0/8 Seafood Grill & Twisted Cork Wine Bar

This is a great place to take clients for a drink and nosh after work. Excellent service. Classy but not stuffy. We loved our waiter, very funny and quick.

Pros: Atmosphere, location, service

Posted 08/27/09

I tried the cioppino and my husband had the scallops. Both were drenched in bottled garlic. We could not get the horrible taste out of our mouths even the next day. Our salads were lacking flavor, they could have offered fresh ground pepper, it may have helped but they did not. I would not go here for dinner, maybe a glass of wine and appetizer before you go somewhere else for good food.

Pros: Shrimp Tempura Appetizer

Cons: Food & Service

Posted 03/30/09

Tried for the first time and really enjoyed this place, the monkfish was great and my wife had a tenderloin, cooked perfect. Great service and wine selection, we will go back.

Pros: food, service

Cons: none

Posted 02/15/09

Ate at 0/8 last week for my Mom's birthday and was very impressed with the service and food. Our waiter was always there when we needed him... we never had to look around for him. The GM made sure to make it around to every table to make sure that the evening was going well... I was very impressed by that personalized service. The cold sashimi scallop appetizer is amazing!

Wasn't my first time there... have actually been quite a few times and have always had consistently good service and food. The fish is always cooked perfectly and the waitstaff is VERY knowledgable about the menu. Love the wine flights too! Would definitely recommend 0/8 to anyone!

Posted 02/05/09

My husband and i went to 0/8 on a whim for our anniversary and it is now on the top of our favorites list! We didn't have reservations and told the hostess we'd be happy to sit in the bar until a table became available. She was super friendly and said she'd find us a table. A few minutes later the GM, Justice, came over to us and told us he'd get us to the best romantic booth... and scoped it out for us until something became available. Meanwhile our waitress, the wine and appetizers were great! Justice soon came over and brought us to a booth in the champagne lounge. We had the cod and the trout and they were AMAZING! Justice made sure that we had a perfect anniversary... especially by bringing us over two complimentary glasses of La Grande Dame champagne! Cheers to 0/8! We'll be back!

Pros: Customer Service and Food

Posted 01/11/09

We had reservations for Saturday night (Dec. 27th), and our party of four were seated in a very large booth. My sparkling water took 35 minutes to appear. Our starters took over 50 minutes to appear after ordering it. The table next to us were overheard to complain often about when their food would arrive, I think they waited longer than we did. My salmon was the worst salmon (wild king salmon) I have ever had in any restaurant anywhere in the world. It was a small tail end piece with a lot of grey stuck to the pink flesh and the flesh was tough (difficult to cut and tasteless). Unbelievable really. The dressings for our salads were so lightly dressed, there was no flavor to the dressing (for both the green salad and the beet and fennel salad). The entry did arrive 40 minutes after the starter was served. On the one plus side, the scallops that two of our party had were done well, and the crab cakes were also tasty. The wine is totally overpriced. The total price for our tab was over $300. I can think of a dozen restaurants within the immediate vicinity that do a much better job at a great deal less, price wise.

Posted 12/29/08

We were in Bellevue for business from Colorado and spent 4 days eating seafood - everywhere from the Pike Place fish market to the Eastside at 0/8. We couldn't make it to dinner at 0/8 but stopped in for happy hour on Sunday. We sampled several of the "nosh" items off the Twisted Cork Happy Hour menu including the shrimp salad, oyster shooters and scallops. It was all excellent, though the scallops were so good if I go back I may just sit and eat those until I'm full. The wine list is outstanding. If you're there for dinner, start with a taster flight to find one you love and then order a glass. For $16 I got to try three great Zin's (the Klinker Brick was by far my favorite). Overall a great choice in downtown Bellevue and some of the best seafood we had in the Puget Sound area!

Posted 11/13/08

I was the lucky "8th caller" winner on Chef Dan's weekend radio show in late August, but had to wait until I returned from a 4200 mile roadtrip on the Harley before I could take my lovely girlfriend to dinner at the Grill. I got home about noon on Sept. 17th, spent a few hours making myself presentable, then picked up Tonya in the convertible. Because I wanted to make the evening as special as I could, I opted for the valet parking after pulling into the inspiring off-street courtyard of the several surrounding businesses.
We were warmly greeted by the hostess at her podium, and I explained that I was Dan's lucky radio show winner. As if on cue, Chef Dan walked up from the kitchen and the hostess introduced us. After a cordial welcome from Dan, we were led to our table. Because were dining under a special voucher, our waiter clearly explained our menu options, and gave us a few minutes to make our Starter, Entree, and Dessert choices while he went for our drinks. Both of us opted for the Crabcake starter, and the Cedar Planked Salmon for our entree. Tonya chose the Creme Brulee for dessert, while I was intrigued by a banana dessert with mousse; both were excellent! About the time we were weighing the pros/cons of licking our plates clean, Chef Dan came by our table for a courteous follow-up. As we gushed over the food and our entire dining experience, Chef Dan took the time to explain in detail how he prepares the Cedar Planked Roasted Salmon. He made us feel like we were the most important guests dining in the restaurant that night.
This review wouldn't be complete without acknowledging the outstanding service and attention by our server, Roy. He was professional and knew how to be attentive without becoming a disruption to our dining experience. Kudos to Chef Dan, and the entire team at the Grill. I will recommend them to all my friends, family and co-workers who want to enjoy a special dining experience.

Posted 10/02/08

the food is OK however too expensive and doesn't worth it. They charged me $18 for a regular glass of wine and $10 for a bottle of wate (!). The scalops are really good, the entrees are overpriced and you can get better food in Town for 20% less.

Posted 08/28/08

I have been to 0/8 twice recently and loved it both times. I took a couple work colleagues visiting from out of town for dinner on a Friday night. I had the crab bisque and the trout. The bisque is to die for and the trout was cooked perfectly. The portion sizes were very generous and filling, too. We enjoyed an exceptional bottle of Pinot Noir recommended by the wine guy who was incredibly helpful. The salmon my collegues had was also perfectly cooked -- moist in the center but not raw. My next visit was on the patio during happy hour with my husband, where we enjoyed the sunshine with a bottle of champagne and shared the caprese risotto -- what amazing flavors! Both times, our servers were attentive and gracious. We'll be back!

Pros: Flavors, Service, Value

Cons: A little hard to find

Posted 07/14/08

My fiance and I had our first visit to the 0/8 Seafood Grill (Twisted Cork) and were thoroughly pleased. We have never had wine flights before and for our first time, we definitely weren't disappointed. The waiter presented everything very well and knew his wines. And on top of that, the wines were excellent. However, we went in the middle of happy hour (around 5pm) and by the end of happy hour the place was near full and we ended up seeing our waiter less. While he was very attentive at the beginning of our meal we had a long wait for the check at the end of our meal. We decided not to get dessert because of that. We both thought our meals were delicious. I had the Ahi Tuna and my fiance had the Seared Duck. He was impressed that they actually knew how to cook a "medium rare." We were both still talking about the food after we had left. Great place for a romantic date for two or even a large group of people (they have nice large semi-circle booths for groups). The feel of the place is a almost a casual classy. It is fun to dress up for but you can get away with semi-casual too. There's also live music Thursday- Saturday nights. We loved it and look forward to going back.

Pros: Wine, Food

Cons: Service

Posted 06/08/08

Wow! How can you resist the combination this "outfit" has to offer! From being greeted personally at the front door to the friendly, conscientious service provided the entire evening made this one of my most remarkable evenings. Roy was our server and he attended to our desires but did not smother us so we could enjoy the ambiance of the warm surroundings. The food we ordered, one being the best crab cakes I have ever had, was fabulous and the best in a long time. The wine selection was unbelivable. I checked out both the glass pours and bottles. Thanks to the wine guy, MA as I heard him called, made it easy to pair our entree' selections with the perfect bottle of wine (or two!). I will be back!

Pros: Everything!!

Cons: Maybe next time!

Posted 05/23/08

I noticed the 3 for $30 special in Seattle magazine and decided to give 08 seafood a try. Upon entering It was very much like all of the new restaurants in Bellevue, dark wood, dim lighting, sort of that old money - country club look. We were seated quickly, the waiter introduced himself and said this would be our new favorite restaurant (yeah, right). The wine list was extensive and the average price per glass was upwards of $20 (yes, thats per glass). I just dont need or appreciate wine at those prices. I opted for a $11 (cheap) glass of chilean wine, which was pretty good. I had salmon and husband had the ahi. The salmon was a little too undercooked (and I prefer salmon on the rare side) a bit mushy in the middle and a little too fishy tasting. The ahi was nicely prepared, lightly seared and a generous amont. The sides were very minimal. Salads were also very minimal. All in all its just not my "favorite" type of restaurant. Im just not a fan of big money, small food, served with a side of slight attitude type of restaurant.

Pros: close to Bellevue square

Cons: parking, similar to all the other restaurants in the area

Posted 05/07/08

We went to 0/8 after hearing Chef Dan talk about it on his radio show. The food was superb and the service was warm and experienced. We ordered bloody mary's that were spectacular, the food on the buffet was an amazing array for only $38, others were charging of $50 for the similar deal. Our kids were treated like adults, very important to us... We have been there a couple of times now and have always been treated well, with exceptionsal food and wine, will definitely be back!!!

Pros: Chef Dan's Radio Show, Food, Service

Cons: Parking

Posted 03/28/08

We ate here for the first time for Easter Brunch, so I can not speak of the everyday menu. The brunch was very limited 2 salads, deli plate ( meat was cut too thick making it very chewy and not appetizing), Ravioli, pasta salad, lox/smoked salmon dish, cooked salmon, potatoes, bacon, eggs with salmon, carving station, au gratin potatoes. No made to order omelets, waffles, pancakes, blintzes, sausage, regular eggs (we know salmon is good but enough is enough) do I have to go on. The food was over cooked in the warmers (eg. raviolis were hard). The service was awful our waiter seemed to be annoyed with everyone. Our coffee was never refilled and we ordered second rounds of mimosas which didn't show up until we were done.

Pros: None

Cons: Substandard Food and Extremely Bad Service

Posted 03/26/08

Given the price, you'd expect 0/8 Seafood Grill to deliver a great dining experience. For us, unfortunately, it was not to be.

We had 8pm reservations for a Friday night, and the bar and restaurant were just over half full.

The first thing that strikes you when you enter 0/8 is that it's LOUD. Not just "busy restaurant" loud, but "wall of sound" loud. L-O-U-D!

A few positives about 0/8 first. The menu has a nice selection of items, a bit more modern and creative than those at, say, Seastar. Also, 0/8 has a wine bar, with a good selection of wines by the glass and by the "taste." You can create a flight of 2oz. "tastes," a great way to try a number of different wines.

Now, the not-so-good.

The service we experienced was bad, especially for a $100/person dinner. The dinner was not paced well, with long waits before we saw the waiter for the first time, and nearly 30 minutes spent waiting for him to bring a check. Other times, the courses flew out of the kitchen and we barely had time to finish a course before more food came out.

The wines took forever to show up and, as a result, they couldn't be paired with their intended food courses. We ordered one of their 7 "stock" flights of wines, but when they arrived, the waiter read to us what they were from the wine list.

They brought me the wrong entree, then left my wife's to get cold while I waited for a replacement. When my replacement tuna arrived, it was the wrong tuna dish. The waitstaff didn't offer a word of apology about these these problems.

The food itself was good, but uneven. Crab cakes were seasoned well, but served lukewarm. Tuna poke was just OK, but the flavors hadn't had time to blend. Gazpacho was fresh, but oily. The crab bisque, on the other hand, was delicious--rich and hot. Ahi tuna with sticky rice was tasty and cooked deliciously rare.

We may go back, someday, to give 0/8 another chance. For $100/person, though, we've had far better dining experiences in the area.

Pros: Great selection of wines by the glass, some tasty food

Cons: Extremely loud, poor service, food not worth the price

Posted 09/21/07

The food is fantastic but the service is lousy. My wife and I have been there for breakfast and lunch. Great salmon and the waffles are made perfect. One gripe with the place is that the service is very slow. The third time we went, we waited 20 minutes before anyone acknowledged us and the restaurant wasn't even close to full. People who sat down after us got served before we did. There only seemed to be one surly waiter. It was the first time we ever walked out of a restaurant. When we left we told the person in front that they needed more waiters. Her reply was, "Sorry." We haven't been back since.

Pros: good salmon, waffles

Cons: bad service

Posted 09/04/07

We had a fantastic dinner at 0/8. Every morsel was top quality, well prepared and delicious. Attentive service and an attractive room added to the atmosphere...that is, until the band started in the bar. The restaurant isn't separated from the bar, and though we were seated some distance across the room, our conversations became shouting matches with hands cupped around ears in attempt to hear friends inches away. Those across the table were marooned permanently - no way could we hear them anymore. The band played classic rock and drew hoardes of people to the dance floor for an enthusiastic rendition of the White-Man's Overbite. We laughed that we felt like we were at the cocktail lounge at the Holiday Inn. Please, 0/8, move the dance floor to another venue and let the food be the floor show!

Pros: Exceptional Food

Cons: The band's too loud, and we're not that old!

Posted 06/15/07

We have been to o/8 five or six times since it first opened. The food has always been impeccable. They have a few menu items, like the sashimi scallops and tuna poke, that I have cravings for. Quality of product they serve is as good as any I ever had. I like the restaurant's ambience and the live music, though it can get noisy close to the band if your trying to have a quiet conversation. The majority of their staff is excellent, though I have had a negative experience with one waiter similar to another reviewer. Probably still working out the kinks. I know that seared tuna has become an overused menu item, but I had it last time we went and it was the best I have ever had. My friend had Halibut with Risotto which were matched perfectly prepared even more perfectly. The wine that was suggested was delicious and reasonably priced. Dinner and wine can definitely get expensive but doesn't necessarily have to

Pros: The food is impeccable, booths are very comfortable, great for groups

Cons: Dining room seating too close to the band can be noisy

Posted 06/12/07

We had a lovely dinner at 0/8, however I believe that if we had not taken advantage of the Urban Eats 3 course dinner we would have been taken aback by the cost. Regardless, the service and food was impeccable.

Pros: Wonderful dining in Bellevue of all places

Cons: Very spendy

Posted 05/27/07

The experience was one we want to forget. We will not go back! Noisy, pushy staff trying to constantly push overpriced drinks and food on you. A waiter we will long remember as one of the worst. Food was well presented, but only fair value. The rest of the experience made for an expensive evening, Not worth it.

Posted 04/28/07

If you are looking for a satisfying dining experience without driving into Seattle, give 0/8 a try. I tried several of their hot and cold appetizers and was impressed with every one of them. If you order one thing, make it the Raw Sashimi Scallops - I'm already planning when I can go back so I can taste them again! And take advantage of the "flights" when ordering wine - it allows you to try three 2 oz. tastes of wine instead of one 6 oz. glass. The service was outstanding, from the front desk to the server to the sommelier - they all worked together to make the entire night enjoyable. Note: Sit in the back room if you want to have any sort of conversation; once the live music starts, it's almost deafening to be by the band.

Pros: Delicious Food, Wine Tastes

Cons: Too Loud

Posted 03/25/07

The wine list at this restaurant is fantastic with 2 and 5 ounces tastings available. It is because of the wine list that I gave this restaurant so high a rating. The noise level, however, is out of control. We went to dinner with friends but couldn't hear a word anyone said because of the live music they had playing. The food was good and I would highly recommend the bourbon crab soup.

Pros: Great Wine List

Cons: Service is slow and way to much noise

Posted 02/17/07

A small group of us decided to make an entire night of an experience at 0/8 and Twisted Cork. We made hotel reservations at the Hyatt so that we wouldn't have to drive. We started off in the Champagne lounge where my wife had the "Dream Flight", something that we had never seen anywhere, Dom-Veuve-Krug by the glass. I'm a big Krug fan and was amazed to see it by the glass here! We then had dinner in the restaurant, food, ambiance, service was all spectacular in our opinion. Sashimi Scallops, Crab Cake, Tenderloin Tips and Gnocchi were a great start. I had the New York Steak, the rest of the table had Swordfish, Spearfish and Tuna. They were all amazing, incredible seafood here. We sat in the upper dining room, highly recommended if you want a more secluded area, the main dining room was packed and a little noisy but they were very busy that Friday night. We then went back into the lounge for live entertainment and desserts. Best wine list we have seen anywhere and especially on the Eastside with all the chain restaurants with thier corporate feel. We will be back with more friends and highly recommend this to anyone looking for quality in all aspects of dining, not just food or service. The restaurant can be busy and loud, but that is a good thing!!!

Pros: Seafood quality, wine selection, live entertainment, stay in the hotel

Cons: Busy restaurant, better make reservations

Posted 02/12/07

This restaurant is a breath of fresh air for the Bellevue scene. We have been into the lounge several times and will be going back shortly to try the dining room. Excellent happy hour and friendly, fast and knowledgable service. Great selection of wines and you must try the fun flights! There are pre set flights highlighting different types of variatels, or all the wines are priced out so you can build your own flight. Great food! Crab cakes, sashimi scallops and tenderloin tips are my favorite appetizers. Very pleasant experience overall, but can get very crowded! They also have live entertainment five nights a week! Makes for a fun time and great atmosphere to unwind after work! Us ladies will definitely be going back!

Pros: Atmosphere, Great Food, Great Service

Cons: Crowded, Loud

Posted 02/01/07

What an incredible experience! A group of 4 of us went in this past weekend for dinner, excellent and fresh addition to the tired chain restaurants in Bellevue, worth the drive from Seattle. We made 6:30reservations and arrived a little early to catch happy hour, the half priced appetizers were amazing!!! Their wine selection is truly unique, we were able to order 2 oz. tastes of any of their glass pours with fun flights. We were then moved into the restaurant at the right times, which is important to us with baby-sitters! The menu selection is expansive and unique, even though it's a "Seafood Grill", their "Wild Side" was fun and the Venison cooked perfectly. The Crab Bisque is to die for. The only blemish was the sauce on my wife's Swordfish was a little thin, but tasted great. As we finished up our dinners, the gracious server, I think his name was Gene, let us know about their Live Entertainment that night, so we move up into their Champagne Lounge as the band was setting up. What a great way to finish off a memorable experience. We had no idea that they do live entertainment 5 nights a week! We'll definitely be back and often!

Pros: Live Entertainment, Happy Hour, Menu Selection, Validated Parking, Service, Food

Cons: Busy Restaurant, Packed Lounge

Posted 01/28/07

Had a great time and will be Back! Had a excellent Happy Hour 1/2 price food and drinks were great go and meet and people watch you will have a great time.

Posted 01/27/07

After reading on this website about their brunch I went to the 0/8 website to check out the whole menu. It seemed to good to be true, all of the a la carte selections, peel and eat shrimp, omlette station, crepe station, king crab penne pasta salad... my stomach was already growling just thinking about it. I called for reservations and drove over. I was dissapointed to find out that they no longer serve brunch, just breakfast, which included the same things that I would find at embassy suites or the coast hotel's little diner, but twice the price. The hollandaise was overpowering, poached eggs were sub-par, and the "buffet" included some pastries little yoplait cups and some individual sized cereal. So much for unique dining experience.

Pros: Service, decor, parking

Cons: Overpriced food, poor advertising, lack of selection

Posted 01/20/07

I met a group of 3 friends there to start a girl's night out. I am NOT an "East Sider" and had my doubts about crossing the 520 for food. I'm so glad I did! The place is beautiful. I expected a place with a Champagne bar to be too "much" for the fun dinner that we had in mind, but again, I was wrong. We started in the bar where we came across the end of a happy hour. While we waited for our table, we sampled a few small plates paired with glasses of wine that were recommended by the friendly bartender. The items were great, and a steal at the happy hour price. From there we were escorted to the dining room where we were helped by "Brian" to navigate the menu. He recommended some sashimi scallops that I can't stop thinking about! The wine list was impressive, but after hearing what we were in the mood for, he was able to guide us to a few bottles of varying price ranges. We all had different dishes, but we agreed that the venison dish was amazing! We also tried a seared Tuna and another Scallop dish. There were a few "wild" meat entrees that I would have loved to try. I'll have to go back...I think that next time, I would like to order just one entree, and share some small plates. It was a difficult choice, there were so many that looked enticing.
Brilliant food. Perfect, friendly service. Less expensive that I expected. Worth driving the 520.

Pros: Service. Food. Ambience. Amazing.

Cons: It's so great, it's going to become really crowded...

Posted 01/13/07