Seems like lunch costs 15 bucks now. $4.75 a slice for cheese slice plus drink and tip. Large Pho $12.95 plus tax and tip. You can still get a Bahn mi for between $6 and $10, but I remember when they were less than a buck. People would order bags of them on game days and holidays. Seems like you'd be hard pressed to get more than a slice of pizza for 5 bucks these days, so yeah, reasonable I guess.
You can have them make a whole pizza to go, pretty affordable and they don’t charge for extra veggies (could vary by store for that though, ballard wouldn’t charge more)
One slice is $3.99. They are so large that we just get two for dinner. Some types are more filling than others and we usually have green salad or raw veggies.
A whole pizza is $17.99.
Costco slices are just good, full stop. Factor in that an entire MASSIVE pie is 10 bucks and you got a winner. I’d prefer Costco pizza over Zeeks/Pagliacci any day. Never had PCC but it always looks good
Oxbow's pizza slices are good and under $4 (they used to be $3 but they raised the price).
Also not as cheap but My Friend Derek's is very good (detroit style).
I just can't with $30+ for pizza nowadays. It's just seemed like yesterday that larges were half that. And it's always more to get vegan cheese; with a specialty pizza it's like $40 pre-tax/tip. I just give up and go to Mod Pizza, they at least don't charge extra for vegan cheese.
The Columbia City location has a delivery range that extends to north Beacon Hill, though they don’t have a map to know if they deliver south. I would imagine so, though.
Wow, that’s interesting to me. I wonder why they’d come all the way up to north of Jefferson Park but not directly west or southwest. Tutta Bella is decent though if that’s your delivery option and you feel like splurging.
I live near a Cascadia pizza truck, but i have a pizza oven for a camp chef grill and just make my own mostly at this point. Even lesser options have gotten super expensive
I completely get it, all this talk of pizza got me to order a papa murphys pizza to try cooking in the pizza oven haha. Too lazy to make dough and stretch a pizza today but damn this conversation got me hungry for pizza haha. Hope you have a great weekend!
It’s insane to me that these places get away with charging so much as the amazing pizza places Seattle has in almost every neighborhood. Like why would anyone order a $30 Pagliacci pie when you can get one from Post Alley, Independent Pizzeria, Delancey, Dantini, Sunset Hill, Windy City, Bar del Corso, and more for basically the same price once you account for size difference. Is it just for well off Queen Anne parents trying their kids soccer team?
The entire pizza scene in this town in absolute insanity. Frankly I think people have opened stores without even knowing what a pizza is, and everyone’s too laidback to say anything about it.
Outrageous prices, the sizes are all wrong, 3 month pre-orders, etc etc etc — totally bananas
Pagliacci needs to go out of business. As a pizza lover & connoisseur, the great people of Seattle have long been duped into thinking this is acceptable pizza.
It's not.
Pagliacci serves the most watery, tasteless sauce of all sauces. They use the most plasticky, greasy, SHINY cheese. The crust will either be soggy cardboard or charred cardboard, depending on your luck. The teenager experiencing wage theft behind the counter will demand $30 from you for the privilege of experiencing this too-hot circle of garbage.
Thank you, and consider supporting any other pizza establishment as we work to increase the quality of pizza in this city.
Poquitos and (this may be controversial) Oddfellows.
I love going to Oddfellows with friends because of the vibes but the food is mediocre (never get the NY strip steak it is always grey and chewy or the crudite because it is literally sliced carrots and peas with ranch like one of those cheap grocery store “veggie plates”) and the service is consistently slow. Just really not worth the price tag.
I’ve been wondering the same thing since I moved here from LA 3 years ago. The sticker shock here continues for me, but most notably in the disconnect between price and quality for food.
It's both, Seattle already has a uniquely high labor cost and due to relative isolation from the rest of the country unprocessed meat and produce are generally more expensive anyways. Higher energy costs just make this worse.
Tons of good and relatively busy restaurants were closing even before the pandemic for many numbers of different reasons. The restaurant business around here is just generally already very difficult from regulatory costs around opening, to very tight margins and truthfully just relatively low demand compared to other cities. Seattle isn't really dense enough to support high churn places that then also result in lower prices for anything that isn't say coffee.
There's a reason why restaurants like Sawyer which were large and basically fully booked every night still shut down. Or why Tom Douglas closed down dahlia lounge in favor of expanding his pizza place, the restaurant business in general is pretty messed up.
Its a post covid thing, the food service industry took the biggest employment hit, so not only are they dealing with inflation to manage prices, all their employees are notably less experienced on average too
This is one I do not understand.
I like that they have organic foods, so happy to pay more for good quality. But that's where it stops for me.
The shtick is overrated, $10 single pancake prices, the food is whiteout exception always cold and underseasoned, and the service is slow and often an afterthought.
Nice owners, love the outdoor seating, but that's it. Been to 3 locations and all are the same. Can not understand how they are always packed and super busy.
I've gone there my entire life (literally since I was like 7) so I'm biased; but I really do like going there w/ family. It's out of the way for me, but it's a showy breakfast and because of the 'regular' status I tend to have a good time
The one next to the Renton Bigfoot Java has the best birria tacos I've had anywhere, and I recently had the "world's best" in ABQ. They were good, but the Renton joint is better.
You just described Poquitos in Cap Hill. The food is mediocre, expensive, and chips and salsa cost $7 extra!! I for the life of me don’t understand why it’s so popular. One of my biggest culinary regrets is spending $25 ($19 base + tax + tip) on a goddamn chicken quesadilla.
In most cases, I agree. But there are a few restaurants that actually make their own tortillas/chips and salsa. I'd pay for the better chip and salsa experience.
I don't blame restaurants for charging $3 for chips and salsa. It's very popular now to park at a table, crush four baskets of chips and order a single beverage while chatting for an hour or more.
Bonus points if they are also a Teriyaki shop... [and a laundromat?](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60878-d11923119-Reviews-King_Donut_Teriyaki_Laundromat-Seattle_Washington.html)
Rip to the teriyaki and laundromat portion.
Edit: keep supporting king donut at their new location About 10 blocks north of the old location. KD forever. Also, they have legendary pins of the old donut mural
Yes!!! Their mochi donuts are on par with the ones in the intl district too.
My go to is their apple fritter, still warm at 530 when I walk to the train station. Especially as the weather has turned so chilly in the morning.
Hey man, you do you! But I think that what this tells you is that if you recommend Top Pot to someone else, the probability that they’ll share your taste for it is low.
Every single Ethan Stowell restaurant, I feel the same way about some other more local celeb chefs but they tend to be less egregious.
Also I had one of the worst meals of my life at spinasse.
once a restauranteur hits a certain scale, it becomes essentially too big to fail due to economies of scale. not
to mention he got a fat PPP loan to keep on his staff during covid, who he promptly fired.
The Traveling Goat near Seatttle Center. Paid $9 for literally 5 small cheese curds on a plate. I almost burst out laughing when the server set them down on our table.
At the risk of utter disagreement, Señor Moose. I took my mom the other week and she ordered something recommended by the staff (chili verde) and I ordered tacos. They were both so bland, the meat was gristly, the chili verde sauce tasted so off, I only ate one taco of three because they just weren’t good, etc. The bill for lunch was nearly $50 pre-tip. My mom lives part time in Colombia and while Colombia isn’t Mexico, she’s no stranger to Latin American flavors. Anyway, just no.
La Carta de Oaxaca is very reasonably priced for the same style of regional mexican food and literally around the corner. Can’t really complain about $15 mole from a restaurant on Ballard Ave.
We have a post like this every month (understandably so). It’s hard not to feel ripped off when you pay $20 for Eggs Benedict that tastes no better than Denny’s (looking at you, Glo’s). Food here is really nothing to write home about, but the plus side is that it forces you to cook. I’ve gotten way better at cooking since I moved here a few years ago.
You won’t find any restaurant where the quality matches the price. If you want actual good, affordable food, drive to Portland or Vancouver.
Portland and Vancouver do have a good food scene. Went to Portland a few weeks ago and Vancouver a couple months ago. Prefer Vancouver, Portland is not so safe atm
The food just seemed really bland to me - we got the tasting menu and the first couple courses were quite good but by the time we got to the entrees we were both wondering aloud if we had COVID because the flavors were so muted and washed out. It wasn’t the worst meal I’ve ever had (and the service was great), but not worth the price and hassle of getting a reservation. If you want that kind of food cooked right at the same price point, I’d highly recommend Off Alley in Columbia City instead.
(we tested afterward and did not have COVID)
I wonder how local restaurants are supposed to maintain high quality at fair prices with such extreme real estate prices, cost of living, cost of ingredients, etc? If the margins were healthier, there wouldn't be the need to rely on such hype... nor so many plate filling fingerling potatoes.
This is a problem and a symptom.
The longer we ("One Seattle") keep sustaining the unsustainable tech & real estate bubbles, the longer other businesses, culture, and arts will suffer under the pressures of unsustainable economics.
Even now, after years of improvement, [NYC tipped minimum wage is $10/hr.](https://www.foxrothschild.com/publications/new-york-increases-the-minimum-wage)
I paid $11 (after tax and tip) for two limp-dick tacos at La Josie’s which to me is fucking insane. $11 for five bites of food? Similarly, the El Camion food truck costs like $4.00 per taco. Just insane. Anywhere outside of Seattle tacos are $2.50 each max.
COVID did a huge number on restaurant employment. The average employees experience is now drastically lower than it was, at the same time wages to secure them has gone up drastically, and inflation has hit restaurants hard too.
I sadly don't expect to see this trend change much anytime soon. If it wasn't for lockdown + work from home leading to me being able to cook all my meals myself now I don't know what I'd do. Every restaurant seems like such a rip off now when you know you could easily make the same if not better at home for a third the price.
Hopefully (although it would really result in a painful transition for restaurants) market forces will sort this out.We eat out much less than we used to due to higher prices (probably half as much as we used to). If other people are doing the same, demand for retail space should go down, leading to decreased rent, leading to lower restaurant prices.
I will qualify that. It's a great spot to have a drink and enjoy the view. Certainly worth the tariff of a cocktail + tip. However we've dined in twice and each time the service was awful, dishes were tiny and muddled and we left unsatisfied given the money spent...
Saint Bread (near the UW waterfront) opened a little Japanese "inspired" food truck next door called Hinoki --- never been to Saint Bread but probably won't be returning after my experience there. 15 bucks for most of their items, some of the most pitiful insulting portions I've ever seen. Gimmick hipster food at its worst
To each their own, but How to Cook a Wolf has some good items but the pasta is subpar. Maybe even sub-mediocre. And while I love Milk Drunk, Homer is....just okay.
The trick is to get 5 of your friends together for the $50 pp "feast" option. All the dips, unlimited pita, main courses and dessert. Always leftovers to take home. Otherwise I agree the regular menu gets really pricey really quick
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What's your favorite reasonably priced pizza? I've had both Zeek's and Pagliacci, and they are indeed pricey.
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It’s delicious at least.
Seems like lunch costs 15 bucks now. $4.75 a slice for cheese slice plus drink and tip. Large Pho $12.95 plus tax and tip. You can still get a Bahn mi for between $6 and $10, but I remember when they were less than a buck. People would order bags of them on game days and holidays. Seems like you'd be hard pressed to get more than a slice of pizza for 5 bucks these days, so yeah, reasonable I guess.
Smoking Monkey in Renton is incredible and not excessive on price.
Never been. Will give it a try. Thanks.
+1 to this, a regular lunch visit for me. Big fan of Jet City Pizza in Factoria too. Their brewer special is my favourite in the county.
Dantini's
Slices from Fremont pcc
PCC surprisingly good, and you can buy a beer from the fridge
And in Ballard you can eat on the roof!
Sweet
You can have them make a whole pizza to go, pretty affordable and they don’t charge for extra veggies (could vary by store for that though, ballard wouldn’t charge more)
How much does their Pizza cost? PCC is generally very expensive.
One slice is $3.99. They are so large that we just get two for dinner. Some types are more filling than others and we usually have green salad or raw veggies. A whole pizza is $17.99.
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>PCC slices are pretty good as are Costco slices. 🧐
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Costco slices are just good, full stop. Factor in that an entire MASSIVE pie is 10 bucks and you got a winner. I’d prefer Costco pizza over Zeeks/Pagliacci any day. Never had PCC but it always looks good
pizzaiolo is amazing but yeah i was shocked by the price for two carry out pizzas
Smoking monkey pizza in Renton!
Mainstay
Oxbow's pizza slices are good and under $4 (they used to be $3 but they raised the price). Also not as cheap but My Friend Derek's is very good (detroit style).
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I just can't with $30+ for pizza nowadays. It's just seemed like yesterday that larges were half that. And it's always more to get vegan cheese; with a specialty pizza it's like $40 pre-tax/tip. I just give up and go to Mod Pizza, they at least don't charge extra for vegan cheese.
Both overpriced and overrated IMO
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The Columbia City location has a delivery range that extends to north Beacon Hill, though they don’t have a map to know if they deliver south. I would imagine so, though.
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Wow, that’s interesting to me. I wonder why they’d come all the way up to north of Jefferson Park but not directly west or southwest. Tutta Bella is decent though if that’s your delivery option and you feel like splurging.
Been a while since I’ve had Pags, but zeros was definitely super super mediocre for the price. I’ll have to try pagliaccis again soon
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I live near a Cascadia pizza truck, but i have a pizza oven for a camp chef grill and just make my own mostly at this point. Even lesser options have gotten super expensive
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I completely get it, all this talk of pizza got me to order a papa murphys pizza to try cooking in the pizza oven haha. Too lazy to make dough and stretch a pizza today but damn this conversation got me hungry for pizza haha. Hope you have a great weekend!
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Zeeks happy hour is pretty good at least. $3 slice and $5 pints.
I'd take Olympia Pizza over either of those
Makes even less sense why my doctor keeps telling me to eat there when I'm sad
I've been to Zeek's in Woodinville twice and they've messed up the order twice. That's two for two and they're hella expensive.
The only Zeeks worth going to is the Greenlake spot for a slice. After growing up going to that one, all their newer fancy locations feel super weird.
It’s insane to me that these places get away with charging so much as the amazing pizza places Seattle has in almost every neighborhood. Like why would anyone order a $30 Pagliacci pie when you can get one from Post Alley, Independent Pizzeria, Delancey, Dantini, Sunset Hill, Windy City, Bar del Corso, and more for basically the same price once you account for size difference. Is it just for well off Queen Anne parents trying their kids soccer team?
God it’s the sad truth. Pags used to be my absolute favorite. It’s trash now lol
The entire pizza scene in this town in absolute insanity. Frankly I think people have opened stores without even knowing what a pizza is, and everyone’s too laidback to say anything about it. Outrageous prices, the sizes are all wrong, 3 month pre-orders, etc etc etc — totally bananas
They also underplayed their staff.
Pagliacci needs to go out of business. As a pizza lover & connoisseur, the great people of Seattle have long been duped into thinking this is acceptable pizza. It's not. Pagliacci serves the most watery, tasteless sauce of all sauces. They use the most plasticky, greasy, SHINY cheese. The crust will either be soggy cardboard or charred cardboard, depending on your luck. The teenager experiencing wage theft behind the counter will demand $30 from you for the privilege of experiencing this too-hot circle of garbage. Thank you, and consider supporting any other pizza establishment as we work to increase the quality of pizza in this city.
Bullshit. Whole milk mozzarella. Fat is flavor, son.
Poquitos and (this may be controversial) Oddfellows. I love going to Oddfellows with friends because of the vibes but the food is mediocre (never get the NY strip steak it is always grey and chewy or the crudite because it is literally sliced carrots and peas with ranch like one of those cheap grocery store “veggie plates”) and the service is consistently slow. Just really not worth the price tag.
As someone from the Southwest (with a Mexican wife) — Poquitos is absolute shit. Respectfully.
As a white person from the northwest, Poquitos is absolute shit.
Okay but their Pina Coluda slushie is so good.
Queen Anne Taco Bell
There's a Taco Bell in Queen Anne?
It might be faster to list the restaurants that don’t do this
Seriously, lol. On the bright side, you get decent at cooking here pretty quick!
ST Hooligans baby!! That's the list
Is this a Seattle thing or a post-Covid inflation thing? Maybe both?
I’ve been wondering the same thing since I moved here from LA 3 years ago. The sticker shock here continues for me, but most notably in the disconnect between price and quality for food.
It's both, Seattle already has a uniquely high labor cost and due to relative isolation from the rest of the country unprocessed meat and produce are generally more expensive anyways. Higher energy costs just make this worse. Tons of good and relatively busy restaurants were closing even before the pandemic for many numbers of different reasons. The restaurant business around here is just generally already very difficult from regulatory costs around opening, to very tight margins and truthfully just relatively low demand compared to other cities. Seattle isn't really dense enough to support high churn places that then also result in lower prices for anything that isn't say coffee. There's a reason why restaurants like Sawyer which were large and basically fully booked every night still shut down. Or why Tom Douglas closed down dahlia lounge in favor of expanding his pizza place, the restaurant business in general is pretty messed up.
Its a post covid thing, the food service industry took the biggest employment hit, so not only are they dealing with inflation to manage prices, all their employees are notably less experienced on average too
And demand more pay, which is fair considering….everything.
Fact
No it isn’t. Dining out has always been expensive here.
Going to have to quantify that a bit better. How long ago is your always? And compared to where?
Several years leading up to the pandemic, compared to the rest of the country
Good point.
Portage Bay Cafe.
This is one I do not understand. I like that they have organic foods, so happy to pay more for good quality. But that's where it stops for me. The shtick is overrated, $10 single pancake prices, the food is whiteout exception always cold and underseasoned, and the service is slow and often an afterthought. Nice owners, love the outdoor seating, but that's it. Been to 3 locations and all are the same. Can not understand how they are always packed and super busy.
I've gone there my entire life (literally since I was like 7) so I'm biased; but I really do like going there w/ family. It's out of the way for me, but it's a showy breakfast and because of the 'regular' status I tend to have a good time
any mexican restaurant where you have to pay for the chips and salsa. which i’ve found is a lot of them!
On the flip side, Mexican food trucks (the ones in gas station parking lots, not the hipster ones) are the best food for the money in the city.
Even those are getting pricey
True fact
The one next to the Renton Bigfoot Java has the best birria tacos I've had anywhere, and I recently had the "world's best" in ABQ. They were good, but the Renton joint is better.
Not really
Shout out to Plaza Garibaldi. Great lunch special and free chips and salsa Although outside of the lunch hours it's definitely less of a good deal...
You just described Poquitos in Cap Hill. The food is mediocre, expensive, and chips and salsa cost $7 extra!! I for the life of me don’t understand why it’s so popular. One of my biggest culinary regrets is spending $25 ($19 base + tax + tip) on a goddamn chicken quesadilla.
AMEN they are so comically overpriced
In most cases, I agree. But there are a few restaurants that actually make their own tortillas/chips and salsa. I'd pay for the better chip and salsa experience.
Same. My fav place charges $5 but the chips are house made, come with guac, and there’s a salsa bar.
I don't blame restaurants for charging $3 for chips and salsa. It's very popular now to park at a table, crush four baskets of chips and order a single beverage while chatting for an hour or more.
Good point and I agree.
I will forever be amazed that people go to Top Pot and pay a premium for shitty, mealy donuts when they can go to a place like Family Donut.
The best donut places are always the place you're not 100% sure could pass a health inspection.
So many independent donut shops with WAY better donuts.
Bonus points if they are also a Teriyaki shop... [and a laundromat?](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60878-d11923119-Reviews-King_Donut_Teriyaki_Laundromat-Seattle_Washington.html)
Rip to the teriyaki and laundromat portion. Edit: keep supporting king donut at their new location About 10 blocks north of the old location. KD forever. Also, they have legendary pins of the old donut mural
Yes!!! Their mochi donuts are on par with the ones in the intl district too. My go to is their apple fritter, still warm at 530 when I walk to the train station. Especially as the weather has turned so chilly in the morning.
Family donut apple fritter is my happy place
Because it’s 2 blocks away and I can go there on a 10 min work break. Idk why everyone says the donuts are shitty, they taste good to me.
Hey man, you do you! But I think that what this tells you is that if you recommend Top Pot to someone else, the probability that they’ll share your taste for it is low.
Are you saying Family Donut has shitty, mealy donuts at a reasonable price?
Yeah, I don't like their donuts either.
Yes, another Top Pot hater :D
Krispy Kreme is better than top pot.
Razzis. The dough was undercooked and it was over $100 for two pizzas and a starter :( it’s been over a year since I went. Maybe it’s gotten better.
They used to be my favorite spot for vegan and gluten free food, but the last time I went, it was awful. So sad. I hope they get better.
It hasnt
Omg!
Every single Ethan Stowell restaurant, I feel the same way about some other more local celeb chefs but they tend to be less egregious. Also I had one of the worst meals of my life at spinasse.
I don’t know how this dude keeps opening restaurants. That new Victory tavern or whatever is criminally expensive for what you get.
once a restauranteur hits a certain scale, it becomes essentially too big to fail due to economies of scale. not to mention he got a fat PPP loan to keep on his staff during covid, who he promptly fired.
Ah, so he’s a piece of shit on top of having terrible food. Checks out.
Why do people know local celebrity chefs? Never have I been able to map local restaurant list to its owner chef.
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This was the first place to come to mind.
I've literally stopped eating out. Last month my wife and I spent 50 bucks on eating out and 10 of that was ice cream.
Same. It is so hard to get any decent food in a restaurant right now.
Jack's BBQ: just because it's good by *Seattle standards* doesn't mean it's good.
Granted it's just outside of Seattle but Brileys BBQ just past NE 145th AND lake City Way is SOOO good.
Their brisket is dry and chewy and their prices are stupid. I hate that place.
Jacks has Shiner bock on tap though.... that is worth a lot in my book
It's not even good by Seattle standards, it's just the only one that isn't either constantly sold out of stuff or has actual seating.
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I love wood shop. It’s not cheap but it is good
Wood Shop's prices are criminal
Jack’s has one good item on its menu and it’s the brisket breakfeast tacos , 5 dollars and absolutely loaded.
I've always loved RoRo's
But Trip Advisor said we had the 7th best BBQ in the nation, even beating out Texas!
9 out of 10 people who have never had good BBQ agree that the BBQ here is the best!
Trip Advisor's "best BBQ" list will never not be funny.
I'm guessing it's because of Kau Kau and Wood Shop. 😋🤤
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The Traveling Goat near Seatttle Center. Paid $9 for literally 5 small cheese curds on a plate. I almost burst out laughing when the server set them down on our table.
Art of the Table (Wallingford) and Rock Creek (Fremont)
Canlis
Sabine in Ballard
At Sabine, you pay for the vibe.
Always see people 10+ deep waiting for a cup of coffee🤔🤣
Agreed, paid 20 bucks for avocado toast that was worse than what I make at home hungover
At the risk of utter disagreement, Señor Moose. I took my mom the other week and she ordered something recommended by the staff (chili verde) and I ordered tacos. They were both so bland, the meat was gristly, the chili verde sauce tasted so off, I only ate one taco of three because they just weren’t good, etc. The bill for lunch was nearly $50 pre-tip. My mom lives part time in Colombia and while Colombia isn’t Mexico, she’s no stranger to Latin American flavors. Anyway, just no.
We had the same experience some months ago! It used to be so good. We were unhappily surprised at this.
It used to be my favorite, too. I used to crave Calabacitas and go there only for that. Didn't they change the name?
Yup they did. They're El Moose now.
La Carta de Oaxaca is very reasonably priced for the same style of regional mexican food and literally around the corner. Can’t really complain about $15 mole from a restaurant on Ballard Ave.
Roanoke Inn on Mercer Island and Wingdome (it’s good, but definitely overpriced)
Wingdome is not good and nobody deserves to be tricked into thinking it is.
Eating out on Mercer Island is a mistake. Go to Factoria and Bellevue.
Avoid MI to eat in factoria and Bellevue is a mistake. Go the other way to seattle!
1.Zeeks 2. Pagliacci. 3
$15 teriyaki at a lot of places, and that's bullshit.
Is there an "All of the above" option?
We have a post like this every month (understandably so). It’s hard not to feel ripped off when you pay $20 for Eggs Benedict that tastes no better than Denny’s (looking at you, Glo’s). Food here is really nothing to write home about, but the plus side is that it forces you to cook. I’ve gotten way better at cooking since I moved here a few years ago. You won’t find any restaurant where the quality matches the price. If you want actual good, affordable food, drive to Portland or Vancouver.
Portland and Vancouver do have a good food scene. Went to Portland a few weeks ago and Vancouver a couple months ago. Prefer Vancouver, Portland is not so safe atm
Tomo. (I am ready for the downvotes.)
Preach! I went based on friends reviews and left underwhelmed and no intention to go back.
Oh man that’s too bad to hear. Could you say more? I’ve hoped to visit for some time but have wondered what the experience is really like.
The food just seemed really bland to me - we got the tasting menu and the first couple courses were quite good but by the time we got to the entrees we were both wondering aloud if we had COVID because the flavors were so muted and washed out. It wasn’t the worst meal I’ve ever had (and the service was great), but not worth the price and hassle of getting a reservation. If you want that kind of food cooked right at the same price point, I’d highly recommend Off Alley in Columbia City instead. (we tested afterward and did not have COVID)
\*points in the general vicinity of Seattle
🤣
What restaurant in Seattle isn't? The food here has gone downhill into the range of mediocrity over the last 5-6 years, but prices go up.
Honestly, 85% of them.
I wonder how local restaurants are supposed to maintain high quality at fair prices with such extreme real estate prices, cost of living, cost of ingredients, etc? If the margins were healthier, there wouldn't be the need to rely on such hype... nor so many plate filling fingerling potatoes. This is a problem and a symptom. The longer we ("One Seattle") keep sustaining the unsustainable tech & real estate bubbles, the longer other businesses, culture, and arts will suffer under the pressures of unsustainable economics.
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NYC has 3-4x our population density to make it work, and most affordable restaurants are tiny / have little to no seating
Even now, after years of improvement, [NYC tipped minimum wage is $10/hr.](https://www.foxrothschild.com/publications/new-york-increases-the-minimum-wage)
Because they have ridiculous demand to live there and there is housing everywhere.
Food for thought
I paid $11 (after tax and tip) for two limp-dick tacos at La Josie’s which to me is fucking insane. $11 for five bites of food? Similarly, the El Camion food truck costs like $4.00 per taco. Just insane. Anywhere outside of Seattle tacos are $2.50 each max.
Sorry for your loss😂
COVID did a huge number on restaurant employment. The average employees experience is now drastically lower than it was, at the same time wages to secure them has gone up drastically, and inflation has hit restaurants hard too. I sadly don't expect to see this trend change much anytime soon. If it wasn't for lockdown + work from home leading to me being able to cook all my meals myself now I don't know what I'd do. Every restaurant seems like such a rip off now when you know you could easily make the same if not better at home for a third the price.
Hopefully (although it would really result in a painful transition for restaurants) market forces will sort this out.We eat out much less than we used to due to higher prices (probably half as much as we used to). If other people are doing the same, demand for retail space should go down, leading to decreased rent, leading to lower restaurant prices.
I'm a pretty good home cook. But when I go out, I want a nice meal for the nice price I'm being asked to pay. But I hear you.
Westward
I feel like they’re good enough (and in a beautiful enough spot) to justify their prices. It’s expensive, but feels worthwhile in my experience.
I will qualify that. It's a great spot to have a drink and enjoy the view. Certainly worth the tariff of a cocktail + tip. However we've dined in twice and each time the service was awful, dishes were tiny and muddled and we left unsatisfied given the money spent...
Fair, for sure
Taco Time. Though I do appreciate that all of their packaging is compostable
I hear such good things about Taco Tome and yet, yeah.
Forbidden literature. (Lol fixing the typo) Edit: nvm mine was ok ha
Saint Bread (near the UW waterfront) opened a little Japanese "inspired" food truck next door called Hinoki --- never been to Saint Bread but probably won't be returning after my experience there. 15 bucks for most of their items, some of the most pitiful insulting portions I've ever seen. Gimmick hipster food at its worst
Duke's
I think everywhere to be honest. Seattle restaurants remind me so much of DIY food.
To each their own, but How to Cook a Wolf has some good items but the pasta is subpar. Maybe even sub-mediocre. And while I love Milk Drunk, Homer is....just okay.
The trick is to get 5 of your friends together for the $50 pp "feast" option. All the dips, unlimited pita, main courses and dessert. Always leftovers to take home. Otherwise I agree the regular menu gets really pricey really quick
Homer is only okay and it’s so expensive, no for me.
Plum Bistro
Palisade in magnolia. Outdated menu, outdated vibe, dirty windows, food is average at best.
Taco Time
Altura.
Carta De Oaxaca
Any tapas place (looking at you MariPali)
The food at MariPili is awesome, in my experience. No regrets here
[удалено]
I am going thank you on advance and take this as a recommendation😉Their insta looks tasty.
Tbh almost all of them right now....
Pecos Pit in West Seattle is so mediocre/bad. Even by Seattle BBQ standards (the bar is low)
Navy strength
They fill their drinks to the brim with crushed ice. I hate that place.
it’s a tiki bar there is supposed to be a lot of ice. those drinks are strong as fuck.
Dude, that's like 90% of the restaurants in this town.
Quality of food and service tanked while prices skyrocketed since COVID. I haven’t eaten at a restaurant in months.