Lucia
222 Parkplace Ctr,Ste C, Kirkland, WA, 98033
Lucia Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Kirkland for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kirkland for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Kirkland for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
222 Parkplace Ctr,Ste C
Kirkland, WA, 98033 - Phone (425) 889-0200
- Website https://www.iloveluciakirkland.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Tue, Wed, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Caitie M.
The atmosphere is great. It felt warm and cozy. The food was really delicious too, especially the tomato basil soup. I wish they had some more menu options that didn't involve cream sauces though. Everyone in our party of 8 really enjoyed their lunch. Getting our food was a little slow, but we also had a large party.
(3)Jessica P.
With my husband and I planning a destination wedding up in Kirkland (my hometown), with our super close family and friends, we found it hard to find a reception facility that our small group of 25 wouldn't be swallowed in. With a recommendation to check out Lucia, we ended up securing the facility. Mike and Megan did such a wonderful job working with me on all the little details. Everything I ask was delivered and even though our reception was up in the loft, it felt as if we had the whole place to ourselves. All of our guests commented on how wonderful the food and the service was. If we lived local, we would be eating at Lucia's on a regular basis! Anyone looking for amazing Italian food or to hold a special event should check out Lucia. Megan and Mike thank you so much for helping make our wedding day a memorable one!! We can't wait to check out their LA base restaurants!
(5)Mary M.
If there was a negative 10 I would give them that. Let me start by saying that I have been going here since it opened! It used to be the place to go for a nice dinner or after work happy hour in kirkland for me and my friends. However, lately each experience is worse than the last!!!!! It is wayyy too crowded not enough room to walk awkward seating, it feels like you are also having dinner with the table next to you since they are sooo close food and quality is going downhill, less meat, a side of asparagus is THREE (WHAT?!?!?!), less fish, have to ask for bread or they wont bring it etc NOISY, cant carry a conversation with your table or you are yelling as if you are in a club All of the above aside, the SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE, AWFUL, and UNPROFESSIONAL So for the last 3-4 months my sister and I (and 20 or so of my friends) keep saying we wont go here anymore, but then keep giving it a try again, because we sooo badly want the "old lucia" experience. Last time, however, did it for a group of 6 of us who were giving it one last try because we had a couple of expiring groupons. It took them 20 minutes to sit us even though we had a reservation (what is the point of a reservation if we are going to have to wait that long anyway !?!??!?) our waiter was beyond rude with an awfullll attitude... the owner's wife, aka manager is a complete hormonal mess! she is so rude and unprofessional, talk about dropping the "f bomb" at work between the waiters and her, I mean we all do it, but if I am having a nice dinner with company, I don't expect to hear that out of the waiter or the owner's mouth. It is so unclassy and not okay under any circumstances... Oh and as if all of the above is not enough, we had to wait over an hour for our food!!! no apologies, nothing. The waitress did not even come to check on us or update us on what is going on... we had to physically get up and ask her. And then when the food did come, it was ehhh and half the size of meat and fish compared to 6 months ago! Anyway, we will never go here again... and we recommend you don't either! and Mike, please fix your restaurant, it's going downhill quick and it is sooo sad...
(1)Sarah C.
I LOVE Lucia and have been going there since I was a little girl (before their modern makeover). I generally love the food and service. In particular, their blackened salmon salad is delicious, and they have excellent drinks. The one downside I can think of is that they are constantly playing black-and-white movies on the wall in the entrance. I get what they were going for, but it's distracting and I think trying a bit too hard.
(4)C M.
I didn't have actual Italian food, but I did sit at the bar and have the Kobe beef burger and fries. It was wonderful, and tasty. The service was very friendly and efficient. I will be back!
(4)Annie D.
Maybe we went on an off-night. Or, maybe we were expecting more traditional Italian fare. My pasta (Penne Angelina) was served cold. Eeeeesh. To her credit, the waitress brought me out a fresh, hot meal. My friend had the chicken parmesan, and was disappointed - no, surprised - to find onions on the chicken. That's when we found out there were carrots in the tomato sauce, too (I found that odd). For dessert, we had the cannoli. I should've taken a picture; it was so decadent. The cannoli was topped with a huge mound of whip cream, with 4 poofs on both sides of the plate. The whole plate was drizzled with symmetric lines of chocolate. The cannoli filling was chocolate, which I'm not a fan of, but it wasn't bad. The shell seemed kind of stale.
(2)Brad L.
Great place for a meet up with friends! Went there for happy hour to meet two friends. The place was packed, but service was faster than I expected for how crowded it was. I sat down and our drink order was taken promptly. The happy hour drink prices were decent, though I don't know if I'd come here during normal priced hours. After we got our drinks our order was placed, and within a reasonable amount of time we got our appetizers, which were great. We didn't have to wait too long before our server asked us if we wanted to order more (since the appetizers were pretty small.) The appetizer prices were really good for the size/quality. Not too big, which allowed us to try a bunch of their stuff for not much money. The live music was great, and not too loud so I could hear the conversation of my friends. I showed up just after work, so I was already dressed in business casual, but I think I would feel out of place in a t-shirt and jeans-- definitely an up-scale swanky "Kirkland" feel to this place. Great food and drinks at a decent price, I will definitely be back!
(4)Harmony W.
The food here was great, nothing exceptional, but consistently good. Service was attentive, which was great, but at times felt a little rushed. Decor was lovely and would defiantly go back!
(4)Jennifer W.
Went here at 5pm on a Sunday for happy hour & dinner. Waiter did not take my drink order for at least 10 minutes. Others sitting with me of table of 12 had there drinks. Then I look for a menu, only serve appetizers for happy hour on Sunday. Oh well, guess I can't order a dinner meal. Must be a limited menu on Sunday evening. Others were then eating and so asked the waiter if I could order food. Ordered 2 appetizers saying this is the smallest dinner menu I have ever seen. Since he was not providing service in case that would be the last time I would see him that night. Most glasses were empty for 20+ minutes and food finally came. Had to ask for another glass of wine and a glass of water. They don't provide water at dinner. Hmm. After 2 hours there, I asked where the bathroom was since the 1 shared bathroom was and was told to go to a different side of the restaurant. When I walk into a dining room, I see 4-5 tables eating large bowls of pasta. Exactly what I came there for but was lead to believe was not being served. Wow that was a huge disappointment! They need to have a greeting when people come in to let you know the protocol. Say, I am really busy tonight and will be in the other room so if you need service, just go to the bartender or something. Or say, we have dinner but I did not provide you menu's so if you want to eat, ask the hostess for a menu because these are limited menu's. Regarding the food... I ordered a basil and tomato pizza appetizer. Sounded like the excellent one at Trellis. It was SO bad! The cheese was partially covering the pizza. The cheese was too chewy and thick. The sauce was overbearing so you could not enjoy the basil. Either that or there was none. The grape tomatoes were cold. The other food item was the stuffed mushrooms. The stuffing was boring. It was flavorless. Maybe it was because I went there to eat dinner and had to get by with terrible appetizers that made it disappointing. But I fear it was the food was not good. PS: Why they renovated the restaurant and did not improve the food is unknown to me.
(2)T p M.
Pros - price (well, maybe) - service Cons - food (pretend Italian) - parking It's really more of another drinking spot! The food side may satisfy a certain type and therefore will serve a purpose I suppose. I should have trusted my instinct when I noticed the size of this place.
(1)Katrina L.
I'm surprised that people don't like this place. Even talking with my fellow Kirkland people, they told me that it's so-so. Maybe because I found one thing that I liked and NEVER ordered anything else. haha. I thought the bread and the dipping sauce that they give you is pretty good. I always get their Signature Spaghetti and meatballs with fondue sauce and truffle. The meatballs are huge and flavorful and the pasta sauce is flavorful but not overpowering. It's pretty expensive for spag and mb, but I'm assuming that the truffle made it expensive, ~$18. Everytime we order food to go, we always ask for extra bread and dipping sauce and they've always been ok with that. Service in the restaurant is also pretty good.
(4)Pam G.
The food is good, but the dining area is too close for comfort. I was able to hear everything the couple next to me was saying. Tables are so close together that strangers kind of stare at each other. Weird feeling.
(3)Kellee M.
We decided to try out Lucia after purchasing a Living Social deal. It has a really nice ambiance. We went for an early dinner on a Wednesday evening. They had a black and white movie playing on the wall by the main entrance, the tables were set up nicely, the decor is cute and they have an outdoor patio/dining area where we were seated. All in all it was a great first impression. Looking around we also saw at least 5 tables with kids and we thought that it was great that a nice restaurant catered to families. We also noted that on various days they had live music, cocktail specials, etc. The staff was also very friendly. The reason for the three stars is that I'm vegetarian and they only had 1 true vegetarian entree on the menu (eggplant with spaghetti). I'm not the biggest eggplant fan unless it is cooked right...otherwise the texture is a bit too mushy for me. In this case, it was mushy and the spaghetti was ok...just noodles and marinara sauce. Nothing spectacular. If you are only going to offer 1 vegetarian selection I would expect it to be better, but, unfortunately, I wouldn't order this again. They had a vegetable risotto that I asked about but it is made with chicken broth. Even most of their salads have meat. I don't understand why a business would make a vegetable risotto with chicken broth...to me it makes more sense to make it with veggie broth and then it would cater to a larger number of patrons. Their menu offers pizzas but if I'm going to a nicer restaurant with higher prices than the local pizza shop I prefer to eat something other than pizza. All in all, I doubt I will be going back just because of the limited menu options. It's not for me, but perhaps worth a try for someone non-vegetarian. My husband did try the gnocchi with short ribs and he really enjoyed it.
(3)Chris A.
Lucia is hit or miss. I'm grateful to have a place like Lucia in Kirkland because everyone knows that Wednesday nights in the summer is where Lucia shines. To me, as I'm sure a lot of people, Lucia more or less represents an after work and nightlife watering hole scene. Which is great.... Also probably a decent date spot. The décor and lighting are perfect for feeling like you are in a nice place. Great wine and cocktails. Of the few dishes I've had there I can't say that I was very impressed. In fact, I think I just tried to eat what we ordered to help fight off the effects of too much wine. Lucia is great spot to dress up as well as walk in with board shorts if you are coming in off the water... another things that makes this place cool. Also they have live music periodically and one of my fav local bands (Dan Purser Band) plays there sometimes.
(3)Thach N.
I had the chicken puttenesca with the artichoke soup that has returned by popular demand said Rachel our waitress. Very good salads they also had a great tasting blackened chicken ceasar salad. They modern design of the restaurant was appealing. I think it would be a great place to host a small networking event.
(4)Georgia W.
With Kirkland needing some serious help in the Restaurant department, this is one place you can count on for good food, attentive service and not to hard on the pocket book. Date night or pre-funk, happy hour or casual dinner; Lucia fits the bill. Great menu with lots of choices and a wine list to suit nearly any picky wine-o. It made me particularly happy that there were many salads with plenty of options for add -ins. For starters we had the stuffed mushrooms and for dinner we enjoyed splitting the Shrimp Scampi and Roasted Beet Salad (+ added chicken). Casual but trendy setting, made it easy to talk but not feel too intimate or serious. No kids in sight. Not too dressy, but ladies you won't be out of place in a cute dress and heels.
(4)adrienne l.
I stopped in here tonight with the hubby for some drinks and appetizers (well, no drinks for me since I'm pregnant), and I was impressed by the cool atmosphere and delicious appetizers. We ordered the Crab Cakes and Tenderloin Pizetta and they were both wonderful. Good wines during Happy Hour according to my husband, too! I like that they had an old black and white movie playing on a giant wall and a fireplace. Also, I noticed that though it's more of an adult atmosphere, kids and babies are also welcome in the restaurant. Definitely will be back here to try the dinner menu!
(5)Cindy T.
Eh. What in the world did we order!? Since my first experience at Lucia was fantastic - the food choices were right on point, service was splendid, etc. I got another Living Social to come back here again. This time, we weren't so lucky in food selection. (Although service was okay). I opted for the pork chops with risotto, and my bf selected the spare ribs...which later came out to be in a soup base, with what he calls bland potato dumplings. It sounded enticing on the menu... and when the waiter brought it out, there was a mix of confusion because...we didn't expect the dishes to turn out the way it was. Oops in our part. Nonetheless, it just wasn't good. I only ate half of my pork chop serving, and ate the rest of my calamari from appetizer. Bread was okay - I don't particularly like the cheese style flat bread with this tangy light brown sauce for dipping, but it will do. Wish it had the warm bread with olive oil instead! Service is consistent, although I have to make it quite apparent that my glass is empty. The atmosphere is very nice and different - just good to get away for a little awhile and be intimate with your date in a darkened, closed setting. Or, sit back in the couches and relax with your friends in the bar area.
(3)Nicolle B.
I've been here twice now and both times the food was absolutely amazing! Can't beat two for one pasta Mondays. The pasta is fantastic, the salads are great, and the bread they bring is so good with the sauce! I've had three of them and tried four different pastas. The pancetta carbonara is amazing, and I'm a hard sell after being raised with an Italian grandmother! Only reason it's not five is because of the service. We could not find our waiter half the time both times we went. Then the last time they messed up our bill. Still would highly recommend!
(4)Mary-Kelly G.
I absolutely adore this place and not just because I am huge classic Hollywood fan and think that any restaurant who plays Frank Sinatra movies on the wall is just amazing, but because the food is amazing as well. Plus they offer a Gluten free pasta menu which is so appreciated and hard to find in Italian restaurants. I feel like I am here at least once a month if not more - great atmosphere, reasonable pricing, great food and what's not to love about learning Italian when you use their restroom and catching a Frank Sinatra flick while you dine. If you want to stop in for just happy hour it's great as well; a nice selection of food/drink items to choose from. The only thing that would make this place 5 stars is faster service. Like I said I come here about once a month and I love it, but I do always feel like I have to flag someone down when I am ready to order or need the check. Otherwise a great spot!
(4)Chenda N.
their signature spaghetti is something not to be missed. the truffles and meatballs are dreamy and if you go on the right day, you can pair it with a 1/2 price bottle of wine. end the night with homemade tiramisu and go home feeling like you got the second best thing to having dinner in italy.
(4)Asialee H.
Food is decent, love their bread. However, I have had a horrible customer service experience, we were double charged on NYE once for our table and once for someone elses table which was roughly $80and have been trying to get our money back ever since. I left several messages, which none of were returned. I finally in May got the General Managers email and emailed her regarding the situation, she was very polite and I figured the whole mix up would be cleared up within the a week or so. I emailed to follow up and she said that they were working on it and that it was actually their banks error and that the owners were working with the bank to get it rectified. At the beginning of June they sent me $35 gift card, for the incovenience and said they would still be working on getting me my money. I can't figure out why they can't just reimburse me $80 ???? After 6 weeks and many emails of waiting for Lucia to correct the problem, of which the last e-mail I sent was never responded to, I decided to call my bank (something I should have done from the beginning) the bank within 3 days refunded us our money as a fraud credit. Wouldn't go there again and I don't feel comfortable spending money at that place. There are many other Italian places to go to on the Eastside with much better food such as Firenze, Volterra, or Cafe Juanita. I did really like the atmosphere at Lucia though, too bad they have management issues or owner issues, not sure which one since almost all the e-mails I sent the GM Rachel said she would forward it to the owners.
(1)Kumiko M.
I wasn't a fan of their gnocchi. It was overly creamy, too heavy, and over-portioned for one entree selection. When i tried my friends' dishes, I wasn't a fan of any of their meals. However, the location was great; it is located just minutes away from the Kirkland waterfront and has a hip young atmosphere. Even the waitresses were hip and young. It was good for a group of 10 people, service was efficient but not as warm and friendly as I would expect a restaurant to be. In essence, the location and atmosphere was great, the food was just alright- but nothing I was Wow'd about, and the service was satisfactory.
(3)Matt Y.
Out west there seems to be less of a focus on hardcore italian places to eat. We stumbled upon Lucia's while trolling downtown Kirkland looking for a new place to eat. Lucia's is a place that I will visit again, and soon! The decor is modern classic, I would say. It's dimly lit and charming. I must say though, it could be a bit more comfortable. It was a bit chilly, and the chairs were uncomfortable. Maybe they don't want you to stick around for long? The service was fantastic, however. Looking at the wine list, I saw my favorite daily drinker of all time, and one that I can't seem to find out here: a Sangiovese from Di Majo Norante. I used to grab this out east for about $9 a bottle, and it was listed for $24 on the menu. BUT, this was a Wednesday night, and all bottles of wine are half off! So Bonnie and I got a delicious bottle of my favorite wine for $12. Fantastic! Our waitress also shared surprise at my excitement, as it was her favorite as well! The food was also top-notch. Since they clearly advertise in their name their Italian heritage, I figured I would go for the classic spaghetti and meatballs to test their mettle. Woah. Absolutely delicious. The sauce was something of a mix of marinara and alfredo, with a delicious topping of cheese. I loved it. One thing that disappointed me though were the meatballs. They were huge, but had a slight taste of fish to them, as if the meat was stored near the fish, or whomever made them had handled fish before, and not washed their hands. Not a deal-breaker, but I definitely noticed it. A totally enjoyable experience. Affordable, close, good food, friendly service. Can't wait to go back!
(4)Irina M.
Great food and ambiance. Wednesdays have wonderful live music. We always do our girls night dinners here and it is always a hit. In the summertime they have a nice outdoor patio and a good happy hour. I would highly recommend the bruchetta as the appetizer and the spicy pasta for entree.
(4)Mia H.
Pretty cool place to hangout, watch people, have mindless chats over couple drinks, and grab A-OK Italian food all at the same time. I wouldn't say it's the best Italian food in town, but I doubt that's what Lucia is going for either! Its mission is to attract people on the way to bar/club just enough to get enough food before party starts! I really like the location though. Parking can be pain of a** in Kirkland downtown or water front, but here you get to park in the lot. I like stopping by Lucia before my dance at KDC, and food were decent enough. Actually I find their Parmigiana, which is one of my favorite food, quite good. Ha! I just found out eggplant parmigiana is the traditional dish, and using meat, like veal or chicken was developed in other countries where in areas of Italian immigration. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pa…
(3)C H.
I've been back a few times in the last three years and have to say my opinion of Lucia's has warmed significantly. Lunch service can still sometimes be a little sluggish than what I was used to when it was Mama's, but it's within reasonable time limits. Parking is usually easy and, hey, it's close to work. What I absolutely LOVE about Lucia's is their happy hour. Drink and appetizer specials are great. The flatbread pizzas are perfect for sharing. The main dinning room still feels cold (especially by comparison to the old decor), but I'm glad to see they've improved.
(3)Amy R.
I went here with the boyfriend last week. The food was fantastic. I got their signature Spaghetti and Meatballs. This was no ordinary spaghetti and meatballs, folks. White truffle oil fondue, shaved truffles, homemade meatballs...so delicious. My boyfriend got the pork tenderloin, and that was also very good. We went on a Wednesday, when they had ladies' night, so I got a lemon drop for $4! Woo-hoo. The restaurant is small, but cozy, with romantic lighting. The only downside was we were seated near the back, so all of the servers kept passing back and forth and we could hear them talking and ringing up their orders. Also, the restrooms are in a weird location - you have to go out the back door into a little maze of hallways. I would definitely go back, but asked to be seated away from the back.
(4)Avery F.
Great atmosphere and modern decor. The food was AMAZING! I went with a large grouo of friends and we decided to all order something different and eat more like a family style which was perfect because I wanted to try everything on the menu:) the 4 stars is only because their bathroom was very dirty and looked like it hadnt beeb cleaned in quite some time. I will go back though. It was great for a girls night out!
(4)Angel V.
Wonderful food and service. You will love this place!!
(5)Shirin S.
Lucia reminds me an awful lot of Purple, from the dark furniture and candlelight to the minimalist decor. However, appearance is the only thing these two have in common. Lucia focuses on an 'Italian' cuisine but with a trendy twist. Unfortunately, being trendy also comes with a higher price tag. Dinner here is overpriced for the quality of dishes received. For a $20 chicken dish I'd go to Lola or Dahlia Lounge. Lucia's saving grace, however, is their happy hour. On Wednesdays, they have $3 martinis all night and half price appetizers. The calamari was delicious - crisp and perfectly cooked - topped off with a smooth marinara sauce. My lemon drop was surprisingly strong for three bucks and the bartenders were both attentive and entertaining. The female bartender was even so kind as to offer us a dirty martini she made on accident (which I found out I don't like). I'll come back here, but for happy hour only. I heard they have live music Wednesdays nights too...so $3 martinis, 1/2 price appetizers, and live music? I'll be there.
(3)Sebastian K.
Awful, awful, awful! We went saturday for dinner ordered chicken parmesan which came with spaghetti and the sauce tasted like it was out of a can and a pizza that was lacking everything it is called flavor. Well I got a huge chicken breast which was dry and not even prepared right. Your supposed pound the chicken breast with a mallet to thin it out. The bartender who barley spoke english decided he did not want to pour my drink to the top and I decided I did not want to pay him if he could not properly make a drink. Not sure about you but I like to get my drinks full not looking like someone has already taken a couple sips out of it. Anyplace that can't pour a F'N drink well don't be expecting to stay in business long. This place has all the makings of it going out business!
(1)Jennifer W.
WHAT DID THEY DO TO MY MAMA LUCIA'S????!!!! Here, I thought I would be giving a shout out to my favorite Italian SPOT in Seattle, and instead, I come to find that it's now the snooty, lounge, with another one of those overly done singular word named places. Ugh! I was SO hoping to return to this place with my husband to share with him the cozy little, warm, family restaurant I used to visit at least once a week, every week when I lived on the fabulous Eastside!! WTH?! And they put GOAT CHEESE on my favorite dish! I'm sorry- goat cheese smells like dirty feet. And if I wanted a happy hour- I'd go sit my happy ass at any one of the bars down the way. This is like your dear, sweet, little grandma being convinced by some sleazy salesman to get a Pam Anderson boob job, and drive a 350z! First Toi closes, now Mama Lucias has been tainted by some euro-trashy designer and told she needs to wear leather pants. Please, by all means, bring back the simple, happy, old menu with the amazing bread rolls, and bring back the happy, vintage yellow walls, with Italian kitschy decor.
(1)Sanjay F.
I never knew this place as the old Mama Lucias so I can't comment from that side of the table but I had been wanting to come here for a long time. The tables setup near the door and windows are awful chilly in the winter and fall so ask to sit elsewhere if that bothers you and don't negate a star if you didn't ask to be re-seated and were cold. Serves you right for not speaking up. The bar was full but I liked the ambience in there. Dress, is casual, but usually when I come, people are dressed somewhat nice because they are on dates. Dress to impress. What I dislike in the bar are those high stupid, plastic bar stools. God those are so uncomfortable. I don't have a size 4 arse and I just don't fit very good in them at all. If I have to sit at those wobly tables, I will always grab a real bar stool, hell I've been contemplating bring in my own bar stool to avoid the embarassment of falling down- see my Artisanal review... One look at her, and I knew I was in love... with the pizza that is... I was blown away, thin crust, sausage, mushroom and onion. The restroom was clean albeit was a his/her "onesie" restroom. The sound system in there was playing an arithmetic lesson in Italian which I found amusing. The big screen movie projector always seems to be playing the same old black and white film. God, I wish they would get something new!
(4)Valerie L.
My first time here, and actually by accident. Purple was busy so we went across the parking lot to try someplace new to us. What a pleasant surprise. We loved it and I am even thinking of what I am going to try next.
(4)Tom N.
I've had a few meals at this place now and everything has been terrific, from the food to the service. It's not in the best of locations, but wow the food is good. I have nothing at all to say that's the least bit critical. I've never had anything bad there. Yea, parking is a little tight at times, but overall, this place is definitely one of Kirkland's best. Kirkland overall doesn't have a lot of truly outstanding restaurants and this place really sets the food quality bar rather high. I'm impressed.
(5)Donna F.
Firs time ever in this place. Dish #1 Dungenese Crab Risotto. Risotto was horribly undercooked and formed into some small bowl minus the bowl. I think it was an attempt at presentation. It was so cheesy that it overwelmed the taste of what little crab was in it. It was covered in some chef boyardee type of sauce. And accompanied by freezer-burned shrimp still in the shell. Dish #2 A mix of sides (risotto and brocollini). The risotto was undercooked and formed into that strange shape with very little flavor. The brocollini was also undercooked and so heavily coated in garlic-infused oil that it took a really heavy wine (from my house) to elimiate it from my mouth. Blech. Ambiance: if the food was good, this would be more than passable. Service: Was very friendly until they realized how unhappy we were with the food. The second I declined a box for that mess, she clenched up, took a deep breath, pursed her lips and then made no effort to even ask. Having worked in retaurants in the past, I know better than to send anything back. We just don't go back and no way would we ever refer any new customers here. Freezer burned...really? If that leaves the kitchen as acceptable, sorry, that was not a one-time event.
(1)Michael T.
My girlfriend and I stumbled upon this place thanks to the help of Yelp and it's ability to filter open restaurants (it was a late Tuesday night). The decor was nice, very modern and clean however the food was a different story. The blackened chicken caesar salad was not good at all. The chicken was extremely dry. It felt like I was eating dehydrated meat that was dusted in pepper and salt. My girlfriend ordered the kobe tenderloin salad, which was mediocre at best. I won't be returning for the food.
(2)Yuri Y.
This is a great restaurant at a great location with lots of free parking and decent food at tolerable prices. Service can be a bit slow at times, but not too slow to complain (yet). Lasty night our party (four adults and two childern) had an excellent dinner at a table right next to the window (plenty of room for toddlers to roam about). Food was delivered relatively fast, wine was delivered even faster :-). We will be going there again
(4)Janice S.
i once ate at a cute little family-owned restaurant that was cozy. they had delicious pasta and the atmosphere was welcoming... but then they closed. :( uhh.. is this the place that replaced them?! the restaurant is beautiful, no doubt, but it felt very stuck-up and unwelcoming. when i came here with some friends we found that the food was tasteless and overpriced. this was last year, but the service wasn't too hot either so i actually haven't been back since. sadly enough this is the last memory i think i will have of this place. goodbye nonna from the OG restaurant.
(2)Dan K.
Had a wonderful meal here one evening. Bruschetta was amazing and the pork dish was good as well. Well worth a try.
(5)Rhondalei G.
Delicious hh food (calamari, pear and caramelized onion pizzeta & caprese salad). Steep on the drinks when you order top shelf liquor. $12 for my Chopin dirty martini. The bar is small, so if there is a large party celebrating, you can get easily annoyed (as we did and left). Would like to come back for a meal and will definitely be back for happy hour again.
(4)Midori L.
Absolutely adore this restaurant! Wish I could give it more then five stars. I live in Seattle and this is one of few establishments that I make an effort the frequent on the Eastside. The ambiance makes for a great experience, from the decor, the black and white movie projecting on the wall, to the little things such as Italian lessons in the bathroom. I often try and go on Wednesday evening to take advantage of the drink specials but also because they have live music every Wednesday from local artists. I have spent years going to this restaurant and order the same thing everytime because it is that good. My trick is to bring a friend or friends and try their food :) Among my favorites include the pear pizzetta & bruchetta of their appetizers. Both very flavorful! The traditional spaghetti & meatballs I could eat endless amounts of. More importantly I really appreciate the servers always make an effort to accommodate my dietary restrictions. I hate feeling like I'm inconveniencing someone and they do a great job of taking care of me and my guest during each visit. Thank you for always making it a wonderful dining experience!
(5)Kevin H.
Their bread was very yummy! This is a good place to go for a consistent Italian dinner for a mid-week dinner, but not the best place to end up on a weekend evening. The food is nice, but the reason for not giving a better rating was that it is very cold in the restaurant and they might want to invest in some blinds for the windows for the days the sun is too bright to sit by the windows. While writing this review I just looked to the 3/8/2009 review by Lauren H. and agree that the interior is really cold feeling, and not that cosy. I hope the restaurant reads these reviews as there seems to be a theme about being cold and NOT cosy.
(3)Matthew S.
I went to Lucia for the first time on a Wednesday night with some buddies. The place was very crowded but service was pretty quick. The beers were very fair priced and we ordered some food off the happy hour menu. Overall it was a good experience. The only down side was the customer base consisted of guys in deep v neck tee shirts that we're too tight and girls dressed to the teeth thinking they were gods gift to the world.
(4)Shep G.
Went the other night for dinner, was seated in the bar. Had a great time, bartenders weren't to up on the food, but they are BARTENDERS :) We had terrific service and the food was better than I expected. The place has a very eclectic crowd, but I kinda like the vibe. They were showing old black and white movies on a wall, and the bar had subtle but not dark lighting. I enjoyed it, and I'll go again.
(4)Jim T.
Food was good, delicious meatballs. Atmosphere is too hip/modern/cool and noisy to enjoy a nice Italian meal. It's like they don't know whether they're an Italian restaurant or a nightclub. It's sort of an odd place to find in a strip mall.
(3)Alice E.
Nice decor, but it's the food that should count, and here it just doesn't cut the mustard. A caprese salad (out of season!): crappy, grainy tomato, crappy cheap mozzarella, no olive oil, and too much balsamic reduction. Paparadelle pasta- okay at best. The focaccia tasted store bought and so did their "dipping sauce" was a crappy balsamic vinegar dressing that also tasted store bought. Don't waste your money.
(2)Melissa H.
The ambiance at this place ROCKS. I am in love with their decorator. As I walked in, I was greeted by a Frank Sinatra movie projected onto the wall. The restaurant is very open, which makes it very loud. The tables are too small once you get your bread, drinks, water, appetizer, and dinner. I tried the chicken parmigiana, at the recommendation of the waitress ("it's one of the best things on the menu"), and I was met with a grisly chicken breast (you have to look pretty hard for a grisly chicken breast!!) covered in bread crumbs. I don't think it was fried, which makes it healthier yes, but takes away from the classic taste. I wouldn't go there again, and wouldn't order the waitresses picks if I did. They do have a fantastic online reservation system. I would recommend using it as it looked pretty darn busy.
(3)Ponarett X.
So I was going to write a review of Mama Lucia's but after reading the most recent reviews, it looks like it's not the same as it was. That's really sad because I've only been to Mama Lucia's once and it was wonderful! It was probably the best Italian food I had eaten. My then-boyfriend and I had attempted to go back a couple times after that but it was closed for remodeling. We never did make it back (foreshadowing, possibly?) The staff was super friendly and I never had to ask them to refill my water glass. So my 4 stars is for the old place and I don't think I'll be visiting Lucia's.
(4)sean o.
Someone invite Mama back, please! One of our Kirkland favorites recently underwent a serious facelift, for the worse... The restaurant formerly known as Mama Lucia's, the warm home of friendly staff, perfect pizzas, inviting entrees, and the prime card discount has been replaced with a loud, cold, and overpriced restaurant that will compete in the same overcrowded niche as Purple and Cactus. Mama Lucia's was our go-to dinner joint in Kirkland and my wife and I were so disappointed with our experience on Friday night, that I had to post a negative restaurant review. Where they could have done better: 1. Overcharged us for drinks at the bar because they didn't have a negroni in their computer yet. 2. Our seat by the window was downright cold. When I half jokingly asked if they had a spaceheater our waitress both didnt laugh, and didnt show any concern... 3. No prime card! Despite still being featured on the prime card site, they decided not to take the discount card. 4. The $14 prosciutto, arugula, and parmesan pizza was really pretty good, but is priced $2 more than a better offering 50 yards up the way at Purple. I'd really like to see this place do well, and hopefully sometime we're able to give Lucia's another shot.
(2)Selena B.
The Dessert was good. The rest was crap. Don't bother going here unless you like; 1. Sitting on stylish yet cold hard seats. 2. Sitting in a dining area where there are far too many tables and waiters keep running in to the corners of them. 3. Like to be forgotten about and watch other people get bread with olive oil, but you only get bread 25 min after you sit down and place a order, sans olive oil. 4. You like paying for food that is salty and bland at the same time. My Kobe Steak was chewy.. my MEAT was CHEWY, it was so bad i actually didn't eat anymore than 2 pieces. We had 3 dishes and all were at best "Meh". 5. The wait staff is only nice to you when you pay the bill Don't bother going.
(2)C L.
Great food, friendly waitstaff, good service! I really recommend this place! They have a large variety of dishes (pastas, pizzas, meats, vegetarian, gluten free!) and they are sweet and willing to take on substitutions and dietary requirements. I have eaten here many times and it has never been an issue that I am a vegetarian with gluten/dairy/egg allergies. Prices are decent. Monday is 2 for one pasta dishes! Lunch specials include a soup/salad are great value. Nice selction of wines and full bar, too. :) Cute decor, nice atmosphere and great location near downtown Kirkland. I do not often get to eat Italian food out because of my dietary limitations, but Lucia's allows me to have this experience! GRAZIE!
(5)Brittney W.
We had the pleasure of having dinner here last night. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and amazing food and wine! They also have great nightly specials to include half off bottles of wine. Can't wait to go back!!
(5)Tonya N.
What a pleasant surprise! Looks like a belltown joint in Kirkland, very chic, nice dark walls with great lighting... i LOVE the outdoor seating... Great place to meet up for happy hour. The prices were great, had the stuffed mushrooms, caprese salad and the steak pizza. I'd say it in that order too. The food isnt that great but the environment and very warm service makes up for it. Will try different items on the menu. Next time I will stop by again after getting a foot massage next door for sure...
(4)Danny D.
Tried this place a few times, every time the service was terrible, the food portions were miniscule, and prices outrageous. The only thing this wanna-be-swanky place has going for it is, it's almost swanky and hip. However, hip ambiance does not a good restaraunt make, never going back. Oh and, the food's really not that good either, a simple plate of spaghetti had zero flavor, the steak was tasteless, coarse, and all alone on that huge hip-swanky plate. The steak was around Daniel's prices, but nowhere as good.
(1)Tom Y.
Late night HH review We were at Purple for a late dinner, and wanted to find a place to go to for a few drinks afterwards. As it was about 10 by the time we walked by, we figured, might as well. Lucia used to be a mom-and-pop type restaurant, with the checkered tablecloths and such, and nobody had tried it after the renovation. It currently is totally modernized, but done in a very tasteful manner. They have actually kept some of the original artwork, which works surprisingly well with the new dim interior, and sleek lines. There is very limited outside seating, with a couple of couches and tables arranged in the main dining area that extends outside under a canopy. However, that was great for us, on a balmy night, as the place was pretty empty. We got there and were happy it turned out to be HH, as the menu was great. The only food we got, given dinner was 15 minutes prior, was calamari (yes, I ate it all), but they had some pretty good drinks on the menu. I actually had my first martini there, and it was pretty good; next time, I'll reserve the olive juice, and it'll probably be perfect. Otherwise, I stuck with their port, which was also a great selection. The calamari was well done, with a large portion, and given that the drinks were also good, I'd come back here for a more upscale late HH in Kirkland. Since there aren't many other choices in the same niche, I'm definitely glad I found Lucia
(4)Jim H.
I can't believe that I've lived a block from here for this long and never ate at Lucia. It is actually one of the better Italian restaurants I've been to in a long time. The pancetta pasta is good, and the chicken parmesan is really good too. I don't know why some restaurants can't get that simple dish right, but Lucia definitely does! They also have Peroni on tap!
(4)Gaby F.
Now with a new name and website: LUCIA - iloveluciakirkland.com Lucia lost the Mama but it didn't lose the good food. I never tried the old Mama Lucia's but judging from the reviews below it was pretty good. My husband and I visited the newly re-opened restaurant and loved the menu variety, the great food, the decor/ambiance, plus the fantastic service. We tried the poached pear salad, the tuna tartare, tomato soup, chicken parmigiana, and the chocolate lava molten cake and everything was de-li-cio-us! Don't miss it.
(5)Oliver P.
Probably a 3.5...maybe even a 3.75....but not a 4 thus the 3 star review. Like many others, I to long for the smaller, more neighborhoody mama lucias. The new one is just a little too over the top for me...I dunno...just not how an Italian spot should be? Just one mans opinion though. Food is solid though never spectacular...save for the bread they bring out which is amazing! Service is very nice and genuine but slow and the portions never fill me up. All in all though, a solid spot.
(3)Nancy D.
Very nice atmosphere but ruined by the curly-haired blonde bar staff and bad food. One bartender in particular is rude, cocky and just doesn't understand customer service. Calling women in the bar, "his bitches" and talking them in derogatory ways is not appreciated by most. If you want to claim, "upscale" then please provide, upscale and respectable service. This is by far the worst service I've experienced on the eastside. Apparently, this guy is friends with the owner or I'm quite sure he'd be out of a job!
(2)Megan S.
The wine was nice...... And everything else pretty much sucked... The atmosphere is cold and uninviting, the service is pretty much the same. All that could be forgivable if the food had been great but that was not the case. My beet salad had mushy golden beets which made me want to gag a little and my lemon chicken pasta was pretty bland except for some sneaky black pepper that made my nose run. It is really echoey in there and if your sitting next to some loud people you end up hearing about how they got high off one toke at the supper club and maybe they should call the babysitter and tell her they'll be home late and go play guitar hero and smoke a doobie. That last part was the highlight of our dinner!
(2)M D.
The remodel is soooo weird and so cold, I won't return...not comfortable.
(1)Ryan F.
I've been to Lucia about 8 times, mainly being dragged there for Happy Hour. Food is overpriced, tasteless, and all around mediocre. The only saving grace is the good HH deals during the week, which I wish applied towards food as well. Also, be wary of going there while they have live music. It's obnoxiously loud, played by crappy local artists.
(2)Jon A.
Really enjoyed the food and service on several occasions but unfortunetly kept on being over charged. A mistake is understandable once or twice and they correct it when you catch it but why deal with it.?
(1)A H.
Wednesday $4 house Martinis for the win!
(5)Dave L.
I'm not sure why I keep coming back here. The location is convenient for me, the ambiance is OK (great view of a grocery store parking lot...), service is so-so, prices are high, and food mediocre. Oh right -- it's next to a Purple and they are open on Sundays. It's my fallback for when Purple isn't open or has too long a wait, that's it. If you're looking for authentic Italian, this ain't it. Pasta dishes here are swimming in a sea of sauce, and are extremely inconsistent. I've had good meals here and I've had terrible meals here. The bruschetta is DELICIOUS and I would recommend it. I'm not sure what's up with the breadsticks and the sickly sweet sauce they serve with it. Pasta dishes are very inconsistent and can be super delicious and can be tough-to-get-down. Not really recommended. It's like it wants to be Purple, but it's not as good in any respect. At least it's easier to get into without reservations. edit on 4/10/13: A friend found a *live* cockroach in their pasta. Their meal plus a bottle of wine was free. Friend continues to go there on dates hoping to get another free meal.
(1)Kathi T.
Ate here last night, food and service were great. Caesar Salad wonderful, lightly dressed. Chicken Cannaloni was delicious as always. This dish is one of my favorites and has not changed in last couple years. Friend had the baked rigatoni that they changed the pasta and made it Baked spagetti. She loved it. Only drawback, they have taken the Chop Chop salad off as a 1/2 salad and would not make an exception. Went home with leftovers.. so portion was good for the price. I would highly recommend this restaurant.
(4)Steve B.
How do you fix something that ain't broken? Ask the folks at Lucia, formerly Mama Lucia's, which was a perfectly nice little neighborhood Italian place tucked into the Park Place Plaza in Kirkland. It was intimate, cozy, decorated in that cornball, red-checked tablecloth-and-old-Chianti-bottle motif that is such a cliche in Italian restaurants that it's practically a uniform. I don't want to even give this idea of theirs the credibility of a real review, frankly. I think one of the worst and most contemptible ideas in retail is to tart up your store in trendy new style - and raise your prices! - and then have the food be even less effective than it was to begin with. It's just pandering. This place is the result of somebody saying, "We're too OLD-FASHIONED! WE need to GET HIP!" and then tricking out their room in some Bauhausian nightmare of minimalist reductivism, like a Japanese spa foyer or a dentist's office. IMHO, just an opinion and not any more valuable than anybody else's opinion, the food was better when it was Mama Lucia's, for one basic reason: it was unpretentious. It was a neighborhood Italian restaurant and you went there knowing full-well that you were not in for the gastronomic experience of a lifetime. There was no pressure of expectations to it. It was friendly and warm and the food was solid - not spectacular, not revelatory, but always good, hot, on time, edible, even enjoyable, and A BARGAIN. Please tell me by what culinary libertine reasoning you cram "Macadamia and Almond Encrusted Salmon with a Ginger Cream Sauce" into an Italian cuisine. For that matter, "Crab Cakes with a Ginger Wasabi Aioli". How about a Pizza with Papaya BBQ Sauce, Chicken, and Red Onion? And those Kobe Beef Burgers? I wasn't the world's best geography student but I don't remember a town called "Kobe" anywhere in the Mediterranean. Pretentious. Trendy....which is certainly not a crime but, what happens when the trend, as all trends do, runs its course? Lucia is a reduction, to me, of Mama Lucia's. It wasn't broke and they went and fixed it. Too bad.
(2)katie s.
I went to Lucia last night for the first time and I really enjoyed myself. On Monday's they have half price bottles of wine and we got a nice red zin for a great price and we sat in the trendy but comfortable lounge and sipped away. The bartender was incredibly helpful and nice. He suggested different wines, food accompaniments, and even days when the place isn't packed. I will be going back for their happy hour and dinner in the near future! UPDATE 12/29/2008: I went last night for dinner and it was SO good! The pasta dishes are just perfectly put together and comforting and they have a great wine list. I also love the movie playing on the wall. All in all i really do like this place !
(4)Sarah M.
This review is for "Lucia" not Mama Lucia's because I loved Mama Lucia's. They would have been a 5 star. I was in Seattle for the weekend and my friends and I decided to head down to our regular spot only to see it had been completely transformed into a contemporary upscale place instead of the homey place we used to know that had great food and live jazz. I can't complain too much, I only had the beet salad, though it was on the expensive side, and they do have Blue Moon on tap which bumps them up a star. Overall, I'm a little bummed, but we had a great time, and the service was great. I think the owner's son spent a little too much time in LA and is trying to makeover Kirkland, like it needs any help in becoming more OC, please go away.
(3)Christi Z.
Lucia is my go to spot for girls nights, date nights and family dinners. The food is always AMAZING (try the salmon and crab cakes) and the service is great too. Last night the guy busing tables literally chased us down in the parking lot to give me back my cell phone I left on the table and the chef accommodated my special request. LOVE Lucia!
(5)Ashley C.
I love love love this place, the PERFECT place for happy hour. I have been for happy hour many, many times and for dinner once. Lucia has the best HH prices I have found in the Kirkland Bellevue area. I have always gone on Wednesday nights when they have live music..If you don't like loud music don't go on a Wednesday evening. Their drink prices are fabulous, $3 wine, kazis, lemondrops and a handful of others, the drinks are always good (strong :) ). Happy hour apps are also %50 off, the crab cakes are amazing and have been more than happy with everything else I have tried there. The 'scene' is definitely Kirkland, but what do you expect? Bottom line, its a great night out..well worth it.
(4)Alice C.
This is our fav Italian restaurant at the Eastside of Lake Washington. We have always had consistent good Italian meal. My past favorite: Dinner special Mushroom Risotto. We went there again for v-day last night. Hubby had penne pasta with sun dried tomato and feta cheese in white wine sauce. I had fettucini with garlic in white wine sauce. Both were yummy. (Though we suspected that they ran out of bread last night since it was so busy. The bread we were served tasted suspiciously like the one from QFC across the street.) On some nights, there is live music. Monday night is buy one get one free pasta night, and Tuesda night is half priced wine. We definitely will go there again and again and again. Updated six months later.. Changed the number of stars from 5 stars 4 stars after I discovered another Italian restaurant in the area.
(4)Jen H.
My husband's parents are in town and we wanted to dine on the Eastside, so tried Lucia. We were all impressed! The service was fast and efficient. The bread they brought to the table was a lovely onion foccacia with a balsamic dipping sauce. We shared the stuffed mushroom appetizer and it was good, but not out of this world. It was white button mushrooms stuffed with cheese over a kind of creamy-watery pesto. Not my favourite part of the meal, but it was still good. For our entrees, I had the shrimp scampi; the pasta portion was perfect, cooked perfectly al dente and included six large shrimp cooked to perfection. My dish was seasoned well with capers, grape tomatoes, garlic, lemon and wine. My husband had the eggplant parm and really enjoyed it. It was a large portion of eggplant and spaghetti marinara. My mother-in-law had the chicken parm and enjoyed that too! She took about half home because of the healthy portion size. My father-in-law enjoyed the Kobe Burger and fries. We didn't have room for dessert, but if the rest of the meal was any indication, it would have been great!
(4)Mark H.
I have eaten here many times. The food is excellent and the owner Mike cares for his customers. Would suggest this place to all my friends
(5)Drew K.
Love love love Lucia. I haven't eaten here but I love the bar. Great drinks. Great bartenders. And when they have it some great music
(5)Dan W.
I was not too impressed with this place. The whole movie thing playing against a wall where people were eating was just weird. I'm glad I wasn't seated in front of it as it would get annoying after a while when half of the restaurant is staring in your direction. The place is a bit loud and it was difficult to hold a conversation at our romantic (e.g. small) table. The food was fine, but I would still come back despite all of this, as long as they stay on Alaska Air's air miles plan... thank you triple points.
(3)Swati S.
We have been to Lucia twice. The first time we went on a friend's recommendation and had loved the service and food. The second time we went there to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The restaurant folks made the evening special for us. We loved the food, the service and the ambience. We had a great time.
(5)Mareth L.
I went to Lucia last week for drinks and apps before heading to a birthday party at a nearby restaurant. I sat at the bar and was ready to leave within minutes of arriving. The bartender that helped me was okay but the other bartender was beyond annoying. He was chatting with his friends at the end of the bar about their weekend escapades loud enough for the whole block to hear. He was kissing the waitresses while they placed their orders and even let them try the drinks before delivering them to customers. At one point there were at least 4 straws in a drink that I watched get delivered to a table!! He was loud, inappropriate and completely unprofessional. Where is the management at this place?? The staff seemed to be having their own private party. The drinks were nothing spectacular and the apps I had were less than average. Certainly not nearly good enough to make this establishment worth stepping foot in. I know it's a fairly new restaurant so they might still be working out the kinks but I certainly won't be going back any time soon.
(1)Jasmine F.
very good customer service =D, good food!! Will go back again. The waitress Jennifer she is super nice and sincere !! I love their crab cakes!! YUM
(5)Angi M.
The staff was great. Our waitress and the hostess came and checked on us. The food was great too. The portions were just right. Just enough to make you full and have enough leftover for lunch the next day. I recommend the Wild Mushroom Risotto with Sauteed Prawns and chocolate souffle for dessert. We will definitely will be back.
(5)Flora C.
I had a much better time when Lucia was Mama Lucia. The old Lucia was much more authentic (the deco, the size, etc), good food, fair price, and I always wanted to return for more. The new larger Lucia was comtemp, crowed, and pricy. I was disappointed with the change. I did not return since my last visit to Lucia. =(
(3)Sarah T.
I've had Lucia a couple times and I've always been happy with the food. I ordered a couple pizzas (mozz,tomato,basil and pepperoni,sausage,mushroom,onion) and salads (chop chop and caesar) from here. The pizza was still hot and great ingredients. Their chop chop salad is fresh n delicious! Prices are high but it's definitely a nice restaurant atmosphere and the food doesn't disappoint.
(4)Kari R.
Went to Lucia with one of my girlfriends. Absolutely LOVED it! Authentic Italian food, incredible ambiance, and outstanding service. Our servers name was Jessica and she was not only friendly, but extremely familiar with the menu. She suggested some delicious appetizers and entrees. Jessica was very attentive and made us feel like we were her only table. I would recommend Lucia to anyone who is looking for a quality night out at a fantastic restaurant!
(5)J J.
OH my GOODNESS! If you have been here before and didn't like it....you need to come back! A totally revamped, upscale gitchy atmosphere. The last time I was in there, there was a 30 minute wait for a table, so we didn't end up staying...otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. This THE new IT place.....I'll give it a few weeks to cool off before trying again.
(4)Robyn H.
When my soup was a touch too salty and I mentioned it to the waitperson, he whisked it away, took the charge off my bill and offered a complementary glass of wine for my trouble. Now that's customer service! Good home-cooked style Italian food and plenty of it. Forget about the fancier restaurants and have a meal like Mama used to make.
(4)Cathy G.
A quiet place for a low expectations supper.
(2)Kym S.
I went here on a Friday night with my fiance's folks who have been long time patrons of Mama Lucia's. This was my first time here ever and theirs since the remodel. Having not seen the restaurant and decor before, I thought it was fun and chic. You could tell they are definitely trying to be "upscale". I had the ricotta gnocchi in a vodka sauce and I also tried my sister's wild mushroom risotto. Both were very delicious! The bread and sauce that they bring out are tasty as well. They claim the food was just as good as it was before so if the remodel is turning you off, that just leaves more seats for the rest of us. Yeah, the seating was a little tight, but there are many lengths I will go to for great Italian fare. I'll be back here for sure! Prego Lucia!!
(5)Katie B.
Mama Lucia's may be the best kept secret in Kirkland. Situated in an unlikely strip mall, across from a grocery store, Mama's delicious cuisine makes it will worth the extra effort to find the restaurant. While the restaurant itself is about half the size of the local fast food joint, the fare served up by the happy wait staff make Mama's a giant of the Italian restaurant set. Each dish is delectable - and I've sampled MANY. Like any kitchen, you may be sitting elbow to elbow with your dinner companions (and maybe someone else's!), but it only enhances the experience. The wine selection boasts several local vintages, with nary a dog in the bunch. There is a wine that would complement every item on the expansive menu, from bruschetta to cannelloni to pizza. And don't forget to save room for desert! Yum! Mama's has become a favorite of my friends and family, and I encourage you to make it a favorite of yours, as well. Try going on a Tuesday night, when the wine is half price and the adventure twice as fun! You will NOT be disappointed!
(5)Sarah R.
I went here on Friday night with my friend while visiting him in Washington. There was about a half hour wait, but it didn't faze us because it was to be expected... The decor is very nice and it feels like a higher end restaurant without being overly stuffy. We ordered a caesar salad and bruschetta to start out. The waiter pronounced it "brushetta" which is incorrect.. but I don't feel the need to correct perfect strangers. In fact.. the bruschetta ended up being my favorite part of the meal! It was very good. The salad had very little dressing and mostly just tasted like lettuce.. therefore.. my friend took that over. He was feeling the bare salad a lot more than I was. We both had the penne angelini (spelling?) for dinner. I changed the goat cheese to parmesian. It was just alright. I would not order it again. For desert we ordered the chocolate soufle (spelling) and it came with vanilla ice cream. It was delicious! The service was good and I would certainly go back again to try other dishes.
(4)Firsto C.
Food was average service We had a pizza and jalapeno sauce salad (can't remember a name) which was very interesting. Greeting was awful We got seat in a corner because we didn't have reservation (restaurant have 3 table the whole time we ate there) Service was great by a nice man
(1)Summer D.
We stopped in for drinks after leaving a party early on Saturday. It has a cozy lounge bar with a long cushioned bench on the wall with pillows. Fairly prompt service/
(4)Lulu Y.
Cute restaurant by QFC. Go for 2-for-1 night on Mondays. I've only had pasta dishes here, and they're all pretty good. The wait staff was attentive and filled our glasses frequently. Try to get a window seat and you can watch the people walk back and forth on the sidewalk.
(4)Hailee L.
I recently visited Lucias for the first time a couple weeks ago and was very impressed! My friend and I sat up at the bar for a few cocktails, all of which were delicious. We decided to split a pizza (we had the fig & prosciutto pizza) with the intention of getting something else to share after. However, the pizza was much larger than we had expected and was more than enough for the two of us, definitely a great value and the pizza was delicious to boot. Another tell tale sign this place knows how to do good business... It was jam packed the night we were in and their service was still impeccable! Our food came out super quick, the bartender (Cheyne) was fun and entertaining, the owner came by to see how our food was, the service was tremendous and the food was delicious! I'll definitely be going back and trying more of their tasty fare!
(4)Stella G.
SERVICE WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE We went here in a group of 10 for my friend's 13 birthday and bar mitzvah, we came 2 hours before we needed to leave for the party (and we notified them of this fact). But the food did not come until 20 minutes beforehand and one of my friend's food NEVER EVEN CAME. Throughout the dinner we tried to ask them where the food was but they simply ignored us and just put more bread sticks on the table to shut us up. The orders were messed up as well, for example steak was not cooked properly and the wrong type of gnocchi was served. It also took forever to get the check even though we were in a hurry. They did give us free dessert but no amount of ice cream could leave us satisfied. Needless to say we were unhappy customers and would probably not come back here again.
(1)David L.
Lucia, I love your food. It is amazing. That said, your website and yelp say you are open till 11pm. Today was the second time I've walked in the door on a Saturday night at 9pm and have been told they're closed. Common guys, either update your closing time or figure out who is shutting the place down early. Again, love the food, just hate driving out for nothing.
(2)Jared W.
My gf and I decided to try this place out for our anniversary since we were in the area. Seeing as it had 3 star review, we weren't quite sure what to expect. Overall everything was excellent. The free bread and dipping sauce they bring out to you while you're looking at the menu was amazing (we asked for another plate of it because it was so good). I had the Penne Angelina which I really liked due to the great flavor of the goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes. My gf had the Pasta Prosciutto which she also really enjoyed. For dessert we had the chocolate souffle. The warm chocolate in the middle was awesome !! My mouth is watering right now thinking about it ! This place gets 5 stars from me !
(5)Samantha K.
My boyfriend and I dropped In and ordered a bunch of food off the happy hour menu on a Sunday. The calamari was horrible, it was so chewy we both couldn't eat it. The margarita pizza was probably the highlight of all the dishes we ordered. The mac n cheese and Cesar salad weren't horrible but nothing I would eat again. The spaghetti was ok, but overall we were not impressed with the food. Server was nice, prices were fair for happy hour, the food just wasn't up to par. Definitely won't be going back.
(3)Trevor S.
[FOOD]: Really had high hopes for this restaurant located in the heart of downtown Kirkland. My girlfriend tried ordering the Pasta Prosciutto but for some reason they didn't have enough ingredients to make the dish (even though we went right when they opened). Instead, she ordered the shrimp scampi and thought it was so-so. The dish had good flavor, but was really nothing special and was a bit too oily. I went with the spaghetti bolognese and thought the flavor was pretty zesty, but the meat to pasta proportion wasn't balanced so I was left with way too much meat left over. Something that I thought I would enjoy was the complimentary focaccia bread, but it came cold and it did not pair very well with the raspberry vinaigrette. In addition, we ordered the calamari appetizer but it did not come out before our main entrees. I had to remind the waitress about the order, who claimed that the kitchen forgot about it. She brought it out about 3 minutes after I reminded her, and when we tried it, it tasted like the frying was extremely rushed and the batter was sloppy. [SERVICE]: Friendly waitress, but did not cover her tracks well when the appetizer was blown over. It's pretty basic to make sure that customers receive all of their items, and a proper excuse or explanation should be expected if an item is forgotten. [ATMOSPHERE]: Decor is great and has a bit of an old-fashioned taste. The bar is located in the back with happy hour being exclusive to those that dine in the bar. [TIPS]: Would not recommend this place unless you have a Groupon. There are plenty of other higher quality Italian restaurants with better bang for your buck.
(2)Sarelyn R.
Lucia is hosting Bachelor viewing parties for the next few months on Monday nights! I came here for that reason last Monday, and it was great. We got there in time for happy hour and split a few things...the stuffed mushrooms were great as was the bread they dropped off prior to ordering! It was a little hard to hear during the event, but it was still a fun and lively atmosphere.
(4)Laura O.
Had a reservation at lunch time on. Tuesday. Stood at hostess desk for 7 min. No hostess. No acknowledgement from anyone of the wait staff who were waiting on two small groups. Most of the place was empty. Hmmmmmm? Wonder why. Called restaurant phone number after waiting. No answer. Went a couple doors down to Purple Cafe where we were promptly greeted and seated.
(1)Tanya T.
Went here for 2 bachelor viewings. Service was good. Took a while to order straight from the bar, so it's best to get a table. Not the biggest fan of their food. I thought it was really cool that they were hosting these viewing parties and it was fun to meet and talk with former bachelor/bachelorettes. But it was so loud and I could barely hear a thing the second time I went. So if you actually want to watch the show.. Its not the best choice. The owners were there and both very friendly. I'll have to give them another try when there isn't an event going on.
(4)Lily L.
Though not central to the Downtown Kirkland, the restaurant is actually in the QFC plaza, so parking is very doable. The restaurant is split in four sections, bar, dining, upstairs lounge, and outdoor lounge. The restaurant is good for small groups or dates due to the dimmed lights and one candle per table. Service overall was really good. Our waitress, Jessica, was very attentive to whether our food was satisfactory and always coming to make sure we had enough water. The appetizer we had was decent with immense flavor and the pasta were pretty standard. One dish I wish I ordered was the signature spaghetti and meatballs that came with shaved black truffles and white truffle oil. No one ever wants to just order "spaghetti and meatballs" at an Italian restaurant, but truffle galore? WHY NOT? Both would have paired nicely with my Syrah or my counterpart's Malbec. The Syrah recommended was bold enough for my taste buds this evening; I was extremely satisfied with it. Thursday is ladies night, which is $5 per red/white wine, martinis, or drink specials and this is an okay restaurant for just having a drink or two. It is a relaxing, no pressure restaurant. However, if you are going to come with more than two people, make sure to make reservations. We arrived at 6:30 PM and the restaurant was packed.
(3)Darby K.
Just had an amazing meal with a friend at Lucia. Beautiful out door seating, beautiful decor and friendly staff. Our server was Coree. She was on top if her game. We had mimosas, fillet mignon carpaccio, Dungeoness crab cakes and flash fried calamari. Amazing, will be back!!
(5)Liz O.
Great happy hour here! $5 well drinks, $5 unique and delicious appetizers (try the spaghetti or the pizza flatbread... with pear, wish I could remember the name!). This is a great spot in Kirkland where you can actually find parking - go figure! It's clean, it's modern, it's slightly snazzy without the high prices. Not my first time and not my last time!
(4)Richard H.
The baked penne is to die for... REALLY DELICIOUS! Great atmosphere too. Service was prompt and friendly. Packed on a Thursday night, I recommend reservations.
(5)Carolyn K.
I first discovered this place via one of those Groupon/LivingSocial/Amazon Local services and have been back several times since. The food and kitchen is constant and reliable. I've not had anything bad out of here although I would not say that I've eaten everything on the menu. Favorites include the Carpaccio and Mushroom appetizer. I've also had the calamari which is done with a lovely light touch. The pasta is always done just right - to my taste - al dente. But since I am now on a low carb diet, I had not been there in a while. Well, I was there last night with a friend and we split the stuffed mushrooms and I had the Pork Tenderloin Scallopini - sliced melt in your mouth thin, breaded and pan fried to perfection - tender and juicy. I left most of the risotto that came with it. I could have asked for a substitution for vegetables, but I was having such a good time chatting with my dinner date I did not think of it. We finished off with an elderflower creme brullee for dessert. There's a difference between a custard and a creme brullee and this one was done right with an underlying hint of elderflower, not at all over powering. Service was also excellent on this fine spring evening with a knowledgeable and personable waiter who made us laugh. All together a great dining experience. Perfection would be having more non-alcoholic choices in drinks and a true patio. Lucia is located in a strip mall, opposite a QFC grocery store.
(4)Lindsey S.
Don't let the location fool you! Lucia is inside a strip mall where parking tends to run is tight. All of that aside, Lucia is excellent ! Prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is fun & hip (they play black & white movies on a huge wall), and the service is good. Of the many things we ordered there were just a few complaints, listed below: Caramelized Pear Onion Pizzetta Kobe Beef Tenderloin Pizzetta- The horseradish overpowered anything else in the dish and the portion of beef was really small. Dungeoness Crab Cakes Kale & Caesar Salad Chicken Parmigiana Filet Mignon & Butternut Squash Gnocchi- Two of us ordered this medium & medium rare and both came out well. The flavor was still good ( we didn't send back as to not interrupt the dinner) but really overdone. Desserts: were really quite weak. We got the tiramisu, chocolate decadence cake, and the cobbler. All left us unimpressed. All in all a great meal & fun dining experience!
(4)Riss J.
I am also super bummed Kristin never tried this place when she lived near me in Kirkland! I've been back a few times without her since we both had our first together all those month ago, and it has remained consistently wonderful experience. The HH food menu is ample, the portions perfect for a small meal or sharing bites. the caramelized pear onion pizetta was my favorite. the mac-n-cheese was really god as well. A lounge feel that gives of great vibe, relaxing yet energetic at the same time. Service is great here, as well. Attentive, friendly, fast. Parking can be a struggle here,but there is ample lots all around Parkplace, so you may walk a little extra down the promenade of businesses, but you'll always find a spot you're OK with. Now, I just have to drag Kristin and Morgan along for my Gilt special, so ladies HH will be the update.
(4)Chris O.
The weekday happy hour is great - delicious appetizers (especially the Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, and the Parmigiana Rollatini, I could eat so many of each!). The salads are good but not part of the happy hour. The crab cakes are good but not great. As for entrees, we thought it was also good but not great. And on the weekend it's very loud - trying to be hip I guess. Good luck trying to hear the people you are with. Lastly, a huge thumbs down on the restroom situation. This is the worst part. They probably have seating for 80-100 people, but they have a single private men's room and a single private ladies' room. Good luck getting in there. I've been to Lucia 4 times, and I always have to make multiple trips to the restroom to find it unlocked. If I owned the restaurant it's the first thing I'd fix for sure. Go before you go I guess.
(4)Daniel T.
Get the Spicy pepperoni and sweet jam pizza. Amazing! If you order anything else you and then you see someone else eating this you will spend the rest of the night filled with regret! Not worth it. Order the pizza!
(5)Mikaela B.
Lucia is my favorite Italian restaurant and I love that they have gluten-free and diary free options! I've been there a couple of times recently, for a date-night and for a business meeting and the atmosphere works great for both. Excellent food and good service, I will definitely be back!
(4)Miranda L.
The restaurant itself is a little weird, kind of caught between modern and traditional Italian decors. The front of the restaurant opens up so there is a big patio, however it can be drafty for the rest of the people inside. I had the Cioppino, and I ate every last drop. So yummy! My boyfriend had the Filet Mignon, and he gave a nod and a thumbs up while he was downing it. He did say it wasn't the best steak he's ever had, but it sufficed. If I can remember correctly, the chairs were rather uncomfortable and everything seemed a little squished in. I would say the two stars docked are mostly for the atmosphere. It just feel weird in there. We probably won't be going back, but it was a nice visit.
(3)M G.
I love Lucia because it is always fast service and its convenient. My favorite dishes are the grilled romaine and chicken cannelloni. The bread and dipping sauce is really good too. Great ownership as well!
(5)Sandy L.
The best part is the atmosphere and great value of the wine. Calamari is so so, service is kind of slow.
(3)Jamie O.
A place has to be terrible for people to take the time to write negative reviews... And this one was terrible, especially for a group. The food was just okay, the space and service was inexcusable. We had reservations for a large group, and we got about 1/3 of the space we actually needed. They crammed 6 people at tables meant for four - then pushed the tables together and made a 7th & 8th person sit along the seams between the tables. All that cramming, and they still didn't give us enough chairs. After slow service, mediocre food, and a very uncomfortable meal - the argument over the bill began. When the reservations were made, they said we could split the bill. That is key when you have a big group, which is why we wanted to clear that ahead of time. We also requested split bills again multiple times when we first sat down. But no, they REFUSED to split the bill. Wow, really? We had multiple tables of people - every other table at the restaurant got their own bill, yet they wouldn't even split by (packed) table of 8. We, the customer, had to do it all ourselves using our phones as calculators and passing the bill from couple to couple. Some customer service. We will not be going back. Definitely definitely don't go if you have a group.
(1)Paul P.
I've been for lunch a couple of times since I moved into the neighborhood and have been really underwhelmed. The service is ok, nothing to write home about, but the food is really not very good. Everything tastes like it came out of a can or box, really salty with a preservative taste (I had cannolini once and lemon chicken pasta the next time). For me the question is "could I have made this better"? I'm a very average cook, and I definitely could. I probably won't go back, with so many restaurants in the area I'd prefer to buy better food.
(2)John V.
I've passed by this place several times but never ate there. So we took a chance and had a great night. Food was awesome. I had the sea bass and my colleagues had the salmon, spaghetti, and crab ravioli. All were excellent! Service was attentive and prompt. I highly recommend you try this place!
(5)Mahogany M.
I love the environment, crab cakes and breadsticks! My co workers love this place for the menu but I only like the things cited above.
(3)Ramiro G.
A really cool atmosphere for a date or night out with friends and amazing food. I was surprised at how delicious Lucia's food was and would say it is actually one of my favorite places to eat in Kirkland. Their truffle spaghetti as well as the pork scaloppini are my absolute favorites. The flavor of the food is always top notch and consistently good! The portion size is good enough for one sitting + some left overs as well. The menu pricing is actually quite reasonable as well. After your visit to Lucia there is also a lot of little shops next to it which make for a nice and simple date outing. Definitely go at least once!
(5)Eileen R.
Had dinner with friends here tonight for a birthday. First of all, the location is really cool. It's in a strip mall, but there's tons of parking. The ambience inside is wonderful. Warm, cozy candlelight, marble table tops, a projector playing black and white movies on the wall. Everyone was super friendly. From the hostess station, to bussers and servers. Our waitress was AHMAZING. She really went above and beyond for us. She was awesome with wine recommendations and the menu. She gave her opinion on several things, and we were so pleased. The bread they bring out once you're seated is great, the dipping sauce is addictive. Then we had the pear/gorgonzola tart for an appetizer. I figured it would be good (because how could it not?), and it was BETTER than I even thought it could be! Oh my YUM! For entrees we had chicken parmesan, sea bass, and a grilled romaine with blackened chicken. All three of us loved our meal. Here's where our server really took service to a whole 'nother level. We popped into Hoffman's Bakery right before dinner (please read my review on that one!), and our server put our desserts in the fridge for us while we ate our meal. THEN, when she brought out the dessert she had placed a lit candle in the central slice. Seriously. She was so frickin' awesome. I will definitely go back here. Highly recommend.
(5)Brian C.
Food was very good. We ordered the chicken parm and truffle meatballs with pink sauce--both were great. The ambiance is very strange for an Italian joint ... Very 50's Hollywood with loud music. Also very dark inside. Overall not bad if you are in the area but expect to pay the Kirkland prices for an average dining experience.
(3)Amy W.
Parking was easy but the restaurant itself was harder to find because it was tucked near the back of the shopping center. Atmosphere was okay, reminded me of an old hotel setting. Plenty of light. Ordered the three cheese Panini, ehhh, I wasn't impressed with it. I thought there would have been more to it then melted cheese on bread, but that's really all it was. The Caesar salad I ordered was better.
(2)Suie C.
I really liked Lucia. Stopped in here for HH and there was plenty of parking. Sat at the bar and had a couple glasses of the HH red and a mixed drink. The bartenders were personable and my glass of water was always refilled. I didn't try the food, but it smelled great and I ogled every plate that passed by. Will be back.
(4)Mandy S.
I tried this place a while back but wasn't paying attention to the nice decor they have! I love the black and white film they play on the wall, it makes the restaurant have a relaxing & classy appeal to go with the b&w photos they have framed throughout the restaurant. They serve italian as well as other burgers and entrees and the service was great. I especially like the onion bread they serve with a balsamic dressing that is served in a cute espresso cup. I would recommend that they have bigger pieces of basil for their caprese salad instead of slicing them so thin. The tomatos were ripe & not soggy, which I liked since I'm not a big fan of raw tomatoes. My rigatoni dinner was delicious and I like that they add a lot of ingredients to it. I'm already waiting to go back for hh and try a pizza!
(5)Kristin C.
Wow. I am super bummed that I never tried this place when I lived in Kirkland, and my boyfriend lived a 5 minute walk away. Their HH is fantastic. Between the two of us we had: -Caramelized Pear Onion Pizzetta -Wht Truffle Crimini Mac n'Cheese -Stuffed Mushrooms -Nonna's Meatballs And a couple glasses of their house red wine on Happy Hour special for $5. All the food we had was delicious, my favorites were the mac n cheese and the pizzetta. I am a bit of a mac n cheese snob, and their's was some of the best I have had at a restaurant in ages. I also love the combo of caramelized onions and pears, and their little pizza was delicious. Prices are definitely reasonable as well. Plenty of parking available near the QFC as well. This place has a bit of a lounge feel, probably in general an older crowd, but we were very happy with our seat at a booth and our service. The bartender/server was kind and personable, and our busser was on top of clearing plates. All in all, I would definitely come back here for Happy Hour, I am so sad that I missed out on this place before.
(4)Christine H.
The food is mostly good -- not stupendous, but not bad for an Italian restaurant in a shopping center. I enjoyed my fig and prosciutto sacchetti, with radicchio adding a nice bite to counteract the figs' sweetness, and a friend liked her chicken parm well enough (served with spaghetti in a tomato sauce). Hubby, however, said that his sea bass tasted old, and he suspected the kitchen of relying on saucing and other distractions to help them move it instead of tossing it as a better kitchen would have. Our friend ordered the flourless chocolate "cake," which was overly sweet and less a cake than a stiff mousse. The salted caramel ice cream it came with just added more sweet -- neither of us chocolate lovers would order this dessert again. The service also was just okay. The waiter was friendly, but not as attentive as he might have been. When I ordered the limoncello featured on the dessert menu, he reported that they'd just poured the last of it (at 8:30 on a Friday night) and offered no alternative suggestions.
(2)Sarah M.
This place is so surprising! I didn't expect to find such a cool little spot in a shopping center next to a QFC! A friend, my husband, and I came here for happy hour...and it was fantastic! This place was busy on Saturday night but not too busy to the point where you can't find a spot and have to stand around. We were able to snag a place in the bar just in time for happy hour. The food here is awesome - it's an Italian spot but they have a good mix of food that's not stereotypical Italian. We had crab cakes, mushrooms, meatballs, and a beef tenderloin pizzetta - all were really good! The pizzetta was a little unusual but it worked - it had beef, arugula, red onion jam, and horseradish cream. The bartender was super cool - really friendly, personable, but not in our face. Drinks were good, food was good, cool atmosphere, cool staff...can't wait to come back!
(4)Diana N.
This is a nice hidden spot. Right in Kirkland's Park Place shopping center, it literally is adjacent to QFC. Once you step foot inside, you immediately forget where you're at. Lucia is a trendy spot, embellished with contemporary swanky fixtures and drapery. The seating is plentiful though not the most comfy, and the dining room is spacious and airy. Great place to meet with friends to catch up on the latest gossip or find a corner table to dine & wine with your sweety! The drinks are stiff and the staff are friendly. Sometimes, happy hour service (in the bar only) can take some time, sometimes too much. I have to be honest, I think the bartender with the stache is a weeee bit weird and inappropriate. But seriously, happy hour here is your best option for late night dining on the east side! With HH times being pretty flexible and generously priced, I got to try many dishes on different occasions. The menu has a lot of variety, from the heavy to the lighter fare. My favorite appetizer is the filet mignon carpaccio, as it is sliced to perfection and melts like butter in your mouth! Pairs well with the garnishes of arugula & aged parmigiano. I would skip on the stuffed mushrooms as there was nothing special about them and the portion sucked. The Spaghetti Bolognese is great, and the sauce has a rich, velvety texture. The ratio of meat to sauce is just about right, and the portion keeps me full! My last recommendation is the Parmigiana Rollatini, which is a fancy take on a calzone, filled with grilled chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and goat cheese. There is marinara sauce on the side you can dip with! A great date dish if you wanna neatly eat a sandwich and still look cute doing it ;)
(4)Wl K.
Had an early sunday dinner with hubby to used up my Amazon Local voucher. Food was quite good -we had a beef Capriccio for starters, burger and the short ribs. Food was good and wine was good. service during food serving was pretty decent. Thumbs down was that there was some little flies, like fruit flies type. We initially only saw 1 when we started and then by the time we are finishing up the entrees, like 7-8 were buzzing around us. We just mentioned it to our server, but he just mentioned that he will clean the picture that the fruit flies were resting on. We were still really interested in dessert, but the thought of sitting with the flies just sent us itching. So we opted to pay for our bill and went next door to the pastry shop to grab several Italian cookies and cheese danish. :) That was a sweet ending to our night. Really wish that the hygiene in the place is better......
(3)Terry D.
Really comfortable atmosphere and the food was good. We had a corporate holiday party there and the configuration of he loft kept it from being a great group environment because of the booth seating built into one wall. The food selection was good and everyone like their food. I had the tomato basil soup which was excellent but could have been a little warmer. The chop salad was very good with crisp greens and fresh vegetables. The seats were comfortable and the wait staff was courteous, although not the fastest service if your in a tight lunch schedule.
(4)S P.
Unfortunately, there is nothing less than one star ! This is NOT a family friendly place. We went there with our sons at 9:20 on friday night. While it clearly says that the place is open till 11 pm, they said that only their bar area is open. There were so many people seated in their restaurant section and they could have easily seated us, but they did not. I will never go to that place again.
(1)Suzette H.
Surprising great atmosphere for this strip mall location. Our meals were delicious, I will return
(4)The B.
The food was great! The service sucked! So much so that I had to go back behind the bar twice to refill my water glass as she was eating her lunch in the kitchen.
(2)Michelle E.
July 17th, 2014 Last night's dinner was at Lucia in Kirkland. It was rather warm so we sat out on the beautiful little patio. Although, the view is of QFC and the parking lot, it's still a great patio. I went with my "new" son (someday I'll stop calling him that) and my current husband (which implies there will be another). My sweet hungry husband couldn't decide between the Parmesan Chicken and the spaghetti with meatballs so of course I ordered whichever one he didn't so he could have both. I have to say, I don't think I have ever ordered spaghetti at a restaurant except for when I was in Italy and you have to try it there. It was actually really good. I loved the red sauce and the meatballs were giant. There were only two but had to be the equivalent to two Big Mac's. The parm chx clearly was excellent as my husband ate all of it and then polished off my plate. "New" son ordered the Shrimp Scampi, which surprised me since I don't think I have ever seen him eat anything but kid food. He ate almost all of it so it had to be good. The BEST part was the Bruschetta. Yummy. I will be dreaming about that.
(4)Rachelle M.
If you're looking for a romantic, cool atmosphere and terrific Italian food, then Lucia is the place for you! I'm love the vibe here.. A lot of candle light and they play old black and white movies on one of the big walls. They have quite a bit of seating considering how small it looks from the outside. Some outdoor seating, weather permitting. Now, about the food: delicious!! My favorite thing to order is the chicken parmesan (I sub the pasta for their mashed potatoes.. It pairs wonderfully with the sauce on the chicken)! Also, Their chop chop salad is perfect! They also have a good variety of drinks that are fun and tasty! I live nearby and every time my fiancé and I decide to walk down to Lucia we are always pleased with both the customer service and then food!
(5)Mark A.
Very poor service, above average price for average food. Had to wait 15 minutes for waiter, another 15 for drinks, another 15 for appetizers, then another 15 for dinner. I do not like this place. Avoid it. Poor service, bad atmosphere. Another overpriced Kirkland restaurant.
(2)Cassandra G.
Mediocre food. It seems as though they slab truffle butter on everything. There was also a point of the evening (around 6:30) when the whole staff was no where to be found. There was nobody behind the bar, nobody delivering food, nobody at the front desk but plenty of tables searching around for the server for their check.
(2)Ben F.
Disappointed in the service. Came in to Lucia to get an appetizer while waiting for an appointment at the barbershop a few doors down. After the hostess seated me, I waited for 20 minutes, without a server even coming by my table or acknowledging me. Four different members of their staff walked by and saw me sitting at the table, but no one offered help or service. I could be more understanding -- to a certain extent -- if they were busy, but there were only about 3-4 other parties in the entire place, and they appeared to be staffed just fine. Bad experience -- I won't be back and will recommend to my friends/family that they do the same.
(1)Lauren H.
Went here last night with my husband for some dessert and port wine. The cold (read: stark) interior and uncomfortable chairs didn't make for a welcoming atmosphere, which was a stark contrast to Mama Lucia's warm and down-home decor, the former iteration of the restaurant (that was very good). It was around 10 PM on a Saturday and the place was jumping with a lot of people that looked to be pretentious, over 40, and dressed to the nines while sipping wine and watching the live band. The rock music was good but way too loud--you had to yell to have a conversation across a table. It took about 20 minutes for anyone to stop by our table and offer water. When my husband went to order port wine from the four choices, the waiter was apologetic and said they were completely out of all port wine. "Sorry, it has been a busy week." My husband was put off that they were out of ALL port wines because he was really looking forward to having some, especially after a 20-minute wait. So put-off that we passed completely and got up and left. I'll probably return someday for a meal, but I won't be in a rush to go because of the slow service and lacking availability of menu items. I hope Lucia can prove me wrong next time.
(2)Scott H.
Food was as to be expected, and the atmosphere is upbeat. However, splitting the bill for our party of 12 was a major ordeal. They couldn't split it for us, so it took 8 trips to the card swiper: one for each person paying with a card. I'd return, but never with a group.
(2)Tatsyana z.
The place itself is fun, great wait staff. However the food was not good. My daughters meal tasted like kids canned ravioli. That would be fine if she was 8 not 18. Don't think we will be trying it again.
(2)Ingrid A.
This place can't decide if it wants to be upscale or not: they have a kids' menu, and people were there in fleece... but the lighting is dim, the plates are square, and the decor suggests that it's a bit on the fancy side. I recommend they go family-style: the food does *not* support the upscale ambiance they are halfheartedly trying to cultivate. All of the preparations are heavy-handed and/or lacking freshness: the foccacia has too many toppings (and comes with a terribly paired mustard dipping sauce); the caesar salad featured day-old-looking lettuce, lackluster dressing and over-seasoned croutons; the carpaccio had about twice the proper amount of sauce (again, a very strong mustard); and the wine list is *weak*. Our entrees were the best part of the meal. My chicken parmigiana, which seemed like a safe bet, was generally well done, though the sauce was a bit on the sweet side. My boyfriend liked his spaghetti and meatballs. We won't be back any time soon... or any time at all. For the same price, I hate to say it, but the food's better at Claim Jumper. Yikes.
(2)Hae Sue P.
I love having Lucia in my neighborhood - so easy to get to, park and dine in a warm, cozy atmosphere. The food is always great as is the service. Hubbie and I went there the other night and Marie was lovely and gracious. The support staff is quick and kept our water glasses full. Great job Lucia!!
(5)Kelly T.
I wanted to eat somewhere for Restaurant Week this year but I wasn't in the mood for driving to Seattle on this particular day. Kirkland seemed like a good solution to try a new place and stay pretty close to home. I easily made reservations on Open Table for 7pm. Parking is great because they share a lot with QFC and I didn't have to deal with street parking. The restaurant is trendy and the decor fits nicely with their theme. When you open the front door, it is a very small space between you and the front counter. Not a convenient spot for a waiting area. My boyfriend and I walked up to the hostess counter but the hostess was occupied with another customer. An older man was getting angry with her and complaining about something that had happened with arrangements that they made. This was not a very good first impression on their behalf. We got sat at a very nice table against the wall with a view of the windows, rather than a small table in the middle. The hostess seated us with the regular menus along with a drink menu, but no Restaurant Week menu. A busser ran over right away with two waters but left quickly without giving me a chance to ask him for the correct menu. Since we were not interested in the regular menu, we just sat there waiting for someone to notice us. Our waiter/waitress still did not come to greet us after about 10 minutes of already being seated. When she finally did come over, she only asked if we were ready to order in which I had to reply with asking for the Restaurant Week menu. After ordering, the busser came to the table again with some complimentary bread and sauce. The bread is excellent! The support staff also made sure our water glasses were full the whole night, I wish I could have tipped them more than our actual waitress. Our food came out in a reasonable amount of time. I had the braised pork with gnocchi and my boyfriend had the seabass. Both dishes tasted good, but not spectacular. My boyfriend especially appreciated the portion of his seabass. Once we were done with our dinner, our waitress dropped off and picked up the check without really saying anything and to me, the experience was very impersonal. I do not regret trying this place out because of the yummy dishes but it isn't somewhere I'd visit again.
(3)R P.
Great restaurant with super friendly staff, love their Signature Spaghetti - Yum! Owners surprised us with a champagne toast for our anniversary, thanks for a wonderful evening!
(5)Dino D.
Great place. Kinda feels like a restaurant in the city but family friendly. I'm not sure why people are complaining about the pricing but this place isn't exactly an Olive Garden.
(4)Lynette W.
I had the baked rigatoni. It was very tasty. Drew had shrimp scampi, I think. If I got it wrong I am sure he will let me know and wonder why I can't remember every food item that he orders. Anyway(s), I felt like I needed bread with my meal to make it complete, but it was good all of the same. The decor tries really hard for what looks to be a small budget, but it is comfortable enough. We were there during happy hour on a Friday and it wasn't too busy and was kind of an "adult" atmosphere.
(3)Zach A.
Great lunch menu and really fast
(5)Jason C.
The happy hour prices are limited only to drinks. As such they are not that great. The atmosphere of this place is deceptively modern. The sleek black material give it a Non-Italian, almost sterile feel. No, black and white photos of the Coliseum and Lean Tower do not make a restaurant Italian (see Buca Di Beppo). As the evening continued I found my self drinking my beer slowly. I was doing this because the prices were not cheap enough for me to want to pay for another one. The later it got, I noticed a change in the crowd. Women who were enthusiastically glamour-ed up started appearing. Guys with fitted, graffiti shirts strutted in. It was not long until armies of people who wanted to be seen started arriving and soon this little Italian restaurant become something else entirely. A douche-bag and skank factory.
(2)Alison K.
Service was excellent, but it was slow, so I'm not sure how it would be on a busy night. Our food was a little above average. Crab/shrimp risotto was a little too fishy tasting, shrimp scampi was perfect, tiramisu was a little dry, beet salad was fantastic. It was 1/2 price bottle of wine night, so we got a good deal, plus we used a Groupon. Ended up being $120 for 2 adults and 1 child, before our Groupon of $30. Would go again, but for happy hour.
(3)Nadina K.
Dinner Prices are steep food is fancy.. Food is worth the price as long as you know what you are getting into .. The ambiance is stellar...the service is fast and attentive...I want to come for happy hour :)
(5)Lyn R.
WOW what a let down. After reading the reviews about the place my friends and I were looking forward to checking out Lucia. OK, it was lunch on a Thursday, but even with the place nearly empty it still took the waitress/bartender forever to take our order. After waiting for 35 minutes to be served the salad- greens with sour vinaigrette and the lemon chicken sauce for the pasta- disappointing. All in all it was not worth the trip.
(1)Happy M.
We went there for the 2nd time after a year..... we were hugely disappointed. It seems the menu was slightly different and the quality of food definitely went for the worse... We shared a green salad, each ordered an entree: spaghetti bolognese with chicken and beef short ribs with gnocchi. The salad was fine, not bad -- look & taste like something I'd make at home. Though, the spaghetti was bad (sadly!!). The sauce was very bland & a bit watery. It was missing those rich flavor you usually get with the bolognese sauce. The chicken was a bit rubbery. The short ribs had similar issues: the sauce was TOO salty and again missing certain flavor. Maybe because it's too salty all you could taste was salt... The veggies were over-cooked. The gnocchi were edible but pretty saggy. We were both very hungry so we ate most of the food but we both agreed that we'd skip the desert! The service on top of it was not so great.... the waiter didn't look he was happy to be there at all and he didn't come around to ask if we need more water or something until we were almost done eating. I have to say we'd had better spaghetti at Olive Garden (the sauce!!) or at home. I guess we won't be going back...
(2)Ilse B.
This is a great addition to Parkplace! My boyfriend brought my here for my birthday, and it was perfect. I wanted something a bit laid back, but good food, and this offered both. The appetizers, food and wine was great. I am excited to go back in the future!
(4)Ashley H.
I just moved to Kirkland and this place is within walking distance. It's my first choice for happy hour. They have great prices and good portions. Plus, the bartenders, one in particular, are very friendly and make your experience even better. I love this place.
(4)Kayla H.
Came here last night for my our 3 year anniversary. The atmosphere is perfect, very romantic. We brought our own bottle of wine and paid $15 for the corkage, not bad. Appetizers: Crab Cakes and Stuffed Mushrooms. Crab cakes were delicious and the stuffed mushrooms were as well. Dinner: It was a tough decision, everything looked good. I decided to branch out and got the eggplant torte. My boyfriend went for the Braised Top Round Beef. The eggplant was delicious and very tender, and the noodles were el dente. It is a pretty big helping so i saved the rest for leftovers. My BF liked his a lot. He said it was very rich and not what he was expecting because it looked like a couple of enchiladas LOL. Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Decadence. TO DIE FOR. The salted caramel ice cream is what makes this cake. We literally inhaled it within 2 minutes. It is a small serving perfect to share for 2 people and just get that like sugar night cap to finish off the evening. TIP: I would make reservations. The waitress just happened to be a old high school friend and she said that they do pretty good business. We made reservations VIP the Yelp opentable link. Even though it was a thursday night, there were definitely more than half the tables full.
(5)Nana Y.
Good food, good environment, but poor service. We tried out this place with the deal on Groupon tonight. We had a table right next to the window closer to the door. And I thought it was nice. I might come back because the food was good. Their signature meat ball pasta was so delicious but next time i hope i'll have a different server so that It won't be difficult to give him a tip... If you have a groupon, be sure to remind a server that you do because they do forget even if it's not crowded.
(3)Jennifer I.
One of my favorite spots in town. Great menu, friendly staff, awesome live music and specials. I'd go here all the time if I didn't have to pay the bills...!
(5)Anna T.
After purchasing the Livingsocial deal, we decided to try Lucia. The atmosphere was nice, it was a busy night, but there was a table out on the patio, so we were more than happy to sit out on a pleasant evening. The service was good, a bit slow, but doable. However, the food was nothing to rant and rave about! My signature spaghetti and meatballs were so bland and mediocre, that I could have cooked a much more flavorful dish myself. My husband ordered the Chicken Parmigiana and that portion was a joke. On the plate, there was a kid portion of spaghetti and a small piece of chicken breast! Seriously? Maybe if it would have cost $9, but not $18!!! The tastiest was the free focaccia bread and sauce we received and our calamari, which I don't think it's rocket science to prepare:-/ I don't think we'll go back to Lucia again, considering the price vs. the quality and quantity of food!
(2)Andy M.
I really enjoyed my experience at Lucia. I tried it during Seattle's Restaurant Week when I like to try places I have never been before. I went during lunch with a friend and have no regrets about trying it out. I had their signature tomato soup to start, a ravioli with cut up steak and caramel gelato for dessert. The food was very flavorful and the portions were fair. The only reason I didn't give a perfect 5 stars is because the service wasn't spectacular. They didn't do anything negative, but they were very businesslike and hurried in their interactions. Pretty small complaint considering the great experience. I would definitely recommend this nice little place to someone who is looking for a fine dining experience that isn't too expensive.
(4)Jennifer H.
I had dinner here last night, ordered the sea bass it's usually a great dish. It was terrible! Over cooked and not tender I left most of it behind. The other appetizers I had were so so.
(2)Yeelin T.
We were on the eastside last night, and decided to try this place on a whim. Nice looking trendy place but only on the outside. Wait till you see the bathroom. Pear onion pizzetta - $10. Meh. Black bottle postern's version is waaaayyy better. Signature meatball pasta with truffles - $20. Don't bother. If it didn't have truffles, you'd find this at Olive garden. Not worth my $35. We cook better at home. Definitely my first and last time.
(2)Cindy S.
Four of us met up here for dinner during Seattle restaurant week. When we arrived the restaurant was half empty and the service was prompt. The three course special I ordered was very well prepared. My only complaint is the acoustics. It's almost impossible to have a conversation. We went there to catch up and we could barely hear each other. They would be wise to add lowered acoustic panels to the ceiling to absorb the noise. We'd go there more often.
(3)Jessica M.
I miss the brunch and the fabulous bloody marys!!!!! This was the first time we had dinner at Lucia. We were a party of 7 and they gave us a great table and our server was fantastic. He had only been there a couple months and I hope he sticks around - he was attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is really nice - it's dimly lit, great decor and it immediately makes you want to pour a glass of wine and get cozy. NO ONE commented on their food. Good or bad sign, I don't know. :( The dish I ordered was the Chicken Saltimbocca (Prosciutto and mozzarella stuffed chicken, panko breaded and pan seared, garlic mashed potatoes, creamy pomodoro, peas) it sounded amazing yet it was a serious let down. The chicken was flavorless and the mashed potatoes did not have a hint of garlic. Would I go back? I love the atmosphere and I have an Entertainment coupon so I will give it one more try. The bread and dip they start you out with was worthy of mentioning. :)
(3)Tom B.
I can't comment on the food, but the bar makes its qualities plain enough. Though it's made of little more than basic ingredients and the setting is ordinary, Lucia wills itself to show a bit of personality. It ends up being a perfectly fine spot for a quick drink. This is a strip mall on a busy 4-lane heading down the hill to Kirkland. There are dozens of businesses packed in together here, including a couple decent places to eat, and a movie theater. You can put together an evening here, in other words, if you're so inclined. What Lucia does is its level best to create a sense of being a pleasant little grotto where you can hole up. You walk in and dogleg through a curtain and into a fairly contemporary dining room. They're projecting old movies on one big flat wall that divides the dining room into two. The tables and chairs have a lot of gleaming steel; the floors and walls have a lot of concrete and rough mid-century-looking brick. Past this, there's a quiet little bar with a flat screen that's more interested in sports (futbol during my visit) than old movies. The bar itself is just a bar, with lists of spirits, beers, and wines that are...just lists. You can find some good stuff on each list if you look, and the bartenders seem to know how to make a cocktail--it's not a custom cocktail setting, but they know what they're doing. Across from the bar, there's a long low bench with overstuffed orange pillows, black cushions, low black stools, and faux-marble tables. When it's quiet in the bar, the bench feels almost like a private booth; once people start showing up it feels like a very casual and welcoming perch for socializing. Bottom line, this place works well for quick drinks, and probably has more to offer. If I am in the area I could certainly see returning.
(3)Jimmie W.
I love that it is family owned, great service , tasty food/ drinks and the atmosphere is terrific!
(5)Eneri S.
Been here twice, once for Seattle Restaurant Week. Food quality was good, with a price to match. Had the short ribs and crab ravioli. Both excellent dishes. For dessert, had the chocolate souffle, wasn't tall like a souffle, more like a chocolate lava cake. Service was excellent.
(5)Nick W.
I am on a quest to find the best risotto on the east side. The mild mushroom risotto was excellent. I'm somewhat skeptical about Italian restaurants as many tend to over sauce but not here. The outdoor seating was a nice touch too, especially on the hot 90 degree day we had last week. I would recommend this place.
(5)Jan N.
We went for lunch used a coupon and will return for lunch and/or without the benefit of any encouragement! The atmosphere was lovely not overpowering or pretentious, just right for a cozy lunch on a winters day. Looking forward to enjoying the outdoor patio when weather permits. The food was beautifully served and deliciously enjoyed. Complimentary fresh hot focaccia bread was delivered upon our being seated. For our entree we choose grilled sea bass, roasted red potatoes with lemon caper sauce topped with fresh grilled green beans, and my mouth is watering remembering each bite. When you go ask for Zane! He was our server and his service made our anniversary lunch date memorable!
(5)Anya R.
Great lighting and atmosphere. Food is generally pretty tasty and portions are generous. Loved the short ribs. Desserts are not Lucia's strong suit. Do we really need rosemary in the berry cobbler? Italian language lessons playing in the restrooms always make me smile. Pricing for happy hour is fantastic. Outdoor seating in summer is perfect. Warm and cozy place to go before or after a movie in Kirkland.
(4)Cindy C.
Came here with a Groupon (or Living Social?) deal. The atmosphere (see other reviews for details) made a good first impression, but our experience over all was pretty unremarkable. Service was friendly enough but so slow considering the number of diners present that we truly began to think our order had been lost in the abyss... and our server was AWOL. I had the Red Pepper & Basil Baked Seabass, my 16 year old daughter had spaghetti and meatballs. Both were ok. My dish's presentation was lovely, and the fish was cooked perfectly... but there was nothing there to get excited about. A's spaghetti was, well, spaghetti. (At $16, a plate of pasta and with some red sauce about 4 meatballs had better be *extraordinary*.) I walked away feeling *very* grateful we'd gone in with the discount coupon. Otherwise, the bill would have been *very* difficult to swallow. Not really sure this is one we'll try again.
(2)Mathew N.
The pepperoni pizza with shredded pepperoni had more pepperoni per capita than any pepperoni pizza I've ever had in my life. After the first two pieces I started picking it off and inadvertently built a mountain of meet that resembled something Richard Dreyfuss might have built in Close Encounters. It was too bad too because the sweet jam sauce on the pizza was unusual and very good. My friend was also disappointed with his dish though they gladly brought a replacement. This place is kinda good but a little bit off. I think they need to fine-tune some of their menu items.
(3)John B.
This is my favorite Italian restaurant in Kirkland. It's the perfect place to take a date or go there by yourself and pick up a date. Wednesday night and Thursday night are hot nights for single available beautiful people, and the food is top notch I mean outstanding. It's incredibly modern clean and there's always frank Sinatra movies playing on the wall. One great place one great night!!!
(5)Andy A.
Just ok - not really worth the price. Dry Salmon
(3)Heather N.
Love this place, great happy hour food and drinks! I don't even like mushrooms normally and the stuffed mushrooms are my fave item, they are delicious. Only "negative" thing I would say is not a good place for HH with a large group, seating for bigger groups is pretty limited.
(4)Rachel M.
My Fav Italian place in town. Great service and the food is excellent. Happy Hour prices are impressive and there is live music sometimes which is always fun. Pasta Angelina is my fav with their house bread and dipping sauce. Don't miss it!
(5)Jen M.
I would have given this place a 1-star but thought the overall look of the restaurant was pleasant so I am giving it two. Sadly, this restaurant did not meet my expectations for food quality or for service. I was really excited to try this place out. Upon walking in, I thought it was nice that they had a patio, soft lounge music on and that the decor was trendy. I was also starving and had been craving pasta. Our server Emily paid hardly any attention to us yet seemed to wait on the tables around us quite regularly. Maybe it was because we bought a Living Social to try the place out and she had a bad experience with them in the past? Whatever the reason, she was cold and we both felt uncomfortable. We are usually treated great everywhere we go and are low maintenance/good tippers so this is one of the few times I've had to complain about terrible service. I would actually like to email the owner because I was so disappointed. The bread appetizer was pretty bland and I felt like we received a cold order of breadsticks. It was not a warm loaf of bread with olive oil like I would have preferred however, we ate it and still remained optimistic about the food. My boyfriend ordered the gnocchi w/ short ribs and it was SALTY. The short ribs themselves tasted a bit similar to pot roast and were cooked well but the whole dish was incredibly salty. Similarly, my spaghetti with putanesca sauce w/ chicken was EVEN MORE salty. Let me say that we are "foodies" but that we weren't looking to be blown away. We were starving and would have been fine with edible mediocre food but the salt was unbearable. I also should say that I LOVE salt and zesty food but I couldn't even stand it. The food just tasted like someone dropped a whole bottle of Morton's table salt on it (not even sea salt). With all that salt, we just wanted more water but the server never came around. The restaurant was not busy. My boyfriend (who was in the bathroom when she originally came over to take our drink order) was never asked if he wanted anything besides water. He actually wanted to order some wine but the server never came around. We remained thirsty until we finally got the tab and I asked for a refill. I wish the restaurant could have been self serve because I would have gladly helped myself to a refill. Long story short, I still left the server a nice tip (as I myself have worked in the service industry). However, I was incredibly disappointed with the food and service. It was really disheartening. I am curious if the chef just got salt happy or if all of their food just tastes this way but am not sure I want to ever pay again to find out.
(2)Dani W.
Oh wow! I'm at the restaurant now and the food and the service at the bar has been amazing! Happy hour is great. Everything is delicious!
(5)Ashli W.
Love this place! Great happy hour specials and deals for half off bottles of wine on Tuesdays! Such a cozy bar and relaxing atmosphere. Bartenders are awesome here! I recommend the pear pizzeta :)
(5)Melissa H.
Fun server Clay. Very cute too! Wed is $5 Martini, Lemon Drop, Cosmo, etc! Great food AND there is a Groupon $15 for $30. Get in here!
(4)Geri M.
Maybe it was an off night. This was my first time here and probably my last time as well. The service sucked. Let me clarify, the actual server was fast...the waiter himself sucked. Maybe our waiter was new but he wasn't attentive AT ALL! The food sucked in general. We sent the rubbery, fried-to-a-crisp calamari back...the aoli sauce tasted like mayo. We got the mushrooms as a replacement and they were good. I ordered a Kobe beef burger. They never asked me how I wanted it cooked...bad sign. It was overcooked. The fries were soggy, cold and swimming in grease. One person in my group ordered the crab ravioli and said it was good. Another ordered the gnocchi....she ended up removing all the gnocchi and eating the braised beef because see the noodles were mushy and overcooked. Another couple ordered the salmon salad and said it was good, though the salmon was overly spicy. So food seemed to be hit or miss but we universally agreed that the waiter sucked. The only reason I gave it two stars was because the server was good, the mushrooms were decent and half of our party had relatively decent food. Did I mention that our actual waiter sucked? Big time!!!! There's no wonder that there is a groupon out for this place. You need an incentive to go there. Save your money, time and stomach. Just don't do it!
(2)Mike P.
Purple Cow was closed so tried Lucia instead and very glad we did. Although not an inexpensive place the food was very good. We had the Veal Parm and the Spaghetti with Meatballs and both were very good. Not a large place so seating is pretty limited but definitely worth a visit.
(4)Spazz R.
Coming here for the lunch specials is the way to go. The food gets knocked down to a reasonable price and the free bread that comes with your meal is the business. Friendly wait staff and they have a nice outdoor area if you want to eat outside on a nice Seattle summer day.
(4)Katie O.
For price and convenience, this place is perfect. The food is decent, the layout and decor is unique (black and white movies projected against the wall), and did I mention it's cheap? Ok, for lunch anyway. Unfortunately, they have burned me on one thing: the mac 'n cheese. They used to make an amazing crimini truffle mac 'n cheese. I don't know if they've changed cooks or what, but the past few times I've ordered it, it hasn't been good. For lunch options, I recommend the garlic cream express lunch. For about $8 you get an order of creamy pasta and your choice or a salad or soup. Their tomato basil soup is perfect for these cold summer days we've been having. :o)
(3)Genny V.
Poor service at this place. After waiting a very long time, the server admitted that my order got missed but offered no apology. As if she didn't see anything wrong with that. Food does not taste that great either. We probably won't go back.
(2)Paula P.
Stopped by for dinner on a Friday night. Super busy place, very loud in the bar and the restaurant. I tried their spaghetti bolognese, it was very dry, bland and not at all authentic. Super trendy but honestly I cannot understand what the draw is here. The service was okay in the bar but the server never checked to see if all was okay and did not offer dessert before presenting me my check. Won't be back.
(2)Devon N.
Lucia was great! I went with a group of 8 and easily got a last minute reservations on Open Table. The staff was very accommodating and our server was great. And the food, oh the food! I started with the filet mignon carpaccio. It was good but not as good as other carpaccio I've had. I'm not sure why that is because all it is is raw beef. For the main course I had the carbonara with a fried egg on top. It was rich and creamy and delicious. I'd order both dishes again. The patio was pretty cool too. They lit up the heaters when it started to get a bit cold.
(4)Brock A.
Great food with an equally appealing atmosphere. Half of bottles of wine on Tuesdays. I tried the Signature Truffle Spaghetti and Meatballs. Definitely worth the title.
(4)Ros B.
My favorite Kirkland restaurant, by far. It's a hip and modern atmosphere without the hip and modern pretense. The service is quick and friendly and the food is delicious, though a little pricey for some things. There's plenty of parking in the plaza, and you get to avoid the insanity of downtown Kirkland while still being in the middle of it all. The happy hour is the real gem in this place. Must tries: Bruschetta, truffle mac and cheese, Pinot Grigio (an absolute steal at $4 a glass!) Also love the "learn to speak Italian" CD they have looping in the bathroom. Kind of makes me want to stay in there just to learn more ;)
(4)Ariane S.
Gluten Free options!!! I loved the GF Pancetta Carbonara; be warned, it is extremely rich! My husband devoured his GF Spaghetti Milano (garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil) with Chicken. Definitely delicious.
(4)Ashley S.
Small, quaint, and a bit hidden. Best Italian in Kirkland. Appetizer bread and dipping sauce is amazing and addictive!
(4)John B.
Great Happy hour,& good food. Will be a regular weekly stop.
(5)Jeff G.
Although not downtown, the location is pretty great since it is in the Parkplace center next to QFC which means free parking and you should be able to find a spot at any hour of the day. Started with the calamari fritti; this is great for anyone, especially someone who doesn't love calamari as it almost tasted like on onion ring. I followed our server's advise on my entree and chose the pancetta carbonara. It was amazing, probably the best carbonara I have ever had. It would have been 5 stars except I tried my wife's salmon and it was not very good. Other than that, the food was all very good. We will for sure be back.
(4)Angela K.
I have now eaten at Lucia at least a dozen times in the last year, and I have to say it keeps getting better every time. Things I Love About Lucia: 1. They offer a lot of gluten-free options, even gluten-free pasta!! Which is actually GOOD! 2. Their Happy Hour is amazing! 3. It has been a good place to meet with friends because the menu features something for everyone at different price levels, so you can get fancy if you want or not break the bank. 4. Ambiance & energy. This place has a great vibe and I love the patio in warmer weather. Live music is a plus!!! 5. I just hosted a surprise graduation party for a friend there and Rachel the manager totally helped us execute the party flawlessly, from picking up the cake I had ordered at Hoffmans bakery next door to having some balloons on the table and finally to making sure everyone at our event had a great time. 6. Did I mention that the food is amazing! My friend who was graduating is a vegetarian, she had the eggplant torte and loved it. I of course had gluten free pasta and my date had a beautiful perfectly cooked steak. I really had given up on ever being able to enjoy Italian food again because I have to be gluten free, and sometimes things that are gluten free do not taste good. But Lucia has never disappointed me, they are consistent with regards to food and service whether I have a party of 10, 6, just me, or an intimate date with my man. If you haven't been here, you need to check it out, it can be hard to find hidden in the strip center next to the QFC in Park Place/Kirkland.
(5)Theo B.
We have eaten here a number of times. Everything on the menu is good and the service is usually very nice. I would give it 5 stars except some service was exceptional on some nights and so so on others. Also the last time we went the bathroom was totally disgusting. Reeked like a sewer I almost lost my appetite. After the food arrived I forgot all about it. The bread, pastas. calamari all very good
(4)Dave F.
Since, I really enjoyed the food/service here, I decided at the very last minute to do an event at this restaurant. So, I call Lucia and ask if I can have the upstairs that night for 18......they are bit thrown by the request, but eventually waive the $75 fee and tell me yes, they can accommodate. (Turned out to be good as we spent ~$1400.) This is an excellent venue for a group dinner and service was wonderful. We ordered off of the normal menu v doing catering and enjoyed the live music. Wonderful service Great food Great music The loft provides interesting ambiance excellent music Yes, we will be back! Thank you, Lucia.....we'll be at sister restaurant in LA, Taste, first due to proximity.
(5)Sarah P.
I really enjoyed Lucia. The bartenders are very friendly and fast, considering it was the middle of happy hour on a busy Wednesday night. The happy hour food was very good. I really enjoyed the gnocci and will definitely order it again as an entree. Decent happy hour wine as well.
(4)Kim D.
Amazing food, great service and atmosphere! Mike always makes you feel at home. Always a great happy hour. I always highly recommend Lucia to all my friends :)
(5)John R.
I want to like this place. I have been twice, both for lunch. The booths are very tight in the bar area, although the aesthetics are great as the place looks modern and hip. The service for me was very slow. On both visits it took about 10 minutes to be acknowledged after walking in, even though there were only a handful of other guests present, and then ordering and drink refills were equally slow in coming. Finally, getting the check at the end took more time, as the waitress seemed to make herself scarce. In all, both lunches took a good hour and fifteen from start to finish. That's ok for a lunch meeting, but when you're out to grab a quick bite to eat and then get back to work, this is too long. On the upside, the atmosphere is relaxing and the Italian menu is comprehensive and tasty. I've had the Kobe Burger and the Chicken Parmesan. Hopefully the management addresses the service element, as can imagine being a regular here.
(2)Chirayu D.
This is a beautiful looking place..ideal for those nice dinners. Has a pretty good wine collection and I liked the over-all feel, look & ambience of the place. I tried some stuff, and here are my 2 cents: Try the crab cake, caprese, DrunkenRedWine Pasta & ShortRibs & any pizza (I always end up iking the flat bread base at any of these fancy italian places...guess they make it well & fresh). Go for this one!
(4)Anne F.
Great place. Friendly bartenders and great happy hour, one of my favorite places in Kirkland.
(4)Cristina W.
Food is good, but not top- notch- best -Italian ever. Still, I would have to recommend this restaurant over the higher priced one on Central and definitely any national chain like O.G. because it is amazing looking on the inside, with great service, and the food is at least as good as anything else inside the limits of Kirkland. Amazing ambience and always has at least one or two dedicated waiters who are really great on anticipating what you might need. Its not expensive given the italian just down the way in downtown Kirkland which has a great view but is is really not great and way more expensive. This is a family owned restaurant with a very updated classy interior. I would give five stars for the 'pasta angeline" . I am an Italian-food foodie so anything that gets three stars, is pretty amazing to most. I have never been here for lunch or any other special pricing occasions, but I did hear that it r was of amazing value during off times.
(4)Shy A.
I've never been to Lucia for eats so I can't comment on the food. I have been here several times to grab a quick drink or kick back and listen to some of their live music. It a beautiful place, small and intimate. The service is pretty mediocre. The bartenders seem to be more interested in talking to their friends then actually serving drinks. The servers always look pissed. But, I always got this "i'm better than you" feeling each time I came here. It that very pretentious attitude that stops me from ever suggesting this place to friends for the hangout spot.
(2)Jason C.
I love this place especially Wednesday. Great way to relax and grab drinks with friends. Good live band! Good happy hour Good fun Good venue
(4)Bill W.
Had tried Lucia's when they first opened with the new format and decided it was time to go back. Food and service were good. Three of us split a full order Cesar salad. It was fresh and delicious, with an interesting tangy dressing and crunchy croutons. I ordered the Chicken Saltimbocca. I found the prosciutto, but was never sure if the stuffing included the tipo il formaggio. The pomodora was very creamy and complimentary. The mashed potatoes were also creamy, with just a hint of garlic. She had the Chicken Parmigiana. It seemed to be very well cooked and accompanied by just right spaghetti with a light, sweet marinara sauce. Our son had the Baked Rigatoni. He reported it was like a good lasagna, but with rigatoni noodles -- cheesy and meaty. The waiter was attentive and helpful. Our water glasses stayed full. We had only one complaint. The downstairs room seemed a little noisy while we waited, though it was quieter upstairs where we were seated. We might be back.
(4)Adriana W.
Wonderful restaurant and I can't wait to go back! It's a great atmosphere- perfect for date night. The waiter was very attentive and made sure that our glasses were full and we were happy. Not the best location being right across from the grocery store, but you forget about that once you're in. We had a girls night out, and we split the roasted beet salad as an appetizer (and here is my ONLY negative comment) that the beets were tasteless and my salad didn't have enough dressing. That said, I still cleaned my plate and enjoyed the dish. For dinner, I had the saffron asparagus risotto and she had the shrimp scampi. Again, her plate was cleaned, and I LOVED mine (which says a lot because I normally don't enjoy mushrooms). For dessert we shared the flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream. Decadent and very tasty, we finished the cake together and she finished the ice cream (I just couldn't get over the idea of salty ice cream but she loved it). I can't wait to go back. The whole experience was wonderful, and if you're looking for a upscale restaurant that won't break the bank, this is definitely the place to go.
(5)Fraser S.
Finally tried Lucia's after their recent remodel. Definitely not the quaint little place it use to be. It's more "Kirkland'ish" but not sure if that is a good thing. Food was pretty good and as mentioned in a previous review Blue Moon is on tap. The biggest gripes are with the hard, straight back chairs and tables tightly placed together. Definitely, not a place to go if you are looking to have a private conversation. In short, decent but not great.
(3)aditee k.
we went there yesterday night... quickly a 30 minute wait turned into 1 hour ....The service was friendly but the menu was limiting and the food was expensive and strictly ok. We wouldnt be going back to this place for sure.
(2)Laura P.
My husband and I started going to Mama Lucias about 8 or 9 years ago. Quaint place, close to our home with great food and wonderful people. We were excited to go back after their recent remodel towards the end of 2007. The new look is contemporary and the menu has changed from before. The food is still great with many new choices and some friendly new faces too. We absolutely love this place and will continue to go. The new salmon dish is excellent and the chicken cannelloni that was a favorite from Mama Lucias is still fantastic!
(5)Tanya J.
Lucia is a nice dining spot for the Kirkland neighborhood! Lucia is a lovely restaurant with a swanky, modern feel. I like the decorating sense in this restaurant with the framed black and white prints, the wall shelves and the projection screen on the wall. Very hip! Lucia is truly is one of my most FAVORITE places when it comes to amaaazing complimentary bread and dip. If I know I'm going to Lucia, my mouth starts watering ahead of time thinking about the tasty bread and balsamic based dipping sauce. As for the service, the servers are great and don't smug me when I want to special order and customize my heart out. For me, that means a lot. The appy's have been solid ever since I've started coming here and are quite delicious. I tried the mushrooms for the first time recently and y-u-m-m-y! The only complaint I have, which can be a weighty complaint are the entrees. A few years ago I could go to Lucia, order the Angelina pasta and fall in love each time. Now, I find some days the entrees are good and some days they are not as good. I will give Lucia some credit for trying new things and seeing what their customers like, but for some things, especially the favorites, I say don't change what works... and works well. I tried the brown rice penne with pesto which was alright but for $14 a plate, you want to have some warm and fuzzies about your meal. I would say Lucia overall is a great dining spot. The bread and appy's are truly amazing so those alone are worth the Lucia experience at a minimum!
(4)RV T.
Wonderful experience all around. Easy parking, greeted warmly at the front door, seated in a loft table above the main restaurant. Modern cozy decor. Waitress joined us in an appropriate amount of time for our order. Was friendly and courteous as was the busser. Outstanding food, sauteed spinach , calamari, chicken saltimbocca , kobe beef burger. Highly recommend and definately going back.
(5)Carrie B.
the chicken cannelloni and the meatballs with white sauce are so good! love their deck in the summer. great place to go for happy hour apps.
(4)Jack B.
Came back here one night and got a very boring fish. My girlfriend's pasta was no better. Just boring and bland. My advice still stands: go to Purple.
(2)Kritika P.
My husband and i Love Lucia!! We live close to Kirkland downtown so whenever we think Italian we go there!! We have taken our friends there too and the food and desserts have always been amazing.. I specially am a big fan of the Caesar salad at Lucia and am a regular at a quick take away for dinner, I went to pick up the same and the person who was at the counter gave it to me for Free!! He said its just a Caesar and refused to take anything for it..!! Thank You sooo much..( Wish i knew your name). I am a Bigger Fan now:)))
(4)Kira B.
I've been here twice and both experiences were great! The first time was about two years ago for my best friends college graduation. We surprised her with dinner, champagne and dessert. I had previously purchased a bottle of champagne and had her favorite cake made. When I called Lucia to ask if it would be ok if we brought this with us, I was assured that they would gladly help serve what we brought. We were also told there would be a corkage fee for the champagne which I expected. When we arrived they had our table ready and decorated for us with a little congratulatory note for my friend (I was so surprised and really touched! We had not asked for them to do anything but they did anyways). The food was amazing, the service was great and our waiter was beyond sweet and congratulated our friend on her recent graduation. Over all we had a fantastic experience and a really memorable night! The second time I was here was for my birthday. My mom and my boss had made reservations without my knowledge for a surprise party. They happily accommodated all of my friends, helped them decorate the table, and gladly cut and served the birthday cake my mom had made for me. We also got to sit in my favorite place in the restaurant... near the wall where they play old black and white movies! Everyone was so friendly and again the food was fantastic! The caprese salad and calamari are to die for! I can't wait to go back again!
(4)Rene' H.
It was loud and that was fine because it was Friday night....but, we had the table on the way to the kitchen and my husband kept getting bumped by the wait staff, etc. It is too crowded to have that table there. The food was great, and there was plenty of it, so it was worth the money...
(3)Paul B.
This place was a little bit of a surprise. I went with the wife to give it a try, and overall we were very impressed. The food was quite good (not excellent), and the service was attentive. Drink and food prices were reasonable. The only downsides would be the location and the comfort of the outdoor seating.
(4)P A.
Loved it. I had the beef cannelloni which was fresh pasta, filled with strips of beef and mushroom. It was great. My wife had the Chicken Saltimbocca which was really tasty also, I tried it too. My son had the baked Penne which was a little bland for him. The mains took a little bit to come out, but not so long that we were asking after them. Somebody noticed though and they gave us a free desert. We don't usually stay for desert, but decided to get two of them. The Chocolate Soufflé was awesome. They had seating for couples all the way to tables for 6 and there is also a small outdoor patio.
(4)Dan L.
Awesome lunch menu. Dinner is great as well. I've finally found a place that I can eat at for brunch, lunch, and dinner, everyday!
(5)Alice B.
I didn't choose this place for dinner, and I won't be making the trek over here just for this restaurant. Pros: Pretty good appetizers, with large portions Not too expensive Covered outdoor seating Good filet mignon (per my husband, nicely cooked) Decent service Good size dessert Tasty bread with dip (complimentary) Cons: Potato gnocchi way too salty Strip mall location View of QFC Decor trying too hard to be chic Menu doesn't seem to be updated often Overall, I was underimpressed. I thought the food was just okay, but what really got me was the location in a suburban strip mall right across from the QFC. I guess if I lived here and the location was convenient, it would be better. For me, I just prefer Seattle. Okay, you can call me a Seattle snob.
(2)Misty T.
Check your to-go order before you leave. I ordered a Club Panini. The menu says it contains "Chicken, Avocado, Bacon, Chipotle Mayo, Lettuce, and Tomato" . I also ordered fries. When I got back to work (which is one building down), my cold sandwich was missing the bacon and the fries were completely cold as well. I was not happy with the missing bacon. I was less happy about the hard cold fries. Lunch was terrible. So I emailed them about the missing bacon. A few days later I got an email expressing that they would send me something to make up for it. I'll try them again and see if its as bad. [update: got a gift card and went back. Got a burger. It was ok, nothing to rave about. The fries were still just as bad, so I suspect that is just how they make fries there. Still not a fan. ]
(1)E T.
Based on the below reviews, a few of my friends and I checked out this restaurant. We were very disappointed. I've never encountered such bad Italian food - we're still puzzled over how they managed to mess up such basic things and what was wrong with the pasta. I hope for their sake that it was an off night, but all four of us had dishes we refused to finish.
(1)Curtis P.
Perhaps it was the re-opening, but, our trip to Lucia's was awful. Mama is definitely gone! The new interior is trying to be trendy and hip, but, it was over crowded, cold and uninviting for families. They are definitely going to the trendy hip crowd now. We had reservations for 5, and were seated at a table that would seat three comfortably. Luckily we had our kids with us and not adults, otherwise it wouldn't have worked. The layout was such that we were constantly having to move or getting my chair kicked by the passing wait staff. Since we were with the kids, we passed on appetizers and stuck to ordering our dinner. Drinks first. Ice Tea? Nope, they don't have that. The machine is broke I think was the reason. So, we order some Cola's. Unfortunately two of our drinks had a thick film of dry soap all over the outside of them. When it came time to order, it was "we're out of that" for my first two choices. In fact, they said they were out of three of their entrees. I ended up having the Salmon which was over cooked and had a large chunk of the skin & brown meat still on it, which was not at all tasty. I'm not sure if it was a case of the jitters, but, my first impressions are not great. The only saving grace for 3 stars would be that the kids enjoyed their food and the sauce was tasty.
(3)Tami H.
I really like Lucia! Every time I go there I wonder why I don't go more often! This time it was Tuesday 1/2 price wine night. Had an amazing Sauvignon Blanc for $15! I tried the fresh corn and roasted tomato salad and it was just delicious. Really every time I go there the food is super flavorful. I also like the vibe which is cool, trendy, and friendly. Not what you would expect in ParkPlace mall! I may make this my regular Tuesday night out!
(4)Rupali G.
Torn on this review. I'll start with why I haven't given a full 5 stars ... I haven't been back to Lucia in Kirkland in over 5 months bc the past few times on a Fri and Saturday night my boyfriend and I have gone around 9-930, we have been turned away bc they were closing early, due to lack of customers. The website clearly states their hours but we have been told " we are closing early" twice. This is very frustrating especially on a weekend night and we are excited to have good food. We enjoy the truffle spaghetti and a few other items but I refuse to return there, due to the lack of customer service and hours they are keeping, which don't match their website. Sad, bc I used to go there quite often. Hope the owners monitor who's in charge, if they are now more so at the Greenlake location.
(3)Bosule P.
Lucia hits the mark with the two necessities: great service (friendly bartender) and fantastic happy hour menu. Ordered the bolognese, stuffed mushrooms, and spicy meatballs. The bolognese was FANTASTIC. I love Italian food more than anything so it's not that I was skeptical, but I wasn't expecting much. But to my surprise, it was like a warm bowl of freaking love. I could have eaten 5 more bowls, but the portion was perfect. The stuffed mushrooms were a little lackluster. I think it sat at the pass for awhile. The spicy meatballs were OK (I had to compare it to List's spicy meatballs and it was nowhere near, but the marinara and bread that it came with was good). Overall, great menu, good service, and good music too. They could do away with the pillows -- felt a little old and overused but other than that, two thumbs up. Location is a little off putting because it's right next to a grocery store but I don't mind given that the food is as good as it is.
(4)Ally-Marie B.
Good variety of Italian themed cuisine, beautiful interior and away from the hustle and bustle of the boulevard. The bar features a selection of liquor you would expect; nothing too fancy or unique. They offer a small beer selection and no guiness. The wine selection is where they shine. Reserve an outdoor booth if you can when it's nice out; very comfy seats and the natural light makes it a perfect spot to enjoy your drinks/meal. ***My Drink: "Fancy Pants": I ordered it with Hendricks Gin instead of Beefeater, which made it better in my opinion. It was topped with a HUGE basil leaf and was bitter/sweet enough to have two. I would order this again. ***My Food: Crab Cakes (off the appetizer menu): were very tasty, moist and held together well. I thought it was a bit odd that they topped it with candied bacon bits...a little unnecessary and it didn't mesh well with the richness of the crab. The sauce was very tasty though! My menu was practically ripped in half... When a large group was seated next to us, it left little room for the waiter to manuever... They accidentally threw away our leftovers... Most of the menu options had truffle oil....I love me some truffle oil, but it was overused. Overall, a great place to bring a date and eat American style Italian food.
(3)Jeff C.
I've been to Lucia at least a half dozen times over the past 18 months. So obviously it's good enough to go back but it also has to do to the fact it is a one block walk from where I live. The atmosphere is dark colors, low light, high ceilings with old black and white movies playing on a big screen near the bar (there theme is old movies/actors.) The menu is mainly classic Italian fare and fairly diverse but not huge. I'm not sure if they've raised their prices in the past 6-12 months, but it's a little on the pricey side (the same or slightly more expensive than Purple down the street) but not outrageous for Kirkland (even though it's in the aging Park Place with a view of QFC.) Pastas and Pizzas are in the $15-$20 range. A lot of the other entrees are in the high $20's. They do have daily specials every week: Monday=2 for 1 pasta, Tuesday=half price wine bottles, Wed=$5 martinis, Thur=drink specials. Food is generally good, one favorite of mine is the Sausage Truffle Mushroom Pizza which is enough for two people to share. Their bolognese isn't bad either if you like meat sauce. Although most items are 4-star, not everything is a that stellar though so you just have to be careful about your selection. I tried the chop salad last visit and was dissapointed as the lettuce was discolored on the edges (hard to see in the low light though) and the meat was cut up lunch meat slices instead of chunks. This was probably the worse thing I've ever eaten here though. In recent weeks the place seems to have a musty smell to it, possibly mainly in the bar area which is frankly starting to give it a tad of a 'divey' feel in the bar. Not sure what that's about. Has a pretty young staff that at least on my last visit failed to greet me as I entered and proceeded to the bar or say thank you for your business when leaving. Bartender was friendly and service has always been good in general though. All things considered I'd give it 3.5 stars overall, but 4 stars on their 2 for 1 pasta or half price wine bottle night.
(4)Melody P.
My friend and I came here for dinner. It was a long past due grils night out! I thought she was picky about where to go but it turned out I was the one didn't want to go anywhere! Well, I am glad she took me here! Between two of us, we ordered Fig & Kalamata Olive Tapenade Crostini, Lucia's Signature Spaghetti, Potato Gnocchi w/ Boneless Short ribs, and a bottle of red wine. I loved the crostini with fig and cheese! Probably one of my favorite of the night! Loved the sauce for spaghetti. However, the meatballs were a bit cold. The short ribs dish was spot on as far as the flavor and taste went. However, gnocchi wasn't a bit mushy! The wine we ordered was off price special. Overall, it was very nice for our girls night out! We couldn't eat dessert!!! I definitely would love to come back again! :-)
(4)Gary F.
Food was good, service was fine - but someone apparently wanted to get home. Though many tables were filled with people enjoying their meals and each others company - at a certain point they just turned up all the house lights as if to say, "GTFO".
(2)Giovanna C.
Walked by on Mothers Day to ask if they were open and they said they don't open. Internet says 3 and the people were obviously there for work. We walked by again and they offered cannolis to a woman but when my father asked what was said the lady just said huh what and turned away. Not the best feeling in the world. Edit in response to comment : I understand if you have a gas leak but when we come to ask you say : we aren't opening due to gas leak instead of "we don't".
(1)Yavnika K.
Lucia is a competent choice for Italian food in Kirkland DT. I can testify that by one lunch, but I will be back when I am in the mood for some filling Italian fare. I must emphasize the value bit. The tomato basil soup came in gratis with the entree (Noni's Spaghetti) in my case. The soup itself was full of homemade goodness and basil worked wonders. The only rant were the bread crumbs- which tasted stale and could be avoided entirely. I ordered the Spaghetti with Puttanesca sauce that should have had (more?) anchovies in it. It tasted fine though the way it was. Service was polite and efficient. If you are not a fusspot about your Italian food- go for it.
(3)Navi R.
I saw a groupon for this place and decided to go for it since I've passed it multiple times and the restaurant seemed inviting. For dinner, we had the Calamari Fritti for appetizer, the carbonara, chicken cannelloni and sauté spinach for the main course. We didn't realize the portions would be so big and our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomached since we had plenty of leftover. Overall, we found the food to be too heavy, salty, and lacking in flavor other than the saltiness. The best thing about this place happens to be free! Their complimentary cheesy bread was one of the best I've had. The raspberry?rhubarb? jam they serve the bread it definitely added to the treat, it provided a freshness and a hint of sweetness to the bread which went very well together. Our waitress (her first day on the job) was very nice. We would be back for their 2 for 1 pasta deal on Monday nights to give it another try.
(3)Elicia L.
I've been coming to Lucia pretty much since I've lived in this area (2007). I haven't updated my review in forever and figured that I am due. The owner, Michael, seems to truly care about his business. You can see him there at the restaurant many days a week. Service: the service honestly can be hit or miss. Last week we sat in the bar and the service was outstanding. 4 weeks in a row prior to that we (not sitting in the bar) eded up with the same, not so great server. Even when I've received crummy service, for a few reasons I still come back. I'm not going to talk about the crummy server because I feel it have already addressed that and everyone knows what bad service is like. Hopefully the owner knows who she is (Wednesday evenings) and will deal with it. Food: YES!!! Their food is pretty flipping great. Their basic bread that they serve you for free is reason alone to come here!!! The bruschetta is THE BEST bruschetta EVER!!! The size & amount of bread for the bruschetta varies but it always tastes the same (which is the important part). I love the blackened salmon salad. I've eaten it like a hundred times and I think only once or twice did I think the salmon was too done. If worried about it, you need to have good communication with the server that you don't want it over done. Those are my personal favorites but my friends always love the food and they order completely different things than I do. I'd say they are great on selection and pricing. The portion sizes are perfect, not too small or big. ;) Wine: I always get the "house white". It's a pino gris & it's great! :) I don't remember price per glass, but if I don't remember it must be a decent price. ;) I love Lucia, I will probably be a lifer if the food stays awesome. I recommend you check it out! :)
(4)Kelli H.
Very disappointing! Too loud and food wasn't edible. I ordered the Halibut picatta ($24) and it was terribly overcooked... to the point that it wasn't even edible. It was so overcooked that it was actually stringy! It came with veggies and potatoes and they actually serve it on top of both. I'm not a fan of that either. Had I known I would have ordered it differently. It was so loud I didn't want to "scream" or "yell" a request to the waitress and as a result we only had one drink each. It was extremely akward because of the noise I couldn't even talk to my dining companion. When you walk in the ambiance is really nice...just unfortunate you can't have a nice conversation over dinner. I had been there before for happy hour and it was noisy, but not as bad as a Friday night with a packed dinner crowd. The one star is for the wine. The wine was great!
(1)Darlene L.
My husband and I tried this place tonight and we loved it! Nice, romantic place. I can't wait to go back! I was told that they have the best chicken parmesan in town. My husband being a huge fan of said dish had to try it. Holy, crap was he not disappointed! I loved my shrimp scampi dish too. Not only was dinner completely satisfying, my husband loved the complimentary bread that came with our meals too. Our server was fantastic! We will be going back again SOON!!!!!
(4)Orlene C.
What makes this place special is all their neat events that they host. I attended one of their Bachelor ABC show viewing parties during Chris Soules Bachelor season. You can see their latest events by checking out their facebook page. When I went, they had two of our local successfully married couples who met on the Bachelor/Bachelorette series there to mingle and answer questions about the show (Jason & Molly, Chris & Desiree) while watching the latest episode live on their TVs. There was no additional cost besides what you ordered off the menu, and both couples were extremely friendly and genuine. It was such a fun experience for a girls night out! The food is all enjoyable but nothing remarkable. I shared the crab cake appetizer and the gnocchi with short ribs. Short ribs were perfectly tender but the gnocchi did not taste homemade. Easy location for parking.
(4)Lety P.
I love the food here but if you don't sit in the bar, don't expect fast or even average service. I've had Jen as my waitress a few times now and I've never been happy. I don't know if it was a combination of the kitchen being slow and her being slow but it's pretty bad. She seemed annoyed at a few requests and it just bothered us.
(4)Simona S.
I love the intimate feel right as you walk in the door! Their food is amazing! I love the ceaser kale salad. Pastas are great as well! You don't want to miss the Happy Hour! Jack and Michael will take care of you like family!
(5)Sophia T.
Amazing food. Fresh ingredients. They have both indulgent options and also light, healthy options. Gluten free options. Great prices. Beautiful interior decor and atmosphere. Nice music and lighting. Always fantastic service. Love Lucia!
(5)Bruno B.
I didn't like the spaghetti and meatballs, everyone's food was too greasy, the prices are high and not even worth it. This place is classified as $$ instead of $$$. The morning after, we all had stomach ache.
(1)Ashley T.
Even though it's tucked away in a shopping plaza, Lucia has a classy atmosphere that hypes you up for some amazing Italian food. We started with the calamari fritti, which was way over battered in my opinion. The amount of breading was equal to the width of the squid, making the entire dish too heavy. I had the shrimp scamp, which was surprisingly light and flavorful purely with the fresh capers and garlic in the wine sauce. The fettucine and shrimp were both cooked perfectly! My boyfriend had the spaghetti bolognese, which was a much larger portion and packed with meat. Overall, the food was good, but nothing particularly special!
(3)Richard B.
Love the fact that they honor happy hour with kids in the main dining area. We always come here when friends and family are in town visiting. Great mac n cheese, pizza, slidders, calamari, etc.
(4)