Stoneburner — Restaurant in Seattle

update 7/26*

We were able to get in another visit and were fortunate to try some of their pizza this time around. Pizza was excellent and paired well with our outstanding bottle of barolo.

previous review *

This was our first time visiting.

First, I want to mention that all of the staff, especially the waiter, were very friendly and attentive throughout our visit.

We came on a Sunday night, fwiw, it felt like an offnight of several unfortunate, but mostly correctable circumstances. We would definitely like to visit again and see if it was more of an isolated experience. Our tab for 2 guests, was 350+, not unreasonable for nicer places in Seattle but noting the bill to set expectations.

Some things that could be better: There was unfortunately not any wine staff available to field any questions... more of an issue only because they have a reasonably good wine list, it would be great to just have someone to bounce some ideas around When we settled on a bottle of wine, it took a while to get out, we already had some of our food out (ordered after the wine) which would have been nice to pair with the wine. Also fair to point out they brought out a different bottle from what we ordered. This may just be an issue of updating the wine list. (minor nit), most of the food was very well prepared, I would note the scallops could probably have had more consistency. It seems like they have a really strong crust on one side, very tasty, and totally understandable to not overcook the opposite side but I had some bites that were slightly cold. Maybe just a quick cook on the flip side would do the trick here. we ordered a pizza as a main entree. we were told they had run out for the night. It feels like pizza is a key part of the menu, maybe I'm reading that wrong, but I woud not expect a restaurant to run out. as an alternative, if it's something that runs close to the threshold in quantity, maybe communicate that to guests as it gets close to running out. we had to adjust our order after the fact and had a little bit longer than expected time in the restaurant (more below) we had a 730 reservation but due to some of the unforseen circumstances above, we stayed past closing (9pm). I believe we were seated in the bar area. Around 845, the staff started bringing in all the patio furniture into the bar area. not great ambiance to have chairs and lighting equipment stacked around you while you're trying to finish dinner. Perhaps consider seating later reservations outside...

This restaurant is obviously poorly managed. We arrived today at 11:40 am where there were only 4 tables occupied in the patio.. the VERY inexperienced blonde hostess said it would be 40 min wait as all the tables on the patio were reservations. We waited 40 minutes.,, no other tables were seated during our wait.. obviously there were no reservations!!! The hostess was busy straightening napkins and putting drink menus at a 6 top that was EMPTY the entire time we waited and actually sat on the patio. The clueless hostess finally sat us at a table that was empty when we first arrived🙄.. Also, many people walked away as we waited the stated wait was obviously due to low or no staff. We finally sat down and It took 20 minutes for me to get the glass of white wine I ordered. We ordered our brunch entrees and when the server brought them she quickly slid them across the table and never said a word. We were the ONLY table on the patio at this time too!! What we ordered was NOT what we got., we asked the busser working on the patio to please request our server- OMG…. he pretended not to speak English.. we then got the manager on duty who gave us a menu for another entree but quickly ran away… the food is awful… the server could have cared less about us.. no eye contact .. could not even wait for 1 minute after delivering our entrees to see if we needed anything. She slammed our check on the table. This place is awful and I will never be back and will tell everyone not to go here. The server was unfriendly and obviously did not want to wait on us…The Manager- I think he was an Assistant or trainee as he could not handle the restaurant.. was not at all helpful.,,, I live in Ballard and eat- shop etc in this neighborhood.will not waste my money or time here.. many other better...

My recent visit to Stoneburner in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle left me thoroughly impressed. From the moment we stepped inside, the ambiance and attentive service set the stage for an exceptional evening. The service was excellent. Our waitress Allie engaged us in delightful conversation, making us feel welcome and at ease. She was knowledgeable about the menu and provided helpful recommendations. She even brought us garlic bread on the house since she thought we were waiting too long. Very nice surprise and we didn’t complain. We indulged in a variety of dishes, each leaving a lasting impression. The beef tartare was a revelation. The finely minced meat was seasoned perfectly with an egg on top, and the accompanying condiments elevated the flavors. The Snap Pea Salad was on point. I want to figure out their recipe. Maybe they will send it to me if I ask nicely. Fresh, crisp snap peas combined with a dill vinaigrette made for a refreshing starter. The charred broccoli was simple yet satisfying with their tahini sauce. The charred edges added a delightful crunch. The scallops were seared to perfection, tender and succulent. The accompanying sauce complemented them beautifully. The pillowy gnocchi, bathed in a ragu Bolognese sauce, was a comforting delight. I could’ve had more and thought the portion size was a little on the small size though. Overall Impression I thought the Stoneburner was a gem in the culinary landscape of Seattle. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply enjoying a night out, this restaurant delivers on all fronts. Make a reservation, as it tends to get busy! Bon appétit! We also walked into the hotel lobby since it’s attached to the Ballard Hotel, and it was inviting and cozy. Check that out too if you go to...