Nell's

I was so fortunate to be treated to this amazing dining experience. We started with cocktails, calamari, a dozen oysters on the half shell and pan fried oysters. We moved on to a marvelous Shea Pinot noir. I had two smaller dishes; the sweet onion tart and beet arugula salad. My dining mates had the mahi mahi and duck confit respectively. We cleansed our palates with the trio of sorbets and finished with butterscotch pot de creme and the almond cake. Stellar!

Very nice, romantic and cosy atmosphere. We went there during Seattle's restaurant week. It included only part of the menue, but the food was very good, we enjoyed every bite, and had plenty of choices to choose from. I loved the Kobe Beef Wague steak. The waiter was super nice, and we enjoyed interacting with him. Will definitely be coming back.

Truly enjoyed our dying experience. The food was absolutely phenomenal so many flavors in every bite. It was probably some of the best food we’ve ever had. The cappuccino after our meal was also delicious! The service was amazing! And I absolutely love the fact that they have their own parking lot! It made it way less stressful, then a normal trip to Seattle for dinner. We will be back!

I went to Nell's for dinner last night. The atmosphere was good, staff was gracious. Menu was good. I found the lamb and beef to be tasty, but the sides were very minimal, and dessert was very disappointing. My daughter ordered an apple crips for $10.50. The apple portion was just a few bites with a scoop of ice cream on top. It was barely warm. I was surprised at the very small portion that was offered.

We came for my sister’s anniversary. Good evening. They have a seasonal menu. Limited choices but recipes are unique. We had celery soup , cheese plate , Kobe steak , lam chops , calamari , salmon and brownies. The food was really good. Except it was salty. Our best choices are salmon and kobe steak. They need to improve the interior design. It is too boring for such unique food options. The servers are amazing. Thank you all

Ate at Nells for the first time tonight, and it was great! Way more than just a neighborhood place, this is fine dining. The service was excellent — especially the sommelier who custom crafted wine pairings to our tastes. I didn’t catch the somm’s name but our server was Todd. The food was delicious, well presented, and paced well. My knocks on the place are few. I wish the food had been more inventive, though their clientele appeared to be older, so I understand why the tasting menu lacked creativity. The other thing I’ll comment on is the odd restaurant layout that blocks servers from freely moving about the dining room. It’s inefficient and slows service sometimes. But, and I really want to stress this, we were very happy with our meals and the service we received.

Swordfish is an effective test dish -- so easy for it to get overdone. At Nell's, the chef passed with flying colors: cooked to perfection with a scrumptious kumquat vinaigrette. I had the tasting menu, my partner the steelhead, and everything was totally on point. Another strong indicator of quality was that the vegetables accompanying each dish were each cooked to a degree of doneness that suited the individual vegetable best, providing a symphony of textures and flavors. The Alta Maria 2015 "Carbonic" Pinot noir was a great value. The lighting is flatteringly dim 😁

Every year on my husband's birthday, we order takeouts from Nell's because it has become a tradition since COVID. This year, however, the experience was so bad it almost ruined the good day and it was because of the bad staff attitude. When I ordered over phone, they asked for my credit card details and security code. I hesitated but gave it to them because maybe they got a lot of pranks so I understand. But then they asked over the phone for how much I wanted to tip. I really don't like being asked to my nose for tips before I get my food as it feels quite unprofessional, so I declined politely. And immediately they had a dry laugh sarcastically over the phone. I already regretted a little about ordering here because of the bad attitude but when I went into the restaurant to pick up the food, another person asked me to sign the bill and there I could write a tip. I couldn't see the point of asking me over the phone for a tip if they would later ask me to sign the bill again. It felt really phishy as they probably think some people might feel pressured into saying a bigger tip amount when confronted over the phone especially before you get your food. I took over the food and said 'thank you' but the staff said nothing back at all. I was shocked as even mcdonald cashiers would have better attitude. I have always loved Nell's and I don't mind supporting a little extra to the staff at this local business but I really don't approve of the way they treat their customers. Respect goes both ways. If you are the manager or owner of Nell's I hope you could change the culture of the business because I really don't want to see the restaurant that we love goes under.

Its retro-ness is the entire point. Back when the entire Country was coming out of its steak/lobster phase, late 1970's into early 1980's westcoast nouvelle made a splashy debut. In 2025 a few of us like to be reminded of those exciting experiences. As much as I enjoy all the new things, sometimes it's nice to visit where we came from. In this case, we find a throwback near Greenlake, not Sunset Blvd or La Cienega. Couldn't be happier. Seattle is the right steward for it.

Nell's has become our favorite go-to restaurant. Food is excellent, service is friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is relaxing and quiet.

My wife and I were both looking forward to another amazing Seattle Restaurant Week meal at Nells's last night. I have to say that for the first time in many years of never missing this event, I was a bit dissapointed. The pork choice was quite fatty and I thought the MahiMahi on top of carrot purée an odd combination. Perhaps this is just a preference, but carrot purée reminds me of baby food. The soup and salad appetizers were quite good and the service was impeccable. I won't give up on Nell's, one of my favorite Seattle restaurants. I will be back for Restaurnt Week again in the spring.

Great food and service in a wonderful location. The dining room is not overly packed, so holding a conversation is not difficult

This is a higher scale restaurant with delicious French style food. They have a wonderful duck leg confit in their menu, which is my favorite. It's hard to find a good confit duck leg in Seattle, and Nell's definitely nailed it. My husband ordered the beef cheek, which was wonderfully cooked as well. However, the service here was somewhat snuddy. My husband and I are middle aged, but we look younger than we actually are. The typical customers here that we noticed, are silver haired diners. I guess it has to do with the location with a high end old folks home next door. As a result, I think the servers here are not too interested in serving younger people with whatever their assumptions are on us. I heard a group of seniors leaving saying great service. Our experience was VERY different. Last night we went there for a date night meal. The appetizer, onion tart did not come out for 40 mins, and our entres did not come out for another 25 mins. The server offered us no apologies nor explanations, did not even refill water. The diners next to us sat down 20 mins after we ordered, and their entres came out the same time as ours. Hum.......some mixed up in the kitchen? Diners are not stupid, nor do younger looking people. We have eyes! I did not bother to confront nor ask the server because I did not want to spoil our date night mood. With this kind of service, somehow a 20% tip or above is expected. What a joke! Food is 5 stars, service is 0, so a 2.5 star in average for this well respected establishment.

Superb experience! Delectable meals (Trout, Sturgeon, Pork Loin, Lamb Chop, plus desserts); delicious cocktails; personable service. Nell's is wonderfully quiet - no background music - which allows great conversations without going hoarse yelling above the din. We have been a number of times over several years, and like to take out-of-town guests - a place visitors to Seattle would never hear about or find on their own. Thank you, Nell's, for another outstanding evening!

Here on the first day of Seattle Restaurant Week. Lots of people were actually there even before opening at 5pm. I made reservation 2 day prior at the opening time. It was a good idea as their parking lot was half empty I didn't have any problem. You know parking is always an issue in Seattle. My friend and I ordered soup/salad, iberico pork/cod, apple crisp from SRW menu. Both agreed they were all bland lacking complexity in flavor though ingredients were pretty fresh and generous portion. Unfortunately the plates were cold with warm food on them. They also show black edges from wear. It was good we shared main entree so we could try variety. It's not very common in the US to share dishes but pretty common in Japan. Restaurants there accommodate sharing by serving half each or offering additional plates. Anyways I enjoyed the ambiance of this restaurant very much. SRW menu starts at 35, the pork extra 15.

WOW! What a great place. Refined, delicious food and lovely ambiance. The service was a bit slow but it wasn't a problem to luxuriate over such a fine meal.

My wife and I went to Nell's last night for our first time. We drove 26 miles from our home in S. King County, and let me tell you, it was worth every mile. This little, unassuming restaurant with the antiquated decor, "Best Restaurant 2010" sticker on the door, and half burned-out neon sign has instead put their energy into the creativity and quality of their food and the hiring of a truly professional staff. We ordered the Winter Tasting Menu with a bottle of "reasonably-priced" Burgundy and then sat stunned staring at each other and smiling as each course came out better than the last. Steelhead with pickled root vegetables completely on point and delicious; cherry tomato risotto with a fresh chiffonade of basil and the perfect amount of Parmegiano; absolutely perfectly cooked pork loin--not dry at all, nor undercooked--served with butternut squash medallions and Brussels sprouts and a plate-licking-worthy sauce; a cheese course; and finished with crème brûlée with fresh raspberries hiding under the crust. Nell's is obviously a favorite with the locals, as we saw plenty of them pouring in for dinner, meeting their friends, embracing warmly, then ordering multiple bottles of great wine and generally enlivening the place with the sweet sound of camaraderie, laughter, and joy. It has been quite a while since I've heard that. I was under the impression that dining out was a dying pleasure, but I don't think Nell's or this little corner of the world has gotten the message.

Had an incredible experience from beginning to end thanks to our incredible server Gabriel who ushered us into great food suggestions as we tried some of Nell's greatest hits: The Steak, Cod, Beet Salad, and Calamari. The Caramel Chocolate dessert to finish it all off with ice cream was exceptional. Thanks again Gabriel!

Seattle restaurant week is coming！ our first dinner in Nells with 3course 35 dollar set its small but cozy with a view of the greenlake. People are friendly spanich salad is delicious with cream and sweet pumpkin and the pumpkin soup is smooth with some to chew. Pork with apple is good because the pork is so tender that you can see the pink texture in the middle of it. Cod is fresh and the outside is crispy, the side dish with cabbage and mashed potatoes is juicy and creamy so that the whole dish will not be too dry , which reach a balance. As to desert I really prefer the chocolate brownie with ice cream, it is not that sweet than the other. Overall, I enjoyed meal there.

I looked forward to dinner at this well known, well regarded restaurant. Their website reads "Nell's is an intimate, chef-owned restaurant located...". It is not intimate, it is one large room with a strip mall feeling. If the weather is nice, recommend sitting outside. Simple cocktails and wines by the glass were good. Tomato risotto was loose and oversalted, not the creamy loveliness I anticipated. Good quality, good cut, good prepared steak. Good veggies. Good fish. Desserts looked great on the menu, not great flavor. Service was a little awkward. Perhaps this was an off night, perhaps they are resting on their laurels, perhaps my expectations were too high... it was food, it was hot, it was priced right. ***

I love Nell's. Phil is so entirely likeable and he runs a crew that are friendly and flexible. The food is excellent - everything, really - and on the more reasonable side for the quality and ingredients. The risotto is always a winner, as is the onion tart. Phil knows wine and champagne so the drink menu is likely going to be a winner.

I visited Nell's for the first time in many years and had a wonderful experience. The food was fantastic - truly some of the best dishes I've had (I in particular loved the fettuccini and the peach crisp with lavender ice cream dessert!). Additionally, the service was fantastic. Gabriel made several recommendations which turned out to be great, and Sky made several fun visits to my table as well, which helped create a fun and wonderful experience. I loved my visit!

My favorite restaurant for enjoying the company of your dinner companion. You can have a conversation at a table of 6 which is impossible in most Seattle restaurants. Food is reliably good, especially vegetables, fish and their iconic onion tart.

Unfortunately this wonderful restaurant is NO MORE. Food preparation and quality is not what it used to be. Second time we are disappointed. No more.

This is a restaurant that can stop time...nothing had really changed since my visit with a pastry classmate 17 years ago. A college friend made dinner reservations on 11/1/17 for Seattle Restaurant Week. Nice to see that Nell's has staying power, clearly has the formula down pat that other restaurants don't. It was a long day from work and I took some time to decompress at another Tangletown café before heading down to Nell's for the reservation. Took awhile to circle around for parking as the immediate lot was full. I ended up with street parking next to the Hearthstone by Green Lake. The restaurant was full when I arrived, sure felt underdressed coming straight from work as I was brought to a two top on the other side of the bar. The college friend arrived shortly thereafter, also of the same mindset killing time at the nearby Peet's Coffee. I'll be brief with the three course rundown from my feeble memory from this visit 9 days ago: Both of us stuck with ice water and enjoyed the two kinds of Macrina bread and sweet butter provided. College Friend had an apple starter salad, Coq au Vin, and pear buttermilk cake. Me - I had the Potato Leek soup (meh), NY Steak with root veg (sadly sinewy but perfectly medium rare beef), and their chocolate tart with strawberries (underwhelming - but a big portion). Decent, unobtrusive service. Oddly placed two top. Ample portions and eye pleasing plating of each course. However, the restaurant environment was very sedate and reserved; clearly had the niche of serving an older clientele. In contrast to the other SRW restaurants I dined at during this autumn's campaign: Derby was ear splitting, trendy, Nell's was library quiet, and both Vendemmia and Cantinetta were 'Goldilocks just right' environment for me. For the Green Lake vicinity, I'd be more partial to Duke's across the lake or a handful of other restaurants in the Tangletown and Latona area instead.

Had a lovely solo dinner here. Service was attentive and good. Food was upscale and delicious. I had the salad and risotto. They serve two kinds of delicious warm bread with the meal. It's a little on the expensive side but the calm, upscale atmosphere was worth it. The people inside seemed like the neighborhood privileged. The people working there were very welcoming but the other patrons not. That may have been a one off; I'll definitely try it again.

Unfortunately not a huge fan of this place. It's way, way too expensive for the service and quality of food. We came for SRW so I thought the portions were small because of that, but we went to like 5+ other restaurants too for SRW and they all provided full sized entrees and appetizers. There was a bug looking creature in my wine glass and the waiter refused to replace it and said it was part of the cork, but it wasn't. The portions like I said were tiny and the food wasn't anything special. I got the pork chops and they lacked flavor and were pretty dry. We hadn't been for several years and thought we'd give it another shot but that will probably be my last time.

My husband and I went to Nell's for our anniversary yesterday, and everything was absolutely incredible. I ordered the August tasting menu, and my husband ordered the halibut. The food was so good, with obviously fresh ingredients and thoughtful preparation. The mixed drink I ordered was also beautifully made and delicious. As for everything aside from the food: All the hosts were masked up, and tables were far apart. The proximity to Greenlake (right across the street!) meant it was easy for us to take an after-dinner stroll around the lake, which is always lovely. Parking, both street and in the lot was surprisingly easy for the neighborhood, considering there were so many folks out enjoying the summer evening at the lake. We loved it and will return for special occasions for certain!

The atmosphere of this restaurant is lovely for mature adults. Peaceful and quiet. Service was great. Food portions are much too small. The food is delicious. Onion tart as an appetizer was as wonderful as it always is.

Such a relaxing vibe with a nice view of green lake. Love the classic atmosphere! Classy, but not pretentious. Amazing wine and food. Had a romantic dinner with the husband. Our waiter, Dan, was prompt, knowledgeable, and attentive. We can't wait to come back!

We had planned a celebratory dinner over a year ago then bam Covid. So how cool was it to make a trip back to Seattle and have Nell's be open. And it was just wonderful. Started with a martini and oysters, moved to salad and, who can pass up on the sweetbreads. And never ever pass up dessert at Nell's. The room is still lovely, the seating ample, and the service is always and certainly continues to be a pleasure. You know, profession but warm and never stuffy. Our guests were super happy and a bit surprised to have our server tailor our veg guests's selections. Yes it's still one of my favorite places to eat. Love it. And so will you, just do it. Highly recommended.

Nell's was my first Seattle Restaurant Week (SRW) experience and it surely surpassed my expectations! For SRW, you can pick 1 appetizer, entree, and dessert for only $33. The wine pairing option is also available for additional $19. *Grilled Octopus What a surprising treat! Each component of the dish had distinct taste. The savory octopus was seasoned nicely and tender, the leek confit was sweet, and the roasted carrot was tangy. This was a small plate with big explosion of flavors! *Grilled Hanger Steak This was the first time I truly enjoy medium rare steak. Very juicy and tender with a smoky aftertaste. The balsamic jus complemented the steak really well! The rapini and parsnip puree were also nice additions to the dish! *Red Wine Poached Bosc Pear I've never had this but wow I think I need to start getting this regularly! You can taste the natural sweetness of the pear and the wine blending well together. The subtle yet flavorful homemade goat cheese ice cream balanced the sweetness of the pear, making it a refreshing and irresistible dessert! I also wish they would sell the goat cheese ice cream in pints, it is that good! Throughout our meal, our server was really attentive and cordial. Overall, my dining experience here was impeccable and I can't wait to come back for their non-SRW menu!

We picked Nell's for dinner and as the manager said, "It is the best restaurant you've never been to." It is an absolute gem. The staff was professional and very kind after we arrived, frazzled, an hour late when a caregiver did not show up at her appointed time. We had the Bastille Day tasting menu which was superb. There is a distinct Mediterranean bent to the food, which started with grilled herring on tomatoes with capers; progressed to a delightful morel risotto which was NOT a smooth, blended affair but a more "in your face" risotto packed with flavors that took turns asserting themselves. The main course on the tasting menu was wild boar, which my fiance said was perfect, but I don't eat meat so the restaurant graciously substituted the halibut, also in a Mediterranean preparation. The fish was PERFECTLY cooked with a nice sear on one side. We finished with a cheese plate (fabulous presentation, with candied pecans and booze-soaked raisins) and ended with a great dessert of flourless chocolate cake with caramel ice cream. It was everything you want in a flourless chocolate cake and nothing you don't-- gooey, not too sweet, perfect portion size. All of our servers knew we had concert tickets and when I asked if we could do the tasting menu and get out by a certain time, they said "yes" and the food came out at perfectly spaced intervals -- we would finish one course (nothing left on either of our plates!), there would be a brief pause, and the next course would appear. Nell's is elegant without being fussy, in a great location with a view of Greenlake and a choice of indoor or outdoor seating and my favorite part-- it is QUIET without being somber. My fiance and I could converse without raising our voices. To all of you who recommended Nell's, thank you!

Wow, this place was a very pleasant surprise!! We have walked by Nell's countless times and honestly didn't pay it much mins - it kind of looked like an older place and we had never really heard much about it. We decided to give it a try for Seattle restaurant week and couldn't have had a better experience. The food was incredible!! We will definitely be coming back soon.

We went here for a date night on the recommendation of an acquaintance who is a regular and we were amazed! This place is a hidden gem in Green Lake and I can't recommend it enough. Service is on point. Atmosphere is relaxed and peaceful. Food is fantastic! We got the tasting menu and truly enjoyed everything.

Excellent food, charming decor and nice waitstaff. I had the braised beef cheeks which were very tender and flavorful. Tye coffee was excellent. My appetizer (sweet onion tart) was delicious. Capping it all was the dessert- strawberry rhubarb crumble with amazing ginger ice cream. I definitely want to go back.

Went to Nell's for Seattle Restaurant Week and boy was it a treat! We ordered the wine pairing to go with our meal, which was a great deal at $19.50 for 3, 5 ounce pours. We both ordered the grilled octopus starter, the meat was tender and well paired with pickled vegetables and a flavorful sauce. I ordered the Cod entree and my date the hangar steak. The cod was tender and light, very filling. The steak was a little tough, yet good. For dessert we had the apple crisp and brownie. Both were very good. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the wines and helpful when ordering. The wine pairing had quality wines that were very good. A great dinner deal, would absolutely return and recommend!

I was not super impressed by this place. The restaurant and parking lot are very small. Ambiance was quaint and romantic. The service was great! Can be considered casual dining or you could go dressed up as well. It was packed with gray haired folks (no offense). We were definitely the youngest couple in there. The wine list was quite impressive. I tried the wine pairing for my entree and it was an amazing red blend of Malbec, Cabernet, and something else. Yumm! They had $2000 bottles on the wine list. Whoa! I dropped in for date night as a first-timer for Restaurant Week 2018 and enjoyed the experience. We both ordered from the 3-course special SRW menu. I felt like the portions were very small. Though the food was delicious, I couldn't imagine paying full price for these items and leaving hungry, like we did. That's why i can't rate Nells a 5-star. I'd give it a 3.5 if it were possible. All the dishes came out fast and beautifully plated! My thoughts: - Complimentary bread & softened butter - without this I would've been highly disappointed in Nell's because our dishes were so small this was really needed. 2 types of fresh bread. Yumm! - Octopus - This appetizer was really good. The octopus was cooked to perfection. Tender and not chewy at all. There was a strong smokey flavor that was a bit overpowering, but it was still quite good. Dish was incredibly tiny. I maybe got only 3-4 small legs of protein and some veggies. - Pork Shoulder (or was it lamb? I forgot) - My entree was decent sized, but my dates hanger steak entree was really tiny. His sauce was amazing though. My meat was tender and the brussels were very well cooked. Dish had really good flavor! I give this dish 5-stars! - Poached pear dessert - This dessert was the perfect finishing touch. It was unique and delicious and not overly sweet. The crisp brie added a nice savory flavor to balance out the sweetness. All the food was good, but I would not recommend coming here super hungry. I'm not super excited to go back here.

A friend took me here & I was not disappointed. I was underdressed, so it definitely has the date night vibes. We came on a sunny afternoon & it was perfect in front of Greenlake. Free parking! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Hanger steak, lillet cocktail The risotto, calamari, & hanger steak were all delicious. They have a tasting menu for about $55, which I want to return to try. I saw it comes with a full course. We left with some sorbet for dessert, which was unique. The mango was amazing. Portions are healthy. Flavors are satisfying. The venue is quaint. Service is delightful.

Seattle restaurant week 2020 takeout edition was great. Thought out meals that travel well and not lacking on flavor and balance. Paired beautifully with the bottle of wine we got as well! Will go back.

these people know how to take care of you, and treat you with respect! Peter is an amazing chef. Everything on the menu is creative, and amazing!! they were so gracious when we showed up without a reservation for our 23rd anniversary treated us like royalty. This restaurant is worth your time and your memories!! All of our future celebrations will be celebrated here you can't go wrong with this restaurant!!!! these people care! And their food is unimaginably good!!!

This was my first time here. We weren't planning on visiting, but noticed it while walking to another spot in Greenlake. We thought the menu looked good, so we'd give it a try. Damn, I'm sure glad we did! The food was fantastic. The service was just as terrific, too. Skye was kind enough to give us a little history about the restaurant, ownership, chefs, etc. What a great find. Only regret is that I didn't try one of the homemade desserts. I might go just for the chocolate cake with brandy ice cream. Sounds amazing.

I like Nell's and it's close to my home. Decent quality food, and great parking lot so no circling the block for parking usually. The night I went last week, parking lot was full so I had to drive around to find parking. The good was decent, but the 1/2 dozen oysters on the 1/2 shelf was disappointing. I must say that the oysters here are consistently small the last few times I ordered - like there's barely any flesh to eat, though they tasted fresh. I'm writing mostly to let folks know about the smallish oysters here.

The good, the bad, and the ugly. So the things I like about this place are the lovely view of Green Lake from the restaurant. Getting a reservation is pretty easy and they can be accommodating to people with disabilities and helpful in getting the wheelchair in and out. The food is really good, but I wouldn't say it's superb. I enjoyed my drink as well, so they can pour a good & strong cocktail. Also, I love, love, love that they have a parking lot. Although the last time I came, it was during restaurant week and the lot was full so it took me 10 min of driving around Green Lake to find a spot. Great safe neighborhood that it's in and very mellow relaxing feel to the restaurant. The only bad things are that it's a bit pricey for the size and quality of what they are offering, and that service is typically slow. So I guess if you want a place that you can lounge at & spend a lot of time talking, they won't rush you and this would be the perfect place. If you're in a hurry, this is the wrong place to be. The ugly? Ok there really is no ugly. It's a lovely little restaurant. Overall, I really enjoy it but can't say it's one of my favorites. Would definitely come back though.

Went here for seattle restaurant week. Overall an average experience. Pros: The octopus with carrot jus appetizer was pretty good. Roasted and meaty octopus pieces with unique combinations of flavors. The cod was crisp and moist with a vinaigrette sauce, which was interesting. Cons: The portions are incredibly small, so you might leave completely unsatisfied. If you order the pineapple/mango sorbet, I was surprised they skimped on the fruit quality. The pineapple was straight up from a can (dark and preserved), not fresh, which isn't too much to ask for considering what type of restaurant this is. Lastly, the server was not friendly and he did not make me feel welcome. Unsure if I will come again.

I came here with my friend for Restaurant Week so the review may be a little biased because we chose from the set menu. I had never noticed this place driving around Greenlake, to my surprise. But this place is pretty cute and I like that they have a parking lot. Makes life way more convenient - but it's small so be warned. Service was spectacular! The food was divine as well; we both ordered the same three dishes... lame, I know, but it sounded the tastiest at the time. We had mussels, steak and the brownie with vanilla ice cream... mmm... I am drooling as I think about the food. They also have a wine selection but we opted for pale ales. They were excellent and I normally don't even order beer. $4 beer for a night after work? Heck yeah, why not. The crowd does seem a bit older... even when it was restaurant week so I assume that might be the norm. But I really enjoyed the open kitchen area where diners could see what the chefs were doing. But it did get a little distracting when I saw when the dishes were ready because I would get antsy anticipating my food.

Food was delicious. We were in for Restaurant Week (spring 2017). The grilled octopus with the carrot-ginger purée and fennel was very tasty to start, then I had the leg of lamb for the entree, which was even better because it was off the bone. Last I had the strawberry rhubarb crisp with ginger ice cream, which was a nice finish. Though I tasted the brownie and coffee ice cream which was nice too. I got the wine pairing which seemed to be a good deal, as the pours were more than I expected. Our service was a little slow and a bit lacking. It was restaurant week, so I imagine it was a bit busier than normal for a Monday night. We waited for a bit before our server came over and he didn't really check on us throughout the dinner. 3/4 of us got the wine pairing. We saw another table get an description of their wine and they just brought us our glasses with not a word. So overall it was ok, but our server just didn't seem that interested. Happy with the food though.

My wife and I had a wonderful takeout dinner from Nells on Monday evening. It was ready at exactly the time we asked for and they delivered to our car. I admit I was a bit skeptical getting takeout from a fine dining restaurant--I wasn't sure the meal would travel well for the 20 minute trip home. It did and was delicious. We had an onion tart, field greens salad, black cod, duck confit, chocolate tart and rhubarb crisp with ginger ice cream. Popped the hot items in a warm oven, had an appetizer we prepared and then went through the courses as usual. The dinners stayed just fine and were just like what you would expect when served at the restaurant. Highly recommended.

Nell's is my go-to neighborhood spot and it never disappoints! The menu is always fresh and inventive. The food is consistently delicious, but the lamb loin on menu at the moment is particularly great. The servers are always friendly and the vibe is unpretentious and cozy. Love this place!

My girlfriend and I went here for Seattle restaurant week so this review is quite delayed. We had an excellent dining experience and enjoyed the wonderful food options. They definitely did not skimp on portions even during SRW. The ambiance/decor kinda caught me off guard but wasn't bad

This is a great restaurant that often flies under the radar. The food is consistently excellent (the chef Phillip has been doing a fantastic job for years). Our server Skye was very warm and accomodating. The atmosphere is relatively quiet and comfortable. This is one of our very favorite Seattle area restaurants.

Review based off Restaurant Week: I came here with some friends and had a nice and delicious meal. Originally we had made a reservation for a later time, but after a few friends had canceled, we ended up showing up early and they took us in and to our table. They offered a three course meal for about $30 and it was nice. Our server took all of our orders at once and it was awesome because once we were done with our appetizer we had our main course and then we had our dessert waiting for us. We had different people helping us to it was hard to tell who was our actual server. Once was our host who sat us, and then we had two different people. Once who brought out our food and took our order and then another guy who came and pour wine to our table. Kind of confusing who I should have tipped. Dinner was over all great and delicious. Nothing really stood out and left an impression on me. Awesome location and nice staff.

Came here for restaurant week on 11/5/2019. To start, I wanted to like this place, I heard about the chef, Philip Mihalski, who Nell's reports on their website as being classical trained in French cooking n some of ,the most celebrated kitchens in New York and France. He cooks with "a passion for freshness and simplicity. " Sounds great, right? But sadly, the food was really not good at all. The simplicity aspect was one thing that lived up to the hype in the dishes. First course was a salad with calamari. A few slivers of calamari on a bed of curly endive. The endive was woody and difficult to chew. A unremarkable salad that I did not enjoy enough to finish. Second course, Beef Bourguignon. One of my favorites. However, Nell's version was lacking in any form of sauce. Cubed meat with onions and carrots were placed on top of noodles. Adequate for a cafeteria version of this dish. But there was no mushrooms, burgundy wine sauce or even beef broth sauce and tomato paste to make a sauce for the dish. Plus, these ingredients are to be simmered together, to combine the flavors and then served. This entree really was a terrible example of this dish, especially from a restaurant who totes their chef's knowledge of French cooking. Dessert was gingerbread with ice cream. The ice cream was my favorite part of the meal. Service was fine. A slight argument between customer and server at the next table, when the customer wanted to sit at a different table than the one being offered. Restaurant is nice inside. I have the feeling that the food here can be good, perhaps for the Restaurant Week menu, they cut costs. But this is sad, because I do not want to try again. Had the food been good, I would have made it a point to return.

Made a reservation. Got there just before the resevation and had to wait until 20 minutes after the reservation to get seated. 4 groups that came in after us got seated, 3 of which had the same party size (2). One group in particular I overheard had a reservation 15 minutes after ours and got seated right away. Besides that, the service was mediocre. Nothing to complain about but waiter was slow to bring out plates and dropoff/pickup check. Food was also subpar. Got a 3 course dinner. The first two plates barely tasted like anything. Fried calamari usually is pretty easy to make taste good but this dish was bland. Same with the entree. The desert was good. I don't usually leave reviews but the experience was bad enough to inspire me. I usually try to tip 20-25% and had to be convinced by my fiance to leave 10% because I didn't want to tip at all. Felt like a bum not tipping 15% but the experience sucked.

Fantastic staff. Grilled octopus was delish, sous vide prepared. Goat cheese ice cream was well balanced.

This was the best meal I ever had. Every course was outstanding, including the octopus salad hangar steak and chocolate brownie. The service was first class. Superb evening.

Thoroughly enjoyed my meal here. They have a tasting menu and was happy they serve a couple items as a small dish you can order separately... So we tried the calamari, black cod, and onion tart for Appetizers. All had beautiful presentation, portion and flavors were wonderful. The black cod especially melted in our mouth, was coupled with fresh veggies and was very light and elegant. Entree wise, the hanger steak was tender, juicy, flavorful and so so good. Yum. Sould definitely recommend getting that! My duck confit was braised and cooked well.. Tasted more like chicken than duck tho and probably was my least favorite of the dishes, tho still very good. Overall I was impressed at the timeliness of the dishes, presentation and attentiveness of our server, who quickly caught that my plate was missing an item as soon as he served it and promptly asked the kitchen to rectify it before I even noticed. Seating was wide, open, and lots of natural light too... Made for easy conversation and yes, finally, desserts were awesome too! Great portion size, flavors and textures. Well done! Will be back.