Local Restaurants in Seattle

[everyann]

Hey Guys!

So I'd love to hear about some of the local restaurants in Seattle, you guys can recommend. I'm not talking about those chains you find in every town. I'm talking about those mom and pop shops, and one-of-a-kind restaurants.

This one didn't used to be a chain (can you call it a chain if there's only two?) but the original one is in the Fremont area (the new one is in the University District). It's a sushi place called Blue C Sushi. It's a conveyor belt style restaurant. A fun and neat place to go out for dinner. Prices are decent, but you pay by the plate and each color coincides with a price. So if you're on a budget, watch the colors!

[d360]

Thai Food:
Thai Tom "the best thai in Seattle" not fancy and a very small place but fine food.
in the UD: Thai Tom - 4543 University Way NE, Seattle, 98105

Indian Food:
Cedars Restaurnt has great indian food, they hurry you in and out so the advice is to order your appitizer and then wait to order your main course until finished with your appitizer. If you don't your maincourse will come within a couple minutes and you'll run out of room on the table and your food will be cold. This has happended several times so we employ the staggered ordering approach.

Sushi:
Hana Sushi is good cheap sushi on Broadway.

Ok now I'm hungry and ready to go eat, bye!

[joe]

When I really wanna get my grub on in Seattle, and I have a few extra dollers in my pocket, I've never gone wrong with El Guacho.

Great steak is all I feel I need to say.

Cedars: One quick note I found out about them. They don't tip their wait staff. This is according to one waiter around the middle of 2005.
We had this main waiter the whole time, but then after paying the bill, a manager came and took the check. The waiter came back and asked if we paid the bill. I said yes but wondered how he would get his tip. He then said that they don't get tipped, it all goes to the manager. I asked if I could tip him personally and he said that he would get fired if a manager saw and that he really needed the job.

Maybe they pay their staff high wages, but apparently they don't get tipped. So while it's great food, I don't tip anymore. (which is actually kind of fun)

Burgers: C.C. Burger Joint! Home of the EVERYTHANG burger!

BBQ: I heard the OK Corral is the best, but I haven't been there. maybe someone else has.

Mexican: Gordito's...and that's it. That includes Mama's, it's over-rated!

[d360]

Thats good to know about Cedars I'll ask someone the next time we stop by "and not tip"

oh hey Cliff you need to visit El Gallito. 1700 20TH Ave Seattle for meixican. El Gordito's is good but a bit generic. Kickin salsa bar though and HUGE! portions.

Oh my- so many delicious eateries. My very special total top three:

El Camino: This restaurant is in Fremont on 34th Avenue and features the best steak tacos I've ever had.....along with some other authentic and awesome Mexican/Texan dishes. Side note: they have a great happy hour on Sundays from 3pm-6pm with discount margaritas and a killer food menu. Good way to try it out since it can be a little pricey.

Mama Melina's: Don't let the outside fool you....inside this little Italian joint on the corner of 50th and Roosevelt in the U-district is a homey little hideaway where the family still cooks the food. And it's good. Soooo good. I'd say the ceasar salad is almost the best in town (the VERY best ceasar can be found at El Gaucho- see above review). Prices are reasonable.

Marjories: This classly little place is the only reason I ever travel to Belltown. While the food is a little expensive, it is the perfect treat if you want something different. The attraction of the atmosphere is rivaled only by the great food. In the summer the little stone foyer outside is filled with tables and I reccomend sitting there. I'd also reccomend the duck- I'd never had duck before Marjories and it is so, so good. They also have a great plantain appetizer that's worth checking out.

PS- My very first job in this fine city was as a hostess at El Gaucho. I will seccond the notion that they have some incredible food. The question I always got asked was- do they have a happy hour? The answer, sadly, is no. One helpful hint, though- the Waterfront restaurant on Pier 70 is El Gaucho's sister restaurant (same owner = same food suppliers).

[d360]

Sure enough I went to Cedars last night and asked the waitress if the rumor about no tips was true. It is! considering the volume of people they pump through there the management sure makes a tidy profit on the tip revenue. They do pay their staff up to $12.00/hr so I was told but that really doesn't equal what a percentage of the tips would be.

Anyway I didn't tip since tips are traditionally suppose to reward good service and not line the pocketS of the owner. They serve great food but this whole tipping thing leaves a sour taste in my mouth. oh and typical cedars they bring the appetizer and main course at the same time. I still stand by ordering appetizer first and then ordering main course after you've completed the first round. Otherwise you'll end up with a whole lot of food on the table.

Where is good Indian Seattle besides Cedar's? done Chutneys in several locations but I'd say thats a step down.

El Gallito sounds great, I'll have to try it very very soon. I agree that El Gordito is not the best place EVER, but I have always enjoyed their food, which usually doesn't happen when I visit the mexican restaurants in Seattle. Usually i find bad salsa or unflavorable meats or about 4lbs of lettuce, etc.

good to hear you didn't tip. I had a friend take me out there and when the bill came, he couldn't NOT tip. He was paying, so I didn't argue or anything, but I thought it was interesting how weird it feels to not tip.

I haven't been to any other great indian places. I heard about a real good hole-in-the-wall spot on Aurora (by greenlake, a little north of Kangaroo Kiwi/Beth's Cafe), but haven't checked it out yet.

[d360]

I forgot to mention El Gallito has a nice happy hour from 2:30-530pm. 2 bucks for smaller entrees, 1/2 price Margaritas and Cervezas