Esters Enoteca — Restaurant in Seattle

Wow, I am really impressed by Esters Enoteca. I had heard from different sources that Esters Enoteca was good, but I was unsure how good a place could actually be. I happened upon the restaurant by accident on a Thursday evening after 7pm. I was actually planning on going to a different place but there was an open parking spot out front and I saw I was right in front of Esters so I decided to go there instead. As others have said, you order at the counter and then you choose a seat where they bring out the orders. The menu had worldly influences but also was rooted in Italian and Spanish flavors. I started with a Siberian Rose Phosphate soda because they were running a promo where if you bought a cocktail or housemade soda you could get an order of paella. In addition, I had the duck fingers, meat ragu pasta, and the porchetta panini. All dishes were amazing. The soda was nicely flavored, not too sweet but nicely rose flavored. The paella had a good balance of seafood and chorizo. The duck fingers were amazing with the duck tenderloins cooked perfectly and the crust was crispy and drizzled in a sweet and sour sauce. The dish reminded me of peking duck. The meat ragu pasta had meat flavor in spades, the pasta was cooked nicely al dente, and even with the use of hemp milk the flavor of the dish was not altered noticeably. We got the porchetta sandwich and it is one of the best sandwiches I’ve eaten. The pork was smoky and rich and paired nicely with the assertive garlic aioli and fresh arugula. The bread was nicely grilled or toasted on the inside and maintained its integrity under the juicy pork. This was one of the most consistent meals I’ve ever had. Everything was executed perfectly and the flavors were all chosen with intent. The prices of the dishes may seem a little high for the size of some of the items, but I believe the technique and flavor make the dishes a very fair price. The high ratings are definitely warranted. I...

Found an ABSOLUTE GEM of a restaurant!! If you live in Seattle and haven't been here you're missing out! This place has such an amazing atmosphere and super delicious food! Nick, the owner, was super nice and friendly - a really enjoyable experience indeed! We loved all of the food we ordered: oxtail poutine (out of this world good 👍😋), tasty and unique Amatriciana dish which incorporated squid ink!! 🐙 so neat! I had the Ravioli with crab and OH. My. Lawd was it GOOD! My wife has so many dietary restrictions but this place had SO many options for her! Finally an amazing restaurant with vegan and gluten free options!

Mad Max helped us pair the wine with our dishes and was an awesome host!! This experience has earned one of my rare 1,000 🌟 star reviews!! HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone and everyone! We can't wait to come back and try all the other dishes when we are back in the area!! Thanks Nick for providing us with a great atmosphere, excellent food and a...

I appreciate this place. It is counter-service tapas / drinks, so you open a tab and keep going up for food. From the outside, it looks like Eater's Enoteca, which tripped up my dining companions -- I had to wave vigorously through the glass to get them to come in.

The food is small and veers towards slightly dressed up basics, e.g. duck fingers instead of chicken fingers. It vacillates between "doused in salt and sugar" (I mean, why not -- it tastes great and gets you to buy more drinks) and "wow, that was nice, if maybe slightly bland after everything else I just ate".

Happy hour prices are great and it's not too loud -- that's really what I care about. My two strapping young companions and I ate / drank here for about $90.

Most of the seating is for 2 or 4 (I suspect many an okcupid date happens here); there's one long table where you might be able to fit 10 if you arrived early...