Cynara Restaurant & Lounge

Awesome dinner that we have. I had the seafood rose pasta, it was so perfectly good. The employees were very nice and gave us details of what the food and drinks are. Good service there.

I heard about Cynara from someone who’s lived in Olympia for 30 years, so I thought it was worth checking out. However, as someone who moved here from Russia, I have pretty high standards when it comes to both food and service. When I heard this place had been recommended by someone local, I thought it must be good enough to give a try. We decided to share two appetizers and one main dish, knowing that American portions can be huge. I believe it’s totally reasonable to order one dish to share when the portions are so large, and we weren’t starving either. We ordered the artichoke hearts, lamb skewers, and duck in pomegranate sauce, which was priced at $48. When I order a dish for $48, I expect it to be excellent. I didn’t want to risk trying the $60 steaks or filet mignon because I wasn’t feeling confident about the place. The cocktail I ordered didn’t impress me much either. I typically enjoy cocktails, but this one didn’t stand out and didn’t make me want another. The food itself was fine—nothing special at all. The dishes looked as plain in photos as they tasted. As for the duck, my husband didn’t like it at all. The texture didn’t appeal to him. Personally, I’ve eaten duck at several upscale restaurants, so I know it was cooked to a good medium-rare, with a nice sear on the skin. However, I believe the sauce should not have been poured directly over the duck—some people might prefer to have it on the side. The pomegranate seeds were probably the best part of the dish, and the sauce wasn’t bad, but overall, it didn’t feel like anything memorable. I’ll give credit where it’s due—the service was great. The staff, especially the hostess who seated us and our server, were friendly, attentive, and made an effort to provide good service. But despite the nice service, I didn’t enjoy the meal, and I don’t feel compelled to return. The overall experience didn’t live up to the hype. If you’re expecting a “high-end” place, I’d say this restaurant doesn’t quite deliver on that front. It’s an okay spot, but not remarkable. One more thing—I love seafood, and I was surprised that the seafood offerings here were limited to a soup, pasta, and salmon. Given that the restaurant is located by the harbor, I expected to see fresh oysters or some other unique seafood dishes, but there was nothing like that. The artichoke hearts were fine, but again, nothing special—just deep-fried artichokes on a plate. If you’re looking for something truly outstanding, Cynara might not be the place. All in all, it was a decent experience, but I won’t be rushing back anytime soon.

I was impressed with how the food tasted. I’ve tried the lamb stew and my husband had the lamb skewers! For dessert we had the homemade baklava, with ice cream! Delicious!!! We will definitely come back here!

We stopped in on the way home from an epic Olympic park weekend visit. We were craving flavor and Cynara delivered. Lamb stew, lamb skewers, Cauliflower (main meal) and of course baklava. The harissa that comes with the skewers was smokey and spicy (heat). The stew meat was tender, the Cauliflower with pomegranate drizzle and rice pilf was savory with a touch of sweet. Baklava with the ice cream need I say more check the photo! This place has options for everyone.

A great spot for food and drink! We had the pleasure of being served by Jamey and Jamey (Jsquared) they were fast friendly and attentive. The food was great and full of flavor. As you walk in the door the aromas make you want to sample everything! If you like bread pudding, inquire within

We were brought here by some friends and what a gem! The food was AMAZING and now we can't stop recommending it to others! Definitely check it out.

I went recently to happy hour to escape the horror of I-5 and was pleasantly surprised. I had never been there before but had a pleasant time. The service was great and the bartender Jamie was extremely friendly. I ordered from the happy hour menu and loved my burger. It was well seasoned and had crispy edges which I like. I will be back for date night to give it a try. Thabks for a great experience.

This has to be the best eggs benedict I’ve ever had!!! Love the ambiance of Cynara, feels very classy/elegant. Wonderful, friendly waitress. Wonderful brunch after the farmer’s market. Will be back to try more!

We went to Cynara for the first time for our 47th wedding anniversary. It was a fabulous experience from start to finish. The cocktails were amazing (lots of gin to choose from), the food and service was top notch. Thanks to our server Bethany for making us feel special as we celebrated. Don't miss the baklava crumble for dessert! Will definitely be back.

Hidden gem when we visited Centralia for a volleyball tournament. Menu is limited. However high quality of their steak and fries made up for the lack of choices. Super tender. Sauce was good I should have ordered another dish but we came late past their last call.

Mushroom soup was delicious. Fried artichoke was overdone and the Mac and cheese had very little flavor. Disappointed.

We got recommendations to go here, so we went as a group. The seating was super comfortable, pretty art and nice location. The people serving our meal were really nice, hospitable, and so fast! It was almost as if we ordered ahead! But they didn't in any way pressure us to finish. Our cocktails were really good, inventive! The food was delicious, starting with the amazing wild mushroom soup. Delicious entrees, and a beautiful, enjoyable dessert. It was an expensive dinner, but we had a lot of food and drinks.

The food here is of great quality and impressed my picky friend. The service from Jamie is impeccable and the music here?! Slay. Love Moloko. 10/10 recommend.

We had heard some great things from our friends about this place, so we thought we'd give it a try! We're so glad we did! We started the evening off with an order of deep fried artichokes! Great spice and a garlic aioli to dip the crispy morsels into! We scarfed those right up! Sooo good! had the wild mushroom risotto and added chicken. It was a creamy, dreamy deliciousness! So rich and decadent! The chicken was cooked perfectly and full of flavor! My husband had the harissa glazed salmon. It was a little dry, but he enjoyed it with the glaze! We also had a bourbon barrel peach cider to wash it all down. To top off the evening, we shared the baklava crumble for dessert. Think vanilla ice cream with slices of baklava layers crumbled on top. It had layers of flavor including cinnamon and honey. Yum! We had such a great evening. Our server Jamie was so sweet and offered suggestions when asked, and came back to check on us multiple times. She made our dinner date night special, and thank you to Wade, our host for the evening!

I can't say enough positive things about Cynara, their manager Ross, Chef Wade and servers Bobbi and Jessica, not to mention the food. I reserved the Olympic room for a surprise 60th birthday party for my wife. They came up with a fantastic appetizer and drink menu that had variety and tasted amazing. They were amazingly flexible and when the guest list expanded beyond the room's capacity they were able to pivot and include more space at the last minute. The settings were elegant, the food was great and the servers were rock stars! I highly recommend them for your next event. We've eaten there several times and it has been consistently great. Thank you Cynara, Ross, Wade, Bobbi and Jessica!

First visit and intended to order from the regular menu but found out they have happy hour options. Food was heavily discounted, $5 burger and skinny fries. Really good burger. Also ordered the chicken Veronique and happy hour Mac n cheese. Both good dishes. Chicken may was slightly overdone. Food came out so quickly I wonder if it was parcooked. Great gin selection as well as interesting cocktails featuring gin. Solid bar options. Very efficient and pleasant service.

Great restaurant. Service was spectacular and so was the food! Great location by the water.

Had a lovely meal and amazing service at Cynara last night! Very friendly and efficient service from our waitress, Jaimie. She had GREAT recommendations for food and drinks! Romantic ambiance in the restaurant! Strongly recommend for any date night!

Always after the perfect Rib Eye. Went here for wifeys birthday. Was pleased to see Rib Eye on the menu. Others in the group had salmon, filet, and pasta. All in the group were members of the clean plate club. Food was delicious. Service was excellent. Definitely will come again.

Went there for happy hour, but didn't find anything on the very limited happy hour menu that we wanted. So we just ordered from the main appetizer menu. Pretty expensive. Two appetizers two drinks and a bowl of soup $110. but everything was delicious. We sat in the bar area, but I feel like we got waited on by everyone that worked there. Service was outstanding. Really nice feel to the place. Upscale but not snobby. Would go back, but not for happy hour. There were a few other items that I would like to try that sounded good.

While the sit down restaurant dinner menu is incredible, this place also has the best happy hour in town buck for buck. You have to sit in the bar / tall tops but the drinks are delicious, the staff is lovely and the food is really quality. I like the lamb, the artichoke and the burger is always raved about. Definitely one of the better restaurants in Olympia proper for dinner or happy hour with food.

Best cocktails and best food in Oly. we've been here maybe six or seven times and have yet to be disappointed. The food is fantastic and beautifully balanced. I wouldn't normally have tried the lamb stew because lamb isn't my favorite and apricots are certainly not my favorite thing to put with meat but my husband ordered it and I have to say it's just phenomenal. We've had all the salads on the menu and most of the apps and truly-the food is amazing!

Amazing brunch! The staff was attentive and the space felt luxurious. The French toast had so many different textures and flavors, it was delicious!

The food here? Don't know sadly, we just came here for drinks. But the drinks were prepared with high end liquor and the service was remarkable! Not only would I come back for their happy hour, I would want to make this a go to relaxing bar!

We came here for a glass of wine, but I would love to come back for dinner. Our waitress was very friendly and we loved being able to soak up the sun on their patio. Fun location where you can see the dock too.

The food was quite good but the service was mindless. The paella wasn't paella but it was a pretty good jambalaya. The grilled romaine and the pita with chevre were also good. We order the grilled romaine and chevre as a first course. Within a few minutes another waiter came out and plopped the paella down. He brought us a second plate to split the dish but no spoon to do it with. So much for courses. We asked the waitress to clear our plates while we looked at the dessert menu. She did and left us to sit at a very dirty table. We skipped dessert and left.

Enjoyed everything about my visit. Easy parking, warm atmosphere, deliciously spiced lamb stew and warm bread pudding.

Amazing food and huge gin menu. Cynara serves Greek food with a modern twist. Everything we ordered was fresh, artfully prepared and delicious.

Food was good and portions were perfect. The atmosphere was nice. Our server seemed a bit new, and wasn't super attentive to us and just made a lot of small mistakes / ultimately, one of the drinks was made wrong, and one of our pita bread appetizers came with the wrong dip. We ate it anyway, because we just got in from out of town and were ravenous. I had the mushroom risotto and added prawns. The variety of mushrooms was a delight, and the prawns were grilled nicely and not overcooked. Wish I took a picture, but I was too hungry! Would return here.

Went here recently for Valentine's Day and had a really enjoyable dinner. Service was spot on, drinks were delicious (michters black manhattan and nisqually ghost are highly recommended) and the food was good. The atmosphere is nice, darkly lit which I prefer and warm enough. Lots of parking options even though it was packed. My only critique is that dollar for dollar, it's a bit on the high side for the value. Thanks for a great meal!

We were in Olympia at the market after a brief stop at the Thurston County Fairgrounds to look at native plants (Boring? Maybe?). We didn't want to eat at the market and found Cynara a quick walk away. We were seated quickly by a friendly hostess. Our server was very busy but quick and friendly. We ordered the serouda dip, lamb pita, and lamb stew. The serouda dip came pretty quickly and was almost like a chickpea mash with seasoning, not like a creamy hummus. But man, it was tasty! The pita chips are clearly made in house and well seasoned. The lunch dishes took a bit longer and our server (who also the bartender) checked in regularly and ensured that drinks were refilled. The lamb stew brought a little heat from the harissa (which our server mentioned when ordered) and was delicious. The lamb in both dishes was perfectly cooked. The lamb in the sandwich was well seasoned. For friendly service and good food I recommend Cynara.

What went well!? Everything! The food, service and ambience was incredible. I was in the restaurant with a large group of 10 people. Not only were we enchanted by the ambiance, Shazam worthy playlist but we also thought the cocktails and food was spectacular. When out I tend to order an old fashioned. This is the benchmark for me. If the old fashioned is off, then I should lower my expectations. Let me just say the old fashioned was perfect, and I mean perfect. So compliments to the bar tender. In addition, I am Impressed that the chef stopped by to see if we were all enjoying our food. I love it when the chef takes a moment to connect with his diners. In our party we enjoyed the artichoke pasta, the cauliflower, the Moroccan stew, and assorted appetizers. I should have paused to take pictures before we all started eating. But I didn't. So let's imagine perfectly toasted bread, minimalist and casual platings, perfectly seasoned saffron rice with je ne sais quoi.... Allspice? I will wrap it up. But I will just conclude if you are looking for a perfect spot for a proper meal where you can enjoy a slow meal with special people, this is a great choice.

I've eaten here a few time, different dishes for lunch and dinner and even tried their happy hour burger. The cocktails are good. Each visit was pleasant with good food and nice service. The place is clean and modern, I like the little outside patio during warmer/dryer weather. One of the restaurants in Olympia we like to go to. I hope it will pick up a few more guests because at times it was empty and, even so I don't like large crowds, neither do I want to sit in a mostly empty place.

I had to check this place out because it advertised "Olympia's best happy hour"! It did not disappoint! The staff were so friendly and fun! Food and drinks were very cheap during happy hour and definitely the best mac "n cheese I've ever had! Unique and flavorful dishes! The food was so delicious we went back the next day for brunch! Lamb hash was excellent!! Can't wait to try more things on their menu!

New two dishes on the menu. Roasted deck and clams Mediterranean. Both are delicious!!!!!

Food was not bad but not great. Just didn't meet the mark...service was good. Ambiance is just ok...the bar seems better than the restaurant... restaurant feels more like a nursing home cafe... dark colors... 90s decor

The price wine high for the quality .lamb was good good service good ambience place very comfortable

We stopped in here for snacks, drinks, and to get a takeaway meal for my mom who was visiting and staying in the nearby hotel. We sat at the bar and they grabbed us cocktails and a charcuterie board while we waited for her meal. The bartender was pleasant and helpful in ordering and I really appreciated them subbing this, subtracting that, and changing this to fit the high standard mum's preferences. I loved the gluten free designations on the menu and thought everything sounded really good, wish we could have eaten here ourselves! The charcuterie was pretty good but in my opinion needed something else fresh like an apple or something to offset the richness of the cheese and meat. The cocktails were great. We appreciated their attention and service while we waited and my oh so picky mother found everything to be acceptable - that's high praise fyi!! Looking forward to trying this place again sometime in the future and enjoying some of the delicious sounding entrees.

Food was great and service was nice. Good ambiance, in a good location. Street parking was easy to get on a Friday night and the window seating was nice.

We did a bar hop in Olympia and this was hands done the best!! Try the Horbor Royal We did a bar hop in Olympia and this was hands done the best!! Try the Horbor Royal

The food here is fantastic, as are the cocktails. It's a warm, classy yet casual vibe, with great service and is the kind of place you can always count on for friendly, impeccable service and delicious food. The kitchen knows what it's doing! Same for the bartenders. Cynara always impresses. It's perfect for special occasions, and a no-brainer for taking friends from out of town, yet also fine to come as you are for a quick meal and drink. They have an excellent happy hour, and comfortable outdoor seating, too. And did I mention their desserts? You'll definitely want to leave room for that!

Actually if there was an option, I'd give it zero stars. We were refused service by the event planner abruptly after returning a signed contract 10 days before they were to host our son's wedding dinner in the private room. Highly disrespectful and extremely unprofessional. We took our business elsewhere.

Stopped by here for a team dinner (approx 10-12 of us) on Tuesday evening and this place did have some crowd for a rainy day in Olympia. At first the ambience was nice and upscale. We were promptly seated and ordered the following: 1. Lamb Skewers - This was tasty but the lamb was chewy. Flavors were good but the rubbery texture vs melt in your mouth feel ruined this for us. 2. Cynara Toast - This was delicious and we all enjoyed this platter 3. Prawns Romesco - This was again delicious and we enjoyed the prawns. Wish they served more per plate but we devoured this one. 4. Cauliflower Entree - This dish lacked flavors and seasoning and did not seem well cooked either. My colleagues who had been to Cynara in the past remember this dish being way better and were disappointed with how it tasted on the day we went together. 5. Wild Salmon - The salmon was charred and dry. Once again overcooked and ruined the taste for us 6. Mushroom Risotto - This was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed the risotto Apart from this we ordered a couple of bottles of wine and they had a good selection which we all enjoyed. We also ordered their old fashioned and it was too sugar syrupy for us. We skipped desserts this time. Service was great, staff was polite and the dishes did come out pretty fast. Unfortunately, since their dishes are a hit or miss I am not a fan.

Odd. Place had plenty of space, Bar had 8 seats. We asked to be seated. Was told would take 10 minutes. Ask again about bar, still could not seat us for 10 minutes. Awful. Left. First time there too. Came in for dessert and a drink.

If I could leave a 0 star I would. Me, and a group of colleagues were in town for a work event and staying nearby. When we walked in, hoping to enjoy the happy hour. But upon walking in, we were turned away by the gentleman at the host stand who looked at us (we were in business attire), looked at his tables, and told us he didn't have room, we asked how long the wait would be and he said that the "no seating" would "bleed into the evening". This was off putting because there were plenty of seats open both in the right side section of the restaurant and then the entire left side was completely open. No clue how the food is, honestly we were excited to try it and were extremely off put by the service.

Even though the room is surrounded by windows, sure felt dark inside. We were quickly seated and given menus. Order taken timely and drinks delivered quickly. All good so far. We're there for lunch and several items on the menu looked interesting but were put off by the prices. Maybe it's the area and they feel they need to be an expensive place. Wife and I both ordered a chicken sandwich. I thought the taste was fine but wife said the dressing they used was gross. She didn't eat hers. I was also put off by the serving size. The sandwich was on a bun that was a little bigger than a slider with shoestring fries. So if you like small servings at a high price, this place is for you. I however won't be back.

Date night, on a Wednesday early evening. Plenty of open seating, well appointed and great lighting. This is a great looking place. The bar is well appointed and pleasing to the eye. Drinks were great as was the service. I just wasn't wow'd by the menu. Great choices but missing something. House salad and the tomato bisque were great. With a salad each we opted to split appetizers with Lamb skewers and artichoke hearts. The lamb was tender and very flavorful. Artichoke was the star of the show. We also tried the Bananas Foster mixed drink that was GREAT! I had an Amber beer from Headless Mumby - local Olympia brew (give this a try). It's really a nice place on a great location.

I took my husband here for dinner to celebrate his 50th birthday, and it did not disappoint. We had reservations for 6:30, and were seated immediately. We started with two amazing gin cocktails and the lamb skewer appetizer, which had a wonderful red pepper sauce with a little kick. For entrees, we had the lamb stew, and the pork belly and shrimp. The dishes came out perfectly, and both were very good. The pork belly was perfectly crisp and seasoned, and the lamb had a rich, complex flavor. For dessert we shared the peach bread pudding. Service was attentive and kind. A perfect meal to quietly ring in a milestone birthday!

Agree that the food is good, especially happy hour. My issue is the lack of ambiance, not a candle, flower or anything else that would make me want to go back and "settle in". Agree with comment about feeling like it's a nursing home cafeteria!! Wouldn't take much to warm the place up and more inviting.

one of my favorite places to go to in Olympia for tasty bone marrow and filet mignon, highly recommend

Cynara opened in September but had to close due to Covid and has recently re-opened. I had dinner here tonight (14 March 2021) and had a very pleasant experience. I chose to sit at one of the three high-top tables in the bar area. The atmosphere was very easy-going and quiet. There were 4 other customer groups dining while I was there. For my appetizer I chose to order the charcuterie (meat only) plate that featured pancetta, capicola, and genoa with 3 slices of nicely charred toast, a handful of dried apricots and a small tub of mustard. All of this appetizer was new to me and I enjoyed every bite!! The pancetta was delicious. I was saddened to see only one slice was served. The capicola was a spicy variety and had a pleasant spicy bite to it. The genoa was a great counterpoint to the capicola. My entrée was the Filet Mignon with a cream sauce served with charred asparagus and Greek smashed potatoes. I ordered my Filet Mignon medium-rare and it was cooked perfectly. The Filet Mignon practically melted in my mouth. The asparagus was incredible. The char intensified the flavor of the asparagus, I loved it! For dessert I chose the Baklava Crumble served over vanilla ice cream. I have recently returned from Iraq and the baklava from Cynara was very close to the baklava I enjoyed in Iraq. The vanilla ice cream was the perfect accompaniment for the baklava. Then, as an after dinner aperitif, I ordered a shot of Pappy Van Winkle 10 year old Bourbon. I have never had Pappy Van Winkle and always wanted to try it. When I saw that listed on the menu, I knew I had to take this opportunity to taste some. I was not disappointed. Cynara is rather expensive, but I believe it to be worth every cent. My bill was over $100 for my meal, this included a double-shot of Maker's Mark that I drank with my meal. If I lived in Olympia I would definitely visit regularly. I am very happy I had the chance to dine in Cynara tonight.

Grilled romaine salad. 5 Service. Very sweet 5 Artichoke pasta 4* Filet Mignon 4... forgot the mushrooms Cauliflower entree 4 tasty Duck roast. 3+ Baklava 5 best way to eat baklava Bread pudding 5. Tasty... huge servings Chocolate Mousse 5 rich and chocolaty chocolaty... perfect for the chocolate lover

Food ok. Service, hell. Don't bother. They claim expertise with gin but the worst martini I've ever had.

Food was fine. But the bartender was pompous. Little seemingly snide comments throughout, based on drinks, timing of food service (ie happy hour ending). I asked for a dirty (filthy) martini, he wanted to know :vodka, shaken not stirred, vermouth amount. It felt like I had to give a dissertation. My friend said she wants it filthy. He brought back a glass of vodka with 2 olives. I sent it back. He said, amongst other things 'I'll make olive juice with vodka.' He gave the impression he knew best. He spoke about how he enjoys watching people come in for happy hour and pushing the clock. We were there an hour and a half before it ended. Yeah thanks for the meh.

Must order the Sodouka Dip and Lamb stew. Food is fresh and service (isaac) was great. You must try this place. Lovely inside. Great bar setup. Great date night.

Very friendly and accommodating team, paralleled by a wide tasty menu. Everything we ordered was great, quick and only wished to try more. Request a side of ice cream for the bread pudding!

We really enjoyed our meal, my salmon was EXCELLENT Nice comfy seating, quiet atmosphere Great service Good location with great parking Hubby loved the pork belly and prawns, didn't get a pic, sorry Nice date night