Serafina Menu

  • Antipasti
  • Insalate
  • Pasta Rustica
  • Specialita della Casa
  • Contorni
  • Summer Dolci
  • Antipasti
  • Insalate
  • Pasta Rustica
  • Specialita della Casa
  • Prix Fixe
  • Primi
  • Secondi
  • Sides
  • Per Bambini...(for the kids)
  • Bere con Gusto
  • Drinks
  • Per Mangiare
  • Featured Cocktails
  • Inspired Infusions
  • Daily Specials

Healthy Meal suggestions for Serafina

  • Antipasti
  • Insalate
  • Pasta Rustica
  • Specialita della Casa
  • Contorni
  • Summer Dolci
  • Antipasti
  • Insalate
  • Pasta Rustica
  • Specialita della Casa
  • Prix Fixe
  • Primi
  • Secondi
  • Sides
  • Per Bambini...(for the kids)
  • Bere con Gusto
  • Drinks
  • Per Mangiare
  • Featured Cocktails
  • Inspired Infusions
  • Daily Specials

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Sarah M.

    My husband and I went here for Restaurant Week. I ordered: Coppa e Sottaceti Zoe's coppa with homemade pickles and focaccia Pesce con Farro Roasted sea bass with a farro salad featuring cucumbers, red onion, chervil and mint, finished with a champagne vinegar sauce Biscotti e Cioccolata A plate of Italian cookies with warm chocolate crema Bellisimo Cocktail My husband ordered: Zuppa di Fagiolo Cannelini bean and lacinato kale soup with parmesan Maiale con Cavolo di Bruxelles Roasted organic pork loin with caramelized Brussels sprouts, smoked bacon and rosemary Formaggio e Fichi Duo of artisanal cheeses with fig mostarda and croccantini Everything was delicious and the service was great! We will definitely be returning.

    (5)
  • Nina N.

    Came back for valentine's day, and it was amazing. I don't think that I have had anything bad here! Honestly, the food is outrageously delicious. So delicious I don't want to try other italian restaurants in seattle because I don't want to get discouraged. Well, there are a handful of restaurants I would still go to, but serafina has never let me down in quality of food. The other thing is the service is amazing. So amazing, the table next to us was annoying me about how she loved how amazing "our" waiter was. - please stop drinking wine and talking in a stadium volume - seriously! I am trying to enjoy my dinner, and you're annoying me with your gracious complements. -- damn old drunk people --- The restaurant is really tiny, so we're pretty much very close to each other. So close I could yawn and smack someone in the face! Anyhow, the menu is seasonal with a few regular items on the menu but if you ever see their braised duck gnochhi on the menu, get two orders of it. It is magnificent, and just a brilliant!!!! This time around I had the lobster pasta, and some type of white fish that was perfectly balanced with citrus and light creme. I wanted to go back the next day after work and eat by myself at the bar top because it was so damn good. But my waistline says no, and it just makes it more appealing for the next time around when I come with friends!!!!!

    (5)
  • Sarah B.

    Great locally owned neighborhood restaurant. The food is always good with service that is professional and not in your face or fake. There is definitely a cozy neighborhood vibe to the place. I have been here several times whether it be to enjoy lunch, dinner or drinks with friends. The outside patio is great in the summer and the bar is a great place to meet up for a drink. The one thing that you must get when you come here...the orange basil mojito. Seriously it is what draws me to this restaurant. Yeah the food is great but usually I start dreaming about the mojito (fresh squeezed orange juice with muddled basil) and I have to go there. You won't be dissappointed with this restaurant!

    (4)
  • Hillary M.

    Definitely great menu for Italian. Solid pasta dishes and entrees and the chef always has a few specials. Service is friendly and quite knowledgeable about how every dish is prepared and made EXCELLENT wine recommendations! Desserts are nice too - excellent variety. Two warnings: Parking is very HARD to find here - every street seems to require a 'neighborhood' permit after 6pm and they are serious about towing! So plan extra time to drive around and around to find a spot, or buck up and pay for a lot down the hill. Related to that, don't drop your passengers off and think they'll get seated. They are ADAMANT about NOT seating you at your table until ALL your party is there. We had a party of six last time and they made four of us wait in the very tiny bar. A better strategy if you're a large party arriving separately is to rendezvous at the gorgeous bar around the corner to the west. Then when you're all there, go to your table at Serafina.

    (4)
  • Evan M.

    Really, really not up to the hype. We came here for the Dine Around or Urban Eats or whatever fixed price thingy they go with. The evening did not go tremendously well on food or the other aspects. First, even though we had reservations there was no room for us inside and we were going to have to wait for a LOOOONG time. Instead we opted for outside (it was still pretty cold out) as they said they had heaters--though those barely worked and barely kept us going. Also, the patio was pretty cramped and I kept getting knocked about by people walking around. Second, the food was pretty meh for the hype and price. I'd say they were batting at about 30% for the things we got. I had the rabbit sausage, which was initially pretty good, but had unbalanced flavors that made me tired of eating it pretty quickly. Wifey had the halibut, which was one of the blandest pieces of fish I've ever had. It even had a cream sauce which was like milky water. Sad. Everything on their normal menu sounded really good--so maybe we should have just swallowed the high prices and gone with that. We will definitely not be going back even though it's possible it was because of the crowds and they fixed price menu, but not worth the risk.

    (2)
  • Sonia Y.

    My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's day and I must say I was pleasantly surprised (by how great his taste is). It's pretty much every thing you could ask for in a "romantic" restaurant. Dim lighting and live music play a large role to the entire look and feel of Serafina. It gives you a relaxed and happy feeling while you enjoy your meal. My water cup was refilled every time it sunk a little under half way, and this could be credited to the couple of waiters that were walking around JUST to refill drinks. Our own personal waiter was charming and funny as they are supposed to be, he was there whenever we needed something and left us alone when we didn't need him. The food was phenomenal as well. We ordered calamari for our appetizer and it was just the right portion for two people. There wasn't too much to feel full after, and just enough to satisfy our craving for food as we waited for our entrees. It was perfectly seasoned, it's not the typical calamari covered in batter and fried, it tasted like salt and pepper and a little bit more spice. We ordered the raviolli with beef in it and the lamb. Both were excellent. The lamb basically melted in your mouth and the raviolli was perfectly tender and seemed to be hand made and fresh. I loved Serafina's and you can be sure that we'll be back!

    (5)
  • J Todd S.

    OK, this review has nothing to do with the quality of the food, just the service. A friend and I stopped by on a Monday evening, just before 6 pm for a couple of drinks and an appetizer or two. The bar was full, except for an exceptionally tiny table that always gets banged by the door. We noticed there was only one or two tables occupied on the patio and one or two occupied in the dining room, so we asked to be seated. The staff inquired if we would be having dinner. We replied, no entrees, but some appetizers and cocktails. They refused to seat us on the patio, even though there were a dozen or more tables free, and only offered us one tiny dark table in a bad corner of the dining room. We asked again if we could be seated elsewhere, since clearly there were not throngs of people trying to be seated. The answer was no. We left and went down the street to a friendlier establishment. I will think twice before I go back into Serafina, which is a real shame because it's a neighborhood institution and the food is good.

    (1)
  • Charissa F.

    Serafina has been rated "Most Romantic Place in Seattle" several years in a row, for good reason! You walk in, and you instantly feel welcome!! The atmosphere is so warm and romantic :) The service is great, the food was delicious, and their wine menu is nice and extensive. They let us try a few before ordering a bottle. I manage a building across the alley, and my tenants are always telling me how much they love celebrating special romantic occasions here.

    (5)
  • Bruce T.

    This note is based on having eaten four lunches, two dinners and one Sunday brunch here. You can't go wrong. I've never had a dish I didn't like, much less a wine. The desserts are also fabulous. Service is very good. Ambiance - a bit noisy. Cautionary note: if you usually take a Bloody Mary with brunch, consider going with a screwdriver instead. The Bloody here is excellent, but very substantial. It's damn near a meal in itself and it may make finishing your food a bit problematic,

    (5)
  • Joshua B.

    Haven't been here in a while, but always enjoy it when I go. Cozy European-inspired atmosphere, tasty food from a rotating menu, and a good wine selection. It doesn't hurt that they have a nice outdoor seating area and often have some live music on weekend evenings. I also think this is a good place to take out-of-town guests, IMHO, because of the slightly off-the-beaten-path location and unique menu. Reminds me that as much as its grown, Seattle's not a homogeneous place when it comes to dining options!

    (4)
  • Will W.

    One of the very best for italian and ambiance. I love the feel of this restaurant. Sunday brunch on a sunny day in the courtyard is as near perfection as it gets.

    (5)
  • Sergei S.

    Italian restaurants tend to get a bad rep from family style venues like buca di bepo and olive garden. Needless to say this place isn't like that. Serafina was an excellent restaurant. They manage to pack a lot I people into the restaurant but it just added to the atmosphere if you don't mind the hum of conversation. The dinner was excellent we particularly enjoyed the calamari which was seared in fragrant spices and not deep fried like the typical preparation. The kobe new York strip with the

    (5)
  • Kim S.

    Serafina never disappoints. What I love most about Serafina is not the delicious food, the attentive and friendly staff, but it's the ambience and distinctive charm that engulfs you the minute you walk through the door. With so many restaurants opting for the urban/industrial-chic look, Serafina offers a uniquely warm, cozy, romantic vibe that newer, hipper joints cannot compete with. I've never had a meal here that wasn't delicious. During the many times I've visited this restaurant, it never fails that each appetizer and main course elicits some variation of "yummmmm". I often get the seafood special, since they often feature a fish that I've never had the opportunity to try. This is a great place for a larger group, and definitely recommended as a place to take a special date. The only thing to beware of is the live music that is a few notches too loud. If this concerns you, make sure to ask for a table away from the make-shift stage. Desserts here are also amazing. Best I've had were a berry cobbler and donuts. Molto delizioso!

    (4)
  • Renganathan R.

    My wife and I have never been wrong going to Serafina. This is one of those once in a month (for us) places, where you want to really splurge on your food. Amazing service, a fantastic ambience and great food makes this place a must visit for people in Seattle looking for a good evening of very tasty Italian food. The two reasons why I don't provide 5-star rating are 1. Low(er) options for vegetarians 2. It's expensive. However, it's worth every penny as you bite into the yummy bread with the spiced olive oil, the amazing bread tampenade platter and mouth watering tricollo di ciocollato. I would recommend their egg plant parmesan based spaghetti and it goes amazingly well with the cocktails they recommend. They also carry an extensive list of quality wine, however, I'm not much of a wine consumer / connoisseur. A definite first date place and the live music has always been hearty. Can't wait for my next visit next month and we are looking to have brunch there.

    (4)
  • Teresa B.

    Lunch was a little so-so for me. I asked for a 4 top for a two person lunch so that I could work while I waited for my friend and got attitude from the hostess. Then when it came time to order they were out of a few things and no one told us up front. Tried to find options that would be filling but low carb and that was hard to do. My friend ended up getting the pork belly app but had to cut off lots of fat. I had the beet gnochii which was delicious but not low carb.

    (3)
  • Emily Y.

    OK.... so i've been here twice.... once for a birthday dinner with my family. it was not that great. the menu is really nice, the service was good, hardly any of our entrees were properly seasoned, and since you're paying 20-30 for an entree, it needs to be near perfectly seasoned. second time, i came for happy hour. i had a beer and the bruschetta. it was fast, tasty, and cheap. no complaints here.... i prob won't return for dinner any time soon, but maybe happy hour again?

    (3)
  • Shekinah S.

    I'm going against the popular vote and giving Serafina 3 Stars. Been here twice and in no hurry to return. I don't think this is the best Italian food in town and it is certainly not the cheapest happy hour. First time was for dinner a couple years ago. We went as a group, there were 6 - 8 of us. I thought it was cute but a little crowded inside. I couldn't find anything on the menu that I wanted. I just now looked at the online menu and there are a few things I would try so perhaps it was the $25+ entrees that deterred me. In the end whatever I ordered was a small and not very exciting salad. I was disappointed (and expecting something more substantial than a salad) but everyone else enjoyed their meals so clearly my experience was the exception. Then my boyfriend and I dropped in for Happy Hour over the summer. We shared the Bruschetta Duo ($6), my BF had the Panino con Formaggio ($6) and I had some little pasta dumplings that I don't see on the online menu. We both agreed that the best part of the meal was the complimentary bread and olive oil. It was truly fabulous. The bruschetta was good but we ordered the "duo" without the goat cheese so really we got a little bit of bread and some mashed up olives (aka tapenade) for $6. My BF thought his panini was OK. Basically a glorified grilled cheese sandwich. I liked my dumplings (I think they were lamb filled?) but the butter sauce they were served in was bland. I think it was just melted butter, maybe with some chives for seasoning. I stirred in some of the tapenade to add flavor, and then at home I topped the leftovers with spaghetti sauce. I cannot complain about the service. Our waiter was professional, funny, knowledgeable and attentive. And $3 happy hour beers are nothing to scoff at either. Plus we sat outside by a window and could overhear the conversation between the couple inside. They were on a first date and had met online, so that was fairly entertaining. I'm not sure what could bring me back to Serafina. Definitely not happy hour, since I like my HH food to be $5 or under, preferably under. Maybe their fancy cocktails, which I have not tried but they are known for. And maybe a fancy dinner IF someone else -- like someone with money and a job -- was treating. But too overpriced and overrated on my dime.

    (3)
  • Nikki B.

    After searching on numerous sites for a lovely Italian place to have a good dinner with my husband to celebrate an accomplishment we landed on Serafina. The service was amazing! Our server was very knowledgeable in the wine area and suggested good food options as well. The bruschetta was great and our dinners were ok. I had the mushroom gnocchi and while I liked mine and it was the perfect size, it was definitely not worth the 20 dollars. My husband had the special which was some sort of lamb dish with beans. It was 28 dollars and was barely enough food. Tasty but not worth the money. The ambiance and service made it worth while. I will have to go back and try it again but I might try its sister restaraunt next door, Cicchetti first.

    (3)
  • Aaron S.

    Wow! What an awesome experience! My boyfriend and I had dinner here a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed the great service, great food, and lively atmosphere. For once, I was able to order my salmon entree med rare and actually get it med rare at the table. The cuisine is Italian, but I can't resist trying salmon in places I don't expect to see it on the menu, and I was pleasantly surprised. The real Italian cuisine is also delicious and they had some very good Italian wines. My only gripe is that I would've liked to see a sangiovese by the glass. Everything people say about the parking is true as well , though I got very lucky and found a spot right in front that night,however, the experience was worth it. I highly recommend this fantastic restaurant to anyone out there looking for a nice romantic dinner.

    (5)
  • Phillip B.

    I love Serafinas. We drove 60 miles one way to be there. It's my favorite place for dinner in settle. I love that there are never small children there. It's a romantic place with great food and great service.

    (5)
  • Michael K.

    Second visit while picking up my daughter at UW. Love the neighborhood atmosphere and hand crafted feel to the food. A Las Vegas Foodie, I've eaten everywhere at the highest price range and Serafina holds its own. Well done

    (4)
  • John E.

    Went to Serafina for dinner last night. A little confusion initially by the servers which they recognized and fixed without asking. The food was good, but not great. My salad lacked a little flavor, but the pasta was excellent. They've really developed a great cocktail menu and make a great drink.

    (4)
  • Opal D.

    Great for lunch, dinner, Sunday jazz brunch. Good old standby!

    (4)
  • Benjamin L.

    My wife and I have been on a Serafina kick lately. We've been going for years, but it had been a while. Now we've been going every couple-three weeks. We usually don't go for a large dinner, but rather for drinks (I love the sarsaparilla), appetizers (the bruschetta is probably the best I've ever had anywhere), and the occasional entree (the pasta with veal meatballs) or dessert (chocolate torte, biscotti, sorbet). I have never been disappointed, and the staff, especially at the bar, are great. Serafina isn't cheap, of course. But we've found good value in what we've been getting. We are fans and are glad they're still around!

    (4)
  • Kate E.

    Great date place! The atmosphere is amazing, the food is delicious, the parking can be a pain in the ass - but it's all worth it for a nice dinner!

    (4)
  • D H.

    Fabulous! My favorite restaurant in Seattle. Has never disappointed. Always great food and service!

    (5)
  • Bunneh L.

    Very romantic date spot. Just dark enough and cozy as hell. It's filled with couples or groups of couples doing couple-y shit. If you're not attached, it might make you gag though. So consider yourself warned. There was about a 45 minute wait for our table on a busy Saturday night, but the time flew by. We sat at the bar and ordered a couple cocktails. The bartender was Johnny-on-the-spot with everything and chatted us up just enough not to be annoying or intrusive. Oddly enough, I sat next to some cute little octogenerian scraping buttered noodles down his throat. What is he, 5? What is he even doing at a swank little place like this all by himself? Poor thing. :( On to the meal. My handmade lasagna was outstanding (and piping hot). The boy's avgolemono scallops were amazing. The appetizer of marinated eggplant and mushrooms was a bit to vinegar-y, but that's OK. Two out of three ain't bad!

    (4)
  • Jamie U.

    Pork belly sent from the gods... Everytime my husband and I go to Serafina, we are always amazed at what delights they have on their menu. The restaurant itself exudes romance. From the decor to the cocktails and food. The pork belly, as I mentioned, is sent from heaven. The crispy skin followed by the melty delicious meat, is to die for. I don't think you could go wrong with ordering anything off the menu.

    (5)
  • Dianna S.

    Went here on a date and it definitely has the right romantic ambiance to set the mood but was not impressed by the food. What I was impressed by was the wine list. Quality, affordable wines from all over the world. Overall, the service was good and the restaurant decor was lovely but don't expect to be wowed by the cuisine.

    (2)
  • Clint W.

    This is a great date place. It's dark and romantic. It's in a neighborhood area so it attracts a different crowd (not as extreme as say a Nell's). The dining room will pack up though. I've also ended up in the bar buying some time until friends come, which is okay too. I like to people watch. Staff is great and there is a pretty diverse menu to choose from. One of my friends swears by the butternut squash ravioli. She'll come here at least once a year just for that. But for some reason, this isn't the first place I think of when I'm after some italian food. When it's a night on the down, this place isn't upscale enough and when we just want to land somewhere, this place is too hard to get into. It falls into the bermuda triangle of italian places for me. Not quite sure why. When I'm here, it's always someone else's choice.

    (4)
  • Poulina K.

    I have heard about this place plenty and the girls and I decided to try it for Happy Hour. Although their wine selection was a bit disappointing the happy hour menu was great and absolutely delicious. Pork belly was divine, cooked perfectly with a crispy top. This is one of very few places that serves sauteed calamari the way it's intended, tender and well seasoned with olive oil, its own juices and some kalamata olives. Most places only offer the deep fried, battered kind, which is typical for American pallet. Bartender was very accommodating, service was prompt, however the female hostess was a bit snooty, for no apparent reason. The restaurant itself is very small and gets noisy when full. In my humble opinion this restaurant is a bit over priced...but I will try again for dinner.

    (4)
  • Chris T.

    After passing by this place on Eastlake at least a couple hundred times on the bus between the U-District and Downtown, I finally got to set foot in Serafina for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. I arrived early and on top of that, everyone else was late, so I spent about 45 minutes by myself at the bar, reading The Stranger (that I had picked up right outside their door) and sipping on my first-ever, absolutely delicious glass of rose (which was accompanied by a very thorough answer to my question, "so...what IS rose, exactly?"). The bartenders were all super friendly and knew when to talk and when to leave me alone so I could read. With cement floors, fluttery drapes, huge vases of flowers, candles everywhere, and live music later in the evening, Serafina is the epitome of the romantic restaurant. The lights even got progressively dimmer throughout the night (cue Marvin Gaye). Our waittress was all smiles and answered all of our questions about the food and drinks. When I asked about the nettle ravioli and she explained the dish (the same nettles that sting you on hikes but once cooked, don't sting! and are actually yummy!), I ordered it right away...about twenty minutes later, when the food came out, I had a plate of ravioli in front of me that suspiciously didn't look like what I'd ordered at all. "...is...that...asparagus on top?" I asked. (I hate hate hate the smell of asparagus when it comes out) "Yep. and they're filled with asparagus too." AAH! When I tried to disguise the horror on my face, she smiled and quickly whisked the dish away and brought out my nettle raviolis within five minutes. Those nettle raviolis made me quite happy. My boyfriend's lasagna, on the other hand, was EVEN BETTER! The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce was super juicy and savory: get the lasagna when you go! (Don't get the squid ink pasta: they looked limp and tasteless and the faces of the people who ordered it didn't suggest otherwise.) The desserts weren't to die for but the impromptu dessert that the waittress ordered for my boyfriend (limoncello poured over vanilla ice cream) elicited moans from people all around the table. While the $20+/entree prices are too high for me to come here all the time (which I'd love to do), I'll be returning for happy hour soon! If you have a special occasion or a fancy date coming up, though, by all means, Serafina has you covered! (Plus, you can walk down the hill and admire the moonlight reflecting off Lake Union after your meal!)

    (5)
  • Jane A.

    RAFFINATO!!! (did i say that right in Italian?) It's been awhile since I been here. But after graduating from the UW my work that i've stayed true and loyal to all those years gave me a nice gift certificate to Serafina. They must have felt sorry for me always eating the free microwave campbells soup (just add hot water) during my breaks. Us broke college students can't afford to eat anywhere but dorm/hub food. How sad?! haha. So this was definately a nice gift from them. I was able to bring a few close friends with me to eat. I ordered the Ravioli di Carciofi Spinaci and it was delicious that I can remember. I forgot what my friends ordered but all of it was delicious. I especially like the bread and olive oil they place on your table while waiting for the food to arrive. The service was on point and the waiters/waitresses were very nice. The place is a bit small but cozy.

    (4)
  • Ted H.

    Music was fab, server was nice and prompt, ambiance pretty nice, little crowded, but within reason not bad. On the other hand... Prices were high and the amount of food served well below average. Presentation nice, however taste lacking (bland) and my house salad wasn't served with any dressing! Gratuity charged automatically, crummy if one is served miserably (we fortunately were not!) Italian, you speak italian? ---MENU I ordered a what I thought would be a salad for $12.00 and it turned out to be a slab of meat with garnish (Prosciutto, italian ham; no description in ENGLISH). I reexamined the menu recently online and yes it is not described as having meat whatsoever. In summary, this is kind of a wannabe high upscale restaurant that falls flat on its face with the pretentious menu (most of it in Italian) and the bland tasting food (made for Americans perhaps?).

    (2)
  • Keegan F.

    I live next door, so you may think my 3-star rating is indicative of a bitter Eastlake neighbor. While I do begrudge the people who constantly steal my Zone 8 street parking (you will be ticketed!), I will also tell you the truth. Serafina is good, but oh so very far from great. I've tried their lasagna (which was fantastic!) and several other dishes. However, their bar food (late night menu) is pure awful. While I want to venture here often for the great live music and good service - the beers on draft are not to my liking, the menu is overpriced, and as I mentioned - every item on the bar menu tastes exactly the same. With Sitka & Spruce leaving Eastlake, I'm not really sure where my #1 pick on this stretch is anymore. Sure, go to Serafina for that romantic date, this is a good spot for that. But don't go if you have a hankering for Seattle's best Italian.

    (3)
  • Ema C.

    Last night, I came here and ordered some food and began our dinner with a salad and some pork belly meats. Before ordering, I told our waitress that I am severely allergic to all seafood and shellfish and to please let the cook know because I can end up in the ER in anaphylactic shock. I've come here before numerous times and it was never a problem. I'm guessing the waitress wasn't listening very carefully because when I started to eat my salad, I started to have itching in my mouth/throat - there were tiny bits of anchovy at the bottom of the plate. The rest of my evening was spent with a really itchy throat/gums, wheezing and having to lay down with my Epi-pen by my side and having my boyfriend monitor me for breathing difficulties (he works in an ER) for 4 hours in case we had to call an ambulance. It was our 5 year anniversary dinner. :: UPDATE I called and spoke to the general manager Jody Haynes about my dinner incident and apparently, I was the first person to ever have had a reaction there due to the carelessness of the waitress who took my order. Jody was very nice and apologetic and mentioned something about changing the menu. I mentioned to her my concerns about others who may end up in a worse situation (in the ER with a hole in the trach) when servers do not pay attention to people with allergies. With that, I hope that I can one day muster up the confidence to eat here again because I seriously LOVE the food (the pork belly is to die for, but the salad will kill me) but when servers do not pay attention to allergies and 'forget' about these things, it means that allergic people like myself spend a day and a half recovering from allergic reactions.

    (2)
  • Lisa C.

    Oh my darling Serafina, Tonight you had me at first bite. I visited you years ago, when I was young, and thought you were nice... but today, I realized what you are... perfecto! Your cocktails are divine. How many bartenders make a blow-your-mind caipirinha? My strawberry bellini was bliss. The bruschetta was probably you're weakest link, and even that was amazing. The combination of goat cheese and peppers danced in my mouth. Your heirloom tomato caprese salad was a lesson in simple art. I love how you let the flavors of tomato and basil run rampant in my mouth. It was like summer exploded onto my plate. My Pollo Arrosto was your crowning glory. My mind would never have thought the combination of roasted chicken could meld so wonderfully with rainier cherries, balsamic vinegar and a mild goat cheese in such a powerful way. Tonight I gladly joined the clean plate club... in fact I almost joined the lick-your-plate-clean club. Gina, our fabulous waitress, who you obviously sent to woo us, was like an angel. She directed us towards an outstanding Barolo called Casa Mate. The nose was cherry, tobacco and dirt, with just a whiff of something sweet like chocolate. But my favorite charm of yours, my dear Serafina, is your beautiful, private, cozy patio out back. I felt so comfortable, so at home, so UNhurried. All night your pretty little twinkle lights smiled at me. It was truly beautiful. I will be seeing you again my love. I hope it's soon. Love, Lisa

    (5)
  • Brynne H.

    I love Serafina! It's so warm and inviting from the second you walk in the door all the way into the bathroom. It's a gorgeous little space, and it's definitely cozy and homey. And I mean homey in a good way. The food is so, so, so good. I've had a soup so good I wanted to fill a bathtub with it and just soak in in, and yes, I realize that is absolutely disgusting, but I'm not erasing it... Their happy hour menu is pretty sweet, with a variety of small plates and appetizers. The crostini with the deliciously smooth and creamy mozzarella. So much yum! There are several meat free meals on their menus, too, which is a nice plus. The bar is nothing short of amazing. Every last drink detail is attended to, and the end result is perfectly executed drinks. And the bartender is amazing, will come up with concoctions for you on the spot, and stop and talk with you about their house-infused liquors when he has the time. Did I mention they have REAL maraschino cherries? Get the bellini, you won't regret it!

    (4)
  • Angela S.

    Disclaimer: had I not gone in with high expectations, I would have given this place 4 stars. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The service was friendly and fairly prompt--no complaints there. It's just that the food really wasn't that great. I think my boyfriend enjoyed the seafood special that he got, but the bruschetta appetizer we had was really weird. I hate it when things taste charred, and the bread was just really burnt. The toppings for it were also pretty bizarre, and not that good (I could only sample two of the four, as the other two were not vegetarian). I had the melanzane (eggplant) entree, and it was really just okay. The eggplant was good, but the flavors were just super bland. Tomato, a little basil, a little cheese (ricotta--nothing at all exciting--and maybe a touch of melty mozzerella--also not exciting). It was just kind of a let down considering it's their specialty. I mean, it was okay. It was fine. It just wasn't great. There was nothing really special about the experience. I left disappointed.

    (3)
  • Bernie P.

    When we walked in, I had an amazing first impression. Quick bartender who upsold on an amazing Negroni, kind hostess who quoted an accurate time, proactive staff that found us in the bar when our table was ready and smiling servers at every corner. Then we sat down. Our waiter had a positive greeting, where he knowledgably explained the specials and additions to the menu. Let me preface my comments by saying that I'm a restaurant manager and that being with other restaurant people for dinner, some actions were obvious. From there on, it really didn't go well. He showed disappointment that our 6-top went down to a 5-top, meaning less tip and/or no auto gratuity. Then, it was about 15 minutes before he came back to check back for a drink order, losing the support of two of our five immediately. We decide, lets just order it all now so that we don't wait too much. He then told us about the fresh truffles for $10 that can be added to each entree. Great right? Fresh truffles, thats awesome. Then my friend went to order a duck dish, he asked if she wanted to add truffles, why ofcourse truffles (pause... she's looking for the price, looking for the price... wait... $10 dollar truffles... nevermind) No thank you. At this point, he shows disappointment again. I get upselling, but don't get angry when it doesn't work or show that to your guests. We all go around, only ordering entrees except for me. He turns to everyone and says, "Are you guys going to let him be the only one with a first course?". Nice... thanks for that. I almost just took the salad back but I didn't want to blame the kitchen for the 'disappointment upsell' again. I wanted to see how their spinach/mushroom salad tasted. I decide, so that the group doesn't feel bad, to just have it with my entree. We then don't see the server for a good... say... 45 minutes. He clears my beer glass and no mention of another beer. I turn to my friend and say, "Its sad when our servers at our restaurants lose the opportunity to sell a guest anything but just not asking...". To his credit, our friend ordered a rabbit dish with 4 inch long bones which he immediately removed and gave him another dish. No fuss, no argument, but barely an apology. I'm curious what the kitchen/manager/chef said because thats not something a braised rabbit pasta dish should have, since its impossible to stop from accidentally eating, I mean, its pulled braised rabbit leg. Finally, dessert comes. Candle in, he noticed it was a friends birthday, and we all say happy birthday. Oh good... the bill came... we, I guess, added ice cream to the dessert and got an extra charge. By we, I mean our server, so that the candle could sit on something. The great comment from our friend was that it didn't feel like nickel and diming, it was dollar and dollaring. So, some servers aren't going to always be there so please don't blame the restaurant (and its staff) for that. Bussers were attentive and kind. Hostess was very positive and checked up on us, suprisingly. Bartender was quick and precise. Great negroni, just like I make it at my bars. Duck was amazing, as Moulard should always be. Squid Ink pasta lacked substance and was dry. Spinach/Mushroom salad was good. Beverages and atmosphere were well done. I saw a nice 'Vai

    (1)
  • Mary Alice M.

    Lovely little place, looked promising. Dark and romantic (maybe wasted on me because I was with my daughter) but I liked the atmosphere, and it was a nice crowd for a Thursday evening, nice buzz about the place. We ordered the mixed olives al forno, which we liked.My daughter had the Polpettine di Vitello, which if great if you like meat - I swear, there was 1/2 a pound's worth of meatballs in this dish. She liked it very much, but couldn't come close to finishing it.I had the Orecchiette con Rapini, which to be honest, wasn't a complete success to me...it tasted strongly of undercooked onions. Service was my issue - started out fine, but lagged badly as the dinner progressed. Bread appeared on out table AFTER the appetizer. I ordered a glass of wine to start, and finished it during the appetizer. I then asked for a second glass to be brought WITH my dinner. Perhaps his version of WITH my dinner differed from mine - I was 3/4 of the way through my pasta before the server reappeared with my glass of wine. As we finished our meal, the restaurant was emptying out, but our server disappeared completely and after many attempts to get his attention, we had to flag down another server to try to get our check. All in all, the experience was not really worth the price.

    (2)
  • Jason K.

    My friend Justin makes fun of me because I love this place so much and admittedly go there on almost any occasion I consider special. I'm known by name by many of the staff. Point is ... I'm a regular. What makes this place so great: 1. The staff -- friendly, super knowledgable about the food, fun, and really damn good at their job. This place runs like a well-oiled machine and you can literally have an entire meal without actually knowing you have people serving you...it's that smooth and seamless. 2. The food -- the seasonal menu always seems to have the right balance of different dishes, and there are a couple of standbyes which they modify over time (the bistec, the chicken breast). It is at the same time familiar and new, which keeps people coming back. Some of my favorites include the bruscetta sampler (though the tuna is the best of the best). I could eat the grilled bread endlessly. For pasta, the Mezzaluna filled with squash and in a brown butter sauce is delicious, as is the Plin which is filled with pork. The bistec is not to be missed -- and sometimes is on their special menu. I don't know how they make the steak so good, but it is always delicious. 3. The wine and drinks -- they have a great cocktail menu of innovative drinks often using infused syrups and herbs. I've never been disappointed and they take bartending seriously here...the wine list is extensive and has many affordable bottles, including the Muri-Gries Lagrein which goes for $39. I bought a case of this and have adopted it as my house red wine. The sommelier is always available to suggest amazing pairings. 4. The ambiance -- Serafina is lively and always busy and yet at the same time so comfortable and cozy. Every time I go I feel sort of cocooned. They often have live music playing on a small stage which only adds to the warmth of the place. Consistent, inviting, warm, delicious...what more could you ask for!

    (5)
  • Some G.

    Good Italian food, great cocktails, and average service. It's an incredible deal when you go eat here past 10pm. They drop the price of $18-$19 dollar entrees down to a mere $6-$8 bucks. But don't go there too late or they'll run out of the good entrees =) I highly recommend ordering Prin here.

    (3)
  • Margaux j.

    I walk up to Serafina about once a week or so and grab a drink and an appetizer. The decor is warm and cozy and the perfect spot for this crappy June-uary weather. The orange basil mojitos are the best - hands down. By the glass or by the pitcher, which something that until my friends and I requested had never been done. Really? Apparently we were the first to realize the beautiful combination of efficiency and alcohol - in mojito form, at Serafina. I ordered the spinach ravioli for dinner...it was just okay, nothing to write home to my 1/2 Sicilian mother about ...however, the calamari I had previously was incredible. I find that the portions tend to be huge, so bonus with the calamari...not so much for the pasta. Overall - if you are in the neighborhood Serafina is a great place to spend a cold rainy spring day.

    (3)
  • Bonnie C.

    Serafina is the complete package. Wonderful, refined Italian, attractive decor, a comfortable patio for the summer months, friendly and helpful service. And to top it all off, a great bar. I especially love their gin drinks. There is a late night happy hour for two hours before close with discounted appetizers. This is a superb date place - guys, take note. Your girl will feel really special if you take her here.

    (5)
  • Alison L.

    Serafina is ADORABLE. The only thing that makes me sad is that you can't sit in the patio just for cocktails. It is reserved solely for dinner reservations. I think it should be reserved solely for a little blonde girl (me) and her mimosa. Still, the interior itself is far from shabby. There are creatively placed tables practically hidden in nooks and crannies of the room, perfect for an intimate or romantic experience made for two. The food is wonderful; the cocktails are YUMMY, and the service is personable, warm and efficient. I had heard mixed reviews about Serafina prior to, but I chanced it and I'm glad I did. My experiences have always been consistent and top-notch. I'd trust them for any celebration. Sidenote: If it's an anniversary, make sure to call ahead and tell them. I did, and not only did they pick out the perfect table, but they also surprised us with an offer for a free dessert following our meal. When we declined (because honestly, the 4 courses we had were enough), our server brought us a gift, a book entitled "The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest"-- and wouldn't you know it, Serafina was one of them. Love.

    (5)
  • John L.

    I've been here for dinner and I've been here for brunch. In every case there has been live jazz -- usually just a piano and a wind instrument, sometimes with a bass. So it sets a great mood for great conversation, but you can hear each other as well. The food is excellent and the proportions are not out of control. We brought our own wine, and they waived the corkage fee when we supplemented it with one from the menu as well.

    (5)
  • Joelle A.

    Yum yum yum! I came here for a Restaurant Week lunch, and it was absolutely fantastic. I had an appetizer of raw fish with a very tasty sauce, a main course of semolina gnocchi with a mushroom sauce that was perfectly cooked and paired, and tres leches cake for dessert. It was a wonderful meal, and I can't wait to go back again.

    (5)
  • Tim K.

    My parents were in town to spend time with their new grandchild and we needed a place to go for my birthday dinner, I had yet to visit Serefina after living here for seven years so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We made reservations for 5:30 since the little one was coming with us. They had a nice size table for us, party of four 1/2, right by the window. It was a Sunday night and the start of there 30 for 30 month so the place filled up quickly. The calamari and drinks were great and everyone had salad and entree items from the regular menu since we were celebrating. My steak was really good and my dad lamb was tender and falling of the bone. My wife had an eggplant dish that was very tasty. The meal was great and the service friendly, they even took our daughter on a tour of the restaurant when she got bored with us. I will say being new patents its not the place to bring a baby to many dates and close quarters for a little one to tolerate. Get a baby sitter. Desserts were a little to fancy for my taste at a place that has such hearty food I expected a little more. The entire dinner took around 2 hours plus. The service did deteriorate a little towards the end of the dinner, the food and drinks were all timely but after the table was cleared to took excessively long to get the check and then the change. We will return but now on a date night.

    (4)
  • sean o.

    my favorite fine dining in Seattle and a special place for my wife and I. The food is always different and we always have a great experience. Go on a Friday night when they are having their live music.

    (5)
  • Maddie F.

    Love this restaurant, never disappointed. Know the service is slower (not in a bad way though) so be ready to be ok with that.

    (5)
  • Jeff W.

    Serafina is excellent. After living in the Eastlake neighborhood for over a year and never going, we finally broke down and went. We'll be going back a -lot- more often now! It was fantastic. The bar staff was friendly, and we arrived a little before dinner seating, so we had an opportunity to get our name in for a table without a reservation. Being able to be accommodated was a nice surprise, we sat out in the 80 degree sun in the back patio and enjoyed a light dinner. Excellent sangria. We'll go back and have a larger meal next time.

    (4)
  • Becky W.

    I love a Seattle night sipping wine at a restaurant where the windows are open and fresh, cool breezes fill the air. Warmly lit, cozy atmosphere, attentive servers - and good wine. Missed the food, but I've heard wonderful things and will go back to try that for sure.

    (4)
  • Adi C.

    I decided to walk down here since I had a little extra time for lunch than I usually do. I was seated instantly by a very friendly hostess. I had a problem finding any vegetarian dishes, but I think that was mostly because words such as "oyster" and "filet" were used to describe mushrooms, etc. Since it was my lunch hour, I had a little trouble concentrating. The server pointed out several options for me, which made it easy to pick which one I wanted. This was the perfect place to spend my lunch hour catching up with a friend. It wasn't the most gorgeous day of the year, but the large windows and positive atmosphere made it feel bright and cheery. I actually enjoyed my lunch break for the first time in years!

    (5)
  • Sam H.

    I took my girl here for her birthday and had a wonderful time. Our servers were friendly, knowledgeable about wine, and attentive without being obtrusive. The atmosphere was a bit too noisy before about 9:15, but after that it was nice. My favorite thing was actually dessert, which is not usual for me. I had some pumpkin fritters with a spicy cream cheese dip and something pear. The fritters were light and spongy instead of hard chucks of greasy dough. I also devoured their butternut ravioli with hazelnuts, butter, and sage. We had some spinach that tasted like bacon, which as everyone knows, is the best way to eat spinach.

    (4)
  • Glenn L.

    Excellent food and service. Romantic. Very accommodating for older kids. Wonderful live music. They even have blankets on hand for when the patio gets chilly.

    (5)
  • Xav Z.

    Service was great! Cocktail was fantastic. Lovely ambiance. I have to say, the waiter was friendly and fast. Very good. However, the food disappointed me. Total disappointment. It was not bad, but I was expecting something very good and it tasted average. I had the eggplant dish.

    (3)
  • Sean B.

    YES!! YES!! YESSS!!! Seattle needs more places like this to eat! Now keep in mind, if you're in the mood for Spaghetti and Meatballs- this isn't your spot. Now- if Roasted Lamb with an amazing tomato sauce over palenta sounds like your thing- CHECK THIS PLACE OUT. I'd suggest this as a great place to take a date as long as you don't mind feeling a bit crowded and having it be a little loud. This just became one of my favorite of three italian spots in the City!

    (5)
  • Iris M.

    I've been here several times and each time the experience keeps getting better for me. Their courtyard space is awesome and that's why I usually come here for my birthday. I die for their mussels! They are the best mussels I've ever had, so I was really looking forward to eating them on my birthday! I was shocked when our waiter told me they were out!! Ugh, but my disappointment only lasted two seconds because he immediately said the same can be done with clams! Yes!!! They were delicious! I also really like their gnocchi, but they didn't have it for their summer menu this year. Their gelato is the best! My boyfriend had espresso poured into his gelato and it was awesome too.

    (5)
  • Jeffrey M.

    Good service, extremely friendly and attentive staff. Bruschetta dry bread, bland ahi tuna and goat cheese with peppers accoutrements, but very tasty olive tapenad. Chicken was really good; served over ragout of butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, pomegranate and house cured pancetta. It was crispy/crunchy and very nice. Mom had butternut squash ravioli that she loved. One alcohol drink. $65. Nice but not a top 10% restaurant in Seattle.

    (3)
  • Lana B.

    I personally love Serafina. I don't get the subpar reviews. I love the bar area because the bartenders are so good, and the courtyard in the summer when the weather is nice. The main dining room area can get loud though. The food is great. I love their salads, the bruschetta, and the plin. They have good drinks and an extensive wine menu. The happy hour is excellent too. The only thing I don't love is the prices but the food is worth it in my opinion.

    (5)
  • Denice R.

    The daily prix fixe lunch menu for $14.95 to be satisfying and delightful, especially with a glass or two of wine. I like the ambiance the unique painted walls and adornments create. The seating is a bit "close" for my taste, I would prefer a bit more space between tables. Our service was basic (could have been more carefully attentive.) Be sure to close the front door tightly as it's not closing on its own right now -- very annoying in these cold winter days. I may return in the summer for dining on the patio.

    (4)
  • Darcy J.

    Fabuloso! Great Food, Great Atmoshpere (esp. for a Thursday nite), great service just poor parking availablity. Would highly recommend, loved the food, loved the veal meatballs, loved the server..

    (5)
  • Don A.

    The last two times I've been have been too disappointing for me to ever return! This most recent time, my grapefruit and avocado salad had literally three pathetic wedge pieces of grapefruit in it. It should've been titled endive and green salad, what a disappointment. That combined with serious problems from the kitchen, created a horribly long wait between salads and entrees for our Sunday night dinner. I might expect problems on a Friday or Saturday, but not on a slow night when the restaurant wasn't even full. The hostess was kind enough to apologize nervously for the mistakes (which should've come from our snarly waiter) but that didn't amend our disappointing experience. The waiter was not attentive, and just kept pushing drinks, appetizers, dessert, coffee... Had he spent as much time asking how he could serve us, if the food was alright, getting it to us on time, taking responsibility for coordinating our plates, etc., we might've been more inclined to order more. What a pushy, inattentive wank! So regretful that this has become a common level of service at Serafina. In a town like Seattle, the discerning diners will just go elsewhere.

    (1)
  • Gary A.

    ******UPDATE********* I forgot to mention in my review that they will be closed most of the month of April 2008 for a remodeling project. I am sorry I don't recall what day they are re-opeing. I have driven by for 20 years and have never eaten here. What a treat to go to. We started with the anti-pasta plate and it was outstanding selections. The menu is diverse and something there for everyone. I had a great Kobe steak, wifey had chicken, friend #1 had lamb and friend # 2 pasta. All of us enjoyed our food. If I had one complaint, it would be the deserts were simply ordinary. We will definitely be back

    (4)
  • Gabriela S.

    Serafina is great. Their dinners are amazing and so is their brunch. The live music scared me at first since I thought it might be too loud, especially during brunch, but is not loud at all and definitely adds to the experience. The wine list is impressive and the service is wonderful, both in the restaurant or at the bar.

    (5)
  • Lori B.

    It's nice. The atmosphere is enjoyable, the staff is friendly, but kind of on the pricy side for what you get. I have had better Italian, but I can't complain too much. It would be a great date spot. What is the stage for anyway? Do they even use it?

    (3)
  • Laura P.

    We called in for a reservation and were given the green light. We arrived only to be told that we'd have to sit at the bar. I didn't mind so much the location, just the snotty attitude of the hostess directed at husband. She claimed that she told him that there was "space" for us. Would have helped if she said told him where. I realize that it is the holiday season, but that was the point of the reservation. duh! My entree was fine (gnocchi, Roman style), but husband's plate (house made veal meatballs) was just okay. Our waitress dropped the ball also, stating that she'd bring a bread basket but not delivering until we were almost finished ("Better late than never!" she claimed). Times like these make me want to retreat to the kitchen and just do my own thing. More work but less attitude.

    (2)
  • Laurel P.

    THE BEST Bloody Marys (Mary's? Maries??) we've ever had. Hands down. Ever. Drink one before you die. Or seven. But beyond this, there is just something special about Serafina. Yes, the food, the atmosphere, the music, the cocktails, the service - they're all great, but when they get things right, they REALLY get it right. It's worth sometimes having slow service (albeit not a frequent problem, IMHO) and the occasional good-but-not-amazing dish to have those "wow!" moments. FOOD & DRINK: We once had a pork belly dish with corn, blueberries, and god knows what else deliciousness. Yowza. Their food is generally not over-priced for the quality. Check out the late-night menu. The wine list looks amazing but is a little pricey. We usually go for the cocktails anyway because they are impeccable, creative, a great deal (strong), and often made with house-brewed and infused spirits. SERVICE: Many people have gone above and beyond typical service for us at Serafina (and no, we haven't gone enough to be considered regulars & thus be treated differently). For example: My partner and I had a painful breakup but were considering making amends, and I wanted to meet with him somewhere where we could sit side by side and hold hands - help break down barriers in an intimite setting. Serafina came to mind, so I called the restaurant and asked if a particular booth in the bar area was open. Despite the fact that the restaurant was crowded, the booth was in a no-reservations area, and we only had two people in our party, the man on the phone was sympathetic to my request and ensured that the table was free when we arrived. One waiter gave us a sampling of their house-made harissa (a North African condiment) when we asked for the secret to their bloody marys. I was enamored with the spice but encountered less-impressive versions in other restaurants. Serafina gladly shared their ingredients with me over the phone to help me find the right mix for use at home, AND offered to email me their stellar bloody mary recipe. I'd better end this review before I drool all over my keyboard...

    (5)
  • Eric S.

    Service was excellent. 7 bucks for a house salad with butter lettuce, pickeled onions and vinegrette was a little ridiculous. Entres were fine, but not anything special. For the money, there's much better italian out there.

    (2)
  • Matt M.

    I really liked everything about this place. I could eat the bread and oil/balsamic all night and be happy. The rest of the food was delicious. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a cozy italian spot with great service.

    (4)
  • Marshall B.

    update: I went back (this is my girlfriends favorite place) and I really enjoyed it. I got their special goat cheese ravioli this time and it was delicious. My girlfriend had the lasagna and it was also very good. I think I was a little too harsh last time because place really has it all! Very nice atmosphere, extremely quick, nice and courteous waitstaff and delicious food. Definitely check them out! Oh they also had live music which really set the mood for the evening. It was a little on the loud side because the place was packed on a Sunday night, but the music kept the atmosphere to a romantic level.

    (4)
  • Scott M.

    This is by far my favorite overall spot in seattle! Very classy! Excellent service 5 star style, Live music and a very romantic small setting! The food is amazing. If you havent been here you need to go! I take that back stay away so I can get a good seat!

    (5)
  • Melanie L.

    My fiancee and I went there for brunch on Sunday. First and foremost the food was excellent but I was a little disappointed with other parts of the place. The tables are pretty close together and the chairs could be improved. The chairs were kind of old and rickety and I felt hunched over the table the whole time (and by the looks of it, a lot of people were hunched over too). Also, my fiance had dirty silverware and I had a floater in my coffee.. But I have to give them credit for the excellent menu and the fact that they had live jazz early on a Sunday. The place got busier and busier and it seemed like they were pretty well staffed... Their wine list looks amazing and the prices as well. We want to go back for dinner eventually.

    (4)
  • Nicole K.

    I was so disappointed in this place. After years of people raving about this place, I went with my husband. First, parking is confusing (their lot is about two blocks away, and you can't park in front of the place). Second, they are pricey. Third, their vegetarian selection was horrid! This is where I'll tell you a secret about vegetarians; some of us don't like eggplant. I know, it's shocking. I also don't like mushrooms, so the "Vegetarian Placation" dishes eggplant something and mushroom something are not going to make me happy. Usually I can find something at a Italian restaurant to eat, but nothing here. I actually have better options at El Gaucho (a steak house). In short, we walked out without ordering.

    (1)
  • Dawn R.

    It was a dark and stormy night, and quite unexpectedly I found that I had to myself a charming and popular gentleman who I had previously believed to be otherwise booked for dinner...and another reason to celebrate: after three days my missing cat had reappeared. Exhausted and hungry, I couldn't think to decide where we should eat, until finally my companion had a incredibly bright idea and directed me to drive to Serafina. There was a moment of uncertainty when they asked if we had reservations, but happily even without one, there was a table immediately available (this was on a Wednesday night). I had no idea what I was in for, but from the moment I dunked the warm crusty bread in the perfectly seasoned olive oil, I knew I was to be a treat. I ordered the Cappe Sante con Pompelmo e Prosecco and with that decision had my life changed forever. Never have I had scallops so perfectly cooked. The grapefruit sauce was exquisite. And the fennel potato puree just delightful. I am not ashamed to admit I used a crust of bread to pick up every last drop. My companion's dinner of rabbit was also wonderful, woodsy with mushrooms and some sort of lovely dumpling, all soaked in a seriously rich, deep brown gravy. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. A most memorable and enchanting meal.

    (5)
  • Steven V.

    Was back here recently for dinner. The food and service are still good, but no longer exceptional. I'm downgrading them to 4 stars from 5.

    (4)
  • Jeremy R.

    Serafina can thank Colleen for this 5-Star Rating. This girl knows how to do her job. She was the MOST fabulous part of a totally fabulous experience. Located in the Eastlake area of Seattle, this beautiful little corner space has a lot to offer. (Except off-street parking...I got a parking ticket because all the street parking around it is by permit-only. I wondered why I found a great spot so easily.) The wait was short, but there was a really good live band playing on the mini-stage. First, we had the bruschetta. It came with fresh tuna (so yummy!), olive tapenade, and some goat cheese with roasted poblano peppers. The bread was perfectly toasted and tasted like it was just made for us. They have an on-site sommelier and my friends enjoyed a magnum sized bottle of wine. Since I don't drink and heard magnum, my mind went other places. But when it arrived, everyone seemed to enjoy the selection and it seemed to have paired well with all the dishes. Then, some of us had the spinach salad to start. I thought it was going to be a basic salad with vinaigrette and cheese...but it was so much more (at $11, I am glad...I know it's tacky talk prices...but I don't care). This had fresh local spinach leaves, sweet red grapes, spices, and goat cheese crumbles. On the side in two heavenly stacks were 4 pieces of fried peppered pancetta. This salad was SO good. It had bacon...which pretty much sells me on anything. For dinner, I had the Ravioli di Bosco. Whooda thunk stinging nettles were such a tasty treat? I guess when they're surrounded by farmers cheese, spinach, and sage butter sauce...their taste really shines. So delicious and rich. Jimmy had the Plin. Also very tasty. The braised pork had such an interesting smokey-sweet flavor. Although, I would have to say that the best of the evening was Melissa's order. She got the penne with early morels and Parmesan. The mushroom sauce was so woodsy and mushroomy...it totally woke up my mouth a mix of delicious tastes and textures. I'm not a mushroom fan, but this dish may have changed my mind for good...because I keep running into really yummy mushroom-centric dishes. All-in-all...a really great dinner night. It's pretty pricey....for me, a special occasion venue. Watch your parking! It ended up adding $44 more to the tab!!! I have checked out the brunch and lunch menu and hope to be returning to experience those offerings too. Also, it's very romantic with the soft lighting, slow-live music, and big windows. Perfect place to take a girl or boy to impress their pants off. ;-) Go here! You won't be disappointed. Jeremy-OUT

    (5)
  • Josh W.

    I have to say I was a little hesitant of going here based on some of the recent reviews, but being part of Dine Around Seattle, we decided to check it out... ...And I'm glad we did! Serafina actually exceeded all my expectations. Firstly we were seated early for our reservations and must have been waited/checked on by 3 or 4 different staff members throughout our meal. Our server, Mathew, was fantastic and very knowledgable of the wine menu. Then there's the food. We started with cauliflower & potato soup which was delicious. It was pureed, not too creamy and served with a little dollop of peppery verde sauce. The texture itself was worth it. We were also served warm, chewy bread with a flavorful, herbed olive oil. For the entree, my fiance' got a fettucine with shrimp dish that she really enjoyed. I tasted it and it was excellent. I, however, opted for the cannelloni stuffed with spinach, cheese and mushrooms. I wasn't expecting anything too exciting, but it was delivered bubbling with cheesy goodness in it's own terracotta-like dish straight out of the oven. If you like cheese, or in my case love it so much it's unhealthy and wrong (but so right), then this dish will put you in a cheese coma. It's a good thing, people. Dessert was probably the low point of the meal. I had the butterscotch budino, which was good, (It was better than most butterscotch puddings) but not mind-blowingly good. The other dessert we shared was the chocolate walnut bread pudding. While I admire the creativity and twist on a classic dessert, I'm not sure this one quite worked. Bread pudding, in my mind, is meant to be rich and comforting. This, in spite of the chocolate, tasted almost light, to me and just somehow didn't seem like bread pudding at all. It wasn't bad, by any means, just different. All in all, the experience was a pleasant one. A great meal, great service and cozy ambiance that will definitely be welcoming me back in the future. Definitely worth a visit.

    (4)
  • Kelly B.

    This place reminded me of the inside of a Turkish cab in nyc at 2am on a Sunday morning; full of drunk, happy people, twinkling lights, and funky/delicious smells! The table we sat at for dinner was in the bar, which normally was no big deal, but they were so busy all I could hear was the grinding of the coffee machine one foot from my head and the bar conversations. That was small potatoes though. Food was awesome and service top-notch. The lamb shank - man oh man - I burst out laughing when I saw it. Beautiful thing belonged on the Flinestones, hunka meat was so large. Served with polenta and swiss chard, I was in heaven. Go here during the week, too nutty on a Friday night. Missed the romantic vibe this place was known for, but the food prevailed.

    (4)
  • Jasmine R.

    i've been meaning to try this place out for years and finally got the chance to via a date. LOVED it! it was packed, but nonetheless the food was amazing! i've never had pasta quite like this where i didn't feel like i ate a ton of bricks, it was light and bursting with flavor! the salad, bruschetta, everything; perfect! i highly suggest this place and am definitely going back for seconds to try out the other dishes, yummy!

    (5)
  • Paige M.

    This has been one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Beautiful little place and great wait-staff. If I had to make a complaint, it can be kind of noisy so not a good place to take gramma with the bad hearing. Best thing is their bread dipping oil. I could swim in a vat of it and die a happy woman. Cheese dessert plate and the gnocchi are two other winners. Portions are generous so either go hungry or share.

    (5)
  • Becky B.

    Absolutely beautiful. Wonderful service. Incredible ambiance. My boyfriend, bless his heart, took me here for my birthday dinner on Saturday. We dressed up, lookin cute, took a cab. We had made reservations, and they sat us at a window seat. How they manage to have a huge window with no screen open and not attract tons of flies is beyond me, but they did it. I thought it was cute that the master chef filled our water glasses. I *love* that, and is the main reason chain restaurants just don't do it for me. We took a gander at their wine list, and zeroed in on the cheapest white wine bottle (I know, I know, but we aren't millionaires!). We ordered, and the waitress, Sarah, was beyond- BEYOND helpful with the wine selection. She said, "I have some other selections that you may find are more enjoyable." She brought me samples of 4 bottles and asked me what I thought of each. "This one is GREAT. This one has a bit of a bite, this one even more of a bite. This one is alright, but I like the first one." The price, turns out, was the same as the bottle we ordered to begin with. I've never had someone so attentive to my wine needs. We ordered the bruschetta, which came with toasted Italian bread and three spreads. A pimento olive tapenade (much tastier than kalamata olives...), a goat cheese with mama lil's peppers, and an ahi tuna salad. Great for mixing and matching, like your favorite clothes. The goat cheese was a-MAZE-ing. I ordered the seared ahi and pesto spaghettini, and Will ordered the eggplant with ricotta on cappelini. His was mouth-watering goodness, and mine was good too, but not as explosive as his. I was a little jealous :) By the time we ordered desert, the sun had gone down and the music had started playing. Drums, piano (swoon) and the cello, made for a romantic setting, especially paired with the dark interior and white lights surrounding the walls. For desert, we had chocolate mousse cake. Yum. All in all, it was slightly under $100. Worth it, to me :) All in all, the whole extravaganza took 2 hours! The longest dining experience I've ever had, but also the most enjoyable and relaxing one. I cannot recommend any place more than this one for good conversation, romance, great service and great food.

    (5)
  • Amy L.

    I went to Serafina about a month ago with a group of 4 people. We got the caprese appetizer to start and it was decently good. I remember it being a little salty though. I noticed there were a lot of pork options on the menu which is hard when you don't eat pork. One person tried to order chicken with her salad and they said they they couldn't make it that way. I ordered the ravioli and it was super yummy. Everyone else seemed to like their dishes ok as well. The chocolate dessert was OK, but I felt like it was a little dry. This is definitely more of a date place than for a group. Super cute interior...I just think the food selection wasn't what I was expecting.

    (3)
  • Brad B.

    My girlfriend and I ate here last Friday night and I was impressed, mostly. We were seated at a horrible table right beside a server station and my back was to the stage. The music was good enough if you like contemporary jazz. I, however was there for the food. I was thoroughly impressed by the Trota al Tartufo, which is roasted trout stuffed with artichokes and truffles finished with a black truffle-butter sauce. I was in Trout Heaven! And the sweet sauteed baby spinched was wilted to perfection, oh my. My companions experience was quite different, she ordered the oysters off the specials menu, I believe. They looked appetizing enough, but she found several pieces of shell in them. They must've had a young guy in the kitchen shucking the oysters as this is a sign of inexperience. The setting was nice, the service was above average, and the chef was very kind to explain how to make a zabglione, which is an Italian dessert I had learned (and now forgotten ) how to make. I also enjoyed my Orange Mojito it was bit mintier than it should have been in my opinion.

    (4)
  • Gloria G.

    Great restaurant. Very cozy and comfortable atmosphere. The food took a while to come out but I was in a group with 6 other people and it was during busy lunch hour. The bread they serve you before your main dish comes out is really yummy.

    (4)
  • Jen M.

    Serafina is one of my favorites. Went here for happy hour and split plates of calamari (large portion!) and to-die-for ravioli. Great atmosphere, service was excellent.

    (5)
  • Sarah G.

    This place is special. Went here during their during their late night nibbles menu, and was so pleased. Yes, this place really is as romantic as they say! Service was above par. Our server was so friendly, and not in a, "I am pretending to be nice but I really hate my job" kind of way. She was genuinely kind. Ordered Melanzane alla Serafina, their signature dish, and it was delightful. Portion was just right. Veal meatballs were tasty too. Dessert: Torta di Formaggio. My God. The best dessert I have ever, ever had in a restaurant, I bake yum yums at home so I know what good dessert is. Didnt love the oatmeal crust, but the actual cheesecake itself was SO GOOD, melt in your mouth, fluffy, amazing!!!!! If you are a wine drinker, there is a huge list for you. Wonderful overall, definitely will return.

    (4)
  • Mike B.

    Take your special someone here, and fall in love with this small charming Italian restaurant. The food is extraordinary, the staff knowledgeable and friendly. On certain nights, they even have a live piano player to provide that extra romantic ambience.

    (5)
  • Jenn G.

    I think this is one of the best-kept Brunch secrets in Seattle. My boyfriend and I ate at Serafina every Sunday for nearly a year and enjoyed every visit. They have live jazz (where else do you get live music during brunch?!) which attributes to the lazy Sunday vibe. The brunch menu isn't huge but the dishes are tasty and unique, and our server was always sweet and helpful. The interior is cozy and romantic (even during Brunch) and the patio is wonderful for sunny summer mornings. Oh, and there's never a wait! Love it.

    (4)
  • Just Y.

    As we're walking up the sidewalk towards their sister Cicchetti (we were under the incorrect initial impression that it was a separate entity), I suddenly realized that we were next to Serafina and that I'd wanted to go for years but always seem to forget about it. Forget it being Prime Time Friday Night and we are sans reservations - lets go squeeze ourselves in! First off, my double appreciation for our server: she was one very busy lady, yet was calm, informative, humorous, timely, available, and not even the least bit issued when I suddenly threw a monkey wrench into our order by adding an appetizer 5 minutes after we already ordered because she delivered a very appetizing dish of the Calamari Saltati to the table next to us and I had to get one. If you're even slightly into calamari that is not breaded and deep fried, this is a must get dish. A few leisurely beers later we're enjoying our "secondi": a nightly special and the Ravioli d'Asparagi. Both were good, although the salmon was a bit dry around the edges and the ravioli seemed to be "missing something"; otherwise both completely disappeared from the plates. I was pleased to hear that deserts are made in-house, although all we had room for was espresso and a sharing of the Biscotti (can I have an extra order to go?). Overall a great neighborhood spot I don't mind going out of my way for.

    (4)
  • Megan M.

    I ate there for my birthday once and I remember it being fine. But the real reason I am writing this review is because I drove by once when they were closed, and they had put the chairs on top of the tables to clean the floor. The tables were set and had tablecloths on, so they would be ready when the place opened. The part of the chair that touches the floor was sitting right on the tablecloths. So basically all the germs and crap on the floor was being placed onto the eating surfaces. SICK!!! Being a healthcare worker, I would NEVER go back there!

    (1)
  • L T.

    This was a real disappointment. We went for a family dinner and of the 7 of us, two had poor, bland dishes and two had really very average, lackluster dishes. The waiter was friendly and apologetic and tried to make it right by offering an alternative pasta dish which was well seasoned, but dry. Service was also incredibly slow - it seemed like maybe the kitchen was short staffed? Or else they just take forever to serve anything. Those who had non-pasta dishes seemed to have much better luck. They comped one dessert and took off the mandatory gratuity for a large party, but it didn't seem fair to punish the server for the kitchen's poor output. Overall, it was a poor dinner and I won't be back.

    (2)
  • David V.

    Getting a bit dated, inattentive, self-absorbed staff. Our server was pleasant but less than helpful on what menu items to avoid. Both entrees we had were recommended by the server and were both disappointing. On the plus side the salad was excellent, very fresh and simply dressed and the dessert was imaginative. Too many other options near by to return.

    (2)
  • Robert H.

    Serafina is consistently one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. I used to go there regularly when I lived there and I still drop in once in a while on my regular business trips to Seattle. Great Italian food, good music, nice staff...

    (4)
  • darnit y.

    I thought the food was quite bland last time i visited. Did they change owners? This place was awesome a few years ago...

    (1)
  • Tim O.

    I highly recommend (and crave) their Cozze Affumicate (Smoked Tomato Mussels) plus their Profiteroles (Ice cream inside of french-ey like bread). I always go with those two. However, we had the ivory Salmon with Chianti reduction sauce. Un-be-liev-able. Too bad it's seasonal, b/c it was one of the best piece of salmon we've ever had. Summer is great, if you can score a table outside.

    (4)
  • William D.

    Serafina is a really fantastic place to take your date, but make sure that you've got plenty of time! I've *never* been seated on time. The look from the outside is charming. It is on a corner, with outdoor seating. You can see the dim lighting on the inside through large windows along the front and side. The entry area of the restaurant is quite cramped. When you walk in, your in-between the bar & the restaurant, in a tiny, high-traffic area. When people are waiting for tables, this can get a bit overwhelming to people who have personal space issues. The bar is pretty small, but serves as a diversion while you're waiting for a table. The cocktail list is a good size, with some good selections. As I'd mentioned in the beginning, seating timing is horrible, here. Since it does have a romatic atmosphere, people will linger. That said, last time I was seated late, the staff was kind enough to provide an appetizer to us, without us even asking, free of charge. I found that to be a decent thing to do. The food is magnificent here. I've never had anything on the menu that I didn't care for. Their pasta dishes are fantastic! I also have never been steered wrong by their wine pairing suggestions. Late at night, they play live music on a small stage in the restaurant. This can be viewed postitively or negatively, based on the person. It does tend to get loud, so if you don't like noise, I would recommend, making an earlier reservation. I personally love the live music, and I feel that it adds quite a bit to the experience!

    (4)
  • Naurry K.

    What a cool, little, hip joint nestled in the Eastlake neighborhood. I can't say enough good things about it: the food.. excellent, the service.. awesome, the wine selection.. incredible, the parking.. meh, could be better (as with all fine restaurants in Seattle). From personal experience I have this love-hate relationship with the bar. I want it to be bigger so I can always have a seat when I get there but keep it nice and intimate. Ask Matt for a wine recommendation and if you're lucky you just might get John to come out and give you a little history of the delectable food and wine you're about to partake in.

    (4)
  • Jodi S.

    So so so good....a little pricey, but the service and food is worth it. Great for dinner, but their Sunday brunch is also fabulous. Handmade pastas; delicious eggs benedict; fantastic live music on some nights, and a great atmosphere. In the summer, try to get a seat on the outdoor back patio. So beautiful. There is ony very grumpy looking hostess there...blonde and always has a sour face on. Not sure if she works there anymore, but she needs to smile and be friendlier.

    (4)
  • Randi M.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Here is my list: 1. Best first date restaurant -- hands down. Amazing food, beautiful atmosphere in the garden.. Beautiful piano music in the restaurant. Everything is special and beyond expectations; consistently. 2. Most romantic new year's eve I've ever had. Their singer, Ms. Nixon, sings romantic songs accompanied by piano. Great service, great wines paied with the pasta dishes -- and the pasta is always beyond my expectation. It can be hard to get into this place because people in the neighborhood know about it and they frequent here. Another great sign. Make a reservation or just show up early for a glass of wine while you wait. The wait is worth it.

    (5)
  • krisztina g.

    After returning from a long trip to Central America I was anxious to have cheesy Italian food, a craving I didn't manage to fulfill on my trip away. My friend had recommended to me Serafina's and I was excited to see if they could help me with my little craving. When first arriving I was greeted by the wait staff and seated at a lovely table in front of the window. When my friend arrived we were anxious to order. I decided on the Ravioli di fromaggio and she ordered Melanzane alla Serafina. While we waited we enjoyed the fabulous ambiance of the place; the perfect amount of dim lighting gave the place a romantic and relaxing vibe. When our food arrived everything looked fantastic; my ravioli was the perfect amount of cheesy goodness that I had been craving and my friend's dish also had tasty flavors that had us wanting more. By my last bite I was feeling pleasantly full and decided to savor the last ravioli square for later. Within the next hour or so that followed, several waiters came by our table to clear my plate in which I politely explained I wasn't quite finished yet. I was impressed by how attentive they were throughout the four hours we were there, checking in, offering service etc. As the night progressed the entire restaurant filled up. Waiters scurried around waiting tables and the laughter of people's voices caressed the air, it was very nice. The reason I rate this restaurant four stars is because of the dessert which I felt lacked. We ordered Cioccolato con Bacche which is a chocolate flourless cake with caramel mascarpone. I thought it tasted weird, the texture was very dense, like fudge, and I was craving something more fluffy and light (maybe that's how flourless cake is?). Regardless I highly recommend this restaurant, especially for people going out on a date.

    (4)
  • Nick S.

    Absolutely incredible dining experience! My father-in-law was a regular at Serafina and introduced my taste buds to a whole new Italian flavor. The service is fantastic, the Serafina staff are very helpful and informative, always able to assist with the sometimes difficult dining decision. The menu is filled with gem after gem filled with authentic Italian cuisine.

    (5)
  • Gene D.

    If you can't get to Piazza Narvone or the Via Veneto for dinner anytime soon but happen to be in Seattle, this is the place. The caprese has a nice sprinkling of sea salt that make the flavors jump. The pastas are not to be missed and you will need a few visits inorder to experiment. Ambience, service, timing is competent and friendly.

    (5)
  • David L.

    Serafina really delivered the goods at my birthday dinner. A lovely table on the patio, excellent knowledgable waitstaff and food that did not miss with a single dish. Especially good were the eggplant with a superb fresh tomato sauce, the house made sausage and the veal meatball pasta. Fine appetizers. Well made cocktails. Reasonably priced wine by the glass and a killer hazelnut ice cream puff desert. Most impressive was the consistency. Every aspect of the experience was well done. Bravo!

    (5)
  • Ellen P.

    Why is everyone so excited about this place? Looks cute from the outside; inside decor somehow didn't do it for me. Wait staff couldn't seem to figure out who was in charge of our table (though both were super sweet and apologetic.) Redeeming factor: bruschetta. Awesome. My dish was boring in appearance and lacking in flavor, as was my friend's. Tab came to about $75 with tip; not worth it.

    (2)
  • Alison V.

    My BF and I went there just to grab a drink and an appetizer or two because we live in the neighborhood and have never actually eaten there. The place is a lot bigger insider than it looks from the outside and they have what looks like a nice patio to sit on. Though we just sat at the bar, the bartender was extremely attentive and friendly the entire time we were sitting there - even when there were people who started standing waiting for a table. I had a margarita with some tarragon in it (Dragoncello on the menu) and it was delicious. We had bruchetta with our drinks and it wasn't your typical idea of bruchetta. We had a decent amount of slices of bread, a little bowl with a tuna & capers spread of sorts (I don't like tuna but my BF said it was amazing), another little bowl of goat cheese, and a third little bowl with an olive and garlic spread. It quite delicious and the description on the menu definitely didn't do it justice. From the little bit of food I nibbled on (and what I was drooling over walking by) I'm sure the rest of the food would be delicious. I look forward to the time I have some $$ to go back and actually have a meal there.

    (4)
  • katie s.

    I went to Serafina for lunch today and the staff was very nice. The food and ambiance however has little to be desired in my book. I had the bitter (spelling mistake but I'm a keeping it) leaf lettuce salad which had pickled beets and a champagne vinaigrette.... the quality was really good but the vinaigrette?!? I am not sure there was some on my salad. Then I chose the Bolognese Linguine and the sauce was good but not to die for. I think for this place to live up to its reputation it needs something fantastic and my meal didn't do it. I think i was looking for more a romantic cozy environment or a light fresh Bolognese sauce or something...I dunno but I need then to figure it out for me. Oh good dipping olive oil though.

    (2)
  • Monica P.

    This place is the reason I went broke living in Seattle. The cocktails, the food, the service...I never had anything I didn't like and this Jersey girl knows good Italian.

    (5)
  • Hannah P.

    I have a secret love affair with this place that I need to come clean about. The bartenders are always friendly and accomodating. The service is prompt and pleasant without ever becoming overbearing. Now the FOOD: To die for! Well...almost :) But really very close!! The bruschetta appetizer comes with massive rustic slices of bread and three separate toppings to slather on top of them. My favorite dish was a special of theirs at brunch- grilled trout with mint, a mideastern/italian spice blend and couscous over grilled zucchini. I accidentally left my leftovers there and I still weep knowing that I never got to see that beautiful fish again. It was worth the $18 I spent for it and then some. During the summer, their open patio in back in one of the most romantic spots to dine in the city. Just try it and see. You'll fall in love with basically everyone there though, so be prepared. The interior of the restaurant is warm and inviting. At night, the chatter from the bar can be heard on the sidewalk through their open windows and doors. During brunch, live Jazz bands play and create a really unique morning dining experience you will not find elsewhere in Seattle. Don't let the "noise" throw you off though. It adds to the mood more than anything and it still low enough that a whisper can be heard across the table. Serafina, will you marry me?

    (5)
  • Michele S.

    i have eaten here many times and NEVER been disappointed. every appetizer, entree and dessert is prepared to perfection. the waitstaff are knowledgeable about the menu and can make great recommendations. this is a very good place to bring someone you want to impress!

    (4)
  • Rowena D.

    I came here recently with a girlfriend for lunch. The restaurant is so pretty. I can see why the restaurant has earned it's reputation as one of the most romantic restaurants in Seattle. And, thanks to the Dine Around Seattle promotion, I was able to dine at Serafina for $15! The promotion allows you to eat a three course meal at lunch for $15. What a deal! I started with a green salad lightly dressed with a vinaigrette dressing set with slices of prosciutto. The prosciutto added a bit of saltiness that was lacking in the dressing. For my second course I chose their homemade pasta prepared with a braised beef and served in a little bit of broth. The dish was not exactly a soup but the sauce was not thick either. It was light but filling. And, for dessert I chose the lavender panna cotta. The dessert was the highlight of the meal for me. The panna cotta had a nice balance flavor of lavender. It was not too subtle and not too strong. And, the compote on top was a nice compliment. The staff here was friendly. They answered any questions we had about the menu. I'm not sure why I waited to so long to try Serafina. I will definitely be back!

    (4)
  • Garin W.

    I haven't Yelped yet because I'm in the industry and it might be a conflict of interest and I might know certain people and blah blah blah.... You know what Seattle? Us industry folk have favorite places too, and this is mine. Full transparency: I'm a high end server, and I love Serafina! I went last night with my girl for Dine Around and it was great, of course. Our server was quick and sassy, and pointed us in the right directions. The drinks went down smooth and the bartender got me a new biscotti on the house after my girlfriend dropped it on the floor when trying to bite a little off the end in a coy manner. It was hilarious. Brunch, lunch, dinner, happy hour, the bar... it's all great. If you come in ready to have a good time with people who know how to dine, you will leave completely sassified. Get the Bruchetta. Get the specials. Get a negroni. Smile.

    (5)
  • Denise G.

    Great classic Italian dishes. We were looking for a nice restaurant last minute on a Friday night and this was the only place we could get a reservation. We had the bruschetta and one of the salads as starters (they were all fine--nothing amazing, but good). We then had the pea risotto, which was excellent, and then we had the steak and scallop dishes, which were both amazing. The steak was definitely something special, with the caramelized figs, pancetta, and diminutive potato chips. We definitely want to go back and try more of the menu. Also: I read the yelp reviews before we went and noticed that someone said it didn't seem like the sort of place you'd dress up for, more like of a neighborhood place, but I disagree. The vibe I got was that you could easily go for a nice, elegant dinner, but that it was required, which I always appreciate. The courtyard also seemed lovely.

    (5)
  • Devany M.

    My boyfriend and I had our anniversary dinner here. It was quite loud inside, but somehow still had a romantic vibe. The eggplant I ordered was delicious, but the best part of the meal by far was the free bread and garlicky/herbed olive oil dipper. It was so good that I wished it was my entree!

    (5)
  • roselyn d.

    We made reservations for 8:45pm on a Friday night, w/ only 30 min notice, on open table, and were promptly seated when we arrived. Service was over the top amazing, by all of the staff. Our server was very attentive and made us feel very special. There was live music, and the whole restaurant was packed-great vibes. The food was delish! I could eat 5 orders of the beef short rib pappardelle! The couple next to us ordered an additional plate after they finished their 1st order!!! Food, service, and ambiance are great! Can't wait to try the happy hour!

    (5)
  • Imane T.

    Very cozy and romantic restaurant ! The food is so tasty , great atmosphere and great service ! Can not wait to go back again !

    (4)
  • Vanessa G.

    sarafina is consistent. I visit Seattle twice a year on business and eat at this wonderful spot with two dear friends who are locals. The experience is always good sometimes great! This last meal was fantastic. Great food, great wine, still a wonderful room and great service. One of the best. Highly recommend.

    (5)
  • Pat F.

    I think it's nearly impossible to not have a fantastic meal here. Serafina/Cicchetti is a lively Eastlake hangout and is integrated into the fabric of the community. The service, entrees, and deserts are bold and excellent. I did find Sunday brunch a bit skimpy and unimpressive the one time I tried it, though it seems quite popular whenever I walk by. Late-night, the bar is intimate and friendly. You can order food from the Cicchetti menu/kitchen late-night and have it brought over. Serafina dinner is a place for celebrating special occasions, a fine date, or late-night neighborhood cameraderie, and it delivers strongly on its promise.

    (5)
  • Laleh J.

    This is a cute little Italian place. Cozy and intimate.

    (4)
  • Frank G.

    My family and relatives (5 of us) had dinner here recently on a Saturday night. The restaurant was very noisy and crowded. We had to wait 20 minutes for our table with reservations at 7:30. There was no area to comfortably wait. They have a bar which was likewise packed. Reservations are a must. Tables are very close together and passing wait staff bumped my chair 3 times during the course of the dinner. Given the above, the food was however very good. We started with the Acciughe salad which was light, lemony, with a hint of anchovies (like a Caesar's dressing). Entrees included Pappardelle con Manzo Costatine (more noodles than meat), Tortelloni di Granchio (light on flavor and skimpy on manila clams), and Lasagna al Ragu ( very tasty with thin pasta layers with meat and cheese filling served with a tangy tomato sauce). The sommelier was very helpful in selecting an appropriate red wine enjoyed by all. Dessert was Torta di Formaggio (a small delightful cheesecake), Profiteroles con Gelato di Nocciola (puff pastry filled with hazelnut gelato and chocolate sauce was a hit), and Affogato (disappointing with just a very small scoop of vanilla gelato). Overall we enjoyed our meal despite some disappointments and will return. Our total bill was $278. Service was attentive. Live music started at 9 PM making it even noisier in this small restaurant. This would not be a good choice for children or a quiet romantic dinner. Parking was difficult to find in this neighborhood.

    (4)
  • Karen H.

    Outstanding! A definite destination for a special occasion or just because! We were a group of 6 and spent a beautiful 3 hour evening over incredible cocktails, wine and food. Also, we had no problem hearing each other while talking in normal voices. Service was impeccable and we never felt rushed! I look forward to going back!

    (5)
  • Kristin W.

    I am not writing a review on the food because we didn't get served. Sure, we walked in on a Friday night with no reservation. We sat at the bar (at the window, so not on the bar) and did not get service for the 10-15 minutes we sat and waited. The bartender said he'd be with us, but he never was. So we left. We went to another restaurant that turned out to be my fave Italian food in Seattle, so it was fine. I'd come back on a slower night tho... Make a reservation.

    (2)
  • Celeste T.

    Came here recently for brunch, and was pleasantly surprised as Serafina is very unassuming from outside. The entrance, well winterized, was a bit confusing - a tarp door, a regular door, and some heavy curtains made me begin to doubt that I had entered the front. But lo and behold, that WAS the front entrance. Once inside, I was impressed at how cute the interior was. Unassuming but somehow still rustic, cozy, and with a mix of bright and rich, darker colors. The food was also like this - not pretentious, but rather delicious and slightly exotic, while still being approachable and homey. The cocktails were excellent, and my salmon and egg dish perfectly prepared - tender and fluffy. Their coffee cake is also excellent in the same fashion, tender and fluffy. I plan on returning for their St. Martin's feast tasting dinner, which looks amazing!

    (4)
  • Liz O.

    You're reaching a road-block as to what to do for your first lady date with someone you think jussst miiiight be worth it (worth what? You can decide). Searching for something fun and exciting may have led you to Deja Vu or Amber, but your conscience tells you that's just not going to end well. So you keep searching... and now you're here, hoping you've finally found the best date spot. I'm hoping the men are bookmarking this place by now, because Serafina is, hands down, the place to take a lady for a date. I'm not much of a romantic, but the atmosphere at Serafina seemed to eclipse the other customers, and makes the date that much more intimate. I would say the romanticism stems from the charming Italian-esque design of the restaurant or the vines that guard the restaurant from the filth of its surroundings, but really... it's the violinist. The live music brings a much more serene vibe to the dinner, and even if it's a Billie Jean instrumental (got a giggle out of that), the sweet sound makes your whole dinner experience unforgettable. The bruschetta was more toasted than I'm used to, but the dips disguised any burnt flavor that may have been. Really did enjoy this. I did get the wrong dish at a restaurant like this (beef over a salad - can't even recall what it was), but I still appreciated it for what it was. I'd definitely try something new. The pollo con zucche, on the other hand, was fantastic. Tender, with such perfect & indescribable potatoes. As for the service - the waitress was sweet, though seemed to be a tad pushy on the wines for some reason. Which, I should add, seem to be pricier than some other restaurants.

    (4)
  • Trinh T.

    My friend and i came here and we absolutely loved it. Our server was great and polite. Our food was beyond amazing. Cant wait to go back next time.

    (5)
  • Reagan S.

    Went to this restaurant for my mom's birthday based upon it being brought up as a "great restaurant" by many people. Though I put that it was a birthday celebration on my reservation & had it confirmed by the maître d' the morning of the reservation, nothing was done at all. I was trying to be a bit more stealthy than saying to the waitress at the table "cough cough, it's her birthday." After going to the "bathroom" to find the waitress & not being able to (it was a long bathroom trip already), I gave up. Was it a huge deal? No. But it does bring down my review of the place, especially as I watched other tables get a little ice cream dish with candles in it (p.s. I wasn't looking for something free, I was just looking for some sort of jester that I would have gladly paid for). Our waitress was definitely trying to rush us for the first 45 minutes we were there. I think she gave up at that point in time as we are definitely not the crowd that will be rushed. I promise to tip well for "using up" the table. Just don't rush my enjoyment of your food or drinks. The food was delicious. I highly recommend the calamari appetizer. The pork chop, mushroom risotto, and the lasagna were also all big hits. The waters stayed filled. The ambience was hurt by them squeezing in too many tables (when someone pulls out their chair, it shouldn't hit me in the arm), but the jazz duo was lovely and the décor was romantic. Will I go back? Probably. But only after I try other similarly priced (I think we spent about $160 for 3 people; we only ordered 2 alcoholic drinks) and reviewed restaurants.

    (3)
  • Lolia S.

    Step inside Serafina and you no longer feel like you're in Seattle. Instead, you're in an enchanting, dimly lit, cozy Italian restaurant where people love to dine al fresco (weather permitting) and listen to live jazz. The menu changes seasonally. * Bruschetta ($11.95): Big hearty slices of toasted rustic white rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, served with a trio of spreads: tuna salad, green olive tapenade, goat cheese. This was a simple, comforting, solid dish and also good to get if you want carbs, because apparently dinner doesn't come with a complimentary basket of bread. * Ravioli d'Asparagi ($18.50): Fresh asparagus with ricotta filling, the handmade ravioli had thin skin and the sauce (parmesan, tarragon broth) was light and not overpowering. Fresh, delicious, and in season. Service was quite attentive and pleasant. Portions are about average. Reservations are recommended.

    (4)
  • Jung L.

    Great food but the service is so slow for some reason. Still waiting for my main course and it's been more than an hour.

    (3)
  • Dani S.

    I love this place late night! The bartenders are amazing! They are always personable and knowledgeable. Not stuffy at all for a nice place

    (5)
  • Olivier F.

    Has a great dinner with restaurant week there. The pork with figs is absolutely divine. My friends and I couldn't understand how they cooked and seasoned it so perfectly, and the accompanying fig jam was delicious.

    (5)
  • Chad F.

    Went there for a first date on a Thursday night around 8pm. Thankfully I made reservations because the place was packed when we walked in. Everything about this building was perfect for what I was looking for... candle lit, brick interior, great bar. Our server was fantastic, I wish I caught his name, but it was the perfect amount of attention needed while still giving us space. The food was VERY good and overall the evening was a success. I read the reviews beforehand and people were pretty right on. I will be back, for dates or otherwise, Serafina is a hit!

    (4)
  • Matthias L.

    Love this place. Food is amazing and service even better. Parking around the area is terrible but where isn't it in Seattle? The rabbit and parppadelle is unreal! We also had the seasonal Gnocchi which was honestly the best we have had in a long long time. This place is "our spot" now. Always amazing.

    (5)
  • Melissa R.

    I went to Serafina for a date night with my bf and we had an excellent time. We went in the summer so we sat outside which was lovely. The pasta carbonara was delicious, although and so was the bruschetta. They have a nice wine selection and their pricing was reasonable.

    (5)
  • Christine C.

    I've lived in Seattle's Eastlake neighborhood for a little over three months now and Serafina became a fast favorite! The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, their happy hour is incredible and changes periodically to add diversity to the menu. I'm a huge fan of both the Plin and Culurgiones, especially at Happy Hour pricing. Sunday brunch is a MUST if you live in the area. And by "live in the area", I'm referring to greater Seattle residents who live within in a 25-mile radius of this location as this brunch is not one to miss! The bloody mary is great, especially if you ask for it extra spicy. Regarding the brunch menu, last time I ordered the Uovo al Forno which are baked eggs in a terra cotta pot with corona beans, smoked tomato, kale, bell pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano. Having frequented the location and tried (and loved) most of their items, I have to admit that this one climbed the chart as one of my favorites! The ambiance is great on Sunday, or any day for that matter, this place is always packed. The only thing I should mention is regarding seating near the stage. I did have one experience where the music coming from the speakers was so loud due to the proximity of the table to the speakers and my group asked to be moved to a table where we could have a better conversation. Luckliy, it wasn't too crowded and there were plenty of other options available for us. I could see this as a problem on nights when the restaurant is completely packed, but the staff is generally friendly and accommodating. Overall, I love this place and it's my "go-to" restaurant in the area. Their sister location, Ciccheti is also a great option if you haven't tried it. Highly recommend!

    (5)
  • David N.

    Food: 3 stars. Agree with other reviews, way too salty for me. Good flavors and well composed otherwise. Too bad. Service: 2 stars. This is a real shame, as our waitress had a great personality and obviously cared. But apparently there was a "40 person party on the patio" and everything suffered to an unacceptable degree because of it. Management needs to keep the demands on servers and kitchen to what they can handle, end of story. Atmosphere: 2 stars. Loud. couldn't hear my partner across a 2top.

    (2)
  • Crit V.

    Went for the first time on a Living Social and had breakfast. Everything was excellent. You can't go wrong. Service was great despite reasons for it to be stretched. Food and drink were beautiful and tasted great. The atmosphere is well thought out...

    (5)
  • Tim S.

    My Camille and I had a wonderful dining experience at Serafina! We shared the Calamari Brasato, the Pappardelle con Salsiccie, and a bottle of Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The calamari was amazing...we did not bother much with conversation as we blissfully devoured the last morsel! The wine was a perfect recommendation by our waitress. The pasta was a standout! It was perfectly cooked, and off-the-stove hot. I had the Cappe Sante con Verdure..the accompanying veggies were very high quality. Sweet-pea had the Black Cod; served with yummy pieces of pork belly, clams, and fingerling potatoes. She wolfed it down, but reluctantly gave me a bite. Amazing! Not cheap! Who cares.

    (5)
  • Terry C.

    I lost my heart here. Serafina will do that to a guy. Cozy little ambiance. Romantic spot for a lunch or dinner with a friend turned date. Wine flows. Many years ago I met a smart, sexy, hilarious, sweet, thoughtful, caring, drop dead gorgeous woman. She was attached but we let our friendship grow. One day I brought her here for lunch. It was a working lunch at first but then we laughed, talked and cried together. The food, the atmosphere, the service. It was perfect. I always believed after that lunch that lasted all day that Serafina cemented a love that would grow. This woman will have my kids one day and before that of course one day this woman of my dreams will look at me over the amazing out of this world and so good i would trade my bike in for it pork belly appetizer, scallopini, a plate of tortellini. She would finally see me for the love of her life. She is mad as hell at me right now but Serafina is still here. It's waiting to bring us back together once and for all. And I know that once I get her here to share that pork belly, bruschetta, and some veal meatballs she is going to want me. Me! Not just the food. Not just the wine. She's going to feel it the way I felt it over that long ago lunch. She felt it then too but cannot admit it. Serafina has worked miracles before so this time it is in the can.

    (4)
  • Jessica B.

    Serafina is pretty darn good! I've never walked away unhappy. The drinks can be pretty amazing there, well worth dropping the $10-$15. My only complaints are the price (I'd rather go to Pomodoro for the same price and better food) and the lack of vegetarian options. There are a couple, but when one has disgusting eggplant in it there's really only one.

    (3)
  • Georgia W.

    I have not had a Spritz this good since Florence! Exceptional bar tenders! Orange Mimosa?! Just try it! Serafina is known for it's romantically quaint atmosphere & well thought out menu, but don't overlook a cocktail or two! Dinner dates or Mother's Day or any day really that needs a little extra thought- Serafina is a sure choice.

    (4)
  • Jiggy S.

    Love the Columbia City bread. Ordered the Serafina and it was phenominal. The service is good. The house. Went there during Lunch. The house wine is pretty good too.

    (5)
  • Felisa D.

    A successful dating website commercial should be shot in a place like this one. Live music. Dimly lit. Romantic ambiance. Attentive servers. Yummy food. Beautiful people like fellow Yelper Lucy L and I eating... A couple of things worth noting: -They charge a $3 fee for bread service. We ate our money's worth. I think it got to a point where they were afraid to ask us if we wanted more. We got refilled like... 4 times? No joke. It went SO well with the smoked tomato-based sauce of the mussels (cooked in sweet vermouth, leeks, herbs) that we ordered. I scarfed it down like a starving Dickensian character in Industrial England. I wanted to wipe the plate clean with the bread. So good. -While it does have that relaxed, homey neighborhood-joint feel to it, this place gets expensive fast. The dishes are a tad overpriced. Finding out how much you had spent is something of a rude awakening. They come in small portions and nothing on the side. There's nothing wrong with small portions but for $20-$30 a plate, it's a little disconcerting. Overall, it's a 4. A great date spot and the food, for the most part, is delicious.

    (4)
  • G H.

    Completely underwhelmed by the service and atmosphere. The place is jampacked wall to wall with tables, and they were all full, so I couldn't even hear my date talking across the table. There were probably 10 other guests within arm's reach of us. The waiter was entirely inattentive, and we had a cycle of 4-5 staff coming to refill water, bring food, bring wine, etc., which I don't have a problem with, except our actual waiter rarely (if ever) checked in. It took me 10 minutes to flag him down to ask for my glass of wine (apparently he thought only my date ordered a glass? Despite ME deciding on the wine and us discussing it with him?) Not the kind of personal, intimate experience I would expect from a classy, "romantic", and pricey place. Note that I came during Seattle Restaurant Week, which may have explained why it was so busy, but this should be the time to impress, not the time to be understaffed and overbooked. THE GOOD: The food was fantastic, and deserves 5 stars, but unfortunately everything else was dismal, so I knocked off 2. I had an octopus appetizer, a pork loin entree, and a cornmeal cake dessert, and all were spectacular. For a medium to larger group looking for a great meal over multiple courses with great wine pairings, I think it would be fantastic. But for a date-type setting that is really more about the whole experience, it was not ideal.

    (3)
  • Reed S.

    My wife and I came here to celebrate moving to Seattle. It was pricey, but you get you what you pay for. Great food, and enough vegetarian options to make me feel like I had some choices to make. The courtyard seating really sets it apart.

    (5)
  • R W.

    Serafina is one of those places you don't usually expect to be great when you first get there. the first thought, an overpriced neighborhood restaurant. But once you get in there, you realize that each dish is finished w/ perfection in mind. the details come from the al dente delivery of pasta, to the the last fleck of garlic, to the light smokey flavors in the meats. it's all a symphony of perfection and surprise.

    (5)
  • Jena E.

    I don't believe they've ever served a dish that is less than spectacular. I think the negative reviews are plants from inferior Italian restaurants. My husband and I have been to Serafina twice, and every time we've put a fork in our mouths there, we've said the same thing - "Holycrapyouhavetotrythis." The service is on par with the fanciest-of-pants restaurants in the city. These are the kinds of hosts and serving staff that Gordon Ramsay would lend to a struggling restaurant for a night, only to cruelly yank them back again because he needs them in his own restaurants and he is a prick. My advice: 1. Try at least two of the cocktails or non-alcoholic specialty beverages, because they are stupidly skilled at drinks. 2. Take the waiter's recommendations. 3. Avoid over-indulging on the delicious rustic bread because you'll need your whole digestive system to enjoy the primi and secondi. 4. Make a reservation and arrive at a non-peak time, because you will hate anyone who is eating if you are not.

    (5)
  • Molly M.

    Serafina's intimate interior provides the perfect setting to a romantic evening. With exceptional service and pleasing plates, Serafina is going to be a frequent dining destination. I especially loved the risotto.

    (4)
  • Lucy L.

    As my date for the night Felisa D. said, "Someday when I have a boyfriend I'll know many great date spots to go to!" This is definitely one of those. Has that hometown feel with touches of romantic ambience here and there. The live music, pictures of couples hanging from the ceiling, candles, etc. Not to mention the food. We started with the mussels, whch were DIVINE, with plenty of tangy sauce to dip extra bread in. That was the one thing I had a problem with, though. Many years of eating at Italian places have taught me the privilege of free bread service. But here, all I can hope is that I can eat enough of it to make the extra $3 worth it. We ordered the pini and the gnocchi, and both were delicious. the pini, strangely, tasted just like Chinese pork dumplings, but, being Chinese, I didn't have a problem with that. It's not a place to hit up often on a college budget, but it's definitely a good choice for a special occasion (or a way to wind down after driving from Portland on 4 hours of sleep)

    (4)
  • Michael A.

    This place is good. It's not great, but it's definitely good. The service is fantastic, the specialty drinks are very good and the appetizers were very good. But the main courses were just ok. They were not bad, they were creative and tasted good, but just not spectacular. I would not recommend doing a big dinner here, but i WOULD recommend coming in for a few drinks at the bar!

    (4)
  • Loralee V.

    Although it's been a year and a half since I've been to Serafina, I will always enjoy my culinary experiences at the intimate Serafina. What better excuse to return than to enjoy a Valentine's Day dinner, as the atmosphere exudes romance?!? Serafina had a live jazz band playing as we enjoyed tasty cocktails at the bar while waiting for our table. Matt, the bartender, has worked here for years and visiting with him is always a pleasure. Our server Sarah was extraordinary. -The epitome of great service. We shared a most items from our five course meal and everything was perfection. These were my favorites: * Fresh Virginica oysters on the half-shell served with a lemon-champagne mignonette * Savory butternut squash soup with truffled pecorino raviolo and walnut oil * Bitter greens salad with crispy coppa, huckleberries and fried almonds * The rich potato gnocchi with Maine lobster served with a lemon-butter sauce and chervil *Mushroom and La Tur tartlet served with a shaved artichoke and mâche salad Thanks again Serafina! It's always a pleasure.

    (5)
  • The Princess a.

    Came here during restaurant week, and the food was pretty ordinary. We ordered butternut squash soup, roasted cauliflower which seemed to be cooked with anchovy sauce, pork and trout for entrees, and panna cotta as well as peppercorn shortbread to finish. I really enjoyed the spice infused dipping oil the complimentary bread came with, along with my trout and the cauliflower. Not sure if the portions are standard during this week, but my date and I were not even close to full at the end of the meal, even after gorging on the bread. The cauliflower was a bit over-salted, and the pork lacked much flavor, although very tender and cooked to perfection. The trout was crisp, extremely moist and well seasoned. The panna cotta was delectable, although nothing special to the standard. I was able to mimic the cauliflower dish at home because I enjoyed it so much, but I hope this place has more to offer on a typical day. I know Serafina is pretty popular, so I had higher hopes for them. 4 out of 5 for them, because I'm sure the rest of the menu could be worth looking into.

    (4)
  • Rachael M.

    After seeing Serafina while driving past, I was dying to try it - it looked so cute! Lunch for restaurant week seemed like the perfect opportunity! I had a grilled octopus appetizer, a seafood stew entree, and walnut cake for dessert. My appetizer was pretty good but overly salty and I didn't think the fennel fit the dish. It is described as being topped with salsa verde but all I tasted was salt. The seafood stew was also overly salty. The walnut cake was good - it was moist and flavorful and not overly sweet. The rhubarb compote on the side was very flavorful and paired well with the cake. My boyfriend had the mozzarella salad, the tagliatelle with fresh chick peas, and the walnut cake as well. His salad was good, but nothing special that he could not have easily made at home. The tagliatelle tasted fresh and the chick peas were fresh as well (green!), which was unusual and interesting. This dish also was on the salty side though. We also felt the portions were small. The restaurant is cute and has an interesting drink menu, so we'd probably try happy hour, but based on our restaurant week menu, we wouldn't feel a need to eat there again. But, we did see the entrees of people not ordering off the restaurant week menu and they looked great. Much more generous portions and lots of interesting items. We didn't feel like we really got a good deal with restaurant week. I'd still be nervous about the saltiness (that was my main flavor for 2 out of 3 dishes!), but we'll give them another shot. Plus, the restaurant is cute and have charm and for that alone it will get a second chance to prove itself. Also, our service was quite slow, especially for lunch. Everyone was friendly, but our courses took a while to come.

    (3)
  • Nina H.

    I absolutely love the interior of Serafina. The service was EXCEPTIONAL too. The only downside is that their parking lot is about two blocks away from the actual restaurant and I actually lost my phone on my way because it fell out of my pocket that had a hole. Bad luck, I guess. But the food was really amazing, my friend and I shared the mussel pasta (no idea what it was called) and also the pasta with red sauce. My memory is escaping me but I have photos to prove it. But seriously, their house bread with the olive oil was AMAZING. We all agreed that it was actually better than their bruschetta appetizer. The goat cheese was delish though! Overall, it was a really amazing experience and everything about it was pretty much wonderful. Prices were reasonable for upscale Italian food too.

    (4)
  • Mickey W.

    Loved the food. Hated the noise and the music. We came for Sunday's "jazz brunch" expecting actual jazz. The prix fixe brunch was fabulous, the food delicious and filling. But the music was disappointing. Instead of jazz, the restaurant offered a violinist playing the theme from "Downton Abbey" and other tunes that, while lovely, could hardly be considered jazz. The dining room was so noisy, it was difficult to carry on a conversation. Possibly, the blame lay in the eight young, inebriated women celebrating a friend's birthday. The food was so truly amazing, I'll give it a second chance, hoping there's less noise and actual jazz.

    (3)
  • Fran G.

    I love Serafina Restaurant. We went late on Thursday evening and everything from the food and wine to the service (thank you Matthew!) and the atmosphere could not have been more perfect. Still thinking about those Castelvetrano olives! One of our favorite places in town!

    (5)
  • Deena L.

    Occasion: My boyfriend and I went to Serafina for dinner to celebrate our anniversary. Atmosphere: I fell in love with the restaurant right away. The room had a very romantic feel to it - brick walls, dim candle lighting, large wine rack. Service: Our waiter was great! He was personable and did a really nice job checking in on us from time to time - but not too much because that can be annoying. Food: I loved the bread. Not exactly sure if you have to ask for it or if it comes with every meal. It was very simple but delicious. I loved the oil they served with the bread. I ordered a Portobello mushroom tortellini dish that tasted amazing! Unfortunately, the size was pretty small. My boyfriend ordered a gnocchi dish which was also small. Maybe we should have ordered an appetizer before? Overall, the food quality was delicious. However, the serving size was somewhat inadequate. I would suggest this place for a romantic night or a girls night for some wine. It can be a little pricey but the atmosphere is fun and intimate. I would definitely come here again!

    (4)
  • D H.

    Great sunday brunch. Their bloody mary is very interesting - has a smokiness to it that I've not seen anywhere else. I ordered the red wine-braised short ribs on polenta. The polenta was very tasty, if only a bit too salty - it's a little softer or more "runny" than other polenta, which I don't mean in a negative way. I really liked it. A lot of polenta is too far in the other direction (more firm, more bland) but this version is really nice. The meat was the most tender that I've had in recent memory. My fork easily split through it. Chewing it was not a chore. I'd be tempted to order this dish again. We ordered a latte and cappuccino as well - not the strongest or most complex flavors, but they were really smooth and well made - not too much milk, nor too bitter.

    (4)
  • YG K.

    Ambience was great. It was quite loud, but it was tolerable. We ordered Ragu and Griglia which were better than we expected. Griglia was exceptionally good. I would definitely go back next time

    (5)
  • Drew M.

    Fantastic experience here! food is wonderful, staff simply delightful. I had made a reservation for what i thought was Saturday night, but in reality was the following Sunday night. The hostess did a fantastic job of 1) not making me feel like an utter fool :) and 2) seating us as quickly as possible. Thanks Serafina, always a wonderful experience. Also a quick tip of the hat to our bar tender, Kyle. Thanks for entertaining us while we waited for the table.

    (5)
  • mark a.

    Haven't tried the restaurant. Last night I had them cater a small 8 person dinner at my home in Seattle. Head Chef Christian (I hope I'm not mistaking this) Great bartender Alex Maxine putting it all together. From start to finish attended to like kings and queens. Spreads of olives, sturgeon to main dishes with duck confit pasta Lamb shank and sausage. Finished with perfect desserts. 5 stars because 6 weren't available. We will definitely drop in for more great food. Mark A

    (5)
  • Jose P.

    Lovely place, food was very tasty. Service was good, too (the place was crowded) It is a bit slow so make sure you get the right antipasti, but we hadn't have Italian so tasty for months.

    (4)
  • Saralynn B.

    My sweet husband made reservations for dinner there last night and I am happy he did. Reservations were made the day before for a busy Friday Dinner. When we arrived, they sat us immediately even though we were about ten minutes early. We are thankful that we did have reservations as we saw a few people wait a long time for a table or leave. Reservations are definitely a recommendation, We ordered two drinks to start. I had a pomegranate smack that was outstanding. Husband had the specialty cocktail which is a bit tart for my liking but they were brought promptly by what we believe to have been the manager. Both were beautifully garnished. We had the bruschetta for an appetizer, but without thinking ordered the bread service too. The bruschetta had a delicious olive pate of sorts that was amazing with the toasted bread. There was also a goat cheese and cherry pepper portion that was also delicious. There was also a tuna? portion that neither of us cared for and dint' touch much. During appetizers we ordered dinner. We also decided to look at the wine menu to see what we wanted to order with our food. As we were wrapping up our appetizer, the Sommelier, Saul, was quick to notice us with the wine list out and quickly took over the decision making, thank goodness! He asked us a few questions about the type of wine we like, flavors etc... asked our price range (we settled on a 40 something price range) and said he would be back in just a moment. He returned with 5 bottles and had great descriptions that allowed us to easily make a choice. ((Which of course I can't remember)) The most unfortunate part of our evening, and the reason I can't give five stars and had considered three was the hour long wait between when we finished our appetizers and when our food arrived. Three tables around us who had ordered their food after us, recieved their food before us. AND during this time, our server, while otherwise fine, didn't say ONE single word to us. Not one. Nothing. It was odd. What was great, is the hour gave us time to get hungry all over again. Oddly, when our food arrived, the individual who we believe to be the manager walked over to our table from the other side of the restaurant, asked me, and not my husband, if I was okay and then promptly walked away. It was a very odd interaction. On to the food. I ordered the Ravioloi con Piselli. it was light and delightful. the pasta was handmade and cooked al dente (my favorite). There was a light hint of mint on the pasta. Which admitedly happened to be the "green stuff" on top that I thought was spinach. Without eating of the mint directly, it made for the perfect flavoring with the pasta. I wish i could have ordered just a chicken breast thinly sliced to go with it but that was not an option. Husband ordered the Bistecca con Risotto. While delicious, He did not like the risotto. Next time, he plans to order the rabbit. The wine was PERFECT with out dinner. As Saul stated, the wine would grow with our dinner and it was true. He made the experience for us. Our server, Sarah, did manage to somehow convince us to try a delicious dessert. We had the puffs with the hazelnut ice cream. It was the perfect end to our dinner. By the time we left, almost 3 hours after arriving, the jazz band had been playing for some time. It was sweet and romantic. Again, most everything was fantastic. We only wish SOMEONE would have said something in that hour long wait for our food. We will likely return but probably not immediately. I'd encourage anyone reading to try but be aware, this is a place that dinner take time and is an experience. It's not a quick in and out for sure.

    (4)
  • Kristine H.

    We were running late and missed their parking lot. After securing a spot on the street, we allowed the enticing smells to guide us to our destination. On our only visit here, they were packed tightly with patrons waiting for tables. Thankfully our dining companion already had a table so we snaked our way through the dense population of diners to have a seat and enjoy dinner. To my recollection, the food was spectacular. We ordered three dishes and an appetizer to start. Our starter was excellent. Their "Crostoni della Enoteca Trimani" - baked fresh mozzarella atop toasted Columbia City bread brushed with battuto + organic arugula. Our friend ordered a slow roasted pork loin cooked with rosemary, sautéed chard, and served with soft polenta. The polenta was fantastic and the pork exceedingly tender. My boyfriend selected their gnocchi di patate - beef cheeks braised with red wine + aromatic vegetables; with handmade potato gnocchi + gorgonzola dolce. The gnocchi was delicate yet firm with the Gorgonzola flavour throughout. My choice was the pollo con sugo di spinaci, a brined airline chicken breast oven roasted with cauliflower gratin + a rich spinach purée. The chicken was not dry and nicely roasted with each bite benefiting from a swirl of that spinach purée. Our service was appropriate and our server was kind. The food was excellent if not on the pricier side but I won't get into my "Italian-food-price-rant" just now. I didn't care for the decor but that is my personal taste, it was just too cluttered with things hanging on the wall and tulle. The tulle was everywhere! Decorations aside, my final verdict is that the food is excellent during the dinner service. I haven't experienced their lunch or brunch services but have been told they are equally as good.

    (4)
  • Allison B.

    Just got home from a day on the town (and off work) with a good friend. We decided to take advantage of the $15 lunch specials for SRW and ended up at this lovely place. Minus the mix-up getting there (long story short: I wasn't sure of the parking situation, so I braved the bus - only my 4th time riding it since living here - and well, let's just say it didn't go as I had hoped) and feeling frazzled because I was late for my 12:30 reservation, as soon as I stepped inside, all was well with the world again. The restaurant itself is super cute, and the tables are all pretty intimate, so even with others sitting around you, you don't feel crowded at all. The hostess was very pleasant and welcoming, and our server definitely kindly waited until my friend and I were done chatting to take our orders. I appreciate not being interrupted mid-sentence. So props for that. Everything looked pretty tasty, so my friend and I just picked the two options that sounded the best and split everything. We had the tortellini and butternut squash salad for appetizers; the king salmon (no longer cod as on menu) and gnocchi for entrees; and the panna cotta and tre latte for desserts. Man oh man. The tortellini was good, but the squash salad was just something different, so I quite enjoyed that. I love salmon, so that wasn't a hard sell, and the gnocchi was all fresh and square and delicious. And finally - the desserts were so rich, we couldn't finish them. And I'm NEVER one to not finish my dessert (why aren't they served first?) though we did give it an honest try. We did not really look at the drink list, so can't comment on that. And apparently they have live music sometimes, because the comment card asked how our live music experience was. All and all, this is a terrific place and I definitely highly recommend it.

    (4)
  • Binye E.

    As a person who isn't very critical, you can see why i've only composed a handfull reviews - most times out of ten, i enjoy what i eat because i'd rather not make it myself. Made reservaciones for my lady friend's bday early April and i must say, upon arrival, i was type blown away by the ambience; the live jazz band, ice water in a fancy glass, lights dim enough to hide my cold sore and a cute little table for two that would give the Krusty Krab's dining stations a krikey run for its money (although the seats weren't very comfortable; it made me look more proper and tight than early 90's slang). She ordered the eggplant linguine in tomatoe sauce and i had the lasagna. So the main courses were tastey (i took a sample of hers when she came in for a kiss during a consumption intermission). The cocktails were perfect. I forgot what i ordered, i believe it was something comparable to a pomergranite mojito and she enjoyed a stiff Manhattan in soggy Seattle. The sweetness of my drink certainly masked the depth and potency of the spirits (but i ain't affraid of no ghosts). Our waitress was a delight; kinda milfy, very tanned and a red pony tail that emitted amber waves of Herbal Essences (with curves that caress the business - can't believe i was so buzzed that i slurped every end of our dishes). My only gripe about (what's a yelp review without the cons right?)... is the flash fried calamari. Calamari that isn't battered and deep fried is just dead squid on a plate to me. That's like going to Oregon and pumping your own gas or finding a bingo partner at a casino (or have somebody else pick up your soap in the shower. Oh wait...). This is recommended because the food is good, customer service is stellar and you wouldn't be ashamed to bring her home to mama (She said that i'm her all time favorite - this place is super sweet...) Rick James... SING!! "The linguines' all right. The drinks were fine!!! This place is all right - with me.... yeahhhh... ... hey hey HEY HEY!!!" oxox. .

    (4)
  • Jason W.

    I'm a fan of Serafina! I've eaten there many times and will continue to do so. I'm always made feel welcome like I'm coming home. The drinks are fabulous, plenty of wine to choose from and the food never disappoints. All the staff at Serafina are amazing however seeing Jens smiling face is the best way to start or finish a week. She has a genuine spirit, a wonderful personality and knows the menu inside and out. This seals the deal for me time and again.

    (4)
  • Kate M.

    We went to Serafina on Friday for our anniversary, and we had a really great experience. The atmosphere is intimate and our server was very helpful and kind. I preferred both of our appetizer courses to either of our entrees, which I was not expected. The pork belly appetizer was really amazing, and the pheasant ragout was interesting too. For some reason, I just wasn't as over the moon with the lamb shank entree. I was SO excited about it, and it didn't end up being what I wanted. However, the kale it was served with was really perfect. I had three delicious cocktails and left the table feeling happy. FI also had a couple drinks too many... Unfortunately, he mistakenly thought that two guests at the host stand were employees and asked them for our coats. After we caught some well-deserved attitude and I profusely apologized, we ducked out of Serafina in shame and then I laughed at him all the way home. Happy Anniversary, Nic... you're such a dork! All embarrassing incidents aside, it was a lovely experience with decent food and excellent service.

    (4)
  • Sam H.

    Feeling italian??? Live music? Great service??? Check out serafina!!! The bar: well stocked and very polite and knowledgable bar tenders who makes drinks just to your taste and needs :) The service: Very on the spot with reservation time. Great with food suggestions and drink suggestions (by the way you can take left over bottles home) Food: melts in your mouth!!! Try the steak!!! Dessert: take the tart! Overall come here for good service and great food and good time.

    (4)
  • Meagan P.

    Serafina is wonderful, delicious and the patio is the perfect place for a warm Seattle evening. We went for my husband's birthday and the service was excellent and the food fantastic. Usually between the two of us someone's dinner is "the winner" but here both our entrees were totally different yet equally amazing. My husband got the special for the night, which was a pan seared black cod with an orange reduction over fresh greens. I got the Plin, braised pork and cabbage stuffed pasta with a light and delicious white sauce that just melted in your mouth. The wait staff was perfect in the level of attention, and they turned on the big outdoor heat lamps in the patio at just the point when I started to get a little cool. The brick patio/courtyard has the perfect ambiance for an intimate dinner. This place is definitely one we'll return to again.

    (5)
  • Robert G.

    The atmosphere and food are outstanding. Service was friendly and professional. The piano music (Dec. 29th) was enjoyable but interfered with conversation even on the far side of the room near the bar. Maybe your musician could soften it a bit so guests could enjoy the music plus conversation. Having said that, I will certainly return.

    (4)
  • Paula S.

    Went to their garden party on Sunday. It was fabulous! The drinks were great, food amazing and a lot to see and do. Loved the rose garden and iron bartender event. Staff were all very friendly and seems genuinely happy to be there. We will def go for dinner sometime!

    (5)
  • Bobbi S.

    Took my parents here when they visited from Texas. The food was wonderful and the service was perfect! Excellent restaurant, we will definitely be visiting again soon!

    (5)
  • J B.

    Get the bruschetta- don't even think about it. Just do it. If you're really hungry (like we were!) get the bread service, but know that it is an extra $3, but worth it in herbed garlicky olive oil- yum! Parking is not easy, so if you make reservations, give yourself at least 10 minutes beforehand to find parking. I highly recommend the house made lavender infused lemonade, and ask for a shot of vodka in it for an adult version of this glass of liquid sunshine. The wine list is extensive, and thankfully our server was knowledgeable about the selection and the menu to help us choose what would go best with what we ordered. Overall great experience, and we'll definitely be back!

    (5)
  • Kris U.

    Their self-proclaimed signature dish, "Melanzane alla Serafina", is truly an OMG experience. This is the best eggplant Parmesan dish EVER! A refined version of a classic: delicately sliced eggplant, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, all baked in a zesty fresh tomato basil sauce and laid over a bed of delicate cappelini. Our starter was also quite tasty, a white bean tapenade on a crostini. The "house special" sangria with fresh peaches was good (and I assume seasonal). Finding their parking lot isn't intuitive, so look up the parking lot directions on their website ahead of time. Cute place. Ask for a table next to the windows (next to the sidewalk) for some fresh air and people watching.

    (5)
  • Sunny H.

    Really great place for a nice night out. Delicious food and very friendly staff. It makes your dining experience so so much better when the servers actually seem like they enjoy being there - i.e., smiling, courteous, pleasant, knowledgeable, attentive, etc. We shared the scallops and eggplant dish - both were yum delish. We started out with calamari and boy, was it wonderful. It wasn't fried - nothin' wrong with fried - but it was the fresh kind with the nice spicy sauce - prepared beautifully. Oh and their bread order with the dipping oil was so good - garlic, serrano peppers, and some other stuff - soo good. Wish it wasn't so far from me, or perhaps it's a good thing b/c I'd want to go there all the time. It's not cheap you know. We did have drinks but our dinner experience was $100+ for the two of us. But well worth it.

    (4)
  • Melissa N.

    I've been here once for dinner and once for brunch. Dinner was very good. My favorite was probably the pork belly, but the portion was pretty tiny. It was very tender and had a good flavor. We also had the eggplant, their "signature" dish, which was also very tasty, but I'd have to say I liked the pork belly appetizer a lot more. The veal meatballs were just a-ok. For brunch, I had the french toast, which was pretty heavy, but also tasty. I definitely couldn't finish that. My boyfriend got the sandwich that was essentially just like a BLT that was done with a twist. We also got some fruit when we ordered our entrees, woot! Free fruit.

    (4)
  • Camille C.

    By far one of my favorite restaurants! The ambiance is boho-chic. It's so laid back but classy at the same time. It's great for date nights as well as a getogether with friends. Or just a family outing. They have a great selection of non-alcoholic cocktails. For all you light drinkers & they have an extensive wine list too. I got the Pollo Arrosto & it was delicious. So good! so delicious. For dessert I had Affogato (Olympia Mountain Creamery vanilla gelato "drowned" in a shot of Illy espresso) & it hit the spot! The service & food are both 5 stars, wish I could give them more stars, they deserve it. I always talk about this place but have yet to go back. I think it's about time I do go back. [=

    (5)
  • Richard U.

    YUMMERS... I enjoyed this place very much. Small and intimate, this place can get very packed! And for good reason. The chow is pretty good here. I went with the pork belly which was a special that day. Yes, it was melt in your mouth deliciously sinful! Amazing! Service was exceptional and attentive despite the packed interior. Prices I felt were reasonable given the quality of food and service. Reservations are probably a good idea given their popularity

    (4)
  • Stephen B.

    I read the response by the owner for my not so favorable review. I appreciate that she recognized they were realizing some difficulties in the kitchen and that they would correct them. Well, we went back a few weeks ago, clearly problems solved. The food was as good as it was when we first started going there. We will be back again.

    (4)
  • Sarah M.

    The food here is amazing but the service was SLOWWWWW! We came here on a nice, sunny day and sat outside on the terrace for lunch. Our server was extremely sweet and friendly and when we moved inside a few minutes later because of the wind, she didn't seem to mind much. The meal started with some amazing bread and awesome olive oil with garlic & other spices. SO yummy! The bread was accompanied by delicious lavender lemonades. For lunch, they have a prix fixed menu and for $15.95, you get 2 courses - either a salad or soup and then an entree. I had the carrot/ginger soup and my husband chose the salad. I LOVED the soup - a little heavy for warm weather but excellent all around. Mike's salad was odd...it was butter lettuce but didn't appear to have any dressing. He ended up ordering some balsamic for the side. We both had the fettuccine bolognese which was wonderful! Simple yet delicious. Lots of meat, great sauce, and al dente pasta. Loved it! So here's the bad...it took SO long to get everything. The drinks, bread, appetizer, and entrees. It was around 2 pm and not super busy so not sure why it took so long. I can't blame the server for it but it was just SLOW. Plus, there was a busser who was not super friendly. We would ask him for something and rather than acknowledging any requests or even nodding, he'd just walk off silently and come back with whatever it was. He didn't say once word to us which we thought was odd since he cleared our plates, filled our water, brought bread, balsamic, etc. That was odd. Overall though besides the service, great food, beautiful restaurant.

    (4)
  • Connie C.

    Came for restaurant week lunch. Everything was delicious, and service was wonderful. I called 15 mins before arriving, and our table was set up, waiting for us when we arrived. The roasted cauliflower was so good, the mushroom pasta was not soaking in cream sauce (yay!), and the cheese plate was a perfect ending to a solid meal. Very happy to have gotten the chance to try out this restaurant. will definitely be returning.

    (4)
  • Matthew C.

    Took my gf here for her b-day as she loves Italian. We made a reservation to eat outside, and had to wait maybe 20 extra minutes, but the staff was so nice, it didn't bother me at all. The service the rest of the night was top notch. We ordered the butter lettuce salad (super simple, amazing spring salad), the pasta with rabbit (holy moley, it was incredible), halibut (again a more simple dish, but I loved it), and the spaghetti dish (probably the only thing that wasn't AMAZING, but still very good). To top it off we got cream puffs for desert which were saweeeeeet. I think for me what sets amazing restaurants apart is service, and when everyone is smiling and super helpful, I'll gladly return. Thanks, Serafina.

    (5)
  • Paul W.

    Serafina is one of those rare spots that is equally apt for a romantic dinner or a special occasion with a group. Last night, we took an extended family party of six and had a spectacular meal. Three shared starters provided excellent variety for the table. The highlight was the braised calamari - cooked with couscous, pine nuts and more and served in a subtle red sauce. All of the entrees were delicious. My lasagna had pork, beef, and veal - decadently flavorful overall. Even if you don't usually like brussels sprouts, try a side of them, too. Save room for dessert, too. Biscotti consisted of six amazing little cookies.

    (5)
  • Sarah A.

    I had Serafina for lunch today, and despite living close-by, it was my first time there. The food was delicious. I got a delicious and refreshing Lavender Lemonade and my husband and I shared the Crostoni con Olive as an appetizer and the Gnocchi meal that isn't listed on their online menu. Both items were so tasty. The service was friendly but I will point out that all food, including antipasti, takes a good amount of time to come out, so I wouldn't recommend coming here if you have time limitations. If the day, or evening, is nice, the patio is so lovely. It feels like you are tucked away from the world and you can almost imagine that you are actually enjoying this delicious Italian fare in Italy itself. We finished with the Affogato, complete with Illy espresso, and I can't say enough good about the vanilla gelato--it was the best I've ever had.

    (4)
  • Bob C.

    It has been a couple of years since I gave Serafina my last review, and it still earns a consistent four stars. The service is as outstanding as ever, and the food ranges from good to excellent. The highs and lows from a recent visit: - Highs: pork belly appetizer (fantastic), wonderful server who's name I can't remember, I finally discovered the free parking. - Lows: really just the NY Strip that was on special. I probably wouldn't order it again. P.s. for free parking: if you are heading south on East Lake, go past the restaurant and make the first Left on Newton. Make a quick right into the parking lot of some building. This is free for Serafina customers. There is no validation system, but your car won't be ticketed there.

    (4)
  • Nadim F.

    What can we say. Rachel and her team are the best ever - still. We're here again, this time because my daughter is in town and as always great food, service, ambience and hospitality.

    (5)
  • Amanda P.

    This place is wonderful! We started with the bruschetta trio and the pork belly. The bread was toasted to perfection and the different toppings were so delicious. I had the Plin (pasta dish) that was devine and my boyfriend had the sea bass which was one of their specials and it was cooked to perfection! I could live on their bread service and fresh mozzarella for the rest of my life. All around, an awesome spot!

    (5)
  • Chris P.

    A wonderful place for a fancy night out. We got squid in a tomato sauce, papardelle w/short ribs and a pork chop, and a couple cocktails and everything was perfect. Price for everything was fair, service was very good, and the atmosphere was nice -- a little upscale fine dining, a little loose and fun feeling. Loved it.

    (5)
  • Dan H.

    Nice location, good food, very nice staff. We had happy hour there and they were even cool with our 11 month old little boy. We had a great meal and will go back if we ever come back to this neighborhood. The cocktails were exceptional.

    (4)
  • Alexandra P.

    I liked this place the first time I ever came here, and I recently had the pleasure of coming back to celebrate Valentines Day with my hunny. We came here on our second date and I absolutely loved it! The service is great, the wait staff is very enthusiastic and they know what they are talking about when you ask a question about the meals. Very romantic setting, and on some days they even have a violinist playing which just adds to the list of reasons of why I adore this place! It's small, but laid out perfectly with amazing decor! The food is great, and when I recieved a steak that wasn't up-to-par, I told my waiter and he was very gracious. We recieved a great complementary dessert and an apology. Just the fact that they actually care about the customer satisfaction makes me want to continue coming here. I highly suggest Serafina for all the lovebirds out there, or if you just want a great time and meal!

    (4)
  • Micha V.

    Boyfriend & I returned to Serafina for Restaurant Week this past Wednesday and I must say that I was particularly impressed by the array of wonderful NON-alcoholic cocktails, such as the lavender lemonade (I've had this previously and it's wonderful), Navarro Vineyard Pinot Noir grape juice (my new favourite), a terrific house made sarsaparilla and a virgin Bellini that was the winner of the table. The service was good. At first we thought our waiter was brisk, but that seemed to change after we ordered our drinks and he was very accommodating and helpful with recommendations. He also recommended the above mentioned Pinot Noir that I quickly fell in love with and even let us try a sample - which I always appreciate as, truthfully, I probably would have forgotten everything about his recommendation if he had not, however now I plan to order it every time I visit Serafina. The food was quite nice, however I was underwhelmed by the fish (Pesce con Piselli) as the sauce was too bland I felt. It did come with pea vine, which was a plus as not enough restaurants use this lovely green. The Filetto di Manzo con Fagioli (Roasted beef shoulder tenderloin with fava beans, croutons, mint and pearl onions) was wonderful though and cooked perfectly. I absolutely plan to return though as I think this restaurant is something special and I appreciate a lunch place that gives me options other than wine or soda for my beverages.

    (4)
  • Kelly A.

    We go to brunch almost every weekend and Serafina is one of our absolute favorites. First, the atmosphere is cozy and so romantic. I LOVE the fact that they offer live jazz music. The drinks are magical -- so creative and DELICIOUS! And the food is always surprisingly flavorful and satisfying. Honestly, I am easily satisfied for brunch, but whatever I order here ends up being better than I ever expected. Excellent taste, portion size, and creativity. Staff is knowledgeable and very courteous. Can't get enough of Serafina.

    (4)
  • Mack O.

    The service here was nonexistent at 5:30pm on Thursday 8/15/2013. It may be that there was a larger party coming later, that required the staff to not pay attention to people in the bar area. 10 minutes went by without my girlfriend and I being acknowledged. When they came over and half halfheartedly apologized for the wait, they quickly left and got back to more important business. 10 more minutes passed without being helped, we decided that we would rather leave and head to Aqua Verde. After this experience, I would not come back here.

    (1)
  • Hannah L.

    Traditional Italian with a modern twist, or modern Italian firmly grounded in its culinary roots and inspiration....You decide. Which gives you an excuse to go and, well, eat, drink, and decide. Highlights from the most recent visit include a creamy, savory parsnip soup with pancetta and marscapone, a linguine with ground lamb and just-tender chickpeas laced with greens, a fluffy butternut squash and ricotta cheesecake, and an impossibly rich flourless hazelnut torte, warm and dense, with a tiny swirl of nearby strawberry gelato. And all that just from the 3 for $30 menu! Yet not the most amazing part....Dinner was lovely, as usual, but the service was a little slow (yet all persons involved in service very friendly and helpful). Only a little slow, however....So imagine our mutual surprise when, at the end of the meal, my request for the check was met with the rejoinder that, due to the wait and our patience, dinner (for the three of us!) was on the house. Whoa. A generous gesture, and so it's nice to know that not only is Serafina a lovely spot for a date (candles, tiny lights, orange-red glow) or a fun meal (lively, busy), but also a place where service is taken seriously. A lovely and novel end to a wonderful meal!

    (4)
  • Ryan L.

    I have been here before and would have rated it 5 stars. The last time I went the first reservation was at 9pm, not a big deal. The problem was the lasagne they served me had clearly been made hours earlier and tasted like left-overs. Unless you are going to charge less at the end of the night the food should be fresh. Seems lazy.

    (2)
  • Andy A.

    Good food but the portion size was a tad bit small. Atmosphere was enjoyable and a good dating spot. Charged $3.00 for bread (bread service) which I thought was strange,

    (4)
  • Tonya N.

    I adore this place. So charming, really wonderful people working here and I am always leaving with a smile. This restaurant is a special place and I would recommend it to anyone. We've been here for brunch and dessert but will be back for their dinner for sure :)

    (5)
  • Clarice G.

    AMAZING Italian food! After my trip to Italy this summer, I have to admit that I've been a HUGE Italian food snob. I've been on the hunt for some simple and tasty Italian food and I think I've found the perfect place :) Food: A++ Simple yet VERY delicious! I loved very single bite of our food from our appy calamari--salad-- and Papardelle pasta. Yum yum yummy! Each portion was just right and light (not heavy on the sauce). Not too big like other restaurants that call themselves Italian (*shame on you Olive Garden*). Service: B Like any fine dining experience you try to enjoy your evening. The server was great when we ordered our food (answered all our questions), but felt that he had too many tables to serve and often skipped our table when we needed plates cleared or more wine to order. We waited a good 30min for the check--not good because I HATE waiting in general. I guess we just looked like we were having a nice time and he didn't want to bother us. Note: Keep in mind that this place gets very busy during dinner time so make sure you give about 2ish hours to really enjoy your Serifina experience.

    (5)
  • Sonya L.

    Our office went out here for a birthday lunch. Overall, I would have to say that my experience here was pretty average. We were seated in the courtyard, which was very nice. It was probably the best part about the restaurant. It was a bit cramped due to the number of tables, but it was a warm day and the courtyard was very pretty. The food was good but nothing spectacular. My spinach ravioli was good and the pine nuts and cinnamon were a nice touch, but overall it wasn't something I'd go out of my way to order again. I tried the Plin that my boss ordered and the pork was good, although not quite as flavorful as I was expecting. The combination between the pork and the cheese on top was nice, but I probably wouldn't order this dish. I didn't try the other two dishes, but one had a rave review and one was only so-so. Dessert was a bit disappointing. We ordered the vanilla gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it, but when it came it was chocolate gelato. The waitress said that the flavor often changes between chocolate and vanilla, but I feel that if that is the case, it should be listed on the menu. The service was friendly, but the timing was awful and things moved very slow. While we went out for a work lunch celebration, we weren't expecting the lunch to take so much time. We were there slightly over TWO HOURS, which seems outrageous for a lunch to me. Everything just moved very very slowly. It took 20 minutes for the gelato to come after we'd finished our meal, which is pretty unacceptable. Overall Serafina was just average, just okay. I won't likely come back here because I rarely go to Eastlake and I won't go out of my way to come by here again.

    (3)
  • Danielle C.

    The food was incredible. The service was fantastic. The live jazz was so fun. Can't say much more.

    (5)
  • Laura N.

    Told ya I'd be back... This time it was for the happy hour calamari and drink specials. Those little octopi go down so smooth when cheaply priced high quality liquor is involved. (And tragic ravioli is not invited along.) Sure, we'll all reek of garlic for the next week, but it certainly didn't stop us from powering though each galicirrific happy hour dish. And I still stand firm that it's one of the most enchanting patios in Seattle. On days like today, a little outdoor ambiance goes a looooong way!

    (4)
  • Justin H.

    Serafina is my favorite restaurant of all time. On this particular visit, we dined at around 8:30p on a Saturday night to hear Sue Nixon sing while we enjoyed our amazing meal. Check out Serafina's music calendar on their website to see when she'll be singing next - highly recommend. Our server (one of my favorites - just wish I could remember her name) recommended an AMAZING bottle of wine that catered to the very different tastes of all three members of our party. Her food and wine suggestions were thoughtful and spot-on. The food here is simply orgasmic. Homemade pasta, fresh produce, delicious EVERYTHING. The ambiance is romantic and very relaxing. Probably the greatest testament to the quality of this restaurant is that I've seen the same servers and bartenders here for years. The staff sticks around, which means the owner is running a top-notch restaurant. I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough. You will certainly return over and over again.

    (5)
  • Lisa R.

    I have walked by this place about a bazillion times and have never gone in to try it out...until last week when I went for lunch. It's gotten a lot of hype over the years and I can understand why. It is clear that they focus on local ingredients and distributors, and quality food. My squash ravioli (it really does sound better in Italian) was to die for, and I licked every bit of sauce off the plate with any bread I could find. I like their current price fix lunch. Great deal and a great way to sample the menu without stuffing yourself. The decor didn't win me over but I think I'd have to try this place in the evening to really be fair. It just seems a little haphazard. Are they remodeling? It really did seem like it. Either way, they are forgiven. I can't eat at a place in this price range on a regular basis but I can say with all certainty that I will be back here. Even if nothing else is as good as the squash entree, it's still well worth it! Well done, Serafina. Next stop: Cicchetti.

    (4)
  • Katya G.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle- classy, elegant, yet unpretentious. Food is very good upscale Italian with a focus on local ingredients (Taylor shellfish mussels, locally raised beef, greens from their own garden, etc). Prices are reasonable for an upscale restaurant ($6-10 for salads, 8-15 for apps, 10-20 for pasta courses, and 20-34 for entrees). The prices are even better for all the freebees you get- servers tend to bring out extra appetizers for the table, free wine pairings to enhance your meal, etc. we occasionally find our drinks are missing from the bill at the end of the night ;) The cocktail list is inventive and long, as is the wine list. On weekends sit outside on the patio for drinks or brunch with live music. Overall a solid 10.

    (5)
  • J J.

    Went again tonight; I've been here maybe 8 times in all over the years. I have to say this place is really not the same. Service was nice and attentive as usual. But that's where it ended. Our main problem was with the portions--what happened? My husband's lasagna was two-thirds the size it used to be. Even the melanzane was significantly smaller--again about 2/3 the size. Both entrees were tasty but not fantastic. The $7 house salad was just, well, pretty pathetic. A modest (albeit pretty) hunk of lettuce with 2 teensy pickled/too raw red onions on top. Nothing else but some vinaigrette. Meh. How bout a grape tomato? At least? The bread that used to come in a decent quantity in a basket--now reduced to 4 polite, thin slices on a small plate. Lastly, they've even done away with little touches like their individually wrapped chocolate-mint straws and small matchboxes. Not so much as a Brach's starlight mint on the way out, and just a basket holding a pile of (not-wrapped) toothpicks. We spent $100 here tonight for the 2 of us, and it was just nothing special. I guess everything changes.

    (2)
  • R. A.

    I was so disappointed with our experience here. We came in on a Sunday morning for brunch. The restaurant wasn't too busy, but our server was really inattentive. He hardly came to check on us at all. We sat for over 15 minutes with dirty dishes piled on the table and he never refilled our coffee or waters. The food was delicious - I had the Melanzane alla Serafina, something I'd never tried before. It was rich, filling, and savoury. The server also took forever to bring the bill, yeah the food was good, but we just wanted to get out of there after sitting for 2 hours in our own filth. Serafina isn't worth it to me. There's so many other great places to eat in Seattle.

    (1)
  • Meg K.

    This is hands down my favorite Italian place in Seattle! Sure, it's a little pricy...it's worth it! My fave: the Melanzane a la Serafina! It's thin sliced eggplant sauteed and then stuffed with ricotta and fresh basil. This is served on top of angel hair pasta (my personal fave) and dressed with a perfectly salted marinara, some parmesean and then broiled for a delightful texture of melted cheese! The staff is friendly and not pretentious...well they do a good job of making sure that you feel special and seem geniuine in their appreciation for your (Obvious) good choice in place to dine...or have a cocktail...or a nice glass of wine... The menu changes seasonally, but the Melanzane is always on it!

    (5)
  • Duane S.

    By surprise we ended up here. We thought we'd chosen a different downtown restaurant, because it didn't require reservations, but the GPS gods had a different idea for us. It wasn't till we were inside, and were asked if we had a reservation, that we realized we were not at the restaurant we intended to go to. When we said "No, we're here for our belated Valentine's dinner," the hostess said "No problem, let me see what we can do." We were seated in less than 5 at a great table. Food was fabulous. Service great.

    (5)
  • Samantha E.

    I can't believe I forgot to review Serafina-- it's one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle! This past October, I took my Mom here after Google informed me that it was one of the closest Italian restaurants to my apartment. Google was actually wrong about that, but I'll forgive them because I probably wouldn't have ventured down to Eastlake otherwise. Everything at Serafina is fabulous. On my first trip there, we ordered off the regular menu. My mom had a chicken special and I had the Melanzane alla Serafina, their fantastic interpretation of eggplant parmesan. The second time, my mom and two aunts were in town, and we were convinved to try out the "tasting menu" and let our awesome server, Matthew, pick everything out for us. This was a great way to try everything, and we didn't get a bad dish. Some of the standouts were the Kobe beef brisket, veal meatball, pork belly appetizer, and the scallops. Not only is the food great, but they also have a fabulous wine list and a very talented bartender-- the mixed drinks are awesome, but also just fun to watch be made. Brave the horrendous parking and try this place out.

    (5)
  • Myron B.

    I really enjoyed this restaurant! The pork belly appetizer was one of the best I've ever had! Crispy yet tender with an apple slaw- a perfect companion. Contrary to other reviewers the lamb shank was hearty and deliscious. All their dishes were noteworthy and not a complaint at our table of 6. Our waitperson Jenny was vivacious, helpful and on top of things. Wonderful service! Rachel, the manager, was delightful as well with an outgoing personality and bubbly persona. What a lovely place and mouthwatering dinner!

    (5)
  • Allyn J.

    Dim lighting, live jazz, great wine selection, lots of foods with melted cheese...mmmm. Went here on a whim on a rainy night with a date. The parking lot was a block away so we got...wait for it..."caught in the rain" on our way in but had a wonderful night. The food was delicious and fairly priced. I've been back several times now and always enjoy this spot. I'd certainly reccommend it if you're in the Eastlake area.

    (5)
  • Nita M.

    I love this place! I went with a group of friends for Seattle's restaurant week, and our entire experience was pleasing. I was able to call the day of to make a dinner reservation for 7, the ease of which is a big plus. The actual place is incredibly cute - there is an outdoor enchanted garden with lots of lights (and heat lamps) and the inside is cozy & comfortable. All the employees I interacted with were really friendly & the actual food service was fast. They have a lot of prosecco-based drinks made with a really good & fruity prosecco, which I love, and I highly recommend the Elderfizz. Serafina has some lovely vegetarian choices, of which I had: - Grilled Asparagus with Fried Egg and White Truffle Oil: Yum! The egg yolk broke beautifully & really complimented the charred asparagus, which together with shavings of a salty parmesan and the aroma of white truffles was quite delicious. - Baked Gnocchi with Nettles: So, so, so good. The san marazano tomato sauce by itself was amazing - full of strong italian flavors, very fresh, very flavorful - I easily could have eaten a whole bowl of this sauce alone, that's how good it was. The gnocchi was made from black potatoes, and was delicious and soft & the texture went perfectly with the sauce. The dish was laced with cheese, but not too much to be overpowering - the actual food flavors were able to shine through & stand on their own without needing a fat flavor helper which is a huge compliment to the kitchen. - Dessert: Eh. Really could have done without it & instead had more gnocchi! I think that restaurants in general don't put much thought into dessert during restaurant week, so I don't know if their regular desserts are better (I would guess yes). The carrot cake was overpoweringly sweet I thought (but fine in small bites). The chocolate hazelnut tart tasted like something you could get from the grocery store, or perhaps worse than something from the grocery store - it was dry, bland, and unexciting. The cheese on the cheese plate was good (I have yet to have a cheese I hate...) but the grape "chutney" they served with it was uninspired - just regular grape jelly and it didn't compliment the cheeses well. Despite our mediocre desserts, I still think Serafina is a lovely place to enjoy a meal, and I'm sure I will be returning.

    (5)
  • Lauren B.

    Brunch was so great! I loved the unique menu and solid service. Live jazz was a treat!

    (5)
  • SR H.

    Came here for Restaurant Week, only to be told at the door that the lunch special doesn't apply for Sundays (even though it said it was available on Opentable!). Gar. I was very annoyed. And the food was only okay for the price. The Sunday Brunch 2 courses for $22 made no sense because if you got the two dishes separately, they wouldn't add up to $22. The violinist on Sunday was playing pop tunes. Service was slow and took forever to just bring bread. My friend's eggs and hash and sausage was mediocre at best, and though my baked eggs were pretty flavorful, it didn't necessarily merit the price.

    (2)
  • Sara F.

    My friends took me for lunch on my birthday there and it was really nice. The place has a certain charm to it, the food is good. I got a fungi pasta and it was really good. The desert was super good as well, eclair with hazelnut ice cream filling, yummy!! Will definitely go there again!

    (4)
  • Laura M.

    Cozze Affumicati!!! (passionately stated with a thick Italian accent) Was that an explicative because you're driving too slowly on the highway or was that me ordering at Serafina? I want to talk about the food here, but first let me just say that this place is just as charming inside as it is outside, with lots of natural light, and an interesting open layout of tables for maximum privacy. Each table has its own olive oil, pepper grinder, and sea salt, a very nice touch. I ordered the mussels, more excited about the smoked tomato, harissa, sweet vermouth, leeks, and fresh herbs than the mussels themselves. It was very, very tasty. A-MAZING! What a delicious broth... NO, let's call it a NECTAR. The HARISSA (a North African chili sauce) gave it a very unique spiciness with extreme depth from the leeks, herbs, and SMOKINESS from the tomatoes. It was excellent with their crusty, local Columbia City bread, dipped in olive oil. I'm feeling generous today...5 stars! Cozze Affumicati!!! (passionately endorsed on Serafina's menu, with a thick Italian accent)

    (5)
  • Elana Z.

    We are so lucky to have Serafina just across the street from our house. Tastes: For an appetizer, the mussels are delicious. For main, the lasagna is the best I've ever had (but it's usually big enough for 2 to share, or for delicious leftovers). Last time that I went I got their "signature" eggplant dish which may become my new favorite from now on. Feel: The white table cloths and European courtyard are just so cute! Even though we sometimes spontaneously pop in, it feels special every time we go. Sounds: On a nice day, we can often open our windows and take in the the live music and classy ambiance that comes along with the sound of clinking glasses. But the best is the artist they have had in who plays Top 40 pop music on his violin... with his red flame pants and shirt. We hope to one day have the honour of being recognized as regulars. LOVE!

    (4)
  • Le M.

    This is one rare Italian gem you'll find on Eastlake. WHY GO THERE? Great tasting Italian food with impeccable service and a book for wine list. WHATCHA GOT? Started with Insalata con Limone e Acciughe which was light and dressed right but nothing to jump for, then had Pappardelle con Congilio. Now this is one rabbit dish that I won't hesitate to have again. Sorry Bugs Bunny. I'm on Elmer Fudd side when it comes to this pasta. The meat was not gamey and truly tasted like chicken. The sage-infused pappardelle was al dente. For dessert, Profiteroles con Gelato di Nocciola was perfect to wrap the night. How can you resist? YOU GOT SERVED. Our server is probably the most friendly and attractive waitress in Seattle. Hands down! She's personable, knows the dishes and her wine. My friend and I were mesmerized. And that's something coming from two gay men.

    (5)
  • sreeja s.

    Here's a perfect date place to go to. Beautiful ambiance, they have some amazing live music going on Saturday evenings. Though there menu is not too big, but they offer some exquisite food. Their mussels appetizer - Cozze Affumicate is really flavorful and my favorite. They keep changing their fish entrees which I like, tried the halibut which I really liked forget the name ! Also love the bread.Of courseTortino di Cioccolato e Caffé the dessert is to die for :) I would give it a 4 for the overall exp (ambiance, menu, service, quality, music) though its a little heavy on the pocket!

    (4)
  • Don B.

    According to wikipedia, Serafina is a super villain in the Marvel Comics Universe, most notably a member of the Children of the Vault. While not actually a super villain per se (but instead a classy Italian restaurant with an amazing wine list), Serafina might have some key evil-making ingredients. Delicious food, engaging cozy atmosphere, voluminous wine list, and fastidious service makes this a real quality Italian place. The prices are reasonably matched to the quality of food and service. So why evil? This place would make me fat and suck my wallet dry if I lived nearby. I enjoyed my fixed price lunch today. For $15 I got a nice cup of carrot/apple soup and some mussels cooked in sweet vermouth, leeks, and smoked tomatoes. The flavors were exceptional. Not a ton of food for the price, but lots of quality. A well-pulled shot of Vita espresso rounded the meal out nicely. While the tables are quite crammed together, I never felt cramped at all. The servers seemed to be able to navigate the small paths with ease. There was a noticeable din of conversation, but not so loud that we had to raise our voices to communicate. All in all, a nice place to have a great meal with friends. And fortunately, the place was not attacked by super villains or superheroes during our visit.

    (4)
  • Liz A.

    I really wanted to like this place, as I live very close. I have dined here twice and both times I got food poisoning. Not good. I would still go for their drinks though. I also think it's pretty pricey for what you get. There's better options in Seattle.

    (1)
  • Danielle H.

    Serafina is one of the best date spots I have been in Seattle. I cannot believe that with my affinity for Italian food I had not been here sooner, but it was all the more special going as a last minute surprise after a long day of grueling interviewing. We had a late dinner reservation and sometimes staff get antsy at restaurants because they want to get out of there, but never once did we feel rushed during our dinner. Our waiter was amazing and super attentive and helpful with making menu selections. My boyfriend ordered the lamb soup to start and it was very tasty and the olive oil and bread here is to die for. I made the mistake of asking for balsamic and shouldn't have because the olive oil with herbs is fabulous on its own! For our main course, he ordered the veal brisket and I ordered the rabbit pappardelle. Wow. I am a sucker for freshly made pasta and when it is paired with delicate meat like rabbit and a light sauce, I just can't help but polish off the entire plate! We had ordered a lovely bottle of red wine that paired perfectly with both of our dishes and only got better throughout the meal. The brisket was rich and delightful as well (in fact, I asked for a second bite it was so good!). For dessert, the profiteroles are a must do. They are filled with a hazelnut gelato that is so creamy and perfect and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Heaven. Great atmosphere and super cool people - I will definitely return.

    (4)
  • Kelly L.

    Delicious food, but odd service. 4 of us dined for dinner, and the servers continually reached across the table to pour water, take plates, making the ones they reached and leaned in front of themselves lean back and out of the way. Couldn't they have walked around so as to be less disruptive? And it wasn't just one person, but multiple on staff. 4 stars for food, would have been 2 for service unfortunately.

    (3)
  • Jennifer D.

    My husband and I celebrated Valentine's Day here and I was pretty disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the restaurant was very romantic with dim lighting, candles and beautiful flower arrangements. However, after reading so many rave reviews for their 'Signature' Melanzane alla Serafina dish I was quite surprised it wasn't offered on their Valentine's Day menu. Honestly, we probably would have made reservations elsewhere had I known this. It seems I wasn't the only one baffled by this as our waitress admitted she was expecting to get a lot of requests for this dish as well. I ended up ordering the butternut squash ravioli from the waitress' recommendation and my husband ordered ravioli filled with brisket. Disappointment again. Our waitress had described my dish as one that many visitors frequented Serafina this time of year specifically for. With a statement like that you'd expect some sort of wow factor; it was good but not impressionable. My husband isn't a picky eater so it's not saying much when he finishes a meal but I think his brisket was a tad on the salty side. Is it sad to say that the most enjoyable part of my meal was the bread and wine? =( My disappointment lies in the meal because the service was nothing short of wonderful. I'll definitely come back to try the signature dish and perhaps my review will be bumped up a few stars then...

    (3)
  • Shannon S.

    Serafina has been on my to try restuarants list for years now, so I was very excited that my husband brought me here as a surprise for my 30th birthday. I was definitely not prepared for the amount of people crammed into this place. I don't mind a full house, but it was difficult to move around at all without being on top of someone else. However, our reservations were for 7PM on a Friday night, and I get that it would be busy. The noise level was a little out of control, especially once the music began. My husband & I definitely had to repeat ourselves to be heard and it killed a lil bit of the date feel when you have to talk loud enough for all the super close diners to be forced to almost be a part of your conversation. Our waiter was attentive, professional & timely. The bread with amazingly seasoned olive oil is all that people say it is, I could almost just eat this as my meal. We ordered glasses of house chianti and mussels appetizer. It is was everything I love about this dish sweet & spicy, full of tomato-y broth to scoop up and juicy warm mussels. YUM. We ordered primi versions of our meals as we were on a budget. This size actually ended up being perfect, I think as an entree it would have just been too much. I ordered the braised rabbit with pasta & "seasonal" root vegetables. The only veggies that were included were inconsistently chopped very small carrots & onions, which fit a little strangely with the long ribbon pasta & chunks of rabbit. I offered my husband a bite, and he promptly removed a larger bone. Not so romantic. He ordered the veal meatball & penne pasta dish. I have to say, my homemade meatballs are better. For being veal I expected them to be more tender & more flavorful. It was just kinda...blah. Something odd about the consistency as well. He enjoyed the dish, but it definitely wasn't a favorite. The wrong credit card slip was brought to our table, and it took quite a while to get my coat back from their coat check. It felt great to get out of the crowded restaurant into the cool air with full tummies at the end of the night. All in all, it was a memorable experience but I prefer a little more elbow room, more flavorful dishes and perhaps more prompt reservation times.

    (4)
  • Kayan H.

    Plin is absolutely wonderful. Gnocchi is great. I don't like white sauce, so i've always only gotten red sauced pastas and they are always fabulous. Service is decent, nothing too good or bad. It's kind of crowded so I don't love the atmosphere.

    (3)
  • Teresa B.

    Great brunch. This was my second time at this little restaurant and was just as good as my first visit. I love that they have live music on Sunday brunch and the staff are so accommodating. I would love to visit them again for dinner!

    (5)
  • Hayley R.

    Amazing, beautiful food with fantastic ambiance!

    (5)
  • Jeena P.

    Surprisingly living all these years in Seattle I have not had a chance to try out this place. To be honest, I had high expectations given all the good reviews. We were a group of 6 and here is my feedback on this place: Plus points * Got a reservation for 6 with two days of notice * Ambiance was nice * Live music band was nice * Drinks (and mixed drinks) were upto par (I ordered a classic bellini and it was yummy) OK points * Food - was OK (and just about 3 stars). For the price you pay per entree, it was not as good. I ordered a butternut squash ravioli, it was good, but it was not a 'wow' dish (and honestly not a $25+ menu item). * Service was OK (again nothing distinctly bad) In short, Seattle has so many options of other great restraunts (with excellent food and value) that I dont think we will be going back.

    (3)
  • Sahana U.

    Sexy, classy, low-key, & trendy. Oh, Serafina. You have managed to seduce me with your dim lights, live music, and wide array of wine selection. I have managed to fall in love with you with just one encounter. Regardless of who I was actually here with, your energy would deceive me in to thinking I was in love. I came here with some very close friends for drinks and appetizers. We ordered the bruschetta, which was simply excellent. The bread was lightly toasty - perhaps rubbed with garlic, toasted on a grill and finally drizzled with olive oil. Then, the wine. OH the wine. They have an incredible selection of wines. Not to worry...it will keep you coming back for more. This place is perfect for a wine-o. Upon the recommendation of our amazing server - I tried Moscato for the first time that night. It was chilled, sweet (not overly), bubbly, creamy/rich amazingness overflowing in a champagne glass. I took a sip and was sure that if it were possible for a drink to be THIS good...that it must be a sinful one. This, ladies and gentleman, may be what I want served with my last meal on earth. You can quote me on that. The only concern that you'll have if you come here, is that you will eventually have to leave.

    (5)
  • Lindsay S.

    This is one of my favorite places to eat in Seattle. I love that I can just tell them the type of wine I like and my price range and they pick the wine for me :). They do a great job explaining the wine, where it came from, what is was made with, ect. I love it. Their food is delicious. I suggest only sitting outside on a warm day. It was a bit cold when we went last time but the heaters kept me warm until they turned off. The service is pretty spectacular though! They always seem to go above and beyond and they are all very knowledgeable about what they serve, which is always impressive. The band that plays occasionally is very relaxing (and romantic if you are on a date). I definitely suggest giving this place a try.

    (5)
  • Maria R.

    This place was adorable. Service was fabulous and the atmosphere divine. And we tried Ciccheti a few weeks ago and LOVED. IT. Now let me explain my rating. We all know Valentine's Day is a money maker. And it's so easy to say, "Let's pack in as many people as we can and do a fixed menu so we can cycle them through faster!" I know it's a tough industry in which to be successful. But do you understand what you're sacrificing for the quick buck? While Serafina did not have a pre-fix menu (thank you!) they said the menu was a "pared down" version with "highlights" for valentine's day. And we purposely went on Saturday and not Feb 14 to avoid that scenario! I was hoping for some other types of pasta dishes on the menu, but to be fair they gave us some good options that we enjoyed very much. Can someone please tell all the nice restaurants not to ruin our first impressions by doing a "pack 'em in/offer them a limited amount of options" Valentine's Menu? The last few Valentine's Days, my husband and I were so annoyed at pre fixe menus. Like cattle, we were herded into what were supposed to be some of the finer dining establishments and crammed into obviously-added tables, elbow to elbow with the patrons next to us. Some fo them, we've never gone back to as a result. Is this really worth the extra money for one night? I don't get how you can squander this opportunity to showcase your brand in it's best light. This is a prime chance to turn first-timers into loyal customers. Serafina, we will gladly try you again on a more normal night with your full menu and not as many tables crammed in (unless it's always like that?) That's how good your atmosphere and service were. But maybe just offer the regular menu next year?!

    (3)
  • Megan R.

    There is really nothing I can complain about when it comes to Serafina. We arrived about 10-15 minutes late for our 7pm reservation for 5 on a super busy Monday night - yet they kept the table and sat us right upon arrival. Our waiter was amazingly helpful and knowledgeable about everything on the menu and had impeccable recommendations. He also didn't look at me weird when I (a 26 year old) ordered a Shirley Temple. He was extremely attentive and we never went without a full bread basket and full waters. I had the veal meatballs (I couldn't pronounce the name of the dish, therefor don't remember it to write down here) but the meatballs were light and flavorful and perfect! My only complaint (which is a small one) is the noise. They have music playing on top of the all ready loudness of all of the conversations going on - but it does almost play into the ambiance of it all.

    (4)
  • Brandon W.

    I like this restaurant a lot. My wife and i have been a couple times. The food is great. Last time we went I got the short ribs. They were so tender I didn't even pick up my knife the whole time. They have a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks on the menu, which I appreciate. Also there is often live music. Our concerns with Serfina are that it gets really loud in the main dining area and parking in a chore. Maybe I'm just getting old.

    (4)
  • Bryan R.

    Absolutely fantastic. I met up with some friends here a week ago and was blown away. Things were a little crowded and our table wasn't quite ready so we had a few drinks at the bar--which is fully stocked and even boasts a sizable collection of scotches. Once seated we ordered wine, which was good, and appetizers, which were wonderful--Afettato misto (antipasti), and Piatto Misto di Formaggio (cheese plate). Our main courses came about the same time as the second bottle of wine and were just fantastic. I had the steak (Bistecca con olive), which was just perfect, and my neighbor had the Plin, which was also incredible. Around the 1am hour we were finishing dessert--torta de mele (apple tartlet), Profiteroles con Gelato di Nocciola (cream puffs with bitterweet chocolate), and Torta di Formaggio (lemon marscipone cheesecake)--when we realized how late it was. This is a great place and so comfortable that you easily lose track of time--I highly recommend it, but make reservations because it gets crowded. The service was great and we felt neither pestered or ignored. But the desserts will cause serious discourse in the "whose is best" table debate. You have been warned.

    (5)
  • Michael S.

    I've heard about Serafina for quite sometime so I was eager to try something off the hill. We walked in and immediately loved the atmosphere. It was busy, but not packed. We enjoyed a drink at the bar off the cocktail menu and it was tasty! When we got our table we kicked off the meal with the mussels. They were one of the most deliciously prepared muscles I've ever had. If we stopped there we would have left happy campers, sure to return, however, the rest of the meal took a turn for the worst. The beet salad was just ok and the entrees left much to be desired. My scallops were sold to me as larger diver scallops, approximately seven ounces. When they arrived they were small. So small I was told they "added an extra one." It was served on a bed of spiced chickpeas and peppers. Not the best. We left with that "we just spend $200 not impressed feeling. That being said, we did enjoy our server.

    (1)
  • Priscilla L.

    Wow... the service was awesome. went here for restaurant week. I had the Coppa, Pork and Hazelnut cake... so delicious. I will definitely go back outside of restaurant week. We also had a peach martini (forgot the name) but it was filled with flavor and strong but not too strong... just perfect..

    (5)
  • Shayna L.

    Wow!! Everything was incredible. We took our guests from out of town and we couldn't have been more happy with every aspect of dinner. The service and ambiance was so inviting. Our guests described the dinner as "So Special". The server and wine specialist helped our guests find the perfect wine. So much passion and thought is put behind their dishes and drinks. The Bellini and Pomegranate Martini was so delicious. The bread, artichoke appetizer and beet salad to start were perfect. All of our dishes (which included locally grown ingredients!) was flavorful and lovely. Don't miss dessert, the chocolate panna cotta and gelato was the perfect ending. They made celebrating our Aunt's birthday special and memorable!!!

    (5)
  • Luis P.

    One of my favorite Italian restaurants in Seattle! Their signature dish 'Melanzane alla Serafina' is ridiculous. Their seasoned olive oil and Columbia city bakery bread is a great starter. Service is very attentive and the overall ambience of the restaurant is very laid back and cool.

    (4)
  • Kyle K.

    First, Restaurant Week is freaking rad. Serafina was a place I'd always wanted to try but was never in the area/didn't know enough to justify dropping mad benjamins. Turns out a good friend lives right next door so today we decided on trying the place out. IT WAS THE BEST CHOICE I'VE EVER MADE. Food: Tried their 3 course prix fixe (15$) RW menu and got the prosciutto starter, the sea bass entree and the cheese duo dessert. The prosciutto was, as advertised, from Parma (50 governments since WW2 hasn't changed their preternatural skills at making pig taste even better) and came with parmesan and slices of artichoke. Simple, well done, and well presented. Since we came at 115 we were towards the end of the lunch rush and our server apologized for the (minimal) wait for our entrees and brought us a dish of olives in a lemony/olive oil sauce with what looked like mint/baked almonds and lemon zest. Ridiculous. The entree was truly the star of the show; I don't know how they made sea bass that delicate and light yet crispy and firm but it slayed dragons. The broth of peas/pea vine and other magical ingredients was worth murdering a twice removed unliked family member for. Dessert was a simple affair of a California blue (Cali FTW, suck it Seattle) and a nutty, aromatic psuedo romano that was puzzlingly sweet. Ultimately, the service was the true star. Our waiter, hostess and busser were an incredible team that were both knowledgeable and genuinely interested in us having an excellent experience. I find this commendable given that they seemed far busier than I've seen them going past during lunch due to RW and they handled it with aplomb. Our waiter was a handsome young ginger (I know, you're not supposed to glorify soullessness) who killed it at his job. Give that dude 8 raises. I will certainly return at some point in the near future. RW menus are generally less than a perfect rendition of what one could expect from normal service but if they're half as good as they were today they've got my business FO' LYFE! Or until I move, whichever comes first.

    (5)
  • Hamed F.

    At first, this restaurant may seem to be a little expensive. But I must say that the price you pay totally worth it. The quality of the food is unbelievable; it is delicious, well-cooked, and healthy. You eat your meal while listening to live Piano. Finally, The service is very good.

    (5)
  • James F.

    the pasta is SOOOO good! The restaurant is super cute, and the food is delicious. Especially the Plin which was cabbage and pork filled pasta with chive butter. The pork was perfectly cooked, the pasta was amazingly fresh, and it was filling without being overly heavy.

    (4)
  • Evelyn F.

    Dined here for Easter. The courtyard is absolutely lovely, and they had a live violinist. Service was friendly, but it took too long for them to take our orders after greeting us, I think they forgot us, and our bellies were rumbling. There was a small fruit plate, I would have like to be bigger, and two courses. My first course, asparagus with egg, was good, slightly burnt, but then I discovered a hair. I informed a server who said he would tell the manager. I did not get a replacement dish nor any reduction of the meal, which I only ate half of due to the hair. My second dish, scallops, was small but really delicious. I don't fault them for the service and hair too much because of the adorable patio area and those scallops were excellent. The price tag is a little on the high-side, especially since I only got to eat half of one dish and the other was pretty tiny and it was $35 altogether.

    (3)
  • Suzanna F.

    And for my 100th review... I've been dying to come here ever since I drove down Eastlake years ago. I love Italian food and wine and romantic atmospheres. Serafina has it all! We made 7:00 reservations, but ended up finishing a round of putt putt early, so we called and they were able to get us in early. The ambience was dark, in an "I'm going to pretend it's only you and me in this restaurant," kind of way. I loved hearing the clink of wine glasses and laughter as we walked in. At Serafina, they start you out with a small basket of bread and a saucer of this amazing olive oil mixed with herbs. It's the most flavorful olive oil I've ever had! Of course, my date finished the basket of bread off (and his saucer of oil) quickly, but the wait staff were fabulous and brought him more. We ordered a half bottle of Chianti and it was the perfect amount for us. Since I had to drive, getting a whole bottle was out of the question so It was nice to have the option of ordering half bottles. This is also good for wine enthusiasts who want to try a variety of wines in one night. For entrees, I ordered the Serafina speciality - thin slices of eggplant wrapped around ooey gooey cheese (yes, definitely a dairy night!), laid over thin pasta and all covered in a delicious tomato sauce. Amazing!! Now, here is why I gave Serafina 4 stars instead of 5: My date ordered the veal meatballs over penne and while this dish was delicious, I would have expected them to serve a bigger portion of such a classic dish. Additionally, the noise level was pretty high, though you could tune it out enough to hold a conversation. On the other hand, our waitress was attentive and gave us great recommendations. She was knowledgeable and friendly. I appreciated her service! Thanks Serafina for a great date night!

    (4)
  • Norlie L.

    An overall wonderful meal. Tried the following: Calamari Saltati (cooked perfectly!), Crostoni con Olive (delicious!), Daily pasta special (ribbon pasta w/ prosciutto etc...) --absolutely amazing-- perfect al dente and flavors excellent! Salsiccie d'Agnello (very tasty lamb sausage-- not too salty), Mezzaluna di Zucca (1/2 moon ravioli, a bit too sweet for my taste) also had cauliflower soup (good not excellent). Look forward to visiting again on my next trip to Seattle :-)

    (4)
  • Ninja S.

    Damn. Awesome bar service with house-made gin, infused alcohols, well shaken and well strained cocktails, and great presentation in classy stemware, fruit, and zest. Cool and fairly efficient and redundant service. This place is one where the kitchen rules, the staff is listed on the menu, and things get served when they are plated and not when a waiter feels like picking it up. Plates are delicious and a value for what you get. I've had $15+ plates of pasta often and they are rarely worth it elsewhere. Here they have an impressive menu, fresh specials, and the chefs clearly have an exquisite palate. Delightful. They have a beautiful back patio where, in the light of the setting sun and amongst the surrounding greenery, you can enjoy yourselves. There are also a generous amount of propane space heaters. If things get chilly, they are happy to turn them on for you. Their wine list is epic in size. Their dessert menu is also huge. Also worth noting is that they have a late night happy hour until close and late night limited menu available after their kitchen closes. I would recommend this venue as a great place for a high-end dinner, a drink at the bar, or a dessert.

    (5)
  • Christine K.

    Lovely little restaurant that had excruciatingly slow service, average food, high prices and poor acoustics. Please note: this is not an appropriate place to bring children. I only wish the people I was dining with agreed. Having a fussy toddler at your dinner table is never fun. One of my dining companions ordered the fixed price meal and was immediately informed that they had run out of the dessert for that meal (which happened to be the main reason he ordered it). It took an incredibly long time to get refills on water and nearly 40 minutes for our food to arrive once our order was taken (we waited about 15 minutes for the waiter to come to our table) which is just unacceptable. Yes, it was a busy Saturday night but nothing we ordered should have taken 40 minutes to prepare. I don't even remember what I ordered, it was that unremarkable.

    (2)
  • Air-in S.

    The food is delicious, decent portions for what I thought might be small plate/expensive food. The butternut squash porcini cream soup was delicious aswas the side of butternut squash pancetta hash. They have a nice little cocktail menu and I did not even start into the winelist...but I can imagine it's lovely andItalian heavy. They have their own flavoredalcohols concoctions which I always approve of. Here's where the lack of stars comes in. The bartender is pushy, he is a sales man, like a used car sales man. Points out things on the menu even though you have said you do not need help. I felt like I was a kid at the dinner table...perhaps he shouldhave brought me some crayons to start coloring with too. Oh maybehe should give me a bib for my soup and not serve mealcohol becauseapparently I am too infantile, daft anduncouth to decide on my own what I would like to drink or eat. I appreciate this service when someone asks for it, otherwise, let peoplepull uptheir own big people panties and make decisions! BAMN!

    (3)
  • Annie B.

    Waiter was very bad kept forgetting our drinks and even added other guests tabs to our bill. The eggplant dish was good but their butter sauce dishes were flavorless and basically pasta with a stick of melted butter.

    (2)
  • Jessica D.

    Ummm, what happened!? I used to go here about 15 years ago for drinks due to the very fun swanky atmosphere and live jazz (which is still there thankfully) so I wanted to try it again for my birthday this year. I went on Sept. 6, 2011 and was seated on the back patio which was very cute and romantic even on a cold Fall night (they had heaters and twinkling lights everywhere). Everything seemed like we were going to have an awesome albeit expensive Italian dinner so definitely an 'A' for atmosphere. My husband ordered a drink that was top notch as well so 'A' for drinks from the bar as well as our initial good service from the hostess. Then unfortunately it all fell apart when the food arrived. I am not a super picky eater at all and enjoy many kinds of food but I do get disgusted by bad meat and enjoying to cook myself quite a bit, I also know when it is cheap cuts of meat prepared badly (having screwed up some meat myself in experimentation). I ordered pork loin expecting a nice lean cut of pork tenderloin seasoned and with a nice sauce like in other Italian places I've been to...nope. I got a grisly, tough, gray completely overcooked peice of the cheap cut of pork loin roast that is more fat and grisle than meat...think cheap cold overcooked pork chop with virtually no seasoning and no sauce...for around $30 a plate. Are you serious!? My husband's veal meatballs were no different at also around $30 a plate. They quite literally tasted exactly like the meatballs and sauce that you get in a can of chef boy r dee, presentation on both meals was also reminiscent of what I serve the kids for lunch, ie. food slopped on a plate with no extra anything. We were sort of in awe at how bad the food was in contrast to the wonderful setting and certainly to the prices. Both of our meals were so disgusting we couldn't finish them and for what ended up being a $100 meal we really wanted to try to at least get full. We decided to give dessert a chance and it also was bad unbelievably. The fruit crisp was cold in the middle and some of the fruit was uncooked and hard still. Presentation was again just slopped on a plate, no powdered sugar, no mint sprig, chocolate shavings you know that kind of thing that you expect for a $10 dessert. Coffee was ok at least. So all in all, maybe they had a terrible chef that night and it is worth trying again since the atmosphere is so nice but if we go back we will only be going for drinks. By the way, I am not a big reviewer snob and have not left bad reviews much before but am bothering to write this one because I really felt like we got robbed for the money, it was THAT BAD especially after all the good reviews! Hope this helps someone else.

    (1)
  • greg t.

    a friend raved about this place so i put it on the to-do list. finally got around to crossing it off last night and i was pleased. The ambiance was nice - dark wood accent decor and piano music. Service was cheerful and competent. the food was really good - maybe too good. I ordered the new york steak and it was so rich, i had to box up the last half. was that truffle oil i tasted? it was set on a fingerling potatoes and pancetta, which added to the delicious rich flavor. i will probably go again.

    (4)
  • Damien L.

    My wife and I visited the restaurant on our last anniversary. On the plus side, the mood and ambiance are great. In addition, the appetizers we had were fantastic and the waiter was very accommodating. All that said, it was a bit dark in the restaurant which made reading the menus difficult. In addition, neither my wife or I were blown away by the entrees (salmon and lamb) which were a bit plain. I believe we will try again in the future.

    (3)
  • Jackie C.

    It's not that I disliked Serafina, it's just that the overall experience was just average - hence my 3 star rating. I went with a party of four for dinner on a Monday night, which was nice since many Seattle restaurants are closed on Monday nights. We arrived a few minutes early for our reservation and were seated quickly, also nice. Our server was a bit slow taking our drink order...and then very slow in taking our food order. Now, I realize the place is a romantic establishment, but I was hungry! We started with a shared caprese appetizer. I was disappointed that three tomato/mozzarella pairings came on the plate when four of us were sitting at the table. We cut them and dealt with it, but it would have been better if the server figured out they needed to make a shared order that works for the entire party. The first bottle of wine we ordered was tasty, but had lots of sediment which the server poured into our glasses. Not a big deal, but she didn't even notice and we had to ask for new glasses when the next bottle of wine arrived. For a nice restaurant, I was expecting a bit of attention to details. Our food arrived and was good - not great. For the price of the entrees, we expected to be 'wowed' and were not. I had chicken, which was luke warm and my veggies were cold. The others had pasta, which they enjoyed and described as good. The chocolate dessert was OK but didn't leaving me yearning for more (which is always a good sign!). So, my rating of 3 starts is an average rating for an average experience at an average Italian restaurant.

    (3)
  • Rylee O.

    Had high expectations. Expectations that were not met. There are so many tables in this restaurant I wasn't sure if I was eating at our table or the one directly to my right - as it was mere inches from ours. Asked our server to recommend a reasonable priced bottle of red wine (as their list is HUGE and has very few descriptions of the wines) and she had no idea about the wines and had to go ask someone else for a suggestion. The food came out really quickly - in fact we had just dug into our appetizers when the food arrived. Felt like they were trying to push us through the experience as fast as possible. Oh, and the server accidentally knocked a glass of wine directly onto the entree and lap of one of my friends. While they did everything they could to make up for that (free entree and glass of wine), it kind of broke the jovial mood of the birthday dinner. Overall I wasn't impressed, but I will try again during Happy Hour - when the food is cheaper and I won't feel as bad spending money there.

    (2)
  • David H.

    Had happy-hour and then dinner on a Tuesday. Our server was excellent. Mom-in-law had to send back her coffee, and Wife had to have her Martini remade (does it run in the family?). The happy-hour poo-poos were good, and I had the Melanzane Alla Serafina and I was very happy. The place was buzzing by 630p. I would go again if in the hood. Oh, street parking is hellish.

    (3)
  • Tony S.

    Serafina is pretty good. It is a nice atmosphere and the food is above average for a restaurant in this price range.

    (3)
  • Pierre G.

    I had the $15 Dine-Around-Seattle 3 Course Lunch 1) "Pesce Crudo": Escolar Crudo with Lemon Zabaglione and Fennel Seed - 3 pieces of thinly sliced, very fresh escolar; lemon is just a drop on top of each piece, not obtrusive; more like sushi than serviche. 2) "Maiale alla Griglia": Grilled Pork Scallopine with a Spicy Pickled Pepper Sauce, Braised Broccoli Rabe and Polenta Cake - two pieces of pork, nicely grilled, unsauced [thus, the pepper sauce]; the accompanying rabe and polenta were spot on. 3) "Sette Strato": Seven Layer Tart with Graham Cracker Crust, Butterscotch and Chocolate Ganaches, Coconut and Toasted Pecans - "seven layers" makes this sound huge but its a smaller, dense slice [just enough] - coconut is dominant; its crunchy, gooey good. The complimentary bread & olive oil are welcome accompaniments [I didn't leave hungry] I dined out on the back terrace - I counted 14 tables, 5 of which were in the shade; Service was cordial & polite At this price, I enjoyed this meal - they can cook! Note: Serafina offers 3 Jacopo Poli Grappas!

    (4)
  • Mason M.

    I lived in Italy for two years and I know Italian food. This is good. Not very authentic, but good. If I didn't know better, I would have been delighted. :)

    (3)
  • Darci C.

    DELISH!! I went to Serafina with my usual dinner companion purely based on word of mouth, and our need to get off the West Seattle rock. Upon driving by, we HAD to stop. It looked very intimate, quaint, and intriguing. It looked packed from the outside, which is always a good sign. I loved the overall feel and decor ~ Super cute and intimate. Unfortunately, I was with my friend, but I could invision having a WONDERFUL date here. Candles on the tables, flowers, low lighting. . . ROMANTIC. We were seated at a table close to the back patio window. Beings it was pouring, the patio seating wasn't open, but it looked like a great place to be on a warm summer evening. Our waiter was great. He offered us drinks immediately, and suggested I try a specialty cocktail, which I OF COURSE agreed to. I was served an orange water and pear liquor beverage that would be ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS in the summer. A great refreshing and light cocktail. I immediately thought to jot down the ingredients. After enjoying one fluffy drink, I stuck with the old fashioned all night. They made a great one. I chose to start with the butter lettuce starter salad with champagne vinagrette and pickled onions. For $6, it was bland, and boring. Large pieces of butter lettuce tossed in the light dressing, and two pickled onions. Nothing special, but I ate it with the bread and garlic olive oil which made it yummy. For my entree I chose the smaller portion of the ravioli with pistachio pesto. SO GOOD!! Because I'm a light eater, I was excited they offered smaller portions and larger portions. It was perfect for me :) My friend ordered the entree sized Plin which was interesting, but kind of bland. Tasted close to this pasta I like to buy at safeway in the refrigerated burtolli section with prociutto and brie? Anyone agree? The pork shoulder wrapped in a pasta purse was a little more zesty than my go-to grocery store pasta, but not worth the price. He ended up eating the rest of my ravioli, as he was disappointed with his choice. We ended our evening without desert, as the 1 large entree, 1 small entree, 1 starter salad, and 3 drinks came to $84. . . Although we did go to the bar to have one more old fashioned for a night cap :) I'll be back, but maybe for a special occassion. Not a place I'd go again for a quick dinner, but I do see the reviews about the awesome happy hour? I think that may be more up my alley, and I'll have to try it!!

    (4)
  • Wil M.

    Poor attempt at becoming a fine dine restaurant. They may decorate as much as they want, but the food and service is well below normal standards. I had the rabbit, which was interesting, but not moist and succulent as one would hope for. My gf had fettucine with lamb sausage that had undercooked fettucine. Our friend had the pork chop which was also undercooked and it took an unbelievable 15 minutes for them to return it. Adding insult to injury, our waitress still acted as though we werent there. The calamari was fair, it wasn't deep fried... not a problem to me, but to many it's not considered calamari. A disappointment. Avoid it. I saw in the bathroom that this place got rated as the most romantic restaurant for 2005... my guess is that they were awarded this because you can spend as much time as you like in the dark restaurant without interruptions at all... overpriced and probably overrated. Skip it.

    (1)
  • Kathryn L.

    The food was good but was surprised that the plate was adorned with nothing but the entree. Very plain. I expected more for all the high ratings. Not even a sprig of parsley. Service was very good. Ambience warm and inviting. Bustling restaurant. I appreciated the parking tip from another yelper. The wine they were highlighting for the evening was pricey at $14 a glass.

    (3)
  • S P.

    Last week my mom and sister flew in from Colorado for my sister's 30th birthday. After researching many different restaurants I finally chose Serafina, and boy am I glad I did. Upon arriving, we were told it would be just a couple of minutes for our table, after waiting for 15 minutes the host brought us a complimentary appetizer over to the bar for us to enjoy while we waited. It was the Bruschetta and Goat Cheese app (delicious!). The restaurant itself is very small but in my opinion that is a bonus. Small and intimate makes for the best atmosphere. Now lets get to the food: I had the pasta special, my sister had the Porchetta, and my mom had the Mezzaluna Di Zucca. All three dishes were incredible! We were all so thrilled with our main course that we didn't even mind that the desert was mediocre (We shared the Pear Tart). Also, the service was fantastic--very friendly and prompt. I am very happy I chose this restaurant for such a special occasion and I will definitely be back.

    (5)
  • Tialen K.

    We went there with a friend, who had invited other friends, etc.. needless to say I knew 4 people at the table. We four asked to have our bill seperate from the rest of the table and the server refused to even consider it. food was decent, but we will never be back.

    (2)
  • Jill B.

    Just had another great experience at Serafina. My folks and their best friends were in town, so I suggested dinner at Serafina. I was a little concerned that they seemed to have had issues with our reservation, but things were smooth from there. Service was great, our meal delish and everyone was very happy. Thanks for making for another great evening.

    (5)
  • Dae Y.

    it gets a little loud with live music. it gets very crowded at the bar. parking is a bit of a challenge. but it's a great place. the bread and olive oil is really good. i really really like the espresso over vanilla ice cream dessert. i like it so much i ordered the 2 parts at B&O to make it myself at the table. i like simple italian and i'm not really much of a wine person, hence the rating. i think it's a great date place. just make sure you and your date can talk really loudly when you need to.

    (3)
  • Alex P.

    Julie and I had a nice time at Serafina Friday night with our great friends Matt and Kristi Kremer. We hadn't been there in some time... since we were dating... so it was fun to get back. The place was pretty busy, but we had a great table right by the window. Service was exceptionally provided by a clean cut young waiter. We had a nice bruschetta to start off. Shared a gorgonzola pear salad which wasn't really worth it. I had veal meatballs on penne, which was good, but not particularly memorable. Julie had their "signature" eggplant dish. Matt, the bistecca, and Kristi the squash mezzaluna. All were solidly prepared, but I have to say, a little underwhelming. Thankfully, the great atmosphere and service made up for it.

    (4)
  • Susan T.

    Wonderful atmosphere, both in the bar and the restaurant. We stopped by Serafina for drinks; the bar was wonderful, and they stock our favourite vodka (Tido's! Yum!). After a nice time there we decided to stay for dinner - all 3 of us ordered something different and each was a unique, well prepared dish. I had the scallops and they were probably the best. I'd definitely recommend!

    (4)
  • Jen M.

    This is such a cool little restaurant. I went here on a first date with a now-ex boyfriend, and it was possibly a little TOO romantic for a first date but hey, who doesn't need a little more romance! The only thing I didn't like was that there is no benches or standing room at the entrance so I ended up feeling like I was in the way while waiting. They play live music which I thought was excellent. The food was delicious and I can't wait to go back!

    (4)
  • Eva F.

    I have now been to Serafina twice and both experiences (one in the outdoor patio for lunch and one in the dining room for dinner) have been great. Atmosphere makes you feel like you have been whisked away, food is delish and service is wonderful! Will definitely be back!!

    (5)
  • Joshua H.

    A delicious and surprisingly affordable happy hour menu! I highly recommend this restaurant!

    (4)
  • Cassie W.

    Great atmosphere, beautiful food. We got a nice seat on the deck for a 7:30pm dinner in 10 minutes sans reservation (this was a Wednesday). The deck area is beautiful; very magical/romantic (and heated!). The hostess and our waitress were both helpful and friendly, and their signature eggplant dish was amazing.

    (5)
  • Kendall B.

    Serafina's was amazing. I loved the atmosphere (very romantic) and the food was delicious. I would definitely recommend the rabbit (had a wonderful sauce on it). This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to for a romantic date! It was slightly pricey, but the food was worth it. If you can, try to get seating in the deck/balcony area behind the restaurant. I regretted not being able to snag a table over there, but the inside was still wonderful.

    (5)
  • Devin E.

    Every so often when I find the money (or someone else to pay) I enjoy eating haute cuisine with other bourgeois capitalist swines . Yes, food snobs, I know, Serafina does not qualify as haute cuisine, but it's certainly haute enough for me. The food here is delicious (some of which is even locally grown), the atmosphere is relaxed but still pretentious and the owner (or I assume the owner?) is not a total douchebag. Serafina puts Pomodoro completely to shame.

    (4)
  • Rachel B.

    I had high expectations for this place that were not met. The service was good. The atmosphere was ok. It was supposed to be a romantic dinner with my gf but it just wasn't so romantic. We did eat outside and perhaps inside is more romantic. There were just too many people and we were too visible for it to be really romantic. Anyway, the tomato, mozzarella salad was really good. However both entrees that we got were not that great. Pretty much the salad is what brings this review up from a 2 star to a 3. I won't go back.

    (3)
  • Maeve C.

    We came here for brunch on a whim, and since they're often fully booked we were offered a little booth kind of attached to the bar. I was a little concerned that it was a weird spot and we would get slower service, but everything was really delightful. Their signature coffee cake is really yummy, and my crepes were good - not great, and the coffee was something local - Vita I think. The service was really friendly and prompt. And the atmosphere was very relaxing - they have a little jazz quartet. Great for brunch!

    (4)
  • Jenny S.

    Definitely a great little place for a special meal out on the town. I love Italian food and there choices are different and very yummy! I recommend this place for a hot date or getting together with close friends!

    (4)
  • Safa S.

    I came here for the 25 for 25... it was ok... the atmosphere was nice and romantic. The food was kinda boring and a little bland. If I lived nearby, I would eat here every so often... but I definitely wouldn't drive out of my way for this place.

    (3)
  • Varun S.

    Great food no doubt about that but service was realy slow and they did not have all the options listed on menu and then they literally complained about not being tipped well .

    (2)
  • miya S.

    holy sht

    (5)
  • Kim H.

    The food really was mediocre. The homemade pasta was less than steller and they made wild boar very boring and tame. The highlight was the bread.

    (2)
  • Alex C.

    wow. this place came highly recommended and it still surprised. taking away 1 star because my dish wasn't a standout, unfortunately i sadly managed to order the worst dish at the table. their grilled calamari appetizers cane in an amazing garlic mix. i love garlic... the cured meats were perfectly flavored and their bread was delicious. all the entree's were proclaimed amazing and even the best ever by my fellow coworkers. the wine menu was probably the most extensive wine menu i've seen ever. i'm not a sweets fan but wow these desserts blew my mind. first think i saw on the dessert menu was FRIED RAVIOLI!!! wtf?! too bad nobody ordered it....the cream puffs were great, the dark chocolate pudding topped a brownie and was garnished with some fresh whip cream and a ginger snap cookie. perfect. anyways, if you're still thinking about this place, GO. they still have a $30 3 course menu that has some amazing choices until the end of March. you're welcome

    (4)
  • Aaron H.

    What a night at Serafina...This review could be a 2 star review, but since they have the best manhattan's in seattle I will keep it at 3 stars for now. My dinner party was on a major high due to the fact that we were seated next to Dave Matthews in Cichetti while grabbing a drink before dinner. After breaking all of the rules and disturbing Dave with some small talk we headed back over to Serafina for our reservations. This is where the annoyance started, our 9pm reservations turned into "Sorry, we don't have room for you until more parties clear out." What are reservations for? It is a huge pet peeve of mine to make reservations and not have them even come close. We were eventually seated around 10pm (1 hour late) and again...thanks to the manhattans my level of annoyance was lowered. The rest of he evening went as expected. Smaller portion sizes, but excellent quality food ( I had the pelin / stuffed pasta with braised pork). I want to give them a try again, but now that the high of the night has worn off and I am in a better state of mind the service was a complete let down. The ambiance and food saved the evening (and subsequent rating).

    (3)
  • Kay B.

    I was not at all impressed with this restaurant. Our waitress was incredibly slow. After finally bringing our drinks, we didn't see her again for what felt like an eternity, and the service remained slow for the entire evening. I also don't like crowded restaurants, and Serafina is very small. My husband and I went on a Friday night and the place was packed and very stuffy. I did not enjoy the atmosphere. If you like loud, hot, cramped quarters in which to dine, this might be a great place for you!

    (1)
  • Nicole P.

    simply fantastic. we even got to sit on the patio and soak up the sun while we enjoyed our experiance! amazingly fun and affordable wine list (bravo on the piedmonte selection, we found just what we wanted). incredible, well informed, friendly and comfortable service. great atmosphere (i love to people watch). yummy, well plrepared italian food. i'm already looking forward to my return visit to serafina- thank you, thank you, thank you!

    (5)
  • Matthew P.

    Of all the Italian restaurants in Seattle, and there are plenty, this is by far the best. The menu, wine list, cocktail selection, decor, service, and setting are all worthy of five stars. There is simply nothing else that compares. This is the most romantic meal I have ever had, and I was eating alone.

    (5)
  • Riona M.

    Fantastic brunch. Alex: Best. Waiter. Ever. I told him I was vegan and he talked to the chef, who whipped up a totally delicious dish of vegetables and salad. Thank you! Everybody else in our party loved our borsellino - a little bacon bowl filled with polenta and topped with poached eggs and mushrooms.

    (5)
  • Tyler P.

    If you hate having the executive chef as your somellier and bringing your food to you; if you hate listening to a soothing, 4-piece jazz band with singers like Sue Nixon while you eat; and if you hate food that strikes a delicate balance between unique and masterfully prepared, then Serafina certainly isn't for you. While I wouldn't say it's outrageously expensive, you should come prepared to drop a little change; you really don't have to -- it's just so hard to say no to the wine and dessert while that sweet, blue music pours all over you.

    (5)
  • David F.

    By far the BEST restaurant I went to while visiting Seattle. My Aunt and uncle made a reservation for us and the second we came in we were greeted with a warm welcome. The server presented our table with the amazing wine list....which includes a not so famous but really good regional wines of Italy. Choose from that list because they are the best. The Uncle had the meat special, aunt a pasta special, cousin pumpkin ravioli and I had the gnocchi. Every single dish was good!! The wine was just as good and the conversation was even better. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the restaurant. The executive chef even presented our wine...AMAZING. If you are in Seattle this is a MUST stop. Enjoy

    (5)
  • Tricia G.

    We found Serafina on a random drive for food hunting and decided to have dinner there. With no reservations we sat at the bar. The bar tenders were so nice and hooked us up with good conversations. The food was great, I had the chicken rice soup, which was lemony and thick. We shared corn cakes topped with heirloom cherry tomatoes, out of this world! The pasta, was alright- I have had better, but you can tell they were home made, which is a plus. The dessert was AMAZING. I had both the blueberry fried pie and the fig cake with brown sugar filling....... OH MAN.... I want another round!

    (4)
  • Joanie C.

    I was there on a Saturday night. It seems to be an "older" crowd (50-60+). After scanning the tables I realized my 30 something gal pal and I were a minority there! We had their version of Fettuccine Alfredo which boasted a fontina cream sauce with truffle oil. Yummo, right? I was underwhelmed. It seemed a bit tasteless like I needed to salt it or dump more parmesan cheese on top. Oh, we also had the casa salad. It was basically oiled lettuce. No flavor once again. I had to salt that as well. Our meal took exceptionally long so our waitress gave us a free appetizer coupon for next time. That was nice considering we never complained about the time. I guess I will it try again and hope for more flavor!

    (2)
  • KC C.

    Great place. I went here once on a date with my boyfriend. It was a special night. The food was good, but the prices were not. But I guess you're paying for the atmosphere and name. It was a nice and pretty place. I went for dinner, but it was really loud. This place is busy. It seems to always be packed. There was waiting line when I arrived, but we made reservations. We were seated promptly. The server was VERY knowledgeable. He knew the daily specials and could tell me about each dish I asked about in detail (the ingredients, how fresh they are, the sauce). The wait for food was LONG though that is usually expected with almost any meal. We had a three course meal (appetizer, entree, dessert) and that took 2 hours. I can only imagine how much longer it would've been if we had the usual four course meal (appy, pasta dish, meat dish, dessert). The parking lot isn't that far about two blocks but the second block is on a hill, a fairly steep hill. Ladies in heels, beware. I was clutching onto my boyfriend for dear life as I went downhill (and I wear 3" heels on a regular basis).

    (4)
  • Lars A.

    A nice restaurant, above average service (not great, but very nice); lighting a bit too dark for me; parking on a weekend night can be a problem (I found parking about 4 blocks away); food and the proportion of the food was good, however I felt there was a limited choice on the menu. Overall, I've been to better establishments, and I've been to much worse places.

    (3)
  • Elizabeth P.

    This is hands down one of our favorite places for a nice meal out. Not only is it within walking distance, the food is AH-mazing! But more than either of those, the service is always impeccable. We have been there dozens of times and every time our waiter is top notch. I have a ton of food allergies so going out to eat is tough sometimes, but they are always accommodating to me and the food is still wonderful. I can't recommend this restaurant enough - its a great place to go on a date or to celebrate anything! Its expensive, but worth it.

    (5)
  • J A.

    Another 5 star review...it's almost redundant. But Serafina has an incredible staff (so your experience is always unique and enjoyable), creative and delicious dishes, a wonderfully diverse wine list, and a perfect mix of ambient lighting and cozy cafe feel. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

    (5)
  • kate q.

    You know what? Serafina's is looking a bit long in the teeth. Five or Six years ago the place was dripping with gorgeous, fresh herbal floral arrangements, even in the sparkling clean restrooms. The place is still twinkling with Christmas lights but I'm pretty sure the silk (plastic?) arrangements had a thick covering of dust and the bathroom was pretty nasty; cracked trim and walls, nicks and it looked plain dirty. I was a little creeped out by it because you have to wonder what the kitchen looks like. Food was not as great as I remembered it, and it took over an hour for the food to come out. I'm serious. Over an hour for pretty mediocre food. Over an hour. We sat there for over an hour. Seriously. An hour AFTER our dinner salads had left our table. Over an hour, should I rinse and repeat? An hour... The salad section has seemed to dwindle but the Bruschetta rocked. Service was okay, slow and pretentious, but you can expect that there, even on a good night. The plus side is the awesome live music and ambiance despite the grunge. An overweight person should not try to walk through the mass of tables in this place. It is cramped! I give it a 3 star rating because I remember how this place used to sing! Maybe they've just recently lost their janitorial service and florist....

    (3)
  • Steve O.

    It puts me in the mood....nough said!!!

    (4)
  • reese w.

    A neat little place, with nice ambience and plenty of what seemed like locals who were known by the servers. The food was good, but I was expecting it to be a little better. My dish was a bit salty; it had proscuitto in it and I don't know if they accordingly made the sauce less salty because the prosciutto was so overwhelmingly salty. The dessert (strawberry semifreddo) was overly sweet too, and not really so enjoyable. BUT... the ambience, very kind server, and general nice feeling we had afterwards was totally worth it!

    (3)
  • D C.

    So, being a guy, I somehow pissed off my significant other and needed to make it up to her. So I asked my boss if she had any suggestions, for her favorite restaurant, to take my gf for dinner. She recommended Serafina almost instantaneously. So I made reservations and by golly, parking is horrid! But then again its close to downtown so it should be somewhat expected. We walked in and it was just packed but we were seated in minutes, which was lovely. The waiter guided us to a small 2 seating table right next to the window. It was the most picturesque spot I could have ever imagined. The lamp post was lighting the side walk gently while lighting little rain droplet that were falling to the floor. Now this would have been all great, but here is where it started to go downhill. I would try to talk but my gf wasn't be able to hear what I was trying to say!!! So at a certain point of the night, I was literally shouting at her because the restaurant was sooo noisy! When my boss told me about how small, quaint and romantic. Yea that vision fell apart immediately. The waitress was great though. She was just the most helpful person with all our orders. She wasn't intrusive during our meals, she always knew when we were ready for the next portion. But the other serving staff ended up pouring water all over my gf while filling up her glass. Oh that's not the end of it. While pouring the olive oil for the house bread, the other server ends up splashing oil all over my shirt!! She didn't even stop to say sorry or even look apologetic. She just gives me a quick glance, smirks, then walks away like nothing happened!!! So I figured I need some drinks because it's not starting out so well. I ordered the Mojito d'Aranciata and my gf had the Naked Pear. The Mojito was great. Not too strong where it burns the lining away from your esophagus. The Naked pear on the other hand was something else. It was as if you could strip paint off the walls with its fumes alone! We ended up getting another Mojito but that was even worse in its toxicity! Who knows, maybe the bartender changed in between the drinks. Yes stiff drinks are great but they have a time and a purpose. A romantic dinner isn't where you get drinks that have its own HFR code! By this time our bruschetta has arrived. Once we slathered on the toppings that we had, we came to a conclusion. The house bread with olive oil had tasted better. Maybe I was too spoiled with amazing bruschetta from Postino Winecafe in Scottsdale, Arizona but this was just so blah. It did have flavor, but by the time we finished eating, it had no impact. Also, it would also help if the staff knew what bruschetta sounded like. I was like, I'd like the bruschetta, and the waitress was like, "I'm sorry? OH Brew-Chedda." So eventually after yelling at each other for about 15 mins, the food had arrived. My gf had the Polpettine di Vitello and I had the Porchetta. The Polpettine was okay. No richness in flavor, the meatballs seemed okay, slightly under seasoned, just mediocre all around. We ended up eating the Porchetta together since, by golly, this thing was, by far, the highlight, up to this point, of the night. The pork belly, oh my, was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and oh so delicious. But then they ran out of farro so they asked if noodles were okay instead. We ended up with the noodles that had almost no taste at all!!! I had to mix the arugula salad INTO the noodles to have it taste like ANYTHING. Then there were the apples. They just didn't fit into the dish! I didn't know what to do with them so just left them off to the side. By this time the waiting staff had come by and taken away the dishes and set the desert menu in front of us. We were just so "stuffed" with house bread and pork that we needed something that wasn't savory, heavy, but sweet! We decided on the Gelati e Sorbetti. They had a variety of flavors like vanilla, hazelnut, and then this sweet orange/berry concoction that made from the sweet tears of Jesus. That's what we had. My goodness we enjoyed it so much, we almost asked for another!! All in all, the dining experience was mediocre. Some parts of the food were fabulous but most weren't. So here is how my rating system went. Food, Service, Atmosphere/Ambiance, Drinks, and lastly Cleanliness of the bathroom. Yes i know the bathroom isn't EXACTLY where you would check when dining but the restroom shows how cleanly the kitchen is. So food, half-star. Service, quarter star. Atmosphere/Ambiance, quarter-star. Drinks, quarter-star. Bathroom, one star. I decided to round down because I can't believe the oil lady smirked at me... I was thinking while asking for the bill, that I might try Serafina's once again in the future. Maybe they were having a bad night. Then I got the bill. Pay that much for this type of service again? I think not! I'd rather go to the dingy Thai restaurant, Siam, down the street!

    (2)
  • D. G.

    Can't really rate the food since we got up and left before our food arrived due to their attitudes that made my wife, who is disabled, feel like a second-class citizen.

    (1)
  • judy n.

    note: this review was originally posted in my personal blog during the 25for$25 promotion in november of 2006. serafina is a cute little restaurant that has a really delightful atmosphere. it has the feel of a well established neighborhood joint, with it's dark woods, cozy lighting & truly friendly staff. as for the food, it's harder to say as this is one of those places that has a menu unique to 25for$25. i feel as if their regular menu has more appealing options. minnestrone alla nonna giordano: "the classic tuscan bean soup with harvest vegetables; garnished with a batuto of fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and reggiano": i was surprised by the color of this soup. isn't minnestrone usually an orangey-red? still, it had a nice rustic, homey flavor i enjoyed. insalata della monti: "romaine leaves dressed with gorgonzola vinaigrette; garnished with toasted walnuts and shaved apple": i only had a bite of this but it had much fresher flavor than i had expected from the description. trota en cartoccio: "idaho trout baked in parchment with fennel, tomato and green olive compote; served with spinach wilted with garlic and lemon": it didn't look very pretty once you opened it but i really love a parchment preparation when it comes to fish; it really seems to keep the fish very moist. i felt the tomato-y compote was kind of half-assed though. there was a lightly sour, tomato paste-like quality to it that didn't really enhance the freshness of the fish. the side of spinach was perfectly cooked (ie: wilted as promised rather than boiled to shit like you usually get) although the ratio of garlic to lemon was strongly in favor of the latter rather than the former. mele e mirtillo: "apple-cranberry crisp with cinnamon cream": when i got this, it reminded me of the dry, deconstructed style of market street grill's bread pudding (which sucked ass) but i was pleasantly surprised. this was warm & gooey but not overly sweet. torta di cioccolata: "chocolate-espresso cake with chocolate sauce": drier & lighter than a brownie & not especially cakey, i thought this was very good. the best part of this dessert though was when ethan, seeing that scott had left a chunk of it on his plate, abruptly stabbed the rather large morsel & crammed it into his mouth when scott wasn't looking. maybe you had to be there, but it cracked me up. ah, kids today. so, while the food did not overwhelm me, it was still a really enjoyable experience because of the ambiance & the service. i'd definitely like to go again to see if they were holding back on their promotional offering.

    (4)
  • J K.

    Nice atmosphere and service

    (4)
  • LE P.

    Very nice, warm romantic atmosphere but not an easy place to talk. The buzz of conversation is lovely as is live music but the music was too loud for conversation which was too bad as I was wishing a friend farewell. I got a beef dish which was cooked quite pleasingly and he got some lamb he felt the same way about. We got some sort of coco-coffee mouse for dessert and it was truly excellent. You could do a lot worse for $100 night out with a friend, date or loved one but you might also be able to do better. I'd go back but not on a live music night. Note: parking is a bit tough but doable if you are willing to walk a block or so.

    (4)
  • Leslie S.

    A great stop for a nightcap or late night menu; seasoned bartenders known for their infused vodkas; good local vibe where neighbors go to have that last drink before they head home. Expect it to be crowded until 10 pm and then the bar crowd has a little more space by 11ish.

    (4)
  • Ricky B.

    Serafina is how Italian restaurants should present there food: by letting the ingredients speak for themselves. First, the service was the best I've experienced. The hosts were warm and friendly. It was quite busy when we went in. We had an 8:30 reservation and waited for about 15 minutes, but the hosts gave us updates on our table which was much appreciated. Our waitress was very knowledgable and her recommendations to us made the meal all the more special. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. A very romantic place to have a meal with your significant other, but still is a great place to be with friends as well. The live music was not overbearing and not too sappy where you felt like you had to down some wine after every applause. It enhanced the evening and all we could see all the smiles from everyone in there. It clearly comes off that the staff enjoy working there and the customers loving being there. Now the food. I had there Mellazane alla Serafina which is a thinly sliced egg plant mixed with ricotta cheese, fresh basil, and paremesan; baked in a tomato sauce, served over cappellini aglio e olio (the description is from there website). It's there signature dish and it was love at first bite. Flavors just melt in your mouth and the cheese and tomato sauce is from another dimension. It could very well be the best thing I've had in my life. I could of swore when I was practicing piano the next day that meal haunted me like cocaine haunts an addict...in other words I couldn't practice well that day. For dessert I had Torta di Mele which is a granny smith apple tartlet with walnut streusel, cinamon caramel sauce and brown butter-vanilla gelato. The apple's were super fresh and were the star of that dessert. The berries on the dish were crispy and bursted in your mouth, and that gelato combined with the apple is an amazing bite of food. My boyfriend had Polpettine di Vitello (veal meatballs simmered in green olive-tomato sauce; tossed with penne rigate and finished with ricotta salata) and an Affogato (Olympic Mountain Creamery vanilla gelato "drowned" in a shot of Illy espresso) for dessert. He was taken back and couldn't stop thanking me for finding such a place. Also the portions were not too small and not too large. Which is great because trust me that you will want to save room for dessert! Prices were not bad...it seemed that the average price for an entree were 18-25 dollars. Never was a huge fan of Italian food before this, but I had a quick change of heart the moment that cheese touched my tongue.

    (5)
  • Katie O.

    The food here is very tasty, and the ambience is wonderful. The outdoor patio is nice in the summertime. My only complaint is that the service can be hit or miss. If you want to try it out, I recommend heading there during happy hour (between 4 - 6pm) for their specials ($4.95 for each appetizer).

    (4)
  • Matt M.

    Amazing food, great service, spiffy drinks. A perfect way to end a busy week, although the poor/unprofessional service I received while trying to help make reservations was disappointing-- very rude and harsh. Our awesome server made up for it though.

    (4)
  • Jamie P.

    dessert, dessert, dessert. you wanna go out with a friend or lover and drink drinks out of martini glasses that taste like lemon cookies and have dessert that tastes like lavender cream decadence? Go here. you wanna go out after all of the regular restaurants have closed (like after 9), and sit in an intimate bar and get to know your neighbors and hit your deepest pleasure zones with sugar and liquor? Go here. if I close my eyes I can remember the night my friend and I searched in vain at midnight for a bar that served desserts, and after many calls ended up here and had one of the best sweet experiences ever. i think my hands are still sticky. mmmm......

    (5)
  • Joshua J.

    Came here randomly, driving along Eastlake with the girlfriend, and thinking of Italian for dinner. We stopped at Serafina, as it met the previously mentioned criteria. I guess we didn't look for a menu in the window, but after we were seated we realized that it was.... out of our price range. For some reason, we decided to go for it anyway, and I think maybe our server caught on to our out-of-our-league-tonight vibe, and the service was pretty lousy. I guess this is the type of spot that people generally drop a bit of money at, but between the service and food, I can't say that I wish to go back. So many better Italian places... I don't even remember what I had... I think it had walnuts, definitely a type of pasta. A little overcooked in my opinion, but then again, I lived in Rome for a while and have become very fond of my perfectly al dente pasta. Not worth the money if you ask me, I'd be much happier, better treated, and more satisfied at Marcello. Thanks for listening.

    (2)
  • Rachael L.

    What a great date restaurant!! The menu is varied and the wine list is diverse. The restaurant can be a little noisy, but usually quiets down after 9 or so. The waitstaff is knowledgeable and ready to recommend a personal favorite.

    (4)
  • Lisa V.

    Please tell me they still have their squeezer at the bar so I can have a freshly squeezed Orange Crush or a Greyhound....? Was my favorite little spot to treat myself to a Wednesday cocktail.

    (4)
  • Frederick G.

    The only reason this is getting 4 stars is because of the parking ...but the food and atmosphere and service deserve 10 stars. Me and a friend went thursday nighat around 7 pm and it was packed ..(25 for 25 I think) but we ended up sitting in the bar and having the 25 for 25 and it was awesome .The general manager/ chef was out and about talking with guests and making sure all was well .what a cool guy. Will definetly be going back but make reservations ...

    (4)
  • Jeff L.

    Phenomenal food. No doubt about it, this place is the type of date place one might read about. The only issue with that is, if you come with a group of four on a live music night, you're going to have to get loud to hear anybody that is not sitting next to you. The wine list is great, the service is top notch, and the romantic feel is high. Just be prepared to lighten your wallet. You get what you pay for here.

    (5)
  • Corry D.

    The positives about Serafina. I love the decor of this restaurant, the quirkiness of the layout and the fact that you can wash your hands while sitting on the toilet. It is very romantic, so if you don't mind paying too much for mediocre food and service, this is the place for you. We started with the Calamari Appetizer, too much red pepper as that is all you could taste. They seemed fresh, but who know, olive oil and red pepper were the only flavors. Then we shared the house salad, very good. I orderd the pasta special, which had no taste at all. Way too much olive oil and was very expensive for pasta with mushrooms. I can do better at home with store bought pasta. My friend had the ravioloi's, which were tasty but NOTHING special. The service was blah. We did not like our first table and they moved us, but it seemed to be a big hassle...maybe it was too early, we arrived at 530pm and the place was pretty empty. It was a Sunday...maybe that is the Chef's day off. I just can't recommend it.

    (2)
  • Carly L.

    This restaurant was one of my "I really need to go there" places in Seattle. Well sixteen years later, I made it! I had an amazing lunch with Betsey S, Valentina, and MMAD. It was part of the dine around Seattle so a three course meal was a whopping 15 dollars! The restaurant was packed and our server was pleasant as can be. We got to *sample* a couple wines before deciding on an amazing valipocella. Jammy goodness. For lunch I had an eggplant starter, which was wrapped around mozzarella and served on a plate of roasted peppers. Yum yum. The next dish was ribolitta which was perfect for today. A stew of white beans, peppers, pumpkin, bread and parmesan. I will gladly say I ate that all up rather quickly. Yum yum! Finally we had chocolate tort which was the perfect end to the lunch. They were out of the other options for dessert so we had no choice, and the server comped Valentina's coffee since they had no lavender panna cotta. I was really pleased with the whole experience and would love to come here for dinner sometime.

    (5)
  • Tristan J.

    Wow! Such a cozy restaurant. At first it seems like a nice neighborhood place but then you start to realize it's something much more special than just that. We had a party of 8 and wound up getting a table in the courtyard. Highly recommended on a nice day!!! An amazing setting on a nice Seattle summer day. Everyone in our party had cocktails to start and everyone was very pleased with what they got. Service was in the upper echelon of what we've ever had in Seattle... And that's saying a lot! Our server Sarah was amazing! Very knowledgable about the food and the wine... Gave us lots of good tips on the menu. The food was fantastic. The salmon special was cooked amazingly well... One of the rare places that can get the salmon skin crispy without over (or under) cooking the inner flesh. I had the lamb and it was fantastic as well. Seriously good place. Now on my list of favorites in Seattle!

    (5)
  • Krista T.

    Two words: FRENCH TOAST. I came here for brunch due to a soon expiring Living Social deal that I'd bought months ago. It included a fruit plate, carafe of mimosa or bellini, and 2 brunch entrees. (We opted for the bellinis.) You never know how service will be once you inform the server that you have a Living Social or Groupon Voucher, but luckily we weren't treated like second class citizens, and for that, I'm appreciative. There was ample patio seating in the front and back of the restaurant, but my friend and I opted to to sit inside the restaurant so we could hear each other. This turned out well because shortly after we sat down, the violinist started playing some contemporary tunes, which I thought was a nice touch to the atmosphere. I ordered and devoured the french toast, and let me tell ya, it's probably in the top 3 of the best french toast I've ever had. Yep, it was damn good. I took my first bite, shouted in pleasure, "Oh God!" and then offered my friend one bite because I knew I was about to inhale the entire dish. The texture of the french toast was perfect and included a lovely amalgamation of flavors. I might be in love.

    (4)
  • Arissa C.

    Plein air diining has officially started in Seattle. Gorgeous sunsets, breezy cool evenings with a hint of lingering heat from the ground. Serafina combines well prepared Italian tapas small plates with a great outdoor experience. We ordered the following: Affettati Misti - A mixture of artisanal salumi, prosciutto, country style pâté and terrine served with house-made giardiniera (pickled peppers, olives, cornichons), and fresh Pecorino . A dash of ground coarse mustard seed sauce to enliven your palate. Risotto Milanese-- if you want a superbly executed al dente arborio rice that melts in your mouth, this plate definitely pleases. The hints of saffron, seafood and white wine add to the velvety Parmigiano-Reggiano, makeing every spoonful an unctuous treat. Rigatoncini con Polpettine- I should put this on a list called, "Comfort foods to try in Seattle." A simple looking dish, but the effort to make the tomato sauce - so fresh and balanced in tart and sweetness will have your umami tastebuds rejoicing. The lamb meatballs adorn the plate as prized gems that go with every bite. Garnished with fresh ricotta as counterbalance to the tomato's tartness. The Columbia City Bakery is now a personal favorite. They won the best Baguette in Seattle, and now their country bread as a side with olive oil at Serafina is a must have! Imbibed with a Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley - Torii Mor, just right for the cooling evening breeze and went well with the tomato sauce and rich risotto. PS. I wish all my summer evening meals could be spent eating outside :-)

    (4)
  • Larissa W.

    Not only was this such a great dining experience, but I also got to use my $20 gift cheque from open table! Since today's weather was so lovely, we sat outside in their little courtyard area. Our server was extremely knowledgeable with the menu, and even made the effort to pronounce items on the menu properly. The only downside was that the service was quite slow because it was so busy. We ordered calamari (best thing we had! The sauce was so lovely and flavorful), chilled asparagus soup (refreshing), squash blossom (crispy and well balanced with creamy ricotta!), verdu salad(slightly too tangy for my taste), Columbia city bakery bread, halibut (I liked the pea purée it came with), lasagna( had the right balance of cheese and flavor from the tomato sauce), tagliatelle (just ok..), and please do get the profiteroles with chocolate grappa!

    (5)
  • Rich T.

    A wonderful ambiance and great romantic spot for dinner. The food is terrific. The best of fresh pastas and super inventive dishes. They do a good job with their beef and other wonderfully marinated pork. We loved the specials and they are super incentive with their cocktails as well. The wine list is terrific as well and the backyard is great for those summer nights. A great find in Seattle.

    (4)
  • Glenda J.

    Sunday brunch: seated immediately with reservation. Patio seating in front and back of restaurant. This restaurant is on a bus route on a busy street so it can get noisy. Ambiance: good but can get noisy. Had a screaming kid a few tables away unfortunately. The live music wasn't effective in drowning out the outbursts. Service: attentive without imposing. Food: excellent quality. Do not expect to load up on large portions here. You'll be sorely disappointed. Parking: can be a challenge. Will be back for a special occasion.

    (4)
  • Liz W.

    Serafina did a lot of things right. We went there for the Sunday jazz brunch, which was low key and lovely. They were ON IT with regards to the water, and the appetizers were amazing (we got the flatbread, charcuterie board and salad, all declicious). They also brought out a little plate of mixed fruit to start out, which was nice. We even had the delight of having an exact replica of the Monopoly guy (mustache and all!) sitting right across from the bathroom :) The mains weren't quite AS good, and unfortunately my french toast was a bit burned. A disappointment because damn I was excited about that french toast. The other mains were good but not great. Overall, however, it was a good experience. The presentation was lovely, wait staff was really nice, and the jazz was the perfect way to start off a Sunday.

    (4)
  • Claire S.

    Love this place! Outdoor seating back patio with quaint string lights. Perfect Italian date night. Well informed servers who genuinely love food and love to serve. Bruschetta, grapefruit fennel salad, taggliatelle pasta, hazelnut ice cream filled pate a choux Yummy!

    (4)
  • Stan W.

    Everything was excellent. We had the eggplant and the vitella veal meatballs with pasta. Liz, our waitperson was terrific as where the three other people who took care of us.

    (5)
  • Gisselle L.

    This experience exceeded my expectations 5+ stars. I would go again because the ambiance, food, and service were that great. My husband and I came here for restaurant week-see below for the breakdown. We had Nebbiolo with our courses which I definitely recommend getting. Note: pace yourself with the bread as you can get full fairly quickly by eating it . Ravanello (salad) - nice starter, great balance Pancia di Maiale (pork belly)- really good and heartier than the salad Ippoglosso Arrostito (halibut) - highlight of the night- delicious and a must try- even my husband was raving about it Carré d'Agnello e Salsiccie (lamb)- executed well so if you want red meat this is an item to order Panna Cotta di Vaniglia- OMG highlight of the night- I love dessert and this one was hands down the best. The rhubarb was a nice touch and I would't change anything about this- I wish my husband had ordered one too so that I could eat half of his :-) Budino con Pane e Cioccolato- really good bread pudding- I would have ordered this dessert too Overall, great experience- I didn't have any issues with anything and I would come here again. I tip my hat off to the dessert chef because the panna cotta (and bread pudding) was a little piece of heaven on earth. Bravo!

    (5)
  • Vicki L.

    Cute neighborhood find. Great outdoor dining option. Fabulous pastas, friendly service. Nice wine list. The garlic oil dip with the bread to start will not leave my mind - to die for!

    (5)
  • Michael P.

    Phenomenal Italian food in an intimate setting. If you're looking for quality, you'll find it here; in the drinks, food, coffee, desserts... Sometimes if you want good stuff you have to be willing to wait and maybe even pay a couple of dollars more. The menu changes fairly often (including specials). Come at the right time and you might even hear some jazz/piano! I realize Eastlake may be a bit off the proverbial beaten path, but it's a great lowkey neighborhood. Serafina embodies this locale's character well. If you want to go for a stroll after your meal, walk down to the water and find the park next to Pete's grocery. I admit they do have a couple of awkward tables, but it shouldn't take away from the amazing food and great service. One of my favorite spots in the city, no question.

    (5)
  • Alex B.

    One of the two best restaraunts in Seattle. The dinner menu is fantastic, I recommend the calamari and anything involving cured meat (which is done in the restaraunt). The brunch is also delicious and comes with complimentary fresh fruit, and the French toast is incredible. The guava sodas and ginger beers are also delicious for a non alcoholic beverage. Must visit amazing restaraunt.

    (5)
  • Dana R.

    4.5 Stars They have changed up the Plin so that it's now made with duck confit -- among the best pasta dishes I've ever eaten; it's served in a beurre fondue with thyme and sprinkled with grated Reggiano ... perfectly cooked pasta, rich and salty (not too salty). The only comment is that I could have used just a touch more of the thyme beurre fondu sauce. We started with the Cozze Affumicate (Taylor Shellfish mussels in a broth of smoked tomatoes, harissa, garlic, onions, sweet vermouth, spices and herbs) with an order of grilled bread (I asked them to rub some garlic on the bread after grilling). The dish was perfectly seasoned, with a bit of heat building, and mussels were fresh and luscious. My husband really enjoyed his rigatoncini lamb meatball dish with olive tomato sauce and ricotta salata. Moist, flavorful meatballs; perfectly balanced and seasoned. We finished with the vanilla panna cotta with red wine huckleberry jam, a brown sugar tuille and orange. Were it not for the huckleberry jam (we which could have used just a tad more of) the panna cotta would have been too much like a cream sickle -- too orangey. The first tulle we received was rubbery; they brought us out a fresher one, with some "snap", which was nice. Sommelier was very knowledgeable and helped us pick out a lovely Barolo. Service was also wonderfully attentive and friendly.

    (4)
  • Arie L.

    Came in to try their brunch. Pleasantly greeted by live music. Lots of people and patrons standing in line, so make sure to make your reservation! We had one for 1:45, came in around 1:30 and were seated very quickly. Our server early on apologized for a substitute on the menu, which was what I wanted (king salmon frittata). Thus try to get RSVP for earlier hours instead of towards the end. We started with a carafe of mimosas. The carafe held a generous portion of 4-5 glasses (3 filled to the top for dh). I ordered the plin (home braised pork with a runny egg on top), and dh ordered the spalla di maele (braised pork with polenta & poached egg). My food tasted very salty and dh's tasted like grits and pork. I will most likely come back to try their dinner menu, next time so I can write a more accurate review. All in all, pleasant environment, nice workers, good food choices.

    (3)
  • Emily B.

    My young daughter and I just got off a plane and were starving! I didn't know the area at all and stumbled across Serafina. It looked inviting from the outside and we saw it was Italian fare, so we tried it (thought about going to Pomodoro's but couldn't find parking - so glad we didn't!). We sat out on the back patio which was very charming. In spite of some light rain (where the staff immediately pulled the awning out for us), we were more than comfortable. Our server, Erin, was a ray of sunshine - very polite, friendly, and caring. I ordered a glass of wine (of which they had just run out), so Erin brought two samples of another to choose. She explained the pasta dishes well since that was what we were most interested in. Serafina made buttered noodles for my daughter, I had the Bibb lettuce with buttermilk vinaigrette and fettuccine bolognese. The local baked bread was amazing, salad was super and both our pasta dishes were phenomenal! Clean plate club for both! My husband joined us and ordered his own bolognese and loved it! We topped it all off with a fabulous chocolate fudge gelato and cappuccino. Erin gave us recommendations of sights to see on our short visit as well. An excellent staff, service, and food experience! I can't wait to return!

    (5)
  • Ninette C.

    While I still enjoyed my meal and the ambiance here, I think there are some notes to add. First, I had the Cappelletti d'Asparagi: House-made cappelletti pasta filled with asparagus and goat cheese; served with green grapes, micro basil and Parmigiano Reggiano. It was divine but a little overpriced. They also charge for bread. No surprises considering the ambiance. My real problem is with how group unfriendly it is. When I made the reservation, I had to call instead of booking online because its a large party. They also took my credit card and said they would charge me $25 if we cancelled less than 24 hours in advance. They also charge a gratuity of over 20%...something like 24%. Finally, they don't split the bill for you leaving you to do it all on your own. I like this spot in many ways but I wouldn't recommend if for larger than groups of 3 if you are planning on splitting the bill.

    (3)
  • El Níno L.

    Really enjoy all aspects of this place. Really great food, a variety of tasty cocktails, extensive wine list, incredibly friendly staff, and fun atmosphere. Great place for date night. If you like lasagne, this is the place to order it. It always amazes me when someone can take a simple dish and turn it into something incredible! Prices are not over the top either, unless you get crazy with the liquid courage!

    (5)
  • Matthew S.

    Ate here for the first time last Friday. Pretty good. Had an awesome waitress. Food was good, however, it was very noisy, feeling as if I had to shout to talk to the people at my table.

    (4)
  • Starr P.

    Succulent Serafina's! Our first visit to this incredible eatery was divine! Impeccable service from our lovely server Natalie with absolutely amazing, mouth watering food - there were 7 of us so we had a lot of shared dishes for our brunch. The spinach polenta was one of the group favs, rich, buttery and velvety. LOVED my pancakes w the peach compote, thick juicy bacon on the side and a small dish of scrambled eggs. My hubby had thick, decadent waffles, a side of the incredible bacon and eggs over easy - and shared potent grappa w his friend Sam. Pasquale was the restaurant entertainment and he was excellent! Absolutely everything we had was truly delightful - our only regret, we couldn't take the restaurant food and fab service HOME with us!

    (5)
  • Matthew L.

    The service, atmosphere, and location all support what Serafina has going for it...THE FOOD!!! My goodness people if you could pick one Italian place to eat for the rest of your life it would be Serafina. I ate and loved: 3 cheese plate Bruschetta 3 different ways Pasta stuffed with duck confit in a thyme butter sauce Side of one lamb meatball in marinara Affogotto You will not be disappointed, trust me.

    (5)
  • Grace W.

    Wowzers, this place is pretty dang good. My husband bought a livingsocial for the Sunday brunch. I felt kind of excited beforehand because not only do you get brunch but also get to listen to jazz music. Parking is relatively easy to find. There was plenty about a block away. When we arrived, the restaurant was very cute and quaint where you get the feeling like you're at a rustic eatery away from a big city. It was pretty crowded around 12:45 p.m. for lunch but somehow the hostess found us a seat. Unfortunately, the only table that was left was near the bathrooms. I didn't have a problem with this but the traffic next to our table was pretty heavy. A lot of people kept walking by to get to the bathroom. This was kind of annoying. But I couldn't complain because this was a rather impromptu date where we didn't book a reservation in advance. Our waiter was really nice. He gave us tips on what to order and gave us plenty of time to decide. In the meantime, he brought us a bellini carafe and a fruit plate which was part of the voucher. In addition, the waiter gave us these delicious lemon donuts that was sent over, compliments of the chef. That was a really nice touch. The donuts were perfectly delicious: dense, moist, and lemony. I ordered the braised short ribs on top of a bed of polenta. The beef melted in your mouth and the polenta was coated with this buttery sauce. The food alone was five stars. On top of it all, we enjoyed listening to some good jazz music while we had our meal. I definitely will come back to this restaurant.

    (5)
  • Mayo A.

    I was thinking about giving this place 3/5 stars because they took over 20-30 minutes to give us dinner. However, the waiters were very attentive and made sure we were okay (refilled our glasses and replaced the bread) so because of their hospitality, I give a 4 stars. However they really need to do better with their time management for food.

    (4)
  • C H.

    Absolutely worst restaurant experience. We came here for dinner, and I brought an out of town guest. With the high ratings and high prices at this place, I had high expectations. Dinner lasted 2+ hours, not because of good conversation, but because of the lack of attentive service, and a long waiting time for the food to be made. Food was terrible. Not mediocre, but absolutely terrible. Even box pasta I make at home is better than the "handmade" pasta here. My tagliatelle was clumpy and stuck together, and I had to add a GENEROUS amount of salt to give the dish any semblance of a flavor. The rest of our dinner party was not pleased with any of their dishes either. We also had mussels and a beet salad for appetizer. Mussels were nothing to write home about. And the best salad was extremely small. It was the only dish I felt was slightly above passable on flavor. I wish I could give this place a negative 5 star rating. Don't waste your money here! Stay away!

    (1)
  • Mark O.

    Fantastic dinner at Serafina from the setting, the food and the service. Had a cozy table for two in the front by the windows so some fresh air on a beautiful evening. Fantastic, well paced service. Gazpacho was some of the best we have ever had a decided to order a second cup as we did not want to share. My wife had the pasta special with fettuccini-like pasta with mushrooms and a pancetta like pork (wish we could remember the name!) that was excellent. My duck confit in agnolotti was killer with parmigiano light cream sauce and plenty in the smaller portion. Profiteroles for dessert were claimed some of the best ever. We ordered a very good, reasonably priced upper end chianti Isole e Olena. The "wine angel" as our waitress called him brought us both two complimentary tastes of a reserve chianti and another red wine from Puglia-a much appreciated touch! Not that it is a big deal as it is so dang good but you are served bread without asking and charged $3.50. Piano player was good also. Only tip would be that sidewalk tables are too noisy with bus and car traffic.

    (5)
  • Denise S.

    Wonderful food, wine and atmosphere!! Had a great time and really enjoyed our food! It's ridiculous how tasty it is!

    (5)
  • Marie D.

    Hip, crowded and noisy with tasty food. Be sure all members of your party arrive at the same time or you will be waiting in the bar until they get there. You feel hip, though, just waiting in the bar with Seattle-ites who are in the know. The rabbit parpadelle was awesome.

    (4)
  • Terry D.

    We celebrated my wife's birthday here on a Sunday night. The place was packed! We arrived early for a 6:30PM reservation and they had us sit at the bar (which had plenty of seating). The bartenders were super nice and let us know when it was our turn to be seated. They sat us in their courtyard, and the early September Seattle weather couldn't have been more perfect. My wife had porkchops which were surprisingly thick and VERY tasty! I had the pasta and rabbit dish. The rabbit was impeccably prepared and tasted out of this world. The pasta was perfect and the parmesan cheese made the dish exponentially tastier. Our server made sure we got an extra gelato when what we ordered for dinner didn't come out exactly correct. We were very pleased. As for the price, we've paid more than twice as much at other restaurants for meals that weren't nearly as nice. We will certainly be coming back for more soon!

    (5)
  • Chelsea S.

    Great food, great service, great environment. Good place to come for a nice romantic night out and they have a patio but I think that they also have great lunch specials too. We came once for lunch during Seattle Restaurant Week and it was a real win. We tried their octopus special to start (wow!) and their pork belly. We then moved on to the halibut and the short ribs, another big wow! To finish we had the olive oil cake with citrus and the torte I believe. All of the food was great and it was such a nice lunch. A real treat in the otherwise small Eastlake community. Worth a drive from anywhere in the city.

    (5)
  • Vincent V.

    Awesome and really tasty food, a great vibe, live jazz. Had a very nice sunday dinner at Serafina. Wonderful place to get together with friends. Noise level above average but not overwhelming. The live band is just loud enough to be distinguishable above conversation. Our waitress was a bit too desperate otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.

    (4)
  • Joa K.

    4.5 stars! Serafina is a quaint and welcoming restaurant in the Eastlake area of Seattle. There are no waterfront views directly from the restaurant but it's close enough to the lake for a 10-15 minute walk....which might come in handy after such a hearty meal! The Plin here is made of dreams! Perfectly cooked pillows of pasta stuffed with juicy pork - basting in a flavorful butter and chive sauce...my mouth salivates while I reminisce the deliciousness. There is something so satisfying and heartwarming about perfect pasta! It's magic! Apparently someone named Jeremy was our chef - so thank you to Jeremy! The asparagus ravioli was delicious as well. The sauce was so good we started dipping our bread into it. Slurped it up real good! :P This dish looked beautiful too. Lovely uniform pasta with Parmesan shavings, translucent halved grapes, and vibrant green asparagus spears. It's too bad we forgot to take a photo - we were in the moment and intoxicated by the alluring smell of the food! Must. Eat. Now. I also really enjoyed the bread service here. Rustic, soft yet crispy bread with flavorful and plentiful garlic olive oil. Really great! Service was perfectly fine. Zero complaints. I am truly grateful for such an outstanding dining experience! I would love to come back soon.

    (4)
  • Erin E.

    Our first time here was fantastic. The atmosphere is great - very romantic and beautiful. We both had delicious pasta dishes! Our server was also very polite and personable. We will definitely be back to try other dishes.

    (5)
  • Rona L.

    My roommate and I came here for SRW and loved it. First off, service was great. Our server answered all of our questions (it was both of our first times at Serafina) and made recommendations on the menu choices. To drink, I wanted something fruity, sweet, and tart and ordered the Pomegranate Smack on our server's suggestion. It was exactly what I needed. For the first course, I had the warm beet salad while the roomie had the roasted cauliflower. The beet salad was great. I find beets to be one note and not too flavorful on their own, but the pomegranate and salsa verde added to this dish gave it the pops of flavor and texture that it needed. I'll also admit I've never met a cauliflower that I've liked....until the roasted cauliflower here. Prepared simply with olive oil, anchovies(?), and garlic, it really made me question my dislike for the pale vegetable. For dinner, I ordered the pork loin while my dinner companion ordered the Tagliatelle. The pork was cooked well and incredibly tender (though I wish it would have had more of a sear). It had a porky-ness that I enjoyed, especially with the pickled cherries to contrast its fattiness. The Tagliatelle was really good. A complete comfort dish with house-made noodles. To end our meal, I ordered the fall-spiced panna cotta and after my first bite, I immediately understood why they called it that. It had a burst of the warm flavors we're so accustomed to during the fall/winter months. I could almost taste leaves changing colors in my mouth. Seriously. I could have done without the cookie/cake at the bottom, but I wouldn't have minded another spoonful or two of the panna cotta. My roommate's poached pear dish was also good and a great way to round out our dinner. After my experience here during SRW, I'd definitely come back.

    (4)
  • Casey Y.

    I've come here on two separate occasions now. Occasion A: I went here to get some dinner with a friend and we were seated near the window next to a Christmas crowd. Opening of presents + large group = too much noise and distraction. The food was great, our server was prompt, the price- a bit high but it's made up for with an indescribable hand-made pasta and a unique depth to each dish that doesn't suffer from "everything tastes kind of the same"-itis. On our way we were given a complementary appetizer for the next time we visit due to the poor seating arrangement. We didn't complain or anything, but probably appeared visibly annoyed. I guess I'm just trying to convey that the service was pro-active on their part. Occasion B: Went here for dinner. Yep, the fresh pasta blew my mind again. I became convinced that making hand-made pasta at home is a must. Additionally concluded that it's about 1 hour of effort, a messy food processor, and cleanup for a large surface. Got a free dessert for whatever reason, it was great. Conclusion: Everything has been delicious so far; there's no reason for me to call out any dishes. I wish I had more money, will eat again! Must claim that free appetizer :)

    (5)
  • Melanie P.

    I've heard many many many great things about this restaurant. Therefore when the opportunity came up to try out their restaurant, I jumped on it. My expectations were high since the Yelp reviews were amazing and friends of mine raved about it. Let's just say my experience here was less than stellar. I came with two friends for Seattle Restaurant Week. Our friend dropped our other friend and myself off to check in for our reservation while he went to look for parking. The host stated to give him 5 minutes before he could seat us and we were fine with that considering we were a little late for our reservation anyway. Honestly, I'm not sure why we weren't seated right away.. there were tables available and all the guy was doing was fixing bills for other customers, but whatever. Our waiter came to check on us a few minutes after we were seated. We talked for maybe two seconds and then we ordered our food off the SRW menu and an additional appetizer that we requested come out before our SRW meals. Like most restaurants, they serve you some bread and olive oil while you wait right? Well they did too...but we waited maybe 20 minutes before our waiter even brought us any. Mind you a table near us arrived 10 minutes after we did and they were promptly served, but we weren't. Our waiter apologized for the wait, but seriously..how can the table after us get their food BEFORE we did? After the appetizer came.. the rest of our meal came fairly quickly. Our waiter was not always the one serving our food, so the people who did weren't exactly nice either. The food was good, but over seasoned. Everything was a bit salty for my liking. Another thing, the guy who was supposed to re-fill our bread and change our dishes... looked like it was painful for him to serve us. His politeness seemed force and he walked by our table enough to notice we needed a re-fill on bread, but did not do so until I had asked our waiter for one. I know this is a neighborhood restaurant so there are a lot of regulars that come here, but service should not be shoddy for new guests. Our waiter had lovely conversations with other guests and was minimal with us. Not a good look. Overall, the experience was eh. The food was good. Service was eh. I've had better service at an Applebee's than here. Not sure if it had to do with how we looked or not, but I was highly disappointed with the service we received. It's a shame. The food was pretty good, but with that type of service... I would not come back nor recommend this restaurant to anyone.

    (2)
  • Marie B.

    Extremely long overdue Yelp post for Serafina, a well established restaurant in Seattle's Eastlake neighborhood. I first dined here with a college friend another lifetime ago in 1991 and have consistently had decent service and excellent cuisine through the years dining with family, friends, and co-workers. Today (10/23/14), I joined two former colleagues for lunch specifically for Seattle Restaurant Week's dining campaign. Customary to remain fresh, seasonal, and innovative, this is one place where you can point at anything on the menu and can't go wrong. I've always noted that items I've selected have had eye-pleasing presentation and satisfying depth of flavor. So what did the biotech trio select for lunch (Seattle Restaurant Week - two courses, $15)? We started with the Pane Rustica - thick bread slices from Columbia City Bakery with their house infused olive oil. The herbs and garlic were nice and assertive in the clean, fruity olive oil. One selected as his starter, the Bartlett pear salad with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, frisée and thyme honey. He really enjoyed the layered composition which plays up the depth of flavor I mentioned earlier. Two of us selected the roasted pork belly with Manila clams, chickpeas, lemon, parsley and grilled baguette. The latter also had drizzle of roasted tomato coulis. This was bright and extremely flavorful. Everything was in harmony - delicious! For the main lunch entrée, one selected the roasted Idaho trout where the fileted presentation had a nice drizzle of lemon and accents of herbs and pomegranate seeds. Deceptively filling, one dining companion had to have the other trout portion packaged up. Two of us selected the Roman-style semolina gnocchi with tomato-parmesan sugo. Originally I asked our wait person - the chicken or the gnocchi, and without hesitation she recommended the gnocchi. Indeed that was a terrific choice. The toasted gnocchi cubes were light, not dense and gummy. The tomato sugo with light parmesan shavings was pleasantly tart, similar to what I associate with freshly crushed plum tomatoes. The also enjoyed the addition of nicely sautéed mustard greens that had a slight bitter kick. Two of us wrapped up the lunch with an additional dessert ($4) where we decided to share the cheese course versus the almond cake or the chocolate selection. Thin toasted baguette slices with black currant compote and slices of Pecorino Romano (sheep!). The black currant was a nice change to the usual figs, quince, or dried apricots that would accompany a cheese course. Again, I have to note the pleasant and unobtrusive service provided by our wait person and support staff. We were checked upon, but seamlessly where it did not detract from our lunch conversation. Courses arrived well timed, plates removed, water refilled, and we received our check without feeling hurried. The overall experience from start to finish demonstrates why Serafina has remained a mainstay as one of the top Italian culinary destinations in Seattle.

    (5)
  • Alexis P.

    I went to dinner with friends (3 women and 1 man) and although the food was good, the service was absolutely horrible. From the moment we sat down the waiter was arrogant, pretentious and acted as if he was doing us a favor to wait on us. By the end of the meal and after being ignored for about 15 minutes I approached him to ask for our check. He got very snippy and basically threw the check on the table and had another waiter finish the service. A very unpleasant evening and I will never go back. There are way too many fabulous restaurants in Seattle that treat you well and are happy to have your business.

    (2)
  • Elyssa H.

    I've been here twice, the first time being 8 years ago. All I can remember from that meal is that the food was good. That's a good thing, right? One would think so. We went last night during restaurant week. The menu selection was small for the $25 dinner, but one would expect that, so it wasn't a big deal. The place was very full for a Tuesday night, so the service was slow, they were out of the wine that we wanted and it took forever to get the wine (we were already eating our salads when it came). Our entree's of the pork were fine. I have no idea if it was just me though but the flavoring wasn't really there. My cheese plate for dessert was two measly pieces (the soft cheese slice was so small I swear that I could see through it). While good, the whole meal was not worth even the "discounted" rate for restaurant week. The place is really cute and romantic but the food just wasn't stacking up last night. Since it took me 8 years to go back after a memorably good meal, I can't imagine how long it will be until I get back after a not so great meal.

    (3)
  • Tom G.

    Birthday dinner @ Serafina was a treat! While I didn't enjoy the calamari appetizer as much as I thought I might, the beet gnocchi, ravioli, and scallop dishes were delicious. The Isola cocktail was very tasty, and the sunset in he courtyard was warm and inviting. All the waitstaff were very attentive. We would go here weekly if we could.

    (4)
  • Chris B.

    There is something special about Serafina. From the wine list with descriptions on some wines, to seminars (currently Saturday afternoon wine pairings with sommeliers), to the daily specials featuring freshly made pastas and ingredients, to the pleasant decor that suits everything from a nice business lunch to a romantic dinner. Oh, yeah, and the food comes with a good value, and decent portions. I have never had a bad meal here, and always leave satisfied with the experience. I think it says a lot, too, that a lot of people who know restaurants, who work in the industry, really like this place. Today I had a dish with homemade sausage cooked with onion and garlic in an olive oil/white wine sauce, and red peppers, served over a bed of fresh spinach, so that as the pasta lays over it, it wilts just slightly. So good. ($14) And the antipasti del giorno on the daily special list ($8), featured house-smoked salmon on top of a small pile of lettuce and pickled onion, next to two bruschetta with pork. It's a great value, and delicious. Service was experienced, and good, as has always been the case for me. They do take their time at this restaurant, but if fits the Mediterranean culture to not rush food between courses, so I don't mind that at all, and you can always let your server know if you're on a schedule. If there was one "complaint", it would be that they don't have a great selection of lighter Italian beer. Serafina has a terrific wine list, but it would be nice if they offered a selection of light Italian beers to compliment Italian dishes -- but this is a very slight issue. Serafina really is just a lovely place for nearly any occasion. Highly recommended. PROS: Just a great all-around restaurant for nearly every occasion. Great, fresh food, and excellent service in an inviting but classy atmosphere. CONS: A larger selection of light Italian beers would be a big bonus here.

    (5)
  • H T.

    Came here for dinner with a group of friends on a hot Seattle summer evening and although we had reservations we weren't seated until the entire party had arrived. The place was super hot and there was no room at the bar to get a drink. The food was simply mediocre, nothing impressive. The tables are super close together and not really an intimate date spot (though the lighting and decoration there are super cute). I hear they have a great late night happy hour after 10 p.m. and often have live music. I'd be definitely willing to give this place another shot when I'm back in Seattle but was disappointed by their first impression after hearing so many great things about this place. They also have patio seating which seems nice but was full at the time. Parking is definitely challenging in this neighborhood so plan accordingly when trying to make it on time to a reservation.

    (3)
  • A ..

    Thank you for being wonderful. We came here for the big 2 year anniversary and had such a great time. Cute patio table for two. Excellent wine suggestions. Good bruschetta, delicious pork chop with figs and gnocchi. Man had super tasty shark, yes shark. And chocolate mouse and mascarpone cheesecake for dessert. sigh. I wish I could be a lush everyday. The food was excellent but the best part truly was the service. Our server, Katie I believe, was really friendly and knowledgeable, attentive and sweet to boot. And I've never been wowed by a busser before but this guy was really nice and funny too. I'd go back just to hang out with them. We both walked out pretty infatuated with the place Thanks again.

    (5)
  • Zane M.

    I just expected more. Service was fine, but sort of rushed. Our server chose a nice $60 bottle of Italian wine. Had the short ribs and filet mignon. Portion size fine, but flavors did not stand out as anything exceptional. We were pouring our own wine because no one was doing it for us. Bad sign is that we were ready to go after being there for 70 minutes. Didn't want coffee or an after dinner drink or dessert. And ah, why charge $3 for bread, when you're already spending $175 (including tip) on dinner. Just seems odd and lame.

    (3)
  • Hannah G.

    LOVE this place. Every time I've been I've had wonderful service and the food and drink are so delicious. Sometimes the dishes are so inventive and different but still with a classic feel and always tasty. Perfect place for a date night and if you sit at the bar for happy hour, you can get some great deals on their food/drink. Try this place! You won't regret it.

    (5)
  • Holly W.

    This place is great! Hubby and I went here for date night and it did not disappoint. Great service and a romantic ambience. Food was amazing! I loved the pumpkin ravioli. Awesome!

    (4)
  • Kathy A.

    Serafina is a cute Italian restaurant in a residential area. They have a very extensive wine list and tons of different cocktails to choose from. All of their pasta dishes are offered as a primi or secondi. The dishes are pretty small, but not too expensive for a nice restaurant in the city. I highly recommend making a reservation especially on Friday or Saturday night because this place can be packed.

    (4)
  • Bethany W.

    yet another superb dining experience in seattle. i knew not eating very much today would be worth it, in the end. right off of eastlake and close to the water's edge is a lovely restaurant by the name of serafina just waiting to do your tastebuds a favor. pros: the food - it's restaurant week in seattle, so we had three courses. right off the bat we ordered wine. our server, janette (sp?) gave us an excellent recommendation and the bottle accompanied our dining experience for most of the evening. my friend and i shared our orders and they were all delicious. for APPETIZERS, the goat cheese wrapped in the grape leaves really stood out. MAIN COURSE was gnocchi and lamb sausage. i was especially impressed with the gnocchi. my DESSERT favorite was a chocolate mousse-type dish served with biscotti which went perfectly with our post-meal italian coffee. the service - there were several servers who stopped by our table throughout the evening to check on us. even with a full restaurant, they managed to stop by and ask how everything was, refill, or take away anything, as needed. our main server, janette, was especially personable and attentive. not once did our bread basket or drink glasses go empty. con: that i didn't have room to try more on their menu. beautiful restaurant with ambiance (in the summer, there's an outdoor area where enjoying some wine on a clear seattle evening would be perfect), great food, impeccable service. everything you'd look for in a good dining experience. the whole package. enjoy!

    (5)
  • A C.

    All the great reviews are true. I was looking for a romantic spot to take my boyfriend for Valentine's Day, and really wanted the perfect dinner. When I searched "romantic restaurant" on Yelp, Serafina came out on top, so I booked it. In a funny twist of events, he surprised me with dinner at Serafina the night before V Day; hence I can submit this review today. The food was out of control - I really can't say anything negative about it. We had the pear salad, scallops, and squash ravioli. YUM. They have a great wine list (though some are a bit overpriced), freaking amazing cheesecake, and the live music really adds what so many modern restaurants are missing. Though this is what one would call an upscale restaurant, absolutely none of the staff had the 'tude to match. The whole experience was just perfect.

    (5)
  • Mary R.

    This was our 2nd dinner at Serafina and it was just as delightful as the first! I had a cocktail from their specials menu and it was as creative as it was delicious. We ordered the calamari and crostini appetizers and they were both very good- the calamari being cooked so well and without the normal breading to hide the flavor. I had the fish special which was cooked perfectly and in perfect proportion. My husband was able to get the lasagna which was also delicious and more mainstream for a less adventurous eater. The atmosphere was dark and romantic, if a little loud. But I can't fault them their success! The waitstaff was attentive and knowledgeable. I ordered a glass of wine to be served with dinner and, for the first time in all my dining experiences, it was! We look forward to coming back for more special occasion dining!

    (5)
  • Kristina K.

    I have only been to Serafina's twice, but I always say its one of my favorite restaurants. The service has always been friendly and knowledgeable. I adore the patio seating and overgrown garden (in a good way) atmosphere. The mussel appetizer blows my mind. It has this smoky flavor that puts me in food heaven. I wasn't even a mussel fan until I tried this dish. I came here for my birthday with my boyfriend and ordered the halibut, while he had the linguine with capers and tuna I believe. He was underwhelmed by his dish and said it tasted too lemony. I didn't even try his dish because I was too involved in my own. The halibut was cooked to perfection and seasoned perfectly. He tried my dish and really loved it. I know its an Italian restaurant, but I am not a fan of ordering pasta in any restaurant. period. I would say stick with the meat and fresh fish selections if you want to get knocked off your feet.

    (4)
  • Heather W.

    This is in my top five Seattle restaurants. In the time that I lived in the Emerald City (5 years), I probably visited this restaurant/bar at least twice a week on average. It didn't help that I could walk to and from Serafina. Everything from the hand crafted cocktails to the impeccable wine list, the bar is awesome. Chris was always my bartender and even now, as I only come in once a year because I live in Phoenix, he still remembers me and greets me and my companions with a welcoming smile and glass of whatever wine they are featuring that he knows I will enjoy. The bar is the type of place you can have just one after dinner drink, or you can eat a full, three course meal sitting in that cozy little space. Whatever the occasion, this is the place. The food is another story... It is, in a word, delicious. And consistent, might I add. I have only tried a few items because I am mostly vegetarian, but the eggplant that they are so famous for is to die for. I have had many other items there including the amazing, not deep fried, calamari, the bruschetta with three different toppings and their vegetarian lasagna. I have never once been disappointed in my choices at Serafina and I doubt I ever will be. Go in, tell them Heather from Phoenix sent you, and enjoy your multi-course meal; or as I regularly did after work, a glass of Montepulciano and a Sambuca on the rocks.

    (5)
  • Joey T.

    Samolina pudding filled. Everything was good, except the goat cheese was sour, without it this would have been perfect. Baked halibut. Halibut was fresh, good mix of the white wine sauce but needed a little more black pepper.

    (3)
  • Voshte G.

    We went for my husband's birthday dinner and enjoyed it! It was his first time there and overall we were impressed. It was a busy Saturday night, and so we took our time to order and really look everything over. We chose 2 really good dishes, the house favorite eggplant dish and the prawns and pasta. The sommelier was very helpful and even brought us a taste as we were unsure. It was very lively- almost a little on the loud side, but we had a great time. The only thing I wasn't that excited about was the deserts but the one we tried was good! Then we went next door to cicchetti and had an after dinner drink and that place is so cute!! very urban and different then Serafina. I would go back to both for sure!

    (4)
  • Tomeo W.

    Very romantic setting. I went there for my fiance's birthday. Went when they had live music which was amazing. My dish was fantastic however my fiance's dish was eh... She ended up only eating a couple bites and we just shared mine. Also I called the pastry chef ahead of time and had a specialty cake made. They did a fantastic job on the cake and I got major points for being so thoughtful :)

    (4)
  • Rachael C.

    ahh Serafina... such a beautiful restaurant. First of all, the service is always extraordinary- the servers and bartenders are knowledgeable and helpful. Their food is outstandingly delicious and beautifully presented... be sure you save room for dessert! The ambiance is rustic and romantic. It's no wonder so many people celebrate birthdays and anniversaries here. I've also seen at least 3 engagements. If it is warm out, I highly suggest requesting the outdoor patio seating. You will feel like you are no longer in Seattle! We love Serafina and always leave satisfied!

    (5)
  • elsa f.

    I was excited for the scheduled live bossa nova performance. So we took advantage of the online reservation system and looked forward to a nice dinner. Soft accent lights adorned the dining room. Tangerine and white string lights lined the windows and were laced along the outdoor seating area. Cozy, intimate, and romantic comes to mind. We were seated at a window nook within view of the bossa nova band. Our cute waitress was friendly and helpful. I had the monk fish in creme fraiche sauce with julienne veggies. Unfortunately I didn't like it. It was overcooked and slightly bitter. (My brother-in-law tells me that the bitter taste must have been the result of a punctured stomach. Interesting.) I wished I had ordered the bass instead. My beau had the Cleopatra Chicken. It was better than my order. It was the most moistly cooked white meat chicken I've ever seen. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was *perfectly* cooked. The only drawback about his order was that there was not really any added flavor. Then there was dessert. I had the recommended poached pear pastry. Oh yes, it was good. Beau had the Cream puffs with caramel ice cream and bittersweet chocolate sauce. While they were both good, I would recommend the pear pastry over the cream puffs. I was a little disappointed about the band. They didn't quite have enough oomph. I didn't get the sexy vibe from their performance. Perhaps they were having an off-night?

    (3)
  • Kristine P.

    Visiting Seattle this past weekend, I was taken here by a person who lives in the neighborhood. He knew we would not be disappointed taking us here. I had the Gnocchi with Beef Brisket and Gorgonzola. YUM! My boyfriend had the lamb dish which I tried and it was delicious! The wine, atmosphere, and service was a very pleasant experience. I would totally return to this restaurant.

    (5)
  • Tillotson G.

    "Its Easy Like Sunday Morning" Sat outside among the trees and fresh air. Fresh fruit with just enough sweetness to help wake you. Hot earthy americanos to finish the job. Not just back ground music, but a violinist playing Blackbird by Sarah Mclachlan. Loved the contemporary pop infused music. Boar Sausage with a cream sausage baked with 2 eggs... definitely different, but good. Service was also wonderful. I am looking forward to trying it for dinner. I will be back!

    (4)
  • robert r.

    The Sunday Brunch is excellent. The menu was pretty diverse and the dishes they served we're all excellent. The live jazz was very pleasant and not overbearing, you could still carry on a conversation. Prices were reasonable. My wife and I really enjoyed it!

    (4)
  • Faith H.

    It's inevitable that Serafina will walk away with numerous star donations from us Yelpers...but I have to agree with some of the Yelpees on this site that Serafina is definitely in better form when the darkness comes. Hey, we live in Seattle so Serafina should be one big party with the amount of darkness I have been seeing of late - but it's not. Now, I have done the romantic dinner thing with my man and been totally blown away by the ambience, attentive wait staff and the quality of the food. But I cannot say the same during the daylight hours; namely lunch. The last time I dined here for lunch I was just a little disappointed. The pasta dish, which should have been awesome with all those italians roaming the floor was a little oily. The first wait person was polite but not what I would call overly personable. The other was obviously having a bad day, so bad that I felt like yelling at her to stop drenching my food with her anger. Geesh. So I highly recommend Serafina's but do dine there for dinner and give the lunch a miss.

    (4)
  • Ben J.

    The food was good and the outdoor seating was great for a nice day, but the food was kind of expensive and it's usually pretty crowded.

    (4)
  • Sheri N.

    this place is a great spot for a romantic date. the sheer green drapes make the restaurant looks so dreamy. the beautiful flowers just add to the romantic touch. it was the last night of my recent seattle trip, and this was a wonderful spot for me and the bf to spend our last night together! we started with the crostini della enoteca trimani. that was scrumptious! definitely an appetizer i would suggest. very simple, but tasty! i had the melazane alla serafina -- their house special -- which was quite good. the bf had the lasagna which he polished and after the rest of my meal. we had a bottle of wine, italian, barbera something, but i forget the rest of the name. it was quite good and a great suggestion from our waitress. we ended the evening with profiteroles paired with some port. next time i would love to sit out in the patio area on a warm night... that would just top the experience of this romantic restaurant!

    (4)
  • Sean M.

    Food is fair, but the service is awful. Its like they forget you are there. The decor is nice and the music at the jazz brunch is good, but I've been twice and both times I was very unhappy with the poor service.

    (2)
  • Mandy R.

    This place was found by accident, as my hunny and a gal pal of mine were driving from downtown to green lake to look for a brunch spot. Glad we decided to stumble in here -- i recommended we stop after driving past, remembering a couple of friends having high reviews of the place. was small, but the decor was fun -- we didn't feel like we were in Seattle anymore, that's for sure! Service was a bit slow (hence only 4 stars), which was disappointing, especially since we were one of two tables in the entire place. But each of us were above and beyond happy with our food -- EVERYthing was authentic, and made from scratch -- the toast was like an inch and a half thick, and it melted in your mouth! my friend who is a VERY picky eater, couldn't find much on the menu and hoped to be able to order from the kids menu (just eggs, toast, and bacon) and it was not a problem at all! she was so nervous at first to even ask, but her fears were put to rest after the kind smile from the waiter assured her it would be his pleasure to put the order in (he didn't ask her if she wanted crayons for the placemats, though, which i was disappointed about...). Live music during brunch -- two people playing soft guitars up on stage on a lazy sunday morning, it really made us feel far far away from the bustling of the city... which was just wonderful. hunny and i were so impressed with the place, we've decided to head back this Thursday for dinner, to check it out.

    (4)
  • Anthony B.

    Great ambiance, food and service. Make sure to meet Matt behind the bar.

    (5)
  • Alanna M.

    I came for restaurant week and I actually didn't order from the RW menu. I opted for a simple Insalata con Salmone Bollito, which was pretty disappointing unfortunately. It was just over dressed making the lettuce wilt. No crisp. My friend had Mezzaluna di Zucca which was the better choice, but I was low carbing it at the time. Parking is kind of a pain in the butt too so more reason for me not to return anytime soon. Prosecco for lunch was awesome though!

    (2)
  • Linna S.

    Great Italian food. Ambience is very intimate and romantic. Perfect date night although I came for a company holiday party. LOL. My first experience having squid ink pasta was here and it blew me away. It was greaaaat!!!

    (4)
  • Alan B.

    Serafina is unusual in that it can be great for a business lunch, romantic dinner or a casual meal on any given day. The service is fantastic, and I would eat the oil that comes with the bread every day if I could. Throw in delicious food and a wine list that is well crafted and that goes both deep and broad, and this place is hard to beat.

    (5)
  • Audra H.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Great ambiance and the food was amazing. Rabbit parpadelle (sp?) and lemon cheesecake were unbelievable.

    (5)
  • Man E.

    Let me say parking is a challenge. Now that parking is out of the way, Sarafina's is well worth the effort. You can smell the heavenly fragrance of Italian food even before you reach the front door. A cozy little spot in east lake is perfect for an intimate dinner for 2. The mussels with smoked tomatoes were a delicious appetizer and promised good things to come. That promise was filled. I ordered the braised lamb shank with tomato, white wine and olives. It was served with polenta. The lamb was succulent and sauce was a nice tapestry of tastes. My wife ordered the Fetticini Nero with sea scallops. We exchanged bites from each others plates and agreed we had both made excellent choices. For desert we split a flourless chocolate cake (torte?) with a cinnamon blackberry sauce. Deeply rich but not too sweet and a couple of espressos. The wait staff was perfect. Not hovering but always there when you needed them and attentive to detail. The wine list, while featuring many Italian wines, is varied and includes domestics from Washington and Oregon. Full bar with several single malt scotch from which to choose. If you want to bring your own wine there is a $18.00 corkage fee.The night we were there a jazz trio provided live music while we dined. A few reviewers seemed disappointed when dining as a group. While I have seen large 8-10 people groups, I don't really think of this a a group place. Small cozy and delicious. Great for 2 or 4 close friends.

    (4)
  • Jenn W.

    We had brunch on the gorgeous garden patio at Serafina with a couple of friends. I was impressed by the list of prosecco cocktails with fancy names and chose the one that was most like a mimosa, I was brought orange flavored San Pell instead . . . when I inquired our server was like "Oh, you wanted a mimosa" and corrected it, I just find it odd that they didn't call it a mimosa on the menu when both the server & the receipt did. I was jealous of the Crepe Del Giorno which had ramps in it (and bacon of course), I picked the meat out of a bite from my friends plate and discovered that my jealousy was certainly well founded. The crepe itself was eggy and crispy. The menu in general had very few vegetarian options; I settled on the Semolina Gnocchi, which was excellent. The service was impeccable. Our water glasses were constantly full and free of the flowers that were periodically falling down to our table from the tree above. Summary: gorgeous atmosphere, impeccable service, needs more meat free options on the menu.

    (4)
  • James S.

    This is one of the few places in Seattle that can make a terrible date actually tolerable. Your date might be a disaster but this fantastic gem of a restaurant won't be the cause. The outstanding food, wonderful service and excellent live music can make listening to an insufferable bore actually worth it. Normally I go point by point, dish by dish, but here? No need. The food is lovely; well presented, perfectly nuanced, and just terrific. I've been here several times and I have never been disappointed. Last night? Crispy duck confit on a bed of gnocchi with kale. Perfectly cooked duck practically falling off the bone on a bed of firm gnocchi with just the precise amount of buttery white sauce. So good you could almost (not quite) forget that you ran out of things to say to your date over the appetizer of unusually tender, perfectly cooked calamari since he's not listening anyway. Service? Consistently attentive, friendly and professional without being overbearing, overly familiar or snobbish. Not always easy to accomplish, but it seems to be the same level of service every time. You'll be pleased enough to gladly slip an extra $20 to your server by the bathroom if your date, like mine, topped off the evening by leaving a remarkably underwhelming tip after hogging the table for hours (or at least what FELT like hours.) Atmosphere: Nicely lit and "cozy," ie. you're a little close to your neighbors but in a good way. It does get a bit loud but not overwhelmingly so. And the live jazz? Very, very nice. A perfect way to tune him out as he drones on and on, but more than that.... Actually really good music worth listening to. In short, I'm not a regular but I've been here several times and I am sometimes surprised at the consistency of excellent food, outstanding service and terrific atmosphere. If things go wrong here, it's because of what (or whom) you brought with you, not what you get when you're there. Just terrific.

    (5)
  • M C.

    Every time i come out here, I get lucky! And I haven't even gone out to the courtyard yet! One my top choice for dates, hand down. Service = great! staff is very attentive and friendly Ambiance = perfect if you like the low key, neighborhood with the upscale feel. Food = A bit over flavor but after a glass of wine, who cares Price = $$$ Crowd = Mostly couples, double dates Personal favorite = live music, ambiance, location, value, unpretentious Worst = nothing, love this place! you should go today! Meal for two = 80 Final Say = Love it! Who doesnt' want to get lucky!

    (5)
  • Genevieve J.

    Gnocchi, I've experimented with you before. I've tasted your forbidden fruit - but it was all just a lark, a joke, a girl-on-girl moment of jest, a bit of variety in my normal pasta-heavy routine. The temptation of your luscious softness, your creamy potato pillowy-ness, enticed me away from my relationship with healthy heterosexual spaghetti/linguine/fettucine and the like. But gnocchi, you could never compare. You could never truly satisfy. You clung when you should have teased. You were heavy when you should have tweaked the nipples of my appetite. But last night ... was a revelation. You were silky and smooth ... and I died a little when you came into my mouth. I know why the caged bird sings, I know why. You were that good. Especially with the duck and shiitake. Buy a Subaru with me, gnocchi. Gnocchi, marry me in Connecticut. I've left the pasta behind.

    (4)
  • Kelly J.

    Serafina is a lovely, if small, Italian place in Eastlake. We visited with some friends, who had been there several times. The service was prompt but not intrusive, and the food was exquisite. We also enjoyed some lovely wines. The only downside of the night was the noise level. They had a small live music trio and it was a Friday, so they were packed out. Other than that, this was a fun experience and somewhere we'd like to go again.

    (4)
  • Joseph C.

    I first came to this place when I was in High School in the mid- 90's and just like everything else in High School, the memories seem MUCH better than the reality, but not in this case. I feel I have been spoiled by the amazing food in San Francisco, but more recently Seattle has been surprising me with the great food and Serafina is no exception. I was just surprised that they have been able to keep the high quality of service and food for SO MANY YEARS!!!! I had the Carbonara, and it's the only place I have been to that rivals my attempt at this dish. None of the heavy cream you find at most italian places. Also they have perfectly browned Pancetta, I prefer guiancale, but hey, you can't have it all. Also another detail I noticed about this dish is their use of tellicherry peppercorns a MUST in any good Carbonara. Finally the detail of the egg addition is great, if you put in the egg to early, it cooks too late, it's cold.... A+ execution. Great service and details in the dish, this place would be a huge hit on my local San Francisco Eatery Tour if it were only in San Francisco *sigh*

    (5)
  • Brian P.

    I can't say enough about this restaurant. It is amazing! The food is fantastic, the staff is always friendly, and their bar makes some of the best mixed drinks in the city. Make sure that you try the Serafina Mojito, it is unbelievable. The desserts are also the best in the city so keep room available. This place books up quickly so make sure that you make a reservation.

    (5)
  • Dan S.

    *Like a big meaty Cabernet, this place just gets better over time *Like Ciccheti next door, they have real pros working here, service is impeccable *the food (and yes holy sh*t the drinks) but the food! Their kale and short rib pasta was a top 5 pastas I have ever eaten *LOVE the live music, it's in the background, not too too loud and oozes with vibe and class

    (5)
  • Emily C.

    My friend and I went there for dinner the very first time. It was for the Seattle Restaurant Week, so we both ordered the $25 dollars/ 3 course meal deal. My appetizer was Semolina pudding filled with wild mushrooms and goat cheese, served garnished with baby greens and a walnut-orange vinaigrette. Not sure what it is? I didn't really know at first either...it's kinda like souffle i'd say...it BLEW ME AWAY when i had my first bite!!! My friend ordered the grilled asparagus with a fried egg, white truffle oil and Parmigano Reggiano, which you might not be expecting it to be something too spectacular...but in fact, it was actually pretty amazing! The garlic on top of it added to the taste of it, especially for someone like me who doesn't even like garlic, it was a wonderful touch! So, the first round, already set a pretty high standard, we were really excited for the entree already! Both of us ordered the baked halibut with a white wine-crème fraiche sauce with julienned vegetables and crispy capers as our entree. Again, it didn't let us down. The sauce wasn't too salty or too creamy as some of the typical western restaurants that I've been to. And even the bellpeppers/veggies at the bottom of the dishes tasted just right. I ate it all up :) Last, the dessert, we both ordered the Chocolate hazelnut tartlet topped with crème fraiche. OMG! It was the taste of heaven i must say!!! I wanted to have a second one! The chocolate tasted so smoothly, and it wasn't too sweet at all! Absolutely loved it! Everything that night was just amazing. The service was awesome as well. They also reserved the table which was just by the window *very lovely* I will come back for sure.

    (5)
  • Melissa L.

    My family goes here at least once a year, and I have never had a bad time or bad meal. Outstanding place all around. Food, service (being a server myself I tend to be picky), atmosphere, everything. Outstanding!

    (5)
  • Danielle M.

    Did I enjoy the garden patio everyone mentions in their reviews? Hell yes I did. Did I order the pasta special as recommended by my fellow yelpers? Ah, yes on that one too. Did I find the service impeccable? Check. This is a nice little Eastlake gem. It is open for lunch which is great (and why I found myself there today). All around: great food, service and ambiance.

    (4)
  • Sweet P.

    For ambiance I give Serafina 4.5 stars, very adorable. It's old brick structure, tastefully playful interior decor and additional garden patio seating provide a relaxing, welcoming experience. We started our meal with the calamari appetizer and the daily soup. perhaps we should have read the menu closer, but we thought the calamari would come fried. Instead we had a full plate of pan sauteed tentacles with a pungent and fishy flavor. Not what we expected. The soup was cream based with three VERY mini meatballs. I can't even recall what the soup was called because it had NO flavor. It tasted like bread and milk creamed together...very odd. In spite of the appetizers our entree knocked it out of the park. I had a delicious ravioli dish. My company had the lamb dish with a delectable cucumber lentil and herb salad; and the linguine special. our server was very kind when we notified her of our bewilderment with the appetizers. It is a pricey meal, generally enjoyable, but only a try once type of place.

    (3)
  • Zach G.

    After a brutal work weekend, I made my way to Serafina for what's become a semi-regular Sunday night post-up at the bar. I wasn't all that hungry, but I figured I'd have a little bite of something. I went for a seared scallop app from the special menu, which came with a nice wilted green salad (including some wonderful olives). Just what I was looking for - light, but not insubstantial. I've eaten at Serafina more times than I can count, and have almost never been disappointed. However, the most exciting part of the restaurant for me is the bar, which has evolved into one of the best spots for a late-night (or early-night, or whenever) cocktail in the city. The bar itself is beautiful, and manned by a crew of very skilled, helpful, and creative bartenders. There are always a dozen or so infused liquors at work, so the drink menu offers a lot of unusual and unique treats. Usually, I'm a sucker for the Flatliner, a ridiculously delicious combo of espresso, vodka, Bailey's, and Kahlua. Last night, I kept things simple (Maker's, Grand Marnier, and a really nice Rosso di Montepulciano), but only because thinking about a more complicated drink might have caused me to pass out. The bar crowd is fairly thick with regulars most nights, which is good and bad. It's nice to have a familiar crowd, and it helps Serafina really feel like a neighborhood place, but it does make it hard to come in with a party of 4 or more and find space - the bar is fairly small (but beautiful). The last thing I'd say is the bartenders are almost overwhelmingly helpful: prompt refilling water (something that kills me at some bars), ready to offer another drink without being pushy, and really knowledgeable, not just about the cocktails but the impressive wine list. The bar is open until 2, and I believe late-night food is available until midnight, which is also a nice touch. Sunday nights are usually fairly mellow by the time I head in, but Fridays and Saturdays can be a bit more chaotic (understandably).

    (5)
  • Aaron F.

    Coming from New York City, I've generally been unimpressed with the quality of restaurants in Seattle, especially the more expensive ones. Serafina finally changes that perception. It is a top-class restaurant with exceptional food and astmosphere, and it is absolutely my favorite "nice" restaurant in the city. The atmosphere is vibrant yet relaxing and featured live jazz on my Friday night visit. The restaurant had a good variety with everything from pasta to meat to seafood. Even the bread was excellent, as was their take on bruchetta - a stack of grilled bread wtih 3 spreads including goat cheese and pesto. For my entree, I had a seared ahi tuna special; I was pleased with the flavor and impressed with the large portion and chunks of tuna at $25. The wine list presents many choices. Our waitress helped us find a perfect italian red. Bottles of wine tended to be $40 and up. Serafina is perfect for those who want to have a great meal in a more dressy yet down to earth atmosphere; this is no belltown hipster restaurant. Enjoy!

    (5)
  • Shawn O.

    Our quest for good Italian is never ending. I'm thrilled to say that Serafina is definitely a winner on our list. The ambiance was very nice as we were led to our table. The calamari appetizer was yummy. Sautéed and and sprinkled with bread crumbs, I could have eaten another plate. Main courses ordered were Plin and Lasagna and both were very tasty. The wait staff was friendly and attentive and the prices were very reasonable. All contributed to a wonderful dining experience. We will definitely be going back.

    (4)
  • Grace L.

    Serafina is a darling little Italian restaurant with great date potential, but my last experience there was unfortunately tainted by mediocre service. We arrived for our anniversary dinner about 20 minutes before our reservation, but were seated immediately. It took about 5 minutes for our server to show up at our table, and another 5 before we were brought water and a basket of bread. There weren't many people seated when we arrived, but the place filled up quickly. As for the food: try the rabbit sausage with farro, braised cabbage and some sort of dark berries, it was excellent! The porcino that my date ordered was fork-tender but needed a touch of salt, and the seasoning was uneven throughout the meat. It was still good, but my sausage was better. I was underwhelmed by the orange-basil mojito -- not much basil flavor at all, unless you got a piece of it stuck in your teeth. The ambiance at Serafina is great, so long as the place isn't too crowded -- I saw multiple server traffic jams, and my partner kept elbowing the man behind him accidentally because the tables were so close together, and once the server nearly skewered my date with a fork when she was bending over to point something out to the table across the narrow aisle from us. Our water glasses were always promptly filled - yay! - but once our server had stopped by our table to see how we liked our food (almost immediately after we'd received our plates, hardly enough time to taste anything) she didn't check on us again until our plates had been cleared by other waitstaff. We were given dessert menus -- one was just a blank folder (didn't have the menu insert inside), and then she took my dessert order and ignored my date until he called her back to order something for himself. My dessert of caramel semifreddo was again delicious, more a deconstructed ice cream sandwich than anything, but the chocolate almond cookies were dense and chewy, and the crisp crunch of almond praline bits provided a nice contrast to the soft and melty semifreddo. My date went for the simpler vanilla gelato affogato, and reported it to be good but not excellent. Unfortunately, again we found that we couldn't attract the attention of our server, even though she was greeting some personal friends at the table across the aisle -- she stood and chatted with them about election results and left before I could catch her, then returned with and poured their order of champagne, chatted some more, and left AGAIN, all without even a glance at our table. The noise level at this point was a not-so-dull roar, and we were well ready to be on our way. We finally found her and asked for the check, which she did bring promptly, thankfully. I really like Serafina, but I think I may like it more for lunch when it's less frenetic inside.

    (3)
  • Sue B.

    This place is fantastic. Rather than ordering off the menu the bartender asked if we'd like him to choose small plates for us so we could sample several items from the fabulous menu, and we went for it, we never even moved to the dining room, just stayed in our seat by the window in the bar. Bartender said it wouldn't cost more than one meal apiece would regularly cost, which ended up not being true (thus the 4 stars instead of 5 because the bill ended up being double what we'd anticipated), but we spent 4 hours there and every minute of it was delightful, as was the bartender delightful. Spend an evening with Matthew Skeel, you won't regret it.

    (4)
  • Mat W.

    This was perhaps one of my best dinning experiences. The place is quaint fancy intimate feel, yet unpretentious. I always feel uncomfortable in a super fancy place, because I know the first thing I am going to do is dump a drink on my lap ... But this place rides the middle line well and keeps my pants dry. The food is extraordinary. My meal was: Pollo Arrosto (Free range chicken stuffed with roasted garlic and prosciutto, roasted and served with yams and chestnuts and a light Riesling sauce). Sounds crazy exotic? Not too much. The dish came out very clean and minimal looking, but every bite was super good flavor and fresh tasting. The chicken was rubbed with some kind of seasoning and married the smashed yams just perfectly. I don't care for crazy over the top menu items that come in small portions. But this was great on flavor, presentation, and portion. We got some delicious champagne based cocktails, that ran a bit pricey, but were excellent in addition to the meal. The staff runs this place perfectly. They are always there when you need them, but also not there when you don't need them. They replace items very quickly and smoothly. Personable and professional. Easily 5 stars!

    (5)
  • Shari d.

    I went here for dinner with a friend a week or so ago and after reading all the reviews I was kind of hoping for more. The food was good, service was good, and the decor was good...a solid 3 stars for me. The establishment is quaint and cozy...and when I say cozy I mean cozy. You are pretty much sitting shoulder to shoulder with other tables. We ordered the following items: - Pork Belly Appetizer: This item was worth more than 3 stars but I had to average all the dishes out. The pork was the perfect portion size for an appetizer, the skin was crispy and the meat was succulent. It was accompanied by an apple and onion reduction that matched the pork perfectly. -Pasta with Truffle Oil, shaved Parmesan, in a fontina cream sauce. The pasta sat in the middle of my plate...kind of like a messy heap that had been sitting there for longer than it should. When I tried to pick up the noodles the entire plate of noodles stuck to my fork. The sauce was bland and I wish I had ordered something else. -Eggplant Melanzane. My dining companion loved this dish but somehow ate a giant bite of something spicy. He said he didn't mind but he started to sweat profusely which could have been odd if we were out on a date or if the mood was supposed to be romantic. In the end I think I would go back...try different things and see if it was a fluke.

    (3)
  • John K.

    I LOVE THIS PLACE. Everything about it! The food, the price, the wait staff, the ambiance, everything! What a little gem of a restaurant in Seattle...very romantic! Happy hour is great too! I like it much better than over-priced snobby Tom Douglas restaurant. The only negative is they don't have their own parking lot so it's street parking only.

    (5)
  • Randee C.

    Overpriced mediocre Italian food. Serafina is located in a neighborhood with only difficult street parking available. Tavolata, Barolo, La Spiga even Via Tribunali will provide a more authentic Italian experience than Serafina with their 20 year old decor and snotty employees. Pass on this one, you won't miss anything.

    (1)
  • Maria C.

    Everything about this place is pretty, from the decor and patio to the servers and the pitcher holding our mojitos. A pitcher of mojitos? In a classy joint like this? They didn't even bat an eye. "Well, we've never done that before but I'm sure we can, and in fact I think the bartender will really like doing that." Before you start rolling your eyes at such a gauche request, try the basil orange mojito and see if you don't make the same request. Besides, gauche in Seattle? Yeah, right. The cup of gazpacho was the size of a bowl in many places and was absolutely perfect. I love the dipping oil for the bread. The bruschetta was also perfect and came with three toppings on the side. The tuna was my favorite, the goat cheese was beautifully creamy and tart and the green olive tapenade fabulous. We somehow finagled a seat on the patio without reservations and were never hurried. At dusk the weather turned slightly chilly and the outdoor heaters came on full force. The Caffe Vita coffee was a good choice for finishing the evening - particularly in light of the TWO pitchers of margaritas that three of us consumed. And two of us are lightweights. There's something magical about sunny, warm Sunday evenings in Seattle, sharing a meal with friends outside. Conversation flows, libations flow, serotonin flows... And Seattle being the small town it really is and always will be, of course we ran into other Yelpers. I'll be back.

    (5)
  • Brenda F.

    I wish I could give this place ZERO stars!!!! This place was awful. We had a party of 8 with a 6:45 reservation which took them 3 hours, 3 HOURS for them to get our full meal out to us (app's, dinner & desert). They mixed up my order and brought me out this dry flavorless, TERRIBLE meatball dish, when I ordered veal. Since, I didn't order it and it was so disgusting, it just sat in front of me. The ambiance was terrible as well and they crammed all eight of us into one small table. The desert was okay, but with an almost $500 bill they served up at the end it was ridicously bad. I want my money and three hours back. Serafina was by far the WORST dinner I have ever had and save your time and money and just pass that one by.

    (1)
  • Nathan F.

    We live very close to them and they have always been very nice. The patio is amazing, and the drinks are, too. I wish it were less expensive as it prevents us from going there very often. The food is good, but sometimes TOO fancy. I usually have to read the menu 3 times to really understand what I'm ordering. Never had a bad meal there, but there are times when it feels like they are trying too hard. Mathew, the bar tender is great! Fun to talk to, and makes some amazing drinks. Ask for anything with their infused liqours. Trying to impress your <date/partner/parents/boss/parole officer>? Take them here.

    (4)
  • Grace C.

    Trying to escape the Seattle chill? Go to Serafina. I just love how cozy and warm and neighborly this restaurant is (despite it being an extremely un-cozy, chilly night, and its middle-of-nowhere location). The eggplant parmesan was delicious, but it's really the Friday night ambiance that you can't get anywhere else. Go. You won't regret it!

    (5)
  • Tina P.

    Hands down best restaurant in Eastlake. Every dish I have tried here has made my mouth water except for the beef cheek gnocchi. But anything else is fantastic. Both dinner and sunday brunch leaves me smiling time after time. Their atmosphere is small and cozy but that is what adds to the experience. It's also dark and romantic inside, which makes for a perfect date. Granted I have also visited this place on various occasions with family and friends and it works well for small groups too. The drinks are different and strong. I highly recommend trying one of their cocktail concoctions. And they have a superb wine list. As for brunch... you will find great live jazz music and a platter of fresh fruit as an appetizer to your meal. It was definitely a great way to spend 2 hours with friends on a Sunday morning. :)

    (5)
  • K B.

    We were expecting better. The food was mediocre (we had the two kinds of ravioli...a farmer's cheese/mushroom and a spinach) and it wasn't great. The service was good, and our waitress and bussers were very helpful and great about refilling water, bringing bread, etc. it was incredibly hot in there that evening, and we were seated toward the back where it was muggy. It got very loud, and that combined with the heat and the blah food made it less-than-ideal. The place is cute, they've done a great job training their staff, but we just aren't impressed with the food quality or pricing.

    (2)
  • Jeff R.

    Plin is amazing. Cocktails are good pours and there is nothing bad on the menu. I would eat there every single night.

    (5)
  • Charlee S.

    This is my 5th time here. I love everything, and I finally got to put my 2 cent in. The bartenders, Jeremy & MacGregor are super nice guys, they took care of me & my date. We had a bottle of 2001 Merlot, Jeremy recommended to take the 5 cheese platter. Never failed, love it all. Thanks guys! #loveit #foodporn #delicious #yummy #awesomeness #relaxing #romantic

    (5)
  • Shrina S.

    Oh, the high expectations I had for this place after seeing the reviews on yelp. It was such a disappointment, however. I came with a group of 8 to celebrate work-related success, and our reservation was for 5. We were all super hungry, but the waiter was REALLY REALLY slow. I started off with a Casa salad... it took 45 mins for the "salad" to come out. This is the salad: Delicate butter lettuce dressed with a champagne vinaigrette; topped with pickled red onion. It was an uncut piece of giant watery lettuce. Nasty, AND I had to do the work in cutting it! Others got the Limone salad and, again, nothing special. We also go the Crostini con Olive, which was good, but we had to wait a long time for it. For the entree, I picked this ravioli-like pasta that was stuffed with ricotta and potato I believe, and the sauce was a "light cinnamon" tomato sauce. That was the grossest pasta I have ever had- the sauce was way too sweet to be a dinner entree! I forced myself to eat since I was hungry, but I wish I didn't have to. The dessert wasn't anything to write home about either. Would I come back? No. Overall, that was a disappointing dining experience that took way too long- we were out of the restaurant around 8:30, and most of the time was spent waiting for the food to come out. The waiter was also extremely annoying.

    (2)
  • Paul S.

    Good food and attentive service. So why the 1 star? Bear with me, I'll lay it out. When I pay $12 for lunch in a U district college-oriented eatery, I expect to bump elbows with other customers and perhaps to have to shout to be heard. But when I'm taking my best friends out to a nice restaurant on a Saturday night, at $40+ per person (we're not wine drinkers, the dollars will be much higher if you are), I want better dynamics. And those are the minor issues. The major issue: an attentive server, with an outwardly sweet manner, who insistently promotes each of several menu items as though having been programmed to maximize the bill. For example, pushing appetizers and salads though there's already enough food without them for people our age (over 60). And somehow garbling my appetizer order of cheese assortment so we got a meat assortment instead ("I've already put through the meat assortment order"), at a price I'm sure was higher. Don't let the moderate entree prices fool you, it's pretty much a la carte, so each dish, like veges on the side if you care for them, adds to the bill. I am of a simple frame of mind in doing business, that I will order what I want and expect that that is exactly what I get, at the posted price. When someone deviates from that in a manner that comes across as manipulative, they may think it's terribly clever, but I won't do business with them again. How you feel about it is up to you.

    (1)
  • Aprameya R.

    If you read this review then the key takeaway is choose your table wisely. Serafina is very crowded and for a place which suggests fine dining I would expect the ambiance to encourage it. It seems to me that Serafina runs over-capacity. It is stuffed with tables and there is not enough space. The high number of people leaves everyone in a rush, from the hostess to the servers and this reduces the scope for truly exceptional service. We had a reservation at 8pm for two and were met with a hostess whose face reflected the worry of having to seat everybody that is waiting at the bar. We were eventually seated at a table right next to the mini-stage where the band was playing, and by right next to, I mean that I could look up to the right and see the trousers of the drummer. This made any conversation impossible. To the owners of Serafina: remove that table, the few hundred dollars a day it makes you cannot in anyway be worth the sad dining experience of the people sitting there. The service itself was quite good. The food was good too. We had the bruschetta and the olive tapenade dip was delicious. The spaghetti with dungeness crab was good as well. All in all, Serafina is overcrowded. If you would like to take someone out on a special occasion look to any of the other fine restaurants in the city.

    (2)
  • Rossana Y.

    We originally came here for Restaurant Week, but decided at the last minute to order off the menu. Totally glad we did cause the food was amazing! I didn't know that they had a private lot across the street for free parking after 5:30pm, but it was easy finding a spot around the neighborhood. We made reservations at 7 and was quickly seated. The restaurant has a cozy, romantic ambiance, and there was a live pianist playing that night! It was a busy night so it was a little loud. Our waitress, Jen, was very helpful and informative about the menu. We weren't really feeling the items on the Restaurant Week menu too much so we ordered a few dishes off the menu with some of her suggestions. For an appetizer, we shared the Cozze Affumicate which was mussels cooked in a savory sauce with smoked tomatoes, harissa, sweet vermouth, leeks, fresh herbs and garlic. This dish by itself deserves 5 stars. We had to keep asking for extra bread so we could eat as much of the sauce as possible! It was that good. Maybe next time we'll take the sauce to go. I ordered the Pasta D'Ortica which came with their house-made nettle pasta, milk-braised lamb, crème fraîche and mint. The dish doesn't look very appealing but it tastes amazing. The lamb was so tender, and the mint complemented well with the savory dish. My bf ordered the Plin that reminded me of gnocchi but filled with braised pork, savoy cabbage and Parmigiano Reggiano, and coated with chive butter. Even though our waitress said that this was her favorite dish, we both personally liked my dish better since it was more savory. The plin was still quite tasty but definitely for those who really enjoy gnocchi that want to try something a little different. Our service was excellent and we both had a very enjoyable experience at Serafina. 5/5 stars!

    (5)
  • Christopher C.

    This is arguably my favorite restaurant in Seattle. Been here three times already and haven't been disappointed. Lasagna is bomb.

    (5)
  • Vega S.

    I'd like to preface this entire review by stating that my experience at Serafina might have been a unique incident. I went here for my birthday dinner. I ordered the special for the night. It was swordfish cooked with white beans and asparagus. It was delicious. I had a glass of rose wine with it. The dinner and service were all up to par. Later that night (or early AM the next day) , I woke up from my sleep because I had to throw up. After which I was throwing up for the next four hours followed by other common symptoms of food poisoning. I had a fever and was dehydrated for the next 48 hours. It was painful to say the least. I have two theories as to why I got sick from my meal. The first one is that it was viral gastroenteritis (commonly known as stomach flu) that was transmitted from anyone handling the food. My second theory is that the white beans in the meal were semi-cooked which can also cause food poisoning. Partially cooked beans contain toxic levels of a substance called hemagglutinin which cause severe vomiting when ingested (FDA has a whole thing on it) In any case, the memory of getting sick from my birthday meal was pretty traumatic and I am not sure I can go back to Serafina. The other reviews on Yelp seem to show that its a great restaurant. And unfortunate events happen! TLDR: FOOD POISONING

    (2)
  • Deborah S.

    I have been here on numerous occasions and for different reasons. The food is good albeit a little heavy handed on the garlic front. The intimate and cozy restaurant is great for date night conversation. One night I went to the bar alone, that was not as much fun. Not too friendly but service here all around is impeccable.

    (4)
  • Andrew P.

    Lets start out with that Italian food in Seattle is a joke compared to the east coast. I haven't found a great place yet and nothing that Id say is close to authentic. The menu had food with Italian sounding names but a large majority of it was PNW food. So Id really say this place is Italian inspired. Price is a tad high. The food was good and portions were filling. I cant say anything bad about the place other than people in Seattle really put it on a pedestal. On a positive note the waitress was knowledgeable and extremely friendly. I cant say there is anything that would make me want to come back. It wasn't awful just nothing special.

    (2)
  • Samantha V.

    I come in here because I'm hooked on the eggplant dish! I generally like to sit at the bar when I go out to eat. I will always order a martini but sadly serafina switched their martini glasses to these little parfait glasses with the curled rim. It ruins the whole martini effect for me plus it's a bad pour for top dollar. There's only one bartender, Steve, that makes me feel welcome otherwise I have the impression that I'm not worthy. I have sat in the dining area in order to avoid the bartender, the wait staff were very professional, helpful and friendly. I rarely spend my dining out dollars here but sometimes I just have to have that eggplant!

    (3)
  • Jack P.

    Had lunch there. Service was great and quick. The food was meh ... not bad, not great, and with those prices, was expecting more.

    (3)
  • Susan S.

    You will never be disappointed dining in this wonderful Italian restaurant. The menu is so creative-truly every bite is fantastic. In warmer months they have a delightful outdoor patio-with heater lamps and loads of atmosphere. Susan Samuelson-Mercer Island

    (5)
  • Alisha W.

    Came here for a romantic date night for SRW and we had high hopes for a delicious Italian meal. The appetizers were totally awesome. Great rich flavor in the squash soup, accented with melted cheese. The warm beet salad was also very creamy and the cheese complemented the beets very nicely. The entree of pork loin with cranberry over polenta was VERY yummy. The polenta was rich and creamy, and the pork loin was very well cooked - tender and juicy and matched well with the cranberry and polenta. The arugula was oddly salty though. Unfortunately, my entree was not as tasty. The tagliatelle was disappointingly salty. I could taste the creaminess of the sauce (with not quite as much mushroom flavor as I had hoped) but the noodles were so salty! I thought about bringing it up to the waitress, but thought better of it since I did eat all of it anyways :-) Portions sizes are a bit small. But the desserts were very light and not too sweet. Perfect end to the meal.

    (4)
  • Alexandra M.

    I truly adore this place. Serafina is quite possibly my favorite restaurant in the entire PNW. With impeccable Italian food, excellent service, and wonderful ambience, this restaurant is incomparable! I am normally extremely critical when it comes to Italian food, but this place gets it spot-on with every dish. My favorites from the menu would be cozze affumicate and cappe sante. Their cozza affumicate has a rich, smoky, savory, herby broth to compliment freshwater mussels. Their cappe sante is to die for - tender, soft, delicate scallops seared to the perfect texture and firmness. With every bite, you feel them "pop" in your mouth and release their natural sweet, buttery goodness. I also have a special appreciation of their pancia di maiale and fettucini Bolognese, both Happy Hour offerings. The pancia di maiale (pork belly) bursts in full, juicy flavor. I'm not sure why I have such an affinity for the fettucini Bologenese, since it's such a simple and common dish, but I guess it's Serafina's signature touch that makes the difference. Also, to get this quality of food with their HH hour prices is basically reaching culinary heaven. The plin -- agnolotti filled with braised pork, cabbage, and parmesan -- seems to be a signature dish they always recommend. I've tried it more than once, but I think it doesn't give the kick that other dishes do. If you're here for the first time and, like myself, you prefer savory dishes over sweet, creamy ones, I'd suggest you pick something else (even if they recommend it as a house special). Their service is always top-notch; I've never encountered a waitperson who wasn't knowledgable about everything on their menu -- both food and wine. All of them are also friendly but not too chatty or pushy. I've been here on weekdays, weekends, Happy Hour, lunch, and dinner. I've been here with large parties, small groups, and just a table for two. Their ambience is perfect for any occasion. Yes, I Serafina and I have a very special relationship, and it looks like we'll keep going strong. ;)

    (5)
  • Jim L.

    Sarah - thanks for the great service! You really live and breathe the essence of Serafina and your knowledge of the extensive menu and your glowing smile are most welcoming. Sol - thanks for steering us in the right direction (wine-wise) and putting up w/ our demanding party. Our glasses were never empty and the pairings were exacting. You are the epitome of professionalism and class. Rachel - thanks for providing humor and delightfully and playfully putting my father-in-law "in his place". As for the food.....amazing! My wife and I each had a cup of pumpkin soup which seemed to slip onto my tongue, and into the very sole of my existence! The temperature was perfectly peeked to perfection and the sweet aroma and consistency tantalized my senses. I chose the Roasted Alaskan King Salmon fresh from the day's catch. I was very satisfied w/ my selection, but if i get back here sometime soon, I'll most certainly go w/ the Grilled Pork Chop w/ Pickled local cherries. I sampled my mother-in-law's entree and this dish highly appealed to my sweet tooth. A solid entree.

    (5)
  • Chau D.

    I am still a fan! Came back here over the weekend for the second time and still happy with Serafina. We ordered a bottle of the Terlano Classico (White wine) and a bottle of the Langhe Rosso (Red wine) both went down smoothly and for two people we killed both. Food wise: Cozze Affumicate - A must! I'm not really big on muscles but the broth made with smoked tomato, harissa, sweet vermouth, leeks, fresh herbs, and garlic was delicious. We had to order a side of bread just to dip into the broth. Linguine con Vongole - It's not your typical clams in white wine sauce kind of pasta. I think my favorite part of the pasta was the pancetta. Order it and you won't be disappointed. Bistecca alla Griglia - The beef tenderloin was accompanied with thyme-roasted fingerling potatoes, baby arugula and a Barolo reduction. The beef itself was soft to cut into and very tasty. Our server Beth was awesome! Very attentive and made great suggestions when we asked. Our dining experience was worth the 5 stars and I can't wait to go back.

    (5)
  • Greg H.

    Dont bother with the brunch on Sunday morning. Service was slow, food was not seasoned well. Its too loud to hear across the table. Wasted 2 hours of my life here.... wont be back. If I have to say something positive they were really sorry about the hair on the plate. The people were friendly. I have heard its good for dinner, I also enjoyed happy hour at the sister resturant Chicciti once.

    (1)
  • Andrea U.

    The low rating is due to poor advertising on Living Social and poor service due to them losing our order which took about an hour to correct. We purchased a Living Social deal that said $40 for a $60 value which seemed like a decent deal. We ordered steak, which was an $8 upcharge, and Plin (duck confit) and the bellini with a fruit plate. On the menu the the price for the steak was $20, fruit plate $5, plin $16, bellini $10 each or so which makes the total $61 plus tax and tip. The living social deal works out to be exactly the same price as if I just walked in and ordered normally. Other than the shenanigans with the Living Social deal food was great.

    (1)
  • Eric T.

    The piano and bass players are a nice touch at this restaurant adjacent to Cicchetti. The local brews are pretty good here, and the appetizers are in serving sizes that are good enough to be entrees. Excellent customer service in the bar area, prompt, and reasonably priced.

    (5)
  • Candi K.

    Came here after a wine tasting event next door (so delicious btw, I'm obsessed with the sparkling red my gfs and I got) and we had the wine munchies so we came here for hh. It hasn't opened yet but they let us in about 10 mins before the restaurant opened. We got a few things to share, the buchetta, ravioli, bolengese and this fall veggie app. They were all delicious. Also their house bread is great. Came with olive oil with garlic and crushed red pepper flakes which was amazing. The burchetta was good, had two different types. I liked the tapanade one best (one of my gfs would differ) the ravioli was butternut squash and had great flavor but the best was the bolengese. It had a treat sauce and the noodles were cooked perfectly. I need to come here for normal dinner one day, I've heard great things and would love to experience the full serafina service.

    (4)
  • Rachel A.

    I've been wanting to go to Serafina ever since my dad first told me about it. He took my step-mom on their first date there, and later proposed to her at that same place, so of course it is special to my family. My dad and step-mom gave us a gift certificate to there, so my boyfriend and I finally made it there last Saturday. And seriously, I finally understand why everyone raves so much about this place! The food was incredible. We started off with olive calabrese, the salumi plate, and the cheese plate. The cheese plate is customizable, so we just told our server our preferences and of course he killed it. We wanted to order a bottle of red, but they had just run out of our first selection, so the sommelier came back with a different recommendation. The bottle he chose was pretty much twice the price, but he gave it to us in our original price range (so sweet). We enjoyed a 2008 Italian Chianti from Tenuta di Arceno, which was incredible - just the perfect pick for our taste. I ordered the lasagna and my boyfriend ordered the Carr d'Agnello e Salsiccie (Anderson Ranch lamb sausage and rack of lamb). When we were ordering though, we asked about the Rigatoncini con Polpettine (Rigatoncini pasta with lamb meatballs) because that sounded super good too. The server said the lamb meatballs were definitely worth trying, so he even brought out a single meatball for us to try with our entrees (hilarious and again, so sweet). The lamb meatball was bomb, I would absolutely order that next time. But of course it would be hard to not order the lasagna because it was literally perfect. So meaty and flavorful, with the perfect amount of cheese. And the lamb sausage and rack of lamb were perfectly cooked as well. Every bite was so delicious, we unfortunately didn't have room for dessert! The service was amazing as well. We were on time and realized we forgot the gift certificate at home, so they held our table for us until we returned 30 minutes later (we live in Lower Queen Anne, need I say more). I felt really bad about it because I know they had a 1.5 hour wait, but they were really kind and accommodating, and it didn't seem to faze them. The server was down to earth, fun, clearly very experienced in serving, and knowledgeable. The ambiance is definitely intimate and romantic, with dim lighting and subtle live music - perfect date spot, especially if you want to impress your date. It was an amazing dinner - I can't believe I've lived in Seattle for so long without going. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a perfect Italian dinner with great service.

    (5)
  • Nausheen K.

    Fabulousness! Officially, my fav Italian place in seattle! I wish I could give it 6 stars:) Food: Fresh, rich and delish Staff: warm, welcoming and funny Service: on point and generous Went there for a girl friends bday and gelatos with a candle on it! yum and gorgeous:)

    (5)
  • Lindsey S.

    I had heard from a friend that she went here and was really disappointed. Then my boyfriend wanted to go here for dinner one night, saying it's one of his favorite places and he misses going there. Well, I didn't want to break his little heart so I thought I'd try it out despite my friend's bad review. I'm glad I didn't listen to her because this is one of my favorites now! They have great everything: drinks, apps, entrees, desserts.... Not to mention really cute live music and a charming setting in Eastlake. They advertise neat little wine tasting sessions too, but I think they fill up really fast. I don't know what these other people are talking about bad service, it must just really vary. Our servers have always been top-notch and really helpful with recommending things and keeping drinks full!

    (5)
  • Suzanne M.

    Dear Yelp, why don't you let me give 4.5 stars? My only issue with this place is some tables are in the middle of the action, and some are crammed in little corners. A lovely place for a family brunch, also went here for our 2 year anniversary...the bruschetta is amazing. They offer it at brunch. Really, the best I've had in the US.

    (4)
  • Doug C.

    I've been to Serafina a number of times and really have never had a bad experience. Most of the time I'm oblivious to architecture/internal design other than to find the door to the john, but some soft lighting and judicious use of light curtains makes this a cozy, romantic atmosphere. The outdoor patio is a must for a cool summer evening. I can vouch for any of the lamb, chicken or eggplant dishes. All are excellent. The service has been uniformly excellent. The staff has always been polite and timely. The drawbacks to Serafina are tied to their success. It often can be quite crowded, a bit loud and may require you to yell to be heard over the background noise. If you're here for a romantic dinner, this could be a problem: "I SAID I THINK YOU LOOK NICE TONIGHT!" Finding parking can turn into a minor quest. Overall it's a nice restaurant and if it's not too crowded this should be a good experience for you.

    (4)
  • Jill S.

    I've eaten lunch at Serafina several times, and have always had a very good experience. Last night was the first time I dined there for dinner, and I have to say it was different--it was better. I had the gnocchi with rabbit--I was a little skeptical about the rabbit, but have to say it was delicious! Tender, not stringy and not gamey at all. It was a little like chicken thigh meat. My son had the lasagna, which is what I'm ordering next time. I don't typically order things when I'm out that I can make at home, but this lasagna was really delicious. We had the calamari appetizer, which was wonderful. The calamari was lightly cooked, not rubbery at all and the seasonings were perfect. Our server struck the perfect balance between attentive and letting us take our time. We were there for about 2 hours, but it didn't feel like it was too long and we never felt rushed. All in all, it was a really lovely evening.

    (5)
  • Melinda K.

    Stopped into Serafina for an early dinner this past Sunday. We have been to Cichetti and love it, but have always wanted to try Serafina. They have a lovely back patio that we chose to sit out on this sunny afternoon. We were greated promptly by our server who was very knowledgable as she went thru the specials with us. Their drinks are delicious, most made with in house herb-infused liquors. We started with the capese salad for him and the asparagus, white bean & proscuitto salad for me. Both were very fresh and tasty. It took hubby about 3 seconds to decide he was having the lasagna (it has bechamel in it) and I had the veal meatballs with penne. Their lasagna is very decadant, rich and oh so good. My veal meatballs were good also, but I kept sneaking bites of his lasagna. We shared the cream puffs with caramel ice cream and both had double espressos. My only disappointment was that I like to enjoy my coffee with my dessert, and we didn't get our dessert until about 20 min after our coffee was served. I had finished my coffee because I didn't want it to get cold. That being said, I still would recommend Serifina for a nice meal and by all means if weather permits, grab a seat on the patio!

    (4)
  • warren c.

    Amazing food - absolutely wonderful. The service was impeccable, and really blew me away. Our waiter was nice, but not fake-nice, and definitely knew his stuff. I went on a date here a few months ago, and couldn't rec. this more on such circumstances. The decor and general tone of the place was as romantic as all get up, and the meal was unbelievable. If you need to take a lady out and impress her, but keep it on the down-low so as to maintain a casual vibe, this is your place.

    (5)
  • Jessica L.

    Consistently great food (fresh ingredients from their garden), thoughtful service, and caring soul. Serafina's is a true neighborhood restaurant always giving back to the community and providing comfort for their clients. Though I don't live along Eastlake, Serafina's will always be my favorite neighborhood restaurant. Plus, they have brunch which is always a great treat!

    (5)
  • Shree M.

    Cute neighborhood restaurant feel and decent food still leaves Serafina on my "in-list" even though its getting a bit more packed & pretentious by the year...

    (4)
  • jav w.

    food is really, really good but the portions are also VERY SMALL. Way too small

    (2)
  • kayla c.

    My mouth is still salivating from the Carbonara I had one month ago. There are no words to describe the amazing smell, taste, and texture of the dish. My husband had the most delicious lasagna, but even that could not stand against the tastiness of the carbonara. We also couldn't get enough of the bread, and thus did not have the opportunity to try their desserts.

    (5)
  • Julia A.

    A beautiful setting. Lunch on the atrium porch is fantastic. Often there is live music in the evenings.

    (5)
  • Shane H.

    "The month of love." This may have added to the experience going in Serafina's month of love. The service was top Notch. The food was amazing. I am not a food connoisseur by any means but I am 1/4 Italian and this place pleased my pallet. I would highly suggest ordering all three courses. We had the brochette with tuna tar tar and olive toppenade to start (really great flavors), A delicious main course and the cheese cake to top it off. Parking could be a problem but we got lucky and found a place. I also read on another review they have a parking lot and directions somewhere on their site. Again this was the month of love and we were on our valentines date but it was well worth it. The place is small but cozy if your going as a couple. I would probably not make this a group gathering. Small bar but the bartender Chris is a genius with his concoctions! If you like Whiskey get the infused Manhattan in a high ball glass. The maraschino cherries are amazing and the drink was well poured (stiff) and had a nice infused flavor. Go now and have a very good time.

    (5)
  • George H.

    I recently moved to Eastlake from Manhattan so I have been exploring the local eateries. I live in Eastlake and the palatable restaurant choices that are within walking distance are few. I discovered Serafina and I have eaten there 2 times. I think Italian cuisine can be judged by their sauces and I think the food was decent at Serafina and I like the half entree portions that were available on the menu on my visits there. I must admit that the service was sadly lacking. I sat at the bar and the second time I ate there it took nearly 10 minutes to get noticed although it wasn't that busy at all. As a matter of fact, I had gotten out of my seat, ready to leave, when the bar person finally decided I might want something. For someone from Manhattan, we are used to bad service to some degree. But I have noticed that most of the half decent restaurants I have eaten in here, have really bad service. And even when you do get served, it's generally with a seemingly half interested attitude. Admittedly, maybe I haven't been to the best eateries here yet but I would say the food at Serafina is average to good and the service needs some service and that includes the managers who are on duty early evening. Get a clue please

    (3)
  • Ass Man Z.

    I like this place...very good food and a nice rustic/Tuscan atmoshpere. I went here for a girlfriends birthday and they had a violinist on stage, the food was great, the service was friendly...all and all, a really nice evening. Be prepared to wait.

    (4)
  • Kevin S.

    I've been here twice and will not be going back. While the ambiance is absolutely wonderful i've never had a good entree there. The hen i had was dry and over cooked and the other dish was similarly mediocre. that said, i do know a lot of other people who have had good experiences, so i'm more than willing to say i just picked the wrong things, but I just wanted to throw out a dissenting opinion on this one.

    (2)
  • Katherine B.

    I love this place, love it. Consistently good food, with an even better ambiance. Great waitstaff, excellent bartenders, and great music. One of my favorite late night drinks spot. Come with a date after the dinner crowd has left, the chef has gone home, and enjoy a drink by candlelight. Serafina just has that rare special something that few Seattle restaurants have. It's one of those places that makes you feel like you are living that movie like life you've always dreamed of and then you step back out onto Eastlake Ave and realize that movie like life it may not be, life in Seattle is consistently pretty darn close to living in a movie.

    (5)
  • Sheryl S.

    This is a tasty place with a great decor. The food I ordered was just a little bland, but my expectations were extremely high and I like very spicy food. The service was good and the ambiance was stylish and romantic. I would definitely go there again if I had the opportunity.

    (4)
  • Regular J.

    I went to Serafina last night for my birthday (I wanted to eat at Tavolata but it was closed) and I was just amazed at how average the food was. We had the Bruschetta appetizer and the only thing that saved it was the quality of the bread from Columbia City Bakery, the olive spread I buy in the supermarket taste better then their "in house" version. For dinner I had one of their features, penne cubano and the wife had the pork shoulder dumplings. The description of the penne cubano states that the sauce is a spicy tomato sauce with red pepper flakes, what I got was a bland tomato sauce with no red pepper flakes. To top it off my very average pasta dish was a whopping $21.95. I'm all for splurging on good food but it better be good at this price level for pasta. For desert we had the fried blueberry tart based upon the waiter's suggestion, it was the hightlight of the dinner and I would only give it an above average rating. Now, my review is based upon the food because in the end that is what will get me to come back. I do recommend Serafina to anyone that lives in the area and doesn't want drive somewhere for dinner or to those wanting impress a first date, it is a cozy(cramped) restaurant and your date will definitly not think you are cheap. Otherwise I strongly suggest eating at Tavolata, better quality from a Top New Chef and the prices are $6-8 cheaper per entree.

    (2)
  • Ann M.

    cute place, i would definitely go again to try other things.

    (3)
  • Stuart Y.

    tight quarters. loud room. food has potential, but the dishes my table tried were almost all under seasoned. i may be a bit biased here because i prefer french-style food to italian, but i think that serafina could have done better here. with so many good restaurants in seattle, i doubt i will return here--nothing special.

    (2)
  • jil r.

    Ohhh myyyyyy....I just love this place.... I've never made a reservation there, so I've never gotten a table, but I've grown to LOVE sitting at the bar and eating, as the bartender (with the pony tail), is so awesome. I'm not much of a drinker, but the fine libations they serve there could make me an alcoholic! They use quality liquor, freshly squeezed juices, and tendrils of orange zest will make your drink look like art. They also infuse some of their own booze with things like bay leaves, and our fine bartender let us try tastes of some of the things he'd made. Lime-oncello? I thought I had died and gone to AA. But not only that, the food is to-die-for - starting with the fresh bread and great garlic infused olive oil with balsamic vinegar. The Mellanzane di Serafina (Eggplant) was a fine symphony of flavors, and many of the dishes feature something other than tomato sauce, like olive oil drowning in many good herbs and olives. The atmosphere here is beautiful and cozy and reminds one of a warm European bistro, complete with charming fresco paintings. The prices are worth the food you get. And if I were Oprah, I'd eat here often. But then I'd have to increase my workouts with a personal trainer.

    (5)
  • Rick L.

    Hit the happy hour and go crazy with the five buck appetizers. The drinks are really good as well - I personally, like to enjoy the coziness of this location - it's great to cuddle up on the porch and enjoy a cool breeze while smelling the air here .. mm.. italian..

    (5)
  • Mi M.

    The food varies from good to excellent, depending on the night. Sometimes the chefs are genius, sometimes a little lackluster to tell the truth. At the prices they charge for pasta, I think it should be excellent every night... Don't bother with the Happy Hour here - it's only on Fridays for a short time and the selection of nibbles is limited and features a lot of bread, so not worth it. The atmosphere is romantic, but it is a noisy and lively place with a lot of people pretty much all the time, so if you want a heart to heart talk with your dinner, you'll have to go elsewhere. Conversely, if you don't want to say too much, then it's a good place! Good music some nights, if you can hear it, and the bartenders mix a good drink. One note, I recommend paying for anything at the bar with a card. It can get so hectic in there that I know people who were literally chased into the street to pay for drinks that had already been paid for. Not a good feeling, especially since most people who leave cash don't wait around for a receipt. Hmm maybe the owner should think about that. Anyway, but for that incident, I'd give the place 4 stars..

    (3)
  • Paul M.

    I've never been to Serafina, and I never will go. Attitude counts for a lot with me and the owner of this place sure seems to have a bad one. A while back, I was at a bank, waiting in line. There was a woman ahead of me talking to one of the tellers. Apparently, she was asking the teller to do something that was against bank policy, and he politely explained that he wasn't able to fulfill her request. This exchange quickly escalated into a one sided argument with the woman getting more and more irate that the teller wouldn't break his employer's rules on her behalf. The teller remained very polite and as accommodating as possible, but the woman got nastier and nastier, until finally, she exclaimed quite loudly, "Do you know who I am? I'm the owner of Serafina!" as though that was supposed to convince him to risk his job on her behalf. She stormed out of the bank after he let her know he couldn't help her. If attitude carries weight with you like it does with me, you'll avoid this place like the plague. If I could have given this place 0 stars, I would have.

    (1)
  • Tony M.

    This restaurant was recommended to me as one of the better places to eat in Seattle. My experience started well, but ultimately I left disappointed. They allow for reservations to be made online, which is nice considering that they are 'highly recommended'. We arrived early and I let the hostess know that were had arrived and would wait in the bar. The bar was on the small side, but still allowed enough room for us to sit and relax. The cocktail menu was quote unique and had enough variation to satisfy a diverse group. The bartender was quick to bring us water, but didn't seem to pick up on the cues that we were ready to order our drinks. A second bartender noticed and took our order. He carded two of the members of our three person party even though we are all basically the same age. The drinks seemed to take a bit longer than I would have expected, but we were waiting for our table so I wasn't too put off. The dining room was full without feeling crowded and the lighting was set at the perfect level. Our server was energetic and friendly (something which seems to be lacking in many Seattle servers). We put in our order for the 5 cheese sampler while we continued to decide on a wine. The server was knowledgeable about the different types of wines as well as their characteristics, which is helpful if you are not as well versed in wines. After selecting a wine, our server informed us that our selection had not been well received that evening and suggested a replacement. We ultimately went with his recommendation and it was a good choice. Unfortunately, I believe it was at this point that the service began to decline. When the cheeses arrived, the server had to go get a chart to describe the cheeses, and in the end they were not as described. He did come back later to correct his mistake, but by then we had finished most of the cheese and already knew something was off. At this point my wine glass was empty, despite our server being at our table several times throughout the first course. After the first course we were brought bread and some dipping oil. This confused all of us as we would have thought this would have started the evening or even accompanied our cheese. Our main entrees arrived and they were well presented and smelled good. The food was hot and the portion size wasn't too large, nor too small. I was however disappointed with the taste of the food. I had their signature dish of eggplant and ricotta cheese over pasta and the taste was boring and the flavours seemed more from a can than fresh. The eggplant was overly mushy and the pasta was not anywhere close to al dente. Throughout dinner my wine glass was neglected (again despite the server being at our table a number of times) and I felt as though the service was lacking. Nothing on the desert menu caught my eye, but in the end decided to try the flour-less chocolate torte with chili pepper and an espresso. The espresso was brought out too early and was only warm by the time the desert arrived. The desert was a good balance of chili pepper and chocolate, but was nothing overly-impressive. The consensus of the table was that the food was no where near worth the price and the service wasn't too far ahead. If you are looking for a true dining experience to compare to this one, I would suggest 94 Stewart or Ephesus: both offer a romantic environment like Serafina, but the service and food are superior.

    (2)
  • Robyn H.

    Amazing atmosphere and wonderful food to accompany it. Its a special place to take that special someone and celebrate that special memory. I could fill up on appetizers alone but the entrees sounded so enticing that there was no way I was going to pass them up. Happy hour makes it affordable so stop in for a glass of wine and a piatti primo.

    (5)
  • Bob R.

    100 bucks down the drain at Serafina!! Hadn't been there in probably 15 years, so decided to take someone there for a special occasion. The mussels appetizer is still excellent. No complaints. The martini was half water (hey, gotta keep the pour cost down, right?), but the house white wine was OK. The halibut was a complete and utter disaster. Had I not been there with someone I didn't want to embarrass, I would have sent it back. Bland, COLD, puny little portion, flavorless - not worthy of the $24.00 price tag, heck, not worthy of a $10 price tag. It was nothing short of AWFUL. My guest had the pasta special - over-cooked, rubbery tube pasta stuffed with flavorless mushrooms and topped with disgusting melted cheese. Does the word GLOPPY conjure up anything for you? Well, it was a gloppy mess. Another disgusting entree. It will be another 15 years before I shell out that kind of money for the likes of what Serafina thinks passes as a decent meal. HIGHLY UNRECOMMENDED!!! p.s. service was fine - the waitress was great. the busboy was drop dead to-die-for cute! alas, not reason enough to return.

    (1)
  • India B.

    Lush ambience, AMAZING FOOD (please try the bruscetta, just do it for me), and a nice little bar accompany the sweet service at this Eastlake joint. There are a lot of regulars here, so if you want a new place to call CHEERS, this may be the place for you.

    (5)
  • Richard L.

    Exquisite italian food! Ambiance is great for a romantic date or celebrating a special occasion. Staff is very courteous and knowledgeable of the menu. I highly recommend their signature dish the 'Melanzane alla Serafina'. I'm not usually an eggplant fan but this dish is really wonderful! Since the restaurant is in the eastlake neighborhood street parking can be difficult to find sometimes. Make sure you check their webpage for directions to their parking lot (just a block away) to avoid the hassle.

    (5)
  • MM R.

    Top rated ambience at this cozy Italian joint. Nice patio out back. Often features live entertainment. Lovely place and consistently delicious meals.

    (4)
  • Ed R.

    I just wanted to take a moment to compliment the woman who waited on my brother and I this past Monday evening at Serafina. Sarah was exceptionally knowledgable, helpful, insightful, charming and generous -- all without being overbearing or hyper-vigilant. It may well have been one of the best restaurant meals I've experienced, and I've eaten in places all over the country and the world. Of course, the fact that the food was spectacular -- beautiful cheese plate, steak with marrow butter, braised rabbit pappardelle in a beautiful brodo and two desserts that were simply amazing. The fact that the wine she recommended was every bit up to our expectations helped a lot. But Sarah put it over the edge. I hope she's there next time I visit. I'm definitely looking forward to my next meal at Serafina.

    (5)
  • Bosule P.

    Excellent service, excellent food. The reason why I give it 5 stars because my overall experience with the food and staff was comfortable and kind -- and that goes a long way with me. Right as soon as we walked in, we were greeted promptly by--what seemed to be--the waiter/bartender/busboy/everything. He was extremely knowledgeable about their handmade foods; he could answer any question without hesitation. He was attentive and came by at the perfect time(s). He wasn't overbearing or neglecting. Most of all, he was kind and fun. As for the food, it really speaks for itself. A friend and I ordered 4 items, and each tasted delicious and perfectly cooked. I know I'll quickly become a frequent diner.

    (5)
  • Ed H.

    A steak that was beyond average. Wedge Salad. Tostinos with an olive tapenade that was quite heavenly. And yet we still left this particular restaurant feeling a bit without. Can't say why for sure. It could simply be that the tastes as good as they were did not justify the prices as high as they were. Good location. So we will probably try again.

    (3)
  • S S.

    Went here for brunch and had the most amazing experience! Amazing pork belly, live music (he even wore a sparkly vest!), great great drinks, and the atmosphere was fantastic! One star short of five because of the serving size in comparison to the price of dish is a little steep. I'll still be back! Most definitely!

    (4)
  • Jonathan N.

    Outstanding food and service. Loved the ambiance. Perfect for date night.

    (5)
  • Jennifer C.

    Food was unreal, service was fabulous and I would recommend this place to anyone who loves good high end Italian.

    (5)
  • Asashoryu S.

    Ok so I use to go to this place all the time. They have great handmade pasta and killer bloody marries. BUT! The last time I ate here there was a piece of metal in my pasta and I almost swallowed it. I complained to the manager and she made the one dish free and apologized but that was it. I will never eat here again for safety reasons.

    (1)
  • Shawn S.

    Serafina has a great atmosphere and the food is truly delicious. The presentation of the meals is beautiful and inviting. It was a bit warm in the restaurant & the seating is rather crowded so I'd recommend the patio seating if the weather permits. The service was attentive, friendly and particularly accommodating to substitutions and special requests. I've already recommended Serafina to friends and will most definitely be dining there again soon!

    (4)
  • Susan C.

    It's been about 10 years since I last visited Serafina, It's a nice little restaurant, full of ambiance and romance, decent enough food, excellent cocktails and even better service, but I could probably wait another 10 before returning. The good - in order Our service - alas, didn't even catch her name - was wonderful, knowledgeable and professional. She tried to sell all the specials, but threw in her own personal favorites and was right on about everything she suggested. This was a Friday night and the place was totally packed, but her demeanor and professionalism sure didn't make us feel like it. The cocktails - the concoctions are classy and creative. Server recommended the Braci (I'm a sucker for Bourbon) which was OK but I liked my friend's special of the day cocktail a lot better (sorry, can't remember the name - vodka and gin I believe - somewhat similar to a Vesper in taste). However, the goblet-like glass was only half full, like someone had sucked half of it dry. For $10/glass, this pisses me off. The meh,,, The food - The food was not terrible. However, the special of the day pasta stuffed with rabbit and parmesan decorated with mushrooms was a little too salty for my taste. The pasta itself is homemade and not bad, but it wasn't outstanding as I expected. A friend had the pork belly appetizer (yes, just pork belly appetizer - she's on some weird diet that only allows her unlimited desserts and fatty appetizer combinations). It was just ok, but nothing spectacular. My other friend's Eggplant Parmesan was probably the standout - light and delicate on the cheese, despite the mound of sauce that was on it. The portion was also huge. She finished it all (she's smaller than the plate, btw). For dessert we had the most bizarre chestnut honey cake with a side of cream and blackberry sauce. (This was the special, and I think the specialty was that it was especially weird.) It was more savory (which our server did explain, but which went right over s our heads when we saw the word DESSERT) than sweet. The cake was dry and overly sweet. The cream was odd and peppered (yes, peppered). The blackberry jam is blackberry jam. Remember that Sesame Street song, "One of these things (is not like the others)" well, none of these things fits in with the other. While I did complain about the dessert and was offered a sub, my Asian girlfriends were too polite to say NO...because, well...they're Asian. The pork belly friend took it home. Not sure what she's going to do with it - maybe use the cake as a paper weight? Time will tell.

    (3)
  • Wayne B.

    Went here for Jazz Sunday Brunch. While the service was outstanding, we all were very disappointed that there was NOJAZZ. Instead there was a fiddle player presenting his rendition of pop and other songs. Food was good and the drinks were good. Prices not so good considering....

    (3)
  • Paul C.

    Always enjoy dinner here! Everything on the menu that we have tried is outstanding! You can tell the level of quality that goes into each dish. Looking forward to trying this place again!!

    (5)
  • Shaunessy J.

    This is hand's down one of our favorite restaurants for special occasions. Delicious food, excellent service, great wine list, cozy atmosphere.

    (5)
  • Jamie S.

    Felt right at home! New to Seattle and found our new favorite spot! Amazing food, service, and atmosphere. No rushing you out the door and band playing was great to listen to. We will be back.

    (5)
  • Kaberi C.

    Sigh. It's always a sad thing to write an unfavorable review of a restaurant that you were very excited to visit. But when you spend over $150 on a disappointing dinner experience, in an era of shared economies and user reviews, I feel that it is only right that I share my story. My boyfriend and I went to celebrate our anniversary at Serafina last night. We made a reservation a week ahead and let them know it was our anniversary. We were greeted by a grumpy hostess who gave us a table by the door, right under the bright neon Seraphina sign with a cold gust of wind coming through the window. The table was so awkward that he and I were seated side by side rather than each other and we had a view of the grumpy hostess being grumpy to other guests and people on the phone. When we requested a different table, the gentleman who re-seated us rolled his eyes and gave us a contrived smile. Fortunately, our server was competent and welcoming. However, food service (1 bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 mains and 1 dessert with a wine pairing) took over 3 hours (no exaggeration), with no explanation of why this was the world's slowest meal. Perhaps our experience thus far had spoiled our mood but we didn't find the food all that fantastic. The ravioli was impressive but the squid couscous appetizer was doused in a tomato sauce that eliminated any other flavors, the $32 scallop special was the smallest amount of food I have ever seen served on a plate and the squid ink tagliarini was unremarkable. The dessert (chocolate cake with strawberries) was similarly mediocre. The only things that were very good were the wines - we ordered a bottle of delicious dolcetto from the Piedmont region and the dessert wine that comes paired with the dessert was delicate and flavorful. Seattle is filled with wonderful restaurant so I don't think we'll be returning to Serafina. Rather, we'll be right across at Cicchetti, where the food, service and ambience is memorable and worth the money we spend.

    (3)
  • Jim D.

    I've been coming here for years. It's a great place to take a date, your mother in law, or for a classy late night snack. Romantic ambiance, solid food. Reasonable price. A perfect neighborhood staple!

    (5)
  • Andrew H.

    This place has good food and a good ambiance. The Bolognese/ragu is particularly memorable/dependable. I tend to take my mother here for her birthday or Mother's day. She likes the veal meatballs and mojitos.

    (5)
  • Anony M.

    The Plin, a pasta filled with braised pork is so flavorful. I may be biased on my rating because I love this dish so much. The mussels for appetizer was not that good. Did not seem fresh. Nice live music at times, and I also like to grab dessert next door at Cicchetti (sister restaurant).

    (5)
  • Trevor P.

    Perfect neighborhood restaurant. They often have great live music that adds to the quaint ambiance.

    (5)
  • Jerry M.

    Great food and the staff were cool.

    (4)
  • Peter H.

    So I came here during my family trip to Seattle and Canada. This was our last destination during our relaxing weekend trip. I looked up restaurants on yelp and seeing how this restaurant had pretty good reviews, my family and I decided to try it out. Parking was a bit of a snag, there really isn't a parking lot for miles so you just have to street park it somewhere in the neighborhoods. The venue is pretty nice though, there's an outdoor seating and indoor seating which both have a pretty good feel to it. Now, the table that I was seated at was right in the middle of the two, we had an indoor seat that was in the transition to the open patio, and we were there at around 6pm when the sun was just about to set. The sun glared straight into our eyes the whole time we waited for our food...not really the best seat in the house for that time. When we got there, it wasn't too busy but looked like there were a couple of tables filled, so I don't understand why it took over 45 mins for 4 dishes to come out...me and my family were just sitting there with the sun just beaming into our faces for 45 mins not even being able to have a full conversation because it was so loud next to the kitchen where we were seated. The food was decent, not the best pasta or steak out there but better then average. If it was for a different seating and better service I probably would of had a better time with the place and probably enjoyed my food better too.

    (2)
  • Peter C.

    Serafina is one of those restaurants that I always heard about but never managed to visit. For years, it would come up in conversation, or I would drive by and say to myself, "I've really gotta try that place." Of course, I'd promptly forget about it when I was planning a night out. Well, I finally remembered, and all I can say is that I'm sorry I waited so long. Serafina is a gem. Their service was outstanding. Our waiter, Sara, was enjoyable and friendly, and provided great recommendations and advice. She even brought us a few treats to whet our appetites and let us sample the menu.The food was all perfectly prepared and a wonderful mix of flavors and preparation. I didn't love everything I had but it wasn't because of preparation or execution. In fact, my only real complaint was the seating which was a bit rustic and uncomfortable. But this is a minor quibble as it didn't really distract from the experience. I just think it could be better. Serafina is intimate and comfortable though it can get loud. I will definitely put this place into regular rotation for dining out.

    (4)
  • Ken L.

    I regret that I must push against the grain on this one. Serafina, admittedly, ranked high on my priority list for a dinner meeting, did not come through. Not one of the five offerings ordered supplied mastication gratification during the most crucial event of my weekdays - the coveted Happy Hour timeslot. For me, Happy Hour allows time to unwind with a brewski, a couple glasses of red paired with fun, exciting nibbles as I unload the day's stress. What was on tap: Veal Meatballs with an al dente' portion of pasta, small salad composed of maybe four pieces of butter lettuce topped with pickled radish, pork belly cuts that are crispy but interior meat overcooked (I compare this to reheated Chinese roasted pig leftovers), okayish calamari, way too doughy Plin pasta (though sauce was melt in your mouth taste), and Amstel Light. Unexcited and frustrated, I left to my value minded, ace in the hole location nearby for ramen to finish out the night (Aloha Ramen).

    (2)
  • Philip S.

    Dinner for 10. Perfect. Staff assisted in menu planning and wine selection to create special dinner for staff. Perfectly hosted and served. Perfect food all around. difficult if not impossible to get this level of personal attention in most places. And it all came in at within 10% of my price point with gratuity. Perfect.

    (5)
  • Oksana K.

    Really cool spot. Gorgeous restaurant inside and out. Very small so it's good for a date night. I came here on a first date with the most awkward guy ever - blah - but the place was really nice. I actually didn't order any food, just drinks, but the whole feel of the place I really liked. Would definitely come back again!

    (4)
  • Ashley W.

    Came here for brunch. Honestly the dinner menu looked a lot better but we were mostly drinking anyway. Had the frommagio et salumi (sorry for spelling) and it was amazing. The fruit plate was better than imagined and the cocktails are not only creative and original, but also well balanced! I highly suggest the house infusions as they are very well done. Their house made dessert coffee liqueurwas phenomenal. The scenery is impressive compared to the look outside. There are beautiful skylights. All around authentic type feel. Great wait staff.

    (5)
  • Elle P.

    Just adore the atmosphere here for a romantic dinner. It is such a cozy and intimate space. Our server was very attentive and made excellent suggestions. The chicken dish was a little over-salted (and I'm a big fan of salt!) but we will be back again and again.

    (4)
  • Anita C.

    Intimate, romantic restaurant with superior service and tasty food. However, be forewarned that this place is on the expensive side and they have a $5 split entree fee, which I think is unfair. The interior of this restaurant is lovely - dimly light and a perfect date night spot. They had live bass and piano players that were playing great music all night - not so loud you couldn't hear your companion, but enough to enjoy. I went with a larger group of 7 but I would really recommend coming here as a pair or as a group of 3 - it's really more suited for smaller groups. I was able to sample: -Calamari: amazing. Not deep fried, and cooked in a great red sauce with both sweet and spicy kicks. -Pappardelle with braised beef: a little on the saltier side, but the braised beef was delicious. -Spaghetti with crab: this dish was too salty. I didn't try the eggplant but heard great things about it. When the girl who ordered the spaghetti told the waitress the dish was too salty, the waitress immediately offered to remake the dish. My friend asked for a different dish to go because we were on a bit of a time crunch, however the chef had already started cooking the first pasta dish. The waitress ended up comp'ing the pasta dish from our bill, and my friend walked away with 2 pasta dishes to sample. At the end, they brought out heavenly hazelnut gelato profiteroles with chocolate sauce drizzled over them. Heaven. In My. Mouth. I could have licked the plate if it was socially appropriate. I'll definitely be back - however not in a group setting. Lovely service, great ambiance, and a couple of good dishes - Serafina is a great spot.

    (4)
  • Cynthy C.

    A group of us dined at Serafina and walked away very satisfied! We enjoyed yummy Italian dishes including house-made pastas with tasty flavor combo's. From the smokey, delicious mussels to the soft and tender culurgiones, the dishes were all well prepared. Also, the service was attentive and at the right, relaxed pace. We weren't rushed and the servers facilitated our desire to dine "family style". In summary, Serafina was a great dining experience -- great food, excellent service and a relaxed atmosphere. Good drinks at the bar, too!

    (4)
  • Megan H.

    I love this place. I've been here twice now, once for early brunch and once for a late night bite in the bar. The brunch pre fixe menu can be a bit much food so you might want to split or consider something lighter but all the dishes I've tried here so far are great!

    (5)
  • O. P.

    Come here to get consistently good wine. The sommelier is talented without being pretentious. The food is good too. I had a perfectly cooked pork chop.

    (5)
  • Bosco B.

    Serafina is consistently great. We've dined here for years and never had a disappointing evening. The menu seems to vary appropriately with the seasons. Food is excellent with a wine list, though not huge, has excellent options. It's a relatively small venue but seating is very comfortable. The bar is small but friendly. Would recommend Serafina to anyone but wouldn't recommend bringing young children.

    (5)
  • Erin Y.

    I came here for Sunday brunch on a Groupon and had a great experience! My Fiancee and I walked in at about 12 without a reservation. It was crowded, but they didn't get bat an eyelash. We were seated right away. I like the fact that we didn't feel "judged' by coming in with a Groupon, like some places make you feel. Our waitress was awesome. I have to say that the fruit plate that was included with the Groupon was lame- two tiny orange slices, pineapple, cantaloupe and melon. It's $5 on the menu- skip it. As a "chef's gift" we were brought out two doughnut holes, which I couldn't eat because I'm gluten free, but my fiancee enjoyed. I was a bit nervous about coming off as annoying because I had a Groupon and have to eat gluten free- this is Italian! But even with the business of the restaurant, our waitress assured me to choose what I wanted, that they could make almost anything gluten free. She also stayed and chatted about other gluten free restaurants in Seattle that she enjoys. To eat I got the braised short ribs with polenta and a poached egg. It was really good! My fiancee got some kind of egg dish with fennel sausage which was also delicious. The prices are reasonable without a Groupon- They have a $22 pre-fixe brunch menu. The atmosphere was pleasant with soft music in the background. I will definitely be back here again.

    (4)
  • Lily L.

    I am an absolute fan of this restaurant. If I could go bi-weekly, I would. There is always so much to try and even sometimes, I just want to order the same dish. I have only been here for dinner, but there has never been a disappointing meal at Serafina. The staff is professional in serving, knowing what's in the dish and what wine pairs well with each dish, and even checking up on their customers. Some recommendations are: Pasta: Plin or bucatini Meat: pork chop or quail Soup: three lily soup Seafood: seafood stufato Dessert: toasted walnut cake The atmosphere is intimate be it with close friends or a special someone. You can dress casual or dressy. On special occasions, there is live music and can get pretty rowdy, but nothing too crazy. The restaurant is just as nice enough to have dessert and wine, but if you want the full experience, dinner is the way to go.

    (5)
  • Sen Z.

    This place was popular. It was packed when we arrived there for a Saturday dinner, which made it a little bit too loud. We were seated outside, but it was still hard to hear each other. We ordered mussels, salmon and pork chop. The pork chop was delicious; other two were good. Food: 3.5 Ambience: 3.5 Service: 4.5 Value: 3.5

    (4)
  • Mandy C.

    Nice little romantic spot. The dim lighting, the close seating. It was really intimate and everyone was politely quiet in there regardless of the amount of people. My cousin had her bachelorette dinner here, and they were VERY accommodating for a group of 8. Although the menu is a bit on the steeper side, the ingredients are DEFINITELY worth it. Fresh, light, and the serving sizes really aren't that bad. I ordered the Melanzane alla Serafina ($20.95), and it was beyond amazing to me that the egglant was SO good, it was reminiscent of a lasagna. So good! Matter of fact, now that I'm thinking about it, it's making my mouth water. The location isn't too bad either. It's very discreet and not in the heart of downtown, which was kind of a nice get away from all the other hustle and bustle restaurants.

    (4)
  • Sterling C.

    Serafina is one of the best Italian restaurants in the greater Seattle area. The ambience, service, menu and wine list all make this place a guaranteed success. You cannot go wrong. The best time to visit this restaurant is during their winter menu. Why? The answer is simple. Because that's when the butternut squash ravioli in and a brown butter sage sauce is on the menu. This is the only place where my favorite dish hasn't had blood pumping through its veins at an earlier time. Also worth ordering is the osso bucco, pappardelle, and the pork belly which is surprisingly good--more Chinese in flavor than Italian. One of the downsides is that parking is extremely difficult and scarce nearby the restaurant. Aside from having two parking tickets to prove it, I've probably spent as much time driving around the block repetitively as I have spent inside eating. After too long, I discovered a parking lot above the strip mall two blocks North and to the right.

    (4)
  • James L.

    So we decided to try Serafina for our one year anniversary and to tell you the truth, I have had better rustic preparations. I will go through each course as I remember it. First I will begin with our non-alcoholic beverages. I had the Kaufmann Kooler and she had an amazingly refreshing orange type of beverage. This, besides the service was the highlight of the evening. Our first course was the Bruschetta, her pick. Now this is not your typical cookie cutter bruschetta; think of it as a deconstructed Bruschetta, with your non-traditional options to place on your toasted bread. Your three selections included an Olive Tapenade (so-so), Chevre with Mama Lil Peppers (yummy), and an "olive oil-poached Albacore tuna with capers and lemon" which looked liked tuna salad straight out of the can, didn't even try it... Secondly, a Spicy Carrot Soup... This was a nice soup, but it was extremely heavy and was chock was of heavy cream. Could have used some type of acidity of brightness to it, but overall a nice soup. Entrees: Hers, the Eggplant with Ricotta Cheese, which looked like it was on a bed of red sauce and some spaghetti, a confused dish. The dish says its baked, but it looks like the eggplant is breaded and pan seared and then maybe its baked. It just had this oily texture about it and I know eggplant gets a little soft during preparation, but it just had a not so appealing texture. Mine: I decided to go with the Scallop dish, and for the price of it, I expected a little more. The scallops were beautifully prepared, inside and out, but the succotash-like bed was a bit lackluster and the sauce was quite greasy and it lacked seasoning. The only seasoning came from the finocchiona pork that was in the mix. All in all, I would have chosen something different. Dessert: This was the next best compared to the beverages. She had the Honeycrisp apple-olive oil cake and that was great. I finished with a cheese plate and a doppio; sublime. Overall, I would not go back. The server and the SA were great and very non-intrusive, something I really appreciate. But in regards to food, I will choose somewhere else next time.

    (2)
  • Christy G.

    Why are the hostesses so snobby & rude? We've been coming here for 13 years and never once has a hostess been courteous or nice. The food, waiters/waitresses, & atmosphere are great. Unfortunately, the pretentious hostesses create quite a turn off upon walking in - every single time. Happy they have loyal followers, ourselves included. Hoping one day their hostesses treat their long-standing (and new) customers with respect rather than unnecessary pomp & snobbishness.

    (1)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
  • Mon : 11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Romantic
    Noise Level : Average
    Music : Live
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : Yes
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : No
    Dogs Allowed : No
    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.

Serafina

Share with your social network

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.