Revel — Restaurant in Seattle

This is the first time I’ve written a negative long review based on food quality, but I feel it’s necessary. Revel had been on my bucket list for a long time, so I had really high expectations, but I was extremely disappointed. Honestly, this was the worst Korean food I’ve ever had.

They were offering a special Korean street food menu, so we tried the Guided Tour, which included all eight dishes. I was really surprised to find all of the dishes underwhelming. The pancake and mandu lacked flavor, the tteokbokki tasted worse than some pre-packaged versions from H Mart, and the kimbap, kimari, and fried chicken were at best “not too bad”, with very small portions. The bibimbap (top dish in the second photo) had no protein, just bean sprouts and a lot of leafy vegetables that seemed out of balance, and the sauce was weirdly sour. The hotteok was unusually thin and tasted worse than what you can buy at an Asian supermarket. We also got the banana milk makgeolli, which tasted like something poured straight from a store-bought bottle, and it was only about 8-10oz for $22.

On top of that, there’s a mandatory 22% service charge, and the service was nothing special. Our waiter mostly just took our order and brought out the dishes. The 3 of us ended up paying $136 ($183 with tax and tip) for food that ranged from mediocre home-cooked quality to pre-packaged supermarket taste.

There are far better, cheaper, and more authentic Korean restaurants in Seattle. I would not...

Revel is in a weird place - I realize the industry is going after service charges as a reaction to the minimum wage increase, but this approach is so anti-customer that it shouldn't be tolerated especially when the overall experience does not justify the price.

Food and menu has become smaller, feels like it rotates less, and maybe it's just me but everything is so salty now. The cabbage was probably the best I'd ever had, though too salty, and the chinese broccoli was... just broccoli. The drinks are still pretty good, enjoyed the Red Tea Crush. Vibe inside is ok, though you might get sat on a bench that has no back to lean against, and have to get up to get your own sauces now (22% service charge lol) instead of having them on the table. The pop art on the walls is dated.

22% mandatory service charge is ridiculous, especially so since they don't explain this before ordering. I'm used to auto-grat on large groups, but just 2 people? You also have to go to the website to see that they pay "about 18%" to the servce staff, meaning they keep 4% for themselves. The payment app on the receipt still has the audacity to automatically add a tip which you manually have to type 0 instead of having a "no tip" option. The staff was good (host was pleasant, server was attentive) and deserving of a tip, but let me decide that or just raise your prices so I can plan for how much I am paying. As a result, I will not be going here again -...

Walk-in friendly, amazing staff, tasty food! But if you dine in Seattle and expect to pay $10 per person, this is not the spot. McD's is down the road if you want garbage food for low prices. Revel is for the intentional diner, not for your every day jack or Jill. You want exceptional food you won't find anywhere else on this planet and still spend less than 90% of "fine-dining" places in Seattle? Come to Revel! Bring your friends and family and show them why Seattle is the culinary "it" girl right now! Been coming here for ages! Like literally multiple times a year for the last 14 years. They are my comfort food, but even the best comfort food in the world can be off putting if the staff doesn't match the vibe of the food. THANKFULLY the staff at Revel PRECISELY match the vibe of the food: comforting, hospitable, charming enough to keep you coming back meal after meal! Again, Shanon knocked it out of the park for drinks and service. I am continuously and gleefully surprised by the level of customer service that Revels staff endures to provide. 10 out of 5 stars EVERY SINGLE TIME! I've said it before and I'll say it again: their short rib wontons are the best thing to ever exist on this earth. The ribs' only competition is the Lazy G drink from their bougie bar in the back, although the rest of the drink menu is nothing to be scoffed at. TLDR: food menu 10/10, drink menu 10/10, customer service 10/10. Literally could not...