The Capital Grille

Great steaks! Lobster Mac was the best side we ordered... along with truffle fries and mushrooms. Service was a little slow, maybe they need to fine-tune as they just opened. However, the food is more than enough to make me come back.

Ask that question and your carnivore friends may all have a different answer. The new Capital Grille will surely add another name to that discussion. The Capital Grille is a part of a chain, whose parent company also owns the likes of The Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Longhorn Steakhouse. This isn't an Olive Garden. It's a well oiled machine with a highly trained wait staff and kitchen turning out some great meals. It offers all one would want in a steakhouse experience, at least on par with the other established national steak houses and I think better than the other downtown local favorite. It has the manditory bar just to the right of the entrance, a nice ambience that I'd expect to see at a steak place in NYC. It is somewhat localized with paintings of famous Seattle people throughout the restaurant. Again it is well staffed, our waiter was there when we needed him but not hovering when we wanted to socialize. While there was nothing extraordinary on the menu, the food was excellent. The lobster macroni and cheese is a killer side. Nice selection of wines with I guess reasonable prices, many under $50. Yes, The Capital Grille is spendy but no more so than its competitors. I suspect many of the patrons will be business people on expense accounts. I'll surely welcome an invitation to be taken there.