pillows of heaven in a sage butter. the need to order these frankly is what kept me from ordering the panzotti, which sounded equally as scrumptious, but I had to have the gnocchi. You do, too. Trust me. read more

Why have I not written a review for this place? I go out of my way to go here for dinner every time I'm in town. And since I'm now moving to Seattle I think I might become a regular here! 3 things you need to know: 1) the service is fabulous, they will make you feel like $1 million. No matter who you have as your server you will get great service. If you are seated in James' area, you are I. For a treat! 2) the food is always wonderful and fresh. You will never go wrong with the salmon ravioli or the sweet potato gnocchi 3) they have a wonderful drink selection You might need reservations as this place fills up. Don't go boasting about this place to everyone, we want to keep it our little secret! read more

Tulio is old Seattle! Located on the bottom floor of Vintage Park Hotel, while walking inside - I felt like it was 1945! Their hostess Jennifer is such a doll and she was able to squeeze the 4 of us in at 7:30 on a Saturday night! We dined at one of the front booths along the wall, our server was nice, I believe his name was Lotfy. Being practically full that evening, it took awhile to get our drinks - but this was understandable. We each had appetizers - my friend and I had a wonderful Caesar salad (although I never understand why chefs leave the romaine lettuce whole and we get to spend 8 minutes cutting it all up), my husband had the Scallops and her hubby had the field greens. The food came out quickly, and everyone enjoyed! For dinner my friend and I had the Veal chop, my hubby had the Halibut (special fish of the night), and her hubby had the Duck. The portions were much larger than we anticipated! The veal was superb, as was the duck - the Halibut was just "ok". Our desserts were "out of this world", we had the chocolate bread pudding and a glass of Vin Santo dessert wine followed by a fantastic Cappuccino. Our friends had the Gelato and some apple dish - both came back to visit me in my dreams that night :) All in all, a good, solid restaurant to enjoy good food, good wine and great friends. I'll be back, at least for dessert, very soon! read more

Because of Tulio's, my wife will no longer ever order risotto ever agin the rest of her life because it was so off putting. This is a "where do we go and eat near out hotel before the show and know we are getting overcharged?" kind of place. I do want to say I had impeccable service. Our waiter got a solid 5 stars. The food was a hit or miss affair. Here's the rundown: Salads: The heart of romaine caesar my wife enjoyed was wonderful but right at the point of over dressed. The arugula salad I had was simple and perfect. Antipasti: The sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter was SUPER RICH but a great bite or two. Make sure you share this appetizer. I would recommend this though Primo: It's hard to judge the smoked salmon ravioli. The ravioli itself was good. It did need a sauce, but the lemon creme sauce was way too lemony for my taste. The lemon overwhelmed all other tastes. The risotto with caramelized pear, rapine, pine nuts, and gorgonzola was a dud. My wife hated it and I traded my ravioli for hers. I did not taste any gorgonzola, and even a sconce amount would be easily noticed. The pears were just cubes of warmed pear. Ick. The pine nuts were not toasted. I could see how some would see this as a gross out dsh. Secondi: We both had the seared tuna with pickled raisin, bread drums, and some kind of spinachy base under it. I liked it, but also was on the edge of too lemony. One more drop of lemon and I would have hated it. Maybe they should have let us have a lemon slice and not squeeze it all on the tuna themselves... But we don't regret going there. I had to try it at least once since I had driven by it hundreds of times. But for the price we paid, I will be spending it elsewhere NOTE TO TULIO'S STAFF: PLEASE DUST THE LAMP SHADES AND OTHER THINGS. THEY NEED ATTENTION TOO read more

For a belated combined birthday celebration my team and I went out to lunch on a Friday at Tulio, just a few blocks up from our office. I was super duper excited because pasta/Italian food is like my kryptonite - I am powerless against it. And since it was in celebration of my birthday, I planned on guiltlessly ordering something super naughty and full of carbs. That morning I was super slammed and never got around to having anything for breakfast other than a few cups of coffee, so by the time we arrived for our noon reservation I was absolutely starving. As I stepped through the antique revolving doors I could practically taste delicious homemade pasta on my tongue. We were seated at an adorable table in the back and soon after the server brought out Italian bread and some of the yummiest olive oil I have ever tasted (I think it was infused with herbs or something). I only had one piece of bread because I wanted to save myself for the main course. I saw a few plates of food go by including the fish special of the day, and the portions looked fairly generous, so I figured my order would be similar in size. Oh, sad, sad day when it finally arrived, quite a while later when I was beginning to actually feel faint from hunger. I chose the Wild Mushroom Tortelli with yellow foot chanterelles, puntanella, currant, and Meyer lemon butter. When it finally arrived I cannot describe the level of my disappointment. I stared down into the bottom of a huge bowl that contained just five little pieces of ravioli... $16 for ten mouthfuls of food (if you pace yourself and take small bites). My co-worker shot me a look of absolute pity as she dug into her own tiny portion of risotto. What a letdown. I've never been more shocked at a portion size, even at a "nice" restaurant. The dish itself was pretty good, but nothing special and certainly not worth the price, especially since I had to buy a deli salad a couple hours later to get me through the afternoon. I suppose I should have said yes to the $7 soup or $12 salad the server offered when I placed my order. So I left my birthday lunch feeling disappointed and hungry, and I definitely won't be going back to Tulio if I can help it. If I can't, I'll make sure I eat a snack first next time. read more

I'm sitting at the front bar of Tulio right now, enjoying an amaro recommended to me by the fabulous bartender. I also had a three bean soup and wild mushroom bruschetta with imported ricotta cheese. Everything was perfect. After sitting on planes and at a conference all day, this place was exactly what I needed. read more

Absolutely great restaurant with high food quality and a great semi-old world feel. The lamb is wonderful and they have a great selection of wines for those who are so inclined. In any case, I've been there twice and had great experiences both this. Oh and that said they are typically on the 25 for 25 list so definitely check them out if its November or March (when they run that special). read more

This was a great breakfast. With our dietary restrictions they able to whip something up that was delicious and off menu. The atmosphere is quaint, but the service is impeccable. Miriam was friendly and attentive. Thanks for a great start to our day. read more

Tulio - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My Jewish family has a number of Christmas traditions, some more "traditional" (Chinese food and a movie on Christmas Day); some less (Tulio Christmas Eve dinner). This is my dad's favorite Seattle restaurant because: - The waiter can pick your wine for you without seeming overbearing (especially since he's right) and tell you about his kids without being annoying - The interior is what my dad thinks is "simple elegance" - dark wood paneling, with plenty of candles and tchotckes in various "Northwest" shades - He gets to practice his "Italiano" and no one laughs - Everything is cooked to perfection - Preparations are interesting, but not over-the-top (read: they serve actual food, not just foams stacked on tulles, topped with brined baby whatevers) - The desserts rock, too I'm gonna have to agree with Dad on this one. Oh, and not that anyone needs recommendations to get a good meal here, but here's how the Lipskys break it down: 1. Start with 2 orders of the sweet potato gnocchi 2. Go for a full round of appetizers including the chanterelle risotto and the scallops 3. All the entrees are great, but definitely sample the specials 4. 3 desserts; 5 forks Bellissimo! read more

No reservations needed. Well at least when we went, so the plan was to go and eat at Purple wine bar... When we walked in, it was packed. the greeter asked "reservations??" Response "nope" greeter "well you can try the bar upstairs." Me "ok." No chance, upstairs was packed. Anyways we went back out into the rain to look for something new (wineish). Up the street we got to Tulio which welcomed us right in and sat us down. The food was great (go for the Veal Chop, but make sure you get it medium rare, nothing more). The greatest thing this place has is its Port flight, yep thats right, when the waiter came by for dessert, I responded "I perfer to drink my dessert." He told me me about the flight of Port they do and I was instantly sold! So they have a $30 40yr old on the menu, or for $30 you can get the flight. The flight has a 10yr, 20yr, 30yr, and the 40yr old which is awesome to taste the differences between the years. The flight is a MUST DO!! read more

Roberto was an excellent host and wonderful transition into our server Mariam. The service was only second to the amazing food we ordered based on great recommendations from Mariam. Thank you so much, we will be back. Food: The duck - best we have had so far. Salmon ravioli - couldn't have imagined it any better. Risotto - well balanced flavors. read more

Nice meal and good ambiance. Had the sweet potato gnocchi. It was good, but not our cup of tea. Just seemed a little heavy. That being said I can imagine some people might really like it. We split the chicken for our main course. The risotto was spot on and the chicken was delicious. They split it into 2 plates for us with made it easy to share. Lastly we had chocolate pudding cake that just melted in our mouths as we ate it. All in all a solid meal and worth the trip. Waitstaff was great as well. read more

Made New Year reservations for my husband and his parents and it did not disappoint. Usually places which are hit with crowds on a holiday we've noticed their service and food is not usually as great as they are just so slammed, not the case here. Very romantic, elegant restaurant right in the heart of Seattle. It's tucked in the corner of the hotel which has valet parking that we took advantage of and being that it was New Year's we were glad to be able to hand off the keys and just walk into the restaurant. The hostess was very sweet and sat us out our table quickly. They had us tucked in the back which I was worried would be a mess as staff were coming and going - but it wasn't an issue. The wait staff were great - very entertaining and helpful with making selections and pairing with wine. The bread they served was warm and so good with the olive oil. My mother-in-law and I ordered the Pork Shank ... OMG! Hands down the best way to start off the new year! the meat just fell off the bone! My husband order the ribeye and my Father-in-law the chicken ... they both had order envy. The wine (wish I could remember the name - it was a Merlot and my mother-in-law was shocked as she doesn't like Merlot) it was amazingly paired with the dish! It was a wonderful experience all around to ring in the new year and I hope we have the chance to make it back out to the city so we can do it again soon! read more

Okay, so this review is WAY overdue... My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's day. The interior is cute! Dark, with intimate tables, and candlelit lighting. To start off, we ordered porkbelly with asparagus, and scallops. The scallops weren't my favorite - they weren't seared to my liking, but they were fine. The pork belly was good! It was a nice, thick cut of pork. Yumm! For dinner, he ordered the duck while I ordered the chicken was truffle polenta. Again, just okay - the chicken was a little overcooked but the polenta was creamy and flavorful. THE DESSERT. Okay, this deserves a paragraph all by itself. We ordered the chocolate cake and chocolate creme (served with a biscotti). The chocolate cake was yummy! Dense and chocolately with a hint of cinnamon(?) (I LOVE cinnamon in my chocolate). The chocolate creme was silky and chilled and perfect without being overly sweet. If nothing else, the dessert course was the perfect way to end our evening! I really need to come back for their regular menu - gnocchi, pizza, more wine...it sounds like it shouldn't be missed! read more

WOW! Everything from the bread plate to the dessert was fabulous! The bread was so soft and salty and delicious. I also had a raspberry martini that was wonderful. My family ended up all getting a variety of things and trying each others... so i will go through the list. Sweet Potato Gnocci - I don't like sweet potatoes or gnocci but this was delicious!!! The crust was perfect and it wasn't too chewy or sweet potatoey. Scallops (appetizer) - amazing crust on these too - almondish with a really great sauce. Also they were cooked to perfection ( which is the only way to really eat a scallop) Salmon - so light and fluffy and fresh - the only reason I didn't order this is because it looked too healthy for me :) Smoked Salmon Ravioli - WOW... this is what I ordered and I made such a good decision. The flavors are extremely complimentary with the noodle, large amounts of smoked salmon with lemon and cream sauce. Heaven in my mouth. I would go back over and over again just to get this. (and I ate the leftovers for breakfast) Lastly, we shared the pistachio mouse for dessert with chocolate shavings and it was excellent. Overall a delicious experience and we all walked out of there very full! read more

Had a farewell dinner here last night since I'm moving to San Francisco. The atmosphere was great for a Monday night; I was worried I might end up at an empty restaurant which is never fun since you need a good ambiance to truly enjoy a meal. The sweet potato appetizer was incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed my Italian sausage dish. I couldn't give this place 5 stars since it isn't quiet as good as "Astroid Cafe" read more

My fabulous friend hosted her bridesmaid brunch here this weekend. The ambiance of the place really set the mood. It was perfect - classy without feeling overdone. We started out with a fruit plate and it was pretty good. The fruit was all fresh and presented in a lovely fashion. I had the waffle with fresh fruit compote and homemade praline. The fresh fruit had blueberries and a few raspberries in it and was good. The praline was delicious! The waffle was great and as classy as you can make such a dish. The portions were appropriate - not huge, but not too small either. The service was incredibly attentive and polite. They were the type of servers that waited until a break in conversation to approach the table rather than interrupting at their own convenience. My only complaint, which really isn't even a complaint, was the coffee. It was extremely strong. That's good for a single cup, to go type place, but this was crazy with the refills. I'm not sure if was the type or the pot, but I was overwhelmed by the strength. I definitely would come back here for brunch again and hope to try out their lunch or dinner sometime soon! read more

I came here for my firm's holiday dinner. We had some heavy appetizers and drinks but I can't speak to the entrees. All the hors d'oeuvres were delicious though the toast points or crackers that there were served on were too small! They kept tipping over or crumbling when I tried to pick them up with tongs and I try to be at least a little classy at the firm party. The drinks were great as well, the bar tender seemed very skilled. Great service and warm, cozy, intimate setting. Looking forward to coming back for more! read more

We went here for dinner tonight and it was very very yummy!!! For appetizers: - Focaccia: probably the best focaccia I've ever had. Bread stuffed with cheese and garlic. It was extremely amazing. If you go here you would be sad to miss this. - Sweet Potato Gnocchi: Extremely delicious but the focaccia was better :). But still really good. For entrees: - Scallops: I loved the squash puree they served it with. Scallops were also delicious. The pork belly was just OK though - I've had better and that was the only thing I had all night that wasn't amazing. - Pasta with Sausage: my husband loved it! Service was great as well. Wine was delicious. We arrived at the time of our reservation and they sat us immediately. I highly enjoyed the coat hooks so you weren't squished with coats in your seat. Great place - we will definitely return. read more

I have been here 3 to 4 times over the past 4 years. In the past, I have had a good experience with the food but several months ago, I went back for dinner. The dishes this time were not authentic and were rather lackluster given the price. They were not bad, just very mediocre Americanized or "Italian-inspired" food. For example, linguine with vongole should not come swimming in a bucket of white sauce. They should also up the quality and selection of their wines. The decor is traditional, but a tad stuffy. Our waiter this time was unenthusiastic and blase', though not unfriendly. His lack of energy and enthusiasm was well noted, however. There are many other Italian restaurants in town that capture my attention and wallet. I will not be returning to Tulio's. read more

This place is absolutely overrated! The food is barely acceptable, I tried the burrata and the flavor was inconsistent and the combination of tastes completely wrong... then I tried the ribeye and it was disgusting! I asked for it medium rare and I got a piece of fatty cheap steak completely burned outside (therefore bitter) and rare inside! This cost me $38 and if I'm not wrong was the most expensive dish on the menu.... I can't imagine the other courses! The best part is the lack of service, they left dirty plates in front of me for at least 10 minutes after I was done eating. Then I asked for the check, and while waiting I had my credit card close to my hand while I was texting. Suddenly a rude old lady came out of nowhere, without giving me the check first, grabbed my credit card from between my hand, with no permission!!!! She swiped my credit card and then another person gave me a receipt. This lady acted so fast, she turned around and walked away with my credit card, that I didn't have the time to see her face! read more

I brought my boyfriend here for Valentine's Day. I was happy that I could get a last-minute reservation even though it was almost 10 PM. Since it was a special event menu and I am a very finicky eater, I decided I would be adventurous even though not one of the five entrees on the list appealed to me (my boyfriend was of course THRILLED and indecisive because he wanted to order the entire menu). My boyfriend ordered the crab spaghetti. When I ordered the duck, our server asked me how I liked it cooked. I'd assumed duck would be like most poultry; COOKED, so that's what I said and he suggested trying it the way the chef prefers. I agreed, and when he brought it out, let me try it, and then asked me what I thought my boyfriend could read the horrified look on my face and told our server that it might need it to be cooked a little longer. When they brought it back it was perfect. I inhaled the mint risotto and fresh figs that accompanied it. It was too much like steak for my liking (I don't eat red meat) so I will probably never eat it again, but I am happy I tried it and thankful for the experience. I will have to come back on a regular day to see the entire menu. If it wasn't for the incredible service, I don't know how I would rate the place. Our server was on it , picking up on our signals when we needed him and not intruding in our romantic space every five minutes like some restaurants. They lose one star for freaking me out with the 25% gratuity hold they put on my card. There wasn't a notice nor disclaimer anywhere on the menu nor the website saying they would be doing this. I'm not exactly sure WHY they put a hold on my card, but at least I know better next time... but FOUR stars is still pretty good! All in all, we ate a decent Valentine's Day dinner with two cocktails, two entrees, and two desserts for just under $100. read more

I took a visiting friend here during 25 for 25 and the experience was pretty good. First let me say that the bread here is Awesome!! SO good in fact that, it was hard to save room for dinner, see: three baskets. Appetizers were an asparagus soup, pretty tasty considering my take on asparagus, and a tomato and mozzarealla salad that was excellent, the dressing was perfect and the cheese divine. Here began our wait for dinner, which was considerable, however our server was kind enough to bring us a complementary beverage to speed up our wait. which considering I was drinking $8 a glass wine, was very nice. we arrived at the restauraunt for a 5 o'clock reservation so maybe they were still trying to get into the dinner swing of things, as soon as the server knew that our food was going to be 20 minutes she came and told us. When dinner did arrive is was heavenly. I chose the lavender pork rack with creamy polenta and the combination of the two on the toungue was spectacular. the pork was super moist and aromatic and though i forgto what was in the polenta it was exceedingly good. I was also impressed with their 25 for 25 portion sizes. Just when i did not have room for dessert it arrived. I ordered the tiramisu because i've never really had it. it was too heavy on the coffee flavor for me, but i can see why people love that stuff. Overall the service was great and the decor is beautiful too, although my friend pointed out that they did not spend a lot of time on choosing the pictures that ended up in the ornamental gilded frame, (i wouldn't have noticed the picture cuz it was behind me) but he was right it was pretty generically ugly. and on one last note, it's a serious maze to get to the restroom! read more

Tulio's bartender, Sheri...what can you say about her? Gracious, funny, engaging and crafts one of the best Manhattan's in Seattle! My wife and I love to come to Tulio's, sit at the bar, and place ourselves in her hands. She always picks out what is great on the menu for us, picks out the fun off the beaten path wine for us, and always makes us smile! Beet salad with burrata was amazing, the gnocchi was pan seared in sage butter...WOW, and the list goes on from our many trips...never a bad plate has made its way in front of us. While I may spend my time perched at the bar when I visit, the times we have eaten in the dining room the staff has always been really great too. The ambience of the room is formal enough for event dining, but relaxed enough to let you savor the experience...but the Manhattan's from Sheri always keep me coming back for more! read more

Nice spot. Local and cozy. Great service.

Nice, warm, intimate, and small restaurant with great food. About 2 blocks from the 5th Avenue Theater - a great location. We were here for dinner on a Saturday night. The restaurant was filled and busy at around 6pm. Thankfully, we got to Tulio's a bit earlier and grabbed a table in the bar area. I was "medium hungry" by the time I sat down. By the time I was done reading the menu, I was craving the food I had just read about! We started off with the pancetta and arugula salad. Not overly dressed, yay! Fresh. salty and peppery flavors, and plentiful. A great start to the meal! Then we moved onto the sweet potato gnocchi...Yes it's true. The sweet potato gnocchi dish is great (you can find it under the starters/appetizers section). It's the perfect sweet, savory, and buttery combination of flavors. Perfect texture too! A bit crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It's so delicious! It was my favorite of the night. I can actually see this being an entree on its' own - perhaps a bit heavy for one person but ever so tasty. I want some right now!! For entrees, we ordered the tagliatelle and the tortellini. The tortellini was interesting! Raisins and pine nuts on it! Haha...that made for a nice sweet and slightly tart flavor in an otherwise very "earthy" dish. The tortellini was in true/classical tortellini form - big folded pouches filled was flavorful stuffing of cauliflower, cheese, and herbs. Perfectly cooked - al dente (how I like my pasta), warm filling, perfect amount of sauce. The tagliatelle was amazing! Great meat sauce, perfectly balanced! The pasta was fresh! This dish is very homey and I wouldn't mind eating this once a week! Though... I do imagine I'd become a very large person if eating delicious buttery Italian food became a habitual thing. Hehe :P I would love to come back to Tulio's! read more

Whenever I go to nice Italian restaurants, I always order the wrong antipasti. Here I had the organic field greens while my friends ordered the potato gnocchi and the salumi, both of which would have been better choices...doh. I was able to redeem myself, however, with my dinner order. I had the smoked salmon ravioli which was amazing while one of my friends made the mistake of ordering the clam linguine which he had to de-clam himself. I, having absolute zero culinary skill, am not a fan of having to do this. For desert I had the pistachio semifreddo which was good, but didn't blow me away or anything. read more

Oh dear, this otherwise near perfect restaurant has date killer tables. Only a few but I got stuck at one. I can only conclude that those who set up tables like this have never actually sat at one. I'm talking about those tables for two that are placed in a row and set so close to the next one that the person sitting next to you on the other table is in fact closer to you than your lunch or dinner date. It makes a mockery of privacy and the concept of a quiet table for two for discreet conversation be it intimate or perhaps even confidential. I give a one star in the hope it grabs the owner's attention. If I had been at a booth or any otherwise much more private table I'm sure I would award a 5 star rating as I have done in the past because it truly is a gem of a place. read more

If I could give them less than 1 star I would!! This place is super fancy and pricy so I accepted the food to be out of this world, and what can I say, it was out of a third world country! I went there with friends who were visiting from LA for a jewelry show and none of us can say a single good word about this place.A huge disappointment. I'm not trying to sound mean and I like to give good reviews but this one doesn't deserve it. We paid so much for nothing, we didn't even want to try their deserts! On top of the bad food, the place was extremely loud we could barely hear each other, the service was so so and it took them forever to bring our food out. Im sorry Tulio Restaurant, but I'm not a fan. read more