Insider Pages Reviews for Brasa

2 Stars: Blah. Wouldn't recommend at all. (by hugo11)

hugo11 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Not a great experience at all. After we ordered, we spent 15 - 20 minutes sitting there with no wine, no bread. First plates arrived in about an hour and second plates maybe 45 minutes later. We were sitting at the table for 2 1/2 hours, but not by our choice. The waiter never stopped by to see how we were doing; he just seemed annoyed when we would ask about our food. Anything we got from the waiter we had to ask for (and mostly by stopping him as he ran by). The food was also mediocre. Our first plate was the grilled vegetables, which had too many onions and they were burnt. The papardelle arrived on a cold plate, was overcooked and stuck together, and had a piece of dry hamburger on top that was supposed to pass for sausage. Bla.

3 Stars: Relaxing Happy Hour (by mizpoppy)

mizpoppy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I went early on a Friday night with a couple of friends for a nice, relaxing happy hour. The atmosphere was beautiful and the food was not great, but good. We did not feel that we were being pushed out and were allowed instead to stay and enjoy our conversation even after we paid the bill.

5 Stars: Delicious Low Lit Atmosphere, Great Wine Pairings (by jooz)

jooz — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I love this place, beautifully appointed, delicious mediterreanean cuisine paired with great wines. Really love the ambiance, and the server, while slow, was very gregarious and knew a lot about what she was doing. Obviously a passionate place.

3 Stars: Don't mess with a good thing (by ajanmd)

ajanmd — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Everywhere I am seeing restaurants create new deals. Even on a recent visit to Las Vegas, I was surprised to see high end restaurants creating affordable "tasting menus" or 3 course meal deals so people would venture out from cheap buffets to restaurants like Fix and Bellagio, and Barlotta at the Wynn.
So imagine my surprise (and disappointment) to see a change to one of my favorite happy hour menus. Where is my pizza with fig and ham, my delectable steak frites that I eat only with my fork, and dream about later? Yes you have still given me a steak sandwich and lamb burger, and even kept the price. But I'm longing for more than the dozen items that you now offer, longing for the happy hour that once offered me a plethora of choices to stimulate the taste buds in my palate. It was a place where I could take me foodie friends as well as my less adventurous friends. I'm not saying I won't visit you anymore, I'm not even mad at you, because at least the food you had is still wonderful!

5 Stars: Our Favorite Sunday Night Tradition. (by corndog85)

corndog85 — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:00:00 GMT

For about the last ten months or so we've been heading out every third sunday of the month to this great late-night happy hour. There aren't that many places that are open later on a sunday and have a great menu. We always sit in the bar and no a matter who is working the service is always great. The ingredients are always the freshest in Seattle. All organic and fresh from the market even the grapefruit juice is freshly squeezed. This is one of my favorite places in town.

1 Stars: Major disappointment (by randy2300)

randy2300 — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

I've been to Brasa several times every since it opened. I was never very impressed (and had one bad experience) and never intended to return. Then a friend took me there for my birthday several years ago and I had one of the best meals ever. Since I hadn't been there in awhile since that visit, I decided it was time to try it again. Unfortunately, the service, which has always been cool and perfunctory, has not improved. On the night we went, the menu was more limited than usual and there was nothing that inspired the senses. No sweetbreads or rabbit or sea urchin, dishes that had made the menu interesting before. To make matters worse, out of a list of six appetizers, they were out of two. That left salads and soups. When we got our salads, mine had ingredients not mentioned on the menu and excluded some that WERE mentioned. Had to send it back. The wait between our salads and the entree was over 30 minutes. My companion's duck breast came almost rare and ice cold and he had to send it back. It seemed as if the entire service staff wanted to be elsewhere. The food, once received, was quite good, but not good enough to make up for the indifferent service and lack of variety on the menu. This restaurant has the potential to be great, but it seems as if they just don't care.

1 Stars: Appalling service (by rhynogruv)

rhynogruv — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Really bad service. Not only was it pretty slow and our waiter was constantly difficult to find, I had ordered the tenderloin medium rare and it arrived medium well. When I asked for a correction, the waiter took my plate, was gone for 10 minutes and then CAME BACK WITH THE SAME STEAK and explained that I was mistaken and was told "this is our medium rare". So now I had a medium well, and COLD steak.

2 Stars: Below expectations (by martav)

martav — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I had expected such wonderful things and was sorely disappointed. My husband and I were in Seattle for our 10th anniversary. I was hoping to go somewhere with good paella. I had read good things about this restaurant in local magazines and decided to give it a try. The concierge at our hotel said it was a good choice. Unfortunately they were wrong. The food wasnt bad but it wasnt great either. My husbands scallops were meager. My paella had almost no discernable safron in it and the chorizo was ground up and salty. There was a decent amount on the plate but not overwhelmingly tasty. The worst part though was the service. The ladies at the front were very nice but that's were it ended. Our waitress was awful. She barely spoke the whole time. When we were seated she brought our water and left without a word. It wasnt until she came back a minute later to see if we wanted a drink that I new she was our waitress. We had barely been sat so we asked for another minute to decide on our drink. She sighed and acted as if it was such an imposition to even be there. I had planned on having a cocktail first and a glass of wine to complement the paella. Before I could mention it and without her even asking if we would be wanting wine later, she reached across grabbed the wine glasses and silently walked away. After our food arrived she barely asked how it was, just an afterthought on her way across. When we were finished she took our plates without one word like "did you enjoy it?" Then she wiped down the table while we sat there. She brought dessert menus again silently, just slapping down one in front of us and walking away. We so put off by then we decided to leave and go have dessert and coffee somewhere they actually wanted customers. At the door no one was there so we got our own coats from the check area. I had hoped for 5 star dining but got disappointment instead. I got 10 x better service the night before at a pizza place for 1/2 price.

2 Stars: Zero service. 18% Tip automatically included. (by girolama)

girolama — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

6 of us sat at the bar on a Wednesday for Happy Hour.
I wouldn't say the servers were not nice, but they had llittle smile and friendliness.
As our drinks and food were finishing, they picked up all the glasses, dishes, and silverware, without asking if we would have liked anything else. We were left with a totally clean table and although we felt like some more drinks, we were discouraged to order anything else.
When the bill came, 18% tip was already included. I thought it was kind of funny, but did not think much about it and we paid without questioning.
I became more and more upset later.
18 % automatic tip for ZERO service for a group of (only) 6 people at Happy Hour in a bar???
Was it because we were talking in a foreign language? They may have assumed we did not know the tipping system in America???? or is it a normal practice?.... at lease I have never seen such a thing anywhere else in Seattle.

5 Stars: Outstanding food (by sharonkim)

sharonkim — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I was leary about going to Brasa after reading the inconsistent reviews about it. It varied anywhere between a one star to a 5-star. What a range! But my fears were unfounded, the food was exceptional! We were there on a Saturday night. It was busy there, we sat in the bar, and ate off the tapas menu. We ordered 5 items, and all were very good. Three of them were outstanding! My husband has chef standard tastes, so again I was nervous, but he loved the squid and the paella. The squid was my husband's favorite. The paella(another reviewer said that the night he went, it was way too salty. Again this made me reluctant to try it.) and the goat cheese, grapes pizza were absolute perfection. The portions were large, so much seafood brimming over in the paella, squid, and fish stew. The service was good, though our water glasses did go dry. But, all in all, Brasa was an outstanding dining experience! We plan to go back as often as we can.

4 Stars: For Romantic Dining in Washington Choose Brasa (by John T.)

John T. — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:23:00 GMT

The food is excellent. I encourage everyone to try there tasting table it is trully amazing!!! It is a culinary adventure! I also love there Lopez Islan Wagyu Rib Eye.

1 Stars: Watch the bill, expect to stay a loong time. (by persnicity)

persnicity — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

We thought Brasa would live up to expectations. Too bad our expectations were high. We went on a recent Wednesday night. The place was not busy but the service was slooow. Once we did get our food, it was apparent that the kitchen staff was not paying attention to quality or efficiency. Fast food that isn't good is one thing. Slow food that isn't good is disgraceful. The only thing good we could say about Brasa is the decor is pleasing.

5 Stars: where grace and attention to detail abound (by winodino)

winodino — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Brasa has been in the game for a while now. They still amaze. Our cocktails, the "roman holiday" and "sitges" were well balanced and inventive. The food was all delicious, from the melt in your mouth pork belly, perfectly dressed and presented pear salad to the tender and cooked just right duck. Everyone in our party was immensely pleased with their meal. The wine list has washington and oregon choices, but encourages your palate to branch out. The rioja suggested was a perfect complement to the food. The service was graceful, friendly and helpful. "French" service was followed almost to a "t" --leaving just the right amount of room to make everyone feel comfortable. We never felt rushed and though the dining room was very busy, there were only relative lulls in service. Overall, fantastic!

1 Stars: Worst of everything... twice. (by cookandeater)

cookandeater — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:00:00 GMT

The first time I ate at Brasa their signature paella tasted like... salt. A salt lick would have been far less painful on my taste buds. Not to mention, a salt lick would have been FAR cheaper. The second time I ate at Brasa the predominant flavor was... you guessed it, salt. I suppose it's the featured flavor there and for the cost of the meals I would expect them to realize that the function of salt is to enhance the flavors of food, not strangle them with it's dominance. Needless to say, I will not be returning for a third time.

1 Stars: Terrible customer service (by relfman)

relfman — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I ate there with my family on 9/30/07 and the service was awful. We waited over 5 minutes to be asked if we'd like a drink, the waitress never poured our wine after the first time, never asked if we'd like more wine, the bread basket sat empty on the table the entire meal, never asked to refill it, the dirty dishes were not cleared until I asked them to be. The food was good but my meal came out 3 minutes after the others.
It's expensive and not worth it, a poor dining experience.
And the hostess had a long, sour face the entire evening.

5 Stars: AMAZING dining for a group!! (by araemma)

araemma — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 02:00:00 GMT

We had the best overall dining experience at Brasa. We had a private dining area for 20 and the food, service and ambience exceeded everyones expectations. Every guest loved the restaurant and the food was AMAZING. Very few restaurants can pull off good food, great atmosphere AND impecable service--but Brasa does!! If I could give Brasa more stars, I would!! Cheers!

1 Stars: Just Forget It ! (by kc325)

kc325 — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Food and service were terrible. Food was literally 2bites for $30 a plate yet the server said it was hearty and generous. The pork in the pork plate was smaller than the half potato in the very salty dish. The duck was like 4strips of meat but the sauce was good. The server did not even bother to check on us until it was time to go. I was still hungry after spending over $80. I feel really stupid. The place is over priced and needless to say i will never return nor will anybody i know. You are better off eating crackers and going to bed

3 Stars: Great Atmosphere, but Menu is Very Unfriendly to Those Who Don't Eat Pork or Beef (by stevens)

stevens — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:00:00 GMT

We returned to Brasa after a 2 year hiatus and found that the great atmosphere is still there. Try to sit away from the bar, though, or it may be too noisy to converse with your dinner companions. As for the food, it is still good, but now there is an even greater emphasis on dishes with pork and beef. Even the paella and Portuguese stew come with chorizo sausage in it. There were only two appetizers and two entrees that didn't have meat. Since they change their menu often, it is wise to check on the day you plan on visiting to see what will be available that day, if you are among the growing number of diners who prefer not to eat mammals. Their wine selection has always had good breadth, but they have a very high mark-up. Our bottle of Sancerre, for example, was $49 for a bottle that costs less than $15 retail. Although we are not dessert fans, we were pleased to find that their desserts were modest in size and not overly rich and sweet. We shared a small apple tart that was very tasty and not covered with a big dough ball. Service was a little slow, but every table in the place was full. All in all, we would return if their menu becomes more friendly to non-meat eaters.

5 Stars: AMAZING DINNER AND GREAT SERVICE! (by francoiscecile)

francoiscecile — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:00:00 GMT

What a wonderful place to have dinner with friends. We recently celebrated our friend?s birthday party there and had an amazing time. From the moment we stepped into the restaurant to the time that we left, we were greeted smiles and felt taken care of.

First of all, it?s a beautiful space and the food is so delicious ? using fresh, local ingredients. I love starting with the Yakima asparagus and squid ink risotto, then moving onto the roasted pig, which you can?t find anywhere else in the city ? it?s wrapped in a banana leaf and surrounded by chorizo, clams, potatoes and crispy skin (yum!). Their beef tenderloin is cooked to perfection and paella is always delicious. They have great cocktails and my favorite is the Roman Holiday, made of Moscato, vodka and sour. Their wine list complements their tasty food, with a splendid European selection (very nice, reasonably priced Rioja) and some nice Northwest finds, like Domaine Drouin. Their cheese plates are beautiful and are a perfect way to end your dinner.

When I have guests visiting from out of town, I always recommend Brasa. I have celebrated birthdays, Valentine?s Day, New Year?s Eve, and just a night out at Brasa and have never been disappointed.

5 Stars: Love it here! (by victoriabestof)

victoriabestof — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Brasa has the best happy hour that lasts until 7 p.m. and includes paella, lamb burgers, and steak! The dining room is great and staff is very courteous and friendly. I love going there for the roasted pig, which is so succulent and delicious. The wine list is extensive and includes very affordable and nice bottles. I keep going back to Brasa because I?m never disappointed.

2 Stars: birthday gone wrong (by leisure_lif3)

leisure_lif3 — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

On Sunday, I took a friend to Brasa for his birthday. During the 45min wait for our entrees, the server only checked up on us once, but spent disproportionately large amount of time chatting and laughing with a couple sitting at the end of our table. Our server also failed to keep our drinks refilled-- we had to wait around for the other server to pass by and asked them for more water/wine/beer. This happened three times. Afterwards, when I remarked that one of the dessert dishes seemed weird, he turned to my friend and rolled his eyes (I wasn't aware of this until later) instead of trying to explain the dish. The dessert came, but we received no birthday acknowledgments, of which I had specifically asked for beforehand (nor were any explanations offered). When the bill came, I paid and just as we were getting up, he said "are you guys done yet?" I said yes, assuming that he was asking because he wanted to clean the table up and to collect the bill. He made no motion to do either, and just walked away from us. I had heard such good things about Brasa, and was greatly disappointed to realize that this restaurant had some of the worst service I've ever experienced, as well as mediocre food.

5 Stars: Authentic & Fabulous Paella (by truecook)

truecook — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

This is the place that sets the highest standard for Paella...truly satisfying ingredients of the highest quality prepared with intelligence and creativity. The atmosphere is relaxing, classy and the service excellent. The pumpkin steamed pudding was a delightful seasonal & sensuous dessert choice. In my opinion, one of Seattle's best restaurants.

5 Stars: Fabulous (by shoebug)

shoebug — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Went on a date recently and the service was impeccible, not too intrusive but available if you needed something. Of course the food was as fabulous as ever. One of my favorite Seattle restaurants.

5 Stars: Eclectic dining (by jls98001)

jls98001 — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

This is one of the most amazing restaurants in the Belltown area of Seattle. A restaurant in Belltown doesn't survive unless it serves excellent food with excellent service. Brasa is the bellweather of that statement. The salads, soups, and entrees jump off the plate with amazing flavors and extremely creative concoctions. The service is exceptional, never rushing you but always there. The wine list is one of most creative I have ever seen. A dinner at Brasa is a delight.

5 Stars: Amazing burgers & Fries!! (by vwright)

vwright — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

The bar menu is great - they have the best fries in Seattle!! - the lamb burger & steak sandwhich are amazing - and the shoestring fries are worth all the calories!

Cocktails are fabulous too.

5 Stars: Awesome Food and Service (by dlparker)

dlparker — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 02:00:00 GMT

We went on a Saturday night.
We were seated immediately at a table, but the table was sort of in the corner upstairs and had no view of the restaurant. We started talking amongst ourselves about whether or not we wanted to ask to be moved. Before we could though, our waitress came over right away and asked us if we wanted to get a table on the balcony. Excellent service when you can predict what your customers need!
We started with the cheese for an appetizer, letting our waitress pick out some selections. The cheese was excellent and it was served with fresh figs, grapes, and some jam and crusty bread.
For dinner we had the scallops with bacon and the roasted pig. Both were superb, especially the pork.
The wine selection was quite good and our waiter was able to make excellent suggestions on what to pair with our meals.
The atmosphere was relaxed, and quiet. this is a nice change from some busier restaurants that we have been to lately. The service overall was excellent. Our meal progressed at a nice pace throughout the evening.

It is a little pricey but for what you get its worth it. Ifyou have a Prime card you can get two for one dinners so that helps.

I agree with others on here, if you enjoy dining out then this place is for you.

5 Stars: Happy hour drinks & food cannot be beat! (by kxr173)

kxr173 — Sat, 20 May 2006 02:00:00 GMT

We went for the happy hour bar menu and it was outstanding. We got to sample many dishes and a dessert for great value. Their excellent happy hour menu cannot be beat. We sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly, well-informed and made the experience all the better. Ambience is great for friends or dates. My palate is still happy after the experience and it didn't hurt the wallet at all! This place is well deserving of its 4 stars and rave reviews!

5 Stars: excellence (by mysticaldeath)

mysticaldeath — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

one of seattles best, crazy about the squid ink risotto. give away happy hour food, great decor gorgeous building consistent high quality flavor and freshness

5 Stars: Yum! (by seattlefoodie)

seattlefoodie — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Brasa is a wonderful place for a meal; be it after a show or for a dinner out. The Morrocan curried mussels are to die for, with just the right amount of spice. The Cheese table is equally amazing, and the staff very good at listening to your likes and selecting cheeses that will please - let them! :)

4 Stars: nice tastes, other factors lacking (by moshidog)

moshidog — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

food was excellent. (portugese stew). I wish I would have gotten the fish becuase the fish in the stew was excellent. My husband had the pheasant and loved it. I saw one review that said the pheasant was undercooked -it's supposed to be that way!

Service was non-present. Never got a second round of drinks. had to go into the closet ourselves to retrieve coats because the hostess was not manning post. We were dressed formally to goto a party afterward. You would think we looked like we were celebrating a special occasion and treated better.

Atmoshphere was mediocre. Lighting was romantic, but overall felt cold -maybe due to the service. Bar looked inviting.

Might try the happy hour next time to get excellent food at better prices. It was over $100 for the two of us with only one drink each and a salad starter with no appetizers.

5 Stars: Delicious (by travelfish)

travelfish — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

Went for dinner with my friends for my last night in town. It was delicious food, flavorful and unique. Excellent wine selection. Our server was a treat as well - helpful, cheery & knowledgeable - she really made our dining experience wonderful. Desert menu was just okay, but overall, it was the perfect place to end a great Seattle experience.

5 Stars: A classy place! (by elleestbelle22)

elleestbelle22 — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 01:00:00 GMT

Brasa is for you if you are a TRUE DINER. Brasa however is not the place for you if you are concerned about price, portion size or quick service. Otherwise this is the type of place I go to relax and plan on spending at least 3 hours. The portion sizes make it ideal if you want to enjoy a 5 or 6 courses. I go to Brasa when I am looking to have great conversation with a good friend and a slower paced experience. The food is carefully prepared with the freshest ingredients and great attention to detail. The service can be slow paced but has never been a problem if I had let the server know about my time constraint. Servers can NOT read your mind. So I recommend Brasa if you want a real dining experience, or if you want to impress someone. LOVE THIS PLACE..............

5 Stars: If I Could Be A Restaurant, I'd Be Brasa (by beegove)

beegove — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 01:00:00 GMT

We dined later in the evening on a weeknight. I loved their drink menu, which included champagne cocktails and a solid list of creative and standard martinis. The wine menu was similarly impressive, and the international list had affordable choices. We chose a low/moderately priced Beaujolais and it was perfect. The cheese course, chosen for us by our server, was delicious, and ample information about the cheeses were provided. The mussels were very good, we had to stop ourselves from drinking the broth! The scallops satisfied a steak connisseur, and the Squid Ink Fettucine I had was full of seafood and the ink fettucine itself was light, unique, and delicious. Our server was pleasant, attentive, unpretentious, and made excellent suggestions. She wrote our wine down for us and recommended after dinner wines. I can't wait to come back to Brasa. By the way, Tamara was robbed on Iron Chef America!

1 Stars: Over priced and below average (by colinsilveira)

colinsilveira — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 02:00:00 GMT

The restaurant is acclaimed for its food and ambiance. I have been to the restaurant twice and had bad experiences on both ocassions. The food is very pricey and nowhere close to resembling the original. The Portuguese pork/clams was too watery and the Paella was just a few pieces of seafood and a little rice without saffron.
The cheese table is over priced in the bar with just two pieces of cheese and fruit served with regular dinner bread for 9 bucks, absolutely ridiculous.
The wine selection is bad and overpriced too. All entrees lack originality, taste, quality, quantity and are way over priced.
Finally, the waitress passed gas twice at our table.

2 Stars: Special occasion dinner left us cold (by levinrouge)

levinrouge — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 02:00:00 GMT

We started off with good bubbly and a cozy booth. For drinks at the bar and snacks, Brasa is great. Then came the salad (watercress greens were old and woody). The main courses were the paella (super salty) and grilled pheasant. It was served with greens (best part) and bread pudding. I picked out egg shell from that. The bird was not cooked all the way through. I did point this out to our server, I was told the kitchen would be told. To compensate she offered two extra cheeses for dessert (worth $3). I cannot recommend this restaurant for dinner but maybe wine at the bar is more their thing.

4 Stars: Fun and Romantic experience (by amantedivino)

amantedivino — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Brasa not knowing what to expect. The hotel concierge recommended it. I was not disappointed! We sat at a romantic seat side by side and dined on excellent food! The Foie Gras was the best I've ever had! The waiter was excellent - not obtrusive but tentative enough. I will definitley be back!

1 Stars: WORST SERVICE EVER (by vertigose)

vertigose — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

30 minutes to get drinks(overpriced and just bad). After 45 minutes our order had still not been taken. Our waiter had only 3 tables including us. After an hour of no service we asked for our check. It took another 15 minutes. Waiter said nothing. He didn't think it was strange we weren't eating? On a Friday night there were only 10 tables. This place is depressing and the music is terrible. Too many good restaurants in Seattle to go here.

4 Stars: lush dishes in lush settings (by shianxiu s.)

shianxiu s. — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 00:23:00 GMT

is what i recall of this romantic setted restaurant. the complimentary breads came with this incredible tasting hummus. and the soup was nice and thick, my mouth was devoured. but still, the main entree, made my heart pound. although i was already filled with the first entrees, i just could not resist. and of course, my boyfriend and i had to order dessert. we had the pear dessert, and it was just mouth-watering. i would have to say, that my boyfriend made an excellent choice in choosing this place to have dinner for valentine's day.

5 Stars: Great! (by meglaw)

meglaw — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

My husband and i love to go to brasa for their incredible happy hour. The food is great and really affordable with a fabulous ambience. The service at times can be not great, however Matt always goes above and beyond. Which encourages us to come back again and again

5 Stars: Definately one of Seattle's finest (by canelriibe)

canelriibe — Thu, 21 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I have been to Brasa several times over the years and I still continue to have the best meals of my life there! The wine list is eclectic and well priced and the service is usually wonderful.

3 Stars: Dissapointed (by careful)

careful — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 01:00:00 GMT

We have been to Brasa several times in the past, but last week was a huge dissapointment when we went to the bar for happy hour. The well drinks were really watery - and the couple sitting at the next table agreed. They sent their's back. All three of the appetizers we ordered struck out: the mussels were the size of manilla clams (although the broth was good), the meat in the steak sandwich was grizzly and almost unchewable, and the onions rings were a mouthful of grease. It is not worth a return trip.

4 Stars: 25 for $25 Value (by zoenfi)

zoenfi — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 01:00:00 GMT

I didn't realize that wait staff meant we had to wait! We were pleasantly surprised by the value of the 25 for $25 menu, but not sure if paying full price would be worthwhile. Having said that, the food delicious, the octopus the best and most tender I hav ever had. The Paella was outstanding and desserts quite sublime.

Even though we ate in the bar that was half full, the service was slower than molasses! The waitress, when she graced our table, was pleasant if a little snobbish, but having to stand up and go over to the bar to pay was a little much. and spoilt the evening...

5 Stars: Great ambience, but not foo foo (by billrallen)

billrallen — Sat, 12 Jun 2004 02:00:00 GMT

This place is a Seattle gem. Great decor, awesome service, good looking people, but not at all pretentious. One of my new favs.

5 Stars: Incredible!! (by Summer3317)

Summer3317 — Wed, 28 Jan 2004 01:00:00 GMT

We recently had our work holiday party at Brasa, and incredible is the only word to describe it! The service was far above and beyond what I've experienced in most restaurants. Everything was perfect and the food was delicious!

5 Stars: New Favorite (by wonbanana)

wonbanana — Fri, 26 Dec 2003 01:00:00 GMT

The atmosphere, to begin with, was classy, warm, inviting, and sophisticated. We took a seat in the comfy lounge overlooking the restaurant. The waitstaff was absolutely amazing. Our waiter took the time to thoroughly answer any questions we had and suggested some great dishes. When I asked for a drink that wasn't on the menu, the bartender went out of her way to mix the ingredients I remembered plus some extras she thought I might like. Throughout the evening, they checked up on us and also made some interesting conversation without being intrusive. Now the best part: the food. Chimichurri Shrimp is to die for! The cumin-dusted scallops were tender and delicious when paired with different flavors like leeks, potato pancakes, quail egg and bacon. I will definitely return to sample more of the menu.

2 Stars: Good food, BAD service (by soozin)

soozin — Thu, 06 Nov 2003 01:00:00 GMT

I can't help but think that had the three of us been men we would have received better service. There's a stereotype that women don't tip well. I wonder if that's because places like Brasa give such crappy service to women? We had to wait for a wine list, ask to have our very empty plates taken away and stand up to get attention to get our bill. It's nice not to be rushed, but it was a 2.5 hour ordeal all together and most of that was spent waiting for the next course. The good wine buzz was ruined by the lack of service. I'm not going back.

2 Stars: baaaaad service (by thejazzguy)

thejazzguy — Fri, 04 Apr 2003 01:00:00 GMT

We came without reservations, so we ate at the bar, which was a little more than half full. We got our drinks in a timely manner and ordered dinner, and then the waiting began. Good luck getting your water glass refilled--only selected patrons get the honor. No use making eye contact either, that doesn't seem to help. When we finally did get our food, it was disappointing--very small portions, trendy presentation, undercooked. after being served our food we were forgotten about for over 30 minutes and had to stand up to finally get their attention. truly horrible service.

4 Stars: The best things come in small packages?? (by princessww)

princessww — Tue, 01 Apr 2003 01:00:00 GMT

I've eaten in the bar many times but recently had dinner here with friends. Everyone loved their food but thought the portions were way too small. The food is fantastic and the wine pairings are great. Some of the best mussels in Seattle without a doubt! Our service was good if a bit slow, certainly not snobbish! I've never encountered that here. I'd say don't take a hungry guy unless your doing happy hour bar menu!

5 Stars: zorbajim (by zorbajim)

zorbajim — Tue, 18 Mar 2003 01:00:00 GMT

We were there for the 25 for $25 promotion. We founded everything excellent. If there is a downside the portions for the entre seemed a tad small. We found the wine by the glass selections to be varied and reasonable. The polenta appetizers will bring tears of joy to those that love "rich food." Tip to the kitchen: the sucking pig should have more than 4 bites of pig.

5 Stars: Happy Hour Heaven (by yaypickles)

yaypickles — Fri, 28 Feb 2003 01:00:00 GMT

The half price happy hour apps are the way to go for creative food at reasonable prices. I repeatedly order the Moroccan Steak Sandwich and the Goat Cheese Pizza (though the pizza varies in amount of topping depending on which cook is working).

The servers are well-educated on wine/food pairings. I've even been talked out of an expensive Cab in favor of the house Tempranillo: a sign that the servers are more concerned with happy customers than a huge bill. Note, though, that Friday nights are hectic with slower service.

5 Stars: Food Quality @ Brasa (by tazarat)

tazarat — Fri, 21 Feb 2003 01:00:00 GMT

Went here during the 3 courses for $25 throughout Seattle (great idea!). Both my boyfriend and I cook and cook well, so we're a bit snobbish when it comes to food quality. Brasa blew us away! One of the very few restaurants in Seattle that wowed us with the food. We ate the rabbit ragout and ravioli (far exceeding my expectations). Many other "top notch" places tend to disappoint us, food-wise.

4 Stars: the bar menu... (by kessy)

kessy — Sun, 29 Dec 2002 01:00:00 GMT

...is half price during happy hour, and imo that is THE thing to do at Brasa. The curried mussels are great, and there's steak frites, lamb burgers, moraccan steak sandwich.. oh! its great. absolutely a winner.

4 Stars: Trendy atmosphere, good food (by lnelson)

lnelson — Mon, 09 Dec 2002 01:00:00 GMT

A friend and I met at Brasa for dinner last week. The clam appetizer was outstanding, the best item we tried. My friend's mushroom pasta was truly delicious, but so overwhelming in flavor that you didn't want anymore after eating about 1/2 of it. My steak was OK, it was very ordinary in cut and quality, but it was cooked perfectly. You can get better pasta and steak elsewhere, but the atmosphere, service, and drinks make it worth another trip.

4 Stars: UNIQUE & CREATIVE (by jeffashton)

jeffashton — Mon, 25 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

This unique and creative dining spot situated on the edge of Belltown features very nice dining space and a menu that works hard to be different. Quite frankly if I had read some of the preceeding reviews I may have never tried this spot but happened in on 11/23 and was very pleased with the experience, Yes the service was mediocre but not bad or offensive, my water glass was kept full and the food was superb. The calamari was excellent, the spinach salad was great and the tenderloin on potatoes very tender and flavorful! The wine list while super affordable, could use more recognizable Washington and California mid to upper range offerings! We were too full for desert!

2 Stars: Overrated and Overpriced! (by Mistyloo)

Mistyloo — Sun, 24 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

This is not a restaurant that I would recommend to anybody! I think the service and the food are less than exceptional! When the restaurant first opened, I found the atmosphere and food to be ok. During my last 3 visits, the quality has definately gone done. Almost everyone in our party found it difficult to select an entree selection. In fact, we almost got up and walked out of the restaurant. Anyway, we decided to give it a try. I wish we hadn't stayed. The food quality was less than tasty and the price was even worse! Once our food was delivered, it seemed like our table no longer existed.

If given an option to pass on Brasa, do so!

2 Stars: Surly servers, good food (by skyflyer3)

skyflyer3 — Thu, 21 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

Absolutely terrible service. We had to wait forever for even the menus to come to the table - about 20 minutes. Then another 15 after we had finally received them did she check on us. Then another 20 for our first course. And we were seated way in the back, away from other diners, because we had an 8 year old with us. Don't get me wrong, the food was excellent, but the service was so bad that I couldn't imagine spending that much again to be treated so badly. Looks like things haven't changed since the opening....

2 Stars: No bang for the buck and NO service! (by debkaps)

debkaps — Tue, 19 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

Skip Brasa! Offering slow, inattentive service and a petit filet main course that is 2oz. (literally 2 bites) of gristly meat. My friend and I chose their promotional Dine around Seattle three course prix-fixe menu (overpriced even at $25). I don't expect fast service at fine restaurants, but I do expect ATTENTIVE service. Forty-five minutes after being seated, we were still waiting with only empty water glasses in hand. They were out of our first 3 wine selections. I gave up on ordering a bottle of wine and chose a specialty mixed drink from the menu ($8) they were out of that, too. We had to request bread since none was brought to us, they didnt take our order for 50 minutes, and our water glasses were never filled without flagging someone down. We spent dinner trying to get service, instead of enjoying each others company or our food.

1 Stars: I'd rather eat at Jack in the Box (by belltown_tramp)

belltown_tramp — Mon, 18 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

Another one of downtown Seattle's ultra-trendy wannabe top rate restaurants. Expensive menu, poor food. Service? What service? Worst service in town!

2 Stars: Good Food - Awful service (by aborgida)

aborgida — Mon, 11 Nov 2002 01:00:00 GMT

We tried brasa during a $25 promotion for an app, entree and dessert. The menu was limited but had a veg, meat, and fish selection. Food was flavorful with nice seasonal additons (squash gnocchi, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin cheesecake). The service was simply awful and the food did not make up for it. We waited close to one hour between our app and meal being served. The waiter never came by to apolgoize and we had to flag him down to ask where our food was, no bread refill to keep us going during the long wait. He apologized at the end of the meal, but too little too late. Too much competition in this town for me to go back.

1 Stars: Rip-off, go elsewhere! (by Tharvey)

Tharvey — Sun, 13 Oct 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Yet another overpriced/mediocre food/bad service restaurant. The wait staff in particular was despicable - no interest in customer service, only in pushing more items to pump up the bill and their tips. It's surprising that in today's rough economy, patrons are keeping this type of restaurant afloat. I for one will NEVER go back.

2 Stars: Don't bother... (by theidal)

theidal — Fri, 13 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

After reading the mixed reviews, I decided I had to try it myself before I could make a judgment. Besides the fact that every time the server suggested something, it just happened to be the most expensive thing on the menu, the prices were outrageously high for what you got. I ordered the special, which was a rack of lamb ($28-not on menu) expecting a good size portion. What I got was about 6 small bites (no exaggeration) of fatty meat on a bed of potatoes and mushy cabbage. My friend's portion (beef of some sort) was slightly larger, but at $27, not acceptable either. Even after an appetizer of beef carpaccio (raw beef for $14) and two drinks each we both left famished, disgusted, and $120 poorer.

5 Stars: simply the best (by rad1)

rad1 — Thu, 22 Aug 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Brasa is my favorite restaurant in Seattle. Tamara Murphy's art is beautiful and delicious. The food is simply divine. The staff are friendly and efficient. The atmosphere is intimate comfortable and inspired. With a half-priced bar menu, there is something for everyone. Everyone I have sent to Brasa has come back with raves. We love it!

5 Stars: Best bar menu/wine list (by rwdurbinIII)

rwdurbinIII — Sun, 04 Aug 2002 02:00:00 GMT

I love the laid back elegant atmoshpere of this undiscovered treasure. The bar menu is served till late, midnight I believe, great alternative to the other late night eats in town. I often wrap up a wonderful evening with a night cap and some tastey morsels accompanied by a friend or six. A great place to actually have a conversation, any night they're open.

4 Stars: Brasa is a fine restaurant... (by jeffreydzs)

jeffreydzs — Tue, 23 Jul 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Note that I did not say "exceptional". I had dinner there on 7/18, after not having been there since it opened. Service was prompt and efficient, but not over the top, and both meals were very good. Wine list is well done and offers many selections. Decor is excellent - I have always liked the way they planned the room. Dessert was delicious (the Brasa Banana Split), and just enough for two to share. Portions were decent, though not large. However, if you've ever eaten in truly fine restaurants (and I have, many of them), portions are generally NOT large. If you want big food, eat at Claim Jumper or TGI Fridays. Brasa is a solid choice for a nice, reasonably priced dinner in a classy atmosphere.

1 Stars: Yours is a bad restaurant (by chuckm713)

chuckm713 — Thu, 23 May 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Eating there was not a pleasant experience. The menu sounded fantastic, but the food was just so uniformly disappointing. As a corollary the value of the meal was abbysmal.

I left with a sick feeling for having spent $200 on such poorly executed, pretentious fare.

The ambience and service on the other hand were terrific, as was the wine - but we won't be back.