While I appriciate the fantastic experience most diners have had; eventhough we had a reservation, they called me the night before to confirm the reservation, came in 20 minutes before the reservation, my wife and I didn't get the opportunity to dine. We've been wanting to try mkt for a while now even trying to get reservations in the past, now I don't have to worry about it I guess. Upon arriving to the very very small space my 1st problem came when the door was broken and would barely open. We had to sneak by a half open door as other diners that sat within inches of the door stared ackwardly. Upon confirm my reservation with the host after shifting around other diners, we were advised to grab a beer at the Elysian next door while we wait for our table to be ready and they would give me a call. The host even took time to pull up the reservation and confirm the phone number. Sounding like a decent idea, we headed next door. 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes pass, no call. 40, 45, well Happy Anniversary, no call. We decided to just leave and head to a staple we love, appriciate, and remembers us by name as we walk in. This is Seattle, great restaurants are plentiful. We'd rather not spend our anniversary waiting for a place that clearly must be too busy for a reservation that's actually on their books. I can hear readers and mkt saying, "you never gave them an opportunity to make it right, you should have went over and said something." True perhaps, but fast forward a full hour and we just never heard anything. Makes you question if they would have remembered the order. Again, we chose to celebrate our Anniversary elsewhere. Anyhow, if your lucky enough to get a reservation at this place that's always booked because it's super small. I suggest you get there early and stand in the non standing room while you wait.
(1)
Erica P.
We had reservations for a party of 4 for 7:45 on a Friday night in late April. We were not seated until 8:30pm. When we were finally seated, it took our waitress almost 10 minutes to greet us and take our drink order. By this time we were very hungry, so were looking forward to a great meal. After receiving our bottle of wine, we started ordering food. We were told these were plates to share, so we ordered what we thought and were told would be enough to for 4 people for dinner. The portions were so small that we were able to each have 1-2 bites of each item. We did order 6-7 dishes thinking that would be enough. Not enough!!! Our waitress never even asked us if we wanted another bottle of wine. The nail in the coffin was that we were sitting at the very last table, right next to the bathroom. Not great ambiance. We left the restaurant after being there for 2 hours, hungry and $100/couple poorer. We made a trip to Dicks on the way home so we wouldn't go to bed hungry. This restaurant seems a bit pretentious, and we felt like we expected to feel grateful that were able to eat there. Needless to say, we won't be going back.
(1)
Nathan M.
The candles and design felt like Copenhagen. Fantastic service from Jonny, food was delicious and a special treat. Drinks were generous. Go after the rush dinner hour. 9:30 on a Saturday was perfect.
(5)
Patty S.
Food good. Service good. Space crowded and neighbors too close. Blaring music assaulting the ears. What is with you restauranteurs and the loud music? It's not what the music is, it's the volume ruins the ability to swallow. Not returning until you TURN DOWN THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!
(2)
Jim P.
Tried MKT because our daughter heard from a friend it was good. Made reservations and table was ready a few minutes after we arrived. The good- we really like the food esp the Hamachi ceviche, Gnocchi w/ lamb and the steak tartare. The bad- we got stuck in the very last table next the the rest rooms. It was a 88 degree day in Seattle and even though we had a reservation for 8 pm it was very HOT and stuffy at the really tight table at the back of the restaurant. We should have refused the table and went somewhere else but decided to go for it anyway. Service was good and we liked just ordering a couple plates to share each time the server came. We were really hot and ordered some wine from the fairly expensive wine list. Pretty much took over 25 minutes to bring the wine cause they had to chill it since they store it upright near the ceiling of the restaurant. Really....... THEY store wines they sell from $50 to well over $100 at the ceiling and then have to chill them before they serve them to you?? We were done with dinner by the time they brought the wine so refused it when it came. Pretty much wanted to go somewhere we could get some fresh air by then. Good food but you should really consider taking the last two tables off line for the day if the temps in Seattle are over 85 degrees for the day. Also, figure out a better wine storage solution or prechill some wines you expect to sell.
(3)
Kimberly S.
Probably one of the best Restaurant Week experiences I've ever had. Love this place! The restaurant is quite small, but it's cozy and charming. A group of four of us dined together for restaurant week in October 2014. They had a special wine on offer for restaurant week and though I can't remember what kind of wine it was (Grenache perhaps?), it was wonderful. We were a bit confused by the presentation of food. We each ordered individual appetizers, entrees, and desserts, but everything was served communally. My friend's tomato salad (with compressed melon, croutons, and basil) came out first and we were all a bit confused as to whether or not we should share this single-portion of salad. We went with it and gingerly each took a small portion of salad. The Crispy Duck Confit Salad came next and that was delicious! The duck was cooked perfectly and was well balanced with the greens it came with. The hamachi ceviche came next and was very fresh and refreshing. Lastly, the Dinah's cheese was like a triple cream brie that went well with the bread they provided. Wonderful start to the meal. The only thing I'd change is presenting appetizers the way Staple & Fancy did for Restaurant Week: portioning out all appetizers to accommodate the size of the group that is dining. We ended up ordering two of the Seared Scallops and two of the Grilled Wagyu Beef. Four large scallops came on each plate and they were perfection. The grilled wagyu beef was served medium rare and was also amazing. Because mkt. gave a sampling of regular menu items, I am very excited to come back and try these dishes again and again. For dessert, we opted for two of the pear-anise sorbet, one chocolate terrine, and one basil panna cotta. The basil panna cotta is definitely odd, with a unique combination of flavors. I think it's worth trying at least once. The pear-anise sorbet took me a while to figure out because all I could taste was basil at first. The chocolate terrine is incredible, a must for anyone who even remotely likes dessert. I'm not a dessert person at all but that was so delicious I'd probably order it every chance I got. Overall, I loved it. Great atmosphere, great wine, great food, and great company. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Rona L.
Mhmm...thinking about the food I had here last night makes me hungry. This is one of the newer Ethan Stowell restaurants, and honestly, I have no idea how he found this place. Was the space meant to be THIS small? What else could have ever belonged here? I could only imagine something like a wall of bookshelves for a quaint little bookstore. However, that is why Ethan Stowell is the genius that he is; for such a tiny space, he utilizes ever square inch to its fullest potential. I walked in feeling like I had just entered someone's home kitchen. And while all of his restaurants give you a glance into their kitchens, there is actually counter seating here that lets you look directly into theirs -- so you can drool as you watch your food being prepared. We had 8pm reservations but the party before us hadn't vacated the table yet, so we didn't end up getting seated until close to 830pm. (The only reason I've given this place 4 starts, instead of 5). Luckily, there's a bar next door so we had a drink or two while we waited. There is literally no waiting area, as the door opens awkwardly into the establishment, the hostess stand is directly in front as you walk in, and a coat hanger is mounted behind the door. With that all being said, let's get to the important stuff: the FOOD. The menu options change frequently (it changed at least twice in the last three weeks) but it sounds like they have some consistent menu options as well. Like his other restaurants, dishes are served family-style and we were advised to choose two dishes per person. We ordered: -- Slow roasted vegetable salad, baby lettuces, sourdough croutons, soft cooked egg: A simple dish that let the sweetness of the veggies speak for themselves. Perfectly roasted. -- Smoked wild mushrooms, sweet potato gnocchi, crispy shallots, thyme: light and comforting gnocchi made interesting with the crispiness of the shallots (though the mushrooms were just *slighty* over-salted.) -- Seared Muscovy duck, fried brussel sprouts, tart cherry sauce: If you're not usually a big fan of duck, try the preparation here. You don't get the gamey-ness here (that you are confronted with at many Asian restaurants) but the flavors are still there. Though I thought the duck was a little under-seasoned, when you got a mouthful of the duck + cherries + fried brussel sprouts, it was PERFECT. -- Grilled spot prawns, red chili aioli, arugula, pickled citron: They offer you a small fork to peel the prawns out of their shells, but I found my hands worked just fine. The prawns were amazing and I could have eaten an entire bowl. For dessert, we ordered the the pear tarte with pistachio gelato. To date, I hadn't really cared for any of the desserts I've had at any Ethan Stowell restaurants, but this was really good. Slightly sweet pistachio gelato, on top of pears that still held their texture, and a wonderfully baked crust. Service was attentive, friendly, and inviting. We were never left looking for anyone or wanting anything. LOVED. Can we make this a weekly thing?
(4)
Tami H.
I have to admit I am not normally a huge Ethan Stowell fan. However, mkt is fantastic and in a class by itself. What I love about mkt: -- great neighborhood restaurant feel -- intimate setting, great waitstaff -- food is unpretentious, simple, fresh, and delicious. -- ingredients are hyper-local and seasonal Would highly recommend: -- Grilled and marinated green beans, sea salt, lemon -- Hamachi ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, coriander, pickled red onions -- Smoked sockeye salmon, pumpernickel, dill crème fraiche -- Grilled wagyu beef, fingerling potatoes, fried onions -- Vegetable tagine, rosemary, olive oil, medjool dates, preserved lemon Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Wennie H.
Absolutely adorable interior. Absolutely wonderful service. Absolutely amazing food. Those three absolutelys should make you want to come here. I told the girl I'm seeing that I had planned this great date for her (selfishly I picked mkt because I wanted to try it really bad). I was surprised that I was able to snag a 745pm reservation, especially given that the restaurant is so small. There was ample parking and it was easy to find. Score. We were seated quickly, despite being a little early. The menu was terrible because I wanted to order EVERYTHING. I had multiple arguments with myself, with my date and even had to ask our server for his opinion before I finally decided. But I am so glad I did. We ordered the green beans, crab salad, sweet potato gnocchi, grilled wagu beef and the roasted pear and pistatio tart. The date had two glasses of wine too (our server recommended and she loved it). Everything was good. Each item was brought out to order, though I wish it had come faster, it was THAT good. Literally, everything was delicious. This was one of the few meals where I wasn't let down with any part of it. Mkt is a little expensive but I think good food is worth it. Plus, one of the servers stopped at our table to say, "I like that you guys are sitting side by side. It's really cute." Pretty sure I impressed my date by taking her to mkt.
(4)
Kristin K.
I really like the staff from here but the food wasn't all the hype I heard about. It was excellent but not phenomenal.
(3)
Tuan V.
The food and the ingredients was good. But I'm not blown away or anything, considering it is quite pricy. In terms of food as art, the food was creative, and a delight to the senses, and the combinations of ingredient was fun and interesting. That is, the restaurant experience was great. But I'm the type of guy who prefer the sheer taste of the food, rather than all this frill stuff. I mean, exotic ingredients are fun once in a while, but not every day or every week, even. Especially when the portions are small. The restaurant is small, so there was a wait, but if you are seeking the experience, rather than no frills food, that shouldn't be a concern. Portions are small, too, but it's expected right? And I had a dessert that tasted like weed cookies haha, but apparently it's basil.
(4)
Jessica B.
I"ve been here two times and haven't been disappointed either time. First regarding the parking situation: if you haven't been in Tangletown or Greenlake before I understand the complaints (and if you haven't where in Seattle proper do you live?!). If you have, I'm confused: there is never convenient or easy-to-find parking in this area. Yes, it is a tiny little place so take notice of that and make reservations to avoid waiting or be prepared to snuggle with your dining companions and other people, too. As for the food, this is an Ethan Stowell restaurant and the reputation stands. My favorite part of the meal was the ceviche - husband's favorite were the kobe beef. Drinks were fabulous, too. I can't wait to return!
(4)
Liz L.
I honestly want to give this place 4.5 stars, but between 4 and 5, I'll go with 4. Made reservations for three on a Friday night and we were seated within minutes of checking in. Thank goodness for reservations, as this place is small and fills quickly. We were seated near the restroom, which was fine, but the table are a little too close for my liking. It makes it a little difficult to get out of your seat (when seated along the wall). They have a wonderful staff here. They were so kind to us! We were celebrating Z's birthday and I brought a cake from Bakery Nouveau. The friends always look to me for ordering so I just took the reins. The menu is broken into snacks, fish, meat, and vegetables. So we ordered three snacks: grilled green beans, squash fritters with pepitas pesto, and smoked salmon on pumpernickel and crème fraiche and dill. The green beans were delicious. They had a smoky, char flavor that reminded me of Korean BBQ- weird I know, but they were really good. My only complaint is that there may have been a little too much finishing salt. The fritters were good (there were maybe 7 fritters?) and so were the smoked salmon on pumpernickel (you get three). For our mains we got the roasted duck with brussels and the sweet potato gnocchi with mushrooms. The duck was delicious. It came two ways. The first with brussel sprouts and the second with fried brussel leaves. We asked for the cherry sauce on the side, but it totally makes the dish and cuts through the richness of the duck. The gnocchi was soft and chewy and delicious. The staff were attentive and every time one waiter came by he said happy birthday. They brought out our cake, put candles on it and...he even danced as we sang! I wanted to offer the staff some cake (but it wasn't mine to offer); then maybe they wouldn't have charged us the cake cutting fee? I did find that a little ridiculous. Altogether with the cake cutting fee and coffee, it only came out to 76$ for three people before tip. Not bad at all- after all it was family style and we got to try a lot. I can't wait to go back and try some other items that I was eyeing!
(4)
Chris D.
Walking into the place is like being welcomed into a friends home. Small, warm, inviting and the smell of applewood make you feel instantly at ease. We visited last night with friends had had a great experience. The staff and food are excellent. Flavors in each dish perfectly balanced and proportioned to compliment fresh ingredients, veggies, pastas, meats and fish. We had just about one plate of everything and nothing was weak. Superb value as well and we were surprised at the cost vs. the experience. Just go check it out, we have been to most all of Ethan's places and agree this is the tops.
(5)
Tama K.
MKT shines during these marvelous warm evenings. While seating is uninviting- see others reviewers- it comes across as a neighborhood place with oh so much better food. As at most Stowell's, the raw materials are high quality and deeply respected. Integrity rounds out combinations. Prepared in such a small space, I really SAW that each dish really was the center of attention while on the hands of chefs and cooks. You have to want this to get over the slightly odd feeling of too many chairs in a small space. But if you are lucky enough to walk up and sit right in the window, snag it. Especially on an 85 degree sunny day.
(4)
j W.
Excellent food. Particularly loved the scallops, mussels & wagyu beef. Casual dining and warm on a warm Seattle eve. Recommend making a reservation. Also espresso chocolate dessert delicious.
(5)
Et L.
Service was fantastic, wine advice was informative with out being pretentious, food did not disappoint. The place is cozy, best for parties of 4 or less. If you're 2 or less it's great to sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen. The 2 of us shared: - bread and olive oil/balsamic - pickled beet (compliments of the chef, just a little one biter to warm up-- delicious) - green beans (fantastic, would recommend) - zucchini fritters (pretty good, but among the other selections we tried, probably not one I would order again) - Asian pear and watercress salad (great flavors, but challenging to share because the components are tough to get on a fork) - hamachi ceviche, with melon granita (fantastic, would recommend) - steak with gnocchi (one of the best steaks I've had) - chocolate torte with caramel sauce, lightly salted (amazing dessert, we skipped coffee but I wish we hadn't, it would have gone great with this) Definitely recommend!
(5)
Picabo L.
Mkt., which is a play on Meridian St, the Keystone Building, in Tangletown, is one of the gems in Ethan Stowell's restaurant empire. It's a tiny space sandwiched between Elysian Brewery and Might-O Donuts and half the interior is devoted to the kitchen. In the dry months, seating spills out onto the sidewalk and diners can enjoy some fresh air away from the heat of the open kitchen. The space is tight and the seats are the worst part of the dining experience; the wood chairs are constructed at ninety degree angles and the bar stools feature a shallow back. The chef's bar area has a sloped floor and the stools aren't shimmed, so be prepared to ask for a napkin to even out your dining experience. Otherwise the experience was outstanding. Every employee greeted us with a smile, engaged with us, and seemed genuinely concerned that our meal was executed to perfection. The food is intended to be served and eaten family style and the backbones of the menu are the Wagyu beef and Oregon lamb. The Tall Grass baguette starter isn't worth filling up on, and we ordered seared sea scallops, the Wagyu beef, rabbit, and sweet potato gnocchi. Despite some misgivings about this being too much food for just two people, it was the perfect amount and each dish was more impressive than the last. All of the proteins and some of the vegetables are carefully cooked over a grill, and the limited number of diners ensures that your order is carefully and thoughtfully prepared.
(5)
John S.
Six of us visited MKT than Art of the Table over two nights. See our review of Art of the Table for the results of the bake off. We thoroughly enjoyed MKT. The food is fantastic. Great approach with excellent small plates, with many interesting and unusual combinations of flavors. We love how Ethan connects his restaurants into neighborhood settings. MKT is tiny and intimate. We really enjoyed meeting our table mates at the the half indoors community table. And it was great to talk about the food and drinks with the fun, helpful staff.
(5)
Lacey M.
I had the most amazing dinner at mkt. last night. Alvin, Joe, Johnny, and Katie were all so welcoming and accommodating, and the food was amazing. The green beans were the perfect starter - very flavorful and crisp. The mushroom ravioli melted in your mouth, and the Mascarpone ice cream was potentially the best dessert I've ever had. I'm not kidding. The service was perfect, and I'm amazed how well Katie and Johnny navigate the small, cozy space. We even spilled a glass of wine, and they laughed, cleaned it up and brought another. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Bailey B.
Despite the small quarters, we loved our meal at mkt. Everything we ordered was exceptional, especially the panna cotta. Can't wait to return when it's warmer and the restaurant is fully-opened up.
(5)
Jarir M.
I'm a big fan of Ethan Stowell's restaurants and this one may just be my favorite. I've been here two times now, once for restaurant week and once for my birthday dinner just a few nights ago. Both times I have been very impressed with the food. First off, it should be noted this is a fairly small restaurant that only seats around 25 people so reservations are a must. We went on a Tuesday night and the place was packed. My one complaint is that it gets really hot in there when it's hot outside. As for the food, every dish we've had there has been spectacular. My personal favorites are the hamachi ceviche and the grilled wagyu beef. The ceviche is a perfect summer dish that is really light and refreshing. The wagyu beef is melt-in-your-mouth delicious that is seasoned beautifully and is paired with some amazing potatoes. We also have had the gnocchi and fried quail which were both delicious. Would highly recommend this restaurant. I would suggest it's best for couples as the portion sizes are really made for two.
(5)
Sarah M.
My husband and I stopped in last Friday in hopes of snagging a table for a quick dinner. We didn't have a reservation but they were able to squeeze us in. Our server was very knowledgeable about the food and gave us some very good suggestions after finding out we had never been in before. I ordered the fried quail with potato puree (to die for!) and the Lemon-Ricotta Ravioli while my husband splurged on the Waygu beef and the baguette. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was friendly and fantastic. We took a few slices of the beef home and discovered two bags of fresh-made pasta to cook up at a later date. We will definitely be back for another date night splurge.
(5)
Mona N.
Simply superb. A fantastic addition to the Tangletown neighborhood. The place is tiny but well-designed. It is L-shaped with the larger end filled with tables for about 16 people. The other side is a tiny bar / chef's table. I would say maximum capacity is about 24. If you weren't looking for it as you drive on 55th St, it's easy to miss as there is no obvious signage. As with other Ethan Stowell joints, the plates are meant to be shared: 1. Zucchini fritters. They came with a lemon thyme pesto dip. So good! Will definitely order again next time. 2. Porcini-ricotta ravioli with mushroom broth and shaved porcini. Delectable. It almost tasted like there was some truffle in there - the flavor was that rich. 3. Chickpea tagine. It also had dates and nuts. The delicate flavors of this dish were perfect after the rich ravioli. 4. Seared halibut with braised artichoke hearts, chanterelles, chrysanthemum greens, and dried chillies. The fish originally came out undercooked so we sent it back. It came back perfectly done and delicious. 5. For dessert we had the chocolate malt pudding. I loved the crumbled cacao nibs on top of the pudding. The crunch with the pudding reminds me of chocolate malt balls - one of my favorite treats. Reservations are absolutely essential as the place is so tiny. If you are sensitive to drafts, ask for a table towards the back. If you sit at the bar / chef's table, it will be a little chilly every time the door opens in the winter. When summer rolls around the whole front of the restaurant can be opened which will be really nice. Nice wine list, excellent service, cool atmosphere. Mkt totally kicks it up a notch in Tangletown.
(4)
Sandy T.
We were not able to get a sitter for our 11th anniversary and looked last minute for an earlier Friday evening reservation where we could bring our 9 month old son. We ended up at mkt. and were very pleased with our experience. First of all, for a non-kid friendly restaurant, the wait and kitchen staff were so understanding and accommodating when we arrived. One of the waitresses held our son while we put in his booster chair and the chef made a 1/2 entree (king salmon) for him and had it brought out with our appetizers. The food was amazing, and we were able to enjoy drinks and appetizers while our son ate his meal and everyone admired his outfit. We liked the intimate atmosphere of the space and in a way it felt like dining at someone's home. Unfortunately, midway through our entree, our son started to get fussy, so we had to box up and leave, but we would definite return again--next time for a lingering adult-only meal.
(5)
Mark L.
VERY intimate! Got to stop by mkt. for my Bday. I will admit that I am a big fan of Ethan Stowell. I regularly dine at all is places, but that by no means is an indication that he gets an automatic pass on any new place. In fact, I have mentioned my concern for opening any new places. I do not want to see this man spread too thin. mkt. did not disappoint on any level. This is a beautiful and very intimate space seating maybe 30? Well designed and too tiny for a bar. There are 3 barrel aged cocktails that are all really well balanced and delicious! FOOD: Snacks/starters... Why not get one of everything? Grilled and marinated string beans. Perfection in a glass!. Correct density and correct salt. Fennel pollen and orange marinated nicoise olives. Really tasty and a nice go to between other courses. Lemon thyme zucchini fritters with herb pesto. These were ridiculous. Just perfect texture and flavor. Amazing. Pumpernickel, cured salmon, dill creme fraiche. Simple clean and perfect. Nice balance of flavor. Dinah's cheese, walnuts, tomato honey preserve. I could have made a meal of this. It just all meshed together so well and I could have had 3 plates full! Fish: Hamachi ceviche, citrus cucumber ice coriander, pickled red onion. Very nice. Not WOW nice but really solid, particularly if you love Hamachi. Dungeness crab salad, tart apple, tarragon, endive. This WAS WOW! Really exceptional and if you get one thing, this would be something to look at! Meats: Grilled rabbit - super nice! Flavorful and well prepared! Fried Quail - deliscious, well executed and flavors were spot on. Only problem I have with the quail, MORE PLEASE! Grilled pork tenderloin - great bargain! Well portioned and cooked PERFECTLY, just above medium rare, soft and succulent! Veg: Slow roasted veg salad with summer greens. I am a HIGE fan of cold veg! This did not disappoint. Everything was excellent including the soft boiled egg. Smoked mushrooms with lightly fried duck egg. Absurdly good. LOVE duck egg anything. The smoke on the shrooms was perfect and left with just the slightest odor of that smoke in my sweater so I had a great trip home enjoying that over and over.....is it weird I kept asking the girl to smell my arm? Desert: Fig tart with pistachio gelato.....WOW!!!! REALLY perfection on a plate! LOVED every single bite!! All in all and exceptional experience. THe place is sooooo very small but I like that about it. You are literally sitting on the kitchen for many of the tables. Our server Seth was super awesome! Fun guy and presented everything perfectly. Gracious and friendly as were the rest of the staff. Ethan Stowell, thank you for another great place. I will again implore that you remain happy with your success and don't open anything else!!! For those of you thinking about coming by...YES...YES...YES....you will be glad you did!!
(5)
Kay C.
I thought this place was great - can always rely on Ethan Stowell. The restaurant is small and cozy, has a very nice feel and the service was fantastic. The food was equally delicious - we tried to start the olives (very good), green beans (sooo amazing.. i'm still thinking about them), lamb tongue (very good, fatty actually - i've never had lamb tongue before I realized - but you don't get much for the price), grilled rabbit (very good), and the mushrooms w/ duck egg - also very good. We also tried the ravioli which was decent. The portions aren't very big unfortunately but I thought the food was great~
(5)
Brett J.
I'll give it another try because it's close, new and is an ethan stowell place so I expect it to work out it's issues. (one thing I doubt will change is the furniture which is awful. I was eating alone so I had the luxury of half way through my meal asking for my check and taking my food to go. the seats are terrible. if you're going to go with out padding - at least have a contour.) Other than that there were several high notes with-in the items I had however there was also a few duds. Both the fingerling potatos and the fried onions that accompanied the wagyu were way over seasoned luckily the steak was cooked and prepared perfectly. Even trying to eat a piece of the onion at the same time as the steak couldn't mask enough of the salt from the sides. some minor service issues as well but it's hardly fair to judge from one night so both, you and MKT, should take my review with a GRAIN of salt. (I ticked full bar, while they do have cocktails, it's a limited menu, but it's sufficient for a space of it's size)
(2)
Caitlin C.
MKT is a little hidden gem in Wallingford that only seats 28 people. I found out how hard it was to get in when I called and try to make a reservation on a Tuesday for a Saturday for a group of 4. It was 4 weeks later where my group finally got to dine at this very anticipated restaurant. It is quite small as the other reviews say - in the entryway there is almost no room to even stand without being in the way of someone. We had a fabulous meal from start to finish and our server was amazing. We tasted.. 1. Smoked sockeye salmon, pumpernickle, dill crème fraîche 2. Grilled and marinated green beans, sea salt, lemon 3. Hamachi ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, coriander, pickled red onions 4. Smoked wild mushrooms, sweet potato gnocchi, crispy shallots, thyme 5. Grilled wagyu beef, grilled fingerling potatoes, fried onions. 6. Seared Muscovy duck, fried brussel sprouts, tart cherry sauce We also had wines by the glass, and speciality whiskey cocktails. Everything. was. AMAZING. We couldn't wait for each course to arrive, and our group, who regularly meets monthly to try and critique hot new restaurants around Seattle, is quite particular and difficult to please. We have many different food allergies - and they not only accommodated but exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend mkt, and I cannot wait to plan a return visit and try even more of our menu. Food prices were between $11-$40 for small plates and entrees, which I don't think is particularly expensive if your wanting to dine at a nicer restaurant and go to an Ethan Stowell place. I have been to almost all of Ethan's restaurants, and mkt is by far my favorite. Glad I found this little hidden gem.
(5)
Sarah B.
I've enjoyed MKT on the three occasions I've been there. It's super small so make sure to get a res! They only have a few cocktails but they are done well. Nice wine list also. Their green beans were raved about by our waitress. I thought they were tasty and cutely presented but nothing to write home about. Their strong suits were the meats-- and the scallops were perfect!
(4)
Lincoln J.
Such a teeny-tiny spot but has a big punch! Cocktails, wine and food were truly excellent. The green beans are delish. My friends and I stuck to the carnivore side of the menu and we weren't disappointed. Plates are for sharing and while the staff will encourage 2 plates p/person, be wary because the portions were generous and filling. We were so full that we considered leaving a few bites of waygu beef on the plate...we sucked it up and finished! I especially liked the timing/spacing of food arrival. Very intimate space yet we didn't get dirty looks from staff or guests for our loud conversations (well, that would be me!) and laughter. A lovely evening of amazing food and super friends.
(4)
Aram C.
Definitely worth trying, especially for Seattle Restaurant Week. Good service and good food, of course, but as most of the Ethan Stowell restaurants are, the food is good at best for its price. It definitely has a cute neighborhood place vibe to it with its tiny little space, but the noise level was a little higher than what I would have liked for such an intimate setting. The desserts we had for the SRW were really good - I considered giving at least four stars just for the dessert.
Had an amazing dinner.. Loved the ambiance and the wine they suggested.. I would highly suggest this restaurant.. We even left an hour after they had closed and all of the servers were extremely nice and didn't make us feel like they were waiting on them.. Best dinner I had in Seattle hands down
(5)
Jonathan S.
A HAIKU REVIEW My oh my, tasty! But, my oh my, the large bill! Now I'm poor. Oh my.
(3)
Dean A.
This place is great, muchos deliciousness! Went there for Restaurant Week (so popular, reservations were booked weeks in advance) and love it. Big fan of Ethan Stowell restaurants. This place is cozy, but I like the casual interior. Had the Hamachi Ceviche, Wagyu steak and a chocolate pudding dessert (awesome, I could have eaten five of those) and all were great. Also added an order of Shigoku oysters and the apple mignonette they served it with was apple-y and tart - I like. Service was friendly, helpful and attentive. Yes, the space can be a little noisy and it can get a little tight, but wah wah whine whine aside, the food was great. Def be back to try other stuff on their menu.
(5)
Jermaine D.
Amazing meal at brand new mkt tonight. TINY space but strangely stylish. started the night with some complimentary tastes from the chefs. Then we had an amazing crab salad, shrimp and quail. the quail was served with some potato side that was very delicious. The halibut was incredible too but the small appetizers were our favorites.
(5)
Jessica R.
First off, this was my first Ethan Stowell experience and after reading about Mkt. in the Met, I was excited to try the newest Stowell establishment. Our dinner reservation was for 8:15, but we received a call about an hour before from the Mkt. staff asking if we could push it back to 8:45 instead, as they were running behind. That was fine. But when we arrived, our table still wasn't ready. The waitstaff was incredibly apologetic and seated us after about 10 minutes in the bar area, where we continued to wait for our table. For the wait, they offered us some complimentary olives (marinated in citrus and sprinkled with fennel pollen, fantastic!), discounted drinks (I was a fan of my barrel-aged cocktail) and several loaves of bread (we were *really* hungry). When we were finally seated (about an hour after our original reservation), we quickly ordered. Again, our server was extremely apologetic about the wait. I had the grilled pork tenderloin with pickled mustard seed, beets and roasted beet greens -- a bit on the salty side but the flavors worked really well together. My partner had the vegetable tagine -- not a large dish but the veggies were cooked well and quite flavorful. Over all Mkt.'s food is simple but flavorful -- you can immediately tell the ingredients are quality. It seems that Mkt. is still working out the kinks of having just opened and figuring out how to properly utilize the very small space. "Intimate" indeed -- we were practically standing on top of the other party also waiting for their table, also seated in the bar. The food is worth it though. I'll try it again in a few months after things have calmed down, perhaps on a warm summer evening when they can open up the large garage door at the front of the restaurant in the bar area and the space doesn't seem so claustrophobic.
(4)
Jack S.
One of the smallest restaurants that I've been to in Seattle, but the food is truly excellent. Reservations are beginning to get tough to find, and the seating runs late, yet it is well worth the wait. And the service is excellent as well. The menu is arranged into small plates, fish, meats and vegetables - some with smaller portions and some with larger portions. The server will likely recommend two per person, which we found to be about right. Everything we had was excellent. In particular we enjoyed the wagu beef, squash fritters and venison.
(5)
Smitha M.
Cute and cosy neighborhood restaurant in the old hood... Wish I still lived near here! The servers are genuinely friendly and our waiter had good knowledge of wines. Although I wasn't drinking, I thought it was cool that they had barrel aged cocktails. Food is served family style, and my favorites were squash fritters, green beans, smoked wild mushroom gnocchi and Ravioli. The icing on the cake was the quince tart with pistachio gelato, this will literally be one of my favorite desserts forever!
(5)
Eleanor C.
This was my first time dining at mkt. The food was just excellent! We were told that the menu items were meant to shared, so we ordered the mussels special, the lamb, the ravioli and grilled salmon. The lamb was especially delicious! Overall, our dining experience was amazing. The service was great, too. Since the restaurant is quite small, I recommend making a reservation in advance.
(5)
Laura E.
I visited mkt. with my out-of-town family. We had made reservations, but were placed at a table that butted up against the bathroom door, so we got a steady stream of traffic and constant whiffs of the toilet deodorizer throughout the meal. The table location ruined the meal. To pay 200+ for a meal and then be shoved by a bathroom is a slap in the face. It feels greedy. It's an insult to any customer who's seated there. Service was fine and polite, although more style than substance. And frankly, we were so put off by the table itself, the server was fighting an uphill battle. The emphasis on style rather than function can also be said about the chairs, which are minimalist, wooden with no backs. This restaurant feels like it cares more about appearance than an actual nice dining experience, and the food, although good, is not special enough to merit being so uncomfortable.
(2)
Quinn R.
This place is small. If that bothers you, don't go here. Like super small constantly standing aside to let other pass kind of small. Again if you don't think you'll be ok with that skip this place. Also if this is the case you use poor metrics for choosing where to eat. Food was fantastic all around, servers were friendly. 10/10 would eat again. Dishes consumed. Olive plate, salmon on cracker, beef, ravioli and then sauteed mushrooms with duck egg in place of desert. The only thing I'd skip on a second go around would be the salmon, everything else I'd be happy to bathe in. Table next to us were heaping praise on the mackerel so maybe try that, but I don't know them and they might have terrible taste so I'm not officially endorsing it..but since everything else was a win it's probably pretty good so I'm back to endorsing it. In short, go here and eat and be happy. Oh and reservations are a must.
(5)
Lee h.
Super spendy Tiny portions Big Attitude Uncomfortable benches So so cuisine
(2)
Cathy S.
I enjoyed a birthday meal at the "bar seating" looking into the kitchen. Service was excellent. All the staff were attentive and had great suggestions. They have to work in some tight quarters, which made me all the more appreciative of their service. The restaurant menu is set up to share dishes, which we did with one another and actually with the gentleman next to us as well. Spot prawns were a bit disappointing. Flavor was okay, but not out of this world. The green beans were so simple and SO good! I recommend them highly (and will be attempting to replicate at home). The mushroom ravioli merited extra bread to soak up the sauce. Highlight for me was the roasted pork. The hazelnut olive garnish added layers of flavor that were unique and wonderful. So why a "4" and not. "5"? The seating is a bit tight and chairs aren't overly comfortable. The food merits a 4.75 at least, and the service was a definite "5". If settling in to enjoy a special meal with friends, I don't just want great food and service, I want to be comfortable.
(4)
Jamie M.
Easily my best meal in Seattle in a long time. Service was fantastic and so was the food. We ordered: squash fritters, grilled salmon, crispy fried quail, and the carrot ravioli. The stars were the salmon and the quail. The salmon is definitely the best I've had in a restaurant in years. The quail tastes like fried chicken- the skin is quite tasty! We also had a berry tarte for dessert and the crust was delish. Highly recommended.
Wow! This place is the best kept secret in town! Truly a 5 out of 5 stars place. We ordered 4 different dishes and all of them were perfect - the Wagyu beef was absolutely to die for; the goat cheese pasta, the water cress salad and the ceviche - all amazing. The cooks really put their souls into preparing the dishes, you can watch them make your food in front of you and the attention to detail is impressive. And the service was fantastic - young, energeric, polite, respectful and smiling whole heartedly, they really connected with the customers and made us feel at home. THANK YOU! We will be back!
(5)
Whitney B.
Well, one thing is for sure is that mkt left me high and dry after eating here. If it weren't for the excellent and thoughtful service, I would have rated mkt much lower. Usually I give a death glare to strangers who try to engage me in any conversation that is not about 1.) Britney Spears, 2.) amusing bodily functions, or 3.) me, but I actually ended up sparking an interest to talk to my server once I realized his aim was to please toward the end of the night. If Staple & Fancy is the established, successful sister, then mkt is the fumbling S.O.B brother who's barely hanging on by a thread because of his prior screw-ups. Every dish was so poorly timed that I could have taken a gigantic dump in between each one, which I think develops out of a preconceived notion that fine dining should involve drawn-out theatrics and pretense. We decided to gloss over the snacks entirely because they are a waste of stomach room and instead ordered: Grilled rabbit, cheese ravioli, smoked mushrooms with duck egg, and the black cod. Everything I had, except for the grilled rabbit, resulted in major blue balls. Out of the 4, the cheese ravioli in a mushroom broth came out first, even though it took forever and a day. I took this as an adult version of a kid's comfort food, what with the porcini and ricotta. I think it should've stayed with the kids because it was bland, tasteless, and monotone in its flavors. It felt like the entire dish was made in poor taste, really, because any time fungi is mixed with another moldy, curdled thing like cheese, it's on par with putting a ragged sock in my mouth. The smoked mushrooms with duck egg tasted fine but nothing exceptional or mind-blowing. I was lucky to find this one perfectly seasoned with a runny duck egg. It tastes exactly like the description, no surprises, no sauces that elevate the dish, nothing special at all. Sexual frustration really peaked at the moment of consuming the black cod. Honestly, it was like explosive blue balls. I wanted to finish the job myself if I had some salt or another component to the dish that added texture rather than just diving head first into a soggy, oily bed of tubers and slab of white, tasteless fish. I was so appalled at this dish that I had to speak up about it. Everyone needs to re-examine their salt game here. The saving grace of the night was the grilled rabbit, with white and dark meat, complemented by a bacon salad tasted like a beautiful opera. Everything on the plate was synchronous and worked harmoniously, with equal portions of rabbit to salad. I would suggest this dish as your protein. We were given complimentary dessert wine by the end. Some Portuguese wine called Madeira to win us over due to a lackluster dinner. I thought this was a very sweet gesture that I won't forget. I also won't lie, it was fucking good dessert wine. Unfortunately, I did not leave tipsy enough to consider mkt any higher than 3 stars. I'd pass on mkt and work through Stowell's other restaurants.
(3)
Rebecca S.
Food was amazingly delicious and the service was impeccable. Family style serving makes sharing dishes fun! The only downside is the backless chairs at the individual tables are a nice clean design but are more a stool than a chair making it uncomfortable to sit there for long.
(5)
Rhea K.
So happy to have a top notch restaurant in the neighborhood, which Greenlake is seriously lacking! Not only was the food delicious, but the seater and wait staff was exceptional. We came on a weekend night and naturally, all seats were booked. But they told us a table was open, but reserved, and so we had for 20 minutes. Perfect! We had a theater show to attend in 20 min. and so had to be out in 15. They said it was enough time to grab a drink and appetizer, and we were more than welcome to sit ther until the reservees arrived. So, we did! They put our order in first and we order a couple app's and a glass of wine. We ate in comfort and felt no rush. Can't wait to go back and spend a little more time here.
(5)
Charles M.
Great food in a tiny, tiny intimate space. Super friendly service. Grilled green bean appetizer is to die for. I had the Wagyu beef which of course was wonderful. My wife had the trout which was nicely herbed. Waiter gamely de-boned it at the table. Good wine list.
(5)
Beth H.
Great little neighborhood gem. Very intimate space with the most helpful staff. Every dish was delish. Yellow tail cevice with cucumber ice, fried quail... Yumm, gnocchi, everything was great. Perfect portion size. Get 2-3 dishes each and you'll be good to go. Worth the stop for sure!
(4)
Gabriela S.
I grew up in Wallingford - actually in Tangletown - and am so excited that another awesome restaurant opened up in this neighborhood. There are quite a few exceptional restaurants in this neighborhood already (Tilth, Eva, Kisaku, 4649, and Miyabi 45) and mkt. is a great addition. Not only is it part of the Ethan Stowell family of restaurants, but it is also a unique menu. It is family style, which in my opinion is the only way to eat, which means you should order at least one item from each of their four menu sections - Snacks, Fish, Meat, Vegetables. The portions are big enough to share and, if you get a couple of dishes apiece, you will leave full and satisfied. The wine list is also nice with plenty of good options to choose from by the glass and by the bottle. The service is how I like it, friendly and unfussy. Yes, the space is small but they really make the most of it. It feels like a bistro you could find in San Francisco or NYC, where space is often limited and the places are usually packed full of people. Personally, I don't need a lot of room to spread out. I will definitely be back.
(4)
I L.
Food is inconsistent - some dishes really good, some lack quality in ingredients. Cod and gnocchi were good. Thought lamb was too chewy and ceviche not fresh. However for the price, you're much better off going to how to cook a wolf. Same price and bigger portion food.
(3)
T G.
The hype is actually true. One of the best meals I've had in Seattle in a long time--couldn't complain about anything from the starters to the dessert. Be prepared for minimal ambiance, however, which I don't mind if the food is good. But if you insist on lots of space and white tableclothes, look elsewhere.
(5)
Steve M.
We really wanted to enthusiastically like this place but a few too many issues are going to prevent us from coming back. We had a 5pm reservation because of plans later in the night. We arrived at 4:55 and were told to leave and come back in five minutes. That wouldn't be a major deal except, 1) it was pouring rain out, 2) my wife is 8.5 months pregnant, and 3) there were (obviously) seats available to hang out. There are also open windows so it's not like there were secrets going on in there if we wanted to stand outside and stare in. It gave the impression of the hostess following the script above actually thinking about the situation. That was kind of the theme of the evening. The waiter was supposed to ask about visiting Stowe's restaurants and did so, without really listening to our answers. Our questions about the menu were perfunctory with basically just repeating the same talking points in the beginning. And the food? Pretty good. A few weeks later I don't remember what we actually had which maybe says something but I remember it was tasty enough. But for the price and the ambiance, I think you can do better. Maybe worth revisiting in 6-9 months when they've worked the kinks out.
(3)
Brandon P.
There are many restaurants in Seattle where you can find a few good things on the menu to satisfy your cravings and give you good reason to return for more... not the case with Mkt. (in a good way). Everything is good. Chef Joe Ritchie's concise, yet well-focused and diverse menu is packed with both flavor and creativity that won't leave you the least bit disappointed. I've been to Mkt. a few times since its opening and have yet to try something on the menu that I didn't like or have been impartial about. Falling in suit with the rest of Ethan Stowell's restaurants, the plates are meant to be shared and consumed family style. Food tastes better when you share, right? Price is reasonable and well worth the experience. Food aside, their wine selection is also impressive for Tangletown's new and relatively small-sized restaurant. Service staff is friendly, informative and they do well at promoting a great dining experience. It's clear that a lot of time, thought and creativity has been invested in creating a great experience in such a small space. Make your reservation now, or if you're in the Tangletown/Greenlake neighborhood swing by. You won't be disappointed. Mkt. is fantastic.
(5)
Peter L.
mkt. is one of the more diminutive restaurants in Seattle, and the tiny, narrow room can definitely get claustrophobic. But mkt. is well-worth seeking out, The menu is laid out into four broad categories: Snacks, Fish, Meat, and Vegetables. We tried dishes from each section for a complete experience. We started off with the grilled and marinated green beans, which were nice but not too memorable. The squash fritters with pesto was better. And while the scallops were perfectly seared and executed, we enjoyed the flavorful and super tender braised lamb shank more. The two best dishes were vegetarian though. You can always find good pasta at an Ethan Stowell restaurant, and the nettle ricotta ravioli was a winner. And our favorite dish was the gnocchi with smoked mushrooms. The smokiness of the mushroom was amazing and the gnocchi were light and pillowy. There is a decent selection of wines, as well as a few barrel aged cocktails that are worth trying. Service was solid, and there is even a small bar/counter for solo diners. We really enjoyed the food and experience at mkt. It probably isn't for everyone, as the space is tiny and it's in the middle of a residential area. But it's great to find a solid neighborhood restaurant tucked away in my old neighborhood, Tangletown.
(5)
Wendy C.
Great menu, not sure what people are complaining about with the pricing. We found it extremely reasonable for the quality of the food. An intimate space as others mention, we liked this. It didn't seem noisy to us but we were at the far end of the counter. From the counter you can watch them prepare the food. The food: -Hamachi ceviche: a perfect plate, we might go back next time for just this -Pickled vegetables: underwhelming but a nice way to start the meal -Hamachi Kama: this was on the house, very large, we watched Monica (sous) cook this and she took her time to make it perfect -Salmon belly: great, a well-composed dish -fried quail legs: well prepared, nice accompanying sauce -gnocchi: very nice dish with some subtle flavors -lamb: didn't need knives for this, could cut it with our forks, good flavors -vegetable tagine: not usually my thing but it sounded good and it was. Medjool dates and preserved lemon added to the depth and complexity of flavors in this dish -dessert: chocolate bourdino (terrific) and cheese plate (nice, but paled next to the bourdino) Reservations, service and cooking team extremely friendly and welcoming. We will be back. Agree it's a great spot for a date although our next trip will probably be with our moms...
(5)
King C.
TL;DR I like the concept, but it's too pricey. Intimate, cozy space that's too cramped. Be prepared to be bumped and jostled because there's no waiting area for diners. Dishes were solid, but not memorable or mind blowing. Fried quail is probably the most memorable, primarily because of its batter. It reminded me of Local 360's fried chicken, which I prefer over the mkt's fried quail. Prices were expensive. I could easily get comparable food for 30% less elsewhere. Servers are very friendly. Big plus. All in all, I like the atmosphere and the idea, but wish it was cheaper.
(2)
Amanda A.
Small restaurant hiding in the Green lake ! Great atmosphere . awesome foods and dessert. Definitely coming back :)
(5)
Miss Y.
the food was very good and the service was awesome!! we are the most pickiest foodies and cannot remember the last time we had great food & service together. mkt did both and we plan on going back soon
(5)
Kyle R.
Absolutely Amazing. We started with the oysters and pear salad both of which were very refreshing and flavorful. After that we moved onto the venison gnocchi and pork tenderloin. Finished with a fantastic chocolate dessert. One of the best meals of the year! I have paid a lot more for half of the meal that MKT delivered. Looking forward to going back and eating the whole menu.
(5)
Tokuro Y.
I went there with a small group and the food was great. Fresh, delicious and creatively presented... like fried crispy quail with tiny onion rings. Service was attentive and friendly. Very surprising since I went on a busy Sunday evening. Highly recommend.
(5)
Rachael M.
Amazing restaurant! I called to make a reservation and they went above and beyond to accommodate my party. Great food, we sat at the chefs counter and were handed little extra bites here and there, we even got a slow dance from our amazing waiter! It was my mothers birthday and instead of singing happy birthday he felt inclined to perform a routine. I'll absolutely be back!!!
(5)
Michael G.
I'm a big fan of Ethan Stowell's restaurants, but I don't love mkt. It's a bit of a long story, but bear with me... It's not the servers' fault. We had a 7:30 reservation, were seated when we showed up early (7:20), and we were taken very good care of by Sara (who we recognized from HTCAW). The food is great too! For two of us we ordered 6 plates (MAYBE one plate too many), plus two deserts. Quickly we had: Hamachi Ceviche Dungeness Crab Salad Seared Duck (BONUS confit!) Waygu Beef Beet Salad Nettle-ricotta Ravoli Chocolate Pudding Everything was amazing, really really good. Weakest thing was the ravioli, which my wife loved, but I thought was missing something (the taste was a bit "bright" to me). That said, it had some really tough competition! The duck and beef were both amazing the next day as well. So what's the problem? Well, I absolutely hated the space. You might not mind, and if we were sitting somewhere else, maybe I wouldn't have either. But let me explain: The restaurant is one room. When you walk in, directly ahead is a set of normal tables. The kitchen takes up a good portion of the room (as it should). To your right, however is a pretty small area, which encompasses two distinct areas: 5 or 6 raised seats at the kitchen and 5 lower seats at an outward facing table structure, which seems to be split by a windowed garage door. I think the idea would be, in summer months, to have the door open, and you (might) have a lovely seating area, perhaps with outside seats as well (like HTCAW). But it was March, and the door was closed. The problem was that there's no room to move between the seating "rows" in the space. Over the course of the evening, Sara's butt and I became good friends, as every time she came through to take care of the gentlemen behind us her butt was rubbing up against me (again, these seats are slightly lower than usual). Additionally, because I was with my wife, I was sitting facing slightly towards her, which made the arrangement even more claustrophobic (I couldn't see at all what was going on behind me, and people / servers were constantly bumping me through the meal). So, why just two stars. Because I've had better. Perhaps if I was sitting at the raised seats it would have been better. Maybe if we had a normal table it would have been better. But we didn't. The food was great, the service absolutely fine, but I wouldn't go back with the potential risk of having those seats again. Not when Ethan has so many other great environments to dine in.
(2)
Kristina B.
Great attentive service without being in your face. Food was fantastic like all other Ethan Stowell restaurants. Small space but tables are spaced so you don't feel like you are on top of your table neighbors. Try a few different things and share among the table.
(5)
KT T.
Warm and cozy Ethan Stowell restaurant between I5 and Greenlake in the Tangletown area. Loved the intimate atmosphere and attentive service. Began with smoked tuna on crostini, with crème fraîche and aioli and grilled green beans (will order those again). We shared duck with brussel sprouts (perfect) and pork tenderloin with beets. The male server was knowledgeable and friendly. As expected Ethan's food is excellent. Can't wait to return.
(5)
Joseph T.
Tiny little place with an awesome sounding menu but extremely overpriced with the tiniest of tapas style plates. Expect to spend $80+ for two people and leave fairly hungry... Not a huge fan though the 4 scallops were delicious ($25?)and the tiny taste of yellowtail for ($28?) was fairly good.
(2)
Elaine K.
While dining at How to Cook a Wolf, I had heard about Ethan Stowell's Mkt and decided to give it a try. I came in with pretty high expectations given his other creations. First off, this place is TINY. If you thought HTCAW is small, this is about a third of the size. It has an open concept kitchen and reminded me somewhat of a sushi bar. We had reservations for 7:45 but were able to be seated right away when we arrived at 7 pm. The menu is divided up into Snacks, Fish, Meat, and Vegetables. Like other Ethan Stowell restaurants, the plates are meant to be shared so we got 4 plates in total: green beans, rabbit, lamb shank, and wild mushroom gnocchi. I would say that both the meat dishes were our favorites. The lamb shank definitely took home the prize though - flavorful and succulent with every bite. The other two dishes were uneventful and rather small so be prepared to order more food as needed. We finished off the meal by sharing the chocolate mousse which was divine and certainly worth the calories!! All in all, the restaurant and service is warm and inviting but I can see that getting a table on a whim would be difficult. I would definitely give this restaurant another try!
(4)
Carolyn R.
I agree with what most everyone said in the other reviews. We had many plates of food, perfect for sharing, high quality but pricey for the portion size (on par with other Ethan Stowell places). Overall, gets two thumbs up for food. Although the intimate setting is great, the early 1990s pop music blaring on a crowded Saturday was very annoying. It's the first thing I've told anyone whose asked about my big date night out with the hubby. And before you think I am one of "those people," I mentioned to the waitress when she greeted us. And for point of reference, the early 90s was my prime dance clubbing years. So I like that music, it was just to dang loud to pretend to make for a nice intimate meal, which seemed what should be expected to be the vibe of the restaurant, for the size and quality of the food. As a side note, the waitress asked if we wanted a second glass of wine, we asked to see the wine list again, then never saw it show up. Then a helper server poured water all over the table and didn't really clean it up. Annoyed, we asked for the check, instead of dessert. Kind of a bummer way to end a nice meal. So, I am excited for another nice option close to home, but won't rush back.
(3)
M G.
This is a super cute, very small space with the same standard of yummy food that I've had at other Ethan Stowell places. Tried the dungeness crab salad (excellent flavor), the lemon green beans (very tasty), the lamb tongue (was not a fan of the tongue texture), the vegetable tagine, and the heirloom tomato salad (both great). Dishes meant to be shared but when split, the portion size is on the small side. For dessert we had some sort of chocolate pudding that was so good I wished I hadn't shared for two. Menu selection isn't huge (which I like) but I wouldn't recommend the space for large groups, best for groups of 2-3 people. Looking forward to going back!
(5)
Robert H.
Just goes to show Ethan Stowell can open a restaurant in a Shoe Box and it would do well :) Great food, great service and great design in getting 35+ seats in that tiny ass space!
(5)
ID T.
I'm new to the Ethan Stowell restaurant empire, but the slow open last night was a good trial run. Crab salad was ok, a little bland. Green beans with lemon and a smoky salt were very tasty, tomato salad was excellent. Talked to staff and Stowell (and sat next to his folks Kent and Francia), emphasis is going to be on seasonal (so if you like something on the menu, eat it now). Booze is wine or three casked premixed cocktails. Good use of a very tiny space, tables handled well on a slow open night. Portions are small and pricey for the neighborhood, but the neighbors will not be the audience this is intended for. Do need to point out that the space was, years ago, the original home of Brie and Bordeaux, and all concerned were pretty happy about continuing a good food story in that room.
(3)
Robin A.
This is a real review! Delicious food, not ordinary, accessible, swoon-worthy, perfect to share. Favorites so much so that I wish I ate here nightly: green beans, beef, scallops. I suspect the menu will change often thus more reason to make this a regular spot. Tables as well as bar seating. The wait staff is incomparably welcoming and has a deft touch--just enough attention, not too much. The small space is lively, the food so satisfying that big portions not relevant. Wine list great-first red on the list of reds by the glass the best. I join the others who note that the elegance of the food without the pretensions of staff makes this a memorable and delightful evening. Staff appeared to like their work...and that was BEFORE they knew I was a big tipper for service and welcome so fine!
(5)
Barry G.
My wife and I took in mkt in Tangletown after deciding to wait a few weeks while the staff and kitchen team got into a rhythm. We are fans of Ethan Stowell but, sadly, there are some consistent patterns that disappoint across his rapidly expanding set of local restaurants. The staff (great) and ambience were fine, however it seems that every time we leave his restaurants we are far from full, and mkt, was unfortunately no exception to the rule. The small plate portion sizes were just far too tiny for what you were paying. The flavor profile of the dishes was not strong and there were still summer dishes on the menu when clearly it is now fall. All in all a let down as we were really hoping for something better to open on the local Tangletown scene.
(2)
Stardust L.
My husband and I were trying to figure out where to go for dinner last night when I remembered that mkt was slated to open soon. We pulled up their website, called, and were told that they were open and had a spot available at 6:30. Our night had taken a turn for the better! We happily hopped in the car and headed over to Tangletown. Once inside the cozy/modern space, we found out that there had been some confusion. The phone number listed on the website was actually the phone number for another Stowell restaurant and we did not have a table reserved at mkt. Here is where the greatness begins. I expected to be booted out the door when it was discovered that we didn't have the proper reservation. Instead, as soon as the staff realized that the website had the wrong phone number listed, they went out of their way to try to make us happy. They offered to seat us for a glass of wine and a snack but when my husband and I looked at each other, not sure that we'd make it through the night on only a snack, the staff person said, "I have a reservation at 7:15. If you can be done by 7:15, we can seat you." It was about 6:20, and we happily accepted. They then called the other Stowell restaurant to cancel our reservation there and let them know what was going on with the phone number. I noticed that by the time we got home (after dinner and a play), the phone number had been corrected on their website. The restaurant is small in a really good way. The focus is definitely on the kitchen - we want to go back and request a table at the bar facing the kitchen. Except for the very front window tables, if you are seated with your back to the kitchen (as I was), there's really not a lot to look at - there's a plain grey wall with wooden shelves way up high with wine and stemware on them. That would be my only critique. I think it would be fun to have mirrors hung on that wall which would make the space feel bigger and also allow everyone to have a view of the kitchen. They'd have to be the right kind of mirrors, though. Mirrors can look really tacky when done wrong. We decided to order almost all of the offered "snacks" (green beans, pumpernickel with cured salmon, cheese with walnuts and preserves) and two of the cocktails that come out of wooden barrels in the kitchen. The cocktails were good, and ours (the PVT) came served with delicious cherries. We also ordered the dungeness crab salad. The staff were great - one of them recognized us from our trips to Poppy, where he had worked in the past, and it was nice to be recognized in our new neighborhood and to see a familiar face. Our server was great - he never made us feel rushed and he didn't just plunk everything on the table at once. Each dish came out individually. They did a good job of taking time to describe the dishes and kept our water glasses full without being at all intrusive. The food was great. There wasn't a misstep in the bunch. Dinah's cheese with the walnuts and tomato preserves was probably my favorite - the flavors melded perfectly together. Although I loved the dungeness crab salad with the apples, too. Actually, I just loved it all. We finished up and walked out the door at 7:10 pm. We'll definitely be back. The food was great and we found the service to be stellar. What a gem in the neighborhood!
(5)
Clint W.
mkt - still adore this place. grilled green beans...it was a discovery last year and should be a part of everyone's diet now. hamachi was good, although maybe needing a big more citrus. the pork tenderloin was outstanding. moist and well seasoned, it was the stand out of the night. the lamb was also good, but maybe a notch below. i think it only paled because we had it last. my only complaints are that there is no place to wait for your seats and that there aren't enough veggies accompanying the proteins. it's skimpy and if you love it, you only get a nibble.
(5)
Anna Z.
I was very impressed with mkt (market, not em kay tee, haha). I love the open kitchen concept in this tiny little restaurant. The service was awesome. The food was delectable. I wanted to try every item on the menu, but I limited myself to 5. Zucchini and squash fritters: 5 little balls of fried goodness. I'm obsessed with all things zucchini right now so I thought these were pretty good. The pesto that came with it was delicious! Penn Cove Mussels with house made chorizo: I read house-made chorizo and had to get it. The mussels were cooked in a ginger lime sauce. It came with toasted bread that was just buttery goodness, and was even better doused with the ginger lime sauce. Pan-fried potato gnocchi with lamb: I'm not much of a pasta person, but this was very good. The lamb was definitely the best part though, super tasty and not gamey at all. Whole grilled trout: This was a surprisingly good dish. I was worried that it would be too fishy but the corn/tomato sauce that came with the fish perfectly balanced the fishy-ness. I loved the crispy grilled skin. Grilled wagyu beef: MUST-ORDER. Medium rare. Nuff said.
(5)
Paul R.
This is our little neighborhood gem now that the wonderful Eva's closed about a year ago. I've been in maybe three or four times and it's improved since it opened. The food is consistently interesting, well put together, and delicious. I had dinner here several weeks ago and tried pretty much every non-fish entree and all were excellent. Because of the extensive percent of communal seating (kitchen bar and window) there is good opportunity for making dinner friends and sharing some wine, which I enjoy. Talk to the kitchen staff, they are friendly and like the feedback. It's a small place and pretty popular so I'd highly recommend a reservation. The wine list could be much larger but what they do have is reasonably priced and they seem to have a pretty good ability to make recommendations. I'd really like to see some affordable but quality WA wines available - Reininger, Basel, Cadence, Soos Creek, Januik, L'Ecole, etc. - to balance out the imports. I'd especially like to see their wine stored better since much or all of it appears to be kept pretty warm all the time and while I don't mind the warm storage in terms of aging, I prefer that red wine is served slightly cooler than normal room temperature (65-68) and especially during these hot summer months the inside of the restaurant is much warmer than normal room temp. I really enjoyed the beef tartare and I must emphasize that I am NOT a beef tartare fan...that is, until now. I would order it again at mkt. in a hearbeat. The seared duck breast was good as a plate but, as is so often the case, the breast was very gristly and difficult to eat - I love duck but that is the one dish I wouldn't order again. The menu changes pretty often so you will have to choose your own story. This is just the kind of place to just say "no [fill in your restriction] please, but just have the kitchen send out whatever they like until I say stop." Dessert was divine, by the way.
(5)
Peter E.
I highly recommend the hamachi ceviche and the mussels with chorizo. They were fantastic! Service was very good ... attentive and friendly. The wine list is spendy but has some interesting choices. The sparkling wine from bordeaux is awesome. It was pleasant outside ... probably around 70 ... but at our tables it was warm ... not too warm, but I'm also not sure I'd want to be in those inner tables on a hot day. The radicchio in the Castelfranco salad was pretty bitter for my taste, but overall still a worthy dish. The wagyu beef had great beef flavor but I'd prefer maybe a more rich sauce/seasoning. Everything was cooked to a perfect level of doneness. I was very impressed with how mkt. has squeezed a functional kitchen into such a small space. It's a fun little space. I saw they have the walk in around back in the parking garage.
(5)
Katherine L.
Amazingly delicious. I sat at the counter and chatted with the chefs. They were incredibly friendly and happy to explain what they were doing. The duck breast with figs was delightful. I would 100% go back just for that. I never really enjoy fish other than salmon, but the fish I had there was crispy on the outside and melt-in-your mouth amazing on the inside. Beef tartare was okay, nothing too special there. Overall, great atmosphere and food with a plus of amazingly friendly people.
(5)
Alina B.
I loved the restaurant and literally all the dishes we tried, 10 total. These come in relatively small portions and its fun to share them. the funneling potatoes had fabulous salsa verde that ive never had. Salmon was absolutely delicious, so was beef. Quail was heavily breaded but very tasty. Desserts were good with Pot de creme being best.
(5)
Logan S.
Came here for our anniversary and had a really good time. Lots of good wines choices, handful by the glass or share a bottle, and really interesting choices on the menu for things to eat. The wine was a bit on the higher end though, so if you're coming in with the expectation to share a bottle be prepared to spend a little extra. The space is a nice, open area with tables, seating at the chefs counter with a limited view, as well as a community table at the front that is half outside and half in. I was a little unsure about sitting at the community table but after being there I did enjoy it and would be open to it again. Food wise we tried a handful of things on the menu but a couple of the highlights were the scallops, corn grits, and the green beans. The scallops were nice and buttery and cooked perfectly, some of the best I've had in Seattle. The grits were awesome, I'd say these are best tried with one bite with everything together (cheese, pork belly, grits, and seabeans). The green beans seemed really simple, but tasted excellent. They were lemon and sea salt green beans and I wish I could make them that good at home. Very fresh, and full of flavor. Overall we had a good experience, it's definitely a solid pick for a great dinner. Not going to blow you away but it definitely won't disappoint and you'll leave pretty satisfied. Price wise, outside the wine, this place was also a pretty good deal!
(5)
Jesse M.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. You know, looking at that menu where every dish was $15-$30, I said to myself, the crap is this about? There's no way this'll be worth THAT much dough at the end of the night. No way. The server even warned us herself that the portions were very small. No way. And...I was so wrong. Within an hour and a half, I had the best scallop, best steak, and best duck leg I've ever had in my life. I can think of a single thing wrong with the food and that single thing only - some of the bread for the steak tartare was over-salted. That's it. Just a bit over-salted. Not a thing else I could ask for better. Alright, to the food: STEAK TARTARE was plain meaty, but tender with a nice texture from some onions and a great, oily, salty crunch from some grilled bread. ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE FRITTERS served on a bed of salsa verde had a delicate breading with creamy, delicious cheese filling contrasted well with some crunchy asparagus pieces and the acidic bite of the fresh salsa. SMOKED SALMON BELLY with shallots with a dill creme fraiche was well seasoned and just jam-packed with salmon flavor, so much that it even caught me off guard, but it was balanced beautifully with the creamy-light creme fraiche, all on top of grilled bread. SEARED SCALLOPS stopped me in my tracks - they were incredible. Never knew scallops could taste like that. Perfectly cooked, so soft but not raw in the middle, hard sear on the top that held the salt well, perfect amount of seasoning, light lemon butter sauce to bring it all together with some small sauteed vegetables. Wow. Changed my perception of what scallops could be. Then the WAGYU BEEF came out grilled with some fingerling potatoes, and it had a mean, mean crust on the outside, but was still medium-rare on the inside. Again, the crust held the seasoning well, and perfect seasoning together with the fatty, tendon/ligament-free, why-am-i-using-a-knife-there's-nothing-to-cut, juicy, butter-soft interior equated to a truly special taste that I'll always remember. Finally, the CRISPY DUCK LEG was impossibly tender with a crisped skin to cover. Never knew duck could be that tender, and packed with smokey flavor on top of that. Salty, but just right when paired with the salad and creamy sauce on the plate. Crispy, moist, flavorful, changed how I view that ingredient. Everything was made with just amazing technique. Every plate had three or more elements balancing each others' acidity, saltiness, fattiness, creaminess, umami, and/or sweetness. Truly the sort of food you've only seen on the telly. Not a thing was underseasoned and attention to detail was stunning. So, was it worth the dough dished out? Well, let me put it this way. You don't just come here for a great meal, you come here for a culinary experience. Prepare to get schooled in what excellent cooking looks and tastes like. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
(5)
Emi S.
Ok I totally see why this restaurant has almost 5 stars. Every dish they serve is creative and executed very well. Usually when restaurants get interesting with their menu, something falls short in the taste, consistency, or portion department. However, at this place I was pleasantly surprised on all fronts. Perfect portion size, good quality food cooked correctly, and well worth the price. Service was friendly and prompt. I will come back to try dessert :)
(5)
Julie S.
Splurge. Do it. The food, service, atmosphere is all wonderful.
(5)
Reed Y.
They should rename it to MMMMMkt
(5)
Gisselle L.
Great experience, came here on a double date. The waiter recommended that we each get 2/3 items from the menu which totaled to 8 plus dessert-looking back we should have ordered 6 items because they also served bread. They serve it family style so essentially everyone gets to try everything if they want to and below was what we got: Spiced pumpkin fritters, cardamom, allspice, herb pesto- good but heavy Seared sea scallops, smoked manila clams, thyme-butter sauce, salsify, roasted carrots- really really food Shigoku oysters, pear mignonette- I didn't taste this but the person who ate it liked it Wagyu beef crusted with peppercorn, rosemary, grilled fingerling potatoes, fried onions, red wine sauce- really good and well seasoned Braised venison, sweet potato gnocchi, rosemary, roasted quince - delicious; highlight of the night for me Garlic polenta, spiced roasted root vegetables, balsamic reduction, olives, pumpkin seeds- really good- def. recommend ordering this (third highlight of the night) Porcini-ricotta ravioli, marjoram, roasted garlic butter sauce, Parmesan- this was delicious; second highlight of the night Beef/Steak Tartare (not listed on the menu): the guys ate this and seemed to enjoy it Panna Cotta: amazing. They don't publish their dessert menu because it changes so often but this was out of this world good I asked for a mocktail and it was yummy. Overall, great experience and I would come back
(4)
D T.
Family came in town for 5 days of celebration and our dinner at MKT. was everyone's favorite. My aunt has a good allergy to spicy peppers and they accommodated famously. 3 of the 9 dishes I tried are now the top 1-3 dishes I've had in Seattle. The Salmon coming in at #1. Also, incredibly friendly service with excellent suggestions for wine.
(5)
Cait H.
Tucked away in Tangletown, this Ethan Stowell restaurant is excellent service! I thoroughly enjoyed the prosecco and zucchini fritters. The space is pretty intimidate, so may not be the best for private conversations.
(4)
Collin H.
My wife & I had the great pleasure of visiting mkt. last night for an early Mother's Day celebration and the experience was extraordinary. In particular, Matt and Ani made our night exceptional. They were funny, engaging, thoughtful, attentive, and fantastic representatives of the restaurant and the business. In addition, the food was fantastic. We really, really enjoyed it and we will definitely be back
(5)
David G.
We had an excellent dinner here not too long ago. The seating is a bit intimate, but the food and wine was really excellent. Creative dishes that were well executed with excellent flavor.
(5)
Hannah H.
Came here for a leisurely anniversary dinner and it didn't disappoint. Our server was amazing (I seriously could have listened to him describe the food all night, it was mesmerizing) and made great recs. We had the grits with mushrooms and lardon, carrots with lemon and rosemary, duck, and wagyu beef--all amazing. It's a small restaurant and the servers are very attentive and seemed to be very familiar with a lot of people who came in. Can't say enough good things about our overall experience.
(5)
Kathy A.
Holy flaming peanuts, this place is good! I might have found my new favorite restaurant in Seattle. FYI this review is for SRW. First of all the location is great. I always forget that there is such a cute little neighborhood tucked back there near Greenlake. The restaurant is tiny and they only have a few tables and bar style seating. If you are sitting at the bar area you can watch the chefs work. My only complaint was that the large wooden chairs were not very comfortable. The first courses were really the only misses of the night. The carrot fritters were awesome. I'm not sure how they were cooked but they were not fried like one might expect (or if they were you sure tricked me!). It tasted kind of like I'd expect a baked carrot falafel to taste. All I know is I loved them and could have eaten bowls of them. The other two starters were less impressive. The hamachi ceviche was bland and boring and the foraged salad was just okay. The portion sizes were also tiny for appetizers. The main courses were phenomenal. I'm not a red meat eater, but I tried the wagyu beef and it was amazing. It was perfectly cooked, tender, and just melt in your mouth good. The sauce on top was great and I wish there was more. The halibut was delicious too. I normally refrain from ordering halibut at restaurants because it is such a bland white fish, but they managed to add just enough seasoning to make it very tasty. The white wine sauce that it was served with stole the night. My god I have not had that good of a sauce is so long. I definitely contemplated licking the plate clean but somehow managed to contain myself. The desserts were all great too. My favorite was the lemon pudding cake. It was light and refreshing but still full of flavor. The chocolate budino was a velvety and rich chocolate pudding that I could have eaten a whole tub of. Even the pear anise sorbet was delicious. The food here is fantastic and the staff is nice and attentive. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Crystal W.
Love this place!!! I was surprised by how small the restaurant is but I actually enjoyed the intimacy. The servers were extremely friendly and they gave great descriptions of every item they serve. My favorite was definitely the scallops. Perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The porcini-ricotta ravioli was delicious too! Pasta dishes have always been good at Ethan Stowell's restaurants. I will definitely come back again!
(5)
Emily L.
I came here to MKT for restaurant week and got a nice seat next to all the action. It was wonderful watching the chefs working magic on my food and even throwing me extra bits of samples from someone else's order (hehehe). Everything was so delicious and very very savory. My boyfriend even said it was the best steak he's ever had!!
(5)
Jo W.
Very small so plan ahead with your reservations. The waitress suggested 5-6 plates for two of us but 4 would've been enough and then I could've tried the dessert! The green beans, pork tenderloin and ceviche are a must. The lamb and gnocchi were disappointing but maybe that was because everything else surpassed expectations. The drinks were great as well. Overall great date night.
(4)
James L.
Happy dance. Happy, crunchy, salty, spicy acid dance. I mean lemon, not like LSD. Yum.
(5)
Jonie N.
My bf and I came here for dinner during Seattle Restaurant Week and we're so glad we did! For $28, you get a three course meal.. and it was an awesome deal for Mkt. The food was delicious and the service was great. They offered four different choices for each of the three courses for their SRW menu. We chose the following: First course: - Hamachi ceviche: Large, fresh slices of fish with champagne ice on top. It was really refreshing to eat and almost melt in your mouth good! - Crispy fried quail: There's two, perfect for sharing with your date. The quail is perfectly lightly fried and flavored that I probably could've eaten two myself though.. maybe I won't share next time ;) Main course: - Roasted lamb shank & spice lamb sausage: I think this is the first time I've tried lamb sausage? and it was really good! It was really juicy and seasoned really well. The roasted lamb was amazing too... so tender we used our forks to cut it apart to devour. - Grilled wagyu beef: The meat was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and had an amazing smokey flavor. The fingerling potatoes and fried spring onions complemented the beef really well too. Dessert: - Chocolate malted budino: We didn't know what budino was but it's pretty much pudding. I know chocolate pudding sounds boring, but it was actually really good! It wasn't too rich and was perfectly creamy.. which made it easy to finish it all. - Pear anise sorbet: I always choose any dessert with pear so it was an easy decision to try this. There were two large scoops of sorbet with several slices of poached pear on the side. Yum! The first bite caught me off guard though because it didn't have the typical "pear" flavor, and reminded me more of Asian pear. No complaints though, I loved how I could tell there was real fruit in each scoop of sorbet I ate. Overall, five stars. The bf and I were impressed with all the food we tried and service was outstanding too. Also, portion size for each dish was perfect. We finished off our plates because the food was delicious, and it was enough to make us full but not stuffed. Note: Parking is free on the street and there's plenty around since Mkt. is surrounded by neighborhoods. Also, the restaurant is TINY (and cute) so make sure you make reservations :)
(5)
Julie B.
Delicious dinner with attentive service. Nice wine list. We walked in at 9 pm on a warm summer's evening and got a nice table near the open sliding doors in the front.
(4)
K T.
One of my favorite Seattle restaurants, a must for restaurant week if you can get a reservation and/or if they participate. Their menu changes based on what is local and fresh. We have dined here multiple time and never disappointed with the food or the service. We brought family from out of town for a nice dinner. For a table of 4 we ordered 2 snacks, 5 dishes and 2 desserts - Grilled green beans, Roasted beet salad, Hamachi ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, Grilled Alaskan king salmon with English peas, Semolina pasta with morels and Parmesan, Grilled wagyu beef, Rhubarb tart, and Chocolate terrine. I would highly recommend the Green beans are simple but addicting, Hamachi ceviche as the hamachi is fresh and the cucumber ice is very unique, Semolina pasta was delicious with fresh handmade pasta, Grilled wagyu is cooked to perfect medium rare, and Chocolate terrine is a must if you like chocolate. Everything was amazing but my recommendations are based on menu items we order every time we come back. As always the service is great and the staff is very friendly. If you have a chance to sit closer to the front of the kitchen the chefs often chat with the guests. The food comes out individually and is meant to share over wine and good conversation.
(5)
Elizabeth L.
Urban kitchen where heart meets hearth. From being warmly greeted to friendly service throughout our experience, mkt was wonderfully classy without being fussy. Started with the grilled French green beans, simply prepared with sea salt and lemon - a nice palate opener. The grilled rabbit tongue was satisfyingly rich, balanced with juicy baby beets and horseradish. Dungeness crab salad was delightfully fresh - luscious lump dungeness lightly dressed with apple, tarragon, endive. Grilled Spanish mackerel was a personal favorite - served with pickled fennel, a vinegary note to cut through the mackerel. Well-paired. While mkt is seafood-forward, the roasted porcini ricotta ravioli is not to be missed - deliciously savory and hand-formed, as good as you might expect from Ethan Stowell. Warm poached fig tart with pistachio gelato - possibly one of the best desserts I've had in Seattle. Naturally sugary figs in a flaky crust - a winter must-have. Seating is mainly lengthwise, as this tiny Tangletown gem only seats 25ish. Serves barrel-aged cocktails. Stay cozy, stay classy. mkt, until next time.
(4)
Elizabeth W.
Had dinner here tonight - I'd actually give it 3 1/2! Service great, ambiance great. Food over salted and portions small, but tasted great. $120 with tip for two - we had two small entrees, a starter of roasted carrots, one beer, one glass of wine. So, all in all, good food, cute place but tough parking, chairs with no backs (think they don't want you to linger because it's small) and I'm still a bit hungry (I'm a female who doesn't eat like a truck driver :) - a little bread would have done the trick! If you want an Ethan Stowell experience I'd recommend Tavolata.
(3)
Opal D.
Mkt. is a cozy little restaurant in Tangletown adjacent to the Elysian Brewing Co. The host, server, and manager all provided excellent service. The menu had a great selection; it would be easy for someone on Paleo or Slow Carb to eat here. The taste from the kitchen had great flavour, the combination of sweetness with licorice stuck out to me, although the endive(?) was oddly dry and bland. The green beans were simple, bright, and had just the right amount of charring. The lamb dish was prepared well, lots of interesting textures to explore, although I was unable to taste any horseradish in the dish. The location has easy and free street parking and the intimate atmosphere makes it a great spot for a date!
(5)
Dawn L.
I've only been blessed to eat here twice (I live in West Seattle), but both times I thought I'd gone to food heaven!! Their portions are great for sharing, but you can certainly eat a dish all on your own. I appreciate that their menu has items you'd not get elsewhere, making it all the more fantastic. It's intimate, plays good music, and the staff knows their wine. A definite must....just don't take my spot!
(5)
Ashley N.
My partner and I have been here twice now and we are crazy about this place. It can be a little tough to get a reservation sometimes but it's definitely worth it! The ambiance is amazing and we have always had excellent service. My favorite dish there is the handkerchief pasta from their winter menu, and I would also highly recommend the hamachi ceviche which was offered both in the winter and the summer.
(5)
Sara H.
I'd not travel far out of my way to eat here. But, in the greenlake area it's one of your best options! Do be prepared to be flexible. They do the annoying "it comes out when it's prepared" thing here. Which is great if you're with a group with similar tastes and all want to share. Notsomuch if it's 2-3 of you and you don't. The seating situation is kind of strange. You might get crammed at a tiny table. You might get seated waaaaaaay across from each other at the communal table. Or maybe next to each other at the communal table. For a more traditional, and equally delightful, meal-- head across the street to Eva. Anyway- my cocktails were perfect. My dining partner had to return their wine. It tasted sour. The second glass was much better. The food was hit or miss. Nothing was a stand-out, but neither was any of it offensive. The dining room is very pretty. The people here are serious about food. If you like that thing-- it'll be right up your alley. If it bugs you-- yeah, go to Eva instead. I'll be back, sure. But, this one isn't on my craveable list.
(3)
Nico D.
This restaurant is good but it's a bit of a drive from downtown, and parking is challenging. The space is tiny. I think there were 3 four-seat tables, 3 two-seat tables, and 3 seats at the bar. It is so small that all tables share a separation wall with the kitchen. The wall only goes up to 4 or 5 feet. At some point in the evening, one cook was working right behind me on the other side of the wall, and splashed oil... You guessed it, I felt drops of oil on my head, and got one on my glasses and several on my jacket... Anyway, service was pleasant. Bread was so-so. Starter was zucchini and carrot fritters with a creamy mint sauce. It reminded me of onion bhaji. Pretty good. I think we did well to share and get 3 tiny balls each, because it wasn't something I would have eaten 10 of. Wagyu beef and fingerling potatoes were OK. It really wasn't melt-in-your-mouth beef, and the fingerlings were a bit starchy in the center. The wine reduction sauce was very salty. Still good, but not special. Excellent dessert: strawberry tart with ice cream. Nicely done. Overall, I am not sure I would say it's worth the long drive to come back (and I would have to wear rain gear inside the restaurant ;-).
(3)
Alisa G.
Wonderful food, amazing staff, awesome experience. The staff is extremely knowledgable, our server Seth, was fantastic. We asked his opinions for some must have suggestions, and by then end, we just said, bring us whatever you want, and we were not disappointed! We enjoyed everything but the oysters, grilled green beans, wagyu beef, and scallops were standouts.
(5)
Neel R.
Food was delicious. The staff was also very nice. They went out of their way to accommodate for my allergies. I will definitely go back.
(5)
Andrew S.
Great service but on balance overpriced and underwhelming. The space is small and cramped and the noise level makes casual conversation difficult. In terms of dishes: Worth it - Green beans Duck Scallops Not worth it - Mushroom risotto Crab salad Squash fritters
(3)
Anthony B.
Stunning, delicious food, delivered with amazing service in a quaint little space. mkt. was my last meal for Seattle Restaurant Week. Unknowingly I had saved the best for last. The space in here is small. Be prepared for unintentional intimate conversation with your neighbors, at least before the food gets to your table. Once the meal started I was literally lost in my own little world. I can't say enough about the service here. The hostess and waitstaff were phenomenal. Kind, funny, and genuinely passionate about what they were serving in an honest way. Our friends weren't seated until 30 minutes after their 9:30 reservation, so the staff comped them a round of sparkling wine to ease the wait. The food here is on another culinary level. Part molecular gastronomy, part local organic, 100% flavor. The crispy duck confit appetizer had wonderful texture but lacked a sweet component (corroborated independently by 3 of us). Honestly that was my only "complaint". The hamachi ceviche was a strange combination of buttery fish and cold champagne ice. A surprisingly good bite. The entree's were the shining stars though. The wagyu beef was amazingly tender and had robust beefy flavor. The onion rings were light and sweet, they actually reminded us of fruit loops, in a great way. The beef here was better than el Gaucho! The lamb entree was without a doubt the best thing I ate during my 9 meal SRW. The sausage and greens alone would make an amazing sandwich filling. Even their malted budino (pudding) was a rich and buttery revelation. For 2 guys who don't have much a sweet tooth we were raving about the budino and lemon cake. They were perfect compliments to each other and a great way to end the meal. I was so fortunate to dine here and I couldn't have picked a better place for my 100th review! I really can't wait to return to try their full menu out. I know it will be worth every penny!!
(5)
Cameron O.
I came here during Restaurant Week with very high expectations. Mkt. did not disappoint. Every dish had an excellent balance of flavors and textures. We started with the crispy duck salad. I love duck and it was crispy yet juicy, but the actual salad left a little to be desired. The huckleberries added some sweetness but seemed a little unnecessary as they did not add a whole lot of flavor. The dinah's cheese was the biggest surprise. It did not seem very exciting at first glance, but the combination of the creaminess of the cheese, the salty crunch of the toast it was served on, and the sweetness of the honey left me craving for more. Our mains were the Pork Flank Steak and the Scallops. I'm not a huge fan of scallops but they had a very delicate flavor and melted in your mouth. The pork flank steak was served with lamb sausage since they were out of fried eggplant. I was kind of bummed since I've never really had eggplant that I've enjoyed. I assume I would have loved it from Mkt. The sausage was good though, so I won't complain. We finished with the Chocolate Terrine and the Basil Panna Cotta. The panna cotta was very light and the basil added a refreshing element to end the meal. This was my first experience at an Ethan Stowell restaurant and I can't wait to try his others.
(5)
Rachel H.
Its unusual to go out to a restaurant in Seattle, and feel like you could be at a restaurant opening in NYC, DC, or San Francisco. Lots of great restaurants in those great cities are tucked into neighborhoods, and feel like hidden gems. At mkt. we felt exactly that way, as if we traveled to another time and place, almost a restaurant speak-easy, in a tiny jewel-box of a space, spare grey and black walls, dark, moody lighting, uber modern setting, with a full, open fire-breathing kitchen. Tiny and very sophisticated, mkt. is a new Ethan Stowell restaurant, with executive chef, Joel Ritchie at the helm, and a small crew of very polished and attractive staff. Portions are small and shared, with sort of family-style tapas-inspired dishes, all served with bread and all of of which are excellent, particularly any in the fish line-up. Keep in mind, this spot is spendy. Its also small. Beware of online reservations: in response to ours, we got a call that we'd be given bar seating and were pretty disappointed after going to the trouble to reserve ahead. Fortunately, we were upgraded to a small table: a much better seat for date night. We ordered the Dungeness crab salad with tart apple, tarragon, and endive, Next the albacore ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, coriander, pickled red onions. We really loved the addition of the flavored ice in the dish. (We just watched the El Bulli documentary last weekend, and loved this idea of flavor enhanced ice. It was fun to try a riff of this interesting concept.) We loved the fried quail, which evoked memories of the smallest, tastiest fried chicken we'd ever eaten, accompanied by plum sauce. I'm not a huge fan of quail, but it was surprisingly moist and satisfying as only fried chicken (or apparently, quail) can be. We ordered a savory mushroom ravioli dish --really fantastic and tasted like something you'd might order up in Rome. The chef offered up a tiger prawn dish, that we thought was smoky and tasty, and something I'd definitely order again. One of the dishes (forgetting which now) had a cold offering of truffled potatoes on the side. That was disappointing. Besides not liking the temperature, we absolutely couldn't taste any fresh shaved white truffles, and while I'm sure they were there, its a sad, sad thing to waste the taste of truffles.) Still, mostly hits and just one miss. Several excellent cocktails are served here, and wine by the bottle and glass. Every now and then, we travel to SF and NYC to satisfy our love for big city life. Now apparently, we can just drive to Tangletown. How cool is that?
(4)
Rachael M.
My fiance took me here for my birthday and we were very impressed. The restaurant is very small but super adorable - there are wine bottles everywhere and food words all over the wall. The tables are close together, but we felt like we had enough space to ourselves. We shared the grilled and marinated green beans, the hamachi ceviche, the dungeness crab salad, and the sweet potato gnocchi with smoked mushrooms. Everything was delicious - I would have to recommend it all! Our total bill, including a glass of wine each, came out to about $75 before tip. A little pricy, but it was all incredibly good so worth it. We will definitely have to come back! Parking was easy in the neighborhood. Service was great - very friendly and helpful!
(5)
Phil C.
Dear mkt., You gave me one of the best, complete meals I've had in Seattle. Your intimate, reservations-are-a-good-idea atmosphere was perfectly curated. Your wait staff was knowledgeable, warm, and timely. And your food? Pretty much every bite of the hamachi ceviche, wagyu beef, lamb (oh god, the lamb!), and the grand finale of budino was perfect. I cannot return soon enough.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lowell J.
While I appriciate the fantastic experience most diners have had; eventhough we had a reservation, they called me the night before to confirm the reservation, came in 20 minutes before the reservation, my wife and I didn't get the opportunity to dine. We've been wanting to try mkt for a while now even trying to get reservations in the past, now I don't have to worry about it I guess. Upon arriving to the very very small space my 1st problem came when the door was broken and would barely open. We had to sneak by a half open door as other diners that sat within inches of the door stared ackwardly. Upon confirm my reservation with the host after shifting around other diners, we were advised to grab a beer at the Elysian next door while we wait for our table to be ready and they would give me a call. The host even took time to pull up the reservation and confirm the phone number. Sounding like a decent idea, we headed next door. 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes pass, no call. 40, 45, well Happy Anniversary, no call. We decided to just leave and head to a staple we love, appriciate, and remembers us by name as we walk in. This is Seattle, great restaurants are plentiful. We'd rather not spend our anniversary waiting for a place that clearly must be too busy for a reservation that's actually on their books. I can hear readers and mkt saying, "you never gave them an opportunity to make it right, you should have went over and said something." True perhaps, but fast forward a full hour and we just never heard anything. Makes you question if they would have remembered the order. Again, we chose to celebrate our Anniversary elsewhere. Anyhow, if your lucky enough to get a reservation at this place that's always booked because it's super small. I suggest you get there early and stand in the non standing room while you wait.
(1)Erica P.
We had reservations for a party of 4 for 7:45 on a Friday night in late April. We were not seated until 8:30pm. When we were finally seated, it took our waitress almost 10 minutes to greet us and take our drink order. By this time we were very hungry, so were looking forward to a great meal. After receiving our bottle of wine, we started ordering food. We were told these were plates to share, so we ordered what we thought and were told would be enough to for 4 people for dinner. The portions were so small that we were able to each have 1-2 bites of each item. We did order 6-7 dishes thinking that would be enough. Not enough!!! Our waitress never even asked us if we wanted another bottle of wine. The nail in the coffin was that we were sitting at the very last table, right next to the bathroom. Not great ambiance. We left the restaurant after being there for 2 hours, hungry and $100/couple poorer. We made a trip to Dicks on the way home so we wouldn't go to bed hungry. This restaurant seems a bit pretentious, and we felt like we expected to feel grateful that were able to eat there. Needless to say, we won't be going back.
(1)Nathan M.
The candles and design felt like Copenhagen. Fantastic service from Jonny, food was delicious and a special treat. Drinks were generous. Go after the rush dinner hour. 9:30 on a Saturday was perfect.
(5)Patty S.
Food good. Service good. Space crowded and neighbors too close. Blaring music assaulting the ears. What is with you restauranteurs and the loud music? It's not what the music is, it's the volume ruins the ability to swallow. Not returning until you TURN DOWN THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!
(2)Jim P.
Tried MKT because our daughter heard from a friend it was good. Made reservations and table was ready a few minutes after we arrived. The good- we really like the food esp the Hamachi ceviche, Gnocchi w/ lamb and the steak tartare. The bad- we got stuck in the very last table next the the rest rooms. It was a 88 degree day in Seattle and even though we had a reservation for 8 pm it was very HOT and stuffy at the really tight table at the back of the restaurant. We should have refused the table and went somewhere else but decided to go for it anyway. Service was good and we liked just ordering a couple plates to share each time the server came. We were really hot and ordered some wine from the fairly expensive wine list. Pretty much took over 25 minutes to bring the wine cause they had to chill it since they store it upright near the ceiling of the restaurant. Really....... THEY store wines they sell from $50 to well over $100 at the ceiling and then have to chill them before they serve them to you?? We were done with dinner by the time they brought the wine so refused it when it came. Pretty much wanted to go somewhere we could get some fresh air by then. Good food but you should really consider taking the last two tables off line for the day if the temps in Seattle are over 85 degrees for the day. Also, figure out a better wine storage solution or prechill some wines you expect to sell.
(3)Kimberly S.
Probably one of the best Restaurant Week experiences I've ever had. Love this place! The restaurant is quite small, but it's cozy and charming. A group of four of us dined together for restaurant week in October 2014. They had a special wine on offer for restaurant week and though I can't remember what kind of wine it was (Grenache perhaps?), it was wonderful. We were a bit confused by the presentation of food. We each ordered individual appetizers, entrees, and desserts, but everything was served communally. My friend's tomato salad (with compressed melon, croutons, and basil) came out first and we were all a bit confused as to whether or not we should share this single-portion of salad. We went with it and gingerly each took a small portion of salad. The Crispy Duck Confit Salad came next and that was delicious! The duck was cooked perfectly and was well balanced with the greens it came with. The hamachi ceviche came next and was very fresh and refreshing. Lastly, the Dinah's cheese was like a triple cream brie that went well with the bread they provided. Wonderful start to the meal. The only thing I'd change is presenting appetizers the way Staple & Fancy did for Restaurant Week: portioning out all appetizers to accommodate the size of the group that is dining. We ended up ordering two of the Seared Scallops and two of the Grilled Wagyu Beef. Four large scallops came on each plate and they were perfection. The grilled wagyu beef was served medium rare and was also amazing. Because mkt. gave a sampling of regular menu items, I am very excited to come back and try these dishes again and again. For dessert, we opted for two of the pear-anise sorbet, one chocolate terrine, and one basil panna cotta. The basil panna cotta is definitely odd, with a unique combination of flavors. I think it's worth trying at least once. The pear-anise sorbet took me a while to figure out because all I could taste was basil at first. The chocolate terrine is incredible, a must for anyone who even remotely likes dessert. I'm not a dessert person at all but that was so delicious I'd probably order it every chance I got. Overall, I loved it. Great atmosphere, great wine, great food, and great company. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Rona L.
Mhmm...thinking about the food I had here last night makes me hungry. This is one of the newer Ethan Stowell restaurants, and honestly, I have no idea how he found this place. Was the space meant to be THIS small? What else could have ever belonged here? I could only imagine something like a wall of bookshelves for a quaint little bookstore. However, that is why Ethan Stowell is the genius that he is; for such a tiny space, he utilizes ever square inch to its fullest potential. I walked in feeling like I had just entered someone's home kitchen. And while all of his restaurants give you a glance into their kitchens, there is actually counter seating here that lets you look directly into theirs -- so you can drool as you watch your food being prepared. We had 8pm reservations but the party before us hadn't vacated the table yet, so we didn't end up getting seated until close to 830pm. (The only reason I've given this place 4 starts, instead of 5). Luckily, there's a bar next door so we had a drink or two while we waited. There is literally no waiting area, as the door opens awkwardly into the establishment, the hostess stand is directly in front as you walk in, and a coat hanger is mounted behind the door. With that all being said, let's get to the important stuff: the FOOD. The menu options change frequently (it changed at least twice in the last three weeks) but it sounds like they have some consistent menu options as well. Like his other restaurants, dishes are served family-style and we were advised to choose two dishes per person. We ordered: -- Slow roasted vegetable salad, baby lettuces, sourdough croutons, soft cooked egg: A simple dish that let the sweetness of the veggies speak for themselves. Perfectly roasted. -- Smoked wild mushrooms, sweet potato gnocchi, crispy shallots, thyme: light and comforting gnocchi made interesting with the crispiness of the shallots (though the mushrooms were just *slighty* over-salted.) -- Seared Muscovy duck, fried brussel sprouts, tart cherry sauce: If you're not usually a big fan of duck, try the preparation here. You don't get the gamey-ness here (that you are confronted with at many Asian restaurants) but the flavors are still there. Though I thought the duck was a little under-seasoned, when you got a mouthful of the duck + cherries + fried brussel sprouts, it was PERFECT. -- Grilled spot prawns, red chili aioli, arugula, pickled citron: They offer you a small fork to peel the prawns out of their shells, but I found my hands worked just fine. The prawns were amazing and I could have eaten an entire bowl. For dessert, we ordered the the pear tarte with pistachio gelato. To date, I hadn't really cared for any of the desserts I've had at any Ethan Stowell restaurants, but this was really good. Slightly sweet pistachio gelato, on top of pears that still held their texture, and a wonderfully baked crust. Service was attentive, friendly, and inviting. We were never left looking for anyone or wanting anything. LOVED. Can we make this a weekly thing?
(4)Tami H.
I have to admit I am not normally a huge Ethan Stowell fan. However, mkt is fantastic and in a class by itself. What I love about mkt: -- great neighborhood restaurant feel -- intimate setting, great waitstaff -- food is unpretentious, simple, fresh, and delicious. -- ingredients are hyper-local and seasonal Would highly recommend: -- Grilled and marinated green beans, sea salt, lemon -- Hamachi ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, coriander, pickled red onions -- Smoked sockeye salmon, pumpernickel, dill crème fraiche -- Grilled wagyu beef, fingerling potatoes, fried onions -- Vegetable tagine, rosemary, olive oil, medjool dates, preserved lemon Can't wait to go back!
(5)Wennie H.
Absolutely adorable interior. Absolutely wonderful service. Absolutely amazing food. Those three absolutelys should make you want to come here. I told the girl I'm seeing that I had planned this great date for her (selfishly I picked mkt because I wanted to try it really bad). I was surprised that I was able to snag a 745pm reservation, especially given that the restaurant is so small. There was ample parking and it was easy to find. Score. We were seated quickly, despite being a little early. The menu was terrible because I wanted to order EVERYTHING. I had multiple arguments with myself, with my date and even had to ask our server for his opinion before I finally decided. But I am so glad I did. We ordered the green beans, crab salad, sweet potato gnocchi, grilled wagu beef and the roasted pear and pistatio tart. The date had two glasses of wine too (our server recommended and she loved it). Everything was good. Each item was brought out to order, though I wish it had come faster, it was THAT good. Literally, everything was delicious. This was one of the few meals where I wasn't let down with any part of it. Mkt is a little expensive but I think good food is worth it. Plus, one of the servers stopped at our table to say, "I like that you guys are sitting side by side. It's really cute." Pretty sure I impressed my date by taking her to mkt.
(4)Kristin K.
I really like the staff from here but the food wasn't all the hype I heard about. It was excellent but not phenomenal.
(3)Tuan V.
The food and the ingredients was good. But I'm not blown away or anything, considering it is quite pricy. In terms of food as art, the food was creative, and a delight to the senses, and the combinations of ingredient was fun and interesting. That is, the restaurant experience was great. But I'm the type of guy who prefer the sheer taste of the food, rather than all this frill stuff. I mean, exotic ingredients are fun once in a while, but not every day or every week, even. Especially when the portions are small. The restaurant is small, so there was a wait, but if you are seeking the experience, rather than no frills food, that shouldn't be a concern. Portions are small, too, but it's expected right? And I had a dessert that tasted like weed cookies haha, but apparently it's basil.
(4)Jessica B.
I"ve been here two times and haven't been disappointed either time. First regarding the parking situation: if you haven't been in Tangletown or Greenlake before I understand the complaints (and if you haven't where in Seattle proper do you live?!). If you have, I'm confused: there is never convenient or easy-to-find parking in this area. Yes, it is a tiny little place so take notice of that and make reservations to avoid waiting or be prepared to snuggle with your dining companions and other people, too. As for the food, this is an Ethan Stowell restaurant and the reputation stands. My favorite part of the meal was the ceviche - husband's favorite were the kobe beef. Drinks were fabulous, too. I can't wait to return!
(4)Liz L.
I honestly want to give this place 4.5 stars, but between 4 and 5, I'll go with 4. Made reservations for three on a Friday night and we were seated within minutes of checking in. Thank goodness for reservations, as this place is small and fills quickly. We were seated near the restroom, which was fine, but the table are a little too close for my liking. It makes it a little difficult to get out of your seat (when seated along the wall). They have a wonderful staff here. They were so kind to us! We were celebrating Z's birthday and I brought a cake from Bakery Nouveau. The friends always look to me for ordering so I just took the reins. The menu is broken into snacks, fish, meat, and vegetables. So we ordered three snacks: grilled green beans, squash fritters with pepitas pesto, and smoked salmon on pumpernickel and crème fraiche and dill. The green beans were delicious. They had a smoky, char flavor that reminded me of Korean BBQ- weird I know, but they were really good. My only complaint is that there may have been a little too much finishing salt. The fritters were good (there were maybe 7 fritters?) and so were the smoked salmon on pumpernickel (you get three). For our mains we got the roasted duck with brussels and the sweet potato gnocchi with mushrooms. The duck was delicious. It came two ways. The first with brussel sprouts and the second with fried brussel leaves. We asked for the cherry sauce on the side, but it totally makes the dish and cuts through the richness of the duck. The gnocchi was soft and chewy and delicious. The staff were attentive and every time one waiter came by he said happy birthday. They brought out our cake, put candles on it and...he even danced as we sang! I wanted to offer the staff some cake (but it wasn't mine to offer); then maybe they wouldn't have charged us the cake cutting fee? I did find that a little ridiculous. Altogether with the cake cutting fee and coffee, it only came out to 76$ for three people before tip. Not bad at all- after all it was family style and we got to try a lot. I can't wait to go back and try some other items that I was eyeing!
(4)Chris D.
Walking into the place is like being welcomed into a friends home. Small, warm, inviting and the smell of applewood make you feel instantly at ease. We visited last night with friends had had a great experience. The staff and food are excellent. Flavors in each dish perfectly balanced and proportioned to compliment fresh ingredients, veggies, pastas, meats and fish. We had just about one plate of everything and nothing was weak. Superb value as well and we were surprised at the cost vs. the experience. Just go check it out, we have been to most all of Ethan's places and agree this is the tops.
(5)Tama K.
MKT shines during these marvelous warm evenings. While seating is uninviting- see others reviewers- it comes across as a neighborhood place with oh so much better food. As at most Stowell's, the raw materials are high quality and deeply respected. Integrity rounds out combinations. Prepared in such a small space, I really SAW that each dish really was the center of attention while on the hands of chefs and cooks. You have to want this to get over the slightly odd feeling of too many chairs in a small space. But if you are lucky enough to walk up and sit right in the window, snag it. Especially on an 85 degree sunny day.
(4)j W.
Excellent food. Particularly loved the scallops, mussels & wagyu beef. Casual dining and warm on a warm Seattle eve. Recommend making a reservation. Also espresso chocolate dessert delicious.
(5)Et L.
Service was fantastic, wine advice was informative with out being pretentious, food did not disappoint. The place is cozy, best for parties of 4 or less. If you're 2 or less it's great to sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen. The 2 of us shared: - bread and olive oil/balsamic - pickled beet (compliments of the chef, just a little one biter to warm up-- delicious) - green beans (fantastic, would recommend) - zucchini fritters (pretty good, but among the other selections we tried, probably not one I would order again) - Asian pear and watercress salad (great flavors, but challenging to share because the components are tough to get on a fork) - hamachi ceviche, with melon granita (fantastic, would recommend) - steak with gnocchi (one of the best steaks I've had) - chocolate torte with caramel sauce, lightly salted (amazing dessert, we skipped coffee but I wish we hadn't, it would have gone great with this) Definitely recommend!
(5)Picabo L.
Mkt., which is a play on Meridian St, the Keystone Building, in Tangletown, is one of the gems in Ethan Stowell's restaurant empire. It's a tiny space sandwiched between Elysian Brewery and Might-O Donuts and half the interior is devoted to the kitchen. In the dry months, seating spills out onto the sidewalk and diners can enjoy some fresh air away from the heat of the open kitchen. The space is tight and the seats are the worst part of the dining experience; the wood chairs are constructed at ninety degree angles and the bar stools feature a shallow back. The chef's bar area has a sloped floor and the stools aren't shimmed, so be prepared to ask for a napkin to even out your dining experience. Otherwise the experience was outstanding. Every employee greeted us with a smile, engaged with us, and seemed genuinely concerned that our meal was executed to perfection. The food is intended to be served and eaten family style and the backbones of the menu are the Wagyu beef and Oregon lamb. The Tall Grass baguette starter isn't worth filling up on, and we ordered seared sea scallops, the Wagyu beef, rabbit, and sweet potato gnocchi. Despite some misgivings about this being too much food for just two people, it was the perfect amount and each dish was more impressive than the last. All of the proteins and some of the vegetables are carefully cooked over a grill, and the limited number of diners ensures that your order is carefully and thoughtfully prepared.
(5)John S.
Six of us visited MKT than Art of the Table over two nights. See our review of Art of the Table for the results of the bake off. We thoroughly enjoyed MKT. The food is fantastic. Great approach with excellent small plates, with many interesting and unusual combinations of flavors. We love how Ethan connects his restaurants into neighborhood settings. MKT is tiny and intimate. We really enjoyed meeting our table mates at the the half indoors community table. And it was great to talk about the food and drinks with the fun, helpful staff.
(5)Lacey M.
I had the most amazing dinner at mkt. last night. Alvin, Joe, Johnny, and Katie were all so welcoming and accommodating, and the food was amazing. The green beans were the perfect starter - very flavorful and crisp. The mushroom ravioli melted in your mouth, and the Mascarpone ice cream was potentially the best dessert I've ever had. I'm not kidding. The service was perfect, and I'm amazed how well Katie and Johnny navigate the small, cozy space. We even spilled a glass of wine, and they laughed, cleaned it up and brought another. I will definitely be back.
(5)Bailey B.
Despite the small quarters, we loved our meal at mkt. Everything we ordered was exceptional, especially the panna cotta. Can't wait to return when it's warmer and the restaurant is fully-opened up.
(5)Jarir M.
I'm a big fan of Ethan Stowell's restaurants and this one may just be my favorite. I've been here two times now, once for restaurant week and once for my birthday dinner just a few nights ago. Both times I have been very impressed with the food. First off, it should be noted this is a fairly small restaurant that only seats around 25 people so reservations are a must. We went on a Tuesday night and the place was packed. My one complaint is that it gets really hot in there when it's hot outside. As for the food, every dish we've had there has been spectacular. My personal favorites are the hamachi ceviche and the grilled wagyu beef. The ceviche is a perfect summer dish that is really light and refreshing. The wagyu beef is melt-in-your-mouth delicious that is seasoned beautifully and is paired with some amazing potatoes. We also have had the gnocchi and fried quail which were both delicious. Would highly recommend this restaurant. I would suggest it's best for couples as the portion sizes are really made for two.
(5)Sarah M.
My husband and I stopped in last Friday in hopes of snagging a table for a quick dinner. We didn't have a reservation but they were able to squeeze us in. Our server was very knowledgeable about the food and gave us some very good suggestions after finding out we had never been in before. I ordered the fried quail with potato puree (to die for!) and the Lemon-Ricotta Ravioli while my husband splurged on the Waygu beef and the baguette. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was friendly and fantastic. We took a few slices of the beef home and discovered two bags of fresh-made pasta to cook up at a later date. We will definitely be back for another date night splurge.
(5)Mona N.
Simply superb. A fantastic addition to the Tangletown neighborhood. The place is tiny but well-designed. It is L-shaped with the larger end filled with tables for about 16 people. The other side is a tiny bar / chef's table. I would say maximum capacity is about 24. If you weren't looking for it as you drive on 55th St, it's easy to miss as there is no obvious signage. As with other Ethan Stowell joints, the plates are meant to be shared: 1. Zucchini fritters. They came with a lemon thyme pesto dip. So good! Will definitely order again next time. 2. Porcini-ricotta ravioli with mushroom broth and shaved porcini. Delectable. It almost tasted like there was some truffle in there - the flavor was that rich. 3. Chickpea tagine. It also had dates and nuts. The delicate flavors of this dish were perfect after the rich ravioli. 4. Seared halibut with braised artichoke hearts, chanterelles, chrysanthemum greens, and dried chillies. The fish originally came out undercooked so we sent it back. It came back perfectly done and delicious. 5. For dessert we had the chocolate malt pudding. I loved the crumbled cacao nibs on top of the pudding. The crunch with the pudding reminds me of chocolate malt balls - one of my favorite treats. Reservations are absolutely essential as the place is so tiny. If you are sensitive to drafts, ask for a table towards the back. If you sit at the bar / chef's table, it will be a little chilly every time the door opens in the winter. When summer rolls around the whole front of the restaurant can be opened which will be really nice. Nice wine list, excellent service, cool atmosphere. Mkt totally kicks it up a notch in Tangletown.
(4)Sandy T.
We were not able to get a sitter for our 11th anniversary and looked last minute for an earlier Friday evening reservation where we could bring our 9 month old son. We ended up at mkt. and were very pleased with our experience. First of all, for a non-kid friendly restaurant, the wait and kitchen staff were so understanding and accommodating when we arrived. One of the waitresses held our son while we put in his booster chair and the chef made a 1/2 entree (king salmon) for him and had it brought out with our appetizers. The food was amazing, and we were able to enjoy drinks and appetizers while our son ate his meal and everyone admired his outfit. We liked the intimate atmosphere of the space and in a way it felt like dining at someone's home. Unfortunately, midway through our entree, our son started to get fussy, so we had to box up and leave, but we would definite return again--next time for a lingering adult-only meal.
(5)Mark L.
VERY intimate! Got to stop by mkt. for my Bday. I will admit that I am a big fan of Ethan Stowell. I regularly dine at all is places, but that by no means is an indication that he gets an automatic pass on any new place. In fact, I have mentioned my concern for opening any new places. I do not want to see this man spread too thin. mkt. did not disappoint on any level. This is a beautiful and very intimate space seating maybe 30? Well designed and too tiny for a bar. There are 3 barrel aged cocktails that are all really well balanced and delicious! FOOD: Snacks/starters... Why not get one of everything? Grilled and marinated string beans. Perfection in a glass!. Correct density and correct salt. Fennel pollen and orange marinated nicoise olives. Really tasty and a nice go to between other courses. Lemon thyme zucchini fritters with herb pesto. These were ridiculous. Just perfect texture and flavor. Amazing. Pumpernickel, cured salmon, dill creme fraiche. Simple clean and perfect. Nice balance of flavor. Dinah's cheese, walnuts, tomato honey preserve. I could have made a meal of this. It just all meshed together so well and I could have had 3 plates full! Fish: Hamachi ceviche, citrus cucumber ice coriander, pickled red onion. Very nice. Not WOW nice but really solid, particularly if you love Hamachi. Dungeness crab salad, tart apple, tarragon, endive. This WAS WOW! Really exceptional and if you get one thing, this would be something to look at! Meats: Grilled rabbit - super nice! Flavorful and well prepared! Fried Quail - deliscious, well executed and flavors were spot on. Only problem I have with the quail, MORE PLEASE! Grilled pork tenderloin - great bargain! Well portioned and cooked PERFECTLY, just above medium rare, soft and succulent! Veg: Slow roasted veg salad with summer greens. I am a HIGE fan of cold veg! This did not disappoint. Everything was excellent including the soft boiled egg. Smoked mushrooms with lightly fried duck egg. Absurdly good. LOVE duck egg anything. The smoke on the shrooms was perfect and left with just the slightest odor of that smoke in my sweater so I had a great trip home enjoying that over and over.....is it weird I kept asking the girl to smell my arm? Desert: Fig tart with pistachio gelato.....WOW!!!! REALLY perfection on a plate! LOVED every single bite!! All in all and exceptional experience. THe place is sooooo very small but I like that about it. You are literally sitting on the kitchen for many of the tables. Our server Seth was super awesome! Fun guy and presented everything perfectly. Gracious and friendly as were the rest of the staff. Ethan Stowell, thank you for another great place. I will again implore that you remain happy with your success and don't open anything else!!! For those of you thinking about coming by...YES...YES...YES....you will be glad you did!!
(5)Kay C.
I thought this place was great - can always rely on Ethan Stowell. The restaurant is small and cozy, has a very nice feel and the service was fantastic. The food was equally delicious - we tried to start the olives (very good), green beans (sooo amazing.. i'm still thinking about them), lamb tongue (very good, fatty actually - i've never had lamb tongue before I realized - but you don't get much for the price), grilled rabbit (very good), and the mushrooms w/ duck egg - also very good. We also tried the ravioli which was decent. The portions aren't very big unfortunately but I thought the food was great~
(5)Brett J.
I'll give it another try because it's close, new and is an ethan stowell place so I expect it to work out it's issues. (one thing I doubt will change is the furniture which is awful. I was eating alone so I had the luxury of half way through my meal asking for my check and taking my food to go. the seats are terrible. if you're going to go with out padding - at least have a contour.) Other than that there were several high notes with-in the items I had however there was also a few duds. Both the fingerling potatos and the fried onions that accompanied the wagyu were way over seasoned luckily the steak was cooked and prepared perfectly. Even trying to eat a piece of the onion at the same time as the steak couldn't mask enough of the salt from the sides. some minor service issues as well but it's hardly fair to judge from one night so both, you and MKT, should take my review with a GRAIN of salt. (I ticked full bar, while they do have cocktails, it's a limited menu, but it's sufficient for a space of it's size)
(2)Caitlin C.
MKT is a little hidden gem in Wallingford that only seats 28 people. I found out how hard it was to get in when I called and try to make a reservation on a Tuesday for a Saturday for a group of 4. It was 4 weeks later where my group finally got to dine at this very anticipated restaurant. It is quite small as the other reviews say - in the entryway there is almost no room to even stand without being in the way of someone. We had a fabulous meal from start to finish and our server was amazing. We tasted.. 1. Smoked sockeye salmon, pumpernickle, dill crème fraîche 2. Grilled and marinated green beans, sea salt, lemon 3. Hamachi ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, coriander, pickled red onions 4. Smoked wild mushrooms, sweet potato gnocchi, crispy shallots, thyme 5. Grilled wagyu beef, grilled fingerling potatoes, fried onions. 6. Seared Muscovy duck, fried brussel sprouts, tart cherry sauce We also had wines by the glass, and speciality whiskey cocktails. Everything. was. AMAZING. We couldn't wait for each course to arrive, and our group, who regularly meets monthly to try and critique hot new restaurants around Seattle, is quite particular and difficult to please. We have many different food allergies - and they not only accommodated but exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend mkt, and I cannot wait to plan a return visit and try even more of our menu. Food prices were between $11-$40 for small plates and entrees, which I don't think is particularly expensive if your wanting to dine at a nicer restaurant and go to an Ethan Stowell place. I have been to almost all of Ethan's restaurants, and mkt is by far my favorite. Glad I found this little hidden gem.
(5)Sarah B.
I've enjoyed MKT on the three occasions I've been there. It's super small so make sure to get a res! They only have a few cocktails but they are done well. Nice wine list also. Their green beans were raved about by our waitress. I thought they were tasty and cutely presented but nothing to write home about. Their strong suits were the meats-- and the scallops were perfect!
(4)Lincoln J.
Such a teeny-tiny spot but has a big punch! Cocktails, wine and food were truly excellent. The green beans are delish. My friends and I stuck to the carnivore side of the menu and we weren't disappointed. Plates are for sharing and while the staff will encourage 2 plates p/person, be wary because the portions were generous and filling. We were so full that we considered leaving a few bites of waygu beef on the plate...we sucked it up and finished! I especially liked the timing/spacing of food arrival. Very intimate space yet we didn't get dirty looks from staff or guests for our loud conversations (well, that would be me!) and laughter. A lovely evening of amazing food and super friends.
(4)Aram C.
Definitely worth trying, especially for Seattle Restaurant Week. Good service and good food, of course, but as most of the Ethan Stowell restaurants are, the food is good at best for its price. It definitely has a cute neighborhood place vibe to it with its tiny little space, but the noise level was a little higher than what I would have liked for such an intimate setting. The desserts we had for the SRW were really good - I considered giving at least four stars just for the dessert.
(3)Marie B.
Disclaimer: I'm a big fan of Chef Stowell, enjoyed talking to him at Elliott Bay Books, and have been to all of his currently open restaurants except Bar Cotto and Red Cow. College friend and I canceled a reservation at Aragona to try out mkt....we waited weeks for this reservation as a belated Christmas get together. I had even higher expectations since former management from Ray's Boathouse talked it up and I value their opinions. Crummy weather aside, we lucked out with street parking by Zoka. Walked into mkt. Folks are not kidding how small this place is!. It bears repeating, reservations are imperative! Size wise in contrast, I like the layout of How to Cook A Wolf better. I would not want to be here during a major earthquake....the multitude of wine bottles that would cascade down and make a spectacular mess! Barely step through the door and one is right smack by the host/reception stand. I decided to keep my coat on the entire time. College friend had the banquette side of the seating arrangement, I had the supposed 'chair'. Goodness are we in preschool? They were designed with no back, plus wait staff used them as step stools to get wine bottles above. Ick. Maybe they ran out of fancy wood or this is a gimmick to guarantee no place to drape one's coat/bag, definitely not a place to linger. Is this even legal ADA wise? Moving on - we were greeted, seated, handed menus, given water - the usual routine. The host and then the wait person seemed pleasant enough. Anticipation was still high. Expect extreme closeness - tables are very, very, very close. I'm sure no wait staff can have Kim K/JLo derrieres or literally it would sweep things off of your table. Also, for some reason the six top next to us really started to get on my nerves. I like dining out too, but really we don't need to have an audible rolling narration of your meal and the constant photography of your plates. The other four top on the other side ordered so sparingly. Seriously are you satisfied with that one green bean? Okay maybe it was a progressive meal to be continued elsewhere. Onward... We got an overview of the menu offerings and recommendations. No specials and the menu evidently changes daily. Comparing the menu to what I saw online earlier - very similar but with some tweaks based on most likely availability and keeping in season. Also, received Tall Grass Bakery baguette slices with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar while perusing the menu. We put in an order for the slow roasted vegetable salad and the smoked sockeye salmon on toasted Tall Grass Bakery pumpernickel and dill crème fraiche to start (both $9 each). The former - tasty execution and would make me eat more vegetables, however the soft cooked egg had too much finishing salt. The latter I enjoyed thoroughly, but should have not ordered in order to save room. When we put in our main orders, coincidentally both of us wanted the braised lamb shank and spice crusted loin with wild mushrooms, and sautéed baby kale ($27 each), we were rather taken aback when our wait person questioned whether we wanted to just share it and order another selection. She wouldn't let up until I said we would ask for a takeout box if we couldn't finish it. Goodness, can't we order what we selected??? My mistake was also not asking whether the shank was bone in or not. When it came time to receive our identical entrees, we blinked and looked at each other. Had we shared this entrée, we would have had to have dueling forks to divvy up the lamb. Very tasty but kind of spare for the price. College friend yearned for a carb to go with this. Even just a dollop of parsnip or sweet potato would have been perfect. Again, wait person made the assumption that we couldn't possibly want dessert. And one of us was a former assistant pastry chef, of course, there has to be dessert. I've never met a wait person who would not be happy that each member of the party wanted starters, mains, and dessert. Granted no one could push barrel aged cocktails or wine on us since we don't drink. Our dessert choices ($8 each) were the blood orange sorbetto with a salted vanilla shortbread cookie and the walnut cake, roasted pear with grappa anglaise. The blood orange sorbetto would have had a better effect in a flute vs. a giant bowl (seen similar at a Japanese restaurant used to serve curry katsu don). I liked it, however I'd pass on the shortbread. Too much salt. College friend liked her walnut cake selection, however, the anglaise was too thin. That would run off a wooden spoon (technique-wise). We also shared the French press coffee (Caffe Vita, 18 ounces, $7), got the cream, but had to wait for the sugar. No tongs. Later was served the bitter dregs as our press was taken away. Not cool. With tax/tip it came out to $125....probably should have kept the Aragona reservation, sad to admit. An outlier meal vs other ESR stellar ones.
(2)Jen A.
Had an amazing dinner.. Loved the ambiance and the wine they suggested.. I would highly suggest this restaurant.. We even left an hour after they had closed and all of the servers were extremely nice and didn't make us feel like they were waiting on them.. Best dinner I had in Seattle hands down
(5)Jonathan S.
A HAIKU REVIEW My oh my, tasty! But, my oh my, the large bill! Now I'm poor. Oh my.
(3)Dean A.
This place is great, muchos deliciousness! Went there for Restaurant Week (so popular, reservations were booked weeks in advance) and love it. Big fan of Ethan Stowell restaurants. This place is cozy, but I like the casual interior. Had the Hamachi Ceviche, Wagyu steak and a chocolate pudding dessert (awesome, I could have eaten five of those) and all were great. Also added an order of Shigoku oysters and the apple mignonette they served it with was apple-y and tart - I like. Service was friendly, helpful and attentive. Yes, the space can be a little noisy and it can get a little tight, but wah wah whine whine aside, the food was great. Def be back to try other stuff on their menu.
(5)Jermaine D.
Amazing meal at brand new mkt tonight. TINY space but strangely stylish. started the night with some complimentary tastes from the chefs. Then we had an amazing crab salad, shrimp and quail. the quail was served with some potato side that was very delicious. The halibut was incredible too but the small appetizers were our favorites.
(5)Jessica R.
First off, this was my first Ethan Stowell experience and after reading about Mkt. in the Met, I was excited to try the newest Stowell establishment. Our dinner reservation was for 8:15, but we received a call about an hour before from the Mkt. staff asking if we could push it back to 8:45 instead, as they were running behind. That was fine. But when we arrived, our table still wasn't ready. The waitstaff was incredibly apologetic and seated us after about 10 minutes in the bar area, where we continued to wait for our table. For the wait, they offered us some complimentary olives (marinated in citrus and sprinkled with fennel pollen, fantastic!), discounted drinks (I was a fan of my barrel-aged cocktail) and several loaves of bread (we were *really* hungry). When we were finally seated (about an hour after our original reservation), we quickly ordered. Again, our server was extremely apologetic about the wait. I had the grilled pork tenderloin with pickled mustard seed, beets and roasted beet greens -- a bit on the salty side but the flavors worked really well together. My partner had the vegetable tagine -- not a large dish but the veggies were cooked well and quite flavorful. Over all Mkt.'s food is simple but flavorful -- you can immediately tell the ingredients are quality. It seems that Mkt. is still working out the kinks of having just opened and figuring out how to properly utilize the very small space. "Intimate" indeed -- we were practically standing on top of the other party also waiting for their table, also seated in the bar. The food is worth it though. I'll try it again in a few months after things have calmed down, perhaps on a warm summer evening when they can open up the large garage door at the front of the restaurant in the bar area and the space doesn't seem so claustrophobic.
(4)Jack S.
One of the smallest restaurants that I've been to in Seattle, but the food is truly excellent. Reservations are beginning to get tough to find, and the seating runs late, yet it is well worth the wait. And the service is excellent as well. The menu is arranged into small plates, fish, meats and vegetables - some with smaller portions and some with larger portions. The server will likely recommend two per person, which we found to be about right. Everything we had was excellent. In particular we enjoyed the wagu beef, squash fritters and venison.
(5)Smitha M.
Cute and cosy neighborhood restaurant in the old hood... Wish I still lived near here! The servers are genuinely friendly and our waiter had good knowledge of wines. Although I wasn't drinking, I thought it was cool that they had barrel aged cocktails. Food is served family style, and my favorites were squash fritters, green beans, smoked wild mushroom gnocchi and Ravioli. The icing on the cake was the quince tart with pistachio gelato, this will literally be one of my favorite desserts forever!
(5)Eleanor C.
This was my first time dining at mkt. The food was just excellent! We were told that the menu items were meant to shared, so we ordered the mussels special, the lamb, the ravioli and grilled salmon. The lamb was especially delicious! Overall, our dining experience was amazing. The service was great, too. Since the restaurant is quite small, I recommend making a reservation in advance.
(5)Laura E.
I visited mkt. with my out-of-town family. We had made reservations, but were placed at a table that butted up against the bathroom door, so we got a steady stream of traffic and constant whiffs of the toilet deodorizer throughout the meal. The table location ruined the meal. To pay 200+ for a meal and then be shoved by a bathroom is a slap in the face. It feels greedy. It's an insult to any customer who's seated there. Service was fine and polite, although more style than substance. And frankly, we were so put off by the table itself, the server was fighting an uphill battle. The emphasis on style rather than function can also be said about the chairs, which are minimalist, wooden with no backs. This restaurant feels like it cares more about appearance than an actual nice dining experience, and the food, although good, is not special enough to merit being so uncomfortable.
(2)Quinn R.
This place is small. If that bothers you, don't go here. Like super small constantly standing aside to let other pass kind of small. Again if you don't think you'll be ok with that skip this place. Also if this is the case you use poor metrics for choosing where to eat. Food was fantastic all around, servers were friendly. 10/10 would eat again. Dishes consumed. Olive plate, salmon on cracker, beef, ravioli and then sauteed mushrooms with duck egg in place of desert. The only thing I'd skip on a second go around would be the salmon, everything else I'd be happy to bathe in. Table next to us were heaping praise on the mackerel so maybe try that, but I don't know them and they might have terrible taste so I'm not officially endorsing it..but since everything else was a win it's probably pretty good so I'm back to endorsing it. In short, go here and eat and be happy. Oh and reservations are a must.
(5)Lee h.
Super spendy Tiny portions Big Attitude Uncomfortable benches So so cuisine
(2)Cathy S.
I enjoyed a birthday meal at the "bar seating" looking into the kitchen. Service was excellent. All the staff were attentive and had great suggestions. They have to work in some tight quarters, which made me all the more appreciative of their service. The restaurant menu is set up to share dishes, which we did with one another and actually with the gentleman next to us as well. Spot prawns were a bit disappointing. Flavor was okay, but not out of this world. The green beans were so simple and SO good! I recommend them highly (and will be attempting to replicate at home). The mushroom ravioli merited extra bread to soak up the sauce. Highlight for me was the roasted pork. The hazelnut olive garnish added layers of flavor that were unique and wonderful. So why a "4" and not. "5"? The seating is a bit tight and chairs aren't overly comfortable. The food merits a 4.75 at least, and the service was a definite "5". If settling in to enjoy a special meal with friends, I don't just want great food and service, I want to be comfortable.
(4)Jamie M.
Easily my best meal in Seattle in a long time. Service was fantastic and so was the food. We ordered: squash fritters, grilled salmon, crispy fried quail, and the carrot ravioli. The stars were the salmon and the quail. The salmon is definitely the best I've had in a restaurant in years. The quail tastes like fried chicken- the skin is quite tasty! We also had a berry tarte for dessert and the crust was delish. Highly recommended.
(5)Thad W.
If there is an ethos already established at the new Mkt. restaurant in Tangletown, then it is this: attention to detail. From my initial contact reserving a table to the final course of our dinner, the folks at Mkt. have distinguished themselves for paying attention to the small details that go into creating a memorable meal. After a warm greeting from the staff, we were seated at the bar which provides a good view of the open kitchen. Scanning the wine list, I was intrigued by all of the glass pours of off-the-beaten path varietals. How often do you see varietals such as a Gros Manseng, a Piquepoul, a Fer Servadou or a Niellucio by the glass? Attention to the wine list comes from Mkt.'s manager/wine director, Seth Sexton. Seth has put together some exciting wines by the glass that match well with the various courses offered at Mkt. And wines by the bottle were just as intriguing, but I find it more fun to mix things up during a meal. In terms of food, Chef Joe Ritchie's carefully curated menu features a handful of seasonal choices within each of four categories: snacks, fish, meat, and vegetables. We quickly devoured our first course, a perfectly executed Dungeness crab salad with tart apple, tarragon and endive, which we enjoyed with glasses of Crémant de Bourgogne and the Gros Manseng varietal. We then experienced the most amazing halibut I've had in recent memory. Mkt.'s sous chef, Monica Dimas, did an outstanding job cooking this fish and pairing it with braised artichoke hearts, chanterelles, greens and dried chilies. With our front row seat view into the kitchen, we watched Chef Dimas carefully prepare this dish, attentively searing then baking the halibut to perfection. Combined with a glass of Vigonier from the Columbia Valley, this dish was the highlight of our meal. At the midpoint of our dinner, we enjoyed the fried quail with marble potato salad, roasted plum sauce, rosemary as well as the grilled shrimp, with fennel-celery salad, saffron. Based on reviews, both appear to have become signature dishes for Mkt. Each lived up to expectations and then some, especially when paired with glasses of the Fer Servadou and the Gamay. Which brings us to the one of the best parts of our meal: delegating wine and food choices to our attentive server, Marcus. It's rare to find a server who has not only tasted the food on the menu but has also tried the wines that would complement each course. Marcus is that rare server, one who expertly guided us from course to course and glass to glass, making this dinner one of the highlights of this past year. And even better, Marcus knew when to be present and when not to, providing just the right amount of attentive service. During our meal, I came to the realization that Mkt.'s small size is probably it's biggest advantage. It's limited scale requires careful consideration and attention to detail. There is little room for error in such a small place like this. But that is probably its greatest appeal. By keeping it small, the folks at Mkt. are able to deliver a much larger, more satisfying dining experience, one that I can't wait to enjoy again.
(5)Jessica K.
Wow! This place is the best kept secret in town! Truly a 5 out of 5 stars place. We ordered 4 different dishes and all of them were perfect - the Wagyu beef was absolutely to die for; the goat cheese pasta, the water cress salad and the ceviche - all amazing. The cooks really put their souls into preparing the dishes, you can watch them make your food in front of you and the attention to detail is impressive. And the service was fantastic - young, energeric, polite, respectful and smiling whole heartedly, they really connected with the customers and made us feel at home. THANK YOU! We will be back!
(5)Whitney B.
Well, one thing is for sure is that mkt left me high and dry after eating here. If it weren't for the excellent and thoughtful service, I would have rated mkt much lower. Usually I give a death glare to strangers who try to engage me in any conversation that is not about 1.) Britney Spears, 2.) amusing bodily functions, or 3.) me, but I actually ended up sparking an interest to talk to my server once I realized his aim was to please toward the end of the night. If Staple & Fancy is the established, successful sister, then mkt is the fumbling S.O.B brother who's barely hanging on by a thread because of his prior screw-ups. Every dish was so poorly timed that I could have taken a gigantic dump in between each one, which I think develops out of a preconceived notion that fine dining should involve drawn-out theatrics and pretense. We decided to gloss over the snacks entirely because they are a waste of stomach room and instead ordered: Grilled rabbit, cheese ravioli, smoked mushrooms with duck egg, and the black cod. Everything I had, except for the grilled rabbit, resulted in major blue balls. Out of the 4, the cheese ravioli in a mushroom broth came out first, even though it took forever and a day. I took this as an adult version of a kid's comfort food, what with the porcini and ricotta. I think it should've stayed with the kids because it was bland, tasteless, and monotone in its flavors. It felt like the entire dish was made in poor taste, really, because any time fungi is mixed with another moldy, curdled thing like cheese, it's on par with putting a ragged sock in my mouth. The smoked mushrooms with duck egg tasted fine but nothing exceptional or mind-blowing. I was lucky to find this one perfectly seasoned with a runny duck egg. It tastes exactly like the description, no surprises, no sauces that elevate the dish, nothing special at all. Sexual frustration really peaked at the moment of consuming the black cod. Honestly, it was like explosive blue balls. I wanted to finish the job myself if I had some salt or another component to the dish that added texture rather than just diving head first into a soggy, oily bed of tubers and slab of white, tasteless fish. I was so appalled at this dish that I had to speak up about it. Everyone needs to re-examine their salt game here. The saving grace of the night was the grilled rabbit, with white and dark meat, complemented by a bacon salad tasted like a beautiful opera. Everything on the plate was synchronous and worked harmoniously, with equal portions of rabbit to salad. I would suggest this dish as your protein. We were given complimentary dessert wine by the end. Some Portuguese wine called Madeira to win us over due to a lackluster dinner. I thought this was a very sweet gesture that I won't forget. I also won't lie, it was fucking good dessert wine. Unfortunately, I did not leave tipsy enough to consider mkt any higher than 3 stars. I'd pass on mkt and work through Stowell's other restaurants.
(3)Rebecca S.
Food was amazingly delicious and the service was impeccable. Family style serving makes sharing dishes fun! The only downside is the backless chairs at the individual tables are a nice clean design but are more a stool than a chair making it uncomfortable to sit there for long.
(5)Rhea K.
So happy to have a top notch restaurant in the neighborhood, which Greenlake is seriously lacking! Not only was the food delicious, but the seater and wait staff was exceptional. We came on a weekend night and naturally, all seats were booked. But they told us a table was open, but reserved, and so we had for 20 minutes. Perfect! We had a theater show to attend in 20 min. and so had to be out in 15. They said it was enough time to grab a drink and appetizer, and we were more than welcome to sit ther until the reservees arrived. So, we did! They put our order in first and we order a couple app's and a glass of wine. We ate in comfort and felt no rush. Can't wait to go back and spend a little more time here.
(5)Charles M.
Great food in a tiny, tiny intimate space. Super friendly service. Grilled green bean appetizer is to die for. I had the Wagyu beef which of course was wonderful. My wife had the trout which was nicely herbed. Waiter gamely de-boned it at the table. Good wine list.
(5)Beth H.
Great little neighborhood gem. Very intimate space with the most helpful staff. Every dish was delish. Yellow tail cevice with cucumber ice, fried quail... Yumm, gnocchi, everything was great. Perfect portion size. Get 2-3 dishes each and you'll be good to go. Worth the stop for sure!
(4)Gabriela S.
I grew up in Wallingford - actually in Tangletown - and am so excited that another awesome restaurant opened up in this neighborhood. There are quite a few exceptional restaurants in this neighborhood already (Tilth, Eva, Kisaku, 4649, and Miyabi 45) and mkt. is a great addition. Not only is it part of the Ethan Stowell family of restaurants, but it is also a unique menu. It is family style, which in my opinion is the only way to eat, which means you should order at least one item from each of their four menu sections - Snacks, Fish, Meat, Vegetables. The portions are big enough to share and, if you get a couple of dishes apiece, you will leave full and satisfied. The wine list is also nice with plenty of good options to choose from by the glass and by the bottle. The service is how I like it, friendly and unfussy. Yes, the space is small but they really make the most of it. It feels like a bistro you could find in San Francisco or NYC, where space is often limited and the places are usually packed full of people. Personally, I don't need a lot of room to spread out. I will definitely be back.
(4)I L.
Food is inconsistent - some dishes really good, some lack quality in ingredients. Cod and gnocchi were good. Thought lamb was too chewy and ceviche not fresh. However for the price, you're much better off going to how to cook a wolf. Same price and bigger portion food.
(3)T G.
The hype is actually true. One of the best meals I've had in Seattle in a long time--couldn't complain about anything from the starters to the dessert. Be prepared for minimal ambiance, however, which I don't mind if the food is good. But if you insist on lots of space and white tableclothes, look elsewhere.
(5)Steve M.
We really wanted to enthusiastically like this place but a few too many issues are going to prevent us from coming back. We had a 5pm reservation because of plans later in the night. We arrived at 4:55 and were told to leave and come back in five minutes. That wouldn't be a major deal except, 1) it was pouring rain out, 2) my wife is 8.5 months pregnant, and 3) there were (obviously) seats available to hang out. There are also open windows so it's not like there were secrets going on in there if we wanted to stand outside and stare in. It gave the impression of the hostess following the script above actually thinking about the situation. That was kind of the theme of the evening. The waiter was supposed to ask about visiting Stowe's restaurants and did so, without really listening to our answers. Our questions about the menu were perfunctory with basically just repeating the same talking points in the beginning. And the food? Pretty good. A few weeks later I don't remember what we actually had which maybe says something but I remember it was tasty enough. But for the price and the ambiance, I think you can do better. Maybe worth revisiting in 6-9 months when they've worked the kinks out.
(3)Brandon P.
There are many restaurants in Seattle where you can find a few good things on the menu to satisfy your cravings and give you good reason to return for more... not the case with Mkt. (in a good way). Everything is good. Chef Joe Ritchie's concise, yet well-focused and diverse menu is packed with both flavor and creativity that won't leave you the least bit disappointed. I've been to Mkt. a few times since its opening and have yet to try something on the menu that I didn't like or have been impartial about. Falling in suit with the rest of Ethan Stowell's restaurants, the plates are meant to be shared and consumed family style. Food tastes better when you share, right? Price is reasonable and well worth the experience. Food aside, their wine selection is also impressive for Tangletown's new and relatively small-sized restaurant. Service staff is friendly, informative and they do well at promoting a great dining experience. It's clear that a lot of time, thought and creativity has been invested in creating a great experience in such a small space. Make your reservation now, or if you're in the Tangletown/Greenlake neighborhood swing by. You won't be disappointed. Mkt. is fantastic.
(5)Peter L.
mkt. is one of the more diminutive restaurants in Seattle, and the tiny, narrow room can definitely get claustrophobic. But mkt. is well-worth seeking out, The menu is laid out into four broad categories: Snacks, Fish, Meat, and Vegetables. We tried dishes from each section for a complete experience. We started off with the grilled and marinated green beans, which were nice but not too memorable. The squash fritters with pesto was better. And while the scallops were perfectly seared and executed, we enjoyed the flavorful and super tender braised lamb shank more. The two best dishes were vegetarian though. You can always find good pasta at an Ethan Stowell restaurant, and the nettle ricotta ravioli was a winner. And our favorite dish was the gnocchi with smoked mushrooms. The smokiness of the mushroom was amazing and the gnocchi were light and pillowy. There is a decent selection of wines, as well as a few barrel aged cocktails that are worth trying. Service was solid, and there is even a small bar/counter for solo diners. We really enjoyed the food and experience at mkt. It probably isn't for everyone, as the space is tiny and it's in the middle of a residential area. But it's great to find a solid neighborhood restaurant tucked away in my old neighborhood, Tangletown.
(5)Wendy C.
Great menu, not sure what people are complaining about with the pricing. We found it extremely reasonable for the quality of the food. An intimate space as others mention, we liked this. It didn't seem noisy to us but we were at the far end of the counter. From the counter you can watch them prepare the food. The food: -Hamachi ceviche: a perfect plate, we might go back next time for just this -Pickled vegetables: underwhelming but a nice way to start the meal -Hamachi Kama: this was on the house, very large, we watched Monica (sous) cook this and she took her time to make it perfect -Salmon belly: great, a well-composed dish -fried quail legs: well prepared, nice accompanying sauce -gnocchi: very nice dish with some subtle flavors -lamb: didn't need knives for this, could cut it with our forks, good flavors -vegetable tagine: not usually my thing but it sounded good and it was. Medjool dates and preserved lemon added to the depth and complexity of flavors in this dish -dessert: chocolate bourdino (terrific) and cheese plate (nice, but paled next to the bourdino) Reservations, service and cooking team extremely friendly and welcoming. We will be back. Agree it's a great spot for a date although our next trip will probably be with our moms...
(5)King C.
TL;DR I like the concept, but it's too pricey. Intimate, cozy space that's too cramped. Be prepared to be bumped and jostled because there's no waiting area for diners. Dishes were solid, but not memorable or mind blowing. Fried quail is probably the most memorable, primarily because of its batter. It reminded me of Local 360's fried chicken, which I prefer over the mkt's fried quail. Prices were expensive. I could easily get comparable food for 30% less elsewhere. Servers are very friendly. Big plus. All in all, I like the atmosphere and the idea, but wish it was cheaper.
(2)Amanda A.
Small restaurant hiding in the Green lake ! Great atmosphere . awesome foods and dessert. Definitely coming back :)
(5)Miss Y.
the food was very good and the service was awesome!! we are the most pickiest foodies and cannot remember the last time we had great food & service together. mkt did both and we plan on going back soon
(5)Kyle R.
Absolutely Amazing. We started with the oysters and pear salad both of which were very refreshing and flavorful. After that we moved onto the venison gnocchi and pork tenderloin. Finished with a fantastic chocolate dessert. One of the best meals of the year! I have paid a lot more for half of the meal that MKT delivered. Looking forward to going back and eating the whole menu.
(5)Tokuro Y.
I went there with a small group and the food was great. Fresh, delicious and creatively presented... like fried crispy quail with tiny onion rings. Service was attentive and friendly. Very surprising since I went on a busy Sunday evening. Highly recommend.
(5)Rachael M.
Amazing restaurant! I called to make a reservation and they went above and beyond to accommodate my party. Great food, we sat at the chefs counter and were handed little extra bites here and there, we even got a slow dance from our amazing waiter! It was my mothers birthday and instead of singing happy birthday he felt inclined to perform a routine. I'll absolutely be back!!!
(5)Michael G.
I'm a big fan of Ethan Stowell's restaurants, but I don't love mkt. It's a bit of a long story, but bear with me... It's not the servers' fault. We had a 7:30 reservation, were seated when we showed up early (7:20), and we were taken very good care of by Sara (who we recognized from HTCAW). The food is great too! For two of us we ordered 6 plates (MAYBE one plate too many), plus two deserts. Quickly we had: Hamachi Ceviche Dungeness Crab Salad Seared Duck (BONUS confit!) Waygu Beef Beet Salad Nettle-ricotta Ravoli Chocolate Pudding Everything was amazing, really really good. Weakest thing was the ravioli, which my wife loved, but I thought was missing something (the taste was a bit "bright" to me). That said, it had some really tough competition! The duck and beef were both amazing the next day as well. So what's the problem? Well, I absolutely hated the space. You might not mind, and if we were sitting somewhere else, maybe I wouldn't have either. But let me explain: The restaurant is one room. When you walk in, directly ahead is a set of normal tables. The kitchen takes up a good portion of the room (as it should). To your right, however is a pretty small area, which encompasses two distinct areas: 5 or 6 raised seats at the kitchen and 5 lower seats at an outward facing table structure, which seems to be split by a windowed garage door. I think the idea would be, in summer months, to have the door open, and you (might) have a lovely seating area, perhaps with outside seats as well (like HTCAW). But it was March, and the door was closed. The problem was that there's no room to move between the seating "rows" in the space. Over the course of the evening, Sara's butt and I became good friends, as every time she came through to take care of the gentlemen behind us her butt was rubbing up against me (again, these seats are slightly lower than usual). Additionally, because I was with my wife, I was sitting facing slightly towards her, which made the arrangement even more claustrophobic (I couldn't see at all what was going on behind me, and people / servers were constantly bumping me through the meal). So, why just two stars. Because I've had better. Perhaps if I was sitting at the raised seats it would have been better. Maybe if we had a normal table it would have been better. But we didn't. The food was great, the service absolutely fine, but I wouldn't go back with the potential risk of having those seats again. Not when Ethan has so many other great environments to dine in.
(2)Kristina B.
Great attentive service without being in your face. Food was fantastic like all other Ethan Stowell restaurants. Small space but tables are spaced so you don't feel like you are on top of your table neighbors. Try a few different things and share among the table.
(5)KT T.
Warm and cozy Ethan Stowell restaurant between I5 and Greenlake in the Tangletown area. Loved the intimate atmosphere and attentive service. Began with smoked tuna on crostini, with crème fraîche and aioli and grilled green beans (will order those again). We shared duck with brussel sprouts (perfect) and pork tenderloin with beets. The male server was knowledgeable and friendly. As expected Ethan's food is excellent. Can't wait to return.
(5)Joseph T.
Tiny little place with an awesome sounding menu but extremely overpriced with the tiniest of tapas style plates. Expect to spend $80+ for two people and leave fairly hungry... Not a huge fan though the 4 scallops were delicious ($25?)and the tiny taste of yellowtail for ($28?) was fairly good.
(2)Elaine K.
While dining at How to Cook a Wolf, I had heard about Ethan Stowell's Mkt and decided to give it a try. I came in with pretty high expectations given his other creations. First off, this place is TINY. If you thought HTCAW is small, this is about a third of the size. It has an open concept kitchen and reminded me somewhat of a sushi bar. We had reservations for 7:45 but were able to be seated right away when we arrived at 7 pm. The menu is divided up into Snacks, Fish, Meat, and Vegetables. Like other Ethan Stowell restaurants, the plates are meant to be shared so we got 4 plates in total: green beans, rabbit, lamb shank, and wild mushroom gnocchi. I would say that both the meat dishes were our favorites. The lamb shank definitely took home the prize though - flavorful and succulent with every bite. The other two dishes were uneventful and rather small so be prepared to order more food as needed. We finished off the meal by sharing the chocolate mousse which was divine and certainly worth the calories!! All in all, the restaurant and service is warm and inviting but I can see that getting a table on a whim would be difficult. I would definitely give this restaurant another try!
(4)Carolyn R.
I agree with what most everyone said in the other reviews. We had many plates of food, perfect for sharing, high quality but pricey for the portion size (on par with other Ethan Stowell places). Overall, gets two thumbs up for food. Although the intimate setting is great, the early 1990s pop music blaring on a crowded Saturday was very annoying. It's the first thing I've told anyone whose asked about my big date night out with the hubby. And before you think I am one of "those people," I mentioned to the waitress when she greeted us. And for point of reference, the early 90s was my prime dance clubbing years. So I like that music, it was just to dang loud to pretend to make for a nice intimate meal, which seemed what should be expected to be the vibe of the restaurant, for the size and quality of the food. As a side note, the waitress asked if we wanted a second glass of wine, we asked to see the wine list again, then never saw it show up. Then a helper server poured water all over the table and didn't really clean it up. Annoyed, we asked for the check, instead of dessert. Kind of a bummer way to end a nice meal. So, I am excited for another nice option close to home, but won't rush back.
(3)M G.
This is a super cute, very small space with the same standard of yummy food that I've had at other Ethan Stowell places. Tried the dungeness crab salad (excellent flavor), the lemon green beans (very tasty), the lamb tongue (was not a fan of the tongue texture), the vegetable tagine, and the heirloom tomato salad (both great). Dishes meant to be shared but when split, the portion size is on the small side. For dessert we had some sort of chocolate pudding that was so good I wished I hadn't shared for two. Menu selection isn't huge (which I like) but I wouldn't recommend the space for large groups, best for groups of 2-3 people. Looking forward to going back!
(5)Robert H.
Just goes to show Ethan Stowell can open a restaurant in a Shoe Box and it would do well :) Great food, great service and great design in getting 35+ seats in that tiny ass space!
(5)ID T.
I'm new to the Ethan Stowell restaurant empire, but the slow open last night was a good trial run. Crab salad was ok, a little bland. Green beans with lemon and a smoky salt were very tasty, tomato salad was excellent. Talked to staff and Stowell (and sat next to his folks Kent and Francia), emphasis is going to be on seasonal (so if you like something on the menu, eat it now). Booze is wine or three casked premixed cocktails. Good use of a very tiny space, tables handled well on a slow open night. Portions are small and pricey for the neighborhood, but the neighbors will not be the audience this is intended for. Do need to point out that the space was, years ago, the original home of Brie and Bordeaux, and all concerned were pretty happy about continuing a good food story in that room.
(3)Robin A.
This is a real review! Delicious food, not ordinary, accessible, swoon-worthy, perfect to share. Favorites so much so that I wish I ate here nightly: green beans, beef, scallops. I suspect the menu will change often thus more reason to make this a regular spot. Tables as well as bar seating. The wait staff is incomparably welcoming and has a deft touch--just enough attention, not too much. The small space is lively, the food so satisfying that big portions not relevant. Wine list great-first red on the list of reds by the glass the best. I join the others who note that the elegance of the food without the pretensions of staff makes this a memorable and delightful evening. Staff appeared to like their work...and that was BEFORE they knew I was a big tipper for service and welcome so fine!
(5)Barry G.
My wife and I took in mkt in Tangletown after deciding to wait a few weeks while the staff and kitchen team got into a rhythm. We are fans of Ethan Stowell but, sadly, there are some consistent patterns that disappoint across his rapidly expanding set of local restaurants. The staff (great) and ambience were fine, however it seems that every time we leave his restaurants we are far from full, and mkt, was unfortunately no exception to the rule. The small plate portion sizes were just far too tiny for what you were paying. The flavor profile of the dishes was not strong and there were still summer dishes on the menu when clearly it is now fall. All in all a let down as we were really hoping for something better to open on the local Tangletown scene.
(2)Stardust L.
My husband and I were trying to figure out where to go for dinner last night when I remembered that mkt was slated to open soon. We pulled up their website, called, and were told that they were open and had a spot available at 6:30. Our night had taken a turn for the better! We happily hopped in the car and headed over to Tangletown. Once inside the cozy/modern space, we found out that there had been some confusion. The phone number listed on the website was actually the phone number for another Stowell restaurant and we did not have a table reserved at mkt. Here is where the greatness begins. I expected to be booted out the door when it was discovered that we didn't have the proper reservation. Instead, as soon as the staff realized that the website had the wrong phone number listed, they went out of their way to try to make us happy. They offered to seat us for a glass of wine and a snack but when my husband and I looked at each other, not sure that we'd make it through the night on only a snack, the staff person said, "I have a reservation at 7:15. If you can be done by 7:15, we can seat you." It was about 6:20, and we happily accepted. They then called the other Stowell restaurant to cancel our reservation there and let them know what was going on with the phone number. I noticed that by the time we got home (after dinner and a play), the phone number had been corrected on their website. The restaurant is small in a really good way. The focus is definitely on the kitchen - we want to go back and request a table at the bar facing the kitchen. Except for the very front window tables, if you are seated with your back to the kitchen (as I was), there's really not a lot to look at - there's a plain grey wall with wooden shelves way up high with wine and stemware on them. That would be my only critique. I think it would be fun to have mirrors hung on that wall which would make the space feel bigger and also allow everyone to have a view of the kitchen. They'd have to be the right kind of mirrors, though. Mirrors can look really tacky when done wrong. We decided to order almost all of the offered "snacks" (green beans, pumpernickel with cured salmon, cheese with walnuts and preserves) and two of the cocktails that come out of wooden barrels in the kitchen. The cocktails were good, and ours (the PVT) came served with delicious cherries. We also ordered the dungeness crab salad. The staff were great - one of them recognized us from our trips to Poppy, where he had worked in the past, and it was nice to be recognized in our new neighborhood and to see a familiar face. Our server was great - he never made us feel rushed and he didn't just plunk everything on the table at once. Each dish came out individually. They did a good job of taking time to describe the dishes and kept our water glasses full without being at all intrusive. The food was great. There wasn't a misstep in the bunch. Dinah's cheese with the walnuts and tomato preserves was probably my favorite - the flavors melded perfectly together. Although I loved the dungeness crab salad with the apples, too. Actually, I just loved it all. We finished up and walked out the door at 7:10 pm. We'll definitely be back. The food was great and we found the service to be stellar. What a gem in the neighborhood!
(5)Clint W.
mkt - still adore this place. grilled green beans...it was a discovery last year and should be a part of everyone's diet now. hamachi was good, although maybe needing a big more citrus. the pork tenderloin was outstanding. moist and well seasoned, it was the stand out of the night. the lamb was also good, but maybe a notch below. i think it only paled because we had it last. my only complaints are that there is no place to wait for your seats and that there aren't enough veggies accompanying the proteins. it's skimpy and if you love it, you only get a nibble.
(5)Anna Z.
I was very impressed with mkt (market, not em kay tee, haha). I love the open kitchen concept in this tiny little restaurant. The service was awesome. The food was delectable. I wanted to try every item on the menu, but I limited myself to 5. Zucchini and squash fritters: 5 little balls of fried goodness. I'm obsessed with all things zucchini right now so I thought these were pretty good. The pesto that came with it was delicious! Penn Cove Mussels with house made chorizo: I read house-made chorizo and had to get it. The mussels were cooked in a ginger lime sauce. It came with toasted bread that was just buttery goodness, and was even better doused with the ginger lime sauce. Pan-fried potato gnocchi with lamb: I'm not much of a pasta person, but this was very good. The lamb was definitely the best part though, super tasty and not gamey at all. Whole grilled trout: This was a surprisingly good dish. I was worried that it would be too fishy but the corn/tomato sauce that came with the fish perfectly balanced the fishy-ness. I loved the crispy grilled skin. Grilled wagyu beef: MUST-ORDER. Medium rare. Nuff said.
(5)Paul R.
This is our little neighborhood gem now that the wonderful Eva's closed about a year ago. I've been in maybe three or four times and it's improved since it opened. The food is consistently interesting, well put together, and delicious. I had dinner here several weeks ago and tried pretty much every non-fish entree and all were excellent. Because of the extensive percent of communal seating (kitchen bar and window) there is good opportunity for making dinner friends and sharing some wine, which I enjoy. Talk to the kitchen staff, they are friendly and like the feedback. It's a small place and pretty popular so I'd highly recommend a reservation. The wine list could be much larger but what they do have is reasonably priced and they seem to have a pretty good ability to make recommendations. I'd really like to see some affordable but quality WA wines available - Reininger, Basel, Cadence, Soos Creek, Januik, L'Ecole, etc. - to balance out the imports. I'd especially like to see their wine stored better since much or all of it appears to be kept pretty warm all the time and while I don't mind the warm storage in terms of aging, I prefer that red wine is served slightly cooler than normal room temperature (65-68) and especially during these hot summer months the inside of the restaurant is much warmer than normal room temp. I really enjoyed the beef tartare and I must emphasize that I am NOT a beef tartare fan...that is, until now. I would order it again at mkt. in a hearbeat. The seared duck breast was good as a plate but, as is so often the case, the breast was very gristly and difficult to eat - I love duck but that is the one dish I wouldn't order again. The menu changes pretty often so you will have to choose your own story. This is just the kind of place to just say "no [fill in your restriction] please, but just have the kitchen send out whatever they like until I say stop." Dessert was divine, by the way.
(5)Peter E.
I highly recommend the hamachi ceviche and the mussels with chorizo. They were fantastic! Service was very good ... attentive and friendly. The wine list is spendy but has some interesting choices. The sparkling wine from bordeaux is awesome. It was pleasant outside ... probably around 70 ... but at our tables it was warm ... not too warm, but I'm also not sure I'd want to be in those inner tables on a hot day. The radicchio in the Castelfranco salad was pretty bitter for my taste, but overall still a worthy dish. The wagyu beef had great beef flavor but I'd prefer maybe a more rich sauce/seasoning. Everything was cooked to a perfect level of doneness. I was very impressed with how mkt. has squeezed a functional kitchen into such a small space. It's a fun little space. I saw they have the walk in around back in the parking garage.
(5)Katherine L.
Amazingly delicious. I sat at the counter and chatted with the chefs. They were incredibly friendly and happy to explain what they were doing. The duck breast with figs was delightful. I would 100% go back just for that. I never really enjoy fish other than salmon, but the fish I had there was crispy on the outside and melt-in-your mouth amazing on the inside. Beef tartare was okay, nothing too special there. Overall, great atmosphere and food with a plus of amazingly friendly people.
(5)Alina B.
I loved the restaurant and literally all the dishes we tried, 10 total. These come in relatively small portions and its fun to share them. the funneling potatoes had fabulous salsa verde that ive never had. Salmon was absolutely delicious, so was beef. Quail was heavily breaded but very tasty. Desserts were good with Pot de creme being best.
(5)Logan S.
Came here for our anniversary and had a really good time. Lots of good wines choices, handful by the glass or share a bottle, and really interesting choices on the menu for things to eat. The wine was a bit on the higher end though, so if you're coming in with the expectation to share a bottle be prepared to spend a little extra. The space is a nice, open area with tables, seating at the chefs counter with a limited view, as well as a community table at the front that is half outside and half in. I was a little unsure about sitting at the community table but after being there I did enjoy it and would be open to it again. Food wise we tried a handful of things on the menu but a couple of the highlights were the scallops, corn grits, and the green beans. The scallops were nice and buttery and cooked perfectly, some of the best I've had in Seattle. The grits were awesome, I'd say these are best tried with one bite with everything together (cheese, pork belly, grits, and seabeans). The green beans seemed really simple, but tasted excellent. They were lemon and sea salt green beans and I wish I could make them that good at home. Very fresh, and full of flavor. Overall we had a good experience, it's definitely a solid pick for a great dinner. Not going to blow you away but it definitely won't disappoint and you'll leave pretty satisfied. Price wise, outside the wine, this place was also a pretty good deal!
(5)Jesse M.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. You know, looking at that menu where every dish was $15-$30, I said to myself, the crap is this about? There's no way this'll be worth THAT much dough at the end of the night. No way. The server even warned us herself that the portions were very small. No way. And...I was so wrong. Within an hour and a half, I had the best scallop, best steak, and best duck leg I've ever had in my life. I can think of a single thing wrong with the food and that single thing only - some of the bread for the steak tartare was over-salted. That's it. Just a bit over-salted. Not a thing else I could ask for better. Alright, to the food: STEAK TARTARE was plain meaty, but tender with a nice texture from some onions and a great, oily, salty crunch from some grilled bread. ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE FRITTERS served on a bed of salsa verde had a delicate breading with creamy, delicious cheese filling contrasted well with some crunchy asparagus pieces and the acidic bite of the fresh salsa. SMOKED SALMON BELLY with shallots with a dill creme fraiche was well seasoned and just jam-packed with salmon flavor, so much that it even caught me off guard, but it was balanced beautifully with the creamy-light creme fraiche, all on top of grilled bread. SEARED SCALLOPS stopped me in my tracks - they were incredible. Never knew scallops could taste like that. Perfectly cooked, so soft but not raw in the middle, hard sear on the top that held the salt well, perfect amount of seasoning, light lemon butter sauce to bring it all together with some small sauteed vegetables. Wow. Changed my perception of what scallops could be. Then the WAGYU BEEF came out grilled with some fingerling potatoes, and it had a mean, mean crust on the outside, but was still medium-rare on the inside. Again, the crust held the seasoning well, and perfect seasoning together with the fatty, tendon/ligament-free, why-am-i-using-a-knife-there's-nothing-to-cut, juicy, butter-soft interior equated to a truly special taste that I'll always remember. Finally, the CRISPY DUCK LEG was impossibly tender with a crisped skin to cover. Never knew duck could be that tender, and packed with smokey flavor on top of that. Salty, but just right when paired with the salad and creamy sauce on the plate. Crispy, moist, flavorful, changed how I view that ingredient. Everything was made with just amazing technique. Every plate had three or more elements balancing each others' acidity, saltiness, fattiness, creaminess, umami, and/or sweetness. Truly the sort of food you've only seen on the telly. Not a thing was underseasoned and attention to detail was stunning. So, was it worth the dough dished out? Well, let me put it this way. You don't just come here for a great meal, you come here for a culinary experience. Prepare to get schooled in what excellent cooking looks and tastes like. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
(5)Emi S.
Ok I totally see why this restaurant has almost 5 stars. Every dish they serve is creative and executed very well. Usually when restaurants get interesting with their menu, something falls short in the taste, consistency, or portion department. However, at this place I was pleasantly surprised on all fronts. Perfect portion size, good quality food cooked correctly, and well worth the price. Service was friendly and prompt. I will come back to try dessert :)
(5)Julie S.
Splurge. Do it. The food, service, atmosphere is all wonderful.
(5)Reed Y.
They should rename it to MMMMMkt
(5)Gisselle L.
Great experience, came here on a double date. The waiter recommended that we each get 2/3 items from the menu which totaled to 8 plus dessert-looking back we should have ordered 6 items because they also served bread. They serve it family style so essentially everyone gets to try everything if they want to and below was what we got: Spiced pumpkin fritters, cardamom, allspice, herb pesto- good but heavy Seared sea scallops, smoked manila clams, thyme-butter sauce, salsify, roasted carrots- really really food Shigoku oysters, pear mignonette- I didn't taste this but the person who ate it liked it Wagyu beef crusted with peppercorn, rosemary, grilled fingerling potatoes, fried onions, red wine sauce- really good and well seasoned Braised venison, sweet potato gnocchi, rosemary, roasted quince - delicious; highlight of the night for me Garlic polenta, spiced roasted root vegetables, balsamic reduction, olives, pumpkin seeds- really good- def. recommend ordering this (third highlight of the night) Porcini-ricotta ravioli, marjoram, roasted garlic butter sauce, Parmesan- this was delicious; second highlight of the night Beef/Steak Tartare (not listed on the menu): the guys ate this and seemed to enjoy it Panna Cotta: amazing. They don't publish their dessert menu because it changes so often but this was out of this world good I asked for a mocktail and it was yummy. Overall, great experience and I would come back
(4)D T.
Family came in town for 5 days of celebration and our dinner at MKT. was everyone's favorite. My aunt has a good allergy to spicy peppers and they accommodated famously. 3 of the 9 dishes I tried are now the top 1-3 dishes I've had in Seattle. The Salmon coming in at #1. Also, incredibly friendly service with excellent suggestions for wine.
(5)Cait H.
Tucked away in Tangletown, this Ethan Stowell restaurant is excellent service! I thoroughly enjoyed the prosecco and zucchini fritters. The space is pretty intimidate, so may not be the best for private conversations.
(4)Collin H.
My wife & I had the great pleasure of visiting mkt. last night for an early Mother's Day celebration and the experience was extraordinary. In particular, Matt and Ani made our night exceptional. They were funny, engaging, thoughtful, attentive, and fantastic representatives of the restaurant and the business. In addition, the food was fantastic. We really, really enjoyed it and we will definitely be back
(5)David G.
We had an excellent dinner here not too long ago. The seating is a bit intimate, but the food and wine was really excellent. Creative dishes that were well executed with excellent flavor.
(5)Hannah H.
Came here for a leisurely anniversary dinner and it didn't disappoint. Our server was amazing (I seriously could have listened to him describe the food all night, it was mesmerizing) and made great recs. We had the grits with mushrooms and lardon, carrots with lemon and rosemary, duck, and wagyu beef--all amazing. It's a small restaurant and the servers are very attentive and seemed to be very familiar with a lot of people who came in. Can't say enough good things about our overall experience.
(5)Kathy A.
Holy flaming peanuts, this place is good! I might have found my new favorite restaurant in Seattle. FYI this review is for SRW. First of all the location is great. I always forget that there is such a cute little neighborhood tucked back there near Greenlake. The restaurant is tiny and they only have a few tables and bar style seating. If you are sitting at the bar area you can watch the chefs work. My only complaint was that the large wooden chairs were not very comfortable. The first courses were really the only misses of the night. The carrot fritters were awesome. I'm not sure how they were cooked but they were not fried like one might expect (or if they were you sure tricked me!). It tasted kind of like I'd expect a baked carrot falafel to taste. All I know is I loved them and could have eaten bowls of them. The other two starters were less impressive. The hamachi ceviche was bland and boring and the foraged salad was just okay. The portion sizes were also tiny for appetizers. The main courses were phenomenal. I'm not a red meat eater, but I tried the wagyu beef and it was amazing. It was perfectly cooked, tender, and just melt in your mouth good. The sauce on top was great and I wish there was more. The halibut was delicious too. I normally refrain from ordering halibut at restaurants because it is such a bland white fish, but they managed to add just enough seasoning to make it very tasty. The white wine sauce that it was served with stole the night. My god I have not had that good of a sauce is so long. I definitely contemplated licking the plate clean but somehow managed to contain myself. The desserts were all great too. My favorite was the lemon pudding cake. It was light and refreshing but still full of flavor. The chocolate budino was a velvety and rich chocolate pudding that I could have eaten a whole tub of. Even the pear anise sorbet was delicious. The food here is fantastic and the staff is nice and attentive. I will definitely be back!
(5)Crystal W.
Love this place!!! I was surprised by how small the restaurant is but I actually enjoyed the intimacy. The servers were extremely friendly and they gave great descriptions of every item they serve. My favorite was definitely the scallops. Perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The porcini-ricotta ravioli was delicious too! Pasta dishes have always been good at Ethan Stowell's restaurants. I will definitely come back again!
(5)Emily L.
I came here to MKT for restaurant week and got a nice seat next to all the action. It was wonderful watching the chefs working magic on my food and even throwing me extra bits of samples from someone else's order (hehehe). Everything was so delicious and very very savory. My boyfriend even said it was the best steak he's ever had!!
(5)Jo W.
Very small so plan ahead with your reservations. The waitress suggested 5-6 plates for two of us but 4 would've been enough and then I could've tried the dessert! The green beans, pork tenderloin and ceviche are a must. The lamb and gnocchi were disappointing but maybe that was because everything else surpassed expectations. The drinks were great as well. Overall great date night.
(4)James L.
Happy dance. Happy, crunchy, salty, spicy acid dance. I mean lemon, not like LSD. Yum.
(5)Jonie N.
My bf and I came here for dinner during Seattle Restaurant Week and we're so glad we did! For $28, you get a three course meal.. and it was an awesome deal for Mkt. The food was delicious and the service was great. They offered four different choices for each of the three courses for their SRW menu. We chose the following: First course: - Hamachi ceviche: Large, fresh slices of fish with champagne ice on top. It was really refreshing to eat and almost melt in your mouth good! - Crispy fried quail: There's two, perfect for sharing with your date. The quail is perfectly lightly fried and flavored that I probably could've eaten two myself though.. maybe I won't share next time ;) Main course: - Roasted lamb shank & spice lamb sausage: I think this is the first time I've tried lamb sausage? and it was really good! It was really juicy and seasoned really well. The roasted lamb was amazing too... so tender we used our forks to cut it apart to devour. - Grilled wagyu beef: The meat was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and had an amazing smokey flavor. The fingerling potatoes and fried spring onions complemented the beef really well too. Dessert: - Chocolate malted budino: We didn't know what budino was but it's pretty much pudding. I know chocolate pudding sounds boring, but it was actually really good! It wasn't too rich and was perfectly creamy.. which made it easy to finish it all. - Pear anise sorbet: I always choose any dessert with pear so it was an easy decision to try this. There were two large scoops of sorbet with several slices of poached pear on the side. Yum! The first bite caught me off guard though because it didn't have the typical "pear" flavor, and reminded me more of Asian pear. No complaints though, I loved how I could tell there was real fruit in each scoop of sorbet I ate. Overall, five stars. The bf and I were impressed with all the food we tried and service was outstanding too. Also, portion size for each dish was perfect. We finished off our plates because the food was delicious, and it was enough to make us full but not stuffed. Note: Parking is free on the street and there's plenty around since Mkt. is surrounded by neighborhoods. Also, the restaurant is TINY (and cute) so make sure you make reservations :)
(5)Julie B.
Delicious dinner with attentive service. Nice wine list. We walked in at 9 pm on a warm summer's evening and got a nice table near the open sliding doors in the front.
(4)K T.
One of my favorite Seattle restaurants, a must for restaurant week if you can get a reservation and/or if they participate. Their menu changes based on what is local and fresh. We have dined here multiple time and never disappointed with the food or the service. We brought family from out of town for a nice dinner. For a table of 4 we ordered 2 snacks, 5 dishes and 2 desserts - Grilled green beans, Roasted beet salad, Hamachi ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, Grilled Alaskan king salmon with English peas, Semolina pasta with morels and Parmesan, Grilled wagyu beef, Rhubarb tart, and Chocolate terrine. I would highly recommend the Green beans are simple but addicting, Hamachi ceviche as the hamachi is fresh and the cucumber ice is very unique, Semolina pasta was delicious with fresh handmade pasta, Grilled wagyu is cooked to perfect medium rare, and Chocolate terrine is a must if you like chocolate. Everything was amazing but my recommendations are based on menu items we order every time we come back. As always the service is great and the staff is very friendly. If you have a chance to sit closer to the front of the kitchen the chefs often chat with the guests. The food comes out individually and is meant to share over wine and good conversation.
(5)Elizabeth L.
Urban kitchen where heart meets hearth. From being warmly greeted to friendly service throughout our experience, mkt was wonderfully classy without being fussy. Started with the grilled French green beans, simply prepared with sea salt and lemon - a nice palate opener. The grilled rabbit tongue was satisfyingly rich, balanced with juicy baby beets and horseradish. Dungeness crab salad was delightfully fresh - luscious lump dungeness lightly dressed with apple, tarragon, endive. Grilled Spanish mackerel was a personal favorite - served with pickled fennel, a vinegary note to cut through the mackerel. Well-paired. While mkt is seafood-forward, the roasted porcini ricotta ravioli is not to be missed - deliciously savory and hand-formed, as good as you might expect from Ethan Stowell. Warm poached fig tart with pistachio gelato - possibly one of the best desserts I've had in Seattle. Naturally sugary figs in a flaky crust - a winter must-have. Seating is mainly lengthwise, as this tiny Tangletown gem only seats 25ish. Serves barrel-aged cocktails. Stay cozy, stay classy. mkt, until next time.
(4)Elizabeth W.
Had dinner here tonight - I'd actually give it 3 1/2! Service great, ambiance great. Food over salted and portions small, but tasted great. $120 with tip for two - we had two small entrees, a starter of roasted carrots, one beer, one glass of wine. So, all in all, good food, cute place but tough parking, chairs with no backs (think they don't want you to linger because it's small) and I'm still a bit hungry (I'm a female who doesn't eat like a truck driver :) - a little bread would have done the trick! If you want an Ethan Stowell experience I'd recommend Tavolata.
(3)Opal D.
Mkt. is a cozy little restaurant in Tangletown adjacent to the Elysian Brewing Co. The host, server, and manager all provided excellent service. The menu had a great selection; it would be easy for someone on Paleo or Slow Carb to eat here. The taste from the kitchen had great flavour, the combination of sweetness with licorice stuck out to me, although the endive(?) was oddly dry and bland. The green beans were simple, bright, and had just the right amount of charring. The lamb dish was prepared well, lots of interesting textures to explore, although I was unable to taste any horseradish in the dish. The location has easy and free street parking and the intimate atmosphere makes it a great spot for a date!
(5)Dawn L.
I've only been blessed to eat here twice (I live in West Seattle), but both times I thought I'd gone to food heaven!! Their portions are great for sharing, but you can certainly eat a dish all on your own. I appreciate that their menu has items you'd not get elsewhere, making it all the more fantastic. It's intimate, plays good music, and the staff knows their wine. A definite must....just don't take my spot!
(5)Ashley N.
My partner and I have been here twice now and we are crazy about this place. It can be a little tough to get a reservation sometimes but it's definitely worth it! The ambiance is amazing and we have always had excellent service. My favorite dish there is the handkerchief pasta from their winter menu, and I would also highly recommend the hamachi ceviche which was offered both in the winter and the summer.
(5)Sara H.
I'd not travel far out of my way to eat here. But, in the greenlake area it's one of your best options! Do be prepared to be flexible. They do the annoying "it comes out when it's prepared" thing here. Which is great if you're with a group with similar tastes and all want to share. Notsomuch if it's 2-3 of you and you don't. The seating situation is kind of strange. You might get crammed at a tiny table. You might get seated waaaaaaay across from each other at the communal table. Or maybe next to each other at the communal table. For a more traditional, and equally delightful, meal-- head across the street to Eva. Anyway- my cocktails were perfect. My dining partner had to return their wine. It tasted sour. The second glass was much better. The food was hit or miss. Nothing was a stand-out, but neither was any of it offensive. The dining room is very pretty. The people here are serious about food. If you like that thing-- it'll be right up your alley. If it bugs you-- yeah, go to Eva instead. I'll be back, sure. But, this one isn't on my craveable list.
(3)Nico D.
This restaurant is good but it's a bit of a drive from downtown, and parking is challenging. The space is tiny. I think there were 3 four-seat tables, 3 two-seat tables, and 3 seats at the bar. It is so small that all tables share a separation wall with the kitchen. The wall only goes up to 4 or 5 feet. At some point in the evening, one cook was working right behind me on the other side of the wall, and splashed oil... You guessed it, I felt drops of oil on my head, and got one on my glasses and several on my jacket... Anyway, service was pleasant. Bread was so-so. Starter was zucchini and carrot fritters with a creamy mint sauce. It reminded me of onion bhaji. Pretty good. I think we did well to share and get 3 tiny balls each, because it wasn't something I would have eaten 10 of. Wagyu beef and fingerling potatoes were OK. It really wasn't melt-in-your-mouth beef, and the fingerlings were a bit starchy in the center. The wine reduction sauce was very salty. Still good, but not special. Excellent dessert: strawberry tart with ice cream. Nicely done. Overall, I am not sure I would say it's worth the long drive to come back (and I would have to wear rain gear inside the restaurant ;-).
(3)Alisa G.
Wonderful food, amazing staff, awesome experience. The staff is extremely knowledgable, our server Seth, was fantastic. We asked his opinions for some must have suggestions, and by then end, we just said, bring us whatever you want, and we were not disappointed! We enjoyed everything but the oysters, grilled green beans, wagyu beef, and scallops were standouts.
(5)Neel R.
Food was delicious. The staff was also very nice. They went out of their way to accommodate for my allergies. I will definitely go back.
(5)Andrew S.
Great service but on balance overpriced and underwhelming. The space is small and cramped and the noise level makes casual conversation difficult. In terms of dishes: Worth it - Green beans Duck Scallops Not worth it - Mushroom risotto Crab salad Squash fritters
(3)Anthony B.
Stunning, delicious food, delivered with amazing service in a quaint little space. mkt. was my last meal for Seattle Restaurant Week. Unknowingly I had saved the best for last. The space in here is small. Be prepared for unintentional intimate conversation with your neighbors, at least before the food gets to your table. Once the meal started I was literally lost in my own little world. I can't say enough about the service here. The hostess and waitstaff were phenomenal. Kind, funny, and genuinely passionate about what they were serving in an honest way. Our friends weren't seated until 30 minutes after their 9:30 reservation, so the staff comped them a round of sparkling wine to ease the wait. The food here is on another culinary level. Part molecular gastronomy, part local organic, 100% flavor. The crispy duck confit appetizer had wonderful texture but lacked a sweet component (corroborated independently by 3 of us). Honestly that was my only "complaint". The hamachi ceviche was a strange combination of buttery fish and cold champagne ice. A surprisingly good bite. The entree's were the shining stars though. The wagyu beef was amazingly tender and had robust beefy flavor. The onion rings were light and sweet, they actually reminded us of fruit loops, in a great way. The beef here was better than el Gaucho! The lamb entree was without a doubt the best thing I ate during my 9 meal SRW. The sausage and greens alone would make an amazing sandwich filling. Even their malted budino (pudding) was a rich and buttery revelation. For 2 guys who don't have much a sweet tooth we were raving about the budino and lemon cake. They were perfect compliments to each other and a great way to end the meal. I was so fortunate to dine here and I couldn't have picked a better place for my 100th review! I really can't wait to return to try their full menu out. I know it will be worth every penny!!
(5)Cameron O.
I came here during Restaurant Week with very high expectations. Mkt. did not disappoint. Every dish had an excellent balance of flavors and textures. We started with the crispy duck salad. I love duck and it was crispy yet juicy, but the actual salad left a little to be desired. The huckleberries added some sweetness but seemed a little unnecessary as they did not add a whole lot of flavor. The dinah's cheese was the biggest surprise. It did not seem very exciting at first glance, but the combination of the creaminess of the cheese, the salty crunch of the toast it was served on, and the sweetness of the honey left me craving for more. Our mains were the Pork Flank Steak and the Scallops. I'm not a huge fan of scallops but they had a very delicate flavor and melted in your mouth. The pork flank steak was served with lamb sausage since they were out of fried eggplant. I was kind of bummed since I've never really had eggplant that I've enjoyed. I assume I would have loved it from Mkt. The sausage was good though, so I won't complain. We finished with the Chocolate Terrine and the Basil Panna Cotta. The panna cotta was very light and the basil added a refreshing element to end the meal. This was my first experience at an Ethan Stowell restaurant and I can't wait to try his others.
(5)Rachel H.
Its unusual to go out to a restaurant in Seattle, and feel like you could be at a restaurant opening in NYC, DC, or San Francisco. Lots of great restaurants in those great cities are tucked into neighborhoods, and feel like hidden gems. At mkt. we felt exactly that way, as if we traveled to another time and place, almost a restaurant speak-easy, in a tiny jewel-box of a space, spare grey and black walls, dark, moody lighting, uber modern setting, with a full, open fire-breathing kitchen. Tiny and very sophisticated, mkt. is a new Ethan Stowell restaurant, with executive chef, Joel Ritchie at the helm, and a small crew of very polished and attractive staff. Portions are small and shared, with sort of family-style tapas-inspired dishes, all served with bread and all of of which are excellent, particularly any in the fish line-up. Keep in mind, this spot is spendy. Its also small. Beware of online reservations: in response to ours, we got a call that we'd be given bar seating and were pretty disappointed after going to the trouble to reserve ahead. Fortunately, we were upgraded to a small table: a much better seat for date night. We ordered the Dungeness crab salad with tart apple, tarragon, and endive, Next the albacore ceviche with citrus-cucumber ice, coriander, pickled red onions. We really loved the addition of the flavored ice in the dish. (We just watched the El Bulli documentary last weekend, and loved this idea of flavor enhanced ice. It was fun to try a riff of this interesting concept.) We loved the fried quail, which evoked memories of the smallest, tastiest fried chicken we'd ever eaten, accompanied by plum sauce. I'm not a huge fan of quail, but it was surprisingly moist and satisfying as only fried chicken (or apparently, quail) can be. We ordered a savory mushroom ravioli dish --really fantastic and tasted like something you'd might order up in Rome. The chef offered up a tiger prawn dish, that we thought was smoky and tasty, and something I'd definitely order again. One of the dishes (forgetting which now) had a cold offering of truffled potatoes on the side. That was disappointing. Besides not liking the temperature, we absolutely couldn't taste any fresh shaved white truffles, and while I'm sure they were there, its a sad, sad thing to waste the taste of truffles.) Still, mostly hits and just one miss. Several excellent cocktails are served here, and wine by the bottle and glass. Every now and then, we travel to SF and NYC to satisfy our love for big city life. Now apparently, we can just drive to Tangletown. How cool is that?
(4)Rachael M.
My fiance took me here for my birthday and we were very impressed. The restaurant is very small but super adorable - there are wine bottles everywhere and food words all over the wall. The tables are close together, but we felt like we had enough space to ourselves. We shared the grilled and marinated green beans, the hamachi ceviche, the dungeness crab salad, and the sweet potato gnocchi with smoked mushrooms. Everything was delicious - I would have to recommend it all! Our total bill, including a glass of wine each, came out to about $75 before tip. A little pricy, but it was all incredibly good so worth it. We will definitely have to come back! Parking was easy in the neighborhood. Service was great - very friendly and helpful!
(5)Phil C.
Dear mkt., You gave me one of the best, complete meals I've had in Seattle. Your intimate, reservations-are-a-good-idea atmosphere was perfectly curated. Your wait staff was knowledgeable, warm, and timely. And your food? Pretty much every bite of the hamachi ceviche, wagyu beef, lamb (oh god, the lamb!), and the grand finale of budino was perfect. I cannot return soon enough.
(5)