Damn the Weather — Restaurant in Seattle

A Bizarre End to an Otherwise Decent Evening

My recent visit to Damn The Weather was, to say the least, a tale of two halves. The evening started off well enough, while arriving after a Mariners game and perusing the menu, my girlfriend and I decided to come into what appeared to be a warm ambiance. We were told the kitchen was closing soon but not an exact time. We arrived at the restaurant around 10:00 PM, expecting a leisurely dinner before their posted closing time of 11:00 PM. The initial experience was short-lived—our server told us as soon as arriving that we had 2 mins to put in the food order. This was enough time just to order a couple of salads that arrived immediately and before we were even asked for drinks. After looking at each other with surprise about the food arriving before the drinks, we ordered a couple gin & tonics. The salad flavors were solid but not worth the $22US charged for them. Drinks were heavy poured, as per typical US restaurant standards, (can’t really complain about that). There was no time to enjoy anything else off the menu and what transpired at the end of the night left a sour taste that overshadowed the entire experience. Minutes later, as the evening progressed, we noticed a shift in the staff’s demeanor. Around 10:30 we were told it was last call. A subtle but clear urge from the staff to hurry along. We hadn’t even been offered dessert or coffee when the manager approached our table. We asked for the bill and when it arrived minutes later, we got sense they were closing early due to an unexpected issue and that we needed to leave immediately.

We were caught off guard but complied, getting ready to pay the bill. I mentioned to my girlfriend jokingly, “this place will get an interesting Google review”. I believe our server was the manager and she picked up on this and immediately. She came over to our table and became agitated and explained that she was a small business owner and how difficult it was to keep a business open. I mentioned to her that it was not a negotiation, when we have ordered our meal and are ready to pay for it, the transaction is done. The experience is for the customer to evaluate on their own. The manager returned to our table, grabbed the bill before I even had a chance to look at it and dramatically ripped it up in front of us, stating, “Don’t worry about it.” While one might think this was a gesture of goodwill, the way it was done felt more like a dismissal rather than an act of kindness. This abrupt ending left us feeling rushed, confused, and frankly, unwelcome. The strange communication, paired with the manager’s peculiar behavior, turned what could have been a pleasant evening into a stressful experience. It’s a shame because the atmosphere and food up until that point had been good, but the way we were hurried out the door and the bizarre handling of the bill completely marred our night. Would I return to Damn The Weather? I’m not sure. While the food was good, the way the evening ended leaves me hesitant to give them another chance. If you decide to dine here, be sure to keep an eye on the clock—or you might find your evening cut short in the most...

This is a review for last nights dinner service.

My partner and I had been wanting to try Damn the Weather for a while and we finally got a chance to do so last night. We arrived a little after 9:30 and were seated immediately, something unexpected for a Saturday dinner service.

Our server almost immediately came up and asked for a drink order, we had just sat down and my partner was in the restroom. They came by multiple times in a impersonal, crass way as if our presence was an inconvenience to her. We decided to start with the Sangiovese, the manilla clams and chicken fat fries.

The Clams came but with out any hominy which was the second ingredient described on the menu. The clams themself were delicious but it was a let down to not have what you expected from the menu. Also, there were no fries brought out. I gave the server the benefit of the doubt that the table was fairly small and that they were maybe deliberately coursing out what we had order. When they came by to bus our clam dish she asked if we wanted to order any more food without checking in to see how we enjoyed the clams. It was at this time that I realised that she had just forgot to put the order in. This was 30 minutes after we had ordered them. We let her know we were still waiting on the chicken fat fries with fennel pollen. She said that she forgot to put the order in and that they would be out shortly; we also took this time to order the cured meat board and crackers.

It was a few more minutes until the fries were delivered by another waiter but they were the wrong fries, it was not what we ordered. It took the server a while to come by so we could let her know once again that it was incorrect. Again, advocating for what we orginally ordered 40 minutes ago seemed to be a significant inconvenience to her. We did not feel welcome.

The meat board came out shortly after and it was decent at best, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it if there was a sense of sincerity or hospitality throughout the night but any semblance of that faded upon sitting down.

We finished our food and asked for the bill to find that nothing was comped. As someone who has worked in the industry as a waiter and bartender for nearly 8 years, this was some of the worst service I've recieved in recent memory. As a server I understand that we all have off days, we are human, but when a bill is 100 dollars and you have to wait 40 minutes for fries there is reason to be upset.

The restaurant industry sells more than food, you are crafting an experience from start to finish; please impart that to your staff.

I won't be returning anytime soon since the only enjoyable aspect of the experience was the delicious natural wine program and I can easily get a bottle elsewhere.

There was so much hype going to this place and I've never been as let down for a place that has recieved such good press in the past. The hype isn't worth it, there are far better...

PSA: all reviews are given 5 stars as I am opposed to ratings that allow users to make judgements about an establishment without reading the details.

Damn the weather has been saved in my "Want to go" list for months and months and months. Shockingly, the pandemic slowed down my making this trip, as well as I was not able to get Pioneer Square into my routine. But I decided that my day off was "try new places day", so I finally made it to this truly special place!

Upon entering, it truly felt like I was walking into a bar/restaurant that my imagination has been creating my entire adult life; a bar dominant room that perfectly balanced a dark and inviting space, jam packed with character and style. Without consuming a thing, I immediately felt that I was going to love my experience, and quietly kicking myself for waiting so long!

At about 3pm on a Thursday, there was not much going on, and I was greeted by an absolutely charming and delightful bartender; who politely asked for my vax and ID (yes, you need this to dine in, get over it all!). After settling in at the beautiful bar, and usually a beer drinker, I was feeling the cocktail vibe. Feeling truly at ease, I asked for a drink recommendation. The bartender offered up a great choice, and made it for me to try while I perused the menu; a lovely gesture to allow me to try without commitment! And it was exactly the kind of cocktail I was looking for!

The menu is lean, but still manages to cover a lot for a wide variety for its patrons. I immediately dialed in on the steak frites, and was delighted when my bartender said I could get duck fat frites! Started off with the most boldly flavored fried cauliflower appetizer I think I have ever had! (Damn the Weather, if you ever want to sell that chili-garlic butter, I will gladly buy by the pounds!) Loved the different sized pieces that offer varying doneness! The steak frites was, simply put, the best version I have had in many years! Perfectly executed medium rare, crispy frites (duck fat fried for the win!), and very fairly priced for the portion and quality!

Lastly, I want to share that this staff; each and every person I encountered, were the most kind, warm, and genuine I could possibly ask for. They were all knowledgeable, and took the time to ensure that all aspects of my experience was amazing! It may sound silly, but service at this level makes the food and beverage taste better in my opinion.

Taking everything into consideration, this was as close to a perfect dining experience as I have could ask for. Looking forward to...