Black Bottle Bellevue — Restaurant in Bellevue

I wanted to really like this place because one, its 21+ and I saw they had escargots. I will say it was pretty across our group that we would have to find somewhere else to eat… a 2nd dinner at another location.

Parking: Not sure as we parked in Lincoln Square and walked over. Pet friendly: No Family friendly: No, 21+

FOOD: Burgundy escargots (classic style, butter, garlic, parsley, French bread) $21: 2 Star – I love escargot but if I ever come back I will not be ordering this again. The first piece I had tasted so off, like if you had bad fish… My husband has a piece and he said it tasted completely fine. I had my 2nd piece it was pretty good. My 3rd piece had that weird off taste again. I feel like they got their snail from a can and it was either two different can or they have to find a new supplier. I was honestly worried the rest of the night if I’d get food poisoning… AND their bread wasn’t grilled… I know of all things but yea that’s a minus.

Prosciutto & Besciamella, Mozzarella & parmesan $16.5: 3 Star: I love carbs especially when it comes with cheese on top. This was okay only because the prosiutto was so salty. I understand prosciutto is cured but there wasn’t a good balance of the prosciutto and parmesan with everything else.

DRINKS: Efeste “Final Final” Blend Red Wine 2019, WA $68: 5 Stars - Of all the things our group ordered this bottle of red was the best thing there. Nice body, great taste, and easy to drink 😊

MENU/RESTAURANT: Viewing the menu online, this place sounded like it was going to be so good… though not great for vegetarian/vegan entrée options.

The restaurant is in downtown Bellevue and only a block or so away from the mall/Lincoln sq buildings that I’ve actually haven’t been here before. It’s a nice restaurant and not what I would assume from the exterior. Lighting is very dim so not the greatest when trying to food photos LOL

SERVICE: Staff was friendly but we didn’t have a lot of interaction as the...

Originally, I needed a swanky new spot to catch some happy hour with a long lost friend, but ended up ordering three "small plates" on the everyday menu. We thought we got in just in time to order a few dishes before 6pm, only to find out that the "pizza by the slice" and drinks were the only Happy hour items offered. Pizza for happy hour? No thank you. Lets go with the pear and gorgonzola flat bread, roasted vegetables verjus and roasted baby artichoke with crispy farro and garlic. Getting real fancy with our veggies today. I enjoyed the flatbread, the pears were the right amount of sweetness and covered in onions, Normally, I'm not a huge fan on onions but these ones worked with well the overall taste and flavor combination of the dish. The roasted veggies were nothing particularly special. The exotic brown and yellowish looking carrots seemed actually a bit undercooked and tough to chew on. Good thing I wasn't on a hot date or anything, because I had to pick them up, use my hands and canines to get at them. The olive or or whatever oil they used to roast these veggies had a super strong smell, taking them home resulted in a smelly car and fridge when I got home. Artichokes were good, crispy farro was a bit difficult to tell from the garlic, again stinky choice of food, but overall worth it.

Super hipster place in my opinion. Waiters were dressed pretty casually, so I couldn't always tell customers from staff. We sat at our table for a good 15 minutes without being helped, which was slightly annoying. I may of had a small case of hangry, but 15 minutes is a long time to wait for a glass of water and a couple of menus. Oh well, hopefully we have better luck next time. Final tip: don't park at the Bellevue Towers across the street, because they don't validate there! Park only at the Avalon Towers, unless you...

I had a very disappointing experience at Black Bottle in Bellevue tonight. My evening started with a few drinks from 6 pm as two of us waited for a friend who joined us around 6:30 pm. However, our catch-up was abruptly cut short when, at 7:20 pm, a waitress informed us that our table was needed for another party. Surprised, I mentioned my reservation from the previous night. Soon after, another waiter explained that they typically enforce a 1.5-hour dining limit—a policy that was neither communicated during the booking process nor upon our arrival. I recalled a past visit in December where we dined for three hours without issue, to which he replied that it was a special occasion. The restaurant was clearly busy, and their actions felt like a desperate attempt to manage space, sacrificing customer service in the process. It was rude, unprofessional, and absolutely ridiculous. A situation like this warrants an explanation from the manager, and I am more than willing to present my reservation details. This is not the treatment I expected, and it's not one I wish to experience again.

updates* The day after our disappointing visit, I received a message from Chris, who identified himself as one of the owners and managers of Black Bottle. He apologized for the evening's issues and stated that there is no such policy as the 1.5-hour dining limit we were told about. He invited me to call him to discuss what had happened further. Unfortunately, my attempts to follow up have been fruitless. I left a message on his voicemail explaining everything in detail, but received no callback. When I tried calling again yesterday, the call was abruptly cut off, and I've heard nothing since. This lack of follow-through has only compounded my frustration. It’s bewildering how this business is run; the lack of professionalism...