84 Yesler - Seattle

Chef Christina 's creations are always a pleasure to have. Always imaginative and sophisticated, while not being so post modern as to leave one wondering about the food they just had.

誕生日の失望 (Birthday disappointment) TL;DR: it was fine. Not worth $1k for a meal for three diners, but ok. Six-course tasting menus wine pairings were anonymously and hygienically delivered, but nothing in this experience was more than… meh. Full story: my son flew from his Army station in Georgia to join me for my 58th birthday, and we had a great day watching the Apple Cup, culminating in a meal with my wife at 84 Yesler. I’d mentioned the context in my online reservation, and we were greeted with… nothing showing that this was anything other than a table for three. Fine. We ordered what we considered (somewhat in a vacuum, since there were no recommendations) the works: three six-course tasting menus plus wine pairings. The server politely accepted the order, and left. The meal was… meh. Amouse bouche was a tiny, bisected brûléed fig in an uninspired, oversized pastry cup with a dab of bleu cheese. It was ok. Second course of a half, tiny tempura’d mushroom. Eh. Third course was “dry aged salmon” in a dab of dashi broth. It was definitely salmon, definitely not very interesting. Fifth course was a dry, very petite beef short rib with some truffle sauce. Not very good, but nice idea? Dessert was some uninspired combo of caramel popcorn, a spoonful of something sorbet-adjacent, and maybe some other sweet starch thing with a couple of slices of blackberry? It’s been an hour, and hard to recall. The wines with the meal were almost as memorable. The bill, complete with 20% tip added so we didn’t have to hurt ourselves with computational exertion, was $949. It was not worth it. Reasonable at half the price, I suppose.

Wonderful location, attentive staff, and great ambience...BUT the food fell flat. The appetizers are reasonable (we had the tomatoes, the focaccia bread), but the mains (sea bass was heavy and strangely flat), the corn dish, as well as the pappardelle) were simultaneously bland and salty. The apple pie as dessert was extremely dry and crumbly (but dusty, not in the good moist way). For the price point I was expecting more jealous of the other reviewers who raved about this. Maybe the kitchen staff was having an off day?

It’s a amazing dishes foie gras toast was delicious! I would love to come back again soon

I would highly recommend the tasting menu. The dishes are expertly crafted and plated. The owner greeted us as we walked into the restaurant and the service was world class. If you are looking for a spot for a special occasion this is it. Whether it is your first time or you are familiar with fine dining you will feel right at home.