Best Neighborhood Restaurants in Seattle

Sometimes it is nice to not venture to far from home when you want a nice night out, but it is REALLY hard to find a nice place to go. Usually you end up compromising and going to the ok place down the street with bad service. Fortunately, I have found a few excellent restaurants near where I live. My husband and I love to go to Frank's Oyster House and Pair in our Ravenna neighborhood when we are tired and looking for a relaxing, enjoyable evening.

Frank's Oyster House & Champagne Parlor-

Frank's is an extremely charming, sexy restaurant in Ravenna. It feels like a classy lodge when you enter. The food is excellent! My favorite is the halibut and my husband loves the oysters and New York steak.

Half of the restaurant is loungey to enjoy casual small plates and happy hour if you don't feel like heading into the dining area for dinner. The dining area is cozy with a cool table by the window and several high wooden booths.

Read what Seattle Metropolitan Magazine has to say about Frank's: http://www.seattlemet.com/eat-and-drink/articles/0409-dine-franks/

Pair- Pair serves small plates and the food is also magnificent. Everything on the menu is delightful. The restaurant is very homey and welcoming. The dining area is very rustic and feels like you are in a friend's dining room vs out at a restaurant. The servers are very personable and kind. Pair doesn't accept reservations for parties under 6 so it is better to get there earlier in the evening so you can get a table.

If you live nearby, enjoy!

Best Mexican Restaurants in Seattle

Two modern Mexican restaurants I really like in Seattle are El Camino and the Matador. They both serve very tasty modern Mexican cuisine, have amazing service (especially the Matador) and have a fun, cool vibe.

El Camino- El Camino is located in the heart of Fremont and serves traditional and contemporary Mexican cuisine. They offer 3 dining areas to meet your personal needs, the dining room, bar and patio. My favorite is the bar or patio. You don't need any reservations and you can just grab an available table. The patio is my favorite spot to eat. It is covered in the winter and has a fireplace.

The Matador- The Matador is located in Ballard and features wonderful Tex-Mex cuisine. It has a great bar and the environment is very happening. My favorite part of the restaurant is the big fire pit in the middle which radiates a lot of heat and adds a nice touch to the decor. The Matador is always crowded, but you can still manage to be seated in a decent time frame. If they can't seat you right away, you can grab a drink, stand near the fire and the waitresses are very good about getting you when they have a table available.

Best Place to See a Movie in Seattle

Want to see a movie, but want more of an upscale, different experience? The best place to see a movie in Seattle is definitely the Big Picture! What a great concept to make a movie more of a social, fun night out. It is the perfect place to bring a date. The Big Picture only shows one movie at a time so make sure you check what is playing first. You can also buy your tickets online which I recommend. The Big Picture is located under El Gaucho and offers cocktails and popcorn for your pleasure. I love the fact that you can sit back, relax and have a drink while watching a movie out, very fun. The venue is also brilliantly decorated to liven up the movie experience with custom furnishings, crystal chandeliers, beautiful draperies and shag carpets! You have to check this place out the next time you want to see a movie.

Best Unique Restaurant in Seattle

Looking for a different dining experience? Elemental in Wallingford is like no other dining experience around. First of all, you need to arrive at Elemental at 5pm to even have a chance of being seated. They do not accept reservations or parties over 6, they do not turn tables and if you don't get one of the 6 tables available you are out of luck, seriously, they don't want you there lingering and will tell you to leave So if you are lucky enough to be seated, the wonderful experience begins. The restaurant is very eclectic with white furniture and drapes. Phred, the owner, takes your cocktail order and likes to add a flair to your order if it is too boring for him. Watch out if you order a martini, he has you do a taste test of about 5 different vodkas to choose your favorite one from which he will then use your selection to make your drink. The menu is written on a chalk board and the food is pretty much catered to your likes and dislikes. As you sip on your cocktail, you can see his wife in the kitchen getting everything prepped for dinner. The food is coursed out and each course is paired with a wine chosen by Phred. He pretty much takes over and makes all of the decisions for you leaving you to enjoy a unique, exciting dinner experience. All of the food is delicious so you don't have to worry. The meal lasts about 4 hours so make sure you block out your night!

Best Places to Grab a Drink in Seattle in the Winter

Seattle has the best spots to grab a cocktail when it is cold and rainy out. Several places offer a charming and cozy environment to hang out with friends or your significant other. Here are some of my favorite spots to grab a drink in the winter.

Portalis- Portalis is a cute, cozy wine bar in Ballard located on Ballard Ave. You can usually walk in and grab one of the few tables available. They offer a large selection of wines to explore and some excellent food. My husband and I love getting the cheese plate. They also have a wine shop with a large variety of wines available to purchase.

Brouwer's Cafe- Brouwer's is discretely located in Fremont and doesn't have a sign, but is well known. The building is industrial from the outside, but inside it is a warm, cave-like den. They have 64 Beers on draft, over 300 bottles, over 60 scotches and a few nice wines as well. The building is two stories and I think the best place to sit is in one of the wood booths on the first floor.

Sambar- Sambar is really small and hard to spot. It is located in Ballard next to Le Gourmand restaurant on N.W. Market Street. The bar is only has a few tables and is very modern and charming. It is very intimate and is a great place to have a cocktail before or after dinner with a special someone.

Bookstore Bar- The Bookstore Bar is located in downtown Seattle on 1st Ave at the entrance of the Alexis Hotel. It is a great spot to grab a drink when you are out and about shopping on the weekend or walking around downtown. The small bar is surrounded by shelves of books and offers a comfortable, enjoyable environment to sip on a drink.

Alibi Room- The Alibi Room is tucked away in post alley in the Pike Place Market. The bar is very dark and private feeling. It is a great place to go and relax/escape with friends or a date. It is also a perfect place to grab a drink before heading to a show at one of downtown's theatres.

Best Nighttime Activity With or Without Kids in Seattle

Want to do something different at night that involves some sort of physical activity? Go to Interbay Golf Center and try out a game of miniature golf. Go with a group, a date or your kids. The course is 18 holes and if you desire, you can bring a beer or glass of wine along with you. We took our kids and had a blast! Some of the holes were pretty challenging too.

Best Italian Restaurants in Seattle

I love Italian food and have found my favorite Italian restaurants in Seattle. Not only is the food good, the atmosphere and service are excellent as well making the following restaurants the best experience for an Italian dinner out.

Tavolata- Tavolata is located in Belltown and is more of a modern Italian experience with an urban feel. The restaurant is industrial, but still pleasant. The restaurant is dark with a lot of candlelight and funky mirrors on the wall. My favorite entrees are the Olive Oil Poached Halibut and the Gnocchi alla Romana. I also like the Arugula & Dandelion Greens Salad. Tavolata is a good place to go for date night or a night out with another couple. It is also close to the Big Picture if you want to catch a movie after dinner.

Pink Door- I love the Pink Door. It is like a hidden treasure. You wouldn't even know it exists just walking by, there isn't a sign, but you can spot a pink door. It is located on 1919 Post Alley. Pink Door serves Italian-American cuisine that is absolutely delicious! You can order anything from a simple pasta and meatball dish to a wild Northwest salmon entree. The decor is beautiful with antique chandeliers, large red drapes and stylish touches throughout the restaurant. Pink Door also offers entertainment on certain nights such as live music or trapeze artists and has a back patio that has a stunning view of Elliot Bay. Pink Door is a must when you have visitors in town. It can be a casual affair or a romantic night out.

Serafina- Serafina is a great find and another awesome Italian restaurant. It is located on East Lake and although it doesn't have a view and is more of a neighborhood restaurant, it still delivers an amazing experience. The restaurant is dark with dark chocolate wood everywhere and is lit up with small twinkle lights. Some of the decor is eccentric, but it all seems to work creating a warm, romantic ambience. They have an extensive wine and cocktail menu and the food is delightful. I also love the service. Most servers have been working there for years and they have mastered how to compliment a great dining experience. Serafina also hosts wine tasting events and have live jazz on certain nights.

Best Weekend Getaway near Seattle

My husband and I wanted to getaway for the weekend before our baby was born. We didn't want to venture to far from Seattle, but wanted the full experience of a relaxing vacation. We chose to head to Langley, WA. Langley exceeded our expectations and was just the retreat we were looking for.

We headed to Langley, WA around 1pm from Seattle. To get to Langley from Seattle follow the following directions:

• Take I-5 north
  
• Take Exit 182 (in Lynnwood), merge left onto WA-525 west towards Mukilteo


• Stay on WA-525 until you reach the WA State Ferry Terminal


• Take the Mulkilteo-Clinton ferry across Puget Sound to Clinton (See the Mukilteo/Clinton Ferry schedule)
  
• Once off of the ferry continue North on WA-525


• Turn right onto Langley Rd, it's the 2nd traffic light on WA-525
  
• Once in Langley, turn right onto Cascade Ave, it will turn into First Street You are now in downtown Langley!

Travel time is about 1 hour and 20 minutes from downtown Seattle. We arrived in Langley around 2:30pm and went straight to where we were staying, Inn at Langley, which is in the heart of downtown Langley. When we entered our room, it felt like we were on a boat. Our room was over looking the water and the view was gorgeous!

The room was very simple, but comfortable and relaxing.

After we got settled, we headed into town to check out the Langley Oktoberfest.

The Oktoberfest was very small, but full of character. There was live German music and a beer garden. My husband enjoyed a stein of beer from Diamond Knot Brewery.

After the Oktoberfest we headed back to our room for an in room couples massage coordinated through the inn's spa, Spa Essencia. The massage was excellent and it was nice having it in the privacy of our room.

For dinner, we had reservations at the hotel restaurant. We didn't have any expectations and the experience ended up being very unique. The set up felt more like a dinner party then it did being at a restaurant. We got to meet the chef, Matt Costello. In 1994, Costello joined famous Seattle chef Tom Douglas heading up the kitchen as Chef at both the Dahlia Lounge and Palace Kitchen. We were also visited by the owners, Paul (past Seattle Mayor) and Pam Schell at dinner. The food was amazing and the chef uses mostly local ingredients! It came out in 5 courses and each course was paired with wine. View a sample menu here.

So if you want to escape from the city for a weekend, I highly recommend a trip to Langley, WA!