Vivienne's Bistro

The trifecta of an amazing resturant!! Quality, flavor, and cost are remarkably well tuned. Ive eaten here several times now, and the food is always on point. This recent visit, we ordered the spring rolls, Wonton Soup, Lunar New Year special Bo Kho, and the hot drink tea is Viviannes Jujube. Bo Kho tastes like a gentle curry, with fresh ingredients that have clearly been simmering together for hours to provide such a deep flavor. Wonton tastes like homemade Wonton soup, and the tea has a pleasant floral, earthy, sweet taste that I now consider to be a new favorite tea of mine. The portions sizes and flavor absolutely justifies the cost. The staff and atmosphere are exceptional, and the server recognized my party from a previous visit nearly a year ago!!! 10/10 would 💯 recommend eating at this place!

We walked in and its a wow. Contemporary, cozy and welcoming bistro. Since its was our first time, we were surprised how big the place is and there is a great bar in the back. We ordered the lollipop chicken and it was a hit. The rest of the entrees we ordered did not fail us as well. Every thing taste “flavor forward.” Nuances here and there gave a nod to Chinese cuisine. Well done!!! Another favorite with great flavor profile was the lamb chops. Everyone should try it once. Overall, Labubu approved!

Their duck is fantastic and it is actually a great value ($85) as they give you the whole duck. You don't need to pre-order it, either. Other dishes are also very tasty. The service is attentive and the vibe is calm and great. We highly recommend.

Had an amazing evening! The Blush cocktail was a standout, the roasted duck a solid 10/10, and the fried rice was unforgettable. To top it off, the mango mochi cake for dessert was divine. Highly recommend! 🌸

My husband’s birthday celebration here was an absolutely great choice. The host and waiter, Kevin, was friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. I especially enjoyed the Peking duck, which was served with a unique and refreshing combination of lemon, cucumber, and cilantro. Kevin also gave us excellent menu recommendations, including the spicy Szechuan squid and the nine flavor beef with bean sprouts. A really thoughtful touch was that they gave us a free dessert for birthday celebration and offered to pack up the duck bones for us to use later for soup or congee. The restroom was also clean with a pleasant smell. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Back 8 years ago, when the chef of Vivienne’s Bistro was at Peony Kitchen in the Bellevue area, I went there almost every other weekend. I truly loved the food. When I returned to the area recently, it was the first restaurant I wanted to visit again. Unfortunately, I found out the chef had left Peony. Luckily, a friend told me the chef had opened a new restaurant on Mercer Island, so I decided to give it a try. The first few visits to Vivienne’s were good. I especially enjoyed the squid ink rice and the three spice chicken. The restaurant is very dark inside, even during the daytime, but the food at that point was still satisfying. The real disappointment came on Lunar New Year, when I invited my family to celebrate there. The experience was shocking. The nine-flavor basil beef was overwhelmingly bitter and excessively oily, topped with a thick, sugary starch sauce that made the flavors even more unbalanced. Shortly after eating it, I felt stomach pain and nausea. The lamb dish was equally confusing in execution. It started with a hint of lemon that seemed intended to cut through the heaviness of the lamb, but that was completely buried under a thick, sour and spicy sauce reminiscent of a bottled chili-garlic style sauce. The flavors clashed instead of complementing each other. The richness and heaviness of the dishes caused immediate discomfort, and I had to stop the servers from bringing out the remaining food because I simply couldn’t continue eating. What concerns me more is the broader pattern. I later learned that the chef’s focus has shifted to the Seattle downtown location. From my experience, this Mercer Island location now feels similar to what happened at Peony Kitchen — declining quality, inconsistency, and what feels like a lack of hands-on attention. The food tasted rushed and poorly balanced, as if execution no longer reflects the standards that originally built the restaurant’s reputation. As someone who has followed the chef from one restaurant to another over the years, this feels less like a one-off bad night and more like a gradual drop in care once attention moves elsewhere. Relying on an established name while the quality declines is deeply disappointing to loyal customers. I truly wanted this place to succeed, but this experience made it hard to trust that the same level of dedication is still there.

Went here for happy hour with my dad and this place was so good. The upscale interior paired with amazing service faired for a great meal! Everything was full of flavor and the lamb and steak were SOOOO GOOD. I have to go back and try the short ribs!!

Big variety on the menu here, lots of speciality dishes, duck was fantastic. Good choice if you are after modern Asian

I had no idea there were restaurants over in Mercer Island. Let alone, an amazing Chinese Restaurant. I was very impressed with the high end entree selections they had and they were able to deliver and execute them quite well. Came here with friends on a reservation and we ordered some nice meaty quality entrees. The peking duck with for sure one of them and my friend highly recommended the slow braised short rib. We also got the salt and pepper pork chop. All of the food was amazing and I'm shocked to have learned about this place so late. Honestly, sluffin' on this restaurant. It's got a high-end vibe to it as if it were a restaurant you would have in downtown Bellevue. The service is quite nice and honestly, it definitely feels like a place I would go to if this were in Richmond, Vancouver BC, Canada. Yes, it has reached up to that level of Chinese food. Well done. I'm glad this was recommended to me. I definitely want to take my parents to this one over the holidays. They would be impressed.

Vivienne's Bistro is an upscale option for Chinese food on Mercer Island. Overall, nothing blew my socks off, but everything I tried was quite good. Be warned that prices can be quite high and although they technically have underground retail parking, the lot was completely full on a Saturday night around 6:30 PM. Getting a reservation for two was quite easy just a couple days before, but honestly the restaurant was only at ~60% capacity. Forbidden Roast Duck (4.25/5): This is roast duck, not peking style, so you won't find any crispy skin here, but the flavor was still quite solid. A bit fatty, but personally I didn't actually find that the candied lemons cut through that. As with some of the other reviews, I found the number of buns to be a bit disappointing, but they do actually give you quite a bit of duck. Squid Ink Baked Rice (4/5): Unique take on baked rice and I personally didn't find the rice to be too mushy or too dry. Obviously, it wasn't as fluffy as regular steamed rice, but I quite like the seafood and mild creamy cheese combo. Crispy Pork Belly (4.25/5): The fry on the pork belly is perfect and even though it was fat on fat, it didn't actually feel greasy. Thoroughly enjoyed the spices on it as well.

I Went for my birthday and I must say this place is quite a delight. I went closer to 7pm, and you can tell the place exudes ambience as it's dimly lit and very intimate. Service was great, they checked up on you and they were accommodating. Food was superb. The steak stole the show, but the shrimp and scallop dish was a close second. Diver scallops with a healthy array of vegetables is quite value. Rice was good. Everything was flavorful. Overall, would recommend, would go back. Can't wait to try their other dishes

Friends suggested our party of 8 go to Viviene's Bistro. They accommodated us wonderfully. We appreciated the signage that showed us we were OK to park in the garage. We ordered a lot of different menu items including the Forbidden Roast Duck. It was amazing and the buns they served with it was amazing. We probably had 10 different menu items. There was something for ALL of us. We all agreed. We WILL be back.

Everything we had here was delicious! The duck is not traditional but I enjoyed their take. The caramelized preserved lemon thing added a really interesting flavor. All the other dishes we had were fantastic and seasoned to perfection. The one thing I'll mention about the pepper flank steak is that it's spicy. It might depend on the jalapeños they get that day but it was definitely spicy for us. Service was good. They checked on us without being overbearing. I would definitely go back when in the area.

Vivienne's has a modern look inside and can accommodate large parties which was great for us! The servers are very friendly and helpful, pointing us in the right direction. They have so many options which made it hard to choose from. Some highlights on their menu were: Master chef noodles- so umami and light, great flavor Basil beef- not too chewy, rich flavor but not too heavy Slow braised beef short ribs- SUPER tender, a little fatty, but amazing flavor worked in and super juicy General tso's chicken- lots of breading but was crispy and had a nice tangy flavor This place is awesome!

3.8 star rating. I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while. It seems a bit overhyped for this place. However, the food was decent overall, though the portions were a bit small. Probably due to the location, they charge a bit higher prices. It leans more towards fusion Chinese cuisine. The server was friendly, and parking was easy to find with clear directions to the garage. It wasn't too busy for a Saturday night. We ordered the forbidden duck (Peking duck), which came with 6 bao buns. The skin was crispy, but the meat was a bit dry. However, with the sauce and everything, the kids still loved it. The crispy honey lemon on the side was a nice touch that I enjoyed, but not so much for my family. The pork jowl was soft and not chewy but had very fatty pieces that were a little too much for us. The lollipop wings were good for the kids, though my husband wasn't a fan, and I prefer mid joint pieces, not wing drumlette. The chef noodles were okay and nothing too special. The eggplant with orka was probably my favorite, with nice flavors and a good amount of wok hei. The squid ink rice with cheese was also a popular choice with the kids. They love anything savory with cheese! For our family of 4, it was ~$230, a tad expensive.

I like their roasted duck, the skin is very crispy but they give too few buns and we had to make another side order. Brussel sprouts was delicious despite being very oily. Wantons were not the best, especially the spicy wantons - not spicy at all. The service was good, staff was attentive. Nice place and I love their background music too.

This place became a favorite for my family on the first visit!! It's also one of the only places we have found that have the Peking duck with the buns. The Peking duck was also very meaty and nicely presented. We also got the honey walnut prawns and crispy pork belly which both were super good as well as the master chef fried rice. I think they only have one big table for large parties so if you are large party you may be sharing a table with another large party depending on party size. We were a party of six and shared the table with another large party.

Located on Mercer Island, this is a fantastic little restaurant proving a variety of Asian food dishes. There is parking in the garage which is accessed through a side alley. It can seem a bit confusing as it feels like you're parking in the apartment complex parking. Came here for lunch and there are several combo options available. I opted for General Tso's chicken. The combo comes with fried rice, egg drop soup, and fried dumplings. The dumplings were deliciously fried and crispy. The soup was just ok. The fried rice was nice and not too greasy. I found the chicken to be cooked well with a crispy exterior and juicy interior. The sauce was sweet and just enough spice provided by the chili peppers cooked with it.

A belated review! Came here on a date for Valentine's Day this year and felt comfortable in the intimate style of the restaurant. They have a hook outside every booth for you to hang a coat, purse, hat etc. that I found very considerate. More places should do it! We ordered a sweet and sour pork, honey crispy shrimp, and the squid ink baked rice. I'm not a huge fan of chewing shrimp peels no matter how crispy they are, but I enjoyed the flavor of these enough to take the time to chew everything thoroughly through. The pork definitely won for me, though we probably should've ordered the two dishes in more contrasting palates because I found myself craving salt at the end lol. The squid ink baked rice was a very fun experience and squid ink pretty much tastes a little bit like the ocean, but a little bit fresh. I've had squid ink fettuccine before but I was glad that the flavor came through much stronger here! It's very memorable so I don't think I'd feel the need to try it again unless I was craving that flavor, but it is well done here :) Service was attentive and good came out after awhile, which is OK considering they were quite busy. All in all, it's a romantic, pretty spot that is absolutely worth another visit, but I need to do a better job ordering, hehe.

I came here with a large group on a Saturday night and we had made a reservation in advance. The restaurant was busy throughout dinner, so the reservation felt necessary. Vivienne's is a more upscale, contemporary Chinese restaurant, with some fusion dishes. We did family style and ordered a variety of dishes - pea vines, snow peas, baked squid ink rice, forbidden duck, basil beef, salt and pepper sea bass, steak fried rice, pork belly, and some other dishes. The portions weren't huge, especially the vegetables, so we ended up ordering a couple of each. Everything was cooked well and delicious, although I wasn't particularly impressed with either rice dish (the steak fried rice wasn't anything special, although the steak was cooked well, and the squid ink rice didn't taste like squid ink). My favorites were the pork belly, duck, pea vines, and the salt and pepper sea bass. Service was quick and attentive, and the food all came out really quickly. Between the food and service, this was definitely worth the price tag!

We celebrated a birthday here tonight, and the whole experience was lovely! It was easy to make reservations on their website, find the restaurant with the help of lots of street signage, and the ambiance, service, and food/drinks were perfect (get the duck!!). The staff were friendly and attentive and made our celebration extra special with a complimentary scoop of milky matcha ice cream. The only downside was the parking lot; visitor spaces were very limited in the lot, so we ended up parking across the street.

My friends and I came here on a weekday evening for dinner. I had made reservations online in advance, but on a weekday, I don't think they are actually necessary. Vivienne's is not your average local Chinese restaurant. It's a trendy and upscale Asian-fusion restaurant serving dishes with a modern twist. While you could easily do family-style at this restaurant, we decided to get individual dishes. My friend ordered the TRIPLE PEPPER CHICKEN (+$18.50) which had bell peppers, I think birds eye peppers, and jalapeño peppers. He picked out half of the jalapeños because it ended up being too much for him, but he liked the dish overall. My other friend ordered the PUMPKIN CURRY WITH CHICKEN (+$20) which honestly looked like any other curry from a Thai restaurant. However, she enjoyed it and didn't have any qualms about it. I ordered the NINE FLAVOR BASIL BEEF (+20) and a side of brown rice. The beef was wonderfully marinated and had strong flavors of basil, soy sauce, peanut, and a tad of sweetness from the hoisin sauce. I'm not sure what all nine flavors were, but it was extremely tasty and honestly tasted more Thai than Chinese. The beef came with sautéed bean sprouts, which I thought added a nice textural contrast to the soft beef. Portions are on the smaller side, but that was to be expected. Service was decent. We had two younger guys as our servers who were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Bathrooms are clean. The women's bathroom is quite bright and flashy with patterns of red tiling. Overall, 4/5 for food, 4/5 for service, 4/5 for atmosphere

This is my 3rd time eating at Vivienne's bistro. I went for lunch with a friend and I must say, every time I have been, it has been better than the last. The 1st time I didn't think it was that great (average Chinese food, pricey) but last week's lunch deal was good. You can choose your rice (fried, white or brown) and your appetizer (2 potstickers or a veggie croquette). I ordered the General Tao's chicken with brown rice and potstickers. My friend ordered the Pork Chops (boneless) with fried rice and veggie croquette. My friend loves that they put the peaches with the pork chops. It was pretty good. Similar dishes except the General Tso's didn't have peaches and had some spice to it (red peppers) We also got a side dish of garlic stir-fried ong choy. It was perfectly cooked with still a crunch to the stems and I loved that it was thin stems. Free parking is available as well in the building but spaces are tight. Service was quick and the decor is modern and clean. I still have yet to bring my family here to try it. I also would love to try their Peking Duck at some point. Overall a solid restaurant on the Island and would be happy to try other dishes in the future!

A surprisingly good Chinese place considering that it's fusion and also kind of elevated. Still a bit Americanized, but the food is good! I especially like their fish filet and their fried rice. I've also ordered the Peking Duck here before, but the quality can be a bit variable so watch out for that.

Excellent Excellent Excellent! Food and Service! Not much more one can say in. 5 star review. My niece was visiting from out of town so we had to bring her to Vivienne's for their Forbidden Roast Duck. We also ordered Dong po rou (braised pork belly). Perfection with a Capital "P", Beijing pork chops, garlicky stir fried string beans. We were a party of 5 including my 18 month old grandson. They provided a toddler's bowl, dish and spoon, plus a paper cup with a straw. And of course high chair. So thoughtful of the establishment. Love this restaurant! They also have free 4 hour parking in the building's garage. Restaurant' restrooms are well kept and clean. Tip, if your order the roast duck. Ask the server to provide you with the duck carcass so you can make duck congee (rice porridge ) at home.

I'm so happy to have found this place! We have now been twice in two weeks and will make it a third time this week! The happy hour specials are phenomenal and are a great way to try lots of different items without committing! The chicken lollipops are definitely our favorite followed by the black garlic won tons and the garlic green beans!Yum! Great food, great service, can't wait to go back!

I came here with my family after a failed photo shoot. It wasn't planned but there were 19 of us. The food was good and I really loved that my family got to sit together because we rarely get a chance to with so many kids. However, the host was not very kind. She rolled her eyes multiple times. Told us next time we need to make reservations. And when we missed counted 19 and said 18, she was mad about seating another person. We are very considerate and understand what stress it would put on a restaurant but there was hardly anyone in the restaurant.... The waiters and waitress were nice but the host... would probably be the main reason we would not return.

Heard a lot about this place and maybe it was over hyped but it didn't deliver for me. We made reservations for 5pm for a group of 8 people + toddler. The place was nice, simple yet sophisticated. However, for our group, we had to share the table with another group...which was a little weird for me.... Food wise: Peking duck: duck was tender and meaty. The sauce was on the salty side and the orange slices were on the sweet side. So you got to eat everything to be balance - not bad though. Fried pork belly - this one was good too, like the texture and not sure what breading they use but it has a nice flavor. Lamb chops - cooked well and flavor was good. Squid ink fried rice - eh. Very cheesy, not fried but more like sticky rice texture, barely any bacon or onions. Baby bok choy --- super cheap presentation for high price and it was standard. Honey walnut prawns - standard Basil beef - standard For all 7 dishes + tax + automatic gratuity, it was $300+ I think the food overall was ok, some were better than others, but for the price tag, it wasn't worth it. You can easily get some most of these dishes elsewhere for a fraction of the price and it would taste the same... Overall, it was good to try once but probably not coming back

The Forbidden Roast Duck is a MUST TRY! Though on the expensive side, the quality shines through. Six bao, various veggies, and hoisin sauce... Simply the best. The candied lemons were both pretty and delicious! The Hot & Sour Soup was just okay. A big portion, but the quality was average. Sour and lots of white pepper. Nothing special. It definitely gave me lots of warmth on a rainy day! Overall, the restaurant has a beautiful ambiance. Modern design and good for groups or family dinners. The staff can be pretty absent... but once you flag them down, they are really friendly.

I only ordered two things from the menu: squid ink baked rice and roasting duck. Over $100 for the two but it was delicious! You can order more buns for your duck since the duck to buns portion is off. You'll definitely want the extra 4 buns. Atmosphere was great, though low lighting. Friendly service. We made a reservation and got seated right away. There's a garage parking for retail spaces a few buildings over. Looking forward to coming back and trying more things on their menu.

Duuuuuuuucccckkkkkkk Oh the duck! So we've been patrons at peony and had to try Vivian's when the chef started this place and oh boy is it worth it! We came here for our anniversary cuz what better way to say I love you then a whole duck!! Let's talk food Forbidden duck 5/5 SPECTACULAR!! I love how well the duck is cooked, luscious, glistening perfectly rendered duck and the buns are so soft and hug the duck and it's juices so well, add those brûléed lemon slices people, thank me later Master Chef Noodle 5/5 some of the best noodles I've had eveeeeer. Now I know I'm gonna eat as much duck as possible and still I couldn't help but go back to this noodle dish, perfectly made and cooked noodles Lollipop chicken wings 3/5 this was perfectly fine but was so outshone by the other dishes in flavor Let's talk decor, the place is a definite date spot love the ambience! Great decor and location is great, parking in the same building. You can't ask for more but wait Let's talk service: the attention to detail and how attentive service was is impeccable. Love love love

One of the best Asian fusion/Chinese restaurants in seattle I've been to! Great ambiance, service, and food! I love how their menu has pictures and so many options! Their happy hour menu is great too! I recommend the lollipop chicken wings! I'd come back!

This review is belated from Valentine's Day of this year- I was trying to find someplace roughly halfway between my date's and my place given V-day fell on a Wednesday this year and Vivienne's not only fit the bill but had been on my Yelp bookmarks list for a while based on all I have heard about their forbidden duck dish. However, unfortunately, we did NOT get a chance to try the aforementioned duck dish as it would have been way too much food for our appetites. So I will definitely need to come back with a crew large enough to share the ducking love around, lol! Out of the items we ordered, my favorite was the Sesame Shrimp Toast ($12) from the Seasonal menu, and which came with 4 pieces. I certainly hope that they add this to their permanent menu, if they have not already done so! I also enjoyed the General Tso's Chicken ($19.50) which we had to get just as the barometer of a Chinese restaurant in general. And rounding out our meal was another Seasonal menu item - Pepper Flank Steak ($25; the menu description was: "Sautéed jalapeño w/ beef in garlic & oyster sauce") and it was completely different than what I pictured. I would say a solid 75% of the dish were the peppers which weren't very spicy and instead ate like a slimy green vegetable. I don't remember much about the cook on the beef only that I was a little inundated with the pepper portion and therefore wasn't a huge fan overall. Rice was extra at $3 an order- and we got one white and one brown. We had plenty of leftovers, which my date was happy to take for his growing teenage son, and he supplemented with a to-go order of vegetable spring rolls ($12 for 6, also on the Seasonal menu) and an extra white rice :) Drink wise, I enjoyed a glass of rose wine, and date opted for a tea (Jasmine Phoenix Pearls)-- nothing crazy! I thought service was just fine, if efficient over friendly. As to be expected, it was a busy night as we arrived so there was a no nonsense demeanor with our servers- not really a chit chatty vibe. Our reservation was at 7 and they close at 9. A party of 2 couples were seated at the table next to us about 45min into our meal and we noticed their service was definitely lacking, items were taking a long time to arrive and they were given a hard time as it got closer to closing. My philosophy on these things is to inform the diners prior to seating them if they will be crunched for time due to a hard kitchen/staff shutdown boundary. All in all, a lovely V-day memory and I look forward to returning at some point for the infamous duck!

This is a beautiful restaurant with delicious food. The place was decorated with Lunar New Year decor when we went and it was a really nice touch. This is also a very family-friendly restaurant which was great because I brought my 9-month-old to meet up with my friend for lunch. We shared the truffle fries, seafood rice soup, squid ink rice and the mushu tacos. Everything was pretty tasty! I wished the squid ink rice had more flavor but it was still good after being reheated in the microwave. We had tons of leftovers. The duck looked really good, but it's a huge portion so maybe I'll come back to try that another time.

Stepped in on a Saturday night to a full house but there were lots and lots of availability online for a reservation so make sure you do that to avoid a wait. Service was good and servers were attentive. Food also arrived in a timely manner with beautiful presentation. I ordered a couple of the "must get" items according to people that love this place. The "must get" pork belly is a "pass" for me. I was expecting super crispy and thick pork belly pieces but they were thin almost pork chop like pieces that were not crispy. The other "must get" is the forbidden duck which is a fancily presented Peking duck. Only comes with 6 buns so you'll have to order more as a side if you're wanting to eat more. Kind of fun that they served it with some candied lemons but I could do without it as the pith made it bitter. Great presentation though and probably the only reason I would consider coming back to this place. Oh and get the green beans, can never go wrong with garlic green beans. Other items were forgettable and not worth mentioning. Unfortunately, I can't justify coming back here for the stiff price tag we paid for a 3 star* dinner but would be worth a try if you're craving a fancy Chinese dinner or some hard to obtain Peking duck.

Vivienne's Bistro was easy to find and they offered ample garage parking. I came during off hours so the place wasn't busy. Personally I thought the inside was cold but it was significantly cooler outside. The wind factor didn't help. What did I do to rectify the issue? I ordered a cocktail of course! Lol. It took awhile to decide on what to order but we ended up ordering Dong Po Rou, Toothpick Spicy Lamb and Wok Seared Spicy Squid off their Winter Special Menu. The kitchen didn't take long as all the other tables had their food already. Customer service was prompt and friendly. The Toothpick Spicy Lamb was the clear favorite of the three dishes. Even though the Dong Po Rou was quite rich, we liked it the second most. Their Wok Seared Spicy Squid was different from what we expected and we didn't care for it much. Overall, the flavors were good and I enjoyed my cocktail. This is a good option for Chinese on Mercer Island.

Service and good in general were good. Atmosphere was good, not your traditional Chinese restaurant. Not sure what's the specify there tho.

We had a serviceable lunch. I had hoped for better. I've been wanting to come for dinner to try the duck - and I plan to still do that. Lunch specials were $20 or $22. They come with two small fried dumplings (they called them pot stickers) with no sauce. Also, with the combination lunch, you get a small bowl of corn flower soup. I thought the soup was the best part of the meal. Flavorful and with a great texture. My entree was the mushroom chicken. It had a decent amount of chicken, a few small quartered white mushrooms, and other veg, such as zucchini. Just enough sauce to lightly coat the ingredients. You get a choice of rice, and I got the well cooked brown rice. It was a large portion. However, with no sauce for it, I wasted more than half of the rice. My other got the General Tso's chicken and thought it was pretty good. Honestly, I was expecting a bit more quality for the lunch price point.

I was only in the Seattle area for a very short 2 days, but I'm glad I chose to eat at Vivienne's Bistro among all the other great restaurants in the area. Vivienne's features a fusion take on traditional Asian food in a quiet and elegant setting that would make it perfect for receptions or any other group gatherings. On a Saturday evening, it was not too crowded for dinner, but reservations are highly recommended. We ordered the roast duck to share along with the squid ink fried rice and some sort of stir fried green beans. They were all SO good (seriously). The bao was perfectly pillowy, the veggies were fresh, and the duck was crisp. The fried rice is a must order. Our food was enough to share for 3ppl that we did not even finish the roast duck. Tip: you can park for free in the parking garage right by the restaurant

The duck! Just go and get it. It's one of the best I've ever had. Just so crispy and well prepared and perfectly presented. The fluffy Bao wraps were like little warm clouds of Chinese happiness. Loved the fresh sliced cucumbers & the plum sauce was that perfect balance to pair with the crispy, fatty bird. Their candied lemons were a fun touch. I ate way more than I intended and was super happy when I left.

I wanted to go to Vivienne's Bistro after hearing good reviews from people whose palate's I trust. So I made a reservation ahead of time and thank goodness I did because the place was packed. Based on recommendations, we decided to order the Forbidden roast duck, the salt and pepper prawns, the nine flavor basil beef and the okra eggplant. In no particular order... Forbidden Roast Duck: Yup, you have to get this one. It has quite a price tag, but it comes through in the preparation and quality of the duck. Also liked the lemons that came with the dish. Not authentic, but I liked it. Salt and pepper prawns: I thought this dish was tasty and the right amount of salty, but I was a little annoyed that they were fried with the skin on. Not a big deal, but a minor irritation in the eating experience. Nine flavor basil beef: Reallly tender and aromatic beef. I frankly could've eaten the entire plate myself :P Okra eggplant: Nothing very special about this dish to be honest. I'd skip it and order something else. I wouldn't say Mercer Island is close, so I'm not sure if I'd come back again, but it was fun to try a new place :) It's also on the expensive side of things, so you've been warned.

Come down and ask for Mickey to be your server! First time to this restaurant and the food did not disappoint! We ordered their cucumber salad to start and the flavors were off the chart! If you like Din Tai Fung's cucumber salad, you would kill for this one! It has cucumbers and wood-ear mushrooms. Our main dishes were the duck and braised pork belly. Both were traditionally prepared, but the flavors were to die for! It wasn't enough so we also grabbed the crispy pork belly. The crispy pork belly was cut this and deep fried. Personally, I would have added salt and pepper for a better flavor or something for a kick, but it was still delicious. For dessert we had their mango crème brûlée and tiramisu. The tiramisu I thought was going to be like any other and I really was not excited to try it. Their tiramisu is more like a mousse and it was awesome! Of course the mango crème brûlée was something I wanted more of as well! Not only do I recommend this restaurant, I will add this to my list of favorites and go tos! Oh! And for a vegetable, Mickey recommends the pea vine. This was not disappointing at all! It looks like a normal vegetable thrown on a plate, but it had like a dashi flavor taste to it. We ate through everything!

They restaurant delicious fusion Chinese cuisine with a modern twist. We came on a Sunday and made it to happy hour. The duck was really good. It was nice and crispy and it went well with the bun. We ordered appetizers like the lollipop chicken, Brussel sprouts, and also pea sprouts. All were really delicious. The service was excellent and I really liked the ambience of this restaurant. There was also plenty of parking. We had a lot of fun here and I would definitely come back.

We enjoyed a terrific Christmas Eve meal at Vivienne's Bistro. All appetizers and entrees were expertly prepared and creatively served, hot from the kitchen. Basil Beef, potstickers, and chicken-fried rice were among our favorites. Cocktails were excellent and reasonably priced. The service was cordial, professional and attentive. The atmosphere is stylish with plenty of space. We are looking forward to our next visit.

Food was incredible- best restaurant on Mercer Island! This Asian fusion restaurant had unique dishes I never had tasted before and they were delicious. We had 4 of us eating spring rolls, original flavored hot and sour soup, triple pepper shrimp, pumpkin curry with chicken, Alaskan scallops with mushrooms (scallops perfectly prepared with a delicate flavor), and Henan chicken (cold dish) with 3 sauces. I would highly recommend any of these dishes.

Lots of delicious unique cocktails. The space was a lot larger than I had expected. The matcha martini was one of the faves. Black ink rice and eggplant were the most memorable dishes. Easy to make reservations and staff was quite attentive with refilling water and ordering more cocktails. The place closes promptly at 930pm!

Best Peking duck (called Forbidden Roast Duck here) in greater Seattle! The caramelized lemon slices are excellent! Pricey but have a handful of stellar 5* dishes, many very good and remaining comparable to decent Chinese restaurants. Dishes are generous & shareable so a nice place to come with groups. Large parties have an automatic 20% charge on the bill. Reservations recommended because sometimes very busy (and sometimes super empty) Favorite Dishes 1. Sizzling Rice Soup w/ Seafood enough for 4 bowls $20. 5* 2. Forbidden Roast Duck whole Peking duck with excellent caramelized lemon slices and bao buns $56. 5*. Extra 4 buns $6 Extra Lemon $3 3. Slow Braised Beef Shoet Ribs super tender & flavorful $46 5* 4. Dong Po Rau (slow braised pork belly) melt in your mouth tender $28 5* 5. Cucumber Salad $12.50 5* Also like to order! 1. Fish Fillet w/ Ginger & Onion $20 2. Nine Flavor Basil Beef $20 3. Salt & Pepper Prawns $15.50 4. Honey Walnut Prawns like to ask for 1/2 the dressing $20 5. Okra Eggplant $18 6. Sauté Seasonal Vegetables with Garlic great variety of veg $13.50 7. Vivi's Jujube Tea $8 Wished it be better... 1. Squid Ink Baked Rice (soft rice) $23 2. Kalbi Short Ribs (but chewy) $18.50 3. Radish Cake (want more seasoning) $12.50 Lunch Specials M-F 11-3pm $18 1 small entree, soup, fried rice, potstickers or veg croquettes is ok Service thumbs up Parking free in the building with the entrance on the south side. Then walk through the 2 sets of doors through the lobby out to the street side and entrance to the restaurant will be on the right. Located -on 76th Ave in the same building as Mud Bay

Wanted to have duck and so my friend recommended viviennes bsitro. The duck was really good! Viviennes bistro is more fusion in general but tastes good! The duck came with buns instead of wraps and the buns were very juicy. The grilled lemon slices add a taste of bitterness and tartness to the bun. We loved the seafood rice crispy soup and it was super flavorful and had a ton of umami. We also ordered their winter special - Dong po meat was fatty but not oily. The only one that we didn't quite recommend because it was not special is the eggplant. Everything came super fast. Overall, we thought this place deserved more love because food came quickly and was tasty. Service was good too!

I was yelping and found this gem. Took my colleagues here and were greeted by the awesome staff. Food was exceptional, we had the duck, chili with pork, siu mai, pot stickers and the pork buns. For drinks, I have to recommend the Mango Drop which had vodka.

Came for lunch. Had the lamb skewers again, squid rice, and peppers -- they were all incredible. Always surprised how much space there is at lunch, easy to get a seat. Will definitely come back again!

Less fancy than Baron's in Bellevue, the food is comparable and the duck, while less ornate, is at least the equal of any high-rated specialty Chinese duck dish purveyor in the Seattle area. The Spicy Wonton dish blends both spicy and flavor to make an experience both heated and (what is often forgotten in dishes such as this) FLAVORFUL. The lobster special is daunting but delicious, help is needed for effective meat removal (hilariously, my scandi heritage was more helpful in this area than my 1st dining guest's super world travels and my 2nd guest's native birth and citizenship in Singapore.) We all think further pre-cracking, towel-lets, hand wipes, lemon slices and/or other hand sanitizers would be a great guest benefit. Did I say the duck was super great! Also the potato croquettes are fantastic. We enjoyed a more relaxed, but still stylistically well above average ambience that welcomes multi-generational families, especially those that are familiar with the cuisine or those who are willing to try! The only thing I'm on a lookout for is pea-shoots - perhaps update your website when they are actually available?

In search for a good place to eat, and I like to try new places that tell you support your local businesses I do love Asian food so Vivienne I was tucked away in a corner but we found the place at their time of happy hour Happy hour has a very limited menu I found so we ordered deep fried brussel sprouts with sea salt and seaweed, I would have preferred pan fried but it was worth ordering and trying the brussel sprouts deep fried, pork and veggie pot stickers with housemate dipping sauce the sauce was a little on the sweeter side I could have done without the sweetness, sweet potato fries with truffle sauce but I have the truffle sauce delivered on the side because I'm not a big fan but my husband is!! Master che fried rice well we ate all , I have the toddler with me who indulged as well Steamed BBQ buns , handmade buns with sweet BBQ pork filling, they are good including the day after steamed buns are my new favorite. And you remember how I said I had the toddler with me well I didn't get many pictures but their websites does have pictures and those are very true we looked at other food others were ordering and the website is accurate with their pictures. The service is friendly the ambience is a little dark inside we chose to sit outside I mean it's summer you got to take advantage but the restaurant is darker inside I guess nice to have a dinner date a little too dark for me but overall I would die in here again

Beautiful inside, clean bathroom, good service altho a little slow. But we didn't care, we were just talking away so maybe they knew we weren't in a hurry. We all liked our food, reasonable prices. I live over a thousand miles away so probably won't get here again buy I would if I had the chance.

Been wanting to try this place for a while so went there for lunch on a Monday. It was practically empty, so we had our choice of tables. The interior is lovely- it's modern and beautiful decorated. I wanted to try the duck but at $75 we decided to wait for dinner instead. We ordered two lunch specials which come with soup, fried rice, choice of entree and either a potsticker or croquette for $18. Pretty good deal especially for the quality of the food. We ordered the garlic fish and the sweet pork. The corn soup starter was a delicious surprise. It was light and flavorful and slightly sweet from the corn- I loved it. The pork was thinly sliced and was both chewy and crunchy. The sauce wasn't overly sweet like some places and it had peaches and some kind of berry in the sauce- maybe a huckleberry? The garlic fish was tender and seasoned perfectly with just the right balance of garlic. It melted in my mouth and paired perfectly with the fried rice. The potsticker was just okay, but the croquette was crispy and light. I would have liked a sauce with it. Overall I was impressed with the food and the whole experience. I'm looking forward to going back.

Vivienne's Bistro is a upscale Asian Fusion with a classy ambiance located on Mercer Island. This spot would be great to celebrate a special occasion or date night. The restaurant gets packed quickly, so highly recommend making a reservation. FOOD (starting with most favorite) * Forbidden Roast Duck - this is a must try! I'm not usually a lemon person, but the caramelized lemons paired with the duck is a game changer. It did seem like they could add more buns to the dish, since the bun/duck/topping ratio was off. * Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crab - I loved the crispiness of the soft shell while biting into the soft inner layers of the crab. Dipping sauce paired nicely as well. * Crispy Pork Belly - This wasn't bad. It's marinated in a shrimp sauce but I felt some pieces were a bit dry. * Master Chef Noodle - It is a chow mein paired with your choice of chicken, shrimp or veggies. Good, but nothing to write home about. While the dishes were good, it is on the pricier side for what you're getting. SERVICE Service was good. Dishes arrived quickly, water glasses were refilled, especially for a busy weekend. PARKING There is a garage with narrow parking spaces located in the back of the restaurant. Overall, I would recommend giving it a try, especially the delectable caramelized lemons sandwiched in a duck bun which I'll be thinking about!

I grew up eating Peking duck for special occasions and had yet to have it again since moving to Seattle. The duck here did not disappoint. The preserved lemon added a depth of flavor I really wasn't expecting, and the duck was perfect. Will definitely be back to try some more dishes, hopefully with a large group.

Nice place with very beautiful decor but not too busy. We were there on Monday night and it wasn't crowded. Service was good. My drink was also good and here are my thoughts on the foods . The 2 Small eats dishes - Spicy wonton and Mr and Mrs Smith - were a little bit too salty. . The soup was amazing. I love the cruncy rice pieces they put in there . Squid ink rice wasn't bad. I wished they had added a little bit more salt . The beef was great. Super flavorfull and tender! . The noodles were mediocre. The name was a super over statement :)) . The duck i didnt but my family enjoyed the dish